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You were failed by a culture on our college campuses where one in five women is sexually assaulted-year after year after year. A culture that promotes passivity. That encourages young men and women on campuses to simply turn a blind eye.

The statistics on college sexual assault haven't gone down in the past two decades. It's obscene, and it's a failure that lies at all our feet.

Let's make something clear right from the start: Rape is caused by rape culture. ... Rape culture is so entrenched in our society, and its components so ubiquitous, we may sense that something doesn't taste right, but be at a loss to pinpoint the problem.

Many people believe that the nation's college campuses have become hotbeds of sexual assault. In June, after a student at Stanford University was convicted of rape but given a light sentence, Vice President Joe Biden wrote an open letter to the female victim:An American Psychological Association blogger wrote in 2014:Wendy McElroy will have none of this. She says that the chances of being raped are more like one in a hundred per year for college women (or 4 percent during a student's four years).In addition, the prevalence of rape is on the decline, and "rape culture hysteria" is destroying the lives of male students by denying them due process and damaging women by teaching them not to protect themselves.McElroy has written a book, Rape Culture Hysteria, to make her case.She contends that "social justice warriors" are creating hysteria about a non-existent rape culture in order to "impose a specific ideology that legally disadvantages one class of people (white males) in order to benefit others." The rape culture, she says, is a Big Lie (a reference to George Orwell), and a popular delusion (a reference to Charles Mackay's book Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds).Well-known in libertarian circles, McElroy considers herself a feminist and respects what she calls "individualist feminism," which developed out of the anti-slavery movement in the 19th century. Those feminists "championed human rights while insisting that people shoulder responsibility for themselves," she says. "The current movement is a mockery of itself."To puncture the claims that rape is frequent, McElroy presents an exhaustive analysis of available statistics. Four major studies and three minor ones, all produced by federal agencies, have attempted to calculate the prevalence of rapes. The definition of rape varies widely-one of these studies even counts "rape by deception," or having sex "with someone because he or she lies to you." And the study techniques range from a review of police statistics to online surveys.Certainly, there are rapes on campus. The famed 1-in-5 statistic (more precisely, the claim that 19.8 percent of female seniors have been raped during their college years) comes from an online survey conducted at two universities by the National Institute for Justice (part of the Justice Department).That number combines rape and sexual assault, both completed and attempted; assaults can include just forced kissing or grabbing. (The authors of the study say that figures for rape alone over four years, completed or attempted, would reduce the figure to 14.3 percent or 1 in 7 female students.) McElroy points out that only 42 percent of the surveyed women responded to the survey, even though they were offered a $10 Amazon gift certificate and an iTunes song download.At the other extreme is the National Crime Victimization Survey, an annual survey by the Bureau of Justice (another arm of the Justice Department). It does not count as rape a situation in which one of the partners is incapacitated by drink or drugs-frequently the case when someone is accused of rape on campus. The survey found in 2013 that the rate of rape or sexual assault was 4.4 per 1,000 female students or less than half a percent in that year (or, estimated over four years, still less than 2 percent).So, one study includes forced kissing (and has a low survey response), and the other doesn't include rape when the victim is intoxicated. McElroy calls the findings from these studies "an onslaught of confusion." But at the very least, she adds, "statements like the one by Vice President Biden are misleading and unnecessarily alarmist."Perhaps the most important part of the book is her discussion of the negative impact of rape culture hysteria, as her subtitle, "Fixing the Damage Done to Men and Women," suggests.First, there is the elimination of due process for the accused. Protections for accused men were swept away in 2011 when the Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights (OCR) issued a "Dear Colleague" letter that mandated certain rules when on-campus rape accusations were made.The biggest change was to instruct schools to use the civil-suit standard in assessing guilt: a person is guilty if the "preponderance of the evidence" leads to that conclusion. This is a much weaker standard than the criminal standard, which requires a judgment of guilt "beyond a reasonable doubt." The department contends that since an on-campus guilty verdict can at most lead to a student's expulsion, not incarceration, the easier standard is justified. Yet McElroy observes, "the permanent notation in a student's records can haunt him for life."In addition to affecting the future of men who may be falsely accused, what are the impacts on women? Perhaps the most interesting is that the "rape culture" hysteria discourages women from protecting themselves.Self-defense "used to be a matter of common sense," says McElroy. "People avoided walking down alleys at midnight in high-crime areas. They bolted the door behind them at night. They...did not pass out drunk in a stranger's apartment." But to bring this up is called victim-blaming. There's a feeling that a woman should be able to do whatever she wants, including drinking heavily, without fear of assault. If she can't, it is the fault of the "rape culture."McElroy's book emerges at a time when things may be changing slightly. The Department of Education recently settled a complaint with Wesley College in Delaware for failing to provide a male student due process when he was accused of sexual misconduct. According to Inside Higher Ed , this could be the first out of nearly 200 Title IX investigations to go after a school for failing to provide due process for the accused.There is also some pushback from faculty. Law school faculty at Harvard and the University of Pennsylvania have chastised the Department of Education for misusing Title IX. Says McElroy, "Merely rolling the provision back to the status it enjoyed before the dear colleague letter (pre-2011) would be a sharp turn toward sanity."And yes, we could use some sanity on campus.
UNITED NATIONS, Nov. 25 (Xinhua) -- The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported that current displacement in the context of the Mosul military operations in Iraq has reached nearly 73,000 people, UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters here Friday.

The latest recorded displacement is the arrival of some 1,200 families in the Namrud area to the southeast of Mosul, the spokesman said.

On Nov. 24, an inter-agency distribution by the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF), the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) and the World Food Programme (WFP) provided humanitarian assistance to 5,000 families, including newly displaced families, in 16 villages in Namrud area.

WFP reported that since the onset of the Mosul operation on Oct. 17, the UN food agency and its partners have provided ready-to-eat food to more than 196,000 people affected by the conflict, the spokesman noted.

"There are reports of displacement around Tel Afar amid heavy fighting in the area," he said.

A UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) camp at Amalla, north of Tel Afar, is ready to receive more than 3,000 displaced families, he said. "So far, no displaced families from Tel Afar have arrived at the camp."

The majority of the displaced are from Mosul district, and most of them, almost 98 percent of the displaced, are currently residing within the Ninewa governorate, the spokesman added.

On Oct. 17, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, who is also the commander-in-chief of the Iraqi forces, announced the start of a major offensive to retake Mosul, the country's second largest city, in a bid to liberate the northern Iraqi city, the last major Islamic State (IS) stronghold in Iraq.

Mosul, some 400 km north of the Iraqi capital of Baghdad, has been under IS control since June 2014, when Iraqi government forces abandoned their weapons and fled, enabling IS militants to take control of parts of Iraq's northern and western regions.
UNITED NATIONS, Nov. 25 (Xinhua) -- A Pan American Health Organization (PAHO)/ United Nations World Health Organization (WHO)-backed vaccination campaign has reached more than 729,000 people in Haiti's areas devastated by Hurricane Matthew, which hit the small island country last month, UN officials said here Friday.

The Haitian Ministry of Health vaccination teams supported by PAHO/WHO and a number of other partners have covered about 94 percent and 90 percent of its targets in Grand'Anse and Sud respectively, they said.

However, teams encountered significant difficulties in reaching some communes as access was cut off due to damaged roads and the ministry is working to identify the pockets of unvaccinated people.

The campaign started on Nov. 8 to respond to cholera in places where water and sanitation systems were damaged. At the launch, the Haitain minister of public health, Daphne Benoit, underscored the importance of safe water and proper sanitation in preventing the occurrence and spread of cholera.

"The vaccine is an additional intervention which will help us to save lives, but does not replace the efforts that the government supports in the field of water and sanitation," Benoit said.

Also, highlighting the humanitarian needs in the country particularly for rehabilitating health facilities and ensuring access to chlorinated water, the WHO representative in Haiti, Jean-Luc Poncelet, called on all partners to join forces and to "work together and with partners to build local capacity for clinical management of cases in the cholera treatment centres."

Since the hurricane struck Haiti in early October, more than 5,800 suspected cholera cases have been reported by the Haitian ministry, and according to a recent report, about 1.4 million people are need of humanitarian assistance with about 175,000 people still in shelters.

An increase in suspected malaria cases has also been reported in Grand'Anse and Sud. According to WHO, fumigation and destruction of mosquito breeding sites has been initiated by the country's programme on malaria control.
UNITED NATIONS, Nov. 25 (Xinhua) -- The UN special adviser on the prevention of genocide, Adama Dieng, on Friday expressed deep concern over a new outbreak of violence in the Central African Republic (CAR), in which civilians are being targeted based on their ethnicity or religion.

Since Nov. 21, some 85 civilians have reportedly been killed, 76 wounded and nearly 11,000 persons have been displaced from the town of Bria, Haute Kotto prefecture, as a result of clashes between two armed groups, the Front Populaire pour la Renaissance de la Centrafrique (FPRC) and the Union pour la paix en Centrafrique (UPC). The FPRC reportedly singled out ethnic Fulani in the town of Bria, carrying out house-to-house searches, killing, looting and abducting residents. The FPRC also occupied hospital buildings, preventing wounded Fulani from receiving medical treatment.

Dieng condemned this new outbreak of violence and the risk that it could result in reprisal attacks and rapidly escalate. "Given the country's recent history, this kind of targeted violence is extremely dangerous and must be stopped," he said.

The special adviser reminds the CAR government of its responsibility to protect its populations, whatever their ethnicity or political affiliation. He called for an immediate end to the hostilities and urged the national authorities to take urgent measures to protect the population from further violence.

Peacekeepers deployed by the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) to Bria later took control of the hospital and reinforced measures to protect civilians.

The UN secretary-general's representative in the Central African Republic, Parfait Onanga-Anyanga, travelled to Bria on Nov. 24 with representatives of the United Nations Country Team, the African Union and the Economic Community of Central African States and called for an immediate end to the violence.

Clashes between opposing factions of the ex-Seleka armed group were also reported in Bambari, Ouaka prefecture. The UN secretary-general's deputy representative in the Central African Republic, Diane Corner, who went to Bambari on Nov. 25 with the United States and the African Union ambassadors, called an immediate cessation of hostilities.

Stressing the importance of the fight against impunity in the CAR, Dieng calls for full investigations into these allegations of targeted killings to ensure that those responsible are held accountable.

"If carried out in a widespread or systematic manner, such acts could constitute crimes under international law that can be prosecuted before national or international courts," he said.

Meanwhile, the special adviser welcomed progress toward the establishment of the Special Criminal Court in the Central African Republic, which will investigate serious violations of international humanitarian law committed in the territory of the Central African Republic, including genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity since 2003.

A civil war in the Central African Republic broke out on Dec.10, 2012 between Seleka rebel coalition and government forces.

Seleka took power from former President Francois Bozize in March 2013 and the rebel's leader Michel Djotodia declared himself as president.

A National Transitional council was established and elected Catherine Samba-Panza as provisional president until the second round of the new election on Feb. 14, 2016, in which Faustin Archange Touadera was elected as the president.
More than a hundred people took to the streets in central Chicago on Friday for the second year in a row, blocking entrance to Nike store on the iconic North Michigan Avenue to raise awareness to police misconduct towards minority groups. Protesters lined up in front of the Nike store in an attempt to stop people from entering, while police officers formed another line separating protesters from the store' s main gate and let customers through. (Xinhua/Wang Ping)

CHICAGO, Nov. 25 (Xinhua) -- More than a hundred people took to the streets in central Chicago on Friday for the second year in a row, blocking entrance to Nike store on the iconic North Michigan Avenue to raise awareness to police misconduct towards minority groups.

Holding slogans like 'Boycott Black Friday' and 'Black Lives Matter', protesters lined up in front of the Nike store in an attempt to stop people from entering, while police officers formed another line separating protesters from the store's main gate and let customers through.

The protest remained largely peaceful with occasional outburst of chanting like 'No Justice, No Profits' and 'CPAC (Civilian Police Accountability Council) Now' . Traffic continued to flow where the protest took place, with pedestrians having to squeeze past what space left by the protesters and police, with one of the pedestrians complaining to protesters for slowing the traffic.

Demetrius Nash, a shop chain worker, said he joined the protest because he thinks what happens in the poor communities of the city should affect the city as a whole. He said what problem those communities are facing is not just about black and white, which is essentially a humanity problem and there need to be changes.

Elizabeth joined the protest with her husband and daughter. They were keen to keep distance from the standoff but were holding slogans to show their support. Elizabeth said they were sympathetic with 17-year-old victim Laquan McDonald, who was shot multiple times by police two years ago. She said she is in support of 'Black Live Matters' and believe there should be more restrictions on the use of force by police.

The protest remained in front of Nike store which located in the center of North Michigan Avenue, but groups of police officers could be seen near different stores along Chicago' s most bustling shopping street.

Last year, more than 1,000 protesters took to the Chicago's North Michigan Avenue on Black Friday to protest the fatal shooting of a black teenager by a white policeman.

The protesters blocked retail stores on the "Magnificent Mile" by locking arms to form a human chain to prevent shoppers from entering stores on the traditional Black Friday shopping day.
omen and youth rights activists hold placards in Greek, English, Turkish and Spanish during a demonstration against sexism and rape to mark the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women on November 25, 2016, in Athens. (AFP PHOTO/LOUISA GOULIAMAKI)

UNITED NATIONS, Nov. 25 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Friday called for global action to increase resources and spending to promote solutions to violence against women and girls.

"Violence against women and girls imposes large-scale costs on families, communities and economies," said Ban in a message on the day. "Violence against women also results in lost productivity for businesses, and drains resources from social services, the justice system and health-care agencies."

Ban said though there is growing global recognition that violence against women and girls is a human rights violation and serious obstacle to sustainable development, yet there is still much more to do to turn the awareness into meaningful response.

Therefore, he called on governments to increase national spending in all relevant areas, including in support of women's movements and civil society organizations. And he also encouraged the private sector and citizens to do their part in support of women and girls.

In 1999, the UN General Assembly designated Nov. 25 as the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women to raise public awareness of the serious problem.
Photo taken on Feb. 12, 2014 shows the container terminal at the port of Qingdao, a coastal city in east China's Shandong Province. (Xinhua/Li Ziheng)

HAMBURG, Germany, Nov. 25 (Xinhua) -- Visiting Chinese Vice Premier Liu Yandong has urged the European Union to fulfill its obligations under the World Trade Organization (WTO) as scheduled.

Liu delivered the message on Thursday in a meeting with Jyrki Katainen, vice president of the European Commission, shortly after the closing of a two-day high-level economic forum between China and the EU.

Liu told Katainen that China and the EU should join hands to oppose trade protectionism and safeguard a fair and just international trade system.

The vice premier expressed her hope that the EU side would fulfill its obligations under the Protocol on China's Accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO) and thus create a better environment for more mutual investment and cooperation.

Under Article 15 of the Protocol on China's Accession to the WTO, the EU must end its "surrogate country system" by Dec. 11, 2016.

Under the system, costs of production in a third country are used to calculate the value of products from other economies.

During her meeting with Katainen, Liu said China attaches great importance to its relations with the EU, supports its integration process, and is committed to making continuous efforts to enrich the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two sides.

Specifically, she said, China is willing to work with the EU side to build partnerships on peace, growth, reform and civilization.

Facing a complex political, economic and security situation in the world today, she said, it is important for China and the EU to work together to improve global governance and deal with global challenges.

She said the two sides should make joint efforts to promote the Belt and Road Initiative and the Investment Plan for Europe, deepen mutual cooperation in economy, trade, investment and interconnections in infrastructure, and further increase exchanges and cooperation in humanitarian fields such as education, culture, science and technology, media, youth and women affairs.

Kataneinen, for his part, said the EU is happy to see the current momentum for the EU and China to develop a good and close relationship.

With increasing uncertainty in the world today, he said, the EU and China needs more than ever to be firm and confident in maintaining close cooperation.

Such cooperation is conducive not only to the development of bilateral relationship, but also to the stability of the world economy, he said.

He said the EU side supports more humanitarian exchanges between the two sides and strongly opposes trade protectionism and actively promotes trade liberalization and facilitation.

Before their meeting, both Liu and Katainen delivered keynote speeches at the closing session of the seventh "Hamburg Summit: China Meets Europe," which opened here on Wednesday.

First initiated by the Hamburg Chamber of Commerce in 2004, the biennial Hamburg Summit has become a major platform for open dialogue between China and Europe.
Women and youth rights activists hold placards in Greek, English, Turkish and Spanish during a demonstration against sexism and rape to mark the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women on November 25, 2016, in Athens. (AFP PHOTO/LOUISA GOULIAMAKI)

UNITED NATIONS, Nov. 25 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Friday said that the world cannot afford to pay price of violence against women and girls and at long last, there is growing global recognition that violence against women and girls is a human rights violation, public health pandemic and serious obstacle to sustainable development.

In his message to mark the International Day to End Violence against Women and Girls, which falls on Nov. 25, the secretary-general said in a message said that much remains to be done to turn this awareness into meaningful prevention and response.

Violence against women and girls imposes large-scale costs on families, communities and economies, he said. "When women cannot work as a result of violence, their employment may be put at risk, jeopardizing much-needed income, autonomy and their ability to leave abusive relationships."

"The net result is enormous suffering as well as the exclusion of women from playing their full and rightful roles in society," Ban said.

While efforts to address this challenge are rich in political commitment, they are chronically under-funded, he said.

The secretary-general, therefore, called on governments to show their commitment by dramatically increasing national spending in all relevant areas, including in support of women's movements and civil society organizations.

Globally, 47 percent of murders of women are committed by an intimate partner or family member, compared to less than six percent of murders of men. Women represent 55 percent of victims of forced labor and 98 percent of the victims of sexual exploitation. Globally, an estimated 200 million women and girls have undergone female genital mutilation (FGM) in 30 countries and 700 million were married as children.




Chinese Vice Premier Liu Yandong addresses a forum held at Germany 's Free University of Berlin, which focuses on cooperation in higher education, technology and innovation between both countries, in Berlin, Germany, on Nov. 25, 2016. (Xinhua/Shan Yuqi)

BERLIN, Nov. 25 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Vice Premier Liu Yandong on Friday called for better use of Confucius Institutes to promote exchanges and mutual learning among different civilizations and enhance people's understanding about China.

Liu made the remarks when visiting the Confucius Institute at the Free University of Berlin.

With the increasing exchanges between people from China and Germany, the role of Confucius Institute will become more prominent in the process, Liu said.

"We will work together with all parties in an open and inclusive manner so that Confucius Institute can play the role as a platform for spreading culture, enhancing mutual understanding as well as promoting exchanges and mutual learning among different civilizations," Liu said.

She also noted the exchanges and cooperation between China and Germany have reached an unprecedented level.

Deriving its name from the renowned ancient Chinese educator and philosopher Confucius (551-479 BC), the Confucius Institutes are non-profit institutions under China's Ministry of Education that aim to promote Chinese language and culture abroad.
TALLINN, Nov. 25 (Xinhua) -- The Estonian dairy industry is eyeing on exporting to new markets including China and Africa due to European overproduction of diary products.

At the annual Dairy Forum organized by Estonian Chamber of Agriculture and Commerce on Friday, Estonian Minister of Rural Affairs Martin Repinski termed the milk overproduction as an opportunity to export to new markets.

From the perspectives of agricultural trade between China and Estonia, Chinese Ambassador to Estonia Qu Zhe tackled on how to promote dairy trade between China and Estonia, referring to the protocol on dairy product quality inspection cooperation signed by the two sides earlier this year.

He listed joint efforts of government and businesses to promote Estonia and its products in China for the Baltic country's ecological and environmental value, as well as the high quality of Estonian agriculture products, including dairy, through innovative sales channels including e-commerce.

Under the theme of "Overproduction as breeding ground of export", the forum aims to direct the focus to dairy export, which is an opportunity to energize the Estonian economy, rural life and agriculture as a whole, expecting to build a strong dairy sector and gain better knowledge about new markets including Africa.

About 100 delegates participated the forum with speakers from Germany and France as well.
ZAGREB, Nov. 25 (Xinhua) -- The Croatian parliament on Friday ratified Montenegro's accession to the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO).

In the 151-seat parliament, 96 lawmakers voted in favour to the accession protocol, three against and two abstentions, according to local media.

Ivan Brajovic, speaker of the Montenegrin parliament made a presentation before the vote.

Earlier, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg urged members to ratify the accession agreement for Montenegro as soon as possible.

Montenegro signed the accession protocol with NATO in May and thus concluded negotiations that formally started in December 2015.

The protocol has to be ratified by all NATO members, as well as by Montenegro's own parliament. Once all NATO allies have ratified the treaty, Montenegro will be invited to accede to the Washington Treaty and become the 29th member of the alliance.
BERLIN, Nov.25 (Xinhua) -- Complementarity far outweighs competition in innovation cooperation between China and Germany, Chinese Vice Premier said here on Friday.

Liu Yandong made the remarks when addressing a forum held at Germany's Free University of Berlin, which focuses on cooperation in higher education, technology and innovation between both countries.

The increasingly closer cooperation between China and Germany in education and technology has bolstered economic development in both countries, and there is huge space for future cooperation in innovation, Liu said.

She suggested both sides to further carry out dialogues on innovation policies, enhance practical cooperation, and promote cultural and educational exchanges.

Practical cooperation covers areas of advanced manufacturing, new energy resources, semiconductor lighting, new energy automobile, rail transit, biotechnology, next generation information technology, internet of things, etc., according to Liu.

Liu also called on institutions of higher education and scientific research from both countries to join hands to counter global challenges of climate change, critical illnesses, food safety, energy conservation and environmental protection.
BRATISLAVA, Nov.25 (Xinhua) -- The European Union will support a project of research into glass at the Trencin University of Alexander Dubcek in Slovakia with 15 million euros (15.8 million U.S.dollars), Slovak Education Minister Peter Plavcan said on Friday.

The FunGlass project was selected among the top ten in the EU's initiative Horizon 2020. The university will be able to create 44 new scientific jobs on the project.

Other two projects, one of the Slovak Academy of Sciences and one of the National Forestry Centre, also made it into the second phase of the EU's research and innovation program, but they haven't received any funding.

However, Plavcan promised to provide financial support for all three projects via the research and innovation operational programme.

"I've asked Commissioner for Research, Science and Innovation Carlos Moedas for additional support of the Slovak projects by increasing the funding for the call."

"If this isn't possible, the Education Ministry is ready to finance these projects, mainly from the research and innovation programme," said Plavcan, adding that 50 million euros (52.6 million U.S.dollars) has been earmarked for the purpose.
LUSAKA, Nov. 25 (Xinhua) -- Zambia launched 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence with President Edgar Lungu calling for a stop to the escalating cases in the country.

Lungu said during the launch in Kafue town, east of Lusaka, the country' s capital that his government was committed to increasing funding to projects aimed at fighting the scourge which was becoming a menace in society.

The Zambian leader, who expressed sadness over recent reports of women killing their husbands, especially in the capital, urged couples to hold their peace, saying they should employ dialogue in their differences.

The Zambian capital has witnesses incidents of wives killing their husbands in bizarre circumstances in recent days, with the latest being two days ago where a 20-year-old wife axed her husband to death while he was fast asleep. Five women have so far been arrested.

Lungu has since urged the Ministry of Finance to include gender-mainstreaming in their budgeting processes which he said was not the case in previous budgets.

Meanwhile, the women movement said gender-based violence was becoming a national disaster and condemned recent incidents of women killing their husbands.

The Non-Governmental Organization Coordinating Council (NGOCC), a consortium of women organizations, said it was unfortunate that women were now in the forefront of killing their husbands, adding that the trend needed to stop.

According to figures, Zambia recorded 4,235 cases of gender-based violence in the first nine months of this year.

The United Nations agencies spent 8.4 million U.S. dollars in 2014 and 2015 to help Zambia fight gender-based violence.

During the 16 days, various programs will be conducted throughout the country to sensitize people on the problem of gender-based violence.
by Alexia Vlachou

ATHENS, Nov. 25 (Xinhua) -- Every day at around 10:30 a.m.local time after finishing their breakfast, Samira, seven-year-old from Syria with her two sisters starts their lessons not at school as they should, but at an improvised classroom of an old hotel in the center of Athens.

Along with her new classmates also from Syria and Iraq, they all participate in the English lesson for beginners.

"What is this?" Salina Karavela, a 26-year-old Greek psychologist, asked the class. "This is a pen", they all replied with one voice.

Stranded in Greece due to the border closures along the Western Balkan route, Samira with her friends and their families are among the 20,000 refugees eligible for relocation.

As part of the hospitality and accommodation program "Home for Hope" run by the non-government organization "Solidarity Now" with the support of UNHCR and EU funding, thousands of refugees and asylum seekers have found temporary shelters in private apartments and other structures as well, such as collaborating hotels.

"Theoxenia", which is one of the two hotels that take part in the hosting project in Athens, accommodates 200 people, among them 60 children.

Apart from the housing, Solidarity Now provides a number of free services, like information, psychological and legal counseling, recreational and educational activities to refugee adults and children.

"It is important for us that these people have a normal life as much as possible, while they stay in Greece," Sophia Ioannou, head of communications and fundraising at SolidarityNow told Xinhua.

As education is an established right for all, without any discrimination and limitation, the NGO supports such initiatives with a full schedule of lessons and activities indoors and outdoors on a weekly basis.

"We try to take the children out of the structures, to visit playgrounds, to meet and socialize with other children, to interact through paintings and everyday lessons of Greek, English, Arabic, so that they learn their own language, to help them integrate into the societies where they will relocate and will be their new home," Ioannou added.

In the classroom of Samira, one can see eager children who want to learn, to participate and play. "Children love it and they really need it... They are very enthusiastic to learn new things, new languages, math, Arabic," Karavela said.

As Karavela pointed out, it was not always easy for them, as some of them have not attended school or have been out of education for more than two years. But also, they have suffered a lot through their troubled journey from the war country they came from.

"They have difficulties in expressing their feelings. They have a lot of anger and depression and they haven't learnt how to express their emotions in a creative way," she highlighted.

Liana Markaki who is responsible for the creational activities tried to attract their attention by choosing different materials and themes each time.

"I try to find new intriguing things, like the materials we use. They like to draw all together in big papers, or play with clay. The other day that it was raining, we asked them to draw the rain," she said.

But what did Liana see through their paintings? "You can see darkness, all children draw houses, but they are black, they paint faces and hearts, but black prevails," she stressed.

"If you don't see their paintings, you cannot imagine what they have been through, they can be like all the others," she added.

For Markaki, who had to leave her job due to layoffs in debt-laden Greece and started as a volunteer in Lesvos in 2015, there was no return. As she confessed, she does not want to find another job, she is fulfilled with her new role.

"When you enter the room every morning, more than 10 children run to you and beg you to start the lesson. It is really touching," Liana said, extremely moved.

As soon as the lesson finished, Salina had a little surprise for them, a huge bag with new pencil cases in pink, red and blue. For Samira and her friends, there was only one color to pick and that was pink.
SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 25 (Xinhua) -- A police officer was in serious condition on Friday after being attacked south of San Francisco a day earlier by a man with a skateboard.

The incident took place at about 2:20 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day in the city of South San Francisco, when an on-duty officer was waved down by a citizen reporting a man causing a disturbance at a local business.

The officer attempted to approach the man but the suspect fled on a skateboard. The officer chased after the man, at which time the suspect stopped, turned and struck the officer on the head with the skateboard, knocking the officer unconscious.

The man, identified by South San Francisco Police Department as 28-year-old Luis Alberto Ramos-Coreas, a local resident, was taken into custody moments later by another officer, according to a posting by the police department on the Twitter social media. He was charged with attempted murder of a police officer and other felony offenses.

While withholding the identity of the victim, the police department said the officer sustained a major head injury and was taken to a local trauma center for treatment. He was in surgery and in critical condition as of Friday morning.
SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 25 (Xinhua) -- Hundreds of people associated with the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement took to the street in Seattle to disrupt Black Friday holiday shopping.

Seattle Police Department posted two messages in the afternoon on the Twitter social network about the progress of the event in the downtown area and advised shoppers and drivers to "use caution."

The protesters initially gathered at Westlake Center, a four-story shopping center hosting dozens of stores and services and a twenty-five story office tower in downtown Seattle, a major city in the U.S. Pacific Northwest.

Organizers were quoted by media reports that the protest march, which has been peaceful as of 4:00 p.m. local time, was scheduled to last until 8:00 p.m.
by Xinhua writer Yang Shilong, Li Ming

NEW YORK, Nov. 25 (Xinhua) -- To Kenny Sun's surprise, it took him only about one hour or so to buy and return an iPad 4 at a local flagship store of Best Buy, a major U.S. consumer-electronics retailer, in the morning of 2016's Black Friday, a day used to be frenzy and chaotic for the brick-and-mortar businesses.

"It seems there are less bargain-seeking shoppers in the store this year and it's not that chaotic at all in the store as it was before," said Sun, who came to America with his parents from Malaysia around 20 years ago.

The soft-spoken, tech savvy young man returned the article because he found one better deal at a store of Target Corp., at the upper level of the Queens Place Mall, an urban shopping center in New York.

Sun was not alone in making the observation.

"This holiday season, it's a near certainty that online shopping - not brick-and-mortar mall visits - will be the key driver of sales growth for the retail industry," tweeted Sarah Halzack, a national retail reporter for Washington Post.

Shoppers spent 1.15 billion U.S. dollars online from midnight to 5 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day, according to data from Adobe, a retail data analyst.

The reasons people are opting for online shopping are changing, according to a recent survey by Adobe on consumer's shopping behavior.

In 2015, 66 percent of respondents said they shopped online because they believed they had got lower prices and good deals. This year, just 55 percent of shoppers gave that answer.

Last year, some 56 percent of people said free shipping was a reason to shop online; this time around, that slipped to 50 percent.

Meanwhile, convenience-related factors proved increasingly potent in getting people to buy online. Some 24 percent of shoppers said they chose online so they did not have to deal with traffic or lines, up from 20 percent last year.

"I work from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., I do not have a chance to shop in the day though I am here," said Suki, a saleswoman at the Queens Place Mall. "It's good that the Black Friday deals are put online, well before the day comes."

Like Suki, many shoppers turned to digital shopping because of the product availability, product variety or the ability to make purchases at work.

Interestingly, mobile traffic to shopping sites will overtake desktop traffic, Adobe said, predicting the smallest screens will finally be king, accounting for 53 percent of all visits to retail websites during the holiday season starting from the Thanksgiving.

Target reported more than 60 percent of its online sales came from mobile customers, while Amazon reported mobile orders on Turkey Day exceeded Thanksgiving and Cyber Monday last year.

Black Friday is one of the biggest shopping days of the year, but it has expanded in recent years, retailing experts say. It has been a trend that people are increasingly spreading out their shopping throughout the whole holiday season instead of concentrating it on this single day.

The U.S. National Retail Federation surveyed consumers heading into the holiday season about their shopping plans and found that nearly 102 million people plan to shop online or in stores on Friday. Nearly 29 million of them planned to do so on Thanksgiving Day.

Major retailers have taken immediate actions. Target put its Black Friday deals online Wednesday and said it sold 3,200 televisions a minute during the first hour that doors were open. The retailer was offering a 50-inch Hisense 4K TV for 249.99 U.S. dollars.

"We delivered our third consecutive quarter of 24 percent domestic online sales growth." Best Buy CEO Hubert Joly said in a call with analysts on Nov. 17. "This growth was driven by increased traffic and the cumulative benefit of our investments over the past few years in the digital customer experience and enhanced dot-com capabilities."
VIENTIANE, Nov. 26 (Xinhua) -- The two Secretariat Offices of the Mekong River Commission (MRC) will be merged into one, located in Lao capital Vientiane while the MRC Regional Flood Management and Mitigation Center will remain in Cambodian capital Phnom Penh, to continue to provide regional flood forecasts.

These are the key points of a roadmap approved by the MRC Council at its 23rd annual meeting, held from Wednesday to Thursday in Pakxe of southern Lao Champassak province, Lao state-run online newspaper Vientiane Times reported on Friday.

The consolidation of the secretariat offices, currently located in Phnom Penh and Vientiane, was decided by the prime ministers of the two host countries, Cambodia and Laos in July 2016.

The council, the MRC's highest decision making body, approved the plan and the relocation process will start in the coming December and be finished by the end of February.

The decision came during an annual meeting where the four council members, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam, discussed how to strengthen the implementation of MRC procedures, including the prior consultation process for mainstream development, cooperation with China and Myanmar and development partners, and other regional initiatives.

The meeting also reviewed the progress of implementing the Basin Development Strategy for 2016-2020 and the MRC Annual Work Plan for 2016. The council approved the MRC Annual Work Plan for 2017, with a fully funded budget of 15 million U.S. dollars.

Speaking at the meeting, Laos' Minister of Natural Resources and Environment and Chairperson of the MRC Council for 2016, Sommad Pholsena, said, "I'm very pleased and optimistic that our concerted efforts and the Mekong spirit will bring us more positive outcomes in our increased cooperation among member countries as well as cooperation with our dialogue partners, development partners and other stakeholders."

The MRC's development partners welcomed the decision and the efforts of the MRC member countries to establish a single secretariat office in Vientiane, according to the report.
Shoppers went for Black Friday shopping spree at the Queens Place Mall on Nov. 25, 2016. (Xinhua/Yang Shilong)

by Xinhua writer Yang Shilong, Li Ming

NEW YORK, Nov. 25 (Xinhua) -- To Kenny Sun's surprise, it took him only about one hour or so to buy and return an iPad 4 at a local flagship store of Best Buy, a major U.S. consumer-electronics retailer, in the morning of 2016's Black Friday, a day used to be frenzy and chaotic for the brick-and-mortar businesses.

"It seems there are less bargain-seeking shoppers in the store this year and it's not that chaotic at all in the store as it was before," said Sun, who came to America with his parents from Malaysia around 20 years ago.

The soft-spoken, tech savvy young man returned the article because he found one better deal at a store of Target Corp., at the upper level of the Queens Place Mall, an urban shopping center in New York.

Sun was not alone in making the observation.

Shoppers went for Black Friday shopping spree at the Queens Place Mall on Nov. 25, 2016. (Xinhua/Yang Shilong)

"This holiday season, it's a near certainty that online shopping - not brick-and-mortar mall visits - will be the key driver of sales growth for the retail industry," tweeted Sarah Halzack, a national retail reporter for Washington Post.

Shoppers spent 1.15 billion U.S. dollars online from midnight to 5 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day, according to data from Adobe, a retail data analyst.

The reasons people are opting for online shopping are changing, according to a recent survey by Adobe on consumer's shopping behavior.

In 2015, 66 percent of respondents said they shopped online because they believed they had got lower prices and good deals. This year, just 55 percent of shoppers gave that answer.

Last year, some 56 percent of people said free shipping was a reason to shop online; this time around, that slipped to 50 percent.

Meanwhile, convenience-related factors proved increasingly potent in getting people to buy online. Some 24 percent of shoppers said they chose online so they did not have to deal with traffic or lines, up from 20 percent last year.

"I work from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., I do not have a chance to shop in the day though I am here," said Suki, a saleswoman at the Queens Place Mall. "It's good that the Black Friday deals are put online, well before the day comes."

Like Suki, many shoppers turned to digital shopping because of the product availability, product variety or the ability to make purchases at work.

Shoppers went for Black Friday shopping spree at the Queens Place Mall on Nov. 25, 2016. (Xinhua/Yang Shilong)

Interestingly, mobile traffic to shopping sites will overtake desktop traffic, Adobe said, predicting the smallest screens will finally be king, accounting for 53 percent of all visits to retail websites during the holiday season starting from the Thanksgiving.

Target reported more than 60 percent of its online sales came from mobile customers, while Amazon reported mobile orders on Turkey Day exceeded Thanksgiving and Cyber Monday last year.

Black Friday is one of the biggest shopping days of the year, but it has expanded in recent years, retailing experts say. It has been a trend that people are increasingly spreading out their shopping throughout the whole holiday season instead of concentrating it on this single day.

The U.S. National Retail Federation surveyed consumers heading into the holiday season about their shopping plans and found that nearly 102 million people plan to shop online or in stores on Friday. Nearly 29 million of them planned to do so on Thanksgiving Day.

Major retailers have taken immediate actions. Target put its Black Friday deals online Wednesday and said it sold 3,200 televisions a minute during the first hour that doors were open. The retailer was offering a 50-inch Hisense 4K TV for 249.99 U.S. dollars.

"We delivered our third consecutive quarter of 24 percent domestic online sales growth." Best Buy CEO Hubert Joly said in a call with analysts on Nov. 17. "This growth was driven by increased traffic and the cumulative benefit of our investments over the past few years in the digital customer experience and enhanced dot-com capabilities."
RIO DE JANEIRO, Nov. 25 (Xinhua) -- Inter Milan have joined Manchester United in the battle to sign teenage Brazilian left-back Guilherme Arana, according to media reports.

The 19-year-old has impressed this year with his form for Brazilian Serie A side Corinthians, where he has established himself as a first-team regular.

According to Uol Esporte, the Italian club is keen to secure the defender during the January transfer window.

But Manchester United could have the upper hand after holding talks with Arana's agents Guilherme Miranda and Leonardo Cornacini earlier this month, according to the news portal.

Arana has made 33 first-team appearances for Corinthians since being promoted from the club's youth system in 2014.
On the day before Thanksgiving, the Rev. Mike Mulberry, pastor of First Church Billings, and his family werent focused on a holiday meal in town.

Wednesday morning, Mulberry, his wife, the Rev. Tracy Heilman, and their daughter, Sophia, 15, a sophomore at Billings Senior High, packed their Subaru wagon with suitcases and supplies for the estimated 450-mile journey to the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation in North Dakota.

That included two buffalo roasts donated by the Rocky Mountain Tribal Leaders Conference in Billings, which the family will share will the protesters on Thanksgiving.

The trip was to be quick: arrive on Wednesday and return home on Saturday. But the family wanted to show their solidarity with the 2,000 or so people who are protesting the Dakota Access Pipeline.

One of the reasons were headed there is because of the great ministry were see going on, the spiritual presence of the Lakota and Dakota people, as they make their stand along the Missouri River, Mulberry said Wednesday morning. It really calls to mind that there are indigenous people across the earth who are making a stand on behalf of the land and Gods earth, and that water is life.

The Standing Rock Sioux Tribe opposes the $3.8 billion pipeline, which skirts the reservation, and will transport oil to a shipping point in Illinois. The tribe worries the pipeline will imperil its drinking water and could damage its cultural sites.

The developer, Energy Transfer Partners, maintains the pipeline will be safe, the Associated Press has reported. Protests have been ongoing since August.

Mulberry and members of the First Church congregation already have a connection to the Native leadership in Billings. The church provides a home to five different Native recovery groups, Mulberry said.

Church members, led by Mulberry, also have taken part in two Billings protests over Standing Rock.

We feel compelled by our faith to act on behalf of our brothers and sisters at Standing Rock, Mulberry said.

He called ahead to organizers at the protest on Tuesday and learned what they need are people who can be a calming presence, with so much anxiety and fear in the camps right now. Thats especially true after a clash between law enforcement and protesters late Sunday and early Monday that left a woman seriously injured.

They asked specifically for clergy to come and stand with them, Mulberry said. To walk around the camps, to share in prayer with them and be a peaceful presence.

In early November, about 500 clergy from around the world responded to an invitation to come to Standing Rock and show their support for the cause. Other responsibilities prevented Mulberry and Heilman from traveling to the reservation then, but Thanksgiving seemed like a perfect time to join the protest.

Heilman sees water as sacred, pointing to the book of Genesis in the Old Testament when God hovered over the surface of the waters. Water is also used in the sacrament of baptism.

Water is a symbol that you belong to God, she said. We claim all of Gods people as our sisters and brothers, so how can it be if this pipeline is too great a threat to people, how can we, with any thought of integrity, say its OK to put it there?

Mulberry added that the Native leaders emphasize that protesting the pipeline is not just about the impact it could have on members of the tribe.

"One of the most incredible things I see happening is protesters walking up to law enforcement there, trying to remind them that they are making a stand on behalf of (the officers') children and grandchildren," he said.
CANBERRA, Nov. 26 (Xinhua) -- Australia's most wanted terrorist Neil Prakash has been arrested.

Prakash, a senior Islamic State (IS) recruiter and terror plot instigator, was arrested on his way into Turkey after Australian authorities provided their Turkish counterparts with intelligence that Prakash was planning to enter the country.

It is believed that Turkish officials are negotiating with several countries who want to question Prakash about terrorist activity in their own counties.

The Australian Federal Police (AFP) first used a first-instance warrant for Prakash's arrest in August 2015.

The Australian government announced in May that they believed Prakash had been killed by a U.S. airstrike on the Iraqi city of Mosul, which the government said would be a significant blow to IS recruitment of Australians but it has since emerged that Prakash was only wounded.

Prakash, formerly a Melbourne man, was reportedly involved in foiled terror plots on Australia's national day of remembrance for troops who died in war, Anzac Day, in 2015 and 2016.

George Brandis, Australia's Attorney-General (AG), described Prakash as "the principal Australian reaching back from the Middle East into Australia."

Michael Keenan, Australia's Minister for Justice and Minister Assisting the Prime Minister (PM) for Counter-Terrorism, said he could not confirm Prakash's arrest out of principle.

"As a matter of longstanding practice, the Australian government does not comment on matters of intelligence or law enforcement operations," Keenan said in a statement.

"The government reported Prakash's death in May on the basis of advice from the U.S. government that he had been killed in an air strike.

"But as we have said previously, the government's capacity to confirm reports of deaths in either Syria or Iraq is limited.

"Our agencies work closely with their international partners to investigate and prosecute cases involving alleged foreign fighters, which are inherently complex, protracted and transnational in nature."

Levi West, director of terror studies at Adelaide's Charles Sturt University, said Prakash's terrorist activities would have been "substantially disrupted" by the wound he sustained in the U.S. airstrike.

"I think the biggest scalp was earlier when we removed him from the battlefield, so to speak," West told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) on Saturday.

"The fact that we now have potentially an extradition and trial is an additional benefit over the top of that."

"But the real victory is having removed his capacity to recruit and influence Western ears."
CHICAGO, Nov. 25 (Xinhua) -- Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) grains futures close mixed on Friday soybean futures rising to a new four-month high as stronger than expected weekly exports and an easing dollar provided support as trading resumed after a holiday closure.

The most active corn contract for December delivery fell 1.5 cents, or 0.43 percent, to 3.4925 dollars per bushel. March wheat delivery dropped 4.25 cents, or 1.00 percent, to 4.195 dollars per bushel. January soybeans rose 11.75 cents, or 1.14 percent, to 10.46 dollars per bushel.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture reported weekly U.S. export sales of 1.9 million tonnes, above trade expectations ranging from 1.2 million to 1.5 million tonnes.

"Soybean exports were very strong and palm oil was up earlier in Malaysia so some gains were expected in soybeans," a European-based trader said.

Crude oil is weighing on vegetable oils. Soyoil is used to make biodiesel, while fellow biofuel ethanol is mainly derived from corn in the United States.

Corn again showed little impetus from the raised biofuel targets or from bigger than expected weekly corn export sales of 1,688,800 tonnes, above a range of trade expectations for 900,000 to 1.2 million tonnes.

The International Grains Council on Thursday raised its forecasts for world corn and wheat production in 2016/17 to record highs, projecting this would also push grain stocks to their highest-ever levels.

Wheat similarly edged lower despite U.S. export sales of 712,400 tonnes that topped trade estimates ranging from 350,000 to 550,000 tonnes.

Heavy rain forecast in the week ahead in the U.S. Delta region could ease drought conditions affecting soft red winter wheat, Terry Reilly, analyst with Futures International, said.

Technical trading was also expected to fuel hesitant moves.
QUITO, Nov. 25 (Xinhua) -- Energy ministers from 27 Latin American countries gathered in Quito, Ecuador Friday to promote energy integration.

Ministers attended the opening of the 46th session of the Latin American Energy Organization (OLADE) to outline an agenda for "sustainable energy development" over the next 15 years, state news agency Andes said.

"We have suffered tough times, economically and financially, due to the fall in oil prices, a severe crisis that has had a negative impact on the raw materials Latin America produces," OLADE Executive Secretary Fernando Cesar Ferreira said.

With fluctuating oil prices and some 17 million people in the region still lacking access to electricity, Ferreira urged countries to pursue renewable energy sources, "the most important goal to achieve by 2030."

"Only energy integration will allow us to strengthen our economies in the long term," said Ecuadoran Vice President Jorge Glas.

He touted Ecuadoran energy projects, such as the Chinese-built Coca Codo Sinclair hydroelectric plant, for making it self sufficient to meet its domestic consumption needs.

"How can we explain that today Ecuador has more energy than it uses while another country lacks energy? That makes no sense. We have to move towards efficient energy integration, because energy makes development possible," said Glas.

Ecuador today exports electricity to Colombia and has just reached energy supply agreements with Peru, he said.

Member countries are set to elect a new executive secretary for the 2017-2020 period, and debate and approve a Latin American Energy Fund (Folade) to finance energy projects.

The OLADE has been working with the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) to identify measures to promote energy integration, said Ferreira.

That cooperation has led to a "document that outlines some paths that can be followed by CELAC's 33 member countries," Ferreira added.
YANGON, Nov. 26 (Xinhua) -- The armed groups continued to attack vehicles passing by on the highway in Kutkai, northern Myanmar, the government said Saturday.

The Information Committee of the State Counselor's Office said the combined forces of the Kachin Independence Army (KIA), Ta'ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) and Kokang's Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA) stopped vehicles on union highway near Nangphalon village , about 20 km away from Kutkai on Friday morning and torched two 22-wheel vehicles and a passenger bus.

Moreover, the armed groups numbering about 150 blew up the Namsa wooden bridge near Namsa village of Kutkai in the afternoon.

Military conflicts broke out in the border area of northern Myanmar's Shan state last Sunday with an alliance of the three ethnic armed groups launching simultaneous and surprise attacks on government's military outposts and police stations in Muse and Kutkai townships as well as a border trade center there.

Their attacks targeted government military outposts and police stations in areas of Muse, Kutkai, Monekoe, Kyukoke, Phangsai, Pangsang, Manken and Kyinsankyawk (Honang).

Myanmar's State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi, in the capacity of chairperson of the National Reconciliation and Peace Center, on Wednesday urged the armed groups in her first remarks to join the government's peace process by signing the Nationwide Ceasefire Accord (NCA) to immediately end the conflicts.
By Elena Chuquimarca

QUITO, Nov. 25 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to Latin America has brought renewed focus on China's relations with the region, opening the door to a strengthened cooperation, said a former Ecuadorian official.

"Xi's tour is evidence of the importance the Chinese government pays to Latin America. It will deepen these ties in a highly complex international context," Ecuador's former minister of international relations, Francisco Carrion, told Xinhua in a recent interview.

The Chinese leader concluded his tour in Chile on Wednesday, after visiting Ecuador and Peru, where he took part in the 24th Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders' Meeting.

During his trip, Xi elevated China's relations with Ecuador and Chile to the level of comprehensive strategic partnership, a status its ties with Peru had reached in 2013.

Carrion believed that Xi's announcement that China will help Latin American countries seek development paths suited to their national conditions "opened a new stage" for relations.

"The visit to three countries in the region is positive for a better positioning of China in Latin America and of Latin America in China," he noted, adding that "China has become the defender of free trade."

The former minister explained that Ecuador and the region need to seek closer ties with China since their interests are compatible and complementary.

"There is no doubt that China plays a very important role in the international arena. The Latin American region must pragmatically seek benefits, such as common projects," he said.

"The topic of financing is very important, especially with China's participation on technology and infrastructure," added Carrion.

Overall, the former minister put a high value on Xi's call for a more sustainable globalization process to guarantee the well-being of all countries and regions.

"This is a demonstration of the strength of the Chinese economy," he said.

Related:

Xi's visits boost Asia-Pacific cooperation, China-LatAm ties: Chinese FM

BEIJING, Nov. 24 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping's state visits to Ecuador, Peru and Chile and his attendance at the 24th Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders' Meeting have promoted Asia-Pacific cooperation and China-Latin America relations, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Thursday.

The week-long tour, during which Xi met with foreign leaders and representatives from different walks of life in the three countries, and attended a string of bilateral and multilateral meetings and activities, has produced impressive results, said Wang. Full story

Interview: Xi's Chile visit to bolster bilateral economic ties: expert

SANTIAGO, Nov. 21 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping's upcoming visit to Chile will promote bilateral ecomonic cooperation, providing an opportunity to review the progress and challenges in the relationship, a Chilean expert said.

"Bilateral economic and trade ties have reached the level where China is this country's leading trading partner, and therefore that should be reflected by a strategic proposal to reinforce the relationship," Osvaldo Rosales, a consultant and former director of International Trade and Integration at the Santiago-based Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean told Xinhua in a recent interview. Full story

Xi charts new course for China-LatAm community of common destiny

LIMA, Nov. 21 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Monday called on China and Latin American countries to strengthen dialogue on global issues and boost cooperation on domestic development, in a bid to better build their community of common destiny on a new starting point in history.
KATHMANDU, Nov. 26 (Xinhua) -- Nepal has expressed condolences over the loss of lives in construction platform collapse in China's Jiangxi Province, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Saturday.

In their separate condolence messages to Chinese President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Li Keqiang, Nepalese President Bidya Devi Bhandari and Prime Minister K.P Sharma Oli expressed sympathy to the bereaved family members through the Chinese government while wishing for the speedy recovery of those injured in the incident, the ministry said.

Sixty-seven people were killed and three others injured after a construction platform collapsed in east China's Jiangxi Province onThursday.

More than 60 people were working on the platform and another dozen were on the ground waiting to begin their shift at 7 a.m. local time when the platform of a power plant's cooling tower under construction collapsed in the city of Fengcheng.
RIO DE JANEIRO, Nov. 26 (Xinhua) -- Brazil's Senate leader Renan Calheiros defended Friday President Michel Temer against accusations of influence peddling in the government.

Calheiros also called for union in Temer's administration. Calherios' move came after former Culture Minister Marcelo Calero resigned last week.

Calero accused Secretary of Government Geddel Vieira Lima of pressuring him to authorize a real estate project embargoed by historical protection agency Iphan under the Culture Ministry as it is located at a historical preservation area.

Lima, who had a vested interest in it, bought an apartment in the future residential building.

Calero also said Temer admonished him for causing trouble in the cabinet and intervened to favor Lima.

Earlier this week, Calero reportedly provided recordings of his conversations with both Lima and Temer to the federal police.

Although mainstream media has been treading carefully -- a significant change from the aggressive stance about recorded conversations of Temer's predecessor, Dilma Rousseff, who was impeached in August -- the case may have serious consequences for the president.

When the accusation came up, Temer said Lima would remain in the administration, but earlier on Friday the Secretary of Government announced his resignation.

Lima has been the sixth cabinet member to go since Temer took office.
ISLAMABAD, Nov. 26 (Xinhua) -- The Pakistan military said Saturday that two security personnel were killed and 14 others injured in a suicide attack in the country's northwestern tribal area of Mohmand Agency.

Four suicide bombers, who wanted to launch an attack on a camp mostly used by the paramilitary Frontier Corps, were all killed.

The banned militant group Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan Jamaat-ul-Ahrar claimed the attack on Ghalani Camp, which is mainly responsible for the security of the border area.

The military publicity organ, Inter-services Public Relations, said in a statement that the suicide bombers, who were heavily armed, attempted to enter Ghalani Camp at around 6 a.m. local time, attacked a residential area mosque where a large number of recruits were also present.

"Wearing suicide jackets they opened up firing and tried to rush inside the mosque," an ISPR statement said.

The army said the attackers were taken on and contained in the outer courtyard of the mosque.

"Security forces surrounded the attackers and killed all of them. Two blasted themselves while two were shot, saving a huge disaster," the statement said.
By Yoo Seungki

SEOUL, Nov. 26 (Xinhua) -- Lee Tae-young, a member of South Korea's biggest farmers' union, said he and his fellow farmers still want a peaceful rally against President Park Geun-hye to be held in the capital Seoul.

The 58-year-old farmer, who left for Seoul from his hometown Goseong county in South Gyeongsang province, told Xinhua that farmers still clamor for a peaceful demonstration though they are enraged at police blockade.

About 1,000 members of the Korean Peasants League (KPL) departed in two groups for Seoul from the country's southeast and southwest regions 11 days earlier.

They had driven tractors and trucks along the roads to Seoul, hanging up flags reading "Guarantee stable rice price", "Arrest Park Geun-hye" and "Park Geun-hye, step down." It was part of the rally to encourage other farmers to join the driving protest.

To farmers, tractor that is used to put soil upside down has a symbolic meaning to force scandal-plagued President Park to resign or be impeached.

Farmers attempted to carry tractors and other farming machines on trucks and arrive in the capital city at Friday night, but it was blocked by police in expressway ramps close to Seoul.

"Despite court approval, police blockaded access roads to Seoul. Police is intentionally enraging farmers to cause violent rallies," said Lee. He claimed that police mobilized private trucks to disguise them as farmers-driven ones.

Over 30 farmers were taken to police stations, and about 30 vehicles were towed away. Some of the KPL members were taken to hospitals for injuries they suffered in a tussle with police officers.

The scheduled Friday protest failed to be carried out. Some returned back to their hometowns as police disallowed tractors to approach the capital city.

The Seoul administrative court allowed tractors and trucks to enter Seoul though it prohibited the driving rally citing heavier traffic jam. But, police banned the entrance of all farming machines, saying it could be used in this Saturday's demonstration.

The fifth weekend demonstration is set to be held around the Gwanghwamun Square in central Seoul, just over a kilometer away from the presidential Blue House where President Park's office and residence are located.

The first snow of this winter was falling, but people began to gather around the square in early afternoon. Some were putting on a raincoat having a sticker reading "People are the country's owner" on the back.

Others were putting up an umbrella to join the snowy rally, which organizers estimate would draw 1.5 million people in Seoul alone and 500,000 in major cities across the country.

It will become the country's largest-ever demonstration in downtown Seoul. At the third Saturday rally on Nov. 12, around 1.3 million marched in the capital city, surpassing the June 1987 demonstration that drew about 1 million protesters.

The farmer, who pulled down his winter jacket hood low on his face to avoid falling snow, told Xinhua that he voted for Park in the 2012 presidential election as many of people in his hometown did.

Now, it is hardly to find anyone who does not denounce the first South Korean female leader in the southeast region, a political home turf that had granted many election victories to President Park and her ruling Saenuri Party, the farmer said.

He resolutely noted that he and his fellow farmers will continue to fight against the Park administration who committed "unimaginable" wrongdoings.
BEIJING, Nov. 26 (Xinhua) -- Mitsubishi Motors will recall 3,804 vehicles in China's mainland due to defective airbags, the country's top quality watchdog has said.

The recall, set to begin on March 16, 2017, affects imported Pajero vehicles manufactured between Dec. 6, 2007 and Dec. 26, 2009, according to a statement on the website of the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine.

Inflators of front passenger seat airbags of these vehicles could rupture, causing injury, according to the statement.

The automaker will replace the faulty airbags free of charge, the statement said, adding that owners of the affected vehicles should contact Mitsubishi dealers for repairs as soon as the recall begins.
YANGON, Nov. 26 (Xinhua) -- Three suspects who were involved in two blasts Friday at Yangon regional government office have been arrested, said an official of Myanmar Police Force Saturday.

Two women and one man were captured with materials used for making chemical bombs made up of M-150 soft drink bottles.

The suspects admitted for involving in blasts at regional government office. Further investigation by the authorities is underway.

Two minor blasts took place at 05:30 p.m. local time on Friday in the regional government office building, which lies in Dagon township and no casualties were reported.

Series of explosions had occurred in Yangon's two giant retailers and South Dagon township's Immigration office during this month. Those explosions were also identified as being caused by similar home-made chemical bombs.
File photo taken on April 11, 2013 shows Fidel Castro attending the inauguration of a school in Havana. Cuban revolutionary leader Fidel Castro has died at 90, local media said on Nov. 26, 2016. (Xinhua/Cubadebate)

HAVANA, Nov. 26 (Xinhua) -- Cuban revolutionary leader Fidel Castro died late Friday at the age of 90, the official Prensa Latina news agency reported.

Castro had led Cuba for nearly half a century before stepping down in 2006 for health reasons. He was succeeded by his brother Raul.

Fidel Castro spent his last years of his life largely out of the public eye, writing editorials on world affairs for Cuba's official Granma daily, and receiving dignitaries at his home in Havana.

The last such meeting was with Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang on Nov. 15.

Related:

Spotlight: Fidel Castro and his mark on contemporary political literature

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Feature: Fidel Castro: 90 years of history and resistance

HAVANA, Aug. 13 (Xinhua) -- Cuba's revolutionary leader and former president Fidel Castro turns 90 years old on Saturday as a symbol of historic resistance against the U.S. and upholding the socialist values that have led this Caribbean nation to unprecedented development for a third world country. Full story

Interview: Fidel Castro, most targeted leader by his adversaries

HAVANA, Aug. 11 (Xinhua) -- For more than half a century, Cuban leader Fidel Castro has been a target for many of his political enemies and adversaries that tried to topple the socialist regime in the island country by any means, including his assassination. Full story

Interview: Fidel Castro's influence universal, says historian

CARACAS, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- As revolutionary leader Fidel Castro nears his 90th birthday on Aug. 13, the international spotlight has once again turned towards Cuba, the nation he shaped into one of the Caribbean's most developed in terms of education, healthcare and life expectancy. Full story

Feature: Fidel Castro an enduring role model for Cuban youth
DAMASCUS, Nov. 26 (Xinhua) -- Syria's Aleppo has emerged as focus in the long-running Syria crisis, as it's an arena for wrestling for rival forces that would determine the future of the Syria, observers said.

Aleppo is a very significant area as it's once Syria's largest economic hub and near the Turkish borders, which was the main gate for the foreign rebels into Syria.

Aleppo is now a conflict zone for Turkey, the U.S.-led Kurdish forces, the Syrian army, an array of jihadi groups and last but not least the Islamic State (IS) group.

RECENT BATTLE OF AL-BAB

Al-Bab is a strategic city in northeastern countryside of Aleppo, where Turkey, the Kurds and the Syrian army are fighting to drive out the Islamic State (IS), each to achieve its own goal.

IS is desperately trying to defend its positions in al-Bab, while the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and the rival Turkey-backed Free Syrian Army (FSA) are racing to capture the city due it its strategic location.

The Syrian army is also eying the city to reinforce its foothold in the northeastern countryside of Aleppo.

The Syrian forces are three kilometers southeast of al-Bab and 10 kilometers from the city's northwest.

The FSA and the rebels fighting under a Turkey-backed campaign called "The Euphrates Shield" are two kilometers from the north and northwestern rim of al-Bab.

Meanwhile, the U.S.-backed SDF is eight kilometers from the north and northeastern part of the city.

The SDF and the FSA have repeatedly clashed near al-Bab, mainly in the town of Sheikh Nasser, which is so close to al-Bab.

The Turkish forces want to capture al-Bab to complete a triangle that includes the city of Jarablus, Manbej and al-Bab in the northeastern countryside of Aleppo.

Completing control of this triangle will enable the Turkish-led forces to open two roads; the first toward the al-Raqqa province, the IS de facto capital in northern Syria, while the second is toward the Khanaser road, the main government route into Aleppo, which means that they could besiege the Syrian army in Aleppo.

However, the Syrian army deemed the Turkish intervention as an occupation power that should be fought.

A couple of days ago, Turkey accused the Syrian air force of striking an area near al-Bab, killing three Turkish soldiers. Ankara further promised a payback for the killing of its soldiers.

Observers believe that if the Syrian air force was actually behind the strike, it would be a message from Damascus, which has repeatedly threatened that it will not stand indifferent about the Turkish intervention in Syria.

Analysts believe that Turkey will have to think twice before striking Syrian positions in northern Syria, as Russia has warned that its air defense systems that have recently been deployed in Syria will hit any foreign force that could attempt to target the Syrian positions.

Moscow stressed that the S300 and S400 that have been deployed in the Hmaimim airbase in the northwestern city of Latakia are ready to defend the Syrian positions.

The Turkish forces also want al-Bab to cut the road before the Kurdish groups could take over the city, as al-Bab is crucial for the SDF to link areas under the Kurdish control in northern Syria with one another.

Turkey made it clear that it will not allow the Kurds to enjoy an autonomy in northern Syria, near the Turkish borders.

But the Turkish progress through the "Euphrates Shield" forces toward al-Bab has inflamed the situation on ground in northeast Aleppo.

Pan-Arab al-Mayadeen TV said Friday that the Arab and Kurds fighters supported by the Syrian army are fighting to confront the Turkish infiltration.

The Syrian army and the Arab and Kurdish fighters succeeded to capture four towns near al-Bab, said the report, adding that capturing the city is of a major significance for the Syrian army, as it will break the weight of IS in northeastern Aleppo and thwart the Turkish infiltration into the city, as well as help in securing the city of Aleppo.

The Syrian army's control of al-Bab will also put an end to the Turkish plans to impose a safe zone, Ankara has for long talked about, in northern Syria.

As for IS, which is under the attack from all those groups, al-Bab is deemed as it's most important stronghold near the Turkish borders, as the city is the main conduit from which the foreign recruits are joining the terror group.

The city also links IS capital of al-Raqqa with the Turkish borders.

REBEL-HELD AREAS EAST OF ALEPPO

Aside from the battle on the IS stronghold in al-Bab, the Syrian army and an array of rebel groups, including the al-Qaida-linked Nusra Front and the Jaish al-Fateh groups are at each other's throats, with the Syrian army determined to recapture eastern Aleppo, while the rebels insist on holding their ground and break the government forces' siege on that part of the city.

The city has been divided since 2012 between the rebels in the eastern part of the city and the government forces in the west.

Securing the eastern part of Aleppo is a priority now for the Syrian army as Aleppo is the second most important city after the capital Damascus, and securing it will give the Syrian army a leverage on the rebels branches in other Syrian cities, as the rebels have a considerable weight in Aleppo.

Retaking eastern Aleppo will also weaken the rebels in the countryside of that province and will divide areas under their control so that it will be easy for the Syrian forces and allied fighters to eliminate them.

It will also give the Syrian army the upper hand in any future battles against the rebels, mainly in the Idlib province in northwestern Syria.

Activists said Friday the Syrian army have captured large swathes of the Masaken Hanano area, the largest rebel-held district in the city of Aleppo over the past 24 hours.

Battles, accompanied by intense shelling, have raged since midnight Thursday between the government forces and an array of rebel groups in Masaken Hanano, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

The UK-based watchdog said the Syrian forces captured over 60 percent of the neighborhood, which was also the first area stormed by rebels in eastern Aleppo in mid-2012.

Observers say capturing the Hanano area will expose the Sakhour neighborhood to the Syrian army, enabling it to isolate the northern part of the rebel-held areas in eastern Aleppo from the southern one.

The Observatory, which says it relies on a network of activists on ground, said the Syrian forces were achieving rapid progress in eastern Aleppo, where over 250,000 civilians are trapped.

Meanwhile, a security source in the joint military room of the Syrian army and its allies stressed Friday the Syrian administration's resolve to dislodge rebels from Aleppo as soon as possible.

"Our decision is not to accept the status quo of the civilians who have become hostages in the hands of the rebels in the besieged part of Aleppo, and we have an operation that will be commensurate with the threats and will dislodge the terrorists from Aleppo as soon as possible," the security source said in a statement sent to Xinhua.

The statement also mentioned a security meeting being held in Turkey with the participation of representatives from Saudi Arabia, United States, Turkey and the rebels' Jaish al-Fateh.

It said that the foreign powers told Jaish al-Fateh, backed by the West but deemed as a terrorist group by the Syrian government, not to leave the rebel-held part in eastern Aleppo.

The powers also asked Jaish al-Fateh, or the Army of Conquest, to lead a new offensive in Aleppo.

"The meeting proves again that the countries that pretend they have concerns for the civilians are partners in killings and destructions in Aleppo and their pretense of concern about civilian lives is nothing but lies," the security source said.

It urged the UN special envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, to say "a word of truth" to "those conspirators."

"They have repeatedly tried and failed; they have achieved nothing but more killing and destruction," the statement said.

For months, the Syrian government and Russia have been urging rebels to leave Aleppo, offering them safe passages to other rebel-held areas in Idlib.

The rebels, however, turned down all offers, which has resulted in intensified violence.

TOUGH HUMANITARIAN SITUATION

With Aleppo being a magnet for the conflict, humanitarian organizations have sounded the alarm about the worsening humanitarian situation in that city, as a result of the prolonged battles, the shelling by the rebels on government areas, and the Syrian forces airstrikes on rebel-held areas.

De Mistura, the UN envoy to Syria, warned Friday that eastern Aleppo could be "gone by Christmas."

In an interview Friday with the Suddeutsche Zeitung newspaper, de Mistura repeated that if the bombing continued as it had up until now that "by Christmas, there would be no east Aleppo anymore."

The envoy made the remarks after visiting the capital Damascus earlier this week, where he met with Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem.

The visit hasn't yielded any fruits, as al-Moallem turned down a request by de Mistura about maintaining a rebel local administration in eastern Aleppo.

Al-Moallem made it clear that the Syrian decision has been made for the recapture of all Aleppo.

Damascus regarded the proposition of de Mistura as an attempt to divide Aleppo.

Still, the Syrian government offered again the chance for the ill and wounded, as well as the civilians who want to leave eastern Aleppo to evacuate to government areas. It also renewed calls for the rebels to leave eastern Aleppo.

Inji Sedki, an official with the International Committee of the Red Cross, said Friday that the humanitarian situation inside rebel-held eastern Aleppo "is worsening by the day."
By Xinhua Writers Lyu Qiuping, Chen Guozhou and Wu Xiaokang

BEIJING, Nov. 26 (Xinhua) -- As another round of smog smothers Beijing on an icy winter afternoon, Yu Shulan cannot help coughing a little.

Once again, she starts missing home, a coastal town 700 kilometers away in Shandong Province with clean air and fresh seafood.

In the past, this time of year meant gathering with her neighbors, chatting, playing cards and waiting for an evening of dancing in the square at the center of town.

Now, with no friends and family around, she simply plays card games on a computer after her 19-month-old granddaughter falls asleep.

"I am thinking of weaving her a cap. Not that we cannot afford to buy one, but I need something to do to kill the time," says Yu, 64, who lives in a neighborhood in Huangcun town, Beijing's Daxing district.

There are 18 million people aged 60 and above who live more than six months a year away from their registered hometowns, according to a migrant population report released by China's National Health and Family Planning Commission (NHFPC) in October.

Unlike young migrants who are quick-learners and have large social circles in the big cities, the elderly have fewer friends and less access to health care, often finding it hard to adapt to an alien world.

Zhang Zhenhui, 62, is a native of Hezhou city, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. His son works in real estate in the regional capital Nanning.

In 2013 when Zhang's daughter-in-law was about to give birth, Zhang and his wife moved to Nanning to nurse the baby.

Now that his grandson is going to enter kindergarten, Zhang has told his son that they are leaving to take care of a second grandchild, to be delivered by his daughter back home.

"Actually, it is just an excuse; we are tired of living here," he says. "All we do is to buy groceries, do chores and nurse the baby!"

Zhang says babysitting is tiring and boring, and his son and daughter-in-law seldom talk to him after work, making Zhang and his wife feel even more lonely. "My only comfort is to see my grandson growing up each day."

In China where most young women have jobs, children are usually looked after by their grandparents. While young people flow into the big cities to earn a living, their parents often join them to help with the children. In the past two years, as China relaxed its family-planning policy, allowing families to now have two children, such arrangements are even more common

According to the NHFPC report, up to 43 percent of elderly migrants take care of their grandchildren.

While many senior citizens leave their hometown to look after their grandchildren, others head to cities to have their family look after them. Xu Shouye, 71, is one of them.

After his wife died two years ago, Xu moved from a rural area in Henan Province to Chongqing Municipality, southwestern China, where his son works.

Despite the flushing toilet and gas kitchen, Xu describes his life as "like a prison."

"My son will not let me go outside because he thinks I will get lost," he says. "It is like a cage."

Because of language barriers, he has also failed to make any friends the past two years.

"I cannot join my neighbors to play mahjong because I do not understand a word they say," he says. "They don't even have heatable brick beds here in Chongqing, which adds to my suffering."

Xu has proposed returning home several times, but his son refuses. "He reckons the villagers will think he is not filial if he leaves me alone in the countryside," he says.

Although China is speeding up construction of nursing homes for the elderly, most people believe children should take care of their parents.

This year Xu was diagnosed with heart disease. "I think this could be related to my bad mood," he says.

Worse, none of Xu's medical bills are covered as he does not have local health care coverage in Chongqing.

Zou Shunkang, a public administration professor with Southwest University in Chongqing, says the migrant elderly, away from their social circle, feel isolated in cities, and the generation gap between the children, and grandchildren, makes things worse.

Apart from urging young people to talk with their parents and address their emotions, Zou advises volunteers and social organizations to offer more services for senior citizens.

"Local governments should step up efforts to break regional disparities in social benefits so that migrants, be they elderly or young, can have their medical expense covered as soon as possible," he says.

Much to her comfort, Yu Shulan has recently made new friends in her neighborhood, a couple also from Shandong who came to Beijing to take care of their twin grandchildren.

"They have invited me to visit," she says." Maybe we will bring the children to go to the park or supermarket together."

(Xinhua reporter Zhong Quansheng contributed to the story.)
BEIRUT, Nov. 26 (Xinhua) -- As Lebanon and China mark the 45th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties, Lebanon has shown growing interest in sharing the rosy prospect of China's Road and Belt initiative and counts on it for fast economic growth.

"Lebanon firmly sticks to 'one China policy' and is willing to actively join in the Belt and Road initiative," Lebanese President Michel Aoun on Friday told a Chinese delegation headed by Li Xiaolin, chairwoman of the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC).

As an event to boost bilateral cultural and economic excanges, a Chinese Gourmet Festival in Beirut and a Lebanese Gourmet Festival in Beijing have been held respectively.

The Chinese Festival Gourmet held Friday was attended by Former Lebanese Minister of Economy and Trade Adnan Kassar. To flavor the festival, China sent 4 top chefs to present the finest Chinese cuisine for the Lebanese customers

Moreover, a Chinese book fair was launched the same day in Beirut with the release of a book entitled "Hand in Hand: Half a Century of Chinese-Lebanese friendship."

The book was published on the occasion of the 45th anniversary of establishment of the diplomatic relations between the two countries.

Hailing the sound growth of bilateral ties, Director General of the Lebanese Ministry of Interior Hassan Falha described the Chinese-Lebanese ties as unique example of cooperation.

"The two countries share the humanitarian, cultural and civilization diversity of belief and religion," he noted, stressing that between Lebanon and China there is "a uniqueness of wealth and importance of the role they played in human civilization."
File photo taken on April 11, 2013 shows Fidel Castro attending the inauguration of a school in Havana. Cuban revolutionary leader Fidel Castro has died at 90, local media said on Nov. 26, 2016. (Xinhua/Cubadebate)

HAVANA, Nov. 26 (Xinhua) -- Cuban revolutionary leader Fidel Castro died late Friday at the age of 90, said his brother Raul, the current leader of Cuba.

"With deep sorrow I report to the Cuban people that our beloved leader Fidel Castro passed away at 10:29 p.m. on Friday," said Raul Castro in a statement broadcast on Radio Reloj. ' His body will be cremated according to his will. The organizing committee for his funeral will give more details of the mourning.

Castro had led Cuba for nearly half a century before stepping down in 2006 for health reasons. He was succeeded by Raul Castro.

Fidel Castro spent the last years of his life largely out of the public eye, writing editorials on world affairs for Cuba's official Granma daily, and receiving dignitaries at his home in Havana.

The last such meeting was with Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang on Nov. 15.

Shocked by his death, Cubans go out to mourn the revolutionary leader with great sorrow on the streets in Havana.

At the renowned Presidents' Avenue in central Havana, David Matinez, 19, said he heard the news from a policeman, who asked him and his friends to turn down the music as a gesture of respect.

"This is shocking news. Although Fidel is 90 years old, it still comes as a surprise to everyone. Fidel has always been a father figure to all Cubans. There would be nothing that we have now without him," said Matinez.

Castro was born on Aug. 13, 1926 in Biran, a village in Holguin Province, as the son of Spanish immigrant Angel Castro and Cuban farmer Lina Ruz.

He became well-known worldwide after he led the 1959 Cuban revolution that overthrew Cuban dictator Fulgencio Batista.

Almost immediately, the United States moved to topple Castro, fearing the socialist revolution would inspire the rest of Latin America.

Washington pressed Cuba on many fronts, including economically and financially, by imposing a trade embargo in February 1962 that continues to this day.

Washington's covert war on Castro is well documented, from Operation Mongoose designed to disrupt life in Cuba in any way possible, to numerous assassination attempts, which even the CIA admits were often "laughably inept."

Castro once quipped, "If surviving assassination attempts were an Olympic event, I would win the gold medal."

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CARACAS, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- As revolutionary leader Fidel Castro nears his 90th birthday on Aug. 13, the international spotlight has once again turned towards Cuba, the nation he shaped into one of the Caribbean's most developed in terms of education, healthcare and life expectancy. Full story

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People walk in front of banners with photographs shown outside the Sao Paulo Museum of Art during a protest against the rape, abuse and violence against women in Sao Paulo, Brazil, on June 10, 2016. The protest demanding an end to the violence against women, refered to the allegedly mass rape of a 16-year-old girl that occurred in Rio de Janeiro in May 2016.(Xinhua/Rahel Patrasso)

by Christine Lagat

NAIROBI, Nov. 26 (Xinhua) -- Violence against women that has manifested itself in varying forms is yet to be eradicated in Kenya despite decades of advocacy, experts told Xinhua as the International day for the elimination of violence against women was observed on Friday.

While acknowledging that reported cases of wife battering have slumped compared to several decades ago, experts and campaigners agreed that Kenya must overcome a myriad of hurdles to eliminate the retrogressive practice.

Dinah Simbiri, a Nairobi-based gender rights advocate, decried rampant physical and emotional abuse of women in the hands of their spouses, male relatives and co-workers.

"As a country, we are yet to conclusively deal with violence against women despite decades of advocacy and enactment of deterrent laws. Retrogressive cultural practices, poverty and ignorance among women in rural areas have created a fertile ground for abuse and discrimination against female gender," Simbiri said.

The Kenya demographic survey of 2014 revealed that 45 percent of women aged 19 to 49 years old have experienced different forms of abuse in their lifetime.

The survey disclosed that Kenyan women and girls are still grappling with sexual violence, genital mutilation, forced marriages and disinheritance.

Simbiri noted that Kenya is not out of the woods yet as far as domestic violence is concerned, hence the need for robust campaigns and law enactment to eliminate the vice.

"Kenyan women are suffering silently as they experience different forms of abuse on a regular basis. We are still not yet out of the woods given the numerous cases of wife battery that have been reported in the media recently," Simbiri told Xinhua.

Kenya was in the global spotlight in early August when news broke out that a woman's hands were chopped off by her husband for failure to bear children.

National leaders and gender rights activists condemned the heinous act and urged severe punishment for the culprit.

Early this week, a female lawmaker from the nomadic Samburu community was severely beaten by her male colleague over political differences.

The incident elicited sharp condemnation from women leaders in Kenya and beyond.

Simbiri regretted that Kenyan women from all walks of life have to contend with abuse and discrimination despite gains achieved through affirmative action.

"The Kenyan society must begin a candid conversation on gender-based violence. Our criminal justice system must address this menace with renewed vitality," Simbiri remarked.

Entrenched patriarchy, poverty, illiteracy and weak enforcement of laws have worsened violence against women in many Kenyan communities.

Ekai Nabenyo, a community rights advocate from Turkana County in northern Kenya, said domestic violence will remain a plague in the country until political, religious and cultural leaders take uncompromising stand against it.

"Our society is patriarchal hence the rampant abuse of women through violence, genital mutilation and denial of property ownership rights. We require new campaigns to change mindsets and regard women as equal to men," said Nabenyo.

The Kenyan parliament has fast-tracked enactment of protection against domestic violence bill 2013 in order to revitalize legal action on perpetrators of the heinous crime.

Fanis Lisiagali, Project Director at HealthCare Assistance Kenya (HAK), said deterrent legal instruments alongside political goodwill and public awareness are crucial to minimize gender-based violence.

"Laws are not enough to end violence against women in Kenya. We need strong political commitment and participation of community leaders to fight this vice to its conclusive end," said Lisiagali.

Kenya has domesticated global instruments that call for an end to all forms of violence and discrimination against women.

Lisiagali noted that Kenyan women and girls have gradually enjoyed rights and privileges enshrined in the constitution in the recent past.
JERUSALEM, Nov. 26 (Xinhua) -- Dozens of homes were burnt and four people were injured overnight as a wildfire broke out in a Jewish settlement in the West Bank, amidst a wave of fires in Israel.

The Palestinian fire department sent three firefighting vehicles from Ramallah to help the Israeli forces to put out the fire, as the entire 1,000-people community of the settlement of Halamish was evacuated.

A statement by the Israeli police said that the blaze completely consumed at least 15 houses and seriously damaged 25 more.

In the early morning hours, the forces gained control over the fire, and the residents were allowed to return home.

The MDA medical emergency services reported that three people were seriously injured due to smoke inhalation in the settlement of Ma'aleh Adumim, east of Jerusalem.

Blazes continue to rage elsewhere in Israel Saturday morning, for the fifth day of wildfires in a region spanning from the Jerusalem Mountains in the south to Nahariya, Israel's northernmost city.

Although no fatalities were reported, hundreds of people needed hospitals care after they inhaled smoke, and on Thursday about 75,000 people were evacuated from Haifa, Israel's third-largest city, after fires broke out in multiple sites.

The Boeing-747 Supertanker, the world's largest firefighting aircraft, landed in Israel Friday to help control the fire. The plane can carry 75 tons of water or fire retardant.

Greece, Cyprus, Turkey, Italy, Britain, Russia, and Croatia responded to Israel's call for international help and sent more than a dozen of aircrafts to fight the raging blaze.

The fires broke out amidst unusually dry and windy weather conditions also in the West Bank cities of Jenin, Nablus, and Ramallah, as well as in Lebanon and Egypt.
by An Ran

PHOENIX, United States, Nov. 26 (Xinhua) -- "This is really fabulous, and we never imagine that we will have this kind of event in Phoenix area when we planned this trip," said Pam, a 70-year-old lady who only gave her first name, facing a huge phoenix lantern 12 meters high and 20 meters wide.

Not only Pam, who just drove 2,500 km from Saint Louis of Missouri to Phoenix with 10 of her family members to celebrate their Thanksgiving holidays, but also thousands of Arizonans found an amazing way to celebrate over this Thanksgiving weekend.

A grand lantern display, Chinese martial arts, acrobatics and Chinese traditional snack vendors were all parts of the Lights of the World festival in the capital of Arizona, which became a must-go event for local people and tourists.

This 10-week event combined the Chinese tradition of the lantern festival with modern cutting-edge technology and lighting. With 11 overarching exhibits and 75 stunning displays, the Lights of the World was the largest lights show in North America to date.

The phoenix lantern at the entrance was a special gift dedicated to the City of Phoenix from the U.S.-China Cultural & Educational Foundation (USCEF), the organizer of this event.

Besides the giant lantern, the festival also included a lot of reproductions of some of the most famous attractions and cultural highlights of China such as the Great Wall, Peking Opera facial masks, and Blue and White porcelain.

"We planned and prepared this event for three years; we hired more than 200 workers and designers to design and make these lanterns. And they spent more than three months to complete this mission," Yang Song, vice president of USCEF, told Xinhua on Friday night. "I hope our hard work can bring the people of Phoenix an authentic and fantastic Chinese cultural experience."

As a former vocal music professor in China, Song had a deeper understanding about the meaning of this event.

"Lantern has a unique role in Chinese culture. Hopefully, this event will bring a new impression about China to the American people, so they can realize that besides the clothes and toys they can find in all the supermarkets, culture is also a very good product made in China," he said.

Song also prepared more Chinese acrobatic shows and different kinds of Chinese tradition arts for visitors, such as sugar painting, embroidery, finger palm painting, paper cutting, calligraphy and bamboo weaving. Some chefs from the southwestern Chinese city of Chengdu, Phoenix's sister city, cooked famous Sichuan cuisine and snacks on site for visitors as well.

"I bought a dragon sugar painting for my son, and it is really amazing to watch the artist paint it with a spoon of sugar," said Tim Cochrane, a native of Phoenix, who visited the Lights of the World with his wife and 10-year-old son.

Although Phoenix is the sixth-largest city in the United States, people here rarely had an opportunity like this to appreciate Chinese culture and art.

"I will post a poster of this event in my classroom, and encourage my students to visit this event. This is really a good opportunity for them to learn the Chinese culture," said Lisa Ye, a Chinese teacher in a local elementary school.
Shephard, Ntoaesele Mashongoane, 32 years old, calls his sheep as he stands in front of the controversial Katse dam, which only provides water to South Africa on July 13, 2016 in Katse. Farmers in southern African countries, such as Lesotho and Namibia, are having a hard time amid sustained drought. (AFP/ JOHN WESSELS)

WINDHOEK, Nov. 26 (Xinhua) -- Namibia has embarked on a National Water Saving Campaign targeting public institutions such as government offices, schools, hospital and correctional services centres starting in the capital Windhoek and later to be rolled out throughout the country.

Namibia's Ministry of Agriculture together with its partners, City of Windhoek, NamWater, supported by SABMiller as well German organization GIZ, joined forces and launched the campaign on Friday, which will run for a period of two years.

The campaign is a result of a Cabinet Directive issued to the Ministry of Agriculture.

According to the Ministry, the water saving campaign started earlier this year with the planning, conceptuality and launch organizing.

Namibia's Deputy Permanent Secretary for Water Affairs and Forestry, Abraham Nehemia at the launching said, "the water Saving Campaign aims at implementing Water Demand Management, as a means to provide an immediate to medium term alternative by augmenting water supply."

He added that Water Demand Management is an easy, quick and cheap measure to implement and offers long term benefits.

Meanwhile, the ministry said that the performance analysis of water saving methods will be conducted through the implementation of Water Marshals.

"The Marshals have the responsibility of reading and evaluating water consumption, conduction leak tests, inspecting water equipment and coordinating the repair of leaks," the ministry added.

Currently Namibia is facing a severe water shortage due to the sustained drought over the past three years and the major dams in the central areas of the country are nearly empty.
By the time the Treasure State ATV Association completed Fridays Holiday Parade downtown, its float was empty  just what organizers planned.

We spent all year collecting 1,300 stuffed animals, explained Chet Graves, an association member. We started in January, and we bring it up every meeting.

Elves walked alongside the float, spotting children who looked like they could use an early Christmas present. The groups trailer was piled high with donated stuffed animals among about 70 floats staged an hour early in anticipation of the 7 p.m. parade, the 32nd such affair sponsored by the Downtown Billings Alliance.

Many participating groups followed this years theme, Parade of Trees.

Thirty members of Pilgrim Congregational Church each took home a small wooden tree, said the congregations president, Kyle Walter, and all 30 returned them decorated for the churchs float. If you count Hayley Sohn, who dressed herself as a lighted Christmas tree, the church sported 31 trees.

More than 50 members of Cub Scout Pack 93 in Lockwood turned wooden pallets into Christmas trees, cutting and painting them to decorate their float. At the floats center was a huge wrapped gift.

We decorated a lot of trees, said Lucian Balestri, 11, who was participating in his fifth Holiday Parade.

I helped make the gift, said Dean Green, a 9-year-old pack member, adding that he expects Santa to visit his home this year because Ive been good.

Repurposing, said Cubmaster Joe Balestri, is a good thing for scouts to know.

The hair stylists at the four Billings Great Clips locations decided wed go big or go home this year, said Dustine Ruggles, who helped organize construction and decoration of a high-wattage float. We decided a lit-up parade float would catch the eye.

So too does a hay wagon pulled by two powerful Percherons, Salt and Pepper, a pair of draft horses waiting patiently to carry the parades grand master.

Cindy Edward of Elk River Outfitters had a backup plan if the guest of honor was a no-show.

Ill just hop on and practice my princess wave, she said with a laugh, demonstrating the elbow, elbow, wrist, wrist wave made famous by royalty.

What trailed the Big Sky Country RC Addicts float was even more fascinating than the float itself. Members decorated their remote-controlled cars with holiday lights, then put the cars through their paces, darting behind and alongside the float during the parade.

Ours is kind of an action float, said Dustin Reitler, a club member. Everybody has a hobby. Ours is definitely not a cheap one  but its a fun one.

Fred Gregory, school resource officer with the Laurel Police Department, donned a colorful tie and played Christmas carols out of his decorated police cruiser.

This is a good chance to get out and not be stressed about the regular stuff, he said.

Students with the Billings Schools Tribal Council gathered late Friday afternoon to decorate their float. The float featured decorated trees and a drumming circle manned by the Soaring Eagles Drum Group.

We enjoy the input of all members of the council, said Jazz Walker, a junior at Skyview High School. Interacting and having impact are important to us.

A float called Altanas Tree of Toys was held together by a lot of glue, said Eva Urlacher, the credit unions vice president of marketing.

She said helpers planned to distribute both candy canes and temporary tattoos along the parade route, always a crowd-pleasing gesture.

Im in marketing, she said with a smile. This is what I do.
File photo taken on April 11, 2013 shows Fidel Castro attending the inauguration of a school in Havana. Cuban revolutionary leader Fidel Castro has died at 90, local media said on Nov. 26, 2016. (Xinhua/Cubadebate)

by Xinhua writers Mao Pengfei and Ma Guihua

HAVANA, Nov. 26 (Xinhua) -- Cuban revolutionary leader Fidel Castro died late Friday at the age of 90.

"With deep sorrow, I report to the Cuban people that our beloved leader Fidel Castro passed away at 10:29 pm on Friday (0329 GMT Saturday)," Cuban President Raul Castro said in a statement broadcast on Radio Reloj.

His body will be cremated according to his will. The organizing committee for his funeral will give more details of the mourning.

Castro had led Cuba for nearly half a century before stepping down in 2006 for health reasons. He was succeeded by Raul Castro.

Fidel Castro spent the last years of his life largely out of the public eye, writing editorials on world affairs for Cuba's official Granma daily, and receiving dignitaries at his home in Havana.

The last such meeting was with Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang on Nov. 15.

Castro's death has shocked Cuban people and the sorrow can be felt on the streets in Havana, where people went out to mourn the revolution leader.

David Matinez, 19, was with friends at the renowned Presidents Avenue in central Havana early Saturday morning. He said he heard the news from a policeman, who asked him and his friends to tune down the music in a gesture of respect.

"This is shocking news. Although Fidel is 90 years old, it still comes as a surprise to everyone. Fidel has always been a father figure to all Cubans. There would be nothing that we have now without him."

Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto lamented the death of Castro, calling him "a friend of Mexico ... and a promoter of bilateral relationship based on respect, dialogue and solidarity."

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has sent solidarity and love to the Cuban people via Twitter.

Castro was born on Aug. 13, 1926 in Biran, a village in Holguin Province, as the son of Spanish immigrant Angel Castro and Cuban farmer Lina Ruz.

He became well-known worldwide after he led the 1959 Cuban revolution that overthrew Cuban dictator Fulgencio Batista.

Almost immediately, the United States moved to topple Castro, fearing the socialist revolution would inspire the rest of Latin America.

Washington attacked Cuba on many fronts, including economically and financially, by imposing a trade embargo in February 1962 that continues to this day.

Castro's courage and wisdom are believed to have inspired a new generation of political leaders in Latin America, such as in Bolivia, Venezuela and Ecuador.

His legacy and vision can also be seen in Cuba's universal healthcare and education system, as well as its cutting-edge biotechnology and a pharmaceutical industry that rivals that of developed countries.

In 2014, Cuba was widely credited for being at the forefront of the international response to the Ebola crisis in West Africa.

Related:

Spotlight: Fidel Castro and his mark on contemporary political literature

HAVANA, Aug. 13 (Xinhua) -- The historic leader of the Cuban Revolution, former president Fidel Castro, celebrates his 90th birthday on Saturday. While he has retired from public life, he has left an indelible mark on contemporary political literature. Full story

Feature: Fidel Castro: 90 years of history and resistance

HAVANA, Aug. 13 (Xinhua) -- Cuba's revolutionary leader and former president Fidel Castro turns 90 years old on Saturday as a symbol of historic resistance against the U.S. and upholding the socialist values that have led this Caribbean nation to unprecedented development for a third world country. Full story

Interview: Fidel Castro, most targeted leader by his adversaries

HAVANA, Aug. 11 (Xinhua) -- For more than half a century, Cuban leader Fidel Castro has been a target for many of his political enemies and adversaries that tried to topple the socialist regime in the island country by any means, including his assassination. Full story

Interview: Fidel Castro's influence universal, says historian

CARACAS, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- As revolutionary leader Fidel Castro nears his 90th birthday on Aug. 13, the international spotlight has once again turned towards Cuba, the nation he shaped into one of the Caribbean's most developed in terms of education, healthcare and life expectancy. Full story

Feature: Fidel Castro an enduring role model for Cuban youth
URUMQI, Nov. 26 (Xinhua) -- About 130 herdsmen from Akto County, hit by a 6.7-magnitude earthquake Friday night, have been evacuated to a safer place, said local sources on Saturday.

The herdsmen were from Muji village, where a villager was killed by a collapsing house.

As of Saturday noon, the earthquake had felled 100 houses and damaged another 124.

Operation of a mine about 35 kilometers away from the epicenter was suspended.

Passengers on some trains also felt the tremor. To ensure safety of passengers, some sections of the railway were temporarily closed, and at least three trains were stopped.

The epicenter is in remote highland area that is sparsely populated. In Akto 96 percent of the area is mountain.

The China Earthquake Administration has activated a level-III emergency response and sent a team to the area. An emergency response was also initiated by the regional seismological bureau.

A taskforce of officials and experts has arrived at the site, with 25 tents and 50 quilts.

Statistics show that 83 earthquakes of magnitude 4 or over have occurred within 200 km of the epicenter in the past five years, with the largest recorded on Dec. 7, 2015 when a magnitude 7.4 quake jolted Tajikistan.
MANILA, Nov. 26 (Xinhua) -- The Philippine government extended Saturday its condolences to the family and people of Cuba on the death of former President Fidel Castro.

"We are one with the family of Mr. Castro, the Cuban Government, and the Cuban nation during this period of deep mourning," said Presidential Communications Office Secretary Martin Andanar in a statement.

He described Castro as a revolutionary who upon assuming his island's highest political office reasserted his nation's dignity and self-worth, stood up against the West and capitalism.

"As his nation's father, Mr. Castro focused on health, education and literacy. His achievements in social development, such as establishing a universal health care and providing free education, became models for many developing nations with limited fiscal resources," Andanar said.

"The passing of former President Castro will surely be felt by the peoples of Cuba and the world," he added.

Castro died late Friday at the age of 90.
A participant takes a break from his high heels during the "Walk A Mile in Her Shoes" event held in Vancouver, Canada, Sept. 10, 2016. About 100 men participated in the event to raise the awareness about the impacts of gender violence against women. (Xinhua/Liang sen)

LONDON, Nov. 26 (Xinhua) -- Events took place across Britain on Friday to mark the United Nations' International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women.

In Liverpool, iconic buildings across the city's UNESCO World Heritage Site were illuminated with orange lights to draw attention to the special day.

Almost 1,000 women in Britain have been killed by men since 2009, most of them victims of domestic violence, one of the country's leading help charities reported Friday.

Women's Aid is preparing to launch what is called its Femicide Census, a ground-breaking piece of work that will show the "true and shocking" scale of male violence against women in England and Wales.

One of its findings is that between 2009 and 2015, 936 women have been killed by men. A total of 598 of these women (62 percent) were killed by their current or former partners and 73 (7.8 percent) by their own child.

"The dangers of misogyny and gender inequality are clearer right now than they have been for years and the voices of those trying to silence this truth are growing louder. Today we need to take a long, hard look at why the vast majority of victims of domestic abuse are women. And we need to state clearly what everyone can do to help," a Women's Aid spokesperson said.

Trades Union Congress general secretary Frances O'Grady said: "Domestic violence doesn't stop at the front door. Many women find that the abuse follows women into work. Tragically, there have even been cases of women being murdered by abusive partners at work."

A woman poses in front of banners with photographs shown outside the Sao Paulo Museum of Art during a protest against the rape, abuse and violence against women in Sao Paulo, Brazil, on June 10, 2016. The protest demanding an end to the violence against women, refered to the allegedly mass rape of a 16-year-old girl that occurred in Rio de Janeiro in May 2016. (Xinhua/Rahel Patrasso)

In Liverpool the famous waterfront Cunard Building, the spiritual home of the iconic Cunard Shipping Line, was one of many city center buildings bathed in orange lights for the day. The city's main police headquarters was also illuminated in orange.

Former government minister Jane Kennedy, now the city's police commissioner, said: "It is completely unacceptable that violence remains a part of daily life for some women and girls, either in the community or in their own homes."

"Today we are taking a stand against abuse to make it clear it will not be tolerated. By wearing orange and lighting up some of our most iconic buildings in this vibrant color, we are sending out a clear, visible message that we are supporting the campaign for a brighter future for women and girls, free from violence and abuse," she added.
ANTANANARIVO, Nov. 26 (Xinhua) -- French President Francois Hollande reiterated on Saturday all the embargoes imposed by the United States against Cuba should be completely lifted.

Following the death of Cuban leader Fidel Castro, Hollande made these remarks during a press conference following the opening ceremony of the 16th Francophonie Summit held in Antananarivo, Madagascar.

"Although I often criticized Cuba for its human rights, I always considered the embargoes as an inacceptable unilateral decision," Hollande told the press.

"History aside, it's the future that counts," Hollande continued, adding that he wanted to reiterate, after learning the passing away of Fidel Castro, "the embargoes penalizing Cuba should be lifted, completely lifted."

The French president hopes that lifting embargoes would eventually allow Cuba an opening and a full re-integration into the international community.

"France always sees Cuba as a partner," Hollande said, explaining that was why he paid a visit last year to Cuba, to "end the cold war which was still ongoing in Cuba."

Hollande, who paid an official visit to Cuba on May 11 last year, was the first western leader to visit the Communist island country.

Speaking of Fidel Castro, Hollande said the Cuban revolutionary leader was "a grand personage of the 20th century. He brought up a lot of hopes with the Cuban revolution."

"He always wanted to, with pride, defend Cuba against external pressure," he said.

The French head of state expressed his condolences to Raul Castro and to the Cuban people.

Cuban revolutionary leader Fidel Castro died at 0329 GMT Saturday at the age of 90.
by Mohamed Samoura

FREETOWN, Nov. 26 (Xinhua) -- The President of Sierra Leone Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma in an exclusive interview with Xinhua on Friday said that he is going to visit China to principally thank the Chinese government and people for the tremendous assistance provided for Sierra Leone during the Ebola outbreak.

President Koroma said he also looks forward to deepening the partnership with China in the future.

It was the plane load of Chinese medical personnel and drugs from China on the outbreak of Ebola that galvanized international support for the country's drive to kick Ebola out of the country, Koroma said.

The president said he is grateful to China for its swift response with all the support.

President Koroma pointed out that China provided "all of what was required in terms of personnel, drugs and medical supplies " and explained that the Chinese support was not only limited to bilateral level but also at multilateral level through the World Bank, WHO and other UN Agencies.

He spoke of the cordial relationship between Sierra Leone and China based on mutual trust and respect, noting that "China is a dependable friend."

President Koroma maintained that China's support was not only present when the Ebola struck but has been a very significant contributor to Sierra Leone even before Ebola.

He said the Chinese have been very dependable partners in the country's development of physical infrastructure as well as in the agriculture, health and education sectors.

He said Sierra Leone and China relations has spanned for over 45 years to the benefit of both countries, and it is necessary to sustain and deepen the partnership.

China, President Koroma said, has transformed itself to a world power and it is fitting for Sierra Leone to learn from the Chinese experience and expertise.

He said in the President's Recovery Priorities, emphasis has been laid on diversifying the economy so that development will not only be for the urban areas but also the rural settings.

He said during his visit to China he will study the Chinese system of growth through its model of economic development and how the Chinese are able to create "economic zones" that have helped diversify the Chinese economy.

Another area of interest to the president is for both countries to collaborate in private partnership as well as encourage Chinese tourists to visit Sierra Leone now that the Chinese have developed the appetite for overseas travels.

The president underscored the need for its government to enhance the country's infrastructure by building more hotels and improving road networks.
TEHRAN, Nov. 26 (Xinhua) -- Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said on Saturday that stability and security in the region, particularly in Syria and Iraq, can be the basis of interaction between Tehran and Ankara, official IRNA news agency reported.

"Now that the region is in a sensitive juncture, the boost of cooperation and dialogue between Tehran and Ankara can help resolve the (regional) issues," Rouhani said in a meeting with visiting Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu.

"Fortunately, Iran and Turkey enjoy amicable relations, which is promising for further expansion of future cooperation," he was quoted as saying.

"If regional states stay together, problems in Iraq and Syria would be settled without any need for the outside powers," he said.

Rouhani stressed that regional countries should work for the sake of sovereignty and national unity of the Iraqis and Syrians, the formation of their governments on the basis of people's vote and the prevention of destruction of infrastructure and massacre of people in the two Arab states.

Cavusoglu arrived here on Saturday morning for political talks with senior Iranian officials.

The situations in Syria and Iraq top the agenda of talks between Iranian officials and Cavusoglu.

Despite differences over the ongoing political and military situations in Syria and Iraq, Turkey and Iran have had close relations, particularly in economic sectors, over the past years. Enditem
by Maria Spiliopoulou

ATHENS, Nov. 26 (Xinhua)-- Greece's Left-led government bid farewell to Cuba's leader Fidel Castro who passed away on Saturday, praising his legacy and pledging continuation of the struggle "until peoples' eternal victory."

"Fidel Castro was the guarantor of his people's dignity and independence and set the foundations for the regional cooperation in Latin America," Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras wrote on his social media account.

"Goodbye comandante. Until the peoples' eternal victory!" Tsipras wrote.

"We express our deep condolences to the people and the government of Cuba for the loss of Fidel Castro, an emblematic figure in world politics and a good friend of Greece," read a statement issued by the Greek Foreign Ministry.
TAIYUAN, Nov. 26 (Xinhua) -- An outer wall of a library in north China's Shanxi Province collapsed Saturday afternoon, killing three people and injuring another, local sources said.

The collapse occurred at around 3 p.m. at Shanxi Provincial Library in Taiyuan City, according to the provincial fire brigade. The collapsed wall section was a temporary construction.

A woman was seriously injured but in stable condition, a local hospital said.

An investigation into the cause of the collapse is under way.
TEHRAN, Nov. 26 (Xinhua) -- Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said on Saturday that stability and security in the region, particularly in Syria and Iraq, can be the basis of interaction between Tehran and Ankara, official IRNA news agency reported.

"Now that the region is in a sensitive juncture, the boost of cooperation and dialogue between Tehran and Ankara can help resolve the (regional) issues," Rouhani said in a meeting with visiting Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu.

"Fortunately, Iran and Turkey enjoy amicable relations, which is promising for further expansion of future cooperation," he was quoted as saying.

"If regional states stay together, problems in Iraq and Syria would be settled without any need for the outside powers," he said.

Rouhani stressed that regional countries should work for the sake of sovereignty and national unity of the Iraqis and Syrians, the formation of their governments on the basis of people's vote and the prevention of destruction of infrastructure and massacre of people in the two Arab states.

For his part, Cavusoglu hailed Iran's "constructive" role in fighting terrorism and working for global peace, saying that territorial integrity and national unity of the Syrian and Iraqi people are in the interest of Tehran and Ankara, according to IRNA.

The western countries are after their own interests as far as regional issues are concerned, he said, adding that the establishment of a cease-fire in Syria, fighting terrorism and finding political solutions are immediate needs for Syria.

He also called for the enhancement of multidimensional relations between Iran and Turkey.

Cavusoglu arrived here on Saturday morning for political talks with senior Iranian officials.

The situations in Syria and Iraq top the agenda of talks between Iranian officials and Cavusoglu.

Despite differences over the ongoing political and military situations in Syria and Iraq, Turkey and Iran have had close relations, particularly in economic sectors, over the past years.
SHANGHAI, Nov. 26 (Xinhua) -- Shanghai Petroleum and Natural Gas Exchange (SHPGX), a national energy trading center, officially opened for business on Saturday, a step further toward China's market-oriented reform of energy.

Xu Shaoshi, chairman of the National Development and Reform Commission, said that the platform is both an important achievement of China's market reform of oil and gas prices, and strong support for further reforms.

Since its test run, SHPGX has played an important role in connecting suppliers and buyers so as to form rational energy prices, Xu said.

The center was established in March 2015, with ten stakeholders, including Sinopec, CNPC and CNOOC. Trial operations started in July 2015. It is estimated that gas transactions at the center will exceed 15 billion cubic meters this year, accounting for about 8 percent of China's total natural gas consumption.

Mayor of Shanghai Yang Xiong noted that the new center would expand Shanghai's influence in the natural resources market.

China is experiencing profound changes in energy consumption pattern. The market share of clean and efficient natural gas is climbing rapidly.

Experts said the launch of SHPGX will help to accelerate the natural gas price reform by forming reasonable prices and promoting smooth allocation of the resource.

PetroChina chairman Wang Yilin said as a just, fair and open platform, SHPGX faithfully reflects natural gas consumption based on seasonal and regional differences, so as to reveal its true value and stabilize the market.

PetroChina will continue to expand its trading volume on the platform and fully support the natural gas futures business of SHPGX that is under preparations, Wang said.

"China needs such a petrol and gas trading center to press forward the market reform of energy," said Wang Yupu, chairman of Sinopec, adding SHPGX will get full cooperation from Sinopec in its development.

According to Yang Hua, chairman of CNOOC, the company traded a total 2.03 billion cubic meters of natural gas at the center last year, and another 2.44 billion as of Oct. 31 this year, overfulfilling the promissory trading target as a shareholder of SHPGX.

"The key to China's market reform of energy is to open both the industry and the market," said Jing Chunmei, a research fellow with the China Center for International Economic Exchanges.

"The industry concentration of oil and gas is high in China, and their prices are mainly guided by the government. SHPGX would upgrade the pricing mechanism by establishing a fair petrol and natural gas spot market," Jing said.

The China Economic Information Service (CEIS), a subsidiary of Xinhua News Agency, is also a stakeholder of the center. Xinhua President Cai Mingzhao said that CEIS will get up-to-the-minute petrol and gas trading information from the center and provide professional information products, assisting development of the resource market in China.

The center will conduct both listed transactions and competitive price transactions for natural gas, liquefied natural gas, petrol and other resource products. It plans to have mid- and long-term spot transactions and financial derivative trading in the future.
RIYADH, Nov. 26 (Xinhua) -- The killer of a Saudi soldier in Tabuk in northwestern Saudi Arabia was arrested, Saudi Interior Ministry tweeted on Saturday.

The Saudi arrestee shot the victim to death while he was driving to his work in his uniform early this month. The suspect confessed his crime stating that he received orders from the so-called Islamic State (IS) command to target military personnel in the country. The police confiscated the murder weapon and arrested another seven suspects in connection to the crime.

Tens of police and military personnel were targeted in the recent years by members of IS and other extremists. The attacks varied from shooting to deadly suicide blasts.

Those militants could face up to death penalty if they will be convicted of the crimes against them.
ISLAMABAD, Nov. 26 (Xinhua) -- Pakistan on Saturday appointed General Qamar Javed Bajwa as the new army chief to replace General Raheel Sharif, who is set to retire on Nov. 29, according to the Prime Minister Office.

Qamar Bajwa is currently serving at the Inspector General of Training and Evaluation at the General Headquarters in Rawalpindi.

He has served on several senior positions including commander of the 10th Corps, the Pakistan army's largest, which is responsible for the area along the Line of Control (LoC), the de facto border between Pakistan and India.

Bajwa was commissioned in Baloch Regiment in 1980, according to the army. He is graduate of Canadian Forces Command and Staff College in Canada, Naval Post Graduate University, Monterey in the United States and National Defense University at Islamabad.

The general has also commanded Pakistan Contingent in Congo. He has been an instructor at School of Infantry and Tactics in Quetta and Command and Staff College at the capital city of Balochistan Province and National Defense University.

He has also been Brigade Major of an Infantry Brigade and Chief of Staff of Rawalpindi Corps. He has commanded 16 Baloch Regiment, an Infantry Brigade and has commanded Infantry Division in Northern Areas.

Meanwhile General Zubair Mahmood Hayat was appointed as the Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, the office said.

Mahmood was commissioned in Artillery Regiment on Oct. 24, 1980. He is graduate of Fort Sill Oklahoma in the United State, Command and Staff College Camberley in Britain and National Defense University at Islamabad.

He has wide experience of command, staff and instructional appointments. He has commanded an artillery regiment, mechanized division artillery, an infantry Brigade and an Infantry Division, military sources said.
BEIJING, Nov. 26 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping said Saturday that history and people will remember Fidel Castro, calling the Cuban revolutionary leader "a great figure of our times."

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, made the remarks in a message of condolences to Raul Castro, first secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba, president of the Council of State and the Council of Ministers of Cuba, after Fidel Castro died late Friday at the age of 90.

"In the name of the CPC, the Chinese government and people, and in my own name, I express my deepest condolences on the death of Comrade Fidel Castro and sincerest sympathy to his family," Xi said.

Fidel Castro, founder of the Communist Party of Cuba and Cuba's socialist cause, was a great leader of the Cuban people, Xi said, adding that he has made immortal historic contributions and devoted all his life to the Cuban people's great cause of struggling for national liberation, safeguarding state sovereignty and building socialism.

The late Cuban leader has also made immortal historic contributions to the world socialist development, Xi added.

Fidel Castro also dedicated his life to the friendship between China and Cuba, Xi said.

Xi added that the China-Cuba relationship has enjoyed great development since the two countries forged diplomatic ties 56 years ago thanks to Fidel Castro's solicitude and painstaking efforts.

"The death of Fidel Castro has made the Chinese people lose a close comrade and sincere friend. His glorious image and great achievements will go down in history," Xi said.

"The great Comrade Fidel Castro will live in the heats of its people," said the Chinese president.
BAGHDAD, Nov. 26 (Xinhua) -- The Iraqi parliament passed Saturday a draft law legalizing the pre-dominantly Shiite paramilitary units of Hashd Shaabi, despite protests of most Sunni lawmakers, a parliament official said.

The National Alliance, an umbrella Shiite parliamentary bloc, backed by some Kurdish and independent lawmakers, managed to collect the majority votes needed to pass the controversial law, despite the Sunni Arab lawmakers' wish to postpone the vote, because they believe that the draft still needs amendment to be accepted by all, the official told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.

The Sunni lawmakers walked out of the session in protest for the vote on the Hashd Shaabi law, saying that the vote lacks consensus among the political blocs, as the blocs are accustomed to haggling before voting on controversial laws.

Before the session, the parliament halls witnessed intense debate between the political blocs over the details of the draft law, pushing the Parliament Speaker Salim al-Jubouri to ask the vote to be delayed to coming sessions, but his demand was fiercely rejected by the Shiite lawmakers, the official said.

The law considers the Hashd Shaabi units under the control of the Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, who is also the Commander-in-Chief of the Iraqi forces, or to be parallel to the security forces because the units will not be related to the defense or the interior ministries as the Sunni Arabs wanted.

The Sunni bloc of Mutahidoun for Reform believed that the law would empower the Hashd Shaabi units which are loyal to different religious and political parties, and moreover, could make the units more powerful than the Iraqi army itself, threatening stability of the country.

For his part, Abadi hailed the approval of the draft law, which was crucial to preserve the rights of those "young men and the elderly heroic fighters whose sacrifices must be rewarded."

The Hashd al-Shaabi was formed upon a call by Iraq's most revered Shiite spiritual leader Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani in the summer of 2014, when the Islamic State (IS) militants captured large parts of Iraq's northern and western regions. Sistani urged civilians to take up arms and fight the radical Sunni group against further expansion.

Iraqi Sunni minority have been opposing the existence of the pre-dominantly Shiite armed groups and complained that they have conducted abuses against Sunni civilians and their properties in many cities and towns.
BEIJING, Nov. 26 (Xinhua) -- As the only breadwinner in the family, Zhang Shiwei, 45, from Gansu Province in the northwest of China, was relieved to get a loan from a local credit cooperative.

Zhang's parents and his wife are unable to work and his three children are still in school.

He had made plans to start a greenhouse business, but getting a bank loan without collateral proved difficult. This year, Gansu came up with a new policy on credit unions and, in November, Zhang's dream took a step closer to becoming a reality.

Zhang's case is far from unique: China plans to end poverty by 2020.

In November last year, President Xi Jinping suggested that elimination of poverty would require more targeted and precise measures. Since then, steady progress has been made. Local governments and officials, particularly in underdeveloped regions, have made poverty alleviation their top priority.

As industrial development is key to poverty alleviation, industry development plans, many already put into practice, have been at the heart of government activities.

With 30 million people to rise out of poverty by 2020 through industrial development, relocation has also been highlighted over the past year. Around 10 million people are expected to take this route out of poverty and hundreds of impoverished counties now have formal arrangements for relocation, many of which are underway.

Tuition fees and other expenses have been waived for senior high school students from poor families, while basic medical care services now cover all poor people in rural areas.

Fiscal expenditure on poverty relief has increased, and private investment has been encouraged. Central and provincial governments earmarked a record high of over 100 billion yuan (around 14.5 billion U.S. dollars) for poverty relief this year.

Preferential tax policies, reduced interest on loans, and other financial incentives have encouraged financial institutions to offer more products aimed at reducing poverty.

And China has been consistent in its commitment in eliminating poverty. Over the past three decades, some 700 million people across China can longer consider themselves "poor."

The first developing country to meet the Millennium Development Goal of reducing the population living in poverty by half, China plans to lift all of its people out of poverty by 2020. Major tasks for the next five years include ensuring people to have enough to eat and wear, and that they have adequate education, health services and housing.

Per-capita disposable income in poor areas must grow faster than the national average, and standards of basic public services must be close to the national average.

These tasks are closely related to the more ambitious goal of building a moderately prosperous society by 2020.

If the tasks are completed on time, China will meet the United Nations Goal of wiping out poverty in all its forms and dimensions 10 years ahead of the 2030 deadline.

As of the end of 2015, China had 55.75 million people in rural areas living below the poverty line of 2,300 yuan in annual income by 2010 price standards.
URUMQI, Nov. 26 (Xinhua) -- Disaster-relief supplies have reached quake-stricken areas in Akto County hit by a 6.7-magnitude earthquake Friday night, said local sources on Saturday.

According to the publicity department of Kizilsu Kirghiz Autonomous Prefecture in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, 50 quilts, 100 bags of flour, 25 tents and medicine worth 10,000 yuan (1,440 U.S. dollars) were sent to the county at 3 a.m..

In the meantime, an emergency communication support vehicle as well as four maritime satellite phones were dispatched to guarantee normal communication for local residents.

As of 6:50 a.m., another 100 tents, 300 quilts, 300 coats, 200 bags of flour, 200 tonnes of coal, small generators and flashlights reached Muji, where a villager was killed by a collapsed house.

As of Saturday noon, the earthquake had felled 100 houses and damaged another 124.

About 130 local herdsmen have been evacuated to a safer place.

Gu Wensheng, Party chief of Akto County, said the relief supplies have been sent to each and every quake-affected villager.

Aftershocks continued to hit the county. A magnitude 5 quake, the largest so far, occurred at 5:23 p.m. with a depth of six km. The quake did not cause any casualties, the county government said.

The epicenter is in remote highland area that is sparsely populated. In Akto 96 percent of the land is mountain.
File photo taken on April 11, 2013 shows Fidel Castro attending the inauguration of a school in Havana. Cuban revolutionary leader Fidel Castro has died at 90, local media said on Nov. 26, 2016. (Xinhua/Cubadebate)

HAVANA, Nov. 26 (Xinhua) -- Cuban revolutionary leader Fidel Castro died late Friday at the age of 90, said his brother Raul Castro, the current leader of Cuba.

"With deep sorrow I report to the Cuban people that our beloved leader Fidel Castro passed away at 10:29 p.m.(0329 GMT Saturday) on Friday," said Raul Castro in a statement broadcast on Radio Reloj.

His body will be cremated according to his will. The organizing committee for his funeral will give more details of mourning activities.

The Cuban government later announced that Fidel Castro's ashes will be buried at the Santa Ifigenia cemetery in the eastern city of Santiago de Cuba, the resting place of independence hero Jose Marti and other leading figures of the island.

In an official statement published by the Communist Party newspaper Granma, the organizing committee of Fidel Castro's funeral said his ashes will be interred there on Dec. 4 after Cubans from all over the island pay their tributes to the leading figure of the Revolution.

In Havana, Cubans will be able to pay homage to Fidel Castro at the Jose Marti memorial on Nov. 28 and Nov. 29. A mass rally will be held in the capital at 7 p.m. (0000 GMT Wednesday) on Nov. 29.

On the following day, Fidel Castro's ashes will begin their journey along the route that commemorates his victory in 1959, added the release.

The journey will conclude Santiago de Cuba on Dec. 3, where there will also be a mass rally. The burial ceremony is secheduled to be held next day at 7 a.m. (1200 GMT).

Also, the Cuban State Council declared nine days of national mourning starting at 6 a.m. (1100 GMT) on Saturday and ending at noon time on Dec. 4.p During the mourning period, all cultural shows will be suspended, with the flag flying at half-mast in public buildings and military establishments.

Fidel Castro had led Cuba for nearly half a century before stepping down in 2006 for health reasons. He was succeeded by his brother Raul Castro.

Fidel Castro spent the last years of his life largely out of the public eye, writing editorials on world affairs for Cuba's official Granma daily, and receiving dignitaries at his home in Havana.

The last such a meeting was with Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang on Nov. 15.

Shocked by his death, Cubans go out to mourn the revolutionary leader with great sorrow on the streets in Havana.

At the renowned Presidents' Avenue in central Havana, David Matinez, 19, said he heard the news from a policeman, who asked him and his friends to turn down the music as a gesture of respect.

"This is shocking news. Although Fidel is 90 years old, it still comes as a surprise to everyone. Fidel has always been a father figure to all Cubans. There would be nothing that we have now without him," said Matinez.

Fidel Castro was born on Aug. 13, 1926 in Biran, a village in Holguin Province, as the son of Spanish immigrant Angel Castro and Cuban farmer Lina Ruz.

He became well-known worldwide after he led the 1959 Cuban Revolution that overthrew Cuban dictator Fulgencio Batista.

Almost immediately, the United States moved to topple Fidel Castro, fearing the socialist revolution would inspire the rest of Latin America.

Washington pressed Cuba on many fronts, including economically and financially, by imposing a trade embargo in February 1962 that continues to this day.

Washington's covert war on Castro is well documented, from Operation Mongoose designed to disrupt life in Cuba in any way possible, to numerous assassination attempts, which even the CIA admits were often "laughably inept."

Fidel Castro once quipped, "If surviving assassination attempts were an Olympic event, I would win the gold medal."
PHNOM PENH, Nov. 26 (Xinhua) -- Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen said Saturday that the country supported Laos for the construction project of controversial 260-megawatt Don Sahong hydropower dam on the lower Mekong River.

Hun Sen made the remarks during a meeting with visiting Laos National Assembly president Pany Yathotou, according to Kao Kim Hourn, a minister attached to the prime minister.

"In energy cooperation, the prime minister told Pany that the Royal Government of Cambodia supported Laos for the construction of Don Sahong hydropower dam," he told reporters after the meeting.

He added that Laos has promised to sell low-cost electricity to Cambodian provinces located near the dam.

Lao parliament approved the concession agreement for the Don Sahong hydropower dam on the lower Mekong River in August last year and the Lao government announced earlier this month its plans to begin constructing the dam, which is located about 2 km upstream from Cambodia's border.

The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) has said that the dam would pose a serious threat to the existence of biodiversity on the Mekong River such as rarely dolphin species and fishery resources, which are vital to millions of people in downstream Cambodia and Vietnam.
ANKARA, Nov. 26 (Xinhua) -- The European Union's hardening stance toward Ankara would not make the Turkish government suddenly get in line with Brussels' norms, but both the EU and Turkey will suffer in case of break-off in ties, local foreign policy experts said.

On Thursday, the European Parliament approved a motion to temporarily freeze accession talks with Turkey. The vote is not binding, since the decision ultimately rests with the EU member states. The move aims to ratchet up pressure on the Turkish government which has been accused of using "disproportionate repressive measures" following a failed coup attempt on July 15.

"If European deputies think President Tayyip Erdogan and the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) will suddenly get in line with Brussels because of the vote, they are daydreaming," Murat Yetkin, columnist and editor in chief of Hurriyet Daily News, said.

"Erdogan had already vowed in advance that he would not be affected by any result of the vote, positive or negative," he added.

Erdogan, moreover, has suggested that Ankara could go for a referendum in 2017 to pull out of the membership process with the EU if there is no progress by the end of the year. He hit out at the European vote, saying it had "no value at all."

Support for the EU membership among Turks has declined as the talks stalled and Turkey is considered unlikely to join the bloc in the near future.

"It's not realistic to talk about membership perspective, at the moment," according to Soli Ozel, a daily Haberturk columnist and academician in Kadir Has University.

Since the start of membership negotiations in 2005, the EU conducted Turkey course in "clumsiness and shortsightedness" and has lost its influence on Ankara, Ozel said.

He recalled that the EU could not open negotiation chapters on fundamental rights, rule of law and judiciary.

"Brussels was an onlooker as Turkey was getting far away from EU norms," he stated, adding that Ankara was already eyeing "new horizons."

If European leaders do not make efforts to engage with Turkey, then the outcome would influence their domestic matters as well, according to Guven Sak, managing director of the Economic Policy Research Foundation of Turkey.

"Turkey is a large Muslim country with a huge diaspora in Europe. It is a sensitive membrane between Europe and Middle Eastern and Asian refugees," he said.

EU leaders will meet in mid-December and the EU decision puts pressure on member states to review Turkey's EU bid.

But European leaders seem unwilling to go that far; merely Austria has publicly proposed suspending the negotiations.

A formal, binding procedure to suspend Turkish accession talks has not been invoked by the vote.

The European Commission or one-third of EU member states would first need to make a formal proposal to suspend the Turkish accession talks and a majority of the member states would then have to vote in favor of the measure for it to pass.

Ending the talks with Turkey would further endanger a fragile deal between Ankara and Brussels reached in March aiming to stem the flow of migrants to Greece from Turkey.

Last week, President Erdogan threatened he could tear up the migration deal and open border gates "if EU goes too far."
Hundreds of North Dakotans turned out Saturday morning to rally on Memorial Bridge with a spirited message to back law enforcement. They first quietly reflected their solemn support for the men and women in blue near the grounds of the Bank of North Dakota.

"We are here to support the police, first responders, all military," said Jerry Hintz, a participant. "The turnout was better than I expected."

Organizers of Saturday's pro-law enforcement rally said they didn't want anybody in anti-DAPL demonstrations to get hurt and the situation needs to be resolved and end peacefully.

"We back the blue," said participant Jolene Thiel, who also expressed she wanted the dangerous anti-pipeline demonstrations to end.

In an orderly march with signs of "Stand Up," shouts of "We back the blue" and American flags, they ascended the Memorial Bridge, most heeding signal lights.

Elicia Jacobson, who has strong family ties to law enforcement, said she liked the environment of the rally.

"It's heartwarming and supportive. It's positive and peaceful," she said.

The briskness of a mild November morning didn't deter the crowd's growing enthusiasm whose numbers eventually spanned from the Bismarck side of Memorial Bridge to Mandan. They voiced their support in message, gathering with friends and family, and encouraging motorists passing by to blare their vehicles' horns in support.

Residents quietly and personally thanked veterans and officers in attendance for their service. Law enforcement officers kept their presence low key, but occasionally would flash their lights briefly to acknowledge appreciation for the crowd's support.

Late into the hour, organizers dedicated a wreath to honor officers. Before it was tossed into the Missouri River below, supporters were urged to hold hands in solidarity for the challenges the police officers face during the DAPL protest activity.

Kelly Haman, a participant, echoed she wanted to show support for the officers, particularly for what they been put through in the past four months.

Later into the assembly, Bismarck Police Chief Dan Donlin mingled with participants and shook hands as people left the rally, expressing his appreciation of the gesture.

"This was awesome. I can't say enough. For all these people to take their Saturday off just to show their support for law enforcement," he said.
HAVANA, Nov. 26 (Xinhua) -- Aged 90, Cuba's revolutionary leader Fidel Castro passed away late on Friday night. His sudden death comes as such a shock to Cubans, like a thunder at midnight.

"With deep sorrow I report to the Cuban people that our beloved leader Fidel Castro passed away at 10:29 pm on Friday," said Cuban leader Raul Castro, Fidel's younger brother, on state television.

Fidel's body will be cremated in the early hours on Saturday, according to his own wish, and an organizing commission in charge of funeral affairs will provide details on paying homage to the founding father of the Cuban Revolution, said Raul Castro in a statement also broadcast by Radio Reloj.

The announcement came at the late hours of Friday and spread quickly and quietly, catching Cuban people by surprise.

Claudia, who was walking in the street with her friend when the shock came in, found herself at a loss, saying that she'd rather wait till daytime to see how it is going on.

To David Martinez, 19, Fidel has always been a father figure. He was with friends at the renowned Avenue of the Presidents in central Havana when he heard the news. He said he heard it from a policeman, who asked him and his friends to tune down the music as a gesture of respect.

"This is shocking news. Although Fidel is 90 years old, and it is a cycle of nature, it still comes as a surprise to everyone," he said, "There would have been nothing that we have now without him."

The music school graduate who now teaches cello at the Conservatorio Guillermo Tomas, said "I am sure there would be events as the day comes, and prayers too for the revolutionary leader."

Even the night mourned the historic leader of the Cuban Revolution. Once the news spread through Havana on Friday, many Cubans returned home and the streets looked emptier than usual. Nightclubs closed their doors in respect of Castro.

Juan Rodriguez, a young Cuban, said "(Fidel) was the biggest person for Cubans. He was man that always took care of Cubans, protected them and always thought about Cuba."

"May he rest in peace and Cuba could move forward and we'll continue to fight for this country," said Yoslan Fuentes.

On the way to the landmark Revolution Square, people were seen at bus stops, talking about the news.

Foreign media in Cuba were told that local embassies will provide fast service for media visa to their colleagues who are coming to cover Fidel Castro's death.

Only a few days ago, Fidel Castro met with Vietnam's president who visited the island country, with images showing him in healthy and lucid condition.

Now, the city starts to awaken little by little, and everyone is aware that difficult hours and sad days of confusion, suffering, are coming.

Early in the morning, in an official statement published by the Communist Party newspaper Granma, the organizing committee on Castro's funeral affairs, said his ashes will be interred there on Dec. 4 after Cubans from all over the island pay their tributes to the leading figure of the Revolution.

In Havana, Cubans will be able to pay homage to Castro at the Jose Marti memorial on Nov. 28 and Nov. 29. A mass rally will be held in the capital at 7 p.m. on Nov. 29.

On the following day, Castro's ashes will begin their journey along the route that commemorates his victory in 1959. The journey will end in Santiago de Cuba on Dec. 3, where there will also be a mass rally. The burial ceremony will take place at 7 a.m. the next day.

The Cuban State Council has also declared nine days of national mourning starting at 6 a.m. Saturday and ending at noon time on Dec. 4.

During the mourning period, all cultural shows will be suspended and the flag will fly at half-mast in public buildings and military establishments.
CAIRO, Nov. 26 (Xinhua) -- Egypt condemned Saturday a car bomb attack that killed over 10 people at a crowded market in Somalia's capital Mogadishu, Egyptian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

"Egypt stresses support for the government and people of Somalia in their confrontation of terrorism, which targets stability, peace and reestablishment of institutions in Somalia," Egyptian Foreign Ministry's spokesman Ahmed Abu Zeid said in the statement.

Eyewitnesses at the scene told Xinhua that the explosion caused mayhem at the market as people scampered for safety, while the Somali police said most of the victims were civilians.

Somali official news agency SONNA reported Saturday that Somali military raids in lower Shabelle province killed seven members of Al-Shabaab militant group linked with Al-Qaida terrorist organization.

Egypt has also been suffering a rising wave of anti-government terrorist attacks that have killed hundreds of police and military personnel since the military overthrew former Islamist President Mohamed Morsi in July 2013 in response to mass protests.

Since then, most of the attacks in Egypt were claimed by a Sinai-based group loyal to the regional Islamic State group, while the post-Morsi administration declared "a war against terrorism," led by former military chief and current President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi.
Chinese President Xi Jinping (L) and Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa press buttons to inaugurate the Coca Codo Sinclair hydroelectric plant, in Quito, Ecuador, Nov. 18, 2016. (Xinhua/Ma Zhancheng)

By Elena Chuquimarca

QUITO, Nov. 25 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to Latin America has brought renewed focus on China's relations with the region, opening the door to a strengthened cooperation, said a former Ecuadorian official.

"Xi's tour is evidence of the importance the Chinese government pays to Latin America. It will deepen these ties in a highly complex international context," Ecuador's former minister of international relations, Francisco Carrion, told Xinhua in a recent interview.

The Chinese leader concluded his tour in Chile on Wednesday, after visiting Ecuador and Peru, where he took part in the 24th Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders' Meeting.

During his trip, Xi elevated China's relations with Ecuador and Chile to the level of comprehensive strategic partnership, a status its ties with Peru had reached in 2013.

Chinese President Xi Jinping and his wife Peng Liyuan are greeted by Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa and his wife Anne Malherbe at the airport in Quito, Ecuador, Nov. 17, 2016. (Xinhua/Ju Peng)

Carrion believed that Xi's announcement that China will help Latin American countries seek development paths suited to their national conditions "opened a new stage" for relations.

"The visit to three countries in the region is positive for a better positioning of China in Latin America and of Latin America in China," he noted, adding that "China has become the defender of free trade."

The former minister explained that Ecuador and the region need to seek closer ties with China since their interests are compatible and complementary.

"There is no doubt that China plays a very important role in the international arena. The Latin American region must pragmatically seek benefits, such as common projects," he said.

"The topic of financing is very important, especially with China's participation on technology and infrastructure," added Carrion.

Overall, the former minister put a high value on Xi's call for a more sustainable globalization process to guarantee the well-being of all countries and regions.

"This is a demonstration of the strength of the Chinese economy," he said.
BEIJING, Nov. 26 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Saturday sent a message of condolences to Raul Castro, president of the Council of State and the Council of Ministers of Cuba, over the death of Cuban revolutionary leader Fidel Castro.

Fidel Castro died late Friday at the age of 90 in Cuba's capital city of Havana after leading the Caribbean country for nearly half a century before stepping down in 2006 for health reasons.

On behalf of the Chinese government and its people as well as in his own name, Li in the message extended his deepest condolences over the death of Comrade Fidel Castro and expressed the sincerest sympathy to the Cuban government, its people and Fidel Castro's family.

In the message, Li said Comrade Fidel Castro has dedicated his life to Cuba's national liberation and its development, hailing him as the founder, defender and propeller of China-Cuba ties.

He will be remembered by history for his outstanding contribution to the development of bilateral relations, Li added.

The Chinese government and people always cherish the friendship between the two countries, attaching great importance to the development of the bilateral ties, said Li.

China stands ready to make joint efforts with Cuba to inherit and carry forward the traditional friendship between the two countries, and to promote the continuous and profound development of the bilateral ties, so as to better benefit the two countries and two peoples, said Li.
By Matthew Rusling

WASHINGTON, Nov. 26 (Xinhua) -- President-elect Donald Trump's political honeymoon is not likely to last long, as bitter partisan rivalries are expected to pick up again, experts said.

Trump shocked the world earlier this month when he pulled off what analysts, pundits and political prognosticators all said would be a very unlikely victory, as most experts said the odds were overwhelmingly in favor of rival Hillary Clinton.

In his victory speech, Trump said "Now it's time for America to bind the wounds of divisions; have to get together. To all Republicans and Democrats and independents across this nation, I say it is time for us to come together as one united people."

Now, Trump says he wants a fresh start. In a Thanksgiving address, Trump called for an end to rivalries, saying "we have before us the chance now to make history together."

But experts said Trump's honeymoon will be short lived, as the brash billionaire is expected to continue to spark controversy, and Democrats will oppose many of his policies.

"There isn't going to be a long honeymoon. Opponents still are smarting from Trump's harsh tone and misinformation campaign. He has appointed extreme people as advisors so it does not look like it is likely he will moderate his tone," Brookings Institution Senior Fellow Darrell West told Xinhua.

Historically, the first 100 days of a new presidency are a breaking in period, in which the press and the opposition go easy on the new president.

But Trump's choice of White House staff has sparked early controversy, as he prepares to take the helm at the White House.

The choice of Steve Bannon as Trump's chief of staff is taking heat from U.S. media, members of Congress, and left-leaning groups. Bannon, who publishes online news website Breitbart, is being lambasted by a number of liberal groups for what they call promoting racist ideology in his publication. Some groups are even calling for Bannon to get booted out.

Earlier this month, 169 members of the U.S. House of Representatives sent a letter to Trump, asking him to rescind the appointment of Bannon.

Moreover, the incoming administration is already causing raised eyebrows on other fronts, such as the role that the president-elect's son-in-law might play in the new government.

Last week the New York Times reported that Jared Kushner, the husband of Trump's daughter Ivanka, spoke to a lawyer to find out if it would be legal, under federal anti-nepotism laws, for him to play a role in the White House.

This comes just days after Kushner, who played a major advisory role in Trump's campaign, fired New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, a major Republican Party figure who was expected to hold a position in the new administration.

A 1967 federal anti-nepotism law, which was implemented after former President John Kennedy gave his brother, Robert Kennedy, the position of attorney general, states that no official can hire a member of his or her family. But news reports indicate the Kushner is trying to find out if those can be legally circumvented.

Critics are also concerned about the blurring of lines between government service and running a wildly lucrative business, as Kushner heads a major real estate business and owns the New York Observer newspaper.

There are also concerns that Trump will rely heavily on his children for advice and depend on them to carry out crucial decisions, as he has always done while running his billion-dollar business empire.

In addition, Trump planned to go forth with an agenda that has been blasted by Democrats, such as his plans on immigration.

"Democrats will oppose much of what he is doing," West said. "Trump plans to go much further than either Bush or Reagan," he added, referring to previous Republican presidents George W. Bush and Ronald Reagan, who were disliked by the opposition.

Moreover, Trump during his campaign showed what critics called an inability to control his temper.

"His temper will get him in trouble because he takes criticism personally. He has retained his tendency to lash out at critics," West said.

Dan Mahaffee, an analyst with the Center for the Study of the Presidency and Congress, told Xinhua that while Trump will continue to make calls for unity, he does face the headwind of a highly tribal, partisan American populace.

"While he'll have some momentum with GOP control of government, there will be push back from the Democrats-especially as they begin to hone their message against President Trump as opposed to Candidate Trump," he said.

Democrats will cooperate with Trump on certain issues, but there may be more bitter partisan rivalry to come.

"They are going to try to see where they might cooperate across the aisle on infrastructure issues, perhaps on trade and tax reform as well. That said, it appears that lines are already being drawn, especially in reaction to Cabinet appointments," he said.
BEIJING, Nov. 26 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Saturday sent a message of condolence to his Cuban counterpart, Raul Castro, after Cuban revolutionary leader Fidel Castro passed away late Friday at the age of 90.

In the message sent to Raul Castro, first secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba, president of the Council of State and the Council of Ministers of Cuba, Xi, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, offered his deepest condolences on the death of Fidel Castro and sincerest sympathy to his family.

The English translated version of the message is as follows.

Distressed to learn of the passing away of Cuban revolutionary leader Fidel Castro, I, in the name of the CPC, the Chinese government and people and in my own name, express my deepest condolences to you and through you to the Communist Party of Cuba, the Cuban government and people, and my sincerest sympathy to Fidel Castro's family.

Fidel Castro, founder of the Communist Party of Cuba and Cuba's socialist cause, is a great leader of the Cuban people. He has devoted all his life to Cuban people's great cause of struggling for national liberation, safeguarding state sovereignty and building socialism.

He has made immortal historic contributions to the Cuban people and to the world socialism development. Comrade Fidel Castro is a great figure of our times and will be remembered by history and people.

I met with Comrade Fidel Castro many times and held in-depth conversations with him. His real knowledge and deep insight inspired me as his voice and expression live in my memory. Both I and the Chinese people miss him deeply.

Comrade Fidel Castro, who dedicated his life to the friendship between China and Cuba, paid close attention to and spoke highly of China's development.

As a result of his care and support, Cuba became the first Latin American country to establish diplomatic ties with China in 1960. Since then, the two countries have witnessed profound development of bilateral ties, fruitful results of cooperation in a wide range of areas and deepening friendship between the two peoples, thanks to Comrade Fidel Castro's solicitude and painstaking efforts.

The death of Comrade Fidel Castro is a great loss to the Cuban and Latin American people. The Cuban and Latin American people lost an excellent son, and the Chinese people lost a close comrade and sincere friend. His glorious image and great achievements will go down in history.

I believe that under the strong leadership of Comrade Raul Castro, the Communist Party of Cuba, the Cuban government and its people will carry on the unfinished lifework of Comrade Fidel Castro, turn sorrow into strength and keep making new achievements in the cause of socialist construction.

The friendship between two parties, the two countries and the two peoples will definitely be consolidated and further developed.

The great Comrade Fidel Castro will be forever remembered.
ACCRA, Nov. 26 (Xinhua) -- International bodies have urged candidates in Ghana's December presidential elections to agree to sign the accord for peace, a statement from the United Nations Ghana office said Saturday.

Officials of the UN, Commonwealth and the Economic Community for West African States (ECOWAS) have been in Ghana since Tuesday for the signing of the peace accord which had been postponed to December 1.

During the 2012 elections, the National Peace Council brought the presidential candidates to sign the peace accord to accept the outcome of the presidential elections.

But this year's signing, which had been scheduled for Wednesday, has been postponed as the parties could not agree on a common suitable time.

The release noted that the objective of the ceremony was to get a firm commitment of the candidates to work for a peaceful and open electoral process.

The organizations called on all the presidential candidates to commit to participate in the December 1 event, and contribute to nonviolent, transparent and credible elections.
CAIRO, Nov. 26 (Xinhua) -- The Egyptian prosecution referred Saturday a senior judge to criminal court over accepting a bribe to acquit a defendant in a drug smuggling case, official MENA news agency reported.

The judge was caught at a coffee shop in Alexandria, with an envelope containing 250,000 Egyptian pounds (14,000 U.S. dollars) as part of a total bribe of 650,000 pounds in his possession.

The judge has submitted his resignation to the Justice Ministry and it was immediately accepted.

It is the second time in a month that a judge has been arrested and sacked in a drug-relevant case in the most populous Arab country.

On Nov. 10, a chief of a misdemeanor court was arrested with 68 kilograms of hashish drugs in his car in a tunnel between Suez and North Sinai provinces northeast of the capital Cairo.

The drugs were uncovered by a police dog at a checkpoint in the tunnel and the judge was later referred to criminal court.

Egypt suffers a high rate of drug smuggling, abusing and addiction with about 10.4 percent of the population aged from 15 to 65 taking drugs, said Amr Osman, director of Egypt's Drug Control and Addiction Treatment Fund, in a previous interview with Xinhua.

Hashish, painkillers such as Tramadol and Tamol, heroin and marijuana are the most prevalent drugs in Egypt and the police crack an average of 200 drug-related cases every day.
HARARE, Nov. 26 (Xinhua) -- Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe on Saturday said Zimbabwe remains grateful to China for its continued technical support to the Zimbabwe Defence Forces (ZDF).

The state news agency New Ziana reported that Mugabe described China as Zimbabwe's all-time ally when he was speaking at the graduation of 56 officers from the Joint Command and Staff Course at the Zimbabwe Staff College.

"The People's Republic of China, Zimbabwe's all-time ally, has continued to render technical assistance to the Zimbabwe Defence Forces, through the secondment of its highly professional staff to the Zimbabwe Staff College," Mugabe said.

The Joint Command and Staff Course had 56 students drawn from the Zimbabwe National Army, Air Force, President's Office, Republic Police, Prisons and Correctional Services as well as SADC Defence Forces.

Mugabe said the Staff College would widen its catchment area on the next enrollment.

"It has always been my government's wish to see the college enrolling more students from SADC and beyond, as doing so will further enhance our existing cooperation as African states, while at the same time nurturing mutual trust among the defence forces," said Mugabe.
KHARTOUM, Nov. 26 (Xinhua) -- Nine people were killed and 21 others injured on Saturday in a traffic accident in central Sudan's Gezira State, official SUNA news agency reported.

"The accident took place when a mini-bus collided with a truck due to wrong crossing," the agency quoted a responsible source as saying.

The majority of the accident's victims, all from one village, were on the mini-bus, the source added, noting that they were returning to their village after participating in a marriage ceremony.

Sudan is among countries of the high death rates in traffic accidents, mainly due to careless driving, crumbling roads or invalidity of some vehicles used in public transportation.

Citizens and vehicle drivers complain about poor road conditions, while the government attributes the accidents to overloaded trucks and high speed.

Sudan's Interior inistry recently said it was working out new plans to reduce traffic accidents, including installation of radars to monitor speed on the country's highways.

According to the most recent statistics of Sudan's general administration of traffic police, 1662 people were killed in traffic accidents in 2015.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has set a deadline of Dec. 5 for those living in the Oceti Sakowin protest camp to vacate the corps-owned land. Anyone remaining after that date will be subject to trespassing charges.

In an email sent Friday to Standing Rock Sioux Chairman Dave Archambault II, Col. John Henderson, Omaha district commander, said the corps is establishing a free speech zone on the south side of the Cannonball River; but the main overflow camp on the north side must be disbanded.

"Our tribe is deeply disappointed in this decision by the United States, but our resolve to protect our water is stronger than ever," said Archambault, who is asking pipeline opponents to continue to fight the pipeline's permitting process.

Dallas Goldtooth, an organizer with the Indigenous Environmental Network, said about 5,000 to 7,000 people are in the camp. That's a substantial increase since Sunday, when a confrontation between protesters and law enforcement led to many being treated for hypothermia after being sprayed with fire hoses. Others sought emergency hospital care, including a woman who suffered a serious arm injury and now is reportedly in satisfactory condition at a Minneapolis hospital.

The overflow camp was established in August, after the Dakota Access Pipeline crew moved toward its Missouri River/Lake Oahe crossing site just north of the reservation. The tribe is in federal court, claiming the corps failed to follow federal law and properly consult the tribe amid concerns the 570,000-barrel capacity pipeline could break and pollute a primary source of drinking water.

Goldtooth said theres not enough land on the south side of the river where many are already camping; and a planned winter camp on 50 acres of reservation land near Cannon Ball is not yet ready, with groundbreaking set for next week.

Theres no other space that can take people right now. This is a stupid, foolish act by the corps. Im fairly sure that law enforcement would be just as concerned, Goldtooth said.

People in the camp are living without electricity or running water in an array of teepees, tents, yurts and other structures.

Goldtooth said the eviction deadline is the day after more than 2,000 American war veterans are scheduled to arrive at the camp to stand in solidarity with Standing Rock.

Henderson said the decision was necessary to protect the general public from confrontations between protesters and law enforcement, and to prevent death or serious injuries to the protesters. He said the Oceti Sakowin camp is also on land leased for grazing.

To be clear, this means that no member of the general public, to include Dakota Access Pipeline protesters, can be on these lands," said Henderson, who urged Archambault to encourage tribal members and supporters to move to the free speech zone or a more sustainable location for the winter.

I am genuinely concerned for the safety and well-being of both the members of your tribe and the general public located at these encampments, Henderson told the chairman.

The corps has been under pressure from state officials to move the protesters off its land.

Goldtooth said if the corps wants to wash its hands of the issue, it would be better to deny the easement for Dakota Access thats currently preventing the company from boring underneath the Missouri River/Lake Oahe to connect the pipeline thats mostly completed otherwise.

They should deny the easement and look at the facts and order a full environmental impact statement. Its ridiculous to order the eviction of 5,000 to 7,000 people who have moral and treaty rights to be there, Goldtooth said.

The Associated Press contributed to this article.
This file picture taken on May 22, 2012 in the Waly Bai area of the Nouabale Ndoki national park, in northern Republic of Congo shows an elephant getting out of the water. Wildlife numbers have plunged by more than half in just 40 years as Earth's human population has nearly doubled, a WWF's survey of over 3,000 vertebrate species revealed on September 30, 2014.(AFP PHOTO/ LAUDES MARTIAL MBON)

WASHINGTON, Nov. 26 (Xinhua) -- Just like global warming, the declining populations of vertebrates including mammals, birds, fish, amphibians and reptiles, have been linked to human activities, and a new study by U.S. and Chinese researchers said they have known exactly when the losses began to accelerate.

"On average, the extent threatened vertebrate species started their rapid population decline at about 125 years ago," senior author Yun-Xin Fu, professor at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, told Xinhua, "that is, in the late 19th century, coinciding with global industrialization and deterioration of worldwide ecosystem."

Further research revealed that, on average, population sizes in threatened species declined by about 25 percent every 10 years.

The findings, published this week in the U.S. journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, was based on an analysis of 2,764 species, among which more than 600 are threatened.

"Our goal is to understand the genetic characteristics of threatened species and to use the gained knowledge to provide foundation and guidance to the world-wide conservation effort," said Fu, who worked with Professor Haipeng Li of the Chinese Academy of Sciences on the study.

"To achieve this goal, we have to understand how the population size of a species declines to the point of becoming threatened. With effort spanning over a decade, we managed to assemble a comprehensive dataset of genetic diversities of thousands of species, most of which are vertebrates and as a result we focus on vertebrates in this paper."

The study also showed that threatened species' ancestral population size was only 22 percent smaller than that of non-threatened species.

"The difference of genetic diversity between threatened and non-threatened species is far smaller than the extent of population size difference between the two groups," Fu explained.

That implied "rapid population decline of many vertebrate species is the principle cause of many threatened vertebrate species, rather than caused by primarily low genetic diversity."

In other others, smaller populations are more likely to become threatened or fade to extinction when faced with natural or human threats.

And for vertebrate species, "the most obvious explanation is the alarming rate of loss of habitats," said Fu.

"Therefore, effort to preserve natural habitats of as many species as possible is of ultimate importance, together with effort to maintain adequate genetic diversity for each specie."
MOSCOW, Nov. 26 (Xinhua) -- Russia may join an oil output freeze agreement if the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) reaches a consensus within itself, Energy Minister Alexander Novak said Saturday

The Russian minister made the remarks ahead of an OPEC meeting to discuss the implementation of production cap measures.

"We support the position that OPEC countries should first reach a consensus within the organization before non-OPEC producers join the agreement," Novak told reporters.

He added that Russia remains positive about the agreement and would continue to participate in relevant consultations.

At an informal meeting of OPEC in Algeria in late September, participants agreed to restrict oil output, but there was no special agreement on specific limits or cuts for particular countries.

The oil cartel is scheduled to meet in Vienna, Austria on Nov. 30 in a bid to finalize a detailed deal.

Novak said on Thursday that Russia was ready to cap its output at the current level, adding that Moscow is in talks about a crude oil output freeze with other non-OPEC countries, in particular with Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Mexico.

Russia would cut its oil output by 200,000-300,000 barrels per day in 2017 if an output freeze agreement was reached, according to the minister.
This file picture taken on May 22, 2012 in the Waly Bai area of the Nouabale Ndoki national park, in northern Republic of Congo shows an elephant getting out of the water. Wildlife numbers have plunged by more than half in just 40 years as Earth's human population has nearly doubled, a WWF's survey of over 3,000 vertebrate species revealed on September 30, 2014.(AFP PHOTO/ LAUDES MARTIAL MBON)

WASHINGTON, Nov. 26 (Xinhua) -- Just like global warming, the declining populations of vertebrates including mammals, birds, fish, amphibians and reptiles, have been linked to human activities, and a new study by U.S. and Chinese researchers said they have known exactly when the losses began to accelerate.

"On average, the extent threatened vertebrate species started their rapid population decline at about 125 years ago," senior author Yun-Xin Fu, professor at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, told Xinhua, "that is, in the late 19th century, coinciding with global industrialization and deterioration of worldwide ecosystem."

Further research revealed that, on average, population sizes in threatened species declined by about 25 percent every 10 years.

The findings, published this week in the U.S. journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, was based on an analysis of 2,764 species, among which more than 600 are threatened.

"Our goal is to understand the genetic characteristics of threatened species and to use the gained knowledge to provide foundation and guidance to the world-wide conservation effort," said Fu, who worked with Professor Haipeng Li of the Chinese Academy of Sciences on the study.

"To achieve this goal, we have to understand how the population size of a species declines to the point of becoming threatened. With effort spanning over a decade, we managed to assemble a comprehensive dataset of genetic diversities of thousands of species, most of which are vertebrates and as a result we focus on vertebrates in this paper."

The study also showed that threatened species' ancestral population size was only 22 percent smaller than that of non-threatened species.

"The difference of genetic diversity between threatened and non-threatened species is far smaller than the extent of population size difference between the two groups," Fu explained.

That implied "rapid population decline of many vertebrate species is the principle cause of many threatened vertebrate species, rather than caused by primarily low genetic diversity."

In other others, smaller populations are more likely to become threatened or fade to extinction when faced with natural or human threats.

And for vertebrate species, "the most obvious explanation is the alarming rate of loss of habitats," said Fu.

"Therefore, effort to preserve natural habitats of as many species as possible is of ultimate importance, together with effort to maintain adequate genetic diversity for each specie." Enditem
ROME, Nov. 26 (Xinhua) -- Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi said Saturday that his Democratic Party (PD) Senate caucus will lose 30 million euros (31.8 million U.S. dollars) in public funding if his constitutional reform law gets approved by referendum on Dec. 4.

The reform would, among other measures, reduce Italy's Senate from 315 to 100 members in a bid to cut the bloated operating costs of Italy's "ponderous, inefficient" political machinery.

The new Senate would be made up of elected representatives from the country's 20 regions, with their stipend not to exceed that of their regional capital's mayor.

"The reform really does lower the (operating) costs of politics," Renzi told a rally for a "Yes" referendum vote in the northwestern city of Savona.

"There are cuts to salaries and secretariats, and also cuts to caucuses. With this reform, the PD will lose 30 million euros in the Senate ... (5-Star Movement - M5S leader Beppe) Grillo's caucus gets about 12 million euros," said Renzi.

Grillo's opposition and second largest political force M5S is campaigning for a "No" referendum vote.

Renzi also urged voters to "move forward, not fall back into the swamp".

"With a 'Yes' win, Italy will have big responsibilities because we'll be the strongest country in Europe," the premier said.

"Germany and France face general elections, and Britain is out. At that point we'll be in a position to make our leadership felt on the great issues, such as immigration and growth," said Renzi.

Renzi pointed out that Italy hosts two important events next year, with the EU celebrating its 60th anniversary in Rome and the next G7 summit to be held in the Sicilian town of Taormina in 2017.
UNITED NATIONS, Nov. 26 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon Saturday extended his condolences to the Cuban people, saying he was saddened to learn of the death of Fidel Castro, former president of Cuba.

Castro, a Cuban revolutionary leader, died late Friday at the age of 90.

In a statement released by his spokesperson, Ban said as "an emblematic figure of the Cuban revolution, Fidel Castro was prominent in Latin America and influential in world affairs."

As Prime Minister, President, Commander of the Cuban Armed Forces and First Secretary of the Cuban Communist Party, his role at the helm of Cuba spanned nearly 50 years, during which he left a major imprint on his country and on global politics," said the statement.

"President Fidel Castro will be remembered for his leadership of the Cuban revolution and for advances in Cuba in the fields of education, literacy and health," it added.

While extending his condolences to the Cuban people, Ban said he offers the support of the United Nations to work alongside the Cuban people.

"The Secretary-General hopes Cuba will continue to advance on a path of reform, greater prosperity and human rights," said the statement.
HAVANA, Nov. 26 (Xinhua) -- The leader of the Cuban revolution, Fidel Castro, who died Friday at the age of 90, left a strong mark on contemporary political literature.

A voracious reader, Castro was a close friend of Colombian writer, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, who affirmed that "an intellectual friendship" united them and that they often discussed literature together.

Castro once referred to himself as a "frustrated journalist" and, since leaving power in 2006 for health reasons, has often written opinion pieces for state media.

The former president has remained politically active, beginning his column, "Reflections of comrade Fidel," in March 2007, which eventually grew to over 400 articles on international and historical matters. On various occasions, Castro referred to himself as "a soldier of ideas."

In 2011, Castro passed on the mantle of First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba (PCC) to his brother, Raul. At the time, Raul said that "Fidel is Fidel and does not need any rank to always occupy a leading place in history, in the present, and in the future of the Cuban nation."

"While he has the strength to do so, and as he is luckily at the height of his political thought, from his modest condition of party militant and soldier of ideas, he will continue to contribute to the revolutionary struggle and to humanity's most noble proposals," continued Raul.

Since then, Castro was rarely seen or heard in public, a fact many saw as him not wanting to interfere in the updating of the island's economic model, led by Raul.

However, Castro published a number of books, including "One Hundred Hours with Fidel", a lengthy auto-biographical interview with French-Spanish journalist, Ignacio Ramonet, in 2006.

In November 2008 was published, "Peace in Colombia," a text in which Castro revealed the inner workings of negotiations between different Colombian governments and Cuba, and Havana's participation in the Colombian peace process.

In 2010, he published "The Strategic Victory", chronicling his early setback in the Sierra Maestra in the summer of 1958 and his constant days of struggle against the dictatorship of Fulgencio Batista.

That same year, he published "The Strategic Counteroffensive", a continuation of the previous volume, containing war stories, military orders, letters, photos and maps of the push onto Havana and victory.

In 2012, came out "Guerrilla of Time", another long auto-biographical interview, spanning over 1,000 pages in two volumes, this time with Cuban journalist, Katiushka Blanco.

Son of a Spanish immigrant and a Cuban farmer, Castro was born in Biran, a village in Holguin Province, and went on to become one of the most prominent figures of the 20th century.
BRASILIA, Nov. 26 (Xinhua) -- The death of Cuban revolutionary leader Fidel Castro should neither affect the course of Cuba's internal politics nor its ties to the U.S., Carlos Eduardo Vidigal, an American history professor, at the University of Brasilia, told Xinhua on Saturday.

According to Vidigal, Cuba's political transition has been happening gradually since the 1990s, in order to guarantee stability at the time of Fidel's disappearance.

"I think the impact will be very small, the transition has been prepared since the end of the 20th century. Since then, as Fidel Castro moved away from leading the country, they have had good management since then," said Vidigal.

In terms of Cuban foreign affairs, the professor also does not expect major changes, although he considered a halt to advances with U.S. relations as possible.

"Changes have been taking place in recent decades, so I do not foresee a major alteration in this area," he said. "About relations with the U.S., matters will be at a difficult stage once non-negotiable topics for both sides are addressed. On one site, the request to lift the economic embargo on Cuba, which the U.S. Congress is resisting, and on the other, for Cuba to accept international interference on human rights."

According to Vidigal, the arrival of Republican Donald Trump to the White House may not see a reversal of the changes achieved by President Barack Obama.

"We may have reached a point where no new advances happen in the next few years. However, the possibility that Trump will reverse some of the changes promoted by Obama will depend more on the strength of the Miami Cuban lobby," he said.
JERUSALEM, Nov. 26 (Xinhua) -- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Saturday night to thank him for sending firefighting teams and trucks to help Israel put out fires.

A statement released by the PM's Office said that Netanyahu "appreciates the fact that Jews and Arabs have opened their homes for victims of the blazes."

The rare talk between Israeli and Palestinian leaders came as a string of massive fires have been raging for five days in Israel and its neighbors including the West Bank, Egypt and Lebanon.

On Friday, Netanyahu and other right-wing leaders pointed the finger at Israeli Arabs, suggesting they committed "arson-terrorism."

In response, Palestinian leaders accused Netanyahu of "inciting" against Israel's Arab minority.

On Thursday, the Palestinian National Authority sent eight firefighting trucks through the Gilboa Mountains to help Israel fight the massive fire in Haifa, which has consumed about 9,880 acres of land and prompted the evacuation of a quarter of the city's population.

Overnight between Friday and Saturday, the Palestinians sent another two firefighting trucks from Ramallah to help put out a fire in the Jewish West Bank settlement of Halamish, officials with the Israeli Fire and Rescue Service said.

The fire has damaged at least 40 settlement homes and lightly injured four.

Greece, Cyprus, Russia, Croatia, Turkey and Italy have also sent crews and planes to assist Israel in its efforts to fight fires. On Saturday afternoon, a Boeing-747 Supertanker, the world's largest firefighting plane, was put to work in an area near the main highway between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv.

Experts said an unusually dry and windy weather condition has helped stoke the fires that broke out on Tuesday and spread across half of the country.
SANAA, Nov. 26 (Xinhua) -- Yemen's Shiite Houthi fighters said late on Saturday that they fired a ballistic missile deep into Saudi border city of Khamis Mushait, targeting Allamuza military base.

According to a statement posted on Houthi-controlled state Saba news agency, the missile hit the target accurately.

Houthis said the missile fire came in "retaliatory response to the Saudi-led continuing air strikes on Yemeni cities."

Khamis Mushait city locates in Asir region, adjacent to Yemen's northern border.

However, the Saudi-owned Alarabiya satellite TV channel reported that the Saudi defense forces intercepted and destroyed the missile in the air before it reached the Saudi city.

It was the latest in a series of ballistic missile attacks by Houthis, who dominate most part of northern Yemen, against Saudi border cities since March 2015.

Saba news agency reported dozens of air strikes over the past 24 hours by the Saudi-led warplanes against targets across northern Yemeni cities, including the capital Sanaa, northern provinces of Hajja and Saada and southwestern province of Taiz.

The civil war, ground battles and airstrikes have already killed more than 10,000 Yemenis, half civilians, injured more than 35,000 others and displaced over 3 million, according to humanitarian agencies.
Photo taken on Nov. 27, 2016 shows the national flag of Algeria at half-mast in Algiers, capital of Algeria. Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika declared on Saturday eight days of national mourning for the death of former Cuban President Fidel Castro. (Xinhua/Huang Ling)

ALGIERS, Nov. 26 (Xinhua) -- Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika declared on Saturday eight days of national mourning for the death of former Cuban President Fidel Castro.

"President of the Republic, Abdelaziz Bouteflika, on Saturday has declared eight days of national mourning as from Sunday, following the death of Cuba's former Head of State, Fidel Castro Ruz, the leader of the Cuban Revolution," APS news agency quoted the President Office as saying in a statement.

Bouteflika has also sent a message of condolence to Raul Castro Ruz, the current president of Cuba, in which he affirmed that the death of Fidel Castro is a "great loss" for the Algerian people.

He stressed that Castro played a key role in the Algerian Liberation War (1954-1962) against the French occupation and provided "solidarity and support to the reconstruction of our country ruined by a devastating colonial war" after Algeria gained independence.

"I salute him as an authentic defender of the values of peace, respect and national sovereignty, and of his uncompromising struggle for the rights of people to self-determination," concludes the message.

Fidel Castro died aged 90 on Friday. He governed Cuba as prime minister from 1959 to 1976 and then as president from 1976 to 2008.
File photo taken on July 26, 2003 shows Fidel Castro giving speech during a rally at the site of Moncada barracks in Santiago, Cuba. Cuban revolutionary leader Fidel Castro died on Nov. 25, 2016 at the age of 90, said his brother Raul, the current leader of Cuba. (Xinhua/Zhao Kai)

HAVANA, Nov.26 (Xinhua) -- Cubans woke up on Saturday with the tragic knowledge that their former President and leader of the Cuban revolution, Fidel Castro, had died.

A brief statement from President Raul Castro, Fidel's younger brother, was broadcast by the official Radio Reloj every 15 minutes during the night, saying that "with deep sorrow, I report to the Cuban people that our beloved leader Fidel Castro passed away at 10:29 pm on Friday" .

"Today is not a day for sorrow but for confirmation of revolutionary ideas," said Ruben Perez, 82, a veteran at the shocking news.

Perez fought in the war which overthrew Dictator Fulgencio Batista, enjoying a close position to the deceased leader and his brother Raul, and serving many years as the personal aide of revolutionary commander, Guillermo Garcia.

"I always thought that he would live longer, at least another seven years, to continue guiding the Cuban people with his ideas and example" , said the former solder, who also participated in the Battle of the Bay of Pigs.

"My generation, despite our age, is ready to take arms and give our life to defend Fidel's legacy, our beautiful revolution that brought freedom and social conquest for our people", said the veteran, who was one of the first 500 Cuban soldiers to land in Angola in November 1975.

"There were many young men who saw him as a father, a friend, and for many of us, he will continue to be the greatest man on earth. I lived with him for a long time and he will now accompany us forever. His spirit is already multiplied in his nation," Perez told Xinhua.

Indira Rodriguez, a bank clerk, said she could not sleep after hearing the terrible news. While she said this was expected due to Castro's age, it hurts her greatly to learn of the death of a man who "struggled so much for a better world for all" .

"I am sad, I will always tell my little daughter about who Fidel was, the revolutionary who embodied internationalism...and supported to friendly countries like Angola, Namibia, Nicaragua, Venezuela, and Bolivia where they also cry and feel his death," she added.

Considered one of the most influential leaders of the 20th century, Fidel Castro led a revolutionary struggle to uphold socialist values that have led this Caribbean nation to a steady path of development.

President Raul Castro has received many messages of condolences from all over the world, with dignitaries stressing the accomplishments of Castro and his place in world history.

World leaders have offered condolences and expressed their feelings over Fidel Castro's death.

In a statement published by the official daily, Granma, the organizing committee of Castro's funeral said his ashes would be interred on Dec. 4 in the cemetery of Santa Ifigenia, in the eastern city of Santiago de Cuba, after Cubans from all over the island pay their tributes to the leading figure of the Revolution.
Solar panels for electricity generation are erected in an abuilding eco-city, a joint project by China and Singapore, in Tianjin, China, Oct. 26, 2008.(Xinhua/Liu Haifeng)

COPENHAGEN, Nov. 26 (Xinhua) -- China has made great achievements in its endeavor for environmental sustainability over the past decade, and it can inspire developing nations to move on the right course, the executive director of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Erik Solheim on Friday.

"China has developed faster than many other nations for decades, and that is a lesson that if China can move so fast on development, others can also," Solheim told Xinhua in an exclusive interview.

"African and Southeast Asian nations can be inspired by China as it can move so fast on development and on the environment," said Solheim, who succeeded Achim Steiner in May as the UNEP chief.

Solheim noted that China has ratified the Paris climate deal ahead of the G20 summit, where Chinese leader also reaffirmed China's commitment to pursuing a green and inclusive growth.

"We definitely have a focus on Asia, China in particular, because China is now a main driver of global environmental agenda," the UNEP chief said.

Solheim hailed China for its efforts at building mass transport system and stepping up development of electric vehicles to curb pollution in big cities.

"China is not only rapidly building mass transport system in its own big cities, but also assisting other developing nations to do the same, and this will bring forward a huge number of job opportunities if you move in this direction," he said.

"But all this needs political leadership, otherwise it won't happen," he added.

PARTNERSHIP FOR SUSTAINABILITY

Solheim is in Copenhagen to attend a roundtable meeting organized by the UNEP as part of series of global consultations on public-private partnerships for sustainable development.

He said the main issue at the meeting is "to see environment and climate as an opportunity for business."

"The main drive of this understanding is that climate and environment is not a cost. Instead, it's an enormous opportunity for new, green inspiring jobs," Solheim said.

He took the coal sector of the United States as an example, saying that there are 50,000 jobs in the coal industry, but 2 million news jobs in renewable industries.

"It's very clear where the future lies. We'll see continuous investment in the future. If you want to stick to the old rather than the new, you'll lose yourself," he said.

As the new head of UNEP, Solheim said he wanted to turn it into a leading agency on working with business, although historically UN was not so much about business.

"The strong advice I got from the meeting is to provide platforms for equal partnership between business and governments in the areas of circular economy so that we can reuse rather than waste, such as in the area of plastics," Solheim said.

He said UNEP had a strong focus on business in China, and signed agreements with Chinese businesses under the framework of Belt and Road Initiative.

He warned some governments of cutting budget on green sectors as "self-defeating policies."

"If you don't invest in new green business you will miss a lot of new job opportunities," Solheim said.

"If you cut down on development assistance rather than move on green economy, you are shooting yourself in the foot," he said.
MONTEVIDEO, Nov. 26 (Xinhua) -- Former Uruguayan President, Jose Mujica, said Saturday that Fidel Castro, who passed away on Friday at the age of 90, was "someone who lived as he thought", and highlighted his courage.

Mujica, the former left-wing president of Uruguay, stated that "like any great person who occupied a long period of history," Castro "will have detractors and those who love him."

"At the moment, it seems the most important thing is to realize this was someone who lived as he thought and lived for what he thought," said the president in an interview with the news site, Montevideo Portal.

For Mujica, a former guerrilla commander and current senator, Castro "spent all his strength and his entire existence...as a great man, who was the product of the events of his time. He had to live with the contradictions of his time."

According to Mujica, for much of the Cuban people, Fidel had a great stature for having spent decades defying the most powerful country in the world.

"It is not a single problem to have courage, decisiveness and the capacity to resist such a dilemma," he concluded.
LISBON, Nov. 26 (Xinhua) -- Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa sent his condolences to Cuba on Saturday following news that Cuban revolutionary leader Fidel Castro has died.

"On finding out that the former head of state in Cuba, Comandante Fidel Castro, has died, I want to express my sincere condolences to the President Raul Castro Ruz and to the Cuban people," he said in an official statement on his website.

"I also evoke the meeting we had a month ago, in which we discussed relations with Portugal and Cuba, to develop economic, social and cultural strengthening during a time of change," Rebelo de Sousa added.

Rebelo de Sousa visited Cuba in October, where he met with officials and laid out a floral wreath before the statue of famous poet Jose Marti, at the capital's Plaza de la Revolucion.

Other leaders in Portugal also sent condolences to the former Cuban head of state, with the head of Portugal's rightist party CDS-PP, Assuncao Cristas, pointing out that Castro's death marked a "historic moment" and would be an opportunity for the island to normalize relations with the rest of the world.

The country's Left Bloc transmitted its solidarity with the Cuban people, saying he was one of the most important figures of the 20th century and leader of a victorious revolution.
A sound and light show is held at the Grand Place in Brussels, Belgium, Nov. 25, 2016. The show would last from Nov. 25 to Jan. 1, 2017. (Xinhua/Gong Bing)
$250,000 bail for cop on robbery charge

PC Noel Williams, 32, of Jackson Street, Petit Bourg, San Juan, appeared before Deputy Chief Magistrate Nanette Forde-John in the Port-of-Spain Eight Magistrates Court yesterday charged with robbing businessman Wei Hui Zhu of $406,000 cash, an Apple Iphone 7 valued at $7,000, and an air rifle valued at $20,000, and using personal violence against Zhu before robbing him.

Williams was also charged with robbing Jinfu Zhu of an Apple Iphone 6, valued at $6,000 and immediately after the robbery used personal violence against him.

The robbery took place at Zhus home at Soledad Road West, Johnson Avenue, Claxton Bay, on November 11. Williams court appearance comes a little over a week after Special Reserve Police (SRP) Sean Joseph appeared in the San Fernando Court charged with the same offences.

Prosecutor Insp Winston Dillion did not object to bail being granted, although he did ask for conditions to be attached.

Williams has been ordered to surrender his passport and report to the same station where his co accused was assigned, the San Juan Sub Station, every Monday, Wednesday and Friday between the hours of 6 am to 7 pm.

His bail is to be approved by a Clerk of the Peace III.

Williams has also been prohibited from making any form of contact with the alleged victims.

Joseph had also been granted $250,000 bail but remained on remand up to yesterday as he was yet to access bail.
WICKEDNESS

This was how grieving relatives described the deaths of their loved own - two men who were both known alcoholics who were found yesterday tied together from their pants waist, their eyebrows shaved off and lipstick placed on their lips. An autopsy done yesterday at the Forensic Science Centre in St James revealed that Khemraj Maharaj, 51, and Mukesh Crucial Motilal, 46, died of acute poisoning.

Maharaj and Motilal, both of Tarouba Road, Tarouba were found dead outside their favourite village watering hole the Las Vegas Recreation Club located a short distance away from their respective homes. Both men were found in an embrace, lying on top of each other and kept in a fixed position with a piece of rope which their attackers passed through the loops of their pants to hold them in place from the pants waist. The length of rope used in the crime was cut from a United National Congress (UNC) local government election banner which hung loosely between two utility poles near the bar.

Their eyebrows were shaved, lipstick smeared all over their faces and one mans hair pulled back in a pony tail style.

Maharaj, a father of three, was a handyman while Motilal, a former Caroni worker, plied his private car for hire.

He was single and had no children.It is pure wickedness to do that to them, said one of Maharajs relatives.

They werent even friends although they knew each other growing up in the village. The only problem is that they were alcoholics and during the night persons chose to take advantage of them. They were drunk so if anyone gave them a drink they would not even know the difference in taste. We want to know why they put lipstick on his face and shave his eyebrows. The autopsy showed both men were ingested deadly cocktails not too long after they had eaten a meal. Stomach samples were removed and sent for toxicology testing.

According to a police report, at about 6.30 am yesterday, Cpl Harrigin and PC Balkaran of the Marabella Police Station were on mobile patrol in the area when they observed the men lying on the ground outside the bar. Upon closer investigation, the officers observed that the bodies bore no visible marks of violence.

A team of officers led by Snr Supt Pesnell and including ASP Winchester, Insps Persad, Nanga, Figaro, Sgt Bisnath, PCs Moonilal, Gunness and others visited the scene. The bodies were ordered removed for autopsy. Yesterday, villagers gathered near the scene in shock saying that the men were well known in the village and never troubled anyone.

Looking on as the bodies were removed, a grieving Lena Mahadeo said she last saw her brother-in-law at about 6 pm on Thursday.

I dont know what to think of this, she said.

We were getting ready for work this morning when the news came home and we came up to see. Also speaking with Newsday was Motilals brother, Vishnu, who said when he last spoke to Motilal at about 8 pm on Thursday, he was drinking at the bar.

He was in a good frame of mind, Vishnu said.

I am really confused about this entire situation.

He always liming there not interfering with anyone and people like him. Is wicked people do this. The families of the dead men are calling for justice saying that the position and condition they were found in were not of their own doing.

It is murder, they did not kill themselves. CSI officers climbed the utility pole and removed the remaining piece of the rope from the banner bearing the face and name of Local Government Election candidate Clint Beroog (Cocoyea/ Tarouba) as part of their evidence. Investigators are hoping that surveillance cameras in the area could assist with their enquiries.

Outside the Science Centre, a grief stricken Reanna Maharaj cried, Although I dont really have faith in the police service, I want justice to prevail for my father some way, some how.

I want to know why someone will want to kill him? He was not violent, but a very friendly person. The only thing my father is guilty of is drinking alcohol. He was a very good father and did his best for his three children.
Commend those who enter PPPs wth govt

This, as only yesterday, Opposition Senator, Gerald Ramdeen, accused an HDC official of bid rigging in the States house building programme.

Speaking at a JCC seminar on the construction sectors contribution to the economy, Dr Rowley said the PPP arrangement was an idea whose time had come, especially in a time of economic hardship where government could no longer afford to fund the housing programme by itself. The Governments policy is to continue to expand the housing stock and the government does not have the cash reserves that it had before.

Up to 2009, the ministry of finance was funding up to $2 billion a year in construction. The Prime Minister, a former housing minister, said that the cost of the programme had run away from Government, with the result being a gradual rise in the prices of the units, many of which were now out of the range of the people they were intended for.

Given the importance of the private sectors participation in the arrangement, the Prime Minister said it was sad that the very first award of a contract under the arrangement was already generating a level of negativity, suspicion, accusations and allegations, which seem to be the order of the day in Trinidad and Tobago. Dr Rowley expressed hopes that the country could get to the point where it commended those who entered partnerships with the Government and showed that the model could work.

However, the Prime Minister did not entertain questions on the issue, leaving the event without speaking to media.
Woman fears relatives deaths

In a phone interview with Newsday, Singh said her mother spent over nine hours at the hospital last Wednesday without being seen by a doctor after complaining of severe chest pains.

Her mother, the Tunapuna resident said, has been awaiting a coronary angiogram for months. Singh said it was only after her mother returned home from the hospital that morning that a doctor called and asked how she was doing.

Singh said she is a constant visitor to the health institution as she makes frequent visits with her family members. She added that medications such as Plavix and Ramipril had to be purchased even when her relatives were there because they were unavailable in the hospital.

I dont know what is happening. All they keep telling me is write your complaint. I am totally fed up, she said.

She added that purchasing the medication made it very difficult for her. Her husbands disability cheques are not enough to cover the cost of the medications.

Singh also complained that there were not enough doctors at the hospital to attend to the patients, with constant cancellations occurring on clinic days.

She fears if her husband, who suffers from congestive heart failure, has to go to the hospital again that he may not make it out again.

I dont know what is happening with the health system. Where is the Minister of Health? she asked.

When contacted, the Ministry of Healths Corporate Communications Department said that they were investigating the matter.

The department said they had to verify the facts with the National Insurance Property Development Company- which runs a pharmaceutical division.
Plea made for regional UWI students

Companies who give three bursaries or scholarships, if you can consider looking at, at least, one regional student to give the bursaries to because they too are also in great need when it comes to expenses which are very high, Charles said.

It is something I will like you all to consider moving forward so that next year, if two or three of our donors come and say, out of my pool of five we will give one to a regional student, that will be really appreciated.  On Thursday, 81 students from the University of the West Indies (UWI) received bursaries and scholarships to further their tertiary education from the DSSD.

Charles also encouraged the students to return and give one bursary or one donation.

It doesnt have to be a full bursary.

In fact, it could be a ticket to the UWI fete, because every penny from the UWI fete goes back into bursaries so other students like you can receive bursaries. Charles said their mandate is not only to help students with bursaries but to help educate them on how to plan financially.

We put on workshops, we teach and guide them, so students understand what they ought to be doing and how they should be spending this hard-earned money that is being given to us by our donors. Also addressing the students, Professor Rhoda Reddock said they have been chosen by the Campus Committee for Undergraduate Awards based on their academic accomplishments, financial need and extra-curricular activity, and encouraged donors and sponsors to continue supporting the students.

In these challenging economic times, we are well aware that many institutions and businesses are making financial cuts to many areas that do not immediately benefit their profit margins.

Therefore, we have a great deal of gratitude for all our donors for their continued support, she said.
PM says threats to cops brings TT closer the jungle

Every family that loses an individual either to a criminal act or to an act by the police is now exposed to pain and anguish and suffering but the response cannot be - and I would like to say this to the Enterprise community - the response cannot be retribution and a call to kill police and their families, so that they too can share pain and loss. When we get to that stage we are now entering the fringe of the jungle. The Prime Minister made the statement during his feature address at the opening ceremony of the new St Joseph Police Station yesterday, which was held at about 10 am. Rowley made it clear that threats and violent action against the police would not be condoned and highlighted the importance of the role that police officers held in any society. I know that there is a whole lot to criticise the police for but we have to accept that it is a very dangerous job, Rowley said.

He added, it is an awesome responsibility to be in and apprehend the citizenry and also to conclude that you are in danger and still execute your duty. Rowley said he was made aware of a new statistic that stated for this year, 20 persons have been killed by police, but noted it should be paralleled by the number of police officers who have been shot or attacked by criminal elements. When we look at those two statistics you get a clear vision of what is happening in Trinidad and Tobago, said Rowley.

We need to understand that without security and the safety that the police provide, everything that we aspire to will be held in jeopardy.
Sinanan: Ramdeen being groomed for Cumuto/Manzanilla

Delivering his maiden address on a PNM platform in Sangre Grande on Friday night, Sinanan told supporters that the UNC has already chosen its candidate for the election in the person of Ramdeen.

Ladies and gentlemen, watch closely because, from where I am sitting, they have already sent their representative in 2020. He is a fellow senator of mine, Mr Gerald Ramdeen, he told the partys faithful.

Those of you who have been driving around Sangre Grande you will see everyday that Mr Ramdeen is in Sangre Grande. You will see him testing the grounds. Sinanan urged residents to reject the move by first voting against the UNC in Mondays Local Government election.

So, if you want to send a message to them that you dont want Mr Ramdeen in Grande, you know what you have to do on the 28th (November), he said.

But, in an immediate response, Ramdeen did not deny or confirm he was being considered for the seat.

Instead, he told Newsday, I have been elected by the political leader of the UNC to be part of a team that is responsible for delivering the Sangre Grande Corporation back to the UNC. That is my goal at the moment, which is to serve the people of Sangre Grande and Trinidad and Tobago in whatever capacity my political leader chooses to place me. Ramdeen added: I am confident that despite all that Mr Sinanan has done to retain the Sangre Grande Corporation from the PNM that Sangre Grande will be returned to the UNC on Monday. Sinanan, who is also the works minister and PNM deputy political leader, had raised the issue of Ramdeens consideration as he slammed the UNCs tradition of selecting candidates for the Toco/Sangre Grande and Cumuto/Manzanilla constituencies who did not have roots in the region.

Sangre Grande needs proper representation and the PNM has always put candidates with roots from the area, he said.

We have confidence in the people of Toco/ Sangre Grande and Cumuto/ Manzanilla, he said.

Compare that to the UNC, Krish Jurai, Christine Newallo-Hosein, Rupert Griffith or Brent Sancho. Ladies and gentlemen, they have never seen it fit to send a representative from Cumuto/Manzanilla. Urging supporters to support all eight of the PNMs candidates for the corporation, Sinanan assured there would be transparency on office.
In the wake of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers setting a Dec. 5 deadline to pipeline protesters to leave its northern-most overflow camp, which is estimated to have at least 3,000 people, Gov. Jack Dalrymple said Saturday the federal government must take the lead in any such eviction.

However, Standing Rock Sioux Tribal Chairman Dave Archambault said he does not expect the inhabitants of the protest camp will be forcibly removed.

"The corps wants to reduce their liability," he said. "If they want public safety, the best thing for the federal government to do is to deny the easement."

Corps officials announced late Friday they will close to public use and access corps-managed federal property north of the Cannonball River. The corps Omaha District Commander, Col. John Henderson, notified Archambault on Friday that anyone found to be on corps property north of the Cannonball River after Dec. 5 will be considered trespassing and may be subject to prosecution.

Dallas Goldtooth, an organizer with the Indigenous Environmental Network, urged opponents of the Dakota Access Pipeline to stand strong in defending territorial treaty rights.

"This is a disgusting continuation of 500 years of colonialization," he said. "That is the state of affairs that we are in."

Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D., was among the members of the state's congressional delegation in support of the action.

In light of violent protest activity, the corps has taken a necessary step to protect public safety. Now, the protesters should respect the law and peacefully leave the protest area. The well-being and property of ranchers, farmers and everyone else living in the region should not be threatened by protesters who are willing to commit acts of violence," Hoeven said in a statement released Saturday.

While Dalrymple said he supports the corps decision to close the property, he stressed the federal government must take the lead in enforcing the closure. The governor said the property should be closed due to ongoing public safety concerns involving unlawful protests and because of the serious health risk to those camping in subzero weather. A major weather storm is expected to hit the area Sunday night and into Monday, according to the National Weather Service in Bismarck.

Our state and local law enforcement agencies continue to do all they can to keep private property and public infrastructure free from unpermitted protest activities, and it's past time that the federal government provides the law enforcement resources needed to support public safety and to enforce their own order to vacate, Dalrymple said. For more than 100 days now, the federal government has allowed protesters to illegally entrench themselves on corps land and it is the federal governments responsibility to lead the camps peaceful closure.

North Dakota has spent more than $10 million to provide enhanced law enforcement security since pipeline protests began in August.

Dalrymple also continues to press the Obama administration to make a decision on the Dakota Access Pipelines easement for a river crossing. The governor said the additional delay does nothing but prolong and intensify the public safety issues imposed on Morton County and the state.

Sen. Heidi Heitkamp, D-N.D., also stressed that the Obama administration must bring the situation to a close.

"That also means the administration must make a decision on the easement under Lake Oahe. For too long, we have waited in limbo as the decision is put off. This issue needs to be put to rest once and for all for the sake of the safety of our communities," she said in a statement released Saturday.
Revised drafts of GST laws issued, to be placed before Council

Delhi,Business/Economy, Sat, 26 Nov 2016 IANS

New Delhi, Nov 26 (IANS) The revised drafts of three GST laws have been released after incorporating suggestions from stakeholders, the government said on Saturday. These will now be placed before the Goods and Services Tax Council in its next meeting on December 2-3.

"The revised drafts of the Model GST Law, iGST Law, GST Compensation Law have been uploaded on our website (Central Board of Excise and Customs). These laws will be considered by the GST Council on December 2-3 and finalised," Revenue Secretary Hasmukh Adhia said on Saturday in a tweet.

The states will now internally deliberate on the revised drafts, which were finalised in a meeting of the Council's Law Sub-Committee, comprising central and state officials, on Friday in Delhi.

The Central GST (cGST) will be framed based on the Model GST Law. The states will draft their State GST (sGST) based on the cGST with minor variations.

Four draft bills -- Central GST, State GST, Integrated GST and State Compensation Law for revenue losses -- will have to be passed by Parliament and state assemblies after the Council's approval.

The government is targeting April 1, 2017, as the implementation date for the new indirect tax system.

--IANS

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Hindi film fraternity salutes bravehearts of 26/11

Maharashtra,Cinema/Showbiz,Bollywood, Sat, 26 Nov 2016 IANS

Mumbai, Nov 26 (IANS) On the eighth anniversary of the 26/11 terror attack that shook the city, Bollywood personalities like Amitabh Bachchan, Anupam Kher and Shabana Azmi saluted the braveheart martyrs and victims on social media.

The attack by 10 Pakistani gunmen with the terrorists taking hostages in hotels and opening fire on roads of the city of dreams shook the nation. The attacks left 166 people, including 28 foreigners, dead and the nightmare ended after a 60-hour-long operation that began on the night of November 26, 2008.

Here's what the stars posted on Twitter

Amitabh Bachchan: In remembrance of those that sacrificed in death, so we could live!

Anupam Kher: While we remember these 26/11 images, please send a warm hug to the families who have lost their dear ones on this day forever. Mumbai Attacks.

Azmi Shabana: We will not forget 26/11 and the selflessness of those who sacrificed their lives beyond the call of duty.

Shekhar Ravjiani: Thoughts and prayers with the families of victims and martyrs of #26/11. I salute the brave souls who led us to safety that fateful night.

Sajid Khan: Salute to the bravehearts who fought gallantly to protect us... prayers for all the victims and their families. Mumbai attacks, jai hind.

Ehsaan Noorani: One of the darkest days in the history of Mumbai and India... prayers for the families and souls of those who passed on in the Mumbai attacks.

Varun Dhawan: Today is a day we must not ever forget as a nation. We will always be in debt to the police and armed forces who sacrificed their lives.

Vishal Dadlani: Eight years since 26/11. Police reformed/trained? Coast Guard stronger? Are we more prepared in any way? Nah. May it never happen again. Jai ho!

Raveena Tandon: #26/11 never forgive. Never forget... May this never happen again. May we get strength to wipe out this evil and then may peace prevail.

Aftab Shivdasani: We will never forget the sacrifice of our heroes who protected us 8 years ago. They will always be immortal for us.

--IANS

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With 'Remo', Sivakarthikeyan has joined the big league: R.D Raja

Tamil Nadu,Cinema/Showbiz,Southern Cinema, Sat, 26 Nov 2016 IANS

Chennai, Nov 26 (IANS) Producer R.D Raja is thrilled with the response to the dubbed Telugu version of his Tamil film "Remo". He believes the film has enabled its lead actor Sivakarthikeyan to join the big league in Telugu filmdom too.

"The visibility both in terms of promotions and commerce is a clear indication that Sivakarthikeyan has joined the big league in Telugu industry," Raja said in a statement.

On Friday, the Telugu version of "Remo" released in cinemas.

"Remo has opened well across all centres and if the response in the auditoriums is to be considered a benchmark, this film will make a mark for itself in the Telugu commercial arena," he said.

In the film, directed by debutant Bakkiyaraj Kannada, the story revolves around a jobless wastrel who, in the disguise of a woman, attempts to win over the woman of his dreams.

Keerthy Suresh plays the leading lady.

--IANS

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Just one minute of bold scene in 'Wajah...': Vishal Pandya

Maharashtra,Cinema/Showbiz,Bollywood, Sat, 26 Nov 2016 IANS

Mumbai, Nov 26 (IANS) Director Vishal Pandya, who is gearing up for the release of his forthcoming "Wajah Tum Ho", says there is just a one minute bold scene in the film.

"People come to me and say that, 'it's a bold film and a bold concept' but I would like to clear that there is just one minute of bold scene in the film and that's it. Rest of the film is purely based on a strong story line with a thriller element," he told IANS.

"It can't be called specifically as an erotic film as it has a very strong story line," she added.

Directed by Vishal Pandya, "Wajah Tum Ho" also features Sana Khan, Gurmeet Choudhary, Sharman Joshi and Rajniesh Duggall.

Pandya further went on to say Sana was uncomfortable while shooting for the bold scenes.

"It's not easy to shoot the bold scenes but I have made sure that I have shot every single frame aesthetically without making it look vulgar. As far as Sana is concerned, she was uncomfortable shooting it but she is a thorough professional and I am so proud of her," he said.

"Wajah Tum Ho", produced by T-Series, releases on December 2.

--IANS

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GRAND FORKS  As cold and influenza season settles in, public health officials are urging people to avoid unnecessary antibiotics.

Dr. Joel Walz, the health officer of Grand Forks Public Health and a family practice physician with Altru Health System, said misuse of antibiotics is a national, possibly global health issue with both individual and societal effects. In that latter category, Walz said health observers are increasingly concerned with antibiotic-resistant bacteria, a resilient group popularly referred to as superbugs.

Research suggests improper use of antibiotics  such as taking medication when not needed, using incorrect dosages or halting antibiotic treatment regimens before completing a full course of medication as prescribed by a doctor  can give fast-reproducing bacteria a clear window to develop adaptations to ward off future doses.

As (resistant bacteria) extends and you share organisms with the people you live with, it creates challenges to treat infections as you get them, Walz said. People are dying from resistant infections more and more.

Unnecessary antibiotic use also can be needlessly taxing on individual body systems. Walz said the drugs can kill off the bodys natural bacteria, particularly those that inhabit the human gut and play a role in various health aspects.

Disrupting the tiny ecosystems inside us can create openings for bacterial inhabitants of a more malevolent nature, Walz said.

Bacteria aside, antibiotics can prompt a strong allergic reaction in susceptible individuals. Walz said allergies to the medications arent common, but he said the reactions are some of the strongest hes seen and represent a substantial portion of emergency room visits related to drug allergies.

Ive seen some really bad ones, and its no fun to get a serious drug reaction, he said.

Faye Salzer, head of the antibiotics stewardship program for the North Dakota Department of Healths Division of Disease Control, said antibiotics often are misprescribed for viruses such as the common cold, flu and bronchitis. Because antibiotics are intended to kill bacteria, Salzer said the drugs can have no positive effect when used for viral illnesses.

Part of the wider issue of misuse comes from a lack of understanding among patients that antibiotics arent a cure-all.

Its human nature, Salzer said, when were sick, we go to the doctor and want them to give us medication to make us feel better, faster.

However, she said, with certain illnesses, thats not a realistic expectation. Some kinds of sickness must be allowed to run their course. At the same time, Walz said theres a gray area for doctors considering a prescription, especially for conditions such as sinus infections, which are bacterial in nature but bear similar symptoms to the viral cold.

Its not as simple as saying, Youve had a cold for a week, is this now a point where antibiotics might be helpful? Walz said.

Even when doctors do make the decision not to prescribe the drugs, he said it can be difficult actually convincing patients they dont need them. As a result, Walz said many might go to walk-in clinics or urgent care facilities to seek antibiotics there.

Moving forward, he said Altru is implementing a system to track the number of prescriptions written for antibiotics by employees in the systems various health care facilities. Though there would be no punitive measures for doctors prescribing above the average level, Walz said it was important to bring physicians into the educational process of how to prescribe appropriately.

There are good guidelines, but at the end of the day, its easy to say, You can have the prescription, rather than have that extra conversation, Walz said. People have gotten so used to this being how its worked for so many years, so its on both sides now. Its not going to be easy, but we have to have some other discussions.
I'm no dumb blonde: Paris Hilton

United States,Cinema/Showbiz,Hollywood, Sat, 26 Nov 2016 IANS

Los Angeles, Nov 26 (IANS) Socialite Paris Hilton says she is not a dumb blonde.

Although people often expect the socialite to be ditzy, she says they are pleasantly surprised when they hear her talk about her business empire, reports dailymail.co.uk.

"If someone hasn't met me yet, they automatically have their misconceptions about me. As soon as I am in a board room in front of them talking about my business, they immediately know I'm not the dumb blonde they thought I was," Hilton told Galore magazine.

Hilton, 35, says that she is "flattered" when people call her an icon.

"I've been called that by people and I found it very flattering but I've never used it to describe myself... It makes me happy to be an inspiration to people. I am all about girl power and women being fierce and independent. So, it's nice to see women following my lead and doing things on their own instead of just depending on a man," she said.

Hilton also says that she has a good idea of who is using her for her fame and who genuinely wants to spend time with her.

"Over the years I have definitely figured out all the signs of a hungry tiger. I can mostly tell when there are paparazzi and I can see the way a person like that reacts. Also, being in this business for so long it's pretty obvious what people's intentions are," she said.

--IANS

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Ruskin Bond gets Lifetime Achievement Award, bats for climate change

Delhi,National,Art/Culture/Books, Sat, 26 Nov 2016 IANS

New Delhi, Nov 26 (IANS) Author Ruskin Bond was presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award for his outstanding contribution in the field of literature on the opening day of the Times Lit Fest here on Saturday.

In the course of a conversation with writer Paro Anand immediately after receiving the award, he reminded his young readers of climate change.

"Nature has been really kind to me. So I think I can give back to nature by celebrating it. I am not an activist but I can celebrate it in my writings," he said and paused to think.

"For the sake of our children and our grandchildren, we should try and save the planet," he said.

Bond was speaking to a packed house, comprising mostly of school children and the elderly, at the India Habitat Centre.

"I am not a pessimist so I will not say that life will end in 50 years but I am an optimist, so I will say that life may end in 150 years," said an emotional Bond, whose writings reflect his close proximity to nature.

"It has always been my observation that I have written better when I am in the lap of nature. People have been my stories, animals have been my stories and when I run out of people and animals, I make stories out of ghosts. But there is an element of nature all through".

He further advised his young readers to become "one's own best friend" and read as many books as possible.

"Reading books has sustained me right from a young boy to this age. It has always made me feel that life is beautiful," he added.

Ruskin Bond also responded to questions from young readers and shared his answers on diverse issues, ranging from the current state of children's literature in the country to the number of times he has fallen in love at first sight, second sight or in hindsight, for that matter.

--IANS

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Mahatma's relationship with Kasturba discussed at book launch

New Delhi, Sat, 26 Nov 2016 NI Wire

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At the book launch event, author Neelima Dalmia Adhar only to retract later ignited a controversy saying some people may even call him a paedophile", in the discussion of Kasturba Gandhi relationship with Mahatma Gandhi.

At the launch of The Secret Diary of Kasturba, a historical fiction done by Adhar, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor and journalist Barkha Dutt attends in an intense discussion with the author on evening of Friday. Here various aspects of Mahatma Gandhi's life discussed in which guests gave their opinions.

Author said Everything aside he put his wife through a lot of injustices, in terms of sexuality, Gandhi took it to a maniac level, Adhar also added some people may even call him a paedophile.

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor gave controversial remark and said, The one thing that we cannot doubt about Gandhiji is his commitment to truth. Tharoor also said that no evidence was found that suggests Mahatma Gandhi indulged in sexual activities with his devotees, during what Gandhi described as My experiments with Truth. If there was any instance, one would surely find mention of it in his works. Gandhi ji's commitment to truth is one thing we cannot doubt.

Adhar in response noted that Gandhi Ji had occupied a cult status in the society and that he was not preaching by his example.

Tharoor wanted to end the discussion and then said, I do not think you would judge a person as a whole for this. But as a human being, I am sure one's perception about Gandhi Ji will be hardened after knowing this.

Adhar continued and said My endeavour was never to demonise Gandhi. I hugely revere Gandhi that we all know. But he would owe his sainthood largely to Kasturba. You will find a little bit of bias because a lot of me has come into the character. It is my voice primarily juxtaposed with Kasturba's.

But after that Tharoor congratulated the author and said that she had actually given life to a character that had long lived in the shodows of history.

After the discussion Adhar, at launch regrets that her earlier remark paedophile was a mistake only and she didn't mean that, I didn't mean that, that was a mistake. What I meant was that the experiments he carried out will be very offending and appalling to the sensibilities of today's world. In today's times, with the liberalized society that we live in, this behaviour would have been highly offensive to anybody. Even then it was offensive. I believe that there are certain aspects of Gandhi's character and on his path to becoming the param-yogi that we do not understand. There are many aspects of sexuality of Lord Krishna that find resonance in Gandhi's practices.

At the launch, Delhi University's former Vice Chancellor, Dinesh Singh, was also there and expressed his views and said, Even the most iconic figures from the history are actually unknown to us. We need to constantly examine them and improve our understanding about them. Kasturba Gandhi was largely an ignored figure in our history and therefore I feel the author has done a good job.

The former DU vice chancellor expressed his views on the most controversial remark of the launch paedophile he said, She didn't call him paedophile, she said people may call him paedophile but that is not so. Some people have even suggested that Gandhiji was homosexual and although it is not wrong to be a homosexual, there is no evidence to suggest so.

Neelima Dalmia Adhar's The Secret Diary of Kasturba book is the fictional account of Kasturba's Gandhi's life and a narrative story

--with agency reports

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Two-day All India Conference of Central Administrative Tribunal inaugurated

New Delhi, Sat, 26 Nov 2016 NI Wire

Chief Justice of India, Shri Justice T. S. Thakur has said that a large number of pending vacancies in the High Courts and the various Tribunals leads to delay in disposal of cases. Inaugurating the All India Conference of Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) here today, Shri Justice Thakur said there is a need to amend the rules for appointment of Chairpersons and Members of the various Tribunals so that the judges of the High Courts can also be eligible for the posts. He said the Conference coincides with the Constitution Day and the first pledge we, the people of India, have taken in the Preamble, commits us to provide Justice to all.

Presiding over the Inaugural Session the Union Minister for Electronics & Information Technology and Law & Justice, Shri Ravi Shankar Prasad said the CAT has been a unique experience even amongst the Tribunals since the Institution is a successful blend of judicial and administrative excellence. The CAT has rendered a yeomans role in the evolution of Service matters and framing of rules, he added. Stating that a rising number of appeals against CAT judgements before the High Courts and Supreme Court compounds to the problem of pending litigations, Shri Ravi Shankar Prasad said the idea of inter-court appeal may be explored as an alternative.

Speaking on the occasion Supreme Court judge, Mr Justice J. Chelameswar said the CAT has completed 30 years and the occasion merits both celebration and introspection. Mr Justice Chelameswar said almost 35% of cases pending before the higher courts are Service related matters, he added. Lack of precision in the Law and judicial rulings favouring both the rival parties are the prime reasons for the mounting arrears in Service related litigations, he added.

Addressing the gathering the Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Development of North-Eastern Region (DoNER), MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh assured the Government will work towards strengthening the CAT. Besides, he advocated more interactions between the CAT and the Union Ministries while also proposing inter-Ministerial Committees to avoid instances of conflicting judgements in similar cases on different occasions. An Amendment Bill to the Prevention of Corruption Act is pending before the Parliament that would mandate sanction for prosecution of all Officers as against the existing Joint Secretary level and above to provide a shield to the honest and diligent officers, he added. In fulfilling the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modis vision of Maximum Governance, Minimum Government, Dr Jitendra Singh said his Ministry has taken several initiatives to improve the Grievance Redressal mechanism and putting all DoPT information in the public domain besides launching a mobile app where the entire personnel data can be accessed on the phone.

Presenting a glimpse of the progress done by the various CATs, Chairman, Principal Bench, CAT, Mr Justice Permod Kohli said the various CAT benches have disposed off more than six lakh cases, which amounts to disposal of 94% cases brought before it. The fact that 77% of such judgements have been upheld by the High Courts is a pointer to the success of the CAT as an institution in Service matters. Mr Justice Kohli also urged for granting administrative and financial powers to the CAT so as to expedite its own infrastructure projects.

In his address Mr Justice Harun-ul-Rashid, Member Judicial, CAT, Bengaluru Bench, urged the Government to raise the age limit for Judicial Members so that vacancies can be filled up fast with deserving and experienced judges.

Source: PIB
BJP paid in cash for land deals in Bihar: Media report

Bihar,National,Politics, Sat, 26 Nov 2016 IANS

Patna, Nov 26 (IANS) The BJP's political woes over its land deals in Bihar ahead of demonetisation aggravated on Saturday as a media report quoting official documents said the party purchased the land in cash, contrary to its leaders' claims on Friday.

The Janata Dal-United and the Rashtriya Janata Dal reiterated their demand for high-level probes, including by a Joint Parliamentary Committee.

A local Hindi news channel on Saturday telecast a report that the Bharatiya Janata Party, which is in opposition in Bihar, paid cash to purchase land worth crores of rupees in 25 districts ahead of the November 8 demonetisation of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes.

The media report said it has got sale deeds of land from the registrar office concerned in several districts which mentioned payments in cash.

Till Friday, the BJP leaders -- including Leader of Opposition in Bihar assembly Prem Kumar and former Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi -- repeatedly said the payments were made through cheque and real-time gross settlement systems (RTGS) in banks.

Both Prem Kumar and Modi said the party did not commit any wrongdoing and that the land deals were transparent.

After the report on payments in cash, neither of the two BJP leaders was available for comment despite repeated attempts.

BJP legislator Sanjeev Chaurasia, BJP state Vice-President Lal Babu Prasad were among those authorised by BJP President Amit Shah to sign the land deal documents on the party's behalf.

After claiming on Friday about payments through cheque and RTGS, both Chaurasia and Prasad too were unavailable for comments on Saturday.

Janata Dal-United legislator and party spokesperson Neeraj Kumar told IANS that it is now clear that the BJP leaders "lied" on the land deals and that the party used black money for the purchases.

"Where is any chance of doubt after official documents of the sale deeds clearly mention that the landowners were paid in cash?"

The JD-U leader said the documentary evidence had exposed the BJP once again.

Neeraj Kumar said: "The BJP, which has been campaigning against black money and corruption, invested its own black money in crores by purchasing big land parcels in most districts of Bihar ahead of demonetisation. The BJP paid in cash for all these land deals. It should be probed by a Joint Parliamentary Committee or a high-level committee under the Supreme Court."

Rashtriya Janata Dal legislator Bhai Virendra reiterated his demand for a high-level probe into the land deals.

"It is clear the BJP managed to park its black money by purchasing land worth crores of rupees ahead of the currency ban."

On Friday, Prem Kumar said the purchases were at circle rates fixed by the state government in various districts.

Modi too had said the party maintained accounts of its land deals, and if cash payments were made as alleged, there should be a probe.

"The probe will establish as to who paid the cash and who received it," he said.

According to reports, the BJP purchased the land in more than two dozen districts, including Gaya, Purnea, Siwan, Saharsa, Patna, Madhubani, Katihar, Madhepura, Lakhisarai, Kishanganj and Arwal.

The land area ranged from 250 square feet to about half an acre, purchased for between Rs 8 lakh and Rs 1.16 crore. The land with the highest rate was bought at Rs 1,100 per sq. feet.

--IANS

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Old Rs 500 notes valid for stamp purchase in UP till December 15

Uttar Pradesh,National,Business/Economy, Sat, 26 Nov 2016 IANS

Lucknow, Nov 26 (IANS) The Uttar Pradesh government has decided to allow old currency notes of Rs 500 for purchasing stamps, an official said on Saturday.

Giving this information, Inspector General of Registration Anil Kumar said that in this regard necessary orders have been issued.

The exemption is only for the old Rs 500 currency notes and would remain valid till December 15. However, the old currency of Rs 1,000 denomination would not be accepted for the purpose of stamp and registration.

Kumar said that as per a Union government notification of November 24, old notes of Rs 500 would be accepted for clearing stamp duty till December 15, 2016.

--IANS

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Gems and jewellery industry wants GST of 1.25 %

Delhi,National,Business/Economy, Sat, 26 Nov 2016 IANS

New Delhi, Nov 26 (IANS) The gems and jewellery industry in the country wants the government to reduce the proposed four per cent Goods and Service Tax (GST) for gems and jewellery sector to 1.25 percent, if the latter wants the entire industry to be "organised and compliant".

All India Gems and Jewellery Trade Federation (GJF) Chairman G.V. Sreedhar claimed that 1.25 per cent GST will generate more tax revenue than what the current tax system is generating.

"There is one per cent of VAT (value added tax) on jewellery across the country. In addition, there is excise duty of one per cent that is applicable to just 10-15 per cent jewellers with manufacturing turnover of Rs 10 crore, so about 85 per cent jewellers do not come under excise duty purview," Shreedhar said

"GST will be applicable for the revenue threshold at Rs 20 lakh, bringing almost all under its purview. In our analysis, we have found that 1.25 per cent of GST will contribute more than what one per cent VAT and one per cent excise duty combine together is contributing. We do not want the government to lose its revenue, but our industry should also not suffer," he said.

Shreedhar said about 75 per cent of the sector is still not organised. "We want the sector to be organised."

According to sources, a delegation of GJF officials met Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley to highlight various concerns of the sector including the GST.

A jewellery shop owner in Karol Bagh asserted that higher GST will force the jewellers to resort to tax evasion and black marketing. He claimed that it will further add to the non-compliance.

--IANS

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PM interacts with DGPs on security issues

Andhra Pradesh,National,Politics,Defence/Security, Sat, 26 Nov 2016 IANS

Hyderabad, Nov 26 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday interacted with top police officers of the country on various security related issues.

He participated in day-long deliberations on the second day of 51st annual conference of the heads of state police forces, central paramilitary forces and intelligence agencies being held at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Police Academy.

The three-day long conference of DGPs and IGPs is discussing a host of security related issues including cross-border terrorism, Maoist violence and radicalisation of youth.

Modi obtained feedback from the top officials on various challenges to the internal security.

The Prime Minister, who had a night halt at the academy, began the day by participating in an hour-long yoga session with Directors General of Police (DGPs) and Inspectors General of Police (IGPs) and other senior officials.

Modi also offered floral tributes at the statue of India's first Home Minister Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. He also laid wreath at the police memorial to pay tributes to policemen who laid down their lives at the altar of the duty. He also planted a sapling in the academy premises.

The Prime Minister later had breakfast with the police officials. He also went around the academy to see the facilities for training of Indian Police Service (IPS) officers.

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, who inaugurated the three-day meet on Friday, also interacted with the heads of police forces.

Elaborate security arrangements have been made at the police academy at Shivrampally on Hyderabad-Bengaluru national highway.

Ministers of State for Home Affairs, Kiren Rijiju and Hansraj Gangaram Ahir, Union Home Secretary Rajiv Mehrishi, National Security Advisory Ajit Doval and other officials are also attending the conference.

This was the third conference being held outside Delhi. It was held in Guwahati in 2014 and in Bhuj in Gujarat in 2015.

--IANS

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PM Modi lays Foundation Stone of AIIMS in Bathinda

Punjab, Sat, 26 Nov 2016 NI Wire

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, today laid the Foundation Stone of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) at Bathinda in Punjab.

Speaking on the occasion, the Prime Minister said that social infrastructure is essential for the development of every nation, and therefore, we need top quality schools and hospitals.

He said that the AIIMS at Bathinda will benefit the local areas. He emphasized that this Union Government does not stop at laying foundation stones, and ensures completion of projects. Timely completion of projects is a priority for us, he added.

The Prime Minister said that Pakistan now knows fully well what the Indian Army is capable of. He called upon the people of Pakistan to tell their rulers to fight corruption and fake notes.

The Prime Minister said that the Union Government will do everything it can, to give enough water to the farmers. Water that belongs to India cannot be allowed to go to Pakistan, he added.

The Prime Minister said he is doing everything possible to ensure that the middle class is not exploited and the poor get their due.

Source: PIB
India must grow higher to eradiate poverty by 2032: Kant

Delhi,National,Politics,Business/Economy, Sat, 26 Nov 2016 IANS

New Delhi, Nov 26 (IANS) Niti Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant on Saturday that India must aim at a higher growth rate of 9-10 per cent to eradicate poverty by 2032.

"Our per capita income is $1,652. If we continue to grow at 7 per cent, by 2032. per capita income will be $4,000. If we grow by 10 per cent, per capita income will be $6,800 and India will have no poverty by 2032," Kant said at the annual general meeting of the PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry here.

"Unless we don't penetrate the global markets it will be very difficult for India to grow at 9-10 per cent. Indians must use the domestic market as a spring board and penetrate the global market.

India's contribution of exports to global market is very minimal, it is just 1.7 per cent," he added.

While India is growing at 7.5-7.6 per cent, it must be hungry and ambitious to grow at 9-10 per cent, he said.

"We also need factor market reforms. Unless labour laws, land laws are reformed, it will be difficult for India to grow at a high rate. You can't be in a situation where 79 per cent of your job creation is done by the micro-small and medium enterprise sector," he said.

Kant said that gender equality will play a very critical role. In India, women contribute only 17 per cent to the GDP while the world average is about 40 per cent.

--IANS

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FARGO  Bethany Gartin says her dreams have always been really big. Maybe its because shes from Texas (where everything is a little bit bigger) or maybe its just because she possesses more tenacity than the average person. Either way shes using those qualities to help others succeed in ways they never imagined.

Gartin works as a performance consultant for Dale Carnegie Training in Fargo  a job she loves because she gets to help individuals and businesses reach their potential through coursework and customized training. She knows all about reaching potential even when the road gets a little bumpy.

Gartin was just 12 years old when her father died; her mother and three siblings moved from their tiny Texas town to the capital city of Austin. They struggled to make ends meet.

By ninth grade, she decided to drop out of high school to help support her family. She calls it a hectic time and kind of a blur. She was doing what she felt like she had to do, but after a couple of years, she had a revelation.

There was a moment where I realized I was missing out. People around me were doing the things typical teenagers were doing  going to prom, dating, going to school, Gartin says. I decided to get my GED. I knew I wanted to go to college and break the cycle.

She started community college with an eye on someday working in the nonprofit sector where she could give back. After a couple of years, she started talking to her academic counselor about trying to apply to the University of Texas, one of the top public universities in the nation.

The counselor basically told me Id be setting myself up for disappointment, Gartin says, It was a very defeating moment for me.

But she figured she had nothing to lose by applying so she wrote her essay and hoped for the best.

I remember going to the mailbox and seeing the envelope. I was shaking, she says. Your eyes start scanning words. Are they regretting something? But seeing that I had been accepted  I started to cry. I was shocked, stunned. It felt incredible.

But the work was just beginning. She continued to work two jobs while carrying an 18-credit course load at the university.

There were days that I was so close to giving up, Gartin says. Go to class all day, work all night. Id ask myself, Why am I doing this? This is too hard.

Then she heard a song on the radio called Bittersweet Symphony by The Verve. The lyrics hit her: Cause it's a bittersweet symphony this life. Trying to make ends meet, you're a slave to the money then you die.

She remembered that she didnt want to live paycheck to paycheck, and it was up to her to change her destiny.

I was reminded during the most trying times in life, not to give up, keep trudging through, to keep building something new, keep building something for yourself, she says.

Following what she calls her emotional graduation where she was honored as a commencement speaker, she went to work for nonprofits in Austin. An opportunity arose in Fargo at the YWCA where she worked for two years as a relationship manager. Thats where she met one of the many women in the community who have inspired her, YWCA executive director Erin Prochnow.

I learned a lot from Erin, Gartin says. Shes brilliant at what she does. She has this way of balancing her heart with how a nonprofit operates. She helped me grow.

Now at Dale Carnegie, she enjoys using her background of overcoming obstacles to inspire others.

Its been empowering to see people transform themselves and conquer barriers, she says. Maybe theyre afraid of public speaking, but soon theyre speaking in front of a whole room full of people. Theyre becoming the people they want to be.

She says she sometimes imagines what life would have been like if she had listened to that counselor who told her not to bother applying to a four-year school because it was out of her reach.

Instead, she listened to herself and gets to spend her days helping others reach their very big dreams.

I would tell people dont let anyone or anything define who you are. Thats up to you, she says. Even when it seems everything in life is working against you, theres always the possibility to believe in yourself  to remember who you are. Youre a warrior. You can create any life you want.
PM calls for qualitative change in police force

Andhra Pradesh,National,Politics,Defence/Security, Sat, 26 Nov 2016 IANS

Hyderabad, Nov 26 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday called for a qualitative change in the police force through a collective training effort.

Addressing top police officers, he said that technology and human interface are both important for the police force to keep progressing.

Modi participated in day-long deliberations on the second day of 51st annual conference of the heads of state police forces, central paramilitary forces and intelligence agencies being held at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Police Academy.

The PM interacted with police chiefs of states and union territories on various security related issues.

The three-day long conference of Directors General of Police and Inspectors General of Police is discussing a host of security related issues including cross-border terrorism, Maoist violence and radicalisation of youth.

Modi recalled that today is November 26 - a day that a deadly terror attack struck Mumbai, and police bravely fought against terrorists.

The Prime Minister said that this annual conference has now undergone a transformation in the way it is conducted. He said it has become a platform for sharing experiences, which leads to good inputs for policy planning, but laid emphasis on concrete outcomes out of the actionable points that have been finalised.

On training, he said the development of soft skills is now essential, and should become a part of the training drill. Aspects such as human psychology and behavioural psychology should be vital parts of training, he added.

The Prime Minister said leadership skills are important, and the onus lies on senior officers to inculcate these skills in the police personnel.

On law and order, he emphasised the importance of foot patrolling and constabulary intelligence.

Modi launched a mobile app - Indian Police at Your Call. He presented the President's Police Medals for distinguished service to officers of the Intelligence Bureau.

He obtained feedback from the top officials on various challenges to the internal security.

The Prime Minister, who had a night halt at the academy, began the day by participating in an hour-long yoga session with the DGPs, Inspectors General of Police IGPs) and other senior officials.

Modi also offered floral tributes at the statue of India's first Home Minister Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. He also laid wreath at the Martyrs Column to pay tributes to policemen who laid down their lives at the altar of the duty. He also planted a sapling in the academy premises.

The Prime Minister later had breakfast with the police officials. He also went around the academy to see the facilities for training of Indian Police Service (IPS) officers.

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, who inaugurated the three-day meet on Friday, also interacted with the heads of police forces.

Elaborate security arrangements have been made at the police academy at Shivrampally on Hyderabad-Bengaluru national highway.

Ministers of State for Home Affairs, Kiren Rijiju and Hansraj Gangaram Ahir, Union Home Secretary Rajiv Mehrishi, National Security Advisory Ajit Doval and other officials are also attending the conference.

This was the third conference being held outside Delhi. It was held in Guwahati in 2014 and in Bhuj in Gujarat in 2015.

--IANS

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Bihar CM denies meeting BJP chief

Bihar,National,Politics,Business/Economy, Sat, 26 Nov 2016 IANS

Patna, Nov 26 (IANS) Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Saturday denied meeting Bharatiya Janata Party President Amit Shah and his alleged efforts to get close to the party.

He said reports in a section of the media in this regard are "either planted or the imagination of someone".

"There is no truth in reports that I am trying to get close to the BJP. It (report) is also baseless that I met Amit Shah," Nitish Kumar, who is also President of the ruling Janata Dal-United in Bihar, told the media here.

JD-U is part of the Grand Alliance along with the Rashtriya Janata Dal of Lalu Yadav and the Congress in the state.

Talk of Nitish Kumar's political move towards the National Democratic Alliance led by the BJP gained currency after he supported Prime Minister Narendra Modi's November 8 demonetisation of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency.

"My support to this (demonetisation) has nothing to with politics," the Chief Minister said.

Nitish Kumar has urged Modi to act against people holding 'benami' (held by proxy) properties. "After demonetisation, the central government should take action against 'benami' properties," he said.

He is probably the only top leader in the opposition who has openly backed Modi on demonetisation.

Nitish Kumar has also appealed to the Prime Minister to impose prohibition across India.

He said a total ban on liquor in Bihar is a positive step taken by his government, which led to improvement in public health and drastic fall in crime rate, particularly domestic violence, in the state.

--IANS

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Separating Morocco, Africa would be an error: King Mohammed VI

Madagascar,Politics,Diplomacy, Sat, 26 Nov 2016 IANS

Antananarivo (Madagascar), Nov 26 (IANS/MAP) Morocco's King Mohammed VI said that separating Morocco and Africa would be "an error" in an interview to Malagasy press on Saturday.

During an official visit to Madagascar, Mohammed said: "Morocco and Africa are one. To separate them would be an uprooting, an error."

"The women, men and children I meet give me the strength to continue. They make me proud to be African and a 'son of the country', as deemed by the President of the Republic, he added.

Talking about his visit to Antisirabe in Madagascar, the King said: "My visit was very moving. Contrary to exile experiences in general, my family has maintained good memories and a strong relationship with Antisirabe."

He added that he would like to set up a vocational training centre in the fields of tourism and construction and build a mother-child hospital which will also provide training for medical staff.

"The rumours that these projects would only benefit the Muslim community are totally false. These projects are intended for the entire population."

Promoting bilateral relations between Morocco and Madagascar, he said: "Madagascar has undeniable assets to succeed. Morocco is ready to support its ministerial departments, public companies and private sector.

--IANS/MAP

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Fidel Castro, Cuba's revolutionary leader, dies

Cuba,Politics, Sat, 26 Nov 2016 IANS

Havana, Nov 26 (IANS) Fidel Castro has died at the age of 90, Cuban state television announced on Saturday, ending an era for the country and Latin America.

The revolutionary icon, one of the world's best-known and most controversial leaders, survived countless US assassination attempts and premature obituaries, but in the end proved mortal after suffering a long battle with illness.

Castro ruled Cuba as a one-party state for almost half a century before handing over the powers to his brother Raul in 2008.

His supporters praised him as a man who had given Cuba back to the people. But his opponents accused him of brutally suppressing opposition.

In April, Castro gave a rare speech on the final day of the country's Communist Party congress.

He acknowledged his advanced age but said Cuban communist concepts were still valid and the Cuban people "will be victorious".

"I'll soon be 90," the former president said, adding that this was "something I'd never imagined".

"Soon I'll be like all the others, to all our turn must come," Fidel Castro said.

Born in 1926 in the south-eastern Oriente Province of Cuba, Castro was imprisoned in 1953 after leading an unsuccessful rising against Batista's regime and was released in 1955 under an amnesty deal.

Castro was elected in 1976 as President by Cuba's National Assembly, he reaches an agreement in 1992 with US over Cuban refugees.

In 2008 castro stands down as President of Cuba due to health issues.

--IANS

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Castro most important figure at 7th NAM summit after Indira Gandhi: Natwar Singh

Delhi,National,Diplomacy, Sat, 26 Nov 2016 IANS

New Delhi, Nov 26 (IANS) Cuban leader Fidel Castro, who died on Friday, was the most important leader at the 7th summit of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) held here in March 1983 apart from then Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, former Union Minister and career diplomat Natwar Singh said on Saturday.

"Apart from Indira Gandhi, he was the most important figure. The session lasted five days and he was the most important figure after Mrs Gandhi," Natwar Singh, 85, told IANS at his Jor Bagh residence.

Recalling Castro's role at the summit, especially in solving problems that could have derailed it, Singh, who was in charge of the event as Secretary General, said: "What happened on the very first day was that S.K. Lambah, who was my deputy, came running to me saying 'Sir, we have a big problem. Yasser Arafat is very upset and he thinks he was insulted in the morning session by being asked to speak after the King of Jordan. He has ordered his plane and he is leaving'.

"I rang up Mrs Gandhi and said 'Madam, please come and bring Mr. Castro with you'. So, they arrived and Castro telephoned Arafat and called him to the Vigyan Bhawan. And then he said: 'Yasser, Indira Gandhi your friend?' He said: 'Friend, she is my elder sister'. So, Castro said: 'Behave like a younger brother and come for the meeting in the afternoon and cancel your plane'."

The sixth NAM Summit had taken place in Havana in 1979 under the chairmanship of Castro and Indira Gandhi was to take over the chairmanship from Castro in the Summit at Delhi, he recalled.

Speaking on Castro's relationship with the three generations of Nehru-Gandhi family, Natwar Singh said: "He was a great admirer of Jawaharlal Nehru. They met in New York in 1960. He knew Indira Gandhi very well and he also had a great affection for Rajiv Gandhi."

"I went with Rajiv to Havana in 1987, they had a very long discussion and one session lasting six hours."

Castro, a man who survived many attempts on his life, was, while in Delhi in 1983, surprised by the non-existent security of the Indian Prime Minister.

"He told Indira Gandhi that 'What is this? You are going out in a little car'. In those days she would go in a little Morris Minor with little police chap on motor bike. I said: 'We have no problem here.' In 18 months, she was assassinated," he said.

Talking about the security arrangements for the Cuban President, he said: "Each night he slept in a separate place. We didn't know. He was very clear that Americans are after him. He brought his own team.. we allowed him."

Calling Castro a very gutsy and tough man who fought in the jungles against the Battista regime and who was on the hit list of Americans but who had complete trust in the people of Cuba whom he led, Singh said: "His security was very good. But he felt so confident in Havana that no one will touch him. The attempts were made when he was travelling abroad."

Natwar Singh also recalls he was a great reader of books and once questioned him extensively on the Gurkhas after coming across them in a book on mountain-climbing in the Himalayas.

About his last meeting with Castro, he said: "I last met him more than 20 years ago. I was in Havana. He was a friend of mine, a world's statesman and I was a foreign service officer. But his death is an end of an era. Although he came from a small island but his impact was world wide.

"He led NAM. He was the most important figure in South America and Central America. He took on the US and dealt with 11 presidents. The CIA (Central Intelligence Agency) tried to assassinate him but didn't succeed. He was an extraordinary man and he had very warm feelings for India."

(Rohit Srivastava can be contacted at rohit.s@ians.in)

--IANS

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Left intensifies stir in support of November 28 strike, Trinamool vows to foil it

West Bengal,National,Politics,Business/Economy, Sat, 26 Nov 2016 IANS

Kolkata, Nov 26 (IANS) Battlelines were drawn in West Bengal on Saturday with the Left parties canvassing on the streets in support of Monday's 12-hour general strike protesting against demonetisation and the state's ruling Trinamool Congress saying it would stoutly protest any attempt to disrupt normal life.

The state government also came out with a strong circular asking all its employees to report for work during the day and threatening to treat any absence without sufficient reason on November 28 as "dies non" (not a day of service) in his career.

Left spearhead Communist Party of India-Marxist state secretary Surjya Kanta Mishra said: "We will make the strike a success by resisting the Trinamool's atrocities."

He also expressed his happiness over the ruling party not supporting the strike. "We are very happy with this. Those who made money from Saradha chit fund scam and those who were seen taking money in the Narada News sting videos are roaming openly in the state, and occupying plum posts."

The parties behind the strike organised street corners and small and medium ralies to explain their stand to the people during the day.

The Trinamool, on the other hand, accused the Left of helping the BJP by calling the strike. "This strike will only increase the people's suffering. The Left is trying to help the BJP on the issue," said Trinamool all India General Secretary Subrata Bakshi.

He said the Left had no business to call the strike on a day Chief Minister and Trinamool supremo Mamata Banerjee has given the call for a rally against demonetisation.

Bakshi said Banerjee told the party's core committee during the day that the people do not any more back disruptions like strikes.

Meanwhile, the state government said all its offices,a gencies and institutions would remain open on November 28.

"All employees must attend their places of work. No employees of the state government will be granted leave on that day, In the event of any employee remaining absent without sufficient reason, the absence will be treated as dies non," said the state government circular read out to the media by Chief Secretary Basudeb Banerjee.

"The government will take all measures required to preserve law and order , maintain normal functioning of all public services and ensure safety and security of citizens and their property," he said.

The Congress has already extended its moral support to the strike, while the BJP is opposing it.

Eighteen Left and other parties on Friday called the statewide 12-hour general strike on November 28 to protest the harassment faced by people following the Union government's demonetisation move.

The parties who have convened the strike include the CPI-M, Communist Party of India, All India Forward Bloc, Revolutionary Socialist Party, Janata Dal-United, Rashtriya Janata Dal and the Nationalist Congress Party.

Bank, ATM services, post offices, hospital and medical clinics, ambulance, milk, water and power supplies, newspapers and marriages would be out of the purview of the strike.

--IANS

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AG says respect Lakshaman rekha; judiciary upheld Constitution's ethos, says SC Judge

Delhi,National,Immigration/Law/Rights,Politics, Sat, 26 Nov 2016 IANS

New Delhi, Nov 26 (IANS) As Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi said everybody, including the judiciary, must recognise and respect a certain boundary that ought not be crossed, Supreme Court Judge, Justice J.S. Khehar, on Saturday said judiciary had observed the 'Lakshaman rekha' by upholding the Constitution's ethos.

Elsewhere, Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said Indian courts can quash and set aside orders but governance must remain with those elected to govern.

The remarks came on a day Chief Justice of India T.S. Thakur expressed concern over non-filling of vacancies in various courts, saying around 500 posts of High Court judges were lying vacant. Prasad, however, said 120 appointments have been made this year, the second highest after 2013.

Justice Thakur's remarks came during the All India Conference of Central Administrative Tribunal here.

Speaking at a Supreme Court function to celebrate 'Constitution Day' in the evening, Rohatagi said: "All, including judiciary, must recognise there is 'Lakshman rekha' and be ready for introspection. Self-restraint is important."

Justice Khehar, who is in the next line to become the Chief Justice of India (CJI), responded: "Judiciary has maintained the Lakshaman rekha by upholding the Constitution's ethos. The judiciary is truly the only defensive aromour in the country."

"Liberty, equality and dignity of the citizens have subsisted and flourished well in India due to the proactive role played by the Indian judiciary."

Justice Khehar said the rule of law prevails due to backing from an independent law which has been courageous in promoting the cause of the underprivileged, disadvantaged and the depressed, cause of such sections of society as are uninformed or are unable to secure their rights due to countless barriers.

"By seeking judicial intervention even in situations where one or the other high constitutional functionary have not been appointed appropriately or have acted wrongfully, a progressive civil society and pulsating media has been contributing significantly to keep the values enshrined in the Indian Constitution on track," Justice Khehar said.

--IANS

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Red flag at half mast in Castro's honour in Bengal

West Bengal,National,Politics, Sat, 26 Nov 2016 IANS

Kolkata, Nov 26 (IANS) AThe Left parties in West Bengal on Saturday decided to fly the red flag at half mast for three days at their respective offices across the state as a mark of respect for Cuba's Fidel Castro who passed away in Havana aged 90.

Eighteen Left parties, including the Communist Party of India-Marxist, Communist Party of India, All India Forward Bloc, Revolutionary Socialist Party, Communist Party of India- Marxist Leninist (Liberation) also took out a rally from Lenin's statue in the Esplanade area to the Ram Lila Maidan at Entally in central Kolkata to mourn the death of the legendary revolutionary leader.

Walking behind a big banner reading "comrade Fidel Castro Red salute" were the state's Left stalwarts. Many of them had Castro's small photo pinned to their dress, while activists held aloft big pictures of the Cuban leader.

Among those in the forefront of the rally were Left Front chairman Biman Bose, CPI-M state secretary Surjya Kanta Mishra, his CPI counterpart Prabodh Panda, and other top leaders of the participating outfits.

Condoling the legendary Cuban communist leader's death on Friday, Mishra said Castro will continue to inspire all struggles for social transformation through revolution.

"Salute the relentless fighter...," Mishra tweeted.

CPI-M state secretariat member and Left Front Legislature Party leader Sujan Chakraborty said Castro's death had ended a glorious era of relentless struggle.

"Fidel represents the eternal struggle for human emancipation. End of a glorious era of relentless struggles. Salute to the revolutionary legend", he tweeted.

--IANS

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Nation remembers victims on 8th anniversary of 26/11 Mumbai Terror Attacks

New Delhi, Sat, 26 Nov 2016 NI Wire

The 166 victims of 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks were remembered by the Nation on its eighth anniversary including the martyrs who were killed by the ten Pakistani Militants.

On Saturday, all the victims of these terror attacks were remembered by their families and by the whole Nation and those who sacrificed their lives, the Nation salutes to those martyrs and brave hearts.

The Maharashtra Governor C.V. Rao paid wreath and homage to all those victims who lost their lives in the terror attacks at the official commemoration event which was held at Police Gymkhana.

The Mumbai terror attacks and the counter-terror operation which was then led by multiple security agencies, continued for sixty hours between the night of Wednesday November 26 till the dawn of Saturday, November 29, 2008.

When these attacks happened, the whole nation got shocked and everyone's eye was on their television till the operation completed because these attacks gave wound which is unforgettable not only to Mumbai but to the whole nation.

All the terrorists got entered in Mumbai through the Arabian Sea route and within a small geographical locations area in South Mumbai and struck at multiple locations.

At the solemn memorial the Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Director-General of Police Satish Mathur, Mumbai Police Commissioner Datta Padsalgikar, Shiv Sena President Uddhav Thackeray and several parliamentarians and legislators were present and everyone remembered those who lost their lives.

In memorial, the guests as well as the widows, orphans and the other family members of those who sacrificed their lives and victims remembered their dear ones who were lost in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks on its eighth anniversary including the common mumbaikars.

To mark the eighth anniversary of 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks some similar functions and peace marches, memorial concerts and condolence meetings are scheduled and also organised later in the day at those places which were targeted by the militants like Hotel Tajmahal Palace and Tower, Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, Hotel Trident-Oberoi, Nariman House-Chabad House, Leopold Cafe and others.

--with agency inputs
Inter Milan eye move for Brazilian defender

Brazil,Sports,Football, Sat, 26 Nov 2016 IANS

Rio de Janeiro, Nov 26 (IANS) Inter Milan have joined Manchester United in the battle to sign teenage Brazilian left-back Guilherme Arana, according to media reports.

The 19-year-old has impressed this year with his form for Brazilian Serie A side Corinthians, where he has established himself as a first-team regular, reports Xinhua.

According to Uol Esporte, the Italian club is keen to secure the defender during the January transfer window.

But Manchester United could have the upper hand after holding talks with Arana's agents Guilherme Miranda and Leonardo Cornacini earlier this month, according to the news portal.

Arana has made 33 first-team appearances for Corinthians since being promoted from the club's youth system in 2014.

--IANS

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What's up, internet friends? It is time, once again, to meet the, spotlighting you, the very special readers of this website. Over the years, I've been able to connect with a lot of cool folks, and this is a way of showing some appreciation and attention to the people who help make this blog what it is. This week's Angry Reader is Bryan Thao Worra.That's the question for the ages, isn't it. Who is anyone? Why are they here, how long have they got? Do we contain multitudes, or just one spark?A poet and community builder. Although that may be redundant.Between science fiction conventions and road trips.I began in Laos, but didn't stay there, coming to the United States in 1973 as an adoptee during the closing years of Laotian Civil War, also known as the Secret War in many circles. Time was spent in Montana, Alaska, and the Midwest, and now various parts of California.Whatever is necessary.More specifically, I've spent the better part of my life thinning the line between my professional, civic and personal life. These days I serve as the president of the Science Fiction Poetry Association, an international literary organization celebrating the poetry of the imaginative and the fantastic, in addition to grant writing for non-profit organizations across the country, which has proven to be a very interesting intersection of all of my interests.I've been fortunate enough to earn over 20 awards for my work, including an NEA Fellowship in Literature and representing the nation of Laos as a Cultural Olympian during the Poetry Parnassus of the 2012 London Summer Games. I've written six books of poetry and seen my work appear internationally including Australia, Canada, Scotland, Germany, France, Singapore, Hong Kong, Thailand, Korea, and Pakistan. I helped to establish Lao Minnesotan Artists Heritage Month and lately spend the better part of my year helping to organize the National Lao American Writers Summit in the US with my fellow Lao in diaspora since the end of the conflict 40 years ago.My work in the non-profit sector has almost always centered on getting our refugee communities ahead of the curve, not just caught up. Stabilization matters, but as I've told my students time and again, we have to be able to express a future we see ourselves in. Building up a community that aspires to just the "2.5 kids and the white picket fence" ideal isn't going to work in a world of constantly shifting goalposts.As a writer, I do what I can to help our communities recover their histories, their memories before they're lost, particularly the inner lives of our refugees that publishers, academia, and the media so rarely cover. But it's also been important for me to help them reconnect with their imagination, their sense of the possible that they want to pass on to the next generations.It's been vital to me to work with emerging writers to build better communication infrastructures internally and externally. Too often, we've seen refugees struggling to rebuild because organizations don't have the capacity to get vital information and opportunities available to the people who need it most. So often we've seen people find out too late, if at all about scholarships, access to health and immigration support, or way to start a new business or participate in democracy. That's why we need greater media justice and education, particularly for our AAPI voices who so often get lost in "model minority" myths and misconceptions of monolithic perspectives or "one size fits all" outreach strategies.Sometimes that feels like a list that would take all day to discuss.But off the top of my head, I hate seeing youth voices discouraged from participating in our cultures because they don't speak or write the language. Too often I've seen kids turn away because they're constantly told to preserve a culture and tradition, but they don't get to have meaningful conversations about what those traditions are, or why we observe them. We get the kids so afraid that they're going to screw it up like they were knocking an antique vase off the mantle that we lose sight of the joy, the reasons we wanted to preserve those traditions in the first place. So, I take a more relaxed approach to tradition and expression. It's more important that all of us at all ages try, we experiment, we celebrate our successes and we constantly invite our youngest back to the table. Like the old saying goes, "Don't seek to follow in the footsteps of great people. Seek what they sought."I will say, I absolutely despise artists who can't celebrate the success of others, and those who don't take the time to help emerging voices in our communities. I'm not saying you have to make it a 24/7, or give a shoutout to people who constantly burn you. But if you can't acknowledge when someone is doing well when they're not sharing the bill with you, I think that speaks poorly of you. It's possible selfish artists can find success without helping others. History is filled with such people, even today. I constantly ask my students, though: "Don't you think history is filled with enough of those people?"
Life returns to normal in Kashmir Valley

Jammu And Kashmir,National,Politics,Defence/Security, Sat, 26 Nov 2016 IANS

Srinagar, Nov 26 (IANS) Normalcy in the Kashmir Valley on Saturday as the separatists called off the ongoing protest shutdown for two days.

Shops, public transport, other businesses, banks, post offices and government offices started functioning normally as traffic snarls marked return of normalcy.

In their last weekly protest calendar that the separatists have been issuing for over four months now, protest shutdown has been called off for two days.

Authorities did not impose any restrictions in Srinagar or elsewhere to facilitate resumption of normal activities of life.

Kashmir has been under a clampdown for nearly five months since July 9, a day after Hizbul commander, Burhan Wani was killed in a gunfight with the security forces.

--IANS

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Militants attack BSF convoy in Kashmir

Jammu And Kashmir,National,Defence/Security,Terrorism, Sat, 26 Nov 2016 IANS

Srinagar, Nov 26 (IANS) Two Border Security Force (BSF) troopers were injured on Saturday in north Kashmir's Kupwara district when militants attacked their convoy.

Militants fired around 9.50 a.m. at a bus which was part of the Kupwara-Srinagar BSF convoy passing through Langate area of the district, a BSF official said.

The official said that Head Constable Satender Singh suffered bullet injury in his left thigh, while another trooper -- whose name could not be confirmed -- suffered minor injury.

"Singh and the other BSF trooper were sitting in the bus when militants targeted the convoy. Both the injured troopers were evacuated to MI Room of 32 RR Batergam after providing first aid. They are said to be out of danger," the BSF official said.

--IANS

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Intense discussion on Mahatma's relationship with Kasturba at book launch (Repeating for all needi

Delhi,National,Politics,Art/Culture/Books, Sat, 26 Nov 2016 IANS

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New Delhi, Nov 26 (IANS) In an intense discussion on the life of Kasturba Gandhi and her relationship with husband, Mahatma Gandhi, author Neelima Dalmia Adhar sparked a controversy saying "some people may even call him a paedophile", only to retract later.

These remarks, among other re-examinations of various aspects of Mahatma Gandhi's life, unfolded at the launch of "The Secret Diary of Kasturba", (Westland/pp 395/Rs 699) a historical fiction penned by Adhar, where Congress MP Shashi Tharoor and journalist Barkha Dutt participated in a discussion with the author Friday evening.

"Everything aside he put his wife through a lot of injustices. In terms of sexuality, Gandhi took it to a maniac level," said Adhar, adding "some people may even call him a paedophile."

Tharoor, almost cutting her half way through the controversial remark, quipped: "The one thing that we cannot doubt about Gandhiji is his commitment to truth."

He further said that there was no evidence to suggest that Mahatma Gandhi indulged in "sexual activities" with his devotees, during what Gandhi described as "My Experiments with Truth."

"If there was any instance, one would surely find mention of it in his works. Gandhi ji's commitment to truth is one thing we cannot doubt," said Tharoor.

In response, Adhar noted that "Gandhiji had occupied a cult status in the society" and that he was not "preaching by his example" before quoting a few instances when there was disapproval of his behaviour from within his own ashram.

Trying to end the heated discussion, Tharoor said: "I do not think you would judge a person as a whole for this. But as a human being, I am sure one's perception about Gandhiji will be hardened after knowing this."

But Adhar persisted.

"My endeavour was never to demonise Gandhi. I hugely revere Gandhi that we all know. But he would owe his sainthood largely to Kasturba. You will find a little bit of bias because a lot of me has come into the character. It is my voice primarily juxtaposed with Kasturba's," said the author.

Tharoor congratulated Adhar, saying that she had "actually given life" to a character that "had long lived in the shadows of history."

Speaking to IANS after the launch, Adhar, however, retracted from her earlier "paedophile" remark and said: "I didn't mean that, that was a mistake. What I meant was that the experiments he carried out will be very offending and appalling to the sensibilities of today's world."

"In today's times, with the liberalized society that we live in, this behaviour would have been highly offensive to anybody. Even then it was offensive. I believe that there are certain aspects of Gandhi's character and on his path to becoming the param-yogi that we do not understand. There are many aspects of sexuality of Lord Krishna that find resonance in Gandhi's practices."

Delhi University's former Vice Chancellor, Dinesh Singh, who was also in attendance at the launch told IANS that even the most iconic figures need to be examined.

"Even the most iconic figures from the history are actually unknown to us. We need to constantly examine them and improve our understanding about them. Kasturba Gandhi was largely an ignored figure in our history and therefore I feel the author has done a good job," he said.

On the controversial "paedophile" remark, the former DU VC said: "She didn't call him paedophile, she said people may call him paedophile but that is not so. Some people have even suggested that Gandhiji was homosexual and although it is not wrong to be a homosexual, there is no evidence to suggest so."

"The Secret Diary of Kasturba" is a narrative, blow-by-blow fictional account of Kasturba Gandhi's life.

--IANS

ss/vd

null
King Mohammed VI expressed, in an interview with Malagasy media, strong pride of belonging to Africa and deep feelings of appreciation to African peoples and countries he has visited during his African tours.

I would like to pay tribute to my African brothers and to our continent. Every visit for me has been an occasion to strengthen ties with the African peoples that I love and respect, the Moroccan Monarch told journalists in Antananarivo, the second leg of a new African tour that already took him to Ethiopia.

The king who expressed pride at belonging to Africa said that Morocco and Africa are inseparable.

He highlighted the positive memories kept by the Royal family regarding the Malagasy people in the city of Antsirabe where his late grandfather and his family where exiled for two years by the French colonial authorities in 1954.

The King explained that the hospital and the vocational training centre he has launched in Antsirabe are open to all Malagasy populations regardless of their faiths. Morocco is neither proselytising nor discriminating people on the basis of their religions, he said. He also highlighted Moroccos tolerant and moderate Islam and explained that the Commandership of the Faithful in Morocco means the faithful of all religions, not only Islam.

On the economic partnership between Morocco and Madagascar, King Mohammed VI highlighted the importance of the cooperation agreements signed in his presence in Antananarivo, saying these agreements evidence Moroccos willingness to help Madagascar make headway in social and economic development projects. In this respect, the Monarch urged the Moroccan private sector to forge partnerships with its Malagasy counterpart.

He said his visits to Africa are not about giving lessons but rather sharing experiences. I am looking forward to establishing a strong south-south cooperation underpinned by solidarity between African states, the Sovereign said.

King Mohammed VI explained further that his African tours aim at bolstering an inter-African cooperation model, noting that Morocco has a longstanding history of cooperation with friendly African countries and that the Kingdom did not wait for the announcement of the African Union to invest in Africa.

Following the visits to several African countries without pre-conditions, the Monarch voiced satisfaction at the support expressed by Moroccos old and new friends in Africa regarding the Kingdoms return to its legitimate place in Africas institutional family.
After making a significant onshore gas discovery in Tendrara in Moroccos north east, Sound Energy confirms the success of a second TE-7 gas well lying only 1.6 kilometres away from its TE-6 first well.

I am pleased to report the success of our second well at Tendrara and that the use of sub-horizontal drilling techniques on TE-7 has delivered a significant uplift on flow rates, said the companys chief executive James Parsons.

This result further reinforces our belief in the Eastern Morocco TAGI/Palaeozoic play, he told the press.

The TE-7 well was drilled to a depth of just over 2,600 metres before going horizontally for 700 metres.

The company said the flow rate of its first well exceeds expectations flowing at 32 million standard cubic feet of gas a day and could increase above 40 million standard cubic feet.

Sounds partners on Tendrara include the American oilfield services giant Schlumberger and Moroccos Oil & Gas Investment Fund. The explorer also has assets in Italy.
Morocco shipped a military cargo carrying scanners, metal detectors and other security equipment to help Madagascar foster security at the summit of the Organisation Internaitonale de la Francophonie, held in Antananarivo on November 26-27.

The security equipment will help Malagasy authorities secure the venue of the international Francophonie summit in the Ivato center in the capital Antananarivo.

Morocco also sent security experts to bring technical assistance to Malagasy authorities in securing the event.

The Malagasy authorities chose Moroccos assistance in securing the event after Algeria backtracked on its promises.

Morocco was also chosen to help Malagasy security services given its proven anti-terrorism achievements and its success in organizing international events, such as the UN Climate Summit (COP22) which earned the Kingdom the ISO 20121 certificate.

This aid is also part of south-south partnership between the two countries, to which King Mohammed VI added a fresh impetus with the signing of 22 agreements covering infrastructure development, tourism, agriculture, vocational training and social development.

Morocco is represented at the summit by Foreign Minister, Salaheddine Mezouar. The summit will review a set of issues relating notably to peace and stability in francophone countries, energy, sustainable development, inter-cultural dialogue and the blue economy as well as social issues linked to gender and women empowerment.
The Clinton campaign isnt giving desperate supporters much to hope for. Photo: Yuri Gripas/AFP/Getty Images

Hillary Clintons presidential campaign announced on Saturday that it will participate in vote recounts in three key battleground states won by Donald Trump on Election Day, CNN reports. The announcement aligns the Clinton camp with the efforts of Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein, who has raised millions of dollars to fund recounts in Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, and Michigan. On Friday, Wisconsin state officials confirmed that the Stein campaign successfully petitioned for a recount before that days 5 p.m. deadline, and the recount will now begin. Though, it is not at all clear if the state will be able to conclude the recount process before December 13, when members of the Electoral College cast their votes for president. Official recount requests are due in Pennsylvania and Michigan early next week, and the Stein campaign is expected to meet those deadlines as well. The Stein campaign, which says it is pursuing the recounts to ensure the integrity of the election, has raised more than $5.7 million as of midday Saturday.

The calls for more scrutiny of the results in the three states started after a group of computer scientists and election lawyers said they had discovered evidence that election results in those states may have been manipulated, as originally reported by New Yorks Gabriel Sherman.

However, Saturdays announcement from the Clinton campaign came with a considerable amount of cold water for anyone who believes that the election results were indeed rigged or hacked or that the Clinton campaign has not already been doing its due diligence regarding such concerns. Clinton campaign counsel Marc Elias, in a Medium post explaining the campaigns response, references the Stein campaigns efforts, but adds that the Clinton team did not find enough evidence to merit taking such action themselves, though they will participate now that Steins campaign is proceeding:

Because we had not uncovered any actionable evidence of hacking or outside attempts to alter the voting technology, we had not planned to exercise this option ourselves, but now that a recount has been initiated in Wisconsin, we intend to participate in order to ensure the process proceeds in a manner that is fair to all sides. If Jill Stein follows through as she has promised and pursues recounts in Pennsylvania and Michigan, we will take the same approach in those states as well. We do so fully aware that the number of votes separating Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton in the closest of these states  Michigan  well exceeds the largest margin ever overcome in a recount. But regardless of the potential to change the outcome in any of the states, we feel it is important, on principle, to ensure our campaign is legally represented in any court proceedings and represented on the ground in order to monitor the recount process itself.



The campaign is grateful to all those who have expended time and effort to investigate various claims of abnormalities and irregularities. While that effort has not, in our view, resulted in evidence of manipulation of results, now that a recount is underway, we believe we have an obligation to the more than 64 million Americans who cast ballots for Hillary Clinton to participate in ongoing proceedings to ensure that an accurate vote count will be reported.



Regarding the investigation of those claims of abnormalities and irregularities, Elias explains that the campaign has already had lawyers, data scientists, and analysts look for evidence of hacking, and that the campaign has been cataloging and investigating every theory of manipulation that they could. Elias says the campaign also spoke with outside experts to hear out their concerns and review their findings, as well as to get those experts opinions on the Clinton campaigns internal data and findings. The campaign has additionally conducted a review of all relevant election laws and practices regarding the recount and audit processes, and, according to Elias, most importantly, we have monitored and staffed the post-election canvasses  where voting machine tapes are compared to poll-books, provisional ballots are resolved, and all of the math is double checked from election night.



Elias highlights that the continued counting and verification of votes has led to Clinton having built a 2-million-vote lead in the popular vote; but again, the campaign has not found compelling evidence of voter fraud or result manipulation. Though, Elias does point to how Michigan and many other states do not automatically conduct basic audits of their results to ensure accuracy and public confidence in the election.

Also on Saturday, Donald Trump released a statement insisting that the people have spoken and the election is over, and attacking the recount effort as a scam by the Green Party in which Jill Stein is trying to fill her coffers with money, most of which she will never even spend on this ridiculous recount.

Trump on recount: "The people have spoken and the election is over..." pic.twitter.com/oDEwJVeaER  Jim Acosta (@Acosta) November 26, 2016

Reached for comment on Saturday by Bloomberg, Trump senior advisor Kellyanne Conway also went after the Clinton campaign, crying hypocrisy:

What a pack of sore losers. After asking Mr. Trump and his team a million times on the trail, Will HE accept the election results? it turns out Team Hillary and their new BFF Jill Stein cant accept reality. Rather than adhere to the tradition of graciously conceding and wishing the winner well, theyve opted to waste millions of dollars and dismiss the democratic process. The people have spoken. Time to listen up. #YesYourPresident.

Asked by the Washington Post whether or not the Clinton campaigns participation should be construed as the campaign contesting the results of the election, spokesperson Brian Fallon rejected that logic: We note [in Eliass post that] we are guarding our prerogatives now that someone else has launched a recount. Not sure what you could point to to suggest there is anything here that calls the results into question.

The Clinton campaign is not alone in casting doubt on theories of election manipulation, either. The White House, in a statement released on Friday, concluded that Election Day votes were not compromised by state-supported Russian hackers, with the Obama administration announcing that we stand behind our election results, which accurately reflect the will of the American people.

The Kremlin probably expected that publicity surrounding the disclosures that followed the Russian government-directed compromises of emails from U.S. persons and institutions, including from U.S. political organizations, would raise questions about the integrity of the election process that could have undermined the legitimacy of the president-elect, the statement read, but the Obama administration does not believe that effort was successful. The New York Times also notes, however, that intelligence officials are still investigating the impact of a broader Russian information warfare campaign in which fake news about Mrs. Clinton, and about U.S.-Russia relations, was intended to influence voters. Many of those false reports originated from RT News and Sputnik, two state-funded Russian sites.



Those fake-news reports were widely circulated on social media  independent studies, including one set for release soon, have shown  sometimes in an organized fashion by groups that appear to have had common ownership. Individuals, conservative talk-show hosts, and activists recirculated them, often not knowing (or apparently not caring) about the accuracy of the reports.

But regarding the White Houses endorsement of the elections legitimacy, as New Yorks Gabriel Sherman originally noted, the Obama administration had already been discouraging the Clinton campaign from contesting the results of the election. President Obama also apparently advised Hillary Clinton to concede to Donald Trump on Election Night, according to a forthcoming book about Clintons defeat, per the Hill. According to the same report, one of the Clintonworld sources said the campaign apparatus and the Democratic National Committee [didnt] want to be officially affiliated with the push to re-tabulate votes because of the bad political optics of seeking to overturn the election results, but that some Clinton allies had been hoping that Steins recount push would succeed. Now that the Stein campaign is indeed pushing ahead, it appears the Clinton camp sees no reason not to join the effort. Still, anyone hoping that the recounts and audits will change the result of the election is likely to be very disappointed.

This post has been updated to include statements from Donald Trump, Kellyanne Conway, and Brian Fallon.
Castro addressing a Havana crowd in the 1970s. Photo: AFP/AFP/Getty Images

Longtime Cuban leader Fidel Castro has died at the age of 90. The one-time revolutionary, who rose to power promising democracy only to deliver a repressive communist autocracy, had ruled the small island nation for nearly 50 years. While Castro became an inspiration to, and nurturer of, leftist and communist movements across Latin America and in Africa, he also relished his role as a perpetual adversary of the American government across ten U.S. presidencies, especially during the Cold War when Cubas alliance with the Soviet Union almost led to nuclear war during the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962. Castro also survived multiple attempts to depose him, including the failed Bay of Pigs invasion, which the U.S. supported in 1961.

General Raul Castro, Fidels younger brother and chosen successor in Cuba since 2008, announced the news of his brothers death in a televised address just after midnight Friday. In Floridas Miami-Dade County, where exiles and refugees who had fled Castros regime form a large and powerful community, flag-waving Cubans filled the streets to cheer the news, according to the Miami Herald.

In that exile community, as the Herald also points out in its obituary, Castro was known as a tyrant whose repressive regime forced hundreds of thousands of Cubans to flee their homeland after he overthrew Fulgencio Batista in 1959 and converted the countrys capitalist economy into a socialist one. Castro would eventually turn harder left and become more authoritarian, establishing a communist police state, restricting speech, and jailing or killing his political opponents. That ongoing crackdown led to additional waves of Cuban refugees to the U.S., as did the pressures of Cubas perpetually crippled economy under the Castro regimes policies.

Miami residents celebrating the death of Castro early Saturday morning. Photo: Gustavo Caballero/Getty Images

But in Cuba, and to many around the world, Castro was also considered a champion of the poor who delivered land and free health care and education to his countrys peasant class, and who outlasted the fall of the Soviet Union and the embrace of capitalism by countries like China and Vietnam. Castros rise to power is also the stuff of legend to many leftists and revolutionaries. Castro survived imprisonment, exile, and his own disastrous strategic mistakes to lead a successful guerilla war against Batista in the late 1950s alongside the youthful and infamous Marxist revolutionary Che Guevara. When 32-year-old Castro seized power in 1959, he was Latin Americas youngest leader, and Castro went on to support many other revolutionary movements in the region throughout his rule.

If Castros communist regime outlived all its contemporaries, the man himself also lived much longer than anyone expected, including long enough to see a diplomatic thaw with the United States that had once seemed impossible. In 2014, President Obama and General Raul Castro negotiated a restoration of diplomatic ties between the two nations, ending more than five decades of hostility between the two governments. Obama visited Cuba the next year, the first U.S. president to do so since 1928. The U.S. embargo against Cuba, which can only be ended by an act of Congress, remains in effect, but some travel and trade restrictions have been lifted regardless.

Responding to Castros death on Saturday, President Obama offered his condolences to the Castro family and reminded the Cuban people to know that they have a friend and partner in the United States of America as they come to terms with the leaders death and legacy. We know that this moment fills Cubans  in Cuba and in the United States  with powerful emotions, recalling the countless ways in which Fidel Castro altered the course of individual lives, families, and of the Cuban nation, Obama added. History will record and judge the enormous impact of this singular figure on the people and world around him.

Pres Obama issues statement on death of Fidel Castro. pic.twitter.com/5eHB2A9DoB  Mark Knoller (@markknoller) November 26, 2016

Obamas forward-looking response is already drawing angry rebukes from Republicans like Florida senator (and Cuban-American) Marco Rubio:

President Obama issued a pathetic statement on death of dictator #FidelCastro with no mention of thousands he killed & imprisoned. #Cuba  Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) November 26, 2016

The initial response of U.S. president-elect Donald Trump, meanwhile, was to just tweet Fidel Castro is dead! Though, he later offered a more pronounced celebration of Castros demise. Trump, who promised to roll back Obamas efforts at diplomacy with the Cuban regime during his presidential campaign, vowed to help those on the totalitarian island obtain freedom in a statement released late Saturday morning. Though the tragedies, deaths and pain caused by Fidel Castro cannot be erased, our administration will do all it can to ensure the Cuban people can finally begin their journey toward prosperity and liberty, Trump added.

JUST IN: @realDonaldTrump releases statement on Fidel Castro's passing calling him 'a brutal dictator.' https://t.co/aH7Gl7oYHb pic.twitter.com/rLIdss22ul  NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt (@NBCNightlyNews) November 26, 2016

The Cuban government has declared that there will be nine days of mourning for Castro, followed by a funeral in Santiago de Cuba on December 4. Before then, Castros ashes will be taken on a cross-country tour, and in the meantime, Cubans are being invited by state media to pay tribute to Castro by signing a solemn oath of complying with the concept of the revolution.
A rally against President-elect Donald Trump in Washington, D.C., on November 15. Photo: Pete Marovich/Bloomberg via Getty Images

A discussion between New York writers-at-large Rembert Browne and Rebecca Traister about the how and the why of political protest.



Rebecca Traister: What sort of optimal oppositional role can we imagine Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama playing in the next several years? Part of what both are being punished for is having been a symbolic figure.

Rembert Browne: I want to walk into somebodys field office and see Obama working a phone. It would be amazing if 2017 gave us in some capacity the Obamas and the Clintons as activists. It would flip what I think a lot of people have wanted to come from the political system, which is activists slowly making their way into politics.

RT: One of the things thats bugged me the most over the past few weeks is this whole Michelle for president thing. Michelle Obama does not want to be in politics. What if we thought of the people  whether its Barack, Michelle, or Hillary  actually working outside the system that constrained them?

RB: But that doesnt just mean like, Okay, I have a foundation.

RT: Right, no more foundations.

RB: I am done with foundations.

RT: Well, thats not true, I shouldnt say that. I dont know. [Whispers] What is a foundation?

RB: I have no idea. But if you just look at Hillary, Bill, Michelle, Barack  these are four people who still have massive influence in four very different ways. If they used some Voltron, if they came together and scattered and did four very different things that werent 

RT: Youre really counting Bill? Please dont. Can we just have a three-person Voltron?

RB: Okay, Bills on the email. He gets an agenda blast. This is what we talked about at the meeting, Bill. Bill lives near the Voltron.

RT: One of the things thats been very depressing to me since the election is its clear that the White House and the Clinton campaign both feel that the thing to do right now is to be respectful and move on. Which is of course at odds with what so many of the people who are so horrified and scared and angry right now want to do. What if Donald Trump had been the one who lost the popular vote while she won the election?

RB: When they go low, you go high  Just once, just go so low and then be like, My bad.

RT: Its hard to imagine any immediate action thats gonna actually bridge the chasm of understanding and respect between the people weve just  at least by this last elections standards  judged to be in very different worlds in the United States and who want very different futures for the United States, right? Even culture, whether its fucking Hamilton 

RB: I also only call it fucking Hamilton at this point.

RT: I say fucking Hamilton only because its become this flash point for what kind of American you are. This fight is so multi-tentacled. State, local, federal governments. Voting rights. I mean, if Jeff Sessions becomes attorney general, youre replacing two black attorneys general with basically an old-style segregationist. He is going to have the police killing cases that have been opened by Loretta Lynch. Everybodys so upset, but we dont actually have a lot of practice with protest in this country.

RB: We need McKinsey to come in.

RT: Like protest consultants? [Laughs.]

RB: Theres good and bad in not having any real nonelected leadership in this country, you know. Were past the age of preachers who would come lead.

RT: And now we understand that theyre so incomplete as leaders. Thats one of the problems with Obama and Clinton, even in political leadership, is that these singular leaders do not represent the perspectives of the vast numbers of people who they would aim to lead. Ive been thinking a lot about the womens march scheduled for Inauguration weekend. I actually do think it can be psychologically helpful, seeing that mass of people who are also angry. The bad part is when people think, Oh, I went to that march, Im done.

RB: Its on my resume.

RT: Weve been in this decade of massive transition about who can have what kinds of power in this country, and we havent identified it as a period of massive transition. Its one of the reasons that this election came as such a shock  it hasnt looked like earlier eras, in which there were marches. Some of it has been invisible, or its been on social media. Having the march makes it clearer  both to those who participate in that protest and to those who oppose it. But its unfortunate that the original organizers, who were white women, co-opted the name from the Million Man March, and in fact a Million Woman March that already happened, both led by African-Americans. Its especially problematic given that this was in the fallout from an election in which 53 percent of white women voters picked Trump. And that it also was planned for a weekend that is structurally prohibitive and exclusive, because hotels in Washington, D.C., are like $1,200 a night, in a city that will be filled with Trump supporters who we now know with some assuredness have some anger toward women. Theyre creating a dangerous situation. That said, there are a lot of people coming. Theres no undoing the march.

RB: Some of the stuff Ive seen about that march is like, Oh, were not gonna be protesting Trump. Its a march about unity. How do you express your resistance to the power structure thats just been voted into power? Do you express it through anger or through putting forth a more positive vision? This is obviously one of the things that plagued the Clinton campaign. She chose criticism of Trump. But Id say probably 2 percent of chants that I hear at protests are like Believe in the future, Things will be better. The protest energy is inherently frustrated. I do think that it is possible to have a unified front while not having one message. These are not normal times, you know?

RT: This Clinton campaign was the closest weve ever seen to an intersectional political campaign in which there was not a Sister Souljah moment. Where nobodys particular cause was directly sold out by the candidate or the platform. In fact, the white working class did view it as an intersectional campaign and was incredibly threatened by it. Now we need to make it clear that there are divergent reasons to be fearful, and to protest. That all kinds of people are scheduled to suffer  but understand that deportations are very closely tied to criminal-justice reform, which is very closely tied to minimum-wage hikes, etc.

RB: Theyre not siloed.

RT: At the same time that we need to have people moving into electoral politics, because theres this feeling right now  and Ive heard it from people who have just come out of this electoral cycle  of Forget it, this failed.

RB: A very normal thing of the past is you had your job and you have your activist job. Like my grandfather, you know, worked at the post office and also worked with the NAACP.

RT: My grandmother worked for Social Services and was in the Communist Party. But also, some of the work is getting people to remember that electoral politics does not just exist every four years on a presidential level. Its not just even in 2018; its 2017, in local elections.

RB: So people need to march in D.C.  but also move out of D.C. and New York to the Midwest.

*This article appears in the November 28, 2016, issue of New York Magazine.
she is so brave. good for her for continue to speak up on it. i have a lot of respect for her.



but i couldn't finish this, it's too heavy.

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I had a similar problem :( I wasn't afraid all the time, just when he drank. Honestly, the first, and until now only, person I talked to about it was his mom. She had experienced it with his father. It like clicked that this was a cycle and it wasn't going to stop and I didn't want that for the rest of my life. We aren't together now, but we're still really close. He doesn't understand that we will never get back together because I can't live my life afraid of my partner.

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http://www.thehotline.org/help/



That is the national hotline, if it's safe to do so, you can call them. Do you live with your bf? Do you have people you trust nearby? That is the national hotline, if it's safe to do so, you can call them. Do you live with your bf? Do you have people you trust nearby?

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you have so much strength to say that. i feel like others are giving you good advice - and i hope you do have support nearby. i truly wish you the best.

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I was once afraid of my boyfriend and I always thought he wasn't going to do anything but one day he finally hit me when we got into it and my mouth was too slick for him. I fought back and defended myself but it shouldn't have come to that point. I was jumpy around him after that but I didn't leave until he hit me again. If you can manage it, set up a plan with a trusted loved one and leave before it gets messy. A relationship shouldn't have fear.

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sending so, so much love to you boo. Next step: tell someone you can trust irl and, if you need it and can, start getting together your 'fuck off' funds. message if you wanna talk about it <3

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I'm so sorry you're in that situation.



What's important is to have a plan in place.



Self defense classes don't hurt/having mace on hand.



Have an exit route and a support system in place. Mind you, once you tell them what is going on, they will be insistent you leave right then and there. But it's important to move at a pace you're comfortable with.



Or, if you feel there is potential in the relationship, speak with a counselor. The both of you.

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I've been there. You realizing this is a big first step. Now you need to find a trusted friend or family member that he doesn't have access to and tell them this also. Hopefully then you and this friend can work together to quietly get you out of that situation, assuming you live with him. I definitely don't recommend you telling him any of this.

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seek the support of a local shelter~

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girl, you already slayed step 1 (admitting the problem). Now, you just gotta find someone you can trust and progressively make your way out of his life.

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You are so brave for speaking up.



When you are in a safe space, call the National Domestic Abuse Hotline 18007997233. They can help you figure out what to do next/what your options are.



I'm not sure what state you're in but there might be local resources available too (if you're in MA, let me know and I can provide you with some).



Remember that you are not alone. You deserve to be safe. This is not your fault. There are people who care about you and want to help you.



<3

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Sorry bb that's so horrible. I have no experience with this kinda thing but how about a restraining order?

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Idk, this comes across as weirdly inauthentic to me? Maybe it's the choppiness of the editing. It feels all over the place.

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i think its the person directing it trying to make it seem like a casual convo that flows and has key phrases/words in it and it just turned out messy, its not amber's fault

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Yeah, I noticed that; the editing's weird and it seems partially ad-libbed, partially scripted. But the intention is good, obviously.

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She's really strong for speaking out



fuck it pisses me off though the way people respond to this, or to any public acknowledgement about Domestic Violence against women really



anytime I see a comment section of a news article it's "This happens just as much to men too, but no one seems to care about them!" "Women are just as bad!"



like yes, men can be victims too but that's not what we're talking about right now, and the majority of perpetrators of the voilence against both men and women are men.

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exactly, when you look at all the violent acts men make in society. also the fact that other men see men as a threat but don't so much as flinch at a woman when out and about day-to-day says something.



it also pisses me off how a few false allegations of abuse means that no one can be trusted when speaking out.

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exactly, the comment section is already full of idiots spewing shit about ~feminazis~

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K so i'm wondering why does chris brown get his career ruined but not johny? He's still hollywood's darling, and it makes me sick..it's like nothing happened.. maybe its because Amber wasn't as equiventally famous as JD? (Compared to rihanna/CB)

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cause he's white

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Zing

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yup, was hoping this was one of the first responses

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Except Chris Browns career isn't ruined. Where have you been? He's still making hits and touring and raking in cash and has hordes of sad women defending him.

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He's a white male with a long career & powerful connections. If Disney would have dropped him, other celebs, big ones called him out, and if WB didn't put him in another franchise, he would start to lose all that.

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Chris Brown has faced more scrutiny because he's black, but lbr he's doing just fine and is extremely successful even after he was unrepentant about assaulting Rihanna.

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Chris Brown had his career ruined? When was that? Was it after one of the 4 times his albums went platinum after 2009?

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CB was still relatively new to the industry when the incident happened, which makes it extra shocking he's still around. But he's doing just fine.



Edited at 2016-11-26 03:51 am (UTC)

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I don't know a time over the past couple of years when Chris Brown hasn't been on the radio. Ruined is extreme. He had a speed bump in his career.

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One could assume that it's to do with race, but I think there's enough shitty men all around to sorta tell you that's not ALWAYS the case. 9/10, but not always, lol. I mean Terrence Howard is on one of the biggest television shows in recent years, and steadily works in the business. James Brown, Michael Jackson, and several other performers had careers long after their shit was exposed.



I think Chris Brown's issue is that he was hardly established at the time of the crime, what he did was QUICKLY proven to be true, and he's made very little effort to not show his ass since then.



While I 100% believe the accusations made against Depp, and Pitt, and others, a lot of people simply don't care about accusations. It's easy to write off a Woman's claims if there's no proof. In the small period of time it took to confirm the Chris Brown shit, people had already worked up stories blaming Rihanna. Even claiming he got mad that she gave her herpes, etc. Some of his fans still try to shade her. At the end of the day Amber says it happened. He says it didn't. Sadly people aren't going to blacklist one of the biggest character actors in the business because he's accused of something. That video should have done the fucking trick, and it didn't, so we are where we are.



We sorta do the same thing here. Not shade alleged victims, but we sorta pick and choose who to readily believe. If a bigger star (or just somebody we like) is accused of a crime, or other bullshit (abuse, rape, etc) we instinctively say stuff like "I hope it's not true". But, if somebody we don't know, or couldn't care less about is accused of the same stuff we instantly reply with "Ugh, what a monster" or something to that effect.





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Chris Brown is different because Rihanna had police pictures. Amber's weren't released by police, i don't think.



Also CB apologized for the abuse and admitted to it + served jail time. Depp has not been formerly charged or convicted of abuse. CB also continues to shoot himself in the foot.



I know we want to say it's race but Rihanna got dragged just as hard as Amber did even after the pictures leaked. Also Rihanna became much more likeable after the CB beating. Before Rihanna RARELY did interviews, her nickname was "Rihbot" during the time because she seemed so blank. Now of course we know her to be sassy, lively, compassionate, and funny. Amber doesn't have that perception right now.

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i hardly think chris brown's career has been ruined. his reputation, yeah, but not his career. and while race most definitely plays a part in how he's received by the general public and people like depp or others, it's not really the only part. rihanna's level of fame and chris's attitude after (being flippant right after, as well as his violence since) played a huge part, as well as the fact that it played out live in front of all of us. the world knew about it the night it happened, we saw horribly graphic pictures of what he did to rihanna really soon after, the entire fall out was real time. whereas here, as in most cases, it tends to be a woman finally coming forward long after the fact, which always gets the same transparent reaction. had rihanna come out years after their break up and said he abused her, i doubt chris would've face nearly the kind of backlash he has

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like everyone said, his career wasn't ruined, in any case definitely not right after the abuse became public knowledge. if his career did slow down (which is debatable, considering the circumstances), was bc of everything that happened afterwards: the good morning america violent outburst in 2011, when he stole a fan's phone in 2012, fighting with drake + fighting and calling frank ocean a f***** + fighting with a fan + accused of assaulting a woman AGAIN + being involved in a hit and run, all this in 2013 alone, being kicked out of rehab and jailed in 2014, 5 people shot at his party in 2015. see what i mean? it's shocking that this dude even has a career at all by now.

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a big part of it is chris brown was still pretty new (had only a couple of hits) and the pictures were so violent and undeniable. there was no ambiguity

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I wouldnt even say Chris Browns career was ruined

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they really let her say all of those powerful things with her mic inside of her jacket. muffled masterpiece.

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She's awesome, it's great that she did this.

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I have a lot of respect for Amber.

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i just want to hug her



people still say this abuse was "alleged"

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idg why people still say "alleged" or act like they don't believe it. all it takes is watching that one video where she secretly recorded him on her computer of him screaming and smashing shit to know what really went down in that house.

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they have to for legal reasons.

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I think they say alleged for legal reasons, so they won't be sued, since he wasn't found guilty.

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Poor Amber, she's really brave for talking about this especially when it's still so raw and recent.



Also this year has made me really disillusioned about men ever facing consequences for assaulting women and/or children. Donald Trump is president elect, no one gives a fuck about Johnny Depp assaulting Amber, Brad Pitt likely assaulted his own kid and was likely fighting with Angelina Jolie so much that her child felt he had to step between them and no one cares about that either.



More men need to be coming forward and talking about how this is wrong because clearly no one gives a shit when women do.

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^



You couldn't pay me to date a man in this day and age frankly. I'm happy she keeps speaking out about this and hate how people have treated her.

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it's truly alarming

my trust of men has plummeted from how low it even was before

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mte, it's fucking disheartening



and i feel like even when men denounce it it's STILL not taken seriously

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bc they're just whiteknighting and being betas bc they think it'll get them dates ofc!!!



i'm just convinced most men don't want to admit they like the idea of people able to hurt women and get away with it

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or they're bullied, like "I'M TAKIN YR MAN CARD NOW"

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It's like no matter what abuse a man dishes out it's never "bad enough" to be taken seriously, and sadly I don't see that changing (in my lifetime anyway).

And sidenote, no one can convince me that Brad wasn't abusing Angelina too (even though she hasn't said it). Screaming in your partner's face is abuse and I'm sure it went beyond that anyway. I truly hope she and her kids will be safe.

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It's honestly so disheartening to realize the extent of how little we care about abused women-the man will likely not face consequences legally or professionally and if you share mutual friends with him most of them will abandon you either because they "don't want to get involved" or are irritated by you "causing drama." So you'll be stuck traumatized, a social pariah at worse, almost friendless at best, and knowing deep down that he'll do this again to someone else because he has no incentive to stop. One of my good friends went through this process two years ago and it shook me to my core to watch so many of our mutual friends turn on her because they were also friends with her boyfriend who abused her.

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ia, we need more men who claim to be feminists speaking the fuck up about intimate partner and domestic violence because no one ever listens to us women when we do.

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I honestly believe that one of the (many) reasons men get away with this shit is because so many other men are also abusive and misogynist and they sympathize with them.

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More men need to be coming forward and talking about how this is wrong because clearly no one gives a shit when women do.



mfte. As far as I'm concerned, this is on men to talk about and take up. I wish every man who complained that not all men! would raise their voices just as loudly against every man who does do this kind of shit because *they're* the ones making it nigh on impossible to trust men, not the women who speak out against them.



I remember reading a tweet years ago that said domestic violence should be as repulsive to men as talk of periods seem to be.

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There was a huge story that made headlines yesterday in Russia about a woman who called in a threat to her life made by her partner, a female police officer refused to send help saying not to worry they'd send someone once she's dead to take care of her corpse. She ended up being murdered.

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this reminds me of Hally Berry saying how hard it is to get people to donate to women shelters, and that practically every other cause is seen as more worthwhile and valid.

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And people wonder why women don't come forward about this stuff :\ It's really disheartening

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Good on her this was very very brave

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Whenever a woman comes forward there's always at least that 1 asshole who calls her a liar and people wonder why a lot of women don't report abuse.

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Hate his heffa and I've hated her since Pineapple Express. Every time I think she's about to go away she comes right back? Why me? Why must I be tortured like this?

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Yes :(

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A+++ set of priorities there.

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But you had to have read the headline and then clicked on it. Her name is clearly in the title.



Victim blaming: ONTD Edition

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she's talking about leaving an abusive marriage, and looking at her ONTD is torture? okay then.



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Trolls like you are why I'm pro-choice.

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poor you. your life must be hell if an ontd post you can choose to open or not is 'torture'.

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its disgusting how most people don't believe her.

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Kellyanne Conway is such fucking scum.

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And I was going to read her book if trump lost.

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I hate that she gets a pass from most everyone. She's a snake and a fucking half.

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one of the worst parts of election night was seeing her smug face. she's an og Clinton hater from the 90s and it was horrible seeing her "beat" Hillary.

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I hate her and her lopsided blinking

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She's evil but I find her fascinating lol. Like, I wonder how she really feels about Trump.

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I want her to choke on a cucumber and be there to witness it with my own eyes and just silently say with cold eyes "I'm sorry idk Heimlich" and watch her demise



Edited at 2016-11-26 05:40 am (UTC)

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LMAOOO I feel this tbh.

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lmfao

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lmao but tell us how you really feel tho

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how much are the tickets for this event?

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This beautiful image rn step aside Mona Lisa

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her name sounds like a disney villain's tbh

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she should've been aborted

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Trumplethinskin is probably desperate to tweet something about this, and Kellyanne's doing it for him.

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she is straight up evil and will sell her soul for a dollar and power.

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I just remember his withered and half-dead she looked on election night and idk how she's still alive

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She truly is the cum shot ha mom should've swallowed.

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Don't act brand new. They do this every four years.

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yuuuuuuuuup. this is what i've been saying to people. it's political theater at it's best.

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kellyanne pls crawl back into the crypt you clawed your way out of



Edited at 2016-11-26 05:07 am (UTC)

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MTE

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Look who "can't accept the election results"



As if Trump would have accepted them if he lost.

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He was pretty sure he was gonna lose which was why he was saying the system was rigged

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or, and I am not a conspiracy theorist usually, he knew that russia and the fbi were going to fuck with thing. He wanted to paint Hillary into a corner where she had to deny that it was rigged and promise to accept the results, all while he knew that it was going to turn out a certain way and when she did lose, she couldn't challenge it because she was the "rational" one.



you know, if you believe in conspiracies.

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true, but i think secretly he would've been stoked bc he could just go on a whiny press tour about it and then launch a new reality show/tv network, but instead he summoned the worst of america like moths to a flame to vote for him and now he actually has to do stuff beyond avoiding questions and saying isis every 2 minutes.

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right bc using a right you have and spending the money to do it is the same as rallying people to take arms



does Jill know shes supposed to be scamming people? not using the money for what she said she would? smh

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Will it ever get better? I mean even if somehow Trump doesn't make it to the White House, the massive damage has been done.

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It would hopefully prevent a lot of the other damage Trumplethinskin will spend the next four years inflicting on the world.

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Probably not. Even if he doesn't make it, that means we get Pence. The Republicans still have control of all 3 branches now. Every horrible thing they've wanted to push through, is going to go through. Supreme Court? Fucked for a loooong time.

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me too, i feel nothing tbh

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I wish I had money for a new computer:(

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ot but in relation to your caption, i just came back from seeing tlc live and they were everything <3

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How do they do Left Eye's parts of the songs? Do they just play that part of the track?

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this is raelly 2000 all over again if it was also a reality show

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I would agree with this except that bush was a fucking saint compared to trump. I honestly never thought I'd see the day when I would have taken bush over anybody...

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he really wasn't a saint compared to anyone

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I don't get comments like this. Bush was fucking awful.

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He really really wasn't

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Bush being referred to as a saint under any capacity...no

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why Wisconsin?

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alleged irregularities in the electronic voting machines

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they are first on the list because of their filing deadline.

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In a state decided on election night by 27,257 votes, 18% of Trump's advantage was an "error."  David Greenwald (@davidegreenwald) 25. November 2016



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wat

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Da fuq

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hey kellyanne, hillary has 2 million more votes than trump even without the recount

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I do love pointing that out whenever one of Fanta Fascist's supporters trying trotting out the ~people have spoken!~ line. Like yes, the people have spoken, and they wanted Hillary by over 2 million votes.

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Fanta Fascist that is an awesome name for him. I might change my Word Replacer to that instead of #NotMyPresident

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Kelly Anne needs to be vanquished

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I'd love for them to do FL too and an audit.

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Florida passed. Have to petition secretary of state to call for recount

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I can't believe no one is forcing that since Trump has the ties with the AG over the Trump University scam AND the early ballots had HRC with a huge lead

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so glad i voted for Jill. she is truly getting shit done!

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who, besides you, would have thought she'd be the savior of 2016 



america's dark knight

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it ain't saved yet

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i'm glad i lost my virginity to her 1999 hit american dream

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u tried to educate us but we didn't listen!

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<3 it was a pleasure to fight the fight with you sis

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shes not getting anything done

nothing will change.

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nothing will come from this. this was just Jill selling more snake oil.

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i'm so sick of his supporters not understanding(and never understanding,lbr) that this isn't just ppl upset their candidate lost, sure that's a small part of it, but most ppl are dying for this recount/anything to keep him out of office because they're terrified for their lives, the lives of their friends and loved ones, and just the well-being of this entire planet with this scumbag and the demons in his cabinet in office.

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they never will

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They sure love trying to act like they do

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Lmao bingo

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MTE, i was talking to my mom the morning after the election and i was so sad and she thought it was because it was the first time my candidate lost and she was geared up to comfort me because ~it's just what happens sometimes~, but when i said i was scared for my friends and the like she scoffed and dropped that act really quick. like she was annoyed at me for having empathy??

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the amount of privilege in the 'it's going to be okay' claims is astounding. it's really fucking not going to be okay for MILLIONS of people.

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The beginning startled my cat.

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i have a friend who writes popular (i believe????) RPF twincest about him and his brother :| didn't know that was still a thing but there you go.



also did anybody see that hillary is apparently taking part in the recount what

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that twincest ruined everything for me



that and when they shipped both of them with that fucked up bushido guy



and I read about hillary participating in the recount too. I have mixed feelings because I don't want her to get shit on for it. But she gets shit on for simply existing anyways.

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bushido like the rapper???? that was a thing??? hahahahaha

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lmao @ bushido

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I never understood the Bushido thing, where did that even come from? When I came upon a love triangle involving the twins and him, I knew it was time to go

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I don't think the twincest will ever go away



and yes! recount!

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Don't worry?? Sis I'm much more worried that they're still a thing at all

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lmao same, i got so tired of seeing them

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Why? How? Are you from Germany? They were barely a thing anywhere else. It was so easy to skip over them. For all the shit I saw on them, I can't remember any of it, nor have I heard one of their songs that I can remember.

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Nice nice nice!

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This lowkey slaps?

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how long before he comes out transgender?

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What happened to him?



He looks like a cross between Adam Lambert, Jack Frost from "Rise of the Guardians, and some human form of Hepatitis.

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everything he's linked to is sf corny, like a parody of european music from a shitty comedy movie. i just don't get any of it at all

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Their longevity continues to surprise me. Like a Within Temptation.

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Learn more about LiveJournal Ratings in Hello! Your entry got to top-25 of the most popular entries in LiveJournal!Learn more about LiveJournal Ratings in FAQ

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I finally watched it and... it doesn't sound like him? And that dancing is terrible. Flop. :(

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LOL @ him trying to sell that Cape for 400

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Also stars: Sean Penn

Director: Sean Penn





no thanks

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the reviews for this movie are so brutal, lmao



it looks a mess, poor Charlize got played by that gross wrinkled tangerine

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really wish javier bardem had a better career

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mte

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this got DESTROYED in Cannes

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Pass

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I was hoping Adele would do great things after BITWC...

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I heartily enjoyed the brutal reviews this got at Cannes.

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At first glance I thought that lady in green was some reptilian monster and was confused by the description.

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This just sounds like a rehash of Beyond Borders.

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exactly lmao I was like "I saw this film 10 years ago when it was called Beyond Borders but whatever"



my friends husband started that; whenever we're at the movies there's ALWAYS trailer for some overdone plot and he always says 'I saw this movie ___ years ago when it was called ____!" and like, screams it lmao.

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oh that sounds like a movie



Also stars: Sean Penn



You know what to do..........keep it

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My exact thought process.

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Sean Penn is such a hard pass that you could get energy off it.

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will eventually watch this just to join the people who bashed the shit out of it at cannes.

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Wait..I thought this came out a very long time ago

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It premiered at Cannes, but it's just coming out now.

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They should've not realsed it lol

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man lane from mad men is popping up in everything recently

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US President-elect Donald J. Trump in many ways faces the most circumscribed strategic options of any modern U.S. President entering office. Not only has the global context changed  and will change rapidly even further  so also has the United States abilities, tools, and resources to assert itself on the world stage.1

The options, opportunities, and threats, then, are substantially new, not only to the US, but to the rest of the world, and therefore require clean-sheet analysis for every society. Similarly, the scale of urban-regional political divides in the United States and in most other countries is now unprecedented, and this makes the immediate future less predictable than in the past, especially when coupled with global popula-tion movement and growth and decline trends.

The two significant structural changes of 2016  the United Kingdoms vote to leave the European Union and the U.S. election of Donald Trump  were the confirmation that the globalism era was being forcibly rejected by electorates in modern societies, even though the structures and tools of globalization (com-munications, access) will continue to flourish in a changing environment.

Strategic re-thinking may be most difficult for the U.S. itself, given that the U.S. was the pre-eminent glob-al power and perhaps the sole superpower just a decade or two prior. The context in which that condition prevailed has now changed, and faces significant variables in the coming decades. As a result, attempts to posture U.S. strategic policy and actions as a mere linear extrapolation of the past era of unquestioned dominance will result merely in delaying the US ability to respond appropriately to the new global archi-tecture.

Much of the rest of the world is already on the move in terms of policy thinking. The most reluctant to ad-just strategic policy thinking are the close historical allies of the US, most particularly, for example, Austral-ia and some European states. This is particularly evidenced by their sense of denial of the voting changes in the U.S. and the UK, and their belief that the U.S. and UK must return to the status quo ante. Even Canada and Japan are stirring in their understanding that the world is changing, even if they are as yet unaware of the scope of change they require.

Several new macro-level realities are evident, and which are creating new and evolving dynamics:

- Russia and the Peoples Republic of China have broken out of their earlier containment by the West;

- The Five+one deal with Iran in 2015 was one of the factors which changed the Middle East dynamic irreversibly. That factor was compounded by the strategic decline now facing Saudi Arabia, which had  because of the collapse of Iranian governance in 1979 and the decades of isolation which followed for Iran  enjoyed an artificial period of regional dominance;

- The artificial structure of the European Union is in profound decline, but its continued existence in its present form will make it difficult for member states and their allies to achieve any strategic flexi-bility, which may set the stage for implosion. The euro currency is being deployed as a holding measure to ensure a degree of control, but it is also inhibiting flexible economic recovery mecha-nisms within member states;

- Some parts of Africa and the Middle East, now without overarching external power and economic in-fluence to give them structure, are reverting to the influence of traditional factors. Inherent con-cepts of nationhood and sovereignty will begin to emerge, but will be resisted by the modern power structures  the post-colonial nation-state structures and borders of Africa and the Middle East  which were created in the 20th Century, and which have benefited from the exploitation of the inherent wealth of those societies. In other words, older ethnic, linguistic, and cultural struc-tures will begin again to re-assert influence;

- New security technologies and structures are emerging which render obsolescent many older sys-tems and doctrines, and yet capital-intensive legacy systems and thinking cannot yet be entirely abandoned. This is its own technology version of the Thucydides Trap: rising new security op-tions versus declining older capabilities. As a result, the risk of miscalculation in attempting strate-gic confrontation has risen substantially, and in many respects this represents a generational gap in thinking as to how to technologically and doctrinally approach the transformed global architec-ture;

- Totally transformed population cohesion in many societies  due to population decline (in many ar-eas), urbanization and trans-national migration  significantly impacts national productivity and economic planning, but in turn raises the viability of earlier (pre-globalism) approaches to self-sufficiency within nation-states; and so on.2

Managing the Post-Containment Era

It is not merely a matter of recognizing that the past two centuries or so of containment of Russia and Chi-na have ended, it is worth looking at the separate original and evolving reasons for those policies in the first place, as well as understanding the reality that the containment policies could not even be reinstated adequately even if that was a desirable policy. But the fact that the rigid architecture has now been breached, it behooves analysts to look at the options which are afforded to all the parties.

Does this mean that the ostensible neutrality of the global commons  the oceans and open skies/space  has also now been breached? Not necessarily. Does it mean that absolute Western dominance over these commons will continue? Absolutely not. These basic factors mean that new diplomatic thinking is required to deal with global commons issues which are now of multi-polar concern.

Does the end of containment mean that the sea lines of communications (SLOCs) are now less assuredly in the hands of the US-led West? Absolutely, and this condition has been transforming for more than a dec-ade. In some respect, the SLOCs and maritime choke-points are up for negotiation, and the PRC itself has been moving globally to assert its commercial/diplomatic position of choke-point/SLOC control even be-fore, in 2016, it had acquired the military capacity to do so, a situation which is still evolving.

Russias recent and current diplomacy with Turkey and Ukraine has had this issue as a primary driver, too: to ensure expanded, even unfettered, maritime access to Russias south. Arguably, the covert and proxy warfare of the U.S. against Russia for the past eight years, attempting to dominate Ukraine and Georgia in particular, has had as its primary motivation the continued containment of Russia.

Significantly, U.S. Pres. Ronald Reagan (1981-89) had  along with UK Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher  the objective themselves of ending the containment of Russia, a policy which had solidified with the Crimean War (1853-56). The Reagan view was that the Cold War should be won as quickly as possible and that the Russian/Soviet peoples should be integrated with the West.

Successive U.S. administrations failed to allow this to happen, or actively campaigned to ensure that it would not. Particularly emerging as anti-Russian post-Cold War U.S. administrations were those of Presi-dents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama. Significantly, present in both of these administrations was the con-tributing influence of Hillary Clinton and others who had profoundly identified with the Soviet philosophies in the USSR, which the end of the Cold War also brought to an end. As a result, the past eight years of the Obama Administration saw a hardening of U.S. anti-Russian policies and a consequent defensive posturing of Russia which, however, fell short of being expressly anti-Western. Related: Obamas Last Regulations To Impact Oil, Gas And Mining

For the incoming U.S. Trump Administration, the difficulty will be in moving away from the U.S. confronta-tional posture toward Russia (in particular), without further diminishing the perceived national standing of the US. This will see a difficult set of strategic-diplomatic challenges for Washington, if it is not to further erode its standing in the Middle East and Mediterranean while damping down concerns within the Europe-an community, particularly in the Balkan states and Poland.

This will require Washington to avoid being led, particularly by Poland and Lithuania and their historical concerns and rivalries with Moscow, into strategies which are against broader U.S. interests while at the same time preserving a stable balance in Europe. But at this time, for the first time since World War II, Washington must ask itself whether its interests still lie in seeing a prosperous Europe, or whether the U.S. can afford to once again be a guarantor of European peace. It is possible that the U.S. must now consider the cost-benefit ratio of such a commitment, given that the U.S. itself is not at present in a position to of-fer unlimited largesse.

The end of the containment of the PRC poses different questions for the US. The maritime challenge for the U.S. must now differentiate between being able to counterbalance the PRCs Peoples Liberation Army-Navy (PLAN) on the global commons and being able to counter-balance it (and other PRC military capabili-ties) in Chinas near-ocean areas, such as the South China Sea. For the former, the USNs legacy capabili-ties and doctrine retain the advantage; for the latter, the PRC has gained the advantage. In the broader Indo-Pacific realm, and the attendant ASEAN, Suez-Red Sea, Cape of Good Hope and other areas, the power projection capabilities of the US allies (Japan, Australia, the ROC, ROK) and India will be a critical component of the equation, but that fabric requires Washington to sit down for a sober reassessment of the framework.

It is insufficient for the U.S. to complain that its key allies in the region have done insufficient work to manage this situation; the U.S. itself has comprehensively and progressively failed in this arena for the past decade, in large part causing its Asian and Australasian allies to doubt whether the continued alliance with the U.S. could be sustained.

The situation vis-a-vis the PRC begs for a revised approach by the U.S. to its strategic allies, bearing in mind that the old doctrine of containing the PRC within the First Island Chain has been breached, requiring the U.S. and its allies to think of a more flexible strategy for assured dominance of trade routes to, for exam-ple, Japan, the Republic of Korea, the Republic of China (ROC: Taiwan), and the ASEAN states, given that the Philippines (an ASEAN member) has removed itself from the US-aligned security bloc.3

New sea line doctrines will emerge, including the prospect of some Asian maritime traffic from the Indian Ocean skirting the South China Sea in times of crisis or tension. The viability of sea routes south of Austral-ia and into the broader Pacific, northward to Japan, the ROK, and ROC, will be considered. As far as the East China Sea is concerned, it is now clear that Japans strenuous maritime and air power projection ca-pabilities have caused Beijing to approach projection into that region with greater caution than it has done in the South China Sea.

The abject failure of the Obama Administration to take up the proposals by then ROC Pres. Ma Ying-jeou on August 5, 2012, to create an East China Sea Peace Initiative, which would have enabled harmonious management of the areas resources, setting aside questions of sovereignty. There was strong evidence that the Japanese Government would have supported that, as well as the PRC, but for the hasty and in-completely-thought-through response of the U.S. Dept. of State supporting a move by the then-Governor of Tokyo to attempt to assert Japanese sovereignty over the Diaoyutai/Diauyu/Senkaku islands, something the Tokyo Governor had no jurisdiction to proclaim.4 The East China Sea situation deteriorated from there, only re-stabilized by a major Japanese investment in naval and air power capabilities, a process which is ongoing.

Inevitably, the question arises in Japan, the ROK, and the U.S. as to whether the transformed situation calls for Japan or South Korea to consider the adoption of nuclear weapons as part of their deterrence against further strategic loss to the PRC or the DPRK (North Korea). This would be a reversion to 20th Century think-ing and realities. Nuclear weapons no longer represent the most cost-effective (or, indeed, effective) mili-tary capability under such circumstances, and the cost of building and maintaining a military nuclear capa-bility would be much higher than the cost of adopting anti-nuclear capabilities and cyber/information dom-inance capabilities which could more adequately contain a PRC or DPRK nuclear threat.

As history shows, when weapons can be countered by cheaper defenses, or can be leapfrogged by cheaper and more flexible technologies, there is little argument to be had in favor of the more expensive systems. Forcing an adversary to depend on expensive systems which can be countered by cheaper (and therefore potentially more pervasive) systems is a path to strategic success. Building nuclear capabilities in todays strategic environment only has a short-term psychological viability, but a long-term economic/force struc-ture distortion cost.

But this would not obviate a move by the ROK or Japan into the adoption of nuclear weapons for tactical functions, such as anti-fleet or other counter-force doctrines.

Iran and the New Middle Eastern Framework

Irans position vis-a-vis the U.S. remains a point of emotional and jingoistic policymaking for both Wash-ington and Tehran, but this defies strategic logic. The reality is that Iran has also broken out of the regime of sanctions containment of it which has prevailed since 1979, and Iran is poised to once again be the dominant power in its region, based simply on historical unity, resources, industrial and scientific capabil-ity, its agricultural base, and its geopolitical situation.

It can also be argued that Irans revolutionary internal dynamic is now settling on a path toward normali-zation in historical Persian terms. Its framework  although declared as an Islamic republic  actually parallels the Persian norm: its Supreme Leader is essentially akin to the sultans and sultan-shahs of the Qajar and Sassanid eras, which combined the secular and theocratic leadership of the state or empire into what the Turks would have dubbed an ethnarchic5 post, much as the British sovereign combined (and nominally still combines) the post of secular and religious symbolic leadership.

Continuing to view Iran as a solely theocratic state, driven by Shiism, overlooks the reality that Iran con-tinues to be a Persian geopolitical entity. It is geopolitics which drives Iran, and it is Shiism which gives on-ly nominal legitimacy to the clerics who currently control the governance of the State.

Equally, it would be outmoded for the incoming U.S. Administration to view Iran, or the greater Middle East, in terms of its significance as an energy supplier. The age of concentrated oil and gas dependence on the region is over, particularly for the US, and the main importance of the Middle East to the U.S.  apart from its dominance of trade crossroads  is how the region spends its largely energy-derived wealth. With the impending economic constraints facing Saudi Arabia, the medium-term play for the U.S. to gain access to the spending of the region should largely be focused on Iran. Thus, for the U.S. to believe it is punish-ing Iran by denying it the ability to buy U.S. (Boeing) commercial aircraft, for example, or (because of the high U.S. parts content) Airbus aircraft, is almost ludicrously short-sighted.

Similarly, the outrage which entered the U.S. political campaign season in 2016 over the release of US-held Iranian funds as a result of the 2015 Five+one accords with Iran misses the point that the release of Irans own funds to the Iranian Government opened the way for a normalization of relations which would have benefited the U.S. perhaps even more than it would benefit Iran. The claim that the accords did not defini-tively stop Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons itself missed the point: Iran already has a stockpile of nu-clear weapons, including at least several weapons designed and developed by Iran itself.6

But even that debate over Iranian nuclear weapons capabilities misses the point. Ultimately, it is Iran which is the key to accessing Central Asia, at least as far as the U.S. is concerned, and it is also a key area of southward projection by Russia and the PRC into the Middle East. Thus, the incoming Trump Administration would do well to undertake a clean-sheet analysis of its position in the Northern Tier, including an evalua-tion of whether the time has come to support the creation of a Kurdish state which would break up the resurgent Islamist offensive intent of Turkey against the West, the Middle East, and the Caucasus.

It is clear, in this regard, that Turkey is no longer a Western bulwark against Russia. Quite the contrary.

Similarly, while the outgoing Obama Administration is still attempting to maneuver the U.S. into a long-term military engagement in Yemen and Syria (Barack Obamas intended legacy to the next U.S. Admin-istration), the reality must be faced as to whether such an engagement is, in fact, in the US strategic inter-est.7 That particularly must be considered given the questionable stability of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia which, like Turkey, faces a fracturing or collapse of the state within a decade.

The Trump Administration must ask itself what is important to it in the Middle East in the medium- to long-term. For the U.S. to re-start its influence and prestige in the region, the answers must include:

- Security and freedom of transit through the Mediterranean, Suez Canal, and Red Sea8;

- Security and freedom of transit through the Arabian Sea, Strait of Hormuz, and Persian Gulf;

- Stable and reliable access to the entire Mediterranean littoral, including access through the Levant to the Persian Gulf and Iran (which implies a settled relationship with Syria, Iraq, and Iran);

- A cessation of the ability of Turkey to interfere with, or directly oppose, U.S. interests in the region and in the Black Sea (which is currently the case), and therefore whether this demands U.S. support to break up Turkey to allow for a Kurdish state, and the withdrawal of Turkish hostile influence over Cyprus and the gean. In essence, this also begs the question as to whether it is now time to restructure the alliance with Greece, to the extent that a dysfunctional Greek Government would also consider its own longer-term interests;

- Rapid development of the Eastern Mediterranean gas deposits by Israel, Egypt, Cyprus, Lebanon, and Greece to strengthen the already-developing regional bloc(s) which are essentially stabilizing to the region;

- Assist in the evolution of a nascent common market area engaging, initially, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, and Western Saudi Arabia, possibly extending over time to include Syria and Lebanon;

- Rapid cessation of the conflict in Yemen and Syria;

- Cooperative resolution of Nile waters issues, particularly between Egypt and Ethiopia, but also in-cluding possible development of White Nile expansion, linking to Congo River to boost overall Nile water flow;

- Containment of the destabilization efforts against Ethiopia, by Eritrea, supported by others;

- Preparation for a potential break-up of Yemen, and preparation to help ensure continuity and stabil-ity in Oman in preparation for a post-Qabus Government;

- Isolating Turkish support for DIISH (Islamic Caliphate) operations, particularly in Syria, Libya, and the Sinai;

- Reversing the past eight years of U.S. support for the Muslim Brotherhood (Ikhwan);

- Promoting international recognition of the Republic of Somaliland and promoting a return to politi-cal stability and normalcy there, to attain improved security on the Red Sea egress to the Indian Ocean;

- Seeking a new modus vivendi in the RedMed region (Eastern Mediterranean and Red Sea) to balance PRC expansion into that region;

- Reconsider U.S. dependence on Qatar, and the encouragement given to Qatar (by virtue of the Obama Administrations explicit pro-Muslim Brotherhood policy) to support regional jihadism;

- Ending the US ambiguity in supporting its oldest ally in the region, Morocco, on the question of sov-ereignty recognition of Moroccos Sahara territory, and working with Algeria to rebuild Algeria-Morocco relations, and thus bring Morocco into the African Union (AU) fold.

Looking Beyond the EU in Europe

The continued decline in the political cohesion of the European Union, and Britains decision to exit the Union means that the U.S. will need to revert to a country-by-country approach to its relationships in Eu-rope. This will also accord with the incoming Trump Administrations commitment to backing away from a confrontational approach to Russia. It will also mean explicitly stepping away from outgoing Pres. Barack Obamas warning to the UK that the U.S. would put Britain at the back of the queue in trade negotia-tions. Even the Canadian Government, threatened with disruption of its free trade agreement with the EU by Wallonian regionalists in Belgium, has re-evaluated its position with Europe, recognizing that almost 50 percent of Canadian trade with the EU has been with the UK, and that it could actually boost trade even further by pursuing a better trade relationship bilaterally with the UK.

Given that the UK has, by following the same dynamic which elected the Trump Government in the US, proven to be moving toward a more resilient global economic basis, and recognizing that the U.S. needs to re-galvanize its strategic links, the Trump Administration may need to consider bolstering its strategic links with the UK. This would mean upgrading the Five Eyes accords (the UKUSA Accords, providing intelligence exchanges between the US, UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand) to a peer strategic relationship which may ultimately be more beneficial to the U.S. than NATO and ANZUS.

By rebuilding the alliance with the UK, the U.S. could also tap into the UKs ability to re-launch the Com-monwealth as a more meaningful global trading and political alignment.

In short, the Trump Administration cannot continue the Obama Administration policy of thinking of the European Union as Europe, and needs to cease the Obama Administration policy of insisting on the inclu-sion of Turkey within the European Union. Moreover, the U.S. should consider how best to help bolster the protection of European borders against the organized political strategy of Turkey to create the conditions which generate a refugee flow out of the Middle East and North Africa into Europe.

The Trump Administration has been saddled with the former Clinton Administrations move to create crim-inal-jihadist strongholds in the heart of the Balkans, in Kosovo and Bosnia-Herzegovina. That the Admin-istration of Pres. George W. Bush did nothing to contain this threat to U.S. and European interests (and the Obama Administration continued to promote it) does not mitigate the need for the Trump Administration to find ways to remedy the damage being done by the continued unfettered behavior of the Bosnian (ie: not the Bosnian Croatian or Bosnian Serbian) and Kosovo leaderships in supporting jihadism, narco-trafficking, and human trafficking (including organ trafficking).

Dealing With a New Africa

The same forces of identity politics which led to the election of the Trump Administration and the Brexit vote in the UK are at work in Africa, largely undermining the colonially-based modern nation-state struc-tures. As a result, the Trump Administration National Security Council, State Dept., and Defense Dept. should be encouraged to begin re-thinking how best to re-set U.S. relationships in Africa.

Can some, or all, of the present nation-states of sub-Saharan Africa be preserved? And if so, to what ex-tent will this necessitate helping the modern governance structures in those states better reflect the groundswell of internal group identities now resurging? Virtually no attention has been paid by the U.S. to what are presently sub-national (or eclipsed) traditional structures in Africa, and it may be that these will be the key determinants of stability or otherwise in the Continent in the coming decade, as well as in, for example, Ethiopia.

The International Strategic Studies Associations Center for the Study of Monarchy, Traditional Govern-ance, and Sovereignty (the Zahedi Center) has identified many hundreds of currently active sub-national monarchies or traditional governance systems in Africa, and in many areas  particularly, for example, in Uganda, Nigeria, Ghana, and South Africa  these are of growing importance in stabilizing domestic socie-ties.9

Again, the clean-sheet approach to Africa, or any of the other challenges facing the Trump Administration, must include a fresh view as to what the U.S. wants or needs from Africa. If it requires new markets, or stable access to resources, then it will need to help ring-fence those societies which offer them. If the U.S. requires stability of strategic reach over sea lanes around the Continent, or the denial of the geography and its resources and markets to, say, the PRC, then it will also need to prioritize its approaches in that re-gard.

Avoiding the Technology/Doctrine Thucydides Trap

The incoming Trump Administration has, on several occasions, showed an understanding of the reality that the Nuclear Age  the age dominated by strategic nuclear weapons  is now over, and has been re-placed by the Information Dominance age, spearheaded by strategic cyber warfare. President-elect Trump has shown less commitment to basing his strategies on the continued emphasis on nuclear weapons (both stressing their continued validity for the U.S. and preventing them in others) than has the outgoing Obama Administration.

This means that the Trump Administration is likely to be more dispassionate in its approach to U.S. Defense spending than the outgoing Administration in that it may be able to see that future defense planning can-not be based around merely a linear continuation of past technology and doctrine. It is likely to promote a far more innovative approach to resurrecting U.S. defense leadership than the Obama Administrations so-called Third Offset approach. There is no doubt that the Third Offset strategy, introduced by then-Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel in 2014 to offset the disadvantages the U.S. faces against (primarily PRC) anti-access and area-denial (A2/AD) systems, recognized the sliding into defensiveness of the U.S. position. Related: What Happens To Oil If Trump Tears Up Iran Nuclear Deal

And yet despite the Third Offset strategy, the vested U.S. defense interests have pushed largely for linear extrapolations of older technologies and doctrines, rather than for something totally innovative to leap-frog the technological advantages  particularly in A2/AD  of PRC and Russian systems and deployments. The technological/doctrinal Thucydides Trap for the US, as well as for most Western societies, lies in determining how much funding and weight to give the linear improvement in existing forces and structures and how much to give to totally new strategic thought. Too much one way or the other, depending on tim-ing, could leave the nation vulnerable, but getting it right could regain the global high ground.

The incoming Administration in Washington will, however, face significant resistance from the existing mil-itary command structure, which was basically purged and molded by the past eight years of the Obama White Houses insistence on subservience rather than sound military advice, as well as from the defense industrial establishment, which gave heavily in many instances to Hillary Clinton via the offshore mecha-nism of the Clinton Foundation. Pres. Trump will be required to reach deep into the military leadership to bring into prominence officers who have not made their promotions based on subservience to Pres. Obama.

In short, Pres. Trump will need to de-politicize the military, possibly the first time an incoming President has been required to undertake such an action. He will also need to incentivize creative strategic thinking in Defense, and to encourage the next generation of U.S. military and diplomatic officials to think outside the stove-piping which has meant that whole of government cooperation has been avoided. Indeed, the U.S. has yet to see the George W. Bush Administrations attempts at a broader policy approach to security, ex-emplified by the Homeland Security Department, achieve anything like harmony and efficiency.

Successful regeneration of U.S. strategic capability and prestige will not, in fact, come from increasing de-fense and diplomatic spending. Such spending has been increasing even during the Obama years, but to no effect. It will only come through a reconsideration of policies, which may  as with the intelligence com-munity  be better served by leanness than by over-indulgence.

Similarly, U.S. space strategies need to be seen as part of the holistic review of U.S. repositioning. Signifi-cantly, the Trump Transition Team seems to have grasped this rapidly and is expertly advised on the mat-ter, but it cannot allow space strategy to be considered separately from diplomatic, military, and scientific strategies. And, within the Strategic Information Dominance (SID) era, now emerging, consideration needs to be given to redundancy and defensive hardening of space assets. It may also be the case that the milita-rization of space will occur within the period of the Trump Administration.

Within this context, academic cyber analysts have postulated the potential threat to modern computer and electrical grid frameworks from electro-magnetic pulse (EMP) weapons, but much of this stems from  once again  extrapolating older technologies from the nuclear era. EMP weapons are, in many respects, expensive to deploy and are strategically viable mostly if linked with strategic delivery systems and, in some instances, nuclear weapons themselves. This makes them, in the cyber/SID age, far too expensive and clumsy to be viable, compared with more flexible offensive cyber weapons.

The proponents of an EMP threat have overstated its viability, but have still underestimated the vulnerabil-ity to a virtual EMP threat from disguised-source cyber infiltrated attacks on infrastructure. Moreover, the supposed threat of an EMP destruction of low-earth-orbit space assets ignores the reality that such an action damages the offensive power to the same degree that it damages the target. Very few actors on the world stage would risk such a capability; even the DPRK is increasingly space reliant (albeit to a lesser degree than its supposed adversaries).

What is clear, however, is that international cyber conflict has already begun, perhaps on a restricted scale, but also, perhaps, with the installation of pre-placed cyber triggers on the scale required to effec-tively bring down grids on a major scale. The loss of the integrated electrical grid which reaches from south of Washington, DC, up to Ontario, Quebec, and Nova Scotia, even for a matter of weeks would result in the death of many millions and literally the collapse of the U.S. economy.

Even without a major cyber-attack, the U.S. overall infrastructures  water, electricity, bridges, and more  are now geriatric, and it is beyond the scope of a single electoral term to adequately remedy this chal-lenge. The capability of cyber warfare to push the structures beyond the tipping point is clearly there. And the U.S. with gaping holes in its infrastructures cannot be made great again. A number of those who have advised President-elect Trump during the campaign are indeed aware of this, but how much will Mr Trump be able to do in a single term to start the process of hardening the grids and other infrastructural networks in the face of established lobbies for spending on traditional areas of investment?

Not that, for example, the U.S. Navys desire  and President-elect Trumps support  for a plan to move the Navy back to at least a 350-ship fleet is unreasonable. Indeed, that, too, is critical, but with the caveat that this may be the opportunity to look seriously at what may be the most cost-effective way forward to achieve an effective all-ocean fleet. Certainly, the lessons of unjustifiable mission creep which was seen in the Littoral Ship project should be grasped and avoided.

As well, real grounding in learning the nature of the emerging global strategic context is critical before scarce defense funding is committed to linearist thinking on the modernization of the Minuteman III inter-continental ballistic missile (ICBM) fleet or the nuclear payloads. Innovation and creativity are required be-fore committing to next-generation manned aerial penetrators such as the B-21 Raider bomber.

For the first time in almost a century, the U.S. will need to comprehend that innovation is best driven by the threat, and not only the threat from an external rival, but also the threat of budgetary limitation. Brit-ains example of frugality driving genius in World War II weapons development and production is apposite.

The Threat of Strategic Terrorism

The U.S. will need to move decisively against the principal state sponsors of terrorism. Today, the principal enabler of terrorism is Turkey, functioning largely through its National Intelligence Organization, the Milli ?stihbarat Te?kilat? (M?T), but with considerable covert support and alliance with the governments of Qatar and Saudi Arabia. This has been not only tolerated, but in many instances, actively supported and encour-aged, by the outgoing U.S. Obama Administration.

It is critical to be aware that the present overall weakness of most states  including the U.S. and the Peoples Republic of China and others  means that they will conduct their warfare as much as possible through proxies in the immediate future. In this regard, it is important to remember that no terrorist force in history has ever survived and succeeded without support from a hidden sponsor. Forces such as al-Qaida or DIISH  the so-called Islamic Caliphate  all have foreign state sponsors, just as the marxist terrorists of the Cold War era had. But also remember that there are second and third order consequences of this sponsorship of proxy warfare which have been shown many times to ultimately rebound to impact the sponsors.

US sponsorship of the jihad against the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan is what is impacting U.S. now. The ongoing rumblings of the marxist proselytization by the Soviets in the 1950s and 60s is what gives U.S. the Bernie Sanders support base in the U.S. today, or the Occupy movement, decades after the Soviet Union  and the viability of communism  crumbled and died.

But it is important to recognize that terrorism only becomes strategically viable with the compliance of the target audience, and Western media networks (indeed, the global Internet) has become complicit in giving terrorism breathing space. What is significant is that the U.S. George W. Bush Administration also gave the jihadist terrorism movement oxygen by recognizing it as a strategic threat, when largely its threat level was actually dependent on the U.S. elevating a tactical adversary to strategic status.

At that point, U.S. and allied counter-terrorism capabilities became essentially de-professionalized by be-coming symbiotic partners in the terrorism business. A Trump Administration de-emphasis on terrorism would help balance U.S. national security thinking, budgeting, and capabilities.

Achieving Domestic Cohesion and a Return to Economic Growth

The first step in the strategic recovery of the U.S. would be in its return to strength, something which can only be achieved by improved prestige. And if, as the great strategist Dr. Stefan Possony noted, prestige is the credit rating of countries, then a poor economic credit rating axiomatically affects the strategic pres-tige of the United States.

Debt reduction, stimulated domestic economic growth and employment, the visible reduction of what is seen internationally as overbearing statism in the U.S. economy, and creative attempts to build a new era of investment in the U.S. will be critical to building back long-term U.S. global capabilities. This would imply a process to reduce U.S. debt creation through the creation of Federal budget surpluses, something which several U.S. administrations until this point have felt disinclined to attempt. Deficit spending by the U.S. Government has been a short-term tool to buy votes, creating a longer-term certainty of economic self-strangulation.

A full four-year term by the Trump Administration spent on achieving stable economic growth would al-most certainly guarantee Pres. Trump a second term in office, but it does not mean that such a domestic focus should represent a return to U.S. isolationism. Quite the contrary, adept management of a growing economy  even in a situation in which stimulus is created by incentivizing domestic investment and pur-chasing  can stimulate the revival of the U.S. as a net exporter of cash (investments).

In short, the U.S. has not seen such an opportunity for strategic reversal since the Reagan Administration. But only if the incoming Administration adheres to the principles which won it the election, and avoids the compromises which the bureaucratic base of government will attempt to force on it to avoid disruption of the status quo.

By Gregory R. Copley via Defense and Foreign Affairs

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
The U.S. Presidential election is over and climate change is back in the headlines. The bulk of Americas population (if we can still trust surveys and polls) thinks there's a looming man-made climate crisis ahead. 195 nations signed the Paris climate accords in December promising to limit carbon and the attendant rise in global temperatures. Whether it will be effective or not we cannot say.

At another UN sponsored climate conference in Marrakesh, last week, numerous nations including the Chinese, (perhaps responding to certain allegations by the President-elect) seemed eager to address and limit the possible ravages of climate change. The new administration in the U.S., on the other hand, has firmly declared the whole business a hoax, aided and abetted by "scientific" input mainly from domestic oil and gas interests. Rather than join the shouting, lets look at the business and policy implications of some of the positions taken.

We can divide the climate change debate into three camps.

Those agreeing that human activity, especially burning fossil fuels, is mostly responsible for the rise in CO2 levels subscribe to the so called anthropogenic school of climate change. Lets call this paradigm ITHS! (Its the Humans Stupid!) The global scientific community overwhelmingly belongs to this camp. But ITHS! campers may disagree on policy prescriptions. Some even say that the forces unleashed by our carbon emissions are already so profound that a long range policy of coastal retreat and accommodation is the only sensible path.

In the second camp we find those offering an alternative explanation for climate change: that were experiencing a long cycle of ongoing geological change not clearly caused by human activity. The proponents of this paradigm point out that in previous periods global temperatures rose and fell, and glaciers advanced and retreated totally without human interference. The present is merely one such episode. This paradigm well call INOF (Its Not Our Fault). Its proponents often include energy executives with impressive engineering backgrounds. This argument resembles that of tobacco executives who, years ago, tried to dismiss the high statistical link between smoking and lung cancer as not showing definitive proof of causation.

The third camp consists of outright denialists. Coming also primarily from the natural resources sector, they appear to have influence and are likely to affect policy in Canada and Australia as well as the U.S. However, more and more of their activities look like that of the Church in pursuit of Galileo for heresy. If this is the case, then science eventually prevails but only after all the old "cardinals" retire or die. Related: Japan Is Aggressively Buying Up Oil And Gas Around The World

Both the ITHS! and INOF campers can agree that average temperatures around the globe have been rising and rising temperatures means melting glaciers and higher sea levels. They may differ, though, among other things, as to the rate and degree of future temperature or sea level changes.

ITHS! argues for aggressive carbon remediation. INOF, by not accepting the carbon-climate link, would disagree using the old Scottish legal defense, not proven.

Buts lets go back to temperature rise which we should all be able to agree on. If, as some project, a 2 degree increase in global temperatures leads eventually to a 25 meter increase in sea level, that would affect a significant percentage of the world's population residing in coastal areas. By some estimates severe coastal inundation, which some geophysicists consider virtually inevitable, may take place over long time horizons like 250 to 500 years. But smaller rises in sea level, and still severe damage from hurricane storm surges, could take place sooner and that is the issue we need to discuss.

Politicians and policy makers typically respond to the needs of living voters, not to the needs of generations yet unborn. Rising seas as an issue is important. But for many rising rents are a more critical issue.

Forward thinking urban planners in cities like New York are working with an anticipated 2.5 meter rise in sea level versus the climatologists really long term sea rise estimate of 25 meters or more.

Lets assume for a moment that the INOF camp is correct. Global warming is simply a long term process not directly connected to anthropogenic carbon emissions. This suggests little interest in shuttering coal fired power generating plants. But what about higher temperatures and rising sea levels?

INOFers should be totally fine with the notion of rising sea levels. After all, it happened before humans were a factor. Look at the geological record. Even coastlines expand and contract. But if we do accept the notion of coastal or riparian mutability, this leads to a choice: do we fight or flee? Do we spend billions on sea walls, sand dunes, oyster beds and the like? Former NYC Mayor Bloomberg advocated for a seawall at mouth of the Hudson to protect Manhattan. Estimated cost: $20 billion. But the city has also "retreated" so to speak, purchasing homes in certain lowlying coastal communities for abandonment. Related: Teslas Solar Roof Market: Whats The Potential?

Or does it make more sense from the perspective of the public purse to acknowledge the long term futility of coastal fortification efforts and prepare instead to accommodate the ocean? (Perhaps Manhattan is the new Venice around the year 2200 minus the old world charm).

This problem may remain annoying and expensive near term. Only longer term does it become unmanageable.

Regardless of which climate paradigm is correct, if sea level rise projections curently being discussed are even remotely accurate, then by the end of this century much coastal infrastructure will need relocation. Acting on this is the managed retreat response to climate change.

Dr. James Hansen, the godfather of modern climate science, anticipates that due to the CO2 (and methane) weve already pumped into the atmosphere, global ice sheets will melt. The attendant rise in sea levels will eventually engulf all coastal cities around the world within 50-150 years.

These events may eventually prove catastrophic but only over long time horizons. And thats the problem. Global warming has the potential to impose enormous changes and hardships in human activity. But ones that we initially at least only experience irregularly via hurricanes, flash flooding and higher high tides.

A substantial number of adherents to the INOF paradigm admit the earth is warming.

There are some holdouts who deny change and others who say the planet is cooling, echoing earlier claims from the 1970s. But most of the denialist camp admits the truth of the thermometer. The worlds been heating up.

INOF adherents accepting the idea of a warming planet have a choice of three policy options:

1) The government should leave this issue alone for longer. Extreme weather events are not proof of climate change.

2) Perhaps the rising level of greenhouse gas emissions will produce positive changes.

3) Lastly, Hansen and his ilk are right. Its too late. Dont waste billions on inefficient government programs (like seawalls) on a problem that cant be ameliorated in that fashion.

If all the ITHS! adherents joined with the warming planet faction of INOF they would probably constitute a majority.

It would be ironic if our newly elected President, supposedly an accomplished builder himself, turned his back on the biggest construction and relocation project in history due to a faulty paradigm.

By Leonard Hyman and William Tilles for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) is concerned over a missing radioactive device from Irans Bushehr nuclear reactor, Saudi-owned Arab newspaper Asharq al-Awsat reported on Thursday.

Aside from the security concerns, at the forefront in the GCCs mind is what impact the radioactive devicewherever it may be todaycould have on water supplies.

According to the newspaper, the device went missing after the car transporting it was stolen. Thankfully, the vehicle was recovered, but the radioactive nuclear device was not so lucky.

The GCC has contacted the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) over the incidentboth organizations are concerned that Irans nuclear program may pollute the waters in the Gulf, Asharq al-Awsat quoted GCC Emergency Management Center chairman, Adnan al-Tamimi, as saying.

Most members of the GCC  which includes Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, and Oman  desalinate sea water from the Gulf. If contamination from the device were to reach desalination stations, an already critical situation becomes even more critical.

The missing device is set to lose half of its power after 74 days of inactivity, Tamimi said, noting that it still should be handled with care even after that period.

Speaking to Asharq al-Awsat, the Arab official criticized Irans low security and safety levels at the Bushehr reactor, adding that the lack of Iranian transparency about its nuclear program adds further concerns and anxiousness for the Arab Gulf states.



Related: OPEC Cancels Meeting With Non-OPEC Players, Dooming Oil Prices



Irans nuclear program has recently entered the spotlight again after Donald Trump won the U.S. presidential election. In March of this year, Trump said in a speech addressing the American Israel Public Affairs Committee:

My number-one priority is to dismantle the disastrous deal with Iran.

If Trump were willing and able to deliver on that promise by tearing up the deal, Iran would once again impact the oil market, dragging down Irans oil exports from the near-pre-sanctions levels it has almost reached in recent months.



Last week, the U.S. House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly in favor of extending the Iran Sanctions Act (ISA) from 1996 through December 31, 2026. The actadopted long before the most recent international sanctions against Tehranwas aimed at punishing investments in the Iranian energy industry and deterring the country from pursuing the development of nuclear weapons.

Last weeks bill to extend the ISA after its expiry next month still needs Senate approval and President Obamas signature to become law.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
Editors note: This piece is one of an occasional series on nonprofit leaders in Milwaukee. The responses have been edited for length and clarity.

The Clarke Square Neighborhood Initiative (CSNI) is a nonprofit organization that seeks to improve the lives of residents where they live, work, play and worship. The neighborhood has undergone many changes for the better, with the help of leaders and community members. Tyna Rule, president of the CSNI board of directors, is working to improve the quality of life of her neighbors.

Milwaukee NNS: How did you come to be involved in the organization?

Tyna Rule: I was a part of a group of residents, business leaders and organizations that got together back in 2008 or 2009 to birth the dream of Joseph Zilber, founder of the Zilber Family Foundation, to start an initiative to enhance the quality of life of the neighbors. Living in Clarke Square at that time, I was intrigued. I wanted to get involved. I wanted to see what it would turn into. I think one of my greatest accomplishments is helping to launch the Clarke Square Neighborhood Initiative. Naming it, the process, the rules, the regulations, the policies  implementing all of that is really something that is dear to my heart.

What makes you stand out from other people you work with?

I dont know if I stand out from other people. I think we are all equally awesome in our own right. I do believe that you have to reach people where they are, and one level of involvement is no better or no worse than someone whose schedule does not allow them to attend board meetings or information sessions in the evening. We support distributing that information and soliciting their input, because they are a part of this community, as well.

What is the most important quality you look for in a leader?

I think you have to listen. I think we have one mouth and two ears for a reason.

What do you enjoy most about being president of CSNI?

The idea that I am able to be a voice and a face of my neighbors ideas and thought processes, and being able to lift my voice in a manner to support causes that are important to me.

How do you think Clarke Square will change over the next five years?

Its yet to be seen. But I do see the organization gaining more community leaders. Thats really a goal of mine, and many neighbors that I talk to (also want to) identify and help develop leaders in this community.

What is a project that you are particularly proud of?

Our artistic movement in Clarke Square has grown by leaps and bounds. We teamed with other residents and created "Art in the Alleys." We enlist the neighbors to come out and share what they would like to see on their garage and in their alleys  whether its a sunflower or something from their ethnic group, roses, flowers, whatever it might be, to combat graffiti. We hope to share our process so that when you go down the alley, you take pride in your community.


Deena Stryker meets Fidel Castro

(Image by Deena Stryker) Details DMCA



In July, 1963, Fidel Castro knocked on my door at the Habana Libre. I had been scheduled to depart that very morning, having exhausted my funds in what seemed like a hopeless attempt to reach him with my request for a 'portrait' for the French weekly Paris Match. A last minute intervention by the foreign minister, then by the head of the propaganda department of the ruling party, changed what would have been the next 50 years of my life.

I became what at the time was a very small group of people who had experienced the Cuban Revolution first hand. Some of them became life-long Cuba watchers, and I, too, reserved a corner of my brain to keeping up with the Revolution, while exploring the part of the world that lie behind the Iron Curtain, to which Havana had given me access.

Today, from an unplanned vantage point a few blocks from where I was born, and from where I lived before embarking at age fourteen on the life of an ex-pat (yes, I was fourteen), I contemplate with dismay what the world has become: a battlefield between a small group of Muslims that have taken the world's fastest growing religion hostage, globalization, led by my own country, a global left that no longer has the faith, and a rising right that looks different from its forerunners and whose impact will be felt worldwide.

The Europe I loved and whose reunification I foresaw in a book that only an outlier academic would publish, is disintegrating, caught between desperate refugees and American demands that it punish its powerful neighbor, while Latin America struggles to maintain the determination that Fidel Castro inspired to escape that same dependency.

Today, the exiles in Little Havana, Florida, dancing in the streets, seem identical to the ones I joined on a flight to Madrid in 1963, after following Fidel around for two weeks in a prelude to two years of familiarity with Raul, Che, Celia Sanchez and all the other ministers of that time. Those whom Fidelistas referred to as 'worms' were elated: they were "free"!

Since the year Kennedy was killed, there has scarcely been a part of the world that has not been impacted by Fidel's thirst for knowledge, his energy and his generosity. Meanwhile, the US"s protege, Haiti, located fifty miles across the Caribbean from Cuba, has still not recovered from an earthquake that struck six years ago, and the country that obsessively sought to silence him heads into the unknown.

Few countries have had leaders so determined to lift their people out of poverty (in the US, no one has come close to FDR) and those of us who witnessed his efforts, can only wonder how much longer it will be before the rest of the world's South catches up to Cuba.
Duluth, Minnesota (OpEdNews) November 25, 2016: The Nobel-prize winning economist Paul Krugman specializes in macro-economics. At times, he writes about macro-economics in connection with social justice -- a theme that ancient Hebrew prophets such as Amos pioneered centuries ago. However, in his column titled "The Populism Perplex" in the New York Times (dated November 25, 2016), Krugman appears to be unaware that certain other moral themes can motivate American voters to vote for or against a certain presidential candidate.

For example, in the 2016 presidential election, the Republican Party's candidate, Donald J. Trump, made big-sounding statements against legalized abortion and big-sounding statements about the kind of conservative justices he would nominate for the U.S. Supreme Court. But Krugman mentions neither abortion nor the Supreme Court in "The Populism Perplex," his post-mortem autopsy of the 2016 presidential election results and Trump's decisive electoral victory. Krugman did not predict Trump's decisive electoral victory, and Krugman may have been blindsided by it.

Not surprisingly, the Democratic Party's candidate, former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, strongly supported legalized abortion.

No doubt Hillary understood that she needed 270 electoral votes to win the presidency. She won the popular vote by a substantial margin, but lost the electoral vote decisively.

Krugman claims that "what put Donald Trump in striking distance was overwhelming support from whites without college degrees."

Krugman also says, "Maybe a Trump administration can keep its supporters on board, not by improving their lives [economically], but by feeding their sense of resentment."

QUESTIONS: Aren't certain Hillary supporters also motivated by a sense of resentment? Isn't resentment the drive force of "identity politics"? But what kinds of things have contributed in the past to building up the alleged sense of resentment of Trump's supporters?

Krugman delineates one specific example involving the vote in eastern Kentucky, and then says, "The only way to make sense of what happened is to see the vote as an expression of, well, identity politics -- some combination of white resentment at what voters see as favoritism toward non-whites (even though it isn't) and anger on the part of the less educated at liberal elites whom they imagine look down on them."

I have discussed "identity politics" in my OEN piece "What is 'Identity Politics' -- and What's Wrong with It?"

http://www.opednews.com/articles/What-is-Identity-Politics-by-Thomas-Farrell-1960s_Abortion_Catholic_Democratic-161123-743.html

Please note here that Krugman's claim that this is "The only way to make sense of what happened" appears to exclude any other possible way to make sense of what happened such as religious values and the abortion debate.

In the spirit of giving credit where credit is due, I want to give Krugman credit for also saying, "To be honest, I don't fully understand this resentment." I would say that this is an under-statement.

Nevertheless, our Nobel-prize-winning economist ends by saying that "the white working class just voted overwhelmingly against its own economic interests."

Ah, homo economicus.

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From Greg Swank, 12-4-2 You are about to read a list of 45 goals that found their way down the halls of our great Capitol back in 1963. As...


"challenging fun"

- Entertainment Weekly

Dear Paul, I just dreamed of airships flying between raindrops. I just returned from 2042 CE, where I sold my hardcover copy offor seventy million Neo-Euros, because it had your response to this e-mail from way back in 2007 scotch-taped onto the inside of the cover. A Paul Levinson collector paid top Neo-Euro, because of the authentic archaic e-mail printout from you. It turns out that not many of your e-mails from before your tenure as CEO of HBO/Cinemax and terms as United Nations Secretary General will survive that far into the future. So, please respond to this e-mail, to help found my great-grandchildren's fortune. My Will will stipulate that they must share with your great grandchildren. Thanks! Tom
The mathematical (and other) thoughts of a (now retired) math teacher,
Mosaic of images of the Arctic by MODIS. Credit: NASA

Passengers simmered in Jacuzzis and feasted on gourmet cuisine this summer as the 850-foot cruise ship Crystal Serenity moved through the Northwest Passage.

But in the summer of 1778, when Capt. James Cook tried to find a Western entrance to the route, his men toiled on frost-slicked decks and complained about having to supplement dwindling rations with walrus meat.

The British expedition was halted north of the Bering Strait by "ice which was as compact as a wall and seemed to be 10 or 12 feet high at least," according to the captain's journal. Cook's ships followed the ice edge all the way to Siberia in their futile search for an opening, sometimes guided through fog by the braying of the unpalatable creatures the crew called Sea Horses.

More than two centuries later, scientists are mining meticulous records kept by Cook and his crew for a new perspective on the warming that has opened the Arctic in a way the 18th century explorer could never have imagined.

Working with maps and logs from Cook's voyage and other historical records and satellite imagery, University of Washington mathematician Harry Stern has tracked changes in ice cover in the Chukchi Sea, between Alaska and Russia, over nearly 240 years.

The results, published this month in the journal Polar Geography, confirm the significant shrinkage of the summer ice cap and shed new light on the timing of the transformation. The analysis also extends the historical picture back nearly 75 years, building on previous work with ships' records from the 1850s.

"This old data helps us look at what conditions were like before we started global warming, and what the natural variability was," said Jim Overland, a Seattle-based oceanographer for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration who was not involved in Stern's project.

Though earlier explorers ventured into the frigid waters off Alaska, Cook was the first to map the ice edge, Stern said. Cook undertook the voyage, which also covered the Northwest coast, on orders from King George III to seek a shorter trading route between Europe and the Far East across the top of the world.

Stymied by the ice, Cook headed for the winter to Hawaii, where he was killed by native people.

Stern's analysis found that for more than 200 years after Cook's visit the summer ice cover in the Chukchi Sea fluctuated, but generally extended south to near where Cook encountered it.

"Basically, from the time of Cook until the 1990s, you more or less could count on hitting the ice somewhere around 70 degrees north in August," Stern said. "Now the ice edge is hundreds of miles farther north."

That meshes with modern observations that confirm rapid shrinkage of the Arctic ice pack over the past three decades, Overland said. The total volume of ice in summer is now 60 to 70 percent lower than it was in the 1980s, while Arctic temperatures have increased at twice the rate of the rest of the planet as a result of rising greenhouse-gas levels.

"That's probably the largest indicator that global warming is a real phenomenon," Overland said.

With more melting in the summer and delayed freezing in the fall, the once-elusive Northwest Passage is now navigable for private yachts and vessels like the Crystal Serenity, which made the 7,300-mile trip from Alaska to New York in 32 days. The transformation has also triggered a rush to drill for oil in previously ice-choked watersm and an international power struggle over control of the route and resources.

The tensions are similar to those in Cook's day, Stern pointed out. Nations then were eager to find and claim a Northwest Passage, while whalers and fur traders scrambled to exploit the newly opened frontier.

But the data from Cook and other explorers show there were no similar warm periods in their times, said UW climatologist Kevin Wood. "It tells you that what's happening now is a fairly unique and extreme case."

Wood helps run a project called Old Weather, which relies on citizen scientists to transcribe and digitize old ship's logs. Since the effort began five years ago, thousands of volunteers have processed 1 million handwritten pages from whalers, fishing vessels and U.S. revenue cutters.

The data are being used to re-create past weather patterns and improve climate models.

Historical ice measurements are especially valuable, Wood said, because existing models don't seem to do a good job of forecasting ice cover.

While models predict the Arctic won't be ice-free in summer until 2050 or later, the current pace of change suggests it will happen much sooner.

Cook's ice observations are also of interest to historians.

David Nicandri, former director of the Washington State Historical Society, is finishing a book in which he argues that Cook - who is usually associated with Hawaii and Tahiti - was the original polar scientist.

Cook also explored southern polar waters, searching for a rumored continent. Though he never found Antarctica, the experience led Cook to question the conventional wisdom of the time that held that oceans couldn't freeze and that sea ice originated in rivers.

"Cook never fully got it right, but he realized there was too much ice to have flowed out of any set of rivers," said Nicandri, who was also co-editor of a series of essays entitled "Arctic Ambitions: Captain Cook and the Northwest Passage" where some of Stern's analysis was originally published.

Cook also described different types of sea ice and suggested that thick walls and ridges, like those he saw in the Arctic, must represent multiple years of accumulation.

"He's never given credit for his pioneering work in polar climatology," Nicandri said.

2016 The Seattle Times

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
In this file photo dated Aug. 16, 2005, an abandoned US Air Force vehicle is seen on Aug. 16, 2005, outside the eastern Greenland settlement of Kulusuk where there used to be a U.S. Air Force base as part of an early warning radar system. Greenland is calling on Denmark to clean up an abandoned under-ice missile project and other U.S. military installations left to rust in the pristine landscape after the Cold War, because Greenland argues that Denmark is responsible for allowing the Camp Century development. (AP Photo/John McConnico, FILE)

Greenland is calling on Denmark to clean up an abandoned under-ice missile project and other U.S. military installations left to rust in the pristine landscape after the Cold War.

The 1951 deal under which NATO member Denmark allowed the U.S. to build 33 bases and radar stations in the former Danish province doesn't specify who's responsible for any cleanup.

Tired of waiting, Greenland's local leaders are now urging Denmark to remove the junk that the Americans left behind, including Camp Century, a never-completed launch site for nuclear missiles under the surface of the massive ice cap.

"Unless Denmark has entered other agreements with the United States about Camp Century, the responsibility for investigation and cleanup lies with Denmark alone," said Vittus Qujaukitsoq, Greenland's minister in charge of foreign affairs.

Camp Century was built in 1959-60 in northwestern Greenland, officially to test sub-ice construction techniques. The real plan was top secret: creating a hidden launch site for ballistic missiles that could reach the Soviet Union.

The project was abandoned in 1966 because the ice cap began to crush the camp. The U.S. removed a portable nuclear reactor that had supplied heat and electricity, but left an estimated 200,000 liters of diesel oil and sewage, according to an international study published in August.

Scientists are warning that as global warming melts the ice cap, the waste could surface and pollute the environment.

In an Oct. 24 letter to Danish Foreign Minister Kristian Jensen, obtained by The Associated Press, Qujaukitsoq asked about Denmark's plans for Camp Century, adding that an international study said the waste includes "radioactivity, oil and PCB pollution."

PCBs stands for polychlorinated biphenyls, a man-made chemical once widely used in paints, plastics and other products, but were banned after they were demonstrated to cause cancer and other ailments.

In this file photo dated Aug. 16, 2005, a rusty container of lubricant oil for a U.S. military vehicle stands among abandoned U.S. military material on Aug. 16, 2005, outside the eastern Greenland settlement of Kulusuk where there used to be an U.S. Air Force base as part of an early warning radar system. Greenland is calling on Denmark to clean up an abandoned under-ice missile project and other U.S. military installations left to rust in the pristine landscape after the Cold War, because Greenland argues that Denmark is responsible for allowing the Camp Century development. (AP Photo/John McConnico, file)

At a meeting on Nov. 17 in Nuuk, the Greenland capital, to discuss the issue, Jensen said Denmark's Environment Ministry was investigating the environmental risks.

"I hope it can be done as quickly as possible," he told a news conference, declining to give any specifics.

Jensen later told The Associated Press in an email that "it is still too early to say who will be involved in a possible cleanup."

The U.S. military was interested in Greenland during the Cold War due to its strategic location in the Arctic. Under the 1951 agreement, the U.S. also built four radar stations as part of an early warning system to detect incoming Soviet bombers.

The U.S. Air Force still uses the Thule Air Base, about 1,200 kilometers (745 miles) below the North Pole. Military airfields in Narsarsuaq, Kulusuk and Kangerlussuaq have become civilian airports.

Several other military installations have been abandoned, some in remote areas, in the hope they would be entombed forever in the thick ice cap that covers most of the vast island.

Local authorities have started clearing some of the sites, but don't have sufficient resources, said Rasmus Eisted of Danish engineering company Ramboll, which has been involved in some cleanup projects.

Eisted singled out a junkyard in Kangerlussuaq containing miscellaneous military equipment from the time it was a U.S. Air Force Base known as Sondrestrom. The continuing cleanup task was larger than first anticipated, he said.

Aleqa Hammond, a former Greenland premier who now represents the mostly Inuit population of the Arctic island in the Danish Parliament, said Greenland could bring Denmark before a U.N. panel on indigenous issues unless it deals with the junk.

"Denmark is responsible for cleaning up after the Americans," Hammond told AP. "I see a potential political crisis between Greenland and Denmark."

 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
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Douglas V. Gibbs is a proud member of the American Authors Association

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As we have reported earlier this month, The Post-Star decided to take the city of Glens Falls to court for violating the states Freedom of Information Law.

We took this extraordinary step only after exhausting all other options.

When the citys Common Council decided to fire its assessor based on a report filed by Bob Curtis, we filed a FOIL request to get the document.

The city denied the request.

We appealed.

The city denied the request again.

We consulted a lawyer from the New York State News Publishers Association who wrote a letter to the city arguing why he also believed the document to be public. The city responded it would release the report if the former assessor agreed. The assessors lawyer said they did not want to get into the middle of the dispute.

So we filed suit for something called an Article 78 proceeding. Each side presents written arguments and the judge rules.

That ruling is expected to take place on Monday.

We dont know if there is anything of significance in the report, but the citys blatant disregard for following FOIL made it an important issue for us.

This litigation will cost the newspaper money that could be spent better. The city hired outside counsel to defend its position, costing taxpayers money.

If newspapers and other media institutions dont fight these battles for citizens, who will?
Criminal arrests listed on the State Police public information website between Nov. 23 and Nov. 25. All charges are misdemeanors unless otherwise noted.

* Valerie M. Pascuito, 20, of Saratoga Springs, charged with driving while ability impaired by drugs and aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle Nov. 23 in Clifton Park.

* James L. Wells, 43, of Ticonderoga, charged with driving while intoxicated and non-criminal unlawful possession of marijuana Nov. 24 on Cottage Road in Ticonderoga.

* Brad W. Fisher, 35, of Gansevoort, charged with resisting arrest and non-criminal unlawful possession of marijuana and harassment Nov. 22 on Leonard Street in Northumberland.

* Brittany M. Columbetti, 30, of Kingsbury, charged with criminal contempt Nov. 22 in Fort Ann.

* Trisha M. Stimpson, 34, of South Glens Falls, charged with petit larceny Nov. 23 in South Glens Falls.

* Anthony Maffetone, 59, of Saratoga Springs, charged with petit larceny Nov. 23 at Wal-Mart in Wilton.

* Mary N. Hill, 54, of Troy, charged with petit larceny Nov. 23 at Wal-Mart in Wilton.
GLENS FALLS  From Alaska to Zimbabwe to Afghanistan to Glens Falls, women and men said no to violence against women on Friday as the Zonta International 16 Days of Activism campaign kicked off in concert with the International Day to Eliminate Violence Against Women.

The incidence of gender-based violence against women and girls is rising, said Lorraine Abess, vice president of the local Zonta club. We need to get men involved to help change the conversation.

And Zonta of Glens Falls, a service organization dedicated to empowering women through service and advocacy, has taken on the task of bringing awareness to the issue of violence against women through the international campaign.

As part of the 16 Days of Activism, running from Nov. 25, the International Day to Eliminate Violence Against Women, through Dec. 10, the local Zonta Club has been working toward creating a visual presence in the community. And the Say No, message is already scrolling on the Glens Falls Civic Center marquee. Additionally, on Monday the backs of several city buses will be wrapped with the message.

The lens we use is that the victim is somehow at fault, said Karen Giuseppe, the local club president, adding that the conversation about violence against women needs to change. If we cant change this viewpoint, the stories stay hidden. We need to ask instead, Why is he battering her?  This is a learned behavior.

According to international numbers, one-in-three women around the world have experienced some kind of sexual or physical abuse.

Violence against women is a worldwide pandemic; it crosses every social and economic class, every religion, race and ethnicity, said Sonja Honig Schough, Zonta International president, in a statement about the 16 Days of Activism. We in Zonta International cannot accept this. We need to use all our energy to eradicate violence against women locally and internationally through service and advocacy.

The Zonta campaign addresses violence against women in all its forms, including violence on university campuses and issues of extremism around the world.

Locally, domestic violence remains an issue and according to the 2015 New York State Office of Family and Childrens Services Report to the Governor, providers across the state received approximately 156,603 domestic violence crisis hotline calls; 11,585 adults and children received residential domestic violence services; and 12,542 adults and 12,913 children were denied shelter in domestic violence residential programs.

This is happening more than we want to see, said Giuseppe. There is a need for education and awareness and we are using this campaign to raise awareness locally. 

Glens Falls National Bank sponsored the Civic Center marquee, and Nemer Dodge, Chrysler and Jeep on Quaker Road sponsored the bus wraps.

Weve partnered with Zonta over the years. As somebody with a mother, sister and daughter, its a good organization to support and uphold womens rights around the country, said Carl Frost, general sales manager of the car dealership. Were on board with their views and thoughts.

After walking door to door and talking to area merchants, eight store fronts on Glen Street will bear the Say No message on 18x 24 posters, Abess said.

And next week, coinciding with the Festival of Trees, Zonta of Glens Falls will hold a gathering on Saturday, Dec. 3 in City Park.

We will distribute materials to raise awareness and educate individuals about resources available for domestic violence victims, what to do if you are being abused, and the mission of Zonta, said Giuseppe. We have Zonta Says No bracelets and ribbons to hand out, along with a bookmark specially designed for this event. Well have cookies and hot cocoa to offer people as they enjoy the day in the park. 

Abess said that it is her hope that people will spread the word.

My hope is we will start hearing stories about women who say, I got help and see the positive outcomes in my life, Abess said. Violence against women and girls is now part of the public discourse much more than ever before, yet, it continues to be a gross human rights violation of pandemic proportions.
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Earlier this month, online retailer Nasty Gal shocked fans by filing for bankruptcy. The e-commerce darling, which sold original designs, vintage pieces and items from other brands, became a social media hit thanks to innovative branding. Fellow millennial favorite American Apparels demise was not quite so surprising, having long been simmering in the pot despite the brands popularity. While both companies cited a number of reasons including legal troubles and mismanagement for their financial crashes, a major, troubling factor was also keythey kept most of their manufacturing within the United States.

The higher wages and management costs of the Made in USA label, although ethical, come at a very expensive price. Midrange brands trying to maintain that status have met with obstacles that fast-fashion competitors can sidestep by offering similar designs with minimum financial hassle.

The global fashion market is now an almost $3 trillion annual industry. While one may think that high-end designers with their expensive price tags are the prime contributors, most of the profits can be attributed to the fast fashion industry. TJX companies, a discount and off-price retailer, for example, generated nearly $31 billion in revenue in its 2015 fiscal year alone. It comes as no surprise then that one in every six people alive in the world today work in some part of the global fashion industry. This makes it the most labor-dependent industry on earth, majority of which is outsourced into the developing world, particularly in Asia, where Western household names dominate. According to Workers Rights Consortium, an independent labor rights organization that monitors the working conditions in factories around the globe, H&M is the largest clothing manufacturer in Bangladesh.

Until the 1960s, America was still making 95 percent of its clothes. In 2015, only 3 percent was produced in the United States and a staggering 97 percent was outsourced. Most fast-fashion retailers see much sense in offshoring their manufacturing practices to countries like Bangladesh, India, Cambodia, China and Vietnam because of their low wages, lax local labor laws and agreements of free trade.

The cheaper the price, the more the profit rhetoric also stems from the fact that most Americans dont really care about how the clothes are made as long theyre cheap. Indeed, a 2013 Gallup poll stated that over 55 percent of American consumers make absolutely no effort into finding out where the clothes were created when shopping. New brands are aware of that and hence paranoid about taking the financial risk of local manufacturing. The entire industry is asking for cheaper prices. Brands will publicly state that thats not the case, but, off the record, if you ask any factory its biggest issue right now, I dont care what country theyre in, theyre going to say intense pressure from their clients to lower the price,  Edward Hertzman, founder of Sourcing Journal Online, a trade publication covering the apparel & textile supply chain, told Business of Fashion.

With something new coming into the stores every week, instead of two seasons, brands now have 52 seasons a year. In order to support this mass production efficiently while maintaining their low prices, they see sweatshops and fashion factories in third world nations as a viable and profitable option. When the Western retailers lower their prices, we are forced to comply and lower our prices and this directly affects what our workers make, a disgruntled garment factory owner in Bangladesh told Observer on the condition of anonymity.

Currently, over 4 million people work within these sweatshops and an average worker in Bangladesh, makes about $67 a month, which comes up to only a little over $2 a day. Today, they are amongst the lowest paid garment workers in the world. Additionally, over 85 percent of these workers are primarily women who have no health benefits or any form of financial security. Unionization is illegal and working conditions only get intolerable. But these low wages and unsafe working conditions are all excused by most large companies under the assumption that they ultimately provide jobs to those who need one. Unfortunately, even tragedies such as the Rana Plaza sweatshop collapse in Dhaka, Bangladesh, that killed over 1,000 workers, has done little to change their point of view.

Opportunities were missed to reinvent the supply chain and I cannot say with any confidence that there will not be a repeat of Rana Plaza in terms of scale. Hundreds of people have lost their lives, been injured or had their health compromised by producing garments since Rana Plaza and the garment industry remains dangerous, polluting and energy intensive when it need not be any of these things. Retailers were allowed to control and lead negotiations in the aftermath and were not selfless enough in the way that they approached them, British author and journalist on 2015 fast-fashion documentary The True Cost Lucy Siegle said in an interview.

But how hard is it for a multitrillion dollar industry to ensure fair living wages of its workers and guarantee the most basic of human rights?

So many of us have been told the sweatshop story based on a false zero sum ratio. Its explained as either improve conditions or take away jobs. We can build better systems to keep these jobs while also implementing conditions that respect the most basic human dignity of the workers and longterm health of this planet we all call home, said Andrew Morgan, post production  he was director of The True Cost. I can think of no other industry today that so clearly forces us to face the implications of globalization, human rights, womens rights, and the environmental collision course were on, he added.

The risks of the flawed supply chain are ultimately carried by those most vulnerable and at the bottom, who have no alternative but to be a part of it. They are the ones paying the price for the cheap clothing we buy. However, the industry is slowly but surely changing, starting at the top. There has been an apparent, albeit slow, shift in the effort to change these manufacturing practices. Kering, the company behind top designers including Stella McCartney have paved a new path in the fashion world, to sustainability. Earlier this year, Burberry announced plans to invest 50 million to expand and move most of its production to the North of England. People Tree, Brooks Brothers and Zady are brands catching up with category leader Reformation in the sustainable style race.

Olaf Schmidt, vice president of textiles and textile technologies at Messe Frankfurt, one of the worlds largest trade fair companies, organizes the Ethical Fashion Show in Berlin and praises the fact that sustainability is now becoming a cornerstone for a growing number of shoppers. Consumers now have a broad range of contemporary fashion brands rooted in sustainability to choose from. For instance, at our trade fairs, more than 160 labels exhibit their collections every season and work in a sustainable and transparent manner.

Because the biggest step towards sustainability and humanitarian-inspired shopping can only be taken by the consumer. The Made In USA label may come at a higher price, but it definitely is the more ethical one.

blue bridesmaid dresses | grey bridesmaid dresses
Lindaikejisblog reports that a statement issued by the Spokesperson for the Command, SP Dolapo Badmos, revealed that one Chiemezie Joseph was arrested on November 16 during a robbery operation at Ilasa Maja area of the State.

ALSO READ: Basketmouth thankful kids did not witness robbery incident

According to the reports, the arrest of the suspect led to the arrest of another gang member, Chibuzor Ugwu, who upon further investigation, was discovered to be the leader of the gang who robbed Basketmouth.

Amongst the items recovered from the suspects are, one Beretta pistol, two locally made pistol, two AK 47 rifles loaded with ammunitions, 12 live cartridges, 2 iron cutters, master keys, 1 Mercedes 4matic Benz jeep.

While parading the suspects, the commissioner of police, CP Fatai Owoseni, said that the command will remain on the trail of criminals in the state, warning them to shy away from crime or relocate from the state.

ALSO READ: Basketmouth thanks God family was not harmed in robbery incident
"At some point while we were dating, Maje had asked if he could tape us having sex. This was a new one for me but I would do anything to keep my man, or so I thought, and so I obliged. But I was nervous afterwards because I didnt want the tape to get into the wrong hands. I dragged the file back to his desktop, and I could tell from the stilled image in the video that the person in it was not me. I clicked play and watched horrified as Maje had sex with Anita.
OccupyGhana said it is shocked, outraged and appalled to discover this: That while the nation is still reeling from the effect of the Alfred Woyome judgment debt scandal, and the stalled and hesitant attempts by the Attorney-General to execute the judgment of the Supreme Court, the Government of Ghana has, on the blind side of Ghanaians, entered into a confidential and potentially lucrative agreement with Woyome, acting through one of his companies, Anator Holding Company Limited.

A member of the group, Nana Sarpong, says the government should abrogate the contract and blacklist Woyome from winning government contracts.

He said: "Knowing how Mr. Woyome has played it with this country, we will say that the government should abrogate this contract or sought of like blacklist him and wait till Mr. Woyome is able to fulfil his financial obligations. Because if for instance a construction company enters a contract with the state and does a very poor job, definitely, they would be blacklisted and they would not be given any more jobs until we find good reasons to believe that they will do a very good job.

In this case, Mr. Woyome is someone who owes the state and he has to refund that money back to the state and until that is done; we dont think [the] government should be working with him."

Mr Woyome has however denied claims by OccupyGhana that he has been given a new GHS35million contract from the government of Ghana.

It is not true. OccupyGhana is just trying to run me down, but I will respond at the appropriate time, he said
He also argued that Woyome's application is intended to subvert the order of this court dated 16th November 2016.

I oppose the application for stay of proceedings on the main ground that it discloses no reasonable ground or grounds for the making of an application for stay of proceedings to this Court pending the discharge or reversal of the ruling and order of this Court dated 16th November 2016 aforesaid to warrant its consideration by this Court, he said.

Furthermore, the mere allegation that the 3rd Defendant/Applicant is dissatisfied with and aggrieved by the said ruling or that there had been misdirection or a series of them is not a fair, just, or special circumstance warranting an application for the grant of stay of proceeding in this action, he argued.

The Supreme Court on Thursday postponed Woyome's application to block Amidu's oral examination.

According to the judge Justice Enin Yeboah, his decision was due to the late service of the application on both the Attorney General and Martin Amidu. He further added that he wanted to give a fair hearing to all parties so no one will feel persecuted as claimed by Woyome.

Woyome has filed two processes is seeking a review of the ruling granting Amidu's request to examine him and second seeking to stay proceeding pending the determination of the review.
"Those arrested are what we call the 'hard core' of the attempted putsch," the minister Simon Compaore -- no relation to the ex-president -- told journalists.

He said the arrests would help speed up the investigation into the failed coup as well as another thwarted coup plot this October.

He also thanked the Ivorian authorities even as relations between the neighbouring west African countries have been strained as former president Compaore has been living in exile in Abidjan since his ouster.

On September 16 last year, soldiers of the elite presidential guard stormed a cabinet meeting and took hostage the government and the country's transition president Michel Kafando and proclaimed a coup d'etat. But loyalist members of the army put an end to the putsch a week later.

The minister said the three soldiers arrested for allegedly taking part in the coup were Roger Koussoube, Mohamed Zerbo and Wekouri Kosse.
Cuba under Fidel Castro established diplomatic relations with Ghana under former president Dr Kwame Nkrumah 55 years ago.

Ghana has assisted the Island nation in the area of materials and solidarity. Cuban in turn has offered scholarships to over 1,179 Ghanaians training in various fields including Medicine and Pharmacy.

Under the Cuban Medical Brigade, Cuba has deployed over hundreds of doctors offering tremendous medical assistance to save the lives of Ghanaians.

The deal to send the medical brigade as first signed under the PNDC regime and was renewed in 2013.

Every year, Cuba sends about 300 doctors to Ghana to assist patients in the rural communities were many Ghanaian doctors are unwilling to serve.

READ MORE:Cubans surprised at the death of Fidel Castro
"I am not convinced at all," she told Pulse.com.gh. "I am still trying to figure out who to vote for. I have not been convinced in anyway and from now till then, I am still trying to see what they have installed for the populace."

Armah, so passionate about sanitation, health and education, skewered the Mahama administration for failing to tackle flood in flood-prone areas, citing her area, Odawna, to support her criticism of President John Mahama, who is seeking a second term.

"I am actually disappointed in the current government. There is a high possibility that I might not for it.

"I am coming from the fact that I live in a flood prone area where things have not been done to curtail it.

"I was looking forward to it being solved, instead, it was used to make a flyover that is going to make the drainage even worse.

An estimated 1.4 million first time voters have been added to the voters' register, bringing the total registered voters to around 15 million.

"There are some interesting ones that I think if they are given a chance to be president, they will do it, Anokye Kofi Owusu, 20, said after saying he is not totally convinced by the pledges of the presidential nominees. I do think the One-dam-one-district is a very realistic one."

He said young voters want messages that can convince "especially those without jobs that when they become president, they will be able to bring out measures to create jobs for the people.

Abigail Ohenewaa Saforo, 21, believes the presidential aspirants are just promising anything to win votes.

"I haven't been convinced by any of them. I believe they are just saying it for us to vote for them," she said.

However, Saforo believes the Progressives People's Party has a message that resonates with her but expressed fear the party may never win political power in Ghana.

"I have been a little bit convinced by the one party that I know will never come to power. That is the PPP."

Beatrice Serwaa Mensah, 21, also said the campaign promises are just strategies to win votes.

"They are all trying to bring out something that will make the public buy into their ideas," she said.

She maintains that building infrastructure is good but added she wants to be a businesswoman one day and that tax reduction or rebate is something so dear to her.
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The Enugu State Police Command spokesman, Mr Ebere Amaraizu, confirmed the development to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Enugu on Saturday.

The sleepy and quite community of Achara-Ndiagu in Nkanu West Local Government Area was thrown to mourning on Friday after the gruesome incident, Amaraizu said.

He said available information indicated that an unknown young man had come into the community on the pretext of praying but later turned violent.

He said the man allegedly cut off the ear of a lady identified as "Miss Nnamani Mary with a cutlass before gruesomely killing one Ifeanyi Mba ,who had intervened to ward off his attack on Miss Nnamani, by cutting-off his head.

It was further gathered that the alleged action of the yet to be known suspect angered sympathisers and allegedly generated a mob action against the suspect which allegedly caused his death, Amaraizu said.
According to a report by Vanguard Newspaper, Bagudu, who was abducted by gunmen in Kaduna on Sunday, November 20, 2016 has regained his freedom.

His brother, Mr John Hirse, has confirmed the release of his brother.

Bagudu was released in the early hours of Saturday, John, retired permanent secretary in the federal civil service and currently District Head of Mangu, in Plateau, said , in Jos on Saturday.

John further said that the former minister washale and hearty, and thanked Nigerians for the prayers and words of encouragement during the tying period.

May God reward everyone who stood by us during the tough period, he said. John, however, did not give further details, and also refused to comment over whether a ransome was paid to the abductors.
The UN refugee agency said one of its teams had earlier this month managed to visit previously inaccessible border areas of Cameroon's Far North Region -- including Fotokol, Makary and Mogode districts.

The UNHCR staff had helped pre-register more than 21,000 refugees who had fled deadly Boko Haram attacks in north-east Nigeria over the past two years and had been living for months with often impoverished host families, spokesman Leo Dobbs told reporters.

"It was the first time we have been able to visit these people and there are believed to be many more," he said, with UN figures indicating a total of around 27,000 refugees were living outside of camps in the region.

Dobbs said the refugees "urgently need assistance", adding that the UNHCR "would like to help and have helped in a little way, but the continuing Boko Haram threat is a hinderance to regular access".

Boko Haram, which is seeking to impose strict Islamic sharia law in neighbouring Nigeria's mainly-Muslim north, has killed at least 20,000 people in the region and left more than 2.6 million homeless in its six-year insurgency.

Cameroon has been fighting the group since 2014, and operations by a joint regional force have helped the Nigerian military retake swathes of territory from the insurgents, although the jihadist group still poses a security threat to civilians.

Dobbs said that while some of the refugees in Cameroon's far north were staying with destitute host families, most were sleeping out in the open, in makeshift shelters or on dirt floors in dilapidated classrooms.

"Others were in abandoned villages whose residents had fled Boko Haram attacks earlier," he said.

UNHCR is encouraging people to relocate to the Minawao camp further from the border, which is home to nearly 60,000 refugees and where they can safely access assistance, Dobbs said.

He pointed out that the UN agency was having difficulty intervening in the far north due to Boko Haram attacks in the area, which have also internally displaced some 199,000 Cameroonians.
Akintunde made the pledge Saturday in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Dutse.

He said barely five days after assumption of duty in the state, the Gwaram police Division and Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) deployed from the state police command headquarters, dislodged a six-man gang of kidnappers and hoodlums terrorizing people of Gwaram Local Government area.

He said the police had received a distress call from a Fulani settlement that some hoodlums had stormed their community, harassed innocent people and kidnapped a girl.

The commissioner stated that upon receipt of the report, a combined team of regular police men and SARS in Gwaram swung into action, rescuing the girl and apprehending five suspects.

According to the commissioner, the suspects have confessed to have hand in all kidnappings that have taken place in the area.

He said the sum of N132,140, two locally made guns, four GSM handsets and two Airtel SIM packs, were recovered from the suspects.

The commissioner further stated that on Nov.17, 2016, some people attacked a 37 year-old man, Ali Muhammad of Jiba Vilage of Dutse local government, inflicting serious injuries on him.
Landscape photographer Melvin Nicholson captured this stunning shot of a ghost rainbow, aka white rainbow or fog bow, in Rannoch Moor north of Glasgow, Scotland.





Like rainbows, fogbows are caused by sunglight reflecting off water drops. However, as NASA explains:



The fog itself is not confined to an arch  the fog is mostly transparent but relatively uniform.The fogbow shape is created by those drops with the best angle to divert sunlight to the observer. The fogbow's relative lack of colors are caused by the relatively smaller water drops. The drops active above are so small that the quantum mechanical wavelength of light becomes important and smears out colors that would be created by larger rainbow water drops acting like small prisms reflecting sunlight.
Mr Isiah Adewole, a community leader at St Louis Ward 2, Unit 22, said he was the first to be accredited but to his surprise, the card reader was displaying, voting after election.

Adewole said that he had to cry out because he believed that with that display, the vote cast was a waste of time.

I came to vote around 8 a.m. and when I voted, the card was displaying I was voting afterelection, he said.

Esau Edawole, also a community leader in the area, said he got to the polling unit, the PresidingOfficer (PO) told him that the machine was malfunctioning.

Edawole said the PO had to call her superiors to replace the machine and the one they brought was still malfunctioning and voting could not start as at 11 am at the unit.

Mr Wole Ogunyemi, the Chairman, Ondo State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (OSOPADEC) also confirmed the claims of the community leaders.
In separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Okitipupa, they said that the card readers functioned seamlessly in the area making the accreditation and voting process to be fast.

They also lauded the security agencies for their prompt action to stop criminality at polling centres.

Mr Wale Adekoya, a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain in the area, told NAN that there was no challenge with the card readers.

I have to commend INEC for their early distribution of materials, the punctuality of their staff as well as effective functioning of the card reader machines, he said.

An Alliance for Democracy agent, Mr Rotimi Olasenoja, also commended security agents for their prompt action to make the election credible.

 We have enough security agents on ground and they are doing their job, he said

Mrs Adewunmi Oloko, an APC supporter, also said the election was fair and credible.

Mr Dare John, INECs Presiding Officer for Okitipupa Ward 2, Unit 017, said that the voters were cooperative and orderly in their conduct, promoting a smooth electoral process.

The electorate cooperated with us and were orderly too and we have no issue with the card reader machine, John said.

A Superintendent of Police and Head of the police patrol team, Earnest Ejong, also said that no suspect was arrested so far in connection with election crime.
As things stand only men can serve as priests or as deacons. The latter are church officers who are authorised to give sermons and preside over baptisms, marriages and funerals but not to hear confessions or give communion, tasks which remain the preserve of ordained priests.

The new commission, which includes six women among its 13 members, has been instructed to examine whether women regularly acted as deacons in the early Christian church.

Advocates of women playing a greater role in Church governance say they did, so there should therefore be no barrier to them doing so now.

The panel appointed by Pope Francis in August is seen as balanced between the conservative and feminist-influenced wings of the Church.

It is not expected to reach any quick conclusions with the two-day session that began Friday expected to be the first of several in an open-ended review process.

Being a deacon was long seen as a step towards becoming a priest but the reforming Vatican II council of 1962-65 opened up such posts to married men with no intention of becoming ordained.

According to the latest available figures, the Church had 415,000 priests worldwide and 44,500 deacons in 2014.

Francis agreed to the review of the deacon question in response to a request from members of female religious orders, whose numbers far outweigh those of monks and priests combined.
There was no claim of responsibility for the three bombings in Jalalabad, the capital of Nangarhar province, which is a hotbed of IS militancy.

"Five people were martyred in three explosions in different parts of Jalalabad of Nangarhar province this morning," provincial spokesman Ataullah Khogyani told AFP.

Khogyani said the first blast was a roadside bomb which detonated outside the house of a senior prison official, Abdul Hakim, killing him and a child and wounding six others.

The second blast came outside the fire brigade office -- from where the first rescuers are usually dispatched after an attack -- killing three and wounding 21.

Dr Najib Kamawal, director of the Nangarhar civil hospital confirmed the toll.

The IS group appears to be intensifying attacks against the government and civilians as Afghan forces, backed by NATO air strikes, step up operations against them in Nangarhar.

Last week IS claimed a massive suicide blast targeting Shiites in Kabul that killed at least 27 people.

In late October, a suicide bomber killed at least six people at a gathering of tribal elders seeking aid for war-displaced families in Jalalabad.
It was the first time Turkey had blamed the Assad regime -- which is given military support by Russia -- for a deadly strike on its troops during Ankara's three month campaign inside Syria.

Erdogan and Putin also agreed to accelerate their efforts to find a solution to the humanitarian crisis in Aleppo, where the regime continues its Moscow-backed offensive to recapture the whole city, which is divided between the government and rebels.

During the phone call, Erdogan told Putin of how the Turkish-backed offensive in Syria was evidence of Ankara's determination to fight against terror, the sources added.

'Violation of sovereignty'

The president stressed Turkey's commitment to Syria's territorial integrity -- Russia had previously said it was "deeply concerned" by Turkey's incursion while Damascus has called it a "blatant violation of sovereignty".

The presidents also backed the process to normalise relations between Russia and Turkey after the crisis sparked by the shooting down by Turkish forces of a Russian jet over Syria last year.

The army said on Friday that a fifth Turkish soldier was killed in northern Syria in clashes with Islamic State (IS) jihadists.

Seventeen Turkish soldiers have been killed since the military began an unprecedented operation in Syria on August 24 to back pro-Ankara rebels.

Turkish planes also carried out air strikes against seven IS targets in northern Syria, the army said in a statement on Friday carried by the state-run Anadolu news agency.

Turkey launched the operation in August -- dubbed "Euphrates Shield" -- in support of Syrian rebel fighters seeking to retake IS-held territory in northern Syria and also to halt the advance of Kurdish militia.

Since it began, the pro-Ankara rebels have captured the IS stronghold of Jarabulus, cleared IS from Al Rai and retaken the symbolically important town of Dabiq without much resistance.

They are now pressing to take Al Bab from the jihadists and will then move to Manbij to ensure there are no Kurdish militia members remaining, as agreed with Washington.

The battle to recapture Al Bab appears to be proving more difficult and violent as Dogan news agency reported on Friday evening that five more soldiers were injured after an IS attack.
Turning the ship before it hits the iceberg
The campaign season continues into full swing in Nye County.

Last Saturday, Fifth Judicial District Judge candidate Lillian Lil Donohue entertained a crowd of about 40 people at the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 10054, while across town, incumbent Nye County Clerk Sam Merlino had over 100 guests attend her fundraiser at Draft Picks bar.

Donohues opponent in the Nov. 4 election, incumbent Department 2 Fifth Judicial District Judge Robert Lane, will have his fundraiser at Draft Picks this coming Saturday night.

I want everybody to have an equal shake. I want people to know when they come in my courtroom they will be treated fairly and they are going to be heard and if they dont have an attorney Im not going to be putting up road blocks up to this, Im going to try to make it as streamlined as possible in the procedure. Im just a real big believer in this. I know as judges we have to act as a buffer between the government and the citizens, Donohue said.

She professed to be strong on the Second Amendment and constitutional rights which must be enforced by judges.

Merlino merely thanked the guests at her fundraiser. Nevada State Treasurer candidate Dan Schwartz showed up to show his support. Merlino, a Republican from Tonopah, is running against her former chief deputy clerk Sheila Winn, a Democrat from Pahrump.

Lane won election to the special election for a second judicial department in fifth district court back in 2000. He has won re-election ever since.

Donohue said she is a strong supporter of animals, children and seniors, which are reasons she ran for the office. Donohue said she is an advocate of the Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) program and was among the first group of women to serve on the Nevada Bar.

Donohue criticized Lanes decision to limit the number of horses people can have in Calvada Estates subdivision.

My husband and I came out here because we have horses, Donohue said. We had nine at one time, now were down to four, she said.
A team of Mediapolis (Iowa) High School students claimed the title of "Titans of Business" after winning the Drs. David & Agnes Palmer Junior Achievement Titan Competition hosted by Palmer College of Chiropractic.

Eight teams from across JA of the Heartland's 24-county territory competed earlier this month in the Scholarship Round after advancing from 59 teams in October. In an online interactive business simulation, the students compete in a fictional industry and are tasked to turn a new product into a profitable business. They make decisions on price, production, marketing, capital investment and research and development.

The winning team included Marshall Rupe, Brock Hilton, Sarah Vorwerk and Lily Bollinger. Their business mentor was Don Schmidgall of HawkeyePedershaab in Mediapolis. For their top place finish, each student received a $1,000 college scholarship.

"Our goal is to provide students with opportunities to see what life is like after graduation," said Tawnya Hambly, JA's senior director. The Titan competition, she said "gives them an opportunity to apply concepts learned in the classroom to a real-life scenario."

"At the end of the competition, win or lose, students walk away with a better understanding of what it takes to turn a widget into a successful business," Hambly said.

In second place, and each winning $750 scholarships, was the Geneseo High School team of Bryan Dellett, Alex Sottos, Caitlin Gilmore and Kaitlyn McKeag. Their business mentor was Brett Decker, Central Bank Illinois. Winning third place was the Princeton (Illinois) High School team of Zakk Welsh, Albert Sadiku, Alec Maish and Brett Schenck. Their business mentor was Rick Clary, Central Bank Illinois. They each received a $250 scholarship.

Lead(H)er gets boost from RDA grant

Lead(H)er began as a spark of an idea to match young Quad-City women professionals with experienced leaders, but that spark is quickly catching fire.

The new nonprofit, launched in August, has been awarded a $25,000 grant from the Regional Development Authority to help fund its Strike a Match program. The program's aim is to connect young career women with women in their career field or community leaders to help engage the young talent in the Quad-Cities.

Since Lead(H)er's inception, more than 40 mentoring matches have been made  putting the organization well on the way to the goal of 100 matches by fall of 2017.

"This grant will be instrumental in making the work of empowering local young women possible,'' said Sarah Stevens, the new executive director.

The organization was the brainchild of Melissa Pepper, a 2009 Augustana College graduate. It was founded in response to the region's need to attract and retain professional talent. In particular, it is focused on empowering women to move into leadership positions in their workplaces and the community.

For more information or to sign up for Strike a Match, visit www.leadherqc.org or contact Stevens at sarah@leadherqc.org.

Ryan Cos. building senior living in Coralville

The Iowa-based offices of Ryan Companies U.S., including Davenport, have launched construction of the Grand Living at Bridgewater, a senior living community in Coralville, Iowa.

The project will include 170 residences ranging from studios to two-bedroom den apartment homes while providing independent, assisted living and memory care services.

Grand Living is a partnership between Grand Living, a senior living developer, and Ryan Cos. Inc., a national commercial real estate firm based in Minneapolis. Its three Iowa offices of Cedar Rapids, Davenport and Des Moines are involved in the construction project.

Located near Interstate 80 and the Firefighters Memorial in Coralville, the development is expected to open in February 2018.
We thank our sponsor for making this content possible; it is not written by the editorial staff nor does it necessarily reflect its views. With tech being the conduit for how our world ebbs and flows, you mustn't allow your skills on the web to get rusty. If you fall behind on gadget smarts, you might as well READ THE REST
Dee Welfer wanted to be one of the early birds on Black Friday.

Her husband urged her to show up at the Farm and Fleet in Moline as soon as it opened at 6 a.m. She needed bird seed, and the sale was too good to pass up.

"If they open at 6 a.m., I'd better be there," the Moline woman said. "Because if I get there at 6:30, everything would be gone.

"And the birdies got to eat."

Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, vies with the Saturday before Christmas as the busiest shopping day of the year.

But a scan of Black Friday "door busters" suggest everyday household items were as deeply discounted as Christmas gifts.

With Quad-City area parking lots full like a belly on Thanksgiving, big box retailers boasted sales on everything from comforters to cat litter.

Half-off prices on video games got Josh Mortensen of Erie, Illinois, out of bed early and to the Best Buy in Moline.

"I got some gifts, but I mostly got video games just because of the deals," he said.

Next, Mortensen said he wanted to take advantage of sales for "stuff for the dog."

For some, Black Friday was a day to spend with a family member and shopping seemed like an afterthought.

Denny Scrutchfield of Coal Valley took his 8-year-old grandson, Anthony Lumb, to the Toys-R-Us in Moline. Anthony, who lives in Iowa City, said he wanted "just books," specifically a Skylanders book.

But what the boy was really looking forward to was spending the day with his grandfather, topped off by going to the movies to see "Trolls."

"He watched 'Star Wars' this morning and his sister brought him a donut from Donut Delite," Scrutchfield said. "It's a fun day."

Some families split up the shopping duties. Katie Brooks of Silvis took her 4-year-old daughter, Tilly, shopping at the Target in Moline about mid-morning after her husband returned home from a 5 a.m. spree at Menards.

"He's more of the deal-shopper than me," Brooks said.

Tilly said she wanted a "new magic wand" because her old one stopped lighting up.

Some were adamantly opposed to shopping on Thanksgiving, which is becoming a trend in recent years.

"I wish stores did not open until Black Friday," said Ali Mickelson of Viola, Illinois, who hit up Walmart, the Family Christian bookstore, J.C. Penney and Target in her quest for secret Santa gifts. "Thanksgiving is a tradition."

Despite finding the Black Friday hustle and bustle and waiting in long lines "crazy," Lindsey Gilbert of Orion, Illinois, also avoids shopping on Thanksgiving.

"Personally, I think it's unfair workers have to work on Thanksgiving," Gilbert, who was coming out of the Best Buy in Moline, said.

After taking care of the birdies at Farm and Fleet, Welfer went to Toys-R-Us to shop for her great-granddaughters, who are 1 year old and 7 months old.

"I always come here for a lock in," Welfer said. "I don't leave until I find something."

Around 137 million people were expected to shop over the Thanksgiving weekend, according to a survey conducted for the National Retail Federation. That includes online and store shopping.

(The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
MUSCATINE, Iowa  The Muscatine Community College (MCC) chapter of Business Professionals of America (BPA) welcomed 10 new members and elected officers for 2016-2017 recently. Newly elected officers are Tyler Flake, president, Joshua Montoya, vice president, Rachel Dudgeon, secretary, Travis Bolton, treasurer, and Joshua Montoya, awards representative. Tyler Flake and Travis Bolton were selected as student senate representatives.

This is my first year being the co-advisor for BPA, newly appointed advisor Corey Frad said. I look forward to sharing my business experience with the students.

Frad teaches financial accounting, intermediate accounting, business professionalism, managerial accounting, payroll accounting, and cost accounting.

The purpose of Business Professionals of America is to support students enrolled in business programs in preparing for the workforce through the advancement of leadership, citizenship, academic, and technological skills. By integrating its programs into the business classroom, Business Professionals of America helps students develop professionalism, poise, dependability, and competence. Through participation in state and national conferences and competitions, guest speakers and tours of local businesses, as well as community service projects, students have opportunities for visiting new and exciting places, experiencing new activities, having fun, and growing both personally and professionally.

Each year is a new experience as an advisor because the chapter reflects the personalities of the students, remarked Angela Henning, BPA co-advisor. The overall potential of this group is very exciting, and we are looking forward to a great year.

Henning teaches networking, network attack detection, IP telephony, introduction to operating systems, TCP/IP and subnetting, fundamentals of desktop publishing, and an IT specialist capstone course.

To learn more about BPA at MCC, please call Corey Frad (Accounting Instructor) at 563-288-6028 or Angela Henning (Information Technology Instructor) at 563-288-6045.
MUSCATINE, Iowa  With the development of new technology and high-performance systems for John Deere equipment, it is critically important that our customers receive exceptional service from highly-trained product experts, technicians, and aftermarket support personnel. Sinclair Tractor participates in a comprehensive training program with John Deere to help their employees reach certain standards of expertise.

Recently, Jason Wheeler achieved Master level recognition and Gaylon Wheeler received Advance level recognition, both for the position of Technician. This level of achievement was accomplished by completing extensive training in the John Deere University program. They each received a special plaque of recognition to honor their accomplishment and Jason also received a Master level coat.

John Deere University credits are earned in various categories to ensure expertise in the sales, service, or parts departments of John Deere dealerships. The structure for this recognition is similar to achieving credit hours in a university. This ongoing training program is just one of the tools used by Sinclair Tractor to improve overall support and service to customers in our trade area.

Sinclair Tractor is a family-owned John Deere dealership serving southeast Iowa, northeast Missouri and western Illinois. For more information, please contact Sinclair Tractor or visit our website at www.sinclairtractor.com.
What does Donald Trump's election mean for the Middle East? A group of prominent foreign ministers and policy experts gathered here last weekend to explore the election's implications for the world's most volatile region.

The gathering, known as the "Sir Bani Yas" forum, is hosted each year by Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, the UAE's foreign minister. Comments here weren't attributable, so I can't identify the participants by name. But it included representatives from nearly every Arab country, as well as America, Europe, Russia, China and the United Nations.

Change itself was welcomed by the Gulf Arabs, who grew to dislike many aspects of President Obama's Middle East policy. But so little is certain about Trump's positions that even those urging support cautioned that "nobody knows" where he stands.

Given Trump's sparse record, several speakers focused on his obvious personality traits. One argued that Trump is clearly a vain man, so flatter him -- as many world leaders have done in their contacts since Nov. 8. Another cautioned that Trump is a volatile man, so don't corner him. A third argued that he's transactional -- a self-proclaimed "deal-maker" -- so look for the deals that will serve the region's interests.

Trump's rhetorical volleys against trade drew surprisingly little comment, given that the UAE is a symbol of globalization. Nor did his anti-Muslim remarks draw any rebuke. One prominent attendee said at least Trump would be anti-Shiite (hard on Iran) as well as anti-Sunni, which he claimed Obama has been.

Perhaps in these mercantile city-states, people doubt that Trump could reverse the momentum of diverse, multicultural global commerce even if he wanted. The build-out is just moving too fast: At a backyard dinner in Dubai hosted by Afghan media mogul Saad Mohseni, I met young entrepreneurs investing in East African logistics networks, Saudi supermarkets, South Asian power grids and a raft of other projects.

Two issues facing Trump garnered special focus at the Sir Bani Yas discussions.

The Iran nuclear deal is the first conundrum. Throughout the campaign, Trump suggested he would scrap the agreement or renegotiate it. But there was near-unanimity here that Trump should accept the agreement as a done deal, and focus instead on curbing Iran's aggressive behavior in the region. This consensus included even officials who had been among the agreement's strident critics.

"Only someone who wants to send us into the unknown world would tear it up," said one prominent Gulf Arab official. "Nobody is really against the deal," said another, after sharply criticizing the way it was negotiated.

Many in this group hoped that Trump would be tougher in challenging Iranian provocations. Trump said during the campaign that if Iranian gunboats harassed U.S. Navy ships in the Gulf, he would blow them out of the water. That's the kind of anti-Iran pushback the Gulf Arabs want to see (albeit with someone else's ships at risk).

Trump's willingness to consider allying with Russia in Syria was the second big, overarching issue. Many Arab officials here backed the Syrian opposition against President Bashar Assad, so you might think that any hint that Trump would partner with Moscow would be anathema. But in the Middle East, political support tends to go with a winner, and Russia looks like the strong player in Syria these days.

Representatives of the Syrian opposition spoke movingly of the human cost of Russia's intervention, and argued that the fall of Aleppo would mean permanent war.

Russian speakers made some of the most provocative comments at the conference. Hillary Clinton's intervention policies would have driven America toward "an abyss" and a "kinetic collision in Syria," said one. "Now, with Trump, we have at least taken a step back."

Could a new U.S.-Russian dialogue -- which draws in Iran, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and the other Middle East players -- stabilize this region and calm its fratricidal sectarian wars? Several speakers explored that possibility.

A Gulf Arab suggested such a concert of nations, including the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council, plus the regional powers. An American expert recalled the Madrid peacemaking conference in 1991, after the end of the Cold War. A Russian recalled the 1815 Congress of Vienna that brought peace to a fractured Europe.

As Don Corleone convened the "five families" in "The Godfather," so, too, perhaps, might Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin gather America, Russia, Turkey, Iran and Saudi Arabia. But experts warn against "Yalta II" -- a new Russian-American attempt to designate "spheres of influence" that carve up the region.

There were no answers here about life in the new world of Donald Trump, but so many intriguing questions.
The use of gerrymandering has given the GOP an extraordinary advantage in governing the U.S. as they are allowed by law, to redraw legislative districts which cram minorities into crevices and political ghettos, weakening their rights for equal representation.

A case is moving upward to the Supreme Court for a decision soon which would help restore some semblance of equality for those voters who are being crammed into districts favoring GOP candidates at local, state and federal levels.

The evil practice is called "packing" and "cracking" and the consequences are devastating for working Americans and others suffering under a right-wing conspiracy to rule by denying others a chance to be heard.

LaVerne Linnenkamp

Silvis
Conservatives beware. The liberal Democratic Party is in attack mode, the party of slavery, segregation, abortion, and anti-rule of law/anti-law enforcement is playing the race card against every nominee appointment of President-elect Donald Trump.

I remember the charges they made against President Ronald Reagan. Remember they said he would start World War III? They called him a fascist. The liberal elitists in the media and academia always falsely accuse conservatives of racism, fascism, and intolerance.

By the way, the Electoral College was put in place to give fair representation to the states. We are a republic, not a democracy.

And by the way, conservatives did not hold violent massive anti-President Barack Obama rallies in 2008 and 2012. High school, college administrators, and teachers did not encourage students to hold anti-Obama rallies.

I don't believe conservatives would've vandalized and rioted had Hillary Clinton won. There have been threats made against Trump and his supporters with little or no media coverage. Bias against conservatism is alive and well. Liberals thrive on misinformation, double-standards, and end justifies the means.

Richard D. Swift

Monmouth, Illinois
NATION

Woman found chained up, beaten

A Northern California woman was chained to an object and had been badly beaten when found near an interstate three weeks after she disappeared while jogging, according to a newspaper citing a police-dispatch recording.

The Sacramento Bee reported that it acquired an audio clip of the exchange between dispatchers and officers in the moments after 34-year-old Sherri Papini flagged down a passing motorist near Interstate 5.

"CHP is on scene and advised that she is chained to something," a radio dispatcher told a responding officer. "CHP is advising that she is heavily battered."

Authorities previously said Papini was injured badly enough to require medical treatment when she was found before dawn Thursday, but have given no details of her condition. Calls to California Highway Patrol spokesmen were not immediately returned Friday night.

Earlier Friday, a family member and law enforcement said they expected Papini to spend her first few days of freedom quietly, with family.

"We are very, very thankful and very ecstatic," sister Sheila Koester, 36, told The Associated Press by telephone. "It's the best Thanksgiving that anyone could ask for."

Speaking separately at a news conference, Koester declined questions about her sister's disappearance and rescue and the ongoing Shasta County criminal investigation to find those responsible, saying she knew no details.

"Right now she's been through a very traumatic event, and needs time with her family," Koester said.

Murder-suicide suspected on hotel deaths

Authorities in Alaska are investigating the deaths of four people, including a 2-month-old girl, found in a hotel room as a murder-suicide.

Hotel staff called Fairbanks police and fire departments to a Hampton Inn on Friday afternoon. When officers arrived, a man found crying in a second-floor hallway directed police to a nearby room, where they found the bodies.

The victims were identified as 54-year-old Linda Hutton, 22-year-old Emily McDonald, 22-year-old McKay Hutton and 8-week-old Teagan Hutton.

WORLD

Mexican police, troops free 81 farm workers

Mexican police and soldiers have freed 81 farm workers from what prosecutors call "inhuman conditions" at a large commercial tomato farm in the northern border state of Coahuila.

Prosecutors say the raid was staged after a complaint was filed against the farm. A total of 68 men and 13 women were allegedly working under unacceptable conditions and forced to spend their wages at a company store.

Such conditions were the kind that sparked the Mexico's 1910-1917 revolution.

All the farmworkers are apparently Mexicans and they have been put under the care of the national Commission for Attention for Victims.

S. Sudan accepts more peacekeepers

South Sudan's government has accepted with "no conditions" an increase in the peacekeeping force in the country as mandated by the U.N. Security Council in August, Minister of Cabinet Affairs Martin Lomuro told the Associated Press Saturday.

"I expect them to arrive at any time. The challenge is now on the U.N. to implement and fulfill their promises," Lomuro said in an interview.

The unanimous decision by South Sudan's Cabinet ends a three-month limbo over whether the peacekeeping force could be increased and eliminates a potential showdown with the U.N. Security Council. South Sudan already has 12,000 U.N. peacekeepers.

The additional peacekeepers were ordered by the U.N. Security Council after fighting killed hundreds of people in the capital, Juba, in July, and set off fighting across the country.

But South Sudan argued that added peacekeepers would violate the country's sovereignty. President Salva Kiir's government said it needed to approve issues like the size of the force, the kind of weapons it will use, and which countries the troops will come from.

Last week, U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Samantha Power said that South Sudan's unwillingness to allow the increased force to deploy was one of several ingredients that have created a "climate conducive to mass atrocities," in the troubled East African nation. She said the U.S. would support an arms embargo on South Sudan and targeted sanctions on its political leaders, including a vocal critic of the regional force, Minister of Information Michael Makuei.
Fidel Castro, the former president of Cuba and leader of the Caribbean nation's Communist revolution, has died, state TV announced tonight. He was 90. His brother Raul Castro, who is the current President of Cuba, announced Fidel's death on state television tonight.

"The historical leader of the Cuban Revolution died on the night of Friday, November 25, at 22:29 hrs., and his remains will be cremated, in accordance with his will," said the Cuban president.

BBC:

Fidel Castro ruled Cuba as a one-party state for almost half a century before handing over the powers to his brother Raul in 2008.

His supporters praised him as a man who had given Cuba back to the people. But his opponents accused him of brutally suppressing opposition.

The funeral details for Fidel will be announced in the coming hours, said Raul. Fidel was last seen on November 15, when President Tran Dai Quang of Vietnam visited the longtime Cuban leader's residence.

[El Pais]
Les and Laurie Shannon of Gillette, Wyo., found a rare open parking space in front of the Rapid City Target Store on Friday and prepared  albeit with some reluctance on Les part  for an afternoon of shopping.

We dont usually do the Black Friday thing to where its fighting the crowds. My first and last time was last year at a Wal-Mart, Les Shannon said.

But here we are."

He said Laurie, his wife, had suggested spending Thursday night in Rapid City, with their young grandson, Kameron, of Baker, Mont., and after a morning stop at Black Hills Harley-Davidson, they headed for the Rushmore Crossing Shopping Center.

Most of their Christmas shopping was already done, he said, so they were on the lookout more for bargains on personal needs rather than gifts.

Black Friday shopping this year didn't seem to have the feeding-frenzy atmosphere of past years, when shoppers stood in line overnight for stores to open and sometimes battled, literally, for limited-time bargain items.

It was that craziness that got some retailers to rethink their strategies and give shoppers a jump on Black Friday by opening on Thanksgiving Day.

The increasing popularity of online shopping and spreading Black Friday deals throughout the holiday weekend have eased some of the urgency.

But with available parking spots at Rushmore Crossing at a premium and throngs of pedestrians headed into stores and out again with full shopping bags, Les Shannon was unconvinced that any of the luster of Black Friday was fading.

What I can see from the traffic  because we come over to Rapid often and wait for people crossing in front of the stores  yeah, I think maybe its a little bigger, he said.

Despite a backlash from some consumers, Thanksgiving Day shopping traffic appeared to be brisk at many Rapid City retail stores.

A queue of perhaps 75-100 shoppers stood in front of the Rapid City Shopko store before its scheduled 4 p.m. opening on Thursday. The parking lot at the Wal-Mart Supercenter on Lacrosse Street was reported nearly full Thursday evening, with Black Friday sales starting at 6 p.m.

A tour of shopping center parking lots before 9 a.m. Friday showed moderate crowds, with traffic picking up substantially later in the morning.

Shoppers at the Rapid City Menard's endured brief shortages of shopping carts in the busy store on Friday.

A manager of a Rushmore Crossing store, who couldnt give a name because of corporate restrictions on media interviews, said the numbers of shoppers had waxed and waned Friday morning before the afternoon crush began.

Aron, who declined to give his last name because he is stationed at Ellsworth Air Force Base, said he started the day shopping at Rushmore Mall before moving to the Rushmore Crossing about lunchtime.

It wasnt too bad this morning, he said. Its super-busy now.

Chris Peterson of Rapid City gave little thought to the idea of shopping on the day after Thanksgiving.

Instead she spent a cool, yet clear late November morning with her dog, a Westie named Diva, on the bike path at Sioux Park.

Id rather walk in the park on such a beautiful day, Peterson said.

Peterson said she hasnt hit the Black Friday sales since the '90s, even when she lived in Denver for a time. She said she especially disliked the recent trend of retailers opening their doors on Thanksgiving Day.

She does shop for clothing, but not at Christmastime. The year-round convenience and selection of shopping online, even for furniture, has dimmed the attraction of Black Friday sales for her, she said.

You dont save that much money, especially when you can shop online and find discounts all the time, she said.

Downtown Rapid City saw steady pedestrian and vehicle traffic with the skating rink at Main Street Square busy with skaters throughout the day.

Local retailers are gearing up for todays Small Business Saturday, with many downtown merchants offering bargains for the promotion started nationally by American Express in 2010.

Downtown crowds are expected to be heavy throughout the day, building up to the 19th annual Festival of Lights parade, set for 6 p.m.

Drivers are reminded that on-street parking on Main and St. Joseph streets, from Fifth to Seventh streets will close Saturday at 5 p.m. for the parade. Vehicles left on the street past 5 p.m. will be towed, according to a release from the city.

There were no reports of violence in the area, unlike a tragedy that happened in New Jersey. Authorities identified two brothers who were shot, one of them fatally, in the parking lot of a mall.

Acting Atlantic County prosecutor Diane Ruberton says the shooting happened around 1 a.m. Friday outside the Macy's store of the Hamilton Mall in Mays Landing. Demond Cottman, 21, of Atlantic City, N.J., was shot multiple times and pronounced dead at the scene. Shadi Cottman, 26, of Clayton, N.J., was shot in the leg and was listed in stable condition.

Authorities did not say what caused the shootings or whether they have any suspects.
DEADWOOD | The city of Deadwood is giving visitors a gift this holiday season in the form of free parking.

From Thanksgiving until Dec. 26, there will be no charge to park in any metered lots or metered parking spaces. The only exception is the Broadway parking ramp, which will still have a charge, according to a release from the Deadwood Chamber of Commerce.
Black Friday could not have been a more appropriate description of Desiree Fresquezs day after Thanksgiving. She and her four boys were told they were losing their home, and they didnt know where to go.

Fresquez, 30, also was at risk of losing her job, and her husband was in jail.

The Colonial Motel, where Fresquezs family has been living since August, issued them a pay or vacate notice on Nov. 19. When she went to the motel management to pay a few days later, Fresquez said the management refused the payment and told her the family should be out by Friday.

A foundation assisting Native Americans told Fresquez she could be forced to leave only with a court order. But on Friday morning, Fresquez said the motel management told her they could stay only until noon.

She quoted a property management employee, saying: 'Oh, youre still here? Dont you know were taking the doors out and shutting the lights off?' They said theyre turning off all the lights and the water and the gas.

Fresquez called her employer to ask for the day off, but the fast-food restaurant said it did not have anyone to cover for her. Her husband had been arrested on Wednesday, and she did not want to leave her sons in such a precarious situation on their own. What's more, the couple are expecting another child.

Now Fresquez is afraid her job might also be in jeopardy.

We came up to better ourselves, get our own place, find jobs, said Fresquez, whose family moved to Rapid City from Wounded Knee, part of the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. Three of her sons, ages 3 to 12 years old, attend Rapid City Area schools, and the youngest goes to a day-care center.

Fresquez said she and the boys did not have anywhere to go except the Cornerstone Rescue Mission, a local homeless shelter.

The shelter was also on the mind of her neighbor, Amber Morin, a member of the Oglala Sioux tribe who lives there with her boyfriend and five girls.

On Tuesday, Morin saw a three-day notice to vacate posted on the door of their motel room. On Friday morning, she brought her four cats to the animal shelter. After lunch, she gave away their Thanksgiving leftovers and some uncooked eggs.

She had checked with the Cornerstone Rescue Mission and found out there was no more room in its women and childrens home. The only option for her and her daughters, ages 8 to 13, would be to sleep on the basement floor of the missions shelter on Main Street.

I prepared to leave, said Morin, who began staying at the motel in July and had Friday off from her dry-cleaning job. "I dont like to fight. I hate conflicts, so I dont want to sit here and argue with them. I get really bad anxiety.

Fresquez and Morin both said they were renting motel rooms that cost $200 a week.

A woman, who said she worked for motel management but declined to give her name, said the families were asked to leave for non-payment of rent. She emphasized that they were not being asked to leave because the motel was soon going to be demolished.

She refused to answer further questions, saying she did not want to be involved in a tit-for-tat with tenants and asked the Journal's reporter to leave. A male colleague of hers shouted profanities.

According to city officials and permit documents, the land the motel is on and the lot south of it are going to be cleared to make way for a new Maverik gas station and convenience store. The new business, with a 5,000-square-foot convenience store and 14 gas pumps, is expected to open early next year.

A Maverik official said the company owns half of the lot and will rent the other half, where the Colonial now sits, from its current owner, Steve Paradis of SBP LLC.

Fresquez and Morin and their children did get a reprieve of sorts Friday night and were planning to stay at the Colonial Motel.

Gwen Caldwell, director of the Medicine Horse Village foundation, which was helping the families, called the Pennington County Sheriffs Office and found out they could not be forced out of the motel without a court order.

Even if tenants receive a notice to vacate the place where they are renting, they may legally stay as long as they have not received an eviction order from the court, said Sgt. David Switzer of the sheriffs office.

But the tenants may later be sued by the property owner for any unpaid stay, he said.

The sheriffs office get involved in evictions only when property owners ask for assistance, Switzer said. Without a court order, he said, law enforcement would not get involved in tenant-landlord disputes.

So, Fresquez spent Friday night on a bed rather than on the floor, but she said she wasn't expecting to get much sleep.

Outside her room, she dealt with the situation the only way she could  by puffing on a cigarette.

The only thing she could say was, "I'm very stressed."

This story has been updated.
Following the Oct. 4 vice presidential debate, Donald Trump's son, Eric, was asked how Mike Pence had done. He answered as a Corleone  maybe not the storied Michael because he was the youngest, and not Fredo since he was weak and destined to be fired in the manner of those times, but possibly Sonny since Eric looked CNN's Wolf Blitzer hard in the eye and said of Pence, "I really think he represented the family and I think he represented the party incredibly, incredibly well tonight." So spoke the Godfather's son.

I don't want to overdo this family analogy but I don't want to ignore it, either. After all, the kids are now all over the place, taking the occasional seat in the occasional meeting with a head of state and almost always accompanying their father as, in the wonderful movie containing all of life's truths (and its best quotes), various Republican pooh-bahs venture out to Jersey to ask a favor (What about Commerce?) and honor the newest Godfather, the one with the nuclear codes, who would permit torture and yet wants the theater to be a safe place.

Just as in the movie, we are not sure what business the Godfather is in. He is about to be president of the United States, yet we have never seen his taxes  all his taxes  and now, during the traditional expressions of loyalties from Republicans who actually went to the mattresses to fight Trump but who now vow loyalty and just plain awe  the meetings were interrupted for some deal relating to apartments in Pune, India. They will be called Trump Towers Pune.

Are there other business interests elsewhere in the world? Are any in Russia? Are any Russians Trump investors? Are any of them linked to Vladimir Putin? Never mind, how could they not be?

When at the close of the second presidential debate, the candidates were asked if there was something they could praise about the other, Hillary Clinton said she respected the way Trump had raised his children. Indeed, in a Manhattan world in which Trump is generally loathed, his kids are considered swans produced by an ugly duckling. Yet, they participated in Trump's business, getting the steady promotions and praise duly accorded the progeny of the boss. How could they not have picked up Trump's business ethics, which in his case is an oxymoron?

Jared Kushner, our Tom Hagen, who married Trump's stunning daughter Ivanka, has lately lost some of this Boy Scout aura. It turns out Kushner's admission to Harvard was preceded by his father's $2.5 million pledge.

After Kushner bought The New York Observer in 2006 (for $10 million), he demanded that its longtime editor, Peter Kaplan, do hit jobs on certain political or real estate figures, notably Chris Christie. As New Jersey's United States attorney, Christie had sent Kushner's father to jail for campaign law violations, among other things. (Those "other things" included setting up his own brother-in-law with a prostitute so as to blackmail him.) Kushner apparently wanted revenge.

Kaplan, a storied figure in New York journalism, refused. Eventually, his relationship with Kushner got so contentious that Kaplan abruptly quit. Even so, when Kaplan's mother died and Kushner and his father went to the Kaplan family home in South Orange, New Jersey, to pay a condolence call, Kaplan intercepted them outside of the house and would not let them in.

Frankly, I think the nepotism law barring Kushner from working with Trump in the White House is ridiculous. If Trump wants him, he should get him. (Robert Kennedy was invaluable to John Kennedy.) Maybe Kushner can occasionally muster the gumption to stand up to his father-in-law  and he could not possibly be a worse appointment than the volcanic anti-Muslim zealot Michael Flynn as national security adviser. But it would be unrealistic to expect Kushner to be anything other than a malleable Trump son-in-law.

If Donald Trump were a candid man, if he had shown us his taxes and if he had not compiled a record and reputation as a deadbeat, then his mixture of businesses and family and their convergence in the White House would be troubling enough. But in his head Trump did not win the White House as the leader of the Republican Party. He won as the head of a family.
Comments and links to reports on science, and its applications.
William F. Marshall

To watch Barack Obama's pathetic final non-victory lap around the world this past week, one can't help but recall his stomach-churning "Apologize for America Tour" at the start of his administration. You'll recall that in April 2009, he went to Europe, which we sacrificed tens of thousands of American lives to liberate 70-plus years ago, and informed Europeans that America "has shown arrogance and been dismissive, even derisive" of Europe.

Last week, Mr. Obama could not resist the urge to dis his country once again, telling the "global community," again from a foreign shore, that in the age of the internet, nationalism (read: Donald Trump) is rearing its ugly head. "Faced with this new reality where cultures clash, it's inevitable that some will seek a comfort in nationalism or tribe or ethnicity or sect," he informed us from Athens. He reassured his audience that "American democracy is bigger than any one person." (Wink, wink, Donald.) Fittingly, he then went on to tour the ruins of ancient Greece, before flying off to Berlin to cry on the shoulder of his globalist soul mate, Angela Merkel, another leader looking at a potential uprising by her constituency, frightened by her insane immigration policies.

The choice of debt-ridden Greece, Europe's worst economic basket case, was oddly appropriate as the location for the start of the swansong tour of the U.S. president who has produced as much American national debt in eight years as all previous American presidents had produced over a span of 220 years combined. One must wonder if Mr. Obama views pauper Greece as the model America should emulate.

These two globetrotting tours by the man-child president expressing disdain for both his own country and the choices of its people seem the perfect bookends to Obama's presidency.

His is a presidency that will likely produce shudders for years to come for all sentient Americans who had the misfortune to live through it, but particularly for Democrats. It was a sheer disaster, both in terms of the reversals the Democrats will see in their policy initiatives and in the depth of Democratic Party political losses down to the state and local levels.

As for the Democrats' agenda, Marc Thiessen neatly summed it up in the Washington Post. Mr. Obama and his Democratic fan base (what is left of it) are going to learn how all of those "accomplishments" of his administration, achieved by means of presidential fiat in executive orders, executive actions, regulatory "guidance," and regulations, can be as easily undone by President Trump. Even the rare policy Obama bothered to have codified into law  albeit with zero bipartisan support  like the Affordable Care Act ("Obamacare") will be gratifyingly rescinded with the GOP controlling both houses of Congress and all polls showing either a majority or plurality of Americans hating it.

And make no mistake: the Democratic Party's political losses this past Election Day were enormous. Due to the decimation that has occurred of the Democratic Party, the Republican Party is arguably in the strongest position it has been in a century, if not longer. In addition to controlling the White House and both houses of the U.S. Congress, as reported by Real Clear Politics, the GOP now controls over two thirds of the 98 state legislative bodies across the country. Additionally, it has control of both the governorship and both state legislative chambers in 23 states, whereas the Democrats can say that of only seven states.

Ironically, Barack Obama turned out to be the greatest gift to the Republican Party since Confederate general George Pickett ordered his infantry to make a headlong charge across three quarters of a mile of open field against barricaded Union artillery. That blunder led to victory for the Union army at Gettysburg and in turn to ultimate victory for our Republican president, Abraham Lincoln, in the Civil War.

Obama's obtuseness in recognizing how a majority of Americans feel about him, his policies, and the Democratic Party he represents continues unabated, despite the shellacking his agenda took on Election Day. He's just the gift that keeps on giving, which he demonstrated in another talk, again on foreign soil.

When asked by reporters if he would adhere to George W. Bush's decision not to criticize his successor's policy choices, Mr. Obama suggested that he will not remain silent as Mr. Trump pursues his own policy course. "As an American citizen who cares deeply about our country," Mr. Obama intoned last weekendin Lima, Peru, "if there are issues that have less to do with the specifics of some legislative proposal or battle or go to core questions about our values and ideals, and if I think that it's necessary or helpful for me to defend those ideals, I'll examine it when it comes." Translation for us rubes: "I'll be screaming from the peanut gallery."

How noble of him. It is just this sort of hubris  this failure to recognize that we do not want to hear from him anymore  that drove Americans crazy and to the polls to throw Hillary Clinton (Barack Obama in a pantsuit) into the political abyss two weeks ago.

I say to Mr. Obama: bring it on. Your constant hectoring of the American people for the last eight years about what American values supposedly are (if I hear that "that's not who we are" line one more time, I may slit my wrists) repulses us. Your professorial sneering and snide comments toward Middle America from your earliest days of campaigning for president grated on us like fingernails on a chalkboard. Who can forget that immortal quote in ad-libbed comments made by Mr. Obama to the Democratic cognoscenti in San Francisco way back in 2008, that Americans in Pennsylvania  you know, one of those "toss-up" states that (shockingly!) went for Donald Trump  are people who just "cling to guns or religion or antipathy toward people who aren't like them or anti-immigrant sentiment or anti-trade sentiment as a way to explain their frustrations"? Gotta love that down-home feel he has for us regular 'Mericans.

When asked by the New Yorker's David Remnick what he told his daughters following his party's massive defeat on Election Day, Mr. Obama said he actually told his children (I am not making this up) that his fellow American citizens are "living organisms" who are "messy." Yes, that's what we are, Professor Obama. Just icky microbes in a Petri dish to be studied and manipulated by brilliant Democratic thinkers like you. If we don't appreciate your genius, well  pfff  we just don't, since we are only one-celled amoebae, after all. Can't pack a whole lotta thinkin' in that little gelatinous blob, now, can we?

So let us hope that Mr. Obama keeps to his word and yelps about every policy President Trump chooses to enact, or every Obama executive order he decides to repeal. That pompous nattering will remind everyday Americans just why, on November 8, 2016, they rejected his party and their candidates lock, stock, and barrel.

Yes, just keeping talking, Mr. Obama. You'll ensure that the Republicans hold a solid majority of political offices across the country for the next 30 years  at least.

William F. Marshall has been an intelligence analyst and investigator in the government and private sector for 30 years. Presently he is a senior investigator for Judicial Watch, Inc. (The views expressed are the author's alone and not necessarily those of Judicial Watch.)
Floyd Brown invented the Reagan-era Willie Horton lie, helped create the Citizens United group, and now owns Liftable Media, including sites like Conservative Tribune (50th most-trafficked site in the USA) and Western Journalism (81st), whence came fake news stories like the lie that Obama had altered the White House logo to include a white flag of surrender (the logo change came from GWB's White House); the lie that Muslims had been "ordered" to vote for Hillary; the lie that Obama had encouraged millennial non-citizen Latin@s to vote without fear of reprisals; the lie that Clinton had a Vegas "drug holiday" before the debate; the lie that Obama's birth certificate was not accepted by experts as genuine  Brown's sites are all included in Facebook's verified news sources.

Brown is a Trump advisor, also identified by Trump's spokesperson as "a close friend."

Laura Ingraham is another Trump ally who's been tapped to be his presidential secretary: she owns the Ingraham Media Group, including sites like Lifezette, which produced the hoax video "Clinton Body Count," which accused the Clintons of conspiring to crash John F Kennedy, Jr's airplane and of complicity with many other deaths, a video that was shared 14,000,000 times after its successful viral debut on Facebook.

Lifezette also produced a viral hoax video about George Soros buying a voting machine company whose products were widely used in counting US ballots (Soros didn't invest in the company, nor does that company supply US ballots). Other Lifezette hoaxes include a story asserting that a Wikileaks-published document linked Clinton to occult rituals.

Most significant of all, though, is Trump's presidential chief strategist Steve Bannon, whose Breitbart News is a font of hoaxes and slanders:

Breitbart News blends commentary and journalism with inflammatory headlines, in many cases producing fake stories sourced from online hoaxes. The site once attempted to pass off a picture of people in Cleveland celebrating the Cavaliers as a massive Trump rally. The site furiously defended Trump's false claim that "thousands" of Muslims in New Jersey were "cheering" the 9/11 attacks, a claim that multiple fact-checking organizations have thoroughly debunked.

Some Fake News Publishers Just Happen to Be Donald Trump's Cronies

[Lee Fang/The Intercept]
John Press

Donald Trump's glorious win has rats scurrying all across Washington, D.C. But it represents an opportunity rather than a mission accomplished. Cultural Marxist themes still permeate our media, telling us that the U.S. is evil and smashing it is noble. For Trump's win to have a lasting impact, he must spearhead a cultural revolution. But how can we change our infected culture?

Inclusivity and exclusivity

To increase our unity, we must counter the multicultural narrative that the West has no culture into which to assimilate. We must reject the globalist narrative that all peoples are the same and the West is not special. We are an English-speaking, tough, individualistic, rights-duties, non-socialist, prideful, Judeo-Christian/Enlightenment-based culture. Our culture is complex. Sometimes it is easier to define by exclusion: we're not a sharia-loving, Confucian, Spanish-speaking nation.

Yet note that this vision is not racially exclusive. People of all races can learn English. And our vision, not being racist, also implies white self-criticism. As Socrates and Jesus said, the soul is higher than the body. As George Washington argued, hedonistic louts cannot sustain a republic. We must acknowledge that we have a culture and it has standards to which people of all colors should aspire.

Yet the truth is that assimilation has limits. Sympathy with sharia law is not compatible with loyalty to Western laws. Cultural diversity is real. So we need to take naturalization loyalty oaths seriously again. Excluding other cultures does not mean we do not wish them well; it means we love ours enough to protect it. And again, more fundamentally, knowing that some things are not Western is the quick route to knowing that the West has a specific culture to take pride in.

Pride in our history

To spread this vision, we need to rewrite our schools' curricula on a culturist basis  that is, we need to acknowledge the importance of culture to our history. This will turn our history from a source of shame to a source of pride. WWII Japanese relocation was not racist. It was because cultural diversity can create divisions in loyalty. Manifest destiny was not racist; it was culturist.

He who controls the past controls the future. To make America great again, we must teach that the West has long been great! As culturist common sense dictates, we must inculcate cultural pride with a culturist school curriculum affirming the value of our culture.

Finishing off political correctness

Trump's victory partially represented a rejection of political correctness. Every time a person on the right notes that cultural diversity can include bad aspects, the left calls him "racist." When Trump, despite the epitaph, continued to say we need a ban on Muslim immigration, we knew we had a culturist hero!

This won't be easy. The left has turned a generation into nasty, intellectually shallow folks who reflexively slander discussants as deplorable racist, sexists, etc. We need to call them on using this cheap trick in order to again be able to have difficult, potentially sensitive culturist policy discussions.

Norman Vincent Peale

Lastly, we need to bring back the ethic of personal responsibility. Trump has never drunk alcohol or smoked. He does not even, reportedly, drink coffee. He said, "If you don't drink and you don't do drugs, your children ... are going to have a tremendously enhanced chance of really being successful and having a good life." Again, we must be culturist in the sense of critiquing our culture. This can start with you as an individual and by thinking of yourself as a role model.

From childhood, Trump went to the church of pastor Norman Vincent Peale, who is famous for preaching the "power of positive thinking." Famously, his main book begins, "Believe in yourself! Have faith in your abilities!" We can call for smaller government, but actually sustainably enacting that requires self-reliance. If we mix Trump's can-do philosophy with Peale's cherished "warm patriotism," we might truly make America culture great again.

John K. Press, Ph.D., teaches international relations at a university in South Korea. He is the author of the book Culturism: A Word, A Value, Our Future. He is also the author of a biography of the first acknowledged "culturist," Matthew Arnold. More information can be found at www.culturism.us.
Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal (Prachanda)

Everything appears to be in a stand still position in Nepal. No consensus could be reached on the promised constitutional amendments and the Terain-Janajathi outfit- the Federal Alliance has given an ultimatum to renew the stir in fifteen days if nothing is done. Nothing is likely to be done either and we can expect more ultimatums to follow.

The Madhesi groups have started a movement (losing 50 people in the process) and they cannot go back to their constituencies without getting some face saving concessions. They are unlikely to get any with the UML leader and former Prime Minister K.P. Oli continuing to be adamant. So the only action they can show is to give one ultimatum after another!

The Truth Reconciliation Commission (TRC) has not progressed either and the victims of the insurgency movement continue to be ignored.

The case of impeachment of the chairman of the CIAA is going on at a leisurely pace that is proving convenient to all the parties concerned and particularly to the Nepali Congress leader Sher Bahadur Deuba. The only entity that appears to be serious about proceeding with the case is the Supreme Court! The minimum time that the IRSC (Impeachment Recommendation Study Committee) and the Parliament should take will be two months and a half but there are enough indications that it may drag on for many months. Everyone appears to be happy except some of the younger elements of the Nepali Congress like Gagan Thapa, Surendra Pandey and a few others!

The only progress that can be seen is that 90 percent of the first instalment of the funds to the victims of the one year old earthquake has been paid. This is said to be a big achievement for the present Prachanda led coalition that has been fruitlessly trying to list out the achievements of the new government in the first hundred days of its existence!

The irony is that the people have not started reconstruction work with the instalment as they do not know when the next one would come and cannot leave the structures unfinished indefinitely!

No date could be fixed for local elections as the boundaries for the local bodies as recommended by the LLRC are yet to be approved by the government as objections continue to be pouring in from many of the districts. Elections to the local, regional and national levels will have to be completed before the end of January 2018 as mandated in the constitution. This is a difficult task. One cynic told me that ultimately another national election is the only election that will take place again to make a new constitution!

The visit of the President of India in the beginning of the month was a tame affair with hardly any crowd in the both the two main cities- Kathmandu and Pokhara. There was some enthusiastic crowd in Janakpur when the Indian President visited the Janakpur Temple. It is hoped that the Presidents visit would help in getting enough funds from India to make it a tourist attraction for those who want to visit the temple. The temple as well as the whole environs of Janakpur need a face lift as a pilgrimage centre in the days to come. Janakpur is also likely to be capital of the proposed Madhesi district in the new constitution as and when it is implemented.

There were strong objections both in the media and outside on the Indian Presidents visit. Firstly, the Nepali counterpart personally received the President at the airport breaking the normal protocol. The issue was that no Nepali President has ever been received by the Head of State in India. The second was the unprecedented action of the government in declaring a public holiday in honour of the visit. The third was the clamping of an unofficial curfew in Kathmandu on the day of the visit with the entire transport system coming to a halt.

The blockade effect continues to be still pervasive in Kathmandu valley.

Finally, some tentative changes contemplated as amendments to the new constitution were deliberately leaked by some interested parties. The first was to retain the existing provisions relating to naturalised citizens to hold top constitutional posts in the country, ten years after obtaining citizenship. The second was to remove the hill districts of province number five and make a separate eighth province. This is besides the controversy surrounding the five districts of Jhapa, Morang, Sunsari, Kailali and Kanchanpur districts. The irony is that people of province 5 never complained or wanted any change and it is not clear whose bright idea it was and who was supposed to benefit from the supposed additional province.

UML chairman K.P.Oli whose support is required for any constitutional amendment declared categorically that no further amendments to the constitution are necessary at this stage. So it is back to square one so far as constitutional amendments are concerned.

Source:- South Asia Analysis Group (SAAG)
KABUL, Afghanistan, Nov 25 : Cold weather and freezing temperatures that engulfed a remote northern province in Afghanistan this week killed at least 20 people, all of them internally displaced and including several children, Afghan officials said Friday.

The deaths occurred in Jawzjan province's district of Darzab, which has seen heavy snowfall, with half a meter, or almost two feet of snow on the ground, according to provincial police chief Rahmatullah Turkistani.

The area in the remote province, which borders Turkmenistan, has no electricity or medical facilities and the road linking it with the provincial capital of Shibirghan has been cut off by the Taliban. Authorities are waiting for the weather to clear up before delivering aid by air, said

Jawzjan governor, Lutfullah Azizi, said early reports indicate that at least five children were among those who died from the cold weather, adding that there are fears of a higher death toll. Azizi called on the local population to offer shelter to the displaced in Jawzjan, where up to 500 have sought refuge from fighting in nearby Sari Pul province, where the Taliban have increased their footprint in recent months.

Elsewhere, a roadside bombing on Friday in Jalalabad, the capital of eastern Nangarhar province, killed a policeman and wounded three civilians.

And the previous night, a mortar shell struck a weeding party in Laghman province, also in the country's east, killing a child and wounding six people, according to Sarhadi Zwak, the spokesman for the governor of Laghman.

No one immediately claimed responsibility for those attacks. The Afghan affiliate of the Islamic State group, which is fighting in Iraq and Syria, has emerged over the past two years and established a presence in parts of eastern Afghanistan, including Nangarhar.
Students belonging to a fraternity at the University of the Philippines the country s premier state university display placards as they run naked around the campus to condemn last week s burial of the late Philippine dictator Ferdinand Marcos at the Heroes Cemetery Friday, Nov. 25, 2016 in suburban Quezon city, northeast of Manila, Philippines. (AP)

MANILA, Philippines, Nov 25: Thousands of Filipinos, including more than a dozen nude students, have protested the hasty burial of Philippine dictator Ferdinand Marcos in a heroes' cemetery in a growing political storm that's lashing the president who allowed the entombment.

More than 1,000 activists turned out in a main rally dubbed the "Black Friday" protest despite rainy weather at Manila's seaside Rizal park, where they carried Marcos' effigy in a mock coffin.

At the state-run University of the Philippines, a fraternity turned an annual recruitment ritual into a protest with naked recruits running around while holding placards that read, "Marcos dictator not a hero."

President Rodrigo Duterte allowed last week's burial of Marcos, who died in 1989, in a decision upheld by the Supreme Court.
Kathmandu, Nepal: Cadres of so-called Independent Madhes Alliance led by controversial Madhes activist CK Raut have been arrested from different parts of Gaur in Rautahat district on Friday.

According to the police, they were arrested while they were entering Gaur from Indian border to stage demonstration demanding one single Madhes province.

As CK Raut has been reportedly demanding secession of the Madhes region from Nepal, he and his cadres are under surveillance of the Nepal police.

CK Raut has been demanding independent Madhes stretching from Jhapa in the east to Kanchanpur in the far-west.
KATHMANDU: President Bidya Devi Bhandari has expressed her grief and sorrow over the demise of former Cuban President Fidel Castro.

Castro, Cubas longest-serving Communist leader, died on Friday night at the age of 90.

In a condolence message sent to Cubas President Raul Castro on Saturday, President Bhandari has extended profound sadness over the passing of the historic leader.

Furthermore, the Head of the State, in the condolence message, has stated that Castro will always be remembered for his integrity and dedication for the cause of social justice, equality and right of the people.

Similarly, sending a separate condolence message on Saturday, Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal has expressed deep sorrow over the demise of Fidel Castro.

PM Dahal, in his message, acknowledged Castro as one of the most popular, revolutionary Communist leaders. He has commended Castro as a true representative of people.RSS
Kathmandu, Nepal: The CPN UML, the main opposition party in the parliament, has reached on the conclusion not to support the constitution amendment proposal that to be forwarded by the government.

A meeting of the standing committee held at partys Dhumbarahi based head quarter on Friday made the decision to this effect.

With the decision, to be tabled constitution amendment proposal would not be endorsed as two third majorities require to be amended in the constitution.

The strength of UML in parliament is sufficient to foil the constitution amendment proposal.

There is no meaning to amend the constitution as no reason is made public to amend the constitution, a leader said revealing about the decision of the meeting
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Nov-25-2016 16:40 TweetFollow @OregonNews Forest Fires Raging Across Palestine The European pine tree, not indigenous to Palestine, is highly flammable.

Fires ablaze in Palestine.

Image: http://mekomit.co.il/

(LONDON / BETHLEHEM) - Over 200 forest fires are raging in Palestine (now renamed the Jewish State of Israel including its occupied Palestinian territories). Many countries are helping put out the fires including four teams of Palestinian firefighters (no body helped Gaza when it was being fire-bombed by white phosphorous). But the fascist racist government of Israel blamed the Palestinians for the fires! Even some decent Israelis pointed out that fires are raging across Western Asia (aka the Middle East). Here is a map (link) put out by one Israeli website of location of fires across the region including in Lebanon, Syria, and Turkey. Perhaps coincidentally or otherwise, right after war criminal Netanyahu blamed Palestinians, new fires erupted near Palestinian communities. If you really want to know who is to blame for the damage, it is clearly Zionism as I wrote in many articles and books before. In 1901 at the World Zionist Congress and despite objections of conscientious Jews, a Jewish National Fund (Keren Keyemet Li'Israel, or KKL) was establish to further Jewish colonization (the term they used) of Palestine. One of the tasks was to raise money and they used the gimmick of collecting money for trees. Indeed they did plant trees but it was unfortunately the highly flammable European pine tree. After 1948-1949 when some 500 Palestinian villages and towns were depopulated, their lands (cultivated with figs, almonds, olives and other trees) were razed to the ground and again resinous and inflammable pine trees were planted. The same happened after 1967 when here Palestinian villages were demolished and their village lands planted with the same European pines, one of those villages is the biblical Imwas (see photos before and after here: freepaly.wordpress.com/tag/environmental-racism. The choice of European pine trees was because a) they grow fast, b) they give a European look to the otherwise Arab landscape, c) their leaves on the ground make acidic preventing growth or regrowth of endogenous trees. In total, KKL boasts that it planted 240 million pine trees. Resinous pine is like petrol and burns with a ferocity. This was not the only environmentally catastrophic decision by the Zionist movement in Palestine (others include draining the Hula Wetlands and the diversion of the water of the river Jordan and now the Red Sea-Dead Sea Canal). Environmentally, the current fires are deadly to all living creatures regardless of their origins and they do spread t the remaining few indigenous forests and to human dwellings (Jewish, Christian, Muslim, Atheist without distinction). We environmentalists (Palestinian and Israeli) have longed warned of the catastrophic consequences of politically driven decisions guided by colonial ideology but devastating to native animals and plants. So here we are the remaining native Palestinians watching our lands go up in flames and being blamed for it. This is not unusual and we are the victims of others from long ago. We even paid the price of what happened in WWII (by Europeans to fellow Europeans). I am thinking now if a meteor hits earth, we Palestinians will also pay a disproportionate price. 7 million of us are refugees or displaced people. We in the Palestine Museum of Natural History and Palestine Institute of Biodiversity and Sustainability (http://palestinenature.org) urge protection of our nature. Environmental conservation is a priority for all decent human beings including guarding biodiversity (and human diversity). My presentation in Paris: DESCLAUX_SALACHAS/slideshow How did Zionism became the dominant feature among Jews in the world? Here is a clue from 1942 that, however, does not even mention that Palestine had its native population who are now mostly refugees or displaced people (7 million of 12 million native Palestinian Christians and Muslims). Thanks to this colonial ideology called Zionism... Zionism an Affirmation of Judaism / A reply by 757 Orthodox, Conservative and Reform Rabbis of America to a Statement Issued by Ninety Members of the Reform Rabbinate Charging That Zionism Is Incompatible with the Teachings of Judaism. This statement is by American Emergency Committee for Zionist Affairs New York 1942 [note that these Rabbis themselves use colonial without mentioning natives but that is typical of such movements but also note that they are responding to 90 decent Jewish Rabbis. Alas the struggle continues between the two camps I discussed in my last weekly email]. Stay human and come visit us _________________________________________

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by Staff reporter

Top human rights lawyer, Kucaka Phulu, was today elected as the People's Democratic Party (PDP) Vice President at the party's General Council meeting at the Rajiv Gandhi Hall at the Harare Showgrounds.Phulu was elected after all the party's 12 provinces met separately and voted him for the top post. He will deputise President Tendai Biti.Also elected for other senior posts in the party today were; former Bulawayo mayor, Thaba Moyo, who becomes the Deputy Chairperson, Wilstaff Stimere, the Deputy Secretary General and Sengezo Tshabangu as the Deputy Organising Secretary. Petros Mukwena was also appointed as committee member.In his acceptance speech after the election, VP Phulu pledged to work hard for the PDP and the country in ensuring that Zimbabwe attains democratic change."You have given me a job work to do in order to achieve our goals. I will assist President Biti in ensuring that we move forward together as I will be there to respect your views and hopes for a better Zimbabwe for all," said VP Phulu.Soon after the elections, the PDP held its first policy conference, which was attended by over 2 000 people drawn from all the country's provinces.
 New talk in New Jersey of bringing back capital punishment a decade after state abolition | Main | So many marijuana reform developments and questions, with so many more on 2017 horizon 

This local article about a forthcoming sentencing in a Mississippi state case, headlined "Facebook post to be used in sentencing," strikes me as a disconcerting example of the equivocal evidence some prosecutors will highlight in an effort to secure the most extreme of prison sentences even for offenders who seem to be anything but the most extreme of criminals. Here are the details:

Prosecutors will use a Facebook post from 2010 when Gerome Moore was 13 showing him in possession of a handgun and "arguably" displaying gang signs to try to show Moore should be sentenced to life without parole in the January 2015 shooting death of Carolyn Temple in Belhaven. Moore was convicted of capital murder in September, but his sentencing is on hold. A capital murder conviction had meant a mandatory life sentence without the possibility of parole, but a 2012 Supreme Court ruling said judges must consider the unique circumstances of each juvenile offender....

Moore was 17 at the time of the crime. He didn't shoot Temple, but his gun was used. He and at least two others were driving around that evening looking for someone to rob. Prosecutors say they followed Temple's vehicle, a Mercedes, to her boyfriend's house in Belhaven. Once she got out her car and went to the curb to retrieve her boyfriend's garbage can, two of the individuals tried to take her purse. She resisted and one of them shot her. Prosecutors believe Moore stayed in the car and was the getaway driver, although he provided the weapon.

In court filings, Assistant District Attorney Randy Harris said, "The cumulative resume of Gerome Moore qualifies him for that exact sentence of life without parole." Harris said Moore's unwillingness to abide by the decent standards of society and to abide by the criminal laws began long Temple's shooting. In addition to the Facebook post, by the time Moore was 17, he would tell investigators he never went riding without his gun, according to Harris. Harris also talked about other crimes Moore was involved in as well as escaping from the Hinds County Detention Center after his arrest. He was later recaptured.

"Truth is that Moore was two months shy of attaining 18 years of age when this capital murder was perpetrated," Harris said. "Had the crime happened merely two months later, this discussion of the propriety of life without parole would not even be taking place as there would be no argument that without parole was an appropriate and legislatively approved sentence."

Moore's attorney, Aafram Sellers, argues his client shouldn't receive a sentence of life without parole. "Clearly, a child who did not actually kill or intend to kill anyone will not be among the uncommon and rare juvenile homicide offenders who might permissibly receive the state's harshest prison sentence," Sellers said.

Sellers said punishment of life in prison without parole would be disproportionate to the sentence of the shooter in the case, Antwain Dukes, who received a sentence of 25 years to serve.
A photo posted by  Artist  Educator  Student (@dregs_one) on Nov 24, 2016 at 9:21am PST

"Indians Welcome," reads graffiti still visible from the first annual Indigenous Peoples Sunrise Gathering on Alcatraz Island, held in 1975. That event was again celebrated yesterday, a commemoration of an important piece of Native American activist history and a crucial counterpoint to the traditional Thanksgiving celebration and narrative. That's captured in one name for the Sunrise Gathering: "Unthanksgiving."

This year, with so many indigenous Americans and climate change protesters currently fighting the Dakota Access Pipeline with protests at Standing Rock in North Dakota, the gathering took on particular resonance. But it also served also a reminder of another protest: The All Tribes group whose Alcatraz-Red Power Movement occupied the island for 19 months, from November 20 1969 to June 11, 1971.

Finally, there's also another layer to the history of Native Americans on Alcatraz. As the National Park Service recalls, before Alcatraz was the prison we mostly think of today, it was a fortress and military prison, the first on the West Coast. Most prisoners held here were US military personnel, but there were also southern sympathizers during the Civil War, and beginning in 1873, a number of Native Americans. The largest group were 19 Hopi people who had refused forced farming and "education" in government boarding schools, at which children could be beaten for speaking their native tongue.

Alcatraz Island Indigenous Peoples' Sunrise Gathering pic.twitter.com/FLnj8L3rws   Joseph  (@seph_barker) November 24, 2016

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Related: Why Your Facebook Friends Are Checking In At Standing Rock, North Dakota
LOS ANGELES  Two distinctly American odysseys, Andrea Arnold's teens-on-the-road film "American Honey" and Barry Jenkins' coming-of-age tale "Moonlight" led the Film Independent Spirit Awards nominations this week with six nods each, including best feature and best director.

Other best-feature candidates are "Manchester by the Sea," ''Jackie" and "Chronic." Jenny Slate and Edgar Ramirez announced the nominees at an event in Hollywood.

Nominations for "American Honey" also include best female lead for newcomer Sasha Lane and best supporting male for Shia LaBeouf. "Moonlight," which captured the Robert Altman Award for its ensemble cast, is being recognized for cinematography, editing and screenplay.

Oscar hopefuls are sprinkled throughout each category of the awards recognizing achievements in independent film, and occasionally the two sync up with their winners. Last year's best independent feature winner "Spotlight" went on to pick up the top prize at the Academy Awards, as did best actress Brie Larson for "Room."

Both "Moonlight" and "Manchester by the Sea," Kenneth Lonergan's New England-set familial drama, are considered top contenders for Oscars.

"Manchester by the Sea's" five nominations include best actor for Casey Affleck and best supporting actor for Lucas Hedges.

The best actress category also is filled with presumed Oscar darlings such as Annette Bening for "20th Century Women," Isabelle Huppert for "Elle," Ruth Negga for "Loving" and Natalie Portman for "Jackie."

The Independent Spirit Awards also shines a spotlight on comparatively under-the-radar films, including "The Fits," from first-time director Anna Rose Holmer, Robert Eggers' "The Witch," Chris Kelly's "Other People" and Andrew Ahn's "Spa Night."

This year's 382 film submissions were judged on such guidelines as uniqueness of vision, originality of subject matter, economy of means and percentage of financing from independent sources.

Some films with an indie edge, like the much-lauded Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone musical "La La Land" from director Damien Chazelle, were not eligible due to production budgets north of $30 million. Tom Ford's "Nocturnal Animals" and Denzel Washington's "Fences" also were not eligible.

Nominations are chosen by members of Film Independent, which includes critics, filmmakers, actors, festival programmers, past winners and nominees, and members of its board of directors.

Winners will be revealed at a Feb. 25 ceremony, airing live on IFC from Santa Monica. The Academy Awards are presented the next day.
GULFPORT, Miss.  Four times Retired Navy Chief William Wild Bill Allen asked his sweetheart to marry him before she said yes.

Allen, 91, and Jamie Simpson Shubert, 76, exchanged their wedding vows with smiles and laughter last Sunday evening before a standing-room-only crowd. They were wed in the chapel at the Armed Forces Retirement Home, where Allen lives.

She has a radiant personality, said Allen, a World War II veteran who served for 22 years.

I know how to pick em.

They had met in January during karaoke night in a club at the Retirement Home.

Id never been to karaoke, and I dont know why I went that night, Allen said.

She was sitting at the bar because all the chairs and tables were taken up, so I asked if I could sit with her and she said, yes. We later sat on the balcony and watched the full moon.

We started talking and we started dating and something happened. We both realized we want companionship, Allen said.

And they would sing karaoke. He said his favorite song is I cant Help Falling in Love With You, and hers is Moonglow.

Friendship turns to love

Allens bride, a Biloxi, Mississippi, resident and former school teacher, said she didnt feel like they knew each other well enough when he asked her to marry him the first three times.

Things changed one afternoon as they sat on a bench at a dock and watched some fishermen.

We talked and we talked and we must have sat there three hours, she said. I realized I love him.

They had dinner at Steves Marina, her favorite restaurant, and she agreed to marry him.

We should be old enough to know better, she said with a laugh, but we dont.

Shubert walked down the aisle in a shimmery, off-white outfit with palazzo pants and carrying a peach-colored rose. Her daughter was her maid of honor.

Allen wore his dress blue uniform, with his white cap under an arm. His son was his best man.

Laughter shared at wedding

Chaplain Michael Gibson officiated the ceremony, extolling the virtues of love, and at times stopping for laughter.

When asked if he would take Shubert as his wife, Allen smiled broadly and emphatically said, I do.

Allen became speechless at one point while reciting his vows. He turned to look at the chaplain, then turned to look at the congregation, and said loudly, Im excited!

Allen kissed his smiling brides hands after she finished her vows. And he leaned over to kiss her lips.

Not yet, Bill, the chaplain said, eliciting laughter.

He pronounced them man and wife and they finally shared that kiss.

Gibson told the congregation they had truly witnessed a special occasion.

We have far more funerals here than we do weddings, Gibson said.

Guests joined the newlyweds in a reception at The Fiddlers Green, a lounge and karaoke bar at the Retirement Home. The Allens picked the song, Because of You, for their first dance. Tony Bennett, 1951, the bride said.

Florida honeymoon planned

Because of the holidays, the Allens will delay their honeymoon until December. Allen said theyve booked a room with a balcony overlooking the water at the Navy Lodge in Pensacola, Florida.

They will live separately. The Retirement Home allows only retired veterans to reside there.

But the couple said they dont mind. It will still be like dating, they said. But they will be man and wife.

Its Allens fourth marriage and his brides second.

Allen said hes proud to live at the Retirement Home and to have served in WWII.

He joined the Navy at age 16 in May 1942 after the USS Houston cruiser was sunk. He became a radio and radar operator who flew in blimps to scope out the enemy and escort convoys to safety.

We escorted over 80,000 ships and not a one was sunk, Allen said.
SIOUX CITY | President-elect Donald Trump may have stirred the big Republican crest in Northwest Iowa by choosing Sioux City for his last campaign stop in Iowa, two days before the Nov. 8 election.

In Trump's vernacular, this corner of Iowa went for his candidacy in a "big league," or, "bigly" way, depending upon how the phrase hits his ear.

Trump carried all 14 Journal circulation counties in Northwest Iowa over Democrat Hillary Clinton in convincing fashion, en route to easily capturing the state's six electoral votes.

The brash billionaire businessman claimed at least 65 percent of the vote in 11 Northwest Iowa counties, and at least 70 percent in seven counties. Voters in Lyon and Sioux each gave Trump 81 percent of their support, making the neighboring counties two of the most Trumpy counties in the nation.

"It is obviously a big number for this area," Sioux County Republican Party Chairman Mark Lundberg, of Orange City. "Donald Trump spoke to a lot of unhappy voters across Northwest Iowa and the nation. There was a pent-up demand for change."

The "closest" Northwest Iowa results came in Woodbury County, where Trump bested Clinton, 57 percent to 37 percent.

The Democratic vote total cratered, compared to the narrow contests in the last three presidential elections in the state's fifth largest county, home to Sioux City. In 2012, President Obama edged Republican Mitt Romney, 49.5 percent to 48.5 percent in Woodbury. Republican John McCain won the county by just 236 votes over Obama in 2008, and Republican President George W. Bush scored a 996-vote margin over Democrat John Kerry in 2004.

Woodbury County Republican Party Chairman Kevin Alons said he was pleased to see the 20-point spread Trump recorded in the county this year.

How bracingly bad were the results for Clinton, the former Secretary of State, U.S. senator and First Lady? She only reached the 25-percent voting threshold in seven of the 14 Northwest Iowa counties.

In Lyon County, Trump won 5,188 votes, or 81.4 percent, compared to 917 votes, of 14.5 percent for Clinton. In Sioux County, Trump claimed 14,761 ballots, or 81.3 percent, to 2,289, or 12.7 percent for Clinton.

Compared to 2012, Trump outperformed Romney in a big way in Northwest Iowa. Trump's percentage totals exceeded Romney's in 13 of 14 counties, with the exception coming in Sioux County, where Romney took 83 percent of the vote.

Trump outperformed Romney by more than 10 percent higher in six of the 14 counties. Alons said Trump drew stronger contrasts with Democratic principles than Romney did in 2012.

The big vote totals in Northwest Iowa helped Trump claim 52 percent of the Iowa vote, while Clinton got 42 percent. The Democrat posted higher percentages in more populous central and eastern counties such as Polk and Linn.

Lundberg pointed out the Republican dominance In Northwest Iowa continued down ballot, as U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley and all three Republican U.S. House members won re-election and the GOP captured majorities in both of the state's legislative chambers. With Gov. Terry Branstad, a Republican, entering the final two years of his four-year term, Republicans control the trifecta for the first time in 20 years..

"There isn't a single Democrat who has control over my life now...I hope (the Republicans) don't mess it up," Lundberg said.

Added Alons, "I am excited for the opportunity for conservative values to be implemented."
CHICAGO -- This is my sixth year highlighting favorite books that are diverse but not about diversity. I get a lot of raised eyebrows and questions about this peculiar genre.

Well, there are a lot of books out there that are diverse and about diversity -- meaning that they are written by an author from a minority group and are specifically about that particular group's unique life experiences.

For example, Jennine Capo Crucet's "Make Your Home Among Strangers" is a devastating story about the trade-offs a first-generation college student makes when she leaves home for that "better life" all immigrant parents wish for their children.

Lizet's experiences are universal to any first-in-their-family to attend college. But her Cuban-American identity struggle in the shadow of the circa-2000 Elian Gonzalez drama makes for a story that has particular resonance for Latino readers.

This is fantastic -- obviously, writers of color often pursue literature in order to tell their own stories.

Equally wonderful, however, is when an author gets to write for a very broad audience on a topic not specifically associated with his or her ethnicity.

As Puerto Rican novelist and founder of La Casita Grande Editores, a new publishing house specializing in Latino and Caribbean literature, Jonathan Marcantoni recently told me, "The biggest challenge in the Latino publishing scene is getting stories that go outside of immigration, identity and the American Dream narrative, which is what Latino authors are stuck in. It's almost an unspoken rule that if you tell a story, it has to include one of these things, and as a result there aren't too many science fiction, crime or romance novels written by Latinos and other writers of color that stand on their own as genre works."

This is why it's so important to highlight when such authors and books do come along -- they have stories to tell that are meant for everyone and aren't anchored by the few topics that have been deemed authentic and acceptable for nonwhite authors.

So here are the top three barrier-breaking books I read in 2016.

First, "Night at the Fiestas: Stories" by Kirstin Valdez Quade. This is a book I internally summarized as short stories about children being traumatized by their callous parents' enigmatic behavior. An excerpt:

"When she'd taken off the dress today, Monica hadn't even felt cold, so filled was she with the dark exhilaration of punishing Cordelia. In giving away Cordelia's lovely, meaningless inheritance, she'd made an adversary of her 7-year-old daughter, and now even that she held against her."

The stories aren't all about parents and children, but if you like lots of relationship-driven, quietly tense scenarios that veer toward being too painful to read, Valdez Quade delivers it in beautiful prose.

Next, something more my cup of tea: A business book written by someone even more unique than a black swan -- a Hispanic quantitative analyst who left the loving embrace of Goldman Sachs for the high-flying world of high-tech startups.

Part bootstrap how-to, part insider look at the machinations of venture capital, "Chaos Monkeys: Obscene Fortune and Random Failure in Silicon Valley" by Antonio Garcia Martinez begins with a biting description of what it's like to be a product manager at a conference room table with Mark Zuckerberg and Sheryl Sandberg. It skyrockets from there.

"Chaos Monkeys" is not without its faults -- Garcia Martinez is emblematic of a sexist, high-tech bro culture and giddily compounds it with references to his being a Latin lover. But if you already can't stand spoiled, entitled Silicon Valley types yet crave an insider look, I guarantee you'll enjoy this book.

Last, but definitely not least in terms of plain fun is "IQ: A gritty, emotional, and clever thriller about a brilliant young private detective helping inner-city Los Angeles residents," by Joe Ide.

Ide, a Japanese-American author serves up an uber-smart, clean-eating Sherlock who just happens to live in the 'hood. This description doesn't do "IQ" justice, because there's nothing in this book that is pat, or even completely familiar.

Isaiah Quintabe is so urban cool that he alternates between being an action hero and steering lady callers to his apartment away from his pet chicken (I.Q. takes payment from his clients in cooked and raw foodstuffs, among other things).

He is darkly moody and, of course, breathtakingly clever. In short, he's as captivating as the South Central Los Angeles characters he dwells among. Don't miss it.
News / National

by Staff reporter

The Levonorgestrel Tablets (Morning after pills), a drug used in emergency situation as a contraceptive to prevent pregnancies has run out and pharmacists are concerned at both the upswing in uptake and the consequences of its unavailability.The Mirror conducted a survey throughout the Southern Region (Masvingo Province, Midlands, Mash East, Mat South and parts of Manicaland) and established that all pharmacies are out of supply of the tablet which women take within 72 hours of unprotected sex.Pharmacists who spoke to The Mirror on condition of anonymity said there was an alarming increase in the number of people who sleep without condoms. They said this raises a lot of concern particularly in the area of the fight against HIV and Aids.The pharmacists said that morning after pills sales were at their highest on Saturday, Sunday and Monday morning or during holidays. One pharmacist said he can get one customer throughout the week but come Saturday to Monday he would be selling to more than 20 every day.The increase in demand for morning after pills is also higher in towns where there are higher institutes of learning particularly universities and examples are Masvingo, Gweru and Zvishavane.The pharmacists said the absence of the pill will create serious problems of unwanted pregnancies, a rise in abortions, unorthodox means of preventing pregnancies including dangerous concoctions, stress and suicide.Pharmacists in Masvingo said that they have not had the drug for more than two weeks now.In Gweru, pharmacies have not had the drug for more three weeks and unorthodox methods are being used to get around the problem as The Mirror discovered during investigations.It emerged that some pharmacies are repackaging family planning pills and selling them to save the same purposes as morning after pills.At one pharmacy the pharmacist said that family planning pills save the same purpose as morning after pills but in this case one will take four pills soon after unprotected sex and another four pills 12 hours later.Apart from the increase in the use of the pill, pharmacists also blamed the shortages on the withdrawal of donors who used to fund the family planning projects.Population Services International (PSI) and Zimbabwe National Family Planning (ZNFP) are no longer supplying private sector players. Greenwood is one of the major suppliers of the private sector players but it is failing to cope with demand.Provincial Medical Director Amadeous Shamu said, "I have not received that information as doctors do not recommend them because their failure rate is high"Zimbabwe National Family Planning Council (ZNFPC) Provincial Manager Peter Vhoko said his organisation has also run out of the morning after pills. He however, said ZNFPC gave the pills out for free and they are expecting the next supply after next week. Vhoko also added that the pill is in demand because youth preferred it as it is more convinient than the family planning pill."One just takes it once after the act unlike family planning pills that are taken everyday," said Vhoko.The pharmacists however warned that the morning after pill also has serious side effects if abused. One pharmacist said as a profession it is their ethical obligation to ensure safe and efficacy use of medicines and in the case of morning after pill, it is an abuse of the drug to take it twice within one menstrual circle."There are serious side effects if the pill is taken more than once within a menstrual circle. These includes developing cancer of breasts, ovarian cysist, failure to get pregnant, hypertension and gaining weight, said one pharmacist.The Minister of Health and Child Care Doctor David Parirenyatwa said that Morning After pills are not normally available at public healthy institutions because the drug is an emergence drug and having it running out means people are not using contraceptives."Normally this drug is not available at public institutions because we say its an emergence drug but having it running out is worrisome because we want people to use preventive measures to reduce the spread of HIV and AIDs. It's however a challenge in places where there is a lot of tertiary institutions," said Parirenyatwa.According to National Aids Council (NAC) research four pharmacies in Gweru CBD have from January 2014 to December 2015 sold between 200 to 800 morning after pills are within a month.Some 3000 Morning After pills are sold in the whole of Gweru Urban District, according to NAC Aids Coordinator Murari Hwigwiri.
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A schedule for public forums with the four finalists for the University of Northern Iowa presidents job was recently announced, and we encourage all citizens to attend.

The Iowa State Board of Regents had made a promise of conducting a transparent process during this search, and public forums are a good sign it is happening.

A little background: Trust between the board and state university stakeholders was shaken last year when the regents hired Bruce Harreld as the new president at the University of Iowa. Harreld had a business background as a top executive at IBM and Boston Market with little academic leadership experience.

That prompted a letter from three Iowa lawmakers, including Democratic Sen. Jeff Danielson of Cedar Falls, that demanded a transparent process in the search for the next president of UNI. The letter asked for a process that actually and fully involves the faculty and students in the spirit of shared governance.

State taxpayers also should pay attention.

In response, Regents President Pro Tem Katie Mulholland sent a proposed timeline and letter to lawmakers, reassuring them the UNI search process would differ from the controversial University of Iowa search.

Were pleased to see that is apparently the case.

After the regents selected Harreld, the UI Faculty Senate, UI Student Government and the Graduate and Professional Student Government all issued no-confidence votes in the regents. The American Association of University Professors at Iowa State University and UNI issued statements of support for the UI faculty.

Compounding the issue is the fact former UNI President Bill Ruud left the university under somewhat mysterious conditions after just three years at the helm. He took the top job at a much smaller Marietta College in Ohio. Ruud stated his decision had nothing to do with the fact the board had not updated his three-year contract  a detail that fueled speculation he was encouraged to leave. Despite his short tenure at UNI, Ruud seemingly had support among faculty, staff and the public.

Considering the recent past, a little more transparency from the regents is more than welcome.

The candidate forums will be held from 2:30 to 3:45 p.m. Nov. 29, Nov. 30, Dec. 1 and Dec. 2 in the Old Central Ballroom in Maucker Union on the UNI campus. Each candidates curriculum vitae also will be made available 24 hours in advance of their respective visits. They also will be available on the presidential search site.

Following the campus visits, the Board of Regents will meet Dec. 5 and 6 on campus to interview the finalists and select the universitys new president.

Remember: Transparency is nice, but it is meaningless if youre not watching.

Waterloo-Cedar Falls (Iowa) Courier
The gravity of the existential threat we face from Islamic Jihad is truly of epic proportions. It is essentially a battle pitting free-civilized man against a totalitarian barbarian. What is at stake is the struggle for our very soul - namely who we are and what we represent. The lives that were sacrificed for individual rights and freedoms that we've come to cherish are being chiseled away from right under our noses by the stealth jihadists. And many of us are in denial and totally clueless.



The left's appeasement and pandering to evil is nothing new. What makes their utopian delusions so infuriating and unpardonable is that it is not only they who will have to pay the consequences, and deservedly, so, they are thwarting and undermining our best efforts at resistance and are thus dragging us down in the process as well.







By Peter Lancz,, the head of the Raoul Wallenberg World Campaign Against Racism.
News / Regional

by Kariba Satelite

The newly licenced Kariba based radio station,will hold its radio auditions for presenters,newscasters and producers next week Wednesday at Pagomo Grill in Kariba.The station is headed by Maxton Kanhema and owned by ZimPapers who are also owners of the Herald,star FM,Kwayedza among other publications and will broadcast in English,Shona and Tonga.Nyaminyami FM was granted a broadcasting licence by the Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe in year 2015 and is set to occupy the Kariba media space which was predominantly covered by Patsaka Nyaminyami Community Radio Iniative an affiliate of Zimbabwe Association of Communty Radio Stations.The radio initiative managed to groom news reader Obert Siamilandu and reporter Edmore Mbonda who have all become house hold names in Kariba after undergoing massive radio trainings for years.Speaking to this reporter,James Mabhandi,one of the local leaders, praised ZimPapers for bringing the radio in town and encouraged the management to recruit more talent from the resort town."We are happy that the station is going to occupy a media space where Patsaka Community Radio Station groomed more radio personalities ,therefore, we expect more local faces at the station."Another Kariba resident who was interviewed by this reporter had this to say,"Kariba is a multilingual community, therefore ,if Nyaminyami FM is to steal hearts of many,it should broadcast in local languages as the case with Kariba FM in Siavonga Zambia which caters for both Tonga and English listeners.''Nyaminyami FM will mainly broadcast issues that are centred on Kariba and its sorroundings and will be stationed at Kariba Heights where the studios will be installed soon.
ST. MARY'S COUNTY, Md. (Nov. 22, 2016)Deputy State Fire Marshals charged Ian Michael Unkle, age 22, of Hollywood, after determining he was responsible for igniting the blaze that destroyed a 16' x 16' pole barn on his grandparents property.



The 12:16 a.m. incident occurred on October 12, 2016 at 43751 Ferguson Road in Hollywood. The suspect recieved severe 3rd degree burn injuries to his legs, hands and chest during the incident. He was subsequently transported via MSP Trooper 7 helicopter to the Washington Hospital Burn Center for treatment.



Upon his release from the hospital, the suspect turned himself in at the Leonardtown Maryland State Police Barrack. He was taken into custody by Deputy State Fire Marshals and transported to the St. Mary's County Detention Center and charged with 2nd Arson Degree. If found guilty of the charge, he faces up to 20 years imprisonment and/or $30,000 in fines.
GREENBELT, Md.

(Nov. 26, 2016)U.S. District Judge Deborah K. Chasanow sentenced Curtis Portland Litten, age 54, of Huntingtown, on Tuesday, Nov. 22, to 21 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for possession of firearms and ammunition by a convicted person. Litten pleaded guilty to that charge on September 1, 2016, and has been detained since his arrest on April 22, 2016.The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge Daniel L. Board Jr. of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and ExplosivesBaltimore Field Division; and Chief Matthew R. Verderosa of the U.S. Capitol Police.According to his plea agreement, from January 28 through March 24, 2016, Litten wrote and mailed at least nine cards and letters to the President of the United States and members of the United States Congress threatening harm to them and/or their family members. Fingerprint analysis of several of the cards identified latent fingerprints belonging to Litten.In connection with the investigation into the identity of the sender of the threatening communications, a search warrant was executed at Litten's home. Law enforcement seized envelopes and unsent greeting cards addressed to members of Congress and signed by Litten, computer printouts of addresses for elected officials, and reminders to write letters to elected officials. In addition, law enforcement seized: .22 caliber, .38 caliber, and .380 caliber pistols; a 12-gauge shotgun; a .410 bore shotgun; a .38 caliber blank firing revolver; 300 rounds of .22 caliber ammunition; 24 rounds of .380 caliber ammunition; four rounds of .410 caliber shotgun ammunition; and one 12-gauge shotgun shell.As a result of a previous felony conviction, Litten was prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition.United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein praised the ATF and U.S. Capitol Police for their work in the investigation. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer R. Sykes and Thomas P. Windom, who prosecuted the case.
WASHINGTON (Nov. 26, 2016)Despite the return of Republican majorities in both houses of Congress in January, Maryland's Democrats still plan to find ways of influencing policy debates and legislation.



In fact, even with some new faces in the Maryland congressional delegation, it is in roughly the same position it was in before the Nov. 8 election, with one major difference: Republican Donald Trump will replace Democrat Barack Obama in the White House.



Senator-elect Chris Van Hollen and Sen. Ben Cardin will be among the 48 Democratic senators tasked with trying to defend Obama's health care legacy as well as other domestic and foreign policy achievements and entitlement programs. The Marylanders say they also will oppose any Republican effort to restrict women's rights and will seek to keep the issue of economic inequality in the forefront.



"We're going to continue to fight on the issues of economic fairnessequal pay for equal work," Van Hollen told Capital News Service last week. "We will fight tooth and nail against any effort to roll back the clock on social justice, women's rights and all the efforts we've made in our country to build a more perfect union. We know we've come a long way down that road, but we have a long journey still ahead and we're not going back."



What clout the Maryland senators and their Democratic colleagues have is limited, but they have help from the unusual rules of the Senate, which generally require 60 votes to pass most significant legislation.



Cardin is the ranking Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and thus is in a position to define differences with President-elect Donald Trump on foreign policy.



Late last week, Van Hollen landed an assignment on the Senate Appropriations Committee, the panel that shapes all the spending bills and a rare plum for a freshman senator.



Outgoing Sen. Barbara Mikulski, D-Md., was the vice chairwoman of the appropriations panel. She said in a statement that Van Hollen would be "an excellent advocate for meeting the day-to-day needs of Maryland's families and the long-range needs of the nation."



Look for Van Hollen to also become a more national figure: incoming Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., tapped the Maryland senator to be chairman of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, which will be responsible to defending the party's Senate seats in 2018. Van Hollen is the first freshman senator to hold that key party post.



In the House, Maryland's seven Democrats face a GOP that only needs a majority vote on legislation.



Representative-elect Jamie Raskin, D-Montgomery County, told Capital News Service he still was assessing what kind of influence he could wield.



"I'm going to check it out," he said.



Meanwhile, Raskin said he is "trying to make friends" in the House with Republicans as well as Democrats.



"I do think this is a moment of some political fluidity, because of course the Republican leadership was opposed to Trump and he was opposed to them and they were fractured in a dozen different ways during their election, so there are different strains within the Republican coalition," the new congressman said.



"There are some that are truly libertarian, and we can work with them on criminal justice issues and we can work with them on marriage equality and LGBT rights," Raskin said. "There are parts of the coalition that are frankly authoritarian and are not interested in criminal justice reform."



Maryland's lone Republican, Rep. Andy Harris, R-Cockeysville, sought to boost his standing in the new Congress with a bid for the chairmanship of the GOP House's think tank, the Republican Study Committee. But he lost last week to Rep. Mark Walker, R-N.C.



Republicans maintained narrow control of the Senate in the Nov. 8 elections, winning 51 seats (a runoff in Louisiana will determine which party gets the 100th seat but it will not change the balance of party power). Republicans also hold 239 of the 435 seats in the House.



While that gives Trump a major advantage as he crafts legislation and policy, the Republican Party was deeply divided over their nominee and it remains to be seen how various GOP factions will find common ground on such thorny issues as immigration reform, foreign policy and taxes.



And it's possible Senate Democrats could be called upon by the White House for help in some instances, said Bruce Oppenheimer, a Vanderbilt University public policy professor.



"There are some areas where the Trump Administration or Trump may want to go which will not be popular with conservative Republicans," Oppenheimer said. "So it may be on some of those policy issues that he seeks out Democratic support, where they can play a bigger role."



One of Trump's goals drawing early criticism from some conservatives is his 10-year plan to invest $1 trillion into restoring highways, bridges and other infrastructure. Democrats also campaigned on making infrastructure spending a priority.



"We want to work with Donald Trump on the areas where there's common ground," Van Hollen said. "Modernizing our national infrastructurewe know around this area how important it is."



"It's not just roads and bridges and transit ways, but also broadband, clean energy platforms," he continued. "I've put forward proposals in the past to help address that issue. I would welcome the opportunity to work on those particular issues and the other issues where there's common ground."



However, Senate Republicans have expressed confidence in their ability to enact legislation without Democratic assistance.



"We have a temporary lease on power," Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., told reporters after the election. "We have to use it responsibly."



McConnell repeatedly has said the GOP will be gunning for Obamacare, calling it one of the "single worst pieces of legislation among many bad pieces of legislation" from the first two years of Obama's presidency.



One tactic Republicans could use to end all or portions of Obamacare is a Senate procedure called reconciliation. It can be used once a year and requires only a simple 51-vote majority from the Senate, making it filibuster-proof.



Reconciliation is meant for revenue and spending bills, and the relevancy of reconciliation provisions can be challenged. While reconciliation cannot explicitly repeal Obamacare, it can cut off its funding and thus severely cripple it, Oppenheimer said.



"I think the bigger question is not whether they have the power to sort of emasculate Obamacare using reconciliation rather than repealing it directly," Oppenheimer said. "The real question is, doing that, what do they have left?"



Republicans used reconciliation last year to try to repeal major portions of Obamacare and defund Planned Parenthood. The bill made it to Obama's desk, where he vetoed it in January. The House subsequently failed to muster the necessary two-thirds vote to override the veto.



Van Hollen told Capital News Service that it was not clear whether the Republicans would try to use the reconciliation procedure.



"But that's an issue, that's a real issue," he said.



Whatever health care program Republicans try to install to replace the Affordable Care Act, along with any other legislation they come up with, will have to come to the Senate floor under normal procedures.



To pass their proposed bills, Republicans will need some bipartisan support. Maryland might not have the senators the Republicans reach out to though.



"If you're the Trump Administration, or Mitch McConnell, those would not be the first two senators you go after," Oppenheimer said. "So my sense is, if you're looking to get 60 votes, you wouldn't expect the difference between 52 and 60 to include the two Maryland senators."



Still, being in the Senate gives Van Hollen a stronger chance to make a difference, said Todd Eberly, a political science professor at St. Mary's College of Maryland.



"In some ways, it's better for Chris Van Hollen to be in the Senate," Eberly said.



He explained Van Hollen will have more sway as a junior member of the minority in the Senate than as a senior member of the minority in the House because "norms and rules (in the Senate) give respect to individual members."
ESA Copernicus Satellite Data Confirms San Francisco Landmark Sinking. ESA/PPO.labs/Norut/NGU

The Sentinel-1 satellites have shown that the Millennium Tower skyscraper in the centre of San Francisco is sinking by a few centimetres a year. Studying the city is helping scientists to improve the monitoring of urban ground movements, particularly for subsidence hotspots in Europe.

Completed in 2009, the 58-storey Millennium Tower has recently been showing signs of sinking and tilting. Although the cause has not been pinpointed, it is believed that the movements are connected to the supporting piles not firmly resting on bedrock.

To probe these subtle shifts, scientists combined multiple radar scans from the Copernicus Sentinel-1 twin satellites of the same area to detect subtle surface changes  down to millimetres. The technique works well with buildings because they better reflect the radar beam.

It is also useful for pinpointing displacement hotspots over large areas, thanks to Sentinel-1s broad coverage and frequent visits.

Working with ESA, the team from Norut, PPO.labs and Geological Survey of Norway have also mapped other areas in the wider San Francisco Bay Area that are moving. These include buildings along the earthquake-prone Hayward Fault, as well as subsidence of the newly reclaimed land in the San Rafael Bay.

An uplift of the land was detected around the city of Pleasanton, possibly from the replenishment of groundwater following a four-year drought that ended in 2015.



Data from the Sentinel-1 satellites acquired between 22 February 2015 and 20 September 2016 show that Millennium Tower in San Francisco is sinking by about 40 mm a year in the line of sight  the direction that the satellite is looking at the building. This translates into a vertical subsidence of almost 50 mm a year, assuming no tilting. The coloured dots represent targets observed by the radar. The colour scale ranges from 40 mm a year away from radar (red) to 40 mm a year towards radar (blue). Green represents stable targets. Credit: ESA/PPO.labs/Norut/NGU.

European cities experience similar subsidence, and the San Francisco study is helping because it contains a multitude of features.

For example, the area around Oslos train station in Norway is reclaimed land. Newer buildings, such as the nearby opera house, have proper foundation into bedrock, but the older parts of the station experience severe subsidence.

Experience and knowledge gained within the ESAs Scientific Exploitation of Operational Missions programme give us strong confidence that Sentinel-1 will be a highly versatile and reliable platform for operational deformation monitoring in Norway, and worldwide, noted John Dehls from the Geological Survey of Norway.

The studies of San Francisco and Oslo are paving the way for moving from targeted case studies to a nationwide or even continental-scale land deformation service.

The Copernicus Sentinel-1 mission is, for the first time, making it possible to launch operational national deformation mapping services, said Dag Anders Moldestad from the Norwegian Space Centre.

The open data policy and regular coverage plan of Copernicus promise cost-efficient and reliable services.

In Norway, we have already initiated a framework project to provide nationwide basic deformation products to the public, with a free and open data policy. Many other countries in Europe are also working towards setting up similar services, noted Dr Moldestad.

The Sentinel-1 twins provide radar vision for Europes Copernicus environment monitoring programme. In addition to watching land movements, they feed numerous other services for monitoring Arctic sea ice, routine sea-ice mapping, surveillance of the marine environment, mapping for forest, water and soil management, and mapping to support humanitarian aid and crisis situations.

 Download the full high resolution image.
Wed, 26.10.22 - 12:09

Another blast of heat at the end of the month is likely to break the record in Spain With only a few days left in...
In this week's edition of Rewind Robert Smith remembers the lifetime and career of the great U.S. horseman Wm. R. "Billy" Haughton. His sudden and untimely death occurred over 30 years ago, but he continues to enjoy legendary status in our sport.





Billy Haughton in a 1950's photo (Hoof Beats) Billy Haughton in a 1950's photo (Hoof Beats)

A little over 30 years ago back on July 15, 1986 harness racing was dealt a crushing blow. The tremendously popular and highly successful Billy Haughton died as a result of injuries received in a racing accident at Yonkers Raceway 10 days earlier on July 5th. Many in the industry felt that a helmet with better design may have lessened the severity of his injuries, but that debate will never be answered. The shock waves caused by his death reverberated around the globe and to this day he is still sorely missed. He endeared himself to virtually everyone he ever met. He was a master at whatever he did and was welcomed wherever he travelled; he was truly 'a man for all seasons'. He was just 62 at the time of his passing, a life ended far too soon.

William Robert Haughton was born in Gloversville, New York on November 22, 1923. His farm upbringing in a community known as Fultonville and closeness to a world still immersed in the horse culture seemed to naturally lead to a love of all equine creatures. His first horse was a pony simply named "Betty" that he received when he was just five. Using a small homemade sulky-like contraption fashioned from a basket cart Billy began to emulate the 'racers' from the annual nearby Fonda, N.Y. Fair. A few years later his father got him a well-used old sulky and he continued his love affair with being introduced to the sulky sport. He was 'racing' without even leaving the farm.

At a very young age Billy began his life-long association with harness racing when he accepted a $7-a-week job as a groom with a well-known local horseman named Billy Muckle. In 1942 the young 19-year-old Haughton scored his first lifetime victory behind a Muckle-trained horse named Hollyrood Arrow. Throughout High School he continued to groom horses at the local fairgrounds, always eager to learn whatever he could. In later years he was quick to credit Mr. Muckle for his trust in him and also stated that his early lessons remained forever.

In addition to his pursuit of a career in harness racing, Haughton also decided early in life to further his education. He enrolled at Cobleskill College with an aim toward a degree in Animal Husbandry. At this time with WW II in progress, many young people's careers were interrupted by military service. Billy attempted to enter the army but was refused due to an injury that he had received earlier in a horse-related accident. He continued his schooling while grooming and training horses in the summer months. In 1946 he graduated from Cobleskill but was still intent on a career in harness racing. Today in memory of both Billy and he and Dottie's son Peter who died at a young age in an auto accident, an annual scholarship is offered at his alma mater.



Billy and son Peter enjoy a ride together. Peter followed closely in his father's footsteps as a top trainer and driver but died tragically in a 1980 auto accident (Hoof Beats) Billy and son Peter enjoy a ride together. Peter followed closely in his father's footsteps as a top trainer and driver but died tragically in a 1980 auto accident (Hoof Beats)

By 1947 just after the end of WW II, his full-time career in the sport began with the operation of a public stable at Saratoga Springs track. His business acumen and superior horsemanship soon combined to form a winning formula on and off the track. His ability to win races and run a stable soon attracted prospective owners and many lasting relationships began to form. His popularity was apparent from the start and it was a trait that would continue through his long career.

After a few visits to the two big twice-arounds in New York -- namely Roosevelt and Yonkers -- Billy moved his operation there in 1949 as well as racing at Saratoga. One of his best early horses was Ankaway (pictured below) that became part of his winning combination with ten victories that season.



Ankaway, an early standout for Billy Haughton shown in front of the huge Roosevelt Raceway grandstand (Hoof Beats) Ankaway, an early standout for Billy Haughton shown in front of the huge Roosevelt Raceway grandstand (Hoof Beats)

His successes came quickly and his stable grew in numbers as he began to develop young horses and compete in the lucrative stakes that were then coming into being. In 1955 on his initial visit to Delaware, Ohio, he captured his first of five Little Brown Jugs with Quick Chief. His major conquests in the sport also included four wins as a driver in the Hambletonian but he was never able to win the Kentucky Futurity.

Through much of his career Billy was naturally compared to fellow horseman Stanley Dancer who was just a few years younger than Haughton. (At right, Billy and Stanley Dancer share a light-hearted moment in this trackside photo.)

While many similarities in their accomplishments and attributes existed, a number of stark differences set them apart. Stanley craved publicity and the limelight and loved to be the centre of attention. Billy was much more reserved and laid back, satisfied to have people approach him. Dancer liked to purchase sale toppers and highly-touted youngsters while Haughton shopped the entire catalogue and often sought out bargains for his owners. Stanley hated criticism and when disagreements with owners arose he was not adverse to severing ties. Billy was very caring and patient with those around him and attempted to have personal contact and dialogue with all of his patrons. Dancer was known to brood and sulk following a losing drive, whereas Haughton was more concerned with his next race, confident that the past could not be overturned.

Despite his tremendously busy work and family schedule Haughton still found time to serve the sport he so dearly loved. At the time of his passing he was the longest continuously serving USTA Representative having started back in 1955. He wrote several manuals on training and other related topics. He was said to have a special knack for conserving his energy and operating on little sleep. Murray Brown of Hanover Shoe Farms fame recalls seeing him actually take a short nap between heats while he was driving in the Hambletonian at DuQuoin. While this trait had its merits it was also almost costly as he once fell asleep while driving and he hit a guard rail. Beyond minor damage to his vehicle he escaped serious injury.

A rather humorous story revealing the human side of Mr. Haughton is told. It seems that he and his wife Dottie were spending a rare evening at home when a knock at the door came and drew their attention. Two nuns were canvassing for an important Church project and they asked for Billy's support which would take the form of a $500 donation. He obliged but his generosity was contingent on him winning a certain race upcoming at Yonkers. They left satisfied but Billy questioned whether or not he would ever hear from them again. A couple of days later after he was victorious in the subject race, the phone began to ring at 4:00 a.m. at the Haughton residence. He was sure they had a pipeline to the track and also surmised they had returned to the convent and lit some candles.





In a career that spanned five decades Billy often appeared in the winner's circle but usually as a driver. Here he is shown at a fair in New York State as he greets his wife Dottie who was making a rare appearance in the sulky. In a career that spanned five decades Billy often appeared in the winner's circle but usually as a driver. Here he is shown at a fair in New York State as he greets his wife Dottie who was making a rare appearance in the sulky.

While the huge Haughton stable campaigned mainly in the U.S. it was not uncommon when races with larger purses were offered in Canada that a top performer was shipped in. A couple of prime examples occurred back in 1957 when in the short span of less than one week, two horses from the Haughton outfit established new track records at Montreal's Blue Bonnets track; one of each gait. On July 21 Duane Hanover, one of the stable's top performers was shipped in to contest the Cattarinich Memorial Pace which carried a purse of $13,200. In front of a huge crowd the pair turned back a field of the best pacers around and in the process established a new track record of 2:02 flat. This erased the former mark of 2:03 set just three weeks earlier by Ezra Deen, who finished 5th in this race.

Just five days later Haughton returned to Montreal and again set a Blue Bonnets track record, this time it was with the great trotting performer Trader Horn, perhaps at the peak of his career. The new mark was recorded as 2:02.3. These performances showed the power and class of the members of the Haughton stable.



Duane Hanover appears in the Blue Bonnets winner's circle with a host of guests. From left: Lucien Bombardier, Haughton, co-owners Mr. and Mrs. Karl, Eugene Lajoie of Blue Bonnets, Rene Chartrand and co-owner Francois Seremba. Take note of the gigantic Sunday afternoon crowd on hand to witness this record-setting event. (Harness Horse) Duane Hanover appears in the Blue Bonnets winner's circle with a host of guests. From left: Lucien Bombardier, Haughton, co-owners Mr. and Mrs. Karl, Eugene Lajoie of Blue Bonnets, Rene Chartrand and co-owner Francois Seremba. Take note of the gigantic Sunday afternoon crowd on hand to witness this record-setting event. (Harness Horse)

Billy Haughton's statistics were phenomenal and still climbing at the time of his tragic death although he had cut back on his driving assignments by then. He had won 4,910 races and banked over $40 Million in a career that spanned the better part of five decades. He wrote the book on $1 million dollar seasons with 19 in a row. A list of his great horses would be a long one; almost impossible to compile. Still as racing scribes wrote about his career and its sad ending, invariably he was applauded for his human qualities and the fact that virtually everyone 'loved' him.



Billy is shown here in a morning training mile. He trained a huge stable and wintered in Florida for many years where he broke a large number of youngsters each year. Billy is shown here in a morning training mile. He trained a huge stable and wintered in Florida for many years where he broke a large number of youngsters each year.

Thirty years have come and gone since Billy's passing but his name is still mentioned whenever the all-time greats are remembered and revered. He helped to author the greatest and most memorable chapter in our sport's history. Despite his accomplishments and successes, he always retained his humility and respect for everyone he met. His memory will never be too far away.


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Opinion / Columnist

Even in death the women are violated in Zimbabwe. I have in mind not so long ago, a body of a woman sex worker who was murdered, her body was found alongside the road, was photographed and was ditched on social media for all to see. She was a sex worker after all! Her scattered body showed signs of absolute raw male violence. She is a prostitute anywhere and she must die at the pleasure of the client she served with her bare body, a man who sexually abused her the whole night, a dispute over missing money that cost her life, because the life of a woman in Zimbabwe is cheap, cheap, and cheap.Women in Zimbabwe experience raw masculine violence on a daily basis. They experience physical and sexual violence with sometimes fatal consequences. This violence is directed against the dignity and self-determination of women, their human right to physical integrity and self-assertive shaping of their lives. Violence as the most serious and dangerous form of discrimination is rooted in sexism, racism, misogyny embedded, fixed, entrenched in our patriarchal Zimbabwean culture. Statistically, women are most likely to experience violence from their families and neighbourhood, they often know the perpetrators.Most of these attacks against women are increasingly taking place in public space. The p*rnography of violence in Zimbabwe is nerve wrecking and abhorrent and vomit inducing. People love violence, love to see it taking place without intervening to assist victims of it. This violence must be taken seriously without exception, prosecuted and prophylactic, instead of merely occasionally using it for other political purposes.Women are threatened by violence or experienced violence when they rebel against social pressures; if they do not do what is expected of them; does not look like "Zimbabwean" women are supposed to look like; Not live in the expectations that society prescribes, that are supposed to be natural to them. However: always doing what is required and expected does not in any way protect against being a victim of violence. Ultimately, only the enforcement of human rights leads to equal, non-discriminatory and fearless coexistence for all people.Recent treaties on violence against women studies are just the tip of the iceberg of gender-based violence in our global societies, which is unbearable. Do we women in Zimbabwe have certain standards and agreement to combat violence against women that defines a set of minimum standards for the prevention, combating and prosecution of various forms of violence, the protection of those affected and a comprehensive political approach? Does Zimbabwe as a country or do institutions that subscribe to international conventions regarding women and girls adhere or undertake to protect and assist victims of such violence. They must also ensure that those affected have access to hotlines, emergency accommodation, medical care, counselling and legal assistance. The Conventions also requires a monitoring mechanism to ensure effective implementation of its provisions by the parties.There are several legal instruments globally that protect women against all forms of violence: CEDAW Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women: UNFPA; The Human Rights of Women: ICRC; The Protection of Women in International Humanitarian Law. With all this global protection in abundance; any kind violence on any one woman is just one too much and it should never be tolerated in any civilized society.I was reading Christian Korff's letter he wrote on the 27.2.2003 "I have a dream" (he got this quotation from Martin Luther King II) He talks about a "New deal" We need a new deal he says. In his dream the American President (G. W. Bush) is a visionary and he will not start the war in Iraq from the conviction that all lives are equally valuable. G. W. Bush is going to say in his last speech: "God bless the World" because all the people in the world are equal and their lives are equally valuable.In the same vein, and also in the same set of values and principles enshrined in all international women's conventions, I want to dream of a Zimbabwe that will look at its better half: (the female gender) as equal and respectful of women and girl-children. I dream that I turn my on the Telly and hear all men of Zimbabwe make a historical pledge to love and respect women of all races and ages and never to inflict harm on them because women and children are the cornerstone of any society in the world. Women and children are valuables in our country. Without women Zimbabwe cannot tick.I am dreaming still when the Zimbabwean men ask: "But what is justice? The source of ethics is the golden rule." "Do not let anyone abuse you, tell you what to do, to your body, your values and principles, what you strongly believe in as a woman and as a girl. Do not let some father, brother, uncle, male cousin dream your life and dream about how your life should be." Do not allow anybody to tell you to get married to get respect from your society. You yourself know better what you want in your life."" The golden rule is based on the categorical imperative of Immanuel Kant: "Act only in accordance with that maxim through which you can at the same time will that it become a universal law."It is mostly in those marriage institutions where horror of death takes place in our society. It is in marriage institutions where women are murdered, denigrated, treated like the used condoms, insulted called lunatics, because there is no resources in the home to cover the raw poverty smelling at all corners of the home. It is very easy to determine what is right: just get up and run for your life it does not matter what age you are. Do not settle for less because that less will cost your life dear sister and daughter and granddaughter.It is in those red street lights where a woman does not have the dignity worth of a human being. It is in those decent homes where young girls are abused in total silence without anybody noticing anything called sexual abuse on under-aged children. It is this absolute destitution of our situation in Zimbabwe where women are to bear the brute of violence as the outlet of poverty. It is in dire poverty where young girls have to face marriage to elderly men at the age of nine, ten 11, 12 13, and it goes on.Please allow me to dream again just like Christian Korff. I dream of a philosopher born in Zimbabwe who investigated the question of justice and how just Zimbabwean societies should look like. The Zimbabwean born philosopher tells the people of Zimbabwe that his ideas guarantee social justice. Every citizen has the same rights as of thought and development, freedom of religion, and above all equality of opportunities, irrespective of ethnic origin and social or economic standing. I dream of a Zimbabwe that makes laws to its citizens and those laws are so ideal that it makes Zimbabwe an ideal country inside SADC, an envy to all. Those laws are people friendly laws: to men and women to children and all vulnerable niches in our society will find their shared cake in the national budget because they are all inclusive in the society.I dream of a society whereby people are not aware of their ethnic status: are they Shona, Ndebele, bilingual, multi-lingual, of European origins, Indian origin, and Chinese origin it did not matter. I dream of a country that enjoys the value of life of all its citizens and beyond: at the end of the day we are all God's creation. Love one another and live for each other from now on; and leave behind us a legacy that informs the coming generation that only peace makes sustainable change and not war or conflicts.I quote Christian Korff verbatim: "Look at the stars, see the galaxies, maybe there is only human consciousness in the entire universe. We have not only a global but cosmic responsibility to protect the Earth from destruction. Our New Deal must take the environment into consideration so that it is not destroyed." My answer to this quotation is: Charity begins at home. Before we can address global issues, let's look into our painful ethnic problems that make us less, our painful ethnic divides that reduce us as Zimbabweans. Let's dare to confront them and solve them amicably without any threat of war or unnecessary conflicts.The 25th of November is here with us today to remember those Zimbabwean women who died most gruesome deaths, mysterious deaths, deaths through masculine violence, and deaths at the hands of a dictatorship like we have in Zimbabwe. We have deaths cause by neglect, death due to starvation, deaths because our frontline services have collapsed, hospitals are becoming deathbeds because of the numerous diseases one gets in clinics and hospitals.In the moment of dreaming let me dream about the day Zimbabwe shall be free from Zanu PF and the criminal cabals. I dream of the day when some of our citizens in the Diaspora will pack their belongings and come home and develop their country. We owe it to our coming generation to put the record straight. We cannot afford to leave such a mess to our coming generations.The 25th of November reminds us of our painful past. The revolution we boast about day in and day out was violent indeed. It is the same violence mostly against women and girl-children that is eating its generation today. History must inform us that the war was not won by the barrel of the gun but by negotiations at Lancaster House in 1979. The Smith regime was winning the war as a matter of fact. By hook and crook from Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, Smith was forced to negotiate the way out of the bush war. Meggy wanted Rhodesia out of her desk as she had a lot in her hands. His giving in to negotiations; he lost it.What the bush war legacy brought to our societies is violence against women and children. We need to retrace how men from the liberation movement would still have the audacity to insult stalwarts like Amai Mujuru: use sex to shame her at her age, a woman who was in the Zanu PF government for the past 34 years. Women should come forward and tell us what transpired in the liberations camps: how were the magnitudes of sexual violence on young girls? There was violence too in men camps not necessarily of sexual nature but ideological misunderstandings that let to killings and counter killings in thousands of innocent lives in liberations camps in Zambia, Mozambique and Tanzania.It is the same violence that has manifested itself into a culture of intolerance and violence in Zimbabwe. When the war was over in 1980, was there a time when the same liberation movements (Zanu Zapu) went back to the people and informed them about the end of violence. Instead that violence from the war manifested itself to yet another level of violence: Gugurahundi atrocities! Yes the armed struggle was adopted as violence to liberate the country in most cases women were cannon fodder of the struggle for the liberation of Zimbabwe. Acts of extreme violence were adopted in liberation struggle as the means to rid ourselves from colonialism? But at the same vein, after independence, the leaders needed to go back to the people and inform them of the end of violence. This could have had a lot of psychological impact on the people as a whole.When we remember the 25th of November we do remember too, the women who were killed in cross fire, women who are accused of deaths of commanders because of their presence in the cross fire. There were women who got killed because they were falsely accused to be collaborators with the Smith regime. We remember the shame through the use of sex that those women have to endure because in our culture it's a woman who is at fault and not the man. We remember young children and toddlers who have been sexually abused and died because men wanted to cure themselves of the HIV/AIDS. We remember women who have been killed because the man thought she was a goblin: the man goes scot free from the courts of Zimbabwean law.We remember many young women who will forever remain silent from the sexual abuse meted on them because nobody can stand on their behalf and speak out against sexual abuse on girl-children.We should never stop to dream just like Christian Korff. We must dream about a new deal. I dream about a new deal whereby all men and women are equal before the law and not by letter but by deeds at homes, in the village in the clan in the nation as a whole. I dream of young girls in safe nets environments living and dreaming f a greater future, greater than our own. We need to dream that hate speeches will be a thing of the past. We need to dream when there is no ethnic tensions in our Zimbabwe societies. We should dream of plenty of food and good education and better health for all of us and not only few individuals.We should dream of women having longer life expectancy and good living conditions with work in abundance. We dream of homes worth of the home to live in and not shake shakes or slums. We dream of Kimberly brick houses so that women are not forever building huts. Above all I dream of men respecting babies and not sexually abusing them. I can't stop dreaming let me just pen off and continue dreaming until I sleep off without dreaming: death!
Wisdom of the Crowd: 55 % of respondents said that the Trust Bak set up by Fairprice will not be profitable as there are already too many d...
Opinion / Columnist

After the independence of Zimbabwe, the education reforms focused on the integration of the formerly racially separate education system. Zimbabwe adopted a system of free education at primary and secondary schools in 1980 under the banner of 'education for all'. The introduction of free education attracted a massive enrolment in primary and secondary schools. Schools in rural and farming areas that were deprived during the colonial administration witnessed high school enrolments. Funding for education was meant to come from the taxes through budget allocation to the ministry of education; and funds from donor and non-government organisations. Some of the funds were diverted from former white schools to fund the upsurge of schools in black communities. Zimbabwe educational decision making was centralised and continues to be so. The regional offices act on behalf of central government in recruiting teachers and, supervision of schools using the allocated budgets that are approval by the secretary of education.The introduction of 'education for all' did not take long for the quality of education to suffer due to government fiscal constraints overwhelming by the demand for school places. The outcome was that education became an access and a containment of children as many of them left secondary schools unable to read and write. In the face of financial constraints government then introduced School Development Committees to transfer the cost running schools from it to the communities but the decision making authority remained central to government.The economic inequalities in the Zimbabwe's social structure saw schools in urban areas and those run by churches better resourced than those schools in rural and farming areas. There is a further disparity from one region to the other in terms of government attention in educational development and resourcing. The marginalisation of schools is attributed to political overtures with schools situated in political contested regions suffering neglect by government.There is also an existence of a monumental disconnect between Zimbabwe's education and the needs of the economy. The country does not produce the human capital appropriate enough to drive the social and physical economy of the country. Zimbabwe is not producing high quality personal in computer technology, engineering, science, manufacturing and entrepreneurship.Educational devolution is increasingly becoming popular around the world from the centre down to the local schools. Devolution of power provides greatest advances and opportunity to reform the functions of government as it becomes the mainstay that brings educational decision making closer to the local communities. This means that educational decision making and implementation is executed by the level of government closest to the individual learner. Local communities become the power hold within their defined functions. The focus of devolution of education is on power, functions, resources and service delivery. The local education board working with the provincial legislature provides initiatives for localised development of skills, knowledge, attitudes, values and innovation to promote the development of education within their schools.The expectation in educational devolution is that decision making is closer to the school level to foster a degree of student and teacher motivation, parents' participation, a sense of ownership, curriculum adaptation to local settings and community willingness to contribute financially to the school (Hanson 1989). Therefore, the policy perspectives of educational devolution are based on the initiatives to increase educational management efficiency; redistribution of educational financial responsibilities; distributing educational decision making power to local communities; increasing control through deregulation; adopting market based education and improving the quality of education.Key functional and fiscal decisions, including appointing heads of school and allocating provincial education budgets lie with the provincial legislature through the provincial education boards. These decisions may be delegated to school committees. Fiscal autonomy and, arguably, fiscal accountability is higher when provincial governments are empowered to manage finances to meet the needs of their schools.Educational devolution is a remedy for the current ZANU PF centralised education management that is opaque, inefficient, that produces poor educational services, poor quality of teachers and poor schools results. The centralised educational management system is fraught with a lot of irregularities that include a lack of the supply of instructional and learning materials, and the existence of substandard and inadequate school buildings and equipment in many rural and farming communities.The rational for educational devolution is that it increases educational functional and fiscal autonomy to local authorities and participation in local decision-making structures. Educational devolution is also a means to fight corruption that is widespread in centralised government educational supplies procurement departments and it controls the creation of ghost teachers. Devolution promotes the provision of educational equity across the country and promotes the efficient use and allocation of educational resources including appropriate and effective deployment of teachers.The funding for education under devolution of power is provided by the transfer of money from the central government equitable to provincial legislatures. The provincial government receives funding sufficient to cover the educational budget for each province based on laid down budget allocation formulas. The local government can make further budget allocations to schools under its control.The promise for devolution of power is an attempt to redistribute educational and other social and economic resources equitably across the country so that schools in remote areas enjoy the same educational benefits as those in affluent and politically connected areas. Educational localism is an effective approach that is managed, planned and controlled by functional institutions closer to the child.
Longtime Kelso city councilman Alan Slater died Friday at Community Health Home and Hospice in Longview. He was 88.

He fought a long battle with cancer.

Slater was born in 1928 in Longview, eight years after his father arrived in the county to help build the town of Ryderwood. A 1947 Kelso High School graduate, Slater attended Lower Columbia College and Portland State University. He was an instructor for the U.S. Army, a department head at Weyerhaeuser Co. and ran the building material retail yard Cash-Way Sales, Inc. in Longview,

Slater began as a councilman in 1983 and left in 2009, citing his health. He is remembered for what some described as an encyclopedic knowledge of Kelso.

He really cared about Kelso and was great at remembering what made the place great, said Kelso Mayor David Futcher on Friday.

Former City Manager Denny Richards told The Daily News in 2009 that he always knew when Slater was about to launch into a story about the towns history when hed lean back in his chair and say, Well, guys

My meetings were a lot shorter after (Slater left the council), Futcher joked.

You have to learn from what has taken place in the past, Slater told The Daily News in 2009.

Futcher said he considered Slater a mentor.

I respected the way he approached things. Once I got on the council, he was valuable as a mentor, giving me a lot of background on things that were happened, always explaining the historical background, Futcher said.

Slater took his job seriously, once joking that he hoped leaving the council would mean he could stop waking up at night thinking about city issues.

When you get to be going on 81, he said in 2009, you start to wonder whats the Lord got in mind for me, and how much time do I have for good feelings and positive thinking. Im just hoping to be around long enough to help the citizens of Kelso a little bit more.
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It was once the home of Britain's codebreakers during World War Two. Now more than 70 years later, Bletchley Park is preparing to host the UK's first national college of cyber education, with a first intake of students starting in September 2018.

Work is under way to revamp several derelict buildings on the site where mathematician Alan Turing cracked Nazi Germany's "unbreakable" Enigma code.

The new school for 16- to 18-year-olds, which will sit beside the historical attraction and the National Museum of Computing, will take 100 students in its first year. Forty percent of their curriculum will consist of cyber studies.

The plan for the school, which will be part publicly and part privately funded, was unveiled by Qufaro, which calls itself a not-for-profit body formed by cyber security experts, as part of an initiative to establish a UK national cyber security hub.

"Bletchley Park we felt was a natural home for a cyber security college because it's building on the innovation and the work that took place in the Second World War, bringing it up to date and making it relevant again," said Tim Reynolds, deputy chairman of the National Museum of Computing and a director of Qufaro.

Selection for places will be through talent spotting and an entrance exam. Qufaro expects 90 percent of students to board at the school.

"What we are looking to do is to wrap around all of the expertise that currently exists along with the educational support that they are going to need, to ensure that they're either industry ready or university ready," Reynolds said.

"This will be a one-stop-shop where the outcome, or output in terms of students, will be ready for whatever path they choose to take."

While Bletchley Park attracts visitors, some of its buildings are in need of work, with smashed windows and peeling paint.

Among those who have helped save it from disrepair is Margaret Sale, whose late husband Tony led the rebuilding of a replica of Colossus, the world's first electronic computer, used to decipher codes sent from the Lorenz Cipher, a machine used by the Nazis.

The 84-year-old, who still volunteers at the National Museum of Computing, hopes the new college will help preserve the Bletchley Park legacy.

Asked about the difference between the site's codebreaking past and the college's future work, she said: "It will have a different feel because the world is so different. Now we know what is in people's speeches before they even sometimes know it themselves."

"So much has changed ... But basically it's still the same thing. It's making sure that you are one step in advance of your enemies."

Reuters
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Japan plans to build the world's fastest-known supercomputer in a bid to arm the country's manufacturers with a platform for research that could help them develop and improve driverless cars, robotics and medical diagnostics.

The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry will spend 19.5 billion yen ($173 million) on the previously unreported project, a budget breakdown shows, as part of a government policy to get back Japan's mojo in the world of technology. The country has lost its edge in many electronic fields amid intensifying competition from South Korea and China, home to the world's current best-performing machine.

In a move that is expected to vault Japan to the top of the supercomputing heap, its engineers will be tasked with building a machine that can make 130 quadrillion calculations per second - or 130 petaflops in scientific parlance - as early as next year, sources involved in the project told Reuters.

At that speed, Japan's computer would be ahead of China's Sunway Taihulight that is capable of 93 petaflops.

"As far as we know, there is nothing out there that is as fast," said Satoshi Sekiguchi, a director general at Japan's National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, where the computer will be built.

The push to return to the vanguard comes at a time of growing nostalgia for the heyday of Japan's technological prowess, which has dwindled since China overtook it as the world's second-biggest economy.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has called for companies, bureaucrats and the political class to work more closely together so Japan can win in robotics, batteries, renewable energy and other new and growing markets.

DEEP LEARNING

In the area of supercomputing, Japan's aim is to use ultra-fast calculations to accelerate advances in artificial intelligence (AI), such as "deep learning" technology that works off algorithms which mimic the human brain's neural pathways, to help computers perform new tasks and analyze scores of data.

Recent achievements in this area have come from Google's DeepMind AI program, AlphaGo, which in March beat South Korean professional Lee Seedol in the ancient board game of Go.

Applications include helping companies improve driverless vehicles by allowing them to analyse huge troves of visual traffic data, or it could help factories improve automation.

China uses the Sunway Taihulight for weather forecasting, pharmaceutical research, industrial design, among other things.

Japan's new supercomputer could help tap medical records to develop new services and applications, Sekiguchi said.

The supercomputer will be made available for a fee to Japan's corporations, who now outsource data crunching to foreign firms such as Google and Microsoft, Sekiguchi and others involved in the project said.

The new computer has been dubbed ABCI, an acronym for AI Bridging Cloud Infrastructure. Bidding for the project has begun and will close on Dec. 8.

Fujitsu Ltd, the builder of the fastest Japanese supercomputer to date - the Oakforest-PACS, capable of 13.6 petaflops, declined to say if it would bid for the project.

The company has, however, said it is keen to be involved in supercomputer development.

Reuters
tech2 News Staff

As far as India is concerned, robots are either the subject of a lot of research at technology institutes, are seen as part of a technology festival or are used in an industrial setup on the assembly line. But there are few cases where robots have been used in a daily usage scenario. Unlike other South East Asian countries where robots have entered households in the form of pets or virtual assistants or even as hotel receptionists, India does not have a similar case study.

Well, Lakshmi might just change that perception. Lakshmi is India's first ever banking robot which made its debut at City Union Bank's T Nagar branch in Chennai earlier this month.

The artificial intelligence powered Lakshmi will be the first on-site bank helper to assist bank customers get answers to the most common queries they ask of bank staff. Lakshmi, can answer up to 120 basic questions, which the bank authorities said were the most commonly asked questions.

https://twitter.com/indianeagle/status/797119247830818816

"About 95 percent of the questions asked by customers were repetitive. We have fed the inputs and Lakshmi will be able to answer them," said N Kamakodi, City Union Bank managing director and CEO to The Hindu.

Lakshmi has been imported from France and been customised in Coimbatore's Vishnu Engineering college to make it more relevant for answering banking queries. It can inform users about bank's history, its lending and deposit rates, special schemes for students and so on. The service will start in English, but will soon support other regional languages as well.

According to Kamakodi, City Union Bank plans to have around 25 to 30 robots installed in different branches by March 2017. Lakshmi will also be integrated with the Core Banking System, which will enable it to provide information related to user accounts. Lakshmi takes a call as to which information can be said out loud and which information needs to be displayed discreetly (such as your bank balance).

Considering Lakshmi is powered by artificial intelligence, it can understand contextual queries. It is also constantly learning from its customers, and it will get better the more interactions it has, said a bank executive.

According to its assembler Vijay V Shah from Vishnu Engineering college in Coimbatore, Lakshmi has a work around to improve its intelligence if it cannot answer your question outright. Lakshmi guides customers to the branch manager for questions it cannot answer, but in the backend data is being collected and Lakshmi is constantly being fed with data-sets to improve its knowledge.

Apart from answering queries for regular customers, Kamakodi says that there are plans to make Laskhmi accessible for visually challenged bank customers as well.
Opinion / Columnist

It is disheartening to note with great sadness that in our country we have individuals who have perfomed acts of bravery but they potential has been left unnoticed.The only recognition they got was that of becoming a one day celebrity in their communities.In a typical hollywood script here is an unfortunate act of bravery.Samson Mutombeni of Chegwite village in Chiredzi warded off the attack from the hungry and wounded lion in a bush near the Save Valley Conservancies last week.He was walking along a path when the animal emerged from the bush and attacked him. According to Mutombeni, who is battling for his life at Mashoko Hospital after sustaining injuries all over his body, the animal brought him down during the attack.In an effort to save his life Mutombeni grabbed the lion by the throat and manage to pin it down. He fought with the animal for almost half an hour before it ran away. "I was walking home around 7 pm when the lion attacked me," he said."I panicked at first but then I fought for my life with my bare hands. I grabbed its throat and fought with it for more than 30 minutes before it ran away," he said.Police in Masvingo confirmed the incident adding the officials from the department of Parks and wildlife were hunting for the dangerous animal.Another act of bravery that is supposed to be recognised is that one of Ms Primrose Moyo who saved Emmanuel Ndou on Thursday 9 July2015 The incident has got villagers from Fumukwe Village, about 80 kilometres from Gwanda town, amazed at 28-year-old Ms Moyo's bravery and how the todddler did not suffer from shock after being submerged in water for close to a minute.In an interview with Sunday News on Thursday, Ms Moyo said if it was not for her impulsive decision to jump after her son, he would have surely drowned."Up to now I am also shocked how I did that. I remember we were chatting with my pastor, a few metres from the well while Emmanuel was playing just close by. I think he started walking backwards and then he tripped and fell head-long into the well."For a few seconds I just froze not sure what I could do then I just stepped over the well and jumped straight in, feet first. I didn't even think of what would happen if I landed on my son's head or what was down there, I just jumped in and fortunately I didn't land on him," said Ms Moyo.She said once in the water, she started searching for the toddler and when she found him, he did not cough even once but just opened his eyes and started complaining that he was feeling cold."It is so surprising that even when I hit him on his back he did not even cough out any water. He just opened his eyes, which is when I began to cry, realising what could have happened if I had delayed for a few more minutes."Everyone is shocked how I did this but it was all to save my son. Even the men who came with a ladder to help us out were stunned because that well is really deep. Surprisingly, because I am scared of heights I was always scared to look down that well. Even today, I can barely look down it without getting dizzy," said Ms Moyo . It is only the mother who suffered a sprained ankle."I remember I only ran for help when she had secured her son but I was still unsure whether he was alive. However, it shows the distance a mother can travel just to save her child. Even the men who came when I ran for help revealed that they could have never had gathered the courage to jump into the narrow well but would have first looked for a ladder and by then the child would have surely died," said Pastor Ncube.Fumukwe village head, Mr Ndodana Sibanda said when they first heard the calls for help they thought it unlikely that the toddler would survive."This is a brave lady. We all thank the Lord for her quick thinking because we could today be talking of a different scenario," said Sibanda.For a job well done particularly in face of grave danger, for exihibiting great tact and intelligence, these two deserve to be awarded with a medal called the Bronze Cross of Zimbabwe.Type-gallantry decorationEligibility - military and civilian personnel Awarded for acts of conspicuous bravery in hazardous circumstances.
Son kills father, `killer son` killed by brother

UNB, Naogaon :

A septuagenarian man was allegedly stabbed to death by his younger son while the 'killer son' was killed by his elder brother at Shimulia village in Sadar upazila on Thursday night.

The deceased were identified as Tajim Uddin Sardar, 70 and his younger son Ashraful Islam of the village.

Tajim Uddin's two sons-Baitul Sardar and Ashraful Islam-were mentally ill, said officer-in-charge of Sadar Police Station Tariqul Islam quoting the family members.

On Thursday night, Baitul, elder brother of

Ashraful, kept him confined to a room where Tajim Uddin was sleeping around 11:30 pm. At one stage, Ashraful hit his father Tajim Uddin with a sharp weapon, leaving him dead on the spot. Hearing screams, Baitul opened the door and found his father dead. Angered by the incident, Baitul hit Ashraful with a stone grinder on his head, leaving him unconscious. Later, he was taken to Sadar hospital where the doctors declared him dead. A case was filed in this connection.
Former Cuban leader Fidel Castro dies aged 90

Cuba\'s President Fidel Castro gestures during a tour of Paris in this March 15, 1995 file photo. REUTERS/Charles Platiau/Files

By Marc Frank | HAVANA (Reuters): Fidel Castro, the Cuban revolutionary leader who built a communist state on the doorstep of the United States and for five decades defied U.S. efforts to topple him, died on Friday, his younger brother announced to the nation. He was 90.



A towering figure of the second half of the 20th Century, Castro had been in poor health since an intestinal ailment nearly killed him in 2006. He formally ceded power to his younger brother two years later.



Wearing a green military uniform, Cuba's President Raul Castro appeared on state television to announce his brother's death.



"At 10.29 at night, the chief commander of the Cuban revolution, Fidel Castro Ruz, died," he said, without giving a cause of death.



"Ever onward, to victory."



The streets were quiet in Havana, but some residents reacted with sadness to the news, while in Miami, where many exiles from the Communist government live, a large crowd waving Cuban flags cheered, danced and banged on pots and pans, a video on social media showed.



"I am very upset. Whatever you want to say, he is public figure that the whole world respected and loved," said Havana student Sariel Valdespino.



Castro's remains will be cremated, according to his wishes. His brother said details of his funeral would be given on Saturday.



The bearded Fidel Castro took power in a 1959 revolution and ruled Cuba for 49 years with a mix of charisma and iron will, creating a one-party state and becoming a central figure in the Cold War.



He was demonized by the United States and its allies but admired by many leftists around the world, especially socialist revolutionaries in Latin America and Africa.



"I lament the death of Fidel Castro Ruz, leader of the Cuban revolution and emblematic reference of the 20th Century," Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto said on Twitter.



Transforming Cuba from a playground for rich Americans into a symbol of resistance to Washington, Castro outlasted nine U.S. presidents in power.



He fended off a CIA-backed invasion at the Bay of Pigs in 1961 as well as countless assassination attempts.



His alliance with Moscow helped trigger the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962, a 13-day showdown with the United States that brought the world the closest it has been to nuclear war.



Wearing green military fatigues and chomping on cigars for many of his years in power, Castro was famous for long, fist-pounding speeches filled with blistering rhetoric, often aimed at the United States.



At home, he swept away capitalism and won support for bringing schools and hospitals to the poor. But he also created legions of enemies and critics, concentrated among Cuban exiles in Miami who fled his rule and saw him as a ruthless tyrant.



In the end it was not the efforts of Washington and Cuban exiles nor the collapse of Soviet communism that ended his rule. Instead, illness forced him to cede power to his younger brother Raul Castro, provisionally in 2006 and definitively in 2008.



Although Raul Castro always glorified his older brother, he has changed Cuba since taking over by introducing market-style economic reforms and agreeing with the United States in December 2014 to re-establish diplomatic ties and end decades of hostility.



Six weeks later, Fidel Castro offered only lukewarm support for the deal, raising questions about whether he approved of ending hostilities with his longtime enemy.



He lived to witness the visit of U.S. President Barack Obama to Cuba earlier this year, the first trip by a U.S. president to the island since 1928.



Castro did not meet Obama, and days later wrote a scathing column condemning the U.S. president's "honey-coated" words and reminding Cubans of the many U.S. efforts to overthrow and weaken the Communist government.



In his final years, Fidel Castro no longer held leadership posts. He wrote newspaper commentaries on world affairs and occasionally met with foreign leaders but he lived in semi-seclusion.



His death - which would once have thrown a question mark over Cuba's future - seems unlikely to trigger a crisis as Raul Castro, 85, is firmly ensconced in power.



Still, the passing of the man known to most Cubans as "El Comandante" - the commander - or simply "Fidel" leaves a huge void in the country he dominated for so long. It also underlines the generational change in Cuba's communist leadership.



Raul Castro vows to step down when his term ends in 2018 and the Communist Party has elevated younger leaders to its Politburo, including 56-year-old Miguel Diaz-Canel, who is first vice-president and the heir apparent.



Others in their 50s include Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez and economic reform czar Marino Murillo.



The reforms have led to more private enterprise and the lifting of some restrictions on personal freedoms but they aim to strengthen Communist Party rule, not weaken it.



"I dont think Fidels passing is the big test. The big test is handing the revolution over to the next generation and that will happen when Raul steps down," Cuba expert Phil Peters of the Lexington Institute in Virginia said before Castro's death.



REVOLUTIONARY ICON



A Jesuit-educated lawyer, Fidel Castro led the revolution that ousted U.S.-backed dictator Fulgencio Batista on Jan 1, 1959. Aged 32, he quickly took control of Cuba and sought to transform it into an egalitarian society.



His government improved the living conditions of the very poor, achieved health and literacy levels on a par with rich countries and rid Cuba of a powerful Mafia presence.



But he also tolerated little dissent, jailed opponents, seized private businesses and monopolized the media.



Castro's opponents labeled him a dictator and hundreds of thousands fled the island.



Many settled in Florida, influencing U.S. policy toward Cuba and plotting Castro's demise. Some even trained in the Florida swamps for the disastrous Bay of Pigs invasion.



But they could never dislodge him.



Generations of Latin American leftists applauded Castro for his socialist policies and for thumbing his nose at the United States from its doorstep just 90 miles (145 km) from Florida.



Castro claimed he survived or evaded hundreds of assassination attempts, including some conjured up by the CIA.



In 1962, the United States imposed a damaging trade embargo that Castro blamed for most of Cuba's ills, using it to his advantage to rally patriotic fury.



Over the years, he expanded his influence by sending Cuban troops into far-away wars, including 350,000 to fight in Africa. They provided critical support to a left-wing government in Angola and contributed to the independence of Namibia in a war that helped end apartheid in South Africa.



He also won friends by sending tens of thousands of Cuban doctors abroad to treat the poor and bringing young people from developing countries to train them as physicians



'HISTORY WILL ABSOLVE ME'



Born on August 13, 1926 in Biran in eastern Cuba, Castro was the son of a Spanish immigrant who became a wealthy landowner.



Angry at social conditions and Batista's dictatorship, Fidel Castro launched his revolution on July 26, 1953, with a failed assault on the Moncada barracks in the eastern city of Santiago.
Waiting for May, European Union closes ranks, draws battle plans

Theresa May, is the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Conservative Party.

Reuters, Brussels

Senior officials from Britain's EU partners gather next week to coordinate plans for looming Brexit negotiations with Prime Minister Theresa May - but they can do little in detail until London works out what it wants.

Michel Barnier, the French former minister who will lead the negotiations for the European Commission, will host Tuesday's follow-up "seminar" after meetings in Brussels last week with the 27 other member states which several officials and diplomats involved said revealed a striking degree of unity.

The main aim has been to clarify the structures the EU uses to negotiate once May delivers a letter - she says by late March - to trigger withdrawal under EU treaty Article 50.

But Brussels officials stress that until May's ministers agree among themselves what they want, little can be said on the detail of the process. Barnier aims to deliver a consensus outline of the EU's view in a month or two.

"It's not easy to check for the moment what the British interest is, really," the conservative leader in the European Parliament, Manfred Weber, said this week after a brief first meeting with May's Brexit negotiator David Davis.

Davis also met Barnier but disclosed no clear demands. That leaves EU negotiators preparing for effectively three different sets of talks, which at times will have to run in parallel:

First, a withdrawal treaty should be completed within two years. It should divide up EU debts and assets, agree the status of laws applying to citizens and companies, borders, notably on the island of Ireland, and other matters needing legal clarity.

Second, during the two years, negotiators want to settle how everything else will work after Brexit Day. Since a full, new treaty relationship may take many more years to negotiate, that will entail some kind of transitional arrangement.

Assuring business leaders they would not fall off a legal "cliff edge" in 2019, May gave her clearest signal yet this week that she is thinking of a transitional deal. But EU officials say the type of transition needed will depend on how London sees its ultimate new relationship with the bloc - still a mystery.

A third stage of negotiations, on a final deal, may have to wait until Britain is out. But there must be one shared view beforehand of how it should look, to shape the transition:

"If there is political understanding of what the future relationship will be, we can define what the transitional deal will be. But if we have no idea, it won't work," one EU official said. "The whole issue of bridges and transitions will be pretty tricky. If you want to avoid disruption this will be ... key."

If all London wants is free trade with the bloc, the transition could be very simple, designed mainly to avoid imposing tariffs on goods that would later be scrapped. If it wants more, then the transition will have to be more complex.

Negotiators in Brussels are also keen to remind Britons that they cannot take for granted that negotiations will follow a predictable course.

Both sides recognise a risk that they might never even get off the ground if May presents unfeasible demands. That would put Britain on course for a bumpy, sharp exit.

Dutch Finance Minister Jeroen Dijsselbloem, who also runs euro zone affairs, told the BBC this month that some British leaders, including Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, were misleading people in suggesting Britain could retain much of the economic benefit of ties to the continent while quitting the EU.

"He's saying things that are intellectually impossible, politically unavailable," Dijsselbloem said, reflecting a broad view on the continent that Britain must be held to tough terms if the already battered Union is not to face further desertions.

In another BBC interview, Maltese Prime Minister Joseph Muscat, whose country will chair EU ministerial meetings next year, said on Friday: "We want a fair deal for the UK but that kind of fair deal can't translate itself into a superior deal."




Opinion / Columnist

"Hell is full of good meanings, but Heaven is full of good works" is an aphorism that has echoed louder and louder in Zimbabwe as the nation has sunk deeper and deeper into the economic and political hell-hole this corrupt and tyrannical Mugabe dictatorship has dragged the nation into. We can ignore it as we have done these last 36 years but we can be certain of one thing we will sink ever deeper; hell is a bottomless pit!"In a scathing attack, (Methodist Church and proponent of human rights in South Africa) Bishop Paul Veryn castigated the Zimbabwean government for failing to respect its citizens. He said there were several South Africans willing to help Zimbabweans to find a lasting solution to its current crisis," reported The Zimbabwean.I agree with the Bishop 100% that there many South Africans and other nationals out there who are willing to help Zimbabwe get out of this hell-hole Mugabe landed us. The question then is: why are all these people not helping then?Answer: people help those who help themselves. Zimbabweans have again and again not only let ourselves down, when it comes to ending the Mugabe dictatorship, but we have let down those who have invested their time, sweat and treasure to help us. This is the elephant in the room Zimbabweans, and those who really want to help us, must address or we will never get out of the hell-hole."Bishop Veryn said what was happening in Zimbabwe was "painful" adding that the South African government ought to act to extricate Zimbabwe from the current social, economic and political crisis," continued the report. "He said it was critical for SADC and South Africa to act in resolving the Zimbabwean crisis as it could become a regional problem if not urgently addressed."If the truth be told, and it must, SADC did intervene in 2008 and it setup a template for democratic reforms which, if implemented would have ended the corrupt and tyrannical one-party cum one-man dictatorship in Zimbabwe. Not even one reform was implemented in five years of the GNU. Not one!Zimbabwe's opposition MDC politicians led by one Morgan Richard Tsvangirai who ironically were elected on a ticket to bring change failed to implement even one change. It turns out they were never really interested in bring about any democratic change; they just wanted to enjoy the gravy train luxury of public office which the hallmark of post-independent Zimbabwe.SADC gave Zimbabwe the getout-of-jail card and Tsvangirai et al traded it in for gravy train lifestyle and a $ 4 million Highlands mansion for himself!It has since become clear that MDC leaders, including Tsvangirai himself, did not have a clue what the democratic reforms were about and even now, with the benefit of hindsight, still do not have a clue.The ordinary people of Zimbabwe have themselves to blame for GNU failing to deliver the free, fair and credible elections because they elected the corrupt and incompetent Tsvangirai et al in the first place. Zimbabweans have never taken the task of electing competent leaders with the seriousness the matter demands. After electing a corrupt and murderous tyrant they elect a corrupt and incompetent idiot; that is being reckless and irresponsible.Bishop Veryn is asking SADC to intervene in Zimbabwe again but to what end and purpose? If the Zimbabwean people themselves are not ready to implement the democratic reforms  by electing the same corrupt, incompetent and sell-out MDC leaders the people are it very clear that they have learnt nothing from the failed GNU  SADC can initiate another GNU but that too will result in another rigged election as happened in 2013."The intellectual capacity of Zimbabweans is amazing and someone up there should find a way that ensures strategic use of the human capital so that Zimbabweans are able to fend for their families while contributing to economic growth in South Africa and the region. We cannot put this human capital to waste", said Bishop Veryn.If we were so clever then we would not be looking to other nation to make "strategic use" of are human potential whilst our own country is going to the dogs. It is now 36 years since our independence and we yet to hold our first free, fair and credible elections  many of us cannot even agree what constitute free elections. Zimbabweans, clever; yeah right!There is a reward for doing the right thing just as there is a price to be paid for doing the wrong thing. People get the government they deserve, after 36 years, we cannot deny that we deserve this corrupt and tyrannical Mugabe dictatorship complete with its entourage of corrupt and utterly useless opposition parties.Bishop Paul Veryn has done a lot to help Zimbabweans in South Africa and I salute his work. But I am sure he would agree with me that we Zimbabweans have been our own worst enemies; that is the home truth we need to hear.Zimbabwe is stuck in this hell-hole because we, the people of Zimbabwe, dozed off into a comatose like slumber soon after independence confident our political leaders will solve all our problems. When that did not happen, we expected outsiders to solve our bad governance problems without us even lifting a finger. We are ever going to get out of the hell-hole, then we need to be told some home truth not kind words to snap out of the slumber.
Palestinians, foreigners help Israel fight fire

Firefighters helps extinguish a new fire that broke out in the Israeli town of Nataf, west of the Arab Israeli town of Abu Ghosh, along the border with the occupied West Bank

AFP, Jerusalem :

The first foreign firefighting planes on Friday started helping Israel tackle a vicious wave of wildfires which have forced tens of thousands to flee their homes.

Faced for the past four days with fires across the country fed by drought and high winds, Israel has been promised airborne assistance by Russia, France, Turkey, Cyprus, Greece, Italy and Croatia.

On the ground, Palestinian firefighters on Thursday night joined the Israelis, sending four fire engines to the northern city of Haifa and four more to the village of Beit Meir, near Jerusalem.

In the cooperative village of religious Jews, where about 400 residents were evacuated from their homes, Israeli and Palestinian crews fought side by side against the flames.

The fires appeared to be easing somewhat on Friday, despite the persistent wind, although authorities warned that they could flare up again at any time.

"Things can change and develop as we speak," police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said.

Israeli foreign ministry spokesman Emmanuel Nahshon said some of the foreign planes were in action on Friday. "We are deeply grateful to the international community," he said. "Its mobilisation proves that in times of crisis we can count on many friends in this region and beyond."

The rising number of fires since Tuesday has stretched Israel's capacity to deal with them, raising questions over lessons learned since a devastating blaze near Haifa killed 44 people in 2010. Some are suspected of criminal negligence leading to accidental fires in tinder-dry woodland and undergrowth, while there are also suspicions that some may have been deliberate and related to the Israel-Palestinian conflict.

And Education Minister Naftali Bennett of the far-right Jewish Home party appeared to blame the alleged arson on members of the Arab minority when he said the fires could not have been lit by Jews.

"Only those to whom the land does not belong to are capable of burning it," he Tweeted.

Some Israeli media joined in, speculating on the possible emergence of a "fire intifada", or Palestinian uprising, but Yediot Aharonot newspaper disapproved.

"When the prime minister calls this terror, even if he doesn't say Arabs, a link is made that is supposed to be understood by everyone, 'This is a wave of terror, the Arabs are burning down the country,'" its commentator Alex Fishman wrote.

Wildfires near Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank have forced hundreds to flee their homes, after mass evacuations in Israel and more than a dozen arrests, police said Saturday.

Israeli and Palestinian firefighters, helped by foreign aircraft, have been battling dozens of bush blazes fed by drought and high winds that have seen tens of thousands of people evacuated.

Around 1,000 residents had to leave the Halamish settlement near Ramallah as 45 homes were damaged or destroyed by fire, a police spokeswoman said.

Blazes were also reported near the West Bank settlements of Dolev, Alfei Menashe and Karnei Shomron although there were no evacuations there.

Firefighting planes from Israel and countries including Russia, Turkey, Greece, France, Spain and Canada continued to dump tonnes of water and retardants on fires at locations including the village of Nataf close to Jerusalem.

A newly arrived US Supertanker, considered the largest firefighting aircraft in the world, was due to join the emergency operation on Saturday.




BBF organised training program for policemen

Chittagong Bureau :

Bright Bangladesh Forum , a social development organization in port city has been working a long time in Chittagong City Corporation area with underprivileged women, children and disable people's for socio-economic development. In this way Bright Bangladesh Forum has started a project "Institutional Responses Children in Contact/Conflict with the Law" from January' 2016 duly patronized by Aparajeyo -Bangladesh and funded by European Union.

Under the IRCCL project activities from 22-24 November, three days long police officers training closing ceremony held in Panchlaish Model Thana. The Officer in charge of Panchlaish Model Thana Mr. Mohiuddin Mahmud was present in the closing ceremony and the Chief Executive of Bright Bangladesh Forum (BBF) Mr. Utpal Barua in chair.. 75 Police Officers of Panchlaish Model Thana and others Thana's of CMP participated in the training successfully. Sub Inspector Mr. Khondokar Mohammed Abdul Motaleb from Panchlaish Model Thana; moderated the ceremony .Among others, Zonal Manager of IRCCL Mr. Mongchingsha Marma, Social worker Jonayed Ali, Subarna Salim, Community volunteer Umme Khairunnesa, Asad Hakim Mansiv, Kamrun Nahar, Mojammel of the project were present on the occasion.

The subject of the three days along training was UNCRC, National Children Policy-2010, Children Act-2013, Child Protection and Diversion in alternative way which children are going to involved in contact and conflict with the law. Mr. Humayun Kabir; coordinator of Aporajeyo-Bangladesh presented the keynote paper in it, a BBF sources said.


Meritorious citizens urged to join politics



Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader on Saturday urged the meritorious citizens to join politics to utilize their talents for the betterment of the country.

"Meritorious students do not want to join politics. Unless meritorious people join politics, meritless and 'hybrid' persons will grab politics pushing it in danger," he told the council of Home Economics College unit of Bangladesh Chhatra League at the college auditorium.

Earlier, he inaugurated the council by hoisting flags and releasing balloons and pigeons. Quader said AL never teaches corruption and evil-politics as the party believes amassing wealth is not politics.

Quader, also Road Transport and Bridges Minister, called for practising self-purification in politics as without purifying oneself, one cannot suggest others to do so.

"If one asks others to stop corruption without doing so, it will go in vain," he said.

Mentioning the government's development in different sectors, the minister said Bangladesh has become a role model for development.

"Bangladesh is leading in poverty alleviation and meeting the adverse impact of climate change in the world," he said.

Quader said Bangladesh under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has done an unprecedented job in women empowerment.

"Because of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's bold leadership, it has been possible to bring the 1971 war criminals and killers of Bangabandhu to justice," he added.

Chaired by Home Economics College unit BCL leader Farjana Akhtar Suparna, the council was addressed by College Acting Principal Professor Nishat Parveen as special guest.

BCL President Saifur Rahman Sohag and General Secretary SM Jakir Hossain joined the function.


Nawazuddin , Manoj Bajpayee honoured at Asia Pacific Screen awards



Manoj Bajpayee and Nawazuddin Siddiqui's movies might not have particular significance and buzz when they release in India, but internationally they get the appreciation they deserve. The two National Film Awardees of India were well received at the Asia Asia Pacific Screen Awards held in Brisbane, Australia on Thursday. The award unites 70 countries and areas adding up to nearly 4.5 billion people, and half the world's film output. The Aligarh actor won the best actor award for his role as Siras in the film. In the film Manoj Bajpayee's character had stooped shoulders, a hesitant smile and his eyes seem permanently bewildered by the brutality of the world. That may or may not have brought in a lot of audiences to the theatres, but Hansal Mehta's film surely has managed to gain appreciation on an international platform. Anurag Kashyap and Nawazuddin Siddiqui had received a standing ovation at the Cannes film festival this year for their excellent performance and direction in the film Raman Raghav 2.0.
Can we do away with child labour

Annie Kelly :

Child labour is not something any business wants in its supply chain. Yet with an estimated 168 million children in some form of labour globally, 98 million of them working in agriculture and 12 million in manufacturing and industry, it is an uncomfortable reality of globalised commodities that businesses cannot afford to avoid.

The US Department of Labor's latest annual report on goods made with child labour makes for sobering reading. According to the report, child labour is still present in many of the world's largest global commodities, from gold, coffee, tobacco and bananas to sugarcane, cotton and rubber.

Sub-Saharan Africa has the highest number of child labourers in the world - 59 million children between the ages of five and 17 are in the worst forms of hazardous work, with the International Labour Organisation (ILO) estimating that more than one in five children in Africa are employed against their will in quarries, farms and mines.

Businesses sourcing commodities, goods and services from the region have to accept that this is not an issue they can avoid, says Mark Dummett, business and human rights researcher at Amnesty International.

"Child labour is a reality of major industries and many of the goods and commodities that we buy and consume today," he says. "The image of a child in a mine or in a factory or field is not something that brands want to be associated with, but in an age of increased transparency, accountability and traceability, to hide away from it is not only doing a disservice to the children involved, it is also risky for the business."

Aidan McQuade, director of Anti-Slavery International, points to recent legislation in the UK and the US as a clear sign that the pendulum is swinging against businesses that don't swiftly work out the right ways to engage with the prospect of child labour being associated with their brand.

"Now we've got the UK's Modern Slavery Act, and legislation in the US such as Barack Obama's Trade Facilitation and Trade Enforcement Act that bans imports made with child labour, it isn't going to be enough for businesses to say this is a problem that's impossible to solve," he says.

For McQuade, it is often a problem of definitions - many businesses don't fully understand what they are dealing with:

"Many businesses still can't define the difference between child labour and the worst forms of child work and slavery. In sub-Saharan Africa, much child labour exists within the confines of the family, where generally speaking they have the best interests of the child at heart, so what businesses are often facing is a livelihood as well as a child protection issue."

According to the ILO, not all work that children do should be considered child labour. The term "children in employment" is used to broadly describe light and safe work that allows children to attend school and contributes to family income.

The ILO definition of child labour is work that is "mentally, physically, socially or morally dangerous and harmful to children" and interferes or deprives them of schooling. The worst forms of child labour are defined as child labour that is exploitative or hazardous, including all forms of slavery and trafficking. One industry now intrinsically linked to child labour in west Africa is cocoa. The chocolate industry has struggled to stamp out widespread child labour in farms across west Africa since a series of exposes over a decade ago, which caused deep reputational damage and latterly led to a series of lawsuits against chocolate companies by furious consumers.

"There has been a lot of catastrophic communication around child labour in the cocoa industry, where we have got a lot of attention that other commodities perhaps have not," says Cathy Pieters, director of chocolate multinational Mondelez's Cocoa Life programme.

Despite the fact that over a decade on from the chocolate child slavery reports children are still engaged in hazardous work on cocoa plantations across west Africa, Pieters says cross-industry programmes such as the International Cocoa Initiative are a sign that chocolate companies are committed to finding solutions. In an industry like cocoa, which has been forced to invest heavily in understanding the challenges it faces with child labour, the focus of many corporate initiatives - including the Cocoa Life programme - is shifting away from traditional solutions such as school building and education towards agricultural production and community financing.

"People on the ground are scared of being accused of child labour and everybody wants the best for their children so going in with finger pointing attitude can be risky," says Pieters. "What is going to solve the issue is community engagement, helping cocoa farmers get better yields, and for people on the ground to take on that responsibility."

While Pieters believes this new era of corporate transparency will aid the industry's efforts to tackle child labour, she says the industry has to continue working together to find solutions.

"We know that, in the right conditions, a child helping on a farm is not necessarily a bad thing, for example after school or weekends, for limited hours and safely as part of the family business," she says.

"What we need to do as an industry is urgently stamp out the worst forms of child labour and trafficking, and accept that there is a difference between that form of child labour and a child helping out their family on a farm. These are complex challenges we have to be prepared to face."

(Annie Kelly is a reporter on global development, human rights and social affairs for the Guardian and Observer. She is currently working on the Guardian's Modern-day slavery in focus project).
Law is not enough, it must be used to achieve results

THE Cabinet on Thursday approved the draft of the 'Child Marriage Prevention Act 2016' fixing minimum age of marriage for girls at 18 with the provision for marriage at a lower age in special situation. We must say it is a good move to eliminate abuse of young girls and violence against them. The draft has however left scope for marriage of girls below 18 with clearance from court and with parents consent. We believe the new bill once passed into law will go a long way to save young girls from forced marriage against their will and make sure that when they are married they are matured enough to keep healthy and handle life safely.



But much of the new law will depend on effective enforcement of the law and frankly speaking new law in not anyway needed. What is needed is effective implementation of existing laws against stalkers for rape and other sexual abuses and more awareness for social safety. The impunity that unruly elements are enjoying under the shelter of the ruling party is openly challenging safety of young girls; which is forcing parents to get them early married. So instead of new law to eliminate early marriage we need making poor and helpless parents of girls sure of the safety of their daughters in rural areas. Sexual abuse is rampant in the countryside. Similarly poverty is also forcing many to early marriage.



Meanwhile, feminine activists concerns that allowing marriages in special cases may give the loophole to misuse the law needs to be properly addressed. In our view permission from court to such marriages may work as a good safeguard. In this situation representatives of local bodies and human rights bodies may make sure that nobody is misusing the facility with fake documents and producing a misleading case.



We must say a change in our social attitude is essential to eliminate early marriage. Our younger people must learn to respect our social values and safety of young girls instead of harming them. Parents must be sure that their daughters are safe in the outdoor going to schools and colleges, nobody wants to see any disgrace. The development of the socio-economic condition of our poor segment of society is also essential to eliminate early marriage.



It is a good sign that higher incidence of child marriage has declined to 43 percent in Bangladesh in 2015 from 62.3 percent two decades ago. But girls getting married between 15 and 18 is not decreasing that much. This is the critical area where policy makers must focus now and it needs more social awareness programs along with new legislation and its effective implementation.






Shishu Mela sealed off by DNCC

An amusement park known as \'Shishu Mela\' in city\'s Shyamoli area has been sealed off by DNCC authority on Saturday for violating the deed of lease. Mayor Annisul Huq was also present.

Staff Reporter :

Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) on Saturday freed children's amusement park 'Shishu Mela' at Shyamoli in the capital as the operating company has been operating it illegally.

"The operating company occupied it illegally without paying a single taka to the city corporation for long days. They filed cases after cases against our efforts to free the park from the occupier. Now we have won the cases and made it free," said, DNCC Mayor Annisul Huq during the closing of the Mela.

Since 2005, the company has been operating the park illegally, he said.

"The park will be reopened later for general people. And more parks will be established in the city soon," Annisul Huq said.

City Corporation officials said, the operating company 'Via Media Business Services' took lease of a total of 1.40 acres of land for the amusement park in 2002 for three years on condition of establishing modern equipment for the children's playing as an amusement park.

The then Dhaka City Corporation (DCC) gave it lease to the company by Tk 145,756 for three years. But they never renewed the lease after the term was over, said the officials.

A mobile court of DNCC sealed the Shishu Mela by closing of its two gates. Executive Magistrate of DNCC Mohammad Sajid Anwar led the move.

Meanwhile, Shishu Mela Manager Nurul Huda Mukul alleged that previously they approached the City Corporation several times to renew the lease but there was no response.

"Now we shall try to take lease of the park again," he said.
Dr Milon Day today

UNB, Dhaka :

Shaheed Dr Milon Day will be observed on Sunday commemorating the 26th martyrdom anniversary of Dr Shamsul Alam Khan Milon during the 90s' anti-autocratic movement. On this day in 1990, Dr Milon, the then joint secretary general of

Bangladesh Medical Association (BMA), was shot dead by gunmen near TSC on the Dhaka University campus on his way to a meeting against the then autocratic ruler HM Ershad.

The movement got momentum following the martyrdom of Dr Milon and autocratic ruler Ershad had to quit power finally in the face of a vigorous mass movement.

Various socio-cultural and political organisations as well as professional bodies have chalked out various programmes to observe the day in a befitting manner. The day's programmes include placing wreaths at the grave of Shaheed Dr Milon on Dhaka Medical College campus, offering 'fateha' there.

The leaders of Awami will place wreaths at the grave of Milon at 7 am while BNP leaders will place wreaths at 7.30 am. President M Abdul Hamid, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia issued separate messages on the occasion recalling the supreme sacrifice of Dr Shamsul Alam Khan Milon for restoration of democracy ousting the then autocratic regime.
Gen Qamar Javed new Pakistan Army Chief

Gngeo News, Islamabad :

According to reports, General Qamar Javed Bajwa has been appointed as the 16th Chief of Army Staff (COAS).

Incumbent Army chief, General Raheel Sharif will hand over command to General Bajwa on November 29.

Meanwhile, General Zubair Mahmood Hayat has been appointed Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC). Incumbent CJCSC General Rashid Mahmood is also set to retire on November 29. A notification announcing the appointments is expected soon. Prior to be being elevated to the rank of General and being appointed Chief of Army Staff, General Qamar Javed Bajwa was Inspector General Training and Development GHQ. General Raheel Sharif, before becoming the COAS, also served on this post.

General Bajwa had also commanded Corp 10 - the biggest and considered the most important Corp. He had served as chief of Force Command Northern Areas and also commanded as Brigadier while commanding a peace mission to Congo. Belonging to Baloch regiment, his vast experience is in Kashmir and northern areas issues. General Zubair Mahmood Hayat, graduated from Command and Staff College Camberley, United Kingdom, and National Defence University, Islamabad. The general served on key posts throughout his career.

As a major general, Hayat served as General Officer Commanding (GOC) Sialkot and led Staff Duties Directorate. He was elevated to lieutenant general in January 2013 and was instated as corps commander Bahawalpur. He was later appointed as the director general (DG) of the Strategic Plans Division in December 2013. The division, formed in 2001, is vital to research for and development of Pakistan's nuclear weapons, and it works as the secretariat of National Command Authority.

After this crucial responsibility, General Zubair Hayat was appointed as Chief of General Staff (CGS).

Hayat hails from a military family. His father retired from Pakistan Army as a major general. One of Gen. Zubair's brother, Lt. Gen. Umar Hayat, is serving as chairman of Pakistan Ordinance Factory Wah Cantt.


Nat'l Committee calls hartal in Dhaka Jan 26

Staff Reporter :

National Committee to Protect Oil, Gas, Mineral Resources, Power and Ports called a half-day hartal in Dhaka city on January 26 next, protesting establishment of the Rampal Power Plant near the Sundarbans.

Anu Muhammad, member-secretary of the committee announced the programme from the grand rally of "Chalo, Chalo, Dhaka Chalo" (Let us march towards Dhaka). It was organised by the committee at Central Shaheed Minar in Dhaka on Saturday afternoon. Earlier, Syed Abul Maksud, columnist and rights activist said at the rally that the government must revert its decision if there is minimum practice of democracy in the country.

He demanded holding of a referendum on the Rampal issue. The committee also decided to stage countrywide demonstration on December 26 to press home their demand for scrapping the power plant.
Tweet

 is from pages 227-228 of David Boazs 2015 volume, The Libertarian Mind:

The benefit of trade is the import; the cost is the export.

Politicians just dont seem to get this. President Obamas official statement on Promoting U.S. Jobs by Increasing Trade and Exports mentions exports more than 40 times; imports, not once. His Republican critics agree: Sen. Rob Portman says that a trade agreement is vital to increasing American exports. More colorfully, during the 1996 presidential campaign, Pat Buchanan stood at the port of Baltimore and said, This harbor is Baltimore is one of the biggest and busiest in the nation. There needs to be more American goods going out.

Thats fundamentally mistaken. We dont want to send any more of our wealth overseas than we have to in order to acquire goods from overseas. If Saudi Arabia would give us oil for free, or if South Korea would give us televisions for free, Americans would be better off. The people and capital that used to produce televisions  or used to produce things that were traded for televisions  could then shift to producing other goods.
MP, UNO, 31 others sued

First plaintiff missing

Staff Reporter :

A case was filed accusing 33 named and about 500 unknown people, including ruling party's MP Abul Kalam Azad and Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Abdul Hannan, in connection with the recent attack on Santals in Gobindaganj upazila of Gaibandha district.

The Managing Director (MD) of Rangpur Sugar Mills Abdul Awal, Sugar Farm Manager Abdul Majid, Sapmara Union Parishad (UP) Chairman Shakil Ahmed Bulbul, Katabari UP Chairman Rezaul Karim Rafiq and Local AL leader Mohammad Hossain Fuku have also been made accused in the case.

After 20 days of the incident, ethnic community leader Chhomas Hembrom on Saturday filed the case on charge of attacks, illegal eviction, looting, arson and murder, said Gabindaganj PS OC Subrata Kumar Sarkar.

Hembrom registered the case with the help of a delegation comprising mainly members of 'Nijera Kori', 'Ain O Salish Kendra' and BLAST (Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust), the police official said.

With this the number of accused rose to 1575 till date in three cases in connection with the Gaibandha attacks. We have arrested 20 of them so far," the OC said.

Sub-Inspector Kalyan Chakrabarty filed the case accusing them of attacking law enforcers and hindering the government's official duty, said Subrata Kumar.

Previously Swapan Murmu filed a case on behalf of the Santals against unknown 600 people on November 16. But these Santals have also expressed their reservations about it. For the meantime, Swapan Murmu has gone missing and not traceable even after eight days, as reported by Isha Rani Murmu, mother of the victim.

"We don't know if he has filed any case. He used to make bamboo products, but we can't find him now," she alleged. Swapan's wife Jyotsna Mardi said that her husband left their house eight days ago, saying he was going to work. About the missing, we have not informed the police, nor filed any case." Gobindganj OC Subrata Kumar Sarkar said that they had no information about Swapan Murmu's missing. At least three Santal men were killed and 40 others injured in a clash between the Santals and law enforcers and the workers of Rangpur Sugar Mills in Gobindaganj upazila in the first week of November. The clash broke out when workers of Rangpur Sugar Mills along with police went to Bagda Farm area to recover land of the sugar mills reportedly occupied by the Santal community.
Probe against PWD Chief Engr launched

Staff Reporter :

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has carried out investigation against Public Works Department (PWD) Chief Engineer Hafizur Rahman Munshi Tipu for his alleged forgery in taking Freedom Fighter (FF) certificate and making millions through indulging corruption.

The Commission has already appointed a director to conduct the probe into the allegations. The Director General (investigation) of ACC has been appointed as supervisory official in the case, according to an official memo (2/131-2016).

The New Nation has obtained a copy of the memo.

The graft body has asked the investigation officer to conduct an investigation into the allegations in line with the Anti-corruption Commission Act-2007 and submit a report before the Commission in this regard.

Admitting the matter, an ACC official told The New Nation on Saturday night that the Commission has appointed an investigation officer to probe into the allegations of graft by the PWD chief engineer.

He has been asked to submit a report in this regard within shortest possible time.

The Ministry of Liberation War Affairs earlier decided to scrap the freedom fighter's certificate of Hafizur Rahman Munshi Tipu as he indulged forgery in obtaining the certificate.

AKM Mozammel Haque, Minister for Liberation War Affairs, earlier told The New Nation that the documents which Hafizur Rahman Munshi Tipu submitted to the ministry to show him a freedom fighter appeared to be fake proving that he is not a freedom fighter.

"I examined, checked and scrutinized the documents and gave my opinion to the Jamuka that he is a fake freedom fighter. I also issued a note to scrap Hafizur Rahman Munshi Tipu's FF certificate," he added.

Hafizur Rahman Munshi Tipu had obtained the fake FF certificate for extension his job. The government has already extended his job for one year on the basis of the certificate, sources said.
Suu Kyi accused of legitimising genocide of Rohingyas

The Independent :

Burma's Aung San Suu Kyi, stands accused of not protecting Rohingya Muslims in the country and potentially "legitimising genocide".

Military operations in Rakhine State have caused thousands to flee across the border to Bangladesh. A UN official said Rohingya in Burma were being ethnically cleansed with Rohingya alleging that government soldiers have killed and raped civilians. The military action - launched in response to coordinated attacks by armed men on border posts in October - has left scores of people dead.

The army says it is fighting an armed insurgency in the region and the government denies abuses. "The international community misunderstood us because of Rohingya lobbyists who distributed fabricated news," the presidential spokesman, Zaw Htay, said this week. "No one in the world would accept attacks on security forces, killings and looting of weapons." Ms Suu Kyi's failure to speak out in support of the Rohingya "is baffling to an international audience that persists in casting her as a human rights icon", said David Mathieson of Human Rights Watch.

"One version to explain her silence is callous indifference, another is calculated limited messaging ... but the most likely is she simply has no control over the Burmese army," he added. Researchers at Queen Mary University London said her silence amounts to "legitimising genocide" and entrenching "the persecution of the Rohingya minority".

"Despite the fact that this is the most significant test of Suu Kyi's leadership, the country's de facto leader has remained remarkably indifferent," they said.

Rights groups say the military has used the attack on police border posts last month as an excuse for a crackdown on the Rohingya. The Rohingya, a group of around a million, have been resident in Burma for decades - but are treated as illegal immigrants and denied citizenship. Ms Suu Kyi took power this year after winning the country's first free elections in a generation. She stood on a platform of reconciliation for people across the country, but she has been hampered by a junta-era constitution that gives the army a quarter of parliamentary seats and control over security. She also faces a prevailing view among many of Burma's Buddhists that the Rohingya are illegal immigrants and any move to support them would risk a public backlash.

Reports in Rakhine state cannot be independently verified because the government restricts access for journalists and aid workers. Aung San Suu Kyi has said a government-led investigation is under way.

Malaysia will summon Burma's ambassador over the crackdown on the Rohingya Muslims, it said on Friday, as protesters across South-east Asia demonstrated against the rising violence.

The Malaysian foreign ministry called on all parties involved to refrain from actions that could aggravate the situation. "Malaysia also calls on the government of Myanmar [Burma] to take all the necessary actions to address the alleged ethnic cleansing in the northern Rakhine State," the ministry said in a statement.

"The ministry will summon the ambassador of Myanmar to convey the government of Malaysia's concern over this issue," it added, without giving a timeframe. Hundreds of Rohingya Muslims marched in the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur, condemning the bloody crackdown on the persecuted minority and criticising Nobel Peace Prize winner Ms Suu Kyi for her inaction on the matter. Protesters demanded humanitarian aid for Rakhine, and urged that the military seize all attackers. Protests were also held simultaneously in Bangkok, the capital of neighbouring Thailand, in Bangladesh and in the Indonesian capital of Jakarta.


No one-sided EC, warns Khaleda Ershad's 5-pt proposal

Staff Reporter :

As the tenure of the Election Commission (EC) will expire in mid-February next year, major political parties especially BNP continued to put pressure on the government to reconstitute the commission through dialogue.

"One-sided Election Commission wouldn't be allowed," BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia said in a tweet on Saturday.

She said in a bid to ensure voting rights for all, the proposal to reconstitute the EC on the basis of consensus is neither BNP's demand nor a trifle matter.

"So, discussion is needed. No one-sided EC would be accepted," the BNP chairperson said.

Meanwhile, Jatiya Party Chairman HM Ershad on Saturday made a five-point proposal, including enactment of law, to constitute EC.

"A legal framework should be made as the Constitutional Provisions for appointing the Chief Election Commissioner and the Election Commissioners," he placed the proposals at a press conference at Gulshan Emanuels Convention Centre in the city. He added no question would be arisen over the polls, if the EC is made independent through the legal framework.

"I'm urging the government to enact relevant laws in the current parliament and make a separate secretariat for the EC," he added.

In his written speech, Ershad referred to the procedures of forming EC in India, Africa, the USA and other democratic countries and said no fair election is possible in Bangladesh without amending the existing election system. President of Bikalpa Dhara Bangladesh AQM Badruddoza Chowdhury talking to journalists said a neutral election-time government is the first necessity before a neutral EC to ensure a fair election. After months of calm, the country's politics could heat up again over forming new EC with a new CEC and four other commissioners, as Awami League and its archrival BNP have involved in war of words. The incumbent EC led by CEC Kazi Rakib Uddin Ahmad during its four-year tenure has failed to prove itself as an effective body, it is alleged. It has lost its neutrality and credibility due to its controversial and politically motivated activities. It held a general election in 2014 that the BNP-led alliance boycotted. It held City Corporation, Municipality, Upazila Parishad and Union Council elections that were marred by violence and irregularities.

Its worst performance was in the union parishad elections earlier this year when 126 people died in violence.

Earlier on Wednesday, BNP sent a formal letter to Bangabhaban seeking President Abdul Hamid's appointment to submit to him its chairperson's 13-point proposal on constituting and strengthening the EC.

But AL General Secretary Obaidul Quader termed Khaleda Zia's proposals for formation of the next EC as hollow, farce and ridiculous.

In his statement he said the President would constitute the next EC as per provisions of the country's Constitution through a search committee and those who are creating controversies over the issue they are violating the Constitution.


Fidel Castro no more

Cuba's former president Fidel Castro, one of the world's longest-serving and most iconic leaders, has died aged 90.

His younger brother and successor as president Raul Castro announced the news on state television.

Castro toppled the government in 1959, introducing a Communist revolution. He defied the US for decades, surviving many assassination plots. His supporters said he had given Cuba back to the people. Critics saw him as a dictator. Ashen and grave, President Castro told the nation in an unexpected late night broadcast on state television that Fidel Castro had died and would be cremated later on Saturday.

"The commander in chief of the Cuban revolution died at 22:29 hours this evening (03:29 GMT Saturday)," he said. "Towards victory, always!" he added, using a revolutionary slogan.

A period of official mourning has been declared on the island until 4 December, when his ashes will be laid to rest in the south-eastern city of Santiago. Barring the occasional newspaper column, Fidel Castro had essentially been retired from political life for several years. In April, Fidel Castro gave a rare speech on the final day of the country's Communist Party congress. "I'll soon be 90," the former president said, adding that this was "something I'd never imagined". "Soon I'll be like all the others, "to all our turn must come," Fidel Castro said.

Castro was the longest serving non-royal leader of the 20th Century. He temporarily handed over power to his brother in 2006 as he was recovering from an acute intestinal ailment. Raul Castro officially became president two years later. News of his death left some in Havana stunned. "I always said it couldn't be," said one woman, a government employee. "Even though they said it now, I say it can't be." Throughout the Cold War, Fidel Castro was a thorn in Washington's side. An accomplished tactician on the battlefield, he and his small army of guerrillas overthrew the military leader Fulgencio Batista in 1959 to widespread popular support.

Within two years of taking power, he declared the revolution to be Marxist-Leninist in nature and allied the island nation firmly to the Soviet Union.

Yet, despite the constant threat of a US invasion as well as the long-standing economic embargo on the island, Castro managed to maintain a communist revolution in a nation just 90 miles (145km) off the coast of Florida.

Despised by his critics as much as he was revered by his followers, he maintained his rule through 10 US presidents and survived scores of attempts on his life by the CIA. He established a one-party state, with many political opponents executed or imprisoned. The independent media was suppressed. Thousands of Cubans fled into exile. Latin American leaders have been quick to pay tribute. Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto said Castro was a "great friend" of Mexico, while to El Salvador's President Salvador Sanchez Ceren he was an "eternal companion". Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro said "revolutionaries of the world must follow his legacy". The Soviet Union's last leader Mikhail Gorbachev said: "Fidel stood up and strengthened his country during the harshest American blockade, when there was colossal pressure on him".

Vladimir Putin described him as a "reliable and sincere friend" of Russia.

For French President Francois Hollande Castro embodied Cuba's revolution in both its "hopes" and its later "disappointments".

In Miami, where there is a large Cuban community, there have been celebrations in some parts of the city, with people banging pots and cheering. A Cuban exile group, the Cuban Democratic Directorate, said Castro left "legacy of intolerance" and had set up a "vicious totalitarian regime".


Ethnic cleansing

Rohingya refugees fleeing across border into BD:Victims of torture, rape

CNN :

They come by the thousands. Rohingya refugees from Myanmar's northwestern Rakhine state are flooding across the border into Bangladesh.

They're fleeing violence that has plagued the state for weeks. Some refugees told CNN they suffered rape, torture, or saw their homes burned down and family members executed.

"If (the military) finds any boys aged above 10 years old, they kill them. Men are also being picked up by the military," said Lalu Begum.

"When the military came, we fled from our home. I don't know if my husband is dead or alive."

Begum, currently staying at the Kutupalong camp in southern Bangladesh, told CNN several women in her village were raped by regime soldiers. "When they see pretty ladies, they ask for water, then they get inside the house and rape them," she said.

An estimated one million Rohingya live in Rakhine, where they are a persecuted, stateless ethnic minority. The government of Myanmar, also known as Burma, does not officially recognize the Rohingya, regarding them as illegal Bengali immigrants, despite many being able to trace their roots back in Myanmar for generations.

John McKissick, a UN refugee agency official based in Bangladesh, said the Rohingya are "the most oppressed people in the world." "It seems to be the aim of the Myanmar military to ethnically cleanse this population," he told CNN. The refugees in Kutupalong said they left their homes in the middle of the night, trekking from village to village to try and evade the soldiers and make it to the Naf River to cross into Bangladesh.

"It took me four days," Begum said. "When our village was set on fire, we moved to another village, and continued to change our position. This way we came to the riverside."

Along the perilous journey, many lost family members.

"When we started our journey, there were six of us. We lost three members of our family," Lalu Begum's sister-in-law Nassima Khatun told CNN. My husband and son were killed, and another son went missing."

CNN is unable to independently verify these reports from refugees-or the videos posted on social media appearing to show the violence and casualties inside Rakhine-as the Rohingya area is currently under what the UN terms "lockdown," with access to media and aid agencies blocked.

"We have requested the government to provide us with access, so we can estimate the actual numbers," McKissick said. "We ourselves see (the refugees) fleeing across the border, coming inside Bangladesh, in the forests, on the main roads, in the villages, in the makeshift camps." For many, reaching the border does not mean an end to suffering. Bangladesh has tightened security to try and push refugees back, as the country struggles to cope with the influx. Scores of people took to the streets of the capital Dhaka on Friday denouncing the alleged atrocities and urging the Bangladesh government to open the border. Thousands from Myanmar have already crossed, and the Bangladeshi government said "thousands more have been reported to be gathering at the border."

The government even summoned the Dhaka-based ambassador of Myanmar on Wednesday to express concern at the "continued deteriorating situation (in Rakhine) following the country's military crackdown."

Myanmar's government has denied reports of human rights abuses in Rakhine, claiming that the military is carrying out "clearance operations" targeting suspected "violent attackers" who killed nine border guards on October 9, according to state media. Since then, state media said more than 100 people have been killed, and around 600 others have been arrested. "The scale of the problem inside northern Rakhine State where Rohingyas are actually trapped is deplorable," McKissick said. "The government of Myanmar is engaging in collective punishment against the Rohingya ethnic minority."

A recent Human Rights Watch report showed what the group estimated to be 1,250 Rohingya homes burned down by the authorities-a claim the government has denied, saying that "attackers" from the villages carried out the arson. "These alarming new satellite images confirm that the destruction in Rohingya villages is far greater and in more places than the government has admitted," said Brad Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch. "The apparent arson attacks against five Rohingya villages is a matter of grave concern for which the Burmese government needs to investigate and prosecute those responsible." Nobel prize laureate and pro-democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi has faced criticism for her administration's silence on the issue, a problem which McKissick said shows a lack of control. "Myanmar needs to follow international law and respect human rights, and they're not doing that right now, and it seems that the democratically elected government does not have control over the military," McKissick said. CNN has reached out to Suu Kyi's office for comment on multiple occasions but has not received a response. Begum said it was the government's lack of action that caused her to leave. "In our villages where we use to live, there are no Rohingya Muslims left. All of them fled from their homes," she said.

For Nassima Khatun and many other refugees, returning to Myanmar is simply not an option, at least until the violence is over. "We left all of our belongings back there. We left everything to save our lives. Now, how can we go back?" Khatun said. "They will kill us."


Forcing Rohingyas inhumanly to Bangladesh and need for strong response

The most recent spate of violence in Myanmar began in early October, when soldiers and police officers were killed by a group of 300 or so armed men, according to State media reports.



That sparked an intense crackdown by the Burmese military in which dozens of people have been killed and at least 230 arrested. Rights groups estimate the total death toll could be in the hundreds.



Rakhine State is home to a large population of Rohingya Muslims, a stateless ethnic minority that has faced discrimination and persecution for years. The Myanmar government's official position denies recognition of the term "Rohingya" and regards them as illegal Bengali migrants.



Essentially the military is carrying out a "cleansing operation" against Muslims in the region, and international crimes such as rape against women and murder are occurring, as per statements of the refugees who have fled Myanmar and are in Bangladesh. The Burmese Military Regime is also notorious for rampant use of sexual violence as an instrument of control, including allegations of systematic rapes and taking of sex slaves by the military, a practice which continued in 2012.



Rakhine State authorities were talking about a plan to demolish Muslim-owned properties prior to the October attacks. It would appear that strategy is in some ways being carried out in another context. The military actions of the Burmese government represent a continuous effort by them to push the Rohingyas into Bangladesh. This is unacceptable as the Rohingyas are Myanmar citizens -- having lived in the country for centuries, despite the perception by Myanmar citizens that they are Bangladeshis.



Therefore the "Rohingya problem" is a creation of the Myanmar government. The UN itself is calling the actions a calculated genocide by Myanmar to force the Rohingya to move to an already overpopulated and resource impoverished Bangladesh. This cannot be acceptable -- just because they are Muslims doesn't mean that they should be pushed to Bangladesh. Thailand has a greater percentage of Muslims as a percentage of its population who are predominantly Malay, but we do not see them pushing the Malays to Malaysia.



Whatever the situation on the ground, the world, and especially the hapless Rohingyas, deserve more action from a Nobel Peace laureate like Suu Kyi -- who is herself a victim of military action. Her inaction is especially shameful as she is an iconic figure for world peace, but she is now looking like an appeaser who is bowing to the wishes of the army or a group of racists. The country belongs to Rohingyas as much to other citizens.



But the perception that they are outsiders are completely wrong as the term Rohingya has been in use since the 1700s.



Bangladesh, as the home to almost a quarter of the total world Rohingya population needs to do more to ensure their ultimate rehabilitation. Myanmar has almost four times our land area with only a third of our population. It is completely unacceptable that we should shoulder the burden of hosting almost 5,00,000 of their citizens for almost forty years. Our Foreign Ministry has to do more in terms of active diplomacy to ensure that the problem is resolved. Merely calling the Ambassador of Myanmar and registering protests will do little to solve the problem. We must take the problem to the world stage and look for a solution. As the most affected nation by the actions of the Myanmar government, we need to take more concrete steps to ensure a solution which represents the best interests of the Rohingyas. We want the Foreign Ministry to pursue fruitful diplomacy. Enjoying foreign trips or calling an ambassador to the Foreign Ministry is not diplomacy.
The Undead Archives

I have finally salvaged my pre-Blogger TDR archives and added them into Blogger. They are almost totally in the form of one giant post for each month. And the formatting strayed from the originals. Sorry. But historians everywhere can rejoice that this treasure trove of my thoughts is restored to the world.
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The sextoy market is growing quite rapidly in India right now.

Although it is not a big trend, it is a hot topic on the internet as it is secretly expanding its market.

In this article, we will focus on sextoy and introduce recommended sextoy for Indian beginners of sextoy by gender.

India, the birthplace of the Kama Sutra, is very strict about sex.

Also, premarital sex is basically not allowed. Therefore, there are many people who are sexually restricted.

But what happens when you continue to be sexually restricted?

Frustration may build up and you may end up taking your sexual stress out on your partner.

If you are able to adopt sextoy in a timely manner, you can get rid of those problems.

I want to have more exciting sex than Im having now.

I want more variation in masturbation

I want to get even stronger pleasure than I do on my own.

If you have any of these problems, please stay with me until the end.

What is sex toys for Indian?

Sextoy, as the name implies, is a toy used during sex and masturbation.

It is a generic term for vibrators, Egg-vibrators, Electric massagers, dildo, handcuffs and condoms.

They are used to make regular sex more exciting or to make masturbation more pleasurable.

Because sextoy is very stimulating, it can help you to get rid of the problems and frustrations of being in a rut of sex with your partner for a long time, or if you are unhappy with the lack of pleasure in sex with your partner.

The ability to satisfy your desires with movement, texture, and size, which cannot be done by a normal human being, can help you to be satisfied with sex and, as a result, improve your relationship with your partner.

It is also said to help improve sexual dysfunction (inability to get an erection or ejaculate) and difficulty in feeling during sex (insensitivity), which is attracting more attention than in the past.

In recent years, the demand for sextoy has increased due to the spread of smartphones and the Internet and the increasing number of people using online shopping.

Even those who are concerned about the appearance of sextoy (and find it difficult to purchase) can now easily obtain it by using mail order.

In the case of online shopping, most of the stores have taken steps to ensure that the contents of the products delivered to you are not revealed, so you can purchase them without your family members knowing.

Until a while ago, you had to go to the store where the adult goods were sold to buy them, so it was quite a hurdle to overcome.

Also, many people may have an image that sextoy is somehow embarrassing to own.

But nowadays, some of them are so stylish and cute that you cant believe they are sextoy at a glance.

More and more people are using them for travel and outdoor use because they are not too bulky and are suitable for carrying around.

Sextoy situation in India

Before introducing the recommended sextoy for Indians, lets talk about one of the sextoy situations in India in recent years.

In India, due to the high concentration of population, the following six cities have particularly high sales of sextoy in India.

Mumbai

Kolkata

Bangalore

Delhi

Chennai

Hyderabad

These cities account for roughly 70 percent of sextoy sales in India.

In the future, the percentage of sextoy use will gradually increase in other cities in India as well.

If you never talk about sextoy publicly, that girl in your neighborhood might be a sextoy user too.

If you are interested in sextoy, you dont have to suppress your desire for it.

What are Sextoys for beginner?

Among all sextoys, sextoy for beginners are vibrators, dildo, masturbators, Sex Lubricants, and condoms.

Sex Lubricants and condoms, which are familiar to people who have had sex, are also a great beginners sextoy.

I will explain the details of each toy later, but there are many sextoy products that are painful to use and can only be used after some anal expansion.

I assume that the Indian readers of this article are people who have not had much experience with sextoy.

If such people use professional sextoy suddenly, they are at risk of injury or trauma.

Therefore, to introduce sextoy, you need to start with a beginners version and gradually become familiar with it.

Advantages of using sextoy for Indians

There are three advantages of using sextoy for Indians

You can masturbate in a wide variety of ways.

Can have stimulating sex

Can develop new sexual zones

If you try to masturbate with your own fingers or hands, it tends to be a pattern.

However, with sextoy, you can easily masturbate in a variety of ways.

You will definitely be fascinated by the attraction of new stimulation.

Also, your daily sex life will be more exciting than ever.

There are many things in sextoy that are visually stimulating and give you a strong and intense feeling of pleasure.

This allows you to see your partners promiscuity in a way that you wouldnt normally see it.

When you are in a relationship, sex with your partner may become a pattern, but it can also eliminate these problems.

It can also lead to the development of new sexual zones (which is the training of sexual stimulation to allow you to feel orgasms).

For more information on the development of new sexual zones, see the following articles

[Women's Erogenous Zone]How to find and develop, 7 hidden sexual zones !![In India] In this issue, we will dissect the female erogenous zone! ..." Many of you may be like that. Men, in particular, shou...

Thus, the use of sextoy can only be a good thing for the men and women of India.

Sextoy for beginner men in India

So, lets continue with the recommended goods for Indian sextoy beginners.

For ease of understanding, we will introduce them by gender. Lets start with the men!

The following five goods are recommended for novice Indian sextoy men

Masturbator

Cock rings

Love Doll

Sex Lubricants

Toys for the prostate

Lets check each one in detail.

Masturbator

The masturbator is a sextoy for men that elaborately reproduces a womans vagina, mouth, and anus, and is one of the most popular sextoy products.

It is used by men to masturbate, and it is popular because it provides stronger stimulation and pleasure more easily than using hands.

Most are made of good quality silicone, and their softness is something that cannot be achieved with ones own hands.

They can provide stronger pleasure than a real womans vagina, so be careful not to overuse them. (You wont be able to have an orgasm in a womans vagina anymore.)

Again Male masturbators are a wonderful toy. I do not need any favourite timing, bothersome bargaining. You do not have to worry too much.

Revolutionize your masturbation time! ! !

Made in Japan is a wonderful kinky toy.#sextoysindia #SexToyIndia #Japanhttps://t.co/4k70QGzoTP pic.twitter.com/tRVdxTKPpa   SEXToys India PR  (@SextoysIndia) November 12, 2018

Some of them are disposable, while others can be washed and used over and over again, so its fun to buy a few to use depending on your mood.

If you want to know more about masturbator, please click here

Really pleasant male masturbation and how to do it Are you in a rut with your daily masturbation routine? I'm going to show you five ways men masturbate that you might ...

[For Beginners] How to choose and use a male masturbator without fail Gentlemen.Have you ever used a masturbator? The person who sees this article is probably the one who has not experien...

Cock Ring

A cock ring is literally a ring-shaped sextoy that is worn on a mans penis.

It maintains an erection by binding the penis with a ring of rubber and blocking blood flow.

It is sometimes used as an accessory to be worn on the penis, and may be made of metal or plastic as well as rubber.

In some cases, cock rings have parts or vibrators attached to them that stimulate the vagina, so they kill two birds with one stone, giving a woman pleasure while maintaining an erection.

Cock rings are also sometimes used to treat erectile dysfunction.

It can help with erectile dysfunction, where the penis doesnt get hard when you get an erection or doesnt last long when you try to insert it.

Men who are prone to breakage or who are unsure of the hardness and size of their erections can use a cock ring to increase the size of their penis and maintain an erection for a longer period of time.

Cock rings vary in price from around RS700 to over RS2000 with a vibrator function.

Some of them do not fit your penis, so you should check the size of the cock ring before you buy.

You should know the size of your partners or your own penis when it is erect.

[Penis enlargement] What is a cock ring? Types and usage Cock rings can make your penis bigger and harder. It also makes sex with women more fulfilling and increases your sat...

Love Doll

Love dolls, also known as Dutchwives, are dolls with the appearance of a woman who can experience simulated sex.

There are dolls that look like a woman, but they have no face and only have their breasts and lower torso cut off, and some dolls are so realistic that they can actually be mistaken for real women.

Some expensive dolls can cost more than 1 million yen, and the quality of the doll is easily influenced by the price.

The higher the price, the higher the quality of the doll will be, the closer it will be to the real woman, and the cheaper the doll will be, the less elaborate it will be, making it look like a real doll! Something is wrong! That is also true.

You cant go wrong if you choose a balance between price and taste.

There are stores that allow you to make custom-made love dolls, so you can create a girl of your choice.

You can make a girl of your choice. You can start with inexpensive love dolls at first, and once you get used to it, you can try custom-made love dolls.

If you want to know more about Love doll, please click here

Thorough explanation of the charm of sex dolls! Have you ever heard of sex dolls that are used primarily for pseudo-sex purposes? It is a doll that is quite close to...

Sex lubricants

Sex lubricants are used as a substitute for lubricating fluid during sex or as a lubricant for men to use masturbator rules.

It is not uncommon for women to have difficulty getting wet, depending on their physical condition, or to have difficulty getting wet due to their constitution.

Forcing the penis into the vagina at such times can cause painful intercourse.

There are various types of Sex Lubricants, some with a warming effect, some with a cooling effect, and some with a scent.

Changing the Sex Lubricant used during play is recommended as a good sex accent.

If you want to learn more about Sex Lubricants, click here.

What is sex lubricant?Explain the difference and usage of each ingredient The word "sex toy" may seem like a hurdle to overcome, but lotion is actually one of the most familiar sex toys. Many...

Toys for the Prostate

Another sextoy for men is prostate toys.

The most famous prostate toys include Enemagra, which was originally a prostate massager developed by an American urologist to treat an enlarged prostate line.

Modern prostate toys are imitations of Enemagra that have spread as sextoy for men.

Many people think of prostate toys as being used by gay men, but in fact they are often used by straight men.

What is the prostate?

The prostate is an organ found only in men. It is a walnut-sized organ located deep in the pelvis, just below the bladder, and its primary role is to protect and nourish sperm.

You cannot touch the prostate gland from outside the body, but you can touch it by inserting a finger or sextoy through the anus.

By inserting a finger or sextoy through the anus and touching the prostate and developing it, you can feel intense orgasms.

Orgasms felt in the prostate are mainly dry orgasms, which are orgasms that do not involve ejaculation. (You can also feel orgasms with ejaculation through prostate stimulation.)

The prostate is called the male G-spot, and dry orgasms can be much more intense than ejaculation.

Therefore, men who are able to develop a prostate can become addicted to the pleasure.

sextoy for beinner women in India

The following are the recommended goods for Indian women who are new to sextoy.

The following three are recommended for use by women who are new to sextoy.

Vibrator.

Dildo

Electric Masserger

Lets check out what each one is in detail.

If you want to check out womens toys, click here.

[BEST25]Sex Toys for Women in IndiaThat Can Help You Have an Orgasm There are many women who pretend to feel orgasm during sex. But don't worry, you don't have to pretend to feel orgasm...

Vibrators

A vibrator is a sextoy that vibrates with an Egg-Vibrator to provide stimulation and is often referred to simply as a vibrator.

Some vibrate as well as rotate, and there are many variations of sextoy.

It is quite a popular sextoy, and is well recognized by people who do not know much about sextoy.

Its usage is similar to that of a massager, but it is more compact and easier to carry than a massager, and many of them look as cute as a lipstick or a macaroon, so they are popular among women.

For a while, a famous influencer on twitter said, This is good! You may have heard of the topic of this article by introducing the recommended vibrators.

Vibrators are great for women to use on their own, but they are also recommended for men who have difficulty satisfying women with sex.

Since it is powered by electricity, it is far less tiring than moving your hands by yourself.

This makes it easier to satisfy a woman with sex because you can caress her for longer than usual.

Vibrators are mainly used on the female side, but they can also be used on men.

When used on men, they are used to attack the nipples and glans, and in both cases it is recommended to wear a condom for hygiene reasons.

Introducing how to use the vibrator, its purpose, and how to choose it! Vibrator uses the vibrations caused by the rotation of the motor to provide stimulation. It is one or two of the most...

Dildo

A dildo is a model sextoy made to mimic a male penis.

It can be made of silicone, elastomer (think of it as a material similar to PVC), metal or glass.

A dildo can be used by a man for his female partner during sex, or by a woman for masturbation to get pleasure from it.

They are mainly inserted into women, but some can be used in the male anus as well.

It is sometimes used synonymously with vibrators, but the vibrator is not the same thing as a vibrating device.

A model of a penis that does not vibrate is a dildo.

Some of them have suction cups that can be attached to the floor or wall so that you can enjoy realistic masturbation without using your hands.

For fun, there is a dildo made in the shape of your partners penis.

This one is also popular as a gift, and if youve been together for a long time and are having trouble finding a gift for your partner, you might want to pick one.

To learn more about dildo, please click here.

What is Dildo: Orgasms with Dildos for Men and Women A dildo is a model of a male organ that is used by women for masturbation and by men to stimulate the prostate gland. Th...

Electric Masserger

A Electric Masserger is a hand-held electric massager, also known as a handheld massager, and can usually be purchased at electronics stores.

It was originally designed to relieve stiff shoulders and back pain, so the hurdle of buying one in a physical store is quite low.

Many people may have seen or used it in some form or another, as it is often installed in leisure hotels.

Such a massager is highly recommended for beginners because it is easy for women to get pleasure from it when they use it during masturbation.

It is larger than Egg-Vibrator and vibrations are stronger than those of Egg-Vibrators and vibrators, so even just hitting the clitoris can give you a great deal of pleasure.

For those women who have never had an orgasm during sex with their man, the massager may be a good way to get a feel for what it feels like to have an orgasm.

It looks and feels like an electric massager, so you wont have to feel awkward if your roommate finds out.

If you are in a rut of having sex with your partner, if you want to feel an orgasm through masturbation, or if you are thinking of using a sextoy, why dont you try it from a simple massager?

To learn more about Electric Masserger, click here.

What is a massager? Introducing types, selection methods, and usage Originally, the Magic-wand vibrator and the massage machine were sold as a home massage machine used for the back and th...

How to choose a sextoy for Indian

Now that weve covered the different types of sextoy, heres how to choose one.

Especially if you are trying sextoy for the first time, pay attention to the following three points:  Does the size fit you (the partner)?

Does the size fit you (your partner)?

Is the environment able to produce sound without problems?

Price range

First of all, the choice of size is quite important.

Most sextoy are used against or inserted into the genitals, but the genitals are very delicate organs for both men and women.

For this reason, using an inappropriate size may cause damage.

Secondly, the environment should be able to produce sound without problems.

Some sextoys not only wear, but also rotate and vibrate. Its easier to get pleasure from something that moves than something that doesnt, but the fact that it moves means that the internal rotors make some noise.

If you live in a house with thin walls or if you have roommates, you may not be able to concentrate because of the noise, so it is best to choose one that is silent or has a low noise level.

Especially in India, where many people live with their families, it is very important that you dont have to worry about sound when you use it.

Finally, there is the price range.

The price range of sextoy ranges widely, from around RS500 at the cheapest to RS10,000 or more at the highest.

Its good to consider how much money you can afford and how much you want to buy.

Do you want your family to not find out about sextoy?

I live with my family and want to use sextoy without them finding out! If you are a man, you should buy a camouflage sextoy that does not look like a sextoy at first glance.

For men, there are many masturbators that do not look like a sextoy, and for women, there are vibrators that only look like cosmetics.

If you choose such a type, youll be safe in case your family members find out.

How to buy sextoys in India

The best way to purchase sextoy is through online shopping.

For more information on how to purchase sextoy, please see the article below.

Sextoy is one of them.

Therefore, you can easily get sextoy in India by using online shopping.

SexToysINDIA is a long established and stable sextoy store and you can have sextoy delivered to any place in India.

They also offer cash on delivery, so those who are worried about shopping with a credit card do not have to worry.

Of course, the latest security is in place, so your information will not be taken out when you use your credit card.

To begin with, many people may be concerned about whether they are legally allowed to purchase sextoy.

ikmAs it turns out, its not illegal.

Right now, it is not open to the public because the Indian adult market is still in the development stage, but it will gradually spread from now on.

Take advantage of sextoy and open the door to new pleasures and culture.

Cautions for Indians using sextoy

When using sextoy, keep the following three things in mind

Keep sex toys clean

Watch out for electrical leakage

Beware of the heat generated by the body while using a sex toy

As I mentioned earlier, many sextoy products are used for the delicate zone.

Therefore, it is most important to keep the sextoy itself clean. It is very important to keep the sextoy itself clean, because if a slight scratch is created by friction, bacteria can enter and breed there.

It is safe to wear a condom when using the masturbator, just in case.

In addition, many sextoy devices are powered by a power source, so if they are not waterproof, there is a possibility of electric shock or malfunction due to wetness.

Some may even develop heat during continuous use. If the fever becomes too much, you may get burned, so be careful.

If you get a fever during use, stop driving the sextoy immediately and refrain from using it.

You will enjoy sex more if you keep it safe and use it correctly.

Summary

What did you think?

In this article, we have introduced the recommended sextoy for the beginners of sextoy in India.

The sextoy market is growing rapidly in India and it will continue to grow steadily in the future.

As India is a rather closed-minded country, it can be difficult to be open about ones sexual habits and values.

However, being faithful to ones desires by properly dissolving ones sexual desire is very effective for ones physical and mental health.

If this is your first time to learn about sextoy, or if you are interested in using sextoy, why not give it a try?

Indian Sextoys for ur best! will introduce you to sextoy and other trivia about sextoy, sexuality, and sexuality for men and women.

I want to read more! If you think its a great idea, please bookmark it.
CARBONDALE  Philly Pretzel Factory, an East Coast restaurant franchise business that sells a variety of pretzel products, is looking to build between one and three locations in Carbondale by spring 2017.

The company is eyeing the Walmart on Main Street as a potential store in store site, said Tom Monaghan, chief development officer. Other possible locations include the downtown historic district and somewhere close to the Southern Illinois University campus.

Were looking for that right franchise partner, have identified the market and have identified opportunities within the existing Walmart locations in that marketplace, Monaghan said.

Monaghan said the company, which operates 71 stores in 15 states, is in talks with multiple people who have applied to be franchise partners. Those candidates will go through a four- to eight-week vetting process, and then construction will begin.

Realistically its our expectation specifically for Carbondale that we will have something open there by springtime of 17, Monaghan said.

Although the Philadelphia-based company is best known for its traditional pretzels, which are baked fresh in stores, it also offers a number of other specialty items, such as pretzel hot dogs, pepperoni pretzel melts and pretzel sausages.

Weve got what is the combination of two of Philadelphias culinary experiences, the cheesesteak and the pretzel, what we call a Cheesesteak Pretzel  its essentially a great beef cheesesteak surrounded by a pocket of our pretzel dough, Monaghan said.

Philly Pretzel Factory restaurants usually require between eight and 12 employees  a mix of full-time and part-time  depending on the size of the store, Monaghan said.
SPRINGFIELD  In response to a looming shortage of registered nurses and growing demand from employers for nurses with four-year degrees, Illinois community colleges are pushing for the ability to award bachelors degrees in nursing.

However, the idea has been met with opposition from the states public universities. They say theyre willing to work collaboratively to address the issue but dont believe community colleges should be in the business of awarding bachelors degrees.

An Illinois Senate committee held a hearing on the proposal earlier this month, but its sponsor, Sen. Andy Manar, D-Bunker Hill, said he doesnt intend to move forward until after the new General Assembly is seated in January.

The hearing was held to encourage conversation among community colleges and universities, Manar said, adding that he plans revise the bill, possibly limiting it to certain high-need areas.

This bill isnt about going after universities; this bill isnt about trying to inject controversy into the nursing community, he said. This bill is straight up about making sure that underserved communities have health care."

A report last year from the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation found that nearly one-third of registered nurses 55 and older planned to retire within the next five years, which could lead to a shortage in the near future.

Under Illinois law, registered nurses can have either an associate degree or a bachelors degree. But nationally a bachelors degree is now the typical entry-level education required for a job as a registered nurse, according to the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Manar said communities across his district, which stretches from Decatur to the Metro East suburbs of St. Louis, are having trouble finding enough qualified nurses to fill positions at hospitals, nursing homes, doctors offices and other health care facilities.

Todays policies are leaving those communities behind, Manar said.

Supporters say the change would make it possible for students and working nurses to earn bachelors degrees while staying closer to home, saving both time and money.

Matt Berry, a spokesman for the Illinois Community College Board, said the council representing presidents of the states 48 community colleges have endorsed the idea. However, it would be up to individual schools to decide if its something theyre interested in doing, Berry said, adding that he expects a half-dozen to a dozen would pursue it.

We really look at this as an access issue and as an employer-driven proposal to meet workforce needs, he said.

Berry pointed to a report from the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation that showed 44 percent of qualified applicants werent admitted to Illinois bachelors degree programs in nursing in 2013 due to lack of capacity.

But John Charles, director of government and public affairs for Southern Illinois University, said four-year schools offer robust nursing programs with room to expand.

The programs are in existence, theyre up and running, and theyre successful, Charles said.

In addition to its traditional program, SIUs Edwardsville campus has the potential to provide virtually unlimited access through its online program, he said.

Enrollment in the program is up more than tenfold in recent years, from 50 students in 2014 to 560 students this year.

While the program has an on-campus component, Charles said, the university is willing to work with community colleges to bring those courses to students on their campuses rather than requiring them to come to Edwardsville.

The university also wants to work with community colleges to strengthen transfer programs for nursing students.

Meanwhile, as Berry noted, not all community colleges are looking to take advantage of the possible opportunity.

Ellen Colbeck, dean of health professions at Richland Community College in Decatur, said there doesnt appear to be a local need at this time.

Major employers in the area, including Decatur Memorial Hospital and HSHS St. Marys Hospital, hire registered nurses with associate degrees.

They are very happy with our graduates, Colbeck said.

She said the school also has strong partnerships with schools like Eastern Illinois and Millikin universities. Benedictine University even offers bachelors degree courses on Richlands campus, Colbeck said.

Rob Widmer, president of Heartland Community College in Normal, said his school supports the proposed change statewide but hasnt had in-depth discussions about creating a bachelors program.

Our graduates are very successful coming out of the (associate degree in nursing) program, Widmer said, noting that the school has close partnerships with Illinois State and Illinois Wesleyan universities for students who want to pursue a higher degree.
Its been just over a decade since state Rep. Justin Bamberg graduated from Bamberg-Ehrhardt High School.

The 29-year-old opened his law firm in his hometown last week.

Investing in home was important to me, Bamberg said from his new office at 2331 Main Highway.

I feel like time is going so fast because I remember when I was a kid running around this place and now Im a small business owner here, he said.

The tall, former varsity athlete smiled when he said, I live here, my office is here and Im a state representative here. I think its safe to say I aint ever leaving.

For two years Bamberg from Bamberg, as he refers to himself at times, practiced law at Lanier & Burroughs in Orangeburg.

I really enjoyed working with Lanier & Burroughs, Bamberg said. I love them as professionals and friends.

For me, it was just time and I thought about branching out and starting my own firm, he said.

Bamberg has emerged as an attorney who represents families of those whove been shot and killed by law enforcement officers.

The case that really kind of changed things as far as the national scene goes is when I started representing the family of Walter Scott, Bamberg said.

Scott, 50, was shot and killed by then-North Charleston police officer Michael Slager.

Slagers murder trial is expected to finish next week. The trial has lasted about four weeks.

Bamberg and Atlanta-area attorney Chris Stewart represented Scotts family.

Last October, Scotts family and the City of North Charleston agreed to a $6.5 million settlement in Scotts death.

Bamberg said that he and Stewart will be in Charleston for the conclusion of Slagers trial.

And well see how that turns out. Well let the wheels of justice turn and see where justice stops, he said.

Bamberg said hes always wanted to help people.

A lot of times youll do it and nobody will ever know and Im fine with that because you dont do it for recognition, you do it because you feel like its the right thing to do. It just happened that in that one particular instance, making the decision to help someone kind of took off, he said.

As a result of the Scott case, he ended up taking on other officer-involved shooting cases. Hes representing the families of Alton Sterling in Baton Rouge, Louisiana and Keith Scott in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Bamberg is also representing the family of Kouren-Rodney Bernard Thomas, a 20-year-old Raleigh, N.C. man who was shot and killed leaving a house party last August.

Before the Scott case, Bamberg handled cases involving personal injury, vehicle accidents, medical malpractice and wrongful deaths.

Bambergs journey to law school, a law practice and the State House began just outside of the city limits of Bamberg.

And it hasnt been an easy path.

Growing up a child of two law enforcement officers, Kenneth and Ronda Bamberg, I was able to hang around the police department and go to court with them as a kid, Bamberg said. That was always really exciting for me.

By fifth grade, Bamberg knew he was destined to become a lawyer.

I remember reading To Kill a Mockingbird, one of my favorite novels of life, Bamberg said.

Reading about Atticus Finch fighting for Tom Robinson and then I was like, You know what? Thats what Im going to be. Im going to be a lawyer, Bamberg said.

In Harper Lees novel, Finch, who was white, represented Robinson, who was black, in a trial where Robinson was accused of rape in a small, segregated Alabama town in the mid-1930s.

Bamberg said he was impressed how Finch kind of fought against the odds, against the grain, because somebody deserved to have somebody fight for him.

But Bamberg nearly lost sight of his fifth-grade goal of becoming an attorney.

After graduating from Bamberg-Ehrhardt High School in 2005, Bamberg enrolled in the University of South Carolina with a scholarship.

And I almost messed up, Bamberg said.

He lost his scholarship his first year due to low grades.

Bamberg said he didnt study and spent too much time enjoying the nightlife of Columbia.

I kind of forgot why I was there and the sacrifices that people like my parents and grandparents made for me, he said.

But Bamberg got it together and worked nearly 40 hours a week while he pursued his undergraduate degree.

Next, he applied for law school, turning down his first offer at a school in Kansas.

Bamberg decided to remain at USC.

He described law school as one of the most difficult things because he doesnt perform well on standardized tests.

During the first year of law school, students try to get jobs working for law firms, Bamberg said.

Everybody wanted to work for big law (firms) because they paid the most. We were all broke law students, he said.

But my grades, again, werent good enough, he added.

He couldnt get a single paid job.

I just started making calls, Hey, Im Justin Bamberg, Im trying to get experience. I want to be a trial lawyer. If youre looking for some help, Ill work for free, he said.

Thats what happened.

Bamberg ended up volunteering his time at a law firm.

So it was kind of like a regular job, but I wasnt getting paid, he said.

Bamberg graduated from law school a semester early, but he was concerned his grades were going to be another hurdle for him.

He got his first job out of law school at Hood Law Firm in Charleston, a civil defense practice.

Bamberg worked there for two years and decided to locate closer to his hometown. He began at Lanier & Burroughs in August 2014.

A couple of months before that, Bamberg won the Democratic primary for S.C. House District 90. Bakari Sellers vacated the seat to run for lieutenant governor.

Bamberg noted that he didnt have any desire to be a politician.

I hated politics. I didnt like politicians. I didnt like the political process, he said.

In November 2014, voters elected Bamberg to the State House.

I enjoy serving my House district. There are a lot of great people. Its one of the reasons I ran, Bamberg said. I see where were going and I see were making progress and I want to keep helping push this along.

He won his second term in November.

Between practicing law, serving three counties of 38,000 people in the State House, it can admittedly get difficult, Bamberg said.

Its one of those things where my daddy used to tell me, Dont start anything unless you can finish it, he said.

If you say youre going to do it, you do it. It doesnt matter what you personally have to go through to get it done, but youve made that commitment to somebody and its important to keep your word, Bamberg said.

He said another saying by which he lives is, Success isnt owned, its leased, and the rent is due every single day.

Bamberg said that while he was visiting someone in Orangeburg a few months ago, a group of four boys met him by his vehicle after he returned to it an hour later.

The boys  ranging from fifth through ninth grades  told Bamberg they liked his car and they wanted to talk to him about it.

I had a Statehouse tie and I asked them who among them had the highest grades, he said.

He said all four boys unanimously selected the same person.

I gave him the tie, but I didnt want to leave the other ones out, so I happened to have three other ties in my trunk, he said. He gave each of the kids a tie.

When he gave them the ties, he challenged them to make good grades and stay out of trouble.

And to this very day, anytime I go out there, theyll always come up to me, he said.

About two weeks ago, Bamberg visited the area and one of the kids ran up to him, he said.

Then the kid ran home, retrieved his most recent report card and returned to Bamberg with his report card in hand.

It was just a few years ago when Bamberg answered his challenge to make good grades and stay out of trouble.

People think that if youre looking for someone to look up to that they have to be somebody who has always been on top of the world and I think its sometimes the exact opposite, he said.

You can find a lot of good things for your own life if you look at people who at one point had the world on top of them and they managed to crawl their way out. There have been those times when I felt like the world was on top of me, he said.

Hes felt that way when family members passed away.

I really wish my great-grandmother was alive today. She lived right next door to us. Grandma Bertha, I wish she was here to see this, he said.

I know shes looking down on us smiling on me and my brother Brandon and the whole family, Bamberg said.

Bamberg says his Christian faith serves as a steady guide for his lifes course.

God has his ways of working and if something opens up one day, who am I to challenge what may have been put before me as a reason, Bamberg said.
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By Trend





Saudi Arabia pulled out of planned talks with non-OPEC nations including Russia as disagreements about how to share the burden of supply cuts stood in the way of a deal to boost prices just days before a make-or-break meeting in Vienna, Bloomberg reported.

OPEC officials were scheduled to meet with non-members including Russia on Monday before a ministerial meeting in Vienna two days later. The meeting was later cancelled entirely after the Saudis decided not to take part.



Instead, the group called another internal meeting to try to resolve its own differences, particularly the question of whether Iran and Iraq are willing to cut production, said two delegates, asking not to be identified because the deliberations are sensitive. Saudi Arabia wants an OPEC deal in place before conversations with other producers such as Russia, one delegate said.



The setback suggests that Saudi Arabia remains split from its two biggest Middle Eastern rivals at the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries. Iran insists it should be allowed to restore output to pre-sanctions levels, while it remains unclear if Iraq is still disputing the OPEC supply estimates that would provide the basis for any cuts. With less than a week until the crucial ministerial meeting, the refusal of just one major producer to participate could scuttle the whole of the agreement reached in September in Algiers.



"The whole Algerian deal wasnt clear from beginning and their approach was leave it to later, said Abdulsamad al-Awadhi, a former OPEC official for Kuwait who is now an independent analyst in London. Two months after the initial accord "OPEC leaders are confused and the groups founding members cant solve differences, but they want to have a deal with non-OPEC. This a tough call."

Brent crude fell in London 3 percent to $47.50 a barrel as of 5:37 p.m. Friday. In New York, West Texas Intermediate fell to $46.42 a barrel.



In late September, OPEC agreed the outline of its first production curbs since the global financial crisis in 2008. Since then, the group has spent two months trying to agree how to share the cuts, which would bring its production to a range of 32.5 million to 33 million barrels per day. OPEC estimates that it pumped 33.6 million barrels a day last month.



Technical experts from member countries met in Vienna this week to finalize the details of the cuts. After two days of meetings, the talks concluded without resolving the issue of Iran and Iraq, instead deferring the matter to ministerial talks on Nov. 30. Those officials will now reconvene on Monday in an effort to overcome the impasse, two delegates said.



Ministers from Saudi Arabia and Iran wont arrive in Vienna until Nov. 29, said OPEC delegates, leaving little time for them to hold negotiations before the big meeting.



Saudi Arabia, OPECs de-facto leader, is ready to cut production, but only if all members share the burden of cuts equitably and transparently. In practice, that means the kingdom thinks Iraq needs to cut output and Iran has to freeze production around current levels, one OPEC delegate said last week.



Prior to the Nov. 23 comments by Prime Minister Haider Al-Abadi, Iraq had sought an exemption from joining any production cuts, arguing that its fight against Islamic State justifies special treatment. That assertion still leaves unresolved the significant issue of exactly how much the country would reduce production, and from what level, said a Gulf OPEC delegate Thursday.



Iran has insisted it wont accept any limits on its production until it has returned to the pre-sanctions level above 4 million barrels a day.



Without an OPEC deal, the International Energy Agency predicted that 2017 will be the fourth consecutive year in which supply runs ahead of demand, potentially causing lower prices.
By Trend





President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has signed an order setting up a professional holiday of carpet makers.

Under the presidential order, May 5 will be celebrated as the day of carpet makers in the country.
By Trend





By Elmira Tariverdiyeva

A new page of the Baku-Brussels relations opened in 2016 after a number of important events which had a positive impact on the establishment of partnership between Azerbaijan and the EU.

Strategic partnership agreement

The European Council adopted a mandate for the European Commission and the high representative for foreign affairs and security policy to negotiate, on behalf of the EU and its member states, a comprehensive agreement with Azerbaijan November 14.

This was one of the most important items on the agenda of the relations between Azerbaijan and Europe.

The signing of a new Azerbaijan-EU partnership agreement will raise the cooperation to a qualitatively new level.

The new agreement should replace the 1996 partnership and cooperation agreement and should better take account of the shared objectives and challenges the EU and Azerbaijan face today.

Therefore, Europe made the only right decision - the agreement on strategic partnership with Azerbaijan, which it has already had with Japan or, for example, Australia and South Korea.

The agreement on strategic partnership will affect many areas of the cooperation between Baku and the EU, as a whole and with some European countries, including economy, trade, environment and others.

The agreement will follow the principles endorsed in the 2015 review of the European Neighbourhood Policy and offer a renewed basis for political dialogue and mutually beneficial cooperation between the EU and Azerbaijan.

The new agreement envisages the compliance of Azerbaijans legislation and procedures with the EUs most important international trade norms and standards, which should lead to the improvement of Azerbaijani goods access to the EU markets.

An important area of cooperation with the West is Azerbaijans important role as one of the main suppliers of gas to the EU, which will be able to ensure energy security of Europe. Of course, the issues of transport corridors and Azerbaijans invaluable role in the fight against extremism and terrorism will be also reflected in the new agreement.

EU position on Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement

Azerbaijan expects from the EU a clear position on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflicts settlement which is one of the most important items of a new Azerbaijan-EU strategic partnership agreement.

Azerbaijan made it clear that the country intends to hold talks in this direction, because this issue is of particular importance for Baku.

Brussels is ready for such talks.

The Council of the European Union (EU) Foreign Ministers adopted a final document, following the negotiations on the Eastern partnership program.

The document states that the EU remains committed to supporting the territorial integrity, independence and sovereignty of all its partners.

Earlier, during the meeting with Azerbaijans Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov at the 71st session of the UN General Assembly, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini said that the EU supports Azerbaijans territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence.

Mogherini pointed out that the EU is interested in the peaceful settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

Mogherini realizes the threats posed by the Armenian occupation of Azerbaijani lands and the consequences of Yerevans impunity. Mogherini presented the EU Global Strategy in mid. 2016. The postulate on the territorial integrity of the EU member-states has become a key element of the EU Global Strategy.

The document says that the key elements of European security are the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of states, inviolability of borders and peaceful settlement of disputes.

"These principles are applicable to all countries, both inside and outside the EU," the document says.

According to the document, this is the most important postulate for Baku. It is one of the foundations of the modern world order - sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of states. For many years it has been ignored by the international community.

Instead of exerting pressure on Armenia and the forced withdrawal of the Armenian armed forces from Azerbaijani territories, by keeping silence the world players encouraged separatist actions of the Armenian authorities. The silence and indifference led to numerous victims of military confrontation on the Azerbaijani territories.

Suppression of Armenian provocations on EU territory

A number of facts of suppressing Armenian provocations on the EU territory can testify to the EU fair approach to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement.

A concert aimed at propaganda of the illegal regime, which was to be held in Brussels Palais des Beaux Arts, was called off following the proactive measures of the Embassy of Azerbaijan in Belgium and the Azerbaijani Parliament.

The embassy and the Azerbaijani parliament have implemented proactive measures to prevent events dedicated to promotion of the so-called regime in Brussels on Nov. 16-19, where the regimes head Bako Sahakyan was expected to participate.

The pressure made by the European Armenian Federation and the representatives of the Armenian lobby in Europe did not help the Armenians.

A European Parliament (EP) meeting organized with the assistance of EP Deputy Frank Engel, who serves interests of Armenia and the Armenian lobby, has been cancelled.

A reception on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of independence of Nagorno-Karabakh" featuring Bako Sahakyan was also cancelled.

All this testifies to the strengthening of the Azerbaijan-EU ties and decreasing influence of the Armenian lobby on Brusselss decisions, which ultimately gives hope for Europes assistance in the settlement of the protracted Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
By Trend





Azerbaijan and the EU are actively preparing to start negotiations on a new strategic partnership agreement, Azerbaijans Deputy Foreign Minister Mahmud Mammad-Guliyev told reporters in Baku Nov. 25.

He added that the negotiations are unlikely to begin before late 2016.

Mammad-Guliyev said the EUs position on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict will be one of the main aspects of the future strategic partnership agreement.

The European Council adopted a mandate for the European Commission and the high representative for foreign affairs and security policy to negotiate, on behalf of the EU and its member states, a comprehensive agreement with Azerbaijan on Nov. 14.

The new agreement should replace the 1996 partnership and cooperation agreement and should better take account of the shared objectives and challenges the EU and Azerbaijan face today.

Currently, bilateral relations between the EU and Azerbaijan are regulated on the basis of an agreement on partnership and cooperation that was signed in 1996 and entered into force in 1999.
By Azertac





An Azerbaijani delegation has participated in the international IDEAS, a defence exhibition in Pakistan.





IDEAS, a biennially defence exhibition, brought together all the industry's players across the globe to showcase the latest technological innovations.





The Defence Export Promotion Organization (DEPO), along with its major defence manufacturers, has been participating in various International Defence Exhibitions.
By Azertac





The Latvian Independence Day was celebrated in Baku.





Ambassador of Latvia to Azerbaijan Juris Maklakovs highlighted his country`s history of independence.





He said there were strong political relations between Azerbaijan and Latvia, adding that his country is interested in strengthening the bilateral economic ties.





The diplomat noted comprehensive cooperation, in political economic sphere developed between Azerbaijan and Latvia.





Azerbaijans Deputy Foreign Minister Mahmud Mammad-Guliyev also addressed the event.





He congratulated the people of Latvia on the Independence Day on behalf of the people and the Government of Azerbaijan.





Mr. Mammad-Guliyev said the two countries have recently undertaken many steps to develop bilateral relations. He also said that a lot of mutual visits have recently taken place between Azerbaijan and Latvia, adding that this would be continued.





The anniversary event was attended by Azerbaijani state and governmental officials, foreign ambassadors, as well as a delegation of Latvia.





In November 1918, an act of independence was declared in Riga, according to which Latvia became an independent state.
By Trend





The expansion of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) will contribute to strengthening relations between its members, the Kyrgyz Foreign Ministry's special envoy for SCO affairs Irina Orolbaeva said Friday, Xinhua reported.

She made the remark during the forum "Shanghai Cooperation Organization: Experience and Prospects," which was held in the Kyrgyz capital Bishkek to mark the 15th anniversary of the regional organization.

"In expansion of the SCO we must proceed from the overall interests of the organization, and our national interests, it is very important," she told the leading Kyrgyz experts, officials and representatives of diplomatic missions who attended the forum.

On the June signing of the memorandums of obligations for India and Pakistan to join the SCO, Orolbaeva said, "If we accept new states, it means it is necessary to build a relationship based on the fact that India and Pakistan will be our allies in the SCO."

The special envoy also said that Pakistan's membership may enhance the SCO role on the issue of Afghanistan.

She expected Pakistan and India will add political weight to the SCO, which is "facing new expectations and new goals."

Since its establishment, the regional bloc has seen effective cooperation between its members in trade, business, finance, energy and transportation, among other areas.

It has advocated and put into practice the pioneering Shanghai Spirit, which features mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality, consultation, respect for diverse civilizations and pursuit of common development.
The Information & Communication Technology Fund (ICT Fund) has signed a sponsorship and collaboration agreement with the American University of Sharjah to provide 15 scholarships for distinctive students.

A first-of-its-kind in the Arab world, the fund was launched in 2008 by the UAE Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) to achieve rapid, progressive and concrete developments within the ICT sector in the country.



The new agreement coincides with the ongoing UAE Innovation Week.



The scholarships will help fund the bachelor studies of programs related to the ICT sector, including electrical engineering, computer engineering and computer science.



The ICT Fund plays a major role in enhancing the students innovative abilities through offering opportunities of education and research, and through enabling those who have feasible ideas to establish companies that turn their ideas into business ventures.



It operates on four main themes; supporting national projects, education, research and development and incubators.



Students who succeed high school exams could be granted these scholarships after passing the needed examinations and receiving an acceptance letter from the University.



The University refers the request to the Department of Education in the ICT Fund for final approval.



Majed Al Mesmar, TRA deputy director general, said: "This agreement is part of a series of agreements signed by TRA during the Innovation Week. It is aimed at sponsoring national competencies and scientific talents, and supporting them to study in one of the best universities in the country."



Education is the cornerstone of all developmental and strategic plans set by our wise leadership for the next phase, stated Al Mesmar.



"The programs are chosen based on objective and comprehensive studies prepared by the ICT Fund, as it identified the programs needed by the ICT sector in the country," he added.-TradeArabia News Service
Leading global suppliers, regional manufacturers, and key decision makers in the Saudi warehouse, freight and cargo industries will take part in the inaugural edition of Materials Handling Saudi Arabia which opens in Jeddah on Monday (November 27).



Organised by Messe Frankfurt Middle East in partnership with Saudi-based Al-Harithy Company for Exhibitions (ACE), Materials Handling Saudi Arabia is a biennial event alternating between the flagship Materials Handling Middle East exhibition in Dubai.



The two-day conference, being held at the Park Hyatt Hotel in the Saudi port city, has attracted a line-up of 17 expert speakers while a co-located exhibition features 25 exhibitors showcasing their latest solutions for Saudis thriving logistics sector, said the organisers.



The dual-platform arrives as the trend of modernisation in the logistics and warehousing and the need for automated systems in Saudi Arabia means industry players are searching for innovative solutions to stay up-to-date in a competitive market, they stated.



Their questions on how to address opportunities and challenges in a rapidly evolving market will largely be answered at the Supply Chain and Logistics Forum, bringing together top industry leaders, analysts, and solutions providers.



The conference begins with a key presentation by Ashraf M. Kotait, the former port operation expert at Saudi Ports Authority (Seapa), who will explore the future direction of global supply chain and logistics, and where the industry is heading.



The other key discussions on the opening day will include how to maximise supply chain profits; success factors for investing in and implementing automated solutions; and how to improve efficiency and productivity in retail logistics.



Meanwhile, the worlds leading suppliers will showcase material handling systems, forklifts, storage solutions, and equipment aimed at a vast range of industries, from e-commerce, Pharma & Cosmetics, Food & Beverage, retail, automotive, and manufacturing.



The healthy response from suppliers of products and services related to intralogistics, warehousing, supply chain, ports, and port equipment is headlined by heavyweight manufacturers including Launch Partners Swisslog, SSI Schaeffer, and Daifuku. Industry Partners include Abdul Latif Jameel Industrial Equipment Company  the Saudi distributor for Toyota forklifts  Log Square, and Eika.



Saudi-based Arabian Auto Agency is another important company out in force that will announce the launch of its newly acquired Still franchise of material handling equipment.



Mike Fritz, the deputy managing director at Arabian Auto Agency, said: "Still is a premium brand of material handling equipment and offers a wide range of solutions for todays demanding customers."



More and more customers are starting to realise that its not all about the upfront cost of a piece of equipment but rather the total cost of ownership," he added.



IBLS from Greece is exhibiting at the inaugural show in partnership with Saudi-based WPL to offer engineering consultancy services in the layout, design and implementation of warehouse and industrial buildings.



Ioannis Manolas, the chief executive of IBLS, said the company applies high quality international standards, offering complete solutions in the design, procurement, and project management of logistics and food processing industrial development projects.



Our methodology, expertise and specialisation for logistics and food processing projects means were able to offer complete solutions starting from requirement analysis and diagnostic study right through to total assumption of responsibility, he added.-TradeArabia News Service
Clubs

Scholarship notice

The Society of Mining, Metallurgy and Exploration -- Central Wyoming Section offers up to four $2,500 scholarships, the Coates, Wolff, Russell, & Swank Memorial Scholarship. Applicant must have graduated from a Wyoming high school, must be enrolled full-time for the 2016-2017 academic year, upperclassmen -- current college sophomore, junior, senior or graduate student, enrolled in mining/mineral extraction-related discipline, and have a 3.0 GPA minimum. Application forms are available by email request to smecasper@gmail.com

Groups meet together for dinner

The Natrona County Historical Society and the Oregon-California Trail Association will hold their joint Christmas dinner on Dec. 8 at the Ramkota. The speaker will be the award-winning former newspaper owner, publisher and editor of several Wyoming and Montana newspapers, Bill Sniffin, who retired to travel, photograph and write books about his beloved adopted state of Wyoming. He will share stories and photographs, especially connected with his most current historical book, "Wyoming at 125." For more information, call Robin at 259-4174.

HOG chapter meets monthly

Calling all Harley riders, come join us at Oil City Harley-Davidson the first Tuesday (Dec. 7) of every month at 6 p.m. or check out Wyohog.com for more information.

Foundation meets in Saratoga

The Wyoming Wild Sheep Foundation (WY-WSF) will be holding its annual winter membership/project funding/field trip meeting December 2-3, 2016 in Saratoga. The WY-WSF has funded over $1M in projects for wild sheep and has leveraged for several million dollars more. A Wyoming Game and Fish Department biologist will update attendees on sheep management statewide. Field trips will be conducted on three local ranches. Please sign up at https://www.wyomingwildsheep.org/events.asp

NARFE meets Nov. 29

Casper Chapter #358 of the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association (NARFE) will have a business meeting at noon on Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2016. Please note the date has been changed from November 22 to 29. The program will be given by a representative from Blue Cross Blue Shield. Following the BC/BS presentation, we will have our business meeting at which time election of officers will be held. All members are urged to attend.

PFLAG meets Dec. 4

Members and Friends of PFLAG Casper:

This is a crazy time of year, so we are combining our November and December meetings into one meeting. We will meet on Sunday, Dec. 4, 2016 at 5:30 p.m. for a potluck and our annual holiday party. This is a white elephant party, which means bring something you have around the house that needs to be re-gifted. Or go to the UCC Bargain Basement and buy something tacky for a dollar or two. And just for fun, feel free to wear an ugly holiday sweater. Invite your LGBTQ+ friends, allies and family to this fun event.

NEW Format: Business meeting from 5 to 5:29 p.m. If you have an item for the business agenda, please reply to the email sent by Nov. 28 and come to the business meeting to discuss your ideas. All are welcome to this, too.

PFLAG Casper meets in the social hall of the United Church of Christ, 15th and Melrose, an open and affirming congregation.

Gold prospectors hold party

The Casper Chapter of the Gold Prospectors Association of America will host its Holiday Party on Wednesday, Dec. 7, from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Wyoming Oil and Gas Conservation Commission Building, 2211 King Blvd. Members and guests are cordially invited. Bring a side dish to share. We will have a gift exchange. If you wish to participate, bring a gift to exchange ($10 maximum limit). We would like to have an accurate head count so we can have enough food. Please call either Tina Raines at 234-6714 or Eric Weaner at 513-259-7902 and let us know you are planning to attend. Enter through the east door. The club is holding a raffle for a Thompson Drywasher. Raffle tickets are $10 and may be purchased at the meeting or by calling Eric Weaner at 513-259-7902. Drawing to be held, pending reserve. For more information about GPAA or the Casper Chapter, or about prospecting in general, call Eric Weaner at 513-259-7902.

Stammtisch Christmas Dec. 11

Casper Stammtisch German Weihnachtsfeier (Christmas Party) will be held at 4:30 p.m., on Sunday, Dec. 11, at the Isaac Walton Clubhouse west of Fort Caspar.

Does your family have favorite Christmas recipes and traditions that have German roots? Many Americans do since Christmas traditions such as the Christmas tree, St Nicklaus (Santa Claus), and gingerbread houses, to name a few, originated in German-speaking countries.

You are invited to join us for this potluck celebration which will include conversation, dinner, and singing German Christmas carols. The event is free but we do hold a raffle to help cover some of the costs.

After Dec. 11, Stammtisch will be on Winterpause (Winter Break) until we meet again on Jan. 5, 2017.

We wish you Frohe Weihnachten and Prosit Neu Jahr!

For more information contact Margo Perry, 265-3696, or stammtisch@bresnan.net

OCAC awards scholarships

The Oil Capitol Auto Club would like to introduce the recipients of the veterans scholarship awards for 2016. These scholarships are awarded each year to deserving Casper College students from the proceeds of the Memorial Day Car Show. Everyone who attends the show and all of the sponsors generously contribute to the educational advancement of our service men and women here in Wyoming. All of these recipients have served our country honorably and are pursuing their educational goals and life after their service. The OCAC is proud to help them along the trail toward their educational goals and wish them all of the best. The 2016 scholarships to Casper College were awarded to Adam Stamp, Brian Hiser, Ariel Wagner, and Colton Sasser. To all of our men and women in uniform, and to these students, thank you for your service, and good luck.

Civil Air Patrol meets

Civil Air Patrol meets from 7 to 9 p.m. the first Tuesday of the month at Casper National Guard Armory, 5905 CY Ave. For more information, call 259-0855.

Stammtisch at Applebee's

The Casper German Stammtisch is meeting weekly on Thursdays at Applebee's from 6:30 to 8 p.m. New this year -- on the second Thursday of each month we will focus on speaking German! All ability levels are welcome, as long as they are eager to hear German.
Residence halls are one of the most significant impediments to the University of Wyomings attempts to increase student enrollment.

During her time at UW, President Laurie Nichols said shes found the residence halls shes visited to be well-maintained and in tolerable conditions. However, she said they are not modern and do not offer the amenities the students UW is looking to recruit want.

The amenities many of our peer institutions offer does become a competitive factor when recruiting students, Nichols said during the Board of Trustees meeting Thursday.

Sara Axelson, vice president for Student Affairs, said that sentiment is heard in feedback from prospective students that visit campus.

We need to have a plan going forward, she said.

In the interest of starting the conversation, UW is looking to put out a request for information to explore the possibility of phasing in a rebuilding process for new residence halls with a focus on providing the living experience students are looking for.

Residence halls at UWs peer institutions include amenities such as study rooms, common spaces, laundry rooms on the floor, private bathrooms, open green spaces outdoors and suite-style rooms, said Eric Webb, executive director of resident life, dining and the Wyoming Union.

Its a very different from our traditional  if you will, old school  residence halls we have today, Webb said.

Residence halls at peer institutions  such as the University of Northern Colorado and South Dakota State University  continued to evolve at a steady pace through several decades, Webb said. This, he said, put UW behind its competitors in recruitment.

Webb said a plan ideally could start moving forward as early as spring 2018 to start phasing in a rebuilding process, starting with razing Hill and Crane halls to make room for what could likely be three buildings with 200 beds each in suite units. Should a plan start moving forward quickly, Webb said new facilities could open in fall 2020.

They would have more academic connection, more of a living-learning community, Webb said.

Residence halls are typically funded by issuing revenue bonds, Webb said. Some universities have established housing foundations, breaking off residence life from the university so they can break off the bonding capacity  something Webb said could be a sound investment with UWs requirement that freshmen must live on campus in most cases.

When you know you have a freshman live-in requirement, you have guaranteed revenue, Webb said.

But Bill Mai, vice president for administration, said UWs bonding capacity is lacking for such an endeavor.

The way were currently structured, were pretty well bonded out, Mai said.

Theres agreement at the university and in state government that something needs to be done to update UWs residence halls, Mai said. With the states finances still tight because of an economic bust, Mai said those in the legislative and executive branches of Wyomings government have indicated a willingness to examine pertinent state statutes and investment policies that could allow UW to explore options, including public-private partnerships. However, Mai said the residence halls do not generate enough revenue under UWs current model to incentivize private investment. Mai said something would need to change in order to generate revenue from the residence halls.

Were simply not generating a lot of money to stack up to replace residence halls with, Mai said. That means that some other variables in the equation probably have to change, and one of those is the scale issue. What is the right size of the university going forward and what do freshmen classes look like?

Board of Trustees Treasurer John McKinley also said it would be critical to not build more facilities than UW can fill. Between 2009-2015, McKinley said the residence halls had an 80 percent occupancy rate, mostly consisting of freshmen. Upperclassmen tend to occupy Laramies rental market, he said.

The focus on the new halls, I think, needs to be on people occupying them to make sure we dont overbuild that capacity, McKinley said.

A previous study called for a much larger scope, with approximately 2,000 new beds. Axelson said plans to continue growing enrollment would go forward and a mix of new and old residence halls would be adequate. The real challenge now is the competitiveness factor, she said.

We have plenty of space, but thats not the issue, Axelson said. Theyre not acceptable when students are visiting community colleges and other universities that are more appealing at this stage.

Student Affairs plans to submit a request for information to look at options for moving forward, Axelson said.
Last month, representatives from the Department of Corrections and the Wyoming Board of Parole presented a draft bill to the Interim Joint Judiciary Committee that offers six such tools to move away from a one-size-fits-all approach to dealing with offenders. This comprehensive criminal justice reform could increase public safety, save millions of dollars and give nonviolent offenders a second chance.

Ninety-five percent of state prisoners are eventually released back into society, so we must consider what to do with these individuals while they are in the states custody. Research shows that lengthy sentences for nonviolent, low-level offenders may actually increase the threat of future offenses. Alternatively, equipping nonviolent offenders with the tools to become responsible members of the community can maximize long-term public safety and minimize state spending on corrections.

First, the bill allows nonviolent, first-time offenders the opportunity to pay their debt to society in a way that fosters individual growth. As an alternative to incarceration, eligible offenders enter probation, where they are monitored and required to adhere to several requirements. As a one-time-only deal, participants who meet expectations will have their offense stricken from permanent record, and those showing exceptional progress can complete probation early. Those who violate their probation lose their chance at a clean slate and may be assigned rehabilitation, house arrest, curfews and short term jail stays.

Second, judges and parole officers are given tools to assign intensive rehabilitation as a condition of probation or parole, replacing the old cold turkey approach with a real fighting chance.

The National Institute on Drug Abuse explains, every dollar invested in addiction treatment programs yields a return of between $4 and $7 in reduced drug-related crime, criminal justice costs and theft.

Third, the legislation allows the parole board to impose four- to six-month sentences for minor, technical parole violations rather than requiring offenders to serve their full remaining sentences. This ensures tax dollars will not be used to warehouse offenders for years on end for violations as simple as missing a meeting. When Wyoming spends over $44,000 to incarcerate just one inmate for one year, it is wise to reserve incarceration for more serious violations.

Fourth, Wyoming would expand good time credits as an incentive for inmates and parolees to earn reduced sentences for exceptional behavior. Currently, the parole board may grant inmates a half-day for every day they are compliant. Through this bill, they would receive two-thirds of a day for each day of compliance. The draft bill would also raise a parolees reward to one day for one day and make credits nonrevocable if the parolee is not convicted of a new crime and does not abscond from the court.

When applied to inmates, the rate of good time accrual remains unchanged. However, for those serving time for a nonviolent crime and who meet a rigorous list of additional requirements, credits earned may not be taken away. Good time promotes better behavior behind bars and makes prisons safer for corrections officers.

The fifth change would give probation and parole officers the power to sanction violators with short term jail sentences, residential programs and substance abuse treatment if necessary. The sixth allows inmates with longstanding good conduct to transfer to residential facilities three years prior to parole eligibility rather than two. Shortened sentences ensure the community is not paying to incarcerate individuals who clearly demonstrate they are no longer a threat to society.

Wyoming would not be the first state to move in this direction. In 2014, South Dakota passed a criminal justice bill very similar to Wyomings current proposal. In addition to giving offenders a much-needed shot at redemption, South Dakota reports net savings of around $34 million. Wyoming would also join Texas, South Carolina, Georgia, Utah and several other states that have found ways to enhance public safety while significantly saving taxpayer dollars.

It is important to remember that the primary purpose of the corrections system is to correct bad behavior. These proposed reforms aim to re-focus our system on that goal.
Some local veterans and their families said they find it hard to believe the Tucson VA has reduced wait times as much as claimed.

They cant be accurate. No way, said Tucson resident Mary Marvella, who said her husband has been waiting since August for an appointment with a neurologist at the Southern Arizona VA Health Care System on South Sixth Avenue.

I care a great deal about this man. For him not to get the care that he needs to, that sends me ballistic. That is not supposed to happen, said Marvella, a registered nurse who does in-home care.

The Tucson VA shared its latest wait-time figures after a Nov. 9 federal Office of Inspector General report substantiated a whistleblowers allegations about wait-time manipulation at the Tucson VA.

The allegations dated to 2014, and VA officials told the Star last week that the fraud is no longer happening and that patient wait-times have improved.

In October, wait times for primary-care appointments averaged just over four days; specialty care wait times were 5.6 days and mental-health appointment wait times were 2.2 days, the latest Tucson VA data show.

Marvellas husband, Charlie Hill, said he took a hard fall out of bed in January, which left him bleeding from the head. As the months passed, Hill and his wife noticed his memory problems were worsening.

I can remember a song published 40 years ago  I can remember every word  but I forget what happened Saturday, said Hill, 68, who served in the Navy in the early 1970s. I dont know if thats just my age, I dont know if its from the fall.

Hes been trying to get a neurology consultation recommended by his nurse, but he hasnt been able to even get on the neurologists schedule, he said.

I know theyre busy with thousands of patients, but it shouldnt take this long, Hill said. They say, Were working on it, were working on it, and nothing happens.

While the vast majority of local veterans are getting care in a timely manner, about 3.5 percent of patients arent able to get in at the Tucson VA or its community clinics in less than 30 days, said Tucson VA spokesman Steve Sample.

Were doing everything we can to try to improve access, he said.

REFORMS STILL NEEDED

While VA hospitals are under more scrutiny than ever before, the massive system is still plagued by systemic problems and is in need of reform, said Matt Dobson, Arizona state director for Concerned Veterans for America.

Major reforms and high-level terminations will be necessary before the VA can move on from issues like wait-time manipulation, which in some cases earned doctors bonus payments, Dobson said.

Show me who they fired thats responsible for it, he said. Until the VA has to compete with private health care, they are just going to do whatever they want.

A whistleblower who spoke with the Star, Diane Suter, said that in 2014 her nurse manager at a Tucson VA primary-care clinic instructed her to falsify wait times in the electronic scheduling system in order to help doctors get bonuses. Suter said she suffered retaliation and a hostile work environment after she objected to the practices. In its Nov. 9 report, the Office of the Inspector General substantiated much of what Suter reported and recommended disciplinary action for those who encouraged wait-time manipulation.

But Suter said her nurse manager is still working at the VA.

Tucson VA spokesman Luke Johnson said a new administrative investigative board will determine what personnel actions are required in light of the report.

Dobson highlighted federal legislation he said would improve the system by allowing veterans to use VA funds for private health care.

Veterans can currently seek care in the community if their wait time at the VA is going to be more than 30 days. But the current process is cumbersome and coordinated through the VA system, Dobson said. Private doctors who participate sometimes wait six to nine months to get paid by the VA, he said. The new veterans choice legislation would streamline the process and put the patient in control, Dobson said.

It would make the money follow the veteran, instead of giving the money to the VA and letting the VA decide where to spend it, he said.

Another bill, the Veterans Accountability Act, would better protect whistleblowers and make it easier to fire VA employees for misconduct, with a expedited timeframe for the fired employee to appeal, Dobson said.

A competing bill backed by the Department of Veterans Affairs is the Veterans First Act, which Concerned Veterans for America considers watered down.

Jeff Sladek, president of the VA union in Southern Arizona, said the VA is already able to discipline and terminate employees for misconduct.

The system we have right now works, and Im not at all certain why they think it needs to be changed, he said. The issue with the VA is always about money. If were given an adequate budget, we are quite capable of taking care of all the needs of the veterans that we serve.

The presidents budget for fiscal year 2017 includes $182 billion for Veterans Affairs.

Dobson said his organization had heard more about problems at the Phoenix VA  at the center of a wait-time fraud scandal in 2014  but he wasnt shocked by revelations about wait-time manipulation in Tucson.

Its not too surprising when you look at the cultural problems, he said. This has happened at pretty much every VA facility over the last few years. Its not a resource problem.

Tucson veteran Michael Hood, 45, said hes been frustrated by wait times at the Tucson VA. Hood underwent surgery in September to fix a screw in his knee that had repaired an ACL tear but was starting to come out. The private doctor who performed the surgery wasnt able to remove the screw because it was deeply enmeshed in the bone; removal would require reconstruction of his knee and ACL, Hood said.

To get that surgery done, Hood said he must first see his primary-care physician at the Tucson VA to get approval.

In October, the VA scheduler said the soonest he could get an appointment is January 2017, Hood said.

Hood, a veteran of the Gulf War, said he knows some veterans have more urgent needs than his. But the VA needs to be held accountable for its weaknesses, he said.

It just doesnt make sense for me to have to wait three months to get an appointment with my primary, he said. Its unacceptable.
Border Patrol agents caught Clemente Armenta crossing the border illegally near Nogales in 2013, two years after he was deported.

Arrests like Armentas for repeated illegal border crossings were once common in the Border Patrols Tucson Sector, but they have grown increasingly rare, agency statistics obtained by the Arizona Daily Star through a public-records request show.

Agents in the Tucson Sector made 277,500 arrests in fiscal 2000 that involved people who were arrested previously for crossing the border illegally. In fiscal year 2015, agents made 9,300 such arrests.

With that decline, the portion of Tucson Sector arrests for illegal crossings involving repeat offenders dropped from 45 percent to 15 percent.

Before his 2011 deportation, Armenta, who had five years of education, worked in Phoenix for 11 years to support his three children living in Puerto Penasco, Sonora, court documents show.

The 34-year-old Mexican national pleaded guilty to a felony charge of illegal re-entry after deportation. He was sentenced in April 2014 to 57 months in federal prison and three years of probation.

Prison terms are a key part of the Border Patrols consequence delivery system, which is meant to deter people from repeatedly crossing the border illegally.

The Border Patrol attributes the decline in recidivism  which refers to repeated illegal border crossings  to the consequence delivery system, additional agents and detection technology, better infrastructure and partnerships with other law enforcement agencies, Tucson Sector spokesman Agent Vicente Paco said.

All of those factors help make Southern Arizona an undesirable place for smuggling, Paco said.

Annual apprehensions in the Tucson Sector fell from 616,300 to 63,400 between fiscal 2000 and 2015, agency records show. Border-wide, total apprehensions dropped from 1.64 million to 331,000 during that period.

In fiscal 2016, total apprehensions grew to 409,000 along the U.S.-Mexico border.

The recently released statistics on repeat offenders are based on the Border Patrols fingerprint identification number system, which the agency uses to track people caught crossing the border illegally.

However, the agency regularly issues reports to the public that are based on apprehensions, which is a measure of the number of arrests, rather than actual individuals arrested. Which means, for example, one person  caught illegally crossing numerous times  can account for multiple apprehensions in the records.

As a result, determining how many individuals were caught crossing the border illegally over the years was problematic, given that it was widely believed many more repeat arrests occurred in the early 2000s prior to the expansion of border-security measures in the last decade.

The recently released statistics show Tucson Sector agents made 5.2 million apprehensions between 1999 and 2015. About 1.8 million of those arrests involved people who had been arrested previously, indicating agents arrested 3.4 million individuals during that period.

The statistical drop in repeat offenders has a lot more nuance to it than increased border security measures and enforcement of immigration laws, said Maryada Vallet, a volunteer and spokeswoman with the Tucson-based humanitarian group No More Deaths.

In recent years, more Central Americans crossed the border illegally as they fled violence and poverty in their countries, Vallet said. Many of them were trying to cross the border for the first time.

Border Patrol records show 46,900 apprehensions of children from El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras in fiscal 2016.

Volunteers with No More Deaths fear programs like Operation Streamline  in which defendants charged with crossing the border illegally face a judge in groups and are sentenced to prison terms  could raise the risk of migrant deaths, Vallet said, giving the example of migrants being reluctant to trigger rescue beacons in the desert if they fear ending up in prison.

Since 2001, nearly 2,500 bodies have been found in the Tucson Sector.

And the sectors rate of 21 deaths per 10,000 apprehensions for fiscal 2015 was twice the rate of fiscal 2010.

But the risk of death or time in prison wont deter many people who have strong ties to the United States, Vallet said.

Their babies are here, their families are here, she said. Often times theyre more willing to take the risk to get back.

An April 2016 Congressional Research Service report described enhanced border enforcement as a double-edged sword.

More enforcement likely contributes to deterring unauthorized entries, which reduces border-area violence and migrant deaths, protects border ecosystems and improves quality of life in border communities, the report stated.

But for border crossers who are undeterred, increased enforcement also may encourage unauthorized migrants to find new ways to enter and to remain in the United States for longer periods of time, damage border ecosystems, harm border-area businesses and the quality of life in border communities, and strain U.S. relations with Mexico and Canada, the report stated.
The man South Tucson police shot and killed early Friday was identified Monday as Carlos Valencia, 26.

At about 3:45 a.m. Friday, South Tucson police officers responded to a call regarding a man behaving erratically at the Gospel Rescue Mission, 312 W. 28th St., said Police Chief Michael Ford.

They located Valencia after he left the mission and attempted to arrest him when he became combative, Ford said.

Officers pepper-sprayed Valencia and tried to subdue him with a taser, but he continued down 29th Street, after which he charged the officers and physically attacked them, police said.

One of the officers discharged his firearm, striking Valencia, Ford said.

Valencia was taken to Banner-University Medical Center, where he died several hours later, Ford said.

Police had identified Valencia, but were waiting to notify next of kin before releasing his name.

Shortly after, a sheriffs deputy on his way to assist with the investigation into the shooting collided with another vehicle on West 29th Street between South Ninth and 10th avenues, causing the deputys vehicle to flip over in front of the Valencia Market, Ford said.

The deputy and the occupant of the other vehicle were treated for their injuries and taken to a hospital.

The Pima County Sheriffs Department is handling the investigation into the shooting, said Deputy Ryan Inglett, a spokesman.
Multiple claims have been filed with the city in recent months, alleging damage to vehicles caused by Tucson police employees, documents show.

The three collisions, which all occurred within in August or September, added up to $23,000 in damage, according to the claims.

In an Oct. 4 claim, Dennis Toia said Tucson police Lt. Eric Johnson rear-ended his car while Toia was waiting at a red light on North Thornydale Road and West Magee Road.

Johnson was cited for the incident, which caused nearly $1,000 in damage to Toias car, according to the claims.

An Oct. 16 claim said an unnamed police officer pulled out of a side street and struck Stevan Spechts car when he was northbound on North Craycroft Road near West Grant Road.

Damage to Spechts vehicle totaled nearly $16,300, the claim said.

A Sept. 28 claim filed by Ryan Klee, who is asking for $5,000 in damages, said a police officer in a marked vehicle was making a left turn from West Speedway onto North Main Avenue and pulled into oncoming traffic.

The officer, J. Perez, told Klee, he was looking at his computer to pull someone over, causing him to crash into the front of the Klees car, damaging both vehicles.

Perez admitted fault, and a police report was filed.

The city has 60 days to respond to the claims before the requesting parties can file lawsuits in Pima County Superior Court.
A Tucson police bomb-squad officer has filed a lawsuit against the city, saying he was the subject of six years of workplace harassment by his supervisor after making comments to which the man took offense.

Charles Pickard, a 15-year veteran and hazardous-devices technician with the Tucson Police Department bomb squad, also says the department discriminated against him for a hand-tremor condition, violating the Americans with Disabilities Act.

The lawsuit says when Pickard was promoted to the bomb squad in 2008, his supervisor, Sgt. Ardan Devine, didnt allow him the same opportunities for overtime that were afforded other squad members. When Pickard addressed the issues, Devine became hostile and continued to bar him from opportunities, the lawsuit states.

The situation intensified when Devine told another officer he was upset about an email Pickard sent about explosive training consistencies. Because the email is considered protected speech under the First Amendment, Devines retaliatory actions, including calling Pickard a traitor, violated his rights, the lawsuit says.

Over the next several years, Devine openly made negative statements about the Pima County Regional Bomb Squad and its commander, resulting in members of TPDs bomb squad refusing to attend joint training exercises. As part of his job as regional FBI bomb squad coordinator, Pickard was still required to attend the training, but was met with hostility from Devine when requesting permission to attend.

The situation finally came to a head during an internal-affairs interview about anonymous threatening texts sent to the Pima County bomb-squad commander, about whom Devine had been making the negative statements, the lawsuit says.

Pickard was told that a fellow TPD bomb squad officer, Scott Lonergan, admitted responsibility and told investigators that Devines negative comments about the commander had created a clear culture within the unit of hatred for the Pima Regional Team.

After the investigation was completed, a lieutenant told Pickard that Devine read the internal affairs investigative report into the incident and became absolutely enraged, the lawsuit says. As a result, the retaliatory actions and harassment continued to escalate.

Pickards schedule was changed without warning and he was denied leave for a teaching assignment for which Devine previously gave permission. On another occasion, Devine launched an investigation into Pickard after he declined to respond to an after-hours call because hed been drinking beer off-duty.

In December 2012, Pickard met with then-Assistant Chief of Police Kathy Robinson after someone complained his slight hand tremor jeopardized his job performance. She told him she was aware of the hostility directed at him by Devine and urged him not to leave the department, adding Devine would soon retire .

Following the meeting, Pickard filed a complaint against Devine with the City Equal Employment Opportunity office, prompting a second meeting between Pickard, Devine and Robinson to diffuse the situation, the lawsuit says.

Devine balked at mediation and became enraging, stating that Officer Pickard was a horrible employee and a liar and wanted him removed from the bomb squad, according to the lawsuit.

At the end of the meeting, Robinson told Pickard the issue with his hand tremor had been examined by the police chiefs and the citys legal department, and wouldnt be brought up again.

A week later, Pickard was transferred to the Homeland Security Section of the bomb squad, located at the Tucson Fire Departments central headquarters.

During the 11 months that followed, he received no overtime opportunities and his name was removed from TPDs bomb squad directory, even though he was told he was still on the team.

The situation came to a head in September 2013, when Pickard was assisting the FBI in teaching a course about explosives. Two students, who were also Tucson police bomb-squad members, saw Pickard spill a small amount of racing fuel while measuring it into a container. Pickard wasnt questioned at the time, but when he returned to work, he was placed on medical restriction from handling explosives and chemicals until he was medically cleared by the city, the lawsuit says.

He was cleared by the citys physician, but the work restriction wasnt lifted until he saw a neurologist, which he was forced to pay for on his own. He returned to work in January 2014 to Fire Central, and when Devine retired in March of that year, Pickard was transferred back to his regular position with the bomb squad.

The lawsuit, which doesnt specify a dollar amount for damages, also says Pickard was wrongfully denied $13,200 in wages by not being allowed equal access to overtime opportunities.

Pickards attorney, Todd Hale, did not respond to the Stars request comment.

Because the city of Tucson oversees the Police Department, it is named as the defendant in the lawsuit. City Attorney Mike Rankin has previously said hes unable to comment on pending litigation.
Help India!

By TwoCircles.net staff reporter

New Delhi : A nine-member delegation of so-called Muslim intellectuals and journalists flew to Mumbai Tuesday evening and from there they are scheduled to fly for Tel Aviv Wednesday. But two important members of the delegation  President All India Imam Organisation Maulana Jameel Ilyasi and Editor Rashtriya Sahara Aziz Burney  did not reach Delhi (domestic) Airport by the time the airlines was scheduled to fly, reports Urdu daily Hindustan Express Wednesday.

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As for Maulana Jameel Ilyasi, the report says that after the revelation of the secret visit to Israel he has apparently retracted.

"He (Maulana Jameel Ilyasi) even made a call to the Hindustan Express and tried to give the impression that in view of the protests (from various Muslim quarters) he was then not from among the delegation going to Israel," says the Express report adding that the paper is yet to confirm from some reliable sources whether or not he is going to Tel

Aviv.

The report also says that Aziz Burney has changed the route of his journey, and instead of undertaking the journey as per the scheduled route Delhi-Mumbai-Tel Aviv he flew to London and from there he will fly to Tel Aviv and join the delegation.

The report further says that Aziz Burney has included a senior journalist of Rashtriya Sahara, Shakeel Hasan Shamshi in the delegation just to please his Zionist masters.

As for Maulana Jameel Ilyasis son Maulana Umair Ilyasi, the report speculates that if the former did not reach Tel Aviv via some other route (as Aziz Burney has done), his son Umair will represent him.

The paper laments that despite its special arrangements to gather the details of their visit to Israel, the organisers bid to keep the visit secret is so meticulously planned and successfully effective that the papers reliable sources failed to provide further information on the last-minute changes in the schedule of the visit.
Help India!

By Shahidur Rashid Talukdar,

While India can boast of having the third largest higher education system in the world, but the reality is that India is facing a severe shortage of skilled human resources. The reason for such a contrasting situation is the extremely low quality of primary, secondary, and college-level education in India. A possible way-out from this situation is privatization of the education system, which is predominantly public at present. Privatization of education has the potential to improve the quality of education as well as to reduce the cost. However, to ensure access to education for all, the government must design an effective transfer-payment system.

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Although Indias national literacy rate currently exceeds 75%, a study by Pratham, a voluntary organization, finds that only 53.4% children in Standard V can read a Standard II level text, and that nationally there has been a decline in the childrens ability to do basic math!. Another study by NASSCOM finds that 75% of technical graduates and more than 85% of general graduates are unemployable! The problem with the present Indian education system is that it is delivering a huge quantity of output, in the name of educated populace, with poor quality.





Amity University [Photo Courtesy: niteshchhabhaiya.com]



This alarming situation is due to the unavailability of skilled teachers, the lack of determination among the existing teachers to teach effectively, the poor physical infrastructure, and a low level of parental input toward their wards education. The deteriorating trend in the educational system continues largely because of the lethargy and mismanagement of the public schooling system which accounts for nearly 80% of all schools.

Despite many efforts from the government to revitalize the public education system, the quality of public education is dwindling. Consequently, enrollment in private schools, colleges, and universities, is on the rise. For instance, a recent study finds that in the city of Hyderabad, 73% of families in slum areas send their children to private school. A general realization is that the return on investment in the private schools/colleges is much higher as compared to the government schools and colleges, with some notable exceptions.

The reason this is possible is the difference in approach between the two. The public education system  following a top-down approach  is accountable only to the government machinery. So even if the teachers in public schools dont deliver a good quality education, they dont suffer themselves because their jobs are secure. However, in the case of private schools  run through a bottom-up approach  the management and the teachers are directly accountable to the respective parents. If they fail to deliver an expected quality of education, the parents would react. They might even pull out their wards from the school. This implies that the teachers performance would affect the schools income and reputation. Consequently, the teachers would lose their jobs. So a private school has to deliver a good quality education. In fact, they do it better than majority of the public schools.

Another issue is the cost of education. Most of the public schools are richer than their private counterparts in terms of total expenditure (on record, at least) and incur a much higher expenditure on the teaching and administrative staffs salary. The private schools, on the other hand, are thrifty about infrastructure and, in general, pay much lower salaries to their staffs. Thus, on average, at a fraction of the expenditure of a government school or college, a private institution can provide a better quality of education than the public institutions.

Thus, private schools can provide a better education at a lower cost. So privatization of the primary and secondary educational systems can help ameliorate the situation by improving the quality of education while reducing the cost. But given Indias poverty status (roughly 80% of the population lives below the national poverty line), only a few parents will be able to afford the cost of private education. Hence, one cant advocate for a blanket privatization of the entire educational system without taking care of the cost. However, given the present scenario, an alternative system which provides a better education, without over-burdening the poor parents, needs to be put in place. Now the question is: What this system should look like?

The best solution, of course, is to fix the public education system. But with the track-record of the bureaucratic administration in India, it does not seem realistic to hope for such a positive change. One realistic way, I think, is to gradually privatize the schools and maybe the colleges, too. The government should take care of the educational expenditure by disbursing to the parents/guardians the cost of their wards attending schools through transfer payments rather than funding the schools and colleges directly. This way, private agencies will run the institutions, and the parents will be able to afford the cost. Since the parents will have a control over the money, they can decide whether or not to send their wards to a certain school or college. This keeps the benefit of the public education system  affordability  intact while bringing in the efficiency  high quality and low cost  of the private system.

The challenges of introducing such a system will be manifold. First, the government needs to make sure that schools exist in every locality. Left to the entrepreneurs themselves, they may fight to open too many schools in high-income localities where the students will be better compared to the low income localities. So the policy makers must ensure that low income localities also get a due share of the schools. The government must direct and incentivize the program so that marginalized areas are not left out.

The second challenge is to ensure quality. Although the private schools, in general, are better than their public counterparts, but relying too much on them can also be costly. The quality of the private schools also varies significantly. While some of them may provide a good quality education at a reasonable cost, others may end up becoming money-making machines without caring for the quality of education. So the government should come up with an effective mechanism to determine, monitor, and control the quality of education in the private system.

Another challenge to implement this mechanism is to come up with an effective transfer-payment system. This has to take into account the cost of education in a given locality, the frequency of transfer-payments, and a proper utilization of funds disbursed. The policy-makers should make sure to issue the payment checks on a regular basis to families that have school-going children. If the checks or vouchers are not regular or found not enough to cover the costs, then again, the poor will have to suffer. The government must develop a policy framework so that a higher efficiency can be achieved without losing the poorer section of the population.

Thus, privatization of the countrys education system, coupled with a well-tailored transfer-payment system, can help improve the quality of education in India and reduce costs for parents.

[Shahidur Rashid Talukdar is a graduate student at Texas Tech university, USA]
Help India!

By Faisal Fareed, TwoCircles.net

Realising that Muslims votes are crucial for victory and to forge a formidable Dalit-Muslim combination, BSP has thrown all its resources for attracting Muslims. Besides aggressive campaigning and giving over 100 tickets to Muslims, BSP has now reportedly released an eight page booklet titled Muslim Samaj Ka Sachcha Hitaishi Kaun, Faisla Aap Karein. (Who is real well wisher of Muslim community, You decide.)

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Issued by Central Unit of BSP Delhi on October 14, the booklet has been published in Lucknow.

It includes 13 points where BSP has clarified various issues related to its association with BJP. The cover page carries picture of Mayawati while the booklet is printed in both Hindi and Urdu language.

The booklet is being distributed in Muslim-dominated areas and was seen in the hands of several Muslims in Deoria which is the eastern district of Uttar Pradesh. BSP leaders however did not respond over the issue.

The booklet begins with clarification on SP allegations about BSP forming government with BJP thrice. We did not compromise with the ideology, principles and did not implement BJP and RSS agenda. No new tradition could be started in Ayodhya,Mathura and Kashi. We accepted losing power but not compromising on our issues, reads the booklet.

We taught them a lesson in 1999 and BJP government at the center was dethroned due to our one vote. BJP always became stronger when there is SP government in UP. In 2009, BSP was in power in UP and BJP could win only 9 seats. In 2014 when SP was in power, BJP won 73 seatsit further states.

The booklet also mentions that when Mayawati did not compromise and resigned on 25/8/2003 as CM, BJP was at the center. Mulayam became CM despite does not having majority. He continued due to the formula of continuing BJP speaker Kesari Nath Tripathi as speaker of the assembly.

Referring to Modis visit to Saifai it claims that prominent Muslim leaders of SP are not given positions on the stage while BJP leaders including Modi are present during auspicious functions of Mulayams family.

It also invokes Bihar polls that Mulayam at the behest of BJP snapped ties with grand alliance in Bihar and was advocating BJP by saying that it will form the government. Mulayam even praised Modi.

Categorically mentioned in the booklet is that SP was born with the help of BJP and Jansangh. In 1967 Mulayam won the first election from Jaswant Nagar with the help of Jansangh. Later, he contested with their help and even formed government and became minister with their support in 1977. In 1989 Lok Sabha polls, Mulayam and VP Singh gave new life to BJP and its tally increased from two to 88. Even L K Advani took out his rath yatra due to Mulayam.

On the other hand Mayawati in 1995 did not allow any new tradition of Jalabhishek Kashi and Vishnu Yagya in Mathura Eidgah despite running government with the help of BJP. The same situation came before Mulayam in 1990 in Ayodhya and he resorted to firing which resulted in polarization.

Mulayam has risen in politics due to the help of Jansangh and BJP. Whether it was his first election as MLA in 1967, first time CM in 1989, again becoming CM in 2003 without majority, he always had the support of BJP. They have thus contested elections with each others help thrice in 1967, 1977 and 1989. BSP did not contest election with their support though it formed government with their support but on its own terms and conditions, the booklet claimed.

They are now spreading canard so that Muslims which are distancing themselves from SP should becoming apprehensive amidst rumours of BSP-BJP tie up, the booklet added.

In 2012, SP has promised in its poll manifesto about reservation to Muslims and release of innocent Muslims from jails. Nothing happened in this regard but 400 riots took place in which hundreds of people were killed and many minor girls were raped.They bulldozed camps of victims of riot hit Muslims in Muzaffarnagar, the booklet pointed out.

Who had sent Sakshi Maharaj to Rajya Sabha who had struck the first spade on Babri Masjid ?

Who had included Kalyan Singh in SP despite he being accused of demolishing Babri Masjid, the booklet added.
Help India!

By A Mirsab, TwoCircles.net

Aurangabad (Maharashtra): Hafeez Abdul Qadir, the original complainant in the Parbhani masjid blast case and Imam of Mohammadiya Masjid where a blast took place in 2003, has challenged the acquittal of all four accused from the case before Aurangabad bench of Bombay High Court.

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Maharashtra state has not filed appeal against acquittal so far, even though time limit of 90 days after the judgment for filing such appeal expired recently.

On November 21, 2003 a bomb exploded at Mohammadiya Masjid, Rehmat Nagar, Parbhani killing one person and injuring 34 others. Nearly three years later, on August 18, 2016 the Parbhani sessions judge M S Jawalkar acquitted all four in the case citing lack of evidences.

The acquitted included Rakesh Dhawade who is currently an under trial in the Malegaon 2008

blasts case.

The revision petition was filed on Wednesday with a prayer of denovo trial meaning a re-trial as Abdul Qadir alleged that prosecution did not carry out the trial with full strength and crucial evidences were not brought before trial court.

The petition alleges that in addition to the dubious conduct of prosecution agency trial court also remained a mute spectator and did not utilize its powers to call upon any person or document which was likely to be affecting the outcome of trial.

However, in the instant matter several witnesses, crucial documents including F.S.L. report etc neither called upon (by trial court) nor examined (by prosecution), the petition reads.

Surprisingly, Maharashtra state has not challenged acquittal of all the accused from case due to which Abdul Qadir, being a complainant in the case was forced to file revision petition.

Looking at the prosecutions conduct during trial I knew state will not appeal against acquittal and therefore I approached Jamiat Ulama-e-Maharashtra to provide legal aid so that justice can be provided to the victims of the blast. I wish to get justice from high court, Abdul Qadir said.

As reported earlier, various orders of the previous judge recorded during the trial shows the complicity of public prosecutors, coupled with a lethargic attitude of the Maharashtra state in prosecuting the accused.
James May has insisted that he and his two colleagues, Jeremy Clarkson and Richard Hammond, don't want to upset anyone and "police themselves" when recording for their show. Regardless of how it appears, May admits that the troublesome trio don't have any more freedom than they did when working with the BBC.

Captain Slow insists that they actually go out of their way to make sure they don't offend anybody - amid reports of "The Grand Tour" cast being knocked back at a German airport. Clarkson has lambasted an "Argentinian" airport worker in Germany, accusing him of deliberately preventing the former "Top Gear" star from getting on his flight.

The 56-year-old has claimed his team was barred from getting onto their British Airways flight to Heathrow by Manuel Pereira, claiming the airport worker told him at the departure gate: "I'm from Argentina, so f--- you."

The former "Top Gear" presenter has also come under fire for a line he gave in the debut episode, released last Thursday, in which he compared himself and his co-hosts Hammond and May to gypsies. "This is our new travelling studio tent. We're going to be roaming the world in it," said Clarkson. "We're going to be like gypsies... only the cars we drive are going to be insured."

Creative freedom

When talking of the difference between working with the BBC and Amazon, May told Vulture: "It's not really more creative freedom, to be honest.

The BBC gave us almost complete freedom; they rarely interfered unless we really stepped over the line.

"There were a few basic house rules, but there are few rules at Amazon as well. You can't go completely mad and we wouldn't want to." May goes on to say he, and his team, do not want to offend any citizens and the last thing they want to do it conjure up riots for simply making jokes.

Captain Slow also continues by saying that they don't want to come across as nasty; so they avoid swearing often and they "police" themselves - doing what they've always done, like at the BBC. He continues to explain that it's a little more complex behind closed doors as they have to run the business themselves.

An example May uses is that the trio have to sort out their own paper to use for the printer and bring in their own paperclips, explaining that they run the whole business, from top to bottom - something they may not have been expected to do when working on "Top Gear."
Two Qatari sisters and their chauffeur were assaulted and robbed on a motorway north of Paris by a group of masked men, who stole jewelry and other personal effects worth roughly 5 million euros (about $5.3 million), according to local officials investigating the incident. The sisters, unnamed as of this writing and believed to be in their 60s, were being driven from Paris-Le Bourget Airport to Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport when they were attacked in their Bentley and forced off their intended route.

How were the siblings robbed?

The thieves used tear gas on the chauffeur, forcing them out of vehicle and, after the elderly sisters were manhandled, letting the criminals steal their belongings.

This was after the vehicle was forced to park at a service station along the A1. The luggage contained expensive clothes and jewellery, according to police. An investigation, which took place at around 9pm on Monday night, was opened on Tuesday after the chauffeur contacted local police. While no suspects have yet been revealed, it is thought the criminals may be from the northern suburbs of Paris, which tied to other similar robberies.

The siblings are not the first

The A1 motorway, which is the busiest of France's autoroutes, is an infamous hotbed of gang robberies against wealthy tourists, given its link to the airports. Just last month, a French furniture chain's executive was in a taxi that was held up by a trio after leaving Le Bourget, losing an estimated 100,000 euros (around $106,260) in valuables.

Before that, back in 2015, a Korean art collector had 4 million euros ($4,250400) of jewels stolen from her car by three assailants, and a year before that, a Saudi Arabian prince's convoy was attacked by a gang of eight in two BMWs near central Paris. Furthermore, Paris has seen a spate of robberies, targeting wealthy individuals, like the robbery of Kim Kardashian in October of this year, where the model-actress was tied up and left in the bathroom while valuable were taken.
At the beginning of this week, Hillary Clinton's team were approached by a group of computer scientists and activists to pursue a voting recount, telling her campaign manager Podesta, that voting machines were vulnerable and subjected to hacking. They claimed to have found suspicious activities in the voting machines of three states, citing how paper votes were more favorable towards her than, electronic votes.

Jill files a formal request

But, strangely it is not Clinton's team filling a request for a recount, but Jill Stein, the green party nominee.

The green party members are saying the voting machines are vulnerable to hacking. Jill Stein also told reporters that she was able to collect the funds necessary for a recount U$1,1 million, but by the end of the day, the total funds raised exceeded the U$5 million mark. No words yet of who has provided the funds.

Social media users express suspicions

Meanwhile, social media users are speculating rather Hillary Clinton's team have paid the green party candidate for the recount request in the state of Wisconsin. Her team says they believe hacking as a possibility, due to "abnormal" activity occurring in Wisconsin, citing also Pennsylvania and Michigan as a target of hacking. What is certain is that the two parties have united to request the recount, Clinton's supporters have pushed for a recount since the results came out, insisting Hillary has won the popular votes.

Jill says she is asking a recount because she found compelling evidence of voting anomalies.

A former white house advisor believes the recount to be a waste of time

Jill had called the democratic candidate a warmonger many times throughout her campaign, but we are still unsure what Stein would be gaining with a recount, in her words Both of the candidates were at the highest level of distrust and dislike in our history and in my view, we as voters deserve a voting system that we can believe in.

Jill Stein, a doctor, and politician, has twice been a candidate for president of United States, first in 2012 and this year. A former senior adviser to president Obama, Dan Pfeiffer said that Stein's actions are "a waste of time and funds".
Fidel Castro has died at 90 years old, the leader lived to see Obama lift the embargo on Cuba. His brother has inherited the power, and has been a president since 2008. Castro was in power for 5 decades, and responsible for establishing the first Communist state in the western hemisphere, not too far from the United States.

Castro's desire to establish relations with the US

Although Cuba had strong ties to the Soviet Union, throughout the 80's Castro hinted his desire to restore diplomatic ties with the USA, if the USA was willing to end the trade embargo.

Obama was responsible for ending the embargo, something Fidel lived to see. A great accomplishment for both men, given the fact the US has been a close ally to worse dictators than Castro.

Cuban diaspora

The Florida state is home to more than one million Cubans, followed by New Jersey and New York city. With the rise of Castro to power, a huge exodus took place, with many escaping to Florida, the nearest US soil to Cuba. During operation "Peter Pan" 14.000 children arrived in the United States alone. In 1966 the American government passed the Cuban adjustment act, providing more than U$1,3 billion in assistance to Cubans who escaped to the US.

Political dissent as with all dictatorships is a crime

Human Rights Watch has stated that the government "represses nearly all forms of political dissent", similar to the ones we see in gulf countries. Cuba under Castro has had numerous cases of torture, executions, unfair trials and various forms of abuse. In the one party republic, political protests or dissent are not tolerated.

Cuba had the second-highest number of imprisoned journalists of any nation in 2008 (China had the highest) according to various sources, including the Committee to Protect Journalists, making Cuba one of the most dangerous places for a journalist, among China, Korea, Iran and Saudi Arabia.

Part of his family escaped Cuba

Fidel had nine children, including Alina Fernandez Revuelta who opposes the Cuban government and escaped to Spain in 1993.The new leader of Cuba, Raul Castro, came into power after his brother Fidel Castro rise, Raul Castro was one of the most important figures in the party, serving as Minister of the Armed Forces for 49 years, before becoming president in 2008.

On the same year, he told journalists "The American people are among our closest neighbors. We should respect each other. We have never held anything against the American people. Good relations would be mutually advantageous. Perhaps we cannot solve all of our problems, but we can solve a good many of them".
#Fidel Castro, the former president of Cuba, has died at the age of 90. His brother, Cuban President Raul Castro announced the passing of the controversial leader on Cuban state television shortly before midnight on Friday, November 25.

News of Castro's death prompted a flurry of tweets and quickly became a trending topic on Twitter. Although no cause of death was given, The Guardian reports that Castro had a long-term illness and his death was long expected.

Many of the tweets indicate that there are many people who aren't terribly sad to hear that Fidel Castro has died and his death has become the butt of jokes about capitalism  all because his death was announced on Black Friday, a big sale day for retailers that kicks off the holiday shopping season.

Twitter reacts to the death of iconic leader of the Cuban communist revolution

"The capitalism was so strong today that it killed communist leader Fidel Castro," @base9warui tweeted shortly after Castro's death was announced online.

The capitalism was so strong today that it killed communist leader Fidel Castro. #BlackFriday  BASE9 (@base9warui) November 26, 2016

"Fidel Castro dying on Black Friday proves that God has a sense of humor and capitalism always wins," tweeted Caleb Ecarma.

Fidel Castro dying on Black Friday proves that God has a sense of humor and capitalism always wins.  Caleb Ecarma (@calebecarma) November 26, 2016

"Fidel Castro dead on Black Friday? The ironic jokes write themselves," Stewart Moncure tweeted early Monday morning.

(@rsmon77)

Fidel Castro dead on Black Friday? The ironic jokes write themselves.  Stewart Moncure (@rsmon77) November 26, 2016

Several tweets about Castro's passing also mention celebrations, including one in Little Havana in Miami, Florida where people gathered in the streets celebrate the former Cuban president's death.

#BREAKING Cuban Americans celebrating the death of Fidel Castro in Little Havana @nbc6 pic.twitter.com/WQjdRGUGf0  Jamie Guirola (@jamieNBC6) November 26, 2016

Fidel Castro served as Cuba's president for 30 years from 1976 to 2008 and was known as the biggest enemy of the United States during his time in office and reportedly survived multiple assassination attempts by the CIA.

Prior to becoming president, he was the nation's Prime Minister from 1959 until 1976. He also served from 1961 to 2011 as the First Secretary of the Communist Part of Cuba.

Almost one year ago, United States President Barack Obama announced that he would lift a 52-year-old economic embargo and resume, after more than five decades, diplomatic relations with Cuba. Fidel lived to see that happen, but did not comment publicly on the historic moment.
BANGKOK - Thailand and Henan province of China agreed to start the process of setting up an oversea office of Tourism Authority of Thailand in Henan's provincial capital, Zhengzhou, to boost tourism together.

Thanasak Patimaprakorn, Thai deputy prime minister, met with the visiting deputy governor of Henan province, Zhang Guangzhi at the Government House on Friday, during which they talked about the potential of tourism cooperation.

With its renowned Shaolin Temple, Henan is famous for its Kung fu tradition. It is also home to several ancient capitals of China, including Kaifeng, Luoyang, Anyang, and has many natural tourist attractions, said Zhang, adding that the province attracted some 500 million tourists and netted some 500 billion yuan ($80 billion) tourism revenue in 2015.

Zhang said he came to Thailand to learn the kingdom's experience in boosting tourism.

Thanasak emphasized that Thai government's crackdown on cheap tour packages, known as "zero-dollar" tour is to benefit Chinese tourists and provide them with better service, as Thailand sees them as "quality tourists".

Tourism accounts for about 10 percent of Thailand's gross domestic product while Chinese tourists, accounting for about 30 percent of total foreign tourists, contributed mainly to to increase of tourist arrivals and revenue of the tourism industry.

Thanasak also mentioned his efforts in encourage cooperation between tourism industry of both countries.

Zhang said Henan's advantages in developing tourism, such as home to a some 100 million people and a major national railway hub and thus he asked the Tourism Authority of Thailand(TAT) to establish another overseas office in Zhengzhou, or the sixth one in Chinese mainland, following Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu, Kunming.

Thanasak and Yuthasak Supasorn, governer of TAT who also attended the meeting, agreed and asked Zhang to work together to turn his idea into reality in the near future.

Although the province is not that famous in Thailand, Bao Zheng, the cultural symbol of justice and Wu Zetian, the only empress regnant of China, both mentioned in the talk, are very popular here due to TV series. They respectively can be related to Kaifeng and Luoyang of the province.

The Henan delegation also held a event to introduce the province's tourist attractions to Thais on Friday night.

Began with a Shaolin martial art show, the event told Thais about the history of Henan, the birthplace of Chinese civilization and its modern shopping malls.
In what some might jokingly say is a good problem to have, Nissan is facing a sales problem of not being able to manufacture enough of its electric car, the Leaf, to meet demand.

The problem is so acute that Erik Gottfried, Nissans director of electric vehicles recently flew to Dallas to discuss the problem with car dealers.

They really want more Leafs in Dallas, Gottfried says. I assured them that were doing everything we can to get them more inventory. But its taking some time.

The problem of not enough vehicles is a drastic turnaround for the company that that of a year ago where low sales figures caused some to speculate that the automobile manufacturer may have made a huge mistake by producing a car with technology that no one wanted.

However, Nissan executives appear to have been vindicated as Leaf sales are now over 2,000 a month, which is quadruple its volumes from a year ago. The impressive numbers would be greater still if the company was able to keep up with demand. Nissan is continuing to slowly ramp up its assembly line process at its plant in Smyrna, Tenn.

Were going to be short on inventory all through the summer, Gottfried says he has been telling dealers. It will be late fall before we can produce enough to satisfy everybody.

Part of the reason for the company being caught off guard by the new demand is that traditionally sales of Leafs imported from Japan were limited to consumers in environmentally minded cities such as San Francisco and Seattle.

However, according to Gottfried, dealers from diverse locations such as Dallas, Atlanta, St. Louis, Chicago and Raleigh N.C. are now asking for the vehicles.

Not every dealer has pursued selling the Leaf yet, Gottfried says. But what weve seen lately is that one dealer in a city will start marketing the car and have great success with it. Then the other dealers in the market will realize theres a real opportunity and start marketing it, too.

Gottfried said one of the things that has helped spur sales is the companys decision to offer a trim line earlier this year. The new line has effectively lowered the base price by over $6,000, to $29,750 including shipping. Additionally, buyers receive a federal tax credit of up to $7,500.

To help provide charging stations for their customers Nissan plans to install more than 100public quick DC charges at dealerships certified to sell the Leaf in 21 U.S. markets.
On Wednesday, at the Federal Reserves meeting, they raised mortgage rates for the first time in 2017, and the market expects it to just be the first of many.

In December, the Fed moved to raise rates from a range of 0.5% to 0.75%. Afterwards, they elected to raise them again, another 25 basis points to a range of 0.75% to 1%. The Federal Funds Rate represents the overnight rate which financial institutions provide short-term lending to one another, and it is the basis for capital markets liquidity.

According to the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, only one official voted against the action  Neel Kashkari, who preferred to maintain the existing target range for the federal funds during the March meeting.

Experts now say that rate increases will continue throughout 2017, with the next hike coming as soon as this summer.

Rising inflation will predominantly dictate the next monetary policy decision, but another short-term rate hike should be expected by the end of the summer, said Lawrence Yun, National Association of Realtors chief economist.

One expert explained that it was indicated by Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen that more rate hikes are on the way this year.

As anticipated, the FOMC went forward with the first rate hike of 2017, said Curt Long, National Association of Federally-Insured Credit Unions chief economist.

Given that inflation is rising and approaching the Feds 2% target, Fed officials had little choice but to raise rates, Long said. Chair Janet Yellen has indicated that more rate hikes are on the way later this year.

However, Yellen also cautioned that should the economy take an unexpected turn, the Fed is not locked into a policy path, according to CNBC.

The big question still remains  how many rate hikes is the market expecting in the near future?

Overall, we still expect that in response to rising inflation, the Fed will hike rates by a total of four times both this year and next, taking the fed funds target range to between 1.50% and 1.75 by end-2017, and to between 2.50% and 2.75% by end-2018, Capital Economics Chief Economist Paul Ashworth said.

Meanwhile, other experts are predicting a more conservative three rate hikes this year.

Todays FOMC decision to increase the target rate and the updated Fed officials economic projections that continued to show a median of three hikes this year are in line with our expectations in the March forecast released earlier today, Fannie Mae Chief Economist Doug Duncan said. We believe the Fed could stay on course to achieve its dual mandate with a gradual monetary normalization, which would allow housing to continue to expand.
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Vientiane, November 25 (VNA)  Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong visited Lao former Party chief and former President Khamtay Siphandone at his home on November 25.



The Vietnamese Party leader informed Khamtay Siphandone on the success of his talks and meetings during the official visit to Laos, stressing the forever close bond between Vietnam and Laos regardless of changes in the world situation.



He said the two countries will coordinate to organize activities marking the 55th anniversary of their diplomatic relationship and the 40th year of the Vietnam-Laos amity and cooperation treaty in 2017.



General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong also told the host that the two countries have reached a consensus on bolstering cooperation and mutual assistance in developing their economy, building a pure and strong Party and working together at regional and international forums.



He asked the Lao senior leader to continue promoting the special relationship of Vietnam and Laos.



The Lao former Party chief thanked the Vietnamese Party, State and people for their valuable, timely and effective support, adding that he was glad that the two Parties and States always pay close attention to developing the special solidarity of the two countries.



The same day, General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong visited the Vietnamese Embassy in Laos where he talked to the embassy staff and representatives from the overseas Vietnamese community and Vietnamese investors.

VNA/VNP
A trade co-operation programme between HCM City and other cities and provinces over the last five years has significantly improved product quality, met consumer demand and promoted socio-economic development.  Photo thuongmai.vn

HCM CITY  A trade co-operation programme between HCM City and other cities and provinces over the last five years has significantly improved product quality, met consumer demand and promoted socio-economic development, city officials have said.

Begun in 2011, the programme focuses on providing information on authorities oversight of commerce, supports firms in creating links in production and distribution, strengthens oversight to ensure product quality, and improves human resources training.

Speaking at a conference in HCM City yesterday, Nguyen Quynh Trang, deputy director of the Department of Industry and Trade, said the programme had helped HCM City distributors and retailers find suppliers of quality products, including regional speciality products.

It has also helped manufacturers find steady outlets for their products and feel secure about investing more in expansion and improving product quality.

More businesses have signed up for the programme, with 1,349 contracts worth more than VN22.13 trillion (US$977.1 million) signed as of last month, she said.

HCM City firms had bought goods worth VN15.49 trillion ($684.2 million) and sold VN6.63 trillion of goods..

The event this year for the first time attracted the participation of businesses from the northern provinces of Ha Giang and Hoa Binh.

Vu Thi Thu Ha, deputy director of Kim Boi Agro-Forestry Joint Stock Company in Hoa Binh Province, said many specialities of the northwest region like nam huong (thin top-mushroom), nam meo (wood-ear mushroom) and tao meo (an apple-like fruit) were sold only in supermarkets and restaurants in the north.

I hope that via this event, we can distribute these products in HCM City, she said. Consumers in HCM City as well as in southern provinces should feel secure when using our products, which meet hygiene and food safety standards.

Nguyen Thi Thu Thuy, deputy general director of Saigon Co.op, said her company regularly participated in matching supply/demand events in an aim to find quality and regional special products for its retail chain.

Le Thanh Liem, deputy chairman of the HCM City Peoples Committee, said the city had huge demand for many kinds of products like fruits and vegetables, pork and seafood, but could only meet 20-30 per cent of demand.

The city has signed co-operation agreements with many provinces, including Lam ong, ong Nai, Tien Giang, Long An, Kien Giang and Ba Ria-Vung Tau to ensure supply of goods to the city market, especially during Tet (Lunar New Year) when demand jumps by 20-30 per cent, he said.

Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Ho Thi Kim Thoa urged HCM City to expand the co-operation model to other places, and said she hoped more businesses would join the programme to increase the supply of quality goods.

Despite achievements, the programme has some shortcomings, including 187 principal contracts that either have not been implemented or have been carried out ineffectively.

Trang of the Department of Industry and Trade said the weaknesses were caused by various factors, including not meeting retailers demand and failing to negotiate discount rates and payment methods.

Pham Thanh Kien, director of the HCM City Department of Industry and Trade, said the department would continue to co-operate with its counterparts in other cities and provinces to exchange information about supply/demand connection programmes, and support firms in creating links in production and distribution, as well as strengthen inspections to secure product quality.

He urged businesses to focus more on developing their material zones to ensure consumer access through more supply and expand.distribution networks.

At the event, 369 contracts were signed between distributors, export companies and eateries in the city, as well as specialty manufacturing establishments and agricultural co-operatives, among others.

Nearly 1,000 producers, distributors, wholesale markets, restaurants, hotels, banks and eateries from 38 provinces and cities took part in the two-day event, which included an exhibition featuring more than 350 booths displaying products of different regions in the country.  VNS
Deputy Prime Minister Vu uc am has said there is a need for all ministries and relevant agencies to co-ordinate and connect with specific policies to promote electronic payments.  Photo ndh.vn

HA NOI  Deputy Prime Minister Vu uc am has said there is a need for all ministries and relevant agencies to co-ordinate and connect with specific policies to promote electronic payments.

He said there was a need to minimise cash payment, and make e-payments compulsory while encouraging its use.

Deputy PM am made the comment during a Viet Nam E-payment Forum on Thursday in Ha Noi to discuss three major topics that included combining efforts by Government departments to promote online tax collecting, tax payments and encouraging online payment in e-commerce and retail, promoting online payment in transport and the ability of connecting to other payment activities in Viet Nam, and opportunities and challenges facing Viet Nam banking sector brought by Fintech companies.

The deputy PM said that currently Viet Nam had about 125,000 public services provided by the government and authorised agencies. Of these, only 1,200 services had implemented e-technology in their services.

The Government has approved a master development plan of e-commerce from now until 2020. However, the implementation of e-payment is still limited and the habit of making cash payments was not easy to change, am told the forum.

To promote e-payments, Bui Quang Tien, Director of the State Bank of Viet Nam (SBV)s Payment System Department said the central bank has made many important recommendations by asking the Ministry of Finance to propose tax policies to encourage e-tax payment and e-payment in e-commerce development in retail shops.

The SBV will complete a legal corridor and initiate policies to encourage e-payment via the automated clearinghouse (ACH) and ask National Payment Corporation of Vietnam (NAPAS) to build ACH system, and continue to complete financial switching system to promote and improve the efficiency of e-payment in e-commerce and e-tax payment.

Lai Viet Anh, Deputy Head of Vietnam E-Commerce and Information Technology Agency (VECITA) said that 7 per cent of payments were made online in e-commerce.

She said more efficient solutions should be envisaged apart from incentives to exempt or refund tax for businesses who use e-payment service.

Instead of using administrative measures, the participation of intermediaries such as companies who provide intermediate e-payment services should be encouraged. When users recognised substantial benefits from e-payment service, they would automatically begin e-payment.

Also at the forum, Nguyen Manh Thang Deputy Director of Directorate for Roads of Viet Nam, said that promoting online payment in transport was a need and toll collection without asking drivers to stop would benefit them in many ways.

However, in Viet Nam, this plan was encountering problems. He attributed the problems to obsolete technology which was inconveniencing users and co-ordination between road project investors and authorised bodies was still poor.

Nguyen Hong Truong, deputy minister of transport, said the transport sector had many services relating to e-payment. The transport ministry had conducted a roadmap for toll collection. It would make efforts to remove barriers at toll stations by 2019. The government recently has also asked his ministry to study post-paid electronic toll collection.

Vu Quang Lam, from VETC Vietnam Joint Stock Company, said there were currently several types of e-payment smart cards for toll collection. Drivers should only have only one type of smart card thus making it easy for them.

Truong said in time to come, there will be only one kind of smart card for toll collection which would make it convenient for users.

Proposals for toll collection

At the forum, Truong Gia Binh CEO of FPT Corporation proposed four solutions to the Government and relevant ministries to improve e-payment in toll collection.

He wanted the government to soon issue regulations and a roadmap for users to implement compulsory e-payment in toll collection and payment in public transport. The Ministry of Transport and local authorities have been asked to work with the SBV to soon have a standard e-payment solution with the ability of connecting to other payment activities in the public sector to avoid wasting resources.

The Ministry of Transport has been requested to instruct relevant bodies to agree sharing revenues from toll collection between Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) investors and Build-Own-Operate (BOO) investors so as to spur the development of automatic electronic toll collection nationwide.

The SBV and Ministry of Transport have been asked to offer incentives and enhance mass media to boost e-payment in transport.  VNS
Electronic books, which are better known as ebooks, can make life very easy.

You can keep an entire library of them on a computer device.

However, people still like to have books made from paper.

It seems that, for now, there is place in peoples lives for both ebooks and print books.

By Hong Van.

HA NOI- Even as Vietnamese readers continue to prefer reading and buying print books over ebooks, publishing houses are struggling to draw customers.

Ebook is an unavoidable trend, however, it cannot replace the print book. They will coexist, o Ngoc Anh, former head of HCM Citys University of Culture, said at a workshop on ebooks held in HCM City in October.

Tran Ngoc Mai, an 18-year-old student of National University of Economics, is a keen reader, who buys books every month. I prefer print books. Rarely do I buy an ebook on the internet although it may be convenient and can be stored on a mobile phone or on a tablet to bring along everywhere, Mai said.

I like reading a real book and feeling it in my hand, instead of being glued to the screen. Also, it is pretty inconvenient to pay for ebooks as I dont have a bank account, he added.

Although the price of an ebook is only 10 to 40 per cent of a print book, people still prefer the latter because on buying a print book, people feel a sense of possession that may disappear if replaced with an ebook, Tran Nhat Hoang Phuong, Van hoa Phuong Nam (South Culture) companys head of ebook business department, told Viet Nam News.

Even when ebook companies like ours guaranteed that customers would own the ebooks permanently in case they lose their device or publishing companies stop running their business, it wasnt enough to draw book buyers, he said.

Author and translator Nguyen Minh Tien said many readers asked for the print version of his books after reading the ebook version.

I think the ebook cannot replace the print version. For me, if I happen to read a good book in the electronic version, I will seek its print version by all means, Tien said.

It seems that when one reads an ebook, it is easier to get distracted in comparison with a print book. It is also difficult to summarise and generalise the information of a long read, Ngoc Anh said.

On the other hand, to read ebooks published by an array of publishing houses, readers have to download different applications, which take up space on their devices.

Still struggling

Some years ago, publishing companies were hopeful about the ebook business. They believed ebooks would replace print books in the near future in the context of rapid development of the internet.

However, till today, publishing houses in Viet Nam are struggling to run their ebook businesses.

First introduced in early 2014, ebook revenue is much less in comparison with print books, according to Hoang Phuong.

Investment costs for ebook business are very high in Viet Nam. These costs include application development costs; costs to develop technology to protect intellectual rights and avoid illegal ebook transcription; and costs to maintain, upgrade and develop the system, Hoang Phuong said.

The fact that some authors are hesitant to allow publishing houses to publish their works via ebooks is also a challenge, Hoang Phuong added.

Developing ebook applications is challenging, yet ebook sales seem to be even more challenging. Ubiquitous pirated ebooks on the internet are the major reason, she said.

In fact, the illegal copying or use of works without permission from authors or publishing houses is on the rise, a representative of Information and Communication Publishing House said.

Piracy has a negative impact on publishing houses and authors. This will affect authors revenue from selling works, and therefore hamper creativity and damage the whole publishing industry, Hoang Phuong said.

Complicated administrative procedures in buying ebook and ebook copyright protection are among the challenges libraries encounter when offering ebooks, Huynh Man at, a lecturer of HCM Citys University of Cultures Library and Information Faculty, said.

Since protecting copyright for ebooks remains a problem, many publishing houses have created electronic versions for old works only, at said.

Huong Trang Culture Company started the ebook business some years ago, but following high investment costs and low revenue, it incurred a huge loss and quit the business, a representative of the company said at the workshop.

We realised that if we continued the ebook business, we would incur a more significant loss, he said.

Keeping in mind the investment costs and revenue gained from ebooks, most businesses have suffered losses and some have even quit.

Several publishing houses in Viet Nam have maintained their ebook business as a means to push the development of print books rather than aiming to benefit from ebooks. "From the website of the publishing house, audience can preview content and buy the print book," Nguyen Thi Diem Phuong, HCM Citys general publishing houses head of ebook department said.

Though ebooks account for a tiny share of the publishing industry, Southern Culture is offering attractive discounts on ebooks to attract customers, in addition to making major investments in this area in the long term, according to Hoang Phuong.

"Ebooks and print books will coexist and promote each other," Hoang Phuong added.

Ebooks cannot replace print books. The important thing is to engage the youth in the reading culture and develop ebooks as a means to promote print books, Ngoc Anh said. VNS

GLOSSARY

Even as Vietnamese readers continue to prefer reading and buying print books over ebooks, publishing houses are struggling to draw customers.

Publishing houses are companies that publish books.

They will coexist, o Ngoc Anh, former head of HCM Citys University of Culture, said at a workshop on ebooks held in HCM City in October.

Coexist means exist together.

Rarely do I buy an ebook on the internet although it may be convenient and can be stored on a mobile phone or on a tablet to bring along everywhere, Mai said.

Rarely means not often.

If something is convenient it fits in well with your life.

I like reading a real book and feeling it in my hand, instead of being glued to the screen.

To be glued to a screen means to spend a lot of time looking at a screen.

Also, it is pretty inconvenient to pay for ebooks as I dont have a bank account, he added.

Inconvenient is the opposite of convenient.

Although the price of an ebook is only 10 to 40 per cent of a print book, people still prefer the latter because on buying a print book, people feel a sense of possession that may disappear if replaced with an ebook, Tran Nhat Hoang Phuong, Van hoa Phuong Nam (South Culture) companys head of ebook business department, told Viet Nam News.

If, in a sentence an ebook is mentioned first and a print book last, the ebook is the former and the print book is the latter.

A sense of possession means a feeling of owning something.

Even when ebook companies like ours guaranteed that customers would own the ebooks permanently in case they lose their device or publishing companies stop running their business, it wasnt enough to draw book buyers, he said.

To guarantee means to promise, in a business sense.

Permanently means forever.

Draw, in this case, means to attract.

For me, if I happen to read a good book in the electronic version, I will seek its print version by all means, Tien said.

An electronic version of a book is a copy that is not printed on paper but on an electronic device such as a tablet or a laptop.

It seems that when one reads an ebook, it is easier to get distracted in comparison with a print book.

To get distracted means to lose concentration or focus.

On the other hand, to read ebooks published by an array of publishing houses, readers have to download different applications, which take up space on their devices.

If there is an array of publishing houses there are many of them and they are all different from one another.

They believed ebooks would replace print books in the near future in the context of rapid development of the internet.

Seeing something in context means understanding it under certain circumstances.

Investment costs for ebook business are very high in Viet Nam.

Investment means paying money into something in the hope of it making more money.

These costs include application development costs; costs to develop technology to protect intellectual rights and avoid illegal ebook transcription; and costs to maintain, upgrade and develop the system, Hoang Phuong said.

Intellectual rights are rights someone has to use things that come from their own ideas without worrying about other people stealing those ideas and using them for themselves.

Transcription involves writing down information from one book in another book.

The fact that some authors are hesitant to allow publishing houses to publish their works via ebooks is also a challenge, Hoang Phuong added.

If you are hesitant to do something, you are not sure if it is a good idea.

Ubiquitous pirated ebooks on the internet are the major reason, she said.

Pirated books are books that people have copied and wrongly sold as if they are the owners. If they are ubiquitous they are all over the place.

This will affect authors revenue from selling works, and therefore hamper creativity and damage the whole publishing industry, Hoang Phuong said.

An authors revenue is the money he or she earns.

Creativity means using ideas from your imagination. To hamper creativity means to stop it from developing.

Complicated administrative procedures in buying ebook and ebook copyright protection are among the challenges libraries encounter when offering ebooks, Huynh Man at, a lecturer of HCM Citys University of Cultures Library and Information Faculty, said.

Copyright protection means making sure that people who own certain artwork keep owning it and nobody abuses them by using it as their own.

"From the website of the publishing house, audience can preview content and buy the print book," Nguyen Thi Diem Phuong, HCM Citys general publishing houses head of ebook department said.

To preview the content of a book means to take a quick look at whats written in it before buying it or reading it properly.

WORKSHEET

State whether the following sentences are true, or false:

Tran Ngoc Mai is eighteen years old. The University of Culture is in Ho Chi Minh City. Piracy has a positive impact on publishing houses and authors, according to Tran Nhat Hoang Phuong. Nguyen Minh Tien writes books. Tran Ngoc Mai is Van hoa Phuong Nam (South Culture) companys head of ebook business department.

ANSWERS:

 Duncan Guy/Learn the News/ Viet Nam News 2016



1. True; 2. True; 3. False; 4. True; 5. False.
A NANG  a Nangs tourism department will introduce the Son Tra Sunset Tour next March, the newest tourism service on top of Son Tra Mountain.

The department said the tour would offer tourists the chance to enjoy a breathtaking sunset panorama and a birds eye view of Son Tra peninsula and a corner of the city from 500m above sea level. Tourists will be taken up the Mountain Tower on Saturdays and Sundays.

Activities including a BBQ party, music performances, and bar service will be available for visitors between 6pm and 9pm at the weekend.

Son Tra mountain, which is home to the 2,500ha Son Tra Nature Reserve, 10km from the city centre, is a popular tourist destination, with 10,000 tourists visiting the reserve every month.

The a Nang-based Centre of Biodiversity Conservation, GreenViet, also offers free tours for students and nature lovers to watch langurs and see the forest up close as part of an environmental education programme on Sundays.

The well-protected biodiversity also shelters nearly 300 red-shanked douc langurs, which were declared endangered by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in 2013.

The government also approved an area of over 1,000ha in Son Tra Mountains as a National tourism site between 2025-30, and an eco-tour in the central coastal region with 3.5 million tourists per year.

The city has approved the plan to protect biodiversity in Son Tra Nature Reserve towards 2030.  VNS
Around the end of November when the rice is ripe for harvest, children in the Mekong Delta take to the fields, hunting for rats. A sworn enemy of farmers for long, the rats are known as Mr. Longtail in some places.

As waters rise during the deltas flooding season, the rats move en masse to higher ground, making hunting them a much easier task. As harvesters move across the field picking up rice plants, their nests are often exposed.

It is not just a fun game for children, field rats can also provide farmer families with an extra source of income since the rodents are considered a delicacy when properly cooked. Many who have tasted the dish have compared it to venison.

After helping themselves to grains and vegetables in the fields for months, field rats can grow fat (and tasty). Prices may vary but one can often find roasted rat at local markets for sale at VN60,000-70,000 (US$2.5-3.00) per kilogram. VNS
Viet Nam and Laos have issued a joint-statement wherein both sides agree to comprehensively strengthen bilateral relations in all areas across all levels. VNA/VNS Photo Tri Dung

VIENTIANE  Viet Nam and Laos have issued a joint-statement wherein both sides agree to comprehensively strengthen bilateral relations in all areas across all levels.

The statement was issued during Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trongs three-day (November 24-26) visit to Laos. The visit, which concludes today, was made at the invitation of Lao Party General Secretary and President Bounnhang Volachith.

The statement said both sides agree to bolster political ties by maintaining regular meetings and exchanges between the two Parties and countries leaders, improve the efficiency of bilateral co-operation mechanisms, and extend liaison and mutual support between Party commissions, ministries, National Assembly committees, trade unions, mass organisations and localities.

The two sides also agreed to improve the efficiency of collaboration in economy, culture, education and science-technology. They will implement effectively the high-level agreements between the two Governments as also between the two countries ministries and localities, with priority given to economic connectivity among institutions, transport infrastructure, energy, tourism and the effective use of seaports.

Both countries will also devise specific measures to ensure the progress and quality of Viet Nams investment projects in Laos, increase two-way trade, and effectively manage and use Viet Nams financial assistance to Laos.

The two sides vowed all possible support to Vietnamese and Lao nationals living in either country in line with the countries laws and international practices.

They will improve affiliations in national defence and security to maintain political stability as well as social safety and order.

The joint statement said the two countries will continue to effectively implement the Government-level agreements on the settling uncontrolled migration and unregistered marriages in border areas, work closely in the fight against crime, smuggling and drug trafficking, and push ahead with joint efforts to search for and repatriate remains of Vietnamese volunteer soldiers and experts who died in Laos during the war.

They pledged to offer mutual support at regional and global forums, especially at the United Nations, ASEAN and sub-regional cooperation mechanisms, to contribute to a global environment of peace, stability, cooperation and development in Southeast Asia and the world.

The two leaders expressed their commitment to foster close co-ordination with riparian nations and relevant international organisations towards sustainable and effective use and management of Mekong River waters.

They underscored the importance of maintaining peace, stability, security and safety in the East Sea, agreeing to advocate for the settlement of the East Sea dispute through peaceful means on the basis of international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS 1982). They will also join other stakeholders in fully and effectively implementing the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC), and work for early formulation of a Code of Conduct in the East Sea for peace, security, stability, cooperation and development in the region and the world.

The statement said both sides highly valued the outcomes and significance of the Vietnamese Party General Secretarys visit. It has contributed to deepening the traditional friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive co-operation between Viet Nam and Laos, meeting the aspirations of both peoples, it added.  VNS
HA NOI Viet Nam on November 26 sent a message of condolences to Cuba over the passing away of revolutionary leader Fidel Castro.

The message, from Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee, State President, Government and the Standing Committee of the National Assembly to their Cuban counterparts and people, says the Vietnamese leaders and people are deeply mournful upon hearing the news that Fidel Castro, a great leader of the Cuban people, an unyielding communist and revolutionary leader of Latin American nations and the struggle movement for peace and national independence, freedom and socialism, died on November 25.

Fidel Castro was former First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba Central Committee, and former Chairman of the State Council and Council of Ministers.

He devoted all of his life to Cubas revolutionary cause, overthrowing the dictatorial regime and bringing the Cuban people to the era of independence and freedom since January 1959.

As a leader of the Cuban revolution for more than half a century, Fidel Castro, has always been a close comrade and brother of the Vietnamese leaders and people. He has always stood side by side with Vietnam during its past struggle for national independence and reunification as well as current national development.

Fidels immortal saying For Vietnam, Cuba is willing to devote blood is always in the hearts of the Vietnamese people, the message says.

The world revolution loses an unyielding, brave and experienced leader, while the Party, State and people of Vietnam lose a close and beloved comrade and brother.

We believe that in this sorrowful moment, the Cuban communists and people will continue to unite under the leadership of the Communist Party of Cuba and President Raul Castro to realise the wishes of late leader Fidel Castro, firmly safeguarding the national independence and sovereignty as well as building socialism, the message.

The Vietnamese people once again affirm the solidarity with the Cuban people, it says.

The same day, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh also sent his message of condolences to Cuban Minister of Foreign Affairs Bruno Rodriguez Parrilla.

Fidel Castro made three visits to Vietnam. In September 1973, Fidel Castro was the first and only foreign leader to visit the southern liberation region of Vietnam when the war was ongoing. His next visits were in December 1995 and February 2003, during which the friendship and cooperation between the two countries witnessed new milestones.

Under his leadership, Cuba was the pioneer in the world movement supporting Vietnams struggle for independence as well as national construction.

Fidel Castro was presented with the Vietnamese States Golden Star Order in 1982 and Ho Chi Minh Order in 1989 for his great contributions. VNS
HA NOI  Insufficient funding, capacity and planning quality are major challenges facing Vietnamese cities in response to climate change, experts shared at a workshop on sustaining urban resilience in Viet Nam.

The workshop was organised on Thursday by the Institute for Social and Environmental Transition (ISET), the country co-ordinator for the Asian Cities Climate Change Resilience Network (ACCCRN) programme in Viet Nam.

ao Anh Dung, vice chairman of Can Tho City Peoples Committee, said the city saw climate change cause erosion, storms and saltwater intrusion. However, he admitted that the city was still in dire need of knowledge, experience and competent staff to deal with it.

Response to climate changes impacts requires multiple sectors, provinces and nations, but legal policies and joint action plans among localities are not clear and detailed, he said.

Dungs counterpart in Binh inh Province, Phan Cao Thang, added that it has yet to be resolved how to harmonise todays socio-economical growth with tomorrows sustainable development.

The local government is struggling to arrange funding for climate change response projects, as they usually require huge investment  for example, dyke systems.

Michael DiGregorio, country representative of the Asia Foundation in Viet Nam, said that it seems people in the country do not want to deal with climate change because they do not know what they could do. Therefore, much more communication is needed.

He also said that although there is decentralisation in authority in Viet Nam, there is not decentralisation in funding and taxing. Therefore, local governments hardly impose their own taxes to balance their spending and serve their priorities.

Luu uc Cuong, vice director of Viet Nam Institute for Urban and Rural Planning, said that the country has about 800 cities--300 of which were deemed vulnerable to climate change. Thousands of urban planning proposals are made yearly, but the quality of such planning is modest.

The way planning is made in Viet Nam is outdated, resulting in inflexible plans lacking feedback or contributions from involved parties, he said.

He added that any current response actions should not only deal with current problems but also consider possibilities for the future to avoid waste.

The work is difficult. Climate change involves uncertainty, while planning requires certainty, he said.

Ngo Thi Le Mai, Viet Nams ISET country co-ordinator, said that in 2009, the Rockefeller Foundation selected three Vietnamese cities  Can Tho, a Nang and Quy Nhon  together with seven other cities in Thailand, India and Indonesia, to become part of its regional ACCCRN programme worth US$59 million.

The programme provided technical support and capacity building to enable city governments to develop better climate change resilience plans and implement the plans.

ISETs work at each locality was developed based on local needs and priorities. For example, in a Nang City, it helped build storm-resistant housing, teach climate change at schools and study the citys water resources. In Quy Nhon, it helped with mangrove restoration and early flood warning systems. In Can Tho, it conducted projects in salinity monitoring, dengue prevention and management against riverbank erosion.

A key part of ISETs approach in designing the ACCCRN programme in Viet Nam is a focus on local engagement and capacity building through involving local partners so that ACCCRN impacts can extend well beyond its timeline and funding to inspire local and national actions as well as support future policies, said Mai.

She added that the approach is especially important in the uncertain context of climate change and urban development in the country.  VNS
Viet Nam may see more Zika cases because community immunity to the mosquito-borne Zika virus is still low, particularly in central, southern and Central Highland provinces.  Photo nld.vn

HA NOI  Viet Nam may see more Zika cases because community immunity to the mosquito-borne Zika virus is still low, particularly in central, southern and Central Highland provinces.

Deputy director of the health ministrys Diseases Control Division Nguyen uc Khoa made the warning at a talk held on the Governments e-portal chinhphu.vn on Thursday.

He said that as of November 21, Zika had been found in seven provinces and cities, namely Binh Duong, Long An, Ba Ria-Vung Tau, Phu Yen, ak Lak , Khanh Hoa and HCM City.

So far, Zika was found mostly in localities with temperatures of 20-30 degrees Celsius, which aids the development of the mosquitoes which carry the virus causing Zika.

Meanwhile, HCM Citys Preventive Medicine Center diagnosed nine more Zika patients by yesterday, bringing the total number of cases in the city to 74 and total number of cases in the country to 83.

Dr Tran Danh Cuong, deputy director of the Central Obstetrics Hospital said that Zika was dangerous for pregnant women and about 3-12 per cent of babies with Zika-infected mothers suffered from microcephaly, where babies are born with abnormally small heads and restricted brain development.

He said that there was no medicine to treat the disease and no vaccine to prevent it.

Pregnant women living in or travelling to areas with Zika should go to hospital for Zika tests, Cuong said, adding that doctors could detect microcephaly from the 18th week of pregnancy.

Women who were suspected to have Zika during their first three months of pregnancy could receive free Zika tests at healthcare centres, he said.

Earlier this month, the World Health Organisation declared that the mosquito-borne Zika virus will no longer be treated as an international medical emergency. However, by lifting its nine-month-old declaration, the UNs health agency is acknowledging that Zika is here to stay.

The move is not a demotion of the disease, Pete Salama, executive director of WHOs health emergencies programme, told a press conference.

We are not downgrading the importance of Zika. By placing it as a longer-term programme of work, we are saying Zika is here to stay and the WHOs response is here to stay. VNS
MASON CITY  A Sheffield man has been charged with felony eluding and several misdemeanors following a high-speed chase near Mason City early Thursday.

Jared Joseph Hill, 27, also faces misdemeanor charges of speeding, failure to obey a traffic control device, interference with official acts and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Mason City Police Sgt. Greg Scott said law enforcement began receiving complaints at 5:22 a.m. Thursday about a suspicious vehicle driving through peoples yards.

At 5:48 a.m., a police officer spotted a vehicle matching the description at Thrush Avenue and the Avenue of the Saints, according to Scott.

When the officer attempted to stop Hill, he took off at a high rate of speed and headed west on the Avenue, Scott said.

The vehicle allegedly reached speeds of 100 mph during the pursuit.

Hill took the off ramp at Highway 65, crossed the highway and went back onto the Avenue, according to Scott.

He abandoned the vehicle at the bottom of the off ramp and took off on foot, Scott said. Officers found him in a bean field a short distance away.

Hill was taken to Mercy Medical Center-North Iowa to be checked out before being booked into the Cerro Gordo County Jail.
WATERLOO  Animal rights activist Diann Helmers had just one question for Waterloo Police and Animal Control officers when they arrived at the Upton Avenue home where she was protesting Saturday.

Why did it take so long to get a response?

The three dozen people picketing outside the home in the 1300 block of Upton Avenue were there less than an hour before animal control officer Sally Hayward arrived. But activists said they had made more than a dozen calls alleging neglect of boxers on the premises.

Their protest Saturday began because a dog they called Brutus had died in the care of his owner due to neglect, protesters alleged.

We are just sick about this, protester Kandie Vaughn said.

Hayward arrived after protesters said they heard animal noises coming from the garage or a nearby camper. Hayward thought she could make out moaning and called the police for backup.

The din from the protesters and their own sometimes noisy animals left police unsure whether animals were present. The homeowners were absent. Police called the owner, who agreed to let animal control and police officers inspect his home and camper upon his arrival.

Authorities determined there was not an animal on the premises. The homeowner, who refused to give his name, did not comment. According to county records, the house is owned by Tyre Adams.

The homeowner said he was aware there were protesters throughout the day. He noted the no trespassing sign on his homes door and said theyre harassing me, before making a phone call. He stayed for only a few minutes before leaving again as protesters began to amass again upon his arrival.

Hayward would not comment on the case involving a dog that died, referring it to the city attorney, but said if there had been a dog on the premises it would have been seized.

While the protesters expressed thanks for the police presence, Helmers said it should not have taken their protest to get a response.

Bottom line is, the animal control totally failed.  They failed these animals. Its not the publics responsibility to take care of this. This is their responsibility, Helmers said.

She said the boxers death was not the first instance of neglect or abuse animal control failed to address. One sign called animal control complacent, while another called for Waterloo Animal Control head Sandie Greco to be fired.

This isnt an isolated case, I dont believe, by any means. I think theres a lot of dogs being left behind by animal control, and theyre not following through and using the ordinances on the books, Helmers said.

The city ordinance defines failure to provide adequate feed and water, shelter or protection from the weather to be a misdemeanor offense and also defines what adequate food and water means.

Clint Fuller, an animal activist who lived nearby, said he had been calling animal control about neglect to no avail. He also had pictures he said document the dog looking relatively healthy and how it looked when it died.
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This post is about something I don't understand.

Let's start out simple. There are two parallel imaginary worlds: the green world and the red world.

In the green world people use positively-valued green money as the medium of exchange. If I buy something I give the seller my green money in exchange. Green money flows in the opposite direction from all other goods and financial assets. I am not allowed to take green money from someone without their consent. Only the issuer of green money is allowed to create green money. The borrower of green money undertakes an obligation to give green money to the lender at some future date.

In the red world people use negatively-valued red money as the medium of exchange. If I buy something the seller gives me his red money in exchange. Red money flows in the same direction as goods and financial assets. I am not allowed to give red money to someone without their consent. Only the issuer of red money is allowed to destroy red money. The lender of red money undertakes an obligation to accept red money from the borrower at some future date.

There is a symmetry between the red and green worlds; one is the negative mirror-image of the other. But there is also one asymmetry: the red world has a fundamental problem. Each individual can increase his utility by buying more goods and selling less goods, thereby accumulating an infinitely large stock of red money. The bank that issues the red money needs to put some limit on each customer's holdings of red money, to ensure this does not happen. This is not a problem in the green world, because having zero stock of green money sets a natural limit that stops an individual buying, and the individual is fully aware of that limit.

The real world is a red/green world. It has both green money and red money. A positive balance in a chequing account is green money. A negative balance in a chequing account is red money. If I sell my car to Andy, who gives me a cheque for $1,000, the bank reduces my overdraft by $1,000 and increases Andy's overdraft by $1,000. The bank has transferred $1,000 of red money from me to Andy. IIRC my father nearly always used red money. He nearly always ran an overdraft, paying it off once a year when he sold the harvest, to keep the bank manager happy.
"Trump Refugees" could easily find that they are the most welcomed refugees in the world.

NEW YORK, NY, November 26, 2016 /24-7PressRelease/ -- With a lot of talk of American citizens moving north of the border since the November 8 election surprise "Trump Refugees" are also starting to look at sunnier climes such as Panama, the popular Central American re-location zone as an alternative.



Having built a reputation as a go-to spot for retirees and baby boomers over the last 10 years and being rated a one of the top relocation destinations in the world, Panama has suffered a bit of a slow down of late due to scandals such as government corruption, the exile of an ex-president. Additionally the Panama Papers, with it's 11.5 million files of 40 years of international wheeling and dealing in which the U.S.president elect, Mr. Trump's name appears 3,540 times, caused it's own share of negativity. But by all reports things could be on the rise, and rapidly if all reports are correct, thanks to Mr. Trump and the American electorate.



This would not be the first boost Mr. Trump has given the Panamanian economy. In 2001 he cut the ribbon on the 70-story Trump Ocean club with exiled President Ricardo Martinelli to enthusiastic applause. Despite the fact that four months later the developer defaulted on his debt due to cost overruns and the global financial crisis, it was one of the biggest construction projects in Panama at the time. Although Mr. Trump was not directly involved in the construction or the subsequent bankruptcy he also had to take a bit of a haircut on his profits with his licensing fee going down from an estimated $74 million to a mere $32 million.



"While there has always being a steady flow of Americans relocating to Panama there is definitely an upswing of enquiries of late and not just from retirees and baby boomers but also young families and business people looking for alternatives," said Tom Byrne of First Panama Investment, a company that specializes in assisting Americans and others who want to relocate, settle, setup business or just escape to Panama. "While most of the business people and investor motivated people are looking towards the city for opportunities, families and retirees are moving inland to the mountain areas such as Boquete near the Costa Rican border," explained Mr. Byrne.



With it's recent completion of the new Panama Canal locks and expansion of it's main international airport, Tocumen, giving direct connect-ability to most major U.S. cities, Panama, could indeed become the "go to" location for those wishing to escape the next 4 or 8 years. With it's range of retiree, investment, self solvency and other visas being offered to U.S. citizens as well it's aptly named "Friendly Nation" visa "Trump Refugees" could easily find that they are the most welcomed refugees in the world.



First Panama Investment Corp. is a specialist relocation real estate company with 11 years in the marketplace assisting Americans and Europeans sourcing homes, investments and businesses.



First Panama Business and Investor Concierge Services is directed and staffed by bilingual English-speaking expatriates with over ten years of on the ground business experience in every province of the country.



If your goal is to 'hit the ground running' and make the most of what the thriving Panama economy has to offer, our group of seasoned professionals are here and ready to assist you. We have excellent and current relationships with, major developers,international and local banks, lawyers, government officials and business executives from every corner the Republic of Panama. Get the best professional advice available to you from an up to date perspective.



Our business model is based on working personally with our clients from the moment they start to consider Panama's fantastic business opportunities until they successfully realize their business and investment goals and after. We provide professional consultancy and assistance all the way.



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# # #
Robert Minto at Open Letters Monthly:

The Odessa stories are less well known than Babels Red Cavalry stories, a collection of reports from the front of the Polish-Soviet War that secured his reputation as one of the greatest 20th century Russian writers, and they have their own quite different atmosphere. Pushkin Press has published them together in a short volume, retranslated by Boris Dralyuk, to highlight the unity of the set. The book is broken into parts which show Odessa in its romantic heyday, run by the gangsters, and then in its Soviet decline, as it is ruthlessly standardized, normalized, and drained of color. Babels autobiographical notes and essays about Odessa are tacked onto the end, to make the book a complete testament to his vision of the city.

That vision is complex and tragic. Odessa in pre-Soviet days may have been a region of mythic heroes, who share something of the amoral vigor of the bandits and warriors of folklore, but it also hosted a plundered populace. A city run by bandits is a paradise for no one but the strong. Still, compared to the regime that pacified the city, old Odessa may not have been so bad after all. The Soviet government rooted out corruption and crime, but it also cracked down on religion and innocent customs, reorganizing here as everywhere according to the blunt dictates of unnuanced rationality.

more here.
H. Charles J. Godfray in Nature:

Combining a personal memoir with serious discussion of a scientific subject is a difficult literary trick. The Finnish biologist Ilkka Hanski succeeded with aplomb in his last book, Messages from Islands, in which each chapter begins with insights from an island that moulded his thinking about ecology, evolution and conservation. Hanski, one of the foremost ecologists of his generation, died in May ( Nature 534, 180; 2016). Finland is a land of lakes and islands, so perhaps it is not surprising that Finnish ecologists are drawn to investigating how populations and communities persist in fragmented habitats. Hanski is most celebrated for developing the ecological concept of a metapopulation  a population of populations connected by dispersal  and its applications to conservation. There are several types, but a classical metapopulation is sometimes likened to a collection of blinking lights, with individual short-lived populations winking in and out of existence while the whole ensemble persists.

Hanski explored the concept through his 25-year, and ongoing, study of the Glanville fritillary (Melitaea cinxia) in the Aland Archipelago between Finland and Sweden. This checkerspot butterfly has exacting habitat requirements: it occupies a fluctuating number of the small woodland meadows that constitute a habitat archipelago within the geographical archipelago. The meadows are so tiny that they support only a small butterfly population; each has a high risk of extinction every year. Hanski, his colleagues and an ever-changing army of students surveyed all 4,000 or so meadows, which support 400800 populations each year. Through this and many experiments, such as quantifying rates of dispersal between patches, they constructed a model of the butterfly's metapopulation  the most detailed and satisfying description of such a population structure currently available, by some distance.

More here.
Landowners encourage commissioners to stand ground in wake of lawsuit

At Tuesday's, Brown County Commission meeting local residents asked commissioners to stand their ground after Summit Carbon Solutions sued the county.
Lekki Lagos, February 1st 2019. Rilla Web Hosting, one of the top players in domain registration and web hosting has announces its full ...
Nexus  the minimum amount of contact between a taxpayer and a state that allows the state to tax the business on its activities  is under attack by the states as they seek to broaden its reach in order to increase their taxing revenue.

States are challenging the traditional physical-presence standard as a basis for collecting tax from companies doing business in the state. While they previously collected taxes from companies having a physical presence in their state, they are now adopting a broader economic-nexus standard requiring businesses to pay taxes when they have earned revenue within a state above a certain sales dollar threshold.

At the heart of the issue are general nexus concepts, as different taxes have different nexus rules, and the different states have their own nexus rules.

A TANGLED WEB

As a result of states attempting to expand their tax rolls to out-of-state vendors, state legislatures have created a patchwork of economic nexus standards that are a compliance nightmare for companies of all sizes and industries, explained Patrick Duffany, a partner at Top 100 Firm CohnReznick who also leads the firms state and local tax practice. States want more revenue and they want taxpayers in their states to pay less tax. To the extent that states can export the tax, meaning the more revenue they can realize from out-of-state taxpayers, it makes it more attractive for businesses to locate into that particular jurisdiction.

The consequences of such vastly different standards is that there are significant risks to companies, especially those in service and IT industries and those that are growing quickly, Duffany noted. Executives and advisors are forced to approach their tax filings on a state-by-state basis, an approach that takes considerable time and effort.

In 1992, the Supreme Court established a physical presence test for sales tax nexus in the Quill case, but left unanswered the question as to its application for income tax nexus. Public Law 86-272 limits states power to impose income tax by prohibiting taxing businesses whose only activity in the state is the solicitation of orders, so long as the orders are accepted at and delivered from a point outside the state. Confusion has come subsequent to the Quill decision, primarily on the sales tax side, according to Rocky Cummings, partner and national director of state and local taxes at Top 10 Firm BDO. The click-through or Amazon laws seek to ascribe nexus through the agency theory. Click-through nexus says, OK, seller, if an agent in another state is directing traffic to your Web site, well get nexus that way.

There has been confusion as to whether Quill extends to income tax, Cummings said. Many think so. After all, the Commerce Clause should apply equally to sales and income. However, the Supreme Court declined to review two cases in 2005 which treated income tax differently, so a lot take the position that you dont need physical presence for income tax nexus. As a result, states started enacting factor presence rules, requiring that if a company has a certain amount of sales, it is deemed to have nexus.

P.L. 86-272 only deals with companies sending solicitors into a state to solicit sales, he said. If the sale is consummated outside the state and shipped back into the state, P.L. 86-272 preempts corporate income taxation by the state. It only applies to income tax it does not apply to business activity or net worth taxes.

FINE DISTINCTIONS

Theres not that much difference between pure economic nexus and factor-based nexus, according to Joe Pizzimenti, tax director at Top 100 Firm Margolin, Winer & Evens LLP. If a company does not have P.L. 86-272 protection in order to determine the requisite presence, instead of looking for physical presence or other form of agency presence, you look to an objective test. If you have, say, $1 million of sales in the state, or some other number they determine legislatively, you are deemed to have economic nexus in the state.

In a factor-based test, payroll, property and sales in the state are considered. Factor-based nexus looks at all three of these, said Pizzimenti. Economic and factor nexus are two forms of objective nexus standards, generally for net income-based corporate taxes. They havent generally been adopted for sales and use tax nexus, though a couple of states either have or are proposing this.

The reason for the dichotomy is that until recently most states determined corporate income tax nexus based on net income, according to Pizzimenti. However, some states have adopted a gross margins or gross receipts test. For those types of taxes, P.L. does not apply to offer protection from a state asserting nexus.

When a company derives its revenue from the sale of services, there is an issue of how to source the revenue for nexus purposes, Pizzimenti observed. A number of states have now adopted market-based sourcing, which sources the revenue to the state where the service is received. When you combine market-based sourcing and economic or factor-based nexus, there is the potential that nexus exists where it is unexpected.

Regarding sales tax nexus, Pizzimenti has a word of caution: In almost every jurisdiction, sales tax is a fiduciary tax. Once it is determined that an entity has enough presence to require registration as a sales tax vendor, all of its responsible persons become personally liable for taxes that should have been collected on transactions.

CHALLENGING QUILL

Because of the revenue that is at stake, many states are finding ways to challenge the Quill physical presence test. These include passing click-through and affiliate nexus provisions, and use tax notification requirements. Ohio has asserted a cookie nexus concept that would create taxable presence every time a retailers Web site is accessed by a customer in the state. And Colorado has filed a cross-petition asking the Supreme Court to determine if the case of Direct Marketing Association v. Brohl (upholding Colorados requirement that retailers notify any Colorado customers of the states tax requirement and to report tax-related information to the states Department of Revenue) is compelling enough to overturn Quill.

This case represents the continued struggle by states and businesses with the definition of nexus as defined by Quill, said Clark Calhoun, a partner in law firm Alston & Birds State & Local Tax Group. Although the original ruling sets a precedent for other states that might consider adding a similar reporting requirement, the current case fails to refocus on the issue of physical presence.

We expect that other states will attempt to impose obligations similar to Colorados on out-of-state retailers, as well as other Web-based companies, that do not collect state sales and use taxes, said Andy Yates, an attorney in Alston & Birds SALT Group. The Tenth Circuits decision in Direct Marketing to uphold Colorados reporting requirements undermines the cross-petition and affirms that Quill does not impair states from implementing these reporting regimes.
Socialite Paris Hilton says she is not a dumb blonde.

Although people often expect the socialite to be ditzy, she says they are pleasantly surprised when they hear her talk about her business empire, reports dailymail.co.uk.

If someone hasnt met me yet, they automatically have their misconceptions about me. As soon as I am in a board room in front of them talking about my business, they immediately know Im not the dumb blonde they thought I was, Hilton told Galore magazine.

Hilton, 35, says that she is flattered when people call her an icon.

Ive been called that by people and I found it very flattering but Ive never used it to describe myself It makes me happy to be an inspiration to people. I am all about girl power and women being fierce and independent. So, its nice to see women following my lead and doing things on their own instead of just depending on a man, she said.

Hilton also says that she has a good idea of who is using her for her fame and who genuinely wants to spend time with her.

Over the years I have definitely figured out all the signs of a hungry tiger. I can mostly tell when there are paparazzi and I can see the way a person like that reacts. Also, being in this business for so long its pretty obvious what peoples intentions are, she said.
[dropcap]T[/dropcap]housands of divorce cases are pending in the court, many families yet to reach justice. Where divorce proceedings in India are very complicated and it is very tough to go through the proceedings for both men and women, as it is a long time process especially in the contested divorce cases.

First of all, lawyers play a key role for the success in the divorce proceedings and hence you need to select an experienced lawyer particularly in this subject dealt with more specific issues in the divorce laws. These days Court verdicts are shocker; one after another has made it much more complicated for woman. Although we were still improving from the blow of the grounds for divorce laid by the Supreme Court lately, another shock seems to have tormented right into the ribs!

In a country where marital rape is still not a criminal offense under the IPC, verdicts that youre about to hear will diminish your faith in the judiciary. Indian rape definition is so vague; even an intercourse with consent can be later termed as rape. There is a case where the Madras High Court intervened and imprisoned the man even though the girl acknowledged that it was consensual. Our judiciary is that imprudent.

A large percentage of women and men in India live in rural areas where panchayat and tribal laws and local customs are the norm. Even now, in the 21st century there are cases of witches being burnt alive and caste and religious antagonisms are rife. From the legal point of view, laws against marital rape are a step in the right direction, but that requires a society where women are financially independent and equal to men in all respects. Will the country provide financial assistance to a rural woman who has sent her husband to jail for marital rape? Maybe thats why our present society is not ready for such a law, which will lead to a social distress, especially in religious minorities. It will be unenforceable and transgressed on a large-scale.

Leaving all the crucial issues aside the Supreme Court says, extra-marital affairs of a man do not always amount to mental cruelty attracting the provision of abetment to suicide. The statement has come to light after a woman-committed suicide due to her husbands alleged extra-marital affairs. It is significant to note that the other woman involved in the case also committed suicide due to humiliation leading to two more suicides, committed by her mother and brother. If that wasnt cruel enough, the man charged for infidelity filed an appeal against his conviction of four-year sentence for causing harassment and mental cruelty to his wife, and the SC acquitted him of all charges. In yet another bad decision, we now have weird grounds for divorce. Even though something as brutal as marital rape is not reason enough for separation, men now have the upper hand in divorce as well.

The Supreme Court has passed a judgment that, a Hindu man can ask for divorce if his wife tries to separate him from his ageing parents. A woman needs to leave her parents when she gets married, and that is the norm. But if she tries to take him away from his parents, aka get an independent life, she can be divorced? Because clearly only her husbands parents age and need someone to take care of them full-time, while her parents are self-sustainable? Anyways this is what Indian judiciary has decided lately.

Supreme Court also waives 6-month waiting period, grants divorce to couple. The SC has allowed an estranged couples plea for divorce by mutual consent by waiving the waiting period of six months, exercising its powers under the Constitution to do complete justice.

Now coming back to the most important fact is, whether that woman is married or unmarried? If she is married, the Husband can be prosecuted under Section 497 of the Indian Penal Code for Adultery and can be punished for up to 5 years and fine, or both. In case she is unmarried, that person cannot be prosecuted under the Indian Penal Code. The wife of that person has the remedy of obtaining Divorce from him on the ground of adultery.

According to Indian Matrimonial laws the term extra marital affair is not used what is stated as, has since the solemnization of the marriage committed adultery or  has, after the solemnization of the marriage, had voluntary, sexual intercourse with any person other than his or her spouse. The sexual relationship out of marriage with someone else than the spouse is the important factor that has to exist in order to get dissolution of marriage by decree of divorce.

Merely if the wife is having friendship with other man will not amount to adultery nor make it a ground for divorce, the sexual relationship with another man other than her husband that is required to exist and proved in order to get divorce even if that sexual relationship was for one time only. When laws are clear why judiciary has to make changed in verdict and make human lives more complicated? Why these days many divorce verdicts have gone against woman and favoring men? Is there anything fishy with Supreme Court judges?

(Any suggestions, comments or dispute with regards to this article send us on feedback@afternoonvoice.com)








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According to the following report edited by Scott Waring, UFOSightingsDaily.com. a French astronaut had sought to warn humanity about a clandestine effort among Earth's elite to collaborate with manipulative aliens in the genetic engineering programme. The apparent goal of this program has been to create alien-human hybrids to rule over the human populations that would become a slave race in a "New Word Order".



Help support our coverage of alleged alien sightings. Donate via PayPal -- "Click" the above PayPal link.



Waring's preamble --



Claudia Haignere an astronaut from France TRIED to kill herself because of her job...working at a top secret human/alien DNA hybrid facility dedicated to creating more powerful humans...a super human of sorts that can blend in with normals and tip the balance of power for any country that controls them.



For such a birth to succeed, thousands of births will fail. Seeing such hybrid babies die every day for the advancement of science must have pushed her over the edge. This kind of advancement needs to be done if humanity is going to evolve and grow. Human technology is going, but its leaving humans behind in the dust.



We need this to survive the future. Imagine a human with instead of one DNA we have three intertwined DNA strands, increasing reaction speed, strength and running, memory, overall IQ. This is needed if we want to raise our level ethics and morality...because right now...humanity is free falling backwards.



Claudia may have used her own DNA to make alien hybrids. Thus, all failed experiments would be her own children, and often, even the successes would have to be killed when the experiment is over if its only a study, and research would be done later to simulate her work.



News states:



A shocking video claims Frances first female astronaut screamed Earth must be warned! before she attempted suicide.



Claudie Haignere, 59, reportedly had to be restrained after yelling the eerie caution prior to falling into a coma from an overdose of sleeping pills.



A six-minute YouTube conspiracy film by UFOmania has resurfaced this week examining her story. It has been viewed nearly a million times.



In 1993, esteemed scientist Claudie was a backup crew member for the 1993 Mir Altair mission, which included her future husband, Jean-Pierre Haignere.



She made it to the Mir space station in 1996 as part of the Russian-French Cassiopee mission, and in 2001 became the first European woman to visit the International Space Station.



The asteroid 135268 Haignere is named after Claudie and her husband.



After retiring from space work, Claudie entered French politics and worked as minister delegate for research and new technologies from 2002 to 2004 and minister delegate for European affairs from 2004 to 2005.



But, despite her efforts, budgets for scientific research were cut.



After leaving politics, she worked in a biology lab at the Pasteur Institute.



Haignere poses on Oct. 27, 1992, after being chosen by the CNES (National Centre for Space Studies) to take part in the Franco-Soviet mission aboard the Mir space station.Photo: Getty Images

Thats where the story gets strange.



Haignere trains on the Soyuz spacecraft in Star City, near Moscow.Photo: Getty Images

In December 2008, it was widely reported that Claudie had to be rushed to a hospital after allegedly taking an overdose of sleeping pills.



It was reported that she was found conscious but had to be restrained while screaming, Earth must be warned! before lapsing into a coma.



Claudie blamed the incident on burnout syndrome and is now the director of the Cite des Sciences et de lIndustrie  the largest science museum in Europe.



However, alien enthusiasts believe she was trying to warn the Earth about life in outer space.



The YouTube video, which is narrated by a robot voice, is a conspiracy that blends fact and fiction.



Claudie did attempt suicide in 2008, but the rest appears to be made up and continuously reappears on conspiracy forums, such as David Ickes website.



The video says: She had to be forcefully restrained after screaming Earth must be warned!



More ominously, her laboratory where she worked at the forefront of human/alien DNA research was destroyed by fire.



The video uses quotes from real reports by news agency AFP, but theyre taken out of context, with additional information.



There is no such thing as human/alien DNA research because we have never encountered any aliens.



Claudies story often pops up when something happens to a prominent UFO expert.



The mysterious death of conspiracy theorist Max Spiers in October may have triggered the latest interest.



Spiers was found dead on a sofa at a friends house in Poland days after warning his mother to investigate if anything happened to him. Friends also claim he had vomited a black liquid before his death.
Aiken, SC (29801)

Today

A mix of clouds and sun. High around 75F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Mainly clear skies. Low 53F. Winds light and variable.
November 24, 2016

AL-ALAM, Iraq  With the operation to liberate Mosul ongoing, dozens of families are fleeing the battlefield and are being killed simply because they are caught in the crossfire. Civilians fleeing Islamic State-held Hawija, 120 kilometers (74 miles) south of Mosul, toward al-Alam area were killed Nov. 5, and this has now become a daily tragedy.

Al-Alam is a Sunni town with strong tribal ties that has long collaborated with the predominantly Shiite Popular Mobilization Units (PMU) in the fight against IS. It is a predominantly agricultural town with an estimated 60,000 inhabitants, according to a local police officer, and is located just over 10 kilometers (6 miles) across the Tigris River from former President Saddam Husseins native city of Tikrit.

The Camp Speicher military base is also nearby, where IS killed as many as 1,700 soldiers in June 2014, including many young Shiite recruits. Al-Alam residents managed to save many soldiers from the base by secretly ferrying them across the river, hiding them in their homes and later taking them furtively to Kirkuk or other cities.

A monument at a roundabout near the entrance to the town commemorates a mass execution of local men from the dominant Jabouri tribe at the hands of IS, depicting several men dressed in orange jumpsuits just before they were killed. The roundabout has been renamed the Knights of al-Alam Square in memory of the victims.

"A mass grave is just over there," resident Naji told Al-Monitor while driving past it. One of his young daughters was also shot in the head and killed when his family was trying to escape IS.

He said that while the PMU gave local residents ammunition and fought alongside them, the Iraqi army did not help in any significant manner to liberate the town. His own family had been fleeing toward the Kurdish area in the north when one of the fighters at a checkpoint fired at the car and killed his young daughter.

Hawija, some 210 kilometers (130 miles) north of Baghdad, is where many IS fighters are originally from and reportedly where most of those involved in the recent massive attack on the city of Kirkuk had come from.

A resident who works with an international aid organization told Al-Monitor Nov. 21 that roughly 200 families from Hawija had "crossed the Hamreen Mountains" into al-Alam over the past week. He estimated that about 75% of them had remained in the town, while the others continued on to neighboring Tikrit, Samarra and al-Dour.

Further north, most inhabitants of towns being taken by the PMU along an axis toward Tal Afar  which they have been tasked with as part of the operations to retake Mosul and some of whom have been visited by Al-Monitor in recent days  do not seem to be coming out of IS-held territory or remaining when the PMU enter.

While many in IS-held areas further north and east flee toward territory held by the Iraqi army or Kurdish peshmerga forces, many Sunnis in towns taken by the PMU fear unlawful acts by the predominantly Shiite armed groups and instead either leave toward other areas still under IS control or find a more circuitous route out if possible.

Sunni tribal fighters have also joined PMU ranks, including a unit from Salahuddin province led by Yazan al-Jabouri.

An officer from al-Alam told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity that he had collaborated with some PMU forces even before they got involved in the fight for his area.

The hatred against IS, which seems to have targeted the Jabouri tribe especially hard here, runs deep.

One man in his 20s from Hawija  who was severely tortured by IS in an attempt to extract information about "who he was working with to pass on information" through social media channels  told Al-Monitor that he now works as an English teacher in al-Alam, teaching both internally displaced persons (IDPs) and local students. He said he had in fact long been publishing information online about IS when living under its control, and he claims to have escaped from an IS jail.

The teacher said he escaped with the help of many of the locals still living under IS control in Hawija who did not support the group.

Two brothers also taken by IS for a period of time in Mosul  and imprisoned simply for being from the Jabouri tribe, they say, in an act that was meant to intimidate others  told Al-Monitor that many of the towns residents are still detained in Mosul.

Most of the inhabitants questioned by Al-Monitor spoke positively about the role of the PMU in helping them return to their homes and liberate their area.

The face of a local celebrity, Umm Qusay  known for saving many young men from being killed during the Speicher massacre  even adorns a billboard alongside that of Hadi al-Amiri, the head of the Badr Organization  one of the largest groups within the PMU.

In speaking to Al-Monitor, Qusay praised PMU leaders and said that she now has an office in Baghdad. She proudly showed certificates thanking her that had been issued in Iran, a country that has long provided various forms of support to many of the PMU forces.

Residents say the PMU have "sacrificed their lives" alongside their own.

Al-Monitor was, however, pulled aside by one member of the community and shown a cellphone video featuring a prisoner stripped to his underwear, hands tied behind his back, who can be heard saying he is from the nearby village of Albu Ajil. Many residents of the town are said to have accepted IS when it held power.

The man in the video claims he is trying to return home but is taunted by his captors and then subjected to extrajudicial execution amid shouting of "Labaik Ya Zeinab" (a Shiite slogan that translates to "for he has come to rescue you, oh Zeinab). Al-Monitor could not verify the authenticity of the video.

Though residents acknowledge a debt of gratitude toward the PMU, an undercurrent of concern remains about armed groups with an unclear chain of command that may continue to be involved in extrajudicial acts of violence. Several comments about PMU members not using license plates or "doing whatever they want" were heard over a two-day visit there.

Meanwhile, IDP families continue to flee to the area from IS-held Hawija ahead of a much-discussed but still unimplemented plan to retake the city. However, unaccompanied men still raise suspicion if they do not have relatives in the area.

Al-Monitor was told by one source in the city that a recent attempt by Iraqi special forces to bring "around 180 men" from the retaken but still volatile town of Shirqat, 100 kilometers north of Tikrit, to al-Alam was rejected by local officials. Security and protection of the towns inhabitants must be prioritized over all else, he said, which also serves as a prime reason for the alliance with the PMU.
November 18, 2016

RAMALLAH, West Bank  The Israeli Ministerial Committee for Legislation has approved a draft law to ban the use of speakers for calls to prayer in mosques in Jerusalem and Arab towns within the Green Line. Kol Israel in Arabic reported that the committee will present the law to the Knesset following hours of deliberation. The committee's statement attached to the decree cited as reasoning that the call to prayer is a form of noise pollution.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu voiced his support for the decree at the beginning of the weekly Cabinet meeting Nov. 13, before the ministerial committee approved it. He said he will back the law once it reaches the Knesset, and he would urge all his ministers to do the same, according to Haaretz.

The Israeli Ministerial Committee has successively failed to submit the draft law to the Knesset for voting, as voting on the law was delayed during the Knesset's preliminary reading session Nov. 16, after Health Minister Yaakov Litzman filed an appeal Nov. 15, citing fear that it might affect certain Jewish religious rituals, such as whistling to announce the Sabbath. The voting session was again delayed Nov. 23, and the draft law is expected to be submitted for another voting session Nov. 30.

Meanwhile, Haaretz revealed Nov. 24 that there had been an agreement between Litzman and head of the coalition David Bitan, according to which the draft law will be amended. The use of speakers will be banned between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m. only. For his part, Arab member of the Knesset Ahmad Tibi said in a press statement Nov. 23, The text of the draft law remains unchanged, although it seems the Israeli prime ministers office, Health Minister Yaakov Litzman and those supporting the law have previously agreed to announce changing the hours during which calls to prayer can be made.

Marches and sit-ins in cities in the West Bank, Gaza Strip and inside the Green Line reached their peak Nov. 18, when thousands of Palestinians in Nazareth, Kafr Kanna, Rahat, Kafr Qasim and Tayibe chanted slogans and held banners proclaiming that the law will not be passed or implemented, and that the minarets will not be silenced.

Antoine Shalhat, the director of Madar's "Israeli Scene" supplement distributed with Al-Ayyam, told Al-Monitor, After the ministerial committee approved the decree, it is likely that the Knesset will do the same, given its far-right stances.

The draft legislation angered Palestinians, who strongly rejected it. Palestinian Minister of Awqaf and Religious Affairs Yousef Daibes told Al-Monitor, We absolutely reject this law and we will not respond to it. We will call to prayer all the time every day, everywhere.

He added, This law meddles with the [religious] practice of Muslims. If Israel forces it on us, the international community must interfere. This law breaches all international agreements that guarantee the right to practice religious rituals without hindrance or coercion. The head of the Orthodox Church, Archbishop Sebastia Theodosios, also known as Atallah Hanna, condemned the Israeli law in a Nov. 15 press statement as a dangerous racist turn that is unacceptable." He wrote that the draft law "is targeting mosques today, and [will] target church bells tomorrow, as [Israelis] are angered at us for staying in this holy city.

Mahmoud al-Habbash, the Palestinian Authority's (PA) highest Sharia judge and President Mahmoud Abbas adviser for religious affairs, told Al-Monitor, This law is crazy and we will not take it lying down. Calls to prayer will go on in Jerusalem against the odds.

Habbash said, If it is implemented, we will not abide by it and we will continue to call to prayer. We will take international political and legal measures.

PA spokesman Nabil Abu Rudeineh said of the proposed ban Nov. 13, The Israeli measures will drag the region into the abyss. He added that such decisions are completely forbidden, and the PA will turn to the UN Security Council and other international bodies to halt the escalatory Israeli measures.

Another PA spokesman, Yousef al-Mahmoud, said on behalf of the Palestinian government Nov. 14, These dangerous measures aim to ruin the normal status quo that reflects the Arab and Islamic character of Jerusalem. They would affect the whole region, which has preserved the right of worship and belief throughout history.

The ban, if implemented, would allow the Israeli police to interrogate the sheikhs, arrest them and fine them.

Tension over amplified calls to prayer is an ongoing issue. On Nov. 3, Israeli police officers raided three local mosques in the village of Abu Dis, east of Jerusalem, and prevented the sheikhs from making the calls to prayer from them.

Bassam Bahr, who heads a local committee to defend Abu Dis lands, told Al-Monitor that Israeli forces entered the town at dawn and erected a checkpoint near Al-Jamia Mosque. They forbade people from entering and stopped the sheikh from making the call to prayer through the speakers. One officer, he said, told the sheikh that "he does not want to hear calls to prayer ever again.

Bahr noted that none of the sheikhs let the warning stop them and have not yet faced any legal consequences.

Daibes, the religious affairs minister, confirmed that the incident in Abu Dis happened and said, Three workers at the Abu Dis mosques were verbally ordered not to use the speakers to make the calls to prayer, but the ministry received no official notice from any Israeli authority.

Israel is already banning amplified calls to prayer in some Palestinian areas in the West Bank in response to settler complaints. Calls to prayer were prevented in the Sanctuary of Abraham in Hebron, south of the West Bank, 86 times in October, according to the Hebron Awqaf Directorate. The Sanctuary of Abraham is divided into Muslim and Jewish parts, and the prayer room from which the calls are made is located on the Israeli side. Israeli workers often prevent the sheikhs from using their speakers to make the calls to prayer.

Head of the Supreme Islamic Council in Jerusalem Akrama Sabri told Al-Monitor, Israel wants to bury everything that is Muslim in Jerusalem, including calls to prayer. The sheikhs must commit to their duty to make the calls to prayer in spite of the Israeli law.

He added, The Israeli government wants to satisfy the far right and the settlers with this law.

If the law is implemented, it is likely to spark unrest in the West Bank, especially in Jerusalem, according to Sabri. He said banning calls to prayer is blatantly disrespectful of Palestinians religious rituals. The situation is familiar, as on Sept. 28, 2000, when the second intifada broke out after Israeli forces under Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's direction raided Al-Aqsa Mosque. On Oct. 1, 2015, a popular uprising also broke out because of the ongoing settlers incursions at Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Israeli governments inclination to implement a policy of spacial and temporal division.

Habbash said, Israel is aware that any measure it takes like banning [amplified] calls to prayer will have dangerous ripple effects and might agitate the Palestinian streets. We wont accept violation of our religious rights.

The PA is disturbed by the far-right Israeli government's targeting of Muslim religious rituals and shrines. Habbash said, Israels ban on [amplified] calls to prayer constitutes a challenge to the international community, norms and laws. Its insistence on this tactic might make the conflict religious rather than political.

Abbas has always warned about the risk of Israel turning the political conflict into religious strife. He reiterated his warnings during the Islamic Summit in Istanbul on April 14.

The ministerial committee's discussion on banning amplified calls to prayer came a few days after the UNESCO World Heritage Committee issued a resolution condemning Israels illegal excavation activities in the Old City of Jerusalem on Oct. 26. The committees use of the term Haram al-Sharif, to which Israel objects, pushed the latter to recall its UNESCO ambassador that day in protest.

The PA does not have a plan to deal with the law if passed, and Israels implementation of it threatens to aggravate the situation in Palestine yet again.
BAY OF PIGS VETERANS

Roy Wilson (left) and Charles Yates (right) of the Alabama Air National Guard's 117 Tactical Reconnaissance Wing as they look at a T-33 fighter jet like the one the Cubans used to shoot down the American pilots during the Bay of Pigs invasion at the Southern Museum of Flight Thursday April 14, 2011. (Joe Songer-The Birmingham News).

(JOE SONGER)

Fifty-five years ago, Charles Yates, now a semi-retired Hoover dentist, was one of 39 members of the Alabama Air National Guard's 117th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing that volunteered for a secret, CIA-based attempt to overthrow Cuban leader Fidel Castro.

The infamous Bay of Pigs mission, through no fault of the airmen's own, became known as one of the country's most humiliating defeats. And, on the third and final day of the invasion, April 19, 1961, four airmen - Leo Baker, Wade Grey, Riley Shamburger and T.W. "Pete" Ray were killed.

The news of Castro's death at the age of 90 on Friday night put the invasion in the forefront of Yates' mind.

"All morning I thought about (the mission), ever since I heard (about Castro's death)," Yates, 79, said in a Saturday morning interview with AL.com.

"I am not sad he is gone," Yates said. "I think it is great for the Cuban people. It was what we wanted to do to start with. We wanted to put him out of business. Now he is."

He said he hopes Castro's death will eventually lead to democracy for the Cuban people.

Yates remarked on how Cuban immigrants in Miami are celebrating today, but Cuban residents are forced into eight days of mourning.

The Bay of Pigs invasion was a CIA-backed mission to help a group of Cuban exiles -- known as Brigade 2506 -- invade Cuba and oust Castro.

The Alabama airmen were handpicked for the mission because they were among the last to fly the World War II-era B26 bombers that the CIA planned to use in the attack. The planes were disguised with Cuban markings to make it appear that Cuban exiles had stolen them from Castro's air force.

Alabama Air National Guard Gen. Reid Foster and a representative from the CIA met with then-Alabama Gov. John Patterson in the fall of 1960. After being told that the guardsmen would be only used to train and support Cuban exiles, Patterson gave the OK for them to be involved in the mission.

Yates, a sheet-metal specialist in the guard, told AL.com in a 2010 interview that after meeting with Doster, he was fired up and ready to go on the mission. He was slated to start dental school the next fall.

''There was no doubt I was going,'' he said. ''My friends were going, and I wanted to be there.

''We all wanted to serve the United States in any way, or we wouldn't have been in the guard.''

Yates said his wife only knew that he would be going away on guard duty for a while, and he wasn't sure when he would be back.

''Nobody knew we had left the country,'' Yates said. ''And you couldn't prove who you were if you got in trouble.''

The airmen were given new names and fake IDs, and they were told to go shopping for new clothes without any U.S. labels.

Yates became Charles Yaden from Yankton, S.D.

''I didn't believe there was such a place, but there was,'' Yates says. ''I looked it up on the map.''

Roy Wilson, a flight engineer from Pinson who had flown with the Air Force in Korea, jumped at the opportunity when Doster called to recruit him.

''I was very excited because of the money,'' Wilson told AL.com in 2010. ''I made $2,850 a month, and that was good money back then. And I got $500 a mission.

''We were really soldiers of fortune, for what it amounted to,'' he adds. ''I was young then. I didn't care.''

Looking back on the invasion, Yates said four Alabama airmen died because of the actions of President John F. Kennedy.

He said Kennedy's last-minute decision to scale back the operation and not provide air support Navy carrier failed the mission and caused the loss of life.

The four airmen were killed after volunteering to fly into combat on the final day of the operation from the mission's base in Nicaragua in order to relieve exhausted Cuban air crews.

The B-26 bomber Shamburger and Gray were in was shot down over the Caribbean Sea and their bodies were never recovered. Ray and Baker crash-landed their plane after taking fire but were shot and killed by Cuban soldiers on the ground.

The remaining flight and maintenance crews returned to Birmingham from the secret CIA base in Nicaragua. They were sworn to secrecy and not allowed to speak of the mission for more than 20 years.

"Everybody was terribly upset to lose the guys," Yates said in a 2015 interview. "They were great guys. It was like losing family."
An Alabama corrections officer accused of bringing contraband into the Lauderdale County Detention Center spent Thanksgiving night behind cell doors.

Brandon Pate

Brandon Pate, a 21-year-old jailer at Lauderdale County faces up to six months in jail if convicted of smuggling a cellphone, cigarettes and superglue, among other items, into the facility, Sheriff Rick Singleton said.

"We had some information that this stuff was going to be coming into the jail," the sheriff said. "We looked into it and determined he probably would be the one delivering it."

When Pate arrived for work Thursday evening, he was searched and the items, which also included rolling papers, loose tobacco and a phone charger, were seized, Singleton said.

Pate is the second Lauderdale jailer arrested in the past four months for smuggling contraband. Kenneth Lawson, 32, was charged in July after allegedly bringing drugs hidden in a Bible into the jail.

Lawson since has been indicted by a grand jury, and the case is set for trial Dec. 12.

Singleton said the primary question asked in such situations is "Why do they do this?"

File photo

"And I think in our case part of the problem is we only pay these guys like $24,000 per year starting out," the sheriff said. "So when an inmate's family offers them $20 or $50 or $100 to smuggle in a cellphone, that's the only motivation I can think they have to violate the law."

Singleton has decried the salaries his deputies and corrections officers are paid several times in the past.

"We're working on getting their salaries up because most of them are honest and give the county a hard day's work," Singleton said. "It's not the best work environment in the world, but they're really dedicated.

"If this is something they can't deal with and they can't follow the law, they don't need to be working for us," the sheriff continued. "I tell them up front during their interviews that if they do this, they're going to see the other side of the bars."

Pate, who was hired by the Sheriff's Office a few months ago, charged with third-degree promoting prison contraband, a Class B misdemeanor.
A Louisiana child was killed in an Alabama crash on Interstate 85 near Shorter this morning.

File photo

State troopers haven't released the name of the 13-year-old Metarie, Louisiana child who died after being taken to Baptist Medical Center South in Montgomery.

The crash occurred around 10:15 a.m. when the 2006 Chevrolet pickup the child was riding in left the road and struck a guardrail, state troopers spokesman Corporal Jess Thornton said.

Thornton said the crash, which happened near the 23 mile marker, remains under investigation.
Havana, Cuba  It is December 17, 2014 and the Cuban artist Tania Bruguera is at Pope Francis weekly public mass at the Vatican.

As a political artist, Bruguera has developed one of the most powerful bodies of work in installation and performance art in Latin America. She has come to Rome to present the pope with elements from her campaign, Dignity has no Nationality. It is part of her new project  a public political platform called the International Immigrants Movement.

On the train to Venice, where shell be participating in a performance art festival, Bruguera gets the news: after more than a year of secret negotiations, Cuba and the United States have announced the restoration of diplomatic relations.

I became very anxious  fearful, hopeful, all at once, she says. An event like this marks a separation between the present and the past. You wonder, whats to be done now?

She continues: In a way, something like this means everyone has a new role, as if the parts are being reshuffled; the old metaphors suddenly acquiring new meaning. Everything becomes re-contextualised.

Two days later, she publishes an open letter to Raul Castro on Facebook. It is the first action of Yo Tambien Exijo (YTE), which means I Also Demand, a civic platform made up of a group of friends and colleagues, with Bruguera as its main spokeswoman.

I found it suspicious that the government would try to sell an image to the world that portrayed everyone in Cuba as being happy with the agreement with the US. The government has always felt entitled to the feelings of its citizens, and thus acted as Cubans only legitimate spokesperson. In my interpretation, people werent happy. People were shocked. They felt a certain hope, a hope that they hadnt felt for years, the hope that something might change. But thats not the same as happiness, Bruguera says.

Cubas president simply informs us. He dictates new resolutions without us knowing what sort of external pressures or intentions lie behind them. Thats because in Cuba, there is no institutional transparency.

A president should navigate with its people through a political process like this, because it is also an emotional one. I find it as much an act of violence to say something cant be done as to say now everyone is obliged to do it.

Bruguera announces on social media that she intends to restage her performance on free speech, Tatlins Whisper.

In the piece, which was last performed in Havana at the 2009 Biennial, participants are given a microphone and one minute to speak about anything they choose.

In a country where many believe the only microphone belongs to the state, the 2009 performance was an unprecedented event where even dissidents had a platform.

This time, however, Bruguera says she wants to bring the performance to a public space, preferably Plaza de la Revolucion or Revolution Square  the governments symbolic bastion.

Revolution Square or Censorship Square?

But it soon becomes evident that Brugueras proposal isnt welcomed by the authorities.

Various government-run blogs, magazines and online newspapers begin to portray her as a peon serving those pushing for the US annexation of Cuba or as attempting to destabilise the government.

Raul Capote, a former state security agent turned blogger, writes (link in Spanish): Theyre not interested in peace or freedom of expression, but in sparking confrontation, provoking confusion and instability, at a time when the fascist right in Miami is shaking before the end of its hegemony of terror.

Her attempt at political intervention is framed as an act of political opposition.

When Bruguera arrives at Havana airport on December 26 she is met by the political police who start filming her. Her every step is scrutinised.

In such moments, one lives in the present, Bruguera says.

You enter this state, this state in which you are very much alert, trying to understand the semantic consequences of your actions, and how they are interpreted, she says. You are trying to keep them from sequestering your own story.

A symptom, which will dictate the events to come, begins to emerge.





Pablo Helguera, the director of adult academic programmes at New Yorks Museum of Modern Art, MoMA, describes it on Facebook (link in Spanish): It is impossible to think of a relevant artistic action in the second decade of the 21st century that hasnt been mediatised  or in which such mediatisation isnt part of the work itself.

Tanias work is precisely that  a campaign  and whatever occurs or doesnt occur within it is part of the work. Its no surprise that the government stumbled into it like one stumbles into a black hole.

Others criticise Bruguera, saying she has allowed political dissident groups to usurp her performance.

Bruguera says that both government and dissident forces seized upon her work at some point, mostly without really understanding it, after discovering an element worth exploiting for their own political goals.

But, she tells herself, she has worked with dissidents and activists in Europe and the United States who have used her work for various ends, so why not let those in her own country do so?

Over the next few days, a struggle ensues between Bruguera and Cubas cultural bureaucracy.

She visits the Havana police and the national police to ask about the permits she needs for her performance. But no one knows the answer; a regulatory limbo is imposed.

She has two meetings with Ruben del Valle, the president of the National Council of Plastic Arts (CNAP), who suggests alternative venues, like the National Museum of Fine Arts. For Bruguera, Revolution Square is vital to the performance, but she nevertheless accepts del Valles alternative and agrees to a reduced performance of 90 minutes.

But before they finalise a deal, del Valle says the museum must choose the shows participants.

For Bruguera, this amounts to killing the performance.

She decides that the performance belongs in Revolution Square.

Revolution Square has become Censorship Square, she argues.

ALSO READ: On the trail of Indian labourers in Cuba

A first act of political rebellion

Forty-eight-year-old Bruguera grew up in the upmarket Havana neighbourhood of El Vedado. Her father, Miguel Brugueras, was an underground militant during the Batista dictatorship and became a diplomat after 1959. He was a trusted ally of the revolutions senior leadership.

Miguel Brugueras family never knew what he did on his trips abroad. According to Bruguera, he rarely spoke. At 18, in reaction to her father, Bruguera dropped the last letter of her surname and along with it lost any possible inheritance, either material or symbolic. It was her first act of political rebellion.

Between 1980 and 1983, she studied at the Elementary School of Plastic Arts in Havana and later attended the San Alejandro Fine Arts School, where she was a student until 1987. In 1992 she graduated with a degree in painting from Cubas prestigious arts university, the Instituto Superior de Arte (ISA).

It was a time of upheaval in Cuban art.





As Cuban essayist and intellectual Rafael Rojas argues (link in Spanish), Between the 80s and 90s, a generation of plastic artists carried out a renovation of Cubas cultural life. This was a generation that, while pertaining to the Soviet bloc, was aware of the most groundbreaking movements taking place in Western art, and attempted to assimilate and adapt them into the Cuban context. Among the most emblematic artists in that transition was Tania Bruguera.

Over the next two decades, Bruguera would maintain an influential presence in Cuba, mostly as a teacher at the ISA through her renowned Behaviour Art programme, which she established in 2002.

She simultaneously built a powerful international career. She has dealt with subjects such as migrants rights, the use and proliferation of weapons, drugs in Colombia and violence on the Mexican border. She taught at the University of Chicago, as well as at the National School of Fine Arts in Paris, and won distinctions like the Guggenheim Fellowship (1998) and the Prince Claus Award (2008).

But around Christmas of 2014, things began to crumble.

It was the first time Tania was doing a specifically political project in direct reference to Cuba, Clara Astiasaran, an art critic, curator and YTE member, explains.

Her work has always been political, but this time she was directly addressing the nations president regarding a foreign policy decision that was key to Cubas nation-building efforts over the past 60 years  the idea of anti-imperialism.

ALSO READ: Game over  Havana through the eyes of two food vendors

Arrested

On the evening of December 29, Bruguera feels scared for the first time.

She goes for a walk, feeling confused. The performance has been announced for 3pm the next day, but friends have warned her that she wont be allowed to attend.

She contemplates her options: she could sleep at someone elses house, dress up as a homeless person and show up unannounced at the square, or she could wander around town until the show starts.

Instead, she walks to her mothers house in Vedado and starts making phone calls, inviting artists and friends, trying her best to make the situation appear as ordinary as possible.

The next morning at 5.30am theres a knock on the door.

From her balcony, Bruguera can see the political police surround her building. Certain of whats about to happen, she sits down with her mother and 94-year-old aunt and asks them to stay calm, no matter what.

Its not until noon  after picturing the reaction at Revolution Square when people realise that shes not there and fearing a breakout of violence  that Bruguera takes off her glasses and jewellery and opens the door.

She doesnt see anyone so she calls out and a couple of officers appear. Bruguera has already tried contacting her sister in Italy to ask her to announce the performances cancellation, but ETECSA, the state-run telecommunications company, has cut off her landline and mobile phone.

She is charged with incitement to break the law, inciting public unrest and resisting the authorities, which is later dropped when it becomes apparent that she never resisted. Her Cuban passport is confiscated.

Bruguera is driven to the first of more than 30 interrogations she will be subjected to.

WATCH: The Listening Post  Cuba: Media blind spots, tunnel visions and cliches

Detention and interrogation

At 3pm, a calm hangs over Revolution Square. It is hard to believe that it is at the centre of such turbulent events.

There are some international reporters, carrying their credentials, and a few cameras on tripods, along with the usual symbols: the statue of Jose Marti, the silhouette sculpture of Che Guevara on the facade of the Ministry of Interior building and of Camilo Cienfuegos on the Communications Ministry building, the Jose Marti National Library and the National Theatre.

There are also dozens of curious bystanders, standing in groups waiting for Bruguera to arrive. They watch the side streets and try to divine who among them is an undercover agent. Cars and buses drive up and down Boyeros Avenue, just as on any other afternoon. An hour later, people start to leave.

A few days earlier, graffiti artist Danilo Maldonado Machado, known as El Sexto, had spray painted the names of Fidel and Raul on two pigs. He was arrested as he tried to release them on to the street and sent to prison.

As Bruguera is driven to a police station, several other activists and well known political dissidents are arrested. Some werent even planning on participating in Brugueras performance.

Earlier that day, CNAP had issued an official statement: In light of the circumstances, it is unacceptable to carry out the performance in the symbolic venue of Plaza de la Revolucion, particularly given the widespread coverage and manipulation the counterrevolutionary media have been doing of this.

At the police station, Bruguera is given an inmates uniform to wear. She is locked in a cell with another woman, who, she concludes, must be a government informant because of all the questions she asks about political dissidents.

It was at that moment, Bruguera says, I learned that injustice has a way of manifesting itself physically and isnt just a concept. I stopped eating, not out of courage, but because I thought what was being done to me was unfair, and I had no other way of making that clear.

A few officers interrogate her. Some are persuasive; others just shout. She is then handed over to a psychologist who asks questions such as: What kind of television shows do you watch?

She cant tell whether this is supposed to push her to the point of desperation or to help pass the time.

Back in her windowless cell, exhausted from so much conversation, she tries to get some sleep. The next day she is released.

Having learned that other dissidents are still in prison, she heads to El Maine monument, on Havanas Malecon, where she makes a public appeal for people to return to Revolution Square. She is again detained.

This time, she has another female cellmate.

[She] looked like an undercover informant that had been planted there to watch me, Bruguera says.

I didnt want to speak with anyone, and she stayed relatively quiet and polite. We didnt talk about anything, other than her asking me whether I was planning on eating, and me telling her, No, Im not. At some point, she started doing her hair and I ended up helping braid her hair in silence.

Three national security officers take turns to interrogate her: Agents Andrea, Javier and Kenia, the lead investigator in her case. Bruguera doesnt know whether these are their real names.

Andrea is younger and the least experienced. Javier seems more seasoned. He knows a lot about Cuban art in the 1980s, Brugueras career and even tries to play mind games with her by reminding her about her father. With Kenia, whose interrogation technique involves giving revolutionary spiels while mixing in talk about personal things, she establishes a more systematic interaction.

Theres something interesting about Kenia; she seems like an honest person, Bruguera says. I dont know whether she is truly honest. Things are not what they appear to be during interrogations.

On New Years Eve, Bruguera is again released.

She welcomes 2015 with a court case against her, no passport, and unable to leave town.

The performance turned out to be not so much what didnt happen at Plaza de la Revolucion, wrote Helguera (link in Spanish), but the display of hysteria and arrogance that ensued on the part of the Cuban authorities  Cuba lives in a perpetual state of hysterical manipulation, and any person  whether an artist or not  who manages to break that balance will of course be viewed with terror and indignation.

ALSO READ: As a Cuban, I want the policies that began with Obama

The line between empowerment and disengagement

In one of the few instances in which a Cuban artist or critic publicly criticised Brugueras work, National Plastic Arts Award laureate Lazaro Saavedra wrote in an essay(link in Spanish), Just like with Tatlins Whisper, in 2009, Tania will be leaving Cuba having scored yet another goal for her artistic resume and amassed thousands of anecdotes.

She will be criticised, and also celebrated for her braveness and rebellious spirit in social media  both real and digital  and some curator or critic will fittingly mention her in their writings about contemporary art, etc. When she goes, she will be leaving behind her thousands of Cubans fighting for our civil rights, and as always there will be hundreds or thousands abroad pushing them. He who pushes doesnt get hurt.

According to him, There is more provocation in Tania Brugueras YTE than success or progress in regards to civil rights beyond whats obvious and has been said over and over: the government will not allow open microphones or all voices to be heard.

That is precisely the point some scholars might have made without the risk of arrest: What happens when political art works within a society but then gets recognition outside of it? Whats the line between empowerment and disengagement?

Though many critics I spoke to disagreed with Brugueras work, they would not publicly debate it, partly out of concern that they might be seen as condoning the governments actions.

Some critics say that had Bruguera carried out her performance inside a museum she would have managed to mount a challenge to the high bureaucrats of Cuban culture. But by taking it outside, she left culture unchallenged and undisturbed, while her work was insubstantial from a political standpoint, receiving scant public attention.

As a creator, Saavedra wrote, Tania should have found an intelligent way to circumvent censorship and formal structures of social control and created a temporary autonomous zone where it would be possible to open microphones and let all voices be heard. But she failed, and the voices are still waiting to be heard.

WATCH: People and Power  Cubas Ladies in White

The performance continues

In early January 2015, more than 2,000 figures in the international art scene begin demanding that Brugueras documents be returned to her after her third arrest in 72 hours. On January 5, Bruguera returns her National Culture Award and renounces her membership of the national union of writers and artists. Two weeks later, she receives a case number: No 25 for the year 2015.

Over the next month, police interrogations and citations follow. Bruguera has to show up at the police station in Vedado, from where she is driven around the city to various interrogation sites.

Some question why she always seems so willing to go and be interrogated.

In order for it to work, the performance had to stick to the law, she says. Since its dealing with the issue of tolerance, the work had to show the control mechanisms the system has and all the legal contradictions which exist in Cuba.

At the end of January, YTE sends a letter to Raul Castro and Maria Esther Reus Gonzalez, the justice minister, demanding they decriminalise free expression and remove all charges against Bruguera.

In response, Kenia, the investigator, tells Bruguera that the prosecutor hasnt yet made a decision about her case and she will have to wait for another 60 days.

Over the following months, the wave of international solidarity grows. Renowned artists such as Anish Kapoor and Jeremy Deller sign an open letter published in The Guardian.

She chronicles her experiences on social media. In one piece called The Eyes of Power, she writes: I have looked into the eyes of power for four months now and throughout this time, I held my gaze, beginning a journey into another Cuba, a Cuba that belongs to those fighting for their right to free expression.

Today, Im in a Cuba that neither the tourists nor the businesspeople calculating the risks of their investments on the island will see, nor will the artists attending the Havana Biennial, because they will be safely inside the bubble of the art world.

On May 20, just before the Havana Biennial opens, Bruguera begins an open-studio performance, a 100-hour reading of Hannah Arendts The Origins of Totalitarianism at her home in Old Havana.

This reading is the first undertaking of the Institute of Artivism Hannah Arendt (INSTAR), founded by Bruguera.

Although Bruguera thinks her performance has several endings and may not yet have ended, the reading could be considered the culmination of her work: what began as Tatlins Whisper and has continued with everything that has happened since, the performance she has now titled #YoTambienExijo, also the name of the platform, YTE, which she considers part of the work.

I think this work was quite a success, because I was able to try out different theories I had about political art, which I had written about, discussed at conferences, carried out separately in one or another work, but here managed to lay out in a very clear way, she says. For instance, one of the concepts that is present is what I call doing work for a specific political moment. That is, when works dont emerge out of the artists personal, intimate desire but rather the political conditions where they will be developed. That was very clearly the case.

The other thing that was at play was the investigation I have been doing for over 20 years about the limits between art and life, the creation of moments during which those limits force you to ask a very fruitful question  is that art you are being exposed to?

Finally, I was able to experiment with the concept of behavioural art in which the work becomes complete through the reaction of the audience  their behaviour generates new content and meaning. This means there are no right or wrong answers to the work, just honest answers.

Astiasaran, the art critic and YTE member, believes the project was successful at the time for two reasons. It brought alliances from the art world into politics, she says, and showed the path for different agendas to become sovereign as well as politically and ideologically independent.

On June 29, 2015, after a lengthy bureaucratic feud, the public prosecutors office dictates that the case against her be discontinued. Bruguera gets her passport back and on August 21, after taking part in several marches with the dissident group the Ladies in White, she flies out of Cuba.

WATCH: Talk to Al Jazeera  Does the diplomatic thaw mean the end of old Havana?

Following months of organisation overseas through YTE, and after a successful Kickstarter campaign raising more than $100,000, INSTAR is formally launched on April 8, 2016.

In May, Bruguera returns to Cuba.

Her house now serves as INSTARs headquarters.

This time of polarised feelings, of the lack of citizens resources to change the course of things, calls for us to reclaim public space as a civic space rather than a venue for propaganda where above all there is a lack of transparency and institutional tolerance. Since the government likes to simplify things into right or wrong, I would like to share with others the construction of complex concepts or emotions, like forgiveness, she says.

Translated from Spanish to English by Alvaro Guzman Bastida.

The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial policy.
While Cubas economy has gradually opened up in recent years, Fidel Castros death is unlikely to prompt larger reforms.

Since Raul Castro took Cubas helm from his ailing brother in 2008, the communist countrys economic waters have gradually shifted.

Restrictions on private enterprise were eased, allowing Cubans to open restaurants and ply their trades. The government introduced a new salary structure to reward state workers with higher productivity, and subsequently cut hundreds of thousands of positions from the state payroll.

Citizens and permanent residents were granted new rights to buy and sell property and vehicles, while the government vowed to eliminate the island nations problematic dual-currency system.





This year, amid a recent thaw in diplomatic relations between Cuba and the United States, US President Barack Obama urged Congress to lift a decades-old trade embargo that has cost Havana billions of dollars over the years.

The death of the iconic leader Fidel Castro, however, appears unlikely to prompt more radical changes in Cuba, a country of about 11 million people where the average income sits at about $20 a month.

Fidel has not played a major role in Cubas governance for years, and the transition of power to his brother was much more smooth than anyone had expected, said Tomas Bilbao, a policy adviser to the Washington-based Engage Cuba coalition.

While his absence could help facilitate the process of reforms, it is likely that delays will continue to come from Cubas bureaucracy, and more hardline factions within the government, who fear that reforms could undermine efforts to maintain political control, Bilbao told Al Jazeera.

Economic crisis

Indeed, Cubas leadership has faced a challenging task in recent years: to bolster the countrys sagging economy while preserving its long-standing socialist model, along with the authority of those in charge. In 2010, as Raul introduced a series of economic reforms  including a list of 178 newly approved private-sector occupations, from construction labourer to birthday clown  he said the changes would help sustain socialism, rather than bring capitalism to Cubas shores.

The measures we are applying, and all of the changes that are necessary for the modernisation of the economic model, are aimed at preserving socialism, strengthening it and making it truly irreversible, Raul said in translated remarks published by a number of media outlets at the time.

Isolated from the US and with tourist dollars flowing to foreign-owned businesses, Cuba has long been in the throes of an economic crisis. Today, the average Cubans standard of living remains at a lower level than it was before the 1990 economic downturn, which followed the withdrawal of billions of dollars in annual subsidies from the Soviet Union.

READ MORE: Cuban leader Fidel Castros mixed legacy

Had Fidel died suddenly, the ensuing shockwaves could have sparked domestic challenges to the countrys political system, but his years-long illness conversely ensured a seamless continuation of the status quo, said University of Miami professor Jaime Suchlicki, the author of Cuba: From Columbus to Castro and Beyond.

The modest economic reforms introduced by Raul will remain in place after Fidels death, Suchlicki told Al Jazeera, but residents should not expect any major new changes.

Its a question of, is Raul going to accelerate the changes that hes been introducing? he said. My analysis says no  hes not a market economist, he doesnt believe in capitalism, so hes not going to open up Cuba to the market.

Richard Feinberg, a professor of international political economy at University of California, San Diego, pointed out that with Raul effectively in charge since 2008, no organised political opposition has been able to coalesce.

At least in the short run, Feinberg told Al Jazeera, political continuity rather than rupture is the more probable course.

At the crossroads

Among the key reforms to Cubas economic model in recent years was the governments pledge in late 2013 to end its dual-currency system, keeping the national peso (CUP) while doing away with the convertible peso (CUC).

Most Cubans had only been able to access the CUP, while tourists and Cubas elite traded in CUCs, which are worth about 20 times more. Unifying the countrys currency was hailed as a way to level the playing field.

But there is much more the country must do in the years ahead to help heal its ailing economy, noted John Kirk, an expert in Cuban history and international relations at Dalhousie University in Canada.

Cuba is at the crossroads of potentially very significant change, Kirk told Al Jazeera. The primary economic challenge is how to turn an oil tanker around in a very short time  it takes a lot of time to do it, and Cuba doesnt have that much time.

Foreign trade with Cuba has suffered because the country is considered a bad risk, unable to pay its debts, Suchlicki said, noting Cuba should focus on developing more products for export.

With ample farmland, the country could become a major agricultural export hub, he said, but that would require large-scale farming as opposed to the smaller enterprise permitted by Rauls reforms. One minor step came this year, when a US company was cleared to build tractors in the country.

Currently, one of Cubas top exports is medical personnel; the country rakes in billions of dollars annually by shipping its doctors across borders.

A powerful symbol

Significant advances have been made towards improving Cuba-US relations since Raul and Obama agreed in December 2014 to reopen diplomatic relations, Kirk noted. But despite this progress  which has included the easing of travel restrictions for some Americans, the planned resumption of regular US-Cuba flights, the lifting of limits on the use of US dollars in transactions with Cuba, and Obamas historic visit to Havana this past March  a substantial gulf remains. Of particular concern is the financial embargo still in place today, regardless of Obamas calls to eliminate it, Kirk said.

The death of Fidel Castro is an enormously powerful symbol in many ways, from the end of the revolutionary era that started in 1959 to the possibility of a new phase in Cuba-US relations, he said.

READ MORE: Fidel Castro in context

At the same time, Kirk added, Fidel has warned Cubans to be wary of the normalisation of ties with the US, and to remain vigilant in protecting socialism: The key question is whether Cubans will remember his warnings as the island moves towards the beginning of a new era.

Beyond the reign of the Castro brothers  with Raul planning to step down by 2018, amid expectations that he will remain Cubas de facto leader in the ensuing years  the countrys next president is all but certain to continue in a similar economic vein, experts say.

Who runs Cuba? The military. Who runs Cuba? The Communist Party, Suchlicki said. It doesnt make any difference if its Joe, Pepito, or Louis in the presidency  the institutions of Cuba are the ones that are controlling Cuba.

Follow Megan OToole on Twitter: @Megan_OToole
The Cuban leader was an energetic sponsor of socialist movements throughout Latin America and Africa.

Dr Manuel Barcia is Professor of Latin American History at the University of Leeds.

Soon after his capture in 1953, following an attack he led on the Moncada Army Barracks, a young Fidel Castro was put on trial.

While conducting his own defence, Castro accused then-President Fulgencio Batistas regime of depriving Cuba of democratic rule and of establishing a dictatorship.

He finished his speech with a phrase that has become well-known in Cuba and abroad: You can condemn me but it doesnt matter: History will acquit me.

Interesting enough, Castros subsequent actions placed him in one of those inconclusive historical wormholes where agreeing on anything about him, let alone an acquittal for his actions, is almost an impossibility.

To some, he was an irredeemable monster who submerged Cuba into a long, dark age of tyranny and human rights violations.





To others, he was a socialist superman who brought about social equality  at least partially for women and for Afro-Cubans  and who introduced free education and universal healthcare.

From an economic and political point of view, Castros rule was characterised by a catalogue of mistakes that over the years led to more than one rectification of errors campaign. Domestically, many of his policies seemed bound to failure from the start.

A heavy dependence on the Soviet Union as a result of an unremitting American embargo left the country exposed to the rough forces of the free market in the early 1990s, fostering an economic crisis known in Cuba as the special period in time of peace that arguably still continues.

Internationally, Castros involvement in world affairs, especially those concerning Latin America, was a thorn in the side of US policies.

His alliance with Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev, which brought the USSR and US to the brink of nuclear war in 1962, was an early red flag that Castro was not about to back off when it came to confronting US imperialism.

Castro lent his support to Latin American armed groups fighting US-backed dictatorships countless times in the following decades, and in some cases supported movements taking on democratically elected governments, such as that of Romulo Betancourt in Venezuela in the 1960s.

Cuban secret agents wandered across the continent, training guerrilla commandos from Guatemala to Argentina.

One of the icons of the Cuban Revolution, Ernesto Che Guevara, even lost his life while trying to set up a guerrilla movement in Bolivia to topple the government of President Rene Barrientos.

OPINION: Fidel Castro in context

Beyond the confines of Latin America, Castros influence grew steadily throughout the Cold War years.

In 1979, Cuba was elected to take over the presidency of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), an organisation formed in 1960 to offer a peaceful alternative to the belligerent East-West blocs that characterised the Cold War.

Castros presidency of the NAM came as recognition of Cubas role in the international arena and was widely accepted and praised by all NAM members.

However, the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan only three months into Castros presidency of the NAM caused havoc among the member states, and in particular affected Castros leadership since he was forced to side with the USSR.

In doing so, he failed on two fronts. He failed to stick to the actual principle of non-alignment enshrined in the NAM name and constitution, and he did so by turning his back on one of the NAM member states while supporting a Cold War power.

Even though Castros stock took a massive tumble afterwards, he continued to influence international politics, and nowhere more so than in Africa.

Cuba in Africa

Castros (and Guevaras) role in assisting the decolonisation process in Africa was second to none. From the early 1960s, Castro threw all his support behind the Algerian liberation struggle against France.

Cuban doctors and soldiers were some of the first to arrive in Algeria to offer a hand to the independence forces fighting to push French colonialism out of their country.

In the following years, that support increased in size and scope across the continent. Castro offered Cuban support to the liberation struggles in Mozambique, Namibia, Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of Congo), Guinea-Bissau, and Angola, among many others.

In some cases, this support involved military interventions that did not always go according to plan.

For example, in the mid-1970s after Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie was deposed by the Derg regime, Castro was forced to change sides  as the Soviets, East Germans, Czechs, and Americans also did  during a realignment of forces in the region provoked by ongoing disputes between Somalia, Ethiopia and Eritrea.





Cuban personnel were required to abandon their former ally Mohammed Siad Barre, the Somali president, who now sided with the Americans, and take sides with their new ally Mengistu Haile Mariam.

Cuban troops fought the Somali invasion of the Ogaden alongside Ethiopian forces, and by remaining in Ethiopia gave at least tacit support to Ethiopian campaigns against Eritrean armed groups fighting for independence.

This position almost certainly became a political dilemma for Castro, who until then had always supported anti-colonial movements of liberation across the world.

While Castros intervention in the Horn of Africa was characterised by dubious decisions and tainted by the purges that Mengistus regime would eventually carry out between 1977 and 1978, his involvement in the Angolan war is the outstanding episode in his career as a champion of decolonisation.

Not only did he demonstrate to the world that Cuba was far from being a pet project of the USSR  Cubas support for the socialist MPLA was done without the approval of the Kremlin and almost certainly against its wishes.

It also helped raise his profile, and that of Cuba, to new levels of recognition and influence throughout the developing world.

Securing Angolas independence



Cuban backing for the MPLA helped Angola to secure independence from Portugal in 1975, and helped repel the joint attempts of the South African apartheid government and Zaires Mobutu regime to occupy Angola.

Growing up in Cuba at the time, I can certainly say that I dont recall any other Castro enterprise that united Cubans behind the regime to such an extent  except perhaps Cubas resistance to the 1983 US invasion of Grenada.

Contrary to what has been argued for years, Cubas involvement in Angola was a response to previous US and South African interventionism and to the very tangible threat of a South African invasion.

After almost two decades of struggle, when Cubas troops left Angola, they had secured not only the independence of the country, but had also contributed significantly to the independence of Namibia and to the fall of the apartheid regime.

Little wonder, then, that Raul Castro, in place of his brother, was one of the few world dignitaries asked to speak at Nelson Mandelas funeral.

Ultimately, Castros legacy in Africa is more of a Cuban legacy. Everywhere I have visited in Africa, from Dakar to Addis Ababa, from Niamey to Luanda, I have been welcomed with open arms and big smiles as a Cuban.

Former Zambian President Kenneth Kaunda, in response to a New York Times question about Cubas role in Africa, said: I am not sure that there is a single Cuban in the African continent who has not been invited by some members of the continent. So long as this is the case, it is not easy to condemn their presence.

I am far from certain that history will acquit Fidel Castro. More likely history will record his journey through the past six or seven decades as a controversial one.

Almost certainly, he will continue to be an irredeemable monster to some  and a socialist superman to others.

Dr Manuel Barcia is Professor of Latin American History at the University of Leeds.

The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial policy.
The revolutionarys achievements in the face of US meddling made him a powerful symbol of resistance against hegemony.

As of the year 2006, Fidel Castro, Cubas revolutionary leader, who has died aged 90, had reportedly been the subject of no fewer than 638 assassination plots by the CIA.

The Guardian newspaper notes that these had ranged from mundane bombing and shoot-em-up schemes to more ludicrous proposals, such as one involving a diving-suit to be prepared for him that would be infected with a fungus that would cause a chronic and debilitating skin disease.

At first glance, of course, it may seem odd and overreactive that a global superpower would engage in neurotic efforts for over half of a century to take out the leadership of an island nation smaller than the US state of Pennsylvania.

But, has it really just been a simple case of neurosis-for-the-sake-of-neurosis?

Following the triumph of the Cuban revolution in 1959, the US political establishment laboured to portray the country as not merely an ideological disaster, but also a bastion of malevolence and a downright existential threat.

The campaign to demonise Castro by associating him with apocalyptic scenarios fails to account for the fact that the US undoubtedly takes the cake when it comes to existential threats.

In 1960, then-senator John F Kennedy spoke of Cuba as a Communist menace imperilling the security of the whole Western Hemisphere and raising the question of how the Iron Curtain could have advanced almost to our front yard.

As late as 2002, more than a decade after the collapse of the Soviet Union, the US selected Cuba as one of three new additions to the axis of evil based on its alleged (read: US-hallucinated) pursuit of weapons of mass destruction.

The campaign to demonise Castro by associating him with apocalyptic scenarios, however, fails to account for the fact that the US undoubtedly takes the cake when it comes to existential threats  i.e. threats to existence as we know it.

The Cuban Missile Crisis, for example, is recorded in official US propaganda as the time the Soviets brought the world to the brink of nuclear war by installing ballistic missiles in Cuba.

In reality, the installation of said missiles postdated the installation in Turkey of US nuclear-armed Jupiter missiles pointed at the Soviet Union, and amid a US terror offensive courtesy of President Kennedy in Cuba, where Soviet missiles constituted the only deterrent against an invasion to topple Castro.

Furthermore, as Noam Chomsky has detailed, the US rejected fair and reasonable offers from Nikita Khrushchev, the Soviet leader, to defuse the missile crisis, apparently preferring to gamble with the fate of humanity.

Regarding the double standard by which the US judged its own missiles against everyone elses missiles, Chomsky comments sarcastically: A vastly more powerful US missile force trained on the much weaker and more vulnerable Soviet enemy cannot possibly be regarded as a threat to peace, because we are Good, as a great many people in the western hemisphere and beyond could testify  among numerous others, the victims of the ongoing terrorist war that the US was then waging against Cuba.

Freedom for capital

In his 1960 speech, Kennedy complained that Castro had confiscated over a billion dollars worth of American property  a nod to the financial motives behind the vilification of the man who had overthrown the oppressive, corporate-friendly dictatorship of US pal, Fulgencio Batista.

Of course, it wouldnt look so good were the US government to acknowledge that its preponderant concern in Cuba is freedom for US capital. So a deceitful euphemism is deployed: What the US cares about in Cuba, we are told time and again, is freedom for the Cuban people.

US-generated ruckus about Cuban political prisoners and the dearth of freedom of the press and of expression necessarily becomes less convincing in light of the US own history of assassinating anti-establishment characters and its efforts to institutionalise censorship, as in the cases of Chelsea Manning and Edward Snowden.

The sheer disingenuousness of the Cuban-freedom alibi is further underscored by the fact that the US happens to occupy a portion of Cuban territory on which it presides over an illegal prison dedicated to indefinitely detaining, torturing, force-feeding, and otherwise annihilating the freedoms of various non-Cubans.

To be sure, Castros Cuba was never a paragon of freedom of speech or related rights. When I visited for a month in 2006, some of the government detractors with whom I spoke would only pronounce Castros name in a whisper.

Others had no qualms airing their complaints at high volumes, such as my fathers relatives in the eastern province of Granma, who claimed that Castro was personally to blame for their inability to remodel the bathroom since 1962.

Although Cuba does not qualify as an objectively free society, its important to recall that curtailments to Cuban freedom do not occur in a vacuum. Instead, they occur on an exposed island that has, for the duration of its contemporary history, resided in imperial crosshairs.

Given the sustained US effort to overthrow the Castro regime, and the system itself, with the help of fanatical Cuban exiles prone to terrorism and sabotage, state paranoia has perhaps not been unfounded. Repressive security measures stemming therefrom qualify as reactive in nature, and a result of vindictive US policy.

The real danger

There are, meanwhile, numerous freedoms Castros Cuba hasnt skimped on. Theres much to be said, for example, for the freedom to exist without having to worry about access to food, shelter, healthcare, and education  all of which the Cuban state provides its residents.

Despite sensational braying over the decades about the Cuban menace, Castro never posed a physical threat to the US.

In a 2010 article about Cubas health-care system for the Independent, Nina Lakhani outlined how a prevention-focused holistic model  has helped Cuba to achieve some of the worlds most enviable health improvements.

Despite spending a fraction of what the US was then spending per capita, Cuba enjoyed a lower infant mortality rate than its neighbour to the north  not to mention one of the highest ratios of doctors per capita in the world.

In addition to popularising the fundamentally anti-human view of healthcare as a for-profit commodity, the US is also known for such things as rampant homelessness, a wildly disproportionate detention and incarceration rate for black people, a higher education system that harnesses learners with debilitating debt, and elementary schools that confiscate and throw out childrens lunches when their parents are behind on meal payments.

That Cuba is able to provide basic necessities of life free of charge is to some extent proof that useful programmes are possible when a nation does not spend trillions of dollars on devastating wars.

Instead of exporting catastrophe, Castros Cuba has focused on exporting doctors. The New York Times reported in 2009 that, [i]n the 50 years since the revolution, Cuba has sent more than 185,000 health professionals on medical missions to at least 103 countries.

A Cuban doctor employed at a free health clinic in Venezuela once aptly remarked to me on the discrepancy between US and Cuban foreign policy: We also fight in war zones, but to save lives.

Such achievements are all the more notable given that they have occurred within a context characterised by imperial predations, a punishing economic embargo, and politically influential, belligerent hysterics from the Cuban exile crowd headquartered in Florida, a mere 160 km from the Cuban coast.

It is within this context that Fidels legacy must be analysed. And it is this context that grants him legitimacy as a symbol of resistance against hegemony.

Despite sensational braying over the decades about the Cuban menace, Castro never posed a physical threat to the US. Rather, the danger always lay in the example he set, which exposed the possibility of challenging the pernicious self-declared US monopoly over human existence  and for which he merits remembrance as a hero.

Belen Fernandez is the author of The Imperial Messenger: Thomas Friedman at Work, published by Verso. She is a contributing editor at Jacobin Magazine.

Follow her on Twitter: @MariaBelen_Fdez
Defying strong pressure from regional and international players, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is poised to hold the seventh congress in Ramallah of the movement that he, along with Yasser Arafat and other now-aging leaders, launched more than 50 years ago.

Seven years after the sixth Fatah congress was held in Bethlehem in 2009, an improvement on the 20-year delay between the fifth and sixth congress, the new congress will include nearly three quarters of its delegates from inside the occupied territories and a little more than one quarter from the diaspora.

This, along with the absence of Mohammad Dahlan and his supporters, is perhaps the most prominent feature of the congress due to take place Tuesday. The date for the congress, to be held in Abbas Al-Muqataa headquarters, November 29, is the international day for solidarity with the Palestinian people.





Abu Mazen (Abbas) was under tremendous pressure to reconcile with the renegade Gaza leader Mohamed Dahlan by countries like Egypt and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). But, Abbas stuck to his guns.

After some delay and speculations over the list of delegates, last week invitations to some 1400 people were sent out. Many of the new delegates were chosen over the past two years in local primaries throughout the West Bank and Gaza strip, while others were chosen to represent various unions, institutions, women activists and other membership type organisations that normally have internal elections.

Concerns to be addressed

During the congress, Fatah will need to define its relationship with what has been called recently the Arab quartet: UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Jordan. Recent reports in Israeli media have suggested that the Arab quartet were pushing for Arafats nephew and former PLO representative to the UN, Nasser al-Qudwa to replace Abbas. The suggestion was rejected by Palestinian leaders as Arab meddling in Palestinian affairs and has not resurfaced since.

A successful seventh congress will help stop the haemorrhage that has taken place within the Palestinian leadership and will allow for the ushering in of a new generation of leaders. Abbas has consciously refused to name a successor preferring to see what comes out of the democratic process of the movement.

READ MORE: Killing Arafat  Does Abbas have any evidence?

After the congress, Abbas will be able to deal more seriously with Hamas in the reconciliation efforts and hopefully will be able to convene the Palestine National Council with the participation of Hamas, thus revitalising the PLO as the leader of the Palestinian liberation struggle.

Politically, it is not clear if the congress will make any major breakthroughs in formulating its manifesto. According to Ziad Khalil Abu Zayyad, the young Fatah spokesperson, the congress will discuss Palestinian relations with Israel, the role of the youth in the movement, the relation with some Arab countries, the assignment of a deputy for Abu Mazen (Abbas) within Fatah and will evaluate how to empower popular resistance.

While the term popular resistance was approved by the sixth congress, the movement has not done much to flesh out what it means and how to incorporate nonviolence resistance within a national liberation strategy.

Fatah activists have introduced the term smart popular resistance possibly alluding to the idea of creating a mass movement that doesnt use any violence and is able to survive the constant Israeli repression of any kind of Palestinian opposition to its occupation and settlement activities.

The issue of succession

The list of Fatah congress delegates makes it clear that the Abbas has regained total control over Fatah and has succeeded in purging Dahlan and his supporters. The movement might be slightly weaker as a result, but its unity and independence will now enable it to move forward.





It is not clear, however, how the congress will handle the issue of succession of Abbas. There is a decision to name a deputy to the leader of the movement, but it is unclear at this time whether there is consensus, or even a majority for this move, unless Abbas is willing to spend his political capital on one individual, and he has not shown that willingness until now.

Depending on who among the top Fatah leaders emerges as the strongest, it is possible that a collective leadership will be formed that can eventually take up the three major positions Abbas holds: head of Fatah, president of Palestine and chairman of the PLOs Executive Committee.

Convening the seventh congress and successfully concluding it will go a long way in sealing Abbas singular rule over the movement and will allow him to chart the short-term goals of the movement. But all delegates understand that this will be Abbas last congress, and therefore support him to ensure the success of an honourable succession process.

Daoud Kuttab, an award-winning Palestinian journalist, is a former Ferris professor of journalism at Princeton University.

The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial policy.
The seeming ignorance displayed by some European Parliament members tells us all we need to know about their character.
Ramallah, West Bank  Its November 1974, and Yasser Arafat, sporting his signature Ray-Ban sunglasses and checkered black-and-white headscarf, is waving to a cheering crowd on the tarmac of Jose Marti International Airport outside Havana.

He descended from the Algerian Airlines plane that took him from New York City to the Cuban capital, where he was greeted and embraced by Fidel Castro, who was at that time prime minister and had been in power for 15 years.

Castro died late on Friday at the age of 90, according to the Cuban government.

The moment in Havana wasnt the first time the two men had met  their initial encounter happened just over a year earlier at the 4th Summit of Non-Aligned Countries in Algeria. However, it was the first time they met on Cuban soil.

Despite not being a head of state, Arafat was given a presidential welcome in Havana: Cuban Communist Party officials, ministers and others warmly welcomed the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) leader that day.

Later on, he was awarded one of the countrys highest decorations, the Orden Nacional Playa Giron, or Bay of Pigs Medal, which, according to Cubas government radio, is awarded to Cuban citizens or foreigners who have excelled in the struggle against imperialism, colonialism and neo-colonialism, or who have done great deeds for peace and progress of mankind.

The iconic picture of Arafat and Castro walking on the tarmac  housed at the Yasser Arafat Foundation in Ramallah  tells the tale of how an unlikely relationship between the two men, and the PLO and Cuba, were forged.

And while Cuban-Palestinian relations can be traced as far back as the 1966 Tricontinental Conference in Havana, it was Arafats November 1974 trip that cemented the official Palestinian relationship with Cuba, said Hosni Abdel Wahad, the Palestinian Authoritys assistant foreign minister for the Americas.

It was during that visit that the official PLO-Cuban ties were forged and the first [PLO] representative office was opened in Havana thereafter.

Cuba recognises the PLO



It is believed that unofficial ties were made between Cuba and the Palestinians during a first-of-its-kind trip by Fidels brother, Raul Castro, and Che Guevara to the Gaza Strip in late 1959.

Events in the 1950s set the stage for this trip: during that time, all Latin American countries , with the exception of Cuba, consistently supported the Israeli position over that of the Palestinians in international forums.

Che Guevara, who was not Cuban but was an instrumental figure in the countrys revolution, spoke in support of the Palestinians in the coastal enclave and elsewhere.

This culminated in Cubas recognition of the PLO when it was founded in 1964, making it one of the first countries to do so.

The Cubans trained Palestinian cadres, and Fidel himself was a staunch advocate of the Palestinian quest for freedom and independence. by - Mansour Tahboub, former acting director of the Arafat Foundation

Many of Arafats pictures at the Yasser Arafat Foundation, which traces and commemorates the life of the late Palestinian leader, attest to a close relationship with Fidel Castro and Cuba.

The mostly black-and-white images document a series of visits by Arafat to the Latin American country  by some accounts, as many as eight; and these are just the official ones, said Mohammad Odeh, who heads Fatahs Latin America department.

Thats a significant number considering Cuba is such a geographically distant country.

It was, at best, a 12-hour plane ride from any European country, yet Arafat made the trip on numerous occasions. Castro always welcomed him like he was a head of state.

Mansour Tahboub, former acting director of the Arafat Foundation, said such visits were also a testament to the close historical ties.

Cuba has always been a strong supporter of Palestinians in all realms: political, military, vocational training, Tahboub said.

The Cubans trained Palestinian cadres, and Fidel himself was a staunch advocate of the Palestinian quest for freedom and independence.

The rare archival footage at the foundation provides a window into many milestones of Cuban-Palestinian relations, such as Arafat pictured on stage  with former Syrian president, Hafez al-Assad, in the background  condemning Egypt for signing the 1978 Camp David Accords with Israel, during the 6th Non-Aligned Summit in Havana in September 1979.

During that time, Egypt was suspended as a member of the Non-Aligned Movement after its agreement with Israel was criticised as an act of complicity with the continued occupation of Arab territories.

But these pictures show only a portion of the decades-long relationship between the two men. The PLO and Cuba were natural allies, as both championed what their leaders saw as a struggle against imperial and colonial powers.

Quest for independence

Indeed, Castro conflated Cubas strife to fight imperialism with the Palestinian quest for independence from Israels occupation.

Cubas backing of the Palestinians wasnt exceptional, explained Abdel Wahad, who studied journalism in Cuba.

It was part of the Cuban support system to all people struggling for freedom and fighting against colonialism.

Castro reaffirmed this belief on numerous occasions, including during an interview with the French weekly Afrique-Asie in 1977.

The Palestinian movements have shown their ability to resist imperialist  aggression  [The Palestinian cause] will prevail sooner or later in spite of the betrayal by Arab reactionaries, imperialist manoeuvres and Israeli aggression.

In almost every one of Castros many speeches, he voiced support for the Palestinians alongside condemnations of US imperialist plots.

Following the end of the Six-Day War, Cuba condemned Israel for the first time at the UN. And of all the Latin American countries that had PLO representative offices at the time, only Cuba and Nicaragua granted the PLO full diplomatic status.

Yet despite its close relationship with the PLO, Cuba continued to maintain relations with Israel until 1973. It was during the Non-Aligned Movement summit of that year in Algeria that Cuba announced it would break off relations with Tel Aviv.

Several historical accounts refer to a dramatic scene unfolding at the event after Castro was reportedly convinced to cut ties with Israel.

Tales were told of an embrace between Castro and former Libyan President Muammar Gaddafi, and some claimed that Arafat ran across [the hall] to embrace Fidel, and the applause lasted for minutes.

During the Non-Aligned Movements heyday, before the end of the Cold War, Cuba also gave much-needed political support to the Palestinians in international fora, such as the UN.

Around that time, Cuba co-sponsored the UN General Assembly resolution that equated Zionism with racism.

Even when the UN later repealed the resolution in 1991, Cuba stood in opposition.

Quid pro quo?



Some argued that the prominence Cubans gave to the Palestinian cause was a quid pro quo for helping the Castro government secure influence among Third World nations.

The symbiotic relationship between the two  enabled Castro, despite his role in Latin America and Africa as a Soviet client and surrogate, to assume a leadership position in the Third World and within the Non-Aligned Movement, wrote David J Kopilow, a former consultant for the Hudson Institute in Washington specialising in Central America.

Cuba assisted the PLO  especially left-leaning factions like the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) and the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP)  in forging ties with neighbouring states.

The Cubans had a huge role in us seeking the status of non-member observer state, and we still liaise with them on all high-level international matters. by - Mohammad Odeh, head of Fatah's Latin America department

The Cubans played a vital role in facilitating our interactions on the Latin American scene, said Hisham Abu Ghosh, a member of the DFLPs political bureau.

The DFLP had an especially close relationship with the Cuban regime; the partys leader Nayef Hawatmeh made dozens of trips to the island, the most recent of which was made in November 2013.

The PLO also found fertile ground in Cuba for political training and support, giving logistical and professional guidance for Palestinian factions, according to Abdel Majeed Sweilim, professor of political science at Al Quds University.

The Latin American state also took a special interest in providing educational support to Palestinians.

Despite Cubas economic woes, the government would give more than 150 Palestinians annually opportunities to study medicine, engineering and other disciplines, said Odeh, who studied dentistry on the island in 1970 under a full scholarship granted by the Cuban government.

Close relations have been maintained between the Palestinians and Cuba, but the nature of the relationship has differed, explained the PAs Abdel Wahad. There is an official relationship with the state of Palestine.

Cuba was even consulted in the lead-up to the UNs recognition of Palestine as a non-member observer state.

I was in Cuba two years ago to consult with officials about the UN bid, Fatahs Odeh said.

Not many people know this, but the Cubans had a huge role in us seeking the status of non-member observer state, and we still liaise with them on all high-level international matters.

Follow Dalia Hatuqa on Twitter: @daliahatuqa
State officials encourage protesters to leave after US government says it will close area to public on December 5.

North Dakota officials are encouraging hundreds of Dakota Access oil pipeline protesters to respect a directive to leave a sprawling, months-old encampment on federal land, but one organiser says that is not likely.

According to Standing Rock Sioux tribal leader Dave Archambault, the US Army Corps of Engineers sent him a letter on Friday that said all federal lands north of the Cannonball River will be closed to public access starting on Dec. 5 for safety concerns, including the oncoming winter and the increasingly contentious clashes between protesters and police.





The Oceti Sakowin camp is on Corps land in southern North Dakota and is where the vast majority of the several thousand people fighting against the four-state, $3.8bn pipeline have created a self-sustaining community and put up semi-permanent structures in advance of the harsh winter.

The encampment is near the confluence of the Missouri and Cannonball rivers, and more than a mile from a Missouri River reservoir under which the pipeline will pass.

That final large segment is yet to be completed, held up while the Corps consults with the tribe, who believe the project could harm drinking water and Native American cultural sites.

Theyre saying this is their land and they will stay on this land, that they have a right to it because there are burial rights here Theres about 8,000 people here, staying in tents, teepees and also wooden structures, Al Jazeeras John Holman said, reporting from the Oceti Sakowin camp.

The Corps letter, according to Archambault, said that those who stay on the land after the deadline may be prosecuted, and that therell be a free speech zone south of the river.

But Dallas Goldtooth, a protest organizer with the Indigenous Environmental Network, believes many people will chose not to move to another site, and that protesters are building shelters and teepees to prepare for the winter.

READ MORE: Trumps stock in Dakota Access pipeline raises concerns

Goldtooth said the governments request is likely to escalate already rocky tensions, calling the directive an atrocious example that colonization has not ended for us here as indigenous people.

On Friday, Archambault, whose tribe offered protesters land on its reservation south of the river earlier this fall, said our resolve to protect our water is stronger than ever.

Representatives from the Army Corps of Engineers didnt immediately return multiple messages on Friday or Saturday seeking comment and verification of the letter.

Last month, the Corps said it would not evict the encampment, which started as overflow from smaller private and permitted protest sites nearby and began growing in August.





President Barack Obama raised the possibility of rerouting the pipeline in that area earlier this month, something Kelcy Warren, CEO of Texas-based pipeline developer Energy Transfer Partners, told The Associated Press news agency is not an option from the companys standpoint.

Obama said his administration is monitoring the challenging situation but would let it play out for several more weeks.

Some of the protests have resulted in violent confrontations and more than 500 people have been arrested since August.

Its the federal governments job to peacefully close the camp because it allowed people to stay there in the first place, North Dakota Governor Jack Dalyrmple said in a statement Saturday.

READ MORE: N Dakota pipeline protest is a harbinger of many more

Our state and local law enforcement agencies continue to do all they can to keep private property and public infrastructure free from unpermitted protest activities, and its past time that the federal government provides the law enforcement resources  to enforce their own order to vacate, the Republican said.

Republican US Senator John Hoeven and Democratic US Senator Heidi Heitkamp said the protesters need to move for public safety.

The well-being and property of ranchers, farmers and everyone else living in the region should not be threatened by protesters who are willing to commit acts of violence, Hoeven said in a statement Friday.

He also called on the Obama administration to let work on the pipeline move forward, saying, this difficult situation has gone on too long and we need to get it resolved.

Heitkamp said the Corps order is a needed step to support the safety of residents, workers, protesters and law enforcement.
EU urges Ankara to respect refugee pact, as Erdogan lashes out at EU Parliament for freeze on talks over membership bid.

The head of the European Commission has said that the EU-Turkey refugee deal must be respected.

We made an agreement, it must be respected, and it will be, Jean-Claude Juncker, commission chief, said in an interview with Belgiums La Libre Belgique newspaper, published on Saturday.

Juncker was commenting on threats by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to end the deal after the European parliaments voted to freeze talks on Turkeys European Union (EU) membership.

I believe that Erdogan and his government are in the process of pre-blaming Europe for the failure of its accession negotiations, he added.

Majority of Germans against EU-Turkey refugee deal

On Friday, Erdogan threatened to walk away from the agreement, a day after the European Parliament angered Ankara by backing a freeze of its EU accession talks.

On Saturday, he stepped up his criticism of Europe, warning that Turkey could extend by at least another three months a state of emergency, in effect since the failed July coup, which is opposed by Europe.

Maybe the state of emergency will be extended by three months, and then maybe another three months, he said. This is a decision for the government and the parliament.

Whats it to you? he told the European Parliament.

Know your place! he added, in an angry tirade.

In the Belgian newspaper interview, Juncker pointed to the period from 2003-2014, while Erdogan was prime minister, when Turkey made a lot of progress in terms of the quality of its democracy.

But in the past two years, the country has distanced itself from European principles and values, he said.

Junker said the current impasse between EU and Turkey stems from Ankaras refusal to change its anti-terror legislation, a condition for membership laid down by the EU.

Instead of putting this failure on the European Union and Commission, Mr Erdogan would do well to start by asking himself if he is responsible for Turks not being able to freely move on European territory, he said.

Refugee deal

On March 18, Ankara and Brussels forged a deal for Turkey to halt the flow of refugees and migrants to Europe, an accord that has largely been successful in reducing numbers of displaced people crossing the Aegean Sea between Turkey and Greece.

According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), just over 171,000 have crossed to Greece so far this year, much lower than the comparable figure for 2015 of almost 740,000.

Hundreds of refugees and migrants drowned while trying to cross the Aegean in 2015 on unseaworthy boats, including three-year-old Syrian Aylan Kurdi.





The images of his lifeless body washed up on a Turkish beach spurred the international community into action, with the EU and Turkey reaching the refugee deal.

On Saturday, Juncker pointed out that the leaders of the 28 EU nations have the final say on Turkeys bid to join the bloc and not the European Parliament.

Still, he said Thursdays vote was a warning sign that Turkey should not underestimate.

But Erdogan lashed out at the decision, calling out the European Parliaments hypocrisy, noting that the body did not take any action when France put in place a state of emergency after it was hit by a string of attacks in 2015.

Is the European Parliament in charge of this country or is the government in charge of this country? Know your place! he added, in an angry tirade in Istanbul.
Curfew imposed in Mohmand Agency following assault on army facility claimed by a faction of the Pakistani Taliban.

Pakistans army says a mosque has been targeted at an army facility in northwest Pakistan, resulting in a shootout in which four of the attackers and two soldiers have died.

The army said in a statement that 14 soldiers were wounded in Saturdays suicide attack, claimed by a faction of the Pakistani Taliban, Jamaat-ul-Ahrar, on Ghalani Camp in the Mohmand tribal region bordering Afghanistan.

Security Forces valiantly defeated Suicide Attack on Ghalani Camp in Mohmand Agency killing all

4 Suicide Bombers.Own 2 sldrs martyred  Gen(R) Asim Saleem Bajwa (@AsimBajwaISPR) November 26, 2016

It said the attackers wanted to enter the camp and started shooting after they reached the mosque, where residents and a large number of recruits were present.

A curfew has been imposed in Mohmand Agency following the attack, according to the statement.

The Pakistan army launched Operation Zarb-e-Azb under US pressure in 2014 in an effort to wipe out fighters and their bases in the North Waziristan tribal area.
Arrested man accused of making explosives in his West Java home more powerful than those used in 2002 Bali bombings.

Indonesian police say suspect arrested earlier this week was making explosives more powerful than those used in the 2002 Bali bombings that killed 202 people.

Rikwanto, national police spokesman, said on Saturday that Rio Priatna Wibawa, 23, was linked to Bahrun Naim, an Indonesian national fighting with the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also know as ISIS) group in Syria.

Bahrun Naim is believed to have inspired attacks at home, including a January attack in the capital, Jakarta, that killed eight people.

OPINION: Islam and politics  Indonesias identity crisis

Rikwanto, who goes by one name, said bomb-making explosives were recovered from a laboratory in Wibawas home in Majalengka, a town in West Java province.

Wibawa was making bombs three times as powerful as the Bali bombs, Rikwanto said.

A security crackdown since the 2002 Bali bombings, carried out by the al-Qaeda-linked Jemaah Islamiyah, netted hundreds of its members and reduced their capacity for large attacks.









But a new threat has emerged, from the hundreds of Indonesians who have travelled abroad to fight for ISIL and from their supporters in Indonesia.

Rikwanto said Wibawa, a dropout from an agricultural university who is believed to have been influenced by the writings of Aman Abdurahman, a religious leader, received funds from Indonesians working in Saudi Arabia, Malaysia and Taiwan, and was operating under the direction of Bahrun Naim.

Several other suspects were believed to be involved in the bomb-making and police are searching for them, Rikwanto said.

OPINION: The returning jihad  ISIL in Southeast Asia

The police, from their interrogation of Wibawa, believe he obtained bomb-making materials from contacts in Java, Sumatra and East Nusa Tenggara in Indonesia, as well as the Philippines.

Possible targets for attacks were parliament building, police headquarters, the Myanmar embassy, television stations, places of worship and cafes, according to Rikwanto.

Chemicals seized from Wibawas laboratory included cyclotrimethylenetrinitramine (commonly known as RDX)  a component in plastic explosives, TNT, a high explosive peroxide  hexamethylene triperoxide diamine (known as HMTD), and gunpowder.
Iraqi Sunnis say law was proof of Shia dictatorship but Prime Minister Abadi says force will defend all Iraqis.

The Iraqi parliament has passed a bill recognising the Shia militia fighters, the Popular Mobilisation Forces, as a government entity operating alongside the military.

The bill passed on Saturday will see the establishment of the Popular Mobilisation Forces Commission, which critics said could only widen sectarian divisions in the war-torn country.

Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi welcomed the legislation, which was supported by 208 of the parliaments 327 members, saying the newly-formed force will represent and defend all Iraqis, wherever they are.

Opinion: Irans Shia Liberation Army is par for the course

The law places the militias under Abadis command, while giving the militiamen salaries and pensions that mirror those of the military and the police.

The force, numbering more than 100,000, is currently involved in the battle to retake the city of Mosul, fighting the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS) in the western flank of the city at Tal Afar.

The forces have been key in retaking Tal Afar, which lies on a supply line from Mosul to ISIL-held territories in Syria.

They reportedly have also been involved in trying to cut off the main road connecting Mosul and Tal Afar, denying ISIL fighters access to more supply.

But Al Jazeeras Charles Stratford, reporting from Makhmour in northern Iraq, said the passage of the bill is potentially very significant in igniting tensions between Shia muslims and Sunnis.

They dont garner much trust among many Sunni and Kurdish Iraqis in this country, he said. So the passage of this bill has serious ramifications.

Shia dictatorship

On Saturday, Sunni Arab politicians and lawmakers said the bill was evidence of what they called the dictatorship of the countrys Shia majority.

A day earlier, Osama al-Nujaifi, the Sunni-affiliated vice president, had warned that approving the bill would weaken the military establishment by creating another fighting force that is considered sectarian.

Iraqs Sunni Arabs and rights groups have long complained that the Popular Mobilisation  or Hashid al-Shaabi  forces have been involved in extrajudicial killings, abuse and the theft or destruction of property in areas where they drove out ISIL.

The militias commanders, however, deny the charges or insist that the excesses are the work of an isolated few.





The Shia militias that operate under the banner of the Popular Mobilisation forces, most of which are backed by neighbouring Iran, have been bankrolled and equipped by the government since shortly after ISIL swept across much of northern and western Iraq in 2014.

Many of these groups existed long before ISIL emerged, fighting American troops in major street battles during the US military presence in Iraq from 2003 to 2011, as well as al-Qaeda in Iraq  which later became ISIL.

They played a key role in checking the advance of ISIL on Baghdad and the Shia shrine cities of Samarra and Karbala in the summer of 2014, and later helped liberate ISIL-held areas to the south, northeast and north of Baghdad, standing in for the security forces, which largely collapsed in the face of the ISIL blitz in 2014.

However, their role has somewhat diminished as more and more of Iraqs security forces have regained their strength.
While some remember Castros achievements, others condemn his half-century rule and embrace of Soviet-style communism.

Hundreds of Cuban Americans in Miamis Little Havana neighbourhood have taken to the streets to celebrate the death of revolutionary Cuban leader Fidel Castro.

Castro, who led a rebel army to an improbable victory in Cuba, and defied the power of 10 US presidents during his half-century rule, died on Friday at age of 90.

Cubas current president, Raul Castro, announced his brothers death on state television early on Saturday.

Informacion de Raul Castro sobre el fallecimiento del lider de la Revolucion Cubana #FidelCastro #Cuba pic.twitter.com/vSwWY3gdiH  CubanitoenCuba (@CubanitoenCuba) November 26, 2016

Exiled Cubans in Miami celebrated Castros death by waving flags, popping champagne and chanting Cuba Libre.

Thousands took to social media, with some commemorating the revolutionary leaders achievements such as universal medical care, while others condemned his rule and celebrated his death.

Champagne popping in front of Versailles in Little Havana #FidelCastro #Cuba pic.twitter.com/23Ed8dnn9V  Danny Rivero (@TooMuchMe) November 26, 2016

Calle ocho is closed entirely from the crowd in front of @VersaillesMiami bc #FidelCastro's death @MiamiHerald pic.twitter.com/oMxlIbU15f  Carlos Frias (@Carlos_Frias) November 26, 2016

"Falta Raul!" screaming Cubans here. (We only need Raul) Starting to rain, party the same.#FidelCastro #cuba  Danny Rivero (@TooMuchMe) November 26, 2016

Rest in Peace for education,healthcare & racial equality for the people. Rest in Pain for starving, murdering & silencing them. #FidelCastro  Pounds in the trashcan Poochie do the dishes (@Pooch_Rebel) November 26, 2016

My Cuban friends who I grew up with that fled Cuba under Communist Fidel Castro can now feel at peace.and celebrate!!!!! #FidelCastro  Patty Cruz (@PattyCruz713) November 26, 2016

The flags are out on 49th Street in Hialeah #FidelCastro pic.twitter.com/asDdl544HL  David Ovalle (@DavidOvalle305) November 26, 2016

Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, a senior Republican representative from Florida, where thousands of Cubans live, said on Twitter:

We must seize the moment and help write a new chapter in the history of #Cuba; that of a Cuba that is free, democratic, and prosperous.  Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (@RosLehtinen) November 26, 2016
Saturdays snap election is widely seen as linked to dispute between government and parliament over austerity measures.

Polls in Kuwait, to elect members of parliament in the first vote to be contested by the opposition in nearly four years, have closed.

Saturdays snap elections, Kuwaits fourth since February 2012, were called by the Emir in October, after the government said delicate regional circumstances and security challenges required a popular vote.

The move, however, was widely seen as linked to disputes between government and parliament over austerity measures, including a sharp rise in state-subsidised petrol prices.

State-run television reported on Saturday that voter turnout was high at several polling stations, with some centres reporting 70 percent of eligible voters had cast their ballots.

The results are likely to be announced on Sunday.

Women, who have had the right to vote in Kuwait since 2005, were some of the first to start queueing outside polling stations when voting began.

We want the next parliament to stop the government from hiking prices, pensioner Maasouma Abdullah told the AFP news agency.

We want the government to begin taxing the rich and pay great attention to the low-income sections, added Maha Khorshid, an education ministry employee.

OPINION: Shattering the myths about Kuwaiti Shia

Opposition candidates have campaigned heavily for economic and social reform and an end to what they charge is rampant corruption.

Kuwaits 50-member parliament has legislative powers and the authority to question ministers, including members of the ruling al-Sabah family.

Hamad al-Matar, a former MP, said he expected the opposition, which fielded 30 candidates, to win a majority and prevent the government from raising prices.

Campaigning has focused mainly on austerity measures adopted in the past year, after officials forecast a deficit of $31bn for the 2016-17 fiscal year.

The OPEC state relies on oil for about 90 percent of its revenues.

Although the deficit is likely to be smaller than forecast, as it was based on an oil price of $25 a barrel, many Kuwaitis fear the government will try to raise prices further and cut many of the perks they have enjoyed for decades, including free healthcare, education, subsidised basic products, free housing or land plots and interest-free loans to many citizens.
The decision comes after months of hesitation by South Sudan after soaring violence erupted in Juba in July.

The South Sudan government has agreed to accept the deployment of a UN-mandated regional force in Juba, a spokesman said, after months of hesitation over whether to allow extra foreign troops on its soil.

Deputy Information Minister Akol Paul Kordit said late on Friday that the cabinet has resolved unanimously to allow the deployment of the regional protection force anytime from now.

His announcement came after lengthy deliberations during a cabinet meeting chaired by President Salva Kiir, but no details were given about when and where in the capital the force would be deployed.

South Sudan descended into war in December 2013, two years after winning independence, after Kiir accused his former deputy Riek Machar of plotting a coup.

Despite an August 2015 peace accord heavy fighting erupted in Juba in July during which peacekeepers failed to protect civilians, according to a UN investigation.

In response the UN Security Council authorised the deployment of an additional 4,000 troops from East Africa with a stronger mandate than the 16,000-strong UN peacekeeping mission UNMISS.

Kiir initially opposed the deployment of additional troops as a breach of national sovereignty but later agreed to their deployment on September 4.

Since then his government has been accused by the UN of failing to take concrete action.

Ethiopia and Rwanda will contribute infantry troops to the new force.

Kenya was supposed to do the same but is instead pulling its soldiers out of South Sudan in protest at a UN decision to fire the Kenyan commander of the mission for failing to protect civilians.

The US has launched a bid to impose an arms embargo on South Sudan, after US Ambassador Samantha Power said months of talks with South Sudans leaders had failed to persuade them to opt for peace.
The Syrian army said it had taken control of an important district in rebel-held eastern Aleppo on Saturday after fierce fighting, with rebels blaming intense air strikes and lack of hospitals for their collapsing frontline.

Government forces advanced with a ground and air assault on the edge of the besieged eastern half of the city into the Hanano housing area, a move designed to split the rebel-held east in two.





Aleppo, which was Syrias biggest city before the start of a civil war that has killed hundreds of thousands of people, is divided between the government-held west and rebel-held east, where UN officials say at least 250,000 people are under siege.

Capturing all of Aleppo would be a major victory for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad after five and a half years of fighting.

The army said in a statement that it had, alongside its allies, taken full control of the Hanano housing district, which is on the northeast frontline of the eastern sector.

Engineering teams are removing mines and improvised explosive devices planted by terrorists in the squares and streets, the statement said.

The Syrian government calls all forces fighting against it terrorists.

An official in an Aleppo rebel group said a map circulated by pro-government media showing government forces in control of the Hanano area was largely accurate.

The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the army had established control over Hanano, which was the first part of Aleppo taken over by armed opposition groups in 2012.

A renewed air assault on residential and frontline parts of east Aleppo began last Tuesday after a weeks-long pause in air strikes and shelling there.

Every day there are a lot of attacks, helicopters dropping barrel bombs and war planes dropping bunker-buster bombs and cluster munitions, Modar Shekho, an emergency nurse in al-Shaar neighbourhood, told Al Jazeera.

READ MORE: Aleppo faces starvation amid continued bombardment

An official from Jabha Shamiya, one of the biggest groups fighting against Assad in northern Syria, told Reuters news agency: The revolutionaries are fighting fiercely but the volume of bombardments and the intensity of the battles, the dead and the wounded, and the lack of hospitals, are all playing a role in the collapse of these frontlines.

Members of Jabha Shamiya have taken part in the fighting in Hanano.

He condemned the international silence and said the government and its allies were trying to exploit the period before the next US administration took over.

The Iranians, Russians and regime know there is a vacuum and they are trying to exploit it using all means, he said.

We are in touch with the friendly states but unfortunately Aleppo is being left to be slaughtered.





Al Jazeeras Osama bin Javaid, reporting from Gaziantep on the Turkey-Syria border, said nearly 300,000 people were still stuck in Aleppo.

Thousands have fled the Hanano neighbourhood and other areas near the frontlines towards the central parts, he said.

But the air strikes in the last 13 days have relentlessly targeted anything that moves, be it ambulances or rescue workers. Hospitals have been destroyed and people have very little food and medicine.

Yasser al-Yousef, from the political office of the Nour al-Din al-Zinki rebel group, said rebel fighters had fought fiercely for more than 48 hours to defend Hanano and the southern front of east Aleppo from heavy government bombardment.

A Syrian state television reporter broadcast live from a part of Hanano on Saturday as government forces sought to establish full control over the area. Gunshots could be heard and behind him damaged buildings and rising smoke could be seen.

Rebels say much of Hanano has been empty of residents for some months.

Syrian state media said the army had secured the safe passage of at least 150 people out of Hanano, and showed pictures of people it said were evacuated residents in a reception centre.

In the 12 days since the renewed bombardment on east Aleppo, at least 201 civilians, including 27 children, have died in the besieged sector, the Observatory said. There were 134 rebel fighter deaths.

The monitor also documented 19 civilian deaths, including 11 children, and dozens of injuries as a result of rebel shelling of government-held west Aleppo.

Rebel shelling into the Sheikh Maqsoud district, which is under the control of the Kurdish YPG militia, has killed three people, it said.

Syrian state news agency SANA said three people died and 15 were injured on Saturday when rebels fired rockets into government-held west Aleppo.
Jerusalem  A Palestinian member of the Israeli Knesset has accused Benjamin Netanyahu of seeking to achieve political gains out of an unfortunate state of events.

The accusation came in response to to a barrage of statements by the Israeli prime minister and members of his coalition blaming Israels Arab minority for the fires that have swept across the country since Tuesday.

The Israeli ministers not only blamed Palestinians for igniting the fires, but Mr Netanyahu, the prime minister, and Aryeh Deri, the internal affairs minister, suggested revoking the citizenship of anyone who lit fires, said Jamal Zahalka, a Knesset member of the Joint List, a coalition of Arab Palestinian political parties and leader of the Balad faction.

READ MORE: Israel to build 500 new settler homes in East Jerusalem

They were targeting Palestinians of course. They didnt suggest that for those who burned the Dawabsheh family one year ago.

Netanyahu indicated on Thursday that he would work to strip residency from anyone found guilty of terrorism, saying that some of the fires were the handiwork of elements with great hostility towards Israel.





There are 1.7million Palestinian citizens of Israel who already suffer rampant and institutionalised discrimination.

He [Netanyahu] is trying to get cheap popularity on the Israeli street by inciting against Palestinians and Arabs, said Zahalka.

Also, he wanted to change the headlines in the Israeli media. People started saying that he didnt prepare the Israeli fire forces and prepare what was needed to fight the fires. It was his failure.

Since Tuesday, strong winds and dry weather have fuelled hundreds of fires across Israel and the occupied Palestinian territory.

Tens of thousands of residents were allowed to return to their homes in Haifa on Friday after being evacuated on Thursday, but fires raged around Jerusalem, northern parts of the country and parts of the occupied West Bank into Friday night.

In Nataf, West of Jerusalem, residents were evacuated on Friday as fire crews struggled to contain the blaze. Israeli fire crews received air support from Cyprus, France, England, Greece, Turkey, Italy, Russia and the US, according to Micky Rosenfeld, Israeli police spokesperson.

Palestinian firefighters assisted Israeli crews in the efforts on the ground and the flames were pushed back by night.

Palestinian assistance

Forty Palestinian firefighters travelled to Jerusalem on Thursday night after the Palestinian Authority offered to assist in efforts to contain the spread of the fires.

After the fires in Haifa were contained, Palestinian crews travelled to Jerusalem, said Nael Azzeh, spokesperson for the Palestinian Civil Defence.

OPINION: Europes contribution to Israeli colonialism

For the firefighters working in Haifa and Jerusalem, they worked for 24 hours without a minute of rest, Azzeh told Al Jazeera.

Its the same for the firefighters in the West Bank as well.

Azzeh said more than 100 fires broke out across the West Bank on Friday, including 57 forest fires, and that more than 500 volunteers had taken part in operations alongside 600 regular firefighters since the crisis started.

Nationalist terrorists

Rosenfeld told Al Jazeera that 12 people had been arrested in connection with the fires in recent days, without elaborating further on individual cases.





Israeli politicians blamed the fires on what they call nationalist terrorists.

Gilad Erdan, Israels minister for public security, said that those arrested in connection with the fires were minorities, referring to Palestinians or Arab citizens of Israel.

Erdan told Israels Army Radio that there was likely a nationalistic motive to any cases of arson.

A view that was echoed by Naftali Bennett, education minister, and leader of the settler party Jewish Home, who blamed the fired on nationalist terrorists, adding that the fires could not have been started by Jews.

Zahalka warned that the dangerous rhetoric coming from the Israeli ministers could spark attacks against the minority Palestinian community in Israel, and accused ministers of adding fuel to the fire.

Meanwhile, Palestinian media agency Wafa reported that a fire that broke out near the Palestinian town of Huwwara in the occupied West Bank on Thursday was allegedly carried out by Israeli settlers from Yitzhar.

Ghassan Daghlas, an official who monitors settlement activity in the West Bank, told Al Jazeera the fire had destroyed olive trees in Huwarra but he could not confirm how it had started.
We look at what it means for developing countries when the US decides to take a protectionist stance.

The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) was the largest ever US-proposed trade deal and took years to put together, but US President-elect Donald Trump has promised to withdraw from the deal on his very first day in office.

The TPP, signed by 12 countries in February 2016, covers 40 percent of the worlds economy. But all 12 nations need to ratify it, and Trumps comments suggest that this will not happen.

As the United States, the worlds biggest economy and the champion of free trade for the past century, is about to back away from closer global economic integration, analysts question whether China has what it takes to be the worlds new champion of free trade.

While China has not signed on to the TPP agreement, it could take advantage of new opportunities as the US takes a more protectionist stance on trade.

China is promoting its own pan-Pacific trade pact. The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) is still being negotiated, but if enacted, it could become the worlds largest free trade bloc.

It differs from the TPP in that it doesnt require its members to liberalise their economies, or take steps to protect labour rights, environment or intellectual property.

So, is it really the end of the TPP? What does it mean for China and RCEP? And what are the implications on the US, Asia and the global economy?

Deborah Elms, the executive director at the Singapore-based Asian Trade Centre, takes a look at how China could now be positioning itself as the worlds new champion of free trade.

Also on this episode of Counting the Cost:

Made in Australia: In Australia, successive governments have supported free trade, but that long-standing position on foreign competition may now be changing. We went to the Rossi Boots headquarters, in Adelaide, to talk to one of the only companies still manufacturing Made in Australia footwear.

The UKs JAM families and the cost of Brexit: Its estimated that leaving the European Union will cost Britain $280m a week over the next five years. In the first budget since Brexit, UK Finance Minister Philip Hammond downgraded his 2017 economic forecast and said the national debt would grow. In fact, it will balloon to above 90 percent of the UKs gross domestic product. That will wipe out any savings made from not having to pay into the EUs budget. Will the new budget help the so-called JAM families, those households just about managing to make ends meet? Gregor Irwin, chief economist at the Global Counsel, looks at the cost of Brexit.

Icelands red hot tourism industry: Iceland is known for its stunning landscapes and hot springs. But soon, there could be no more room in its famous blue lagoon because its going through an unprecedented tourism boom and its infrastructure is struggling to cope. Paul Brennan reports from Reykjavik.

Iceland versus Iceland: It looks like a cold war might be breaking out between Iceland, the country, and the supermarket chain that bears the same name. Thats because the UK store specialises in frozen food and actually owns the European trademark for using the name Iceland. But now, Iceland, the country, confirmed its taking legal action against the store.
The president discusses Serbias non-alignment stance, why it will never recognise Kosovo, and its commitment to Russia.

Tensions between Moscow and the West have reached new heights. Not since the end of the Soviet Union has the division between the two sides been so apparent. Many talk of a new cold war.

NATO is moving into Russias backyard and Moscow isnt happy.

When NATO just made Polish-based parts of a European missile shield operational, Russia announced the deployment of long and short-range missiles to Kaliningrad, close to the border with Poland.

And Russias annexation of Crimea led to wide-ranging sanctions from the European Union.

One country is now finding itself squarely in the middle of all this: Serbia.

It continues to push for membership in the EU and has taken part in NATO military exercises, but at the same time, it has long and strong historical ties with Russia, making it unclear where Serbia will go if it has to choose sides.

There are two conditions Serbia will not meet even if that means it will not become an EU member. The first one is to recognise the independence of Kosovo and Metohija. We will never do that. The second one is to have a quarrel with countries that the EU quarrels with. Here I primarily refer to the sanctions against the Russian Federation or any other sanctions the EU many impose. by Tomislav Nikolic, Serbian president

Belgrade has also found itself caught up in the Syrian conflict with serious allegations that the weapons it sells are ending up in the wrong hands on the battlefield.

The conflict is not just dividing the West and Russia, it also led to a refugee crisis that is threatening European unity and has drawn in Serbia.

We discuss all this with Tomislav Nikolic, the president of Serbia, on Talk to Al Jazeera.

We speak to Nikolic about the Balkan Investigative Reporting Networks claims to have found evidence of a new arms pipeline which goes from the Balkans directly to the Arabian Peninsula and countries neighbouring Syria.

According to the claims, these weapons end up in Syria and in the hands of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, which is also known as ISIS), which, if true, could be a violation of international law.

Serbia produces light weapons and exports them to several countries in the world, Nikolic says. But all of this is done under the control of the UN. There is a UN commission that determines the end users, the countries you are allowed to sell arms to, and these are never insecure countries, unstable countries.

According to Nikolic Serbia has never participated in any type of arms trade prohibited by the UN. Its up to the UN, he says, to control how these weapons from legitimate buyers end up in the hands of illegal ones, and to take those legal end users off the list of legitimate buyers.

Serbia faces tough political and possibly military choices going forward.

It applied for membership in the European Union 16 years ago, held up by EU demands that the country recognise Kosovo, which it refuses to do, and its backed in that position by Russia, a country with whom it has deep historical, cultural and religious ties.

We ask the president whether Serbia, at the crossroads of East and West, would ever look to one more than the other.

Serbia lives in unity with both the East and the West  Serbia wants to become a member of the European Union. In that regard, it could be said that it cooperates more with the West because it fulfils the requirements that the EU has for each new member  But at the same time, we have great friendships in the East, close relationship, historical, religious, linguistic connection by origin with the Russian Federation, he says.

Asked why, in seeking EU membership, Serbia does not join NATO, Nikolic says, NATO is a different story. We were attacked and bombed by NATO in 1999 for no reason. That had enormous consequences, not only for our economy, but also on the attitude of our citizens towards NATO. I am convinced that I speak for the majority of citizens when I say that Serbia will never be in NATO.

This year, Serbia has held over 100 military exercises with NATO member states, says Nikolic, and two with Russia; however, he maintains that this should not be construed as where Serbias alliances are at.

We belong to ourselves, he says.

Nikolic calls Russias intervention into the Syrian conflict a turning point, saying that until then, there hadnt been a sincere fight against the so-called Islamic State, which is the greatest evil the world is facing. After that, everyone sobered up a bit, came to their senses and seriously started putting an end to it.

On the issue of refugees and migrants, for which Serbias role has been commended by the EU, Nikolic says, We treat these new refugees with absolute humanity, and we share with them as much as we have. Yet, he says EU support for their efforts is not sufficient and if northern Europe closes its borders, they would too.

Serbia cant become a funnel into which migrants are pouring in but not coming out. This would cause great distress, he says.

Nikolic says Serbia is not viewed by refugees as a destination, but that in talks with Brussels, we said we could accommodate up to 6,000 refugees until some solution was found.

On why Serbia wants to join the EU, Nikolic says: It [the EU] is an organised family of nations. There is a single market which means that investors can freely come to your country and that your country is recognised as an orderly and stable country.

He continues: There are two conditions Serbia will not meet even if that means it will not become an EU member. The first one is to recognise the independence of Kosovo and Metohija. We will never do that. The second one is to have a quarrel with countries that the EU quarrels with. Here, I primarily refer to the sanctions against the Russian Federation or any other sanctions the EU many impose.

You can talk to Al Jazeera, too. Join our Twitter conversation as we talk to world leaders and alternative voices shaping our times. You can also share your views and keep up to date with our latest interviews on Facebook.
Last month, when the battle for Mosul began, Islamic State "caliph" Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi reportedly promised four extra Houris (supernatural, celestial women designed for sexual purposes)  atop the other 72 promised by the prophet Muhammad  to all jihadis who die (are "martyred") fighting the infidel forces, according to Arabic media accounts.

Al-Baghdadi did this during an extra-"fiery" sermon wherein he recounted 15 hadiths and three stories dealing with the Houris in the context of the original Muslim conquest of Mosul, circa 637, at the hands of Muhammad's companions (the sahahba). After promising his followers that "blood will run like rivers in the [forthcoming] battle," al-Baghdadi declared: "All, without exception, will enter paradise as martyrs. Moreover, you will enter paradise with four more Houris than other martyrs. For just as you stand by me now, so will they stand by you, or under you, or above you, so that you might forget what will happen to you by way of violence, death, and degradation in this war."

While it is easy to dismiss this report as a hoax (among other things, it doesn't explain why al-Baghdadi thinks they will get four more heavenly concubines), the problem is that Islam  from its history and doctrines to the exhortation of its leaders, from Muhammad to al-Baghdadi  is full of stories and enticements concerning the Houris.

Here, for instance, is an authentic hadith  a statement attributed to Muhammad that mainstream Islam acknowledges as true  which all jihadi organizations (including ISIS) regularly invoke:

The martyr is special to Allah. He is forgiven from the first drop of blood [that he sheds]. He sees his throne in paradise[.] ... He will wed the Houris [aka "voluptuous women"] and will not know the torments of the grave and safeguards against the greater horror [hell]. Fixed atop his head will be a crown of honor, a ruby that is greater than the world and all it contains. And he will copulate with seventy-two Houris. (Source: The Al Qaeda Reader, p.143).

The histories of the conquest of Mesopotamia and Syria are in fact full of anecdotes of Muslims throwing themselves into the fray and rushing to death's embrace because they believed that doing so would rush them to the warm embraces of the heavenly sex slaves. Here are some anecdotes from al-Waqidi's account of the battle of Yarmuk in Syria (636), which took place right around the same time as the conquest for Mosul, and which also pitted smaller Muslim forces against much greater infidel forces (in this case, Christian Byzantine):

As one Muslim captain searched for his nephew, Suwayed, in a field of Muslim corpses, he found him dying on the ground. When the man came into the vision of the fallen youth, Suwayed began to cry. He explained that, after being speared by a Byzantine, "something amazing began to happen to me: the Houris are standing beside me, awaiting my soul's departure."

A jihadi reported that he came upon a fallen comrade in a strange posture: "I saw him smitten on the ground, and I watched as he lifted his fingers to the sky. I understood he was rejoicing, for he saw the Houris."

While waving his standard, another Muslim battalion leader told his men that a furious rush against the "Christian dogs" is synonymous with a "rush to the embraces of the Houris."

Obsession over the Houris is not limited to arcane Islamic texts or ISIS ("which has nothing to do with Islam"). Over the years I have watched numerous videos of Muslim men discussing their excitement at the prospect of dying in the jihad and being rushed to the embraces of the supernatural celestial women. For an idea of how pervasive the Houri is in Islam, consider its impact on Muslim women, as demonstrated in a video of a Muslim cleric taking and answering questions via phone calls. A woman called in expressing outrage at the Houris, saying she would be driven "mad with jealousy" seeing her husband copulating with these supernaturally beautiful women all day in heaven.

The cleric responded telling her that "when you enter paradise, Allah will remove the jealousy from your heart. And have no fear, for you will lord over the Houris and be their queen." Still apprehensive, the Muslim wife pleaded: "But must he have the Houris?" Laughing, the cleric reassured her: "Look, when you enter paradise, you will be more beautiful than the Houris  you will be their mistress. Okay? And when you enter paradise, Allah will remove any jealousy or concerns from your heart."

All this is a reminder that the Muslim mindset and the motivations behind the jihad are many and multifaceted  and even include those who disbelieve in Allah and the afterlife altogether. As such, Western secular minds would do well to stop projecting their own materialistic paradigms onto jihadis  such as when the Obama administration said that people join ISIS for "a lack of opportunity for jobs"  and start understanding Islam's own paradigms and motivations on their own terms.
Petrus Paulus Vergerius, (1370-1444) educator, doctor of medicine and canon law wrote what has become known as the preeminent Renaissance treatise on education wherein he asserted that "what can we do better than gather our books around us... to see unfolded before us vast stores of knowledge, for our delight, it may be, or for our inspiration."

Every educator has bemoaned the struggle to fill heads with knowledge and to that end, in my English composition class this term, the students worked on deciphering the rhetorical devices of John F. Kennedy's Inaugural speech. Most had never been taught about communism so they could not understand Kennedy's exhortation to the newly independent African and Asian countries not to fall prey to "a far more iron tyranny" and seek "power by riding the back of the tiger" only to end up inside the beast.

Thus, I exposed them to the real-life stories of people who lived under communism. These poignant and painful memories are recorded at the site "Victims of Communism" and highlight the horrors of communism whether it reigned in Hungary, China, Cambodia, the Soviet Union, the Ukraine, or Poland.

As we progressed further in the analysis of Kennedy's speech, it became clear that the students could not appreciate what our 35th president meant when he stated

In the long history of the world, only a few generations have been granted the role of defending freedom in its hour of maximum danger. I do not shrink from this responsibility -- I welcome it. I do not believe that any of us would exchange places with any other people or any other generation."

So I brought in the speech titled "My Father's Speech" by Rush Limbaugh's father which describes the 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence and the courage it took to engage in their treasonous behavior. The students learned how Thomas Nelson destroyed his own house rather than allow the British to shoot at Americans. We learned that John Hart never saw his 13 children again. We learned that the British deliberately "trampled and burned" the finest college library in the country when they occupied what later became known as Princeton University.

The college freshmen learned that the wives and children of these American colonists also suffered grievously at the hands of the British. They became aware that the majority of those who fought for freedom were not impoverished -- in fact, they were men of property and wealth. They had everything to lose by embarking on this endeavor for liberty.

But it was not until I read the portion about the New Jersey signer, Abraham Clark, that the full extent of the sacrifice became starkly clear. Clark had two sons who were captured and sent to the hellship Jersey where "11,000 American captives were set to die." The British gave Clark an ultimatum -- either he would recant and come out for the king and the parliament or his sons would be killed. The ethical dilemma was clear to these 19-year-olds as we discussed the horrific choice put before Abraham Clark.

The unedited comments are below:

I learned the depth of the sacrifices made by the founding fathers. The agony the American people had endured. There were words that I had learned from so long ago. This article made me ask myself some very important questions -- if I were in the shoes of these men would I have the strength, courage and faith that they had. What the people endured because of this was not pleasant but their sacrifice was worth it for a bright future for all. The most disturbing and unusual part of this was when Abraham Clark had to be put in the place where he had to dicide [sic] his children's fate.

Then there was this:

The most unimaginable story to me was when the British captured the two sons. Once I heard this story it really made me realize just how seriously Americans wanted their freedom from the British and just how far they would go to achieve it. I could only imagine if that was me in the same situation. You have to appreciate your freedom in this country because it did not come easily, but with major sacrifice.

A young woman wrote:

Even when things seem to go south for them, not once did these men recant their actions. It's important to understand. They knew if they stuck together they could not be broken easily. They lived in fear simply to give us the liberty and freedom. Mr. Limbaugh wrote this piece to inform us. It allowed us to see a deeper appreciation for these men who gave it all up. He wanted us to see that signing for these men was like a death wish but they did it regardless. Now I understand as to why they did it. I truly want to thank these men for their courage in building this great country we call America, our home.

From the student who barely does his assignments came the following:

I never knew that many who signed the Declaration of Independence died from wounds or hardships during the war or were captured and imprisoned by the British. This article made me realize what all 56 men sacrificed in order to sign the Declaration of Independence. I have never been so interested in history until now. Hearing about what these men went through to give us freedom is amazing. It truly amazes me that someone could be so dedicated to their country.

From the young woman who quietly sits in the back of the room --

We defentely [sic] owe a lot of gratitude to the men and women that gave it all for the freedom we have today. I enjoyed seeing the picture of the Culpeper Flag in the article. I started noticing and learning not only about their sacrifices but also who they are and what they stand for. One thing that I will take away from this reading is that sacred honor is a huge part of the success that Americans had to gain their freedom.

From a sensitive young man

A part in the speech that was disturbing was when Mrs. Lewis was captured and treated brutally by British soldiers. Only my imagination could picture what they did to that poor helpless woman.

There was the student who wrote:

I would not have my kids killed. From the start, these men knew what they were getting into. I feel as though if they knew it would put their family at risk of being unsafe, they should have objected to it.

One articulate woman penned the following:

I learned that their families were captured, tortured and killed. The men were the ones to go to war and actually fight the British but they weren't the only ones who felt the wrath of the British. The innocent wives and children of these men were subject to the British evil tactics to get the Americans to recant. Mr. Limbaugh wanted us to understand the intense level of patriotism that these men had by explaining what they said, what they did and what they lost. The parts that were disturbing to me were how some of the American soldiers were starved to the point of emaciation. This piece gave me a bit more insight on the theme of the Declaration of the Independence and the American Revolution.

Not only were these students informed, they were inspired.

As historian David McCullough has written "[a]t their core, the lessons of history are lessons of appreciation. Everything we have, all our great institutions, our laws, our music, art and poetry, our freedoms, everything is because somebody went before us and did the hard work, provided the creative energy, faced the storms, made the sacrifices, kept the faith."

Thank you, Mr. Limbaugh and thanks to all whose shoulders we stand on to bring the story of American exceptionalism to life.

Eileen can be reached at middlemarch18@gmail.com
More than a month before he will take office or been briefed by the FBI, Donald Trump has announced that he has no interest in pursuing the Clintons for their crimes. The deep sigh of relief from Beltway insiders from all corners could be heard from Manhattan to the shores of the Potomac River.

The inevitable comparison by conservative Beltway pundits like Charles Krauthammer is with Gerald Ford's pardon of Richard Nixon. The normally wise Krauthammer misses several vital points.

The pardon of Nixon did not prevent the successful prosecution of many of his underlings. If Trump means that everyone connected with Hillary's crimes except for her will face the full measure of our nation's criminal laws for offenses committed at her behest or on her behalf, then that is a very different matter from the way his statement has been interpreted so far.

On the other hand, if Trump means that as with Watergate, America needs to put the Clinton crimes behind us, then he is being vastly more lax than Democrats were  or, for that matter, than Gerald Ford was  with Watergate. The crimes of Nixon and his cronies were put behind us only for Nixon and only after he had been forced to resign as president  and Nixon had been President Nixon, not just candidate Nixon.

President Nixon was also pardoned by the Republican President Gerald Ford, the man Nixon chose as his vice president after Agnew resigned. The political fallout  and there ought to have been political fallout for the pardon of a disgraced ex-president  was rightly borne by his own political party. Obama could pardon Hillary and everyone else involved and that would put the scandals behind us, but that would enable Republicans to continue to investigate the crimes.

If Trump elects to ignore Hillary's crimes, then he is doing the dirty work Democrats, who have defended Hillary throughout the election, ought to be made to do. If the Democrat leadership and Hillary want to confess that she and her team did dishonest and illegal acts, that is one thing, but that, of course, is not what is going to happen. Instead, Democrats will say: "See, even Trump did not really believe that Hillary was a crook."

Trump ought not to bargain away the prosecutorial power he will soon gain without knowing everything that has really happened. Moreover, Trump ought to make sure that the American people learn all the sordid, seedy details of Hillary's crimes and the misdeeds of her supporters in government. The threat of prosecution of underlings is a potent means of forcing the tight-lipped to come clean.

What Hillary Clinton and Lois Lerner and the rest have done is worse than Watergate. They used the power of the government to harass and torment innocent Americans, they lied repeatedly under oath, and they obstructed justice at almost every turn.

How are we going to find the missing IRS emails or Hillary's deleted emails if the new president wishes to ignore these crimes? How can the American people know if reforms intended to correct abuses we have learned generally about will work if we do not even know the details of those abuses? The Watergate reforms in government in the legal profession were possible precisely because we know the extent and nature of the wrongdoings.

The answer, of course, is to pardon everyone involved, provided that they completely confess their culpability and apologize to those they have harmed as well as to the American people for all the dishonest and wicked things that they have done: confession and repentance before forgiveness and pardon.

What Donald Trump seems to be saying (we ought to hope he is not saying this) is that there is one set of rulers for those who are powerful and rich and that there is another set of rules for ordinary Americans. What makes this most poignant is that the ordinary folks of Flyover Country just elected him as their champion. If he loses that trust, then President Trump will never be able to regain it.
My name is Elizabeth Naham. Actually, the truth be told, my real name is... Well, I cannot tell you. Many of you reading this will understand, but for those who do not, let me explain. I live and work in a very deep blue state in the Northeast and am self employed as a Social Worker. The profession has always tilted left but is now left of left. Their political identity parallels the trajectory the country has taken for several decades, accelerating the last eight years. Some of you might consider me to be a coward. On the contrary, adjectives to describe me often have been feisty and courageous, along with vivacious. Suicidal and masochist are not part of my repertoire. Survival and earning a living are. Subsequently, I must remain closeted in order to avoid being shunned or figuratively tarred and feathered which is an action the left often takes to squelch opposition and dissent.

My passion to help people was the attraction to social work. Coming from a lower-middle class background, I was more of a moderate and never bought into the leftist philosophy. I had no desire to become politically involved nor did I view peoples plight as being static. My belief was and remains dedicated to the idea that each human being has unique talents and gifts endowed by God. My goal has always been to help individuals put the demons of the past behind and recreate themselves into being the very best they can be.

In 1996, my husband and I voted for Bill Clinton a second time. Like many, we did not care about his affair with Gennifer Flowers and yawned at the endless array of stories regarding Paula Jones. Even the scandal about Monica Lewinsky did not change our views, although I sympathized with her and did not have an opinion about Linda Tripp. Truly, we were the typical low-information voters and lifelong Democrats. Why? We were indoctrinated to believe Democrats were good and supported the underdog and Republicans were bad and assisted the wealthy. No other explanation was necessary.

In the late 90s, with the rise of the Internet, information about the stock market became readily available and demystified. Subsequently, we began reading the Wall Street Journal and Investors Business Daily. I especially devoured the editorials, not realizing how much information and history had been distorted and biased with a leftist slant. In 2000, we voted for George W. Bush, and in 2004, my husband was totally convinced and planned on voting for him again. Because I was from the Northeast and continued to desperately adhere to my Democrat identity, I almost voted for John Kerry. At the midnight hour, a well-informed friend convinced me to forgo such a thought and go with Bush. I did.

Over the next couple of years, I read voraciously and came to the conclusion we had been duped by the progressives. As I continued my journey of truth-seeking, along came a dazzling, charismatic unknown named Barack Obama who sought the office of the most powerful position on earth, honestly declaring his intentions of fundamentally transforming America. The country became smitten, and with the mainstream media fueling this idolatry, nothing would alter their perception. The low-information populace, which included the intelligentsia and glitterati, ignored the dangerous rhetoric cloaked in elegance, erudition and demagoguery. My husband and I did not. We love our country and recognize it is a work in progress but was not in need of Mr. Obamas radical prescriptions. With the promise of administering a strong dose of false panacea, we surrendered our allegiance to the Democratic Party and became unenrolled.

Following the whirlwind ascent of Mr. Obama and his subsequent win of the presidency, I decided to celebrate the history making of the first black president. I understood the need for a person of color to redeem the country from the sins of the past. Like many Americans, I watched his inauguration and admired the young commander in chief and his beautiful family. I hoped for the best for the sake of the country. My husband was more cynical and said fat chance when I shared a cautious optimism for Mr. Obamas presidency.

Unfortunately, my husband was prescient. Mr. Obama had not been mincing words when he talked about fundamental transformation. In a State of the Union address, he humiliated the justices for their decision regarding Citizens United. During another address, he was adamant in his proclamation that the science is settled regarding climate change. Most scientists and innovators recognize that science is never settled. Otherwise, a United States would not exist, and we might continue to believe the world is flat.

Throughout these eight years, Mr. Obama also used the pulpit with charmed fallacies about ObamaCare and other regulations. He has excoriated Republicans, blaming them for gridlock and convincing the public it was indeed the fault of the GOP. Mr. Obama has minimized Americas exceptionalism as well as Americas role in the world. His silence stifled Irans Green Revolution in 2009 when the dissidents only request was rhetorical support. Many of us who paid heed wondered if it could help usher in a freer Iran. Alas, we will never know.

Some say Mr. Obama was correct for not meddling in another countrys affairs, but they gave him and his administration a pass when he did with others. Case in point, how about when Honduras wished to stay true to their constitution but President Zelaya did not? What about when President Obama pressured Israel to return the Golan Heights? A most recent example is when Mr. Obama lectured the British about staying in Brexit or they will go to the back of the queue? He could not, however, offer encouragement to the brave and stalwart dissidents of the number one sponsor of terrorism in the world.

For the last eight years, Mr. Obama has masterfully promised united we stand but has attempted to deliver divided we fall. He has embraced our foes and repudiated our allies. Identity politics have been put on steroids. His mellifluous yet inflammatory language such as If they bring a knife, you bring a gun or The future must not belong to those who slander the prophet of Islam is beyond provocative, never mind dangerous.

With all of these facts, do you think I can suggest for our liberal friends to at least read and consider the possibility they have worshipped a false God? How much could they be nudged to explore the truth about the modern Democrat Party? The answer is a resounding no on both accounts. Even one of my moderate friends said we must remain vigilant about Mr. Trump. My sarcastic response was a reminder of the last eight years. Speaking of Mr. Trump, he barely survived character assassination which would have been applied to anyone competing with Mrs. Clinton. For those who criticize Mr. Trump, his enduring pugnacity is what kept him in the race.

Some of my colleagues know my political orientation as do some of my clients who whisper in my office about their need to remain in the shadows. The clients who have opposing views I respect and encourage they give voice to their beliefs. Because of my work, I traverse many worlds. Although there are exceptions, I have found the people on the right to be far more tolerant and accepting.

A slow but steady departure from my profession could not be more timely. Many factors have contributed to this decision but a salient one is the inability to be my true self. I have evolved while others see it as devolved, and my enlightenment is observed as moving to the dark side. Although I will not shout my views from the rooftop as I wade into my new profession, politics and religion are eschewed so I can at least rest easy.

As Kimberly Strassel writes in her fabulous book, The Intimidation Game, the First Amendment not only protects free speech but assembly and anonymity. I did not realize how expansive a reach the First Amendment was prior to becoming engrossed in this book. Along with many other things about our remarkable country, I am most thankful for the first and most important amendment. Like many of you, I will remain informed but for now, do so anonymously.
In the end, he died like most people do  i.e., old age. No CIA assassination. No overthrow. Just an old man probably connected to a bunch of machines staying alive.

For most of us Cubans, and the ones who grew up here like me, this is a moment when images fly in your head.

First, I recall the morning Batista fled and the expectations. My mother serving us breakfast and my father on the phone talking about the future of Cuba. The phone did not stop ringing. My mother kept bringing my father coffee and offering her opinions as well. The TV was on with constant reports of Cuba. The Voice of America in Spanish on my father's short wave radio.

Most importantly, no one that morning had a clue of what would happen to Cuba in a few years.

Second, the Bay of Pigs and the Missile Crisis. As my mother would joke later: "Nosotros los primeros!" Or loosely translated, we would have been the first ones to go if the missiles were fired. Thankfully, the missiles were not fired, and my mother's words did not come to pass.

Third, I will always remember the day we left and the look on my mother's face when the plane took off.

Most of all, we remember how he destroyed Cuba. He came to power when Cuba was a very prosperous island with a growing middle class. It is not that country anymore, as Tim Worstall wrote:

Fidel Castro, the Communist Dictator of Cuba, has died at the age of 90. There have been those, over the decades, who have held him up as some paragon of a new world order, one in which people will not be subservient to either America nor capitalism. The truth is that he visited an economic disaster upon the island nation of Cuba. No, it was not the US, it was not any blockade or embargo, not anything external to Cuba that caused this, it was quite simply the idiocy of the economic policy followed, that socialism, which led to there being near no economic growth at all over the 55 years or so of his rule. What little that did occur happening when the strictest of his rules were relaxed. It is polite, human and common to withhold criticism of the dead in the immediate aftermath of their demise. But leaving 11 million people grossly poorer than they ought to be in the name of a bankrupt ideology is not the stuff of which hagiographic obituaries are made

He promised elections but kept delaying them. They never happened.

He denied that he was communist and locked up people like my dad's cousin for publicly saying so. A bit later, he declared himself a communist but did not release those who called him one.

In the end, he leaves a poor island with very little hope. He leaves political prisons, families crushed, and empty store shelves.

What happens now? This is a great opportunity for President-Elect Trump to demand some real concessions from the island's leadership.

Fidel's death is really the end of communism in Cuba. Raul is also an old man and probably won't be around in a few years, either.

Cuba is screaming for change. Let's hear it and demand real concessions from Raul Castro.

And please don't insult the memory of so many by sending a big delegation to his funeral. Stay away and show your respect for the thousands executed by this regime.

P.S. You can listen to my show (Canto Talk) and follow me on Twitter.
Let's add Jorge Castaneda, Mexicos foreign minister (2000 to 2003) and current professor at New York University, to the growing list of Mexicans who are just thinking too much about Trump.

Can we come to our senses, people of Mexico?

Mr. Castaneda, who is generally a good guy but talks too much, posted this over at the New York Times:

This year, for the first time since Ronald Reagan assailed the Soviet Union in 1980, an American presidential candidate actively campaigned against another countrys national interests. By threatening to deport all undocumented immigrants, about half of whom are Mexican; to build a wall on the Mexican border; and to rip up the North American Free Trade Agreement, which is far more important for Mexico than for the United States, Donald J. Trump made Mexico one of the central issues of the campaign. How should Mexicans respond now that Mr. Trump has been elected?

How should Mexicans respond? They can start by not taking Mr. Castaneda too seriously.

First, candidate Reagan assailed the USSR in 1980 because it was a threat to the U.S. and Mexico. It was only sensible that the man running to be the leader of the free world would campaign against the old Soviet Union. Are you kidding me with that comparison?

Second, deporting undocumented immigrants is what Mexico does every day. Is Mr. Castaneda calling on Mexico to stop enforcing its immigration laws?

Third, building a wall is an option. It is an option that a sovereign country has to defend itself. Hasn't Mexico spoken of building a "muro" on the Guatemala border?

Fourth, Mr. Trump has not called for ripping up NAFTA. He wants to renegotiate it, again an option for a sovereign country to exercise.

Let's get real, please.

Mexico and the U.S. have huge mutual interests. I'm sure Mr. Trump knows that and wants nothing to do with hurting a neighbor with one of the top 20 GDPs in the world.

At the same time, most of modern Mexico's problems have nothing to do with the U.S. PEMEX, the national monopoly, was made and corrupted by Mexicans. "El campo," as Mexicans call their countryside, is inefficient because of politically motivated policies intended to control farmers rather than grow food. It is these farmers' sons who pack up and leave because there is no future in Mexico.

So my advice to Mr. Castaneda is simple: stop thinking about Trump, and start thinking about making Mexico into the economic powerhouse that it can be. Mexico has great resources and a wonderful people but too many "politicos" like Mr. Castaneda, who always look north to point fingers.

P.S. You can listen to my show (Canto Talk) and follow me on Twitter.
Fidel Castro  the pop icon of bloodthirsty killers, drowner of desperate would-be escapees from his panacea of socialized medicine, and all-around authoritarian power-mongering cigar aficionado  has finally gone to meet his...well, no one. Worms. Decay. The slow rot that eats away whatever is left of a crotchety, worthless hull of a pseudo-man who hated human freedom as much as a sane, healthy man loves it.

May he rest wherever history tosses his carcass.

This sad passing will of course be a great photo opportunity for his fans and admirers among the progressive political elite, their handmaidens in the artistic class, and their fat slob deadbeat brothers  Barack Obama and Justin Trudeau, Oliver Stone and Steven Spielberg, and Michael Moore, respectively.

In the meantime, in honor of his passing  and if ever a passing deserved to be honored, it's this one  I would like to quote poet Ricardo Pau-Llosa, who fled to Florida with his parents in 1960 and writes often about the experience of Cubans living in exile. And yes, "exile" is the only correct word for it: the fate of men who wished to remain men and were therefore left no choice but to leave their homeland, or die trying, in rebellion against the inhuman schemes of Castro, his inveterate Stalinist thug cohort Che Guevara, and the rest of his communist insects, history's most theoretically rationalized punks.

Once they were men fully because they belonged, And everywhere they looked and chatted and sipped a bit of coffee, whisked away a fly with a wrist or jolted a newspaper readably straight, or flirted, or worried about the world and where the damn country was going as a trolley rolled and curtains dipped and bulged breast-like and hid again in the proper window. They were home and citizens of it and dared and loved and were decent and stole and killed and loved again. They were home. (From "For the Cuban Dead," by Ricardo Pau-Llosa)

They were home, and then they were exiled. Or imprisoned. Or devoured by sharks they dared to face rather than live as un-men. They are almost all dead now, and during their final years they had to watch the West's political and academic class fawning over Castro's "idealism." They had to watch a million peace-loving university students donning T-shirts emblazoned with the gun-crazy Guevara's mug, as though he were a movie star rather than a psychopath. They had to watch bootlicking leftist millionaires from the talented class (Spielberg, Sean Penn, et al.) to the remedial class (Moore) playing footsie with a communism that would decimate their lives in five seconds if they actually had to live it, rather than preach it to their alleged inferiors, the great unwashed.

The Cubans in exile have died, or are dying, as the world's progressives "mourn the loss" of their fellow sociopath, who used a bad government as an excuse to impose brutal totalitarianism.

And now the cause of those men's exile, Fidel Castro, has returned from his own long exile back to his true home. For he was never a man of this human world. He rose to destructive, strangling power from the shadows of death and nothingness. And to those shadows, at last, he has receded again.

So while his fans and acolytes among our own velvet-gloved thugs, the masters of our twisted universe of (what they call) "democracy" and "progress," lament the loss of their great spiritual leader, the rest of us owe a moment's thought to the country he destroyed, and the people he left in permanent exile, or worse. From Pau-Llosa's poem again:

There is no enough in exile. Not enough anger, and the blanket of safety always leaves the feet bare.

Let's ward off anger at last, then, by joining all Cubans in a happy toast: "Adios, Fidel!"

Visit darenjonescu.com for more about Castro and to read the author's new book, The Case Against Public Education.
What is to be done with Hillary Clinton and her crew? Indications are that President-Elect Trump is inclined to forgive her transgressions. As expected, there is already substantial pushback from conservatives. Thus, the story is still to be told.

All the evidence, thus far, is that Hillary has committed grave offenses with respect to national security. Her lieutenants appear just as guilty of criminal acts.

Moreover, while the president can pardon, he must not interfere with on-going Justice Department criminal investigations. Neither may he interfere with congressional investigations and findings. Regardless of President-Elect Trump's inclinations, the matter will likely remain unresolved for some time to come.

Let us explore this issue. I propose a solution that should be satisfying to all.

Hillary, and her associates abused classified documents. These range from the lowest level of Confidential to the highest level of Top Secret - Special Access Program. In between are Secret and Top Secret. It is important to recognize that these documents were removed, without authorization and without secure protection, from secure facilities. Such removal is itself a crime. An even greater crime is replicating and exposing Special Access information. Replicating, or exposing, Special Access documents is espionage!

Confidential documents usually do not contain information of great significance. On the other hand, Secret, Top Secret, and especially Special Access documents could cause immediate, and irreparable, harm to America if their contents were to be discovered by adversaries. Lives may depend on the security of these documents. Sources of critical intelligence would likely dry up. Even worse may happen.

Most of Hillary's hundreds of classified emails were marked (or unmarked) Confidential. There apparently were only a scattering of higher-level documents, including Special Access. So what? What great harm would come from these documents?

Let us now enter the realm of speculation. I hesitate to tread here because this is an area outside my expertise. Nonetheless, let us engage in a "what-if."

Classified documents, at all classification levels, might become effective cribs for cracking our secure communication encryption systems. The more cribs, the easier it is to break a crypto system. If that were to happen, then the government's secure communication system would be broken and would need very expensive replacement. If this speculation is correct, Hillary may be guilty of one of the great crimes of American history.

We don't know that this is the case. It is very likely we will never find out, because this is a super-sensitive security issue. Political calculation, as much as anything, will determine what happens next.

The new President Trump should allow the justice system to work, for there is a solution that could increase his stature while affirming his conservative credentials. The Justice Department should appoint an independent counsel to conduct a wide-ranging investigation of Hillary's activities. Congress can do likewise.

In order to neutralize liberal attacks on the investigation, the independent counsel should be a well known liberal of impeccable honor, integrity, and patriotism. He should be bulldog tenacious. And he should be brilliant. My choice would be Alan Dershowitz.

Let us assume that the independent counsel provides ample evidence of Hillary's criminal negligence, and other criminal activities, so that a trial would inevitably lead to conviction  conviction not only of Hillary, but also of many of those around her. The president should pardon Hillary before trial  but fully release all unclassified information about her activities. This pardon would be, in part, to protect possible encryption secrets and, in part, to relieve political tensions.

To prison would go everyone else who had a part in her illegal activities  particularly those who actively engaged in the espionage. These convictions would send a message to anyone, in the future, whose ambition inclines him to follow a scoundrel.

Any good leader protects his followers and shares their fate. For a leader to abandon his followers to their doom is just about the most disgraceful act imaginable. This would be one consequence of a presidential pardon, but the conviction of Hillary's followers. The pardoned leader is condemned to slink away into personal obscurity. But the disgrace lives on.

As for future followers? Such would be well advised by this denouement to stand well clear of leaders of dubious integrity and lack of honor. Such leaders are dangerous to be around. The lesson is an old one, but it must be periodically retaught.

This result would be politically devastating to the far left and would provide an exemplary lesson for all who are politically ambitious. At last the mess would be behind us. Best of all, the rule of law would be restored.
Central American governments are warning that tens of thousands of people are leaving their countries and heading north to the U.S., trying to make it to the border before Donald Trump takes office.

Reuters:

Trump's tough campaign rhetoric sent tremors through the slums of Central America and the close-knit migrant communities in U.S. cities, with many choosing to fast-forward their plans and migrate north before Trump takes office on Jan. 20.

During fiscal year 2016, the United States detained nearly 410,000 people along the southwest border with Mexico, up about a quarter from the previous year. The vast majority hail from Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras.

Since Trump's victory, the number of people flocking north has surged, Central American officials say, contributing to a growing logjam along the southern U.S. border.

"We're worried because we're seeing a rise in the flow of migrants leaving the country, who have been urged to leave by coyotes telling them that they have to reach the United States before Trump takes office," Maria Andrea Matamoros, Honduras' deputy foreign minister, told Reuters, referring to people smugglers.

Carlos Raul Morales, Guatemala's foreign minister, told Reuters people were also leaving Guatemala en masse before Trump becomes president.

"The coyotes are leaving people in debt, and taking their property as payment for the journey," he said in an interview.

Last week, U.S. Customs and Border Protection opened a temporary holding facility for up to 500 people near the Texan border with Mexico, in what it said was a response to a marked uptick in illegal border crossings.

U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson said earlier this month immigration detention facilities were holding about 10,000 more individuals than usual, after a spike in October of migrants including unaccompanied children, families and asylum seekers.

Unemployed and sick of the lack of opportunities and endemic gang violence that blight his poor neighborhood in the town of San Marcos, south of San Salvador, Carlos Garcia, 25, said he was looking to enter the United States before Trump assumes power.

"There's one thing I'm very clear about," he said. "I want to get out of here."
Some of my most vivid memories of 9/11 were:

1) The second plane crashing above me into 2 World Trade Center.

2) People falling from the buildings, and on the ground running for their lives.

3) Later, imans wailing about "Allah" on the radio, as if this were Saudi Arabia state programming.

4) And, some time after 9/11, the incredible scene of several members of the Bush administration going to a mosque to show their solidarity with Islam (where Bush was also speaking). One of them was Frances Townsend, the former Homeland Security adviser to President Bush. She's the one on the left in the photo below, wearing the makeshift hijab, as she attends the mosque event, which was also attended by the head of CAIR, the Hamas front group.

Now Townsend is reportedly under consideration to take back her job under Donald Trump. Others like Milwaukee sheriff David Clarke are also under consideration. Let's hope Trump selects Clarke.

Here's why he shouldn't pick Townsend:

1) A former Obama administration official calls her a "calming influence,",which is code for a less than aggressive take on radical Islam.

2) She criticized Trump's proposed ban on Muslim immigration.

She criticized Trumps proposed ban on Muslim travel to the United States (since revised and re-revised by the president-elect many times) as dangerous, given that it could alienate Arab allies.

3) She was an enemy of Trump until quite recently.

She also signed on to a letter along with more than 50 other conservative foreign policy experts labeling Trump unfit for the Oval Office, although since his election, she has hinted at softening that position.

4) She had the poor taste to don a hijab, showing subservience, rather than opposition, to one of the most conservative forms of sharia law.

This is not a woman who should have her old job back. Let's hope Trump is informed about her past and picks someone else. If she wants to wear a hijab or a burka, let her do it on her own dime and on her own time.

Ed Straker is the senior writer at NewsMachete.com.
Pseudonymous blogger Publius famously called the 2016 election a Flight 93 election for conservatives. However, the 2016 presidential election appears to have been a Flight 93 election for another group: gun control advocates. The Supreme Court justices Donald Trump appears likely to appoint will severely limit the scope of future gun control legislation.

In 2008, the Supreme Court overturned the District of Columbia's handgun ban, along with their safe storage requirement. The 5-4 ruling upheld an individual right to own a firearm for personal protection, unrelated to any militia service. While recognizing an individual right to bear arms, the court also found that some regulations are permissible under the Second Amendment.

The court's ruling left mostly open the question of which regulations would be permissible and which would not. Handgun bans would be out of the question, but the constitutionality of bans on assault weapons or large-capacity magazines remains open. The justices Donald Trump appoints will play a decisive role in answering these questions.

Donald Trump will not only appoint Scalia's replacement, but likely appoint replacements for Anthony Kennedy and Clarence Thomas. Kennedy is 80 years old and will probably choose to retire now that a Republican president will pick his replacement. Clarence Thomas is only 68, but reports indicate he is interested in retiring.

Ruth Bader Ginsburg is 83, but she clearly wants a Democrat president to appoint her replacement. However, she may not be able to hold out for another four to eight years. Similarly, Stephen Breyer is 78 years old. Trump could very well replace at least one of these justices, especially if he wins a second term.

Assuming Donald Trump makes conservative appointments, conservatives will have between a 5-4 and a 7-2 majority. In other words, a conservative Supreme Court will determine the scope of the Second Amendment.

Unless the Supreme Court overturns the Heller decision, Australian-style gun control is probably impossible. While the court may defer to the legislative branch, allowing a broad array of gun laws to stand, they would almost certainly reject the type of onerous licensing that defines the Australian system. We may be witnessing the quiet death of the gun control movement.

For the most passionate advocates of gun control, the ultimate goal was never an assault weapons ban or universal background checks. For them, the ultimate goal was a system that included very high barriers to gun ownership, along with major restrictions on the type of weapon one could own. The overarching goal of such regulations would be to reduce the number of gun owners and the number of guns in private hands. That dream may have just died.

Roe v. Wade didn't end the abortion debate, but it greatly limited the scope of possible legislation. For practical purposes, our present abortion debate concerns late-term abortion, leaving the basic question of whether abortion should be legal at all untouched. The gun control debate may be headed in a similar direction.
iStock/Thinkstock(CHICAGO) -- Authorities are investigating the police-involved shooting death of a 19-year-old man in Chicago on Wednesday.



The shooting occurred around 11:07 p.m. in the 1400-block of West 65th Street, the Chicago Police Department (CPD) said in a statement.



According to local ABC-owned station WLS-TV, a family spokesperson identified the deceased as Kajuan Raye of Dolton, Illinois. The Chicago Tribune reports that the Cook County Medical Examiner identified the victim as Raye as well.



Raye was shot multiple times in the stomach and later died from a gunshot wound to the back, according to the Cook County Medical Examiner, WLS-TV reported.



The death has been ruled a homicide, according to the Cook County Medical Examiner, WLS-TV reported.



According to police, an Englewood District sergeant, who has not been identified, was responding to call about a battery in progress when the sergeant observed a male matching a description of the suspect take off on foot.



Police said in the statement that the suspect "pointed a weapon in the direction of the Sergeant on two separate occasions during the pursuit."



"The Sergeant then indicated he discharged his weapon striking the offender," the statement reads.



Chicago police Superintendent Eddie Johnson told reporters on Thursday that no weapon has been recovered at the scene, according to the Chicago Tribune.



"Currently, CPD detectives and internal affairs investigators are conducting a grid search to locate any physical evidence and the offender's weapon," police said in the statement.



In a statement to WLS-TV, a family spokesperson said in part that the "family and friends of Kajuan Raye are heart-broken" by his death.



"The family has retained a very competent law firm to investigate, get answers and hold accountable this officer and Chicago Police Department. In the future a vigil will be held in the memory of this fun-loving and happy kid who had a bright future," the family statement reads.



Raye's family maintains that he did not own a gun, according to WLS-TV.



The shooting is being investigated by the Independent Police Review Authority, police said. The sergeant has been placed on routine administrative duties for the next 30 days, according to WLS-TV.

Copyright  2016, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 26, ARMENPRESS. President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan has been reelected as the Chairman of the Republican Party of Armenia.

Armenpress reports Serzh Sargsyans candidacy was nominated at the 16thcongress of the RPA. Yerevan Mayor Taron Margaryan was the one to nominate. Considering the great political experience of the President of Armenia and Chairman of the RPA Serzh Sargsyan, as well as our deep confidence in him, I propose to register Serzh Sargsyan as a candidate for the chairman of the Republican Party of Armenia, Taron Margaryan said.

The election of the chairman was held in an open vote format. Serzh Sargsyan was unanimously elected Chairman of the Republican Party of Armenia.

President Sargsyan thanked for being reelected the Chairman of the largest political establishment of Armenia, RPA. He stated that a very responsible period faces them and there is much to be done, stressing that at the same time they have a consolidated team and rich experience.

The reports of the Chairman of the party, audit commission, as well as the amendments in the party charter and program were adopted.
We get celebrities to give their take on a current issue each week and lend their perspective to a much-discussed topic.

The legislative branch of Parliament, to that effect, has cleared his bill, and he hopes cheap, regulated and medically supervised natural intoxicants will help rid the society of dangerous synthetic drugs.

A Patiala MP, Dr Dharamvira Gandhi is seeking to legalise non-synthetic drugs like marijuana and opium. The legislative branch of Parliament, to that effect, has cleared his bill, and he hopes cheap, regulated and medically supervised natural intoxicants will help rid the society of dangerous synthetic drugs. Hes argued that thanks to Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act 1985, most drugs were made illegal and as common man's recreational substances were made unavailable, the newer, more potent, addictive and dangerous alternative drugs flooded the markets. We speak to lawmakers and celebrities on whether or not loosening the laws on naturally occurring substances like marijuana and opium is a good move for the society.

They are safer and less violent than alcohol

Tanishaa Mukerji, Actor

As a culture we have always used some form of a natural drug whether it is opium, bhaang or hash. Making it legal will definitely reduce the use of synthetic drugs and I believe they are safer and less violent than alcohol so we will definitely become a more peaceful society.

Makes sense only in theory

Vivek Dahiya, Actor

It looks like the government wants to bring Amsterdam to the subcontinent. This works in places where economy is already productive and mature and where people understand their moral obligations towards society. I dont think people in India would be able to handle it. Although it makes sense in theory. And then again Netherlands is a very small country with strong respect for rules. India has a diverse demography and rules are not always understood clearly.

Dont believe in getting stoned all day

Sanjay Manaktala, Comedian

I think the legalisation of these drugs is a good thing. Its already legal in Europe and practically legal in the majority of the US. I dont believe in getting stoned all day, as Im an adult and have responsibilities, but these days in any country (including India) its easier to get marijuana illegally than alcohol legally. Add to that the fact that studies have shown things like marijuana have many medical benefits, and it makes sense. The only issue is the moral dilemma but lets be honest, alcohol has been around and abused forever (along with cigarettes) and as a society weve collectively been able to manage how we use/abuse these things in moderation. Its not a problem of access  its just a matter of legalising, regulating and then educating, which I think, luckily, the media does for us anyways.

Legalisation should not lead to easy access

Akun Sabharwal (Dy. Inspector General of Police, Hyderabad Range)

There is some sense in what the MP is saying. However, legalisation should not lead to easy access, especially to youngsters. Also, it should not reduce its perceived risks in the minds of the people. Strong checks and balances will be needed to be out in place. Most importantly, the laws will have to be changed. No correlation (between the legalising of non-synthetic drugs and consumption of synthetic drugs) has been brought out in areas of the world where these have been legalised. Legalising may create addicts; if enforcement isnt smart.

If medically regulated, these drugs can do well

Sudev Nair, Actor

I have come to know about this matter and feel its for the good of people in general. Marijuana was earlier legal till the 1970s or 1980s. If medically regulated, these drugs can do well. Whichever legislative body that approves this proposal would know the scientific studies it necessitates before implementation. With a doctors prescription, these naturally occurring intoxicants can have applications in psychiatric and anti-depressant treatments and prevent people from seeking other sources to obtain them. I have little expertise to delve into the recreational aspects of these substances. Tobacco and alcohol are also intoxicants. Even though alcohol is easily available in the market, isnt the sale of spurious liquor taking place? All it requires is a proper regulatory measure in place to prevent misuse of these substances.
Stating that there are 500 judges' posts lying vacant in High Courts, Thakur said that courtrooms are lying vacant without judges.

New Delhi: Differences between judiciary and government continued to be aired in the open with Chief Justice of India T S Thakur today saying there is shortage of judges in high courts and tribunals requiring government intervention, a view Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad strongly disagreed with.

"500 judges posts are vacant in the high courts. They should be working today, but they are not. At present, there are several vacant courtrooms in India but no judges available. A large number of proposals are still pending and hope the government will intervene to end this crisis," Justice Thakur said while addressing an All India Conference of Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT).

Disagreeing with the CJI, the Law Minister said the government has made 120 appointments this year which was the second highest since 1990. The highest number of appointments of 121 were made in 2013, Prasad said.

"We respectfully disagree with him (CJI). This year we have made 120 appointments. The second highest of 121 is of 2013. Since 1990 there have been only 80 appointments. 5,000 vacancies are there in the lower judiciary in which the government of India has no role to play. That is something only for the judiciary to take care.

"As far as infrastructure is concerned, that is a continuous process. Where the larger issue of appointment is concerned, there is a Supreme Court decision of making the Memorandum of Procedure (MoP) more transparent, objective, reasonable, fair and the government stand is pending for the last more than three months and we are yet to hear from the Supreme Court," he said.

The CJI said that "manpower deficit" was also present in the tribunals which also faced the problem of lack of infrastructure leading to pendency of cases for five to seven years, apart from making apex court judges averse to heading such quasi-judicial bodies.

"State of affairs in the tribunals is giving me the impression that you (tribunals) are no better. You are suffering from the same kind of deficit, manpower deficit. You cannot set up a tribunal, you cannot set up a bench at so many places because there are no members."

"If the total strength of this tribunal is 65 and if you have 18 or 20 vacancies then it means that you are short by a large number. The working is going to be affected and that is why you have cases that are more than five years and seven years old," he said adding "the least that you (government) must do is to ensure that these tribunals run with full strength."

The CJI also said the tribunals "are not equipped and are lying empty and today a situation has come that no retired Supreme Court judge wants to head the Tribunal. I am pained to send my retired colleagues there".

"Government is not ready to give proper facilities. Vacancy apart from infrastructure is a major concern for the Tribunal," he added.

During the conference, the CJI said there was a need to amend the rules for appointment of chairpersons and members of various tribunals so that the judges of the high courts can also be eligible for the posts.

Speaking at the event, Prasad, who is also the Union Minister for Electronics and Information Technology, said that the CAT has been a unique experience even amongst the tribunals since it is a successful blend of judicial and administrative excellence.

He said CAT has rendered a "yeoman's role in the evolution of service matters and framing of rules".

He said that the rising number of appeals against CAT judgements before high courts and the Supreme Court compounds the problem of pending litigations, and suggested exploring the idea of inter-court appeal as an alternative.

Supreme Court judge Justice J Chelameswar said that lack of precision in the law and judicial rulings favouring both the rival parties are the prime reasons for the mounting arrears in service-related litigations.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis paid homage to those who laid their lives down while fighting terrorists.

Mumbai: Floral tributes were on Saturday paid to those who laid down their lives while fighting terrorists who had attacked the metropolis on this day eight years ago.



Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis was among the dignitaries who paid homage at the 26/11 police memorial site at the Mumbai Police Gymkhana in south Mumbai.



"I pay homage to the brave policemen who fought for Mumbai's safety and laid down their lives for us on 26/11. We are proud of them and we will strive hard for safety and security of our state," Fadnavis said.



"We will strengthen police force with better equipment. It is our priority," he said.



Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao, Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray, former Mumbai police commissioners Julio Ribeiro, M N Singh and several senior present and former police officers were present.



Maharashtra police chief Satish Mathur and Mumbai CP Datta Padsalgikar were away on official duty and could not attend the ceremony.



Family members of the policemen, who lost their lives during the November 2008 attacks, were also present during the ceremony.



On November 26, 2008, 10 Pakistani terrorists arrived by sea route and opened fire indiscriminately at people killing 166, including 18 security personnel, and injuring several others, besides damaging property worth crores.



The then ATS chief Hemant Karkare, Army Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan, Mumbai's Additional Police Commissioner Ashok Kamte and Senior Police Inspector Vijay Salaskar were among those killed in the attack.



The attack had begun on 26 November and lasted until 29 November. Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, the Oberoi Trident, the Taj Mahal Palace & Tower, Leopold Cafe, Cama Hospital, the Nariman House Jewish community centre were some of the places targeted by the terrorists.



Ajmal Kasab was the only terrorist who was captured alive. He was hanged four years later on November 21, 2012.
The new governing board will be a 14-member body that will be chaired by the chancellor.

New Delhi: In a huge embarrassment for the Indian government, former Singapore foreign minister George Yeo, the second chancellor of Nalanda University after Nobel laureate Amartya Sen, on Friday resigned from the post saying the universitys autonomy was being affected as he was not even given notice of leadership changes in the institution.

The circumstances under which the leadership change in Nalanda University has been suddenly and summarily effected is disturbing and possibly harmful to the universitys development, Mr Yeo said in a statement to the members of the earlier board of the university. For reasons not entirely clear to me, the Government of India has decided to form the new governing board with immediate effect before the act is amended. This is of course entirely the prerogative of the Government of India, he said.

The board was reconstituted November 21 by President Pranab Mukherjee, who is the universitys visitor, that severed Dr Sens nearly decade-long association with the institution.

It is puzzling why I, as chancellor, was not even given notice of it. When I was invited to take over responsibility from Amartya Sen last year, I was repeatedly assured that the university would have autonomy. This appears not to be the case now. Accordingly, and with deep sadness, I have submitted my letter of resignation as chancellor to the visitor, Mr Yeo was quoted as saying in a statement.

PTI cited sources as saying the President, in his capacity as visitor of the university, approved the reconstitution of the governing board in accordance with provisions of the Nalanda University Act 2010. He also approved giving temporary charge as vice-chancellor to the seniormost dean as current V-C Gopa Sabharwals one-year extension expired on Thursday. It will apparently be a stopgap measure until the new vice-chancellor is named.

The new governing board will be a 14-member body that will be chaired by the chancellor. It will also comprise the vice-chancellor, along with five members nominated by India, China, Australia, Laos and Thailand. Former revenue secretary N.K. Singh, also a member of the Nalanda Mentors Group, will represent India.

Mr Yeo said that pending the appointment of a new vice-chancellor, incumbent Gopa Sabharwal, whose term ended Thursday, was to stay in place to ensure there is no hiatus in the leadership of the university. This was also provided in university statutes and fully supported by the old governing board.

However, on November 22, the visitor overruled the governing board and directed (that) the seniormost dean be appointed instead, Mr Yeo said. He said when he was appointed chancellor in July this year, I was told that a new governing board would be formed under an amended act, core aspects of which the ministry of external affairs sought my views on.

It has been an honour and a privilege for me to be associated with the revival of Nalanda over the last decade, to serve as a member of the NMG and the governing board under the leadership of Amartya Sen, and to be appointed its second chancellor. Despite difficult circumstances, the university has made remarkable progress through the tireless effort of Dr Gopa Sabharwal and her colleagues... Nalanda is an idea whose time has come and larger than any one of us, Mr Yeo added.
PM Modi also brought up the issue of water-sharing with Pakistan and the Indus Water Treaty.

Chandigarh/Bathinda: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said Pakistan was yet to recover from the setback of the surgical strikes and the Pakistan army was now fully aware of what the Indian soldiers were capable of.

Earlier, soldiers were unable to show their valour despite having the strength. But now Pakistan has seen the strength of our brave soldiers after they carried out surgical strikes in the 250-kilometre area across the LoC, Mr Modi said, while attending the inauguration of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in Bathinda. He went on to say that the Pakistani public should ask their leaders to fight against black money and corruption rather than fighting any country.

By fighting against India, they (Pakistan) are damaging themselves and killing innocents as well. The Pakistani people also want freedom from poverty. For the sake of political benefits, this atmosphere has been created by them (politicians), he said.

PM Modi also brought up the issue of water-sharing with Pakistan and the Indus Water Treaty.

He said that Indias share of water from the rivers Sutlej, Beas and Ravi, which are currently going to Pakistan would be used effectively to irrigate the fields of Punjab and Jammu & Kashmir. As per the Indus Water Treaty  Sutlej, Beas, Ravi  the waters in these rivers belong to India and our farmers. It is not even being used in the fields of Pakistan, but flowing into the sea through Pakistan, he said, adding that he was committed to making sure every drop of this water reached Indian farmers. The fields of our farmers must have adequate water. Water that belongs to India cannot be allowed to go to Pakistan...The government will do everything to provide enough water to our farmers, he said. He went on to add that a special task force had already been constituted to action this.

Criticising the previous governments at the Centre, Mr Modi said, Water kept flowing to Pakistan, but successive governments kept sleeping on this issue and my farmers kept crying for water. He added that this was not a political gimmick to seek votes, but was a result of his concern for the welfare of farmers. For me elections do not matter. I am more concerned about the welfare of the farmers, he said.
PM also pointed out that civic bodies had benefited hugely by the demonetisation move.

New Delhi: With the Opposition stepping up attacks over the Centres controversial demonetisation scheme, Prime Minister Narendra Modi hit back at his political rivals on Friday, saying they would have lavished praise on him if he had given them time before announcing the move. The PMs remark yet again saw a united Opposition demanding an apology for him and stalling proceedings in both Houses of Parliament. The government, however, categorically rejected the demand.

Some people are criticising, saying the government did not make ample preparations. I think that is not the issue  that the government didnt make ample preparations. I think the pain of such people is that the government did not give a chance (to others) to make any preparations. If these people had got 72 hours to make their preparations, they would have lavished praise that there is no one like Modi, he said at a book launch here.

The PMs remarks came amid a standoff in Parliament on the issue, with the Opposition stepping up its attacks on the government. Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had on Thursday said the step was a case of organised loot and legalised plunder and it reflected a monumental management failure.

Mr Modi said the country was fighting a big battle against corruption and black money and the ordinary citizen was the soldier in this fight. Noting Indias name figures prominently in global corruption surveys, which was not something to be proud of, he said some decisions had to be taken in the interests of the nation.

The PM also pointed out that civic bodies had benefited hugely by the demonetisation move. I got details about municipal corporations in some cities. Earlier, they used to get Rs 3,000-3,500 crores in taxes, but after November 8 they have collected Rs 13,000 crores in tax. This money will be used for development like construction of roads and electricity supply, the Prime Minister said.

Meanwhile, noisy scenes and pandemonium continued in the Lok Sabha for the seventh consecutive day, with the Opposition members up on their feet for most part of the days proceedings which saw two adjournments  at 11.20 am and then again during Zero Hour at 12.35 pm, before it was adjourned for the day. The day started with Speaker Sumitra Mahajans references to the Constitution Day Saturday and to the eighth anniversary of the 26/11 terror attacks in Mumbai before sloganeering Opposition MPs trooped to the Well of the House demanding an apology from Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his dig at their protest against demonetisation.

Leader of the Congress in the House Mallikarjun Kharge said: The issue now is not our demand for an adjournment motion but the remarks of the Prime Minister... He said the Opposition supports black money.

The Opposition were heard shouting: Pradhan Mantri sadan mein aao... Himmat hai toh sadan mein bolo (PM, if you have courage, come and speak in the House).

All this while, many Congress members tried to draw the Speakers attention to Mr Kharge, who had been wanting to speak, but it was a futile exercise, leaving him visibly dismayed. Ms Mahajan said: You will remain in the Well, shout slogans, tear papers and would like to speak as well. I cannot allow it.

With the Congress, TMC, Left and RJD members continuing their loud protests, the House was adjourned for the week at 12.35 pm.

In the Rajya Sabha, as soon as the House met for the day, BSP leader Mayawati was on her feet saying the Prime Minister had in the morning wrongly accused the Opposition of holding black money, and demanded that he should apologise for his remarks.

Leader of the Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad questioned how Mr Modi could make such allegations when it was made very clear by former PM Manmohan Singh and others during the debate on demonetisation on Thursday that the Opposition was against black money.

How can the Prime Minister level such an allegation? ... We are against black money. The Prime Minister must apologise, he said, as the Congress and other Opposition members trooped into the Well, shouting slogans like Pradhan Mantri, maafi mango. The Prime Minister says the Opposition is favouring black money. This is an insult of the House and of the Opposition. When we have said we are against black money, when the entire Opposition has said the same, how can he say that? The Prime Minister should apologise, Mr Azad added.

Amid the din, minister of state for parliamentary affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi was heard saying that there was no question of an apology from the Prime Minister, instead the Opposition should tender an apology. At this point, the Congress members trooped into the Well raising slogans as several BJP members were seen standing in the aisles and shouting back.

As the uproar continued, the Chair adjourned the House till 2.30 pm. As similar unruly scenes erupted again when the House reassembled, the deputy speaker adjourned the House for the day.
Mr Gandhi said on Friday that he was waiting to see what new emotion the Prime Minister would express over the matter now.

New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party hit back at Rahul Gandhi on Saturday for mocking Prime Minister Narendra Modis absence in Parliament, and said it was ironical that the Congress vice-president makes such assertions given the fact that he was adjudged the worst parliamentarian in the history of Lok Sabha.

Rahul Gandhi, who bunks Parliament most of the time, who is not seen to be doing worthwhile work outside the Parliament, I think he is not really worthy to make such comments. I think it is a joke, because Rahul Gandhi has been adjudged to be one the worst parliamentarians in the previous term and that continues to be the case in the present Lok Sabha as well, BJP leader G.V.L. Narasimha Rao told reporters.

Mr Rao further said it is not worthy of Mr Gandhi to comment on the Prime Minister as the latter has been working for the welfare of the people and working to ensure that the country is back on track.

For the last two-and-half years, he has brought about massive transformation and discipline into governance. So, for the Congress Party to demand Prime Minister Modis attendance they should first tell Rahul Gandhi to learn the basics of parliamentary responsibility and accountability, he added.

The BJP leaders comments came a day after Mr Gandhi took a dig at Prime Minister Modi for not speaking in the debate on demonetisation in Parliament.

Mr Gandhi said on Friday that he was waiting to see what new emotion the Prime Minister would express over the matter now, as his expressions outside the Parliament expose his nervousness.

He was earlier laughing and then he cried outside the Parliament, he should come in House and then we will see what new emotion he will show us here, he said.
This employee definitely needs a raise!

CCTV footage shows how the intruder, who had arrived in a black Hyundai, made a quick exit after the store employee threw small bags of confectionary at him. (Credit: YouTube)

A brave shop worker defended his workplace from armed robbers by attacking them with sweets during an attack. CCTV footage shows how the intruder, who had arrived in a black Hyundai, made a quick exit after the store employee threw small bags of confectionary at him.

The burglar was trying to enter a service station in Aberdare, New South Wales and was caught on camera, reports The Maitland Mercury. The attacker is seen brandishing a metal bar but was not able to intimidate the employees.

The police are now investigating the case. Click on the link below to view the video:
While expressing concern that the lack of security measures may pose danger to people residing in nearby areas.

New Delhi: Fearing that the stray leopard may pose danger to humans in the nearby areas, Delhis lone leopard, spotted in Yamuna Biodiversity Park recently, is likely to be shifted to the Rajaji National Park in Uttarakhand by the city government.

However, the decision, taken a day after a leopard was hacked to death by angry villagers in Gurgaons Sohna area, has left the authorities of the DDA-run park (under Centre) in a quandary as the leopards presence had thrilled ecologists and scientists alike.

Delhi environment Mmnister Imran Hussain said that the sighting of the wild cat was a good indicator of quality forest area, while expressing concern that the lack of security measures may pose danger to people residing in nearby areas.

It is my dilemma as an ecologist. We are here to address the trophic structure and the presence of the leopard completes it. Its presence ensures a complete food chain and gives us satisfaction that we are doing things right, Faiyaz Khudsar, the scientist in-charge at the park, told a news agency.

When contacted, Delhis chief wildlife warden A.K. Shukla, who is the custodian of all animals within the boundaries of the national capital under the Wildlife Protection Act 1972, said the decision was taken considering the fact that stray animals tend to get ferocious after one point.

It has strayed from its group. And shifting it becomes important especially after what happened in Gurgaon, Mr Shukla said.
The four cops, who have been transferred, had allegedly siphoned the cash and did not inform their seniors about the raid.

Aisa activists take part in a protest march against Prime Minister Narendra Modis demonetisation drive in New Delhi on Saturday. (Photo: Bunny Smith)

New Delhi: Its been just over 15 days since the demonetisation scheme was announced and 11 Delhi police personnel are already facing legal and disciplinary actions due to cash-related violations. These allegations range from blackmailing to under-reporting of seizures.

A senior police official told that based on the complaints received against the personnel, separate cases have been registered against all the policemen named in the complaints and if the alleged are found involved in any wrongdoing during the investigation, strict action will be taken against them.

Most of these cases are isolated ones and it will be unfair to link them to demonetisation. That action has been initiated in each one of these cases, is also an encouraging sign. Black sheeps will be punished, said a senior police official.

Meanwhile, an SHO confirmed that top bosses have already instructed their entire staff to refrain themselves from any kind of lucrative offers from any person during raids on black money hoarders.

During the last one-week, three cases of alleged corruption involving the Delhi police have been reported across the city.

On November 25, a Delhi police inspector and his three junior officers from special staff of the Outer District were transferred to the district lines and relieved of their present posting after their alleged involvement in siphoning off Rs 10 lakh from a man caught with Rs 30 lakh cash. An inquiry has been ordered against the four.

On November 23, an FIR was registered against the SHO of Jahangirpuri police station and his three junior staff for allegedly embezzling Rs 1 crore that was seized from a scrap dealer during a raid on November 15.

The four cops, who have been transferred, had allegedly siphoned the cash and did not inform their seniors about the raid.

On November 24, three traffic police constables have been booked for allegedly extorting Rs 1.20 lakh, mostly in demonetised Rs 500 notes, from a Janakpuri resident in New Delhi when he was carrying the money meant for his nephews wedding.

Meanwhile, Delhi Congress chief Ajay Maken on Saturday again attacked the Modi government for ill-planned and badly-executed implementation of demonetisation and sought an explanation from the Prime Minister about the reasons of problems being faced by the people.
Adrain, a foreign national from Netherlands, said that it was horrible running from one ATM to another.

New Delhi: For Kim, a 22-year-old Korean national, visiting India was a dream. But for the last two days, she has been struggling to get her currency exchanged as she has her tour planned for Jaipur, Agra, and Varanasi.

I was carrying Rs 10,000 cash, all in denominations of Rs 100 notes. But most of the cash has finished as I had to manage the travel expenses of some of my other friends as well for they are yet to come to India, she said.

In the wake of the paucity of cash inflow and lengthy queues, many foreign tourists had to shelve their plans and were seen on India de-tour on Saturday in Paharganj, the most sought after place to stay for foreign nationals.

In one such instance, speaking to this correspondent, Adrain, a foreign national from Netherlands, said that it was horrible, running from one ATM to another to get money. I have been running since morning and most of the ATMs had no money. By the time the money arrived, I had already missed my bus scheduled for sightseeing, said Adrain, who, along with his friend, has been living in Paharganj in New Delhi. A group hailing from California alleged that one of their members was even duped by conmen, who, on the pretext of getting the currency exchanged, made away with their money. Let alone the travel, managing food expense, staying and commuting locally has also posed a great challenge for many of them now. If you want to meet them, go to the ATMs nearby or Ashoka Hotel where you will find many of them queued in lines to get their currency exchanged. They leave the hotels in the morning and come back only after lunch, empty-handed, said an employee of Plaza Hotel in Paharganj where a few international tourists had checked in and are facing a lot of trouble due to currency ban. The pinch of demonetisation was seen clearly in the bustling Paharganj market which houses scores of hotels and lodges where majority of the foreign tourist stay.
Common people are suffering miserably while Modiji is relaxing and spreading lies, says Mamata

Kolkata: Stepping up her attack against Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the demonetisation issue on Friday, Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee called him a bad politician and a worse administrator, who is spreading lies and relaxing even as the common people continue to suffer.

Modiji has lost all credibility. A bad politician and even worse administrator. He is lying, she said in a statement here.

The Trinamul Congress (TMC) chief, who is at the forefront of the Opposition attack against the Modi government on the issue, said, All Opposition is united, and you are divided!

She also claimed that Rs 1.28 lakh crore had been lost forever due to the scrapping of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes.

Shocking that Rs 1.28 lakh crore has been lost forever due to note-ban only in transactions in the country, according to CMIE, a top research body. World-famous Moodys says note ban will badly disrupt economic activity, she said.

Common people are suffering miserably while Modiji is relaxing and spreading lies, she said.

Ms Banerjee, who had staged dharna in New Delhi on November 23, also met President Pranab Mukherjee on Thursday to discuss the issue.

The TMC will organise a rally in the city on November 28. The Bengal chief minister is scheduled to address a meeting in Lucknow on November 29 and in Patna the next day.
Officials said the centres caretaker, Basanti Chakraborty, is currently absconding.

Widening the net of its probe, the CID raided several nursing homes in Nadia, Burdwan and Hooghly during the day.

Kolkata: Days after busting a child trafficking racket in Baduria, the criminal investigation department (CID) Saturday rescued 20 children, ten of whom are infants, from Millennium Old Age and Rehab Centre at Dostipur in South 24 Parganas Joka. The CID had arrested the centres owner, Bimal Adhikari (61), on Friday. He was produced before a local court, which remanded him to ten days police custody.

On Saturday morning, a team of representatives of the state child development department visited the centre along with officers of the Falta police station for inspection. The team was surprised not to find any elderly man or woman living there, an official said. The team instead found 20 children, and shifted them to a rehabilitation centre. Officials said the centres caretaker, Basanti Chakraborty, is currently absconding.

Local residents alleged they never saw any aged person at the centre. The centre was home for children with newborns being brought in cartons of biscuits at night, Gunadhar Haldar, a local, said. Another villager claimed childless couples were regular visitors at the centre.

Meanwhile, the ten newborns rescued by the CID from an old age home in Thakurpukur early Friday are suffering from infection and malnutrition, according to the doctors of the ESI Hospital where they undergoing treatment. Hospital superintendent Samir Kumar Chaudhury said the newborns were covered with dust when they were brought in. The children werent getting proper care. All of them are suffering from infection and malnutrition, Chaudhury said. A doctor said that while one of the babies is suffering from thalassemia, another is suffering from cerebral palsy.

Widening the net of its probe, the CID raided several nursing homes in Nadia, Burdwan and Hooghly during the day.
Most bureaucrats didnt submit mandatory report on tours, state has no account of cash spent.

Mumbai: In the last three years, over 50 bureaucrats from the state have gone on foreign tours, but most of them have not submitted any reports on the same, revealed information received by The Asian Age under the Right to Information Act. As per the Maharashtra governments circular dated November 28, 1977, all of them have to submit a detailed report on what they did on these tours. However, the information collected by The Asian Age from 20 departments under the RTI Act, revealed that majority of them have not done so.

As per the rules, within two years, the bureaucrats must also tell how their foreign tour helped the state. However, there is no mechanism in place to ensure that the bureaucrats comply with these rules, Furthermore, there is no account kept of the money the state spent on those tours. Officials claimed that most of them were sponsored by the foreign institutes or the Centre.

Among the several departments approached by The Asian Age under the RTI, water resources, finance, food and civil supplies, tribal, animal husbandry, urban development and education departments have provided list of its officials went on foreign tours. Of these, only education department has attached a report of the study tour that was undertaken to Singapore in March 2014. Altogether 18 officials went on the tour from the department asking the officials to either spend one fourth of the total expenditure or Rs 10,000 from their pockets. However, it does not elaborate on the overall travelling, accommodation charges and visa fees and flight tickets.

From the dairy development and animal husbandry department five officers went on foreign tours in the said period at Geneva, Stockholm, Tel Aviv and California. Only one officials expenditure to Germany was shown as Rs 91,744 under the RTI reply. The water resources department sent 14 officials to visit various countries, including United Kingdom, Slovenia in Central Europe, Myanmar, Japan, Israel and Australia in the three years time. Some tours were sponsored by organisers while some were partly sponsored by the state and the Centre. However, some of the officials were allowed to spend up to $500 (approximately Rs 34,000) apart from the travelling and accommodation cost.

The officials from the tribal department who went on a tour in 2015 to Canada and in 2016 to Italy, Netherlands and Turkey have confirmed through an RTI reply that they had submitted their reports to the department. However, none of the reports were disclosed even through the RTI Act. Under the finance department, five officials went to New York, California and London for training between 2013 and 2016. The cost of their expenditure varies from Rs 9,032 to Rs 25,393. There is neither a clear explanation on the low expenses by the department nor a report.

The urban development department also sent its two officials for foreign tour to Bangkok in 2015. The entire expenditure was borne by the organisers, the department in its reply claimed. The food and civil supplies department had sent one of its official to USA in 2016 and spent Rs 44,769 on the tour.

When contacted principal secretary of general administration department (GAD) Mukesh Khullar admitted that there was no compilation of the data about the foreign tours with his department. We will soon use a software from the National Informatics Centre to keep up-to-date information on foreign tours. Individual departments are expected to keep the data of the tours, Mr Khullar said.

The ad-hoc manner of the foreign tours has been criticised by activists. When officials, ministers go on foreign tours, it involves public money. As per section 4 of RTI, suo moto disclosure is necessary, social activist Medha Patkar said.

It is expected that every government department upload its decisions online, but none of the Government Resolutions (GR) regarding foreign tours were uploaded on the government website. The information regarding foreign tours had to be sought under the RTI as they are absent on the government website. An official from Mantralaya on condition of anonymity said the government has made it mandatory for all departments to upload their every decision online. However, many departments are not following the guidelines. Sometimes, the GRs are uploaded late on the websites defeating the purpose, the official added.
There is growing and palpable unrest in the capital, and the winter of our discontent has just set in.

Seriously! Ever since the demon of demonetisation (how does one say it in Gujarati?) raised its far from pretty head on November 8, I have gone from feeling very, very rich to very, very poor. Let me start with rich. I left for a three-day trip to Kathmandu with a princely sum of Rs 4,435 in my wallet. The exchange rate at the time was Rs 160 for Nepali 100. I felt like a millionaire but swore I wouldnt shop... would avoid cafes and restaurants, and exist on greasy momos and thukpa from roadside carts. It was a little like going on a field trip in school, with limited pocket money from Daddy-O. On my second day, I was broke, down to my last few desi rupees! Curious vendors of irresistible trinkets gathered around me in the busy Durbar Square and clicked selfies with the lovely pink note. The colour hadnt run. And Gandhiji was smiling. Change was returned in soiled Nepali currency. One chap wickedly offered a Rs 500 note accompanied by a wink and a snigger!

Thats when it struck me  I was indeed back in school. And the Daddy-O was NaMo!

Back home in Mumbai, I was scrambling to find 100-buck notes in my hidden places. Like any other thrifty, desperate housewife, I had a secret contingency fund, which was created to tackle emergencies during long weekends. This was my last resort  its a family joke that mother does not know how to operate an ATM machine. I felt embarrassed to line up at my friendly, neighbourhood ATM booth, certain Id be making an ass of myself. So... I sat around and discussed this grave situation with one of the most intelligent men I know  our old dhobi. He was sanguine when I broke it to him that his weekly hisaab would have to wait. Dont worry, he assured me. We are all facing the same museebat. Demonetisation has been the great equaliser Indians were in need of. Over kadak chai, we discussed our respective futures. The mood was sombre but not dark. The milkman also turned up for his hisaab. He was happy to accept a cheque, smugly boasting he had a legit bank account. Phew. That was music to my ears. More music was in store when I called my CA. In fact, it was a symphony! He assured me all was well, since I dont have all that much money to begin with. Madam, this is a problem faced by wealthy people  not you. Oh well, being un-rich suddenly sounded wonderful. I was hearing violins by then. He continued calmly: Being a senior citizen, you are allowed to keep some cash at home, in case you have cardiac failure, stroke, etc. Plus, being a self-employed woman, you also have a few concessions... My CA being a blunt Gujarati gentleman (are they all like that?) meant to sound reassuring but... hey... I was beginning to feel like a geriatric bag of worthlessness. His voice changed to a more soothing tone: Madam, believe me, it is better to be in your position today... see what is happening to all those rich people! My wealthy clients are phoning nonstop to ask for some solution. I guess it was suddenly hip and cool to be relatively poor.

Then came Sunday, and my weekly date with the maalishwalli. She had to deal with her young son being sent back from a tuition class since he hadnt brought the fees with him. Despite that, she was optimistic and cheerful, In the long run, this will be good for India. All the black money will disappear. People will work more honestly... pay taxes. I marvelled at her philosophical argument. It was fantastic that she believed in NaMos strategy and was willing to sacrifice a great deal for it. I wished I had her confidence and conviction.

The way I see it, minus the hoopla and claptrap, NaMos secret mission may cost him and his party big time in the long run. Uttar Pradesh elections chhodo. I am talking about the bigger one. Indians are used to taking the patli gully. Any headmasterji bringing a heavy ruler down on knuckles in the hope of reforming naughty children is bound to fail. Naughty children always win in the end. Indians always find ingenious ways to hoard cash and beat the system as ex-RBI governor Raghuram Rajan has warned. Its just a matter of time before some wily genius cracks this crisis. And it will be back to business as usual.

Then there is the other issue: Business people who have mastered the art of evading taxes and cheating people en masse are getting increasingly resentful of the present government. The only way to fight NaMo is to find and finance an alternative leader. At the moment, the only one on the horizon is Pappu Gandhi. The Congress Party has mastered the art of managing mega money for decades. Builders, industrialists, politicians are accustomed to the Congress way of doing business. There is a great deal of money floating out there... and that money is not about to let itself be converted into worthless toilet paper. Once the demonetised notes get cleaned up by a genie, they will once again be conveniently parked at hard-to-track destinations. This lolly will be pumped in to prop-up Pappu and his gang. It may take a year or so to achieve this disastrous objective. But whats the bet dalals are at it already?

Till then, the toiling masses will be forced to toil on. As a sage put it, corruption starts with politicians. It can only end with them. So long as the funding of political parties remains a shady, clandestine activity, funny money will continue to clog the system. There is growing and palpable unrest in the capital, and the winter of our discontent has just set in. If NaMo cannot come up with better mechanisms to navigate the calamity, the outcome may be terrible. Forget two more years of this administration... even two more months seem rocky right now.
He was demonised by the United States and its allies but admired by many leftists around the world.

Havana: Fidel Castro, the Cuban revolutionary leader who built a communist state on the doorstep of the United States and for five decades defied US efforts to topple him, has died, Cuban television said. He was 90.

Here are some comments on Castro from his friends and foes over the years.

"Castro is not just another Latin American dictator, a petty tyrant bent merely on personal power and gain. His ambitions extend far beyond his own shores," Former U.S. President John F. Kennedy, from "The Quotable Mr. Kennedy," edited by Gerald C. Gardner, 1962.

"Fidel, for me, is a grand master. A wise man should never die; a man like Fidel will never die, because he will always be part of the people," Former Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, in a January 2007 speech.

"Fidel Castro had Americans murdered illegally, and that was wrong, too. And I'm proud that we have a blockade against people who kill innocent Americans," Former U.S. President Bill Clinton, in 1996, after Cuba killed four U.S. citizens when it shot down two civilian planes belonging to a Cuban-American group that had agitated against the Castro government and had repeatedly flown into Cuban air space.

"From its earliest days, the Cuban revolution has been a source of inspiration for all those who value freedom. We admire the sacrifices of the Cuban people in maintaining their independence and sovereignty in the face of the vicious imperialist and orchestrated campaign to destroy the awesome force of the Cuban revolution. Long live the Cuban Revolution! Long live comrade Fidel Castro," Former South African President Nelson Mandela, in a July 1991 speech.

"I remember Herbert Matthews' reports on Castro before he came to power, calling him a democrat and the hope of Cuba. And to some of you who are really too young to remember this, even people around our country were calling him the George Washington of Cuba, and George rolled over in his grave," U.S. President Ronald Reagan, on March 5, 1986.

"Fidel Castro is there to win. His attitude in the face of defeat, even in the most minimal actions of everyday life, would seem to obey a private logic: he does not even admit it, and does not have a minute's peace until he succeeds in inverting the terms and converting it into victory," Nobel laureate Gabriel Garcia Marquez, writing in Granma on the eve of Castro's 80th birthday.

"The best thing that Fidel Castro left us is the lesson that we don't want any more Fidel Castros in Cuba. The lesson is that a man like that ends up absorbing the whole nation, ends up seeing himself as the embodiment of the homeland, and ends up simply taking away our nationality. The lesson of Fidel Castro is no more Fidel Castros. Some people admire him, but they admire him for what they think he was, not for who he really was. Staying in power that long is no merit," Dissident blogger Yoani Sanchez, to Reuters in May 2014.

"Whatever we may think of him, he is going to be a great factor in the development of Cuba and very possibly in Latin American affairs generally. He seems to be sincere. He is either incredibly naive about communism or under communist discipline my guess is the former, and as I have already implied his ideas as to how to run a government or an economy are less developed than those of almost any figure I have met in 50 countries," Richard Nixon, who was then the U.S. vice president, in a memorandum following a three-hour meeting with Castro on April 19, 1959.

"On December 18, 1956, Fidel and I were in the foothills of the Sierra Maestra, in a place called Cinco Palmas. After our first hug his first question was: 'How many rifles do you have?' I answered five. And he said, 'I have two. That makes seven. Now we can win the war," Raul Castro, quoted in the 2009 book "This is Fidel," by Luis Baez.

"It didn't take much to prompt me to join any revolution against a tyrant, but Fidel struck me as an extraordinary man. He had exceptional faith that once we left for Cuba (from Mexico) we would arrive. That once we arrived we would fight. And once we fought we would win. I shared his optimism. I had to, to fight, to achieve. Stop crying and fight," Ernesto "Che" Guevara, in a letter to his parents, 1955.

"A man of great charisma. He's brave, Fidel Castro. A politician, with an iron fist. He stays strong. He put his close friend in front of the firing squad. I would have given him a life sentence or expelled him from the country, but he had him shot." - Former Chilean military dictator General Augusto Pinochet, regarding Castro's treatment of General Arnaldo Ochoa, executed for treason in July 1989.

"He would tell us to place a canon here, move a tank over there. Where to attack, how to do it, with how many men, et cetera. He had it all at his fingertips. And most of the time he was right, Defence Minister Leopoldo Cintra Frias, regarding Fidel's instructions in the Angola war, in Havana, 1996.

"At a time when almost the entire communist world marches towards democracy, Fidel Castro has gone against public opinion and refuses to accept any kind of change or anything that suggests perestroika or democracy. A profound philosopher, he has made it clear that material things are transient, to such a degree that there are virtually no material things in Cuba," Cuban dissident writer Reinaldo Arenas, in an essay written before his death in 1990 and published by Spanish newspaper El Pais in 2006.
Nafees Zakaria added that the issue has also been highlighted at the United Nations as well.

Islamabad: Pakistan has warned India of dire consequences if it violates the Indus Water Treaty (IWT).

Pakistans foreign office spokesperson Nafees Zakaria said that the Indus Water Treaty is guaranteed by the World Bank and that New Delhi cannot withdraw from it.

The spokesperson said the treaty gives a proper mechanism for dealing with violations. He said that Pakistan was highlighting the Indian violation of the Line of Control at international forums.

Mr Zakaria said that the heads of missions of five United Nations Security Council permanent members had been briefed on the prevailing situation at the LoC.

He added that the issue has also been highlighted at the United Nations as well. India can be held accountable for violating international law as the low riparian countries have their rights over the river water, he added.
The country is home to nearly 200 breweries making 1,500 different beers, according to the trade association Belgian Brewers.

The application says beer brewing improves the well-being of Belgian people by stimulating the economy, promoting local products and strengthening social ties. (Photo: Representational Image/AP)

Brussels: From brown ales to goldenpilsners to the strong trappist brews produced in monasteries, Belgian beer is enjoyed around the world.

Now, Belgium is asking the United Nations heritage body to add its beer-making and drinking culture to a list of traditionsworth protecting, saying that brewing fosters a unified identityin a country with three official languages.

The country is home to nearly 200 breweries making 1,500 different beers, according to the trade association Belgian Brewers, which prepared the application. National dishes also include beer and the country has some 30 brewing museums.

Submitted by Belgiums German-speaking region to Unesco, the application says beer brewing improves the well-being of Belgian people by stimulating the economy, promoting local products and strengthening social ties.

The history and broad variety of brews available make Belgiums beer industry stand out from other brewing traditions around the world, the submission says. Unescos intangible heritage committee meets next week and will determine whether Belgian beer culture and 36 other practices such as Indian yoga and Czech and Slovak puppetry should enter its list.
Biannual parliamentarians advisory summit also cancelled; Mongolian Prime Ministers visit to Beijing also in question. A blow to the economy of Mongolia, which counts on Chinese loans and investment. Ulaan Baatar: the visit of the Tibetan spiritual leader of "religious nature", the government "did not have any role."

Beijing (AsiaNews / Agencies) - China has "indefinitely" postponed bilateral meetings scheduled with Mongolia, in retaliation for a recent visit to Mongolia by the Dalai Lama, the spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism.

Beijing canceled suddenly, and without setting a new date, the two round of talks scheduled next week with the leaders of Ulaan Baatar. A blow to the local government, which counts on Chinese investment and credit to revivie the fragile domestic economy.

Following the declaration of a state of economic crisis last August, the Mongolian government is looking for funding to revive the country. Hence the request of loans advanced to China and the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

In 2016, the budget deficit doubled to one billion dollars, compared to a GDP (gross domestic product) falling by 1.6% in the first nine months of the year.

Mongolias Foreign Minister Munkh-Orgil Tsend had explained that the talks with Beijing representatives were focused on 'soft loans, on the railway project of Tavan Tolgoi, a copper mine and a coal gasification plan ". However, he added, the Chinese side has canceled events by stating that "the Dalai [Lama] visit was unacceptable".

The spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism visited Mongolia November 18 to 21; in the context of the trip, he traveled in key places of the Buddhist culture of the country. Moreover, Mongolia is a traditionally Buddhist majority nation and, since 1979, has hosted the Dalai Lama on several occasions.

Once again, as in the past, China had asked Mongolia not to allow the Dalai Lama to enter the country, so as not to "undermine" relations between the two states. Beijing sees the Tibetan spiritual leader a separatist leader, and often uses the economic and commercial weapons to exert pressure on foreign governments, especially if - as with Ulaan Baatar  they depend on Chinese aid.

In fact the visit of the Dalai Lama was "only religious in nature," the minister added Munkh-Orgil Tsend, added that it was organized by the Gandan Monastery and the government "had no role" in the invitation.

The Chinese government has also canceled a semi-annual consultative meeting between parliamentarians of the two countries and they stopped the preparatory work for the Mongolian premier, Erdenebat Jargaltulgas visit scheduled for next year. A journey that, at this point, appears in major doubt.
by Loula Lahham

Appeals Court overturns life imprisonment for the former president. He still faces a series of trials on charges of spying and torture. Analysts and experts talk about political judgments. Egyptian scholar: Reconciliation must involve "all people."

Cairo (AsiaNews) - This week two sections of the Cairo Supreme Court overturned heavy prison sentences [life imprisonment, ed] imposed on former Egyptian President Mohamad Morsi, close to the Islamic extremist wing, and the highest of the Muslim Brotherhood leaders . An organization inserted in the long list of terrorist movements not only in Egypt, but in several other countries. This decision of the magistrates opened two different scenarios for the country.

Mohamad Morsi, the first popularly elected president in the history of the country and expelled in 2013 following a street movement supported by the military, has been in prison for three years now. And, at the judicial level, faces a range of trials:

- Relating to the events of the Ittihadiya presidential palace [arrest and torture of protesters gathered in front of the presidential palace, ed]: in this case the Court confirmed the prison sentence to 20 years in prison.

- For espionage on behalf of the Palestinian Islamic extremist organization Hamas: in this case the judges have decided to set aside the judgment of life imprisonment.

- The trial for the assault on the prison in January 2011: the death penalty was overturned and a request for retrial.

- The trial for espionage on behalf of the State of Qatar, for which the courts have condemned Morsi to 40 years in prison. In this case the Supreme Court will rule on the matter tomorrow, November 27th.

What lead to this series of rulings of the judiciary? Is this perhaps the attempt of a part of the Egyptian government to calm the waters with the Brotherhood, the main agent of protest and revolt in the country?

The intellectual and academic Ahmad Ban says that recent court rulings are a mingling of politics and justice: "Morsi and his comrades are tried by civilian and normal courts. In general, we can observe that there is an influence of the political sphere, especially in those countries where there is a clear division between the areas of the judiciary and those of politics. This is why a reform of this system is needed today more than ever. "

Bashir Abdel-Fattah, researcher and expert on Islamic movements at the Center for Political and Strategic Studies in Al-Ahram, adds: "Reconciliation must be the result of an action that involves all the people. Speaking of independence of the judiciary with respect to the general policy of any state is pure utopia. However, the Egyptian legislature - he concludes - is in principle quite impartial and the problem of these processes is and will always be, and unfortunately, the lack of evidence and errors in the preparation of the investigative dossier".

The Muslim Brotherhood, whose movement was born in 1928, are among the first to conceive and give birth to what we now call political Islam; they intend to establish sharia, the Islamic law, in many different ways, including the use of violence.
His body will be cremated today. He led the island for 50 years. In 2008 he passed the presidency to his brother Raul. He attempted to export the Marxist revolution to Latin America and Africa. Some economic and social achievements at home, along with a heavy oppression of human rights. The disappearance of myth after the fall of the USSR. The Catholic Church and the Popes, catalysts of a transformation on the island nation.

Havana (AsiaNews) - Fidel Castro, former president and leader of the Cuban revolution, died last night at the age of 90. His death was announced by his brother Raul, the current president of the island, who added that the remains of the "lider maximo" will be cremated later today.

Fidel ruled Cuba with an iron fist for 50 years. In 2008, after an illness, he passed on the reins of power to his brother Raul.

Born into a family of landowners of Spanish origin, in 11953 Castro began fighting the Fulgencio Batista dictatorship. In 1959, with a small army of rebels, he took power.

The United States was the first country to recognize the new government. But in 1960 the Socialists tones of the new leader began to provoke US hostility. In 1961 the Bay of Pigs invasion, anti-Castro military operation, ended in failure. Looking for allies and support, Castro sided with the USSR and declared his a "Marxist-Leninist" revolution.

In 1962 he allowed the USSR to deploy nuclear missiles on the island, bringing the world close to a third world war, defused thanks to the intervention of John XXIII.

Eager to "export the revolution", he offered up Cuba for guerrilla training and sent his troops into Latin America and Africa to support the Marxist revolts, with some success only in Nicaragua.

At home, he won the fight against illiteracy and guaranteed healthcare for all inhabitants of the island, but at the same time he stamped out - even with violence, torture and the death penalty - tens of thousands of his political opponents, gagged the media , and took total control of the populations life. Although Castro was educated by Jesuits and always estimated the figure of Jesus, the Church was seen as an enemy of the revolution: many priests were killed; Catholic schools nationalized.

Thanks to a mixture of anti-Americanism, inflamed rhetoric, the promise of land distribution to peasants, the gigantic production of sugar cane, Fidel was hailed by many intellectuals and left-wing world leaders who glanced over the violations to human rights, freedom religious and even to homosexuals, interred as inmates in prison camps where they were "cured."

The aura of success that surrounds the "lider maximo" began to wane in 1991 when the USSR collapsed and with it the enormous economic aid that kept Cuba afloat, also weakened by an United States embargo. Even today the island is marked by poverty lack of transport, food, homes, with simple goods such as soap, books and clothes sold at exorbitant prices.

In 2008 Fidel handed the presidency to his brother Raul. And despite some easing the US embargo and some economic reform (including opening up to international tourism), Cubans are forced to live on less than $ 20 per month.

According to many analysts, Raul  following the China and Vietnam model - he is slowly turning the Marxist legacy of Fidel opening up to the private market and the international community.

The influence of the Church and the popes also played a large part in this transformation. In 1998 Pope John Paul II visited Cuba, a declared atheist regime, wishing that "Cuba open to the world and the world open itself to Cuba." In 2012 it was the turn of Benedict XVI, who called for eliminating "immovable positions and unilateral viewpoints which tend to make understanding more difficult and collaboration ineffective.

Finally, the visit of Pope Francis in 2015, and his hope to build "bridges" between Cuba and the international community and especially the United States. A year earlier, thanks to the good offices of the nunciature in Washington and Havana, there was an easing of sanctions against the island and a mutual promise to work for diplomatic relations.
In a message to 1000 general economists from institutes of consecrated life and societies of apostolic life, Pope Francis asks them to rethink their economic strategies never putting profits first rather fidelity to their charisma and self-giving. Reviewing their works, collaborating with other institutes and with the local Church, to implement a "responsible austerity". "The hypocrisy of consecrated persons who live like the rich - he said - hurts the consciences of the faithful and damages the Church".

Vatican City (AsiaNews)  Faced with the difficulties related to the aging of the members and the complexity of the social situation, members of religious institutes must implement "discernment" and analyze how their works "manifest or not the charisma ... professed". It must also be remembered that in their economic decisions an institution "needs money and does not serve money", subjecting all choices to an ethical criteria.

This is a quick summary of the message that Pope Francis has sent to participants in the international economic symposium, organized by the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life on the theme "Rethinking the economy in fidelity to the charism." The symposium, attended by about 1,000 bursars and treasurers, is taking place at the Antonianum, November 25 to 27.

The advanced age of the members and the lack of vocations often require institutions to review the map of their presence and their structures, which have become too big or impossible to sustain. As a result, various institutions tend to reduce and bring together communities, sell houses and works, withdrawing from their mission in society because they are unable to respond as they once were.

The Pope, in his message primarily puts emphasis on the fact that the charism of an institute must always be a living reality and one that is called to bear fruit ". Through an "openness to reality and listening to God who speaks to us in it", we must discover new areas of commitment: "We have to ask - he says - if we are willing to 'get our hands dirty' in the history of today; if our eyes can discern the signs of the kingdom of God in the folds of events that are certainly complex and conflicting, but that God wants to bless and save; if we are really traveling companions of the men and women of our time, especially of so many wounded that lie along our streets, so that we share their expectations, fears, hopes and also what we have received, and that belongs to all".

Another fact to remember is that the charism is related to the word "charis", gift, grace, "charis without a society can not function well and ends up divesting itself of its humanity... The consecrated are called to become prophecy through our lives animated by charis , the logic of gift, gratuity; we are called to create brotherhood, communion, solidarity with the poor and needy".

In a review of the economy of the community "the main criterion of evaluation of the works is not their profitability, but if they correspond to the charism and mission of the institute is called to accomplish." This means that sometimes "discernment can suggest to keep an activity that makes losses running - being careful that the loss is not generated by inability or incompetence - but restores dignity to individuals, victims of the waste culture, the weak and fragile: the unborn , the poor, the seriously ill elderly, people with disabilities ".

Other times, an activity can be managed with other institutions or with the local Church, "so that this continues, albeit in other ways, as the Church's work."

Discernment also means going "against the tide" religious "uses money and is not used by money for any reason, even the most just and holy".

"How many consecrated persons  he continued - still continue to think that the laws of economics are independent of any ethical consideration? How often is the evaluation on the transformation of an activity or the sale of a property seen only on the basis of an analysis of cost-benefit and market value? ".

The pontiff then suggested an "education for responsible austerity." To do this it is important to start "from small everyday choices. Everyone is called upon to do their part, to use the goods to make choices in solidarity, to care for creation, to confront the poverty of families who live next door. This means acquiring a habitus, a style in the name of justice and sharing.

"The hypocrisy of consecrated persons who live like the rich - he said - hurts the consciences of the faithful and damages the Church."
Hi, Im new to the forum, and I have a question regarding the NOIM, if anyone can give me advice. I'm applying for a PMV to live with my fiance in Australia, and eventually marry him there. Im a US citizen. The embassy in DC said the processing time was 12-15 months. However, Im trying to get a NOIM and a letter from our celebrant (my fiance's pastor has offered to be our celebrant) to marry as evidence for the PMV. The problem we have is that if we give the NOIM to his pastor, there is a chance it will be a stale NOIM because it is only valid for 6 months. I might not be approved for a visa for a whole year. How does this work? Can I set a wedding date in the future? And then inform the CO (when I get one) that we will provide a NOIM and a letter from our celebrant 6 months in advance of our planned wedding? Do I include that in the statement that Ive written? can I include a letter from the celebrant saying he is aware that this is my fiance's and my intentions and that he has personal knowledge of our desire to be married? Sorry, Im just confused on how to make everything work in a legal manner.



I do have another question, regarding an 80 Form. Is that required for a PMV? I had seen it in other posts on the forum, but its not mention in the Partner Migration Booklet. Is that supposed to be lodged with your police checks?



And one last question (at least for today, I promise lol), regarding a book called Life in Australia. On the 47sp for #87 Im supposed to sign for Australian Values Statement, saying that I have read and or had explained to me information provided by the Australian government on

Australian Society and Values. At the beginning of the 47sp, theres made mention of the life in australian booklet. But when I called the embassy, they said that was outdated and not to worry about it. But how can I sign it if I havent read or had the Australian Government explain there values? Im sure I understand for the most part about Australia and its social values. just not sure if theres something I need to specifically read and if the lady at the embassy knew what she was saying....





Thank you so much for any help.



Quivver
We are referring to the Law Volume Motor Vehicle Manufacturers Act of 2015, which has been pursued by SEMA since 2011. The strict rules enforced by this law will only allow manufacturers to sell designs of vehicles that are at least 25 years old without improving them to meet modern crash safety standards or state pollution tests.However, those cars will have to pass federal emissions rules, and only 325 reproductions may be sold by a company each year. Evidently, the potential manufacturers of these replicas will have to own the rights to the design they want to use, or they must reproduce a design that is part of public domain.The benefits of this law are tremendous for kit car makers, which could not sell turn-key vehicles like regular automakers, and had to ship engines separately to their clients for a DIY installation.Thanks to the changes, the customers of these replicas will be able to get insurance, financing, and registration in a streamlined process, just like with a new vehicle. The best part will be the ability to sell turn-key cars, which was a significant deterrent for some potential clients.The companies that will offer these vehicles will be considered low-volume automakers, and will even be able to export those cars to other markets. While 325 units a year is not abundant, it is still better than nothing, and most kit car makers do not expect to reach the limit.Only the biggest companies in the industry might have a shot at the 325 vehicles-a-year target, but they might not complain about that aspect in light of new business opportunities.The law might bring back the Cord brand, which is the first American automaker to introduce front-wheel-drive and pop-up headlights. The company tanked in 1937, after only eight years of manufacturing, including many months of interruptions in the production process and other delays. Autoblog was first to publish the news regarding the return of the Cord brand, which has been announced by Texan entrepreneur Craig Corbell, who stated his intent of relaunching the brand. He said that these vehicles could not be sold profitably until the introduction of this law, and that next year should bring a new Cord available on the market.
American automotive giant General Motors (GM), with its partnership ventures in China, just delivered some good news recently with its robust sales in October. The company just posted its best-ever October in China with sales better than last year.

General Motors delivered a record performance in China by selling 325,733 vehicles in October, up 5.7 percent from the same period last year. Mainstream brands like the Buick, Chevrolet and Cadillac were the top performers. It was the best ever October in a country of one and a quarter billion, Guru Focus said.

Overall, GM and its joint ventures made over three million deliveries as sales remained strong across many segments. Its local subsidiary brands Baojun and Wuling were also reported to have strong performances in the highly competitive marketplace, according to Yahoo Finance.

China is General Motors' biggest market and year-to-date sales figures stand at 3,064,048 units in an increase of 8.6 percent backed by strong October results. GM remains bullish on China as October marked the third month of consecutive growth for the company. The Cruze models and the Cavalier, which was launched in September, proved to be the most popular, with 11,000 units sold just a month after its release.

The crossover vehicle XT5 undoubtedly proved to be the bestseller, as sales tallied well over 4,700 units along with the ATS-I and the XTS which surged 70 percent in just a month. Buick sales also increased 3.4 percent and the company plans to continue its sales momentum by launching the new-generation GL8 Luxury MPV this week.

Local subsidiary Baojun also enjoyed strong sales with deliveries of 67, 169 units, up 30 percent year over year. The Baojun 730 MPV had the strongest demand while the Baojun hatchback surpassed 11,000 units sold.

While General Motors is coping with pressures from China's domestic auto players, it continues to make its presence felt in the world's largest car market with its very impressive sales performance.
26 November 2016 10:06 (UTC+04:00)

By Trend

Azerbaijan and the EU are actively preparing to start negotiations on a new strategic partnership agreement, Azerbaijans Deputy Foreign Minister Mahmud Mammad-Guliyev told reporters in Baku November 25.

He added that the negotiations are unlikely to begin before late 2016.

Mammad-Guliyev said the EUs position on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict will be one of the main aspects of the future strategic partnership agreement.

The European Council adopted a mandate for the European Commission and the high representative for foreign affairs and security policy to negotiate, on behalf of the EU and its member states, a comprehensive agreement with Azerbaijan on Nov. 14.

The new agreement should replace the 1996 partnership and cooperation agreement and should better take account of the shared objectives and challenges the EU and Azerbaijan face today.

Currently, bilateral relations between the EU and Azerbaijan are regulated on the basis of an agreement on partnership and cooperation that was signed in 1996 and entered into force in 1999.

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26 November 2016 10:00 (UTC+04:00)

The Latvian Independence Day was celebrated in Baku on November 25.

In November 1918, an act of independence was declared in Riga, according to which Latvia became an independent state.

Ambassador of Latvia to Azerbaijan Juris Maklakovs greeted the guests of the event.

There are strong political relations between Azerbaijan and Latvia, the diplomat said, adding that his country is interested in strengthening the bilateral economic ties.

Azerbaijans Deputy Foreign Minister Mahmud Mammad-Guliyev also addressed the event.

He congratulated the people of Latvia on the Independence Day on behalf of the people and the leadership of Azerbaijan.

Mammad-Guliyev said the two countries have recently undertaken many steps to develop bilateral relations. He also said that a lot of mutual visits have recently taken place between Azerbaijan and Latvia, adding that this will be continued.

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26 November 2016 10:12 (UTC+04:00)

By Trend

Russia is ready to take part in financing the Rasht-Astara railways construction as part of the International North-South Transport Corridor, First Vice-President of Russian Railways Alexander Misharin told reporters in Baku November 25.

He said the Russian Railways already received a business plan, studied it and prepared proposals, which will be introduced to the Azerbaijani and Iranian sides in the near future.

Misharin noted that the Russian Railways offers its services in supplies, co-financing of the railways construction, establishment of transshipment centers and supplies of other equipment needed for the construction.

He didnt specify the amount of the funds that the Russian Railways is ready to provide to co-finance the project.

The International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) will connect Northern Europe with Southeastern Asia, as well as link railways of Azerbaijan, Iran and Russia.

The corridor is planned to transport 6 million tons of cargo per year at the initial stage and 15-20 million tons of cargo in the future.

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26 November 2016 14:53 (UTC+04:00)

The 45th plenary session of the Inter-Parliamentary Assembly of CIS member nations has ended in Sankt Petersburg, Russia.

Chairperson of the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation Valentina Matviyenko highlighted the activity of the inter-parliamentary assembly.

Chairman of the Committee on Regional Affairs of Azerbaijan`s Parliament MP Arif Rahimzade delivered a speech at the event.

The Interparliamentary Assembly of Member Nations of the Commonwealth of Independent States (IPA CIS) was created on 27 March 1992. In 1995, the session of the Council of the CIS Heads of State held in Minsk, Belarus consolidated the status of IPA CIS as a fully-fledged international organization. On 26 May 1995 CIS leaders signed the Convention on the Interparliamentary Assembly of Member Nations of the Commonwealth of Independent States eventually ratified by nine CIS parliaments. Under the terms of the Convention, the IPA CIS was invested with international legitimacy.

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26 November 2016 13:48 (UTC+04:00)

By Laman Ismayilova

A grand event in Azerbaijan`s fashion industry-Baku Fashion Week 2016 has been opened, Trend Life reports.

Bringing together famous designers from Azerbaijan, Georgia, Turkey, Russia, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, the fashion show is taking place at Jumeirah Bilgah Beach Hotel.

The fashion show began with the presentation of the kids brand - Bechique, which presented stylish outfits.

The runway was memorable for a special fabulous atmosphere and of course lovely children's images.

The visitors also enjoyed a unique catwalk by Natavan Gallery, new Azerbaijani fashion house, which supports young talents and gives them an opportunity to present their work s at professional venues.

Amina Jafar, national designer from Georgia presented her collection of couture dresses. Fascinating event will be closed with the collection of Turkish designer Rana by Lulu.

The second day will feature playful fashion collections by Azerbaijani designer Hokuma Hajiyeva and the jewelry house Levata Group. A unique collection of jewelry "Zinet-i-Zishan" and stunning outfits from Turkish designer Selma Chilek will inspire you to create your own style.

The fashion show will be ended with presentation of fashion collection from Ukrainian designers, Kriza and Couture de Fleur.

On the third day, fashionistas will be thrilled with gorgeous collection by Uzbek label Sharq Liboslari. The fashion show will feature new trends from the fashion house "The Black Dress " and Sol Atelier fashion brand.

Baku Fashion week will be closed with the presentation of fashion collection by Azerbaijani brand "De Brett".

Baku Fashion Week was included in the calendar schedule of world Fashion Week, making Azerbaijan more recognizable among international designers and fashion lovers. Local designers and models will gradually reach world podiums and attract the interest overseas.

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Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Lam_Ismayilova

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26 November 2016 10:19 (UTC+04:00)

The Organizing Committee that deals with preparations for the events to be hosted by Nakhchivan in the capacity of the Capital of Islamic Culture in 2018 has held its first meeting.

In his remarks at the event, chairman of the Supreme Assembly of Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, chairman of the Organizing Committee Vasif Talibov said the decision to grant the status of Islamic Culture Capital to Nakhchivan was made at the sixth meeting of culture ministers of member countries of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation held in Baku in 2009. The prime reason behind Nakhchivan`s selection is that the ancient city of Nakhchivan has a history that spans 5,000 years, is famous for its Islamic culture monuments and has made valuable contribution to human civilization, said Vasif Talibov.

He also thanked President Ilham Aliyev for setting up the Organizing Committee and placing confidence in its members.

Vasif Talibov highlighted preparations to be made in order to ensure that Nakhchivan excellently fulfills its mission of the Islamic Culture Capital. First of all we plan to launch Islamic Culture Capital Nakhchivan-2018 logo and an official website.

Nakhchivan is home to numerous monuments of Islamic and Turkic culture, and we should work to include some of them in the ISESCO list.

He said: We also plan to publish books on religious monuments, mosques and temples in the Autonomous Republic. Shooting documentaries and promotional videos on our national and moral values is another important issue. Our plans also include organizing a week of Islamic films, folklore and dance festivals, and different sporting tournaments.

The Organizing Committee then discussed its Plan of Action.

Azerbaijani Culture and Tourism Minister, deputy chairman of the Organizing Committee Abulfas Garayev hailed what is done in Nakhchivan to preserve and promote Islamic values.

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26 November 2016 18:02 (UTC+04:00)

After touring the world for the past three years, the outstanding exhibition Five Roads Back Home  showcasing the work of renowned German photographer Philipp Rathmer  finally came to London on 24 November. Hosted at the iconic mid-Victorian Old Truman Brewery, which has been a leading art space in Brick Lane, London, for over two decades, the images feature a cross-section of some of the estimated one million Azerbaijani internally displaced persons (IDPs). They are the ongoing victims of the ArmenianAzerbaijani conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh, and these impressive and emotionally-charged images focus on their faces in stark closeup, set against a black background.

Attendees at the private view included eight members of the Azerbaijan All-Party Parliamentary Group, headed by the Rt. Hon. Bob Blackman MP (Harrow East), who has led visits to many of the IDP camps spread across the 48 regions of Azerbaijan. Azerbaijani and Turkish TV covered the opening, in addition to a special report on London Live television, which has an estimated daily reach of 230,000 people (BARB figures, November 2016).

Jack Pegoraro, Director, TEAS London, explained: At the beginning of the 1990s, Armenia attacked the Azerbaijani region of Nagorno-Karabakh and went on to occupy this and the seven surrounding districts. All ethnic Azerbaijanis were either killed in massacres, such as that in the town of Khojaly, or were forced to flee their homes and move to camps for IDPs and refugees within Azerbaijan.

To this day none have been able to return to their lands. I have been travelling to Azerbaijan for seven years, and each time we visit an IDP camp. Despite the relatively comfortable conditions, it is heartbreaking to see people totally forgotten by the outside world. They still harbour hope that such influential countries as the UK will take up their cause and help them return home. It is the duty of TEAS to fight for the rights of these people.

H.E. Tahir Taghizadeh, Azerbaijani Ambassador to the UK, commented: Next February, we will commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Khojaly Massacre, when 613 civilians were killed in the worst atrocity of the ArmenianAzerbaijani conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh.

Tonights exhibition is successful as it brings a human dimension. People only need to look at those faces. All these people were neighbours in Nagorno-Karabakh, which is currently unfortunately occupied by Armenian armed forces. They were all driven out of their homes. Some died, and these are just a few of the survivors and their children.

Thank you, Mr Rathmer. A project of this type was missing as this brings a human element to the victims of the conflict. Azerbaijan does not want blood or vengeance  it wants to ensure that human tragedies of this nature never happen again.

Mr Rathmer explained his methodology: Nagorno-Karabakh is one of the worlds forgotten conflicts. The conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan developed into a war in 1992 that killed thousands of people. Now, 25 years on, the conflict is far from over. A ceasefire secures a fragile peace. These IDPs suffer the consequences to this day. In 2012, I visited some of the ordinary victims of this unresolved conflict in their camps. The people told me of their fate, their hopes and their fears  some very candidly, some with a certain reticence.

These photos show one side of the conflict  the side that had to flee and give up their homes. They represent all those who are displaced in the worlds many wars. One aspiration was common to all  they wanted to take one of the five roads leading back to the occupied regions  one of the Five Roads Back Home.

The exhibition will continue from 2529 November from 10.0017.00hrs.

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26 November 2016 09:00 (UTC+04:00)

By Trend

Saudi Arabia pulled out of planned talks with non-OPEC nations including Russia as disagreements about how to share the burden of supply cuts stood in the way of a deal to boost prices just days before a make-or-break meeting in Vienna, Bloomberg reported.

OPEC officials were scheduled to meet with non-members including Russia on Monday before a ministerial meeting in Vienna two days later. The meeting was later cancelled entirely after the Saudis decided not to take part.



Instead, the group called another internal meeting to try to resolve its own differences, particularly the question of whether Iran and Iraq are willing to cut production, said two delegates, asking not to be identified because the deliberations are sensitive. Saudi Arabia wants an OPEC deal in place before conversations with other producers such as Russia, one delegate said.



The setback suggests that Saudi Arabia remains split from its two biggest Middle Eastern rivals at the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries. Iran insists it should be allowed to restore output to pre-sanctions levels, while it remains unclear if Iraq is still disputing the OPEC supply estimates that would provide the basis for any cuts. With less than a week until the crucial ministerial meeting, the refusal of just one major producer to participate could scuttle the whole of the agreement reached in September in Algiers.



"The whole Algerian deal wasnt clear from beginning and their approach was leave it to later, said Abdulsamad al-Awadhi, a former OPEC official for Kuwait who is now an independent analyst in London. Two months after the initial accord "OPEC leaders are confused and the groups founding members cant solve differences, but they want to have a deal with non-OPEC. This a tough call."

Brent crude fell in London 3 percent to $47.50 a barrel as of 5:37 p.m. Friday. In New York, West Texas Intermediate fell to $46.42 a barrel.



In late September, OPEC agreed the outline of its first production curbs since the global financial crisis in 2008. Since then, the group has spent two months trying to agree how to share the cuts, which would bring its production to a range of 32.5 million to 33 million barrels per day. OPEC estimates that it pumped 33.6 million barrels a day last month.



Technical experts from member countries met in Vienna this week to finalize the details of the cuts. After two days of meetings, the talks concluded without resolving the issue of Iran and Iraq, instead deferring the matter to ministerial talks on Nov. 30. Those officials will now reconvene on Monday in an effort to overcome the impasse, two delegates said.



Ministers from Saudi Arabia and Iran wont arrive in Vienna until Nov. 29, said OPEC delegates, leaving little time for them to hold negotiations before the big meeting.



Saudi Arabia, OPECs de-facto leader, is ready to cut production, but only if all members share the burden of cuts equitably and transparently. In practice, that means the kingdom thinks Iraq needs to cut output and Iran has to freeze production around current levels, one OPEC delegate said last week.



Prior to the Nov. 23 comments by Prime Minister Haider Al-Abadi, Iraq had sought an exemption from joining any production cuts, arguing that its fight against Islamic State justifies special treatment. That assertion still leaves unresolved the significant issue of exactly how much the country would reduce production, and from what level, said a Gulf OPEC delegate Thursday.



Iran has insisted it wont accept any limits on its production until it has returned to the pre-sanctions level above 4 million barrels a day.



Without an OPEC deal, the International Energy Agency predicted that 2017 will be the fourth consecutive year in which supply runs ahead of demand, potentially causing lower prices.

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26 November 2016 15:42 (UTC+04:00)

By Trend

Azerbaijans Energy Minister Natig Aliyev has cancelled his visit to Vienna, where he planned to take part in the second meeting of the OPEC High-level Committee, established by the Algiers Accord, with non-OPEC oil producing countries, the ministry told Trend November 26.

The minister has revised his plans for visiting Vienna in connection with the cancellation of this meeting, the ministry said.

It was earlier reported that the meeting of the OPEC High-level Committee, established by the Algiers Accord, with non-OPEC oil producing countries, which was scheduled for Nov. 28, will not take place because of Saudi Arabias refusal to participate in it.

Six non-OPEC oil producers are Azerbaijan, Brazil, Kazakhstan, Mexico, Oman and Russia.

Earlier, Financial Times reported that Saudi Arabia will not attend a meeting with non-OPEC producers Nov. 28, arguing it is pointless to gather when the 14-member oil cartel has not yet reached a deal itself.

OPEC members reached a preliminary deal in Algeria in September to cap oil production at 32.5-33 million barrels per day. The deal is expected to be finalized in Vienna on November 30.

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26 November 2016 11:00 (UTC+04:00)

By Trend

Russias President Vladimir Putin and Turkeys President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had a telephone conversation at the initiative of the Turkish side, said a message posted on the Kremlins website November 25.

According to the message, during the conversation, Putin and Erdogan discussed the Russian-Turkish political and trade-economic cooperation, including the upcoming bilateral contacts at various levels.

Putin and Erdogan exchanged views on the settlement of the Syrian crisis, the Kremlin said. The presidents agreed to continue an active dialogue through the two countries foreign ministries, defense ministries, aimed at coordinating the efforts in the fight against international terrorism.

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26 November 2016 11:19 (UTC+04:00)

By Trend

Israeli police arrested 13 people on Friday on suspicion of arson, authorities said, after massive wildfires tore through central and northern Israel, a conflagration that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu branded as "terrorism", Reuters reported.

Firefighters kept battling the flames in wooded hills around Jerusalem and in northern areas on Friday, with support from Palestinian firemen and emergency teams from Greece, Cyprus, Croatia, Italy, Russia and Turkey.

Netanyahu said he had also accepted offers of help from Egypt and Jordan.

Unseasonably dry weather and easterly winds helped kindle the fires, which erupted on Tuesday and now stretch across half the country.

Arson appeared to be behind some of the blazes, Netanyahu said. "A price will be paid for this arson-terrorism," he told reporters on Friday. He said the arson was carried out by "elements with great hostility toward Israel."

"We cannot tell yet if this is organized, but we can see a number of cells operating," Netanyahu said.

Police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said a dozen people had been detained either while attempting to set fires or fleeing the area, but he provided no further details. Internal Security Minister Gilad Erdan told reporters 13 people were arrested.

Erdan said those arrested were "minorities", an allusion to either Arab Israeli citizens or Palestinians. "The highest likelihood is that the motive is nationalistic," Erdan told Army Radio. Police, however, stopped short of declaring any motive.

The fires are the biggest in the country since 2010, when 44 people were killed in a killed in a massive blaze in the north. Investigators concluded that fire was caused by negligence.

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26 November 2016 13:00 (UTC+04:00)

By Trend

The expansion of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) will contribute to strengthening relations between its members, the Kyrgyz Foreign Ministry's special envoy for SCO affairs Irina Orolbaeva said Friday, Xinhua reported.

She made the remark during the forum "Shanghai Cooperation Organization: Experience and Prospects," which was held in the Kyrgyz capital Bishkek to mark the 15th anniversary of the regional organization.

"In expansion of the SCO we must proceed from the overall interests of the organization, and our national interests, it is very important," she told the leading Kyrgyz experts, officials and representatives of diplomatic missions who attended the forum.

On the June signing of the memorandums of obligations for India and Pakistan to join the SCO, Orolbaeva said, "If we accept new states, it means it is necessary to build a relationship based on the fact that India and Pakistan will be our allies in the SCO."

The special envoy also said that Pakistan's membership may enhance the SCO role on the issue of Afghanistan.

She expected Pakistan and India will add political weight to the SCO, which is "facing new expectations and new goals."

Since its establishment, the regional bloc has seen effective cooperation between its members in trade, business, finance, energy and transportation, among other areas.

It has advocated and put into practice the pioneering Shanghai Spirit, which features mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality, consultation, respect for diverse civilizations and pursuit of common development.

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By Trend

04:10 (GMT+4) A loud boom was heard across southern Turkey late Friday, local governor office said early Saturday.

The noise was heard in Gaziantep province and could have come from military planes that may have broken the sound barrier on duty as part of Operation Euphrates Shield, the governors office said in a statement. The operation is aimed at clearing northern Syria of Daesh elements along the Turkish border, Anadolu reported.

The boom was hear at 23.20 p.m. (2020GMT), the statement said. It added as of 00.25 a.m. (2125GMT) there was no casualties or material damage reported.

Authorities are investigation the cause.

01:50 (GMT+4) A blast rocked a district of the southeastern Turkish city of Gaziantep late on Friday and police and fire fighting teams were sent to the area, Anadolu agency reported.

No further details were available and the cause of the blast was not immediately clear.

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Bakersfield, CA (93308)

Today

Sunny to partly cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 61F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Occasional rain. Low 47F. Winds NW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 80%. Rainfall around a quarter of an inch.
SEOUL - To realize a free trade area in the Asia-Pacific region, it needs to go together with the Belt and Road Initiative as the mix can materialize more effective, integrated and inclusive trade bloc in the Pacific Rim, South Korean experts said.

The experts' analysis followed Chinese President Xi Jinping's address at the APEC CEO Summit in Lima, Peru last Saturday. Xi called on relevant sides to firmly pursue the Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific (FTAAP) as an institutional mechanism for ensuring an open economy in the region.

The FTAAP was initiated at the 2014 APEC summit in Beijing to unify the 21 Pacific Rim economies through trade liberalization. Once established, it will become the world's largest free trade zone, covering 57 percent of the global economy and nearly half of the world trade.

"The FTAAP is the most inclusive as it covers more countries than RCEP and TPP," Han Jae-jin, senior research fellow at the Hyundai Research Institute (HRO), said in a recent interview with Xinhua.

The RCEP stands for Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, a free trade pact involving the 10-member ASEAN and six other countries, including China, India, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand.

Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) is facing the biggest challenge as US President-elect Donald Trump picked the withdrawal from the trade deal, including the United States and Japan, as one of his policy priorities.

"It needs to materialize the FTAAP as the TPP falters. Push for the FTAAP would be more effective if it goes together with the Belt and Road Initiative," said the HRO researcher.

The Belt and Road Initiative refers to the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st-Century Maritime Silk Road Initiative proposed by China in 2013 to bring together countries in Asia, Europe and even Africa via overland and maritime networks.

The urgency and significance of the FTAAP has recently increased as global trade slows amid the rising threat of protectionism. The World Trade Organization predicted a global trade slump for the fifth year in 2016.

The more inclusive and integrated trade bloc in the Asia-Pacific would help rekindle the sagging global trade, creating a synergy effect with the Belt and Road Initiative by boosting market access and investment across the globe.

To bring together the 21 diverse economies of the Asia-Pacific under the same set of trade and investment rules, relevant parties are required to take time and be patient in the future negotiations from the long-term perspective, said Han at the HRO.

"Bilateral and mega FTAs have something in common. Both require concessions to sensitive items and understandings of different situations. It takes time and need long dialogue," said Han.

To make the FTAAP a meaningful free trade zone in the Pacific Rim, China and the United States are required to discuss the issue as the two economic powerhouses are the key players in the region.

"President Xi Jinping and President-elect Donald Trump need to discuss the issue to create a meaningful starting point of the FTAAP," said Kim Young-Gui, research fellow at the Korea Institute for International Economic Policy (KIEP).

Kim said relevant sides are also required to make the FTAAP become a free trade area beneficial to all, adding that it is right to push the FTAAP from the long-term perspective.
10th Sejong International Cartoon Contest SICACO 2021, Korea

: Informed about the sending by e-mail on 23 November 2021

* The 4th International Competition of Cartoons Aleksandar Klas 2017, Serbia: All

whose cartoons are selected in the catalog and the exhibition will receive a free copy of the catalog (

).
Premier Wynne, the MPP for Leaside, leaves today for a business mission to Japan and South Korea. She says the purpose of the mission is to generate business agreements that will increase trade, spur investment in Ontario and create jobs.

BOY DROWNED

In other news, a boy aged eight has drowned in a public swimming pool at the Skypark Recreation Centre on Bamburgh Circle, near Warden Avenue Friday evening. More details as they are available.

NO WINNING LOTTO

And there was no winning ticket sold for Friday nights $21 million Lotto Max jackpot.
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See what Christina Applegate looked like when she first made her mark in Hollywood in the gallery above.

Actress Christina Applegate, who first shot to prominence on the hit Fox series Married with Children, turns 45 years old on Friday.

After turning in a number of guest spots on shows like Silver Spoons and Charles in Charge, Applegate starred as the rebellious, ditzy Kelly Bundy from 1987 until 1997. She became somewhat of a pin-up for young male fans along the way and a heroine for teen girls who liked rocker guys.

BEST TV MOMS: TV mom Florence Henderson influenced all television mothers that came after her

The poor thing really didn't have a chance with parents like Al and Peggy.

While the show was still running she launched a film career with Dont Tell Mom the Babysitters Dead, which became a cult hit.

After Married with Children ended unceremoniously in 1997 she bounced between TV and film, getting her own show Jesse in 1998. It only ran for two years. After that show wrapped up she stared in movies like The Sweetest Thing, View from the Top, and Wonderland.

WHAT TO SEE: The best and worst movies of 2016 (so far)

She also co-starred in the 2004 hit Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy as anchor Veronica Corningstone. She also starred in the 2013 sequel, which was a less well-received than the original. She also fought and beat breast cancer in 2008.

Every now and then she pops back up on broadcast TV for sitcoms that run for a season or two, but most people know her best from her film roles. Earlier this year she was in Bad Moms with Mila Kunis and Kristen Bell, starring as a catty rival mother. Next year shell be in the comedy Crash Pad with Domnhall Gleeson and Thomas Haden Church.
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When Beaumont businessman William "Hat" Watkins, Jr. bought a 60-year-old Fouga CM-170 Magister French military fighter jet in 1997 at the age of 62, he didn't tell his family. Not even his wife.

He knew they'd be upset, said Lorraine Watkins Davenport, Watkins' daughter.

The family didn't learn about the jet until the next year, when Watkins was in a minor plane accident involving a different aircraft, said Davenport.

"His friend said, 'That's going to delay you from that jet,'" said Davenport. "That's when we found out."

When Watkins passed away in 2012 at 76, Davenport said the family was conflicted about what to do with the jet.

It sat in storage at the Jack Brooks Regional Airport until last summer, when Davenport discovered the Volo Auto Museum in Volo, Illinois, while watching an episode of "Small Town, Big Deal." The museum specializes in rare and unique cars.

Davenport said she consulted with her family, and they decided to donate her dad's jet.

"There are some things that are worth much more than money," said Davenport. "We were much more comfortable with this."

Davenport said her father was the co-owner of Batesville, Mississippi-based ACI Building Systems, Inc., which required him to travel frequently.

"He was impatient and didn't want to go to the airport," she said. "He started learning how to fly and fell in love with it."

Stig Lunde, a pilot who used to fly with Watkins, said Watkins spotted the jet in a "Trade-a-Plane" magazine. A few days later, they traveled to New York to check it out. Watkins bought it.

"She was a beautiful bird, and we fell in love right away," said Lunde.

Lunde said they flew the jet to Batesville several times. But he said they stopped because the jet - which could reach a maximum speed of 440 miles per hour - burned through fuel so quickly that they had to stop in Louisiana each way. After that, he said, they would fly the plane around the region occasionally, and it spent most of the time in the hangar.

Brian Grams, director of the Volo Auto Museum, said the two-seat French military jet with twin engines was built in the late 1950s. Fewer than 1,000 were made, he said.

The jet will join the Volo Museum's collection of classic and unique cars, including three Batmobiles and a Scooby Doo van, and two other aircraft - a Huey helicopter from the Vietnam War-era and a replica of a Harrier jet from the 1994 Arnold Schwarzenegger film "True Lies."

Grams said the biggest challenge was figuring out how to move the jet cross-country. He said it took him three weeks to locate DeLand Barnstormers, a Florida-based business that specializes in dismantling and transporting planes. He then had to wait two months for an opening in their schedule.

"If you've got a car, I know how to get it no matter where you are in the world, no matter if you're in the desert. But a plane is another thing," Grams said.

Deland Barnstormers broke the jet down into five pieces - a body, two wings and two rear panels. It arrived at the museum at the end of October.

Grams said the jet will go on display in a few months, after the museum builds a structure for it. The museum plans to put a plaque next to it to share Watkins' story and his love of the jet.

"We are so excited that our father's jet is going to be seem by so many," Davenport said. "He loved that jet."

NKrebs@BeaumontEnterprise.com Twitter.com/natalie_krebs
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Dogs at an overburdened animal shelter in north Texas will see if they can find homes in Denver, Colorado.

The Dumb Friends League in Denver has accepted 79 dogs from an undisclosed North Texas animal shelter that is overburdened. More dogs from Texas are expected to travel north before the end of the year.

PRESIDENTIAL POOCH: Former President George W. Bush and wife Laura get a new puppy at the SPCA of Texas

"There are so many dogs of every size and breed just huddled in kennels down there," Duane Adams, vice president of operations of the Dumb Friends League, said in a press release. "They are lonely and begging for attention, and most are housed outdoors in the elements. All of them need a home."

The dogs were sent to the Denver-based animal welfare organization between Nov. 18 and Wednesday. The next group of dogs is scheduled to leave Texas for Colorado on Monday. The goal is to complete all of the transfers before snow and winter weather slows down road transportation.

Spokeswoman Joan Thielen said she's not sure how many total dogs the organization will take from Texas. She said the Dumb Friends League's facilities can hold about 800 animals at a time, or about 22,000 pets annually.

DOG LANGUAGE: What your dogs mean when they make these gestures

Each dog from Texas sent to the Dumb Friends League will be evaluated and receive vaccinations. They'll also get any necessary treatment and a microchip. They'll be available for adoption as soon as possible.

"The (Texas) shelter has been wonderful to work with, has taken great care of these dogs and really cares about the well being of each pet," Thielen said.

Anyone looking to find out more information about the dogs can visit ddfl.org or call the Colorado organization at 303-751-5772.
11/2/2022

Volunteers are needed to raise and lower Veterans Day flags honoring the deceased veterans of Catoosa County. This fall almost 2,000 flags and crosses will be raised throughout the city of Ringgold. ... more
In the last half of the 20th century, patients who needed surgery for two-level cervical disease almost certainly were treated with anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF).

The procedure no doubt served those patients well, presumably reducing pain and improving or preventing neurological problems. The tradeoff for a resolution to their neck pain was decreased range of motion. To many, this was a reasonable compromise, because there were exceedingly few alternatives. In the 21st century, patients with cervical disease have an important new option, two-level artificial disc replacement, and there is much reason to believe this will become the new standard of care.

A New Success Story

ACDF is one of the great success stories of spine surgery. When fusion and healing occur, and they occur more than 90% of the time, patients are thrilled with the resulting relief of symptoms. If ACDF is a success story that has already been written, the first few chapters of artificial disc replacements success story have already been penned. We now know that total cervical disc replacement can relieve pain and neurological symptoms as well as ACDF. Whats more, artificial disc replacement preserves spinal range of motion in ways that spinal fusion simply cannot. Large meta-analyses including over 4,500 patients find that cervical disc replacement results in better functional outcomes, fewer adverse events, and fewer surgical revisions and reoperations than ACDF.1,2

Intermediate-term Superiority

Cervical spinal fusion produces abnormal loads and stresses on the spine. These stresses transmit along multiple levels of the spine, but they wreak the most havoc on the on the vertebrae immediately adjacent to the treated levels. Consequently, the annual rate of adjacent segment degeneration in ACDF is between 3% and 8%.3,4 Vertebral degeneration ultimately requires surgical revision surgery. Indeed, patients who had multilevel ACDF are more likely to require revision surgery, and often need more extensive revisions.5 This suggests replacement may be particularly beneficial in two-level disease.

Several recent reports have shown compelling short- and long-term outcomes in patients treated with two-level total disc replacement. Surgeons treated 225 patients with multilevel degenerative cervical disc disease with the Mobi-C TDR device. This group was compared to 105 matched patients who were treated with standard multi-level ACDF.6 After two years, patients in both treatment arms had markedly less pain and disability than they did before the surgery. For these symptoms, it essentially didnt matter to which group patients were assigned, though there was some indication that the disc replacement group had better pain scores than those treated with ACDF. Importantly, patients who received disc replacement had significantly better range of motion.

Differences between the two groups clearly emerged at the four-year follow-up. Patients treated with two-level total cervical disc replacement had significantly better Neck Disability Index scores and Physical Component Summary (PCS) scores on the 12-Item Short Form Health Survey. Moreover, patients treated with disc replacement were more satisfied and had greater overall success (composite variable of several safety and efficacy endpoints) from the surgery compared to those treated with two-level ACDF.7

Long-term Superiority?

I had the pleasure to participate in a clinical trial comparing the Prestige LP (Medtronic) TDR device to ACDF in the treatment of two-level cervical disease. Spine surgery candidates were randomized to treatment with either two-level replacement using the Prestige LP device (n=209) or two-level ACDF (n=188). The primary endpoint, overall success, was defined as substantial reductions in measures of pain and disability without any serious adverse events or surgical failures. At 60 months after surgery, patients higher in the Prestige LP group had significantly better scores on the PCS component of the Short Form-36 than the fusion group. At 84 months, replacement with the Prestige LP device significantly outperformed ACDF in terms of overall success, neurological success, and Neck Disability Index scores. Patients who had disc replacement also had significantly fewer serious adverse events related to the implant or the surgical procedure. There were also fewer revision surgeries in the replacement arm. While ten years seems to be the standard for assessing long-term outcomes, results at seven years clearly show two-level replacement to be superior to two-level ACDF safety, efficacy, range of motion, and revision surgery. As such, it is time to consider total cervical disc replacement as an attractive alternative to ACDF for two-level cervical disc disease.

A Diplomate of the American Board of Neurological Surgery and a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, Dr. Todd H. Lanman leads his spinal neurosurgery practice, Lanman Spinal Neurosurgery in the heart of Beverly Hills, which is affiliated with Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, UCLA Medical Center and Saint John's Medical Center.

Dr. Lanman earned his MD at Chicago's Northwestern University in 1983 with top honors and went on to complete his residency in Neurological Surgery at University of California at Los Angeles, under the aegis of Doctors W. Eugene Stern and Donald Becker in 1989. Since then, Dr. Lanman has led his spinal neurosurgery practice in the heart of Beverly Hills, which is affiliated with Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, UCLA Medical Center and Saint John's Medical Center.

As a leading innovator in medicine, as well as a media educator and contributor, Dr. Lanman has published more than 10 peer-reviewed articles, as well as book chapters on topics relating to neurological surgery, and has presented more than two dozen papers at national and regional medical society meetings. His expertise is often sought out as he is often tapped to be the principal medical investigator on a wide swath of clinical trials for motion preserving surgeries and artificial disc replacement devices, most recently the Prestige LP and M6, with the former recently receiving FDA pre-market approval on July 6, 2016, through his continuous support. He has also remained an assistant clinical professor at UCLA for the past 20 years. For more information on Dr. Lanman and Lanman Spinal Neurosurgery, visit the official website: http://www.spine.md

References

1. Zhang Y, Liang C, Tao Y, et al. Cervical Total Disc Replacement is Superior to Anterior Cervical Decompression and Fusion: A Meta-Analysis of Prospective Randomized Controlled Trials. PLoS ONE. 2015;10(3):e0117826.



2. Hu Y, Lv G, Ren S, et al. Mid- to Long-Term Outcomes of Cervical Disc Arthroplasty versus Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion for Treatment of Symptomatic Cervical Disc Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Eight Prospective Randomized Controlled Trials. PLoS ONE. 2016;11(2):e0149312.



3. Yue WM, Brodner W, Highland TR. Long-term results after anterior cervical discectomy and fusion with allograft and plating: a 5- to 11-year radiologic and clinical follow-up study. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). Oct 1 2005;30(19):2138-2144.



4. Hilibrand AS, Carlson GD, Palumbo MA, et al. Radiculopathy and myelopathy at segments adjacent to the site of a previous anterior cervical arthrodesis. J Bone Joint Surg Am. Apr 1999;81(4):519-528.



5. Veeravagu A, Cole T, Jiang B, et al. Revision rates and complication incidence in single- and multilevel anterior cervical discectomy and fusion procedures: an administrative database study. Spine J. Jul 1 2014;14(7):1125-1131.



6. Davis RJ, Kim KD, Hisey MS, et al. Cervical total disc replacement with the Mobi-C cervical artificial disc compared with anterior discectomy and fusion for treatment of 2-level symptomatic degenerative disc disease: a prospective, randomized, controlled multicenter clinical trial: clinical article. J Neurosurg Spine. Nov 2013;19(5):532-545.

7. Davis RJ, Nunley PD, Kim KD, et al. Two-level total disc replacement with Mobi-C cervical artificial disc versus anterior discectomy and fusion: a prospective, randomized, controlled multicenter clinical trial with 4-year follow-up results. J Neurosurg Spine. Jan 2015;22(1):15-25.

The views, opinions and positions expressed within these guest posts are those of the author alone and do not represent those of Becker's Hospital Review/Becker's Healthcare. The accuracy, completeness and validity of any statements made within this article are not guaranteed. We accept no liability for any errors, omissions or representations. The copyright of this content belongs to the author and any liability with regards to infringement of intellectual property rights remains with them.
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Height of danger: the craze for ever more spectacular photo opportunities has seen selfie enthusiasts putting themselves at increasingly greater risks

If 2014 was "the year of the selfie"; 2016, tragically, will be known as "the year of the selfie death". Researchers in the US report that 73 people died as a result of self-taken photographs in the first eight months of 2016 - an increase compared to 39 in the whole of 2015 and 15 in 2014.

The first reported case came from Spain in March 2014, when a 21-year-old man was electrocuted after climbing on top of a train carriage and touching a live wire, while, in October, a 12-year-old Russian girl fell to her death after taking a selfie on the balcony railing of her 17th floor apartment.

Trains are a common cause of accidents in India, which earns the dubious title of the "selfie death capital of the world".

Of the 127 total fatalities reported worldwide, nearly 60% have occurred in the country, many on, or near, railway lines.

Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh say it's because train tracks are seen as romantic, or a symbol of eternal friendship. It's such a problem that, in Mumbai, selfies are outlawed in 16 zones across the city, with transgressors facing a 1,200 rupee fine (around 12.50).

Most ban zones are along the coast, introduced after a woman drowned when she fell into the sea taking a selfie at the Bandstand Fort, a popular visitor site.

In Russia, the government launched an advice campaign following a series of alarming incidents that went far beyond a few accidental slips and trips. Two men perished posing for a snap while pulling the pin out of a hand grenade in the Ural Mountains and a woman in Moscow shot herself - with a gun, not a camera - in the head, but managed to survive.

The warning posters suggest selfies involving rooftops, pylons, moving boats, loaded weapons and wild animals are not advisable, which may seem obvious.

But the hunger for Facebook likes and Instagram followers is evidently enough to make some people abandon common sense.

It's likely going to take more bans and public warnings before the fatality figures start to dip.
A Stormont special adviser (Spad) who was at the centre of a political storm has quit his job, the Belfast Telegraph can reveal.

First Minister Arlene Foster confirmed Stephen Brimstone had left his 92,000-a-year post to pursue a career in the private sector.

The DUP official was appointed a Spad to First Minister Peter Robinson after a Stormont committee accused him of attempting to obstruct its investigation into alleged political interference on the board of the Housing Executive. He remained in the post to work for Mrs Foster after Mr Robinson stood down almost a year ago.

Mr Brimstone was not available for comment last night.

The Executive Office issued a statement wishing him every success and described him as a "valued member of staff".

In its investigation three years ago, the Assembly's former social development committee said Mr Brimstone had been "deliberately evasive" in his answers.

He was the Spad accused in a BBC Panorama investigation of telling the DUP's then representative on the Housing Executive board, Jenny Palmer, to change her vote in relation to a contract involving maintenance firm Red Sky, which later went bankrupt.

In a phone call he was alleged to have told Mrs Palmer: "The party comes first - you do what you are told."

The committee also said he failed to provide complete accounts of meetings.

Mr Brimstone insisted he did not believe he would have said the phrases which Mrs Palmer - now an Ulster Unionist MLA - claimed he had used in the call.

But the committee said Mr Brimstone did not give MLAs "the information and assistance which (we) expected", while Mrs Palmer's evidence was "compelling, consistent and convincing".

The DUP promised Mrs Palmer a public apology after a face-to-face meeting between her and Mr Brimstone chaired by party leader Mr Robinson.

However, Mr Brimstone told the committee he could not give any details about the meeting because it was "internal party business". When he was promoted to Mr Robinson's office aftwerwards, Sinn Fein's Mickey Brady said Mr Brimstone had been "rewarded" while the whistleblower Mrs Palmer had been "castigated".

DUP committee members Sammy Wilson, Gregory Campbell and Paula Bradley, however, produced their own minority report that cleared Social Development Minister Nelson McCausland of any wrongdoing, defended both him and Mr Brimstone, and said the main report lacked evidence or credibility.

Yesterday a spokesman for the First Minister said: "Stephen Brimstone has left his post in the Executive Office to pursue opportunities in the private sector."
TUV leader Jim Allister has revealed that he would have voted for Donald Trump to be US President - "despite his deficiencies".

In an interview with the Belfast Telegraph, Mr Allister also said that he shed no tears over the political demise of Peter Robinson, which he viewed as being, in some ways, "poetic justice".

And the TUV leader also rounded on many fellow MLAs whom he said were career politicians who couldn't earn anywhere like the same salary beyond Stormont's doors.

While some in the DUP - including East Belfast MP Gavin Robinson - have been highly critical of Mr Trump, Mr Allister said that although he was fully aware of the President-elect's weaknesses, he would have voted for him nonetheless.

He added that he was delighted to see "the meddling Clintons" defeated.

Mr Allister said that we had entered an era of invigorating politics, and he believed that if the Assembly elections had been held now, rather than in May, the results would be very different, especially for the DUP. "It's an exciting time in politics. In Brexit and in Trump, we have the victory of the little people. It would have been nice if our Assembly elections were held after these two events," he said.

"It might have encouraged people to think: 'Let's drain the swamp at Stormont'. And, most importantly, to believe that it could actually be done."

On the performance so far of the Opposition parties in the Assembly, Mr Allister said he was pleased that the UUP and SDLP had opted out of the Executive, but added: "I fear that Opposition isn't in some of their DNA."

Turning to the DUP and Sinn Fein, Mr Allister said he believed that they were so keen on holding office that they wouldn't opt for Opposition, even if they emerged as the smaller unionist and nationalist parties after the 2021 Assembly election.

"That is the flaw in the system," he said.

"It doesn't matter if the UUP and the SDLP succeed in Opposition and emerge as the largest parties after the next election.

"The set-up at Stormont means that the DUP and Sinn Fein still have a right to be in Government.

"I've no doubt that the power-loving Sinn Fein and DUP wouldn't choose Opposition. They would cling to whatever office was there for them."

The TUV leader criticised the rise in the number of career politicians here.

"I'm a great believer that you can contribute more to politics, and have far more independence, if you have had a life outside it," he argued.

"You can count on two hands the number of MLAs who could earn the same as their Stormont salary beyond the realms of the building.

"They are wholly dependent on their parties for their livelihood and that makes them pliable. The party has a capacity to make or break an individual."

Mr Allister claimed that many MLAs weren't true to themselves. "They're always looking over their shoulder, thinking 'this could be the end' if they make the wrong move," he said.

"There are MLAs on the DUP's fundamentalist wing who disagree with gay pardons, but who will vote for them next week. And there are DUP MLAs who are pro-gay marriage but refuse to say so."

Mr Allister resigned from the DUP in 2007 in protest at its decision to enter Government with Sinn Fein. He returned to politics in 2004 - after an absence of 17 years - with the support of Peter Robinson.

The TUV leader acknowledged that when Mr Robinson had welcomed him back into the party, he had failed to see that Mr Allister might be someone who would prove difficult when it came to compromising on principles. "I think that, by bringing me back, Peter highlighted that he was good at short-term tactics rather than long-term strategy," he said.

Asked if he felt sorry for Mr Robinson, who stepped down as DUP leader last year, Mr Allister said: "I feel sorry for him in the sense that it was Peter's lifelong ambition to be number one and it all went a bit sour. But there is a bit of poetic justice to it all. Peter circled Paisley's wagon, and in the end the party circled his."

Mr Allister also revealed that he wasn't a member of the Orange Order.

"I was as a young fellow, but I turned into a Twelfth of July Orangeman, and that's not what I'm about," he explained.

"If I'm in something then I want to be in it properly, so I left. Now, if I went back to the Orange Order, they'd say: 'Oh, he's just doing it for the politics'."
Black Teen Fatally Shot By Police Wednesday Died Of Gunshot To His Back

By Rachel Cromidas in News on Nov 25, 2016 10:59PM



Crime scene tape (Photo by LukaTDB via Shutterstock)

The black teenager who was fatally shot by Chicago police Wednesday night during a foot-chase died of a gunshot wound to his back, the Chicago Medical Examiner's Office announced Friday.

The 19-year-old, identified as Kajuan Raye, was allegedly carrying a gun, police said, but police apparently have not recovered a gun from the scene of the shooting, according to the Sun-Times. The officer who shot Raye said that the teen turned around and pointed a gun at him twice during the foot chase. The officer encountered Raye after responding to a call about a battery in progress in West Englewood.

Raye was shot in the 1400 block of West 65th Street, according to police. he was transported to an area hospital and pronounced dead. Police chief Eddie Johnson told reporters during a Thursday news conference that a gun had not been recovered from the scene.

Raye's family held a vigil for him Friday evening, according to the Sun-Times. Raye's death is one of three fatal shootings by police this week alone.
A treasure hunter who unearthed two extremely rare Viking coins after 10 years of metal detecting has spoken of his excitement.

Brian Morton did not immediately realise the significance of his discovery on farmland near Newcastle in Co Down but became convinced he had struck upon something special in May.

The 43-year-old said: "I didn't know what they were at the time, but I have got to know they were two extremely rare Hiberno-Manx coins.

"I was quite excited, to say the least."

A treasure inquest in Belfast heard the discovery of the Hiberno-Manx silver coins was a first for Northern Ireland.

They were mainly circulated in the Isle of Man during the 11th century and are 93% silver. They were found under about 10cm of mud, 1.5m apart.

Mr Morton, a full-time carer from Moneymore, who takes his metal detector out once a week, said he had not been searching for anything specific when he requested permission to scour the field.

He told the court: "It was just a general place to go out. I was looking for a wee bit of history and this popped out.

"I had never seen anything like it."

How the coins made their way to the Co Down hinterland remains uncertain, but one possibility is that they were taken during a Viking raid on a nearby monastery at Maghera, the court was told. The discovery may also reflect more peaceful trading or strategic links between the Isle of Man and south-east Ulster.

Robert Heslip, a former curator of coins at the Ulster Museum, said they were probably dropped by someone passing rather than deliberately hidden.

He explained: "I would think that it is more likely to be a loss given that they were separated.

"Also, two is an odd number. You generally find one or a hoard of these coins."

Offering her congratulations, Coroner Suzanne Anderson said she was "happy" to declare the discovery treasure.

She said: "I congratulate Mr Morton and thank him for giving them over to the Ulster Museum."

The coins will now be sent to the British Museum for independent valuation and the money will be split between the finder and landowner.

Dr Greer Ramsey, of National Museums Northern Ireland, said: "We take coinage totally for granted but, prior to the Viking period in Ireland, there wasn't coinage, and silver was the main form of currency.

"Different areas had their own styles of coins so finding different coins from different areas gives you a measure of contact.

"The Hiberno-Manx coins seem to have been circulated mainly in the Isle of Man and maybe in Scotland, but there have been no authenticated finds from Ireland.

"There are some Manx finds in collections but that's what they are, collections.

"The significance is that these coins are really the first that we can say were found in Ireland. It is a measure of contact - that people from the Isle of Man were travelling over."
More than 140m in rates is unpaid in Northern Ireland, new figures reveal.

Arrears are running at "unacceptable" levels - nearly four years after a Stormont spending watchdog said the issue must be urgently tackled.

As of April 2016, the total amount of unpaid rates was 142,700,000.

That is equivalent to around a tenth of Northern Ireland's 1bn-plus total annual rates bill.

The figures were obtained by DUP MLA Keith Buchanan.

Finance Minister Mairtin O Muilleoir revealed the end of year debt in each of the last three years was:

142,700,000 in 2015/16.

156,600,000 in 2014/15.

And 162,100,000 in 2013/14.

The figures relate to both domestic and business premises.

The annual figure includes any debt carried forward from previous years.

Mr Buchanan said he was concerned that the Executive was missing out on vital funds.

"We are all aware of the demands on the public purse, and we need to find out the potential revenue which is not coming in, and why," he said.

In January 2013 a report by the Assembly's Public Accounts Committee found the amount of rates debt in Northern Ireland had doubled in the previous five years.

MLAs said the body responsible for collecting rates, the Land and Property Service (LPS), must explore all ways to help those in rate arrears to pay their debts.

Ulster Unionist finance spokesman Philip Smith said the figures were still unacceptable.

"Arrears are running at 10% of the overall rates bill," he said.

"I appreciate that you will always lose some money, but this is running at a scale beyond that which is acceptable.

"We need a clear action plan from the minister and LPS. The minister's constant mantra is that public finances are under pressure, but here is an opportunity to claw some money back."

According to LPS, if someone doesn't pay their rates or makes an arrangement to pay their bill, legal action will be taken against them.

Mr O Muilleoir warned that rates evaders would be chased down.

"We must also accept that we are in a challenging economic environment and many people are struggling to pay their bills," he said.

"LPS continues to see large numbers of individuals and businesses facing bankruptcy, administration and liquidation.

"I can assure you that LPS takes a serious view of non-payment of rates and rigorously pursues all debt.

"However, this must be balanced against assisting ratepayers who are genuinely struggling and require some additional flexibility to help pay their rate bills."

Mr O Muilleoir said the 2013/14 debt figure of 162.1m was reduced to 142.7m at the end of the 2015/16 rating year.

This dprovided additional income that can be invested in critical front line services such as health and education, he said.

"While LPS will make efforts to support those who are struggling to pay, they must, and will, rigorously pursue those who don't pay," the Finance Minister added.

"Where ratepayers fail to pay or do not enter into payment arrangements or break those arrangements, LPS will take court action and seek to recover the debt through the Enforcement of Judgments Office, or will instigate bankruptcy proceedings."
A Londonderry solicitor has denied making a series of fraudulent claims relating to Legal Aid forms.

Damien McDaid, from Templemore in Derry, appeared at Belfast Crown Court yesterday where he denied a total of 61 charges against him.

The 42-year-old is accused of sending falsified documents to the Northern Ireland Legal Services Commission, now known as the Legal Services Agency NI, over an 18-month period.

McDaid replied "not guilty" to the first charge of false accounting - which accused him of making entries "which were or may have been misleading, false or deceptive ... in that they purported to show hours actually spent engaged in the representation of the said Legal Aid Certificate ... when they did not".

He was also charged with a further 60 offences of a similar nature, namely false accounting, over a period from July 2010 to January 2012.

McDaid denied all the offences which accuse him of claiming payment for hours he didn't work.

A defence barrister for McDaid said he is waiting to instruct a forensic accountant after they have obtained Legal Aid authority. This, the barrister said, would involve "having a sit down" with McDaid, as well as undertaking a detailed analysis of the relevant book-keeping system.

McDaid's barrister also revealed that his client's defence is based on "accounting negligencies."

During the hearing, it emerged that the trial will most likely be held in Derry. Mr Justice Treacy listed the case to be reviewed again in January 2017 when, he said, he wanted to be in a position to fix a date for the trial.

McDaid was then released on continuing bail and was told that whilst he did not have to come to court for the review hearing in January, he was nonetheless "free to attend".
The army said troops "have seized full control" of the eastern district in Syria's largest city

Troops have captured a neighbourhood in the northern city of Aleppo 10 days after the government resumed its offensive on the besieged rebel-held eastern part of the city, the Syrian army says.

Saturday's capture of the Hanano district came days after government forces and their allies launched an offensive in the area in deadly street battles.

The army said troops "have seized full control" of the eastern district in Syria's largest city.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said troops now control most of the district, adding that Hanano was the first Aleppo neighbourhood to fall into the hands of rebels in 2012.

The Observatory said that since the government offensive resumed on east Aleppo on November 15, 357 people have been killed in the city and nearby areas.

AP
While President-elect Donald J Trump continues to surprise and shock us, some people have been trying to fathom what has made him the extraordinary man he is.

In a recent edition of The Times, a columnist claimed that one of the major influences on Trump was that of the Rev Dr Norman Vincent Peale, the one-time minister of Marble Collegiate Church in New York.

In 1952 Dr Peale wrote the best-selling book titled The Power of Positive Thinking, which influenced millions of people around the world, and which is still popular today.

He officiated at the wedding of Donald Trump and his first wife Ivana in 1977, and this has led to speculation that Dr Peale's emphasis on positive thinking motivated the President-elect.

Donald Trump once said that having heard Dr Peale speak, "I would literally leave that church feeling like I could listen to another three sermons". He said that Dr Peale "would install a very positive feeling about God that also made me feel positive about myself".

However, there was much more to Peale than "positive thinking". This is a crucial point which The Times columnist ignored. Dr Peale's exhortations about positive thinking were in the context of a deep faith.

In another of his books, entitled 'The Tough-Minded Optimist' he summed up his teaching thus:

"...the Kingdom of God is a powerful recreative force deep down in your personality waiting to be summoned forth. When you do summon it and put it to work in your life, you will live with so much power that nothing can really upset you again, at least not to the point of defeating you".

Dr Peale, however, was not without blemishes, and he opposed the presdential election of John F Kennedy on religious grounds. This was a gross misjudgment, which brought the wrath of many critics on his head, and which chastened him greatly.

However, by the time of his death on Christmas Eve in 1993 at the age of 95, Peale had regained his reputation to such an extent that President Bill Clinton said: "He lifted the spirits of millions and millions of people who were nourished or sustained by the example his teaching has given."

Some five years earlier I had made a point of meeting Dr Peale in his Fifth Avenue apartment in New York. I arrived late, which curtailed our meeting greatly, but he told me more in half and hour than most people could manage in an hour.

He was charming, generous and down to earth. He had just returned to New York from a motivational speaking engagement in Montreal, and he was preparing for a tour of Asia - at the age of 90.

I asked him how he still managed to fit this all in, and he replied "I think health, I think work, I think I can, and with God's help I can."

As I was leaving he said "The next time you're in New York, come and see me!" I thought ungraciously "He's a bit of an optimist, inviting me back, when he's already 90."

True to form, however, he lived another five faith-filled and productive years.

His work is perhaps now known best to the older generations, but Norman Vincent Peale was the father of a whole industry of self-help books.

He may have impressed Donald Trump with the power of positive thinking, but sadly his religious aspect is questionable.

It is not surprising, but none the less sickening, to witness how Trump is backtracking on some promises he made in his bruising campaign.

It is also sickening to watch how other politicians who dismissed him savagely are keen to cosy up to him in the hope of getting a job. All of this has brought politics into utter disrepute.

I wonder what Dr Peale would make of it all today. Despite his own grave political mistake about Kennedy, his books are still worth reading, and to me he remains a treasured advocate for the power of Christian faith at its very best.
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Chinese authorities on Friday criticized 30 real estate agencies for flouting market rules, as it continues to give a hard strike on irregularities in the industry.

The 30 agencies are scattered across 17 provinces and cities including Shanghai and Guangdong, according to information disclosed by the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development on Friday.

The ministry is acting against activities such as fabricating information, embezzling funds and illegal financial services.

Providing additional leverage for people who cannot put downpayments together is strictly forbidden, the ministry said.

Earlier this year, guidelines were unveiled to improve regulations on real estate agencies, which have become a major source of customer complaints.

In April, Shanghai regulators fined six real estate agents 130,000 yuan (about 18,800 U.S. dollars) to 200,000 yuan, including industry leaders Lianjia.com and 5i5j.com for false advertising.
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China on Friday publicized a revised regulation on managing radio operators that reduces red tape and brings harsher punishment for telecoms fraud.

The regulation was released in accordance with a decree signed earlier this month by Xi Jinping, chairman of the Central Military Commission, and Premier Li Keqiang.

The revision covers the management of radio frequencies, stations, transmission equipment and radio operations related to foreign affairs.

It streamlines administrative approval in radio and strengthens supervision, with a special focus on radio-related crimes such as telecoms fraud using illegal base stations.

Illegal base stations can cut communication between mobile phones and legal base stations to send disguised text messages. This can facilitate fraud and illegal advertising.

According to the revision, equipment involved in illegal radio activities will be confiscated, with stations shut down. Radio authorities should report any suspected crimes to police and cooperate with follow-up investigations.

"People setting up and using radio stations for fraud and other illegal activities should be pursued for criminal liabilities, and those involved in lesser crimes should be fined 200,000 (29,000 U.S. dollars) to 500,000 yuan in addition to the seizure of all equipment and illicit gains," it says.

Underlining the country's radio frequencies as "national rare resources" and a key factor in information development, the regulation notes that certified radio operators which have not used their designated frequencies for two years, or used them as required, will have their certificiation revoked and frequencies taken back.

While ordering operators to conduct maintenance for their radio stations on a regular basis, it also urges supervision authorities to carry out checks, and review the use of frequencies regularly.

Additionally, large buildings or facilities that can disrupt radio signals must not be built around satellite monitoring stations, airports or other places demanding special electromagnetic environments, the regulation states.

The initial regulation came into force on Sept. 11, 1993 to ensure proper development and use of radio frequencies, and order on radio waves. The revision will take effect on Dec. 1, 2016.
It can be tough to be a vegetarian. You have to work harder than everyone else to make sure youre getting all the nutrients your body needs. So, when its time to take a
China issued guidelines to speed up innovation and reform in northeast China to rejuvenate the rust belt region.

The central government decided to accelerate reforms in administration, state-owned enterprises and the private economy to give full play to the region's vitality, according to a statement released by the State Council on Wednesday.

The provinces of Liaoning, Jilin and Heilongjiang in the northeast were among the first areas in China to be industrialized. However, this once robust industrial base has been faced with a more acute slowdown than the rest of the country, trailing well behind in terms of GDP growth.

The northeast will pilot a negative list program for investment. The region also aims to set up at least one private bank before next June to encourage growth of the private economy.

The central government urged the three provinces to update their industries and issued a three-year action plan. It will offer fiscal support to develop emerging sectors, such as tourism, according to the document.

The three provinces will cooperate with economically developed counterparts in east and south China and four major cities in the region will partner with Beijing, Shanghai, Tianjin and Shenzhen to seek cooperation.

The central government will offer stronger fiscal support to ensure the wellbeing of local people, especially those in poor areas, according to the statement.
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Nation has exported 11 such products to nine countries, including Bolivia, Nigeria and Laos

China will construct and launch two remote sensing satellites for foreign countries in the coming two years, an industry insider said.

China Great Wall Industry Corp, the nation's only authorized firm for international space collaboration, will launch Venezuela's second remote sensing satellite next year and Pakistan's first remote sensing satellite in 2018, said Fu Zhiheng, vice-president of Great Wall Industry.

"Preparation work for the Venezuelan Remote Sensing Satellite 2 project is proceeding according to schedule. The contract for the Pakistan Remote Sensing Satellite 1 project was signed earlier this year and will be fulfilled in 2018. The two satellites are being developed by the China Academy of Space Technology," Fu said on the sidelines of an international forum in Beijing on Friday.

A total of 180 space officials, diplomats and researchers took part in the Symposium on Space International Cooperation Promoting Economic and Social Development of Developing Country, which was organized by the China International Exchange Center for Astronautical Science and Technology and the International Academy of Astronautics.

Remote sensing satellites are tasked with forecasting weather, observing Earth, surveying land resources or monitoring oceans.

Fu said some other countries that already use Chinese satellites are also in talks with his company on the procurement of new satellites.

"In addition to traditional clients, we pay great attention to finding new customers. For instance, we are striving to tap the space market in the Middle East that is dominated by the United States and European firms," he said. "What I can tell you now is that we have made substantial progress in this region."

China has exported 11 satellites to nine countries, including Bolivia, Nigeria and Laos, statistics from Great Wall Industry show.

Fu said that Chinese satellites have become popular among developing countries for two reasons: First, they are as reliable as Western models; and second, Great Wall Industry is able to provide solution packages to developing countries covering design, launch, operation and training.

The Venezuelan Remote Sensing Satellite 2 is the third Chinese satellite designed for the South American country, following the Venesat-1 communications satellite that was launched in 2008 and the Venezuelan Remote Sensing Satellite 1, launched in 2012.

The Pakistan Remote Sensing Satellite 1 is the second Chinese satellite to be used by Pakistan. Before that, China developed the PakSat-1R communications satellite that was launched in 2011.

Hu Zhongmin, director of the international cooperation department at China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp, parent company of Great Wall Industry and China Academy of Space Technology, said the space giant is willing to strengthen exchanges and collaboration with developing countries so space data and technologies can benefit such countries.

"Under bilateral cooperation frameworks, we are also happy to help them to build their own space capability," he said.

Hiroki Matsuo, vice-president of the International Academy of Astronautics, said China could share its knowledge and expertise in manned and robotic spaceflight, space-based navigation and data applications with other countries.
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China's top auditor said Friday that 63.7 million yuan (9.2 million U.S. dollars) of fiscal funds earmarked for poverty relief projects had not achieved their expected performance.

The findings came as the National Audit Office (NAO) released its third-quarter review on the use of fiscal funds for major social projects such as poverty relief, education, and cutting industrial overcapacity.

The fiscal funds were allocated for 32 poverty relief and residential relocation projects, the NAO said.

The audit also found that in 11 cases, violators gained profits for a total amount of 9.57 million yuan from various poverty relief projects.

The government has put emphasis on efficient use of fiscal funds to support major social projects as the economy slows.

Poverty relief is high on China's agenda. With a goal of building an all-round moderately prosperous society by 2020, China has been developing specialty industries, relocating people and extending social security coverage. Endi
Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 26/11/2016 (2167 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Jason Scaletta was planning to be in hospital this week for back surgery, but he didnt expect a beating in a Brandon parking lot to get him admitted a day early.

The 38-year-old Brandonite had two surgeries on Thursday  his previously scheduled back operation and a wrist surgery, the latter induced after three bones broke in his right wrist Wednesday during an alleged assault on Victoria Avenue.

He was hurt in a broad daylight fight at approximately 11:20 a.m., he said.

Submitted Jason Scaletta suffered a broken nose and wrist after getting punched several times in a Brandon parking lot.

The guy just started assaulting me. He took four swings at me before he hit me, Scaletta recalled. There were three of them and one of me.

The altercation began minutes earlier, when Scaletta claims he was tailgated on First Street by a green Honda car. Three men were inside the car.

The vehicles parked beside each other at an intersection and the occupants exchanged heated words. As the other car turned left onto McTavish Avenue, a bottle, likely made of plastic, was tossed at Scalettas car, he claims.

Frustrated, Scaletta drove after them. He turned onto Victoria Avenue and south on Second Street when he saw the other car drive onto the parking lot at 510 First St. He followed.

Scaletta exited his car because he wanted to take a picture of the other vehicles licence plate to file a police report.

A verbal argument ensued between the parties, who exited their vehicles, and punches were eventually tossed.

A 29-year-old Brandon man was arrested for assault causing bodily harm, police said. He was the only person charged.

Scaletta, who suffered a broken wrist and nose, took issue with the polices media release on the incident, which referenced four people fighting because of road rage. The parties were flipping each other off.

The victim felt the report implied that everyone was equally to blame.

It wasnt a bunch of guys fighting. It was me, by myself, with a bad back that Im getting surgery on, he said. Im in no shape to be fighting anybody, Im 38 years old, these guys are young. Why would I try to pick a fight with three guys by myself?

Scalettas back was in bad enough condition before his surgery Thursday, he couldnt lift a laundry basket and certainly wouldnt have thrown a punch if he wasnt defending himself, he said.

He tossed one strike and faced approximately 15 blows, Scaletta alleged.

Submitted Jason Scaletta suffered a broken nose and wrist after getting punched several times in a Brandon parking lot.

His recollection of what happened is faint, he admits. He could hardly see because of profuse bleeding from his face and his left eye swelling.

This is Brandon, man. This kind of stuff shouldnt happen in Brandon, never mind throwing something at my vehicle thats worth 30 grand. Im not frustrated, just baffled.

The other two men in the car with the accused did not intervene, the victim believes.

After the fight, the driver of the other car, a really nice guy, gave Scaletta his sweater to clean himself.

He expects to remain at Brandon Regional Health Centre this weekend.

Sgt. Bill Brown of the Brandon Police Service said their police reports are meant to be a synopsis. He encouraged the complainant to call police if he has concerns with the wording.

 ifroese@brandonsun.com

 Twitter: @ianfroese
Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 26/11/2016 (2167 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Manitoba Premier Brian Pallister announced yesterday in Brandon his government will improve the provincial nominee program  such as eliminating the backlog of applications  but he did not divulge how.

It can be done better, Pallister said when asked of specifics after his press conference at Westman Immigrant Services. We got to do a better job of helping them land on their feet when they come here. Theyre coming here with hope, theyre not coming here to want to sit at home or in rented accommodation or in a shelter.

The premier explained his enhancements include prioritizing entrepreneurs and skilled workers, which is already the programs intention. The province will also seek innovative partnerships with industry and post-secondary institutions to help international students and skilled newcomers find work.

Colin Corneau/The Brandon Sun Premier Brian Pallister arrives at a provincial government announcement at Westman Immigrant Services on Friday afternoon.

The province explained it would erase the backlog of provincial nominee applicants next April.

Education and Training Minister Ian Wishart said the Progressive Conservative government whittled down the number of applicants waiting on a reply from 8,000 to 10,000 when they took office to 4,000 applicants.

Some individuals had not heard back from the province since 2008, he said.

Once the backlog is eliminated, applicants can expect to hear if they are approved within six months, Wishart said.

To pay for the planned improvements, applicants will start paying a $500 fee. Expressions of interest will remain free of charge, and the new cost would only be instituted once an employment opportunity is found.

Its a fee only upon success, Pallister said.

Revenue from the fee will be directed to language training programs and helping refugees.

The provincial nominee program lets Manitoba choose immigrants with the skills, education and work experience to contribute to the provinces job market.

Manitoba often has thousands more applicants than the yearly 5,000 cap permits.

Pallister referenced in his address the importance of finding immigrants to fill the provinces jobs, citing as many as 200,000 openings within the next five years.

Colin Corneau/The Brandon Sun Premier Brian Pallister speaks with Joy Escalera after Fridays announcement.

And he hopes the federal government can increase the amount of economic immigrants accepted, to 6,000 per year.

I think thats a good start point, Pallister said. The big thing here is to continue to do the analysis to determine what your labour needs are and link that to the number (of immigrants).

Guest speaker Joy Escalera, who emigrated from the Philippines, smiled broadly when she showed the crowd her acceptance letter in 2009 when she applied for Manitobas provincial nominee program.

The mother of three now works for Westman Immigrant Services as the settlement services manager. She said her familys life in Canada is a blessing.

I am confident my children are getting the education we dreamed of, she said.

 ifroese@brandonsun.com

 Twitter: @ianfroese
Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 26/11/2016 (2167 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A man who tried to rob another man with a knife, but wound up facing a blade himself when the victim pulled out a knife of his own, has been sentenced to one year in jail.

Crown attorney Yaso Mathu said that the would-be robber claimed he was carrying a knife for protection.

Whos going to protect the public from Mr. Soulier? Mathu asked during sentencing.

Suede Edwin Soulier, 22, was sentenced this week after previously pleading guilty to attempted robbery, possession of stolen debit cards and possession of stolen video games.

Court was told that Soulier was riding his bike with a friend on June 26, 2016, when he spotted a man and demanded money, telling the victim: My girl needs some cash, bro.

He flashed a knife that was attached to his belt and waved it around as he approached the victim. However, the victim pulled out a knife of his own, which he also carried for protection, and got away.

Soulier was arrested later and found with a stolen debit card in his wallet and another stolen card in a bag he had with him.

He also had video games that belonged to one of the card owners whose vehicle had been broken into.

Soulier received a total sentence of 365 days in jail minus 228 days credit for time served since his arrest, leaving 137 days to serve.

 ihitchen@brandonsun.com

 Twitter: @IanHitchen
Opinion

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 26/11/2016 (2167 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

As a specialist in Canadian politics, I had made a commitment to myself that I would not write an article on the U.S. presidential election. And Im proud to say that I kept that promise  until today at least.

No, I dont want to speculate on why political scientists, pollsters and other experts got the American election so wrong (although that would be a fascinating topic in itself) but rather, on what a Trump presidency means for Canada, specifically, Canadas role in international affairs.

There has been lots of talk about the negatives of a Trump presidency for Canada, largely based on fears over Canada-U.S. trade and the future of NAFTA. On the campaign trail Trump often attacked NAFTA, promising to renegotiate it in order to get a better deal for the U.S.

While Trumps protectionist talk may play well to his base, many of whom have lost their jobs in the changing global economy, it is doubtful that the U.S. would be able to pull out of the deal completely. The intricate and integrated cross-border supply chains that exist between our two economies (whereby companies headquartered in the U.S. farm out aspects of their manufacturing processes to facilities located in Canada and Mexico) means that separating out what is made in Canada or Mexico from the United States in terms of products can often be difficult.

As a result, the imposition of tariffs on so-called Canadian products could end up hurting many businesses and consumers in the U.S. by driving up costs. Like it or not, globalization is here to stay, and it is doubtful that Trump would risk the $660-billion trading relationship the United States currently enjoys with Canada in order to deny this fact.

And even if Trump were to go ahead with his plans to open up the agreement for renegotiation, this isnt necessarily a bad thing. There are parts of NAFTA that many here in Canada would also like to see renegotiated, notably with regard to labour and environmental standards (both of which could be strengthened), or the existing proportionality clause that guarantees the U.S. a certain proportion of Canadian oil, even if that means energy shortages in our own country.

But what a Trump presidency does open the door to is a more robust presence and influence of Canada on the world stage. In an opinion piece in the Winnipeg Free Press, University of Alberta political scientist Andy Knight noted that the Trump presidency comes at a time when the U.S. is losing its hegemonic place in the world. The liberal international order, which the U.S. (along with Britain) helped to construct and maintain, is crumbling in the face of increasing global disorder and uncertainty.

As he writes, The U.S., the so-called beacon on the hill, whose principles, norms and values used to be admired by many states, is no longer in a position to demonstrate global leadership.

If we add to this Trumps seeming isolationist and non-interventionist approach to foreign policy (taking at face value his statements to this effect during the election campaign), this means that there will continue to be a leadership vacuum on the international stage. While the days of the superpower may be long gone, what is needed during such tumultuous times is a return to multilateralism, whereby groups of countries come together to collectively tackle the most glaring problems facing the world  terrorism, climate change, poverty, refugee crises, human rights abuses.

And, in order for multilateralism to work, there must be those champions, countries that are prepared to take on the responsibility of rallying their allies and bringing disparate players  including states, international organizations, transnational movements, and multinational corporations  to the table, through the soft power tools of diplomacy, engagement and relationship building.

This is clearly the kind of foreign policy that the Trudeau government has been pursuing for the past year, and with an impending Trump presidency, one that makes sense. For sure we have seen some missteps within the Trudeau administration. Witness the bungling of the $15-billion arms deal with Saudi Arabia, or the at times confused approach to dealing with ISIL. But with the U.S. shrinking from its international responsibilities, it gives Canada space to step up to the plate.

It also allows us to separate ourselves out from our neighbour to the south, and to escape from the shadows of the U.S. in terms of our approach to foreign policy, which is always a good thing.

As the saying goes, the world needs more Canada. It appears that, in the aftermath of the U.S. election, this is truer than ever.

 Kelly Saunders is an associate professor with the department of political science at Brandon University.
Opinion

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 26/11/2016 (2167 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Ah, the Kemnay bridge  the favourite topic of perplexed readers all over Westman as yet another semi-trailer driver ignored reams of warning signs, marked detour routes and flashing lights, only to firmly wedge the truck underneath the structure on Wednesday afternoon.

While the ongoing situation is so exasperating for RCMP and officials with the Canadian Pacific Railway, its become a standing joke to most of the community.

Comments made by readers under our post of the story on The Brandon Sun Facebook page show the usual explanations and arguments.

Problem is people not knowing the road, wrote one man. GPS says go that way (probably shortest or fastest route). Bridge clearances not marked on GPS. Has happened here in Shoal Lake for that reason. however doesnt let driver off the hook for not reading signage.

Hes right of course, as we have been told as much in the past by officials with the Manitoba highways department. How many drivers simply ignore all the signs and plow into the bridge every year? Two years ago, RCMP suggested that it happens at least a half dozen times per year at that specific bridge. Another commenter suggested that the drivers cant read English  which is perhaps a possibility. But we dont know that in this case.

Still others suggest that perhaps the fines should be increased by several hundred dollars, or that offending drivers should lose their Class 1 drivers licences. That may help in the aftermath, but will likely do little to prevent more drivers from smacking into the bridge.

In December 2014, the Sun reported that the province set up yet another warning sign in an effort to stop trucks from trying to travel down Highway 1A. The large electronic sign, which states trucks must detour was set up on Highway 1A. This was in addition to the existing signs, over-height flashing lights, reflectors and marked detour routs that lead up to the CP Rail bridge.

But the new sign was at that time just a temporary measure until specialized signs were available that work with existing sensors. The province, under what was then called the Manitoba Infrastructure and Transportation department, was looking into incorporating technology to warn truck drivers using a GPS that a low bridge is on the route.

Presumably that GPS warning has not been accomplished yet.

Over the last two years, through editorials and stories, we have explored several options regarding what to do with the bridge, and the fact that it seems to act like a magnet for bad drivers.

And to date there have been precious few answers, other than fixing the GPS system to insert that warning. The province is not going to put a dangerous low-hanging bar on the highway that can take a windshield out. And raising the bridge height or lowering the dip in the highway would simply cost too much money  we simply dont believe that CP Rail or the Manitoba government will ever be willing to spend millions of dollars because a few wayward truckers dont take notice of obvious signage. The bridge will have to be on its last legs before that option is ever on the table.

Problems with the bridge go back decades in history. One collision story we found from the Suns archives in February 1993, reported that an American driver for Trans-X Ltd. couldnt figure out the metric conversion fast enough as he travelled west on Highway 1A.

Subsequently his tractor became lodged under the railway overpass just after 11 p.m. Friday and ripped part of the roof off, we reported at the time.

But these collisions should be taken seriously, and not remain the butt of jokes. Some incidents have had serious consequences. For example, in 1998, two horses were killed when a semi-trailer carrying 48 horses collided with the bridge one lonely January evening. A third horse had to be put down as a result. That particular crash happened to be the third such bridge collision that week. And in all of these cases, there were many signs in place even then warning of the low bridge.

Given the fact that this has been an ongoing problem for more than two decades likely several decades in fact  there seems to be very little political will to fix the problem, and far too little cash to throw into any possible solution. Which means we will undoubtedly see more of these unnecessary collisions in the future.

In spite of all of this, there is a silver lining. The Kemnay bridge is one tough little structure. Think of all the collisions that it has withstood over all these years. And for the most part it merely sustains some minor cosmetic damage.

If only those same engineers had built the Eighth Street bridge.
 Flash

Chinese President Xi Jinping left the Chilean capital of Santiago Wednesday morning after wrapping up his state visits to Ecuador, Peru and Chile, and his attendance at the 24th Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders' Meeting in Lima, Peru.

During his week-long trip to Latin America, the third of the kind since he took office in 2013, Xi held talks with his counterparts and decided to lift China's relationships with Ecuador and Chile both to a comprehensive strategic partnership, the highest level in China's diplomatic intimacy. China and Peru established the partnership in 2013.

In Lima, Xi delivered an address Monday to the Peruvian Congress, pledging China's efforts in strengthening dialogues and cooperation with Latin American countries to better build their community of common destiny.

At the APEC meeting, the Chinese president advocated reforms and innovation, openness and inclusiveness, connectivity, and win-win cooperation among the 21 member economies.

On the sidelines of the APEC meeting, Xi met with U.S. President Barack Obama, Russian President Vladimir Putin and some other member leaders.
Discussions on Ireland's abortion laws are underway at the first weekend of the Citizens' Assembly.

Ninety nine citizens have gathered in Dublin under the chair of Justice Mary Laffoy to recommend to the houses of the Oireachtas how they should deal with the Eighth Amendment.
NEW YORK: Taylor Swift on Tuesday announced she was returning to touring, getting back on the road for the first...
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A firefighter sprays water around a house in Nataf as wildfire burns on the hills and mountains around it, outside JerusalemNovember 25, 2016. (Reuters photo)

A new massive forest fire broke out late Friday near Jerusalem, while tens of thousands of people in the northern Israel were allowed to return home amidst a wave of wildfires.

The entire community of Nataf, which lies in Jerusalem hills, was evacuated for the second time on Friday since the wave of fires started on Monday.

In Haifa, Israel's third-largest city, residents were allowed to return home one day after 60,000 people, which is about a quarter of Haifa's population, were evacuated.

The blaze, which broke out in at least four sites simultaneously, consumed more than 600 homes in Haifa, said the Israel Fire and Rescue Service.

Dozens of firefighters from the United States were heading to Israel Friday amid 13 foreign firefighting planes' arrival, following Israel's call for international help.

The 747 Supertanker, the world's largest firefighting plane, has arrived at Israel. The plane can carry up to 74 tons of water or flame retardant.

In a rare move, the Palestinian National Authority also extended help to Israel, the occupying power of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, and sent four firefighting vehicles.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed Friday accusations by Israeli leaders, according to which some of the fires were intentionally ignited by Palestinian citizens of Israel.

"Unfortunately, there is no doubt there have been incidents of arson," Netanyahu said, vowing punishment for terror and incitement.

Other right-wing leaders said the arsons were an act of terror and called on to cancel the citizenship of Arab arsonists.

Arab lawmakers reacted angrily to the accusation, saying such statements were inciting against the country's Arab minority.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah movement said Israeli officials were "exploiting the fire" to blame Palestinians.

MetaoTech weather service said the dry and windy weather conditions are expected to continue until the beginning of next week.

Israeli police spokeswoman Luba Samri said the police are still investigating if arson caused some of the fires.

In 2010, a massive forest fire in the Carmel ridge in northern Israel, which broke out amidst similar weather conditions, raged for days and killed 42 people.

The media harshly criticized Netanyahu for procrastinating in asking help from foreign countries. The incident led to a reform in the firefighting services, including the establishment of an airborne firefighting squadron.
 Flash

The youth leaders delegation of Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries arrived in China on Nov. 24 on a first-ever observation tour. A total of 19 delegates from Serbia, Albania, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Romania and Montenegro planned to visit Beijing, Chongqing and Shanghai municipalities during their 12-day stay.

An opening ceremony is held to welcome the youth leaders delegation of Central and Eastern European countries in Beijing on Nov. 24. [Photo by Mi Xingang/China.org.cn]

They also planned to attend lectures and forums on the theme of responsibilities of youth and cooperation between China and CEE countries.

Jointly organized by the International Department of the Central Committee of Communist Party of China (CPC) and the Central Committee of the Communist Youth League of China for the first time, the activity aims to serve the "16+1 Cooperation" mechanism between China and CEE countries, put into practice the results of China-CEE Countries Political Parties Dialogue held in Hungary last month, help youth elites from CEE countries to know more about China, enhance bilateral cooperation, and promote their participation in the construction of the "Belt and Road" Initiative.

Yue Yanghua, deputy director of the Protocol Bureau affiliated with the International Department of the CPC Central Committee, speaking at a welcoming ceremony on Nov. 24, said: "As most of you are youth party leaders, we expect your proactive participation and deep reflection about bilateral ties. We hope that we can reach some practical consensus after the trip."

Sun Liwei, deputy director of the Department of European Affairs of the Ministry of Commerce, told the delegation during their visit to the ministry on Nov. 25: "China-CEE countries economic cooperation has great prospects for expansion as, until now, the bilateral trade volume only accounts for 9.1 percent of the total between China and European countries, and 10 percent of that between China and EU."

More exhibitions and fairs will be held in future to strengthen bilateral trade links, he said.

The two sides exchanged views on many issues of mutual concern, including the "Belt and Road" Initiative, infrastructure construction, etc.

The delegation was also scheduled to visit the National Development and Reform Commission and the International Department of the CPC Central Committee and experience distinctive art forms like Peking Opera in Beijing during their stay in the capital.
VATICAN CITY: Pope Francis will become the first pontiff in history to visit Bahrain, in a trip this week that is...
A proposal has been lodged with the federal government for a new Bangladeshi embassy to be built in Yarralumla.

The development plan would see the embassy move from its existing location in O'Malley to a vacant lot on Turrana Street.

The Yarralumla site for the new Bangladeshi embassy. Credit:Andrew Brown

Plans have also been lodged with the Department of Environment earlier this month by the Indian High Commission to also extend its embassy.

The extension would see the Indian embassy's site on Moonah Place border on the future Bangladeshi embassy.
It's the parliamentary perk that just will not die.

Two-and-a-half years after the Coalition announced it would axe the controversial Life Gold Pass  which gives retired politicians free business-class travel on the taxpayer  the plan has been put on the backburner once again.

The Turnbull government says it's too busy to follow through on its pledge to put the perk back on the chopping block by the end of the year.

Special Minister of State Scott Ryan said last month he planned to reintroduce the Abbott government-era bill to kill off the controversial entitlement before Parliament rose for the Christmas break.
Four people have died in separate crashes after a horror day on Queensland roads on Saturday.

A three-car crash at Landsborough, north of Brisbane, left one dead and two others in hospital.

A woman has died and two others injured after a three-car crash at Landsborough on Saturday evening. Credit:The Today Show - Twitter

Police said about 5.20pm a ute was travelling along Steve Irwin Way when it collided with the back of a stationary hatchback.

As a result of the initial impact, the hatchback was then involved in a collision with a car coming from the opposite direction.
Hundreds lined Adelaide Street in Brisbane on Saturday morning - some had even camped out overnight - but this wasn't about a new iphone launch or concert tickets going on sale - it was a line-up for a sample sale by the local runaway success Black Milk Clothing.

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The cult geek fashion brand is running the sample sale 8am to 2pm in City Hall as is part of its "International Sharkie Day" campaign.

Hundreds queue down a Brisbane CBD street for Black Milk Clothing's Sample Sale, with some having camped out for about 20 hours. Credit:Rachel Clun - Fairfax Media

According to the Facebook event page created for the sale, it was a case of "first in, best dressed" and a chance to "uncover some super special, rare nylon gems, which may have never been seen before."
It was first proposed three decades ago but Brisbane is still the only capital city in Australia without an Indigenous cultural centre.

A group of inspired people, including a former Brisbane lord mayor, has now joined forces to develop the Meeanjin Heritage and Remembrance Centre to celebrate First Nations stories, heritage and culture.

There are calls for Brisbane to have its own indigenous cultural centre. Credit:Ray Sparvell

But the struggle to find a suitable site and funding continues.

There were previous plans for an indigenous cultural centre at Musgrave Park in South Brisbane, but now the search for a site has widened.
As Queensland schoolies head home from the Gold Coast, the final arrest numbers are in - and they're not pretty.

A total of 71 teens were arrested over the week of celebrations, mostly for public nuisance and drug offences. There were also 124 non-schoolies arrested.

NSW HSC students arrive at the Gold Coast to celebrate Schoolies. Photo by Nathan Richter

In 2015, only 37 schoolies felt the cold steel of handcuffs, almost half of this year's number.

The only positive to take from these totals is things aren't as bad as 2014, when 131 recent graduates were arrested.
The heroic taxi driver who helped save passengers from a burning bus has been honoured with a Taxi Hero Award and given a weekend away.

Aguek Nyok kicked in the door of a bus in set alight at Moorooka by an "incendiary device" to save passengers stuck on board.

Taxi driver Aquek Nyok was hailed a hero after kicking open the back door of a burning bus to let out passengers. Credit:Glenn Hunt

The device was thrown at, and killed, bus driver Manmeet Sharma, and left several, including the alleged attacker with burns.

Mr Nyok, 31, a father and former refugee from the troubled nation of South Sudan has been nominated for a bravery award by the Premier and, on Friday night, was awarded with a Taxi Hero Award by the Taxi Council Queensland.
Narre Warren North  a small pocket of suburbia within the sprawl of Melbourne's vast and fast-growing south east  is Trump-land, and proudly so. There is widespread distrust of and disaffection with establishment policy-makers who most around here consider politically correct fools.

Here is Neil Bull, 46. He lives in 'Narre North' with his family, two kids. He works in insurance, is smart and well-read but is sick of what he calls the "fringe stuff  we don't want a super-left greenie agenda that is there to push things like gay marriage etcetera".

Neil Bull lives in the Casey area, close to where a mosque was proposed. Credit:Joe Armao

That's not because he is opposed to homosexuality or gay people getting married necessarily. It's because he considers it  and other forms of "social engineering"  a distraction from the things that really need to be done. These being rising crime, roads, the economy and jobs, and domestic violence. "People care more about the fact that their neighbour is beating up his wife."

On the campaign trail in the United States trying to beat Donald Trump, Hilary Clinton rashly called his supporters the "deplorables", referring to those she considered sexist and racist the uneducated, redneck great unwashed. That exists in Narre North as it does everywhere; the reality is that this uprising is subtle and steady.
Big birthday bash? Office Christmas party got way out of hand? Coming soon to Melbourne: hangover cures administered by a doctor at your bedside.

But the service is drawing controversy before it even launches, with alcohol-harm-prevention bodies slamming it for encouraging binge drinking. And a leading doctor alleges the expensive treatments simply don't work.

Hangover.clinic is launching in Melbourne in the new year Credit:vasakna

One intravenous clinic was shut down by authorities earlier in the year over safety concerns, and its high-profile director ended up in court over allegations of stealing drugs and steroids.

None of that is deterring Max Petro, co-founder of the hangover.clinic, who has been offering intravenously-injected hangover cures in Sydney since late 2015. Mr Petro announced this week that the business would launch in Melbourne early next year.
A 15-year-old boy, hooning in a stolen BMW, being watched live by tens of thousands of people online, vanishes into air almost as thin as that between his ears.

You could be forgiven for thinking he was a budding Daniel Ricciardo, the beneficiary of a bumbling police force, or maybe a bit of both.

The stolen car speeding toward Bendigo. Credit:Seven News

But it's hardly that simple. The police decision to end Friday's pursuit of the boy as he approached Bendigo was taken with only one thing in mind: risk.

No doubt some of those watching were waiting for road spikes to be deployed, a wailing police car to fly from left of screen and T-bone the stolen car, or - as we have bizarrely witnessed twice before in Melbourne - a road block to be constructed from civilian vehicles.
Two men have been charged with multiple offences including intentionally causing injury and being in possession of a firearm in relation to an aggravated burglary in Melbourne's north last month.

The charges follow two search warrants police executed in Corio and Roxburgh Park as part of their investigation into the October 30 incident in Widford Street, Broadmeadows.

The charges follow search warrants executed in Corio and Roxburgh Park.

Detectives from the Fawkner Embona Taskforce searched a property on the Princes Highway in Corio on November 18 and uncovered a number of cannabis plants.

Senior Constable Alistair Parsons said a second search warrant was executed on Friday in Wattlebird Street, Roxburgh Park, where police found an imitation firearm, cannabis and ammunition.
A new type of shark spotting technology is to be trialled at City Beach this summer.

The state government is spending half a million dollars on the experiment which will use two high-tech buoys invented by Perth company Shark Mitigation Systems.

The new state government will not deploy drum lines to catch sharks. Credit:Morne Hardenberg/Atlantic Edge

"The Clever Buoy trial is another element of the extensive work undertaken to provide West Australians with some comfort when they swim at our beaches," said Fisheries Minister Joe Francis.

The two buoys on the surface of the water will be attached to several sonar machines on the ocean floor.
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The Government body in charge of allocating funding to schools has told an embattled education trust in South Gloucestershire to improve immediately.

The board of trustees at the Ridings Federation, which runs Winterbourne and Yate International academies, has agreed to re-broker - transfer control - of both schools, after revealing that the trust would build up a 1 million deficit by next September.

The Education Funding Agency (EFA), an arm of the Department for Education, has now issued an official notice to the trustees to improve the management of finances at the schools.

In a letter published this evening, Mike Pettifer, director of academies and maintained schools group at the EFA, said he remained concerned at the financial situation at the trust.

Backdated to November 14  three days after the trustees agreed to transfer their schools  the EFA also warned that the trust could lose its funding if it fails to meet its requirements.

What is the EFA?

It is the body responsible for funding education for those between three and 19 years old.

As part of the DfE, it funds and monitors academies, university technical colleges, studio schools and free schools.

More importantly, it also ensures that all academies and schools are following their funding agreements.

What does the letter say?

The EFA said the notice was issued because of a failure to ensure governance arrangements, and that there was a lack of good financial management.

It also wants the trust to take action before February next year.

Writing to Claire Emery, chair of the trustees, Mr Pettifer said: "The EFA recognises the scale of the historic challenges that you have faced since you took up post on 1 September 2016.

"I also recognise the progress you and present trustees have made during your short time as Chair of Governors and I am grateful for the extensive collaboration and productive discussions that have taken place between the trust and officials.

"However, my concerns remain in relation to the current financial position of the trust.

"This letter and its annex serve as a written notice to improve financial management, control and governance at the trust.

"It reflects the weak financial position of the trust and continued concerns around governance and oversight of financial management by the board.

"In the event that the trust fails to meet the requirements of this notice to the satisfaction of the Secretary of State, the trust will be considered to have failed to comply with the terms of the Academy Financial Handbook (AFH).

"As a result of this breach of the AFH and therefore also of the Funding Agreement (FA), the termination process in the FA may be triggered.

"Depending upon the severity of the breach, this may be considered a material breach of the terms of the FA and lead to termination."

What does this mean, and why is it important?

The EFA regularly speaks to schools or trusts which are struggling to make ends meet, or are running towards financial problems.

But a notice is only handed out when the situation becomes urgent, and quick actions are needed.

The Government now wants the trust to carry out a financial review by February 3, 2017, and submit an action plan by February 17.

The trust could lose its funding if it fails to do so, as mentioned above.

It could force them to make a decision on the re-brokering process sooner, but there have been huge questions about consultation, accountability and transparency.

What does this mean for the schools?

There are three Multi-Academy Trusts (MATs) interested in taking over Winterbourne and Yate.

They are:

Oasis Community Learning

Olympus/Castle Schools Education Trust partnership

And Greenshaw Learning Trust

All three have or will visit the schools for a two-week due diligence period.

Does your child attend the Ridings academies? Get in touch with the Bristol Post on 0117 934 3328, email Michael.yong@b-nm.co.uk or tweet me on @michael_yong
Words pick: Born a Crime by Trevor Noah

The title of Trevor Noahs memoir is not figurative  its literal. Growing up in apartheid Sourth Africa, Noah was hidden from anyone but his family until the age of 6, and when he stepped outside, he would walk beside women who matched his skin tone to keep his mother from being picked up by the police. Its for fans of The Daily Show, for anyone still bitter Noah taking over the show from Jon Stewart, and for anyone who wants to know about living under apartheid. Noah conveys the reality of living in shanties with no running water and newspaper for toilet paper with a dose of humor  at least it kept him informed on current events!

 Ashanti Wallace-White, Word [126 Franklin St. at Milton Street in Greenpoint, (718) 3830096, www.wordbrooklyn.com].

Community Bookstores pick: Mr. Norris Changes Trains by Christopher Isherwood

While stumbling around in post-election grief, I stumbled on Isherwoods Mr. Norris Changes Trains, a book for our dark times. The story follows British expat William Bradshaw as he navigates the seedy, beautiful underbelly of 1930s Berlin. As he falls into the orbit of Arthur Norris, an importer-exporter with shady friends, their relationship becomes a prism through which we can see the early rise of Hitlers Germany. Isherwoods novel is a gorgeous, seductive story that pulses with those lives  Jewish, communist, pacifist, gay  that would fall victim to the coming currents of hate.

 Hal Hlavinka, Community Bookstore [43 Seventh Ave. between Carroll Street and Garfield Place in Park Slope, (718) 7833075, www.communitybookstore.net].

Greenlight Bookstores pick: The Unreal and the Real by Ursula K. Le Guin

I discovered Ursula K. Le Guin very late, and with every novel and essay I read I think: More. More magic worlds, more fierce intelligence, more bold explorations into the workings of power, the realms of men and women, the sweetness and bitterness of human life. Here is more: dozens of short stories, both fantastical and earthbound, along with Le Guins own calm, humorous, wry introduction detailing why she chose these famous and lesser-known pieces. Its a rich feast for passionate fans or newcomers, best savored slowly and discussed at length.

 Jessica Bagnulo, Greenlight Bookstore [686 Fulton St. between S. Elliott Place and S. Portland Avenue in Fort Greene, (718) 2460200, www.greenlightbookstore.com].
Warminster boy makes Phillies nation proud with viral video from Game 1

Carson Wallace, 5, of Warminster, starred as one of the Phillies most savage fans as his celebration and taunt of an Astros fan went viral.
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The flooding issues this week prompted us to have a look back to 2000 when huge swathes of land and many homes where flooded in and around Burton. Our article prompted lots of you to get in touch with your memories of that time.

Here we take a look back at how the drama in 2000 unfolded:

What started as a typical autumn storm quickly developed into Britain's worst widespread floods since 1947.

The life-changing events of the November 2000 floods began with a storm during Sunday, October 29.

At first it was just high winds which caused damage and concern, and forced the evacuation of 22 pensioners from a block of flats in Swadlincote. One 82-year-old war veteran described the chaos as being 'like the Blitz' when the Germans bombed London during the Second World War.

Trees and telegraph poles blocked many roads, including the A38 while a massive metal container was blown onto the road near Branston.

Quickly joining the destruction of the gale force winds was driving rain. The weather was horrendous but so far this was just a nasty storm which many expected to pass without too many lasting problems.

But the rain didn't stop and river levels quickly increased. Debris created by the earlier high winds would also add to the problems.

By Tuesday October 31, the Burton Mail reported the start of flooding with warnings issued on the River Trent between Yoxall and Drakelow, and Drakelow and Clay Mills.

There were also warnings on the River Dove between Marston on Dove and Clay Mills, and Doveridge and Marston.

By now the A513 in Alrewas was under two feet of water and at-risk residents were told to prepare to evacuate their homes for potential flooding.

Unfortunately the worst was still to come and by Wednesday, November 1, hundreds of homes and businesses remained under threat of flood as rivers reached their highest levels for 15 years.

The situation forced the Environment Agency to issue a severe flood warning  the most serious flood alert  for the River Trent from Burton to Castle Donington, warning that the whole area was now under threat.

The only good news to report was that the town's new 2.5 million flood defences were holding firm even throughthe Trent Washlands were submerged.

By now, sandbags were being issued to householders in Newton Road, Winshill, and at Clay Mills.

More bad news followed on Thursday November 2 as weather watchers warned of another deluge likely to hit the area by the weekend.

Unfortunately, the weather experts were right and around 5cm of rain fell in a short space of time causing virtually every water course in the area to burst its banks.

The result was that tens of homes and businesses were flooded, roads were blocked and schools closed with the worst-hit areas being Shobnall, Stretton, Hatton, Rolleston and Willington.

In Stretton, a dozen homes had to evacuate their homes following 2ft-high flood water with residents in Harlech Way taking the brunt of the deluge.

By Tuesday, November 7, Burton town centre was at risk of flooding.

Police warned that the town could be under water by the afternoon as the River Trent was only 2ft from the top of the new flood defences and water levels were rising at a rate of four inches an hour.

In South Derbyshire, the Army was drafted in to hand out thousands of sandbags in a desperate bid to protect homes after 17 Hatton homes had to be evacuated after the River Dove burst its banks.

'The Great Escape' was the headline of the Burton Mail on Wednesday November 8 as the flood defences had done their job and flood waters were now dropping  only by three inches in 24 hours, but they were falling.

This trend continued and the floods were over  now the big clean-up began.

While it's possible to clear up the physical mess caused by the floods, the psychological damage remains. Now whenever we experience severe rain, everyone thinks back to the floods of November 2000.
BEIJING - China on Friday publicized a revised regulation on managing radio operators that reduces red tape and brings harsher punishment for telecoms fraud.

The regulation was released in accordance with a decree signed earlier this month by Xi Jinping, chairman of the Central Military Commission, and Premier Li Keqiang.

The revision covers the management of radio frequencies, stations, transmission equipment and radio operations related to foreign affairs.

It streamlines administrative approval in radio and strengthens supervision, with a special focus on radio-related crimes such as telecoms fraud using illegal base stations.

Illegal base stations can cut communication between mobile phones and legal base stations to send disguised text messages. This can facilitate fraud and illegal advertising.

According to the revision, equipment involved in illegal radio activities will be confiscated, with stations shut down. Radio authorities should report any suspected crimes to police and cooperate with follow-up investigations.

"People setting up and using radio stations for fraud and other illegal activities should be pursued for criminal liabilities, and those involved in lesser crimes should be fined 200,000 (29,000 U.S. dollars) to 500,000 yuan in addition to the seizure of all equipment and illicit gains," it says.

Underlining the country's radio frequencies as "national rare resources" and a key factor in information development, the regulation notes that certified radio operators which have not used their designated frequencies for two years, or used them as required, will have their certificiation revoked and frequencies taken back.

While ordering operators to conduct maintenance for their radio stations on a regular basis, it also urges supervision authorities to carry out checks, and review the use of frequencies regularly.

Additionally, large buildings or facilities that can disrupt radio signals must not be built around satellite monitoring stations, airports or other places demanding special electromagnetic environments, the regulation states.

The initial regulation came into force on Sept. 11, 1993 to ensure proper development and use of radio frequencies, and order on radio waves. The revision will take effect on Dec. 1, 2016.
Betting on solving the business problems the information technology industry, software lobby National Association of Software and Services (Nasscom) feels that Indian IT sector will achieve $350 billion revenue earlier than the targeted date of 2025.
Tata Motors and Kingfisher Airlines are among the 4 that owe over Rs 1,000 crore in indirect taxes to the exchequer, Parliament was informed on Friday.

Tata Motors has outstanding excise duty of Rs 629.76 crore in 91 cases and service tax dues of Rs 516.09 crore in 5 cases. This takes the total amount due in taxes to Rs 1,145.85 crore.

Vijay Mallya-promoted Kingfisher Airlines, now defunct, owes Rs 1,012.96 crore in service tax and penalty.

The other two entities which owe more than Rs 1,000 crore in service taxes to the exchequer are Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board (Rs 2,590 crore) and Karnataka Housing Board (Rs 1,083 crore), Minister of State for Finance Santosh Kumar Gangwar said in a written reply to Lok Sabha.

As regards direct taxes, he said as on June 2016 there are 80 cases with outstanding tax demand exceeding Rs 1,000 crore each, aggregating to over Rs 4.53 lakh crore.

"However, the disclosure of information in specific cases is prohibited except as provided under Section 138 of the Income Tax Act, 1961," Gangwar said.
With an aim to ease the problems faced by people in the state due to the implementation of demonetisation policy, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandra Babu Naidu is planning to distribute free mobile phones to people, especially economically- backward classes, to undertake transaction.

The Chief Minister, who has been convincing people saying the demonetisation problems are temporary but the gains in the long run will be fruitful, asked people to make effective use of mobile currency and debit and credit cards and Rupay cards, said a statement issued by the AP Government.

The Chief Minister is holding frequent reviews of the situation with RBI officials, State Level Banking Committees, state finance officials and district collectors at regular intervals, with his first priority being setting up of control rooms in all districts of the state.

The Andhra government is also planning to start a mobile App  'AP Purse'  soon to provide short term, middle term and long term benefits to the people and wanted to make Andhra Pradesh to be the first state in the country in the adoption of transactions, said the statement.

He has directed officials to make arrangements for providing drinking water and butter milk to the people standing in long queues before banks and ATMs and suggested to the banks to open separate counters for deposits, withdrawals and exchanges.

He said he has written letters to the Union Finance Minister to pump in more and more funds, along with smaller denominations, to the state to ease out the problems of the people.
Around 150 people were detained on Saturday after they tried to proceed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's residence to protest against the Centre's move.

Students from various universities, workers and women from different parts of the city participated in the protest rally against note ban.

Students from varsities like Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi University, Jamia Milia Islamia and Ambedkar University participated in the rally.

Left-leaning All India Students' Association (AISA) organised Saturday's march and claimed that workers from Wazirpur, Noida, Narela and other industrial areas of the city had come to lend their support for the march.

On Saturday, the march started from Mandi House and proceeded towards Janpath.

"We are all demanding that the move of be rolled back. This move has created an emergency-like situation in the country and it is becoming clear that the net gainers from this exercise are the corporate houses whose loans are being waived off," said AISA President Sucheta De.

They said that Delhi Police did not allow them to march or proceed towards the Prime Minister's residence and they were detained instead.

"It has become a nightmare for the common people of the country. By spending hours outside banks and ATMs, workers are losing a day's work and are obviously not being compensated for their loss of hard earned income by the government.

"Those who have money stashed in Swiss and Panama accounts are sleeping soundly nevertheless even as the rest of the population is standing in queues," said Kavita Krishnan of All Secretary of India Progressive Women's Association (AIPWA).
Zikas rampage last year in Brazil caused an explosion of infections and inflicted a crippling neurological defect on thousands of babies  an effect never seen in a mosquito-borne virus.
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Even as most Indians think that the Narendra Modi government's move to demonetise Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes to flush black money out of the system is a good step for the economy, not many feel India as yet is ready to become a cashless economy.
Prime minister Narendra Modis move to drive out black money from the economy by demonetising Rs 500 and 1000 bank notes overnight, ticked an emergency situation in the paints industry with Berger Paints, the second largest paint-maker in the country, responding to the crisis by course correcting its growth strategy.
The world is full of stark contrasts; and contrasts present great opportunities for spin doctors. In India, the spectre of black money  untaxed stashes of cash hoarded by individuals  coexists with the worlds highest number of people living in extreme poverty. This contrast has been there for years.
The HRD ministry is planning to encourage cashless transactions in higher educational institutions.

Sources said that there is a thinking in the ministry that bodies like IITs and Central varsities should go cashless in their transactions.

Earlier, in a bid to provide relief to people, ministry has advised educational institutions associated with it to not insist on draft and pay orders for payments but accept electronic transactions like RTGS, NEFT or cheques.

According to sources, the ministry has also said that all educational institutions should prepare a roadmap for transition to cashless mode for all financial transactions.
While the governments move to demonetise high-value currency notes has been hailed as a surgical strike on black money, the question of political funding still remains open. Most political parties accept contributions in cash and it creates a mechanism that will not prevent the consequent generation of black money. Prashant Bhushan, Supreme Court advocate and activist, speaks to Manavi Kapur, about how the government missed an important opportunity.
Karnataka, home to Bengaluru, Indias new economy hub is holding its flagship technology event ITe.biz from Monday. This year the event comes at a time when Indian IT industry is facing challenges due to disruption in technologies - automation and artificial intelligence and concerns in their main export market - US, where President-elect Donald Trump has been elected on an anti-immigration and anti-outsourcing plank. Closer home, startups, which had emerged as a major employment generator are struggling to raise funds to scale their business. Priyank Kharge, the state IT minister explains in an interview with Business Standard why Bengaluru is reinventing in a changing environment to attract business and the relevance of the event. Edited Excerpts:
The State Bank of India and Madhya Pradesh government have joined hands to make the state cashless by rolling out the Digital India drive and promoting digital literacy in the state.

The SBI has embarked upon a five-week campaign by roping in National Service Scheme (NSS) volunteers to create awareness about the point-of-sale (PoS) mechanism among traders.
The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, today addressed the DGsP/IGsP Conference at the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Police Academy in Hyderabad. .

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Speaking on the occasion, he recalled that today is 26th November the day that a deadly terror attack had struck Mumbai, and police had bravely fought against terrorists. He also recalled the over 33,000 police personnel who have attained martyrdom. .

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The Prime Minister said that this annual conference has now undergone a transformation in the way it is conducted. He said it has become a platform for sharing experiences, which leads to good inputs for policy planning. .

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The Prime Minister laid emphasis on concrete outcomes out of the actionable points that have been finalised. .

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On training, the Prime Minister said the development of soft skills is now essential, and should become a part of the training drill. Aspects such as human psychology and behavioural psychology should be vital parts of training, he added. .

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The Prime Minister said leadership skills are important, and the onus lies on senior officers to inculcate these skills in the police personnel. .

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On the subject of law and order, the Prime Minister emphasised the importance of foot patrolling and constabulary Intelligence. .

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Shri Narendra Modi called for a qualitative change in the police force through a collective training effort. The Prime Minister said that technology and human interface are both important for the police force to keep progressing. .

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The Prime Minister launched a mobile app Indian Police at Your Call. He presented the Presidents Police Medals for distinguished service to officers of the Intelligence Bureau. .

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Earlier in the day, the Prime Minister laid a wreath at the Martyrs Column at the National Police Academy. He also offered floral tributes at the statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, and planted a sapling. .

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Fidel Castro, the Cuban revolutionary leader who built a communist state on the doorstep of the United States and for five decades defied US efforts to topple him, has died. He was 90.
Hillary Clinton's election campaign said on Saturday it would join in a recount of votes in the state of Wisconsin although it has not seen any irregularities so far in the White House contest won by Donald Trump.

Marc Erik Elias, an election lawyer for the Democratic candidate, said in a post on Medium.com that the campaign would also participate in recounts in the closely contested states of Michigan and Pennsylvania if they are arranged.

Trump, the Republican presidential candidate, won Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin by just over 100,000 votes. The razor-thin victories in those states pushed him above the 270 votes needed for victory in the Electoral College.

Green Party candidate Jill Stein has requested a recount in Wisconsin and has announced her intention to also seek recounts in Michigan and Pennsylvania.

"Because we had not uncovered any actionable evidence of hacking or outside attempts to alter the voting technology, we had not planned to exercise this option ourselves," said Elias, the Clinton lawyer.

"But now that a recount has been initiated in Wisconsin, we intend to participate in order to ensure the process proceeds in a manner that is fair to all sides," he added.

"If Jill Stein follows through as she has promised and pursues recounts in Pennsylvania and Michigan, we will take the same approach in those states as well," Elias said.

Although experts say there is virtually no chance of overturning the final result, the recounts could reignite debate over the legitimacy of Trump's election, already fuelled by Clinton's lead in the popular vote, which now stands at more than two million.

She lost by a margin of around 20,000 votes in Wisconsin, 70,000 votes in Pennsylvania and 10,000 votes in Michigan.
Within half an hour of the Cuban governments official announcement that former President had died, Miamis Little Havana teemed with life  and cheers.
Key events in the life of longtime Cuban leader Fidel Castro, whose death at 90 was announced on Friday.

August 13, 1926: Castro is born in Biran, eastern Cuba, the third of seven children, son of a Spanish immigrant landowner and a Cuban mother who had been the family housekeeper. A fine student, Fidel was sent away from the farm to be schooled by Jesuits in Santiago.

July 26, 1953: Leads a failed attack on Santiago de Cuba's Moncada military barracks. Castro is arrested and dozens of his men are jailed.

December 2, 1956: After setting off from Mexico, lands in southeastern Cuba on the ship Granma with 81 fighters and launches a 25-month-long military campaign in the Sierra Maestra mountains.

January 1, 1959: Dictator Fulgencio Batista flees the country. Castro makes a victorious entry into Havana on January 8 and is appointed prime minister in February.

April 15-27, 1959: Meets US Vice President Richard Nixon in the United States.

1960: Establishes diplomatic relations with the Soviet Union.

1961: The US severs diplomatic relations with Cuba.

April 17-19, 1961: Defeats 1,400 anti-Castro fighters in the US-backed Bay of Pigs invasion.

February 13, 1962: US President John F Kennedy decrees an embargo against Cuba.

October 1962: The Soviet Union deploys missiles in Cuba but eventually agrees to withdraw them in exchange for guarantees the United States would not invade Cuba.

April 1963: Castro makes his first visit to the Soviet Union.

1965: Castro founds the Communist Party of Cuba.

1975: Sends troops to help Angola independence fighters.

1980: Gives green light to refugee exodus of 125,000 on the so-called Mariel boatlift to the United States.

1990: Cuba plunges into extreme economic difficulties following the collapse of the Soviet Union.

1995: Castro visits China for the first time.

1998: Welcomes Pope John Paul II on his historic visit to Cuba.

1999: Launches a successful campaign for the return of six-year-old Cuban shipwreck survivor Elian Gonzalez from Florida.

March 2003: Orders the arrest of 75 opposition leaders.

July 31, 2006: Temporarily transfers power to his brother, defense chief Raul Castro, then 75, after what an official statement called delicate intestinal surgery.

Late November-December 3, 2006: Fails to appear during celebrations for his 80th birthday and the 50th anniversary of the landing of the Granma.

February 2008: Raul Castro is named president, taking the helm of government definitively.

March 22, 2011: confirms he no longer holds any official title. Pens a series of columns over the following years.

December 17, 2014: remains out of sight as Raul Castro and US President Barack Obama announce the normalisation of relations.

July 20, 2015: United States and Cuba reopen embassies in each other's capitals.

November 25, 2016: dies aged 90, Raul Castro announces.
In the two-and-a-half years that the government led by Prime Minister has been in power, the Sensex has delivered only 6.5%, despite the initial rally.
In what may come as a relief for Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government facing the opposition wrath post the drive, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Saturday backed the move and urged the ruling dispensation at the Centre to hit benami property and impose a ban on liquor.

"After demonetisation, the government should also hit benami property and ban liquor because they are the prime sources of black money. If the business of liquor ban has stopped then find out what are they doing who were indulging in this business. If they are doing something alternative then its good," he said.

Nitish, however, said that the government should have made more preparations prior to announcing this move as the nation is facing difficulties due to .

"I would urge the Prime Minister to impose a ban on liquor ban in the entire nation. The nation will be free from corruption if you hit benami property and liquor business," he added.

Nitish yesterday described the move as a "courageous step" even as he admitted that "poor arrangements" in its implementation were causing hardship to the common man.

He also dismissed reports of "confusion or fissures" in the grand alliance in Bihar over the issue.

The Bihar Chief Minister described the Centre's demonetisation decision as "sahsik" (courageous), which, he said, would help in the fight against black money.
Calling Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's decision to demonetise Rs. 500 and Rs. 1000 currency notes as a 'bold move' and a 'gamble', the Chinese media said Saturday that the former has created a precedent with this move irrespective of the fact that the whole process succeeds or fails.

"The Western-style democratic system of India allows little room for such bold moves. However, he is really carrying it out, and will create a precedent no matter he succeeds or fails," said an editorial in the Global Times.

"Modi's move is very bold. We cannot imagine what would happen in China if the country bans its 50- and 100-yuan notes. To prevent a leak of information jeopardizing the implementation of the demonetization reform, the rollout of the plan had to be kept confidential. Modi is in a dilemma as the reform aims to render the black money useless but the process goes against the governance principle of winning support of the public before initiating a new policy," read the editorial.

The article pointed out that demonetisation can crack down on corruption and shadow economy but it is obviously unable to solve the deeper social and political issues that help breed the aforementioned problems.

As far as the root causes of corruption exist, the problems will always resurface. In other words, the Modi government wishes to turn a long and arduous reform into a one-off deal, it said.

"Demonetization is a gamble for Modi. He bet on both the execution ability of the government and the tolerance level of the Indian society, hoping that the benefits of this reform can outrun the negative social impacts and low morale," it said

The editorial said that even though Modi's demonetisation move came with good intention but whether it can succeed depends on the efficiency of the system and the cooperation of the entire society as pthe eople are growing pessimistic about his government's ability to control the process.

The editorial also said that China will draw lessons by observing India's reforms, which in turn would help the country understand its own reforms.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Coming down heavily on Prime Minister Narendra Modi for stating that the waters of the Indus River belong to India and cannot be allowed to go to Pakistan, the Communist Party of India (CPI) on Saturday said the former should not raise the issue of water sharing in such a casual manner.

It described it as a serious issue because there are reverts and riparian countries do have certain rights to share the water resources available.

CPI secretary D. Raja told ANI, "Raising a water issue with Pakistan is a serious matter and we should have some kind of consensus and understanding on such matters. The Prime Minister should take the country into confidence; Parliament into confidence; political parties into confidence, when he makes certain observations on such issues that relate other countries also."

"As India and Pakistan have a water sharing issue, there is a need to engage both sides for settling down the water-sharing arrangements. I do not know why the Prime Minister raised this issue; it is for him to explain," said Raja.

Criticising the Prime Minister for making speeches outside when Parliament is in session, the CPI secretary said, "Parliament is in session, but the Prime Minister does not speak on policy matters in either of the Houses and makes speeches outside Parliament."

Sounding the poll bugle in Punjab, which will go to assembly polls in 2017, Prime Minister Modi on Friday asserted that the welfare of farmers was his main concern and vowed that his government would ensure that the Indus River, which is in dispute with Pakistan, will flow again in the state and provide relief to farmers.

Speaking at the foundation ceremony of All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Bhatinda, the Prime Minster asserted that the river belongs only to India. "The fields of our farmers must have adequate water. Water that belongs to India cannot be allowed to go to Pakistan. The government will do everything to give enough water to our farmers," he said.

He, however, justified that this was not a political gimmick to seek votes rather concerned about the welfare of the farmers. "For me elections do not matter. I am more concerned about the welfare of the farmers," Prime Minister Modi said.

In the wake of the deadly Uri attack in September, Prime Minister Modi had also held meetings with the Water Resources officials, External Affairs Ministries and the PMO to discuss the government's options on the India-Pakistan Indus Waters Treaty.

Taking stock of the 56-year old Indus Water Treaty on September 26, Prime Minister Modi had said "blood and water cannot flow at the same time".

The meeting chaired by Prime Minister Modi decided that India would expedite construction on three dams on the Chenab River, named Pakul Dul, Sawalkot and Bursar.

According to sources, India will utilise "legal rights in the treaty to the fullest" and the construction on the Tulbul navigation project, the work on which was suspended in 2007, would also be reviewed.

India would use the potential of 18,000 megawatt of power from the western rivers under Indus Water Treaty, while an inter-ministerial task force for the Indian rights would be formed for western rivers under the treaty, said sources on the Prime Minister-Water Resources Ministry meet.

NSA Ajit Doval, Principal Secretary to Prime Minister Nripendra Mishra, Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar, Water Resources Secretary Shashi Sekhar and other senior officials briefed Prime Minister Modi on the Indus Water Treaty.

The treaty was inked in 1960 by the then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and then Pakistan President Ayub Khan, which allocates 80 percent of water to Pakistan from the six-river Indus Water System, including Beas, Ravi, Sutlej, Indus, Chenab and Jhelum that flows from India to Pakistan.

The treaty, brokered by the World Bank, is often considered to be one-sided and there has been growing clamour to relook at it. The pact has survived wars and phases of frosty ties between India and Pakistan.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Reprimanding Farooq Abdullah for his assertion that Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) is not India's property to be inherited, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) on Saturday said the former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister has proved that he is not an Indian and is not concerned about the country's interests.

Speaking to ANI, RSS leader Indresh Kumar said, "Farooq Abdullah's statement questioning India's claim on PoK is disrespect to the sacrifices made by the Indian soldiers for Kashmir."

"This is also a reality that PoK has never joined Pakistan. The people of PoK from 70 years are calling to become a part of India. Abdullah has proved that he is not an Indian," he added.

The RSS leader also called on the people of Jammu and Kashmir to raise their voice against people like Abdullah, who raise their voice against the Constitution and disrespect it.

The Conference leader yesterday stirred a controversy by questioning India's claim on PoK and said it isn't the country's paternal property.

"PoK is presently under Pakistan occupation. It is not the personal property of India so that it could make a claim over it like an inherited property of forefathers," he was quoted as saying by News 18 website while addressing a function in the Chenab Valley.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Stating he "respectfully" disagrees with Chief Justice of India T S Thakur, Union Law and Justice Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on Saturday said the government has so far appointed 120 High Court judges, adding this is the second highest number of appointments in the history of the country's judicial system.

"We have got the highest regard for the CJI, but we respectfully disagree with him. This year we have made 120 appointments. This is the second highest after 121 were appointed in 2013. Since 1990 there had only been 80 appointments," Prasad, who was also present at the event, told the media later.

Prasad also said that the Supreme Court has failed to make the Memorandum of Procedure (MoP), a document to guide appointment of judges to higher judiciary, more transparent and reasonable despite repeated requests from the government.

"But for the larger issue of appointment is concerned, there is a Supreme Court decision of making the MoP more transparent, objective, reasonable, fair and the government's stand is pending for more than three months and we are yet to hear from the Supreme Court," he said.

Responding to Justice Thakur's claim that there is a lack of adequate infrastructure provided to the tribunals, Prasad said, "As far as infrastructure is concerned, it is a continuous process. So many tribunal courts are there. But we need to understand that every retired Supreme Court judge cannot be given the same bungalow of the same size, there is land constraint also."

Earlier, Justice Thakur stated that there were 500 judges' posts lying vacant in High Courts while adding that courtrooms are unable to function without judges.

He further said that in principle, the judiciary was not against the formation of Tribunals because it would relieve court duties, but the problem arose from the lack of adequate infrastructure provided to the Tribunals.

"Tribunals are not equipped and are lying empty. Today a situation has come that when no retired Supreme Court judge wants to head the Tribunal. I am pained to send my retired colleagues there. Government is not ready to give proper facilities. Vacancy apart from infrastructure is a major concern for the Tribunal," Thakur said.

The Centre and the top court have been at war since the Supreme Court struck down the Judicial Appointments Commission (NJAC) Act, which was brought in to end more than 20-year-old practice of judges appointing judges under the collegium system, with government having no say in the process.

Earlier, the Centre had conveyed to Supreme Court that it had returned to the collegium or its reconsideration of 43 of the 77 names recommended for the appointment of judges in various High Courts and that the remaining 34 have been appointed as judges.

On October 28, the apex court had lashed out at the NDA government for failing to appoint judges in various High Courts despite the collegium clearing some of the names more than nine months ago, in which a livid Thakur told Attorney General Mukul Rohtagi, "You can as well close down the courts. Close down justice".
Hitting out at Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley for accusing the UPA regime of leaving behind a "terrible legacy", the Congress on Saturday called on the Bharatiya Jananta Party (BJP)-led government to stop using the phrase 'legacy' as a shield to cover its failures.

Speaking to ANI here, Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi questioned the Centre as to how can they blame the UPA government for its own blunders, adding that the ruling dispensation was suffering from the "nach na jaane angan tedha" syndrome.

"I think our ears have got baked by hearing this legacy phrase. You are now in your third year, how long are you going to blame legacy? Are you going to cry legacy, legacy, legacy as a cover up for your failures till 5 years? Are you going to make excuses every day and play the blame game? I think it's too late now to keep chanting this phrase," Singhvi added.

Earlier, rejecting former prime minister Manmohan Singh's criticism of demonetisation, Jaitley had said the NDA government is trying to transform the previous regime of "loot and plunder" into a more "honest system".

"We are trying to transform India's economy where there is a premium on honesty... We switched over from a system which promotes it (corruption, dubious political funding, bribery) into a more ethical system which the developing economies in the world has followed," Jaitley told Times Now.

Taking on the previous UPA government, Jaitley said that during its regime, it did not want to take any decision and therefore left a "terrible legacy" behind.

"But the present Prime Minister doesn't want to leave behind a legacy of 'do-nothing' approach or a policy paralysis. He has taken a very courageous decision in which we want to transform India and even in the long run," Jaitley said.

On Thursday, Singh emphasised in the Rajya Sabha that implementation of demonetisation was a "monumental management failure" and a case of "organised loot and legalised plunder" and would lead to 2 per cent decline in GDP.

Dr Singh said that while he didn't disagree with the objective of the government, a "monumental mismanagement has taken place."

"Even supporters speak of the long run. Those who say demonetisation is good in the long run, should recall the quote: 'In the long run, we are all dead'," he said during the discussion on demonetisation in Rajya Sabha.

He also asked Prime Minister Modi to find a more practical and pragmatic solution to prevent the prevailing distress on the general public in the wake of this step.
Even as Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is backing Prime Minister Narendra Modi's drive, his party, Janata Dal (United) (JD(U)), on Saturday accused Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Amit Shah of investing party's huge black money by purchasing land in several districts of Bihar just before the announcement made by the Centre on November 8.

The JD(U) further alleged that buying land using black money in the name of BJP below government rate to evade tax is a clear case of corruption by topmost leaders of the saffron party.

Holding a joint press conference in Patna, JD(U) spokespersons Sanjay Singh, Neeraj Kumar and Rajiv Ranjan produced documents relating to some of the land purchases to buttress their allegations and to "expose" the BJP's, especially its leader and former Bihar deputy chief minister Sushil Modi's claim that the payments were made through Real-Time Gross Settlement systems (RTGS).

Firing fresh salvos at the BJP, Ranjan questioned as to what prompted the saffron party to purchase land in the last two months before the announcement of policy?

He alleged that by doing so, the central government has breached the secrecy of its demonetisation policy.

However, accusing the BJP of "financial fraud", Neeraj Kumar said Prime Minister Modi, on one hand, is talking about the cashless economy, while on the other hand, his party is investing black money in land purchase.

The JD(U) also made public documents purportedly pertaining to cash payments made by the BJP for land purchase.

Meanwhile, the party in a series of tweets further alleged that the documents received by it clearly show that the BJP purchased land in cash and that too below the government rate.

"Documents received by @JanatadalU clearly show that @BJP4India purchased land in cash and that too below the govt. rate (sic)," posted JD (U).

"1 piece of land purchased in Kishanganj was purchased in cash for Rs 15 lacs whereas the govt. the rate of the land was Rs 39,30,000 (39.3 lacs). Claims of #BJP that land was purchased via electronic payment/cheque stand completely exposed. Payment is done in cash before #DeMonetisation. Another land in Kishanganj was purchased for Rs 20 lacs much below the govt rate of Rs 31 lacs 41 thousand. Mentions cheque w/o cheque numbr (sic)," the JD (U) claimed.

The ruling party questioned as to how do the BJP get land below government rate, forget the market rate?

"Ques: How did #BJP get land below govt rate forget market rate? And even for that paid in cash while preaching world on electronic payment," posted the JD(U).

The JD (U) claimed in tweets, "Registerd sale deed in Kishanganj shows BJP made pmnts of Rs 15 lacs & Rs 20 lacs whereas the same seller says on video he received 70 lacs! #BJP said yesterday money was paid to seller directly via electronic pmt, today seller says he received 70 lacs via a mediator. What a sham! (sic)."

It claimed, "Certified copy of the sale deed of land in Kishanganj purchased for President of @BJP4India with #BJP's Pan Card Number AAABB0157F. All documents showing the purchase of property worth crores by @BJP4India just before the #DeMonetisation. See yourself proof of #Notescam."

The JD (U) alleged that buying land using black money in the name of BJP below government rate to evade tax is clear case of corruption by topmost leaders of the saffron party. "Buying land using #blackmoney in the name of @BJP4India below govt rate to evade tax is clear case of corruption by topmost leaders of #BJP (sic)."

Now even the common man has started doubting that from where did the BJP get money to purchase land in every district of Bihar, they added.
This year's Thanksgiving probably came with extra dose of fun for Katie Holmes, who headed to her home state with her only child Suri Cruise, for a family time in Toledo, Ohio.

The 37-year-old actress took to her Instagram handle to post many pictures and updates from the mother-daughter duo's day out.

Holmes stepped into 'Dave & Buster's' for some holiday games with 10-year-old Cruise, who was ready to win.

"She beat me," Holmes captioned a picture of herself and Cruise facing off at an arcade game.

Previous posts showed the 'Pieces of April' star reuniting with her family and near ones for Turkey day.

"Great times @daveandbusters with my family #toledo #family #love #gratitude HAPPY THANKSGIVING!" she wrote on the social media site.

Even though Holmes and Cruise stay relatively out of the limelight, they do share parts of their daily lives with fans. The mother and daughter always look like two peas in a pod.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Lieutenant General Qamar Javed Bajwa has been appointed as Pakistan's 16th Chief of Army Staff (COAS), ending obscurity over the successor of Gen. Raheel Sharif, who is set to retire on November 29, reported The Express Tribune Saturday.

Meanwhile, General Zubair Mahmood Hayat has been appointed Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC).

Lt-Gen Bajwa has served as chief of the army's training and evaluation branch. Bajwa was commissioned in Pakistan Army's Sindh Regiment in 1982.

He attended Pakistan Military Academy's 62nd long course. He has been posted at several operational and staff positions in the army and is considered an excellent military officer.

Lt-Gen Bajwa was posted as Inspector General Training and Evaluation - the same position General Raheel held when he was alleviated to the rank of Army chief.

He has commanded the army's 10th Corps - Rawalpindi as Corps Commander. The army's 10th Corps is responsible to defend the country's frontiers at the Line of Control the Working Boundary along the border with India.

Bajwa, who belongs to the infantry's Baloch Regiment, has also held the position of Force Commander Gilgit-Baltistan as a Major General.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
At least five loyalists of the of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) terrorist group, including two Pakistanis, were killed during the joint operations in eastern Nangarhar province of Afghanistan.

The provincial police commandment said the operations were jointly conducted in Pacher Agam district, leaving at least five militants dead, including two Pakistani loyalists of ISIS terrorist group, reports the Khaama Press.

Local security officials said that Pakistani identity cards, several weapons, including rocket launchers and machine guns were recovered.

The Ministry of Interior (MoI) also confirmed that the operations were launched in Pacher Agam to clean the district from the militant presence.

"Afghan National Defense and Security Forces launched a joint clearance operation in the Pachiragam district of eastern Nangarhar province," said a MoI statement.

The statement added, "As a result of this joint operation, five Daesh terrorists were killed and four other Daesh terrorists were wounded.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will on Saturday address the 51st post-Independence DGPs/IGPs Conference-2016 at the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Police Academy here, which is being attended by DGPs and IGPs of various states.

The Prime Minister arrived here on Friday evening by a special aircraft from Chandigarh to take part in the deliberations today.

The three-day conference took off yesterday with cross boarder terrorism and funding terror high on the agenda.

Inaugurating the conference formally on Friday, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh said, "Naxals are devastated after demonetisation, and they are trying to get their currency exchanged. We will stop their attempts. I request the Director of the Intelligence Bureau (IB) to compile a comprehensive report of how demonetisation has hampered terror funding."

The home minister commended the efforts of the police forces of the states, UTs and Centre for all round improvement in the internal security situation in the country, be it insurgency in the North-East, Naxal activities, or the situation in Jammu and Kashmir, where attempts to incite secession and law and order problems were made from our neighbourhood.

He also acknowledged the relentless efforts of the police forces of the states and the centre in handling these and lauded the coordinated efforts of central and state intelligence for not letting ISIS indoctrinated youth commit any act of terror in the country.

Singh also emphasized on the need of exchange of information relating to best practices among police personnel belonging to all states and central agencies. He also desired that contribution of experts of various security domains, such as investigation, forensic science and prosecution, need to be appropriately recognized.

He further said healthy competition between various security agencies is yielding good results.

He also acknowledged the relentless efforts of police forces of the states and the centre in handling these and lauded the coordinated efforts of central and state intelligence for not letting ISIS indoctrinated youth in committing any act of terror in the country.

The Union Home Minister gave away the Indian Police Medals for meritorious service to officers of the Intelligence Bureau and the Ministry of Home Affairs. The three-day conference would deliberate on various security-related issues confronting the nation, and to come out with ways and means to tackle them.

Ministers of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju and Hansraj Gangaram Ahir, Union Home Secretary Rajiv Mehrishi, Director (NPA) Aruna M Bahuguna, Heads of CAPFs and senior officers from security and intelligence agencies are attending the conference.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Stating that India has changed its strategy, Prime Minister of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir Raja Farooq Haider has asked the officials to be prepared to meet any eventuality.

"All government officials, particularly those in the district administration, are required to remain on their toes for a rapid response to any emergency," the Dawn quoted Haider as saying to the participants of a meeting.

The meeting was held at Kashmir House in Islamabad to review the situation along the LoC.

A decision was also taken during the meeting to facilitate the affected population with the available resources.

Haider said that they would divert whatever resources they have for the rehabilitation of the population, which serves as the first line of defence.

He said that he has got assurance from Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif of the Centre's support to deal with the situation

Haider said that necessary arrangements have been made for relocation but the people living along the LoC have shown no sign of evacuating their homes.

Haider further said that necessary arrangements had been made for relocation in the event of utmost danger of women and children from vulnerable areas.

It was decided in the meeting that all means of communication in the vulnerable areas would be kept operational at all times.

Haider asked the district administrations to ensure that tents, blankets and other items were immediately provided to the displaced families.

Constructing alternative safe routes in Neelum valley was also decided during the meeting.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
With the Chief Justice of India (CJI) TS Thakur lashing out at the Centre yet again over the prolonged row on judges appointment, the Congress on Saturday extended its full support to the top jurist saying what choice did he have but make a noise over the issue since the Centre had turned a deaf ear to his pleas.

Speaking to ANI here, Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi said that Thakur's views were not personal since he spoke as the head of an institution, adding that the judiciary was helpless because even though it has vast powers, the actualisation of those powers and directives depends on the executive government.

"33 per cent of the lower judiciary is vacant. 40 per cent of the High Court judiciary is vacant. This is vacancy within the 13 judges per million of population ration that we have, which is by the way one of the lowest in the world. It should be 50 judges per million. So within the 13, which is much lower than the desirable 50, we have such vacancies. What is the Chief Justice to do except speak, shout, lament? But the government seems to have deaf ears," Singhvi said, asserting that it was totally unacceptable, whatever be the reason that over 400 to 500 judges' posts are vacant.

Earlier today, Thakur emphasised that the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government's attitude was lackadaisical from the very issue of filling vacancies to providing adequate infrastructure.

Stating that there are 500 judges' posts lying vacant in High Courts, Thakur said that courtrooms are lying vacant without judges.

He further said that in principle, the judiciary was not against the formation of Tribunals because it would relieve court duties, but the problem arose from the lack of adequate infrastructure provided to the Tribunals.

"Tribunals are not equipped and are lying empty. Today a situation has come that when no retired Supreme Court judge wants to head the Tribunal. I am pained to send my retired colleagues there. Government is not ready to give proper facilities. Vacancy apart from infrastructure is a major concern for the Tribunal," Thakur said.

Meanwhile, stating he "respectfully" disagrees with Thakur, Union Law and Justice Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said the government has so far appointed 120 High Court judges, adding this is the second highest number of appointments in the history of the country's judicial system.

"We have got the highest regard for the CJI, but we respectfully disagree with him. This year we have made 120 appointments. This is the second highest after 121 were appointed in 2013. Since 1990 there had only been 80 appointments," Prasad, who was also present at the event, told the media later.

Prasad also said that the Supreme Court has failed to make the Memorandum of Procedure (MoP), a document to guide appointment of judges to higher judiciary, more transparent and reasonable despite repeated requests from the government.

"But for the larger issue of appointment is concerned, there is a Supreme Court decision of making the MoP more transparent, objective, reasonable, fair and the government's stand is pending for more than three months and we are yet to hear from the Supreme Court," he said.

Responding to Justice Thakur's claim that there is a lack of adequate infrastructure provided to the tribunals, Prasad said, "As far as infrastructure is concerned, it is a continuous process. So many tribunal courts are there. But we need to understand that every retired Supreme Court judge cannot be given the same bungalow of the same size, there is land constraint also."

The Centre and the top court have been at war since the Supreme Court struck down the Judicial Appointments Commission (NJAC) Act, which was brought in to end more than 20-year-old practice of judges appointing judges under the collegium system, with government having no say in the process.
Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has said that Islamabad will welcome any country interested in joining the multibillion-dollar China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

Sharif conveyed this to Turkmenistan's President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov during his meeting held yesterday.

Asserting that CPEC would usher in an era of prosperity in Pakistan and beyond, he said that the future of the people of the entire region was linked with the project.

Sharif, who is presently on an official to Turkmenistan, said the ties between both countries are being strengthened with the passage of time.

Both leaders exchanged views on bilateral, regional and international issues of mutual interest, reports The Express Tribune.

Agreeing with Sharif on the importance of CPEC, the Turkmenistan President said that progress and prosperity for the entire region would be guaranteed by this multibillion-dollar project.

He praised the Prime Minister for the steps taken to strengthen Pakistan's economy.

Sharif on his part proposed to hold a high-level meeting every year in Islamabad and Ashgabat.

Matters related to the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline and re-establishing air links between the two countries were also discussed by the two leaders.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Chief Justice of India T.S. Thakur on Saturday expressed concern over non-filling of vacancies in various courts, saying around 500 posts of High Court judges were lying vacant.

The government, however, said that 120 appointments have been made this year.

"Around 500 vacancies in the High Courts today. Five hundred High Court judges should be working today, but they are not. A large number of proposals are still pending and hope the government will intervene to end this crisis," Justice Thakur said at the All India Conference of Central Administrative Tribunal.

Thakur said due to lack of infrastructure, the posts of chairmen in various tribunals are lying vacant.

"A large number of pending vacancies in the High Courts and various tribunals leads to delay in disposal of cases," he said.

"Tribunals are not equipped and are lying vacant. Today, a situation has arisen that no retired Supreme Court judge wants to head the tribunal. I am pained to send my retired colleagues there," Justice Thakur added.

Law and Justice Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, however, said the Centre had made 120 appointments this year.

"We have the highest regard for the CJI but we respectfully disagree with him. This year, we have made appointments of 120 judges (the second highest up to 2013)," Prasad said.

"Since 1990, there have been only 80 appointments. There are 5,000 vacancies in the lower judiciary, in which the Centre has no role to play. That is something only for the judiciary to take (care of)," said the minister.

On October 28, during a hearing, a bench headed by Justice Thakur slammed the Centre for sitting over the top court collegium's recommendations on the appointment of High Court judges, saying the action amounted to paralysing and locking out the judiciary.

In April, the Chief Justice broke down during a joint conference of Chief Ministers and High Court Chief Justices, and urged the government to improve the infrastructure and fill up vacancies in the courts.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Assam government has suspended the arrested chairman of the Assam Public Service Commission (APSC) Rakesh Paul for his involvement in a multi-crore cash-for-jobs scam, an official said on Saturday.

The Raj Bhavan here on Friday also sought a direction from President Mukherjee seeking to remove the tainted chairman.

A special police team from the state's Dibrugarh district probing the alleged involvement of the APSC chairman and some of his associates in the cash-for-jobs scam, had arrested Paul, APSC member Samedur Rahman, his personal security officer, and APSC's assistant controller of examinations, Pabitra Kaibarta earlier this year and questioned them.

After expiry of their police custody, the court here had sent Paul and Rahman to judicial custody while the others are in police custody.

On November 9 this year, Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal convened a cabinet meeting and the cabinet unanimously decided to move a proposal to the Assam Governor seeking to suspend the APSC chairman.

"We received the nod of the Governor to suspend Paul and the government has issued the suspension letter of Paul. The Assam Governor had already written to the President of India seeking his direction in removing Paul from his position," said an official of the prsonnel department of the Assam government while adding that Paul will remain suspended till further instructions from the President of India.

The police had arrested the APSC chairman while investigating a bribery case in Dibrugarh.

Police claimed to have got substantial evidence against Paul to prove his involvement in scam. Subsequent to the arrest of Paul on November 4, the police had also arrested APSC member Samedur Rahman and assistant controller of examinations Kaibarta for his alleged involvement in the scam.

There had been allegations that Paul and some of his trusted members and staff of the APSC took huge amounts of money for selecting candidates for the Assam civil service examination and other officials for different departments of the state.

There had also been allegations of Paul obtaining assets disproportionate to his known source of income and that Paul has acquired assets in the name of his wife, his brother, his driver and other relatives.

Last year, the Gauhati High Court had asked the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to carry out a probe, particularly regarding the assets possessed by Paul, his wife, brother and driver.

The court, however, asked the CBI not to arrest Paul during the preliminary enquiry but said he could be questioned and upon completion of the probe the investigating body shall submit a report to the court.

The court's instructions came during a hearing of a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti, a peasants' rights body.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Cuban leader Fidel Castro, who died on Friday, was the most important leader at the 7th summit of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) held here in March 1983 apart from then Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, former Union Minister and career diplomat Natwar Singh said on Saturday.

"Apart from Indira Gandhi, he was the most important figure. The session lasted five days and he was the most important figure after Mrs Gandhi," Natwar Singh, 85, told IANS at his Jor Bagh residence.

Recalling Castro's role at the summit, especially in solving problems that could have derailed it, Singh, who was in charge of the event as Secretary General, said: "What happened on the very first day was that S.K. Lambah, who was my deputy, came running to me saying 'Sir, we have a big problem. Yasser Arafat is very upset and he thinks he was insulted in the morning session by being asked to speak after the King of Jordan. He has ordered his plane and he is leaving'.

"I rang up Mrs Gandhi and said 'Madam, please come and bring Mr. Castro with you'. So, they arrived and Castro telephoned Arafat and called him to the Vigyan Bhawan. And then he said: 'Yasser, Indira Gandhi your friend?' He said: 'Friend, she is my elder sister'. So, Castro said: 'Behave like a younger brother and come for the meeting in the afternoon and cancel your plane'."

The sixth NAM Summit had taken place in Havana in 1979 under the chairmanship of Castro and Indira Gandhi was to take over the chairmanship from Castro in the Summit at Delhi, he recalled.

Speaking on Castro's relationship with the three generations of Nehru-Gandhi family, Natwar Singh said: "He was a great admirer of Jawaharlal Nehru. They met in New York in 1960. He knew Indira Gandhi very well and he also had a great affection for Rajiv Gandhi."

"I went with Rajiv to Havana in 1987, they had a very long discussion and one session lasting six hours."

Castro, a man who survived many attempts on his life, was, while in Delhi in 1983, surprised by the non-existent security of the Indian Prime Minister.

"He told Indira Gandhi that 'What is this? You are going out in a little car'. In those days she would go in a little Morris Minor with little police chap on motor bike. I said: 'We have no problem here.' In 18 months, she was assassinated," he said.

Talking about the security arrangements for the Cuban President, he said: "Each night he slept in a separate place. We didn't know. He was very clear that Americans are after him. He brought his own team.. we allowed him."

Calling Castro a very gutsy and tough man who fought in the jungles against the Battista regime and who was on the hit list of Americans but who had complete trust in the people of Cuba whom he led, Singh said: "His security was very good. But he felt so confident in Havana that no one will touch him. The attempts were made when he was travelling abroad."

Natwar Singh also recalls he was a great reader of books and once questioned him extensively on the Gurkhas after coming across them in a book on mountain-climbing in the Himalayas.

About his last meeting with Castro, he said: "I last met him more than 20 years ago. I was in Havana. He was a friend of mine, a world's statesman and I was a foreign service officer. But his death is an end of an era. Although he came from a small island but his impact was world wide.

"He led NAM. He was the most important figure in South America and Central America. He took on the US and dealt with 11 presidents. The CIA (Central Intelligence Agency) tried to assassinate him but didn't succeed. He was an extraordinary man and he had very warm feelings for India."

(Rohit Srivastava can be contacted at rohit.s@ians.in)

--IANS

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Condoling the death of former Cuban President Fidel Castro, Congress chief Sonia Gandhi on Saturday said the revolutionary icon will forever be remembered for his contribution to the Non Aligned Movement.

Describing his death as a loss not limited to Cuba or a particular ideology, Gandhi, in a statement, said that Castro led the oppressed and the striving from the front and stood up to every attempt at stifling the voice of freedom.

"His contribution to the Non Aligned Movement and his unflinching support for India's cause on various fora will always remain deeply etched in the minds and hearts of the Indian people," she said.

Cuban state television on the day announced the death of the 90 year old revolutionary.

--IANS

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A police sub-inspector deployed as part of the security for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ongoing visit in Hyderabad, on Saturday shot himself dead.

The Sub-Inspector committed suicide in an apartment at Mylardevpally near PVNR Expressway, about two km from SVP Police Academy, where Modi was addressing the annual conference of top police officials of the country.

Sridhar used his service revolver to shoot himself on 19th floor of newly constructed Happy Homes apartment. The police official was one of the personnel deployed on high-rise buildings in areas surrounding the Police Academy.

Hailing from Warangal district, the young officer was called to Hyderabad for deployment as part of the security for the Prime Minister's two-day visit. Another SI who came to relieve Sridhar on Saturday morning, found him lying in a pool of blood.

Police said Sridhar shot himself in his heart, resulting in instantaneous death.

Police said they were investigating the cause of the suicide. A police official said preliminary investigations show that failure in love drove Sridhar to the extreme step.

He was reportedly in love with a woman, working as a home guard in Asifabad district, and wanted to marry her but his family was opposing the alliance.

Sridhar was serving as SI at Chintalamanepalli police station in Asifabad district. He was one of the four SIs from the district to be called for duty during the PM's two-day visit to Hyderabad.

Since the SIs came late on November 23, they were not given duties by the higher-ups. The next day they were deployed at different places.

Modi, who had a night halt at the Police Academy, was addressing DGPs and IGPs of states and heads of central paramilitary forces.
A sub-inspector of police, deployed as part of the security for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ongoing visit here, on Saturday shot himself dead.

The Sub-Inspector committed suicide in an apartment at Mylardevpally near PVNR Expressway, about two km from SVP National Police Academy, where Modi was addressing the annual conference of top police officials of the country.

Sridhar used his service revolver to shoot himself on 19th floor of an apartment. The police official was one of the personnel deployed on high-rise building in areas surrounding the Police Academy.

Hailing from Warangal district, Sridhar was called to Hyderabad for deployment as part of the security for the Prime Minister's two-day visit.

Police said they were investigating the cause of the suicide.

Modi, who had a night halt at the Police Academy, was addressing DGPs and IGPs of states and heads of central paramilitary forces.

--IANS

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Rabat, Nov 26 (IANS/MAP) The 22nd Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP22), hosted in Marrakesh, has reinforced confidence in Morocco, said President of Peru-Morocco parliamentary friendship group, Roland Reategui Flores.

Reategui also said that the conference, which paved the way for the Paris Agreement, has boosted "its credibility at the international level" and has proved the nation's "unfailing commitment to fight climate change", MAP news agency reported.

In a press release, received by MAP-Latin America, Reategui expressed the group's congratulations for "the success of this important event" and hailed the significance of its achievements under the leadership of King Mohammed VI.

Peru, as host country of COP20, hailed Morocco's efforts for hosting COP22 as well as its endeavour in the effective implementation of the Paris Agreement.

--IANS/MAP

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Industrialist and former chairman of Tata Sons, Cyrus P. Mistry, on Saturday went on a short pilgrimage to the famed Saibaba Temple in Shirdi and the Shani Shingnapur Temple, both in Ahmednagar district, officials said.

Mistry, who on Friday was removed as chairman of the Tata Steel board, started the day with a morning visit to the Saibaba Temple in Shirdi, accompanied by his wife. The couple stood for their passes in the VIP queue along with many others.

Later, they had 'darshan' of the Samadhi and statue of Saibaba, the 19th century saint revered by all communities, and were offered 'prasad', said the temple spokesperson Mohan Yadav.

After that, the couple went to the world-renowned Shani Shingnapur Temple in the same district (Ahmednagar), barely a 30-minute drive from Shirdi.

The Mistry couple sat on the floor like ordinary people for a pooja (prayers) conducted by a temple priest, an official said.

They also performed an 'abhishek' at the 5.9 feet tall dark stone idol representing Lord Shani, standing imposingly on the open air platform where it is believed to have emerged nearly four centuries ago.

Given Mistry's corporate and social status, both the Shirdi and Shani Shingnapur temple visits passed off without any fanfare or getting any special treatment from the authorities of the two temples.

The two temples towns, which attract lakhs of pilgrims during weekends, are situated around five hours driving distance from Mumbai.

--IANS

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Gauri Khan, entrepreneur and wife of Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan, has been signed on to be the brand ambassador for real estate luxury conglomerate, Ace Group. She will design signature interiors for their premium residential projects.

The brand will also showcase their collaboration through a commemorative book on contemporary living and design with a visual narrative by Gauri, that will be launched at the end of this month in London, read a statement.

"Ace Group is in the business of marketing luxurious properties, so it is important to create an essence of subtle opulence. It is a pleasure to collaborate with Ace Group, a leading real estate luxury conglomerate, to design signature interiors for their premium residential projects," Gauri said.

"To weave sophistication into their interiors, I have opted for rich materials and textures, statement accents and strategic lighting to lend a feel which is classic, timeless chic," she added.

Gauri has also lent her creativity for the fashion brand Satya Paul

--IANS

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Setting at rest weeks of intense speculation, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Saturday appointed Lt General Qamar Javed Bajwa, a career infantry officer from the Baloch Regiment, as Pakistan's new army chief.

Sharif also finalised Lt General Zubair Hayat as the new Chairman Joint Chief of Staff Committee (CJCSC), Dawn online reported.

Bajwa and Zubair will be promoted to the rank of four-star generals and take up their new posts from November 29, the day the current Army Chief Raheel Sharif retires.

Bajwa, who takes over as Pakistan's 16th army chief, is currently serving at the GHQ as Inspector General of the Training and Evaluation, - the position Gen Raheel Sharif held before becoming army chief. Lt General Bajwa has also commanded the 10 Corps, the Pakistan army's largest, which is responsible for the area along the Line of Control (LoC).

Bajwa has extensive experience of handling affairs in Kashmir and the northern areas of the country. As a major general, he led the Force Command Northern Areas. He also served in the 10 Corps as lieutenant colonel, where he was GSO, according to Daily Pakistan.

Despite his extensive involvement with Kashmir and northern areas, he is said to consider extremism a bigger threat for the country than India.

Bajwa has served with a UN mission in Congo as a brigade commander alongside former Indian army chief Gen Bikram Singh, who was also there as a division commander.

He has previously also remained the commandant of the Infantry School in Quetta.

His military colleagues say he is not attention-seeking and remains well connected with his troops, said Daily Pakistan.

Lt Gen Bajwa is also said to be an apolitical person without any biases. He is from the infantry's Baloch Regiment, which has given three officers to the post of army chief - Gen Yahya Khan, Gen Aslam Beg and Gen Kayani.

General Zubair has served as Bahawalpur corps commander. He graduated from Command and Staff College Camberley, United Kingdom, and National Defence University, Islamabad. The general served in key posts throughout his career.

As a major general, Hayat served as General Officer Commanding (GOC) Sialkot and led Staff Duties Directorate. He was elevated to lieutenant general in January 2013 and was made corps commander Bahawalpur, reported Geo News.

He was later appointed director general (DG) of the Strategic Plans Division in December 2013. The division, formed in 2001, is vital to research and development of Pakistan's nuclear weapons, and it works as the secretariat of National Command Authority.

After this crucial responsibility, General Zubair Hayat was appointed Chief of General Staff (CGS).

Hayat hails from a military family. His father retired from the Pakistan Army as a major general.

One of Gen. Zubair's brothers, Lt. Gen. Umar Hayat, is serving as chairman of Pakistan Ordinance Factory, Wah Cantt.

Others in contention for the post of army chief were Bahawalpur Corps Commander Lt General Javed Iqbal Ramday and Multan Corps Commander Lt General Ishfaq Nadeem.

--IANS

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French President Francois Hollande on Saturday reiterated that all the embargoes imposed by the US against Cuba should be lifted.

Following the death of Cuban leader Fidel Castro on Friday at the age of 90, Hollande made these remarks after the opening ceremony of the 16th Francophonie Summit held in Antananarivo, Madagascar, Xinhua news agency reported.

"Although I often criticised Cuba for its human rights, I always considered the embargoes as an unacceptable unilateral decision," Hollande told the media.

"History aside, it's the future that counts," Hollande said, adding that he wanted to reiterate, after learning about the passing away of Fidel Castro, "the embargoes penalizing Cuba should be lifted, completely lifted".

He hoped that lifting the embargoes would eventually allow Cuba an opening and a full reintegration into the international community.

"France always sees Cuba as a partner," Hollande said, explaining that was why he paid a visit last year to that country to "end the cold war which was still ongoing in Cuba".

Hollande, who paid an official visit to Cuba on May 11 last year, was the first western leader to visit the Communist island nation.

Speaking of Fidel Castro, Hollande said the Cuban revolutionary leader was "a grand personage of the 20th century. He brought up a lot of hopes with the Cuban revolution".

"He always wanted to, with pride, defend Cuba against external pressure," he said.

Hollande expressed his condolences to his brother Raul Castro and to the Cuban people.

--IANS

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Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Saturday said that inclusive growth is high on the priority of the government and it would take adequate measures to ensure social security for all especially for the vulnerable section of society.

"One of the major priorities of the present government is to make an extensive social welfare system which will focus primarily on better education system and effective healthcare especially for the children, women and senior citizens of the country," je said at the third pre-budget consultative meeting with the representatives of different social sector groups here.

Jaitley said that as the allocation of resources to the social sector by the government is increasing with time, the need of the hour is to bring substantial changes in social sector through better policies and their timely implementation.

The major suggestions by the social sector representatives include increasing the allocation to social sector schemes in the next budget and and a mechanism be established to monitor proper implementation of all such schemes.

Other suggestions include more focus on healthcare for the workers especially those working in mining sector. It was also suggested that vacancies of doctors, nurses and teachers must be filled so that these public services remain unaffected.

"Various suggestions came about increasing allocation on education and healthcare sectors in the upcoming General Budget 2017-18. It was also suggested that all the tobacco products should be highly taxed primarily because of health concerns," the Finance Ministry said in a statement.

The representatives of various social sector union groups who attended the meeting included Amitabh Behar of National Foundation of India, Dipa Sinha of Right to Food Campaign, Manish Sabharwal of TeamLease, Subhas Singh of National Confederation of Dalit Organisations, Ambarish Rai of Right to Education Forum, Ajay Jha of Public Advocacy Initiatives for Rights and Values in India (PAIRVI), Thomas Chandy of Save the Children, Yamini Aiyar of Centre for Policy Research, Rukmini Banerjee of Pratham, Mathew Cherian of Helpage, Nandini Verma of Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, Bhavana Mukhopadhyay of Voluntary Health Association of India, V.K. Madhavan of Wateraid, Paul Divakar of National Campaign on Dalit Human Rights, Mithun Raj of Mines Minerals and people, Sonali Khan of Breakthrough, Neha Buch of Pravah, Sandeep Chachra of Actionaid, Subrat Das of Centre for Budget and Governance Accountability, Bulu Sareen of World Vision India, among others.

--IANS

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The Uttar Pradesh government has decided to allow old currency notes of Rs 500 for purchasing stamps, an official said on Saturday.

Giving this information, Inspector General of Registration Anil Kumar said that in this regard necessary orders have been issued.

The exemption is only for the old Rs 500 currency notes and would remain valid till December 15. However, the old currency of Rs 1,000 denomination would not be accepted for the purpose of stamp and registration.

Kumar said that as per a Union government notification of November 24, old notes of Rs 500 would be accepted for clearing stamp duty till December 15, 2016.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday called for a qualitative change in the police force through a collective training effort.

Addressing top police officers, he said that technology and human interface are both important for the police force to keep progressing.

Modi participated in day-long deliberations on the second day of 51st annual conference of the heads of state police forces, central paramilitary forces and intelligence agencies being held at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Police Academy.

The PM interacted with police chiefs of states and union territories on various security related issues.

The three-day long conference of Directors General of Police and Inspectors General of Police is discussing a host of security related issues including cross-border terrorism, Maoist violence and radicalisation of youth.

Modi recalled that today is November 26 - a day that a deadly terror attack struck Mumbai, and police bravely fought against terrorists.

The Prime Minister said that this annual conference has now undergone a transformation in the way it is conducted. He said it has become a platform for sharing experiences, which leads to good inputs for policy planning, but laid emphasis on concrete outcomes out of the actionable points that have been finalised.

On training, he said the development of soft skills is now essential, and should become a part of the training drill. Aspects such as human psychology and behavioural psychology should be vital parts of training, he added.

The Prime Minister said leadership skills are important, and the onus lies on senior officers to inculcate these skills in the police personnel.

On law and order, he emphasised the importance of foot patrolling and constabulary intelligence.

Modi launched a mobile app - Indian Police at Your Call. He presented the President's Police Medals for distinguished service to officers of the Intelligence Bureau.

He obtained feedback from the top officials on various challenges to the internal security.

The Prime Minister, who had a night halt at the academy, began the day by participating in an hour-long yoga session with the DGPs, Inspectors General of Police IGPs) and other senior officials.

Modi also offered floral tributes at the statue of India's first Home Minister Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. He also laid wreath at the Martyrs Column to pay tributes to policemen who laid down their lives at the altar of the duty. He also planted a sapling in the academy premises.

The Prime Minister later had breakfast with the police officials. He also went around the academy to see the facilities for training of Indian Police Service (IPS) officers.

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, who inaugurated the three-day meet on Friday, also interacted with the heads of police forces.

Elaborate security arrangements have been made at the police academy at Shivrampally on Hyderabad-Bengaluru national highway.

Ministers of State for Home Affairs, Kiren Rijiju and Hansraj Gangaram Ahir, Union Home Secretary Rajiv Mehrishi, National Security Advisory Ajit Doval and other officials are also attending the conference.

This was the third conference being held outside Delhi. It was held in Guwahati in 2014 and in Bhuj in Gujarat in 2015.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday interacted with top police officers of the country on various security related issues.

He participated in day-long deliberations on the second day of 51st annual conference of the heads of state police forces, central paramilitary forces and intelligence agencies being held at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Police Academy.

The three-day long conference of DGPs and IGPs is discussing a host of security related issues including cross-border terrorism, Maoist violence and radicalisation of youth.

Modi obtained feedback from the top officials on various challenges to the internal security.

The Prime Minister, who had a night halt at the academy, began the day by participating in an hour-long yoga session with Directors General of Police (DGPs) and Inspectors General of Police (IGPs) and other senior officials.

Modi also offered floral tributes at the statue of India's first Home Minister Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. He also laid wreath at the police memorial to pay tributes to policemen who laid down their lives at the altar of the duty. He also planted a sapling in the academy premises.

The Prime Minister later had breakfast with the police officials. He also went around the academy to see the facilities for training of Indian Police Service (IPS) officers.

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, who inaugurated the three-day meet on Friday, also interacted with the heads of police forces.

Elaborate security arrangements have been made at the police academy at Shivrampally on Hyderabad-Bengaluru national highway.

Ministers of State for Home Affairs, Kiren Rijiju and Hansraj Gangaram Ahir, Union Home Secretary Rajiv Mehrishi, National Security Advisory Ajit Doval and other officials are also attending the conference.

This was the third conference being held outside Delhi. It was held in Guwahati in 2014 and in Bhuj in Gujarat in 2015.

--IANS

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On Friday, the Chinese foreign ministry has finally announced that the country is supporting the United Nations Security Council on its sanctions against North Korea. North Korea has recently done another nuclear test and according to the Chinese foreign ministry, they will support the new sanctions that will be imposed to their ally.

The Ministry's spokesperson, Gen Shuang, said "China resolutely opposes the DPRK conducting nuclear tests. To achieve denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, maintain peace and stability on the peninsula and resolve nuclear issues through peaceful means like dialogue and negotiation; that is the consistent position of China."

This declaration comes after a day since a Japanese media report suggested that both the US and China have reached a consensus regarding the new sanctions on North Korea, including banning the country's coal exports to China.

The UN diplomats of both countries are currently meeting with their fellow permanent member countries - UK, France and Russia - to establish the draft resolution against NoKor. Both UK and France are expected to support the draft resolution while Russia may request some revisions on the new draft. Beijing is also likely to persuade Moscow, its close ally, to accept the draft.

The North Korean government had recently conducted its fifth and largest nuclear test in September. Prior to this, it has also conducted two dozen missile tests in 2016. It is said that the UNSC sanctions would not influence NoKor's nuclear program as it continues to ignore it.
The Syrian army and allied fighters on Saturday recaptured a key rebel-held neighbourhood in the northern city of Aleppo, following intense battles with the rebel groups.

The forces re-took the Masaken Hanano area, following battles with the rebels' Jaish al-Fateh, or the Army of Conquest, during which assorted weapons were used amid artillery shelling that targeted the rebels' supply lines in the area, Xinhua news agency quoted a source as saying.

Masaken Hanano is the largest rebel-held district in eastern Aleppo, and was also the first area stormed by the rebels in mid-2012.

Observers said capturing the area will expose the Sakhour neighbourhood to the Syrian army, enabling it to isolate the northern part of the rebel-held areas in eastern Aleppo from the southern one.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which relies on a network of activists on ground, said the Syrian forces were making rapid progress in eastern Aleppo, where over 250,000 civilians are trapped.

For months, the Syrian government and Russia have been urging rebels to leave Aleppo, offering them safe passage to other rebel-held areas in Idlib province.

The rebels, however, turned down all offers, which has resulted in intensified violence.

--IANS

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Donald Trump's victory has been ascribed to the anger of the white working class in the US over the discontent caused by globalisation because of the curtailment of job opportunities.

The same explanation has been offered for the success of the pro-Brexit group in Britain and the rise of the far-right parties in France, Germany and elsewhere in Europe.

But there are deeper reasons. First, the discomfiture of the white Europeans over the ascent of the black and brown nations after the end of colonisation was compounded by the need for the immigration of these very same "coloured" people to make up for the shortfall in the working population in Europe caused by the two World Wars.

As long as these new citizens performed menial jobs and looked upon their stay in their adopted countries as a temporary sojourn that would end as soon as they had made enough money to go back home, the British or the French reluctantly accepted their presence in their midst.

But the newcomers never returned home. Moreover, the second- and third-generation immigrants were no longer as subservient as their parents to the whites or willing to do lowly jobs.

Then came the new laws on racial equality which meant that they could no longer be discriminated against at the workplace or elsewhere.

As a result, the white man's country was becoming multicultural or "multi-culti", as the brown sahib, Nobel laureate V.S. Naipaul, ruefully said.

In the US, the scene was different -- but only slightly. There, too, the civil rights movement sought to give equal status to the blacks.

But racism persisted, as is evident from the recent ugly episode of Michelle Obama being called an "ape in heels" by a Trump supporter who expressed relief at the possibility of the First Lady in the White House again being "classy" -- and white.

As the blacks remained an unassimilated group in the US more than a century-and-a-half after the end of the Civil War, the racial problem was exacerbated by the influx of the light browns -- the Mexicans and Latinos.

These "aliens" might have continued to live as second-class citizens in the US and the UK if globalisation and automation did not ensure that factories could operate anywhere in the world where the wages were lower than those in the "advanced" countries of the West.

The relocation of the industries and the outsourcing of service sector jobs meant that for the first time in living memory, the whites were at the receiving end.

To make matters worse for them, the new-fangled concepts of human rights and open borders meant that asylum-seekers from war-torn countries of the Middle East -- "cockroaches" as a writer in the pro-Brexit Daily Mail called them -- would have to be given shelter in the white countries of Europe and North America, thereby further skewing their colour composition and bringing in new cultural and religious practices.

As Brigitte Bardot said: "My country, France, my homeland, my land is again invaded by an overpopulation of foreigners, especially Muslims."

It is not surprising that Bardot has called Marine Le Pen the "modern Joan of Arc", for the leader of the National Front in France fears that immigration is an "organised replacement of our population", threatening "our very survival".

In the US, the leader of the white supremacist National Policy Institute has noted that "America was, until this last generation, a white country designed for ourselves and our posterity. It is our creation, it is our inheritance and it belongs to us".

The ideas of "Liberte, Egalite, Fraternite" have gone for a toss, therefore, in France, as has the Magna Carta in Britain along with the stirring words of the Statue of Liberty near the New York harbour: "Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses..."

These reflected the views of the enlightened whites. But, now, old-fashioned racism, which had simmered below the surface, has come to the fore.

But even as a majority of the whites turn to racism and xenophobia, India has shown that "multi-culti" is not a dirty word. Indeed, the values of pluralism are so deeply ingrained in India that even the right-of-centre Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has become moderate under Narendra Modi, who, in the words of Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, has changed from being a "hate figure to an avatar of modernity and progress".

Unlike the preference of the whites to either exterminate or subdue the indigenous populations -- the Native Americans in the US, the Aborigines in Australia -- India has always been a land of assimilation with its 4,635 communities and 22 constitutionally recognised languages.

In contrast, Europe and the US have been conflict-prone with the "enemy" ranging from blacks to Jews to Muslims.

(Amulya Ganguli is a writer on current affairs. The views expressed are personal. He can be reached at amulyaganguli@gmail.com)

--IANS

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Use of travel apps will increase by next year as 45 percent people plan to be more adventurous in their choice of destination, says an expert.

After extracting information from traveller endorsements, reviews, preferences, insights and innovation in e-commerce travel technology, Booking.com, an online accommodation booking website, has rolled out predictions for travellers in the coming year.

Here is what they have to say:

* Technology is fuelling a more demanding and impatient traveller. 44 percent of travellers already expect to be able to plan their holiday in a few simple taps of their smartphone and 52 percent expect their use of travel apps to increase in 2017.

From finding the nearest ATM or available Wi-Fi to queue jumping at top attractions and getting on-the- go advice on how to get over jet lag, meaningful functionality in palm-based technology will abound in 2017.

* Of 40 percent of global travellers, who journeyed for business this year, 46 percent think they will travel even more for business in 2017. Forty nine percent of business travellers already extend their business trips to further enjoy the destination, while 75 percent intend to do so the same or more in the coming year.

It is also predicted that 45 percent travellers plan to be more adventurous in their choice of destination in the coming year, while 47 percent would like to explore corners of the globe that none of their friends have been to.

Also, 56 percent of travellers would like to do more independent travel in 2017, a trend particularly prevalent amongst those from Brazil, India, the United States, China and Thailand.

* Top destinations where Indians can indulge their pioneering spirit include Indonesia, Turkey, New Zealand, Australia, and Philippines.

* In a hectic world, people are increasingly seeing travel as a way to bring balance back into their lives.

The survey says that 48 percent people consider going on holiday as a moment to reflect and make better lifestyle choices. The coming year will see many travellers prioritising health conscious trips that promise harmony for the mind, body and soul, particularly those from India, China and Thailand.

Also 44 percent are interested in experiencing spa or relaxation travel and 38 percent in a health/wellbeing travel experience in 2017.

The days of leaving paid holidays on the table at the end of the year are fading even in the most demanding work cultures, with 51 percent individuals intending to take more of their annual leave in the coming year than this year.

* Travellers in 2017 will be inspired by their own aspirations rather than material possessions. 58 percent of travellers plan to prioritise spending on experiences rather than material possessions while they are on holiday in 2017.

Travellers are also becoming less interested in fancy embellishments and more interested in the small moments and simple pleasures of a journey. Only 10 percent of travellers said that a butler/concierge service was essential to enjoy their travel experiences in 2017.

* Travel has become a lifestyle not a luxury for increasing numbers. In fact, 44 percent people see a future where we'll be holidaying in far flung corners of the galaxy or deep under the ocean, which may not be as far off as one might think.

--IANS

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Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav (second from left) during the inauguration of the Agra-Lucknow Expressway in Unnao. A part of the expressway has been reinforced with concrete to offer landing and takeoff facilities to fighter planes. Image: PTI
Gold bars weighing 14 kilograms worth Rs 4 crore were allegedly looted from the office of a cash logistics company here today, police said.

Two robbers looted gold from the office of SIS Prosegur at Mithakali locality after attacking a security guard with iron rod, they said.

The incident was reported to police early this morning after which the police recovered a CCTV footage in which two persons are seen looting gold by breaking a locker.

"Two persons entered the office of SIS Prosegur, a cash logistics company at Mithakali locality this morning and did away with around 14 kg gold bars worth over Rs 4 crore after attacking an armed guard," Navrangpura Police Inspector R V Desai said.

The guard was attacked on head with an iron rod when he tried to raise alarm, while another guard was asleep in the van, he said.

"We have recovered a CCTV footage which shows two youths robbing gold. The identity of the robbers is not immediately clear and we are investigating the matter," Desai said.

He said dog squad and Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) were involved in the investigations but nobody has been arrested as yet.

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Nepalese Police have arrested two foreign nationals, including an Indian, on charges of smuggling six endangered birds, from the Tribhuvan International Airport here.

The duo were arrested yesterday with six live Eurasian eagle-owls. They were identified as Mohammad Sumelan (30) from India and Faisal Mohammad from Qatar.

Police nabbed them when they were about to board a Qatar Airlines flight.

The species, also known as 'Bubo bubo', is included in theInternational Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened species.

Further probe is on, police said.

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Three Afghan nationals, including two women, were today detained by the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) for illegally crossing over to the Indian side through the Indo-Nepal border at Sonauli here.

SSB personnel intercepted the trio at the Indo-Nepal border and on checking, it was found that they were carrying passports issued by Afghanistan but no Indian visa, SSB Commandant Shiv Dayal said.

The three were detained for not carrying valid documents, he said, adding that the authorities were informed and further investigations were on.

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As many as 8.62 lakh frozen semen of cattle and buffaloes were sold through government's 'e-pashu haat' portal within hours of its launch today by Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh.

Over 13,000 viewers including those from the US, the UK, Singapore, Russia and Canada visited the new website 'www.Epashuhaat.Gov.In', the first of its kind platform in India that facilitates trade of live cows/buffaloes, frozen semen and embryos.

E-transactions and home delivery facility is also available for the farmers on the portal.

As many as 5,481 live cattles/buffaloes, 1.65 crore stock of frozen semen and 354 embryos -- all registered and certified by the government agencies -- are available for trade on the website. The website is in English and will be made available in all regional languages soon.

"Farmers want to buy good animal breed but there is no authentic organised market in some places where they can get quality, disease-free and high genetic merit germplasm. The new e-market will address these concerns," Singh said.

He was speaking after the launch of the e-portal on the occasion of 'National Milk Day' celebrated to mark the birth anniversary of Vergesh Kurien, the father of India's white revolution.

The portal will lead to propagation of high genetic merit germplasm, which is need of the hour because at present milk productivity is very low despite India being the world's top milk producing country at 155.49 million tonnes, he said.

Since dairying activity is a major supplementary source of income for farmers, the Minister said increasing the share of income from animal rearing has become imperative for achieving the goal of doubling farmers income by 2022.

He also called upon both cooperatives and private milk producers to have separate processing plants for cow and buffalo milk and also explore launching more value-added products, which will help farmers to fetch good returns.

Further talking about the online livestock market, the Minister said that such a portal is not available even in the developed dairy nations.

The portal has real-time authentic certified information on availability of germplasm, establishes links between 'farmer to farmer' and 'farmer to institutes' and minimises the involvement of middlemen.

India has the largest bovine population in the world. There are 144 million cattles and 105 million buffaloes. About 79 per cent are of indigenous breeds while the rest 21 per cent are exotic and crossbreed varieties.

But most of the indigenous breeds have low genetic potential for milk production and the government's scheme Rashtriya Gokul Mission' launched in December 2014 is aimed at addressing this issue.

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At least eight members of Libyan pro-government forces were killed today during a fresh offensive on Islamic State group holdouts in the jihadists' stronghold of Sirte, a medical source said.

Forces supporting the Government of National Accord (GNA) - Libya's UN-backed, Tripoli-based administration - launched a bid to retake the city from IS six months ago.

They quickly seized large chunks of the city, but the offensive slowed amid an effort to avoid losses and to protect civilians still trapped by the jihadists.

A hospital where pro-GNA forces are treated said today that it had received eight dead and 26 wounded fighters.

The loyalist forces' press centre said on its Facebook page that IS had carried out two suicide attacks. It added that a woman had opened fire as troops tried to secure an escape for her from a house retaken from the militants.

Pro-GNA fighters said they had taken around 30 buildings from IS in Sirte, the former hometown of longtime dictator Moamer Kadhafi, which is around 450 kilometres east of Tripoli.

Six months of fighting have left nearly 700 GNA fighters dead and 3,000 wounded. The death toll for the jihadists is not known.

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A day after Aam Aadmi Party dropped him from Dharamkot seat in Moga, Ranjodh Singh Sran today attacked the party, alleging that it wanted to replace him with a "rich" candidate and rejected AAP's allegation that his campaign was "listless".

He also hit out at party's MP Bhagwant Mann for allegedly "engineering" his replacement with his "close friend" Daljit Singh Sadarpura.

"The party replaced me as it wanted to nominate a rich candidate," alleged Sran who joined AAP in 2013.

A doctor by profession, Sran said he was not informed by any party leader about his replacement. "I came to know about it through my volunteers," he said.

He claimed that he had worked a lot in Dharamkot Assembly constituency and could have won the seat.

"I have already covered 55 villages out of 151 and listened to the problems of farmers in 25 grain markets," he said, adding, "My campaign was not poor or listless as described by the party".

He accused MP Bhagwant Mann of adjusting his close friend Daljit Singh Sadarpura on this seat. "Everybody knows that Sadarpura does not belong to this constituency. He is an outsider," Sran claimed.

When asked whether he would take up the matter with party's national convenor, Sran said, "Arvind Kejriwal knows everything."



He, however, said he would meet his volunteers tomorrow before taking any decision on his future course of action.

He said if the party thought that his campaigning was poor and weak, then it should have provided support by mobilsing more volunteers to boost his campaign.

49-year-old Sran, who has been running his hospital at Dharamkot and holding free medical camps, said when the party had announced to replace him with another candidate then it should refund the expenses incurred by him on the campaigning.

Yesterday, AAP had announced replacement of Sran with Sadarpura, who is a progressive dairy farmer, saying his election campaign was poor and declining.

Notably, the party had earlier replaced Vinod Kumar, candidate from Bhoa constituency, with Amarjit Singh. Vinod had alleged that party's Punjab in-charge Sanjay Singh demanded Rs 1 crore as party fund, a charge denied by him.

Sanjay had claimed that Vinod was not "working hard" and his campaign was going on a slow pace which was why he was replaced.

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Xcel Energy celebrated Veterans Day by thanking the employees who have served in the U.S. military. Company-wide events recognized the sacrifices of veterans and employees received challenge coins, commemorative medallions that honor an individuals service.

At Xcel Energy so far this year, veteran hiring is at 15 percent, which has doubled the results from two years ago. The company reached a significant milestone this year  1,000 employees are military veterans.

The organization is a recruiting network that links veterans to current job openings in the energy industry. Launched last month, Veterans in Energy is a partnership that includes energy companies nationwide along with the U.S. Departments of Energy, Defense, Labor and Veterans Affairs.
Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav may expect projects like Lucknow-Agra Expressway to be a vote- catcher for his Samajwadi Party but BJP believes people will rather vote on issues like corruption and law and order and vote him out in the coming assembly polls.

Uttar Pradesh BJP President Keshav Prasad Maurya also mocked the recently launched 'Dial 100', meant to offer prompt response to any distress call to the police helpline, saying it only highlights the worsening crime graph and that the Rs 2,000 crore spent on it could have been used for boosting police infrastructure.

"The Lucknow-Agra Expressway will not be any magic bullet for the Chief Minister. People have suffered for five years in his government due to rampant corruption and poor law and order and will vote on these issues," he told PTI in an interview.

The Modi government, he claimed, has lived up to its developmental promises and people will vote BJP to power in the state as they believe that the party means business and will deilver what it promises.

Taking on SP and BSP, two formidable regional rivals, over their attack on the Union government over demonetisation, he said both parties have been hit hard, alleging that BSP supremo Mayawati used black money to "purchase votes from the poor" while SP spent unaccounted money to capture booths.

He attributed the current peace existing between rival camps in SP to demonetisation.

"The feud was about sharing of black money it had made. After the Centre's tough action, their fight seems to have ended. No black money, no dispute," he said, laughing.

"Demonetisation scheme will prove to be a blessing for the country. If the Prime Minister's mother, who is aged above 90 years, can stand in a queue outside a bank, why can't others?... The move has people's support," he said.

Opposition parties have joined hands to keep BJP out of power in UP as they fear that if it forms government, then it will come to power at the Centre as well in 2019, when next Lok Sabha polls are due.

He insisted that SP remains the main rival to the BJP.

"We consider SP as our main rival. Still, our party will get a landslide victory in UP and form the next government. We expect 300 plus seats," he said.

UP has 403-member Assembly.

"We will rid the state of SP-BSP. For UP, they are like Rahu and Ketu (considered malevolent planets in astrology). Their misrule has ruined the state. Development took a backseat during their governments in the last 15 years," he said.

Asked about kep poll planks for the BJP, Maurya said, "Good governance, development and making UP the numero uno state in the country."



On the contentious issue of "triple talaq" which has prompted Muslim bodies to accuse the BJP of tinkering with Islamic personal laws, Maurya said his party considers "triple talaq" an injustice to Muslim women.

"We appeal to Muslim women and others opposing triple talaq to support BJP. We are getting support from many of them," he said.

The 47-year-old Lok Sabha member, who comes from a politically crucial backward community, also rejected allegations decisions like surgical strikes across the border and demonetisation were made keeping in mind the coming elections.

Noting that many assembly elections have been held since the BJP formed government at the Centre in 2014, he said rival parties lack substantive issues to attack it.

"They have no real issue are opposing us for just for the sake of opposition," Maurya said.

He claimed that the party's 'Parivartan Yatras' across the state have drawn huge support.

"We are getting support from all communities. Where we were expecting 2,000 people, we are witnessing a turnout of 20,000. It reflects the faith people have reposed on us," he said.

Rubbishing the opposition's claims that Modi's rally in Lucknow scheduled for December 24 was cancelled as the party fearing poor turn-out, he said, "Nothing has been cancelled. It has been re-scheduled and the fresh dates will be announced soon after our Parivartan Yatras end on December 24.

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Australia is seeking the extradition of its most wanted Islamic State terror suspect who was thought to be dead but has been caught alive by Turkey, the government said today.

The announcement followed a New York Times report that so-called Islamic State group operative Neil Prakash had been caught by Turkish forces several weeks ago as he tried to enter their country from Syria.

"An individual we believe to be Neil Prakash has been arrested and detained in Turkey," a government spokesperson said in a statement.

"Prakash is subject to a formal extradition request from Australia."



Prakash, a Fijian-Indian and Cambodian descent, has been a prominent member of Islamic State in Iraq. He was a senior recruiter for Islamic State and has been linked to terror plots to kill Australians.

In May Prakash was reported dead by Canberra on advice from Washington that he had been killed in a US airstrike in northern Iraq.

However, the Times said he was only wounded, not killed, in Mosul on April 29.

Prakash, who is in his early twenties, left Australia in 2013.

He has been linked to a failed Melbourne plot to behead a police officer in April last year, as well as to an 18-year-old who was killed after stabbing two police officers in Melbourne in 2014.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has called Prakash the senior Australian operative in IS.

Reported to be of Indian, Fijian and Cambodian background, Prakash used the internet "to promote the evil ideology" of the jihadist group "and recruit Australian men, women and children -- many of whom are either still in the conflict zone or dead.

"Prakash and others ruthlessly target and groom our children -- vulnerable children -- with hateful propaganda of terrorism which perverts the religion of Islam," Turnbull told parliament in May.

Known as Abu Khaled al-Cambodi, Prakash was reportedly on a list of high-value IS recruiters targeted by the US in drone attacks in Iraq.

He worked with an English-speaking cell trying to radicalise people in the West to fight for Islamic State.

The government statement said Canberra had worked with Ankara on Prakash's arrest and would collaborate further on the extradition process.

The arrest was "the result of close collaboration between Australian and Turkish authorities," it said.

"We are conscious that this individual has been arrested by Turkish authorities and their processes need to be respected and allowed to be completed.

"Australia will collaborate closely with Turkish authorities... Australia and Turkey have a longstanding history cooperation to combat terrorism.

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Canara Bank and Bajaj Allianz General on Saturday signed a corporate agency agreement for distribution of Bajaj Allianz's general products through Canara Bank's network of 5,920 branches across the country.

Under the strategic agreement, Bajaj Allianz General will offer its industry leading general insurance products to the customers of Canara Bank, Bajaj Allianz said.

A bouquet of personal lines of products such as Motor Insurance, Home Insurance, Health Insurance, Travel Insurance and commercial line of products such as Fire Insurance, Marine Insurance and Engineering Insurance will be available through branches of Canara Bank, it said in a release.

The partnership aims to provide enhanced customer experience by leveraging technology to augment the comprehensive range of third party products and services distributed by the Bank, the release said.

Canara Bank Managing Director and CEO Rakesh Sharma said "Today, two great institutions with more than 100 years of experience are coming together for a longstanding partnership."



"This tie-up will especially benefit our customers who will get easy access to a rich bouquet of innovative products to cover their valuable assets created out of Bank finance and also benefit from the expert risk management knowledge of Bajaj Allianz Co," he said.

"Canara Bank's widespread 6,000 branch network will help Bajaj Allianz to reach out to a much larger customer base and offer comprehensive insurance solutions in Tier - II and III cities and consequently help leverage the existing network of banks to increase insurance penetration," he said.
Lt Governor Kiran Bedi today commended the efforts of Puducherry Agriculture Minister R Kamalakannan for his "relentless drive to implement Swachh Puducherry Mission," in Karaikal.

In her twitter message, the Lt Governor said, "We need more Ministers like Kamalakannan, who is relentlessly driving the Swachch Puducherry crusade in Karaikal (his native region)."



She further stated that Kamalakannan has been reaching out to the people to explain the source segregation of garbage.

Bedi has been keen on achieving the goal of "Swachh Puducherry Mission" and has been associating various sections of people with her in the drive, ever since she assumed office of Lt Governor on May 29 last, here.

Kamalakannan has displayed his enthusiasm in implementing the scheme in Karaikal, an enclave of Puducherry in Nagapattinam district, in neighbouring Tamil Nadu.

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Senior Bihar BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi today suggested the Bihar government to set up eye bank and transplant centre in all government and private medical colleges of the state.

Speaking at a function organised by Dadhichi Deh Daan Samiti which propagate organ donation, Modi said there is only one eye bank and transplant centre in the state - at Indira Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences (IGIMS), Patna.

Even Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH) does not have an eye bank, he said.

Asking people to come forward to take a pledge to donate their organ/body to give a "gift of life" to others even after their deaths, Modi said, "Pledge your organs and live a second life by giving a gift of life to others through organ donation. This is the only way one can play second innings even after one's death".

Modi also asked the representatives of around 20 social organisations gathered on the occasion to convince people about the importance of organ donation.

He asked those who filled up the form pledging to donate organ, to also convince their family members to do so.

Modi, the former Deputy Chief Minister, asked the state government to set up a transplant institute either at IGIMS or PMCH in order to train doctors for giving brainstem death certificate for retrieval of organs and transplantation.

The senior BJP leader, who has been actively associated with Samiti for three years, said that he had a talk with Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways and Shipping, who has assured him (Modi) that the government would soon come out with a legislation which would make mandatory to mention on driving license whether or not the driver wants to donate his/her organ.

Stating that Bharatiya Jansangh veteran Nananji Deshmukh and former West Bengal Chief Minister Jyoti Basu had also donated their bodies, Modi said Bihar should not lag behind in eye donation when 8318 persons of Tamil Nadu, 8066 persons of Gujarat and 7053 people of Maharashtra have already donated their eyes.

"We (Samiti) have taken a resolve of taking pledge from around 1000 people for eye donation in the next one year. This is a small beginning," Modi said.

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Domestic sewage containing organic wastes, mainly from toilets and kitchens, may prove to be a source of energy that can be harvested by using hungry bacteria, scientists say.

"The levels of organic matter in sewage are too low to be directly recovered. We investigated how we can use bacteria to capture this material," said Francis Meerburg from Ghent University in Belgium.

"Our approach is unique because we have developed a high-rate variation of the so-called contact-stabilisation process," said Meerburg.

"We periodically starve the bacteria, in a kind of 'fasting regimen'. Afterwards, wastewater is briefly brought into contact with the starved bacteria which are gluttonous and gobble up the organic matter without ingesting all of it," said Nico Boon, from Ghent University.

"This enables us to harvest the undigested materials for the production of energy and high-quality products. We starve the rest of the bacteria, so that they can purify fresh sewage again," Boon said.

By using the contact-stabilisation process, up to 55 per cent of the organic matter could be recovered from sewage.

This is a huge step forward, because the existing processes cannot recover more than 20 to 30 per cent.

The researchers calculated that this amount can provide sufficient amounts of energy to completely treat sewage without the need for external electricity.

"This is an important step in the direction of wastewater treatment that is energy neutral, or even produces energy," said Siegfried Vlaeminck, professor at Ghent University.

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Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh today alleged that the BJP was indulging in "charge-sheet politics" to malign the government and said that he was not bothered about such charge-sheets, which have become a "routine" with opposition BJP.

The proposed charge-sheet of the BJP would be nothing more than a "waste paper" which would be consigned to the "dust bin", he said, adding "in case the BJP tried to make baseless and false charges, we will file defamation cases".

"The BJP had been disturbing the proceedings in Vidhan Sabha for last four years and running away from discussion but the government is prepared to discuss anyissue in case the BJP isserious about some meaningful debate," Singh said.

On the other hand, the BJP leaders said that they were not bothered about defamation cases as the "charges are in abundance this time and supported by evidence and documents".

"Chief Minister is free to file any number of defamation cases but we would go ahead with preparation of the charge-sheet which would be well documented and supported by evidence," Chairman of the charge-sheet committee, Suresh Bharadwaj today said.

Bharadwaj, who held the meeting of the charge-sheet committee said that the feedback from the field was overwhelming and the charges were being screened and priortised for finalising the charge-sheet which would be submitted on completion of four years of Congress government in power.

Bharadwaj said that there were charges against the chief ministers, ministers, chairpersons and vice-chairpersons of boards and corporations and several officers.

The next meeting of the charge-sheet committee would be heldbefore December 10 and attended by Leader of the Opposition P K Dhumal and state BJP chief Satpal Singh Satti.

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Rajasthan Congress chief Sachin Pilot on Saturday held the BJP responsible for the deaths in queues outside banks to exchange demonetised notes in the state and the country.

"People are dying as a consequence of . Several people fell sick standing in queues to exchange notes and lost their lives. The government is solely responsible for such unfortunate incidents," he alleged.

It is also unfortunate that the Chief Minister (Vasundhara Raje) did not give any directions to officers in the ongoing Collector-SP conference to provide relief to people who are facing hardships due to the crisis of currency notes, he said.

"Vidhyarti Mitras have also committed suicide because the state government did not fulfil its promise to regularise them," Pilot alleged.

The BJP government in the state is completing three years, but has failed to fulfil its promises to unemployed youths, Vidhyarti Mitras and others, he said in a statement here.
A string of explosions today rocked a munitions storage site in northeastern Syria used by the US-led coalition battling the Islamic State group, a monitor and a local official said.

"At least five explosions occurred today morning at the arms and munitions depots in a base close to Tal Tamer" northwest of the city of Hasakeh, the head of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, Rami Abdel Rahman said.

He said the base was used by Kurdish forces from the People's Protection Units (YPG) as well as members of the international coalition fighting IS in Syria and neighbouring Iraq.

A local Kurdish official said a number of people were injured in the blasts and loaded on to ambulances.

Neither the Observatory nor the official could specify the cause of the blasts, and the coalition was not immediately available for comment.

It was not clear if there were any US personnel on the base at the time of the blasts.

A witness told AFP that "successive explosions occurred between 10.30 am and 11 am (local time)" and said ambulances and firefighters arrived swiftly on the scene.

The US on Thursday announced the death of an American serviceman in Syria, who was killed by an improvised explosive device.

For more than two years the United States has led a 66-nation coalition using air strikes against the jihadists' positions in Syria and Iraq.

Washington has also deployed special forces in Syria to advise the Arab-Kurdish alliance, the Syrian Democratic Forces, and improve the coalition's targeting of air strikes.

As many as 300 US special forces personnel may be in Syria.

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Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau marked the death of Cuba's revolutionary leader Fidel Castro calling him a "remarkable leader" who would be mourned by Canada.

"While a controversial figure, both Mr Castro's supporters and detractors recognized his tremendous dedication and love for the Cuban people who had a deep and lasting affection for 'El Comandante,'" he said in a statement.

Trudeau's father, former prime minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau, became the first leader of a NATO-member state to travel to Castro's Cuba, arriving in January 1976 during the middle of the Cold War against Washington's wishes.

"I know my father was very proud to call him a friend and I had the opportunity to meet Fidel when my father passed away," the prime minister said.

The Canadian leader visited Cuba only last week to boost ties, as the communist island's historic breakthrough in relations with the United States hangs in the balance following Donald Trump's presidential election win.

"Fidel Castro was a larger than life leader who served his people for almost half a century," Trudeau said today. "A legendary revolutionary and orator, Mr Castro made significant improvements to the education and healthcare of his island nation."



Trudeau and his wife, Sophie, "offer our deepest condolences to the family, friends and many, many supporters of Mr Castro," he added. "We join the people of Cuba today in mourning the loss of this remarkable leader.

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home Tech AMD Zen Summit Ridge news, update: CPU to be launched on Jan. 17; SR3 and SR5 variants on March 2017

AMD is on the verge of releasing another processor that will be positioned as a premium chip that delivers excellent performance. The Zen Summit Ridge central processing unit (CPU) is set to be launched in 2017 at the Consumers Electronics Show (CES 2017).

Next year's Consumers Electronics Show will be held on January 5 to 8 in Las Vegas, Nevada. According to several reports, the AMD Zen Summit Ridge CPU will be released at the event following the leaked launch date, as well as the price, of the upcoming processor.

A post on Baidu, which was translated by Hexus, showed pertinent details for Maxsun, a motherboard manufacturer, who said that AMD's first chip will be premium and will be priced between $200 and $500. The chips are apparently part of the AMD Zen SR7 series and will be available to top-of-the-line desktops on January 17, 2017.

Rumors claim that there will be three variants to be released, the SR7, SR5 and SR3. The SR7 CPUs will be the premium model and will be available for about $250 to $300. A special overclock option is said to be available, but will cost expensively at around $500 or so. The SR3 and SR5 models are more affordable with $200 to $300 approximate prices.

It is believed that the SR7 chip will have a base clock of 3.15 GHz to about 3.3 GHz base, and can be boosted to 4.2 GHz with conventional overclock speeds. The processor is said to be comparable to the Core i7-6850K processor, but will differ in configuration as the SR7 may possibly contain 8C/16T parts while its counterpart has C/12T in Cinebench.

Tech analysts believe that SR7 may be the preferred choice among customers since it is still made affordable despite the high-end specs. Intel's Core i7-6850K CPU has a price tag of $600.

The SR5 and SR3 variants are expected to come out on March 2017. More updates will be coming soon so stay tuned.
Paying homage to revolutionary Cuban icon Fidel Castro, Communist Party of India (CPI) today described him as a great leader of anti-imperialist movement and an inspiration for generations.

"I heard the sad (of Castro's demise). He was one of greatest leaders of the anti-imperialist movement, particularly 'third world', and he is the man who successfully withstood and fought back the onslaught of imperialism," CPI General Secretary Suravaram Sudhakar Reddy told PTI.

"We pay our most respectable revolutionary homage (to Castro)", he said.

"He was an inspiration for several generations and, responsible for transformation in Latin America, the backyard of US imperialism, into a Left bastion," Reddy added.

The 90-year-old former Cuban President died in Havana in Cuba.

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Spain's King Felipe VI today paid tribute to Fidel Castro, describing him as "a figure of indisputable historic importance", as supporters and opponents of the late Cuban leader took to the streets of Madrid.

In a telegram sent to Cuba's current President Raul Castro -- brother of the revolutionary who died yesterday aged 90 -- the Spanish monarch expressed his condolences and noted his "family links with Spain", Cuba's colonial power until 1898.

The brothers' father was born in the northern Spanish village of Lancara.

"The great closeness between Cuba and Spain means that everything that affects Cuba is felt very strongly here," the king wrote.

In Madrid, police had to step in to separate rival groups protesting for and against Castro outside the Cuban embassy.

Around a dozen demonstrators shouted "The tyrant is dead!" and clinked glasses to cheer the death of a man loathed by many for crushing his opponents but seen as a hero by supporters of the revolution for his fight against capitalist domination.

The anti-Castro protesters were booed by a much larger group of around 150 Spanish and Cuban demonstrators -- many of them members of the Spanish communist party -- cheering "Long live the revolution!"



Rigoberto Carceller Ibarra, a Castro opponent from the group Cuba Democracia Ya ("Cuba Democracy Now"), accused the late leader of "stealing the revolution" and imposing a "hereditary monarchy".

"All those who did not share his ideology or did not approve of him were punished or put in prison," said the 53-year-old Cuban, who said he was booted out of the country in 1993 after spending a-year-and-a-half in detention as a political prisoner.

But Luis Perez, president of a pro-revolutionary Cuban group in Madrid, told AFP: "Fidel brought us true independence and gave us everything: health, education."



Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy also sent his condolences via Twitter, describing Castro as "a figure of historic significance".

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Fidel Castro's bear hug to Indira Gandhi in the spring of 1983 at the Non-Aligned Movement summit here best symbolises his warm ties with India which always looked to the legendary leader as a "great friend".

Under the late Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, India was amongst the first countries to extend recognition to Cuba after the 1959 revolution led by Castro, who overthrew the Fulgencio Batista regime.

Unmindful of the US sanctions on Communist Cuba starting from the Cold War era, India has always maintained political, trade, cultural and people-to-people relations for about six decades when even Washington has revised its stand.

It was Nehru who had reached out to the Cuban icon and told him that the non-aligned nations saw his leadership with immense hope.

Castro, who died last night aged 90, in 1960 had been denied the possibility of staying in five-star hotels in New York when he attended the UN General Assembly and the owner of Theresa Hotel came and invited him and his delegation to stay there. Then, important dignitaries paid him courtesy calls there.

Castro years later told former External Affairs Minister K Natwar Singh that, "The first person who came to see me was Prime Minister Nehru. I can never forget his magnificent gesture. I was 34 years of age, not widely known. I was tense. Nehru boosted my morale. My tension disappeared."



Castro's relationship with India goes back decades when Nehru reached out to him and the friendship established between them was strengthened during Indira Gandhi's tenure as the Prime Minister.

The bond of India-Cuba friendship is best symbolised with the unforgettable image of Castro embracing Indira Gandhi while handing over the NAM chairmanship to her in 1983 in New Delhi.

"Today, while handing over, after more than three years, the chairmanship of the Non-Aligned Movement to our admired Indira Gandhi and to India, that she in her historic right represents, we can affirm that we have a movement whose unity was not weakened, whose vigour has grown, whose independence has been withheld despite all the challenges it faced...," he had said at the time.

Castro and Gandhi had met on several occasions in the past. In September 1973, she hosted a dinner for him in Delhi when he was on his way to Vietnam.

Another landmark visit happened in August 1985, when then



Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi visited Cuba and held extensive discussions with Castro.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh also visited Cuba in 2006 while Vice President Hamid Ansari met Castro during a visit to Cuba in October, 2013.

Ansari's 65-minute long meeting with Castro reflected the warmth in the relationship between India and Cuba, two of the founding members of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM).

The meeting was the first time in a long time that the Cuban leader met a foreign dignitary.

Reacting to Castro's death, Natwar Singh said Castro was a very good friend for India, who stood with through thick and thin.

"I had the privilege of meeting him 6-7 times both in Havana and Delhi...He was a very good friend for India. He stood by us through thick and thin," Singh said today.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also condoled his demise, describing him as one of the most iconic personalities of the 20th century.

"Fidel Castro was one of the most iconic personalities of the 20th century. India mourns the loss of a great friend", the Prime Minister said.

There have been numerous instances of bilateral cooperation between the two countries.

In December 1992, while Cuba was passing through severe economic difficulties, India had provided 10,000 tonnes of wheat and 10,000 tonnes of rice. Fidel Castro termed the donation as the 'Bread of India'.

In 2008, India wrote off the principal and interest of USD 62 million, equivalent to Rs. 1.28 billion debt owed to India.

India also granted an aid of USD 2 million in cash as disaster relief assistance to Cuba in the wake of massive devastations caused by the hurricanes Gustav, Ike and Paloma during August and September 2008.
Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das today asked officials to oversee banking facilities among the people in the organized and unorganized sectors and pensioners.

A high-level meeting, chaired by Das and attended by state officials, Central Coalfield Limited's Chairman cum Managing Director Gopal Singh and bank officials discussed facilitation of banking services in December and the RBI officials said there was no dearth of money in the system, an official release said.

Eight important decisions were taken in the meeting, the release said, adding that the RBI was told that there should not be shortage of money and banks should give priority to branches where people have salary accounts.

Das called for a campaign to open bank accounts of the labour force working in the unorganized sector.

The chief minister appealed to the people to withdraw as per their requirement and urged to re-deposit money if there was no need of it, the release said.

The meeting also decided to take support of retired bank employees where there was shortage of staff in the coal belt, the release said.

It was also decided to make separate lines for pensioners and women in banks.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Cuba's historic revolutionary leader Fidel Castro has died aged 90, after defying the United States during a half-century of iron-fisted rule and surviving the eclipse of global communism.

One of the world's longest-serving rulers and modern history's most singular characters, Castro defied 11 US administrations and hundreds of assassination attempts.

His younger brother, President Raul Castro, announced the shortly after midnight (1030 IST Saturday) but gave no details of the cause of death.

Fidel Castro crushed opposition at home from the moment he took power in 1959 to lead the communist Caribbean island through the Cold War. He stepped aside only in 2006 after intestinal surgery.

For defenders of the revolution, Castro was a hero who protected the ordinary people against capitalist domination.

For his opponents, including thousands of Cuban exiles living in the United States, he was a cruel tyrant.

Castro eventually lived to see the restoration of diplomatic ties with Washington last year.

President Raul Castro, who took power after his elder brother Fidel was hospitalised in 2006, announced the on national television just after midnight Friday (1030 IST Saturday).

"The commander in chief of the Cuban revolution died at 22:29 hours this evening," Raul Castro said in a solemn voice.

"In compliance with Comrade Fidel's expressed will, his remains will be cremated early in the morning" on Saturday.

The government today decreed nine days of mourning.

From November 26 to December 4, "public activities and shows will cease, the national flag will fly at half-mast on public buildings and military installations," a statement from the state executive said.

Castro's ashes will be buried in the southeastern city of Santiago on December 4 after a four-day procession through the country, it added.

Castro's death drew strong reactions from world leaders.

"The name of this distinguished statesman is rightly considered the symbol of an era in modern world history," said Russian President Vladimir Putin in a telegram to Raul Castro.

Former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev said the late leader left a "deep mark in the history of mankind."



"Comrade Castro will live forever," said Chinese President Xi Jinping in a message read on television. "Castro was "a great man of our time... History and people will remember him."



French President Francois Hollande said Castro "represented, for Cubans, pride in rejecting external domination."



Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, Cuba's main ally in the region, said on Twitter: "It is up to us to continue his legacy and carry his flag of independence.

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Government's scrapping high value Rs 1000/500 notes has "hit the poor man" hard and the economy may suffer a transactional value loss of Rs 1.28 lakh crore till December 30, West Bengal Finance Minister Amit Mitra said today.

"My concern is the double whammy of the common poor people. It has hit the common man hard. It has been a massive destabilisation resulting in transactional cost (loss) of Rs 1.28 lakh crore in 50 days. It is a complete de-empowerment of the small and medium and even large enterprises," Mitra said at a conference here.

People have time till December 30 to deposit the scrapped currency.

West Bengal government led by Trinamool Congress, under Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, has supported the proposed Goods and Services Tax (GST) bill from very beginning, he said, adding however that this demonetisation disruption in the middle of preparation towards GST will impact the economy severely.

"We all agree that for GST to come, the state taxes' are going to be down in the initial two to three years. That is why GST promises to compensate the states and the percentage has been given as 14 per cent. So when you couple this destabilisation with GST, it will bring down state taxes even more," Mitra said.

This destabilisation of the fiscal architecture of the country will completely disrupt the transaction mechanism of the country in terms of trade, goods and services, in terms of manufacturing (input and output), he added.

He said sectors like powerloom, leather and tannries, yarn production, cotton spinning, agriculture, tractor sales, consumer durable sales, cement dispatches, secondary steel industry, exports are all getting severely affected as Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes have been barred from circulation and has also resulted in massive job loss in the unorganised sector.

Further, countries like the former Soviet Union, Zaire, Myanmar, Ghana and Nigeria had brought such moves in the past past but the action were unsuccessful in all the places, he said.

The West Bengal Finance Minister also emphasised that the state is mainly an agricultural dependent and its economy will be jeopardised after this decision of the Government.

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Union Labour Minister Bandaru Dattatreya today slammed Congress for flaying the demonetisation move by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, alleging that when that party was in power, no "bold" decision was taken for the benefit of the common man.

Slamming former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi, Dattatreya said they were in power for ten years but no "bold decision" was taken for the benefit of common man.

"Now they are attacking a good decision meant for the common man," he told reporters here.

Dattatreya said the Demonetisation decision was a "very bold and revolutionary step to cast out blackmoney and counterfeit currency for the prosperity of the country".

Instead of offering positive suggestions to a good decision taken up by the Prime Minister, Opposition Congress and left parties with a motive to gain political mileage are deliberately criticising demonetisation, he said.

Most people in the country and several chief ministers, including Nitish Kumar, have hailed the Prime Minister's brave move to banish black money and counterfeit currency, he added.

He asked Manmohan Singh to offer good suggestions instead of criticising the decision.

The minister claimed that BJP under Modi would again capture power in the 2019 general elections with more seats and opposition parties, including Congress, would further have their share of seats in Lok Sabha reduced, as more than 80 per cent of people have approved of demonetisation.

The BJP government would keep its promise of bringing back black money stashed away in foreign countries as the Prime Minister has already begun efforts in this regard, Dattatreya said.

Earlier, Dattatreya along with family members offered prayers to Lord Venkateswara at Tirumala here in the morning, temple sources said.

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Alam's short life ended today in a dark, tattered tent in Bangladesh, the Rohingya child's skeletal body succumbing to illness contracted while fleeing Myanmar where his stateless people are under attack.

He was six-months-old.

Alam died hours after arriving at a makeshift refugee camp close to Teknaf, the gateway to Cox's Bazar, a poor, densely populated coastal area already home to more than 230,000 Rohingya refugees. But for the Rohingya, Bangladesh is far from a promised land.

So far little or no aid has been provided for the new arrivals, with Bangladeshi authorities fearing food, medicine and shelter will encourage more to cross the border.

With her child's emaciated body by her side, 22-year-old Nur Begum describes how a Myanmar army raid that killed her husband and two other children forced her to flee Rakhine State for Bangladesh with the tiny Alam.

After three-week trip with little food, Begum and her increasingly sick child made it to the camp in Leda, across the Bangladeshi border. But Alam's journey was at an end.

"I finally had some food in the camp and thought I would be able to feed him," his distraught mother told AFP. "But he left me before I had the chance."



Her baby was buried today, his body washed and then carried to a Rohingya graveyard on a wooded hill near the camp.

Up to 30,000 Rohingya have abandoned their homes in Myanmar since early October, after soldiers poured into the strip of land in western Rakhine state following deadly raids on border posts.

The refugees who have reached Cox's Bazar so far have brought with them horrifying stories of gang rape and murder.

The Myanmar army flatly denies the allegations that Myanmar does not want its more than one million Rohingya population is not in dispute.

It refuses them citizenship while many in the majority Buddhist country call the Muslim minority "Bengalis" - shorthand for illegal immigrants.

Bangladesh provides a mixed reception to the Rohingya.

Although people around Cox's Bazar have centuries-long historical ties with the Rohingya, locals increasingly perceive the refugees as a crime-prone nuisance.

Only 32,000 Rohingya are formally registered as refugees.

The remaining 200,000 scratch an existence without help from government or charities and their numbers swell with every crisis across the border in Myanmar.

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After calling for special relief measures for poor hit by demonetisation, industrialist Ratan Tata today termed the move as one of the three most important economic reforms that will help fight black money.

Tata, who is locked in a bitter boardroom battle over control of the Tata group with his successor Cyrus P Mistry, said the governments bold implementation of the programme needs the nations support.

 is among the three most important economic reforms in Indias history, along with delicensing and GST, Tata said in a tweet.

The governments bold implementation of the demonetization programme needs the nations support. pic.twitter.com/tx1ZILSor8  Ratan N. Tata (@RNTata2000) November 26, 2016

The Prime Ministers recent focus on mobile and digital payments will also greatly facilitate the transition from a cash-driven economy to a cashless economy, which in the ling term will enormously benefit the poor and underprivileged, he added.

The governments firm resolve to fight and eliminate black money needs the support and cooperation of all like minded citizens of India who would like to see more equitable distribution of the nation's resources in a new India of tomorrow, based on merit and equal opportunity, Tata said.

He added that the parallel black money economy in India has fuelled tax evasion, money laundering and corruption.

The Prime Minister has displayed enormous courage in waging war on the black market economy in the country through the implementation of a major programme, Tata said.
Demonetisation has dealt a blow to fake Indian currency notes (FICN) racketeers in Meghalaya who operate along the porous international border with Bangladesh, a BSF official has said.

Since the demonetisation move earlier this month, there has been no report of seizure of fake Indian currency notes by BSF in the state, which shares a 443 km-long border with Bangladesh, a senior BSF officer told PTI.

The force had seized Rs 63,500 fake currency this year but none since the demonetisation due to the high vigil maintained at the vulnerable spots at the border and the major economic decisions made by the Centre, he said.

Intelligence inputs gathered indicated that demonetisation has rendered helpless the FICN racketeers who had big plans to push these notes into the markets and destabilise the nation, the officer said.

BSF is maintaining high vigil in areas identified as vulnerable to racketeers taking advantage of the government's relaxation to transact using old Rs 500 notes, he said.

The border has some of the most treacherous terrain pockets which rendered it porous and hence accessible to FICN racketeers who include militants and cross border criminal gangs.

He said during the last five years BSF have seized FICN of face value of about Rs 10 lakh from the porous stretches in Meghalaya and the racketeers apprehended included 14 Indian and 37 Bangladesh nationals.

BSF has identified the bordering districts of South Garo Hills, South West Khasi Hills, East Khasi Hills, West and East Jaintia Hills districts as vulnerable.

Last year, there was least detection and apprehension of fake notes and the BSF seized only Rs 12,500 in South Garo Hills district.

The highest seizure made in the last five years was in 2012 and 2013 when the BSF seized Rs 5,55,000 and Rs 2,51,000 fake notes and arrested 31 Bangladesh nationals and 12 Indian racketeers, the official said.

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Union minister Harsh Vardhan today visited Chandni Chowk and interacted with traders to understand the difficulties they are facing due to demonetisation of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes.

Vardhan, a BJP MP from Chandni Chowk, told the traders that although there were some difficulties now, in the future a new trading system would develop which would make them more prosperous.

Office-bearers of Gurdwara Sheeshganj, Delhi Hindustani Mercantile Association, Nai Sadak Vyapar Sangh, Saree Merchant Association, Stationary Merchant Association, Card Merchant Association and Hardware Traders Association welcomed the minister at various places.

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Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar today said he has taken a principled stand on demonetisation as he is convinced that the step will help fight black money and laughed off reports of his meeting with BJP President Amit Shah as background to his support.

"I support demonetisation as I'm convinced that it will help in the fight against black money," Kumar said addressing a function to mark Prohibition Day here.

With political meaning being derived from his stand on demonetisation which is different from those of Congress, RJD and other non-BJP parties, Kumar said he has taken a principled stand as in his opinion scrapping of high value bank notes would help in diluting black money.

"Is this the first time that I have taken a principled stand which might be politically different from others on an issue on which I'm convinced?" Kumar, who had reminded the media yesterday that he had supported Pranab Mukherjee for presidentship despite being a member of NDA.

"Will those hoarding black money be able to deposit the entire volume in bank accounts? Reserve Bank could issue new notes against a quantity of black money which would not find way to banks during the current drive," he said expressing views on demonetisation raging in national politics.

Kumar, who is also JD(U) National President, laughed at reports appearing in a section of media here which attributed his support to demonetisation to his secret meeting with BJP chief Amit Shah at a farmhouse recently.

"Had the reporter who gave this taken me to the farmhouse where I met Amit Shah?" he said and lamented over such "baseless which hitherto was prevalent only in social media platform".

Kumar, who has described the Centre's demonetisation decision as "sahshik" (courageous), said in addition to scrapping of higher denomination currencies, attack on benami properties and prohibition could lead to creation of "kala dhan mukt Bharat" (black money free India).

He said when he spoke of benami properties it includes real estate as well as stocking of gold and diamonds with the help of ill-gotten wealth.

"I will urge Prime Minister Narendra Modi that this is the right time to immediately hit at benami properties as well clamp liquor ban for better results against black money," he said.

Kumar, who has taken prohibition in a mission mode in Bihar, said it is well known that people involved in liquor trade have amassed huge benami properties.

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Emphasising on development of soft skills among the police force, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today said human and behavioural psychology should be vital parts of police training, even as he called for a qualitative change in the force.

Addressing the annual DGsP/IGsP conference at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Police Academy here, he said the development of soft skills was now essential and should become a part of the training drill.

"Aspects such as human and behavioural psychology should be vital parts of police training," he stressed.

The Prime Minister recalled that it was on this day in 2008 that a deadly terror attack had struck Mumbai, and police had bravely fought against terrorists.

He recalled the over 33,000 police personnel, who have laid down their lives in line of duty.

On law and order, the Prime Minister emphasised the importance of foot patrolling and constabulary intelligence.

Modi further called for a qualitative change in the police force through a collective training effort.

"Technology and human interface are both important for the police force to keep progressing," he said.

Noting that the annual conference has "undergone a transformation in the way it is conducted", Modi said it had become a platform for sharing experiences which leads to good inputs for policy planning.

This is for the third time since Independence that the conference is being held outside Delhi. It was held in Guwahati in 2014 and Kutch in Gujarat last year. The idea of holding the meeting of DGPs and IGPs outside Delhi was mooted by Modi after he assumed power in 2014.

The Prime Minister also laid emphasis on concrete outcomes out of the actionable points that have been finalised.

He said leadership skills were important, and the onus lay on senior officers to inculcate these skills among the police personnel.

On the occasion, the Prime Minister launched a mobile app 'Indian Police at Your Call'.

He presented the President's Police Medals for distinguished service to officers of the Intelligence Bureau.

Earlier in the day, the Prime Minister laid a wreath at the Martyrs Column at the Academy. He also offered floral tributes at the statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, and planted a sapling before taking part in a Yoga session with top police officers attending the conference.

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Scientists have identified a drug that limits the death of brain cells due to stroke and helps repair the damage by promoting the birth of neurons.

A reduction in blood flow to the brain caused by stroke is a major cause of death and disability, and there are few effective treatments.

Scientists at The University of Manchester in the UK found that a potential new stroke drug not only works in rodents by limiting the death of existing brain cells but also by promoting the birth of new neurones (so-called neurogenesis).

This finding provides further support for the development of this anti-inflammatory drug, interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra in short), as a new treatment for stroke.

The drug is already licensed for use in humans for some conditions, including rheumatoid arthritis.

Several early stage clinical trials in stroke with IL-1Ra have already been completed in Manchester, though it is not yet licensed for this condition.

The researchers showed that in rodents with a stroke there is not only reduced brain damage early on after the stroke, but several days later increased numbers of new neurones, when treated with the anti-inflammatory drug IL-1Ra.

Previous attempts to find a drug to prevent brain damage after stroke have proved unsuccessful and this new research offers the possibility of a new treatment.

Importantly, the use of IL-1Ra might be better than other failed drugs in stroke as it not only limits the initial damage to brain cells, but also helps the brain repair itself long-term through the generation of new brain cells.

These new cells are thought to help restore function to areas of the brain damaged by the stroke.

Earlier work by the same group showed that treatment with IL-1Ra does indeed help rodents regain motor skills that were initially lost after a stroke. Early stage clinical trials in stroke patients also suggest that IL-1Ra could be beneficial.

"The results lend further strong support to the use of IL-1Ra in the treatment of stroke, however further large trials are necessary," said Stuart Allan, professor at University of Manchester.

The study was published in the journal Brain, Behaviour and Immunity.

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Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday advocated "leveraging manpower with technology for security purposes", even as he asserted that the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks resulted in binding the city as a cohesive, rather than a fragmented force to the world.

"There is no problem in allotting more funds for security purposes. But the moot question is how are these funds being used. We have one option of hiring thousands of people for security purposes or have the option of leveraging technology with manpower," Fadnavis said at a video exhibition in South Mumbai titled '26/11, Stories of Strength' which was showcased by The Indian Express in association with Facebook and Instagram.

He said the 2008 Mumbai attacks were an insult to India wherein 10 terrorists held an entire nation to ransom.

While replying to a query on whether successive governments have done enough to avert such terror attacks in future, Fadnavis said nothing that is done will be enough as nobody knows how would terrorists strike.

"Technology is the solution for security. I have even conveyed this to the Union Home minister (Rajnath Singh). For instance, we have whole of Mumbai under CCTV surveillance today.

For coastal security, the basic problem was coordination between Central, state agencies and para military forces. We now have joint drills and have better co-ordination between the forces now. I have also suggested using thermal cameras for coastal security," he said.

Fadnavis said that the whole world should be proud of the resilience shown by the city to cope with the terror attacks.

"Yet, certain vested interests with myopic views have engaged in stray cases of intolerance. But at large, has resulted in binding Mumbai as a cohesive, rather than a fragmented force," he said.

Fadnavis said that the government was doing all that it could to help minority youth come to the mainstream, but "it is the society that has to come forward and help such youth, who are socio-economically backward and vulnerable".
From Dwight Eisenhower, who broke US diplomatic relations with Cuba, to Barack Obama, who decided to normalise them, 11 US presidents faced off with Cuban revolutionary leader Fidel Castro, who died today.

-- Dwight Eisenhower (Republican, 1953-1961): Provided arms to dictator Fulgencio Batista, who was battling Castro's rebels. Prepared the invasion of the Bay of Pigs and broke off diplomatic ties with Cuba in January 1961.

-- John F Kennedy (Democrat, 1961-1963): Gave the green light for the invasion of the Bay of Pigs in April 1961. Put in place the US embargo against Cuba in February 1962 before the Cuban missile crisis erupted that October. Was working to promote a rapprochement when he was assassinated in 1963.

-- Lyndon Johnson (Democrat, 1963-1969): Reinforced the embargo and tried to prevent the sale of Cuban nickel to Soviet bloc countries. Approved CIA plots to assassinate Castro and supported anti-Castro guerrilla groups.

-- Richard Nixon (Republican, 1969-1974): Boosted anti- Castro activity, including the arrests of Cuban fishermen. Also worked against sale of Cuban nickel to Soviet satellite states.

-- Gerald Ford (Republican, 1974-1977): In office as attacks against Cuban missions abroad multiplied and an attack on a Cuban airliner left 73 dead. Authorized the first trip of US businessmen to Cuba and eased the embargo.

-- Jimmy Carter (Democrat, 1977-1981): Further eased the embargo. Opened a US interests section in Havana and allowed a Cuban interests section to open in Washington. Allowed Cuban exiles to travel home. Signed maritime boundary treaty. In office during Mariel boatlift of Cuban emigrants to US. Visited Cuba as an ex-president in 2002 and again in 2011.

-- Ronald Reagan (Republican, 1981-1989): Relations take a turn for the worse, and easing of embargo rolled back. Creation of the Cuban-American National Foundation, the main exile organization, and the anti-Castro stations Radio and TV Marti. First immigration deal signed in 1984.

-- George H W Bush (Republican, 1989-1993): Reinforced embargo with the Torricelli Act, as the Soviet bloc crumbled. US subsidiaries in third countries banned from dealing with Cuba.

-- Bill Clinton (Democrat, 1993-2001): Put into force Torricelli Act and approved Helms-Burton Act, which again tightened embargo. In 1994, 36,000 Cubans fled for the US in makeshift boats and rafts. A new immigration agreement was signed and Clinton backed anti-Castro activists.

-- George W. Bush (Republican, 2001-2009): Increased financial aid to anti-Castro groups and strengthened embargo. Limited travel to Cuba by exiles, and the money they could remit to relatives at home. Approved food trade with restrictions. Raul Castro took helm during his tenure.

-- Barack Obama (Democrat, 2009-present): Lifted restrictions on trips by exiles and amount of money they could send home. Opened a "dialogue" on immigration.

In December 2014, Obama and Raul Castro announced simultaneously that the nations would normalise relations. The two countries Cuba reopened embassies in each other's capitals in July 2015. Obama made a historic visit to Cuba in March 2016, the first by a serving US president since 1928.

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Conservative presidential frontrunner Francois Fillon drew cheers for his uncompromising views on Islam and French identity at a final rally in Paris ahead of a primary vote this weekend to choose the Republicans party candidate.

Fillon's surge has taken commentators and pollsters by surprise and he will go head-to-head with his centrist rival Alain Juppe in tomorrow's vote when millions will pick the party's candidate for next year's presidential election.

Speaking in front of a flag-waving crowd of thousands yesterday, Fillon drew applause for his plans for radical economic reform and cheers when he strayed onto questions of French identity and Islam.

Having dismissed multiculturalism and called for patriotism to heal France's divisions, he demanded that "the Islamic religion accept what all the others have accepted in the past... That radicalism and provocation have no place here."



Juppe has sought to portray 62-year-old Fillon, also an ex-prime minister, as having a "brutal" economic programme as well as positions on identity and religion that appeal to people on the far-right.

"I'm confident of victory on Sunday," the more moderate Juppe told a crowd in Nancy despite polls forecasting a comfortable win for his opponent.

Both men are positioning themselves against their expected rivals in next year's election, notably the resurgent far-right leader Marine Le Pen, as well as a Socialist party candidate and independents.

Juppe has made a clear pitch for the centre ground, promising a "happy identity" for demoralised France and stressing that the country's strength must come from its diversity.

"I think I am best placed with my programme to beat Marine Le Pen," Juppe said yesterday, referring to the nationalist and anti-immigration boss of the National Front.

Fillon has accused Juppe of lacking reformist zeal and he invoked past French legends from Charles de Gaulle to Joan of Arc yesterday.

"Was it caution that we admire in these people?" Fillon asked the crowd.

Fillon scored a surprise victory in the first round of the Republicans primary last weekend, winning 44 percent of the vote, and he gave an assured performance in a final televised debate with Juppe on Thursday night.

Fifty-seven percent of viewers judged Fillon to have been the most convincing, according to an independent poll for the BFMTV television channel of 908 people who followed the nearly two-hour exchange.

The devout Catholic wants to slash 500,000 public sector jobs over five years and scrap the 35-hour working week in a bid to kick-start the sluggish economy.

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Police have arrested five persons for allegedly selling stolen cars by posting advertisements on e-commerce websites, and recovered six luxury cars from their possession here.

Senior Superintendent of Police Salman Taj Patil said that during routine checking, Sahibabad police detained five persons for moving suspiciously at Tulsi Niketan trisection at UP-Delhi border at Wazirabad road.

Upon frisking their belongings, police recovered two country-made pistols, cartridges and knives from their possession. They have been identified as Anuj, Shakir, Aamir, Faizan and Rajendra.

During interrogation, all of them confessed that they used to sell high-end luxury cars at dirt cheap prices through an e-commerce website.

Upon getting tips from them, police seized eight cars which were stationed at different parking places and houses, the officer added.

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A five-member inter-district gang was today busted with the arrest of five persons here, and a cache of arms ammunition recovered from their possession.

The gangsters were identified as -- Harbhej Singh alias Bheja, Niraj Rana, Gurpreet Singh alias Gopi and Nishan Singh, all of them hailed from Amritsar while one other Sandip Singh alias Sunny is from Begowal in Kapurthala district, Phagwara DSP Dev Dutt Sharma told reporters here.

Five pistols and revolvers, including one rifle and 24 live cartridges, one SUV and one car were also recovered from them, he said.

Gurpreet and Nishan are Proclaimed Offenders and wanted in a murder case, while Niraj was wanted in a case of murder, and robbery of Rs 25 lakh, Sharma said.

They were arrested at a special check post at village Jagpalpur at T-point of Bhogpur-Phagwara road on a tip-off, he said.

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In order to prevent any rise in price of commodities after GST implementation, the Centre has proposed an 'anti-profiteering' measure to ensure that trade and industry pass the benefits of reduction in tax rates to consumers.

The draft model GST law, which is to be finalised by the GST Council on December 2-3, has also specified that the highest tax slab will not exceed 28 per cent in the GST regime, thus accepting the key demand of Congress.

As per the draft, the central government will constitute an authority or entrust the task to an existing authority to examine that the input tax credits or reduction in tax rates are passed by registered tax payers to consumers.

The Centre today released 3 drafts -- model GST law, IGST law and Compensation law -- which have to approved by the Centre and state legislatures for roll out of GST.

Under the new Goods and Services Tax (GST) regime, which is likely to kick in from April 1, all traders and industries have to be registered with the GST Network to pay taxes, file return and claim refunds.

"Enabling provisions have been made for introduction of anti-profiteering measure, wherein a mechanism may be established to monitor whether the benefit arising to industry on account of GST is passed on to the consumers," said Pratik Jain, Partner and leader Indirect Tax at PwC.

The draft Integrated GST (IGST) law which has to be adopted by Centre as well as the states, says that Centre will notify the GST rate on the recommendations of the GST Council but it would not exceed 28 per cent.

The GST Council, headed by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and having state representatives, has already decided on a 4-tier GST tax structure of 5, 12, 18 and 28 per cent. Luxury items and demerit goods would be taxed at the highest rate and would also attract a cess to create a Rs 50,000 crore corpus for compensating states for loss of revenue.

Parliament will have to approve all these legislations in the ongoing Winter Session to meet the April deadline.

The draft law has also tweaked the provision with regard to taxation of e-commerce operators and aggregators, thereby specifying that the concept of aggregator will be limited to companies engaged in transport of passengers.

Nangia & Co Director Rajat Mohan said online companies have very aggressively represented to government on various issues and major tweaking has been undertaken in provisions of electronic commerce operators and aggregators.

"Now the concept of aggregator will be limited to only to those e-commerce companies who are providing services of 'transport of passenger by a motor'. For all other e-commerce companies the provisions of TCS (tax collected at source) would be applicable," Mohan said.

EY India National Leader (Indirect Tax) Harishanker Subramaniam said the issue of providing a centralised registration for services continues to remain elusive and looks to be serious pain point in GST.

"The concept of cess other than GST on de-merit goods is likely to apply at all stages of value addition with credits," he said.

The draft laws have also introduced the concepts of 'composite supply' and mixed supply.

Jain further said that the proposal of considering 'intangibles' as services has been removed, while the supplies made to SEZ units would be treated as zero rated supplies.
The Madras High Court has closed a petition seeking disciplinary proceedings against some lawyers who had allegedly laid siege to the chief justice's residence in 2015, and directed a lower court dealing with the case to handover a copy of the charge sheet to the state bar council.

The court gave the direction when a PIL by Advocate Elephant G Rajendran came up on Thursday.

The court said, "We have perused the report filed by the investigating officer and the charge sheet is stated to have been filed before the XI Metropolitan Magistrate, Saidapet, on November 23. The final report has been produced before this court.

"In terms of the same, there are two accused stated to be absconding, while the identity of some more is yet to be established, for which evidence is being collected. On the learned magistrate taking it on record and numbering it, a copy of the same be handed over to the state bar council."



Alleging that the police had not taken any action against the lawyers, the petitioner sought a direction to the chairman and secretary of the Bar Council of India to initiate disciplinary proceedings against them.

In August last year, about 50 lawyers had allegedly barged into the premises of the Madras High Court chief justice's residence, when he was away in New Delhi, and raised slogans against the police.

A criminal case was registered on a complaint lodged by the sub-inspector of police attached to the residence of the chief justice.

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Kuwaitis turned out in large numbers today for the first election contested by the opposition in nearly four years amid fresh disputes over cuts in subsidies due to falling oil revenues.

Turnout was high with some polling stations reporting that 80 per cent of eligible voters had cast their ballots by the time polls closed at 8 pm (1700 GMT), according to state-run Kuwait Television.

Vote counting started at some centres but final results are not expected before early tomorrow.

While Kuwait's two previous elections yielded poor turnout due to opposition boycotts, voters said they were encouraged by seeing their candidates running this time around.

"Their return is needed to strike a political balance in the country. They are more capable of monitoring the government actions," retired voter Ibrahim Al-Tulaihi told AFP at a polling station south of Kuwait City.

"A wise opposition is needed because we don't want more political disputes," Jarrah Mohammad, a government employee, said after casting his ballot.

Unusually for the oil-rich Gulf Arab states, Kuwait has an elected parliament with powers to hold ministers to account, even though senior members of the ruling Al-Sabah family hold all top cabinet posts.

The set-up has led to repeated standoffs between lawmakers and the ruling family and this is the seventh general election in a decade.

The election comes against a backdrop of discontent among Kuwaiti citizens over mounting cutbacks in the cradle-to-grave welfare system they have long enjoyed as a slump in world oil prices hits government revenues.

The emir dissolved the last parliament after MPs called for ministers to be grilled over the cuts to state subsidies.

Islamist opposition candidate Hamad al-Matar, a former MP, said he expects the opposition to win a good number of seats in the 50-member parliament to prevent the government from raising charges.

"There will be no charges on citizens because we have no problem with finances. We have a problem with government management and corruption," Matar told AFP.

The opposition is fielding 30 candidates among a total of 293 hopefuls, including 14 women.

"We want the next parliament to stop the government from hiking prices," said pensioner Maasouma Abdullah.

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About 200 Hindu pilgrims in India canceled their trip to Pakistan as they were not allowed to undertake the journey due to ongoing tension between the two countries, an official said today.

The pilgrims were issued visas by Pakistan High Commission for the trip to holy Katas Raj temple in Chakwal district near capital Islamabad.

They were scheduled to arrive in Pakistan on November 28 on a three-day pilgrimage to Katas temple complex, considered one the most holy sites for Hindus, said Siddique ul Farooq, chairman of Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB).

"Their scheduled visit has been canceled," Farooq told Dawn newspaper.

"We had issued visas to the pilgrims but their government did not allow them to visit Pakistan," he said, adding that that comprehensive security arrangements had been made for the Indian pilgrims.

Farooq cited the border tension as the reason behind the cancellation of the visit.

However, the Indian ministry sources said they did not tell the pilgrims to cancel their trip and the call may have been taken by the organisers.

The cancellation of the trip by Hindu pilgrims to Pakistan came after hundreds of Sikhs visited their holy sites in Pakistan.

Hindu pilgrims visit Katas Raj twice a year in February and November.

Tensions between India and Pakistan have increased after the attack on an Indian Army base in Uri on September 18 and the resultant "surgical strike" on terrorist launchpads in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir by the army 10 days later. Since then, cross-border firings have increased killing soldiers and civilians on both sides.

This week, 12 people, including three Pakistani soldiers, were killed in alleged Indian cross-border firings. The Indian response came after the Indian Army warned of "heavy retribution" following the killing of three of its soldiers, with the body of one of them mutilated in a cross-LoC attack.

Pakistan has denied as "false" and "baseless" its troops were responsible for the mutilation and deaths of Indian soldiers.

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French President Francois Hollande today called for the embargo that "punishes" Cuba to be "lifted definitively" following the death of Fidel Castro.

"I want, on the occasion of the death of Fidel Castro to again insist that the embargo that punishes Cuba should be lifted definitively (and that) Cuba should be fully regarded as a partner in the international community," said Hollande during a summit in Madagascar.

Instituted in the early 1960s, the trade embargo was designed to starve Castro's regime of US currency. Despite the recent restoration of diplomatic relations between Washington and Havana, the embargo remains largely in place today.

"France has always seen Cuba as a partner," said Hollande, who in May 2015 was the first western head of state to visit the island nation after the thaw in relations between the US and Cuba in December 2014.

"Even if I have repeatedly denounced human rights abuses in Cuba, I have always believed that the embargo was an unacceptable, unilateral decision," he said.

"Fidel Castro was a great figure of the 20th century. He aroused much hope with the Cuban revolution.

"There have also been disappointments.

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Himachal Pradesh government is committed to promote ayurveda and would open ayurvedic hospitals across the state, Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh today said.

Inaugurating the health fair 'Arogya' organised by the Ministry of AYUSH, Government of India, the Department of Ayurveda, Government of Himachal Pradesh, in partnership with Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), the Chief Minister said, "My government is committed to promote Ayurveda in the state and would open Ayurvedic hospitals here."



Himachal Pradesh is bestowed with rare medicinal herbs and plants used in alternate systems of medicine which would immensely benefit, both the farmers as well as the industry in the state, he said.

Farmers can earn rich profits by diversifying to cultivation of medicinal herbs and the Industry can also tap the potential of the state, he added.

The state Ayurveda minister, Karan Singh said, "It is the right of every citizen to be disease-free and adopting a lifestyle based on the ancient wisdom of Ayurveda can help citizens live a better and healthier life."



Nisha Singh, Principal Secretary, Ayurveda said that, "Himachal is gifted with rich variety of medicinal herbs which grow here. This provides us vast potential to nurture the industry to produce Ayurvedic medicines and we must harness this potential to boost the growth of farmers and the industry."



Chairman, CII Himachal Pradesh State Council, Sanjay Khurana, said, "Himachal Pradesh is an ideal destination to learn, practice and master the ways of life. The state is endowed with scenic beauty, peaceful valleys and is also home to number of ashrams, health centres, retreats, etc.

"These institutions have retained the essence of an age-old wisdom of the land in order to cater to the novel needs of an ever-evolving society."



The fair has 26 exhibitors, 20 from AYUSH Industry; one from Government of Himachal Pradesh and five from the Ministry of AYUSH, Government of India.

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Scientists have engineered cells with a 'built-in genetic circuit' which produces a molecule that inhibits the ability of tumours to survive and grow in their low oxygen environment.

The genetic circuit produces the machinery necessary for the production of a compound that inhibits a protein which has a significant and critical role in the growth and survival of cancer cells.

This results in the cancer cells being unable to survive in the low oxygen, low nutrient tumour micro-environment.

As tumours develop and grow, they rapidly outstrip the supply of oxygen delivered by existing blood vessels. This results in cancer cells needing to adapt to low oxygen environment.

To enable them to survive and grow in the low-oxygen or 'hypoxic' environments, tumours contain increased levels of a protein called Hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF-1).

HIF-1 senses reduced oxygen levels and triggers many changes in cellular function, including a changed metabolism and sending signals for the formation of new blood vessels.

It is thought that tumours primarily hijack the function of this protein (HIF-1) to survival and grow.

"In an effort to better understand the role of HIF-1 in cancer, and to demonstrate the potential for inhibiting this protein in cancer therapy, we engineered a human cell line with an additional genetic circuit that produces the HIF-1 inhibiting molecule when placed in a hypoxic environment," said Ali Tavassoli, professor at the University of Southampton in the UK.

"We've been able to show that the engineered cells produce the HIF-1 inhibitor, and this molecule goes on to inhibit HIF-1 function in cells, limiting the ability of these cells to survive and grow in a nutrient-limited environment as expected," said Tavassoli.

"In a wider sense, we have given these engineered cells the ability to fight back - to stop a key protein from functioning in cancer cells," he said.

"This opens up the possibility for the production and use of sentinel circuits, which produce other bioactive compounds in response to environmental or cellular changes, to target a range of diseases including cancer," said Tavassoli.

The genetic circuit is incorporated onto the chromosome of a human cell line, which encodes the protein machinery needed for the production of their cyclic peptide HIF-1 inhibitor.

The production of the HIF-1 inhibitor occurs in response to hypoxia in these cells. The research team demonstrated that even when produced directly in cells, this molecule still prevents the HIF-1 signalling and the associated adaptation to hypoxia in these cells.

"The main application for this work is that it eliminates the need for the synthesis of our inhibitor, so that biologists conducting research into HIF function can easily access our molecule and hopefully discover more about the role of HIF-1 in cancer," said Tavassoli.

The study was published in the journal ACS Synthetic Biology.

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:The Kerala government should take steps to includeissues faced by rheumatic patients in the state under its health care programme, president of Indian Rheumatology Association Dr Amitha Agarwal said here today.

Speaking at the Indian Rheumatology Association National Conference 'IRACON 2016' she said various health care programmes of the Kerala Government should cover the problems of arthritis.

"As the number of arthritis patients are increasing at an alarming rate, steps should be taken to face the problem.There should be institutional support to develop more arthritis care centres," Dr Agarwal said.

She noted that the disease spreads across ages and also that lifestyles add a lot to its occurrence



The three day conference, inaugurated by Kerala Governor P Sathasivam yesterday, is designed to facilitate symposiums, workshops and seminars discuss complex issues of rheumatics in India, its remedies and innovative treatment methodologies.

More than 1,500 doctors and delegates from 20 countries are participating in the programme.

Indian Rheumatology Association Secretary Dr Rajiv Guptha, Scientific Committee Chairman Binoy J Paul, IRACON Organising Committee Chairman Dr Ramesh Bhasi were among those who participated.

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India will cherish the memory of Fidel Castro, President Pranab Mukherjee said today as he condoled the passing away of the revolutionary Cuban leader.

President Castro was a friend of India. The people of India admired him for his struggle for the liberty and progress of his people, Mukherjee said in a message to Raul Castro Ruz, the President of the Councils of State and Ministers, the Republic of Cuba.

"It was with great sadness that I received the of the passing of your brother and Former President of Cuba, President Fidel Castro Ruz, Leader of Cuba's Revolution. Please accept my heartfelt condolences," the President said.

India was among the first countries to recognise Cuba after the success of his 1959 Revolution. Under Castro's charismatic leadership, Cuba made commendable achievement, particularly in the fields of education, health, bio-technology and sports, he said.

"He has long been a towering figure on the world stage, including at the helm of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM).

"We shall always cherish President Castro's personal contribution to the close relations between India and Cuba. Memories of President Castro's visit to New Delhi for the NAM Summit in 1983 are still fresh in our minds. India mourns with the people of the Republic of Cuba," Mukherjee said.

People of India will cherish the memory of this revolutionary leader whose ideas and action not only inspired his people or people of Latin America but people all over the world who want to break the tyranny of the system and want to express freely their views, the President said in a televised address.

"He had true personal relationship with former Prime Ministers Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi.

"As leader of the NAM, Fidel Castro made immense contribution and worked with India side-by-side. Since the success of his revolution in Cuba in 1959, India was one of the first countries to recognise diplomatically Cuba after the revolution," Mukherjee said.

The communist idol, who led a rebel army to improbable victory in Cuba, embraced Soviet-style communism and defied the power of 10 US presidents during his half century rule, died at age of 90.

Cuba's government has announced that Castro's ashes would be interred on December 4 in the eastern city of Santiago, the birthplace of his revolution.

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Iraq's parliament today voted to accord full legal status to government-sanctioned Shiite militias as a "back-up and reserve" force for the military and police and empower them to "deter" security and terror threats facing the country, like the Islamic State group.

The legislation, supported by 208 of the chamber's 327 members, was promptly rejected by Sunni Arab politicians and lawmakers who said it was evidence of what they called the "dictatorship" of the country's Shiite majority.

"The majority does not have the right to determine the fate of everyone else," Osama al-Nujaifi, one of Iraq's three vice presidents and a senior Sunni politician, told a conference after the vote. "There should be genuine political inclusion. This law must be revised."



Sunni lawmaker Ahmed al-Masary said the legislation fuels doubts about the participation of all Iraqi communities in the political process. "The legislation aborts nation building," he said, adding that the law created a dangerous parallel to the country's military and police.

The law, tabled by the chamber's largest Shiite bloc, placed the militias under the command of Shiite Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi and gave militiamen salaries and pensions that mirror those of the military and the police.

In a statement, al-Abadi welcomed the legislation and said the "Popular Mobilisation" forces, the formal name of the militias, would cover all Iraqi sects, a thinly veiled reference to the much smaller and weaker Sunni tribal forces.

The Shiite militias number more than 100,000.

"The Popular Mobilisation will represent and defend all Iraqis wherever they are," al-Abadi said.

The vote comes at a time when the government is waging a major campaign to dislodge the Islamic State group from Mosul, Iraq's second largest city and the last major urban centre still controlled by the extremist group.

The Shiite militias, most of which are backed by neighbouring Iran, have been bankrolled and equipped by the government since shortly after IS swept across much of northern and western Iraq in 2014.

Many of these groups existed long before IS emerged, fighting American troops in major street battles during the US military presence in Iraq between 2003 and 2011.

They have played a key role in checking the advance of IS on Baghdad and the Shiite Shrine cities of Samarra and Karbala in the summer of 2014 and later helped liberate IS-held areas to the south, northeast and north of Baghdad, standing in for the security forces which largely collapsed in the face of the IS blitz in 2014. However, their role has somewhat diminished as more and more of Iraq's security forces have regained their strength.

Iraq's Sunni Arabs and rights groups have long complained that the militiamen have been involved in extra judicial killings, abuse and the theft or destruction of property in areas where they drove out IS. The militias' commanders, however, deny the charges or insist that the excesses are the work of an isolated few.

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A 35-year-old Japanese woman was allegedly raped by a man fromneighbouring Karnataka at nearby Kovalam, police said today.

The accused, identified as Teja (25), was arrested today based on the woman's statement. His family runs a handicrafts shop at Kovalam, police said.

A case was registered against him under section 376 (punishment for rape) of the Indian Penal Code.

The incident is alleged to have taken place last night, they said.

The woman, who was injured and bleeding in her hotel room, was rushed to the government SAT Hospital here by the staff, police said.

After being tipped off by hospital authorities about the incident, police collected information from the woman and arrested the man.

The woman had arrived in Kovalam yesterday, police said.

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For more than half a century, Cuban leader Fidel Castro has been a target for many of his political enemies and adversaries that tried to topple the socialist regime in the island country by any means, including his assassination.

Castro once stated, in regards to the numerous attempts on his life, that he believed he had set a world record.

"If surviving assassination attempts were an Olympic event, I would win the gold medal," he said.

During his 47 years in power, Castro survived 637 conspiracies to kill him and 164 real assassination plots, making him the most targeted head of state in the 20th century.

"In the last few years, several Cuban security researchers conducted an investigation and we concluded that 637 conspiracies to kill Fidel Castro had been carried out with various methods," Pedro Etcheverry, an investigator at Cuba's State Security Research Center, told Xinhua.

Etcheverry said US intelligence services admitted in 1975 that they had organized eight separate plots to kill Castro since 1960, after he broke off relations with Washington and established key political and economic alliances with the former Soviet Union.

"These plots were never carried out because our security forces dismantled them but it shows how the US tried to physically eliminate Fidel because he was a threat to their interests in Cuba," added the academic.

The expert said the US and anti-Castro groups were very "aggressive" in the early years of the revolution and plots were continuously organized.

He said many factors, including luck, had helped the fact that none of the assassination attempts against Castro were ever successful.

From sniper and bazooka attempts to guns hidden in video cameras and even poisoning milkshakes or chemical attacks to remove his beard have been some of the assassination methods.

One of the most renowned plots was in Chile in 1971 when Fidel Castro visited his ally, former president Salvador Allende.

"During a press conference, the CIA had infiltrated two cameramen with guns inside their video cameras. Minutes before Fidel came out to speak to the press, one of the two men declined to take a shot at Cuba's president and the other one also backed down," said Etcheverry.

Another tense moment came in 1997 in Venezuela when Fidel Castro attended the VII Iberoamerican Summit and terrorist groups planned a disastrous assassination plot.

"The plan in Margarita Island, Venezuela, was to fire a bazooka at Fidel's airplane when it was about to land. The perpetrators were arrested and two bazookas, an assault rifle as well as explosives and guns were found," he added.

Etcheverry believes Castro's enemies never gave up in their attempts to physically eliminate him until he officially retired in 2008.

"The US government and terrorist groups insisted on trying to kill Fidel because he is a symbol of social justice, sovereignty and independence for Cuba and many other nations around the world," he said.
DMK President M Karunanidhi today paid rich tributes to departed Cuban revolutionary icon Fidel Castro, hailing him as a 'lion cub' who grew to lead a rebellion in the South American country.

"A lion cub who grew to become a respected revolutionary leader in a small country, Fidel Castro is one of the greatest leaders I can never forget," he said in a statement here.

Condoling Castro's death, the 93-year old Karunanidhi expressed his sympathies with the people of Cuba and supporters of the former Cuban president all over the world.

He also recalled a poem 'presented' by him during an event to commemorate the Cuban revolution here a few years ago and hailed Castro's leadership.

Castro had ushered in lot of people-oriented welfare measures and had defied the US on many occasions, he said.

The Cuban leader died in Havana yesterday aged 90.

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Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan today paid tributes to revolutionary Cuban icon Fidel Castro, saying he was a brave leader of world communism and will always be remembered as an inspiration for anti-imperialist movements.

"Castro was not just the leader of Cuban Communist party but the brave leader of world communist movement. Beyond that, he was the inspirational force of anti-imperialist movements the world over," he said in a statement here.

Describing Castro as a man of "strong and unparallelled personality", Vijayan hailed the challenges he had posed to the imperialist policies of the US.

Marxist veteran and former Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan said Castro's death was a "great loss" to humanity in these days as imperialist forces were spreading its roots globally.

CPI leader Kanam Rajendran was among those who condoled the death of the iconic revolutionary leader.

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Meanwhile, state opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala said Castro had always been an inspiration for those who fought against exploitation, injustice and oppression the world over.

He also recollected that the iconic revolutionary had been a good friend of India and had shared warm relations with former Prime Ministers like Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi.

Sharing the same sentiments, KPCC president V M Sudheeran said Castro's passing away was going to be an irreparable loss to the world.
President Maithripala Sirisena hopes US President-elect Donald Trump would grant Sri Lanka redress by not pursuing the human rights accountability charges against the country.

"I will write to President (Donald) Trump to ask him to free us from these accusations", Sirisena said while addressing a membership drive of Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) in the southern port town of Galle.

"I was able to save the former President Mahinda Rajapaksa and our valiant soldiers by giving the UN Human Rights Council necessary messages," Sirisena said referring to the leniency shown by the US and the international community when he came to power in January 2015.

The UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) allowed Sri Lanka more time to set rights accountability mechanisms to probe the alleged rights violations that took place in the country during the last phase of the military campaign that ended in 2009 with victory of government troops.

The UNHRC had adopted three successive resolutions against Sri Lanka with the US taking the lead.

Having led three anti-Sri Lanka resolutions at the UNHRC between 2012 to 2014, the Obama administration adopted a softer line on Sri Lanka since Sirisena was elected as President.

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Mass marches to condemn horrific violence against women swept Latin America, after a series of brutal murders stoked outrage over a long-smoldering problem in the region.

Tens of thousands of demonstrators took to the streets in Buenos Aires yesterday, the latest in a series of massive protests organized by a burgeoning movement against domestic violence and a culture of machismo.

Marches were also held in Chile, Uruguay, Colombia, Venezuela and Guatemala, with another planned Saturday in Peru.

"If any of you are going through what I was, please go to a loved one, a neighbor, anyone," said an online message from Chilean victim Nabila Riffo, 28, who lost both eyes when her ex-boyfriend attacked her in May.

"Please, don't be intimidated or threatened by any man," she said.

The demos were held on the United Nation's International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women.

The Argentine protesters called for further action, including a worldwide "women's strike" on March 8, International Women's Day.

Activists in Germany, Italy, Russia, Israel, South Korea and Mexico have joined the strike plan, organizers said.

Some 200 women have been killed by their partners or ex-partners so far this year in Argentina, fueling widespread condemnation.

In a nod to the protest movement, Argentine President Mauricio Macri met Friday with victims' families.

But he himself has come in for criticism from activists.

In a 2014 interview, he defended men who make catcalls at women on the street and said there was nothing wrong with telling a woman, "Nice ass."



A poll published Friday found 97 percent of women in Argentina have been victims of harassment multiple times.

Latin America has been shocked by a recent string of gruesome murders of women and girls: a 10-year-old Chilean suffocated with a plastic bag; a 16-year-old Argentine raped and impaled on a spike; a 22-year-old Mexican strangled to death.

Activists condemn not only the killings but what they call a culture that values women less than men.

In Buenos Aires, protester Dora Machicado, 42, told AFP equality for women would translate to less violence.

"Economic independence frees us from the violence of machismo," she said.

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Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu and former External Affairs minister K Natwar Singh today expressed grief over the death of Cuban revolutionary Fidel Castro.

In his condolence message, Kumar described Castro as a "revolutionary leader" and a "successful administrator".

The JD(U) president said he had a chance to meet Castro during a World Youth festival in Hawana in 1978.

Former Union minister Natwar Singh said the Cuban leader stood by India through thick and thin.

"I had the privilege of meeting him 6-7 times both in Havana and Delhi...He was a very good friend for India. He stood by us through thick and thin," he said.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu said in a statement, "In the fight against imperialist forces, Castro stood out as a warrior. He not only toiled to build Cuba, but also became exemplary of fighting spirit."



Leader of Opposition in Andhra Assembly Y S Jaganmohan Reddy said Castro kept the Communist flag flying for decades.

"He showed the world how a small country could live on its own terms without bowing to external pressures," Jagan said in a statement.

AP Congress president N Raghuveera Reddy and vice-president S Sailajanath also mourned Castro's demise.

Castro, who led a rebel army to improbable victory in Cuba, embraced Soviet-style communism and defied the power of 10 US presidents during his half century rule, died Friday night at age 90.

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Trinamool Congress today firmly opposed the 12-hour strike in West Bengal called by the left parties on November 28, even as the Left Front justified the shutdown saying it is necessary to register protest against demonetisation.

"The Left Front is actually trying to help BJP on demonetisation and that is why they have called this strike to increase the sufferings of the masses. They should have refrained from calling the strike," TMC general secretary Subrata Bakshi said.

"On November 28, the TMC will take out a rally from College Square to Esplanade to protest against demonetisation," he told reporters after the party's core committee meeting.

"Mamatadi had expressed her displeasure over the strike call and said that people don't support strikes and bandhs," he said.

State Transport Minister Suvendu Adhikari said his department would run 2,600 more buses to maintain normalcy during the bandh.

"Government will pay compensation if any vehicle got damaged during the bandh period", he said.

Justifying the shutdown, Left Front chairman Biman Bose said, "the strike call is necessary to register protest against demonetisation which caused sufferings to the people. We have kept banks, ATMs, health and milk outside the ambit of the strike. So that people don't face any problem".

Commenting on TMC's opposition to the strike, CPIM state secretary Surjya Kanta Mishra said, "we are happy that TMC is not supporting the strike call. We have given the call to oppose the anti-people decision of the Centre. Whoever is serious about the issue will not oppose the strike call".

State Congress chief Adhir Chowdhury said that his party decided to extend moral support to the strike by Left parties.

West Bengal BJP president Dilip Ghosh, however, said they will see whether the TMC is really serious about foiling the strike called by the Left.

"Recently we have seen them working together as friends against us in Delhi. So we want to see whether TMC really practice what they preach," he said.

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The Left parties in West Bengal today took out a rally here and decided to fly the red flag at half mast for three days at their respective offices across the state as a mark of respect to Cuban leader Fidel Castro.

Led by Left Front chairman Biman Bose and CPI(M) state secretary Surya Kanta Mishra, 18 Left parties, including the CPI, CPI(M), All India Forward Bloc, RSP, Communist Party of India-Marxist Leninist (Liberation), took out the rally from the Lenin statue at Esplanade to Ram Lila Maidan at Entally in central Kolkata.

Condoling the demise of the legendary communist leader, Mishra said, "Fidel Castro will continue to inspire all struggles for social transformation through revolution. He will inspire generations. We salute the relentless fighter."



Cuba's former president and communist icon Castro, who led a rebel army to an improbable victory in his country, died last night in Havana at the age of 90.

Once a Left citadel, Bengal and Castro shared a bond as the Cuban had a stopover at the city airport while returning from Hanoi on his way to Cuba in September, 1973. He was received by the then top communist leaders of Bengal, Jyoti Basu and Promode Dasgupta, at the airport.

In September 1993, Basu, then the chief minister of West Bengal, had visited Havana, 20 years after Castro's visit to Kolkata, to convey his moral and political support to the Cuban revolution.

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Actress Leslie Mann tracks her teenage daughter's movements at college via a phone app.

The 44-year-old "How to Be Single" star has been married to director and producer Judd Apatow since 1997, with the pair sharing daughters Maude, 18, and Iris, 14.

During an appearance on "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon", Leslie opened up about her two girls, sharing that she has struggled with Maude's decision to attend Northwestern University in Chicago, where she's studying Radio, Television and Film, reported Contactmusic.

Though her daughter now lives thousands of miles away, she does take some consolation in the fact that, unbeknownst to Maude, she is tracking her every move using her phone.

"I have this app on my phone called Find My Friends which lets me track her," Leslie told host Jimmy.

"It gives me a lot of comfort... When I wake up in the middle of the night and get worried that she's safe, I check Find My Friends and see that she's home, usually.

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The 62nd birth anniversary of slain LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran was today celebrated at a university in Sri Lanka's Tamil-dominated Jaffna city.

Hundreds of Jaffna University students, academic and non-academic staff gathered at the Kailasapathy Auditorium of the varsity to celebrate the birth anniversary by cutting cakes, official sources said.

They also lit candles and planted saplings in memory of those who were killed during nearly three-decade long civil war which ended in May 2009.

The birth anniversary was celebrated despite the Sri Lankan government's warning that action would be taken against anyone trying to take part in the event, sources said.

Commemoration events were held both yesterday and today in Jaffna. The government had said although those killed in the war could be commemorated, the LTTE war dead should not be commemorated.

During the LTTE years, the week from November 21 to 27 was celebrated as the Martyr's week which also coincided with the Prabakaran's birthday on November 26.

Prabhakaran was killed in 2009 by the Sri Lankan forces, ending decades of civil war in the country.

According to the UN figures, up to 40,000 Tamil civilians were killed by security forces during former Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa's regime that brought an end to the war with the defeat of the LTTE in 2009.

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Over 900 candidates out of the 15,827 contesting the first phase of the local bodies polls in Maharashtra are 'crorepatis', stated an Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) and Maharashtra Election Watch report.

ADR and the Maharashtra Election Watch analysed the self-sworn affidavits of the 9,495 candidates contesting the municipal council polls, 639 candidates fighting the polls for the posts of presidents of municipal councils and 623 contesting the nagar panchayats polls.

In the first phase, a total of 164 municipal councils and 3,706 nagar panchayat seats will go to the polls tomorrow. A total of 15,827 candidates are in the fray.

The analysis shows that 927 candidates in the fray for the three elections are multi-millionaires.

The 9,495 candidates for the municipal council polls are from 19 districts -- Solapur, Kolhapur, Sangli, Satara, Nandurbar, Dhule, Jalgaon, Jalna, Parbhani, Hingoli, Beed, Osmanabad, Yavatmal, Akola, Washim, Amravati, Buldhana, Wardha and Chandrapur.

The analysis of affidavits of the candidates covers all the prominent divisions of Maharashtra -- Pune, Nashik, Nagpur Aurangabad and Amravati.

As per the details of the candidates in the 19 districts analysed by ADR, the average worth of assets per candidate is more than Rs 36 lakh.

Out of the 9,495 candidates, 743 (8 per cent) are 'crorepatis'.

The candidate with the highest declared total assets, worth Rs 46 crore, is Madhubala Dilipsinh Bhosale, who is contesting as the councillor candidate for Phaltan municipal council.

As many as 397 candidates have declared zero assets in the 19 districts, the ADR report said.

There are 1,186 candidates who have declared assets worth below Rs 50,000 (excluding those declaring zero assets).

Jugalkishor Rampalji Lohiya, fighting the Parali-Vaijnath municipal council seat, has the highest liabilities of Rs 14 crore.

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A man has been sentenced to 10 years rigorous imprisonment by a court here for raping his niece two years ago.

Additional District judge Ram Naresh Maurya awarded the sentence to Raju Pandey for raping the minor daughter of his brother-in-law, District Government Counsel Om Prakash Yadav said today.

According to prosecution, the victim's father lodged a complaint on September 20, 2014 at a police station in Delhi, which was later transferred to Surajpur police station in Greater Noida.

During the trail, 11 witnesses recorded their statement, Yadav said.

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A 37-year-old man, who cheated a woman by marrying her and taking lakhs of rupees from her after claiming to be a software professional was arrested today, Cyberabad police said.

Prashanth Paramkusham met the victim through a matrimonial site, where he had falsely claimed in his profile that he was a software professional.

He claimed that he had done his engineering from NIT Bhopal and later did MBA from Mumbai and had worked for leading Indian and foreign IT firms and visited US many times, they said.

He also claimed that he was now into film production and earned around Rs 30-40 lakh annually.

The woman, who was working abroad, was impressed by his profile and decided to marry him.

Prashanth allegedly asked the girl to loan him some money for marriage expenses and to buy jewellery, saying he could not encash his fixed deposits immediately, police said.

She gave him Rs 4 lakh. The marriage took place on March 20 at Miyapur.

"After the marriage, she left for US on March 25 due to her job requirement. He promised that he would obtain visa and follow her to the US. But later he stated he could not get visa," a police official said.

The accused again asked her for Rs 20 to 30 lakh saying that he had developed a serious health problem and was hospitalised, he said.

The victim's family inquired and realised that he was lying. They also found out that the information given by him regarding his education among others, was false and he may have cheated other women too in this way.

The victim's mother lodged a police complaint earlier this month following which Prashanth was arrested today. Further probe is on.

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Areca companyCentral Arecanut and Cocoa Marketing and ProcessingCo-operative Limited (CAMPCO) has shipped its first consignment of processed tender arecanuts to China.

The shipment, dispatched from Chennai port yesterday, is as per the agreement made earlier by the Chinese mouth freshener company 'Kou Wei Wang', CAMPCO said in a release.

Kou Wei Wang had sent their representatives to check the quality of arecanuts produced in India. After verification by the team, they approached CAMPCO for their produce, the city-based firm said.

A CAMPCO delegation also visited China and heldtalks with the (Chinese) company in June this year.

After a trial shipment made by CAMPCO, Kou Wei Wang gave the green signal to send more shipments in larger quantities, it said.

Select tender arecanut from Shivamogga, Puttur and Coimbatore regions have been processed by CAMPCO at nearby Puttur and after certifying the quality of the produce at the Plant Quarantine Laboratory of the union government, the consignment was exported.

This step is a move towards the economic developmentof the arecanut farmers, it said adding that China has a very good demand for processed tender arecanut. Based on the success of this consignment, arecanut growers would be benefited.

S R Satishchandra, president of the cooperative and Suresh Bhandary M, Managing Director, were present during the flagging off of the first export consignment, itadded.

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Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti today expressed grief over the death of three persons and gutting of around 80 hutments in Narwal area of Jammu city.

The Chief Minister expressed heartfelt sympathies with the families of three persons who were charred to death in the tragic fire incident, officials said.

She has directed the divisional administration to extend all humanitarian assistance to the affected families at the earliest, they said.

Opposition National Conference leaders and former chief ministers, Farooq Abdullah and Omar Abdullah too expressed grief over the incident.

Describing as "most unfortunate" deaths, the two leaders conveyed their condolences to the bereaved family and expressed solidarity with all those whose dwelling units were gutted in the fire.

Three persons were charred to death and as many others sustained serious burn injuries when their huts caught fire in Narwal area of Jammu city in wee hours of today.

Over four dozen huts were damaged in the fire which was later brought under control by deploying several fire tenders.

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Noting that OROP was hanging fire for four decades, Union Minister of State for Defence Subhash Bhamre today said the Narendra Modi government deserved all the credit for sorting out the vexed issue.

"The credit for ending the dilemma faced by successive previous governments over OROP goes without doubt to Prime Minister Narendra Modi who showed the determination to solve the issue," Bhamre said at a programme held here this evening to honour former servicemen and war widows.

Asserting that the Centre was sensitive to issues related to ex-servicemen, the Union Minister said an amount of Rs 5,745.15 crore had been paid so far to ex-servicemen under OROP.

He said a judicial commission had also been constituted to look into the anomalies related to OROP. The Prime Minister is himself is monitoring everything and ex-servicemen had nothing to worry, he said.

He also asked them not to pay attention to a misinformation campaign sponsored by some political parties in this regard.

Bhamre said no changes had been made in the letter dated October 18 as regards military ranks vis-a-vis civilians down gradation issue. He said the letter had been misinterpreted.

Designations of officers deployed at the headquarters remain the same as earlier and their reporting channels are also the same.

He also paid tribute to members of the Indian armed forces who laid down their lives fighting terrorists during Mumbai's 26/11 terror attack on its eighth anniversary.

With a large number of youths from Uttarakhand making a career in the armed forces, Bhamre said it was a matter of great pride for the state which produced brave men in such large numbers. It must inspire young men all over the country to join the armed forces, he said.

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A leading Indian housing finance company has said it is working with the government to provide housing for the rural villages in India.

Mahindra Rural Housing Finance Ltd (MRHF) wants to be the preferred partner in housing schemes in India where providing accommodation for the poor is the biggest challenge, said its managing director Anuj Mehra.

"We would like to position ourselves as the preferred partners of the government to work on housing schemes," said Mehra, after addressing ResponsibleBusiness Forum on Sustainable Development held in Singapore this week.

MRHF is working with the government and states in housing for the rural villages. It has a book size of Rs 3,800 crores in financing and 450,000 customers. MRHF is adding confidence to the rural poor by financing housing, Mehra said.

Among the challenges faced by rural Indians is the mutation of land for home owners who are usually settled on their ancestors' site but are wary of bureaucracy in updating their records.

"We have a team of lawyers helping to settle land records for these poor people," he said of the people lacking confidence in undertaking land-legality transfers.

"Once the home owner has a proper record and right to his land, it gives him confidence," he said.

Mehra also welcomed the latest scheme'Housing for All' in rural areas, saying it would help provide proper accommodation and raise the living standards of the people.

He noted that the government was serious about tackling the housing issues in the country even though at times it seems a big challenge.

"The sense of confidence a person gets with the house is huge - I think that is the biggest impact we make on the people's life," Mehra said.

Mahindra & Mahindra Financial Services Ltd has 87.5 per cent stake inMRHF with the balance held by National Housing Bank, a regulator for this businessfully-owned subsidiary of the Reserve Bank of India.

The forum held on November 22-24 addressed a wide range of social issues with a call on the private sector participation in sustainable development across Asia.

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A team of six is swimming, in relay, from the iconic Gateway of India here to Mangaluru in Karnataka, covering over 1,000 kilometres, to pay tribute to the victims of 26/11 Mumbai terror attack.

'The Swim of the Century', supported by IDBI bank, started this evening.

The team, led by Wing Commander Paramvir Singh of Indian Air Force (IAF), includes Rahul Chiplunkar, a prolific swimmer, 16-year-old Manav Mehta, a swimming prodigy from Navi Mumbai, Sgt (retd) G Narahari, Shrikant Palande of Mumbai Police and LAC (Leading Aircraftman) Vicky Tokas of IAF.

Each member of the team will swim for an hour, to be replaced by another, in a relay. The team expects to complete the journey through the Arabian Sea in 14-15 days.

Union MoS for Power (independent charge) Piyush Goyal, chairman of All India Anti-Terrorist Front MS Bitta and Amruta Fadnavis, wife of Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, were present as the swimming expedition started.

On November 26, 2008, 10 Pakistani terrorists attacked various locations in Mumbai, killing 166 people and injuring several others.

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The security forces had never thought an attack of the magnitude of 26/11 would ever take place and that it was a "failure of imagination" on their part, a top police official of the Mumbai Police said today.

"We never thought there could be a terrorist attack at multiple points from the sea side. After the attacks, police of other countries had to change their Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to handle 5-6 attacks at the same time," Joint Commissioner (Law & Order), Mumbai Police, Deven Bharti said.

He was speaking at a panel discussion during a video exhibition titled '26/11: Stories of Strength', at Kala Ghoda in South Mumbai, which was showcased by The Indian Express in association with Facebook and Instagram.

Bharti, who was with the Crime branch when the attack took place on November 26, 2008, said city police did not have SOPs to handle an attack of this magnitude then and the senior personnel did whatever they could with the help of their teams, grit and determination.

"That attack was a failure of our imagination. But today, we have a fighting force as good as National Security Guards which is trained by agencies based in Israel, America and Germany. They are at par with any commandos. We can respond to a terror situation in a much better way today," he said.

Meanwhile, Kia Scherr, who lost her family in the ghastly attacks said, she and her family in Florida could only watch and wait to hear from her relatives who were in the city then.

"I have forgiven those who killed my family because I want to be relieved from the burden of anger. Since the attacks, I have been reborn in Mumbai again. I have received so much of love, generosity from people here," she said.

Sourav Mishra, another survivor of the attack who was part of the discussion, said he was at Cafe Leopold in Colaba when the terrorists opened fire and he feels lucky to have survived.

"After bullets were lodged in my body, I somehow managed to escape through one of the doors and everything seemed like a movie scene then, all hazy. A local vendor outside the cafe took me to the hospital while I was all the time thinking I would not survive. I feel lucky today," Mishra said.

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A new lift with more capacity would be constructed near the existing lift in Shimla to facilitate tourists and local residents.

It would be constructed by Department of Tourism under Shimla beautification plan with funds from Asian Development Bank at a cost of Rs 6.50 crore and will have a carrying capacity of 25 persons, a senior government official said.

The lift would connect Cart Road with Mall Road and its speed would more than existing lift of HP Tourism Development Corporation, which became operational in 1974.

Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh would lay the foundation stone for the project on November 29 Commissioner (Tourism and civil Aviation), Mohan Chauhan said.

He said the proposal had been approved by the ADB and the Heritage Committee.

The new lift will be equipped with all modern facilities like emergency alarm system, music, telephone connectivity and auto climate controlling system etc.

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Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who has taken up prohibition on a 'mission mode', today instructed police to check whether those linked with liquor trade previously had found an alternate vocation, and book those who were continuing in the trade.

Speaking on the occasion of Prohibition Day function, he also asked senior police officials to take stock of the conduct of policemen at the lower level and find out how the illegal supply of liquor was continuing, despite the decision taken that officers in-charge of such police stations, where illegal alcohol trade was detected, would not get field posting for 10 years.

The Chief Minister issued these two-point instructions to police headquarters in a bid to further intensify the crackdown against liquor in the state.

He said that it had come to light that notwithstanding prohibition, liquor was being illegally transported to the state not only from neighbouring Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal and Nepal, but also from a far off state like Haryana.

The police is already on the job to probe the illegal liquor trade network from a far away place like Haryana, he said.

Drawing the attention of Additional Director General of Police (Headquarter) Sunil Kumar and his counterpart in Law and Order Alok Raj, who were also present at the function, Kumar said an exercise should be initiated to gauge whether those involved in liquor trade earlier were surviving on their old income or have found new ways by surreptitiously supplying alcohol at a premium.

"Garland those who have opted out for a good



alternative and catch those still pursuing the old habit of minting money through illegal trade in alcohol," Kumar said in the presence of Excise and Prohibition Minister Abdul Jalil Mastan, Chief Secretary Anjani Kumar Singh and Principal Secretary of Excise and Prohibition Amir Subhani.

The state government had offered to allocate outlets of Sudha diary to the shops selling liquor previously, but media reports suggested that there were not many takers for the offer.

The Chief Minister said that it was a known fact that people have minted huge wealth out of liquor trade and that demonetisation would have an impact on them.

Kumar, who recently heard views of legislators at an all-party meeting and also of a cross-section of citizens on some provisions in new Bihar Excise Act, 2016 which they termed "stringent", said, "We are taking legal opinion on the suggestions and if need arises, some changes could be brought in a few sections of the Act in the state Assembly."



The JD(U) leader, however, categorically said the decision on prohibition was "atal" (unequivocal) and there could be no compromise with the liquor ban.

"For those who cannot live without liquor, what is the need to live in Bihar? Such people should take their shelter out of the state," Kumar said.

Observing that despite tough penal provision against heinous crimes like rape and murder, "such crimes do take place", the Chief Minister stressed that the success of prohibition depended on "jan samarthan" (people's cooperation).
Mauritius President Ameenah Gurib-Fakim has said no religion preaches terrorism.

No religion preaches terrorism as terrorism has no religion and she wants peace and harmony for India and its people, the Mauritius President, who paid obeisance at the Dargah of sufi saint Waris Ali Shah last evening, said.

"No one likes conflict as everyone wants peace... terrorists have no caste or religion," Fakim said.

To a question on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, she said, "He is doing good work... Better works are being undertaken under his leadership."



Fakim offered chadar at the world renowned dargah of the sufi saint during her brief visit and prayed for peace.

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Seeking to downplay Economic Advisor Gita Gopinath's praise for demonetisation when the LDF government was opposing it, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan today said there was nothing unusual in her expressing her views.

His reaction in a Facebook post came following media reports about Gopinath, a Harvard university professor, praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi, describing the scrapping of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes as a "bold" and "unprecedented" initiative.

Vijayan said Gopinath was not a "full-time advisor of the Kerala Chief Minister. So there is nothing unusual that she is taking a different stand from that of the government and expressing her own views".

In a recent article titled "Demonetisation Dos and Dont's, a commentary in Project Syndicate", Gopinath has stated that "It was an unprecedented move, whether in India or almost anywhere else, and it is by far Modi's boldest policy intervention to date."



However, she had also noted that "public frustration is now mounting", because the government "has failed" to meet the demand for new printed notes.

"Commerce in India -- where the cash-to-GDP ratio is 10 per cent -- relies heavily on cash transactions, and informal economy and small-business operations have now ground to a halt, owing to long lines and tight cash-withdrawal limits at banks and shortages at ATMs," Gopinath had said in the article.

The Chief Minister said "some people have taken some sentences from her article and making wrong interpretations".

She had explained about the challenges and issues being faced by the country. "It is her freedom as an economist and a Professor of Harvard University," he said.

Kerala had approached her only for advise in connection with the state and not (for) her opinion and the stand she takes with regard to global economy, he added.

high value notes, saying it has caused immense hardships to the common man and dealt a severe blow to the state's Cooperative sector.

Both the LDF and opposition Congress-led UDF have launched agitations against demonetisation.

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Ahead of the Mumbai civic body polls, a new 'poster war' has erupted between the BJP and its oldest ally Shiv Sena over the issue of demonetisation and black money.

While a poster put up by the BJP shows Prime Minister Narendra Modi receiving blessings from late Sena supremo Bal Thackeray, a counter poster put up by its ally taunts BJP saying it finally remembered the Sena patriarch.

According to Sena leader, Prasad Lad, BJP's Mumbai wing vice president put up a poster at a traffic signal near the NCP office at Nariman Point this morning while the Sena's South Mumbai vibhag Pramukh Pandurang Sakpal put up another poster to counter BJP in the same area.

Lad's poster bears Modi's photo at one corner where Bal Thackeray is shown in a way that seems he is blessing Modi on his demonetisation decision. A line on the poster states 'Kalya Paishacha Khatma, hech Achche Din' (End of black money means good days have arrived).

Sena's poster meanwhile also uses Bal Thackeray's photo with the lines 'Prime Minister Narendra Modincha Kewilwana Akrosh (PM Narendra Modi's appealing howl), 'Shewati Shiv Sena pramukhanchi athwan Zalich' (finally he has been reminded of Bal Thackeray) scribbled below.

Recently, while Sena MPs had met Modi to submit a Memorandum that sought to allow DCC banks to allow exchange of old notes, Modi reportedly told them that had Bal Thackeray been alive, he would have blessed him.

Meanwhile, Uddhav Thackeray has taken a harsh stand over the chaos among people who are standing in long queues to withdraw cash from banks and ATMs.

He has threatened the BJP that he would not shy from taking an extreme step if Modi ignores common people's difficulties after the withdrawal of higher denomination of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000.

Police officials later removed both the posters.

Polls to the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai are scheduled to take place next year.

On November 8, Prime Minister Modi had announced his government's decision to demonetise Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 notes.

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BJP MP Kirit Somaiya today said the National Textile Corporation (NTC) has given permission to the Maharashtra government to start construction of the Ambedkar memorial at Indu mill in central Mumbai.

Somaiya said he in capacity as chairman of the parliamentary committee on textile and NTC handed over permission letter to the Maharashtra government in this regard.

"On the occasion of Samvidhan Diwas myself as chairman of the parliamentary committee on textile and NTC handed over permission (letter) to the state (Maharashtra) government. Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority will start work on the 'smarak' (memorial) at Indu mill in Shivaji Park. Demolition of the old structure will start next week," he said in a statement.

In October last year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had laid the foundation stone of a grand memorial to Babasaheb Ambedkar at the Indu Mills compound in the megapolis.

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The Obama Administration has said it stands behind US presidential election results as they "accurately reflect the will of the American people" and believes the polls were free and fair from a cybersecurity perspective.

The defense of the US elections from the Obama Administration came amidst hacking fears and allegations of hacking from Russia.

"The Kremlin probably expected that publicity surrounding the disclosures that followed the Russian Government-directed compromises of e-mails from US persons and institutions, including from US political organisations, would raise questions about the integrity of the election process that could have undermined the legitimacy of the President-elect," a senior administration official said.

"Nevertheless, we stand behind our election results, which accurately reflect the will of the American people," the official said in response to a question.

According to the official, the Federal government did not observe any increased level of malicious cyber activity aimed at disrupting the US electoral process on election day.

"As we have noted before, we remained confident in the overall integrity of electoral infrastructure, a confidence that was borne out on election. As a result, we believe our elections were free and fair from a cybersecurity perspective," the official said.

"That said, since we do not know if the Russians had planned any malicious cyber activity for election day, we don't know if they were deterred from further activity by the various warnings the US government conveyed," he said.

Meanwhile, the Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus in a memo asserted that the electoral victory of its candidate Donald Trump was truly a national victory.

"Nearly three weeks after the presidential election, the numbers showing President-elect Donald Trump's commanding victory are coming more fully into focus. He won 306 electoral votes, the most for a Republican since George H W Bush in 1988," Priebus said.

"He carried 9 of 13 battleground states. Millions of Americans rallied behind his message of rebuilding our country and disrupting the status quo. This was a truly national victory," said Priebus, who has been appointed as the chief of staff by Trump.

"President-elect Donald Trump won over 2,600 counties nationwide, the most since President Reagan in 1984. Additionally, he won over 62 million votes in the popular vote, the highest all-time for a Republican nominee. Voters everywhere wanted Donald Trump as their president," he said.

Also, Trump won over 200 counties nationwide that Obama won in 2012. This was the most counties won by a Republican since 1984, he said.

Priebus said Trump's message resonated with voters in historically blue states as he registered the first GOP win in Wisconsin since 1984, Pennsylvania and Michigan since 1988 and Iowa since 1984.

"President-elect Donald Trump campaigned in places he knew Republicans have had difficulty winning-Flint, Michigan, charter schools in inner-city Cleveland, and Hispanic churches in Florida-because he wanted to bring his message of economic empowerment to all Americans," he said.

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President Barack Obama today condoles the death of Cuban leader Fidel Castro, saying that history will record and judge the enormous impact of this singular figure on the people and world around him.

Top American lawmakers, however, described it as the death of a tyrant resulting in new dawn for Cuba.

"At this time of Fidel Castro's passing, we extend a hand of friendship to the Cuban people. We know that this moment fills Cubans - in Cuba and in the United States - with powerful emotions, recalling the countless ways in which Fidel Castro altered the course of individual lives, families, and of the Cuban nation. History will record and judge the enormous impact of this singular figure on the people and world around him," Obama said in a statement.

For nearly six decades, the relationship between the US and Cuba was marked by discord and profound political disagreements, he said.

"During my presidency, we have worked hard to put the past behind us, pursuing a future in which the relationship between our two countries is defined not by our differences but by the many things that we share as neighbours and friends - bonds of family, culture, commerce, and common humanity," he said.

This engagement includes the contributions of Cuban Americans, who have done so much for the US and who care deeply about their loved ones in Cuba, he added.

"Today, we offer condolences to Fidel Castro's family, and our thoughts and prayers are with the Cuban people. In the days ahead, they will recall the past and also look to the future. As they do, the Cuban people must know that they have a friend and partner in the United States of America," Obama said.

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Craig David, Olly Murs and Christine and the Queens will perform at the BRIT Awards nominations launch on live TV January 14, 2017.

For the first time this year, the nominations will be announced on live TV on ITV on Saturday January 14, 2017 and will be hosted by Emma Willis, reported Digital Spy.

"I'm excited to announce I'll be playing at the BRITs 2017 nominations launch. Make sure you tune in to ITV on Saturday January 14th! I always love playing live and this will be a great warm up for my 24HRS tour next year," Murs said.

And David said: "I'm absolutely thrilled to be involved with The BRITs this year which always showcases the best of British and International music and highlights how important our industry is on a global scale."



The BRIT Awards 2017 take place on February 22 at London's The O2, hosted by Canadian superstar Michael Buble.

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A 25-year-old man was shot dead and three others were seriously injured in a clash between two groups over a minor dispute at Hasanpur Luhari village in Shamli, police said today.

The incident took place yesterday when there was a scuffle between the groups and it escalated, leading to firing and stone-pelting by both sides, Circle Officer Anand Verma said.

The deceased was identified as Gulzar. Gulbahar, Shehzad and Waseem were injured in the clash and were rushed to hospital in a critical condition, Verma said.

Police brought the situation under control and extra security force was deployed in the area.

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BJP president Amit Shah today lashed out at the opposition, saying it was seeking to oppose everything that the Narendra Modi government did only because it did not have any issues to raise.

"The opposition has no issues, so it is opposing everything Narendra bhai is doing. If Modi says today is Monday, they will say no no it's Tuesday," Shah mocked while addressing a mammoth Kisan Rally organised by the Andhra Pradesh BJP here this evening.

"The world praised the surgical strikes the Narendra Modi government conducted on Pakistan but Congress only criticised it. The country is happy, the jawans are happy and even kids are happy but Rahul (Gandhi) cried 'khoon ki dalali'," he said.

"It's not Sonia-Manmohan government (at the helm) now that remains indecisive. It's the Modi government that daringly conducted surgical strikes and inflicted a heavy blow to the enemy and the terror camps on its territory," the BJP chief said, recalling the aftermath of the Uri attack.

Shah was also critical of the "false propaganda" allegedly being carried out by the opposition over the demonetisation issue.

"They are spreading rumours that demonetisation will hurt the farmers. But let me assure you, it will only benefit the farmers by all means," he claimed.

Asserting that the welfare of farmers and development of the agriculture sector were the top priorities of the Modi government, Shah said every step was being taken to ensure the same.

Urban Development Minister M Venkaiah Naidu, Minister of State for Commerce Nirmala Sitharaman, BJP national secretary Siddharth Nath Singh, state president K Hari Babu, state minister's Kamineni Srinivas, P Manikyala Rao and other leaders also attended the rally.

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Bangladesh today said it has given shelter to Rohingya refugees from Myanmar but other countries should also come forward and give shelter to them.

Bangladesh High Commissioner to India Syed Muazzem Ali also said that his country has not closed its border along Rakhine state, home to the minority community in Myanmar.

Scores of Rohingyas Muslims have fled Myanmar over the past few years alleging atrocities by the Myanmarese army.

He stressed that the solution to the Rohingya problem should be found in Myanmar itself by giving the same rights as is given to 21 other tribes there.

"There are 8,00,000 Rohingyas and naturally the solution to the Rohingya problem must be found in Myanmar itself. They must be given the same rights as is given to 21 other tribes in Myanmar.

"We have not closed the borders. We have certainly given shelter to some. But there are other countries which should also come forward and give shelter to the refugees. I have seen Rohingyas are getting shelter in China, India, Malaysia and in other countires," Ali said on the sidelines of screening of a documentary based on the atrocities perpetrated on Bangladeshis during its freedom struggle.

He said the Rohingya problem arised because Myanmar consistently calls them as Bangladeshi.

"So, the more you give shelter to them, the more difficult it becomes to repatriate them," Ali said.

Northern Rakhine, which is home to the mostly Bengali speaking Muslim Rohingya minority and borders Bangladesh, has been under military lockdown ever since surprise raids on border posts left nine police dead last month.

Human rights groups accuse the Myanmarese army of abuses against the Rohingya minority, including killings, rapes and burning of homes.

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has approved Russia's request to use the strategic Gwadar Port for its exports, signalling a new alignment in bilateral relations after decades' of sour ties during the Cold War era.

Following Iran and Turkmenistan, Russia has also decided to use the Gwadar Port for trade to have an access to warm waters, a top Pakistani official privy to the development was quoted as saying by Geo News.

"On top of it, Russia also wants to join the $46 billion China Economic Corridor to reap the maximum dividends. In addition, Russia aspires to develop strategic defence ties with Pakistan," the daily said.

decided to broaden its foreign policy options after its relations with the US deteriorated following secret CIA raid in Abbottabad that killed al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden in May 2011.

Its relations with the US were soured recently when US lawmakers blocked funds for the sale of eight Lockheed Martin Corporation's F-16 fighter jets to Pakistan.

Pakistan is eager to improve its ties with Russia to diversify its defence purchase options in the event of any stalemate in ties with Washington, experts say.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, who is on a two-day visit to Turkmenistan, said that he welcomed the Russia's interest in becoming part of the CPEC and maintained that Pakistan would welcome participation of any country in the gigantic project.

He told journalists that many countries wanted to join CPEC as half of the world would benefit from the project.

China and Pakistan are building the nearly 3,000-km-long economic corridor linking Gwadar port on the Arabian Sea with Muslim-majority Xinjiang province to improve connectivity between the two countries.

The move would open up a new and cheaper cargo route for transporting oil to China as well as export of Chinese goods to the Middle East and Africa.

Sharif also announced building railways, road and fiber-optic along with Turkmenistan-Pakistan-Afghanistan-India (TAPI) 1,680-kilometer-long gas pipeline to enhance connectivity between South Asia and Central Asia.

He said that TAPI would supply 400 billion cubic feet gas to the three member states in which Pakistan's share would be three hundred billion feet of gas.

Sharif said TAPI, which is the largest gas project in the region, would help meet the gas demand in Pakistan.

In the Turkmen capital, Sharif announced today Pakistan's decision to join the Ashgabat Agreement and the Lapis Lazuli Corridor.

The Ashgabat agreement is a transport agreement between Oman, Iran, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan and seeks to create an transport and transit corridor.

The Lapis Lazuli Corridor seeks to foster transit and trade cooperation between Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey by reducing barriers facing transit trade.
Cuban-Americans poured onto the streets of Miami early today to cries of "Cuba Libre!" and "Freedom! Freedom!" celebrating the death of their nemesis Fidel Castro.

Revelers -- many exiled by Havana's communist regime -- honked car horns, banged on pots and drums, and danced, cried, and waved Cuban flags in a crush of communal euphoria.

Castro died late yesterday, his brother Cuban President Raul Castro announced on national television around midnight.

In Miami -- home to the largest concentration of Cuban-Americans in the US -- the spread quickly and with fervour.

"It's sad that one finds joy in the death of a person -- but that person should never have been born," said Pablo Arencibia, 67, a teacher who fled Cuba 20 years ago.

"Satan is now the one who has to worry," because "Fidel is heading there and is going to try to get his job," joked Arencibia amid the loud party-like atmosphere.

Sensing the historic moment, younger revelers streamed the event on Facebook Live, posted pictures on Instagram, and broadcast the celebrations on FaceTime and Skype to friends and relatives on the island.

Little Havana and Hialeah -- Miami neighborhoods where many Cuban exiles settled -- saw people dance, hug, and exchange comments like "it took so long," and "now only Raul is missing."



"Cuba Libre" -- Free Cuba -- has been a rallying cry for exiles ever since the Castro brothers took over Cuba in 1959. The rum and Coke drink of the same name, however, predates the Castro regime.

Some two million Cubans live in the US, nearly 70 per cent of them in Florida.

The late-breaking roused some out of bed to join the street party in pajamas.

Some sang the Cuban national anthem. Others shook up bottles of champagne and sprayed fizz among the revelers.

People of all ages gathered, mostly of Cuban descent, but also some Americans.

"It's a major moment for the Cuban community and I'm with them," said a retired Florida native named Debbie. "I live in Little Havana and this is a big part of our lives. The community always comes together here."



Debbie and her friend Cuban-American Aymara celebrated outside the Cafe Versailles, where exiles met for decades to plot their return to the island and strategies to protest the Castro regime.

"He should have died a long time ago! He's a criminal, a murderer and a wretched being!" screamed 78-year-old retiree Hugo Ribas in a voice full of rage mixed with euphoria.

"The brother should have died too -- in that family they're all criminals!" added Ribas, who has been in Miami for four years.

"It took too long," said Cuban immigrant Analia Rodriguez, 23, who has lived in Miami for a decade.

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The passing out ceremony of 407 cadets of Indian Naval Academy and Indian Coast Guard was held at the academy premises at Ezhimala in Kannur district today.

They include 339 of Indian Navy, 67 cadets of Indian Coast Guard besides one from Tanzania.

Vice Admiral A R Karve, Flag Officer



Commanding-In-Chief reviewed the parade and awarded medals to eight meritorious cadets, an INA release said.

Congratulating the cadets, Vice Admiral Karve emphasised the need to remain ever committed to the nation and service.

He also asked the cadets to grow with each challenge that they face in their naval career, the release said.

Also graduating with their male counterparts were 25 female cadets from theIndian Navy and the Indian Coast Guard.

Vice Admiral S V Bhokare, Commandant, INA and Rear AdmiralK S Venugopal, Principal, apart from senior officers of the station witnessed the event.

On completion of the parade, the "Shipping of Stripes" ceremony, symbolising the cadets' transformation into full-fledged Navy andCoast Guard Officers, was conducted with the Presiding officer and other dignitaries shipping the Naval and Coast Guard epaulettes on the shoulders of the cadets, the release added.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi today condoled the demise of Cuban leader Fidel Castro whom he described as one of the most iconic personalities of the 20th century and a "good friend" of India.

"I extend my deepest condolences to the government & people of Cuba on the sad demise of Fidel Castro. May his soul rest in peace," he tweeted.

"Fidel Castro was one of the most iconic personalities of the 20th century. India mourns the loss of a great friend," the Prime Minister said.

He said India extends support to the Cuban government and its people in this tragic hour.

Cuba's former president and communist idol Fidel Castro, who led a rebel army to improbable victory in his country, died at 90 years of age.

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Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje today asked police officers to discharge their duty with dedication to create fear among criminals and win the trust of people.

"To maintain law and order, police officers should be reactive and work pro-actively," she said on the third day of the Collector-SP conference here.

Addressing SPs and senior police officials, Raje said the police force should work in a professional manner.

"District SPs should incorporate the use of information technology and social media to improve their functioning and vigilance," the Chief Minister said.

There should not be delays in registering FIRs, especially of the needy and the poor. Timely action by police is important. Officers should hear out complaints of people and resolve them in a timely manner to prevent tense situations, she said.

"Senior police officers should better their communication with people and have first hand information from them," Raje said, asking officers to be more sensitive toward issues related to women, children, Schedule Caste and Schedule Tribes.

She directed district SPs to use social media platforms and IT tools to check crime and contain spread of rumours on such platforms.

Police officers gave presentations on strategies to check cyber-crime and deal with organised crime.

Members of the council of ministers, parliamentary secretaries, Chief Secretary O P Meena and senior police officers were present at the conference.

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Chief Minister V Narayanasamy today expressed grief over the demise of former Cuban President Fidel Castro.

In his condolence message, he said, "We have lost a prestigious leader who had successfully tided over several crises and enhanced Cuba to be one of the most powerful nations in the world."



Narayanasamy conveyed his condolences to the people of Cuba and said Castro was a "relentless revolutionary."



The 90-year-old Cuban leader died in Havana, Cuba, yesterday.

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Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government will make Punjab drug-free within one month if it comes to power in the next year's assembly polls in the state, Arvind Kejriwal today said.

Speaking on the sixth day of his 11-day tour of the state here, he alleged that Akalis had "ruined" Punjab by making it a "hub" of drugs and AAP would take it a challenge to curb the menace within one month of formation of its government.

"So far more than 40 lakh youth of Punjab are trapped in the drug network, spread by Akalis and after formation of government in Punjab, AAP will break the supply chain of drugs within one month and drug-addicted youth would be rehabilitated by opening rehabilitation centres at war level within six months and giving them employment," Kejriwal said.

Delhi Chief Minister said Congress is giving "false hopes" to the people of Punjab by claiming that it would fight against the drugs menace.

"Manmohan Singh government was in Centre for 10 years with simultaneous rule of Badals in Punjab, but Congress never acted against Cabinet Minister Bikram Majithia, who has been operating multi-crore drug racket in Punjab," he alleged.

In fact, Amarinder Singh opposed the CBI probe, which was being demanded against Majithia by the Congress, Kejriwal claimed.

"Both Badals and Amarinder have ruined Punjab during last 15 years and now the time is ripe to get rid of them for which people were waiting impatiently," he said.

As Akalis have already smelled their "humiliating defeat" in the forthcoming assembly polls, they have allegedly colluded with Amarinder and "are contesting Punjab assembly polls jointly," he alleged.

Similarly, they have also joined hands to wave black flags at him (Kejriwal), otherwise, "I have never seen Akalis showing black flags to Congress leaders or vice versa," he claimed.

Alleging growing cases of "atrocities" on Dalits in the state, he said AAP government would constitute a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to re-open and re-investigate such cases to punish those found guilty.

SAD-BJP government, which claimed to be a 'Panthic' has



failed to nab culprits of series of sacrilege incidents in the state, Kejriwal said.

"Sometimes I suspect, how can the culprits of Bargari sacrilege incident could have been gone scot-free, if Badals were not behind such incidents," he said in his 'Punjab Inquilab' rally.

"Once AAP government is formed in Punjab, we will nab and put all culprits, who have desecrated religious Granths, behind bars", the Delhi CM said.

"I suspect Badals wanted to create communal tension in Punjab through sacrileges incidents to divert attention of people from their failure on all fronts," Kejriwal said.

He alleged that Badals have "squeezed" Punjab to their fullest capacity to mint money.

"Badals during the last 10 years of misrule have amassed huge money due to their control on almost all businesses including transport, cable, mining, liquor etc.," he said.

The party's national convener also promised that AAP government would ensure free treatment of cancer in the state.

Even the standard of government schools would be upgraded to match the standard of private ones, so that wards of poor could be imparted quality education, he said.

Taking a dig at PM Narendra Modi's visit to Bathinda yesterday, Kejriwal said "Modi failed to announced any major project or package for Punjab, whereas in Bihar before election, he announced a multi-crore package."



Delhi Chief Minister also made a visit to Chak Kalan village to pay obeisance to Bhagwan Valmiki.

(REOPENS DES26)



Meanwhile, Kejriwal also condoled the family of a farmer in Amritsar who allegedly committed suicide after not being able to withdraw money due to demonetisation.

Ravinder Singh Pannu, a resident of village Majhupura in Amritsar, had recently committed suicide after he was not able to withdraw amount required to meet expenses of his daughter's marriage, to be solemnised on December 5, his family said.

Expressing concern over the unfortunate incident, Kejriwal said it was quite shocking that a person who wanted to withdraw the amount from his own savings to meet the wedding expenditure of his daughter was handed over a note of Rs 2,000.

"This is happening all over the country and Prime Minister is bent upon to derail the life of common man," he alleged, adding farmers, traders, and small retailers were forced to stand in long queues outside the banks due to demonetisation which has hit their business hard.

"Do the Prime Minister think that the farmers, retailers, daily wagers and common people, standing outside banks, are corrupt?" he said.

He made an appeal to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to revisit the idea of demonetisation and save several innocent people from "undue harassment".

Meanwhile, former SGPC member Jaswinder Singh today joined AAP party in the presence of Kejriwal.
Actor Eddie Redmayne was the first choice for filmmakers in the role of Newt Scamander in the "Fantastic Beasts" movies.

Director David Yates said no one else was even considered for the role of the 1920s 'magizoologist', reported Contactmusic.

"Eddie is quintessentially British, and an actor for all times, who can play a character from any time," the "Harry Potter" filmmaker said.

"Eddie is brilliant at getting under a character's skin and exploring every detail of a role, yet all that effort is invisible. All you see here is Newt, an outsider who is somewhat knotty but winning and engaging, someone you immediately invest in.

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Actress Rosamund Pike has revealed that Christian Bale barely spoke to her off-screen during the filming of upcoming Western drama "Hostiles".

The 37-year-old actress - who previously worked with the actor in 2015's "The Deep Blue Good-by" - revealed her on-screen co-star kept his distance when they were not filming in front of the camera, reported Metro.

"He is intense in a wonderful way. We barely spoke off screen. He would keep a distance. Our characters in 'Hostiles' are quite dysfunctional but have this profound connection that we let happen without ever really talking about it.

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Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif today met Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani and reaffirmed Pakistan's commitment to the efforts for peace and stability in the war-torn country.

The two leaders held talks regarding efforts for peace and stability in Afghanistan and strengthening bilateral ties as they met on the sidelines of the Global Conference on Sustainable Transport in Turkmenistan's capital Ashgabat, Foreign Office said here.

"Emphasising that politically negotiated settlement through an Afghan-owned and Afghan-led peace process was the most viable option for lasting peace in Afghanistan, the Prime Minister said that Pakistan would continue its serious efforts for facilitating the peace process, including through the QCG (Quadrilateral Coordination Group)," it said.

Sharif appreciated Afghanistan's efforts for peace and stability in Afghanistan and expressed support to the peace agreement with armed group Hizb-e-Islami Afghanistan.

The two leaders discussed the need of cooperation to combat the scourge of terrorism, which was a common enemy and a serious challenge to peace in both countries and the region, Foreign Office said.

Discussing the importance of economic development for peace and stability in Afghanistan, Ghani thanked Sharif for Pakistan's new development package of USD 500 million announced at Brussels last month.

The two leaders also agreed upon the need for continued engagement in other areas, including coordination for smooth, safe and dignified repatriation of Afghan refugees and their sustainable reintegration in Afghanistan.

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South Sudan's government has accepted with "no conditions" increase the peacekeeping force in the country as mandated by the UN Security Council in August, Minister of Cabinet Affairs Martin Lomuro said today.

"I expect them arrive at any time. The challenge is now on the UN to implement and fulfill their promises," Lomuro said.

The unanimous decision by South Sudan's Cabinet ends a three-month limbo over whether the peacekeeping force could be increased and eliminates a potential showdown with the UN Security Council. South Sudan already has 12,000 UN peacekeepers.

The additional peacekeepers were ordered by the U.N. Security Council after fighting killed hundreds of people in the capital, Juba, in July, and set off fighting across the country.

But South Sudan argued that added peacekeepers would violate the country's sovereignty. President Salva Kiir's government said it needed to approve issues like the size of the force, the kind of weapons it will use, and which countries the troops will come from.

Last week, US Ambassador to the UN Samantha Power said that South Sudan's unwillingness to allow the increased force to deploy was one of several ingredients that have created a "climate conducive to mass atrocities," in the troubled East African nation.

She said the US would support an arms embargo on South Sudan and targeted sanctions on its political leaders, including a vocal critic of the regional force, Minister of Information Michael Makuei.

Makuei did not comment on the agreement to enlarge the peacekeeping force or attend the ministers meeting, saying he was sick.

The peacekeepers already in South Sudan have been frequently criticized for failing to protect civilians, but the additional 4,000 troops from African nations will have a bolstered mandate to use force.

Recently the UN has warned that South Sudan is at risk of genocide. On November 10th, UN Chief Ban Ki-moon said that current "peacekeeping operations do not have the appropriate reach, manpower or capabilities to stop mass atrocities.

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Leading Sudanese opposition groups today called for a three-day nationwide strike against fuel subsidy cuts even as security forces cracked down on activists in a bid to quell sporadic protests.

The authorities announced a 30-per cent hike in petrol and diesel prices this month that has led to a stiff rise in the cost of other goods, including medicines.

Since then groups of protesters have staged rallies in Khartoum and some other towns, which have been swiftly dispersed by anti-riot police.

A previous round of fuel subsidy cuts in 2013 sparked serious unrest that was only suppressed with a deadly crackdown that drew international condemnation.

The government is determined to avoid any repetition and has rounded up more than a dozen opposition leaders over the past few weeks to prevent widespread protests.

Several protesters including women have also been put on trial for staging rallies in the capital.

Despite these arrests, leading opposition groups and activists today called for a three-day strike starting tomorrow.

"I'm calling on the Sudanese people to start demonstrating and launch a three-day strike for overthrowing this regime," Sadiq al-Mahdi, head of the opposition Umma Party, one of Sudan's oldest political institutions, said in a statement.

The opposition Sudanese Congress Party gave its support to the strike, saying "the call was a result of a movement that started years ago to overthrow this regime".

"We support this struggle of the Sudanese people against the regime," said the leftist National Consensus Forces alliance in a statement.

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One of the officers who was part of the team handling the initial probe into the murder case might join the SIT again even as senior officials said an order is awaited in this regard.

The SIT is preparing a report on the status of the probe and submit it to senior officers.

"With the transfer of officers, the SIT has seen a lot of re-jigging. One of the inspectors, who was initially part of the SIT and was later transferred to another wing of the Delhi Police, might come back to the SIT.

"A recommendation has been made, but no formal orders have been issued yet. There are chances that the orders might come soon," a source said.

Police have been sending reminders to Canada's Department of Justice seeking details of the deleted chats from mobile phones of Pushkar and her husband, Congress leader Shashi Tharoor, and a team is likely to be sent there.

Last month, the city police had written to Enforcement Directorate to probe the financial irregularities related to the now-defunct Kochi IPL franchise as part of its ongoing investigation into the murder case.

The matter was being handled by Delhi Police's Economic Offences Wing which was handed the probe during the tenure of former Police Commissioner B S Bassi, but in a letter written to ED, the Delhi Police had asked it to probe the matter.

In September, Sunanda's viscera samples were brought back from a FBI lab in the US by the members of a Delhi Police team probing the high profile case.

The Delhi Police had also asked the FBI lab to submit its final list of observations so that they can be produced before of a medical board, which is likely to be formed soon.

Sunanda (51) was found dead at a suite in a five-star hotel in South Delhi on the night of January 17, 2014, a day after her spat with Pakistani journalist Mehr Tarar on Twitter over her alleged affair with Tharoor.

Several persons including Tharoor have been questioned in connection with her death. Police have also conducted polygraph test on six persons, all prime witnesses in the case, including Tharoor's domestic help Narayan Singh, driver Bajrangi and Sanjay Dewan, a close friend of the couple.

In February, Tarar was questioned about her relation with the Congress leader and his wife, her fight with Sunanda over Twitter, and other issues revolving around Sunanda's death.
Swiss federal prosecutors said today a criminal probe into suspected jihadist propaganda has been expanded to include the leader of the country's largest Islamic organisation.

The office of Switzerland's attorney general confirmed in an email to AFP that Nicolas Blancho, of the Islamic Central Council of Switzerland (ICCS), was under investigation.

The ICCS slammed the move as "political" and said it was ready to "counter the accusations in a courtroom."



Prosecutors opened the case last December, charging that an ICCS board member -- German national Naim Cherni -- had violated "the prohibition of groups like Al-Qaeda, Islamic State and similar organisations."



He was suspected of creating "for propaganda purposes" a video from a trip into parts of war-ravaged Syria, "without having explicitly distanced himself from Al-Qaeda activities" in the country, last year's statement said.

Today, the attorney general's office said its probe "has been expanded to the president of the ICCS and to one other ICCS committee member," who was identified by the organisation as its spokesman, Qaasim Illi.

In an interview with the NZZ daily yesterday, Attorney General Michael Lauber said the case was "of high priority, because we want to know how far freedom of expression goes when it comes to criminal propaganda for a terrorist organisation."



Cherni's video included an interview with a senior member of the jihad umbrella organisation Jaysh al-Fath ("Army of Conquest"), which counts as a member the Al-Qaeda-linked Nusra Front, which has renamed itself Fatah al-Sham.

He insisted the film was a documentary and was not meant as propaganda.

The ICCS has continued to promote the film, which remains accessible on YouTube. It has been viewed more than 100,000 times over the past year.

Lauber told NZZ he hoped the case would go before Switzerland's federal criminal court next year.

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Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal will call on President Pranab Mukherjee on Monday to draw his attention to the recent Supreme Court verdict on SYL canal issue which had favoured Haryana.

The Chief Minister will meet the President at Rashtrapti Bhawan and will be accompanied by the members of his Council of Ministers besides all the MPs of the ruling SAD-BJP alliance in the state.

Badal's Advisor on National Affairs and Media Harcharan Bains said the Chief Minister would stress the need for resolving the river waters issue strictly as per the riparian principle which had been adopted in all similar disputes in the country in which a state through which a river does not pass has no right on its waters.

In this case, neither Sutlej nor Ravi and Beas pass through Haryana and Rajasthan and therefore those states cannot claim a share on the waters of these rivers as a matter of right, he said.

The Chief Minster would request the President in his capacity as the supreme custodian of the Constitution to ensure that the constitutional provisions on the river waters issue are fully respected, he added.

The Constitution does not empower the central government to adjudicate on the river waters distribution among states and that task can only be performed by a tribunal set up to decide the claims of only the riparian states, said Bains.

He said the constitutional position on the river waters issue is very clear as it guarantees that only the riparian states have a right on the waters of the concerned rivers.

As per the Constitution, the central government cannot adjudicate on the distribution of river waters between states.

But the Punjab Reorganisation Act 1966 flouted this Constitutional position through Clause 78 which authorised the Union government to decide on the share of waters between Punjab and non-riparian Haryana.

Besides, even where a tribunal is set up, it can only adjudicate on share of river waters among riparian states, he said, adding that no non-riparian state can even claim to be heard by the tribunal and this position had already been upheld in several river waters disputes, including the Narmada dispute.

Haryana, Rajasthan and Delhi are the non-riparian states with regard to Sutlej, Ravi and Beas, Bains said.

The CM's Advisor said a petition filed by the Punjab



government was already pending before the apex court, seeking the scrapping of the Clause 78 of the Punjab Reorganisation Act.

The provision was challenged by the SAD government headed by Badal in 1980. But the government was dismissed and the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi had "arm-twisted" the then Punjab Chief Minister Darbara Singh into withdrawing this petition and sign away Punjab's rights on its river waters, he said.

Badal as the Chief Minister again challenged the clause before the apex court and a decision on the petition is still awaited. Therefore, there was no justification for constructing a canal for which there is no water available, he said.

"Punjab seeks no favours, it merely demands that justice be done to it. As a riparian state, it has exclusive rights over its waters. With fast dwindling sub-soil water table, experts believe the state faces the prospect of turning into a desert in the next few years. It does not have a single drop of water to spare for others as it is not able to meet even its own requirements," Bains said.

Notably, Punjab council of ministers had already declared that Punjab would accept no decision on river water issue which violated the nationally and internationally accepted riparian principle.

It has also de-notified the acquisition of land acquired for the Sutlej-Yamuna Link canal. A notification to this effect has already been issued.

The Punjab Assembly has also passed a resolution directing the state government and its executive and administrative machinery to ensure that the land which had been acquired for SYL is returned to its original owners.

The state Cabinet had also decided this month that it would request the President not to accept the verdict of Supreme Court which held as unconstitutional the 2004 law passed by it to terminate the Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal water sharing agreement with neighbouring states.
Syrian state media said government forces today captured the largest rebel-held district of Aleppo, in what would be a major breakthrough in its offensive to retake the entire second city.

Masaken Hanano was the first district the rebels took in the summer of 2012 in a move that divided Aleppo into an eastern area held by the insurgents and a western district controlled by government forces.

Since then, more than 250,000 civilians have been trapped under government siege for months in the rebel-held east, with dwindling food and fuel supplies.

The capture of Masaken Hanano in northeastern Aleppo is part of a major government offensive now in its 12th day that could isolate that part of the city from rebel-held areas in the south.

Since November 15, regime bombardment of eastern Aleppo has killed 212 civilians, including 27 children, according to the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

Regime forces had been advancing inside Masaken Hanano for several days, and yesterday state television said they were progressing "from three axes".

Today, the state broadcaster and the official SANA agency said President Bashar al-Assad's armed forces, backed by their allies, had taken "full control" of the district.

"The armed forces retook full control of Masaken Hanano after having put an end to the presence of terrorists there," the state broadcaster said, referring to the rebels.

SANA said government forces also recaptured the area around the district and "army engineers are clearing it of bombs and explosives planted by the terrorists in the streets and squares".

But Yasser al-Youssef, from the rebel group Nureddin al-Zinki, said fighting was still under way on the southern edges of Masaken Hanano, which he called a district of "strategic importance".

Youssef warned that if regime forces can advance to the adjacent neighbourhood of Sakhur, then eastern Aleppo will be split in two.

Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman said that 80 per cent of Masaken Hanano was under the control of government forces who have the rest in their line of fire.

"They are just hundreds of metres (yards) away from isolating the northern districts of east Aleppo from the southern ones," he said.

The latest regime push comes after days of intense bombardment on the rebel-held east, which was pounded with air strikes, shells and barrel bombs.

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After operating out of Pakistan for more than a decade, the leaders of Afghanistan's Taliban movement may have moved back to their homeland to try to build on this year's gains in the war and to establish a permanent presence.

If confirmed, the move would be a sign of the Taliban's confidence in their fight against the U.S.-backed government in Kabul. It could also be an attempt by the militants to distance themselves from Pakistan, which is accused of supporting the movement.

The Taliban's leaders have been based in Pakistani cities, including Quetta, Karachi and Peshawar, since their rule in Afghanistan was overthrown in the 2001 US invasion after the 9/11 attacks.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said the leadership shura, or council, relocated to Afghanistan "some months ago," although he would not say to where.

One Taliban official said the shura had moved to southern Helmand province, which the insurgents consider to be part of their heartland and where most of the opium that funds their operations is produced. The official refused to be identified because of security reasons.

Other Taliban sources said the justice, recruitment and religious councils had also moved to southern Afghanistan. The statements could not be independently confirmed.

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani's office said it had no confirmation that any such move had taken place.

"No intelligence confirms that the Taliban has shifted its shura to Afghanistan," said Haroon Chakhansuri, Ghani's spokesman. "We still believe they are still operating in their safe havens outside Afghanistan."



Mujahid, however, said Kabul officials were aware of the moves, prompted by battlefield gains that the insurgents believed would put them in a strong position once talks with the Afghan government aimed at ending the war were restarted. Dialogue broke down earlier this year.

The insurgents have spread their footprint across Afghanistan since international combat troops scaled down in 2014.

They have maintained multiple offensives and threatened at least three provincial capitals in recent months: Kunduz, in northern Kunduz province; Lashkah Gar, in Helmand in the south; and Tirin Kot in Uruzgan.

The US military has conceded the insurgents have gained ground, although definitive breakdowns are difficult to verify. This year, Afghan security forces are believed to have suffered their worst losses since 2001, with the military estimating 2016 fatalities at more than 5,000 so far.

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has slapped a legal notice on ousted chairman Cyrus Mistry's aide Nirmalya Kumar for alleged violation of confidentiality agreement and sought an unconditional apology for making "disparaging" remarks against the group and divulging information.

Kumar, a visiting Professor of Marketing at London Business School who was member of the now disbanded Group Executive Council under Mistry, took to Twitter to react to the legal notice.

"Legal counsel #Tata to me: stop divulging 'Tata Group's future strategy'. Thought no strategy n (and) roadmap was reason #CyrusMistry was fired!" he said.

in the legal notice asked Kumar to "issue an unconditional apology to the company, withdraw your disparaging remarks about the Tata Group from the social media and forthwith cease and desist from making any further public statements or disclosing any information in breach of your obligations you have explicitly undertaken."

It warned of initiating legal proceedings, both civil and criminal, if he fails to apologise and desist from disclosing confidential information.

"In interviews say Tata group is grt (great) - can't throw basket out 4 few bad apples. How is it disparaging? Lakh crore marketcap loss #TataSons ...," Kumar, who claims he was asked to leave the Group soon after Mistry was abruptly removed as chairman of on October 24, said in another tweet.

Citing interviews and statements he had given recently, Tatas in the notice said he had signed an undertakings after resigning from the Group last month that he would "refrain from publishing or circulating any such material that may directly or indirectly refer to the company... Which constitutes disclosure of confidential or proprietary information."

Also, he had agreed and undertaken to no disparage either by himself or through any other person in respect of any matter pertaining to Tata Sons and/or its group companies as well as their directors and employees, the notice said.

In addition to these undertaking, he had also given a Confidentiality Undertaking at the time of joining services in June 2013.

"Your media interviews and other statements in the press attributed to you, which you haven't denied, amount to a contumacious breach of your obligations, both contractual and otherwise," the notice said.

Tata Sons said Kumar had access to information like Tata Group's future strategy, which had had chosen to divulge and discuss in the public domain.

"You have used the information, entrusted to you in confidence, not only unauthorisedly but for the purpose and with the clear intention to cause detriment to the company and Tata Group," the notice said adding the issues disclosed by Kumar publicly had inherent confidentiality obligation.

Tata Sons also took strong objections to his "disparaging" remarks about the group and said it reserves right to claim damages for the same.
Tens of thousands of protesters braved sleet and freezing temperatures in Seoul today to demand President Park Geun-Hye resign over a corruption scandal or face impeachment.

People beat drums and chanted "Park get out now" as they walked towards the presidential Blue House that had been cordoned off by thousands of police deployed in the South Korean capital.

By late afternoon 350,000 protesters had joined the march, organisers said. They expect up to 1.5 million to take part in the demonstration, with another half a million in provincial cities.

Police put the figure at 140,000 participants in Seoul.

Parents and their children, university students and Buddhist monks were among those protesting for the fifth straight weekend as Park comes under intensifying pressure to step down.

"I don't think Park would step down voluntarily, but we need to raise our voice as much as possible to encourage parliament to push through with its move to impeach her," Lee Seung-Cheol, a 23-year-old student, told AFP.

The largely peaceful rallies have been growing in size over the past month, attracting an estimated one million people two weeks ago, and are among the largest seen in South Korea since the pro-democracy protests of the 1980s.

Park has issued public apologies over the influence-peddling scandal involving her long-time confidante Choi Soon-Sil, who has been arrested for fraud and abuse of power, but has defied repeated calls to resign.

Choi is also accused of interfering in government affairs, despite holding no official position.

The 60-year-old allegedly leveraged her relationship with Park to coerce donations from conglomerates, including SK, Lotte and Samsung, to non-profit foundations which she set up and used for personal gain.

Park has promised to submit herself to an expanding probe by prosecutors, as well as a separate investigation by an independent special prosecutor to be appointed by parliament.

Nevertheless her approval ratings have plunged to a record low for a sitting president as top advisers and some of South Korea's most powerful companies are caught up in the ever- widening scandal.

The headquarters of SK, Lotte and Samsung were raided by state prosecutors this week along with the offices of the finance ministry and state pension fund.

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Thousands of protesters gathered in the Bangladesh capital today, demanding the government scrap a massive coal-fired power plant they say will destroy the world's largest mangrove forest.

Slogan-shouting activists traveled from all over the country to join the demonstration at the Shaheed Minar memorial in Dhaka.

Campaigners have been protesting for the last three years against the under-construction plant which is 14 kilometers (nine miles) north of Sundarbans forest, part of which is a UNESCO world heritage site.

"We can build as many power plants as possible. But we can't create another Sundarbans if it is destroyed by the Rampal power plant. All the rare tigers, dolphins and other animals will be destroyed," said Saddam Hossain, 21, from the northern city of Bogra.

"It is a unique forest and one of its kind in the world. But by building the power plant, the government is writing its obituary," said student Mashuk Helal Onik.

Organisers said more than 20,000 people had joined the protest and were expecting up to 100,000 as the day progressed.

Police were reluctant to give a figure but said the number would be lower than the organisers' estimate.

Last month UNESCO urged Bangladesh to halt construction of the plant.

It said there was a high chance pollution from the plant would "irreversibly damage" the Sundarbans, which straddles the border of India and Bangladesh and provides a barrier against storm surges and cyclones that have killed thousands of people in impoverished coastal villages.

Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has defended the project and rejected concerns about it as politically motivated. She said the plant was needed to provide power to the impoverished south.

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The state unit of Congress today appealed to the Central and State governments to write-off all loans given to the farmers in the state and take steps to prevent their suicide, by providing them adequate relief.

Speaking to reporters here, Tamil Nadu Congress Committee President S Tirunavukarasar said, Both the Centre and the state government should waive all the crop loans and the other loans given to the farmers.

Besides, the government should give Rs 15 lakhs to each family of the affected farmer as relief.

"The Kuruvai (first crop) has already failed and now the Samba crop has been badly hit.

The farmers are committing suicide due to withering of the crop cultivated by them. Steps should also be taken to end the farmers' suicide by providing them relief," he said.

A team of Congress workers would visit the delta districts to review the impact of drought on the crops in the area, he added.

Criticising Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recommendation to people to switch to mobile banking, Tirunavakarasar said the farmers may know how to speak on their mobile phones, but would not know how to use the technology.

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Rich tributes were today paid to the martyrs who laid down their lives eight years ago on this day during the terrorist attack on Mumbai in which 166 people were killed, with Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis leading the commemoration.

Family members of the martyred personnel and survivors of the daring strike recalled the harrowing moments and pledged support to efforts to root out terrorism.

"I pay homage to the brave policemen who fought for Mumbai's safety and laid down their lives for us on 26/11. We are proud of them and we will strive hard for safety and security of our state," Fadnavis said paying homage at the 26/11 police memorial at the Mumbai Police Gymkhana.

Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao, Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray, former Mumbai police commissioners Julio Ribeiro, M N Singh and several senior present and former police officers were present.

On November 26, 2008, ten Pakistani terrorists arrived by sea route and opened fire indiscriminately at people killing 166, including 18 security personnel, and injuring several others, besides damaging property worth crores.

The then ATS chief Hemant Karkare, Army Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan, Mumbai's Additional Police Commissioner Ashok Kamte and Senior Police Inspector Vijay Salaskar were among those killed in the attack.

The attack had begun on November 26 and lasted until November 29. Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, the Oberoi Trident, the Taj Mahal Palace and Tower, Leopold Cafe, Cama Hospital, the Jewish community centre were some of the places targeted by the terrorists.

Ajmal Kasab was the lone militant who was captured alive. He was hanged four years later on November 21, 2012.

At a video exhibition titled '26/11: Stories of Strength', showcased by The Indian Express in association with Facebook and Instagram, Fadnavis called for leveraging manpower with technology for security purposes.

He said the 2008 Mumbai attacks were an insult to India, wherein ten terrorists held an entire nation to ransom.

He said the whole world should be proud of the resilience shown by the city to cope with the terror attacks.

Kia Scherr, who lost her family in the ghastly attacks, said she and her family in Florida could only watch the and wait to hear from her relatives who were in the city then.

"I have forgiven those who killed my family because I want to be relieved from the burden of anger. Since the attacks, I have been reborn in Mumbai again. I have received so much of love, generosity from people here," she said.

Sourav Mishra, a survivor of the attack, said he was at



the Cafe Leopold in Colaba when terrorists opened fire and he feels lucky to have survived.

"After bullets pierced my body, I somehow managed to escape through one of the doors and everything seemed like a movie scene then, all hazy. A local vendor outside the cafe took me to the hospital while I was all the time thinking I would not survive. I feel lucky today," Mishra said.

Joint Commissioner (Law and Order), Mumbai Police, Deven Bharti, who participated in a panel discussion at the exhibition, said security forces had never thought an attack of the magnitude of 26/11 would ever take place and that it was a "failure of imagination" on their part.

"We never thought there could be a terrorist attack at multiple points from the sea side. After the attacks, police of other countries had to change their Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to handle 5-6 attacks at the same time," he said.

Bharti, who was with the Crime Branch when the attack took place, said the city police did not have SOPs to handle an attack of this magnitude then and the senior personnel did whatever they could with the help of their teams, grit and determination.

"That attack was a failure of our imagination. But today, we have a fighting force as good as National Security Guard (NSG) which is trained by agencies based in Israel, America and Germany. They are at par with any commandos. We can respond to a terror situation in a much better way today," he said.
Two people were killed when their motorcycle was hit by a speeding truck on the Allahabad - Varanasi National Highway here this afternoon, police said.

Dhani Shankar Yadav (47) and Suryabali Yadav (42) died on the spot when they were hit by the truck near Padav under Aurai police station area. The victims were returning to Mirzapur.

The truck driver sped away with the vehicle after the accident and hunt has been launched to nab him, police said.

The bodies have been sent for post mortem examination.

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President-elect Donald Trump today weighed in on the death of Cuban revolutionary leader Fidel Castro, tweeting simply "Fidel Castro is dead!"



Castro died yesterday night aged 90 after defying the United States during a half-century of iron-fisted rule.

Trump's shock victory this month has cast uncertainty over two years of moves by President Barack Obama to end more than 50 years of Cold War enmity with the communist island.

Blocked from ending the US embargo on the island by a Republican-controlled Congress, Obama pushed smaller reforms using executive authority.

That means Trump, who takes office on January 20, will be able change course just as easily, potentially reinstating trade and financial restrictions and reversing developments like the resumption of air and cruise-ship travel, and postal service.

"All of the concessions that Barack Obama has granted the Castro regime were done through executive order, which means the next president can reverse them and that I will do unless the Castro regime meets our demands," the Republican real estate billionaire said in September.

"Those demands will include religious and political freedom for the Cuban people and the freeing of political prisoners."



The White House has not yet reacted to Castro's death, although a statement is expected later today.

The United States restored diplomatic ties with Cuba in July 2015 and a month later re-opened its embassy in Havana. Obama made a landmark visit to the communist-ruled island in March.

The moves were criticized by many of the politically influential Cuban exiles and their families living in the United States.

Trump's closest rival in the Republican presidential primary race, Texas Senator Ted Cruz - whose father is Cuban - said on Facebook that Castro's death "cannot bring back his thousands of victims, nor can it bring comfort to their families."



"Today we remember them and honor the brave souls who fought the lonely fight against the brutal Communist dictatorship he imposed on Cuba," Cruz said.

Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, another conservative Cuban-American who represents southern Florida's 27th district where many Cuban exiles live, also hailed Castro's death.

"A tyrant is dead and a new beginning can dawn on the last remaining communist bastion of the Western hemisphere," she wrote on her website. "We must seize the moment and help write a new chapter in the history of Cuba; that of a Cuba that is free, democratic, and prosperous.

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A Turkish soldier has been killed while fighting Islamic State (IS) jihadists in Syria, state media said today, the latest casualty in an increasingly dangerous three-month campaign.

Three soldiers were wounded in the attack and have been taken to hospital in the Turkish border town of Kilis, the Anadolu agency said, without giving further details.

Eighteen Turkish soldiers have been killed since the military began an unprecedented operation inside Syria on August 24 to back pro-Ankara rebels.

Six soldiers have been killed this week alone, including four by an air strike the army said it believed was carried out by forces of President Bashar al-Assad.

Turkey launched the operation in August -- dubbed "Euphrates Shield" -- in support of Syrian rebel fighters seeking to retake IS-held territory in northern Syria and also to halt the advance of Kurdish militia.

Since it began, the pro-Ankara rebels have captured the IS stronghold of Jarabulus, cleared IS from Al Rai and retaken the symbolically important town of Dabiq without much resistance.

With Turkish support, they are now pressing to take Al Bab from the jihadists in an advance that appears to be taking more time and encountering greater opposition.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan discussed the purported deadly Syrian air strike in telephone talks yesterday with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, Assad's main ally.

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A farmer was electrocuted when he came in contact with a live wire in Muzaffarnagar while another farmer was killed by an ox in Shamli district, police said today.

Ishver Chand (35) had gone to release water in his fields at Rohana village yesterday but did not return back. During search, his body was found from the fields near a tubewell, police said.

The body has been sent for postmortem, they added.

In another incident, Ramesh (55) was injured by an ox while he was returning home from his fields in Aldi village of Shamli district. He was rushed to a hospital where he was declared brought dead.

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Two persons were killed when suspected militants today attacked a vehicle of a private oil exploration company in the coastal district of Gwadar in Pakistan's restive Baluchistan province.

The militants opened fire on the vehicle in the Pasni area of Gwadar, officials said.

In the firing, two security guards on top of the vehicle were killed, he said.

The oil exploration company officials were in Pasni to conduct a survey of the area when the incident happened.

The Gwadar port became operational last week when Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif launched the first ships to take chinese trade goods to Sri Lanka, UAE and EU countries.

The port is an important part of the USD 42 billion Pakistan China Economic Corridor project.

Attacks on government, security officials and workers of private oil and gas companies in parts of Baluchistan is common in the province which is facing a separatist movement from insurgents and also other sectarian and terrorist violence.

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British Parliament has passed a new snooping law which, if gets royal assent, will give authorities power to access the internet browsing history of everyone in the UK.

The new Investigatory Powers Bill has been dubbed the snooper's charter for its sweeping nature of access to the British public's internet history.

The law forces UK internet providers to store browsing histories, including domains visited for one year, in case of police investigations.

The bill, which will come into force after receiving royal assent from Queen Elizabeth II next week, was introduced by then UK home secretary Theresa May in 2012, and took two attempts to get passed following breakdowns in the previous Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition government.

"It won't happen in a big bang next week. It will be a phased programme of the introduction of the measures over a year or so," UK Home Office official Chris Mills told a meeting of internet service providers on Thursday.

The law requires telecom companies to keep records of all users' web activity for a year, creating databases of personal information that the firms worry could be vulnerable to leaks and hackers.

"The task of law enforcement and security and intelligence agencies has become vastly more demanding in this digital age. It is right that those protecting us have the powers they need to do so but it is the role of government and Parliament to ensure there are limits to those powers," said Prime Minister May in the House of Commons recently.

Welcoming the bill as a decisive moment in updating Britain's surveillance laws, she said "There should be no area of cyberspace which is a haven for those who seek to harm us to plot, poison minds and peddle hatred under the radar".

"I am also clear that the exercise and scope of investigatory powers should be clearly set out and subject to stringent safeguards and robust oversight, including 'double- lock' authorisation for the most intrusive capabilities. This bill will establish world-leading oversight to govern an investigatory powers regime which is more open and transparent than anywhere else in the world," she said.

However, civil liberty groups have long criticised the bill, with some arguing that the law will let the UK government document everything online.

Organisations including the UK Food Standards Agency and the Department for Work and Pensions will be able to see UK citizens' entire internet browsing history within weeks.

Those internet connection records ICRs in effect serve as a full list of every website that people have visited, rather than collecting which specific pages are visited or what's done on them.

ICRs will be made available to a wide range of government bodies including law enforcement agencies such as the police, the military and the secret service. It also includes the Food Standards Agency, the Gambling Commission, councils and the Welsh Ambulance Services National Health Service Trust.

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British foreign minister Boris Johnson pledged today that after his nation's exit from the European Union its commitment to Afghanistan would remain unchanged and "long term".

Johnson made the remarks on a 24-hour visit to Kabul, his first, after a trip to neighbouring Pakistan.

"The message I have for President (Ashraf) Ghani and Chief Executive (Abdullah) Abdullah is that we are here for the long term and we are committed to Afghanistan's side," Johnson told reporters, adding that many Britons had lost their lives in the country.

He was referring to the campaigns of the 19th century that left thousands of British empire soldiers dead, as well as the troops that fought the Taliban until 2014 after the American invasion in 2001.

The top diplomat also said Britain would continue to help with the training of Afghan forces and that aid would be focused on the education system.

"Wherever I go people aren't interested in whether the UK is part of the European Union or not," said Johnson. "What they want to know is are we going to help them and none of the key areas will be affected by our relationships with other European countries."



Johnson campaigned vigorously in the June referendum for Britain to leave the European Union.

"The British sacrifice in this country has been around for a long time and will be around for the long term," said Johnson. "We intend to remain involved and even more so than before".

Johnson is due to leave Kabul tomorrow evening.

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Union Science and Minister Harsh Vardhan on Saturday urged the industry to be more receptive towards innovations undertaken in the country, emphasising that the government is now focusing on "high risk-high gain" research.

He said the industry should also pitch in to take the innovations undertaken by scientists to the people.

"The need is for the industry to be more receptive so that they can take the innovations to the people. The government is focusing on research in high risk-high gain areas."

"And people like you should take it forward. The move will not only help the industry but also the country," Vardhan said in an interactive session with stakeholders from the industry.

He was speaking at the 111th Annual Session of PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

The minister said the government has been asking scientists to work on unresolved issues faced by the people.

He added that a lot of research done in the country is comparable to the work done by top nations in the world and in some cases India also provides valuable information to other countries in the field of space and earth sciences.
Maoist leader Vikram Gowda, wanted in various cases since the past 20 years, was among a handful of those who escaped from the Nilambur forests after they opened fire at a police patrol, police said today.

Speaking to reporters here, Malappuram Superintendent of Police Debesh Kumar Behara said the encounter was 'unexpected' as the Maoists were sighted during normal patrolling.

"Our patrolling team was fired upon first and we fired back, killing two Maoists," he said, as human rights activists raised doubts on whether it was a 'fake encounter'.

"Vikram Gowda was among the Maoists present in the area when they opened fire at the police party. The operation commander recognised Gowda," he said.

Police sources said the spot where the attack took place was in 500 acre forest in Western Ghats and at least 11 to 12 Maoists were in the area, where they had set up a hideout.

The sources, who did not wish to be named, said they had received specific intelligence inputs that the Maoists would come to the tri junction. This was the first time a patrol team went to the area deep in the forests when they were attacked, following which they retaliated, police said.

Those killed in the November 24 'encounter' had been identified as 65-year-old Kuppuswamy Devaraj, a central committee member of the outlawed outfit, from Krishnagiri in Andhra Pradesh and Ajitha (45) from Tamil Nadu.

Relatives of the deceased have refused to claim the bodies, kept at Kozhikode medical college hospital mortuary.

Meanwhile, around 50 persons, reportedly Human Rights activists, protested in front of medical college hospital were the post-mortem was conducted, demanding that it be done in the presence of a magistrate.

They were arrested and removed by police.

KPCC President V M Sudheeran wanted a judicial probe into the incident, while Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala said though he does not believe it was a 'fake' encounter, there should be a probe as per Supreme Court guidelines.

Former Naxalite and human rights activist, 'Gro' Vasu said he would move the High court and demanded a fair probe, saying the 'encounter' wasmysterious.

Meanwhile,the Kerala State Human Rights Commission today directed the DGP to enquire into a complaint that the two Maoists were not killed in the encounter with police and to file a report within two weeks.

The direction in this regard was issued by commission member K Mohankumar following media reports that the Maoists did not possess any arms when they were killed.

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Opposing Monday's strike call by Left parties against demonetisation, the West Bengal government today ordered all its employees to attend offices on November 28 and the following day.

"No employee of the state government will be granted leave on that day. In the event of any employee remaining absent without sufficient reason, the absence will be treated as dies non," Chief Secretary Basudeb said.

The state finance department has issued a circular stating that all employees would be required to attend office on Monday and Tuesday and exceptions would be made only in case of bereavement, maternity leave, hospitalisation and other 'genuine reasons'.

An employee failing to attend on both the days would compromise a day's pay barring reasons other than above, he said.

"We oppose bandhs. We will take out a protest march (against demonetisation) on Monday," state Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee told reporters while leaving the state secretariat 'Nabanna' this evening.

The state government would take all measures to maintain law and order and normal functioning of public services, the Chief Secretary said.

He said that all the offices, agencies and institutions of the state government would remain open on Monday and steps would be taken to ensure and security of citizens and their properties.

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A woman was allegedly raped by a man on the pretext of showing her a room for rent on Mangroli Marg in Jewar Kotwali area here, police said today.

The woman, who lodged an FIR today, has accused one P K Sharma of raping her yesterday on the pretext of showing her a room for rent. She asked a block-level government employee to help her find a room, Jewar police station in-charge Dinesh Yadav said.

In her statement, she alleged that Sharma called her for showing a room at Mangroli Marg yesterday and raped her there, he said.

"He also threatened her with consequences and forced her for a settlement. Today she gathered courage and lodged an FIR," Yadav said, adding the victim has been sent for medical examination.

The accused will be arrested soon, he added.

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Union Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar today said India did not seek war, but would "gouge out eyes" of the enemy if provoked.

"We don't itch for a fight, but if someone looks at the country with evil eye, we will gouge his eyes out and put them back in his hand, we have that much power," he said while addressing a rally in Aldona Assembly constituency in Goa.

Goans can tell the world that they had sent a man to the Centre who had slapped the enemy across the face, he said.

"There was no firing on the border for the last three days because if they (Pakistan) fire once, we fire twice at them. We are giving tit-for-tat response, and when they realised it, they approached us, seeking to stop it," Parrikar said in an apparent referrence to the request by Pakistan for DGMO-level talks three days ago.

Asserting that, Armed Forces were fully prepared, Parrikar said his mother had taught him that "even if you are going to hunt a rabbit, be prepared to kill a tiger".

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DUBAI (Reuters) - Iran is optimistic OPEC can reach a deal on limiting oil supplies and plans to announce its own decision about any output curbs at the group's meeting next week, Iranian Oil Minister Bijan Zanganeh said on the ministry's official website SHANA.

"The proposal of Algerian Energy Minister (Nouredine Bouterfa) on the production of each country was presented today and carefully studied," Zanganeh was quoted as saying on Saturday after meeting Bouterfa in Tehran.

Bouterfa said Algeria's proposals called for 1.1 million barrels per day (bpd) in cuts by OPEC members and decreases totalling 600,000 bpd by non-members, SHANA reported.

"If OPEC members ... agree, oil prices will reach $50 to $55 next year and $60 by the end of the year," Bouterfa was quoted as saying.

The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries is moving closer toward finalising its first deal to limit oil output since 2008 but Iran has been a stumbling block because it wants exemptions as it tries to regain oil market share following the easing of Western sanctions in January.

"We are to present our views about this proposal at the ... Nov. 30 OPEC meeting," Zanganeh said. "The general trend and public statements suggest that OPEC can reach a viable agreement for its production and market management."

"If we can agree, and I am optimistic, (oil) prices will increase and this is also what the world economy demands."

(Reporting by Dubai newsroom; editing by David Clarke)

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Big cash deposits made in scrapped 500 and 1000 rupee notes that are declared to the Income Tax authorities are likely to attract a 50 per cent tax and there will be a fouryear bar on withdrawing half of the remaining money.

Amendments to the Income Tax Act were cleared by the Cabinet last night, to pave the way for the new law, which will be forwarded for the approval of Parliament in the current winter session, a senior official confirmed.

Half of the deposit which remains after paying the tax, which is 25 per cent of the original deposit, will not be allowed to be withdrawn from the bank for four years, the official said.

A higher 90 per cent tax and penalty is likely be imposed on those who do not declare the unaccounted cash voluntarily and are later found to be holding unaccounted money in their accounts by the tax authorities.

The tax rate is higher than the 45 per cent tax and penalty charged on undisclosed wealth declared through the one-time compliance window under the Income Disclosure Scheme (IDS) that ended on September 30. The logic being that since the black money holder did not utilise the government offer to declare his ill-gotten wealth, he should pay a higher rate of tax now and curbs placed.

While the tax authorities had talked of levying a peak rate of tax and 200 per cent penalty on top of it for any unexplained deposit above Rs 2.5 lakh during November 10 to December 30 period, it was felt that such a move may not have legal backing.

However, the government has decided to deal with deposits made during the 50-day window provided after the demonetizing of high-value notes as a separate category. The Cabinet is believed to have on Thursday approved amending the Income Tax Act by adding a clause in one of the sections to provide for the tax on an unexplained income during the window, sources said.

The government has taken a huge step in for demonetisation to uproot black money and corruption but its success will be determined by how much ill-gotten cash does not come back into the banking system.

A 60 per cent tax and penalty had been charged on disclosure of foreign black money scheme last year.

Sources said the government is keen to root out benami deposits, particularly in Jan Dhan accounts.

Government is also contemplating coming out with a bond in which the 25 per cent 'lock-in' money would be parked and can be withdrawn after 4-years by the depositor. Out of the additional taxes on unexplained and undisclosed deposits, government will create a fund to build rural infrastructure, a senior official said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's November 8 shock ban on highdenomination currency notes had swept away 86 per cent of the currency in circulation in the biggestever crackdown on black money, corruption and counterfeit currency.

The move had led to Rs 14 lakh crore worth currency being withdrawn from circulation. The Income Tax Department has already warned that it would tracking all cash deposited during the period of November 10 to December 30, 2016, above a threshold of Rs 2.5 lakh in every account.

``The current expectations are that Rs 4 lakh crore of the old 500 and 1,000 rupee notes will end up being destroyed but the exact figure will emerge only after December 30 when the deadline for depositing these notes is over,'' a senior official said.

There has also been a sharp increase in cash deposits in zerobalance Jan Dhan accounts which have recorded a whopping Rs 21,000 crore flowing in during the first 13 days after demonetization.

The tax authorities have warned that stringent provisions of the Benami Property Transaction Act to deal with cases of misuse of bank accounts belonging to other people for laundering black money. The Act empowers the taxman to confiscate and prosecute both the depositor and the person whose illegal money has parked in the account.
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Cathy Praino and Judy Lanci visited P.S. 304 on Friday, November 4 to present the school a certificate of appreciation from troops stationed in Afghanistan.

P.S. 304 students wrote letters and donated candy, toothpaste and toothbrushes and socks for the soldiers deployed overseas.
Georgia held parliamentary elections on October 8 and 30. Georgias ruling party, Georgian Dream-Democratic Georgia (GDDG) emerged decisively victorious and was able to secure a constitutional majority after a run-off election in the end of October. Although GDDG was able to gain widespread support, the low turnout suggests disappointment among voters, caused especially by the failure of Georgian authorities to counter the countrys economic downturn and worsening socio-economic conditions. International observers described the elections as well-administered and competitive, but the turbulent campaign sparked fears of violence in the aftermath of the elections.

BACKGROUND: Representatives of OSCE, NATO and the EU as well as international observers noted that the elections were professionally administered and adhered to democratic standards. Nonetheless, the pre-election environment was far from peaceful  several cases of violence and political intimidation took place in the months prior to the elections, against the backdrop of a spiraling antagonism between the ruling GDDG and the oppositional United National Movement (UNM) and members of both parties and their supporters were targeted in pre-electoral disturbances. Competition became more heated in the final weeks before the elections, as GDDG and UNM politicians accused each other of creating an atmosphere of violent confrontation and destabilizing the country.

One of the most controversial incidents, which happened in the final weeks of election included the dissemination of illegally acquired recordings of private conversations, seemingly aimed to informally shape the voting result. In particular, private recordings surfaced on the Internet on September 27, featuring former President Mikheil Saakashvili encouraging leading UNM members to prepare for a violent seizure of power in case UNM loses the election.

On October 2, former Defense Minister Irakli Okruashvili, running as an independent majoritarian candidate, was attacked with a firearm while meeting with voters in Gori. Okruashvili accused a relative of GDDGs campaign chief Kakha Kaladze of using criminal groups for political purposes during the Gori assault. GDDG representatives quickly denied these accusations and rejected any politically motive for the incident.

On October 4, a car belonging to Givi Targamadze, a UNM MP and a close ally of Saakashvili was blown up in central Tbilisi. Targamadze was not harmed, but his driver and several passers-by sustained injuries. Targamadze as well as high-ranking UNM officials, including Saakashvili and Davit Bakradze, subsequently implied that Georgian authorities and the founder of Georgian Dream party, Bidzina Ivanishvili, might be responsible for the explosion.

IMPLICATIONS: Violent incidents occurred also on voting day. In its preliminary statement released after October 8, the OSCE election observer team noted that rising tension and procedural obstacles resulted in several violent clashes near the polling stations, as well as problems with the vote counting. Violent outbreaks also took place on October 30 during the second round of elections. In a clash between GDDG and UNM activists in Gori district in central Georgia, one UNM supporter was physically assaulted and several others were detained.

According to international and Georgian observers, the turbulent pre-election environment had no significant impact on voting results, but the low approval ratings for both major political forces in the country and a low turnout, which reached only 51.6 percent during the first round and 35.7 percent in the runoffs suggest that the voters are tired of the constant political confrontation, and its negative influence on the countrys stability. Furthermore, the violent pre-election environment may have undermined the level of participation in the elections.

Three political parties crossed the 5 percent threshold to secure seats in the parliament. Georgian Dream-Democratic Georgia received 49 percent of the votes in the first round, which translated to 44 seats from proportional party lists and 23 seats from single-mandate constituencies. After runoff elections, GDDG was able to win in 48 out of 50 majoritarian districts. In total, the ruling party will have a constitutional majority of 115 mandates in the 150-seat parliament. The ability of one party to establish such a position in parliament sparks concerns in Georgia, due to the past negative experiences of UNMs majoritarian rule. Many fear that GDDG might not be able to resist the temptation to weaken other democratic institutions intended to balance governmental power and could revert to autocratic tactics.

Moreover, several legislative changes proposed by the ruling party are highly questionable. GDDG has proposed that the constitution should be amended to contain a definition of the marriage as a voluntary union of a man and a woman for the purpose of starting a family to protect important values of marriage. Such an amendment will place a constitutional ban on same-sex marriages, which will shape all normative acts in this sphere and will be difficult to liberalize since altering the constitution requires a stringent procedure and a constitutional majority. Therefore this move is criticized by the LGBT community and human rights defenders in Georgia and abroad. A second controversial proposed amendment poses that the president will be elected by parliament rather than through a direct vote, which can severely weaken presidential power against the parliamentary majority.

GDDG will also likely proceed to change the law on Georgias occupied territories. The amendments will concern one article, according to which a person who visited the break-away regions of Abkhazia or South Ossetia is denied entrance to other parts of Georgia. GDDG representatives assure that amendments to this article are essential for maintaining commercial and private ties with the break-away regions, which is especially important for split families. However, some observers fear that this will jeopardize Georgias security and is a sign of submissiveness towards Russia.

UNM came in a distant second, receiving 27 percent of the votes in the first round and no mandates in majoritarian run-offs. UNM pursued a victory in the elections by seeking to capture large parts of GDDGs voters, who were seemingly disappointed in the ruling party. However, the strategy yielded a weak result, especially in comparison to the previous parliamentary ballot where UNM was able to secure 40 percent of the total votes. As GDDG achieved a constitutional majority, UNM is in danger of becoming a small opposition party with no real influence on the legislative process.

After the first round, UNM leaders claimed the elections were falsified and engaged in arguments about the reasons for their partys failure. Some UNM members and supporters have placed the blame on Saakashvili, the partys leader in exile in Ukraine, who engaged intensely in the pre-electoral campaign from a distance. They criticized Saakashvili for his unconstructive statements and electoral promises, which allegedly put off many voters. Voters also gave the former president an indirect red flag when his wife, Sandra Roelofs, failed to win her majoritarian district. It is clear that UNM is in need of a new leadership with a fresh approach, lest a deep internal crisis might lead to the partys further demise.

Contrary to the warnings of many experts, pro-Russian political parties did not gain significant voter support in these elections. Alliance of Patriots, which is a six-party election bloc, barely cleared the threshold and has won only 6 seats in parliament. The far-right alliance favors deeper integration with Russia and warns against Georgias integration with NATO and the EU. Nino Burjanadzes pro-Russian Democratic Movement-United Georgia did not make it into the legislature. Similarly, two liberal pro-Western parties  Irakli Alasanias Free Democrats and David Usupashvilis Republican Party  failed to clear the threshold. Many observers concluded that growing disappointment with the West resulted in the electoral failure of these parties, but this factor should not be overstated. Most probably, the lack of a successful strategy that could make a third political force attractive to the voters and their inability to form a coalition were the main reasons behind their defeat.

CONCLUSIONS: Achieving a constitutional majority in the recent parliamentary ballot will allow GDDG to realize its electoral promises without constraints. Thus, its previous tactic of constant confrontation with UNM, which GDDG has held responsible for hindering the countrys development, will now be invalid. Yet several important factors could hinder GDDGs reform agenda. The faltering economy caused by a downturn in the economies of Georgias partner countries and the worsening socio-economic conditions experienced by the majority of Georgians are among the major challenges to tackle in coming months. Secondly, the spiraling confrontation between Russia and the West over Ukraine and Syria has an indirect but serious impact on Georgias stability. Unfortunately, due to geopolitical and economic constraints, GDDG has little room for maneuver in dealing with these problems.

AUTHORS BIO: Natalia Konarzewska is a graduate of University of Warsaw and a freelance expert and analyst with a focus on political and economic developments in the post-Soviet space.

Image source: Wikimedia Commons, accessed on November 25, 2016
| BY Lynchy |

The initiative is the brainchild of Kiwi expat Malcolm Poynton, Global Chief Creative Officer, Cheil Worldwide, who served as a judge at the ANDY Final Judging Session in Seville

Cheil Worldwide is partnering with the ADVERTISING Club of New Yorks International ANDY Awards on an internship initiative to support two standouts from the shows Student Competition. It is the first time in the shows history where the integrated jury were collectively impressed by the magnitude of a student idea and decided to distinguish it as a RESET Winner  the ANDYs professional category for innovation.

The idea  Stop-It  is an app designed to assist those suffering at the hands of domestic violence. The students behind the work are Elena Hernandez and Rodrigo Dominguez from Miami Ad School, Madrid. In addition to their Gold ANDY, they were hired as interns by Breno Cotta, ECD, Cheil Madrid, who will support and collaborate with them to make their award-winning idea a reality. Elena and Rodrigo started in their permanent roles on November 3.

The initiative is the brainchild of Kiwi expat Malcolm Poynton (left), Global Chief Creative Officer, Cheil Worldwide, who served as a judge at the ANDY Final Judging Session in Seville back in February. For him, Hernandez and Dominguezs app stood out as groundbreaking technology with real-world implications if cultivated in the proper environment.

Poynton said Without knowing where the Stop-It team came from, I knew that Cheil could help them realise their idea and the ANDYs agreed to work together to find a way to establish this internship. This is a great example of the ANDYs commitment to shaping the future of our business with the brightest talent of the next generation.

The ANDYs provide a $10,000 scholarship each year to promising students, but this takes that investment a step further, said Gina Grillo, President & CEO, The ADVERTISING Club of New York & International ANDY Awards. I hope this inspires other jurors and agencies to do the same in the years ahead.
According to state law, fines, penalties, and license money shall be appropriated exclusively to the use and support of the common schools ... . An exception is fines for overloaded vehicles. Seventy-five percent of those funds go to state highways; 25 percent go to the county general fund where the fine or penalty is paid. Fifty percent of money forfeited or seized in enforcing drug laws goes to counties for drug enforcement. Vehicles seized in drug law cases may be used by law enforcement agencies or sold with the proceeds going to schools.

County Court

Traffic Sentences

April Spies, 28, 3254 24th Ave., traffic signal violation, $75 fine and $49 court costs.

Jorge Gonzalez-Perez, 29, Schuyler, speeding, 94 mph in a 65 mph zone, $200 fine and $49 court costs.

Leandro Chong, 26, 2566 47th Ave., No. 5, no valid registration, $25 fine and $49 court costs.

Camilo Cordero-Dominguez, 22, Miami, Florida, speeding, 61 mph in a 50 mph zone, $75 fine and $49 court costs.

Heidi Jacobson, 40, Creston, speeding, 68 mph in a 55 mph zone, $75 fine and $49 court costs.

Samantha Salinas, 24, 1210 10th St., stop sign violation and a child passenger restraint violation, $100 fines and $49 court costs.

Alberta Ternus, 80, Genoa, failure to yield right of way, $25 fine and $49 court costs.

Rafael Espino, 19, 2169 28th Ave., speeding, 88 mph in a 65 mph zone, $200 fine and $49 court costs.

Zachary Mansfield, 20, Norfolk, speeding, 99 mph in a 65 mph zone, $200 fine and $49 court costs.

Vicente Macias, 44, 5230 SE 16th St., no operator's license, $75 fine and $49 court costs.

Gerber Recinos Menendez, 32, 3961 32nd Ave., speeding, 90 mph in a 55 mph zone, $200 fine and $49 court costs.

Criminal Sentences

Jennifer Guillen, 21, 1118 16th St., no proof of insurance, $50 fine and $49 court costs.

Mayra Jimenez, 46, 2671 Seventh Ave., animal at-large, no proof of rabies vaccination and no city license, $75 fines and $49 court costs.

Susan Lee, 57, 2021 Seventh St., theft-lost property $0-$500, $50 fine, $40 restitution and $49 court costs.

Cody Palmer, 29, 2067 10th Ave., possession of drug paraphernalia, $100 fine and $49 court costs.

Dylan Baker, 18, 2569 35th Ave., No. 1, first-degree criminal trespass and theft-unlawful taking $0-$500, $250 fines and $49 court costs.

David Dengate, 19, 4023 E. Eighth St., third-degree domestic assault, $350 fine and $49 court costs.

Stacey Faulkner, 26, Fullerton, animal neglect, no proof of rabies vaccination, no city license, two counts on each charge, and failure to appear, $225 fines and $49 court costs.

Cody Rutt, 29, 2652 18th Ave., unauthorized use of a financial transaction device, $150 fine, $40 restitution and $49 court costs.

Jesse Moore, 34, Tekamah, driving under suspension, $75 fine and $49 court costs.

Jose Corona, 20, 3052 48th Ave., No. 15, driving under suspension, 10 days in jail, credit for 23 days already served, and $49 court costs; attempt of a Class IV felony, 45 days in jail, credit for 26 days already served, $177 bond forfeited and $49 court costs.

Natalie Gooch, 29, Lincoln, issuing a no-account check-less than $500, $75 fine and $49 court costs.

Claudia Carreto-Lopez, 19, 409 E. 10th St., theft-shoplifting $0-$500, $150 fine and $49 court costs.

Trisha Howell, 37, 1711 17th St., driving under the influence and attempt of a Class I misdemeanor, 30 days in jail, credit for one day already served, $500 fine, operator's license revoked for six months and $49 court costs.

District Court

Criminal Sentences

Scott Sabin, 49, 3020 18th St., Suite 17, third-degree domestic assault and obstructing a police officer, two years probation and $49 court costs.

Jimmie White Jr., 38, David City, criminal nonsupport, three counts, two years probation and $753.50 court costs.
| BY Lynchy |

Campaign Brief Asia can reveal that Chee Keong Tan is to join Amber China as Chief Creative Officer. Tan left his previous position as Group Creative Director at Ogilvy & Mather Malaysia on Friday and will assume his new position immediately and will be based in Shanghai.

Tans joining will help enhance the overall creative strength of Amber China. Tan (left) will oversee the agencys Beijing and Shanghai creative teams, and assist Amber Liu, Founder & CEO of Amber China in managing the +A creative hot shop platform, with the ultimate goal of inspiring more effective creative work. Tans joining is also a testament to the agencys strategy to expand further internationally and in the Asia-Pacific region.

Tan was ranked No. 7 in the recently released Campaign Brief Asias 2016 The Most Awarded Creative Directors In Asia creative ranking. He was also ranked No. 11 in The 2014 Directory Big Won Report Global ECD rankings. Prior to joining Amber China, Tan served as Group Executive Creative Director at Ogilvy & Mather Malaysia, and previously served in senior creative positions at such renowned agencies as BBDO Malaysia, Leo Burnett Malaysia, Ogilvy & Mather Hong Kong, etc.

Tan has won some of the advertising industrys most prestigious awards, including Cannes Lions, D&AD, One Show, Clio, LIA, AdFest, Spikes Asia, AMES, Effies, Australia Awards, plus more. While serving as Executive Creative Director at BBDO Malaysia in 2015, Tans work won Malaysias first LIA Grand Prix and BBDO Malaysia was also named by the Gunn Report as Malaysias most awarded agency in 2015.

Commenting on the new step, Tan said, The dynamic nature of Chinas digital development along with the diversity of its media environment makes the country one of the most unique and challenging markets in the world. I am confident that the opportunity to dig deeply into the vast local market, to cooperate with its best creative talents, and to connect deeply with consumers and brands, will inspire innumerable new innovative and creative ideas. It is truly an honor to join Amber China, one of the best Chinese local digital agencies, and I look forward to working together with the entire Amber team to create more fantastic creative work.

I want to sincerely welcome CK to the Amber family, said Amber Liu (pictured on right). The addition of CK is a huge validation and affirmation of Amber China over the past ten years, and also signals a new start of the agency. The addition of the top international creative talents and the launch of the +A creative hot shop platform, will accelerate Amber Chinas creative development and integrated offering. While there are many kinds of agencies, creative is and will always be the lifeblood of advertising. By improving our creative capabilities, we are confident that we can continue to help the brands we serve to better shape their brand image as well as build and retain brand value.

Since its founding ten years ago, Amber China has always adhered to a flat internal communications structure, respecting the viewpoints and creativity of every young person with the goal of developing and cultivating the next generation of industry talents. CK Tans joining is a sincere invitation to the young blood with passion and aspiration for advertising. The industry needs these young minds to infuse its work with fun, original, revolutionary ideas. Amber China has always been devoted to being a platform for new blood to shine by building a creative environment where young people can quickly grow, said Liu.
Friday, November 25, 2016 at 9:48PM

If youve been eagerly waiting for the ZenFone 3 Deluxe, we regret to inform you that the powerhouse device isnt coming to this country. ASUS company representatives have confirmed the cancellation of the phones arrival. But they didnt say the reason behind this. Perhaps it could be a lack of confidence that the phone will sell well.

It comes with a CA$699 price tag but it doesnt seem like an unreasonable amount for a phone that packs in a Snapdragon 820 processor, 6GB of RAM, and a 23-megapixel rear camera. The ZenFone 3 Deluxe was initially set to go on sale this month at a wide range of national retailers. Its too bad the Taiwanese brand decided to pull the release of the phone.

Source: Android Authority
It comes as thousands of festival goers are set to descend on Commonwealth Park for the Spilt Milk festival on Saturday, which will see artists such as recent ARIA-winner Flume take to the stage.
"We always need to ensure the right of a worker to be safe in their workplace is as fundamental to the right that a child has to an education. There is at times a tendency to prioritise the education needs over the safety of a worker, but for us both of those rights are inalienable, unquestionable and they must be comanaged."
This year has seen the triumph of right-wing nativist populist parties around the world, linked to anti-immigrant feeling and economic populism. Are the times right for a national leader to be demonstrating his liberal, inclusive and moderate side, or to be stressing that his team can better embrace and represent the views of those who feel left behind than Pauline Hanson can? And, if not, might it not be better to throw in the towel for someone who could lead with conviction and feeling?
Detention Center

The inmate count at the Platte County Detention Facility Friday was 80, with 47 from Platte County and 33 from out of county.

Police

June 24

6:54 a.m.  At 1260 35th Ave., Jakota Moore, 29, homeless, was cited for burglary.

Nov. 4

4:18 a.m.  At the intersection of 23rd Street and 23rd Avenue, Melik Owens, 21, 2708 Cheyenne St., was cited for a traffic signal violation.

Nov. 10

2:09 p.m.  In a parking lot at 1944 33rd Ave., a vehicle driven by Bryce Groteluschen, 57, Leigh, struck a parked vehicle owned by Ronda Vanderslice, 2025 Kenne Drive.

Nov. 11

12:43 p.m.  At 2007 23rd St., Derek Tilden, 21, 2375 Pershing Road, was cited for shoplifting.

7:31 p.m.  In the 1000 block of 25th Avenue, Shayla Flash, 26, Schuyler, was cited for operating an unregistered vehicle.

9:54 p.m.  At the intersection of 23rd Street and 28th Avenue, Chelsea Rhoads, 19, 3365 36th Ave., was cited for failure to yield right of way.

Nov. 12

1:46 a.m.  At the intersection of 23rd Avenue and 23rd Street, Leobardo Casillas, 29, 3362 50th Ave., was cited for driving under the influence, refusal of a preliminary breath test, impeding traffic and no valid registration.

Nov. 17

4:20 p.m.  At 2307 23rd St., Jacob Schamp, 29, 2303 Seventh St., was cited for theft-failure to return lost or mislaid property.

Nov. 21

10:37 a.m.  In the 2500 block of 27th Street, a vehicle driven by Samara Rodriguez, 17, 2859 38th Ave., struck a parked vehicle owned by Kathryn Wolfe, 2003 16th St., and left the scene.

7 p.m.  In the 100 block of 23rd Street, Rae Otte, 57, 2026 Keene Drive, was cited for negligent driving.

8:39 p.m.  At the intersection of 23rd Avenue and 14th Street, Helen Schumacher, 27, Humphrey, was cited for a traffic signal violation.

Nov. 22

10:32 a.m.  At the intersection of Seventh Street and 27th Avenue, traffic accident. Drivers were Jane Pensick, 72, 2620 Sixth St., and Michael Nichols, 66, Schuyler.

12:30 p.m.  In the 3900 block of 23rd Street, traffic accident. Drivers were Lydia Christensen, 23, Merna, and Lee Blaser, 81, 5419 W. U.S. Highway 30.

Nov. 22-23

4 p.m.-7:15 a.m.  An unknown vehicle struck the Hadley Braithwait building at 2519 11th St., owned by John Kaiser, 80 Cottonwood Drive, and left the scene.

Nov. 24

5:41 p.m.  Burglary at 562 24th Ave., No. 5, under investigation.

Sheriff

Nov. 24

1:26 a.m.  Traffic violation at the intersection of U.S. Highway 81 and 355th Street, Jacob Fowler of Denver cited for speeding.

7:30 a.m.  Domestic dispute at 6768 Country Club Drive, Robert Peterson of Columbus jailed for attempted strangulation and third-degree domestic assault.

4:35 p.m.  Traffic violation at mile marker 118 on Highway 81, Derick Gansebom of Norfolk cited for speeding.

Fire

Nov. 24

9:11 a.m. - Medical, 2900 block of 16th Street.

11:47 a.m. - Medical, 2500 block of 16th Street.

8:28 p.m. - Medical, 3200 block of 29th Avenue.

Nov. 25

1:49 a.m. - Medical, 2100 block of 44th Avenue.
The Immigration Minister might have had the statistics on his side  as well as the conservative wing of the Coalition in Tuesday's party room meeting, where debate flared  but it's hard to see how the comments help a government (except perhaps in Queensland, where the One Nation vote is strong) that has had significant difficulties reaching out to ethnic communities, and which is trying to have a civilised debate about changing section 18C of the Racial Discrimination Act.
Millennial Moms Review: 2022 Acura MDX is pretty close to the perfect family car

I dont know if perfect is attainable, especially considering weve got the world of options when it comes to modern vehicles. Were spoiled and, as such, we have very specific needs and wants. Driving-wise, the 2022 Acura MDX is one of my favourite ...
University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension Climatologist Al Dutcher is coming to Columbus on Dec. 9 to speak. He will talk at noon at the Columbus Area Chamber of Commerce office, 753 33rd Ave., as a part of the Agribusiness Committee meeting.

The Agribusiness Committee is one of the committees of the Columbus Chamber of Commerce. The public is invited.

If you are planning to attend, please RSVP to the chamber by calling 402-564-2769 by 5 p.m. Dec. 7. Lunch will be available for a charge.

Dutcher is an associate geoscientist with the School of Natural Resources at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. His presentation will cover long-range weather forecasts for the winter of 2016-17 and for next summers growing season. He will also be reviewing the last growing season, giving insight into what the future might hold.

His weekly weather summaries and predictions are featured on Market Journal. Dutcher gives presentations statewide on the topic of weather trends and patterns. His accurate prediction of the 2012 drought in December of 2011 is well known in our community.

The Nebraska Farm and Ranch Business Record for Income Tax and Analysis Book, also known as the "Tax Book," is available at the University of Nebraska Extension Office in Columbus. This publication is printed by the University of Nebraska and is an outstanding tool which could be used in your farming and ranching record keeping for 2017.

The book is designed to help you keep a record of receipts, expenses and other information. The operator and landlord's expenses and income are separated for use where complete records for both parties are desired. The column headings and summary page designations of the book correspond to the IRS income tax returns. The same information can be used for filing social security reports. There is a $7.50 fee for this book (plus tax), so stop by the Extension Office and purchase your copy.

I want to remind farmers that the Field to Market workshop will be held in Columbus on Dec. 6, starting at 9 a.m. It will be held at the Farm Credit Services of America Building on Lost Creek Parkway. The workshop is available to farmers interesting in sustainability and continuous improvement. Participants will use the Field to Market Field print calculator to enter management and production information which will be used to compare fields with national, state, and local averages for the metrics of yield, erosion, irrigation efficiency energy use and greenhouse gas emissions.

Cost to attend the workshop is free. Register by calling the office at 402-563-4901 by Dec. 1.
Our Promise: Welcome to Care2, the world's largest community for good. Here, you'll find over 45 million like-minded people working towards progress, kindness, and lasting impact.

Care2 Stands Against: bigots, racists, bullies, science deniers, misogynists, gun lobbyists, xenophobes, the willfully ignorant, animal abusers, frackers, and other mean people. If you find yourself aligning with any of those folks, you can move along, nothing to see here.

Care2 Stands With: humanitarians, animal lovers, feminists, rabble-rousers, nature-buffs, creatives, the naturally curious, and people who really love to do the right thing.

You are our people. You Care. We Care2.
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Thanksgiving may officially be over, but Americans have much to be thankful for.

To my liberal and Democratic Party friends (not always one and the same), please enjoy the freedom you have to protest and fear the unknown that is President-elect Trump.

While Trump tweets and Vice-President-elect Mike Pence demonstrates calm maturity,

political opponents from "Saturday Night Live" to MSNBC, from the Broadway stage to the streets of Portland, all have the freedom to freak out, cry, pout and insult them in a variety of fashions, from rude and crude to self-aggrandizing.

In Cuba, one of the 167 political prisoners reported by the Associated Press is Yoelkis Rosabal Flores, a member of the Union Patriotica de Cuba, described by Amnesty International as a peaceful political party whose platform is in opposition of the Castro regime.

Flores was arrested in May, 2014 for staging a protest calling for the release of a fellow party member. Flores was charged with public disorder and sentenced to four years in jail.

Protesters and their families might just want to take a moment a be thankful that our Constitution and those who vow to uphold it ensure no citizen is jailed for years simply for protesting that their candidate did not win the election, thus continuing our peaceful transfer of power.

We're thankful not to have been born in Maiduguri, Nigeria, the self-proclaimed caliphate of Boko Haram.

So many thousands of little girls and women have been kidnapped to be used as sex slaves that it's estimated every family there knows someone whose daughter, sister, mother or wife was raped.

Americans were shocked by the news two years ago when 276 school girls were kidnapped by these Islamic terrorists. Today, most of them are still missing, and the girls who were rescued from being raped nearly every day are shunned by their own people.

Some were as young as 8-years-old.

And to think celebrated, adored Broadway actors are fearful... fearful... of a man who talks trash, is limited in power by two other branches of government and has begun building a cabinet including women and people who have disagreed with him.

To my conservative and Republican friends (not always the same), be thankful that we will not have four or eight years of mind-numbing Hillary corruption and scandals.

We will have Democrats and multi-million dollar Super PACS "investigating" and demanding Freedom of Information Act requests for tons of documents as they work to undermine the Trump Administration.

Even though Trump is not required to dissolve his companies or sell them and put the money into a blind trust, the political left will publicize as many appearances of business impropriety as scandals as well as any real scandals that arise.

And some will. After all, he's Trump, not Walker or Cruz.

But be thankful Trump has promised to repeal Common Core. Any work to return education control to the local level is a blessing.

Let us also be thankful for the millions of Americans who put aside partisan politics, standing for the rights of others as decent, flawed human beings.

Thankful for the majority of Americans who refuse to acquiesce to racists believing Trump's win is a win for white nationalists.

Thankful for the majority of Americans who refuse to accept black youth publicly beating white people because they may have voted for Trump.

While some in the media are giving white supremacists far too much publicity in their quest to equate these fearful people with our next president, let us be thankful for the majority of Americans who refuse to join their little cults who curse black people with the n-word.

Let us be thankful for what we do have and build upon it each day as individuals.
As we await the next season of Top Gear with Chris Harris as a lead host to kick off, the British journalist recently got his paws on the brand new BMW M2 and swiftly pitted it against its spiritual predecessor, the 1M Coupe.



The M2 has already proven itself to be a proper M car despite its small powertrain and relatively low power figures. In fact, Jeremy Clarkson recently called it the best M car ever. But does Harris agree?

On paper, the M2 and 1M Coupe are quite similar. Both have 3.0-liter six-cylinder engines but whereas the 1M has two turbochargers, the M2 makes do with one. Nevertheless, the newer of the two is more powerful, delivering 365 hp compared to the 335 hp mustered up by the 1M.

But as Harris notes, the shorter wheelbase and direct hydraulic steering of the 1M make it the sharper of the two, more suited to hooning around than long, comfortable journeys like the M2. But is that enough for the 1M to take the win?

Watch the full video here to find out.

PHOTO GALLERY
With automakers constantly bringing all sorts of updates to their models, it makes sense for them to differentiate the latest crop. In the US, however, it so happens that the model year designation is always ahead of the time said model actually becomes available, sometimes by a large margin.



Boston auto analyst and historian John Wolkonowicz explained this paradox to The Detroit News and, as he says, it is rooted deep in the history of the automobile in the United States.

The automotive model year started back in the teens, said Wolkonowicz. Farmers would harvest their crops and sell them every fall, and thats when they had enough cash in their pockets to go out and buy a car. And thats how the model year started, and eventually thats how the fall introduction of new cars started.

Weather, according to Ford Motor Co historian Bob Kreipke, was also a factor: In the early days, assembly plants in northern states had trouble with lighting and heating in the winter months. So they mostly produced in the summer months and then put the cars out for sale in the fall.

While auto shows, where new cars are oftentimes displayed well before they actually go on sale, as well as the prying eye of the motoring Press have stolen some of the mystery surrounding each new model year car, Joe Phillippi, president of auto research and consulting firm Auto Trends claims that they still hold a certain allure for some customers.

There are buyers who purchase a new car at the start of the model year to be first with the newest before anyone else  like their neighbors, Phillippi says. This is why cars in showrooms at the start of the model run are loaded with all the options, because the industry knows the newest buyers are the type who will step up to pay to get the car first.
It seems likely that the German Grand Prix will be ditched for the 2017 Formula One season due to financial issues.



Motorsport reports that the promoter of the Hockenheim circuit doesnt want to pay the fee proposed by Bernie Ecclestone, having received a discounted deal for 2016.

Confirmation of the German GPs future will come on November 30, when the World Motor Sport Council releases the finalized 2017 calendar. If Germany is scrapped, then the Hungarian Grand Prix could be held on July 30, the date originally set for the German round.

Back in September, the FIA released the sports provisional calendar and, alongside Germany, it cast doubts over the Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal and the Brazilian Grand Prix hosted by the city of Sao Paulo as well.

PHOTO GALLERY
Not that long ago, the term hybrid was associated with eco-friendly but far from exciting to drive cars like the Toyota Prius, so petrolheads merely sniggered at it.



Things couldnt be more different today, what with hybrid technology being used in the Holy Trinity of hypercars  and these anything but boring now, are they?

You dont have to be a millionaire to get access to hybrid driving thrills, though, as there are currently two hybrid supercars that are priced way lower, in the vicinity of $150k in the US to be more precise.

BMWs i8 is the older of the two, being on the market for the past three years, and yet it still looks as if its a concept that, somehow, made its way to the road. No surprise with that sculpted design that maximizes airflow, plus the impressive butterfly doors. Honda, on the other hand, has been mulling over building a successor to the iconic NSX for many years, but the finished item justifies its efforts.

Now, these two both employ a mid-engined, turbocharged petrol unit that works in conjunction with electric motors and they are both all-wheel drive. The NSX, though, has double the number of cylinders, more than double the capacity and its 573 HP output makes the i8s 362 HP look puny in comparison.

All of which, naturally, makes comparing the two on a track all that more interesting, so click to find out how those two fared against each other.

Video
Oculus has announced its virtual reality drawing tool, Quill, that allows illustrators to paint scenes in virtual reality, will be available as a free beta when the companys motion-sensitive Touch controllers are released in December.

Quill was developed specifically to realize writer/director Saschka Unselds vr film, Dear Angelica, which previewed at Sundance earlier this year. Unseld worked at Pixar, where he directed The Blue Umbrella, prior to becoming the creative director at Oculus.

The news about Quill being released in beta was mentioned in an Oculus blog post, which also detailed how Dear Angelicas art director Wesley Allsbrook utilized the tool during production. Oculus also plans to soon showcase various artists work with Quill.
You could have the missing piece of the puzzle that will help the RCMP put someone behind bars. Here are some recent crimes that Central Okanagan Crime Stoppers hope you can help solve by calling our anonymous tips line at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), visit our website at www.crimestoppers.net or text to CRIMES (274637), keyword Ktown.

CRIME: THEFT FROM CONSTRUCTION TRAILER

DATE: November 21, 2016

RCMP FILE: 2016-69308

A construction trailer parked in a new area of homes in the Tallus Ridge subdivision of Shannon Lake was broken into during the weekend of November 18 to November 21st. Thieves broke off the padlock on the white 2003 Haul Box Trailer with BC license plate number 89020C and left with numerous high end tools. Stolen tools include:

a green Rolair compressor

4 Paslode air nailers

2 Max air staplers

1 Hitachi air stapler

1 Milwaukee  inch electric impact wrench

1 Husky  inch air impact wrench

2 Dewalt 7  inch circular saws

1 Bosch 7   circular saw

2 U-CAN guns

1 Paslode gun

1 Bosch hammer drill.

If you know anything about this crime, or any other crime, call the Central Okanagan Crime Stoppers anonymous tips line at 1-800-222-TIPS or visit our website at www.crimestoppers.net. Your information will be kept confidential and could lead to a reward of up to $2000.00.

CRIME: BREAK AND ENTER TO GARAGE

DATE: November 13, 2016

RCMP FILE: 2016-69032

On November 13th a man living at a mobile home park on the 3300 block of Village Green Way in West Kelowna discovered his garage door open but didnt notice until many days later that it had been pried open and items were missing. Thieves took a Milwaukee M18 Combo tool set that included a charger, 4 batteries, a work light, grinder, sawzall, drill and skill saw; a Dewalt 18v DC011 jobsite radio and battery; an Alpine MRD-M1005 amplifier and two Alpine SWR-1041D subwoofers.

Photo: Crime Stoppers

You can help catch these suspects and qualify for a reward by calling Crime Stoppers anonymous tips line at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), visit our website at www.crimestoppers.net or text to CRIMES (274637), keyword Ktown.

This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.
Photo: Getty Images

For some it may be a family tradition, for others a first-time adventure, but anyone wanting to cut their own Christmas tree can do so, they just need a permit first.

The free permits are provided for personal use only  selling a tree cut under a Christmas tree permit or cutting in an unauthorized area is illegal.

The ministry's Christmas Tree website provides links to online Christmas tree permits, FrontCounter BC and district office contact information, and the B.C. Christmas Tree Council's website contains a list of tree farms and "U-Cuts" around the province.

When cutting a Christmas tree, keep the following tips in mind:
Photo: Google Street View

A multimillion-dollar upgrade to the water system at Killiney Beach is about to get underway.

Crews will start work Monday on replacing about three kilometres of water main pipe along five roads in the upper area of the of the system.

The section of pipe serves nearly 300 connections along the north area of Westside Road.

Work will continue, as weather permits, through to next spring.

Crews will begin work along Winchester Road Monday morning. Residents in other areas will be notified as construction moves to their neighbourhood.

Regional board chair Gail Given said this project, along with two others, are going ahead with significant financial support from senior levels of government.

"The new water main along with construction of a replacement reservoir and new control building received $1.9 million from the New Build Canada Fund  Small Communities Fund," said Given.

"It would be a huge burden for customers of the system to fund such expensive infrastructure work, without the support of the senior governments.

Construction on the Hope Creek reservoir replacement and Winchester control building along with improvements to the Westshore Estates Water System Mountain and upper reservoirs is scheduled to start next spring and run through the fall of 2017.

The Westshore project is estimated at $1.3-million with an $870,000 contribution from the Community Works Fund Gas Tax program.
Photo: Naval Base San Diego

The Royal Canadian Navy says an unidentified object found off British Columbia's north coast is not a lost bomb.

The navy says a remotely operated vehicle was deployed earlier this week in the area south of Prince Rupert to investigate.

It says the object appears to be a piece of industrial equipment and does not pose any risk to the local population.

News reports have speculated the object could have been related to a U.S. Air Force bomber that crashed in 1950.

Crews from the HMCS Yellowknife used the onboard sonar system to locate the object under eight metres of water on Tuesday.

The navy says in a news release that the steel object that is about 5.5 metres long and one metre in height.
With the fall harvest done and his John Deere combine back in the barn south of Minden, Joel Grams planned to head to his local Nebraska Farm Bureau office Wednesday afternoon to talk about health insurance.

His current health insurance provider, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Nebraska, announced earlier this year it would not sell individual health plans on the Affordable Care Act exchange for Nebraska next year. So he has to find a new option.

The president-elect (Donald Trump), I dont know what hell do so were going to have to figure out something now and possibly change later if they repeal or replace (the Affordable Care Act), said Grams.

Grams, like many self-employed farmers, relies on individual plans for insurance and has been watching prices climb. Nearly 40 percent of farm and ranch families bought insurance on marketplaces, created by a key provision of the Affordable Care Act, compared to 8 percent nationally, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture research.

They will be watching closely as the Republican-controlled Congress and Trump make good on campaign promises to repeal or reform the 6-year-old "Obamacare."

Jordan Dux, the Nebraska Farm Bureaus national affairs director, said the focus needs to be on bringing costs down.

Any option we can find to bring down costs and make health care affordable, if I can use that word, is something were going to be pushing for extremely hard over the next several months, Dux said. This is an opportunity for us to be very loud in our thoughts on the topic.

The big question is: How will that happen?

Sen. Ben Sasse, a Nebraska Republican, said Wednesday in an emailed statement "Obamacare" needs to go.

"Nebraska's farmers and ranchers know you can't fix central planning's failures with more central planning. We need to completely repeal Obamacare and start over with real solutions that put patients and families ahead of bureaucrats.

Speaker of the House Paul Ryan has released a 37-page plan that appears to be one of the most detailed and unified road maps for how Republicans would like to proceed, including insurance sales across state lines, medical liability reform and allowing small businesses and individuals to band together for purchasing power.

Dux warned that federal lawmakers need to have a solid plan in place before scrapping the existing system.

A complete and total disruption in the health insurance marketplace and completely turning over the entire system again without a real working alternative is just a complete nonstarter with us, Dux said. You just cant completely turn the table over again unless you have something to replace it.

Farmers have one of the most dangerous occupations in the nation with constant exposure to heavy machinery, chemicals, large animals, dust and other hazards, said John Hansen, president of the Nebraska Farmers Union.

We have a lot of medical challenges we face on an ongoing basis. And weve always had a substantial problem of being able to find affordable and accessible healthcare, Hansen said.

Hansen said uncovered medical conditions had long been one of the top reasons for farm bankruptcies and warned against rolling back healthcare reform to a time when an unfortunate illness could bring an end to generations of hard work and sacrifice.

He said the Affordable Care Act, while far from perfect, had been a step in the right direction and could have been better if not for political gridlock.

They (Republicans) now have all the cards, Hansen said. Its up to them to come up with a better idea and better product. But just repealing 'Obamacare' doesnt fix what has historically been a major problem in healthcare delivery.

Grams, a Republican and chairman of the Nebraska Corn Growers Association, has mixed feelings about the Affordable Care Act. He likes that it requires insurance companies to cover people with pre-existing conditions, like his wife, who has diabetes, and his son, who has a heart condition.

Between the two of them, they were almost $2,000 a month before (Obamacare), he said.

While the cost for them has come down, the price tag to cover him and another son, both healthy, went up.

Our deductible is a lot higher than it used to be, too. Were getting less for more, Grams said. Its costing families a lot of money to have insurance.
Photo: The Canadian Press

A new report suggests a "sophisticated" Russian propaganda campaign helped flood social media with fake news stories leading up to the presidential election.

The Washington Post, citing a yet-to-be published report from independent researchers, said the goal was to punish Hillary Clinton, help Donald Trump, and undermine faith in American democracy.

The report comes from a non-partisan group of researchers called PropOrNot. The group describes itself as "concerned American citizens" with expertise in computer science, national security and public policy. The researchers say they traced the origins of posts and mapped the connections among accounts that delivered similar messages.

The findings show just how effective the bogus reports and propaganda were, according to the report. On Facebook, PropOrNot estimates that stories planted or promoted by the disinformation campaign were viewed 213 million times.

While it's not clear whether fake news and propaganda helped sway the election in Trump's favour, millions of Americans get their news from what's shared on Facebook and other social media. In recent months, fake and misleading stories have proliferated, even as Facebook has insisted that they make up a tiny fraction of the overall stuff users share on the site.

Both Facebook and Google have said they are taking steps to stop the spread of misinformation on their sites, including by turning off access to advertising.

PropOrNot's report, provided to The Post in advance of its public release, identified more than 200 websites as "peddlers of Russian propaganda during the election season, with combined audiences of at least 15 million Americans."
Photo: Chattanooga FD

Students and administrators raised concerns about a Tennessee school bus driver's behaviour behind the wheel in the weeks before a crash that killed six children.

Police have charged driver Johnthony Walker with vehicular homicide after the Chattanooga crash. Federal authorities said Walker was driving off the designated bus route when he wrecked on a curvy road while carrying 37 children on their way home from Woodmore Elementary School.

Records released by the school district Friday include two written statements by students complaining about Walker's driving.

"The bus diver drives fast," one student wrote earlier this month. "It feels like the bus is going to flip over. ... He makes people go seat to seat back and forth, when someone is in the aisle he stops the bus and he makes people hit their heads."

Another student wrote: "The bus driver was doing sharp turns and he made me fly over to the next seat. We need seat belts."

On Nov. 2, a school official boarded the bus after the driver complained that students were not listening him. One student had complained about the heat on the bus and cursed about it to the bus driver.

"The driver was now visibly upset and continued on by saying that he had another job and driving this bus was just a part-time job for him," wrote Carlis Shackelford, a behaviour specialist at the school. "Driver stated that he could just leave him at the school. He then stated 'or I can just leave the student on the bus and I will get off the bus and leave the school.'"

"Driver stated that he did not care about the students and proceeded to tell the students he did not care about them," Shackelford wrote.

The school district's transportation supervisor, Benjamin Coulter, responded that "we are addressing the issue with the driver."

National Transportation Safety Board Chairman Christopher A. Hart said in a news conference earlier this week that Walker had had taken on a second job at an Amazon fulfilmentcentre, and part of the agency's investigation will look at whether fatigue played a role in the wreck.

The bus driver had also complained to administrators that students would not listen to him when he told them not stand in the bus or sit with their backs facing the front. The driver submitted 10 names of students he said were misbehaving. The transportation supervisor responded that the driver may have had some legitimate safety concerns but that the driver shouldn't report so many students.

Woodmore Principal Brenda Adamson-Cothran asked for video of the bus leaving campus, noting that a few days earlier "the driver, in my opinion, was driving way too fast when he pulled out of our school."

It's unclear what the video showed; hyperlinks to it are redacted in the records.
Photo: Google Street View

Authorities in Alaska say four people, including a child, have been found dead in a Fairbanks hotel room.

Police were called to the Hampton Inn and Suites at 1:30 p.m. Friday.

The Fairbanks Daily News-Miner cites police as saying the deaths appeared to have been caused by gunshots.

Police say arriving officers found a man crying as he sat in a second-floor hallway. The man directed officers to a nearby room, where they found the bodies.

No further details were released.

Police say there is no threat to the public.
Photo: The Canadian Press Pope Francis met with Fidel Castro in 2015.

UPDATE: 10:10 p.m.

Former President Fidel Castro, who led a rebel army to improbable victory in Cuba, embraced Soviet-style communism and defied the power of 10 U.S. presidents during his half century rule, has died at age 90.

With a shaking voice, his younger brother, Raul Castro, announced on state television that his brother died at 10:29 p.m. on Friday night.

Castro's reign over the island-nation 90 miles from Florida was marked by the U.S.-backed Bay of Pigs invasion in 1961 and the Cuban Missile Crisis a year later that brought the world to the brink of nuclear war. The bearded revolutionary, who survived a crippling U.S. trade embargo as well as dozens, possibly hundreds, of assassination plots, died eight years after ill health forced him to formally hand power over to Raul.

Castro overcame imprisonment at the hands of dictator Fulgencio Batista, exile in Mexico and a disastrous start to his rebellion before triumphantly riding into Havana in January 1959 to become, at age 32, the youngest leader in Latin America. For decades, he served as an inspiration and source of support to revolutionaries from Latin America to Africa.

His commitment to socialism was unwavering, though his power finally began to fade in mid-2006 when a gastrointestinal ailment forced him to hand over the presidency to Raul in 2008, provisionally at first and then permanently. His defiant image lingered long after he gave up his trademark Cohiba cigars for health reasons and his tall frame grew stooped.

"Socialism or death" remained Castro's rallying cry even as Western-style democracy swept the globe and other communist regimes in China and Vietnam embraced capitalism, leaving this island of 11 million people an economically crippled Marxist curiosity.

He survived long enough to see Raul Castro negotiate an opening with U.S. President Barack Obama on Dec. 17, 2014, when Washington and Havana announced they would move to restore diplomatic ties for the first time since they were severed in 1961. He cautiously blessed the historic deal with his lifelong enemy in a letter published after a month-long silence.

"It's a tragedy," said Dayan Montalvo, a 22-year-old nurse. "We all grew up with him. I feel really hurt by the news that we just heard."

By the time Castro resigned 49 years after his triumphant arrival in Havana, he was the world's longest ruling head of government, aside from monarchs.

In retirement, Castro voiced unwavering support as Raul slowly but deliberately enacted sweeping changes to the Marxist system he had built.

His longevity allowed the younger brother to consolidate control, perhaps lengthening the revolution well past both men's lives. In February 2013, Raul announced that he would retire as president in 2018 and named newly minted Vice-President Miguel Diaz-Canel as his successor.

"I'll be 90 years old soon," Castro said at an April 2016 communist party congress where he made his most extensive public appearance in years. "Soon I'll be like all the others. The time will come for all of us, but the ideas of the Cuban Communists will remain as proof that on this planet, if one works with fervour and dignity, they can produce the material and cultural goods that human beings need and that need to be fought for without ever giving up."

ORIGINAL: 9:40 p.m.

Cuba's state TV announced Friday evening that Fidel Castro has died at age 90.

The former leader of Cuba had dropped out of the public eye in 2006, due to health complications.

Castro ruled Cuba for almost 50 years before passing power to his younger brother Raul in 2008.

This story will be updated as more information becomes available.
Photo: The Canadian Press

Police say a man trying to stop another man from beating a woman in a crowded San Antonio, Texas, parking lot has been shot dead and a bystander has been critically wounded.

The shooting happened Friday afternoon outside a Wal-Mart store.

Police Chief William McManus says a man was assaulting a female companion when the other man drove up and demanded he stop. McManus says the attacker drew a handgun and fired at the man, killing him and critically wounding a female bystander.

A woman in the vehicle with the man who was shot was injured by shattered glass.

McManus says the beaten woman escaped and a police helicopter followed the shooter's vehicle for 10 miles before his arrest.
Photo: The Canadian Press

A Northern California woman was chained to an object and had been badly beaten when found near an interstate three weeks after she disappeared while jogging, according to a newspaper citing a police-dispatch recording.

The Sacramento Bee reported that it acquired an audio clip of the exchange between dispatchers and officers in the moments after 34-year-old Sherri Papini flagged down a passing motorist near Interstate 5.

"CHP is on scene and advised that she is chained to something," a radio dispatcher told a responding officer. "CHP is advising that she is heavily battered."

Authorities previously said Papini was injured badly enough to require medical treatment when she was found before dawn Thursday, but have given no details of her condition. Calls to California Highway Patrol spokesmen were not immediately returned Friday night.

Earlier Friday, a family member and law enforcement said they expected Papini to spend her first few days of freedom quietly, with family.

"We are very, very thankful and very ecstatic," sister Sheila Koester, 36, told The Associated Press by telephone. "It's the best Thanksgiving that anyone could ask for."

Speaking separately at a news conference, Koester declined questions about her sister's disappearance and rescue and the ongoing Shasta County criminal investigation to find those responsible, saying she knew no details.

"Right now, she's been through a very traumatic event, and needs time with her family," Koester said.

A motorist spotted Papini before dawn Thursday near Interstate 5 about 150 miles south of the area where she had vanished, outside her home near Redding.

Shasta County Sheriff Tom Bosenko told reporters on Thursday that authorities are looking for two women, armed with a handgun and driving an SUV, who allegedly released Papini near the interstate that morning.

Bosenko says Papini, the mother of two children, was treated and released at a local hospital for unspecified injuries after her reappearance.
Photo: The Canadian Press Fox News analyst Kathleen 'KT' McFarland tapped as Donald Trump's deputy national security adviser.

President-elect Donald Trump's transition team is ignoring questions about efforts to recount votes in key battleground states, focusing instead on the latest additions to his administration.

Trump chose Fox News analyst Kathleen Troia 'KT' McFarland to serve as deputy national security adviser and campaign attorney Donald McGahn as White House counsel. In a statement Friday, Trump cited McFarland's "tremendous experience and innate talent" and said McGahn "has a brilliant legal mind, excellent character and a deep understanding of constitutional law."

Having faced criticism about the inexperience of his initial picks, Trump found in McFarland someone who had worked under three presidents, although none since Ronald Reagan. McGahn, a veteran Republican election lawyer, served as Trump's attorney during the campaign. Neither requires Senate confirmation.

Trump was spending the long Thanksgiving holiday weekend with family at his Palm Beach estate, Mar-a-Lago, and was expected to return to New York on Sunday. He was scheduled to meet Monday with eight prospective administration hires.

In Wisconsin, state elections officials said they would move forward with the first presidential recount in state history. Green Party candidate Jill Stein, who drew 1 per cent of the vote nationally, had requested the recount in Wisconsin and vowed to seek recounts in Michigan and Pennsylvania.

While there is no evidence of election tampering in the states, Green Party spokesman George Martin insisted "the American public needs to have it investigated to make sure our votes count."
Photo: kompas.com

Indonesian police said a suspected Islamic militant arrested earlier this week was making explosives more powerful than those used in the 2002 Bali bombings that killed 202 people.

National Police spokesman Rikwanto said Saturday that Rio Priatna Wibawa, 23, was linked to Bahrun Naim, an Indonesian militant fighting with the Islamic State group in Syria who is believed to have inspired attacks at home including a January attack in the capital Jakarta that killed eight people.

Rikwanto, who goes by one name, said bomb-making explosives were recovered from a laboratory in Wibawa's home in Majalengka town, West Java province. With his ability, Wibawa was making bombs three times as powerful as the Bali bombs, Rikwanto said.

A security crackdown since the 2002 Bali bombings that were carried out by the al-Qaeda-linked Jemaah Islamiyah militant group has netted hundreds of radicals and reduced their capacity for large attacks. But a new threat has emerged from the hundreds of Indonesians who have travelled abroad to fight with IS and their supporters in Indonesia.

Rikwanto said Wibawa, a dropout from an agricultural university who was radicalized by the writings of firebrand cleric Aman Abdurahman, received funds from radicalised Indonesians working in Saudi Arabia, Malaysia and Taiwan, and was operating under the direction of Naim.

Several other suspected militants were involved in the bomb-making and police are searching for them, Rikwanto said.

Chemicals seized from Wibawa's laboratory included RDX, which is a component in plastic explosives, TNT, high explosive peroxide HMTD and gunpowder.
Photo: The Canadian Press

Garbage and grass are now on the menu for the starving residents of Syria's besieged rebel-held city of Aleppo, says a senior official with the United Nations World Food Program.

The 275,000 residents of East Aleppo have been at the centre of Syria's civil war since July, when they last received food or medical supplies from the UN relief agency. Government attacks have also knocked all hospitals out of commission.

Muhannad Hadi, the UN program's Middle East director, said food rations have now run out  and the consequences are dire.

"The reports we're getting (are) that people are looking through garbage to find something to eat  that's if they find garbage in Aleppo," Hadi said in an interview with The Canadian Press.

Hadi was in Ottawa on Thursday and Friday to update Canadian government officials on the crisis.

"People have been under siege for a very long time," he said. "We heard that some people are now resorting to eating grass, whatever they can get their hands on. It's a pretty ugly situation."

Had thanked Canada for $840 million in humanitarian assistance and urged a diplomatic push to help the World Food Program regain access to besieged Syrians.

"We have the food to meet all the needs of the eastern Aleppo, if we are given the opportunity. Even what the infants need. We have the special food needed for the malnourished children," he said.

"We have the food baskets ready to go into Aleppo  flour, rice, pasta, beans, oil, sugar  all of this is ready, and available. But what we need is access."
Photo: The Canadian Press

In Britain, Big Brother just got bigger.

After months of wrangling, Parliament has passed a contentious new snooping law that gives authorities  from police and spies to food regulators, fire officials and tax inspectors  powers to look at the internet browsing records of everyone in the country.

The law requires telecoms companies to keep records of all users' web activity for a year, creating databases of personal information that the firms worry could be vulnerable to leaks and hackers.

Civil liberties groups say the law establishes mass surveillance of British citizens, following innocent internet users from the office to the living room and the bedroom.

Tim Berners-Lee, the computer scientist credited with inventing World Wide Web, tweeted news of the law's passage with the words: "Dark, dark days."

The Investigatory Powers Bill  dubbed the "snoopers' charter" by critics  was passed by Parliament this month after more than a year of debate and amendments. It will become law when it receives the formality of royal assent next week. But big questions remain about how it will work, and the government acknowledges it could be 12 months before internet firms have to start storing the records.

"It won't happen in a big bang next week," Home Office official Chris Mills told a meeting of internet service providers on Thursday. "It will be a phased program of the introduction of the measures over a year or so."

The government says the new law "ensures powers are fit for the digital age," replacing a patchwork of often outdated rules and giving law-enforcement agencies the tools to fight terrorism and serious crime.

In a move taken by few other nations, it requires telecommunications companies to store for a year the web histories known as internet connection records  a list of websites each person has visited and the apps and messaging services they used, though not the individual pages they looked at or the messages they sent.

The government has called that information the modern equivalent of an itemized phone bill. But critics say it's more like a personal diary.
Photo: The Canadian Press

For South Korean farmer Lee Hyo-shin, demanding the ouster of President Park Geun-hye was a slow and grueling 10-day journey atop a vehicle unable to move faster than 20 kilometres per hour.

He was one of hundreds of thousands of South Koreans who marched on Saturday in streets near Seoul's presidential palace, where Park is bracing for what's likely to be a bitter and prolonged fight against lawmakers who may attempt to impeach her as early as next week.

Prosecutors accuse Park of assisting criminal activities of a secretive confidante who allegedly manipulated power from the shadows and extorted companies to build an illicit fortune.

Police said 270,000 people took part in the fifth straight weekend of massive protests against the unpopular president, making it the largest rally yet. Organizers put the turnout at 1.5 million.

"The fatigue is really starting to kick in," said Lee, 53, who, while leading a convoy of farmers, travelled nearly 300 kilometres from the seaside county of Haenam on his tractor before police on Friday stopped the vehicles near Seoul.

"Pulling Park down isn't going to be easy, but we farmers are good at injecting energy into demonstrations," Lee said.

Thousands of people marched in streets close to the presidential Blue House, areas police usually don't permit, carrying signs and flags. Protesters later turned a darkened boulevard in front of an old palace gate into a sea of light, waving candles and singing and shouting for Park's removal.

The country's largest opposition party said it will seek to propose an impeachment motion for vote as early as Friday and no later than Dec. 9. Some members of Park's conservative party have vowed to support an impeachment attempt, arguing it would serve the party's interests to distance itself from Park ahead of next year's presidential election.

The massive rallies in recent weeks have been mostly peaceful, but there was tension Friday night as police clashed with some of hundreds of anti-Park farmers who had planned to roll into the capital on tractors and trucks, injuring several farmers.
Photo: RCMP Dane Stanway

RCMP say foul play is suspected in the case of a missing man from British Columbia's Sunshine Coast.

Gibsons resident Dane Stanway, 27, was reported missing on May 12.

Police homicide investigators say information they've collected suggests Stanway encountered foul play and may be dead.

Investigators say they believe Stanway was on the Sunshine Coast during the first week of May, where he was last heard from.

Cpl. Meghan Foster says in a release Stanway's lifestyle was associated with criminal activity but the reasons surrounding his disappearance remain unclear.

Police are appealing to the public to provide any information about Stanway's disappearance.
Photo: The Canadian Press

Dakota Access oil pipeline protesters will not follow a government directive to leave the federal land where hundreds have camped for months, organizers said Saturday, despite state officials encouraging them to do so.

Standing Rock Sioux tribal leader Dave Archambault and other protest organizers confidently explained that they'll stay at the Oceti Sakowin camp and continue with nonviolent protests a day after Archambault received a letter from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers that said all federal lands north of the Cannonball River will be closed to public access Dec. 5 for "safety concerns."

The Corps cited the oncoming winter and increasingly contentious clashes between protesters, who believe the pipeline could harm drinking water and Native American cultural sites, and police.

"We are wardens of this land. This is our land and they can't remove us," said protester Isaac Weston, who is an Oglala Sioux member from South Dakota. "We have every right to be here to protect our land and to protect our water."

The vast majority of the several hundred people fighting against the four-state, $3.8 billion pipeline have created a self-sustaining community at the sprawling camp, which is on Corps land in southern North Dakota, and have put up semi-permanent structures or brought motor homes and trailers in advance of the harsh winter.

On the unseasonably warm Saturday, people were chopping wood and setting up tents at the encampment, which is more than a mile from a Missouri River reservoir where the final large segment of the pipeline is yet to be completed due to the Corps consulting with the tribe. Authorities had set up a staging area about a mile away on a hill overlooking the site.

Dallas Goldtooth, a protest organizer with the Indigenous Environmental Network, said it is "an atrocious example that colonization has not ended for us here as indigenous people," and that the government's request will escalate already rocky tensions.

Representatives from the Army Corps of Engineers didn't immediately return multiple messages Friday or Saturday seeking comment and verification of the letter. Last month, the Corps said it would not evict the encampment, which started as overflow from smaller private and permitted protest sites nearby and began growing in August.

President Barack Obama raised the possibility of rerouting the pipeline in that area earlier this month, something Kelcy Warren, CEO of Texas-based pipeline developer Energy Transfer Partners, told The Associated Press is not an option from the company's standpoint. Obama said his administration is monitoring the "challenging situation" but would "let it play out for several more weeks."

Some of the protests have resulted in violent confrontations  one woman suffered a serious arm injury last weekend  and more than 500 people have been arrested since August.

The Corps' letter, according to Archambault, said that those who stay on the land after Dec. 5 may be prosecuted, and that there'll be a free speech zone south of the river.

Archambault said Saturday that he doesn't believe the Corps will forcibly evict people from the camp, adding that the tribe is working to provide protesters protection from the elements on its reservation, which is south of the Cannonball River, but offered few details.

It's the federal government's job to peacefully close the camp because it allowed people to stay there in the first place, Gov. Jack Dalrymple said in a statement Saturday.

"Our state and local law enforcement agencies continue to do all they can to keep private property and public infrastructure free from unpermitted protest activities, and its past time that the federal government provides the law enforcement resources ... to enforce their own order to vacate," the Republican said.
If you have just started your journey in an online casino or are looking for a new site to play,...
The Luxe on Chicago combination business center and lounge boasts a large-screen television, comfy seating and a beverage chiller. (Jorge Gera / Luxury Living Chicago Realty)

Some Chicago renters prefer to reside in gleaming downtown high-rises rich in amenities and finishes. Others favor city neighborhoods, where they are closer to community culture and street rhythms.

Luxe on Chicago, a new boutique apartment building at the edge of the West Town neighborhood, offers its residents a fusion of both locales. It's a glass-and-steel luxury development surrounded by vintage cottages, three-flats and storefronts, but at only four stories tall, Luxe doesn't overpower its neighbors.

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"The building fits in with the fabric of the neighborhood," said leasing and marketing agent Aaron Galvin, managing broker and owner of Luxury Living Chicago Realty. "It has a new, modern feel, but it isn't a monstrosity."

Formerly a vacant lot, Luxe on Chicago, at 1838 W. Chicago Ave., was developed by Fifield Cos. and is managed by Kass Management Services.

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The first move-ins arrived at the end of August. According to Galvin, the attractions are many: A diverse array of restaurants, bars and shops along Chicago Avenue as well as the Mariano's grocery store about one block west. Additional dining and shopping outlets in the Wicker Park and Bucktown neighborhoods are nearby. Commercial Park abuts the north side of the property and the CTA No. 66 bus stops near the front door.

Luxe on Chicago has 59 apartments on floors two through four, and 14,000 square feet of commercial space at street level. So far, a preschool, chiropractor and dentist have signed on.

The apartments include studio, one-bedroom, two-bedroom and three-bedroom units in 20 floor plans. Most have private balconies.

All apartments have full-size stackable washer and dryer, plank flooring, operable windows with blinds, track lighting, smart thermostat, closet organizers and 9-foot ceilings. Two- and three-bedroom units have a dual vanity in the master bath.

Kitchens are equipped with stainless steel appliances, white quartz countertops, glass-tile backsplash, undermount sink with disposal, espresso cabinetry and track lighting.

The model apartment is a 1,078-square-foot two-bedroom unit on the second floor. The open-plan living and dining space has an L-shaped kitchen, movable island for dining and food preparation, and an exterior wall of windows overlooking Chicago Avenue. The master bedroom has a large walk-in closet and private bath with dual vanity and oversized shower. The second bath has a tub. Flanking the foyer are two closets, one for laundry machines and one for coats and storage.

The electronically secured lobby is decorated with modernist and eclectic furnishings in shades of gray and taupe. Near the front entry is a combination business center and lounge with large-screen television, comfy seating and a beverage chiller. Near the back entry is a bicycle storage room.

A fitness center with cardio and strength-training equipment is on the second floor.

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The landscaped rooftop deck, which offers panoramic city views, is segmented into activity areas and conversation seating. On one side are two large-screen televisions for special-event viewing. On the other are three grilling stations along with furniture groupings for dining and lounging. The grassy dog run is large enough to give Fido a workout.

Wi-Fi is complimentary in all common areas.

Assigned outdoor parking is available at an additional charge behind the building, but many residents don't own cars, Galvin said.

"A five-minute bus ride on Chicago Avenue, and you're downtown," he said.

Luxe on Chicago

1838 W. Chicago Ave.

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(312) 626-3211

www.luxeonchicago.com

Apartments: Prices based on availability and subject to change. Studio, 561 square feet, from $1,600; one-bedroom, 661 to 759 square feet, from $1,900; two-bedroom, 990 to 1,169 square feet, from $2,500; three-bedroom, 1,318 to 1,419 square feet, from $3,000.

Lease terms: $65 application fee and $250 occupant fee, both per person and nonrefundable. Two free months with 18-month lease.

Renter's insurance: Required.

Utilities: Monthly utility fee ranges from $60 to $120 and includes water, trash removal, gas for cooking and heating. Residents pay for electric, cable and internet.

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Parking: Outdoor assigned parking, $125 monthly per spot.

Pets: Two-pet limit. One-time cat fee $250; one-time dog fee $350. Discounts for second pet. Breed restrictions apply. Dogs subject to DNA test.

Smoking policy: Nonsmoking.

Amenities: Apartments feature 9-foot ceilings, oversized operable windows with blinds, plank flooring, track lighting, stainless steel kitchen appliances, movable kitchen island, glass-tile backsplash, espresso cabinetry, quartz counters, washer and dryer. Balconies per plan. Common amenities include first-floor resident lounge and business center; fitness center with cardio and strength-training equipment; complimentary Wi-Fi in common areas; secure bicycle storage room; rooftop deck with abundant seating, grilling stations and large-screen televisions; dog play area; on-demand package receiving; dry cleaning pickup and drop-off. Outdoor assigned parking available. Nearby transportation includes CTA bus stops and Divvy station.

Pamela Dittmer McKuen is a freelance writer.

ctc-realestate@chicagotribune.com

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Biologists measure a snapping turtle before it has a transmitter attached to its shell at the McGinnis Field Station in Orland Park on Sept. 16, 2016. (Gary Middendorf / Daily Southtown)

A collaboration between a nonprofit group and forest preserve scientists aims to boost the area turtle population, while also benefiting bats, osprey and riverbank habitats throughout the Chicago region.

While projects to help native species have been ongoing for decades, an effort led by Friends of the Chicago River has led to immediate improvements in turtle nesting areas in Cook County's wetlands and woods.

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"I'm thrilled out of my mind," said Chris Anchor, a wildlife biologist with the Forest Preserves of Cook County.

By clearing forest lands of invasive plants such as buckthorn  which choke out native sedges, rushes and reeds and also block sunlight from reaching the ground  the group and the forest preserve have improved soil conditions in wetlands along the Chicago and Calumet rivers, essential land for turtles to lay their eggs.

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Turtles, including the snapping, painted, stinkpot and soft-shell varieties, need soft soil in protected, sunlit areas for successful nests, Anchor said. When the riverbank areas are under siege from invasive plants, the turtles are forced to find other open spaces, often along busy roads and trails. Those locations make the nests easy targets for predators such as raccoons and opossums, who lurk to eat the eggs, Anchor said.

Using an anonymous $750,000 gift, the Friends of Chicago River partnered with the forest preserve on a three-year effort to restore acres of land to native conditions. Since 2014, staff and volunteers have cleared about 78 acres of brush at area forest preserves.

Group members earlier this week worked on 8 acres at the Skokie Lagoons, near the East Fork of the North Branch of the Chicago River. The Friends also have worked clearing areas of Chipilly Woods south of Dundee Road in northern Cook County, Watersmeet Woods near Northfield, Wampum Lake Woods near Thornton and in the Sag Quarries area near Lemont.

The habitat restoration efforts improve the conditions of woods, prairie lands and wetlands, in addition to helping bats and osprey. As part of the project, the Friends and forest preserve have been constructing bat houses and platforms for osprey, which are hawk-like birds who often nest atop trees near rivers, creeks and lakes.

Two hikers make their way along a trail at the Skokie Lagoons nature preserve Tuesday, Nov. 22, 2016, in Glencoe, Ill. (Erin Hooley / Chicago Tribune)

"We enable them to reproduce more successfully, that's the foundation of the whole thing," said Margaret Frisbie, executive director of Friends of the Chicago River. "What they're lacking is actual maternity habitats. These are species that with relatively little intervention, we can help them."

The restoration project also has the trickle-down effect of helping attract butterflies and bees, while aiding storm runoff, Frisbie said.

The forest preserve has worked hand in hand with Friends and has aided the efforts with prescribed burns and additional brush clearings throughout the county. While Friends took part in a prairie seeding effort this week at Skokie Lagoons, Anchor said manual seeding after clearing is usually unnecessary. Many native wetland plants have hard-capsule seeds that can rest in the ground for 40 to 80 years, waiting for the appropriate time to grow.

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"That's the beautiful thing about the wetlands," Anchor said.

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Anchor, who has worked with the forest preserve since 1981, said this was a rare example of an organization following through on its idea, bringing muscle to the project in the form of dollars and manpower.

"This," he said, "is how it should work."

Anchor said the restoration efforts at Chipilly Woods reaped nearly immediate dividends. Using a pair of turtle-tracking devices, Anchor discovered two female snapping turtles that had been laying eggs along Dundee Road quickly found the newly cleared native habitat in the woods and safely made nests.

"The response was immediate," Anchor said. "It was fantastic."

poconnell@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @pmocwriter
Police issued an alert Saturday morning about a series of strong-arm robberies that have happened on the Northwest Side.

In two of the robberies, the suspect approached the victims on the street, hit them in the head and took their purse.

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In another incident, the robber pulled out a gun, struck the victim in the head and took the victim's purse, police said.

The first robbery happened about 7 p.m. Sunday in the 3400 block of North Long Avenue. About 3 p.m. Wednesday, another person was robbed in the 3500 block of North Mobile Avenue.

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The third robbery happened about 2:45 p.m. Friday in the 5200 block of West Henderson Street, police said.

Police described one of the suspects as a black male, between 15 to 20 years old, about 5 feet tall and weighing about 100 pounds. The second suspect was also described as black, between 29 to 40 years old, about 5-foot-6 to 5-foot-10, and weighing between 180 to 200 pounds.

Anyone with information about the robberies should contact the Area North Bureau of Detectives at 312-744-8263.
Family members identified Kajuan Raye, 19, of Dolton, as the man who was fatally shot by police in Chicago's West Englewood neighborhood on Nov. 23, 2016. (Provided by Kajuan Raye's family)

Chicago police on Saturday took the most serious action possible against an officer believed to have shot and killed a 19-year-old in West Englewood.

In a statement regarding the Wednesday shooting of Kajuan Raye, who so far appears to have been unarmed, spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said Superintendent Eddie Johnson "has relieved the involved officer of his police powers."

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"Having been a police officer for 28 years, I know that this job is not easy and the decision to use force is extremely complex and must be made in seconds without the benefits of formal reviews and deliberations," Johnson said. "However, based on the little information we know at this point, I have concerns about this incident and feel this decision is in the best interest of the department and the people of Chicago as we await a methodical and impartial investigation into exactly what transpired."

Raye, of south suburban Dolton, died of a gunshot wound to the back, according to the Cook County medical examiner's office. His death was ruled a homicide, the office said.

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Although the unnamed officer who was involved said the teen pointed a gun at him, Johnson said during a Thanksgiving Day news conference that a grid search failed to uncover a gun.

"We were not able to locate a weapon as of yet," Johnson said in remarks at police headquarters on the South Side. "We have some missing information in our timeline."

Guglielmi reiterated the missing information in the department's chronology of events on Saturday and said relieving an officer of police powers is the most serious action the department can take during an open investigation.

"After considerable deliberation over the evidence and available facts including: preliminary information from detectives; the unsuccessful canvass for a weapon; and last night's preliminary findings from the Medical Examiner, Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson has relieved the involved officer of his police powers pending the completion of IPRA's case," Guglielmi said, referring to the Independent Police Review Authority.

It wasn't immediately known how often such measures have been taken in the past, however, standard procedure calls for an officer to be placed on administrative duty during the investigation.

Police, including an Englewood District police sergeant, responded at 11:07 p.m. Wednesday to a battery in progress in the 1400 block of West 65th Street, Johnson said earlier.

The sergeant spotted a man who "matched the description of the offender" in the battery, Johnson said. The sergeant identified himself as an officer and approached the man, but he began to run and the sergeant gave chase.

During the pursuit the man "turned and pointed" a weapon at the sergeant two separate times, which led the sergeant to shoot him, Johnson said.

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Raye was taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, where he was later pronounced dead at 11:51 p.m. He lived in the 1400 block of East 156th Street in Dolton, according to the medical examiner's office.

"Unfortunately, we still don't have a complete synopsis of exactly how and what transpired," Johnson told reporters Thursday. "There is still a lot of investigating going on."

No officers were injured during the incident.

Early Thursday, police blocked off the intersection of 65th Street and Marshfield Avenue along with surrounding alleys. Officers searched vacant lots using rakes and flashlights. An officer with a police dog could be seen searching a parking lot near the intersection.

IPRA is investigating the shooting. Its spokeswoman Mia Sissac said the Englewood District does not have body cameras, so investigators were looking for people who may have seen the incident or may have captured it on video.

Chicago police Superintendent Eddie Johnson and activist Ja'Mal Green speak to the media Nov. 24, 2016, about the fatal shooting by police of a 19-year-old man. (Abel Uribe / Chicago Tribune) (Abel Uribe / Chicago Tribune/Chicago Tribune)

"We would hope that people would allow for some time. As we continue to go through the process we will learn more about the case," Sissac said.

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Community activists also spoke to reporters outside police headquarters Thursday and decried what they said was a lack of transparency in the Police Department.

"I'm sickened," Ja'Mal Green said. "It does not take a day to find a gun. They (cops) messed up.

"Right now the city has to pay for what it has done," Green said.

Ald. Raymond Lopez, who represents the 15th Ward, where the shooting occurred, was also at police headquarters. "It's just sad," he said.

According to Cook County court records, Raye had pleaded guilty to a theft charge in September 2015, and he was given one year of court supervision. In 2016, records show Raye violated supervision and an arrest warrant was issued in his name July 25.

Standing outside a family home in the Brainerd neighborhood Thursday morning, Ahkeya White said the family was told that Raye, her cousin, had been standing with a friend at a bus stop near the intersection of 64th Street and Ashland Avenue just before the shooting happened.

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The bus stop is less than half a mile away from where police said the sergeant had responded for the battery call.

After spending time at a home of a friend's mother, White said, her cousin was waiting for a bus to return to Dolton when the officer approached.

"They are saying that it was, you know, a battery, but if that's the case, the police officer showed up, it was only one person in the car," she said. "If they are responding to a call, why is it only one person in the car? Then you pull up to the bus stop. So something is off and we need answers."

Ahkeya White describes the events after her cousin was fatally shot Nov. 23, 2016, by Chicago police in the 6500 block of Marshfield Avenue in Chicago's West Englewood neighborhood. (Armando L. Sanchez / Chicago Tribune) (Armando L. Sanchez / Chicago Tribune/Chicago Tribune)

She said the officer got out of his car and told Raye and his friend to go to the police car. That's when Raye and his friend ran, prompting the sergeant to run after her cousin.

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Raye was shot once in the abdomen, White said.

She disputes that her cousin was armed during the incident. "There was no gun," she said.

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As news began spreading about the shooting and relatives gathered at the hospital, White said she wondered why the shooting happened.

"Why, because I know he didn't do anything to deserve it," she said. "We want answers, but there's really no explanation for what happened other than this is what's been going on, and it seems, you know, that this is the norm. But it's unacceptable, it's unacceptable."

She described her cousin as a typical 19-year-old who was figuring out what he wanted to do. The family had been urging him to return to school to get his GED.

"Tears are flowing and we are praying," she said. "We'll miss him greatly."

Wednesday's shooting happened about a mile from where officers on Nov. 18 fatally shot a man after seeing him shoot and wound another man, according to officials.
Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign has been quietly exploring whether there was any "outside interference" in the election results and will participate in the election recount in Wisconsin initiated by Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein, a Clinton campaign lawyer revealed Saturday.

In a Medium post, Clinton campaign lawyer Marc Elias wrote that the campaign had received "hundreds of messages, emails, and calls urging us to do something, anything, to investigate claims that the election results were hacked and altered in a way to disadvantage Secretary Clinton," especially in Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania, where the "combined margin of victory for Donald Trump was merely 107,000 votes."

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Elias wrote that the campaign had "not uncovered any actionable evidence of hacking or outside attempts to alter the voting technology." But because of the margin of victory  and because of the degree of apparent foreign interference during the campaign  Elias wrote that Clinton officials had "quietly taken a number of steps in the last two weeks to rule in or out any possibility of outside interference in the vote tally in these critical battleground states." He wrote they would also participate in the Stein-initiated recount in Wisconsin, and if Stein made good on efforts to prompt similar processes in Pennsylvania and Michigan, they would do so there, as well.

"The campaign is grateful to all those who have expended time and effort to investigate various claims of abnormalities and irregularities," Elias wrote. "While that effort has not, in our view, resulted in evidence of manipulation of results, now that a recount is underway, we believe we have an obligation to the more than 64 million Americans who cast ballots for Hillary Clinton to participate in ongoing proceedings to ensure that an accurate vote count will be reported."

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The presidential campaign was marked by fears that Russian hacking might affect the outcome, especially after Russian hackers penetrated the computer network of the Democratic National Committee and were found to have attempted intrusions on voter registration databases. The Washington Post also recently reported, citing researchers who tracked the phenomenon, that Russians created and spread fake news about the election with the apparent goal of helping Donald Trump.

During the campaign, Clinton criticized Trump for refusing to say that he would accept the election results if Clinton won. Asked during an October debate whether he would do so, Trump responded that he would "keep you in suspense." Clinton called that answer "horrifying" and said Trump was "talking down our democracy."

"Donald Trump refused to say that he'd respect the results of this election," her campaign later posted on Twitter. "By doing that, he's threatening our democracy."

In recent days, though, it is Clinton's supporters who have raised questions about the outcome of the election. A viral post spread by some Clinton backers, including actress Debra Messing, suggested  falsely  that the Justice Department was "tallying calls" from people who wanted an audit of the 2016 election and urged people to make their displeasure known.

"Even if it's busy, keep calling," said one version. "We should not back down from this."

New York Magazine then reported that Clinton was being urged "by a group of prominent computer scientists and election lawyers" to call for a recount in Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania, and the group had some evidence of possibly unusual activity. That fueled even more skepticism and calls for action by Clinton supporters.

The evidence of possible malfeasance, though, was limited. According to the magazine, the group found that Clinton "received 7 percent fewer votes in counties that relied on electronic-voting machines compared with counties that used optical scanners and paper ballots," and "Based on this statistical analysis, Clinton may have been denied as many as 30,000 votes; she lost Wisconsin by 27,000."

J. Alex Halderman, one of the academics reportedly involved, later wrote on Medium that the deviations were "probably not" the result of a cyberattack, but that "the only way to know whether a cyberattack changed the result is to closely examine the available physical evidence  paper ballots and voting equipment in critical states like Wisconsin, Michigan, and Pennsylvania."

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Posting a link to a New York Times story about Clinton supporters calling for a recount, senior Trump adviser Kellyanne Conway said, "Look who 'can't accept the election results.'"

Elias' post might fuel similar criticism. Notably, though, Clinton did not initiate the recount herself, and Elias wrote that the campaign had not planned to, because it had found no actionable evidence of hacking.

The Clinton campaign had investigated the matter extensively. Elias wrote the campaign had "lawyers and data scientists and analysts combing over the results to spot anomalies" and had also "monitored and staffed the post-election canvasses  where voting machine tapes are compared to poll-books, provisional ballots are resolved, and all of the math is double checked from election night." He wrote that the campaign had also met with outside experts and "attempted to systematically catalogue and investigate every theory that has been presented to us within our ability to do so."

Now that a recount effort was underway, Elias wrote that it was "important" to participate in the proceedings. He played down the idea that the recount would change the outcome.

"We do so fully aware that the number of votes separating Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton in the closest of these states  Michigan  well exceeds the largest margin ever overcome in a recount," Elias wrote. "But regardless of the potential to change the outcome in any of the states, we feel it is important, on principle, to ensure our campaign is legally represented in any court proceedings and represented on the ground in order to monitor the recount process itself."

Brian Fallon, a spokesman for the Clinton campaign, rejected the notion that the campaign's actions might suggest to some that it was not accepting the election results.

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"The post says we would not have sought the recount on our own, that we see no evidence of tampering so far, and acknowledge the margin in Michigan, which is the tightest of the three, exceeds the largest deficit ever overcome in a recount," Fallon wrote to The Washington Post. "We note we are guarding our prerogatives now that someone else has launched a recount. Not sure what you could point to to suggest there is anything here that calls the results into question."

A Trump spokeswoman did not immediately return a message seeking comment.
MADISON, Wis.  An election recount will take place soon in Wisconsin, after former Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein filed a petition Friday with the state's Elections Commission, the first of three states where she has promised to contest the election result.

The move from Stein, who raised millions since her Wednesday announcement that she would seek recounts of Donald Trump's apparent election victories in Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and Michigan, came just 90 minutes before Wisconsin's 5 p.m. Friday deadline to file a petition. Now it will keep some hope alive for many Hillary Clinton supporters for another few weeks while Wisconsin recounts ballots before a Dec. 13 deadline.

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Trump scored upset victories in Wisconsin and Pennsylvania, and seems on the path to declare a victory in Michigan as well, although the result of the election in that state will not be certified officially until Monday. Had Clinton won those three states, previously seen as part of the Democrats' "firewall," she would have secured enough votes in the Electoral College to win the election.

Stein announced her intention to file the petition following reports that a group of data experts and election lawyers were urging Clinton to demand a recount in those three states, on suspicion that a cyberattack could have manipulated the results of the election in those states. While the group had no specific proof of hacking, they noted irregularities suggesting Clinton routinely did more poorly in Wisconsin counties that used voting machines, as opposed to those that relied on paper ballots.

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Trump secured a total of 1,404,000 votes in Wisconsin, according to the commission; Clinton had 1,381,823. Stein secured 31,006 votes.

To be on the safe side, the group of experts urged a recount - but it was Stein's campaign that ended up demanding one, soliciting at first $2.5 million and later up to $7 million to fund the recounts. As of Friday evening, Stein's campaign reported taking in over $5.25 million in recount-related donations - the most by a third-party candidate in history.

Wisconsin has the first deadline of the three states in question. If Stein's campaign wishes to file recount petitions in the other states as promised, she must do so by Monday to meet Pennsylvania's deadline, and Wednesday to meet Michigan's deadline.

In the end, Stein was not the only presidential candidate to demand a recount. Roque "Rocky" De La Fuente, the Reform Party nominee who got 1,514 Wisconsin votes, also filed a recount petition, according to the state's Elections Commission.

In a statement, Wisconsin Elections Commission Administrator Michael Haas guessed that the cost and complexity of the recount would be in excess of the state's last recount in 2011, which carried a price tag of more than $520,000. In that recount over a state Supreme Court seat, the commission had to recount 1.5 million votes - about half the 2.975 million ballot votes that were cast during the 2016 presidential election.

Stein put a note on her Facebook page on Friday, asking supporters "to consider volunteering to help in the recount process."

The county boards of canvassers will conduct the recount, according to the commission's statement, and will have the authority "to decide which ballots should and should not be counted," Haas said.

If the candidates disagree with the results of the Wisconsin recount, they will have five business days to contest the outcome in court.
Trump has named Kathleen "KT" McFarland, left, to serve as deputy national security adviser. Don McGahn, right, named to White House counsel post. (Jason DeCrow / AP, Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

President-elect Donald Trump on Friday named a libertarian election lawyer as his White House counsel and a hard-line former Reagan administration official to a top post on his national security staff.

Trump announced that Donald McGahn, a controversial former member of the Federal Election Commission who had served as Trump's campaign lawyer, will be his White House counsel.

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In that job, McGahn will serve as the president's legal adviser - a job that in the past has involved occasionally arguing to restrain what the chief executive wants to do.

"It will be interesting to see how Don's suspicion of government - his deep libertarianism - will affect his advice on questions of executive authority," said Bob Bauer, who served as White House counsel for President Barack Obama. "And as somebody who has never shied away from a fight, he would not likely be a 'yes man' in this or any other aspect of the job."

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For deputy national security adviser, Trump chose Kathleen "KT" McFarland, who in her most recent role as a Fox News analyst has expressed strident opposition to many of President Obama's national security policies.

She will serve as deputy under National Security Adviser-designee Michael Flynn, a retired lieutenant general and a fierce critic of Obama's stances on Islamist extremism.

McGahn, one of the country's top election lawyers, is not a standard-issue Washington insider. Until recently, he wore his hair to his shoulders. He also plays bass in an '80s cover band.

He spent nearly 10 years as counsel for the National Republican Congressional Committee. During his tenure on the Federal Election Commission from 2008 to 2013, he led a GOP faction that was criticized for loosening enforcement of regulations on campaign spending.

The commission's top lawyer resigned when McGahn attempted to keep his office from sharing information with federal prosecutors. But he also won praise for opening up many formerly closed-door deliberations.

"In some ways, he's not a surprising choice for a Trump administration. He's a total disrupter like Trump," said Ellen Weintraub, a Democratic appointee to the FEC who often tangled with McGahn.

At a recent news conference, Obama credited the work of his White House counsels - he has had four of them in his eight years as president - for the fact that his tenure as president has been relatively scandal-free.

"We listened to the lawyers," Obama said, "and we had a strong White House Counsel's Office. We had a strong Ethics Office. We had people in every agency whose job it was to remind people, this is how you're supposed to do things."

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Trump's presidency will present his White House counsel with new - and unprecedented - sets of challenges.

The president-elect has said that his family will continue to run his global business enterprises, which could raise a host of potential conflicts of interest as he makes policy decisions at home and in dealing with foreign governments.

During his presidential campaign, Trump also suggested that he will take an expansive approach to executive power.

Among other things, Trump has talked of establishing a religious test for immigrants and setting up a national stop-and-frisk program, despite the fact that policing policies are considered to be in the purview of state and local governments.

Neither McGahn nor McFarland will require Senate confirmation.

McFarland praised Trump's judgment on international affairs. "Nobody has called foreign policy right more than President-elect Trump, and he gets no credit for it,'' she said.

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The announcement included bipartisan statements of support from former senator Joe Lieberman, who was the Democratic Party's 2000 vice presidential nominee, and Robert "Bud" McFarlane, who worked with McFarland as then-President Ronald Reagan's national security adviser.

"As a friend and colleague, I've watched KT's depth of knowledge and understanding grow,'' said McFarlane, who called Trump's choice " one of our country's most insightful national security analysts.''

McFarland served on the National Security Council during the Nixon, Ford and Reagan administrations.

As a national security analyst and contributor for Fox News since 2010, she has called Obama weak on counterterrorism, criticized what she calls "open borders" in Europe and echoed Trump's calls for a crackdown on letting Syrian refugees into the United States because of potential terrorism fears.

Along with Flynn, McFarland is likely to preside over a much smaller National Security Council than now, as Congress will soon vote on a national defense policy bill that is likely to reduce the size of the president's in-house foreign policy advisory body. She once ran, unsuccessfully, for the Republican nomination to challenge Hillary Clinton for her Senate seat in New York.

The new administration appointees came as Trump remained at his Florida estate on Friday, keeping a limited Thanksgiving weekend schedule while speaking with more foreign leaders and preparing for further staff and Cabinet announcements.

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Trump is planning no further personnel announcements until at least Monday, aides said Friday morning in a conference call with reporters.

Trump has spoken with five more foreign leaders since leaving New York for Florida on Tuesday, his transition team said.

They include two of Europe's most high-profile populist heads of state: Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, a left-wing leader who came to power after a series of recessions and whose term has been marked by some of the most dramatic moments of the Greek debt crisis; and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, a right-wing leader whose policies have included a push to reject the migrants flowing into Europe from the war-torn Middle East.

At various points, both leaders have also broken from the rest of European Union members to pursue a closer relationship with Russia since the EU began to sanction Moscow over its activities in Ukraine.

Trump - whose campaign focused in part on populist issues such as trade and who has faced criticism for his frequent praise of Russian President Vladimir Putin - also spoke with the president of Slovenia, the country where his wife, Melania, was born.

After leaving Florida on Sunday, Trump plans to meet with at least seven possible job candidates on Monday, including several business executives, Oklahoma attorney general Scott Pruitt (R) and Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke.

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People familiar with the selection process have said Clarke is in contention to be Trump's homeland security secretary, along with other candidates, including: Marine Gen. John Kelly, former chief of U.S. Southern Command; Frances Townsend, a top homeland security and counterterrorism official in the George W. Bush administration, and Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee.

Clarke, a vocal Trump supporter, could be a controversial choice because of his strong views, including a statement comparing the Black Lives Matter movement to the Islamic State.

Trump is also preparing to select Wilbur Ross for commerce secretary, according to officials with knowledge of the decision. Ross is a billionaire investor considered the "king of bankruptcy" for buying beaten-down companies with the potential to deliver profits.

Ross helped shape the Trump campaign's economic agenda, particularly its hard-line stance on the need to renegotiate - or even withdraw from - free trade agreements. That position resonated with the working-class voters who were instrumental in delivering Trump's upset victory. Elevating Ross to a position in his Cabinet could suggest that Trump intends to nurture the nationalist streak that was one of the hallmarks of his campaign.

Transition aides declined to comment Friday on Ross's likely selection, or the possible choice of Ben Carson to be secretary of housing and urban development. Trump had tweeted Tuesday that he is "seriously considering" Carson for the HUD post, and Carson tweeted Wednesday that "an announcement is forthcoming about my role in helping to make America great again,'' though he declined to be more specific.

Carson, a retired neurosurgeon who has no known experience with housing issues, ran against Trump in the Republican primary before becoming an adviser and confidant.

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Ben Terris contributed to this report.
Cuban rebel leader Fidel Castro, surrounded by the members of his guerrilla movement, listens to a musical performance in the Cuban jungle in 1958. (AFP/Getty Images)

As a young political firebrand, Fidel Castro railed against two adversaries: Gen. Fulgencio Batista, who had seized control of Cuba in a 1952 coup, and the United States, whose influence on Cuban affairs Castro deeply resented. It took seven years, but Castro and a band of revolutionaries ousted Batista in January 1959. The U.S. remained a bitter foe throughout his life.

Castro's death at age 90 was announced late Friday by his brother Raul, 85, to whom he ceded power in 2006 after undergoing complicated abdominal surgery for a still-unexplained illness.

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Since then, the younger Castro has presided over a historic thaw in relations between Cuba and the U.S. In December 2014, the nations announced steps to re-establish diplomatic ties. In March, Barack Obama became the first sitting U.S. president to visit Cuba since 1928; he has called on the U.S. Congress to end a failed 52-year trade embargo against Cuba. As the changes unfolded, the ailing elder Castro was mostly silent and rarely seen.

With his trademark beard, military fatigues  and, until the mid-1980s, the ever-present Cohiba  Castro held fast for decades to the image of the strapping revolutionary. Though his enemies were quick to note occasional signs of declining health, he appeared fit and feisty well into his 70s, relishing any opportunity to muse aloud before a captive audience for six or seven hours. Every speech was a chance to boast about his regime's successes  a vaunted education system, cradle-to-grave social programs, free medical care  and to blame its failures on the American imperialists.

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Castro's Cuba was a one-party state with a virtual one-man government. He served simultaneously as president of the Council of State and the Council of Ministers, first secretary of the Communist Party and commander of the military.

Members of the Communist Party of India carry placards bearing the image of former Cuban President Fidel Castro during a remembrance rally in Chennai on Nov. 26, 2016. (Arun Sankar / AFP/Getty Images)

Castro demanded complete loyalty and brooked no dissent. His government controlled the media and jammed radio and TV signals to prevent outside broadcasts from reaching the island. Cuba's universities, he explained, "are available only to those who share my revolutionary beliefs." His enemies were imprisoned or, especially in the early days, executed. The Cuban people regarded him with a mix of fear and admiration that sustained his hold on power for longer than any political figure of his time.

At first celebrated as a hero in Cuba, Castro quickly alienated the U.S. government as he moved to nationalize commercial and agricultural industries. He confiscated thousands of acres of farmland, outlawed foreign land ownership and seized property owned by Cubans and American corporations. The U.S. quickly severed ties and enacted the trade embargo. Disillusioned middle- and upper-class Cubans who first supported Castro fled the island, mostly for South Florida. Castro, meanwhile, nursed a budding friendship with the Soviet Union.

That bond grew stronger as relations with the U.S. grew increasingly hostile. First there was the CIA-sponsored Bay of Pigs invasion, a failed attempt by exiles to reclaim the island in 1961. By the end of the year, Castro had declared himself a Marxist-Leninist and Cuba a communist nation. The next year, the world was brought to the brink of nuclear war when the U.S. learned that Castro had agreed to let the USSR install missiles in Cuba.

For three decades, the Soviets showered Cuba with billions in economic and military aid. With the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, that aid terminated abruptly, plunging Cuba into poverty. But Castro made other friends. He maintained and strengthened trade relationships with many U.S. allies, and cultivated friendships with leftist leaders like Venezuela's Hugo Chavez, who provided billions in oil and other subsidies until his death in 2013.

By then, the ailing Castro's rambling anti-American missives had stopped appearing in the communist-run newspaper, Granma. His long public absences gave rise to frequent rumors of his death, openly celebrated by his enemies in the aging South Florida exile community. In Cuba, meanwhile, Raul Castro eased restrictions on travel and allowed Cubans greater access to cellphones and the internet. Increasingly, they are allowed to own and sell property and to run their own businesses, giving them a taste of a life they couldn't afford on state salaries that average $25 a month.

In April, Fidel Castro rallied to speak at the Communist Party Congress. Dressed in a blue Adidas track suit that had replaced the olive-drab fatigues as his health declined, a frail Castro appealed to Cubans to "fight without truce" to preserve the communist ideals they have largely abandoned as self-defeating or irrelevant. "Maybe this is the last time I will speak in this hall," he said, and it was.

The ever-resilient Castro turned out to be mortal after all. His revolution survives him  but for how long?
When Obamacare was being negotiated, Republicans were on the committee. They put in poison pills. Republicans complain about being able to keep your doctor. President Barack Obama didn't say he could force your doctor to agree to Obamacare's rules and restrictions. The medical industry has raised prices and gamed the system. Pharmaceutical companies rip us off because of former President George W. Bush's pharmaceutical plan that says we cannot negotiate with them. They move to other countries, pay taxes elsewhere and bill us three or four times as much as any other country. Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton's plan included leveling off Obamacare and the prescription drug program so Republicans got away with lying about it. Shame on you, voters.

Are you kidding me? Chicago aldermen wanted to punish President-elect Donald Trump for telling the truth about Chicago's problems. The aldermen can't handle the truth. They should have been taking care of the problems instead of going after Trump.

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Bill, Tinley Park

Does passage of the so-called Safe Roads Amendment give the General Assembly the ability to divert money collected for road repairs to fund the proposed third airport, the high-speed train project or the Illiana Expressway toll road?

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I've spoken to several people from Indiana and Vice President-elect Mike Pence is not what he says. Indiana is not happy with him as governor. Also, most likely if he were to run for re-election he would have lost. If you ever traveled in Indiana during the winter you can't get through the roads.

Daily Southtown Twice-weekly News updates from the south suburbs delivered every Monday and Wednesday >

I wonder if there's any connection between funeral parlors and insurance issuers. A couple of years ago the average cost of death to a family was about $7,600. Now it's up by $3,300. Is that with the insurance cost? Well, think about it. Before the insurance company got into it, it cost less for funerals. Now, all of a sudden it costs more because they found out insurance companies will pay, so they charged more. There are a lot of commercials all over the place. It's going to cost more. The funeral parlor charges more to get more from the insurance companies. That's all. It's pretty simple. It's basic arithmetic.

We have more and more politicians who are corrupt and that don't believe in being honest with voters and taxpayers. It should be a mandatory federal law that they all be required to take a polygraph test every single year. Term limits would be perfect. We wouldn't have any pension crisis ever. Think about it. The taxpayers and voters better wake up and get smart. We're the land of corruption. That's what we should be called.

RC, Oak Lawn

Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton was worried about President-elect Donald Trump's taxes and his losses. How about her loss of lives in Benghazi, Libya, in 2012 and all her frauds and corruption in the White House with her husband, former President Bill Clinton? We didn't need Bill Clinton in the White House again. She had no room to talk.

John, Hegewisch

What's Speak Out?

Speak Out allows readers to comment on the issues of the day. Email Speak Out at speakout@southtownstar.com or call 312-222-2427. Please limit comments to 30 seconds or about 120 words and give your first name and your hometown.
Lauren Bright looks at a pair of antique skis with her father, Tom, Saturday at one of the stores in State Street Market, which has been open in Elgin for more than 30 years. (Jon Langham / The Courier-News)

Lynn Jones has been a small business owner for more than three decades, running her shop at the State Street Market in Elgin. The market  a business co-op with 31 individually owned shops  is a mecca for small businesses, Jones said.

"I always felt this was a beautiful place for people to start their business and get a good start," she said. "We all work together as a team. We can help people who don't know how to start a business and get them on track. This has been a nice environment to grow."

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On Saturday, it was also a place that customers sought out to support on Small Business Saturday, market Manager Colleen Missbach said. The awareness is increasing thanks to advertising and the market's own marketing, she said.

Missbach thinks people are reaching their limit on Black Friday and Cyber Monday shopping and like the idea of supporting mom-and-pop operations, she said.

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Jones' business, Golden Chain jewelry, started out as a small operation, with she and husband investing just $300, Jones said. She went to a lot of jewelry shows and sold pieces to other jewelers, constantly reinvesting in the business, she said. It grew through word of mouth and returning customers, she said.

Ultimately, she and her late husband, Jim, moved their four stores into one State Street Market shop 37 years ago. Jones, a former School District U-46 art teacher, designs original pieces and redesigns anything customers bring to her. She also sells new jewelry.

Small shops like Jones' is what Rebecca Hendershott, of Elgin, was looking for as she browsed Saturday. "We make it a point of coming here on Small Business Saturday," she said.

What she likes about State Street Market is the "uniqueness of everything," Hendershott said. "We have a big family and a range of interests. There's a little bit of everything here and I can find something for everyone."

Hendershott was planning to eat at an Elgin restaurant as another way to support local businesses, she said. She loves the idea of the day because small businesses "get lost in the crowd, between Black Friday and Cyber Monday, during the holiday season," she said.

Gloria Casas is a freelance reporter for The Courier-News.
Shoppers wait in line outside the Apple Store at Northbrook Court before 8 a.m. on Black Friday, Nov. 25, 2016. (Alexandra Kukulka / Pioneer Press)

Black Friday shopping started off calmly at Northbrook Court shopping center as shoppers and families with young children came to the mall throughout the morning.

At 8 a.m., shoppers walked the hallways of the different sections of the mall, before the crowd grew steadily throughout the morning. The Apple and Lego stores were particularly busy.

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Stavroula Antonopoulos, a candy stand worker, said she opened the Get Happy stand at 5:50 a.m. Though she made a few sales, Antonopoulos said the morning was slower than she had anticipated.

"It's been slow today. For mornings, it's busier than normal but not too hectic. We anticipated it being a lot busier," she said.

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Northbrook residents and siblings Andy Kohl and Chris Beeftink have gone Black Friday shopping together for the last six years at Northbrook Court, Kohl said. The pair came to the shopping center at 6 a.m., and Kohl said that there are fewer people in the early morning hours.

"The crowds will come later so it is good to come early," Beeftink said.

The pair came shopping to get an early start on Christmas shopping, Beeftink said.

Watching his 1-year-old daughter Addi, Northbrook resident Steve Tucker said his family came to Northbrook Court so Addi can play in the tree house in the children's play area.

While he watched his daughter and son, Tucker said his wife was at a toy store buying gifts for the children and extended family.

"It's rare for us to come out on Black Friday," Tucker said. "With the convenience of shopping online and stores extending their deals, Black Friday is starting to be a trend that isn't as exciting as it used to be."

Sitting at a Starbucks inside the mall, Laura Cronce and her mother Karen Cronce prepared to shop. The two live in Wisconsin, but came to Northbrook Court because they spent Thanksgiving with family in Batavia, Karen said.

Laura said this was the first year she went shopping on Black Friday with her mother, but she goes every year with friends.

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"(Black Friday) is more of a holiday for me than Thanksgiving," she said.

Margaret Overholt, an Evanston resident, said that she enjoyed Black Friday shopping at Northbrook Court because it wasn't crowded and the deals were good. She said she came to the shopping center at 7:30 a.m.

"I want to get some gifts for friends and family, and I also need a few sweaters. I just enjoy the deals," Overholt said.

Kyle Pekosh, a Glenview resident, said he was at the shopping center at 6 a.m. to get a start on Christmas shopping for the family. He said he has gone Black Friday shopping at Northbrook Court for the last three years.

"It's fun to get up early and kick off the Christmas season. You can get your gifts out of the way," he said.

akukulka@chicagotribune.com
Alexander Chung, seated, and his wife Tricia check out shoes Saturday at Naperville Running Company in downtown Naperville. Chung, a farmer from Peru, Ill., said he understands the importance of Small Business Saturday. Im all for it," he said. "Without local businesses and supporting them, towns die. (David Sharos / Naperville Sun)

Shoppers in downtown Naperville were ready to go shopping Saturday, making a point of shopping local on Small Business Saturday.

"I've lived here almost 20 years, and if I can go to a small business rather than a corporate store, I try to do that because I think it's important people support their community," Naperville resident Janet Beyer said.

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Beyer was shopping with her daughter, Kathryn, of Chicago.

"To me, I like the fact that you get to know the owners, Kathryn Beyer said. "I feel there is room for the big corporations and the small businesses as well. But I've made an effort to get out on this day and support small businesses every year."

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While the morning crowd was a little light, merchants hoped the mild temperatures would mean lots of foot traffic Saturday afternoon and through the weekend.

Todd Tietz, manager of Two Bostons Pet Boutique in downtown Naperville, said it was not unexpected that shoppers might be trickling in rather than rushing given that so many were probably lured out early the day by Black Friday deals.

"A lot of people got up at four or five in the morning yesterday, but over the years, I've seen a lot more relaxed atmosphere on Small Business Saturday and there are often a lot more families out," Tietz said. "There's no super rush to get the $50 TV, and it's just a lot more casual."

Patty Piasecki, of Woodridge, was ready to hit the downtown stores after finishing her Saturday morning yoga class, she said.

"I'm now in the proper mental state for a day of shopping," Piasecki said. "I make a deliberate effort to go out today and start hitting my Christmas list. I didn't do Black Friday and deliberately waited for today."

Lisle resident Kathy Kaufman, heading to Anderson's Bookshop, spoke about the local downtown retailer's importance in the community.

"I work in (Naperville School) District 203 and Anderson's has been an amazing resource for schools throughout the area," she said. "They are important not only as a local retailer, but because of the way they support the local schools and foster literacy."

Alexander and Tricia Chung, of Peru, Ill., made a stop in at the downtown Apple store to have a problem with their phone looked at before heading to the Naperville Running Company. As a farmer, Alexander Chung said he understands the importance of small businesses.

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"I'm all for it. Without local businesses and supporting them, towns die," he said. "I like the fact that shopping at the mom-and-pop shops is more interactive and they get to know you one on one."

"I work as a receptionist in an eye care clinic that is run by a husband and wife, so I definitely get what small businesses are all about," Tricia Chung added. "I agree that there is a lot more personal connection."

Kelly Herkert, of Plainfield, and her husband Brian opened a new sandwich shop, Everdine's, in downtown Naperville a little more than a week ago and are happy to be part of the local small business community.

"We feel awesome about it and feel that Naperville could use more mom-and-pop stores like this one," Kelly Herkert said. "When we were both growing up here in Naperville, there were more family-owned restaurants, like Washington Square that was here forever. Places like ours often give kids their first work experience."

Black Friday bargain hunters

If Small Business Saturday was for those seeking a calm and relaxing shopping experience, the frenzy of Black Friday at the Fox Valley Mall in Aurora and the big box stores along Route 59 was the polar opposite.

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Plainfield resident Brenda Walsh, for example, said she could have spent the day after Thanksgiving sleeping off the previous day's big meal or relaxing at home in her slippers, but there was work to be done at the Fox Valley Mall in Aurora.

"I have two twin daughters and their birthday is Saturday, so we started shopping on Black Friday for their birthday about four years ago, even though I never did it before," Walsh said.

Emma and Sara Walsh, both 13, said their goal was to get to Victoria Secret's Pink store Friday.

"That's what I'm here for," Emma Walsh said.

While online shopping for the holidays continues to grow and many stores have started offering pre-Thanksgiving deals, stores along the Route 59 corridor still had plenty of bargain-hunters queuing up before sunrise Friday morning.

The line at the Best Buy store just south of the Fox Valley Mall started gathering before 5 a.m. even though the store was not scheduled to open until 8 a.m., said Melissa Naberhaus of Syracuse, N.Y., who elected to bring a blanket and sit on the concrete for nearly three hours to buy her parents a television.

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"If it was about 10 degrees colder, I might not do this," Naberhaus said. "Normally, I'm not a Black Friday shopper, but this is a door buster and my parents want a TV."

Parvell Durham, of Aurora, likewise said he was looking for 55-inch Sharp TV that would cost only $249.

"I'm looking to upgrade as I'm getting a new apartment," Durham said. "I read about the TV last night in the paper and decided to get up this morning and get in line."

Things were a bit slower at the Fox Valley Mall, but it, too, had its share of early morning shoppers looking for bargains only available to the early birds.

Olivia Madden, of Ottawa, said her hope "was to get some deals on all of the beautiful stores here  especially on clothes."

"I don't come every year for Black Friday, but I do like to check out the deals," Madden said.

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Ray Ristich, manager of the Fox Valley Zales Jewelry store, predicted this would be a great holiday season.

"We were basically ignored while the Cubs were in the playoffs as everyone was out partying and drinking, but now our numbers are really starting to explode," Ristich said. "We do 60 percent of our sales for the year during the holidays, and we've already sold out of some of our jewelry lines."

Jane Skalak, of Naperville, was spotted trying on coats in one of the mall's department stores.

"Unlike some people, I've been working at night and haven't gone to bed yet," said Skalak, a nurse at Oak Crest Retirement Center in DeKalb. "I had people who cooked and fed me yesterday, and then I went off to work."

While Black Friday is always a big draw, some shoppers  including Skalak  said they were also looking to shop during Small Business Saturday, a national event aimed at supporting small and locally owned stores.

"There are a lot of wonderful boutiques and independent businesses in downtown Naperville that I like to support," Skalak said.

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David Sharos is a freelance reporter for the Naperville Sun.
President-elect Donald Trump and Vice President-elect Mike Pence meet Nov. 19 with businesswoman Betsy DeVos at Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, N.J..Trump named DeVos as his nominee for Education Secretary. (DON EMMERT / AFP/Getty Images)

The email press release didn't seem too surprising when it popped into my inbox Monday morning.

"Vice President-elect Governor Mike Pence today appointed Amy Jorgensen as the new Hammond City Court Judge," the release stated.

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As usual, I immediately posted it on my social media sites and then returned to write my next column. I didn't think much of it, despite the fact I never heard of Jorgensen and I didn't know a new city judge was needed for Hammond.

"Amy Jorgensen possesses the intellect and temperament to make an excellent judge," Pence stated in the release. "I am confident that she will serve the community of Hammond with distinction, and I thank her for stepping forward in this capacity."

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Within an hour after posting the release on social media, I received a call from Hammond City Hall.

"The mayor would like to talk with you," a mayoral aide told me.

An hour later, I called Hammond Mayor Thomas McDermott Jr., pretty much knowing what was on his mind  the new appointment in his city. What I didn't know was that he knew nothing about it until he read my social media post that morning.

"Your Facebook post was my source today, Jerry," McDermott told me, clearly angry about the news of the day and how he found out. "I had to tell the news to Judge (Gerald) Kray, who was appointed by the Indiana Supreme Court. He was never told either about this, until I just told him. This is a joke.

"Pence's office has more respect for media than he does for local government," he added. "It's the most political appointment you can make."

McDermott also questioned Jorgensen's credentials to be his city's new judge.

Pence's release stated that Jorgensen has owned and operated numerous Sylvan Learning franchises, and she currently works to provide tutoring programs for low-income students in Hammond, Gary and East Chicago.

"Born in Hammond," the release smartly noted, "Jorgensen received her undergraduate degree from Purdue University and earned her law degree from the Valparaiso University School of Law. Jorgensen's peers have noted her commitment to serving those in low-income communities, especially with regard to education."

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I can't speak about her qualifications for this judgeship, but I can speak about such appointments when a new administration takes control at any level of government. As we know, it's sometimes not what you know but who you know.

Did you see who Republican Gov.-elect Eric Holcomb picked for his chief of staff, the top spot in his incoming administration? His old boss, Earl Goode, a retired phone company executive who also served as chief of staff under former Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels.

Goode will provide a "steady hand and voice of reason," Holcomb stated after the announcement.

Goode also will provide a trust factor in the governor's office, a quality that trumps many other factors when it comes to government officials. Their initial knee-jerk reaction after getting elected often prompts the same questions: Who can I trust? Who should I trust?

We are watching a similar dynamic at work with the ongoing selections of President-elect Donald Trump for his administration's open positions. In many ways, this process is serving as a preamble to a Trump-led America. For example, his recent selection of fellow billionaire Republican Betsy DeVos as Secretary of Education.

The political power broker from Michigan has no professional experience in schools, and she is a rather unconventional choice for such a federal level position. Again, however, similar to Pence's appointment of Jorgensen, I'd expect nothing else from Trump and his advisers.

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DeVos' hard-line stance on education vouchers for private schools is no secret, though I'm curious how she will direct a high-profile federal department that encompasses so many other complex issues in our country's education system.

What this likely means for public schooling in our country is that it will reflect the trend of public schooling, or lack thereof, in our state, under Pence and under Daniels before him.

How will it all shake out in a four-year term (or longer)? We're about to find out.

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This is the political intrigue about a new administration's selections, from Hammond to Indianapolis to Washington, D.C. We simply don't know how it will turn out in the long run. Even Trump voters and supporters are a bit confused.

After getting elected, Trump began softening his stances on several key campaign issues.

Is he now a smart pragmatist? Has he softened his views now that he wields power, or was he only using all that hyperbole to sway millions of voters?

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In a way, I feel badly for all the die-hard Trump voters who may have believed every one of his hard-line promises. No magical border wall (paid for by Mexico), no total repeal of Obamacare. And no banning of Muslims into our gated community, among other promises.

Too often we pretend that federal-level politics won't ripple into our little corner of our little state. But it does, sometimes eventually, other times inevitably. Just ask Judge Gerald Kray, who may be the Northwest Indiana canary in the Hoosier coal mine of many changes to come.

jdavich@post-trib.com

Twitter@jdavich
China and Latin America are at a new starting point in economic relations following Chinese President Xi Jinping's state visits to the region, experts have said.

Xi returned to Beijing Friday after wrapping up the tour to Ecuador, Peru, Chile, and attending the 24th Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders' Meeting.

During the week-long tour, Xi met with foreign leaders and representatives from different walks of life, and attended a string of bilateral and multilateral meetings and events.

China and Latin America ties have reached a new horizon, said Chile's former ambassador to China Fernando Reyes Matta when asked to comment on Xi's tour.

"Five or six years ago, we were merely talking about fundamental subjects like how to improve economic relations, but now we are discussing China-LatAm ties in the coming 10-15 years, and what direction the relations should take in the first half of the century," Reyes Matta said.

The former ambassador called on Latin American countries to make strategic plans from the point view of a global value chain in developing ties with China. "China has done a lot in this respect, while we neglected it for a long time."

At the APEC meeting in Lima, Peru, Xi put forward a series of key initiatives, injecting impetus to cooperation in the Asia-Pacific, as well as the development of the global economy.

The Chinese president highlighted economic globalization as an irresistible trend, calling for the promotion of trade and investment, and opposition to all forms of protectionism.

Wang Ping, head of the center for Latin America studies at Nankai University, highlighted "complementarity" in Xi's speech at the Peruvian Congress.

Xi said China should align China-LatAm relations with international and regional development, and make China-LatAm development strategies match on both sides.

"China will increase sharing of governance experience and improve planning and coordination of macro policies with Latin American and Caribbean states to better synergize our development plans and strategies," Xi said.

Echoing Xi's proposals, the Chinese government Thursday released its second policy paper on Latin America and the Caribbean, eight years after its first one in 2008.

The policy paper said that the development of China is not possible without the development of other developing countries, including countries in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Since 2013, the Chinese leadership has set forth a series of major initiatives and measures on strengthening China's relations and cooperation with Latin America and the Caribbean, which have provided new development goals and been a driving force in relations.

Building on previous achievements, the paper on Latin America and the Caribbean draws a blueprint for the future, explains new ideas, proposals and initiatives in China's Latin America and Caribbean policy for a new era, and ensures China's cooperation with Latin America and the Caribbean.

While addressing the Peruvian Congress, Xi also set out Chinese policies on Latin America. He proposed that China, Latin America and the Caribbean seek synergy in development strategies, improve cooperation and bring benefits to their peoples.

His proposal outlined the path to building a China-Latin America community of common destiny and opened up broader prospects for the development of China-Latin America ties.

Wang Yi, the Chinese foreign minister, said Ecuador, Peru and Chile, are all at a crucial development stage and have a strong aspiration to deepen ties with China.

Xi's visits, his first to the countries as head of state, are a historic event in China-Latin America relations, Wang said.

An important consensus on enhancing mutual political trust and expanding mutually beneficial cooperation has been reached between Xi and the leaders of the three Latin American countries, which creates a new development period in bilateral relations, Wang added.
Fan Changlong, Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission, shakes hands with Djiboutian President Ismail Omar Guelleh. [Photo/mod.gov.cn]

Work on a key Chinese overseas logistical facility must be accelerated, with planning and quality a priority, in order to provide stronger support for overseas missions, a senior military official said.

Fan Changlong, vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission, met with officers working at Chinas first overseas supply facility in Djibouti, the Defense Ministry said on Friday. Fan was the first senior military official to visit the facility.

The purpose of the supply facility, on which construction began in February, is to resupply Chinese naval ships taking part in peacekeeping and humanitarian missions in the Gulf of Aden and waters off Somalia, the ministry said.

Earlier reports said the supply hub has the capacity to house 10,000 personnel and is scheduled to be finished next year.

Djibouti was the last leg of Fans four-nation tour, which concluded on Thursday. It also took him to Lebanon, Tanzania and Ethiopia.

During his meeting with Djibouti President Ismail Omar Guelleh, Fan said the two countries had achieved remarkable results in personnel training, naval escorts and supplies, and participation in UN peacekeeping operations.

China is willing to work with Djibouti to promote the healthy and stable development of relations between the militaries, Fan added.

Djibouti, at the southern entrance to the Red Sea, is surrounded by Eritrea, Ethiopia and Somalia. Djibouti also hosts US, Japanese and French military bases.

Since 2008, China has sent 24 naval escort fleets to the Gulf of Aden and Somalias waters, escorting more than 6,000 ships from home and abroad, the Defense Ministry said.

China is also the second-largest financial sponsor of UN peacekeeping operations. It has deployed more personnel than any nation on the Security Council  more than 30,000 for 24 peacekeeping missions.

Piracy requires escort fleets to ensure safe shipping, and Djibouti is an ideal spot for a supply facility, given its proximity to the main mission area, said Liu Naiya, a researcher at the Institute of West Asian and African Studies of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

Ma Gang, a professor at PLA National Defense University, said the scale and function of the Chinese supply facility is different from that of a military base.

The Djibouti facility means that Chinese fleets are no longer so dependent on other countries for food and fuel resupplies. The cost of operation (resupplying in other countries) is limiting Chinas escort fleet size and peacekeeping effort, Ma said.

"But a home logistic hub can provide supplies efficiently and economically."
The head of a clothing factory in Changshu City, Jiangsu Province, has been detained for allegedly using child labor after a video went viral on China's social media earlier this week.

According to the secretly filmed video released by We Media platform Pear Video, young teenagers are transported from southwestern Yunnan Province through intermediary agents to the city, which is known as the country's clothing manufacturing capital.

With a monthly salary of less than 2,000 yuan (US$290), against the average of 5,000 yuan (US$725) for adult workers in the city, the underage migrants work at least 28 days a month from 7 a.m. to midnight.

If one finishes his or her task earlier, the foreman will definitely designate another for him or her, said a teenage worker in the video. "Sometimes we work until 2 or 3 in the morning."

'Modern day slavery'

Changshu is home to over 1,000 clothing and textile companies and has an annual production value totaling 13 billion yuan (US$1.9 billion).

Many international brands have also set up factories here, and the value of annual clothing exports can reach 340 million yuan (US$49.3 million).

"The more time you put into production, the more profit you can get," said a local business owner.

In most of the family-owned businesses, there are underage workers who toil day and night.

"There is literally no time to rest besides two very quick meals around 11 a.m. and 5 p.m.," said Lao Han, the video producer who went undercover in a small workshop employing mostly teenagers.

"The food is bad, with only rice and a few vegetables, but it at least fills the belly," he added. "Normally there is no meat in the dish, but when they do serve it, you only get two or three pieces."

As everyone is fully occupied with their work, they have literally no interaction together.

"Everyone is too exhausted after working for over 15 hours nonstop," said Lao Han. "I feel aching in every part of my body, and after I worked there for four days, my hands swelled up."

In the small workshop where he worked, 10 male workers lived in a dirty eight-bed room. A 15-year-old boy and a 16-year-old one share a small bed, and another two do the same.

If they leave the factory before the end of the year, the boss will refuse to pay them any wages and even force them to pay for the train tickets that brought them to the city.

With bad working conditions and low wages, the work has little attraction and three young workers left for other factories. The boss found them and brought them back. Their ID cards and personal computers were all confiscated as soon as they returned and they had to pay 3,000 yuan for the cost of downtime due to their leave.

No one dared to flee again.

Some workers have filed complaints to human resources department or reports to the police, but no one has helped solve their problems. "Working and living in this unfamiliar place far away from home, young innocent workers don't think of defending their rights and are reluctant to deal with the police," Lao Han explained.

Schooling is useless

In remote and poor mountain villages, many young teenagers prefer work to school, saying that "learning knowledge is useless."

"Every spring festival, young migrant workers go back to their home villages with 'cool' hairstyles and clothes," said a school teacher in Wenshan Zhuang and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan Province. "Many school children admire them and also consider dropping out of school to follow in their footsteps."

Not all drop-outs are too poor to finish schooling, as the nine years of compulsory education don't cost much, said Lao Han.

"They just heard some people went to college and did not find a proper job, and then decided that education is useless," he said, adding that this false way of thinking is a very important reason for the prevalence of child labor.

He suggested stronger government supervision of the companies and small workshops in developed regions like Jiangsu and Guangdong in order to cut down on the recruiting of underage workers.
A pumping station of the south-to-north water diversion project in Beijing. (Photo provided to China.org.cn)

China's ambitious south-to-north water diversion project has already achieved much success as it has delivered more than 6 billion cubic meters of water to 18 cities in the parched north of the country through its "middle route," benefitting an estimated 42 million people.

This route, some 1,267 kilomters in length, diverts water from the Danjiangou Reservoir in Hubei Province via new canals dug across Henan and Hebei provinces to reach Beijing.

Inaugurated in December 2014, the first phase of the middle route has already been successfully operating for more than 700 days.

Benefiting cities such as Beijing, Tianjin, Nanyang, Shijiazhuang and Baoding, the available water supply has been significantly increased with improved quality.

In Beijing, for instance, hard mineral sediment levels of tap water have been lowered from 380 milligrams per liter to between 120 milligrams and 130 milligrams per liter, a reduction of about 60 percent, according to Liang Li, director of the publicity department of Beijing Waterworks Group.

Before the water diversion, consumers of Beijing's tap water, mainly from underground sources, had complained of its "hard" taste due to a high level of dissolved minerals such as calcium and magnesium that posed a potential health hazards.

"The tap water is much cleaner and tastes better now," a resident surnamed Jia, living in a residential compound in southern Beijing, told China.org.cn.

The middle route has diversified sources of the water supplies in the cities along its route. In Beijing, water from the project now makes up 70 percent of the city's water supplies.

In addition, the diversion arangement has enabled Beijing to slow the decline in underground water level, with more than 200 million cubic meters helping to replenish the capital's depleted reservoirs.

The project also involves an "eastern" one from the Yangtze making use of an enlarge Grand Canal.
Last weekend, Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit made it clear that it would move forward with trade pacts; with or without the U.S.

Right after the Lima summit, President-elect Donald Trump unveiled his plans for the first 100 days in office, which focus on campaign promises that will not require congressional approval. Among his first actions, Trump said he would "issue our notification of intent to withdraw from the Transpacific Partnership" and replace it with negotiating "fair bilateral trade deals."

Trump campaigned on a promise to halt the progress of the TPP trade deal. The world is different after his triumph  including world trade.

From Berlin Wall to Trump Wall

In the late 1980s, as the Cold War eclipsed in Europe and regional trade blocks surfaced around the world, Australia called for more effective economic cooperation across Asia Pacific, which led to the first APEC talks.

In Washington, neither Asia nor APEC was yet a priority. Rather, the focus was on the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), which would tie together the economies of the U.S., Canada and Mexico. "We have got to stop sending jobs overseas," warned presidential candidate H. Ross Perot in 1992. "There will be a giant sucking sound going south." But unlike Trump, he appealed to only one tenth of Americans.

Sure, there was free-trade skeptics among Republicans and Democrats, but the bipartisan majority still believed in free trade. While negotiated and signed by President George H.W. Bush, NAFTA became effective under President Bill Clinton in 1994.

By the early 2000s, President George W. Bush sought to extend the NAFTA. However, critics argued that the Free Trade Agreement of the Americas (FTAA) could split South America. So the initiative crumbled against opposition by Brazil and its progressive President Lula.

In the Obama era, Washington began to tout the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). This initiative originated from a 2005 free trade agreement among just Brunei, Chile, New Zealand and Singapore. After 2010, Washington began talks for a significantly expanded, "high-standard" free trade agreement, which would reflect U.S. alliances in Asia and Latin America but exclude China.

While the original TPP was small but open, inclusive and had room for both U.S. and China, the Obama plan sought to attract a dozen nations but grew secretive, exclusive and shunned China. Yet, it was an integral part of Obama's "pivot to Asia," which was intellectually formulated by former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. That vision is now history.

If the regional free trade agreements drafted by advanced economies were energized by the fall of the Berlin Wall in the late 1980s, their demise today is characterized by the Trump dream of a Wall against Mexico. Along with the TPP, Trump will seek to re-define the NAFTA and the proposed Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) pact with Europe.

Meanwhile, free trade initiatives will shift to emerging economies.

China energizes free trade vacuum in Asia Pacific

After the U.S. presidential election, some of Obama's TPP partners  including Japan and Mexico  pushed for a modified TPP agreement before Trump could tear up the agreement. Prime Minister Abe hoped to hedge between a revised TPP, a bilateral free trade deal with the U.S., and China-led talks at a Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP).

But the RCEP is no alternative to either U.S.- or China-led broad trade pacts. It reflects the interests of emerging ASEAN economies (and their trade partners in advanced economies), but has a slower implementation schedule and humbler goals.

Ever since the Trump triumph, apprehension has also spread across Latin America, which is struggling to prepare for the Fed's impending rate hikes. In the past week or two, Mexican peso, Brazilian real and other Latin American currencies have already suffered heavy hits, which have been mirrored across the Pacific by the sell-off of Asian currencies.

Until recently, the U.S. pivot in the Asia Pacific has relied mainly on increasing security cooperation, whereas China's focus is on economic development. Since 2013, President Xi Jinping has proactively pushed for broader economic ties with both emerging Asia and Latin America.

In Lima, Peruvian President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski said that, if the U.S. pulls out, he would support an Asia-Pacific trade accord that includes China and Russia. Like Peru, even Australia is now moving behind the China-led Free Trade Area of the Asia Pacific (FTAAP). Ironically, China's initiative builds on a U.S. plan.

Chinese efforts, U.S. plan

In 2006, C. Fred Bergsten, then chief of an influential Washington think-tank, made a forceful statement in favor of the FTAAP, which he thought would represent the largest single liberalization in history. This initiative would be relatively open, inclusive and have room for both U.S. and China. Indeed, Beijing's push for an Asia-Pacific free trade area has been more active since fall 2014 when I predicted that, as a more inclusive and open plan, it had potential to achieve real free trade in the region.

Oddly enough, the Obama Administration rejected the free-trade FTAAP for the geopolitical TPP, which China argued would have imposed a Cold-War like Iron Curtain on Asia Pacific by splitting the region between a U.S.-dominated block and China's allies.

Today, APEC's membership has almost doubled to 21 countries, which account for almost 60 percent of the world economy, and nearly 50 percent of world trade. Beijing's logic is persuasive: if you can make it in APEC, you can make it everywhere.

While the dream of free trade was born in the prosperous West, it will be completed in the emerging East.

Dr Steinbock is the founder of the Difference Group and has served as the research director at the India, China, and America Institute (USA) and a visiting fellow at the Shanghai Institutes for International Studies (China) and the EU Center (Singapore). For more information, see http://www.differencegroup.net/

This commentary was originally released by The World Financial Review on Nov 24, 2016.

Opinion articles reflect the views of their authors only, not necessarily those of China.org.cn.
 Flash

Norway's supreme court rejects Edward Snowden extradition lawsuit.

Norway's Supreme Court has rejected fugitive U.S. whistleblower Edward Snowden's appeal for a guarantee that he could collect an award in Norway without the risk of being extradited to the United States, public broadcaster NRK reported Friday.

This came after earlier rejections by a district court and the Court of Appeal as Snowden, who currently lives in exile in Russia, tried to secure a safe passage to Norway.

Snowden filed the lawsuit against the Norwegian government at the Oslo District Court in April via a local law firm after the Norwegian PEN organization awarded him the Ossietzky Prize for 2016 and invited him to receive the award in Oslo on Nov. 18.

The Norwegian PEN has decided to postpone the ceremony to June 7, 2017.

Snowden, the Norwegian PEN and some media organizations think Norwegian courts can decide in advance that Snowden would not be arrested and extradited from Norway.

The courts, however, claim that they cannot process the case as there is no formal extradition request from the United States and Snowden himself is not in Norway.

Snowden faces three felony charges in the United States, including espionage, after he disclosed a classified U.S. intelligence project code-named PRISM in June 2013.
BEIJING - The Chinese government has reiterated its firm stance on cutting excess steel and coal capacity in response to an emerging backlash from producers prompted by recent price hikes.

China retired 45 million tons of steel and 250 million tons of coal production capacity by the end of October, meeting its full-year goals ahead of schedule.

But problems have also emerged, especially in some companies seeking to add capacity as an unexpected demand-supply gap pushes up prices of steel and coal products.

"The rising prices have triggered worries in the market and to some extent shaken the resolve of some local authorities and enterprises. But we must stay clear-headed that the price volatility has been driven by temporary demand growth, magnified by speculation, and does not indicate a long-term trend," Xu Kunlin, deputy secretary general of the National Development and Reform Commission, said at a press conference Wednesday.

The steel and coal industries are plagued by overcapacity and the government's resolution is unwavering, Xu said.

Since the capacity cuts were blamed for causing a supply shortage, it will not be easy to resolve the combination of a short-term crunch and long-term excess.

Gu Shengzu, a member of the Financial and Economic Affairs Committee of the National People's Congress, said the rapid price increase created a dilemma for policymakers about whether to stabilize supply or stick to reducing capacity.

"There is an urgent need to streamline relations between the government and market, and market-driven, law-based measures should be adopted in capacity cuts," Gu said.

The State Council hopes to strike a balance. The authorities will press ahead with capacity cuts while paying more attention to price changes, according to a statement released after an executive meeting chaired by Premier Li Keqiang on Wednesday.

An array of measures to curb prices have been put in place, and the priority is still on downsizing those bloated sectors. As the targets have been met ahead of schedule, the next step is to ensure the stated cuts are effective.

Investigation teams will be dispatched to Hebei and Jiangsu, where capacity cut rules were breached, as part of efforts to intensify supervision, the State Council said, citing cases of fraud and illegal production in the provinces.

"We should give zero tolerance to steel and coal producers that fail to meet national and environmental standards," Premier Li said.

Local governments have been asked to give financial support to and create jobs for workers made redundant by the cuts. In May, the Ministry of Finance announced 100 billion yuan ($14.5 billion) in aid for steel and coal companies to resettle laid-off workers.

Mergers and acquisitions will be encouraged for further consolidation in the two industries, the statement said.

China is the world's largest producer and consumer of steel and coal. Cutting overcapacity is a high priority as the two industries have become a major drag on growth.

Steel capacity will be cut between 100 million tons and 150 million tons by 2020, while about a half billion tonnes of coal capacity is scheduled to be slashed in the next three to five years.

In the coming year, it is important to phase out excess capacity through reforms, Premier Li said, highlighting further steps in mergers and acquisitions in steel enterprises, and the integration of coal mining and power generation.

"The task will still be difficult. Problems will be accentuated by hysteresis effects from the re-employment of redundant workers and the unsettled debts of closed coal mines," said Jiang Zhimin, vice president of China National Coal Association.
The securities regulators of the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong on Friday announced that the much-anticipated Shenzhen-Hong Kong Stock Connect program will officially launch on December 5, a step to further liberalize the mainland's capital market.

The stock trading link, similar to the existing program between Shanghai and Hong Kong, will allow overseas investors to trade stocks on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange. Mainland investors will also have greater access to the Hong Kong stock market.

The launch of the trading link, a timely move by the regulators, underscored policymakers' desire to continue to open up the Chinese capital market against the backdrop of a weakening currency and rising uncertainties in the global economy, analysts said.

"With Trump elected (as US president) and the yuan facing depreciation pressure, the opening up at this stage shows the regulators' strong confidence in the reform and future performance of the Chinese economy, as well as their strong determination to open up the mainland's capital market," said Cheng Shi, executive director and head of research at ICBC International Research.

In their joint statement on Friday, the regulators of the mainland and Hong Kong said arrangements for transaction settlement, investment quota management and technical preparations for the new trading link were well in place.

The regulators also vowed to strengthen cooperation in cracking down on illegal cross-border market activities.

The regulators in August removed the total investment quota of 550 billion yuan ($80 billion) for the trading link. But there will still be a daily quota of 13 billion yuan for overseas investors to trade Shenzhen-listed stocks. Mainland investors can trade up to 10.5 billion yuan of Hong Kong stocks under the new trading program.

Hong Hao, chief strategist at BOCOM International, said the new program may help boost the value of small and mid-cap stocks with good earnings, given that the Shenzhen market is known as the home of many high-tech and innovative Chinese companies with promising growth potential.

But he warned that much of the good news could already be reflected in the current stock prices, and trading risks could rise in the short term, given that the US dollar will continue to strengthen. This could be negative for asset prices in the Asian markets, he added.
Logos of KFC, owned by Yum Brands Inc, are seen on its delivery bicycles in front of its restaurant in Beijing February 25, 2013. [Photo/Agencies]

Yum China Holdings Inc is in talks to buy food delivery services firm Daojia.com.cn for up to $200 million, two people familiar with the matter told Reuters, as the biggest operator of fast food on the mainland seeks to boost sales from customers dining at home.

Yum China has long-term ambitions to triple its outlets in Chinese mainland to more than 20,000, but as dining habits change in the world's fastest growing major economy, food delivery is also becoming a crucial area for restaurant operators to improve sales.

The sources warned that discussions are at an early stage and a deal isn't imminent.

Yum is keen to make investments in the sector, but it is still debating internally whether to acquire a business or buy smaller stakes in a series of such companies and have a meaningful say in their operations, one source added.

Established in 2010, Daojia.com.cn focuses on online food orders and delivery services targeting China's middle-class urbanites in 10 cities.

It has a 3,000-strong logistics team, and works with more than 6,000 restaurants.

Food delivery apps are gaining ground in China as the country's biggest internet firms set up "cut-price services".

They include Baidu Inc's Waimai, Alibaba Group Holding-backed Meituan and Tencent Holdings-backed Ele.me.

JD.com, China's second-largest e-commerce firm, and Macquarie Capital were investors in a $50 million round of fundraising by Daojia in 2014.

Yum China and Macquarie declined to comment. Daojia and JD.com did not respond to requests for comment.

The sources declined to be identified as the discussions are confidential.

Yum China was only spun off from US-based fast food giant Yum Brands Inc in November. The company's brands include KFC and Pizza Hut.

Last year Yum said food delivery apps in China were posing a serious challenge for its business.

Yum China CEO Micky Pant said this month that delivery was just 10 percent of company's sales, but it was growing at double digits and would be an important driver of growth.

The logistics and delivery segment has attracted investments from China's deep-pocketed technology heavyweights including JD.com, Alibaba, Baidu and others.

"It's a very aggressive play they're making. They'll have access to delivery data across China, it's very powerful to understand what people are buying, what people are consuming," one of the sources said.

REUTERS
A senior citizen from Russia receives cupping therapy at a elderly care center in Heihe, Heilongjiang province. [Photo by Qiu Qilong/China Daily]

A niche market has developed for the eldercare industry in Heilongjiang province, as the northeast China area has seen increasing numbers of senior citizens from Russia and South Korea traveling to the region after their retirement.

Last year, about 650,000 pensioners made their way to Heilongjiang province to travel and take services such as hotsprings therapies and traditional Chinese medicine therapies, as well as to go to spas. This year, the number of older visitors it received has exceeded 1 million and the business has continued to heat up, according to the local government.

Heihe, a city in Heilongjiang province, plans to foster a new source of economic growth by launching a high-end traveling route that combines taking volcanic hot springs and visits to the city, as well as visits to the city of Blagoveshchenskless than 1.6 kilometer away across the dividing Heilong River (Black Dragon River), or Amur riverin Russia.

The package aims to draw more Russian elderly to the area for recuperation and tourism, and attract more Chinese elderly to come to Russia.

A sanatorium named Millennium Eldercare Center near Wudalianchi National Park, a tourism resort with top healthcare and spa resources in Heihe, received about 11,000 senior citizen customers last year from China and abroad, with more than 8,000 being Russians.

Ye Hui, president of the Millennium Eldercare Center, said hot spring spas had become an increasingly popular choice for customers.

"We are building a spa venue and bringing volcanic hot springs into the venue. The facility is expected to launch by the end of November," said Ye.

"In summer, often a busy season, the hotel rooms at our center are usually full. With the lure of the hot springs, we plan to attract more customers to come here in winter and transform the current offseason into another busy season."

Ivanova Natalia Ivanovna, a Russian senior citizen who has been to the Wudalianchi National Park area four times, said she loved the region and went there every year for health and spa treatment vacation.

"I can enjoy the professional massage and traditional Chinese medicine therapies like acupuncture," she said.

As of October, Heilongjiang province had 2,265 registered eldercare agencies with more than 200,000 beds. Over 155,000 elderly customers stayed at those agencies each year on average, the local government said.

Last year, the added value of the eldercare sector in the province accounted for 9.9 percent of local GDP, edging up 0.7 percentage points year-on-year.

Meanwhile, the eldercare sector of Heilongjiang province is also looking to attract more elderly customers from other Chinese areas.

This summer, 69-year-old Yang Mingjiang visited Wudalianchi National Park for the first time and stayed there for half a month, together with 40 other elderly visitors from Beijing.

"This is an ideal place for the elderly, with its clean air, suitable temperatures and picturesque sceneries," said Yang.

"A lot of elderly customers enjoy spas there and drink mineral water directly from the mountain."
Photo taken in July 5, 2015 shows a female college student learns to cook coffee at a cafe in Chongqing, Southwest China.[Photo/IC]

Editor's Note: Chongqing Liangjiang New Area is the third national pilot zone, spearheading the development and opening-up of Chongqing and West China. Recently, reporter Tan Yingzi finds out how the city transforms its economy to innovation-driven development.

Situated on the banks of the Yangtze and Jia Ling rivers, the mountainous city of Chongqing in Southwest China currently plants no coffee at all.

But it hopes to have a different presence in the coffee world, aiming to become the third-biggest coffee trading market after New York and London.

In June, Chongqing Coffee Exchange was established in the Liangjiang New Area. The area is the third national development and opening-up zone in Chinaand the first inland areaapproved by the State Council, following the Shanghai Pudong New Area and Tianjin Binhai New Area.

Yunnan Dehong Prefecture Hongtian Industries Co Ltd and Chongqing Energy Investment Group are the two major investors.

Mayor Huang Qifan said that the exchange would become China's biggest platform for e-commerce cross-border trade, credit financing, trade settlement and big data collection in the coffee industry.

"But we don't do coffee futures," he added.

The exchange announced at the opening ceremony that it will export 3,000 containers of coffee and trade volume would reach 2 billion yuan ($289 million) in 2016.

In less than three months after that, it released a report that online transactions had exceeded 170 million yuan and offline trade had hit $246 million.

In China consumption of the dark drink is growing rapidly by about 20 percent each year and it is estimated that in 10 years China will become the world's largest coffee-drinking country.

Chongqing's neighboring province Yunnan is the largest coffee producer in China, with its output accounting for almost the entire national output.

Yunnan had been talking a long time about building such a trading center, but its lack of resources in brand management, international trade and financial services gave Chongqing its chance.

The Chongqing-Xinjiang-Europe (called YuXinOu in Chinese) railway has also put the city on the map as an international logistics hub by connecting the Yangtze River economic belt with Europe.

"This international trade route is changing the world coffee trading map," said Peng De, general manager of the exchange.

The new transport link is an attractive alternative for trading companies in Chongqing and neighboring provinces, that otherwise use the more time-consuming and costly maritime route via eastern and southern Chinese coastal portsincluding Shanghai, Guangzhou or Shenzhenbefore shipping goods through the Strait of Malacca.

The 11,000-kilometer Asia-Europe rail link, which started operating in 2011, passes through Xi'an, Lanzhou, Urumqi and the Alataw Pass, where it crosses the border into Kazakhstan.

It then continues through Russia, Belarus and Poland before ending in Duisburg, Germany.

The journey takes about 14 days, one third of the time taken by the maritime route.

The rail link is now the busiest cargo freight route between China and Europe, according to the Chongqing YuXinOu Logistics Company.

Thanks to the expanding rail links between China and Southeast Asian countries, Congqing has plans to gather over 1 million metric tons of coffee from other Asian nations within three years, especially from Vietnam and Indonesia, the second and third-largest coffee producers in the world, and transport them to Europe.

Xiong Xiangren, director of Yunnan Coffee Association, said that Chongqing's comprehensive logistics network was the main reason why Yunnan coffee producers chose to work with the city, instead of Shanghai.

In August, Chongqing Energy Investment Group set up Yuxing Coffee Co Ltd to focus on coffee processing. On Nov 20, Yuxing introduced China's largest freeze-dried coffee production line to Chongqing, which will produce 10,000 tons of instant coffee a year.

"I hope Chongqing Coffee Exchange will become a world-class trade center serving the Asian and European markets," Peng said.
Farmers talk about how to cultivate corn seeds with improved quality in Yunyang county, Chongqing. [Photo by Liu Xingmin/For China Daily]

Last December, an online auction of an island in the Maldives on Chinese e-commerce platform Taobao.com hit the headlines. Surprisingly for such a big deal, the agency that handled all the business transactions was a startup company in Chongqing.

In April, 2015, the internet company Chongqing Meicun Technology Co Ltd launched jutubao.com, a website that provides one-stop services for land transactions at home and abroad.

The first of its kind in the country, "Jutubao" in Chinese means a valuable place to find land.

"Our business model is similar to a property agency, such as Lianjia," Meicun's founder and CEO Tian Jinglong told China Daily.

"The difference is they deal with houses and we do land, all kinds of land."

On the website, people can search for land and publish their needs. After the transaction is done, the company can provide the financial services and asset management for the client.

Another feature of the company is that it makes money not from a commission on the deal, but from the related services, Tian said.

So far, there are 300 million mu (20 million hectares) of land listed on the website, with 190,000 registered users.

Completed transactions for about 14 million mu has already been finished.

As increasing number of Chinese companies and rich people have been purchasing land overseas in recent years, so the website launched its global business arm and is publishing information about land in foreign countries, including islands, ranches and beaches.

"We developed land agents in foreign countries and we have resources in quite a few of them, such as Russia, Australia and Scandinavian countries," Tian said.

At present, Tian said he will focus mainly on rural land, which is in huge demand in China.

Tian, 39, was born and reared in the countryside of Chongqing.

Like most Chinese rural young people, Tian left his home soil at the age of 20 and made a living in Shanghai.

He tried many businesses, such as a travel agency and an online shopping website for rural areas. A trip back home in 2013 helped him choose a new marketrural land circulation.

The term "rural land circulation" means farmers transfer their land operation rights so that dispersed farmland can be centralized for mass agricultural production.

In recent years, much farmland has been left unused as an increasing number of young farmers swarm into the cities.

Due to lack of information, the elderly villagers can hardly rent out their land, while agriculture companies find it hard to get enough land to develop their projects.

"I believe what I'm doing now can really serve the villagers who help the development of agriculture in China," he said.

His project was picked by Tencent Makerspace (Chongqing), an internet startup incubator located in Chongqing Liangjiang New Area, which is the first inland State-level pilot zone for development and the third in China after Shanghai Pudong and Tianjin Binhai.

Makerspace, a new norm in China for startup incubators, is a major platform to attract new ideas and talented people.

Thanks to the tailored service and support from the incubator, jutubao.com has grown fast and has taken about 30 percent of the market share.

Recently, it got its first round of financing, worth millions of dollars, it announced.
China Great Wall Asset Management Co Ltd took a step forward in transforming from the former wholly State-owned distressed asset manager into a joint stock company during its inauguration in Beijing on Friday.

With registered capital of 43.15 billion yuan ($6.23 billion), the corporation was established by the Ministry of Finance, the National Council for Social Security Fund and China Life Insurance (Group) Company.

Also on Friday, China Great Wall held its first meetings of the board of directors and board of supervisors. Zhang Xiaosong, president of the asset manager, was elected chairman and president of the new company. Hu Yongkang, former director of the China Banking Regulatory Commission's treasury and accounting department, was elected chief supervisor.

"We're planning to complete the introduction of strategic investors in the third quarter of 2017 or at the end of next year. Meanwhile, we'll start preparatory work for an initial public offering in the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong," Zhang Shixue, general manager of the asset management company's strategic development department, said at a news conference.

China Great Wall is the last of the four largest State-owned asset management companies in China to complete the reform of instituting a stockholding system into State-owned enterprises, following the unveiling ceremony of China Orient Asset Management Co Ltd in October as a commercialized State-controlled company. China Cinda Asset Management Co Ltd listed in 2013 and China Huarong Asset Management Co Ltd also did so in 2015, both in Hong Kong.

As of the end of September, the on-balance-sheet and off-balance-sheet assets of China Great Wall totaled 583 billion yuan, and the net assets were 49.1 billion yuan, more than four times the registered capital of 10 billion yuan when the company was first founded in 1999.
A metal horse installation manufactured through 3D printing on display at the Hunan Farsoon High-Tech Co Ltd based in Changsha city, Hunan province, 17 October 2016. [Photo/IC]

There is something different about a number of small structures that just went up in Changsha. Unlike traditional industrial mold-manufacturing, they were put together using selective laser sintering and meltingbetter known as 3D printing technology.

Hunan Farsoon High-tech Co Ltd is China's biggest privately-owned manufacturer of selective laser sintering machines, by both domestic and global market share. It has pledged to invest 80 million yuan ($11.7 million) in research and development each year to further compete with those established foreign rivals, such as the United States-based Stratasys or 3D Systems.

The technology of 3-D printing, which originated in the 1980s in the US, uses a system known as additive manufacturing, which refers to processes used to synthesize a three-dimensional object in which successive layers of material are formed under computer control to create an object.

It is now most commonly used for modeling, prototyping, tooling and short-run production applications.

Established in 2009, Farsoon High-tech expects more opportunities from both the world's and China's industrial upgrading boom.

Xu Xiaoshu, founder and chairman of Farsoon Technologies, said his company does not make products. It makes the machines and the materials. The company's employees of more than 200 deploy resources and manpower to develop advanced machines and materials that can be applied in the areas of aviation, healthcare, manufacturing and national defense.

The company's technology, through which its machines can turn out anything from moving car parts to prototypes for prosthetics, has been exported to overseas markets, including the US, Sweden and Italy since 2012.

With the US pushing hard to maintain its competitive edge in what is tipped to be a technology capable of revolutionizing the manufacturing and medical prosthetics industries, Xu said his work is vital to China. As a company which is not listed, Farsoon High-Tech does not supply revenue and profit figures.

Xu, who previously worked as software and control director of a 3D Systems company in the US, said metal and ceramics were materials being researched for use in 3D printing right now. "If we want to keep manufacturing jobs in China, we need to improve technology," Xu said.

"This technology will replace traditional industry in the long run. In theory, you can use it to make a car or a plane. But at the moment it's too expensive," he added.

Eager to enhance its development capabilities, Farsoon Technologies said it is also working with German chemical giant BASF to develop integral solutions for materials, printers, technology and services for 3D printing that can be tailored to meet individual customer needs.
Students take part in a job fair in Chongqing. [Photo by Yu You/For China Daily]

As a traditional manufacturing powerhouse in southwestern China, Chongqing is seeking to transform its economy and preparing to answer the call of the Internet Plus initiative. But, local governments and companies find that the city is severely short of people with the needed internet skills.

"It is estimated that Chongqing needs about 100,000 internet professionals a year," said He Yousheng, deputy director of Chongqing Liangjiang New Area Administrative Committee.

"Especially in some new strategic industries such as big data and cloud computing, the current education system cannot meet the huge demand from the industry."

To cope with local economic development, the new area established the country's first "internet university" in early November in Liangjiang New Area to nurture a talent pool for the industry.

Chongqing Internet Institute, as the first comprehensive education center for internet skills in China, is equipped with 12 buildings designed for teaching, living and official business.

Liangjing New Area, established in 2010, is the third national development and opening-up zone in Chinaand the first in the inland areaapproved by the State Council, after Shanghai Pudong New Area and Tianjin Binhai New Area.

Over 80 percent of Chongqing's internet companies are located in this zone.

The institute has developed an innovative new mode of "training, employment, entrepreneurship and retraining" using online and offline classrooms. It is an integrated platform for government, enterprises and the internet industry to cultivate IT personnel and share educational resources.

Lessons focused on Internet Plus, cloud computing, the internet of things, mobile internet and the digital economy are given by world-leading professors and lecturers.

Last year, China announced the Internet Plus initiative to enable more businesses to take advantage of the internet. It aims to integrate modern manufacturing with mobile internet, cloud computing, big data and the internet of things.

In Liangjiang, emerging industries, such as robotics, general aviation and cloud computing, have become a driving force for the new area's economic development.

Liu Xiaonian, deputy director of Chongqing Cyberspace Affairs Office, is one of the masterminds behind the project.

According to Liu, there are about 1 million graduates from 300 internet-related majors across the country each year, but only 40 percent of them can find a job in the industry. In the next five years, China needs about 15 to 20 million IT professionals, especially in software development, network engineering and graphic design.

He added: "We plan to introduce education leading to a diploma in the near future and this institute will grow into a national academy."

The school will be open to all people who need to polish their internet skills. College students, graduates, enterprise employees and senior managers can sit in the same classroom to enjoy the education resources provided by the university.

The institute has signed cooperation agreements with renowned educational institutes and universities, including the online IT education platform maiziedu, mobile data collection and management app AppCan and the India National Institute of Information Technology.

Leading universities at home and abroad, such as Tsinghua University, Zhejiang University and the National University of Singapore, will also work with this institute.

It plans to have the capability to teach over 100,000 students a year by 2020.

Kamal Dhuper, China head of NIIT, one of the global leaders in skills and human resource development, said that in the internet age, there is a big difference between the traditional way of teaching and how students get information.
Pan Zhenwen and her father, Pan Tufeng, travel by boat during a trip to Pokhara, Nepal, in August. Provided to CHINA DAILY

Pan Zhenwen has covered a lot of ground for a 4-year-old.

For about the past three years, she has spent six to seven months a year hiking with her father all over China. And this month, they set off on a new adventurewalking part of the route of the Long March.

The duo left Chengdu, capital of Sichuan province, by bus on Nov 18 and planned to wander from Luding to Xinlong over about a month.

The Long March, which lasted from October 1934 to October 1936, was a military maneuver by the Red Army, the forerunner of the People's Liberation Army. The route features raging rivers, snow-covered mountains and arid grasslands.

"My dad never carries me when I'm tired (of walking)," Pan said. "He says he wants me to be strong."

Her 38-year-old father, Pan Tufeng, who sells honey online, said he and his wife, Yuan Rui, 40, decided not to place their daughter in a kindergarten because they wanted nature to be her classroom. The couple also have a 7-year-old son.

"She will have at least 12 years at school, starting at the age of 7. For now, we want to teach her things she will not learn about in the classroom," Pan Tufeng said, adding that he also wants to spend quality time with his daughter.

This summer, Pan Zhenwen and her father, who live in Shangrao, Jiangxi province, hiked the road that connects Sichuan to the Tibet autonomous region, and they recently spent a week walking in Thailand.

The parents' decision to keep their daughter out of kindergarten divided public opinion after Chinese media published reports on the duo's exploits.

An online poll of more than 3,000 people by West China Metropolis Daily in Chengdu found that only 31.5 percent are in favor of such parenting. Among the critics were those who said the girl is too young to cope with so much strenuous exercise.

The Pans' story has also motivated some people. A young mother from Chengdu, who took her 5-year-old daughter to Thailand with the Pans, said: "My daughter played with Wenwen (Pan Zhenwen) for a week and was willing to spend more time walking. Before the trip, she had often wanted me to carry her."
Zhang Xiangdong, 46, receives treatment at a hospital in Yichun, Jiangxi province, on Friday. He was injured in the collapse of a power plant construction platform in Yichun, Jiangxi, on Thursday morning. Thirteen people have been detained for questioning about the accident. Provided to China Daily and Hu Chenhuan / Xinhua

State Council panel announces nationwide inspections to prevent similar work accidents

The death toll from a work platform collapse at a power plant in Yichun, Jiangxi province, rose to 74 on Friday as authorities launched a nationwide overhaul of work safety at construction sites.

Police detained 13 people who were responsible for construction of the cooling tower, where the collapse occurred, as part of the inquiry into the accident.

Rescue crews were withdrawn from the Fengcheng Power Plant site after a final search on Friday morning found no new casualties, the provincial government said.

In addition to the 74 dead, two workers were injured when a crane's collapse at about 7 am on Thursday brought down the entire construction platform inside the cooling tower at the plant.

The investigation into the accident is ongoing.

So far, authorities have confirmed the identity of 68 dead workers, ranging in age from 23 to 53. About 200 of the victims' relatives have arrived in Yichun to identify them. Grief counselors have been made available for the families, according to Xinhua News Agency.

On Friday, the State Council's Work Safety Committee announced the launch of a nationwide inspection campaign to check for safety hazards at elevated work platforms, cranes and scaffolding in an effort to prevent similar accidents.
China and Belarus will further strengthen law enforcement cooperation to fight against terrorist activities amid an increasing threat to regional stability, according to Chinese authorities.

The countries reached consensus on practical measures to cope with the threat during a key meeting in Beijing on Friday.

They decided to hold regular high-level meetings and annual forums or seminars to exchange their concerns, such as cross-border terrorist attacks and human trafficking, and push forward targeted suggestions to address the issues.

They will share intelligence and conduct joint investigations into major cases, while strengthening personnel communication and training to improve professional capability.

In recent years, a rising number of suspects from China have illegally crossed the border areas into Southeast Asian countries, including Thailand, Vietnam and Malaysia, according to the Ministry of Public Security.

From those countries, the suspects typically travel to Asian or Eastern European countries, including Turkey, to buy fake passports. They then move on to countries including Syria to receive training and conduct terrorist activities either locally or back in China, the ministry said.

Strengthening law enforcement cooperation between China and Belarus will play an active role in "enhancing their mutual trust and deepening pragmatic judicial cooperation to fight against terror attacks, in order to maintain regional peace and stability," said Su Qiang, a lawyer from the Beijing Lawyers Association, who specializes in researching regional security in Asian and East European countries.

He said it is necessary for the two countries, which are both members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, to "seize a rare opportunity to establish a security cooperation mechanism, which will help them to improve combat capability and guide them in carrying out their counterterrorism action plans".

Although some achievements have been made, difficulties still hinder progress in deepening their law enforcement cooperation, said Hong Daode, a law professor at China University of Political Science and Law.

"The authorities in both countries must reach an agreement on the definition of terrorism and its scope, as well as standards on the conviction and sentencing of those found guilty of such crimes," he added.
A former CEO of the Chinese technology conglomerate Founder Group was sentenced to four and a half years in prison and fined 750 million yuan ($108 million) on Friday by a court in Liaoning province.

Li You was found guilty of insider trading, obstructing police in their duties and hiding accounting documents, the Dalian Intermediate People's Court said in an announcement published on its website.

As an insider, Li made stock trades before the release of major corporate information that would affect stock prices, the court found.

The sentencing "mitigated the punishment, in accordance with the law, because Li turned himself in, made confessions and felt repentant for his crimes", the court said.

Some of the 11 other defendants in the case also received prison sentences and were fined.

All of the defendants said they accepted the ruling and would not appeal, according to the court.

The Beijing-based Founder was established in 1986 with investment from Peking University and has expanded into IT, healthcare, real estate, finance and commodities trading.

In January last year, it revealed that three of its senior executives - former board chairman Wei Xin, CEO Li You, and president Yu Li - were under investigation.

Before that, Beijing Zenith Holdings Co Ltd released several announcements, questioning whether Founder senior executives had engaged in insider dealing and damaging State-owned assets.

The trial was heard at the Dalian Intermediate People's Court on Nov 15, and all 12 defendants appeared in court with their lawyers.

In their final statements in the court, Li You and the other defendants pleaded guilty and expressed remorse for their crimes.
Five people linked to a collapsed Chinese peer-to-peer lender have gone on trial for gold smuggling, the first court case in a scandal that allegedly bilked investors of 58 billion yuan ($8.4 billion) nationwide.

The five smuggled 1,239 gold bars weighing a total of 125.5 kilograms from Southwest China's Yunnan province to neighboring Myanmar in October last year, prosecutors said during a trial on Thursday at a court in Puer city, Yunnan. At current world market prices, the gold is worth about $4.8 million.

The five people were also accused of illegally crossing the border between China and Myanmar multiple times last year, Xinhua News Agency reported on Friday.

They acted at the behest of Ding Ning, the chairman of Yucheng Group, the parent firm of P2P lender Ezubao, the report said.

The gold is only a tiny fraction of the $8.4 billion Ezubao is said to have defrauded from more than 900,000 investors across the country, according to Beijing police authorities in charge of the case.

The investigation has been concluded and the case has been handed over to prosecutors, police said on Wednesday.

Authorities have frozen more than 10 billion yuan of funds and seized 300 million yuan worth of cash, as well as assets from properties to helicopters.

A total of 26 people, including Ding and Yucheng president Zhang Min, have been charged with fraud and illegal fundraising, police said.

Police previously said that Ezubao concocted fake projects to attract investment and pocketed funds instead of passing them to borrowers to generate returns.

As part of Yucheng's overseas expansion, the firm set up a bank in Myanmar, Beijing News previously reported.

The case, said to be China's biggest-ever Ponzi scheme, has sparked protests from investors and is one among several controversial investment projects which have come to light this year.

China Daily - AFP
Exercise Aman Youyi 2016, or Peace and Friendship 2016, a China-Malaysia joint military exercise with a theme of humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, successfully concluded in the Paya Indah Wetlands in Selangor, Malaysia, on Friday.

Li Weiya, director-general of the Central Military Commission Joint Staff Department's Strategic and Campaign Training Bureau, said at a news conference following the closing ceremony that he expects the exercise to be repeated next year.

"The exercise is an important platform for mutual learning and exchanges between the two armies," he said. "It has played a significant role in strengthening ties between the two countries and armies, and promoting regional peace and stability," he said.

Members of the Chinese People's Liberation Army learned jungle tracking and survival techniques from Malaysian forces in the past few days, while the Malaysian Armed Forces learned skills related to combat, jungle warfare and indoor shooting in urban areas from China, Li said.

"Malaysia features vast areas of rainforest and its forces are very experienced in jungle tracking and survival. They are also interested in the equipment and techniques of the Chinese special forces," he said.

In addition, art troops from the PLA's Hong Kong Garrison provided three artistic performances for all participants of the exercise as part of cultural exchanges, which were warmly welcomed, Li said.

The exercise, the third joint military exercise between China and Malaysia, involved about 300 members from the two sides.

"The exercise was a success," said Lieutenant General Dato' Fadzil bin Mokhtar, of the Malaysian Armed Forces. "The two sides have been able to work together as a team, despite cultural and language differences," he said.

"Bilateral or multilateral cooperation is better for coping with disasters than a single country dealing with such issues alone."

Akhtar Puranesh Kumar, a doctor from the Malaysian Armed Forces, whose duty was to provide medical assistance to the China-Malaysia joint forces, said his medical team provided three ambulances for the exercise, but that nobody was injured during the four-day event.

"This is the first time I have taken part in a military exercise with China's PLA," he said. "This is a good opportunity for us to exchange knowledge and information. I hope I can take part in a similar exercise again."
BEIJING - Wang Qishan, chief of the discipline watchdog of the Communist Party of China (CPC), has called for establishing authoritative and highly-efficient supervisory systems covering all public officials.

Wang, head of the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, made the remarks during an inspection tour in Beijing, Shanxi Province and Zhejiang Province -- the three areas piloting the nation's supervisory system reform centering on new supervision committees.

The supervisory system reform will strengthen the CPC's leadership over anti-corruption work, coordinate various anti-corruption authorities and establish supervision committees to work with current discipline inspection commissions, "realizing full-coverage over all employees with public power," Wang said.

The reform is aimed at improving the self-supervision of the Party and the government, and enhancing the Party's abilities for "self-purification," he said.

The supervision committees are anti-graft agencies by their nature, Wang said. They will perform supervision, investigation and implementation duties, engaging with judicial and law enforcement authorities, and restricting each other, he added.

He asked Party authorities of the three pilot areas to implement the reform according to local situations, and to provide practical experience for a national roll-out.
BEIJING - China's top auditor said Friday that 63.7 million yuan ($9.2 million) of fiscal funds earmarked for poverty relief projects had not achieved their expected performance.

The findings came as the National Audit Office (NAO) released its third-quarter review on the use of fiscal funds for major social projects such as poverty relief, education, and cutting industrial overcapacity.

The fiscal funds were allocated for 32 poverty relief and residential relocation projects, the NAO said.

The audit also found that in 11 cases, violators gained profits for a total amount of 9.57 million yuan from various poverty relief projects.

The government has put emphasis on efficient use of fiscal funds to support major social projects as the economy slows.

Poverty relief is high on China's agenda. With a goal of building an all-round moderately prosperous society by 2020, China has been developing specialty industries, relocating people and extending social security coverage.
A couple both born after 1990 hold their children, an infant daughter and her 18-month-old elder brother, in Shenyang, Liaoning province, on Jan 3. Many couples responded to the chance to have a second child after policies were eased.Lihao/ For China Daily

When China relaxed its four-decade one-child policy at the start of 2016, there were a variety of predictions on whether the change in family planning rules would encourage enough people to have a second child.

Some said there would be too few to offset the effects of an aging population, citing reluctance by urbanites to increase the size of their families in the face of increased costs and new lifestyles.

Others predicted a baby boom because, after all, Chinese people love babies.

Now the numbers are: The number of newborns in 2016 will exceed 17.5 million, roughly equivalent to the population around the year 2000, said Wang Peian, deputy head of the National Health and Family Planning Commission, at a Senior Consultation on Population and Development hosted by the China Population and Development Research Center in Beijing on Nov 26, 2016.

In the first half of 2016, the proportion of Chinese newborns who were second children grew to 44.7 percent of total newborns.

That's an increase of some 6.9 percentage points over the proportion of second-child newborns for the whole of 2015, which was 37.9 percent. A total of 8.31 million newborns were registered nationwide this year by the end of June, according to the National Health and Family Planning Commission.

Some regions, mostly large cities, are beginning to see second children comprising more than half of local newborns, the commission said.

Available data indicate it's the highest proportion of second children since China introduced its family planning policies in the late 1970s, limiting most couples to just one child, the commission told China Daily.

In 2014, more exceptions to the one-child policy were introduced, such as the exception that allowed a second child when one parent was an only child. The number of second children began to grow.

The universal two-child policy was adopted by China's top leadership in October 2015, and it began to be implemented nationwide in 2016.

The new statistics make it clear that some families got started early in their planning for a second child, before the policy became official. The numbers are anticipated to go up for the year's second half.

"We expect a clear increase in the total births for this year, and an even larger share of second-child newborns," the commission said.

That's an important development, said Yuan Xin, a population scientist at Tianjin-based Nankai University, who advises the commission.

"If this grows into a trend, then the new two-child policy will prove to be working," Yuan said. What he means by "working", Yuan stressed, is that the policy would held redress, over the long run, the challenge from a dwindling work force and rapidly aging population.
Editor's note: Single-sex schools are emerging, especially in some metro cities across China. Following the example of all boys' classes set up by Shanghai No.8 Middle School, Nanjing Huiwen Girls' Middle School, the only girls' school in Nanjing, opened on Aug 31. Are single-sex schools really beneficial?

TedM (UK)

In China there is a traditional and cultural perspective. At adolescence girls and boys do not mix comfortably. They are expected by parents and their peers to keep away from the opposite sex. This situation is extended beyond teenage years and has a very bad result. Boys and girls are socially ignorant about each other or what they like and need. As they are then encouraged to marry early in their lives, they fall for the first person to show interest in them. They have little experience of the opposite sex until after marriage! Social skills are learned through experience and imitation. Single sex schools enable little of this. Furthermore, such schools cultivate an obsession with the opposite sex which is not sensible or healthy. So, personally I think that mixed education is more broad and balanced, more natural and healthy.
A Union flag flies in the wind in front of the Big Ben clock face and the Elizabeth Tower at the Houses of Parliament in central London on November 3, 2016. [Photo/VCG]

Domestic critics of Britain's generous overseas development program have seized on an official watchdog report revealing that the government continues to provide China and other new global powers with millions of pounds in aid.

"Britain is still handing out millions of pounds in aid to new superpowers," roared the right-wing Daily Mail, capitalizing its outrage at the news that the government's aid department may have misled the public into believing that assistance to countries such as China, India and South Africa had ended.

"Britain still secretly sending aid to China," echoed The Times.

The Daily Express quoted John O'Connell of the grassroots TaxPayers' Alliance as saying: "Taxpayers will be astonished that countries like China and India are still receiving aid at their expense."

The source of the indignation was a report last week from the Independent Commission for Aid Impact, which keeps an official eye on the United Kingdom's aid spending to ensure that taxpayers are getting value for their money. The commission found that the government's Department for International Development had perhaps been economical with the truth when it announced that its aid program to China ended in 2011.

The finding was grist for the mill of those who argue that Britain hands out far too much foreign aid at a time of domestic spending cuts.

The fine print of the watchdog report was somewhat less dramatic than the headlines. It found that less than 10 million ($12.4 million) a year was going to China, small change in terms of Britain's overall 12.2 billion aid bill.

Moreover, the assistance was not some kind of free cash handout but rather part of a cooperative program to provide British expertise to help China become a more effective donor and investor in developing countries. On a study trip to Asia, the watchdog's officials found that "stakeholders in both China and India stressed to us that, even though the financial aid was no longer essential, they would appreciate continued policy advice and technical support".
Luo Jie/China Daily

I'm surrounded by a whole array of the latest high-tech gadgetryan iPhone, an iPad, a Kindleand I work on a state-of-the-art computer to bring you this column.

I am totally at home with it all. Well, almost.

If there's a problem, a delightful young colleague will come to the rescue. Like many of her generation, she was born with a gift for technology.

Sometimes I suffer from what the satirical UK magazine Private Eye calls "Aged Hack Baffled by New Technology" syndrome.

Remember, I learned my craft in the world of payphones, typewriters and telex machines, where we used 100-words-a-minute shorthand instead of tape recorders. Shouting to make yourself heard over the row of teleprinters and typewriters in a newsroom was par for the course.

In China Daily's shiny London offices, shouting is definitely not on the menu. But I have to confess to one guilty secret. Much as I'm into saving the planet, preserving forests and making life easier for polar bears, I cannot work on a screen without printing out the documents I need to refer to. The net result is that by the end of the week my desk is awash with computer printouts, newspapers and half-forgotten notebooks.

That inevitably earns me reproachful looks from our administrator.

If someone sends me a link I just have to print it out.

Try as I might, I cannot browse through a newspaper's online edition.

No, it has to be the full-on, in-your-face real newspaper. And when you consider I read, as part of my job, all the main English newspapers, that's a fair number of trees I have accounted for by the end of the year.

There is one ray of hope, however.

I am a book addict. Over the years I have amassed an enormous library of paperbacks and hardbacks, from history to biographies and autobiographies. (By the way, autobiographies by politicians tend to be vast volumes of self-serving nonsense. Avoid.)

When my family and I moved back to London from Hong Kong in 1991, my shipment included 48 boxes solely of books. Pretty much a whole library.

When Amazon first brought out its Kindle, I could be heard loudly proclaiming I would never have onethat books smelt and felt better and that Kindle spelt the end of traditional literature.

So obviously my wife, who knows me better than myself sometimes, gave me a Kindle for Christmas about four years ago. That was it. I was hooked.

Instead of lugging a bag with half a dozen weighty hard-backed books for holiday reading, I could slip in a Kindle with over 4,000 titles at my disposal. It's a no-brainer.

Now I never leave the house without it, literally. It keeps me occupied on the 20-minute commute to work and, if I'm traveling, airports, planes and trains pass in a blur.

It's even better now because the latest Kindle is capable of high-speed internet access, so I can check emails, social media.

But before I get too carried away and destroy my Luddite image, let me briefly address the subject of automobile technology. I have never bought a new car in my lifeI have two, a solid, reliable 12-year-old Land Rover Discovery without any whistles and bells, and a much-prized classic 24-year-old BMW, also blissfully technology-free.

Recently on holiday trips to Senegal and Southern France, I hired cars that were barely a month old. Frankly, you needed a degree in rocket science to figure out the built-in satellite navigation in one of them, and the other kept talking to me ... "Don't forget to fasten your seat belt" and "Please put your lights on."

Infuriating.

It was at that point that I decided Kindle or no Kindle, I am a dinosaur.

The author is managing editor, Europe, for China Daily.

chris@mail.chinadailyuk.com
Chinese President Xi Jinping delivers a keynote speech at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation CEO Summit held in Lima, capital of Peru, Nov 19, 2016. [Photo/Xinhua]

President Xi Jinping has just wrapped up his third visit to Latin America since 2013, which took him to Ecuador, Peru and Chile. During his visit, he also attended the 2016 APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting in Lima.

Xi's visits to Latin American countries have injected fresh momentum into bilateral relations. His latest visit came at a time of change in regional economic integration. The United States has elected Donald Trump as its next president, which many believe signals the demise of the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement championed by incumbent President Barack Obama. The Beijing-backed Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific, on the other hand, has gained support in the Asia-Pacific community, including Latin American countries.

Backed by a regional economic engine, the FTAAP has great potential to reshape the geopolitical landscape and deepen China-Latin America trade ties, which started booming after China became a member of the World Trade Organization in 2001. Under the South-South cooperation framework, China, the world's largest developing country, and Latin America, home to a myriad of emerging economies, have managed to move beyond political and cultural exchanges.

In less than two decades, China has become the second-largest trade partner and third-largest source of investment for Latin America, while Latin America is now China's seventh-largest trade partner. And two-way trade reached $260 billion in 2014, a twenty-fold increase since 2000.

Although the two-way trade fell by 10 percent last year, as China slowed down its growth to suit its economic new normal, as did Latin America's export because of a decline in bulk commodity prices, it is just one side of the story.

The slowly recovering global economy is indeed a speed bump. However, China's non-financial direct investment in Latin American countries reached about $21.5 billion in 2015, registering a year-on-year increase of 67 percent, which can contribute significantly to the sustainable development of the two-way trade. In the long run, therefore, the FTAAP could be an economic boon for Latin American countries.

This year marks a crucial moment in Asia-Pacific economic integration. The ambitious TPP, which was signed by its 12 members in February after years of strenuous negotiations, faces indefinite suspension because US president-elect Trump has vowed to withdraw the US from the agreement on his first day in office. In contrast, parties to the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, an alternative arrangement launched by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, are striving to conclude the negotiations by the end of this year.

As the beneficiaries of globalization and free trade, some Latin American countries may not be happy with Trump's decision to withdraw from the much-touted TPP. But they might have found relief at the just-concluded APEC meeting, where Xi made clear China's determination to take forward globalization instead of ruining it.

The Lima Declaration on FTAAP marks a landmark achievement for all economies concerned, particularly the Latin American economies, to advance their pursuit of inclusive economic cooperation.

Lima, as Peruvian President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski said, aims to serve as a logistics hub and trade pivot linking Latin America and Asia. Other Latin American economies aspiring to get rid of their economic dependence on the West have good reasons to follow as well.

The author is director of the Center for Latin American Studies and a research fellow at the National Academy of Development and Strategy, Renmin University of China.
Chinese cultural elements such as Monkey King, Sichuan Opera and pandas are represented in the Thanksgiving Day parades in Chicago (left) and New York on Thursday. LIAO PAN/CHINA NEWS SERVICE/WANG PING/XINHUA

"China, welcome!" a woman shouted from the crowd watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City.

Coming toward her was a float called Chengdu, named for the city in southwestern China that's known as the home of giant pandas.

Surrounding the float were dancing panda characters42 students from two New York middle and high schools had trained for the past two months to march in the 90th Macy's parade.

About 3.5 million spectators were gathered along the route.

"It feels really good to be a panda," said Jenine Hines, a 12th-grader from Evangel Christian School wearing a fuzzy panda hat.

She got up at 4 am to join the other 19 students and their dance teacher at their campus in Long Island City and ride the bus to Central Park West.

The school is participating for a second year in the parade. Last year, the students were part of the dance group for the Chinese-themed float "Stone Forest".

This will be the third consecutive year that a Chinese-themed float has joined the iconic parade in New York. The city of Beijing was featured last year and Yunnan province the year before.

The Chengdu float, presented by the Sino-American Friendship Association and the city government of Chengdu, together with Macy's, also highlighted other tourist attractions of the city, such as the Dujiangyan irrigation system (originally built about 256 BC by the State of Qin) and Mount Qingcheng, an important center of Taoism.

"Through the pandas, we are introducing Chengdu to the United States," said Zhang Qiyue, China's consul general in New York. "We had a successful US-China tourism year in 2016. We are planning to bring even more tourism-related events next year."

The parade brought people from every corner of the world to the Big Apple.

It was Sofia Rego's third time at the parade. She came down from Hudson Valley, New York. Though she was too far away to see the floats and dancers, she was thrilled to see the big character balloons floating up above.

"I'm into the parade," she said. "I like the excitement, the whole holiday spirit!"

The Millers from Austin, Texas, planned their trip six months ago. Sitting in the front row wrapped in a hotel blanket, they said they arrived at 6:15 am. Four hours later, 8-year-old Joey Miller was still having fun. He said the Pikachu float was his favorite.

It was Pan Ming's first trip to New York. He came with nine other friends to perform Sichuan Opera on the Chengdu float.

"I like it here," he said. "The people of New York are so warm and friendly. I'm here to invite them to my beautiful city."
(Photo : Getty Images) Chinese ans Canadian officials have agreed to work together to combat rampant use and sell of Fentanyl and other illegal drugs across Canada.

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Canada's national police have signed an agreement with China's Ministry of Public Security to curb the free flow of Fentanyl and other illicit drugs across Canadian cities.



The memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and Chinese public security ministry comes after Canada has been hit hard by drug epidemic that has left scores of people dead in recent months.



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"Fentanyl and other opioids pose a grave threat to the safety of Canadian communities," RCMP Commissioner Bob Paulson said in a statement.



"Our meeting this week was an important step forward and highlights the commitment between our two organizations to enhance operational collaboration, identify key areas of concern and work towards a coordinated approach to combat fentanyl trafficking," he added.



The two agencies will start to work on their joint investigation reportedly from next week.



The announcement about the MOU was made at British Columbia, the Canadian province that has been hit hardest by fentanyl and opioid crisis. The western province has witnessed death of nearly 622 people during the first 10 months this year due to drug overdose, with presence of fentanyl being detected in most cases.



In April, the British Columbia was forced to declare a public emergency after witnessing a sharp rise in drug-related death.



The Chinese government's decision to work jointly with RCMP is apparently seen as tacit acknowledgment about the deadly role played by the country's sprawling chemicals industry in spreading drug epidemics across Canada and other parts of the world.



An investigation conducted by a leading Canadian Newspaper earlier this year showed how fentanyl is produced at large scale in China and also easily shipped to Canada. It further revealed that drugs in Canada are easily available through online shopping.



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TagsCanada Fentanyl, Canada Fentanyl Death, China Fentanyl Production, China and Canada
(Photo : Getty Images) Post spin-off, Yum China Holdings is in talks to make its first big acquisition. The company is reportedly planning to acquire China's leading food delivery player Daojia.com.

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Yum China Holdings Inc is holding talks to acquire local food delivery player Daojia.com for approximately $200 million, two sources close to the matter told Reuters, as the fast food restaurant giant continues its quest for expansion in the Chinese market after its recent spin off operation.



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Sources, however, warned that negotiations are still in its initial stage and there is uncertainty if the deal will fall through.



Yum China is in dilemma whether to completely acquire Daojia.com or to buy smaller stakes in series and have meaningful say in company's day-to-day operation, one sources added.



Yum for long has been nursing the ambition to triple its outlets in China, but with food habits changing in the world's second largest economy, food delivery sectors has emerged as a crucial investment area for the food restaurant giant.



Yum China has so far refused to comment, while Daojia.com including its strategic investors JD.com and Macquarie Capital have also chose to remain silent.



Daojia.com was established in 2010 with clear aim to redefine food delivery services across China. Its main consumer target include China's burgeoning middle class families largely spread across 10 leading Chinese cities. The start-up firm is boosted with 3,000-strong logistics team and has tied up with more than 6,000 restaurants.



Over the years, the food delivery sector has grown in phenomenal pace, attracting investment from big Chinese companies such as JD.com, Alibaba, and Baidu.



Yum China would make maiden entry into the sector if this deal eventually falls through. The deal would also mark its first big investment after it spinned off its China business earlier this month. The spin off was carried out to cut its growing losses that was partly caused by a series of food scandals during the recent years.



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TagsYum China, Yum Brand, Daojia, Yum China Holdings
(Photo : Getty Images) Russia President Vladimir Putin has been accused of interfering in US elections.

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Russia has been accused of facilitating the spread of "fake news" on social media sites in an effort to swing the US election in Trump's favor.



Experts from two separate groups have alleged that Moscow sponsored Facebook and Twitter posts that promoted an anti-Hillary propaganda.



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According to one of the experts, the social media campaign was aimed at chipping away American voters' faith in democracy.



The latest developments come after previous claims that Russian President Vladimir Putin, a confessed Trump supporter, authorized the Democratic National Committee hack, which exposed sensitive emails from Clinton's trusted confidantes.



Writing in a blog post entitled "Trolling for Trump: How Russia is Trying to Destroy Our Democracy," Andrew Weisburd, Clitt Watts, and JM Berger explained how they began tracking social media accounts in 2014.



The trio said they noticed that 'organised trolls' were targeting posts that criticized the Russian-backed Syrian government.



The trolls worked with what the trio dubbed as the 'honeypot accounts', which are faked profiles of young and extremely attractive women.



The fake women would then show eagerness to become involved in political debates with American users. One of the fake stories that was peddled by the accounts was the one that questioned her health after she fell ill during a 9/11 memorial event.



It later turned out that Hilary Clinton was suffering from pneumonia, but not before some media outlets packed up on the claims that she was suffering from Parkinson's disease or Syphilis. The disturbing claims were then spread on Facebook and Twitter.



"Today, that network is still hard at work, running at peak capacity in an effort to destroy America's confidence in their system of government," the experts blogged.



They say that they have monitored more than 7,000 social media accounts over the last 30 months and have occasionally interacted with them.



According to the blog post, another untrue story was the one where it was claimed that anti-Trump protesters were allegedly paid to appear at political rallies.



Another group PropOrNot has made similar accusations against the Kremlin.



"It was like Russia was running a super PAC for Trump's, and it worked," one of the group's members said on condition of anonymity.



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TagsVladimir Putin, cyber espionage, donald trump
(Photo : Facebook) Japan and China's bilateral talks will reportedly tackle North Korea's nuclear and missile development programs and the rising tensions in the East China Sea.

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Japan and China's foreign and defense officials will hold their first bilateral security talks on Monday in Beijing since March 2015, according to Japanese foreign minister Fumio Kishida.



The meeting will be attended by the countries' top foreign and defense ministry officials including Deputy Foreign Minister Takeo Akiba and Chinese Assistant Foreign Minister Kong Xuanyou, the Japan's foreign ministry added.



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What is the Agenda of the Meeting?



The upcoming bilateral security talks will reportedly tackle North Korea's nuclear and missile development programs and the rising tensions in the East China Sea.



Akiba will allegedly discuss separately with Kong on Tuesday the preparations for a planned trilateral summit between Japan, China, and South Korea in Tokyo by the end of this year.



First Bilateral Security Talk for 2016



As mentioned earlier, Monday's meeting will mark the first bilateral security talks between Japan and China for this year since March 2015. It could be noted that it took both countries at least four years to materialize last year's security talks in Japan.



The series of meeting comes amid the ongoing territorial dispute in the East China Sea. Chinese coast guard vessels reportedly continue to intrude the Japanese waters around the Senkaku Islands, which is also being claimed by China.



Hoping for a Mutually Beneficial Relationship



Japan and China are going through one of the most challenging strategic phases with lots of underlying issues that are somewhat connected on what happened in the history. Many are hoping that this upcoming bilateral security talks will lead to a better understanding with each other and will establish a mutually beneficial relationship.



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TagsJapan, china, Bilateral Security Talk, East China Sea, Senkaku Islands
(Photo : Getty Images) Farhan Mirza will spend eight and a half years in jail for voyeurism, blackmail, fraud and theft.

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A sexual predator has been sentenced to jail for eight and a half years for blackmailing and spying on Muslim women.



Farhan Miza of Abertillery, Blaenau Gwent, reportedly filmed unsuspecting women in secrets and threatened to share the intimate photos and footage before demanding that they give him money.



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The 38-year-old, who had denied the charges, met some of his victims on online dating sites.



During his trial, jurors at the Cardiff Crown Court were told that Mirza would initially try to impress women by claiming that he was a doctor. In fact, he would even hang surgical scrubs in his wardrobe and also carried a stethoscope in his car to complete the complex ruse. He even boasted that his family was full of professionals with high educational achievements working in various places in the world.



It later turned out that he was an IT worker, who also moonlighted as a taxi driver. He also did not own a home and was living with his mother.



Jurors were told that he targeted Muslim women because of the terror and embarrassment they would have to face had their intimate photos and videos been released on the Internet.



Mirza's duplicity was exposed after one of his would-be victims found 70,000 pounds (around $87,000) in cash as well as numerous photos of naked women at his home. A video of herself whose existence she did not know about was also in the stash.



After realizing that his game was up, Mirza threatened to release the video.



The woman, on the other hand, said that she was fearful of reprisals from ultra-religious groups if her video was released to her Pakistani family, but she eventually decided to go to the police.



While delivering the sentence, judge Tom Crowther said of Mirza's first victim "You wanted to take her for everything you could get."



"That demonstrates the pure misogyny of how you were living off this scheme," the judge added.



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TagsSexual Harassment, Society news
(Photo : Getty Images) President Temer's government has been embroiled in several scandals.

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A Brazilian government minister has tendered his resignation after getting mentioned in a corruption scandal that also involved President Michel Temer.



Government secretary Geddel Vieira Lima is alleged to have enlisted President Temer's help to pressure a cabinet colleague to approve a luxury apartment project in a preservation zone.



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The resignation serves to fuel growing allegations that Temer's inner circle has been fragrantly misusing their power, only six months after his government assumed office.



Temer is a hugely unpopular figure among the country's population and has been struggling to sell an ambitious austerity agenda that he believes will pull Brazil out of its worst recession in recent history.



His administration has been hit by one scandal after the other, although this is the first time that the President has been implicated.



"Temer's presidency has just turned six and it already looks old," wrote Fabio Zanini, a political editor for the daily newspaper Folha de S.Paulo.



"The strategy to win popular legitimacy with an economic recovery and political stability is quickly sinking for a president who was not supported by popular vote," the editorial went on to say.



The latest scandal broke out after former Culture Minister Marcelo Calero told federal police that Vieira Lima pressured him to authorize the construction of the said luxury apartment on a unit he had bought in a planned development area.



Calero also revealed that Temer invited him to the Presidential palace and asked him to find "a way out" of the normal oversight process for such a building.



"Politics has these kinds of things," Temer said, according to Calero who also resigned last week.



Lima has said that he is only stepping down to save his family from more suffering due to the allegations. The leftist Socialist and Liberty Party has pledged that it will submit a measure to congress to impeach Temer.



The motion would have to be accepted by Rodrigo Maia, speaker of the lower Chamber of Deputies, and a huge Temer ally.


(Photo : Getty Images) Francois Fillon is being tipped to become the next French president.

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French firebrand politician Francois Fillon announced that he does not want the country to become multicultural. The conservative politician has also promised to introduce "radical changes" should he become the next president.



Fillon is being tipped to become France's next president should he emerge victorious against Alan Juppe in the Republican Party's presidential primary.



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When asked if he sees a future where the French society as multicultural, his response was an emphatic "no."



"France has a history, a language, a culture. Of course the culture and language has been enriched by the contribution of foreign populations, but it remains the foundation of our identity," he said.



The politician also scoffed at the suggestion that France is already multicultural, saying that the French did not make the choice of communitarianism and multiculturalism.



"When we go to someone's house, we don't try to take power," he added, saying that immigrants must respect France's cultural heritage and identity.



If he beats his rival in the nominatons, Fillon is widely tipped to become the next president.



Polls show that he would likely defeat far-right leader Marine Le-Pen in the elections next May.



Fillon was the surprise run-away winner in the first round of the contest last week and has declared his plans to reform a country that he believes is "on the verge of a revolt."



He wants to slash over half a million public sector jobs over a five-year period. He also plans to do away with the 35-hour working week, in efforts to give the sluggish French economy a new lease of life.



His economic ideas have been compared with those of the late British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, and he freely admits that his plans are radical and probably difficult to achieve.



His rival Juppe has jibed at Fillon's perceived closeness to Russian President Vladimir Putin.



"This must be the first presidential election in which the Russian president chooses his candidate," Juppe said.



The pair developed a relationship when they were both Prime Ministers, and the Russian President has praised him as "a great professional" and a very "principled person."



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TagsFrance, Marine Le Pen, Culture
(Photo : Getty Images) A report by Chinese experts said that the US will not change its policies regarding the South China Sea under the Trump administration.

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The United States is seeking "absolute control" over the disputed South China Sea and will not withdraw its military forces from the region under the incoming administration of President-elect Donald Trump, Chinese political experts said in a report released on Friday in Beijing.



According to the report, the US will likely continue to pursue regional supremacy in the disputed waters under the Trump government, which could include the continued deployment of US military troops in the area.



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The report, China's first ever public report on the US presence in the South China Sea, said the US has been seeking "regional hegemony" in the South China Sea and that ensuring "absolute control" over the territory has been the focus of its military efforts and strategy in the Asia-Pacific.



Trump government



Wu Shicun, head of the National Institute for South China Sea Studies who authored the report, said the US policy on the South China Sea would most likely be retained under a Trump government.



Another Chinese expert, Zhu Feng, said during the launch of the report that instead of change, there would be "continuity" in the US military policies in the South China Sea row and the Asia-Pacific region under the new government.



Zhu and Wu both agreed that there would be an increase in military spending under a Trump administration to keep up with existing US policies on the disputed waters.



Escalating tensions



Wu said tensions between Washington and Beijing are expected to escalate under Trump given that the US would not change its stance on the freedom of navigation patrols being conducted in the South China Sea.



Although President-elect Trump rarely mentioned the South China Sea issue during his campaign sorties. He, however, attacked China and threatened to impose high tariffs on imported China-made goods, branding Beijing as a currency manipulator.



Several Asian countries are laying claim to the disputed sea including Vietnam, Brunei, Taiwan, Philippines and Malaysia.



On July 12, a Hague-based international court ruled that China has no legal basis to its massive claims in the South China Sea. The court also said that China had violated the rights of the Philippines to explore its resources within its exclusive economic zone.



Beijing has, however, rejected the ruling and has continued with its construction of facilities in disputed shoals and islands.



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TagsPresident-elect Donald Trump, Chinese political experts, Asia Pacific, regional hegemony, South China Sea, US policies, china
(Photo : Getty Images. ) Officials have detained 13 suspects in connection with power plant accident in northern Jiangxi province that killed nearly 74 and injured hordes of people.

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Chinese authorities claim that they have detained 13 suspects in connection with the power plant accident in northern Jiangxi province that killed nearly 74 people and injured hundreds others.



The accident, caused by the sudden collapse of scaffolding, has been described as one of the worst industrial accidents in China in recent years.



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No information is available about the 13 suspects yet, but it has been confirmed that authorities have zeroed on their investigation on the power plant's operator, Jiangxi Ganneng, and also on the engineering firm, Hebei Yineng.



Hebei Yineng is known to have secured multiple contracts to build power plants across China and many of its plants have history of workplace causalities and accidents. According to a recent interview by Hebei Yineng's top executives, the company has also won contracts to build power plants in foreign countries including Turkey and Malaysia.



The last time Yineng's name surfaced in a industrial accident was way back in 2012, when seven construction workers died after scaffolding collapsed in Yunnan province.



President Xi Jinping Orders Investigation



President Xi Jinping on Thursday ordered local authorities to expedite their probe in the power plant accident. Xi, who was on Latin America tour, urged the authorities not to leave any stone unturned to bring the guilty to books. He also demanded to take all the necessary precautions to avoid such fatal industrial accidents.



China has witnessed spate of industrial accidents over the recent years, leading to nationwide debate about the safety at industrial work places. Last year, Chinese people were left aghast after 170 people were killed in a powerful explosion in Tianjin port. The accident was termed as one of the worst accidents ever in country's history.



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TagsIndustrial Accidents in China, Power Plant Accidents in China, china, Accidents in China
(Photo : Getty Images. ) A leading Pakistani Newspaper has claimed that China and Pakistan will jointly deploy naval vessels to safeguard the multibillion dollar Gwadar port in Balochistan. Such a move is likely to irk India.

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China and Pakistan will jointly deploy naval vessels to safeguard the multibillion dollar Gwadar port in Balochistan, a leading Pakistani newspaper claimed quoting an unnamed navy officer. The move, if true, is likely to create a panic in the neighboring India.



Apart from joint deployment of naval vessels, Pakistan is contemplating to acquire super-fast vessels from China and Turkey for deploying special squadron at Gwadar port, which will further help in securing the strategic port.



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"A squadron may have four to six warships," a navy officer told Express Tribune on the sidelines of a defence exhibition program in Karachi, adding that the purchase of super-fast vessels is imminent to provide assistance to fleet and two warships that have already been deployed at Gwadar port.



The role of Pakistan's navy has increased since the Gwadar port become operational and economic activities have picked up under the $46-billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), the navy officer added.



The Express Tribune quoted another Pakistani navy officer saying that Islamabad has the process of deploying the region's largest shipyard at Gwadar and similar project is being carried out at Gwadar and a similar project in being carried out in Port Qasim, Karachi.



"The existing shipyard, the Pakistan National Shipping Corporation, lacks capacity to meet new requirements of the force. Its (PNSC) performance, however, would improve in competition with the two under consideration," he said.



Gwadar port is a core part of the CPEC project, which apparently is China's biggest investment project in the region. The project, though, has been plagued with controversies and unprecedented hype ever since the construction work began almost a decade ago.



India Wary About China's Presence in Pakistan



India has never shied from expressing reservation over the $46 billion CPEC project. New Delhi claims that through this ambitious infrastructure project, China aims to gain strategic presence in South Asia as well as Indian Ocean region.



China has always chosen to remain tight lipped about possible deployment of its naval ship in Gwadar Port. However, with reports emerging about the imminent deployment, security officials in Indian government are likely to work overtime to formulate a counter strategy.



Expert says with presence in Indian Ocean and South Asian region, Beijing aims to counterbalance India's counterbalance in the region.



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Tagschina, Pakistan, China and Pakistan, Gwadar Port, China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, CPEC
Earlier this year, all of South Korea fell into shock after hearing about the death of PFC Private Yoon, a medic for the Republic of Korea Army 28th Regiment at the hands of his fellow soldiers he shared quarters with. In light of the abuse and violence happening within the armed forces, the South Korean government made moves to make changes to the military system which they hoped would loosen tensions among the soldiers. The Ministry of Defense announced that the initial results were rather positive.

During investigations for the Private Yoon Incident ROK Forces insiders reveled that the sergeant who constantly beat Private Yoon, and ended up killing him was also a victim of a similar kind of violence before he got promoted. They explained that the sergeant was also verbally and physically abused before he was transferred to the 28th Regiment where he encountered Private Yoon and led to doing the same to him.

The R.O.K. forces took note that this was only one of many acts of violence within the armed forces, and decided certain measures must be taken to ease stress of the soldiers and have all the soldiers be able to work and live together and eventually work as an effective military that could combat and defeat the enemy.

South Koreas Ministry of Defense announced that they will be providing more opportunities for parents and families of draftees to visit the soldiers at their respective units. Army and marine units that are stationed at the G.O.P. or General Outpost near the border with North Korea, originally did not allow visits to the units for security purposes. However, the Ministry of Defense announced that even these front-line units on weekends and holidays. Already the first family visits have been opened at the front-line, easing the tension of the soldiers who have to constantly live under the fear of North Korean infiltration.

Korean soldiers were not allowed to carry cell phones or other personal electronic devices for security purposes. However, many experts expressed that the sudden isolation from society they must go through (all troops are draftees) following enlistment can be a cause of verbal abuse and violence among the troops. In response, the Ministry of Defense announced that a number of representatives of each rank will be responsible for a group cell phone, which the troops can share to call family and loved ones.

The initial results of these reformations seem to be rather positive especially hearing the reactions of parents who have sons serving in the military. However, some military insiders have expressed there might be some serious side effects of these changes.

Last week, during a training exercise, 3 marines of the 1st Landing Regiment in Pohang were wounded after one trainee threw a grenade off-course. Some more conservative military insiders expressed that modern soldiers need to be more tense and cautious about their service to their country, and such trainings using real firearms and explosives must continue in order to maintain a powerful military that could defend the nation. At the same time, others noted that the safety of the troops is also of vital importance as their combat capabilities.

Right now, the Korean military is considered to have the 10th most powerful ground army, navy and air force in the world in terms of number of personnel and the quantity and quality of their weapons. The government however began to express that without healthy and strong mentalities, the R.O.K. forces may not be able to guarantee a victory against an enemy such as North Korea.
home World London landmarks turn blood red to commemorate millions killed for their faith

Iconic landmarks in London were lit in "the color of blood" on Wednesday to commemorate the millions of people around the world who were killed for their faith.

The Palace of Westminster, Westminster Abbey, the London Eye and Westminster Cathedral, along with dozens of churches, mosques and synagogues, were floodlit in red to mark Red Wednesday, a campaign initiated by the Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN), Christian Today reported.

Muslim, Jewish and Christian leaders were among those who participated in the campaign. A double-decker campaign bus paid a visit to the Imam Khoei Islamic Centre, the Jewish Liberal Synagogue and St. Paul's Cathedral before it made its final stop in Parliament Square.

Lord Alton of Liverpool, a Catholic crossbench peer, led the campaign to light the Palace of Westminster red.

"Millions of people are suffering because of their faith. Article 18 [on religious freedom in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights] is breached daily," he said.

"Whether you are North Korean Christian in a gulag or you're an Ahmdi living in Pakistan or BahA'A living in Iran or a Muslim living in Rohingya state in Burma or an atheist in Saudi Arabiaait all amounts to the same thing. People are being persecuted in the most grievous and horrible ways," he continued.

A prayer service was held outside the Westminster Cathedral and a Holy Mass was conducted inside. There were also presentations from faith-based speakers as well as films and music, according to The Stream.

Professor Michael Whitby, pro-vice chancellor and head of the College of Arts and Law at the University of Birmingham, showed solidarity with the persecuted by lighting the university clock tower in red.

"We hope to give them some comfort that their cry has been heard and we are taking a small step to highlight the persecution of millions of people because of their beliefs," he said.

The day after the campaign, ACN released the Religious Freedom in the World Report for the year 2016. It highlighted the violations of religious freedom committed against Christians and other religious minorities in 38 different countries.

This year's report is the 13th edition and it covers the period between June 2014 and June 2016, according to Premier.
Amazing Christian T-shirts: President Trump Edition

Sometimes you just have to give the people what they want. That's certainly what Christian t-shirt manufacturers believe, if my recent trip to the US is anything to go by. In the aftermath of the recent world-shaking Presidential election, American Christians have been proudly wearing slogans which both demonstrate their faith and hint at their political persuasions. And in some cases, more than hint.

81 per cent of white evangelicals voted for Donald Trump, and so it's little surprise that t-shirt providers are doing a roaring trade in political crossover material. Here are just a handful of the designs currently available  some of which I have seen with my own eyes  which seek to trade off the seismic news that Christians put Trump in the White House.

Trump  Amen!

A simple design, this t-shirt simply repeats what millions of American Christians presumably prayed on election night. British readers, who are aware that 'Trump' is popular slang for passing wind, will also associate this two-word phrase with the kid in youth group who could never stop himself from farting during times of silent prayer.

Jesus died for you, but...

Well this is quite a claim. Creating a new 'Holy Duo' of Jesus and Donald, the two men who'll together bring redemption to America, is certainly unorthodox theology. One chap who was pictured in this shirt at a Trump rally recently became an international figure of ridicule, which presumably makes him a safe bet to be a future President of the United States.

Trust (Trump?)

To be fair this shirt merely borrows Trump's famous catchphrase, but it seems to make a clear association between the Republican candidate and the act of trusting in God. To be serious for a moment, this was the rationale among a lot of Christians who 'held their noses' and voted for Trump; they trusted that God would honour their blind faith in an apparently incompetent leader. This may not be fantastic theology, but it DOES look fantastic on a t-shirt. So that's something.

Jesus for President

This shirt, featuring a rather beaten-up Jesus in front of an even more distressed US flag, would rather make America faithful again than great, and thinks the Son of God would have made a much better candidate for President than either of the final two. It's hard to argue with that, but one also imagines that he'd have been eaten for breakfast in the televised debates when Trump decided to label him 'Meek Jesus'.

Jesus can Make America Great Again

You've been looking in the wrong place 'Merica. Jesus is the guy you need if you want your country to be the greatest in the world. Although be warned, his manifesto for such an improvement involves humbling yourself, being the very last, and becoming the servant to all. I'm not sure many voters would have been convinced by that kind of dangerous Commie talk.

No matter who...

Finally, this shirt reasserts Jesus' authority above all Presidents, candidates, elephants and donkeys. And he is King. But he isn't President, and so for the next four years, let's hope that Donald Trump confounds his critics and turns to recognise him for who he truly is, and allows that King to renew his mind and shape his policy. Or at least, let's all buy a t-shirt which suggests that it's all going to be OK, because God is in control...

Martin Saunders is a Contributing Editor for Christian Today and the Deputy CEO of Youthscape. Follow him on Twitter @martinsaunders.
Christians in Iraq Seeks to Keep Records of ISIS Crimes Before Cleaning Up

Christians from Iraq are leading efforts to document the atrocities and destruction left by the Islamic State (ISIS) in their homeland to make sure that the Muslim militants will be held accountable for their crimes someday.

In an interview with the German international broadcaster Deutsche Welle, Father Ammar of the Syrian Catholic Church, who works closely together with the Bishop of Mosul, said Christians in the city of Qaraqosh are trying to keep records of the crimes committed by ISIS militants, including the buildings they destroyed and defaced.

"We want to document everything, all the damage and destruction, before anything is cleaned. Already something has been changed, the IS slogans have been painted over," the Roman Catholic priest said.

He gave a concrete example of how the Islamic militants have desecrated a Catholic Church in Qaraqosh.

"They wrote their names on the wall of our Church of The Immaculate. And one of their leaders lived in the house of the church," he said, adding that another church, the Church of Mar Gorgis, was turned into a bomb factory.

The priest shared how much he is saddened by how the ISIS militants totally destroyed the landscape of Qaraqosh, including the destruction of hospitals that could have saved numerous lives of residents there.

"The first thing I saw was the hospital and I could not recognise it. The same for the church. I cried. That first feeling was so hard," he said.

Father Ammar added that Iraqi citizens are disappointed with their government's lack of effort to document ISIS' atrocities.

"They are angry that the government wants to clean up in Qaraqosh, to hide the crimes," he said.

At present, it has not been determined yet how many Christian residents of Qaraqosh are still missing after the ISIS invasion of the city. The estimates vary between 30 and 70. Their Christian families are still looking for them.
Did God Create Life on Other Planets, Or Is Earth the Only One of Its Kind? Christian Astronomer Explains Scientific Evidence

Are we alone in the universe, or is there life out there?

Christian astronomer Dr. Hugh Ross tackled the question in his new book, "Improbable Planet: How Earth Became Humanity's Home," where he explored the alleged scientific evidence for another Earth.

In an email interview with The Christian Post, Ross said there is a bigger question that needs to be answered. This is: Why are we here?

Combining his expertise in science and theologybeing an astronomer with a Ph.D. from the University of Toronto, and a pastor with an M.Div.Ross said the question of the uniqueness of Earth in the universe derives from the biblical story of creation, fall and redemption.

He said "Improbable Planet" shows how the history and composition of the universe fulfils God's purpose of "making possible billions of human beings hearing and responding to God's offer of redemption from their sins and of an eternally secure and loving relationship with Him."

Ross specifically tackled the question on the possibility of life in other planets, considering that there are so many stars in the universe with planets orbiting each of them, some in the so-called "habitable zone."

He said those people who say that "sentient physical life" must be abundant in the universe are making four false assumptions.

The first assumption they make is that water habitable zone is the only determinate for the habitability of a planet.

Second, they say that every star is a candidate for possibly possessing a life habitable planet.

Third, people who believe in life elsewhere in the universe say the origin of life is a naturalistically easy step.

Fourth, they also say that natural process evolution from a simple single-celled organism into the equivalent of human beings is inevitable given the passage of several billion years.

Ross said all these assumptions cannot possibly be true. This is because for a planet to be truly habitable, it must simultaneously reside in all nine known habitable zonesliquid water, ultraviolet, photosynthetic, ozone, rotation rate, obliquity, tidal, astrosphere, and atmospheric electric field.

Of the 3,547 planets discovered so far, he said only one is located in all nine known habitable zones: Earth.

Ross said "Improbable Planet" gives Christians reasons and motivations to worship and praise God for His creation like no other book they have read.

The book will also equip them in leading non-Christians to Jesus Christ, even those who are resistant to the Gospel, he said.
Fidel Castro Dies Aged 90

Fidel Castro, the Cuban revolutionary leader who built a communist state on the doorstep of the United States and for five decades defied US efforts to topple him, died on Friday. He was 90.

A towering figure of the second half of the 20th Century, Castro stuck to his ideology beyond the collapse of Soviet communism and remained widely respected in parts of the world that had struggled against colonial rule.

He had been in poor health since an intestinal ailment nearly killed him in 2006. He formally ceded power to his younger brother Raul Castro two years later.

Wearing a green military uniform, a somber Raul Castro, 85, appeared on state television on Friday night to announce his brother's death.

"At 10.29 at night, the chief commander of the Cuban revolution, Fidel Castro Ruz, died," he said, without giving a cause of death.

"Ever onward, to victory," he said, using the slogan of the Cuban revolution.

Tributes came in from allies, including Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Venezuela's socialist President Nicolas Maduro, who said "revolutionaries of the world must follow his legacy."

Although Raul Castro always glorified his older brother, he has changed Cuba since taking over by introducing market-style economic reforms and agreeing with the United States in December 2014 to re-establish diplomatic ties and end decades of hostility.

Fidel Castro offered only lukewarm support for the deal, raising questions about whether he approved of ending hostilities with his longtime enemy.

He did not meet Barack Obama when he visited Havana earlier this year, the first time a US president had stepped foot on Cuban soil since 1928.

Days later, Castro wrote a scathing newspaper column condemning Obama's "honey-coated" words and reminding Cubans of the many US efforts to overthrow and weaken the Communist government.

The news of Castro's death spread slowly among Friday night revelers on the streets of Havana. One famous club that was still open when word came in quickly closed.

Some residents reacted with sadness to the news.

"I'm very upset. Whatever you want to say, he is a public figure that the whole world respected and loved," said Havana student Sariel Valdespino.

But in Miami, where many exiles from Castro's Communist government live, a large crowd waving Cuban flags cheered, danced and banged on pots and pans.

Castro's body will be cremated, according to his wishes. His brother said details of his funeral would be given on Saturday.

The bearded Fidel Castro took power in a 1959 revolution and ruled Cuba for 49 years with a mix of charisma and iron will, creating a one-party state and becoming a central figure in the Cold War.

He was demonized by the United States and its allies but admired by many leftists around the world, especially socialist revolutionaries in Latin America and Africa.

After Nelson Mandela was freed from prison in 1990, he repeatedly thanked Castro for his firm efforts to weaken apartheid.

In April, in a rare public appearance at the Communist Party conference, Fidel Castro shocked party apparatchiks by referring to his own imminent mortality.

"Soon I will be like all the rest. Our turn comes to all of us, but the ideas of the Cuban communists will remain," he said.

Castro was last seen by ordinary Cubans in photos showing him engaged in conversation with the Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang earlier this month.

Transforming Cuba from a playground for rich Americans into a symbol of resistance to Washington, Castro crossed swords with 10 US presidents while in power and outlasted nine of them.

He fended off a CIA-backed invasion at the Bay of Pigs in 1961 as well as countless assassination attempts.

His alliance with Moscow helped trigger the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962, a 13-day showdown with the United States that brought the world the closest it has been to nuclear war.
In Northern Iraq, Persecuted Yazidis Risk Everything To Flee ISIS

When shells began crashing around the town of Tal Afar as Shi'ite militias brought the fight to Islamic State in northern Iraq, Abu Faraj saw his chance to escape captivity.

He and 17 other members of the Yazidi religious community, one of Iraq's oldest minorities, moved to the town's outskirts while their Islamic State captors were busy with the battle.

Four days later, in the early evening, they fled. The group, which included women and children, walked overnight through the desert and hours later reached Kurdish-controlled territory -- and safety.

"I remember the exact time we decided to flee, it was 6:50 p.m.," said Abu Faraj, 23, who had waited more than two years for that moment.

"We had to walk in single file through the desert and follow each other's footsteps in case the area was mined," he said, giving an alias for fear of identification by Islamic State militants, who still hold some of his relatives.

The group, including Abu Faraj's wife and two daughters, were captured when Islamic State overran Sinjar in northern Iraq in August 2014.

The insurgents systematically killed, captured and enslaved thousands of Yazidis, whose beliefs combine elements of several ancient Middle Eastern religions and are regarded by Islamic State as devil-worshippers.

Mass Yazidi graves have been found since Kurdish forces retook areas north of Sinjar in December 2014, and the town itself in November 2015, but Islamic State had already transferred many Yazidis to other areas, including Tal Afar.

Reports from the area suggest thousands of people have fled Tal Afar in recent days as the Shi'ite paramilitary groups -- assisting a US-backed operation to drive Islamic State out of the city of Mosul to the east -- advanced.

Most of those who have fled are from the town's Turkmen Sunni Muslim majority, fearing sectarian revenge by the Shi'ite fighters.

But Yazidis are also among them, and for Abu Faraj and his fellow Yazidis, who squat for now in a half-finished building in the northern city of Duhok, the escape has been a huge relief.

"We left our house when other people were also fleeing. We didn't ask who they were, whether they were Daesh (Islamic State) families. We just used the chaos to go," he said, smoking a cigarette -- a practice forbidden under Islamic State rule.

"Under Daesh we watched executions, beatings. You name it, we've seen it."

Husband, daughter taken away

Abu Faraj, who worked as a slave laborer in Tal Afar, is among the few young Yazidi men to have escaped Islamic State. He did not say how he managed to survive when others had disappeared or been killed, also for fear of identification.

"The rest of the group are women, children and elderly," he said.

UN investigators said in a report in June that Islamic State is committing genocide against the Yazidis in Syria and Iraq to destroy the community of 400,000 people through killings, sexual slavery and other crimes.

One 42-year-old woman, who gave her name only as "a member of the Meshu family" and covered her face with a scarf, made the same journey as Abu Faraj with her three youngest children.

"When we finally made it to a peshmerga (Kurdish forces) position, we took our veils off and raised our hands -- with our all-black clothes we were scared they'd think we were Daesh and shoot us," she said.

Her husband, 16-year-old son and 20-year-old daughter had been separated from her and the younger children when they were first taken by the militants.

"I don't know what has happened to them, or where they are," she said.

Islamic State took many Yazidi girls as sex slaves.

The family was moved from town to town after their capture, spending some time in makeshift prisons and the rest under what amounted to house arrest in Tal Afar.

"We didn't leave the house except to get essential supplies. I avoided sending the kids to an Islamic State school," she said.

"Daesh fighters gave us just enough to eat, but it was often dirty food and water," she said, sitting next to her tired and pale children.

The Office of Kidnapped Affairs in Duhok, a department backed by the Kurdistan regional government, said about 3,500 Yazidis were believed to remain in areas controlled by Islamic State, many of them women and children.

But even for those who have escaped, the ordeal is not over.

"Now, we don't know what we'll do, if we'll be able to get home, even where we'll sleep tonight. It's up to God," said Abu Faraj.
OnePlus 3T release date, specs news: Flagship to release in the U.K., China next week

OnePlus has already unveiled its latest flagship, the step-up OnePlus 3T. The new iteration has been on a staggered release. Already available in the United States, other regions like the U.K. and China are scheduled to ship in the new flagship starting next week.

According to GizmoChina, OnePlus has finally pegged a release date for the OnePlus 3T in China, scheduling the debut on Nov. 29. The launch will also be the new flagship's release date as the OnePlus 3T will be immediately available for orders. The indie tech maker has yet to come out with pricing details. However, it is expected that the OnePlus 3T will be priced starting at CNY 2799 or around $406 for its base version with 64 GB storage and at least CNY3299 or US$478 for the 128-GB variant.

Meanwhile, it is also confirmed that the OnePlus 3T will also be offered in the United Kingdom starting Nov. 28. Supposedly, mobile carrier O2 will be the sole distributor of the new flagship in the market. Aside from subscription plans, the new iteration will be available starting at 399.

The OnePlus 3T will also be launched for other European regions on the same day.

The new iteration serves as the step-up version of the tech maker's flagship, the OnePlus 3. Under the hood, the new variant features a newer Snapdragon 821 processor, paired with 6 GB of RAM. Other specs and features include a 3,400 mAh battery, an improved 16-MP setup for both its main camera and selfie shooter, and 5.5-inch Optic AMOLED display with full HD resolution.

The launch of the OnePlus 3T is surprising news, since it has only been months since OnePlus released the original OnePlus 3. Speculations suggest that the tech maker is making the new variant of the unofficial "OnePlus 4," since the number four is said to be bad luck for some regions in Asia. OnePlus will then follow up the new flagship with the OnePlus 5 next year.
Remains of Pilgrims' First Settlement in America Unearthed, Revealing Site of First Thanksgiving

American archaeologists have turned back the hands of time.

Experts from the University of Massachusetts Boston announced on Tuesday that they have made new discoveries on the first Europeans to settle in America, the Boston Globe reported.

These were the 102 people later called the Pilgrims who set sail from England on the Mayflower in September 1620 in search of religious freedom. They landed on the shores of Cape Cod, in present-day Massachusetts two months later.

The archaeologists said they have discovered what is believed to be part of the Pilgrims' original settlement.

The discovery is considered significant since previous efforts to pin down the exact location of the Pilgrims' first settlement where they held their first Thanksgiving yielded negative results.

The experts finally found what they were looking for after finding calf's bones, musket balls, 17th-century ceramics, and brownish soil where a wooden post would have stood.

These objects were found on Burial Hill, an area that includes a centuries-old cemetery that archaeologists had never dug before.

The discovery could fundamentally alter what is known about the everyday life of the Pilgrims, according to Kathryn Ness, curator of collections at Plimoth Plantation.

"Knowing where it is, and that there are pieces that have not been wiped out by construction, will absolutely change what we understand about that settlement," Ness said. "Archaeology helps support the historical record, but it also speaks to those who weren't writing  the illiterate, children, the animals."

Based from the discovery, the experts found out that the original Pilgrims and their earliest descendants raised domesticated cattle, unlike their Native American neighbours.

More than half of the English settlers died during their first winter in America due to poor nutrition and inadequate housing not suited for the land's harsh weather, according to History Channel.

What prompted these settlers to leave England were the repressive policies of King James I and his successor, Charles I, toward religious nonconformists, History says.

Many more settlers followed the original Pilgrims to the New World. The Puritan refugees traveled by boat to Plymouth and settled in Massachusetts. Boston later became the capital of Massachusetts Bay Colony, which later became the most populous and prosperous colony in America.
Transforming Lives: How Alpha Has Reached 28,000 Young People With The Gospel In Kenya

The Alpha course has been a huge success in driving evangelism in the UK and elsewhere in the world, but a recent initiative has seen the Holy Trinity Brompton-based course's reach massively increased  in Kenya.

It's all down to a partnership with child sponsorship charity Compassion International.

Since Compassion Kenya began using Alpha as a tool to help with the spiritual formation of the children in their projects, more than 28,000 young Kenyans have taken part in the course. It's because Compassion is committed not just to feeding, clothing and educating children living in poverty, but to helping them grow into capable, confident adults. Spiritual development is part of that growth, and that's where Alpha comes in. It's used primarily as a discussion tool and is one of the many courses on offer for children at their local Compassion projects.

Compassion works through local churches and believes they provide the best platform for long-lasting, relational development, though it's keen to stress that it's not only interested in seeing people become Christians; it wants to empower children to make choices for themselves. However, it's also clear in its belief that the key to unlocking poverty  in all its forms, physical, social, economic and spiritual  comes from personally knowing God.

Alvin Chole is the project director in Kenya of Compassion in Partnership with the Church and organises the different programmes the churches run. He tells Christian Today: "The Alpha Course was introduced to us about two years back. We embraced it because it appeared fruitful in transforming our youth into young Christian leaders. The Alpha Course is a step by step discipleship guide that is designed to introduce young believers to Christianity and give them a well-designed orientation to the beliefs and doctrines of Christianity based on the word of God."

And, he says: "We have seen the result of the course producing a Christian youth leader who is committed to service and also committed to teach others what they have learned."

He stresses that the course is entirely voluntary and that there is no compulsion on the children to attend. However, he says: "Many youth have however become interested in the course after seeing the positive impact it has had on their friends who have taken the course. Most of the youth who have done the course are serving as praise and worship leaders in their churches, intercessors and even evangelists. So many talents have come up among them including leadership and music."

The team has seen "major transformation" in the lives of the young people, he says, with a much deeper understanding of the Bible  and it affects their behaviour, too, with cases of "misbehaviour" dropping dramatically. And this is part of Compassion's holistic mission: "The spiritual life a person forms a foundation that defines how a person lives in the other dimensions of their lives. We believe that youth who understand the Bbible and keep a close relationship with God will be able to successfully manage other areas of their life. This will enable them to handle the different daily challenges that they face such as peer pressure, self-esteem and the challenges of poverty.

"We believe that if our youth can capture this discipleship then it would be a perfect genesis of transformation to the future generation."

One of the young people who's been through the Alpha programme is Charles, who will feature in a Compassion video to be released on November 30. He tells Christian Today his own transformation has been dramatic.

"I used to go to church but I didn't really know the significance of going there," he says. "It was just a routine that I followed. I used to believe that I was saved. But looking back, I surely never knew the meaning of salvation.

"At home I was big trouble. I spent most of my time loitering around with friends. I was rude and untidy. I never knew the importance of respecting my parents and being decent. I used to sleep out just on the streets. I was a bad boy. I used to hear a lot about Jesus but I never knew him."

He enjoyed the discussion aspect of the Alpha course. "Many of the questions that I had in my head for a very long time were answered. It's like the discussions were mainly meant for me. Things I never knew became as clear as glass."

And, he adds: "My life started changing drastically. I learnt that there is no fruitful life without Jesus. I realised that I was a sinner yet he still loved me so much. He went through so much pain just for me. I still remember the voice of my teacher assuring me that even if I was the only one on earth, Jesus would still die for me. To say the truth, I shed tears. I had to give my life to him. I got born again and received the mighty Holy Spirit of God. He transformed my life."

He now takes a full part in the life of the church and has recorded a music CD. And he's acquired a new name: "People call me Blessed Charles. I am assured that my life is headed towards the right direction."

The Kenya connection between Alpha and Compassion has sparked new programmes elsewhere. Bonnie Yule-Kuehne, Alpha International global vice president, tells Christian Today: "The relationship between Alpha and Compassion in Kenya has indeed spread to other countries and we are delighted. The aligned mission, supported by fantastic local leadership, has resulted in some great work to give many young people the opportunities of education, health checks, the care of a local church-based Compassion project and the opportunity to hear the good news of Jesus on Alpha Youth."

She recently travelled to Kenya to visit her own sponsored child and to see the partnership in action. She remembers one teenage girl in particular who said: "During Alpha, I came to understand that there was a God who knew me and loved me. For me that meant that I had to love the people around me in a way I had not before."

Yule-Kuehne says: "When you looked around her community there were a lot of things not to love. But she understood God's love for her and for her neighbours even though it was a tough environment to be in. She made a real impact on me and my understanding of the effect of God's love in my own life."

A partnership between two organisations with very different focuses  evangelism and poverty relief  is showing how the holistic gospel can be preached in the whole world.

Follow Mark Woods on Twitter: @RevMarkWoods
Turkey's Only Christian Mayor Removed From Her Post as Part of Government Crackdown

The Islamist government of Turkey recently ousted its only Christian female mayor emid the continuing massive purging of politicians and officials in the country on the orders of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan following the failed coup attempt against him earlier this year.

Februniye Akyol, 28, the first Assyrian Christian to be elected co-mayor in Turkey, has been removed as mayor of the city of Mardin, located in southeastern Turkey, the Independent Catholic News reported.

Akyol was removed and replaced with another official appointed by the central government as part of Erdogan's efforts to crack down on politicians believed to be supporters of Turkish Islamic preacher Fethullah Gulen, who is being accused of orchestrating the failed coup attempt against the president while he is on exile in the United States.

The Christian woman was elected in 2014 and became the first follower of Jesus Christ to lead one of Turkey's 30 metropolitan cities. Akyol, daughter of a humble silversmith, ran under the ticket of the Peace and Democracy Party (BDP in Turkish).

Akyol holds a master's degree on the Syriac language and culture at the Language Institute of Artuklu University in Mardin. She has used her public speeches and media appearances to express her support for policies to reduce city pollution.

She has repeatedly said in public that she wants to challenge the patriarchal mentality that still prevails in Turkey, and that she wants more policies to fight violence against women.

Akyol's co-mayor, the Kurdish Ahmet Turk, was also ousted and replaced by an appointee of the central government.

As of last week, Independent Catholic News estimated that the Turkish government has already purged 30 mayors suspected to be supporters of Gulen, or the left-wing Kurdish Workers' Party which has been deemed a terrorist organisation by Turkey, the United States and other members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO).
Unless you are very rich, very famous or even both its highly likely that you wont be tooling around in the new Mercedes-Benz Maybach S 650 Cabriolet cruiser.

Only 300 of the vehicles will be made worldwide and only 75 of them have been allotted for sale in the United States. Each will come with a numbered plaque signed by the companys CEO to show off to your friends that they are in the presence of awesomeness.
So, did you love them? Hate them? Or did you predict them from the beginning?

We speak, obviously, of the final four words of "Gilmore Girls." The backstory: In 2006, creator Amy Sherman-Palladino gave an interview to TV Guide where she confirmed that she already knew the last four words of the show. Of course, that was right after she exited the series before its seventh and last season, so fans assumed they would never get to hear them.

In the last decade, as more viewers discovered "Gilmore Girls" through cable reruns and Netflix, the "final four words" have reached near-mythical status. Then, when Netflix decided last year to resuscitate "Gilmore Girls" for a revival with Sherman-Palladino at the helm, people rejoiced: The four words would be revealed!

The show takes these four words very seriously; the actors even filmed a PSA for Netflix urging fans not to spoil them on social media. But for those who saw that bombshell final scene of "Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life," which was released on Friday . . . well, you probably have some feelings to work out right now. So let's discuss.

The final scene finds mother-daughter/best friend duo Lorelai and Rory sitting on the gazebo in the middle of the Stars Hollow town square, on the day of Lorelai and Luke's wedding -- even though the couple secretly got married the night before. Lorelai jokes that Rory should tie the knot so they can do "married lady things" together, like dye their hair blue and go bowling.

Suddenly, Rory gets an email from Paul, her boyfriend. He breaks up with her, which is a relief, because she kept meaning to break up with him, except she kept forgetting he existed. "I can't believe how I treated him," Rory says. "I suck."

"No you don't. He didn't fit. It needs to fit, believe me," Lorelai comforts her. "He'll find someone amazing one day. And so will you." She notices Rory isn't saying anything. "Hey, what's going on in there?"

"I want to remember it all. Every detail," Rory says, a little distracted. Then, the final words:

Rory: "Mom?"

Lorelai: "Yeah?"

Rory: "I'm pregnant."

That's it. End of series. Goodbye. Cue the theme song "Where You Lead" by Carole King as the credits roll.

So: How do we feel about this? On one hand, this means everything comes full circle in the "Gilmore Girls" universe. Rory is now 32, the same age as Lorelai (who got pregnant at age 16 and dropped out of high school) was when the series started.

The choice to end with Rory getting pregnant is a fascinating one, as a major theme of the show was Lorelai trying to protect Rory from making the same mistakes she did when she was younger. See: Lorelai's meltdown in the first season when 16-year-old Rory stayed out all night with her boyfriend, Dean; or in the fifth season, when 20-year-old Rory wanted to drop out of Yale.

Now, although Rory is an adult, she's going to be a single mother, just like Lorelai. On that level, it's a very fitting ending for two women who are so alike and shared so much of their lives together. Yet it's hard to find a deeper meaning when the show just . . . ends abruptly on that note.

So that bring us to the other point of view: What kind of insane cliffhanger is this?! Not only do we not get to see Lorelai's reaction (something tells us it won't be "thrilled"), but we'll never know how things will work out for Rory, who just got her life back on track after going through a rough patch.

Plus, not to mention the question on many minds: Who is the father? Is it Logan, given that the two were having an affair? Paul, her elusive boyfriend? Again, who ends a show like that?!

Overall, it's kind of a brilliant move by Sherman-Palladino. We thought the whole point of the "Gilmore Girls" revival was to get closure -- now, it ends in a way that ensures that fans will never stop talking about the mystery.

As of Friday morning, mere hours after the revival was released on Netflix, fan reaction appeared split between "I called it!" and "Are you kidding me?" and "OK, so there has to be a sequel to the revival, right?"
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Hundreds of local citizens enjoyed an early Thanksgiving dinner at the Jones Auditorium on Nov. 20 for the sixth annual Community Thanksgiving Feast provided by the San Jacinto County Outreach Committee.

The San Jacinto County Outreach Committee consists of several people ranging from community leaders, church members and concerned citizens who reach out to local churches, organizations and businesses in order to assist in providing the Community Thanksgiving Feast.

The purpose of the Community Thanksgiving Feast is not only to provide a hot meal but also provide items to be used for families to prepare Thanksgiving dinner, including turkeys and other typical items.

"Our goal is to serve 1,000 people and to give away 300 meals and turkeys," said Outreach Committee Treasurer Dendra Butler.

The Outreach Committee served 500 people last year. While they did not reach their goal of serving 1,000 people in this year's Community Thanksgiving Feast, they still came very close with 825 people served.

"Each year it gets bigger and bigger and bigger," said Butler.

The Community Thanksgiving Feast does not just provide food for the residents who attend, according to Brandon Roberts of the Outreach Committee.

"It's really for the entire community to fellowship," he said. "To be able to come together and enjoy one another before the Thanksgiving holiday."

The Community Outreach members also set up tables outside of the Jones Auditorium to place clothing to give out to anyone in need of new clothes.

Roberts expressed gratitude on behalf of the Outreach Committee to those who helped them pull of this year's Community Thanksgiving Feast.

"It's been tremendous," he said.
The city of Deer Park, known as the "Birthplace of Texas," strives to research and preserve the past through its Historical Committee.

Since his election in 2013, Mayor Jerry Mouton has supported the committee's work.

"For me there was an emphasis to reenergize the committee and give it more of a simplified mandate," he said. "This is important because we have an amazing history and it's wise of us to try and preserve it."

To that end there are plans for historical displays, including artifacts, to be showcased in the new city hall building that is to be under construction in the early months of 2017.

In the meantime, there is still plenty to see.

Historical artifacts are on display throughout Deer Park, including deeds from some of the city's original land purchases, pieces of both the Battleship Texas and the San Jacinto Monument as well as news articles and photographs. These can be found at the city's Municipal Court and Theater Building at 1302 Center St., the Deer Park Community Center at 610 E. San Augustine; Deer Park Public Library at 3009 Center St., and the Deer Park Visitors Center at 203 Ivy Avenue, Suite 606.

Patrick's Cabin

There also has been work done at Patrick's Cabin which sits in the city's Heritage Park on Center Street.

In April of 1836 Mexican General Santa Anna and his army were defeated during the Battle of San Jacinto by Sam Houston and his men. When the fighting was over, Houston, along with Texas politician David Burnett and members of the Texas cabinet, went to the nearby cabin of Dr. George Patrick. There treaty papers were drawn up which would provide for Texas' independence from Mexico. That cabin was located where present-day Dow Chemical stands today, within Deer Park, hence the city's claims as the "Birthplace of Texas."

City officials like Mouton and Sherry Garrison, a city councilman and chair of the Historical Committee, believe that making the information easily accessible to residents and those visiting Deer Park is a priority.

To that end, Garrison and her committee members have worked to ensure signage of Patrick's Cabin is historically accurate.

The committee is working with the Texas Historical Commission to move a 1936 Texas Historical Marker located near the original home of Dr. Patrick at Dow Chemical to a place close to the cabin in Heritage Park.

"Dow called us weeks ago and wanted to know if we would like to have it moved to Deer Park close to our historic representation of Patrick's Cabin. They need to move it because of security and people can no longer see it," Garrison said. "Of course we said yes and have received permission from Harris County Historical Commission and they've forwarded our request to the Texas Historical Commission. We feel certain they will give us permission and we are planning to place it close to the cabin in Heritage Park."

"The cabin is a representation of (the original Patrick's Cabin), it's not an exact replica because there's no way we can know exactly what the cabin looked like," Garrison said. "So in the past two or three months we've tried very hard to make sure everything we put in writing (about it) is historically accurate."

The committee has discovered the cabin was likely a one-room structure with a large porch. The replica in Heritage Park, Garrison said, is a two-room structure with furniture indicative of the period of the cabin.

Oldest grave

The Historical Committee also has recently reunited what they believe is the oldest grave in Harris County with its headstone. The story goes that in 1928 a headstone marking the burial place of siblings William Wilson and Mary Jackson was discovered on property belonging to Shell Deer Park.

"This is Deer Park's oldest artifact, and we think it's the oldest headstone in Harris County," Garrison said.

"It stayed there until 1977 when Shell contacted the city and asked if the grave and the headstone might be moved to Dow Park in Deer Park."

City officials agreed and Shell moved the headstone, along with a casket filled with a symbolic cubic foot of dirt to represent the gravesite. From 1977 until 2007 or early 2008 the headstone and the dirt-filled casket remained at Dow. At that time, however, a group of residents had the headstone moved to Heritage Park.

When Garrison came into her current position years later she learned details of the headstone's move that troubled her.

"In 2013, the more research we did and the more we found out, we realized the headstone was moved (from Dow Park) without knowledge of City Council, and we realized they didn't bring the little casket with it."

Garrison wanted to correct that wrong, so she petitioned the City Council to move the headstone out of Heritage Park to Dow Park and back to its rightful place above the casket. The Council complied and the move was made in early November.

"That was our goal, to get them back together," she said.

The Historical Committee also is working to secure a Texas Historical marker for the gravesite.

Mayor Mouton praised the Historical Committee's dedication to its work and the important impact it will have for Deer Park's residents.

"Part of preserving history is understanding where we're from and where we're going, so hopefully we've preserved and documented our history and left something for after we're gone," he said.
Do you see what I see?

Christians look forward to Christmas with a special vision that is easily lost in our daily lives.

We look forward to the coming of a King, but celebrate it with parties and gift giving, often paying little attention to the gift we will again receive this year. When you look for the coming of the Savior, what do you see?

Do you see the pretty Christmas cards and the task of sending to a long list of friends and relatives? Do you wonder how you will pay for the gifts you feel compelled to purchase? Do you struggle with the hustle and extra shopping traffic? Maybe you see a time when the kids will be out of school and there will be an extra day off from work.

In Matthew's Gospel, John is looking for the coming of Jesus. He is looking for a forceful judge that will quickly deal with all who fall short of God's expectations. Matthew could have seen Jesus the way John expected, but he didn't. He saw Jesus as the presence of forgiveness, acceptance and without capacity to be judgmental at all.

These words from the Scripture remind us of what Christians should see when they look for the coming of the King. Having that vision changes the way we enter into our own journey toward Bethlehem.

John the Baptist was an important but somewhat sideline character in the narrative. This could lead us to see the rough and commercial vision of Christmas in a new way. Rather than raising our anxiety we find that the world, like John, is pointing to Jesus as savior. This shift of vision doesn't require us to get new glasses or clean our windows; it requires us to soften our hearts. When others are hurrying to celebrate in their own way, we can appreciate that all that takes place is because of the birth of Christ. Certainly merchants will make more money and stores are seeking to be more profitable, but somewhere in the midst of all of that there is a joy that runs through it all.

We start over every year in our Christian effort to recognize Jesus as King, to celebrate his birth and to look for the hope that comes from his presence on earth. Christians can see beyond the ways the world presents itself to God's Kingdom here on earth. We are able to see that children worldwide are having opportunity to live healthier lives. Women and children are more highly valued than before. We still have poverty and illness, but there is a hope that rings louder than the pain.

John the Baptist appears suddenly in Matthew's text and if you are able to see what I see, God is coming suddenly in many ways, even today. It won't always be a well-dressed preacher or Bible Study leader that points the way.

In many cases, it will be in rough and sudden circumstances that Jesus comes into our lives. IF we have eyes to see, we will see something new and wonderful this year. Advent is the time of anticipation for the hope-filled vision we call Christmas. It is a time when we learn to see through our heart. Jesus gives us heart vision.

Do you see?
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About 1,000 gathered at a softball field in Pearland on Saturday evening to mourn the death of 9-year-old Marcus McGhee, whose body was found floating in a private lake earlier in the day.

Residents of the Houston suburb filled the infield at the Pearland Girls Softball Association fields on Fite Road and spilled out onto the grass. Police chaplains gave a 20 minute service; visitors held lit candles in the air.

Many who came had helped search for McGhee, who had autism, after he went missing on Thanksgiving day. He and his family had been visiting former NBA star Marcus Camby at Camby's house across the street from the ballfields.

"Even in the midst of such tragedy, there is so much to be thankful for," Pastor Keith Anderson, the Pearland Police Department's senior chaplain, told the crowd. "For everyone who searched for Marcus, thanks. But I want you to under-stand, life now goes on."

Josie Carrillo, 38, from Pearland, brought her daughters to the vigil; one went to school with Camby's daughter. They had helped search for McGhee. "It's too close to home," Carillo said.

Tamara Garcia, 46, from southeast Houston, brought her daughters, too. One has autism.

During the service, mothers wrapped arms around daughters, wiping away tears. Fathers bounced babies, trying to keep them quiet. Teenagers stood stoically.

"I'm shocked at the turnout," said organizer Rebecca Burnham, 34, from Pearland. Burnham said she didn't know McGhee or Camby. She helped look for the boy because that's what neighbors do, she said.

The boy's body was discovered about 7 a.m. in the water of an L-shaped lake behind Camby's sprawling home, said Lt. Onesimo Lopez, spokesman for the Pearland Police Department.

Lopez said there appeared to be no indications of foul play. A Pearland investigator spotted the body as he walked along the bank of the lake.

McGhee was last seen around 4 p.m. Thursday at the residence in the 6700 block of Fite. The boy, Lopez said, was visiting Camby from Connecticut.

Police announced the discovery in a Facebook post early Saturday:

"Pearland Police Department regrets to inform the community that Marcus McGhee has been found. Today's search will be called off. We thank all of you for your efforts" the department posted on its Facebook page Saturday morning. "The family is now in need of our prayers. Additional details will be released later."

ORIGINAL STORY: Police cling to hope in search for ex-NBA star Camby's autistic nephew

Chris Bowie, 33, laid out flowers in front of Camby's home in Pearland Saturday morning, shortly after learning the news about Marcus' death.

The news hit close to home for Bowie, who said that his own teenage nephew who suffers from autism has gone missing before too, but was safely found.

"It was just so surreal for it to happen in our community," Bowie said.

Bowie lives about a mile away from the Camby home. As a special education teacher in Pasadena ISD, he says it's not out of the ordinary for autistic kids to wander off like Marcus. Autistic children who are nonverbal and don't have strong environmental awareness are even more prone to getting lost, he said.

"We tend to really have to keep an eye on them," Bowie said.

Bowie tried to volunteer Friday, but police said they already had too many volunteers.



"I was really proud of how quickly so many people volunteered there time to search for him," Bowie said.

On Thursday, Marcus was attending a family gathering of about 20 people, including eight children, on Camby's sprawling property in Pearland. Camby's mother-in-law also lives in a separate house nearby.

The child had been as playing with other kids, but the adults noticed he was missing at about 4:15 p.m.. They began searching the house, which has "lots of rooms, lots of places where people can hide," Lopez said. "Each room opens to a different room. It's almost like a labyrinth."

Police arrived at about 4:45 p.m. and began combing the house and the dense property, which includes a small lake in its center. A security camera picked up Marcus for a few seconds as he slipped out a side door, Lopez said.
Authorities in the Texas Panhandle are searching for an 18-year-old last seen by friends on Thanksgiving

The Hemphill County Sheriff's Office says Thomas Brown of Hemphill County was last seen Wednesday night by friends.
The summers final Live on the Waterfront concert was held Wednesday evening at Prince Arthurs Landing. The popular series in Thunder Bay has completed nine weekly shows that began on July 13. Wednesdays concert was unique as it was held one hour later in the evening to mesh with the 10 p.
Cleveland police car

Cleveland police are investigating after a man was shot on Interstate 90.

(File photo)

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- A man was shot Friday evening while driving on Interstate 90 near Dead Man's Curve, officials said.

The man was driving on I-90 when someone from another car opened fire about 5 p.m. The man was taken to an area hospital, Cleveland EMS said. His condition is unknown.

The driver crashed after crossing the westbound lanes. Another person was also taken to the hospital but did not have serious injuries, according to Cleveland EMS.

Cleveland police are investigating the incident. No other information was immediately released.

To comment on this post, please visit our crime and courts comments section.
john j russo.JPG

John J. Russo

(Mark Naymik, cleveland.com)

Kudos to Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Administrative and Presiding Judge John J. Russo and Cleveland Municipal Court Administrative Judge Ron Adrine for their budding bail reform efforts. They're rightly seeking ways to be fairer to poor defendants and more frugal with the taxpayers' money.

Yet, while important, the commitment of these two judges is not enough. They must push skeptical colleagues toward more comprehensive bail reform to make sure that low-level defendants don't land in jail just because they can't afford standard low bail.

That will serve the cause of justice while also saving money for taxpayers forced to pay $120 a day for their upkeep, per current jail charges levied by Cleveland.

Nonviolent defendants should not languish in jail simply because they lack the money to pay for bail.

Yet cleveland.com reporters Sara Dorn and Peter Krouse have found that some do. They found, for instance, that one poor, low-level defendant spent eight days in jail after being arrested for stealing underwear, just because he could not afford bail.

That should not happen. A number of other cities and states have eliminated bail for most nonviolent defendants unless they are dangerous or a flight risk. Cuyahoga County has to learn from them.

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It's good that Russo -- who presides over a courthouse with 33 other elected judges, some of whom are believed to be skeptical of bail reform -- has himself accepted the need for some changes. He recently created a first appearance docket that moves cases faster so that people charged with felonies aren't unfairly stuck in jail awaiting bail evaluations.

The court now appoints attorneys for all suspects and re-evaluates bail for municipal court cases bound over to Common Pleas Court within four days instead of weeks.

It's not ideal. A defendant could still lose his or her job within that period while criminal defense lawyers and public defenders worry that speed will trump justice, but Russo rightly says that he is open to tweaking the reform as he gets more feedback.

Adrine to his great credit has said he wants bail reform to be a legacy of his tenure and he's acted on it. Cleveland Municipal Court currently allows suspects accused of nonviolent crimes to be released on their recognizance. In addition, Adrine just signed a memorandum of understanding with the nonprofit Laura and John Arnold Foundation to use its highly respected risk assessment tool to score inmates on violence and other risk factors that should further refine the process.

But in a county with 12 other municipal courts besides Cleveland's, Adrine and Russo must do more than just model what can be achieved in their own courts.

Currently, municipal court judges, who are the first to set bail, have so little information about most defendants that they often set bail high, making it "more difficult to get out (of jail)," as Adrine notes. Yet that also means that suspects who can afford that high bail are allowed to go free even if they pose a substantial risk to the community or a risk of flight.

Either outcome is not fair or right. Greater Cleveland judges and law enforcement officials should not rest until bail reform is a reality.

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As international tributes and expressions of condolences for deceased Cuban leader Fidel Castro poured in on Saturday, there was one group whose mood was decidedly celebratory: Cuban-Americans, who took to the streets to rejoice in the strongman's demise.

The contrast was stark, and sparked a furious debate about Castro's legacy and the practical import of his commitment to Communism. A world-bestriding figure who outlasted multiple U.S. presidential administrations, the Cuban leader cultivated good will across Latin America and Africa even as he earned both praise and scorn across the American political spectrum.

Castro's moves to increase access to health care and education and equality were often cited by his proponentsand he had manyas reasons to lionize his achievements. Yet Castro's detractors said those accomplishments were overshadowed by the government's complete control over free speech, political dissent and the economy.

In the years following Castro's ascent, Cuban gays were routinely rounded up and put in labor camps. Meanwhile, documents dating back to the revolution's heady early days documented thousands of firing squad executions of political opponents and people deemed as enemies of the state, according to Cuba Archive.



President-elect Donald Trump excoriated Latin America's last remaining dictatorship, while President Barack Obamawho made a historic journey to the country earlier this year in an effort to reverse decades of what he called "a failed policy"said that "history would record and judge" Castro, who Obama called a "singular figure."

The Cuban government, headed by Fidel Castro's brother Raul, is planning a nine-day mourning that will culminate in a burial on December 4 in Castro's birthplace of Santiago de Cuba.



In Miamia bastion of Cuba's immigrant and exile communityfireworks and boisterous spontaneous street parties erupted after news that the 90-year old who ruled the island for more than 50 years was reviled by Cuban-Americans had died after years of illness.

Cubans who fled the island and resettled in the U.S. in the decades after Castro ascended to power in 1959, reveled in the news.



fireworks

The Senate's two Cuban-American Republicans, Florida's Marco Rubio and Texas' Ted Cruzboth of whom ran for presidentcondemned Castro's legacy. On social media, Cruz inveighed against the "brutal Communist dictatorship" that split families and imprisoned countless political opponents.

Rubio minced no words, calling the Cuban leader "evil and murderous" in a sharply worded statement, a sentiment echoed by Trump.

"Today, the world marks the passing of a brutal dictator who oppressed his own people for nearly six decades. Fidel Castro's legacy is one of firing squads, theft, unimaginable suffering, poverty and the denial of fundamental human rights," the president-elect said in a statement.

"While Cuba remains a totalitarian island, it is my hope that today marks a move away from the horrors endured for too long, and toward a future in which the wonderful Cuban people finally live in the freedom they so richly deserve," he added.

Some world leaders, many of them left-leaning, hailed the Castro's construction of a "world class" medical and educational system, and his ability to openly defy and outlife U.S. foreign policy. In a statement, UK Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn lauded Castro's "many" achievements.

Mandela foundation

Yet in places like Miami, there was a markedly different sentiment. Castro's fiercest critics faulted the communist leader's record on human rights and the island's repressive state-controlled economy where poverty and lack of freedom are the norm.

Despite Obama's aperture, the U.S. embargo remains the centerpiece of U.S.-Cuba relations in large measure because of continued support from Cuban-Americans and Congressional Republicans.



Sasse tweet
Foundation adds another $25M to Kinder Institute

The Kinder Foundation is giving the Kinder Institute on Constitutional Democracy another $25 million, bringing its total to $60 million.
Donna James Leads a Bold Plan to Revive Victorias Secret

James has a proven record as a C-suite executive and adviser. Now, shes guiding the lingerie giant toward a more inclusive, financially sound future.
The sunset clause  basically a way of building time limits into legislation  is a device we dont use often enough in Britain.

Ive argued previously that Parliament should use it when bringing in new regulations, in order to make sure that regulations have to be reconsidered in light of actual evidence of whether they work.

But Grant Shapps has another use for them. He wants to attach a sunset clause to the Governments Great Repeal Bill.

At present, the Repeal Bill is going to contain provisions to translate all EU law directly into British legislation, indefinitly, when the European Communities Act is repealed.

The obvious problem with this is that it means were very likely to end up keeping nearly all of it. Inertia is a powerful thing and theres an awful lot of EU rules to wade through.

Shapps proposal puts the forces of inertia on the side of repeal, reversing the dynamic. Wed have to focus on identifying and keeping the laws we really like, rather than just hunting down a few of the most irritating.

This is a perfectly sensible proposition and ought to command wide support, especially given that even many Remainers were prepared to concede the EUs tendency to over-regulate even if they didnt think it justified actually leaving.

However, the five-year window hes proposed is too short to be practical, and the Government is right to resist setting up a guillotine on such a timescale.

Leaving the EU is going to be a formidably complex business. The Government has a limited bandwidth and Brexit is almost certainly going to completely dominate this Parliament, notwithstanding the Prime Ministers determination to carve out a domestic agenda.

Theresa May also recently spoke about the need to avoid a cliff edge after Brexit, in order to provide businesses with confidence and a stable environment. To that end shes pursuing a transitional deal with Brussels in order to smooth the path out of the EU.

Five years is not enough time for Parliament to sift through the great mass of European legislation and take a considered approach to what we keep, not with everything else it has to deal with. Thus passing Shapps amendment would create just the sort of cliff-edge the Government is trying to avoid.

But that doesnt mean the Government should simply reject the sunset clause. Instead they and Shapps supporters should unite around a longer clause  perhaps ten years.

That would give the Government and Parliament time to focus on getting Brexit right, create space for a smooth transition out of the EU, and still make sure we only keep the European law we pro-actively choose.
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Google has recently introduced its first-time self-built flagship products -Pixel & Pixel XL on October 20, 2016, blessing with huge stardom on the phones. The phones although embellished with high specs and features but missing two key features which are available inside its predecessors-Double- Tap and Raise-To-Wake moves.

If you new to Google Pixel and unaware of what this is all about, then read further.Well, these "moves" are created to help a user to see notifications without unlocking the screen. Just Double-tap on the screen and the screen wakes up to show the new notifications received. Or just raise the phone you can also see the notifications. The first move is called "Double-tap" move and second is called "Raise-to-wake" move, as published in TechTimes.

Readers would be appalled to know that these moves were already incorporated in Nexuses and its competitors LG and HTC. Even on Apple iPhone pushed in the new Apple iOS 10 released in October 2016, claims The Next Web.

Google woke up with the new moves but it is only released officially for Canadian Pixel users only. Knowing this, down south in the US, fans are eagerly waiting for this new update. The exact date for other countries is anyone guesses.

The update, having a size of 261MB, has to be done manually when received the OTA on phone. To enable the update, users has to go to Settings->Moves, Then you can find both in the list with "Swipe for notifications", "Jump to Camera" and "Flip Camera". Trap on them to visualize the Pixel moves.

There is also a way for those who can't resist waiting for this lagging update. Geeks at XDA have captured the OTA .zip file. The zip file is available for Pixel (sailfish) users only and currently not available for Pixel XL (marling), as per Droid Life. Most of the users claim the "moves" are working after successful installation of the Zip file.

See Now: What Republicans Don't Want You To Know About Obamacare
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The World Health Organization (WHO) has remained silent on the issue of international regulatory controls on cannabis since 1935. There have been breakthroughs and advancements in science about cannabis for the past 80 years. It is indeed high time for WHO to provide restructured advice about cannabis' legal position.

Many countries like Uruguay, and Portugal, as well as many states in America, have disregarded the international agreements supporting WHO's stance. These places have embraced more tolerant policies which allow regulated access to cannabis even for non-medical use. Recently, California approved the recreational usage of cannabis. This is a very significant move as the state becomes the world's fifth largest economy.

WHO provides evidence about drugs on which the United Nations drug control system relies. The UN then informs the International Policy and Treaties. It appears that WHO's stand on cannabis seems progressively lost from the evidence. The gateway theory has long been discredited yet the UN still promotes that cannabis plays as a gateway to the use of abusive substances.

Uruguay has pioneered the way by being the first country to embrace regulated use of cannabis according to Independent. It took the country three years of sensible planning and came up with the Institute for the Regulation and Control of Cannabis (IRCA). IRCA is Uruguay's newly founded regulator. The Institute has doubled its budget requirements to guarantee sufficient staffing levels. The Institute has also invested on public health messages. This is to make sure people are given ample information about the risks connected to the use of cannabis. Recently, IRCA published a report in WOLA, which is essential for WHO and its members in their stand on cannabis.

There is a big opportunity for WHO to create a momentous impact on global health. The organization, could orchestrate an expert study and encourage the UN to review the scheduling of cannabis. This could help divert $100 billion spent annually on drug regulation towards harm reduction as reported by Politics. By decreasing the health and social damages, the WHO can demonstrate that it cares for the millions of people using it.

See Now: What Republicans Don't Want You To Know About Obamacare
In the first nine months of 2016, a total of 101.5 million border-crossings from Mainland China took place in the first nine months of 2016, the first time that the 100 million hurdle was crossed within the first three quarters of a year, according to a COTRI China Outbound Tourism Research Institute report.

COTRI said that 49.8 million - less than half of the total number - stayed within Greater China (Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan), with the remaining 51.7 million trips going to destinations further afield.

Compared to the third quarter of 2015, this represents an increase of 3.3 percent, which, however, is split between a year-over-year decrease of 6.2 percent for Greater China, but an increase of 14.5 percent for the rest of the world.

Compared to the figures from the first half of 2016, the decrease in Greater China has slowed from 7 percent last year, but so too has the growth rate for the rest of the world, which has slipped from 16.6 percent last year.

Focusing on the third quarter of 2016 alone, out of 37.5 million border-crossings from China (up 4.4 percent from last year), 20 million trips went beyond Greater China, an increase of 14.1 percent, while 17.5 million, a decrease of 5.1 percent, were to Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan.

The overall global growth rate of China's outbound tourism improved after the 2.4 percent and 4.3 percent growth figures recorded in the first and second quarters of the year respectively, to reach 4.4 percent by the third quarter of 2016.

Among the major destinations for Chinese travelers, South Korea (up 85 percent year-over-year) and Vietnam (up 75 percent) recorded the biggest increases in the third quarter of 2016, while Japan was unable to maintain the triple-digit growth rates seen in 2015, instead recording an increase of 16 percent.

With a year-over-year decrease in arrivals of 28 percent, Taiwan saw the biggest drop among major destinations in Asia, a direct result of the restrictions placed by the Beijing government on the arrangement of organized travel groups, according to COTRI.

In Europe, all of the continents major destinations saw a decline in Chinese travelers, with not only France and Germany, but also Spain, Switzerland and Italy reporting double-digit declines.

On the other hand, smaller countries like Croatia, Iceland, Poland and Norway all enjoyed more than a 20 percent growth in arrival numbers from China. Safety concerns resulted also in increases in trips to Australia and New Zealand and even more so to the United States.

Commenting on the latest results, COTRI Director Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Georg Arlt, said: Our forecast that 2016 will be the first year to see more than half of all Chinese outbound trips going beyond Greater China seems to be holding up. The anxiety over possible terrorist attacks or disruptions caused by refugee movements has not resulted in Chinese travelers staying closer to home, but rather choosing new destinations perceived as less dangerous and more interesting. The massive downturn in arrival numbers to Hong Kong and Taiwan are more to do with political friction than a decrease in the demand for travel.
BRIDGEPORTFrom extinguishing blazes to extricating car crash victims, firefighters take on may threats to life.

In October they took on another onebreast cancerby donating $6,363 to the Norma Pfriem Breast Center.

It just seemed like an important thing to do, said Capt. Richard Skoog, who paid $20 for a pink T-shirt and $5 per shift that he wore it. It was really a bizarre thing. One of the guys said (that) we should really be doing something with the pink shirts.

In an email, Fire Chief Richard Thode described the in-house fundraiser as a grass-roots, last-minute effort during Breast Cancer Awareness Month led by members of the same Boston Avenue firehouseSkood, Capt. Ron LaFlamme, and firefighter Gregory Prior.

How far does $6,363 go in the fight against cancer?

In a video of a Wednesday ceremony thanking the firefighters, a representative of the Center can be seen saying that if you think about it in terms of ladies that youve assisted, youve been able to provide at least 50 mammograms for women who may not otherwise be able to afford it.

Skoog said that he enjoyed the fundraising experience, which filled the Quarters of Engine 10 & Ladder 10s Facebook page with photos of the men in their pink shirts on shift.

Its a high benchmark, Thode said in the video but the nice thing is that it gives us something to shoot for next year.
Somerset County Treasurer will 'do what it takes' for best returns
Traditionally, Prime Ministers take a back seat after leaving No 10, making public appearances only on official occasions and very rarely interfering in day-to-day politics.

Of course, there have been exceptions. For example, Harold Macmillan condemned Margaret Thatcher's privatisation programme, which he said was the equivalent of 'selling the family silver'.

In turn, Mrs T herself was accused by her successor John Major after she claimed she was a 'very good back-seat driver' and he said witheringly: 'I think her behaviour was intolerable.'

A most egregious exception, too, is Tony Blair. Ever since standing down as Prime Minister in 2007, he has delusionally continued to conduct himself as if he were a world statesman.

Now, having failed in his role as Middle East peace envoy  but having built up a multi-million-pound personal fortune  he is plotting a political comeback in Britain.

John Major and Tony Blair have both called for the brakes to be put on Brexit this week

This week, he grandly offered himself for interview with the Left-wing magazine the New Statesman in which he gives a wide-ranging assessment of world events.

Wisely, considering how very low his reputation is with the public after having taken the UK into an illegal war in Iraq and amassed himself millions  Blair says he has 'no intention of going back to the frontline' of British politics.

However, the man who a former friend once called a 'narcissist with a Messiah complex', is convinced he can offer a voice to millions who disagree with Brexit and who he describes as 'politically homeless.'

An arch Europhile who, as PM, desperately wanted Britain to join the euro and who, after leaving Downing Street, toyed with the idea of trying to become president of the EU, arrogantly makes it clear that his most urgent task is to keep Britain in the EU.

In defiance of the democratic will of the British people who voted in June to leave the EU, he told New Statesman editor Jason Cowley that Brexit can be prevented.

With breathtaking conceit, he says: 'It can be stopped if the British people decide that, having seen what it means, the pain-gain cost-benefit analysis doesn't stack up.'

On its own, Blair joining the chorus of disgruntled and out-of-touch Remainers demanding a second referendum is a story of minor significance, particularly considering his unpopularity on both the Left and Right.

Quite rightly he was utterly discredited by the Chilcot Report into the Iraq war, which not only exposed his dishonesty in presenting the case for intervention but also laid bare his incompetence and the way in which he presided over the collapse of good government.

Chilcot showed how he suborned senior public servants such as the head of MI6 (although many were shamefully too willing to be bought off), ignored sane advice, failed to ensure proper planning and provision for the war and aftermath and set impossible tasks for our Armed Forces and civilians in Iraq.

If Blair had been judged against the standards set for other occupations with a duty of care  for example, surgeons or civil engineers  he might now be facing trial for manslaughter, for causing death by gross negligence.

I am not alone in believing that following Chilcot's damning condemnation, Blair's opinions cannot be trusted. Although I said his decision to return to frontline politics to try to stop Britain leaving the EU is a move of minor significance, he has joined a bandwagon of very powerful vested interests which is determined to prevent the will of the British people being carried out.

Last Wednesday night, at Left-wing luvvies' favourite London restaurant the River Cafe  run by the wife of Labour peer and anti-Brexit campaigner Richard Rogers  Blair's former propaganda chief Alastair Campbell is said to have lobbied fellow diners such as Lord (Peter) Mandelson and ex-MI6 boss John Sawers, to 'fight back' on Brexit.

The two former Prime Ministers, pictured together in Londonderry earlier this year

And what a coincidence that Blair's predecessor as PM, John Major, has also entered the fray, joining the battle to stop Britain leaving the EU. How ironic that the man who said Mrs T had behaved 'intolerably' by acting as a back-seat driver to him is now meddling and trying to sabotage the most important challenge facing the present prime minister, Theresa May.

To be fair to Major, he has always conducted himself with far greater dignity and discretion than Blair.

However, speaking at a private dinner at Westminster, he argued that there was a 'perfectly credible case' for a second referendum on the terms of Brexit once they are finally known.

He made some worthwhile points  for example his insistence that it is essential that Parliament should have its say on the terms of the deal negotiated with the EU.

However, his assertion that Brexit should not be dictated by what he called the 'tyranny of the majority' was a grotesque insult to the 17.4 million people who voted Leave.

The phrase 'tyranny of the majority' was first used by John Adams, one of the founding fathers of the United States, in 1788. It should be understood in its proper context. Adams was expressing concern about the dangers of mob rule, and the fear that majority opinion could be used to trample over or even terrorise minority groups.

There is wisdom in Adams's phrase  underscoring how it is possible for democracies to be transformed into something horrible like a dictatorship. Over the years, many despots have come to power thanks to the 'tyranny of the majority'.

However, Major's deliberate use of such a phrase in the context of Brexit is both toxic and reckless. On June 23, a clear majority of voters decisively cast their vote on an issue concerning the destiny of Britain after a great public debate.

Volunteers in north London count votes in the EU referendum earlier this year

Which is why I fear that Major's comment risks taking us into very dangerous territory.

Not only is it an insult to our democratic process, it betrays an arrogant assumption that the result of the June vote can be changed.

Don't think that this is impossible. For in the past decade, the Brussels elite has successfully challenged the democratic will of the people on three occasions  in Ireland twice and Denmark.

In referendums, voters there initially rejected an EU treaty, only to be asked to vote again because Brussels was appalled by their verdict. Eventually the Eurocrats got the results they wanted.

Disgracefully, it now looks as if there is a similar plot being hatched for Britain to follow a similar path.

This would be an abrogation of democracy. The British people have decided they want out of the EU.

Blair and Major have both been criticised for their stance on Britain's exit from the EU

The June 23 vote was not only a judgment on Britain's membership of a corrupt and bankrupt European super-state, but a voice of protest against a ruling class that has betrayed the people on a host of issues such as uncontrolled immigration, the incompetence of financial institutions which led to the crash of 2008 and the loss of thousands of manufacturing jobs and the consequent decline and impoverishment of communities they supported.

For many years, Tony Blair was a figurehead for this ruling elite.

His desire now to sabotage the public will and prevent Brexit shows that he has learned nothing from a career in politics.

If he and John Major succeed, there will be no talk of the 'tyranny of the majority'. Instead, it would be the 'tyranny of the arrogant minority'. And, most chillingly, we would be witnessing the death of democracy.

Corruption and why I'm sure Trump won't serve a full term

Will Donald Trump last his full, four-year term as President of the United States? I am convinced that his chances of doing so are remote.

This is because I predict that his business empire will give rise to huge and irreconcilable conflicts of interest. So far he has denied any problem, saying: 'The law's totally on my side, the President can't have a conflict of interest.'

But already we have seen signs of potential trouble. Trump has already tackled the Argentine president about planning issues concerning a building of his in Buenos Aires and he has met Indian property tycoons who are building a block of flats for him in Mumbai.

The fact is the President-elect has made no serious attempt to ring-fence his multifarious business interests from his political office as President. Inevitably, this will make him vulnerable to charges of corruption if his popularity falls and the Republicans lose their majority in Congress in the mid-term elections in two years' time.
This paper does not recall Sir John Major complaining about the tyranny of the majority, or demanding a fresh vote, when he swept to power on a 42 per cent landslide in 1992, with 14.1million supporters

This paper does not recall Sir John Major complaining about the tyranny of the majority, or demanding a fresh vote, when he swept to power on a 42 per cent landslide in 1992, with 14.1million supporters.

It is contemptible that he does so now, after 17.4million  52 per cent  backed Brexit.

But then by joining his old adversary Tony Blair in calling for a second referendum, Sir John may inadvertently have given cheer to Brexiteers.

For if these two disastrous former premiers are on one side  Major remembered chiefly for his farcical traffic cones hotline, Blair for lying his head off, throwing open our borders and drenching the Middle East in blood  isnt it a reliable sign their opponents have got it right?

Throw in that appalling hypocrite Nick Clegg among the saboteur Bremoaners, and the case for Brexit is made.

But then Leavers have plenty more reasons to believe they were right. Look how every economic indicator since the vote has exposed the mendacity of Project Fears predictions of the apocalypse.

Employment at a record high. Growth forging ahead. Exports surging. Retail sales well above average. Business sentiment booming, with investment up in the first quarter since the referendum.

And now, in a stunning vote of confidence in post-Brexit Britain, Jaguar wants to double production and build a new generation of electric cars in the UK, creating tens of thousands of jobs.

So much for George Osbornes prophecy of an immediate and profound shock to our economy.

Throw in that appalling hypocrite Nick Clegg among the saboteur Bremoaners, and the case for Brexit is made

Yet Bremoaners at Westminster  and their blinkered allies in think-tanks, the BBC and other media  seem impervious to these facts, spreading gloom despite what is happening in the real world.

Indeed, it is highly significant that the Bank of England yesterday admitted to downgrading growth forecasts according to the level of media scaremongering (and how interesting that three of the four newspapers they read are obsessive Remainer doom-mongers)  magnifying the harm done by talking Britain down.

This is why it was so welcome that Chancellor Philip Hammond shook off his habitual gloom when he delivered his largely upbeat Autumn Statement.

As for the Brexit timetable, this paper applauds Theresa Mays determination to push through a Bill empowering her to kick-start the process, should the Supreme Court uphold the ruling that only Parliament can take the decision.

One word of warning. If the Lords tries to sabotage such a move, that house of washed-up cronies and dodgy donors will be signing its own death warrant.

By six to one, MPs voted to abide by the peoples decision on the EU. The people will not be thwarted because an unelected clique didnt like their answer. That, truly, would be tyranny.

Rein in the fat cats

Forget the spat between Threadneedle Street and Downing Street over the role of the Bank of Englands chief economist in a report attacking Mrs Mays plans to curb undeserved fat cat pay

Forget the spat between Threadneedle Street and Downing Street over the role of the Bank of Englands chief economist in a report attacking Mrs Mays plans to curb undeserved fat cat pay.

What matters is the issue itself. On this, the Mail stands four-square behind the Prime Ministers efforts to stop grand larceny by those senior executives who help themselves to shareholders cash out of all proportion to their performance.

Nobody begrudges lavish rewards to bosses who create profits and jobs. But not even the financial crash stopped the relentless surge in boardroom pay.

Mrs May is right to insist shareholders must have the power to rein in excesses, while firms should be transparent in revealing disparities between earnings in the boardroom and on the shop floor.
THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK Stupid of me. Forgive me Everything that was less  As you always have, unquestioning. We have come this far. We are walking together into life and death by Jay Ramsay (poet and psychotherapist) Advertisement

Dear Bel,

Im semi-retired and live in the South of England, while my daughter Sally lives in the North with her partner James and my two gorgeous grandchildren.

I was present at the birth of both children and always had a loving and close relationship with Sally.

James is a member of the Labour Party and a devout Corbyn supporter: theyre both very much champagne socialists. Sally has a high-powered job and they have a good cultural life and read The Guardian.

My husband David, Sallys stepfather, has a wonderful relationship with her and my grandchildren. At the end of June we went to look after the grandchildren for the weekend, while Sally and James had a couple of days away.

Sally was beyond furious at the EU referendum result. David and myself are staunch Brexiteers  so we made the decision not to discuss the referendum with my daughter.

But that night during dinner (James was out at a local Labour meeting) Sally misinterpreted something Id said, accused me of calling her a racist and then launched into a tirade in front of friends, publicly humiliating me.

I apologised for the misunderstanding after she threatened to throw me out of her house  even though wed just driven 250 miles to give her a weekend away.

In the morning James was in the kitchen, perfectly friendly, but soon afterwards Sally viciously verbally attacked me (this I cant forgive) in front of my little grandson. Our husbands have remained neutral.

After ascertaining we were still babysitting (something I was looking forward to), Sally and James left.

As you can imagine I was reeling, but optimistically imagined a rapprochement on their return. This was not to be.

Not even a word of thanks from Sally; indeed she and I did not exchange one word and have not communicated in any way since that hideous time, several months ago.

I have occasionally been in touch via email with James and of course continued to send the children cards and gifts.

This situation is like a living bereavement and its affecting my life irrevocably. David has been my rock and I have told a few close friends and my youngest son, but no other family members.

Do you have any idea how my sad situation can be resolved?

BEATRICE

Like religion, political issues and allegiances have always caused divisions within families. It can be heartbreaking, especially if you think (as I do) that family love and loyalty matter far more.

It was easy to smile when a snap showed two signs on one lawn in America, one saying Trump the other Clinton.

In the middle was a newer one: Divorce Sale. It might have been a joke of course, but maybe not. I wrangled a little about politics with my first husband; the current one is much too sensible!

And we all know that good friends and family members fell out over Brexit. Personally I simply dont understand it; political parties shift and change, politicians come and go, and the most dangerous thing is certainty.

I have been trying to imagine that supper in your daughters house, when you said something that made her think you accused her of racism. Not the other way around?

Since you voted for Brexit (as I did) that would be far more likely  if monstrous. So its all rather odd, but all I can guess is you broke your own vow and said something that was like a red rag to the daughter you know and love so well.

This happens between mothers and daughters (I know this) and it is easy for misunderstandings and careless words to escalate . . . until you reach the sad situation you are in.

It interested me that you made such a point of summing up the politics of your daughter and her husband in a somewhat harsh way. We all know champagne socialists  in fact, I used to be one myself! But I suspect you habitually suppress a high level of irritation about this (not to mention their choice of newspaper), which your daughter will pick up on.

She may well dislike your choice of paper, too. And it is total nonsense  because we should all allow each other different viewpoints, different tastes. No set of political ideas has the monopoly on virtue.

The only way through this is by means of your respective husbands, James and David.

They are the innocent bystanders who both need to know, without any doubt, how much this episode has upset you.

You are Sallys mother and it shouldnt matter one bit to her what you think about the EU, nor should you jeer (yes, a wee jeer was there) at her lifestyle and choice of newspaper. All that matters is your relationship and the future with your grandchildren, for heavens sake!

You both have to learn from this. I suggest you write James a proper letter setting out your feelings, telling him how sad you are and how much you love Sally and the children.

Why not suggest that they go away for another weekend, so you can take care of the children?

Since David gets on so well with his stepdaughter he could write her a little note, asking her to forgive and forget the matter, too.

And you have to forget the issue as well. She shouldnt have yelled at you in front of the grandchild, but its time for this mother-daughter team to act like tolerant grown-ups, and move on.

I got cancer, then my man had an affair

Dear Bel,

My partner of 16 years  who is 58  and I seemed the perfect couple: lovely house, great friends, boat, caravan, and enough money to be comfortable.

In January 2015 I was diagnosed with breast cancer, went through chemo, had a mastectomy (on my 60th birthday), reconstruction and radiotherapy.

He wasnt supportive, in fact he was cruel, didnt come to appointments or phone to ask about scans. He was horrible about me  he even told my children and friends Id been impossible during treatment. I admit I had some bad days.

Last October, three weeks after finishing treatment, I discovered he was having an affair with a 30-year-old from Ghana, married to a rich 75-year-old. I never told her husband and they remain together. However, I hit my partner and threw him out. Now I dont sleep, despite pills. I feel exhausted and close to tears. I want my old life back.

My partner comes round sometimes and we get on fine on the surface, but he says hes scared to come back because of my illness, and what my kids and friends will say. They are incredibly disappointed and angry with him.

I cant see a new life for me, yet know Im lucky to be alive. I dont want to be on my own for ever. I have met some decent men and all have asked for a second date. They know about my breast cancer, although theres been no sex. Dont know if I can. My old partner cant bear to touch me.

He lives in a bedsit while I have my house, which he renovated. But I hate it now. I go out, am popular and funny, dance every week. I have two great children and two lovely grandchildren, but I seem so traumatised. How can I move on?

HELEN

With immense sympathy, I remind you that some people (of both sexes) are useless at coping with bad times.

You gave Useless me as the subject of your email, yet surely the man who let you down so badly is the one who deserves the adjective?

We long for those we love to be strong, yet how many times have you heard a woman say, My husbands hopeless when I have flu? Some people are good at taking care of their loved ones and others are not. Maybe they are too selfish, maybe theyre just terrified. Equally, some people are terrible patients.

Your illness sledge-hammered its way into your lovely, settled life, and it seems as if you are intent on allowing it to destroy that life as surely as if the outcome had been as bad as possible.

I say allowed  because it sounds to me as if you are doing nothing to sort out your feelings. Over-medicating with sleeping pills (which may have a side-effect of depressing you still further) and at the same time desperately going on dates is not the answer. You are running round in exhausting circles, when you need to stop, be still, breathe deeply and think.

Yes, you are traumatised  and one year is not necessarily long enough to recover mentally from the fear and pain you endured, the shocking loss of a part of your body, and then the catastrophic disappointment at your partners poor response to the situation. And then, the final blow, his stupid, pathetic infidelity. No wonder you are still in tears. No wonder you feel desperate.

You say you want your life back. Well, that is a perfectly reasonably yearning  as long as you understand that it can never be as it was. He and you have changed irrevocably, but sometimes great changes, though terrifying, can nudge us towards new ways of understanding and being.

You dont say whether you still want your partner, nor whether you have had any counselling. But it seems to me as though you may still have a chance of rebuilding the relationship and beginning a new life, in the full knowledge of his shortcomings. And maybe your own.

In the end, it doesnt matter what everybody else feels, just what you two can create out of the wreckage of your old life. I think you should remove yourself from those dating websites and invite your partner to attend sessions with Relate. He wont want to, of course, but surely you can make that a condition of him remaining in your life?

He has to be told, in no uncertain terms, that the issues you have faced alone must now be faced together  or else he is dooming himself to a lonely life in the bedsit. You both have children; there is a lot at stake. My gut is telling me you should get professional help and try again.

And finally... Whatever happens, joy is near

At the new Stroud Book Festival I was being interviewed by Caroline Sanderson  writer, editor and biographer.

We talked about my new book, my last book, animals, bereavement, love, loss, the spirit, this column . . . and more. From the floor people shared their stories of sadness for pets and for people with consolation in the love they expressed.

Then came Carolines final question: What brings you joy? she asked. With no pause I blurted some delights to the receptive room. Its impossible to remember the detail of what I babbled, but it was such a positive thing to be asked.

WRITE TO BEL Bel answers readers questions on emotional and relationship problems each week. Write to Bel Mooney, Daily Mail, 2 Derry Street, London W8 5TT, or e-mail bel.mooney@dailymail.co.uk. A pseudonym will be used if you wish. Bel reads all letters but regrets she cannot enter into personal correspondence. Advertisement

My joyful blurt ranged from the home I love, curling up with our two dogs by the library fire, walking by the river with my husband (looking for otters that are never there in the daytime), doing this job, spending time with my children, their partners and our three beautiful grandchildren, drinking wine with friends, looking at pictures, reading, snuggling down to watch TV, still being lucky enough to have the parents (now 94 and 92) who mean so much to me

And then I added something about living in this wonderful country of ours, where we have freedom to go where we choose.

We are so lucky to live here, I said. And thats not abstract, you know, but something I think of most days when I read my newspapers and watch the news. Being British brings me joy.

It occurs to me that this is a truly useful exercise for all of us.

No matter what side of the political divide you sit on (see todays main letter), think hard about where you find real joy in your life. What matters.

And even when things go badly wrong (as in todays second letter), good can be retrieved by remembering joy shared in the past.
At 9.28 one morning last week, live on The Chris Evans Breakfast Show, 62-year-old Elaine Fairfax finally saw off several rival bidders and celebrated as she won her own private concert by Take That.

All around the country, listeners must have gulped as she pledged 1.1 million to Children In Need in exchange for a 45-minute performance at a venue of her choice by the heart-throb band (minus Robbie Williams and Jason Orange, who have left the group).

Ideally, Id like it to be just them and me in my kitchen so I can get to know them a bit better, she tells me.

Elaine Fairfax, 62, from Jersey, pledged 1.1 million to Children In Need in exchange for a 45-minute performance by Take That. She has two life-size cardboard cutouts of Gary Barlow, including one of them in her shower

Just like a teenybopper years younger, she says: I love them all. I am so, so excited. I just cant believe it because Ive always loved them so much.

Which is presumably why, in a frenzied bidding session for the charity auction prize, she rather lost sight of the budget she had agreed with her husband Chris the night before.

We decided to go to half a million and no more, she explains. Which is still a lot of money, isnt it?

Elaine, a big, blonde, bubbly self-made multi-millionaire, didnt hesitate after the bidding opened at 1,001. I went straight in at 100,000, she says.

After that, she and Patrick from Guildford battled it out until Elaines husband observed that Patrick must have been bidding so as to give his wife her own personal Take That concert as a present. Elaine immediately thought: Right! His wife is not having it!

In the event, Elaine threw caution to the wind and bid 1.1 million.

But the private performance will not be the first time that Elaine, pictured with Barlow, has paid to meet the Take That frontman in aid of charity. There have been celebrity charity weekends, two dine and disco events and even a backstage chat

She won. Chris Evans broke the news, live on air, to Take Thats delighted frontman Gary Barlow.

Elaines private audience will cost her a 24,444 a minute. But a week on, she and her extremely understanding husband of 30 years have still Found Heaven, in the words of a Take That hit.

Elaines devotion to the band dates from 1991 when they released their first single, Do What U Like. I could see the potential of their music, even when Garys hair was still blond, she says.

Since then she has seen them live countless times, knows their songs by heart and listens to them continually in the kitchen, sitting room, bedroom and indoor swimming pool complex of her gorgeous new home on the Channel island of Jersey, and in every one of her and Chriss fleet of luxury cars.

She named their 60ft motor yacht Shine after the second single from the bands 2006 comeback album. Youve got to admit, its a great name for a boat, isnt it?. Their 27ft speedboat is called Little Shine.

Her husband Chris (left) encouraged her all along and was even prepared for her to bid 1.5 million if necessary, to secure those 45 minutes of joy

Elaines sizeable Take That memorabilia collection includes signed photos, framed records and a giant Paddington bear that was hand-painted by the band, which she bought for several thousand pounds in another charity auction, for Save The Children. She also has two life-size cardboard cutouts of Gary Barlow, one of them in her shower.

While she loves all the band members, her heart belongs to Gary. Always has, always will, she says. I just love, love, love him.

None of this fazes husband Chris. Not even the 1.1 million. He didnt blanch at the amount.

I was just so happy for her. Id so wanted her to get it, he says.

It was Chris, it turns out, who had encouraged her all along  and was even prepared for her to bid 1.5 million if necessary, to secure those 45 minutes of joy.

Elaine is a self-made multi-millionaire. She set up Animal Friends, a pet insurance company that offers a personal touch. The company now has a turnover of 90million a year

I dont care what it cost. She deserves it, he says proudly. She has spent her life helping others and working hard, now its her turn.

Elaine, who was born in Brighton and brought up near Croydon in South London, left school at 15 with no qualifications apart from a couple of horse-riding certificates.

She says she was bullied dreadfully and that animals were her only solace. The bullies waited for me in gangs, chucked my books away, pushed me down the stairs and beat me up.

After leaving school, desperate to better herself, she worked her way up through jobs that included telephone operator, girl Friday, air-conditioning company worker and legal secretary, while teaching horse-riding in her spare time.

She and Chris, a barrister, met at a riding stables in 1984 (It was love at first sight) and married two years later.

While Elaine says she loves all the band members, she admits her heart belongs to Gary

They didnt have children. I think I was too selfish and driven by then  maybe if wed met earlier.

Instead, they threw love at animals  Chris was also animal-mad; he wanted to be a zoologist  and dreamt of setting up an animal charity. Then Elaine had the idea of setting up a pet insurance company with a difference.

Animal Friends offers a personal touch. For example, Elaine writes a letter of condolence to every policy member who loses a pet (because I know it can feel like your heart has been ripped out when they die) and instead of pocketing all the firms profits, she gives a large chunk of the proceeds to animal charities.

The company prospered (it now has a turnover of 90 million a year) and in 2005 Elaine was crowned NatWest Businesswoman of the Year.

Today, Animal Friends is the second biggest pet insurer in the country and to date has given more than 3 million to animal charities (most recently Elaine handed over 150,000 to bat and orangutan charities).

The band - minus Robbie Williams and Jason Orange, who have left the group - will perform at a venue of her choice. She says ideally she would like it to be just them and her in her kitchen so she can get to know them better

Meanwhile, as the couples fortune grew, so did Elaines love for Take That  and especially Gary Barlow.

This wont be the first time she has paid to meet him in aid of a deserving charity.

In recent years there have been celebrity charity weekends, two dine and disco events organised by Chris Evans in aid of Children In Need (Gary hugged me  I was right at the front) and even a backstage chat (organised by TV presenter Amanda Holden at a cost of 50,000, that time in aid of Born Free) on The Graham Norton Show. She has even met his mum, his brother Ian and had a kiss from his German Shepherd dog.

Her love for Gary, she insists, is not the stuff of hurled knickers and lustful glances but a pure and beautiful thing.

I mean, hes drop-dead gorgeous, dont get me wrong. Its funny because I go along to the concerts and youve got all these girls crying and you know theyd do anything just to jump into bed with him, but its not like that for me, she explains.

Elaine insists her love for Gary is not the stuff of hurled knickers and lustful glances but a pure and beautiful thing. She says she'd like him to be her brother, or friend

I just love him as a person. Id like him to be my brother. Or my friend. Hes such a nice person.

Which must be rather weird for her husband.

Well, yes it is! Weve had this discussion and thats probably why I get away with so much, she says.

Even so, it must get a bit much when I cant stop saying, Oh God! I just really, really love Gary Barlow. Hes such a nice person  and he LOVES animals. 

There is no doubt the Fairfaxes are an unusual couple. Not many people would struggle to remember how many luxury cars they have. Is it eight or nine, Chris? Its nine, I think. Theres that other one back in the UK.

Nor would many people give millions to charity, buy a World War II Spitfire called Mabel on the spur of the moment and spend 2.5 million refurbishing it, or give their rescued stray cat Girlie eight dinner options to choose from each day. Or plan to spend their Christmas Day helping out at the local animal sanctuary.

But my life feels richer for having met them. They are properly good people who have worked fantastically hard and are kind to all they meet, particularly animals and children. And they get a buzz from giving, not receiving.

Just before we say goodbye, talk turns back to her Take That gig and, briefly, the ugly backlash from some small-minded people who criticised Elaines spending.

Theyve missed the point, she says. None of this is really about me or even Take That, however exciting it might feel. Yes, 1.1 million is a lot of money  but its only money, and its not like Ive been handed it on a plate. Ive worked bloody hard for it.
It hardly seems the cosiest of romantic arrangements, but Prue Leith and her husband appear to have found the recipe for a successful marriage  living in separate homes.

Author and restaurateur Miss Leith married clothes designer John Playfair last month.

The pair met more than five years ago, discovering that they lived just a mile apart in the Cotswoldsand they still do.

Together but apart: Prue Leith and John Playfair live apart despite getting married last month

Miss Leith, 76, said the arrangement meant they could enjoy the fun parts of their relationship, without the responsibility of doing his washing and ironing.

He lives a mile away from me, she said. He lived there for years and years and we never met. So hes got a house and Ive got a house.

He is a fantastic collector of books, and what I would call junk and he would call wonderful memorabilia and fantastic pictures. In his house, you have to walk through a sort of tunnel of books to get to the loo.

Hes got a lot of stuff and Im rather anally neat and tidy and I dont want all that stuff in my house. And he doesnt want me tidying it up.

Instead, the man she previously described in the Mail as funny, generous, well-read, interesting, practical and mighty attractive, stays at hers before returning to his place.

He does all his ironing and he cleans his shoes there and he keeps all his gear there, she told BBC Radio 4s Womans Hour.

And I tell you what, its the ideal thing. What you want  and what I get  is him without his clobber and without the responsibility of looking after his laundry or sewing on his buttons.

The author, who appeared on the programme to promote her seventh novel The Prodigal Daughter, was married to writer and businessman Rayne Kruger for 38 years, until his death in 2002.

Miss Leith, 76, said the arrangement meant they could enjoy the fun parts of their relationship, without the responsibility of doing his washing and ironing

She was introduced to Mr Playfair, 70, at a friends dinner party before he wooed her with home-cooked dinners and they bonded over their mutual love of travel, food and books.

They tied the knot in a simple, no fuss ceremony at a register office in his home city of Edinburgh.

We just want to be Mr and Mrs. Its about happiness and commitment, to have and to hold, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, Miss Leith explained in an earlier interview.

Somehow, for all the trashy novels and soppy films, those words still do the business.

Living apart together, or LAT, has become increasingly common in recent years with an estimated one in ten Britons today adopting this lifestyle choice.

The trend is also seen throughout much of Western Europe, North America and Australasia, according to studies.
NHS psychiatrist Max Pemberton may make you rethink your life

One of the founding principles of the NHS is that it is free at the point of access, and for good reason: it ensures people receive help on the basis of need, rather than their ability to pay.

But there is a downside. The system is open to abuse by those who are not entitled to use the NHS.

This week the Mail reported proposals to extend passport checks across the NHS after successful trials in areas of high immigration, where people were asked to prove their identity to confirm their eligibility for free treatment.

Predictably, this plan was met with howls from the Left that it was racist and offensive. The British Medical Association chairman Dr Mark Porter, speaking on Radio 4, was among the critics.

But why? If we want the NHS to survive, it goes without saying that we need to protect it.

Im desperately sorry that other countries have inferior healthcare. But its not appropriate to allow the NHS to become free for all for the rest of the world.

The NHS works on the principle that all Britons pay into the system  fully aware that they dont know whether they will need its services or not, but that it is there whenever they do and that their taxes help fund a universal health service.

But if foreigners come here and use the resources, having not contributed a penny, and then return home having been treated without paying for their care, the whole system becomes unviable.

Whats more  and here, I think, the likes of Dr Mark Porter show a woeful lack of understanding  the NHS relies on taxpayers being willing to fund it for the good of the nation and on a basis of fairness.

However, if people think the NHS is not policing the system properly and is, instead, allowing it to be abused, their willingess to support it financially will soon crumble and the whole NHS begin to fall apart.

It is not appropriate to allow the NHS to become free for all for the rest of the world

We owe it to this great institu- tion to ensure its resources are used responsibly.

Critics of the plan for people to show their ID before getting treated say it simply wont work. Yet research shows that such a system does work.

A pilot study in areas of the country where passports have already been used to check peoples eligibility for free healthcare shows that the amount of money being recouped from health tourists has tripled.

H owever, there is another reason to be concerned about such a charging system  that it is wrong to ask doctors and nurses to act as bureaucrats by policing peoples eligibility.

I agree on this point. I have seen countless patients who have come to Britain from all over the world and have had no idea if they were eligible for NHS treatment or not  and wouldnt have known how to establish if they were for sure.

They are booked into my clinics and, in the short period of time I have with them, theres no feasible way to establish their immigration status, let alone exactly what that entitles them to. I studied medicine, not law.

Last week, for example, I saw a family from Turkey. This is a country that doesnt belong to the EU and, therefore, with which we have no reciprocal relationship to reimburse each other for the treatment in a fellow EU country of our nationals.

None of them spoke English. Ive no reason to think they shouldnt be here, but Ive no idea why they should be either.

I have patients from many countries, from Australia to Zimbabwe. Ive no idea who, exactly, is eligible for free healthcare

By law, EU governments should be billed for the treatment their citizens receive in other EU countries, while non-EU citizens should pay for themselves or use insurance. But the system is complicated. Take, for instance, the case of a patient of mine from Macau, a former Portuguese colony in the Far East, who is entitled to a Portuguese passport under Portuguese nationality law. He is, therefore, eligible for NHS treatment because Portugal is a member of the EU.

I have patients from many countries, from Australia to Zimbabwe. Ive no idea who, exactly, is eligible for free healthcare.

I treated one patient for about a year for his heroin addiction until he was suddenly deported after a raid on the nail salon where he worked.

He was, apparently, not eligible to be in Britain. Yet, I was told, other patients from Vietnam were entitled to be seen by me. How on earth was I supposed to know the difference?

A passport as a form of ID doesnt settle the question on its own, as it doesnt convey definite eligibility to access the NHS, which depends on residency as well as citizenship. As Professor Clare Gerada, former chair of the Royal College of General Practitioners, has pointed out, UK pensioners living in Spain arent entitled to free NHS treatment, while German citizens resident here are.

The only way to effectively tackle this issue is to ask everyone who is treated to provide evidence that they are entitled to it  perhaps some form of NHS card that has to be shown to access care.

Those who object to this idea are quick to point out that health tourists represent a tiny fraction of the number of people treated by the NHS. I accept this, although its hard to say how big the problem is as the data is lacking.

Misuse of the NHS by foreigners who arent entitled to use its services is thought to cost between 110 million and 280 million a year.

A further 1.8 billion is spent on genuine tourists or visitors who end up being treated by the NHS. Much of this is, in theory, recoverable from other countries, but only about 100 million is.

This is madness. How does it feel when an elderly person who has a cataract and who has paid taxes and National Insurance contributions all their life is denied a 900 treatment to fix their eyesight because of NHS rationing, yet that 1.8 billion could fix two million eyes?

The fact is money wrongly spent on treating health tourists could be used better elsewhere. If the NHS is to survive, we must protect it from those who are not entitled to use it.

The British Medical Association chairman Dr Mark Porter (pictured) , speaking on Radio 4, was among the critics of passport checks for the NHS

The key to serenity? Knit one, purl one

Long gone are the days of chalk boards in schools. Today, teachers use iPads and electronic smart boards to give lessons.

Subjects such as home economics, needlework and woodwork have been replaced by technology and computing.

These are, apparently, far more important because they are meant to give the future generation the edge in an increasingly competitive global marketplace.

Perhaps. But research this week showed that skills such as cooking, knitting, creative writing and painting can help students ward off depression. Yet practical classes in such skills have been dropped in most schools.

Subjects such as home economics, needlework and woodwork have been replaced by technology and computing

I think this is terribly sad. Not only does it mean we are creating a generation who wont have such basic life skills as being able to darn a sock, more importantly, theyll never learn the fun to be had from making something.

I think of my Uncle Tod and the remarkable wooden toys he made for me as a child. Also, the playhouse my grandparents created out of plywood and decorated with tiny painted creatures. And the jumpers my Auntie Cis knitted for me over the years.

They did it not just to make me happy, but also because they loved doing it. As well as a sense of achievement, making something with your own hands gives your mind a rest.

I am hugely grateful that I went to school just before these traditional lessons were killed off. In textiles class, I knitted a robin one Christmas. Although my mum said he looked like he was in the Mafia (his eyes were a little close together, apparently), he still makes an appearance each year.

Of course, children should learn about modern technology, but not at the expense of other more human skills. There is more to life than computers.

Running scared of religious 'child abusers'

Female genital mutilation (FGM) is barbaric. Over recent years, many celebrities, such as the actress Angelina Jolie, have put pressure on the authorities to do something about the horrific practice  and quite right, too.

This led to a government inquiry two years ago to investigate why there has never been a single prosecution under the anti-FGM legislation in the UK.

But the ineluctable fact is that the authorities are too scared to offend cultural sensitivities to look to the communities where this awful practice is a custom and, therefore, routinely carried out.

Thus, instead of prosecuting those who make young girls and women undergo such operations, the authorities cowardly target the medical profession.

Angelina Jolie is one of the celebrities who has put pressure on the authorities to do something about Female Genital Mutilation

Last year, there was a farcical legal case against a doctor who was accused of stitching a mother who had just given birth, effectively re-doing the FGM she had suffered as a six-year-old in Somalia.

The jury took less than 30 minutes to find him not guilty.

It was a depressing example of legislation becoming politicised, with the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), in my view, conducting what was little more than a show trial on the flimsiest of evidence.

It helped no one and caused untold misery to a dedicated doctor, who was suspended from the medical register for simply being accused.

Now, the CPS is considering prosecuting doctors who undertake cosmetic vaginal surgery.

While I do not like this type of surgery, if adult women wish to have the shape of their genitals altered (doing so for personal reasons), that is entirely their choice.

The idea of criminal prosecutions over adult cosmetic surgery is particularly absurd when baby boys can legally undergo religious circumcision  a painful operation that can have life-long consequences  without anaesthetic, carried out by someone who isnt medically qualified.

In any other circumstances, this would be denounced as child abuse. Why is it any different because it serves a parents religious beliefs and its done on a boy?

Leaked information suggests proposals for shutting A&E departments or maternity units

The latest wheeze by NHS managers for cutting costs is STPs  sustainability and transformation plans  management-speak for closing beds and wards.

STPs are shrouded in secrecy, but the few that have been leaked have involved proposals for shutting A&E departments or maternity units. It is thought about half of all health trusts that have drawn up such plans intend reducing bed numbers, while a third anticipate A&E closures. In total, this is hoped to reap 22 billion in cuts.

Yet two-thirds of doctors are unaware this involves the very wards where they work.
Trial patients have severe form of illness and can have 80 seizures a day

Epidiolex reduced number of epilepsy events for 42 per cent of patients

A new medicine  made from cannabis  is being offered to young patients with hard- to-treat epilepsy.

Doctors at Great Ormond Street have been trialling a drug derived from the plant, with the addictive and narcotic elements removed, on patients with a relatively rare form of epilepsy called Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome, who can have up to 80 seizures a day.

Results have been dramatic, with the drug Epidiolex reducing the number and severity of epilepsy events for 42 per cent of patients.

A new medicine  made from cannabis  is being offered to young patients with hard- to-treat epilepsy (stock photo)

The hope is that if it works in a severe form of epilepsy, it will help those drug-resistant patients whose symptoms are not so bad.

At present, up to a third of those with the incurable brain disorder are resistant to drugs used to control the seizures. Some sufferers are effectively housebound.

Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome starts in pre-school years, and one of the children in the UK trial is just two years old.

Great Ormond Street neurologist Professor Helen Cross said: The results have been encouraging, with patients suffering many seizures a day having their fits reduced to a handful. If this drug works on one of the most extreme forms of epilepsy, then we believe it should work for patients whose epilepsy is not controlled but who have fewer seizures.

Prof Cross, one of the UKs leading paediatric neurologists, added: It is devastating for families and patients when a child or adult has many seizures, sometimes in one day.

Earlier trials of the new drug for another rare form of epilepsy  Dravet Syndrome  produced similarly good results.

Doctors at Great Ormond Street have been trialling Epidiolex with positive results

Seizures are more likely when patients are tired, under stress, dehydrated or have drunk alcohol.

Strobe lighting can trigger seizures in people who have photosensitive epilepsy. Cambridge-based GW Pharmaceuticals, which makes Epidiolex, expects regulatory authorities in Europe and the US to give the drug approval next year.

Exactly how the new medication works to stop seizures is not fully understood, but it is believed to dampen the excessive electrical activity in the nervous system that is the trigger for many attacks.

GW is also conducting trials of various strains of cannabis chemicals to treat cancer, and a mouth spray, Sativex, is already prescribed by doctors to control the painful muscle spasms seen in another neurological condition, multiple sclerosis.

Once Epidiolex is licensed for Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome and Dravet  which both start in pre- school years  it will open the door for its use in patients with more common forms of epilepsy who are drug resistant.

There are more than two dozen drugs for epilepsy. Some patients have tried almost all of them but still suffer daily seizures.
We are a nation of technology addicts  and the habit starts early. Britains children are glued to their smartphones, tablets and televisions for a shocking five hours a day or more, according to an investigation published last week by broadcasting watchdog Ofcom.

Previous research has indicated a third of British under-fives own a tablet or smartphone.

And the obsession seems to be fed by parents, with four in five believing that gadgets aid development  in contrast to growing concern among medical experts.

Britains children are glued to their smartphones, tablets and televisions for a shocking five hours a day or more

Just this month the American Society of Paediatrics produced detailed guidelines linking screen time to the risk of a child becoming overweight for life, sleep disturbance and developmental problems. And the more time parents spent in front of a screen, the more their children did.

A growing body of evidence suggests all this is having a devastating effect on mental and physical health.

Health bodies in the US now recommend that children under two should have no access to screens, under-fives an hour, and those under 18 a maximum of two hours. There are no such guidelines in the UK.

So just how worried should you be? The Mail on Sunday spoke to leading researchers  and parents  to help you decide whether its time for you and your children to switch off, before its too late

'Digital heroin for children'

Dr Nicholas Kardaras is a leading American psychotherapist at one of the worlds top rehabilitation units

Dr Nicholas Kardaras is a leading American psychotherapist, addictions specialist and senior clinical consultant at the Dunes East Hampton, one of the worlds top rehabilitation units. He is also author of the recently published book Glow Kids: How Screen Addiction Is Hijacking Our Kids. He says: Screen time is digital heroin for children  especially those under ten.

Some accuse me of scaremongering for comparing it to addictive substances such as tobacco and drugs. But I have treated patients with crystal meth problems and can tell you its harder to get someone over a digital addiction. Unlike illicit drugs, screens are everywhere.

Its not just children, though. The average age for a video game addict is 35. But children are particularly at risk from screens because the pre-frontal cortex  our personality centre  doesnt finish developing until their early 20s.

A recent study by scientists at Indiana University saw teenagers who didnt usually play video games tasked with playing for two weeks.

In this short space of time, brain images before and after showed changes in the frontal cortex that mirrored substance addiction.

I urge parents not to fall victim to the digital babysitter. I have nine-year-old twins and they are not allowed near screens like iPads. Look at Steve Jobs  he famously gave his kids a very low-tech childhood. Ask yourself why.

'IPads could benefit brains'

Dr Duncan Astle is a neuroscientist at the Medical Research Councils Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit in Cambridge

Dr Duncan Astle is a neuroscientist at the Medical Research Councils Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit in Cambridge. He says: There is no compelling evidence that screen use in itself has a significant positive or negative effect on the brain. That is because it is incredibly difficult to study in a tightly controlled way, as so many other factors will also influence how long a child might spend in front of a screen. These may include parental discipline and levels of parental education, for example. Its likely to be a combination of all these things that affects brain development.

Also, just because something such as screen time may affect the brain, it doesnt mean its a bad thing. With gaming, for example, research shows players have better attention and memory skills.

I havent seen any research about children being addicted to iPads. People can become addicted to pretty much anything if they are exposed enough. For all we know, iPads may be beneficial for young childrens brains. Other scientists are using the devices to create apps for children with autism, for example.

'A tragedy we must address'

Literary specialist Sue Palmer is a former headteacher and author of Toxic Childhood: How Modern Life Is Damaging Our Children

Literary specialist Sue Palmer is a former headteacher and author of Toxic Childhood: How Modern Life Is Damaging Our Children. She says: Children today get far less chance to experience what I call real play.

A recent survey by online retailer Ao.com revealed children spending on average 17 hours a week in front of a screen, almost double the time spent playing outside.

This is deeply concerning. Children need to experience the real, live world to understand it  not see it on a screen.

We know from research that real play develops initiative, problem-solving skills and many other positive traits, such as a can-do attitude, perseverance and emotional resilience. Its vital for social skills, too.

By playing together, youngsters learn to get along with other people. They discover how others minds work, developing empathy.

The first seven years of a childs life are particularly vital to their learning and development. For example, by this age they must master physical co-ordination of large and small movements, such as focusing their eyes in different positions.

The rate of myopia, or short-sightedness, among young people in the UK has doubled in the past 50 years, and this has been linked to too much screen time. I believe this is a tragedy we must address urgently.

'Shelter kids from the mob'

Daily Mail writer Katie Hopkins won't let her three young children have a phone or an iPad

Writer and broadcaster Katie Hopkins lives in London with her husband Mark Cross, 51, a designer, and their three children, aged 12, 11 and seven. She says: My little gang is right in that tricky bit between still having to do roughly what they are told and believing they are ready to take on the world.

They are the only kids in their classes who dont have a phone or an iPad. Thats a tough gig for children who just want to fit in.

Other parents have clearly caved in to pressure from someone half their height. They say, They have a phone for emergencies, to keep them safe.

I dont believe a daily fix of Snapchat really classifies as an emergency. My kids used to moan that they were hard done by. But seeing the amount of tension and drama that phones and tech bring to school, they understand another side.

As a mother, I see my role as a protector, sheltering them for a while, giving them freedom from incessant updates, freedom from the mentality of the mob, freedom to find out who they are before someone else tries to decide it for them. Its the same reason I leave my phone in the apartment when we are on holiday. I love my job, but I leave all my life online to give my family freedom from interruptions. We take time to look up, not down, and to escape the clamour of strangers for the quiet of the people we know best.

'Essential... in moderation'

Tessa Dunlop is a a mother and a presenter on the BBC show Coast

Tessa Dunlop is a presenter on the BBC show Coast. She lives in London with her husband and their eight-year-old daughter, Mara. She says: My mother winces when she sees my daughter, aged eight, hunched over an iPad. Shes learnt not to say, In my day We know the script. In her day children climbed trees, played pooh sticks and sent handwritten thank-you letters.

My daughter and her friends can do those things but their skill set and leisure time has an additional technical savvy that leaves older generations standing.

Many of the exuberant, emoticon-ridden texts that Mara sends her granny are lost on their recipient, who has not yet progressed to a smartphone.

Being adept on touch screens and computers is not a choice for todays children, it is an essential tool for handling the modern world. If they didnt associate screen time with fun, it wouldnt bode well for their future.

Of course many games are compelling and lines have to be drawn between healthy screen time and addictive, anti-social gaming.

Computers should not replace the spoken word; too many little boys go whole days uttering barely a sentence. Like Mum, I wince when children attend family meals with iPad in hand. Its a question of moderation. Minecraft is great (think virtual Lego), but Minecraft at the expense of everything else is bad.
WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 16

Its been an exhausting few weeks, what with battling a debilitating sinus infection, traipsing around Florida prisons after more Killer Women and covering the US election in New York.

So today, after another 4am start for Good Morning Britain, and faced with the gruelling prospect of a night filming the Celebrity Juice Christmas Special with Keith Lemon, I had an extra mid-afternoon nap (I always have a 45-minute one when I get home from GMB).

I think President-elect Trump fully understands the enormity of his task and has a steely determination to succeed

When I woke, I noticed two missed calls from the same NYC number, and a voicemail notification.

Whoever it is can wait, I thought.

Time for some ME time.

I had a leisurely shower, made some tea, watched some news on TV and involuntarily joined my four-year-old daughter in a game of Whacking Daddy On The Head With A Balloon.

Then finally, I played back my messages.

Hello Mr Morgan, said a female voice, this is the office of President-elect Donald Trump. He would like to speak to you.

HOLY FLAMING BEJEEZUS!

Im so sorry but the President-elect is now in a meeting, said his assistant when I called back. Can we try you again later?

Unfortunately, I have to do some filming for the next few hours, I replied, as a horrific mental image flashed into my brain of my priority being Keith Lemon screaming abuse at me in a Santa jumper. But Im free all day tomorrow.

When I arrived at Elstree Studios, I was presented with a Buttons panto costume.

In make-up I found Danny Dyer (Widow Twankey) sporting a ridiculous curly purple wig, outrageously over-the-top blusher and lipstick, and a frilly yellow dress.

Youve had a right result, he growled, Look at the f****** state of me!

Our fellow lambs to the slaughter were Susanna Reid (Snow White), Holly Willoughby (Fairy Godmother), Fearne Cotton (Robin Hood) and Gino DAcampo (Aladdin).

The show comprised a series of increasingly dreadful humiliations orchestrated by Lemon, who was dressed as Captain Hook and behaved marginally more villainously.

My team captain Holly had a secret vodka stash under our desk.

Its the only way I can get through this bloody ordeal, she sighed as Lemon asked her if shed ever performed a particularly graphic sexual act.

I ordered a pint of Guinness.

One round involved us all being strapped up with protective gear and placed under giant cardboard boxes.

We then had to try to crawl back into the studio, on concrete, in darkness and totally disorientated, as a chortling dwarf elf thrashed our boxes with a rubber stick.

Did you ever think our careers would come to this, Danny? I shouted.

No, I f****** didnt! he screamed back. That elfs going to get a smack if I ever get out of here.

Worse, extraordinarily, was to come.

Gino and I were handed helmets and lower abdominal protectors and led to a wall where Susanna and Fearne fired high-powered toy guns at us containing mashed-up Christmas foods including turkey, sprouts, mince pies and gravy.

Eventually, Dyer grabbed Susannas gun, shouted Take that you ****! and fired a last salvo of cold, congealing festive pudding at my head, to huge cheers from the audience.

Piers, you look like a grandad whos wet himself! cackled Lemon, played by comedy genius Leigh Francis. Have you had a good time?

No, I replied. Its been a horrendous experience.

Hahahahahahaha, he howled, delightedly.

Afterwards, Danny embraced me as if wed just survived going to war together.

You were a good sport, he said.

We were both good sport I replied, for Mr Lemon.

THURSDAY NOVEMBER 17

Have you recovered? texted Holly. I just found some cranberry sauce in my hair.

Hmm, I replied. Celia [my wife] asked me in bed this morning why there was half a Brussels sprout in my ear, which was quite hard to explain.

At 2pm my phone rang.

Mr Morgan, I have President-elect Trump for you

Ive spoken to him hundreds of times but this time I felt oddly nervous.

Hows my Champ? said the familiar voice. This is Trumps preferred nickname for me since I won his Celebrity Apprentice show in 2008.

Im not sure you can keep calling me that now youre the most powerful man on Earth! I laughed.

Youll always be my Champ, he chuckled back.

Well, if you insist, Mr President-elect

We spoke for 15 minutes, which apparently was five minutes more than the conversation he had with Theresa May: a meaningless statistic given our lengthy friendship, but an amusing one with which to annoy everyone.

I wont reveal what we discussed but he sounded thrilled about his win and very excited about his extraordinary new challenge, and reiterated his desire to have a great relationship with Britain.

Trumps not everyones cup of tea, obviously, and he ran a very aggressive and occasionally downright offensive campaign.

Yet his hardball rhetoric resonated with millions of Americans and enabled him to pull off the greatest coup in US political history.

Now he has to deliver on his promise to make America great again.

As we finished up, I said to him: I remember you once telling me that if you talk the talk, you have to walk the walk or

He interrupted me:  or the act doesnt play!

Exactly.

From our conversation, I think President-elect Trump fully understands the enormity of his task and has a steely determination to succeed.
From a galaxy far, far away comes a Churchill-inspired alien, black-clad death troopers and, yes, the dark Lord himself as Event reveals the secrets of the new  very British  Star Wars blockbuster, Rogue One

Launched with a mind-blowing marketing campaign and a planet-busting budget of more than $150 million, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story looks certain to be this Christmass biggest blockbuster. And while it may be set in a galaxy far, far away, and be backed by a major Hollywood studio, this is a very British affair.

Not only was Rogue One filmed at Pinewood and Elstree Studios, now home to the ongoing franchise, but for only the second time in Star Wars history it features a British director, 41-year-old Gareth Edwards from Nuneaton.

The British empire strikes back: Felicity Jones and Riz Ahmed, both 33, head up the British acting contingent. Jones, pictured, plays the films lead role, the feral outlaw Jyn Erso, while Ahmed plays a reluctant member of Jyns rebel group. Meanwhile, the films director is Gareth Edwards, a hardcore fan of the films, who first discovered Star Wars as a six-year-old-boy. Much of the film itself was shot at Elstree Studios in Hertfordshire.

China crisis? Cynics might see the casting of Chinese A-listers Donnie Yen, below, and Jiang Wen as a ploy to capture as yet unconvinced Chinese hearts and minds. To publicise 2015s The Force Awakens, Disney took 500 Stormtroopers to the Great Wall  but the Chinese filmgoers have so far failed to feel the force.

Horrific! Hes alive Rumours abound that horror movie legend Peter Cushing has been brought back to life, via CGI, to play villain Grand Moff Tarkin again. Cushing, who died in 1994, wore slippers for much of 1977s Star Wars because he found the boots allocated to Tarkin uncomfortable. So no footage of his feet exists

Shock and gore: Rogue One is the third Star Wars movie to receive a 12A rating. This is being blamed on the violent battle scenes. Director Edwards explains: Rogue One is, and has always been, a war film. The tone is more adult. You want to feel that anything could happen. That anyone could die.

Super-nasty troopers: Rogue One features several new types of stormtrooper, such as a tank trooper, desert trooper and the death troopers, an elite unit of blackclad bodyguards, all played by actors who were at least 6ft 6in tall.

HAN'S THE MAN... The hottest rumour doing the rounds is that Disney has added a cameo from Alden Ehrenreichs young Han Solo. The smart money says that hell be the getaway driver in the movies big heist scene. Advertisement

Rogue Ones heroine is a very British actress: Felicity Jones, the 33-year-old from Birmingham who was Oscar-nominated for The Theory Of Everything, plays the tough, uncompromising Jyn Erso, who leads a ragtag band of Rebels on a mission to steal the plans of the famous Death Star.

After George Lucas sold his famous universe to Disney for an astonishing $4 billion, the studio promised to continue the Skywalker saga, beginning with last years The Force Awakens as well as producing a series of stand-alone Star Wars films. These anthology films would helpfully carry the suffix: A Star Wars Story. Rogue One is the first of these.

Strap yourself in for another unforgettable intergalactic adventure...

Rogue One Trailer

Move over R2D2: K-2SO is the new movies hero droid. Seven-foot tall, with long arms and legs, and a battered chassis, hes a former Imperial enforcer droid who has been reprogrammed by the rebels. But hes not quite all there, his personality is more of a child, says actor Alan Tudyk, who performs the role via motion capture  and on stilts

Space hipsters! Will the new film prompt the return of that Seventies staple, the sideburn? The director wanted the film to feel similar to the original movie, so all the Imperial Officers sport facial hair  and Mads Mikkelsen looks pretty cool as the hirsute scientist Galen Erso, right.

Next stop the Death Star: Londons Canary Wharf Underground station doubles up as the Death Star. Director Edwards always thought its futuristic architecture bore an uncanny resemblance to the deadly, spherical space station.

May the forces be with you: To ensure the battle scenes (featuring Riz Ahmed, above) looked authentic, director Edwards drafted in 40 members of the Army Air Corps, Royal Navy and Royal Air Force, as he wanted pilots, aircraft mechanics and others who would look natural in a military setting.

We shall fight them... Admiral Raddus, a Mon Calamari alien, is Rogue Ones Churchill. Effects supervisor Neal Scanlan said: We try to find real-world examples of who these creatures may be. We used Churchill for Radduss physical features and expressions.

Mission Impossible ...in deepest space: The Rogue One story came about after SFX supervisor John Knoll pitched a Mission Impossible in space, spy-type movie to Lucasfilm chief Kathleen Kennedy. Hed been inspired by a line from the opening prologue to A New Hope: Rebel spies managed to steal secret plans to the Empires ultimate weapon, the Death Star Kennedy loved the idea
A United Kingdom Cert: 12A 1hr 51mins

Rating:

Every now and then, a British film comes along that gets just about everything right.

Im thinking of films such as The Kings Speech, The Theory Of Everything, The Queen and Shakespeare In Love. Critics love them, audiences love them and awards juries love them.

This year that film is A United Kingdom, made by the London-born director Amma Asante, and if youre the sort of person who goes to the cinema only once a year well, its time to get your coat on.

David Oyelowo and Rosamund Pike triumph in A United Kingdom

Im quite certain it will win major award nominations for both its stars (David Oyelowo and Rosamund Pike) and for Asante, and it boasts a host of terrific supporting turns  led by Jack Davenports odious Empire-era diplomat  that may be overlooked by awards juries (although I do hope not) but certainly wont pass unappreciated by audiences.

It is, in every respect, a triumph, particularly for Oyelowo, who has doggedly pursued the idea of making it for six years and had to wait patiently for his own career and commercial standing to reach a point where the film could be financed, Asante and Pike could be brought on board and shooting could actually begin. Quite rightly, hes one of the films producers as well as its star.

Beginning in London in 1947 and very much based on the true story told by Susan Williamss book The Colour Bar, it begins at one of those well-intentioned socials held by the Church.

On one side is a handsome London University law student; on the other a pretty young woman whos been slightly dragged along by her sister but  still enjoying the empowerment of women that came courtesy of the Second World War  is certainly no shrinking violet.

There may be some who find fault in the unsympathetic depiction of British imperialism

Their eyes meet, there is an instant attraction and the rest could be familiar boy-meets-girl history but for a couple of inconvenient facts.

He  Seretse Khama (Oyelowo)  is black while she  Ruth Williams (Pike)  is white and, rather more importantly, she is a typist and the two-up, two-down-dwelling daughter of a salesman, while he is a prince and about to become King of Bechuanaland.

Bechuana-where? These days, of course, its better known as Botswana.

Now Asante has a proper love story to tell, the sort of love story that Shakespeare would certainly have no trouble recognising.

IT'S A FACT! Khama and Williams had four children: one was called Anthony, named after the MP Anthony (Tony) Wedgwood Benn, who backed the couple Advertisement

Unless, of course, these lovers turn out to be not quite as star-crossd as poor Romeo and Juliet.

Asante  best known for the British slave-era drama Belle and a former actress herself  draws quite fabulous performances from both Oyelowo and Pike, who deliver alternate moments of tenderness and power, and are totally convincing in their respective, gently accented roles.

But they are helped enormously by Guy Hibberts intelligent but hugely accessible screenplay that is always one clever step ahead of us.

For this is no simple story of love conquering all, and our viewpoint is constantly being shifted.

In London  watch out for Nicholas Lyndhurst looking more like Adolf Hitler as Ruths bigoted father  it is Seretse who is the outsider.

But when the couple have overcome all sorts of unpleasant obstacles to get married and return to Bechuanaland  then very much a protectorate of the British Empire  it is Ruth who is the outsider, every bit as unpopular with her husbands family as he was with hers.

There are fabulous performances from both Oyelowo and Pike, who deliver alternate moments of tenderness and power, and are totally convincing in their respective, gently accented roles

His sister, in a splendidly uncompromising performance from the South African actress Terry Pheto, and his uncles wife are particularly vicious, although its impossible to argue with their logic when it comes to pointing out Ruths obvious shortcomings in fulfilling the role of mother of our nation.

What if it were the other way around? A negro king of England, they say. Can you imagine that? Even six decades later, the answer is still, I suspect, a rather shaming no.

There may be some who find fault in the unsympathetic depiction of British imperialism, but given that the British  and Davenports Sir Alistair Canning, in particular  object to the mixed-race marriage because it will upset neighbouring South Africa, about to introduce apartheid, presumably not many.

The possibilities of divorce, abdication or exile all have a part to play in an immaculately paced and gripping story in which Attlee, Churchill and mineral rights all have minor roles but where the hero of the hour, rather unexpectedly but refreshingly, turns out to be a young Tony Benn (Jack Lowden).

Africa looks stunning (I particularly like how cinematographer Sam McCurdy shoots the atmospheric London scenes by night, as if to emphasis the brightness of the African sun), the use of original locations in Botswana brings an authentic sense of place, and some of the big ensemble scenes  Seretse appealing to his tribe and a wonderful moment involving the tribeswomen that I have no intention of spoiling  are as powerful as they are emotional.

The result is one of the great British films of 2016: it will send you out into the night knowing a little more about the world and, just possibly, quietly determined to do a little better by it. I couldnt recommend it more highly.

SECOND SCREEN

Allied (15)

Rating:

Paterson (15)

Rating:

Bad Santa 2 (15)

Rating:

Mum's List (12A)

Rating:

Brad Pitt has been acting for a very long time  this year marks the 25th anniversary of the release of Thelma & Louise  but he has never won an acting Oscar, and Allied, unfortunately, reminds us why.

Hes just not very good in this World War II spy drama, with an already lacklustre performance further hampered by playing a character at least one decade younger  and possibly two  than his 52 years.

Mind you, its not all his fault, with director Robert Zemeckis (Back To The Future, Forrest Gump, Who Framed Roger Rabbit) jumping genres and delivering a film that at times looks like a cross between a glossy magazine fashion shoot and an ill-conceived homage to classics such as Casablanca.

Brad Pitt has been acting for a very long time  this year marks the 25th anniversary of the release of Thelma & Louise  but he has never won an acting Oscar, and Allied, unfortunately, reminds us why

Which, perhaps fittingly, is where the action starts, with Wing Commander Max Vatan (Pitt), a bilingual Canadian airman now on a dangerous undercover mission, parachuting into Vichy-controlled French Morocco in 1942 to meet glamorous resistance spy Marianne Beausejour (Marion Cotillard), who will pretend to be his wife.

Of course, they break all the spy rules and fall terribly in love, which is how they end up married and back in London.

All seems well  until Max is summoned by British Intelligence, who tell him they suspect his beloved is a German spy. And if she is, it will be Maxs duty to execute her himself.

The film does have a modest, commercial watchability, but Steven Knights screenplay never quite convinces, while Zemeckis seems to believe that with enough camels, vintage Citroen cars and urgent wartime sex, hell have a big hit on his hands. Id be surprised.

Golshifteh Farahani (right) and Adam Driver in Paterson

Awesome, says an aspiring young poet, a bus driver who likes Emily Dickinson, capturing in a single line what Jim Jarmuschs new film, Paterson, is all about.

You see, Paterson (Adam Driver) is a bus driver in the New Jersey city of Paterson and he likes to write poetry.

And in this gentle, reflective but repetitive film, we hear quite a lot of that poetry. Its a slightly acquired taste.

But the film itself has a lazy charm, thanks to nice performances from Driver and Golshifteh Farahani, who plays Laura, his naive but endearingly enthusiastic wife, and from Marvin, their English bulldog, who won the Palm Dog at Cannes and definitely steals the slow-moving show.

Billy Bob Thornton and Tony Cox in Bad Santa 2

Yes, a mere 13 years after the original, Billy Bob Thornton and Tony Cox are back with Bad Santa 2 and its just as foul-mouthed and tasteless as ever, as lifelong drunk and safe-cracker Willie Soke (Thornton) and his diminutive sidekick Marcus (Cox) renew their Yuletide larceny spree in Chicago.

Brett Kelly returns as a now rather grown-up Kid, and Kathy Bates certainly makes an impact as Willies mother, but its depressing to see the likes of Christina Hendricks reduced to simulating tawdry sex.

Im not sure Ive ever sat in a film where members of the audience are dabbing gently at their eyes before the opening credits have even finished rolling.

But thats Mums List, a low-budget, high-emotion British drama based on a true story that begins tragically and gets even sadder.

Emilia Fox plays Kate, a young mother who has seen her small son overcome cancer, only to succumb to the disease herself.

But before she dies, she leaves a list of advice and guidance for her two sons and husband Singe (Rafe Spall).
Century: 100 Modern British Artists

Jerwood Gallery, Hastings Until January 8

Rating:

With its picture windows and cafe overlooking the seaside, the Jerwood Gallery in Hastings is an ideal spot to host this sprightly, uplifting show of works by 100 modern British artists.

Lots of the pictures are of the British landscape; quite a few of the sea. Best of all is a 1938 Eric Ravilious, Rye Harbour, only ten miles east of Hastings.

It is crisp and clear, with a deep understanding of light  the water in the harbour expertly reflects, and seamlessly bleeds into, the intense, white sunlight above.

Rye Harbour, by Eric Ravilious

But there lurks an air of melancholy  an accidental premonition of Raviliouss premature death at the age of 39. (He was killed in 1942 when his plane crashed into the sea off Iceland.)

The Ravilious comes from the Ingram Collection, modern British and contemporary pictures owned by the advertising tycoon Chris Ingram.

Sixty of the shows pictures are from Ingrams collection; the rest are from the Jerwood Gallerys own store.

This combination doesnt give a comprehensive view of modern British art, nor are the works all first-division examples of the artists on show. Still, its a boost to the spirits, particularly the seaside pictures.

Lady Ottoline Morrell, by Henry Lamb

Edward Bawdens 1958 linocut, Brighton Pier, joyfully captures that lovely, seedy, fun town; with the onion domes of Brighton Pavilion squeezed next to the Regency terraces, the piers frothy palace architecture and the rippling sea. Sheer delight.

Theres a tendency to think of British 20th-century art as a poor relation to its continental cousins. And several pictures certainly are in Picassos shadow.

John Craxtons Yellow Estuary Landscape should be called Picasso goes to Pembrokeshire  as mountains and sea collide with abstract marine forms.

Still, you can also trace, over the course of the 20th century, the development of original schools of art that are neither derivative nor  the curse of British art  twee.

A 1911 Henry Lamb portrait of Lady Ottoline Morrell is a fine feat of draftsmanship, but its also angular, spare and early modern, while capturing the beady-eyed, beaky-nosed face of that scary society hostess.

The show is divided into themes such as place, mood and figure but you can chart the chronological journey from late 19th-century realism to the free forms of the late 20th century.

An early Hockney  My Bonnie Lies Over The Ocean, done when he was 24  is all over the place.

Literally so  it shows Hockney perching on a Manhattan skyscraper, waving a brightly coloured Stars and Stripes; on the other side of the picture, a man in a bowler hat is surrounded by gloomy, black-and-white Union Jacks. Hockney is halfway from Bradford to Pop Art California.

Yellow Estuary Landscape, by John Craxton

Its hard to avoid the centurys twin clouds, the world wars, particularly in CRW Nevinsons A Dawn, a dark, bleak picture of soldiers gathering before battle in 1914.

Even in sunnier paintings  such as David Joness 1929 July Change, a vision of wild, luxuriant countryside  its hard not to think of Jones fleeing his memories of the trenches in a headlong rush for the consolations of nature.
Jonathan Swift: The Reluctant Rebel

John Stubbs

Viking 25

Rating:

Gullivers Travels was an instant sensation. A few days after its publication in 1726, a friend writing from London told Jonathan Swift that his book was universally read, from the Cabinet-council to the Nursery.

One wonders what the Nursery  or indeed the Cabinet  made of this detail from Gullivers story: that because the inhabitants of Lilliput regard babies as a mere by-product of sexual pleasure, they will never allow that a child is under any obligation to his father for begetting him, or to his mother for bringing him into the world.

As so often in his satires, Swift was only half-joking. He never knew his father, who died a few months before Jonathans birth in November 1667. His mother, remote and negligent, left others to raise him.

Gullivers Travels was an instant sensation. A few days after its publication in 1726, a friend writing from London told Jonathan Swift that his book was universally read, from the Cabinet-council to the Nursery

Swift regarded childhood as a time of chastisement and mortification, John Stubbs writes in this epic, enthralling new biography. Being a child, for him, entailed having ones wishes and pleasures systematically crushed  and rightly too, in his later opinion.

Swift spoke of satirists treating the public as they would a little boy they had to cane. His writing throbs with two apparently conflicting desires: an urge to punish folly and a delight in making mischief.

He had no children of his own, and in his work they usually appear with a note of horror  most grotesquely in his modest proposal for ending both overpopulation and famine in Ireland: A young healthy child, well nursed, is, at a year old, a most delicious, nourishing and wholesome food; whether stewed, roasted, baked or boiled.

He never married. Opinions differ on whether he consummated his friendship with two young female pen pals, known as Stella and Vanessa. There is much innuendo in the letters but Stubbs thinks Swift was someone who adopted the tone and poise of a lover but resisted the deed  or even felt repelled by it.

A recurring theme in his work is revulsion at bodily smells and functions. As he wrote: His foul imagination links/ Each Dame he sees with all her stinks. In Gullivers Travels, humans are depicted as savage, malodorous yahoos.

IT'S A FACT In Gullivers Travels Swift describes the two moons of Mars more than 100 years before they were discovered. One of them has a crater named after him. Advertisement

Stubbs brilliantly illuminates the essential tension between Swift the author of scabrous comedy and Swift the serious Christian cleric, who was Dean of St Patricks Cathedral in Dublin for more than 30 years. This lover of irony was himself a union of ironic opposites: a convivial loner, a humane misanthrope, a subversive conformist, a brilliantly funny writer of whom a friend said: I cannot recollect that I ever saw the Dean laugh.

He despised political parties, yet in 1710 agreed to lend the aid of his pen to the new Tory administration by writing newspaper articles and parliamentary bills, even drafting the Queens Speech.

Although this work was anonymous, his role as the governments chief apologist was soon widely known  and made him a marked man. On visits to London, he never ventured into the streets without his trusty servant Patrick, a heavyweight bruiser.

As if to atone for his stint as a Tory spin-doctor, Swift returned to Dublin and devoted himself to the cause of Ireland, where much of the population faced a stark choice between emigrating or starving.

In a series of polemics, he confronted Englands rulers with Irish desolation  the families of farmers, who pay great rents, living in filth and nastiness upon buttermilk and potatoes, without a shoe or stocking to their feet.

It made him a Hibernian hero. When the Prime Minister, Robert Walpole, proposed issuing a warrant for Swifts arrest after being mocked in a satire, a colleague asked whether he had 10,000 men to spare  the number that would be required to seize Swift from his army of adoring parishioners.

In a series of polemics, Swift confronted Englands rulers with Irish desolation  the families of farmers, who pay great rents, living in filth and nastiness upon buttermilk and potatoes, without a shoe or stocking to their feet

The worst consequence of Irelands anguish, in Swifts view, was the psychological effect on its people. He too succumbed: in the decade before his death in 1745, his mind became increasingly disordered and detached. For the last three years, he was almost entirely silent.
This & That

3 Soap St, The Northern

Quarter, Manchester M4

Rating:

Soap Street, ironically enough, is in need of a serious bath, the sort of grimly insalubrious Manchester dead-end alley that gives dodgy backstreets a bad name.

Hell, even Top Cat would turn up his nose at living here, what with the crumbling masonry, shattered windows, crap graffiti and general air of grimy neglect.

Yet skip over the squashed Coke cans and soggy fag butts, past the carbon-scarred Victorian brick and under the gently rusting fire escape, and youll see a small, brightly lit sign.

This & That Indian Cafe. Rice and Three Curries.

Inside This & That. My lunch, a great steaming plate of hearty, no-nonsense, lovingly made Northern Indian grub came to a grand total of 5.50. Five bloody fifty!

Samosa and bhaji

Go through the slim, nondescript door and youll enter a bunker-style room that, is, well, industrially nondescript.

To put it nicely. The sort of place in which you might sit out a nuclear holocaust, or hole up armed with pump-actions and battered bayonets when the zombies eventually take over.

Its certainly clean, and clinically bland, with four long wooden tables, each bearing Perspex jugs of water, and long wooden benches.

The only flash of colour are the yellow-and-black hazard stripes of The Hacienda wrapped around both concrete pillar and steel supports.

Painfully Manchester, says my friend David of this obvious, and rather incongruous, reference to that iconic club, now converted into luxury apartments.

Although hes originally from Grimsby. So a southerner by local standards and not to be taken seriously at all.

There are no menus or waiters, no wine lists or reservations, rather an array of rice and curries served canteen-style from institutional metal containers.

You get your rice, a great pile of buttery fluffy delight, then, as the sign above the door makes clear, a choice of three curries, veggie or otherwise.

Should you want more, or less, you simply have to ask. The menu changes daily, and you order roti, partha, naan, bhajis and samosas separately.

Then grab your cutlery, scatter as much chopped white onion and green chilli as you dare, and settle in for a serious lunch.

Now the idea of a curry buffet is hardly revolutionary, and youll find various versions, both good and gross, across the country.

But here in Manchester, the rice and three is a much-loved institution, and there are at least three or four other places in town that do the same.

But This & That, most agree, is the best. And piled atop my excellent rice today is a great splodge of chana masala, chickpeas, pert and freshly spiced, with a low, steady chilli grunt.

Then a ladle of keema  sloppy, slightly fatty mince bleating of adolescent lamb, studded with green peas and scented with cumin, cloves, chilli, pepper and cardamom.

Naan bread

It may lack the majestic richness of the kid goat version at Gymkhana, but its damned fine all the same.

Finally, karahi lamb, a step up from the usual curry-house swill. The meat falls apart at the mention of a spoon yet is deeply flavoured and expertly spiced, and utterly without pretence.

The only slight let-down is a rather utilitarian naan, lacking the puffy, billowing and charred charm of the truly great. Still, this is a kitchen with total confidence in what it does.

As youd expect from a place thats been going for more than 30 years. The Mancs sure know a good thing when they see it.

Service is smiling and charming, although confined to dumping great ladles of curry onto your rice. And totting up your bill. And talking of bills, heres the greatest thing of all. My lunch, a great steaming plate of hearty, no-nonsense, lovingly made Northern Indian grub came to a grand total of 5.50.

Five bloody fifty! This is without a shadow of doubt the best-value lunch Ive had in years.

No wait, probably the greatest lunch deal youll find in this country. Its about the same price as a large Big Mac Meal or some dreary processed sandwich.

A third of the price of the aforementioned goat keema at Gymkhana. Which is one small starter, albeit Mayfair magnificent.

Chickpea and lamb curry

No wonder the queue stretches out of the door from the moment it opens  office workers, students, rubbish men, serious fellas with waxed moustaches (its in the Northern Quarter, described as Manchesters Hoxton, so comedy facial furniture abounds) and anyone else with a taste for an unbelievable bargain.

The menu changes daily but the crowds remain the same. Every town should have a This & That. By law. Its a cause under which we all could unite. Cracking curry for a fiver. The revolution starts here.

Lunch for two: 11

What Tom eat this week

Friday

Last day in Portugal and a rich, hearty Porto tripe stew, thick with white beans, tomato and chorizo, at Adega S Nicholas. In London a late dinner of grilled Ogleshield sandwich on white bread. A Double Decker for pudding.

Buffalo wings

Saturday

Lunch of cheesy nachos and buffalo wings at Byron (watching my weight, of course). Lemon risotto for dinner, with a pinch of dried chilli and loads of butter and parmesan.

Sunday

Roast chicken from Ginger Pig and dripping roast potatoes. An orange Calippo for pudding. Then make a stock from chicken bones, reduce it and perk up with chillies, lime, coriander, fish sauce, noodles and chicken remains. Hearty AND healthy.

Monday

Lunch of chickpeas and chilli at my desk. Yet another grilled Ogleshield sandwich for dinner. A green salad alongside, sharp with punchy, garlic-heavy dressing and scattered with anchovy fillets from Portugal.
Where initiatives by older people and veteran campaigners failed, three infants have pulled it off.

Passing orders on a joint PIL by Arjun Gopal, Aarav Bhandari and Zoya Rao Bhasin, all aged between six months and 14 months, the Supreme Court banned the sale and stocking of all kinds of firecrackers, taking into consideration the grave quality of air.

The court also imposed a ban on issuance of new licence in Delhi and National Capital Region with immediate effect.

The Supreme Court on Friday has banned the sale of firecrackers in Delhi-NCR in an attempt to keep the rising pollution level of the capital and its surrounding areas under check.

Licences of the existing firecracker sellers will be immediately suspended and no new licence will be issued till further orders, said the apex court.

The petition filed by these little children was lying in a back burner, for a while, and has been revived after the deadly smog attack was suffered by the Capital, post Diwali which lasted for nearly two weeks, causing serious health issues.

The court said that crack down on uncontrolled bursting of crackers was essential to keep the rising pollution levels under check.

However, there is no restriction on bursting crackers as it would be difficult to implement and monitor, the apex court has said.

So, here is the catch -crackers will not be sold in Delhi/NCR region and bringing in large quantities of crackers from other states is already barred under the law.

Smog attack

According to studies, infants are getting prone to lung disease, asthma, coughing, bronchitis, retarded development of the nervous system and cognitive impairment caused by pollution.

A bench consisting of Chief Justice TS Thakur, and Justices AK Sikri and SA Bobde, specified that no fresh licences shall be issued for sale and stocking of firecrackers.

The Bench also directed the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) to study harmful effects of materials used in firecrackers and submit a report in the Supreme Court within three months.

Air quality in the Capital had dipped to dangerous levels after Diwali

Diwali may be over, but even then the apex court's order is a big setback for cracker sellers as a good amount of stock is sold during the ongoing marriage season and also on the New Year eve.

"We are the most vulnerable category when it comes to air pollution, especially from suspended particles and toxins. We are foremost prone to lung disease, asthma, coughing, bronchitis, retarded development of the nervous system and cognitive impairment," kids had told the court.

Filed with the help of advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan, the petition said: "Studies show citizens of India have 30 per cent lower lung capacity than Europeans and that the children are the worst affected, as their lungs are not fully developed, making their systems more vulnerable."

This year, Diwali firecrackers pushed pollution level in Delhi to a dangerous level, its worst in the last 10 years.

The decision was taken by Supreme Court bench headed by CJI Thakur

On Diwali night, PM 10 ranged from 448 (micrograms per cubic metre) g/m3 to 939 g/m3 in Delhi as against the national safe standard of 100 g/m3, Delhi Pollution Control Committee had told the court.

A report by the Supreme Court-appointed Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority had said that air pollution was the fifth largest killer after high blood pressure, indoor air pollution from cooking fuels, tobacco smoking and poor nutrition.

It said residents of Delhi and Ghaziabad have more reasons to worry as they reside in two of the five critically polluted cities.

Arjun Gopal, Aarav Bhandari and Zoya Rao Bhasin, all aged between six months and 14 months, became the youngest petitioners before the apex court when they, in a PIL through their legal guardians, urged for urgent measures to bring down the 'fatal' pollution level in Delhi.
To ensure the safety of Delhi's lone leopard, which was spotted at the Yamuna Biodiversity park this week, the state government may shift the big cat to the Delhi Zoo or Rajaji National Park in Uttarakhand.

The decision was taken a day after a leopard was hacked to death by angry villagers at Sohna in Gurugram after it strayed into human settlement and injured several villagers.

The anguish was such that villagers battered the leopard in the presence of police and wildlife department officials.

A stray leopard was spotted in Delhi's Biodiversity park and the forest department wants its safety now

According to a senior state government official, forest officials have been asked to carry out a thorough survey in the matter.

Imran Hussain, state environment and forest minister said: "We have ordered our officials to conduct a fact-finding survey in the reported sighting of a leopard in the Yamuna Biodiversity park.

"While the sighting is a good indicator of the quality of wildlife in the forest area, our primary concern is the safety of the leopard," he said.

A leopard was killed by the angry villagers in Gurugram recently and the government does not want similar incident

"Two wildlife inspectors have been deputed to locate the pug marks for actual assessment of the leopard's age, if possible. We will also place cages at appropriate sites with baits once the location of the animal is identified to ensure that it can be transferred to a more secure site," said an official.

The sighting of the leopard at the DDA-run park came as a surprise to ecologists and scientists, who had sought spotted feline's immediate safety.

Senior government officials said that ensuring the safety of the animal is a prerogative of the state government under the Wildlife Protection Act 1972, but, the government needs to keep in mind that the leopard can be a danger to human being.

"Our current survey suggests that it had possibly strayed from its group, which means that it may wander in search for them.
One is a historic city, one that served as the entrepot to the Mughal Empire - a city with a population over 40 lakh, which plays host to a cluster of IT, oil and gas firms.

It offers a way stop on the proposed bullet train route, while its gem markets and port offer access to the world markets.

A tunnel road connecting it to Mumbai, along with a modular cargo terminal, offers opportunities for growth.

Growth of India is now looking beyond Delhi and Mumbai and reaching the hinterland

Another city, located at the centre of the Indian peninsula, has been taking advantage of its geographic position, with multi-modal international hub projects that seek to convert it into a major cargo hub with integrated road and rail connectivity.

Development

A newly approved metro line, access to high speed rail routes, 10 lane flyovers, along with SEZ development are turning this into a boom town.

A third city, famed as the capital of the Holkar state under Maharani Ahilyabai, has transformed itself into the commercial capital of central India, with over two million residents.

A tunnel road connecting it to Mumbai, along with a modular cargo terminal, offers opportunities for growth.

With a large industrial hinterland and regional connectivity across India, the city is poised for massive growth.

Such examples of competitive advantage (Surat, Nagpur and Indore respectively) are replete across India's urban landscape.

We need to accept this new paradigm - most of India's expected manufacturing jobs will be created here, instead of in the overstretched megacities.

Urban India has grown significantly over the last decade (up by 90 million people; Census 2011).

However, this has been remarkably skewed, with the majority of the urban population concentrated in the largest cities (only 27 per cent of our urban population lives in small and mid-sized towns).

India's growth is increasingly found in small towns - of the likes of Ahmedabad, Bhopal, Indore, Kochi, Coimbatore and Jaipur.

India's growth is increasingly found in small towns - of the likes of Ahmedabad, Bhopal, Indore, Kochi, Coimbatore and Jaipur.

Such cities, while primarily state capitals, have significant competitive advantages over the metros. India has over 350 towns with populations between one and five lakh people, and over 42 towns with a population between five and 10 lakh people.

Their growth needs encouragement, particularly through better provision of public services.

The state of urban services continues to be poor. Consider the supply of water - the average duration of water supply to an urban household tends to range between one and six hours, compared to 24 hours in China and 22 hours in Vietnam.

Per capita water supply to each household may vary significantly (37 lpcd to 298 lpcd).

Most households in such urbanised areas continue to lack metering for water connections, while leakages usually account for 70 per cent of the total water supplied.

With nearby urban sources of water increasingly polluted, most such rising cities increasingly have to source water from 100-200 km away.

Fixing this is not a hard task, though our institutional apathy seems to have made it so.

The Karnataka government launched the Karnataka Urban Water Sector Improvement Projects (KUWASIP) in 2005, with focus on providing a 24x7 urban water supply system through the PPP model to Belgaum, Gulbarga and Hubli- Dharwad.

Rigorous delivery standards were defined, with services priced at above O&M cost, while variable rates were introduced to cut consumption.

Within a few years, piping losses were reduced from 50 per cent to 7 per cent, given significant investment in the transmission network, while over 25,000 households regularly receive 24x7 water supply now.

Sanitation

Sanitation remains another bugbear. Of the 5,100+ cities/towns in India, the vast majority do not have a functioning sewerage network.

Nearly half of the households in metropolitan cities like Hyderabad do not have sewerage connections, while 18 per cent of all urban households follow open defecation.

The vast majority of the sewage plants owned by the government remain non-functional or in poor condition.

Waste collection covers less than 50 per cent of the households of most small cities, with waste mostly dumped on the public commons - whatever is collected remains unsegregated.

With sanitation offered national spotlight by the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, it remains a significant urban priority.

Consider the example of Alandur, a small suburb of Chennai in Kanchipuram, which has, through volunteer donations, managed to construct a 137 km sewer line, while covering 5,670 manholes and connecting 23,700 households, thus transforming its sanitary landscape.

While in 2000, over 80 per cent of its households utilised septic tanks, by 2005, the vast majority of them had been connected to sewerage network and a treatment plant.

Transport

Rajkot managed to solve its solid waste issue through urban planning. Its annual production over 300 tonnes of solid waste, earlier mostly dumped, is now segregated and processed at a modern solid waste processing plant.

Waste destined for landfills has been cut down by 85 per cent, while 40 tonnes of biofertilisers is produced daily. Public transport is another constraint.

India is increasingly a car economy, with public transport comprising just 22 per cent of all urban transport in India.

Just over one-fourth of India's Tier-3 cities have a regular city bus service and most such bus services are loss-making (Report on Indian Infrastructure and Services, 2011).

India's public transport, meanwhile, continues to relatively decline, comprising just 1.1 per cent of total vehicles in 2001.

Local examples can inspire - Indore has built a bus-based public transportation system in the past decade.

It ran an open and competitive bidding process for bus route operators, which ran them on a build-operate-transfer (BOT) basis.

Buses are tracked via GPS, helping to monitor performance and service standards. Surat has managed to replicate a similar model on a BOT basis.

The Indian consumer market is expanding towards the hinterland.

Such consumers are better connected, want greater value, and seek differentiated products, as opposed to a cost plus focus.

Such cities require careful encouragement and support for removing infrastructural constraints.

A focus on public transport, water supply and sanitation would go a long way in making these cities livable.
The Army is planning to request the government to allow its soldiers deployed in remote areas to deposit and exchange Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes at banks beyond the December 31 deadline as part of the demonetisation drive of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

A large number of soldiers from the Army are deployed in remote areas such as Siachen and Line of Control and have cash amount of around Rs 30,000-40,000 kept with their families in their village homes for either marriage of kin or construction of house there.

"Many of them don't have a family member who can go to the bank and get the money exchanged or deposited. So, we are planning to request the government if they can be given some relaxation in the deadline for depositing or exchanging old notes," a senior Army source told Mail Today.

Families of soldiers have cash amount which is saved for either marriage of their kin or construction of house there

Under the present situation along the Line of Control and international border, the force cannot even send the soldiers on leave only for this purpose of note exchange, the sources said.

The situation on the LoC has been heating up since the September 18 attack in Uri by terrorists in which 19 soldiers were killed in the wee hours when they were resting in the 12 Brigade camp area in tents near fuel dump.

In some stations, the leaves were cancelled as the soldiers were needed to be on the front.

At many places, the vigil during both day and night has been so strict that soldiers have not even got time to get the notes with them exchanged at banks due to their deployment in the remote locations.

The Indian Army has a strength of around 1.3 million soldiers who are deployed across the most inhospitable and remote terrain and bank relaxation will help them

"If we get a waiver, this will be a big relief for our troops as they can do their jobs without the worry of losing their hard-earned money in the drive," the source said.

The Indian Army has a strength of around 1.3 million soldiers who are deployed across the most inhospitable and remote terrain.

Majority of the soldiers belong to rural areas where people generally prefer transactions in cash for marriage and construction of houses.

As per the guidelines issued by the Reserve Bank of India, the exchange of old 1,000 and 500 rupee banknotes will no longer be accepted from Friday, the government said, but the use of Rs 500 notes for certain transactions has been extended till December 15.

The Centre, which allowed a window of a fortnight to exchange these currency notes over the counter, has decided not to extend the facility given a decline in exchange transactions.

PM slams critics, pushes mobile payment systems

Hitting out at those accusing the government of not being prepared for demonetisation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said they are actually pained that they themselves did not get time to make any preparation.

"Had these people got even 72 hours, they would have lavished praise," he said a day after the Opposition launched a massive attack on the government over the issue.

Speaking at a book launch, Modi said there has been little criticism of the demonetisation decision.

PM Modi said the opposition is pained as they themselves did not get time to make any preparation

But still some people are criticising saying that the government did not make ample preparation.

"I think that is not the issue that the government did not make ample preparation. I think the pain of such people is that the government did not give a chance to make any preparation," Modi said.

"If these people had got 72 hours to make their preparation then they would have lavished praise that there is no one like Modi," he stressed.

Pushing for digital transactions, Modi said: 'Everyone has the right to use his or her money'

The Prime Minister's comments come in the backdrop of Opposition attack in Parliament on demonetisation with former PM Manmohan Singh saying the step was a case of organised loot and legalised plunder and reflected a monumental management failure.

Pushing for digital transactions, Modi said: "Everyone has the right to use his or her money and no one stops them. It is not necessary you should have cash as one can spend using digital technology also. Shopping through mobile is simple just like sending a WhatsApp message."

"We should promote use of technology in transaction to bring transparency," he said, adding around 500 cities can do this in a short duration.

He said the municipal corporations have collected Rs 13,000 crore tax after demonetisation.
With the government deciding to give priority to the farm sector in the allocation of new currency notes several banks in Delhi and NCR have not received any cash for the last four days as a result of which there has been no respite from the cash crisis for consumers.

An ICICI Bank manager told Mail Today that the branch had run out of cash on Monday, after which it has not received any more currency notes.

"We have been sending back our customers who came to withdraw money this week and it is getting increasingly embarrassing for us," he lamented.

A bank employee stacks a bundle of old 1000 Indian rupee banknotes to count them inside a bank in Jammu

A Finance Ministry official told Mail Today that the government is giving priority to farmers in supplying new currency as the rabi sowing season is in full swing.

The situation is expected to ease soon as new Rs 500 notes have also reached the banks, he added.

With the government now banning the use of old Rs 1000 notes at the petrol pumps and Mother Dairy outlets the situation has in fact taken a turn for the worse as far as consumers are concerned.

The money supplied to the ATMs run out within an hour or two, leaving many people standing in the queue high and dry.

Banks have been giving out mainly new Rs 2,000 notes which pose a problem for consumers and retail stores alike as there is not enough change going around.

Most bankers are of the view that the sequencing in the production of new notes should have given precedence to 100 and 500 rupee notes instead of the Rs 2,000 notes which are not liquid enough.

A "No Cash" sign is pictured at an ATM machine of ICICI bank in Noida

Cyber danger

E-wallet companies have seen a sudden surge in business in the wake of the currency crisis but the issue of cyber security needs to be kept in mind amidst the frenzy for online payments.

Paytm one of the biggest players in the mobile wallet space, for instance, has clearly ended up jumping the gun.

On Wednesday, the company launched a mobile app that allows small shopkeepers to accept payment through cards as a way out of the current cash squeeze.

Buyers were expected to feed their credit card details on to the mobile phone app of the shopkeeper to make the payment.

Paytm had assured that the PIN details would go directly to the server of the bank from which the payment would be made.

However, leading companies in the card business such as Mastercard and Visa have red flagged the modus operandi as a grave security risk to buyers since the credit card details would be fed into mobile phones belonging to others.

This has made Paytm see some sense and the company on the very next day scrapped the launch of the new app.

"Based on some suggestions from the industry, we have decided to add additional certifications and features before making it available to the merchants. We will re-launch this product as soon as we have updated the product," Paytm said in a blogpost.

The Shekhar Sharma founded e-wallet company has done well in recalling the product as it was only in October this year that as many as 32.14 lakh debit cards of various public and private sector banks were reported to have been 'compromised' by cyber malware attack emanating from the Yes bank ATM system.
The price of oil tumbled last night after Saudi Arabia pulled out of talks to discuss limiting supply raising fears that no agreement will be reached.

Ministers from the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries were due to meet non-Opec producers in Vienna on Monday to thrash out an agreement to curb supply and prop up prices.

Drain: Opec wants to limit production to between 32.5m and 33m barrels of oil per day in the first supply cut since 2008

The talks were due to focus on the contribution that producers outside Opec would make to the plan. But Saudi Arabia has said it will not attend the meeting as it wants to focus on securing a consensus within Opec first  and then present the agreement to non-Opec producers.

The oil price fell nearly 3 per cent to $47.50 a barrel. Opec wants to limit production to between 32.5m and 33m barrels of oil per day in the first supply cut since 2008.

It follows the slump in the oil price from $115 a barrel in mid-2014 to less than $50 today.
The supermarket Iceland accidentally started a row with the Icelandic government by taking it to court in a trademark dispute.

The chain, which is run by millionaire Malcolm Walker, blocked the slogan Inspired by Iceland.

But the name was actually being used by the Icelandic government, enraging ministers.

'Misunderstanding': The firm owns European rights to the name Iceland, but the country claims this puts its own businesses in an untenable situation

This week, Iceland the country confirmed it was taking action against the frozen goods retailer, which has been trading under its name for 46 years.

The firm owns European rights to the name Iceland, but the country claims this puts its own businesses in an untenable situation.

Nick Canning, joint managing director of the supermarket, said the battle was a misunderstanding. Canning said that had the firm known the slogan had been used by the country, it would have reacted differently. We would be mad not to oppose or at least look at that application, and thats exactly what we did, he said.
The EU is concerned over the treatment of rebels after July's coup attempt

President Recep Erdogan is angry that talks to join the EU have stalled

Turkey have threatened to open the migrant floodgates if the European Union halts its membership talks, as criticism grows of Ankara's heavy-handed response to a failed military coup.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's warning-the latest in a series of heated speeches about Europe from top Turkish officials-came a day after EU lawmakers called for a freeze on the talks over the post-coup arrests, dismissals and jailing of tens of thousands of people.

Erdogan's claims that his country has been 'betrayed' are a sign of how Turkey's pride has been wounded by the lack of international solidarity Ankara feels has been shown since its political foundations were rocked by the July coup attempt.

Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan addresses an annual economy and trade meeting of the Organization for Islamic Cooperation in Istanbul

'We are the ones who feed 3-3.5 million refugees in this country. You have betrayed your promises,' Erdogan said. 'If you go any further, those border gates will be opened,' he added.

The European Parliament vote Thursday was a response to Ankara's widespread crackdown on potential political enemies.

Tens of thousands have been detained, and around 120,000 people dismissed or suspended from their jobs over suspected links to the Muslim cleric living in the United States whom Erdogan blames for the coup attempt.

Authorities have also shut down more than 170 media outlets, detained more than 140 journalists and sacked elected Kurdish mayors, replacing them with government-appointed trustees.

NATO has acknowledged that some Turkish personnel at the military alliance have even applied for asylum.

More worrying for the anti-death penalty EU would be if Turkey makes good on a threat to reintroduce capital punishment, which would derail the country's bid to join the bloc entirely.

But apart from symbolizing Europe's concern, Thursday's vote has no practical effect on Turkey's EU accession. Any suspension in talks can only be made by the 28 EU states, not lawmakers.

Millions of migrants have made the arduous journey from Turkey to Greece by sea. Nnow Turkey has threatened to loosen sea border controls paving the way for more to enter Europe illegally

Beyond that, member states have little incentive to pour oil on the fire when they desperately need Ankara to manage their refugee crisis. The membership negotiations, which have crawled along at snail's pace for more than a decade, are unlikely to be completed any time soon.

Unable to agree on the best way to manage more than a million migrants who entered Europe last year, mostly through Turkey, EU nations decided to outsource their refugee crisis.

They offered Turkey visa-free travel for its citizens and fast-track membership talks if Ankara stemmed the flow of migrants leaving for Greece and took back thousands who had already crossed into Europe.

The deal also calls for the EU to devote up to 6 billion euros ($6.4 billion) in aid for Syrian refugees living in Turkey.

A man lies in front of a Turkish army tank during a military coup at Ataturk airport in Istanbul, Turkey July 16. The failed coup has drawn attention to human rights in the country

During Friday's speech, Erdogan said not enough money was coming through.

'We have been given $550 million by the United Nations. The European Union promised, but the money it has sent so far is around $700 million. But what have we spent? Up to now we have spent $15 billion,' he said.

In Brussels, EU officials confirmed Friday that 677 million euros have been delivered and a total of 1.2 billion euros signed into contracts with Turkey. A further billion euros has also been officially 'allocated.'

More time sensitive is Turkey's quest for visa-waiver status, which would allow Turks to stay for up to 90 days in Europe without a visa. Ankara wants the travel benefit this year, but EU officials said it has still not met seven outstanding criteria.

Most problematic among them is changing the definition of what constitutes a 'terrorist act' in Turkey, a condition the Europeans say is required to stop Turkish authorities from rounding up reporters and Erdogan's political opponents.

With bomb attacks a regular occurrence of late in Turkey, the government is reluctant to modify its anti-terror law.

A new progress report is due next month, but at the current speed Turkey is unlikely to meet the conditions this year.

Czech Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka dismissed Erdogan's comments on Friday as 'blackmail' and said Ankara shares responsibility for ensuring its EU membership bid stays on track.

'I reject attempts by Turkey to politically blackmail us and any threat to incite another immigration wave,' Sobotka said. '
Now 67, she has reunited with her half-brother in Albuquerque

At the age of 26 in 1975, her nanny confessed she had American heritage

Marianne Wilson Kuroda, now 67, is a Japanese woman who went her whole childhood unaware of her American heritage

A red-haired Japanese woman who has long questioned her Caucasian looks has traced her ancestors to find she is the daughter of an American soldier.

Marianne Wilson Kuroda, now 67, grew up in a one-roomed shack in the city of Yokohama, south of Tokyo, and was teased as a child for her fair skin and unusual hair.

She was raised by her Japanese nanny who, on her deathbed in 1975, confessed to the then 26-year-old that she is the daughter of Texan soldier James Vaughn.

Her mother, Vivienne Joy Wilson, died when she was one and her father, who returned to the US to fight for their rights as immigrants, never returned to Japan to collect his daughter.

Marianne, who continues to live in Japan, claimed her US Citizenship in June this year. Born on April 19, 1949 as Mary Ann Vaughn, her parents married at a Japanese shrine in Yokohama.

James Vaughn was just 20 when he was assigned to the city's US military base. There, he met Vivienne Joy Wilson, Marianne's mother who was working in the postal exchange for money to support her family.

Because Vivienne was half-Japanese, the couple was denied permission to get married by the military who, at the time, were required to approve marriages with foreigners.

In fact Vivienne's own mother, Helene Bouiss, had recently married an American soldier herself and was trying to gain entry to the US via Seattle when Marianne was conceived.

After marrying in a Japanese ceremony, James returned to the US where he wrote to congress asking that his new wife and daughter be exempt from strict immigration laws and allowed to enter the US.

He was granted his request on August 5, 1950. On the very same day, Vivienne died from tuberculosis.

Marianne's parents were Vivienne Joy Wilson and Texan soldier James Vaughn. The pair met in Yokohama and married at a Japanese shrine before James returned to the US to try to gain his new wife and daughter immigration status

Marianne only learned who her parents were when her nanny, who had raised her, died in 1975. She is seen above in September studying their photograph

Marianne was taken in by her Japanese nanny Fumi and raised by her in a one-bedroom shack. Fumi often took her to her mother's grave but never explained who they were visiting.

At some point in her early childhood, she was tracked down by GI Babies, a Swedish organization dedicated to caring for the abandoned children of American soldiers.

In 1958, when she was nine, she was sent to an international school by the organization and her name was changed to Marianne Wilson. Recalling what her nanny had told her, Marianne said: '"I'm going to tell you something very important,"

'"Sit here and just listen. You're going to quit this school. From September you're going to go to a new school on the bluff where all the A-B-C kids are living. And from now on, your name is going to be Marianne Wilson.'"

Marianne attended the school but struggled, speaking no English and having no appetite for its western food.

'I just couldn't understand a single word the teacher was saying. I couldn't even write my own name.

'On my first day, we took the bus to the bluff. To my big surprise came a little boy who looked like me accompanied by a Japanese woman. When I heard the boy addressing a Japanese lady "Mommy,' my mind just spun with great joy. I had found the same species!"'

As part of the arrangement set up by the Swedish Embassy, Marianne lived with a foreign host family during the week and with her nanny at weekends. Fumi was moved out of the slums and in to a house in Tokyo where the family enjoyed improved living conditions.

Marianne later enrolled in the American School in Japan but was not told of her close ties to the US until 1975.

Marianne later learned she has a half-brother in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Steve Vaughn (right) was never told of his half-sister's existence

In June this year, Marianne was granted US Citizenship after a lengthy fight with officials

Fumi confessed that not only was she American, but her father had indeed been trying to find her. Suddenly, Marianne said, memories of listening to a record of the English version of 'Happy Birthday' made sense - it had been James Vaughn singing to her in a recording sent from overseas.

In the 1990s, once she had married and had a son of her own, Marianne set about tracking down her American relatives. Through the Japanese Red Cross, she learned in 2004 that she had a half-brother, Steve, in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Their father had died 11-months earlier at the age of 77. She traveled to the state three months after first making contact with her half-brother for a reunion.

Steve Vaughn, now 56, is a doctor at Veterans Administration. He was never told about his half-sister, but only knew of an envelope which contained photographs of Marianne as a baby.

A note accompanying them, that had been written by his own mother, James Vaughn's second wife, read: 'The baby in these pictures was named Marianne

'The last time (I) heard about them was 1958. The mother had died, and baby or girl Marianne was adopted in Tokyo, Japan, by unknown parents.'

After reuniting with his half-sister, Steve Vaugh contacted the US National Archives and discovered an act under private laws dedicated to 'the relief of Vivienne Joy Wilson and minor daughter Marianne Vaughn.'

It was the approval congress had granted the pair's father to bring his new wife and daughter to the US in 1950.

'I saw the name Marianne Vaughn, which I was called in my very early childhood, and was shocked that she really existed, and my father was truly an American,' said Marianne.

Twelve years later, and after a bureaucratic fight with officials, she was granted US citizenship in June.

Now, she plans to visit the Texas cemetery where her paternal grandparents are buried.
Dakota Access oil pipeline protesters will not follow a government directive to leave the federal land where hundreds have camped for months, organizers said Saturday.

An area where protesters have been camping for months will be closed off to the public on December 5, the US Army Corps of Engineers announced Friday.

A letter from Colonel John Henderson cited safety concerns and said anyone found north of the Cannonball River, which includes the Oceti Sakowin camp, could be prosecuted with trespassing.

Dave Archambault, the chairman of the Standing Rock Sioux tribe, released a statement in response that read: 'Our Tribe is deeply disappointed in this decision by the United States, but our resolve to protect our water is stronger than ever.'

North Dakota officials are encouraging people to respect the directive, but protest organizer Dallas Goldtooth says they will not move, adding that the government's request will most likely escalate already rocky tensions.

The Oceti Sakowin camp is on Corps land in southern North Dakota, where the vast majority of the several hundred people fighting against the four-state, $3.8 billion pipeline have created a self-sustaining community and put up semi-permanent structures to gear up for the harsh winter.

The final segment of the pipeline, which is supposed to pass under a Missouri River reservoir, has been delayed while the Corps consults with the tribe, who believe the project could harm drinking water and Native American cultural sites.

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The US Army Corps of Engineers announced Friday that an area in North Dakota, which includes the Oceti Sakowin camp (pictured), will be closed off from the public on December 5

A letter from Colonel John Henderson cited safety concerns and said anyone found north of the Cannonball River can be charged with trespassing after next Monday

The letter was written by Colonel John Henderson (left) and Dave Archambault (right) of the Standing Rock Sioux tribe released response expressing his disappointment

Colonel John Henderson said a free speech zone will be set up south of the river, but one protest organizer said the directive would likely escalate rocky tensions

Last month, the Corps said it would not evict the encampment, which started as overflow from smaller private and permitted protest sites nearby and began growing in August.

The letter, dated on Friday, however, states the closure is necessary to protect the general public from violent confrontations between protesters and authorities.

It also says that the area does not have necessary first responder services or facilities to protect people from illness, injury or death during North Dakota's harsh winter months.

The letter said 'no member of the general public' will be allowed on the land without the possibility of being prosecuted for trespassing.

A free speech zone will be set up south of the river.

But Goldtooth, of the Indigenous Environmental Network, believes many people will choose not to move to another site, with protesters building shelters and teepees to prepare for the winter.

Goldtooth also said the government's request will escalate already rocky tensions, calling the directive 'an atrocious example that colonization has not ended for us here as indigenous people.'

On Friday, Archambault, whose tribe offered protesters land on its reservation south of the river earlier this fall, said 'our resolve to protect our water is stronger than ever.'

For months, opponents of the four-state, $3.8 billion pipeline have stayed at the Oceti Sakowin camp to protest the pipeline (pictured)

Archambault called on people to issue an appeal to President Barack Obama along with the Corps (pictured, protesters in September)

Archambault issued a statement in response to the letter, expressing his disappointment while calling people to issue an appeal to President Barack Obama along with the Corps.

He wrote: 'We ask that the United States stop the pipeline and move it outside our treaty lands.

'It is both unfortunate and ironic that this announcement comes the day after this country celebrates Thanksgiving  a historic exchange of goodwill between Native Americans and the first immigrants from Europe.

'Although the news is saddening, it is not at all surprising given the last 500 years of the treatment of our people.

'We have suffered much, but we still have hope that the President will act on his commitment to close the chapter of broken promises to our people and especially our children.'

Officers have used tear gas, rubber bullets, pepper spray and water cannons in recent skirmishes, while authorities say protesters assaulted officers with rocks and burning logs.

Obama raised the possibility of rerouting the pipeline in that area earlier this month, something Kelcy Warren, CEO of Texas-based pipeline developer Energy Transfer Partners, said was not an option from the company's standpoint.

Obama said his administration is monitoring the 'challenging situation' but would 'let it play out for several more weeks.'

Some of the protests have resulted in violent confrontations and hundreds of arrests, and officers have used tear gas, rubber bullets, pepper spray and water cannons in recent skirmishes, while authorities say protesters assaulted officers with rocks and burning logs.

A clash earlier this week near the main protest camp left a police officer and several protesters injured, including Sophia Wilansky, who suffered a serious arm injury and is still in a Minneapolis hospital.

Shailene Woodley participated in protests on Thanksgiving Day. She was arrested in October and pleaded not guilty to criminal trespass and engaging in a riot

'It's the federal government's job to peacefully close the camp because it allowed people to stay there in the first place,' Gov. Jack Dalrymple said in a statement Saturday.

'Our state and local law enforcement agencies continue to do all they can to keep private property and public infrastructure free from unpermitted protest activities, and its past time that the federal government provides the law enforcement resources... to enforce their own order to vacate,' he said.

Republican U.S. Senator John Hoeven and Democratic U.S. Sen. Heidi Heitkamp said the protesters need to move for public safety.

'The well-being and property of ranchers, farmers and everyone else living in the region should not be threatened by protesters who are willing to commit acts of violence,' Hoeven said in a statement Friday.

He also called on the Obama administration to let work on the pipeline move forward, saying, 'this difficult situation has gone on too long and we need to get it resolved.'

Heitkamp said the Corps' order is 'a needed step to support the safety of residents, workers, protesters and law enforcement.'

Sophia Wilansky suffered a serious arm injury during a clash earlier this week near the main protest camp
Khalsa practices Kundalini Yoga and has studied martial arts and sociology

Hari Nam Kaur Khalsa, 61, who was born in Texas but lives in Chile, killed two burglars in self-defense after four men entered her home

A yoga teacher from Texas shot and killed two home invaders as they allegedly attempted to rob her in her residence just north of Santiago, Chile, police said on Friday.

Hari Nam Kaur Khalsa, 61, was in her bedroom in her Batuco home on Thursday when four men entered the room and hit her in the head with a firearm.

The men tried to tie her up but Khalsa was able to free herself and grabbed her registered Taurus model revolver beneath her pillow.

She shot two of the men and the two others escaped.

None of the men's identities have been released.

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The men tried to tie her up in her Batuco home on Thursday but Khalsa was able to free herself and grabbed her registered gun beneath her pillow

Video courtesy of YouTube/kundalinik

One man died after being shot five times, Emol.com reported. The other died of his injuries in the front yard, according to Dallas News.

Hearing the gunshots upstairs caused the two men downstairs to flee the premises.

'This is not a grandma as you can imagine,' Jose Nunez, who manages the condominium where she lives told local press.

'So don't be imagining a little grandma who killed two crooks with her cane.'

Prosecutor Osvaldo Soto said Friday the instructor is free because she acted in legitimate self-defense

Prosecutor Osvaldo Soto said Friday the instructor is free because she acted in legitimate self-defense.

But he said that authorities have requested a security escort because 'we fear that she might suffer some sort of reprisal'.

A profile on the yoga academy website says the instructor was born in Texas where she studied martial arts and sociology and has been living in Chile since 1979.

She told local Radio Cooperativa that she prefers not to talk about the incident now.
Peter O'Sullivan, who had seen 'very severe military activity' in Afghanistan during ten years in the Parachute Regiment, had been assessed by a mental health nurse

A former paratrooper fell to his death from a hotel rooftop while waiting for a psychiatrist to decide whether he was suffering from post traumatic stress disorder, an inquest heard yesterday.

Peter O'Sullivan, who had seen 'very severe military activity' in Afghanistan during ten years in the Parachute Regiment, had been assessed by a mental health nurse from the Combat Stress charity who felt he might have PTSD.

The nurse decided to refer him to a consultant psychiatrist - but there was a four month waiting list for an appointment and Mr O'Sullivan did not survive until then.

Two months before the appointment he took crystal meth while on holiday in Vietnam and fell to his death from the top of the Liberty Hotel in Ho Ch Minh City on Feb 13th this year, the Gloucester inquest was told.

His family, from Stroud, Gloucestershire, are now hoping the authorities will recognise Mr O'Sullivan's death as a direct consequence of PTSD resulting from his service in the elite Pathfinder platoon of the Parachute Regiment.

They want his name to be included at the National Memorial Arboretum - something which can only happen if his death is accepted to have resulted from his military service.

Mr O'Sullivan had served in Northern Ireland, Iraq and Afghanistan and had trained for the SAS. It had left him with anxiety symptoms, the Gloucester inquest was told.

Last December he had sought help from Combat Stress and was seen by nurse Ian Coombs, who assessed him and found him to be at high risk of self harm or suicide.

He referred him to a psychiatrist because he believed he may well have PTSD but there were no appointments available for four months.

Faced with the wait, Mr O'Sullivan decided to return to Iraq to do a two month stint as a close protection officer.

From there he returned briefly to the UK before flying to Vietnam, where he told relatives he planned to take a kite-surfing course.

He never went on the course and on Feb 13th fell from his hotel onto the roof of a house and died from multiple injuries.

The assistant Gloucestershire coroner, Dr Simon Fox QC, heard that methamphetamine and another unknown drug was found in his blood at post mortem.

Dr Fox ruled there was insufficient evidence to justify a conclusion of either suicide or accidental death.

He recorded simply that 'He died after falling from a tall building.'

After the inquest Mr O'Sullivan's family said they were content with the finding and hoped that the evidence that he may have had post traumatic stress disorder would result in his name being listed at the National Memorial Arboretum.

The assistant Gloucestershire coroner, Dr Simon Fox QC, heard methamphetamine and another unknown drug was found in his blood. File pic of Gloucestershire Coroners Court

The inquest heard that Mr O'Sullivan, who had married a Thai woman in Bangkok in 2012, had been involved in a previous incident when he tried to jump from a hotel roof last September.

It happened in Bangkok when he took drugs and went onto the roof but was prevented from jumping by staff and his wife.

His sister Angela Cleer told the inquest he had always wanted to be a soldier since boyhood and in 2000 he joined the Parachute Regiment.

He later became a member of the elite Pathfinder platoon. He left the army in 2010 and started work in close protection in Iraq.

He married a Thai woman in a Buddhist ceremony in Bangkok in 2012 and all seemed to be going well until 2014 when she started to notice he 'wasn't good' and things were 'not going well for him,' she stated.

The marriage was struggling and he was having bad dreams, said Mrs Cleer.

'I suggested he go and see Combat Stress but he didn't show any interest in looking for help.'

She said in September 2015 she spoke to him when he was in Thailand and he had clearly taken drugs. He asked her to fly out and get him so she did because she was so concerned about him.

'He had taken a lot of drugs and had been trying to jump off a hotel but his partner and the hotel staff had prevented him from doing so. My understanding was that it was the drugs which had made him behave that way.

'He was very paranoid when we got there and said he thought his partner was poisoning him. He also thought the police were after him. '

He returned to the UK with her and saw his doctor but remained anxious and paranoid, she stated.

The following month he went on holiday with his parents.

Mrs Cleer said that on Dec 3 he went to Combat Stress and was assessed by a nurse and he also saw his GP, Dr Andrew Sampson again.

He then flew to Iraq on Dec 8 for eight weeks work, returning to Stroud for one night before flying to Vietnam to learn kite surfing.

Mrs Cleer said she spoke to him in Ho Ch Minh City and he said he was bored and had not started the course. He kept putting it off from day to day.

'He never hinted at having any intention to harm himself,' she said.

But he did tell her he had spent night in prison and he had a bump on the back of his head but he could not recall what had happened.

The family then received the news of his fatal fall.

Combat Stress mental health nurse Mr Coombs said he assessed Mr O'Sullivan and got him to complete a questionnaire designed to find out if someone is a victim of post traumatic stress.

The nurse decided too refer him to a consultant psychiatrist - but there was a four month waiting list for an appointment and Mr O'Sullivan did not survive till then

Mr O'Sullivan's total score was not high enough to say that he did have PTSD - but he had indicated strongly that he was thinking of self harm or suicide.

'He also said that while in Gloucestershire he had been using cocaine and he had used it quite recently.

'He did not allude to using anything else. It is possible that such thrill seeking drugs could impair someone's mental health. Crystal meth is also known to cause paranoia.'

Mr Coombs said Mr O'Sullivan met so many of the PTSD criteria that he decided to refer him to a psychiatrist to decide if he was a victim of the disorder - but there was no appointment available till April.

'I think he may have had a PTSD but I am not able to diagnose myself and that is why I asked him to go to see the consultant psychiatrist,' he said.

'I was not asking everyone I saw to go and see a GP. I felt there was enough there for him to someone who could make the diagnosis one way or another.'

Dr Sampson said if Mr O'Sullivan had not been going back to Iraq on Dec 8th he would have put him on anti depressants then. But he did not want to do so unless the medication could be monitored by a doctor.

'We agreed to meet again on his return from Iraq to consider starting him on anti depressants at that point,' he said.

Mr O'Sullivan's father Anthony said 'Pete experienced some very severe military activity in Afghanistan. He came down with psoriasis and it caused him a lot of stress.

'He started to have a tic and facial problems during his service and that, to me, clearly indicated that he was suffering from PTSD.'

'Pete also did the SAS assessment training and he passed that course. It has been noted that the course, which is a very severe physical test where they go through tremendous stressful situations, can trigger PTSD as well.'

Mr O'Sullivan senior also said the family had been 'very upset' they were not told their son's suicide risk factor although he appreciated there were issues of confidentiality.

'Had we known we would have said 'Forget going back to work, let's just get you right,' he said.

After the inquest Mr O'Sullivan said the family were anxious to establish that his son had PTSD so he could be remembered at the National Arboretum.

'We want his service to be recognised there,' he said. 'To do that evidence of post traumatic stress related to military service is needed.

'Although that has not been part of the inquest conclusion today we feel the evidence has helped us to achieve recognition for Pete.'

Sue Freeth, chief executive of Combat Stress, said: 'We are very saddened by the death of Peter O'Sullivan and our thoughts are with his family at this difficult time.

'Any veteran we see who is at risk of suicide is referred to their GP or accident and emergency service for assistance and specialist help.

'Consultant psychiatrist appointments at Combat Stress are offered to veterans at the earliest opportunity, and if veterans are unavailable to attend due to their travel arrangements, an appointment is offered to them as soon as possible on their return.

'Combat Stress offers support and treatment for veterans with PTSD, depression and anxiety. Our 24-hour Helpline is available on 0800 138 1619 for veterans and serving personnel, and their families.'
A Tasmanian aged care worker has admitted to taking indecent photos of himself next to elderly patients.

Adam Matthew Pettit took four pictures of female residents as they were undressing while he was working at the OneCare Barossa Park aged care facility in Glenorchy, ABC News reported.

The 32-year-old then sent one of the images to his co-worker who told another colleague two months later.

He was stood down by management.

The OneCare aged care facility in Barossa Park, Tasmania, where Adam Pettit took four pictures of female patients while they were undressing

Prosecutors want Pettit to be put on the sex offender register and his phone destroyed so no one can access the photos, the Hobart Magistrates Court heard.

But Pettit's lawyer told the court his client was experiencing difficulties in his relationship, over-drinking and stressed.

Pettit had not taken into account the humiliation his victims would feel, according to his lawyer.

The victims were most likely unaware that Pettit was taking the photos, according to Magistrate Glenn Hay.

Pettit's sentencing has been adjourned until February while he is assessed.
, now 19, is clean and hopes to be

Stopped using during pregnancy but

at 16 in the midst of a

A teenage mum who chose injecting drugs over caring for her baby has spoken about her struggle with addiction.

Samantha Wilson fell pregnant at 16 years old in the midst of a methamphetamine habit.

She managed to stop injecting ice during her pregnancy but quickly returned to using needles after giving birth, the Sunshine Coast Daily reported.

Samantha Wilson (pictured) fell pregnant at 16-years-old in the midst of methamphetamine habit

Ms Wilson grew up Caboolture, north of Brisbane, and turned to alcohol and drugs at just 12 years old after being bullied at school.

By the time she was 14, Ms Wilson was sleeping rough on friends' couches after her drug and alcohol habits caused problems at home.

She stole food and clothes and slept with older men for money.

Soon after Ms Wilson met a man who injected her with drugs for the first time.

'It was the best feeling that I ever felt, ever,' she said.

Ms Wilson fell pregnant at the age of 16, coming as a shock to her and her parents.

Ms Wilson fell pregnant at the age of 16, coming as a shock to her and her parents

During her pregnancy she stayed with her parents and managed to abstain from taking drugs.

But after her baby was born in February last year she started using again.

She made a conscious choice to leave her newborn with her family while she went back to using ice, the Sunshine Coast Daily reported.

Ms Wilson was using drugs even more this time, spiking up every day after she learnt how to inject herself.

'As long as I had something in my arm it was fine,' she said.

Ms Wilson said she only saw her baby three times over a five-month period.

On her 18th birthday, Ms Wilson organised for a drug dealer to pick up a motorbike from her parents' house in exchange for drugs. The bike was not hers.

When she and the drug dealer arrived at her house a fight broke out with her father.

Ms Wilson threw her father to the ground, hitting him with a torch.

Ms Wilson made a conscious choice to leave her newborn with her family while she went back to using ice

The police soon arrived and Ms Wilson was taken into custody.

Her drug use and homelessness continued until February when she decided she 'wanted to get clean' and was admitted to Nambour General Hospital.

She began rehabilitation in March at WHOS Najara therapeutic community centre and has managed to stay clean.

She is currently staying at Lily House women's accommodation on the Sunshine Coast and hopes to be properly reunited with her baby soon.
'None of us imagined it might actually come true,' he told DailyMail.com

Her father-in-law Ken said that her return was nothing short of a 'miracle'

Her husband Keith had promised their two children that 'mommy' would be home by Thanksgiving

Shasta County Sheriff Tom Bosenko said that the description was based on 'voice recognition' - suggesting that Papini wasn't able to see her captors

Police are now hunting for two Hispanic women considered armed and dangerous, and driving a dark SUV, over the kidnapping

discovered dumped by the roadside on Thanksgiving Day - three weeks after she disappeared

Sherri Papini is 'doing good' after she was

The father-in-law of the California woman found three weeks after she went missing has said the mother-of-two is 'doing good' and described her return as nothing short of a 'miracle'.

In a case that has shocked America, Sherri Papini vanished while out jogging near her home in Redding, California, on November 2 and was found on Thursday at 4.30am 150 miles from her home. Her hands were bound.

Police are now hunting for two Hispanic women considered armed and dangerous, and driving a dark SUV, over the kidnapping.

Shasta County Sheriff Tom Bosenko said that the description was based on 'voice recognition' - suggesting that Papini wasn't able to see her captors.

Police say that the victim had been 'very emotional' to be freed yesterday and finally be reunited with her husband Keith. Bosenko said investigators had only been able to get 'limited' information Thursday but were planning to speak to her again in the coming days.

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Sherri Papini (pictured on her wedding day to Keith in 2012) vanished while out jogging near her home in Redding, California, on November 2 and was found on Thursday at 4.30am 150 miles from her home. Her hands were bound

Father-in-law Ken Papini said the family is 'blown away' by the discovery, but always had 'hope' Sherri would make it back home.

In an exclusive interview with DailyMail.com Ken said: 'The whole family came together, then the whole town came together, then the whole of the United States.

'When that happens miracles happen and something like this, I'm still trying to explain it to myself. It's amazing, crazy, but we never lost hope.'

Ken said he spoke to his son Keith last night and could hear the relief in his voice.

'He's seen Sherri and said she's doing good, she's going to be okay, she's got an appointment with a doctor today and I'm sure the police have a lot of questions for her.

'We don't know much about what happened yet, Keith has been following his instructions from the police so he's not able to tell us everything. But she's back that's the main thing.'

Ken said his son had always believed he'd bring his family back together.

Last week he promised their two children, Tyler four and Violet, two, that 'mommy' would be home by Thanksgiving.

'Of course we all hoped it would come true, you have to have faith,' said Ken.

'But we had planned to have a nice family Thanksgiving and none of us were allowed to mention it, we would only talk about forgiving and thanks. 'None of us imagined it might actually come true.'

'None of us imagined it might actually come true.'

Keith and Sherri Papini with children Tyler four and Violet, two, on Halloween this year

Sherri has been reunited with her husband Keith (above with their Tyler, four, and Violet, two), who was ruled out as a suspect in her disappearance by a lie detector test

Sherri's sister Sheila Koester, who has already had a 'very joyous reunion' with her sister, said that the huge social media campaign and national news coverage of Sherri's disappearance 'was an intricate part in bringing her home to us'

'As many of you know Sherri has been returned to our family safely,' she said today at a press conference. 'She and Keith have been reunited. '

'We appreciate the tremendous support that everyone has given us over the past few weeks and appreciate how respectful people are being to their privacy in allowing all of us to recover from this situation.'

She said that the past few weeks had been extremely difficult for the entire family.

'It's been a range of emotions; sadness , anger, right now its just joy, lots and lots of joy.'

Koester also read a prepared statement from Keith and Sherri thanking everyone for their support.

'We are overwhelmed with joy over how supportive everyone has been to help bring us together as a family again. Everyone's tireless efforts has made our family whole again this Thanksgiving.

'Your help in keeping this alive in social media and national news was an intricate part in bringing her home to us. We can not thank you enough.'

When asked about the 'intricate part' social media played, she would only say that , 'getting her face out there was the best thing anyone could do.'

She declined to comment about whether a ransom had been paid or involved in the release of her sister.

Ken Papini (with his daughter-in-law Sherri Papini) said the family is 'blown away' by the discovery, but always had 'hope' Sherri would make it back home

Ken Papini told the DailyMail.com it was a 'miracle' that his daughter-in-law had been safely returned to them

Sherri Papini's sister Sheila Koester speaks out during a press conference on Friday, after Sherri was found Thanksgiving Day

She also refused to comment on whether they had discussed the traumatic events her sister had faced.

Koaster also asked for privacy, adding that her sister had been 'through a very traumatic event and needs time with her family.'

Sheila's father-in-law Ken was also delighted with her return, adding that celebrating the holiday safe in the knowledge that Sherri is safe was 'amazing'.

He explained: 'It is amazing and I've got a pretty good trust in that good beats evil and if you keep on and you keep on you get the answers.'

Ken shared a photo with DailyMail.com of the loving family at Halloween, taken two days before Sherri vanished.

The family, all dressed as cowboys and cowgirls, beamed with happiness.

He also shared wedding photos of Sherri and Keith when they were married in August 2012.

In the end the children spent Thanksgiving at Keith's mother Pam's house  Pam and Ken are separated.

Before the news broke that Sherri, 34, had been found, the family had planned a balloon release on Thanksgiving morning as a symbol of hope for her return.

The event was held at an annual Turkey Trot 10km run in Redding.

Sherri Papini and her husband Keith tearfully thanked the mayor and residents of their town on Friday

'Thank You everyone for your thoughts and prayers...What a great Thanksgiving,' wrote Ken Papini on Facebook after his daughter-in-law was found

But as dozens of family and friends gathered Ken said everyone was worried because Keith, who had been due to give a speech and read a poem at the event, didn't show.

He recalls: 'It wasn't until right after we let the balloons go when we started realizing what was happening, Keith wasn't there and we were all like, 'uh oh', maybe the emotions got to him, we all didn't know what to think.

'But then about an hour later everyone's phone started to ring, 'We found her'.'

Ken says it was his daughter Suzanne who told him.

'Suzanne called and said 'dad, they found her', I couldn't believe it, it was a miracle.

'It turns out Keith had been told she was okay hours before and he even beat the sheriffs down to where she was found.

'He called me last night when I was at work.

'He was back to the Keith I know, he's got his mojo back, he was like, 'I got this'.

'I told him, 'Keith I told you to stay strong and have hope because you never know.'

Ken, 63, a lab analyst at a cement firm, said he had watched his son struggle with his emotions in the weeks before as realistic hope of Sherri returning began to fade.

Sherri Papini's two children Tyler, 4, and Violet, 2, smile in a photo posted by Keith Papini on Thursday

Father-in-law Ken Papini said the family is 'blown away' by the discovery, but always had 'hope' Sherri would make it back home (Keith and Sherri Papini on their wedding day)

'I couldn't believe it, I watched this thing turn him right back in to a kid. He had been sobbing, moping around,' he said.

'We were going house to house asking for information and it was killing me seeing him like he was 12 again.

'His heart was breaking, that's why I kept telling him to stay strong.

'But you know, we got our happy ending, we got her back.'

But Ken said the family never lost 'hope' in their hearts even though a massive search turned up nothing and the police investigation appeared to draw a blank.

He said: 'At first we were all like, 'why, why is this happening to Sherri, what is happening to Sherri, is she okay?'

'Then three weeks thinking of that, it kills you.

'I told Keith to stay strong and see how this thing pans out, I told him he needed to stay sharp for when she was found.

'Keith always stayed positive, he said, 'No way, we're bringing her home.'

The 34-year-old resurfaced three weeks after she vanished some 150 miles from her home in Redding (above)

SHERRI PAPINI'S SISTER SHEILA KOESTER'S PRESS CONFERENCE IN FULL Hi. My name is Sheila Koester. I am Sherri Papini's sister. Before I say anything, I would like to share with everyone that I am 6 months pregnant, and please be mindful of my emotions. This has been a traumatic event for all of us. As many of you know, Sherri has been returned to our family safely. She and Keith have been reunited. They appreciate the tremendous support that everyone has given us over the last few weeks and appreciate how respectful people are being to their privacy and allowing all of us to recover from this situation. Keith and Sherri only have one statement at this time: 'We are overwhelmed with joy of how supportive everyone has been to help bring us together as a family again. We especially would like to thank the Shasta County Sheriff's Office, The NorCal Alliance for the Missing, the Lost Coast Trackers, Shasta Support Services, the Guardian Angels  our A-Team  the California Highway Patrol, Yolo County Sheriff's Office, the medical personnel that helped Sherri that morning, and the whole world that reached out to help find her.' 'Everyone's tireless efforts has made our family whole again this Thanksgiving. Thank you for allowing our family time to heal and for giving us our privacy. Your help in keeping this alive through social media and national news was an intricate part in bringing her home to us. We cannot thank you enough. 'Right now she has been through a very traumatic event and needs time with her family. Thank you all for coming, I have time for a few questions.' Reporter: I know you mentioned she was back with Keithhas she been reunited with the kids yet? Sheila: That's not a question that I have an answer to at this time. Reporter: How is she doing physically? We understand that she had some injuries. Sheila: She's very excited to be home. So that's all that I can say at this time. Reporter: You said that social media played a role in possibly Her release. How did that play a role in the case? Sheila: I don't have any details into the case. I just know that getting her face out there was the best thing that anyone could do. Reporter: Where were you and when did you learn of the good news? Sheila: I heard on Thanksgiving morning that she was found. Reporter: Did ransom play a role? Sheila: I don't have any details of the case that's going on at the moment. Reporter: Have you seen her, and if so, could you describe the reunion, what that was like? Sheila: I've seen her and it was a very joyous reunion and we were just very very excited to see one another. Reporter: Have you been able to talk to the people that she flagged down on Thanksgiving morning? Did she or you, anybody have a message for them? Sheila: I know that we're just very excited that somebody was able to come in contact with her. And we appreciate all the help that everyone has given. Reporter: What is your hope, there are, according to her, two women out there, what is your hope? Do you hope we catch them? They are considered dangerous, I imagine. Sheila: I don't know any details of any part of the investigation that's going on and I'm just concerned with the healing of my sister. Reporter: Has she said anything about anything that she went through those 22 days that she was missing? Sheila: We were just joyous to see one another. Reporter: It happened so close to her home. Is she there, or is she afraid to be in that area right now? Sheila: That was not a conversation that we had. Reporter: I know that she was a dedicated mother. Was she employed in some other fashion? And second, that, as a family have you have you been discussing who may have had a motive to do something like this? Sheila: That would be a question I would ask Shasta County sheriff's office. Reporter: Was she employed? Sheila: I don't have an answer to that question. Reporter: What is she doing today? What's her day like today? Sheila: I knowI don't know what she's doing at this time. I know that she's with Keith and that they're being reunited. Reporter: When will she return home? Sheila: I don't know where they are at this time. Reporter: And she hasn't been reunited with her children yet? Sheila: I know she's been reunited with Keith. Reporter: What have the last three weeks been like for you and your family? Sheila: It's been a range of emotions and sadness, angerright now it's just joy  lots and lots of joy that she's here with us. Reporter: Do Her children understand that she's back home? Sheila: I can't answer that question. I don't know. I want to thank everyone for coming. Advertisement

'We never once considered that she might not be coming back.

'And you know, we got her back, it's amazing, it's crazy.'

Surprisingly, Ken says he can even find it in his heart to forgive Sherri's kidnappers.

He added: 'My stance as a Christian is I forgive them (the kidnappers), we got our answer, but law and order haven't got their answer yet.'

It's believed Sherri will see her two young children today in what's expected to be a highly emotional reunion.

Ken shared his joy about Sherri's discovery on Thursday.

'Thank You everyone for your thoughts and prayers...What a great Thanksgiving,' he wrote on Facebook.

He later posted a photo of the couple's children in chef's hats and aprons, and wrote: 'Thank You All, the children are having a great Thanksgiving.'

Details surrounding her kidnapping were scarce as Shasta County Sheriff's Office made the announcement on Thursday that she had been found alive.

Sherri flagged down a passing motorist at the intersection of County Road 17 and I-5 in Woodland near Sacramento (above)

Police were gathered at the scene searching for evidence on Thursday as the investigation gets underway

Sherri's family maintained a highly publicized missing person's appeal after she vanished form Sunrise Drive near Mountain Gate in Redding, California, on November 2 (above)

It is not known if Papini knew her captors, was harmed by them or what their motives may have been.

Shasta County Sheriff Tom Bosenko told a press conference that specific pieces of information were being withheld as investigations continued but that officers were confident an arrest for Sherri's kidnapping would be made.

'We are very ecstatic to report that Sherri Papini has been located and has been reunited with her husband and family on this day of Thanksgiving,' said Sheriff Tom Bosenko.

TIMELINE OF SHERRI PAPINI'S KIDNAPPING November 2: Sherri Papini fails to pick up her two children from daycare and is reported missing by her husband Keith November 10: Keith Papini is ruled out as a suspect after passing a lie detector test November 18: The FBI joins the search for Sherri as an anonymous donor offers $50,000 for her return November 23: Cameron Gamble, a local 'negotiator', appears in a video on behalf of the anonymous donor to inform Sherri's captors the ransom was now 'off the table' November 24: Sherri flags down a passing motorist at the intersection of I-5 and County Road 17 and is taken to hospital Advertisement

'I'm happy to say that Sherri is now safe and she has been treated at an area hospital for non-life threatening injuries.'

Redding Mayor Missy McCarthy wrote on Twitter Friday: 'I just got a call from Keith and Sherri Papini tearfully thanking our GREAT community for all our efforts to bring her home. Thx everyone!!!'

Keith Papini reported his wife missing on November 2 when she failed to pick up their children from daycare.

He traced her discarded iPhone to the side of the road about a mile from their home where he found it tossed on the ground with her running 'ear buds'.

A frantic missing person's appeal was launched, with posters littering the local town of Mountain Gate and scores of social media pleas for Sherri's return.

Keith was later named as a potential person of interest in the case but ruled out when he passed a lie detector test.

An initial ransom was offered to her kidnappers of $50,000. It was announced in a video featuring Cameron Gamble, an apparent negotiator hired by the anonymous donor.

He claimed the money had been put up by a private citizen but that it would expire if Sherri's kidnappers did not come forward.

On Wednesday, after upping the money to $100,000, he withdrew the offer, instead turning it into a reward for anyone with information on the young mother's whereabouts.

Shasta County Sheriff Tom Bosenko (above right) said police are hunting for two armed Hispanic women. Sherri (left during a family trip) was treated for non life-threatening injuries at hospital

A news conference will be held this afternoon to update the public about what happened to the young mother

Sherri's family said they had no involvement in the ransom but shared information about it on social media.

They however pleaded with well-wishers to give money to a GoFundMe account which raised $49,080 for search efforts. The page has since been closed to new donations and Koester declined to elaborate on how those funds will be allocated.

Almost exactly 24 hours after the ransom offer was withdrawn, Sherri flagged down a passing driver on a road between County Road 17 and I-5 in Woodland, near Sacramento.

She was taken to a hospital to be treated for non life-threatening injuries and interviewed by detectives.

'At about 4.30 this morning, Shasta County Sheriff's Office was notified that Sherri Papini had been located,' police said yesterday.

'We learned she had been released by her captor on a road near I-5 in Yolo County.

'She was bound by restraints but was able to summon help from a passing motorist,' said Sheriff Bosenko.
The former Health Secretary - who was forced to quit after he was caught flouting his own Covid lockdown rules with his married aide Gina Coladangelo - has sparked a storm which has seen him ridiculed and even booted out of the parliamentary Tory party. Justifying his decision to fly Down Under, landing in Brisbane this morning, Mr Hancock denied he had 'lost his marbles'. He insisted it was so he can 'go to where the people are - not to sit in ivory towers in Westminster' - and claimed that he will 'promote his dyslexia campaign' and make a donation to a hospice - although not his entire estimated 350,000 pay deal from ITV. But millions are set to punish him for his decision, including MPs. One former minister has threatened 'to vote for him to eat armadillo c**k every night'. Transport Secretary Mark Harper said today that he should 'step down' and didn't deny he would also vote for Hancock to face Bushtucker Trials, smiling as he said: 'That will be between me and my phone'. In Mr Hancock's West Suffolk constituency, Andy Drummond, the cheesed off deputy chairman of the local Conservative Association, said: 'I'm looking forward to him eating a kangaroo's penis'. Incredibly the now independent MP insists that he will still be doing his job as an MP, meaning he will not forego his taxpayer-funded salary for the duration of his trip. He said: 'As an MP, my first priority is to my constituents. I have agreed with the show's producers that I can be reached at any point on any urgent constituency matters'. Yesterday the Prime Minister said he was doing the opposite. The former health secretary also revealed he had twice asked to appear on the show before but accepted the third offer because the government is now 'stable'. Many have pondered whether he made up his mind when he was snubbed by new PM Rishi Sunak at his victory rally last week, which was tacit confirmation his career as a senior MP is over.
At the beginning of December 1941, Britain was dreading imminent attack from Japan on its overseas territories. The Soviet Union was retreating from the Germans on the Eastern Front.

Yet America remained resolutely out of the war  until the Japanese conceived a devastating raid that would reshape the future of the world.

Almost exactly 75 years ago, fearing America would intervene in its military actions in the Far East, the Japanese targeted the home of the vast and powerful U.S. Fleet at Pearl Harbour in Hawaii.

The events of that day remained seared onto the soul of America, and yet for Churchill they represented a turning point that would see Hitler eventually defeated, as this dramatic minute-by-minute reconstruction reveals . . .

Fearing America would intervene in its military actions in the Far East, the Japanese targeted the home of the vast and powerful U.S. Fleet at Pearl Harbour in Hawaii

Saturday December 6, 1941

14.00: Dorothy Edgers, a member of the U.S. Navy's Cryptographic Department, intercepts a secret Japanese diplomatic message requesting details about ship movements at Pearl Harbour, the base of the U.S. Pacific Fleet on Oahu Island, Hawaii.

Alarmed, she takes the message to her boss, but is told: 'We'll get back to this on Monday.' By then it will be too late  a vast Japanese attack fleet is already stealthily on its way.

Sunday, December 7, 1941

03.00: Just over 200 miles north of Hawaii, the Japanese fleet is sailing towards Pearl Harbour at 20 knots through stormy seas. The weather is so bad a number of sailors on look-out have been swept overboard. The fleet consists of two battleships, nine destroyers, three cruisers  and six aircraft carriers bearing a total of 360 fighters and bombers.

On the Japanese aircraft carrier Akagi, Lieutenant Commander Kanjiro Ono is listening to Bing Crosby singing on the radio, but it's not the music he's interested in. The song ends and the announcer gives a weather report: 'Today will be partly cloudy, with good visibility.' This is the news Kanjiro has been waiting for. They have perfect weather for their mission.

03.30: On board the Japanese carriers, the pilots are eating a breakfast of rice with tai  a fish traditionally eaten on a day of celebration.

04.00: The biggest ships of the U.S. Pacific Fleet are moored in the middle of the harbour in a line known as Battleship Row. On the USS West Virginia, Shipfitter Louis Grabinski is taking in the night air on the boat deck. He's just read a newspaper from home and discovered that his girlfriend has married someone else. Louis feels strangely liberated  he loves the West Virginia and he loves his job. He decides then and there to stay in the Navy for 20 years.

05.50: It is time for the first Japanese planes to be launched. The carriers turn east into a fierce wind. In the swell the decks are rising and falling through 40ft. If it were an exercise, the launch would have been cancelled for being too dangerous.

06.15: On the USS Arizona, moored on Battleship Row, Seaman Martin Matthews wakes early, excited to be on such an impressive battleship. He is stationed nearby and is visiting his friend William Stafford who had persuaded him to join the Navy in the first place. Martin lied about his age to enlist  he's only 15.

07.02: At a radar station 25 miles north of Pearl Harbour, Private Joseph Lockard is staring wide-eyed at his screen. He can see a blip that is bigger than anything he's ever seen before; at first he wonders if the equipment is broken, then he realises it can only be one thing  a large number of planes.

07.20: Private Lockard gets a message back from the officer in charge of the radar operations centre, Lt Kermit Tyler: 'Don't worry about it . . .' Tyler is convinced the radar is showing a dozen B-17 Flying Fortresses due to fly in from the mainland that morning. But Lockard is worried. He has calculated there are more than 50 planes heading straight for them.

07.48: The commanding officer of an air station north-west of Pearl Harbour is drinking coffee at his breakfast table. His 15-year-old son is reading a Superman comic.

On the cover, Superman has come between a German gunboat full of Nazis and a lifeboat full of helpless civilians. He grunts 'Uh-huh' as his son reads from the comic.

Suddenly they hear the sound of planes and rush to the window. Three flights of low-flying aircraft are making a sharp turn towards the air station.

'Look, Dad! Red circles on the wings!'

07.49: Japanese air attack commander Mitsuo Fuchida is looking down with a pair of binoculars at Pearl Harbour from his torpedo bomber (a type of aircraft which carried torpedoes that were launched from the undercarriage down into the sea, and then continued underwater).

He can see Battleship Row below him. Fuchida orders his radio operator to signal to the other bombers. The operator taps out the prearranged signal 'To to to'  the repeated first syllable of totsugekiseyo, which means 'Charge'.

07.53: Mitsuo Fuchida's radio operator is sending a message to the Japanese attack fleet: 'Tora tora tora' meaning 'Surprise achieved'.

On the USS Maryland, Seaman Leslie Short is sitting by his machine gun writing his Christmas cards.

At Chequers, the British Prime Minister's country residence, Winston Churchill is in a despondent mood. Although he has a house full of guests, he's spent much of dinner with his head in his hands.

Churchill is concerned that Japan is about to attack British territories in the Far East and that America will merely stand by, leaving Britain to fight both Germany and Japan alone. One of the guests, the American ambassador, had offered no guarantee of support when pressed by Churchill that evening.

07.55: On Battleship Row, sailors on the USS Nevada waiting for an officer to start the morning flag ceremony notice dark spots in the sky.

On the stern of the Arizona, under-age seaman Martin Matthews has just been given a tour of the ship by his friend William Stafford. They are wearing their dress whites as they are about to go ashore for a sightseeing tour. Martin has loved his time on board. 'I wish I could get duty aboard a battleship,' he says.

Then the boys hear a noise. Planes are flying across the harbour.

Pearl Harbour was a 2001 film directed by Michael Bay and starred Ben Affleck and Kate Beckinsale

07.56: Dive bombers and fighter planes begin attacking the boats at the Naval Air Station on Ford Island, in the middle of the harbour. The first bomb misses and falls harmlessly into the water, but within minutes, 33 of the base's 70 aircraft are destroyed.

07.58: On the Nevada, the ship's band are playing the Star Spangled Banner when a Japanese plane sprays the deck around them with machine-gun bullets.

After only a moment's hesitation, the conductor carries on  it's disrespectful to stop playing the National Anthem partway through.

A message is being sent from Ford Island Naval Air Station: 'Air Raid Pearl Harbour. This is not a drill.'

Over the tannoy on the USS Oklahoma on Battleship Row, the message is more direct: 'Man the anti-aircraft batteries! This is an air raid  and no s**t!'

08.00: As her crew head to action stations, the Oklahoma is hit by three torpedoes dropped from bombers in quick succession.

The old battleship rolls over until her masts touch the harbour floor. Hundreds of men are trapped inside her hull.

08.01: The USS Utah is struck by two torpedoes, while another hits the USS Helena amidships. The Helena immediately starts to list to port. Machinist's mate Melvin Bacon runs out of her engine room and through the sleeping quarters where he is stunned to see a friend still asleep.

Admiral Husband E. Kimmel, the commander in chief of the U.S. Pacific Fleet, is standing at an open window of his headquarters watching the attack in horror.

Suddenly a 50-calibre bullet hits him on the chest, striking the glasses case in his pocket.

The bullet falls harmlessly on the ground. 'It would have been merciful had it killed me,' Kimmel mutters. He knows his navy career is finished.

He leaves the room and when he returns he has removed the four stars on his shoulders and replaced them with two stars. He has demoted himself to Rear Admiral.

'Oh no, Admiral,' an aide says.

'Hell, yes, son,' Kimmel replies.

On the West Virginia, ship's cook Doris 'Dorie' Miller is spotted by an officer who orders him to the bridge to help move the captain Mervyn Bennion, badly wounded by shrapnel. The West Virginia has been hit by bombs but also torpedoes fired from a midget submarine that slipped into the harbour.

08.04: An armour-piercing bomb hits the Arizona and the ship explodes in a massive fireball. The ship jumps 20ft out of the water, then breaks in two. Almost 1,000 of her crew are killed instantly. On the Arizona's bridge, Rear Admiral Isaac Campbell Kidd is incinerated. His Naval Academy ring is welded to the Arizona's metal bulkhead.

The blast from the Arizona shakes the Japanese planes in the sky above and extinguishes a fire on a ship moored alongside.

A group of 20 sailors are trapped inside one of Arizona's gun turrets. All the lights have gone out. A hot blast of air envelops the turret and smoke and gas start to seep inside.

Someone finds a torch and the men make their way half choking up the ladder to the top hatch.

Actor Ben Affleck (pictured) starred in the film which was based on the events in 1941

The hatch is opened to reveal a mass of twisted metal and bodies strewn over what is left of the Arizona's deck. Men are running from the flames and over the side into the harbour. Some have been burned completely ash-white.

To Marine James Cory they look just like zombies. Martin Matthews is terrified. He jumps off the Arizona into the water.

08.10: The Utah capsizes taking 64 of her crew with her. The Nevada has started to get up steam  she's a sitting duck if she stays on Battleship Row  but is hit by a torpedo on her port bow. Her gunners shoot down the bomber responsible.

The West Virginia is half submerged, and on fire. Scores of men are trapped below decks. On the bridge, Captain Mervyn Bennion is dying  he has refused to leave the bridge.

When the West Virginia is repaired and refloated the following year, the bodies of 66 men will be found.

Some will be recovered where there had been pockets of air, three found in a storeroom where they had survived on emergency rations. According to a calendar found with the bodies, they had lived until December 23  17 long days.

08.15: Martin Matthews has swum away from the burning Arizona and is clinging to a buoy; his white uniform is black with oil. The buoy is covered in algae and barnacles and hard to cling on to, but Martin feels safer there than on the ship. He stares in horror as hands, legs and fingers float past him.

08.19: The Arizona sinks with the loss of 1,177 men, out of a crew of 1,512. Her bridge and masthead stay above the water.

On the West Virginia, ship's cook Miller has been shown how to load ammunition into an anti-aircraft machine-gun. Not content with simply loading, he begins firing it.

As a mere cook, he has never used a machine-gun before, but he shoots until he runs out of ammunition. In 1942 Miller will become the first African American to receive the Navy Cross for his bravery.

08.45: Martin Matthews lets go of the buoy he's been clinging too and swims towards Ford Island in the middle of the harbour. The 15-year-old staggers onto the shore, black with oil from head to foot.

A nervous sentry runs forward with his rifle raised. Martin shouts: 'I'm Navy! I'm with the United States Navy! Don't shoot!' The sentry lowers his gun.

08.50: President Franklin D. Roosevelt is having lunch at his desk in the Oval Office when the Secretary of the Navy telephones with a message from Admiral Kimmel: AIR RAID ON PEARL HARBOUR THIS IS NOT A DRILL.

'No!' the President exclaims.

Pearl Harbour is full of men trying to swim to safety. Chief Petty Officer Albert Molter wades into the water to help a young ensign who has passed out close to shore.

Then Molter sees a sailor swimming feebly towards him using only one arm. Molter assumes he must be helping someone else, but when the man staggers up the beach he is clutching a large canned ham.

08.59 (20.59 GMT): At Chequers, Frank Sawyers, Churchill's valet, brings a portable radio into the sitting room, still full of weekend guests. The Prime Minister is slow to turn the radio on so they miss the Nine O'clock News headlines.

At the end of the bulletin, the announcer gives the main headline  the Japanese have attacked Pearl Harbour. No one can quite believe it, then Frank Sawyers says: 'It's quite true, we heard it ourselves outside. The Japanese have attacked the Americans.' Churchill heads for the door, saying: 'We shall declare war on Japan!'

09.30 (21.30 GMT): Churchill telephones President Roosevelt: 'Mr President, what's this about Japan?'

'It's quite true. They have attacked us at Pearl Harbour. We are in the same boat now.'

09.45: The attack on Pearl Harbour is over. Air attack commander Mitsuo Fuchida is the last to leave, his plane guiding two damaged planes towards the fleet of aircraft carriers. Some of the Japanese bombers flew so low during the attack they are trailing telephone wires from their undercarriages.

10.00: The Nevada has run aground and is on fire. Above the flames and smoke, towards the stern, her Stars and Stripes can just be seen fluttering in the breeze.

11.00: At the local Army Hospital, nurse Ada Olsson has been tending the wounded all morning. There have been so many casualties that existing patients have got out of their beds to help.

Ada is feeling scared for her fiance Gordon who is a pilot at a nearby airfield. Sadly Gordon is already dead. He had taken to the air soon after the Japanese first attacked and destroyed four aircraft before he was shot down.

12.00 (17.00 in Washington): Grace Tully, Roosevelt's private secretary, walks into the Oval Office. The President takes a drag on a cigarette and says calmly: 'I'm going to Congress tomorrow. I'd like to dictate my message. It will be short.'

'Yesterday comma December 7 comma 1941 dash which will live in world history dash the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan period paragraph . . .' Once finished, Roosevelt asked Grace to change 'world history' to 'infamy'.

For Winston Churchill the incident represented a turning point that would see Adolf Hitler (pictured) eventually defeated

12.15: The USS Phoenix is leaving Pearl Harbour to join a small flotilla belatedly searching for the Japanese carriers. The Phoenix has survived the attack unscathed.

Forty-one years later her luck will run out. Renamed the General Belgrano by the Argentine navy, which acquired her in 1951, she will be sunk by the Royal Navy submarine HMS Conqueror.

The last Japanese plane lands back on its carrier. The fleet turns for home.

13.00: Japanese submariner Kazuo Sakamaki is lying unconscious on a beach near Pearl Harbour. He is a crewmember of one of the two-man midget submarines released that morning.

His vessel had run aground on a reef and, as they swam to shore, his fellow crewman drowned. Kazuo Sakamaki will be captured the next morning and become the United States' first prisoner of war.

15.30 (20.30 in Washington): Roosevelt's Cabinet is sitting in the Oval Office discussing the attack with a group of congressional leaders. Senator Tom Connally cannot contain his anger  he leaps to his feet, bangs his fist on Roosevelt's desk and shouts: 'How did they catch us with our pants down?'

'I don't know, Tom. I just don't know,' Roosevelt says quietly, his head down.

Nineteen U.S. Navy ships were sunk or seriously damaged on December 7, 1941, including eight battleships; 183 planes were destroyed, 159 damaged; 2,403 Americans died  almost half that number on the Arizona, which remains on the harbour floor to this day as a tribute to those who perished. The Japanese lost 29 aircraft, five midget submarines and 64 men.

On Monday, December 8, President Roosevelt declared war on Japan. Three days later Hitler declared war on the United States.

After the war, Churchill wrote that December 7 was a longed-for turning point. 'After 17 months of lonely fighting and 19 months of my responsibility in dire stress, we had won the war. England would live . . .'
Jaguar Land Rover yesterday unveiled plans to double production and create thousands of jobs in Brexit Britain.

The car giant threw its weight behind the UK by indicating it could expand its workforce by 10,000 and make a million vehicles a year by 2020.

A flurry of other positive news showed investment, exports and retail sales were rising.

The figures confounded gloomy official forecasts this week that suggested leaving the EU would cost billions of pounds and worsen a squeeze on living standards.

Jaguar Land Rover is planning to build a new generation of the vehicles along with the batteries that will power them like the I-Pace - pictured here with Michelle Rodriduez

Jaguar Land Rover yesterday unveiled plans to double production and create thousands of jobs in Brexit Britain

Developments yesterday included:

The pro-Remain CBI admitted retail sales were rising at the fastest pace in a year;

Exports rose 0.7 per cent helped by the weaker pound;

Business investment rose sharply in the three months following the referendum;

The Bavarian economics minister called for a comprehensive trade deal with Britain;

No 10 slapped down John Major for saying there was a case for a second referendum.

A string of economists claimed this week that Brexit was likely to harm the economy  while citing highly uncertain figures.

But MPs and ministers pointed out that their doom-mongering forecasts of an immediate recession after the June 23 referendum had proved false.

That stance was boosted by the announcement from Jaguar Land Rover boss Ralf Speth.

He vowed to use the UK as a base to take on the powerful German motor industry and make Britain the global leader in electric cars.

Jaguar Land Rover boss Ralf Speth vowed to use the UK as a base to take on the powerful German motor industry and make Britain the global leader in electric cars.

The firm is planning to build a new generation of the vehicles along with the batteries that will power them.

Dr Speth said: The German government wants to be ahead in this. We are in a race. Either we win or we lose.

The chief executive challenged the Government to invest 450million in Midlands infrastructure to help secure the investment, saying this could create jobs.

He warned Britain would lose investment to other countries  such as Germany  if ministers did not act.

Industry insiders believe the expansion could create 10,000 jobs and tens of thousands more in supplier firms.

Nissan has confirmed it will build two new models at its plant in Sunderland following assurances from ministers.

Douglas Carswell MP, a leading Leave campaigner, said: This is a Christmas present come early. Jaguar is the very best of British.

'Owned by India, it is a world class company and its wonderful to know that the owners of this company have such confidence in our economy after Brexit.

John Longworth, the former head of the British Chambers of Commerce and now co-chairman of Leave Means Leave, said: We are seeing confident investors in the UK boosting the economy and defying the Brexit remoaners and wreckers.

The car giant threw its weight behind the UK by indicating it could expand its workforce by 10,000 and make a million vehicles a year by 2020

In Los Angeles last week Jaguar Land Rover unveiled its first electric car, the I-Pace, which will be manufactured in Austria as James Corden and Vinnie Jones recreate one of football's most iconic pictures to the delight of Niall Horan

Official figures released yesterday showed that investment rose sharply over the summer.

The Office for National Statistics said businesses invested 44.2billion in the third quarter of the year  the first three months after the EU referendum.

That was up 0.9 per cent on the previous three months, contradicting warnings that a vote to quit the Brussels club would hammer confidence and cause employers to rein in spending.

GlaxoSmithKline, Boeing, McDonalds, Google and Facebook have all outlined investment plans in the UK since the Brexit vote.

A separate report from the pro-EU Confederation of British Industry yesterday showed high street sales grew at their fastest pace in more than a year in the 12 months to November, as colder weather prompted shoppers to stock up on winter clothes.

A survey of 126 firms by the CBI found that sales for this time of year were well above average.

Forty-two per cent of retailers said they were doing better than a year ago while 16 per cent said business was worse.

The difference of 26 was the highest since September last year.

But addressing political leaders and car industry bosses in the West Midlands, Dr Speth said the firm plans to make electric cars in Britain

A report by the ONS also confirmed that the economy grew by 0.5 per cent in the third quarter of this year following expansion of 0.7 per cent in the second quarter.

The figures are another slapdown to George Osbornes warnings that a vote to leave would cause an immediate and profound shock to our economy and tip the UK into recession.

In May, the then Chancellor said the economy would contract by as much as 1 per cent in the third quarter if Britain voted Leave.

The economy was given a boost by a 0.7 per cent increase in household spending as well as the 0.9 per cent rise in business investment.

Exports also rose by 0.7 per cent as the fall in the pound following the Brexit vote boosted overseas sales.

The car industry has been one of the bright spots of the economy since the financial crisis.

Since the referendum ministers have been desperately trying to reassure car bosses, who warned a Brexit vote could damage sales and cause them to move some of their operations abroad.

Greg Clark, the business, energy and industrial strategy secretary, has said making Britain a world-leading hub for next-generation electric vehicles will be at the heart of industrial strategy.

In the autumn statement on Wednesday the Government committed to investing an extra 390million in the sector.

Owned by Tata Motors of India, the firm employs 45,000 people around the world, 40,000 of them in the UK

The vast majority of the extra vehicles  including the Land Rover Sport and Range Rover Evoque  would be produced at the firms plants across the West Midlands and Liverpool and exported worldwide

In Los Angeles last week Jaguar Land Rover unveiled its first electric car, the I-Pace, which will be manufactured in Austria.

But addressing political leaders and car industry bosses in the West Midlands, Dr Speth said the firm plans to make electric cars in Britain.

He added that he wanted to double output and double the workforce.

The vast majority of the extra vehicles  including the Land Rover Sport and Range Rover Evoque  would be produced at the firms plants across the West Midlands and Liverpool and exported worldwide.

Owned by Tata Motors of India, the firm employs 45,000 people around the world, 40,000 of them in the UK.

Dr Speth stressed its ambition to expand in the UK was dependent on overcoming infrastructure and capacity issues.

He said the firm needed the equivalent of four power stations and the right legislative framework to develop its electric car plans, and for the fledgling industry to flourish in the UK.
Theresa May will push a law triggering Brexit through the House of Commons in only five days if judges rule against the Government in next months court case.

The Prime Minister and David Davis have drawn up plans which ensure that the process for leaving the EU in March 2019 is not blown off course.

Mrs May said the public had spoken and there could be no attempt to weasel out of the referendum verdict.

The plans come as Brexit faces the another onslaught  with ex-prime ministers Tony Blair and John Major saying the process could be stopped or that a second poll should take place.

Theresa May will push a law triggering Brexit through the House of Commons in only five days if judges rule against the Government in next months court case

EU leaders yesterday also lined up to increase the pressure on Britain.

Tiny Malta threatened to drive a hard bargain to ensure Britain would not be given a better deal than it enjoys at present  suggesting curbs on free movement will not be allowed if we wish to stay inside the single market.

Irish prime minister Enda Kenny said the process would inevitably take longer than the two years set down in the EU rules and a period of transition  when Britain is only partially free of Brussels  may be needed.

Ministers will next month appeal to the Supreme Court over a High Court judgment which states that only Parliament can trigger Article 50  the two year process for leaving the EU.

Mrs May insists the public gave its verdict in the referendum and that should be sufficient.

However, the Mail has established that officials in No10 and the Brexit department, headed by Mr Davis, are planning to push a bill through the Commons in just five days if they lose.

The Prime Minister and David Davis have drawn up plans which ensure that the process for leaving the EU in March 2019 is not blown off course

Mr Davis briefed Tory MEPs while on a visit to the European Parliament in Strasbourg this week that he is confident this could take just three to five days to pass.

He set out the timetable with one or two days for a second reading debate, another one or two days for a committee of the whole House and then one day for the report stage.

Ministers have then allowed two months for the bill to make its way through the Lords. Sources are confident that pro-Remain Labour peers will not block it because they know their MPs will be annihilated at the next election if they do.

Government insiders pointed to remarks made by the Prime Minister earlier this week, showing her determination not to delay the process of triggering Article 50 in March next year.

Mrs May said: The vote was held, the turnout was high and the public gave their verdict.

'There must be no attempt to weasel out of this.

Last night a spokesman for the Government said it would set out its plans if its Supreme Court appeal fails.
claims he was playing Beer Pong and the glass shattered

A schoolie has almost sliced off his thumb while he was playing beer pong during end-of-year celebrations on the Gold Coast.

A photograph after the incident shows the teenage boy being treated by a doctor as his thumb is hanging by a thread and nearly severed.

His thumb appears to be separated at the knuckle with a large wound down to the bone.

Warning graphic content

The photo shows a teenager being treated by a doctor as his thumb is hanging by a thread and nearly severed

The operation took three hours and his Schoolies was cut short according to his social media

The schoolie hurt himself after a glass shattered as he was playing beer pong and underwent micro surgery after severing his tendons, according to the Instagram post.

The surgery took three hours.

Schoolies 2016 has not been without its incidents with others caught on camera forcing a friend to down bong water, making him vomit over a hotel balcony.

On the first weekend of Schoolies another teenager was Snapchated on a high rise ledge on the Gold Coast.

She was later evicted from the building with a fine.

Meanwhile others are enjoying Schoolies their celebrations with a better slice of luck.

The teenager was ok and was able to pose for a photo with the Red Frogs

According to Instargram the Schoolie nearly severed his thumb after the glass shattered when he was playing Beer Pong and underwent micro surgery after severing his tendons

Schoolies ready to celebrate on the Gold Coast in 2016 after finishing school

Schoolies celebrating the hot day by enjoying their time in the pool
Couples desperate to have a baby are being hit with bills of close to 8,000 for bolt-on IVF treatments they may not need, experts claim.

The cost of IVF can more than triple to include procedures claimed to have little or no supporting evidence, or which benefit only some women.

A retired fertility consultant described selling such add-ons as unethical, and one clinics medical director  who has published a paper on the issue  said more regulation was urgently needed.

The 7,870 bill is based on charges at Londons biggest clinics for eight treatments claimed to be unsuitable or lacking evidence. This is on top of a standard round of IVF, which can cost about 3,500.

Professor Geeta Nargund, medical director of Create Fertility clinics, said: We urgently need regulation to stop unnecessary use of drugs and the use of technologies with no proven benefit.

Some IVF bolt-on treatments, that can cost thousands, are claimed to have little or no supporting evidence

We need to educate our patients about this, but many would still accept additional cost and unnecessary treatments despite advice to the contrary because they are willing to try anything in the hope it will increase their success rate. This is tragic and unacceptable.

The eight treatments outlined in her paper include an endometrial scratch, which costs 350 at the clinic IVF Hammersmith. It involves gently scratching the womb lining and is believed to help the embryo implant by making a furrow or releasing hormones that make the womb more adhesive.

However, a review of four trials found that although the process improved the number of babies born to women with two or more previous failed implants, it was of no benefit to those with just one or no failed IVF cycles.

Assisted hatching, based on the principle that older women produce harder shells for an embryo to hatch from, sees chemicals or a laser used to soften the layer. Earlier this month, Dr John Parsons  a former Kings College Hospital consultant who worked on the first IVF births  described the procedure, which costs 615 at Londons Lister Clinic, as a nice little earner. Researchers found some evidence it can increase pregnancies in women who have been unsuccessful before, but none in older women or those with a good prognosis.

'POINTLESS' TREATMENTS THAT CAN COST THOUSANDS Endometrial scratch (up to 350) Scratching the womb is said to release hormones that make it more adhesive, but studies found it does not help women with fewer than two failed implants. Assisted hatching (615) May help repeatedly unsuccessful couples by softening the embryos outer shell so it can hatch more easily, but no evidence this works for older women. Time-lapse monitoring (775) Camera shows up abnormalities by taking pictures as embryos develop, but no good quality evidence for routine use. Embryo glue (320) Chemical with added hyaluronic acid developed to help the embryo stick to the womb lining. May increase birth rates, but can also cause unplanned multiple births. Intra-cytoplasmic sperm injection (up to 1,390) Sperm injected directly into egg is said to help fertilisation, but experts argue this is not necessary if a mans sperm is normal. Intra-cytoplasmic morphological selected sperm injection (up to 600) Uses a microscope almost 6,000 times more powerful than usual to identify any defects, but creates no more pregnancies than a basic sperm injection. Immune therapy (1,500) Based on claim a woman may fail to become pregnant because her immune system rejects the embryo. A review found blood level of natural killer cells, which fight infection, has no effect on implantation. Pre-implantation genetic screening (3,100) Identifies abnormalities, screening out embryos unlikely to implant. May cut miscarriages, but has not been found to raise birth rates in women with a good prognosis. Advertisement

Professor Nargund argues that until it is proven to boost birth rates, it should not be offered.

Time-lapse monitoring of embryos, charged at 775 by CARE clinic, has no good quality evidence to routinely recommend it, according to the paper published last year.

An intra-cytoplasmic morphological sperm injection  600 at the Centre for Reproductive and Genetic Health  examines sperm under a powerful microscope to find defects before it is injected directly into an egg. It leads to no more pregnancies than a basic sperm injection, analysis of previous trials found.

Other contested add-ons include immune tests, 720 each at the London Womens Clinic, and genetic screening  3,100 at the Lister or the London Womens Clinic.

Dr Parsons said: Its a terrible shame so much commercialisation is occurring. To offer things  the effectiveness of which has not been substantiated, is unethical.

Professor Geeta Nargund, medical director of Create Fertility clinics, said: We urgently need regulation to stop unnecessary use of drugs and the use of technologies with no proven benefit (file pic)

The five clinics from which prices were taken have the highest number of patients according to the latest figures from the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority, up to June 2014.

Creates price list included add-ons but it claims to try to dissuade couples from buying unnecessary ones. A CARE spokesman said: We are confident that in our hands any additional IVF procedure we offer is always for the patients benefit.

Listers James Nicopoullos said his clinic uses assisted hatching only in rare cases and that absence of evidence of benefit doesnt always necessarily mean there is evidence of an absence of benefit.

Stuart Lavery of IVF Hammersmith said it ensures patients can make fully informed decisions [and] guidance is given with their best interests at heart, including the acknowledgement of uncertainty.

Dr Kamal Ahuja of the London Womens Clinic said: Add-ons when clinically justified or clearly explained in advance, coupled with the availability of counselling, allow us to offer a fair and transparent service.
During his campaign for the presidency, Donald Trump promised that America's middle class would receive the largest tax reductions.

But the president-elect's proposals would actually increase income taxes for nearly 8 million families, it has since been revealed.

While Trump's plan would modestly cut income taxes for most middle-class Americans, millions of families may seen an increase of a thousand dollars or more.

Hit the hardest would be single-parent households and married couples with three children or more, according to an analysis by the nonpartisan Tax Policy Center.

Donald Trump's proposals would increase income taxes for nearly 8 million American families. Hit the hardest would be single-parent households and couples with three or more children

And while middle-class families as a whole would receive tax cuts of about 2 percent, they'd be dwarfed by the windfalls averaging 13.5 percent for America's richest 1 percent.

The tax hikes that would hit single parents and large families would result from Trump's plan to eliminate the personal exemption and the head-of-household filing status.

These features of the tax code have enabled many Americans to reduce their taxable income by thousands of dollars depending on how many dependents they claim.

Trump's other proposed tax changes would benefit middle- and lower-income Americans. But they wouldn't be enough to offset those modifications.

'If you're a low or moderate-income single parent, you're going to get hurt,' said Bob Williams, a fellow at the Tax Policy Center.

Unlike Trump's polarizing proposals on immigration and trade, his tax plan is in line with traditional Republican policy.

His steep tax cuts in many ways resemble those carried out by Presidents Ronald Reagan and George W Bush, and the Republican-run Congress is expected to welcome them.

During the campaign, Trump said his tax cuts  for individuals and companies  would energize the economy by boosting business investment in factories and equipment, while leaving consumers with more cash to spend.

The tax hikes that would hit single parents and large families would result from Trump's plan to eliminate the personal exemption and the head-of-household filing status (file photo)

His proposals, he contended, would help create 25 million jobs over the next decade.

But Lily Batchelder, a visiting fellow at the Tax Policy Center and former deputy director of President Obama's National Economic Council, estimates that roughly 7.9million families with children would pay higher taxes under his proposals.

About 5.8 million would be led by single parents, with an additional 2.1million encompassing married couples.

Batchelder found that a single parent with two children would see their tax bill increase by $2,440 under Trump's plan.

Meanwhile, A married couple with four children and income of $50,000 would absorb a tax increase of $1,090 because of their loss of personal exemptions.

Other analysts, including economists at the conservative Tax Foundation and right-of-center American Enterprise Institute, have agreed with Batchelder's conclusions.

Kelly Rodriguez, 47, who lives in Tampa, Florida, voted for Trump and is a single mother who claims two of her four children as dependents.

She made roughly $90,000 last year, including alimony payments. Her taxes would likely rise under Trump's plan, according to Batchelder's analysis.

Analysis by the nonpartisan Tax Policy Center found that a single parent with two children would see their tax bill increase by $2,440 under Trump's plan (file photo)

'I would want him to explain that to me,' Rodriguez said. 'Taxes have to make sense to the people paying them.'

Still, Trump's plan will likely evolve during congressional negotiations before it becomes law.

Kyle Pomerlau, director of federal projects at the conservative Tax Foundation, noted that House Speaker Paul Ryan's own tax-cut proposal is similar to Trump's but wouldn't raise taxes on single-parent families.

In theory, the two plans could be melded, and Trump's elimination of the head of household status could be dropped.

But leaving the head of household filing status and personal exemptions intact would lower tax revenue by $2.1trillion over the next decade, the Tax Policy Center says.

Trump's advisers deny that he will raise taxes on middle-income Americans but don't provide details.
Grimsby is a long way from the oak-panelled conference rooms of the government departments in Whitehall. A world away, in fact.

If your wheelie bin gets stolen, says Neil Barber, manager of a local community centre, the council says you have to buy a replacement. So, people dont bother to get a new one and the rubbish litters the street.

This bleak fishing port on the Lincolnshire coast is home to many so-called dysfunctional families  jobless households prone to crime, truancy, domestic violence and anti-social behaviour.

Grimsby is a long way from the oak-panelled conference rooms of the government departments in Whitehall. A world away, in fact. Pictured: cast of TV's Shameless

They are typical of those who David Cameron promised to turn around (the then Prime Ministers own phrase) in 2011.

Earlier that year, London and other cities had been hit by riots with crime sprees, looting and arson organised through social media  costing an estimated 200 million.

Camerons response to this example of Broken Britain was his trumpeted Troubled Families scheme, which aimed to cure the households thought to lie at the root of these disturbances.

The project involved targeted intervention  a keyworker whose job it was to focus on a small number of families, spending quality time with parents and children, teaching them everything from how to get a job and prepare for school to cleaning their homes.

The keyworker could call in help from other agencies, and even offer small incentives to families to improve their behaviour, such as swimming vouchers for children.

Families with complex needs would be love-bombed into successful new lives by this joined-up approach. Crime and all the other costly symptoms of Britains seemingly indestructible under-class would, it was said, fall, saving billions of taxpayers money.

Phase one of Troubled Families duly began in 2012 and was targeted at 120,000 families in England, at a cost of 448 million.

Phase two, involving another 400,000 households and still under way, means the total cost will be 1.3 billion.

The damage caused by the initial group of 120,000 failing families was said by Cameron to cost the country 9 billion a year, which worked out at a staggering 75,000 a family.

Put like this, spending 448 million to cut that bill seemed like a bargain  if the programme was successful.

Whats more, the system was incentivised with payment by result. English councils that administered the scheme would be given 4,000 for every family they managed to turn around: that was 3,200 for every family selected and 800 for every one which was deemed a success for the programme.

David Cameron promised to turn around troubled families in 2011

The definition of turned around was spelt out in a list of measurements, such as whether people involved had found jobs, their children truanted less and if they committed fewer crimes.

Councils could choose these success criteria as it suited them. For example, a family could be deemed turned around even when members were still involved in crime, still addicted to drugs, still playing truant and still engaging in, or suffering from, domestic violence  just so long as a family member had come off benefits.

Of course, this was a gift horse for local authorities at a time of austerity when their grants from central government were being cut by a fifth  and no one was going to look this gift horse in the mouth.

So, guess what?

Faced with payment by result, lo and behold, the councils duly succeeded  not just turning around 50 per cent of selected families, or even 75 per cent, but in some cases 99 per cent, and even 100 per cent!

Nothing like these astronomical success rates had ever been seen in government before. Suddenly that desperate sub-culture epitomised by Shameless  the infamous TV drama about feckless families who caused social mayhem  would be eliminated.

Payments from the Department for Communities and Local Government, overseen by that supposedly no-nonsense Yorkshire bruiser Eric Pickles MP, rolled into town hall coffers that had been depleted by cuts.

In the summer of 2015, Cameron declared victory in the first campaign against those hed referred to as families from hell, claiming: I can announce today that almost all the 117,000 families we started working with have now been turned around. Except this was unadulterated baloney.

Because when a team of independent analysts was asked by the Government to check on the progress of Troubled Families, it found that the scheme had had no discernible impact on participants when they were compared with families left to their own devices.

In findings that should have embarrassed ministers, the researchers from the independent think-tank the National Institute for Economic and Social Research concluded: 

Across a wide range of outcomes, covering the key headline objectives of the programme  employment, benefit receipt, school attendance, safeguarding and child welfare  we were unable to find consistent evidence that the Troubled Families programme had any significant or systematic impact.

A youth mocks David Cameron with a gun gesture as he visits an estate

Shockingly, according to the review which was officially published last month (after a version was leaked to the BBC2s Newsnight in August), half a billion pounds of public money had been spent with no net gain.

Jonathan Portes, a former government economist and member of the review team, said: Troubled Families was an incentive structure, combined with political pressure, that appeared to be designed to waste money. You can hardly blame councils, with gaps in their budgets, for playing along with this exercise.

The Government chose to throw an awful lot of money at this by rolling it out nationally before it had been tested and evaluated on a smaller scale, say with a handful of councils.

So how could such a much ballyhooed flagship government policy have gone so wrong?

The answer provides a devastating insight into how the State and Whitehall waste your money and how highly paid officials are never held accountable for disasters that would result in mass sackings if they had occurred in the private sector.

The truth is that the Troubled Families project was troubled from the beginning.

Sir Humphreys could conclude, for example, that there were 1,300 troubled families in City X, irrespective of the true number

That figure of 120,000 failing families used by Cameron was at the root of the fiasco. It was simply an estimate concerning the number of socially excluded families in England, and not necessarily ones involved in crime, anti-social behaviour or truancy.

But the former PR-man PM had used the figure in the context of the hyperbolic phrase families from hell and so 120,000 families it must be.

Where, then, to find them?

In typical Yes Minister mould, Whitehall mandarins found a solution: take 120,000 and divide it among the 150 or so local authorities in England, weighted by population and social deprivation.

So, City X might contain one per cent of the population. It must therefore find 1,200 troubled families.

But its inhabitants may have been slightly poorer than the national average, so, perhaps, another 100 families should be added to the target-list.

The Sir Humphreys could conclude, for example, that there were 1,300 troubled families in City X, irrespective of the true number.

And with all that central government cash on offer, City X council would happily find 1,300 families, come what may.

In an examination of Troubled Families, Channel 4s Dispatches programme interviewed several council officials involved with the scheme.

They spoke anonymously of how local authorities chose families on the flimsiest grounds, such as them being the subject of single complaints about noise.

Then there was so-called data matching in which council staff would trawl records to find, say, jobless adults who had managed to find work.

These successes would then be cynically counted as results in the Troubled Families project, even though the family in question had never been visited by a keyworker.

Sources at the Department for Communities and Local Government strongly dispute these allegations, saying each council was subject to at least one spot-check. But if the Channel 4 findings are true, the councils were obtaining public money by deception.

Certainly, some of the families chosen by councils were dismayed to be labelled as troubled, with all the stigma that entails.

One Troubled Families team leader remarked to researchers: The family may be quite happy with their circumstances, and they may be quite shocked to get a letter from someone who they see as social services wanting to come and see them, and I think thats quite scary.

Its emotionally quite difficult because youre trying to sell a service to a family where theyve not really identified that theres an issue.

Genevieve Maitland Hudson, a researcher with the community trust Power to Change, made her own analysis of the Troubled Families data released by the Department for Communities and Local Government and councils, using the Freedom of Information Act.

The results were illuminating.

Take, for example, the experience of Poole council in Dorset. Its own figures suggested that it took an average of 372 days to turn around a troubled family. But that period could range from 1,852 days to  amazingly  just eight.

That means that a seriously disadvantaged family could have been transformed in a week!

The council selected 240 families in its area for phase one of the project, which included some 220 jobless adults. Indeed, unemployment was a dominating feature of the problems suffered by this group.

Payments from the Department for Communities and Local Government, overseen by that supposedly no-nonsense Yorkshire bruiser Eric Pickles MP, rolled into town hall coffers that had been depleted by cuts

Poole claimed huge success  a 100 per cent turnaround rate under the payment-by-results rules at the end of the first year that the programme was in operation.

Yet, in truth, only ten of those 220 unemployed adults had found work. If the main problem of those families was unemployment, how could their situation have been radically improved when only one in 20 found work?

But this seemed typical of the Troubled Families project. Councils were entitled to claim an initial amount from government by highlighting one problem, but then failing utterly to solve it and declaring success under another criterion.

This was not the only worrying aspect.

Looking at caseload figures provided by councils released under Freedom of Information laws, and matching them against central government figures, Ms Maitland Hudson calculated that, on average, each Troubled Families Unit keyworker was managing to turn around a family in three months or less.

It is just unbelievable when you are talking about the kind of problems these families are supposed to have, she says.

The data released by the Government about the Troubled Families programme is fundamentally flawed. Yet, this did not stop government officials, and David Cameron, regularly referring to the results as if they reliably demonstrated success.

Up in Grimsby, community centre manager Neil Barber is unsurprised by evidence of failure  despite his own local authority, North East Lincolnshire, claiming almost complete success in turn-arounds.

He is familiar with East Marsh and West Marsh, two of the towns most deprived areas.

Damningly, he says: I dont think what they set out to do was achieved in any way. Poor housing and transport, general apathy, high teenage pregnancy rates and drug use, we have it all. If the programme was run properly, we should not still be having the anti-social behaviour we are having. Walk around here and youll find burnt-out cars, torn-down fences and fly-tipping.

If you have 500 chosen families for the project, like here, then you would require at least 250 keyworkers to give them the attention they need  and we havent got that number.

Most worryingly, ministers and senior civil servants managing the Troubled Families project have tried to bury the critical review for more than two years.

In an age of alleged austerity, one cant help but feel furious at the incompetence of Whitehall, the dishonesty of local councils and the squandering of tax payers money

Dame Louise Casey, head of the Troubled Families programme between 2011 and 2015, and Melanie Dawes, permanent secretary at the Department for Communities and Local Government, were an unconvincing double-act when they appeared before the House of Commons Public Accounts Committee recently.

Miss Dawes matched Sir Humphrey as she explained to MPs: What we are not able to say definitively, with statistical certainty, is that it (improvements in families) would not have happened anyway.

No other programme has asked itself that question, of course; we havent been able to answer it either. We have said that we cannot answer it, yes or no, but what we can say is that we achieved the outcomes we set out to achieve in the payment-by-results programme.

The creators of Yes Minister couldnt have written a better script of weasel words and obfuscation!

But it was Dame Louise who let the cat out of the bag when she observed: I have now worked for an awful lot of prime ministers and ministers, and they quite often make quite direct policy commitments and then it is the job of Whitehall to run behind them and make sure they commit them. I dont think that is an unreasonable way sometimes for things to get done.

So, there you have it. A classic piece of shallow thinking from the Blair-Cameron era of knee-jerk presentational politics is turned by civil servants  desperate to please their masters  into a bottomless financial pit of a policy funded by taxpayers which helps no one.

And despite the recent devastating report into its failure, the Troubled Families scheme is still operating.

Act Two of this Whitehall farce is already being played out across England.

Tragically, its not the families in areas such as Grimsbys East Marsh who are to blame as participants in this social and economic catastrophe, its the six-figure-earning ministers and civil servants who squander our money on such vanity projects and then try to cover up the inevitable shambles.

Two years ago, Dame Louise Casey, while still in charge of the Trouble Families programme, revealed that one chief constable had told her: I could park a police officer on the settees of some of your families 24 hours a day, they are that demanding of our services.

In an age of alleged austerity, one cant help but feel furious at the incompetence of Whitehall, the dishonesty of local councils and the squandering of tax payers money  all to massage a politicians vanity.
Members of the public dialling 101 to report crime have had to wait for more than two hours for a response because police have been clogging up the hotline by using it like a directory inquiries service.

Officers in some forces wasted up to an hour a day phoning 101 for mundane administrative tasks such as obtaining colleagues numbers, an investigation by the BBC found.

Some staff have even had to be taken off patrol to deal with the resulting call centre backlog.

Police call handlers: Officers in some forces wasted up to an hour a day phoning 101 for mundane administrative tasks such as obtaining colleagues numbers, an investigation by the BBC found

The practice was revealed in a strongly-worded internal email issued by Devon and Cornwall Police to its staff.

The memo said: Police officers and police staff must cease immediately the practice of calling 101 for administrative tasks: on average one hour a day is being spent by 101 operators managing this demand.

Police in Derbyshire were also warned not to abuse the hotline after the force found officers and staff were calling 101 rather than using our online telephone directory.

The 101 service was set up to take the strain off the 999 control room and replace local police station numbers. It is designed to deal with reports of crime such as drug dealing and theft, but callers sometimes have to wait for more than two hours before their calls are answered or they give up.

Members of the public also have to pay around 15p to call 101, while 999 calls are free.

One Devon resident, taxi driver Rob McMahon of Kingsbridge, told how he rang 101 to report a drink driver who ended up escaping because he waited 40 minutes to get through. He said: I am surprised to find out [police] have been using the phones themselves. I support the local force, but I had to wait 40 minutes. I felt calling 999 wasnt the right thing to do.

In the past four years, almost 3.5million calls to 101 have gone unanswered, according to figures uncovered by the Mail.

Earlier this year, Devon and Cornwalls former police and crime commissioner Tony Hogg said the 101 service was not fit for purpose.

The 101 service was set up to take the strain off the 999 control room and replace local police station numbers

Yesterday Chief Superintendent Jim Nye, strategic alliance commander for operations for the Devon, Cornwall and Dorset forces, said: An internal message went out eight months ago asking staff and officers not to contact 101 for tasks including requesting telephone numbers.

This was part of a wider internal message to promote the new force telephone directory. Officer calls were averaging around ten per day. This practice has ceased entirely.
A sexual relationship would have been legal under Louisiana law

Other Jefferson officials are demanding that he resign but he's carrying on

His wife Michelle was disappointed but is standing by her husband

Refused to comment on allegations he'd also kissed the teen in a bathroom and bought him underwear

He insists he is 'not gay' and said that he and the teen never had sex

A married Louisiana politician who admitted sending sexual text messages to a 17-year-boy has insisted that he is 'not gay'.

Mike Yenni was investigated by the FBI last month over allegations he'd had an improper relationship with Alex Daigle in 2015 who claimed the GOP lawmaker kissed him, bought him underwear and sent sexts of threesome fantasies.

In an interview with Fox 8, Yenni, the former mayor of Kenner, Louisiana, admits he texted the boy but said that they never had any sexual contact.

He also insisted 'I'm not gay'.

Scroll down for video

Alex Daigle (right) claimed earlier this year that Republican Mike Yenni (left) had sexted him when he was just 17-year-old.

Scandal: Jefferson Parish President Mike Yenni (left, with wife Michelle Swanner and daughter Reagan) admitted to sending sexts to a 17-year-old high school boy in 2015

The Jefferson Parish President's wife Michelle is standing by her husband, Nola reports.

Although she said she was upset and disappointed by the news, after praying she decided that 'our family will be better together'.

'And this is something that we can pass and be stronger from, and we've been better since. And we work hard at our marriage. I think it's taught us not to take each other for granted as well.'

The scandal began after Daigle, a Brown student, wrote a story titled 'I was seduced by a politician' for The Tab.

His account claims a man, named as 'Kevin' for the purposes of the article, had frequently text him talking about how they might meet up for a sexual encounter.

On one occasion, he says the politician had bought him designer underwear and arranged to meet him in a mall bathroom where they shared an illicit kiss.

Yenni refused to comment on any details of the account during his interview, aside to admit that he did sext the teenager and insist that they never had sex.

'I sent inappropriate text messages,' he said. 'We had some off color texts. At no time did I ever think he was not a consenting adult.'

In an interview with Fox 8, Yenni, the former mayor of Kenner, Louisiana, admits he texted the boy but said that they never had any sexual contact

He also insisted that; 'I'm not gay' in the interview to explain his sexting

Age of consent in Louisiana is 17, although Yenni could potentially face charges through a federal law banning texting with anyone under 18.

Yenni called the sexting 'one of the stupidest decisions I have ever made'.

When asked whether the electorate should be concerned about his judgement, he argued that it was just one mistake made during 17 years in politics.

In fact, his sexting has landed him in trouble before when, while chief administrative officer in Kenner, he allegedly used his city-funded BlackBerry to sext multiple men and a woman.

In this case, Yenni claims that The Tab article has overblown the interaction between himself and the teenager.

'There are a lot of elements of that story I truly believe are certainly fictional,' he told Fox 8 without elaborating further.

'One thing that the author of that article and I can absolutely agree in is that there was no sex.'

Yenni claims that he first met the boy through a group text message.

He also released an infomercial (pictured),where he apologizes for the messages - but doesn't broach other allegations, including claims he kissed the boy and bought him underwear

When asked about the alleged liaison in the mall, all Yenni would confirm was that they met once, briefly.

'He alleges a kiss,' the Fox 8 interviewer said of the young student.

Once again, Yenni dodged the question.

'There was no sex,' he replied.

Yenni said he had refused to confirm or deny any of the allegations made in the article 'line by line' as he did not want to further the story.

He believes the story has been twisted as a form of 'gay bashing' to try and 'define' him as a pedophile and homosexual - both of which he denies.

'I'm not gay,' he added.

The Republican who has a three-year-old daughter with wife Michelle, also addressed the story with an infomercial last month.

'Last summer I was old enough to know better, but I guess I was still young enough to do something stupid,' the 40-year-old Jefferson Parish President said in the video posted by NOLA.com.

Denial: Yenni, a Republican politician, denies he misused his powers as a public official, but admits that the sexts were 'a bad decision'

'I chose to send improper texts to a young man,' he explains. 'I won't go into details out of respect for the rights and privacy of all parties.'

According to WWL TV, Yenni was introduced to the youth by a 19-year-old mutual friend at a function being held at the boy's Catholic high school and their relationship developed through phone and text messages

The youth provided WWL with text messages sent by Yenni from a personal number. That number is not being billed to taxpayers.

In the texts, Yenni allegedly asks the boy if he's worn the underwear and says he wants to see him modeling them.

He also says he wants to perform a sex act on the boy, and that he would like a threesome with the boy and their 19-year-old mutual friend, it is claimed.

The youth said he was flattered at first by the attention, but became uncomfortable with the increasingly detailed texts.

'He asked me to go with him to his house in Oxford (Mississippi),' the youth told WWL.

Angry: Jefferson County coroner Gerry Cvitanovich (left) and clerk of court Jon Gegenheimer (right) are among several officials demanding that Yenni step down from his position

'Also, the way he would describe the sexual things he wanted to do to me. And he asked me to be a secretary or assistant in his office; that way I could be with him and not be questioned.'

The age of consent in Louisiana is 17, so a sexual relationship would not have been illegal - but it has hit Yenni's career hard.

In his video, Yenni says he 'never abused or misused' his powers as a public official, but only addresses the sexting claims.

And the video hasn't stopped local officials demanding his head

Jefferson Parish Councilman at-large Chris Roberts and council Chairwoman Cynthia Lee-Sheng drafted a letter calling for Yenni's resignation.

They join Jefferson County's coroner, Gerry Cvitanovich; assessor, Thomas Capella; and clerk of court Jon Gegenheimer in demanding Yenni step down.

But in his video Yenni makes it quite clear that he's going nowhere.

'I will work hard every day to prove that good people can rise from a bad decision,' he says. 'I'm certainly not afraid of the future because I'm smart enough never to repeat the past.'
A young mother has thanked the flight attendants who helped save her son's life after he lost consciousness and started convulsing on a flight from Sydney to Perth.

Elise Doohan was travelling with her two young sons, three-year-old Chance and 1-year-old Sebastian, on November 13 when Sebastian fell gravely ill.

Mrs Doohan told Daily Mail Australia it was about an hour and a half into the Qantas flight when Sebastian 'started vomiting, went really floppy, started convulsing and his eyes rolled back into his head'.

Sebastian pictured here (front) alongside his brother Chance (back) on the Sydney to Perth flight where he fell gravely ill

'He'd gone completely white, so white I've never seen anyone do that before, then he turned green and his lips blue,' she told Daily Mail Australia.

The young mother said her son's sudden sickness left her panicked and feeling helpless.

Were it not for the 'amazing, beautiful and thoughtful' flight attendantss, Mrs Doohan said she would have fallen apart.

'I was crying, I was a mess, I would've fallen apart if they weren't there,' she said.

'But they just took complete control of the situation.'

Mrs Doohan (pictured) said she felt helpless when Sebastian fell ill, but Qantas staff rushed to her aid immediately

When Sebastian vomited for the first time and started convulsing in his seat, Mrs Doohan said an air hostess was there almost immediately, without being flagged down.

'She grabbed Sebastian, ran towards the back of the plane and put him on oxygen,' she said.

Sebastian (front) pictured with his older brother Chance (back)

'Just really took control of the situation.'

And like clockwork, Mrs Doohan said several air hostesses jumped to her aid, caring for her sick son, helping to calm her down and also sitting with her oldest son Chance, who was still in his seat.

'Not just from a professional air hostess to a passenger way, but from mum to mum and woman to woman,' she said.

'Honestly they went above and beyond, they were really emotionally invested.'

Recognising the severity of the situation, the flight crew issued a desperate call for a doctor on board, and in what Mrs Doohan calls pure luck, both a doctor and paramedic made themselves known.

The doctor assessed Sebastian and said his heart rate was so low that he would rush him to emergency immediately if he were given the chance.

But given they were mid-flight, he said he would do the best he could with what was available to him.

Mrs Doohan (left) said Sebastian (right) started convulsing and vomiting in his seat

Mrs Doohan said her one-year-old Sebastian (pictured) was normally a 'rough and tumble' happy toddler

'He called for the plane to be turned around back to Sydney, but we were closer to Perth than Sydney by that stage,' she said.

'They worked so tirelessly, the whole time.

'These two men gave up the comfort of their own seats and sat with us for practically the entire flight.'

With a doctor, paramedic and air crew by her side, the young mum said it was 'really scary'.

Elise Doohan (right) pictured with her husband Matt (left) and their two sons Sebastian (front left) and Chance (front right)

'I thought I lost him at one stage,' she said.

'When his eyes were back and he was flopped over. He didn't look like he was breathing.

'I tried to wake him up but he didn't look like he was there.

'I was crying and in shock from it all  it was quite traumatic.'

Mrs Doohan said Sebastian regained some colour and his vital signs improved, but was still unresponsive.

Had it not been for the overwhelming show of support from the flight crew and doctor, she said she feared the worst.

'I do think he could have declined, I really don't want to think about it.'

While Sebastian (left) was being treated, Chance (right) was being looked after by a Qantas air hostess

Mrs Doohan credited Qantas crew with saving her one-year-old son's life on November 13

Mrs Doohan said she couldn't contact her husband, who was completely in the dark about her in-flight ordeal, which made the air crew's help even more greatly appreciated.

When the flight landed in Perth, she took Sebastian straight to hospital where he was diagnosed with a lack of oxygen and 'a bug'.

Now more than a week after the doomed flight Mrs Doohan has said her son was back to his 'rough and tumble' self  and she had the flight crew to thank.

'It was a horrible and scary situation, but an amazing example of human kindness,' she said.

'I am so eternally grateful for what you did for my boys.'

'Thank you Qantas for hiring such absolute angels. I will always remember that flight and how beautiful humans can be,' she said

In response to her heartwarming letter of thanks posted to Facebook, Qantas ensured her the flight crew would be commended for their efforts.

'Hi Elise, we're very humbled to read this experience and are happy your son is in good health following this flight,' Qantas said.

'We'd like to make sure that Maria, Monica, Libby and the rest of the crew are commended for their hard work and compassion.'
Heavy rainfall and widespread flooding has battered south-east Queensland.

Stationary storms made their way down the Queensland coastline with bayside suburbs in Brisbane recording almost 100 millimetres of rainfall.

Brisbane Airport copped 97 millimetres of rain, mostly between 6am and 7am while Redcliffe received 87 millimetres on Saturday.

Heavy rain and flooding battered parts of South-east queensland on Saturday morning

Ransome recorded a 133mm of rain and 117mm of rain fell at Mt Cotton West.

Affected residents took to social media to share their photos and videos of the flooding.

Resident Lyndie Jeffrey, who posted a video of her Capalaba property being flooded as cars drove through stormwaters sawrote: 'Our property in Capalaba, haven't seen it like this in 22 years.'

Another Capalaba resident wrote: 'Smashing rain in Capalaba for over an hour. Rivers running through our property.

'All the neighbouring dams are converging into one. Just a tad bit of rain for the morning! Was tempted to ride the river on my boogie board.'

Tingalpa Creek and Alexandra Hills in the Brisbane bayside area also flooded.

Stormy skies northwest of Winton, central west Queensland, on Saturday afternoon

A car drives through rising stormwaters on Saturday in Capalaba, Queensland

Ominous skies in coastal areas Brighton, Sandgate and Shorncliffe in Queensland

Eighty millimetres of rainfall fell around 6am at Ransome, near Manly.

The Queensland weather bureau issued a severe thunderstorm warning for the south-east, which was later cancelled about 10.30am.

There is a medium chance of showers on Sunday in Brisbane, and the following days are expected to bring in possible showers and hot weather.

There is also a severe thunderstorm warning in place for other parts of Queensland.

Heavy rainfall, damaging winds and large hailstones are expected for people in parts of the Central Highlands and Coalfields, Capricornia and Wide Bay and Burnett Forecast Districts.

Sydneysiders will experience a humid week with possible showers and thunderstorms.

Melbourne will experience cooler weather and almost no rainfall.

Adelaide will be mostly sunny with tops of 31 degrees, while Perth will experience hot and sunny days.

Meanwhile Canberra is expected to be partly cloudy with a few showers, and Hobart will be cold and cloudy with tops of 23 degrees.

Darwin is expected to be the hottest capital city with maximum temperatures of 34 degrees.

NATIONAL SEVEN-DAY FORECAST FOR AUSTRALIA

SYDNEY



Sun 27 Nov - Max 24. Cloudy.

Mon 28 Nov - Max 28. Possible shower.

Tues 29 Nov - Max 25. Partly cloudy.

Wed 30 Nov - Max 27. Partly cloudy.

Thur 1 Dec - Max 29. Shower or two.

Fri 2 Dec - Max 32. Late shower or two.

Sat 3 Dec - Max 25. Shower or two.



MELBOURNE



Sun 27 Nov - Max 20. Partly cloudy.

Mon 28 Nov - Max 22. Mostly sunny.

Tues 29 Nov - Max 23. Cloud clearing.

Wed 30 Nov - Max 23. Possible shower developing.

Thur 1 Dec - Max 27. Cloud clearing.

Fri 2 Dec - Max 21. Cloudy.

Sat 3 Dec - Max 21. Cloud clearing.



BRISBANE



Sun 27 Nov - Max 29. Possible shower.

Mon 28 Nov - Max 29. Possible shower.

Tues 29 Nov - Max 30. Possible shower.

Wed 30 Nov - Max 32. Possible shower.

Thur 1 Dec - Max 32. Possible shower. Windy.

Fri 2 Dec - Max 31. Possible shower.



ADELAIDE



Sun 27 Nov - Max 27. Sunny.

Mon 28 Nov - Max 29. Partly cloudy.

Tues 29 Nov - Max 31. Sunny.

Wed 30 Nov - Max 25. Shower or two.

Thur 1 Dec - Max 25. Mostly sunny.

Fri 2 Dec - Max 24. Partly cloudy.

PERTH



Sun 27 Nov - Max 31. Sunny.

Mon 28 Nov - Max 28. Sunny.

Tues 29 Nov - Max 28. Cloud clearing.

Wed 30 Nov - Max 29. Sunny.

Thur 1 Dec - Max 30. Sunny.

Fri 2 Dec - Max 29. Mostly sunny.



CANBERRA



Sun 27 Nov - Max 26. Partly cloudy.

Mon 28 Nov - Max 28. Mostly sunny.

Tues 29 Nov - Max 27. Partly cloudy.

Wed 30 Nov - Max 30. Partly cloudy.

Thur 1 Dec - Max 30. Shower or two.

Fri 2 Dec - Max 33. Possible shower.

Sat 3 Dec - Max 31. Shower or two.



HOBART



Sun 27 Nov - Max 21. Cloudy.

Mon 28 Nov - Max 21. Partly cloudy.

Wed 30 Nov - Max 20. Cloudy.

Thur 1 Dec - Max 23. Partly cloudy.

Fri 2 Dec - Max 20. Partly cloudy.

Sat 3 Dec - Max 20. Partly cloudy.



DARWIN



Sun 27 Nov - Max 33. Shower or two. Possible storm.

Mon 28 Nov - Max 33. Shower or two. Possible storm.

Tues 29 Nov - Max 34. Shower or two. Possible storm.

Wed 30 Nov - Max 33. Shower or two. Possible storm.

Thur 1 Dec - Max 33. Shower or two. Possible storm.

Fri 2 Dec - Max 33. Shower or two. Possible storm.



Lyndie Jeffrey said she hadn't seen flooding like this in 22 years in Capalaba

A black SUV wades through floodwaters in Capalaba, south-east Brisbane

Rain smashes down on Capalaba for over an hour

Rivers ran through Jane Robertson's Capalaba property

Neighbouring dams converged into one in Capalaba

The Queensland weather bureau issued a severe thunderstorm warning for the south-east, which was later cancelled around 10.30am

Brisbane Airport copped 97 millimetres of rain, mostly between 6am and 7am on Saturday
More than 60 schools partially funded by Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg has been shut down in Uganda after the government blasted it as 'unsanitary and unqualified'.

The African country's High Court ordered the Bridge International Academies to close by December 8, once students have finished exams for the year.

Uganda's Director of Education Standards, Huzaifa Mutazindwa, said the decision was made after the for-profit educated group risked the 'life and safety' of its 12,000 students by flaunting the country's education standards.

More than 60 chools partially funded by Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg has been shut down in Uganda after the government blasted it as 'unsanitary and unqualified'

'The Ministry does not know what is being taught in these schools which is a point of concern to (the) government,' Mutazindwa said, according to CNN.

Bridge International Academies has 63 campuses across Uganda to help provide education to low-income groups. It charges $6 a month.

It defended itself from the accusations, releasing a statement designed to 'set the record straight'.

'Bridge teaches, and has always taught, the Ugandan curriculum. We engaged with National Curriculum Development Centre (NCDC) before opening schools, and have formally written to NCDC to review our material,' it read.

The African country's High Court ordered the Bridge International Academies to close by December 8, once students have finished exams for the year. Pictured are students during a demonstration after the decision

Bill Gates is an investor in the school program, which operates in several countries across Africa

Mark Zuckerberg's Zuckerberg Education Ventures is listed as a backer of the low-cost program

'All schools have good sanitation facilities. All have 7 latrines and a urinal, 2 large water tanks, safe drinking water and hand washing facilities. All Bridge structures are approved by Local District Government Planning committees before construction.

'We have always wanted, and continue to want to work in partnership with the Government of Uganda and comply with all laws. We remit 40m+ a month in tax and contribute to the economic development of Uganda.'

However, other critics how spoken out against the organization, saying it is wrong to claim it 'educates' students.

'You can't call it an education that Bridge is offering,' Global Campaign for Education President Camilla Croso told CNN.

A Bridge International Academies student is seen holding a sign that reads, 'Keep "Bridge" Open'

Bridge International Academies has 63 campuses across Uganda to help provide education to low-income groups. It charges $6 a month

'You have technology -- like tablets -- often standing in place of teachers and you have very scripted classes that tell the teachers exactly what to do and when -- so you don't have any sort of autonomy and you can't improvise.

'Education has nothing to do with that - it's about debating, thinking and discussions.'

Cross continued: 'They are profit making enormously... It's very indecent because they are looking at poor people as a profitable market.

'It really is incompatible to have human rights and profit making because you are motivated and act in completely different ways.'

Uganda's Director of Education Standards, Huzaifa Mutazindwa, said the decision was made after the for-profit educated group risked the 'life and safety' of its 12,000 students by flaunting the country's education standards. Pictured is a classroom of students

Parents of pupils from Bridge International Academies demonstrate after Uganda's High Court ordered the closure of the group's campuses across the country

Andrew White, the group's Ugandan director, said BIA was created to fill a need in the region.

'The existence of Bridge is in response to hundreds of thousands of parents who as of today don't have an adequate choice of education for their children,' White told CNN.

'The reason Bridge exists is to try and help the government address this by providing innovative and cost effective solutions.'
A 19-year-old black teenager was shot in the back and killed by a Chicago police officer in the city's South Side on the night before Thanksgiving.

Kajuan Raye was waiting to take the bus home when he was approached by the officer, who claims he matched the description of a suspect in a 'battery in progress' on Wednesday night.

Raye began to run away and the officer chased after him, according to authorities.

The sergeant claimed Raye turned and pointed a weapon at him 'on two separate occasions during the pursuit', so he fired multiple shots at the suspect.

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Kajuan Raye, 19, was shot and killed by a Chicago police officer on Wednesday night. The officer claims Raye pointed a weapon at him, but no gun has been found

Raye was struck and killed. Police have yet to find any weapon despite searching the area overnight, according to CPD Superintendent Eddie Johnson.

'We were not able to locate a weapon as of yet, ' Johnson said on Thursday.

'There's still many unanswered questions and we are working diligently to find those answers.'

Ahkeya White, Raye's cousin, said she is sure he didn't have a gun.

White said Raye was waiting for a bus home to Dolton with a friend when the officer approached them at the bus stop around 11pm.

The officer told the teens they needed to go to the police car.

White said Raye and the friend then immediately ran off in opposite directions because they were scared at the sight of a cop.

Raye was waiting to take the bus home when he was approached by the officer, who claims he matched the description of a suspect in a 'battery in progress'. Raye began to run away

The sergeant claimed Raye (pictured here running) turned and pointed a weapon at him 'on two separate occasions during the pursuit', so he fired multiple shots at the suspect

'They don't look at the police as what's written on the side of the car, to serve and protect,' White told WLS.

The officer chose to follow Raye and his friend heard four gunshots, including the one that killed the teen. White said her cousin was also shot in the abdomen.

Surveillance image from a nearby church captured footage of the officer chasing Raye, but does not show the moment the shooting happened.

Raye's family said he did not own a gun. They plan to ask the Cook County State's Attorney Office to press charges against the sergeant.

A statement released by the family on Thursday described Raye as a 'fun-loving and happy kid' who had a 'bright future' ahead of him.

'The family and friends of Kajuan Raye are heart-broken that their son is dead at the hands of a police officer who does not value the sanctity of life of black males,' it read.

'As a city we continue to struggle with police who are afraid of and have deep seeded prejudices against black youth.'

'The family has retained a very competent law firm to investigate, get answers and hold accountable this officer and Chicago Police Department.'

Authorities have not released the name of the sergeant, who was not injured during the shooting.

Police said he will be placed on administrative leave, per routine in officer-involved shootings, for at least 30 days while Raye's death is investigated.

The shooting is being investigated by the Independent Police Review Authority, which revealed the district the officer worked in does not use body cameras, according to the Chicago Tribune.

Raye was struck in the back and killed. Police have yet to find any weapon despite searching the area overnight, according to CPD Superintendent Eddie Johnson

A statement released by the family on Thursday described Raye as a 'fun-loving and happy kid' who had a 'bright future' ahead of him

Raye's death comes just two years after Laquan McDonald, 17, was shot and killed by Chicago police officer Jason Van Dyke.

McDonald's death inspired protests across the nation after dashboard-camera footage showed Van Dyke shot McDonald as the teen was walking away from him and then fired 15 more shots into his body.

Van Dyke was charged with first-degree murder and has pleaded not guilty. He is awaiting trial.

Chicago Mayor Rahm Eamnuel ordered an overhaul of the Independent Police Review Authority after footage of McDonald's death was released.

A Police Accountability Task Force found that Chicago police 'have no regard for the sanctity of life when it comes to people of color', according to CNN.

The report found that 74 percent of the people killed by Chicago police officers in the last eight years have been African American.

A probe of Chicago police practices by the US Justice Department's Civil Rights Division is expected to wrap up in the first months of next year.

Just 24 hours after Raye was killed, another man was shot and killed by a Chicago police officer.

The man had killed one person and injured another early Friday before he was shot by the officer, who had witnessed the shooting in Chicago's West Side.

A weapon was recovered at the scene. The injured man is in stable condition.
Prakash will likely to be prosecuted under Australian law, an expert says

He was injured and not killed on Mosul in April as

Man believed to be Prakash is subject to extradition order from

The Australian Federal Government has begun the process of extraditing the country's most wanted terrorist, Neil Prakash.

The former Melbourne man is believed to be alive and under arrest by Turkish authorities despite reports he was killed six months ago in northern Iraq.

Prakash, who is linked to several failed Australian terror plots to kill innocent citizens, was injured and not killed in Mosul on April 29, as previously announced, The New York Times reported.

Australia has a strong case to have the country's most wanted terrorist, Neil Prakash prosecuted, a counter-terrorism expert says

A man believed to be Prakash was now subject to an extradition request from Australia, a spokesperson for Justice Minister Michael Keenan told the ABC.

'We are conscious that this individual has been arrested by Turkish authorities and their processes need to be respected and allowed to be completed,' the spokesperson said.

Director of the Counter Terrorism Policy Centre at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, Jacinta Carroll, says it likely Australia will be given priority to prosecute the senior militant, given his influence and links to attacks here.

'Australia has a very strong case to have him prosecuted for offences committed under Australian law,' she told the ABC.

Prakash was arrested by Turkish authorities several weeks ago after being contacted by Australian officials who believed they had intelligence he was planning to enter the country.

Ms Carroll said a number of countries would be interested in Prakash's knowledge, given he has been implicated in a number of plots and would have links to other activities.

'They also may have him implicated in crimes in their own countries as we do in Australia,' she said.

Prakash was linked to a failed Melbourne plot to behead a police officer on Anzac Day last year and Numan Haider, an 18-year-old who was killed after stabbing two police officers in Melbourne in 2014.

Back from the dead: The former Melbourne man is believed to be alive and under arrest by Turkish authorities despite reports he was killed six months ago in northern Iraq

Australian authorities would be now seeking to proceed with Prakash's arrest warrant for foreign fighter activities and involvement in crimes on home soil, Ms Carroll said.

Most importantly, authorities would be trying to find out other Australians he was involved with at home to facilitate attacks and recruit to the Middle East.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull in May named Prakash the most senior Australian operative in IS.
A father accused of killing his daughter was caught on surveillance video loading his revolver at a gas station the day before the shooting, a court has heard.

Jamal Mansour, 64, from Rocky River, Ohio, has pleaded not guilty to aggravated murder and other charges stemming from the shooting of 27-year-old Tahani Mansour on September 27 in their family home.

The father, a wealthy businessman, told a judge after his arrest that the shooting was accidental, however prosecutors argue the footage of him loading the weapon proves he had a 'calculated plan'.

Jamal Mansour (pictured left), a 64-year-old father accused of killing his 27-year-old daughter, Tahani Mansour (right), was seen loading a revolver at an Ohio gas station before the shooting, a court heard

Court records indicate Mansour said he shot his daughter 'out of anger'. Authorities haven't released further details about a potential motive.

Prosecutors allege Mansour shot his daughter three times in the head, once from just one-foot away, Cleveland.com reports.

The 27-year-old was found in her bed.

During an arraignment hearing in September, Rocky River Prosecutor Michael O'Shea described the killing as an 'execution'.

The prosecutor's description of the killing has raised the suggestion that it might have been an honor killing, but the suspect's attorney, Angelo Lenardo, vehemently denied it, saying the very notion was 'racist and offensive.'

The youngest of six children, Tahani was described by friends as bright and energetic, and had recently been hired as a clinical pharmacist by the Cleveland Clinic.

She received a doctor of pharmacy degree from Northeast Ohio Medical University in 2013, worked as a clinical pharmacist for University Hospitals and taught at the University of Findlay and the medical school, according to her LinkedIn account.

Mansour, a married father-of-six and a grandfather, moved to the U.S. from Jordan in 1978, and owned several stores across Ohio.

Crime scene: The 27-year-old clinical pharmacist was fatally shot in her upstairs bedroom at the family's home in Rocky river (pictured)

Records show that Jamal had previously threatened to commit suicide over Tahani's work-related trip to Las Vegas.

The station WOIO obtained a police report dated December 1, 2012, saying that someone had called the authorities saying that Jamal had threatened to take his own life if his daughter failed to return home from a conference in Las Vegas by 7am the next day.

Police officers performed a welfare check on Jamal, who denied ever threatening to harm himself but confirmed that he was upset with Tahani for going to Las Vegas.
Three monkeys, including a tiny four-week-old baby, have been stolen from a zoo in Sydney's south.

Staff at the Symbio Wildlife Park in Helensburgh, south of Sydney, were shocked to discover the Pygmy Marmoset enclosure had been broken into and three of the monkeys had been taken.

Officers arrived at the scene at 8am on Saturday morning to find the entry into the enclosure was forced.

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Three Pygmy Marmosets have been stolen from Symbio Zoo in Helensburgh, south of Sydney, monkeys

Park operations supervisor at Symbio Zoo, Ryan Leahy, told Daily Mail Australia the thieves were direct in their robbery, stealing only three monkeys and not vandalising or stealing anything else.

'The park has sufficient security throughout the boundaries and the exhibit, but they clearly managed to break their way through the initial door, Mr Leahy said.

He added: 'The mother (monkey) is clearly stressed because half of her family is not with her and this has shaken up all of the staff.'

Keeper John Radnidge said he has no clue who would steal the creatures and added that the thieves appear to be 'well organised' with their crime, The Daily Telegraph reported.

'It looks like they have jemmied open the locks (and) broke in through two padlocked doors,' Mr Radnidge said.

The three monkeys taken were the father Gomez, 10, a one-year-old called Sophie, and a four-week-old who is yet to be named.

Officers arrived at the zoo to discover the entry into the enclosure was forced. Zoo keeper John Radnidge said the thefts appeared to be 'well organised'

Animal keepers are particularly concerned for the welfare of the newborn monkey who is four-weeks-old

Animal keepers hold grave concerns for all of three creatures, in particular the newborn who and needs to be returned to its mother so it can be fed.

The wildlife park has asked for its Facebook followers to share their post of the missing monkey, with many of them leaving comments expressing their disbelief.

One man wrote: 'What is wrong with people these days... and how stupid... taking a four-week-old baby that can only survive with its mother... low lifes.'

A woman commented: 'Whoever has taken them, please just give them back or even take them to a vet to be reunited with their family. That tiny baby needs its mum.
Both travel the world together earning six figures to capture their travels in

He started a travel blog, Doyoutravel, showcasing and sharing his experiences through

Advertisement

Jack Morris took a leap of faith five years ago after waking up one morning and deciding he craved an adventure.

Tired of his monotonous routine as a carpet cleaner in Manchester, UK, the 26-year-old booked a one-way ticket to Bangkok and never looked back.

'Five years ago I impulsively decided to quit my 9  5 job,' he told Daily Mail Australia.

Mr Morris and his equally talented girlfriend Lauren Bullen, are now both world-renowned travel bloggers and Instagram stars earning six figure salaries and reaping the benefits that come with the lifestyle

The 23-year-old Lauren Bullen embodies the travel, fashion and lifestyle mantra showcasing the most incredible destinations around the world

This photo taken in Bali gathered more than 80 thousands likes in five hours on Instagram

Jack admits this is one of his favourite photos taken in Sri Lanka at the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage

Lauren takes a swim on the Milos coastline in Greece on a beautiful sunny day

'It was literally waking up one morning and I wanted to try something different. I flew out on my own with no plan and just wanted to see what came at me.'

Jack and his equally talented girlfriend Lauren Bullen, are now both world-renowned travel bloggers and Instagram stars earning six figure salaries and reaping the benefits that come with the lifestyle.

But Jack was not always living the dream.

The 26-year-old was struggling for money after two years of travel, but things began to take shape when he bought a camera and used his experiences around photography to create his blog Doyoutravel.

Jack said in the last nine months since the pair met, Lauren has gained more than 700,000 and he has benefited from more than half a million

Australian Lauren Bullen, from Lennox Head in New South Wales, is a self taught photographer and runs the Gypsea Lust blog

The pair travel the world showcasing the stunning scenery with this photo taken in Milos Island in Greece

Nine months ago, Jack met Lauren and the adventurous pair gravitated towards each other

'I basically created it to share my experiences, it wasn't about making money. I didn't expect to make money or for it to blow up. But that created my new career.'

Nine months ago, Jack met Lauren and the adventurous pair gravitated towards each other.

'Four years into travelling I met Lauren, which is about nine months ago.

'We were on a beach in Fiji and we pretty much hit it off straight away.'

Australian Lauren Bullen, from Lennox Head in New South Wales, is a self taught photographer and runs the Gypsea Lust blog.

Lauren goes for a dip while Jack takes a break in a Moroccan spa

Lauren Bullen and Jack Morris in Greece overlooking stunning islands and scenery

Tired of his monotonous routine as a carpet cleaner in Manchester, UK, the 26-year-old booked a one-way ticket to Bangkok and never looked back

Jack Morris took a leap of faith five years ago after waking up one morning and deciding he craved an adventure

The 23-year-old embodies the travel, fashion and lifestyle mantra showcasing the most incredible destinations around the world.

Combining their Instagram blogs, Jack and Lauren have more than 2.5 million followers.

Jack said in the last nine months since the pair met, Lauren has gained more than 700,000 and he has benefited from more than half a million.

'I think it was because it was mixing the photography up with Lauren and people enjoy seeing a couple and it works for us,' he said.

Jack and Lauren's jaw-dropping photography and enviable lifestyle drew the admiration of plenty of brands who inundated the pair with opportunities over the last year

Jack Morris has travelled the world and is shown here cruising along the Taj Mahal in India

Jack and Lauren's jaw-dropping photography and enviable lifestyle drew the admiration of plenty of brands who inundated the pair with opportunities over the last year.

Global brands such as Royal Caribbean Cruises, Disney, Air NZ, AirBnB, NRMA insurance and other headlining acts have all approached the duo.

Lauren even has to turn down fashion brands.

'She has to turn down a lot of brands, if she wouldn't wear it she won't work with it as she tries to keep it authentic.'

While they are now based in Bali, the pair travel the world showcasing the globe's most desirable destinations and painting them in an even better light

While they are now based in Bali, the pair travel the world showcasing the globe's most desirable destinations and painting them in an even better light.

The pair have taken a dip in the pristine waters of Greece, enjoyed the food in Italy and France, taken a stroll on the Great Wall of China, braved the mountains of Kenya and even camped out in vastness of the Sahara desert.

But their joint favourite location was basking in the aura of the ancient pillar city of Cappadocia in Turkey.

Jack is now very grateful to be able to do what he loves, as a job, with his new found partner.

Jack and Lauren share a kiss in front of a waterfall in Ubud, Bali

'It is almost a dream. Being able to do what I want every day is nice.'

'It is ideal, I never really expected to find someone I could share this with, so it worked out really well.'

Jack admitted both of them are perfectionists when it comes to shooting and editing the perfect picture.

However, the trick to their photography is keeping it as authentic as possible.

'We try to create a situations that are authentic based around what we do.'

'For example, Lauren and I woke up in a tree house surrounded by nature this morning and I posted it.

'Basically we are showing people what we do in a way of art. Every photo we post is real.'
Dutton said this week that it was a mistake to allow so many to migrate

The Muslim Australian also had a dig at

A recent trip to Lebanon for former NRL star Hazem El Masri has opened his eyes and his heart to what it truly meant to be a proud Lebanese-Australian.

El Masri took to his Facebook page with an emotional post about his trip encompassing the lessons he learnt from returning to his birthplace and took a swipe at Immigration Minister Peter Dutton.

'I found what makes me a proud Lebanese man - hard work, respect and the will to survive, despite the hand you've been dealt

'That's the pride I carry inside me. That's the pride I hope to teach my children. That's the pride I hold as an Australian Lebanese @PeterDutton_MP.'

Mr Dutton this week sparked a heated debate when he said in parliament it had been a mistake to allow so many Lebanese-Muslims to resettle in the country in the 1970s.

Former NRL star Hazem El Masri has written an emotional Facebook post about a recent trip to Lebanon and even managed a sly dig at Immigration Minister Peter Dutton

Mr Dutton also said 22 of the 33 people most recently charged with terrorism offences were of 'second- and third-generation Lebanese-Muslim background'.

The Facebook post which was titled 'Back to my Roots' by the NRL's all-time point scoring record holder spoke of the people he met and the places he visited on the short journey.

Joined by his two brothers, El Masri said Lebanon had changed andwas different but said he managed to find 'the true essence in what makes the Lebanese man a proud one'.

'My trip to Lebanon was nothing short of amazing. I loved being somewhere familiar, but the more time I spent there, so much of it seemed more and more unfamiliar to me,' El Masri wrote.

'Lebanon has changed, it is different. The effects of war, social and political instability with a flood of Syrian refugees looking for safety abroad has left some permanent scars.'

The NRL's all time point scoring record holder told a story about the pride he has in being a Lebanese Australian

Mr Dutton this week sparked a heated debate when he said in parliament that it had been a mistake to allow so many Lebanese-Muslims to resettle in the country in the 1970s

El Masri continued the post saying that he searched for what made Lebanon such a special place, before finding it and made sure that Mr Dutton knew just how he felt.

'Then I found it.......I found the true essence in what makes the Lebanese man a proud one,' he wrote. '

It's not the first time El Masri has spoken about the role Lebanese Muslims play in the community and said in a 2015 interview that when Muslims assimilate correctly it can create greatness.

'To assimilate correctly, you must be honest, work hard and give respect, which would then allow us to remove misconceptions about Muslims,' El Masri told Inside Sport.

'And working hard is more than applying yourself for two years, it is for a lifetime.'

The higher the profile Muslims achieve, the better it is for everyone because it reminds Aussies that we also contribute to society. When that happens, everybody wins.'

It's not the first time El Masri has spoken about the role Lebanese Muslims play in the community and said in 2015 that when Muslims assimilate correctly it can create greatness

El Masri said that although Lebanon had changed and is different he managed to find 'the true essence in what makes the Lebanese man a proud one'
She called Trump at around 2.30am to tell him she was standing down

Minutes later, perhaps swayed by Obama's call, Clinton gave up the race

Campaign chief was even dispatched to tell her election night party she would not emerge until the morning and until 'every vote is counted'

Clinton had been hoping for a last minute turnaround in Wisconsin, Michigan, and Pennsylvania, sources say

Obama urged Hillary Clinton on the night of the election as the tide began to turn against her

President Obama urged Hillary Clinton to concede to Donald Trump on the night of election, sources claim.

'You need to concede,' Obama told the Democratic candidate as the tide of Rust State votes began to turn against her.

Clinton had been hoping for a last minute turnaround in Wisconsin, Michigan, and Pennsylvania, sources say.

Campaign chief John Podesta was even dispatched by the Democratic candidate to tell a tear-stained crowd in Manhattan's Javits Center that she would not emerge until the morning and until 'every vote is counted'.

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President Obama urged Hillary Clinton to concede to Donald Trump on the night of election, sources claim

Podesta, who spoke shortly after Trump passed the 270 mark in the electoral college after Pennsylvania and Wisconsin chose the Republican, said that Clinton wanted 'every person in this hall to know' that 'your voices and your enthusiasm means so much to her  and to all of us.'

Yet just minutes later, perhaps swayed by Obama's call, Clinton gave up the race, calling her Republican rival at around 2.30am to tell him she was standing down.

'Just give me the phone,' she reportedly said. 'I'm calling him.'

Trump won with 276 electoral votes to Clinton's 218.

'There was a lot of discussion about Michigan and Wisconsin and whether the numbers could flip it,' said a source, according to The Hill.

They said that the final numbers in the states were so close that Clinton may not have conceded to Trump without that final push.

'You need to concede,' Obama told Clinton (right) as the tide of Rust State votes began to turn against her, in favor of Trump (left)

'If anybody knew what actually happened that night, no one would have conceded,' the source said.

Sources say that Clinton's aides had hoped to hold out as long as possible for the results in the key swing states - and Obama's call pushed Clinton to move prematurely.

Now that result will be challenged after Green Party candidate Jill Stein challenged the results claiming voting machines used in some states were susceptible to cyber attack and therefore cannot be trusted.

Now W isconsin's elections commission has announced its plan to start recounting ballots 'late next week' after receiving a petition from Stein on Friday.

Stein has raised more than $5million over the past two days for recounts in Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania amid claims the election result has been tampered with.

Wisconsin will recount its presidential election votes after receiving a petition from trounced Green Party candidate Jill Stein (above) on Friday

The Wisconsin Elections Commission announced its plan to begin recounting votes next week in a statement issued on Friday

A recount in Wisconsin will do little for her own chances in the state despite her ongoing crusade. Stein won only one percent of the vote in Wisconsin compared to Donald Trump's 47 and Hillary Clinton's 46.

She is however insisting on a recount, claiming voting machines used in some states were susceptible to cyber attack and therefore cannot be trusted.

In a statement on Friday, the Wisconsin Elections Commission said it would begin recounting once it received full payment from Stein's campaign.

' The Wisconsin Elections Commission today received two recount petitions from the Jill Stein for President Campaign and from Rocky Roque De La Fuente.

'The Commission is preparing to move forward with a statewide recount of votes for President of the United States, as requested by these candidates,' Administrator Michael Haas said.

De La Fuente trailed behind Stein in Wisconsin, winning just 0.1 percent of the vote.

Clinton, however, lost by just one percent, some 27,000 votes. According to experts who have cast doubt over the election results, hackers could have cost her as many as 30,000 by tapping in to apparently vulnerable machines.

Trump appeared onstage on Wednesday to give his victory speech, saying the forgotten people of the country 'will be forgotten no longer'

A Clinton supporter watches the results roll in at the Democrat election rally in New York

The recount will include paper ballots in addition to electronic votes, the commission said.

Wisconsin is the first of the three targeted battleground states to respond to her calls for a recount.

Stein filed her petition with seconds to spare before the window for demanding recounts closed on November 25.

Unlike in Wisconsin, which the Elections Commission described as the 'most decentralized system' in the country, Pennsylvania requires a judge's consent.

Michigan allows the winning candidate to object to a recount before putting the matter before the Board of Elections.

However, the Democratic National Committee have tried to distance themselves from the campaign which is viewed negatively by some of the electorate.

Meanwhile, Obama's allies have spoken out against the move.

Clinton's path to the White House, which at times seemed almost inevitable during the 2016 campaign, had its origins in her defeat to Barack Obama in 2008. She became his loyal secretary of state, built up her popularity and chits, and began assembling a team that would become a juggernaut campaign for the White House.
Twenty-four years after his father injected him with HIV-infected blood, Brryan Jackson faced him for the first time.

Jackson arrived at the Missouri Department of Corrections to tell Bryan Stewart just how drastically he had changed his son's life.

And he wanted to make sure Stewart, who is serving a life sentence for the horrific crime, would be denied parole.

Jackson was just 11-months-old when his father, who was working as a blood tester at the time, tried to kill his only son.

Brryan Jackson, 25, was injected with HIV-infected blood by his father Bryan Stewart when he was just an 11-month-old baby. Jackson faced Stewart for the first time at his parole hearing

He had been fighting over child support payments with Jackson's mother, who had left him earlier that year after he became physically and emotionally abusive.

Stewart had become a different person from the man Jackson's mother had fallen in love with when they were both training as medics at a Missouri military facility.

When Jackson's mother found out she was pregnant in 1991, Stewart was 'really excited'.

But everything changed when he returned from Operation Desert Storm in Saudi Arabia, Jackson told the BBC.

Stewart tried to kill his son (pictured as a baby) so that he wouldn't have to keep paying child support, Jackson said

Suddenly Stewart was claiming that Jackson wasn't his child and demanded a DNA test. That's when the abuse began.

Jackson's mother left Stewart, but the brutal fights continued. Jackson said his father would tell her: 'Your child's not going to live beyond the age of five'.

Contact between Stewart and Jackson's mother ceased, but when the boy was hospitalized with an asthma attack his father found the perfect opportunity to strike.

Investigators later discovered Stewart had been stealing samples of infected blood from the laboratory he worked at and was storing them at his home.

He had even joked with coworkers about infecting someone with one of the viruses, saying 'they'd never even know what hit them'.

When Stewart visited Jackson on the day he was scheduled to be discharged from the hospital, his mother was surprised.

'He wasn't a very active father, so everyone thought it was strange when he showed up,' Jackson said.

Stewart asked Jackson's mother to grab him a drink from the cafeteria. When he was finally alone with his son, Stewart injected the boy with the infected blood.

Jackson, who had just been nursed back to health, immediately began to deteriorate.

'My vital signs were all out of whack because it wasn't just HIV blood he had injected me with, it was incompatible with mine,' he said.

Jackson was sent home after his vital signs were restored, but his health continued to worsen.

Jackson said Stewart (pictured together) was at first 'really excited' about having a son. But that all changed when he returned from Operation Desert Storm in Saudi Arabia

Stewart began to emotionally and physically abuse Jackson's mother (pictured with Brryan), who eventually left him

It would be four years before his doctors finally figured out the cause.

Jackson's pediatrician woke up from a nightmare one night and called the hospital. She asked them to check the young boy for HIV.

'When the test came back, I was diagnosed with full-blown AIDS and three opportunistic infections,' Jackson said. He was given five months to live.

Jackson continued to receive treatment and, although the medication did leave him with 70 percent hearing loss, he began to get better.

The boy was soon allowed to go to school, but was met with horrific bullying and public shaming.

'The tragedy of my school life was that the school didn't want me,' he said. 'Back in the 90s people thought you could get AIDS from a toilet seat.'

Jackson wasn't allowed to drink from the water fountain and could only use a specific bathroom.

Parents refused to invite him to their children's birthdays. The kids at school started calling him 'AIDS boy, gay boy'.

Jackson posted a loving tribute to his mother this year. She took him to doctors for four years before he was finally diagnosed with 'full blown AIDS'

And she was there for her son (pictured together in a recent photo) when Jackson was bullied at school and struggled to come to terms with what his father had done to him

'That's when I started to feel isolated and alone,' Jackson said. 'I felt like there was no place in the world for me.'

Things didn't become any easier when Jackson realized what his father had done to him.

'At first I was very angry and bitter,' he said. 'I grew up watching movies where fathers cheer on their sons from the sidelines.'

'I couldn't wrap my mind around how my own father could do that to me. He didn't just try to kill me, he changed my life forever.'

Jackson contemplated suicide but found comfort in his newfound Christian faith, which led to him forgiving his father.

'Forgiveness isn't easy,' he said, 'But I didn't want to lower myself to his level.'

Jackson, who was born Bryan Stewart Jr, changed his name last year and adopted his mother's surname to further his association with his father.

And when he saw Stewart for the first time, Jackson tried to avoid making eye contact with him.

'I recognized him from his mugshot, but I have no connection to him,' he said. 'I wouldn't even recognize him as my father.'

'During the parole hearing, he kept calling me his son. I tried to raise my hand to request he refer to me as his victim.'

'I thought, at what point have I ever been his son? Was I his son when he intentionally injected me with HIV?'

Jackson now works as a motivational speaker, and dreams of the day he will become a father

Jackson found out in July that his father had been denied parole for another five years, a verdict he said was 'very empowering'.

'There have been times I've woken up from nightmares, scared he might come back to finish the job,' Jackson said.

'I may have forgiven him, but even in forgiveness I believe you have to pay the consequences.'

Now Jackson, who works as a motivational speaker, is focusing his attention on his biggest dream of all - his own chance to become a father.

'I would love to be a dad,' he said. 'A dad is one of the things in life I think I am meant to be.'

Jackson said he is healthier than ever, with an above average T-cell count and an undetectable HIV status.

'That gives me virtually no chance of passing the virus on,' he said. 'I've gone from taking 23 pills a day to taking one.'

Jackson is still fighting against his disease's stigma, saying worried parents have ended multiple relationships.

But he still looks forward to the future, and being the kind of father he never got to have.

'I'd like to root my kids in hope,' he said. 'I want to give them a vision that the world is a peaceful place and I am always going to be there to protect them.'

'Through bad things, great things are possible.'
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Fidel Castro was presented with a portrait of himself as a young revolutionary just 10 days before he died at the age of 90 on Friday.

In one of the last pictures taken of Castro before his passing, Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang is shown presenting Castro with the portrait in Havana last Tuesday.

Another photograph shows the pair shaking hands during the November 15 meeting that they had reportedly agreed would further cement the historical friendship between their people.

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Cuba's former leader Fidel Castro is presented with a portrait of himself as a young revolutionary by Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang on November 15 in one of the last pictures taken of Castro before he died on Friday

Castro is pictured shaking hands with Vietnam's President Tran Dai Quang in Havana, Cuba last week during their meeting

Castro, who led his native Cuba for nearly half a century and claimed to have survived more than 600 assassination attempts, has died at the age of 90.

With a shaking voice, his younger brother, Raul Castro, announced on state television that the Communist revolutionary died on Friday night.

World leaders have paid tribute to the revolutionary, who came to power in 1959, with former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev praising him for 'strengthening' his island nation.

Russian President Vladimir Putin described him as a 'symbol of an era', and said he was a 'distinguished statesman', and Pope Francis has said Castro's death is 'sad news'.

Nine days of public mourning for the deceased Cuban leader have been announced, when 'public activities and shows' will cease, and flags will fly at half mast.

The island's Council of State says state radio and television 'will maintain informative, patriotic and historic programming'.

The controversial former president (pictured in 2001) ruled the country as a one-party state from 1959 to 2006

Fidel Castro, who led the country of Cuba for nearly half a century (pictured during his last official appearance in April this year) died Friday at the age of 90.

Castro's ashes will be buried in the historic southeastern city of Santiago on December 4 after a four-day procession through the country.

Raul Castro, who succeeded his brother in 2006, told Cubans in the television announcement: 'Today, November 25, at 10.29pm, the Commander in Chief of the Cuban Revolution, Fidel Castro Ruz, passed away.

'In compliance with the expressed will of Companion Fidel, his remains will be cremated.'

He concluded his statement by saying: 'Onward to victory.'

An image of Fidel Castro hangs outside a government building in Havana, Cuba, after news of the former leader's death was announced

The streets were empty outside Havana's Gran Teatro hours after Fidel Castro's death was announced by his brother Raul

Nightclubs in the Cuban capital were closed after news of Castro's death filtered through to citizens

Castro's death comes just months after the Communist revolutionary predicted that his time on earth was nearly up.

Among the first world figures to pay tribute to Castro was former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, who praised him for 'strengthening' his island nation.

Gorbachev said: 'Fidel stood up and strengthened his country during the harshest American blockade, when there was colossal pressure on him and he still took his country out of this blockade to a path of independent development.'

And current Russian President Vladimir Putin said: 'The name of this distinguished statesman is rightly considered the symbol of an era in modern world history. Fidel Castro was a sincere and reliable friend of Russia.'

Putin added that Castro has managed to build a 'free and independent Cuba' that 'became an influential member of the international community and served as an inspiration for many countries and peoples'.

Pope Francis has said Castro's death was 'sad news', and in a message to Raul, said:'I express to you my sentiments of grief.'

Among the first world figures to pay tribute to Castro was former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev (seated, left, alongside Castro signing a treaty of friendship and co-operation), who praised him for 'strengthening' his island nation

Putin, pictured with Castro in 2014, said the former Cuban leader was an 'inspiration for many countries and peoples'

The Kremlin strongman hailed Castro as a 'strong and wise person who always looked to the future with confidence'.

'He embodied the high ideals of a politician, a citizen and a patriot sincerely convinced of the rightness of the cause to which he dedicated his whole life,' Putin said.

'His memory will forever remain in the hearts of the citizens of Russia.'

Putin also said that Castro had made a 'huge personal contribution' in the establishment and development of the countries' bilateral relations.

Vladimir Putin has paid tribute to 'symbol of an era' Fidel Castro, saying he was an 'inspiration' to leaders around the world

Castro made his last official appearance before the country's Communist Party in April (where he is pictured here with brother Raul in 2011) and predicted he would soon die

Castro (pictured talking to French President Francois Hollande last year) handed power to his brother Raul in 2008 after he required emergency surgery for intestinal bleeding

Tributes already began to pour in for Castro, while residents of Little Havana in Miami - a haven for Cubans who fled Castro's regime - celebrated early Saturday morning

Fidel Castro is shown above in this photograph with civil rights leader Malcolm X in August 1959

Castro made his last official appearance before the country's Communist Party in April, asking party members to help keep his ideas alive long after he died.

'The time will come for all of us, but the ideas of the Cuban Communists will remain as proof on this planet that if they are worked at with fervor and dignity, they can produce the material and cultural goods that human beings need,' he told them.

Castro spoke as the government announced that his brother Raul will retain the Cuban Communist Party's highest post alongside his hardline second-in-command.

It was a resounding message that communism would retain its hold on Cuba, even as its leaders begin to die and age and icy relations with the US continue to thaw.

Castro officially handed power to his brother Raul in 2008, two years after he required emergency surgery for intestinal bleeding.

Raul Castro had been made acting president in 2006.

Pope Francis, pictured with Castro in September last year, has described the former Cuban leader's death as 'sad news'

Fidel Castro, left, is pictured with former Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev at the Lenin mausoleum in Moscow's Red Square on May Day in Moscow, Russia in May 1963

Castro (pictured here at the UN General Assembly in 1970) was famous for his lengthy speeches. His 269-minute speech at the General Assembly in 1960 set a world record

Castro, center, and his soldiers are pictured in January 1959 as they made a roadside appearance while moving toward Havana where a welcome was expected

Castro, center, and Oklahoma Creek Indian missionary W.A. Reiford, right, wear war bonnets as Cuban Capt. Antonio Nunez Jimenez looks on in this July 1959 photo. Reiford went to Havana to open an orphanage

Castro photographed with American journalist Barbara Walters in Havana, Cuba in 2002

As news of Castro's death broke, world leaders paid tribute to the revolutionary.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi described him as 'one of the most iconic personalities of the 20th century', and said: 'India mourns the loss of a great friend. I extend my deepest condolences to the Government and people of Cuba on the sad demise of Fidel Castro. May his soul rest in peace.'

Latin American leaders voiced their sorrow at Castro's death.

In Bolivia, where Castro ally Ernesto 'Che' Guevara died in 1967 in a failed bid to export Cuba's revolution, President Evo Morales said in a statement: 'Fidel Castro left us a legacy of having fought for the integration of the world's peoples ... The departure of Comandante Fidel Castro really hurts.'

In mourning: Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro (left) and Bolivia's Evo Morales (center) have paid tribute to Fidel Castro. They are pictured in Havana celebrating the former Cuban leader's 89th birthday last year

Castro waves Cuba's national flag after giving a speech in front of USA Interest Office in Havana in May 2005

Flowers and candles are laid in front of the Cuban embassy in Berlin, Germany on Friday following Castro's pasing

And Ecuadorean President Rafael Correa said: 'A great has left us. Fidel has died. Long live Cuba! Long live Latin America!'

Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto said: 'Fidel Castro was a friend of Mexico, promoter of a bilateral relationship based on respect, dialogue and solidarity.'

And Salvador Sanchez Ceren, President of El Salvador, tweeted: 'With deep sorrow we received news of the death of my dear friend and eternal companion, Commander Fidel Castro Ruz.'

In Venezuela, a long-time ally of Cuba and staunch opponent of the political stance of the United States, President Nicolas Maduro said Castro had inspired and would continue to inspire his country.

'We will keep on winning and keep fighting. Fidel Castro is an example of the fight for all the people of the world. We will go forward with his legacy,' Maduro told television station Telesur by telephone.

Castro, pictured with former South African leader Nelson Mandela in 2001, was an important supporter in the fight against apartheid, current president Jacob Zuma said in a statement

South African President Jacob Zuma hailed Castro for his help supporting the battle against apartheid.

'President Castro identified with our struggle against apartheid. He inspired the Cuban people to join us in our own struggle against apartheid,' Zuma said in a statement.

French President Francois Hollande mourned the loss of a major figure on the world stage and welcomed the rapprochement between Havana and Washington, but noted concerns over human rights under the Castro regime.

'Fidel Castro was a towering figure of the 20th century. He incarnated the Cuban revolution, in both its hopes and subsequent disillusionments,' Hollande said in a statement.

'France, which condemned human rights abuses in Cuba, had equally challenged the U.S. embargo on Cuba, and France was glad to see the two countries re-establish dialogue and open ties between themselves,' added the Socialist party leader.

Hollande met Fidel Castro in May, 2015 during the first ever visit by a French head of state to Cuba since the Cuban revolution.

French President Francois Hollande, pictured with Castro last year, described the former Cuban leader as a 'towering figure', but noted concerns over human rights under his regime

U.S. President Barack Obama pictured with Cuban President Raul Castro during their first meeting in March during Obama's visit to Cuba

U.S. PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA RELEASES A STATEMENT ON THE PASSING OF FIDEL CASTRO At this time of Fidel Castros passing, we extend a hand of friendship to the Cuban people. We know that this moment fills Cubans - in Cuba and in the United States - with powerful emotions, recalling the countless ways in which Fidel Castro altered the course of individual lives, families, and of the Cuban nation. History will record and judge the enormous impact of this singular figure on the people and world around him. For nearly six decades, the relationship between the United States and Cuba was marked by discord and profound political disagreements. During my presidency, we have worked hard to put the past behind us, pursuing a future in which the relationship between our two countries is defined not by our differences but by the many things that we share as neighbors and friends - bonds of family, culture, commerce, and common humanity. This engagement includes the contributions of Cuban Americans, who have done so much for our country and who care deeply about their loved ones in Cuba. Today, we offer condolences to Fidel Castro's family, and our thoughts and prayers are with the Cuban people. In the days ahead, they will recall the past and also look to the future. As they do, the Cuban people must know that they have a friend and partner in the United States of America. Advertisement

British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said: 'Fidel Castro's death marks the end of an era for Cuba and the start of a new one for Cuba's people.'

Irish president Michael D Higgins said Castro guided Cuba 'through a remarkable process of social and political change, advocating a development path that was unique and determinedly independent'.

He added that Castro would be remembered as a 'giant'.

In a statement released after the 90-year-old's death, he said: 'Fidel Castro will be remembered as a giant among global leaders whose view was not only one of freedom for his people but for all of the oppressed and excluded peoples on the planet.'

On Saturday morning, U.S. President-Elect Donald Trump tweeted: 'Fidel Castro is dead!'

He later released a full statement in which he described Castro as a 'brutal dictator who oppressed his own people for nearly six decades' whose legacy is one of 'unimaginable suffering and the denial of fundamental human rights.'

U.S. President Barack Obama weighed in on the passing of the Cuban revolutionary leader, saying that history will record and judge the 'enormous' impact that Castro had on 'the people and the world around him.'

The White House released Obama's statement on Saturday morning in which he noted the relationship between the U.S. and Cuba has been marked by 'discord and profound political disagreements' for nearly six decades.

Obama offered his condolences to Castro's family and said his thoughts and prayers are with the Cuban people.

Castro (right) with revolutionary Ernesto 'Che' Guevara in Havana's famous '1830' restaurant four years after they led the revolution that toppled Cuban dictator Fulgencio Batista

Castro addresses a National Press Club luncheon in Washington, D.C in 1959

A nightclub closed in the early hours of the morning as news of Fidel's Castro's death filtered through

In the streets of Havana, the announcement was met with surprise.

Mariela Alonso, a 45-year-old doctor, described the retired Cuban leader 'the guide for our people'.

She said: 'There will be no one else like him. We will feel his physical absence.'

Mechanic Celestino Acosta was sitting on a porch in the capital's central neighborhood of Vedado.

He called the news of Castro's death 'a painful blow for everyone'.

News of Castro's death was met with joy in the streets of Miami's Little Havana, where exiled Cubans celebrated the revolutionary's demise

But within half an hour of his death being announced, the streets of Miami's Little Havana teemed with Cuban exiles celebrating the 90-year-old's demise.

'Cuba si! Castro no!' they chanted, while others screamed 'Cuba libre!'

Thousands of Cubans fled the island to the United States after Castro took power in 1959.

Some were loyalists of Fulgencio Batista, the president prior to Castro, while others left with the hope they would be able to return soon, after Castro was toppled. He never was.

US Congress representative Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, a Cuban-American Republican from Miami, said in a statement: 'A tyrant is dead and a new beginning can dawn on the last remaining communist bastion of the Western Hemisphere.'

Castro was just 32 when he paid an unheralded visit to the Capitol in 1959

Castro smiles during a visit to the Cuban embassy in Algiers, Algeria in May 1972

Castro survived a number of US-backed assassination plots, as well as numerous media reports throughout the years that falsely claimed he was dead or nearly there.

But Castro, who four years ago bragged he didn't 'even remember what a headache is', remained active in his final months even as his public appearances became increasingly rare.

This summer he met with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping and in August celebrated his 90th birthday.

Castro thanked fellow Cubans for their well wishes and lambasted his old foe the United States in a column carried by state-run media.

Cuba went into overdrive to honor the retired 'El Comandante', who built a Communist-run state on the doorstep of the United States.

Even in his old age, Castro remained as critical as ever of President Obama and frequently spoke out against him in his published opinion pieces.

Castro blasted Obama's visit to Hiroshima in May, saying the president 'lacked the words to ask for forgiveness for the killings of hundreds of thousands of people'.

Castro walks with Oliver Stone during the director's making of the HBO documentary 'Looking for Fidel' in Havana

Castro holds hands with Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez as he recuperates from surgery in Havana in 2003. Castro's health forced him to relinquish power to his brother in 2008

In his last opinion piece, in March, Castro accused Obama of sweet-talking the Cuban people during his visit to the island - the first by a US leader in 88 years - and of ignoring the accomplishments of Communist rule.

Castro survived long enough to see Raul negotiate an opening with Obama on December 17, 2014, when Washington and Havana announced they would move to restore diplomatic ties for the first time since they were severed in 1961.

Fidel cautiously blessed the historic deal with his lifelong enemy in a letter published after a month-long silence.

'I don't trust the policy of the United States, nor have I exchanged a word with them, but this does not mean I reject a pacific solution to the conflicts,' he wrote.

Considered more pragmatic, the younger Castro also introduced market-style reforms to the state-dominated economy and increased personal freedoms, such as the right to travel abroad that many Cubans celebrated.

In his last opinion piece, in March, Fidel Castro accused Obama (pictured with Raul Castro) of sweet-talking the Cuban people during his visit to the island - the first by a US leader in 88 years - and of ignoring the accomplishments of Communist rule

Yet others still revered Fidel for freeing the country from US domination and introducing universal, free healthcare and education.

Castro's reign over the island-nation 90 miles from Florida was marked by the US-backed Bay of Pigs invasion in 1961 and the Cuban Missile Crisis a year later, which nearly brought the world to the brink of nuclear war.

He overcame imprisonment at the hands of dictator Fulgencio Batista, exile in Mexico and a disastrous start to his rebellion before triumphantly riding into Havana in January 1959 to become, at age 32, the youngest leader in Latin America.

For decades, he served as an inspiration and source of support to revolutionaries from Latin America to Africa.

'Socialism or death' remained Castro's rallying cry even as Western-style democracy swept the globe and other communist regimes in China and Vietnam embraced capitalism.

Castro (center) is pictured with his brother Raul (left) and Camilo Cienfuegos (right) while operating in the Mountains of Eastern Cuba

While his brother Raul was his closest confidant and successor as president, his sister Juana, exiled in south Florida, called Fidel a 'monster' to whom she had not spoken in more than four decades.

His eldest son Fidelito, long Castro's only officially-recognised child, was a nuclear scientist in Cuba.

His eldest daughter Alina Fernandez, born from an affair with a married socialite who remained on the island decades later, attacked her father on exile radio from Miami.

Cuba's revolutionary hero Ernesto 'Che' Guevara, Castro and Cuba's President Osvaldo Dorticos, right, attend a reception in 1960

IN HIS OWN WORDS: CASTRO'S MOST MEMORABLE QUOTES Cuba's Fidel Castro, who seized power in Cuba in a 1959 revolution and transformed the country into a communist state while ruling for five decades has died, Cuban television said on Friday. Here are some of his more memorable quotes about himself and communism in Cuba: 'Condemn me. It is of no importance. History will absolve me.' -- Castro in 1953, when the young lawyer was defending himself at trial for his near-suicidal assault on the Moncada military barracks in Santiago de Cuba. 'I began the revolution with 82 men. If I had to do it again, I would do it with 10 or 15 and absolute faith. It does not matter how small you are if you have faith and a plan of action.' -- Castro in 1959. 'I'm not thinking of cutting my beard, because I'm accustomed to my beard and my beard means many things to my country. When we fulfill our promise of good government I will cut my beard.' -- Castro in a 1959 interview with CBS's Edward Murrow, 30 days after the revolution. 'A revolution is not a bed of roses. A revolution is a struggle between the future and the past.' -- Castro in 1959. 'I reached the conclusion long ago that the one last sacrifice I must make for (Cuban) public health is to stop smoking. I haven't really missed it that much.' -- Castro in December 1985 upon announcing he had stopped smoking cigars. 'I never saw a contradiction between the ideas that sustain me and the ideas of that symbol, of that extraordinary figure (Jesus Christ).' -- Castro in 1985. 'Just imagine what would happen in the world if the socialist community were to disappear ... if this were possible and I don't believe it is possible.' -- Castro in 1989. 'We do not know anything about this. We, gentlemen, to tell the truth, do not even know what to charge.' -- Castro in 1990 on the development of international tourism In Cuba. 'We have to stick to the facts and, simply put, the socialist camp has collapsed.' -- Castro in 1991. 'There's nothing strange about it. I wish I had as many opportunities to welcome personalities as important as this one.' -- Castro in 1994, explaining the reception, usually reserved for heads of state, given to Hugo Chavez upon his arrival in Havana a few months after he was released from prison for leading a failed 1992 coup 'These changes (the opening to international tourism, foreign investment, some small business and family remittances)have their social cost, because we lived in a glass case, pure asepsis, and now we are surrounded by viruses, bacteria to the point of distraction and the egoism created by the capitalist system of production.' -- Castro in 1998. 'One of the greatest benefits of the revolution is that even our prostitutes are college graduates.' -- Castro to director Oliver Stone in 2003 documentary 'Comandante.' 'I realized that my true destiny would be the war that I was going to have with the United States.' -- Castro's opening quote in 'Looking for Fidel,' Stone's second documentary on the Cuban leader from 2004. 'Here is a conclusion I've come to after many years: among all the errors we may have committed, the greatest of them all was that we believed that someone ... actually knew how to build socialism. ... Whenever they said. 'That's the formula,' we thought they knew. Just as if someone is a physician.' Castro in 2005. 'I'm really happy to reach 80. I never expected it, not least having a neighbor, the greatest power in the world, trying to kill me every day,' he said on July 21, 2006 while attending a summit of Latin American presidents in Argentina. 'I will neither aspire to nor accept ... the positions of President of the State Council and Commander in Chief ... It would be a betrayal of my conscience to accept a responsibility requiring more mobility and dedication than I am physically able to offer.' Castro, in February 2008, announcing his resignation as president. 'We are not a developed capitalist country in crisis, whose leaders are going crazy looking for solutions amidst depression, inflation, a lack of markets and unemployment; we are and we must be socialists.' -- Castro writing in one of his 'reflections,' or newspaper columns in 2008. 'The Cuban model doesn't even work for us anymore.' -- Castro in 2010 during an interview with US journalist Jeffrey Goldberg. Castro later said his comment was taken out of context. Source: Reuters Advertisement

Before he was El Comandante, Castro - born August 13, 1926 - was the son of a Spanish immigrant father who recruited labor for US sugar companies before building up a prosperous plantation of his own.

Castro attended Jesuit schools, then the University of Havana, where he received law and social science degrees.

His life as a rebel began in 1953 with a reckless attack on the Moncada military barracks in the eastern city of Santiago. Most of his comrades were killed and Fidel and Raul went to prison.

Fidel turned his trial defense into a manifesto that he smuggled out of jail, famously declaring, 'History will absolve me.'

Freed under a pardon, Castro fled to Mexico and organized a rebel band that returned in 1956, sailing across the Gulf of Mexico to Cuba on a yacht named Granma.

After losing most of his group in a bungled landing Castro, with the help of brother Raul and legendary guerrilla fighter Ernesto 'Che' Guevarra, rallied support in Cuba's eastern Sierra Maestra mountains.

Three years later, tens of thousands spilled into the streets of Havana to celebrate Batista's downfall and catch a glimpse of Castro as his rebel caravan arrived in the capital on January 8, 1959.

Castro (pictured in the late 1950s) rallied support in Cuba's eastern Sierra Maestra mountains and three years later, tens of thousands spilled into the streets of Havana to celebrate Batista's downfall

Castro responds to a question from American NBC reporter Barbara Walters at a news conference granted to members of the US press in 1975

Castro shakes hands with Ernest Hemingway (left) and President Richard Nixon (right)

Castro greets former Pope John Paul II at the Jose Marti International Airport in Havana in 1998

Castro welcomes General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union Mikhail Gorbachev during the official ceremony for Gorbachev's arrival in Havana, on April 2, 1989

By Cuban count, Castro was the target of more than 630 assassination plots by militant Cuban exiles or the US government

The US was among the first to formally recognize his government, cautiously trusting Castro's early assurances he merely wanted to restore democracy - not install socialism.

But Castro was quick to silence his critics, closing independent newspapers and ordering the deaths of at least 582 members of the old government, who were gunned down by firing squads, over the course of two years.

Homosexuals in the country were herded into camps for 're-education' and HIV-positive citizens were quarantined.

In 1964, Castro acknowledged holding 15,000 political prisoners. Hundreds of thousands of Cubans fled, including Castro's daughter Alina Fernandez Revuelta and his younger sister Juana.

Still, the revolution thrilled millions in Cuba and across Latin America who saw it as an example of how the seemingly arrogant Yankees could be defied.

And many on the island were happy to see the seizure of property of the landed class, the expulsion of American gangsters and the closure of their casinos.

Castro's speeches, lasting up to six hours, became the soundtrack of Cuban life and his 269-minute speech to the UN General Assembly in 1960 set the world body's record for length that still stands more than five decades later.

As Castro moved into the Soviet bloc, Washington began working to oust him, cutting US purchases of sugar, the island's economic mainstay. Castro, in turn, confiscated $1billion in US assets.

Fidel Castro's cousin, Manuela Argiz, 103, poses at a residence for the elderly in Lancara, home town of Castro's father, a village some 12 miles from Lugo, northwestern Spain, on Saturday

A woman walks past graffiti that reads 'Long live Fidel and Raul' in Havana, Cuba on Saturday

A picture of Cuban late former president Fidel Castro hangs on a building in Havana, Cuba on Saturday

The sun rises at dawn over Havana's seafront boulevard 'El Malecon' in Cuba on Saturday

The American government imposed a trade embargo, banning virtually all US exports to the island except for food and medicine, and severed diplomatic ties in 1961.

On April 16 of that year, Castro declared his revolution to be socialist.

The very next day the CIA sent 1,400 Cuban exiles to take down Castro in the failed Bay of Pigs invasion, an international embarrassment for then-president John F Kennedy.

The debacle forced the US to give up on the idea of invading Cuba, but that didn't stop Washington and Castro's exiled enemies from trying to get rid of its leader.

By Cuban count, Castro was the target of more than 630 assassination plots by militant Cuban exiles or the US government.

Tensions between the two countries only increased when Kennedy announced there were Soviet nuclear missiles in Cuba.

He imposed a naval blockade of the island and, after a tense 13-day standoff, Soviet leader Nikita Krushchev removed them.

Cuban-American wave an American and Cuban flag, in the Little Havana area in Miami following news of his death

Thousands of Cuban exiles cheered and celebrated in Miami, Florida in the wake of Castro's death

The Cuban Missile Crisis, as it became known, put the world at the brink of nuclear war - and hurt relations between Cuba and the US even more.

'Castro is not just another Latin American dictator, a petty tyrant bent merely on personal power and gain,' Kennedy said at the time. 'His ambitions extend far beyond his own shores.'

President Jimmy Carter would try to improve relations with Cuba after he took office in 1977, even re-establishing diplomatic missions and negotiating the release of thousands of prisoners.

But conflicts over Cuba's military mission in Africa, tension caused by a flood of Cuban refugees in 1980 and the election of Ronald Reagan end the rapprochement.

As the end of the Cold War eased global tensions, many Latin American and European countries re-established relations with Cuba.

The Obama administration officially removed Cuba from a US terrorism blacklist and relations between the two countries were fully restored on July 20, 2015.

John Kerry flew to Havana a month later, becoming the first US Secretary of State to visit the country since 1945.

He attended a ceremonial flag-raising outside the newly reopened embassy. Cuba's flag now lies in Washington too.

Castro, then the prime minister of Cuba, plays baseball in Havana in this August 1964 photo

Castro calls for time as former US president Jimmy Carter prepares to throw the first pitch in a 2002 baseball game in Havana

Revolutionary Ernesto Che Guevara plays golf as Castro stands behind him at Colina Villareal in Havana in this undated file photo

As flamboyant as he was in public, Castro tried to lead a discreet private life. He and his first wife, Mirta Diaz Balart, had one son before divorcing in 1956.

Then, for more than four decades, Castro had a relationship with Dalia Soto del Valle. They had five sons together and were said to have married quietly in 1980.

Castro was rumored to have hundreds of lovers, and once said in a Vanity Fair interview that the number of children he fathered was 'almost a tribe'.

By the time Castro resigned 49 years after his triumphant arrival in Havana, he was the world's longest ruling head of government, aside from monarchs.

In retirement, Castro voiced unwavering support as Raul slowly but deliberately enacted sweeping changes to the Marxist system he had built.

Castro would even recognize some of his government's brutal human rights abuses, saying it's treatment of gays was an 'injustice'.

In 2010 Castro said during an interview that the 'Cuban model [of communism] doesn't even work for us anymore', although he later claimed the comment was taken out of context.

But Castro's longevity allowed the younger brother to consolidate control, perhaps lengthening the revolution well past both men's lives.

In February 2013, Raul announced that he would retire as president in 2018 and named newly minted Vice President Miguel Diaz-Canel as his successor.

As the tributes began to pour in from world leaders early Saturday morning, hundreds of Cuban-Americans took to the streets of Little Havana in Miami to celebrate his death.

The revelers banged pots and pans to express their joy at the demise of the man who had driven them or their relatives to flee their homeland.

Car horns filled the air and the crowd grew as people continued to cheer and sing in Spanish and wave Cuban flags.

Castro's death was also celebrated by Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, the first Cuban-American elected to Congress, who said it marked a 'new chapter in the history of Cuba'.

'The day that the people, both inside the island and out, have waited for has arrived: A tyrant is dead and a new beginning can dawn on the last remaining communist bastion of the Western hemisphere,' she said.

'Those who still rule Cuba with an iron grip may attempt to delay the islands liberation, but they cannot stop it.'

Miami's population is 70 percent Hispanic and Latino and more than half of that population is of Cuban descent
shows teenagers standing still at the beach

The teenagers did the

Thousands of schoolies have gathered on a West Australian beach to take part in the latest internet craze.

About 6,000 students celebrating schoolies, better known as leavers in WA, gathered at Meelup Beach in Perth on Wednesday to complete the Mannequin Challenge.

And the resulting video is proof that some teenagers do what their told.

Scroll down for video

Thousands of board short and bikini-clad leavers can be seen in the video standing eerily still

Some are lathering others up with sunscreen or playing beach-volley, others are enjoying the sun are taking a dip- all frozen in time

Thousands of board short and bikini-clad leavers can be seen in the video standing eerily still.

Some are lathering others up with sunscreen or playing beach volleyball, others are enjoying the sun or are taking a dip- all frozen in time.

The challenge was organised by the WA's Royal Life Saving Society as part of their Don't Drink and Drown campaign.

The initiative hopes to reduce the number of alcohol-related deaths at Perth's beaches.

According to the society, 40 young people drowned in Western Australia in between 2003 and 2013.
New York Police Department's Precinct 60 has pulled off a massive mannequin challenge with a holiday flare.

The nearly three-minute video opts out of the traditional Rae Sremmurd's 'Black Beatles', which is typically used in the challenge.

Instead, it plays the cheery song 'Easy Street' from the Walking Dead as the camera breezes through the precinct, revealing all kinds of mischief and holiday fun the officers are getting into.

From new recruits to plain-clothed officers and high-ranking cops, it appears everyone took time out to participate in the video, which has been viewed more than 27,000 times.

New York Police Department's Precinct 60 has pulled off a massive mannequin challenge with a holiday flare

From new recruits to plain-clothed officers and high-ranking cops, it appears everyone took time out to participate in the video, which has been viewed more than 27,000 times

The camera glides through the station showing the cops going about their business with a holiday twist

The video begins by passing two unflinching officers as they stand outside the precinct.

Then the camera swoops past the front area where a man is being taken into custody by two female officers who are locked into place with the new inmate.

In the main room, three officers stand together frozen in deep discussion as the camera turns to a group of fresh faced officers who are saluting.

Some officers show their respect by saluting and are serious as the camera passes them by

While others are goofy, like this officer wearing a German shepherd mask and chain next to his fellow offivcer

The camera then glides to an officer with a chain around his neck and wearing a German shepherd mask over his face sitting casually next to another officer behind a desk.

Next up, the clip shows two officers frozen in an argument with someone who appears to be a high-ranking officer.

The high-ranking officer appears to be shouting at the top of his lungs while the officers beg for mercy.

The clip shows two officers frozen in an argument with someone who appears to be a high-ranking officer

The camera moves to show some officers getting refreshments from vending machines while another group of officers stand locked in deep discussion

After that, the camera moves to show some officers getting refreshments from vending machines while others sweep up the station and behind that another group of officers stand locked in deep discussion.

As another person appears to be in the midst of getting arrested, the camera pans into a kitchen where a woman covered in soot looks shocked as a firefighter appears to put out a blaze in an oven (even though no fire is visible).

Rolling back toward the front of the station, the camera then shows a dining room full of officers enjoying a hearty Thanksgiving meal.

The camera pans into a kitchen where a woman covered in soot looks shocked as a firefighter appears to put out a blaze in an oven (even though no fire is visible)

Rolling back toward the front of the station, the camera then shows a dining room full of officers enjoying a hearty Thanksgiving meal

The area is loaded with officers around the table enjoying their meal as a high-ranking officer gets ready to carve up a plump turkey.
Mother-of-two was reported missing in early November and resurfaced three weeks later near Interstate 5

An abducted mother-of-two was chained to an object and had been heavily beaten when officers found her three weeks later on Thanksgiving morning.

Sherri Papini, 34, resurfaced near an interstate after she disappeared while jogging and managed to flag down a passing car. She had gone missing from her home near Redding, California earlier this month while jogging, prompting a frantic search.

Dispatchers and officers can be heard in an audio clip obtained by The Sacramento Bee discussing Papini's condition, moments after California Highway Patrol found her near Interstate 5 before dawn on Thursday.

'CHP is on scene and advised that she is chained to something,' a radio dispatcher told a responding officer. 'CHP is advising that she is heavily battered.'

Sherri Papini (pictured with her father-in-law) was found chained and badly beaten on Thanksgiving morning, three weeks after going missing while on a jog

Authorities previously said Papini was injured badly enough to require medical treatment when she was found, but have given no details of her condition.

Earlier Friday, a family member and law enforcement said they expected Papini to spend her first few days of freedom quietly, with family.

'We are very, very thankful and very ecstatic,' sister Sheila Koester, 36, told The Associated Press by telephone. 'It's the best Thanksgiving that anyone could ask for.'

Koester, who spoke to The Sacramento Bee on Friday, didn't say whether Papini had seen her two young children or if she has returned to their home in Mountain Gate.

Instead, she said Papini and her husband, Keith, would need privacy.

'They are very happy to be together and they're very thankful for everyone for allowing them to have their privacy and allowing them to recover from their situation that all of us have been in,' Koester said.

Authorities previously said Papini (pictured with her husband and two children) was injured badly enough to require medical treatment when she was found

Papini resurfaced near Interstate 5 (pictured) and managed to flag down a passing car. She has now been reunited with her husband, and her sister says the family is overjoyed

Koester told reporters on Friday after a news conference that her sister's disappearance, followed by her return, has caused 'a range of emotions - sadness, anger.'

'Right now, it's joy,' she added.

'Everyone's tireless efforts have made our family whole this evening,' Koester said according to the Record Searchlight.

'We are overwhelmed with joy of how supportive everyone has been to help bring us together as a family again.'

Papini was found around 4.30am Thursday after she flagged down a driver on Interstate 5 in Yolo County, Shasta County Sheriff Tom Bosenko said Thursday in a news conference.

Speaking separately at a news conference, Koester declined questions about her sister's disappearance and rescue and the ongoing Shasta County criminal investigation to find those responsible, saying she knew no details.

'Right now she's been through a very traumatic event, and needs time with her family,' Koester said.

A motorist spotted Papini before dawn Thursday near Interstate 5 about 150 miles south of the area where she had vanished, outside her home near Redding.

Authorities are looking for two Hispanic women, armed with a handgun and driving an SUV, who allegedly released Papini near the interstate that morning.

The family has asked for privacy while Papini (pictured with her husband and their two children) recovers and reconnects with them

Shasta County Sheriff Tom Bosenko (pictured) says Papini, the mother of two children, was treated and released at a local hospital for unspecified injuries after her reappearance

Authorities are looking for two Hispanic women, armed with a handgun and driving an SUV, who allegedly released Papini near the interstate (pictured) that morning

The motorist who spotted Papini called authorities, who connected the mother-of-two to her husband by cellphone.

'She was very emotional to be released and hear her husband's voice and then a few hours later to be reunited with him,' Bosenko told ABC's 'Good Morning America' on Friday.

Bosenko says Papini was treated and released at a local hospital for unspecified injuries after her reappearance.

The sheriff told reporters hours after Papini's rescue that he was withholding some information he considered sensitive for the sake of the investigation.

'Obviously she was emotional and quite upset, but elated to be freed, and so we were able to get some information from her,' Bosenko told 'Good Morning America'. 'Then, in the days following this, we will be following up with her.'

The Shasta County sheriff's department did not respond to calls and emails from The Associated Press seeking further comment Friday.

Sandra Oswald, a 29-year-old community organizer in Redding, had helped run search groups to look for the missing woman. Oswald is a runner, like Papini, and said her sudden vanishing hit close to home.

'It was just the biggest blessing, not only for the family but for the community that's been trying to find her,' Oswald said of Papini's return. 'Now, it's just praying for them and her recovery.'
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As thousands of Cuban-exiles cheered and celebrated in Florida in the wake of communist dictator Fidel Castro's death, the streets of Havana remained silent.

Miami's Little Havana teemed with life on Saturday following news of Castro's death as people who had fled from his socialist rule banged pots, waved Cuban flags and shouted 'He's dead! He's dead!'.

But as salsa music blared from car stereos and fireworks lit up the sky on Calle Ocho - the heart of the Cuban exile community in Florida - the scenes on the street of Cuba's Havana were eerily quiet.

Little Havana in Miami, Florida teemed with life following news of Fidel Castro's death early Saturday morning as thousands celebrated the communist dictator's death

The scenes on the streets of Havana were in stark contrast and remained silent almost immediately after news of Castro's death was announced

The death of Castro caught many people in Havana by surprise.

The streets were quiet almost immediately after President Raul Castro appeared on national television and announced that his brother, aged 90, had died on Friday night.

The nightclubs in Havana were shut down and the crowds of young people were forced out onto the streets.

Young men and women were pictured walking calmly around the streets as the rest of the city remained a ghost town.

The Cuban government has declared nine days of national mourning for the death of Fidel Castro, ending when his remains are interred on December 4.

Public activities and events will be canceled, and the Cuban flag will fly at half-mast.

Mariela Alonso, a 45-year-old doctor, called the retired Cuban leader 'the guide for our people.'

'There will be no one else like him. We will feel his physical absence,' she said.

Mechanic Celestino Acosta was sitting on a porch in the capital's central neighborhood of Vedado. He called the news of Castro's death 'a painful blow for everyone.'

People were still celebrating in Little Havana in Miami on Saturday morning

Hundreds lined the streets in the hours after Castro's death on Friday night

Members of the Cuban community paraded around in the Little Havana area of Miami on Saturday

People waved flags and honked car horns on the streets of Miami as hundreds of Cuban-Americans reacted to Castro's death

The streets around Havana's seafront boulevard 'El Malecon' were almost deserted on Saturday morning

A Cuban flag flies at half-mast and a picture of Fidel Castro decorates the headquarters of the Committees for the Defense of the Revolution in Havana on Saturday

A woman walks past a graffiti that reads 'Long live Fidel and Raul' in Havana on Saturday

The streets of Havana were quiet on Saturday morning following Castro's death on Friday

An old man sits next to portraits of late Fidel Castro and Che Guevara outside his residence in Havana on Saturday

Raul Castro, who succeeded his brother in 2006, told Cubans in the television announcement: 'Today, November 25, at 10.29pm, the Commander in Chief of the Cuban Revolution, Fidel Castro Ruz, passed away.

'In compliance with the expressed will of Companion Fidel, his remains will be cremated.'

He concluded his statement by saying: 'Onward to victory.'

While the mood in Cuba was somber following the announcement, within just 30 minutes the streets of Miami's Little Havana came alive.

Miami's population is 70 per cent Hispanic and Latino and more than half of that population is of Cuban descent.

'Cuba si! Castro no!' they chanted, while others screamed 'Cuba libre!'

Cuban-Americans celebrate the death of Fidel Castro on Saturday in the Little Havana area in Miami, Florida

News of Castro's death was met with joy in the streets of Miami's Little Havana, where exiled Cubans celebrated the revolutionary's demise

Salsa music blared from car stereos and fireworks lit up the sky on Calle Ocho - the heart of the Cuban exile community in Florida

People banged pots and waved Cuban flags as they celebrated Castro's death

A woman waves a Cuban and American flag upon hearing about the death of longtime Cuban leader Fidel Castro in the Little Havana neighborhood of Miami, Florida

Little Havana in Miami, Florida teemed with life following news of Fidel Castro's death early Saturday morning as thousands celebrated the communist dictator's death

Thousands of Cubans fled the island to the United States after Castro took power in 1959.

Some were loyalists of Fulgencio Batista - the president prior to Castro - while others left with the hope they would be able to return soon after Castro was toppled. He never was.

Hundreds of families were ripped apart and were only recently reunited thanks to Barack Obama extending an olive branch, which led to a thawing of relations between the U.S. and Cuba.

People banged kitchenware rhythmically in Little Havana, others danced in the streets and held their cellphones in the air to record the historic moment.

As the crowd grew in Miami, car horns filed the air as people continued to cheer and sing in Spanish.

Cuban flags waved as more people arrived to celebrate and share the moment together. Miami has been a haven for thousands of Cubans who fled Castro's rule for America.

The scenes on the streets of Havana were in stark contrast and remained silent almost immediately after news of Castro's death was announced

The streets were empty outside Havana's Gran Teatro hours after Fidel Castro's death was announced by his brother Raul

The death of Castro caught many people in Havana by surprise and the streets were fairly quiet

The nightclubs in Havana were shut down and young people made their way home

Street food vendors walk along the Malecon seawall after the news of the death of Fidel Castro

A nightclub closed in the early hours of the morning as news of Fidel's Castro's death filtered through

Women were seen chatting after the death of Cuba's former President Fidel Castro was announced in Havana

An image of Fidel Castro hangs outside a government building in Havana, Cuba, after news of the former leader's death was announced

Castro led his native Cuba for nearly half a century as both prime minister and president and claimed to have survived more than 600 assassination attempts.

He was 32 when he overthrew dictator Fulgencio Batista's government in 1959, becoming Cuba's prime minister.

Castro was quick to silence his critics, closing independent newspapers and ordering the deaths of at least 582 members of the old government over the course of two years.

Homosexuals in the country were herded into camps for 're-education' and HIV-positive citizens were quarantined.

In 1964, Castro acknowledged holding 15,000 political prisoners. Hundreds of thousands of Cubans fled, including Castro's daughter Alina Fernandez Revuelta and his younger sister Juana.

The big migration of Cubans to the United States began when Castro-led revolutionaries took over in the the late 1950s and early 1960s, according to MigrationPolicy.com.

In the 15 years after the revolution began, more than half a million Cubans would immigrate Miami, according to the Economist.

The controversial former president (pictured in 2001) ruled the country as a one-party state from 1959 to 2006

Fidel Castro, who led the country of Cuba for nearly half a century (pictured during his last official appearance in April this year) died Friday at the age of 90.

Flowers and a note 'Thank you Fidel!' in Spanish is left at the Cuban embassy in Berlin

The Cuban flag flies at half mast in Havana after the death of Cuba's former President Fidel Castro was announced

Cuban-Americans in the United States doubled from 71,000 to 163,000 from 1950 to 1960 and since the 1960s, most Cubans who have reached America have been permitted into the country via the 'Wet Feet, Dry Feet' policy.

The 'Wet Feet, Dry Feet' policy, which was the name given to the 1965 provision entitled the Cuban Adjustment Act, stated that anyone who reached the United States from Cuba could stay in the country and would be able to pursue citizenship.

If they were caught in the body of water between the United States and Cuba, they would be sent to a different country.

There were also 'Freedom Flights' in which about 300,000 Cubans were able to come to Miami between 1965 and 1973.

Still thousands would seek asylum in the United States using tiny rafts and unsafe vessels to cross the 330 miles of ocean between Cuba and Miami for the promise of a safer, better life.

In 2013, census information reported that there were 1.1million Cubans in the United States.

People in Miami celebrate the death of Cuba's Fidel Castro in front of Versailles Restaurant in Little Havana, early Saturday

A Cuban-American celebrates the death of Fidel Castro by waving Cuban flags in Miami

Hundreds of people took to the streets of Miami in jubilance after it was announced that Cuban dictator Fidel Castro had died at age 90

As people banged the kitchenware rhythmically in Little Havana, others danced in the streets and held their cellphones in the air to record the historic moment

Fidel Castro is dead and the people gathered here in Little Havana in Miami are celebrating. #WEBN pic.twitter.com/aveuyMjtw7  Javier Rodriguez (@WEBNtvRodriguez) November 26, 2016

Miami's population is 70 percent Hispanic and Latino and more than half of that population is of Cuban descent

Cuban flags waves as the crowd grew and people celebrated the end of Castro's life

Castro's death comes just months after the Communist revolutionary predicted that his time on earth was nearly up.

Among the first world figures to pay tribute to Castro was former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, who praised him for 'strengthening' his island nation.

Gorbachev said: 'Fidel stood up and strengthened his country during the harshest American blockade, when there was colossal pressure on him and he still took his country out of this blockade to a path of independent development.'

And current Russian President Vladimir Putin said: 'The name of this distinguished statesman is rightly considered the symbol of an era in modern world history. Fidel Castro was a sincere and reliable friend of Russia.'

Putin added that Castro has managed to build a 'free and independent Cuba' that 'became an influential member of the international community and served as an inspiration for many countries and peoples'.

Pope Francis has said Castro's death was 'sad news', and in a message to Raul, said: 'I express to you my sentiments of grief.'

U.S. President Barack Obama weighed in on the passing of the Cuban revolutionary leader, saying that history will record and judge the 'enormous' impact that Castro had on 'the people and the world around him.'

The White House released Obama's statement on Saturday morning in which he noted the relationship between the U.S. and Cuba has been marked by 'discord and profound political disagreements' for nearly six decades.

Obama offered his condolences to Castro's family and said his thoughts and prayers are with the Cuban people.

Miami has been a haven for thousands of Cubans who fled Castro's rule for America

As the crowd grew in Miami, car horns filed the air as people continued to cheer and sing in Spanish

On social media, Fidel Castro began trending after the news of his death with many seeming happy and relieved

Castro made his last official appearance before the country's Communist Party in April, asking party members to help keep his ideas alive long after he died.

'The time will come for all of us, but the ideas of the Cuban Communists will remain as proof on this planet that if they are worked at with fervor and dignity, they can produce the material and cultural goods that human beings need,' he told them.

Castro spoke as the government announced that his brother Raul will retain the Cuban Communist Party's highest post alongside his hardline second-in-command.

It was a resounding message that communism would retain its hold on Cuba, even as its leaders begin to die and age and icy relations with the US continue to thaw.

Castro officially handed power to his brother Raul in 2008, two years after he required emergency surgery for intestinal bleeding.

Raul Castro had been made acting president in 2006.

Many also toasted Cuba Libres - meaning 'Free Cuba' in Spanish - to the fall of Castro

On social media, Fidel Castro began trending after the news of his death with many seeming happy and relieved.

'Good riddance Fidel Castro!' one person wrote on Twitter.

Another wrote: 'Wow! Fidel Castro died! Cuba will be free! People celebrating on the streets of Miami the end of the tyranny!'

Another exclaimed: '(LIBERATED)! Fidel Castro, Miami is partying. The rain doesn't stop the party.'

Many also toasted Cuba Libres - meaning 'Free Cuba' in Spanish - while others smoked Cuban cigars to the fall of Castro.
A man who confronted a pair of home invaders was violently attacked and left with cuts to his hands after they tied him up.

The two men broke into the home in Melbourne's Box Hill North about 10am on Thursday, before the victim, 26, challenged the men.

The man was then assaulted and bound by the pair, who are off African descent and dressed in all black clothing.

A man who confronted a pair of home invaders was violently attacked and left with lacerations to his hands

The victim said the men stole his watch and car keys before fleeing from the scene and leaving him tied up.

He was taken to hospital for treatment to lacerations on his hands and knees.

The men partially concealed their faces and their identity is unknown, but the incident is being investigated by the Whitehorse Crime Investigation Unit.

The home invasion comes after the Victorian justice system vowed to crack down on dangerous criminals involved in violent home invasions, particularly linked to the notorious Apex gang, who have been tied to a spate of violent robberies.

Police have this week warned residents in Melbourne's south east to get security doors after five men - believed to be Apex gang members - committed a string of break-and-enters using a stolen car between November 17 and 20.

The gang has grown its membership to between 400 to 500 members since it started in 2013 in Hamilton Park.
Maurice Kirk went missing flying from Sudan to Ethiopia in a 1943 Piper Cub biplane

A pensioner pilot went missing from a vintage plane rally across Africa for the second time in four days, and was found in south Sudan.

Maverick amateur flyer Maurice Kirk, 72, left the main group of flyers in the Vintage Air Rally vowing to beat them to Cape Town, organisers said on Friday.

But in the early hours of this morning, they announced he was safe, having landed in south Sudan with a puncture.

According to the rally's Facebook page, he was found by locals who called a British person they knew in Juba who contacted the embassy.

The rally had arrived in Kenya on Friday night without any sign of Mr Kirk before hearing from the embassy.

Organisers posted a statement on the Vintage Air Rally Facebook page.

It said: 'The Rally has just arrived in Kenya after the Ethiopians managed to figure out where they, we and the Sudanese managed to mess up.

'For the second time in two flights, Maurice is a no show. We have launched (again) an overdue aircraft process (now Kenyan rather than Ethiopian).

'We suspect he was trying to fly directly to Nairobi but has run out of sunlight and landed somewhere.

'Next of kin have been informed, and an overdue aircraft procedure launched (second time in two flights) but whilst many of his piloting skills are very poor (rules and regulations to start), his ability to drop his cub into a small field for the night is impressive. We hope he is okay and will continue in the morning.

'He is no longer part of the rally, but we have of course been helping him with everything (fuel, accommodation, oil, permits, flight plans etc. etc.) until Kenya.

It was the second time in a week the pilot had gone missing from the rally, and organisers had asked him to go home when he went missing between Sudan and Ethiopia on Tuesday.

The route Maurice Kirk intended to make from Crete to South Africa as part of the Vintage Air Rally

A major search was organised amid fears he may have crashed before he arrived safely hours after the rest of the group in Gambela in Ethiopia.

It later emerged he hadn't had proper navigational equipment onboard, suffered two engine failures and was forced to make an emergency landing in Khartoum in Sudan.

Last night Vintage Air Rally organiser Sam Rutherford said he was concerned for Mr Kirk's safety after he took off on his own.

He said he believed the pensioner, who was a drinking friend of the late actor Oliver Reid, had again taken off without proper navigational aids in his 1943 Piper Cub plane.

Speaking from Gambela last night Mr Rutherford said: 'When Maurice went missing the first time there were genuine concerns he may have crashed.

'This time we are still concerned because he has told us he wants to beat the rest of the group to Cape Town.

'But as far as we know he still doesn't have the right navigational equipment onboard.

'This is not what the rally is about. We want everyone to arrive safely.'

Organisers had earlier asked Kirk to pull out of the race after he suffered two engine failures on Sunday

He was once rescued after ditching in the Caribbean in an attempt to fly solo around the world in a 65-year-old plane in 2008.

Yesterday the 40-strong team of flyers were preparing to head from Gambela to Nairobi after Ethiopian official gave them the go ahead to continue.

They had been held at Gambela airport after a mix up over flight clearance paper work which took two days to clear up.

It appears Mr Kirk, who is regarded as a maverick figure in the flying world, has stolen a march on the rest of the group,

Mike Flynn, 65, a friend of Mr Kirk's and a fellow amateur flyer added: 'Anyone who knows Kirk knows he can be a loose cannon.

'But he is a good flyer and if he says he is going to beat the rest of the group to Cape Town, I for one wouldn't put it past him.'

Mr Kirk is taking part in the 8,000-mile trans Africa vintage plane rally with 14 other single-engined vintage planes.

The rally which is being sponsored by Puma Energy will raise money for UNICEF and Bird Life International and is attempting to cross the continent at low altitude.

Rutherford, a former helicopter pilot in the Army Air Corps, runs a logistics company Prepare2Go, which got the rally off the ground.

The teams plan to cross 10 countries, many beset by war and borderline famine, in a rally that will seek to recreate the 1931 Imperial Airways 'Africa Route'.

From Cairo, the first stop, the pilots have already flown over the Nile to Khartoum.

Two helicopters and six modern aircraft, carrying spares and equipment, are flying alongside.

Special fuel has been flown in to points along the route.

Mr Kirk is a controversial figure with a colourful past.

The flyer, who was once Oliver Reid's vet, was rescued after ditching in the Caribbean in an attempt to fly solo around the world in a 65-year-old plane in 2008.

He was found 75 miles from the Dominican Republic by US coastguards who tracked his 'life-saving' radio beacon.

Two months later he was arrested by Texas cops after landing near former president George Bush's ranch

Former serviceman Maurice Kirk, 71, from South Wales, a former drinking partner of actor Oliver Reed, was detained in Ethiopia

Father-of-four Mr Kirk said he wanted to thank the President for the way US coastguards rescued him after his World War Two plane ditched in the shark-infested Caribbean in February.

Shortly before he set off for Africa he was arrested after driving his vintage aeroplane through a busy high street.

He spent a night in the cells and was charged with 'driving otherwise than in accordance with a licence' and 'using a motor vehicle without insurance' through Taunton town centre.

Onlookers said the 1943 Piper Cub aeroplane was on a trailer with the wings folded up and was holding up traffic.

Mr Kirk, who is also known as the Flying Vet was preparing to take part in the rally when he was arrested.

He appeared at Taunton Magistrates' Court on October 13 and is due to reappear before Taunton Magistrates at a future date.

Since 1995, he has had a string of court appearances including for hurling abuse at police while he tended to an injured dog on a beach and on another occasion for refusing to give a sample when stopped on suspicion of drink-driving.
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A wave of arrests has failed to dampen the spirits of these hard-partying schoolies, who are kicking back their heels to get the second week of celebrations underway.

Images are pouring into social media of NSW students descending on the Gold Coast for the party of a lifetime, with some revellers baring all in the name of a good time.

The school-leavers can be seen taking to balconies and spilling onto the streets as they kick off the debauchery, in what is poised to be another week of carnage.

Images show some revellers feeling the long arm of the law among a spate of arrests marring the festival, with police detaining 38 people  nearly double the figure this time last.

Meanwhile paramedics have treated 300 people, teens have recorded themselves walking between hotel balconies, and another man was filmed jumping from a lamppost into a river.

Year 12 NSW students have kicked off the second week of schoolies as they descend on the Gold Coast

Some revellers are seen baring all in the name of a good time, in what's poised to be another week of carnage

Revellers hit the pool and let their hair down for the notorious end-of-year celebration

High-spirited school leavers strike a pose amid the madness

A schoolie engages a policeman in conversation, after a wave of arrests on the Gold Coast

The woman shares a tender moment with the unassuming police officer

A reveller gets a little more than he bargained for after hitching a wide in a trolley

This school leaver appears to have suffered an injury to his nose

Schoolies take to their balcony in trademarks style to soak up the sunshine

One partygoer feels the long arm of the law amid a wave of arrests in the debaucherous festival

The celebration comes after a spate of arrests marring the celebrations, with double the arrests of this time last year

Partygoers prepare for a night on the town as the NSW round of celebrations gets underway

There has been a strong of controversial events and arrests, but not enough to put off these high-spirited revellers

Many school leavers are baring all in the name of letting off steam

One partygoer appears to havehad her celebrations cut short with a trip to the hospital

A pair of partygoers soak up some sunshine on their balcony before a big week of celebrations




Just 12 hours after landing in Australia, Scottish track cyclist Callum Skinner has already become well acquainted with the local wildlife, much to his horror.

The Olympic medalist was less than impressed when he spotted a spider on the wall of his accommodation on Friday.

He took his disgust to Twitter posting a video of the arachnid, while he stood a considerable distance away.

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Olympic medalist Callum Skinner was less than impressed when he spotted a spider on the wall of his accommodation on Friday

'No training will happen until this thing is dead,' he told one of his many Twitter followers who were closely watching the situation unfold

The spider, which appears to be a harmless huntsman, had no chance when the cyclist decided to get the insect spray.

Despite instructions on the can indicating just one spray would do the job, Skinner took no chances and sprayed the spider a few times.

'No training will happen until this thing is dead,' he told one of his many Twitter followers who were closely watching the situation unfold.

The silver-medalist said the spider was 'still kind of moving' after 20 minutes of being sprayed.

Soon the harrowing experience was over and the spray 'did the job in the end.'

And it appears he wasn't too badly scarred from his close encounter.

Alongside a picture of a koala he posted: 'Yesterday's spider scare was forgotten after I spotted this Koala Bear on today's ride. What a lovely herbivore.'

The spider, which appears to be a harmless huntsman, had no chance when the cyclist decided to get the insect spray

Despite instructions on the can indicating just one spray would do the job, Skinner took no chances and sprayed the spider a few times

The silver-medalist said the spider was 'still kind of moving' after 20 minutes of being sprayed




There is no question of who came out on top in this battle of nature and technology.

A defenceless Ford truck was left with a massive dent in its front after it was charged by an angry hippo - which also the man inside the vehicle rather shaken up.

Welding Inspector Wikus Ceronie was heading to South Africa from Mozambique, where he works, on Friday morning.

The Ford truck was left with a massive dent in its front after it was charged by an angry rhino - which also the man inside the vehicle rather shaken up

The 26-year-old was crossing the border from Kruger National Park when he noticed the animal standing on a bridge.

He said: 'There were people walking around in the nearby vicinity so I automatically assumed this hippo was used to humans. I was quite fascinated by this so I took out my phone to start filming.

'Suddenly the hippo turned and just started charging - I braced myself as I realized he wasn't going to stop. He hit the bakkie head on and then tried biting it. I guess after that he decided he had won because he just turned around and left.

'This was terrifying for me because I realized I had nowhere to go and no time to do it in. Beside me was a 50m drop so had he hit me on the side I have no doubt the car would have rolled down the embankment.

'Even though there was damage done to the bonnet of my vehicle and the door couldn't open, I'm grateful there were no serious injuries at the end of day.'

Wikus Ceronie was crossing the border from Kruger National Park when he noticed the animal standing on a bridge
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U.S. President Barack Obama has spoken out of the passing of Cuban revolutionary leader Fidel Castro, saying that history will record and judge the 'enormous' impact that Castro had on 'the people and the world around him.'

The White House released Obama's statement on Saturday morning in which he noted the relationship between the U.S. and Cuba has been marked by 'discord and profound political disagreements' for nearly six decades.

Obama offered his condolences to Castro's family and said his thoughts and prayers are with the Cuban people.

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U.S. President Barack Obama released a statement on the passing of Cuban revolutionary leader Fidel Castro, saying history will record and judge the 'enormous' impact that Castro had on 'the people and the world around him'. Obama pictured above with Castro's brother, Cuban president Raul Castro during their first meeting on Obama's visit to Cuba in March

Vietnam's President Tran Dai Quang was among the last heads of state to visit the firebrand Cuban revolutionary. They are pictured here during a meeting last week in one of the last photos taken of Castro before he died

'At this time of Fidel Castros passing, we extend a hand of friendship to the Cuban people,' Obama's statement said.

'We know that this moment fills Cubans - in Cuba and in the United States - with powerful emotions, recalling the countless ways in which Fidel Castro altered the course of individual lives, families, and of the Cuban nation.

'History will record and judge the enormous impact of this singular figure on the people and world around him.'

President Obama went on to say that during his presidency, 'we have worked hard to put the past behind us, pursuing a future in which the relationship between our two countries is not defined by our differences.'

'But by the many things that we share as neighbors and friends - bonds of family, culture, commerce, and common humanity,' he said.

U.S. PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA RELEASES A STATEMENT ON THE PASSING OF FIDEL CASTRO At this time of Fidel Castros passing, we extend a hand of friendship to the Cuban people. We know that this moment fills Cubans - in Cuba and in the United States - with powerful emotions, recalling the countless ways in which Fidel Castro altered the course of individual lives, families, and of the Cuban nation. History will record and judge the enormous impact of this singular figure on the people and world around him. For nearly six decades, the relationship between the United States and Cuba was marked by discord and profound political disagreements. During my presidency, we have worked hard to put the past behind us, pursuing a future in which the relationship between our two countries is defined not by our differences but by the many things that we share as neighbors and friends - bonds of family, culture, commerce, and common humanity. This engagement includes the contributions of Cuban Americans, who have done so much for our country and who care deeply about their loved ones in Cuba. Today, we offer condolences to Fidel Castro's family, and our thoughts and prayers are with the Cuban people. In the days ahead, they will recall the past and also look to the future. As they do, the Cuban people must know that they have a friend and partner in the United States of America. Advertisement

'This engagement includes the contributions of Cuban Americans, who have done so much for our country and who care deeply about their loved ones in Cuba.

'Today, we offer condolences to Fidel Castro's family, and our thoughts and prayers are with the Cuban people. In the days ahead, they will recall the past and also look to the future.

'As they do, the Cuban people must know that they have a friend and partner in the United States of America.'

Castro has been branded 'one of the most iconic personalities of the 20th century' - but in death, as in life, he has left opinion divided.

Nine days of public mourning have been announced in Cuba, and citizens in Havana have voiced their disbelief at Castro's demise.

Within hours of his death being announced, former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev praised him for 'strengthening' his island nation.

And current Russian President Vladimir Putin described Castro as 'the symbol of an era' and a 'distinguished statesman'.

Russian President Vladimir Putin (pictured with the former Cuban leader in 2000) described Castro as 'the symbol of an era' and a 'distinguished statesman'

A banner filled with images of Fidel Castro hangs on a government building in Havana following news of the revolutionary leader's death

Stunned Cubans outside a nightclub in Havana, which closed as news of Castro's death filtered through

U.S. President-Elect Donald Trump tweeted, 'Fidel Castro is dead!' and was roundly mocked for his terse tweet reacting to news.

He later released a full statement in which he described Castro as a 'brutal dictator who oppressed his own people for nearly six decades' whose legacy is one of 'unimaginable suffering and the denial of fundamental human rights.'

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said his country mourned the death of a 'great friend', and French President Francois Hollande branded Castro 'a towering figure', while noting concerns about human rights under the revolutionary's regime.

But within half an hour of his death being announced, the streets of Miami's Little Havana teemed with Cuban exiles celebrating the 90-year-old's demise, and a Cuban-American US Congress representative branded the late leader 'a tyrant'.

Castro waves Cuba's national flag after giving a speech in front of USA Interest Office in Havana, Cuba in May 2005

An image of Fidel Castro hangs outside a government building in Havana after news of his death was announced

In the streets of Havana, the announcement was met with surprise, with citizens saying they had expected the 90-year-old to 'last forever'.

Mariela Alonso, a 45-year-old doctor, described the retired Cuban leader 'the guide for our people'.

She said: 'There will be no one else like him. We will feel his physical absence.'

Mechanic Celestino Acosta was sitting on a porch in the capital's central neighborhood of Vedado.

He called the news of Castro's death 'a painful blow for everyone'.

Carlos Rodriguez, 15, was sitting in Havana's Miramar neighborhood when he heard that Fidel Castro had died.

'Fidel? Fidel?' he said, slapping his head in shock. 'That's not what I was expecting. One always thought that he would last forever. It doesn't seem true.'

'It's a tragedy,' said 22-year-old nurse Dayan Montalvo. 'We all grew up with him. I feel really hurt by the news that we just heard.'

Cuban Americans celebrate upon hearing about the death of longtime Cuban leader Fidel Castro in the Little Havana neighborhood of Miami

But in Little Havana, the news was greeted with cheer. 'Cuba si! Castro no!' exiles chanted, while others screamed 'Cuba libre!'

Celebration, not grief, permeated the atmosphere.

US Congress representative Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, a Cuban-American Republican from Miami, said in a statement: 'A tyrant is dead and a new beginning can dawn on the last remaining communist bastion of the Western Hemisphere.'

Thousands of Cubans fled the island to the United States after Castro took power in 1959.

Some were loyalists of Fulgencio Batista, the president prior to Castro, while others left with the hope they would be able to return soon, after Castro was toppled. He never was.

Many others believed they would not be truly free under Castro and his communist regime.

Cubans left behind their possessions, loved ones, and hard-earned educations and businesses, travelling to the US by plane, boat or raft. Many died on the ocean trip to South Florida.

Pope Francis, pictured with Castro in September last year, has described the former Cuban leader's death as 'sad news'

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi described Castro as 'one of the most iconic personalities of the 20th century'

Flowers and a note were left outside the Cuban embassy in London this morning after news of Castro's death broke

Pope Francis said Castro's death was 'sad news', writing to Raul: 'I express to you my sentiments of grief.'

World leaders have remembered the revolutionary leader, who was branded an 'inspiration' by Vladimir Putin in a statement.

Putin said : 'The name of this distinguished statesman is rightly considered the symbol of an era in modern world history. Fidel Castro was a sincere and reliable friend of Russia.'

Putin added that Castro has managed to build a 'free and independent Cuba' that 'became an influential member of the international community and served as an inspiration for many countries and peoples'.

The Kremlin strongman hailed Castro as a 'strong and wise person who always looked to the future with confidence'.

Putin met with Castro in 2014 in Havana, six years after the Cuban revolutionary handed control of the island to his younger brother, Raul

'He embodied the high ideals of a politician, a citizen and a patriot sincerely convinced of the rightness of the cause to which he dedicated his whole life,' Putin said.

'His memory will forever remain in the hearts of the citizens of Russia.'

The Russian President also said that Castro had made a 'huge personal contribution' in the establishment and development of the countries' bilateral relations.

Mikhail Gorbachev said: 'Fidel stood up and strengthened his country during the harshest American blockade, when there was colossal pressure on him and he still took his country out of this blockade to a path of independent development'

Gorbachev (pictured with Castro in 1989) hailed the former Cuban leader for strengthening his island nation

Castro, left, and former Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev clasp hands at the Lenin mausoleum in Moscow's Red Square on May Day in Moscow, Russia in May 1963. Fidel embraced Soviet-style communism and defied the power of 10 US presidents

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi described Castro as 'one of the most iconic personalities of the 20th century', and said: 'India mourns the loss of a great friend.

'I extend my deepest condolences to the Government and people of Cuba on the sad demise of Fidel Castro. May his soul rest in peace.'

Former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev hailed Castro for strengthening his island nation.

Gorbachev said: 'Fidel stood up and strengthened his country during the harshest American blockade, when there was colossal pressure on him and he still took his country out of this blockade to a path of independent development.'

British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said: 'Fidel Castro's death marks the end of an era for Cuba and the start of a new one for Cuba's people.'

He added: 'Fidel Castro's leadership of the 1959 Cuban Revolution marked him out as an historic if controversial figure.

'The UK will continue to work with the government of Cuba on a wide range of foreign policy priorities, including on human rights.'

In mourning: Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro (left) and Bolivia's Evo Morales (center) have paid tribute to Fidel Castro. They are pictured in Havana celebrating the former Cuban leader's 89th birthday last year

Latin American leaders voiced their sorrow at Castro's death.

In Bolivia, where Castro ally Ernesto 'Che' Guevara died in 1967 in a failed bid to export Cuba's revolution, President Evo Morales said in a statement: 'Fidel Castro left us a legacy of having fought for the integration of the world's peoples... The departure of Comandante Fidel Castro really hurts.'

And Ecuadorean President Rafael Correa said: 'A great has left us. Fidel has died. Long live Cuba! Long live Latin America!'

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said: 'We will go forward with his legacy'

In Venezuela, a long-time ally of Cuba and staunch opponent of the political stance of the United States, President Nicolas Maduro said Castro had inspired and would continue to inspire his country.

'We will keep on winning and keep fighting. Fidel Castro is an example of the fight for all the people of the world. We will go forward with his legacy,' Maduro told television station Telesur by telephone.

South African President Jacob Zuma hailed Castro for his help supporting the battle against apartheid.

'President Castro identified with our struggle against apartheid. He inspired the Cuban people to join us in our own struggle against apartheid,' Zuma said in a statement.

Castro, pictured with former South African leader Nelson Mandela in 2001, was an important supporter in the fight against apartheid, current president Jacob Zuma said in a statement

French President Francois Hollande mourned the loss of a major figure on the world stage and welcomed the rapprochement between Havana and Washington, but noted concerns over human rights under the Castro regime.

'Fidel Castro was a towering figure of the 20th century. He incarnated the Cuban revolution, in both its hopes and subsequent disillusionments,' Hollande said in a statement.

'France, which condemned human rights abuses in Cuba, had equally challenged the U.S. embargo on Cuba, and France was glad to see the two countries re-establish dialogue and open ties between themselves,' added the Socialist party leader.

French President Francois Hollande described Castro as a 'towering figure', but noted concerns over human rights in Cuba

Hollande met Fidel Castro in May, 2015 during the first ever visit by a French head of state to Cuba since the Cuban revolution.

Irish president Michael D Higgins said Castro guided Cuba 'through a remarkable process of social and political change, advocating a development path that was unique and determinedly independent'.

He added: 'Fidel Castro will be remembered as a giant among global leaders whose view was not only one of freedom for his people but for all of the oppressed and excluded peoples on the planet.'

Communist heavyweights China and Vietnam were swift to lament Castro's death, with Hanoi's state media leading tributes to the loss of a 'great friend and comrade'.

Castro showed solidarity with communist Vietnam in its war against US invaders.

The Vietnam News Agency said 'for all Vietnamese, Fidel was a great friend, a comrade and a very close brother'.

It added that he had been 'a pure symbol of true internationalism in the fight for independence of nations'.

As a sign of those enduring ties, Vietnam's President Tran Dai Quang was among the last heads of state to visit the firebrand Cuban revolutionary, meeting Castro on November 16.

Pham Tran Van, an army colonel during the Vietnam war, said: 'Fidel Castro was like our President Ho Chi Minh. He was the symbol of the endless struggle for .... freedom.'

Chinese President Xi Jinping released a statement stating: 'The Chinese people have lost a close comrade and a sincere friend.'

Xi hailed Castro for his contribution to the development of communism both in Cuba and around the world.

Mariano Rajoy, the Spanish prime minister, sent his condolences to Cuba's government and people, via Twitter, where he described Castro as 'a figure of historic significance'.

British Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn hailed Fidel Castro as 'a massive figure in the history of the whole planet', praising the 'heroism' of the revolutionary figure and commended the social changes he brought to the Caribbean island.

A longstanding supporter of the Cuba Solidarity Campaign, Mr Corbyn's views have courted controversy due to reports of widespread human rights abuses under Mr Castro's rule.

'I think history will show that Castro was such a key figure, it seems he has been with us forever,' he told the Press Association.

British Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn branded Castro 'a massive figure in the history of the whole planet'

Former London mayor Ken Livingstone said Mr Castro was an 'absolute giant of the 20th century', and blamed the US for the restrictions on civil liberties under his leadership.

He told Radio 4's Today programme: 'I'm sure they will, over time, move towards something like a traditional west European democracy. It could have happened a lot earlier if you hadn't had, the entire time, a blockade by America, attempts to overthrow the regime, eight assassination attempts authorized by American presidents.'

He admitted 'of course Fidel did things that were wrong', adding: 'Initially he wasn't very good on lesbian and gay rights, but the key things that mattered was that people had a good education, good healthcare and wealth was evenly distributed.
Prosecutors say the dad stowed the gun in an 'easily accessible' place

to four years in prison after he was blamed

The father has been

him in the head

the gun was a toy and fired at the boy-

A father has been sentenced to four years in prison after his 12-year-old son accidentally shot his best friend dead with a bolt-action hunting rifle.

The tragedy happened in the village of Nieledwia in south-western Poland.

The young schoolboy, whose name has not been released, was at home playing with his friend from school, who also happened to be his neighbour.

Moving around the house, they found a real hunting rifle - a CZ-550 - which they reportedly thought was a toy.

A CZ-550 bolt-action hunting rifle similar to one that killed the boy. The gun owning father will now serve four years behind bars

As the pair were playing with the deadly weapon, reports said it went off and the boy's best friend was fatally shot in the head.

By the time an ambulance arrived, the boy was already dead and paramedics were unable to help.

Prosecutors are blaming the father, whose name has also not been released, for improperly storing the weapon, which was stowed away in a place 'easily accessible by children', the court heard.

Adam Fudali, a gun expert and former police officer, told local media: 'If the weapon got into the hands of the child, it was stored in a wrong way.'

Deadly rifle bullets. By the time the ambulance arrived at the house the boy was already dead

'This tragedy is the result of carelessness and neglect and it is a fault of the adult who should secure the weapons.'

The father, an avid hunter and gun owner, initially pleaded not guilty but in the end admitted it was his fault and that he had to accept the consequences of his son's actions.

The court sentenced him to four years in prison.
Harris, a border terrier, ran off chasing deer when he was walking on Ben Nevis

A border terrier survived a highland adventure when he got lost on Britain's highest mountain but was found by two climbers who sent him home in a taxi.

Harris, a pet border terrier, went missing halfway up 4,411ft (1345m) Ben Nevis amid temperatures of minus three degrees centigrade and fading light.

Owners Christoff and Alison du Plessis, both dentists in nearby Fort William, feared the worst after friends phoned with the bad news that Harris had run off chasing deer.

Two climbers found Harris later in the afternoon, an hour's walk away from where he was last seen, and called the number on his tag.

The call was picked up hundreds of miles away in Spalding, Lincolnshire, by Mr du Plessis's mother at the address where the couple used to live.

She gave the rescuers their new address and they then arranged for a taxi to ferry the pooch - none the worse for his ordeal - back home.

Now Harris's owners are desperate to find the climbers to thank them for saving their pet.

Harris had been enjoying a walk with Dutch friends of Mr and Mrs du Plessis on the north face of Ben Nevis when he got lost.

Owners Alison and Christoff Du Plessis, pictured above, feared the worst when they heard their dog was missing, but soon received good news

After Harris was safely delivered home, Mrs du Plessis posted on Facebook to thank people who helped share information about him and to try to find the climbers

Mr du Plessis, 28, said: 'He just spotted the deer and took off without a trace.'

'My wife was in with patients when I got the call about Harris otherwise I think she would have flipped.

'I was worried about him because they were pretty high up and it was very cold, but thankfully the two climbers found him and called the number on the tag.'

'Thankfully my mum picked up the phone and coordinated where to drop him off.'

The adorable border terrier was unharmed by his Highland adventure, and was sent home in a taxi after he was found by two kind-hearted climbers

He added: 'Harris looked pretty delighted with himself and was still very excited when he came back.

'I think my friends were more relieved than he was.'

Mr du Plessis is keen to find the two climbers who went out of their way to help his lost dog.

He said: 'We really want to thank them.'

The couple want to track down the two climbers who found their pet so they can thank them in person for their help

Mrs du Plessis, 29, posted on Facebook thanking everyone for their efforts in finding Harris.

She said: 'Massive thank you to everyone who shared information on social media posts this afternoon to help find Harris.
Five people are dead and three others missing after a chartered fishing boat overturned in rough seas north of Auckland, New Zealand.

A desperate search will continue at first light on Sunday as grave fears were held for those still missing.

Three others were rescued after the fishing boat Francie overturned in the wide Kaipara Harbour.

Police Inspector Duncan Hall said 11 people were on board the vessel, described by other boatmen as very safe and reliable.

Five people are dead and three others missing after chartered fishing boat Francie (pictured) overturned in rough seas north of Auckland, New Zealand

But questions were being asked why it had put to sea when at least one other charter company decided conditions were too rough to venture out.

Police have yet to reveal the names, gender or nationalities of those who died or were missing.

Part of the investigation is determining who was on board, Inspector Hall said.

Rod Bridge, a former skipper of the Francie, told the New Zealand Herald that while the vessel was an excellent little boat, it should not have been out on the water.

It shouldnt have been out there. It was too rough its a terrible thing, he said.

Mr Bridge said he had disappointed customers who were looking forward to going for a sail with his own charter business, telling them that the conditions were not suitable.

A desperate search will continue at first light on Sunday as grave fears were held for those still missing

I stayed home. Im not stupid. The wind was coming up and the swell was coming up,' he said.

The fishing and charter boat community in Kaipara was in shock after hearing reports of the accident.

Another charter boat operator, who declined to be identified, said he knew the skipper of the Francie but did not know whether he was one of those who had died.

Its a bit sad to miss one of our fellow skippers - well, we dont know yet. But its a bit sad to hear whats happened he said.

Three helicopters and a plane were on Saturday night searching for anyone who had been thrown into the water, while water police were also dispatching craft.

Three others were rescued after the fishing boat Francie overturned in the wide Kaipara Harbour

The alarm was raised at mid-afternoon when emergency services were told that a boat was late in returning to the harbour.

Rescue helicopter crews were told there had been an accident that had left multiple people in the water.

As many as 110 vessels have come to grief trying to cross a notorious sandbar in the harbour in the past.

Coastguards warn sailors that sandbars are common around the country and they can be extremely dangerous.
A man who was forced to have sex with a cow as a child by a depraved paedophile has revealed how his coworkers mocked him by making 'mooing' noises after they found out about his traumatic past.

The victim, who has since had a child of his own, wrote a victim impact statement outlining the horrific affect paedophile Allan Kenneth Brookes had on his life.

The victim told the Downing Centre judge of the long-lasting effects of the abuse on all facets of his life, and his horror when Brookes' arrest was reported in the local media and people assumed he was the victim.

A man who was forced to have sex with a cow as a child has spoken about how it has impacted him as an adult

'I received phone calls from work colleagues questioning me and people were mooing like a cow due to the nature of the charges,' he said.

He did not return to work after that.

'I was now unemployed and terrified of leaving the house.'

The man's partner cried as she read his victim impact statement in the Downing Centre on Friday as part of Brookes' sentencing hearing.

The man said the abuse he suffered as a child has had an affect on his relationship with his son.

'I don't feel comfortable holding him, giving him cuddles or saying 'I love you',' she read.

The man issued a victim impact statement to the Downing Centre court outlining how the paedophile hurt him

'Allan Brookes destroyed my life.'

Brookes has plead guilty to bestiality and inciting aggravated indecency and aggravated indecency on a person under 16.

In September a jury found Brookes, who was aged 53 at the time of his arrest in 2014, guilty of multiple child sex offences in relation to the same victim.

Brookes' abuse turned him from a happy, engaged child at school, into a panic attack-prone loner who would leave class and hide in the bushes.

As an adult, he said the abuse had destroyed his relationships, financial success, education, sexual functioning and mental health and pushed him into alcohol addiction.

The sentence hearing will continue on February 20.
A bare-breasted protester attacked a piece of the Berlin Wall outside the German Embassy in the Ukrainian capital Kiev.

According to the feminist activist group FEMEN, intended to protect women's rights, the act was timed to coincide with the EU-Ukraine meeting held in Brussels, Belgium.

The female activist, whose name was not reported, swung the huge hammer against a fragment of the wall, which had been brought to Kiev after its collapse in 1989.

A bare-breasted protester attacked a piece of the Berlin Wall outside the German Embassy in the Ukrainian capital Kiev

The activist had 'Break the Wall' written on her back, a message which she kept shouting with every swing of the sledgehammer

The activist had 'Break the Wall' written on her back, a message which she kept shouting with every swing of the sledgehammer.

A number of cameras and reporters can be seen surrounding the woman, in what appears to be a staged and planned protest.

The FEMEN press office has confirmed that the protest was against the building of metaphorical walls 'on Ukraine's way towards its democratic future in Europe.'

A statement read: 'The sextremist broke a legendary symbol of the division between the world and its people.

'It is a protest against artificially-created obstacles towards a visa-free regime between Europe and Ukraine.'

A number of cameras and reporters can be seen surrounding the woman, in what appears to be a staged and planned protest

The protest coincided with the meeting held in Brussels regarding whether or not Ukrainians should be allowed visa-free travel within the EU

The woman hits the wall several times but did not cause any significant damage to the relic of the barrier that divided the German capital from 1961 to 1989.

The protest coincided with the meeting held in Brussels regarding whether or not Ukrainians should be allowed visa-free travel within the EU.
Detectives think that Gareth Bryan Edwards, 25, from Aylesbury, is hiding out in Spain

A British man facing three life sentences for crimes of robberies with violence and intimidation is being sought by police in Spain.

Gareth Bryan Edwards, 25, from Aylesbury, is wanted by the British authorities under a European arrest warrant, and has been included on a list of the country's top ten most wanted criminals.

Holidaymakers and expats have been put on alert in Spain as police try to find the country's top ten most wanted criminals, including people wanted for murder, assault, drug trafficking and robberies with violence.

Edwards is facing three life sentences for crimes of robberies with violence and intimidation.

'He is a very dangerous person, possibly armed and in possession of drugs,' said a spokesman for the Spanish National Police.

The other nine wanted men include Rafal Czerwoniek, 46, who was born in Warsaw, Poland. He was sentenced in Germany for belonging to a criminal organisation dedicated to the distribution of drugs internationally. He could be living in the Canary Islands.

Mafia leader 27-year-old Giuglielmo Cirillo is also being sought in Mallorca where police believe he is hiding amongst the many Italian holidaymakers. He is wanted for helping to mastermind drug trafficking.

Police in Spain have put Edwards on their most wanted list and urge people with information to contact them

Ishak Merenvouri, 50, a native of Algeria and a Finnish national, is wanted for sexual assault of a minor, aged five, committed in Helsinki whilst Hayet Boughanmi Ep Abbas, also known as Hayet Kaubisch, 32, born in Tunisia, is suspected of being involved in a brutal murder where the victim was stabbed 53 times.

The most wanted list also includes five Spaniards wanted for murder, cocaine trafficking, violent robberies and sexual assault.

The police say anyone with information can email fugitivos@policia.es or phone (0034) 915824136.
Four people, including a two-month-old baby, have been found dead in a hotel room as police investigate what they believe is a murder-suicide.

Police found the bodies of 54-year-old Linda Hutton, 22-year-old Emily McDonald, 22-year-old McKay Hutton and eight-week-old Teagan Hutton at a Hampton Inn in Fairbanks, Alaska on Friday.

It remains unclear who the shooter was, but police confirmed they were family, and McKay Hutton and McDonald were married just last year, according to their Facebook profiles.

Emily McDonald (pictured) and McKay Hutton were both found dead along with two-month-old Teagan Hutton (pictured) and Linda Hutton, 54

McKay Hutton (pictured) and Emily McDonald were married just last year. They were both found dead in the hotel room

McDonald (left) was married to McKay Hutton (right), and the two had an infant girl. McDonald also had a son from another relationship (pictured)

Police found the bodies of Linda Hutton, Emily McDonald, McKay Hutton and eight-week-old Teagan Hutton at a Hampton Inn in Fairbanks, Alaska (pictured)

A member of the hotel staff at a Hampton Inn in Fairbanks, Alaska, called the police at 1.25pm Friday, and they arrived to find a man crying in the second-floor hallway.

The man, who is not considered a suspect, directed authorities to a nearby room, where the four bodies were found with gunshot wounds.

Police say details involving the shooter and any motive is still under investigation.

Fairbanks Police officer Doug Welborn confirmed the victims were family, and told the New York Daily News: 'This is a very fluid situation.'

There is no indication that drugs or alcohol was involved, and autopsies will be performed on all four victims.

A member of the hotel staff at a Hampton Inn in Fairbanks, Alaska, called the police at 1.25pm Friday (pictured, McKay Hutton and McDonald)

McKay Hutton married McDonald almost exactly one year ago, according to Facebook. Pictured, the couple, McDonald's son and the Gadsden flag in the background

McKay Hutton married McDonald almost exactly one year ago on November 18, 2015, according to Facebook.

He wrote : 'To the one I love you much, my soul mate, my best friend, my lover my everything, our special night brought us both such happiness, the love I feel everyday to you waking up in my arms, you're the most cherished part of my life.

'To many more years with you sweetheart, I love you always and forever.'

It appears McDonald had a son from a previous relationship, and the two welcomed a baby girl eight weeks ago.

McKay Hutton also posted an image of a rifle on his Facebook cover photo, with text from the second amendment declaring the right to bear arms.

McKay Hutton's address is listed in Fairbanks, about 12 miles away from the hotel, and Linda Hutton, his relative, was a registered nurse.
Hunt for child rapist Christopher Austin continues after he

The hunt for a paedophile rapist continues, as two government workers are sacked after he was allegedly allowed out into the community unsupervised.

Christopher Austin, 22, leapt from a roof and onto a five-metre fence over which he climbed and escaped the Disability Forensic Assessment and Treatment Service on Tuesday night.

Austin is currently serving a five year residential placement order at the Fairfield facility after he was found guilty of the rape of a child in 2013, The Herald Sun reports.

The hunt for paedophile rapist Christopher Austin, 22, (pictured) continues, as two government workers are sacked after he was allowed out into the community unsupervised

An investigation into the behavior of facility workers has begun after it was revealed staff allegedly allowed Austin out alone.

It's believed he became irritated after workers who were allegedly letting him leave the facility for unsupervised outings were taken off the job, according to the Herald Sun.

It's also claimed workers were allowing Austin to meet a woman in a toilet block.

Minister for Housing, Disability and Ageing Martin Foley said he was 'appalled' by what occurred at the Fairfield facility.

'I have asked my department for answers to what went wrong.'

Since the 22-year-old's escape, offenders have been banned from leaving the facility.

Christopher Austin, 22, leapt from a roof and onto a five-metre fence over which he climbed and escaped the Disability Forensic Assessment and Treatment Service on Tuesday night

Austin is currently serving a five year residential placement order at the Fairfield facility after he was found guilty of the rape of a child in 2013

Austin is described as Aboriginal in appearance and medium build with short dark hair styled in a rat's tail.

He also has two lines cut into his right eyebrow and dollar signs tattooed on his right leg and right middle finger.

Victoria Police say a man fitting Austin's description was seen at 6am on Wednesday morning in Kew East.

'He was pushing a mountain bike along the Main Yarra Trail near Willow Grove, wearing shorts and a jumper.'

It's believed Austin may be travelling to Mildura in north-west Victoria, where his girlfriend reportedly lives.
The glamorous granddaughter of one of Vladimir Putin's most prominent business enemies was killed when her BMW spun off a road and crashed into a lake.

Heiress Diana Lebedeva - who was known to her friends as Lady D - was a leading member of the Moscow 'golden youth' rich set.

The 19-year-old was travelling with a friend when their car left the road and plunged into Lake Lugano in Switzerland.

Her grandfather banker Platon Lebedev, 59, was jailed for 11 years for tax evasion, money laundering and embezzlement after two criminal cases widely seen in the west as politically motivated.

Heiress Diana Lebedeva - who was known to her friends as Lady D - was a leading member of the Moscow rich set

The vehicle and the bodies were found at the bottom of the lake, according to reports in Switzerland and Russia

The BMW X6 was driven by Azer Yagubov, 23, the son of an Azerbaijani businessman, who was also killed

She was in a BMW X6 driven by friend Azer Yagubov, 23 - the son of an Azerbaijani businessman - who was also killed.

Both the friends had been educated in Switzerland and the Russian embassy in Bern confirmed the deaths.

The accident at 4am on Thursday came after the car crashed through a barrier and plunged into the lake close to the village of Castagnola.

The vehicle and the bodies were found at the bottom of the lake, according to reports in Switzerland and Russia.

Diana was described as 'one of the brightest stars among Moscow's golden youth'.

Online tributes flooded in for the teenager, known for her active social life and fashion sense.

The 19-year-old was travelling with Azer Yagubov when their car left the road and plunged into Lake Lugano in Switzerland

Diana was described as 'one of the brightest stars among Moscow's golden youth'

Vladimir Putin's 'golden youth' live an extravagant life of yachts, private jets, sumptuous villas and super cars

Diana's grandfather banker Platon Lebedev, 59, (right) was jailed for 11 years for tax evasion, money laundering and embezzlement

A picture showed a crane removing the car from the lake and police are investigating the cause of the crash

'Our girl, rest in peace,' said one social media post.

'I do not believe that you are no more in the world. Diana, you're in my memory forever remains the ten-year-old girl, which I first saw you on the porch,' said another.

'Simply impossible to believe. She was my classmate.'

Police are investigating the cause of the crash, with unconfirmed reports claiming the vehicle had been in a 'race' when it got into trouble on a bridge above the lake in canton Ticino.

The bodies of the two victims are to be flown back to Russia, said reports.

Online tributes flooded in for the teenager, known for her active social life and fashion sense

The 19-year-old's body, found at the bottom of the lake, is now due to be flown back to Russia

The beautiful heiress was a prominent figure among the rich set in Moscow

Diana was one of the grandchildren of Platon Lebedev, a close business associate of former billionaire and Putin foe Mikhail Khodorkovsky

Unconfirmed reports claim the vehicle had been in a 'race' when it got into trouble on a bridge above the lake in canton Ticino

Lebedev was a close business associate of former billionaire and Putin foe Mikhail Khodorkovsky, head of Yukos oil company, who was also jailed by the Russian authorities.

The sentences sparked an outcry in the West, and both men were named prisoners of conscience by Amnesty International which described their conviction as 'deeply flawed and politically motivated'.

Lebedev was jailed in July 2003 and released in January 2014, the month after Khodorkovsky had been pardoned by Putin.

Lebedev headed the currency and finance department of Khodorkovsky's Bank Menatep.

In the wake of their release, former Yukos shareholders launched a $50 billion legal action for damages seized from them under Putin's rule.
A worker at a New York food factory lost his hand in a piece of machinery after it was mangled in a grinder, according to officials and witnesses.

The unidentified man reportedly lost his right hand while working at Flaum Appetizing in Brooklyn when the workplace accident occurred around noon Friday.

At the time, he had been putting fish in the grinder and at several points had turned it off and removed the cover to check on the fish, a coworker told the New York Daily News.

A food factory worker reportedly lost his right hand while working at Flaum Appetizing in Brooklyn, New York (pictured) when the workplace accident occurred around noon on Friday

However, he apparently forgot to turn it off the last time when his hand got stuck in the machinery, the co-worker said.

He was transported to Elmhurst Hospital where he is being treated for trauma to a limb, a New York City Fire Department spokesman told Dailymail.com.

The man, believed to be in his 40s, is in stable condition and his injuries are serious but non-life threatening, the spokesman said.

Flaum Appetizing, which makes hummus and kosher food, did not immediately respond to Dailymail.com's request for comment.

The kosher-food manufacturer made headlines in 2012 when it agreed to pay 20 former workers $577,000 in back wages and other compensation as part of a settlement.

The settlement ended years of litigation after the case began in 2008 when 17 of the workers were laid off after protesting unpaid wages and working conditions at the company's Williamsburg factory, according to the New York Times.
Doctors initially said she could be left disabled or die from the aneurysm

After showing signs of improvement she is being flown back to the UK

in front of her husband and son and was floating face down

Katy Head was snorkelling in the Aegean Sea off the coast of the Greek island of Kos when she collapsed in front of her husband and eight-year-old son Leighton

A mother who was pictured floating face down in the sea after suffering a life-threatening brain haemorrhage on a family holiday has been flown back to Britain.

Katy Head, 39, was snorkeling in the Aegean Sea off the coast of the Greek island of Kos when she collapsed in front of her husband Craig, 38, and eight-year-old son Leighton.

Craig managed to drag her on board a boat and she was rushed to hospital where she underwent a five-hour operation on her brain on October 21.

Doctors said Katy suffered a brain aneurysm which ruptured and told her husband it wasn't clear whether she would survive or be left disabled.

But her condition slowly improved after staying in an Athens hospital for several weeks and the mum was flown back to Britain this weekend.

Her treatment will now continue at the Queen's Medical Centre in Nottingham or the Royal Derby Hospital.

Speaking before they set off from Greece, Craig said: 'Katy has been declared fit to fly.

'Katy and the doctor will travel in the comfort of business class but I will get economy.

This is the horrific moment Katy was left floating face-down in the Aegean after collapsing while swimming in the sea

Distressing: Doctors performed a five-hour operation on Katy soon after her aneurysm. Medics also had to fit an emergency drain to release the pressure from her brain and release some of the blood

'It's not a problem as long as we get back to the UK without any concerns.

'The only issue with flying is if there was any air present in or around her brain.

'None showed on the CT scan so they are happy she will be safe.

'The doctor will inform the travel insurers of our preference to get an admission to QMC in Nottingham due to local contacts through work in the brain and spinal injury unit. 'But I think they will just send her to the Royal Derby.'

Katy, who works as a play leader at a primary school in Alvaston, Derbyshire, was pictured floating face-down in the sea after her collapse when someone on the boat thought she was snorkelling.

After being rushed to the store, she was taken to a hospital in Kos before being transferred to Athens by air ambulance.

Doctors had to fit an emergency drain to release the pressure from her brain and release some of the blood.

She was placed in an induced coma and a doctor told Mr Head that they would have to operate to make sure there was no more bleeding.

Craig, who works for a Nottingham firm of solicitors, said he wanted to praise the Greek people who he described as 'the best people I have ever met in the world'.

Happy family: Craig managed to drag her on board a boat and she was rushed to hospital where she would remain for several weeks

The dad, who lives with Katy and Leighton in Derby, added: 'Their hospitality is second to none.

'The downside is their economy is in crisis and the public services suffer.

'If we had been here 10 years ago it may have been a much better environment but today it looks old, dirty, tired and dilapidated.

'Through all of this, though, the doctors, nurses and all other staff work tirelessly to ensure everyone is as comfortable as possible.

'I will be sad to leave, however there is much more to be pleased about, although now I have to also begin thinking about Christmas as well as getting Katy better.'

Brain aneurysm survivors can experience deficits in cognitive, or thinking, abilities. It is also common for sufferers to lose their balance and coordination.
Firefighters called to 60 gas cylinders incidents in the last 20 months

were evacuated from the building

Ruined Christmas decorations litter a scorched apartment after an exploding BBQ destroyed a newlywed couple's home.

Sydney couple Marcia and Razmig Meguerdijian were connecting the gas bottle to the barbecue when it suddenly exploded.

'I heard the first explosion, then the second explosion, then the third explosion,' Ms Meguerdijian told 7 News.

Newlyweds Marcia and Razmig Meguerdijian were connecting the gas bottle to the barbecue when it suddenly exploded

'I heard the first explosion, then the second explosion, then the third explosion,' Ms Meguerdijian told 7 News

The gas bottle explosion just barely missed Mr Meguerdijian's face, but the couple were able to escape their second-floor apartment which was quickly engulfed in flames.

As Ms Meguerdijian walked through her destroyed home she could barley contain her devastation.

'It's all gone,' she simply said.

Their new unit was uninsured.

Their 30 neighbours were also evacuated from the block and firefighters were able to prevent the flames from spreading.

As Ms Meguerdijian walked through her destroyed home she could barley contain her devastation

Superintendent Paul Johnstone from NSW Fire and Rescue, told 7 News that people must properly check everything before connecting gas bottles.

'Check the connections are right, check the cylinder for rust and deformities and check the use-by date'.

There have been 60 incidents involving gas cylinders in the last 20 months that have required the assistance of firefighters.
She's an unassuming mother-of-five from Abergavenny, but Penelope Fillon could soon be France's First Lady.

The South Wales native, 61, is the wife of centre-right candidate Francois Fillon, who is challenging to become the nation's next president.

Mr Fillon, the current prime minister, hopes to dislodge conservative rival Alain Juppe on Sunday so he can go on to battle for the presidency in the spring.

French prime minister Francois and Penelope Fillon (together, left) and on her own (right) at the Manor of Beauce which the couple owns

The South Wales native, 61, is the steadfast wife of centre-right candidate Francois Fillon (pictured together), who is challenging to become the nation's next president

Mr Fillon, the current prime minister, hopes to dislodge conservative rival Alain Juppe on Sunday so he can go on to battle for the presidency in the spring

He would likely face far-right leader Marine Le Pen and whoever the socialists choose to campaign for them.

But according to the polls, the country is shifting to choosing Mr Fillon, 62, - which would make her First Lady.

Mrs Fillon said she hoped to bring a 'bit of humour' to the role and admits to being 'very English' - which given the Brexit context could prove interesting.

She describe her nationality as 'English' throughout the interview despite her upbringing being in the small Welsh village of Abergavenny.

She told The Times: 'I haven't really thought about the question of introducing Englishness [to the presidency] because I hadn't really thought about me being there.

'If I'm there, I think that's inevitable because it's part of me.'

'I think I'm still very English . . . perhaps more so because in a political world that's quite cruel and horrible sometimes, I've kept my distance because I'm English and it's a sort of help.'

Mrs Fillon said she hoped to bring a 'bit of humour' to the role and admits to being 'very English' (Manor of Beauce, a property the French prime minister owns pictured)

The couple were married in 1980 and have been accustomed to high office since Mr Fillon became prime minister five years ago.

And the Englishness of their coupling comes out in their 'English Christmas' and 'English habits' which influence family and friends, Mrs Fillon said.

Her accent and language is colored with French expressions after moving across the Channel in the early 1980s.

Mrs Fillon, who is also a grandmother, describes how she misses Britain and the ability to chat away to strangers on a train.

Although she continues referring herself to 'English', she admits her husband has said that the French prefer the Welsh.

Race for the French presidency continues

The race for the keys to the Elysee Palace steps up a gear this weekend when France's centre-right picks its candidate to try and remove Francois Hollande from power in next year's presidential election.

Francois Fillon, a 62-year-old with a Welsh wife, has emerged as frontrunner to secure the nomination for Les Republicains, as the centre-right grouping is now known, but first must defeat Alain Juppe in Sunday's run-off.

The battle pits two former prime ministers together in the race to reclaim the Elysee for the grouping that occupied the seat of power for 17 years until Mr Hollande's victory for the Socialist Party in 2012.

French Prime Minister Francois Fillon is pictured after driving the Peugeot 908. He has a keen interest in motorsport

But current polls suggest Sunday's victor for Les Republicains may face the far-right's Marine Le Pen rather than Mr Hollande in the decisive round of the presidential contest itself next May.

Mr Hollande's poll ratings have plummeted during a reign blighted by terror attacks that forced him to declare a state of emergency and which enhanced the poll ratings of Ms Le Pen's Front National which campaigns on a strong security and anti-immigrant platform.

Mr Fillon's unexpected win in last Sunday's first round of the primary has put the racing-car lover from Le Mans in pole position for his party's candidacy.

He and Mr Juppe were the survivors of a field of seven candidates including Nicolas Sarkozy who lost the presidency to Mr Hollande in 2012 and failed to convince his party to let him have another tilt at the top job.

Mr Sarkozy, as he conceded defeat last weekend, endorsed Mr Fillon, who served as his prime minister. Mr Juppe, 71, fulfilled the same role during the presidency of Jacques Chirac.

Mr Fillon, a father of five whose wife Penny comes from Abergavenny, has cast himself as the only man who can prevent France from falling into the hands of the far right and has pledged change whereas Mr Juppe has advocated a more cautious approach.

Mr Fillon's unexpectedly strong showing last Sunday proved pollsters in France are equally as likely to be wrongfooted as they have been recently in the UK or US.
Private jets were once the preserve of the rich and famous - but as the cost of travel rockets during school holidays, more families are turning to hiring planes to fly them to luxury ski resorts.

Figures have revealed that groups of travellers heading to and from a ski resort in Europe could charter their own jet for less money than a return flight with a commercial airline such as British Airways or Easyjet.

And savvy families are turning to social media to find others looking to pool the costs and help them join the jet set, shunning lengthy queues and security checks.

Groups of travellers heading to a ski resort in Europe could charter their own jet for the same price as a flight with a commercial airline such as British Airways or Easyjet

Return flights to Geneva in the February half term could cost as much as 899 per person with British Airways.

Bella Butler is managing director at tour operator Butler & Lloyd, which offers a package for families who can charter a 48-seater private jet for 760 return per person from Farnborough Airport in Hampshire.

According to PrivateFly, a Metroliner private plane seating 20 people would cost 21,000 from Luton to Geneva during half term in February 2017.

On the same date, four adults flying by EasyJet would expect to pay 3,500 return from London to Geneva with baggage and resort transfers or 5,000 return for the same package flying business class with British Airways.

Bella Butler told MailOnline: 'A group of 12 families can hire a 48 seater jet from Farnborough to Geneva for the same price as an EasyJet ticket - which comes with less trimmings.

'A private jet is much more relaxing and for families travelling within peak season, it is a whole new option. It is a civilised way of travelling.

'For a family of four, it would cost 9,000 per person for the jet - but for a family of four travelling with a group of others, it would only cost 760 per person - it is much more affordable.

'When I explain it to people, it's a revelation - you don't need to spend a fortune.

'In February half term, London Gatwick to Geneva could cost around 900 before you add any luggage. You also have to walk miles between gates. Anyone with children will know it's hell on Earth.'

Families can shun lengthy queues and security checks and within 20 minutes of arriving at the airport, find themselves in the air and on their way to Geneva

Bella added: 'At Farnborough Airport, lunch is provided in the totally private terminal, there is a private lounge and no security check.

'There is a pilot and two crew members on board the private jet, and drinks are provided in the price. It is a really nice experience.'

According to the Financial Times, Hugo-Pickford Wardle got a positive response after using a Facebook group to find other families to pay 1,000 per person to charter a private jet to fly to ski resorts in France and Switzerland.

He wrote: 'I am looking to get a 20-seater private jet shared between families in the same town, and to fly after school finishes on Friday and be back in good time on Sunday to get kids to bed for school the next day.'

Carol Cork, Marketing Director of PrivateFly, said London Luton is the most popular airport for private jets.

PRIVATE JET FEES According to PrivateFly, a 7-night return in a Citation Mustang, a small jet seating four, flying out and back to London Luton airport would cost: Geneva: 10,180 Chambery: 10,700 Sion: 10,820 Samedan-Engadin: 13,730 The last two offer a faster route to ski resorts for private jet travellers. Samedan-Engadin Airport is 10 minutes from St Moritz, versus three hours from Zurich. And Sion Airport is 45 minutes from Verbier, Zermatt and other Les Trois Vallees resorts, which are 2 - 3 hours by road from Geneva. Chambery is popular for resorts such as Verbier, Meribel and Courchevel. Advertisement

She told MailOnline: 'Private jet flights for ski trips are about time-saving and convenience, in addition to the luxury travel experience.

'And with airline prices this year looking higher than usual, this is creating extra demand from families. The benefits are especially compelling for a shorter trip when you're looking to maximise time on the slopes - as you can gain an extra day's skiing on a return journey without a long wait at the airport and lengthy ground transfers.

'Of course the hassle-free nature of private aviation appeals too, compared to travelling by airline.

'You can avoid Heathrow or Gatwick altogether which many with children find appealing, by travelling from a less-congested airport closer to home.

'Private aviation is always faster, as clients can choose their own departure times and arrive just 15 minutes before take-off, rather than two hours.

'And for some ski resorts, choosing smaller airports much closer than those used by airlines can save an additional several hours of ground transfer. All in all, this can give skiers an extra day of slope time.'




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When it comes to the civil rights movement, many associate the violence, discrimination and police brutality against black people with what happened in America's South in the 1960s.

Shocking images of protesters in Alabama's Birmingham, Montgomery, and Selma being attacked by snarling dogs and being sprayed by fire hoses have become landmark moments in civil rights protest history.

But a new series of never-before-seen images, compiled by author and historian Mark Speltz, sheds light on the largely forgotten black activism that was being carried out in other areas like New York, Philadelphia, Cleveland, Los Angeles and Seattle.

A female protester was physically removed from a demonstration in Los Angeles in March 1965 against the shocking violence in Selma, Alabama

A mob shouted obscenities, threatening a young black family as they moved into an all-white development outside Philadelphia just two days after the march on Washington for jobs and freedom in August 1963. The family spent its first night in the cellar and, after two years of relentless attacks, moved out of the neighborhood

The photographs, published in a new book North of Dixie: Civil Rights Photography Beyond the South, attempt to shine a light past the most iconic photos of the era to focus on the less-prominent battles that fought discrimination.

The book features 100 photos taken between 1938 and 1975 in more than 25 cities in the Northeast, Midwest and West by photographers including Bob Adelman and Gordon Parks.

Some of the photos taken north of the Mason-Dixon line are being published for the very first time.

Speltz spent a decade unearthing images of activists protesting racial discrimination in jobs, housing, education and police brutality - that he says form the largely forgotten moments of the civil rights campaign.

'Cast by the media at the time as sporadic and less significant than the heroic, nonviolent protests in the South, the local activism that took place in the North, West, and Midwest is all but absent in the way we characterize, teach and remember the civil rights era,' Speltz said.

This boy picketed outside a local school in 1962 in New Jersey. He was one of the many children from coast to coast who would play a critical role during the civil rights era to advance the struggle for racial justice

Authorities grabbed hold of a woman's legs in Los Angeles in March 1965 to physically remove her during a demonstration against the shocking violence in Selma

Activists picketing at a demonstration for housing equality in Los Angeles in 1963 while uniformed American Nazi Party members counterprotest in the background with signs displaying anti-integration slogans and racist epithets

This woman was pictured grabbing hold of another protester as she was forcibly removed from a Los Angeles demonstration against the shocking violence in Selma in March 1965

San Francisco NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) members urge riders to boycott Yellow Cab and help stop hiring discrimination during a "Don't Ride" campaign in 1955

Demonstrators sitting with signs and intentionally blocking traffic during protest on car-lined thoroughfare in Brooklyn, New York

A woman raises her fist during a Martin Luther King Jr. rally as other marchers pass behind her in Chicago, Illinois in 1966.

'In response, this book seeks to recast the visual narrative of the era by bringing the broad, nationwide struggle for black freedom into sharper view.'

The photos in his book showcase the same level of discrimination as what was occurring in the south but the more shocking imagery is often used to highlight the history of the civil rights movement.

Protesters being attacked by police dogs in Birmingham and others being sprayed with fire hoses in Montgomery are infamous, as well as photos of activists Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King amidst the movement.

Among the photos included in Speltz's book are scenes of female protesters being physically removed during a demonstration in Los Angeles against the brutality in Selma, Alabama.

Mobs of people were pictured threatening a young black family as they moved into a white-development outside Philadelphia just two days after the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom in 1963. The family were forced to move out of the neighborhood after two years of relentless attacks.

Peaceful protests showcasing a young boy picketing outside of New Jersey school in 1962 are also included - he was one of the many children across the country who played a vital role to advance the struggle for racial justice.

North of Dixie: Civil Rights Photography Beyond the South by Mark Speltz was published in November. It is available at Getty Publications.

Members of the St. Louis Branch of the NAACP calling for victory at home and abroad and an end to racial violence in the early 1940s

Protesters in Los Angeles being physically removed during a demonstration against the shocking violence in Selma in March 1965

No clouds of tear gas or swinging clubs can be seen in these scenes outside the Federal Building in downtown Los Angeles in 1965 where demonstrators were physically removed

Flag flying outside the offices of the NAACP on New York's Fifth Avenue, announcing that another lynching had taken place in America in 1936

View of an expanse of jail cells in 1972. Prisons, which tended to be overwhelmingly populated by black prisoners, became important sites of protest and organizing during the civil rights and Black Power eras

News media interviewing CORE activists waging a sit-in and hunger strike outside the Los Angeles Board of Education offices to raise awareness of segregation and inequality in the public schools in 1963

Armed members of the Seattle chapter of the Black Panther Party standing on the state capitol steps in Olympia, Washington in 1969 protesting a proposed law limiting the ability to carry firearms in a manner manifesting an intent to intimidate others
Donald Trump has labeled Fidel Castro a 'brutal dictator who oppressed his own people for nearly six decades' following the former Communist leader's death.

Trump said Castro's legacy is one of 'unimaginable suffering and the denial of fundamental human rights.'

His statement was in marked contrast to his presidential predecessor Barack Obama who said history will record and judge the 'enormous' impact that Castro had on 'the people and the world around him.'

Trump said: 'Today, the world marks the passing of a brutal dictator who oppressed his own people for nearly six decades.

'Fidel Castro's legacy is one of firing squads, theft, unimaginable suffering, poverty and the denial of fundamental human rights.

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President-elect Donald Trump reacted to the news of Cuba's revolutionary leader Fidel Castro's death on Saturday

Fidel Castro waves Cuba's national flag after giving a speech in front of USA Interest Office in Havana, Cuba in May 2005

'While Cuba remains a totalitarian island, it is my hope that today marks a move away from the horrors endured for too long, and toward a future in which the wonderful Cuban people finally live in the freedom they so richly deserve.'

He continued, saying that while the 'tragedies, deaths and pain caused' caused by Castro cannot be erased, 'our administration will do all it can to ensure the Cuban people can finally begin their journey toward prosperity and liberty.

'I join the many Cuban Americans who supported me so greatly in the presidential campaign, including the Brigade 2506 Veterans Association that endorsed me, with the hope of one day soon seeing a free Cuba,' he said.

Earlier the president-elect had tweeted 'Fidel Castro is dead!' after news broke on Friday night that Cuba's former president Castro had died age 90.

But after being called out for his rather blunt response he released a far more powerful statement.

DONALD TRUMP RELEASES STATEMENT AFTER FIDEL CASTRO'S DEATH Today, the world marks the passing of a brutal dictator who oppressed his own people for nearly six decades. Fidel Castro's legacy is one of firing squads, theft, unimaginable suffering, poverty and the denial of fundamental human rights. While Cuba remains a totalitarian island, it is my hope that today marks a move away from the horrors endured for too long, and toward a future in which the wonderful Cuban people finally live in the freedom they so richly deserve. Though the tragedies, deaths and pain caused by Fidel Castro cannot be erased, our administration will do all it can to ensure the Cuban people can finally begin their journey toward prosperity and liberty. I join the many Cuban Americans who supported me so greatly in the presidential campaign, including the Brigade 2506 Veterans Association that endorsed me, with the hope of one day soon seeing a free Cuba. Advertisement

Vice President-elect Mike Pence called Castro a 'tyrant.'

He tweeted: 'The tyrant #Castro is dead. New hope dawns. We will stand with the oppressed Cuban people for a free and democratic Cuba. Viva Cuba Libre!'

The White House released Obama's statement on Saturday morning in which he noted the relationship between the U.S. and Cuba has been marked by 'discord and profound political disagreements' for nearly six decades.

Obama offered his condolences to Castro's family and said his thoughts and prayers are with the Cuban people.

Trump's initial tweets simply declaring 'Fidel Castro is dead!' was quickly mocked by Twitter users.

'@realDonaldTrump that's all you have to say? Did you think of that all by yourself?! Brilliant lol. #Inspire,' one user tweeted in response to Trump's tweet.

'@realDonaldTrump Very presidential statement, Mr President-elect. Thanks for putting it all into perspective for us,' another user wrote.

'@realDonaldTrump lol man good presidential tweet there,' one user wrote.

However, some users wrote in defense of Trump, suggesting his tweet was to the point.

Trump tweeted 'Fidel Castro is dead!' on Saturday morning and was quickly called out by some Twitter users

Some Twitter users were quick to call out Trump, questioning whether that was all he had to say and mocked him for his response

Texas Senator Ted Cruz, whose grandfather immigrated to Cuba as a child with his parents from Spain, also weighed in on the news of Castro's death on Saturday morning, releasing a statement about how Castro's death 'cannot bring back his thousands of victims.'

'Fidel Castro's death cannot bring back his thousands of victims, nor can it bring comfort to their families,' wrote in a Facebook post.

'Today we remember them and honor the brave souls who fought the lonely fight against the brutal Communist dictatorship he imposed on Cuba.'

Former President Jimmy Carter expressed his sympathies for the Castro family and the Cuban people.

U.S. PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA RELEASES A STATEMENT ON THE PASSING OF FIDEL CASTRO At this time of Fidel Castro's passing, we extend a hand of friendship to the Cuban people. We know that this moment fills Cubans - in Cuba and in the United States - with powerful emotions, recalling the countless ways in which Fidel Castro altered the course of individual lives, families, and of the Cuban nation. History will record and judge the enormous impact of this singular figure on the people and world around him. For nearly six decades, the relationship between the United States and Cuba was marked by discord and profound political disagreements. During my presidency, we have worked hard to put the past behind us, pursuing a future in which the relationship between our two countries is defined not by our differences but by the many things that we share as neighbors and friends - bonds of family, culture, commerce, and common humanity. This engagement includes the contributions of Cuban Americans, who have done so much for our country and who care deeply about their loved ones in Cuba. Today, we offer condolences to Fidel Castro's family, and our thoughts and prayers are with the Cuban people. In the days ahead, they will recall the past and also look to the future. As they do, the Cuban people must know that they have a friend and partner in the United States of America. Advertisement

'Rosalynn and I share our sympathies with the Castro family and the Cuban people on the death of Fidel Castro,' Carter said in a statement.

'We remember fondly our visits with him in Cuba and his love of his country. We wish the Cuban citizens peace and prosperity in the years ahead.'

Secretary of State John Kerry released a statement in which he said as Cuba and the U.S. move forward, we 'do so in a spirit of friendship.'

'As our two countries continue to move forward on the process of normalization - restoring the economic, diplomatic and cultural ties severed by a troubled past - we do so in a spirit of friendship and with an earnest desire not to ignore history but to write a new and better future for our two peoples,' he said.

Republican Ed Royce, the chairman of the House of Representatives' Foreign Affairs Committee, said on Saturday that Castro left a legacy of 'repression at home, and support for terrorism abroad.'

Vice President-elect Mike Pence called Castro a 'tyrant' and said 'new hope dawns'

U.S. Senator Ted Cruz weighed in on the news of Castro's death on Saturday morning

'Sadly, Raul Castro is no better for Cubans who yearn for freedom,' Royce said in a statement, referring to Fidel's younger brother, who has led the country since 2008.

Several world leaders paid tribute to Castro on Saturday, the Cuban revolutionary leader who built a communist state on the doorstep of the United States, but in death just as in life he divided opinion, and critics labelled him a 'tyrant'.

New Jersey Senator Robert Menendez released a lengthy statement on Castro's passing calling him a 'brutal dictator who must always be remembered by his gross abuses of human rights, systemic exploitation of Cubans, unrelenting repression, and stifling censorship upon his own people.'

'Fidel's oppressive legacy will haunt the Cuban regime and our hemisphere forever. Under the Castros' reign, Cubans have not had one single free election,' Menendez wrote in a Facebook post.

'Not one Cuban has been allowed to fully own his or her own company. Not one legitimate trade union has been allowed to be organized.

'Not one peaceful protest has occurred without being brutally squashed by the regime.

'This was Cuba's reality when the Berlin wall fell and it continues to be its reality in 2016.'

New Jersey Senator Robert Menendez released a lengthy statement on Castro's passing calling him a 'brutal dictator who must always be remembered by his gross abuses of human rights'

Menendez went on to say that Castro's death represents an historic opportunity for the United States.

'Instead of condoning the continuation of repressive actions of a repressive regime simply because some believe it's been long enough, the United States and the international community must stand up and support the Cuban people as they seek ways to implement changes that bring the fundamental principles of democracy, reinstate the freedoms that inform society and unleash the creative and inventive power-of-people to build a better life for themselves and their families,' he said.

'Contrary to the romanticized idea being peddled by some, recent lopsided concessions in U.S. policy towards Cuba have not led to an iota of positive changes in the way the regime rules or the Cuban people live,' he continued.

'We know that the Castro regime is still a brutal totalitarian dictatorship that continues to deprive the Cuban people of the basic human rights we so proudly proclaim to support around the world.'

Menendez said it is his sincere hope that 'we will use this moment to listen to the human rights activists, the Cubans who have sacrificed day and night in a peaceful struggle for freedom to reexamine and determine a new policy toward the Castro regime.'

'We can never forget those who have suffered and died at the hands of Fidel and Raul Castro.

'And as long as I have a voice, I will continue to speak out against the Castro regime, against any effort to legitimize it or reward it, and for the thousands of men and women in Cuba who have been forced to live under the iron fist of their repressive dictatorship.

'Today, Cubans are one step closer to achieving freedom.'

Fidel Castro died on Friday age 90, his younger brother and successor Raul Castro announced on state television

Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, another conservative Cuban-American who represents southern Florida's 27th district where many Cuban exiles live, also hailed Castro's death.

'A tyrant is dead and a new beginning can dawn on the last remaining communist bastion of the Western hemisphere,' she wrote on her website.

'We must seize the moment and help write a new chapter in the history of Cuba; that of a Cuba that is free, democratic, and prosperous.'

Florida Senator Marco Rubio said Castro turned Cuba into 'an impoverished island prison' where dissidents were routinely jailed and killed.

'The dictator has died, but the dictatorship has not,' Rubio said in a statement.

'The future of Cuba ultimately remains in the hands of the Cuban people, and now more than ever Congress and the new administration must stand with them against their brutal rulers and support their struggle for freedom and basic human rights.'

U.S. POLITICIANS REACT TO THE DEATH OF CUBAN REVOLUTIONARY LEADER FIDEL CASTRO Vice President-elect Mike Pence: 'The tyrant #Castro is dead. New hope dawns. We will stand with the oppressed Cuban people for a free and democratic Cuba. Viva Cuba Libre!' Texas Senator Ted Cruz: 'Fidel Castro's death cannot bring back his thousands of victims, nor can it bring comfort to their families,' wrote in a Facebook post. 'Today we remember them and honor the brave souls who fought the lonely fight against the brutal Communist dictatorship he imposed on Cuba.' Former President Jimmy Carter: 'Rosalynn and I share our sympathies with the Castro family and the Cuban people on the death of Fidel Castro,' Carter said in a statement. 'We remember fondly our visits with him in Cuba and his love of his country. We wish the Cuban citizens peace and prosperity in the years ahead.' Secretary of State John Kerry: 'As our two countries continue to move forward on the process of normalization - restoring the economic, diplomatic and cultural ties severed by a troubled past - we do so in a spirit of friendship and with an earnest desire not to ignore history but to write a new and better future for our two peoples.' Republican Ed Royce, the chairman of the House of Representatives' Foreign Affairs Committee: 'For more than half a century, the Cuban people have suffered under the brutal dictatorship of the Castro clan. No one should rule anywhere near as long as Fidel Castro did. His legacy is one of repression at home, and support for terrorism abroad. Sadly, Raul Castro is no better for Cubans who yearn for freedom.' Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen: 'A tyrant is dead and a new beginning can dawn on the last remaining communist bastion of the Western hemisphere. We must seize the moment and help write a new chapter in the history of Cuba; that of a Cuba that is free, democratic, and prosperous.' Florida Senator Marco Rubio: 'Fidel Castro seized power promising to bring freedom and prosperity to Cuba, but his communist regime turned it into an impoverished island prison. 'Over six decades, millions of Cubans were forced to flee their own country, and those accused of opposing the regime were routinely jailed and even killed. Sadly, Fidel Castro's death does not mean freedom for the Cuban people or justice for the democratic activists, religious leaders, and political opponents he and his brother have jailed and persecuted. 'The dictator has died, but the dictatorship has not. And one thing is clear, history will not absolve Fidel Castro; it will remember him as an evil, murderous dictator who inflicted misery and suffering on his own people. 'The future of Cuba ultimately remains in the hands of the Cuban people, and now more than ever Congress and the new administration must stand with them against their brutal rulers and support their struggle for freedom and basic human rights.' Arkansas Senator Tom Cotton: 'Fidel Castro created hell on earth for the Cuban people. He will now become intimately familiar with what he wrought.' U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell: 'While Fidel Castro is gone, sadly the oppression that was the hallmark of his era is not. It is my hope that the Cuban regime will use this opportunity to turn the page for the good of the Cuban people and for all those living in the Americas. Freedom and democracy are long overdue in Cuba.' Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush: 'While Fidel Castro is gone, sadly the oppression that was the hallmark of his era is not. It is my hope that the Cuban regime will use this opportunity to turn the page for the good of the Cuban people and for all those living in the Americas. Freedom and democracy are long overdue in Cuba.' House Speaker Paul Ryan: 'Now that Fidel Castro is dead, the cruelty and oppression of his regime should die with him. Sadly, much work remains to secure the freedom of the Cuban people, and the United States must be fully committed to that work. Today let us reflect on the memory and sacrifices of all those who have suffered under the Castros.' Tennessee Senator Bob Corker: 'Under Fidel Castros brutal and oppressive dictatorship, the Cuban people have suffered politically and economically for decades, and it is my hope that his passing might turn the page toward a better way of life for the many who have dreamed of a brighter future for their country.' Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich: 'The outpouring of praise for Fidel Castro is tragic. He was a relentless dictator who imprisoned thousands, killed and tortured many Cubans. Castro's policies impoverished the Cuban people. Look at the cars in pictures. A dictatorship that drove out hundreds of thousands of Cubans.' Advertisement

Senator Tom Cotton, a military veteran from Arkansas who some have touted for a Trump Cabinet role, said Castro 'created hell on earth for the Cuban people. He will now become intimately familiar with what he wrought.'

Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said he hoped Raul Castro would 'turn the page' on oppression.

'Freedom and democracy are long overdue in Cuba,' he said in a statement.

A bloc of mostly Republican Cuban-American lawmakers has worked to keep tight restrictions on trade and travel with Cuba for years.

Some U.S. Republican lawmakers broke with party orthodoxy to back Obama's reforms, drawn by the economic benefits of restoring ties.

But many have chafed against the changes, saying Cuba's government was still too repressive to ease restrictions.

Blocked from ending the US embargo on the island by a Republican-controlled Congress, Obama pushed smaller reforms using executive authority.

That means Trump, who takes office on January 20, will be able change course just as easily, potentially reinstating trade and financial restrictions and reversing developments like the resumption of air and cruise-ship travel, and postal service.

Trump has vowed that he will reverse all of President Barack Obama's executive actions normalizing relations with the Castro regime  unless the oppressive government in Havana dramatically changes its approach to human rights and political freedom.

Trump's shock victory this month has cast uncertainty over two years of moves by President Barack Obama to end more than 50 years of Cold War enmity with the communist island

Back in September, Trump pledged that if he won the White House he was 'going to stand with the Cuban people in their fight against communist oppression.'

'The president's one-sided deal for Cuba, and with Cuba, benefits only the Castro regime. People are very unhappy about it,' Trump said during a Miami rally at the time.

'But all of the concessions that Barack Obama has granted the Castro regime were done through executive order, which means the next president can reverse them.'

'And that I will do,' Trump vowed, 'unless the Castro regime meets our demands. Not my demands. Our demands. You know what the demands are.

'Those demands will include religious and political freedom for the Cuban people. And the freeing of political prisoners.'

Last year, Trump said 'the concept of opening [relations] with Cuba is fine', but criticized Obama for striking a deal that brought few benefits to the U.S. and demanded only weak changes from Havana.

The United States restored diplomatic ties with Cuba in July 2015 and a month later re-opened its embassy in Havana. Obama made a landmark visit to the communist-ruled island in March.

The moves were criticized by many of the politically influential Cuban exiles and their families living in the United States.

Now, Republicans closely await what Trump - a billionaire businessman known for his unconventional approach to politics and policy - will do on Cuba once he takes office.

Trump's statement on Castro's passing marked a softening from his late campaign rhetoric on Cuba policy.

Cuba's former leader Fidel Castro, right, is pictured last Tuesday shaking hands with Vietnam's President Tran Dai Quang in one of the last pictures taken of Castro before he died, in Havana, Cuba

Fidel Castro waves a Cuban flag during a May Day rally in Havana in May 2002

'This may be one place where his business interests prod him to take a more pragmatic course, even if that angers the hard core anti-Castro elements of both parties,' one U.S. intelligence official told Reuters, speaking on the condition of anonymity.

Trump has just begun to fill out the top ranks of his national security team, and has not yet named his top diplomat - the Secretary of State - who will play a major role in formulating policy on Cuba.

A second U.S. official noted the advisers Trump has named thus far are not known to have any particular interest in Cuba.

That may mean Trump's economic team will have more sway over Cuba policy, which could lead to a more pragmatic approach than Trump's campaign pledges, the second official said.

Trump had started his campaign saying he was open to lifting the long-standing embargo on trade with Cuba.

In January, he said on Fox News that he was in favor of 'opening it up' with Cuba, but wanted a better 'deal' than Obama had made, comments he repeated in a debate with Republican rivals in March.

'I would want to make a strong, solid, good deal because right now, everything is in Cuba's favor,' Trump said in March, saying he would 'probably have the embassy closed' in Havana until a new deal was made.

In this January 1959 photo, Fidel Castro is pictured center with his soldiers as they make a roadside appearance while moving toward Havana where a welcome was expected

When Obama visited Cuba later that month, Trump said in an interview with CNN that he 'probably' would continue to normalize economic and diplomatic relations with Cuba, and would even open a Trump hotel in Cuba if the conditions were right.

'I think Cuba has certain potential, and I think it's okay to bring Cuba into the fold, but you have to make a much better deal,' he said, noting he was worried Cuba would sue the United States for reparations for damage caused by its decades-long embargo on Cuba.

Cuba policy was not part of a major foreign policy address Trump delivered in April.

After he secured his party's nod, his position shifted to a more traditional Republican position.

The reaction to Castro's passing from some Cubans living in the United States was scathing and celebratory.

U.S. Congress representative Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, a Cuban-American Republican from Miami, said in a statement: 'A tyrant is dead and a new beginning can dawn on the last remaining communist bastion of the Western Hemisphere.'

In Miami, in the area surrounding the Versailles Restaurant where many exiles who fled the Cuban revolution live, people took to the streets in their cars in the early hours of Saturday morning to celebrate Castro's death.

'Cuba si! Castro no!' they chanted, while others screamed 'Cuba libre!'

Celebration, not grief, permeated the atmosphere. That was no surprise.

Castro has cast a shadow over Miami for decades, and in many ways, his policy and his power have shaped the city and its inhabitants.

Members of the Cuban community react Castro's death on Saturday in the Little Havana area in Miami

Cubans fled the island to Miami, Tampa, New Jersey and elsewhere after Castro took power in 1959.

Some were loyalists of Fulgencio Batista, the president prior to Castro, while others left with the hope they would be able to return soon, after Castro was toppled. He never was.

Many others believed they would not be truly free under Castro and his communist regime.

Thousands left behind their possessions, loved ones, and hard-earned educations and businesses, traveling to the U.S. by plane, boat or raft.

Many Cubans died on the ocean trip to South Florida. And many never returned to see their childhood homes, their neighborhoods, their playgrounds, their businesses, their cousins and aunts and uncles, because Castro was still in power.

The ones that made it to Miami took a largely, and vehemently, anti-Castro stance.

In Miami, hundreds of people gathered waving flags, banging pots and pans and carrying umbrellas to shield them from steady rainfall on Friday.
Both are now island-hopping in the Caribbean for their honeymoon

Amy first joked she didn't want to hear about it - but it turned out to be her

Met online two years ago and later realized they knew each other already

Justin and Amy Pounders, of St Petersburg, Florida tied the knot last week

Two childhood sweethearts reunited by online dating have tied the knot - 30 years after developing a crush on each other at their Florida preschool.

Justin Pounders and Amy, nee Giberson, got married last week in St Petersburg, Florida after two years of dating, ensuring that the two young love birds who once insisted on sitting together for a class picture wouldn't get separated ever again.

The pair, who are now island-hopping in the Caribbean for their honeymoon, matched on a dating website in 2014, a week after Justin moved back from Orlando. He told Amy a month into the relationship that he used to have a crush on a girl with the same name back in preschool, but she didn't think much of it.

It wasn't until she pointed out a small scar above Justin's eye, and he told her he got it falling off the monkey bars at St Petersburg's Good Ol' Sunshine preschool, that the two realized they had met before.

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Wedded bliss: Justin and Amy Pounders, of St Petersburg, Florida, are seen on their wedding day

The lovebirds got married last week in St Petersburg, Florida after two years of dating

The preschool sweethearts are seen left when they were children and, right, in a Facebook photo

Amy's mother and Justin's confirmed that the two attended Good Ol' Sunshine at the same time. Justin's mother uncovered more evidence of the childhood fling when she found a preschool picture of her son and Amy, sitting next to each other in their class picture.

'I'm his Amy. I am the luckiest woman in the world to be loved by this man,' Amy wrote on her wedding website, on which she recounted their unlikely romance.

'His love has brought my heart and life so much happiness, LOVE, laughter and peace. I've never known a peace like this until I met this man.

'His love has brought my heart and life so much happiness, LOVE, laughter and peace. I've never known a peace like this until I met this man,' Amy said. They are seen together in a wedding snap

The former owner of their preschool, teacher Diane Twar, still remembered their childhood crush

Justin proposed in November last year while the two were on ABC's The View, telling the story of their preschool fling. They are seen dancing above

The former owner of their preschool, teacher Diane Twar, still remembered their childhood crush.

'They had a blast with each other,' Twar told People last year. 'It was a quiet, bashful romance. They liked each other from afar, it was a young love, like a sweet crush, you know? They insisted on sitting next to each other in our school picture.'

Online dating brought Justin and Amy back together, 30 years after their love blossomed. But national television helped seal their union forever.

The couple have since recovered several childhood pictures that show them sitting next to each other at school, including in a class picture

Amy (pictured at her bridal shower) wrote on her wedding website: 'I don't know how or why, but one day, I woke up and my life was suddenly a fairy tale'

Justin proposed in November last year while the two were on ABC's The View, telling the story of their preschool fling

She said yes! Amy tearfully accepted Justin's proposal and last week the two became husband and wife

Justin proposed in November last year while the two were on ABC's The View, telling the story of their preschool fling.

The channel aired a message from their old preschool, with children holding signs reading: 'Amy, will you marry me?'

Amy tearfully accepted Justin's proposal and last week the two became husband and wife.

They have since jetted off to Antigua on their honeymoon, before heading to St Lucia.

'Now, I get to spend the rest of my life right next to him and I wouldn't want it any other way,' Amy wrote on her website.

'I don't know how or why, but one day, I woke up and my life was suddenly a fairy tale.'
A store owner in Florida shot an employee at his jewelry and watch repair shop before fatally turning the gun on himself.

Fast-Fix owner Gus Kiriazis, 59, entered the store around 10am and shot Sabas Antonio Ferrer, 52, the Sun-Sentinel reported.

Kiriazis then killed himself, police said.

Ferrer was transported to North Broward Health with unknown injuries, according to Coral Springs police spokesman Ernesto Bruna.

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Antonio Ferrer (pictured), 52, was shot by his employer, Fast-Fix owner Gus Kiriazis, 59, before Kiriazis killed himself

Ferrer was shot inside the Fast-Fix (pictured) where Kiriazis killed himself. Ferrer was transferred to a nearby hospital with unknown injuries

Coral Springs police spokesman Ernesto Bruna confirmed that one person died and the shooting involved two men who knew each other

A motive has not been determined in the shooting at Coral Square Mall (pictured), which happened shortly before 10am on Saturday

The mall was locked down for about an hour before it was reopened to shoppers. Authorities said that 'no suspects are being sought at this time'

A motive has not been determined in the shooting.

Police tweeted that the individuals were shot at Coral Square Mall on Saturday morning shortly after the shooting occurred.

The mall, which is located on Atlantic Boulevard, was placed on lockdown for about an hour before being reopened to the public.

Police said the south entrance by Macy's will remain closed as they continue to investigate the area.

Authorities said that 'no suspects are being sought at this time'.

The extent of the second victim's injuries are unclear and at this time it's not known what sparked the shooting.

The survivor was taken to North Broward Medical Center in Pompano Beach, the Sentinel reported.

A witness told Local 10 News that they saw paramedics rushing a person out.

Paramedics were also seen passing an Express store and running away from an area near Sears and Kohl's, the station reported.

Another witness reported three gun shots.

The extent of the second victim's injuries are unclear. Fire crews were also at the scene

A witness said they saw paramedics rushing a person out. Paramedics were also seen passing an Express store and running away from an area near Sears and Kohl's. Another witness reported three gun shots

The shooting comes just a day after three people were killed outside stores on Black Friday.

A Good Samaritan who tried to break up a domestic violence incident outside a shopping center was shot dead during the Black Friday madness.

The unidentified man was killed when a gunman opened fire while he sat in his car in the parking lot of a Walmart in San Antonio, Texas, about 4pm local time.

Telles Juarez, 21, allegedly was grabbing a woman by the hair and punching her inside his car, when the Good Samaritan shouted from his car to let the woman go.

Juarez then reportedly opened fire on the man, hitting him in the neck, KSAT reported. He was pronounced dead at the scene, but has yet to be identified.

Two other people were shot outside a mall in Chattanooga, Tennessee, where chaos broke out about 4pm.

Another man, 33, was killed in a Walmart parking lot in Reno, Nevada.

A 21-year-old man died from a gunshot wound in New Jersey. His brother was also injured.

Another man, who hasn't been identified, was killed when a gunman opened fire while he sat in his car in the parking lot of a Walmart in San Antonio, Texas, about 4pm local time

Two other people were shot outside a mall in Chattanooga, Tennessee, where chaos broke out about 4pm

A 21-year-old man died from a gunshot wound outside Macy's (pictured) in New Jersey on Friday morning. His brother was also injured
Last updated at 16:28 24 July 2006

Berlin is planning to make Jews wanting to settle in Germany qualify for the first time on a points system already in place for other would-be residents.

Germany has operated an open-door policy for Jewish migrants ever since the end of WW2 as atonement for the Holocaust engineered by the Nazis which killed six million people.

The new restrictions follow recent concerns about integration and reflect Germany's economic problems with unemployment at nearly five million.

Tens of thousands of Jewish migrants arrive annually: last year more settled in Germany than in Israel, most of them from the former Soviet Union.

But now the government wants to regulate the influx with a points system based on education, religious orientation and profession. According to news magazine Der Spiegel, only those Jews who amass at least 50 out of 105 points will be allowed to settle in Germany.

Exceptions will be made for victims of Nazism.

Applicants will be evaluated on criteria including age, education, work experience, family status, language ability, relationship to Germany, and country of origin.

Those who meet the required standard will be entitled to move to Germany without having to show proof of employment beforehand. According to Spiegel, the interior ministers of the 16 states of Germany have already agreed to the plan being run in a pilot scheme for one year.

A university graduate will automatically gain 20 points, experience in a profession 10 points, the likelihood of working with Jewish organisations a further 10 points and a good working knowledge of German 25 points.

The Federal Office for Migration and Refugees in Nuremberg will be in charge of administering the tests which government sources say are necessary to stop Jewish organisations in the country being overwhelmed in years to come.

Critics of the open-door policy claim many Jews arriving in Germany have no affinity with the religion whatsoever and have never worshipped in a synagogue but arrive hoping for handouts from Jewish charities.
ISIS terrorists have executed 15 of their own soldiers for mutiny in Mosul.

Most of those accused of colluding with enemy Iraqi forces were young men in their twenties.

They were dragged from their homes into a public park and shot by firing squad on Friday evening.

Shocking picture shows men accused of colluding with Iraqi forces being executed by ISIS

ISIS terrorists have executed 15 of their own soldiers for mutiny in Mosul. Pictured: A masked Iraqi special forces soldier stands on top of a vehicle in Mosul

The furious terrorists also blew up five homes previously used as detention facilities and four booby-trapped vehicles to the north and east of the city.

It comes as the Iraqi Army claims to have captured 50 per cent of Mosul from ISIS.

'Our forces have become in control of 50 per cent of Nineveh since the launch of military operations,' said Brigadier General Yahia Rasoul.

Forces have advanced towards the eastern shores of Tigris River, which cuts through the last remaining ISIS stronghold in Iraq.

On Friday night, mortar rounds fired by ISIS killed 16 civilians in neighborhoods already retaken by Iraqi troops.

Their bodies have been brought to military hospitals in eastern Mosul.

An Iraqi special forces soldier, fires mortar shell during a battle against the Islamic State militants in Mosul

A tank of the Iraqi army takes part in an operation against Islamic State militants southeast of Mosul

An Iraqi special forces soldier runs after he fires an RPG at terrorists

On Saturday scores of civilians streamed out of the inner neighborhoods of the city to escape the fighting and get to camps.

At least 73,000 Iraqis have fled Mosul since the government's campaign to retake the city began on October 17.

But the civilians that remain inside Mosul and surrounding towns still under IS control have placed major restraints on the air campaign against the group, acting as human shields.

The United Nations has said the jihadists have forced tens of thousands of locals to march back with them as human shields.

Army pilots insist that they are doing everything they can to avoid civilian casualties.

'It puts limits on our operation,' Major Muthanna Hanun said.

In terms of the division of labour the Army pilots said they can usually deal with most of the targets.

Iraqi troops fire over walls as the take on ISIS in Mosul

An Iraqi soldier covers his ears as he fires a mortar shell against ISIS

But for larger objectives or when there is a threat from the ground that requires bombing from greater distance they turn to the coalition.

'If we don't have the capabilities to deal with it then the coalition is called to handle it,' Hanun said.

Army aviation helicopters carry out 60 to 70 sorties a day across the Mosul battlefield, according to defence ministry spokesman Tahsin Ibrahim.

Meanwhile, Iraq's parliament on Saturday voted to accord full legal status to government-sanctioned Shiite militias.

They act as a 'back-up and reserve' force for the military and police and are empowered to 'deter' security and terror threats facing the country, such as ISIS.

The legislation, supported by 208 of the chamber's 327 members, was promptly rejected by Sunni Arab politicians and lawmakers who said it was evidence of what they called the 'dictatorship' of the country's Shiite majority.

Mortars pounded Islamic State positions but it't too early to see their effect

An Iraqi special forces soldier, takes his position at a street where his brigade fight against the Islamic State militants

Another Iraqi soldier fires though a wall in the Bakr front line neighborhood in Mosul, Iraq

'The majority does not have the right to determine the fate of everyone else,' Osama al-Nujaifi, one of Iraq's three vice presidents and a senior Sunni politician, told a news conference after the vote. 'There should be genuine political inclusion. This law must be revised.'

Sunni lawmaker Ahmed al-Masary said the legislation fuels doubts about the participation of all Iraqi communities in the political process.

'The legislation aborts nation building,' he said, adding that the Shiite bloc in parliament has not provided the Sunnis with the assurances they required.

Many in the Sunni Arab community wanted the militiamen to be integrated into the country's military and police, a proposition long rejected by Shiite militia leaders, some of whom have on occasion spoken about their armed groups evolving into a force akin to Iran's Revolutionary Guards or Lebanon's Iranian-backed Hezbollah.

An Iraqi special forces soldier, fires his automatic machine gun

RPGs were used against the terrorists as they tried to retain control in Mosul

The law, tabled by the chamber's largest Shiite bloc, placed the militias under the command of Shiite Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi and gave militiamen salaries and pensions that mirror those of the military and the police.

Senior Shiite politician Amar al-Hakim sought to reassure the Sunni lawmakers, saying a host of laws to be issued by the prime minister to regulate the work of the militias would allay their fears.

'The law creates a suitable climate for national unity,' he said.

In a statement, al-Abadi welcomed the legislation and said the 'Popular Mobilization' forces, the formal name of the militias, would cover all Iraqi sects, a thinly veiled reference to the much smaller and weaker Sunni tribal forces along with armed groups from smaller minorities.

'We must show gratitude for the sacrifices offered by those heroic fighters, young and elderly. It is the least we can offer them,' said the statement.

'The Popular Mobilization will represent and defend all Iraqis wherever they are.'

The Shiite militias alone number more than 100,000 fighters.

Fighters of Popular Mobilization Forces pose for a photograph at the fighting lines against Islamic State militants outside Mosul

Displaced Iraqi women, who fled the Islamic State stronghold of Mosul, make bread

Displaced Iraqis play outside their tents at Khazer camp

Newly displaced Iraqi children, who fled the Islamic State stronghold of Mosul, wait to be allowed to enter Khazer camp

The government, through the military, has been trying to use the campaign to reassure the city's mostly Sunni residents, promising them a life free of the atrocities and excesses of the extremist IS.

The Shiite militias, most of which are backed by neighboring Shiite Iran, have been bankrolled and equipped by the government since shortly after IS swept across much of northern and western Iraq in 2014.

Many of these groups existed long before IS emerged, fighting American troops in major street battles during the U.S. military presence in Iraq between 2003 and 2011.

They have played a key role in checking the advance of IS on Baghdad and the Shiite Shrine cities of Samarra and Karbala in the summer of 2014 and later helped liberate IS-held areas to the south, northeast and north of Baghdad, replacing the security forces that collapsed in the face of the IS blitz in 2014.

Fighters of the Popular Mobilization Forces at the front line against Islamic State militants

Iraq's parliament on Saturday voted to accord full legal status to government-sanctioned Shiite militias (pictured)

Members of Iraqi army gesture and chant slogans during an operation against Islamic State militants

Displaced Iraqi people, who fled the Islamic State stronghold of Mosul, hug each other as they meet for the first time since they fled Mosul

However, their role has somewhat diminished as more and more of Iraq's security forces have regained their strength.

Iraq's Sunni Arabs and rights groups have long complained that the militiamen have been involved in extrajudicial killings, abuse and the theft or destruction of property in Sunni areas from which they drove out IS.

The militias' commanders, however, deny the charges or insist that the excesses are the work of an isolated few.

Currently, the militias are tasked with driving IS from the town of Tal Afar west of Mosul. They seized the town's airstrip earlier this week. Al-Abadi met militia commanders at the strip on Thursday and later lavishly praised their role in the fight against IS.

The militias have been excluded from the battle for Mosul at the request of Sunni politicians, out of fear they would abuse the city's Sunnis.
numbers could fall by up to 80 percent in five years

The pill replaces the old method of rounding up the birds and culling them

More than 150 animal welfare groups are celebrating after Barcelona's city council decided to put its 85,000 pigeon population on the pill!

The new controls will replace the controversial rounding up and killing of the birds which are threatening to take over the historic centre, pooping on monuments, listed buildings and tourists.

Barcelona's leaders are taking expert advice over contraceptive methods which could cut numbers by as much as 80 per cent within four to five years.

The first step will be to count the number of pigeons, a huge task which will take place during December and January.

Pigeons are a staple of Barcelona's Placa de Catalunya where scores of cafes, theaters and historical architecture-that the bird's droppings are damaging-is located

Meantime, the city council has officially confirmed, culling will be suspended, with the aim of avoiding interference with the results.

From April of 2017, 40 special feeding dispensers will be installed in the different districts of Barcelona, each containing contraceptive food. The first results will be analysed at the end of that year.

'We will be using nicarbazin which acts first on the younger birds,' said a council spokesman. 'It's predicted there will be a reduction of 20 per cent in the pigeon population n the first year and between 70 and 80 per cent in four or five years.'

The authority believes the method will work and allow them to abandon culling permanently. Experts from Barcelona are helping with the problem.

Animal rights groups say they are delighted with the decision as 152 of them had earlier protected about 'unethical' method of catching the pigeons in nets and then killing them.

Barcelona, Spain's second most populous city after Madrid, is famous for its beautiful architecture and is a tourist hotspot

The Commission for the Protection of Animals had led the fight for change for months.

The use of the pill for pigeons and has been operating successfully for more than 15 years throughout Europe, including in several Catalan municipalities and in the cities of Alicante and Valencia.
The fire was to celebrate punk and also to protest against the commercialisation of the 1970s scene

His 5m punk collection, which included personal items belonging to his parents, have been set alight

Joe Corre, 48, is the son of Vivienne Westwood and Malcolm McLaren, who managed the Sex Pistols

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Punk memorabilia worth 5million has gone up in smoke in a celebration of the rebellious spirit and attitude which revolutionised music.

The son of designer Vivienne Westwood and Sex Pistols manager Malcolm McLaren burnt his entire collection of punk items.

Businessman Joe Corre's 5million punk haul included personal items belonging to his father and vintage clothing designed by his mother.

The 48-year-old also set the haul on fire in protest over an event celebrating the 40th anniversary of the release of the Sex Pistols debut single, Anarchy in the UK.

The son of designer Vivienne Westwood (pictured) and Sex Pistols manager Malcolm McLaren burnt his entire collection of punk items

The burning of 5million worth of punk memorabilia on a barge on the River Thames, central London

Joe Corre at the burning of 5million worth of punk memorabilia on a barge on the River Thames, central London. His mother is the designer Vivienne Westwood and his late father was Sex Pistols manager Malcolm McLaren

Vivienne Westwood, 75, spoke before the fire took hold and burnt the 5million worth of punk memorabilia on the barge

Dame Vivienne made her name in the 1970s bringing punk and new wave fashions to mainstream audiences

A fire rescue boat arrived to investigate the blaze onboard the vessel which had the banner 'Extinction! Your future'

The burning of the punk memorabilia also included effigies of Tories David Cameron and Boris Johnson

Businessman Joe Corre, 48, pictured at a press conference earlier, announced he would burn his entire collection of punk memorabilia, including items belonging to his parents

The 5million punk haul included personal items belonging to his father (right) and vintage clothing designed by his mother, designer Vivienne Westwood (pictured left in 2000)

This string net long-sleeved top is one of the items that was destroyed in the fire on Saturday

On Thursday he gave a press conference and said that his father would have been 'proud' of him burning the collection and would have found it 'hilarious'.

Explaining why he was doing it, Corre added that 'Punk is Dead' before saying that the genre has 'lost all of its bite'.

Speaking at Bloomsbury House, London, he said: ' Punk has been castrated and neutered by the corporate sector and the state. Hung, drawn and quartered.'

He gave his views two days before the 40th anniversary of the release of Anarchy in the UK, which signified the launch of punk.

Corre added: 'Young people today, angry youth, need real solutions not the now conformist, sanitised and sterilised uniform of punk. It has no currency any more. Punk has lost all of its bite.'

Corre revealed that he would burn a pair of bondage trousers that were made especially for him when he was 10 and a pair of Johnny Rotten's trousers. He also burnt rare posters and bootlegs of live recordings.

He added that he had once sold his punk collection to raise money to start the lingerie shop Agent Provocateur, only to later buy it back again.

He pointed out he gives a lot of money to charity namely youth causes, and 80 per cent of the proceeds of a documentary about his 5 million punk fire will go to charity.

Corre was asked what his father would think of him burning his punk collection and replied: 'He would probably have been proud of me and think it's hilarious.'

Independent experts valued his collection being worth between 5million to 10 million.

A vintage tartan jacket was among the items in Corre's personal collection that will burn

This pink, white and green Sex Pistols t-shirt is a nod to Corre's father's notorious career

Fastened with clips, this ripped long-sleeved shirt is another in Corre's 5million collection

However Corre stated museums would not display most of the graphics associated with punk due to their extremity including images of swastikas and pedophilia.

In a post on his personal website in June, Corre wrote: 'I Hear there is this PUNK LONDON celebration of forty years since the release of ANARCHY IN THE UK!...

'First of all why forty years? Funny number really, feels just like someone thought it might drum a bit of trade when theres no Royal wedding to distract us.

He added: 'Whos really behind this thing?...Where is all this money going?'

The post also suggests the event will be held outside Buckingham Palace.

However Corre, who co-founded Agent Provocateur in 1994, also had a dysfunctional relationship with his father who left his son nothing in his will when he died of mesothelioma  a form of cancer  in 2010.

Instead McLaren left everything to his long-time girlfriend, Young Kim.

And it seems Corre and his father had a strained relationship.

This controversial doll is seen wearing a t-shire with a Swastika and a heavy chain metal belt

Another item from the collection, which will be destroyed on Saturday, is this annotated fabric

Just months after his father died, Corre launched a bitter legal battle over his will because he left his fortune to his young girlfriend.

At the time, Corre argued his father - famed for founding the Sex Pistols - was too ill to sign.

But the pair had a complicated friendship and had fallen out which resulted in them not speaking for a while.

McLaren said in 2008: 'My son and his family don't like me.' He suggested this was because Corre knew he should have been aborted after McLaren and Westwood met.

Corre added: 'He (my father) would have taken this opportunity to say something about it. Whether he would agree with burning it all or not, I think he would have done.'

The event comes after Corre tried to sell his original acetate version of Anarchy in the UK on eBay for 1milllion to raise money for charity.
A wanted woman jumped into a river to escape police officers in south west London yesterday.

The woman was spotted by police at 2pm in Kingston, gave the officers chase before jumping into the freezing Hogsmill river.

She refused to get out, forcing an officer to jump in and arrest her.

The woman was in the river in Kingston town centre, south west London, yesterday after trying to evade police

The woman was then taken to hospital for 'unrelated issues'.

PC Sebastian Ellis said: 'She decided it would be a good idea to jump in the Hogsmill behind the Guildhall and paddled up stream.

'She refused to come out. One officer had to jump in the river and arrest her.'

A police spokesman was unable to confirm of what she was arrested on suspicion.
Donald Trump has lashed out at Green Party candidate Jill Stein calling her Wisconsin ballot recount a 'scam' designed to get money after Hillary Clinton's campaign said they would take part.

Clinton's team said on Saturday it would be part of a recount initiated by Stein in Wisconsin and the defeated Democrat's campaign would also support similar action if a recount was initiated in Michigan and Pennsylvania.

Trump accused Stein of just trying to 'fill her coffers with money' by initiating the 'ridiculous' ballot recount.

'The people have spoken and the election is over, and as Hillary Clinton herself said on election night, in addition to her conceding by congratulating me, "We must accept this result and then look to the future",' Trump said in the statement obtained by Bloomberg.

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Donald Trump has lashed out at Green Party candidate Jill Stein calling her bid for a Wisconsin ballot recount a 'scam' after his aide Kellyanne Conway (left) accused Clinton's campaign of being a 'pack of sore losers' who could not accept reality

Wisconsin will recount its presidential election votes after receiving a petition from trounced Green Party candidate Jill Stein (right) on Friday

On Saturday evening, Trump tweeted to his followers about Stein's 'scam' to 'fill up her coffers' adding that she has now been joined by the Democrats

Later he tweeted again about the Democrats, saying they pushed him to accept the election results but that was 'not so anymore'

'This recount is just a way for Jill Stein, who received less than one percent of the vote overall and wasn't even on the ballot in many states, to fill her coffers with money, most of which she will never even spend on this ridiculous recount.

'All three states were won by large numbers of voters, especially Pennsylvania, which was won by more than 70,000 votes.

'This is a scam by the Green Party for an election that has already been conceded, and the results of this election should be respected instead of being challenged and abused, which is exactly what Jill Stein is doing.'

Trump did not attack Clinton in his statement but later went after the Democrats for joining Stein in her campaign to recount.

On Saturday evening, he tweeted to his followers about Stein's 'scam' to 'fill up her coffers' adding that she has now been joined by the Democrats.

'The Green Party scam to fill up their coffers by asking for impossible recounts is now being joined by the badly defeated & demoralized Dems,' he wrote.

Later he tweeted again about the Democrats, saying they pushed him to accept the election results but that was 'not so anymore'.

'The Democrats, when they incorrectly thought they were going to win, asked that the election night tabulation be accepted. Not so anymore!' he tweeted.

His aide Kellyanne Conway also said the Democrat's campaign couldn't accept reality.

'What a pack of sore losers,' Conway said. 'After asking Mr Trump and his team a million times on the trail, "Will HE accept the election results?" it turns out Team Hillary and their new BFF Jill Stein can't accept reality.

'Rather than adhere to the tradition of graciously conceding and wishing the winner well, theyve opted to waste millions of dollars and dismiss the democratic process. The people have spoken. Time to listen up.'

Prior to the election, Trump had refused to say if he would accept the result if he lost. During their final head-to-head debate, Trump said: 'I will tell you at the time. I'll keep you in suspense' when questioned about it.

Hillary Clinton's (pictured shopping for Thanksgiving in Chappaqua, New York) campaign says they intend to take part in a recount initiated by Greens Party candidate Jill Stein in Wisconsin

Donald Trump's campaign manager Kellyanne Conway has hit out at Hillary Clinton's campaign for taking part in a ballot recount in Wisconsin

Trump's newly-appointed general counsel Don McGahn has already been briefed on a legal battle for the Wisconsin recount, according to Bloomberg

In an interview with CNN, Stein said she has had no contact with the Clinton campaign but said her lawyer's would make contact following news of the recount.

Stein tweeted on Saturday: 'I will do a recount in any state where the deadline has not passed. Help my staff find state deadlines #Recount2016.'

TRUMP'S STATEMENT The people have spoken and the election is over, and as Hillary Clinton herself said on election night, in addition to her conceding by congratulating me, "We must accept this result and then look to the future. This recount is just a way for Jill Stein, who received less than one percent of the vote overall and wasn't even on the ballot in many states, to fill her coffers with money, most of which she will never even spend on this ridiculous recount. All three states were won by large numbers of voters, especially Pennsylvania, which was won by more than 70,000 votes. This is a scam by the Green Party for an election that has already been conceded, and the results of this election should be respected instead of being challenged and abused, which is exactly what Jill Stein is doing. Advertisement

Trump's newly-appointed general counsel Don McGahn has already been briefed for a legal battle in regards to the Wisconsin recount, Bloomberg reports.

It comes after Marc Elias, Clinton's campaign's general counsel, wrote in a statement they had quietly taken a number of steps in the last two weeks amid calls for an audit and recount.

He said while the campaign had not planned to initiate a recount, they intend to participate given one will go ahead in Wisconsin.

The campaign received hundreds of messages in recent days urging them to investigate claims the election results were hacked, particularly in Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania.

'Because we had not uncovered any actionable evidence of hacking or outside attempts to alter the voting technology, we had not planned to exercise this option ourselves, but now that a recount has been initiated in Wisconsin, we intend to participate in order to ensure the process proceeds in a manner that is fair to all sides,' Elias wrote.

'If Jill Stein follows through as she has promised and pursues recounts in Pennsylvania and Michigan, we will take the same approach in those states as well.

'We do so fully aware that the number of votes separating Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton in the closest of these states - Michigan - well exceeds the largest margin ever overcome in a recount.'

Stein said on Saturday she has had no contact with the Clinton campaign but said her lawyer's would make contact following news of the recount

Donald Trump has lashed out at Green Party candidate Jill Stein calling her Wisconsin ballot recount a 'scam' designed to get money

The Wisconsin Elections Commission announced its plan to begin recounting votes next week in a statement issued on Friday

Wisconsin announced its plan to start recounting ballots after Stein filed for a recount on Friday.

She has raised more than $5million for recounts in Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania amid claims the election result has been tampered with.

She claims voting machines used in some states were susceptible to cyber attack and therefore cannot be trusted.

Elias wrote that the campaign had consulted with experts to investigate any irregularities or to see if there is anything to suggest a hack.

'The campaign is grateful to all those who have expended time and effort to investigate various claims of abnormalities and irregularities,' Elias wrote.

'While that effort has not, in our view, resulted in evidence of manipulation of results, now that a recount is underway, we believe we have an obligation to the more than 64 million Americans who cast ballots for Hillary Clinton to participate in ongoing proceedings to ensure that an accurate vote count will be reported.'

A recount in Wisconsin will do little for Stein's own chances in the state given she only won one percent of the vote compared to Donald Trump's 47 and Hillary Clinton's 46

Clinton's campaign general counsel Marc Elias, wrote in a statement the campaign had quietly taken a number of steps in the last two weeks amid calls for an audit and recount

A recount in Wisconsin will do little for Stein's own chances in the state given she only won one percent of the vote compared to Donald Trump's 47 and Hillary Clinton's 46

A recount in Wisconsin will do little for Stein's own chances in the state given she only won one percent of the vote compared to Donald Trump's 47 and Hillary Clinton's 46.

An Obama administration said on Friday it stood by the election results as recount proceedings began in Wisconsin.

'We stand behind our election results, which accurately reflect the will of the American people,' an official told Politico.

'The federal government did not observe any increased level of malicious cyber activity aimed at disrupting our electoral process on election day,' the official added. 'We believe our elections were free and fair from a cybersecurity perspective.'

In a statement on Friday, the Wisconsin Elections Commission said it would begin recounting once it received full payment from Stein's campaign.

' The Wisconsin Elections Commission today received two recount petitions from the Jill Stein for President Campaign and from Rocky Roque De La Fuente.

'The Commission is preparing to move forward with a statewide recount of votes for President of the United States, as requested by these candidates,' Administrator Michael Haas said.

De La Fuente trailed behind Stein in Wisconsin, winning just 0.1 percent of the vote.

Clinton, however, lost by just one percent, some 27,000 votes. According to experts who have cast doubt over the election results, hackers could have cost her as many as 30,000 by tapping in to apparently vulnerable machines.

The recount will include paper ballots in addition to electronic votes, the commission said.

While a recount would do little to help Stein, analysts claim it could prove Clinton was robbed of thousands of votes by hackers and theoretically put her back in play for the presidency

The computer experts used a statistical analysis to conclude Clinton did worse in states with electronic voting machines - which they argue could have left the door open to hacking

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT? Wisconsin Wisconsin is the first state to respond to calls for a recount because it is so far the only state to have received an official petition demanding one. It has until December 13 to complete the recount of all its votes and return its findings, so long as Stein's campaign stumps up the required fee. As of Friday afternoon, the total cost was still unclear - administrators at the Elections Commission said they were working to determine an estimate. Wisconsin has 72 counties. Clerks from each are responsible with carrying out the recount while the Elections Commission's role is to make sure it is performed lawfully. If candidates disagree with the recount result, they will have five days from when it is returned to take their grievance to the circuit court before a judge. Pennsylvania In Pennsylvania, voters or candidates can petition courts for a recount of the vote. A judge is required to make a decision on whether one should go ahead. If granted, county boards are tasked with performing the recount. Michigan Unlike in Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, the election winner in Michigan can object to a recount. Stein cannot request a recount until the vote in Michigan is certified, something that is not due to happen until Monday. Its deadline for a recount petition is Wednesday. If a recount is granted by the director of elections for Secretary of State, clerks have until December 19 to complete it when Michigan's electoral college meets. Could a recount overturn the election result? It is unlikely. Donald Trump won with 306 electoral votes over Hillary Clinton's 232. Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and Michigan account for 46 electoral college votes. If recounts show, as analysts say is possible, that Clinton should have won all three, she would technically win the Electoral College. Clinton has shied away from talk of ballot recounts, staying quiet on the subject while Stein pushes on. It would be up to the sitting president to respond to any election recount results. Advertisement

Wisconsin is the first of the three targeted battleground states to respond to her calls for a recount.

Stein filed her petition with seconds to spare before the window for demanding recounts closed on November 25.

Unlike in Wisconsin, which the Elections Commission described as the 'most decentralized system' in the country, Pennsylvania requires a judge's consent.

Michigan allows the winning candidate to object to a recount before putting the matter before the Board of Elections.

Pennsylvania has until November 28 to receive petitions for recounts while Michigan's deadline is November 30.

The Wisconsin recount must be completed by December 13 to comply with regulations.

State election boards and county clerks keep record of ballots, including electronic voting machines, after an election.

One possible explanation for why a recount could show a different result is that hackers could have planted self-destructing malware before the election which was designed to tamper with results on November 8 but would no longer be traced.

Recounts in all three states could cost as much as $7million, Stein said in her website appeal to donors.

It was however needed to 'ensure that 'We the People' can have confidence in reported results,' she said.

'To give you a sense of the problem, the voting machines used in Wisconsin were banned in California after they were shown to be highly vulnerable to hacking and malicious programming due to lacking security features,' she said in her fundraising appeal.

Clinton lost the Wisconsin vote to Trump by 1 percent, roughly 27,000 votes, but analysts say she may have been robbed of as many as 30,000 by hackers targeting electronic voting machines

Trump took the lead over Clinton by more than 1 percent in Pennsylvania which has 20 electoral college votes

In Michigan, Clinton fell behind by just 0.3 percent in one of the tightest races

JILL STEIN AND THE GREEN PARTY FORM FOR DEMANDING RECOUNTS Critics have accused Stein of 'conning' donors out of money This is not the first time a defeated Green Party candidate has demanded a recount in a presidential election. In 2004, David Cobb raised $150,000 to have the result challenged in Ohio amid wild claims officials had spoiled votes for John Kerry, pushing George W. Bush into the White House. The recount did nothing to sway the outcome. It showed Kerry had in fact received some 300 more votes than first counted, but not enough to change the result, according to The Chicago Tribune. Questions surrounding Jill Stein's motives for a recount have grown since her efforts were announced. On Friday, she appeared in a Facebook Live video to insist her intention was not to overturn the result but to shed light on the voting system and its apparent vulnerabilities. 'We have raised at this point over $5million, the total cost will be $7million,' she said. 'We are well on our way to that. This is a real grass roots, people's campaign. 'The purpose here is not to overturn the results of the election, the purpose is to establish voting integrity, to verify our votes and to ensure we can, going forward, ensure we can count on the accuracy and veracity of our votes. 'We need to know that the system has not been tampered with or compromised.' Critics were quick to accuse her of 'conning' voters out of money, pointing to the fact that a recount is not necessarily guaranteed despite their donations. Stein ran for the presidency in 2012 for the Green Party. She has an MD from Harvard Medical School. Despite several efforts to run for president, governor and a house representative, Stein has only ever been elected to the Lexington Town Meeting in Massachusetts. Advertisement

She later took to Facebook Live to celebrate the pace her campaign had gathered but admitted she had intention of overturning the election result.

' We have raised at this point over $5million, the total cost will be $7million,' she said.

'We are well on our way to that. This is a real grass roots, people's campaign.

'The purpose here is not to overturn the results of the election, the purpose is to establish voting integrity, to verify our votes and to ensure we can, going forward, ensure we can count on the accuracy and veracity of our votes.

Stein appeared in a Facebook Live video on Friday night to celebrate the pace her campaign had gathered

'We need to know that the system has not been tampered with or compromised.'

Calls for a recount collected momentum after a variety of independent analysts and data groups aired the possibility that voting machines in key states may have been hacked.

Some, whose claims were published in New York Magazine, said Clinton's performance in counties using electronic machines was drastically worse than in paper ballot zones and used this as cause for speculation of tampering.

Their calculations say a hack could have robbed her of 30,000 votes in Wisconsin where she officially lost to Trump by 27,000.

There is evidence she may have fallen victim to hackers in Pennsylvania and Michigan too, the magazine reported.

One of the quoted researchers later penned his own article for Medium to 'set the record straight'.

'The only way to know whether a cyberattack changed the result is to closely examine the available physical evidence  paper ballots and voting equipment in critical states like Wisconsin, Michigan, and Pennsylvania,' said J. Alex Halderman.
British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson has confirmed Britain won't withdraw from the rest of the world despite voting to leave the European Union and the election of Donald Trump as U.S. president.

During a visit to Kabul, Afghanistan, where he met with President Ashraf Ghani and chief executive Abdullah Abdullah, Mr Johnson said Britain remained committed to Afghanistan 'for the long haul'.

As well as continued support for the NATO-led Resolute Support mission to train Afghan security forces, it was doing 'a hell of a lot' for aid and development in Afghanistan, in areas like education, he said.

MrJohnson is on an official visit to Kabul to discuss issues of mutual interest and regional security with Pakistani leadership.

Boris Johnshon (left), British Foreign Secretary, shakes hands with Afghan foreign minister Sallahudin Rabani during their meeting in Kabul, Afghanistan, today

Mr Johnson visited the Afghanistan Centre at Kabul University with British ambassador to Afghanistan, Dominic Jermey (L)

Boris Johnson is on an official visit to Kabul to discuss issues of mutual interest and regional security with Pakistani leadership

He also visited the British cemetery in Kabul with the British ambassador and British soldiers

Mr Johnson and Mr Jermey read the tombstones of soldiers who died while fighting in Afghanistan

'None of those will be affected by our relations with the treaties of the European Union, as you would expect,' he said.

Britain's June 23 vote for 'Brexit' and Trump's backing for an 'America First' foreign policy have triggered alarm among some commentators who see signs of increasing isolationism among Western powers.

However Johnson, one of the leaders of the pro-Brexit camp, rejected such fears.

'If the question is do I think that the western world is going to start withdrawing or turning in on itself, then the answer is emphatically no, I don't think so,' Johnson told reporters. 'That certainly won't be the situation with the United Kingdom.'

'We intend to be more engaged with the world, more outward-looking than ever before,' he said.

Here Mr Johnson pays his respects after laying a wreath at the British cemetery

The memorial at the cemetery pays respects to more than 450 British soldiers who were killed

A British soldier looks through the scope of a machine gun to observe an area as he waits for the arrival of Mr Johnson during his visits at Camp Qargha in Kabul

A military helicopter carrying Mr Johnson is seen arriving during his visit to Camp Qargha

Britain's Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson (R) shakes hands with British soldiers during his visit

'I think we'll have to see how things pan out in Washington but I think that the interest of the United States in the security and stability of this part of the world will remain fundamental.'

Johnson visited Kabul University, where he attended a performance of a scene from Shakespeare's tragedy Macbeth in Dari, as well as the British cemetery, with its memorial to more than 450 British soldiers killed in Afghanistan.

He said Britain could be proud of the sacrifices and achievements of its troops, despite the deteriorating situation in areas like Helmand, now in large part under Taliban control, where more British soldiers died than in any other province.

'No one is sitting here and pretending that things are perfect but they are better by far than they were,' he said.
Japanese citizens are being advised on how to survive a nuclear attack after fears from both North Korea's Kim Jong-Un and Vladimir Putin in Russia.

As MailOnline reported yesterday, tensions are mounting with Russia over the deployment of missiles on disputed Pacific islands.

Today it has been revealed that Japan also feels under pressure as Kim Jong-Un is continues to carry out a series of test.

As a result under Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, pamphlets have been issued advising people what to do in the event of an attack have been made available - with people urged to head to underground shopping centres.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has branded Russia 'deplorable' for moving missiles to disputed islands in the Pacific and is now fearing nuclear attack from North Korea

The coastal defence missiles have been moved to two of the four islands known as the Northern Territories in Japan

The leaflet can be downloaded from the island nations civil defence website.

According to The Sun called Protecting Ourselves against Armed Attacks and Terrorism, it outlines emergency measures in the event missiles are fired at the country.

As well as taking shelter in shopping malls it urges people to take shelter, particularly behind thick walls to avoid radiation or blast injuries.

Japans Defence Ministrys Acquisition, Technology and Logistics Agency have already installed some anti-missile batteries in Tokyo and considering lasers to defend themselves from missile attacks.

Despite pleas from the US North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un (centre) continues to test his country's nuclear weapons and rockets

Kim Jong Un pictured at a firing contest among women gunners of the multiple launch rocket system

But North Korea has been strutting its nuclear strength for months, and despite some failed tests, it claims it would saturate its enemies with missiles.

Japan is the only country to have suffered nuclear war after the United States dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in the final days of the Second World War.

As well as 70,000 immediate deaths, the same amount suffered radiation affects, and many have suffered health problems since.

Following the end of the Second World War, Soviet troops seized the southernmost islands in the Kuril chain, known as the Northern Territories in Japan, that lies off the northeast coast of Hokkaido.

The countries have not signed a peace treaty formally ending wartime hostilities, and the dispute has hindered trade and investment.

'The Northern Territories are an inherent part of Japan's territory,' Abe told parliament today.

Following the end of the Second World War, Soviet troops seized the southernmost islands in the Kuril chain, known as the Northern Territories in Japan, that lies off the northeast coast of Hokkaido

Abe and Russian President Vladimir Putin are set to meet on December 15, when they will discuss the territorial dispute

Abe said Japan had told Russia the deployment 'is deplorable' and 'is contradictory to Japan's position' on the issue.

However, Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Thursday the missile deployment was aimed at the 'consistent strengthening of national security'.

'Missile systems were deployed to the southern Kurils in line with that position,' she said, calling them 'an integral part of Russian territory'.

The remarks came ahead of a December 15 meeting between Abe and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Yamaguchi city in western Japan, which is aimed at making progress on the territorial dispute.

The two leaders have met several times since Abe took office in December 2012, most recently last Sunday in Peru on the sidelines of a Pacific-rim summit.

Abe and Putin are set to meet next month, when they will discuss the decades-old dispute over the Pacific islands

Tensions with Japan have heightened at a time when concerns are increased over Russia's relationship with NATO.

This week Putin ally Franz Klintsevich, 59, a senator and leading member of the Kremlin strongman's United Russia Party, warned a modern Cuban missile crisis could be on the way to Europe.

The Kremlin claimed his views were 'understandable' but stressed it was Putin personally who decided Russia's policy on targeting enemies.

'Russia will deliver a hard and clear response to NATO's aggressive actions, the alliance's attempts to draw into its orbit yet more countries,' said hardline legislator Klintsevich.

'We shall train our weapons, including nuclear ones, on any alliance facilities threatening us, wherever they may be deployed.'

Klintsevich was speaking as deputy chairman of the Russian senate's Defence and Security Committee at a time of rising tension between Moscow and the West.
Dogs are at risk after deadly fatbergs of palm oil from the Caribbean washed up on British beaches following the chaos of Storm Angus.

Vets are warning pet owners to be careful when walking their dogs after the congealed lumps of fat arrived in the UK from Barbados, Jamaica and Trinidad.

Known as fatbergs, the rock-sized white blobs smell like diesel and are covered in killer germs.

The yellow-white boulders have been spotted on beaches in Kent, Sussex, Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.

Coastal councils are now warning beach-goers and dog-walkers to avoid the sizeable lumps

More recently, residents in Margate and Thanet in Kent have spotted the fatbergs on beaches following Storm Angus which battered the UK earlier this month.

A spokesman for Thanet District Council told Kent Live: 'We have received unconfirmed reports that palm oil may be present on some of our beaches.

'Whilst we are investigating that dog walkers are extra cautious if on the beach.'

Television vet Marc Abraham has warned animal owners to take wide berth with their pets when on a beach the fatbergs have invaded.

He said: 'Dogs will pick up anything on the beach, from pebbles, to food to palm oil.

'These things can cause two-fold problems, the first is gastro, the second is foreign body obstructions.

'As the palm oil is so gelatinous it can get lodged in the oesophagus and require emergency surgery.

'If you think your dog has swallowed something it shouldn't, contact your vet immediately.'

Palm oil is a waxy substance and smells of diesel or firelighters and can also be humans if it is digested. It can kill dogs.

Penmellyn Vets surgery in Newquay, Cornwall, issued a warning earlier this year after staff had to give life-saving treatment to five dogs.

Television vet Marc Abraham has warned animal owners to take wide berth with their pets when on a beach the fatbergs have invaded

The pets collapsed in agony after scoffing the waxy blobs scattered on beaches at Constantine Bay and Treyarnon.

Dogs love the smell of the palm oil but, laced with poisonous bacteria, even a small taste can kill them.

When similar palm oil boulders were washed up in 2014, dozens of dogs needed treatment and several died.

In June of that year, Freddie, a three-year-old Labradoodle, was rushed to a canine hospital for a series of life-saving operations after he gulped down lumps of the tropical import on a walk along Kingsand beach near Saltash, Cornwall.

His owner Karen de Fraine, 52, said at the time: 'My husband was walking him along the rocks in Kingsand when Freddie ran off and started to eat this large lump of palm oil.

'It was the size of a boulder. When John realised what was happening he shouted at Freddie, who ran away.

'We were absolutely panic-stricken when we realised what it was that he had eaten.

'We looked online and were worried that we could lose him after seeing what had happened to other dogs, so my husband rushed him to the vets straight away.'
Scores of prison officers who refused to join a mass walkout are being rewarded with 100 shopping vouchers funded by the taxpayer.

Guards protecting some of Britains most dangerous criminals who stayed on duty while a union held a 24-hour walkout in a dispute over rising levels of violence behind bars will receive the vouchers as a token of appreciation.

The rewards are due to be handed out to officers at Category A prisons Belmarsh, Whitemoor and Long Lartin, as well as HMP Portland, a young offenders institution.

As many as 70 of the prison's guards at Long Lartin joined a national strike (pictured at Wandsworth Prison) over safety fears, despite it being illegal for the profession to do so

Last night, a leading union official claimed the practice of handing out shopping vouchers is even more widespread, meaning the taxpayer could be facing a bill worth thousands of pounds to fund the rewards.

It is thought the officers will be receiving Love2shop vouchers which are redeemable in a host of popular stores, including Debenhams, Argos, House of Fraser and Toys R Us, as well as Pizza Express.

The revelation comes after up to 10,000 prison officers were forced to return to work during a 24-hour walkout this month when the Government won a High Court bid to halt industrial action.

The Prison Officers Association, which organised the action after talks broke down, claimed the Government was in breach of its contract by failing to provide a safe place of work.

But the Ministry of Justice insisted the industrial action was not justified, with Justice Secretary Liz Truss calling it unlawful.

Staff at the maximum-security HMP Long Lartin (shown) were informed via letters that those who ignored industrial action last week will by receiving 'gifts' in return

Steve Gillan, POA general secretary, condemned the practice of handing out shopping vouchers, branding it a bribe.

He said: The taxpayer will be astonished that this sort of thing goes on. Its a disgraceful use of taxpayers money.

'Perhaps they should invest more money in overall pay rather than singling out individuals for bonuses.

'To bribe staff in this way is morally repugnant.

Mr Gillan said he was aware that the policy was more widespread. He is demanding the National Offender Management Service, which runs Britains prisons, reveals how many vouchers and other financial incentives are being given out.

The Mail on Sunday has seen a letter distributed to staff at Long Lartin, Worcestershire, who did not participate in industrial action, telling them they will receive a small token of appreciation.

The letter, from the prisons acting governor, Mark Allen, states: I wish to thank you personally for supporting myself and Long Lartin I appreciate that the decision you made to support Long Lartin would not have been an easy one.

Can you please pop into my office, week commencing 28th November as I have a small token of appreciation for you.

Workers (shown at Wandsworth Prison) were said to be unhappy about the 'volatile and dangerous' state of UK jails and claim there has been a 'surge in violence'

It is understood that about 60 prison officers at Long Lartin are in line to each receive vouchers, worth 6,000 in total.

John Attard, National Officer of the Prison Governors Association, said: Governors working in prisons very much are the squeezed middle.

They are under pressure from their staff to make prisons safer but theyre also under pressure from NOMS itself to do that with less resources and less control.

There is a mechanism to reward staff within the prison service rules and those would have been the mechanisms that each individual governor would have decided.

The MoJ failed to answer questions put to them about the total number of prison officers due to receive vouchers.

A spokesman said: The Prison Service has a long-standing reward and recognition policy for its hard-working staff.
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The patter of tiny feet has brought joy to staff at Shanghai Zoo, after they welcomed their first baby orangutan into the world.

24-year-old mother orangutan Fei Fei gave birth to the cute male cub at the end of last month.

Incredible photographs show the mother proudly showing off her baby for the first time, cradling him in her arms.

Fei Fei arrived at Shanghai Zoo in July 2012 from the Philippines, along with the cub's father Bin Bin.

It is the first time that a baby orangutan has been successfully born at Shanghai Zoo.

Female orangutans only give birth every seven to nine years, meaning that it is relatively rare for zoos to see orangutan births.

24-year-old mother orangutan Fei Fei gave birth to a cute cub at the end of last month at Shanghai Zoo

Incredible photographs show the mother proudly showing off her male cub for the first time, cradling him in her arms

Staff were overjoyed by the new arrival as it is the first time that a baby orangutan has been successfully born at the zoo

Fei Fei arrived at Shanghai Zoo in July 2012 from the Philippines, along with the cub's father Bin Bin

The baby orangutan could be seen sticking his arm up as his mother put her arm around the cub, who has not yet been named

Fei Fei was seen eating a piece of cucumber off a skewer as she held tightly onto the baby with her other hand
Jeremy Corbyn has been mocked for his claim that Fidel Castro 'for all his flaws' was a champion of social justice in a flood of hilarious internet memes.

The Labour leader appeared to gloss over allegations of human rights abuses levelled at Castro, leaving opportunist comedians to compare the former Cuban leader to James Bond villains and Osama bin Laden.

Meanwhile, Mr Junker said the revolutionary had been a 'hero to many', leading to both men being accused of praising a brutal communist dictator with a 'disdain' for democracy.

Critics of Fidel Castro have reacted with fury after both Jeremy Corbyn (left) and EU president Jean-Claude Juncker (right) praised the dead Cuban leader's 'heroism'

For all his flaws, Darth Vader did bring the first Death Star in on time and under budget.  Kevin Schofield (@PolhomeEditor) November 26, 2016

@jeremycorbyn #ForAllHisFlaws HenryVIII gave more women royal positions than any other monarch  deborah ferguson (@dmf500) November 26, 2016

Twitter user Rosbif AzAK said: 'For all his flaws, Mussolini certainly got the trains running on time...'

Another mockingly praised Bin Laden for his proficiency in caving and living out of a backpack while Corbyn's comments were used to compare Castro with Bond villain Ernst Stavro Blofeld for the efficiency of his monorail and volcano.

Mr Corbyn said: 'I think history will show that Castro was such a key figure, it seems he has been with us forever.'

Deborah Ferguson pointed out in a direct tweet to the Labour leader: 'Henry VIII gave more women royal positions than any other monarch.'

The death of Mr Castro aged 90 was announced by his brother Raul Castro and followed years of speculation about his ill health.

In the years before becoming leader of the opposition, Mr Corbyn visited the Latin America state several times and attacked US policy towards it.

Speaking during a visit to Oxford he said: 'Fidel Castro was a massive figure in the history of the whole planet, ever since the revolution in 1959.

'There are stories of his heroism while living in Mexico in exile and then the boat to Cuba, the march to Havana and the revolution in 1959.'

Julie Lenarz tweeted: 'Jeremy Corbyn displaying again the Regressive Left's moral blind spot for brutal dictators by praising Castro's "heroism"'.

Labour London Assembly member Tom Copley said: 'Ashamed of this statement from the leader of my party.

'"For all his flaws" ie internment camps, ban on TUs [trade unions] etc etc.'

Critics of Castro's regime, including Labour London Assembly member Tom Copley, took to Twitter to criticise Mr Corbyn's comments. Tory MEP Daniel Hannan also mocked Jean-Claude Juncker

Others mocked the Labour leader with memes featuring Voldemort and Ernst Stavro Blofeld.

In a statement released today, Mr Junker wrote: 'With the death of Fidel Castro, the world has lost a man who was a hero for many.

'He changed the course of his country and his influence reached far beyond.

'Fidel Castro remains one of the revolutionary figures of the 20th century. His legacy will be judged by history.'

His comments were mocked by Tory MEP Daniel Hannan, who said: 'What could a Eurocrat possibly see in an autocratic regiment that disdains ordinary voters?'

Mr Corbyn also praised Castro for improving health and education services, and for supporting Angola against the apartheid regime in South Africa.

The death of Mr Castro - pictured here circa 1977 - was announced by his brother Raul Castro and followed years of speculation about his ill health

He also lauded Cuban progress in advancing LGBT rights, opposing the death penalty and mending relations with the US.

His comments were also criticised by several senior Labour figures, including former home secretary Jacqui Smith.

She mocked Mr Corbyn's comment that Castro had 'seen off a lot of US presidents', saying that he had done this because US presidents are 'democratically elected'.

Labour MP Ian Austin said: 'It's true Fidel Castro outlasted 10 US presidents, but unlike them he didn't have to stand for election.

'And he could imprison his opponents.'

Mike Gapes, a former chairman of the Commons Foreign Affairs Select Committee, highlighted a Human Rights Watch report that illustrated 'much worse than just some 'problems and excesses' in Cuba'.

Mr Corbyn acknowledged 'there were problems and there are problems of excesses by all regimes' but 'we have to look at the thing in its totality'.
The body of a nine-year-old autistic child was discovered in a lake on his uncle's Texas property.

Former New York Knicks center, Marcus Camby, was celebrating Thanksgiving with his family when his nephew, Marcus McGhee, went missing.

Pearland Police Lt Onesimo Lopez told the Houston Chronicle that the child's body was found in an L-shaped lake on Camby's Houston-area property around 7am on Saturday morning.

Marcus McGhee (pictured), 9, was found dead in a lake during on Thanksgiving Day. He was playing with other children before he disappeared

Former New York Knicks center, Marcus Camby (pictured), was celebrating Thanksgiving with his family when his nephew went missing. The family searched the home until police arrived and conducted their own search of the property

The little boy was attending a family gathering of about 20 people, including eight other children, at Camby's home, according to news site Chron.

He had been playing with other kids, but the adults didn't notice he was missing until shortly after 4pm.

The family searched the home until police arrived and conducted their own search of the property.

A security camera picked up Marcus for a few seconds as he slipped out a side door, Lopez told Chron.

When police found the child's body, Lopez said there appeared to be no signs of foul play.

McGhee, who had autism and was nonverbal, had traveled to Texas from Connecticut for the holiday.

A Coast Guard helicopter had searched local bodies of water Thursday but found nothing.

A vigil is planned for 6pm on Saturday night at the Pearland Dad's Club.

Pearland Police Lt Onesimo Lopez said the child's body was found in an L-shaped lake on Camby's Houston-area property around 7am on Saturday morning
A former inmate who spent more than 20 years on death row in the US after being wrongly convicted or rape and murder has shared his incredible life story which is now being made into a Netflix drama.

Cleared Nick Yarris, 55, faced the electric chair after being framed in 1982 for the rape and murder of a woman in his native Pennsylvania.

He spent 8,057 days behind bars - much of it in solitary confinement - before DNA evidence finally cleared him and he was released in 2004.

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Mr Yarris (pictured) moved to Britain in 2011 after falling in love with barmaid Jessica Stubley. He later split up with her and now lives with partner, Laura, in Somerset

The father-of-four who now lives in Yeovil, Somerset, has written a compelling book about the 23 years he waited to die, a harrowing experience that has shaped the rest of his life.

The Fear OF 13: Countdown to Execution: My Fight for Survival on Death Row is being made into a movie but Netflix also has plans to make a drama based on his experiences on Death Row.

During his time inside, Mr Yarris rubbed shoulders with serial killers, psychopaths and cannibals.

Nick Yarris (pictured) faced the electric chair after being framed in 1982 for the rape and murder of a woman in his native Pennsylvania

Nick Yarris (pictured at the time) spent 8,057 days behind bars - much of it in solitary confinement - before DNA evidence finally cleared him and he was released in 2004

Similar to the plot of The Shawshank Redemption he took to studying and inspired loyalty from some his fellow inmates but was attacked by others.

Speaking to The Mirror he said: If you torture a man as I was tortured he will learn more about love than you could ever imagine, and that has left me vulnerable.'

In 1981 Mr Yarris, then a 19-year-old drug addict and alcoholic, was arrested in a stolen car when he jumped a red light.

Mr Yarris, then a 19-year-old drug addict and alcoholic, was arrested in a stolen car when he jumped a red light

In the scuffle with police the officer's gun went off and he was charged with attempted murder.

While in custody he read a newspaper report about the rape and murder of a young mum and decided to make up information about it in a bid to bargain his way out of jail.

He accused a man, who he believed to be dead, of beating, stabbing and raping 32-year-old Linda Craig in a churchyard on the borders of Pennsylvania.

But his plan backfired when he found himself accused of the crime and then tried and convicted on flimsy evidence and sentenced to death in 1982.

Mr Yarris spent the next 23 years fighting his conviction and suffered brutal beatings at the hands of cellmates.

He even contemplated suicide but then decided to turn his mind to education.

He devoured books and took distance learning courses in an attempt to 'make my mind beautiful'.

During his time inside, Mr Yarris was sharing his space with serial killers, psychopaths and cannibals and did consider taking his own life

And although he still suffers from physical pain Mr Yarris has said that the survivor's guilt is harder to bear.

Previously he said: 'For more than 20 years my identity was bonded with those people on death row, I cared about them. I believe life imprisonment is far worse than the death penalty.

'But as long as I have love I have hope.'

The car he was stopped in by police: Although he still suffers from physical pain Mr Yarris has said that the survivor's guilt is harder to bear

Despite his horrific experiences on Death Row, Mr Yarris told The Mirror: Prison was the best thing that happened to me. I have a photograph of the street gang I was in when I was a teenager. There were 27 of us, 26 are dead now.

Death Row saved my life.

It taught me everything is a luxury to be treasured.

Mr Yarris was given a reported $4million (3million) for his wrongful incarceration.
Australia's most wanted terrorist was burned and disfigured in the targeted drone strike that was earlier reported to have killed him.

But Neil Prakash was alive, and headed across Iraq to the Turkish border using a fake passport after recovering from his injuries, Daily Telegraph reported.

He was unaware Australian spies and U.S. intelligence agencies were on the case, and tracked him for seven months before his arrest.

Australian and Turkish officials were waiting for him at the border and captured him at gunpoint earlier this month.

Neil Prakash was burned and disfigured by the targeted drone strike at his hide-out in Iraq, but was not killed as initially reported

In June, online 'chatter' alerted spies the Melbourne-born Islamic State fighter, 25, was still alive.

Prakash - who used the name Abu Khaled Al-Cambodi - is not believed to have been travelling alone, and may have been with his Indonesian-born wife.

Most high-profile terrorists are killed in targeted drone strikes, like the one that struck his hide-out in April.

It is extremely rare to be captured alive.

And many countries want a piece of Prakash's arrest. The U.S., Australia, UK, Turkey and Israel are all seeking to interrogate the former Buddhist. The European Union may also want to interrogate him.

He was unaware Australian spies and U.S. intelligence agencies were on the case, and tracked him for seven months before his arrest

Australia has put in a formal extradition request for the man, a spokesperson for the Justice Minister, Michael Keenan, said on Saturday.

'An individual we believe to be Neil Prakash has been arrested and detained in Turkey,' the spokesperson said in a statement.

'The arrest of the person we believe is Prakash is the result of close collaboration between Australian and Turkish authorities.'

Jacinta Carroll, director of the Counter Terrorism Policy Centre at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, believes it likely Australia will be given priority to prosecute the militant, given his influence and links to attacks here.

Many countries want a piece of Prakash's arrest. The U.S., Australia, UK, Turkey and Israel are all seeking to interrogate the former Buddhist

Prakash was a key part of Islamic State propaganda and he is linked to several failed Australian terror plots to kill innocent people.

He was linked to a failed Melbourne plot to behead a police officer on Anzac Day last year and to Numan Haider, an 18-year-old who was killed after stabbing two police officers in Melbourne in 2014.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull in May named Prakash the most senior Australian operative in Islamic State.

Prakash was a chief recruiter and plotter for Islamic State.

He was arrested by Turkish authorities several weeks ago after being contacted by Australian officials who believed they had intelligence he was planning to enter the country.
All three walk away from the kitchen counter in disgust while their father laughs and reminds them how turkeys actually reproduce

But they pull out a raw Cornish hen from the bird as if it were pregnant

The girls don't look too pleased to be handling stuffing in the first place

Parents tells them to take the stuffing out of cooked Thanksgiving turkey

Two parents tricked their disgusted daughters into thinking they had accidentally cooked a pregnant turkey on Thanksgiving - before reminding them that birds actually lay eggs.

A video uploaded to YouTube Friday shows three girls being asked to scoop the stuffing out of the cooked turkey, as the family seems about to carve the bird for dinner.

The three girls obey and don't look too thrilled pulling stuffing out of the bird in the first place. But their mild discomfort escalates to full-blown disgust when one of them starts pulling something out of the turkey - that turns out to be another bird, this one raw.

All of them fall silent, with a look of shock on their faces, and walk away from the birds. 'It was pregnant!' the mother says in the background - a biological improbability that doesn't seem to register immediately.

As the shock wears off, the girls start giggling. One of them disappears behind a curtain while another clutches her stomach.

'I can't do this right now,' one of them says, laughing. Another curls up on an armchair and asks: 'Can I not eat turkey?'

Their father steps back behind the kitchen counter and grabs the raw, smaller bird, explaining: 'Turkeys have eggs, they don't have babies.

'This is a raw Cornish hen, it was put in there, okay? It's a joke.Turkeys have eggs. Like chickens.'

A pair of parents tricked their daughters into thinking they had accidentally cooked a pregnant turkey on Thanksgiving, by putting a raw Cornish hen inside the bird (pictured)

Even after joke was explained, one of the girls says: 'We cannot eat that!'

She adds: 'That's a sick joke.'

The father replies, as he takes the raw bird to the sink: 'It is a joke. It was funny.'

The three girls agree that it was not - while the mother appears to be laughing to the point of tears behind the camera.
Florida Senator Marco Rubio has hit out at President Barack Obama for not taking a more hard-line stance in his statement on former Cuban leader Fidel Castro's death.

Rubio, a Cuban-American who ran against President-elect Donald Trump to be the Republican presidential candidate, called Obama's statement 'pathetic' in a post on Twitter on Saturday, adding that it had 'no mention of thousands he [Castro] killed.'

He tweeted: 'President Obama issued a pathetic statement on death of dictator #FidelCastro with no mention of thousands he killed & imprisoned.'

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Florida Senator Marco Rubio (left) has hit out at President Barack Obama (right) for not taking a more hard-line stance in his statement on former Cuban leader Fidel Castro's death

Rubio, a Cuban-American who ran against President-elect Donald Trump to be the Republican presidential candidate, called Obama's statement 'pathetic' in a post on Twitter on Saturday

In Obama's statement released on Saturday, he said history will record and judge the 'enormous' impact that Castro had on 'the people and the world around him.'

He noted that the relationship between the U.S. and Cuba has been marked by 'discord and profound political disagreements' for nearly six decades.

Obama also offered his condolences to Fidel Castro's family and said his thoughts and prayers are with the Cuban people.

Castro died on Friday aged 90, his younger brother and successor Raul Castro announced on state television.

'At this time of Fidel Castro's passing, we extend a hand of friendship to the Cuban people,' Obama said in a statement.

'We know that this moment fills Cubans - in Cuba and in the United States - with powerful emotions, recalling the countless ways in which Fidel Castro altered the course of individual lives, families, and of the Cuban nation.

U.S. PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA RELEASES A STATEMENT ON THE PASSING OF FIDEL CASTRO At this time of Fidel Castro's passing, we extend a hand of friendship to the Cuban people. We know that this moment fills Cubans - in Cuba and in the United States - with powerful emotions, recalling the countless ways in which Fidel Castro altered the course of individual lives, families, and of the Cuban nation. History will record and judge the enormous impact of this singular figure on the people and world around him. For nearly six decades, the relationship between the United States and Cuba was marked by discord and profound political disagreements. During my presidency, we have worked hard to put the past behind us, pursuing a future in which the relationship between our two countries is defined not by our differences but by the many things that we share as neighbors and friends - bonds of family, culture, commerce, and common humanity. This engagement includes the contributions of Cuban Americans, who have done so much for our country and who care deeply about their loved ones in Cuba. Today, we offer condolences to Fidel Castro's family, and our thoughts and prayers are with the Cuban people. In the days ahead, they will recall the past and also look to the future. As they do, the Cuban people must know that they have a friend and partner in the United States of America. Advertisement

'History will record and judge the enormous impact of this singular figure on the people and world around him.'

President Obama went on to say that during his presidency, 'we have worked hard to put the past behind us, pursuing a future in which the relationship between our two countries is not defined by our differences.'

'But by the many things that we share as neighbors and friends - bonds of family, culture, commerce, and common humanity,' he said.

'This engagement includes the contributions of Cuban Americans, who have done so much for our country and who care deeply about their loved ones in Cuba.

'Today, we offer condolences to Fidel Castro's family, and our thoughts and prayers are with the Cuban people. In the days ahead, they will recall the past and also look to the future.

'As they do, the Cuban people must know that they have a friend and partner in the United States of America.'

Rubio also released a statement on Saturday in which he took a more harsh stance against Castro, saying the former Cuban leader turned Cuba into 'an impoverished island prison' where dissidents were routinely jailed and killed

FLORIDA SENATOR MARCO RUBIO'S STATEMENT ON FIDEL CASTRO'S DEATH Fidel Castro seized power promising to bring freedom and prosperity to Cuba, but his communist regime turned it into an impoverished island prison. Over six decades, millions of Cubans were forced to flee their own country, and those accused of opposing the regime were routinely jailed and even killed. Sadly, Fidel Castro's death does not mean freedom for the Cuban people or justice for the democratic activists, religious leaders, and political opponents he and his brother have jailed and persecuted. The dictator has died, but the dictatorship has not. And one thing is clear, history will not absolve Fidel Castro; it will remember him as an evil, murderous dictator who inflicted misery and suffering on his own people. The future of Cuba ultimately remains in the hands of the Cuban people, and now more than ever Congress and the new administration must stand with them against their brutal rulers and support their struggle for freedom and basic human rights. Advertisement

Rubio also released a statement on Saturday in which he took a more harsh stance against Castro, saying the former Cuban leader turned Cuba into 'an impoverished island prison' where dissidents were routinely jailed and killed.

'Fidel Castro seized power promising to bring freedom and prosperity to Cuba, but his communist regime turned it into an impoverished island prison,' Rubio said.

'Over six decades, millions of Cubans were forced to flee their own country, and those accused of opposing the regime were routinely jailed and even killed.

'Sadly, Fidel Castro's death does not mean freedom for the Cuban people or justice for the democratic activists, religious leaders, and political opponents he and his brother have jailed and persecuted.'

'The dictator has died, but the dictatorship has not,' Rubio continued.

'And one thing is clear, history will not absolve Fidel Castro; it will remember him as an evil, murderous dictator who inflicted misery and suffering on his own people.

'The future of Cuba ultimately remains in the hands of the Cuban people, and now more than ever Congress and the new administration must stand with them against their brutal rulers and support their struggle for freedom and basic human rights.'

Fidel Castro died on Friday aged 90, his younger brother and successor Raul Castro announced on state television

In an interview on Fox News on Saturday, Rubio said he hopes the Obama administration does not send anyone to Fidel Castro's funeral.

He argued that if they did, they were 'sending someone to the funeral of a man who ordered the execution of Americans.'

Rubio also noted that while Castro's death was a 'newsworthy event', he did not think it would actually change anything.

He expressed that with the system of government Cuba currently has in place, it will be difficult to change 'as long as they have certain people still around and that includes Raul Castro.'

On Saturday, Rubio was also quick to criticize Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's statement on Castro's death.

On Saturday, Rubio was also quick to criticize Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's statement on Castro's death

In his statement, Trudeau said it was with 'deep sorrow' that he learned of Castro's death and described him as a 'larger than life leader who served his people for almost half a century.'

He added that the 'legendary revolutionary and orator' made 'significant improvements to the education and healthcare of his island nation.'

He also offered his 'deepest condolences to the family friends and supporters of Castro.

'Is this a real statement or a parody? Because if this is a real statement from the PM of Canada it is shameful & embarrassing,' Rubio tweeted.
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Schoolies celebrations went into the early hours of the morning, with teenagers dancing in the surf and sleeping on park benches as the sun rose.

NSW school leavers have descended onto Surfers Paradise in the Gold Coast for the second week of schoolies after the end of Queensland celebrations.

On Sunday morning, teenagers could be seen dancing in the surf and laying on the beach as tractors cleared the sand after at least one man appeared to be arrested overnight.

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Young women dance in the surf on Sunday morning as the sun rose

NSW teenagers are celebrating at the Gold Coast as the second week of schoolies begins

School leavers play in the surf at Surfers Paradise on Sunday morning

A tractor cleared the sand on Sunday morning, as one teenager gave the driver the thumbs up

Two young women had their heels in their hands as they headed back on wet pavement

A Queensland Police spokeswoman could not confirm if there were any schoolies-related arrests overnight.

The spokeswoman told Daily Mail Australia there were a few 'scuffles' overnight.

The arrest figures from the first week were about double that of last year's.

Teenagers were walking back to their hotel rooms as the sun rose on Sunday. Young women had their heels in their hands as they headed back on wet pavement.

A group of young men could be seen sleeping on a park bench.

Young men walk back to their hotel rooms on Sunday morning

Young women have their shoes in hand as they walk back to their homes bare foot

A tractor is pictured clearing the beach in the early hours of the morning

With the majority of interstate teenagers being 18-years-old, police said they would shift their focus to licensed venues.

A total of 71 school leavers were arrested during the celebrations for Queensland schoolies, up from 37 the year before.

One 17-year-old boy suffered a fractured pelvis after he fell two floors from a balcony at Surfers Paradise on Thursday.

Paramedics have treated 300 people.

Images had flooded social media on Saturday of students baring all in the name of a good time.

The teenagers could be seen taking to balconies and spilling onto the streets as they kicked off the debauchery, in what is poised to be another week of carnage.

A group of young men could be seen sleeping on a park bench

A man appeared to be arrested on Saturday night as the second week of schoolies began

A school leaver is pictured wearing a hula skirt and playing in the surf

Interstate school leavers are pictured at the celebrations
After dog lovers worldwide answered the calls the truth has been

Charismatic: Marc Ching at a fundraiser in Los Angeles

When Hollywood stars including Matt Damon, Joaquin Phoenix and Minnie Driver filmed an emotional appeal to stop Chinas brutal dog meat trade, horrified animal lovers from Britain and around the world rallied to the cause.

Volunteers from the UK and the US flew out to help charismatic animal crusader Marc Ching  who orchestrated the celebrity appeal  stage a daring bid to shut down slaughterhouses and rescue 1,000 dogs from the dinner table.

The animal lovers promised to find homes for the dogs in the West.

But a Mail on Sunday investigation has found that  unknown to his Hollywood backers and donors  Chings high-profile operation deteriorated into farce, and ended with hundreds of dogs suffering slow and excruciatingly painful deaths within days of being rescued.

We found that:

Many of the dogs died after being locked in cages and denied basic treatment and injections that might have saved them;

Volunteers were left behind desperately trying to save the dogs lives, while Ching flew back to the US after the rescue suffering from depression;

Up to two-thirds of the dogs are now believed to be dead, with the British head of an animal charity involved in dealing with the pitiful aftermath saying: Those poor dogs just went from one hell to another;

Questions have been raised over shock videos used in the celebrity fundraising appeal of dogs being tortured, burned and boiled alive;

Only a few dozen of the 1,000 dogs made it to new homes overseas, and two international charities, including British-run Soi Dog, are paying for the majority of the dogs still alive to be taken out of China.

Ching, who runs an LA pet nutrition business and restaurant for pets  and whose customers include Matt Damon  began travelling to Asia to rescue dogs from slaughterhouses in September last year.

1. Celebrity Appeal: Matt Damon (left) and Minnie Driver (right) appear on Ching's website, which shows dogs being tortured, to highlight his crusade against the dog meat trade

He achieved cult-like status among US animal lovers after claiming to have been shot at, beaten by thugs and to have had the barrel of a machine-gun put in his mouth in a series of dog rescues in countries including China, South Korea, Cambodia, Vietnam and Indonesia.

After nine months of solo missions in which he claimed to have almost been killed a number of times, and to have rescued 300 dogs, he was ready for something more ambitious. He released his celebrity appeal days before the infamous dog festival at Yulin in southern China in June. During that event, thousands of dogs, many transported in packed cages from big cities, are killed and then eaten.

The volunteers responded to Chings Facebook appeal for help in what he told them would be a historic mission to shut down slaughterhouses by paying owners and then rescuing 1,000 dogs from certain death.

In the shambolic rescue that followed, Chings volunteers took 300 dogs to a shelter in the city of Nanning, 130 miles from Yulin, set up by his charity the Animal Hope and Wellness Foundation. A further 700 went to Buddhist sanctuaries after Ching struck a deal with monks to buy the dogs between them.

Within days, dogs with disease and distemper began dying en masse in their cages at one of the Buddhist sanctuaries where  unknown to Ching  religious beliefs dictate that animals are denied any treatment and instead nature is allowed to take its course.

Animal Hope & Wellness Foundation made the film about dog meat markets in Asia

The aim was to shut down slaughterhouses and rescue 1,000 dogs from the dinner table

The chaos worsened after Ching flew back to the US and then cut off funding to the Nanning shelter after a spectacular falling out with businessman Jeffrey Beri, the man leading his volunteer team in China.

Incredibly, Ching admits hiring men described by others as local thugs to break into the Nanning shelter at night and snatch more than 100 dogs  some already lined up with adoptive homes overseas  to take to a shelter run by his supporters 500 miles away in Changsha.

Ching accused Beri of misusing funds and sexually harassing staff. Beri, who denies the allegations, says he has since spent 50,000 of his own money to stay in China to care for the surviving dogs and find them homes overseas.

Beri said: The only reason I am here is to save as many of the remaining dogs that I can. When this is over, I would like a complete audit of what has been donated to and spent by [Chings] charity.

The Soi Dog Foundation, run by Briton John Dalley, is paying for 70 dogs in Nanning to be sent to foster homes overseas at a cost of around 1,500 per dog. The Humane Society International has meanwhile taken in 120 dogs and is funding their export to new homes overseas. Another 90 remain in Changsha with Chings charity.

2. The harrowing rescue mission: A cage is packed with dogs being prepared for the slaughterhouse at the Yulin Dog Festival. Ching recruited UK volunteers to save them, saying some would be re-homed in the West

A female volunteer from the US, who gave her name only as Sarah because of abuse and threats she says she has received from some of Chings supporters, said the June rescue went disastrously wrong from the outset.

We thought the rescued dogs were all going to a safe house in Nanning, she said. Instead, 700 of them ended up at Buddhist sanctuaries and most died because they didnt get the care they needed.

If they had been left in the slaughterhouses to be hit on the head and killed, it would have been better than the suffering they went through.

Sarah said she and other volunteers were also ordered to leave 100 rescued dogs in their cages in Nanning from 7am until 4pm in sweltering conditions so that Ching could be photographed with the animals.

Ching ordered Sarah and other volunteers to leave on June 23 but she refused and decided to stay on to care for the desperately ill dogs.

She believes between up to 700 of the 1,000 dogs originally rescued are now dead. Beri estimates around two-thirds died.

Sarah said: Marc wanted everyone out so the dogs could disappear and die. He said most of the dogs were so sick they would die.

But I can tell you that of the dogs given care, 90 per cent will survive. For those not given care, 90 per cent will die.

Marc has raised awareness of the dog meat industry but at a great cost to dogs themselves.

I was led to believe we were going to rescue the dogs, give them proper medical care and place them in homes. I didnt know we were going there to pull them out of the slaughterhouse then just dump them.

Concerns over Chings tactics surfaced three months before the Yulin rescue when he visited the Soi Dog Foundation in Phuket, Thailand, and took a dog with severed paws for adoption in the US. He later claimed on his website he had rescued the animal from the dog meat trade.

3. The desperate aftermath: Dying dogs at a Buddhist sanctuary where Ching's foundation placed 700 animals. Ching did not know that the Buddhists would not help sick animals, and many of the dogs ended their days in agony

I told him repeatedly those dogs were not from the dog meat trade but from road accidents and cruelty cases in Phuket, said Dalley.

Ching blames the error on a mistake by his assistant.

Dalley suggests Ching failed to intervene when he filmed shocking scenes of cruelty used in the celebrity appeal to raise funds. His videos show dogs being hung by the neck, dogs with their paws hacked off, and a dog being strung up by the neck in a public park in Indonesia and yelping as it is blow-torched.

Dalley said: In one in Indonesia you can see at the beginning a guy puts his thumbs up to him [Ching] as if to say, Are you ready? At the end the guy is turning around as if to say, Was that OK?

I dont understand how anyone who professes to be in animal welfare can film that sort of thing without intervening. He could have saved those dogs.

In a telephone interview from California, Ching admitted making mistakes with his Yulin rescue but insisted that he did not regret it. All of those dogs were supposed to die, he said.

He admitted he didnt know the philosophy of the Buddhist monks and hadnt realised the dogs sent to them would be left to die.

He estimated about a third of the dogs died and claimed that some had been distributed to local animal welfare groups to be adopted within China, explaining the disparity between his estimate on survivor numbers and those of his volunteers.

Ching insisted the celebrity appeal did not raise much money.

However, a video of him in a slaughterhouse in Yulin that was released days later raised hundreds of thousands of pounds, according to his assistant.

He said the videos on his website were filmed while he was posing as a meat trader to get into slaughterhouses and was unable to rescue dogs without blowing his cover.
The newborn monkey stolen from a wildlife park has been found and is on its way back to its mother, while the search for the other monkeys continue.

Police stopped a vehicle driving in Appin, south of Sydney, and searched the car four-week-old pygmy marmoset alive.

The two men in the car were arrested and taken to the Campbelltown Police Station for further questioning.

Meanwhile, the location of the other two monkeys Sophia, aged one, and the newborn's father Gomez, 10, is still unknown.

The monkeys have been missing since Saturday morning after they were stolen from from the Symbio Wildlife Park in Helensburgh.

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A newborn pygmy marmoset (pictured) has been found in car

Staff at the wildlife park in Helensburgh were shocked to discover the Pygmy Marmoset enclosure had been broken into and three of the monkeys had been taken on Saturday morning.

Officers arrived at the scene at 8am to find the entry into the enclosure was forced.

The three monkeys taken were the father Gomez, 10, a one-year-old called Sophie, and a four-week-old who is yet to be named.

Park operations supervisor at Symbio Zoo, Ryan Leahy, told Daily Mail Australia the thieves were direct in their robbery, stealing only three monkeys and not vandalising or stealing anything else.

'The park has sufficient security throughout the boundaries and the exhibit, but they clearly managed to break their way through the initial door, Mr Leahy said.

He added: 'The mother (monkey) is clearly stressed because half of her family is not with her and this has shaken up all of the staff.'

The four-week-old was stolen on Saturday from Symbio Wildlife Park south of Sydney, along with its father Gomez, 10, and a young female monkey named Sophia, 10

The newborn's twin could also die if as the mother was too stressed to feed

The wildlife park has asked for its Facebook followers to share their post of the missing monkey, with many of them leaving comments expressing their disbelief.

One man wrote: 'What is wrong with people these days... and how stupid... taking a four-week-old baby that can only survive with its mother... low lifes.'

A woman commented: 'Whoever has taken them, please just give them back or even take them to a vet to be reunited with their family. That tiny baby needs its mum.

'I can't believe this! I'm hoping they get returned safely to the wildlife park! I'm praying they're okay' another wrote.
A 20-year-old man and his 16-year-old fiancee were killed in a fiery car crash after he abducted her from her home at gunpoint during a Thanksgiving dinner.

Elijah Cox and Raina Reed were killed instantly when his speeding car crashed into a tree and burst into flames in Villa Rica, Georgia at about 8.40pm on Thursday night.

The couple had been living at his parent's house in the days leading up to the accident but the teenager's family were not happy with the arrangements and took her back to their home.

Elijah Cox, 20, and Raina Reed, 16, were killed instantly when his speeding car crashed into a tree and burst into flames in Villa Rica, Georgia at about 8.40pm on Thursday night

Carroll County Sheriff's Chief Deputy Brad Robinson said Cox went to Reed's family home on Thursday armed with a shotgun.

The teenager and her five family members were forced to hide in the bathroom and call 911.

'He came in yelling for Raina and kicked in the bathroom door and she jumped up as brave as she is and slapped him in the face and told him to stop,' her aunt told WSBTV.

Cox's dark-colored Volvo sedan crossed over onto the opposite side of the road, before crashing into a tree and bursting into flames

The couple had been living at his parent's house in the days leading up to the accident but the teenager's family were not happy with the arrangements and took her back to their home

Reed and her five family members were forced to hide in the bathroom and call 911 after Cox showed up to their home during Thanksgiving dinner

'He grabbed her, and she was telling him to stop, that she didn't want to go.'

Cox took the teenager and fled in his dark-colored Volvo sedan.

Robinson said authorities passed Cox on their way to the home and he was speeding in the opposite direction.

His car crossed over onto the opposite side of the road, before crashing into a tree and bursting into flames.

Police say Cox abducted his fiancee at gunpoint and sped away with her in his car
She agreed to slip him poison pills, but hid them in her pot of cold cream and bungled the assassination, saying they were both still in love

Lorenz blamed the CIA, who she says 'brainwashed' her into thinking that Castro had arranged for her to be given a late term abortion

She was still pregnant when she was drugged and woke up without baby

Castro was a famous womanizer and once said he fathered 'almost a tribe'

She was lived at his penthouse apartment in Havana and became pregnant

Her son said she was in shock at news that her first love had died

Marita Lorenz met and fell in love with Fidel Castro in 1959 at the age of 19

While some Cubans are mourning the death of their country's former president, for one German American woman, the passing of Fidel Castro was much more personal.

Marita Lorenz, who met Castro in 1959 when she was just 19, says she and the communist dictator had a torrid love affair, which led to the birth of his love child before she tried to carry out an assassination plot against him.

Fidel, who was a notorious womanizer, once told journalist Ann Louise Bardach that he had 'almost a tribe' of children.

But Lorenz, who is now in her 70s and lives in Queens, New York, was still shocked by the news that her first love had died, her son Mark Lorenz said.

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Lorenz and Castro pictured at their first meeting aboard the MS Berlin cruise ship in Havana harbour

'He was 33, with sparkling eyes,' she recounted. Lorenz, who is 76 and now lives in Queens, was shocked at the news that her first love had died, according to her son

'She's in a bit of shock, just taking it all in,' Mark told the New York Daily News.

Her incredible story began in February 1959, when her father's cruise ship, the MS Berlin dropped anchor in Havana harbor.

A launch boat crammed with uniformed men hurtled towards them, and Castro, being the tallest among them, caught Lorenz's eye.

'He was 33, with sparkling eyes,' she remembers, speaking in an interview recorded for History Channel documentary, CIA Declassified. 'And that was it. I was lost in love.'

On her return to New York a few days later, she found herself bombarded with calls and invitations to return to Cuba from the dictator.

She obliged and, within days, was installed in Castro's penthouse apartment on the 74th floor of the Havana Hilton.

Two months later, she discovered - to her delight - that she was pregnant. But her happiness wasn't to last.

A SECRET WEDDING, TWO WIVES AND AT LEAST 10 CHILDREN: CASTRO'S WOMANIZING WAYS Castro was known to be a womanizer who fathered as many as 10 children, telling an interviewer once that they formed a 'tribe.' Throwback to May 2006: A political rally in Havana sees several members of Castro's family attend. Identified by their respective numbers, they are: #1: Alejandro Castro, son, computer expert; #2: Antonio Castro, son, orthopedist, Cuban baseball team doctor; #3: (no name available), grandson, son of Angel Castro; #4: Angel Castro, son; #5: Dalia Soto del Valle, wife and family administrator, teacher; #6: Mirta Castro, granddaughter, daughter of Fidel Castro Diaz-Balart; #7: Alexis Castro, son, mechanic, Mercedes-Benz specialist. The remaining people are friends and bodyguards Castro married his first wife Mirta (Myrta) Diaz-Balart in 1948 after they met at college. They had one child together - a boy named Fidelito (or Little Fidel) in 1949. They later divorced in 1955 reportedly because of him cheating on her. Reports say she went on to marry 'one of his sworn political enemies', a man named Emilio Nunez Blanco, and lived with him in Spain leaving their son in Cuba with Castro. Castro pictured with his son Fidelito in Havana circa 1960 He is thought to have married second wife Dalia Soto del Valle in a secret wedding in 1980. She was his companion since 1961 and they had five boys together between 1962 and 1974. Del Valle was a teacher and the couple were not often seen in public together. She appeared on Cuban TV for the first time in 2001. Fidel Castro's son Alejandro Castro Soto del Valle (L), and his mother, Dalia Soto del Valle (R), Castro's second wife, and another unidentified woman Former Cuban President Fidel Castro (R) talks with his wife Dalia Soto del Valle, during a special session of the Cuban Parliament, on August 7, 2010 in Havana Castro had a daughter, Alina Fernandez, with mistress Natalia Revuelta in 1956. Revuekta was an aristocrat who Castro met while married to his first wife. She donated money and aided Castro and his opposition movement. Alina left the Cuba in 1993 using false papers and now lives in the US. Alina Fernandez Revuelta (L), daughter of Cuban leader Fidel Castro, and her daughter Alina-Maria Salgado-Fernandez (R) toast the New Year with champagne, after being reunited in the United States after Alina-Maria left Havana early December 31 1993 for Miami In excerpts of The Double Life of Fidel Castro by Juan Reinaldo Sanchez in the New York Post it was reported that he cheated on both of his wives. 'He cheated on the first with the very beautiful Havanan Natalia Revuelta and on the second with 'comrade' Celia Sanchez, his private secretary, confidante and guard dog for 30 or so years,' said The Post. Still grab from a video taken on January 8, 2014 of former Cuban president Fidel Castro (C) and his wife Dalia Soto (L) during the inauguration of the nonprofit cultural center Kcho Romerillo, Laboratory for Art in Havana *Source Heavy.com Advertisement

While Lorenz was still pregnant, she said she was drugged and kidnapped by the CIA. She is seen left at a press conference in 1977. castro is seen right in a 1959 file photo

Drinking a glass of milk one day while heavily pregnant, she suddenly blacked out and came to a few hours later to find herself seriously ill - and without her baby.

Lorenz blamed the CIA, who she claims drugged her before inducing labor and stealing her baby, the Daily News reported.

Lorenz, who is slated to be played by actress Jennifer Lawrence, went on to have an affair with Venezuela's dictator Marcos Perez Jimenez

But there was no evidence that the child was born, and it remains unclear whether Lorenz had an abortion or miscarriage, according to Vanity Fair.

She become so ill she was flown home to New York, where she was visited by the CIA who revealed that Castro had arranged for her to be given a late term abortion.

'I didn't believe it,' she told the Radio Times. 'But they did a good job of brainwashing me, telling me that he did this to me. It left me heartbroken.'

She believed the agents when they informed her that Castro was not just a threat to America, but intimidatingly dangerous as well.

Lorenz remembers: 'They said, 'We want you to take him out'.'

She agreed and and told the Daily News: 'They used me because I was the only the only one that could get back into his bedroom.'

In January 1960, she traveled to Miami to meet Frank Sturgis, a CIA double-agent who handed her a pot of poison pills.

Her role was simple: drop one in Castro's drink and escape unscathed.

Frightened she would be discovered by Cuban customs, Lorenz hid the pills inside her pot of cold cream.

While Lorenz was still pregnant, she blacked out and woke up seriously ill without the baby. She claims the CIA later told her Castro had arranged for her to be given a late term abortion

Back in Castro's Havana penthouse, she attempted to slip the pills into a glass of water but was foiled by the clinging cream.

'I tried to wipe it off, but I couldn't,' she remembers. 'I panicked and tried to flush them down the loo but they wouldn't go down. Then Fidel walked in.'

The dictator had gotten wind of the plot and Lorenz was terrified. 'He took his gun out of its holster,' she says.

'I thought he was going to shoot me, but he gave me the gun and asked, 'Did you come to kill me?'

'Then he took a puff on his cigar and closed his eyes. He made himself vulnerable because he knew I couldn't do it. He still loved me and I still loved him.'

And he was right. Lorenz ejected the bullets and fell into his arms.

She told the Daily News: 'I felt deflated. He was so sure of me. He just grabbed me. We made love.'

Even though she agreed to try to assassinate Castro in a plot that failed, Lorenz said they were still very much in love. Pictured, a university student crying in Havana after Castro's death

The reaction to the Cuban revolutionary's death had a drastically different reaction in Miami, Florida, where the news was met with joy and celebration

Sturgis, who was later one of the Watergate burglars, told Vanity Fair in 1993: 'Fidel would lay a snake if it wriggled.

'She was one of the snakes. I tried to get her to poison Fidel, but she backed off because she was in love with the son of a bi***.'

While Lorenz returned to Miami, fearing the CIA would kill her if she attempted to remain with Castro, her colorful life did not end there.

Lorenz, who is slated to be played by actress Jennifer Lawrence, went on to have an affair with another dictator, Venezuela's Marcos Perez Jimenez with whom she had a daughter. Another relationship resulted in a son.

But Lorenz' affection for Castro remained undiminished.
It turns out humans aren't the only creatures who enjoy eating birds on Thanksgiving.

A student at Columbia University shot an incredible video of a hungry hawk devouring a helpless pigeon shortly before 3pm on Saturday in New York.

The amazing footage starts by showing the hawk towering over its prey, as feathers are seen strewn across the grass.

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A hungry hawk has been spotted eating a pigeon in front of a crowd of students in New York

It then picks at the lifeless body of the pigeon, ripping shreds of meat off with its powerful beak.

The Columbia student who witnessed the food chain in action said the incident took place in the heart of the university's bustling Manhattan grounds.

'It was right in the middle of campus, outside the business building,' the student told DailyMail.com.

'I was just on my way to get a coffee when I saw this massive bird on the grass and it was among a lot of feathers.

A student at Columbia University shot an incredible video of a hungry hawk devouring a helpless pigeon shortly before 3pm on Saturday

The amazing footage starts by showing the hawk towering over its prey, as feathers are seen strewn across the grass

'At first I thought it was some kind of demonstration or animal show because there was a bunch of people standing around, but as I got closer I saw that in fact the hawk was actually eating a pigeon.'

He went on to say it was 'hard not to watch' the hawk picking apart the pigeon, despite it being a little uncomfortable.

'It was amazing. People were just filming. Some people were walking past saying "oh my god", others were more courageous and got up close to the hawk I didnt feel too comfortable doing that,' he said.

'I didnt see the hawk actually get the pigeon, but it looked like it was guarding the food. It was literally standing on it, it was pretty gross to see and hear the sound.

'It ate the entire thing. Then just flew away. It was there for maybe half an hour,' a student who witnessed the incident said

'It ate the entire thing. Then just flew away. It was there for maybe half an hour.'

'Ive never seen anything like this before.'
Singled out: Nadia Eweida, who was suspended from her job with British Airways after refusing to remove her cross

The Governments equalities watchdog has hit out at politically correct public bodies and employers who victimise Christians because they fear offending others.

The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) is to publish a major new report next week, seen by The Mail on Sunday, criticising overzealous organisations that unnecessarily drop references to Christmas or discipline believers who wear crosses at work.

The report, which highlights a string of cases first exposed by this newspaper, will:

- Admonish the UKs biggest cinema chains for banning a Church of England advertisement promoting the Lords Prayer, and suggest legal action over the case could follow;

- Support Nadia Eweida, a Christian check-in staff member at British Airways who was suspended for refusing to remove a cross on a chain;

- Criticise housing association bosses who used diversity policies to demote a Christian staff member for mild comments about gay marriage on his Facebook page;

- Deride Government departments and town halls that have airbrushed Christmas out of seasonal greeting cards or celebrations to avoid upsetting people of other beliefs.

The report follows a series of cases in which Christians have clashed with employers over their rights to express their religious beliefs.

But to the fury of Christian campaigners, the Commission falls short of calling for reform of the controversial Equalities Act 2010 it was set up to police, which bans discrimination against minority groups including religious believers.

The Christian Institute said: When the EHRC has to remind employers that its OK to celebrate Christmas, it shows how damaging the influence of the equality industry has been.

'No one needs to remind employers that its OK to celebrate gay pride. But celebrating Christmas? Apparently thats dodgy ground. Its crazy.

The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) is to publish a major new report next week criticising overzealous organisations that unnecessarily drop references to Christmas. Pictured: Canterbury Cathedral, home of the Archbishop of Canterbury

But Commission chief David Isaac does lambast public bodies that rebrand their Christmas celebrations with terms such as Winterval, as Birmingham did in the late 1990s  though the council pointed out that the festivities did still include Christmas events.

More recently, the Department of Energy & Climate Change was criticised for urging civil servants to send out Christmas cards referring only to seasons greetings, to avoid excluding other faiths.

Mr Isaac said fear of offending and a lack of understanding of the law was causing misinterpretation and confusion, and he urged businesses to adopt sensible approaches to such issues.

He added: I want to put the record straight you can send Christmas cards and have a Christmas party.

Mr Isaac is particularly critical of last Novembers ban by cinema chains on the one-minute Lords Prayer advert, which featured the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby and others reciting lines from the ancient prayer.

Digital Cinema Media, the advertising arm of Odeon, Cineworld and Vue, initially encouraged the U-certificate film, which was due to be shown before Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

But then DCM suddenly pulled the plug, saying the film could offend cinema-goers and breach policy. Despite a furious backlash, it refused to back down.

Mr Isaac is particularly critical of last Novembers ban by cinema chains on the one-minute Lords Prayer advert, which featured the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby and others reciting lines from the ancient prayer

Mr Isaac makes clear that legal action is still an option to clarify the law, and the Commission could initiate a case if approached to do so.

A section in the new report says: There is no right in Britain not to be offended and, in our view, respect for peoples right to express beliefs with which others might disagree, is the mark of a democratic society.

We are concerned that a single supplier is effectively able to control a very large proportion of the market and effectively impose a blanket ban on advertising of a religious nature.

But the report rejects the view of Christian campaigners that the law is biased and puts the rights of some minority groups such as gay people ahead of religious believers.

Citing the 2009 case of the Cornish seaside hotel owners, exclusively revealed by The Mail on Sunday, who lost a court battle after refusing to allow a gay couple to stay in a double room saying they banned all unmarried couples, Mr Isaac said: There has been a great deal of debate about the so-called hierarchy of rights.

'It doesnt exist, but the courts have confirmed that when offering a commercial service, people cannot use their beliefs  religious or otherwise  to discriminate against others.

The Commission does back Ms Eweida, who won her discrimination case in the European Court of Human Rights in 2013 after British Airways ordered her to remove a cross she wore over her uniform.

It also backs a ruling against Trafford Housing Trust for demoting employee Adrian Smith, for saying on his personal Facebook page that gay marriage in church was an equality too far  another exclusive in this newspaper.

The Church of England welcomed the report for saying the cinema chains were wrong to ignore basic rights on the freedom of religion.

But former Archbishop of Canterbury Lord Carey said Mr Isaac was ignoring the fact that there is currently a competition of rights and no one knows where they stand.

The Christian Legal Centre added: In the last year weve seen doctors, nurses, social workers, registrars and university students disciplined or sacked for sharing their Christian faith. The EHRC still has a woeful understanding of what it truly means to be a believing Christian.
A leading expert called in by police to assess claims of child abuse against Edward Heath dismissed them as fantasy in an official report

A leading expert called in by police to assess lurid claims of child abuse against Sir Edward Heath dismissed them as fantasy in an official report, The Mail on Sunday can reveal.

Criminologist Dr Rachel Hoskins urged detectives not to be taken in by the wild allegations against the late former Prime Minister and demanded MPs be alerted to her damning findings. But Wiltshire Police are still pressing ahead with the investigation that has lasted more than a year, cost taxpayers 700,000, and tarnished Heaths reputation a decade after he died.

We can also reveal today that:

One of Heaths accusers  a woman  has made astonishing claims that he was linked to a network of paedophiles who held satanic orgies and stabbed children in churches;

One of the witnesses involved in the case is the man known as Nick, whose tales of a murderous VIP paedophile ring in Westminster were initially believed by Scotland Yard  but have now been demolished in an official review that accused police of making grave mistakes;

There are historic links between Nick and the woman who has accused Heath;

Expert Dr Hoskins told police that the claims are likely to be based on false memories unearthed in therapy and likened to now-discredited claims of satanic abuse that made headlines in the 1980s.

Last night Dr Hoskins said: The Heath inquiry rests, like the Westminster VIP inquiry, on over-active imagination.

Wiltshire Police insisted evidence examined by Dr Hoskins was just a small part of their inquiry, known as Operation Conifer, but she says it is a central plank of the investigation.

Heath is one of many public figures whose reputation has been tarnished by historical sex abuse allegations made against them after they died.

A staggering 3,057 alleged abusers, including 98 politicians, have been reported to a national unit known as Operation Hydrant  including 360 dead people  but some of the most high-profile and historic claims have proved baseless.

The case against Heath began in August 2015 when, in an extraordinary move, police made a statement outside his former home in Salisbury, appealing for victims to come forward. One of the witnesses in the case is the man known as Nick, who told the Metropolitan Police he had been repeatedly abused by an Establishment ring that also murdered children in front of him.

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Scotland Yard spent 2.5 million on Operation Midland, tarnishing the reputations of war hero Lord Bramall, former Home Secretary Leon Brittan, and ex-Tory MP Harvey Proctor. But they were forced to apologise to the innocent men and their families earlier this month after a devastating review by former judge Sir Richard Henriques found Midland had been riddled with mistakes and taken in by Nicks false allegations.

In September, Wiltshire Police asked world-renowned ritual crime expert Dr Hoskins  who had helped identify a sacrifice victim whose torso had been found in the Thames  to assess the accounts in the Heath case, including those of Nick and three women.

Scotland Yard spent 2.5 million on Operation Midland, tarnishing the reputations of war hero Lord Bramall (left), former Home Secretary Leon Brittan (right), and ex-Tory MP Harvey Proctor

Nick had given some evidence regarding Heaths yacht, claimed he had seen him in Dolphin Square  the Westminster apartment complex popular with politicians  and that the former Prime Minister had saved him from being castrated by Mr Proctor. Wiltshire Police have not re-interviewed Nick about his claims, which Mr Proctor described as so far-fetched as to be unbelievable, not least because he and Heath despised each other.

Dr Hoskins was also given the records of police interviews with three women who have claimed their parents were members of the occult, and who this year said Heath was friends with them and present when they were abused.

One of the women told police this year she could picture Heath with his top off and laughing as she was abused, and another time Heath himself attacked her. On another occasion she said Heath was present in a candlelit forest where symbols had been drawn on the floor ahead of sex abuse. A third woman told police that Heath was there when she was abused.

After reviewing the evidence, Dr Hoskins told Wiltshire Police in a 150-page report that there were numerous problems with it. She pointed out there were no records of missing or murdered children that matched the accounts, and it was implausible that cultists would bring children along to witness their killings.

She said that although the witnesses had made lurid claims, which crossed the boundary into fantasy, they lacked detail and there was no corroborating evidence  just memories.

Yet weeks after receiving the report, detectives are continuing with Operation Conifer.

Last night Wiltshire Police said: This investigation is complex and multi-stranded. There are a number of allegations with a significant number of individuals who have disclosed allegations of abuse. In addition to this there are a number of investigations that have fallen out of the main investigation that we are pursuing.

When we receive an allegation we are duty-bound to investigate and we go impartially where the evidence takes us.

Two people have been arrested during Operation Conifer but police have refused to give any details. They remain on bail.

Last night Heaths godson Lincoln Seligman said: The police have been working on Conifer for over a year but they have shown no signs of any progress. My firm belief is they have found nothing discreditable about Edward Heath, and I am convinced there is nothing.

Official report that damns key accuser: DR RACHEL HOSKINS asks how could police believe such horror after I told them his accuser was a fantasist

Police fears about a paedophile ring involving Ted Heath were first put to Dr Rachel Hoskins in September

She had nipped into Tidworth Post Office for just a second. Hell be safe in his pushchair, she thought. After all, its a hot day and it would be a shame to wake him. But the boys mother hadnt counted on the satanists watching them.

As soon as her back was turned, a small girl slid out from the bushes, released the pushchair brake and began wheeling the boy away. The ten-year-old hoped that today her father would like the offering she had found.

He was a hard man to please. Often she had to perform for him. Things which hurt. Perhaps todays gift would spare her the pain.

She wheeled the pushchair through the churchyard gate and on to the east porch where her fathers arm shot out and dragged the toddler inside the village church.

Today the girl is an adult who cannot be named, but we will call her Lucy X. She next remembers the naked boy splayed on the church altar and her father sexually abusing him. The boys legs are kicking while her father tightens the ligature around his neck. Squeezing the life from his body.

A sacrificial offering to Satan. On the altar of Tidworth village church in Wiltshire.

It is an incredible story, preposterous even. Yet today this fantastical account of satanic ritual abuse is being taken seriously  by police. So seriously, in fact, it forms a crucial part of a witness statement for one of the most highly publicised sexual abuse inquiries in the country.

The statement is made by one of the chief accusers of the late Edward Heath, a distinguished former Prime Minister believed by some to have been intimately involved with ritual satanic abuse.

Dr Hoskins has been analysing witness statements submitted to Operation Conifer since September. She has established that allegations against at least some of the people caught up in Operations Conifer and Midland are based on no more that two uncorroborated witnesses

Since September, I have been analysing this and other witness statements submitted to Operation Conifer, which is investigating such claims. I have also been examining the even more prominent investigation, known as Operation Midland into a Westminster paedophile sex ring.

As a result of this work I know that the lurid account of child sacrifice above is by no means the only outrageous claim of satanic ritual abuse to be levelled against prominent people. Worse, I have established that the allegations against at least some of the people caught up in Operations Conifer and Midland are based on no more that two uncorroborated witnesses, whose claims of satanic abuse were made under the influence of controversial psychotherapists specialising in recovered memories.

At least one of these witnesses was under the influence of hypnosis. I am profoundly disturbed. In 15 years of working as an independent police expert, I have never seen anything like it.

This is why today I am taking the personal risk of disclosing my findings to the public.

Police fears about a paedophile ring involving Ted Heath were first put to me in September. I was genuinely surprised when officers from Operation Conifer, run by the Wiltshire force, got in touch and asked me to examine their evidence.

A fantastical account of satanic ritual abuse on the altar of Tidworth village church in Wiltshire is being taken seriously by police (file photo)

Although I often work with the police as an expert  I am registered with the National Crime Agency  my specialist subject is religious ritual. You might know of my work identifying Adam, the African boy whose torso was found in the river Thames in 2001.

There we had hard evidence. Here I was to work on the basis of stories like the one at Tidworth  claims that ritual killings had taken place in southern England.

My remit, I learned, was also to cover Operation Midland, an investigation which rested on a sole and now discredited witness called Nick against figures such as Leon Brittan, Lord Bramall, Harvey Proctor, Greville Janner and Heath.

The evidence overlaps, I was reliably informed. Nick had named some of those accused in the Wiltshire-based Conifer inquiry, and the woman behind the Heath accusations (and her associates) had named some of Nicks Westminster VIPs.

A few days later, a detective staggered to my doorstep with large bundles. My remit was to analyse all the evidence. Then the officer pushed across a piece of paper for me to sign  a confidentiality clause, seeking to gag me from ever speaking about the cases.

I raised an eyebrow. Had not the police invited media helicopters to hover over Cliff Richards house? Had not Operation Conifers senior investigating officer, Detective Superintendent Sean Memory, stood outside Heaths former home in Salisbury, launching the inquiry to the worlds media?

Michelle Remembers caused a sensation with its bogus memories of satanic sacrifice and unleashed a storm of abuse allegations. It was exposed as nonsense in 1990

My analysis took two months and led to a 40,000-word report, but I soon had profound anxieties.

For I could see from the statements in front of me that key among those accusing Heath and others was the woman we are calling Lucy X, the woman who had made the incredible claims of satanic abuse described above; a woman whose evidence had been discounted as nonsense when she first presented it to the police in 1989, but had now re-emerged to damage the lives of the living and besmirch the reputations of the dead.

Before 1980, no one had heard of satanic ritual abuse. The term didnt exist. That was the year the book Michelle Remembers hit the bookstands. The co-authors were a Canadian psychotherapist from Alberta, Lawrence Pazder and his client Michelle Smith, whose real name was Michelle Proby. The book followed 600 hours of tape-recorded psychotherapy, most of it conducted under hypnosis. Michelle alleged that, behind the suburban facade of North America, there was a satanic ritual abuse network of blood, gore and ritual sacrifice. The book flew off the shelves.

A media frenzy followed and the public lapped it up. Michelle appeared on chat shows, including Oprah Winfrey in May 1989 under the banner Satanic Worship!

Entirely innocent teachers, carers and professionals were arrested without any evidence except sole-source stories that no one seemed to question.

A special investigation in 1990 by this newspaper tore into Michelle Remembers. Mail on Sunday journalists travelled to Canada to expose the authors and their claims.

But by then it was too late. The satanic ritual abuse scare was in full swing. Arrests followed in Britain and on one sorry night on February 27, 1991, nine sleeping children on Orkney were dragged from their beds and removed from their distraught parents.

The fact that Michelle Remembers was completely bogus was lost in the satanic stampede. Until now.

Key among those accusing Heath and others was the woman who cannot be named, but we are calling Lucy X (file photo)

In 1988, right at the height of this satanic scare, another woman went to see her Canadian psychotherapist, a woman who practised in Pazders home town in Alberta, Canada. They went to the same university. And most important of all, she learned the technique of recovering memories through hypnosis from her mentor, Pazder.

I have established the identity of this psychotherapist, who we will call Fiona. That day in 1988 in Alberta, Fiona put her patient under hypnosis and the patient began to remember her childhood.

She wasnt to know it at the time, but she was to start the Heath sex abuse inquiry. The clients name was Lucy X. Much has been made recently of the failings over Operation Midland and the role of Nick.

The police have now been forced to admit they were wrong to trust his evidence, let alone publicly laud him as credible. Until today, however, the story of how Nick and Lucy X produced their evidence in the first place has remained hidden.

For Nick, too, I can reveal, has been helped to remember  by separate psychotherapists using similar techniques.

I have seen in the personal notes written by both Lucy X and Nick how time and again they say their psychotherapists enabled them to recall their past.

I believe that without their psychotherapists there would have been no evidence.

The stories that Lucy X began remembering took her back to her childhood in Britain and in Africa. At first the detail in her diaries is scant. But Lucys descriptions grow ever more detailed under hypnosis: satanic ritual abuse in empty houses, in churches and on Salisbury Plain.

Eventually she remembered that members of the paedophile ring had gorged themselves on blood and body parts. They maimed and murdered children in orgiastic sacrifices at the stake or on altars.

Lucy soon spoke with three other women she knew well. They met and swapped fantastical tales.

Earlier this year they would remember that Heath was a prime mover in a network of sadistic paedophile abusers.

'Lucy X' and 'Nick' say their psychotherapists enabled them to recall their past. Their fathers are said to have known each other (file photo)

He had apparently taken part in rituals surrounded by candles on the forest floor.

But this was not a case built around four separate witnesses. It all went back to one patient under the hypnotic influence of a Canadian psychotherapist.

Back in 1989, when Lucy X first presented her memory of the Tidworth sacrifice to the police, they refused to go further with the inquiry. They decided that the stories stretched the imagination beyond credibility.

And there things might have remained, were it not for Jimmy Savile. In 2012, victims of Savile came forward with strong, corroborated evidence against him and a widespread panic set in.

Soon an anonymous blog from an alleged victim was spotted by investigative organisation Exaro. It also caught the attention of Labour MPs Tom Watson and Simon Danczuk. They met the alleged victim, who later became known as Nick, and on October 24, 2012, Watson rose in the House of Commons to make his now infamous allegation of a historic VIP paedophile ring.

Stung by criticism of their handling over Savile, police interviewed Nick and the result was Operation Midland. A new inquiry, Operation Conifer, was started with 21 officers assigned.

To date, the two inquiries have together cost the British taxpayer in excess of 2 million.

So what are the actual connections between Nick and Lucy X? Certainly there are geographical coincidences. Lucy Xs father is said to have worked alongside Nicks dad in the same community, although it is not known if Nick and Lucy X have ever met. There appear to be links, too, in the way their evidence was produced.

Like Lucy X, Nick also told tales of ritual abuse. His early stories related to the same location where Lucy Xs family lived, before moving on to describe a VIP paedophile ring based out of Dolphin Square, London.

Nick recounted stories of ritual murder, including one involving Harvey Proctor. And he, too, named Heath.

It is an incredible story, preposterous even. Yet today this fantastical account of satanic ritual abuse is being taken seriously  by police

Helping Nick to remember this abuse were two key people. One was his psychotherapist, who took the trouble to accompany Nick to a scene of his apparent abuse.

Like Lucy X, Nick was encouraged to keep personal notes to help him remember. The other was a journalist from Exaro, who first produced the VIP names, including

Heath, after talking to Nick and showing him photographs. Police then interviewed Nick, leading to Detective Superintendent Kenny McDonald announcing on the steps of Scotland Yard that his evidence was credible and true. Its a pity he didnt call me first.

A fortnight ago I submitted my report to officers on Operation Conifer.

I had shown for the first time the connection between the case and the Canadian therapists who were behind Michelle Remembers.

I showed how Lucy X and Nick appeared to have cross-contaminated their stories and demonstrated that the evidence was incoherent.

Sean Memory wrote back: The report contains comment upon the credibility of the accounts provided by Nick and Lucy X While comment upon their credibility is well-structured, rationalised and evidence-based, its presence within the report causes me some concern. For the first time as an independent expert witness, police appeared to be suggesting I resubmit my evidence.

After I declined to do so, police last week did formally accept the report.

However, I have little confidence that they will pass my work to other people who badly need to know  the Home Affairs Select Committee, for example. I have no faith that they will pass my findings to the accused unless they are legally forced to do so.

I clearly hadnt told police what they wanted to hear.

I have exposed a catalogue of fabrication at the heart of two major inquiries. Worse still, Operation Conifer ploughs ahead. People remain accused of things that simply never happened.

Wiltshire Police insist that not all their evidence is based on claims of ritual abuse. We will see. But those cases that are based on this pernicious fallacy must be closed immediately.

Did it really take an expert on rituals to tell them that the likelihood of a child being ritually sacrificed in broad daylight in Wiltshire was worthy of closer scrutiny?

In the process of these historic VIP child abuse inquiries, police have not only ruined the lives of many innocent people, including Ted Heaths family, they have set back the cause of genuine child abuse victims, of whom there are all too many.

It is a disgrace.
It is technology that has travelled to Mars, is set to examine an asteroid, and has even spotted a stone age settlement here on earth.

Nasa has revealed the latest find from lidar technology - near the Beaver river in western Oklahoma.

Some 10,500 years ago, hunters gathered there each year.

Scroll down for video

 Slide me  On the left is an aerial photograph of a forest in Connecticut. On the right, a bare-earth lidar image gives a view beneath the overgrown vegetation, where there are remnants of stone walls, building foundations, abandoned roads and what was once cleared farm land.

WHAT IS LIDAR In lidar  or light detection and ranging  scanning, one or more lasers sends out short pulses, which bounce back when they hit an obstacle, whether clouds, leaves or rocks. The instrument calculates how long it all took and, using that information, can calculate the distance, explains George Shaw, an engineer at Goddard Space Flight Center. Advertisement

They funneled bison into narrow, dead-end arroyos  steep gullies cut into the hillside by the river  where they killed them en masse, sliced off the choicest meat and leaving behind piles of skeletons.

Walk through western Oklahoma today and there is little visible evidence of that ancient landscape, much less the hunting expeditions it hosted.

Few bison remain, and dirt and rocks have filled in many of the arroyos.

However, laser-based remote-sensing equipment called lidar has give archaeologists a clear view of the fossils and bones hidden below the surface.

And the technology owes a lot of its development to scientists looking at something very different: planets, moons and asteroids.

The story is one of 50 NASA technologies benefiting the public featured in the upcoming NASA Spinoff publication.

In lidar  or light detection and ranging  scanning, one or more lasers sends out short pulses, which bounce back when they hit an obstacle, whether clouds, leaves or rocks.

The instrument calculates how long it all took and, using that information, can calculate the distance.

An archaeological team led by University of Oklahoma's Lee Bement excavates a 10,500-year-old bison kill site near the Beaver River. Using lidar scanning, the team was able to narrow down sites to search further for prehistoric artifacts.

In the Beaver River area, the archaeological research team scanned the landscape with an airborne Teledyne Optech lidar device that benefited directly from the work the company has done at NASA  and the scans helped uncover important history.

'You'll never find bison bones with airborne lidar, but you can find the geological features that suggest a place to look,' said Meg Watters, who specializes in remote sensing and 3D imaging for archaeology.

The Teledyne Optech lidar builds a 3-D model of the surface that includes the grass, bushes and trees, but it can also produce a 'bare-earth' version, stripping all that away.

That allows archaeologists to 'see structures or features that were so overgrown that they wouldn't be obvious at all to someone on the ground,' explains Paul LaRoque, vice president of special projects at Teledyne Optech.

The lidar imaging has 'been useful in delineating where we need to concentrate our efforts,' says archaeologist Lee Bement, who leads research in the Beaver River area.

HOW WILL THE ASTEROID MISSION WORK? OSIRIS-REx is the first U.S. mission designed to return a piece of an asteroid to Earth. Nasa will launch a spacecraft on its journey towards an asteroid, where it will collect and return samples that experts believe may hold the building blocks of life. Nasa's OSIRIS-REx will travel for two years to reach Bennu (illustration pictured) After a careful survey of Bennu to characterize the asteroid and locate the most promising sample sites, OSIRIS-REx will collect between 2 and 70 ounces (about 60 to 2,000 grams) of surface material with its robotic arm and return the sample to Earth via a detachable capsule in 2023. To capture samples on the surface, the craft will hover over a specific area and 'will be sent down at a very slow and gently' 4 inches (10 cm) per second. The spacecraft will also carry a laser altimeter, a suite of cameras provided by the University of Arizona, spectrometers and lidar, which is similar to radar, using light instead of radio waves to measure distance. Advertisement

'It saved us a lot of time and effort.'

Data from lidar scans have helped lead to several other highly touted discoveries in recent years, including pinpointing the site of the legendary lost 'Ciudad Blanca' in Honduras.

George Shaw, an engineer at Goddard Space Flight Center, is the laser systems lead for the OSIRIS-REx (Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, Security-Regolith Explorer) mission, which will use lidar to map an asteroid, helping the mission team select a site to gather samples to bring back to Earth.
The clue is in the name. Moored alongside the sun-scarred pier, amid a smattering of yachts nodding at anchor, the Happiness ferry boat is waiting for us.

Dispense with the mooring ropes, Skipper. Point the bow to the horizon. Destination: Sandy Island  where youll find perhaps the most beautiful remote restaurant in the world. Happiness indeed.

Sandy Island (again, the clues in the name) is a tiny spit of white powder a few miles off the coast of Anguilla.

Catch of the day: Sandy Island is a short boat trip from Anguilla, and a perfect stop for lunch

Unfamiliar with Anguilla? Partly, thats because its not the easiest of Caribbean islands to reach, involving a transfer through Antigua (from London) or St Maarten (via Paris).

But unlike nearby St Barts, Anguillas 33 pristine beaches arent stalked by paparazzi, even though this is where Justin Bieber spent last Christmas, Jay-Z wooed Beyonce, Robert De Niro comes to eat Italian beach-side, where Paul McCartney is a regular and where Leonardo DiCaprio and his posse came cruising aboard Steven Spielbergs superyacht.

And where did Leo choose to drop anchor for a spot of lunch and snorkelling? Sandy Island.

Little more than a tin shack and a few sun loungers spread out along a few hundred feet of shifting shoreline, it manages to serve up the most deliciously simple seafood imaginable.

We opt for the lobster, Sandy-Island style  a super-sized crustacean plucked from the ocean, flashed over the grill and licked with a lightly curried coconut sauce. Exquisite.

Delicious: Harry opted for the lobster, Sandy-Island style  a super-sized crustacean plucked from the ocean, flashed over the grill and licked with a lightly curried coconut sauce

LOCAL KNOWLEDGE Strange names abound in this part of the world. Anguilla means eel (it is a long, thin island) and surrounding islands include Scrub, Dog and Prickly Pear. Advertisement

They make the rum punches strong here, and they need to. Its the anaesthetic for when the bill comes. Happiness, it turns out, can carry a hefty price tag.

But, then, here is an island where food is not just an afterthought, but a reason to visit in itself.

Truth be told, theres not too much else to do  this is not a destination for culture junkies, shopaholics or those hungering for adventure.

At 16 miles long and three miles wide, Anguilla has more than 100 restaurants, many of them among the best in the Caribbean. My tip: hire a car and work your way round as many as you can.

Our base for the week is Meads Bay, a crescent of golden perfection that plays host to two of the islands most stylish hotels.

A slice of heaven: The Malliouhana is an intimate 44-bedroom hotel, on its own headland

At one end is a modernist mammoth that was, until this autumn, called The Viceroy. Now under the Four Seasons banner, it is still a benchmark for slick service for a well-manicured and mainly American clientele of husbands as vast as their wives are waif-like.

After a day spent exploring the island on a pair of hotel bikes, we head to the spectacular bar where a chilled reggae soundtrack and the drift of cigar smoke is the backdrop for a chance encounter with the islands young British Attorney General and its recently appointed police chief, formerly Chief Superintendent of Sussex.

So how do you land plum postings like this? I ask them, over a passion fruit and chilli margarita.

Their life, they try to assure me, is not quite the mixture of idyll and intrigue of TVs Death In Paradise, but as the sun dissolves into the ocean, it must beat a post-work pint in the Dog & Duck.

At the other end of Meads Bay lies the Malliouhana, a more intimate 44-bedroom hotel perched on its own headland.

Glorious: Meads Bay is a crescent of golden perfection, host to the islands most stylish hotels

If the Viceroy/Four Seasons is a symphony in muted Armani greys and neutrals, then the Malliouhana is a more exuberant celebration of colour, with Hermes orange and Tiffany pale blue to the fore.

For those of a nautical bent, theres a more imaginative way to take to the seaways.

The Tradition is one of the last seaworthy wooden trading sloops that were once the juggernauts of these waters, shipping rum, tobacco and spices between the islands, not always with full regard to the customs office, but dont tell the Attorney General.

Now restored and taken on by local bar owner and master yachtsman Laurie Gumbs, she takes day trippers to hidden coves and islands. With neither winches nor windlasses to help haul the canvas up and around, this is big-boat sailing in the raw.

Wanna take the helm? offers Laurie, passing me a tiller the size of a fallen oak.

Work up an appetite: Anguilla has over 100 restaurants, some among the Caribbean's best

Tucking it under my armpit, we yaw against the building wind as the surf froths at the gunwales and the rest of our passengers look on with alarm at their novice helmsman. Scurvy lot.

Next morning, we drive to the far northern point of Anguilla where we find a winding track to Junks Hole, one of the islands most remote spots.

Here, local legend and grandfather Nat Richardson serves up a plate of grilled crayfish and johnny cakes  a sort of savoury doughnut  with a slather of hot pepper sauce, made to a secret family recipe.

Judging by the nuclear reaction it provokes after one bite, Im guessing it includes a generous dollop of enriched uranium.

We buy a bottle to take home, and as the winter chill descends in Britain, it comes out every now and then to bring back those warming Anguillan memories  a reminder that this is an island that packs a whole heap of good taste into a very small package.
May the force be with you next year.

For almost 40 years, Disney fans have been clamouring for a Star Wars-themed land, and next summer their wishes will come true thanks to a 14-acre addition to the Hollywood Studios in Orlando, which will be based on a remote trading port.

But if you cant wait until then, the Force has made an early bid to take over the Hollywood Studios to give you a taste of whats to come  with shows, character interactions and a fireworks spectacular that is out of this world.

A Star Wars-themed land is coming to Disney's Hollywood Studios in Orlando but you can already get a taste of the new attraction at the resort

The adventure begins at Launch Bay, with props, characters, merchandise and a ten-minute behind- the-scenes video.

But the real crowd-puller is the chance to meet characters such as Kylo Ren or Chewbacca.

Even if you dont understand Wookie, Chewy doles out big, hairy hugs and answers questions as only he can.

But dont expect a warm embrace when you meet Kylo Ren. Hes menacing, domineering and is offering you a position with the First Order. Turn him down at your peril.

Outside, Captain Phasma from The Force Awakens leads her First Order Stormtroopers, pictured above, on daily marches to the central courtyard, and when a Stormtrooper yells at you to move along! you do as he says.

The courtyard also hosts Star Wars: A Galaxy Far, Far Away, a parade of Dark Side and Light Side characters, with film clips as its backdrop.

In Disney's Animal Kingdom, you can see a charming projection show, The Tree Of Life Awakens (above)

Once the sun sets, Star Wars: A Galactic Spectacular lights up the sky with pyrotechnic bursts mimicking the twin suns of Tatooine, droid battles, Tai fighters and asteroid fields, all set to composer John Williamss memorable Star Wars soundtrack.

You cannot watch the spectacle without seeing fireworks in a whole new way and, when a lightsaber beam bursts skyward, youll believe youre in that far-away galaxy.

After the high-adrenaline antics of Star Wars, you can experience an altogether different movie at Epcot, where the Norway pavilion has been transformed into Arendelle, the kingdom from the childrens blockbuster movie Frozen, reimagined with a signature ride called Frozen Ever After.

Journey with Queen Elsa and Princess Anna through Arendelle, Elsas ice palace and the North Mountain with Sven, Kristoff and Olaf in attendance, then meet the sisters in their Royal Sommerhus, tucked into a realistic Norwegian-style village.

To complete your Orlando visit, sample the natural world at Disneys Animal Kingdoms Sunset Kilimanjaro Safaris, showcasing the savannah after dark, with eternal sunset and moon-glow effects creating silhouettes as lions prowl and elephants bathe in the dim light.

In the Norway pavilion at Epcot, you can meet some of the characters from Frozen at the Royal Sommerhus (above)

The savannahs sounds are deep and mysterious, but its all about festive rhythms as street performers take over Africas marketplace with Harambe Wildlife Parti, before a charming projection show, The Tree Of Life Awakens.

Next year the park will launch its Rivers Of Light, showing nightly on the Discovery River Lagoon.

Its set to be a technological masterpiece which Disney is hailing as fanciful painted water effects, dancing fountains, and lanterns that transform into animals whose spirits rise into the sky to form the Aurora Borealis.

It will be set to an original score and promises to be a triumph of storytelling, making the park a genuine full-day experience.

Until the Rivers are fully unveiled, another new show  Jungle Book: Alive With Magic  will be performed on the water in front of the massive amphitheatre.

So whether its the Force, the fantasy, or the feelgoods youre looking for, Walt Disney Worlds new attractions will have it in spades next year  and beyond
Some couples celebrate their golden wedding anniversary by holding a feast for friends and family to show how theyve made it through the obstacle race of marriage. But that wasnt for us.

Instead, my wife Plum decided she would educate me by way of the obstacle race that is Venice  climbing up and over dozens of the 400 or so of the citys little bridges, and hopping on and off boats.

This was her third visit, but my first.

Burano is known for its hand-made lace but its colourful houses (above) are simply dazzling

For some reason Id always avoided Venice. Perhaps it was simply a result of watching Donald Sutherland being stabbed to death by that dwarf in the red anorak in Dont Look Now, or maybe it was all those masks and cloaks at carnival time.

Whatever it was, I was wrong. From the moment we left the airport bus and said goodbye to anything on wheels for four days and instead stepped on to a vaporetto at Piazzale Roma, my neck began to stretch and to swivel in happy astonishment.

Nothing had prepared me for the 45-minute journey along the length of the Grand Canal, past the hundreds of cheek-by-jowl Byzantine, Gothic, baroque and Renaissance palaces and mansions which line both banks.

And I wasnt the only one in shock. All around me, fellow first-timers wore identical smiles as we soon encountered our first matelot-shirted gondolier.

Venice, I was already thinking, is unique. But then nowhere else on Earth did the inhabitants of a place decide to turn a lagoon, and an archipelago of tiny islands and sandbanks within it, into a port.

In the vast Piazza San Marco, its usually party time, with children playing and eating ice cream, couples snogging, and almost everyone smiling

If you were starting now, it would be the last place you would build a city.

But they were starting 1,500 years ago, when vessels were tiny, shallow-bottomed ships. And in this corner between Italy and the Balkans, West met East and fortunes awaited the merchants who traded there.

Ah, yes, the merchants. As a schoolboy, I was puzzled about the setting of Shakespeares play about the two posh spivs who, with the help of a cute lawyer, shaft poor Shylock something rotten.

Why did Shakespeare select Venice if hed never been there, I wondered. Why not choose Bristol?

But by the time we had dragged our suitcases from the vaporetti pier to our hotel, I understood.

By 1598, when Shakespeare was writing his story, the ostentatious wealth of Venice would have been the talk of Europe.

Arriving in style: Water taxis make their way along the Grand Canal, where hundreds of cByzantine, Gothic, baroque and Renaissance palaces and mansions line both banks

There was even a Jewish ghetto (a Venetian word, by the way) from where the character of Shylock could be summoned. Its still there  the oldest Jewish ghetto in the world.

For centuries the city was stuffed with merchants like Shakespeares Antonio, and as wealth and beauty went together then, guys like him built and built with style.

The aim throughout Venetian history seems to have been to build, embellish and then re-embellish, and because of the merchants egos and attempts to buy their way to heaven through the erecting of churches, there was always money and artistry to do it.

By trying to bribe God, the Renaissance rich bequeathed us a jewelled city.

The view from our hotel room, for instance, was of the facade of Santa Maria del Giglio across the street.

In most European cities, a 17th Century church such as this would be the most famous local place of worship.

Oar-some: A gondola on Venices canals (left) and a mosaic of St Mark (right)

But in Venice, despite there being a Rubens Madonna And Child and John The Baptist at one altar, it isnt even famous  its just one of 139 churches scattered around town.

Its the same with Titians largely unnoticed Annunciation, with its huge Angel Gabriel and a barefoot teenage Mary looking like Cinderella, on a side altar in a church a few streets away in the Piazza San Salvador.

Unless you know its there, youll miss it amid all the other artistic treasures

Unless you know its there, youll miss it amid all the other artistic treasures.

The greatest concentration is in the Basilica di San Marco, which, with its five huge domes and shimmering gold mosaic walls, looks as though it might have been magically transported from Constantinople before that city became Muslim Istanbul.

Art experts tell us that the basilica is an Old Curiosity Shop of Byzantine and Middle Eastern art and statues pillaged at the time of the Crusades. The treasures may have been stolen but the looters chose well, and Venice  and now we  are the beneficiaries.

In the vast Piazza San Marco, its usually party time, with children playing and eating ice cream, couples snogging, and almost everyone smiling.

Ray and wife Plum during their trip in Venice to celebrate their golden wedding anniversary

Napoleon may or may not have described it as the drawing room of Europe, but whoever did would now have to broaden the description as every day thousands of tourists consider it the focus of their visit.

And everywhere roam legions of quiet Brits of a certain age  wives studying guidebooks as they walk, husbands following obediently with their cameras. Why do so many British women take up studying art history in retirement?

Its only a short walk from San Marco past the pink Doges Palace to the lagoon. With more time, Id like to have crossed the Bridge of Sighs from inside the palace to the prison next door, from where Casanova is said to have escaped in 1755.

But we had a date with a boat to take us on a tour of some of the lagoons other islands.

Thats something else I didnt fully realise about Venice. Out in the lagoon, which covers more than 200 square miles, are many little places.

Torcello, which takes about 45 minutes to reach, gives a good idea of what Venice must once have been like.

Murano was once a pioneering glass-blowing place. There are still glass furnaces on the island and skilled experts at work in them

Not more than a couple of feet above sea level, its great days were between the 7th Century, when a cathedral was built  the oldest remaining building in the lagoon  and the 12th Century, when a sparse but beautiful Byzantine church went up next door.

Then this part of the lagoon became silted up, there were plagues of disease-carrying mosquitoes, and, as the population moved away, nearly all Torcellos grand houses were pulled down to provide stone for building Venice.

Now, although the cathedral boasts a stunning 12th Century mosaic of the Last Judgment, there are fewer than a dozen inhabitants left  yet Torcello is still reckoned to be a good place for writers to get away from the world.

Not quite so badly depopulated, but where the people have different ways of life from their ancestors, is a cluster of interconnecting islands called Murano.

Once a pioneering glass-blowing place, there are still glass furnaces and skilled experts at work in them, but tourism is what brings in most of the euros to the gift shops that line the canals.

Anthony discovered the ostentatious sights of Venice and was surprised to find so many artistic treasures

And theres something not quite right. For a place so ancient, so much money has been spent on restoration that it resembles a new Hollywood set.

They say Casanova used to visit Murano for orgies. From the super-clean look of the place, Im not sure hed know where to find one now.

Further away across the lagoon is Burano.

Once lace-making by hand was the speciality of the women here, but now the shawls and napkins on sale are all imported. More interesting are the dazzling colours of the houses. Oh, to own a paint shop here.

Centuries ago, Venices two tides a day made it the cleanest city in Europe as it washed away the daily leavings of the population. But with so many tourists today, Mother Nature might not work so well any longer.

So if youre wondering, septic tanks in the major hotels now take care of much of that problem. For the rest the tides in the canals, and the dredgers, still have a job to do. All the same, as Plum warned, best not to fall into the water.

Ray Connollys Being Elvis, published by Weidenfeld & Nicolson, is out now, priced 19.39.
She'd just held Thanksgiving dinner at her house the night before.

But on Friday Kylie Jenner was ready to cook some more, as she took to Snapchat to demonstrate how she makes breakfast.

'You know me. You know I love to cook breakfast,' the 19-year-old gushed, before sharing a series of sexy posts on Instagram.

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Flaunting her figure! Kylie Jenner modeled in a skintight, nude dress on Instagram after preparing a post-Thanksgiving breakfast

Compliments to the chef! The reality star had taken to Snapchat earlier in the day to document making breakfast

Kylie videotaped herself making breakfast - eggs and rice, potatoes, bacon, sausage scramble, and a flaky French toast.

She started off by making bacon - 'pretty simple!' - and potatoes seasoned with garlic salt, seasoned salt, and seasoned pepper, and cooked in oil.

The reality star then showed off the 'sausage scramble,' made of chicken apple sausage, onions, and peppers, seasoned with garlic powder and cooked with olive oil.

Next was her 'favorite part,' the flaky French toast, for which she dipped bread in a mixture of eggs, milk, vanilla extract, and cinnamon, and then crushed Frosted Flakes.

Here we go! She stared off by panning over all of her ingredients, such as sausage, peppers, onions, and potatoes she had chopped up

'Pretty easy' Kylie then showed off a pan of sizzling bacon, before focusing on potatoes seasoned with garlic salt, seasoned salt, and seasoned pepper, and cooked in oil

After dipping her French toast bread in the egg mixture and Frosted Flakes, she put it in a pan coated with butter, filming as it cooked and browned.

Kylie checked back in on her other items, before sharing that she always makes 'rice and eggs and cheesy eggs' because 'T just loves this and always asks for it,' speaking of boyfriend Tyga.

In addition to the Snapchat demonstration, Kylie took to Instagram to share shots of herself in a skintight, nude, sleeveless dress.

Sausage scramble: The Kylie Cosmetics creator had a full breakfast, also featuring chicken apple sausage cooked with onions, peppers, and garlic powder

'My favorite part' Kylie revealed her favorite was her 'Flakey French Toast' coated in a mixture of eggs, milk, vanilla extract, and cinnamon, and then dipped in crushed Frosted Flakes

Checking back in: Throughout the demonstration, Kylie also made sure to check back in on all of the items that were cooking, showing fans what it should look like when it's ready

She showed off long, raven tresses that were worn in a side part and styled straight, and cascaded past her shoulders.

She also showed off bold lashes and a bit of eyeliner, along with a soft pink lipstick, likely from her line, Kylie Cosmetics.

The day before Kylie had hosted Thanksgiving dinner, which she also documented on Snapchat.

Selfie time! After cooking breakfast Kylie snapped selfies in the mirror as she modeled a sleeveless, figure-hugging dress

Mirror selfie: The Keeping Up with the Kardashians star filmed a video capturing her look as she posed in the bathroom

She posed with sister Kendall Jenner, 21, mom Kris, 61, and boyfriend Tyga, 27, on Snapchat as well.

Caitlyn Jenner, 67, and Kylie's sister Kourtney Kardashian, 37, also attended the dinner, though Khloe Kardashian, 32, opted to celebrate with boyfriend Tristan Thompson, 25, instead.
She's been enjoying a romantic vacation with her new beau Lee Carseldine in Darwin to promote the Million Dollar Fish competition.

And it appears Australian Survivor's El Rowland has hooked the perfect man as the pair enjoy their first-ever vacation together in the Northern Territory.

The mother-of-one has been seen posting loved up snaps and pictures from their trip on social media and clearly she's fallen for her co-star hook, line and sinker.

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'Good things come to those who bait': El Rowlands has been enjoying a loved up fishing tip with her Australian Survivor beau Lee Carseldine in Darwin to promote the Million Dollar Fish competition

'We hadn't been away together yet so it was the perfect little getaway': The couple enjoyed a kiss on the boat during the competition as they held a huge fish in Australia's Top End

In the picture the loved up pair are seen sitting together in a boat posed for a selfie which El captioned: 'Good things come to those who bait.'

In another snap she wrote: 'Not crabby about this fine catch. Just look at dem pincers (sic).'

The smitten couple met on Australia's Survivor as they slept in torrential rains, were starved of food and competed against 24 castaways for $500,000.

In previous interviews Lee and El admitted they wouldn't have been able to stand the pressures on the Samoan island without each other for support.

What a catch! The pair met on Australia's Survivor and have been enjoying quality time together in the Northern Territory

'Not crabby about this fine catch': El posed proudly with two giant crabs during her first ever vacation with new beau

Speaking to Daily Mail Australia Lee explained that both their children have met and the kids spend 'quite a bit of time together'.

While he explained the couple are yet to formally discuss their future, he was reluctant to rule out the possibility of marriage or more children.

'We haven't spoken about that yet, we're just trying to navigate this little interesting phase,' he said diplomatically.

The holiday to Darwin, which is being sponsored by Tourism Northern Territory, was long overdue for the new couple.

Taking the plunge! The pair were seen descending a ladder into a plastic cylinder to dive with a huge crocodile as they made their way to tourist attractions around Darwin

What a snap! El and Lee are seen cuddling inside the cylinder which is the only thing between them and the jaws of a huge crocodile

'It was perfect timing because things were pretty crazy  we hadn't been away together yet so it was the perfect little getaway,' explained Lee.

The couple are being shown around to promote the state's Million Dollar Fish tourism campaign, which gives participants the ability to win up to $1million for catching a tagged barramundi.

Photos from their trip see the couple posed with creatures big and small including barramundi and crocodiles.

In one picture Lee and El are seen diving with a huge crocodile which can be seen opening it's massive jaws as the pair pose smiling.

Wh-ater day! The holiday to Darwin, which is being sponsored by Tourism Northern Territory, was long overdue for the new couple

Crock-ey! El and Lee were seen floating beside a huge crocodile as it made its way around the enclosure

In another photo with a smaller crocodile the pair are seen opening their own jaws as they pretend to eat the small reptile.

Other pictures from the getaway see the pair kissing beside a pristine pool in a luxury hotel while a bikini-clad El cuddles up to her handsome beau.

In one photo posted to Lee's Instagram, the hunky brunette wrote: '15 minutes into our NT trip and already @elerowland_ is all over me like a pitbull on a poodle.

'A classic case of first night fever me thinks,' he added.

Turning the tables: In another photo with a smaller crocodile the pair are seen opening their jaws as they pretend to eat the small reptile

Speaking to The Daily Telegraph in October, El revealed that Lee was someone she would 'definitely like to keep seeing' since filming ended of the reality show.

'Obviously our mental and physical states weren't right, we both had to juggle being parents and returning to our full-time jobs.

'We've thought about the long-term, and he's definitely someone I'd like to keep seeing,' the 33-year-old army corporal added at the time.

Since her interview last month it would appear that the pair have been virtually inseparable ever since.

Cheers! Other pictures from the getaway see the pair cuddling in a pristine pool at their hotel
Tommy Little recently landed a new role as the host of the Australian version of Whose Line is it Anyway?

And the former radio star has joked he had to sleep with the right people to be offered the job.

'Thankfully I greased the right wheels and paid people off with sexual favours and landed the hosting role,' he told News.com.au.

'I greased the right wheels and paid people off with sexual favours': Tommy Little has joked he had to sleep with the right people to be land the hosting role of the Australian version of Whose Line is it Anyway?

Tommy originally auditioned to be a cast member, but soon changed his mind about where he could fit in and opted for the hosting role.

'I very quickly realised that the other guys were far better at improvising than me and that I was, what's called in the industry, "a bit s***",' he said.

He realised improvisation games aren't easy, and they aren't something every stand-up comedian can tackle.

'I was a bit s***': Tommy originally auditioned to be a cast member, but soon realised improvisation games aren't easy

'It would have been so easy for the network to go, "hey let's get big name stand-up comedians and put them in those roles which is not the thing they do best", Tommy told AAP.

'Instead they've got the best improvisers around.'

One of those is Flight of the Conchords star Rhys Darby, who played Murray Hewitt on the hit Kiwi show.

The comedians will be pitted against each other weekly in a series of on-the-spot, short-form improvisation games in front of a live audience

'I was interested in playing the host but I think the producers thought, ''if we're going to have Rhys, let's have him play it and really utilise those talents'',' the New Zealand actor said.

'My whole career has been based on me thinking on my feet and making it up as I go along because I've had no training in anything.

'Yet here I am now landing back onto that show that inspired me from the beginning.

'My whole career has been based on me thinking on my feet': Flight of the Conchords star Rhys Darby is one of the cast members

'So it's a nice circle feeling,' Rhys said.

The comedians will be pitted against each other weekly in a series of on-the-spot, short-form improvisation games in front of a live audience.

Whose Line Is It Anyway? Australia airs on Sundays from November 27 at 7.30pm on The Comedy Channel.
She was once the highest-paid actress of her generation.

But ten years on, Lindsay Lohan is on the brink of bankruptcy and living in temporary accommodation after bailiffs threatened to raid her London house.

It comes a month after lawyers acting for the landlord of the 3.5million mews home issued the 30-year-old American star with a demand for 77,600 in missed rent, threatening to petition the courts for her bankruptcy if she failed to pay up.

Despite her financial woes, Lindsay was seen beaming as she strolled into the 400-a-night Blakes hotel, in Knightsbridge, earlier this month.

Lindsay previously was once the highest-paid actress of her generation, demanding 5million a movie

She's now said to be in a'complete financial mess' by a source and has had the offer of staying with a friend in the meantime

Three weeks ago the property enforcement company Equita posted a final warning notice on her front door, requesting immediate payment of 1,773, including a 235 enforcement fee.

It is understood Miss Lohan managed to raise enough funds to keep the bailiffs at bay and moved out of the Knightsbridge property and into the five-star 400-a-night Blakes hotel nearby, thanks to financial help from a friend.

The star of the 2004 teen comedy Mean Girls, who once commanded 5million a movie, was pictured beaming as she strolled into the hotel earlier this month.

A source said: Lindsay has been in a complete financial mess. She has been staying at a smart hotel but has now had the offer of staying at a friends apartment whilst she tries to sort herself out.

She was evicted from a 3.5million mews home in Knightsbridge after the landlords demanded 77,600 in missed rent. Pictured are removals men packing up her belongings

Three weeks ago the property enforcement company Equita posted a final warning notice on her front door, requesting immediate payment of 1,773, including a 235 enforcement fee'

It is understood Miss Lohan managed to raise enough funds to keep the bailiffs at bay and moved out of the property

She moved into Blakes hotel and is thought to have flown first-class to Bali for a holiday

Lindsay has starred in many films over the years and was famously the lead character in 2004 movie Mean Girls

A spokesman for Miss Lohan has confirmed today she has paid off her housing debts.

Despite her financial woes the actress is said to have flown first class to Bali for a holiday.

The trip comes after she cancelled a plan to switch on the Christmas lights in Kettering, Northamptonshire, because she was too busy.
Has Made In Chelseas Olivia Bentley been taking fans for a ride with her racy back-story, after joining the reality show earlier this year?

Blonde Olivia, 22, who also dabbles in nude photography, has been presented by the shows producers as a direct descendant of the founder of Bentley Motors, W.O. Bentley.

But W.O.s step-grandson Miles Hutton confirms her distinguished lineage is as fake as Made In Chelseas scripted conversations between the bright young things of SW3.

Made In Chelseas Olivia Bentley has been presented by the shows producers as a direct descendant of the founder of Bentley Motors, W.O. Bentley

Despite being married three times  latterly to Huttons grandmother, Margaret Hutton  W.O. Bentley had no children, meaning Miss Bentleys claim to fame is rather liberal with the truth.

She was probably hoping nobody would take any notice, says Hutton. But W.O. Bentley was Grandpa to us, and we are very proud of what he achieved. We dont like to see his name taken in vain.

When Olivia and her two sisters, Athena and Cordelia, appeared on the frontispiece page of Country Life in August, draped over a 1930s Bentley, they were described as the great-great-great-granddaughters of the founder of Bentley Motors.

Enraged by the inaccuracy, Miles Huttons nephew, Will Hutton, contacted Country Life to demand an explanation. The magazine blamed the slip on MiC producers Monkey Kingdom.

But despite being married three times W.O. Bentley had no children, meaning Miss Bentleys claim to fame is rather liberal with the truth

When Will called Monkey Kingdom, they admitted Olivia is not a direct descendant of the Bentley founder  or of his brother, H.M. Bentley, who helped W.O. Bentley establish the business after World War I.

A spokesman for MiC tells me that Olivia is, in fact, a distant relative of the Bentley family. Pressed on which Bentley family member she is related to, the spokesman said: I dont have the precise details.

The fake reality show, now in its twelfth series, has also featured Jamie Laing, heir to the McVities biscuit millions, and Millie Mackintosh, who was routinely referred to as the Quality Street heir  until she set the record straight.

My family sold the business years ago, she said.
Blonde bombshell Kate Hudson joined her mom Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell for a post-Thanksgiving breakfast on Friday.

The 37-year-old Almost Famous star was spotted leaving the Early World Restaurant in Brentwood.

She was dressed for both style and comfort in a floaty summer dress, but narrowly avoided a wardrobe malfunction as a gust of wind swept up the high-cut number.

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Leggy blonde! Kate Hudson nearly suffered a wardrobe malfunction in a high-cut dress as she met up with her mom Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell on Friday

Cheeky! The 37-year-old Oscar nominee flashed a hint of her derriere in a lightweight printed white frock

Fancy footwear: A pair of stylish taupe suede high heel ankle boots added extra height to the 5ft 6in beauty's frame

The Oscar-nominated actress donned a high-cut lightweight printed white frock which blew up in the gusts of wind.

She flaunted her endless lean limbs in the full-length garb that cinched at the waistline with a thin belt, highlighting her slender figure.

A pair of stylish taupe suede high heel ankle boots added extra height to the 5ft 6in beauty's frame.

Showstoppers! Goldie Hawn, 71, and Kurt Russell, 65, turned heads as they stepped out for breakfast with Kate at the Early World Restaurant in Brentwood

Kate swept her sandy blonde locks back and fastened with a purple clip, allowing a few wisps free to frame her face.

She shielded her emerald green eyes with round framed lenses from the blazing southern California sun.

She rounded out her California cool vintage inspired ensemble with a brown leather fringed handbag.

Lean limbs! The Almost Famous starlet flaunted her endless legs in the full-length garb that cinched at the waistline with a thin belt, highlighting her slender figure

Shaded: Kate swept her sandy blonde locks back and fastened with a purple clip and shielded her eyes with round framed sunglasses

Meanwhile Goldie Hawn is returning to the big screen after nearly 15 years in her upcoming mother-daughter comedy co-starring Amy Schumer.

But she says the lure of starring with Schumer in an action comedy proved too big a temptation to resist, telling People: 'I'm extremely excited about it. Its going to be a blast!'

Kurt was ever the gentleman as he held the door for the blonde bombshell mother-daughter duo

'She's amazing,' Hawn said in March. 'I just can't think of a better movie than doing this with Amy.'

'Two women lost in the jungle. It's going to be so much fun! I love her very much.'

It was announced earlier this year that Goldie was set to play Amy's mom in a comedy about a mother-daughter vacation that goes horribly wrong.
Thanksgiving was just 24 hours ago, but that doesn't mean the stars have wasted any time decking the halls.

Coco Austin was one of the many to get an early start to the holiday decorations, as she set up a white tinsel Christmas tree all by herself.

The proud new mom, 37, posted an Instagram photo on Friday of her gorgeous and extremely festive tree.

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'Very proud': Coco Austin was one of the many to get an early start to the holiday decorations, as she set up a white tinsel Christmas tree all by herself, which she showed off on Friday

'Our Xmas tree I put up all by myself..Very proud LOL,' Coco captioned the snap.

Coco struck a playful pose as she stood beside the holiday staple, which was already complete with red ribbons, ornaments, and a star at the top.

That's the Christmas spirit! Britney had also gotten an extra early start, as she shared a video from Thanksgiving - which showed she had already set up her Christmas tree as well

Oh Christmas tree: Spears enjoyed Thanksgiving with her brother Bryan and his daughter Lexie

Deck the halls: New mom Blac Chyna, meanwhile, had some help setting up her holiday decorations

The model had actually set up her Christmas tree as early as several days ago, but was clearly still pleased enough with the set-up that she decided to share yet another snap of it.

Coco certainly wasn't the only star to already get into the holiday spirit either.

Britney had also gotten an extra early start, as she shared a video taken on Thanksgiving - which showed she had already set up her Christmas tree as well.

Peace on earth: The star decorated her tree with a stocking for King and a Peace ornament

Lending a hand! The reality star had her son King Cairo assist her in decorating a pint-sized Christmas tree

'Our great Thanksgiving!' she captioned the post, which was a collection of family photos.

The popstrel enjoyed a Thanksgiving get-together with her sons Sean and Jayden, as well as her brother Bryan and his daughter Lexie.

New mom Blac Chyna, meanwhile, had some help setting up her holiday decorations.

Rocking around the Christmas tree: Bethenny Frankel wasted no time getting into the Christmas spirit either

Jingle bells: Frankel decked out her lavish house with a bright red tinsel tree and stockings

The reality star had her son King Cairo assist her in decorating a pint-sized Christmas tree.

Bethenny Frankel wasted no time getting into the Christmas spirit either, decking out her lavish house with a bright red tinsel tree and stockings.

The tree looked absolutely gorgeous once it was all lit up inside her inviting home.
She returned to the Gold Coast three weeks ago, having been based predominately in London.

And model Erin McNaught was seen setting an example for her one-year-old son Evander Maxwell, as she worked on her fitness on Friday.

The 34-year-old went makeup-free, flaunting her trim pins in active wear, later being joined by her rapper husband Example (real name Elliot Gleave) and their precious toddler.

Putting in the leg work! Model Erin McNaught, 34, was seen working on her fitness at Queensland's the Gold Coast on Friday

Erin was seen taking to the streets in a fluoro racerback tank, which exposed her lithe arms and toned shoulders.

The slim-fitting design ensured the fabric skimmed over her enviably flat stomach, while a pair of black shorts accentuated the star's trim pins.

A pair of white trainers ensured Erin was quick on her feet, while several silver studs were her only other accessory.

Not an inch to pinch: The star was seen taking to the streets in a fluoro shirt that exposed her lithe arms and toned shoulders, and a pair of black shorts that accentuated her lean legs

Off she goes! Ensuring she was light on her feet, Erin donned a pair of white trainers

Getting swept up: The former MTV presenter tied her long tresses into an effortless top knot

Sweeping her tresses into an effortless top knot, the former MTV presenter showed off her natural beauty, going makeup-free.

Erin was later joined by her husband Elliot, 34.

The London-born personality made a statement in a black Nike muscle top, with the text dope emblazoned on the front in white.

Well equipped: Another snap saw Erin styling her hair into a half-up, half-down style, while carrying a water bottle and a blue hand towel

Baby on board: Erin was seen pushing one-year-old son Evander's stroller on a Queensland street

Sunny Queensland: The beauty shielded her eyes behind a pair of stylish dark sunglasses

A cut above the rest: The laid back personality revealed her toned back in her top's racerback design

The sleeveless design highlighted Example's toned arms, while a pair of simple black shorts also by Nike, coordinated nicely.

Sporting a pair of trainers, stylish dark sunglasses and a silver chained necklace, Example appeared every inch the doting father, seen pushing Evander in his pram.

Evander, one, looked cute as a button in a pair of black shorts and a coordinating cap with the letter G emblazoned on the front.

Family ties: Erin was later joined by husband and rapper Example, real name Elliot Gleave, 34

Dope: The London-born personality made a statement in a black Nike muscle top, with the text dope emblazoned on the front in white

Precious: Evander looked cute as a button in a pair of black shorts and a coordinating cap with the letter G emblazoned on the front

He's got style! The toddler had his brown locks tied up into a trendy hairstyle

The toddler was later seen at a public swimming pool, with his famous father close by.

Wearing a rash vest and black shorts, the tike had his short brown locks tied up into a trendy style.

The family appeared to be in high spirits for the occasion, with Example throwing the boy into the air, and then catching him, while in the public pool.

Erin and Example tied the knot in Australia in 2013, and welcomed son Evander Maxwell Gleave in December 2014.

Come on, daddy! Example was seen grabbing something out of the stroller's compartment

Father, son time: The pair were later seen enjoying quality time at the local swimming pool

Doting father! The rapper was seen throwing his son up into the air, and then catching him

The pair have spoken in the past of their desire to expand their family, with Erin revealing shortly after her son's birth that she 'couldn't wait' to have more children.

Erin was chosen from nineteen finalists to represent Australia in the Miss Universe 2006 competition, but failed to make it to the top 20.

Despite defeat during the international pageant, Erin managed to negotiate various presenting roles and modelling gigs with top Australian brands.

The catwalk star then secured a spot on the long-running soap Neighbours, before securing a presenting role on MTV.

Her loves: Erin wed the musician in Australia in 2013, and welcomed son Evander Maxwell Gleave in December 2014
She's been plagued with rumours that she fell out with her ex Strictly partner Giovanni Pernice following her exit from the show.

But Laura Whitmore seemed to brush any controversy aside as she attended the press night for the play Nice Fish in London on Thursday night.

The Irish TV personality, 31, appeared to be in high spirits at the bash as she rocked a chic androgynous The Kooples blazer coat teamed with glowing make-up.

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All smiles: Laura Whitmore, 31, seemed to brush any Strictly Come Dancing controversy aside as she attended the press night for the play Nice Fish in London on Thursday night.

The blonde beauty kept her look understated yet stylish in the mannish longline coat, which she teamed with black skinny jeans.

Injecting a dose of colour into the ensemble, Laura rocked a red and black checked Pinko handbag bearing the irreverent slogan 'Love Me Tender', and boosted her height with black ankle boots.

She wore her glossy blonde locks in a simple centre-parting and showcased her blue eyes with a subtle sweep of mascara and highlighter.

The presenter mingled with the likes of Mark Rylance at the event, who stars in Nice Fish - a comic play about two old friends who go fishing on a frozen Minnesota lake.

Turning heads: The Irish TV personality appeared to be in high spirits at the bash as she rocked a chic androgynous blazer coat teamed with glowing make-up

Arm candy: Injecting a dose of colour into the ensemble, Laura rocked a red and black checked Pinko handbag bearing the irreverent slogan 'Love Me Tender'

Glowing: She wore her glossy blonde locks in a simple centre-parting and showcased her blue eyes with a subtle sweep of mascara and highlighter

The blonde beauty smiled defiantly on the night, proving that the last week's controversies were not going to keep her down.

Following her exit from Strictly Come Dancing two weeks ago, the television personality was plagued by rumours that she and Giovanni had fallen out.

Insiders close to the beauty and her dance partner disagree about the source of the tension between Giovanni and Laura.

Keeping good company: Laura posed alongside producer Joshua Andrews

In high spirits: Holding a glass of champagne in her hand, the blonde beauty appeared to be at ease at the event

Three's a crowd: Mark Rylance, who stars in Nice Fish - a comic play about two old friends who go fishing on a frozen Minnesota lake - smiled alongside producer Sonia Friedman and director Claire van Kampen

Keeping everyone in check! Mark rocked eye-catching tartan trousers as he posed with the play's author Louis Jenkins and director Claire

The whole gang: Bob Davis, Raye Birk, Jim Lichtscheidl, Kayli Carter, Louis Jenkins, Mark Rylance and Claire van Kampen

It is known that Laura is a friend of Giovanni's ex-girlfriend, actress Georgia May Foote, 25, who he dated after her own appearance on the show in 2015.

Laura and Giovanni left in Week 7 of the competition after a bottom two dance-off against Ore Oduba, who is due to compete in the Blackpool stage of the ballroom show next week.

Laura struggled to fight back tears on her elimination after an awkward timing issue during her samba to the Gipsy Kings' Bamboleo with partner Giovanni.

Tension: Following her exit from Strictly Come Dancing two weeks ago, the television personality was plagued by rumours that she and Giovanni had fallen out
Sex pest Josh Duggar joined his wife Anna, their children and the rest of his large 19 Kids And Counting family for a Thanksgiving getaway.

The 28-year-old father-of-four was pictured seated on the floor at the family gathering as his wife sat on a sofa with his sister Joy-Anna, 19, placed between them.

Josh clearly has been welcomed back into the devoutly Christian fold after leaving rehab in March, where he had sought treatment following revelations he molested, as a teen, five underage girls including sisters Jill and Jessa and was a member of the adultery website Ashley Madison.

In the fold: Josh Duggar, 28, is seen sitting on the floor next to a sofa where his sister Joy-Anna, 19, and wife Anna, 28, are sitting, confirming his place back in the family following scandals

Matriarch Michelle Duggar shared several photos on the official Duggar Facebook page explaining that they had enjoyed 'a beautiful day spent with family, food we love and most of all .... a poignant reminder of the many blessings our lives enjoy, for which we should be thankful.'

'This year for Thanksgiving, we spent a few days together with our family in a cabin in the beautiful Ozark Mountains, he said.

'We've laughed together, cooked together, sang together, told fun family stories, played with kids and bounced babies. It's been a wonderful family time.'

Full house: The 19 Kids And Counting family spent Thanksgiving together in a cabin in the Ozark Mountains where they 'sang together, cooked together and bounced babies'

Back home: Jill, 25, and husband Derick Dillard, 28, returned from overseas mission work with 18-month-old son Israel to join her family for the holiday

Joining Michelle and husband Jim Bob were all of the 19 Duggar kids except Jinger who is currently on honeymoon in New Zealand with new husband Jeremy Vuolo.

Jill returned home from overseas mission work with husband Derick Dillard and their young son Israel, and also there was Jessa with husband Ben Seewald and their toddler son Spurgeon.

Jessa, 24, announced in August she and Ben, 21, are expecting their second child, due in February, and her growing baby bump was on show as she sat barefoot with one hand on her tummy.

Growing family: Jessa, 24, was seen in photos shared via Facebook cradling her baby bump after announcing her second pregnancy with husband Ben Seewald, 21, (standing next to her)

Hanging out together: The large group spent their time chatting, doing puzzles and playing with the younger children

The family members are seen in the Facebook photos doing a jigsaw puzzle, standing around in the kitchen chatting and entertaining the younger children.

Joy-Anna, who recently announced she is in a courtship with longtime friend Austin Forsyth, 22, had to spend the holiday without her new beau.

Under the parent's strict courtship rules, the two young people may not hold hands and can only side hug during their courtship. They must also have a chaperone, usually one of the Duggar sons, with them on all dates.

Most importantly, the couple cannot kiss until their wedding day, and sex before marriage is strictly off limits.
Vernon Kay was caught in a sexting scandal with Rhian Sugden earlier this year - the same model he was caught messaging in 2010.

And despite appearing to win his wife Tess Daly's forgiveness, it seems his fellow radio X presenter Johnny Vaughan won't let him live it down.

Attending Global's Make Some Noise bash on Thursday night, he had his own theory as to why Vernon wasn't present.

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'Vernon will probably be in Tess's doghouse. Again. He lives there!' Johnny Vaughan said when asked why Vernon (pictured with Tess Daly) wasn't at a recent event

'I think (Chris]) Moyles will be in his house, Vernon will probably be in Tess's doghouse. Again. He lives there!', he told The Sun.

'I stay with him sometimes. It's like a large kennel with a bunk. He's always in there.

'It's massive  it's such a big doghouse,' he joked cheekily.

Scandal: Vernon was caught in a sexting scandal with Rhian Sugden earlier this year - the same model he was caught messaging in 2010

But not everyone may see the funny side to his good-natured jibe.

In March Vernon was caught in another scandal, after it emerged he had been texting glamour model Rhian Sugden, despite issuing a public apology to his wife in 2010, promising he would not contact her again.

At the time Vernon claimed he meant nothing 'inappropriate' by trying to meet a glamour model in a hotel - and insisted he told his Strictly host wife Tess 'everything'.

'It's massive - it's such a big doghouse,': Despite appearing to win his wife Tess Daly's forgiveness, it seems his fellow radio X presenter Johnny Vaughan (pictured) won't let him live it down

The radio presenter was at the centre of a scandal after it emerged he had sent messages trying to meet up with Rhian, the same woman who nearly ended his marriage six years ago.

Following the news this year, Vernon wrote on Facebook: 'I was contacted by Rhian out of the blue back in December regarding the story in 2010 claiming she had information she wanted to pass on.

'I recognise how it may look when messages are pulled out of context but there was never any inappropriate intent to our communication, I was merely trying to find answers to questions that I've had since 2010.

'Tess is aware of everything that has been discussed with Rhian.'

Controversy: Father-of-two Vernon, 42, reportedly tried to arrange a hotel tryst with 30-year-old Rhian (right) - the glamour model who nearly ended his marriage to Tess (together left) six years ago

Public statement: Kay posted this message on Facebook this afternoon after the text exchange emerged this morning

According to The Sun, the 42-year-old recently reconnected with Rhian, 30, who at the time was engaged to soap actor Oliver Mellor.

The pair allegedly tried to arrange a hotel tryst in January but did not go through with it because of work.

Tess, 47 has co-hosted Strictly Come Dancing since the show started in 2004, has two daughters with Kay, Phoebe and Amber.

A hint? Rhian posted this message earlier in the year, sparking speculation it may have been about her plans to meet Kay

A source told the newspaper at the time: 'Vernon regularly asked Rhian when she was going to be in London for modelling and she kept asking him if he was going to be in the Manchester area.

'The longer this has gone on, the more they have felt guilty. They've cooled it a bit recently and decided it wouldn't be the smartest move to be alone together in a hotel room.'

Kay allegedly even suggested the model wore a disguise so that nobody saw them together.

The Bolton-born TV star made a public apology to his wife on Radio 1 after he exchanged lewd texts with the Page three model in 2010.

He promised Miss Daly he would no longer contact Miss Sugden or four other women he had been 'sexting'.

But the source said: 'Vernon broke her heart six years ago and now he's back in touch with the same girl. He must be mad.'
Danny Baker couldn't hide his glee as he became the first star voted out of I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! on Friday after surviving seven days in the Australian outback.

But whilst the 59-year-old presenter seemed more than happy to leave the camp, his devastated campmates were less than impressed with the decision, with Adam Thomas turning on Martin Roberts in an awkward row.

In scenes shown on Extra Camp, the Emmerdale actor, turned to the divisive star and yelped: 'It shouldve been Martin! I dont understand why it was Danny!'

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Awkward: Devastated campmates were less than impressed with the decision to evict Danny Baker from I'm A Celeb, with Adam Thomas turning on Martin Roberts in an awkward row

And although Martin attempted to awkwardly dodge the subject, Adam continued questioning: 'Why did you not go?'

But the Homes Under The Hammer star shot back: 'It was only because you were immune!'

Unaware of the friction in camp, Danny exited the jungle cheering and hollering: 'I'm on my way! Make way!' after being in the bottom two with Carol Vorderman.

Who should have stayed? Whilst Danny (R) was the first star booted out, Adam made it very clear that he would have wanted Martin to go first

Chatting with Ant and Dec in his elimination interview he explained: 'I'm not surprised to be turfed out fast,' as he reasoned his 'cavalier' attitude probably stopped him getting votes.

'My winning personality once again descends upon the nation,' he quipped as he looked back at his time on the show.

Explaining why he wanted to take part in the iconic programme, he revealed: 'I wanted to do the show because I'm winding down my television work and the only thing I wanted to do is the best show on television. I love this show!'

Another one bites the dust: Danny Baker couldn't hide his glee as he became the first star voted out of I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! on Friday

One to watch: Danny has thrown his support behind Scarlett Moffatt as he revealed he wants the Gogglebox beauty to win the programme

Proving to be such a fan of the show, the Talk Radio host even revealed that he had been chatting away off-camera with ITV producers in order to set up the best shots.

'I was telling the production team, this will work better!'

He went on to share more behind the scenes gossip, quipping: 'The toilet is murder, it's a revolting hole in the ground.

'They say it's for authenticity, but why have we got electric lights around the place?'

Close call: Danny strode out of the jungle after being in the bottom two with Carol Vorderman

A fitting send off: The campmates all gathered to wave Danny off as he became the first of them to be sent home by public vote

No.1 fan: Explaining why he wanted to take part in the iconic programme, he revealed: 'The only thing I wanted to do is the best show on television. I love this show!'

The star also discussed his ongoing feud with Martin, who he arrived with late to camp.

'We didn't get off on the right foot, I'm a confrontational person,' he explained. But added: 'It's been love's young bloom since then.

'He's the one whose had the learning curve, it took him a while to realise it.'

Best buds: The star also discussed his ongoing feud with Martin, who he arrived alongside late to camp, explaining that they were now getting along famously

Wet and wild: Danny explained that he had enjoyed the whole experience but had acted cavalier in his attitude towards the jungle compared to other campmates

But despite putting their differences behind him, Danny wasn't backing Martin to win the show, instead lavishing praise on Scarlett Moffatt and Jordan Banjo.

'You need the kids to go through to the final. They are smart as a whip, bright as a button' he explained.

'Scarlett to win all day long, one of the smartest woman I've met in and out of television!'

Hug it out: Danny looked emotional as he was reunited with his friends and family after a week of living with strangers out in the Australian outback
Shailene Woodley posted a video to Facebook on Thursday decrying the false narrative of the Thanksgiving holiday.

The actress, 25, spent the day with hundreds of protesters opposed to the Dakota Access pipeline and helped Hollywood star Jane Fonda serve up a free dinner for 500 at at the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation.

In her video, she criticized the traditional American holiday, saying: 'Today is a day that many call Thanksgiving, and its a day where kids in elementary school in America are taught false narratives about our native brothers and sisters.'

Protest: Shailene Woodley criticized the Thanksgiving holiday in a video she posted Thursday saying it perpetuates 'false narratives' about native Americans

The Divergent star continued: 'From the time were little kids, we cut out in cardboard paper pictures of pilgrims and feasts and turkeys, and yet none of our children know the truth about not only what happened to Native Americans when Westerners decided to colonize this country, but what is still happening to Native Americans.'

Woodley was arrested in October as she took part in protests against the pipeline construction set to run through the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation and under the Missouri River.

She has pleaded not guilty to criminal trespass and engaging in a riot, both misdemeanors that carry a maximum punishment of a month in jail and a $1,500 fine.

Joined the fight: The actress, 25, was in North Dakota along with hundreds of people opposed to the construction of an oil pipeline through the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation

Her position: 'None of our children know the truth about not only what happened to Native Americans when Westerners decided to colonize this country, but what is still happening to Native Americans'

Facing trial: In October, the Divergent star was arrested during pipeline protests and has pleaded not guilty to criminal trespass and engaging in a riot

Woodley was to stand trial on Jan. 25. Court documents show trial has been rescheduled for Feb. 22 because her attorney had a conflict.

On Thursday, she once again teamed up with protesters who blocked traffic in the area while shouting: 'No pilgrims, no pipeline.'

The Standing Rock Sioux want construction of the $3.8 billion pipeline halted, saying it threatens drinking water and cultural sites. Nearly 470 people have been arrested in months of protests supporting the tribe.
With four children under the age of 13, Christmas gifts are surely a priority.

And on Friday, Heidi Klum took sons Henry and Johan out for a day of shopping at The Grove in Los Angeles.

The America's Got Talent judge was ready to tackle the crowds, clad in a T-shirt bearing her first initial.

Looking for gifts! On Friday, Heidi Klum took sons Henry, 11, (r) and Johan, 10, out for a day of shopping at The Grove in Los Angeles

Heidi tucked in her white top into a pair of high-waist, skinny jeans complete with a set of white trainers.

The pretty blonde added a pair of maroon suspenders to match her printed monogram.

Her sons, aged eleven and ten, were also casually dressed in T-shirts, denim trousers and sneakers.

Casual: The model tucked in her white top into a pair of high-waist, skinny jeans complete with a set of white trainers

While the 43-year-old, like most parents, likes to gift their children what they can, the German native also hopes her children can appreciate their blessings.

The model maintains a close relationship with her kids, and eats dinner around a table at 6 p.m. every night, unless she's away.

In addition to her AGT duties, she's also the host and executive producer of Project Runway and owns her own intimates line.

Like mum: Her sons, aged eleven and ten, were also casually dressed in T-shirts, denim trousers and sneakers

Earlier this month, while at a charity event in Los Angeles, Heidi spoke of putting things into perspective with her family.

'When theyre whining about something, I tell them, like, "This is not something to be crying about."'

'I tell them about the children that I see at the hospital that cannot go home. "Its Christmas and youre at home. And you have all these presents. And theyre in the hospital and they cant go anywhere." I talk to them about it,' she told People.
Viewers have accused her of bullying Homes Under The Hammer presenter Martin Roberts during her stint in the jungle.

But her parents have hit back at the claims, revealing that she was once a victim of bullying herself.

Describing their Gogglebox daughter as once being 'a bit geeky', Betty, 46, and Mark, 50, insist she would be highly upset by the accusations.

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Hitting back: Scarlett Moffatt's parents have hit back after viewers accused her of bullying Homes Under The Hammer presenter Martin Roberts during her stint in the jungle

'As someone who has been bullied herself when she was younger I think she would be absolutely mortified if she thought people were saying she was a bully. That really isn't the sort of person she is,' Mark told The Sun.

And describing her as having been a victim of jibes over her 'weight, monobrow and goofy teeth', he revealed he encouraged her 'geeky side'.

'Not everyone has to be the same. She was just a bit geeky. Her favourite shows were The Young Ones and Bottom, things like that. And she loved Red Dwarf.'

'She would be mortified': Describing their Gogglebox daughter as once being 'a bit geeky', Betty, 46, and Mark, 50, insist she would be highly upset by the bullying accusations

Loved-up: 'Shes more settled, shes with Luke now. Hes a good influence, hes a good lad,' her parents said of her boyfriend of nine months

And the Gogglebox parents approve of her boyfriend of nine months, Luke Crodden, describing him as a 'good lad'.

Betty recently insisted that her daughter wouldn't let online trolls get her down during her time on the show.

Sticking up for her daughter, Betty insisted tothe Daily Mirror she's not an oppressor.

Chin up! Scarlett won't let online trolls get her down while she stars on the reality show

'Scarlett does daft stuff and lacks common sense but she's not someone to tear other people down,' she admitted.

The TV star, who jetted into Brisbane on Thursday to support her eldest Down Under, added that online trolls that had commented about the starlet should think twice about passing judgement.

'It's her choice what she wants to do with her life, but she's not hurting anybody,' she said. 'If calling my daughter thick or stupid or anything else makes you feel better then crack on.'

Breaking down: The 26-year-old Gogglebox star came under fire earlier in the week after fans of the show called her 'manipulative' and a 'complete fake' on social media, after a row over fetching water reduced Martin to tears

The comments come after campmates were accused of bullying Martin Roberts when the star was left in tears earlier this week, despite Durham native Scarlett having shed a few herself as tensions mount in camp.

Viewers were again divided over the treatment of BBC star Martin on Thursday when he was told by his campmates that he couldn't have a treat.

After camp royals, Ola Jordan, Wayne Bridge, Adam Thomas and Sam Quek earned themselves a bar of milk chocolate from a Dingo Dollar challenge they decided to ration out the winnings with the other celebs, before telling Martin he wasn't allowed to enjoy the treat as it was payback.

Divisive: Jungle viewers were once again divided over the treatment of Homes Under The Hammer star Martin on Thursday

The trick was played after Martin attempted to sabotage the Royals camp after losing his place as a King to Ola in the ongoing Claim Of Thrones challenge.

Earlier that day Adam had asked servant Martin to fetch him some water, but the star deliberately tripped spilling it all over Adam's bed and soaking it.

Vowing revenge, Adam joked: 'He got me, he is in for itMartin  run and hide!'

Later that evening he got his chance, and after sharing out his chocolate with the other celebrities, he then called Martin up to get a piece before shoving it in his mouth.

Sharing is caring: When camp royals, Ola Jordan Adam Thomas and Sam Quek earned themselves a bar of milk chocolate from a Dingo Dollar challenge they decided to ration it out

However, viewers were divided as to whether Adam's payback was too cruel, with some questioning if banning the star from eating chocolate was too much.

'Just wishing people would leave Martin alone. It's bullying! #ImACeleb,' one viewer tweeted, whilst another added: 'This is f**king bullying poor Martin #ImACeleb.'

Other fans claimed they weren't a fan of the star but did not approve of his treatment, with one posting: 'annoying though Martin is, singling him out like this is tantamount to bullying #uncomfortable #imaceleb.'

None left: Adam Thomas shared out the chocolate between all the celebrities before telling Martin he wasn't allowed to enjoy the treat as it was payback

Another tweeted: 'Not a fan of Martin, but the way he's being treated by everyone else on the show is awful, it's bullying #ImACeleb.'

One viewer called on producers to intervene, commenting: 'We get that you hate Martin, but come on? Bullying? That's a low and to see #ImACeleb endorse this? It's sickening.'

A spokesperson for ITV told MailOnline: 'The welfare of our celebrities is of utmost importance.

'We constantly monitor and talk to them to check on their welfare and have procedures in place to address any unacceptable behaviour.'

Uneasy: Viewers were divided as to whether Adam's payback was too cruel, with some questioning if banning the star from eating chocolate was too much

Not fair: Other fans claimed they weren't a fan of the star but did not approve of his treatment

Upsetting: Some viewers were certain the behaviour was unacceptable

Seen enough: One viewer called on producers to intervene

No accident: The trick was played after Martin attempted to sabotage the Royals camp after losing his place as a King by throwing water over Adam's head

Other viewers were firmly on team Adam, however, with one fan posting: Martin getting no chocolate serves him right for throwing water over Adam.'

Another wrote: 'Adam shoving that bit of chocolate in his mouth when Martin went to get it, I'm crying that's brilliant #ImACeleb.'

One particularly enthusiastic fan was extremely thrilled by the scenes, posting: 'Adam eating that chocolate in front of Martin was theeeee best and most satisfying moment seen on TV in years!! #ImACeleb.'

Tasty treat: The celebrities all seemed delighted to nibble on a sweet snack

Comeuppance: Some fans were firmly on team Adam

Strong reactions: Other viewers thought the actions were well justified

TV Gold: One particularly enthusiastic fan was extremely thrilled by the scenes

However, other fans were less impressed with Martin's use of the V sign towards presenters Ant & Dec during his participation in the Bush Brewery task where he was forced to down a nasty concoction of blended flies.

As he attempted to swig back the brew, he didn't take too kindly to Ant telling him 'It gets thicker towards the bottom,' and made the offensive signal.

'Did Martin just swear at the legends Ant and Dec?!!??!!?,' I'm A Celebrity fan Arina tweeted, while viewer John Gibson tweeted: 'Martin sticking his fingers up at Ant! Getting too big for his boots.'

Inappropriate: Martin flicked the V sign at Ant as the presenter tried to encourage him in the Bush Brewery Task

Fan shock: Viewers were upset at Martin's rude antics towards the presenters

Upset: Fans weren't happy at Martin's behaviour on the show and took to Twitter to voice their disapproval

Martin has been the topic of many a tweet over the past few nights, thanks to his spats with Danny Baker and refusal to eat beans.

Then on Tuesday night, whilst going about his jungle chores, he 'came out' as a tree hugger whilst baring his soul in the Bush Telegraph.

Meanwhile, Martin's wife Kirsty recently told Good Morning Britain that producers called her ahead of his dramatic scenes out of courtesy.

No regrets: Viewers were divided as to whether Adam's payback was too cruel

The mother of their children, Scott, nine and Megan, six, told the show: 'To be fair, I had a call from one of the producers from Australia.

'They did give me the heads up to say that he's been upset as they knew the children would be watching.

'But even so, it was quite emotional.'
She settled her divorce with Johnny Depp earlier this year after alleging that the actor was 'verbally and physically abusive' throughout their relationship.

And now Amber Heard is speaking up about domestic violence in a public service announcement for GirlGaze Project.

The group shared a video to YouTube on Friday which saw the 30-year-old growing increasingly emotional and fighting back tears.

Speaking up: Amber Heard is speaking up about domestic violence in a public service announcement for GirlGaze Project

At the beginning of the clip, Amber - who appeared to have been filmed at home - recalled asking herself: ' How is this happening to me? Im strong, smart, Im not a victim.'

'I guess there was a lot of shame attached to that, the label of victim,' she explained. It happens to so many women you know. When it happens in your home behind closed doors with someone you love, its not straightforward. If a stranger did this it would be a no-brainer.'

Amber said she is grateful to have had good friends by her side, telling the camera: 'If I hadnt had them around me, how different my life would be.'

Emotional: The group shared a video to YouTube on Friday which saw the 30-year-old growing increasingly emotional and fighting back tears

The actress added: 'Just as a woman having gone through this in the public stage, in the public arena that I did it, I have a unique opportunity to remind other women this doesnt have to be the way it is, you dont have to do it alone, youre not alone. We can change this.'

Amber urged women who are experiencing domestic violence to speak up, no matter how scared they might be.

'The only way that people are going to feel comfortable coming forward, raising their voices, standing up for themselves, is if we change the system in place that keeps them quiet,' she said.

Sharing her story: Amber settled her divorce with Johnny Depp earlier this year after alleging that the actor was 'verbally and physically abusive' throughout their relationship

'If a stranger did this it would be a no-brainer': The actress said that 'when it happens in your home behind closed doors with someone you love, it's not straightforward'

'Speak up. Raise your voice. Your voice is the most powerful thing and we, together, as women standing shoulder to shoulder, cannot and will not any longer accept silence.'

The video was released on Friday to mark International Day for the Elimination of Violence Towards Women.

Amber filed for divorce from Johnny in May after one year of marriage, and obtained a temporary restraining order against him five days later.

'I'm not a victim': Amber explained that there is 'a lot of shame attached to the label of victim'

'How different my life would be': The Drive Angry star said she is grateful that she has had good friends around her

The Drive Angry star provided photographs of her battered face as evidence of abuse, along with witness statements.

However Johnny's lawyers alleged that Amber was 'attempting to secure a premature financial resolution by alleging abuse' because on an occasion that police were called to her home, she said there had been a 'verbal dispute only' and officers saw no evidence of a crime at the time.

Amber and Johnny reached a settlement in August, with the actress receiving $7million and dismissing her restraining order against the Pirates Of The Caribbean star.

'I have a unique opportunity': Amber told the camera that having her experience in the 'public arena' means she wants to help others

'Raise your voice': Amber urged women who are experiencing domestic violence to speak up, no matter how scared they might be

Amber donated all of the money to charity, splitting it evenly between the American Civil Liberties Union for their work to stop violence against women, and the Children's Hospital Los Angeles.

In a joint statement to announce their divorce settlement, Johnny and Amber said: 'Our relationship was intensely passionate and at times volatile, but always bound by love.

'Neither party has made false accusations for financial gain. There was never any intent of physical or emotional harm.'

PSA: The video was released on Friday to mark International Day for the Elimination of Violence Towards Women
She maintains a strict workout and diet regimen.

And PR maven Roxy Jacenko, 36, proved that hard work really does pay off, having showcased her rock-hard abs in a workout selfie on Saturday.

Taking to Instagram with a photo of herself clad in a $239 luxury active-wear ensemble by P.E. Nation, the mother-of-two proudly flaunted her taut torso and lithe limbs.

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Toned and taut! PR maven Roxy Jacenko, 36, proved that hard work really does pay off, having showcased her rock-hard abs in a workout selfie on Saturday

In the caption, she wrote: '@p.e.nation Saturdays,' before tagging celebrity designer Pip Edwards.

It comes after Roxy uploaded a cheeky video of her two-year-old son Hunter Curtis doing push-ups on his Instagram page.

Roxy (who pens his social media) playfully wrote in the caption: 'She's always on about fitness, look what she makes me do before school of a morning. You think a 6 pack comes without dedication?!'

'Look what she makes me do before school of a morning': Hunter Curtis joked about his mother Roxy Jacenko forcing him to exercise before school in his recent social media post

Roxy, 36, who appears to be behind the lens, could be heard asking the adorable toddler: 'What are you doing?'

The always well-dressed tot was performing the exercises while sporting a pair of white shorts and a navy blue T-shirt, along with a pair of Nike trainers.

At just two years old, Hunter has already garnered an online following of nearly 20,000 fans.

Dedication! The two-year-old was well-dressed in white shorts and a navy blue T-shirt as he performed the exercises on the floor

He often shares behind-the-scenes snaps of his shenanigans, with sister Pixie, five, and mother Roxy by his side.

Pixie, who is famous in her own right with an accessories company, recently celebrated her final day at kindergarten.

The publicist proudly displayed her daughter's last school photos before she starts 'big school' next year!

Social media sensations: Hunter and his sister Pixie are both stars on Instagram with thousands of followers

Milestone: Pixie, five, celebrated her final day at kindergarten earlier this week

'Final Kindy picture pre big school!!!' Roxy captioned a snap of Pixie and Curtis together.

The milestone was celebrated without their father, Oliver Curtis, who was jailed for insider trading in June this year.

The children appear blissfully unaware of his absence, with rumours Roxy has told them he is in China for work instead of revealing the truth.

Absent: Pixie's father Oliver couldn't be present to celebrate her big day, as he serves out his prison sentence for insider trading
Tom Burgess has fuelled speculation that his twin brother George will marry Joanna King in the coming days.

The twin siblings were pictured at a final suit fitting with their older brother Sam in a Snapchat story shared on Saturday.

The South Sydney Rabbitohs players were pictured trying on light grey suits with matching bow ties ahead of George's wedding.

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Dapper dudes: Tom (L), George (middle) and Sam (R) attended a final suit fitting on Saturday, ahead of George's wedding to model Joanna King

All three brothers are seen smiling broadly in one picture, while another shows Sam fixing Tom's bow tie.

The snaps come days after the NRL players returned from the Four Nations in England, during which time they held George's bucks night.

On Friday, the 24-year-old was pictured with his heavily pregnant fiancee as the loved-up couple walked along Manly beach, writing in the caption alongside it 'Back from from his bucks in one piece.'

Tying the knot: The pictures, which appeared on Tom's Instagram, hint that the wedding could happen imminently

'Family time': Joanna posted yet another cryptic picture of her and fiance George, fuelling speculation the heavily pregnant blonde will wed the NRL star within days

Usising the hashtag 'familytime,' the relaxed photo of the pair only adds to conjecture that wedding bells are not far off.

Arms around each other, the cute snap shows the pair walking their dogs along the Sydney beach.

The blonde model is wearing a form-fitting grey T-shirt dress which shows off her bulging baby bump.

Joanna accessorised her look with white cat eye sunglasses and a black fedora, her long blonde locks loose over her shoulders.

Wedding bells: As Joanna remains tight-lipped about when exactly she will marry NRL star, an Instagram post about her wedding dress on Tuesday suggested that it could take place soon

George looked equally beachy in Birkenstocks, dark shorts and a navy T-shirt.

Joanna accompanied the photo with a thankful message that her fiance had come home after his pre-wedding celebrations.

It comes after an Instagram post about her wedding dress on Tuesday suggested the ceremony could take place very soon.

The pregnant WAG, who is studying interior design, showed off her burgeoning baby bump in white body con dress after what she described as her 'final fitting.'

Celebrating: Joanna previously hinted that their wedding may be fast approaching in a snap of herself and her bridesmaids wearing matching silk dressing gowns on Instagram

'Final fitting complete Baby B loved being fussed over - Extra fittings catered just for him,' she captioned.

Days before she was also pictured enjoying a 'pre-wedding' pamper with her bridesmaids and her future mother-in-law - all wearing matching silk dressing gowns.

All of the beauties looked fresh-faced in the photo as they posed closely to one another in front of a table covered in makeup, champagne and cheese and crackers.

Joanna captioned the photo: 'Gorgeous pamper night with my bridesmaids and mum to be.

'Thanks to @brownsugarhairandbeauty for organising such a special evening.'

George's mother, Julie Burgess, also hinted that the wedding day was around the corner, commenting on the post: 'Lovely pre-wedding pampering...thank you to all the staff for being so thoughtful.'

Heading back: Speculation that Joanna and the NRL player may be tying the knot in the coming days cames after he jetted to England to represent the country in Four Nations competition

Baby alert: Last week, Joanna announced she and George were expecting a baby boy on social media

One of Joanna's bridesmaids also shared a close-up photo of their cheese platter and beverages along with the caption: 'When your bestie/bride to be spoils you & the ladies with a pre wedding pamper night.'

Last week, Joanna announced she and George were expecting a baby boy on social media.

They confirmed in September that they were expecting their first child, eight months after the sportsman dropped to one knee and proposed.
The Nova presenter and Home and Away legend is known for her stylish ways.

And Kate Ritchie hit the mark again on Thursday as she celebrated the end of 2016 with her co-hosts Tim Blackwell and Marty Sheargold.

The 38-year-old media personality turned heads in an ensemble of red white and navy blue, and chose light fabrics to stay cool on the warm springtime day.

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Working it! Kate Ritchie posed alongside her radio co-hosts Tim Blackwell and Marty Sheargold at their show's End of Year Party in Sydney on Thursday

Her striped blue, red and white skirt was made even more festive with a gold sequined hi-lo hemline.

Kate flashed a glimpse of her toned pins in the otherwise long skirt, and accentuated her calves with a pair of strappy black stilettos.

She pulled the front strands of her honeycomb tresses off her face and secured them in a top knot, while allowing the rest of her hair to fall in loose curls over her shoulders.

Having a giggle: The hosts, known for their friendly banter, appeared to be having a good time as they addressed the crowd

Her co-hosts, Tim and Marty, also followed the smart casual dress code as they greeted other hosts and 200 lucky listeners at Sydney's Cafe Del Mar.

Marty rolled up the sleeves of a dark dress shirt and paired it with fitted black jeans for the event.

Tim went for a more youthful look, and teamed a grey-and-white bold pattern button up t-shirt with tight black jeans.

Relaxed: The party was sponsored by Somersby Cider, and party attendees seemed happy to enjoy the fruity drink

The radio trio had much to celebrate as they partied at the event, sponsored by Somersby Cider.

In October, Kate, Tim and Marty were named as the Best On-Air Team at the Australian Commercial Radio Awards.

The group also broadcast a week's worth of shows from Las Vegas earlier in the year, which gave them a great excuse to explore everything the city had to offer.

Stylish: Newsreader Matt de Groot battled through the warm weather to show off his sense of style

They come out in the day! Sunday night presenters Jimmy and Nath were happy to soak up some sunshine at the Sydney party on Thursday

The radio hosts and their guests were joined by newsreader Matt de Groot and Nova Sunday night hosts Jimmy and Nath.

While Matt chose to ignore the warm weather and show off his sense of style in dark fitted jeans, a denim shirt and a grey blazer, Jimmy and Nath succumbed to the heat and arrived in shorts.

Australian hip-hop artist Illy performed at the event, followed by short-term Nova presenter and voice-over artist Zoe Sheridan.

Hello! Australian hip-hop artist Illy was the main entertainment act at the event
Naomi Watts broke her silence on her shock split from Liev Schreiber this week.

The 48-year-old actress announced her abrupt split from Liev, 49, back in September, after 11 years together.

In an interview with News Corp published on Saturday, the Hollywood star said she feels content after the split and that her focus is on the two children she shares with the actor: seven-year-old Samuel and nine-year-old Alexander (whose nickname is Sasha).

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Moving on: Naomi Watts has broken her silence on her split from Liev Schreiber this week, telling The Daily Telegraph that it's been a 'scary' transition

She said: 'I feel I'm in a good place in my life and I want to make sure my kids are healthy, my kids are happy and things are going to go well. Those are my hopes for me and for all of us.'

The high profile couple announced their amicable split in a joint statement, saying it was the 'best way forward' for their young family.'

After meeting at the Met Gala in New York in 2005, the couple had their first child, Alexander, in 2007 before welcoming Samuel a year later.

Happy place: The 48-year-old said she feels in a 'good place' two months on from their amicable split

The boys: After meeting at the Met Gala in New York in 2005, the couple had their first child, Alexander, in 2007 before welcoming Samuel a year later

Naomi feels her celebrity status has no bearing on how much the breakup affected her, saying 'transitions are scary for anybody.'

The mum-of-two is currently busy planning where the trio will spend Christmas.

She is keen to return to Australia and spend the festive season with her mum and other family members in Byron Bay, but work commitments may mean that they spend the holidays in New York.

Down Under: The former Home and Away star is keen to return to Australia and spend the festive season with her mum and other family members in Byron Bay

Break-up: Naomi feels her celebrity status has no bearing on how much the break-up affected her, saying 'transitions are scary for anybody'

The former Home and Away star is currently filming Gypsy, a drama series due to air on Netflix next year - a starring role which continues her success in the acting world.

She said she has built a career around playing roles which aren't 'centred on vanity,' although it hasn't meant she's been immune from the strains of growing older in the public eye.

She said: 'It's probably a bit harder ageing in the spotlight, and it's tough getting older on camera and feeling the pressure because there's more judgment and more focus on you.'

As she approaches 50 gracefully, the actress is reaping the rewards of a diverse and varied career that has given her more longevity than some of her peers.

Naomi told the publication: 'For the most part, I've chosen roles that aren't centred on vanity. I'm prepared to look old if I have to, that's not a problem.'
Charlie Sheen is reportedly selling his Beverly Hills mansion for $9 million.

The actor, 51, who purchased the luxury property for $7.2 million back in 2006, has slapped on an extra $1.8 million on top due to its prime location, according to TMZ.

The publication also stated that the bachelor pad was the sight of many 'wild parties fuelled by drugs and alcohol' where the Anger Management star infamously hosted his 'goddesses' - Bree Olsen and Natalie Henly - back in 2011.

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On the market: Charlie Sheen is selling his Beverly Hills mansion for $9 million after purchasing it for $7.2 million back in 2006, according to TMZ

The lavish mansion saw the controversial actor indulge in various 'epic sexual escapades', which involved model Natalie and former porn-star Bree.

Things turned especially bitter between Olsen and Sheen after he revealed he was HIV positive last November with Bree claiming he never told her about the diagnosis when they resided together at the opulent pad five years ago.

She accused him of 'putting a loaded gun to my head' in an interview with The Sun On Sunday, by exposing her to the disease, after he revealed the diagnosis to Matt Lauer on The Today Show.

The extravagant house is also where Charlie's Mercedes-Benz was stolen and driven off the edge of a cliff back in 2010.

Bachelor pad: The publication also stated that the mansion was the sight of many 'wild parties fueled by drugs and alcohol' where the controversial star infamously hosted his 'goddesses'

Entertaining: Charlie divulged in 'epic sexual escapades' with his 'goddesses' - Natalie Henly (middle) and Bree Olsen (L) - at the pad back in 2011

It seems like Charlie is done with living within the confines of Beverly Hills' gated community as he sold his other pad in the area for $5.415 million in June.

He initially purchased it in 2012 so that his estranged wife Brooke Mueller and their two sons could be close by.

Mueller and Sheen separated in 2011 after three years of marriage and went through a nasty divorce and custody battle.

MailOnline has contacted a representative for Charlie for further comment.

Confessing: The Anger Management star revealed his HIV diagnosis in November of last year to Matt Lauer on The Today Show

The Two And A Half Men star also sold another one of his properties in Beverly Hills last year for a cool $6.6 million.

TMZ has reported that Charlie is now hoping to trade in the last remaining Beverly Hills mansion for a more humble abode in Malibu, closer to his parents, Martin and Janet Sheen.

However, earlier this year, Charlie was rumoured to want to move to Mexico to live within a 'quiet retirement community.

Scott Weier - the estate agent who reportedly brokered the deal on the Mexican properties - said at the time: 'It's just a humble little three-bedroom house, around 2,700 square feet.

Moving on: He sold his other pad in the area for $5.415 million in June after initially purchasing it in 2012 so that his estranged wife Brooke Mueller and their two sons could be close by

'He told me he's planning on living here full time, he's tired of the rat race of the United States and his life the way it is.

'He's looking for a change. Compared to what he has in Los Angeles it's very humble and simple. He's certainly not coming here to impress anyone with a huge mansion on the ocean.'

Alongside his real estate commitments, Charlie is keeping busy on the acting front and is set to star in the action flick Nine Eleven next year, alongside Whoopi Goldberg.

The comedy Mad Families - starring Charlotte McKinney and Leah Remini - will follow shortly after.

'He's tired of the rat race': Earlier this year Charlie desire to move to Mexico to live within the 'quite retirement community' was detailed




He's known for his dashing good looks and trademark designer scruff along his jawline.

However, it appears Calvin Harris is taking his hairy facial feature one step further as he sported a voluminous beard as he left the gym on Friday following an intense workout after Thanksgiving in Los Angeles.

The Scottish DJ appeared relaxed after working up a sweat as he owned his fuller facial hair, during Movember month - a charity initiative to raise funds for many important health issues facing men.

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Beardful: Calvin Harris appeared to take his hairy facial feature one step further as he sported a voluminous beard as he left the gym on Friday

The 32-year-old teamed his ever growing beard with a laid back navy look as he stepped in a pair of loose-fitting joggers.

Standing at 6ft 5in, he paired his relaxed fit pants with a coordinating T-shirt with grey pocket and hem detail.

This Is What You Came For hitmaker Calvin completed his casually clad ensemble with a pair of white Nike trainers as he carried his water bottle and phone in his hand.

Making his way to his car, the former Emporio Armani model coiffed his sandy blond tresses away from his face to allow his facial hair command the attention it deserves.

Work it out! The 32-year-old teamed his ever growing beard with a laid back navy look as he stepped in a pair of loose-fitting joggers

Meanwhile, Calvin's ex Taylor Swift is heading back into the studio to write songs their break-up, according to E!

However, she is said to be focusing on their amicable break-up rather than their doomed romance and will even pen songs about her short-lived relationship with Tom Hiddleston.

Swift, who is famous for addressing past relationships in her music, dated the Scottish DJ for about 14 months and the British Thor star over most of this summer.

Yet the lyrics, which will be part of her sixth studio album, apparently aren't going to be particularly blistering.

Back to it: Meanwhile, Calvin's ex Taylor Swift is heading back into the studio to write songs their break-up, according to E!

Per the source, Swift 'is on good terms with Tom at this point,' and has given Harris 'a friendly check-in' via text.

Though she and Harris, who dated about from last April until this June, aren't set on 'getting back together,' their pacific relationship will be clear from her songs.

Swift's most recent studio album was 1989, which she released in October of 2014, before she began dating Harris.

Inspiration: The singer is reported to pen songs about her short-lived relationship with Tom Hiddleston also

Though she's not put out any new solo music in the interim, she did help Harris co-write his 2016 hit This Is What You Came For, which was sung by Rihanna.

After it was revealed that she had written the song, Harris slammed his ex on Twitter, accusing her of trying to 'tear him down', 'bury' him and make him 'look bad'.

However the pair appear to be on better terms nowadays, and after This Is What You Came For was announced as the only song this year to be certified double platinum in the UK he tweeted: 'I am blessed to work with incredible artists @rihanna @taylorswift13 thank you!!!'
She only just won Australia's Next Top Model.

But Aleyna FitzGerald is already planning to follow in the footsteps of the show's host and head judge, Jennifer Hawkins, by launching her own business empire.

The 17-year-old told The Daily Telegraph this week that she's even interested in moving into the construction industry after working with her uncle in construction management for a few months before appearing on ANTM.

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Ambitious: Australia's Next Top Model winner Aleyna FitzGerald revealed this week that she wants to follow in the footsteps of Jennifer Hawkins

'I thought it was a good idea to broaden my horizon beyond modelling because look at Jennifer Hawkins,' the young brunette explained.

Aleyna continued: 'She works with so many different businesses and has built her own brand.'

Jennifer shot to fame in 2004 after being crowned Miss Universe.

'I thought it was a good idea to broaden my horizon beyond modelling because look at Jennifer Hawkins,' said the 17-year-old

'She works with so many different businesses and has built her own brand,' gushed Aleyna

Since then, the stunning blonde has gone on to create a growing business empire for herself and husband Jake Wall.

The star has her own line of swimwear called Cozi with Myer, which she's acted as an ambassador for since 2007.

In 2013, she launched her own line of fake tanning products called Jbronze.

Bottoms up! Jennifer and husband Jake Wall recently launched their own line of premium tequila called Sesion

Tanning all the way to the bank! The former Miss Universe Australia also has her own line of fake tanning products

Most recently, Jen and husband Jake launched their own line of premium, high-end tequila, Sesion.

Over the years, the leggy model has also signed on as the face of brands like Mount Franklin, Range Rover, Covergirl, and Lux.

Since 2013, Jen has served as the host and head judge of Australia's Next Top Model.
During most of the show's seven-year run, Rory and Dean were television's favorite couple.

And now, Gilmore Girls' casting director Mara Casey blew the whistle on the characters' actors and finally brought on-set romance rumors to light over a decade later.

She revealed to Life & Style Magazine that Alexis Bledel, 35, and Jared Padalecki, 34, actually dated in real life as well.

Spilled the beans: Gilmore Girls casting director Mara Casey revealed that Alexis Bledel and Jared Padalecki dated during the show's running

Alexis played Rory Gilmore on the much-beloved television series, while Jared played her love interest and on-again-off-again boyfriend, Dean Forester.

'We did have a joke about casting all of Alexis' [real-life] boyfriends,' Casey admitted, 'She dated Jared and Milo (Ventimiglia).'

'And she also dated a young New York actor named Chris Heuisler,' Mara continued, 'Who played a guest role. Real sweet kid.'

Milo Ventimiglia played Jess Mariano, a character who fell for the blue-eyed brunette beauty as well.

Chemistry: Casting director Jami Rudofsky said that the chemistry with Alexis and Jared was there from the very start

Ventimiglia and Bledel dated openly for three and a half years and even talked about marriage - however, the low-key couple broke up in the summer of 2006.

Casting director Jami Rudofsky went on to add that the chemistry with Alexis and Jared was there from the very start.

It was so apparent that the two didn't even have to do a chemistry read before he was cast for the show.

It's in their eyes: The chemistry was so apparent that the two didn't even have to do a read before he was cast

'Sometimes with casting, the right person just walks in and you just feel it,' Jami revealed in the behind-the-scenes interviewed.

'There had already been two Deans before we found him, but there is something about Jared.'

Though the actors all reunited in Stars Hollow to shoot the much-anticipated Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life special, Alexis and Jared have long since moved on from their secret affair.

Moved on: Though the actors all reunited in Stars Hollow to shoot the much-anticipated Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life special, Alexis and Jared have long since moved on from their secret affair

Bledel married Mad Men actor Vincent Kartheiser in 2014 and the couple welcomed their first child, a baby boy, this past May.

Padalecki is a father-of-two and has been married to actress Genevieve Cortese since 2010.

The Gilmore Girls revival show was one of Netflix's most highly-anticipated projects.
The rules of fashion state that you should show off either legs or cleavage, but never both.

However Ariel Winter proved that she's a rule-breaker on Friday when she left very little to the imagination on a night out.

The 18-year-old was spotted heading into West Hollywood hotspot Delilah in a very low-cut black romper suit.

Taking the plunge: Ariel Winter dared to bare on a night out at West Hollywood hotspot Delilah on Friday

The one-piece plunged to just above Ariel's belly button, leaving her ample chest on firm display.

Ariel's romper was also thigh-skimming, allowing her to showcase her slim legs.

The Modern Family star gave her petite frame a boost with black platform peep toe heels, and added a matching handbag.

Ariel accessorised her sexy ensemble further with several pieces of jewellery, and wore her raven hair down.

Flashing the flesh: The actress wore a very low-cut black romper suit which also showed off her slim legs, and teamed it with sky high heels and lashings of make-up

The actress finished off her look with heavy make-up, which included gold metallic eyeshadow, false lashes and bright red lipstick.

The previous day, Ariel had wished her fans a happy Thanksgiving by sharing a video which showed her blowing a kiss while standing in a park.

The teen has been starring as Alex Dunphy in Modern Family since 2009, and also voices the central character in animated children's show Sofia The First.

'Happy thanksgiving everyone': The previous day Ariel had shared her well-wishes with fans for the holiday season

Ariel was accepted to UCLA earlier this year but confirmed in September that she is deferring her place for a year for work and will start university in the autumn of 2017.

Meanwhile the star, who had breast reduction surgery in 2015, recently revealed that her co-star Sofia Vergara has helped her to accept her body.

'Working with Sofia Vergara and growing up with her was great, because she was, you know, a really amazing, curvy role model for me,' Ariel told The Cut.

Sealed with a kiss: The 18-year-old blew kisses for her Snapchat fans while in the park

'She helped me learn to accept the way I looked and love it and dress for it, and feel good about myself.'

Ariel added: 'Over the years it was really depressing for me to feel that way, looking back on it, the way I felt about myself and trying to change the way I was.

'But when I started to accept it and move on, and realize the most important relationship I had was with myself, things really started to change for me.'
She is dedicated to a strict workout regime and has even created her own line e of athleisure wear.

So it was no surprise to see Kate Hudson hitting the gym on Saturday morning, along with friends Jennifer Meyer, 39, and Sara Foster, 35.

The 37-year-old showed off her toned pins in a pair of eye-catching, bright blue leggings as she and her two friends left the gym.

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The friends that work out together... Kate Hudson joined pals Jennifer Meyer and Sara Foster for a morning workout on Saturday

Kate coupled the brightly-colored top with a loose-fitting, grey, V-neck T-shirt, and bundled up in a puffy, black jacket.

The actress wore her long, blonde tresses clipped back, and hid her eyes behind a pair of round-framed sunglasses.

She finished off her comfortable look with a pair of Ipanema sandals, and carried a large, white tote bag slung over her shoulder.

Jennifer kept warm in a black and white hooded sweatshirt, paired with form-fitting, grey leggings.

Looking bright! The Almost Famous star showed off her toned pins in eye-catching, bright blue leggings

Bundled up! Kate kept warm in a puffy, black jacket, though she also sported Ipanema sandals

She also wore her long, blonde tresses pulled back and sported a pair of trendy, black sunglasses.

The jewelry designer - who recently split from husband Tobey Maguire - topped off her look with bright blue sneakers, and carried a chic, tan suede bag.

The pair were joined by Barely Famous star Erin, who sported head to toe black and white Nike gear.

Have to stay hydrated! Jennifer and Sara carried large water bottles following their workout

Laid-back: Kate wore her long, blonde tresses clipped back and out of her face

Kate was later spotted with her hair pulled back into a top knot, as she shopped in Los Angeles.

She showed off a red manicure, and was seen carrying a large tote bag back to her car by herself.

Kate has long been close friends with Jennifer and Sara, and earlier this month the How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days star took Jen to Kanye West's concert to take her mind off her split.

In good spirits: Jennifer showed off a smile following the workout as she was seen leaving in a black, hooded sweatshirt, skintight, grey leggings, and bright blue sneakers
Heavy turnout at Kuwait polls as opposition returns

Kuwaitis turned out in large numbers Saturday for the first election contested by the opposition in nearly four years amid fresh disputes over cuts in subsidies due to falling oil revenues.

Turnout was high with some polling stations reporting that 80 percent of eligible voters had cast their ballots by the time polls closed at 8 pm (1700 GMT), according to state-run Kuwait Television.

Vote counting started at some centres but final results are not expected before early Sunday.

Kuwaiti women flash their passports as they arrive to cast their votes at a polling station in Kuwait City on November 26, 2016 Yasser Al-Zayyat (AFP)

While Kuwait's two previous elections yielded poor turnout due to opposition boycotts, voters said they were encouraged by seeing their candidates running this time around.

"Their return is needed to strike a political balance in the country. They are more capable of monitoring the government actions," retired voter Ibrahim Al-Tulaihi told AFP at a polling station south of Kuwait City.

"A wise opposition is needed because we don't want more political disputes," Jarrah Mohammad, a government employee, said after casting his ballot.

Unusually for the oil-rich Gulf Arab states, Kuwait has an elected parliament with powers to hold ministers to account, even though senior members of the ruling Al-Sabah family hold all top cabinet posts.

The set-up has led to repeated standoffs between lawmakers and the ruling family and this is the seventh general election in a decade.

The election comes against a backdrop of discontent among Kuwaiti citizens over mounting cutbacks in the cradle-to-grave welfare system they have long enjoyed as a slump in world oil prices hits government revenues.

The emir dissolved the last parliament after MPs called for ministers to be grilled over the cuts to state subsidies.

Islamist opposition candidate Hamad al-Matar, a former MP, said he expects the opposition to win a good number of seats in the 50-member parliament to prevent the government from raising charges.

"There will be no charges on citizens because we have no problem with finances. We have a problem with government management and corruption," Matar told AFP.

The opposition is fielding 30 candidates among a total of 293 hopefuls, including 14 women.

"We want the next parliament to stop the government from hiking prices," said pensioner Maasouma Abdullah.

But others said they could accept a slight raise because of dwindling oil revenues.

"I think we should accept some reasonable raises but not on power and water. Oil revenues have dropped sharply and we should take measures," voter Jabr al-Jalahma told AFP.

- Bleak economic backdrop -

Opposition candidates campaigned heavily for economic and social reform and an end to what they charge is rampant corruption.

The election comes with Kuwait facing its most acute budget crisis in years. Oil income, which accounts for 95 percent of government revenues, has nosedived by 60 percent over the past two years.

Kuwait posted its first budget deficit of $15 billion last year following 16 years of surpluses.

And the emirate has fewer alternatives than its Gulf neighbours, partly because of its elected legislature, analysts say.

"It has built an economic model completely funded by oil and natural gas revenue to support its workforce, but with its empowered parliament it has less flexibility than any other state in the region to abandon that model," US-based intelligence firm Stratfor said in a recent report.

Kuwaiti citizens make up around 30 percent of the emirate's population of 4.4 million. A total of 483,000 are eligible to vote.

A Kuwaiti man writes on his ballot paper before casting his vote for the parliamentary elections at a polling station in Kuwait City on November 26, 2016 Yasser Al-Zayyat (AFP)
South Sudan government agrees to deploy regional force, again

The South Sudan government has agreed to accept the deployment of a UN-mandated regional force in Juba after months of hesitation, a spokesman said.

"I would like therefore to inform the people on behalf of the transitional government of national unity that your cabinet has resolved unanimously to allow the deployment of the regional protection force anytime from now," deputy Information Minister Akol Paul Kordit said late Friday.

His announcement came after lengthy deliberations during a cabinet meeting chaired by President Salva Kiir, but no details were given about when and where the force would be deployed.

A member of the Japanese Ground Self-Defence Force (GSDF) prepares for the arrival of new troops at the compound of the United Nations peacekeeping mission (UNMISS) in Juba, South Sudan on November 21, 2016 Albert Gonzalez Farran (AFP/File)

Following an outbreak of fighting in July, the UN Security Council authorised the deployment of an additional 4,000 troops from East Africa with a stronger mandate than the 13,000-strong UN peacekeeping mission UNMISS.

Kiir initially opposed the deployment of additional troops as a breach of national sovereignty but later agreed to their deployment on September 4.

Since then his government has been accused by the UN of dragging its heels and failing to take concrete action. The Security Council has threatened to impose an arms embargo on South Sudan if the government blocks the deployment.

In October UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said the Juba government had proposed "significant limitations" to the new force which it said should only protect UN compounds and installations.

"These limitations clearly contravene the intention of resolution 2304" setting up the force, wrote Ban.

The UN wants the regional force to be authorised to use all necessary means to ensure security in Juba, including at the airport and to help protect UN premises.

Ethiopia, Kenya and Rwanda will contribute infantry troops to the new force and Rwanda has also offered to deploy tactical helicopters, which South Sudan has in the past opposed.
Fidel Castro's military forays into Africa

Back in the 1970s at the height of the Cold War, the small Caribbean nation of Cuba went to war thousands of miles away on the battlefields of Angola and Ethiopia, leaving thousands dead.

Cuban leader Fidel Castro, who died late Friday, was convinced that the global stage for the "world revolution" was happening in Africa -- and thus Cuba became the first Latin American nation to go to war outside its own continent.

Angola and Ethiopia soon became symbols of the "regional conflicts" of the Cold War, in which Washington and Moscow battled for ideological supremacy and power through proxy wars.

Then Ethiopian President Lieutenant Colonel Mengistu Haile Mariam (R) makes V sign alongside Fidel Castro (C) and Raul Castro (L) during an official visit to Havana, Cuba, on April 15, 1975

But Havana's involvement in the fighting fields far from home was to cost it dear.

Some 4,300 Cubans died in African conflicts, half of them in Angola -- although experts say that number has been sharply underestimated.

Cuban veterans have often complained of lack of care and benefits on returning home.

In Angola, Castro responded to calls for help from the Marxist guerrilla leader Agostinho Neto, who had seized Luanda during a bloody war from its Portuguese colonial masters.

Neto had no intention of sharing Angola's independence, with rival guerrilla leaders Holden Roberto, supported by Zaire -- now the Democratic Republic of Congo -- or Jonas Savimbi, backed by South Africa.

Initially thousands of Cuban troops were deployed along 14,000 kilometers (8,600 miles) of coastline in Operation Carlota, named in honor of a black slave revolt in Cuba.

Moscow also poured logistics and funding into Angola in a war that turned into a hard slog for Cubans, as the heroes of the island's guerrilla-led revolution had to quickly adapt and learn counter-insurgency tactics.

In March 1988, the South African army retreated in the face of the Cubans at the battle of Cuito Cuanavale in Angola, a setback that sounded the death knell for the apartheid regime and led to the independence of Namibia.

The Angola campaign lasted until 1991, when the last of some 400,000 Cuban soldiers sent to fight "imperialism" in an "international mission" finally returned home.

In February 1977, General Arnaldo Ochoa was also sent to Ethiopia to support the leader of the Communist military junta, Colonel Mengistu Haile Mariam, against the Ethiopians' former Somali allies, who were forced to surrender the Ogaden plateau to 17,000 Cuban soldiers.

Cuban troops were also stationed in Mozambique after its independence.

Since the 1960s Cuban troops have served in Algeria, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Equatorial Guinea, Sierra Leone and Libya.

Cuban soldiers helping the Angolan regular army and Soviet-backed Marxist MPLA regime in Luanda patrol near Cuito Cuanavale, southern Angola, on February 29, 1988 where they were fighting against the Western-backed UNITA nationalist movement Pascal Guyot (AFP/File)

Then Cuban President Fidel Castro (L) welcomes the first group of Cuban soldiers who returned from Ethiopia after their landing in Havana on September 9, 1989 Rafael Perez (AFP/File)
Mogadishu market car bomb kills at least eight

A car bomb exploded near a busy market in Somalia's capital Mogadishu on Saturday killing at least eight people, police said, as medical sources warned the toll could be far higher.

"We have counted about eight civilians so far who were killed in the blast and more than 10 others wounded but the death toll could be higher because the area is a market and it was so densely populated when the blast occurred, most people who were wounded have serious injuries," said police official Ibrahim Mohamed.

Medical sources suggested nearly 30 people had been killed, but this was not confirmed by authorities.

Soldiers assisted by some residents carry the body of a victim from the scene of a suicide car bomb attack at a market in Somalia's capital, Mogadishu on November 26, 2016 Mohamed Abdiwahab (AFP)

"Our ambulances have collected 13 wounded civilians and 28 dead bodies, the toll could be higher because of the density of the location where the blast occurred," Dr Abdulkadir Abdirahman Adem, director of the AMIN ambulance service, told AFP.

The blast took place in the densely populated Afisiyone area in southern Mogadishu.

"There was chaos and severed dead bodies strewn around the street, the market was so busy with people shopping when the blast ripped through the area. I saw many dead bodies but I could not count, I have helped collect more than 10 of them," said Abdulahi Osman, who witnessed the blast.

- 'Both dead and injured' -

Another witness, Ismail Mohamud told AFP: "I can't count all, but, I can tell that I have collected about 20 dead people with my hands, also, there have been other people collecting with me both dead and injured persons."

No group has yet claimed responsibility for the attack, but immediate suspicion fell on the Al-Qaeda linked Islamist Shabaab group, which is locked in battle with the Somali government and regularly mounts attacks in the city.

Its most deadly recent attack was in August when a car bomb outside a popular hotel close to the presidential palace left 15 dead.

Despite being driven out of the capital in 2011 by an African Union force deployed in 2007, the group still controls vast swathes of outlying rural areas from which it launches guerrilla operations.

Somalia is currently holding a drawn-out, limited election in which some 14,000 specially selected voters are picking 275 members of parliament who will later join senators in electing a president.

The country had been promised a one-person, one-vote election, however political infighting and insecurity led leaders to ditch the plan in favour of the current process.

After the 1991 fall of strongman president Mohamed Siad Barre, warring clan militia plunged the country into decades of civil war and humanitarian crises, leaving it without a central government and the label of the world's foremost failed state.
White House extends 'hand of friendship' to Cuban people after Castro death

President Barack Obama on Saturday said the United States is extending "a hand of friendship to the Cuban people" following the death of revolutionary leader Fidel Castro.

"History will record and judge the enormous impact of this singular figure on the people and world around him," he said in a statement.

The United States restored diplomatic ties with Cuba in July 2015 and re-opened its embassy in Havana a month later in a historic rapprochement ending more than a half-century of Cold War enmity with the communist island. Obama made a landmark visit to Cuba in March.

"History will record and judge the enormous impact of this singular figure on the people and world around him," Obama said in a statement after Fidel Castro's death Saul Loeb (AFP/File)

"During my presidency, we have worked hard to put the past behind us, pursuing a future in which the relationship between our two countries is defined not by our differences but by the many things that we share as neighbors and friends," Obama said.

Blocked from ending the US embargo on the island by a Republican-controlled Congress, he pushed reforms through by using executive authority.

The outgoing president said Saturday that in the days ahead, Cubans "will recall the past and also look to the future. As they do, the Cuban people must know that they have a friend and partner in the United States of America."

The shock victory of President-elect Donald Trump has cast uncertainty over Obama's two years of moves to restore ties with Cuba.

On Saturday the brash billionaire, who takes office on January 20, called Castro a "brutal dictator who oppressed his people for six decades" but made no mention of his earlier threats to reverse the historic rapprochement.

Obama meanwhile said that "we know that this moment fills Cubans -- in Cuba and in the United States -- with powerful emotions, recalling the countless ways in which Fidel Castro altered the course of individual lives, families, and of the Cuban nation."

"At this time of Fidel Castro's passing, we extend a hand of friendship to the Cuban people," he said.
Thousands protest UN rights probe in troubled Burundi

Thousands of Burundians protested Saturday against a UN probe into alleged rights violations, the latest show of anger against what authorities see as foreign interference in the central African nation.

Mounting international criticism of abuses since President Pierre Nkurunziza ran for a third term in April 2015 saw Burundi quit the International Criminal Court. The country also cut ties with the UN's main human rights body after a damning September report detailed atrocities, and warned of "genocide".

That report led the Geneva-based Human Rights Council to announce a one-year probe into abuses said to have been committed in Burundi since the political crisis erupted last year. Commissioners from Algeria, Benin and Britain were appointed Tuesday to lead the investigation.

Burundians hold placards during a rally in Bujumbura to show solidarity with the government's opposition to the appointment by the UN Human Rights Council of three investigators to look into human rights violations ONESPHORE NIBIGIRA (AFP)

"We called on the population of the capital to stage a massive protest against the nomination of three so-called UN experts to investigate Burundi," Bujumbura Mayor Freddy Mbonimpa told AFP, accusing the UN of working on "false reports".

Mbonimpa said in a telephone interview that there were more than 13,000 protesters while local journalists estimated around 10,000.

However several opposition figures took to social media to criticise the protest, saying a note -- seen by AFP -- was sent to civil servants saying attendance was "obligatory".

"Some are protesting voluntarily, sure, but there are quite a number who have come out of fear of being listed as enemies of the regime," said a civil servant working in the justice ministry, adding that he was taking part to "avoid problems".

The protesters also held a sit-in in front of the Belgian embassy to protest the organisation of a meeting with Burundian opposition members this week by the Belgian Senate.

The executive secretary of the ruling CNDD-FDD Evariste Ndayishimiye accused former colonial power Belgium of "acting as if Burundi is still under its yoke," on Twitter.

The UN estimates more than 500 people have died in Burundi while a report last week by the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) said more than 1,000 had lost their lives and hundreds more were missing.

At least 270,000 people have fled the country.

The FIDH warned of a "descent into hell" in Burundi, warning "all the criteria and conditions for the perpetrating of genocide are in place."

Burundi officials have mocked the use of the term "genocide" with an adviser to the president this week posting photos of himself posing with a kitten or juggling eggs on Twitter, alongside the hashtag #ThisisMyGenocide.
Syria says largest rebel area in Aleppo retaken

Syrian state media said government forces Saturday captured the largest rebel-held district of Aleppo, in what would be a major breakthrough in its offensive to retake the entire second city.

Masaken Hanano was the first district the rebels took in the summer of 2012 in a move that divided Aleppo into an eastern area held by the insurgents and a western district controlled by government forces.

Since then, more than 250,000 civilians have been trapped under government siege for months in the rebel-held east, with dwindling food and fuel supplies.

Syrian pro-government forces walk past damaged houses as they approach the Baeedin district in eastern Aleppo, near Masaken Hanano George Ourfalian (AFP/File)

The capture of Masaken Hanano in northeastern Aleppo is part of a major government offensive now in its 12th day that could isolate that part of the city from rebel-held areas in the south.

Since November 15, regime bombardment of eastern Aleppo has killed 212 civilians, including 27 children, according to the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

Regime forces had been advancing inside Masaken Hanano for several days, and on Friday state television said they were progressing "from three axes".

On Saturday, the state broadcaster and the official SANA news agency said President Bashar al-Assad's armed forces, backed by their allies, had taken "full control" of the district.

"The armed forces retook full control of Masaken Hanano after having put an end to the presence of terrorists there," the state broadcaster said, referring to the rebels.

SANA said government forces also recaptured the area around the district and "army engineers are clearing it of bombs and explosives planted by the terrorists in the streets and squares".

But Yasser al-Youssef, from the rebel group Nureddin al-Zinki, said fighting was still under way on the southern edges of Masaken Hanano, which he called a district of "strategic importance".

Youssef warned that if regime forces can advance to the adjacent neighbourhood of Sakhur, then eastern Aleppo will be split in two.

The Observatory also said late Saturday that regime forces now completely controlled Masaken Hanano and had begun an assault on Sakhur and nearby Al-Haidariya.

- Families flee -

The latest regime push comes after days of intense bombardment on the rebel-held east, which was pounded with air strikes, shells and barrel bombs.

The escalation has terrified residents, and several families have fled to areas in southeastern Aleppo which have been relatively calm.

On Saturday, an AFP correspondent in one of those districts saw four families, without belongings, arrive on foot seeking shelter.

"In Hanano, for the past three days, they haven't been able to set foot outside because of the intense bombardment," said Abu Fadel, who helped them find lodgings.

"They left on foot because they had no other means of transport. At first they were afraid but when they saw many people around and that there was no bombardment they were reassured," he said.

Damascus says east Aleppo residents and surrendering fighters are free to leave, but accuses the rebels of using civilians as "human shields".

Before the army said it had captured Masaken Hanano, dozens of families fled from Sakhur and Al-Haidariya districts and headed further south, the Observatory said.

They took flight as regime forces pounded eastern Aleppo with air raids, including Sakhur, killing at least 11 civilians, it said.

The United Nations has a plan to deliver aid to Aleppo and evacuate the sick and wounded, which rebel factions have approved but which Damascus has yet to agree. Guarantees are also needed from regime ally Russia.

Also on Saturday, a string of explosions rocked a munitions storage site in northeastern Syria used by the US-led coalition battling the Islamic State group, the Observatory and a local official said. Contacted by AFP, the coalition said there had been "no reports of explosions" at the site.

Syrian pro-government fighters fire a Russian 122mm howitzer gun as they advance in the recently recaptured village of Joubah during an offensive towards the area of Al-Bab in Aleppo province, on November 25, 2016 GEORGE OURFALIAN (AFP)
With Castro's death, US loses last Cold War enemy

With the death of Fidel Castro, the United States has lost its last great Cold War enemy, a leader who long ago passed the baton to his brother and sat on the sidelines during his country's historic rapprochement with its old foe.

The loss of the firebrand who flouted America's superpower status under 11 US presidents comes as Washington is poised to undergo a major transition from the administration of Barack Obama to that of the brash Republican billionaire Donald Trump.

Trump called Fidel a "brutal dictator" on Saturday as Obama asserted that "history will record and judge" the Cuban revolutionary leader's impact on the world.

A photo taken on May 12, 2002 shows Cuban President Fidel Castro delivering a speech after former US president Jimmy Carter's arrival at the Jose Marti airport in Havana Adalberto Roque (AFP/File)

While several European leaders have paid their respects to Fidel during recent visits to Cuba, the United States has largely pretended the aging revolutionary didn't exist -- dealing only with his younger brother Raul, even after the warming of relations announced on December 17, 2014.

That is, until his death Friday.

Since then, an outpouring of sentiments -- from bitter vitriol to conciliatory, measured condolences -- have poured forth from a range of politicians.

"Today, the world marks the passing of a brutal dictator who oppressed his own people for nearly six decades," Trump said.

He made no mention of his earlier threats to reverse the historic rapprochement carried out by the two countries under Obama, saying only "our administration will do all it can to ensure the Cuban people can finally begin their journey toward prosperity and liberty."

Obama, in turn said the United States was extending "a hand of friendship to the Cuban people" following Castro's death.

Despite the re-establishment of diplomatic relations in the summer of 2015 and Obama's historic visit to Cuba in March, relations between the United States and the communist island located just 90 miles (150 kilometers) off the coast of Florida are far from normalized.

For starters, the Republican-controlled US Congress has refused to lift the economic embargo imposed by the United States since 1962.

- A bumpy relationship -

But relations have always been rough between the United States and Castro's Cuba. A failed US-backed invasion in the Bay of Pigs to overthrow the nascent Castro regime in 1961 and the Cuban missile crisis, which brought the globe to the brink of a third world war in 1962, marked only the beginning of the two foes' bitter relationship.

"What the imperialists cannot forgive is the triumph of a socialist revolution right under the nose of the United States," Fidel Castro said in the 1960s.

He was the Cuban counterpart to 11 US presidents, from Dwight Eisenhower to Barack Obama, never ceasing to prove a stubborn bulwark against capitalism and a challenger of America's status as the world superpower.

With a few rare exceptions -- such as during Democrat Jimmy Carter's presidency from 1977 to 1981 -- all presidents tried to bring Cuba to its knees by reinforcing economic and trade retaliation as well as supporting Cuba's opposition in exile. All in vain.

Before Obama's announcement of a successful rapprochement, furtive behind-the-scenes approaches on behalf of a number of American presidents had failed. Meanwhile, the Cuba issue took on a distinctly domestic flavor, as the Cuban exile community in the United States exerted its force on politics, particularly in Congress.

That pressure was still on view Saturday as a number of Cuban-Americans from Congress weighed in on Castro's death.

"A tyrant is dead and a new beginning can dawn on the last remaining communist bastion of the Western hemisphere," Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, a conservative Cuban-American who represents southern Florida's 27th district where many Cuban exiles live, wrote on her website.

Texas Senator Ted Cruz -- whose father is Cuban -- said on Facebook that Castro's death "cannot bring back his thousands of victims, nor can it bring comfort to their families."

For Democrats, the Cuban rapprochement and the Iranian nuclear deal will remain the Obama administration's enduring diplomatic legacies -- assuming Trump does not undo them after he takes office on January 20, as he has previously threatened.

When Obama visited the island nation in March, he said that "change is going to happen here and I think that Raul Castro understands that," but added that those changes were not going to happen "overnight."

Cuban Americans in Miami's Little Havana celebrate the death of longtime Cuban leader Fidel Castro on November 26, 2016 Gaston De Cardenas (AFP)
More bodies wash up from New Zealand boating tragedy

Two more bodies have washed up on a New Zealand shoreline following a boating tragedy in which up to eight people are feared dead, police said Sunday.

Seven bodies have now been recovered and three survivors rescued after their chartered fishing boat capsized in rough seas at Kaipara Harbour, north of Auckland, on Saturday afternoon.

"One person is still missing and the search is ongoing this morning," police said in a statement Sunday.

Seven bodies have now been recovered and three survivors rescued after their chartered fishing boat capsized in rough seas at Kaipara Harbour, north of Auckland, a general view of which is seen in 2014 Marty Melville (AFP/File)

"The bodies of two more people who are believed to have been onboard the Francie were recovered early this morning.

"A total of seven victims have now been recovered."

They were among 11 people on board The Francie, a 12-metre (40-foot) long charter vessel which capsized at the entrance to Kaipara Harbour.

A local fisherman, Eric Kuypers, told Fairfax media that the sea was "just a wall of white water" near where the boat went down.
Students complained about erratic driving before bus wreck

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP)  Students and administrators raised concerns about a Tennessee school bus driver's behavior behind the wheel in the weeks before a crash that killed six children.

Police have charged driver Johnthony Walker with vehicular homicide after the Chattanooga crash. Federal authorities said Walker was driving off the designated bus route when he wrecked on a curvy road while carrying 37 children on their way home from Woodmore Elementary School.

Records released by the school district Friday include two written statements by students complaining about Walker's driving.

FILE- In this Nov. 22, 2016, file photo, a school bus is carried away in Chattanooga, Tenn., from the site where it crashed. Students and administrators raised concerns about a Tennessee school bus driver's behavior behind the wheel in the weeks before a crash that killed several children. Records released by the school district Friday, Nov. 25, include two written statements by students complaining about Johnthony Walker's driving. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey, File)

"The bus driver drives fast," one student wrote earlier this month. "It feels like the bus is going to flip over... When someone is in the aisle he stops the bus and he makes people hit their heads."

Another student wrote: "The bus driver was doing sharp turns and he made me fly over to the next seat. We need seat belts."

On Nov. 2, a school official boarded the bus after the driver complained that students were not listening to him. One student had complained about the heat on the bus and cursed about it to the bus driver.

"The driver was now visibly upset and continued on by saying that he had another job and driving this bus was just a part-time job for him," wrote Carlis Shackelford, a behavioral specialist at the school. "Driver stated that he could just leave him at the school. He then stated 'or I can just leave the student on the bus and I will get off the bus and leave the school.'"

"Driver stated that he did not care about the students and proceeded to tell the students he did not care about them," Shackelford wrote.

The school district's transportation supervisor, Benjamin Coulter, responded that "we are addressing the issue with the driver."

National Transportation Safety Board Chairman Christopher A. Hart said in a news conference earlier this week that Walker had taken on a second job at an Amazon fulfillment center, and part of the agency's investigation will look at whether fatigue played a role in the wreck.

The bus driver had also complained to administrators that students would not listen to him when he told them not to stand in the bus or sit with their backs facing the front. The driver submitted 10 names of students he said were misbehaving. The transportation supervisor responded that the driver may have had some legitimate safety concerns but that the driver shouldn't report so many students.

"I don't want the driver to become discouraged, but he can't be turning 10 referrals in a day to you, either," Coulter wrote.

Woodmore Principal Brenda Adamson-Cothran asked for video of the bus leaving campus, noting that a few days earlier "the driver, in my opinion, was driving way too fast when he pulled out of our school."

It's unclear what the video showed; hyperlinks to it are redacted in the records.

On Nov. 16, Adamson-Cothran wrote to Coulter to tell him six students had reported that the driver "was swerving and purposely trying to cause them to fall today."

Walker was in custody at the Hamilton County Correctional Facility on Friday and had a court hearing scheduled for Tuesday. Jail records do not indicate whether he has an attorney.

The complaints about Walker appear to have begun in September when a parent wrote a letter to complain that the driver had cursed her kids and slammed on the brakes, causing them to hit their heads and fall out of their seats.

The parent wrote that if it happened again, she would take it upon herself "to beat his (expletive) my damn self."

In the days immediately after the crash, school officials repeatedly declined to comment on whether anyone had complained or how they responded. The correspondence about the driver was released after public records requests by The Associated Press and other media outlets.

Hamilton County schools spokeswoman Amy Katcher noted that Walker was employed by outside contractor Durham School Services, so the district may not have access to all the complaints about him.

The bus company has not responded to questions about its safety record or Walker's employment history. Durham CEO David A. Duke released a video this week statement expressing condolences to the families and pledging to work with investigators.

Coulter, the school district's transportation supervisor, said in a Nov. 2 email to Durham manager Domenic D'Amico that the Woodmore principal had to intervene several times when Walker was arguing with students.

"This may be a situation where he needs to be coached on how to deal with the students," Coulter wrote.
Fidel Castro, who defied US for 50 years, dies at 90 in Cuba

HAVANA (AP)  Fidel Castro, who led his bearded rebels to victorious revolution in 1959, embraced Soviet-style communism and defied the power of 10 U.S. presidents during his half-century of rule in Cuba, has died at age 90.

With a shaking voice, President Raul Castro said on state television that his older brother died at 10:29 p.m. Friday. He ended the announcement by shouting the revolutionary slogan: "Toward victory, always!"

Castro's reign over the island nation 90 miles (145 kilometers) from Florida was marked by the U.S.-backed Bay of Pigs invasion in 1961 and the Cuban Missile Crisis a year later that brought the world to the brink of nuclear war. Castro, who outlasted a crippling U.S. trade embargo as well as dozens, possibly hundreds, of assassination plots, died 10 years after a life-threatening illness led him to turn over power to his brother.

FILE - In this March 1985 file photo, Cuba's leader Fidel Castro exhales cigar smoke during an interview at the presidential palace in Havana, Cuba. Castro has died at age 90. President Raul Castro said on state television that his older brother died late Friday, Nov. 25, 2016. (AP Photo/Charles Tasnadi, File)

Castro overcame imprisonment at the hands of dictator Fulgencio Batista, exile in Mexico and a disastrous start to his rebellion before triumphantly riding into Havana in January 1959 to become, at age 32, the youngest leader in Latin America. For decades he was a source of inspiration and support to revolutionaries from Latin America to Africa, even as Cubans who fled to exile loathed him with equal measure.

His commitment to socialism was unwavering, though his power finally began to fade in mid-2006 when a gastrointestinal ailment forced him to hand over the presidency to Raul in 2008, provisionally at first and then permanently. Castro's defiant image lingered long after he gave up his trademark Cohiba cigars for health reasons and his tall frame grew stooped.

"Socialism or death" remained Castro's rallying cry even as Western-style democracy swept the globe and other communist regimes in China and Vietnam embraced capitalism, leaving this island of 11 million people an economically crippled Marxist curiosity.

He survived long enough to see his brother negotiate an opening with U.S. President Barack Obama on Dec. 17, 2014, when Washington and Havana announced they would move to restore diplomatic ties for the first time since they were severed in 1961. He cautiously blessed the historic deal with his lifelong enemy in a letter published after a monthlong silence. Obama made a historic visit to Havana in March 2016.

Raul has announced plans to retire as president when his current term ends on Feb. 24, 2018. Vice President Miguel Diaz-Canel, a relatively younger leader, is seen as a possible successor, although Raul has said he would stay on as head of the Communist Party.

In the Cuban capital, flags flew at half-staff at public buildings and some foreign embassies across the city Saturday. By midday, the U.S. Embassy's flag had not been lowered.

Havana's 23rd Street commercial center bustled with shoppers toting plastic bags and youngsters checking the internet on their smartphones like a normal weekend afternoon. But there was a notable lack of amplified music in this usually sonorous capital.

Official newspapers were published with only black ink instead of the usual bright red or blue mastheads.

Carlos Rodriguez, 15, was sitting in Havana's Miramar neighborhood when he heard that Fidel Castro had died.

"Fidel? Fidel?" he said, slapping his head in shock. "That's not what I was expecting. One always thought that he would last forever. It doesn't seem true."

"It's a tragedy," said 22-year-old nurse Dayan Montalvo. "We all grew up with him. I feel really hurt by the news that we just heard."

But the news cheered the community of Cuban exiles in Florida who had fled Castro's government. Thousands gathered in the streets in Miami's Little Havana to whoop, wave Cuban flags, and bang on pots with spoons. Cars honked horns, and police blocked off streets.

Alex Ferran, 21, headed toward the gathering in front of exile hangout Cafe Versailles with three friends early Saturday morning after his mother and grandmother called him with the news. He was beside himself with excitement.

"We're here to celebrate. This is history in the making," Ferran said. "This is insane, dude. Someone died and there's a parade. This could only happen here."

Obama said that the United States extended "a hand of friendship to the Cuban people" and that "history will record and judge the enormous impact of this singular figure on the people and world around him."

Obama said that in the coming days, Cubans "will recall the past and also look to the future. As they do, the Cuban people must know that they have a friend and partner" in America.

President-elect Donald Trump called Castro "a brutal dictator who oppressed his own people for nearly six decades." He said he hoped the death would clear the way "toward a future in which the wonderful Cuban people finally live in the freedom they so richly deserve."

He said his administration will do all it can to help Cubans "begin their journey toward prosperity and liberty."

Fidel Castro Ruz was born Aug. 13, 1926, in eastern Cuba's sugar country, where his Spanish immigrant father first worked recruiting labor for U.S. sugar companies and later built up a prosperous plantation of his own.

Castro attended Jesuit schools and then the University of Havana, where he received law and social science degrees. His life as a rebel began in 1953 with a reckless attack on the Moncada military barracks in the eastern city of Santiago. Most of his comrades were killed, and Fidel and his brother Raul went to prison.

Fidel turned his trial defense into a manifesto that he smuggled out of jail, famously declaring, "History will absolve me."

Freed under a pardon, Castro fled to Mexico and organized a rebel band that returned in 1956, sailing across the Gulf of Mexico to Cuba on a yacht named Granma. After losing most of his group in a bungled landing, he rallied support in Cuba's eastern Sierra Maestra mountains.

Three years later, tens of thousands spilled into the streets of Havana to celebrate Batista's downfall and catch a glimpse of Castro as his rebel caravan arrived in the capital on Jan. 8, 1959.

The U.S. was among the first to formally recognize his government, cautiously trusting Castro's early assurances he merely wanted to restore democracy, not install socialism.

Within months, Castro was imposing radical economic reforms. Members of the old government went before summary courts, and at least 582 were shot by firing squads over two years. Independent newspapers were closed and in the early years, homosexuals were herded into camps for "re-education."

In 1964, Castro acknowledged holding 15,000 political prisoners. Hundreds of thousands of Cubans fled, including Castro's daughter Alina Fernandez Revuelta and his younger sister Juana.

Still, the revolution thrilled millions in Cuba and across Latin America who saw it as an example of how the seemingly arrogant Yankees could be defied. And many on the island were happy to see the seizure of property of the landed class, the expulsion of American gangsters and the closure of their casinos.

Castro's speeches, lasting up to six hours, became the soundtrack of Cuban life and his 269-minute speech to the U.N. General Assembly in 1960 set the world body's record for length that still stood more than five decades later.

As Castro moved into the Soviet bloc, Washington began working to oust him, cutting U.S. purchases of sugar, the island's economic mainstay. Castro, in turn, confiscated $1 billion in U.S. assets.

The American government imposed a trade embargo, banning virtually all U.S. exports to the island except for food and medicine, and it severed diplomatic ties on Jan. 3, 1961.

On April 16 of that year, Castro declared his revolution to be socialist, and the next day, about 1,400 Cuban exiles stormed the beach at the Bay of Pigs on Cuba's south coast. But the CIA-backed invasion failed.

The debacle forced the U.S. to give up on the idea of invading Cuba, but that didn't stop Washington and Castro's exiled enemies from trying to do him in. By Cuban count, he was the target of more than 630 assassination plots by militant Cuban exiles or the U.S. government.

The biggest crisis of the Cold War between Washington and Moscow exploded on Oct. 22, 1962, when President John F. Kennedy announced there were Soviet nuclear missiles in Cuba and imposed a naval blockade of the island. Humankind held its breath, and after a tense week of diplomacy, Soviet leader Nikita Krushchev removed them. Never had the world felt so close to nuclear war.

Castro cobbled revolutionary groups together into the new Cuban Communist Party, with him as first secretary. Labor unions lost the right to strike. The Catholic Church and other religious institutions were harassed. Neighborhood "revolutionary defense committees" kept an eye on everyone.

Castro exported revolution to Latin American countries in the 1960s, and dispatched Cuban troops to Africa to fight Western-backed regimes in the 1970s. Over the decades, he sent Cuban doctors abroad to tend to the poor, and gave sanctuary to fugitive Black Panther leaders from the U.S.

But the collapse of the Soviet bloc ended billions in preferential trade and subsidies for Cuba, sending its economy into a tailspin. Castro briefly experimented with an opening to foreign capitalists and limited private enterprise.

As the end of the Cold War eased global tensions, many Latin American and European countries re-established relations with Cuba. In January 1998, Pope John Paul II visited a nation that had been officially atheist until the early 1990s.

Aided by a tourism boom, the economy slowly recovered and Castro steadily reasserted government control, stifling much of the limited free enterprise tolerated during harder times.

As flamboyant as he was in public, Castro tried to lead a discreet private life. He and his first wife, Mirta Diaz Balart, had one son before divorcing in 1956. Then, for more than four decades, Castro had a relationship with Dalia Soto del Valle. They had five sons together and were said to have married quietly in 1980.

By the time Castro resigned 49 years after his triumphant arrival in Havana, he was the world's longest ruling head of government, aside from monarchs.

In retirement, Castro voiced unwavering support as Raul slowly but deliberately enacted sweeping changes to the Marxist system he had built.

His longevity allowed the younger brother to consolidate control, perhaps lengthening the revolution well past both men's lives.

"I'll be 90 years old soon," Fidel Castro said at an April 2016 Communist Party congress where he made his most extensive public appearance in years. "Soon I'll be like all the others. The time will come for all of us, but the ideas of the Cuban Communists will remain as proof that on this planet, if one works with fervor and dignity, they can produce the material and cultural goods that human beings need and that need to be fought for without ever giving up."

Cuba's government announced that Castro's ashes would be interred on Dec. 4 in the eastern city of Santiago that was a birthplace of his revolution. That will follow more than a week of honors, including a nearly nationwide caravan retracing, in reverse, his tour from Santiago to Havana with the triumph of the revolution in 1959.

___

Associated Press writer Anita Snow in Mexico City and AP news researcher Rhonda Shafner in New York contributed to this report.

___

Michael Weissenstein on Twitter: www.twitter.com/mweissenstein

Peter Orsi on Twitter: at www.twitter.com/Peter_Orsi

FILE - In this April 20, 1959 file photo, Cuba's leader Fidel Castro addresses a National Press Club luncheon in Washington, D.C. Former President Fidel Castro, who led a rebel army to improbable victory in Cuba, embraced Soviet-style communism and defied the power of 10 U.S. presidents during his half century rule, has died at age 90. The bearded revolutionary, who survived a crippling U.S. trade embargo as well as dozens, possibly hundreds, of assassination plots, died eight years after ill health forced him to formally hand power over to his younger brother Raul, who announced his death late Friday, Nov. 25, 2016, on state television. (AP Photo/John Rous, File)

FILE - In in this Feb. 6, 1959 file photo, Cuba's leader Fidel Castro speaks to a crowd during his triumphant march to Havana after the fall of the Batista regime. Former President Fidel Castro, who led a rebel army to improbable victory in Cuba, embraced Soviet-style communism and defied the power of 10 U.S. presidents during his half century rule, has died at age 90. The bearded revolutionary, who survived a crippling U.S. trade embargo as well as dozens, possibly hundreds, of assassination plots, died eight years after ill health forced him to formally hand power over to his younger brother Raul, who announced his death late Friday, Nov. 25, 2016, on state television. (AP Photo/File)

FILE - In this April 19, 2016 file photo, Fidel Castro attends the last day of the 7th Cuban Communist Party Congress in Havana, Cuba. Fidel Castro formally stepped down in 2008 after suffering gastrointestinal ailments and public appearances have been increasingly unusual in recent years. Cuban President Raul Castro has announced the death of his brother Fidel Castro at age 90 on Cuban state media on Friday, Nov. 25, 2016. (Ismael Francisco/Cubadebate via AP, File)

FILE - In this Oct. 12, 1979 file photo, Cuban President, Fidel Castro, points during his lengthy speech before the United Nations General Assembly, in New York. Cuban President Raul Castro has announced the death of his brother Fidel Castro at age 90 on Cuban state media on Friday, Nov. 25, 2016. (AP Photo/Marty Lederhandler, File)

FILE - In this April 19, 2011 file photo, Fidel Castro, left, raises his brother's hand, Cuba's President Raul Castro, center, as they sing the anthem of international socialism during the 6th Communist Party Congress in Havana, Cuba. Cuban President Raul Castro has announced the death of his brother Fidel Castro at age 90 on Cuban state media on Friday, Nov. 25, 2016. (AP Photo/Javier Galeano, File)

FILE - In this March 14, 1957 file photo, Fidel Castro, the young anti-Batista guerrilla leader, center, is seen with his brother Raul Castro, left, and Camilo Cienfuegos, right, while operating in the Mountains of Eastern Cuba. Cuban President Raul Castro has announced the death of his brother Fidel Castro at age 90 on Cuban state media on Friday, Nov. 25, 2016. (AP Photo/Andrew St. George, File)

FILE - In this Jan. 25, 1998 file photo, Cuba's leader Fidel Castro, left, greets former Pope John Paul II at the Jose Marti International Airport in Havana. Former President Fidel Castro, who led a rebel army to improbable victory in Cuba, embraced Soviet-style communism and defied the power of 10 U.S. presidents during his half century rule, has died at age 90. The bearded revolutionary, who survived a crippling U.S. trade embargo as well as dozens, possibly hundreds, of assassination plots, died eight years after ill health forced him to formally hand power over to his younger brother Raul, who announced his death late Friday, Nov. 25, 2016, on state television. (AP Photo/Ruth Fremson, File)

FILE - In this May 7, 1975 file photo, Cuba's leader Fidel Castro, center right, responds to a question from American NBC reporter Barbara Walters at a news conference granted to members of the U.S. press covering Sen. George McGovern's trip to Cuba, in Havana, Cuba. Former President Fidel Castro, who led a rebel army to improbable victory in Cuba, embraced Soviet-style communism and defied the power of 10 U.S. presidents during his half century rule, has died at age 90. The bearded revolutionary, who survived a crippling U.S. trade embargo as well as dozens, possibly hundreds, of assassination plots, died eight years after ill health forced him to formally hand power over to his younger brother Raul, who announced his death late Friday, Nov. 25, 2016, on state television. (AP Photo, File)

FILE - In this April 1961 file photo, Cuba's leader Fidel Castro, bottom, looks out from a tank during the Bay of Pigs invasion in Cuba. Former President Fidel Castro, who led a rebel army to improbable victory in Cuba, embraced Soviet-style communism and defied the power of 10 U.S. presidents during his half century rule, has died at age 90. The bearded revolutionary, who survived a crippling U.S. trade embargo as well as dozens, possibly hundreds, of assassination plots, died eight years after ill health forced him to formally hand power over to his younger brother Raul, who announced his death late Friday, Nov. 25, 2016, on state television. (AP Photo/Raul Corrales, The Canadian Press, File)

FILE - In this April 19, 2011 file photo, Fidel Castro, left, raises his brother's hand, Cuba's President Raul Castro, center, as they sing the anthem of international socialism during the 6th Communist Party Congress in Havana, Cuba. Cuban President Raul Castro has announced the death of his brother Fidel Castro at age 90 on Cuban state media on Friday, Nov. 25, 2016. (AP Photo/Javier Galeano, File)

FILE - In this Feb. 26, 1957 file photo, Cuba's leader Fidel Castro stands in an unknown location in Cuba. Former President Fidel Castro, who led a rebel army to improbable victory in Cuba, embraced Soviet-style communism and defied the power of 10 U.S. presidents during his half century rule, has died at age 90. The bearded revolutionary, who survived a crippling U.S. trade embargo as well as dozens, possibly hundreds, of assassination plots, died eight years after ill health forced him to formally hand power over to his younger brother Raul, who announced his death late Friday, Nov. 25, 2016, on state television. (AP Photo, File)
Anti-Park protesters march in Seoul for 5th straight week

SEOUL, South Korea (AP)  For South Korean farmer Lee Hyo-shin, demanding the ouster of President Park Geun-hye was a slow and grueling 10-day journey atop a vehicle unable to move faster than 20 kilometers (12 miles) per hour.

He was one of hundreds of thousands of South Koreans who marched on Saturday in streets near Seoul's presidential palace, where Park is bracing for what's likely to be a bitter and prolonged fight against lawmakers who may attempt to impeach her as early as next week.

Prosecutors accuse Park of assisting criminal activities of a secretive confidante who allegedly manipulated power from the shadows and extorted companies to build an illicit fortune.

South Korean protesters wearing masks of South Korean President Park Geun-hye, right, and Choi Soon-sil, Park's longtime friend, march with their hands tied by ropes on black boards bearing their names during a rally calling for Park to step down in Seoul, South Korea, Saturday, Nov. 26, 2016. For the fifth straight weekend, masses of protesters occupied major avenues in downtown Seoul on Saturday, demanding the ouster of Park who is suspected of helping in the criminal activities of a secretive confidante who is accused of manipulating government affairs and extorting companies to build an illicit fortune. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)

Police said 270,000 people took part in the fifth straight weekend of massive protests against the unpopular president, making it the largest rally yet. Organizers put the turnout at 1.5 million.

"The fatigue is really starting to kick in," said Lee, 53, who, while leading a convoy of farmers, traveled nearly 300 kilometers (186 miles) from the seaside county of Haenam on his tractor before police on Friday stopped the vehicles near Seoul.

"Pulling Park down isn't going to be easy, but we farmers are good at injecting energy into demonstrations," Lee said.

Thousands of people marched in streets close to the presidential Blue House, areas police usually don't permit, carrying signs and flags. Protesters later turned a darkened boulevard in front of an old palace gate into a sea of light, waving candles and singing and shouting for Park's removal.

The country's largest opposition party said it will seek to propose an impeachment motion for vote as early as Friday and no later than Dec. 9. Some members of Park's conservative party have vowed to support an impeachment attempt, arguing it would serve the party's interests to distance itself from Park ahead of next year's presidential election.

The massive rallies in recent weeks have been mostly peaceful, but there was tension Friday night as police clashed with some of hundreds of anti-Park farmers who had planned to roll into the capital on tractors and trucks, injuring several farmers.

Lee and other members of the Korean Peasant League had departed from two towns in the country's southwest and southeast on Nov. 15 and 16, creating a duo of crawling motorcades that inspired Mad Max comparisons on the internet. Police blocked the vehicles after a court ruled that the farmers shouldn't be allowed to park or drive them in rally areas.

South Korean protesters march toward the presidential house as police officers sitting on the roof of a bus blocking the road to the building during a rally calling for South Korean President Park Geun-hye to step down in Seoul, South Korea, Saturday, Nov. 26, 2016. For the fifth-straight weekend, masses of protesters are expected to occupy major avenues in downtown Seoul on Saturday demanding the ouster of Park, who is suspected of helping in the criminal activities of a secretive confidante who is accused of manipulating government affairs and extorting companies to build an illicit fortune. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)

South Korean protesters beat their drums as they march during a rally calling for South Korean President Park Geun-hye to step down in Seoul, South Korea, Saturday, Nov. 26, 2016. For the fifth-straight weekend, masses of protesters are expected to occupy major avenues in downtown Seoul on Saturday demanding the ouster of Park, who is suspected of helping in the criminal activities of a secretive confidante who is accused of manipulating government affairs and extorting companies to build an illicit fortune. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon. Pool)
7 dead, 1 missing as waves hit New Zealand fishing boat

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP)  Seven people were killed and another person was missing after a chartered fishing boat disappeared from view in large waves at the entrance to a harbor near Auckland, New Zealand authorities said.

The boat Francie was carrying 11 people when it got into trouble on Saturday afternoon in Kaipara Harbour. Rescuers managed to pull three survivors from the water, who were taken to a hospital. A search for the missing person was continuing Sunday, said police Inspector Duncan Hall.

Crew members from the boat notified the coast guard that they were attempting to cross a sandbar at the entrance to the harbor at about 2 p.m., said Patrick Holmes, the chief executive of Coastguard New Zealand.

He said the coast guard raised the alarm an hour later after the boat didn't report back and could no longer be reached on its marine radio or by mobile phone.

Other boats in the area reported to the coast guard that they could no longer see the boat, although he wasn't yet clear if it had sunk. An investigation was underway.

Waves at the sandbar were about four meters (13 feet) high at the time of the accident, Holmes said. Sandbars are formed by sand building up on the seafloor, something which can happen at harbor entrances where the ocean meets calmer harbor water.

"All sandbar crossings are dangerous. They shift with storms and tides, so the bars are not in exactly the same position," Holmes said. "Because it's a disturbance of the seafloor, the action of the waves becomes distorted and irregular."

Eyewitnesses told Television New Zealand that rescuers in helicopters plucked the survivors from the water and placed them on a beach, where locals kept them warm until ambulances arrived.

Police said they were still trying to establish what happened to the boat and how its occupants ended up in the harbor, which is about 75 kilometers (47 miles) northwest of Auckland.

Inspector Hall said rescuers recovered five bodies from the water soon after the accident. Another two bodies washed ashore at nearby beaches and were found early Sunday.
The Latest: County official: Feds need to enforce Corps plan

CANNON BALL, N.D. (AP)  The Latest on the protest against the Dakota Access oil pipeline (all times local):

4:50 p.m.

Officials from Morton County are weighing in on the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers plan to close land to those protesting the Dakota Access pipeline.

In this Nov. 24, 2016 photo, people stand on the edge of Cantapeta Creek near the growing Sacred Stones Overflow Protest Camp in Morton County, N.D. The leader of the Cheyenne River Sioux in South Dakota is calling for all opponents of the Dakota Access oil pipeline to boycott businesses in North Dakota's capital city. (Tom Stromme/Bismarck Tribune via AP)

County commission chairman Cody Schulz says he's thankful for the Corps' decision to close the land on Dec. 5, but says it means nothing unless the federal law officers enforce it.

Schulz says county and state leaders have been asking for federal resources for months to help deal with the ongoing protests.

Schulz also joined other officials in urging the Obama administration to make a decision on an easement that would allow the pipeline to complete boring under Lake Oahe. He says the delay puts peoples' safety at risk.

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1:35 p.m.

Dakota Access pipeline protesters say they don't intend to leave their encampment in the near future.

Isaac Weston is a member of the Oglala Sioux tribe from South Dakota. He was one of several people who spoke at a news conference Saturday in response to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' decision to close land where hundreds have been camping for months.

Weston says indigenous people are the wardens of the land and the government can't remove them. He says they have a right to be there, and they are protecting the land and water.

Others say they don't believe the Corps will force protesters off the federal land north of the Cannonball River on Dec. 5, but that the government's letter put the protesters on notice and limits the Corps' liability.

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12:15 p.m.

An organizer of protests against the Dakota Access pipeline says he believes the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' decision to close land to demonstrators will escalate tensions.

Dallas Goldtooth is a protest organizer with the Indigenous Environmental Network. He says the government's apparent decision is "an atrocious example that colonization has not ended for us here as indigenous people."

The chairman of the Standing Rock Sioux tribe says he received a letter from the Corps on Friday that said officials will close federal land where a large encampment is located on Dec. 5. The letter says anyone on the property north of the Cannonball River after that date will be trespassing and subject to prosecution.

Goldtooth believes many people will chose not to move. He says protesters are building shelters and teepees to prepare.

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11 a.m.

North Dakota Gov. Jack Dalrymple says the federal government must take the lead in any action to close land where thousands have camped for months in protest of the four-state, $3.8 billion Dakota Access pipeline.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers sent a letter to a tribal leader Friday, saying it would close the Corps land to protesters on Dec. 5. The letter says anyone on the property north of the Cannonball River after that date will be trespassing and subject to prosecution.

Dalrymple says he supports the Corps' decision, citing public safety concerns and health risks due to camping in winter conditions.

Dalrymple says that the federal government has allowed protesters to camp on Corps land for more than 100 days, so it is the government's responsibility to lead the camp's peaceful closure.

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10:40 a.m.

U.S. Sen. Heidi Heitkamp says the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' decision to close federal land where protesters of the Dakota Access pipeline have camped is a needed step to keep residents, workers, protesters and authorities safe.

The North Dakota Democrat said Saturday that it's critical for protesters to peacefully and lawfully move off the land north of the Cannonball River.

She issued her statement a day after the Corps sent a letter to Standing Rock Sioux tribal chairman Dave Archambault that said the federal land about 50 miles south of Bismarck on which the vast majority of protesters have gathered at the Oceti Sakowin camp will close Dec. 5.

Heitkamp has been pressing the White House to make a decision on an easement for the pipeline. She says people are "waiting in limbo" and that the issue needs to be put to rest in the interest of public safety.

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10:15 a.m.

North Dakota U.S. Sen. John Hoeven says opponents of the Dakota Access oil pipeline should respect the law and leave the protest area.

The Republican made the statement after the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers sent a letter Friday to Standing Rock Sioux tribal chairman Dave Archambault that said the federal land about 50 miles south of Bismarck on which the vast majority of protesters have gathered at the Oceti Sakowin camp will close Dec. 5.

Archambault says the letter cites the oncoming winter and confrontations between protesters and police. He also says, "our resolve to protect our water is stronger than ever."
Florida boy calls 911 to invite deputies for Thanksgiving

DEFUNIAK SPRINGS, Fla. (AP)  While his mother was preparing food in the kitchen, a 5-year-old Florida boy called 911 to invite law enforcement officers over for Thanksgiving dinner.

Monica Webster of the Walton County Sheriff's Office tells the News Herald (http://bit.ly/2gs8nkH ) that with all the bad calls they receive every day, this was a happy call. But young Billy Nolin's family had no idea he'd invited guests to dinner.

Mom Landi McCormick says she was cooking when Billy's grandfather noticed him talking to someone on an old cellphone. McCormick reprimanded Billy when he admitted calling 911. He was crying when Deputy Dannon Byrd drove up.

She says the deputy thanked Billy for his kind invitation, then reminded him he should only use 911 for emergencies. The deputies gave Billy a sheriff's badge.

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Some fear California's tax on e-cigarettes may deter smokers

SAN DIEGO (AP)  Smoking has dropped to historic lows nationwide, dramatically decreasing revenue from tobacco taxes. In search of funds, a growing number of states are taxing electronic cigarettes  a trend that is sparking a fierce public health debate over whether it will deter smokers from switching to a safer alternative.

California became the seventh state to tax e-cigarettes with the overwhelming approval of a Nov. 8 ballot measure. Proposition 56 also will add a $2 per pack state tax to cigarettes onto the already existing 87 cents per pack tax.

State officials are still calculating the new tax structure. The vaping industry estimates the tax could hike up the price of the battery-operated devices and liquids by more than 60 percent, making it more expensive to vape than smoke, even with the additional per-pack tobacco tax.

FILE - In this Dec. 4, 2013, file photo, John Hartigan, proprietor of Vapeology LA, a store selling electronic cigarettes and related items, takes a puff of an electronic cigarette at his store in Los Angeles. As smoking declines nationwide, states are increasingly turning to taxing electronic cigarettes, a trend that concerns some public health experts who fear it could deter smokers from switching to the safer alternative. California became the seventh state to tax e-cigarettes after voters Nov. 8, 2016, overwhelmingly approved a ballot measure. (AP Photo/Reed Saxon, File)

"California just made the most attractive option unattractive for many smokers, and unaffordable," said Gregory Conley of the American Vaping Association, which advocates for electronic cigarettes as an alternative to tobacco. "Some may never make an attempt to quit."

The taxation of e-cigarettes has split the public health community between those who support e-cigarettes being treated the same as tobacco and those who see them as an important tool in the fight against smoking, the leading cause of preventable deaths in the United States.

There's no scientific consensus on the risks or advantages of "vaping."

"It's one of the nastiest debates I've ever seen in the public health community, and I've been researching tobacco control policies for 40 years," University of Michigan public health professor Kenneth Warner said. "The momentum, if you will, is in the direction against e-cigarettes, for sure, and it is unfortunate in a big way, because we may be missing out on a potential intervention that could reduce the toll of smoking by a lot."

E-cigarettes heat a nicotine liquid into a vapor, delivering the chemical that smokers crave without the harmful tar generated from burning tobacco.

Britain promotes the devices for smokers. Its leading physicians' organization said it found the devices were 95 percent safer than cigarettes, but some U.S. researchers dispute that.

E-cigarettes emit chemicals known to cause cancer, birth defects or other harm, and there is concern over the long-term impact that nicotine has on adolescent brain development, according to California's Public Health Department. Use among young adults ages 18 to 29 has tripled in the state.

"The evidence is piling up very fast that e-cigarettes are more dangerous than people thought," said Stanton A. Glantz, a professor of medicine and director of the Center for Tobacco Control Research and Education at the University of California San Francisco.

Stanton said the university's analysis of more than three dozen studies also found only a fraction of smokers quit after switching to e-cigarettes and that many end up smoking and vaping, which could be worse.

Concern over the jump in youth users was a driving force behind taxing e-cigarettes, Stanton said.

"If we could snap our fingers and have all smokers become e-cigarette users  and not change anything else  that would be better," he said. "The problem is all the other complicated things going on."

Representatives from around 180 countries participating in the World Health Organization's global tobacco control treaty negotiations, including the United States, adopted a declaration earlier this month in which they vowed to prohibit or regulate the sale of e-cigarettes. The declaration comes months after the U.S. announced its first federal regulations of e-cigarettes.

The $3 billion vaping industry fears taxes coupled with regulations will shut down many small shops.

Scott Drenkard of the nonpartisan Tax Foundation said the product's potential to help smokers is losing out to the rush to recover eroding tobacco tax revenues, which make up as much as 2 percent of state budgets. More than two dozen states have considered taxing e-cigarettes since 2015.

In California, tobacco tax revenue dropped by 44 percent between 1989 and last year, from $1.6 billion to roughly $830 million. The state has the nation's second-lowest smoking rate, behind Utah.

State officials estimate Proposition 56 will raise more than $1 billion in the first year for California, with much of the money earmarked for health care for the poor.

Public health experts, like Warner, favor a staggered system that applies a heavy tax on tobacco cigarettes, a lighter tax on e-cigarettes and keeping no tax on nicotine replacement therapies that have been determined to be relatively risk-free. That would deter young people from vaping the liquids that come in candy flavors and provide a financial incentive for smokers to switch, they say.

North Carolina adds a tax of 5 cents to each milliliter of nicotine liquid compared with 45 cents per pack for traditional cigarettes.
Cuban revolutionary leader Fidel Castro dies aged 90

Former Cuban leader Fidel Castro, a defining figure of the 20th century, has died aged 90.

The socialist revolutionary's death was announced by his brother, Raul Castro, the incumbent Cuban president, on state television late on Friday.

Prominent left wing politicians and world leaders paid tribute, with Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn praising his "heroism", adding: "History will show that Fidel was somebody who stood up for something very, very different in the Caribbean".

Fidel Castro has died aged 90, his brother Raul, the Cuban president, has announced

In his address, Raul said his brother died at 10.29pm on Friday and he will be cremated on Saturday before a period of national mourning is observed.

He ended the announcement by shouting the revolutionary slogan: "Toward victory, always!"

The news was followed by jubilant scenes in Miami's Little Havana, home to thousands of Cuban emigres who fled in the decades after Castro's forces toppled dictator Fulgencio Batista in 1959.

Mr Castro stepped aside 10 years ago after suffering a severe gastrointestinal illness, and before his 90th birthday in August he told supporters he expected to die soon.

He led a guerrilla coup in 1959 to overthrow the regime of the US-backed Batista, and remained hostile to Washington throughout his life.

As US president Barack Obama moved to heal relations with Havana, Mr Castro responded: "We don't need the empire to give us anything."

When he closed the twice-a-decade congress of the Cuban Communist Party in April he called on his countrymen to maintain socialist ideals in the face of closer ties with the US.

Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said: "Fidel Castro's death marks the end of an era for Cuba and the start of a new one for Cuba's people."

Irish president Michael D Higgins said the Cuban leader would be "remembered as a giant among global leaders whose view was not only one of freedom for his people but for all of the oppressed and excluded peoples on the planet."

Mr Castro's last appearance in public was at a gala to mark his birthday, which celebrated key moments in his life including repelling the US-backed attempt to invade in the Bay of Pigs in 1961.

It was a defining moment in the Cold War, which reached its peak a year later when the world came to the brink of nuclear war during the Cuban Missile Crisis.

Mr Castro survived numerous assassination attempts by US spies, including a plot to kill him with an exploding cigar.

But he clung on to power, enduring decades under a crippling US trade embargo.

As its greatest ally, the Soviet Union, collapsed, Cuba remained a pariah Communist state at a cost of becoming one of the world's poorest nations.

Castro was born on August 13 1926, in eastern Cuba's sugar country, where his father, a Spanish immigrant, organised labour for US sugar companies.

After attending Jesuit schools he received law and social science degrees from the University of Havana.

His first foray into violent subversion came in 1953 when he and Raul joined rebels in an attack on a military barracks in the eastern city of Santiago. Most of his comrades were killed and the brothers were jailed.

After receiving a pardon he fled to Mexico and raised a rebel force - supported by Che Guevara and others - who sailed to Cuba in 1956, only for most to die in a botched landing.

But, after rallying support in the country's eastern mountains, he led a revolutionary force into Havana and unseated Batista on New Year's Day 1959.
David Haye warns "delusional" Tony Bellew after March bout announced

Heavyweight David Haye has warned Tony Bellew he is "delusional" about his chances of winning when the pair meet in March.

The former WBA World Heavyweight champion has thrown down the gauntlet to WBC World Cruiserweight champion Bellow.

The pair, who have had an on-going war of words, will clash after they had to be separated by security following Bellew's defence of his cruiserweight title against BJ Flores in October.

Tony Bellew had a heated exchange with David Haye (right) after victory over BJ Flores for the WBC World Cruiserweight title in October.

They will fight at the O2 in London on March 4 after the fight was announced on Friday and Haye took aim at Bellew, who was in last year's Rocky spin-off film Creed.

"The country is fed up of his constant yapping. Even in his home town of Liverpool, I would be stopped in the street by people begging me to spectacularly send him into retirement," said Haye, who returned from a three-and-a-half-year absence from the ring in January.

"Bellew is completely delusional if he thinks he can beat me. He still thinks he's on the set of Creed and there will be some kind of Rocky style happy ending. But come March 4th at The O2 in London I will bring reality crashing down on him."

Bellew became a world champion when he beat Ilunga Makabu to win the WBC Cruiserweight title at Goodison Park in May and is aiming to knock out Haye.

"I've backed him into a corner, left him nowhere to go, and now I have what I want," said Bellew. "I'm not under any illusions, I know exactly what I am going up against, it's big risk, big reward.

"I cop him with my best punch, he's going to sleep. He cops me with his best punch, more than likely I am going to sleep too.

"I know what I am up against but the big factor for me is, I'm a very active fighter, I've had no breaks and I've got very little wear and tear on me.

"He hasn't been in a hard fight for over five years. Everyone knows I get off the floor and I fight until the finish. I know the minute it gets tough for David Haye, he's going to spew it.
Mitchell Starc stars as South Africa are dominated by Australia in Adelaide

Mitchell Starc and Nathan Lyon starred with bat and ball as Australia took full control of the third and final Test against South Africa in Adelaide.

Starc added vital lower-order runs in the first session before combining with Lyon to reduce South Africa to 194 for six at the close, with a lead of just 70.

It marked a welcome return to form for Lyon, who took three for 48, while Starc's hostile bowling caused problems throughout, claiming two for 71.

Mitchell Starc led the attack for Australia with some hostile bowling

Having started the day on 307 for six, the hosts lost Usman Khawaja for 145 as Vernon Philander found some movement to trap him plumb in front.

However Australia regrouped, with Starc adding a few useful blows en route to a seventh Test half-century, pushing the lead up to 98 before falling for 53.

Josh Hazlewood, Lyon and Jackson Bird chipped in as Australia claiming a first-innings lead of 124, with Kagiso Rabada (three for 84) and Kyle Abbott (three for 49) doing the damage.

Starc then made the perfect start with the ball, taking the wicket of Dean Elgar for a duck with just the fifth ball of the innings.

A full, swinging delivery was met with a prod from the Proteas opener, and Steve Smith took a fine catch low to his left.

Things could have been even better for Australia and Starc, only for debutant Matt Renshaw to put down a regulation chance at first slip as Hashim Amla flashed at a wide one on just 13.

Amla advanced to 45 before nicking Josh Hazlewood behind, leaving JP Duminy to partner Stephen Cook as the pair slowly took South Africa to parity, before the former played across a straight ball from Lyon and lost his off-bail.

Faf du Plessis was once again booed to the crease following the controversy in the previous match and his superb first-innings century, and did not last long at the crease as he was well caught by a diving Peter Handscomb at gully for 12.
House fire victim 'had been strangled by intruder'

A woman found dead after a house fire was strangled by an intruder, police said.

Lisa Skidmore, 37, was found at the burning house in Bilson, Wolverhampton on Thursday, along with her injured 80-year-old mother.

West Midlands Police said on Sunday that a murder inquiry was under way after a post mortem examination revealed that Miss Skidmore had been asphyxiated.

Lisa Skidmore was found dead after a house fire (West Midlands Police/PA)

The older woman was beaten unconscious by the man in the morning attack in Mill Croft and was taken to hospital with severe facial injuries, detectives revealed.

Detective Superintendent Mark Payne said: "This is a very complex inquiry and it has taken us some time to establish what has happened at the address.

"We believe that the offender assaulted Miss Skidmore before setting fire to the bedroom. He was then disturbed by (her) mother and assaulted her before making his escape.

"We have a team of detectives working around the clock to trace the person responsible so I would urge anyone who saw someone acting suspiciously around the property on Thursday morning to contact us urgently on 101."

Detectives said the man they are searching for is black, aged in his 20s, 5ft 6ins tall with a medium build and "afro" hair.
Winds of change blow softly as Palestinian party leaders meet

By Luke Baker and Ali Sawafta

RAMALLAH, West Bank, Nov 23 (Reuters) - Palestinian politics hasn't seen much change in the past 10 years -- President Mahmoud Abbas has been in power since 2004 and the last parliamentary elections were a decade ago.

But next week, Fatah, the dominant force in Palestinian politics for half a century, will hold its first party congress in seven years and is expected to shake up its central committee, foreshadowing longer-term political changes.

While Abbas, who is 81 and has received medical treatment in recent weeks, will remain in power at the top of Fatah and the umbrella movement, the Palestine Liberation Organization, the congress is likely to lead to the appointment of a clear number two in the party and a potential leader-in-waiting.

It would be one of the biggest developments since the death of Yasser Arafat in 2004, and while the outlook for Israeli-Palestinian negotiations is highly uncertain as Donald Trump prepares to take over the U.S. presidency, it could lay the ground for a shift in approach from the Palestinians.

"This is very important, a crucial congress for Fatah to reorganise the movement and renew the legitimacy of the leadership," said Jibril Rajoub, a former security chief and central committee member who is running for re-election.

"The next period should be how we reorganise the whole political system," he told Reuters at his office in Ramallah, where party members and supplicants gathered in large numbers this week to put their views and seek his influence.

POTENTIAL THREAT

In the build-up to the meeting, much has been made of a potential threat to Abbas's authority from Mohammed Dahlan, a former senior figure in Fatah who now lives in self-imposed exile in the United Arab Emirates.

Dahlan, 55, casts himself as someone to shake up the old order and bridge the differences between Fatah and the Islamist group Hamas, a rupture that has splintered Palestinian unity and blunted efforts towards peace with the Israelis.

But Dahlan has been ousted from Fatah and Abbas has limited the delegates attending the congress, cutting the number to around 1,300 from 2,500 at the last meeting in 2009, making it far harder for Dahlan loyalists to mount a challenge.

"Who is Dahlan? Dahlan is not existing, he is no one," said Rajoub. "He was fired from the movement. He is not a solution."

A foreign diplomat tracking the cut-and-thrust ahead of the congress underscored that view, saying he didn't see "any broad ability to unturf Abbas" and that Dahlan "doesn't represent a popular, significant movement in Fatah".

Instead, Palestinian officials and Fatah leaders say, the Ramallah gathering, which starts on Nov. 29 and will last for three or four days, will cement Abbas's position at the top while electing around half a dozen new names to the 21-member committee that sets the party's agenda.

"I hope to see an appropriate mix between those who are now in the leading bodies and the new generation, representatives of the new guard," said Nasser al-Qudwa, Arafat's nephew and a member of the central committee who was Palestinian ambassador to the United Nations for 14 years.

"There will be some changes from the last meeting."

NEW DIRECTION?

The most important decision will come in the days after the congress, when the new central committee meets to elect from among its members a deputy to Abbas in the party.

Palestinian officials repeatedly mention four names as being in the running for that post: Qudwa, Rajoub, Tawfiq Tirawi, a former head of intelligence, and Mahmoud al-Aloul, the former governor of Nablus, in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.

Rajoub and Qudwa both dismiss out of hand any suggestion of a shortlist -- Tirawi and Aloul could not be reached for comment -- saying Fatah's rules don't work like that. But they confirmed a deputy would be chosen shortly after the congress.

There are then plans for the Palestine Liberation Organization's top legislative body, the national council, to meet for the first time in 20 years and potentially elect a new executive committee, which is also headed by Abbas.

If that happens in the coming weeks, Palestinian officials say, Abbas would again be reaffirmed. But critically, his deputy in Fatah may also be named as deputy head of the PLO executive committee, all but enshrining that person as leader-in-waiting.

"There are lots of hurdles to jump, but this is the way it is shaping up. Changes are coming," said a senior Palestinian official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not supposed to divulge internal discussions.

HEALING DIVISIONS, RE-ENGAGEMENT

Abbas is much maligned inside and outside the party, despite retaining a large degree of influence. His leadership is seen as lacking the inspiration of Arafat, he has failed to secure the end of Israel's occupation or an independent Palestinian state, and the split with Hamas has worsened on his watch.

None of that will change after the congress. But if a clearly anointed successor emerges in the weeks and months ahead, diplomats and Palestinian officials say it may help mend internal divisions and encourage the world to re-engage.

Trump said this week he wanted to tackle the Middle East issue and believed his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, could take on the role of peace-broker in the region. It remains to be seen how serious a proposal that is and whether Kushner, an Orthodox Jew, would be an acceptable, independent interlocutor.
Kirkland Lake shareholders vote for Newmarket takeover -sources

By John Tilak and Nicole Mordant

TORONTO, Nov 24 (Reuters) - More than 80 percent of Kirkland Lake Gold shareholders have voted in favor of the mid-tier miner's takeover of Newmarket Gold, according to two sources familiar with the situation, marking the end of a contentious process.

Over 90 percent of the Newmarket shareholders who voted on the acquisition also backed Kirkland's all-stock offer, valued at about C$1 billion ($741.34 million) when announced on Sept. 29, the sources said on Thursday on condition of anonymity as the matter is confidential.

Kirkland Lake shares were down 0.3 percent at C$7.34 on the Toronto Stock Exchange on Thursday, while Newmarket's stock was up 0.3 percent at C$3.43. Silver Standard's stock was down 0.3 percent at C$13.12.

The merger plan was briefly disrupted after it emerged that Kirkland Lake had rejected three joint offers from South Africa's Gold Fields Ltd. and Canadian-based Silver Standard Resources Inc. to acquire it. The two withdrew their offer on Nov. 18.

Some investors had argued that Kirkland Lake too hastily rejected those offers. Other shareholders and analysts had publicly said the Kirkland Lake/Newmarket deal offered few synergies because Newmarket's operations are in Australia while Kirkland Lake's assets are in Canada.

Van Eck Associates, Kirkland Lake's biggest shareholder with a holding of nearly 17 percent, was supportive of the deal, fund manager Joseph Foster told Reuters on Wednesday, reiterating their position from Nov. 5. He declined to specify how the fund had voted.

Kirkland Lake Chairman Eric Sprott, who owns 13.45 percent of Newmarket shares and 6.7 percent of Kirkland Lake stock, declared a conflict of interest in the deal.

An Oct. 28 Kirkland Lake circular states that Sprott recused himself from all of Kirkland Lake's board deliberations, discussions or board voting on the Newmarket offer.

"The only way an interloper had a chance to intercede in this transaction was if a wedge could have been driven between Van Eck and Sprott, as their combined positions in Kirkland were effectively too large to overcome," said Brad Allen, director of Branav Shareholder Advisory Services, which advises companies on corporate governance issues.

"With Van Eck's recent statement of support for the original transaction, that wedge obviously didn't occur," Allen said.

To succeed, the deal required at least two-thirds of Kirkland Lake shareholders to vote in favor. It also required more than half of Newmarket shareholders to support it.

Both Kirkland Lake and Newmarket are holding meetings on Friday where shareholders can still vote in person on the transaction. But as is common, most shareholder votes have already been cast by proxy, meeting a Wednesday deadline.
Two handmade bombs explode at Myanmar's Yangon govt office, no casualties

YANGON, Nov 25 (Reuters) - Two handmade bombs made from a mix of an energy drink and chemicals exploded at the Yangon regional government office on Friday, an official said, the latest in a series of similar explosions to rock Myanmar's largest city in the last eight days.

The blasts occurred around 5:30 p.m. when few people were at the office, and no one died or was injured as a result, the senior Yangon government official said, adding that one of the bombs exploded near the regional police chief's office.

The explosions were similar in nature to three other blasts - one that took place at a local immigration office on Thursday, and two explosions that took place at two supermarkets on Sunday and on Nov. 17. All blasts happened in different parts of the city.

"We feel as if they are giving us a message they can reach every nook and corner," said the senior official who did not want to be named.
POLL-Yes or No, Italian referendum to have modest market reaction

By Isla Binnie and Rahul Karunakar

ROME/BENGALURU, Nov 25 (Reuters) - Victory or defeat for Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi's constitutional reform referendum will hit financial markets only modestly, a Reuters poll found, with analysts split on how serious a "No" vote would be for the future of the euro project.

Renzi has said he will resign if he loses the Dec. 4 ballot - an outcome all opinion polls say is the most likely - on his plan to drastically reduce the role of the upper house Senate.

The Reuters survey of 32 analysts conducted on Nov 24-25 showed investors expected to demand an extra 25 basis points in yield to hold Italian debt over its German equivalent if the reform is rejected, with the euro dipping 1.25 percent.

Similar moves in the other direction are expected if voters approve the reform at the ballot box, which Renzi is presenting as a chance to speed up lawmaking and stabilise government.

While the poll consensus shows only muted reaction to either outcome, the European Central Bank said the risks are rising to euro zone financial stability and it would react to any "economic shock" from the vote.

The most pessimistic view in the poll was for a 70 basis point premium on the Italian/German yield spread and for the euro to fall as much as 10 percent.

Half the analysts polled see a "serious" blow to the euro project if Italians reject the plan, which those opposed to it say will over-centralise power and make Italy less democratic. The other half said the blow would not be serious.

"I think the market underestimates the long-term consequences of a 'No' outcome," said DekaBank economist Kristian Toedmann.

"Italy's reform agenda is a project for many years. If it fails, trend growth will not accelerate and government debt will become less sustainable. This cannot be compensated by (ECB) quantitative easing forever," he said.

Italy's chronically stagnant economy is struggling to post convincing growth and its debt pile, one of the world's biggest, keeps it under close investor scrutiny.

CRACK IN THE EURO PROJECT?

Many in the financial markets worry that, if Renzi resigns, the anti-euro 5-Star Movement could come closer to power.

Renzi has said he will not participate in any attempt to form a technocrat government of the kind that took over after Silvio Berlusconi's last administration collapsed in 2011.

"The 'No' scenario opens up a very volatile phase," said Intesa Sanpaolo fixed income strategist Sergio Capaldi. "In case of Renzi's resignation there is no clear path for the formation of a new government. A short-term government could just approve an electoral law for the Senate and announce early elections."

Further investor concerns focus on Italy's banks, which, saddled with 200 billion euros in bad loans, are holding back lending to small companies that traditionally relied on them.

Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena, the world's oldest bank, is among the biggest worries as it plans a 5 billion euro ($5.29 billion) recapitalisation plan.

Monte dei Paschi plans to launch a stock sale on Dec. 7 or 8 into what could be turbulent markets if the referendum goes against Renzi and his government resigns.

"If the prospect loomed of a failed capital hike for MPS, the next hypothesis is a bail-in, which would have serious consequences," said IG strategist Vincenzo Longo, recalling the case of four banks the state rescued from bankruptcy last year.

"Given that last year four smaller banks created chaos above all among the public, MPS could lead to a bank run."
Moody's keeps South Africa's sovereign rating at Baa2, negative outlook

Nov 25 (Reuters) - Credit ratings firm Moody's Investors Service kept South Africa's sovereign rating unchanged at Baa2 on Friday, two levels above subinvestment grade, with a negative outlook.

Africa's most industrialised country, which is expected to see economic growth of around 0.5 percent half a percent this year, has been trying to avert a sovereign rating downgrade to junk status that would raise borrowing costs and deter investment.

"The negative outlook on South Africa's Baa2 government bond rating reflects risks related to the implementation of structural reforms aimed at restoring confidence and encouraging investment, upon which Moody's bases its expectations for a gradual growth recovery and debt stabilization in coming years," Moody's said in its statement.

"The negative outlook also recognizes the downside risks associated with political uncertainty and low business confidence as well as the challenging external environment characterized by low growth, investment and trade," the agency said.

"South Africa's rating would likely be downgraded in the absence of fundamental structural reforms supporting higher and sustainable medium term growth. Continued accumulation of public debt and contingent liabilities in terms of GDP would also put downward pressure on ratings. Finally, political infighting impeding the government's ability to implement key structural reforms and contributing to protracted low business confidence would also be negative."
5-Cuban revolutionary leader Fidel Castro dies aged 90

By Marc Frank and Nelson Acosta

HAVANA, Nov 26 (Reuters) - Fidel Castro, the Cuban revolutionary who built a communist state on the doorstep of the United States and for five decades defied U.S. efforts to topple him, died on Friday. He was 90.

A towering figure of the 20th century and Cold War icon, Castro stuck to his ideology beyond the collapse of Soviet communism and remained widely respected in parts of the world that struggled against colonial rule.

Castro had been in poor health since an intestinal ailment nearly killed him in 2006. He formally ceded power to his younger brother, Raul, two years later.

Wearing a green military uniform, a somber Raul, 85, appeared on state television on Friday night to announce Fidel's death, 60 years to the day since the two brothers and dozens of supporters left Mexico on a boat to take revolution to Cuba.

"At 10:29 at night, the chief commander of the Cuban revolution, Fidel Castro Ruz, died," he said, without giving a cause of death.

"Ever onward, to victory," he said, using the slogan of the Cuban revolution.

A mix of tributes and condemnation poured in from allies and foes around the world.

"History will record and judge the enormous impact of this singular figure on the people and world around him," U.S. President Barack Obama said, extending "a hand of friendship" to Cuba.

Obama's elected successor, Donald Trump, issued a blunt statement calling Castro "a brutal dictator who oppressed his own people for nearly six decades."

"Fidel Castro's legacy is one of firing squads, theft, unimaginable suffering, poverty and the denial of fundamental human rights," Trump said.

Venezuela's socialist president, Nicolas Maduro, urged revolutionaries to follow Castro's legacy, while Chinese President Xi Jinping said "the Chinese people have lost a close comrade and a sincere friend."

DECADES OF HOSTILITY

Raul Castro, who glorified his older brother, has nonetheless changed Cuba by introducing market-style economic reforms and agreeing with the United States in December 2014 to re-establish diplomatic ties and end decades of hostility.

It is unclear whether Trump, who takes office on Jan. 20, will continue efforts to normalize relations with Cuba or fulfill a campaign promise to close the U.S. embassy in Havana once again.

Fidel Castro himself offered only lukewarm support for the 2014 deal with Washington, raising questions about whether he approved of ending hostilities with his longtime enemy, a conflict that took the world to the brink of nuclear war during the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962.

He did not meet Barack Obama when he visited Havana earlier this year, the first time an American president had stepped foot on Cuban soil since 1928.

Days later, Fidel wrote a scathing newspaper column condemning Obama's "honey-coated" words and reminding Cubans of the U.S. efforts to overthrow the Communist government.

Cuba has declared nine days of mourning, during which time Castro's ashes will be taken to different parts of the country. A burial ceremony will be held on Dec. 4.

There will be no top level games of baseball - Castro's passion after politics - for the nine-day mourning period, the sport's national federation declared.

Hundreds of students gathered in Havana on Saturday to honor Castro, and mass rallies are planned for the coming days.

"When I found out Fidel had died, I felt such pain. I cried," said Badanys Rodriguez, 39, proudly showing off a tattoo on his shoulder of late Argentine revolutionary Ernesto "Che" Guevara, one of Castro's closest comrades in the revolution.

However, in Miami, where many exiles from Castro's government live, a large crowd waving Cuban flags cheered, danced and banged on pots and pans to celebrate the passing of a man they loathed.

MILITARY FATIGUES, CIGARS

The bearded Fidel Castro took power in a 1959 revolution and ruled Cuba for 49 years with a mix of charisma and iron will, creating a one-party state and becoming a central figure in the Cold War.

He was demonized by the United States and its allies for his repression of dissent at home and support of rebellion abroad, but admired by many leftists around the world, especially in Latin America and Africa.

Nelson Mandela, once freed from prison in 1990, repeatedly thanked Castro for his efforts in helping to weaken apartheid.

In April, in a rare public appearance at the Communist Party conference, Fidel Castro shocked party apparatchiks by referring to his own imminent mortality.

"Soon I will be like all the rest. Our turn comes to all of us, but the ideas of the Cuban communists will remain," he said.

Transforming Cuba from a playground for rich Americans into a symbol of resistance to Washington, Castro crossed swords with 10 U.S. presidents while in power, and outlasted nine of them.

He fended off a U.S.-backed invasion at the Bay of Pigs in 1961 and claimed he survived or evaded hundreds of assassination attempts, including some conjured up by the CIA.

Wearing green military fatigues and chomping on cigars for many of his years in power, Castro was famous for long, fist-pounding speeches filled with blistering rhetoric, often aimed at the United States.

At home, he swept away capitalism and won support for bringing schools and hospitals to the poor. But he also created legions of enemies and critics, concentrated among the exiles in Miami who saw him as a ruthless tyrant.

"With Castro's passing, some of the heat may go out of the antagonism between Cuba and the United States, and between Cuba and Miami, which would be good for everyone," said William M. LeoGrande, co-author of a book on U.S.-Cuba relations.

Castro's death - which would once have thrown a major question mark over Cuba's future - seems unlikely to trigger a crisis as Raul Castro is firmly ensconced in power.

Fidel Castro no longer held leadership posts in his final years. He wrote newspaper commentaries on world affairs and occasionally met foreign leaders, but lived in semi-seclusion.

Still, the death of the man known to most Cubans as "El Comandante" - the commander - or simply "Fidel" leaves a void in the country he dominated for so long. It also underlines the generational change in Cuba's communist leadership.

Raul Castro has vowed to step down when his term ends in 2018, and the Communist Party has elevated younger leaders to its Politburo, including 56-year-old Miguel Diaz-Canel, who is first vice president and the heir apparent.

REVOLUTIONARY ICON

A Jesuit-educated lawyer, Fidel Castro led the revolution that ousted U.S.-backed dictator Fulgencio Batista on Jan. 1, 1959. Aged 32, he quickly took control of Cuba and sought to transform it into an egalitarian society.

His government improved the living conditions of the very poor, achieved health and literacy levels on a par with rich countries and rid Cuba of a powerful Mafia presence.

But he also cracked down on dissent, jailed his opponents, seized private businesses and homes, and monopolized the media.

Hundreds of thousands of Cubans fled the island.

"The dictator Fidel Castro has died, the cause of many deaths in Cuba, Latin America and Africa," said Jose Daniel Ferrer, leader of the island's largest dissident group, the Patriotic Union of Cuba.

Many dissidents settled in Florida, influencing U.S. policy toward Cuba and plotting Castro's demise. Some even trained in the Florida swamps for the disastrous Bay of Pigs invasion.

But they could never dislodge him.

In 1962, the United States imposed a damaging trade embargo that Castro blamed for most of Cuba's ills, using it to his advantage to rally patriotic fury.

Over the years, he expanded his influence by sending Cuban troops into faraway wars, including 350,000 to fight in Africa. They provided critical support to a left-wing government in Angola and contributed to the independence of Namibia in a war that helped end apartheid in South Africa.

Castro also won friends by sending tens of thousands of Cuban doctors abroad to treat the poor and bringing young people from developing countries to train them as physicians.

'HISTORY WILL ABSOLVE ME'

Born on Aug. 13, 1926, in Biran, eastern Cuba, Castro was the son of a Spanish immigrant who became a wealthy landowner.

Angry at social conditions and Batista's dictatorship, Castro launched his revolution on July 26, 1953, with a failed assault on the Moncada barracks in the eastern city of Santiago.

"History will absolve me," he declared during his trial.

He was sentenced to 15 years in prison but was released in 1955 after a pardon that would come back to haunt Batista.

Castro went into exile in Mexico and prepared a small rebel army to fight Batista, including "Che" Guevara.

On Nov. 25, 1956, Castro and a ragtag band of 81 followers set sail from the Mexican port of Tuxpan aboard an overloaded yacht called "Granma," reaching Cuba in early December.

Only 12, including Fidel, Raul and Guevara, escaped a government ambush when they landed in eastern Cuba.

Taking refuge in the rugged Sierra Maestra mountains, they built a guerrilla force of several thousand fighters who, along with urban rebel groups, defeated Batista's military in just over two years.

Early on, at the height of the Cold War, Castro allied Cuba to the Soviet Union, which protected the Caribbean island and was its principal benefactor for three decades.

The alliance brought in $4 billion worth of aid annually, including everything from oil to guns, but also provoked the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis when the United States discovered Soviet missiles on the island.

Convinced that the United States was about to invade Cuba, Castro urged the Soviets to launch a nuclear attack.

Cooler heads prevailed.

Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev and U.S. President John F. Kennedy agreed the Soviets would withdraw the missiles in return for a U.S. promise never to invade Cuba. The United States also secretly agreed to remove its nuclear missiles from Turkey.

'SPECIAL PERIOD'

When the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, an isolated Cuba fell into an economic crisis that lasted for years and was known as the "special period." Food, transport and basics such as soap were scarce and energy shortages led to frequent and long blackouts.

Castro undertook a series of tentative economic reforms to get through the crisis, including opening up to foreign tourism.

The economy improved when Venezuela's late socialist leader, Hugo Chavez, who looked up to Castro as a hero, came to the rescue with cheap oil. Aid from communist-run China also helped, but Venezuelan support has eased since Chavez's death in 2013.

Plagued by chronic economic problems, Cuba's population of 11 million has endured decades of hardship, although not the deep poverty, violent crime and government neglect of many other developing countries.

Cuban state workers earn on average the equivalent of $25 a month and struggle to make ends meet even in an economy where education and healthcare are free and many basic goods and services are heavily subsidized.

Still, for most Cubans, Castro has been the ubiquitous figure of their lives.

Many love him and share his faith in communism, and even some who abandoned their political belief still respect him.
Kuwaitis vote in austerity-focused poll, energised by opposition

By Sami Aboudi and Ahmed Hagagy

KUWAIT, Nov 26 (Reuters) - Kuwaitis voted on Saturday in an election energised by the participation of opposition candidates for the first time since 2012 and focused on recent government austerity measures aimed at tackling the oil-rich nation's deficit.

The parliament of Western-allied Kuwait was due to run until July 2017, but the emir, Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah, dissolved it in October, saying "security challenges" in the region - an apparent reference to wars in Iraq and Syria - should be met by consulting the popular will.

More than 290 candidates, including 14 women, are standing for 50 seats in an assembly that enjoys legislative powers but has often been at odds with the government of one of the world's wealthiest countries, thwarting attempts to strengthen fiscal discipline.

Turnout appeared to be low in the first few hours after polls opened but officials said they expected a pick up before they close at 2000 local (1700 GMT). Many of the voters who cast their ballot after polls opened at 0800 (0500 GMT) said they hoped the election would inject new blood into parliament.

"I hope we will have a better parliament than the previous one," said a 22-year-old Islamic Waqf Affairs ministry employee after she voted for the first time at a girls' school in the upper middle class al-Rawda district in southern Kuwait City.

"We want young men who can help turn Kuwait into a financial and commercial hub, and who can help give people their rights without the help of influential people," said Amal Abul, 45, a department head at the education ministry.

The opposition, comprising Islamists, liberals and pan-Arabists, won a majority in the February 2012 election but boycotted another in December that year over changes to voting rules that activists said favoured pro-government candidates.

AUSTERITY MEASURES

Campaigning has focused mainly on austerity measures adopted in the past year after officials forecast a deficit of 9.5 billion dinars ($31 billion) for the 2016/17 fiscal year. The OPEC state relies on oil for about 90 percent of its revenues.

Although the deficit is likely to be smaller than forecast as it was based on an oil price of $25 a barrel, many Kuwaitis fear the government will try to raise prices further and cut many of the perks they have enjoyed for decades, including free health care, education, subsidised basic products, free housing or land plots and interest-free loans to many citizens.

The cabinet has approved economic reforms, including increasing gasoline prices by as much as 80 percent.

"The raising of fuel prices and electricity prices has severely hurt citizens," 23-year-old Abdallah, said after he cast his ballot at a public school in the upper middle class al-Rawda district in Kuwait City.

Kuwait, a U.S. ally occupied by Iraq in 1990-91, has relatively open politics by Gulf standards and has avoided the protests that have rocked several Arab states since 2011.

But a series of assemblies have been dissolved due to power struggles between the opposition and the cabinet, in which the ruling family holds top posts.

While the assembly can pass legislation and question ministers, the emir has the final say and picks a prime minister who selects a cabinet.

Amal al-Jarallah, a 50-year-old Education Department employee, said she wanted to see MPs try to improve health and education standards and help working mothers.
Brexit dealmaker Verhofstadt backs paid EU membership for Britons

LONDON, Nov 26 (Reuters) - The European Parliament's top Brexit negotiator backed the idea of individual European Union memberships for Britons who want to stay in the bloc in an interview published on Saturday.

Former Belgian Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt, a European federalist and arch-foe of eurosceptics said there were legal obstacles - but in principle he supported individual EU memberships for Britons, paid by annual fee.

"Many say 'we don't want to cut our links'. I like the idea that people who are European citizens and saying they want to keep it have the possibility of doing so," he told the Times.

Andrew Bridgen, a pro-Brexit British member of parliament, said Verhofstadt's comments were designed to divide Britons and undermine June's vote to leave the EU.

"The truth is that Brussels will try every trick in the book to stop us leaving," he told the Times.

The European Parliament will have a limited role in the detailed negotiations with British Prime Minister Theresa May, once she formally launches the process triggered by the June 23 referendum vote to leave the bloc.

But members of European Parliament will have to pass legislation to enact a divorce, and possibly other agreements.
Malaysian political cartoonist Zunar arrested under sedition law

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 26 (Reuters) - Malaysian political cartoonist Zulkiflee Anwar Ulhaque, or Zunar as he is popularly known, was arrested on Saturday under the country's Sedition Act for cartoons that allegedly insulted Prime Minister Najib Razak.

54-year-old Zunar would be held for a day to facilitate investigations, state news agency Bernama reported. Other than the Sedition Act, the cartoonist will also be probed under penal code for humiliating a person with intention, Bernama reported.

The arrest comes a day after some members of the ruling United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) disrupted Zunar's exhibition at the George Town Literary Festival and asked for the show to be cancelled saying the cartoonist's materials were seditious. They had also filed a police report.

"The Festival condemns this act of repression which is contrary to the spirit of free speech and expression, a central premise of the festival," said Bernice Chauly, the literary festival's director.

Before Saturday's arrest, Zunar was already facing nine sedition charges. He has also been banned from leaving the country.

Prime Minister Najib, caught in the middle of a corruption scandal, has in recent months been using the colonial era Sedition Act and other draconian laws to arrest government critics, jail opposition leaders and stifle free speech by suspending media groups and blogs.

On Friday, an appeals court ruled that a section of the Sedition Act, which removes the requirement for the prosecution to prove the intention of a person charged with sedition, as unconstitutional.

Najib has faced criticism since the Wall Street Journal reported last year that around $700 million from state fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) was diverted into the personal bank account of the prime minister.

Lawsuits filed by the U.S. Justice Department in July alleged that more than $3.5 billion was stolen from 1MDB, which was founded by Najib, and that some of those funds flowed into the accounts of "Malaysian Official 1", whom U.S. and Malaysian officials have identified as Najib.

Najib has consistently denied wrongdoing and has consolidated power by sacking critics within his ruling party and cracking down on dissent.
Trump says hopes for Cuban 'freedom' after Castro death

By Roberta Rampton

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla., Nov 26 (Reuters) - U.S. President-elect Donald Trump said on Saturday that his administration would "do all it can" once he takes office on Jan. 20 to help increase freedom and prosperity for Cuban people after the death of Fidel Castro.

But his initial reaction to Castro's death sidestepped whether the incoming president would make good on a threat made late in his White House campaign to reverse President Barack Obama's moves to open relations with the Cold War adversary.

Obama used his executive powers on a series of steps to ease trade, travel and financial restrictions against Cuba, arguing it was time to try diplomacy after the half-century-long economic embargo against Cuba had failed to shake the regime.

Trump's first statement on Cuba policy since the Nov. 8 election, issued from his Palm Beach, Florida, resort where he and his family were spending the weekend after the Thanksgiving holiday, did not address whether he would roll back Obama's measures because of concerns about religious and political freedom in Cuba.

"Though the tragedies, deaths and pain caused by Fidel Castro cannot be erased, our administration will do all it can to ensure the Cuban people can finally begin their journey toward prosperity and liberty," Trump said in the statement.

"While Cuba remains a totalitarian island, it is my hope that today marks a move away from the horrors endured for too long, and toward a future in which the wonderful Cuban people finally live in the freedom they so richly deserve," he said.

Trump has just begun to fill out the top ranks of his national security team, and has not yet named his top diplomat - the secretary of state - who will play a major role in formulating policy on Cuba.

He last week named Mauricio Claver-Carone, a political lobbyist who has strongly criticized Obama's efforts to normalize relations with Cuba and supports maintaining the U.S. embargo against the island, to his transition team at the U.S. Treasury Department.

The agency is responsible for enforcing U.S. trade and travel restrictions on Cuba. Claver-Carone is director of the U.S.-Cuba Democracy Political Action Committee.

Claver-Carone was not immediately available for comment on Saturday.

Trump's initial statement was viewed by some to mark a softening from his rhetoric on Cuba policy late in the campaign, one U.S. intelligence official told Reuters, speaking on the condition of anonymity.

"This may be one place where his business interests prod him to take a more pragmatic course, even if that angers the hard-core, anti-Castro elements of both parties," the official told Reuters.

A second U.S. official noted the foreign policy advisers Trump has named thus far are not known to have any particular interest in Cuba. That may mean Trump's economic team will have more sway over Cuba policy, which could lead to a more pragmatic approach, the second official said.

An aggressive policy by Trump would close off lucrative opportunities to U.S. businesses and hand them to European or Asian firms, and would hurt companies like American Airlines , due to start commercial flights to Havana on Monday for the first time in half a century.

WHAT WILL TRUMP DO?

Trump - a New York businessman and former reality TV star with an unconventional approach to politics - started his campaign saying he was open to lifting the long-standing embargo on trade with Cuba.

In January, he said on Fox News that he was in favor of "opening it up" with Cuba, but wanted a better "deal" than Obama had made, comments he repeated in a debate with Republican rivals in March.

"I would want to make a strong, solid, good deal because right now, everything is in Cuba's favor," Trump said in March, saying he would "probably have the embassy closed" in Havana until a new deal was made.

When Obama visited Cuba later that month, Trump said in an interview with CNN that he "probably" would continue to normalize economic and diplomatic relations with Cuba, and would even open a Trump hotel in Cuba if the conditions were right.

"I think Cuba has certain potential, and I think it's OK to bring Cuba into the fold, but you have to make a much better deal," he said, noting he was worried Cuba would sue the United States for reparations for damage caused by its decades-long embargo on Cuba.

Cuba policy was not part of a major foreign policy address Trump delivered in April. After he secured his party's nomination, his position shifted to a more traditional Republican position.

At a Miami rally in September, Trump said he would roll back Obama's Cuban policy reforms unless Cuban leaders allowed religious freedom and freed political prisoners.

"The next president can reverse them, and that I will do unless the Castro regime meets our demands," Trump told supporters.

His vice presidential running mate, Mike Pence, also took a hard line. "Let me make you a promise," Pence said in Miami just days before the election. "When Donald Trump is president of the United States, we will repeal Obama's executive orders on Cuba."

On Saturday, Pence tweeted: "The tyrant Castro is dead. New hope dawns. We will stand with the oppressed Cuban people for a free and democratic Cuba. Viva Cuba Libre!"

PRESSURE FROM REPUBLICANS

Trump will face pressure to reverse Obama's orders on Cuba from a bloc of mostly Republican Cuban-American lawmakers that has worked to keep tight restrictions on trade and travel with Cuba for years.

They believe Cuba's government is still too repressive to ease economic and travel restrictions.

"The dictator has died, but the dictatorship has not," said U.S. Senator Marco Rubio of Florida, a Cuban-American who ran against Trump to be the Republican presidential candidate.

"The future of Cuba ultimately remains in the hands of the Cuban people, and now more than ever Congress and the new administration must stand with them against their brutal rulers and support their struggle for freedom and basic human rights."

But some Republicans want to continue with Obama's opening. U.S. Senator Jeff Flake of Arizona, a leading Republican anti-embargo voice, said on Saturday that "more frequent and consequential ties between Cubans and Americans" would more likely boost income and sap the strength of the Castro government.

Democratic Congresswoman Kathy Castor, who represents a Tampa, Florida, district with a significant Cuban population, said she thinks Castro's death could make it easier for the Trump administration to change its Cuba stance.
Vibrant Scotland end good year with big win over Georgia

Nov 26 (Reuters) - Vern Cotter's Scotland signed off on their best year since 2002 by overwhelming Georgia 43-16 in their final autumn test at Kilmarnock's Rugby Park on Saturday.

The home side bounced back after a strong start by the visitors, looking to stake a claim for inclusion in an extended Six Nations, to outclass their opponents with four first-half tries to take a 31-11 stranglehold on the match.

"It was a nice win," captain Greig Laidlaw told the BBC. "We scored 43 points and a lot of good tries against a tough Georgia side.

"I am pleased with our attack and the way we are scoring points and causing teams problems."

Scotland started strongly but Georgia, buoyed by their recent victory over Samoa, took the lead in the fourth minute when youngster Vasil Lobzhanidze found space down the hosts' blindside before going over.

Scotland's mental strength has underpinned their improvement under Cotter and they began to express themselves, the quick artificial surface in Kilmarnock suiting their expansive, fluid style.

Tommy Seymour ended his barren run when he met Stuart Hogg's deliciously weighted chip to level the scores three minutes later and the hosts moved further ahead with a penalty try after a rolling maul was pulled down.

Winger Sean Maitland went over to give the hosts a 21-8 lead as Georgia's limitations were exposed before the impressive Hogg extended the advantage when he collected his own kick to score his 12th try for Scotland.

Hamish Watson added a fifth try in the first minute of the second half and although Lobzhanidze reduced the arrears after touching down following a typically powerful scrum, Hogg added his second as Scotland eased to victory.

"It was hard work," said man of the match Ryan Wilson. "We knew how tough it would be. It's great to get the win in front of a great crowd.

"The first two games against Australia and Argentina have been so tight, things started to come together today and it's a tribute to the hard work the boys have put in.

"There is plenty more to work on but there is some brilliant stuff there and we want to take it into the Six Nations next year."
Yemen's exiled president visits civilians in Aden

ADEN, Yemen, Nov 26 (Reuters) - Yemen's President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi arrived in the southern city of Aden on Saturday from Saudi Arabia to address civilian grievances including complaints about deteriorating services and delays in paying salaries, army and security sources said.

The exiled Hadi is backed by a Saudi-led Arab coalition that has been trying to roll back gains made since 2014 by the armed Houthi movement, allied with Iran, and restore the president to power. His visit is expected to last several days.

At least 10,000 people have been killed in the 20-month conflict, which has unleashed a humanitarian crisis on one of the Arab world's poorest countries.
Galle Chief Magistrate Nilupuli Lankapura today ordered that vessel Avant-Garde, be released to Sri Lanka Shipping Company on a bond of Rs. 35 million.

The Avant Garde was taken into custody and anchored in the Galle port on charges of transporting illegal weapons and ammunition. (D.G. Sugathapala)
President Maithripala Sirisena appointed a Special Committee to implement and oversee the approaches and programmes on poverty alleviation as the Government has declared 2017 as the year of alleviating poverty from the country.

Minister Sarath Amunugama will chair the committee and the other members of the Committee are the Ministers Ravi Karunanayake, Kabir Hashim, Sajith Premadasa, Governor Southern Province , Hemakumara Nanayakkara, Reginold Coorey, Ven.Athuraliya Ratna thero, Secretary to the President P.B. Abeykoon, Secretary to the Prime Minister Saman Ekanayake.

The President called a meeting yesterday to discuss regarding the strategic approach which aimed at eliminating poverty from the country, to make the year 2017 as the year of alleviating poverty.

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, Ministers and MPs, Governors, Chief Ministers, Ministry Secretaries, Secretary to the President P.B. Abeykoon and state officials participated in this meeting and during that meeting President Sirisena appointed this Committee.

The aim of this meeting is to prepare a main plan, obtaining proposals and ideas from all the sectors. Prime Minister, Governors, Chief Ministers, officials of the Ministry of Social Empowerment and the Governor of the Central Bank presented detailed proposals and plans on this issue.

Considering all the presented details the President instructed the relevant authorities to launch this programme more practically from ground-level of the country. He also instructed all the Local Governments and line ministries to submit a comprehensive report subsequent to the discussions among them in the future.

Every ministry should implement a suitable project relevant to the poverty alleviation programme in the first week of January , and further instructed that the appointed Committee should continuously scrutinize those projects and must make the necessary coordination with those institutions the President said.

President Sirisena also emphasized that this programme should implement based on a one policy and a single objective and further emphasized the necessity of successful implementation of this programme to reduce the poverty rate of the country and to improve peoples living standards.

Another discussion will be held under the patronage of the President regarding the preliminary works of this programme next month.
Sri Lankan Government extended its condolences to Cuban President Raul Castro and the people of Cuba on the demise of revolutionary leader and former President Fidel Castro.

President Maithripala Sirisena in a twitter message said The iconic leader of an era of revolution bids farewell to the world.

Foreign Minister Mangala samaraweera extended his condolences to Cuban President Raul Castro and the people of Cuba.

The Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) also issued a message of condolence over the demise of revolutionary leader Castro.
A 58-year-old woman was killed and four others injured in a collision of a bus, three-wheeler and a motorcycle at Wellabada in Ahungalla last night, Police said.

They said the three-wheeler travelling towards Colombo from Galle had collided head-on with a bus and a motorcycle that was travelling behind the three-wheeler had crashed onto it.

Four people including the three-wheeler driver and the motorcyclist were admitted to the Balapitiya Base Hospital.

The bus driver was arrested in connection with the accident.
Although I belong to the privileged middle class, I keep counting and recounting the currency notes in my pocket and making drastic choices. A large tin of shaving foam costs Rs 200. As I need to hold on to whatever Rs 100 notes I have for more essential purposes, I decide to shave twice a day without the foam instead. The arrangement is working somewhat smoothly. (There are always those overlooked patches even while shaving with foam, especially when you run the blade absentmindedly, so what the heck.)

My decision causes a microscopic dent in a shopkeeper's earnings and an even tinier one in a manufacturer's. I prefer shopping at the neighbourhood Mom 'n' Pop stores and green grocers on the street with cash and not at the supermarket chains beholden, to the financiers of BJP and Congress, with plastic.

An assault on the right to livelihood and, in fact, on the right to life. Credit: PTI

It occurred to me that if I could make do with the current arrangement, I might not resume foam purchases at all. And another that I could wait until the hair on my head got too unruly before visiting a barber shop - I usually prefer those in lower-income Dalit-Bahujan localities such as in Kodandaramapuram, near where I live in Bangalore.

Most barbers in Bangalore and elsewhere in Karnataka are Telugu-speaking Dalits and delaying a visit would not be fair to them. I shall go to my barber in a couple of days unless the Modi regime zaps us with more shocking reversals of previous declarations - such as banning over-the-counter exchange of old Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes from the night of November 24, instead of - as had been promised - increasing the amount that could be exchanged as had been promised on November 8.

Yesterday, my reading glasses broke. I went to a shop where I was offered a pair for Rs 400 plus.

"Will you give me change for the new Rs 2,000 note?"

"Sorry ..."

Try another shop. Am shown a groovy-looking pair costing Rs 400 plus and with spring action to boot, meaning they would be more durable as they would withstand sudden or abrupt removals.

"Will you give me change...?"

No way, Jose!

"Got a cheaper pair?"

Am shown a pair costing Rs 130. I buy.

If many others are taking or considering similar decisions regarding other goods and services - and there's much evidence of hundreds of millions far less endowed being forced to do so - imagine the effect on the economy as a whole.

Last evening, I was at Yeshwantpur market in North Bangalore and found green grocers behind pushcarts shouting in Kannada: "Tomato hatthh rupaayi yerd KG" meaning Rs 10 for TWO kilogrammes. A large cauliflower was going at Rs 10. Mounds of brinjals (aubergines), carrots, radish, capsicums et al - each mound containing perhaps between half-a-kilogramme and one aligned in front of women sitting on the ground - offered at Rs 10 each.

What kind of profits can these indigent street vendors be making at such low rates?

Decisions made by banks: most ATMs not adjacent to their own respective bank branches have been shut until further notice since November

As of today, ATMs across India need to have a 24/7 security guard cover and these are not bank employees, but hired on contract from security agencies. What it means is that a large number of indigent - meaning Dalit-Bahujan-Adivasi-Muslim - migrant workers have been laid off. Even the ATMs inside or adjacent to bank branches are shut for most part of the day and at night - this in urban agglomerations. Imagine the chaos in rural areas with mostly poorly-staffed bank branches serving large numbers of villages spread over several tens of square kilometres.

Writing in Kafila, Gautam Bhan who teaches at the Indian Institute for Human Settlements (http://iihs.co.in/about/people/gautam-bhan/), says most insightfully:

"Do the math: daily wage workers weigh the opportunity cost of lost wages and risk to continued work (skipping even a day risks not being called back to work with the same contractor) against access to usable cash. This happens for two or three days. Then you need to spend. You borrow, and a new cycle of small debt begins. If in the middle of this, one small other thing happens - just one, say an illness, a puncture in your rickshaw, a sudden off-cycle bribe to the cops for your thela - and you can't use your savings, then the debt cycle worsens, or you forgo other expenditures like food or school fees. This is not "inconvenience." The risk here is that demonetisation will do exactly what illness, accident, eviction, funeral and drought do to poor families. If you think just faulty implementation can't do that, you are ignoring how thin the line between stability and crisis is for too many working people in this country."

Perhaps Bhan, writing as he was just a week after the Modi regime's demonetisation announcement, deliberately stopped short of declaring that this was an assault on the right to livelihood and, in fact, on the right to life.

A little more than three decades ago, the then Chief Justice YV Chandrachud, writing on behalf of a highly distinguished five-judge bench of the Supreme Court of India in the celebrated 1985 verdict in Olga Tellis & Ors vs Bombay Municipal Corporation &Ors,a verdict that has been celebrated and has been reverberating around court rooms as well as law schools throughout the world, said:

"The sweep of the right to life conferred by Article 21 (of the Constitution of India guaranteeing the Right to Life) is wide and far reaching. It does not mean merely that life cannot be extinguished or taken away as, for example, by the imposition and execution of the death sentence, except according to procedure established by law. That is but one aspect of the right to life. An equally important facet of that right is the right to livelihood because no person can live without the means of living, that is, the means of livelihood. If the right to livelihood is not treated as a part of the constitutional right to live, the easiest way of depriving a person of his right to life would be to deprive him of his means of livelihood to the point of abrogation. Such deprivation would not only denude the life of its effective content and meaningfulness but it would make life impossible to live. And yet, such deprivation would not have to be in accordance with the procedure established by law, if the right to livelihood is not regarded as a part of the right to life. That, which alone makes it possible to live, leave aside what makes life liveable, must be deemed to be an integral component of the right to life."

Incidentally, the son of the late Chief Justice Chandrachud is now on the Supreme Court bench hearing petitions against the horrific and cynically calculated demonetisation the Modi regime which, having secured its own and its financiers' resources, has mounted a blitz not only on its equally corrupt Congress counterpart but on the moneys held by coalitions of Dalit-Bahujan and minorities - the mostly indigent folk who were waiting in the wings to usher in a modicum of justice in the land that boasts a constitution mainly authored by Dr BR Ambedkar.

Justice DY Chandrachud is most likely a human-rights-friendly jurist. But he's faced with a tough choice. Might he and Chief Justice TS Thakur dare rule in favour of the people and against the current cynical regime on December 2?

Might he dare rule against a regime that manipulates public opinion as brazenly as through disallowing people to express their real opinions in an obviously pre-fixed opinion poll? Bravo, Fuehrer, Bravo!

This is indeed a "master stroke" by the Narendra Modi regime. Thanks to the paucity of real news of hardships facing nearly one billion people reaching them (excluding the couple of hundred million middle and upper class ones with their plastic cash and their plastic lives), as large parts of electronic and print media - mostly bought over by Modi/BJP financiers such as Adani, Ambani et al - is underreporting the extent of hardship caused, it is the Fuehrer's narrative that is prevailing.
The following companies are subsidiares of Illinois Tool Works: A V Co 1 Limited, A V Co 2 Limited, A V Co 3 Limited, ACCU-LUBE Manufacturing GmbH - Schmiermittel und -gerate -, AIP/BI Holdings Inc., Accessories Marketing Holding Corp., Advanced Molding Company Inc., Allen France SAS, Alpine Engineered Products, Alpine Systems Corporation, Anaerobicos S.r.l., AppliChem GmbH, Avery Berkel France, Avery India Limited, Avery Malaysia Sdn Bhd, Avery Weigh Tronix, Avery Weigh-Tronix Finance Limited, Avery Weigh-Tronix International Limited, Avery Weigh-Tronix LLC, Avery Weigh-Tronix Limited, Avery Weigh-Tronix Properties Limited, Avery Weigh-Tronix Suzhou Weighing Technology Co. Ltd., Azon Limited, B.C. Immo, Beijing Miller Electric Manufacturing Co. Ltd., Berkel Ireland Limited, Berrington UK, Brapenta Eletronica Ltda., Brooks Instrument B.V., Brooks Instrument GmbH, Brooks Instrument KFT, Brooks Instrument Korea Ltd., Brooks Instrument LLC, Brooks Instrument Shanghai Co. Ltd, Buell Industries Inc., CCI Realty Company, CFC Europe GmbH, CS Australia Pty Limited, CS Mexico Holding Company S DE RL DE CV, Calvia Spolka z Ograniczona Odpowiedzialnosci, Capital Ventures Australasia S.a r.l, Capmax Logistica S.A. de C.V., Celeste Industries Corporation, Coeur, Coeur Asia Limited, Coeur Holding Company, Coeur Inc., Coeur Shanghai Medical Appliance Trading Co. Ltd, Compagnie Hobart, Compagnie de Materiel et d'Equipements Techniques-Comet, Constructions Isothermiques Bontami C.I.B., Crane Carrier Company, Denison Mayes Group Limited, Despatch Industries, Diagraph Corporation Sdn. Bhd, Diagraph ITW Mexico S. de R.L. De C.V., Diagraph Mexico S.A. DE C.V., Dongguan Ark-Les Electric Components Co. Ltd., Dongguan CK Branding Co. Ltd., Duo Fast de Espana S.A.U., Duo-Fast Korea Co. Ltd., Duo-Fast LLC, E.C.S. d.o.o., E2M Production B.V.., E2M Technologies B.V.., E2M Technologies Inc.., ECS Cable Protection Sp. Zoo, ELRO Grosskuchen GmbH, ELRO Holding AG, ELRO-WERKE AG, Elro Group, Eltex-Elektrostatik-Gesellschaft mit beschrankter Haftung, Envases Multipac S.A. de C.V., Eurotec Srl, Exhibit 21, FEG Investments L.L.C., Filtertek De Mexico Holding Inc., Filtertek De Mexico S.A. de C.V., Filtertek SAS, GC Financement SA, Gamko B.V., Gun Hwa Platech Taicang Co. Ltd., HOBART Gesellschaft mit beschrankter Haftung, Hartness International, Hobart Andina S.A.S., Hobart Belgium B.V., Hobart Brothers International Chile Limitada, Hobart Brothers LLC, Hobart Dayton Mexicana S. de R.L. de C.V., Hobart Food Equipment Co. Ltd., Hobart International Singapore Pte. Ltd., Hobart Japan K.K., Hobart Korea LLC, Hobart LLC, Hobart Nederland B.V., Hobart Sales & Service Inc., Hobart Scandinavia ApS, Hobart Techniek B.V., Horis, ILC Investments Holdings Inc., ITW AEP LLC, ITW AOC LLC, ITW Aircraft Investments Inc., ITW Ampang Industries Philippines Inc., ITW Appliance Components EOOD, ITW Appliance Components S.A. de C.V., ITW Appliance Components S.r.l.a, ITW Appliance Components d.o.o., ITW Australia Holdings Pty Ltd, ITW Australia Property Holdings Pty Ltd., ITW Australia Pty Ltd, ITW Automotive Components Chongqing Co. Ltd., ITW Automotive Components Langfang Co. Ltd., ITW Automotive Japan K.K., ITW Automotive Korea LLC, ITW Automotive Parts Shanghai Co. Ltd, ITW Automotive Products GmbH, ITW Automotive Products Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., ITW Bailly Comte, ITW Befestigungssysteme GmbH, ITW Belgium B.V., ITW Brazilian Nominee L.L.C., ITW Building Components Group Inc., ITW CER, ITW CP Distribution Center Holland BV, ITW CS UK Ltd., ITW Canada Inc., ITW Celeste Inc., ITW Chemical Products Ltda, ITW Chemical Products Scandinavia ApS, ITW China Investment Company Limited, ITW Colombia S.A.S., ITW Construction Products AB, ITW Construction Products AS, ITW Construction Products ApS, ITW Construction Products CZ s.r.o., ITW Construction Products Italy Srl, ITW Construction Products OU, ITW Construction Products OY, ITW Construction Products Shanghai Co. Ltd., ITW Construction Products Singapore Pte. Ltd., ITW Construction Services Manila Inc., ITW Contamination Control B.V., ITW Contamination Control Wujiang Co. Ltd., ITW Covid Security Group Inc., ITW DS Investments Inc., ITW DelFast do Brasil Ltda., ITW Denmark ApS, ITW Deutschland GmbH, ITW Diagraph GmbH, ITW Dynatec, ITW Dynatec Adhesive Equipment Suzhou Co. Ltd., ITW Dynatec GmbH, ITW Dynatec Kabushiki Kaisha, ITW EAE B.V., ITW EAE Mexico S de RL de CV, ITW EF&C France SAS, ITW EF&C Selb GmbH, ITW EU Holdings Ltd., ITW Electronic Business Asia Co. Limited, ITW Electronic Components/Products Shanghai Co. Ltd., ITW Electronics Suzhou Co. Ltd., ITW Epsilon Sarl, ITW Espana S.L., ITW European Finance Co. Ltd., ITW European Finance II Co. Ltd., ITW European Finance III Co. Ltd., ITW FEG Hong Kong Limited, ITW FEG do Brasil Industria e Comercio Ltda., ITW Fastener Products GmbH, ITW Fluids and Hygiene Solutions Ltda., ITW Food Equipment Group LLC, ITW GH LLC, ITW GSE ApS, ITW GSE Inc., ITW Gamma Sarl, ITW German Management LLC, ITW Global Investments Holdings LLC, ITW Global Investments Holdings Y Compania Sociedad en Comandita por Acciones, ITW Global Investments Inc., ITW Global Tire Repair Europe GmbH, ITW Global Tire Repair Inc., ITW Global Tire Repair Japan K.K., ITW Graphics Asia Limited, ITW Graphics Thailand Ltd., ITW Great Britain Investment & Licensing Holding Company, ITW Group France Luxembourg S.ar.l., ITW HLP Thailand Co. Ltd., ITW Holding Quimica B.C. S.L. Sole Shareholder Company, ITW Holdings Australia L.P., ITW Holdings I Limited, ITW Holdings II Limited, ITW Holdings III Limited, ITW Holdings IV Limited, ITW Holdings IX Limited, ITW Holdings Inc., ITW Holdings V Limited, ITW Holdings VI Limited, ITW Holdings VII Limited, ITW Holdings VIII Limited, ITW Holdings X Limited, ITW Holdings XI Limited, ITW ILC Holdings I Inc., ITW IPG Investments LLC, ITW Imaden Industria e Comercio Ltda., ITW India Private Limited, ITW International Holdings LLC, ITW Invest Holding GmbH, ITW Ireland Holdings Unlimited Company, ITW Ireland Unlimited Company, ITW Italy Holding Srl, ITW Japan Ltd., ITW Korea LLC, ITW LLC & Co. KG, ITW Limited, ITW Lys Fusion S.r.l., ITW Materials Technology Shanghai Co. Ltd., ITW Meritex Sdn. Bhd., ITW Metal Fasteners S.L., ITW Mexico Holding Company S. De R.L. de C.V., ITW Mexico Holdings LLC, ITW Morlock GmbH, ITW Mortgage Investments II Inc., ITW Mortgage Investments III Inc., ITW Mortgage Investments IV Inc., ITW Netherlands Administration BV, ITW Netherlands Beta B.V., ITW Netherlands Finance Alpha BV, ITW New Universal LLC, ITW New Zealand, ITW Ningbo Components & Fastenings Systems Co. Ltd., ITW Novadan Sp. Z.o.o., ITW PPF Brasil Adesivos Ltda., ITW Packaging Technology China Co. Ltd., ITW Participations S.a r.l., ITW Pension Funds Trustee Company, ITW Performance Polymers & Fluids Japan Co. Ltd., ITW Performance Polymers & Fluids Korea Limited, ITW Performance Polymers & Fluids OOO, ITW Performance Polymers ApS, ITW Performance Polymers Wujiang Co. Ltd., ITW Performance Polymers and Fluids Group FZE, ITW Peru S.A.C., ITW Poly Mex S. de R.L. de C.V., ITW Polymers Sealants North America Inc., ITW Pronovia s.r.o., ITW Pte. Ltd., ITW Qufu Automotive Cooling Systems Co. Ltd., ITW Real Estate Germany GmbH, ITW Residuals III L.L.C., ITW Residuals IV L.L.C., ITW Rivex, ITW SMPI, ITW SPG Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., ITW Simco-Ion Shenzhen Co. Ltd., ITW Slovakia s.r.o., ITW Spain Holdings S.L., ITW Specialty Film LLC, ITW Specialty Films France, ITW Specialty Materials Suzhou Co. Ltd., ITW Sverige AB, ITW Sweden Holding AB, ITW Test & Measurement Equipment Shanghai Co. Ltd, ITW Test & Measurement GmbH, ITW Test and Measurement Italia Srl, ITW Test and Measurement Services Industry and Trade Ltd., ITW Texwipe Philippines Inc., ITW Thermal Films Shanghai Co. Ltd., ITW UK, ITW UK Finance Beta Limited, ITW UK Finance Delta Limited, ITW UK Finance Gamma Limited, ITW UK Finance Limited, ITW UK Finance Zeta Ltd., ITW UK II Limited, ITW Universal II LLC, ITW Welding, ITW Welding AB, ITW Welding GmbH, ITW Welding Products B.V., ITW Welding Products Group FZE, ITW Welding Products Group S. DE R.L. De C.V., ITW Welding Products Italy Srl, ITW Welding Products Limited Liability Company, ITW Welding Produtos Para Solgdagem Ltda., ITW Welding Singapore Pte. Ltd., ITW de France, ITW do Brasil Industrial e Comercial Ltda., Illinois Tool Works Chile Limitada, Illinois Tool Works ITW Nederland B.V., Illinois Tool Works Inc., Impar Comercio E Representacoes Ltda., Industrie Plastic Elsasser GmbH, Inmobiliaria Cit. S.A. de C.F., Innova Temperlite Servicios S.A. de C.V., Innovacion y Transformacion Automotriz S.A. de C.V., Instron Brasil Equipamentos Cientificos Ltda., Instron Foreign Sales Corp. Limited, Instron France S.A.S., Instron GmbH, Instron Japan Company Ltd., Instron Korea LLC, Instron Shanghai Ltd., Instron Thailand Limited, International Leasing Company LLC, Isolenge - ITW Sistemas de Isolamento Termico Ltda., Itw Spraytec, KCPL Mauritius Holdings, Kester, Kleinmann GmbH, Krafft S.L., Loma Systems, Loma Systems BV, Loma Systems Canada Inc., Loma Systems sro, Lombard Pressings Limited, Lumex Inc., Lys Fusion Poland Sp. z.o.o., M&C Specialties Co., MAGNAFLUX GmbH, MEHB Holdings Limited, MGHG Property LLC, MTS 2 LLC., MTS 3 LLC., MTS China Holdings LLC, MTS Europe Holdings LLC, MTS Holdings France S.a.r.l., MTS Japan Ltd.., MTS Korea Inc.., MTS Systems China Co. Ltd., MTS Systems Corporation, MTS Systems Danmark ApS., MTS Systems Europe B.V., MTS Systems Finance C.V.., MTS Systems Germany GmbH, MTS Systems Holding B.V.., MTS Systems Hong Kong Incorporated, MTS Systems Limited, MTS Systems Norden Aktiebolag, MTS Systems S.r.l, MTS Systems., MTS Systems.., MTS Sytems Do Brazil, MTS Testing Solutions India Private Limited., MTS Testing Systems Canada Ltd., Manufacturing Avancee S.A., Meritex Technology Suzhou Co. Ltd., Meurer Verpackungssysteme GmbH, Miller Electric Mfg. LLC, Miller Insurance Ltd., NDT Holding LLC, NOVADAN APS, North Star Imaging Inc., Nova Chimica S.r.l., Orbitalum Tools GmbH, PENTA-91 OOO, PR. A. I. Srl, PT ITW Construction Products Indonesia, Pacific Concept Industries Limited Enping, Panreac Quimica S.L., Paslode Fasteners Shanghai Co. Ltd., Peerless Machinery Corp., Polyrey, Premark FEG L.L.C., Premark HII Holdings LLC, Premark International, Premark International LLC, Prolex Sociedad Anonima, QSA Global Inc., Quimica Industrial Mediterranea S.L., R&D Engineering A/S., R&D Prague s.r.o., R&D Steel ApS., R&D Test Systems A/S., R&D Tools and Structures A/S., RDGDK Engineering Private Limited, Ramset Fasteners Hong Kong Ltd., Rapid Cook LLC, Refrigeration France, S.E.E. Sistemas Industria E Comercio Ltda., ST Mexico Holdings LLC, Sealant Systems International Inc., Sentinel Asia Yuhan Hoesa, Shanghai ITW Plastic & Metal Co. Ltd, Simco Japan Inc., Simco Nederland B.V., Societe de Prospection et dInventions Techniques  SPIT, Speedline Holdings I Inc., Speedline Holdings I LLC, Speedline Technologies GmbH, Speedline Technologies Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Speedline Technologies Mexico Services S. de R.L. de C.V., Stokvis Celix Portugal Unipessoal LDA, Stokvis Danmark ApS, Stokvis Holdings S.A.R.L., Stokvis Promi s.r.o, Stokvis Prostick Tapes Private Limited, Stokvis Tapes B.V., Stokvis Tapes Benelux B.V., Stokvis Tapes Deutschland GmbH, Stokvis Tapes France, Stokvis Tapes Hong Kong Co. Limited, Stokvis Tapes Italia s.r.l., Stokvis Tapes Limited, Stokvis Tapes Limited Liability Company, Stokvis Tapes Norge AS, Stokvis Tapes Oy, Stokvis Tapes Polska Sp Z.O.O., Stokvis Tapes Shanghai Co. Ltd., Stokvis Tapes Sverige AB, Stokvis Tapes Taiwan Co. Ltd., Stokvis Tapes Tianjin Co. Ltd., Stolvis Holdings II S.A.R.L., Subsidiaries, Technopack Industria Comercio Consultoria e Representacoes Ltda., Teknek China Limited, Teknek Japan Limited, Teksaleco Ltd., The Miller Group Ltd, Thirode Grandes Cuisines Poligny, Tien Tai Electrode Co. Ltd., Tien Tai Electrode Kunshan Co. Ltd., Unichemicals Industria e Comercio Ltda., VR-Leasing Sarita GmbH & Co. Immobilien KG, VS European Holdco BV, Valeron Strength Films B.V., Veneta Decalcogomme S.r.l., Versachem Chile S.A., Vesta, Vesta Global Limited, Vesta Guangzhou Catering Equipment Co. Ltd, Viltronics Soltec, Vitronics Soltec B.V., Wachs Canada Ltd., Wachs Subsea LLC, Weigh-Tronix Canada ULC, Weigh-Tronix UK Limited, Wilsonart International Holdings LLC, Wynn Oil South Africa Pty Ltd., Wynn's Automotive France, Wynn's Belgium BVBA, Wynn's Italia Srl, Wynn's Mekuba India Pvt Ltd, and Zip-Pak International B.V..

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Eli Lilly and Company discovers, develops, and markets human pharmaceuticals worldwide. It offers Basaglar, Humalog, Humalog Mix 75/25, Humalog U-100, Humalog U-200, Humalog Mix 50/50, insulin lispro, insulin lispro protamine, insulin lispro mix 75/25, Humulin, Humulin 70/30, Humulin N, Humulin R, and Humulin U-500 for diabetes; and Jardiance, Trajenta, and Trulicity for type 2 diabetes. The company provides Alimta for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and malignant pleural mesothelioma; Cyramza for metastatic gastric cancer, gastro-esophageal junction adenocarcinoma, metastatic NSCLC, metastatic colorectal cancer, and hepatocellular carcinoma; Erbitux for colorectal cancers, and various head and neck cancers; Retevmo for metastatic NSCLC, medullary thyroid cancer, and thyroid cancer; Tyvyt for relapsed or refractory classic Hodgkin's lymph and non-squamous NSCLC; and Verzenio for HR+, HER2- metastatic breast cancer, node positive, and early breast cancer. It offers Olumiant for rheumatoid arthritis; and Taltz for plaque psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, and non-radiographic axial spondylarthritis. The company offers Cymbalta for depressive disorder, diabetic peripheral neuropathic pain, generalized anxiety disorder, fibromyalgia, and chronic musculoskeletal pain; Emgality for migraine prevention and episodic cluster headache; and Zyprexa for schizophrenia, bipolar I disorder, and bipolar maintenance. Its Bamlanivimab and etesevimab, and Bebtelovimab for COVID-19; Cialis for erectile dysfunction and benign prostatic hyperplasia; and Forteo for osteoporosis. The company has collaborations with Incyte Corporation; Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc.; AbCellera Biologics Inc.; Junshi Biosciences; Regor Therapeutics Group; Lycia Therapeutics, Inc.; Kumquat Biosciences Inc.; Entos Pharmaceuticals Inc.; and Foghorn Therapeutics Inc. Eli Lilly and Company was founded in 1876 and is headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Bargain hunters looking to bag the elusive Hatchimal on Black Friday left local stores empty-handed of the hot item on the 2016 shopping list.

You cant find this one toy, said Kathy Shatto of Middlesex Township. It teaches kids how to take care of something. It gives them a little responsibility.

Normally Shatto thrives on the competition of edging out fellow shoppers in the quest to pick up what she needed to fulfill a Christmas wish. But the search Friday morning proved to be futile, and her big hope for the moment was the promise of a new shipment due to arrive that night at the Toys R Us store on the Carlisle Pike.

Weve tried other places, Shatto said. I have been online trying for the past two to three weeks. I have not been able to do it. She needed at least two Hatchimals.

I always shop on it  at least 40 years, she said of Black Friday. What she enjoys most is saving money with discounts of 50 percent or more depending on the item for sale.

Kathy and her husband Ken have 16 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. Though they went out shopping Thursday night, the couple long for a return to Black Friday bargains only on Black Friday.

Lyn Statler of Lower Mifflin Township was skeptical of her chances of bagging this years hot toy. If we can find a Hatchimal, we would definitely buy it for my niece, she said. I dont hold out hope.

My kids are kind of little so they dont have their hearts set on anything, added Statler, who has a 1-year-old and a 4-year-old at home. We will go with what we think they are into and hope that doesnt change in four weeks.

This is the first year I have not made a vacation out of Black Friday, Statler said. Normally my girlfriends and I leave right after Thanksgiving. We find a location with good shopping, book a hotel and get it all done in one weekend. We start with the wee hours of the morning and continue until our feet hurt. Then we have lunch or wrap for a while. Sometimes we see a movie or a show depending on where we were. We make a big weekend of it.

In the past, Statler and company have searched for bargains in Washington, D.C., area shops, the King of Prussia Mall or the Lancaster Outlets and Park City. They usually timed the return home to when their husbands are scheduled to leave for deer camp the Monday after Thanksgiving.

This year, Statler is shopping with her husband and older daughter because her main girlfriend and travel companion is vacationing in the Caribbean. Her trip to the Toys R Us on the Carlisle Pike Friday yielded a steal on bulk diapers and some bargain toys.

Erin Gabriele of Conshohocken, Montgomery County, was back in her native Hampden Township visiting her mother for Thanksgiving. It was the first time she went shopping on Black Friday.

I have 4-year-old twins at home, said Gabriele, noting that as they get older, the holiday gets more expensive. This year I have been watching the deals like crazy. I knew what I wanted to get. I did my research in advance. I had a plan going into the stores.

It was exciting to see everybody out, she added, reflecting on her first Black Friday. I like it and it got me in the Christmas spirit.

Some people object to stores being open on Thanksgiving night offering Black Friday-type bargains. To Gabriele, it is no big deal. She visited relatives in Hazleton during the day, had returned to Hampden Township by 6 p.m. and then went out bargain hunting with her mother.

Ill do it next year, she said. It definitely saves money. If stores would be open during the day, I would not do that. She would also avoid the early Friday morning rush for bargains.

Dennis and Jenny Bell of Silver Spring Township routinely shop at some point on Black Friday. Its more to look than to buy really, she said. I dont read the sales fliers. We do buy things if what we wanted is a good deal.

The Bells do not think stores should be open on Thanksgiving because retail workers deserve a day off with family.

Millie Wells of Carlisle has been a Black Friday shopper going back 11 years. I get the best deals ever, she said. It makes me feel like I am in the Christmas spirit.

Wells is optimistic Donald Trump is going to improve the economy and make America great again once he becomes president in January. Its going to get better, Wells said. I will probably spend more money on the holiday.
The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation provides a range of financial products and services in the United States and internationally. The company operates through Securities Services, Market and Wealth Services, Investment and Wealth Management, and Other segments. The Securities Services segment offers custody, trust and depositary, accounting, exchange-traded funds, middle-office solutions, transfer agency, services for private equity and real estate funds, foreign exchange, securities lending, liquidity/lending services, prime brokerage, and data analytics. This segment also provides trustee, paying agency, fiduciary, escrow and other financial, issuer, and support services for brokers and investors. The Market and Wealth Services segment offers clearing and custody, investment, wealth and retirement solutions, technology and enterprise data management, trading, and prime brokerage services; and clearance and collateral management services. This segment also provides integrated cash management solutions, including payments, foreign exchange, liquidity management, receivables processing and payables management, and trade finance and processing services. The Investment and Wealth Management segment offers investment management strategies and distribution of investment products, investment management, custody, wealth and estate planning, private banking, investment, and information management services. The Other segment engages in the provision of leasing, corporate treasury, derivative and other trading, corporate and bank-owned life insurance, renewable energy investment, and business exit services. It serves central banks and sovereigns, financial institutions, asset managers, insurance companies, corporations, local authorities and high net-worth individuals, and family offices. The company was founded in 1784 and is headquartered in New York, New York.
The Allstate Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, provides property and casualty, and other insurance products in the United States and Canada. The company operates through Allstate Protection; Protection Services; Allstate Health and Benefits; and Run-off Property-Liability segments. The Allstate Protection segment offers private passenger auto and homeowners insurance; specialty auto products, including motorcycle, trailer, motor home, and off-road vehicle insurance; other personal lines products, such as renter, condominium, landlord, boat, umbrella, and manufactured home and stand-alone scheduled personal property; and commercial lines products under the Allstate and Encompass brand names. The Protection Services segment provides consumer product protection plans and related technical support for mobile phones, consumer electronics, furniture, and appliances; finance and insurance products, including vehicle service contracts, guaranteed asset protection waivers, road hazard tire and wheel, and paint and fabric protection; roadside assistance; device and mobile data collection services; data and analytic solutions using automotive telematics information; and identity protection services. This segment offers its products under various brands including Allstate Protection Plans, Allstate Dealer Services, Allstate Roadside Services, Arity, and Allstate Identity Protection. The Allstate Health and Benefits provides life, accident, critical illness, short-term disability, and other health insurance products. The Run-off Property-Liability offers property and casualty insurance. It sells its products through call centers, agencies, financial specialists, independent agents, brokers, wholesale partners, and affinity groups, as well as through online and mobile applications. The Allstate Corporation was founded in 1931 and is based in Northbrook, Illinois.
The following companies are subsidiares of Textron: AAI Corporation, AAI Services Corporation, ALSTOM Gears, Able Aerospace, Able Aerospace Services Inc., Able Engineering & Component Services, Aeronautical Accessories LLC, Airborne Tactical Advantage Company LLC, Arctic Cat, Arctic Cat ACE Holding GmbH, Arctic Cat France SARL, Arctic Cat GmbH, Arctic Cat Inc., Arctic Cat Production LLC, Arctic Cat Production Support LLC, Arctic Cat Sales Inc., Arctic Cat Shared Services LLC, Arctic Cat UK Ltd., Arkansas Aerospace Inc., Avco Corporation, Aviation Service servis letal doo Ljubljana, Aylesbury Automation, B/K Navigational Equipment sro, BELL TEXTRON ASIA (PTE.) LTD., Beech Aircraft Corporation, Beech Holdings, Beechcraft Defense Support Holding LLC, Beechcraft Domestic Service Company, Beechcraft Germany GmbH, Beechcraft International Holding LLC, Beechcraft International Service Company, Beechcraft New Zealand, Bell Textron Canada International Inc., Bell Textron Canada Limited/Limitee, Bell Textron Co. Ltd, Bell Textron Inc., Bell Textron Korea Inc., Bell Textron LLC, Bell Textron Miami Inc., Bell Textron Prague a.s., Bell Textron Rhode Island Inc., Bell Textron Services Inc., Bell Textron Supply Center BV, Bell Textron Technical Services Inc., Benzlers, Brazaco Mapri Industrias, Burkland, Cessna Aircraft Company, Cessna Citation European Service Center SAS (99.9%; 1 share  Textron France SAS), Cessna Dusseldorf Citation Service Center GmbH, Cessna Finance Corporation, Cessna Finance Export Corporation, Cessna Mexico S de RL de CV, Cessna Spanish Citation Service Center SLU, Cessna Zurich Citation Service Center GmbH, Citation Parts Distribution International Inc., Cushman Inc., Datacom Technologies, David Brown Group, Doncaster Citation Service Centre Limited, E-Z-GO Canada Limited, Energy Manufacturing, Flexalloy, HBC LLC, Hawker Beech de Mexico S de RL de CV, Hawker Beechcraft Argentina SA , Howe & Howe Inc., Howe and Howe Technologies, Industrial Technology Inc., InteSys Technologies, International Product Support Inc., KSB Annecy SAS, Kautex (Changchun) Plastics Technology Co. Ltd., Kautex (Chongqing) Plastic Technology Co. Ltd., Kautex (Guangzhou) Plastic Technology Co. Ltd., Kautex (Pinghu) Plastic Technology Co. Ltd., Kautex (Shanghai) Plastic Technology Co. Ltd., Kautex (Wuhan) Plastic Technology Co. Ltd., Kautex Corporation, Kautex Craiova srl, Kautex Germany Holding GmbH, Kautex Inc., Kautex Japan KK, Kautex Shanghai GmbH, Kautex Textron (UK) Limited, Kautex Textron Benelux BVBA, Kautex Textron Bohemia spol sro, Kautex Textron CVS Limited, Kautex Textron GmbH & Co. KG, Kautex Textron Iberica SL, Kautex Textron Management Services Company de Puebla S. de RL de CV, Kautex Textron Portugal  Produtos Plasticos Sociedade Unipessoal Lda., Kautex Textron de Mexico S de RL de CV, Kautex Textron do Brasil Ltda., Kautex of Georgia Inc., Kaywood Products Corp., Klauke, LCI Corporation International, LLC Textron RUS, Maag, McCord Corporation, Mechtronix, Medical Numerics Inc., Midland Industrial Plastics, MillenWorks, MillenWorks Themed Technologies, MotorFist LLC, OPINICUS Simulation and Training Services LLC, OmniQuip International, Opinicus, Optical Boring Co., Opto-Electronics, Opto-Electronics Inc., Overwatch Systems, PEINER Umformtechnik, Pipistrel, Pirelli Tyres - General Rubber Goods (GRG) division, Premiair Aviation Maintenance Pty Ltd, Progressive Electronics, Ransomes, Ransomes Inc., Ransomes Investment LLC, Ransomes Jacobsen France SAS, Ransomes Jacobsen Limited, Ransomes Limited, Ransomes Pensions Trustee Company Limited, Replacement Part Solutions LLC, Response Technologies LLC, Rotor Blades Limited, Sukosim Verbindungselemente, TRU Simulation & Training Spain SL, TRU Simulation + Training Inc., TRU Simulation + Training LLC, TekGPS Engineering Srl, Textron Airland LLC, Textron Atlantic LLC, Textron Aviation Australia Pty. Ltd., Textron Aviation Canada Ltd., Textron Aviation Defense LLC, Textron Aviation Finance Corporation, Textron Aviation Inc., Textron Aviation Prague Service Center sro, Textron Aviation Rhode Island Inc., Textron Aviation Services de Mexico S de RL de CV, Textron Capital BV, Textron Communications Inc., Textron Far East Pte. Ltd., Textron Finance Holding Company, Textron Financial Corporation, Textron Financial Corporation Receivables Trust 2002-CP-2, Textron Fluid and Power Inc., Textron France Holding SAS, Textron France SAS, Textron Global Services Inc., Textron Ground Support Equipment Inc., Textron Ground Support Equipment UK Limited, Textron IPMP Inc., Textron India Private Limited , Textron Innovations Inc., Textron International Inc., Textron International Mexico S de RL de CV, Textron Limited, Textron Management Services Inc., Textron Motors GmbH, Textron Motors North America Inc., Textron Outdoor Power Equipment Inc., Textron Realty Corporation, Textron Shared Service Centre (Canada) Inc., Textron Specialized Vehicles Inc., Textron Sweden AB, Textron Systems Australia Holding Pty Ltd, Textron Systems Australia Pty Ltd, Textron Systems Canada Inc., Textron Systems Corporation, Textron Systems Electronic Systems UK (Holdings) Limited, Textron Systems Electronic Systems UK Limited, Textron Trading (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Textron UK Pension Trustee Limited, Textron Verwaltungs-GmbH, Turbine Engine Components Textron (Newington Operations) Inc., United Industrial Corporation, Westminster Insurance Company, Williams Machine & Tool, and Zhenjiang Bell Textron Aviation Services Limited.

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The following companies are subsidiares of Emerson Electric: A.P.M. Automation Solutions Ltd., AE Valves, AGI Mexicana S.A. de C.V., ALCO CONTROLS spol. s.r.o., APM Automation Solutions, ASC Investments Inc., ASCO (Japan) Company Limited, ASCO L.P., ASCO Numatics (India) Private Limited, ASCO Numatics Holding Inc., ASCO SAS, ASCO Valve (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., ASCO/JOUCOMATIC s.r.o., ATX SAS, Advanced Protection Technologies, Aegir Norge Holding AS, Alliance Compressors LLC, American Governor, Aperture, Apple JV Holding Corp., Appleton Electric LLC, Appleton Electric S.A. de C.V., Appleton Group, Appleton Group Canada Ltd., Appleton Grp LLC, Appleton Holding Corp., Appleton Holding Sarl, Artesyn Embedded Technologies, Artesyn Hungary Elektronikai Kft., Artesyn Technologies, Asco AB, Asco Controls AG, Asco Controls B.V., Asco Joucomatic Ltd., Asco Joucomatic ZA B.V., Asco Magnesszelep Kft., Asco Numatics GmbH, Asco Numatics S.A., Asco Numatics Sirai S.R.L., Asco Numatics Sp. z o.o., Ascomatica S.A. de C.V., Ascomation (NZ) Ltd., Ascomation Pty. Ltd., Ascotech S.A. de C.V., Ascoval Industria e Commercio Ltda, Automatic Switch Company, Aventics, Aventics, Aventics AB, Aventics AG, Aventics AS, Aventics ApS, Aventics B.V., Aventics Corporation, Aventics Holding S.A.S., Aventics Holding S.a.r.l., Aventics Hungary Kft, Aventics Inc., Aventics India Private Limited, Aventics Limited, Aventics Ltd., Aventics Oy, Aventics Pneumatics Equipment (Changzhou) Co. Ltd., Aventics Pneumatics Trading (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Aventics S.A.S., Aventics S.R.L., Aventics Services Germany GmbH, Aventics Singapore Pte. Ltd., Aventics Sp. z.o.o., Aventics Spain S.L., Aventics spol. s.r.o., Avtron LoadBank, Bannerscientific Limited, Beckman Industrial B.V., Beijing Rosemount Far East Instrument Co. Ltd., Bettis Canada Ltd., Bettis Holdings Limited, Bettis UK Limited, Biffi Italia S.r.l., Bioproduction Group, Branson Korea Co. Ltd., Branson Ultrasonic S.A., Branson Ultrasonics (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Branson Ultrasonics B.V., Branson Ultrasonics Corporation, Branson Ultrasonics a.s., Branson Ultrasonidos S.A.E., Branson Ultrasons SAS, Branson Ultrasuoni S.R.L., Branson de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Bray Lectroheat Limited, Bristol Babcock Limited, Bristol Inc., Buehler Europe Limited, Buehler UK Limited, CR Compressors LLC, CSA Consulting Engineers Ltd., California Emerson LLC, Cascade Technologies, Cascade Technologies Holdings Limited, Cascade Technologies Limited, Chemat GmbH Armaturen fur Industrie - und Nuklearanlage, Chloride Koexa S.A., Componentes Avanzados de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Computational Systems, Computational Systems Incorporated, Conception et Representation de Technologies de Controle C.R.T. Controle SAS, Control Products Inc., Controles de Temperatura S.A. de C.V., Cooligy Inc., Cooper-Atkins, Cooper-Atkins Corporation, Cooper-Atkins Pte. Ltd., Copeland Access + Inc., Copeland Compresores Hermeticos S.A. de C.V., Copeland Corporation, Copeland Corporation LLC, Copeland Limited, Copeland Redevelopment Corporation, Copeland Scroll Compresores de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Copeland de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Copesub Inc., Crosby Valve LLC, Damcos A/S, Damcos Holding A/S, Daniel Automation Company, Daniel Europe Limited, Daniel Industrial Inc., Daniel Industries, Daniel Industries Canada Inc., Daniel Industries Inc., Daniel Industries Limited, Daniel International Limited, Daniel Measurement Solutions Private Limited, Daniel Measurement and Control Inc., Daniel Measurement and Control S. de R.L. de C.V., Danmasa S.A. de C.V., Dar Ibtikar Al Iraq for General Services and General Trade LLC, Decision Management International, Dieterich Standard Inc., Digital Appliance Controls (UK) Limited, Dixell North America Inc., Dixell S.R.L., Do+Able Products, E. Business Development E.B.D.Com Ltd., E.G.P. Corporation, EECO Inc., EGS Comercializadora Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., EGS Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., EGS Private Ltd., EMERSON CLIMATE TECHNOLOGIES s.r.o., EMR (Asia) Limited, EMR (Mauritius) Ltd., EMR Emerson Holdings (Switzerland) GmbH, EMR Europe Holdings Inc., EMR Foundation Inc., EMR Holdings (France) SAS, EMR Holdings Inc., EMR Worldwide B.V., EMR Worldwide Inc., EMRSN HLDG B.V., EMRSN Process Management Morocco Sarl, ENPDOR2012A Limited, ENPESNA Inc., EPM Tulsa Holdings Corp., EPMCO Holdings Inc., ETC International Holdings Ltd., Easy Heat Europe SAS, Easy Heat Inc., El-O-Matic B.V., El-O-Matic Valve Actuators (F.E.) Pte. Ltd., Electrische Apparatenfabriek Capax B.V., Emerald Advanced Technology Limited, Emerson (Philippines) Corporation, Emerson (Taiwan) Limited, Emerson (Thailand) Limited, Emerson Arabia Inc., Emerson Argentina S.A., Emerson Asia Pacific Private Limited, Emerson Automation Solutions Actuation Technologies Holdings Inc., Emerson Automation Solutions Actuation Technologies Limited, Emerson Automation Solutions Final Control (Beijing) Co. Ltd., Emerson Automation Solutions Final Control (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Emerson Automation Solutions Final Control (Sichuan) Co. Ltd., Emerson Automation Solutions Final Control (Taiwan) Ltd., Emerson Automation Solutions Final Control (Thailand) Ltd., Emerson Automation Solutions Final Control Africa (Pty) Ltd, Emerson Automation Solutions Final Control Australia Pty Limited, Emerson Automation Solutions Final Control Czech Republic s.r.o., Emerson Automation Solutions Final Control Denmark A/S, Emerson Automation Solutions Final Control France SARL, Emerson Automation Solutions Final Control Germany GmbH, Emerson Automation Solutions Final Control Hong Kong Limited, Emerson Automation Solutions Final Control Hungary Kft, Emerson Automation Solutions Final Control Italia S.r.l., Emerson Automation Solutions Final Control LLC, Emerson Automation Solutions Final Control Malaysia Sdn Bhd, Emerson Automation Solutions Final Control Middle East FZE, Emerson Automation Solutions Final Control Netherlands B.V., Emerson Automation Solutions Final Control Polska Sp. Z.o.o., Emerson Automation Solutions Final Control Sales Australia Pty Limited, Emerson Automation Solutions Final Control Sales Holding LLC, Emerson Automation Solutions Final Control Singapore Pte. Ltd., Emerson Automation Solutions Final Control South Africa (Pty) Ltd, Emerson Automation Solutions Final Control UK II Ltd, Emerson Automation Solutions Final Control UK Ltd, Emerson Automation Solutions Final Control US LP, Emerson Automation Solutions Final Control de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Emerson Automation Solutions GmbH, Emerson Automation Solutions Intelligent Platforms (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Emerson Automation Solutions Intelligent Platforms Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd., Emerson Automation Solutions Intelligent Platforms Private Limited, Emerson Automation Solutions Intelligent Platforms do Brasil Ltda, Emerson Automation Solutions Ireland Limited, Emerson Automation Solutions Isolation Valves Inc., Emerson Automation Solutions SSC UK Limited, Emerson Automation Solutions UK Limited, Emerson Beijing Instrument Co. Ltd., Emerson Climate Services LLC, Emerson Climate Technologies (India) Private Limited, Emerson Climate Technologies (Shenyang) Refrigeration Co. Ltd., Emerson Climate Technologies (South Africa) (Pty) Ltd, Emerson Climate Technologies (Suzhou) Co. Ltd., Emerson Climate Technologies (Suzhou) Trading Co. Ltd., Emerson Climate Technologies - Solutions (Suzhou) Co. Ltd., Emerson Climate Technologies - Transportation Solutions ApS, Emerson Climate Technologies Arabia Limited Co., Emerson Climate Technologies Australia Pty. Ltd., Emerson Climate Technologies FZE, Emerson Climate Technologies GmbH, Emerson Climate Technologies Inc., Emerson Climate Technologies Limited, Emerson Climate Technologies Mexico S.A. de C.V., Emerson Climate Technologies Refrigeration S.A., Emerson Climate Technologies Retail Solutions Europe S.R.L., Emerson Climate Technologies Retail Solutions Inc., Emerson Climate Technologies Retail Solutions UK Limited, Emerson Climate Technologies S.A., Emerson Climate Technologies S.R.L., Emerson Climate Technologies Sarl, Emerson Commercial & Residential Tools LLC, Emerson Commerical & Residential Asia Limited, Emerson Comres de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Emerson DHC B.V., Emerson Dietzenbach GmbH, Emerson Dominicana Srl, Emerson Egypt LLC, Emerson Electric (Asia) Limited, Emerson Electric (China) Holdings Co. Ltd., Emerson Electric (M) Sdn Bhd, Emerson Electric (Mauritius) Ltd., Emerson Electric (South Asia) Pte. Ltd., Emerson Electric (Thailand) Limited, Emerson Electric (Tongling) Co. Ltd., Emerson Electric (U.S.) Holding Corporation, Emerson Electric (U.S.) Holding Corporation (Chile) Limitada, Emerson Electric (Zhuhai) Co. Ltd., Emerson Electric CR Limitada, Emerson Electric Canada Limited, Emerson Electric Company (India) Private Limited, Emerson Electric Company Lanka (Private) Limited, Emerson Electric Holdings (Switzerland) GmbH, Emerson Electric II C.A., Emerson Electric International Inc., Emerson Electric Ireland Limited, Emerson Electric Korea Ltd., Emerson Electric Nederland B.V., Emerson Electric Overseas Finance Corp., Emerson Electric Poland Sp. z o.o., Emerson Electric U.K. Limited, Emerson Electric de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Emerson Electric do Brasil Ltda, Emerson Energy Systems (UK) Limited, Emerson FZE, Emerson Final Control US Holding LLC, Emerson Finance LLC, Emerson Fusite Electric (Shenzhen) Co. Ltd., Emerson Gabon SARL, Emerson Hazardous Electrical Equipment (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Emerson Holding Company Limited, Emerson Holding Sweden AB, Emerson InSinkErator Appliance (Nanjing) Co. Ltd., Emerson Industrial Automation USA Inc., Emerson International Holding Company Limited, Emerson Japan Ltd., Emerson Junkang Enterprise (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Emerson Korea Limited, Emerson LLC, Emerson LLP, Emerson Machinery Equipment (Shenzhen) Co. Ltd., Emerson Mexico Finance S.A. de C.V. SOFOM ENR, Emerson Middle East Inc., Emerson Network Power DHC B.V., Emerson Paradigm Holding LLC, Emerson Process Management (India) Private Limited, Emerson Process Management (South Africa) (Proprietary) Ltd., Emerson Process Management (Tianjin) Valves Co. Ltd., Emerson Process Management (Vietnam) Co. Ltd., Emerson Process Management A/S (Denmark), Emerson Process Management AB, Emerson Process Management AG, Emerson Process Management AS, Emerson Process Management Angola Lda, Emerson Process Management Arabia Limited, Emerson Process Management Australia Pty Limited, Emerson Process Management B.V., Emerson Process Management Chennai Private Limited, Emerson Process Management Co. Ltd., Emerson Process Management Distribution Limited, Emerson Process Management Europe GmbH, Emerson Process Management Flow B.V., Emerson Process Management Flow Technologies Co. Ltd., Emerson Process Management GmbH & Co. OHG, Emerson Process Management Holding AG, Emerson Process Management Holding LLC, Emerson Process Management Kft., Emerson Process Management LLLP, Emerson Process Management Lda, Emerson Process Management Limited, Emerson Process Management Ltda, Emerson Process Management Magyarorszag Kft., Emerson Process Management Manufacturing (M) Sdn Bhd, Emerson Process Management Marine Solutions Korea Co. Ltd., Emerson Process Management Marine Solutions Singapore Pte. Ltd., Emerson Process Management Marine Systems (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Emerson Process Management NV, Emerson Process Management New Zealand Limited, Emerson Process Management Nigeria Limited, Emerson Process Management Oy, Emerson Process Management Power & Water Solutions (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Emerson Process Management Power & Water Solutions Inc., Emerson Process Management Power & Water Solutions India Private Limited, Emerson Process Management Qatar W.L.L., Emerson Process Management Regulator Technologies Inc., Emerson Process Management Regulator Technologies Tulsa LLC, Emerson Process Management Romania S.R.L., Emerson Process Management S.A., Emerson Process Management S.A. de C.V., Emerson Process Management S.L., Emerson Process Management S.R.L., Emerson Process Management SAS, Emerson Process Management Shared Services Limited, Emerson Process Management Sp. z o.o., Emerson Process Management Ticaret Limited Sirket, Emerson Process Management UAB, Emerson Process Management Valve Automation (M) Sdn Bhd, Emerson Process Management Valve Automation (Tianjin) Co. Ltd., Emerson Process Management Valve Automation Inc., Emerson Process Management Verwaltung GmbH, Emerson Process Management d.o.o., Emerson Process Management de Colombia SAS, Emerson Process Management del Peru S.A.C., Emerson Process Management s.r.o., Emerson Professional Tools (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Emerson Puerto Rico Inc., Emerson Retail Services Europe GmbH, Emerson S.R.L., Emerson Sales UK Limited, Emerson Saudi Arabia LLC, Emerson Scroll Machining (Thailand) Limited, Emerson Sice S.R.L., Emerson Sweden AB, Emerson TOV, Emerson Technologies GmbH & Co. OHG, Emerson Technologies Verwaltungs GmbH, Emerson Tool Company de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Emerson Tool and Appliance Company S. de R.L. de C.V., Emerson Trading (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Emerson UK Trustees Limited, Emerson USD Finance Company Limited, Emerson Valves & Controls Japan Co. Ltd., Emerson Ventures Inc., Emerson Vulcan Holding LLC, Emerson Xi'an Engineering Center, Emersub 1 LLC, Emersub 10 LLC, Emersub 11 LLC, Emersub 12 LLC, Emersub 14 LLC, Emersub 15 LLC, Emersub 16 LLC, Emersub 3 LLC, Emersub 4 LLC, Emersub 5 LLC, Emersub 7 LLC, Emersub 8 LLC, Emersub 9 LLC, Emersub CII Inc., Emersub CV Inc., Emersub Italia S.R.L., Emersub LXXXIV Inc., Emersub LXXXVI Inc., Emersub Mexico Inc., Emersub Treasury Ireland Unlimited Company, Emersub XLVI Inc., Emersub XXXVI Inc., Emirates Techno Casting FZE, Emirates Techno Casting Holding Limited, Emirates Techno Casting LLC, Enardo, Endura-Greenlee Tools, Energy Solutions International (India) Private Limited, Energy Solutions International GP LLC, Energy Solutions International Ltd., Energy Solutions International SAS, Energy Solutions International Sub LLC, F-R Tecnologias de Flujo S.A. de C.V., FC QSF LLC, FMC Technologies, Fiberconn Assemblies Morocco Sarl, Fincor Holding LLC, Fire & Safety Group.Com Ltd., Fisher Controles de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Fisher Controls International LLC, Fisher Jeon Gas Equipment (Chengdu) Co. Ltd., Fisher Regulators (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Fisher Sanmar Limited, Fisher-Rosemount Systems Inc., Flow Control Holding GmbH & Co. KG, Flow Control Holding Verwaltungs GmbH, Flow Control US Holding Corporation, Francel SAS, Fromex S.A. de C.V., Fusite B.V., Fusite Corporation, Fusite Land Company, GSEG LLC, General Equipment and Manufacturing Company Inc., Generale de Robinetterie Industrielle et de Sytemes de Surete, GeoFields, GeoFields Inc., Greenex Ltd., Greenfield (UK) Limited, Greenlee, Greenlee Communications, Greenlee Tools Inc., Gulf Valve FZE, Gustav Klauke GmbH, H.T.E. Engineering Limited, HD Electric Company, HTE Engineering Services Limited, Hindle Cockburns Limited, Hiross India Private Limited, Hiter Industria e Comercia de Controles Termo-Hidraulicos Ltda., Humboldt Hermetic Motor Corp., Hytork International Ltd., I Solutions Inc., ICC Intelligent Platforms GmbH, ISE-MagTech, Industrial Controls Canada ULC, Industrial Group Metran JSC, Instrument & Valve Services Company, Intelligent Platforms LLC, Intellution, International Gas Distribution SA, Intrinsic Safety Equipment of Texas Inc., JCF Fluid Flow India Private Limited, JSC Metran-Export, Joucomatic S.A., K Controls Limited, Keystone Germany Holdings Corp., Keystone Valve (Korea) LLC, Keystone Valve (U.K.) Limited, Klauke, Klauke (Jiangsu) Electrical Connection Technology Co Ltd., Klauke France SARL, Klauke Handelsgesellschaft mbH, Klauke Iberia S.L., Klauke Polska Sp. z.o.o., Klauke Slovakia s.r.o., Klauke UK Ltd., Knurr, Liebert, Liebert Swindon Limited, Locus Solutions LLC, Locus Traxx Worldwide, Locus Traxx Worldwide Europe BVBA, MDC Technology Limited, MDC Technology Trustees Limited, METCO Services Limited, MYNAH Technologies, Management Resources Group Inc., Mecafrance (Deutschland) GmbH, Metallurgical Services Laboratories Limited, Metaserv Limited, Metco Services Venezuela C.A., Micro Motion Inc., Mobrey Group Limited, Motores Hermeticos del Sur S.A. de C.V., NetworkPower Ecuador S.A., Nippon Fisher Co. Ltd., Novel Environmental Technologies Ltd., Novel Extinguishing Agent Technology Ltd., Numatics Incorporated, Nutsteel DHC B.V., Nutsteel Industria Metalurgica Ltda, O.M.T. Officina Meccanica Tartarini S.r.l., Open Systems International, P I Components Corp., PT Emerson Solutions Indonesia, PT. Emerson Indonesia, PT. Paradigm Geophysical Indonesia, Pactrol Controls Limited, PakSense, PakSense Inc., Paradigm, Paradigm (UK) Holding Limited, Paradigm B.V., Paradigm France S.A., Paradigm Geophysical (India) Private Limited, Paradigm Geophysical (KL) Sdn. Bhd., Paradigm Geophysical (Nigeria) Limited, Paradigm Geophysical (U.K.) Limited, Paradigm Geophysical B.V., Paradigm Geophysical Corp., Paradigm Geophysical Italy SRL, Paradigm Geophysical LLC, Paradigm Geophysical Limited, Paradigm Geophysical Pty Ltd, Paradigm Geophysical S.A., Paradigm Geophysical Sdn. Bhd., Paradigm Geophysical Spain S.L., Paradigm Geophysical de Venezuela C.A., Paradigm Geophysical do Brasil Ltda., Paradigm Geoservices Canada Ltd., Paradigm Geotechnology (Egypt) S.A.E., Paradigm Kazakhstan LLP, Paradigm Middle East FZ-LLC, Paradigm Technology (Beijing) Co. Ltd., Parex Industries Limited, Pentair Valves & Controls, Pentair Valves and Controls India Private Limited, Permasense, Permasense Asia Pacific Sdn Bhd, Permasense Limited, ProSys, ProTeam Inc., Progea, RAC Technologies (Israel) Ltd., RIDGID Inc., RPP Europe GmbH, RPP LLC, Rey-Lam S. de R.L. de C.V., Ridge Tool (Australia) Pty. Ltd., Ridge Tool Company, Ridge Tool Europe NV, Ridge Tool GmbH, Ridge Tool GmbH & Co. OHG, Ridge Tool Manufacturing Company, Ridge Tool Pattern Company, Ridgid France SAS, Ridgid Italia S.R.L., Ridgid Online Inc., Ridgid Scandinavia A/S, Ridgid Werkzeuge AG, Rosemount China Inc., Rosemount Inc., Rosemount Measurement Limited, Rosemount Nuclear Instruments Inc., Rosemount Specialty Products LLC, Rosemount Tank Gauging India Pvt. Ltd., Rosemount Tank Gauging Middle East SPC, Rosemount Tank Gauging North America Inc., Rosemount Tank Radar AB, Rosemount Tank Radar Properties AB, Roxar, Roxar AS, Roxar Flow Measurement AS, Roxar Flow Measurement Sdn Bhd, Roxar Limited, Roxar Maximum Reservoir Performance W.L.L., Roxar Saudi Co., Roxar Services AS, Roxar Services OOO, Roxar Software Solutions AS, Roxar Technologies AS, Roxar Vietnam Company Ltd., Roxar de Venezuela C.A., Rutherfurd Acquisitions Limited, S.F.T. Group Ltd., SABO-Armaturen Service GmbH, Safety Systems UK Pte. Ltd., Sakhi-Raimondi Valve (India) Limited, Scroll Compressors LLC, Scroll Mexico LLC, Sempell GmbH, Shanghai Virgo Valves Technology Consulting Co. Ltd., Sherman + Reilly, Soluciones 0925 C.A., Spectra-Tek Holdings Limited, Spectra-Tek International Limited, Spectra-Tek UK Limited, Spectrex, Spectrex Inc., Spectronix Ltd., Spensall Engineering Limited, Steel Support Systems Limited, Stratos Lightwave, System Plast International B.V., System Plast Ltda, System Plast USA de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., TDM-avtomatizatsiya, TV&C GP Holding LLC, Taiwan Valve Co. Ltd., TechnipFMC, Termocontroles de Juarez S.A. de C.V., Tescom Corporation, Tescom Europe GmbH & Co. KG, Tescom Europe Management GmbH, The Automation Group Inc., The J.R. Clarkson Company LLC, Therm-O-Disc Europe B.V., Therm-O-Disc Incorporated, Thunderline Z Inc., TopWorx UK Limited, Tranmet Holdings B.V., Tranmet Holdings Limited, Verdant Environmental Technologies, Vilter Manufacturing LLC, Virgo Valves & Controls (ME) FZE, Virgo Valves and Controls Sdn Bhd, Von Arx AG, Vulsub 1 Limited, Vulsub Brasil Holding, Vulsub Brasil Ltda., Vulsub Chile SpA, Vulsub Gulf Holding Limited, Vulsub Holding III (Denmark) ApS, Vulsub Holding Ltd, Vulsub Holdings A LLC, Vulsub Holdings B LLC, Vulsub Holdings C LLC, Vulsub Holdings D LLC, Vulsub Italia S.r.l., Vulsub Middle East Holdings LLC, Vulsub Peru S.A.C., Vulsub Property Holding LLC, Vulsub Property Limited, Vulsub S.A., Vulsub South Africa (Pty) Ltd, Vulsub VZ C.A., Westinghouse Electric Pvt. Limited, Westlock Controls Limited, Westlock Equipamentos de Controle Ltda., Woodstock Land Company LLC, epro GmbH, iSolera Inc., iSolutions Private Limited, and intelliSAW.

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When you gather with family and friends this holiday season, what will top your list of blessings? Good health? A job promotion? That fabulous new car in the driveway that youve always wanted?

Or will it be something less material and more soulful? Like the sound of your childs laughter. Or the burst of color as you walk together through a swirl of falling leaves. Or the powerful bond you feel with that little person as you share a bedtime story.

Our lives and work are measured so often now in Facebook likes and Twitter re-tweets, in Instagram followers, or the latest Google analytics. We can measure almost everything we do by virtue of algorithms. But how do we calculate the value of time spent nurturing our children and grandchildren? Or the impact, large and small, that kids have on societys emotional and physical well-being?

My job requires me to delve into the darker sides of human behavior and measure their impact on children. Im forced to explore the horrific reality of childrens deaths and injuries at the hands of perpetrators, some of whom are their parents, caregivers, and so-called loved ones.

Those numbers are recorded in an annual state report. The statistical analysis of child abuses toll exposes it as a public health epidemic. But its so much more than that. Death by child abuse robs us each year of the equivalent of a classroom of children in Pennsylvania. We lose their laughter, their innocence, their creativity, their essence. They are gone forever as if whispers on the wind.

It doesnt have to be this way.

Child abuse is preventable.

Through strong parenting programs, family-support activities, community-awareness efforts, and educating professionals and community members how to recognize and report child abuse, we can create a safer world for our children. Each one of us has a role to play in protecting kids from abuse and neglect.

I urge you during this festive and giving time of year to become more soulful about Pennsylvanias children and the incalculable worth they bring to you and our world. They are our richest, dearest blessing. Become actively involved in Pennsylvania Family Support Alliances work of protecting kids by hosting one of our Front Porch Project community workshops. Take a parenting class at a PFSA-affiliated agency in your region. Or, enroll you and your coworkers and employees in our free, on-site, face-to-face training session in how to recognize and report child abuse. You can learn more at our website www.pa-fsa.org.

Remember, every kid needs a champion. Let us count you as a blessing to Pa.s kids this holiday season.
The following companies are subsidiares of Barclays: Adler Toy Holding Sarl, Aequor Investments Limited, Alymere Investments Limited, Alynore Investments Limited Partnership, Analog Analytics, Analog Analytics Inc, Analytical Trade Holdings LLC, Analytical Trade Investments LLC, Analytical Trade UK Limited, Archstone Equity Holdings Inc, Ardencroft Investments Limited, B D & B Investments Limited, B.P.B. (Holdings) Limited, BB Client Nominees Limited, BBAIL SAS, BCAP LLC, BIFML PTC Limited, BMBF (No.24) Limited, BMI (No.9) Limited, BNC Brazil Consultoria Empresarial Ltda, BNRI ENG 2013 Limited Partnership, BNRI ENG 2014 Limited Partnership, BNRI ENG GP LLP, BNRI England 2010 Limited Partnership, BNRI England 2011 Limited Partnership, BNRI England 2012 Limited Partnership, BNRI Limehouse No.1 Sarl, BNRI PIA Scot GP Limited, BNRI Scots GP LLP, BPB Holdings SA, BVP Galvani Global S.A.U., Barafor Limited, Barclay Leasing Limited, Barclaycard Funding PLC, Barclaycard International Payments Limited, Barclays (Barley) Limited, Barclays Aldersgate Investments Limited, Barclays Alzin Investments S.a r.l., Barclays Asia Limited, Barclays Asset Management Limited, Barclays BR Investments S.a r.l., Barclays BWA Inc., Barclays Bank (Suisse) S.A., Barclays Bank Delaware, Barclays Bank Ireland PLC, Barclays Bank Ireland Public Limited Company, Barclays Bank Mexico S.A., Barclays Bank PLC, Barclays Bank UK PLC, Barclays Bayard Investments S.a r.l., Barclays Bedivere Investments S.a r.l., Barclays Bordang Investments S.a r.l., Barclays Brasil Assessoria Financeira Ltda., Barclays CCP Funding LLC, Barclays Cantal Investments S.a r.l., Barclays Capital (Cayman) Limited, Barclays Capital Asia Holdings Limited, Barclays Capital Asia Limited, Barclays Capital Canada Inc., Barclays Capital Casa de Bolsa S.A. de C.V., Barclays Capital Derivatives Funding LLC, Barclays Capital Effekten GmbH, Barclays Capital Energy Inc., Barclays Capital Equities Trading GP, Barclays Capital Finance Limited, Barclays Capital Futures (Singapore) Private Limited, Barclays Capital Holdings (Singapore) Private Limited, Barclays Capital Holdings Inc., Barclays Capital Inc., Barclays Capital Japan Securities Holdings Limited, Barclays Capital Luxembourg S.a r.l., Barclays Capital Mauritius Limited, Barclays Capital Nominees (No.2) Limited, Barclays Capital Nominees (No.3) Limited, Barclays Capital Nominees Limited, Barclays Capital Principal Investments Limited, Barclays Capital Real Estate Finance Inc., Barclays Capital Real Estate Holdings Inc., Barclays Capital Real Estate Inc., Barclays Capital Securities Client Nominee Limited, Barclays Capital Securities Limited, Barclays Capital Securities Mauritius Limited, Barclays Capital Trading Luxembourg S.a r.l., Barclays Claudas Investments Partnership, Barclays Claudas Investments S.a r.l., Barclays Commercial Mortgage Securities LLC, Barclays Converted Investments (No.2) Limited, Barclays Corporation Limited, Barclays Direct Investing Nominees Limited, Barclays Directors Limited, Barclays Dryrock Funding LLC, Barclays Electronic Commerce Holdings Inc., Barclays Equity Holdings Limited, Barclays Equity Index Investments S.a r.l., Barclays Europe Client Nominees Designated Activity Company, Barclays Europe Firm Nominees Designated Activity Company, Barclays Europe Nominees Designated Activity Company, Barclays Executive Schemes Trustees Limited, Barclays Financial LLC, Barclays Financial Planning Nominee Company Limited, Barclays Funds Investments Limited, Barclays Funds and Advisory Japan Limited, Barclays Global Service Centre Private Limited, Barclays Global Shareplans Nominee Limited, Barclays Group Holdings Limited, Barclays Group Operations Limited, Barclays Group US Inc., Barclays Index Finance Trust, Barclays Industrial Development Limited, Barclays Industrial Investments Limited, Barclays Insurance Guernsey PCC Limited, Barclays Insurance Services Company Limited, Barclays Insurance U.S. Inc., Barclays International Luxembourg Dollar Holdings S.a r.l., Barclays Investment Management Limited, Barclays Investment Solutions Limited, Barclays Investments & Loans (India) Limited, Barclays Korea GP Limited, Barclays Lamorak Investments S.a r.l., Barclays Leasing (No.9) Limited, Barclays Leto Investments S.a r.l., Barclays Long Island Limited, Barclays Luxembourg EUR Holdings S.a r.l, Barclays Luxembourg Finance S.a r.l., Barclays Luxembourg GBP Holdings S.a r.l., Barclays Luxembourg Global Funding S.a r.l., Barclays Luxembourg Holdings S.a r.l., Barclays Luxembourg Holdings SSC B, Barclays Marlist Limited, Barclays Mauritius Overseas Holdings Limited, Barclays Mercantile Business Finance Limited, Barclays Merchant Bank (Singapore) Ltd., Barclays Nominees (George Yard) Limited, Barclays Nominees (Guernsey) Limited, Barclays Nominees (Jersey) Limited, Barclays Nominees (Manx) Limited, Barclays Oversight Management Inc., Barclays Payment Solutions Inc., Barclays Pelleas Investments Limited Partnership, Barclays Pelleas Investments S.a r.l., Barclays Pension Funds Trustees Limited, Barclays Principal Investments Limited, Barclays Private Asset Management (Monaco) S.A.M, Barclays Private Bank, Barclays Private Clients International Limited, Barclays Receivables LLC, Barclays SAMS Limited, Barclays Securities (India) Private Limited, Barclays Securities Japan Limited, Barclays Security Trustee Limited, Barclays Services (Japan) Limited, Barclays Services Corporation, Barclays Services Jersey Limited, Barclays Services LLC, Barclays Services Limited, Barclays Shea Limited, Barclays Singapore Global Shareplans Nominee Limited, Barclays Switzerland Services SA, Barclays Tenedora De Immuebles SL., Barclays Term Funding Limited Liability Partnership, Barclays UK Investments Limited, Barclays US CCP Funding LLC, Barclays US Funding LLC, Barclays US GPF Inc., Barclays US Investments Inc., Barclays US LLC, Barclays Unquoted Investments Limited, Barclays Unquoted Property Investments Limited, Barclays Wealth Management Jersey Limited, Barclays Wealth Nominees Limited, Barclays Wealth Services Limited, Barclays Wealth Trustees (India) Private Limited, Barclayshare Nominees Limited, Barclaytrust Channel Islands Limited, Barcosec Limited, Barsec Nominees Limited, Blossom Finance General Partnership, Branchcall Computers (Pvt) Limited, Braven Investments No.1 Limited, CP Flower Guaranteeco (UK) Limited, CP Newco 1 Limited, CP Newco2 Limited, CP Newco3 Limited, CP Propco 1 Limited, CP Propco 2 Limited, CP Topco Limited, CPIA Canada Holdings, CPIA England 2008 Limited Partnership, CPIA England 2009 Limited Partnership, CPIA England No.2 Limited Partnership, CPIA Investments No.1 Limited, CPIA Investments No.2 Limited, CRE Diversified Holdings LLC, CREW Tahoe Holdings LLC, CREW Tahoe LLC, Calthorpe Investments Limited, Capton Investments Limited, Carnegie Holdings Limited, Central Platte Valley Management LLC, Chapelcrest Investments Limited, Charles Schwab Europe, Claudas Investments Limited, Claudas Investments Two Limited, Clydesdale Financial Services Limited, Cobalt Investments Limited, Compania Regional del Sur S.A., Compania Sudamerica S.A., Condor No.1 Limited Partnership, Cornwall Homes Loans Limited, Crescent Crown Land Holding SPV LLC, Crescent Legacy LLC, Crescent Plaza Residential L.P., Crescent Plaza Residential LLC, Crescent Plaza Residential LP LLC, Crescent Real Estate Member LLC, Crescent Resort Development LLC, Crescent TRS Holdings LLC, Crescent Tower Residences GP LLC, Crescent Tower Residences L.P., Curve Investments GP, DBL Texas Holdings LLC, DMW Realty Limited, Desert Mountain Development LLC, Desert Mountain Properties Limited Partnership, Develop Training Group Limited, Dorset Home Loans Limited, Durlacher Nominees Limited, EWRD Summit LLC, Eagle Financial and Leasing Services (UK) Limited, East West Resort Development V L.P. L.L.L.P., East West Resort Development VII LLC, Equity Limited Partnership, Equity Value Investments No.1 Limited, Equity Value Investments No.2 Limited, Erimon Home Loans Ireland Limited, Expobank, FIRSTPLUS Financial Group Limited, Finpart Nominees Limited, First Assurance, Foltus Investments Limited, Full House Holdings Limited, Gallen Investments Limited, Global Dynasty Natural Resource Private, Globe Nominees Limited, Gracechurch Services Corporation, Grays Station LLC, Grupo Financiero Barclays Mexico S.A. de C.V., Hawkins Funding Limited, Heraldglen Limited, Holding Stuttgarter Strae GmbH, Hurley Investments No.1 Limited, Imalivest Mineral Resources LP, Investors In Infrastructure Limited, J.V. Estates Limited, JV Assets Limited, Kirsche Investments Limited, LTDL Holdings LLC, La Torretta Beverages LLC, La Torretta Hospitality LLC, La Torretta Operations LLC, Lagalla Investments LLC, Leonis Investments LLP, Liability Partnership, Long Island Assets Limited, Long Island Holding A LLC, Long Island Holding B Limited, MK Opportunities GP Ltd, MK Opportunities LP, MVWP Investors LLC, Maloney Investments Limited, Marbury Holdings LLC, Menlo Investments Limited, Mercantile Credit Company Limited, Mercantile Leasing Company (No.132) Limited, Meridian (SPV-AMC) Corporation, Mintaka Investments No. 4 Limited, Mira Vista Development LLC, Mira Vista Golf Club L.C., Mountainside Partners LLC, Murray House Investment Management Limited, Naxos Investments Limited, Nile Bank, North Colonnade Investments Limited, Northstar Mountain Properties LLC, Northstar Trailside Townhomes LLC, Northstar Village Townhomes LLC, Northwharf Investments Limited, Northwharf Nominees Limited, OGP Leasing Limited, Oakes Millers Ltd, Ownership Trustee Limited, PIA England No.2 Limited Partnership, Palomino Limited, Pecan Aggregator LP, Pelleas Investments Limited, Pelleas Investments Two Limited, Pippin Island Investments Limited, Preferred Liquidity LLC, Preferred Liquidity Limited Partnership, Procella Investments LLC, Procella Investments No.1 LLC, Procella Investments No.2 LLC, Procella Investments No.3 LLC, Protium Finance I LLC, Protium Master Grantor Trust, Protium Master Mortgage LP, Protium REO I LP, R.C. Grieg Nominees Limited, RVH Limited, RVT CLO Investments LLP, Razzoli Investments Limited, Real Estate Participation Management Limited, Real Estate Participation Services Limited, Relative Value Holdings LLC, Relative Value Investments UK Limited, Relative Value Trading Limited, Roder Investments No. 1 Limited, Roder Investments No. 2 Limited, Ruthenium Investments Limited, SPM GP Limited, Securitized Asset Backed Receivables LLC, Servicios Barclays S.A. de C.V., Societe Civile Immobiliere 31 Avenue de la Costa, Solution Personal Finance Limited, Southern Peaks Mining LP, Standard Life Aberdeen, Surety Trust Limited, Surrey Funding Corporation, Sussex Purchasing Corporation, Sutton Funding LLC, Swan Lane Investments Limited, TPLL LLC, TPProperty LLC, Tahoe Club Company LLC, Tahoe Club Employee Company, The Logic Group Enterprises Limited, The Logic Group Holdings Limited, Third Energy Holdings Limited, US Real Estate Holdings No. 2 Limited, US Real Estate Holdings No.1 Limited, US Real Estate Holdings No.3 Limited, US Secured Investments LLC, Union Center LLC, United Counties Bank, Verain Investments LLC, Walbrook Group Ltd, Wedd Jefferson (Nominees) Limited, Wessex Investments Limited, Westferry Investments Limited, Wilmington Riverfront Receivables LLC, Woolwich Homes Limited, Woolwich Plan Managers Limited, Woolwich Qualifying Employee Share, Woolwich Surveying Services Limited, Woori BC Pegasus Securitization Specialty Co. Limited, and Zeban Nominees Limited.

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Tyler Technologies, Inc. provides integrated information management solutions and services for the public sector. The company operates in three segments: Enterprise Software; Appraisal and Tax; and NIC. It offers financial management solutions, including modular fund accounting systems for government agencies or not-for-profit entities; utility billing systems for the billing and collection of metered and non-metered services; products to automate city and county functions, such as municipal courts, parking tickets, equipment and project costing, animal and business licenses, permits and inspections, code enforcement, citizen complaint tracking, ambulance billing, fleet maintenance, and cemetery records management; and student information and transportation solutions for K-12 schools. The company also provides a suite of judicial solutions comprising court case management, court and law enforcement, prosecutor, and supervision systems to handle multi-jurisdictional county or statewide implementations, and single county systems; public safety software solutions; systems and software to automate the appraisal and assessment of real and personal property, as well as tax applications for agencies that bill and collect taxes; planning, regulatory, and maintenance software solutions for public sector agencies; software applications to enhance and automate operations involving records and document management; and data and insights solutions. In addition, it offers software as a service arrangements and electronic document filing solutions for courts and law offices; software and hardware installation, data conversion, training, product modification, and maintenance and support services; and property appraisal outsourcing services for taxing jurisdictions. The company has a strategic collaboration agreement with Amazon Web Services for cloud hosting services. Tyler Technologies, Inc. was founded in 1966 and is headquartered in Plano, Texas.
Toyota Motor Corporation designs, manufactures, assembles, and sells passenger vehicles, minivans and commercial vehicles, and related parts and accessories. It operates in Automotive, Financial Services, and All Other segments. The company offers hybrid cars under the Prius name, fuel cell vehicles under the MIRAI name; and conventional engine vehicles, including subcompact and compact cars under the Corolla and Raize names. It also provides mini-vehicles, passenger vehicles, commercial vehicles, and auto parts under the Toyota name; mid-size cars; luxury cars; sports cars under the GR Yaris, Corolla Sport, Corolla Cross, and Supra names; and recreational and sport-utility vehicles under the Highlander name. In addition, the company offers pickup trucks under the Tacoma name; minivans; and trucks and buses. Further, it provides financial services, such as retail financing and leasing, wholesale financing, insurance, and credit cards; and designs, manufactures, and sells prefabricated housing. Additionally, the company operates GAZOO.com, a web portal for automobile information. It operates in Japan, North America, Europe, Asia, Central and South America, Oceania, Africa, and the Middle East. The company was founded in 1933 and is headquartered in Toyota, Japan.
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Brookfield Asset Management is an alternative asset manager and REIT/Real Estate Investment Manager firm focuses on real estate, renewable power, infrastructure and venture capital and private equity assets. It manages a range of public and private investment products and services for institutional and retail clients. It typically makes investments in sizeable, premier assets across geographies and asset classes. It invests both its own capital as well as capital from other investors. Within private equity and venture capital, it focuses on acquisition, early ventures, control buyouts and financially distressed, buyouts and corporate carve-outs, recapitalizations, convertible, senior and mezzanine financings, operational and capital structure restructuring, strategic re-direction, turnaround, and under-performing midmarket companies. It invests in both public debt and equity markets. It invests in private equity sectors with focus on Business Services include infrastructure, healthcare, road fuel distribution and marketing, construction and real estate; Industrials include manufacturers of automotive batteries, graphite electrodes, returnable plastic packaging, and sanitation management and development; and Residential/ infrastructure services. It targets companies which likely possess underlying real assets, primarily in sectors such as industrial products, building materials, metals, mining, homebuilding, oil and gas, paper and packaging, manufacturing and forest product sectors. It invests globally with focus on North America including Brazil, the United States, Canada; Europe; and Australia; and Asia-Pacific. The firm considers equity investments in the range of $2 million to $500 million. It has a four-year investment period and a 10-year term with two one-year extensions. The firm prefers to take minority stake and majority stake. Brookfield Asset Management Inc. was founded in 1997 and based in Toronto, Canada with additional offices across Northern America; South America; Europe; Middle East and Asia.
CarMax, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, operates as a retailer of used vehicles in the United States. The company operates through two segments, CarMax Sales Operations and CarMax Auto Finance. It offers customers a range of makes and models of used vehicles, including domestic, imported, and luxury vehicles, as well as hybrid and electric vehicles; and extended protection plans to customers at the time of sale, as well as sells vehicles that are approximately 10 years old and has more than 100,000 miles through wholesale auctions. The company also provides reconditioning and vehicle repair services; and financing alternatives for retail customers across a range of credit spectrum through its CarMax Auto Finance and arrangements with various financial institutions. As of February 28, 2022, it operated approximately 230 used car stores. CarMax, Inc. was founded in 1993 and is based in Richmond, Virginia.
DEAR ABBY: I am a new bride in my mid-20s. I'm writing about my dad.

At the wedding dinner, he read a list of reasons he "let" me get married. Granted, he thought it was funny, and he always needs to be the center of attention. But during our honeymoon abroad, he sent me messages at every juncture and each hotel.

Maybe he's having a hard time "letting go," but is this normal? Frankly, I found it creepy. My honeymoon was my and my new hubby's time to enjoy, and so much intrusion felt like stalking. I am not particularly close to Dad. Am I overreacting? -- NEWLYWED IN CALIFORNIA

DEAR NEWLYWED: You stated that your father likes to be the center of attention. Your wedding dinner may have been yet another example of it.

A lot of humor is based on truth, and Dear Old Dad's thinking may be rooted in the 19th century or earlier, when women needed their father's permission to marry. That he would insert himself into your honeymoon does seem over the top for someone with whom you are not particularly close. If he persists, you and your husband should have a talk with him and tell him it's making the both of you uncomfortable and ask him to please stop.

DEAR ABBY: Many businesses these days outsource their customer service departments to phone centers in other countries where the person answering the phone speaks very little English or has a weak comprehension of the English language. Please don't get me wrong, they are polite, patient and try hard to be helpful, but many times it is difficult to get a question answered or an issue successfully dealt with because the person doesn't understand what you are saying or you are having trouble understanding.

Often I have spent much of my call asking the person to repeat him or herself, or repeating myself to them. Is there a polite way of saying, "Hey, get me someone who speaks English"? I have never said that, but I'm often tempted. Usually the call ends in frustration with unresolved issues. I don't want to be rude or hurt someone's feelings, but what do you do when business needs to be conducted? -- BONNIE IN MONTANA

DEAR BONNIE: If you call customer service and have trouble understanding the person you are speaking with or feel you are not being properly understood, either ask to talk to a supervisor or with someone whose first language is English. To do that isn't rude; it allows for the most productive use of your time as well as the person at the other end of the phone.

DEAR ABBY: I'm a 22-year-old plus-sized female who is having trouble feeling beautiful. I have tried makeup, different outfits -- nothing seems to work. My boyfriend keeps telling me I'm beautiful, but it is not easy for me to see. What do you think I should do? -- SHATTERED MIRROR IN PENNSYLVANIA

DEAR SHATTERED: There's a saying that beauty is in the eyes of the beholder. If your boyfriend keeps telling you that you are beautiful, then in HIS eyes you are. Because when you look in a mirror you only find fault with yourself, it appears that you don't like yourself much. Discuss this with a licensed psychotherapist to get to the bottom of it and learn to appreciate the beauty your boyfriend sees.

DEAR ABBY: I recently got my husband back in touch with "Scott," his best friend from adolescence and college. My husband's ex had kept them apart, so this rekindling is extra special and appreciated. I don't want to do anything that would jeopardize it. But Scott's wife makes me very uncomfortable.

She is quiet, reserved, but very manipulative. Neither she nor her husband are drinkers, but she insists on bringing a gift of some form of alcohol every time we see them, which is about once a month.

Abby, I am a recovering alcoholic. I have worked hard for my 11 years of sobriety, and continue to work hard at it every day. Firm, but polite requests I have made to her have fallen upon deaf ears. Speaking to Scott hasn't helped either, because he doesn't stand up to her. My husband also hasn't been able to get through.

He and Scott tell me to accept the gift and throw it away, or give it to another friend. But with addiction, it isn't that easy. I have resorted to inventing excuses not to see them, but I don't like feeling this way.

I believe she gives gifts because it makes her feel good, but at what point does my extreme discomfort trump her happiness? What can I do to get her to understand without ruining this relationship? -- IN A DELICATE SITUATION

DEAR DELICATE: Have you told Scott's wife that you are a recovering alcoholic? If you have, and she persists in gifting you with liquor when they come over, she is attempting to challenge your recovery. (Could her behavior be the reason your husband's former wife kept them apart?)

Your husband's rekindled friendship with Scott would not be ruined if he sees him on a one-to-one basis rather than the four of you socializing as couples. And if the clueless wife hands you another bottle of booze, that's what you should insist upon.

DEAR ABBY: I have been talking to someone I know is a genuine person, someone who has all the qualities I would want in a lifelong partner. However, I am still in love with my ex.

My ex has moved on but still contacts me, and we do deeply care about each other. I'm afraid if I decide to move forward, I'll always second-guess whether or not I did it for the right reasons. I'm afraid that because of my feelings for my ex, I won't be able to open up to anyone. I also know we would have many issues to resolve if we ever decided to give it another chance.

I guess I'm afraid to let go and afraid to move forward. What should I do? -- EQUALLY TORN IN THE WEST

DEAR EQUALLY TORN: Move forward as your ex has. And while you are at it, put more distance between the two of you. Whether the person you are talking to -- who seems to look good on paper -- is someone you'll wind up with is anybody's guess. So consider taking a break from romance for a while until you get your head straight. You're not there yet, but with time you will be.

DEAR ABBY: Child abuse is epidemic in the United States. It occurs at every socioeconomic level, across ethnic and cultural levels, within all religions and at all levels of education. Every year, more than 3 million reports of child abuse are made in the U.S. Without intervention, about 30 percent of those abused and neglected children will later abuse their own children.

With the proper skills, all parents can raise happy, healthy children. Treatment is necessary, but our communities also need to do a better job at prevention.

Please ask your readers to learn about programs and activities in their communities that support parents and promote healthy families.  JOHN E. THORESEN, DIRECTOR, BARBARA SINATRA CHILDRENS CENTER, RANCHO MIRAGE, CALIF.

DEAR MR. THORESEN: Thank you for your letter. Readers, the first step to curbing child abuse is recognizing it. These are the 10 most common indicators:

1. UNEXPLAINED INJURIES: Visible signs may include burns or bruises in the shape of objects. There may be unconvincing explanations for a childs injuries.

2. CHANGES IN BEHAVIOR: Abused children often appear scared, anxious, depressed, withdrawn or more aggressive.

3. RETURNING TO EARLIER BEHAVIOR: Abused children may display behaviors shown when they were younger, such as thumb-sucking, bed-wetting, fear of the dark or strangers. For some, loss of basic language or memory problems may occur.

4. FEAR OF GOING HOME: Abused children may express fear or anxiety about leaving school or going places with the abuser.

5. CHANGES IN EATING: The stress, fear and anxiety lead to changes in a childs eating behaviors, which may result in weight gain or weight loss.

6. CHANGES IN SLEEP HABITS: The child may have frequent nightmares or have difficulty falling asleep, and appear tired or fatigued.

7. CHANGES IN SCHOOL PERFORMANCE OR ATTENDANCE: Children may demonstrate difficulty concentrating in school or experience excessive absences, sometimes because of adults trying to hide the childrens injuries from authorities.

8. LACK OF PERSONAL CARE OR HYGIENE: The child may appear unkempt, be consistently dirty and have severe body odor, or lack sufficient clothing for the weather.

9. RISK-TAKING BEHAVIORS: The child may engage in high-risk activities such as using drugs or alcohol, or carrying a weapon.

10. INAPPROPRIATE SEXUAL BEHAVIOR: A sexually abused child may exhibit overly sexualized behavior or use explicit sexual language. We can all support children and parents to reduce the stress that often leads to abuse and neglect. Be a friend to a parent or child you know. Volunteer your time or donate to programs that support child abuse treatment and prevention as well as those that build healthy families. Trust your instincts. Suspected abuse is enough of a reason to contact authorities.

DEAR ABBY: Im a 43-yearold woman who has been in a relationship with a man I dated many years ago, Charles. When we reconnected three years ago, I had a dog, Frosty. One year into the relationship, Charles asked me to get rid of Frosty because he thinks dogs are unsanitary. I loved Frosty and kept him, but it caused all kinds of problems with my boyfriend.

When Charles and I moved in together three months ago, he insisted I get rid of Frosty and I caved. I miss my little friend so much it hurts. Memories of him are everywhere. I am able to get him back, but is it crazy that I would jeopardize my relationship because I want to keep my dog?  IN THE DOGHOUSE

DEAR IN THE DOGHOUSE: I dont think its crazy, and Im sure my animal-loving readers  who number in the millions  would agree with me. People bond with their pets to such an extent that in the event of a natural disaster, some of them refuse to be separated from their companions.

That Charles would insist you get rid of Frosty shows extreme insensitivity for your feelings, in addition to disregard for your beloved pet in whom you had a significant emotional investment. Could Charles be jealous of the affection you have shown Frosty? Not knowing him, I cant guess. But if you are forced to choose between the two of them, you should seriously consider choosing the dog.

DEAR ABBY: My boyfriend and I have been dating for two years. We live together, and his child from another woman lives with us. I love my boyfriend and his child, but one thing prevents me from imagining us being married: He has his childs mothers name tattooed on his body.

The tattoo bothers me for many reasons, and Id like him to have it covered up if we ever do marry. He says he doesnt want to get rid of it. When the topic comes up, we argue. Am I unreasonable for wanting him to get rid of the tattoo? If that woman really is in his past, why does he need a constant reminder of her on his body?  IN A STINK OVER INK

DEAR IN A STINK: Youre asking the wrong person. Only your boyfriend can answer that. He may not want to go to the expense, or to experience the pain of having more artwork done. Or he may not like the idea that you are telling him what to do.

However, if he has been living with you for two years, I doubt its because hes still carrying a torch for someone else. If you love him and the two of you want to get married, my advice is to accept him warts, artwork and all, because regardless of any romance in his past, YOU have habeas corpus. (Thats Latin for you have the body.)

DEAR ABBY: I consider myself a social person and enjoy talking to friends on the phone. My problem is, when I talk to one of them, she will never let me get off the phone. Sometimes well talk for several hours, but eventually I have other obligations and have to go. When I tell her that, she often ignores me and keeps right on talking.

I dont want to be rude, but sometimes I have to say goodbye four and five times before she finally acknowledges that I must end the call. It irritates me. I like talking to her, but I cant go on and on forever. How can I make her let me off the phone without hanging up on her or upsetting her?  MR. NICE GUY

DEAR MR. NICE GUY: The person youre describing obviously has less going on in her life than you do. She may also be a compulsive talker.

The next time you talk to her, make the conversation face-toface and tell her that as much as you like her, you dont have the amount of time to spend on the phone that she does. Explain that when you tell her you must end the conversation, if she doesnt stop talking within five minutes, you will have to hang up. And then do it.

Will she like it? No. But the alternative is that she will continue to take advantage of you  which she has been doing because you have allowed it.

DEAR ABBY: My husband has a male co-worker, Bo, who comes to our house occasionally. We have two bathrooms, one of which is in our bedroom. The other is the guest bathroom. When Bo needs to use the restroom, he goes into our bedroom and uses ours. He never asks; he just goes in, even after I have pointed out the guest bathroom. It creeps me out. I feel like hes invading my personal space, and I think its rude. What can I do, since pointing out the guest bathroom hasnt worked? Bo is intimidating. He thinks he can do whatever he wants. Please tell me what I can do.  CREEPED OUT IN GREENVILLE

DEAR CREEPED OUT: I agree your husbands coworkers behavior is creepy. If you have medications in your bathroom, you should check to be sure he isnt helping himself to some of them when he visits. Because you cant seem to convey the message to Bo the Boor, before his next visit, ask your husband to tell him that guests are supposed to use the guest bathroom. And if that doesnt discourage him, install a lock on your bedroom door.

DEAR ABBY: My 21-year-old daughter, Alex, and her 6-year-old moved into an apartment with her 18-year-old boyfriend. We had a tough time accepting this, but I make do because I love Alex and want to be part of her life. My boyfriend of eight years, Niles, cant accept my daughters new boyfriend. We were invited over for dinner and Niles refused to go. How do I handle this? I feel all future events will be strained and Ill be forced to choose between my daughter and Niles. Please advise.  SAD MOTHER IN NEW JERSEY

DEAR SAD MOTHER: Tell Niles that if you must choose between him and your daughter, you will choose your daughter. Her romance may  or may not  last forever, but your relationship with her will. There is nothing to be gained by punishing her and alienating her young man. If Niles has a problem with that, do not let him make it your problem, too. Continue your relationship with your daughter and see Niles separately.

DEAR ABBY: Today is my 50th birthday. Im a person with a few close friends, but Im not widely social. The members of my book club knew it was my birthday when we met a few days ago. I had mentioned it before our meeting. Nothing was said when we met.

My best friend is going on vacation and hasnt remembered. My husband asked me what plans I had made for us to do today. My sister, bless her, has been wonderful and feels responsible to try to make this day special for me. Is it really my job to plan a celebration and remind everyone Im close to? I have talked enough about how important this particular birthday is to me. Im hurt that no one feels Im worth the effort. Am I making too big a deal out of this? VEXED IN VERMONT

DEAR VEXED: I think so. My dear mother used to say, If you want something done right, do it yourself! Thats good advice when those around you are too preoccupied to be as nurturing as you would like them to be.

Dear Abby is written by Abigail Van Buren, also known as Jeanne Phillips, and was founded by her mother, Pauline Phillips. Contact Dear Abby at www.DearAbby.com or P.O. Box 69440, Los Angeles, CA 90069
The following companies are subsidiares of Procter & Gamble: "Petersburg Products International" LLC, "Procter & Gamble Services" LLC, "Procter & Gamble" LLC, 1837 LLC, Agile Pursuits Franchising Inc., Agile Pursuits Inc., Ambi Pur, Arbora & Ausonia, Arbora & Ausonia S.L.U., Avon - Giorgio Beverly Hills, Billie, Braun GmbH, Braun Shanghai Co. Ltd., Celtic Insurance Company Inc., Charlie Banana USA LLC, Corporativo Procter & Gamble S. de R.L. de C.V., DDFSkincare, Detergent Products B.V., Detergent Products SARL, Detergenti S.A., FPG Oleochemicals Sdn. Bhd., Fameccanica Data S.p.A., Fameccanica Industria e Comercio Do Brasil LTDA., Fameccanica Machinery Shanghai Co. Ltd., Fameccanica North America Inc., Farmacy Beauty, Fater Central Europe SRL, Fater Eastern Europe LLC, Fater Portugal Unipessoal Lda, Fater S.p.A., Fater Temizlik Urunleri Ltd STI, First Aid Beauty, First Aid Beauty Limited, Folgers Coffee, Fountain Square Music Publishing Co. Inc., Gillette Australia Pty. Ltd., Gillette China Limited, Gillette Commercial Operations North America, Gillette Diversified Operations Pvt. Ltd., Gillette Egypt S.A.E., Gillette Group UK Ltd, Gillette Holding Company LLC, Gillette Holding GmbH, Gillette India Limited, Gillette Industries Ltd., Gillette International B.V., Gillette Latin America Holding B.V., Gillette Management LLC, Gillette Pakistan Limited, Gillette Poland International Sp. z.o.o., Gillette Shanghai Ltd., Gillette U.K. Limited, Gillette del Uruguay S.A., Hyginett KFT, Industries Marocaines Modernes SA, Inversiones Plaza LLC, LLC "Procter & Gamble - Novomoskovsk", LLC "Procter & Gamble Distributorskaya Compania", LLC Procter & and Gamble Ukraine, Laboratoire Mediflor S.A.S., Laboratorios Vicks S.L.U., Lamberts Healthcare Ltd., Liberty Street Music Publishing Company Inc., Limited Liability Company 'Procter & Gamble Trading Ukraine', MDVIP, MERCK KGAA NPV, Marcvenca Inversiones C.A., Merck Consumer Healthcare, Modern Industries Company - Dammam, Modern Products Company - Jeddah, Native, Nature's Best Health Products Ltd., New Chapter Canada Inc., New Chapter Inc., Nioxin Research Laboratories, Noxell Corporation, OUAI, Olay LLC, Oral-B Laboratories, P&G Consumer Health Germany GmbH, P&G Distribution East Africa Limited, P&G Distribution Morocco SAS, P&G Hair Care Holding Inc., P&G Health Austria GmbH & Co. OG, P&G Health France S.A.S., P&G Health Germany GmbH, P&G Healthcare Zhejiang Limited, P&G Industrial Peru S.R.L., P&G Innovation Godo Kaisha, P&G Investment Management Ltd., P&G Israel M.D.O. Ltd., P&G Japan G.K., P&G K.K., P&G Northeast Asia Pte. Ltd., P&G Prestige Godo Kaisha, P&G South African Trading Pty. Ltd., P&G-Clairol, PG13 Launchpad Alpha Inc., PG13 Launchpad Beta Inc., PG13 Launchpad Gamma Inc., PGT Healthcare LLP, PT Procter & Gamble Home Products Indonesia, PT Procter & Gamble Operations Indonesia, Phase II Holdings Corporation, Pressbox, Procter & Gamble Algeria EURL, Procter & Gamble Amazon Holding B.V., Procter & Gamble Amiens S.A.S., Procter & Gamble Argentina SRL, Procter & Gamble Asia Pte. Ltd., Procter & Gamble Australia Proprietary Limited, Procter & Gamble Azerbaijan Services LLC, Procter & Gamble Bangladesh Private Ltd., Procter & Gamble Blois S.A.S., Procter & Gamble Brazil Holdings B.V., Procter & Gamble Bulgaria EOOD, Procter & Gamble Business Services Canada Company, Procter & Gamble Canada Holding B.V., Procter & Gamble Chengdu Ltd., Procter & Gamble Chile Limitada, Procter & Gamble China Ltd., Procter & Gamble China Sales Co. Ltd., Procter & Gamble Colombia Ltda., Procter & Gamble Commercial LLC, Procter & Gamble Czech Republic s.r.o., Procter & Gamble DS Polska Sp. z o.o., Procter & Gamble Danmark ApS, Procter & Gamble Detergent Beijing Ltd., Procter & Gamble Deutschland GmbH, Procter & Gamble Distributing New Zealand Limited, Procter & Gamble Distributing Philippines Inc., Procter & Gamble Distribution Company Europe BV, Procter & Gamble Distribution S.R.L., Procter & Gamble Eastern Europe LLC, Procter & Gamble Ecuador Cia. Ltda., Procter & Gamble Egypt, Procter & Gamble Egypt Distribution, Procter & Gamble Egypt Holding, Procter & Gamble Egypt Manufacturing Company, Procter & Gamble Egypt Supplies, Procter & Gamble Energy Company LLC, Procter & Gamble Espana S.A.U., Procter & Gamble Far East Inc., Procter & Gamble Finance Holding Ltd., Procter & Gamble Finance Management S.a.r.l., Procter & Gamble Finance U.K. Ltd., Procter & Gamble Financial Investments LLP, Procter & Gamble Financial Services Ltd., Procter & Gamble Financial Services S.a.r.l., Procter & Gamble Finland OY, Procter & Gamble France S.A.S., Procter & Gamble Germany GmbH, Procter & Gamble Germany GmbH & Co. Operations oHG, Procter & Gamble Ghana Trading Limited, Procter & Gamble GmbH, Procter & Gamble Grundstucks-und Vermogensverwaltungs GmbH & Co. KG, Procter & Gamble Guangzhou Consumer Products Co. 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LTD., Procter & Gamble Gulf FZE, Procter & Gamble Hair Care LLC, Procter & Gamble Health & Beauty Care Limited, Procter & Gamble Health Belgium BV, Procter & Gamble Health Limited, Procter & Gamble Health Ltd., Procter & Gamble Health Poland Sp. z o.o., Procter & Gamble Hellas Single Member Ltd., Procter & Gamble Holding France S.A.S., Procter & Gamble Holding GmbH, Procter & Gamble Holding S.r.l., Procter & Gamble Holding Thailand Limited, Procter & Gamble Holdings UK Ltd., Procter & Gamble Home Products Private Limited, Procter & Gamble Honduras S de RL, Procter & Gamble Hong Kong Limited, Procter & Gamble Hungary Wholesale Trading Partnership KKT, Procter & Gamble Hygiene & Health Care Limited, Procter & Gamble Inc., Procter & Gamble India Holdings Inc., Procter & Gamble Indochina Company Limited, Procter & Gamble Industrial - 2012 C.A., Procter & Gamble Industrial S.C.A., Procter & Gamble Industrial e Comercial Ltda., Procter & Gamble Interamericas de Costa Rica Limitada, Procter & Gamble Interamericas de El Salvador Limitada de Capital Variable, Procter & Gamble Interamericas de Guatemala Limitada, Procter & Gamble Interamericas de Panama S. de R.L., Procter & Gamble International Operations SA, Procter & Gamble International Operations SA-ROHQ, Procter & Gamble International Sarl, Procter & Gamble Investment Company UK Ltd., Procter & Gamble Investment Holding B.V., Procter & Gamble Italia S.p.A., Procter & Gamble Jiangsu Ltd., Procter & Gamble Kazakhstan Distribution LLP, Procter & Gamble Korea Inc., Procter & Gamble Korea S&D Co., Procter & Gamble L&CP Limited, Procter & Gamble Leasing LLC, Procter & Gamble Levant S.A.L., Procter & Gamble Limited, Procter & Gamble Malaysia Sdn Bhd, Procter & Gamble Manufacturing Belgium N.V., Procter & Gamble Manufacturing Berlin GmbH, Procter & Gamble Manufacturing GmbH, Procter & Gamble Manufacturing Ireland Limited, Procter & Gamble Manufacturing Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Procter & Gamble Manufacturing SA Pty Ltd, Procter & Gamble Manufacturing Thailand Limited, Procter & Gamble Manufacturing Tianjin Co. Ltd., Procter & Gamble Marketing Romania SRL, Procter & Gamble Mataro S.L.U., Procter & Gamble Mexico Holding B.V., Procter & Gamble Mexico Inc., Procter & Gamble Middle East FZE, Procter & Gamble Nederland B.V., Procter & Gamble Netherlands Services B.V., Procter & Gamble Nigeria Limited, Procter & Gamble Norge AS, Procter & Gamble Operations Polska Sp. z o.o., Procter & Gamble Overseas India B.V., Procter & Gamble Overseas Ltd., Procter & Gamble Pakistan Private Limited, Procter & Gamble Peru S.R.L., Procter & Gamble Philippines Business Services Inc., Procter & Gamble Philippines Inc., Procter & Gamble Polska Sp. z o.o, Procter & Gamble Portugal - Produtos De Consumo Higiene e Saude S.A., Procter & Gamble Product Supply U.K. Limited, Procter & Gamble Productions Inc., Procter & Gamble RHD Inc., Procter & Gamble RSC Regional Service Company Ltd., Procter & Gamble Retail Services Sarl, Procter & Gamble S.r.l., Procter & Gamble Service GmbH, Procter & Gamble Services Company N.V., Procter & Gamble Services Switzerland SA, Procter & Gamble Singapore Pte. Ltd., Procter & Gamble Spol. s.r.o. Ltd., Procter & Gamble Sverige AB, Procter & Gamble Switzerland SARL, Procter & Gamble Taiwan Limited, Procter & Gamble Taiwan Sales Company Limited, Procter & Gamble Technical Centres Limited, Procter & Gamble Technology Beijing Co. Ltd., Procter & Gamble Trading Thailand Limited, Procter & Gamble Tuketim Mallari Sanayii A.S., Procter & Gamble UK, Procter & Gamble UK Group Holdings Ltd, Procter & Gamble UK Parent Company Ltd., Procter & Gamble Universal Holding B.V., Procter & Gamble Vietnam Company Limited, Procter & Gamble d.o.o. za trgovinu, Procter & Gamble de Venezuela S.C.A., Procter & Gamble de Venezuela S.R.L., Procter & Gamble do Brasil Ltda., Procter & Gamble do Brazil LLC, Procter & Gamble do Nordeste S/A, Procter & Gamble doo Beograd, Procter & Gamble-Rakona s.r.o., Procter and Gamble Lanka Private Limited, Procter and Gamble SA Pty Ltd., Progam Realty & Development Corporation, Recovery Engineering, Redmond Products Inc., Richardson-Vicks, Richardson-Vicks Real Estate Inc., Riverfront Music Publishing Co. Inc., Rosemount LLC, SPD Development Company Limited, SPD Swiss Precision Diagnostics GmbH, Series Acquisition B.V., Seven Seas Limited, Shulton Inc., Snowberry, Snowberry New Zealand Limited, Sunflower Distributing LLC, TAOS - FL LLC, TAOS Retail LLC, THIS IS L, TULA, Tambrands, Tambrands Inc., Temple Trees Impex & Investment Private Limited, The Art of Shaving, The Art of Shaving - FL LLC, The Dover Wipes Company, The Gillette Company, The Gillette Company LLC, The Gillette co., The Iams Company Inc., The Procter & Gamble Distributing LLC, The Procter & Gamble Global Finance Company LLC, The Procter & Gamble Manufacturing Company, The Procter & Gamble Paper Products Company, The Procter & Gamble U.S. Business Services Company, This is L., This is L. Inc., Thomas Hedley Co, US CD LLC, Vidal Sassoon Shanghai Academy, VitaminHaus Pty Ltd, Walker & Co. Brands Inc., Walker & Company Brands, Wella AG, Zenlen Inc., Zirh, and iMFLUX Inc..

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The following companies are subsidiares of PerkinElmer: 2Cure LLC, Analytica of Branford, Applied Biosystems, Arnel Inc., ArtusLabs, Beijing Huaan Magnech Bio-Tech Co. Ltd., Beijing Meizheng Bio-Tech Co. Ltd., Beijing Meizheng Testing Lab Co. Ltd., Beijing OUMENG Biotechnology Co. Ltd., Bio Evolution SAS, BioLegend, BioLegend CNS Inc., BioLegend China Beijing Ltd., BioLegend Europe B.V., BioLegend France SAS, BioLegend GmbH, BioLegend Inc., BioLegend Japan KK, BioLegend Shenzhen Ltd., BioLegend Taiwan Ltd., BioLegend UK Ltd., BioLegend Ventures LLC, Bioo Scientific Corporation, Biosense Technologies Pvt Ltd., Boulder Diagnostics Europe GmbH, Caliper Life Sciences, Caliper Life Sciences Inc., Cambridge Research & Instrumentation Inc., CambridgeSoft, Ceiba Solutions, Chengdu PerkinElmer Medical Laboratory Co. Ltd., Cisbio Asia Pacific Ltd, Cisbio Bioassays SAS, Cisbio China Ltd., Cisbio.com, DIA.Metra S.R.L., DNA Laboratories Sdn. Bhd., Dani Analitica S.r.l., Dexela, Dharmacon Inc., EUROIMMUN AG, EUROIMMUN Brasil Medicina Diagnostica Ltda., EUROIMMUN Diagnostics Espana S.L., EUROIMMUN France SAS, EUROIMMUN Hangzhou Medical Laboratory Diagnostics Co. Ltd., EUROIMMUN Italia Diagnostica Medica S.r.l., EUROIMMUN Japan Co. Ltd., EUROIMMUN Medical Diagnostics Canada Inc., EUROIMMUN Medical Diagnostics China Co. Ltd., EUROIMMUN Medical Laboratory Diagnostics South Africa Pty Ltd., EUROIMMUN Medizinische Labordiagnostika AG, EUROIMMUN Polska Sp. z o.o., EUROIMMUN Portugal Unipessoal Lda., EUROIMMUN Schweiz AG, EUROIMMUN South East Asia Pte Ltd., EUROIMMUN Tianjin Medical Diagnostic Technology Co. Ltd., EUROIMMUN Turkey Tibbi Laboratuar Teshisleri A.S., EUROIMMUN UK Ltd., EUROIMMUN US Inc., EUROIMMUN US Real Estate LLC, Geospiza, Guangzhou EUROIMMUN Medical Diagnostic Products Co. Ltd., Hangzhou EUROIMMUN Medical Diagnostic Products Co. Ltd., Horizon Diagnostics Limited, Horizon Discovery, Horizon Discovery Biosciences Limited, Horizon Discovery Group Ltd., Horizon Discovery Inc., Horizon Discovery KK, Horizon Discovery Limited, Horizon Genomics GmbH, IDS Brasil Diagnosticos Ltda., Immunetics Inc., Immunodiagnostic Systems, Immunodiagnostic Systems Deutschland GmbH, Immunodiagnostic Systems France SAS, Immunodiagnostic Systems Holdings Limited, Immunodiagnostic Systems Inc., Immunodiagnostic Systems Limited, Immunodiagnostic Systems SA, Inochem S.A. de C. V., Integromics S.L., Jiangsu Meizheng Bio-Tech Co. Ltd., LabMetrix Technologies, Labtronics, Nexcelom Bioscience, Nexcelom Bioscience Holdings LLC, Nexcelom Bioscience Instruments Shanghai Co. Ltd., Nexcelom Bioscience LLC, Nexcelom Bioscience Ltd., NovaScreen Biosciences Corporation, OZ Systems International SARL, OZ Systems USA LLC, Omni International Inc., Optimization Zorn Corporation, Opto Technology, Orchid Biomedical Systems Pvt Ltd., Oxford Diagnostic Laboratories UK Limited, Oxford Immunotec, Oxford Immunotec Asia Ltd, Oxford Immunotec Global Limited, Oxford Immunotec Ireland Limited, Oxford Immunotec KK, Oxford Immunotec Limited, Oxford Immunotec Shanghai Medical Device Co. Ltd., Oxford Immunotec USA Inc., Pediatrix Medical Group - Newborn Metabolic Screening Business, Perkin Elmer Chile Ltda., Perkin Elmer Instruments Philippines Corporation, Perkin Elmer Italia SpA, Perkin Elmer Sdn. Bhd., Perkin Elmer Yuhan Hoesa, Perkin-Elmer Argentina S.R.L., Perkin-Elmer de Mexico S.A., PerkinElmer Argentina Holdings LLC, PerkinElmer Automotive Research Inc., PerkinElmer BV, PerkinElmer CV Holdings LLC, PerkinElmer Cellular Technologies Germany GmbH, PerkinElmer Danmark A/S, PerkinElmer Diagnostics Global Holdings S.a r.l., PerkinElmer Diagnostics Holdings Inc., PerkinElmer Espana S.L., PerkinElmer Finance Luxembourg S.a r.l., PerkinElmer Finland Oy, PerkinElmer Genetics Inc., PerkinElmer Genomics Sweden AB, PerkinElmer Germany Diagnostics GmbH, PerkinElmer Global Diagnostics S.C.A., PerkinElmer Global Financing S.a r.l., PerkinElmer Global Holdings S.a r.l., PerkinElmer Health Sciences B.V., PerkinElmer Health Sciences Canada Inc., PerkinElmer Health Sciences FZ-LLC, PerkinElmer Health Sciences Inc., PerkinElmer Health Sciences Puerto Rico LLC, PerkinElmer Health Sciences Pvt Ltd., PerkinElmer Healthcare Diagnostics Shanghai Co. Ltd., PerkinElmer Holding Luxembourg S.a r.l., PerkinElmer Holdings Inc., PerkinElmer Holdings Singapore Pte Ltd., PerkinElmer Hong Kong Ltd., PerkinElmer IVD Pte Ltd., PerkinElmer Inc., PerkinElmer India Pvt Ltd., PerkinElmer Informatics Inc., PerkinElmer Instruments Suzhou Co. Ltd., PerkinElmer International C.V., PerkinElmer Investments Ky, PerkinElmer Ireland Ltd., PerkinElmer Israel Ltd., PerkinElmer Japan Co. Ltd., PerkinElmer LAS Germany GmbH, PerkinElmer LAS UK Ltd., PerkinElmer Life Sciences International Holdings, PerkinElmer Life Sciences Singapore Pte. Ltd., PerkinElmer Limited, PerkinElmer Ltd., PerkinElmer Management Chengdu Co. Ltd., PerkinElmer Management Shanghai Co. Ltd., PerkinElmer Nederland B.V. , PerkinElmer Norge AS, PerkinElmer Oy, PerkinElmer Polska Sp. z o.o., PerkinElmer Pty. Ltd., PerkinElmer SAS, PerkinElmer Saglk ve Cevre Bilimleri Ltd., PerkinElmer Schweiz AG, PerkinElmer Shanghai Equity Investment Fund L.P., PerkinElmer Shanghai Equity Investment Fund Management Co. Ltd., PerkinElmer Shared Services Sp. z o.o., PerkinElmer Singapore Pte Ltd., PerkinElmer South Africa Pty Ltd., PerkinElmer Sverige AB, PerkinElmer Taiwan Corporation, PerkinElmer UK Holdings Ltd., PerkinElmer VertriebsgmbH, PerkinElmer chemagen Technologie GmbH, PerkinElmer do Brasil Ltda., Perten Instruments, Perten Instruments AB, Perten Instruments GmbH, Perten Instruments of Australia Pty Ltd., Qognit Inc., RHS Ltd, RayAl Ltd., SIRION Biotech, SIRION Biotech GmbH, SIRION Biotech International Inc., Sage Labs LLC, Shandong Meizheng Bio-Tech Co. Ltd., Shanghai Haoyuan Biotech Co. Ltd., Shanghai Spectrum Instruments Co. Ltd., Shanghai Spectrum Instruments Co. Ltd., Signature Genomic Laboratories, Singapore Biosciences Pte Ltd., Solus Scientific Solutions Ltd., SonoVol Inc., Suomen Bioanalytiikka Oy, Surendra Genetic Labs, Suzhou PerkinElmer Medical Laboratory Co. Ltd., Suzhou Sym-Bio LifeScience, Suzhou Sym-Bio Lifescience Co. Ltd., Synthetx Limited, Tulip Diagnostics, Tulip Diagnostics Pvt Ltd., Vanadis Diagnostics, Vanadis Diagnostics AB, ViaCell, ViaCord LLC, VisEn Medical, VisEn Medical Inc., Wallac Oy, Wellesley B.V., Xenogen Corporation, ZeLab SAS, and chemagen Biopolymer-Technologie AG.

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ResMed Inc. develops, manufactures, distributes, and markets medical devices and cloud-based software applications for the healthcare markets. The company operates in two segments, Sleep and Respiratory Care, and Software as a Service. It offers various products and solutions for a range of respiratory disorders, including technologies to be applied in medical and consumer products, ventilation devices, diagnostic products, mask systems for use in the hospital and home, headgear and other accessories, dental devices, and cloud-based software informatics solutions to manage patient outcomes, as well as provides customer and business processes. The company also provides AirView, a cloud-based system that enables remote monitoring and changing of patients' device settings; myAir, a personalized therapy management application for patients with sleep apnea that provides support, education, and troubleshooting tools for increased patient engagement and improved compliance; U-Sleep, a compliance monitoring solution that enables home medical equipment (HME)to streamline their sleep programs; connectivity module and propeller solutions; and Propeller portal. It offers out-of-hospital software solution, such as Brightree business management software and service solutions to providers of HME, pharmacy, home infusion, orthotics, and prosthetics services; MatrixCare care management and related ancillary solutions to senior living, skilled nursing, life plan communities, home health, home care, and hospice organizations, as well as related accountable care organizations; and HEALTHCAREfirst that offers electronic health record, software, billing and coding services, and analytics for home health and hospice agencies. The company markets its products primarily to sleep clinics, home healthcare dealers, and hospitals through a network of distributors and direct sales force in approximately 140 countries. ResMed Inc. was founded in 1989 and is headquartered in San Diego, California.
ICL Group Ltd, together with its subsidiaries, operates as a specialty minerals and chemicals company worldwide. It operates in four segments: Industrial Products, Potash, Phosphate Solutions, and Innovative Ag Solutions (IAS). The Industrial Products segment produces bromine out of a solution that is a by-product of the potash production process, as well as bromine-based compounds; produces various grades of potash, salt, magnesium chloride, and magnesia products; and produces and markets phosphorous-based flame retardants and other phosphorus-based products. The Potash segment extracts potash from the Dead Sea; mines and produces potash and salt; produces Polysulphate; produces, markets, and sells magnesium and magnesium alloys, as well as related by-products, including chlorine and sylvinite; and sells salt. The Phosphate Solutions segment uses phosphate commodity products to produce specialty products; produces and markets phosphate-based fertilizers, as well as sulphuric acid, green phosphoric acid, and phosphate fertilizers; and manufactures thermal phosphoric acid for various industrial end markets, such as oral care, cleaning products, paints and coatings, water treatment, asphalt modification, construction, and metal treatment. It also develops and produces functional food ingredients and phosphate additives for use in the processed meat, poultry, seafood, dairy, beverage, and baked goods markets; and produces milk and whey proteins for the food ingredients industry. The IAS segment develops, manufactures, markets, and sells fertilizers based primarily on nitrogen, potash, and phosphate, including water soluble specialty, liquid, soluble, and controlled-release fertilizers. It sells its products through marketing companies, agents, and distributors. The company was formerly known as Israel Chemicals Ltd. and changed its name to ICL Group Ltd in May 2020. The company was founded in 1968 and is headquartered in Tel Aviv, Israel.
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Thomas W. King III, a 1972 graduate of the University of Virginia, has a portrait of Thomas Jefferson hanging in his law office outside Pittsburgh.

He quoted Jeffersons Statute on Religious Freedom in a brief he filed with the U.S. Supreme Court.

We grew up with great respect for Mr. Jefferson and for what he had done in creating the University of Virginia, King said.

So King was more than a little taken aback when 469 faculty members and students signed a letter asking U.Va. President Teresa A. Sullivan to refrain from quoting Jefferson or using him as a moral compass.

King was among 10 UVa alumni who quickly established The Great Mr. Jefferson Essay and Scholarship Foundation Inc. in response.

The foundation plans to award $10,000 in scholarships next year, he said, through an essay contest designed to encourage UVa students to explore for themselves the writing and pronouncements of the founder of the university.

I think were all shocked to think that faculty members would attempt to tell the president of the University of Virginia who she should and should not quote, he said. And especially when its the founder of the university.

As Sullivan observed four years ago in an address from the steps of the Rotunda, Mr. Jefferson provides a perspective for every occasion.

But the perspective on Jefferson himself is finding no common ground at U.Va. or at his alma mater. Last year, protesters at the College of William & Mary plastered sticky notes on his statue labeling him a racist, rapist and hypocrite.

Sullivans use of a seemingly innocuous quote by Jefferson ignited sensitivities at U.Va. amid heightened tensions after the divisive presidential campaign.

In a message to the university intended as a post-election pep talk, she quoted Jefferson as saying U.Va. students are exactly the persons who are to succeed to the government of our country and urged them to embrace that responsibility.

An analysis by the student newspaper The Cavalier Daily found Sullivan has quoted Jefferson in only five of 53 communitywide emails she has sent in the past three years.

But the Nov. 9 quotationwritten by Jefferson on the exact date 191 years earlier, during the first year of classes at U.Va.drew a rebuke.

Despite the potential usefulness of a historical political leader to bring the community together in times of need, we are disappointed in the use of Thomas Jefferson as a moral compass, the letter to Sullivan stated. Thomas Jefferson owned hundreds of slaves and was deeply involved in the racist history of this university.

The paradox of the third U.S. presidents contributions and contradictions inevitably comes up in her creative writing workshops, said poet and U.Va. professor Lisa Russ Spaar, editor of Monticello in Mind: Fifty Contemporary Poems on Jefferson.

Perhaps because they are poets who want to embrace rather than eschew complexity, she said by email, her students tend to believe forward-looking progress is all the more reason not to erase what we find offensive but to use it to comprehend past wrongs.

Spaar didnt sign the letter to Sullivan, but she said shes glad it was written because it raises deeply felt concerns as the university moves in Jeffersons long shadow toward its bicentennial.

Jefferson was visionary in some areas but was also deeply flawed, and so he should not be quoted on every occasion, however tempting it is to do, she said.

He created the university to ensure the very liberties that he himself could not, or was not fully prepared, to accept in his own life and time, she said.

Noelle Hurd, an assistant professor of psychology who drafted the letter, said she has had countless exchanges with students and faculty about the importance of having more honest discussions about the true history of Thomas Jefferson and this university.

Many faculty whom I have discussed this matter with feel that it is intellectually dishonest to present a one-sided view of Jefferson and we know that our students deserve better than that, she said by email.

Anyone who thinks this is about political correctness doesnt understand the seriousness of the situation, said Kath Weston, an anthropology professor who in a footnote to the letter added that U.Va. also has yet to come to terms with Jeffersons policy toward Native Americans.

Students are seeking guidance as racist incidents increase and deserve advice from someone less conflicted when it comes to race relations than Jefferson, Weston said by email. There may be a time and a place to quote Jefferson, but this was not it.

The irony, she said, is that Jefferson himself thought it was dangerous to treat leaders as saints who cannot be criticized.

But for law professor Robert F. Turner, its the letter thats ironic and just outrageous.

Its almost like somebody went to an exercise camp and then complained about, well, theres too much exercise, he said.

This is an incredible university, but one of the things that distinguishes it is that it was founded by Thomas Jefferson.

Jefferson should be judged by his era, said Turner, who was chairman of the commission that sought to refute DNA evidence that Jefferson fathered children with one of his slaves, Sally Hemings.

Jefferson called slavery an abominable crime, he noted, and introduced a Virginia law prohibiting the importation of enslaved Africans and also proposed a ban on slavery in the Northwest Territory.

What about Aristotle? He was a notorious racist who also did some very brilliant things in other areas, Turner said.

Turner said the letter to Sullivan is an attempt at censorship.

The whole idea that a university should be censoring points of view is absurd, he said.

The universitys faculty senate has not taken a position on the request to Sullivan, but the issue is expected to come up at its meeting next month, said law professor Margaret F. Riley, chair of the senate.

The letter has been discussed at a meeting of the student councils general body, which is open to all students. Articles on the topic were distributed to have a fully informed, nuanced discussion of the issue in the future, said Ty Zirkle,the councils director of university relations.

King said he hopes the essay contest will encourage students to do just that and to understand the context for decisions and comments that Jefferson made.

He said he doubts there could be 100 percent approval of everything someone might have said, other than Jesus Christ himself.

King said the scholarship foundation was formed as a positive step after the past few years of controversies at U.Va., including the attempt to fire Sullivan that ended with her address from the Rotunda steps.

Then came the debunked Rolling Stone magazine story of an alleged gang rape in a fraternity house.

I think nerves were already heightened by the Rolling Stone scandal, King said.

And now to come out and attack Thomas Jefferson is probably more than most of us are willing to stand for.
My, oh my, right after the election, it couldnt have been 24 hours, George Soros and his many useful minions gathered together and began protests around the nation.

Of course, they were in the bastions of the liberal/progressives, in the big cities and with the mindless youth of the nation. Advertisements appeared on Craigs List offering protesters $1,500 a week to go out and follow the directions of the professional agitators bought and paid for by MoveOn.org, Black Lives Matter and other such non-stellar organizations.

And $1,500 a week translates, for those of you who think these protesters are from the heart type of people, to $37.50 per hour. This is what the left has become. A party of money-offering individuals trying to keep what semblance of a legitimate political party it thought it was.

These folks were so arrogant and confident that they have duped some Americans again as they did in 2008 and 2012 as they proceeded to vilify, demean, attack, connive, lie, misinform and fabricate news right from the beginning.

This is how they have worked for years since, deep in their hearts if they have any, they know their policies have failed and failed for decades.

There were able to fool the masses with their hate-mongering and clandestine purposeful misinformation and daily prevarications. It got to the point that they were so confident of Hillarys rise to queen that they blatantly attacked and lied right to our faces, expecting their usual results.

After all, how could anyone possibly think Trump had a chance with the Great Democrat Machine and its stranglehold on the big cities of America where most of the population lives?

Then, when they were decimated at the real poll numbers pouring in on Nov. 8, they suddenly and unbelievably winced, moped and cried as North Carolina, Florida, Ohio, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania all went red. The faces of the liberal leftist pundits on TV were amazing to behold. It was as if they had bet all in with their four aces, were called and lost to a royal straight flush. The impossibility of such was unfathomable and incomprehensible.

However, the simplicity of it was Hillary was Crooked Hillary and the Democrats had never, at any point, given Americans anything worth voting for.

So in retribution, rather than re-evaluate their lackluster incompetent campaign, their FBI-investigated candidate, their meanness and their terrible sycophantic media, they got together to raise holy Hades.

Along with their fear-mongering, they set the streets aflame with Molotov cocktails, damaged businesses, turned cars over, beat people senseless, punched horses and attacked police.

This, my friends, is the Democratic Party, the party that says they are tolerant and who would welcome people from all over the world, vetted or not, who want open borders, and want a secular society, morals be damned.

And where are President Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton? Their obvious silence is deafening, leaving one to believe they are okay withand therefore complicit inthe mob mentality of destruction and mayhem.

Yes, Americans awoke to understand these very facts. They gradually got it over the long drawn out tempestuous campaign. They heard the rampant litany of lies and realized that they were being victimized just to get their vote.

Others who havent voted for years finally were fed up with their elitist political shenanigans exposed by Wikileaks and Veritas. People like Lois Lerner, Loretta Lynch, Al Sharpton, Eric Holder, Biden, Hillary, the main stream media, Hollywood ivory tower stars, and others showed America how in the tank they were in order to perpetuate Obamas disastrous policies for another four to eight years.

Finally, it became crystal clear as ordinary Americans walked into the poll booths and voted for a real change and for a man that finally was not from the long line of political power grabbers who had aligned Washington, D.C. for themselves rather than for the people.

As the riots and protesting continues, please realize that the Democratic Party and those with the demonic vision of global world governance of Soros will continue their attacks upon us. They have already started and this will not be the last we see of them for they are liberal minded and this translates to intolerance of youunless you believe what they want you to believe.

These people are at war. Trumps only hope is to get policies in place that will help the American people and win some of them over. The left wants only his destruction no matter what. We have won the fight for now, but we still have to win the war.
Blog Hinangai

While there is much discussion in Guam about the economic benefits of increasing the islands military presence, the damages/dangers that they represent are rarely mentioned. This blog, a supplement to the Peace and Justice for Guam Petition, is meant to counter that by providing information about the US military in Guam, with the hopes of steering policy away from a dangerous unilateralist course to more sustainable notions of regional development and a strengthening international solidarity.
Freedom From Religion vs. Freedom of Religion MythYou Have Freedom Of, not Freedom From Religion?By Austin Cline, Agnosticism & Atheism ExpertUpdated June 29, 2015.Myth:You have freedom of religion, not freedom from religion.Response:This claim is common, but it rests on a misunderstanding of what real freedom of religion entails. The most important thing to remember is that freedom of religion, if it is going to apply to everyone, also requires freedom from religion. Why is that? You do not truly have the freedom to practice your religious beliefs if you are also required to adhere to any of the religious beliefs or rules of other religions.Continue Reading BelowAs an obvious example, could we really say that Jews and Muslims would have freedom of religion if they were required to show same respect to images of Jesus that Christians have? Would Christians and Muslims really have freedom of their religion if they were required to wear yarmulkes? Would Christians and Jews have freedom of religion if they were required to adhere to Muslim dietary restrictions?Simply pointing out that people have the freedom to pray however they wish is not enough. Forcing people to accept some particular idea or adhere to behavioral standards from someone elses religion means that their religious freedom is being infringed upon.See Also: Establishment of a National ChurchFreedom from religion does not mean, as some mistakenly seem to claim, being free from seeing religion in society. No one has the right not to see churches, religious expression, and other examples of religious belief in our nation  and those who advocate freedom of religion do not claim otherwise.What freedom from religion does mean, however, is the freedom from the rules and dogmas of other peoples religious beliefs so that we can be free to follow the demands of our own conscience, whether they take a religious form or not.
President Barack Obama called Hillary Clinton to persuade her to concede the White House on election night, according to a forthcoming book on Clinton's defeat.

Authors Amie Parnes, The Hill's senior White House correspondent, and Jonathan Allen cite three Clintonworld sources familiar with the election-night request in the unreleased book from Crown Publishing.

"You need to concede," Obama told his former secretary of State as she, her family, and her top aides continued to watch results trickle in from the key Rust Belt states of Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania. The latter state, called after 1:30 a.m. by The Associated Press, was the clear tipping point for the White House race, ensuring Trump would crest over the 270 electoral-vote threshold needed to win.

Clinton ultimately heeded Obama's advice and called Trump to acknowledge her defeat in the early morning hours Wednesday.

White House officials did not immediately return requests for comment Friday.

Obama's call left a sour taste in the mouths of some Clinton allies who believe she should have waited longer, and there's now a fight playing out between the Obama and Clinton camps over whether to support an effort to force the Rust Belt states to recount their votes.

Inside Clinton's room at the Peninsula Hotel in Manhattan, where aides were on the phone with boiler rooms at the campaign headquarters in Brooklyn and the Clintons' midtown office, there was still hope as election night stretched on. Their goal was to hold off as long as possible.

Obama's call changed that.

"There was a lot of discussion about Michigan and Wisconsin and whether the numbers could flip it," said one of the sources, all of whom spoke on the condition of anonymity. This source said the final numbers were so close that Clinton might not have placed her call to Trump without a push.

"If anybody knew what actually happened that night, no one would have conceded," the source said.

At the time, campaign Chairman John Podesta, a former Obama White House official, had been dispatched to Clinton's victory party at the Jacob Javits Center to deliver an anodyne statement leaving the result of the election unaddressed.

Before he returned, Clinton put an end to the debate among her inner circle by asking to talk to Trump.

"Just give me the phone," she said in frustration. "I'm calling him."

One of the Clintonworld sources said the campaign apparatus and the Democratic National Committee don't want to be officially affiliated with the push to re-tabulate votes because of the bad political optics of seeking to overturn the election results. At the same time, some of Clinton's allies are hopeful that Green Party candidate Jill Stein, who has raised several million dollars to fund recalculations, will be successful.

Stein officially filed a recount request in Wisconsin Friday afternoon, and her campaign has said she hopes to also push through recounts in Michigan and Pennsylvania. The Wisconsin Elections Commission said it has a Dec. 13 deadline to complete the recount of more than 2.9 million votes.

Podesta and Clinton campaign lawyer Marc Elias held a conference call last week with activists who believe it's possible the outcomes in Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania were tampered with, according to New York Magazine.

But Obama allies are dead-set against the multi-state recount effort. Former Obama White House Communications Director Dan Pfeiffer mocked it on Twitter:

"The amount of Democratic energy and money being wasted on recounts instead of trying to win the Louisiana Senate Race is mind boggling," he tweeted on Thursday.
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FREE to Dayton History Members! $14 per adult / $12 per senior / $10 per child (3-17) / Free to children 2 and under

Featuring thousands of Christmas lights, traditional holiday fare, Santa Claus, live music, historical craft demonstrations, and so much more.

Dayton's Newest Holiday Tradition!

Join us for A Carillon Christmas to see Carillon Historical Parks 65-acre campus transformed into a winter wonderland of sparkle, magic, and holiday cheer!

Holiday Attractions:

The Carillon Tree of Light

Santa Claus

Candy Cane Slopes

Letters to Santa

Deeds Carillon Christmas Concerts

Carillon Christmas Cafe

Roundhouse Cafe in the Transportation Center

Holiday Storytelling in our one-room Schoolhouse

Model Train Displays

Midnight Express Miniature Train Rides

Museum Store Shopping

Walk through our beautiful campus, filled with thousands of lights

Morris and Hetzel Bakery

Gristmill Christmas Village

Carillon Brewing Co.

 and more!

** There is no charge to view or visit the Carillon Tree of Light **

The lighting of the Carillon Tree of Light will kick off a month of holiday festivities at Carillon Historical Park. Festive holiday activities will be available during A Carillon Christmas, November 22 through December 30. We hope you will join us for an evening of holiday fun!
FOCUS ON DEFENSE CAPABILITY DEVELOPMENT IN SOUTHEAST ASIA AND OCEANIA
New Delhi: Tata Sons has slapped a legal notice on ousted chairman Cyrus Mistry's aide Nirmalya Kumar for alleged violation of confidentiality agreement and sought an unconditional apology for making "disparaging" remarks against the group and divulging information.

Kumar, a visiting Professor of Marketing at London Business School who was member of the now disbanded Group Executive Council under Mistry, took to Twitter to react to the legal notice.

"Legal counsel #Tata to me: stop divulging 'Tata Group's future strategy'. Thought no strategy n (and) roadmap was reason #CyrusMistry was fired!" he said.

Tata Sons in the legal notice asked Kumar to "issue an unconditional apology to the company, withdraw your disparaging remarks about the Tata Group from the social media and forthwith cease and desist from making any further public statements or disclosing any information in breach of your obligations you have explicitly undertaken."

It warned of initiating legal proceedings, both civil and criminal, if he fails to apologise and desist from disclosing confidential information.

"In interviews say Tata group is grt (great) - can't throw basket out 4 few bad apples. How is it disparaging? Lakh crore marketcap loss #TataSons ...," Kumar, who claims he was asked to leave the Group soon after Mistry was abruptly removed as chairman of Tata Sons on October 24, said in another tweet.

Citing interviews and statements he had given recently, Tatas in the notice said he had signed an undertakings after resigning from the Group last month that he would "refrain from publishing or circulating any such material that may directly or indirectly refer to the company... which constitutes disclosure of confidential or proprietary information."

Also, he had agreed and undertaken to no disparage either by himself or through any other person in respect of any matter pertaining to Tata Sons and/or its group companies as well as their directors and employees, the notice said. In addition to these undertaking, he had also given a Confidentiality Undertaking at the time of joining services in June 2013.

"Your media interviews and other statements in the press attributed to you, which you haven't denied, amount to a contumacious breach of your obligations, both contractual and otherwise," the notice said.

Tata Sons said Kumar had access to information like Tata Group's future strategy, which had had chosen to divulge and discuss in the public domain.

"You have used the information, entrusted to you in confidence, not only unauthorisedly but for the purpose and with the clear intention to cause detriment to the company and

Tata Group," the notice said adding the issues disclosed by Kumar publicly had inherent confidentiality obligation. Tata Sons also took strong objections to his "disparaging" remarks about the group and said it reserves right to claim damages for the same.
New Delhi: After calling for special relief measures for poor hit by demonetisation, industrialist Ratan Tata on November 26 termed the move as one of the three most important economic reforms that will help fight black money.

Tata, who is locked in a bitter boardroom battle over control of the Tata Group with his successor Cyrus P Mistry, said the government's bold implementation of the demonetisation programme needs the nation's support.

"Demonetisation is amongst the three most important economic reforms in India's history, along with delicensing and GST," Tata said in a tweet.

The Prime Minister's recent focus on mobile and digital payments will also greatly facilitate the transition from a cash-driven economy to a cashless economy, which in the ling term will enormously benefit the poor and underprivileged, he added.

"The government's firm resolve to fight and eliminate black money needs the support and cooperation of all like minded citizens of India who would like to see more equitable distribution of the nation's resources in a new India of tomorrow, based on merit and equal opportunity," Tata said.

He added that the parallel black money economy in India has fueled tax evasion, money laundering and corruption.

"The Prime Minister has displayed enormous courage in waging war on the black market economy in the country through the implementation of a major demonetisation programme," Tata said.

Earlier this week, the noted industrialist had asked the the government to consider special relief measures, similar to those employed at the time of national calamities, for the poor so as to lessen their hardships of currency crunch following demonetisation of high value notes.
Approximately 28 per cent traders are experiencing declines of 30-60 per cent and those in this category include traders of automobile, computers, mobile phones, garments, etc.

New Delhi: The decision of the Centre to cancel the legal tender notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1000 has taken its toll on 90 per cent traders across India as they are experiencing a decline in their business ranging from 0-90 per cent.

As per a survey conducted by LocalCircles, approximately 16 per cent traders across the country are experiencing sales declines in the range of 60-90 per cent, which includes jewelers, furniture, sanitary-ware and traders dealing in other discretionary items.

Approximately 28 per cent traders are experiencing declines of 30-60 per cent and those in this category include traders of automobile, computers, mobile phones, garments, etc.

According to the poll, approximately 46 per cent traders are experiencing sales declines in the range of 0-30 per cent and these include general stores, prepaid recharge and those trading many other essential use items.

In the survey conducted, around 8000 citizens were requested to visit their local market, speak to traders and small retailers and only then respond to the survey question.

According to the poll, 46 per cent traders are experiencing sales declines in the range of 0-30 per cent and these include general stores, prepaid recharge and those trading many other essential use items.

Per feedback from citizens, traders and small retailers are struggling for two primary reasons which are cash crunch and removal of black money from the system. Once the cash becomes available in the system most believe that 60-70 per cent of the lost consumer demand and lost sales will come back.

However the remaining 30-40 per cent consumer demand which were the purchases from black money are permanently lost. Hence, their sales and earnings will now be lower in the short as well as medium term.

In a related survey conducted by LocalCircles on consumer spending, approximately 20 per cent consumers plan to spend less in the coming weeks due to uncertainty post demonetisation of the old currency.

Another 30 per cent consumers say they see themselves spending less in the coming weeks due to the limited availability of cash. 47 per cent consumers said they plan to spend the same as pre demonetisation.
The draft Integrated GST (IGST) law which has to be adopted by Centre as well as the states, says that Centre will notify the GST rate on the recommendations of the GST Council but it would not exceed 28 per cent.

New Delhi: In order to prevent any rise in price of commodities after GST implementation, the Centre has proposed an 'anti-profiteering' measure to ensure that trade and industry pass the benefits of reduction in tax rates to consumers.

The draft model GST law, which is to be finalised by the GST Council on December 2-3, has also specified that the highest tax slab will not exceed 28 per cent in the GST regime, thus accepting the key demand of Congress. As per the draft, the central government will constitute an authority or entrust the task to an existing authority to examine that the input tax credits or reduction in tax rates are passed by registered tax payers to consumers.

The Centre today released 3 drafts -- model GST law, IGST law and Compensation law -- which have to approved by the Centre and state legislatures for roll out of GST. Under the new Goods and Services Tax (GST) regime, which is likely to kick in from April 1, all traders and industries have to be registered with the GST Network to pay taxes, file return and claim refunds.

"Enabling provisions have been made for introduction of anti-profiteering measure, wherein a mechanism may be established to monitor whether the benefit arising to industry on account of GST is passed on to the consumers," said Pratik Jain, Partner and leader Indirect Tax at PwC.

The draft Integrated GST (IGST) law which has to be adopted by Centre as well as the states, says that Centre will notify the GST rate on the recommendations of the GST Council but it would not exceed 28 per cent.

The GST Council, headed by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and having state representatives, has already decided on a 4-tier GST tax structure of 5, 12, 18 and 28 per cent. Luxury items and demerit goods would be taxed at the highest rate and would also attract a cess to create a Rs 50,000 crore corpus for compensating states for loss of revenue. Parliament will have to approve all these legislations in the ongoing Winter Session to meet the April deadline.
Mumbai: Amitabh Bachchans Pink was one of the most critically acclaimed films of the year and also went on to do good business at the box-office. The film which throws light on the issue of sexual harassment and other crimes against women in Delhi and other parts of the country was immensely discussed throughout the country after its release.

There were also reports of the film being used as a platform to promote the Zero FIR law and also to sensitise police forces towards women. It is set to accomplish another important achievement. Bachchan, who played a lawyer in the venture, took to Twitter to share that the film was invited for a special screening at the United Nations headquarters.

Pink released on September 16 this year and had starred Taapsee Pannu, Andrea Tariang and Kirti Kulhari in lead roles, ably supported by Angad Bedi and Piyush Mishra among others. The film was presented by Shoojit Sircar.
Mumbai: There were reports recently that Salman Khan and his rumoured girlfriend Iulia Vantur had parted ways and that the Romanian would never return to India after she went home to renew her visa. However, Iulia was snapped in Mumbai a few days ago and that has finally put to rest all speculation of a rift in their relationship. It was also reported that she was a part of the birthday celebrations of Helen few days back and it seems that she is making good use of her time in the city.

Iulia has now crooned to a romantic song for Himesh Reshammiyas album. She has already recorded the song Every Night and Day for the album Aap Se Mausiiquii. The songs from the album are already getting popular and this song will definitely add to the popularity of the album.

While speaking to a leading daily, Himesh said that he had listened to Iulias cover version of Salmans popular Jag Ghoomeya song from Sultan and that prompted him to approach her and Iulia immediately gave her nod. Iulia is professional trained in singing and has also been learning Hindi and Himesh said that he was impressed by her singing skills and Hindi diction and pronunciation.

The video of the song is scheduled to be shot next month and it would be now be interesting to see if she will also make an appearance in the music video.
Mumbai: When you've got Ranveer Singh in the house, the most subtle of things are bound to be an absolute riot. And when you're shooting a Bhangra track, the matter escalates.

Ranveer, who's been away from the big-screen for nearly a year, post his critically acclaimed turn in Sanjay Leela Bhansali's 'Bajirao Mastani,' will finally be returning with Aditya Chopra's third directorial, 'Befikre,' alongside Vaani Kapoor.

The actor, who plays the quintessential metrosexual man in the film, has been his exuberant self in the songs that had been release until now, and with the latest song, 'Khulke Dulke,' a supremely energetic Punjabi track, he's upped the ante.

Vaani, who herslef is returning after a long sabbatical post her debut, 'Shuddh Desi Romance,' is gorgeous, unabashed and relentlessly matching up to Ranveer's level of energy.

The song, ably composed by Vishal-Shekhar, has the wacky Gippy Grewal and Harshdeep Kaur on lead vocals, with the talented ensemble of Vishal himself, Ankur Tewari and Kunal Ganjawala on backing vocals.

'Befikre,' produced by Yash Raj Films, is slated to release on December 9, 2016.

Watch the video here:
London: "Harry Potter" author JK Rowling has gifted a young girl living in war-torn Syria with copies of her famous boy wizard books.

Seven-year-old Bana has been watching the "Harry Potter" films to distract her from the bombings and fighting, which is occurring in her hometown of Aleppo.

After watching the film earlier this week, Bana's mother Fatemah reached out to Rowling via Twitter, revealing her daughter and other local children were interested in reading the books the movies are based on, reported CNN.

Hi @jk_rowling I watched Harry Potter movie, Bana would like to read the book.- Fatemah #Aleppo  Bana Alabed (@AlabedBana) November 21, 2016

Rowling was moved by the message and replied, writing, "Bana, I hope you do read the book, because I think you'd like it. Sending you lots and lots of love xxx."

The 51-year-old writer subsequently sent her electronic copies of all the books in the franchise.

@AlabedBana Bana, I hope you do read the book, because I think you'd like it. Sending you lots and lots of love xxx  J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) November 21, 2016

Bana's mother has since shared her gratitude with the author on Twitter, writing, "Thank you my friend Jk Rowling for the books", to which Rowling responded, "Thinking of you, keep safe #Aleppo."
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Delinquent Malayali kids offer a contrast to substance-addicted children elsewhere in the country. When children between the age of 5 and 18 in other parts of the country are addicted to heroin, sedatives and injectables, kids and teenagers in Kerala are generally immune to the lure of such intoxicants. Instead, the state's kids have been found to be one of the biggest users of inhalants like ink eraser fluid, petrol and glue. This was revealed in a nationwide study on substance use among children.

Alcohol and tobacco use were also found to be high among children in the state. The study was commissioned by National Commission for the Protection of Child Rights in collaboration with National Drug Dependence Treatment Centre (NDDTC) of All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) to examine the pattern, profile and correlates of substance use among Indian children. This is the first nation-wide study reaching out to a reasonably large sample of school going/out of school/street children across various cities and towns in India spanning 29 states/union territories. Use of substance among children is basically due to curiosity, the study notes.

"Peer pressure and also low perception of harm, migration, poverty and street life also adds to the menace," it adds. The final study sample comprised of 4,024 children. Of this 119 were from Kerala. Seventy-four per cent of children sampled in Kerala were found to use tobacco regularly. Sixty-one per cent of Kerala children were addicted to alcohol. It was the use of cannabis (bhang, charas, ganja, sulpha) that turned out to be a shocker. More than 20 per cent of the boys sampled used cannabis regularly. This was higher than even Andhra Pradesh (12 per cent) or Tamil Nadu (10 per cent). A huge 33.6 per cent of children in Kerala use inhalants. Its use is less in Tamil Nadu (7.5 per cent), Karnataka (27.8 per cent) and Andhra Pradesh (7.1 per cent).
the Ancient Greeks ritually exercised in the nude, and the dress code for the Ancient Olympic games was nothing more than a pottery flask full of oil to grease up with.

New York: Have you ever been wobbling uncontrollably in a half-formed downward dog, or soaked with sweat in a spin class and thought to yourself, this would be so much better if I was naked?

A surprising number of people seemingly have  and some evidence even suggests that its not as absurd as it sounds. Naked yoga, naked swimming clubs, naked bike rides and naked gym classes all seem to be gaining popularity, with suggested benefits including increased self-esteem and body positivity.

While it may be making a comeback, exercising naked is a practice that is rooted in history. The Anglo-Saxon monosyllable gym is a contraction of the Greek word gymnasion, which translates to school for naked exercise.

The Ancient Greeks ritually exercised in the nude, and the dress code for the Ancient Olympic games was nothing more than a pottery flask full of oil to grease up with.

In a much less violent movement, The World Naked Bike Ride is a perfect example of the nude revolution. For one day every year, tens of thousands of bikers take to the streets in hundreds of cities around the world in a protest against oil dependency and car culture, but also as an unbridled celebration of the naked body.

Founded in 2004, it aims to deliver a vision of a cleaner, safer, body-positive world and the official line on the dress code is bare as you dare. While some will find naked exercise liberating, the thought of parading your bare body around a city is pure horror for most people. Not to mention the inevitable saddle burn.

For the latter group, there are lots of other options that you can enjoy within the confines of four walls.

The nudist group Naturist London hosts a popular Sunday Swim event at the pool of the University of London where no booking or membership is required.
Bengaluru: A gang of men posing as Income Tax officials stopped a truck on NICE Road and robbed Rs 1 crore, belonging to a businessman in Thalaghattapura police station limits. The incident took place early Tuesday, but a complaint was lodged on Thursday.

According to the police, the stolen money belonged to one, Arokya Raju, who hails from Trichy in Tamil Nadu. He was into distribution of chocolates and biscuits and also owns a warehouse in Peenya Industrial Area. He had sent goods in a truck, which had three staff, including driver Raju and two helpers. On Monday, the staff dumped the goods in the warehouse and collected Rs 1 crore in cash from wholesale and retail distributors in the city for supplying them the goods.

The truck was returning to Tamil Nadu and was moving on NICE Road at Nagegowdanapalya around 4.30 am on Tuesday. Three people in a car waylaid the vehicle, claiming that they were IT officials and wanted to the check the vehicle. They asked the driver to open the back door of the vehicle. There they found the cash and asked the driver to produce documents. As the driver had no documents, the miscreants said they were seizing the money and asked him to sit in their car. They asked the helpers to drive the vehicle and follow them as they were going to police station. After passing some distance, they asked Raju to get down and sped away in the car, the police said.

Raju immediately informed the distributor about the incident. As the distributor had no proper documents about the cash, he came to station only on Thursday and filed a complaint. We have formed special teams to crack the case and are analysing CCTV footage to know about the movement of the car used by the miscreants. We are also not ruling out the role of insiders, the police added.

Demonetisation: Criminals cash in

After demonetisation, fraudsters in the city are duping the gullible by posing as law enforcement officials and robbing them of cash. In another case, a miscreant approached two builders in JP Nagar saying he had old currency notes of Rs 1.25 crore and he could exchange if for Rs 90 lakh in new currency. The builders agreed and pooled in the sum along with 10 others. On Thursday the miscreant approached them to exchange cash. Soon three men came in a car, said they were from CCB, and took the money and the two builders in the car. After traveling some distance they threw the builders out and sped away.
The accused, Junaid, who works as a butcher at a mutton stall nearby, barged into the house and raped her.(Representational image)

Bengaluru: An eight-year-old home-alone girl was raped by a 22-year-old neighbour on Tannery road on Friday. The victim is the daughter of a construction labourer and stays with her father, two sisters and a brother in a rented house. Her mother died sometime ago.

The three sisters go to nearby school and return home in the afternoon, while their father and brother work as labourers. On Friday, the victim returned from school alone and was getting ready to go for Arabic tuitions, when the accused, Junaid, who works as a butcher at a mutton stall nearby, barged into the house and raped her.

He fled after the girl started bleeding profusely. The incident came to light in the evening when the victims sisters returned home and found the victim lying unconscious in a pool of blood.

They raised an alarm and neighbours shifted her to Bowring hospital. The doctors, who examined the victim, confirmed sexual assault and the incident was reported to the police.

A police team immediately tracked down Junaid and arrested him. He has been booked under several sections of Pocso after he was subjected to medical examination. The condition of the minor girl is said to be improving.
Hyderabad: The name of Chennai based-builder B. Nagi Reddy of Nutech Associates has cropped up after Government Railway Police and customs department nabbed his companys marketing manager at Rajahmundrys Godavari railway station with Rs 50 lakh cash in demonetised Rs 1,000 notes on Saturday. Rajahmundry GRP deputy superintendent of police B. Lakshminarayana said that on the basis of suspicion, police had checked a passenger from Chennai who arrived by Bokaro Express, M. Mathi Alagan, 47, of Porur in Chennai, who was working as marketing manager with Nutech Associates.

We seized Rs 50 lakh in old currency in bundles of 50 notes. Alagan confessed to us that he was given this money by B. Nagi Reddy, owner of Nutech Associates, to hand it over to one Satyanarayana Reddy, he said. Police suspects that the money was bound for Anaparthy in East Godavari district for conversion into Rs 2,000 notes. According to the Nutech Associates website, Nagi Reddy is the son of Vijaya Reddy, producer and director of Hindi and Kannada films.

Customs department superintendent Pandu Ranga Rao said the cash was being handed over to the income-tax department for further investigation. An income-tax official said, We have been informed about a cash seizure. We will be taking over the case. Based on phone call data, income-tax officials are investigating the role of other persons in the cash conversion racket.

When contacted by this newspaper for his version, Mr Nagi Reddy declined comment saying the phone signal was weak.
Hyderabad: A few hours before the police could trace an 18-month-old boy who was kidnapped, his father died of shock at Mailardevpally on Saturday. The police on Saturday traced the child and arrested the kidnappers with the help of CCTV footages, but the kid Naga Chaitanyas father T. Narender died on Saturday morning.

Cyberabad police commissioner Sandeep Shandilya said that on Friday night, Chaitanyas mother Malathi filed a complaint with the police stating that Chaitanya who was playing in front of their house went missing.

Police found in a CCTV camera installed at a hotel an unknown woman carrying Chaitanya. His mother also identified the child.

Based on clues, police traced the suspect Kavita from Budwel. "Kavita confessed that she sold the kid to her employer A. Ramu for Rs 25,000 and took an advance of Rs 5,000 from him. It came to light that Kavita, had earlier sold her own son to some unknown persons in Kurnool for money," Mr Sandeep said.

Police also nabbed Ramu from Secunderabad and rescued the child from a house in Puranapul.While the police were tracing the kid, Narender who was working in a factory died of shock. Narender is survived by wife Malathi, two daughters and two sons. Chaitanya is the youngest.
Thiruvananthapuram: A Japanese tourist was allegedly sexually assaulted by a handicraft shop owner in his rented room at Kovalam in the wee hours of Saturday. The police arrested the accused, Teja Lakshman, 24, hailing from Karnataka, who has been running a handicraft shop near the beach for the past several years. The woman tourist, aged 35, a nurse hailing from Kobe city in Japan, has been admitted to SAT hospital with severe bleeding.

As per the police, the victim was in India for a 12-day tour. She had visited Kovalam once before and was befriended by the suspect on Friday evening. The duo spent several hours at night on the beach and after consuming beer went to Tejas room around 3 am on Saturday. When she told him that she was supposed to head to Kanyakumari in the morning, Teja made sexual advances towards her and she tried in vain to resist him.

During the assault, she started bleeding and managed to run away to the hotel where she stayed. The hotel staffers immediately alerted the police and took her to SAT hospital. We arrested the man later in morning and booked him under IPC section 376 for rape, said Kovalam SI G. Ajayakumar. He was produced before the chief judicial magistrate court which remanded him.
The Reserve Bank of Indias regional office here on Friday received 14 tonnes of new Rs 500 notes worth crores of rupees to be dispatched to banks across the state.

Chennai: Cash crunch in Chennai and the rest of Tamil Nadu could ease the next couple of days. The Reserve Bank of Indias regional office here on Friday received 14 tonnes of new Rs 500 notes worth crores of rupees to be dispatched to banks across the state.

The security press at Nasik in Maharashtra flew in the prized consignment from the security press at Nasik in Maharashtra early Friday amid high security. RBI officials were tight-lipped about the worth of the notes that have been received at the Chennai branch, saying revealing such details could breach security.

Cash that was brought in the aircraft was loaded into two containers that were parked right at the bay where the plane was parked after landing by private security agencies hired by the RBI. Each container had 7 tonnes of Rs 500 notes, an airport official told Deccan Chronicle seeking anonymity.

Sources at the Chennai airport said an RBI team held extensive talks with the airport management on Thursday about the top-secret operation and sought cooperation in executing it without any hitch. Apart from RBI and airport staff, only CISF officials were informed about the arrival of the special aircraft, the sources said.

A few banks in Chennai and Salem began dispensing Rs 500 notes on Thursday, but the supply did not meet the demand. The new notes were flown into Chennai through a special aircraft owned by the Indian Air Force from the Security Press in Nashik in Maharashtra on early Friday morning amid high security.

People were put to severe hardship since the demonitisation as there were not enough 100-rupee notes; besides, it was difficult to change the new 2000-rupee notes. This latest consignment of 500-rupee notes should provide the much-needed relief to the people. The moment we receive the notes from the RBI, we will load them into ATMs and dispense them at the counters as well, a senior manager of a PSU bank told Deccan Chronicle.

Currency notes are usually dispatched to regional centres of the Reserve Bank of India from where they are sent to other banks for distribution among the people. However, with the banks being closed for the weekend, it is expected that the new consignment of 500-rupee notes will find their way into the ATM machines early next week.

A small consignment of 500-rupee notes had been received on Thursday and marginally helped ease the pressure in a few ATMs in Salem, besides a few in Chennai.
New Delhi: Labour Ministry on said it will launch a campaign in association with Department of Financial services to open bank accounts of workers, who do not have one till date, in the organised as well as unorganised sector on Saturday.

"The Ministry of Labour and Employment in collaboration with Department of Financial services, the Ministry of Finance is launching a nationwide campaign to open bank accounts in respect of those workers in both organised and unorganized sectors who do not have one even today," a Labour Ministry statement said.

Starting from November 26, 2016, special camps will be organised in every district at specific locations to facilitate the opening of bank accounts.

Government has decided to pursue this path of digital transactions more vigorously than ever before, it added.

"We have already sent communications to all the state governments in this respect requesting their active cooperation," Labour Minister Bandaru Dattatreya said in the statement.

The team comprising of District Magistrates, Lead District Manager of Bank and Labour Officers of both Centre as well as state governments would decide the modalities of the camps including the locations within their districts and coordination with the banking channels, he said.

Mr Dattatreya has called upon all the establishments and people concerned to facilitate the access to these camps and avail of the services therein, it said.

The campaign will continue in the coming days through the banks concerned, their business correspondents and camps as required, it further said.

In order to facilitate financial inclusion and to ensure transparency in all financial transactions, the government launched its flagship scheme of Jan Dhan Yojna in September, 2014.

More than 25 crore bank accounts have been created since then across the country thereby linking the working class to the mainstream of financial /banking activities. The DBT (direct benefit transfer) through this banking network has benefited crores of poor citizens of the country.
It would be nice if President-elect Donald Trump took one of the most serious threats to life on earth seriously, but he does not. Trump called global warming a Chinese "hoax" during the campaign, and he's assigned a science dunce to lead the transition at the Environmental Protection Agency.

The comforting news is that America can move past the black hole of ignorance in Trump's Washington  or New York or wherever he is. Enlightened state and city governments, as well as the private sector, can provide the leadership. As it happens, they're already on the case.

Huge example: During the Paris climate change conference last December, Bill Gates organized a handful of billionaires and came up with $15 billion for his Breakthrough Energy Coalition. The group's mission is to fund research on radical new clean energy technologies.

"Ten guys in a room produced more money than the entire world community of nations in commitment of resources," Daniel Esty, professor of environmental law and policy at Yale Law School, told me.

"I'm not as sad or crushed as some people (that Trump was elected)," he added. "When the federal government collapses, state governments step up."

California's war on greenhouse gases is already 10 years old. Its original goal was to reduce the state's carbon footprint to the 1990 level by the year 2020. The new goal is to shrink the carbon footprint to 40 percent below the 1990 level by 2030.

After the election, Gov. Jerry Brown rejected the notion of defeat or backsliding. "We will protect the precious rights of our people and continue to confront the existential threat of our time  devastating climate change," he announced.

Brown is not without economic firepower. California is the world's sixth-biggest economy.

Regional compacts in the West, in the Northeast and elsewhere are following California's lead. There's also one in South Florida, where "king tides" are now flooding streets on perfectly sunny days.

Can Trump be educated on this issue  or at least tamed by forces he can't control?

Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy, again running for the office, vows to slap a carbon tax on American imports if Trump pulls us out of the Paris climate deal. Could that happen?

Absolutely, according to Esty. Countries failing to meet international standards that form the base line for fair competition can be punished. And 195 nations have joined the Paris agreement.

Climate change has become a major priority for the U.S. Department of Defense. Rising waters already threaten Navy installations along the mid-Atlantic coast. And as the Arctic ice melts, Russia is opening bases in the region.

Higher temperatures worsen drought in Africa, unleashing mass migrations and spawning terrorists. Adm. Samuel Locklear III has called climate change the "biggest long-term security threat" in the Asia-Pacific region.

Trump may not know this, but China, the biggest producer of greenhouse gases, has been slashing its carbon emissions. How big is this? Ginormous. In the first four months of 2015, China cut emissions by an amount roughly equal to Britain's entire emissions for the same period.

The smaller carbon footprint is merely a byproduct of China's effort to clean up its putrid air. Getting rid of carbon emissions also gets rid of dirty air. That's why states are still going after them even though the greenhouse gases themselves spread evenly around the globe.

As for Trump, he's done little so far other than to embarrass reality-based Americans. But again, we can work around him.

Last summer, Brown told climate change deniers: "Bring it on. We'll have more battles, and we'll have more victories."

Can Jerry Brown be our alt-president?
Thirunavukkarasar said there is resentment against the Centre's 'anti-people move' and all the opposition parties had joined hands and opposing the move in the floor of Parliament and outside

Chennai: Congress leaders will take part in the protest demonstrations organised by its ally DMK onNovember 28 as part of the nation-wide agitations against the Centre's demonetisation of high value currencies, said TNCC president S. Thirunavukkarasu.

The replacement of currencies, which had been withdrawn, will take more than a year, he contended and the announcement has been made without any planning, he said. Terming the announcement a drama to portray Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a hero fighting against black money, he said the show had flopped.

Thirunavukkarasar said there is resentment against the Centre's 'anti-people move' and all the opposition parties had joined hands and opposing the move in the floor of Parliament and outside. Flaying the BJP's refusal to accept the demand of Opposition parties that Prime Minister Narendra Modi should give answers in Parliament to questions raised by the Opposition.

Despite his poor health, former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh attended Parliament and spoke on the subject, he pointed out. BJP is not concerned about his warning that the country would be pushed to disaster by this king of management failure.

He also said the Jan Dhan Yojana scheme had been used to convert black money into white, since Rs. 21 crore had been deposited in such accounts in the last 15 days. The Centre was not able to prevent misuse of Jan Dhan accounts, he alleged.

The Congress leader said big business and industrialists had not been affected by the move and added that 90 per cent of the transaction in the country was done through cash. By scrapping 86 per cent of the currencies in circulation, over 100 crores of people are waiting in bank and ATM queues for hours, he said.
New Delhi: Left parties on Saturday paid rich tributes to Cuban revolutionary icon Fidel Castro, saying the departed leader was a great friend of the Indian Communist movement and India.

Describing Castro as a source of "inspiration," CPI(M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury said he steered Cuba from a very backward country to what it is today.

"He steered Cuba from a very backward country to what it is today. It has got the world's highest rate of literacy, development in medical sciences where even the US sends doctors for training there. And he remained and remains a big revolutionary and source of inspiration," he said.

"End of an era. But revolutionaries like Fidel Castro live forever," he said in a tweet.

In a statement, the CPI said "Fidel Castro played a historic role in building the modern socialist Cuba, which is free from illiteracy, hunger and illness. Castro was great Marxist thinker and a legendary revolutionary fighter". "He was great friend of Indian Communist movement and India. He played remarkable role in the non-aligned movement giving it a new orientation," the party said.

Expressing "deep sorrow" over the demise of the former Cuban President, the CPI said, "his demise is not just a loss for Cuba but for the whole world and for all revolutionary."

Castro, who led a rebel army to improbable victory in Cuba, embraced Soviet-style communism and defied the power of 10 US presidents during his half century rule, died in Havana on Friday night.

General Secretary of the CPI (ML) Liberation Dipankar Bhattcharya, said ,"#FidelCastro, the communist great who batted through the post-Soviet era, is no more. #RedSalute Comrade, your mission will be fulfilled."
Fidel Castro and Indira Gandhi appear together after Castro arrived to attend the opening session of the 7th Non-Aligned Summit in New Delhi, March 7, 1983. (Photo: AP)

New Delhi: Fidel Castro's bear hug to Indira Gandhi in the spring of 1983 at the Non-Aligned Movement summit in New Delhi best symbolises his warm ties with India which always looked to the legendary leader as a "great friend".

Under the late Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, India was amongst the first countries to extend recognition to Cuba after the 1959 revolution led by Castro, who overthrew the Fulgencio Batista regime.

Unmindful of the US sanctions on Communist Cuba starting from the Cold War era, India has always maintained political, trade, cultural and people-to-people relations for about six decades when even Washington has revised its stand.

It was Nehru who had reached out to the Cuban icon and told him that the non-aligned nations saw his leadership with immense hope.

Castro, who died last night aged 90, in 1960 had been denied the possibility of staying in five-star hotels in New York when he attended the UN General Assembly and the owner of Theresa Hotel came and invited him and his delegation to stay there. Then, important dignitaries paid him courtesy calls there.

Castro years later told former External Affairs Minister K Natwar Singh that, "The first person who came to see me was Prime Minister Nehru. I can never forget his magnificent gesture. I was 34 years of age, not widely known. I was tense. Nehru boosted my morale. My tension disappeared."

Castro's relationship with India goes back decades when Nehru reached out to him and the friendship established between them was strengthened during Indira Gandhi's tenure as the Prime Minister.

The bond of India-Cuba friendship is best symbolised with the unforgettable image of Castro embracing Indira Gandhi while handing over the NAM chairmanship to her in 1983 in New Delhi.

"Today, while handing over, after more than three years, the chairmanship of the Non-Aligned Movement to our admired Indira Gandhi and to India, that she in her historic right represents, we can affirm that we have a movement whose unity was not weakened, whose vigour has grown, whose independence has been withheld despite all the challenges it faced," he had said at the time.

Castro and Gandhi had met on several occasions in the past. In September 1973, she hosted a dinner for him in Delhi when he was on his way to Vietnam.

Another landmark visit happened in August 1985, when then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi visited Cuba and held extensive discussions with Castro.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh also visited Cuba in 2006 while Vice President Hamid Ansari met Castro during a visit to Cuba in October, 2013.

Ansari's 65-minute long meeting with Castro reflected the warmth in the relationship between India and Cuba, two of the founding members of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM).

The meeting was the first time in a long time that the Cuban leader met a foreign dignitary.

Reacting to Castro's death, Natwar Singh said Castro was a very good friend for India, who stood with through thick and thin.

"I had the privilege of meeting him 6-7 times both in Havana and Delhi, he was a very good friend for India. He stood by us through thick and thin," Singh said today.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also condoled his demise, describing him as one of the most iconic personalities of the 20th century.

"Fidel Castro was one of the most iconic personalities of the 20th century. India mourns the loss of a great friend", the Prime Minister said.

There have been numerous instances of bilateral cooperation between the two countries.

In December 1992, while Cuba was passing through severe economic difficulties, India had provided 10,000 tonnes of wheat and 10,000 tonnes of rice. Fidel Castro termed the donation as the 'Bread of India'.

In 2008, India wrote off the principal and interest of USD 62 million, equivalent to Rs. 1.28 billion debt owed to India.

India also granted an aid of USD 2 million in cash as disaster relief assistance to Cuba in the wake of massive devastations caused by the hurricanes Gustav, Ike and Paloma during August and September 2008.
New Delhi: A minimum of 50 per cent tax may be levied on unexplained bank deposits made using the banned currency notes up to December 30 along with a 4-year lock in period for half of the remaining amount under the amendments to tax law the government plans to bring in Parliament shortly.



However, a higher 90 per cent tax and penalty could be imposed if assessees do not declare the unaccounted cash voluntarily.



Cash deposits made using the scrapped 500 and 1000 rupee notes above a threshold that are declared to Income Tax authorities may attract 50 per cent tax, as per the amendment to the Income Tax Act approved by the Cabinet last night.



Half of remaining deposits, or 25 per cent of the original deposit, will not be allowed to be withdrawn for four years, top sources said.



In case such deposits are not declared and are detected by tax authorities, a total of 90 per cent tax and penalty would be charged, they said.



The government had after the shock demonetisation, given a 50-day window beginning November 10 for either depositing the 500 and 1000 rupee notes in circulation or exchanging them for new currency.



While the exchange, which was limited to a maximum of Rs 2,000 per person, has been withdrawn, all old notes without any ceiling can be deposited in bank accounts.



This, sources said, had led to a surge in bank deposits, particularly in zero-balance Jan Dhan accounts that swelled by over Rs 21,000 crore in just two weeks, raising suspicion that these accounts may have been used to launder black money.



While the tax authorities had talked of levying a peak rate of tax and 200 per cent penalty on top of it for any unexplained deposit above Rs 2.5 lakh during November 10 to December 30 period, it was felt that such a move may not have legal backing.



To plug those loopholes, the Cabinet is believed to have yesterday approved amending the Income Tax Act by adding a clause in one of the sections to provide for the tax on an unexplained income during the window, sources said.



The government plans to bring the amendment for approval during the ongoing winter session of Parliament.



Sources said the demonetisation was a big step to uproot black money and corruption but its very purpose would have been defeated if the ill-gotten wealth made way into the system through benami deposits.



And taxing them was a way to punish dishonest people.



The tax rate however cannot be the same as charged to honest tax payers. It also could not be the 45 per cent tax and penalty charged on hereto undisclosed wealth brought to books using a one-time compliance window under the Income Disclosure Scheme (IDS) that ended on September 30.



Sources said since the black money holder did not utilise the government offer to declare his ill-gotten wealth, he should pay a higher rate of tax now and curbs placed on use of that money.
Shudhodhan Babarao Wankhede scaled the parapet wall of the white tiger enclosure and jumped into it, they added. (Representational image)

Pune: A 25-year-old man on Saturday jumped into a tiger enclosure in Rajiv Gandhi Zoological Park here, but was rescued unhurt by the animal keeper and security guards, officials said.

Shudhodhan Babarao Wankhede scaled the parapet wall of the white tiger enclosure and jumped into it, they added.

"He went very close to the tiger and even touched the animal. However, our security guards and the animal keeper carefully opened the back gate of the enclosure and evacuated the man unhurt," said a zoo official.

He said the man had tried to jump into another enclosure of a Royal Bengal Tiger before jumping into the white tiger's enclosure. However, the guards had succeeded in foiling that bid.

"Had there been a delay of a few more minutes in rescuing the man, his life would have been in danger. But, timely intervention of the security guards and animal keeper saved his life," he added.

Wankhede was later handed over to the police at Bharti Vidyapeeth police station and the process of registering a case against him was on.

The zoo officials said the man appeared to be mentally unstable.
Srinagar: A BSF jawan was injured on Saturday when militants opened fire on a security forces' convoy in Handwara area of north Kashmir's Kupwara district.

"One jawan has sustained bullet injuries in the attack by militants on a convoy at Handwara this morning," a BSF official said here.

He said the injured jawan has been hospitalised and his condition is stated to be stable.

This is second attack on security forces in Handwara area in the past 36 hours.

Militants on Thursday night opened fire on a police station in Handwara but there was no damage in the incident as the ultras fled from the scene following retaliation by the cops.
Morena: A man was arrested in Banmore town in Madhya Pradesh for allegedly circulating an objectionable picture of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on social media, police said on Friday.

Aslam Khan (25), who runs a mobile shop, was arrested Thursday night for allegedly circulating the objectionable photo of the Prime Minister, Banmore Sub Divisional Officer of Police (SDOP) Atmaram Sharma said.

Some BJP workers came across the picture after it went viral on social media platforms, following which party workers staged a protest led by Banmore division president Rambaran Mavai before the Banmore police station.

An FIR has been lodged against Khan and further investigations are on, he added.
Chennai: DMK treasurer MK Stalin on Saturday appealed to the Central and state governments, public and private sectors to consider paying salaries of employees in cash.

"Till such time the currency crunch and economic stagnancy situation was addressed, the salaries of central, state government, public and private sector employees besides pensioners should be paid in cash," he said.

He said salaries for the present and subsequent months should be paid in cash in view of the current situation.

In a statement here, he said the currency crunch vis-a-vis salary payout issue should be given "attention commensurate with measures taken during disasters by the State and Central governments."

He said in the 2,20,000 ATMs across the country, arrangements are not fully in place to withdraw new Rs.2000, and Rs.500 notes.

He also said the cap restraining withdrawals to Rs.2000 in ATMs and Rs.24,000 from bank branches will seriously affect the employees.
People queue up outside a bank to exchange their old Rs 1000 and Rs 500 currency notes in Gurugram. (Photo: PTI)

New Delhi: Law and IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on Saturday said the decision to scrap Rs 500/1000 notes was taken by the government on the recommendation of the Reserve Bank of India.

"It is not demonetisation. It is a wrong expression. Our government has only taken decision upon recommendation of Reserve bank of India who is authority to take decisions that notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1000 will not be a legal tender. It is not demonetisation in classical economic sense," he said.

Government scrapped acceptance of old Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes from November 9 onward but allowed their payment for some essential services in limited manner.

Listing out steps taken by the NDA government to deal with menace of unaccounted money at an event of PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry here, Prasad said Prime Minister Narendra Modi created SIT on black money in the very first Cabinet meeting.

The government re-negotiated double taxation treaties with Mauritius and Cyprus, and bankruptcy code was brought in.

India also entered into an agreement with the US under FATCA.

"Then, provision under Income Tax was made to disclose black money and pay penalty, then voluntary disclosure income scheme was brought, then benami transaction rule was brought in. The decision of putting Rs 500 and Rs 1000 out of legal tender was last of these," Prasad said.

He said that country's economy has 12-13 per cent cash component out of which Rs 500 and Rs 1000 account for 86 per cent.

"Now this country is moving towards honesty and transparency let it move in that direction. Now it is our duty to bring India out of corruption taint," Prasad said.

The minister further said due to economic reforms government has saved Rs 36,000 crore by digitalising economic activities such as payment of subsidies and MGNREGA wages through direct cash benefit facilities on to the accounts of intended beneficiaries through Aadhaar.
The nationwide bandh called on November 28 by non-Congress opposition parties to protest the problems caused by demonetisation may have partial impact in the city.

Hyderabad: The nationwide bandh called on November 28 by non-Congress opposition parties to protest the problems caused by demonetisation may have partial impact in the city. Representatives of most unions in the RTC, railways and the transport sector said they would participate in protest rallies but werent strongly inclined to support the bandh itself.

General Secretary of National Federation of Indian Railway Employees M. Raghavaiah said that the INTUC might participate in the rally but not the bandh. A few trade unions in the RTC are supporting the bandh and the leading trade union said that there would be no impact in the state as the TRS government was not participating in the bandh.

The auto unions JAC will participate in the bandh. City general secretary of Indian Federa-tion of Trade Unions V. Kiran said that except for the Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh, all other unions would participate in the bandh. Running of autorickshaws or not will depend on individuals. But, all the unions will participate in the rally from Sundaraiah Vignana Kendram to Indira Park. Drivers have been badly hit due to the demonetisation, he said.

The Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee has already announced that it will not participate in the bandh but will take part in protest programmes. Hyderabad police said that all arrangements will be taken in view of the bandh. Police will be deployed at all the bus and railway stations.
Visakhapatnam: Union Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu said the Centre will soon introduce a common card with which users can access services of 21 banks. We are working on the guidelines, Mr Naidu said. No name has been chosen for the card. Mr Naidu was speaking after participating in a range of programmes in Visakhapatnam.

Referring to former Prime Minister Manmohan Singhs scathing attack on the government in Parliament two days ago, Mr Naidu said, The Indian economy saw its worst days when Dr Singh was Prime Minister. An array of scams came to light at that time. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, being the modern Sushruta, has initiated chemotherapy for the black money cancer. Dr Singh giving suggestions on demonetisation is nothing short of a joke. At Tadepalligudem, he said demonetisation would bring down prices.
However, if an association of 100-plus tax evaders come together to float a political party, the law cannot stop them. (Photo: Representational Image)

Hyderabad: Understandably, among the many debates going on since after the demonetisation announcement by Prime Minister Narendra Modi are how tax evaders may be able to escape the objective of the note ban by turning black money into white.

The possibility of someone circumventing the stated objective of demonetisation by floating a political party or using existing ones to convert black money into white is among the topics being discussed widely.

Though these propositions may seem farfetched, the existing laws governing political parties and their functioning do give a scope for this. However, under the existing laws, an individual cannot float a political party overnight. He or she needs a minimum of 100 electors to do so.

However, if an association of 100-plus tax evaders come together to float a political party, the law cannot stop them. Nevertheless, pumping in their money to the account of this newly-floated political party and turn it white after a few months is debatable.

The second option for a tax evader would be to make contributions to any political party in packages of less than Rs 20,000, any number of times. Political parties need not give account for, or reveal the source of, donations lower than Rs 20,000 to either the Election Commission or the Income Tax department.

The latest details, made available by the Association for Democratic Reforms, of the contributions received by political parties give a glimpse of how the system works. Unknown sources of income of national parties: The Contribution Statements, submitted by political parties declaring names and other details of donors contributing above Rs 20,000 are the only known sources of income.

Incomes declared in the I-T returns, but without revealing the source of income from donations below Rs 20,000 are the unknown sources of income by political parties. These include sale of coupons, relief funds, miscellaneous income, voluntary contributions, contribution from meetings etc. The details of donors of such contributions are not available in public domain.

A whopping Rs 1,130 crore, (income specified in the I-T returns whose sources are unknown) is about 60 per cent of the total income of parties. Nationalist Congress Party is the only party that did not receive donations below Rs 20,000 during financial year 2014-15.

However, Bahujan Samaj Party claims that it did not receive any donation above Rs 20,000, hence no details of donations are in public domain. The BJP declared the highest total income and highest income from donations above Rs 20,000 of Rs 434 crore (50 per cent of the donations) from donors whose details are unavailable. The CPM declared that of the Rs 59.275 crore it received, only 6 per cent came from donors whose details are declared in the donations report.
Bhubaneswar: Bharatiya Janata Partys Mahasamavesh public rally in Odisha seems to have solved many queries with regard to partys stand vis-a-vis the ruling BJD and projection of partys chief ministerial candidate in the 2019 elections.

The rally, which was addressed by BJP president Amit Shah, marked the party for first time, and all the state leaders, directly or indirectly, accepting in their speeches the rising of Union petroleum and natural gas (PNG) minister Dharmendra Pradhan as numero uno in the state organisation.

Before BJP president Amit Shah heaped praises on Pradhan, describing him as "a successful minister" in the Modi government, Union tribal affairs minister Jual Oram said that the public rally became a huge success because of the efforts of the PNG minister.
Hyderabad: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called for a qualitative change in the police force through a collective training effort as the security scenario has changed. He said technology and human interface are both important for the police force to keep progressing and emphasised the importance of foot-patrolling and constable-level intelligence.

Mr Modi recalled the terror attack in Mumbai this very day in 2008 and how the police bravely fought against the terrorists. He also remembered the 33,000 police personnel who died on duty.

The PM was speaking on the second day of the three-day closed door 51st annual conference of DGs/IGs of states and UTs and heads of central police organisations, at the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Police Academy here on Saturday. As the discus sions involved security matters, the media was barred from the meeting and briefed later.

This annual conference has now undergone a transformation in the way it is conducted. It has become a platform for sharing experiences, the PM remarked.

On training, Mr Modi said the development of soft skills was now essential. Aspects like human psychology and behavioural psychology should be parts of training, he added. The Prime Minister said leadership skills are important, and the onus lies on senior officers to inculcate these skills in police personnel.

The PM discussed cross-border terrorism, infiltration after the surgical strike against Pakistan, steps to counter radicalisation of youth, reforms in the police set-up and other security concerns in the country besides the effect of demonetisation and asserted that the Centre will cleanse the economy.

Mr Modi led an hour-long yoga exercise for police officers, and launched a mobile app  Indian Police at Your Call. He also presented the Presidents Police Medals for distinguished service to IB officers.

Earlier in the day, the PM paid floral tributes to Sardar Vallabhai Patel, planted a sapling, and placed a wreath at the police martyrs column. The three-day conference was inaugurated yesterday by Home Minister Rajnath Singh. Union Ministers of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju and Hansraj Gangaram Ahir, NSA Ajit Doval and Home Secretary Rajiv Mehrishi attended.

This is the third time since Independence the conference is being held outside Delhi. It was held in Guwahati in 2014 and Kutch last year. The idea of holding the meeting of DGPs and IGPs outside Delhi was mooted by Mr Modi after he assumed power in 2014.
Tadepalligudem: Accusing the Opposition of carrying out a false propaganda, BJP national president Amit Shah on Saturday said that demonetisation will help the farmers and the downtrodden sections in general.

The farming community will not suffer any losses, he said, addressing a Rythu Maha Sabha, organised by the party at the Air Fields Grounds here on Saturday.

The BJP chief said that there was no truth to the Oppositions propaganda that the note ban decision will leave farmers in the doldrums.

The demonetisation decision taken by Prime Minister Narendra Modi is aimed at curbing black money and it will not harm farmers or the common man or woman, he asserted, adding that every decision taken by the NDA government during the past 2.5 years has been pro-farmer.

All those closed urea factories were reopened by the government, and there has been no shortage of fertilizers during NDA rule. Neem coated urea has been introduced to check black marketing and diversion of fertilizers, he said.

Amit Shah said that the PMs Crop Insurance Scheme was introduced to save farmers from ruin in case of floods or drought. He said that soil health cards have been issued to farmers and all efforts were being made to help them with latest farm technologies.

He said that the PM was making all efforts to ensure all-round development of India and AP, especially welfare of farmers. The BJP chief also found fault with the Opposition, alleging that it was criticising every move taken by the PM.

For the first time, the NDA government has given a befitting reply to Pakistan by conducting surgical strikes, after the attack on our jawan in Uri sector of Kashmir, he said. Amit Shah said that due to recommendations of the 14th Finance Commission, Special Category Status couldnt be granted to AP, and added that the NDA government had overcome this by giving a special package.

The BJP chief said that the revenue deficit of Rs 22,000 crore would be released to AP by the Centre soon.
Hyderabad: The T-Congress has decided to hold a state-wide agitation on November 28 Akrosh Divas to protest against the hardships caused to the common man due to demonetisation of Rs 500 and Rs 1000 currency notes.

The ruling TRS and the TD have decided not to support the nation-wide bandh on Monday. TPCC Chief Uttam Kumar Reddy said the party will stage protests across the state, including forming a human chain in front of RBI branch in Hyderabad, to highlight the suffering of the common man due to demonetisation.

Mr Reddy reviewed the plan of action with senior party leaders K. Jana Reddy, Mohd Ali Shabbir, V. Hanumantha Rao, Ponnala Lakshmaiah, legislators and others. There will be rallies, black flag demonstrations and burning of effigies of the Centre in response to the call by the AICC, Mr Reddy said.

Elsewhere, TS TD leader Ravula Chandrasekhar Reddy launched a scathing attack on Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao, especially the pomp that went with the housewarming ceremony of the CMs new official bungalow at Begumpet. KCR feels construction of palatial official bungalow is equal to construction of 2BHK houses for the poor, he said.

Meanwhile, TS BJP president K. Laxman said that the Congress has no moral right to talk about black money. Congress backed black money hoarders all through. It has no moral right to criticise the NDA government, he said.
Sonitpur: In a heart wrenching incident, a baby elephant in Assam's Sonitpur district refused to leave its mother's body after the elephant fell into a pit and died.

The incident took place at a construction site of Patanjali Mega Herbal and Food Park at Ghoramari region.

The video shows the heartbreaking scene of the calf repeatedly tapping and nudging its mother's lifeless form in apparent confusion.

#WATCH: In a heart rending scene, a baby elephant in Assam's Sonitpur mourned the death of his mother, refused to leave her body. pic.twitter.com/cdhi90wKeI  ANI (@ANI_news) November 25, 2016

Several hours after its death, the forest officials took out the elephant's body from the pit with the help of a crane. Later, they removed her tusk and buried her remains.

Criticising for not taking proper precautions, Assam Forest officer Pramila Rani Brahmin said the department will lodge a case against the site contractor.

"Because they have not taken any protective measure, injustice has been done to all elephants and I will lodge an FIR," said Brahmin on Friday.

She further said a probe will be initiated against the people, who ordered digging of the deep pit.

Increasing human population has depleted the habitat of wild animals, forcing them to stray into human settlements, attacking people and often getting killed in return.
Bhubaneshwar: BJP president Amit Shah on Friday called upon his party leaders and activists to overthrow the ruling BJD in the coming Assembly polls in 2019. Addressing a public rally here, Shah said Odisha had plunged into utter chaos under the Naveen Patnaik government and the people here are battling with poverty, unemployment and corruption.

What has Chief Minister Naveen Patnaiks government done for you in his 17 years of rule? Children are dying here every day due to lack of healthcare. Dana Majhi, a poor man of Kalahandi, had to carry the body of his wife on his shoulders for 10 kilometres as he was denied a mortuary van. Youths of the state are migrating to Gujarat, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh etc in search of work, leaving behind their old parents and young wives at home. Is this called development? Why has he not been able to create jobs for the youths here, asked the BJP national chief.

Mr Shah dared the Odisha CM to call a press conference and tell the people what he had done for them since he came to power in 2000. I challenge Naveen to call a press conference tomorrow and tell people what he has done for them in his 17 years of rule. The Modi government has given Rs 1.30 lakh crore to Odisha ever since it took power at the Centre in 2014, he said. Significantly, this was for the first time that the BJP chief took Naveen Patnaik head on.

Although the party had on January 6 last year organised a bigger public rally here in the city, Shah remained silent on the CM, fuelling speculation in political circles that the BJP  which shared power with BJD in Odisha from 2000 to 2009  had not yet ended its bonhomie with the regional party.

BJD chief spokesperson S.N. Patra said, Amit Shah had addressed many rallies in Odisha but he never managed to leave any impact on voters. His current visit will also have no impact on the people of Odisha as they know the Naveen Patnaik government is working for them overtime.

Union ministers Jual Oram and Dharmendra Pradhan, BJP state president Basant Panda, BJP Legislature Party Leader in Odisha Assembly, K.V. Singhdeo, and former chief minister Giridhar Gamang also addressed the public rally.
Patna: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Saturday said he has taken a principled stand on demonetisation as he is convinced that the step will help fight black money and laughed off reports of his meeting with BJP President Amit Shah as background to his support.

"I support demonetisation as I'm convinced that it will help in the fight against black money," Kumar said addressing a function to mark Prohibition Day here.

With political meaning being derived from his stand on demonetisation which is different from those of Congress, RJD and other non-BJP parties, Kumar said he has taken a principled stand as in his opinion scrapping of high value bank notes would help in diluting black money.

"Is this the first time that I have taken a principled stand which might be politically different from others on an issue on which I'm convinced?" Kumar, who had reminded the media yesterday that he had supported Pranab Mukherjee for presidentship despite being a member of NDA.

"Will those hoarding black money be able to deposit the entire volume in bank accounts? Reserve Bank could issue new notes against a quantity of black money which would not find way to banks during the current drive," he said expressing views on demonetisation raging in national politics.

Kumar, who is also JD(U) National President, laughed at reports appearing in a section of media here which attributed his support to demonetisation to his secret meeting with BJP chief Amit Shah at a farmhouse recently.

"Had the reporter who gave this news taken me to the farmhouse where I met Amit Shah?" he said and lamented over such "baseless news which hitherto was prevalent only in social media platform".

Kumar, who has described the Centre's demonetisation decision as "sahshik" (courageous), said in addition to scrapping of higher denomination currencies, attack on benami properties and prohibition could lead to creation of "kala dhan mukt Bharat" (black money free India).

He said when he spoke of benami properties it includes real estate as well as stocking of gold and diamonds with the help of ill-gotten wealth.

"I will urge Prime Minister Narendra Modi that this is the right time to immediately hit at benami properties as well clamp liquor ban for better results against black money," he said.

Kumar, who has taken prohibition in a mission mode in Bihar, said it is well known that people involved in liquor trade have amassed huge benami properties.
Lucknow: Accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi of shying away from Parliament, Congress leader Kapil Sibal today said "desh ka chowkidar" was taking a peaceful nap while the poor were having sleepless nights.

"The Prime minister who had made an entrance to the Parliament by bowing his head in respect to it, is today shying away from speaking there ...the chowkidar of the country has closed his eyes and is sleeping peacefully while the poor are spending sleepless nights," he told reporters here.

"Currency is never black...those who think it is, have their thinking flawed... actually it is the transaction which is black...The Prime Minister does not have the right understanding of economic situation," Sibal said.

He alleged that a note in the hands of a poor has also been rendered as black money. "The actual reason behind demonetisation is political and not economic...it is only for winning the UP polls ...to spring a surprise and help Modi emerge as the messiah of the poor," the Congress spokesperson said.

Sibal further said the Prime Minister does not know how to follow up demonetisation. "Modi could not think as to how the labourers, farmers and others will run their livelihood...he could not think how the wholesale and retail market will manage...vegetable vendors will not take the payment in cheque".

Citing statistics, he claimed that of the 125 crore population, only 60 crores have bank accounts whereas no transaction has taken place in the accounts of 32 crore people for years and asked whether they all have black money.

Demanding that the names of those having foreign accounts be made public, Sibal asked "when the government has the list why it is not being made public?"

Hitting out at the Centre for the "problems being faced by the people due to demonetisation", Sibal alleged that refusal by the banks to disburse one's own money amounted to breach of trust and was a criminal offence.

"The prime minister took three decisions on November 8. The first one was that you cannot withdraw more than Rs 20,000 (a week), even though it is not black money and you have proper details of it," he told reporters.

"The second was that you cannot withdraw more than Rs 2,000 of your money from ATMs even though it is also not black money...the third was that you can go and exchange Rs 4,000 for new currency notes from the banks.

"Any of these three decisions is not connected to black money...if the bank stops you from withdrawing your own money, it amounts to breach of trust and is a criminal offence," the Congress leader claimed.
Bengaluru: Backing former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's demonetisation comments in Parliament, CPI(M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury today called Prime Minister Narendra Modi as "Narendra Moun Modi" for remaining silent in Parliament over the issue.

"Mr Narendra Modi used to call Manmohan Singh "Moun Mohan Singh" - that he doesn't open his mouth. In this Parliament session, the tables have reversed. Manmohan Singh spoke rather eloquently and it was Modi who was sitting silent and did not come back to Parliament after the break," he told reporters.

The statement comes in the wake of Singh's comments on demonetisation when he said the step would lead to a dip in GDP growth by at least two per cent and that it was "a case of organised loot and legalised plunder" and reflected a "monumental management failure".

Yechury said demonetisation would have a deep impact on the Indian economy on a medium term basis as it would take at least six months for things to settle down.

"It will take 175 days - it means six months - to actually bring back the economy to a level which was there prior to the November 8 announcement. It will have a very deep impact on the Indian economy for medium term," he said.

Yechury said that even after this period, there would be circulation of counterfeit currency, black money and continuation of corruption.

"Black money is not always a stock. Only five to six per cent is as stock. Much of the black money is a flow. It is in real estate and jewellery," he added.

Yechury said the success of demonetisation in India 'is a far cry' as the country has 1.3 billion people with inadequate internet connectivity, unlike Sweden, the world's only cashless economy. That country could achieve it as they have a small population and have 100 per cent internet connectivity. "By the time the transition takes place it will be many many years," he said.

Yechury opined it would not be possible to weed out black money unless there was a check on corporate funding to political parties. However, it could be a reality if there were state funded elections.

"If you want to stop corruption, block the supply side of corruption. Why are you not stopping corporate funding to political parties? Let there be a system of state funding of elections. Unless you do this, how can you check this sort of black money?" he asked.

Yechury demanded that government extend the deadline for exchange of old notes and allow their legal transaction to help people tide over the problems they are currently facing.

Asked about the 'silence' of the RBI Governor over the issue, Yechury said that neither RBI nor the Finance Ministry and the Prime Minister's Office were in the loop. "The discomfort of the Finance Minister in Parliament is in itself a telling blow that betrays the fact that he was not in a loop at all," he said.

"The RBI, the Finance Ministry and PMO - these are the three agencies which obviously should be in the loop. But what it appears is that not many people were taken into confidence before taking this step of demonetisation," he said.

Asked about the conglomerate of banks led by HSBC saying demonetisation would not affect the economy, he said people have the right to give an absurd logic in a democracy, but the truth would be known by interacting with people who are facing hardships due to the currency crunch.

Yechury also alleged that the entire growth index has been changed to give higher projection of GDP figures. "The growth figures also, all of us have said it and all of us know that the entire index have been changed in order to give higher projection of GDP figures. So I think it has already hit the Indian economy in a big way," he said.

To a query, he said since it was the Prime Minister who announced demonetisation, he should be the one to reply in Parliament, instead of Finance Minister Arun Jaitley.

"We are not asking the Rajya Sabha Chairman to call the Prime Minister. It is not the Finance Minister who made the announcement, but the Prime Minister. So he is answerable. It is as simple as that," he said.

On differences between the opposition parties on the rollback of demonetisation, Yechury said his party was not against demonetisation, but concerned about people's problems. "I am for nullification of even three per cent stock of the black money, but my concern is people's problems. Please tackle that," he said.
Through much of this year, and particularly after the demonetisation announcement of November 8, the digital economy and Internet-based commerce have been much in the news. The Prime Minister has spoken of the mobile phone becoming a virtual bank or a wallet for the individual and allowing him or her to transact at numerous points in the journey to what is called a less-cash economy. The digital frontier is an ambitious one. It is potentially borderless and can work across national boundaries. Yet, it is regulated by national or even sub-national rules. This paradox is not unknown. About 12 years ago, this writer had attended an Internet conference where an eBay official had explained the companys attempts to negotiate tax laws in the United States.

Which state would collect taxes in case of a transaction where the seller was in state A, the buyer (and payer) in state B, and where the deal was taking place and authorised by an eBay platform located in state C? This became an issue of fiscal contention in a federal system such as that of the US. In India, the arrival of the GST  while welcome for the most part  is going to cause similar confusion and battles in terms of e-commerce companies and e-marketplaces, which have a national, cross-state footprint. Another example is that of app-based taxi aggregators like Uber and Ola. For the purposes of a less-cash economy, these are notable because they bring drivers and transactions in the informal sector into the formal one. Cash payments and incomes that have thus far been only estimated can now be authoritatively recorded as payments  from passenger to app-based aggregator and from the aggregator company to taxi driver  are conducted through the banking system.

Since app-based aggregation is a technological innovation obviously the law has to catch up with it. Yet, given local transport is a state subject in India and state governments have responsibility for regulation in their jurisdictions, this has led to a multiplicity of state laws for app-based aggregators and for public transport as a whole. Policies, regulations and draft regulations, for app-based aggregators have so far been released by governments in Karnataka, Maharashtra, Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan, Chandigarh, Kerala and Tamil Nadu. In the short run, this is understandable and unavoidable. In the medium run, states should ideally learn from each other and move towards a common set of best practices. The alternative  36 very different sets of rules across 29 states and seven Union territories  is a recipe for confusion and would make it that much more difficult for large companies with a national presence to do business. Potentially, and in an extreme situation, they could also inhibit the consumer as he or she moves from state to state.

What does the taxi aggregator regulatory landscape look like currently, from the eight jurisdictional examples before us? Of these, in one respect at least, the Maharashtra draft is a leader  probably a global trend-setter  in that it has proposed not just a standalone aggregator policy but situated it within a wider transport policy that encompasses everything from black-and-yellow cabs to premium vehicles available under the umbrella of radio taxis. Resultantly the gig economy, with its easy come-easy go approach for practitioners, drivers and so on, has been brought within the ambit of regional and old-economy norms. For instance, like the black-and-yellow cab drivers, Mumbais aggregator cab drivers are now expected to have domiciled in Maharashtra for 20 years. The Karnataka (in effect Bengaluru city) regulations require a state residency of two years. Delhi, Haryana and Tamil Nadu, among other states, have no such requirement at all. As an aside, a college student who has just moved from another state and who wants to moonlight as an Ola or Uber driver can do so in Delhi but not in Mumbai, but thats another story.

On setting fares too there are significant differences. In Kerala and Chandigarh, the fare is set by the government. In Karnataka, the maximum fare is set by the government. Then one comes to licence fees. Karnataka wants the cab aggregator to pay a licence fee of Rs 50,000. Kerala and Rajasthan want it to pay a licence fee of Rs 100,000. Rajasthan wants a bank guarantee of Rs 1 million. In the case of Maharashtra there is an unusually high demand of Rs 5 million as security deposit per 1,000 vehicles. So if a cab aggregator has 1,001 cabs running under its label, it has to deposit Rs 10 million. Maharashtra is also unique in imposing a permit fee. For cabs of engine capacity under 1,400cc, the permit fee is Rs 25,000. For cabs with engine capacity above 1,400cc the permit fee is Rs 261,000. The differential and the specific figure of Rs 261,000 have a history. The lower band is a concession to black-and-yellow tax unions, which are politically powerful in Mumbai.

The upper band represents fees radio taxi operators  which have political influence of their own  had to pay a few years ago, when they were set up. App-based aggregators are being saddled with a last-arrival disadvantage. It effect, this disincentives new taxi owner-drivers who want to enter the market. There are other singularities. The Haryana regulations want a maximum of 250 vehicles per licence. Maharashtra wants a minimum of 1,000 cars per licence. The West Bengal regulations want a CCTV camera inside an app-based cab to ensure passenger safety. There is no such demand on other types of taxis. If this is a safety measure, shouldnt it be uniform? What is the purpose of this comparison? It is to point out that while formalising the shared economy, with an impetus to digital payments, is one of the motivations as well as goals of demonetisation it is not going to be easy to achieve. It requires a reimagining of bureaucratic regulations and a buy-in from both Union and state governments. That process, that very evangelism, is now incumbent upon the Prime Minister.
Of all the revolutionaries of a bygone era Fidel Castro, who died at 90, was the most romantic and influential leader of the 20th century inspiring millions of people in Latin America and the world for generations. By unseating dictator Fulgencio Batista in January 1959, he struck a blow at United States neo-colonialism in the southern continent, which was the rule rather than the exception. Fidel, as he came to be universally known, never forgave the US for its policies in relation to his country and the rest of the continent. Even after President Barack Obama paid a visit to Cuba in 2016, the first sitting American President to come after 88 years, following his revolutionary move to normalise diplomatic relations, he posted an irreverent response denigrating Mr Obamas overtures of peace and said that Cuba did not need anything the US offered.

For a country of 11 million people in the Caribbean island, Fidel the Maximum leader, as he was known, played an outsized role in the world. Those were the days of the Cold War and even as the US supported the failed Bay of Pigs Invasion in 1961, the Cuban missile crisis the following year  the impending arrival of ballistic missiles from the Soviet Union  took the world on the verge of a horrendous crisis until a compromise was worked out. Fidel had supporters of the eminence of Che Guevara and millions of ordinary men and women inspired by his then young bearded face as an indomitable guerrilla fighter. He had no option but to align with the Soviet Union and although he adopted Communism, it was never of the Moscow variety, his followers preferring to call themselves Fidelistas. Fidel ruled with an iron hand although he gave his people free healthcare, housing and schooling. And he sent his troops to crisis-ridden Africa to fight wars on the continent.

Fidel seemed to live a charmed life surviving several American-inspired attempts to assassinate him, some of them bizarre. But his real test came with the dissolution of the Soviet Union when financial subvention and support from Moscow stopped. Those were hard days for Cubans but Fidel hunkered down and survived them even legalising the US dollar as a currency until after the crisis was over. Fidel was taken seriously ill in 2006 but it was two years later that he formally transferred his presidential power to his brother Raul who ultimately brought about changes in his countrys policies the Maximum Leader frowned upon. Historically, Fidel was a giant of a man who lived his dream of freeing his country from neo-colonialism that prevailed in his continent under the hegemonic power of the United States. Those were the days that Washington was at the peak of its power. And here was a plucky leader fighting the giant for his country and continent.

Those were also the days when Jawaharlal Nehrus non-aligned movement was flowering, with Fidel a major attraction along with then Yugoslavias Marshal Tito seeking independence from Moscow. The movement itself, now largely moribund, was the developing countries response to the dictates of the worlds division into two camps. In the vastly changed world of today, it is hard to imagine the stresses and strains of developing countries undergoing the dilemma of emphasising their independence of two opposing world capitals. But the past was also the time that produced giant leaders. Although the paths to power of men like Fidel and Nehru were totally different, their aim was to safeguard their countries independence to the best of their ability.

Perhaps Fidels greatest contribution to his country, his continent and the world was to wrest independence for Cuba from being a client state of the United States and figuring out how to bring prosperity to his people. For the liberals, this prosperity in relative terms came at the expense of liberty, but that was a bargain Fidel was ready to make. Indias path was, of course, different, but that is another story. Fidels death is a reminder that a giant of a man died for his countrys cause. His personality quirks do not take away his greatness and the inspiration he provided to millions to fight their own battles. He was fond of making long speeches that would last a whole night and would easily beat the so-called argumentative Indian in his stamina. Fidels long reign in Cuba saw several US Presidents come and go but he remained at the helm until illness felled him. In sickness, he became a recluse although he kept up a running commentary on events at home and abroad. In many ways, Fidel was unique and although US reaction will be mixed, given the historical context, many will mourn the loss of a leader like no other, leaving his giant-sized imprint on the world.
Barely a month after its expensive test lander crashed into Mars, the European Space Agency asked member nations Friday to cough up an extra 400 million euros ($425 million) to complete the ExoMars exploration of the Red Planet.

The two-part mission saw a spacecraft successfully placed into orbit in mid-October, but a companion lander designed to pave the way for a mobile-lab rover in 2020 smashed into the planet's surface.

The aim of ExoMars is to seek evidence of life, past or present.

To complete the job, the ESA needs "a bit over 400 million euros for the project, which includes all the technical work needed to take the vehicle up to the launch phase," David Parker, ESA's Director of Human Spaceflight and Robotic Exploration, told journalists by phone.

Ministers from the 23 countries that underwrite Europe's space programme, including Canada, will decide whether to cover the cost overrun when they meet next Thursday and Friday in Lucerne, Switzerland.

ESA president Jan Woerner warned earlier this month that the troubled ExoMars effort  previously budgeted at 1.5 billion euros ($1.6 billion)  would need "several hundred millions" of euros more to complete the job.

Funding concerns have already delayed the rover's launch by two years.

After trawling through a mountain of data, the ESA said Thursday that the Schiaparelli lander failed when a computer measuring its rotation malfunctioned, knocking subsequent calculations off track.

A parachute, a protective heat shield and braking thrusters all deployed far too soon as a result, causing the lander to fly into Mars at 540 kilometres (335 miles) per hour instead of gently gliding to a stop.

"You learn as much from things going wrong as you do from things going well in an experiment," Parker said. "So we have to learn from that and move on to 2020."

Almost all other aspects of the complex mission last month went as planned, he noted.

The objective remains scientifically compelling, he added, "because there is no other mission that has planned to go below the surface of Mars," where life  if there is any  is most likely to be found.

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To expand inter-planetary research, ISRO is seeking scientific proposals for Mars Orbiter Mission-2, the government today said.

In a written response to a question in Rajya Sabha, Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office that looks after the Department of Space, said the configuration, objectives and scientific experiments of MoM-2 is yet to be formulated.

"A call for proposals through an Announcement of Opportunity (AO) has been made within India to seek proposal for scientific experiments for Mars Orbiters Mission-2," Singh said.

He said MoM-1 has completed 25 months in orbit and is presently functioning satisfactorily.

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Theres a beauty so stunningly stark and soulfully pristine that it fills ones senses and hushes words into silence. Raw, untouched, beguiling, Patagonia is a captivating landscape that unfolds seamlessly from vast stretches of steppes in shades of ochre and burnt sienna to the mighty, rugged Andes that look like sentinels cradling vast swathes of glaciers. At the foothills of the mountains, alpine trees and pretty wildflowers sway to the breeze. High up in the craggy reaches are nimble-footed guanacos (llama origin), while the occasional white swans with black necks and rheas (ostrich family) waddle past. What remain elusive are the pumas and the condor.

Stay in camps and trek the Torres de Paine national park in Chile side of Patagonia to spot them. Nothing you have seen or read prepares you for the sheer scale of beauty of the region that stretches from Argentina to Chile. The aim and shoot camera captured some beautiful shots as you just cant go wrong with such magnificence. Interestingly, the wind keeps blowing the clouds and the lighting changes every minute rendering the same ice grey, white and blue and the water blue, green and grey! According to the guide, the lakes are green when they are oxygen rich and fed directly by the glaciers and some white coloured stones in water are alive and undergoing photosynthesis.

That is science trying to explain some of the magic that is Patagonia. One advice: do not shut your eye even for a moment as you soak in the spectacular vistas of incredible blue and green lakes and snow-capped mountains around you. For those searching for the creator in temples and churches and mosques, one can only ask them to visit Patagonia. Patagonia can only be a calling. Many consider Perito Moreno, one of the few growing glaciers, the 8th wonder of the world! Frankly, it makes the other seven wonders pale into insignificance.

The glacier at the world heritage Los Glaciers Nacional Parque in Argentina is 5 kms wide, covers 250 sq kms and is 240 feet above Lake Argentina and 558 feet below it! Yes, it is enormous! Argentina allows you a mini trek and a five-hour trek on the glacier with cleats. The mini trek ended with a glass of whisky chilled on glacier ice! For those not keen on a trek, there is the cruise or the balcony built to view the massive glacier. As you stand in the balcony, the sounds remind you of Diwali back home as the ice crackles and breaks. Nature has a way of balancing itself. This glacier grows at 7 feet a day but loses just as much every day.

Perito Moreno is only one of the 48 glaciers that are the remnants of the ice age that once covered the whole of Argentina and Chile. Patagonia is just 600 odd miles away from Antarctica. Almost all of Patagonia once belonged to Chile but Argentina in an effort to establish its dominance over Patagonia entered into a conquest of the desert when Chile was fighting the war of the Pacific with Peru and Bolivia. Chile had little choice but to sign a treaty with Argentina that allowed it to retain the Megallan channel named after the explorer who discovered it.

It was Ferdinand Megallan who described the Tehulche tribe who inhabited this region as Patagones. The meaning could be large feet as this tribe was known to be large built, or the more mean reference to patagone  a mythical monster-faced dog in a Spanish romantic novel! This desert war opened up the pampas to the first Scot and English settlers from Falklands in search of more agricultural land. Then came the rest of Europe! The ranches that breed the best sheep in the world that produce merino wool are built in a style that tell you which part of Europe they came from.

Some of these ranches offer you a stay, horseback rides through Patagonia or just a lunch of their select cattle with some of the best wines from the region. Patagonia is called the end of the world as it is the southern end of the world. But is more apt as it was the end of the world for the original indigenous tribes  dead in combat or due to diseases brought in by Europeans. Thinly inhabited Patagonia is also one of the few places in the world which reminds us how beautiful this world was  and how we are surely hurtling towards the end.
The company is also expected to use its in house Exynos 9 series chip for European and other markets.

After Galaxy Note 7 fiasco, all eyes are on Samsungs upcoming flagship smartphone, evidently named as Galaxy S8. The smartphone has been doing rounds in the rumour mill for quite some time now and is considered as companys hope to bring them back in business.

The smartphone has been speculated in every possible aspect giving us an idea of what Samsung might have in the pipeline. The latest report suggests the adoption of a Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 SoC paired with 6GB RAM and 256GB internal storage.

The company is also expected to use its in house Exynos 9 series chip for European and other markets. The Galaxy S8 is also speculated to be the first smartphone to integrate Quick Charge 4.0 fast charging.

If the rumours are to be believed, the smartphone will boast a dual camera setup, while there will be a pressure sensitive display just like Samsungs rival Apple has used for its iPhone models. The device is expected to sport a curved 5.1-inch 2K Super AMOLED display, while the larger variant will have a 5.5-inch display with 4K display.

Samsung also recently acquired Viv labs, a Silicon Valley startup that is founded by the creator of Apples artificial intelligence Siri. This indicates that the next iteration of the Galaxy S series is most likely to feature an AI assistant.

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Guerrilla revolutionary and communist idol, Fidel Castro was a holdout against history who turned tiny Cuba into a thorn in the paw of the mighty capitalist United States.

The former Cuban president, who died aged 90 on Friday, said he would never retire from politics.

But emergency intestinal surgery in July 2006 drove him to hand power to Raul Castro, who ended his brother's antagonistic approach to Washington, shocking the world in December 2014 in announcing a rapprochement with US President Barack Obama.

Following is a brief profile of the deceased leader:

Name: Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz.

Titles: Former president of Council of State and Council of Ministers, first secretary of Communist Party of Cuba, commander in chief of Cuba's Revolutionary Armed Forces. Before resigning Feb. 19, 2008, he was the world's longest-ruling head of government, and leader of one of world's last five communist states. Had been off public stage for year and half after provisionally ceding power to his brother Raul following emergency intestinal surgery.

Birthdate: Officially listed as Aug. 13, 1926, in Cuba's Oriente province, although some say he was born a year later.

Education: Attended Roman Catholic schools and University of Havana, where he earned law and social science degrees.

Before the Revolution: Launched his revolutionary fight with July 26, 1953, attack on military barracks in eastern city of Santiago. Was arrested, later freed under amnesty. Traveled to Mexico to form a rebel army, and returned to Cuba with followers aboard small yacht. Most were killed or captured, but Castro and a small group escaped into eastern mountain strongholds. Took power when dictator Fulgencio Batista fled New Year's Day 1959.

After the revolution: Emerged as head of new government and quickly gained nearly absolute power. All American businesses eventually expropriated and Cuba was declared socialist state in April 1961, on eve of disastrous U.S.-backed Bay of Pigs invasion by Cuban exiles. United States cut all trade with Cuba as island allied with Soviet Union, leading to October 1962 missile crisis that brought world to brink of nuclear war. For three decades, Cuba was Soviet ally and remained alienated from United States after communism collapsed in eastern Europe. The two countries began to move toward full diplomatic relations after a surprise announcement by President Barack Obama and Raul Castro on Dec. 17, 2014.

Family: Married Mirta Diaz-Balart in 1948; son, Fidel Felix Castro Diaz-Balart, born in 1949; divorced in 1955. Although Castro never confirmed remarrying, reportedly wed former schoolteacher Dalia Soto del Valle and had five sons. Also reportedly had several other children out of wedlock.

QUOTE: "Homeland or death! Socialism or death! We shall overcome!"
For decades, Fidel Castro served as an inspiration and source of support to revolutionaries from Latin America to Africa. (Photo: AP)

Havana: From Dwight Eisenhower, who broke US diplomatic relations with Cuba, to Barack Obama, who decided to normalise them, 11 US presidents faced off with Cuban revolutionary leader Fidel Castro, who died on Saturday.

Dwight Eisenhower (Republican, 1953-1961): Provided arms to Dictator Fulgencio Batista, who was battling Castro's rebels. Prepared the invasion of the Bay of Pigs and broke off diplomatic ties with Cuba in January 1961.

John F Kennedy (Democrat, 1961-1963): Gave the green light for the invasion of the Bay of Pigs in April 1961. Put in place the US embargo against Cuba in February 1962 before the Cuban missile crisis erupted that October. Was working to promote a rapprochement when he was assassinated in 1963.

Lyndon Johnson (Democrat, 1963-1969): Reinforced the embargo and tried to prevent the sale of Cuban nickel to Soviet bloc countries. Approved CIA plots to assassinate

Castro and supported anti-Castro guerrilla groups.

Richard Nixon (Republican, 1969-1974): Boosted anti- Castro activity, including the arrests of Cuban fishermen. Also worked against sale of Cuban nickel to Soviet satellite states.

Gerald Ford (Republican, 1974-1977): In office as attacks against Cuban missions abroad multiplied and an attack on a Cuban airliner left 73 dead. Authorized the first trip of US businessmen to Cuba and eased the embargo.

Jimmy Carter (Democrat, 1977-1981): Further eased the embargo. Opened a US interests section in Havana and allowed a Cuban interests section to open in Washington. Allowed Cuban exiles to travel home. Signed maritime boundary treaty. In office during Mariel boatlift of Cuban emigrants to US. Visited Cuba as an ex-president in 2002 and again in 2011.

Ronald Reagan (Republican, 1981-1989): Relations take a turn for the worse, and easing of embargo rolled back. Creation of the Cuban-American National Foundation, the main exile organization, and the anti-Castro stations Radio and TV Marti. First immigration deal signed in 1984.

George H W Bush (Republican, 1989-1993): Reinforced embargo with the Torricelli Act, as the Soviet bloc crumbled. US subsidiaries in third countries banned from dealing with Cuba.

Bill Clinton (Democrat, 1993-2001): Put into force Torricelli Act and approved Helms-Burton Act, which again tightened embargo. In 1994, 36,000 Cubans fled for the US in makeshift boats and rafts. A new immigration agreement was signed and Clinton backed anti-Castro activists.

George W. Bush (Republican, 2001-2009): Increased financial aid to anti-Castro groups and strengthened embargo. Limited travel to Cuba by exiles, and the money they could remit to relatives at home. Approved food trade with restrictions. Raul Castro took helm during his tenure.

Barack Obama (Democrat, 2009-present): Lifted restrictions on trips by exiles and amount of money they could send home. Opened a "dialogue" on immigration.

In December 2014, Obama and Raul Castro announced simultaneously that the nations would normalise relations. The two countries Cuba reopened embassies in each other's capitals in July 2015. Obama made a historic visit to Cuba in March 2016, the first by a serving US president since 1928.
Fidel Castro's ashes will be buried at a ceremony on December 4 in Santiago de Cuba. (Photo: AP)

Havana: Cuba declared nine days of public mourning Saturday for its late revolutionary leader Fidel Castro, and said his ashes will be buried at a ceremony on December 4 in Santiago de Cuba.

From November 26 to December 4, "public activities and shows will cease, the national flag will fly at half mast on public buildings and military installations," a statement from the state executive said.

Castro's ashes will be buried in the historic southeastern city of Santiago on December 4 after a four-day procession through the country, it added.

President Raul Castro earlier said that his older brother Fidel was to be cremated early Saturday.

Castro, who led a rebel army to improbable victory in Cuba, embraced Soviet-style communism and defied the power of 10 US presidents during his half century rule, died at age 90 in Havana.

His demise was announced by his brother and current President Raul Castro on national television. "The commander in chief of the Cuban revolution died at 22:29 hours this evening," the president announced.
Fidel Castro was convinced that the global stage for the world revolution was happening in Africa and thus Cuba became the first Latin American nation to go to war outside its own continent. (Photo: AP)

Havana: Back in the 1970s at the height of the Cold War, the small Caribbean nation of Cuba went to war thousands of miles away in the battlefields of Angola and Ethiopia, leaving thousands dead.

Cuban leader Fidel Castro, who died late Friday, was convinced that the global stage for the "world revolution" was happening in Africa and thus Cuba became the first Latin American nation to go to war outside its own continent.

Angola and Ethiopia soon became symbols of the "regional conflicts" of the Cold War, in which Washington and Moscow battled for ideological supremacy and power through proxy wars. But Havana's involvement in the fighting fields far from home was to cost it dear.

Some 4,300 Cubans died in African conflicts, half of them in Angola although experts say that number has been sharply underestimated.

Cuban veterans have often complained of lack of care and benefits on returning home.

In Angola, Castro responded to calls for help from the Marxist guerrilla leader Agostinho Neto, who had seized Luanda during a bloody war from its Portuguese colonial masters.

Neto had no intention of sharing Angola's independence, with rival guerrilla leaders Holden Roberto, supported by Zairenow the Democratic Republic of Congo or Jonas Savimbi, backed by South Africa.

Initially thousands of Cuban troops were deployed along 14,000 kilometers (8,600 miles) of coastline in Operation Carlota, named in honor of a black slave revolt in Cuba.

Moscow also poured logistics and funding into Angola in a war that turned into a hard slog for Cubans, as the heroes of the island's guerrilla-led revolution had to quickly adapt and learn counter-insurgency tactics.

In March 1988, the South African army retreated in the face of the Cubans at the battle of Cuito Cuanavale in Angola, a setback that sounded the death knell for the apartheid regime and led to the independence of Namibia.

The Angola campaign lasted until 1991, when the last of some 400,000 Cuban soldiers sent to fight "imperialism" in an "international mission" finally returned home.

In February 1977, General Arnaldo Ochoa was also sent to Ethiopia to support the leader of the Communist military junta, Colonel Mengistu Haile Mariam, against the Ethiopians' former Somali allies, who were forced to surrender the Ogaden plateau to 17,000 Cuban soldiers.

Cuban troops were also stationed in Mozambique after its independence. Since the 1960s Cuban troops have served in Algeria, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Equatorial Guinea, Sierra Leone and Libya.
Havana: Former President Fidel Castro, who led a rebel army to improbable victory in Cuba, embraced Soviet-style communism and defied the power of 10 US presidents during his half century rule, died at age 90 in Havana.

His demise was announced by his brother and current President Raul Castro on national television.

"The commander in chief of the Cuban revolution died at 22:29 hours this evening," the president announced.

In this Oct. 12, 1979 file photo, Cuban President, Fidel Castro, points during his lengthy speech before the United Nations General Assembly, in New York.

Castro's reign over the island-nation 90 miles from Florida was marked by the US-backed Bay of Pigs invasion in 1961 and the Cuban Missile Crisis a year later that brought the world to the brink of nuclear war. The bearded revolutionary, who survived a crippling US trade embargo as well as dozens, possibly hundreds, of assassination plots, died eight years after ill health forced him to formally hand power over to his younger brother Raul.

Castro overcame imprisonment at the hands of dictator Fulgencio Batista, exile in Mexico and a disastrous start to his rebellion before triumphantly riding into Havana in January 1959 to become, at age 32, the youngest leader in Latin America. For decades, he served as an inspiration and source of support to revolutionaries from Latin America to Africa.

His commitment to socialism was unwavering, though his power finally began to fade in mid-2006 when a gastrointestinal ailment forced him to hand over the presidency to Raul in 2008, provisionally at first and then permanently. His defiant image lingered long after he gave up his trademark Cohiba cigars for health reasons and his tall frame grew stooped.

"Socialism or death" remained Castro's rallying cry even as Western-style democracy swept the globe and other communist regimes in China and Vietnam embraced capitalism, leaving this island of 11 million people an economically crippled Marxist curiosity.

He survived long enough to see Raul Castro negotiate an opening with US President Barack Obama on Dec. 17, 2014, when Washington and Havana announced they would move to restore diplomatic ties for the first time since they were severed in 1961. He cautiously blessed the historic deal with his lifelong enemy in a letter published after a month-long silence.

Fidel Castro Ruz was born Aug. 13, 1926, in eastern Cuba's sugar country, where his Spanish immigrant father worked first recruiting labor for US sugar companies and later built up a prosperous plantation of his own.

Castro attended Jesuit schools, then the University of Havana, where he received law and social science degrees. His life as a rebel began in 1953 with a reckless attack on the Moncada military barracks in the eastern city of Santiago. Most of his comrades were killed and Fidel and his brother Raul went to prison.

Fidel turned his trial defense into a manifesto that he smuggled out of jail, famously declaring, "History will absolve me."

Freed under a pardon, Castro fled to Mexico and organized a rebel band that returned in 1956, sailing across the Gulf of Mexico to Cuba on a yacht named Granma. After losing most of his group in a bungled landing, he rallied support in Cuba's eastern Sierra Maestra mountains.

Three years later, tens of thousands spilled into the streets of Havana to celebrate Batista's downfall and catch a glimpse of Castro as his rebel caravan arrived in the capital on Jan. 8, 1959.

The US was among the first to formally recognize his government, cautiously trusting Castro's early assurances he merely wanted to restore democracy, not install socialism.

Within months, Castro was imposing radical economic reforms. Members of the old government went before summary courts, and at least 582 were shot by firing squads over two years. Independent newspapers were closed and in the early years, homosexuals were herded into camps for "re-education."

In 1964, Castro acknowledged holding 15,000 political prisoners. Hundreds of thousands of Cubans fled, including Castro's daughter Alina Fernandez Revuelta and his younger sister Juana.

Still, the revolution thrilled millions in Cuba and across Latin America who saw it as an example of how the seemingly arrogant Yankees could be defied. And many on the island were happy to see the seizure of property of the landed class, the expulsion of American gangsters and the closure of their casinos.

Castro's speeches, lasting up to six hours, became the soundtrack of Cuban life and his 269-minute speech to the U.N. General Assembly in 1960 set the world body's record for length that still stood more than five decades later.

As Castro moved into the Soviet bloc, Washington began working to oust him, cutting US purchases of sugar, the island's economic mainstay. Castro, in turn, confiscated $1 billion in US assets.

The American government imposed a trade embargo, banning virtually all US exports to the island except for food and medicine, and it severed diplomatic ties on Jan. 3, 1961.

On April 16 of that year, Castro declared his revolution to be socialist, and the next day, about 1,400 Cuban exiles stormed the beach at the Bay of Pigs on Cuba's south coast. But the CIA-backed invasion failed.

The debacle forced the US to give up on the idea of invading Cuba, but that didn't stop Washington and Castro's exiled enemies from trying to do him in. By Cuban count, he was the target of more than 630 assassination plots by militant Cuban exiles or the US government.

The biggest crisis of the Cold War between Washington and Moscow exploded on Oct. 22, 1962, when President John F. Kennedy announced there were Soviet nuclear missiles in Cuba and imposed a naval blockade of the island. Humankind held its breath, and after a tense week of diplomacy, Soviet leader Nikita Krushchev removed them. Never had the world felt so close to nuclear war.

Castro cobbled revolutionary groups together into the new Cuban Communist Party, with him as first secretary. Labor unions lost the right to strike. The Catholic Church and other religious institutions were harassed. Neighborhood "revolutionary defense committees" kept an eye on everyone.

Castro exported revolution to Latin American countries in the 1960s, and dispatched Cuban troops to Africa to fight Western-backed regimes in the 1970s. Over the decades, he sent Cuban doctors abroad to tend to the poor, and gave sanctuary to fugitive Black Panther leaders from the US

But the collapse of the Soviet bloc ended billions in preferential trade and subsidies for Cuba, sending its economy into a tailspin. Castro briefly experimented with an opening to foreign capitalists and limited private enterprise.

As the end of the Cold War eased global tensions, many Latin American and European countries re-established relations with Cuba. In January 1998, Pope John Paul II visited a nation that had been officially atheist until the early 1990s.

Aided by a tourism boom, the economy slowly recovered and Castro steadily reasserted government control, stifling much of the limited free enterprise tolerated during harder times.

As flamboyant as he was in public, Castro tried to lead a discreet private life. He and his first wife, Mirta Diaz Balart, had one son before divorcing in 1956. Then, for more than four decades, Castro had a relationship with Dalia Soto del Valle. They had five sons together and were said to have married quietly in 1980.

By the time Castro resigned 49 years after his triumphant arrival in Havana, he was the world's longest ruling head of government, aside from monarchs.

In retirement, Castro voiced unwavering support as Raul slowly but deliberately enacted sweeping changes to the Marxist system he had built.

His longevity allowed the younger brother to consolidate control, perhaps lengthening the revolution well past both men's lives. In February 2013, Raul announced that he would retire as president in 2018 and named newly minted Vice President Miguel Diaz-Canel as his successor.

"I'll be 90 years old soon," Castro said at an April 2016 communist party congress where he made his most extensive public appearance in years.

"Soon I'll be like all the others. The time will come for all of us, but the ideas of the Cuban Communists will remain as proof that on this planet, if one works with fervor and dignity, they can produce the material and cultural goods that human beings need and that need to be fought for without ever giving up."
Mexico City: An overwhelming majority of Mexicans hold a negative view of US President-elect Donald Trump, but most believe their own president should meet with him to defend the country's interests, an opinion poll showed on Friday.

The survey by polling firm Buendia & Laredo for newspaper El Universal showed that 74 percent of respondents had a negative opinion of Trump, a Republican. Only 5 percent had a positive view of him.

Trump, who launched a string of verbal attacks on Mexico during the campaign, has vowed to build a wall along the US southern border, carry out mass deportations of illegal immigrants and has threatened to ditch a trade agreement with Mexico and Canada.

President Enrique Pena Nieto sparked widespread anger by inviting Trump to Mexico City for talks at the end of August.

A parallel survey by the same pollster published at the weekend showed that nearly two-thirds of Mexicans believed the invitation was a mistake.

Still, now that Trump has been elected president, 53 percent of Mexicans said Pena Nieto should meet the New Yorker to promote the country's interests with the United States, the poll showed.

Some 43 percent of those surveyed took the opposite view. Fully 52 percent of the respondents said they held a positive opinion of Trump's defeated Democratic rival, Hillary Clinton, with only 7 percent of the opposite view.
Castro became a towering international figure whose importance in the 20th century far exceeded what might have been expected from the head of state of a Caribbean island nation of 11 million people. (Photo: AP)

Washington: US media early on Saturday headlined the death of the country's long time rival Fidel Castro, updating websites over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend and devoting major coverage to the Cuban revolutionary.

The New York Times described Castro, who died late Friday in Havana, as the man who "bedevilled 11 American presidents and briefly pushed the world to the brink of nuclear war."

Castro "became a towering international figure whose importance in the 20th century far exceeded what might have been expected from the head of state of a Caribbean island nation of 11 million people," the paper wrote.

The Washington Post described Castro as "a spiritual beacon to the world's far left," and although he was "beloved by a legion of followers, his detractors saw him as a repressive leader who turned Cuba into a de facto gulag."

"With his trademark fatigues and scruffy beard," the Los Angeles Times wrote, "Castro wore his defiance of Western capitalism like a badge of honor, keeping communism alive in the Western Hemisphere two decades after the fall of the Soviet Union."

For the Miami Herald, Castro was "a shaggy-bearded figure in combat fatigues whose long shadow spread across Latin America and the world," and wondered if history will absolve him, as the leftist icon once defiantly claimed or if he will be vilified.

Peter Schechter, a Cuba expert at the Atlantic Council think tank, believes that the rapprochement that began in 2014 between the United States under Barack Obama and Cuba under Raul Castro "would not have happened with Fidel in the government."

And nevertheless "Fidel clearly let his brother do it," he told AFP early Saturday.
In 1962, Fidel Castro held secret meetings with the then Russian leader Nikita Khrushchev to protect his government and the Cubans from any aggression from its capitalist rival the United States.

Geographically, the Caribbean nation state of Cuba is located just 90 miles south of the state of Florida in the US.

According to an article Fidel Castro, 1926-2016: Death of Last revolutionary published on the Israeli daily Haaretz website, world never came so close to a nuclear war before the 13-day Cuban Missile Crisis that lasted October 16-28, 1962.

The Soviets who were worried over the US deploying ballistic missiles in Italy and Turkey  bringing the USSR within the warheads comfortable range  grabbed the opportunity and agreed to supply Cuba with nuclear capable missiles thus further escalating the Cold War.

The US intelligence agencies managed to uncover the whole affair partly with the help from a diplomat spy in Israeli embassy in Havana and from its own spy planes that captured images, said the Haaretz article.

As the US got ready to prepare itself for any kind of eventuality emanating from Cuban side, Castro looked towards Russians and requested them to launch nuclear missiles on American soil if Cuba was invaded, Haaretz report said.

Russian leader Khrushchev first blinked in the eye-to-eye game and pulled out ballistic missiles from the communist state on a promise from the United States that it will never invade and occupy Cuba.

Since then, both Cuba and the US remained all-time foes until 2014 end when President Barack Obama proposed a thaw between the two neighbours.
The other-worldly structures (left) can survive in any weather in the world.

Washington: Billionaires are buying up indestructible alien boltholes to seek sanctuary in during alien Armageddon or more-likely nuclear war and disaster.

The US company creating the $1.5million Earthship eco-structures says humans must evolve and insists they will soon be a necessity for our species to survive on this planet. The bizarre U-shaped hideaways, which can reportedly survive in any climate, can be deployed to any part of the world and are self-sufficient enough to survive in isolation  during a killer virus outbreak or a radiation catastrophe.

We have had people ask us to build them Earthship communities with underground chambers from weapons and ammunition, explained architect Michael Reynolds.

The top-of-the-range Phoenix Earthship has two bedrooms and two bathrooms and can be decked out in decor of your choice. If youre on a tighter budget, some cost as little as $1,00,000  but you will have to pay expenses to fly the construction team to the UK.

The 2011 Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant disaster in Japan  the worst since Chernobyl  proves their necessity, Mr Reynolds says, with humans rightly worried about the deadly future that lies before all people.

Three nuclear meltdown explosions caused by a tsunami after an earthquake led to the release of radioactive material  the effects of which are being felt to this day.

The Earthships thick walls are built from car tyres packed full of mud. The resulting bearing walls it forms is virtually indestructible, he explained. They are made almost entirely from recycled materials including glass and wood and are off-grid  power comes from solar panels and wind turbines nearby.
Cuban Americans celebrate upon hearing about the death of Cuban leader Fidel Castro in the Little Havana neighborhood of Miami, Florida on Saturday. (Photo: AFP)

Miami: To the cries of Cuba Libre! and Freedom! Freedom! Cuban-Americans poured into the streets of Miami on early Saturday to celebrate the death of their nemesis Fidel Castro.

Revelers, many of whom were exiled by Cubas communist regime, honked car horns, banged on pots and drums, and danced, cried, and waved Cuban flags in a wave of communal euphoria.

Castro died in Havana, Cuban President Raul Castro announced on national television around midnight local time. While news was just getting around in Cuba, in Miami  home to the largest concentration of Cuban-Americans in the United States  the news spread like wildfire.

Its sad that one finds joy in the death of a person  but that person should never have been born, said Pablo Arencibia, 67, a teacher who fled Cuba 20 years ago.

Satan is now the one who has to worry, because Fidel is heading there and is going to try to get his job, joked Arecibia, who could barely be heard over the din of honking horns and banging pots.

Thick crowds poured into the streets of Little Havana and Hialeah  the Miami neighborhoods where many Cuban exiles settled  to dance, hug, and exchange comments like it took so long, and now only Raul is missing.

Some sang the Cuban national anthem. Others shook up bottles of champagne and sprayed the fizz onto the crowd of revelers.

The late-breaking news roused some people out of bed, who joined the street party half-dressed in pajamas.

Cuba Libre  Free Cuba  has been a rallying cry for the exile community ever since the Castro brothers took over Cuba in 1959. The rum and coke drink of the same name, however predates the Castro regime.

Fidel Castro and 11 US presidents

From Dwight Eisenhower, who broke US diplomatic relations with Cuba, to Barack Obama, who decided to normalise them, 11 US presidents faced off with Cuban revolutionary leader Fidel Castro.

 Dwight Eisenhower (Republican, 1953-1961)

 John F. Kennedy (Democrat, 1961-1963)

 Lyndon Johnson (Democrat, 1963-1969):

 Richard Nixon (Republican, 1969-1974):

 Gerald Ford (Republican, 1974-1977):

 Jimmy Carter (Democrat, 1977-1981):

 Ronald Reagan (Republican, 1981-1989)

 George H. W. Bush (Republican, 1989-1993)

 Bill Clinton (Democrat, 1993-2001)

 George W. Bush (Republican, 2001-2009)

 Barack Obama (Democrat, 2009-present): In 2014, Obama and Raul Castro announced simultaneously that the nations would normalise relations. Obama made a historic visit to Cuba in March 2016, the first by a serving US president since 1928.
Beijing: Terming Prime Minister Narendra Modi's decision to demonetise high value currency notes as "startling and bold", Chinese official media has said it is "far from enough" and India may "look at ideas" from China's crackdown against corruption which has shown "efficiency".

Modi in "a startling and sudden move" demonetised Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes to "demonstrate that he is truly up for a fiercer fight against black money and corruption", an op-ed article in the state-run Global Times said.

"Modi means well and his decision was made based on the reality in India , since most illegal business in the underground economy is cash-only, and 500 and 1,000 rupee notes constitute over 80 per cent of all cash circulation in India . Nevertheless, we can hardly count on the new rule to fully root out corruption," the article titled ' Beijing offers clues for Modi's new anti-corruption moves'.

Since Modi assumed office, he has carried out a number of measures to crack down on black money, corruption and tax evasion. However, many of them are believed to be "without teeth and can't begin to scratch the surface of the problems he faces", it said.

India 's new policy to scrap high value notes is considered a "risky, but a bold and decisive step", it said.

"And yet, delivering a corruption-free country requires more than banning currency notes. The key should be reforming systems. In this regard, New Delhi might need to look for ideas from Beijing," it said, referring to the massive anti- graft campaign carried out by President Xi Jinping in which over a million officials at different levels were punished.

Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party in 2012, during which Xi was elected as its general secretary, and taking over as the President and military chief launched the anti-graft campaign which also attracted criticism that he used it effectively to consolidate his power emerging as the most powerful Chinese leader after party founder Mao Zedong.

"Over the years, China promoted anti-corruption laws, improved the supervision system, deepened judicial system reforms and adopted measures to make sure the system is transparent," it said without referring to criticism about the campaign.

"For instance, China 's foreign ministry has lately published information about the families of 12 senior officials on its website in an effort to fight against corruption through familial networks by improving transparency. These steps are taken to ensure that achievements made in the struggle against corruption can be consolidated by laws and systems," it said.

China is still on its way toward building a comprehensive anti-corruption system. But "compared with India , Beijing 's method has already shown its efficiency", it said.

"More time is needed to see whether Modi's new policy will turn into a huge blow against corruption in India . The hard truth is that the corrupt and fraudulent won't just conduct shady deals by using cash, but with gold, real estate and overseas assets.

"Corruption can be bred in a variety of ways. Blocking the circulation of large currency bills is without question far from enough," it said.
Dozens of students trooped outside the presidential palace in Manila in a separate protest and burned an effigy of Marcos in a mock coffin. (Photo: AP)

Manila: Thousands of Filipinos, including more than a dozen nude students, protested against the hasty burial of Philippine dictator Ferdinand Marcos in a heroes' cemetery, in a growing political storm that's lashing the president who allowed the entombment.

A few thousand activists joined a "Black Friday" protest despite rainy weather at Manila's seaside Rizal Park, where they carried Marcos' effigy in a mock coffin.

While the anger was directed at Marcos and his family, President Rodrigo Duterte was also targeted for allowing the burial of the dictator, who was ousted in a largely peaceful "people power" revolt three decades ago.

Protesters held placards reading "Digong traitor, a lapdog of the dictator," referring to Duterte by his nickname.

Dozens of students trooped outside the presidential palace in Manila in a separate protest and burned an effigy of Marcos in a mock coffin.

At the state-run University of the Philippines, a fraternity turned its annual recruitment ritual into a protest with naked student recruits running with placards that read, "Marcos dictator not a hero."

"This run is a manifestation of our anger against what we see as the Marcoses trying to revise history, trying to revive their name because they have fallen from grace," Alpha Phi Omega fraternity spokesman Toby Roca said. "We are angry that they are trying to ignore our painful history of human rights abuses under his term."

Duterte, whose father served in Marcos's Cabinet, allowed the burial on grounds that there was no law barring his interment at the Heroes' Cemetery, where presidents, soldiers, statesmen and national artists are buried. It was a political risk in a country where democracy advocates still celebrate Marcos's ouster each year.

Duterte's decision was upheld earlier this month by the Supreme Court. Marcos opponents had 15 days to appeal the decision, but Marcos's family, backed by Duterte's defence and military officials, buried him in a secrecy-shrouded ceremony with military honours last week at the cemetery.

The stealthy burial enraged democracy advocates and sparked protests in Manila and other cities.

Protest leader Bonifacio Ilagan, a left-wing activist detained and tortured under Marcos, said many protesters are young Filipinos who did not experience the brutalities of the dictatorship but "got assaulted by the surreptitious burial."

Ilagan said he was struck by the message on a placard carried by a college student in a recent rally that said, "If he was a true hero, why was he buried in secrecy?"

Human rights victims who suffered under Marcos's rule asked the Supreme Court this week to order the exhumation of his remains and to hold his heirs and Duterte's officials in contempt for their role in burying the body before the court heard final appeals.

Marcos's rule was marked by massive rights violations and plunder. After being ousted in 1986, he flew to Hawaii, where he lived with his wife and children until he died in 1989.

Duterte has allowed the protests to proceed without permits but has stood by his decision to allow the burial. During a speech in southern Zamboanga city, he said he tried to strike a balance by considering the sentiments of many pro-Marcos followers in the dictator's northern political stronghold. He has said that past presidents opposed to the burial should have taken steps to legally prevent it, for example by passing legislation.

Duterte's deadly crackdown on illegal drugs has been widely criticized but has not sparked widespread protests because many crime-weary Filipinos back the effort despite concerns over the killings of many drug suspects, said political analyst Ramon Casiple, the director of a think tank promoting electoral and political reforms.

"Duterte's decision to allow the Marcos burial opened up old wounds," Casiple said.
At least six other people have been rescued and are receiving medical treatment, police said. (Photo: Representational Image/AFP)

Wellington: There were multiple fatalities in a boating accident in New Zealand on Saturday, police said, but they were unable to immediately confirm the death toll.

"A number of people have died after a boat got into difficulty in Kaipara Harbour this afternoon," police said in a statement.

At least six other people have been rescued and are receiving medical treatment," police added.

Local media said 11 people were believed to be in the water after a chartered fishing boat overturned near a bar at the entrance to the harbour north of Auckland city.

The vessel, called The Francie, is listed as a 12-metre long boat that can carry a maximum of 22 people.

Police said four aircraft and the coastguard were searching for people in the water.
All of the worshippers had left the mosque at the time of the attack except one, and he was shaken but unharmed, mosque officials told Swedish news agency TT. (Representational image)

Stockholm: At a Stockholm mosque just after morning prayers on Saturday, unidentified attackers burst into the building, spraypainting swastikas and hate speech on the walls and throwing firecrackers, police said.

All of the worshippers had left the mosque at the time of the attack except one, and he was shaken but unharmed, mosque officials told Swedish news agency TT.

Police said they were investigating the incident as vandalism and a hate crime. No arrests had been made several hours after the attack.

"This is not something one would expect... It's hard to understand what is going on in society, both internationally and in our own country. I don't recognise Sweden anymore," Mustafa Tumturk, a representative of Stockholm's Muslim community and one of the founders of the mosque in 1985, told TT.

Sweden has seen a spate of attacks against mosques and refugee centres in recent years, as the country has taken in record numbers of refugees -- 245,000 in 2014 and 2015.
London: British Parliament has passed a new snooping law which, if gets royal assent, will give authorities power to access the internet browsing history of everyone in the UK.

The new Investigatory Powers Bill has been dubbed the snooper's charter for its sweeping nature of access to the British public's internet history.

The law forces UK internet providers to store browsing histories, including domains visited for one year, in case of police investigations.

The bill, which will come into force after receiving royal assent from Queen Elizabeth II next week, was introduced by then UK home secretary Theresa May in 2012, and took two attempts to get passed following breakdowns in the previous Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition government.

"It won't happen in a big bang next week. It will be a phased programme of the introduction of the measures over a year or so," UK Home Office official Chris Mills told a meeting of internet service providers on Thursday.

The law requires telecom companies to keep records of all users' web activity for a year, creating databases of personal information that the firms worry could be vulnerable to leaks and hackers.

"The task of law enforcement and security and intelligence agencies has become vastly more demanding in this digital age. It is right that those protecting us have the powers they need to do so but it is the role of government and Parliament to ensure there are limits to those powers," said Prime Minister May in the House of Commons recently.

Welcoming the bill as a decisive moment in updating Britain's surveillance laws, she said "There should be no area of cyberspace which is a haven for those who seek to harm us to plot, poison minds and peddle hatred under the radar".

"I am also clear that the exercise and scope of investigatory powers should be clearly set out and subject to stringent safeguards and robust oversight, including 'double- lock' authorisation for the most intrusive capabilities. This bill will establish world-leading oversight to govern an investigatory powers regime which is more open and transparent than anywhere else in the world," she said.

However, civil liberty groups have long criticised the bill, with some arguing that the law will let the UK government document everything online.

Organisations including the UK Food Standards Agency and the Department for Work and Pensions will be able to see UK citizens' entire internet browsing history within weeks.

Those internet connection records ICRs in effect serve as a full list of every website that people have visited, rather than collecting which specific pages are visited or what's done on them.

ICRs will be made available to a wide range of government bodies including law enforcement agencies such as the police, the military and the secret service. It also includes the Food Standards Agency, the Gambling Commission, councils and the Welsh Ambulance Services National Health Service Trust.
Oslo: Norway's supreme court on Saturday rejected a final appeal by fugitive whistleblower Edward Snowden to secure assurances he would not be extradicted to the US should he travel to Norway to collect an award.

Just as was the case in an original lawsuit and the subsequent appeal to a lower court in Oslo, the supreme court said it could not evaluate an extradition request preemptively.

Former US National Security Agency (NSA) contractor, Snowden, who lives in exile in Russia, faces charges of espionage and theft of state secrets in his homeland that could land him up to 30 years in jail.

It's a further blow for the 33-year-old US citizen and his supporters at the Norwegian branch of the PEN Club who hoped he would be able to pick up the Ossietzky prize, which celebrates "outstanding efforts for freedom of expression."

Norway was one of the countries where Snowden sought asylum after fleeing the United States in 2013, but Oslo's response was that asylum seekers had to be physically present in the country to apply.

Considered a whistleblower by some and a traitor by others, Snowden won a similar Norwegian award in 2015, but was likewise unable to collect it.

Snowden has also been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize, which is also awarded in Norway, for the last three years, although without winning it.
The army said 14 troops were also wounded in the attack on Ghalani Camp in Mohmand tribal region bordering Afghanistan. (Photo: Representational Image/AFP)

Khar: A small group of militants armed with guns and suicide jackets attacked a mosque at an army facility in northwest Pakistan on Saturday, triggering a shootout in which four insurgents and two soldiers were killed, the military and officials said.

The army said 14 troops were also wounded in the attack on Ghalani Camp in Mohmand tribal region bordering Afghanistan. It said in a statement that security forces "valiantly averted" an attempted suicide attack and killed all four militants.

It said the attackers wanted to enter the camp and started firing after they reached the mosque, where residents and a large number of recruits gathered for an early morning prayer.

The army said the attackers were contained in the outer courtyard of the mosque.

Two security officials also confirmed the account and said a search operation was underway to trace and arrest any accomplices of the attackers. They said the assailants entered from the backside of the camp, which is located near a farm field.

The officials said the dead and wounded were being transported to hospitals.

They spoke on condition of anonymity as they were not authorized to discuss any details about the attack.

Shortly after the attack, Jamaatul Ahrar, a breakaway faction of the Taliban, claimed responsibility.

Ahsanullah Ahsan, spokesman for the group, said that the gunbattle between attackers and troops was still ongoing Saturday morning. He said that the Ghalani Camp was notorious for torturing detained militants and that they carried out the attack to send a message to the outgoing army chief Gen. Raheel Rashid, who is retiring next week after completing his three-year tenure.

The Mohmand tribal region is a hotbed for Islamic militants and the Pakistani army has carried out several operations to eliminate militant hideouts. But the militants have struck back, indicating they still have the capability to launch attacks.

Sharif has said the army will continue operations against militants until they are eliminated.

Sharif is leaving a legacy of a military chief who supported a strong, democratically elected government, personally served on the front lines and who led a military offensive that claims to have dismantled militant sanctuaries in tribal regions bordering Afghanistan.
Islamabad: Lt Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa, who has extensive experience of handling affairs in PoK and the northern areas, was today appointed as Pakistan's new army chief to succeed Gen Raheel Sharif.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif appointed Bajwa as Chief of Army Staff (COAS) by elevating him to the rank of four-star general, officials said.

Bajwa will take charge of the world's sixth-largest army by troop numbers in a formal handover on Tuesday, when General Raheel formally retires.

Raheel in January had declared he would not seek extension. "I will retire on the due date," he had said.

There were speculation that the PML-N government would give him extension at the eleventh hour citing reasons that he was needed by the country to lead war on terror. The post of Army chief is the most powerful in Pakistan. Pakistan's defence minister Khawaja Asif has confirmed that Bajwa was appointed as COAS and Zubair Hayat as Chairman Joint Chief of Staff Committee (CJCSC). "May God help us in these decisions and new appointments," he said.

Bajwa was serving as Inspector General of the Training and Evaluation and has been elevated to position of four star general and appointed as Chief of Army Staff, the officials said.

He has also commanded the famed 10 Corps, the armys largest, which is responsible for the area along the Line of Control (LoC).

As a major general, he led the Force Command Northern Areas. He also served in the 10 Corps as lieutenant colonel. He also served with a UN mission in Congo as a brigade commander alongside former Indian army chief Gen Bikram Singh, who was also there as a division commander. Previously, he also remained the commandant of the Infantry School in Quetta.

The new army chief has wide experience of LoC affairs due to his extensive involvement with PoK and northern areas, reports said here.

His military colleagues say he is not attention-seeking and remains well-connected with his troops. The new army chief is from the infantrys Baloch Regiment, which has given three officers to the post of army chief Gen Yahya Khan, Gen Aslam Beg and Gen Ashfaq Perviaz Kayani.

Sharif appointed Chief of General Staff Lt Gen Zubair Hayat as CJCSC by elevating him to the position of four-star general. He is the senior most serving army officer.

Hayat is from the artillery. As a three-star general, he was previously posted as director general of the Strategic Plans Division (SPD) and corps commander Bahawalpur.

The most obvious man dropped while making the two key appointments by Prime Minister Sharif is Lt Gen Ishfaq Nadeem Ahmed who was serving Multan Corps Commander. Another officer left out is Bahawalpur Corps Commander Lt Gen Javed Iqbal Ramday.

There were two other senior officers overlooked, including Heavy Industrial Complex Taxila Chairman Lt Gen Syed Wajid Hussain and Director General Joint Staff Lt Gen Najibullah Khan.

Another Lt Gen Maqsood Ahmed serving as military adviser with the United Nations is already on an extension and WAS not eligible for promotion.

It is the record fifth time Sharif appointed an army chief as Prime Minister. If his botched attempt to replace Gen Pervez Musharraf with Ziauddin Butt in 1999 is also counted, this will be the sixth time Sharif appointed head of army.

His earlier picks were Gen Asif Nawaz Janjua (1991), Gen Waheed Kakar (1993), Gen Musharraf (1998) and Gen Raheel Sharif (2013). Of the seven army chiefs after Gen Zia, five were handpicked by Sharif.

After Gen Musharraf, all four-star generals in the army - Gen Tariq Majid, Gen Khalid Shamim Wynne, Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, Gen Rashad Mehmood and Gen Raheel Sharif - were from the infantry.

Gen Musharraf was the last four-star general from the artillery.
The pilgrims were issued visas by Pakistan High Commission for the trip to holy Katas Raj temple in Chakwal district near capital Islamabad. (Representational/AP)

Islamabad: About 200 Hindu pilgrims in India canceled their trip to Pakistan as they were not allowed to undertake the journey due to ongoing tension between the two countries, an official said on Saturday.

The pilgrims were issued visas by Pakistan High Commission for the trip to holy Katas Raj temple in Chakwal district near capital Islamabad.

They were scheduled to arrive in Pakistan on November 28 on a three-day pilgrimage to Katas temple complex, considered one the most holy sites for Hindus, said Siddique ul Farooq, chairman of Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB).

"Their scheduled visit has been canceled," Farooq told Dawn newspaper.

"We had issued visas to the pilgrims but their government did not allow them to visit Pakistan," he said, adding that that comprehensive security arrangements had been made for the Indian pilgrims.

Farooq cited the border tension as the reason behind the cancellation of the visit.

However, the Indian ministry sources said they did not tell the pilgrims to cancel their trip and the call may have been taken by the organisers.

The cancellation of the trip by Hindu pilgrims to Pakistan came after hundreds of Sikhs visited their holy sites in Pakistan.

Hindu pilgrims visit Katas Raj twice a year in February and November.

Tensions between India and Pakistan have increased after the attack on an Indian Army base in Uri on September 18 and the resultant "surgical strike" on terrorist launchpads in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir by the army 10 days later. Since then, cross-border firings have increased killing soldiers and civilians on both sides.

This week, 12 people, including three Pakistani soldiers, were killed in alleged Indian cross-border firings. The Indian response came after the Indian Army warned of "heavy retribution" following the killing of three of its soldiers, with the body of one of them mutilated in a cross-LoC attack.

Pakistan has denied as "false" and "baseless" its troops were responsible for the mutilation and deaths of Indian soldiers.
Beijing: Terming Prime Minister Narendra Modi's demonetisation move as "very bold", China's official media today said it was a "gamble" that would create a precedent irrespective of whether it succeeds or fails and China will draw lessons from its impact on corruption.

"Modi's move is very bold. We cannot imagine what would happen in China if the country bans its 50 and 100 yuan notes," said an editorial in the state-run Global Times titled 'Modi takes a gamble with money reform'. 100 yuan is China's highest currency note.

"To prevent a leak of information jeopardising the implementation of the demonetisation reform, the roll out of the plan had to be kept confidential. Modi is in a dilemma as the reform aims to render the black money useless but the process goes against the governance principle of winning support of the public before initiating a new policy," the editorial said.

"As more than 90 per cent of transactions in India are made with cash, banning 85 per cent of the currency in circulation brings a lot of trouble to people's daily life" sparking fierce criticism including from "former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh who termed it as organised loot", it said.

"Demonetisation can crackdown on corruption and shadow economy but it is obviously unable to solve the deeper social and political issues that help breed the aforementioned problems," the editorial said.

However, it stated that as far as the root causes of corruption exist, the problems will always resurface. "In other words, the Modi government wishes to turn a long and arduous reform into a one-off deal," it said.

"Demonetisation is a gamble for Modi. He bet on both the execution ability of the government and the tolerance level of the Indian society, hoping that the benefits of this reform can outrun the negative social impacts and low morale," the editorial said.

It asserted that the "Western-style" democratic system of India allows little room for such bold moves.

"However, he is really carrying it out, and will create a precedent no matter he succeeds or fails," it said.

"Reform is always difficult and requires more than just courage. Modi's demonetisation came with good intention but whether it can succeed depends on the efficiency of the system and the cooperation of the entire society. More and more people are growing pessimistic about the ability of Modi's government to control the process," the editorial said.

Noting that China's reform and opening-up has been going on for nearly 40 years, the editorial said it had ups and downs but remained largely stable.

"Its success is based on broad public support," it said.

"The strong execution capabilities of the Communist Party of China are built on the consensus of the entire country. By observing India's reforms we will draw lessons, which would in turn help us understand our own reforms," it said.
Following Iran and Turkmenistan, Russia has also decided to use the Gwadar Port for trade to have an access to warm waters, a top Pakistani official claimed. (Photo: AFP/Representational Image)

Islamabad: Pakistan has approved Russia's request to use the strategic Gwadar Port for its exports, signalling a new alignment in bilateral relations after decades' of sour ties during the Cold War era.

Following Iran and Turkmenistan, Russia has also decided to use the Gwadar Port for trade to have an access to warm waters, a top Pakistani official privy to the development was quoted as saying by Geo News.

"On top of it, Russia also wants to join the USD 46 billion China Pakistan Economic Corridor to reap the maximum dividends. In addition, Russia aspires to develop strategic defence ties with Pakistan," the daily said.

Pakistan decided to broaden its foreign policy options after its relations with the US deteriorated following secret CIA raid in Abbottabad that killed al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden in May 2011.

Its relations with the US were soured recently when US lawmakers blocked funds for the sale of eight Lockheed Martin Corporations F-16 fighter jets to Pakistan.

Pakistan is eager to improve its ties with Russia to diversify its defence purchase options in the event of any stalemate in ties with Washington, experts say.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, who is on a two-day visit to Turkmenistan, said that he welcomed the Russia's interest in becoming part of the CPEC and maintained that Pakistan would welcome participation of any country in the gigantic project.

He told journalists that many countries wanted to join CPEC as half of the world would benefit from the project.

China and Pakistan are building the nearly 3,000-km-long economic corridor linking Gwadar port on the Arabian Sea with Muslim-majority Xinjiang province to improve connectivity between the two countries.

The move would open up a new and cheaper cargo route for transporting oil to China as well as export of Chinese goods to the Middle East and Africa.

Sharif also announced building railways, road and fiber-optic along with Turkmenistan-Pakistan-Afghanistan-India (TAPI) 1,680-kilometer-long gas pipeline to enhance connectivity between South Asia and Central Asia.

He said that TAPI would supply 400 billion cubic feet gas to the three member states in which Pakistans share would be three hundred billion feet of gas.

Sharif said TAPI, which is the largest gas project in the region, would help meet the gas demand in Pakistan.

In the Turkmen capital, Sharif announced on Saturday Pakistan's decision to join the Ashgabat Agreement and the Lapis Lazuli Corridor.

The Ashgabat agreement is a transport agreement between Oman, Iran, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan and seeks to create an international transport and transit corridor.

The Lapis Lazuli Corridor seeks to foster transit and trade cooperation between Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey by reducing barriers facing transit trade.
Hundreds of Jaffna University students, academic and non-academic staff gathered at the Kailasapathy Auditorium of the varsity to celebrate the birth anniversary by cutting cakes, official sources said.

Colombo: The 62nd birth anniversary of slain LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran was on Saturday celebrated at a university in Sri Lanka's Tamil-dominated Jaffna city.

Hundreds of Jaffna University students, academic and non-academic staff gathered at the Kailasapathy Auditorium of the varsity to celebrate the birth anniversary by cutting cakes, official sources said.

They also lit candles and planted saplings in memory of those who were killed during nearly three-decade long civil war which ended in May 2009.

The birth anniversary was celebrated despite the Sri Lankan government's warning that action would be taken against anyone trying to take part in the event, sources said.

Commemoration events were held both yesterday and today in Jaffna. The government had said although those killed in the war could be commemorated, the LTTE war dead should not be commemorated.

During the LTTE years, the week from November 21 to 27 was celebrated as the Martyr's week which also coincided with the Prabakaran's birthday on November 26.

Prabhakaran was killed in 2009 by the Sri Lankan forces, ending decades of civil war in the country.

According to the UN figures, up to 40,000 Tamil civilians were killed by security forces during former Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa's regime that brought an end to the war with the defeat of the LTTE in 2009.
Islamabad: Assuring severe retribution, Pakistan Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has asserted that they will kill three Indian soldiers for every Pakistani soldier they neutralise.

Speaking in the National Assembly on Friday, Asif said that dire consequences would be faced by India if it went to war against Pakistan.

Asserting that the situation at the LoC was intentionally being intensified by the Indian government to win people's support in the upcoming general elections, the Defense Minister alleged that India was behind terrorism in Pakistan and they have credible evidence against it.

"We have sent dossiers and video films to the UN and other countries showing Indian involvement in terrorism in Pakistan," the Dawn quoted Asif, as saying.

He also accused India of creating hurdles in the way of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) as they were scared that the project would prove a game changer for Pakistan

Acknowledging that Pakistan might be economically weaker than India, Asif said that India knows that once the CPEC is complete, Islamabad will rise stronger.

However, he said that Pakistan would try to maintain a balance of power in the region and would not respond to India in any kind.
Islamabad: Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Saturday appointed Lt. General Qamar Javed Bajwa as the new army chief ending weeks of suspense.

He also named Lt. General Zubair Hayat as the new Chairman Joint Chief of Staff committee - although senior to army chief but largely a ceremonial post.

The PM was expected to announce replacements for the top army slots for weeks but he kept on delaying the announcement for reasons best known to him.

Apolitical Gen. Bajwa has extensive experience of handling affairs in Kashmir and the northern areas of the country. As a Major General, he led the Force Command Northern Areas.

He also served in the 10 Corps as Lieutenant Colonel. Despite his extensive involvement with Kashmir and northern areas, he is said to consider extremism a bigger threat for the country than India.

Gen. Bajwa served with a UN mission in Congo as a brigade commander alongside former Indian army chief General Bikram Singh, who was also there as a division commander. His military colleagues say he is not attention-seeking and remains well-connected with his troops.

He will replace the outgoing Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif during a change of guard ceremony on November 29. Both Gen. Bajwa and Gen. Hayat would be promoted to the rank of four-star Generals, and will formally take their posts after the retirement of Gen. Raheel Sharif and Gen. Rashad Mahmood.

Bajwa is currently Inspector General of the Training and Evaluation branch at General Headquarters. He belongs to the Baloch Regiment and is the third army chief from the regiment. He served as Chief of Staff at Corps X in Rawalpindi and has commanded formation division in Northern Areas. He has also commanded a United Nations peacekeeping mission in Congo.

He served in Corps X as lieutenant colonel, where he was the General Staff Officer. He was awarded Hilal-e-Imtiaz (Military) in 2011. The others contenders for the top army jobs were Bahawalpur Corps Commander Lt. Gen. Javed Iqbal Ramday, Multan Corps Commander Lt. Gen. Ishfaq Nadeem and Gujranwala Corps Commander Lt. Gen. Ikramul Haq.

The decision was made public after Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif returned from a visit to Turkmenistan. Lt. Gen. Zubair Mahmood Hayat graduated from Command and Staff College Camberley, UK, and National Defence University, Islamabad.

He served on key posts throughout his career. As a major general, Hayat served as General Officer Commanding Sialkot and led Staff Duties Directorate. He was elevated to Lieutenant General in January 2013 and made corps commander Bahawalpur.

He was later appointed as the Director General (DG) of the Strategic Plans Division in December 2013. The division, formed in 2001, is vital to research for and development of Pakistans nuclear weapons, and it works as the secretariat of National Command Authority.

Later, Hayat was appointed as Chief of General Staff (CGS), which many see as the most important position after the army chief. Gen. Hayat hails from a military family. His father retired from Pakistan Army as a major general. One of his brothers, Lt. Gen. Umar Hayat, is serving as chairman of Pakistan Ordinance Factory, Wah Cantonment.
Islamabad: Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Saturday appointed Lt. General Qamar Javed Bajwa as the new army chief ending weeks of suspense.

He also named Lt. General Zubair Hayat as the new Chairman of the Joint Chief of Staff committee - although senior to army chief but largely a ceremonial post.

The PM was expected to announce replacements for the top army slots for weeks but he kept on delaying the announcement for reasons best known to him.

Apolitical General Bajwa has extensive experience of handling affairs in Kashmir and the northern areas of the country. As a Major General, he led the Force Command Northern Areas. He also served in the 10 Corps as Lieutenant Colonel.

Despite his extensive involvement with Kashmir and northern areas, he is said to consider extremism a bigger threat for the country than India.

General Bajwa served with a UN mission in Congo as a brigade commander alongside former Indian army chief General Bikram Singh, who was also there as a division commander. His military colleagues say he is not attention-seeking and remains well-connected with his troops.

He will replace the outgoing Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif during a change of guard ceremony on November 29.
Wisconsin, one of three battleground US states won by President-elect Donald Trump will undergo votes recounting after it received two petitions in this regard from a third-party candidate who alleged that Russian hackers may have infiltrated voting systems.





Votes cast in the state of Wisconsin, having 10 presidential electoral college votes, will be recounted. Green Party candidate Jill Stein filed the request for recounting of votes before the deadline on Friday and said it has raised more than USD 5.2 million for recounting of votes.



In a statement, Stein said the reliability of voting machines needs to be "investigated" after suspicions about Russian hackers seeking to infiltrate voting systems.



"Election integrity experts have independently identified Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin as states where "statistical anomalies" raised concerns. Stein said she also plans to challenge the presidential election results in Pennsylvania and Michigan, where Trump won.



Wisconsin Elections Commission Administrator Michael Haas said they are preparing to move forward with a statewide recount of votes for President of the United States, as requested by candidate.



"We have assembled an internal team to direct the recount, we have been in close consultation with our county clerk partners, and have arranged for legal representation by the Wisconsin Department of Justice," Haas said.



The State Election Commission plans to hold a teleconference meeting for county clerks next week and anticipate the recount will begin late in the week after the Stein campaign has paid the recount fee.



The State is still calculating the recount fee. Our effort to recount votes in those states is not intended to help Hillary Clinton," according to her fundraising page.



"These recounts are part of an election integrity movement to attempt to shine a light on just how untrustworthy the US election system is," it said.



The Wisconsin Elections Commission said it plans to complete the recount of votes by December 10.



The Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump narrowly won the Wisconsin by a narrow margin of 22,000 votes.



President-elect got 1,404,000 votes against his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton's 1,381,823. Stein received 31,006 votes. In addition to Stein, Roque 'Rocky' De La Fuente, the Reform Party nominee who got 1,514 Wisconsin votes, also filed a recount petition, the Wisconsin Election Commission said.
Four heavily-armed suicide bombers attacked a mosque at an army facility in northwestern Pakistan's tribal region near Afghan border today, triggering fierce clashes that left all militants and two soldiers dead.





The militants attacked Mohmand Rifles Headquarters in Ghalanai in Mohmand Agency, one of seven tribal districts, and reached the mosque, where residents and a large number of recruits had gathered for an early morning prayer.



The attackers were wearing suicide jackets and opened fire while attempting to enter the mosque.



"They were taken on and contained in the outer courtyard of mosque. Security forces surrounded the attackers and killed all of them," the army said in a statement.



Officials said 15 troops were also injured in the attack. Condition of five of those injured was stated to be critical.



"Security forces valiantly defeated suicide attack on Ghalani Camp in Mohmand agency killing all four suicide bombers," army spokesman Lt Gen Asim Saleem Bajwa tweeted. He said two soldiers were also killed in the attack.



Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan's breakaway faction Jamaat-ul Ahrar claimed responsibility for the attack.



The group was designated as a terrorist entity by Pakistan's interior ministry early this month.



After the attack, district administration imposed curfew in Mohmand and started search operation for militants.



Mohmand was once a stronghold of militants but it has become largely peaceful due to repeated operation by the army.



However, militants sometime sneak into the Pakistani areas from porous border with Afghanistan and carry out attacks, according to officials.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi today took part in an hour-long Yoga session with top police officers of the country, who gathered here at the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Police Academy for an annual conference focusing on cross-border terrorism, infiltration and radicalisation of youth.



Later, he paid tributes to Martyrs Column at SVPNPA here, where he placed a wreath. The Prime Minister also paid floral tributes to Patel at his statue at SVPNPA, and planted a sapling on the Academy premises.



The three-day conference of the Directors General of Police (DGPs) of all states was inaugurated here yesterday by Home Minister Rajnath Singh.



Union Ministers of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju and Hansraj Gangaram Ahir, besides National Security Adviser (NSA) Ajit Doval and Home Secretary Rajiv Mehrishi are among those attending the event.



The Prime Minister would spend the entire day today in deliberations with the top police officers before flying back to Delhi this evening. "Issues like cross-border terrorism, radicalisation of youth and attempts to lure Indians to Middle East terrorist groups, like ISIS, and other matters of internal security will be discussed at the meeting," official sources said.



Filling up of vacant posts in various police forces, reforms in police forces, menace of narcotics smuggling and human trafficking will also be discussed extensively during the conference.



The Prime Minister and Home Minister will interact with the top police officers and get their feedback about the internal security situation and various aspects of police personnel, the sources said.



This is for the third time since Independence that the conference is being held outside Delhi. It was held in Guwahati in 2014 and Kutch in Gujarat last year. The idea of holding the meeting of DGPs and IGPs outside Delhi was mooted by Modi after he assumed power in 2014.



The conference is being attended by around 100 DGPs of states, Director Generals of Central paramilitary forces and their Inspectors General.
Tensions between the judiciary and the government flared up once again today as both sides cautioned each other against crossing the "lakshman rekha" with Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad recalling that the Supreme Court had failed while the high courts had shown "great courage" during the Emergency.





Differences between the two sides first showed up when Chief Justice of India T S Thakur said at a function in the morning that there is shortage of judges in high courts and tribunals requiring government intervention, a view Prasad strongly disagreed with.





Later, at another function in the Supreme Court lawns, the CJI cautioned that no organs of government should cross the "lakshman rekha" and stressed judiciary has been given the duty to watch that all remain within their limits.





He was responding to Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi, who in an apparent reference to the Emergency and other political scenarios, said, "The delicate balance of the Constitution was disturbed in 1970s. That balance must be restored."





Hours later, Rohatgi said at another Law Day function in the presence of CJI and his likely successor Justice J S Khehar that "all including judiciary must recognise there is 'lakshman rekha' and be ready for introspection."





While the CJI did not respond to it, Justice Khehar said, "Judiciary has always kept to lakshman rekha by upholding the Constitution." "Emergency brought out strengths and weaknesses of the Constitution," he said responding to the AG's remarks.





However, the Law Minister was very vocal in attacking the Judiciary by saying that the "Supreme Court failed us during the Emergency and all high courts showed great courage".





"Courts may quash the order of the government. Courts may set aside a legislation but the governance must remain with those who are elected to govern," he said, adding handling of the issues relating to Emergency in the ADM Jabalpur case in which the apex court held that even Fundamental Rights can be suspended was a "monumental lapse".





He allayed apprehensions on curtailment of freedom by the present dispensation saying not only he but also the Prime Minister suffered during the Emergency and "it will preserve the freedom of all organs of the State".





Justice Khehar said, "Judiciary is mandated to shield all persons, citizens and non-citizens alike, against discrimination and abuse of State power.





"Liberty, equality and dignity of citizen have flourished substantially in India due to the pro-active role of judiciary in the country," he said adding that "a progressive civil society and a pulsating media have contributed to keep the constitutional values on track."





Earlier, addressing an All India Conference of the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT), the CJI sought government intervention to overcome shortage of judges in high courts and tribunals.





"500 judges posts are vacant in the high courts. They should be working today, but they are not. At present, there are several vacant courtrooms in India but no judges available. A large number of proposals are still pending and hope the government will intervene to end this crisis," he said.





Disagreeing with him, Prasad said the government has made 120 appointments this year which was the second highest since 1990. The highest number of 121 appointments was made in 2013.





"We respectfully disagree with him (CJI). This year we have made 120 appointments. The second highest of 121 is of 2013. Since 1990 there have been only 80 appointments. 5,000 vacancies are there in the lower judiciary in which the government of India has no role to play. That is something only for the judiciary to take care.





"As far as infrastructure is concerned, that is a continuous process. Where the larger issue of appointment is concerned, there is a Supreme Court decision of making the Memorandum of Procedure (MoP) more transparent, objective, reasonable, fair and the government stand is pending for the last more than three months and we are yet to hear from the Supreme Court," he said.





Rohatgi, who called for maintaining 'lakshman rekha' among all organs of the state, said, "It is then only equilibrium will be restored."





"Constitution has given us the rule of law, independent judiciary, separation of power and most important part, i.e., the part three of the Constitution. When it set out the relationship between the state and the Centre, it set out their lakshman rekha.




Lt Governor Najeeb Jung on Friday was informed that PM 2.5 levels have come down by one-fourth and PM 10 levels by one-third from November 15-24.





The LG chaired a meeting to review the condition of air Pollution in Delhi in which he sought feedback and compliance of the directions issued by him in the meeting held at Raj NiwasNovember 7 and 15.



In the meeting, which was attended by Delhi PWD Minister Satyendra Jain, Minister of Environment and Forest Imran Hussain, Delhi Chief Secretary, all three municipalcommissioners, Secretary PWD, Special CP (Traffic), Delhi among other officials, the LG was apprised that eight out of 17 u-turns have been made operational at Delhi borders to prevent non-destined vehicles from entering Delhi.



According to the three civic agencies, a total of 3,486 challans have been issued from November 7-24 for burning of dry leaves/garbage, violation of construction/demolition and to polluting industries, and sealed five buildings and 25 factories, impounded 11 diesel generator sets.



Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) informed that it has closed 32 Units of polluting factories in Industrial areas and 163 in Redevelopment areas.



Traffic Police informed that from November 7-24, 27,798 vehicles have been checked at the Delhi borders, out of which 6,051 have been turned back. 4,464 vehicles have been challaned for not carrying Pollution Under Control Certificates .



Secretary PWD said that the department is also starting mechanical sweeping/vacuuming of roads to control dust after which Jung emphasized the need to identify critical places/road where these machines could be operated first.



Jung was informed that as per the directions of the Supreme Court, High Court and NGT, a Central Monitoring Committee under the chairpersonship of Secretary (Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, GOI) and a State Level Committee under the chairpersonship of Chief Secretary, Delhi has been constituted and regular meetings are being held at both levels.



He also informed that IIT Madras has been asked to provide a report on air pollution every 20 days starting December 1which will help monitor the levels in the city.



The Lt Governor directed the Transport Department to examine and suitably amend the Motor Vehicles Act to provide for destruction of impounded vehicles.


Slamming the demonetisation move of the Modi government, Delhi PWD Minister Satyender Jain on Friday said common people are suffering and people are made to stand in queues to get their own money.





Did you see even one rich person, corrupt men standing in the queue? It is the common man who is suffering because of this. People have to stand in queues to get their own money, Jain said.



He was speaking at the inauguration of the 24 km long Vikaspuri-Wazirabad Chowk flyover.



Jain said the people having wedding functions are the most distressed as after standing for more than two-three hours in the long queue, banks say that the cash has finished.



He alleged that the rich and mighty are getting their notes exchanged with the help of middlemen.



Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia was also present at the inauguration of the six-lane Mukundpur Chowk flyover which would be extended to Noida in a bid to ease traffic.



The construction of the flyover was started in November 2013 and cost Rs 50 crore. The Delhi government claimed that they saved Rs 12 crore of the sanctioned amount of Rs 62 crore.



The corridor from Vikaspuri to Wazirabad has three elevated stretches and three flyovers. The three elevated corridors, all of which are now open, include Vikaspuri-Meera Bagh, Mangolpuri-Madhuban Chowk and Madhuban Chowk-Mukarba Chowk.



A part of this 900-meter long flyover has four lanes after it merges with the loops. This is not just a flyover for commuting, but a big relief from traffic jams. We want to give people a life of ease and dignity by this project, said Sisodia.



He also encouraged the PWD officials to construct a 9-km long cycle track under the flyover, to cut back on pollution, and provide ease of commute.



We will provide the necessary budget to set up solar panels on this track, from the money saved in this project. This will serve a dual purpose  provide shade to the cyclists and use the solar energy for lighting up the streets, he said.



It took us time to create traffic diversions & move heavy electricity lines to facilitate construction of the flyover. I congratulate everyone associated with the project for their hard work, Jain said.



Keeping in mind the environmental aspects, the PWD has provided a green belt on both sides of the flyover along with 2.5-meter-wide pedestrian footpath and 2-meter wide cycle tracks. Special emphasis has also been given to public transport with separate bus ways near bus stops. This flyover will be beneficial for the traffic at NH-1 stretch where inter-state public and commercials vehicles travel.



The special features of Mukundpur Chowk flyover include Concrete Deck slab which is supported on steel girders, two portal frames constructed to support merging loop and deck of flyover. Long lasting spherical bearings which support the steel girders are the other salient feature here.
Pakistan has approved Russia's request to use the strategic Gwadar Port for its exports, signalling a new alignment in bilateral relations after decades' of sour ties during the Cold War era. Following Iran and Turkmenistan, Russia has also decided to use the Gwadar Port for trade to have an access to warm waters, a top Pakistani official privy to the development was quoted as saying by Geo News.



"On top of it, Russia also wants to join the USD 46 billion China Pakistan Economic Corridor to reap the maximum dividends. In addition, Russia aspires to develop strategic defence ties with Pakistan," the daily said.



Pakistan decided to broaden its foreign policy options after its relations with the US deteriorated following secret CIA raid in Abbottabad that killed al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden in May 2011.



Its relations with the US were soured recently when US lawmakers blocked funds for the sale of eight Lockheed Martin Corporations F-16 fighter jets to Pakistan. Pakistan is eager to improve its ties with Russia to diversify its defence purchase options in the event of any stalemate in ties with Washington, experts say.



Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, who is on a two-day visit to Turkmenistan, said that he welcomed the Russia's interest in becoming part of the CPEC and maintained that Pakistan would welcome participation of any country in the gigantic project. He told journalists that many countries wanted to join CPEC as half of the world would benefit from the project.



China and Pakistan are building the nearly 3,000-km-long economic corridor linking Gwadar port on the Arabian Sea with Muslim-majority Xinjiang province to improve connectivity between the two countries.



The move would open up a new and cheaper cargo route for transporting oil to China as well as export of Chinese goods to the Middle East and Africa. Sharif also announced building railways, road and fiber-optic along with Turkmenistan-Pakistan-Afghanistan-India (TAPI) 1,680-kilometer-long gas pipeline to enhance connectivity between South Asia and Central Asia.



He said that TAPI would supply 400 billion cubic feet gas to the three member states in which Pakistans share would be three hundred billion feet of gas. Sharif said TAPI, which is the largest gas project in the region, would help meet the gas demand in Pakistan. In the Turkmen capital, Sharif announced today Pakistan's decision to join the Ashgabat Agreement and the Lapis Lazuli Corridor.



The Ashgabat agreement is a transport agreement between Oman, Iran, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan and seeks to create an international transport and transit corridor. The Lapis Lazuli Corridor seeks to foster transit and trade cooperation between Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey by reducing barriers facing transit trade.


Chief Justice of India T S Thakur today cautioned that no organs of government should cross the "lakshman rekha" and stressed judiciary has been given the duty to watch that all remain within its limit.



Speaking at a function in the Supreme Court lawns to celebrate Constitution Day, earlier known as Law Day, he said judiciary has every right to set aside any law made by Parliament, if it is against the Constitution or beyond the limits granted by the statute book.



"The Constitution tells us that what would be the works to be done by the government. It has fixed the duties and responsibilities for judiciary, executive and legislature. It has fixed their limits and 'lakshman rekha'.



"The judiciary has been given the duty to keep a watch that nobody crosses that limit. If Parliament has the power to make the laws, it should make only in the limits granted under the Constitution. If the State has the right to make laws, it should make only in the limits granted under the Constitution.



"If they are making a law which is out of the limits granted under the Constitution or against the fundamental rights, the judiciary has every right to say that it was wrong. "Any order which is against the Constitution, judiciary can set it aside to maintain the rule of law," CJI Thakur said.



Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said there is a high respect across the globe for the Indian Constitution which does not distinguish between rich, big and poor. "People are convinced that they can unseat any political leader, howsoever big, from power. It can also replace any political party," he said.



Speaking on the occasion, Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi said "the delicate balance of the Constitution was disturbed in 70s. That balance must be restored." The CJI also said that celebrating November 26 as Constitution Day was better than celebrating it as the Law Day.



"The importance of this day is that the Constitution was adopted on this day. So, if we have to celebrate the adoption of the Constitution, it can only be celebrated as the Constitution Day. Celebrating it as Law Day was not important," he said.
A visit to Thailand offers glimpses of the Thai peoples loyalty to their royal rulers, and in the few days that I am there, it is easy to understand why.





Though Thailand is a constitutional monarchy, its king enjoys more power than other monarchies, including the Queen of England. But this apart, it is the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej and his widow Queen Sirikits involvement in the lives of the Thai populace, and their efforts at ensuring a better standard of living for the less privileged, that has earned them this respect.



The late King Bhumibol enjoyed substantial leeway in the allocation of funds towards pet developmental and rehabilitation projects, and Queen Sirikit has used this to set in place the Foundation for the Promotion of Supplementary Occupation and Related Techniques (SUPPORT). Notable among its achievements is the rehabilitation of the Thai hill tribes through projects that give them an opportunity to display their skills and dexterity in their arts and crafts and provide them economic sustenance.



There has been a lot of effort on the part of the royal couple in persuading the hill tribes to make changes in their former way of living, which had led to deforestation, and to peacefully co-exist with the forests and their produce for a better standard of living. From the start of the sustainable hill tribes arts and crafts projects till the present, there are 22, 530 hill tribe artisans from 620 villages, who have been the beneficiaries.



I have an opportunity to witness the artistic handicrafts in the various craft centres across the leading regions of Thailand as well as the exhibition titled Crafts from the Hands of the Hills to the Hands of the Queen at the Queens Gallery in Bangkok. Since 1976, the support to ordinary artisans, poor farmers and other underprivileged groups, often at the mercy of moneylenders, has created an extraordinary group of craftspeople across the country.



Skilled populace



The seven hill tribes, which have been brought into the creative fold, are the Akha (E-Gor), Hmong, Karen, Lahu (Musur), Lawa, Lisu and Yao (Mien). Many of these tribes trace their origins from the Southern Sino-Tibetan geographical area and their lifestyles and creativity mirror the practices of their places of origin. Their semi-nomadic lifestyle was dictated by the slash and burn technique that they adopted, resulting in the denudation of forests. Perhaps, this led them to seek out fresher pastures, resulting in their migration to Thailand.



Whilst the Akhas dress sombrely in blue-black, their clothes are brightened by embroidery, applique, silver ornaments, seeds, shells, coins, attractively dyed chicken feathers and bright green beetle wings. The use of these iridescent beetle wings has become an integral part of Thai craft. The men of this tribe are also renowned for making a variety of baskets, musical instruments and crossbows.



There are less than a lakh Hmong tribals living in Thailand. Their women are said to produce the most exquisite needlecraft artefacts anywhere in the world. Of all the tribals living in Thailand, the Hmong women are the only producers of batik on cloth. Their wax drawing and weaving on hemp fibres is indeed eye-catching. As with the Akhas, the Hmongs also richly decorate their clothing, in this case with detailed embroidery, applique, cutwork, batik cloth, silver jewellery and pom poms. The Hmong men are known to be skilled gunsmiths and blacksmiths.



The Karen happens to be the largest tribal group in Thailand, with two major sub-tribes, the Sgaw Karen and Pwo Karen. The women from this community are skilled in tie-and-dye (ikat) weaving, using cotton threads and natural colours. They weave on back-strap looms and produce their own style of dresses. They also opt to use a certain kind of bead in their embroidery.



There are four sub-tribes of Lahus living in Thailand, who produce a diversity of designs. The Lahu women are also accomplished in working on backstrap looms, as well as on foot pedal ones. The speciality of Lahu weaving is that the pattern shows up on only one side of the cloth. The women of this tribe also specialise in producing attractive and delicate patchwork trimmings.



The Lawa are a small population living in the north of Thailand. They are famous for their tie and dye designs on black hand-woven cloth and intricate silver jewellery while the Yao or Mien women have gained fame for their colourful and beautiful cross-stitch embroidery, which enhances their attire.



An interesting aspect of the Lisus of Northern Thailand is that they make their clothing from colourful material, trimmed with row upon row of multi-coloured stripes of cloth, tassles, beaded work and appliqued patchwork. The wealthier among them like to wear huge amounts of exquisite handcrafted silver ornaments for festive occasions. The Lisu men are well known for producing bird and animal traps, crossbows, bamboo flutes and musical pipes.



At the Queens Gallery, there is an opportunity for visitors to try their hand at the embroidery, weaving or basketry, but I give it a miss not wanting to reveal my lack of talent in this department.



At the Ban Khao Tao Professional Handicraft Centre in Soi Hua Hin, there is another opportunity to see the women at work at the looms. What is interesting is that the ratio of women to men employed here is 10:1, which reveals that in addition to the rehabilitation of tribal art and culture, there are a significant number of women who are being benefited by these projects.



Impressed, I decide to invest in a delicately embroidered cotton sarong, which is put to good use at the Arts of the Kingdom Museum. This Bangkok museum, located within the Dusit Palace, provides a fitting finale to a showcasing of the mastery of arts and crafts by the rehabilitated members of agricultural families. These families honed their artistic skills at the Chitralada Arts and Crafts Centre under the patronage of Queen Sirikit.



The exhibits on display here are mind-boggling and too many to describe, but of notable mention are an octagonal-shaped room completely decorated with bright green beetle wings (an integral part of Thai craft), an embroidered Himavan forest scene, a sivikakaran or coloured palanquin and the khram phra dharma chakra (wheel of law).



A majority of Thailands population is Buddhist and one can say that the kindness and compassion of the Buddhas concept of dharma is visible in the way the country has embraced its tribal population. Many tribal groups here have gained new meaning in their lives through economic empowerment from the enhancement of their indigenous skills. Three cheers to the country and its royalty for their sensitive approach.
Black Flags: The Rise of ISIS

Joby Warrick

Bantam Books

2016, pp 344, Rs 699





There are no laws in history, nor is history merely a string of facts. While repeating itself, history does leave footmarks of discerning patterns that are often ignored by the forces that coerce, invade or conquer other societies. No wonder, each war surprises the invader, as the society being attacked responds in unexpected ways.



Clearly, power over people stretches beyond technological prowess and territorial control. The scars of humiliation it inflicts on the invaded societies resurface in unimaginable forms, often shocking the invader. Borne out of such pattern is the unexpected rise of the dreadful killers who have been indoctrinated to fight for the creation of an Islamic state.



The Pulitzer Prize-winning author Joby Warrick traces the roots of the leader who was a petty criminal in his early days in Jordans Al-Jafr prison. Were it not for a general amnesty given to more than 25,000 prisoners following the demise of King Hussein in 1999, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi would not have gained notoriety as the dreaded founding father of what is now known as the Islamic State or ISIS.



Returning home in 1993 after fighting the Soviets in Afghanistan, Zarqawi had found a sense of purpose in confronting the perceived enemies of Islam, first in Jordan, which had an uneasy alliance with the religious fundamentalists, and later in Iraq, where jihadist were at the receiving end of the powers that be.



Black Flags offers a gripping narrative on a jihadist movement that emerged from a concoction of political instability, sectarian conflict and armed intrusion in the Middle East, and seeks to establish a caliphate whose zone of influence is projected to cover a vast swathe of land across northern Africa, southern Europe and West Asia.



Though prepared to start small, Zarqawi viewed himself as a modern incarnation of Nur ad-Din Zengi, the 12th century warrior-prince who had destroyed the imperialist forces in establishing a single sultanate that extended from southern Turkey to the Nile River. By erroneously anointing him as the high priest of terrorism in 2003, identifying him as a link between Osama bin Laden and Saddam Hussein, the US had only served Zarqawis cause by launching his career as one of the centurys great terrorists.



Zarqawi didnt let the US down, unleashing a reign of terror with his signature act of beheading the American hostage Nick Berg in 2004. The images he posted in cyberspace made him an icon and hero to many thousands of young men and women who saw him as avenging the Muslim nation for centuries of perceived humiliations and defeats. At one time, hardcore jihadists had streamed into Iraq at a rate of 100 to 150 a month to join the sheikh of the slaughterers. So persisting has been his charisma that years after Zarqawis death in the US airstrike in 2006, support has continued to pour in from as many as 86 countries.



As much a blow-by-blow account of the unleashed savagery, Black Flags is a study of the multiple personality disorder afflicting this terrorist mastermind.



Could deep personal insecurities and shattering religious guilt lead an ordinary convict on an arduous journey of death and destruction? Could the combination of American jets and the Arab jails be the fertile grounds for the jihadist to germinate? Could it be the strategic failure of the ruling elites and the invading forces that helped raise the black banners of violent dissent? Using his reporting skills, Warrick creates a revealing portrait of the man and his enduring legacy. In doing so, he draws heavily on Zarqawis personal immediacy with three important persons: Basel al-Sabah, the doctor who had treated Zarqawi in prison; Abu Haytham, Jordans intelligence service officer who had trailed Zarqawi in his early years; and Nada Bakos, a young CIA officer who was the agencys top expert on Zarqawi.



There are many what-if moments in the absorbing thriller that lends credence to the widespread impression that by corralling Islamist radicals and ordinary Iraqis in the lawless desert pen, US officials have inadvertently created a jihadi university that allows the Islamist ideas to pass from one generation of fighters to the next. Had it not been for the US invasion of Iraq, the Islamic States current butcher, Dr Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, would likely to have lived out his years as a college professor. Instead, he joined the jihadi university to keep Zarqawis black flags fluttering with a current monetary worth of over half a billion dollars.



While many believe that the idea of Islamic State has as much chance of survival as an ice cream cone in the desert, Baghdadi instead believes that raising the caliphates ancient banner would make righteous Muslims fall into line. Will they or will they not? The world is at the crossroads of its most defining moment in history.








Kolkata is surely one of the most fascinating places in India, and has a charm like none other. With myriad experiences to offer  from history, art and culture to, of course, food  this city has a little bit of something for every kind of traveller.





The old world charm coexists with the contemporary. You can witness the ancient-looking trams trudging along the crowded roads alongside the metro trains; the ubiquitous yellow taxis alongside the Olas and Ubers, and sadly, even the hand-pulled rickshaws.



The most alluring aspect for me, as a first-time visitor to the city, was its history.

Formerly known as Calcutta, this port city was first developed by the British East India Company and then by the British as a colonial city. Given that it was located on the banks of the river Hooghly, Calcutta was chosen as the capital of British India till 1911, before the same was shifted to Delhi.



The colonial influence pervades the city even to this day, considering the numerous heritage buildings featuring distinct colonial-style architecture that dot the streets. Whether it is the government offices like the Writers Building, head post office, the office of LIC of India, or St Pauls Cathedral and the iconic Victoria Memorial, the remnants of the colonial era are evident.



While the influence of the British is profound, they were not the lone colonisers, and other Europeans had made inroads into parts of the state several hundred years ago. About 40 km from Kolkata lies the historical towns of Chinsurah, Bandel, Chandannagar and Serampore, where you can trace the European trail along the Hooghly.



Part of the area under the Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority (KMDA), the towns can be covered comfortably in a day trip. Here are some of the places that will cover the European trail around Kolkata.



Bandel: Portuguese picture



The first Europeans to settle in Bengal were the Portuguese, who formed a colony in Bandel in the 16th century. Synonymous with the bequest of the Portuguese is the imposing Bandel Basilica, founded in 1599 and dedicated to Nossa Senhora do Rosario, Our Lady of the Rosary. The oldest Christian church of the state, this shrine was attacked by the Mughals in 1632. It was rebuilt in the same year. It has been renovated many times since then, resulting in its modern appearance. Bandel in Portuguese means mast, and the church complex is home to one, a legacy of the Portuguese.



The church, which was gifted by a Portuguese ship captain, was revered by many sea-bound captains who came here to pay obeisance and offer prayers for their safe return. Apart from road, Bandel, which lies about 6 km from Chinsurah, is easily accessible from the Hooghly and Bandel Junction railway stations.



Chandannagar: French Riviera along the Ganges



Chandernagore or Chandannagar, my last stop, is most recent of the colonial towns. It was under the rule of the French till 1951 from early as 1673, when they set foot here. The legacy of the French in this little town is still quite profound in that its common to hear a few elderly Bengali folks conversing in French. In the town you can unwind at the Chandannagar Strand, which is a lovely spot, aesthetically done up with a decorated pavement and lined by lush green trees, on the banks of River Ganga.



The road along the strand leads to other buildings of historical importance  like the Chandannagar Museum and Institute (Institut de Chandernagore), which houses French artefacts like furniture and ammunitions of warfare.



The institute conducts French classes. The Sacred Heart Church boasts of French architecture, and is inviting of not only pilgrims, but also historians and tourists.



Chinsurah: Dutch dealings



Also known as Hooghly-Chinsurah, this erstwhile colonial town lies around 35 km from Kolkata, and is on the right bank of the river Bhagirathi-Hooghly. A flourishing Dutch port in the 17th century, Chinsurah was an important trading hub. While the present Chinsurah court was once the residence of the Dutch governor, the Dutch cemetery remains as one of the most important Dutch-history sites.



The heritage site houses close to 45 graves and is under the aegis of the ASI (Archaeological Survey of India). Some of the tombs are rather large, dating to 1743. The oldest tomb belongs to one Cornelis de Jonge, who died in 1743, while Emma Drapers tomb has been recorded last, in the year 1887.



Set amid greenery and clear pathways, one can take a walk around in the serene ambience. Standing tall in the centre of the town is the archetypal clock tower that was installed in memory of King Edward VI. Imported by the British in the 19th century, this Gothic cast-iron tower clock works with clockwork precision even today!



Serampore: Danish delight



Also known as Serampur, Srirampur and Srirampore, this pre-colonial town occupies the west bank of River Hooghly. Known by the name Frederiknagore, after their king Frederick VI, it was developed by the Danes in the early 18th century for the purpose of exchange of goods. The sprawling campus of one of the oldest colleges, Serampore College, the Danish Cemetery and Henry Martins Pagoda are some of the key attractions. The most prominent symbol of the Danes is the church of St Olav, christened after Norways national saint of the same name.



The church was originally built by the Danish governor of Serampore, Lt Olav Bie. It was completed in 1806, a year after Bie died. With a combination of architectural styles, the church had a magnificent steeple and housed the royal monogram of the Danish king Christian VII. The church was closed for renovation in 2013. It now stands with splendour, thanks to the collaborative efforts of the National Museum of Denmark and the West Bengal Heritage Commission. With sandstone from Rajasthan, lime mortars and organic pigments on the walls, the church retains the look of original doors, windows and furniture.














Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Saturday asked the captains of trade and industry to increase private sector spending in infrastructure sector. The finance minister said this in a pre-Budget consultative meeting with their representatives.





He said that the government has given greater thrust on fiscal federalism and improving business environment through reforms and regulations and it was the turn of private sector to take it forward.



In the meeting, exporters sought creation of an Export Development Fund for aggressive marketing particularly for small and medium enterprises. This could come through a corpus of about 0.5% of previous year exports as the present support through marketing scheme is inadequate.



Apex exporters body FIEO President S C Ralhan sought enhancing the credit limit to Rs 5 crore for credit linked capital subsidy scheme. The limit currently is Rs 1 crore.

He also demanded an exemption from the proposed IGST for merchant exporters.



The merchant exporters contribute to over 40% of the countrys exports. These exporters are presently exempted from VAT/CST while taking goods for exports. However, such exporters will be subject to IGST which will block their capital and thus reduce their competitiveness.



The government should allow exemption from IGST to merchant exporters against a running bond which may be debited while taking supply and credited when proof of exports is provided. Since GSTN and ICEGATE will be linked, this can be easily implemented, Ralhan said.



EEPC INDIA, an apex organisation of engineering goods exporters suggested that the assistance provided through export promotion schemes should not be taxed and should be exempted from the provisions of the Income Tax Act in respect of consideration derived against duty credit scrips such as MEIS and SEIS.




Leading public sector bank Canara Bank and private general insurance firm Bajaj Allianz on Saturday have signed a corporate agency agreement for the distribution of Bajaj Allianzs general insurance products.





A bouquet of personal lines of products such as Motor Insurance, Home Insurance, Health Insurance, Travel Insurance and commercial line of products such as Fire Insurance, Marine Insurance and Engineering Insurance will be available through 5,920 branches of Canara Bank across India.



Both have set a target to achieve Rs 400 crore business in the first year (FY 2017-18) of operations. Speaking on the occasion, Canara Bank MD and CEO Rakesh Sharma said, Today, two great institutions with more than 100 years of experience are coming together for a longstanding partnership. This collaboration represents transparency, values and service with customer interest at heart. This tie-up will especially benefit our customers who will get easy access to a rich bouquet of innovative products to cover their valuable assets created out of bank finance and also benefit from the expert risk management knowledge of Bajaj Allianz.



On the occasion of the alliance, Bajaj Allianz General Insurance Chairman Sanjiv Bajaj said, Its a great opportunity for us to join hands with Canara Bank. This collaboration between two brands is for and towards the interest of common people.



On the occasion, Canara Bank Executive Director P V Bharathi handed over Bajaj Allianz General Insurance a cheque for first premium of Rs 25,74,630 for insurance of assets financed by Canara bank for the states of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala.






Main entrance developed at a cost of Rs 250 crore



At first sight, a sense of disbelief grips you. Is this the same place? Holy city Amritsar has long lived with clogged streets, unsystematic layout, cramped spaces, dingy lanes and that maddening rush. Despite all these, the Golden Temple remains the single biggest magnet for tourists in the entire globe. Managing huge footfall has been a challenge.



Showcasing its heritage and significance was paramount. After all, around 1.5 lakh devotees visit the Golden Temple on weekdays and the footfall goes up to two lakh on Sundays and on the first day of a month in the Indian solar calendar. A complete makeover plan was drawn out. It took time to take shape. But now what welcomes people is altogether a different world. The area around the holy shrine has been restored to bygone era. A heritage street takes you to the shrine.



The street in all its splendour makes us all proud. It's a recreation by giving heritage facades to buildings from the Town Hall to the Golden Temple. Lights flashing on heritage facades created in buildings all the way to the shrine make it a mesmerising journey. The heritage street, where for the first time almost 170 buildings surrounding the sacred temple have been given a facelift, has been brought up at a cost of Rs 160 crore and showcases the art and heritage of Punjab. Massive structures representing Sikh pride, a partition museum and a first-of-its-kind interpretation centre depicts the story of the Sikh religion and its humanitarian philosophy on the way to the shrine.



The task was huge and full of challenges. The refurbishing and facade took about 330 days to complete. As work started, difficulties grew along. After all, the street area had existed in an arguably messy state for long. There were encroachments, electricity cables hanging precariously overhead, flex display boards and an entire visual of unplanned layout.



Heritage somewhere got lost in the unsystematic urbanisation over the decades. The place now offers a vintage look of the yesteryear. Encroachments are all gone. A massive entry gate to the city, which symbolises Sikh architecture and laid out in a huge golden dome, welcomes you. The gate entrance structure was designed by a team of experts from Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar. It cost around Rs 9.50 crore.



Partition museum



The Town Hall on way to the temple has been restored to its old glory. The building now houses the partition museum with memorabilia in the shape of documents, recorded memories, photographs, artefacts related to the partition. Unforgettable doleful memories of the partition have been out through elements and technology. It has been designed in a manner to enlighten people on the dangers and wrath that such tragedies bring along.



The plaza at the main entrance of the Golden Temple developed at a cost of Rs 250 crore with the services of the best architects and consultants from all over the country is a refreshing change. It's a God gifted 'sewa for me to have undertaken the task of giving a unique cultural look to the street, Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal, who is the brains behind the heritage makeover, says.



Next up is the narrative-based multimedia interpretation centre at the entrance plaza of the Golden Temple where technology has been put in place to convey the story of Sikh religion and its philosophy.



The unique feature is that Punjabi and two other Indian language options open up the history of the Golden Temple through four galleries. The first gallery narrates the story of the birth and establishment of Sikhism from the era of Guru Nanak Dev to Guru Gobind Singh. The next gallery features a life-like model of the Golden Temple and its precincts around which visitors will gather to learn of the daily and seasonal activities of the temple on large overhead screens from actual video footage shot in the premises, Badal said.



Visitors now get the actual feel of the activities conducted at the Sikh shrine from sunrise to sunset. Visual spectacles are sure to steal your heart. A grand statue of Maharaja Ranjit Singh along with multi-level stone fountains portrays Sikh religion and culture. Badal said, The biggest LED screen in our country is being installed on this street at Saragarhi Parking, which will screen the Gurbani recital from Harmandir Sahib for the people for one hour daily.



A model of the parliament house along with the founder of the Indian Constitution B R Ambedkars statue is another new attraction. A unique rock sculpture in front of Jallianwala Bagh is lit with a flame as a mark of respect for freedom struggle martyrs who died in the 1919 massacre.



A huge circular and seven multi-level structures convey the stories of Sikh valour, its battles, warriors. The first level is embellished with 65 lion faces with water oozing out. It epitomises Maharaja Ranjit Singh's popularity as Sher-e-Punjab (Lion of Punjab). The next levels have a cluster of elephants and stone arm dripping water. Two Nihang warriors standing with a lion make a grand standing. Scenes of important wars have been carved out in stone. Another level shows Maharaja Ranjit Singh's military generals standing.



Next in for a similar treatment is the famous Durgiana Mandir which will be renovated on similar lines. Sukhbir Badal has announced that in the second phase, all the streets leading to Darbar Sahib would be given a heritage look similar to Heritage Street. In fact, he claimed that the entire city would experience a facelift in true traditional style in the next five years.




The Lead Bank in Dakshina Kannada district has decided to organise camps to open accounts for persons in unorganised sector who have no bank accounts.





A press release from Lead District Chief Manager Raghav Yajamanya said a decision to this effect was taken at a meeting of the committee, led by deputy commissioner, district labour officer and lead district chief manager.



Accordingly, the first camp was organised at Lingappayyana Kadu, Near Karnadu Industrial area, Mulki on Saturday and it will be held on Sunday as well.



The finance secretary, Ministry of Finance, Government of India during a meeting on demonetisation high value currency notes on Friday had stressed on the importance of opening of bank accounts for persons in unorganised sector who have no bank accounts. In addition, the finance secretary has stressed the need for Aadhaar/mobile seeding of bank accounts, issue/ distribution of RuPay card and its activation by banks.



Yajamanya said the district labour officer has identified the persons having no bank accounts for opening of accounts and is driving them to the camps.



He has coordinated with the bank branches for their participation in the camps identified by the committee with sufficient number of account opening forms. The camps will be utilised for obtaining consent letters from the account holders for Aadhaar seeding, mobile seeding and also issue and activation of RuPay cards, he said.



Aadhaar not mandatory



Yajamanya has clarified that Aadhaar card number is not mandatory for opening of accounts. The services of Bank Mitras shall also be utilised in the camp for opening of accounts as DFS/MOF advised all the Banks to keep open Bank Mitra Channel.



The Financial Literacy Centres and RUDSETI will also be utilised for creating awareness about demonetisation of notes and also benefits of opening of accounts.



It is the endeavour of the government that all the payments are routed through banking channels only.



The KYC norms issued by RBI for opening of PMJDY accounts shall be followed. Banks will mobilise / accept the applications for opening of accounts at the camps and shall open the accounts on the subsequent working day.

No cash transactions will be carried out on holidays. Subsequently, camps by banks will be held at KS Rao Nagar, Mulki on November 28, Jyothinagar, Panji Mogaru, Kovoor on November 29 and Thodambail, Surathkal on November 30.



Besides participating in the scheduled camps, all banks in the district are advised that they will instruct their branches simultaneously to open the accounts for persons in unorganised sectors in their operational areas, singly by individual branches or jointly with other bank branches in accordance with the governments guidelines.
Militants on Saturday morning ambushed a Border Security Force (BSF) convoy in north Kashmirs frontier Kupwara district, injuring one soldier.





Superintendent of Police (SP), Handwara, Ghulam Jeelani said the militants opened fire from the fields abutting the road. A soldier has been hit in his thigh. He is stable, he added. The injured trooper has been identified as head constable Satinder Singh and his condition is stated to be stable.



This was the second attack on security forces in Handwara area in the past 36 hours. On Thursday night militants opened fire on a police station in Handwara.



However, there was no damage in the incident as the ultras fled from the spot after policemen retaliated.



On Friday five people, including two militants, two policemen and a soldier were killed in separate militancy incidents across Kashmir. The spurt in militancy incidents in Kashmir in the recent months has triggered concern in the security establishment.
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has expressed deep concern over the resignation of Nalanda University Chancellor George Yeo and has decided to write to the Centre to keep the varsity away from any controversy.





Terming the resignation of Yeo as unfortunate, Nitish said, Yeo was associated with the varsity from the very beginning and it is a matter of concern that he has left for not being consulted on key issues related to the institution.



Nalanda University was set up at the initiative of the Nitish government in view of its historic and international importance and efforts were made to make it a global hub by drawing scholars and students from far and wide.



The Bihar government had enacted its own Nalanda University Act and several meetings on NU took place under the chairmanship of former President APJ Abdul Kalam at Nitishs official residence here. The Bihar Act was repealed after the Parliament passed the Nalanda University Act.



It may be mentioned here that Yeo, former foreign minister of Singapore, was appointed Chancellor of NU succeeding nobel laureate Amartya Sen last year. But on Friday, he quit from the post protesting on being overlooked in effecting important decisions.



Sources said he was upset over not being consulted in the constitution of a new governing board for Nalanda University and in the appointment of an interim V-C in place of outgoing vice-chancellor Gopa Sabharwal.
The BJP appears to be finding new friends outside the NDA coalition in the wake of demonetisation of high-value notes.





After NCP chief Sharad Pawar and senior JD(U) leader Nitish Kumar, Samajwadi Partys Amar Singh hailed demonetisation to check grey economy.



On Saturday, Singh showered praise on Narendra Modi for what he called a courageous move to knock out black money, but at the same time he had reservations on the implementation of the move. He insisted that it was done without making proper arrangements.



Singhs effusive words on demonetisation decision per se largely fits into the party line. However, the SP leaders over the board admiration for Modi might have gone off tangent.
Failure to urgently remedy the ill-effects of demonetisation would result in the BJP being swept away in the forthcoming Assembly elections, BSP supremo Mayawati has warned.





The former chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, among the five states going to polls early next year, asked Muslims not to squander their votes on the Samajwadi Party and the Congress as they are unable to take on the BJP.



Ahead of the protest called by the Opposition on Monday, the BSP leader accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of putting 90% of people in trouble for the crimes of a few, who had stashed black money at home and abroad.



Failure of the Modi government to fulfil its promise on black money has driven it to demonetisation, so that it could ask people for votes, Mayawati said.
Rich tributes were paid on Saturday to the martyrs who laid down their lives on this day eight years ago during the Mumbai terror attack, in which 166 people were killed.





Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis led the commemoration and paid homage at the 26/11 police memorial at the Mumbai Police Gymkhana.



I pay homage to the brave policemen who fought for Mumbais safety and laid down their lives for us on 26/11. We are proud of them and we will strive hard for the safety and security of our state, Fadnavis said.



Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao, Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray, former Mumbai police commissioners Julio Ribeiro, M N Singh, several senior officers and former officers were also present.



Family members of the martyred personnel and survivors of the attack recalled the harrowing moments and pledged support to all efforts made to root out terrorism.



On November 26, 2008, 10 Pakistani terrorists arrived by sea route and opened fire indiscriminately, killing 166, including 18 security personnel, and injuring several others, besides damaging property worth crores.



Ajmal Kasab was the lone militant who was captured alive. He was hanged four years later on November 21, 2012.
A South African national has been arrested on suspicion of peddling narcotics, and 10 grams of cocaine has been confiscated from his possession.





Sleuths of the Central Crime Branch (CCB) caught Tony Micheal Masog, 31, when he was reportedly peddling the banned substance at the Central Power Research Institute (CPRI) bus stop on CV Raman Road, north Bengaluru.



The CCB said the arrest was made following a tip-off and that they also seized two mobile phones, a weighing machine, a motorcycle and Rs 1,500 in cash from the suspect.



The CCB believes that Masog procured cocaine from a Cameroonian named Monday who is said to live in TC Palya, and planned to sell it to college students and working professionals. Police are searching for Monday. Masog came to India on a business visa that is valid till January 26, 2017. He was staying at Maruthinagar in Yelahanka.
To prevent misuse of SIM cards and sale of stolen handsets, the police on Saturday issued guidelines to owners of phone stores and phone repairers.





The police, for the first time, held meetings with the owners after intelligence reports said that a network was active, supplying stolen handsets and SIM cards based on fake documents, to terrorists in Hyderabad, Chennai and Kerala.



The police have found that a few members of the network are experts in changing IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity) numbers of the handsets, besides unlocking locked handsets. The stolen handsets and SIM cards are also sold to anti-social elements, Additional Commissioner of Police (East) P Harishekaran told DH.



The meetings of the owners in eastern Bengaluru took place at VIT College of Engineering and Technology auditorium, Chikkajala and Mangala Kalyan Mantap, CAR South, Koramangala. About 1,200 owners attended the meeting.



Besides Harishekaran, DCPs Dr Boralingaiah, Dr P S Harsha and N Satheesh Kumar explained the legal challenges and the nature of punishment for buying and selling stolen mobile phones. The police directed the owners not to buy the stolen handsets and inform the nearest police station about people trying to sell such handsets.



The police warned of stern action against changing IMEI numbers, unlocking handsets and selling SIM cards based on fake and false documents. The police directed the owners to insist on a copy of the Aadhaar card before selling the SIM cards.



More than 100 mobiles are stolen, while an equal number of phones are lost everyday in the city. The police have launched a mobile app - e-lost - to help citizens lodge complaints about missing and stolen phones. The stolen handsets are sold for Rs 5,000 to Rs 10,000, said Harishekaran.
The JP Nagar police have intensified their operation to arrest three conmen who posed as Central Crime Branch (CCB) police and robbed realtors of Rs 83 lakh on Thursday.





There are definite leads about the trio and we are monitoring the movements of the suspects. We will arrest them soon, DCP (South) S D Sharanappa told DH.



It has now emerged that there are more realtors who have lost their money to the conmen. The initial probe indicated that only 11 realtors had lost their money. However, there are more men who have lost their money, the DCP said.



Two realtors, Shivaramu and Sathish, had collected money from several of their friends. The victims are yet to inform the police about the number of people from whom they had collected the money. Akshay, a close associate of the conmen, had told Shivaramu and Sathish that he had demonetised notes worth Rs 1 crore.



He had told the two that he would give them 20% commission for exchanging the demonetised notes with notes of denomination Rs 100 and Rs 2,000. The realtors believed him and arranged for Rs 83 lakh, the DCP said. The victims are yet to inform the police about sources of the money.



No trace of van driver



The police are yet to trace Dominic Selvaraj Roy, 45, who fled with Rs 92 lakh that belonged to banks on November 23.



Two special teams are questioning friends and relatives of Roy in Hyderabad and Chennai. Some of the notes stolen by Roy were found in Begumpet in Hyderabad.



The police have questioned a few people who were in possession of the notes. However, no lead was found to help trace Roy, said the police.



Roy just drove off with Rs 1.37 crore in cash from the Bank of India branch on the busy KG Road. The next day, police found the van abandoned in Vasanthnagar. They found Rs 45 lakh and a gun in it.
Police tracked down two of the four suspected kidnappers just a few hours after they drove off with the 10-year-old son of a businessman. The boy is safe but remains in the captivity of the other two men, police said.





The four-member gang pulled off the kidnap in truly cinematic style. The men shadowed the boys grandfather as he left home to drop him off at his school in KR Puram around 8 am.



Travelling by car, they waylaid the elderly man and the boy en route, and then dragged the class 4 student into the automobile. Before the grandfather could gather his senses, the gang drove off. Stunned, he called up his son and told him what happened.



The family hails from Rajasthan and had settled in Bengaluru 12 years ago. It lives in a flat in Devasandra and the boys father runs a hardware shop in the same locality.



Call from kidnappers



An hour later, the boys father received a call from the kidnappers, confirming that the boy was in their captivity. The caller quickly hung up, saying he would call again to demand the ransom. He warned him against going to police, DCP (East) N Satish Kumar told DH.



Nonetheless, the businessman approached the police and filed a complaint. Swinging into action, police traced the call to Hoskote. A crucial piece of information then came from an unexpected quarter.



A female eyewitness contacted the boys grandfather. Importantly, she had noted down the cars registration number. It was just a matter of time before police traced the cars owner.



While still at the police station, the boys father got a call from another number. The caller was a different person. He, however, figured that the businessman was at the police station. He got furious and threatened to kill the boy. He then hung up. This call was also made from Hoskote.



Police formed four teams to rescue the boy. One of the teams succeeded in apprehending two suspects around 7.30 pm. Though their identity was not immediately disclosed by the police, they are residents of KR Puram.



The gang knew the businessman well and thought he was very rich. The men had shadowed the boy for at least a week before kidnapping him.
The state Congress has directed its leaders across the state to organise protests against demonetisation on November 28, as part of Akrosh Divas (nationwide agitation) called by some Opposition parties.





Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee working president Dinesh Gundu Rao said protests will be staged in all districts of the state.



The party leaders have been directed to take out protest marches and submit a memorandum to the deputy commissioners of the respective districts. The party workers will also stage dharnas against the Centre, he added. In Bengaluru, KPCC president G Parameshwara will lead the protest from Town Hall to the deputy commissioners office near Mysore Bank Circle. Ministers from Bengaluru, Congress legislators and other leaders have been asked to take part in the protest. District-in-charge ministers are responsible for organising the protest in their respective districts.



Rao said the party is not organising the protest. It is only a protest against the government for causing inconvenience to people. The party has already circulated copies of the model memorandum to all the district units. The memorandum is addressed to the President of India, highlighting lapses on the part of government and misery of the common man due to demonetisation, he added.
Fidel Castro shared a bond of friendship with Indira Gandhi, better highlighted in the iconic image in which the Cuban communist patriarch embraces the then prime minister while handing her the NAM chairmanship.





Castro also had a word of advice for Indiras son Rajiv Gandhi, who succeeded her, warning him about former prime minister V P Singh and asking him not to trust him. For Castro, Indira was a great leader, a great woman.



The Cuban revolutionary had made glowing remarks about Indira while handing over the chairmanship of the Non-Alignment Movement (NAM) in 1983 and in his message after her assassination.



We saw her disappear amidst flames while her people, her descendants, and statesmen from all over the world surrounded the funeral pyre in respectful silence. And we recalled the august calmness with which, years earlier, she had indicated that one day, she also would, with resignation, give up her life in a holocaust for the unity of her nation, Castro had said.

Castro never missed an opportunity to engage in a discussion on India.



Meeting



Whether it was in the 1980s when the Indian leaders met him, or during his 2006 meeting with the then prime minister Manmohan Singh.



After a discussion on a range of issues, Castro requested for a photograph with Manmohan, saying, I want this photograph to be seen by one billion people.



Senior Congress leader Margaret Alva had also recalled her meetings with Castro in her autobiography Courage and Commitment where she mentioned about his queries, including on Emergency.



Book on Castro



Margaret had written about Castro wanting her to convey to Rajiv his misgivings about V P Singh when she met him in the mid-1980s.



I have been a friend of his mother (Indira Gandhi), I have admired her. She was a great leader, a great woman. He must follow in her footsteps, not depart from her policies and programmes. Otherwise, he will have problems. And second, tell him not to trust his finance minister (V P Singh). He is conspiring against him. He will stab him in the back. He is a dangerous man. Rajiv must be careful, Margaret had quoted Castro.



According to her book, Margaret had replied to the Cuban leader that Singh was a Gandhi friend and supporter and that Rajiv depended on him for help and advice. To this, Castro had shaken his head gravely and said, That is not good, not good.
The impact of demonetisation is set to get more visible in the coming weeks as small business establishments that deal mainly in cash prepare to pay their staff. While the liquidity crunch has eased a bit in Bengaluru, small towns still reel under cash shortage.





A senior manager at Canara Bank said that people with low salaries and those paying house rent by cash would be the most affected, followed by senior citizens, especially pensioners.



H V Rai of the All India Bank Employees Association, however, said the problem was not acute, though he conceded that some cash shortage was bound to persist for sometime.



S K Srinivas of the All India Bank Officers Association sees a calculated logic behind the cash flow. There is no disparity in cash flow and distribution. They are purely based on artificial intelligence that tracks the inflow and outflow of cash into bank branches depending on their requirement. All head offices usually rely on a computer programme to do this work, he added.




Chief Justice of India T S Thakur on Saturday hit out at the government for keeping 500 judges positions vacant. Thakur, who has frequently made public his unhappiness over the delay, denounced the governments inaction yet again.





Addressing an all-India conference of the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) here, Thakur said, Five hundred judges posts are vacant in the high courts. They should be working today, but they are not. At present, there are several vacant courtrooms in India, but no judges available.



After the Supreme Court invalidated the National Judicial Appointment Commission Act in October last, the appointment of judges has given rise to a war of words between the judiciary and the government.



Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, however, disagreed with Thakur, saying the government had made 120 appointments this year alone, the second highest since 1990. The highest was 121 appointments in 2013, he said.



In another event to mark Constitution Day here, Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi said, Everyone, including the judiciary, must remain within the Lakshman rekha. Self-control and self-restraint are as important as the power to police... the greater the power, the greater the need for introspection.



The sparring continued, with Thakur cautioning elsewhere that no arm of the government should cross the Lakshman rekha. The judiciary had every right to set aside any law made by Parliament if it was against the Constitution or beyond the limits granted by it, he said.



In the morning, Thakur also spoke about the problems faced by tribunals. Today, a situation has come that no retired Supreme Court judge wants to head a tribunal. I am pained to send my retired colleagues there, the Chief Justice said.



Maintaining that providing infrastructure was a continuous process, the minister said 5,000 positions were open in the lower judiciary, and the government had no role to play in filling them. That is something only for the judiciary to take care, he said.

Delay over rules



Prasad also pointed out that the draft of the Memorandum of Procedure for appointment of judges had been lying with the Supreme Court for more than three months.



The Chief Justice has time and again questioned the government over judges vacancies. He broke down during the Chief Minsters and Chief Justices Conference in April while talking about the hiring.



The government recently cleared 34 out 77 names recommended for appointment as high court judges. But the Collegium-headed by the CJI had resent the full list. The government says some names were rejected because of negative Intelligence Bureau reports.
Lieutenant General Qamar Javed Bajwa, who has extensive experience of handling matters in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and the northern areas, was on Saturday appointed Pakistans new army chief. He will succeed General Raheel Sharif.





Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif appointed Bajwa as Chief of Army Staff (COAS) by elevating him to the rank of a four-star general, officials said. The post of army chief is the most powerful in Pakistan.



Bajwa, who was serving as Inspector General of the Training and Evaluation, will take charge of the worlds sixth largest army by troop numbers in a formal handover on Tuesday, when General Raheel formally retires.



Raheel had in January declared he would not seek an extension. I will retire on the due date, he had said.



Pakistans Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has confirmed that Bajwa was appointed COAS and Zubair Hayat the Chairman Joint Chief of Staff Committee.



Bajwas colleagues say he is not attention-seeking and remains well-connected with his troops. Hayat, the senior-most serving army officer, is from the artillery.
The state government on Saturday asked the respective district deputy commissioners to take a call on the closure of educational institutions on Monday, in view of the nation-wide bandh called by several political outfits against demonetisation.





The Department of Public Instruction said that based on the availability of public transport and safety aspects in their respective districts, the deputy commissioners have been asked to take a decision and issue a circular through the Assistant Director (Administration) to all institutions. Private schools, however, are yet to take a call in this regard.



In related developments, the Bangalore University exams for the third and fourth semesters for BA, BCom, BBM and BHM courses, which were scheduled for Monday, have been postponed to December 8.



Tumkur University, Gulbarga University, Rani Channamma University in Belagavi and Karnataka State Womens University in Vijayapura have postponed the examinations, also scheduled for November 28.



Representatives from state-run KSRTC, BMTC buses as well as Namma Metro said they would function as normal. We will operate as usual. If there are untoward incidents, we will stop the services, a BMRCL official said.



Several political organisations, including the joint committee of Left parties, Bangalore district,  CPI, CPM, CPI-ML, SUCI(C)  will observe Aakrosh Diwas against the shoddy implementation of the demonetisation scheme. Earlier in the day, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said his government will not support the country-wide protest.



Speaking to reporters after unveiling the statue of B R Ambedkar at the Vidhana Soudha here, he said the government will not declare a holiday for schools and colleges and government offices.



He, however, said the Congress-led state government will organise a protest against the currency ban.
Next year marks a major milestone for San Diego Center for Children.

Having served children and families throughout San Diego County for decades, San Diego Center for Children celebrates its 130th anniversary in 2017.

Its an opportunity to acknowledge our rich history, and its also an opportunity to engage the San Diego community to learn more about San Diego Center for Children, said Executive Director Moises Baron, Ph.D.

Founded in 1887, San Diego Center for Children is the oldest childrens nonprofit in the region, currently serving children and families struggling with emotional, behavioral and mental health challenges.

To appropriately respond to the needs of children and families, we have a range of programs, Baron said. We have a presence throughout the whole county.

About one in five children, or 20 percent, suffer from a mental, emotional or behavioral disorder, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Within eight locations and hundreds of homes throughout San Diego County, San Diego Center for Children provides prevention, assessment, transition, outpatient therapy, school-based therapies, education, wraparound, foster care and residential treatment programs for children, youth and their families.

In addition to San Diego Center for Children Academy, a nonpublic school accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges, San Diego Center for Children manages two programs within schools in Carlsbad and the South Bay that give students hand-in-hand counseling and skill-building within their school day. The nonprofit organization also partners with San Diego County to provide therapeutic services to children and youth in foster care.

Were able to respond to the individual needs of children and families by ensuring that they get the appropriate treatment and services for their needs, Baron said. By being able to appropriately identify and intervene with the appropriate service, were able to help families feel empowered and help youth have the ability to achieve their full potential.

San Diego Center for Children started in 1887 as The Womens Home Association in downtown San Diego. The organization provided care to destitute and helpless women  many of them with children.

Over time, the organization began providing more support and services to children. The association opened a nursery in the late 1980s, relocated from Balboa Park to Kearny Mesa in 1959, and finally changed its name to San Diego Center for Children in 1975.

With a mission to protect the joy of childhood, prevent emotional suffering and incite change, today San Diego Center for Children reaches more than 1,000 children and families throughout the region every day.

When you look at the history, you can see that the organization has really adapted to the changing needs of the population that it was serving, Baron said.

Baron joined the organization as CEO more than two years ago.

Among the organizations accomplishments in that time, Baron said he is proud that San Diego Center for Children obtained reaccreditation from the Joint Commission. All of San Diego Center for Childrens therapeutic programs, Baron said, are accredited by the Joint Commission, an independent, nonprofit organization that accredits more than 21,000 health care organizations and programs in the United States.

San Diego Center for Children has close to 360 employees. The organization, Baron said, also currently has 26 trainees from different professional programs in the region and beyond.

Im proud of the work our staff does, Baron said. We definitely have a very passionate and skilled staff. We have a very engaged board, we have a very engaged advisory council, and we have very engaged volunteers. They really come together to serve the needs of some of the most underserved and at-risk children and youth in our county.

Looking forward to the future, Baron said he wants San Diego Center for Children to be identified as a leader and innovator in providing effective therapeutic and educational services to children with mental, emotional and behavioral disorders, as well as their families.

San Diego Center for Children, Baron said, also aims to improve access to care to families in need. The organization, he said, would also like to be recognized as a top multidisciplinary training site for mental health and educational professionals.

You cannot just be thinking about your past and your history, you need to constantly be thinking about the future and what the community needs and will need, and how we can be responsive, Baron said. We do have a vision for the future.

San Diego Center for Children is celebrating its 130th anniversary with a gala planned for May 4 at San Diego Marriott Marquis & Marina.

The organization is also inviting the community to participate in Wacky Wonky Wonderland to spread holiday cheer to the children and families served by San Diego Center for Children. There will be live music, special holiday activities, and festive food and drinks. The cost of admission is an unwrapped toy or gift card worth $25 or more, or a monetary donation to the center.

The holiday event takes place 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 11 at the centers main campus at 3002 Armstrong Street, San Diego. For more information or to RSVP, visit www.centerforchildren.org/wacky-wonky-wonderland/.

For more about San Diego Center for Children, or to donate or volunteer, visit www.centerforchildren.org/

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When the LA Auto Show tried to compete head-to-head for show dates with Detroit, Los Angeles kept coming up a little short. Now, with its emphasis on green automobiles and an earlier show date, the LA Auto Show has truly come of age.

Press Days began with an intense immersion into what they call AutoMobility LA, featuring fascinating technology sessions. Of particular interest was one that was presented by McLaren. In it they spoke about their Formula 1 cars and how they utilize a common ECU for its various functions, including extensive implementation of drive by wire.

In contrast, street cars tend to use separate ECUs for their many distinct functions. These take up a lot of space and add weight. McLaren is working to their number of ECUs.

Perhaps the most mind-blowing press conference of any LA Auto Show in recent memory was over at the Nissan display. In anticipation of the opening of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story in theaters, Nissan and Lucasfilm dramatically revealed a 2017 Nissan Rogue compact SUV. A battle scene raged, punctuated with towering columns of flames erupting from the stage to demonstrate the vehicles Intelligent Safety Shield technologies and its ability to take on any battle (video at https://nissannews.com/en-US/nissan/usa/videos/nissan-rogue-one-star-wars-limited-edition-2017-la-auto-show). The thought that Nissan got the fire marshal to sign off on the pyrotechnics defies belief, but whatever they had to do, the positive publicity was surely well worth the effort and expense. From our vantage point at front row center photographing the spectacle, the heat was intense. The overall effect, with video projected on the backdrop, was absolutely incredible. A version of this without the pyrotechnics will be presented during the run of the show. A massive replica TIE fighter is on the show floor.

Then Storm Troopers escorted in the special STAR WARS Edition Nissan Rogue. Available only in black and white, it includes the first-ever application on a production vehicle of STAR WARS badging and logos inside and out, with an illuminated STAR WARS logo on the front doorsill kickplates. Collectors will go nuts for the gloss black, numbered, limited edition, full-size replica Death Trooper helmet. The only way to get one of those will be with the purchase of one of the vehicles. You can sign up now at www.nissanusa.com/Rogue.

At this, their first auto show, Tesla brought their mobile design center  inside an Airstream trailer, which they tow around the country with a Tesla Model X.

In a game changing move targeting millennials, Hyundai announced Ionic Unlimited: an all-inclusive, fixed monthly installment plan for their upcoming, all-new Ionic five-passenger, four-door sedan (electric, hybrid and plug-in hybrid). The amount of the monthly payment will be based on the term (24 or 36 months) and trim level that a customer prefers, with nothing up front. It will include traditional expenses such as doc fees and registration, as well as free scheduled maintenance  parts and labor, free wear items for the entire term, unlimited miles with no penalties for overages, and even free charging through a monthly reimbursement based on the miles you drive.

Jeep introduced the all-new, 2017 Compass. A true Jeep in every sense of the word, the Trailhawk model of the Compass is available with Jeep Active Drive Low affording a 20:1 crawl ratio and low range for 4x4 Trail Rated capability, hill-descent control, 9-speed automatic transmission, 2.4-liter Tigershark engine with Multiair2 and a Jeep Selec-terrain traction-control system. The Jeep Compass offers a variety of high tech safety features including state-of-the-art Adaptive Cruise Control-Plus that will bring the vehicle to a stop without driver intervention, Blind-Spot Monitoring, Forward Collision Warning-Plus, LaneSense Departure Warning, ParkSense Parallel/Perpendicular Park Assist and Rear Cross Path detection. Luxurious interior features include up to an 8.4-inch touchscreen display, 7-inch reconfigurable full color driver information display and premium, high quality materials.

MINI introduced their most technologically advanced model ever: the 221 horsepower (gas and electric combined), all-wheel-drive MINI Countryman Plug-In Hybrid.

The latest high performance Alfa Romeo is (drum roll please) the no compromises, top-of-the-line, 505-hp, 2018 Stelvio Quadrifoglio SUV. Built in Italy, it has such high tech features as a torque vectoring differential, all-wheel-drive, 177 mph top speed and paddle shifted, 100 millisecond gearshifts.

The Los Angeles auto show runs through to the Sunday of the Thanksgiving weekend. For more information visit https://laautoshow.com.

Join in the conversation. Send your comments and suggestions to AutoMatters@gmail.com.

Copyright  2016 by Jan Wagner  AutoMatters & More #464
After Qandeel Baloch, Another Pakistani Actress Shot Dead In Lahore!
City plans to pay offer $500k buyouts to 4 deputy police chiefs

Five of the six current Columbus deputy chiefs would be eligible to apply for a buyout payment of $500,000. Four chosen would leave in January.
This story was originally published on Gizmodo

Ever wonder if your dog recalls those times you were were a really shitty owner? The latest science shows they most certainly do.

A new study published in Current Biology shows that dogs, like humans, can recall prior events, even when those events werent particularly important or meaningful at the time. This suggests that dogs have episodic memory, which is the ability to mentally travel back in time and recall experiences and specific events, such as times, places and associated emotions. Importantly, episodic memory is also a possible sign of self-awareness in dogs.

That scientists needed to prove such a thing may come as a surprise to dog owners. Dogs often behave in a way thats suggestive of episodic memory, such as staying clear of the neighbours cat after a particularly nasty encounter. Trouble is, we cant be entirely sure if dogs are actually reminiscing about a prior event, or if theyre drawing on semantic memory, which is the memory of facts and rules necessary for survival. We unfortunately cant ask dogs whats going on in their fuzzy little heads.

Evidence of episodic memory has been found in other species, including primates, rats and pigeons. However, these previous studies involved simple stimuli, such as the presence or absence of food, and were conducted in laboratory settings, which are a far cry from conditions found in real life.

To indicate the presence of episodic-like memory in dogs, Claudia Fugazza from the MTA-ELTE Comparative Ethology Research Group in Budapest, Hungary, used a trick called Do as I Do in which 17 dogs were trained to watch a person perform a specific action, and then perform the action themselves when given the command. For example, if the owner were to place their hand on an umbrella and then say Do it!, the dog would also place its hand, er paw, on the umbrella. Other tasks involved standing on a table, sitting on a chair and jumping over obstacles.

On its own, this training wasnt enough to prove that dogs have episodic memory. The researchers needed to show that dogs were capable of recalling an event they werent expecting to have to remember.

The study of episodic-like memory in non-human animals is particularly challenging because it implies assessing a mental state: incidental encoding of an event [that is, remembering stuff that doesnt seem to be important] when it is not known that it is important to remember it, Fugazza told Gizmodo. Most scientists agree that incidental encoding can be assumed if the recall test is unexpected, because in this case the subject does not expect to be required to remember the event later, thus it does not know the event is important.

To create an unexpected recall test, the researchers added a second part to the Do as I Do exercise. The dogs were trained to lie down after watching a human perform an action, regardless of what it was. So if the owner stood on a table, the dog would lie down and be still. But sometimes, and in a sudden twist, the researchers would surprise the dogs by issuing the Do it! command. The dogs, after a slight pause, performed the action.

This means that the dogs remembered what the person did even though they had no particular reason to think theyd have to remember it. Importantly, the dogs had to remember events they had witnessed, but not performed before. This means they had to dig into the recent history file of their brains and pull out the required information  in other words, they had to rely on their episodic memory. The researchers applied this recall test to the dogs after one minute and one hour, showing that dogs are capable of remembering demonstrated actions after both short and long time intervals (though memory faded a bit over time).

Our study is the first to test whether pet dogs in their own natural environment can remember complex and content-rich events that are close to real life situations, said Fugazza. Moreover this is the first study to assess memory of actions performed by others, not by the subjects themselves. She believes this testing method can be used and adapted in a wide range of animal species, allowing scientists to better understand how animals mind process their own actions as well as actions carried out by others.

As noted, episodic memory has been linked to self-awareness, which is the ability to see oneself as an entity thats separate and different from others. So far no test has been successfully applied to study self-awareness in dogs, Fugazza told Gizmodo. We believe that our study brought us one step closer to be able to address this question.

Gizmodo explores the smart design, breakthrough science and awe-inspiring tech shaping your future.

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By George Dvorsky  Gizmodo
Rating agencies see long-term gains from demonetisation

International rating agencies, Moody's Investor Service and Standard and Poor's, have given the thumbs-up to the government's decision to demonetise high-value currency notes saying it is worth the short-term pain.

Moody's Investor Service on Thursday said while demonetisation will ''disrupt economic activity'' and dampen economic growth in the short term, it would boost tax revenue and hasten fiscal consolidation in the longer term.

''The move will weigh on GDP growth for a few quarters, dampening government revenues,'' it said, adding that in the medium term, higher income declarations will boost tax revenues, and the government could receive a one-off transfer of the central bank's gain.

This, in turn, would enable higher capital expenditure by the government and fiscal consolidation, which would be credit-positive for the sovereign, it said in a report.

The 8 November announcement by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the withdrawal of all Rs500 and Rs1,000 notes from circulation, left the financial sector with an 86-per cent fall in the currency in circulation.

While his was a measure to combat black money and counterfeiters, the move brought about liquidity shortages all around, handicapping wage earners and small traders more.

''Households and businesses will experience liquidity shortages, at least for a few months,'' said the report, adding that businesses with direct exposure to retail sales and rural areas, such as in the telecom and auto sectors and farm equipment manufacturers, will see sales volumes and cash flows taking a hit.

However, Moody's said that while bank deposits may increase by 1-2 per cent, asset quality in loans against property and commercial vehicle segment may deteriorate.

''Cash collection in the micro-finance segment could also initially receive a hit. But central bank measures will limit short-term asset quality pressures,'' it further warned said.

S&P further said that though India's low-income economy constrains its economic resilience, improvements in policy-making continue to boost the medium-term prospects for India's economic and fiscal performance.

Moody's, however, said in the medium to longer term, it would be more beneficial. ''Greater formalisation of economic and financial activity would ultimately help broaden the tax base and expand usage of the financial system, which would be credit-positive,'' it said.

It also noted that the move towards non-cash transactions and digital payments would enhance the ease of doing business.

Similarly, S&P said that while demonetisation is ''a long-term positive'', it will have a transitory impact on growth in the short term and could hurt asset quality. ''Bank deposits would benefit due to demonetisation, though not all inflows will remain in the banking system on a permanent basis,'' it said in a report.


New Rs2,000 note gets its fake avatar within days

Within days of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) putting the new Rs2,000 notes into circulation the police in Hyderabad have arrested a six-member gang and seized Rs2.2 lakh in fake currency of various denominations, including Rs2,000 notes.

Sleuths of the Special Operation Team in Rachakonda arrested a six-member gang and seized fake Indian currency worth Rs2,22,310 in the denomination of Rs2,000 (105), Rs100 (102), Rs50 (105), Rs20 (117) and Rs10 (102), two colour xerox machines and Rs50,000 in cash from their possession.

The arrests were made on receipt of credible information, police said, adding that the arrested included Jamalapur Sainath of Ibrahimpatnam, Gotte Anjaiah of Venkatapur village in Sirisilla district, Sakethwala Ramesh of Ibrahimpatnam, Chikoti Satyanarayana of Peddur village in Sirisilla district, Kandikanti Sridhar Goud of Hayathnagar, Avadutha Vijay Kumar of Bharath Nagar in Siddipet district.



Two others - Kalyan of Siricilla and Srikanth of Nizamabad - are absconding, reports quoting police sources said.

Initially, they printed fewer notes of small denomination and were successful in circulating them in the market, the police said.

With the demonetisation of the Rs500 and Rs1,000 notes, the accused persons decided to print fake currency of small denomination and circulate in the market. After the release of the new Rs2,000 note, they successfully printed it and were waiting for an opportunity to circulate in the market. In the meantime, the police raided Ramesh's house at Ibrahimpatnam and arrested them, police added.

"With the demonetisation of the Rs500 and Rs1,000 notes, the accused persons decided to print FICN of small denomination and circulate in the market. After the release of the new Rs 2,000 note, they successfully printed it and were waiting for an opportunity to circulate in the market," Rachakonda Police Commissioner Mahesh M Bhagwat said.

"They were discussing plans of circulating the fake notes in the market, when Rachakonda Police received credible information about their plans and raided the Ramesh's house at Ibrahimpatnam and took the accused persons into custody," he said.

Police seized original notes to the extent of Rs50,000 besides two photocopy machines, and fake notes in denomination of Rs2,000 (105 notes), Rs100 (102 notes), Rs50 (105 notes), Rs20 (117 notes) and Rs10 (102 notes) all with a face value of Rs2,22,310.


We are not going away! The defiant words of Betty Holmes of Donegal Action Cancer Care recently in a strongly worded letter to Minister for Health, Simon Harris.

Betty added: We had also over recent months been proactive raising the matter of a Prostate Satellite Rapid Access Clinic for Letterkenny University Hospital.

DACC first raised this back in 2008 & 2009 regarding this service and we had worked hard in trying to ensure Letterkenny Hospital would be one of the RCU. With the new Radiotherapy Service starting in Altnagelvin Hospital we saw this as relevant time to bring this back on the agenda, an important service that would benefit Donegal men.

Last Monday, the aforementioned crucial service opened it Altnagelvin at a cost of 66 million euro.

The unique cross border project will be a hospital within a hospital providing treatments to

people with cancer both North and South of the Border. The Service will be managed by the Western Health and Social Care Trust working closely with colleagues from the Cancer Centre, Belfast, the Northern Health & Social Care Trust and Letterkenny General Hospital.

It will be funded by the Department of Health Social Services and Public Safety in Northern Ireland and the Department of Health here in the Republic.

The Radiotherapy Unit will provide access to Radiotherapy Services to over a half million people. In the region of 417,000 people living in the Derry, Strabane, Limavady, Omagh, Fermanagh, Coleraine, Moyle and Ballymoney local council areas and 110,000 people from North to Mid Donegal will have access to radiotherapy treatments at the new Unit from now.

Lobbying can work as evidenced by the results achieved by the Pink Ladies Cancer Support group in Derry who host monthly meetings and lobby government bodies and politicians around issues that affect cancer patients.

The male equivalent is called the Pink Panthers.

I know Betty and admire her greatly. Yes, she does ruffle feathers, but most chickens Ive ever come across are chicken!

As evidenced by the DACC map on this page, the situation visa vis our Forgotten County is absolutely scandalous.

There was always a better chance of respite from our Derry cousins rather than our so-called neighbours further to the south.

To paraphrase Rabbie Burns, BettyLang may yer lum reek!

ST. MARYS, BELFAST AND DONEGAL

The 1782 census showed that there were 365 Catholics living in Belfast. At that time, there was no Catholic Church in the City.

The Presbyterian and Church of Ireland communities took up a special collection at their services  the Handsome Collection  and made a gift of the monies donated to build the first Catholic Church in Belfast  St Marys Chapel Lane. The generosity of the Presbyterian and Church of Ireland people of Belfast demonstrates the unprecedented religious tolerance of that time.

It was on Sunday, 30th May 1784 that Mass was celebrated for the first time in the new church of St. Marys by Donegal native, Father Hugh ODonnell, first Parish Priest of Belfast.

Recently, I had the great pleasure of meeting Father Jim ODonoghue from St Marys who is on the verge of retiring from the Mill Hill Fathers and who, with his colleagues do wonderful pastoral work for the homeless and others less fortunate in that area of Belfast.

Jims colleague is Father James A Boyle from Ardaghey who joined the parish of St Mary's in August 2007.

Fr James was ordained in 1968 and was a teacher for the first 11 years of his priestly life in a Mill Hill college in Co Kilkenny.

After that he spent one year in Ann Arbor Michigan, USA, with the Word of God basic Christian Ecumenical community.

From there he went to Cameroon, West Africa. After 7 years in Cameroon Fr James got Falciparum (malignant) Malaria in his liver and was lucky to survive  it took a year to recover. Medically he was advised not to work in the tropics again.

After recovery from malaria Fr James did a variety of things  retreat work, prison Chaplaincy, training in counselling, and working as a counsellor. For the last 15 years previous to joining St Mary's, Fr James was parish Priest of St Margaret Mary parish in Park Gate in Southampton. Both Father Jims are much loved in their parish.

Back in the 1960s Father ODonoghue was visiting the Mill Hill Fathers in St Louis, Missouri, when a Nigerian colleague was refused admission to a restaurant.

In solidarity, Father Jim refused to eat there!

Unfortunately, that type of despicable racism is bubbling under again in the US.
Fianna Fail TD for Donegal Charlie McConalogue says Fine Gael is failing to kick start the economy of border counties in favour of investment in the Greater Dublin Region.

New figures released to Fianna Fail reveal that there have only been 11 IDA site visits to Donegal in 2015 and 2016. In contrast, there were 446 visits in Co. Dublin over the same period.

Deputy McConalogue explained, These figures confirm something that people in Donegal are well aware of. There has been a complete vacuum of investment in the border counties over the past 5 years, and this pattern is continuing under the new Minister Mary Mitchell OConnor. It is blatantly obvious that the Government is solely focused on attracting investment to Dublin and the surrounding commuter counties, while allowing the regions to lag behind.

Counties like Donegal have been all but ignored by the IDA. There have only been 11 site visits to Co. Donegal over the past 2 years.

This Government appears content to ignore this region.

Not only is economic investment well below whats needed, but essential services like broadband are among the worst in the country.

 Fine Gael and their Government partners need to get serious about investing in the rural economy.

Without dedicated job creation initiatives, communities will continue to decline, and young people will leave to go and work in larger towns and cities.

We need a whole of Government approach to the regions. Quality broadband and attracting investment to the regions go hand in hand.

No amount of Government spin will change the fact that not enough is being done, Deputy McConalogue stated.
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Foreign Policy woke up many Americans to The case being made that Putin successfully swung the U.S. election to Trump isn't proven yet-- at least not for a court. But it is for me. And it has nothing to do with claims from Hillary Clinton and her campaign operatives. Putin's interference in European elections and the tactics that he's used there to help destabilize NATO and to bolster the cause of far right extremists isn't a secret , although many Americans-- including progressives-- can't imagine that it could happen-- could have happened-- here. In January, Congress asked James Clapper to investigate clandestine Russian funding of extremist parties and politicians over the last decade with any eye of promoting disunity in Europe. Significant amounts of Russian money has found its way into far right parties in France, Holland, Greece, Austria, Hungary, Bulgaria, Moldava and the Czech Republic. Last February's feature inwoke up many Americans to what the Russians were up to in this regard and why, although not everyone agrees and some naively see it as old fashioned, anti-Russian propaganda.

Prior to 2010, one would be hard-pressed to find public statements in praise of Putin by far-right leaders. Today, they are commonplace. UKIPs Nigel Farage is a self-proclaimed fan of the Russian president. Jobbiks head, Gabor Vona, is a frequent invited guest in Moscow. And, of course, Madame Le Pen, whose party was the beneficiary of a 9.4 million euro loan from a Russian-owned bank, is a consistent voice of support for Russian foreign policy in Ukraine and the Middle East.



...As European far-right leaders openly voice their support for Moscow, it would be wise to remember that Putins Russia is not just another meddling power lobbying for its interests. It is a government hostile to the West and the value system-- democracy, freedom of expression, political accountability-- that it represents. For proof, one must look no further than Russias national security strategy, in which the Russian government explicitly names NATO as a threat and accuses the U.S. and its allies of operating military-biological labs on Russias border.



Calling the Wests response to the love affair between Putin and the far right an overreaction greatly underestimates the extent to which the Kremlin and its state-controlled media use support of European politicians to legitimize Moscows explicitly anti-western foreign policy agenda: far-right politicians not only vote for pro-Kremlin policies in the EU parliament, they also take part in election observation missions-- most notably the referendum for the annexation of Crimea and the elections in Ukraines Russian-controlled peoples republics. The Russian media uses these events and far-right leaders visits to Moscow to tout European support for Putin. Even Le Pen was an unknown in Russia until the Ukraine crisis and her outspoken public support for Putin. Now she is paraded as proof that there is some support for Putins policies in Europe.



...[T]here is no evidence that these parties pro-Putin stance is hurting them at the polls or that it has discredited them in the eyes of voters. If anything, their pro-Russian turn has coincided with their rise in the polls.

It certainly seems to have worked out for Putin in the U.S., spectacularly so. This morning, McClatchy reported that since his election, the easily-manipulated buffoon who is now President-elect has talked to Putin more than any other world leader . Trump has spoken with Putin twice since Nov. 8 and the two leaders' aides are in more more contact, including Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner.
The chairman of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, Dave Archambault II, received a letter today from the district commander of the Corps of Engineers, John Henderson, informing him that the Army Corps will be closing the portion of the Corps-managed federal property north of the Cannonball River to all public use and access effective December 5, 2016.

Watch the Facebook live video of the Standing Rock press event held Saturday afternoon in response to the eviction letter:

https://www.facebook.com/EcoWatch/videos/1361568743856059/

Hendersons letter goes on to say:

This decision is necessary to protect the general public from the violent confrontations between protestors and law enforcement officials that have occurred in this area, and to prevent death, illness, or serious injury to inhabitants of encampments due to the harsh North Dakota winter conditions. The necessary emergency, medical, and fire response services, law enforcement, or sustainable facilities to protect people from these conditions on this property cannot be provided. I do not take this action lightly, but have decided that it is required due to the concern for public safety and the fact that much of this land is leased to private persons for grazing and/or haying purposes as part of the Corps land management practices 

The Corps of Engineers has established a free speech zone on land south of the Cannonball River for anyone wishing to peaceably protest the Dakota Access pipeline project 

Any person found to be on the Corps lands north of the Cannonball River after December 5, 2016, will be considered trespassing and may be subject to prosecution under federal, state, and local laws.

In response to the letter, Archambault released a statement Friday saying the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe is deeply disappointed in this decision by the United States, but our resolve to protect our water is stronger than ever.

Archambault goes on to say:

The best way to protect people during the winter, and reduce the risk of conflict between water protectors and militarized police, is to deny the easement for the Oahe crossing, and deny it now. We ask that everyone who can appeal to President Obama and the Army Corps of Engineers to consider the future of our people and rescind all permits, and deny the easement to cross the Missouri River just north of our Reservation and straight through our treaty lands. When the Dakota Access Pipeline chose this route, they did not consider our strong opposition. Our concerns were clearly articulated directly to them in a tribal council meeting held on Sept. 30, 2014, where DAPL and the ND Public Service Commission came to us with this route. We have released the audio recording from that meeting.

Again, we ask that the United States stop the pipeline and move it outside our ancestral and treaty lands. It is both unfortunate and disrespectful that this announcement comes the day after this country celebrates Thanksgivinga historic exchange of goodwill between Native Americans and the first immigrants from Europe. Although the news is saddening, it is not at all surprising given the last 500 years of the mistreatment of our people. The Standing Rock Sioux Tribe stands united with more than 300 tribal nations and the water protectors who are here peacefully protesting the Dakota access pipeline to bolster indigenous peoples rights. We continue to fight for these rights, which continue to be eroded. Although we have suffered much, we still have hope that the President will act on his commitment to close the chapter of broken promises to our people and especially our children.

This letter comes just 12 days after the Army Corps announced that it would delay a decision on granting an easement to Energy Transfer Partners, after determining that additional discussion and analysis are warranted in light of the history of the Great Sioux Nations dispossessions of lands, the importance of Lake Oahe to the Tribe, our government-to-government relationship and the statute governing easements through government property. The $3.8 billion pipeline project is now in its final stretch with more than 80 percent of the pipeline already constructed.

Army Corps to Engage Standing Rock Sioux on Dakota Access Pipeline https://t.co/ZKQMSsZGAQ @OccupyHouston @NoTarSands  EcoWatch (@EcoWatch) November 15, 2016

Army Corps has just written a letter demanding that the main Standing Rock resistance camp to the Dakota Access Pipeline be evacuated by December 5. This is a major act of aggression against basic rights of peaceful assembly and protest in the U.S. and constitutes a violation of treaties as well as the U.S. constitutions guaranteed right to protest and assemble, filmmaker Josh Fox said.

Oceti Sakowin, the main camp for water protectors, is a beautiful self-organizing community, Fox continued. It stands as not only the main place for the protest movement to assemble and organize, but it also represents a major leap forward for our combined movements for the environment, indigenous sovereignty and real democracy in America. If the Army Corps tears down this protest camp hundreds more will spring up in its place. A crucial alliance between indigenous values, native sovereignty and environmental movements has been forged here. We expect that the standing rock movement will find new and creative ways to fight the Dakota Access Pipeline no matter what, and that the Standing Rock movement and its alliances will find many areas of common ground and protest. We will fight fracking. We will fight pipelines.

Greenpeace spokesperson Lilian Molina also shared her outrage at the Corps of Engineers letter. It is 2016, Thanksgiving weekend, and the Army Corps has decided to force the Standing Rock Sioux off of its own sacred land, Molina said. This is an astounding and shameful move by the United States government. The United States has ignored Indigenous sovereignty for far too long, and Standing Rock is an opportunity for President Obama to do right for the Indigenous community and for the climate.

The eviction notice enforcement date is just one day after more than 600 veterans plan to join the water protectors at Standing Rock to peacefully protest the Dakota Access Pipeline. High-profile veterans including U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii and retired Baltimore police officer/whistleblower Michael A. Wood, Jr. plan to attend.

This country is repressing our people, Wood Jr. told Task & Purpose. If were going to be heroes, if were really going to be those veterans that this country praises, well, then we need to do the things that we actually said were going to do when we took the oath to defend the Constitution from enemies foreign and domestic.

Hundreds of Veterans to Join Water Protectors at Standing Rock to Protest Dakota Access Pipeline https://t.co/ls0d415hLB @IdleNoMoreNews  EcoWatch (@EcoWatch) November 23, 2016

Hundreds of water protectors were injured at the Standing Rock encampments Sunday evening during a standoff with policy when water protectors used a semi-truck to remove burnt military vehicles that police had chained to concrete barriers weeks ago, blocking traffic on Highway 1806. Law enforcement officers blasted them with water cannons in freezing temperatures. Sophia Wilansky, a water protector from New York, was seriously injured after being shot with a concussion grenade.

If you spend any time at all at Oceti Sakowin, with its nightly campfires, music, spirit of camaraderie, protest, generosity and community, you quickly see how empty the mainstream American culture is, with its constant consumerism and greed and every man for himself competition, Fox said. The main camp at Standing Rock is a spiritual and political leap forward for us. A thing of beauty and sincerity. It is a testament to what humans can make when love becomes the answer to a crisis. We stand with Standing Rock and we make our protests to protect water for all Americans. We believe in love, prayer and beauty.

It is unlikely that this news will be taken lightly, there will be a fight for the Standing Rock camp. The fight for American values continues there.

Updated Nov. 26 at 8:30 a.m. ET to include Standing Rock Sioux Tribes Chairman, Dave Archambault II statement.
The devastating defeat of Hillary Clinton and the environmental agenda we hoped she would support has given American environmentalists a key opportunity to remake the movement and create a Bernie Sanders Revolution that will help stop Donald Trump in his first 100 days in office and lead us into a greener future.

Here are three key steps we must take right now:

1. Do everything possible to stop Donald Trump.

In terms of administrative action, expect Trump to try to gut the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, push an intense fossil-fuel agenda through the Departments of Energy and Interior, and over-ride federal laws whenever possible.

To fight these actions, environmental organizations will need to take to the streets and the courtsnon-violent direct action as well as lawsuits will help slow or undermine Trumps agenda and draw media and public attention to our side.

In terms of congressional action, we should expect the worst from Trump and the Republican-controlled Congress. Remember all of those radical anti-environmental bills that were pushed forward when the Tea Party seized control of the U.S. House in 2010? They will come back to haunt us. So too will all of the bills that a Democratic Senate and Obama vetoed over the last 6 years.

Expect an attempt to radically gut the Endangered Species Act, National Environmental Policy Act, Clean Water Act and other federal laws. We will need a united Democratic Party in the U.S. Senateincluding some filibustersalong with a couple key moderate Republicans who dont trust Trump. We must work in Washington, DC to make that happen.

2. Ignite and reform the mainstream environmental movement.

In the same way that the Bernie Sanders Revolution is igniting and reforming the mainstream Democratic Party, so too must we ignite and reform the mainstream environmental movement. We need to sweep out the old tactics and ideas and sweep in a bunch of new aggressive people that have fire in their belly.

Over the last 8 years, weve watched much of mainstream American environmentalism become way too soft as it tried to nudge Obama forward rather than lead with an aggressive agenda. That nudging tactic hardly worked before, and now with Trump in power it must be completely discarded.

The environmental movement needs a new independent voice that is not beholden to a political party, or to major funders and purse strings. We cant speak truth to power if those in power are providing the paycheck. Environmentalists need to be guard dogs, not lap dogs. We need to speak for people and our environment, and not be greenwashed mouthpieces for any institutional or corporate agenda.

3. Engage local people and local politics.

If theres one thing the 2016 election taught us, its that people matter and populism is alive again in America. Sanders populism almost unearthed Clintons political machine. Trumps populism de-throned two huge political powersClintons Democratic Party and Bushs Republican Party.

We need to end the top-down focus of environmental organizations where a handful of mainstream groups and funders define the environmental agenda, and we must re-focus on local people and local communities. The American people want clean air, clean water, and protected landscapes and wildlife, but will only support those issues if they feel deeply connected to them. We need to support thousands of small and grassroots groups protecting local wetlands, parks, wildlife and rivers. We need to de-centralize environmentalism and connect it to where people live, work and play.

The first 100 days of the Trump administration must be the first 100 days of a new agenda for the health of our planet.

Sanders proved that the American public is thirsty for change. Stopping Trump, reforming mainstream environmentalism, and engaging local people and politics must be our agenda to create a Bernie Sanders Revolution for the environmental movement.

Gary Wockner, PhD, is a Colorado-based environmental activist and the author of the 2016 book, River Warrior: Fighting to Protect the Worlds Rivers. Contact: Gary@GaryWockner.com.
ISIL efforts to recruit future terrorists are being thwarted not only by defeats on the ground, but also through a concerted effort of Muslim voices, said U.S. Under Secretary of State Richard Stengel in a recent interview:

The battle against ISIL is being won.  They have lost more than 50 percent of their territory in Iraq, more than 20 percent in Syria. The flow of foreign fighters coming into Iraq and Syria is down by 70, 80 even 90 percent.

The core of ISILs propaganda strategy, said Under Secretary Stengel, Is to say the West is against Islam and that its the duty of every good Muslim to fight against the West:

The best way for America to counter that message is to empower credible voices -- mainstream Islamic voices who are saying that ISIL is not Islamic, that theyre killing more Muslims than anybody else  that theyre killing civilians, women and children. ... voices of defectors  of young men and women who come back from the so-called Caliphate to say  Its not what its cracked up to be. That in fact, these are murderers rather than people who actually believe in Islam.

The State Departments Global Engagement Center addresses ISIL content on the internet by amplifying these credible voices. The center partners with countries around the world to give greater capacity to those people who are messaging against ISIL.

There are 28 countries that are part of the anti-ISIL communications working group that follow a similar strategy: that of enabling credible voices. Foreign countries are not the only partners, said Under Secretary Stengel:

Not only are we working with the other countries in the coalition; we are working with the Silicon Valley tech companies. They dont want to have their ecosphere polluted by this kind of awful noxious content, and so, they are getting rid of it. One of the reasons that ISIL messaging is down by 50 to 60 percent is that those tech companies are taking that content down.

Ultimately, said Under Secretary Stengel, Its not the job of the State Department to counter ISILs message. Its the job of the entire world, he said.

Its the job of mainstream Muslims. Its the job of the one and a half billion Muslims the lions share of whom reject everything that ISIL is doing. Those are the real participants in this battle.
Times' Game of the Week Preview: No. 7 Beaver Area vs. No. 10 Deer Lakes

Beaver enters the WPIAL Class 3A playoffs riding high after closing the regular season strong. Up next: Deer Lakes for had coach Cort Rowse's Bobcats.
ELKO  Anyone who wants to be a hero to children has a chance to help save Christmas by donating toys or adopting an Elko area family through the Stray Dogs Superhero Toy Drive.

This is the third year for the toy drive and Colette Reynolds is asking the community to help by bringing an unwrapped toy to the Stray Dog or Elko Realty.

People who want to nominate children or families should contact Reynolds through her personal Facebook page, Colette Boyce Reynolds. She needs to know the age and gender of the children and their favorite character, hobbies and interests.

We dont do a clothing drive, she said. However, if the family has a lot of need, she will adopt them out.

Last year I had some kids that when we asked what do you want, all they wanted was socks and that was it. That broke my heart, Reynolds said. There are situations where a family is in so much need that we will adopt them out and give them clothing.

The toy drive is at 7 p.m. Dec. 3. People who come dressed as a superhero will receive a drawing ticket for each toy they bring.

Weve had people in the past bring in garbage bags full (of toys), she said. So we will give you that many raffle tickets. The more toys you give, the better the chance you win.

The event night also will have best costume awards given in the male, female and couple categories. Some of the drawing prizes are donated by Blach Distributing, indigo, Wild Rose, and other items from other businesses. People must be present to win.

Reynolds said the event started because her friend from high school, Cheyenne Miles, challenged her to do a toy drive with ugly sweaters. Instead of wearing woolen garments, Reynolds thought superheroes would be more fun and since it was after Halloween people could get a second use out of their costume.

We wanted to be heroes for children, she said. Lets save Christmas.

While she receives donations from businesses, local schools also help out. The first year, two fifth-grade classes helped out, but it grew to 10 teachers last year and now includes multiple schools. Classes at Adobe Middle School, Grammar No. 2, the Paris Academy, the Elko Institute for Academic Achievement, Spring Creek Elementary and Spring Creek Middle School are all helping with the toy drive this year.

Most of our toys come from the school kids, she said. Theyre phenomenal.

Reynolds said with the help of the community, the toy drive grows every year. In 2014, it helped more than 60 families and last year it helped 336 children, which equates to about 84 families if each had four children. This year, about people nominated 30 families before Thanksgiving and Reynolds expected more names before the December event.

A family that was helped last year has gotten back on their feet and doesnt need help, but they wanted to nominate another family, she said.

Reynolds said she tries to make sure each child in a family receives an equal Christmas. She said many times the babies and the teens are forgotten in toy drives, which is why adopting an entire family can be so important.

She said families that are nominated must be local and she will be screening the recipients.

Reynolds said she only delivers toys to homes in Elko, unless she can find someone willing to drive the toys to the outlying communities. In years past, she set up a place and time to meet with families that live outside Elko. She said if parents do pick up the toys, they should try to leave the children at home or with a sitter so the toys are a surprise for them at Christmas.

Donations will be accepted and delivered up to Dec. 21. Toys can be dropped off at the Stray Dog and Elko Realty.

The platinum donor this year is Kidwell and Gallagher Law Office. The major donors include, Elko Realty, Elko County Association of Realtors, Bradshaw Law Offices, Blach Distributing, Guild Mortgage, Summit Funding, Stewart Title, Everything Elko, Images Portrait Studios, Jessica James, Morris Gallagher, Angie Peters, Bronze Beauty Bar, indigo, B3 Glass, Elko Television district, Wild Rose, Maverick 509, Lostra Realty, Elko Fly Shop, Walsh Reclamation, Spotted Tailgate Designs, Donuts N Mor, Evergreen Florist, Grooming by Karen and Carries Critter Care.
MHK to ask public sector salary questions



Julie Edge MHK

Public sector salaries will come under scrutiny in next week's sitting of the House of Keys.

Onchan MHK Julie Edge will ask a series of questions about pay trends for Government workers over the last five years.

Policy and Reform Minister Chris Thomas will be asked why there has been an increase in the amount going to those who earn over 50,000 in that period, and to provide a breakdown by employee group or grade for those earning less than 50,000.

Ms Edge also wants to know how Government plans to avoid increasing its overall expenditure on public sector pay in the future.

The House of Keys sits on Tuesday.
ASHLAND, Ore. (AP)  I feel uneasy about my back and legs. I rather fear for my future, Hiram Pierce said in a letter to his wife in 1850.

Pierce, who had left his family back East, was still empty-handed after searching for gold in California for a year.

I feel most deeply to regret that I have earned nothing in order to make any remittance, Pierce told his family.

Although his wife wrote back pleading for him to come home, Pierce wrote excitedly in his next letter, Yesterday I saw my neighbor pick up a $100 nugget.

Through art and excerpts from letters and diaries, Kyle Peets exhibit Gold Fever explores humanitys past and continuing obsession with gold. The exhibit in the Art Building at Southern Oregon University in Ashland continues through Dec. 9.

The exhibit is especially intriguing given Southern Oregons own mining history, especially in the Jacksonville area.

The hunt for gold split families apart during the California gold rush. Some men struck it rich, while most labored for little or nothing.

In the piece I Often Think of Writing Home, Peets captures the addictive, obsessive quality of the search for gold.

From a distance, the artwork looks like a large, framed letter from a miner to his family. Up close, the handwritten word GOLD repeats over and over  more than 3,500 times.

Its a look into the mind of someone obsessed by gold fever, Peets says. Theres an obsessive, compulsive single-mindedness. From a distance, it looks benign. Up close, a frightening world opens up.

Peets says his own interest in gold and its complications began a few years ago with the reality television series Gold Rush. Now in its seventh season on the Discovery channel, the series follows a group of down-on-their-luck Oregonians who move to Alaska in search of gold.

Peets said he could relate to the mens search for the rare metal. He had graduated from Southern Oregon University and moved to Iowa to pursue graduate studies in art.

I left the state and people I love in search of something. Art-making is equally elusive, he said.

Peets said he developed a craving for the western landscape and found himself watching western films.

Now back in Oregon and an art faculty member at SOU, he is continuing to explore themes of gold and the West.

The Gold Fever exhibit includes a series of graphite drawings in which Peets created faint, subtle tracings of fading ghost towns that once bustled with miners. He wrote in lines of text from miners diaries and other historical sources.

In one drawing, a single, tiny building is paired with the words Why Not Me. The piece captures the yearning and sense of failure many miners felt.

The myth of the gold rush was that you would be rewarded according to your labor, Peets says.

Many men left factory jobs in the industrialized East, pursuing dreams of autonomy and wealth. Yet finding nuggets or rich veins of gold often depended on luck.

And it was often the mining companies, with the resources to carry out intensive hydraulic and deep shaft mining, that grew rich. Miners who came West pursuing independence often found themselves once again working as wage laborers, Peets says.

In a drawing of a church and scattered buildings, a miners words read, I am now convinced I have done very wrong in coming here.

Another tracing of a ramshackle building has words about the vigilante justice of the era, saying, We left them to swing in the wind until morning.

Although his subject matter is serious, Peets uses humor in the exhibit.

In the series Hopeless Gold Digger, he has collected paint sample swatches from hardware stores and framed them.

Peets says the series started when he was at a hardware store buying paint and saw a swatch with the word gold in the name of the paint color.

While some of the colors could be more accurately described as dull yellow, tan or beige, they are burdened with grandiose names such as Kingdom Gold, Grand Canyon Gold, Glitzy Gold, Gold Digger and Gold Strike.

Clearly our obsession with gold is still there, Peets says.
From Peru to Colorado, 2016 sightings continue to haunt NASA and excite onlookers and UFO enthusiasts, as alien spaceships cross the skies from time to time. The recent November Supermoon, which is the largest in a long time, may have its share of alien sightings, in time when all eyes are locked to the spectacular view. Are they really extraterrestrial or just the usual things flying in mid air?

On November 13, when the Beaver moon supermoon had its peak, an unidentified flying object (UFO) came whizzing by halfway down the big moon. As Daily Star reports, the flying object crossed the moon, seemingly undisturbed with the attention it already caught. UFO enthusiasts quickly concluded it to be another alien spaceship sighting and while some think it's only a bird flying past the moon.

Now what they call "alien debate" has already emerged in a report from Daily Express because of the increasing frequency of UFO sightings these past few weeks. Although there is no confirmation from NASA regarding those incidents, the "cover up" they recently released after a live streaming from International Space Station caught another extraterrestrial hovering over the satellite. If there is indeed aliens, and the sightings and links to it are being covered by the experts, then what is the reason to make all the proof of alien life confidential to the public?

It is not only now that these are happening and the mystery of it is what hinders the truth and allow human beings to discover their "neighbors" as well. At this present day and technology, imagination and optical illusions are not at all acceptable explanations because there are ways to know if the eyes are deceiving, like recording the exact event or to use special kind of gadgets to confirm the object in question. In the emergence of dash cams and go pro, every move in the sky can be recorded, observed like the experts usually do for their living, but in this case, the onlookers are need not to "cover up".
There can be no discussion about climate change without factoring in the position of the United States (US) under its President-elect Donald Trump. Known famously for declaring that the concept of global warming was a hoax created by and for the Chinese in order to make United States manufacturing non-competitive, the prospect of a Trump presidency has led to serious disquiet amongst those concerned about climate change. These include the countries that signed the Marrakech Action Proclamation for Our Climate and Sustainable Development at the 22nd Conference of Parties of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in November. The meeting was held even as the Americans voted in Donald Trump as their next President. His victory did not deter the conference from going ahead with the declaration, nor the US representatives of the outgoing Obama administration from endorsing it. However, it was evident that Trumps election did cause understandable anxiety about the future of internationally negotiated action plans to curb global warming, of which the Paris Agreement that comes into effect in 2020 is the latest.

In an interaction with editors of the New York Times on 22 November, Trump appeared to have softened his stance on climate change when he stated that he had an open mind and would look closely at the Paris Agreement. However, too much should not be read into this. Trumps responses on climate change during the interaction primarily exposed his lack of knowledge about the subject. For instance, he mixed up the need for clean air and preventing climate change, two different issues. And by saying that there may be some connectivity between human activity and global warming, his position was no different from climate change deniers who refuse to accept what is now fairly well established by innumerable scientific studies. He also spoke of energy generation using clean coal, an unexplained concept. But apart from imprecise, and in some instances inaccurate responses that stem from a lack of engagement and knowledge on a subject that is not as complex as Trump said it was, the direction of policy on climate change under Trump has to be assessed from his choice of advisors. For example, leading his transition team of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is a known climate change denier, Myron Ebell, who is director of the Center for Energy and Environment of the notoriously conservative Competitive Enterprise Institute (CEI). Another indication of future policy was Trumps announcement of what his administration would do in the first 100 days. He said he would cancel job-killing restrictions on the production of American energy, thereby creating millions of high-paying jobs. This sounds like a direct contradiction of the commitment made by the outgoing Obama administration in its Clean Power Plan of phasing out coal and pushing renewables.
I hope the title of my article does not prompt some local nimrods to apply to the Nevada Department of Wildlife for a mammoth tag. On the other hand, I can tell you with some authority that at one time, mammoth and other giant animals left over from the Pleistocene Age were hunted and eaten by some of the earliest hunters to enter the areas in and around the Great Basin.

I can honestly say that I have hunted this native Nevada animal that most hunters never even knew existed here. In years past, the slopes of the mountains and valleys of Nevada were grazed by herds of mammoths. Imagine, if you can, driving across the desert hills near Winnemucca and spotting a family of mammoths browsing along the banks of the Humboldt River.

My first encounter of this beast was in the early 1960s when I was a field engineer for the Nevada Highway Department. I was working in the Winnemucca District Office when Resident Engineer Jerry Fitch invited me to go with him to the Rose Creek Gravel Pit about 10 miles west of town where an equipment operator had just uncovered a huge tusk in the floor of the pit. The blade of the scraper had skimmed the tusk, revealing the distinctive, nearly full curl of a mature mammoth tusk fossil.

Fitch notified Donald Tuohy at the Nevada State Museum of the discovery. Dr. Tuohy came out and spent several days hand-excavating the tusk and encasing it in a plaster-of-Paris cast so it could be transported without breaking. The tusk was taken to the museum storage facility in Carson City.

I later asked archaeologist Eugene Hatouri whatever became of the tusk. He told me it was still in storage and never had been removed from the plaster cast. I have seen other museum displays where such tusks were cleaned and polished so visitors could see, touch and feel the warmth and grain of the beautiful fossilized ivory.

The Nevada State Museum has a display of a huge Columbian Mammoth skeleton that was found in the Black Rock Desert. It is the largest specimen on display in the country. The display is made of plastic castings of the original bones, as the originals are too heavy to display.

Many mammoth sites have been discovered in the Black Rock Desert. Some of the sites had Clovis points nearby, indicating early hunters may have hunted or killed the animals. Clovis points are the stone lance tips that were used by early man for hunting mammoth before the creatures went extinct about 10,000 years ago.

It is well-known that Early Man entered the Great Basin more than 10,000 years ago. These people were hunter-gatherers who roamed the region in search of food. Its also known that a few mammoths still roamed the region at the same time. Many mammoth remains and human hunting camps from that time period have been uncovered. Clovis points have been found at some of these hunting camps. In other areas, Clovis points were used exclusively for mammoth hunting. By simple logic, we can conclude that the hunters were engaged in hunting the few remaining mammoths.

My next encounter with a mammoth was a few years later when I was the one who made a discovery of mammoth remains. I was taking soil samples under the West Winnemucca Interstate-80 interchange when I noticed some fossilized material in the recently excavated roadway fill. I gathered up the fossils, put them in a canvas sample bag and called Amy Dansie, The Bone Lady, at the Nevada State Museum.

When I told her I had found some fossilized bones, she was skeptical and said I probably had just found some old cow bones. Amy told me the fossils I had found were the teeth and jawbone of a young mammoth. The Museum investigated the site further, but no more remains were found. I kept one of the teeth and donated it to the Carson Valley Historical Museum where it is on display with a collection of Indian artifacts I had given to them.

In Douglas County, there have been some excavations of mastodon bones in the Pine Nut Mountains. The Bureau of Land Management is limiting off-road vehicular travel into the Ruhenstroth area to protect the fossils in this region.

If you would like to read about how Early Man hunted and processed mammoth meat 10,000 years ago, I suggest you get a copy of a book I have written titled Legends of Spirit Cave. The book is a prehistoric novel that shows how people lived in this area near the end of the Pleistocene Age about 10,000 years ago, including how they hunted and killed the last mammoth.

Although the book is fiction, the way the people lived, the foods they ate, the medicines they used and the ways they interacted with one another is all researched and factual information. It is a fun book to read, and it really takes you back to the time when ancient hunters of Nevada pursued the mighty mammoth with nothing more than sharpened sticks and stones.
The Pound Sterling (GBP to EUR, USD) barely managed to remain above opening levels versus the US Dollar on Friday, while slumping against the Euro. Forecasts are positive for the GBP/EUR ahead of 2017, but will sterling resume downtrend against the USD?

OECD-inspired British Pounds losses against the Euro and US Dollar narrowed slightly on Monday afternoon.

As a result, Sterling was able to hold its ground at over 1.17 against the Euro but remained near its worst daily levels against the US Dollar.

The Euro was weakened slightly by jitters as European Central Bank (ECB) President Mario Draghi spoke in Brussels

Monday's forex markets find the British Pound in low demand among investors, owing to the prospect of further Brexit difficulties.

The latest hurdle faced by the Government in its efforts to exit the EU has been legal in nature, concerning the UK remaining in the EU single market.

Concerns on this matter have weakened the Pound, seeing it crash across the board during trading.

The issue is that the UK may automatically be part of the single market after leaving the EU, which would also force looser EU immigration controls on the UK under the insistence of EU leaders.

Third-quarter GDP figures for the UK were released on Friday, but even with the support of the solid data, Pound Sterling exchange rates failed to strengthen.

This was partly due to the fact that the figures, which were the second round of estimates, matched the initial projections, meaning there was no new information on which traders could adjust their positions.

Pound Sterling to Euro exchange rates closed the day down in the region of -0.4%, while Pound Sterling to US Dollar exchange rates ended the session just above opening levels of 1.24.

Latest Live Pound Sterling (GBP) Exchange Rates

On Wednesday the Euro to British Pound exchange rate (EUR/GBP) converts at 0.861

FX markets see the pound vs euro exchange rate converting at 1.161.

Today finds the pound to us dollar spot exchange rate priced at 1.147.

Please note: the FX rates above, updated 2nd Nov 2022, will have a commission applied by your typical high street bank. Currency brokers specialise in these type of foreign currency transactions and can save you up to 5% on international payments compared to the banks.

Euro (EUR) Exchange Rates Rally vs Pound and Dollar

There was no Eurozone data released on Friday, but the Euro was able to make strong gains versus the Pound Sterling and US Dollar.

The Euro was rebounding from a six-and-a-half-week low against the Pound struck on Thursday, as fears of rising populism and continued loose monetary policy weighed on the common currency.

Meanwhile, Euro to US Dollar exchange rates were pushing back after hitting their lowest level since March 2015, as the US Dollar finally began to weaken after strengthening on Fed rate hike bets.

With the US Dollar in low demand, traders were using Euro cross trades to find more profitable pairings, resulting in increasing demand for EUR.

US Dollar (USD) Softens

Lacklustre data and continuing weak demand after the Thanksgiving holiday closed markets kept the US Dollar USD) on the decline on Friday.

The US advance goods trade balance disappointed, falling even further into deficit than had been expected.

Instead of coming in at -US$58 billion, the deficit clocked in at -US$62 billion after the previous months shortfall was revised down to -US$56.5 billion.

Markets were beginning to wonder if bets of monetary tightening from the Federal Reserve had contributed to the US Dollar becoming overvalued.

Brexit Meeting Forecast to Drive Pound Sterling Outlook on Monday

The First Ministers of Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales are meeting government ministers to discuss Brexit this weekend.

This could mean that Pound Sterling opens tomorrow to see volatile trade as the markets digest any developments from the meeting.

Elsewhere, the European Central Banks (ECB) President Mario Draghi will speak at the European Parliament; considering he has already said monetary policy will remain loose, downside risks to the Euro could be limited.
We would need to see the exact rationale given by the Consulate - your stating that "Purpose of Visit" was a reason for refusal could mean anything and without knowing the exact rationale that the entry clearance officer has given, it's impossible for us to be able to give suggestions.



The passage that you have supplied just states that there are a number of factors that are considered when adjudicating an application and the list of items are just a few of the factors that they consider and the factors may or may not apply to your brother's application - in other words, it's a generic "one size fits most" response given to failed applicants and doesn't give specifics as to what it was that caused the application to fail.



The letter states "You are welcome to reapply if you feel that you can respond to these concerns and you can demonstrate that your situation meets the requirements..." We would need to see the exact wording of the reason(s) the entry clearance officer has refused and not just the preamble that you've supplied in order for us to offer suggestions as to how your brother can demonstrate that his situation meets the requirements for a Canadian study permit.
One week ago dozens of Elkos first responders were waking up after a nightmare of a night. Hours before, a fixed-wing air ambulance had crashed in a parking lot near the airport, narrowly missing nearby residences and businesses. The impact set off a series of explosions as the plane burned, killing all four aboard and setting vehicles on fire.

Two officers who were among the first to respond sustained minor injuries as they rushed to help, only to get slammed by a secondary explosion.

We think they deserve awards for bravery. And all of the first responders who served at that frightening scene deserve our thanks and appreciation.

The aircraft and vehicles burned for an hour, as water sprayed from a fire truck did little to stop the flames. The planes occupants had no chance of survival, but the crash spared any ground casualties as no one was in the Barrick parking lot. Behind the wheel was pilot Yuji Irie, a Japanese immigrant living in Ely.

There couldnt have been a safer place for him to come down without causing additional casualties, observed Elko police Lt. Rich Genseal. We need to credit the pilot on that.

There were probably hundreds of people in the immediate vicinity, between the apartments, motel, casino and shopping mall that surrounded the scene. But no one was in the parking lot, as the latest shift of mine buses had already departed.

The accident happened at the end of a work day  the end of a work week  as many people were beginning to prepare for the Thanksgiving holiday ahead. But our police and fire departments are always staffed, and always prepared for the unexpected.

Officers and firefighters from multiple agencies responded, sealing off the streets and highways to keep people out of harms way. It was a chaotic and dangerous scene, but our first responders did what was needed without fearing for their own safety. Its easy to forget, but thats what these people do day in and day out as they perform their jobs.

Their first goal is to rescue anyone who might be saved. Next, they work to stop the spread of destruction and prevent any further damage or loss of life.

In this incident, it was a matter of emergency crews responding to the scene of what was already an emergency. A patient with a serious medical problem was being transported to Utah.

Besides the pilot and the patient, who were both in their 60s, the crash killed a young father from Utah and a young nurse from Elko who was known for her work as a volunteer firefighter. All four were remembered at a solemn candlelight vigil three nights later.

Friends, family members and other concerned residents would go back to their homes and continue their holiday preparations. And extra prayers were said around the tables on Thursday, for those who were lost and for those who bravely serve to save us.
Saturday, November 26, 2016

New Court Decision Imperative

Just as a recent court decision has decided reapportionment in 2011 in Wisconsin was discriminatory against Democratic voters, the Electoral College ought to be ruled unconstitutional. The Electoral College violates the One Person One Vote doctrine because swing state voters have vastly more power than non-swing state voters do. The Electoral College also violates the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment, not treating all voters equally. Nations around the world have adopted many parts of the US constitution, but no one has ever adopted anything like the Electoral College. What we call the "popular vote", is "the vote" in other countries. Supreme Court Justice Kennedy looks like a possible swing vote in favor of ending gerrymandering as we know it, and may well vote to abolish the slave era Electoral College as un-constitution according to the amendments passed after the Civil War. A case in favor of the popular vote winner and against the Electoral College could emerge from the DC appellate court where snubbed Supreme Court Justice Nominee Merrick Garland presides. However, a 4-4 Supreme Court tie would then let the Appellate Court decision stand. Then Hillary Clinton would be the presidential winner. Her 3% margin of victory is much greater than the 1960, 1968, 1976 and 2000 margins.

Past Rigged Elections

In 1876, Democratic President Tilden won the popular vote by about 3% and then cheated out of office in favor of Republican Rutherford B. Hayes by the Electoral College. Rachel Maddow gave an account of the affair on her show this week. Rachel pointed out that three states offered competing slates for the Electoral College vote, Louisiana, Florida, and South Carolina. Hayes made a deal to pull federal troops out of the South and abandon all the Southern black elected officials and governors to the tender mercies of the KKK. Reconstruction was over, and the path to Jim Crow was wide open. Also on MSNBC Monday night, it was stated that Podesta was told the vote in Michigan was shown to match the exit polls in paper ballot optical scanner areas, but was 7% in favor of Trump in electronic voting machine areas. This is similar to the 6% shift in the 2004 election where swing states dominated by electronic voting without a paper ballot audit trail showed a shift from the 3% Kerry national win in exit polls to the 3% Bush win. Numerous voter suppression and counting discrepancies county by county were documented in a 62 page report by Congressman John Conyers on the Ohio 2004 vote. Conyers, a black progressive from Detroit, was the only elected official ever endorsed by Martin Luther King, jr. Nearly all the swing states in 2004 were going to Kerry in the exit polls, but went to Bush in the reported vote. The one swing state with a paper ballot trail and optical scanner counting machines, Wisconsin, went to Kerry by the exact same margin in both exit polls and reported vote of 0.4%. Similar stories of October surprises and/or rigged elections pertain to the elections of 1960, 1968, 1980, 2000, 2004, and 2016. Electronic voting analysts have stated that the Obama victories were understated, but the margins were too big to make a difference in the outcome.

Electoral College Designed to Benefit Slave States

Three-Fifths Compromise (from Wiki)

"The Three-Fifths Compromise was a compromise reached between delegates from southern states and those from northern states during the 1787 United States Constitutional Convention. The debate was over whether, and if so, how, slaves would be counted when determining a state's total population for legislative representation and taxing purposes. The issue was important, as this population number would then be used to determine the number of seats that the state would have in the United States House of Representatives for the next ten years. The effect was to give the southern states a third more seats in Congress and a third more electoral votes than if slaves had been ignored, but fewer than if slaves and free persons had been counted equally, allowing the slaveholder interests to largely dominate the government of the United States until 1861.[1] The compromise was proposed by delegates James Wilson and Roger Sherman."

Justice Becomes New Law

One Man One Vote (from Wiki)

"The phrase was used in this form in an important legal ruling in the United States related to voting rights; applying the Equal Protection Clause of the US Constitution, the Supreme Court majority opinion in Reynolds v. Sims (1964) ruled that state legislatures needed to redistrict in order to have congressional districts with roughly equal represented populations. In addition, the court ruled that both houses of state legislatures needed to have representation based on districts containing roughly equal populations, with redistricting as needed after censuses.[1]"

Equal Protection Clause (from Wiki)

"The Equal Protection Clause is part of the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution. The clause, which took effect in 1868, provides that no state shall deny to any person within its jurisdiction "the equal protection of the laws".

"A primary motivation for this clause was to validate the equality provisions contained in the Civil Rights Act of 1866, which guaranteed that all people would have rights equal to those of all citizens. As a whole, the Fourteenth Amendment marked a large shift in American constitutionalism, by applying substantially more constitutional restrictions against the states than had applied before the Civil War.

"The meaning of the Equal Protection Clause has been the subject of much debate, and inspired the well-known phrase "Equal Justice Under Law". This clause was the basis for Brown v. Board of Education (1954), the Supreme Court decision that helped to dismantle racial segregation, and the basis for many other decisions rejecting discrimination against people belonging to various groups.

"The Equal Protection Clause itself applies only to state and local governments. However, the Supreme Court held in Bolling v. Sharpe (1954) that equal protection requirements apply to the federal government through the Due Process Clause of the Fifth Amendment."

Electoral College is 'vestige' of slavery, say some Constitutional scholars

By Kamela Kelkar PBS Newshour November 6, 2016

"The ability of states to make voting more difficult is directly tied to the legacy of slavery," Juan Perea, a law Professor of Loyola University Chicago said. "And that ability to make voting more difficult is usually used to disenfranchise people of color."

"It's embarrassing," said Paul Finkelman, visiting law professor at University of Saskatchewan in Canada. "I think if most Americans knew what the origins of the Electoral College are, they would be disgusted."

Rigging the Election

When Trump started repeatedly saying the Election was Rigged, the rigging by forces who wanted him to be elected president was already well underway. Hillary had been demonized and compared to Satan since 1992, and Bill's referring to the concept of a co-presidency alarmed many on the right who expected her to bake cookies instead. Putting her in charge of health care exposed her to constant vilification on the right. After serving as Secretary of State under Obama, her approval rating soared to 68% and the right knew they had to bring that down. Benghazi hearings, eight of them, were started as Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy admitted on camera, in order to pull her ratings down. Her eleven-hour testimony in the final set of hearings lead to the committee chairman conceding they had found nothing on her. However, the fishing expedition did lead to discovery of the private email account she used for unclassified discussion, as recommended to her by Colin Powell, who had done the same. Nevertheless, she used a private server in her home. When all this was discovered, she knew the right wing would use anything to vilify her. She knew from long experience about the vast right wing conspiracy to destroy her politically. Therefore, she released the work emails and desperately tried to keep the personal emails confidential, expecting they would be unfairly used against her by her opponents. She expected violations of her constitutional rights not unlike the Russian hackers who hacked campaign emails in an operation reminiscent of the Watergate situation that brought down the Nixon presidency in the seventies. This time we still do not know how much Trump operatives Richard Stone and Steve Bannon were working with the Russians. Putin was overjoyed when he heard Trump had won. We do know Rudy Giuliani was boasting something was coming up just before Richard Comey threw the election to Trump by unethically bringing up unfounded charges against Clinton eleven days before the election. Richard Comey, FBI Director, violated the Hatch Act according to Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid. He knew better than to bring up unfounded charges sixty days before an election, so he clearly intentionally sabotaged the Clinton campaign. The evidence for this is the college-educated women Republicans in places like the Philadelphia suburbs suddenly switched back to Trump when they were going to vote for Hillary after the "Access Hollywood" tape was released. Trump went from 81% support among Republicans to 86% support among Republicans before and after the Comey political assassination. Hillary, the most honest Senator Senator Tom Harkin had ever served with, had been smeared by the vast right wing conspiracy into the more dishonest candidate. Politifact, which judges campaign statements on their honesty, rated Trump 72% dishonest, the all time record worst for any presidential campaign, and Hillary was rated 27% dishonest and Sanders was rated 28% dishonest, the most honest in 2016 compared to all the Republicans and Trump. In the rural areas of Michigan, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania, Trump outperformed Romney by about 12%. Whether that can be explained or that is an indication of vote rigging had yet to be decided. The recount may not be enough to prove the case one way or another when there is no audit trail on electronic voting machines, but will help focus attention on major discrepancies between the presidential results and other races down ballot and other ways of discovering cheating. Three other important ways Republican legislatures, governors, and courts have stacked the deck against Democrats are 1) suppression of the vote. Suppression includes closing voting dates and locations, requiring voter IDs that blocked hundreds of thousands of older and younger voters from voting in each of five key swing states, and allocating more voting machines in white districts compared to black districts by a factor of two to one or worse. 2) Destroying public unions and creating "right to work for less" states leading to lesser Democratic get out the vote efforts. 3) Allowing unlimited private funds thanks to the Supreme Court decision in "Citizens United" to advertise in elections and ballooning those employed in the ground operation from 680 under Romney to the 3000 claimed by Reince Priebus and the Republican National Committee. These all contributed greatly to Trump and the Senate. In all 34 states voting for the US Senate, the presidential and Senate races went to the same party.

Recent 22 page history of 2004 documents, a situation much like the 2016 election:

https://www.academia.edu/s/a93f3df0f9/election-stealing-2004-and-2000doc
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Construction of a new mixed-income housing development on the site of the old Wheatley Courts public housing complex may be sparking real estate speculation in the surrounding neighborhood on the East Side, a recent report shows.

That may not be desirable for those working to transform the long-neglected neighborhood into a revitalized area where families can safely live, work and socialize, cautioned Christine Drennon, the Trinity University sociology professor who wrote the report.

While a healthy real estate market will signal a return of interest in the community and local economy, land speculation does not necessarily indicate either of those things, said Drennons report, prepared for the San Antonio Housing Authority. Instead, speculators often drain an area of resources as rents are collected but are rarely reinvested locally.

The Eastside Choice neighborhood is in the midst of a massive urban renewal project backed by federal funds and other resources. Wheatley Courts, built in 1941, was torn down. A new, modern apartment development, East Meadows, was built in its place to attract residents of diverse income levels. New streets were paved, vacant lots were cleared and dilapidated houses were bulldozed.

An usually high number of the 201 families who vacated Wheatley Courts so it could be demolished are seeking to return: 66 have applied to move into the new East Meadows apartments. But as the neighborhood transforms, some investors may buy single-family homes and increase rental prices in the blocks surrounding the new housing development, Drennons report suggests.

The potential decrease in the number of homeowners in the Choice Neighborhood might slightly counteract the revitalization and development of East Meadows, Drennon wrote. Landlords owning the homes may cause further deterioration of the neighborhood, as renters are less likely to improve the homes condition when their residency is temporary.

The neighborhood already has a high percentage of renters. More than half the residents there  55 percent  are renters, while 45 percent are homeowners, said Drennon, who directs Trinity Universitys Urban Studies Program.

The report focused on how the neighborhood evolved last year  its third year of urban renewal efforts  after Wheatley Courts was torn down and as East Meadows was being built.

The most popular reason former Wheatley Courts residents cited for their plans to return to the neighborhood was the areas close accessibility to services, such as Family Dollar, Walmart, H-E-B, St. Philips College and VIA Metropolitan Transit bus routes, Drennon found. The second most popular reason was their desire to reconnect with social networks they had there.

But the large gap between list prices and assessed values for single-family homes sold in the neighborhood in 2015 suggests speculation is high and home values may be on the rise, Drennon wrote.

Of the 74 homes sold there last year  in an area bordered by New Braunfels Avenue on the west, a large utility easement on the east, Interstate 35 on the north and Martin Luther King Drive on the south  the average listing price was $66,444. The average purchase price, in cases where data was available, was $41,854, while the average assessed value was $35,147, the report shows.

More than half of those homes sold  57 percent  are now occupied by the owners instead of renters, Drennon reported. Thats slightly better than the 45 percent owner-occupancy rate found throughout the entire neighborhood in 2014. Both of those numbers fall below levels seen across Texas and the rest of the country.

High rates of home ownership are linked to neighborhood stability, how long residents stay, educational attainment, civic participation and lower crime rates, Drennon said.

San Antonio Housing Authority Commissioner Charles Clack said the neighborhoods owner-occupancy rates used to be much higher.

I grew up in that neighborhood most of my life, Clack said at a recent housing authority meeting. It used to be 95 percent owner-occupied. That number dwindled as the areas older residents began to die, he said.

Yet Drennon found an entrepreneurial spirit in the neighborhood, where 71 new businesses opened last year. More than half of those  52 percent  are operated out of someones home.

That, she said, is a really, really hopeful sign that people feel that much confidence.

The neighborhoods property crime rate declined slightly last year, while its violent crime rate did not change. Its overall crime rate  319 crimes per 1,000 residents  was 4.4 times higher than San Antonios citywide crime rate last year.

pohare@express-news.net
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A good Samaritan trying to stop what appeared to be a domestic beating was shot and killed Friday afternoon in the parking lot of a Northwest Side Walmart in front of at least a dozen witnesses.

San Antonio Police Chief William McManus told media at the scene that a man had been assaulting his female companion in the Walmart parking lot at 1603 Vance Jackson Road and was pulling her hair when a witness stopped his vehicle, rolled down his window and shouted, Get your hands off her.

The suspect then drew a handgun and fired at the good Samaritan, striking him in the neck and killing him, McManus said. A woman in the car with him was struck by shrapnel and injured.

McManus said another woman who was farther away in the parking lot but not involved in the confrontation was struck by a stray bullet and critically injured.

Both injured women were taken to University Hospital for treatment, McManus said. Officials said both are expected to survive their injuries.

The woman who was being assaulted escaped uninjured, McManus said.

Eagle, the San Antonio Police Departments helicopter, followed the attacker as he fled the scene, McManus said. He was apprehended at Cupples and Castroville roads without incident.

The suspect was later identified by police as Teles Juarez, 21, who will be charged with murder and aggravated assault.

I was just pulling into park, Diaz said, when I heard at least two shots about 30 yards away from me. By the time I realized what was going on, the shooter was in his truck fleeing the parking lot. ... I went first to the lady (bystander) in the parking lot. She was on her stomach saying, I dont wanna die. I have some medical training and I knew it was arterial blood. Very bright red. There was not much I could do.

When Diaz approached the good Samaritans vehicle, a small white sedan, the man inside was slumped into the passenger seat.

He was hit in the back of the ear, and I could tell it was fatal. There were also two bullet holes fired into the drivers side of the car below the window. I think they were fired from pretty close range. The shots were loud, large caliber, Diaz recalled.

I saw the shooter jump into his truck and didnt think anything of it until everyone was running for cover, Diaz said.

bselcraig@express-news.net
BEIJING  As a presidential candidate, Donald Trump talked about China almost solely in the context of trade, such as when he promised to slap punishing tariffs on cheap Chinese imports that he argued had ruined the lives of working-class Americans.

But as he begins to feel the weight of office on his shoulders, there are signs that his focus in the Asia region may have shifted toward security  specifically, the problem of North Korea and its expanding nuclear arsenal, which experts say already threatens the United States regional allies, Japan and South Korea.

During his visit to The New York Times this week, Trump referred obliquely to a big problem for the country that President Barack Obama had mentioned during their 90-minute meeting at the White House after the election. Well-placed U.S. officials believe that reference was to North Korea.

Any solution to that problem must involve China, North Koreas patron, U.S. and Chinese officials agree. Trump acknowledged as much during the campaign, saying on one occasion that China should do more to bear down on the North.

So which tack will Trump take with China? Will he seek its support for a deal on North Korea, or will he start a trade war, putting such cooperation in doubt?

U.S. officials briefed the Chinese several months ago on their assessment that the Norths nuclear capabilities had sharply increased, according to two Americans with knowledge of the briefings, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter.

But even before then, nuclear scientists from China and the U.S. had agreed for some time about the danger posed by the Norths ambitions, said Siegfried S. Hecker, a U.S. nuclear scientist at Stanford University who was the last outsider to visit the countrys plutonium processing plant at Yongbyon, in November 2010.

Several years ago, the Chinese tended to play down the Norths nuclear capabilities, Hecker said in an email. But since the mercurial Kim Jong-un, a young leader who has declined to listen to China and has provoked the U.S., took over the country, the assessments of the two powers have been pretty much in line, he said.

Hecker and other scientists estimate that North Korea might develop the capacity to strike the West Coast of the U.S. with a nuclear warhead in about five years. But the real problem is here and now, in Asia, he said.

The greatest and most urgent threat comes not from a North Korean nuke being able to reach the U.S., but rather what they have already, he said. Specifically, Hecker wrote in a recent article, the North is now probably able to put nuclear weapons on target anywhere in South Korea and Japan and even on some U.S. assets in the Pacific.

Worse yet, he wrote, North Korea may have developed a false sense of confidence from a recent spate of successful nuclear and missile tests  one that could lead it to grave errors of judgment.

By the end of this year, Hecker estimated, the country is likely to have enough fissile material for about 20 bombs. The danger would be exacerbated if the North decided to field tactical nuclear weapons as its arsenal expands and its confidence in its nuclear arsenal grows.

In short, Hecker said, more and better bombs make a catastrophic miscalculation by North Korea more likely.

How much of this Trump knew before his victory is unclear, but he was certainly aware of the problem. Early on, he expressed a mixture of awe and dismay toward Kim.

If you look at North Korea, this guy, I mean, hes like a maniac, OK? he said at a rally in Ottumwa, Iowa, in January. And youve got to give him credit. How many young guys  he was like 26 or 25 when his father died  can take over these tough generals? Trump was referring to Kims execution of several generals, including his uncle, Jang Song-thaek, who was the main conduit between North Korea and China.

We cant play games with him, Trump said at the time, referring to Kim. Because he really does have missiles, and he really does have nukes.

Such considerations  and briefings that Trump presumably has received or will receive on the Norths capabilities  could compel the new president to prioritize security over trade in his dealings with China. With the right approach, he could find a willing partner in Beijing, said Yang Xiyu, a former Chinese official who oversaw the so-called six-party talks on the Norths nuclear program that collapsed in 2008.

But Chinese officials say that approach would require removing a thorn in Beijings side: an advanced missile defense system that the U.S. plans to install in South Korea. The Chinese view that system, known as the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense System, as an effort to contain its ambitions in Asia, though Washington and Seoul say it is intended purely to defend South Korea against the North.

In the past year, China has rebuffed many of Washingtons requests for sharper measures against North Korea, and the missile system is one reason. Whether Trump would consider scrapping it is another unknown.

Washington and Beijing did cooperate on United Nations sanctions against the North this year  an encouraging sign, analysts said, though many doubt that economic punishment alone will be a deterrent. And on Friday, the Chinese state-run news media reported that Beijing would support a new round of sanctions being considered by the Security Council that would close loopholes allowing North Korea to sell coal.

Yang, the former official, said the Trump administration must take into account Beijings worst fear, where the North is concerned: a collapse of Kims totalitarian regime, followed by refugees from the North pouring into China and a unified Korean Peninsula under the protection of the U.S. military. As president, Trump must understand that Kims regime has to stay, Yang said.

Remove the bombs, not the regime, is the key to a peaceful solution, Yang said. If the U.S. shares that goal, he said, we can cooperate sincerely and substantively.

__________

Yufan Huang contributed research.
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SAN ANTONIO  A Good Samaritan trying to stop what appeared to be a domestic beating was shot and killed Friday afternoon in the parking lot of a Northwest Side Walmart in front of at least a dozen witnesses.

San Antonio Police Chief William McManus told media at the scene that a man had been assaulting his female companion in the Walmart parking lot at 1603 Vance Jackson Road and was pulling her hair when a witness stopped his vehicle, rolled down his window and shouted, Get your hands off her.

The suspect then drew a handgun and fired at the Good Samaritan, striking him in the neck and killing him, McManus said. A woman in the car with the Good Samaritan was struck by shrapnel and injured.

RELATED: Girl, 5, tied up, abandoned behind San Antonio restaurant

McManus said another woman who was farther away in the parking lot but not involved in the confrontation was struck by a stray bullet and was critically injured.

Both injured women were taken to University Hospital for treatment, McManus said. Officials said both are expected to survive their injuries.

The woman who was being assaulted escaped uninjured, McManus said.

Eagle, SAPDs helicopter, followed the attacker as he fled the scene, McManus said. He was apprehended at Cupples and Castroville roads without incident.

The suspect was later identified by police as Teles Juarez, 21, who will be charged with murder and aggravated assault.

RELATED: Rollover accident involving family shuts down upper level of I-35 near downtown

Anthony Diaz, 36, a senior tech support adviser at Apple and a witness to the shooting, said he began shooting video from his cell phone about one minute after the last shots were fired.

I was just pulling into park, said Diaz by phone Friday evening, when I heard at least two shots about 30 yards away from me. By the time I realized what was going on, the shooter was in his truck fleeing the parking lot...I went first to the lady (bystander) in the parking lot. She was on her stomach saying, I dont wanna die. I have some medical training and I knew it was arterial blood. Very bright red. There was not much I could do.

When Diaz approached the Good Samaritans vehicle, a small white sedan, the man inside was slumped into the passenger seat.

He was hit in the back of the ear and I could tell it was fatal. There were also two bullet holes fired into the drivers side of the car below the window. I think they were fired from pretty close range. The shots were loud, large caliber, Diaz recalled.

I saw the shooter jump into his truck and didnt think anything of it until everyone was running for cover, Diaz said.

This story will be updated as more information is available.

Text "Breaking" to 48421 for breaking news alerts from mySA.com
Farmers could face 'considerably higher' tax bills in future following the Chancellors Autumn Statement, although details are likely to remain unclear for some time.

According to farm accountant Old Mill, the statement raised 'three potential areas of concern': Taxation on farm workers cottages, higher taxes for small companies, and closer scrutiny of partners profit shares.

Philip Hammond had a recurring theme of fairness throughout his Autumn Statement, says Dan Knight, director of rural services at Old Mill. He addressed the broad themes of taxation on benefits in kind, treatment of small companies, and allocation of partnership profits. All three areas have the potential to impact on farming businesses, but there is not yet enough information to reveal what the extent of that impact might be.

Rather than taking dramatic action at this stage, farmers would do well to keep a close watch on these areas as more detail becomes available, warns Mr Knight. When it comes to taxation of employee earnings, the Chancellor announced a consultation on the valuation of benefits in kind, including employer-provided accommodation. Whether this heralds the introduction of taxation on farm cottages remains to be seen, but its certainly an area to watch.

The Chancellor Philip Hammond delivered his maiden autumn statement against a backdrop of weaker growth prospects and a large deficit

'Significant blow'

Although he stuck to the previously announced cut in corporation tax rates to 17% from 2020, the Chancellor also revealed an intention to target people who have incorporated their businesses and are thereby benefiting from the lower rates, says Mr Knight.

The apparent intention is to narrow the tax differential between individuals and incorporated traders, meaning that shareholders could face increased income tax charges when extracting profits, he adds. This would be a significant blow for the large number of farmers who operate as limited companies. Anyone considering changing their business structure in the coming months may therefore wish to put plans on hold until the situation is clearer.

Those who operate as a partnership may not be exempt from tax hikes either. Philip Hammond wants to ensure the allocation of profits  and therefore the tax paid  is fair, explains Mr Knight. I suspect HMRC may start to require more robust and contemporaneous evidence to support how profits are allocated, which would require partners to consider this in a timelier manner and not simply after the year end when reviewing the draft accounts.

Although all three of these potential changes are likely to be some way off, farmers should liaise closely with their advisers to keep informed of new developments, he adds. It may be that the threats implied in the Autumn Statement do not come to fruition, but when it comes to any business planning its always better to aware of what might lie ahead so that contingencies can be put into place.
What does a more efficient Caleb Love look like for the Tar Heels?

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Steps are set to reform on New Year's Eve (31.12.16) to celebrate their 20th anniversary.

Ian 'H' Watkins of Steps

The Brit Award-winning pop band - consisting of Claire Richards, Faye Tozer, Lisa Scott-Lee, Ian 'H' Watkins, and Lee Latchford-Evans - are set to make a come back for their first stage performance in four years at London nightclub G-A-Y in order to bring in the New Year and celebrate a whopping 20-year anniversary.

It isn't the first time the 'Tragedy' hitmakers have reformed either, having come together in 2011 - ten years since they announced their split - for the documentary series 'Steps: Reunion'.

A source told The Sun newspaper: "They had a blast getting back together in 2011 and were blown away by the public reaction . . . especially when their arena tour sold out.

"Steps still have such a special place in all their fans' hearts and they want to celebrate everything they've achieved over the past two decades."

Steps first formed in 1997, and were known for catchy dance-pop singles such as '5, 6, 7, 8', and 'Chain Reaction'.

During their career, Steps went on to sell over 20 million records, and score 10 singles within the top five of the UK charts.

The band announced their split on December 26 in 2001, and since then the members have split off to create their own projects. Most notably, Claire Richards and H formed a duo named H & Claire, who disbanded when they re-joined their old band mates in 2011.

It is expected the New Years Eve reunion show will spark another tour for the popular group, but it is unknown yet whether that will be the case.
Fujitsu, a Japanese information and communication technology (ICT) company has collaborated with SAP Japan to deliver solutions to manufacturing facilities. The partners will offer two products from SAP's scalable supply chain solutions in the manufacturing domain - SAP Manufacturing Execution and SAP Manufacturing Integration and Intelligence

The collaboration will combine SAP's scalable supply chain solutions, which builds on existing enterprise resource planning (ERP) solutions for manufacturing, sales and procurement and can manage manufacturing performance, together with Fujitsu's systems integration services, which utilise its manufacturing expertise in a range of industries and operations.

The integrated offerings will initially be made available in Japan. Both companies are also considering future joint expansion to Asia and other regions around the world.

Fujitsu, a Japanese information and communication technology (ICT) company has collaborated with SAP Japan to deliver solutions to manufacturing facilities. The partners will offer two products from SAP's scalable supply chain solutions in the manufacturing domain - SAP Manufacturing Execution and SAP Manufacturing Integration and Intelligence.#

SAP Manufacturing Execution is capable of managing entire processes in manufacturing facilities, analysing them in real time and issuing reports. In addition, the system manages manufacturing performance for each production operation on-site, as well as information on quality and traceability, enabling the user to build a foundation for ensuring market quality and improving facilities.

The second solution, SAP Manufacturing Integration and Intelligence, enables connection with, and data collection from, manufacturing execution systems (MES), systems that collect data from production lines, and a variety of on-site devices, such as PLCs, DCSs, SCADAs, and inspection equipment, as well as core systems such as ERP. At the same time, it supports optimal decision making through the analysis and visualisation of a wide variety of data from manufacturing facilities.

By deploying these solutions, operations data divided between various departments can be linked across the entire length of the supply chain, from sales to procurement, production and manufacturing, enabling visualisation and resolution of the various incidents which occur in manufacturing facilities. (KD)

Fibre2Fashion News Desk  India
Pakistan has suspended cotton imports from India without any prior intimation owing to the border tension between the two countries. Pakistans ministry of agricultures quarantine department has decided to stop providing permits to traders who wish to import agricultural commodities including cotton from India, but it is yet to be announced officially.

The Union textiles ministry is taking up the issue with the concerned authority in Pakistan to resolve the issue, said a leading daily quoting textiles commissioner Kavita Gupta.

Owing to cotton crop failure in Pakistan last year, the country had imported close to 2.7 million bales of cotton from India. This amounted to about 40 per cent of the total cotton export from India in 2015-16. Pakistan was expected to import about 1.5 million bales from India this year.

Pakistan has suspended cotton imports from India without any prior intimation owing to the border tension between the two countries. Pakistan's ministry of agriculture's quarantine department has decided to stop providing permits to traders who wish to import agricultural commodities including cotton from India, but it is yet to be announced officially.#

Agricultural exports to Pakistan from India account for not more than 0.3 per cent of the total exports. The revenue for the same dropped to $225.8 million in 2015-16 from $303.9 million in 2014-15. It stood at $86.1 million in the first half of the ongoing fiscal. (KD)

Fibre2Fashion News Desk  India
The Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals (ZDHC) programme, a collaboration of 22 leading brands, 13 value chain affiliates and 7 associates, has released its Wastewater Guidelines, a unified expectation on wastewater quality for the entire textile and footwear industry. The Guidelines have been endorsed by the Sustainable Apparel Coalition (SAC).The Wastewater Guidelines built on a study conducted in 2015, which revealed that, despite efforts, there exists no unified set of expectations for suppliers that discharge industrial wastewater. This is of concern as the production of textile and footwear involves a large quantity of water and if not treated properly, presents a threat to people and the environment. Further, a lack of consistency between brands around expectations can lead to confusion within the value chain.

The Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals (ZDHC) programme, a collaboration of 22 leading brands, 13 value chain affiliates and 7 associates, has released its Wastewater Guidelines, a unified expectation on wastewater quality for the entire textile and footwear industry. The Guidelines have been endorsed by the Sustainable Apparel Coalition (SAC).#

Today, ZDHC addresses this issue with the release of the ZDHC Wastewater Guidelines, a harmonised set of wastewater parameters, limit values, and test methods, which will ensure that brands and suppliers are working to the same set of expectations.The Guidelines were finalised following an extensive process of collaboration between ZDHC contributors, NGOs, suppliers, and a technical advisory committee. In July 2016, the public were invited to provide input and 295 comments were received.Executive director Frank Michel said, The release of the Wastewater Guidelines is good news for workers, consumers, and the environment. Suppliers will no longer face multiple guidelines depending on which brand theyre dealing with, and brands wont face the challenge of individually ensuring each supplier is complying with their requirements.The ZDHC Wastewater Guidelines are free to download from the ZDHC website, and all actors within the value chain are encouraged to adopt them.Jason Kibbey, SAC CEO said, Weve built the ZDHC Wastewater Guidelines into the next version of the Higg Index and believe they will be a great step forward for improving one of the most impactful areas of apparel production.In the coming weeks, the Wastewater Guidelines will be released in simplified Chinese and a pilot programme will commence to implement the guidelines across several brands, countries, and facility types. (GK)

Fibre2Fashion News Desk  India
HON PM BAINIMARAMA SPEECH AT FNU 2017 ENROLMENT DRIVE LAUNCH





The (Chancellor and) Acting Vice Chancellor of the Fiji National University,Members of the academic faculty,Prospective students of the FNU and their families,My fellow Fijians,Bula vinaka and a very good morning to you all.I really cant resist saying yes to any opportunity to meet our young people in Fiji. So when I got a last minute opportunity to come to meet you all this morning, I jumped at it.It isnt just because I want to inspire you all to choose the FNU for a course of study to improve your lives and get a better job. I get very energised as Prime Minister simply coming face to face with you all.I admit there are times doing this job when I get a bit tired. Ive certainly had to fight to keep my energy levels up this week having flown across the world from Morocco. As many of you know, it was a journey well worth making because at the World Climate Summit  COP 22  in Marrakesh, Fiji was given the honour of becoming President of the next gathering  COP-23 - in Germany next year.Tomorrow, Ill be heading back to Europe via the United Arab Emirates to meet the British Government and attend the World Sugar Conference in London. And then I travel on to Brussels to meet with officials of the European Union before coming straight back home to attend the Attorney Generals conference in Natadola.There, together with His Excellency the President and the Honourable Chief Justice and the Speaker of the Parliament, I will launch the revised laws of Fiji, which have not been consolidated for more than 30 years.I thought to myself: how can I get myself in the mood to get on the plane and do it all over again? And then someone in my office showed me the invitation to this event. And I thought, thats it! Im going to go and meet these wonderful young people who are starting out in life after secondary school and are thinking of going to the FNU. And they will inspire me with their own energy to head out again.Im going to spend a fair amount of time this morning not so much making a formal speech but coming out to meet you all face to face. Lets do some selfies! A lot of selfies! Because you are all going to remind me why this job is so worthwhile. And that is because we must do our best as a government and as a nation to build a great future for all of you. And for every young Fijian.You are all here today to see what the FNU has to offer and the answer is a lot. Our national university has a great range of courses available to give you the skills you need to make your mark in life. And I want to encourage you to use this event today to explore all of the options open to you.I just want to say this. If there is one lesson that I have learned in life, it is to choose something that you are passionate about. Dont just do what your parents and friends tell you to do. Do what you think is right for yourself. Because theres nothing worse than choosing a vocation that someone else has prescribed for you. You have to want to do it. You have to embrace it. And then you have to work as hard as you can at that particular course to get the best possible marks and the best possible skills that you can accumulate.When I think back to when I was your age, I chose the Navy because I was passionate about a life at sea in the defence of our nation. Like all of you, I had advice from my parents, other relatives and friends about what they thought I should do. But I knew what I wanted to do and I went ahead and did it. And I have never looked back.The point is that you can only be successful in life if you are passionate about what you do and can have the necessary drive to achieve your ambitions and dreams. Then life has a habit of choosing things for you.I never dreamt that I would be a politician or one day be Prime Minister. But thats what happened. And I can tell you that theres nothing better than a life of public service. Because you get the opportunity to change things and improve the lives of your fellow citizens.I always say that our education revolution is my proudest achievement as Prime Minister and its true. Because I know that with this great leap forward, we were able to do so much to provide opportunity for the young people of Fiji.When we introduced free schooling at primary and secondary level, we opened up avenues of opportunity for even the most disadvantaged young people. We took away the worry of their parents and grandparents about how they would be able to fund their childrens education.Many of you here today are the beneficiaries of that revolution. And I want to say how proud I am of all of you. That you have seized the opportunities that you have been given and have really run with them.Now you have more support in the form of our scholarships and tertiary loans. So there has never been a better time for any Fijian young person to gain the skills they need to have satisfying, well paid jobs and fulfilling lives.So choose wisely as you move around the various stalls today. There are people from the FNU here to answer all your questions. All you have to do is ask.Without trying to lead you in a particular direction, I will say this: We have a great shortage of science workers in Fiji. So if your interested in a career in the sciences, there are great opportunities to be had. We also need more foresters, marine scientists, land surveyors, motor mechanics, electricians, engineers and a range of other talents  people with practical skills. So if you embark on fields of study like this, you will not only have satisfying careers but be contributing to our nations social and economic development.My Fellow Fijians, never before has our nation enjoyed such a great reputation in the world. Never before have the Fijian people been more respected. We are taking the quality goods and services we make to the four corners of the earth. We are contributing to making the world a better place with our UN Peacekeepers and our volunteers in Pacific nations. And now we have been chosen by the global community to lead the fight against climate change with our presidency of COP-23 and to co-host a United Nations summit on saving our oceans and seas from pollution and overfishing.As I keep saying: It is a great time to be Fijian. So go out there and grab the ball and run with it. As Prime Minister, I want to wish you well on behalf of every Fijian in whatever course of study you choose to follow. Please enjoy the day and I look forward to meeting as many of you as possible.Vinaka vakalevu. Thank you.
Bollywood celebs mourned the death of former Cuban President Fidel Castro with some describing him as an "influential and revolutionary leader", while others wished they had met him before his passing away. Filmmakers like Madhur Bhnadarkar and Hansal Mehta took to their Twitter accounts to express their admiration for Castro, who died late Friday aged 90.

The revolutionary icon, one of the world's best-known and most controversial leaders, survived several US assassination attempts and premature obituaries, but in the end proved mortal after suffering a long battle with illness.

Castro ruled Cuba for almost half a century before handing over the reins to his brother Raul in 2008.

Here is what the celebrities had to say:

Madhur Bhandarkar: Death of Fidel Castro marks the end of an important era in Cuban history. An influential and a revolutionary leader. RIP

Hansal Mehta: Almost travelled to Havana. Visa issues made me change plans. Wish I'd made it before the passing away of Fidel Castro

Ashwin Mushran: Sit back and Fidel with a Cigar today if you must! For the end of an era Fidel Castro.

Nikkhil Advani: Whether you agreed or disagreed with Castro you couldn't help be mesmerised with his aura. A light is extinguished. Fidel Castro. RIP

Vivek Agnihotri: RIP. Fidel Castro, a comrade of Indian Naxals, Maoists, insurgents, red terrorists, communists, liberals congress & some ex prime ministers.

Ayushmann Khurrana: RIP Fidel Castro.
After playing Arjun Kapoor's loud-mouthed Punjabi mother in 2 States, Amrita Singh was to reunite yet again with her on-screen son for Anees Bazmee's upcoming wedding drama Mubarakan. However, now here comes a twist in the tale.

As per the reports, the actress pulled out of the project at the last minute, leaving the makers scrambling for a replacement. Now, Ratna Pathak Shah has replaced Amrita as Arjun's mum and owing to the change, the shooting schedules have undergone an overhaul too.

A Mumbai Mirror report quoted a source saying, "Amrita was to play Arjun's mother who is Anil Kapoor's elder sister. Just a few days before the film was to roll, the actress informed the team that she can't do the film. Now, Ratna's dates will have to be taken into consideration because of which the international schedule, set for December, has been pushed to next year."

Producer Murad Khetani confirmed the latest development and added, "Amrita couldn't do the film due to date issues and we have Ratna on board. Her portion which was initially scheduled to be shot in November-December in London will now happen sometime in January. The Punjab schedule, originally planned for January, is being shot now."

Mubarakan has Arjun Kapoor playing twins, Karanjeet and Charanjeet Singh. The film revolves around an extended Punjabi family that attends a destination wedding in the UK.

Ileana D'Cruz and Athiya Shetty play the leading ladies and the movie is slated to release on 28th July, 2017.
Dileep and Kavya Madhavan, the newly-wed star couple made their first appearance post marriage. Recently, Dileep and Kavya were spotted at the airport, along with the actor's daughter Meenakshi Dileep.

Check This Out: Stars Who Gave The Dileep-Kavya Wedding A Miss!

The pictures of the trio from the airport have been going viral on social media. Reportedly, Dileep and Kavya will stay in Dubai for a few days, and will later fly to Singapore, along with Meenakshi.

Check out the pictures below....

Honeymoon It is the honeymoon trip for Dileep and Kavya, who got married on November 25th, Friday. If the reports are to be true, Mammootty is hosting a special party for the couple, in Dubai. Meenakshi Dileep Dileep and Kavya are accompanied by the actor's daughter Meenakshi in the trip. He has always made it clear that daughter is the biggest priority of his life. Kavya-Meenakshi Bond The warm bond between Kavya and Meenakshi is clearly visible in the pictures. Reportedly, the actress is really protective about her step daughter. Movie Commitments Dileep is expected to join the sets of Rathish Ambat's Kammara Sambhavam, after he returns. Kavya will start filming for Jeethu Joseph's movie by mid-2017. Kavya's Retirement Reportedly, Kavya is planning to retire from films after completing the Jeethu Joseph project. The actress has always stated that she wants to settle down as a homemaker.

If the reports are to be true, the couple is planning to stay away from Kerala for a few days, thanks to the controversies surrounding their marriage. Dileep also wants to keep his daughter away from this.

Dileep and Kavya Madhavan have been heavily thrashed by a large group of audiences, on the social media. They point out that the actors kept on denying the link-up rumours, until the wedding day.

Even Dileep presented the wedding news as if he decided to marry Kavya a few days ago. But, the celebrities who attended the wedding hinted that the couple was madly in love from the past few years.

Sadly, the social media doesn't even spare Dileep's 14-year-old daughter, Meenakshi. However, Manju Warrier, the actor's ex-wife, has earned a large group of supporters, after the Dileep-Kavya wedding.
Dileep-Kavya Madhavan wedding news came out as a huge shock for the Malayalam movie audiences. The marriage hasn't gone well with a large group of audiences, especially the fans of Dileep's ex-wife Manju Warrier.

Check This Out: Photos: Dileep & Kavya Madhavan Enter Wedlock

The social media have been mercilessly attacking Dileep, Kavya Madhavan, and Meenakshi Dileep since the wedding pictures and videos came out. Kunchacko Boban, who wished the newly-wedded couple, was also targetted by the trollers.

Kunchacko Boban was heavily trashed on social media for taking Dileep-Kavya's side and 'betraying' good friend Manju Warrier. But, he retaliated to the allegations and slammed the trollers, through a long Facebook post.

The actor states that all the three of them are very close to him and his family, but the social media misinterpreted his marriage wishes as 'taking sides'. Kunchacko points out that he stood my Manju's side when she made a comeback, and that matters the most.

Chackochan feels that he don't have to prove his stand to anyone other than Manju. The actor also made it clear that Kavya is more like a sisterly figure for him, and it is his choice to wish her when she is all set to begin a new life.

It is the same case when it comes to Dileep. Kunchacko Boban also revealed that he has never asked anything about their respective personal lives, but wants to wish all the three of them to have a happy life ahead.
HENDERSON, NV -- (Marketwired) -- 11/25/16 -- Universal PR announced today that data aggregators are lagging in updating vital information about Sector 5 for the top broker-dealers trading platforms utilizing "market intelligence databases." It seems like a contradiction in terms.

Sector 5, Inc. (OTCQB: SECT) is addressing investors' concerns that critical company profile updates are not being reflected on trading platforms and market research sites. Data is centralized at the SEC but data aggregators are not meeting the standards for quality, accuracy, and timeliness that are a necessity in Sector 5's marketplace.

Various trading platforms and market data research providers have outdated and incorrect information about Sector 5. The Company reiterates that the SEC updated its SIC Code to 3571 Electronic Computers in August 2016. This has been reflected on SEC EDGAR (http://goo.gl/VyuVv0), OTC Markets (https://goo.gl/KpMGDr) and Morningstar (https://goo.gl/lTE87G). Sector 5's OTC Market Segment was changed to OTCQB on April 28, 2016. Data aggregators such as Reuters, S&P, Google, and Yahoo have not yet updated their market intelligence databases.

Roger McKeague, Sector 5's CEO provided, "We want transparency for the public and have made progress with data aggregators such as Morningstar, CNN Money, and Market Watch and will continue to work with others, but the process can be slow going. Scottrade, TradeKing, TD Ameritrade, E*TRADE, Fidelity, Charles Schwab, USAA, LPL Financial, Ameriprise Financial (AMP), Raymond James Financial (RJF), Commonwealth Financial Network, Lincoln Financial Network, Wells Fargo and OptionsXpress are incorrectly displaying Sector 5's fundamental company data. If information on Sector 5 or other companies appear incorrectly on your trading platform, we suggest contacting them directly. Sector 5 is a fully reporting company, publicly traded on OTCQB, and headquartered in Alexandria, Virginia. We have been selling our E1 Rugged Chromebooks across North America and our E2 Touch Screen Google approved Chromebook is available now!"

About: Sector 5, Inc. (OTCQB: SECT), SIC Code 3571 - Electronic Computers, is a Proud American Corporation, that sells, manufactures and develops new innovative consumer electronics under Sector 5  and other brands. The Company markets its Chromebooks to educational organizations, other B2B and B2C sales channels, with retail sales on Amazon. It is in development of several new products to serve the educational, business and retail markets.

For more information, please visit www.sector-five.com or follow us Facebook (www.facebook.com/sect5) and Twitter (www.twitter.com/sectorfiveinc).

About: Universal PR: UPR IS A LEADING COMMUNICATIONS MARKETING AGENCY. Follow on www.twitter.com/universalprteam and find further information at www.universal-pr.com

Forward Looking Statements

Certain statements made in this release are "forward-looking statements" regarding the plans and objectives of management for future operations. Such statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements included herein are based on current expectations that involve numerous risks and uncertainties. Our plans and objectives are based, in part, on assumptions involving judgments with respect to, among other things, future economic, competitive and market conditions and future business and financial decisions, all of which are difficult or impossible to predict accurately and many of which are beyond our control. Although we believe that our assumptions underlying the forward-looking statements are reasonable, any of the assumptions could prove inaccurate and, therefore, there can be no assurance that the forward-looking statements included in this website will prove to be accurate. In light of the significant uncertainties inherent in the forward-looking statements included herein particularly in view of the current early stage of our operations and lack of sufficient financing, the inclusion of such information should not be regarded as a statement by us or any other person that our objectives and plans will be achieved. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, the risk factors set forth in our periodic reports and other filings we make with the U.S Securities and Exchange Commission. We undertake no obligation to revise or update publicly any forward-looking statements for any reason, except as required by federal securities law.

Media Relations:

Robert Kincade

Team@universal-pr.com




NEW ORLEANS, LA--(Marketwired - November 25, 2016) - Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC ("KSF") and KSF partner, the former Attorney General of Louisiana, Charles C. Foti, Jr., remind investors that they have until January 9, 2017 to file lead plaintiff applications in securities class action lawsuit against Agria Corporation (NYSE: GRO), if they purchased the Company's American Depositary Shares ("ADRs") between December 16, 2011 through November 4, 2016, inclusive (the "Class Period"). This action is pending in the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey.

What You May Do

If you purchased shares of Agria and would like to discuss your legal rights and how this case might affect you and your right to recover for your economic loss, you may, without obligation or cost to you, call toll-free at 1-877-515-1850 or email KSF Managing Partner Lewis Kahn (lewis.kahn@ksfcounsel.com). If you wish to serve as a lead plaintiff in this class action, you must petition the Court by January 9, 2017.

About the Lawsuit

Agria and certain of its executives are charged with failing to disclose material information during the Class Period, violating federal securities laws.

On November 4, 2016, Agria revealed that it received a letter from the New York Stock Exchange ("NYSE") stating that the NYSE decided to commence proceedings to delist Agria ADRs from the NYSE. The NYSE's letter further claimed that Agria: (i) through a top executive and other intermediaries engaged in trading intended to artificially inflate Agria's stock price, including to improperly avoid having the company delisted for failing to comply with NYSE's continued listing standards; and (ii) provided incomplete, misleading, or false information in connection with investigations related to these issues.

About Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC

KSF, whose partners include the Former Louisiana Attorney General Charles C. Foti, Jr., is a law firm focused on securities, antitrust and consumer class actions, along with merger & acquisition and breach of fiduciary litigation against publicly traded companies on behalf of shareholders. The firm has offices in New York, California and Louisiana.

To learn more about KSF, you may visit www.ksfcounsel.com.

Contact:

Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC

Lewis Kahn

Managing Partner

lewis.kahn@ksfcounsel.com

1-877-515-1850

206 Covington St.

Madisonville, LA 70447
Peerfit, a Tampa, Florida-based health technology company, secured $400k in funding.

The round was led by Florida Funders.

The company intends to use the funds to scale nationally.

Led by Ed Buckley, CEO, Peerfit provides a digital platform for employers to offer employees health and fitness benefits. Through Peerfit, companies offer credits to their employees to use to enroll in a variety of fitness classes offered by a network of fitness studios across the country.

Started by University of Florida students and graduates in 2011, Peerfit was only active in Florida until last year. Now the company has more than 10,000 people in eight states using the platform to access a nationwide network of boutique fitness studios and gyms.

FinSMEs

26/11/2016
Ameriabank: At the Vanguard of Armenia's Banking Sector

STATEMENT OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY OF THE REPUBLIC OF ARTSAKH

SUBSCRIBERS OF UCOMS ALL TIME BEST OFFER TO ENJOY ADDITIONAL BENEFITS

Armenia-Azerbaijan: EU sets up monitoring capacity along the international borders

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PACE co-rapporteurs on Armenia concerned by reports of alleged war crimes or inhuman treatment perpetrated by Azerbaijans armed forces

There is still 35% gender pay gap: Sona Ghazaryan

Global Finance Names Ameriabank the Safest Bank in Armenia

Mikayel and Karen Vardanyans provided 136 million AMD support for the overhaul of the Myasnikyan statue, which was in unsafe state of disrepair

Believe me, as a representative of a country which uses the Schengen system very often, it is quite important. Vardanyan

I really look forward to having answers from the Azerbaijani side for these alleged gross human rights violations: Secretary General

I call on Armenian and Azerbaijani parliamentarians to use this Assembly as an agora of opportunities President Tiny Kox

UCOMS SPECIAL OFFER OF THE UNLIMITED INTERNET IS NOW TERMLESS

There is no place for the death penalty in a State that respects human rights: PACE General Rapporteur

EU and CoE call on two Member States that have not yet acceded to this Protocol  Armenia and Azerbaijan  to do so without delay

An urgent debate requested on "The military hostilities between Armenia and Azerbaijan".

UCOM AND PES-PES CONTINUE COOPERATION WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF EDUCATIONAL PROJECT

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The statement of the meeting between Prime Minister Pashinyan, President Aliyev, President Macron and President Michel of October 6, 2022

Largest Corporate Bond Program at the Securities Market of Armenia Completed Successfully

The statement of the Defender on the video of the execution of Armenian PoWs by the Azerbaijani armed forces

LEVEL UP ONLY FOR STUDENTS: UCOM OFFERS X2 AND X3 MORE INTERNET

STATEMENT BY SECRETARY ANTONY J. BLINKEN

This criminal act is another proof that the Armenophobia policy. Tatoyan

Nikol Pashinyan, Nancy Pelosi discuss a number of issues related to the Armenian-American agenda and regional developments

Delegation by Nancy Pelosi Accompanied by Alen Simonyan Visits Tsitsernakaberd Memorial Complex

Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi Arrives in Yerevan

Armenian Revytech, global technology leader SAP and financial services software specialist SAP Fioneer sign a cooperation agreement

With 120 million drams donated by Mikael Vardanyan, the defenders of the homeland will be treated in a new building

OSCE Chairman-in-Office and OSCE Secretary General call for immediate cessation of hostilities along Armenia-Azerbaijan border

Statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Artsakh
By Nisha Susan

There are several lines of dialogue in Dear Zindagi that you are unlikely to have heard before in Hindi cinema. A woman telling a man to pull up his (unsightly low-slung) pants before he goes in front of the camera; a woman telling a man, "I need to pee." (In Bunty Aur Babli, Rani Mukherjee implies it when she asks Bunty to come guard the railway station. And in Raj Kumar Santoshi's Lajja, Manisha Koirala learns to pee on the side of the road while drunkenly cavorting with Madhuri Dixit.) Dear Zindagi also features a woman announcing that she failed Class II, and a man saying his former lover would never have achieved success if they had stayed together.

I was looking forward to Dear Zindagi in a vague way, aided by the memory of watching Sridevi's kabuki mask-like, but still absorbing face in Gauri Shinde's first film, English Vinglish. In Dear Zindagi, Alia Bhatt is also often expressionless-yet-not, prickly and grouchy to hide her wealth of feelings. At one point, when Kaira (Bhatt) hears from her friend Fatima (Ira Dubey) that her lover has gotten engaged to someone else, she bites into a green chilli and eats it with steady viciousness. You want to look away from her tiny red lips, but you can't. She sniffs, and when her friend asks her if she is okay, she blames the chilli. Then she goes back to the editing studio to edit the music video she's directing.

English-Vinglish was the journey of a well-adjusted, middle-aged woman who thinks well of herself. She only has to understand why the world doesn't think well of her  just because she doesn't speak English. In Dear Zindagi, Kaira doesn't think well of herself, but others do. She veers between fragility and irritability, and we don't know why. We don't quite know why she's so mean to her parents and relatives. (That's a lie; the relatives are so well-calibrated in their smugness that I was ready to slap them on Kaira's behalf.) We find out what has created her brittle unhappiness, as she finds out, through her therapy sessions with cool shrink Jahangir Khan (Shah Rukh Khan).

This explicit exploration of the inner life of a young woman is fairly unprecedented in Bollywood. In Tanu Weds Manu 2, we do get a chance to see Tanu's emotional struggles with her self-destructiveness. But the black comedy of that movie and that heroine didn't permit the earnest pursuit of mental health. Instead, in the opening scene, Tanu manages to turn marriage counselling into an opportunity to get her husband locked up in an asylum. In Queen, Rani needs the trip to Paris to recover from heartbreak and gain confidence in her own ability to navigate the world.

It's soothing, therefore, to hear Khan tell Kiara that she doesn't have to forgive her parents or confront them for abandoning her. To hear Khan tell Kiara that she is not "cheap" but "superfine" to not settle for the first man who comes down the pike. Kiara has literal-minded nightmares about society judging her for being unmarried and unloved (troublingly, Shinde visualises this as working-class men mocking married middle-class women). It's even more soothing when Khan tells Kiara that no society  no matter how judgmental  doesn't have to think well of her, as long as she thinks well of herself. It's so soothing that you are tempted to ignore the outrageous wish-fulfilment that is the tailpiece of the movie.

A friend who went to Dear Zindagi with me began with pessimism, saying warily that the scenes of Kaira zooming above her sets in a cinematographer's crane are likely to be the most empowering things about the movie. (He changed his mind). For me, the wish-fulfilment moment was when Kaira tells the newly engaged ex-lover Raghuvendra (Kunal Kapoor) that she has decided to not work with him on his next project. Raghuvendra, dejected but trying to be a good guy, begins some spiel about what he thinks. This sets off Kaira like a bomb. She yells at him because she has already announced her decision, he wasn't going to get a chance to now pretend it was his decision. Ah, the ridiculous, petty, total satisfaction.

Shinde's story stays true despite any temptations that may have come along. Kaira doesn't find herself in a romance with her ex-lover, a new lover or even in her crush on Khan. The climax is a classic emotional breakthrough about her childhood. If you have any doubts that Bhatt can act, this is the scene for you. She cries hard enough to melt a rock. This is also a scene of unintentional comedy. SRK, who should be a proud therapist, has never looked more uncomfortable than he does at this stage. He looks like he wants to say, "I hate tears, Kaira."

My formerly pessimistic friend explained, "No one told him he has to do anything but smoulder. Or may be its those pants." It's true that the pants seem very tight, Aki Narula. It's also that SRK is frequently a smouldering shoulder, but he is more. Shinde's several on-the-nose pitches and Khan's sussegad style makes an attractive case for therapy.

Kaira has her breakthrough and slowly makes her peace with her family. Which brings us to that fantasy tailpiece. Her long-stuck short film about a cross-dressing Portuguese soldier is finally made. It is screened on the beach to an audience of her whole life. All her friends, her whole family, the man she broke up with (Angad Bedi), the man who broke up with her (Kunal Kapoor), the man who wasn't quite right for her (a shockingly muscular Ali Zafar). They are all there, flushed with admiration, applause and goodwill for Kaira. Theres also a new man who has solid potential of being the next love interest (Aditya Roy Kapoor).

You can shake your head. I did, briefly, but for decades we've watched the wish-fulfilment of male directors and called it art. I, for one, am not grudging Shinde the chance to create a world in which things work out for grouchy women.

The Ladies Finger (TLF) is a leading online womens magazine delivering fresh and witty perspectives on politics, culture, health, sex, work and everything in between.
Pakistani stage artiste Kismat Baig was shot dead by unidentified gunmen in an unfortunate incident that saw the relentless murders shoot her in the legs, stomach and hands.

NDTV reports that the theater actor was returning to her home after performing in a play in Lahore. The gunmen, riding a car and a motorcycle, intercepted her and then opened fire on her. She was immediately rushed to the Services Hospital where she was declared dead owing to excessive bleeding.

Her driver-cum-secretary Ali was injured too as he received one bullet. However, his condition was reported to be stable. As per the same report, Ali said that the gunmen had shouted these words before killing her, "Well hurt you so bad that youll never be able to dance again."

Baig was also at the risk of two such attacks in the past but she had managed to escape unhurt. The police have stated that her family suspects her estranged lover to be the man behind the crime. However, they have not filed an FIR yet. Baig was in a relationship with an industrialist of Faisalbad City. She was also rumoured to be dating various landlords and even her secretary Ali.

This is not the first time that a stage artiste has been shot dead. Several other actors like Nagu, Nadra, Yasmin, Nagina, Naina, Marvi, Karishma, Sangam and Arzo. Earlier this year, Sana Faisal, the host of television show Khufia, died after she was poisoned by an ice cream gifted to her by an unidentified `fan'.

The Express Tribune reports that the cold-blooded murder has left the entire artiste community of Pakistan in shock. Not a single play has not been screened since the incident. The actors are carrying out a demonstration on the Canal Road along with Baig's family to protect against the murder.
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Rs 500 and Rs 1000 denominations are equal to piece of paper from tonight midnight (8 November 2016).

"You have 50 days to return the old notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 to your respective bank from 10 November 2016 to 30 December 2016. The banks, however, will have a cap on how much cash can be withdrawn  Rs 10,000 daily and Rs 20,000 weekly."

New Rs 2,000 note that will be soon issued

New Rs 2,000 note that will be soon issued

"And no one should blame me if I take tough decisions after the 30th. This money belongs to the countrys poor. No one has the right to loot this. This is my commitment. I am working with full force and will continue the effort," he had said.

Apparently, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had given a fair warning to all the black money hoarders in this interview with CNN-News18 in September this year. Replying to a question on if he intended to carry forward his tough line on curbing black money, Modi had urged those with undeclared wealth to take advantage of the disclosure scheme before the deadline of September 30 and return to into the mainstream.

A lawyer by profession, Kamboj said that he understands the legal consequences of doing any such thing. "I know I can land up in big trouble if I do something so foolish. What Kejriwal is doing is nothing more than dirty politics. He will see what will happen to him in Punjab."

There were various news reports about the probable introduction of new notes. What was new in that? Kamboj added.

Rubbishing Kejriwal's claims, Kejriwal said: I had only written that new notes would soon be introduced. But nowhere I had talked about or even mentioned banning of the old notes.

Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday alleged that BJP had informed its 'friends' beforehand about its decision to demonetise Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes, to help them fix their black money.

Firstpost reporter Amitesh Singh spoke to Sanjeev Kamboj, co-convener of BJP's law and legal affairs department in Punjab, who had tweeted the picture of Rs 2,000 notes on 6 November.

Only tweeted about new notes, not ban on Rs 500, Rs 1,000: BJP leader Sanjeev Kamboj tells Firstpost

The step is being taken after it was observed that same people have been withdrawing money, again and again, misusing the facility and not giving a chance to others to exchange their money. 

The government has decided to use indelible ink to mark people who exchange cash over the counter in the banks.

Indelible ink to be used to mark people who exchange cash in the banks: Economic Affairs Secretary Shaktikanta Das

Are you willing to give PM Modi 50 days to make good on his promise?

"Government should allow old Rs 500 notes to remain in circulation along with the new notes. Also, Rs 100/50/10 notes must be made easily available. Rs 1,000 notes may be withdrawn when circulation improves by 30 December, or at your discretion. No need for anymore faltu, action-less announcements. Sometimes blunders lead to more more blunders," says the West Bengal Chief Minister.

In a series of tweets on Friday, Mamata Banerjee said that there are ways that the government can restore normalcy and help people.

"Such tax evasion activities can be made subject to income tax and penalty," ANI reported. The ministry added that thos who allow their accounts to be misused will be prosecuted."However, genuine people having their own household savings in cash and depositing the same will not be questioned," the ministry was quoted as saying by ANI.

Announcing that small deposits made in banks of artisans, workers, housewives will not be questioned by Income Tax Department, the finance ministry said that there are reports that a few people were "using other's accounts to convert their black money into new denomination notes."

The Opposition parties are not wrong  this could have been planned better and the government is not giving us all the facts. The truth is the government did have a plan. Not for recalibration  for which it has come under severe attack  but for the preemptive calibration of ATMs. If this plan had run its course, it could have considerably smoothened the currency exchange at ATMs. But the plan ground to a halt even before it took off. But more on that later.

And the answer is yes and no.

An entire population of 1.25 billion is living in misery, craving something they already have: A strange contradiction of shortage in abundance. The only question that everyone is asking is: Did Prime Minister Narendra Modi send a country into war against black money without planning?

"What is the difficulty? " the bench asked Rohatgi. The AG explained the situation by stating that after printing, the currency has to be moved to thousands of centres across the country and ATMs have to be re-calibrated. "There is no shortage of funds," he said.

At the outset, the bench questioned the relief measures undertaken by the Centre by saying, "Last time you said there will be relief for people in the coming days but you have squeezed the exchange limit to Rs 2,000 only."

"It's a political attempt in the court. I have seen your (Sibal's) press conference also. You are not appearing for a political party, but for an advocate. You are turning the apex court into a political platform," Rohatgi said.

The Attorney General (AG) Mukul Rohatgi in his response, said there is no dispute, but the queues are getting shorter and even suggested that the Chief Justice of India can go out during lunch and himself look at the queue. "Kindly go in the lunch time," the AG told the bench and took objection to senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for a private party, for allegedly exaggerating the situation.

"We have also come to know that corruption through new notes has already started. Such reports are surfacing in newspapers and especially on the social media," he said, claiming the goal of unearthing black money and weeding out fake currency notes will not be achieved.

On the Centre's stand that demonetisation will check corruption, Akhilesh said cases of graft involving new currency notes are already making news in some parts of the country.

Talking to reporters in Lucknow on Friday after presiding over a Cabinet meeting, Akhilesh Yadav said, "The meeting was of the opinion that farmers should get relaxation in use of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes...cooperative banks to which farmers are directly linked should get relaxation as money is not promptly reaching bank branches."

SC made the remarks as Attorney General (AG) Mukul Rohatgi submitted that any matter relating to challenge to the demonetisation issue be heard by the apex court only.

"Some measures are required. See the kind of problems people are facing. People have to go to the high court. If we shut them from going to the high court, how can we know the magnitude of the problem. People going to different courts indicates the magnitude of the problem," the bench said.

"It is a serious issue which requires consideration," a bench comprising Chief Justice T S Thakur and Justice A R Dave said, while asking the parties to be ready with data and other issues in writing. The apex court also refused Centre's request to put on hold petitions pending in various high courts challenging the decision to demonetise.

Coming down heavily on the Narendra Modi government for not taking the issue seriously, the Supreme Court on Friday questioned the move to reduce the exchange limit of old notes from Rs 4,500 to Rs 2,000. The apex court added that the situation was serious and there are possibilities of riots breaking out.

"We are not against demonetisation. We are against the hardships being faced by poor people due to mismanagement in implementing this scheme," Ravat said, when he was detained and taken away by police.

Those who have been detained include Vadodara Congress president Prashant Patel and General Secretary of Gujarat Congress Narendra Ravat.

In Vadodara, at least 100 Congress workers were detained from different parts for trying to block the roads. While two Congress workers were detained for setting fire to tyres on Ahmedabad-Vadodara highway on the city outskirts, around 100 have been detained for blocking an internal city road at Dandiya Bazar area.

Slamming the Centre over faulty implementation of the demonetisation drive, Mayawati said that the government has unleashed an Economic Emergency on the nation and the party does not care how people of the nation are suffering.

Just like Samajwadi Party, BJP is digging its own grave before Uttar Pradesh elections: Mayawati

He then said that India trusts its citizens who will make the country emerge successful after "this test of fire".

"But I see your support. Despite so many attempts to dissuade you, you have understood this move for the welfare of this nation," said the Prime Minister. "The entire world is watching this move. Every economist is analysing this move. The world is watching whether 1.25 crore Indians, despite difficulties, will achieve success."

"But for 70 years, we have been tolerating the disease of corruption and black money. The cure to that disease cannot be simple," he said.

"When I had taken this decision, I had said that this is full of difficulties. And the implementation of this decision was also bound to be difficult. I knew about the kind of difficulties people would have to face," Modi said. "I knew that it will definitely take 50 days to come out of the effect [of demonetisation]," he added.

"A lot of people have asked me to talk more about the currency ban," said the Prime Minister, as he began talking about demonetisation.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday talked about the demonetisation of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes on the radio programme 'Mann Ki Baat' and appealed to the people of India to help him create a "less-cash society".

Sources have told CNN-News18 that the central government has stepped up the printing of the new Rs 500 notes. The news channel also reported that the shortage in Rs 500 notes will be over by the end of December.

Old Rs 500 notes at petrol pumps and for airline tickets will be accepted till 2 December as against 15 December announced earlier, reports PTI.

Exactly a month ago, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced scrapping of high denomination notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000. On Thursday, Opposition parties and Members of Parliament protested outside the Parliament House.

Modi said, "The government's decision has several gains for farmers, traders, labourers, who are the economic backbone of our nation. I always said that the government's measure will bring a degree of inconvenience but this short term pain will pave way for long term gains. No longer will the progress and prosperity of rural India be curtailed by corruption and black money. Our villages must get their due. We also have a historic opportunity to embrace increased cashless payments and integrate latest technology in economic transactions."

In a series of tweets, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that the government never denied that the demonetisation drive will not be inconvenient, but "this short term pain will pave way for long term gains."

I always said that the Government's measure will bring a degree of inconvenience: Modi

Slamming the government, West Bengal Chief Minister on her Facebook page slammed the move and said, "One month of harassment, pain, hopelessness, financial insecurity and utter chaos."

Leading members of Opposition took to social media to speak on demonetisation. 8 December marks one month since the Modi government scrapped high-denomination notes and introduced the new Rs 500 and Rs 2,000 notes.

The Opposition parties will meet with BJP leaders as well at around 12 pm on Thursday to discuss demonetisation.

The Bharatiya Janata Party has announced that it will hold a party meet at 9.30 am on Thursday. According to CNN-News18, the party meet will discuss demonetisation and will be broadcast live. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be addressing the nation as well, the news channel said.

PM said Congress had chance to clean the system in 1971, but it didnt | ANI

'It's a pity that this opposition party, who fought against the Congres both inside the Congress and outside the Congress are ready to work with Congress. Trinamool Congress, CPI (M) are with Congress. Even DMK who had taken talaq from Congress are rallying behind it. They don't even know what their leader is going to talk about. The congress regime was filled with scams. They will have to explain it to the people," he added.

'It's ironic to see that government is fighting corruption, and the opposition is opposing it. Many people are shaken because vested interests are shaken. They are trying to create panic in the public. And therefore, they are trying to tarnish Prime Minster's image,' Venkaiah Naidu said.

It's ironic that parties which opposed Congress are now supporting it: Venkaiah Naidu

Unlike Gandhi, who in a letter dated 24 August, 1974, to all chief ministers, sought selective action against bigger people that could be publicised to counter the perception in the public mind and in Parliament, Modi and his officers were well prepared in advance to scrutinise the shades of unaccounted stash in the country, even if that meant severe criticism of his government.

Modi is not Indira Gandhi and 2016 is not 1974 when TA Pai, the then Union Minister for heavy industry told Gandhi: "Currency has no complexion and it is neither white nor black." (Declassified black money files of prime ministers office, no 37 (465)/74 PMS).

When Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a televised address on 8 November, told the nation that the existing Rs 500 and 1,000 notes can no longer be used for transactions and they are now mere pieces of papers, he very well knew that a huge number of zero-balance accounts were going to witness sudden activity from the very next morning.

Narendra Modi did what Indira suggested was not for her to do

This means that these notes will not be acceptable for transactions from midnight onwards. The 500 and 1,000 rupee notes hoarded by anti-national and anti-social elements will become just worthless pieces of paper.

To break the grip of corruption and black money, we have decided that the 500 rupee and 1,000 rupee currency notes presently in use will no longer be legal tender from midnight tonight, that is 8th November 2016.

As (Narendra) Modi gets ready to address the nation on 31 December in a stock-taking speech, sober watchers of the game may find no nail-biting finish or clear winner. We might need to use something resembling the Duckworth-Lewis method that cricket scorers use when rains or disruptions mar a match.

As time to submit demonetised notes comes to a close today, people queue up outside RBI offices across India

The government is also planning to come out with an Ordinance making possession of old Rs 500/1,000 notes beyond a specified limit for numismatic purposes illegal and punishable.

People, however, will still have time to exchange the currency notes at designated RBI counters till 31 March after giving valid reasons for not depositing defunct notes in their accounts by 30 December.

The 50-day deadline to deposit the old Rs 500/1,000 notes in banks comes to an end today, but the cash crunch and queues before ATMs are likely to continue for some more time as currency printing presses have failed to meet the huge demand for new bills.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to address the nation on Saturday after his self-imposed deadline of 50-days for the situation to return to normal ends. While some people are hoping for an extension in the deadline, the government maintained it had no plans to do so.

The deadline to deposit old Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes in banks ends today. From next week onward, those still holding the scrapped currency can deposit it only with the Reserve Bank of India till 31 March, 2017. After 31 March, holding demonetised notes would be illegal and could invite hefty fines and even jail, according to an ordinance passed by the Union Cabinet on Wednesday.

Post #DeMonetisation Govt. to roll out massive campaign. PM's address to the nation on Dec 31st will be beginning of this campaign: Sources

PM Modi could launch massive campaign in his address on New Year

Meanwhile, the RBI's image seems to have been dented significantly during the period. Post the announcement, the action mostly happened in Delhi and the central bank was relegated to the background. Moreover, the frequent rule changes, mostly dictated by the political bosses in Delhi, unfairly affected the central bank's image.

The man who is complaining the most is the one who is affected and that is not the common man, believes Bijoor. He places Modis popularity on a ratio of 80:20 with 80 percent having welcomed the bold move of the PM.

The common man is in the mood to forgive the prime minister as he realises that demonetisation is a big task that irritants like more than 60 policy flip-flops after the announcement of the scheme can be tolerated, says Harish Bijoor, chief executive officer of brand and business strategy firm Harish Bijoor Consults Inc.

The brand Modi might have received a good boost after the demonetisation drive, however, the brand RBI, the monetary authority in charge of the Indian currency, may have taken a huge drubbing, brand experts told Firstpost's Sulekha Nair .

The cash crunch in cities seems to be easing. Just for a lark i went to 5-10 different ATMs on diff days and all yielded cash Queues shorter

(Cont) to deposit the same in any Issue Office of Reserve Bank or a currency chest on December 31, 2016 itself: RBI

SBNs (Specified bank notes) cannot form part of banks cash balances from the close of business as on December 31, 2016: RBI

Specified bank notes (SBNs) cannot form part of banks' cash balances from the close of business as on 31 December, 2016 to deposit the same in any Issue Office of Reserve Bank or a currency chest on 31 December, 2016 itself, RBI said.

Bihar: Tattered demonetised notes of Rs 500 found by locals in Gopalganj. Police on the spot for further investigation #DeMonetisation pic.twitter.com/QmYMDbFRsF

As time to submit demonetised notes comes to a close today, people queue up outside Reserve Bank of India's Kolkata branch #DeMonetisation pic.twitter.com/Ct3HHxhoMP

Delhi: Today being the last day to submit demonetised notes, people seen queuing up outside RBI #DeMonetisation pic.twitter.com/LjhkeRdacC

As time to submit demonetised notes comes to a close today, people queue up outside RBI offices across India

Fearing a jump in footfalls to deposit or withdraw cash following the demonetisation of Rs 500 and 1,000 banknotes, banks will remain open this Saturday and Sunday and its staff will do overtime till 9 pm for the next three days to clear the rush.

Banks also announced a slew of measures, including extension of banking hours, doing away with ATM charges and expanding credit limits to handle the expected huge rush to tender now defunct Rs 500 and 1000 notes.

Bankers have also been advised not to take additional leaves for the next one month, during which the government has asked holders of over 22 billion currency notes that are no longer legal tender, to deposit them in bank accounts.

For public convenience, banks will remain open on coming Saturday and Sunday, Economic Affairs Secretary Shaktikanta Das tweeted.

The Reserve Bank also came out with an order instructing all the banks to be open for business on the coming weekend, including Sunday. RBI also said ATMs will remain shut tomorrow as well.

The nation's largest lender State Bank of India was among the first to announce an extension in banking hours, till 6 pm tomorrow and also said each of its branches will be having a dedicated 'exchange counter' to change the currency notes.

ICICI Bank Managing Director and CEO Chanda Kochhar said the bank's branches will be open till 8 pm on Thursday and Friday. The bank also introduced a slew of relaxations on the electronic payments or withdrawals front.

All charges pertaining to cash deposit into one's accounts will be waived till 30 November and the fees for

transacting at ATMs will also be scrapped till 31 December, ICICI Bank said in a statement.

It has also doubled the daily usage limit of debit cards for use at merchant ends as well as online transactions.

Axis Bank has also waived cash handling charges, and done away with the five free transactions a month limit on its own ATMs and extended banking hours, its president Rajiv Anand told PTI.

While making the announcement to discontinue Rs 500 and 1,000 banknotes yesterday, the government had also announced closure of bank branches and ATMs today. It also announced the launch of newer notes of Rs 500 and Rs 2,000 from 10 November.

People holding to the older notes will be very keen to do away with them and also get the newer series banknotes of higher denomination when the bank branches reopen tomorrow. ICICI Bank said it is ensuring that Rs 2000 and the existing notes of Rs 100 notes are available at its 'main branches' from tomorrow.

It also announced an expansion of up to 20 per cent in the credit limits for 'worthy' customers using its credit cards.

Anand said there is no need for the customers to panic and appealed them to defer their visits to branches, pointing out that there is a 50-day limit to change the older notes.

Anand said the bank also expects a significant jump in alternate channels like the newly introduced UPI, points of sale terminals and mobile and online banking because of the RBI moves.

Kotak Mahindra Bank joint managing director Dipak Gupta said apart from the cultural change in adopting digital faster, we should also see a surge in activation of new bank accounts.

In the biggest-ever move to curb black money, and crime funding Prime Minister Narendra Modi had last night announced that Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 bank notes would become illegal tenders from last midnight and massively curbed cash withdrawals through ATMs and from bank counters.

"In order to meet the anticipated heavy demand from members of the public to conduct their banking transactions, it has been decided that banks shall remain open for public transactions on Saturday, 12 November, and Sunday, 13 November, 2016," RBI said in a statement.

Banks are advised to keep all their branches open on 12 and 13 November, 2016, as regular working days for

transacting all business, it said.

RBI also asked banks to give due publicity to the availability of banking services on these days.

As per the normal schedule, the coming Saturday being the second would have been an holiday, but keeping in view the expected rush at the branches, it was decided otherwise. It is, however, not clear whether post offices would be open or not on the weekend. There are about 1.25 lakh post offices across the country.

At the same time, the government and RBI are yet to take a call on keeping banks open on Monday, 14 November, which is a holiday.

There are about 149 scheduled commercial banks, including 56 regional rural banks, with branch network of about 1.30 lakh across the country. Besides, the cooperative banks have also been asked to take deposit and exchange the old with the new one.

The first demonetisation happened under the British rule in 1946 and the first one after the Independence on 16-17 January, 1978 when the Morarji Desai government demonetised bank notes of Rs 1000, 5000 and 10,000 notes.

The news triggered panic and people started queueing up at all ATMs or CDMs to either withdraw money or deposit Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes.

The banned Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes account for over 86 per cent of the total Rs 16.42 lakh crore value of bank notes in circulation as of 31 March, 2016, according to Reserve Bank's latest annual report.

For convenience of customers, Financial Services Secretary Anjuly Chib Duggal said banks will be working extra hours.

Meanwhile, SBI said all branches will remain open tomorrow with extended business hours up to 6 pm.

Kochhar said branch timings will be extended by two hours on 10-11 November and branches at prominent locations will remain open from 8 am to 8 pm.

Many other banks like HSBC and PNB has also announced extension of working hours.
DUBAI Iran is optimistic OPEC can reach a deal on limiting oil supplies and plans to announce its own decision about any output curbs at the group's meeting next week, Iranian Oil Minister Bijan Zanganeh said on the ministry's official website SHANA."The proposal of Algerian Energy Minister (Nouredine Bouterfa) on the production of each country was presented today and carefully studied," Zanganeh was quoted as saying on Saturday after meeting Bouterfa in Tehran.Bouterfa said Algeria's proposals called for 1.1 million barrels per day (bpd) in cuts by OPEC members and decreases totaling 600,000 bpd by non-members, SHANA reported."If OPEC members ... agree, oil prices will reach $50 to $55 next year and $60 by the end of the year," Bouterfa was quoted as saying.

The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries is moving closer toward finalizing its first deal to limit oil output since 2008 but Iran has been a stumbling block because it wants exemptions as it tries to regain oil market share following the easing of Western sanctions in January.

"We are to present our views about this proposal at the ... Nov. 30 OPEC meeting," Zanganeh said. "The general trend and public statements suggest that OPEC can reach a viable agreement for its production and market management." "If we can agree, and I am optimistic, (oil) prices will increase and this is also what the world economy demands."

(Reporting by Dubai newsroom; editing by David Clarke)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
By Vladimir Soldatkin and Diego Ore

| MOSCOW/CARACAS

MOSCOW/CARACAS World leaders paid tribute on Saturday to Fidel Castro, the Cuban revolutionary leader who built a communist state on the doorstep of the United States, but in death just as in life he divided opinion, and critics labelled him a "tyrant".Castro died on Friday aged 90, his younger brother and successor Raul Castro announced on state television.U.S. PRESIDENT, BARACK OBAMA:

U.S. President Barack Obama in a statement on Saturday offered his condolences to Fidel Castro's family and added that history would judge Castro's impact on Cuba and around the world."At this time of Fidel Castros passing, we extend a hand of friendship to the Cuban people," Obama said. "History will record and judge the enormous impact of this singular figure on the people and world around him."Obama added that during his own presidency he had worked to "put the past behind us," while working on a future that was built on those things that were in common.RUSSIAN PRESIDENT VLADIMIR PUTIN:

The free and independent Cuba, built by him and his comrades, has become an influential member of international society and served as an inspiring example for many countries and people. Fidel Castro was a frank and tried and true friend of Russia. He has make a great contribution into establishing and developing of Russo-Cuban ties, close strategic cooperation in all the spheres, the Kremlin said, citing Putins condolences telegram to Raul Castro.FORMER LEADER OF USSR, MIKHAIL GORBACHEV:

Mikhail Gorbachev, the final leader of the Soviet Union which had long acted as an economic and political prop for Cuba, said Castro left a lasting mark on his country and on world history."Fidel held his ground and strengthened his country at the time of the harshest American blockade, at the time of massive pressure on him," Gorbachev was quoted by Interfax news agency as saying."Nevertheless he led out his country from the blockade to the path of self-sustained and independent development."In a telegram of condolence to Raul Castro, Russian President Vladimir Putin called the late leader an "inspiring example for many countries"."Fidel Castro was a frank and tried and true friend of Russia," the Kremlin quoted the message as saying.CHINA PRESIDENT XI JINPING:

Chinese President Xi Jinping said in a statement that: "the Chinese people have lost a close comrade and a sincere friend".Xi hailed Castro for his contribution to the development of communism both in Cuba and around the world.FRENCH PRESIDENT, FRANCOIS HOLLANDE:

French President Francois Hollande mourned the loss of a major figure on the world stage and welcomed the rapprochement between Havana and Washington, while noting concerns over human rights under the Castro regime."Fidel Castro was a towering figure of the 20th century. He incarnated the Cuban revolution, in both its hopes and subsequent disillusionments," Hollande said in a statement."France, which condemned human rights abuses in Cuba, had equally challenged the U.S. embargo on Cuba, and France was glad to see the two countries re-establish dialogue and open ties between themselves," added the Socialist party leader.

Hollande met Fidel Castro in May, 2015 during the first ever visit by a French head of state to Cuba since the Cuban revolution.UK FOREIGN MINISTER, BORIS JOHNSON:

"The UK expresses its condolences to the government and people of Cuba, and to the former Presidents family. Fidel Castros death marks the end of an era for Cuba and the start of a new one for Cubas people.""Fidel Castros leadership of the 1959 Cuban Revolution marked him out as an historic if controversial figure. The UK will continue to work with the government of Cuba on a wide range of foreign policy priorities, including on human rights."EU COMMISSION PRESIDENT, JEAN-CLAUDE JUNCKER:

Fidel Castro was one of the historic figures of the past century and the embodiment of the Cuban Revolution. With the death of Fidel Castro, the world has lost a man who was a hero for many. He changed the course of his country and his influence reached far beyond. Fidel Castro remains one of the revolutionary figures of the 20th century. His legacy will be judged by history."VENEZUELA PRESIDENT, NICOLAS MADURO:

In Venezuela, a long-time ally of Cuba and staunch opponent of the political stance of the United States, President Nicolas Maduro said Castro had inspired and would continue to inspire his country."We will keep on winning and keep fighting. Fidel Castro is an example of the fight for all the people of the world. We will go forward with his legacy," Maduro told television station Telesur by telephone.BOLIVIA PRESIDENT, EVO MORALES:

In Bolivia, where Ernesto "Che" Guevara died in 1967 in a failed bid to export Cuba's revolution, President Evo Morales said in a statement: "Fidel Castro left us a legacy of having fought for the integration of the world's peoples ... The departure of Comandante Fidel Castro really hurts."ECUADOR PRESIDENT, RAFAEL CORREA:

Ecuadorean President Rafael Correa said: "A great has left us. Fidel has died. Long live Cuba! Long live Latin America!"SOUTH AFRICA PRESIDENT, JACOB ZUMA:

South African President Jacob Zuma had warm words, thanking the Cuban leader for his help and support in the struggle to overthrow apartheid."President Castro identified with our struggle against apartheid. He inspired the Cuban people to join us in our own struggle against apartheid," Zuma said in a statement.CANADIAN PRIME MINISTER, JUSTIN TRUDEAU:

"A legendary revolutionary and orator, Mr. Castro made significant improvements to the education and healthcare of his island nation."While a controversial figure, both Mr. Castro's supporters and detractors recognized his tremendous dedication and love for the Cuban people who had a deep and lasting affection for "el Comandante", Trudeau said in a statement.

VIETNAM PRIME MINISTER NGUYEN XUAN PHUC AND PRESIDENT TRAN DAI QUANG:

In a letter to the Cuban people:"In the hour of this infinite suffering, the Communists and the people of Vietnam again reaffirm the solidarity and steadfast fighting spirit with the Communists and the Cuban brothers.""The bright life and immortal career of comrade Fidel Castro will forever live in the glorious revolutionary mission of the Cuban people and other nations striving to build a fair, civilized, democratic, prosperous and happy life."SYRIA PRESIDENT, BASHAR AL-ASSAD:

President al-Assad said in a telegram to the Cuban leadership:"Cuba, our friend, managed under his leadership to withstand the strongest sanctions and oppressive campaigns witnessed in our recent history, becoming a beacon of liberation for the people of South America, and the people of the entire world. Fidel Castro's name will live forever in the minds of generations and will inspire those aspiring to true independence and liberation from the yoke of colonialism and hegemony."TURKISH FOREIGN MINISTRY STATEMENT:

The Turkish foreign ministry said Castro "left a legacy of values and ideals that will set a path for the young generations in Cuba.""The struggle to which he dedicated his life aroused respect, even in different political camps, and resounded not just in Cuba but around the world. He stood up against global injustice and worked for the establishment of a world with greater equality and solidarity," it said in a statement.LEBANESE PRESIDENT MICHEL AOUN:

In a telegram to Raul Castro:"The commander of the cuban revolution left for almost a century a mark on the world's conscience thanks to his long experience, his power to persuade and the esteem with which he was beheld, so that his political attitudes and national debates became a unique approach of its own." "Fidel Castro's memory will remain an impetus for Cuba's present and future."KENYA OPPOSITION LEADER, RAILA ODINGA:

Veteran Kenyan opposition leader Raila Odinga, whose son born in 1973 was named Fidel Castro Odhiambo Odinga in honour of the Cuban leader, said in a statement:"In many ways, Castro was a great friend and true friend of Africa and other parts of the world that had to fight long and bitter wars to attain freedom from colonialism."Castro stood very firmly on the side of Africans who were fighting for the continents liberation from colonialism especially in Congo (now DRC), Angola, Mozambique, Namibia and South Africa."In the case of Apartheid South Africa, Castro was one of the very few voices to speak against that system that was founded on a false sense of racial superiority with dire economic consequences for black people."Odinga's son Fidel died in 2015. (Additional reporting by Reuters bureaus.; Editing by Mike Collett-White)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
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The terror strike was different in a sense that for the first time, terrorists trained in Pakistan, used the sea route to enter India. The terrorists who participated in 26/11 Mumbai attacks were highly trained and were preparing for this strike for quite a long time.

Today, eight years back, India experienced one of it's worst terrorist attacks when a group of 10 terrorists associated with Lashkar-e-Tayiba (LeT) attacked country's financial capital Mumbai and left the entire nation in shock.

TV visuals show that Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis paid tribute to the martyrs and victims of Mumbai attacks who died fighting the ten terrrorists this day eight years ago.

In a series of tweets, Minister of State for External Affairs VK Singh said 26 November was a reminder of "cowardice". Singh,early on Satuday took to Twitter and said, ""One of those mornings when you wake up with a heavy heart.Can't help but think of all those who lost their lives in the Mumbai attacks. For those whose lives were altered forever due to the loss of a loved one."

Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tribute to the martyrs and victims of 26/11 Mumbai attacks in Hyderabad. According to reports, the prime minister is in Hyderabad to attend a security summit along with Home Minister Rajnath Singh.

#INDIA will never forget the barbaric #MumbaiAttacks . I offer my humblest condolences to all the families that lost a loved one (4/4)

You feel for the families, of the civilians and the brave law enforcement officers who lost their lives to an act of #cowardice & #terrorism

One of those mornings when you wake up with a heavy heart.Can't help but think of all those who lost their lives in the #MumbaiAttacks (1/n)

In a series of tweets, Minister of State for External Affairs VK Singh said 26 November was a reminder of "cowardice". Singh,early on Satuday took to Twitter and said, ""One of those mornings when you wake up with a heavy heart.Can't help but think of all those who lost their lives in the Mumbai attacks. For those whose lives were altered forever due to the loss of a loved one."

CNN-News18 reports that the prime minister might address the nation on the occasion of eighth anniversary of Mumbai attacks and will speak on how demonetisation will cut terrorism at its sources.

Reports said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who happens to be in Hyderabad where he is attending the security summit at the National Police Academy, has a day of meetings ahead of him.

Formed after the 26/11 terror attacks, PCGT has been in the forefront of the fight to get CCTV cameras installed at public places in Mumbai.

Public Concern for Governance Trust (PCGT) an NGO, in association with the National Centre for Performing Arts (NCPA), is organising an event, "Unity in diversitytogether we remember 26/11", at NCPA's Jamshed Bhabha Theatre on Saturday, The Times of India reports.

Formed after the 26/11 terror attacks, PCGT has been in the forefront of the fight to get CCTV cameras installed at public places in Mumbai.

Public Concern for Governance Trust (PCGT) an NGO, in association with the National Centre for Performing Arts (NCPA), is organising an event, "Unity in diversitytogether we remember 26/11", at NCPA's Jamshed Bhabha Theatre on Saturday, The Times of India reports.

"I pay homage to the brave policemen who fought for Mumbai's safety and laid down their lives for us on 26/11. We are proud of them and we will strive hard for safety and security of our state," Fadnavis said. "We will strengthen police force with better equipment. It is our priority," he said.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Saurday was among the dignitaries who paid homage at the 26/11 police memorial site at the Mumbai Police Gymkhana in south Mumbai.

It has been eight years since 10 terrorists, trained in Pakistan, entered Mumbai and caused havoc across South Mumbai. The terrorists had entered into the heart of the financial capital of India marching unafraid with only one aim  to cause mayhem and death. At least 164 people were killed and 308 were injured. And they did so for three days, launching coordinated attacks that included hotels, a train station, a hospital and a Jewish community centre.

How it happened:

According to revelations made by Pakistani-American terrorist David Coleman Headley who turned approver in the case, 10 terrorists made two unsuccessful attempts to attack Mumbai before they landed on Mumbai shores on 26 November in 2008.

An India TV report offers a detailed account of how they reached Mumbai. According to the report, the terrorists set sail towards India on 23 November on a hijacked Indian trawler named the Kuber. Seven kilometres off Mumbai shores, the terrorists got on inflatable speedboats. Disguised as students, six of them got off at Macchimar Nagar, in Mumbai's Cuffe Parade neighbourhood, while the rest four came ashore at Badhwar Park.

CST Station: The terrorists than headed to their respective targets, attacking anything that came their way. According to The Indian Express, four militants (one of them being Ajmal Kasab, the lone terrorist who was captured alive) started firing inside the CST station on the night of 26 November. "The attack had left 52 dead and injured over a 100 others. The firing ended at about 10:45 pm," the report said.

Nariman House: Meanwhile, terrorists managed to enter Chabad House (a Jewish community centre) in Colaba. The militants exchanged fire for the next two days torturing the residents of the building. According to The Indian Express, which visited the site after the terrorists were killed, "the site resembled much like a global conflict zone. More than 30 grenades had been hurled. Small craters were all over the floor and bullet marks all across the walls. The stench of decomposed bodies was unbearable. The bodies of the two terrorists lay on the fourth floor."

The Oberoi-Trident: The first victim to fall at the Oberoi-Trident attack was the gatekeeper of the Trident Hotel. According to reports, foreign nationals were the main target of the attack. By the end of the 40-hour seize, 143 hostages were rescued alive and 24 bodies were recovered.

Taj Mahal Palace Hotel: The burning dome of the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel with dark smoke emanating from it has become one of the iconic images of the 26/11 attacks. The attack on the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel made it clear that the terrorist knew about the place. This was further proven during the depositions by Headley, where he said that the terrorists had a mock of the hotel as well as GPS locations of their targets that he had provided. The terrorists were killed after 60 hours of fire exchange between them and the NSG commandos. Around 30 people died in the attack.

Leopold Cafe: On the evening of 26 November, two gunmen opened fire at Leopold Cafe, killing around 10 people and injuring many others.

Timed bombs: According to an India TV report, two taxis were also targeted in the city using time bombs  one at Vile Parle that killed a driver and a passenger and another at Wadi Bunder that killed three including the driver and injured 15.

Who was behind the attack:

Several investigations and statements given by Headley, have revealed that Hafiz Saeed, leader of Jama'at-ud-Da'wah (JuD) was the mastermind behind the attacks. Headley also revealed the involvement of Pakistan's Army and ISI. India has requested to name Saeed as a terrorist, a move which has been often blocked by China. Ajmal Kasab, the lone terrorist, caught alive was hanged after a special court found him guilty in November 2012. His hanging was carried out secretly by the Maharashtra government. According to reports, the government spent Rs 1.47 crore on Kasab when he was lodged at the Arthur Road jail for four years. Out of the total amount, Rs 1.46 crore was spent on security, Rs 39,000 on his medical expenses, Rs 42,000 on food and Rs 1,878 on clothes.

RPF continues to be ignored: The attacks highlighted how ill-prepared and ill-equipped Indian security forces were when it came to dealing with trained infiltrators like those who attacked Mumbai eight years ago. While frisking and metal detectors have become mandatory in all public places including railway and malls, and India now has its own elite force of commandos called Force One, the wait for a specialised commando training centre for the Railway Protection Force continues to be trapped in the files, reported DNA.

"The need for a commando training facility was felt after the nation was subjected to painful images of helplessness of RPF personnel during the 26/11 terror raid on Mumbai in 2008," the report said, adding, "RPF constables, armed with British-vintage .303 rifles, first tried to ward off the two terrorists at CST that day. But when most of the British-vintage .303 rifles jammed, these personnel had little choice but to duck for cover from the assault rifle fire from the terrorists."

According to the report, around Rs 26.70 crore was sanctioned and railway construction firm Ircon was appointed to construct a commando training facility for the RPF at Canning in the South Parganas district in West Bengal. But the plan was dropped in 2013 due to hassles in land acquisition.

Security remains a concern: However, security remains a major concern for India. This year alone we saw two attacks, one on an airport base and another in an army camp, both carried out by foreign militants.

Compensation not offered to the dead and their families: What is more saddening is that even after eight years, the Maharashtra state government has compensated only 102 families (of the 166 that died) with the Rs 3 lakh compensation that the government had promised, India Today reported.

That's not all, though. The state government even failed to seek reports on victims who were not from the state of Maharashtra if they received the due compensation. The state has also not bothered to check whether or not kin of the officials from the police/NSG Commandos/Home Guard (it has no information on 15 officials) who died during the attacks received the promised compensation of Rs 25 lakhs.

According to Indian Express, the government has further stated that it is yet to receive information from embassies for disbursement of compensation to legal heirs of 26 foreigners who died in the attacks.

(With inputs from IANS)
It has been eight years since 10 terrorists, trained in Pakistan, entered Mumbai and caused havoc across South Mumbai. The terrorists had entered into the heart of the financial capital of India marching unafraid with only one aim  to cause mayhem and death. At least 164 people were killed and 308 were injured. And they did so for three days, launching coordinated attacks that included hotels, a train station, a hospital and a Jewish community centre.

How it happened:

According to revelations made by Pakistani-American terrorist David Coleman Headley who turned approver in the case, 10 terrorists made two unsuccessful attempts to attack Mumbai before they landed on Mumbai shores on 26 November in 2008.

An India TV report offers a detailed account of how they reached Mumbai. According to the report, the terrorists set sail towards India on 23 November on a hijacked Indian trawler named the Kuber. Seven kilometres off Mumbai shores, the terrorists got on inflatable speedboats. Disguised as students, six of them got off at Macchimar Nagar, in Mumbai's Cuffe Parade neighbourhood, while the rest four came ashore at Badhwar Park.

CST Station: The terrorists than headed to their respective targets, attacking anything that came their way. According to The Indian Express, four militants (one of them being Ajmal Kasab, the lone terrorist who was captured alive) started firing inside the CST station on the night of 26 November. "The attack had left 52 dead and injured over a 100 others. The firing ended at about 10:45 pm," the report said.

Nariman House: Meanwhile, terrorists managed to enter Chabad House (a Jewish community centre) in Colaba. The militants exchanged fire for the next two days torturing the residents of the building. According to The Indian Express, which visited the site after the terrorists were killed, "the site resembled much like a global conflict zone. More than 30 grenades had been hurled. Small craters were all over the floor and bullet marks all across the walls. The stench of decomposed bodies was unbearable. The bodies of the two terrorists lay on the fourth floor."

The Oberoi-Trident: The first victim to fall at the Oberoi-Trident attack was the gatekeeper of the Trident Hotel. According to reports, foreign nationals were the main target of the attack. By the end of the 40-hour seize, 143 hostages were rescued alive and 24 bodies were recovered.

Taj Mahal Palace Hotel: The burning dome of the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel with dark smoke emanating from it has become one of the iconic images of the 26/11 attacks. The attack on the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel made it clear that the terrorist knew about the place. This was further proven during the depositions by Headley, where he said that the terrorists had a mock of the hotel as well as GPS locations of their targets that he had provided. The terrorists were killed after 60 hours of fire exchange between them and the NSG commandos. Around 30 people died in the attack.

Leopold Cafe: On the evening of 26 November, two gunmen opened fire at Leopold Cafe, killing around 10 people and injuring many others.

Timed bombs: According to an India TV report, two taxis were also targeted in the city using time bombs  one at Vile Parle that killed a driver and a passenger and another at Wadi Bunder that killed three including the driver and injured 15.

Who was behind the attack:

Several investigations and statements given by Headley, have revealed that Hafiz Saeed, leader of Jama'at-ud-Da'wah (JuD) was the mastermind behind the attacks. Headley also revealed the involvement of Pakistan's Army and ISI. India has requested to name Saeed as a terrorist, a move which has been often blocked by China. Ajmal Kasab, the lone terrorist, caught alive was hanged after a special court found him guilty in November 2012. His hanging was carried out secretly by the Maharashtra government. According to reports, the government spent Rs 1.47 crore on Kasab when he was lodged at the Arthur Road jail for four years. Out of the total amount, Rs 1.46 crore was spent on security, Rs 39,000 on his medical expenses, Rs 42,000 on food and Rs 1,878 on clothes.

RPF continues to be ignored: The attacks highlighted how ill-prepared and ill-equipped Indian security forces were when it came to dealing with trained infiltrators like those who attacked Mumbai eight years ago. While frisking and metal detectors have become mandatory in all public places including railway and malls, and India now has its own elite force of commandos called Force One, the wait for a specialised commando training centre for the Railway Protection Force continues to be trapped in the files, reported DNA.

"The need for a commando training facility was felt after the nation was subjected to painful images of helplessness of RPF personnel during the 26/11 terror raid on Mumbai in 2008," the report said, adding, "RPF constables, armed with British-vintage .303 rifles, first tried to ward off the two terrorists at CST that day. But when most of the British-vintage .303 rifles jammed, these personnel had little choice but to duck for cover from the assault rifle fire from the terrorists."

According to the report, around Rs 26.70 crore was sanctioned and railway construction firm Ircon was appointed to construct a commando training facility for the RPF at Canning in the South Parganas district in West Bengal. But the plan was dropped in 2013 due to hassles in land acquisition.

Security remains a concern: However, security remains a major concern for India. This year alone we saw two attacks, one on an airport base and another in an army camp, both carried out by foreign militants.

Compensation not offered to the dead and their families: What is more saddening is that even after eight years, the Maharashtra state government has compensated only 102 families (of the 166 that died) with the Rs 3 lakh compensation that the government had promised, India Today reported.

That's not all, though. The state government even failed to seek reports on victims who were not from the state of Maharashtra if they received the due compensation. The state has also not bothered to check whether or not kin of the officials from the police/NSG Commandos/Home Guard (it has no information on 15 officials) who died during the attacks received the promised compensation of Rs 25 lakhs.

According to Indian Express, the government has further stated that it is yet to receive information from embassies for disbursement of compensation to legal heirs of 26 foreigners who died in the attacks.

(With inputs from IANS)
The Chief Justice of India TS Thakur on Saturday took on the Centre and said that the central government is not ready to give proper facilities to judiciary. In principle, the CJI said, the judiciary was not against the formation of Tribunals because it would relieve court duties, but the problem arose from the lack of adequate infrastructure provided to the Tribunals.

Lambasting the Narendra Modi government further, CJI said vacancy, apart from infrastructure, is a major concern for Tribunals. He also expressed his displeasure on the issue of vacancy and said, "Several tribunals are empty. I am pained to send my retired colleagues there."

Thakur has often been critical of the government and has given statements in the past concerning issues plaguing the judiciary system in the country. Thakur claimed that Tribunals are not equipped and said, "Tribunals are not equipped and are lying empty. Today a situation has come that when no retired Supreme Court judge wants to head the Tribunal. I am pained to send my retired colleagues there. Government is not ready to give proper facilities. Vacancy apart from infrastructure is a major concern for the Tribunal."

Hinting that the government was not doing enough about filling the vacancies, Thakur questioned government's resolve to do anything about it and said, "There are around 500 vacancies in High Courts today. 500 High Court judges should be working today, they are not working." In a series of tweets, ANI reported:

Advance ruling is not having its chairman,Armed Forces appellate Tribunal is without a chairman, competition commission without chairman: CJI pic.twitter.com/G3hhxNscq2  ANI (@ANI_news) November 26, 2016

Appointments have been made.121 or so sch appointments have come,but large no. of proposals still pending,hope Govt attends to them also: CJI pic.twitter.com/1NqzDwvwDo  ANI (@ANI_news) November 26, 2016

Around 500 vacancies in High courts today, 500 HC judges should be working today; they are not working: TS Thakur,CJI pic.twitter.com/nbyIKcanB7  ANI (@ANI_news) November 26, 2016

Responding to Thakur's allegations, Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said that the government "respectfully" disagreed with the Chief Justice of India and said that this year 120 judges were appointed:

We respectfully disagree with him; this year 120 judges were appointed: Union Minister RS Prasad on CJI TS Thakur pic.twitter.com/eoNobExmB2  ANI (@ANI_news) November 26, 2016

In the past too, Thakur on public platforms, has made several demands for expediting the appointment of judges. He had accused the central government of sitting on the appointments and claimed that the Centres attitude had brought the entire legal system to a grinding halt.

In April, the CJI had made an emotional appeal to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and broke down several times in his half-an-hour speech at the chief justices conference. He had urged the prime minister to speed up the delivery of justice in the country. According to a report by The Hindu, "Therefore not only in the name of the litigant the poor litigant languishing in jail but also in the name of the country and progress, I beseech you to realise that it is not enough to criticise the judiciary you cannot shift the entire burden to the judiciary," Thakur had said in an emotional address to the government.

On 18 November, the Supreme Court collegium had refused to accept the government's rejection of 43 of the 77 names that were recommended for the judicial appointments in the High Courts. The government had made appointments of 37 names. Regarding the issue, Thakur had said that "We (Collegium) have already met. We have reiterated all the 43 names sent to us."
Demonetisation has dealt a body blow to the demand for gold, a must-have accessory in Indian weddings. Demand for gold jewellery has dropped down as much as 80 percent with gold stores seeing drastically reduced footfalls and low volumes."Yeh season toh gaya," said Sumeet Anand, proprietor, of Indore-based Punjabi Saraf Jewellers, a 70-year-old store. This is the sentiment that is being echoed by most jewellers whom Firstpost spoke to.

When Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced demonetisation late on 8 November, there were many who rushed to their family jewellers and made big ticket purchases. There were reports that some jewellers were willing to backdate bills to enable those with black money and annulled notes to convert it into jewellery.

With the government raiding many jewelers subsequently who helped people buy jewellery and also reports of gold being sold at a premium against black money has since stemmed the tide towards buying of jewellery.

Since 9 November, the rush for gold has petered down to a trickle. The demand is down to almost 80 percent now, said the jewellers.

The reason for the fall can be pinned down to the prevailing circumstances in the country with availability of limited cash from banks and ATMs, said Sreedhar GV, chairman, All India Gems and Jewellery Trade Federation. We are witnessing a drop of around 75-80 percent. If there is not much circulation of money in the country due to demonetisation, business cannot be buoyant, he said.

Cash crunch

On 8 November, when the PM announced the demonetisation in his televised address, he had said, From 10th November till 24th November the limit for such exchange will be 4,000 rupees. From 25th November till 30th December, the limit will be increased. The limit was then reduced to Rs 2,000 and then completely discontinued from Friday (25 November).

The cash crunch with flip-flops of the government announcement has severely affected peoples daily lives. In such a situation, the priority of most would not be to shop for gold ornaments. For jewellers, this is particularly painful as November is the start of the high-demand wedding season in several parts of the country.

The big-ticket jewellery shopping has been slashed and even gifts for close relatives have been pruned substantially. Earlier, customers would buy jewellery amounting to Rs 15-20 lakhs. But now that has come down drastically to a couple of lakhs for the bride. There is no scope to buy gifts for relatives in these circumstances. That has become a luxury, said Sreedhar.

The major change in the buying pattern is that cash is being replaced largely by cheques or online payment methods. The cash component earlier would be 80:20 with the latter being cheque or online payment modes, which has now become almost equal at 50:50, said a jeweller from Mumbai.

Anand, proprietor, Punjabi Saraf Jewellers, has witnessed a slow rise in footfalls after November 15. He said that being the wedding season people are forced to buy jewellery as it is a tradition in the Indian weddings.

After Diwali, which, incidentally, was a very good season for us this year, the wedding season is the next big highlight for us. But post demonetisation, we are seeing very few gold sales, said Anand.

The pattern of gold shopping for this season too has undergone a change. Earlier, weddings meant buying of new jewellery through cash and online payments. But now, old gold is being sold and new ones are being purchased in exchange. Though bridal jewellery is being bought in smaller quantities, the quantum has been reduced for everyone else in the brides family, and in some instances done away with unless avoidable. Earlier, buying chain and pendant sets of Rs 50,000 for close relatives was a norm, but now that is not to be seen so far this season, said Anand.

Jewellers admit there is indeed black money in the sector, but while flushing it out lock, stock and barrel, there are certain concerns. We have housewives coming to us with their savings over the years for a special occasion and are now in a fix with the annulled notes in their possession. They are dazed and worried about what to do with that money. But there is nothing we can do to help them, said a jeweller from Chhatisgarh.

With no surplus cash in hand to buy jewellery, the wedding season in the country has lost its sparkle. When people are finding it to run their daily requirements on limited cash, they are not in a mood to even think about jewellery shopping. Gold is not an essential commodity after all, reasons Asok Minawala, partner in the 80-year-old store Mumbai-based Danabhai Jewellers and Sons. He has seen only small ticket buyers in the range of Rs 8-10 this wedding season.

In the south, the wedding season is on only until December and then mahurats or auspicious days begin post-January 15 till mid-March. But demonetisation has brought down business to almost 90 percent in the South. We thought there would be hardly any business post-demonetisation, said Ananthapadmanabhan, MD, NAC Jewellers, a 43-year-old jewellery chain with nine stores in Chennai, but is thankful that the wedding season has brought in a business of 20-25 percent.

Usually, the big ticket buyers purchase their jewellery months in advance. It is the middle and lower middle classes who make their purchases closer to the wedding dates, he said, adding that the latter's purchases have been negligible so far. The footfalls to the store has begun to pick up to almost 20-25 percent because of small ticket purchases. After mid-December, non resident Indians arrive in the country to attend weddings or to buy jewellery, said Ananthapadmanabhan. He was worried wondering how their shopping behaviour would turn out to be under the prevailing circumstances post-demonetisation in the country.

In the East in Calcutta too, limited shopping and footfalls have watered down the otherwise bright time of wedding season buys. P C Jewellers said the demand for wedding jewellery has fallen up to 60 percent due to the demonetisation. The company expects the pent-up demand to drive revenue growth in the coming months.

Fall in prices

At the beginning of October, gold prices had tumbled to Rs 30,020 per 10 grams, after a month of steady run at around Rs 31,000. The price on Dhanteras, an auspicious day for buying gold, was at Rs 30,590 per 10 grams in the national capital, about 16.6 percent higher than price on the corresponding day in 2015.

With prices currently further down at Rs 29,000, jewellers say the current sentiment should change once people are able to access their money in banks.

What the market is witnessing is a course correction, say jewellers and are confident that though the marriage season sales have been impacted by demonetisation, the business will peak in the next quarter.

Indias gold exports were up 10 percent and diamond exports 15 percent in the last two months, said Praveenshankar Pandya, chairman, Gems & Jewellery Export Promotion Council. The total diamond exports were around Rs 1,900 crore and is expected to clock Rs 2,000-2,100 crore next year, he said. With regard to gold jewellery exports, it was lower at Rs 3,800 crore this year against over Rs 4,000 crore last year, he said.

Pandya said the good impact of demonetisation on the trade would be for the traditional clusters like Zaveri Bazaar in Mumbai, for instance, and other such gold bazaars in the country to move into jewellery parks so that around 15 million NRIs too can shop more easily. It will also generate more employment upward of 5 billion if more parks are set up across the country, said Pandya.

The trade is hopeful that with the course correction in the industry, the temporary slump in demand will see growth and better sales next quarter.
Kolkata: The Left parties in West Bengal on Saturday took out a rally in Kolkata and decided to fly the red flag at half mast for three days at their respective offices across the state as a mark of respect to Cuban leader Fidel Castro.

Led by Left Front chairman Biman Bose and CPI(M) state secretary Surya Kanta Mishra, 18 Left parties, including the CPI, CPI(M), All India Forward Bloc, RSP, Communist Party of India-Marxist Leninist (Liberation), took out the rally from the Lenin statue at Esplanade to Ram Lila Maidan at Entally in central Kolkata.

Condoling the demise of the legendary communist leader, Mishra said, "Fidel Castro will continue to inspire all struggles for social transformation through revolution. He will inspire generations. We salute the relentless fighter."

Cuba's former president and communist icon Castro, who led a rebel army to an improbable victory in his country, died in Havana at the age of 90. Once a Left citadel, Bengal and Castro shared a bond as the Cuban had a stopover at the city airport while returning from Hanoi on his way to Cuba in September, 1973. He was received by the then top communist leaders of Bengal, Jyoti Basu and Promode Dasgupta, at the airport.

In September 1993, Basu, then the chief minister of West Bengal, had visited Havana, 20 years after Castro's visit to Kolkata, to convey his moral and political support to the Cuban revolution.
Ameriabank: At the Vanguard of Armenia's Banking Sector

STATEMENT OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY OF THE REPUBLIC OF ARTSAKH

SUBSCRIBERS OF UCOMS ALL TIME BEST OFFER TO ENJOY ADDITIONAL BENEFITS

Armenia-Azerbaijan: EU sets up monitoring capacity along the international borders

PACE co-rapporteurs on Armenia concerned by reports of alleged war crimes or inhuman treatment perpetrated by Azerbaijans armed forces

There is still 35% gender pay gap: Sona Ghazaryan

Global Finance Names Ameriabank the Safest Bank in Armenia

Mikayel and Karen Vardanyans provided 136 million AMD support for the overhaul of the Myasnikyan statue, which was in unsafe state of disrepair

Believe me, as a representative of a country which uses the Schengen system very often, it is quite important. Vardanyan

I really look forward to having answers from the Azerbaijani side for these alleged gross human rights violations: Secretary General

I call on Armenian and Azerbaijani parliamentarians to use this Assembly as an agora of opportunities President Tiny Kox

UCOMS SPECIAL OFFER OF THE UNLIMITED INTERNET IS NOW TERMLESS

There is no place for the death penalty in a State that respects human rights: PACE General Rapporteur

EU and CoE call on two Member States that have not yet acceded to this Protocol  Armenia and Azerbaijan  to do so without delay

An urgent debate requested on "The military hostilities between Armenia and Azerbaijan".

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The statement of the meeting between Prime Minister Pashinyan, President Aliyev, President Macron and President Michel of October 6, 2022

Largest Corporate Bond Program at the Securities Market of Armenia Completed Successfully

The statement of the Defender on the video of the execution of Armenian PoWs by the Azerbaijani armed forces

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STATEMENT BY SECRETARY ANTONY J. BLINKEN

This criminal act is another proof that the Armenophobia policy. Tatoyan

Nikol Pashinyan, Nancy Pelosi discuss a number of issues related to the Armenian-American agenda and regional developments

Delegation by Nancy Pelosi Accompanied by Alen Simonyan Visits Tsitsernakaberd Memorial Complex

Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi Arrives in Yerevan

Armenian Revytech, global technology leader SAP and financial services software specialist SAP Fioneer sign a cooperation agreement

With 120 million drams donated by Mikael Vardanyan, the defenders of the homeland will be treated in a new building

OSCE Chairman-in-Office and OSCE Secretary General call for immediate cessation of hostilities along Armenia-Azerbaijan border

Statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Artsakh
By Maya Palitn

"We were made to sit like dogs in the station for four days. I was mentally tortured and decided to drop the case," a 32-year-old rape survivor told the Times of India earlier this month, speaking about her attempt to register a complaint against her alleged rapists at Peramangalam police station in Kerala.

About two years ago, she was told that her husband had been in an accident, then forced into a vehicle by four of her husband's friends, taken to an empty house and gang-raped. She narrated her account to the dubbing artist and talk-show host Bhagya Lakshmi, of how the police officers had taunted her at the time with appalling questions about the incident, such as, "Which rapist gave you the most pleasure?"

Lakshmi subsequently publicised the case on social media, which prompted a call from chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who assured her that he would ensure the case would be investigated.

Despite the public outrage and such high-level political intervention, however, the police continue to exhibit shocking indifference to the case; they have been stupendously slow to act, and hadn't even bothered to interrogate the perpetrators, one of whom is PN Jayanthan, a Communist Party of India (Marxist) committee member and municipal councillor. This has led to the case being mired in what may become a tussle between political parties: Congress MLA Anil Akkara has accused the police of siding with the accused, before the CPM hit back for apparently revealing the name of the survivor. Akkara also urged the state police chief to put a new investigative team on the case, claiming that the CPM had interfered in the probe.

More recently, an investigation team, led by a female police official named G Poonguzhali, stated on Wednesday that it would be impossible for them to summon or arrest the accused because they lack "scientific evidence" of the rape and the necessary information to establish the exact spot where the crime took place. This is directly contrary to Palakkad ASP Poonguzhali's previous statement, which indicated that the police would also rely on the testimonies of witnesses. The ridiculous demand that a woman who was forced into a moving car must be able to identify the precise location where the crime took place two years ago, is all too obviously a strategy for stalling the investigation.

Bhagya Lakshmi has responded to this illogical argument, saying she had lost confidence in the police investigation. "A woman was forcibly pushed inside the vehicle and subjected to harassment. In such a situation, how could the victim mark all those places? Police say they will take up the case if the victim provides all evidence. If so, why are we seeking the help of police?"

She expressed more hope in the National Commission for Women, which has recorded the victim's statement and set up a three-member committee to probe the mental harassment inflicted on the victim by the police officer.

A protest march in Thrissur condemning police inaction and calling for Jayanthan's arrest turned violent on Friday, and was followed up by a hartal a day later, but the police remain adamant that there is not enough information to go forward with the case, even though the probe was initiated almost three weeks ago.

Clearly, political and media attention still provides no guarantee for gender justice in India. After the police faced heavy criticism for its shoddy work, a team of top police officials admitted that there had, in fact, been misconduct and inattentiveness on their part. After further public outcry, the government suspended the officer who had subjected the victim to humiliation during her first complaint. Since then, however, the police's response has been to dig in its heels, close ranks, and protect each other rather than get on with rectifying their mistakes. Instead of conducting a thorough investigation, they have now challenged the survivor to take the case to court, without which they will not lift a finger.

In the aftermath of the Nirbhaya rape case, several reports exposed how police mistreatment of rape survivors served to discourage them from coming forward, with one claiming that 95 out of 100 victims were subjected to unfriendly procedures or police harassment while reporting their experiences. One article also expressed anxiety about the fact that police lethargy and inadequate protection of victims leaves them at risk of being attacked again, as in the Haryana case this summer, where a Dalit woman was hunted down after three years and raped by her previous assaulters.

It is necessary to revisit these anxieties in cases like the Thrissur incident because its being old and posing technical difficulties is no excuse for the police to decide to not even try to investigate such cases. By refraining from even questioning the perpetrators, the police are blithely continuing their deliberate and outrageous miscarriage of justice.
This is a story of dedication and resilience to bounce back after nasty knocks: Sonam Wangchuk, the Ladakh-based innovator and educationist, has initiated plans for a huge, work-oriented, job-generating and work-sustained new university.

It would have been an ambitious vision even for the one born with a silver spoon. But for the one whose life has been a roller-coaster ride, this step is amazing.

Wangchuks vision is as global as it is local: the place will regenerate glaciers in its vicinity  which is sometimes called 'the third pole'  in order to reverse climate change.

It will aim for 'zero waste', not just for sustainability but to 'inculcate a culture of zero waste' among its students. 'Please live simply in the cities so that we can simply live' in the mountains, he urged his audience while launching a fund-raising drive in New Delhi on Friday.

The motive to build the university is to initiate an environment-recovery-cum-democracy-inculcating-cum-employment-generating-cum-town-sustaining movement. Wangchuk hopes a town similar to Leh will grow in the area around the university, where his innovative ice stupas will turn from desert to greenery.

Ten days after he won a global prize for innovation, for an ice stupa prototype, he used a public lecture on Friday to launch a fund-raising effort to seed the proposed university and its environs. Having invested his $ 150,000 prize money, which amounts to about a crore of rupees, into the fund, he hopes to raise Rs 50 crore from the public at large.

The Leh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC) has already allocated 200 acres land for the university, a project of the Students Educational and Cultural Movement Of Ladakh (SECMOL) which Wangchuk had launched in 1994. He has, in turn, offered the LAHDC a 33 percent stake in the project.

He proposes to install a series of ice stupas above the premises, to provide water during the lean season. He hopes that water would sustain greenery around the university and sustain a bustling university town which has a rugged desert landscape today.

Wangchuk's roller-coaster life

Wangchuk had revolutionised education in Leh district beginning two decades ago. That was a huge task since Indias second largest district sprawls across some of the highest inhabited mountains in the world; many hamlets are isolated in the worlds most challenging terrain. The district schools often had a failure rate of 85 to 90 percent. Seeing this, Wangchuk had given up his engineering studies and turned to grassroots initiatives to improve schooling. He set up a wonderful little school full of busting energy just above the Indus a little upriver from Leh. Wangchuks team used mud and other local building materials; innovative design brought warmth during winters and cool during summers without any power-consuming heating. Rather, the south-facing building used solar energy and simple convection. Solar energy even kept the cowshed warm.

Wangchuk quipped at the launch programme that the cows, sheltered in warm cowsheds, gave three times more milk than most cows in Ladakh.

The first qualification to be admitted to the school was unique: the student must have failed certain subjects. Yet, the school turned out some of Ladakh's best achievers  and promoted gender equality and rights.

He emphasised that the school is run by students where they have their own little parliament. The students then elect a leader who allocated responsibilities to other students. The posts of the students are changed every two months. Thus, the school is a little country within a country, he joked.

SECMOL has also tried to empower village communities across the district to take control of their government-run village schools through Village Education Committees (VEC). Gradually, the pass-rate of Ladakhs students saw an upward trend which has now reached 75 percent. However, as it had approached 50 percent, a series of vested interests began to see Wangchuk as a political threat. His visionary VEC scheme was in keeping with the essential concepts of the Panchayati Raj acts which the country had recently adopted. But the venal, self-serving, unwilling-to-be-accountable education system, teachers' associations, and the political-bureaucratic Leviathan hit back around a decade ago.

For a while, Wangchuk had to flee the state in fear for his life and liberty. Now that his grit and never-say-die spirit has brought him into the global limelight, Wangchuk doesnt seem to harbour any resentment. Perhaps the greatest education his movement can give is the art of forgiveness, of positivity and resilience. Of course, global inclusiveness would be a close second.
Panaji: Union Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar said India did not seek war, but would "gouge out eyes" of the enemy if provoked.

"We don't itch for a fight, but if someone looks at the country with an evil eye, we will gouge his eyes out and put them back in his hand, we have that much power," he said, while addressing a rally in Aldona Assembly constituency in Goa. "Goans can tell the world that they had sent a man to the Centre who slapped the enemy across the face."

"There was no firing on the border for the last three days, because if they (Pakistan) fire once, we fire twice at them. We are giving a tit-for-tat response, and when they realised it, they approached us, seeking to stop it," Parrikar said, in an apparent referrence to Pakistan's request for DGMO-level talks three days ago.

Asserting that the armed forces were fully prepared, Parrikar said his mother had taught him that "even if you are going to

hunt a rabbit, be prepared to kill a tiger".
Imphal: Five Special Forces personnel of the Indian Army were on Saturday injured in an ambush by militants in Chandel district of Manipur.

Army sources said an IED blast was triggered during a combing operation by the commandos. This was followed by

firing from light arms by the militants.

The United National Liberation Front of Western South East Asia (UNLFW), an umbrella grouping of the anti-talk factions of Assam's United Liberation Front of Asom and the National Democratic Front of Boroland, the Nationalist Socialist Council of Nagaland-Khaplang, the Kamatapur Liberation Organisation and Coordination Committee of several militant outfits of Manipur, has claimed responsibility for the attack.

They said that even though five of the team were injured, the commandos fought back and managed to rescue those injured.

The sources said the incident happened in Sajik Tampak in Chandel district, which is close to the Myanmar border.

Chandel has witnessed many deadly attacks on security forces in the recent past.

Eighteen soldiers were killed in the district on 5 June 2015 in an ambush.

On 23 May this year, six personnel of the Assam Rifles were killed in an ambush in Chandel.

The injured personnel were flown to the Army hospital at Leimakhong in Sadar Hills in a helicopter.

The condition of two of them was stated to be serious.

A statement issued by the ULFA's anti-talk faction claimed responsibility. "A group of Peoples' Liberation Army (PLA) attacked the 21 Para Regiment of Indian Army between Aisi and Khunmulen near Sajik Tampak in Chandel District on Saturday morning. Five or more Indian soldiers are seriously injured," it said.

With input from PTI
Minister of State for Women and Child Development, Maneka Gandhi, a fervent campaigner for animal rights has added heft to the demand of animal rights activists in Tamil Nadu for justice for Lakshmi. Lakshmi is the name given by activists to a year-old female monkey who was found partially burnt and buried in the campus of the Christian Medical College in Vellore, near Chennai on 21 November. Prima facie, the body showed signs of horrific torture and abuse  the monkeys limbs were tied, a telephone cord around her neck, multiple fractures on her body and a stick shoved up her rectum and forced out front.

In an exclusive interaction via email with Firstpost, Gandhi said  "Putting a rod into the rectum and pushing it so that it goes through every organ is not rape but murder. The monkey was tortured terribly in full view of bystanders for hours and then killed by a group of louts that are studying to be doctors. What kind of medicine will they practice on humans? Nowadays, anyone with money can get into a medical college and I fear for the lives of their patients. These kinds of butchers should be immediately removed from the college and put into jail."

Gandhis anger is echoed by animal rights campaigners in Tamil Nadu. In an open letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Shiranee Pereira, co-founder of the People for Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), wrote: "While the four criminals are still at large, let our cries echo Lakshmi's last cries. Cries that went unheard in the searing pain she endured before her death. Let us now demand justice for her with an email to the Prime Ministers Office. I request each of you to go to http://www.pmindia.gov.in/en/. Click on "Write to the Prime Minister" and choose the category "Environment issues/animal welfare/forest conservation" and write your request to the Honble Prime Minister to investigate the brutal killing of Lakshmi, the baby monkey, at the hands of young students from the Christian Medical College (CMC), Vellore, India, and demand that the culprits be punished as per the law. We must ensure that no other Lakshmi will ever have to endure this agony and pain that she bore, ever again."

The hashtag #justiceforlakshmi was trending on Twitter on Friday, as animal welfare activists poured outrage on social media. Four medical students of CMC Vellore have been questioned by the Bagayam Police in connection with the crime which has been registered under the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972. The monkeys body has been sent for post-mortem and results are awaited. Police sources told Firstpost that the four were likely to be arrested over the weekend.

Activists are also asking why the perpetrators were not arrested by the Tamil Nadu Forest Department since the monkey belonged to a 'critically endangered species'. "According to Wildlife Act 1972, killing a wild animal is a crime," said Dawn Williams, general manager of Blue Cross. "The forest department can immediately arrest and produce them before the court. But in this case, it still has not taken any action. This shows how lethargic they are in this case," he said.

Minister Maneka Gandhi also made a strong pitch for laws on animal cruelty to be amended and made more stringent. "The PCA (Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act) should be amended to make cruelty to animals a heinous crime," Gandhi told Firstpost. "America has done this early this year because they have seen that cruelty to animals is a specific indicator to cruelty to humans."

The four medical students accused of committing the crime (while a group of about 30 others watched) have been suspended by the college management.

This horrific incident comes a few months after the Bhadra incident where a young stray dog was thrown off the terrace by two medical students. They had filmed the act and uploaded the video which went viral on social media. The dog Bhadra survived, having sustained fractures. Despite the outrage from animal rights activists and civil society, both students were let off by the court with a fine of Rs 2 lakh and allowed to continue their education.
Citing a new survey by ActionAid, an international women and child rights NGO, a report in The Times of India said that 41 percent of women in India have been subjected to sexual harassment or violence before the age of 19. The survey, covering a total of four nations  India, United Kingdom, Brazil and Thailand  revealed that women face harassment for the first time when they're quite young. Survey further added that 6 percent have experienced it below 10 years of age. And to gain some more perspective here are the figures  Brazil at 16 percent, UK at 12 percent and 8 percent in Thailand.

This comes after the report by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) in August, stating that crimes against women had increased by 61 percent from 2010 to 2015, with a 43 percent increase in rape and 21 percent increase in cases of kidnapping.

Another survey by the National Crime Records Bureau pointed out that there was a dip in the number of rape cases in 2015 in comparison to 2014, but a spike in other sexual offences was noted, as well as an increase in abduction cases with the intent to force one to marry, in a report by The Indian Express.

On the International Day for Elimination of Violence Against Women, these statistics build a strong case for more action.

Let's refresh our memory of the past few months: the rape of a minor in Nashik from the Maratha community, the rape of 12 students in Buldhana of Ninadhi Ashram school, a six year-old raped in a school in Bangalore, the Monica Ghurde murder incident are just some of the cases that have been registered, reported and picked up by the media.

Thereafter, let's look at the completely shocking verdicts announced for others, as in the Scarlett Keeling murder and rape case, Patna High Courts verdict on rape accused RJD MLA Raj Ballabh Yadav, and the Allahabad High Court granting bail to Asif Khan in connection with the rape of a 14 year old girl from Badaun. The 14-year-old had to even fight a legal battle to terminate her pregnancy after the incident, according to The Times Of India report. In the case of a 21 year-old Dalit student in Rohtak, in Haryana, she was raped for the second time in three years, when two of the five that were accused were released on bail, and after she refused an out of court settlement. All this and we havent even made a mention of female foeticide and dowry deaths.

Its probably a good thing then, if beyond everything, some women have the luxury of being able to speak from their ivory towers to deny these crimes, going to show that they still retain greenness and trust in this world. But even if rape, trafficking, mutilation, domestic violence, exploitation, and coercion seem like far away realities to them, there is the problematically grey issue of consent.

A video titled Tea Consent, simplifies consent through the metaphor of tea and defines the line so one may not cross it, nor allow it to be crossed. The nuancing of this discussion, of knowing that one is not obligated to make tea, and that one can say 'yes and then no' over the 'no means no' argument, helps in raising awareness and normalising of all of one's rights. Harassment is, after all, a form of discrimination, and this includes jokes, inappropriate remarks, threats, unwelcome physical contact, blackmailing and intimidation. Invasion of privacy in whatever way has to beget consequences.

But perhaps consent is a non-argument in a country wherein marital rape is still legal, nor even ordained with any seriousness. With public figures speaking and women's wings of some parties saying things such as 'women must not wear short clothes' or 'marriage is a sacred bond' and 'Indian society is woven by the divine element a woman carries within her,' as revealed in this article by The Indian Express. Ironically, the same people then go on to speak out about Triple Talaq and argue about uniform civil code.

According to another report in The Times of India, our very own Union Minister for Women and Child Development has claimed that India was ranked among the lowest four countries in the world for rape, the dire, black paradox of the situation being that Maneka Gandhi revealed these statistics to an authority in Sweden when she went there in connection with the Delhi rape case incident. The report goes on to say that so many women, who have been sexually violated, do not come out to report crimes out of fear of further persecution and stigma.

The word 'rape' comes from the Latin word 'Raptus' which implies a violent theft. An article by Priyanka Rath in the India Law Journal, suggests that rape in India is considered as theft of a woman against the consent of her guardian (those with legal power over her). But what happens if the guardian (father, brother or husband) are the ones who rape her? In reality though, this is not even a theft of, rather a theft from a woman.

So many say that rape is political in nature, that it is the whiplash response of patriarchy to the feminist movement. But what about the underage six percent  little children, who don't even know how to spell 'agitation'? Aggression against them cannot, surely, be political. Is it not then indicative of the psychological rot within our country, of immense frustration and its unjust displacement, and a fearlessness that comes with impunity?

And speaking of crimes against juveniles comes with speaking about crimes by juveniles. We can hail the bill in the Rajya Sabha to alter the age at which one can be tried as an adult for rape to 16, but that still discounts the other teens, like in the Nashik rape case, who might walk away after three years in a correctional facility. Though contrary to our knee-jerk reaction to the delay in justice, the way to purge ourselves of the problem should hardly be to condemn perpetrators to capital punishment.

The first step to solving a problem is obviously to acknowledge that there is one. And this day thus goes a step above Women's Day in value. Having a separate day to spread awareness, take stock and lick our wounds, may not be a solution, and maybe even less of a consolation, but one has to believe that this is germination in process.

It's good news that the survey's findings glint with a silver lining, showing that women are taking measures to protect themselves. The ActionAid India website shows 35 percent avoid parks and poorly lit areas, 36 percent change their travel route, 23 percent have said they make use of everyday objects like keys, and 18 percent arm themselves with devices like a rape alarms and pepper sprays.

Of course they shouldn't have to avoid parks and poorly lit areas, or change their travel routes, or prep themselves with props. But at least they're not staying back home.

One may endlessly argue against this protectionist approach, saying that it robs women of power, and that it objectifies them once again as something to be kept safe. But this seems to be such a movie-analysis like approach to talking about the issue of crimes against women. How can taking initiative to keep oneself safe be a bad thing? Wanting to be careful is genderless, not to mention especially necessary here when dealing with the unfair sex.

These multiple minute narratives of individuals are immensely hopeful, implying a certain robustness and coping  Indian jugaad at play once again, where help is never forthcoming.
I went to Vadodara last weekend for a big fat Indian wedding, which turned slimmer. What was to blame (or be credited) for the transformation? Demonetisation.

The stress on my relatives face was palpable as they hurried from one place to the other, their coping mechanism forced half smiles. The least we could do was smile back as we were in a similar cashless state. And offering money to the hosts is a big no-no.

Having said that, I thoroughly enjoyed the not-so-big, slim Gujarati wedding. There was no sangeet ceremony as the stage was not spacious enough to accommodate plump aunties shaking a leg on 'Paisa Paisa'. Those who had prepared their acts plugged their cellphones in the speakers of the banquet hall and danced off the stage surrounded by the guests, earning compliments from them for their 'impromptu performances'.

But we did have the inevitable garba (traditional Gujarati dance) on the wedding day. As we stood in the sharp sun to welcome the baaratis (guests), they danced like there was no tomorrow, and no us standing at the entrance with folded hands and enraged gazes. Their fellow Gujaratis from the brides side joined them only to be joined by the bride herself.

The seven-kilo sari and jewellery could not deter the bride from joining her family and prospective family for a good ol garba. It was such a refreshing detour from the 'ritualistic custom of having the bride keep a low profile before the wedding.

Probably by then, both the families would have risen above the pretense and razzmatazz that Indian weddings are about. They no longer cared about how much of a 'hit their wedding was on the attendance meter, style meter or sanskari meter.

Demonestisation proved to be a blessing in disguise then as it relieved both the families of stress and allowed them to celebrate the occasion with simplicity.

A relative told me that they gave up on their desire to host a gala affair once their florist refused to accept cash as the form of payment for decorating the mandap with flowers. A number of such vendors from the unorganised sector are involved in the wedding. They never accept non-cash payments and turn to more resourceful customers when their conditions are not met. They even turn a deaf ear to the emotional drama that the brides mother showers on them.

This illustration from an article in The Hindu on 22 November represents the situation aptly.

Also, owing to demonetisation, I noticed the presence of a rather peculiar figure at the entrance of the wedding hall. A lanky accountant adorned the 'cash counter where he was always seen either scribbling in his brown diary or licking his index finger before counting the notes.

Unlike restaurants and grocery stores, this was a place where the owners could not afford to put up a disclaimer saying: 'We do not accept old notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000. However, the absence of such a disclaimer was not out of the 'log kya kahenge syndrome but because the accountants shrugging of shoulders, accompanied by a firm shaking of head, was enough to convey the message.

As soon as I passed on an envelope containing a bundle of crisp Rs 20 notes, he perused the 'gift fervently. After leaving his moist imprint on the very last note, he reciprocated with a warm smile and went back to scribbling in the brown diary. Clearly, this was not the pink note he quite expected.

Later in the day, the Reserve Bank of India announced that an amount of Rs 2.5 lakh could be withdrawn in the event of a wedding but after meeting certain conditions. I expected the post-wedding late night conversations to be about how the move was introduced so late and how it could have helped the wedding had it been announced earlier.

But the discussion was dominated neither by what-could-have beens nor malicious gossip. The guests just talked about the good time they had at the wedding. And how they, not even once, observed the beautiful mandap which was not overloaded with flowers that turn dry before the next morning.
At 74, Kiran Nagarkar still has the razor-sharp sense of humour which is evident in his works. The Sahitya Akademi Award winning writer has an opinion on everything, be it the city of Mumbai or censorship in India, as we found out when we caught up with him before Tata Literature Live! The Mumbai LitFest 2016. Excerpts from our chat with the author of Ravan & Eddie and Cuckhold:

Not a happy bedtime story

Nagarkar's play Bedtime Story  written in Marathi during and after the Emergency  retells the Mahabharata in a modern context. It was banned because of its controversial theme. There's a scene where Draupadi reprimands the Pandavas for wanting to turn her into a 'five-day roster... just because mummy said so'.

Nagarkar says, "I wrote the book in 1976 and 1977. It was banned legally and then extra-legally then itself. The legal ban was taken off very soon after; but the extra legal ban remained. Back in the seventies when the book came out, no one even wanted to do the rehearsals for my play. Actors were scared, rehearsals were impossible."

In 2015 Nagarkar republished the banned novel along with another screenplay of his  Black Tulip.

Censorship and tolerance

So does he think India's ideas about tolerance have changed now?

"Yes  for the worse," says Nagarkar. "Definitely for the worse. I believe that tolerance is incredibly low as compared to what it was in the past."

"This is maybe because our interpretation of patriotism according to the current regime is that you cannot have any differences of opinion with them. What in Gods name is happening to the one document that is sacred to the country  the Constitution? Whoever is born here certainly has the right to remain here, and no discrimination is permitted on religious grounds."

He elaborates, "Regional parties in Maharashtra are continuously provoking others towards violence. But nothing is being done. Take the case of Ae Dil Hai Mushkil. Why can't Fawad Khan work in the film? What's wrong with him? You are allowed to give employment to anyone, unless they are criminals. And how could the Chief Minister of that state negotiate with someone who says otherwise. Can't we zero in on who the enemy is? It's not the people of Pakistan, not artists  it's the terrorist groups."

Lost in translation

Nagarkar is one of the few writers who seamlessly transitioned from writing in Marathi to English. His play Kabirache Kay Karayche (Seven Sixes are Forty) and Bedtime Story have had made their mark on the world of Marathi literature.

"I was astounded that when I wrote in Marathi, by the grace of god, the critics said I have changed the very idea of what Marathi literature is. What I want to say is, no credit to me, the language itself is very capable and its the power you put into it. It is absolutely astounding how capable a language is; I remember my professor Dr Patanker saying, 'A language is as powerful as you make it'."

What does he think about Marathi literature being translated into English for a wider audience? "Some things are 'lost in translation'  like the Sofia Coppola movie! India has 24 languages and we still do not have an intensive programme in translation in any college, a genuine one, so the translation quality is very poor. Because most of our universities are full of hogwash teachings, there is no genuine translation programme. I am told that our India BMM courses have a single course in translation. This is so appalling. If you go to Germany or elsewhere, there are translation courses that give you different points of view of how to translate books; there are theories and different point of views. It's so interesting that you can get theories in translation..."

"And of course I believe in translation. Just as I dont ever want to be without Kabir or Jaswanna or Dnyaneshwar and Tukaram, where would I be without Tolstoy or Garcia Marquez because I dont know Russian or even Spanish? So I am all for translation. But I think the quality of the large of of translations in India is not very good. And how can it be good? There are not many great minds who are thinking about translation."

Origin story

Nagarkar started working on Ravan & Eddie in 1978 as a screenplay. He had written 71 pages of the novel in Marathi and then just decided to give up on writing after his book (Bedtime Story) was banned.

"I know I was extremely stupid, I did not stick to my guns and not write. Fourteen years is a terrible time not to be writing. I wrote 71 pages of foolscap sheets in Marathi, and when I got back to writing I got back to the book."

How was he inspired to turn Ravan & Eddie into a franchise? "Since I had started with a screenplay of the book in 1978, the basic plot line was always there. So I decided to turn the book into a three-part novel instead of a thick 1,000-page book, which I don't think any publisher would appreciate. "

Mumbai: The city of hope and no green fields

Mumbai seems to be a major character in Nagarkar's books. Does the city inspire him?

"We all have a genuine love-hate relationship with our city. I am what, now 9,786 years old? [Laughs] I have seen this city and I know it is so capable of being beautiful. I mean this city is encircled with water. How much more beautiful can it be? But it is appalling to see what the nexus of politicians and real-estate developers has done to it. I have a genuinely angry relationship  not with the city but with what they have done to it."

Nagarkar elaborates, "My one wish about the chawls (I have written about them) is that they are eliminated. The chawls are an institution established by the coloniser, and as I have said so often, I have no lasting beef against the colonisers, because that is the nature of the beast: The coloniser comes to exploit. But after Gandhiji, Nehruji, and all the people who fought for azaadi got rid of the colonisers, then what did you find? We then have homegrown, absolutely exploitative politicians who have become the colonisers who are abusing the city."

"Like the chawls I have written about, are being razed very rapidly and being replaced by high-storey buildings. But this has come with a price: I had dreamed of getting rid of chawls so that there would be more open green fields. Forget the poor, in Mumbai, now even the rich are starving for an open green space to breathe."
By Nisha Susan

Twinkle Khannas second book, The Legend of Lakshmi Prasad, a small collection of four short stories, is heavily padded. And how is it padded apart from the elder-friendly large font? Most of its 230 pages are devoted to one of the stories  a fictionalised account of Arunachala Murugananantham, the tireless inventor of a super-cheap, sanitary pad-making machine.

Okay, now that the public service announcement and bad pad joke has been made, we can move on to the matter of Khannas writing itself.

In a Bollywood that is now wholly a family business, you wouldnt be blamed for thinking Khanna got her newspaper column for being famous and semi-talented. (In the same way an acute observer once commented that the British royalty are not required to be as good-looking as professional beauties like movie stars.) Youd think this, if you hadnt read her.

The truth is that Khannas columns are excellent. They have the deftness and lightness of touch a pastry chef would envy. Last year, an accomplished writer friend called me saying, I am going to stop writing. This is so good. Shed just read Khannas column about karva chauth, and it really was that good. She had effortlessly navigated the annual obstacle course that every feminist is supposed to pass (me, I only get away with it by saying that Im Malayali and dont know how to pronounce it). The form, even more than what is said in the column, tells you not to take karva chauth more seriously than it ought to be. Her work consistently avoids the finger-wagging and self-congratulation even the best columnists can fall into.

But this book, her first stab at fiction, is oddly old-fashioned and tone-deaf, as if written by someone who hasnt read fiction in a long while. The eponymous story The Legend of Lakshmi Prasad particularly has the feel of a retro childrens tale. It begins: Sandwiched between the river Kosi and the holiest of rivers, the Ganga, there lies a village surrounded by thousands of trees I kept waiting for the punchline.

Salaam, Noni Aapa, the story of an elderly woman in Mumbai who discovers love, also has a similar timestamp-bereft quality despite the occasional prop like a VCR. Along with wonky analogies such as the chaste yoga teacher thinking of his wifes relatives who kept walking through his door, like it was the revolving entrance of a motel.

Khannas stories are often descriptive in a way that seems like they were unconsciously written for the camera. (A fairly common affliction in our decade. A friend who runs writing workshops for children is shocked each time he reads stories that include lines like, Then there is sunrise.) This has mixed results.

Occasionally, Khanna can be deliberate and hilarious. She was meant to lie down on her stomach and lift her legs alternately, but she had modified it by making Anand ji lift her leg and lower it for fifty counts. This is the non-judgemental, comic voice that runs through the Mrs Funnybones column. This is the writer that reclaims the male writer tradition of the recurring wife character, the invisible Mrs She Who Shall Not Be Named. See what she does with the prop of Famous Unnamed Husband Akshay Kumar back in a 2014 column: the column begins with her helping him locate an enormous wooden club in the morning that he swings around his head every morning in the exact replication of some Mahabharat combat moves. Then she has run-ins with a dude on the beach who wont scoop his dog poop. In the end, she offers up her mudgal-swinging husband as a street side enforcer to the PM to aid his Swachh Bharat efforts. More recently, Khanna set out to avenge the body-shaming of Serena Williams during Wimbledon 2016: So, last night, when the man of the house called out, Come to the table for dinner! Hunching over my computer screen, I absentmindedly said, Not yet, I am trying to find a picture of Leander Paess nipples! This reply, of course, was met with stony silence. I am indebted to Khanna forever for this image.

This new book is primarily the novella The Sanitary Man from a Sanitary Land. If you only have a vague idea of Arunachala Muruganananthams real-life journey as an inventor, the adventures of the Bablu Kewat are bound to absorb you, despite Khannas segue into the state of education in post-colonial India. Otherwise, the story unspools in a first-draft manner.

Given the overall amateur quality of this collection, I was terribly grateful that the elderly Noni Aapa is not punished or deprived of love for the sake of piquancy, this being what all of us fiction writers do as novices. This gratitude lasted till the end of story #3 If The Weather Permits, where Khanna kills her delightful heroine Elisa. The pity of it is that this is the only story in which Khannas natural and contemporary style surfaces. Elisa Thomas is good-natured, feckless and inspires many fun sentences. Sample this one at the point when Elisas parents and in-laws are trying to persuade her to return to her mentally ill husband Chacko: And as Pothen Thomas started thinking about all the paperwork he would have to do all over again, Chacko looked up from his plate and in a strange moment of perfect lucidity said, Elisa, you have a kind vagina.

So I was doubly scandalised that Khanna kills Elisa off in a random car crash. I did not see this comeuppance coming for her cheerful, following-her-bliss manner. Even less than I saw the imminent incarceration that was to come to Renuka Sharma at the end of Ratika Kapurs The Private Life of Mrs Sharma  when she impulsively bumps off the young lover she met on the Metro. Kapur leaves it ambiguous, the will-she-get-away-wont she-wont-she giving it the redeeming quality of black comedy. But Elisa is as surely bumped off as Russian adulteresses affected by the railways.

Khanna is likely to write more fiction, and I suspect it will get better because she seems like someone who likes to think about how to tell a story. And three books down the line she is likely to make many throwaway jokes about this one.

The Ladies Finger (TLF) is a leading online womens magazine.
New Delhi: Under constant attack from BJP top brass that BSP has been the biggest loser post demonetisation, party supremo Mayawati on Saturday hit back alleging the ruling party at the Centre settled its black money days before the note ban was announced and said the "half-baked and immature" move will hurt it in the Uttar Pradesh elections.

She also claimed the Modi government took the decision in a hurry with "hundred percent" political interests of BJP in mind.

Addressing a press conference in New Delhi, she said hers is the "only party" in the country which has no ill-gotten money.

While agreeing that she accepts money from ticket seekers, she said it is used to strengthen the party organisation and fight elections.

"Money is taken from ticket seekers like it is received from party workers, MPs and MLAs. It is kept in bank accounts to strengthen the organisation and contest polls," she said.

She said if she would be accepting money for herself, then she would rather take Rs 200 crore offered by the rich to get one Rajya Sabha ticket. "Then I would not take it from 100 people...they claim I take Rs 1 crore for ticket," she said.

She also said that while BJP managed to settle its "do number ka paisa" (black money) in the past ten months when the demonetisation move was conceived, the decision was "so ill-conceived, half-baked and immature that it will lead the party to a permanent political exile in Uttar Pradesh in the coming assembly polls."

The former Uttar Pradesh chief minister said while BSP will emerge as the clear winner in UP polls, BJP and SP will fight for the number two and number three slot. "Congress in UP is already on ventilator," she said.

The BSP chief said the demonetisation decision has caused difficulties to 90 per cent of the common people.

She also asked how a decision which has caused problems to 90 percent of the people could be in interest of the

nation.

"Now to prove that his wrong decision is correct, the Prime Minister is getting emotional and shedding tears. What is this if not blackmail," she said.

Mayawati said since her party is the main challenge to BJP in the upcoming Uttar Pradesh elections, its leaders were making baseless statements against BSP.

"There is no doubt that the government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has in a hurry and without proper preparation demonetised Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes. This immature decision has been taken 100 per cent because of their political interests which has caused havoc across the country," she said.

Mayawati claimed the situation was like an "economic emergency which is condemnable".

She said that since BJP government at the Centre could not fulfil even one fourth of its poll promises in its two and a half years in office and to divert people's attention.

She added that Modi says that he "left his family for the country which is a good thing".

"But you cannot play with the interests of people," she said as she accused the Centre of being "dictatorial" in its approach.

The BSP leader also said that nearly 100 people had died and the Centre has not extended any economic support to them.

"How can a decision which has caused difficulties to 90 percent of the people be in public interest," she asked,

adding people have been forced to stand in queues to get their own money.
Ardent critics of renowned economist John Maynard Keynes, while discrediting his 'Keynesian' economics, would often try to run him down by saying: It is difficult to reconcile Keynes the politician with Keynes the economist.

Keynes is believed to have rescued Britains economy twice in troubled times. So when former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh quoted Keynes during his speech on demonetisation in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday  discrediting the long term benefits of demonetisation saying "in the long run, we are all dead", one of Keynes' most-quoted sayings  expectations rose that Singh would show his eloquence on the issues which are essentially economics, a domain where he is projected to be the master of all he surveys. But his speech was an utter disappointment.

It gave validity to the claims of his detractors that Singh was an overrated economist and an underrated politician. By the end of his speech, it was clear that he is on retainer of 10 Janpath, the official residence of Congress supremo Sonia Gandhi. His formulations on demonetisation bordered on 'studied ambiguity'. He did not oppose the move, but called it legalised loot and plunder". Manmohan, was borrowing only selectively from Keynes' brilliance because Keynes had also said: "In economics you cannot convict your opponent of error -- you can only convince him of it."

Commenting on the former prime minister's speech in Rajya Sabha on demonetisation, R Jagannathan in his piece on Firstpost said, "The former prime minister had some good lines to offer in a polemical sense, but one doubts if this was a former Reserve Bank Governor and finance minister talking. He did not make the kind of heavy-duty points that one expected from him. He delivered some below-the-belt punches without realising his own midriff is vulnerable."

Singh's credentials as a policy planner are formidable because he has worn many hats in the government. In his stints as the governor of Reserve Bank of India (RBI), deputy chairman of the Planning Commission, finance minister and as the longest serving prime minister outside of the Nehru-Gandhi family, Singh is endowed with insights to have enriched the debate. Instead, he resorted to the usual brand of rhetoric, played out by the likes of Arvind Kejriwal, Sharad Yadav, Ramgopal Yadav and Mamata Banerjee.

There is no denying that demonetisation has entailed a lot of pain and anguish for ordinary people  prima facie evidence shows that it was imposed in an ill-conceived manner. But its impact on the economy is still in the domain of ambiguity. The informal sector has come to a grinding halt throwing millions into a cycle of unemployment. The reverse migration from cities to rural areas portends ill for social stability and economic equilibrium. According to KN Govindacharya, a swadeshi ideologue of the saffron hue, trains from Punjab to Bihar are filled to capacity with labourers.

The Modi government will ignore the ominous signals emanating from the ground at its own peril. Rhetoric and counter rhetoric tend to dominate politics. But when a leader like Singh speaks on such an issue, one expects him to rise beyond the usual platitudes and explain its deleterious impact, along with suggesting ways to combat it. But Singh the politician, it seems, got the better of Singh the economist.

This is not the first time that Singh has taken refuge in academics to sustain his politics. Recall his statement in his last press conference as prime minister that history would be "more kind" to him than the media. Back then, he was banking more on history for his contemporary evaluation than his present critique of Narendra Modi.

Singhs understanding of history is no less profound than his economic scholarship. He knows it better than most that history carries ruthless scrutiny, without fear and favour. And his decade-long stint as the countrys prime minister has left a legacy which reduced the post of the countrys top executive to an utterly meek and supplicant institution beholden to the Gandhi-Nehru family.

It is not a secret that Singhs writ did not run beyond his own South Block office and 7 Lok Kalyan Marg (7, Race Course Road back then). There were cabinet ministers who ran amuck under his charge, or the lack of it. Scams like 2G and coal block allocations were the result of a paralysis that stemmed from the emergence of parallel power centres within the government.

The highest point of Singhs achievement as prime minister was the manner in which he clinched the Indo-US nuclear deal. But that also turned out to be the nadir of his credentials as a politician when the cash-for-votes scandal unfolded in Parliament to save his government. That was the worst scandal in India's parliamentary history but Singh, till date, has never shown an iota of remorse for this indiscretion.

Perhaps there is a consistency in Singhs political conduct after all. Having left behind his academic pursuit, he, like an ordinary career bureaucrat, performed the prime ministers role as a job and thrived in the Congress ecosystem as a 'great survivor'. In one of the best written biographies on Keynes, titled 'Universal man, the seven lives of John Maynard Keynes' by Richard Davenport-Hines, the refers to Keynes' description of a great economist:

The master-economist must possess a rare combination of gifts. He must reach a high standard in several different directions and must combine talents not often found together. He must be mathematician, historian, statesman, philosopher  in some degree. He must understand symbols and speak in words. He must contemplate the particular in terms of general, and touch abstract and concrete in the same flight of thought. He must study the present in the light of the past for the purpose of the future. No part of mans nature or his institution must lie entirely outside his regard. He must be purposeful and disinterested in simultaneous mood: As aloof and incorruptible as an artist, yet sometimes as near the earth as a politician.

Keynes here is talking about one of the greatest economists of his time, Alfred Marshall. Given these yardsticks, Singh the economist is bound to go down as a caricature of this description of an economist. In politics, however, he will be remembered as the great survivor. But one who survived not "as near the earth as a politician" but far from it.
Former prime minister Manmohan Singh's telling speech in Parliament on Thursday, where he tore into the governments faulty implementation of the demonetisation scheme, not just won him fans all over, but got his detractors to chastise him in the most puerile way possible.

In one of the most notable speeches of the Winter Session so far, Manmohan on Thursday said, Prime Minister has been arguing that this is the way to curb black money, to prevent growth of counterfeit currency notes and also to help in control of terrorist finance activities. I do not disagree with these objectives. But I do want to point out that in the process of demonetisation, monumental mismanagement has been undertaken about which today there is no two opinion in the country as a whole.

Since 8 November  the night Narendra Modi announced that the currency notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 will be discontinued  it has been a real struggle for a common Indian. But it has taken a bigger toll on our politicians. There was a new issue to argue about. The Opposition got a new reason to stall Parliamentary proceedings. Every Opposition does it, they just forget that small detail when they come to power.

A lot was said (still is being said) about the demonetisation drive. Many said that the prime ministers intention was great  cutting the source of black money  but the way the scheme was implemented was faulty and mismanaged. But amid all that din, when Manmohan  dubbed as 'Maunmohan' Singh, due to his silence during the corruption-ridden UPA regime  got up in Rajya Sabha and sucker-punched the ruling government with his speech, everyone, first, went silent in awe of it and then came out lashing out.

Manmohan, in his speech, quoted economist John Maynard Keynes (like Keynes, he too attended Cambridge many years later).

Even those who say that this measure will do harm or cause distress in the short term but will be in the interest of the country in the long run should be reminded of what John Keynes said once, In the long run all of us are dead.

You can read the former prime ministers full speech here, because thats not what this article is about.

Apart from politicians and opposing parties who delivered stinking, and very predictable, blows to the former prime minister, Twitter went berserk. However, even Twitterati could only make fun of how quiet Singh usually is. Him speaking was unusual and hence funny or terrifying to several.

Terrifying on two counts:

Firstly, as argued in this Firstpost article, when you cannot counter facts, attack the face. Most detractors of Singh chose this path.

Manmohan: "I would like to know from the Prime Minister the names of any countries he may think where people have deposited their money in banks but are not allowed to withdraw their money."

Detractors: "Remember 2G?" *sniggers*

Manmohan: "In my opinion, the way the scheme has been implemented will hurt agricultural growth in our country, will hurt small industry, will hurt all those people who are in the informal sectors of the economy. And my own feeling is that the national income, that is the GDP, can decline by about 2 percentage points as a result of what has been done."

Detractors: "GDP and all is cool, but what about Commonwealth Games? Where is Suresh Kalmadi these days?"

This could go on but it is really dull-witted. Also throwing failings of a particular government on the face of an economist, who clearly knows what he is talking about, is extremely erudite. (Yes, that was sarcastic.)

Also, throwing 2G scam, coal scam, chopper scam, Commonwealth Games scam, cash-for-vote scam, etcetera, etcetera on Manmohans face here and questioning his place speak on demonetisation is a lot like saying a distinguished and respected former editor of a news publication has no right to speak about journalistic ethics because members of his staff used to plagiarise.

A former RBI governor who also happened to be the Union finance minister, Manmohan was always the good man but with a wrong job. In fact, headlines like Manmohan Singh: the right man at the wrong time were not very uncommon. Interestingly, something similar was said about Atal Bihari Vajpayee  the right man in the wrong party. Ruthless critics of the former prime minister have said that politics is all about perception and to co-exist with a powerful Congress president is no easy feat. Singh was never a non-manual politician. In fact, he was a quiet, intellectual economist who was tired of all the politics thrust on him. That is no justification for letting billions of Indians to be scammed.

And let us not forget, if not for Manmohan, Indias nuclear apartheid would have still continued. He was instrumental in inking the 123 Agreement with the US in 2008.

None of the sharp critiques of Manmohan happens to talk about his impeccable and god-gifted economic acumen. It is true that your reputation is only as good as the last job you accomplished and the tragedy of Manmohan is that in his last job as the prime minister he was quite a few miles away from being up to the mark. But his assertion that history will be kinder to him than media and his opponents, rings true.

However, Manmohan did not address Rajya Sabha as a former prime minister. That was an economist speaking. And it has been a significant character trait of champions of the Modi government to remain unperceptive of its faults. Even Modi went up to Manmohan after his speech and shook hands with him. For the love of politics!

Manmohans fault was that he was not more truculent when he was the administrator but the Congress has never been a party where one takes on the high command and succeeds.

Post Manmohans speech, BJP sympathisers did what they do best. Forgot the issue and shot the messenger. One thing that cannot be overlooked here is the governments denial that billions are suffering because of the overnight crucial haul which took the world, let alone India, by surprise. Statements by senior BJP leaders like Venkaiah Naidu who said, Labour is painful too but when the mother sees the child for the first time the pleasure is unsurmountable (sic), is an indication that even skilled politicians say really illogical things. To expect a child-parent relationship (of blind faith) between the state and its people is a masterstroke and a very dangerous one.

Lastly, if Manmohan's critics were taking points, they would have realised how his speech was that of a crafty politician because despite delivering a severe blow to the faulty implementation, the former prime minister very carefully avoided talking about the results of demonetisation.

"And I say so with all responsibilities, that we do not know what will be the final outcome."

As an economist, former finance minister and former RBI governor, Manmohan could have analysed the long and short of it but he did not reject the move. It was not the mild, amiable Manmohan but a bold and aggressive politician.
Patna: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who has taken up prohibition on a 'mission mode', today instructed police to check whether those linked with liquor trade previously had found an alternate vocation, and book those who were continuing in the trade.

Speaking on the occasion of Prohibition Day function, he also asked senior police officials to take stock of the conduct of policemen at the lower level and find out how the illegal supply of liquor was continuing, despite the decision taken that officers in-charge of such police stations, where illegal alcohol trade was detected would not get field posting for 10 years.

The chief minister issued these two-point instructions to police headquarters in a bid to further intensify the crackdown against liquor in the state. He said that it had come to light that notwithstanding prohibition, liquor was being illegally transported to the state not only from neighbouring Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal and Nepal, but also from a far off state like Haryana.

The police is already on the job to probe the illegal liquor trade network from a far away place like Haryana, he said. Drawing the attention of Additional Director General of Police (Headquarter) Sunil Kumar and his counterpart in Law and Order Alok Raj, who were also present at the function, Kumar said an exercise should be initiated to gauge whether those involved in liquor trade earlier were surviving on their old income or have found new ways by surreptitiously supplying alcohol at a premium.
Critics, commentators and economists had predicted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi would be in deep trouble, and not without reason. His sudden move to demonetise the high value currencies had thrown a robust Indian economy in at the deep end.

With myriad blunders, mis-managements and implementation blues following soon after, it would have been entirely understandable if Narendra Modi's considerable political capital had nosedived. The informal economy took a major hit, small businesses came to a grinding halt, the poor and the marginalised were put in huge trouble, the middle class could only just get by and those who serve this entire sector were almost squeezed out of their livelihood, if only temporarily.

But inexplicably, Modi still continues to defy reason and retain popular support for his deeply disruptive move. While a large part of that support comes from his ability to sell the demonetisation as some sort of a Robin Hood story, it also owes in no small measure to the opposition's rank incompetence.

Not one among Modi's long line of political rivals  except Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar  has understood the power behind Modi's message. In a country where still a majority of the 1.25 billion are either poor or just above it, the prospect of an equality forced by an executive fiat ensuring blurring of lines between the haves and the have-nots carry huge significance.

The issue isn't whether Modi's message is illusory or plain wrong. It is that none of his political rivals could come up with a better message. Consequently, despite huge hardships, the populace largely retained their faith in a man who had risen to power promising freedom from corruption and less inequality.

Instead of trying to counter Modi's story with a better narrative, opposition leaders like Rahul Gandhi, Mamata Banerjee and Arvind Kejriwal began launching personal attacks on Modi, playing into his hands and further consolidating his support among people who began considering these assaults on Modi's image as personal affronts.

The possible explanation for this blunder is that either the opposition leaders are myopic or inept.

Consider Arvind Kejriwal. Ever since Modi's decision, he has been firing on all cylinders except that most of his bullets have been ricocheting off the turf and hurting his own credibility. He has ratcheted up his politics of suggestions and insinuations manifold, hoping that if even a fraction of the mud quintals that is being thrown at Modi sticks, his political purpose would be solved. Part of the aim was also to showcase himself as a leader of the anti-Modi front, an intensely competitive exercise to determine who among the mythical Third Front could be the frontrunner for Modi's post in 2019.

On 15 November, while addressing a special session of the Delhi Assembly, the AAP supremo accused the Prime Minister of hatching an elaborate plot through demonetisation to "help his corporate friends".

According a report by ANI, Kejriwal further alleged that when Modi was the chief minister of Gujarat, he had taken bribes from an Aditya Birla Group firm. On 15 October 2013, the income tax department conducted raid on Shubendu Amitabhs house. He was the president of the group executive of Aditya Birla Group. His Blackberry phones, laptop everything was thoroughly checked. They found a ledger entry in his laptop stating that on 16 November 2012, the Gujarat Chief Minister was paid money, he said inside the Delhi Assembly, adding that "for the first time in history of independent India, a sitting PMs name has come in black money transactions."

Not just that, Kejriwal also insinuated that the Congress had deliberately refrained from taking action against Modi as a quid pro quo hoping that if he becomes Modi, Robert Vadra would be spared of scrutiny.

A report in Catch News on the same session gives more details. It says the Delhi chief minister "claimed that the Birla papers was not the only instance of Modi allegedly taking bribes from corporates. He claimed that in raids carried out against the Sahara group on 22 November 2014, over Rs 130 crore and papers about transaction of another Rs 400-500 crore were recovered. These papers too carried Modi's name." According to the report, "Kejriwal did not have these papers and told the House that he will soon acquire them. But what he lacked in evidence, he tried to make up for in rhetoric, by asking Modi to take cognisance of the allegation and show moral strength of character by stepping down as prime minister."

Close on the heels of Kejriwal's speech, Aam Admi Party tweeted out the allegations and subsequently demanded a CBI inquiry.

Proof that Modi took 25 Crores as bribe from Aditya Birla Group in 2013 #ModiTakesBribes pic.twitter.com/FrhbklIIky<http://pic.twitter.com/FrhbklIIky>  AAP (@AamAadmiParty) November 15, 2016

Then Gujarat CM Modi accepted bribe of 25 crore from Birla Group to clear their projects.

Income Tax raid exposed Modi. #ModiTakesBribes  AAP (@AamAadmiParty) November 15, 2016

Kejriwal has since kept up the attack on Modi with sporadic tweets and retweets on the subject.

CBI shud register a case against Modi ji in Birla and Sahara diaries https://t.co/dkcCdZvfFk  Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) November 25, 2016

Boss want this guarantee from the opposition that they wl not raise Sahara/Birla bribery issue in parliament then only he will come there.  BJP Insider (@11AshokaRoad) November 23, 2016

On Friday, according to a report in The Times of India, the Supreme Court dismissed the documents produced by lawyer-activist Prashant Bhushan as "zero", "fictitious" and "not authentic" that linked the PM's name to bribes and refused to order a probe into alleged huge payoffs by big business houses to politicians. These "papers" had formed the basis of Kejriwal's charge.

Ex-AAP leader Bhushan, who along with fellow traveler Yogendra Yadav is the founder-member of a new political party called Swaraj India, had claimed that the papers allegedly seized by the I-T department during raids on Sahara and Birla groups were delivered to him by a whistleblower. He had given them to an NGO 'Common Cause', which had filed a PIL seeking a probe into the alleged payoffs.

The Supreme Court Bench comprising Justices J S Khehar and Arun Mishra trashed the documents. "According to a judgment of the Supreme Court, Sahara group's documents are not genuine and are fictitious... We cannot start an investigation just like that on the documents you have produced," says The Times of India report.

At the time of writing this report, Arvind Kejriwal's official Twitter account or that of the Aam Admi Party were silent on the latest development.

The trouble with this kind of politics is that when insinuations backfire, the credibility of the person leveling the allegations take a major hit. And every time a charge falls flat, the author has to come up with an even more sensational one to keep up the tempo or risk irrelevance. All that Modi has to do is to studiously ignore the charges. As the accusations prove wild and rhetoric intensifies, the distance between Modi and his rivals become greater. Indian democracy deserves a better opposition.
Beijing: Terming Prime Minister Narendra Modi's demonetisation move as "very bold", China's official media said it was a "gamble" that would create a precedent irrespective of whether it succeeds or fails and China will draw lessons from its impact on corruption.

"Modi's move is very bold. We cannot imagine what would happen in China if the country bans its 50 and 100 yuan notes," said an editorial in the state-run Global Times titled 'Modi takes a gamble with money reform'. 100 yuan is China's highest currency note.

"To prevent a leak of information jeopardising the implementation of the demonetisation reform, the roll out of the plan had to be kept confidential. Modi is in a dilemma as the reform aims to render the black money useless but the process goes against the governance principle of winning support of the public before initiating a new policy," the editorial said.

"As more than 90 per cent of transactions in India are made with cash, banning 85 per cent of the currency in circulation brings a lot of trouble to people's daily life" sparking fierce criticism including from "former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh who termed it as organised loot", it said.

"Demonetisation can crackdown on corruption and shadow economy but it is obviously unable to solve the deeper social and political issues that help breed the aforementioned problems," the editorial said.

However, it stated that as far as the root causes of corruption exist, the problems will always resurface. "In other words, the Modi government wishes to turn a long and arduous reform into a one-off deal," it said.

"Demonetisation is a gamble for Modi. He bet on both the execution ability of the government and the tolerance level of the Indian society, hoping that the benefits of this reform can outrun the negative social impacts and low morale," the editorial said.

It asserted that the "Western-style" democratic system of India allows little room for such bold moves. "However, he is really carrying it out, and will create a precedent no matter he succeeds or fails," it said.

"Reform is always difficult and requires more than just courage. Modi's demonetisation came with good intention but whether it can succeed depends on the efficiency of the system and the cooperation of the entire society.

More and more people are growing pessimistic about the ability of Modi's government to control the process," the editorial said. Noting that China's reform and opening-up has been going on for nearly 40 years, the editorial said it had ups and downs but remained largely stable.

"Its success is based on broad public support," it said. "The strong execution capabilities of the Communist Party of China are built on the consensus of the entire country. By observing India's reforms we will draw lessons, which would in turn help us understand our own reforms," it said.
Havana: Former President Fidel Castro, who led a rebel army to improbable victory in Cuba, embraced Soviet-style communism and defied the power of 10 US presidents during his half-century rule, has died at age 90.

Castro's reign over the island-nation 90 miles from Florida was marked by the US-backed Bay of Pigs invasion in 1961 and the Cuban Missile Crisis a year later that brought the world to the brink of nuclear war. The bearded revolutionary, who survived a crippling US trade embargo as well as dozens, possibly hundreds, of assassination plots, died eight years after ill health forced him to formally hand power over to his younger brother Raul, who announced his death late Friday on state television.

Castro overcame imprisonment at the hands of dictator Fulgencio Batista, exile in Mexico and a disastrous start to his rebellion before triumphantly riding into Havana in January 1959 to become, at age 32, the youngest leader in Latin America. For decades, he served as an inspiration and source of support to revolutionaries from Latin America to Africa.

His commitment to socialism was unwavering, though his power finally began to fade in mid-2006 when a gastrointestinal ailment forced him to hand over the presidency to Raul in 2008, provisionally at first and then permanently. His defiant image lingered long after he gave up his trademark Cohiba cigars for health reasons and his tall frame grew stooped.

"Socialism or death" remained Castro's rallying cry even as Western-style democracy swept the globe and other communist regimes in China and Vietnam embraced capitalism, leaving this island of 11 million people an economically crippled Marxist curiosity.

He survived long enough to see Raul Castro negotiate an opening with US President Barack Obama on 17 December, 2014, when Washington and Havana announced they would move to restore diplomatic ties for the first time since they were severed in 1961. He cautiously blessed the historic deal with his lifelong enemy in a letter published after a month-long silence.

Fidel Castro Ruz was born 13 August, 1926, in eastern Cuba's sugar country, where his Spanish immigrant father worked first recruiting labor for US sugar companies and later built up a prosperous plantation of his own.

Castro attended Jesuit schools, then the University of Havana, where he received law and social science degrees. His life as a rebel began in 1953 with a reckless attack on the Moncada military barracks in the eastern city of Santiago. Most of his comrades were killed and Fidel and his brother Raul went to prison.

Fidel turned his trial defense into a manifesto that he smuggled out of jail, famously declaring, "History will absolve me."

Freed under a pardon, Castro fled to Mexico and organised a rebel band that returned in 1956, sailing across the Gulf of Mexico to Cuba on a yacht named Granma. After losing most of his group in a bungled landing, he rallied support in Cuba's eastern Sierra Maestra mountains.

Three years later, tens of thousands spilled into the streets of Havana to celebrate Batista's downfall and catch a glimpse of Castro as his rebel caravan arrived in the capital on 8 January, 1959.

The US was among the first to formally recognise his government, cautiously trusting Castro's early assurances he merely wanted to restore democracy, not install socialism.

Within months, Castro was imposing radical economic reforms. Members of the old government went before summary courts, and at least 582 were shot by firing squads over two years. Independent newspapers were closed and in the early years, homosexuals were herded into camps for "re-education."

In 1964, Castro acknowledged holding 15,000 political prisoners. Hundreds of thousands of Cubans fled, including Castro's daughter Alina Fernandez Revuelta and his younger sister Juana.

Still, the revolution thrilled millions in Cuba and across Latin America who saw it as an example of how the seemingly arrogant Yankees could be defied. And many on the island were happy to see the seizure of property of the landed class, the expulsion of American gangsters and the closure of their casinos.

Castro's speeches, lasting up to six hours, became the soundtrack of Cuban life and his 269-minute speech to the UN General Assembly in 1960 set the world body's record for length that still stood more than five decades later.

As Castro moved into the Soviet bloc, Washington began working to oust him, cutting US purchases of sugar, the island's economic mainstay. Castro, in turn, confiscated $1 billion in US assets.

The American government imposed a trade embargo, banning virtually all US exports to the island except for food and medicine, and it severed diplomatic ties on 3 January, 1961.

On 16 April of that year, Castro declared his revolution to be socialist, and the next day, about 1,400 Cuban exiles stormed the beach at the Bay of Pigs on Cuba's south coast. But the CIA-backed invasion failed.

The debacle forced the US to give up on the idea of invading Cuba, but that didn't stop Washington and Castro's exiled enemies from trying to do him in. By Cuban count, he was the target of more than 630 assassination plots by militant Cuban exiles or the US government.

The biggest crisis of the Cold War between Washington and Moscow exploded on 22 October, 1962, when President John F Kennedy announced there were Soviet nuclear missiles in Cuba and imposed a naval blockade of the island. Humankind held its breath, and after a tense week of diplomacy, Soviet leader Nikita Krushchev removed them. Never had the world felt so close to nuclear war.

Castro cobbled revolutionary groups together into the new Cuban Communist Party, with him as first secretary. Labor unions lost the right to strike. The Catholic Church and other religious institutions were harassed. Neighborhood "revolutionary defense committees" kept an eye on everyone.

Castro exported revolution to Latin American countries in the 1960s, and dispatched Cuban troops to Africa to fight Western-backed regimes in the 1970s. Over the decades, he sent Cuban doctors abroad to tend to the poor, and gave sanctuary to fugitive Black Panther leaders from the US.

But the collapse of the Soviet bloc ended billions in preferential trade and subsidies for Cuba, sending its economy into a tailspin. Castro briefly experimented with an opening to foreign capitalists and limited private enterprise.

As the end of the Cold War eased global tensions, many Latin American and European countries re-established relations with Cuba. In January 1998, Pope John Paul II visited a nation that had been officially atheist until the early 1990s.

Aided by a tourism boom, the economy slowly recovered and Castro steadily reasserted government control, stifling much of the limited free enterprise tolerated during harder times.

As flamboyant as he was in public, Castro tried to lead a discreet private life. He and his first wife, Mirta Diaz Balart, had one son before divorcing in 1956. Then, for more than four decades, Castro had a relationship with Dalia Soto del Valle. They had five sons together and were said to have married quietly in 1980.

By the time Castro resigned 49 years after his triumphant arrival in Havana, he was the world's longest ruling head of government, aside from monarchs.

In retirement, Castro voiced unwavering support as Raul slowly but deliberately enacted sweeping changes to the Marxist system he had built.

His longevity allowed the younger brother to consolidate control, perhaps lengthening the revolution well past both men's lives. In February 2013, Raul announced that he would retire as president in 2018 and named newly minted Vice President Miguel Diaz-Canel as his successor.

"I'll be 90 years old soon," Castro said at an April 2016 communist party congress where he made his most extensive public appearance in years. "Soon I'll be like all the others. The time will come for all of us, but the ideas of the Cuban Communists will remain as proof that on this planet, if one works with fervor and dignity, they can produce the material and cultural goods that human beings need and that need to be fought for without ever giving up."
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday condoled the demise of Cuban leader Fidel Castro whom he described as one of the most iconic personalities of the 20th century and a "good friend" of India.

"I extend my deepest condolences to the government and people of Cuba on the sad demise of Fidel Castro. May his soul rest in peace," he tweeted.

"Fidel Castro was one of the most iconic personalities of the 20th century. India mourns the loss of a great friend," the Prime Minister said.

He said India extends support to the Cuban government and its people in this tragic hour.

Cuba's former president and communist idol Fidel Castro, who led a rebel army to improbable victory in his country, died at 90 years of age.

India-Cuba relations have been traditionally warm and friendly.

India was among the first countries to recognise Cuba after the 1959 revolution which closed a long era of Washington's dominance over Cuba dating to the 1989 Spanish-American War.

Both countries have maintained close contacts in various international fora, most importantly the United Nations.

India had supported resolutions in the UN General Assembly calling for the lifting of US sanctions against Cuba. While Cuba shared India's views on democratising UN and expansion of the UN Security Council and India's inclusion as a permanent member of the restructured UN Security Council.

Since the Cuban Revolution, many important bilateral visits have taken place between both sides.

Jawaharlal Nehru received Che Guevara in Delhi and met president Castro in New York. According to Ministry of External Affairs, they developed an instant rapport.

The first person who came to see me was Prime Minister Nehru. I can never forget his magnificent gesture. I was 34 years of age, not widely known. I was tense. Nehru boosted my morale. My tension disappeared, Castro said years later to former Minister of External Affairs K Natwar Singh, reports The Hindu.

Thereafter prime ministers Rajiv Gandhi and Manmohan Singh paid visits to Cuba in 1985 and 2006 respectively. Vice-President Hamid Ansari paid an official visit to Cuba in October 2013. Castro and Indira Gandhi also met on several occasions.

Castro visited India in 1973 and 1983 and Che Guevara in 1959. Bruno Rodriguez, foreign minister of Cuba visited India in May, 2013, while First Vice President Miguel Diaz Canel Bermudez visited India in March, 2015.

In 2008, the Indian government wrote off the principal and interest of $62 million, equivalent to Rs 1.28 billion debt owed to India as a measure of solidarity towards the people of Cuba.

India also provided aid to Cuba when it was passing through an economic crisis in the early 1990s. In December 1992, India donated 10,000 tonnes of wheat and 10,000 tonnes of rice to Cuba.

Castro personally welcomed the vessel that brought the grain and labelled it the Bread of India as it was sufficient for one loaf of bread for each one of Cubas 11 million people, reports Frontline.

India also granted an aid of $2 million in cash as disaster relief assistance to Cuba in the wake of the massive devastation caused by the hurricanes Gustav, Ike and Paloma during August and September 2008.

India and Cuba have also maintained trade ties for decades. In 2014-15, India's exported good and services worth $37.32 million, while the imports from Cuba was worth $1.57 million.

Indias major export items to Cuba are pharmaceutical products, organic chemicals, plastic and rubber articles, machinery and mechanical appliances, etc. Major import items from Cuba include pharmaceutical products, tobacco items, raw hides and skins, leather, etc.

Even yoga and meditition have found home in Cuba. Yoga forms part of the health curriculum of the government. There are several followers of Sri Sri Ravi Shankar and his Art of Living Foundation and also Iskcon.

Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore is also regarded as an important icon in Cuba. Tagores birth anniversary is celebrated every year in the country. On 7 May 2007, a bust of Tagore donated by ICCR was unveiled in Old Havana. The library at Casa de Asia is also named after Tagore.

With inputs from agencies
The legacy of Cuba's Fidel Castro elicited praise Saturday from some world leaders who remembered him as a friend and ally, but exiles in Miami celebrated his death.

Here are some early reactions to the passing of the 90-year-old Cold War icon, whose life was defined by his resistance to the capitalist United States.

Russian President Vladimir Putin

"The name of this distinguished statesman is rightly considered the symbol of an era in modern world history," the Russian president said in a telegram to Cuban President Raul Castro, Fidel's brother, cited by the Kremlin.

"Fidel Castro was a sincere and reliable friend of Russia."

Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev

"Fidel stood up and strengthened his country during the harshest American blockade when there was colossal pressure on him and he still took his country out of this blockade to a path of independent development," Interfax news agency quoted former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev as saying.

"In the past years, even when Fidel Castro was not formally in power, his role in strengthening the country was huge."

Chinese President Xi Jinping

China's president hailed Castro in a message read out on state television: "The Chinese people have lost a good and true comrade.

"Comrade Castro will live forever. "

South African President Jacob Zuma

The South African president gave one of the warmest tributes to the late Cuban leader.

"President Castro identified with our struggle against apartheid. He inspired the Cuban people to join us in our own struggle. As a way of paying homage to the memory of President Castro, the strong bonds of solidarity, cooperation and friendship that exist between South Africa and Cuba must be maintained and nurtured," Zuma said.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau

The cordial relationship between Canada and Cuba was reflected in remarks made by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

"It is with great sadness that I have just heard of the death of Fidel Castro. A longtime friend of Canada and my family," Trudeau.

French President Francois Hollande

Fidel Castro embodied Cuba's revolution in both its "hopes" and its later "disappointments", the French President said in a statement.

"An actor of the Cold War... he represented, for Cubans, pride in rejecting external domination," Hollande added, alluding to Castro's opposition to the United States.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro

The Venezuelan president, Cuba's main ally in the region, said of Castro on Twitter: "It is up to us to continue his legacy and carry his flag of independence."

Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy

The Spanish Prime Minister sent his condolences to Cuba's government and people, via Twitter, where he described Castro as "a figure of historic significance".

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi sent his "deepest condolences" to Cuba. "May his soul rest in peace," he tweeted.

"Fidel Castro was one of the most iconic personalities of the 20th century. India mourns the loss of a great friend."

Celebrations in Miami

Castro's death was treated less sympathetically in Miami, the American city just 90 miles (150 kilometres) from the Cuban coast, where many opponents of the communist regime escaped. Many others died trying to reach it by boat.

Amid cries of "Cuba Libre!" and "Freedom! Freedom!" Cuban-Americans poured onto the streets.

"It's sad that one finds joy in the death of a person -- but that person should never have been born," said Pablo Arencibia, 67, a teacher who fled Cuba 20 years ago.
Back in the 1970s at the height of the Cold War, the small Caribbean nation of Cuba went to war thousands of miles away in the battlefields of Angola and Ethiopia, leaving thousands dead.

Cuban leader Fidel Castro, who died late Friday, was convinced that the global stage for the "world revolution" was happening in Africa  and thus Cuba became the first Latin American nation to go to war outside its own continent. Angola and Ethiopia soon became symbols of the "regional conflicts" of the Cold War, in which Washington and Moscow battled for ideological supremacy and power through proxy wars.

But Havana's involvement in the fighting fields far from home was to cost it dear. Some 4,300 Cubans died in African conflicts, half of them in Angola -- although experts say that number has been sharply underestimated.

Cuban veterans have often complained of lack of care and benefits on returning home.

In Angola, Castro responded to calls for help from the Marxist guerrilla leader Agostinho Neto, who had seized Luanda during a bloody war from its Portuguese colonial masters. Neto had no intention of sharing Angola's independence, with rival guerrilla leaders Holden Roberto, supported by Zaire  now the Democratic Republic of Congo  or Jonas Savimbi, backed by South Africa.

Initially thousands of Cuban troops were deployed along 14,000 kilometers (8,600 miles) of coastline in Operation Carlota, named in honor of a black slave revolt in Cuba. Moscow also poured logistics and funding into Angola in a war that turned into a hard slog for Cubans, as the heroes of the island's guerrilla-led revolution had to quickly adapt and learn counter-insurgency tactics.

In March 1988, the South African army retreated in the face of the Cubans at the battle of Cuito Cuanavale in Angola, a setback that sounded the death knell for the apartheid regime and led to the independence of Namibia. The Angola campaign lasted until 1991, when the last of some 400,000 Cuban soldiers sent to fight "imperialism" in an "international mission" finally returned home.

In February 1977, General Arnaldo Ochoa was also sent to Ethiopia to support the leader of the Communist military junta, Colonel Mengistu Haile Mariam, against the Ethiopians' former Somali allies, who were forced to surrender the Ogaden plateau to 17,000 Cuban soldiers. Cuban troops were also stationed in Mozambique after its independence.

Since the 1960s Cuban troops have served in Algeria, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Equatorial Guinea, Sierra Leone and Libya.
By Marc Frank and Nelson Acosta

| HAVANA

HAVANA Fidel Castro, the Cuban revolutionary leader who built a communist state on the doorstep of the United States and for five decades defied U.S. efforts to topple him, died on Friday. He was 90.A towering figure of the second half of the 20th Century, Castro stuck to his ideology beyond the collapse of Soviet communism and remained widely respected in parts of the world that had struggled against colonial rule.He had been in poor health since an intestinal ailment nearly killed him in 2006. He formally ceded power to his younger brother Raul Castro two years later.Wearing a green military uniform, a somber Raul Castro, 85, appeared on state television on Friday night to announce his brother's death."At 10.29 at night, the chief commander of the Cuban revolution, Fidel Castro Ruz, died," he said, without giving a cause of death."Ever onward, to victory," he said, using the slogan of the Cuban revolution.Tributes came in from around the world.Venezuela's Socialist President Nicolas Maduro said "revolutionaries of the world must follow his legacy," while Pope Francis said he was grieving and praying for the repose of the professed atheist, whom he met in Cuba last year.China's president, Xi Jinping, said "the Chinese people have lost a close comrade and a sincere friend". U.S. President-Elect Donald Trump said on Twitter: "Fidel Castro is dead!", without elaborating.DECADES OF HOSTILITY

Raul Castro, who always glorified his older brother, has nevertheless changed Cuba since taking over by introducing market-style economic reforms and agreeing with the United States in December 2014 to re-establish diplomatic ties and end decades of hostility.It remains unclear if Trump will continue efforts to normalize relations with Cuba or fulfill a campaign promise to close the U.S. embassy in Havana once again.Fidel Castro himself offered only lukewarm support for the 2014 deal with Washington, raising questions about whether he approved of ending hostilities with his longtime enemy. Some analysts believed his mere presence kept Raul from moving further and faster, while others saw him as either quietly supportive or increasingly irrelevant.He did not meet Barack Obama when he visited Havana earlier this year, the first time a U.S. president had stepped foot on Cuban soil since 1928. Days later, Castro wrote a scathing newspaper column condemning Obama's "honey-coated" words and reminding Cubans of the many U.S. efforts to overthrow and weaken the Communist government.The news of Castro's death spread slowly among Friday night revelers on the streets of Havana. One famous club that was still open when word came in quickly closed.Some residents reacted with sadness to the news."I'm very upset. Whatever you want to say, he is a public figure that the whole world respected and loved," said Havana student Sariel Valdespino.But in Miami, where many exiles from Castro's government live, a large crowd waving Cuban flags cheered, danced and banged on pots and pans. Castro's body will be cremated, according to his wishes. Cuba declared nine days of mourning, during which time the ashes will be taken to different parts of the country. A burial ceremony will be held on Dec. 4.The bearded Fidel Castro took power in a 1959 revolution and ruled Cuba for 49 years with a mix of charisma and iron will, creating a one-party state and becoming a central figure in the Cold War.He was demonized by the United States and its allies but admired by many leftists around the world, especially socialist revolutionaries in Latin America and Africa.Nelson Mandela, once freed from prison in 1990, repeatedly thanked Castro for his firm efforts in helping to weaken apartheid.In April, in a rare public appearance at the Communist Party conference, Fidel Castro shocked party apparatchiks by referring to his own imminent mortality."Soon I will be like all the rest. Our turn comes to all of us, but the ideas of the Cuban communists will remain," he said.Castro was last seen by ordinary Cubans in photos showing him engaged in conversation with Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang earlier this month.

MILITARY FATIGUES, CIGARS

Transforming Cuba from a playground for rich Americans into a symbol of resistance to Washington, Castro crossed swords with 10 U.S. presidents while in power, and outlasted nine of them.He fended off a CIA-backed invasion at the Bay of Pigs in 1961 as well as countless assassination attempts.His alliance with Moscow helped trigger the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962, a 13-day showdown with the United States that brought the world the closest it has been to nuclear war.Wearing green military fatigues and chomping on cigars for many of his years in power, Castro was famous for long, fist-pounding speeches filled with blistering rhetoric, often aimed at the United States.At home, he swept away capitalism and won support for bringing schools and hospitals to the poor. But he also created legions of enemies and critics, concentrated among the exiles in Miami who fled his rule and saw him as a ruthless tyrant."With Castros passing, some of the heat may go out of the antagonism between Cuba and the United States, and between Cuba and Miami, which would be good for everyone," said William M. LeoGrande, co-author of a book on U.S.-Cuba relations.Castro's death -- which would once have thrown a question mark over Cuba's future -- seems unlikely to trigger a crisis as Raul Castro is firmly ensconced in power. In his final years, Fidel Castro no longer held leadership posts. He wrote newspaper commentaries on world affairs and occasionally met foreign leaders but he lived in semi-seclusion.Still, the passing of the man known to most Cubans as "El Comandante" -- the commander -- or simply "Fidel" leaves a huge void in the country he dominated for so long. It also underlines the generational change in Cuba's communist leadership.Raul Castro vows to step down when his term ends in 2018 and the Communist Party has elevated younger leaders to its Politburo, including 56-year-old Miguel Diaz-Canel, who is first vice-president and the heir apparent. Others in their 50s include Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez and economic reform czar Marino Murillo.

The reforms have led to more private enterprise and the lifting of some restrictions on personal freedoms but they aim to strengthen Communist Party rule, not weaken it.REVOLUTIONARY ICON

A Jesuit-educated lawyer, Fidel Castro led the revolution that ousted U.S.-backed dictator Fulgencio Batista on Jan 1, 1959. Aged 32, he quickly took control of Cuba and sought to transform it into an egalitarian society. His government improved the living conditions of the very poor, achieved health and literacy levels on a par with rich countries and rid Cuba of a powerful Mafia presence.But he also tolerated little dissent, jailed opponents, seized private businesses and monopolized the media.Castro's opponents labeled him a dictator and hundreds of thousands fled the island. "The dictator Fidel Castro has died, the cause of many deaths in Cuba, Latin American and Africa," Jose Daniel Ferrer, leader of the island's largest dissident group, the Patriotic Union of Cuba, said on Twitter.Many dissidents settled in Florida, influencing U.S. policy toward Cuba and plotting Castro's demise. Some even trained in the Florida swamps for the disastrous Bay of Pigs invasion. But they could never dislodge him. Castro claimed he survived or evaded hundreds of assassination attempts, including some conjured up by the CIA. In 1962, the United States imposed a damaging trade embargo that Castro blamed for most of Cuba's ills, using it to his advantage to rally patriotic fury.Over the years, he expanded his influence by sending Cuban troops into far-away wars, including 350,000 to fight in Africa. They provided critical support to a left-wing government in Angola and contributed to the independence of Namibia in a war that helped end apartheid in South Africa.He also won friends by sending tens of thousands of Cuban doctors abroad to treat the poor and bringing young people from developing countries to train them as physicians

'HISTORY WILL ABSOLVE ME'

Born on August 13, 1926, in Biran in eastern Cuba, Castro was the son of a Spanish immigrant who became a wealthy landowner. Angry at social conditions and Batista's dictatorship, Castro launched his revolution on July 26, 1953, with a failed assault on the Moncada barracks in the eastern city of Santiago."History will absolve me," he declared during his trial for the attack.He was sentenced to 15 years in prison but was released in 1955 after a pardon that would come back to haunt Batista. Castro went into exile in Mexico and prepared a small rebel army to fight Batista. It included Argentine revolutionary Ernesto "Che" Guevara, who became his comrade-in-arms.In December 1956, Castro and a rag-tag band of 81 followers sailed to Cuba aboard a badly overloaded yacht called "Granma". Only 12, including him, his brother and Guevara, escaped a government ambush when they landed in eastern Cuba.Taking refuge in the rugged Sierra Maestra mountains, they built a guerrilla force of several thousand fighters who, along with urban rebel groups, defeated Batista's military in just over two years.Early in his rule, at the height of the Cold War, Castro allied Cuba to the Soviet Union, which protected the Caribbean island and was its principal benefactor for three decades.The alliance brought in $4 billion worth of aid annually, including everything from oil to guns, but also provoked the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis when the United States discovered Soviet missiles on the island.Convinced that the United States was about to invade Cuba, Castro urged the Soviets to launch a nuclear attack.Cooler heads prevailed. Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev and U.S. President John F. Kennedy agreed the Soviets would withdraw the missiles in return for a U.S. promise never to invade Cuba. The United States also secretly agreed to remove its nuclear missiles from Turkey.'SPECIAL PERIOD'

When the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, an isolated Cuba fell into an economic crisis that lasted for years and was known as the "special period". Food, transport and basics such as soap were scarce and energy shortages led to frequent and long blackouts.Castro undertook a series of tentative economic reforms to get through the crisis, including opening up to foreign tourism.The economy improved when Venezuela's late socialist leader Hugo Chavez, who looked up to Castro as a hero, came to the rescue with cheap oil. Aid from communist-run China also helped, but Venezuelan support for Cuba has been scaled down since Chavez's death in 2013.Plagued by chronic economic problems, Cuba's population of 11 million has endured years of hardship, although not the deep poverty, violent crime and government neglect of many other developing countries. Cubans earn on average the equivalent of $20 a month and struggle to make ends meet even in an economy where education and health care are free and many basic goods and services are heavily subsidized.For most Cubans, Castro has been the ubiquitous figure of their entire life. Many still love him and share his faith in a communist future, and even some who abandoned their political belief still view him with respect."For everyone in Cuba and outside his death is very sad," said Havana resident Luis Martinez. "It is very painful news." (Reporting by Daniel Trotta and Marc Frank; Editing by Frank Jack Daniel, Kieran Murray and Hugh Lawson)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
Armenia is treated with warmth in Niger

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia and Niger signed Protocol on the Establishment of diplomatic relations On November 26, on the margins of the OIF Ministerial Conference being held in the capital of Madagascar, Edward Nalbandian, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia, had a meeting with Ibrahim Yacoubou, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Cooperation, African Integration and Nigeriens Abroad. During the meeting Edward Nalbandian mentioned that Armenia wants to expand the scope of cooperation with the countries of the African continent, and in this regard he attached importance to the possibilities provided by the international organization to conduct numerous meetings and reach agreements on the development of relations. The Foreign Minister of Niger outlined that Armenia and the Armenian nation are treated with warmth in her country, and she is glad to discuss with the Foreign Minister of Armenia issues related to the establishment and development of cooperation. The sides discussed the possibilities to create legal framework, establish collaboration within the framework of international organizations. Ibrahim Yacoubou presented the situation created in the result activities of Boko Haram and other terrorist group in the Western African region, as well as the steps being undertaken against them. At the end of the meeting the Foreign Minister signed the Protocol on the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
San Jose: Tropical storm Otto killed at least nine people in Costa Rica and then headed into the Pacific Ocean after making landfall as the southernmost hurricane on record to hit Central America.

Costa Rican President Luis Guillermo Solis announced that nine people had been killed in the area of Bagaces and Upala, a town south of the Costa Rica-Nicaragua border. Earlier, he

said at least six people were missing in the nearby town of Bijagua.

Solis said as much water fell on the area in a few hours as normally falls in a month, and said some people had been trapped by rising waters.

The United States sent aeroplanes and neighbouring Panama sent planes and helicopters to aid in the search and rescue efforts in the area, where rain-swollen rivers overflowed their banks.

Otto made landfall on Nicaragua's Caribbean coast on Thursday as a dangerous Category 2 storm but it faded to tropical storm force before emerging over the eastern Pacific early on Friday.

Authorities in Nicaragua said the hurricane had damaged houses, but so far there were no reports of casualties.

Earlier, heavy rains from the storm were blamed for three deaths in Panama.

Otto battered Nicaragua's Corn Islands with 3.5-meter (10-feet) waves and damaged houses, but residents were all safe in refuges, said the archipelago's mayor, Cleveland Rolando Webster.

The US National Hurricane Center said that by on Friday morning, the storm was centered about 395 kilometers south-southeast of El Salvador's capital, San Salvador, and had maximum sustained winds of 95 kph.

It was moving toward the west at 26 kph. It was projected to keep moving westward away from Central America, further into Pacific.

The Nicaraguan government earlier declared a state of emergency, but later reported there were no deaths directly related to the hurricane. About 400 homes in Nicaragua were damaged or destroyed.

Solis said Otto could damage the country's important coffee and agriculture sectors. Nicaragua also feared damage to coffee crops that are almost ready for harvest.
Sartaj Aziz, Pakistan's foreign policy chief, has announced the setting up a high-level committee to formulate a "doable and sustainable" policy to highlight the Kashmir issue globally. He made this announcement to the Pakistani Senate this week. As per the Dawn, this measure is for "reaching out to Indians who are opposed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's extremist policies".

The committee will comprise senior officials from the ministries of defence, interior and information, the military operations directorate, ISI and IB. The noteworthy point, however, is that the committee doesn't have any representation from Pakistan's foreign ministry. It is common knowledge that Pakistan's foreign ministry does not define or implement Islamabad's India policy, Kashmir included. It's the ISI that handles their foreign policy for India and Afghanistan.

So the newly formed committee would review why, despite its best efforts, Pakistan hasn't been able to wrest Jammu and Kashmir from India, and why the pro-Pakistan sentiment in the Valley is petering out, six months after the Burhan Wani killing. It would also figure out how to raise the proxy war in Kashmir to the next level, destabilise other regions of India and raise the Kashmir issue at every possible forum  though Nawaz Sharif has been doing a good job of this, sending special representatives to multiple countries to build consensus in favour of Pakistan.

Pakistan has also been linking the instability in Afghanistan with Kashmir, and has been distressed to find that the baseless argument didn't find any takers. However, developments in Kashmir are perhaps getting affected by happenings in Xinjiang, China's Achilles Heel. There are about 13 ethnic groups in Xinjiang, and over 20 million people, and they have been seeking independence against the Chinese government, which it considers "imperialist". Xinjiang declared independence in October 1933, forming the Islamic Republic of East Turkestan, only for China to invade the very next year. Xinjiang again declared independence in 1944 as the East Turkistan Republic, but China again annexed Xinjiang in 1949, much in the same manner it also colonised Tibet later.

The Uighurs abhor Chinese rule, because China is overwhelming them by settling a large number of Han Chinese there (already 40 percent of the population there is Han Chinese), thereby throttling Uighur culture, customs and traditions. Exiled Uighur leader Rebiyah Kadeer has been raising voices against China's attempts to refashion the region's cultural identity and repressing their religious expression.

Among the resistance groups fighting for Xinjiang's independence is the East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM), which has elements present in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Central Asia. Incidents of violence have also occurred periodically through the years.

China analyst Bhaskar Roy wrote in July 2009, "The fire in Xinjiang may be doused, but some embers may quietly remain to start another and large fire. The heart of the Xinjiang uprising may not be localised in the sense of one single issue. Restiveness is all over the country, and the leaders know it. Their intense consternation is not without reasons."

Former ambassador P Stopdan also revealed in 2009, "In Xinjiang, the Chinese have implemented a series of tough policies including the forced transfer of teenage Uighur women to China's Eastern cities like Tianjin, Jiangsu, Qingdao, Shandong, Zhejiang and others in the guise of providing employment opportunities. In 2006 alone, there had been 240,000 cases of Uighur girls being forced to shift from the Kashgar Region. The plight of these girls is reportedly miserable and they are also not allowed to return freely to their hometowns. This policy, aggressively pursued to bridge the economic gap by the authorities, has raised pent-up anxieties among the Uighurs, as these girls are often used as slave labor and sex workers in Chinese cities. Cultural assimilation was another motive apart from the sinister design to obliterate the size of the Uighur population."

China has been making efforts to integrate Xinjiang with the rest of the country through projects like the Tarim Basin Project funded by the World Bank, the Tarim Desert Highway, a rail link to western Xinjiang, Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps with agricultural settlements, shopping centres, malls, department stores, additional roads linking cities like Urumqi, and now the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). But these projects have increased the influx of Han Chinese, resented by Uighurs.

Chinese analysts and scholars admit Islamic fundamentalism is the most potent threat to China, one that defies all borders. But what they refuse to admit is that this threat and its directional guidance and support emanates from Pakistan's radical core. It is for such reasons that China wanted to establish its army bases inside Pakistan, and the reason why it has now managed lodgment in Gilgit-Baltistan.

On 30 December 2013, Chinese police in Xinjiang shot dead eight Uighurs who they said attacked the police station. But Dilxat Rexit, a Sweden-based spokesman for the World Uighur Congress, said they had gone to the police station unarmed to protest against poor treatment.

In July 2014, 96 people were killed including 37 civilians and 59 ETIM cadres in Shache County (called Yarkand by Uighurs) of Xinjiang in a week of violence. In November 2015, China claimed to have shot dead 28 ETIM cadres hiding in a cave. According to Radio Free Asia, this incident was preceded by an attack on Uighurs in the town of Aksu resulting in 50 deaths and more than 50 injured.

Apparently, Uighur resistance to China in Xinjiang is alive and kicking. China has been adept in irregular warfare since the Mao era. Beijing had established links with the Taliban on on Chinese soil before the US invasion of Afghanistan. By its own strategic calculations, China found it better to be friends with Pakistan rather than fighting terror emanating from there.

At the same time, China also decided to entrench itself within Islamabad's establishment; projects in POK-Pakistan, CPEC and Gwadar. Pakistani proxies have benefited from Chinese veto, and in return, Pakistan puts a lid on Chinese genocide in Xinjiang.

For some time now, intelligence inputs were indicating LeT was providing terrorist training to Uighurs. Concurrently, reports and photographs appeared of Uighurs fighting in Syria as well. On Saturday, reports showed a Chinese language diary found on the body of a terrorist killed on the LoC by India's BSF. This is a significant development, much more than the recovery of Chinese flags in Baramula and sighting of PLA soldiers on Pakistani posts along the LoC.

The reasoning for CPEC becoming the 'Highway of Terror' has been covered in these columns. It will be prudent for our policy makers to look at the China factor in Kashmir afresh, even as our straight intelligence sleuths may shrug off this development. But then, it was their insistence that Hurriyat separatists were "insignificant" that led to the current explosive situation in the Kashmir Valley.

The author is a veteran Lieutenant-General of the Indian Army
By Karin Strohecker

| LONDON

LONDON Turkey's rapprochement with Russia has not changed Ankara's position that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad must go to restore peace in the country, Turkish deputy prime minister Numan Kurtulmus said on Saturday. Russia is Assad's main military backer while Turkey backs the rebels fighting to oust him in the six year old conflict."We are in the same position, Assad has committed war crimes several times," Kurtulmus told Reuters. "We have of course with Russia some differences in our opinions for the future of Syria, but we see the Russian side much more willing to encourage the regime for a peaceful solution."Russia and Iran have provided direct military support to Assad while countries that want to see him gone from power, including the United States, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkey, have done the same for the rebels fighting his forces.Relations between Ankara and Moscow became strained after NATO member Turkey downed a Russian jet near the Syrian border a year ago but the two countries restored ties in August.

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan discussed Syria with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on Friday.COUP PURGE CONTINUES

Talking about the government's crackdown on supporters of U.S.-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen, who is accused by Ankara of masterminding a failed coup in July, Kurtulmus said the purge would continue for some time."This is a very dangerous position and we will kill them from every single position in the civil services, but that will take time," he said. Kurtulmus' chief advisor Ali Osman Ozturk said he expected there could be more arrests for at least another year, depending on the evidence found. He said 95,950 people had been suspended from their positions so far, of which 16,000 civil servants had since been reinstated.

The crackdown in the wake of the coup and Erdogan's drive for a stronger presidency have raised fears of a lurch towards authoritarianism.European Union lawmakers this week voted for a temporary halt to EU membership talks with Turkey because of Ankara's "disproportionate" reaction to July's failed coup.Gulen denies any involvement in the attempted putsch of July 15, when more than 240 people were killed as rogue soldiers commandeered tanks, fighter jets and helicopters, bombing parliament and other key buildings. (Editing by David Clarke)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
Peshawar: Four heavily-armed suicide bombers attacked a mosque at an army facility in northwestern Pakistan's tribal region near Afghan border on Saturday, triggering fierce clashes that left all militants and two soldiers dead.

The militants attacked Mohmand Rifles Headquarters in Ghalanai in Mohmand Agency, one of seven tribal districts, and reached the mosque, where residents and a large number of recruits had gathered for an early morning prayer.

The attackers were wearing suicide jackets and opened fire while attempting to enter the mosque. "They were taken on and contained in the outer courtyard of mosque. Security forces surrounded the attackers and killed all of them," the army said in a statement.

Officials said 15 troops were also injured in the attack. Condition of five of those injured was stated to be critical. "Security forces valiantly defeated suicide attack on Ghalani Camp in Mohmand agency killing all four suicide bombers," army spokesman Lt Gen Asim Saleem Bajwa tweeted.

He said two soldiers were also killed in the attack. Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan's breakaway faction Jamaat-ul Ahrar claimed responsibility for the attack. The group was designated as a terrorist entity by Pakistan's interior ministry early this month. After the attack, district administration imposed curfew in Mohmand and started search operation for militants.

Mohmand was once a stronghold of militants but it has become largely peaceful due to repeated operation by the army. However, militants sometime sneak into the Pakistani areas from porous border with Afghanistan and carry out attacks, according to officials.
LONDON The Scottish government on Friday published legal arguments it will use to try to persuade Britain's highest court that the devolved Scottish parliament must give its approval before Prime Minister Theresa May can trigger the Brexit process.A High Court ruled earlier this month that the government must seek the approval of the British parliament before starting the legal process of leaving the European Union. The British government is appealing that judgement in the Supreme Court.The nationalist Scottish government is joining the legal case, due to be heard in early December, and on Friday set out its argument in full. It raises the threat of a delay to Brexit and an even greater constitutional puzzle - if it wins its case and if, as expected, the Scottish parliament subsequently votes against May's plan to start EU divorce proceedings by the end of March.

A majority of Scots voted to stay in the EU, in contrast to England and Wales where most voted to leave. The overall result of the June referendum was 52-48 percent in favour of leaving.Scotland's 58-page legal document argued that any vote in the British parliament would alter the current devolution arrangements for Scotland and would therefore require a separate vote in its own devolved parliament.

"A bill brought before the UK Parliament to withdraw the UK from the EU would engage the constitutional convention in terms of which that Parliament does not normally legislate with regard to devolved matters without the consent of the Scottish Parliament," the document said.

A vote in the Scottish parliament would probably not be binding on May's government, but ignoring it would break with precedent and could pose a serious constitutional and political problem for the British leader. (Reporting by William James; editing by Andrew Roche)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
Marijuana has been nearly unstoppable this year.

Heading into Election Day, residents in nine states were set to vote on marijuana initiatives or amendments within their states. Five states had been looking to legalize recreational marijuana, whereas residents in four states were voting on medical cannabis initiatives or amendments. Out of these nine states, the lone dissenters were found in Arizona, where Prop 205 lost by a mere 2%. Aside from an exceptionally close win in Maine, marijuana initiatives handily won in every other state. As it stands now, and as you can see by the map above, 28 states, along with Washington, D.C., have now legalized medical cannabis, while the number of recreational-legal states doubled following this election to eight from four.

The sky seems to be the limit for the pot industry. Investment firm Cowen & Co. is estimating that growth could average nearly 24% per year through 2026. This would transform today's $6 billion legal pot industry into a $50 billion juggernaut in a decade. That would represent about a quarter of the size of the alcohol industry if these growth projections come to fruition.

In order for cannabis to continue growing like a weed, it'll need new avenues with which to expand. It's possible that President-elect Trump could legalize medical marijuana since he has gone on record and thrown his support behind pot's medical use. However, the real growth is to be made from the recreational side of the business, and to this end, Trump has favored the status quo of allowing states to decide marijuana's fate on their own. In other words, with eight states (and Washington, D.C.) now able to legally sell recreational marijuana to adults ages 21 and up, the attention turns to which states could be next in line to legalize recreational weed.

Four states that could legalize recreational marijuana next

Though it's completely up to interpretation at this point, the following four states look the most likely to attempt to legalize marijuana next.

Arizona

Although Arizona was the only one of the nine states whose ballot initiatives failed, it's also one of the most likely to legalize recreational marijuana. Why? Because history suggests so.

Though the marijuana industry is quick to point out its numerous victories, there have been ample instances of failure in recent years. California's Prop 64 passed overwhelmingly in 2016, but a similar measure designed to legalize recreational marijuana in 2010 failed. Similarly, Oregon's residents passed a recreational marijuana initiative in 2014, but this was only after a similar push failed in 2012. Arkansas, which just approved Issue 6 to legalize medical cannabis for 17 ailments, initially failed to approve a medical marijuana ballot initiative four years prior. The same can be said in Florida, which failed to pass a medical marijuana amendment in 2014 but passed Amendment 2 in 2016 for medical pot.

In other words, failure happens from time to time, but history suggests that after marijuana advocacy groups focus their efforts on states that had narrow defeats, they turn into victories relatively soon thereafter. Arizona's Prop 205 only lost by 2%. Meanwhile, cannabis' approval rating keeps climbing in national polls. Given some time, Arizona could be a strong candidate for recreational legalization.

Rhode Island

Following the approval of recreational weed in the neighboring state of Massachusetts this year, Rhode Island could very well be the next state to consider legalizing adult-use pot.

There are certainly a number of incentives in place for lawmakers in Rhode Island to strongly push for legalization. To begin with, Rhode Island residents can hop over to Massachusetts to purchase legal marijuana beginning in 2018 when it'll officially go on sale (though recreational marijuana becomes legal on Dec. 15, 2016). This creates a potential problem with Rhode Islanders bringing an illegal drug back into the state while Rhode Island collects no tax revenue in the process.

Additionally, a National Survey on Drug Use and Health found that Rhode Island of all states has the highest percentage of people over age 12 (16%) who have consumed cannabis over the past month in the United States... for the second consecutive year. Obviously, lawmakers don't want marijuana winding up in the hands of minors, and that's one reason why Rhode Island's lawmakers haven't legalized recreational pot yet. However, this national survey provides pretty irrefutable evidence that Rhode Island could benefit from the tax revenue generated by a law legalizing recreational weed.

Gov. Gina Raimondo (D-RI) recently suggested that she would take a long look at a possible legalization measure, with Democratic House Speaker Nicholas Mattiello pointing out that he's ready to take up legislation in 2017.

Vermont

Vermont is a particularly intriguing state since any legalization efforts would have to come from the state's legislature since it lacks the initiative and referendum process. However, Vermont has long had a tendency to lean toward progressive policies, which could bode well for the future of recreational pot's legalization.

Last year, Vermont actually came pretty close to legalizing recreational marijuana through the legislative process. Senate Bill 241 passed muster in the Senate, but it wound up falling short of the votes it needed in Vermont's House of Representatives in April. According to a poll from VPR in Feb. 2016, 55% of Vermonters favored the idea of legalizing recreational marijuana compared to just 32% who opposed it.

Arguably the trickiest aspect of a future approval in Vermont is that the state's biggest cheerleader of Senate Bill 241, Gov. Peter Shumlin (D-VT), is on his way out of office and is being succeeded by Lieutenant Gov. Phil Scott (R-VT). Scott is a Republican, and Republican lawmakers generally take a more conservative approach to legalizing marijuana. In short, Senate Bill 241 could require some modifications before Scott and members of the Vermont House of Representatives will sign off on it. The VPR poll suggests support from Vermonters is there, but we'll have to wait and see how things play out once the next legislative session begins in January.

Hawaii

Lastly, tropical vacation destination Hawaii could soon become a legal recreational pot state. Some of the best candidates to legalize recreational weed are those that have had medical marijuana infrastructure in place the longest or legalized medical marijuana many moons ago. Hawaii wound up approving medical cannabis in 2000, meaning there's ample reason to believe its legislature would have a good handle on regulating the recreational marijuana industry.

Also, according to the Hawaii Drug Policy Action Group, Hawaiians strongly approve of the idea of taxing and regulating legal weed. In a Jan. 2014 poll, the survey showed that 66% of 400 surveyed Hawaiian voters favored the idea of legalizing and taxing recreational marijuana. This was up 9 percentage points from 2012, and it was considerably higher than the 37% who favored similar legalization back in 2005.

Like Vermont, Hawaii is part of the two dozen U.S. states where there is no initiative and referendum process. This means all proposals, including recreational legalization, would be voted on by the state's legislature. The good news here is that Hawaii's congressional politics are typically dominated by Democrats, which generally have a favorable view of the responsible expansion of recreational marijuana.

One of the more interesting hurdles Hawaii might have to overcome (should it legalize recreational cannabis) are high energy costs. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, Hawaii has some of the highest energy costs in the country, and growing marijuana is highly energy intensive. Since Hawaii also has a very strict greenhouse gas emission policy, the inner workings of a large-scale recreational marijuana industry could be tricky.
The spot price for copper had been in the doldrums for years before recently rebounding to a 16-month high as investors bet that global manufacturing and infrastructure spending will increase. That is great news for the largest copper companies, which will benefit from rebounding prices. However, while the rising tide of higher copper prices will lift all miners, successful investing in copper takes more than just blindly choosing a company based on copper production.

Digging into the copper sector

Despite the recent surge in copper prices, the consensus view in the industry is that current copper prices are insufficient to meet future demand because they are not high enough to incentivize producers to invest in enough new projects to offset declining output. As a result, analysts at research firm Wood Mackenzie believe that production from existing mines will fall by 4 million tons through 2025. That is a substantial amount of copper. For perspective, the world's top 10 mines only produce 5.5 million tons of copper per year.

To reverse this trend, Wood Mackenzie believes that copper needs to average about $3.30 per pound to incentivize producers to increase output. However, given that copper is currently around $2.50 per pound, it means prices need to go meaningfully higher to fuel new investments. That outlook will certainly benefit the world's top copper companies:

Top Copper Mining Companies Reported Copper Reserves (in Metric Tons) Southern Copper (SCCO -1.58%) 70.1 Codelco (state-owned) 56.7 Freeport-McMoRan (FCX -1.84%) 36.6 BHP Billiton (BHP -0.65%) 33.7 Anglo American (AAL -3.47%) 31.8 Glencore Xstrata (GLEN -1.85%) 27.0 Rio Tinto (RIO -2.11%) 20.7 Antofagasta (ANTO -4.47%) 13.0 Vale (VALE -3.39%) 10.7

However, while the group as a whole will benefit from that future, five copper producers stand apart as the biggest beneficiaries:

As that chart shows, Southern Copper, BHP Billiton, Rio Tinto, Vale, and Freeport-McMoRan have the lowest costs in the sector putting them in the best position to capture rising copper prices. That improving market will provide them with the cash flow they need to invest in the plethora of low-cost production growth opportunities embedded within their portfolios.

Highest reserves at the lowest costs

Mexican-based Southern Copper is currently the largest holder of copper reserves and has the longest mine life at 94 years. More importantly, it has the lowest costs in the sector at just $0.91 per pound after factoring in by-product credits. Also, while Southern Copper is currently only the fifth-largest copper producer, it has several growth projects underway that will boost its output by more than 50% through 2020. In addition to that, it has several large potential projects in the pipeline to expand production even more, including two world-class greenfield projects. Investors looking for a low-cost, high-growth copper company need to look no further than Southern Copper.

Following the leader

Freeport-McMoRan is the world's leading copper producer thanks to its a world-class copper portfolio, including stakes in three of the four largest copper mines in the world. These are also some of the lowest-cost mines, with its crown jewel Grasberg mine in Indonesia boasting unit costs of just $0.62 per pound this year. Furthermore, in addition to more than 25 years of reserve life at its current production rate, Freeport-McMoRan controls a large inventory of development projects that it can use to boost production when market conditions improve. In other words, this leader is not about to lose its crown.

A copper-colored future

Diversified global mining giant BHP Billiton produces several important metals and energy products. However, copper is one of its most important commodities in both the near and long term. In the near term, the company has several compelling opportunities to expand production across three of its copper mines by 10% through the end of the decade. Meanwhile, longer term, it has two potential major projects to expand production further depending on market conditions, including the $2.2 billion Spence Growth Option and the capacity to nearly double the output at Olympic Dam. Finally, BHP Billiton has not given up the search for new Tier 1 greenfield copper discoveries. So far this year, it has invested capital to acquire and test a sizable amount of acreage in Peru and the U.S. Southwest. Suffice it to say; BHP Billiton has ample copper growth potential in the future.

A world-class discovery about to reach its full potential

Aside from being one of the lowest-cost producers, Rio Tinto also has compelling copper upside. A major part of that is the development of the Oyu Tolgoi copper and gold mine in Mongolia. Initially discovered in 2001, Oyu Tolgoi holds one of the largest known copper and gold deposits in the world. Currently, Rio Tinto is literally just scratching the surface of this mine's potential by using open-pit mining when 80% of the mine's value lies deep underground. To capture that value, the company and its partners just started construction on a $5.3 billion underground mining project, which is expected to be operational by 2020. When fully ramped up by 2027, it will more than double the mine's output while producing in the top quarter of the copper cost curve.

There's more to this story

As the world's largest producer of iron ore, investors tend to forget that Vale is about more than just that one metal. In fact, it is a significant producer of low-cost copper and currently a top 10 holder of copper reserves. While Vale is not investing capital to grow copper production at the moment, it does have significant opportunities to expand should prices improve. For example, the company is considering a third expansion phase at its massive Salobo mine in Brazil that could boost output by 50% while also analyzing a project to double the production of its Zambia mine. When conditions warrant, Vale will likely allocate capital to these projects to take advantage of higher prices.

Investor takeaway

For those looking to invest in copper over the long term, the top stocks are those that operate at the low end of the cost curve. That is because these companies can earn the most money at the currently low prices, which gives them greater capacity to expand when prices improve. Each of these companies has enormous growth potential as well, thanks to projects underway and those currently in the pipeline.
Image source: Shake Shack.

Better-burger company Shake Shack (NYSE: SHAK) recently outlined its strategy for growing sales and the bottom line in the coming year. The plan of attack revealed when third-quarter results were reported Nov. 9 centers on new restaurant developments to drive overall revenue growth and new menu items to keep diners' interest. Here is the updated company outlook and what investors can expect in the months ahead.

Growth by new Shacks

Increasing sales at existing locations is a key metric for any restaurant, Shake Shack included. But as a smaller chain, the company has also been focused on expanding into new markets.

The number of Shacks has grown from 63 at the end of 2014 to 109 this year. The New York-based chain opened its first locations in the Phoenix, Dallas, and Minneapolis metro areas this year, as well as increased locations in other new markets like Los Angeles and Las Vegas. Internationally, a first location in South Korea opened its doors, and Shake Shack's international licensees continue to grow in Japan and the Middle East.

More restaurants are on the docket in the year ahead. Management sees 21 or 22 new company-operated locations in the states and 10 internationally licensed locations cutting ribbons in 2017. CEO Randy Garutti said that most lease agreements have already been inked, and that investors should expect the openings to be more heavily weighted toward the second half of the year.

Slated for opening are first-ever Shacks in San Diego, Detroit, and St. Louis.Deepening the presence in California will be a high priority in 2017, as well as the Japan and the new South Korean locations. Expect to see several new Shack openings in those markets during the year.

Growth by new food

To drive traffic to existing locations and pique burger lovers' interest, an expansion of the menu will soon begin. The Bacon Cheddar Shack limited-time burger will come to an end by the end of the first quarter of 2017 and will be replaced with two new limited-time items, the Barbecue ShackMeister burger and a variation on the fried chicken sandwich simply called the Barbecue Chicken.

In addition to the normal lineup of shakes, 2017 will also see a rotation of seasonal shakes. The new shakes will cost an additional $0.50 more than a regular shake. Garutti told investors they continue to work up new limited-time offerings that they will test at select locations throughout the year. The breakfast pilot program will also expand to another location in Philadelphia next year.

A final area of change for the menu is the recently launched Shake Shack app. Besides giving diners the ability to find locations and menu info, the company is testing pre-order and pickup scheduling through the app at a few of its New York restaurants. Management expects to take the new feature slow, but be on the lookout for updates in the quarters ahead.

Management sees same-Shack sales growth of 2% to 3% in 2017, driven by price hikes at the first of the year with the remaining growth coming from the new menu.

Will the strategy yield results?

Thus far, the burger joint's approach to growth has been working. The slow rollout into new markets while growing its presence in existing markets with new locations and a rotating menu has more than doubled sales and profits since Shake Shack went public in early 2015.

Data by YCharts.

Riding its recent momentum with this approach, Shake Shack's management doesn't look interested in changing the recipe anytime soon. After a tough 2015 debut as a public company, it looks like an exciting time to be a Shake Shack investor.

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Rhode Island Gov. Gina Raimondo (ray-MAHN'-doh) plans to shop locally to support the state's small businesses after Black Friday is over.

The Democratic governor is promoting this weekend's Small Business Saturday with the Small Business Administration.

She's scheduled on Saturday to visit Barrington Books in Cranston and The-Sew-Op and the ImPressed Olive in North Kingstown. Her schedule is subject to change.

The Small Business Administration says there are more than 96,000 small businesses in Rhode Island, making up about 96 percent of the state's businesses.

Raimondo is visiting the shops to encourage people to do the same in their communities on the busiest shopping weekend of the year for many people.
Bank stocks have soared since Donald Trump was elected president two weeks ago. There are a number of reasons for this, but one of the most obvious relates to his plans to increase fiscal spending and decrease taxes.

In this clip fromIndustry Focus: Financials, The Motley Fool's John Maxfield and Gaby Lapera discuss why Trump's proposed fiscal policies could spur profits at the nation's largest banks.

A full transcript follows the video.

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This podcast was recorded on Nov. 21, 2016.

Gaby Lapera: I don't know if you've noticed, but after the election, the KBW Banking Index, which tracks how banks are doing at large, is up about 14% since Nov. 8, which is a lot for banks. In general, there's a reason for this, and it's because in general, people think that the Trump administration is going to be very positive for banks. Right, Maxfield?

John Maxfield:Yeah, that's exactly right. Here's what's interesting: Going into the election, a lot of people were thinking that if Trump were elected, that stocks were going to fall precipitously. But actually, the opposite happened, which creates this interesting irony. Here, you have a Republican -- and we'll get into all these different reasons, but one of the reasons that stocks went up so much, bank stocks in particular, is because here youhave a Republican coming out and being really pro-growth economically, but not in terms of just reducing regulations, but in terms of massive fiscal expenditures. Just, when you're looking at the market overall and why it's gone in that direction, that's one of the reasons.

Lapera:Yeah. Part of the reason that stocks dropped during the election and right before is because there's so much volatility, they didn't know who was going to be president, and it seemed unclear what would happen if either one would become president. Let's talk about what the Trump administration has said. I will say, sometimes the Trump administration has said different things on the same topic, so we will do our best to cover that. We'll try our best, OK? Everyone knows that campaignpromises and what actually happens sometimes don't 100% line up. Again, we're covering what they said during the campaign, what's coming out now. Having said that, we also know that we don't really 100% knowwhat's going to happen when Trump becomes president. It's always a roll of the dice. Especially living in D.C., you know that Congress sometimes pushes things through and sometimes says, "Ha-ha, no, thank you." You never really know what's going to actually happen, despite whatever campaign promises were given.

Maxfield:That's exactly right. To dig in to banks in particular, this is the financials podcast, I'm a banking guy; you're an editor of our financial bureau. One of the biggest questions is, what are the exact reasons that have caused investors to bid up bank stocks so far since Donald Trump was elected? We were talking about this before the show; we identified three different reasons. The first, which I alluded to already, is that Trump has come out and said that one of hisprincipal priorities is to get the economy growing at a much faster pace. Again, they haven't provided a ton of details around their ideas in this regard. But I think we can break it down into three different things, in terms of their attempt to spur the economy.

The first is, they are recommending a huge infrastructure project, a huge investment in infrastructure --

Lapera:When you say huge, you mean $1 trillion, which isa lotof money. A lot of money.

Maxfield:Yeah. They'retalking about absolutely huge numbers. The great thing -- well, "great" is probably not the right adjective -- but it's an irony, because what we're talking about here is a full-throated embrace of Keynesian economics, which suggests that the way to get an economy out of a funk is through higher government expenditures. Of course, that has been anathema to the Republican Party,basically ever since Keynes recommended that in the 1930s.

Lapera:Yeah, it's been interesting because the Republicans have pretty consistently recommended infrastructure bills, but it has never gotten through Congress, because the funding for it is always in the air. And that is one thing with this infrastructure project -- not a lot of details on how the funding will appear have come forth yet. So we'll see how that happens, when we get more details on the bill.

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You will find more statistics at Statista.

Marijuana has been nearly unstoppable this year.

Heading into Election Day, residents in nine states were set to vote on marijuana initiatives or amendments within their states. Five states had been looking to legalize recreational marijuana, whereas residents in four states were voting on medical cannabis initiatives or amendments. Out of these nine states, the lone dissenters were found in Arizona, where Prop 205 lost by a mere 2%. Aside from an exceptionally close win in Maine, marijuana initiatives handily won in every other state. As it stands now, and as you can see by the map above, 28 states, along with Washington, D.C., have now legalized medical cannabis, while the number of recreational-legal states doubled following this election to eight from four.

The sky seems to be the limit for the pot industry. Investment firm Cowen & Co. is estimating that growth could average nearly 24% per year through 2026. This would transform today's $6 billion legal pot industry into a $50 billion juggernaut in a decade. That would represent about a quarter of the size of the alcohol industry if these growth projections come to fruition.

In order for cannabis to continue growing like a weed, it'll need new avenues with which to expand. It's possible that President-elect Trump could legalize medical marijuana since he has gone on record and thrown his support behind pot's medical use. However, the real growth is to be made from the recreational side of the business, and to this end, Trump has favored the status quo of allowing states to decide marijuana's fate on their own. In other words, with eight states (and Washington, D.C.) now able to legally sell recreational marijuana to adults ages 21 and up, the attention turns to which states could be next in line to legalize recreational weed.

Image source: Getty Images.

Four states that could legalize recreational marijuana next

Though it's completely up to interpretation at this point, the following four states look the most likely to attempt to legalize marijuana next.

Arizona

Although Arizona was the only one of the nine states whose ballot initiatives failed, it's also one of the most likely to legalize recreational marijuana. Why? Because history suggests so.

Though the marijuana industry is quick to point out its numerous victories, there have been ample instances of failure in recent years. California's Prop 64 passed overwhelmingly in 2016, but a similar measure designed to legalize recreational marijuana in 2010 failed. Similarly, Oregon's residents passed a recreational marijuana initiative in 2014, but this was only after a similar push failed in 2012. Arkansas, which just approved Issue 6 to legalize medical cannabis for 17 ailments, initially failed to approve a medical marijuana ballot initiative four years prior. The same can be said in Florida, which failed to pass a medical marijuana amendment in 2014 but passed Amendment 2 in 2016 for medical pot.

In other words, failure happens from time to time, but history suggests that after marijuana advocacy groups focus their efforts on states that had narrow defeats, they turn into victories relatively soon thereafter. Arizona's Prop 205 only lost by 2%. Meanwhile, cannabis' approval rating keeps climbing in national polls. Given some time, Arizona could be a strong candidate for recreational legalization.

Image source: Pixabay.

Rhode Island

Following the approval of recreational weed in the neighboring state of Massachusetts this year, Rhode Island could very well be the next state to consider legalizing adult-use pot.

There are certainly a number of incentives in place for lawmakers in Rhode Island to strongly push for legalization. To begin with, Rhode Island residents can hop over to Massachusetts to purchase legal marijuana beginning in 2018 when it'll officially go on sale (though recreational marijuana becomes legal on Dec. 15, 2016). This creates a potential problem with Rhode Islanders bringing an illegal drug back into the state while Rhode Island collects no tax revenue in the process.

Additionally, a National Survey on Drug Use and Health found that Rhode Island of all states has the highest percentage of people over age 12 (16%) who have consumed cannabis over the past month in the United States... for the second consecutive year.Obviously, lawmakers don't want marijuana winding up in the hands of minors, and that's one reason why Rhode Island's lawmakers haven't legalized recreational pot yet. However, this national survey provides pretty irrefutable evidence that Rhode Island could benefit from the tax revenue generated by a law legalizing recreational weed.

Gov. Gina Raimondo (D-RI) recently suggested that she would take a long look at a possible legalization measure, with Democratic House Speaker Nicholas Mattiello pointing out that he's ready to take up legislation in 2017.

Image source: Pixabay.

Vermont

Vermont is a particularly intriguing state since any legalization efforts would have to come from the state's legislature since it lacks the initiative and referendum process. However, Vermont has long had a tendency to lean toward progressive policies, which could bode well for the future of recreational pot's legalization.

Last year, Vermont actually came pretty close to legalizing recreational marijuana through the legislative process. Senate Bill 241 passed muster in the Senate, but it wound up falling short of the votes it needed in Vermont's House of Representatives in April. According to a poll from VPR in Feb. 2016, 55% of Vermonters favored the idea of legalizing recreational marijuana compared to just 32% who opposed it.

Arguably the trickiest aspect of a future approval in Vermont is that the state's biggest cheerleader of Senate Bill 241, Gov. Peter Shumlin (D-VT), is on his way out of office and is being succeeded by Lieutenant Gov. Phil Scott (R-VT). Scott is a Republican, and Republican lawmakers generally take a more conservative approach to legalizing marijuana. In short, Senate Bill 241 could require some modifications before Scott and members of the Vermont House of Representatives will sign off on it. The VPR poll suggests support from Vermonters is there, but we'll have to wait and see how things play out once the next legislative session begins in January.

Image source: Pixabay.

Hawaii

Lastly, tropical vacation destination Hawaii could soon become a legal recreational pot state. Some of the best candidates to legalize recreational weed are those that have had medical marijuana infrastructure in place the longest or legalized medical marijuana many moons ago. Hawaii wound up approving medical cannabis in 2000, meaning there's ample reason to believe its legislature would have a good handle on regulating the recreational marijuana industry.

Also, according to the Hawaii Drug Policy Action Group, Hawaiians strongly approve of the idea of taxing and regulating legal weed. In a Jan. 2014 poll, the survey showed that 66% of 400 surveyed Hawaiian voters favored the idea of legalizing and taxing recreational marijuana. This was up 9 percentage points from 2012, and it was considerably higher than the 37% who favored similar legalization back in 2005.

Like Vermont, Hawaii is part of the two dozen U.S. states where there is no initiative and referendum process. This means all proposals, including recreational legalization, would be voted on by the state's legislature. The good news here is that Hawaii's congressional politics are typically dominated by Democrats, which generally have a favorable view of the responsible expansion of recreational marijuana.

One of the more interesting hurdles Hawaii might have to overcome (should it legalize recreational cannabis) are high energy costs. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, Hawaii has some of the highest energy costs in the country, and growing marijuana is highly energy intensive. Since Hawaii also has a very strict greenhouse gas emission policy, the inner workings of a large-scale recreational marijuana industry could be tricky.

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Sean Williamshas no material interest in any companies mentioned in this article. You can follow him on CAPS under the screen nameTMFUltraLong, and check him out on Twitter, where he goes by the handle@TMFUltraLong.

The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. Try any of our Foolish newsletter servicesfree for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe thatconsidering a diverse range of insightsmakes us better investors. The Motley Fool has adisclosure policy.
Image source: Iowa Public Radio Images via Flickr

One of the cornerstones of President-elect Donald Trump's presidential campaign was his promise to lower taxes for all Americans, rich and poor. He has promised to slash tax rates for individuals and corporations, eliminate the estate tax, increase the standard deduction, and offer increased tax breaks for child care, just to name a few things. Here's what Trump has proposed, and what's likely to happen in 2017 during his first year in office.

Donald Trump's tax plan

While his tax plan evolved over the course of his campaign, Trump's final version of his tax plan called for consolidation of the current seven tax brackets into just three, with rates of 12%, 25%, and 33%. Since Trump plans to repeal the Affordable Care Act, the 3.8% surtax on certain investment income that helps fund the Act would be eliminated.

In addition, Trump wants to more than double the standard deduction to $15,000 for singles and $30,000 for married taxpayers, from the current levels of $6,200 and $12,400, respectively. Because of this increase, the personal exemption would be eliminated, as would the head of household tax filing status. Itemized deductions would be capped at $100,000 for single filers or $200,000 for joint filers.

Trump also wants to offer a larger deduction for child care expenses, planning to implement an above-the-line deduction that will be capped at the state average for care, and would be limited to a maximum of four children per taxpayer (currently two). He also wants to offer additional child care incentives for lower-income taxpayers.

For the wealthy, Trump pledges to get rid of the estate tax, a position widely supported by Republicans and that currently only affects estates valued at $5.45 million or higher.

On the corporate side of things, Trump wants to lower the top corporate tax rate from 35% to 15%, and would allow profits currently being kept abroad to be repatriated at a special 10% one-time rate.

Potential roadblocks

With a Republican Congress, there shouldn't be too much opposition to Trump's proposed tax cuts. The three tax brackets Trump has proposed are the exact same the Republican leaders in Congress have called for, and the GOP has been trying to repeal the estate tax for a long time.

Where Trump might run into some resistance is the amount of deduction his plan allows for, as well as his proposed corporate tax rate. According to a recent analysis by the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, Trump's plan as it is written would reduce revenue by $5.8 trillion and add approximately $5.3 trillion to our national debt over a 10-year period, and that probably won't sit well with many fiscally conservative Republicans.

Specifically, many Republicans want lower tax rates, but fewer deductions. For example, the House Republican tax platform calls for the exact same tax rates as Trump's plan, but would eliminate all itemized deductions except the mortgage interest and charitable contribution deductions. And a corporate tax rate of 15% is significantly lower than the 20% rate the House Republicans are calling for.

Most importantly, the House Republicans' platform calls for a balanced budget and paying down the national debt. While running a surplus may be a bit of a stretch, at least in the short term, the House Republicans' tax plan would reduce revenue by $191 billion over the next decade when accounting for the economic growth it would produce, according to the non-partisan Tax Foundation, which would be a small fraction of the long-term cost of Trump's plan.

What's most likely to happen?

As I mentioned, Trump shouldn't have too much trouble getting his new tax brackets implemented, nor should he encounter much resistance if he tries to repeal the estate tax. However, it is likely that Trump will need to compromise on his corporate tax rate, as well as the amount of deductions he plans to retain in order to make his plan more revenue-neutral.

In whatever form it eventually takes, tax reform is a big priority for President-elect Donald Trump and other Republicans alike, so it's safe to assume that some version of the tax proposals discussed here will be implemented under Trump's administration.

The $15,834 Social Security bonus most retirees completely overlook If you're like most Americans, you're a few years (or more) behind on your retirement savings. But a handful of little-known "Social Security secrets" could help ensure a boost in your retirement income. For example: one easy trick could pay you as much as $15,834 more... each year! Once you learn how to maximize your Social Security benefits, we think you could retire confidently with the peace of mind we're all after.Simply click here to discover how to learn more about these strategies..

Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
Medicare is an important safety net for tens of millions of American seniors, but not everyone will pay the same amount next year for their Medicare benefits. Medicare Part B and Part D premiums are adjusted higher for people with substantial income. Will you be subject to the Medicare Income Related Monthly Adjustment Amount in 2017?

Image source: Getty Images.

Digging into the details

Medicare Part A, which helps pay hospitalization expenses, is free for most American seniors, but Medicare Part B, which helps pay other medical expenses, costs seniors a monthly premium that changes every year.

In 2017, the standard Medicare Part B premium will increase to $134 from $121.80 in 2016. However, not everyone will pay the standard amount. Some people will pay less and others will pay substantially more.

If you're already enrolled in Medicare Part B and your payments are automatically deducted from your Social Security income, then you may only end up paying $109 per month. That's because Part B premium changes can't grow more quickly than Social Security income and Social Security income is only climbing 0.3% next year. Because of this quirk, Medicare Part B premiums for millions of Americans will only tick up slightly next year.

Alternatively, high-income Americans will pay significantly more for their Part B coverage. If your income is high enough, Medicare's Income Related Monthly Adjustment could result in a monthly premium as high as $428.60 in 2017, up from $389.80 last year.

The amount of extra money Part B members must pay next year is based on five income tiers that begin at $85,000 for individuals and $170,000 for couples who file jointly. As you can see in the following table, if you're in the lowest adjustment bracket, you'll pay 40% more than the standard Part B premium, and if you're in the highest bracket, you'll pay a whopping 220% more than the standard premium in 2017.

Image source: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, 2017Income Related Monthly Adjustment Amount.

The amount you pay in monthly Part D premiums next year could be a lot higher than other Americans because of income adjustments, too.

Medicare Part D drug coverage is provided by private insurers, so monthly premiums vary from plan to plan. In 2017, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, or CMS, estimates that the average Part D premium will be $34.

High-income Americans will pay between $13.30 and $76.20 more for their monthly drug coverage than their standard monthly premium. In most cases, this premium adjustment is taken directly out of Social Security income. However, if you're not receiving Social Security, you may be billed. If you are billed, remember that this adjustment is payable to Medicare, not the private insurer that's providing your Part D coverage.

Image source: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, 2017Income Related Monthly Adjustment Amount.

Planning ahead

If your income has dropped, make sure you contact Medicare and let them know. If you've had a major life-changing event that's decreased your income, you can file a form that could result in Medicare reducing your payment. There are a number of life-changing events that may result in Medicare changing how much they charge you, including marriage, death of a spouse, work stoppage or reduction, and the loss of pension income, so make sure you consider all your options before writing that check.

The $15,834 Social Security bonus most retirees completely overlook If you're like most Americans, you're a few years (or more) behind on your retirement savings. But a handful of little-known "Social Security secrets" could help ensure a boost in your retirement income. For example: one easy trick could pay you as much as $15,834 more... each year! Once you learn how to maximize your Social Security benefits, we think you could retire confidently with the peace of mind we're all after.Simply click here to discover how to learn more about these strategies..

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Were reports that porn aired on CNN in Boston a hoax?

A CNN spokesperson told Fox411 Friday that The RCN cable operator in Boston aired inappropriate content for 30 minutes on CNN last night. CNN has asked for an explanation.

According to RCN, the report appeared to have stemmed from a single person's tweet:

RCN is a cable provider responsible for CNNs broadcasting up and down the East Coast.

However, hours later a CNN spokesperson said, Despite media reports to the contrary, RCN assures us there was no interruption of CNN programing in the Boston area last night.

There was no immediate explanation for the discrepancy and the original CNN spokesperson did not return emails or phone calls.
For Susan Olsen, who played youngest Brady girl Cindy on The Brady Bunch, the passing of her TV mom, Florence Henderson, is a blow. But she is careful to keep in mind the ones who are really hurting: Hendersons children. My heart right now is going to her four children, Olsen told Variety. I always felt we stole the limelight from them.

Case in point: Olsen said once she was out with Henderson and Hendersons youngest daughter, Lizzy, when a man came up to them and told Olsen, You must be her real daughter. Lizzy objected, tears in her eyes, and the man said, Oh, well, she looks more like your mom.

They had to share her so much, Olsen said. At the same time, there was so much of herself to go around, and the four Henderson children were all friends with Olsen. My first husband and I spent time with her sons, and he told me, Her kids are terrific,' Olsen said. Thats how you know how good a mom she was. Two families and a career, and her kids still turned out terrific.

In the Brady Bunch days, Henderson would have Olsen over for sleepovers with Lizzy, and even throw joint birthday parties for Olsen and her son Robert. It was interesting, because Id see her without the false eyelashes and all that, Olsen said. That meant she also got to see Henderson be a real mom: Lizzy and I had made a mess in the bathroom, I think, and I got to see her get mad at us. It was neat, she said with a laugh.

When the cast and crew were out in Hawaii shooting on outriggers, Henderson even saved Olsen from a possibly fatal ocean fall. The crew outrigger had bumped young Olsen over the side, and she was clinging desperately to the side. (Im not a strong swimmer at all, Olsen clarified.) Henderson hooked her ankles under the seat in front of her and drew Olsen out of the sea, mothering her until she stopped shaking. I didnt have any family on that outrigger to calm me down, Olsen said. Except for Florence.

Such was the bond formed that Olsens son considered Henderson an honorary grandmother. When his last grandparent passed away, I told him so just like that, and he said, No, Ive still got Grandma Flo!' Olsen recalled.
When I heard this morning that Fidel Castro had died, I honestly felt numb. He has been dead to me since the day I left Cuba for America, and over 40 years later, my feelings have not changed. As I worked to start my new life here and raise my beautiful family, I would sometimes hear snippets from grossly misinformed people around the world about the good that came from Fidels so-called Cuban revolution, and Id be reminded to count my blessings that I had escaped his horrors.

Venezuelas Hugo Chavez was one of those jaded individuals who lauded Fidels work. Under his tenure, he tried to implement some of Fidels Cuban socialist ideals in Venezuelan society, which has left the country in economic ruin. Venezuelans are starving, simple needs like toilet paper are considered a luxury, medicine is impossible to find and the country is experiencing a mass exodus. All of this can be considered a legacy of Fidel Castro.

As Im reading about the millions around the world celebrating Fidels death, my thoughts are with the thousands who died before him, often at the hands of his own doing. I think of the brave Cubans who fought for democracy, those who drowned at sea while pursuing liberty and freedom, and those who did reach American shores, but died before ever being able to return to their homeland. And yet, in a move signaling that Cuba still has a long way to go in establishing domestic bliss, the government of Fidel's brother, Raul Castro has announced that the country will undergo nine days of mourning in preparation for the ruthless dictator's funeral.

It has also been brought to my attention that the Cuban people currently have a government-enforced curfew, and that they are being discouraged from congregating or making any comments about Fidels death that may escape the island. How ironic, that despite the death of the man who has oppressed them for nearly five decades, the Cuban people are still being told what to do and how to do it.

In the coming days, I will be very interested to see how America reacts, specifically President Obama, who worked to re-establish ties with Cuba, but whom I have been critical about in the past. Obama believes that the relationship between America and Cuba can be forged with an all-access pathway, but fails to recognize the 50 years of blood, imprisonment and lack of individual rights that stand in the way. I do believe that Fidels death will give President-elect Donald Trump an advantage in working to see to it that the only surviving Castro brother is stripped of his power on that island.

Obama said that history will record and judge the enormous impact Fidel has had over his lifetime, but let me share with you a story from my childhood that is telling of how he will be remembered, at least by my family. When I was a young boy in Havana, my father was reading a published version of a four-hour speech Fidel gave called History Will Absolve Me. He was reading it in secret, as it was banned reading material that would have seen him serve jail time if he had been caught. The book was controversial because it was Fidels speech about the importance of human rights, due process and fairness of the law in a civilized society. He spoke eloquently during the speech, which he gave while facing charges for a terrorist attack during the Cuban Revolution.

My father had to explain to me that Fidel never wanted anyone to know that he once said those things about individual freedom and equality. How ironic, that the man who once recognized that individual liberties are an enormous part of a productive society, took away each one of them from his people, and died thinking that he did the right thing. History will not absolve Fidel, and neither will we.
With the death of the man who for so long embodied Cubas communist revolution, many Cubans and Americans are hoping for a change in Cuban-American relations and more freedom on the island.

Not so fast.

Fidel may be dead but his regime endures. Brother Raul, and a kleptocratic, heavy-handed bureaucracy remain as determined as ever to hold power. The Castro regime still dominates economic and political life on the island, controlling nearly three quarters of economic activity and the results for Cubans have been disastrous.

According to Pew Research, that Cubas GDP grew just 1.3% in real terms, despite the easing of sanctions, and the re-establishment of some diplomatic relations with the United States, and a survey published in the Washington Post last spring showed that 79% of Cubans said they were dissatisfied with Cubas economic system.

WORLD LEADERS REACT TO FIDEL CASTRO'S DEATH

Venezuelas economic collapse is further endangering the regimes hold on power. For fifteen years, Cuba has relied on Venezuelas 90,000 barrels of oil per day to sustain half of its energy needs. Pavel Vidal, a former Cuban Central Bank employee, predicts that Cubas GDP will dip into negative territory this year and decline 2.9% in 2017 as a result of oil shortages precipitated by Venezuelas meltdown.

Nor is Cuba likely to become a model for freedom of thought and expression any time soon. The regime is just as likely to respond to growing economic discontent with a renewed political crackdown on dissent as with continued political and economic liberalization that has characterized the past several years. Witness the reaction to President Obamas visit to the island last March, where the Cuban security services preemptively rounded up dozens of prominent journalists, dissidents, and intellectuals. President Obamas main achievement during his visit was forcing Raul Castro to field questions from local journalists.

Nonetheless, despite its increasingly tenuous hold on power, Cuba will likely continue to exercise disproportionate influence in Latin America. The failed Colombian peace accord, for instance, was negotiated in Havana, and the Castro regime retains outsized diplomatic clout in the region, as the last remaining old-school communist autocracy.

Much will depend on how the incoming U.S. administration reacts to Fidels death.

Here too, President-elect Donald Trump has sent mixed signals. During the campaign, Trump denounced the Obama Administrations approach to Cuba: The agreement President Obama signed is a very weak agreement, he said and promised to reverse the detente unless the Castro regime meets our demands. His running mate Mike Pence has similarly stated Mr. Trump would repeal Mr. Obamas executive orders unless there was real political and religious freedom. The Republican Party has also traditionally espoused a hard line on dealing with Havana, a reflection in part of the views of one of its core Hispanic constituencies, the nearly 1.8 million Cuban Americans, many of whom live in the electorally-important state of Florida.

However, Mr. Trump's reaction to Fidels death was more conciliatory, expressing hope that the death of Cubas brutal dictator would mark a move away from the horrors endured for too long and toward a future in which the wonderful Cuban people finally live in the freedom they so richly deserve. He also said that his administration will do all it can to ensure the Cuban people can finally begin their journey toward prosperity and liberty.

Further complicating matters is Mr. Trump's apparent longstanding desire to do business in Cuba, even during the U.S. trade embargo. Documents published last September by Newsweek show that a Trump company paid a consulting firm $68,000 in late 1998 to investigate the possibility of a further investment on the island should Washington resume normal economic relations with Havana. According to the report, the consulting firm later tried to disguise the spending as a charitable contribution. Mr. Trump has denied having done business in Cuba. I never did a deal in Cuba, he said during the campaign.

Given Mr. Trumps conflicting signals, it is hard to predict how he will respond to the government in Havana. Given his crowded one-hundred day agenda, during which Mr. Trump has promised to withdraw from the Transpacific Partnership, to pass a major infrastructure bill, and to reduce existing environmental regulations, relations with Cuba are not likely to receive high priority. As a result, the Ladies in White who continue to protest the lack of freedom on the Malecon may well be forced to wait a little longer.
I woke up my 81-year old dad with the news of Fidel Castros death. His eyes swelled with tears, and he smiled with a sense of relief that a dictator who destroyed his homeland, stole his homes and businesses, killed his friends, and divided our family was finally gone.

When Mr. Castro overthrew the Cuban government in 1959, some believed in his vision of a revolution, yet it quickly turned into a nightmare when he and his thugs transformed this peaceful and thriving island into a totalitarian communist regime where the Cuban people were denied their basic rights and freedoms.

Mr. Castro changed the course of history and sadly, thousands of Cubans paid a heavy price for his actions. Many who disagreed with the Castro regime including my father were imprisoned, tortured, or assassinated. My father knew the destructive path of Mr. Castro, and he became a freedom fighter  outspoken and critical of Mr. Castro. He was thrown into jail. On the first day of his imprisonment, he spoke to one his friends and had to tell him that he would be executed the next day by a firing squad. It is just one of many stories of the horrors of the Castro brothers who are both guilty of the countless executions of innocent men and women.

Despite Mr. Castros atrocities, leaders from across the globe will remember him in a positive light. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau released a statement calling Castro larger than life leader who served his people for almost half a century . . . a legendary revolutionary and orator.

It was President-elect Donald Trump who said the right words. Mr. Trump stated: Though the tragedies, deaths and pain caused by Fidel Castro cannot be erased, our administration will do all it can to ensure the Cuban people can finally begin their journey toward prosperity and liberty.

The only ones who have benefited from the dysfunctional and absolute powerful regime have been Mr. Castros loyal colleagues, authoritarian military and intelligence agents, while the Cuban people have spent their time figuring out how to feed their families with very limited resources and living in poverty. Mr. Castros motto was patria o muerte, venceremos (Homeland or death, we will win). For close to six decades, the Cuban people have lost. They have lost their homeland, many loved ones, and their freedoms.

In Cuba, there is no freedom of speech or the press, ownership of private property or free elections. It is ultimate power and control by the Castro brothers and his military. While one brother is gone, the other more destructive brother Raul Castro will continue the same fear tactics on the Cuban people.

While the Cuban people long for freedom, there will be one day that both Castro brothers will be gone, but it does not guarantee that communism will cease to exist on the island. Political persecutions will continue and freedoms denied. But for one day, an old man can smile and an exile community can celebrate to know there is one less dictator in our world, and we can only hope and pray for a free Cuba soon.
For many Cubans of my generation, the news of Fidel Castros death has been met with a rush of conflicting emotions. Most of us grew up listening incessantly of our parents desire to return to a free Cuba. They came to America (and brought us along) seeking the freedom that was stolen from them by a two-faced revolutionary promising reform and a return to a constitutional democracy.

I am hopeful that Fidel Castros death will usher in a new age of reform and reconciliation for Cubans everywhere. Fidels intransigent brother Raul remains in powerbut the grim reaper will get to him soon enough.  Raul Mas Canosa

I am 59 years old and I have spent my entire lifetime hearing about a country, and a way of life, that I never got to experience. My parents died and were buried on the soil of this wonderful adopted homelandbut they always longed to return to a liberated Cuba. With Fidels death, maybe I can one day return to the country where they were born, and lay their remains in a free Cuba.

The emotional trauma that Fidel and Raul Castro have cruelly imposed on generations of Cubans and their children cannot be easily explained. Families have been torn apart. Dreams have been quashed. Thousands of friends and family members have been killed in prison, shot in front of a firing squad, or drowned at sea seeking freedom. Several hundred patriotic young Cubans, seeking to depose Fidel, were instead killed or wounded at the Bay of Pigs; 1200 more were imprisoned before being freed for ransom.

Fidel Castros messianic dreams of being the worlds revolutionary leader didnt stop at Cubas shores. He trained hundreds of PLO and PFLP terrorists and other assassins to wreak havoc in the Middle East and against Western democracies. He tried to bring his communist revolution to Latin American and other Caribbean countries. He sent Cuban troops to intervene in Angola and propped up a failing Soviet-led regime.

Fidel even urged Kremlin leaders to launch an attack on the U.S. using Soviet missiles placed in Cuba. That is how evil and dangerous the man was.

I am hopeful that Fidel Castros death will usher in a new age of reform and reconciliation for Cubans everywhere. Fidels intransigent brother Raul remains in powerbut the grim reaper will get to him soon enough.

When that happens, a new dawn will truly arrive on the island country. The leaders of Cubas oligopolistic octogenarians will have passed and hopefully a new generation of freedom loving Cubans will begin writing a new chapter, and a more optimistic future, for a country and a people who have been enslaved for almost six decades.
I met with Fidel Castro in 1990 in Havana. The capital city had more than ever become his cocoon  sheltering him from all that was going on around him. I was struck by his unflappable devotion to the revolutions ideals. At the time, socialist principals  never mind its extreme cousin communism were as out of fashion as bellbottoms and silk flowered shirts.

I was inspected for weapons, explosives, poison pills and/or whatever else they conjured that I might be hiding in a body cavity. It was the unique price I had to pay for the Cold War pall that has long hung like a worn drape over Cuba-U.S. relations. I paid well.  Rick Sanchez

I belong to a very small group of American journalists whove had an audience with Fidel. However, what makes my presence there that day with him even more rare is that Im a Cuban-born American. Castro and his revolutionaries despise my kind. We are worms  gusanos  the designation Castro personally stamped on all of Miamis Cuban exiles.

There were but a handful of international journalists invited to meet with Castro, but I received by far the most scrutiny. Members of Cubas security forces from MININT, Ministry of the Interior, tailed me from the moment I arrived at Jose Marti International Airport. They seemed unabashed, if not outright obvious.

In the historic lobby of El Nacional Hotel, they waited for me. In the elevator, they would suddenly appear. There were also the clicking sounds on my phone, an obvious sign that someone might be listening to my every word. But none of that was quite as blatant as what was to come.

On the day of the meeting and subsequent interview with President Castro, I was received not by his staff  but rather his security detail. They asked me to follow them into another room where I was asked to remove my clothing  all of it. I was inspected for weapons, explosives, poison pills and/or whatever else they conjured that I might be hiding in a body cavity.

It was the unique price I had to pay for the Cold War pall that has long hung like a worn drape over Cuba-U.S. relations. I paid well.

The setting for our meeting was contained in two general themes: Glasnost/Perestroika and TV Marti. Castro detested them both and wanted the world to know. Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, who I would later interview about his dealings with Castro, was pushing market reforms and openness. Castro wanted nothing to do with it.

It was a strange time in both Cuba and Miami, as both cities were filled with a sense of optimism and confusion from the mixed messages coming from Moscow and Havana. Now, in hindsight, I ask myself, what was it really? It was the beginning of a long, dismal and boring end to Castros once flashy revolution. As an economic governing model, it was doomed to failure and everyone  save Fidel Castro  seemed to know it.

On that day, Castro did what Castro does best. Standing before me dressed in his trademark olive green military uniform, he resorted to the role of revolutionary combatant. His six-foot-four frame seemed mis-measured when combined with his fiery passion, scraggly beard and seemingly monstrous arms.

I was seated, he was standing and all I could see was not the man, but rather what he represented to hundreds of thousands like me who sought refuge in America because of him. The angry giant standing over me was the reason my parents had escaped from Cuba, the reason I had grown up an American and the reason I had once boyishly dreamed of killing Castro to please them.

On that day, I immediately realized that Gorbachevs vaulted ideas of market reforms and true openness would come to Cuba only over Castros dead body. Castro immediately tied Glasnost and Perestroika to TV Marti, the U.S.-produced broadcast to the Cuban people from the Florida Keys. To Castro, it was all part of a plot to take him down, and Gorbachev was in on it.

Not long after that, Gorbachev, his lofty plans and his entourage was encouraged to leave Cuba. Asked about it years later when I caught up with the former Soviet leader, he snapped  Why are you asking me that  why are you asking me about Castro? He continued, You Cubans are always obsessed with Castro. He was right. We are.

That day in Havana, I got closer to understanding the historic revolutionary icon most will only know as Fidel. He was as impressively stubborn in his commitment to his ideals as he was completely mistaken on how to make them work! His passion and oratory repelled and yet somehow attracted. He was, unlike his brother Raul, a magnet for all that Cuba was and wasnt.

I do not judge my fellow Cuban-American exiles that are taking to streets to celebrate his death, but neither to I feel the urge to join in. Maybe, its because that day in Havana I met their monster and realized he was just another horribly flawed man.
Cuban-American politicians reacted to Fidel Castros death with a note of caution, reminding the American people that the Communist regime started by the "murderous dictator" is still in place.

Castro died on Friday night in Havana at age 90.

The dictator has died, but the dictatorship has not, U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio said in an interview with WPEC. History will not absolve Fidel Castro; it will remember him as an evil, murderous dictator who inflicted misery and suffering on his own people, said the Florida senator.

In an interview with Fox News, he said he hopes the Obama administration send no one to the funeral.

While you may want to open up to Cuba, theres no reason we should be opening up to Fidel Castros legacy of anti-Americanism, of murder, of dictatorship, of imprisonment, of exile, which is what his legacy is all about.

Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, of Cuban origin, posted a short message on Facebook, warning that "Fidel Castro's death cannot bring back his thousands of victims, nor can it bring comfort to their families.

Today we remember them and honor the brave souls who fought the lonely fight against the brutal Communist dictatorship he imposed on Cuba," Cruz said.

Meanwhile, Cuban-American congressional members Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, Mario Diaz-Balart and Carlos Curbelo also issued statements.

A tyrant is dead and a new beginning can dawn on the last remaining communist bastion of the Western hemisphere, wrote Ros-Lehtinen. The message is now very clear to those who think they will continue to misrule Cuba through oppression and fear. Enough is enough. The Cuban people have been shortchanged for too long to continue down this reviled path.

Diaz-Balart said Castro had the blood of innocents on his hands and his dictatorship is guilty of torture, murder and other atrocities. But he warned: As an evil dictator finally faces his Creator, the malevolent Castro dictatorship continues.

Now more than ever, the people of Cuba need our solidarity. Our country and all of our democratic allies must demand political reforms that secure the human rights of all Cubans, said Diaz-Balart, who is a nephew of Castros first wife.

Curbelo, who is the son of Cuban exiles, called for the support and solidarity of the American people. Our country and all of our democratic allies must demand political reforms that secure the human rights of all Cubans.

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President-elect Donald Trump said Saturday that the death of Cubas Fidel Castro marks the passing of brutal dictator, while President Obama argued that history will be Castros final judge.

Castros legacy is one of firing squads, theft, unimaginable suffering, poverty and the denial of fundamental human rights, said Trump, who also expressed optimism about Castros death finally ending decades of communist oppression for Cubans.

"It is my hope that today marks a move away from the horrors endured for too long and toward a future in which the wonderful Cuban people finally live in the freedom they so richly deserve, Trump said. Our administration will do all it can to ensure the Cuban people can finally begin their journey toward prosperity and liberty.

Castros death was announced Saturday on state television. He was 90. Castros younger brother, Raul Castro, remains Cubas leader.

We extend a hand of friendship to the Cuban people, Obama said. History will record and judge the enormous impact of this singular figure on the people and world around him.  For nearly six decades, the relationship between the United States and Cuba was marked by discord and profound political disagreements.

During my presidency, we have worked hard to put the past behind us.  This engagement includes the contributions of Cuban Americans, who have done so much for our country and who care deeply about their loved ones in Cuba.

Trump, in his successful White House bid, railed against numerous international deals that he argued put the U.S. at a disadvantage, including one Obama made to normalize relations with Cuba, a communist country and long-time Cold War enemy.

In 2014, Obama announced a diplomatic effort that would easy travel and trade between the countries. And last year, Obama took Cuba off Americas state-sponsored terror list, amid criticism about continuing human rights violations on the island nation.

Every single aspect of this deal is in Cubas favor, Trump said during this years GOP presidential primary debates.

Florida GOP Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen -- who was born in Havana in 1952 and whose family eight years later fled Castros regime -- told Fox News on Saturday that Trump criticized Obamas 2014 deal because the U.S. made concessions in exchange for nothing, including Cuba releasing no American political prisoners.

Ros-Lehtinens congressional district includes Miami, where for decades Cubans have come to live.

But whether the Cuba agreement made by Obama through executive order, or whether Castros death improves the potential to improve the two countries relationship, remains unclear.

Florida GOP Sen. Marco Rubio, whose parents emigrated from Cuba before Castros rise in 1959, said on Fox News that the ex-dictators death was a newsworthy event but that he didnt think it would change anything, or at least while Raul Castro remains in power.

Rubio, a 2016 GOP presidential candidate and potential 2020 contender, also argued that Obama attending Castros funeral or sending a top-level administration official would validate the life of somebody who oversaw the assassination of Americans.

Texas GOP Sen. Ted Cruz, whose father was born in Cuba, said: Fidel Castro's death cannot bring back his thousands of victims, nor can it bring comfort to their families."

"Today we remember them and honor the brave souls who fought the lonely fight against the brutal communist dictatorship he imposed on Cuba," continued Cruz, also a 2016 GOP presidential candidate.

Trump was among the first Washington leaders to react to the announcement of Castros death, exclaiming on Twitter: Fidel Castro is dead!

Vice President-elect Mike Pence tweeted: "The tyrant #Castro is dead. New hope dawns. We will stand with the oppressed Cuban people for a free and democratic Cuba. Viva Cuba Libre!"
The Pentagon says a U.S. sailor who died in Syria on Thanksgiving was from northern Virginia and worked on a bomb-disposal unit.

The Defense Department identified the sailor on Friday as Senior Chief Petty Officer Scott Dayton. He was 42 years old and lived in Woodbridge, Virginia.

Dayton was killed by an improvised bomb Thursday in northern Syria. He was part of a multinational force fighting the Islamic State group in the region.

Dayton was assigned to Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit Two, based in Virginia Beach.
Students and administrators raised concerns about a Tennessee school bus driver's behavior behind the wheel in the weeks before a crash that killed six children.

Police have charged driver Johnthony Walker with vehicular homicide after the Chattanooga crash. Federal authorities said Walker was driving off the designated bus route when he wrecked on a curvy road while carrying 37 children on their way home from Woodmore Elementary School.

Records released by the school district Friday include two written statements by students complaining about Walker's driving.

"The bus driver drives fast," one student wrote earlier this month. "It feels like the bus is going to flip over... When someone is in the aisle he stops the bus and he makes people hit their heads."

Another student wrote: "The bus driver was doing sharp turns and he made me fly over to the next seat. We need seat belts."

On Nov. 2, a school official boarded the bus after the driver complained that students were not listening to him. One student had complained about the heat on the bus and cursed about it to the bus driver.

"The driver was now visibly upset and continued on by saying that he had another job and driving this bus was just a part-time job for him," wrote Carlis Shackelford, a behavioral specialist at the school. "Driver stated that he could just leave him at the school. He then stated 'or I can just leave the student on the bus and I will get off the bus and leave the school.'"

"Driver stated that he did not care about the students and proceeded to tell the students he did not care about them," Shackelford wrote.

The school district's transportation supervisor, Benjamin Coulter, responded that "we are addressing the issue with the driver."

National Transportation Safety Board Chairman Christopher A. Hart said in a news conference earlier this week that Walker had taken on a second job at an Amazon fulfillment center, and part of the agency's investigation will look at whether fatigue played a role in the wreck.

The bus driver had also complained to administrators that students would not listen to him when he told them not to stand in the bus or sit with their backs facing the front. The driver submitted 10 names of students he said were misbehaving. The transportation supervisor responded that the driver may have had some legitimate safety concerns but that the driver shouldn't report so many students.

"I don't want the driver to become discouraged, but he can't be turning 10 referrals in a day to you, either," Coulter wrote.

Woodmore Principal Brenda Adamson-Cothran asked for video of the bus leaving campus, noting that a few days earlier "the driver, in my opinion, was driving way too fast when he pulled out of our school."

It's unclear what the video showed; hyperlinks to it are redacted in the records.

On Nov. 16, Adamson-Cothran wrote to Coulter to tell him six students had reported that the driver "was swerving and purposely trying to cause them to fall today."

Walker was in custody at the Hamilton County Correctional Facility on Friday and had a court hearing scheduled for Tuesday. Jail records do not indicate whether he has an attorney.

The complaints about Walker appear to have begun in September when a parent wrote a letter to complain that the driver had cursed her kids and slammed on the brakes, causing them to hit their heads and fall out of their seats.

The parent wrote that if it happened again, she would take it upon herself "to beat his (expletive) my damn self."

In the days immediately after the crash, school officials repeatedly declined to comment on whether anyone had complained or how they responded. The correspondence about the driver was released after public records requests by The Associated Press and other media outlets.

Hamilton County schools spokeswoman Amy Katcher noted that Walker was employed by outside contractor Durham School Services, so the district may not have access to all the complaints about him.

The bus company has not responded to questions about its safety record or Walker's employment history. Durham CEO David A. Duke released a video this week statement expressing condolences to the families and pledging to work with investigators.

Coulter, the school district's transportation supervisor, said in a Nov. 2 email to Durham manager Domenic D'Amico that the Woodmore principal had to intervene several times when Walker was arguing with students.

"This may be a situation where he needs to be coached on how to deal with the students," Coulter wrote.
Alaskan officials say four people were found dead in a Fairbanks hotel room on Friday.

The Fairbanks Police Department said the deaths, which included a child, appear to have been caused by gunshots.

Authorities discovered a man crying as officers arrived. The man directed officials to the nearby room that the bodies were found in.

Officials say there is no public threat.

No further details were provided.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
A Chicago police sergeant who fatally shot a 19-year-old man in the back during a foot chase this week has been stripped of his police powers.

Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson announced Saturday that the officer would be relieved of police powers pending an independent review board's investigation.

Chicago police said the sergeant was responding to a call of a battery on the city's South Side on Wednesday before he shot and killed Kajuan Raye of Dolton.

The sergeant reported the man pointed a gun at him twice. But police didn't find a weapon and Raye's relatives say he wasn't armed.

Johnson said in a statement that he has "concerns about this incident and feel this decision is in the best interest of the department and the people of Chicago."
Firefighters say it is a miracle an 8-month-old infant wasnt hurt in a horrific crash on an Arkansas highway.

KSLA-TV reports the baby was ejected from a car that flipped over after it was struck by a truck on I-30 in Texarkana Friday night. Firefighters found the baby 35 feet away in a shallow drainage grate in the highway's hay-covered median.

EMTs checked the baby and found only a scratch on her forehead, the station reported.

There had to be some kind of divine intervention for her to end up being okay the way she was, firefighter Josh Moore told the station.

Fire Capt. Charlie Smith told the station the baby was just sitting there when they found her. She was not screaming or crying.

We reached down there and she more or less had her hands up for somebody to pick her up, he told the station. It took three of us to work her around the grate and get her back up through.

The other four occupants in the car were not seriously hurt either.

Police said the driver of an 18-wheeler caused the crash and was issued a summons for an unsafe lane change.

The station reported that police found the car seat for the child was improperly installed and the baby was not properly restrained in the seat.
Norma Edmiston does not normally have champagne with her scrambled eggs at breakfast.

But on Saturday morning, she did.

Hours earlier, news of former Cuban leader Fidel Castros death had been announced, and like many Cuban-Americans around the country, Edmiston celebrated the moment she thought would never come.

We were waiting for this for a long time, Edmiston said to FoxNews.com while she and her husband ate lunch at a popular Cuban cafe, El Artesano, situated on Bergenline Avenue in Union City  once a Cuban exile enclave. I was on the telephone this morning with friends and family, we were all saying Congratulations! My husband and I knew we had to break out the champagne.

Several stores along Bergenline Avenue, which in the 1960s saw thousands of Cubans settle there to begin new lives, propped up hand-written signs on their windows saying Castro, your hour has come, and Viva Cuba Libre!.

At El Artesano, where Cubans who long ago moved away to the suburbs  for bigger homes, better schools and driveways and bigger yards  often come back for black beans, pork, and other Cuban dishes that taste like they did at home, Fidel Castro was the topic of conversations at nearly every table.

Older Cubans recalled what the Communist revolution  what Fidel  took away from them, ranging from homes, businesses, possessions and relatives.

Younger Cubans recounted what they had grown up hearing about Fidel from their parents, and spoke of all the relatives in Cuba they did not know, or know well, because of the separation of families that occurred after the revolution.

And many Cubans of all ages said that any positive feelings they had about Fidel Castros death were tempered by sadness over deceased mothers, fathers, and grandparents who had waited for this day, but did not live to see it.

I hope he burns in Hell, said Otilea Garcia, an elegantly dressed diminutive woman sitting by herself at one table, having Cuban espresso and an empanada. Fidel Castro was Lucifer. They say he supported the struggle against Apartheid, but meanwhile inside Cuba he suppressed his own people, of all races. His death is long overdue.

Garcia spoke with visible anger and pain about leaving her father behind in Cuba in 1972 when she decided to flee to the United States with her young son.

My father said Youre taking the most important thing in this world to me, he was talking about my son, said Garcia, as tears welled in her eyes. I could not go to Cuba when close relatives died because Castro would not allow us back, not even for funerals. May he rot in Hell.

Felix Alfonso, whose family owns El Artesano, thought of his late father, whom the Fidel Castro regime imprisoned for two years for buying a loaf of bread through the black market  a way that many Cubans, who can afford it, get around Cubas food rationing.

When I heard that Fidel died, it was great news, Alfonso said, as he paused for a few minutes from tending to customers in the busy restaurant his parents opened more than 30 years ago. It seemed at one point like he would never, ever die, like it would never end. He outlived a lot of people who left Cuba because of him, people like my father and other relatives.

TRUMP TWEETS 'CASTRO IS DEAD'

You dont want to wish death on anybody, he said, but what so many Cuban people went through because of Fidel Castro makes them angry and hateful towards the former dictator.

On the very day I was born in Cuba, the day my father got a son, he saw Castros government confiscate his small cafe that he had in Matanzas.

But while Alfonso felt the mix of shock and some pleasure over Castros death that many Cuban-Americans expressed on Saturday, like them, he too said that Cubas problems did not die with the revolutionary icon.

Theres still a Castro in power, Alfonso said.

Edminton, who left Cuba in 1970 at the age of 15, still felt anger and resentment over being forced by her teachers to write compositions glorifying Fidel Castro and Communism.

We had to write about how great the revolution was, she said, and I did, even though I did not believe that, but you had to do it. I recited all the Communist lines. Before I went to school, my parents would remind me to say good things about Fidel and the revolution, even though within my home we were against him and the government.

One day, when she took a slice of tomato from the school kitchen because she was hungry, the then 7th grader was sent away to labor camp as punishment.

Jose Miguel Lobaina, 73, wasnt sure hed outlive the Cuban leader who himself outlived about 10 U.S. presidents, most of his foes in exile, as well as many of the journalists who had written advance obits of him.

Lobaina said he is ecstatic, and feels hope for Cubas future.

This man was arguably smart, Lobaina said, but he was Machiavellian. He was egomaniacal. His legacy is that he was the root of the social, economic and political destruction of Cuba. But Ill tell you what he failed to destroy  the hope of the Cuban people. Today the hope of freedom is reborn in Cuba.

Fernando Villar, 30, grew up hearing about the devastation that Castros rule had caused.

When he heard about his death, he said, it was surreal.

FORMER CUBAN LEADER FIDEL CASTRO DIES AT 90

Villar expected to be ecstatic when the day of Fidel Castros death arrived, but he felt somewhat down.

His father, who had been a political prisoner in Cuba and died two years ago, was not with him to share the news, to reflect on it.

Fidel Castro should be reviled, Villar said. History should not absolve him.

Two blocks down, at the headquarters of a former Cuban political prisoners group, dozens of men who had served time in Castros jails for demanding human rights and criticizing the revolution gathered to pay homage to those who died in prison and others who were executed.

The walls of the space where these exiles, now in their 70s, 80s and 90s, meet every week are lined with black and white photos of those who they say were executed by firing squads in Cuba because of their political beliefs.

We decided to gather, not to celebrate Fidel Castros death, but to remember and honor his victims, whose names are not known like his is, and whose fate most of the world does not know about, said Israel Luis Abreu, a founder of the group who spent more than a dozen years in a Cuban jail. As we see the praise for this dictator pour in from around the world, we feel obligated to remind everyone aboiut his victims.

Evaristo Sotolongo, who spent 17 years in a Cuban jail, said: This is our sanctuary, a refuge for those of us who survived this dictators oppression and brutality. Castro has been a carcass, really, for some time now. We say Good riddance, to him and President Obama, who will be gone in his own way before too long. He gave away too much to Raul Castro without getting a promise of a better life for the Cuban people.

Sergio Gatria, a longtime anti-Castro activist, pointed to all the photos of the dead that covered the walls.

It doesnt bring me joy that this is how it ended for Fidel, he said. Heres a beast who should have gone to trial for crimes against humanity, who should have gone to jail, or been executed like Saddam Hussein. Instead, he lived a full 90 years, a lot of it in comfort. He died in his home, he never paid the consequences for all the harm he did to so many people, to an entire country.


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Greenland is calling on Denmark to clean up an abandoned under-ice missile project and other U.S. military installations left to rust in the pristine landscape after the Cold War.

The 1951 deal under which NATO member Denmark allowed the U.S. to build 33 bases and radar stations in the former Danish province doesn't specify who's responsible for any cleanup.

Tired of waiting, Greenland's local leaders are now urging Denmark to remove the junk that the Americans left behind, including Camp Century, a never-completed launch site for nuclear missiles under the surface of the massive ice cap.

"Unless Denmark has entered other agreements with the United States about Camp Century, the responsibility for investigation and cleanup lies with Denmark alone," said Vittus Qujaukitsoq, Greenland's minister in charge of foreign affairs.

Camp Century was built in 1959-60 in northwestern Greenland, officially to test sub-ice construction techniques. The real plan was top secret: creating a hidden launch site for ballistic missiles that could reach the Soviet Union.

The project was abandoned in 1966 because the ice cap began to crush the camp. The U.S. removed a portable nuclear reactor that had supplied heat and electricity, but left an estimated 200,000 liters of diesel oil and sewage, according to an international study published in August.

Scientists are warning that as global warming melts the ice cap, the waste could surface and pollute the environment.

In an Oct. 24 letter to Danish Foreign Minister Kristian Jensen, obtained by The Associated Press, Qujaukitsoq asked about Denmark's plans for Camp Century, adding that an international study said the waste includes "radioactivity, oil and PCB pollution."

PCBs stands for polychlorinated biphenyls, a man-made chemical once widely used in paints, plastics and other products, but were banned after they were demonstrated to cause cancer and other ailments.

At a meeting on Nov. 17 in Nuuk, the Greenland capital, to discuss the issue, Jensen said Denmark's Environment Ministry was investigating the environmental risks.

"I hope it can be done as quickly as possible," he told a news conference, declining to give any specifics.

Jensen later told The Associated Press in an email that "it is still too early to say who will be involved in a possible cleanup."

The U.S. military was interested in Greenland during the Cold War due to its strategic location in the Arctic. Under the 1951 agreement, the U.S. also built four radar stations as part of an early warning system to detect incoming Soviet bombers.

The U.S. Air Force still uses the Thule Air Base, about 1,200 kilometers (745 miles) below the North Pole. Military airfields in Narsarsuaq, Kulusuk and Kangerlussuaq have become civilian airports.

Several other military installations have been abandoned, some in remote areas, in the hope they would be entombed forever in the thick ice cap that covers most of the vast island.

Local authorities have started clearing some of the sites, but don't have sufficient resources, said Rasmus Eisted of Danish engineering company Ramboll, which has been involved in some cleanup projects.

Eisted singled out a junkyard in Kangerlussuaq containing miscellaneous military equipment from the time it was a U.S. Air Force Base known as Sondrestrom. The continuing cleanup task was larger than first anticipated, he said.

Aleqa Hammond, a former Greenland premier who now represents the mostly Inuit population of the Arctic island in the Danish Parliament, said Greenland could bring Denmark before a U.N. panel on indigenous issues unless it deals with the junk.

"Denmark is responsible for cleaning up after the Americans," Hammond told AP. "I see a potential political crisis between Greenland and Denmark."
Within half an hour of the Cuban government's official announcement that former President Fidel Castro had died, Miami's Little Havana teemed with life  and cheers.

Thousands of people banged pots with spoons, waved Cuban flags in the air and whooped in jubilation on Calle Ocho  8th Street, and the heart of the neighborhood  early Saturday. Honking and strains of salsa music from car stereos echoed against stucco buildings, and fireworks lit up the humid night sky.

Police blocked off streets leading to Cafe Versailles, the quintessential Cuban American hotspot where strong cafecitos  sweetened espresso  were as common as a harsh word about Fidel Castro.

"Cuba si! Castro no!" they chanted, while others screamed "Cuba libre!"

Celebration, not grief, permeated the atmosphere. That was no surprise. Castro has cast a shadow over Miami for decades, and in many ways, his policy and his power have shaped the city and its inhabitants.

Cubans fled the island to Miami, Tampa, New Jersey and elsewhere after Castro took power in 1959. Some were loyalists of Fulgencio Batista, the president prior to Castro, while others left with the hope they would be able to return soon, after Castro was toppled. He never was.

Many others believed they would not be truly free under Castro and his communist regime. Thousands left behind their possessions, loved ones, and hard-earned educations and businesses, traveling to the U.S. by plane, boat or raft. Many Cubans died on the ocean trip to South Florida. And many never returned to see their childhood homes, their neighborhoods, their playgrounds, their businesses, their cousins and aunts and uncles, because Castro was still in power.

The ones that made it to Miami took a largely, and vehemently, anti-Castro stance.

On New Year's Eve every year, Cubans in Miami utter a toast in Spanish as they hoist glasses of liquor: "Next year in Cuba." But as the Cuban exiles aged, and as Castro outlived them, and as U.S. President Barack Obama eroded the embargo and younger Cubans returned to the island, the toast rang silent in many households.

In Miami, where Havana is closer both geographically and psychologically than Washington, the news of Castro's death was long anticipated by the exiles who left after Castro took power, and in the decades since. Rumors have come and gone for decades, and Castro's death had become something of a joke  mostly because it seemed to happen so frequently.

This time, though, it was real.

"We're all celebrating, this is like a carnival," said 72-year-old Jay Fernandez, who came to Miami when he was 18 in 1961. He and his wife and another woman held up a bilingual sign he'd made four years ago when Castro first became ill. "Satan, Fidel is now yours. Give him what he deserves. Don't let him rest in peace."

Several blocks away, at the Bay of Pigs memorial, Antonio Hernandez, 76, rode his bicycle up in a light rain and stood at the eternal flame that honors the men who tried, and failed, to wrest Cuba from Castro's grip in 1961.

"Everybody's happy. Now this guy won't do any more damage," said Hernandez, who came to Miami on the Mariel boat lift in 1980. "His brother will now go down, too. But the world has to pay attention to this, not just we Cubans."

Wrote Valentin Prieto, a prominent Cuban-American blogger, on Facebook: "A few hours of sleep tonight is the very last thing fidel castro will ever rob me of." In his writings on his blog, Prieto never capitalized Castro's name.

Many Cubans made successful livings and raised families in Miami despite having to learn a new language and start their lives over. Exiles who arrived as teenagers with no money in their pockets became millionaires, political leaders, clergy members, teachers  influential members contributing to the sturdy fabric of American society.

Cemeteries in South Florida abound with the remains of those who fiercely wished Castro had died before them. Their children weep today because they could not see their parents and grandparents return to Cuba under a democratic regime, to see their homeland one more time.

Gabriel Morales, a 40-year-old financial executive, monitored social media early Saturday from his home in Miami. His parents both left Cuba decades ago. His father left Cuba before Castro took over, and then returned to visit during Castro's regime. He vowed never to return until the regime changed, Morales said.

Morales' mother left after Castro assumed power; her family had their property appropriated by the government, Morales said.

"Feels weird," Morales said in a text message to an Associated Press reporter. "Been waiting to hear this news all my life. Seems unreal."

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A Somali police official says a car bomb has exploded near a police station in a busy market in the Somali capital, killing at least four people and injuring nine others.

Capt. Mohamed Hussein said the bomber targeted a police station in Mogadishu's Waberi neighborhood, where President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud had been visiting a university Saturday.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack, but the al-Qaida-linked Islamic extremist group al-Shabab often carries out such attacks.

Despite being ousted from most of its key strongholds in south and central Somalia, the group continues to launch deadly guerrilla attacks against the Somali government and African Union forces across large parts of the horn of Africa nation.
Global Psoriatic Arthritis Drugs Market 2016 - Market Size, Business Strategies, Competitors Analysis.

Pharmaceutical and Healthcare disease pipeline guide Psoriatic Arthritis  Pipeline Review, H2 2016, provides an overview of the Psoriatic Arthritis (Musculoskeletal Disorders) pipeline landscape.

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The report provides comprehensive information on the therapeutics under development for Psoriatic Arthritis, complete with analysis by stage of development, drug target, mechanism of action (MoA), route of administration (RoA) and molecule type. The report also covers the descriptive pharmacological action of the therapeutics, its complete research and development history and latest news and press releases. Additionally, the report provides an overview of key players involved in therapeutic development for Psoriatic Arthritis and features dormant and discontinued projects.

The report helps in identifying and tracking emerging players in the market and their portfolios, enhances decision making capabilities and helps to create effective counter strategies to gain competitive advantage.

Complete report on Psoriatic Arthritis - Pipeline Review, H2 2016 addition with 53 market data tables and 15 figures, spread across 231 pages is available at http://www.reportsnreports.com/reports/755895-psoriatic-arthritis-pipeline-review-h2-2016.html

This report features investigational drugs from across globe covering over 20 therapy areas and nearly 3,000 indications. The report is built using data and information sourced from Global Markets Directs proprietary databases, company/university websites, clinical trial registries,conferences,SEC filings, investor presentations and featured press releases from company/university sites and industry-specific third party sources. Drug profiles featured in the report undergoes periodic review following a stringent set of processes to ensure that all the profiles are updated with the latest set of information. Additionally, various dynamic tracking processes ensure that the most recent developments are captured on a real time basis

Drugs Profile Discussed in this Research:

abatacept ,AbGn-168H,ABT-122,adalimumab biosimilar,apremilast,bimekizumab, certolizumab pegol biosimilar, clazakizumab dalazatide,dimethyl fumarate, DNX-114 , etanercept biosimilar, golimumab , guselkumab , infliximab biosimilar, INV-17, itolizumab , ixekizumab , KANAb-071, KD-025 liraglutide , PRX-003, risankizumab , VALBRO-03, VTP-43742,Psoriatic Arthritis

Companies Discussed /Mentioned in this Research:

3SBio,AbbVie, AbGenomics International,Alteogen ,Amgen,Biocon ,Bionovis, Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, Celgene Corporation, Coherus BioSciences, Eli Lilly and Company, Forward Pharma A/S, Genor BioPharma Co Ltd, Innovent Biologics, Johnson & Johnson, Kadmon Corporation, KPI Therapeutics,Momenta Pharmaceuticals, Morphotek Mycenax Biotech, NeuClone Pty Ltd, Novo Nordisk A/S Oncobiologics, Pfizer Sandoz International

Inquire before buying http://www.reportsnreports.com/contacts/inquirybeforebuy.aspx?name=755895(This is a premium report price at US$2000 for a single user PDF license).

Scope

o The report provides a snapshot of the global therapeutic landscape of Psoriatic Arthritis

o The report reviews pipeline therapeutics for Psoriatic Arthritis by companies and universities/research institutes based on information derived from company and industry-specific sources

o The report covers pipeline products based on various stages of development ranging from pre-registration till discovery and undisclosed stages

o The report features descriptive drug profiles for the pipeline products which includes, product description, descriptive MoA, R&D brief, licensing and collaboration details & other developmental activities

o The report reviews key players involved Psoriatic Arthritis therapeutics and enlists all their major and minor projects

o The report assesses Psoriatic Arthritis therapeutics based on drug target, mechanism of action (MoA), route of administration (RoA) and molecule type

o The report summarizes all the dormant and discontinued pipeline projects

o The report reviews latest news related to pipeline therapeutics for Psoriatic Arthritis

Reasons to buy

o Gain strategically significant competitor information, analysis, and insights to formulate effective R&D strategies

o Identify emerging players with potentially strong product portfolio and create effective counter-strategies to gain competitive advantage

o Identify and understand important and diverse types of therapeutics under development for Psoriatic Arthritis

o Identify potential new clients or partners in the target demographic

o Develop strategic initiatives by understanding the focus areas of leading companies

o Plan mergers and acquisitions effectively by identifying key players and it's most promising pipeline therapeutics

o Devise corrective measures for pipeline projects by understanding Psoriatic Arthritis pipeline depth and focus of Indication therapeutics

o Develop and design in-licensing and out-licensing strategies by identifying prospective partners with the most attractive projects to enhance and expand business potential and scope

o Modify the therapeutic portfolio by identifying discontinued projects and understanding the factors that drove them from pipeline

For more information, please visit http://www.reportsnreports.com

Contact Info:

Name: Ritesh Tiwari

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Organization: ReportsnReports

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Source: http://marketersmedia.com/global-psoriatic-arthritis-drugs-market-2016-market-size-business-strategies-competitors-analysis/148474

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Outage Management System Market to reach 1148.6 Million USD by 2021,at a CAGR of 18.4%

Increasing demand for grid reliability and growing regulatory pressure are the major factors driving the outage management system market.

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The report "Outage Management System Market by Type (Integrated and Standalone OMS), Component (Software and Communication System), End User (Public and Private Utilities), and Region - Global Forecasts to 2021", The outage management system market is expected to grow from an estimated USD 493.7 Million in 2016 to USD 1,148.6 Million by 2021, at a CAGR of 18.4%. The global market is set to witness growth owing to increasing grid reliability and smart grid deployments, which will lead to significant investment for the upgrade and replacement of the existing T&D infrastructure.

Browse 65 market data tables and 50 figures spread through 141 pages and in-depth TOC on "Outage Management System Market"

Download Free PDF Brochure: http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownload.asp?id=38979923

The communication system segment is expected to hold the largest share of the outage management system market, by component, during the forecast period

The communication system segment led the outage management system market in 2015, and is expected to grow at the fastest rate during the forecast period, owing to increasing requirement for advanced outage management systems across the globe. This segment is primarily driven by the rising demand for more reliable control systems for proper monitoring and quicker restoration, and is expected to create new revenue pockets for the outage management system market during the forecast period.

Integrated OMS to be the largest segment in the outage management system market

With regard to the type segment, integrated OMS in the outage management system market is expected to be the largest market in 2016. Shifting interest towards advanced applications, such as Advanced Distribution Management System (ADMS), is expected to facilitate the demand for integrated solutions.

North America: The leading market for outage management system

In this report, the outage management system market has been analyzed with respect to five regions, namely, North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, South America, and the Middle East & Africa. North America is expected to dominate the global outage management system market, given increasing smart grid initiatives in the U.S. and requirement for advanced network control systems in the region.

To enable an in-depth understanding of the competitive landscape, the report includes profiles of some of the top players in the outage management system market. These players include ABB Ltd. (Switzerland), General Electric Company (U.S.), Oracle Corporation (U.S.), Schneider Electric SE (France), and Siemens AG (Germany). Leading players are trying to penetrate the markets in developing economies, and are adopting various strategies to increase their market share.

Speak to Analyst: http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/speaktoanalyst.asp?id=38979923

Market Ecosystem:

The ecosystem of the global outage management system market starts with the power distribution sector. The integrated and standalone systems are deployed by electric utilities to monitor and control power distribution network across regions. This stage is followed by the integration of outage management system with Geographical Information System (GIS), Customer Information System (CIS), Supervisory Control and Distribution Acquisition (SCADA), and other advanced network control systems, offering advanced power distribution management solutions.

Target Audience:

The target audience of this report includes:

Outage management system service providers

Outage management equipment manufacturing companies

Government and research organizations

National and local government organizations

Institutional investors

Outage management service contractors and consultancies

Power Associations

Request for Customization: http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/requestCustomization.asp?id=38979923

About MarketsandMarkets

MarketsandMarkets is the largest market research firm worldwide in terms of annually published premium market research reports. Serving 1700 global fortune enterprises with more than 1200 premium studies in a year, M&M is catering to a multitude of clients across 8 different industrial verticals. We specialize in consulting assignments and business research across high growth markets, cutting edge technologies and newer applications. Our 850 fulltime analyst and SMEs at MarketsandMarkets are tracking global high growth markets following the "Growth Engagement Model - GEM". The GEM aims at proactive collaboration with the clients to identify new opportunities, identify most important customers, write "Attack, avoid and defend" strategies, identify sources of incremental revenues for both the company and its competitors.

M&M's flagship competitive intelligence and market research platform, "RT" connects over 200,000 markets and entire value chains for deeper understanding of the unmet insights along with market sizing and forecasts of niche markets. The new included chapters on Methodology and Benchmarking presented with high quality analytical infographics in our reports gives complete visibility of how the numbers have been arrived and defend the accuracy of the numbers.

We at MarketsandMarkets are inspired to help our clients grow by providing apt business insight with our huge market intelligence repository.

For more information, please visit http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/outage-management-system-market-38979923.html

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Source: http://marketersmedia.com/outage-management-system-market-to-reach-1148-6-million-usd-by-2021at-a-cagr-of-18-4/148981

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Smart Gas Meter Market worth 2.27 Billion USD by 2021

Government policies & mandates in developed economies and accurate billing & improved customer service are the major factors driving the market.

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The report "Smart Gas Meter Market by Type (Automatic Meter Reading and Advanced Metering Infrastructure), by End-User (Residential, Commercial and Industrial) and by Region - Global Trends & Forecast to 2021", The smart gas meter market is expected to grow from an estimated USD 1.59 Billion in 2016 to USD 2.27 Billion by 2021, at a CAGR of 7.24% from 2016 to 2021. Factors such as government policies & mandates in developed economies and accurate billing & improved customer service are driving the market globally.

Browse 65 market data tables with 44 figures spread through 117 pages and in-depth TOC on "Smart Gas Meter Market"

Download Free PDF Brochure: http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownload.asp?id=256341634

Residential customers the largest end-users of smart gas meters

The smart gas meter market in this report has been classified based on end-users into three segments, namely, residential, commercial, and industrial. The residential segment accounted for the largest market size, in terms of value, in 2015. The global gas pipeline network construction in the residential segment accounted for 1,054 kms (approx.) in the past 5 years with another 100 kms expected to be constructed in next 2-3 years, which would boost the smart gas meter market.

AMR segment would dominate the global smart gas meter market

The Automatic Meter Reading (AMR) segment is estimated to be the largest market for smart gas meters in 2016. It is a metering technology that collects consumption data from the gas meters and transfers it to a central database (in the utility station) for billing and other purposes (one-way communication only). Popular in North America and Europe, other regions have also started to implement this metering infrastructure. It is less costly when compared to Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI), and hence has a higher market size. However, the AMI market is projected to grow at the highest rate because of its technological superiority.

North America: the dominant market for smart gas meters

North America dominates the smart gas meter market, and Europe is expected to grow at the highest rate during the forecast period. In North America, the growth of the smart gas meter market could be attributed to factors such as investments in smart grid and gas pipeline networks. Meanwhile, several smart gas meter rollouts are taking place in countries such as the U.K., Spain, and France. This, coupled with the EU's (European Union) plans regarding carbon emission reductions, would drive growth in the European region.

To provide an in-depth understanding of the competitive landscape, the report includes profiles of companies, namely, Itron, Inc. (U.S.), Honeywell International, Inc. (U.S.), Apator Group (Poland), Landis+Gyr (Switzerland), Diehl Metering (U.K.), Sensus (U.S.), EDMI Limited (Singapore), Chongqing Shancheng Gas Equipment Co., Ltd. (China), Dandong Dongfa Group (China), Raychem RPG (India), and Master Meter (U.S.). Dominant players are trying to penetrate developing economies and are adopting various methods to grab the market share.

This study estimates the global market of smart gas meters, in terms of USD, till 2021. It also offers a detailed qualitative and quantitative analysis of this market. This report provides a comprehensive review of major market drivers, restraints, opportunities, and challenges of the market. The report also covers various important aspects of the market such as value chain, Porter's Five Forces model, competitive landscape, market dynamics, market estimates in terms of value, and future trends in the smart gas meter market

Speak to Analyst: http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/speaktoanalyst.asp?id=256341634

Stakeholders:

The stakeholders included in this report are as follows:

Smart gas manufacturing companies

EPC contractors

State and national regulatory authorities

Gas distribution utilities

Government and industry associations

State- or government-owned corporations

"The study answers several questions for the stakeholders, primarily which market segments to focus in next 2-5 years for prioritizing efforts and investments".

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Available Customizations:

With the given market data, MarketsandMarkets offers customizations as per the client's specific needs. The following customization options are available for the report:

Company Information

Detailed analysis and profiling of additional market players (Up to 5)

About MarketsandMarkets

MarketsandMarkets is the largest market research firm worldwide in terms of annually published premium market research reports. Serving 1700 global fortune enterprises with more than 1200 premium studies in a year, M&M is catering to a multitude of clients across 8 different industrial verticals. We specialize in consulting assignments and business research across high growth markets, cutting edge technologies and newer applications. Our 850 fulltime analyst and SMEs at MarketsandMarkets are tracking global high growth markets following the "Growth Engagement Model - GEM". The GEM aims at proactive collaboration with the clients to identify new opportunities, identify most important customers, write "Attack, avoid and defend" strategies, identify sources of incremental revenues for both the company and its competitors.

M&M's flagship competitive intelligence and market research platform, "RT" connects over 200,000 markets and entire value chains for deeper understanding of the unmet insights along with market sizing and forecasts of niche markets. The new included chapters on Methodology and Benchmarking presented with high quality analytical infographics in our reports gives complete visibility of how the numbers have been arrived and defend the accuracy of the numbers.

We at MarketsandMarkets are inspired to help our clients grow by providing apt business insight with our huge market intelligence repository.

For more information, please visit http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/smart-gas-meter-market-256341634.html

Contact Info:

Name: Rohan

Organization: MarketsandMarkets



Source: http://marketersmedia.com/smart-gas-meter-market-worth-2-27-billion-usd-by-2021/148971

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Unit Load Device Market worth 2.02 Billion USD by 2021

Unit Load Device Market (ULD) by Product Type (Lower Deck 3, Lower Deck 6, Lower Deck 11, M 1, Pallets), Application (Commercial, Cargo), Material Type (Metal, Composite), Container Type (Normal, Cold) and Region - Global Forecast to 2021

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The report "Unit Load Device Market (ULD) by Product Type (Lower Deck 3, Lower Deck 6, Lower Deck 11, M 1, Pallets), Application (Commercial, Cargo), Material Type (Metal, Composite), Container Type (Normal, Cold) and Region - Global Forecast to 2021", The unit load device market is projected to grow from USD 1.64 Billion in 2016 to USD 2.02 Billion by 2021, at a CAGR of 4.28% during the forecast period. Factors, such as increase in the demand for lightweight ULDs, cold containers, and growth in international trade are expected to drive the unit load device market.

Browse 83 market data tables and 49 figures spread through 151 pages and in-depth TOC on "Unit Load Device Market (ULD) - Global Forecast to 2021"

Download Free PDF Brochure @ http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownload.asp?id=60073009

Early buyers will receive 10% customization on reports.

Based on product type, the LD 3 segment of the unit load device market is expected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period

LD 3 unit load devices can be used in all types of commercial aircraft. LD 3 containers are mainly used in passenger aircraft and growth in the LD 3 container segment can be attributed to the increase in passenger traffic. LD 3 unit load devices can be modified according to the requirements of a specific aircraft type.

Based on application, the commercial segment is expected to grow at the highest rate during the forecast period

Based on application, the commercial segment of the unit load device market is estimated to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period. Rise in passenger traffic has led to increase in air cargo, thereby propelling the demand for unit load devices for commercial aircraft.

Based on material, the composite segment is expected to grow at the highest rate during the forecast period

Based on material, the composite segment of the unit load device market is estimated to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period. ULDs developed using composite materials are lightweight, which enhances fuel efficiency of an aircraft.

Based on container, the normal container segment is expected to grow at the highest rate during the forecast period

Based on container, the normal container segment of the unit load device market is estimated to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period. Normal containers are used to transport dry cargo. They are used in commercial aircraft as well as cargo aircraft. Rise in aircraft orders will significantly contribute to the increasing demand for normal containers.

Asia-Pacific is projected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period

Asia-Pacific is one of the fastest-growing markets for unit load devices due to increase in passenger traffic and air cargo. Countries in the Asia-Pacific region are upgrading their airport infrastructure capabilities by undertaking developments in the aviation industry. Unit load devices, such as pallets and containers help in export of automobiles, agricultural products, and other miscellaneous goods from this region. Increase in the disposable income of people has resulted in rise in the number of passengers travelling by air. This has further led to the increase in cargo traffic, which, has contributed to the growing demand for unit load devices in the region.

Some of the key market players in the unit load device market are Nordisk Aviation Products AS (Norway), Zodiac Aerospace (France), VRR Aviation (The Netherlands), DoKaSch GmbH (Germany), and Satco, Inc. (U.S.), among others. These players adopted strategies, such as contracts, new product developments, agreements, and collaborations to strengthen their position in the unit load device market.

About MarketsandMarkets

MarketsandMarkets is the largest market research firm worldwide in terms of annually published premium market research reports. Serving 1700 global fortune enterprises with more than 1200 premium studies in a year, M&M is catering to a multitude of clients across 8 different industrial verticals. We specialize in consulting assignments and business research across high growth markets, cutting edge technologies and newer applications. Our 850 fulltime analyst and SMEs at MarketsandMarkets are tracking global high growth markets following the "Growth Engagement Model - GEM". The GEM aims at proactive collaboration with the clients to identify new opportunities, identify most important customers, write "Attack, avoid and defend" strategies, identify sources of incremental revenues for both the company and its competitors.

M&M's flagship competitive intelligence and market research platform, "RT" connects over 200,000 markets and entire value chains for deeper understanding of the unmet insights along with market sizing and forecasts of niche markets. The new included chapters on Methodology and Benchmarking presented with high quality analytical infographics in our reports gives complete visibility of how the numbers have been arrived and defend the accuracy of the numbers.

We at MarketsandMarkets are inspired to help our clients grow by providing apt business insight with our huge market intelligence repository.

For more information, please visit http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/unit-load-device-market-60073009.html

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Source: http://marketersmedia.com/unit-load-device-market-worth-2-02-billion-usd-by-2021/148999

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Marketing-Consulting Company Launches New Program to Help Small Businesses

Intercept Marketing, a Cincinnati based marketing consulting company, has launched its "3 Growth Ideas" program for small businesses. Chief Relationship Officer Rick Barron offers a free of charge 30 minute conference to focus on strategies uniquely tailored to each company's individual's needs and goals.

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Intercept Marketing, LLC (formerly Comtrex, LLC) has launched a new program to help business owners grow their businesses. Rick Barron, Chief Relationship Officer, will provide "3 Growth Ideas" to those business owners willing to engage in a thirty minute conference. The conference is free of charge.

The idea of the program is to offer helpful advice to business owners that is uniquely tailored to the needs, goals, and workings of their individual business, giving them an enormous advantage over the "one size fits all" marketing approach.

One of the problems the program hopes to address is the high failure rate of new businesses. SuccessHarbor.com reports that, according to the Small Business Administration, close to 66% of small businesses will survive their first 2 years. So this means that about a third of small businesses will fail within that 2 year period.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, only about 50% of all new businesses survive 5 years or more, and over 70% will not make it past 10 years. This statistic shows that a more mature business has a better chance to survive.

To that end, one of the goals of the "3 Growth Ideas" program is to address a common reason for those high failure rates, by raising awareness of the all-too-common reliance on antiquated marketing methods that are no longer as effective as they were in years past.

Said company President Jim Eastman "We're hoping our '3 Growth Ideas' program will be an eye opening experience for business owners. Unfortunately, too many business owners today are still using 'old-school' marketing method that were very effective in the past, but are woefully ineffective in this modern age. We want our program to raise awareness of this issue."

He added that "As a highly skilled business development consultant, our Chief Relationship Officer, Rick Barron, is uniquely qualified for the task."

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Intercept Marketing, LLC can be contacted at:

270 Northland Blvd, Suite 209, Cincinnati, OH 45246 800-591-4764

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Name: Rick Barron

Email: rick@InterceptClients.com

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Phone: +18005914764

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Akoni Homeware Announces Launch Of Brand New Salt & Pepper Grinder Set

Brand new kitchen and dining brand, Akoni Homeware, have announced the launch of their new product, a Salt & Pepper Grinder Set.

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Akoni Homeware, a brand new kitchen and dining brand based in Beaverton, Oregon, have launched their debut product, a Salt & Pepper Grinder Set, onto Amazon U.S.

The Salt & Pepper Grinder Set is Akoni Homeware's first product on Amazon, after the brand launched earlier this year. The brand pride themselves on creating products that support the heroes of the home. The word 'akoni' means 'hero' in Yoruba, a language from West Africa that is spoken by almost 30 million people worldwide.

The set from Akoni contains 2 grinders, a collapsible funnel and a cleaning brush and is designed to reduce mess and introduce ease into the salt and pepper grinding action. Each grinder is constructed from high quality stainless steel and strong clear glass. The collapsible funnel that is included in the set is designed to be both easy to clean and easy to use.

"Every part of our Salt & Pepper Grinder Set is designed to be both useful, mess-free and easy to use. We recognised that people struggled to refill their grinders so we introduced the funnel. We also recognised that grinders often caused a mess in cupboards so we moved our mechanism to the top of the grinder." said Lisa Miller from Akoni Homeware, "We hope that our customers will be pleased with the quality and modern design of our grinders."

Although the brand have only just launched their product onto Amazon's U.S marketplace, they have high hopes of launching on further Amazon marketplaces in the near future.

"Successfully launching our product and gaining rank quickly on Amazon U.S is our primary concern at the moment, but we are always looking for new ways to grow our company and customer base." continued Lisa, "We've seen how fast Amazon marketplaces have grown across the world and we're looking forward to exploring our options in Europe and Asia over the next few weeks and months."

Akoni Homeware's Salt & Pepper Grinder Set, containing 2 grinders, a collapsible funnel and a cleaning brush, is now available from Amazon U.S: https://www.amazon.com/Akoni-Homeware-Salt-Pepper-...

Contact Info:

Name: Lisa Miller

Organization: Akoni Homeware

Address: 9450 SW Gemini Dr #29796



Release ID: 149552

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Bristol UK Electromagnetic Waves Stress Depression Anxiety Therapy Launched

Dr. Knut Pfeiffer, an UK-based German cardiologist, just launched a new stress therapy in Bristol UK based on electromagnetic waves. Unlike traditional pharmaceutical stress treatments, this innovative therapy is drug-free and non-invasive.

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A modern stress treatment clinic opened in Bristol, UK. Dr. Knut Pfeiffer, a UK-based German cardiologist specializing in stress-related conditions, developed a new electromagnetic stress therapy. The treatment is based on the body's natural electromagnetic field, being both drug-free and non-invasive.

More information is available at http://impuls7.co.uk.

Stress and stress-related conditions have recently become the most important health issues throughout the western world. While pharmaceutical companies constantly release stress-relieving medicines, more and more people are concerned with the potential side effects of traditional synthetic treatments. Such unwanted effects range from nausea and agitation to weight gain and sexual dysfunction, making antidepressants and anxiety medicines potentially problematic, especially for vulnerable population groups such as pregnant women or the elderly.

Stress, anxiety and depression can be an underlying cause or a contributor to a wide range of other diseases and disorders including insomnia, high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, eye problems, joint pain, asthma, obesity, headaches, gastroesophageal reflux disease, irritable bowel syndrome, Alzheimer's disease and accelerated aging. The World Health Organization has stated stress has reached epidemic levels with no widely accepted orthodox treatment.

Impuls7, Dr. Pfeiffer's new electromagnetic waves therapy, comes as a direct response to traditional drug-based treatments. The result of 35 years of research in the human electromagnetic field, this therapy uses low-frequency waves ranging from 0 to 95 micro tesla to balance the body's natural physiological fields. The electromagnetic waves are initially aimed at the solar plexus in a sequenced pattern, from where they are directed towards individual cells.

As a result of the operating procedure, and unlike traditional pharmaceutical stress treatments, this electromagnetic therapy avoids placing any strains on the human body. The patients are placed in an isolated chamber called CUBUS, which protects them from negative electromagnetic interference caused by mobile phones, wi-fi equipment, and other electronic devices. The ensuing procedure is non-invasive, and patients remain clad throughout the electromagnetic session.

Impuls7 has been used by a large number of people, from diplomats and members of Royal families to professional athletes. It is suitable for anyone suffering from stress or stress-related conditions, provided that they're not restricted from using electromagnetic wave therapy. There is no recovery time, and no additional drug treatment is necessary.

This electromagnetic waves stress therapy has been officially certified by the prestigious TUV South Germany, under German Patent Number DE 10 2009 017 229.7.

Dr. Pfeiffer's stress therapy clinic is situated at The House Clinics, 118 Redland Road, Bristol, BS6 6QT United Kingdom. Interested parties can find more details on the clinic and the new electromagnetic waves therapy at the link above.

For more information, please visit http://www.impuls7.co.uk

Contact Info:

Name: Dr Knut Pfeiffer

Email: knut.pfeiffer@t-online.de

Organization: impuls7

Address: 118 redland rd

Phone: + 44 1179 420200

Release ID: 149756

For more information visit r



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As the end of 2016 looms on the horizon, you start to reflect on events that have happened on and off the farm.

Obviously the Brexit referendum result and that of the recent US election have already affected UK farming and will continue to do so for some time.

So far the main effects have been financial, with currency rates moving to reflect uncertainty being created by both events.

However, this focus will switch to concerns about future agricultural policy outside the EU.

Entry into longer-term environmental stewardship schemes has already been an area where uncertainly has been felt by UK farmers and land managers.

Read more from our Arable Farmer Focus writers

I heard yesterday that 2016 is on target to be the warmest year ever and here at Royston, we have had less than 400mm of rainfall so far this year, with less than six weeks to go. So it is likely that we will be some way off our annual average of 580mm.

All autumn cereals have more or less got themselves established on our light soils, but I only have to travel a couple of miles to view stronger soils, farmed by my neighbours, where crop establishment has been somewhat variable.

We have completed our first lift of sugar beet and due to the exceptional conditions were able to turn around and drill the whole area with rye within a day of completing harvest.

The beet crop exceeded expectations, both for yield and sugar content. With the Brexit-enhanced price of 21.62/t, the margin achieved by this crop still exceeds all the alternatives for us on our farms.

This enhanced price of 21.62 is still behind the 1980 contract price of 22.52, but the yield in 2016 has been 230% higher than that achieved 36 years ago.

Yield increases in the beet crop have been greater since 1980 than any other broad-acre crop and has been the main driver for keeping the crop viable.

The demise of oilseed rape growing in this area over the past three years has brought renewed interest in growing beet. This includes new growers taking a contract on for 2017, existing growers increasing their areas and others who have had a break from the crop for a few years coming back in.

With our increased farming areas, both here at Royston and in Nottinghamshire, in 2017 we will be taking on more beet tonnage.

Robert Law farms 1,700ha on the Hertfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Essex borders growing cereals, mustard, a range of forage crops for seed, sugar beet, up to 200ha of catch crop stubble turnips and 300ha of grass supporting a flock of 2,500 ewes. All land farmed is in environmental stewardship schemes. He also manages 500ha of sandland in Nottinghamshire.
Old-school tractor power continues to appeal to second-hand punters across the UK and Europe. Simon Wragg picks out the highlights from another busy month at the auctions.

Demand for used machinery has remained strong across the arable and livestock sectors through the autumn of 2016, despite tight farming margins.

However, traders are keen to highlight that the gap between good, honest kit and worn-out equipment is widening, with both domestic and export buyers looking to ensure that capital is invested wisely.

The strongest demand is for modern, higher horsepower tractors from the pre-electronic management era of the 1990s and early 2000s.

Although a number of these units were destined for export, UK traders are now pitching in as new tractor registrations ease back and, in turn, reduce the supply of decent trade-in machines.

See also: Tips for buying a quality used combine on a 40,000 budget

The tractor market has seen some big successes in recent weeks, not least the 21,000 price tag on a 1997 John Deere 6400 with well under 3,000 miles clocked achieved by Leominster-based Brightwells.

Demand for clean examples is also strong in the older 100hp-150hp sector. Even prairie-style units  Fords TW Series, as well as Massey Ferguson 1200 and 1250 models  present affordable horsepower along with nostalgic appeal.

Cambridge-based Cheffins says several have topped 20,000 recently, but some less polished versions are yet to find homes, including a John Deere at the auctioneers November sale.

The arable sector remains particularly consistent, driven by more spring cropping that means less kit is standing idle through to the following autumn.

While sterling remains weak against the euro and dollar, it is expected that demand for export will continue to underpin the market well into 2017.

The impact of fewer new equipment and tractor sales will continue to starve the market of trade-ins for domestic dealers, so any farmers with good, clean kit looking to retire may find 2017 a good time to get good capital values for their on-farm assets.
A major plan to boost UK farm productivity and competitiveness is to be launched by the AHDB.

The three-year plan will be launched by the levy board organisation at the start of December, said AHDB chief strategy officer Tom Hind.

It will encompass the period up to and beyond the UKs exit from the European Union, he told the Agribusiness 2017 conference at Peterborough on Wednesday (23 November).

See also: Why UK agriculture must up its game

Brexit would mean major changes for UK agriculture, said Mr Hind.

We are likely to see a much more liberal trading environment and more competition on our home market as well as our overseas markets, like the rest of the European Union.

Farmers were also likely to see less direct income support, added Mr Hind.

Solutions required

Fewer burdens were likely to be imposed on the industry but critically  and importantly  there would be more onus on the industry to find more of its own solutions.

The biggest challenge underlying all of this was productivity, said Mr Hind. UK agricultural productivity had lagged behind that of its competitors, he told delegates.

It is significant because productivity is a key driver of competitiveness  and if you want to compete then you have to drive productivity.

It is significant because if we dont do something about productivity, and we dont do something to close the gap, then our industry is on a sticky wicket.

Addressing the productivity challenge would lie at the heart of the AHDBs strategy.

What is absolutely critical is that we as an organisation  and all of us  try to focus on the elements of that productivity challenge that we can do something about.

The first element was improving the rate at which innovation and technological advancement could be taken up on farm, said Mr Hind.

It was important to drive more transformational research  and then get it on to farms so growers and livestock producers could use it to their advantage.

That will change the way we see ourselves and the way we operate.

The second element was helping the industry to upskill itself and become more professionally capable so it could drive its own competitive advantage.

The new strategy would aim to uncover the attributes that enabled the best farm businesses to outperform others, including through benchmarking.

It would also look at performance across the supply chain, including encouraging more knowledge exchange and R&D investment into areas that improve productivity.
MacBook Pro 13-inch Touch Bar Scores 'Just 'Okay' To Critics

A few months back, Apple revealed MacBook Pro's physical and interface improvements. One that is most notable about the new MacBook Pro 13-inch is its Touch Bar which replaced all the function keys MacBook lovers used to have.

One of the first details which consumers look at is the price. The MacBook Pro 13-inch with a touch bar costs $200 more than the previous MacBook model which came before the new model was released. The MacBook Pro 13-inch that does not have a touch bar costs $1,500 while the one that has a touch bar costs $1,800.

According to Digital Trends' writer Matt Smith, this price is quite too much for a MacBook Pro 13-inch model which only has minimal tweaks on its internal specifications. While some consumers expect the new model should already have the Core i7 processor, the MacBook Pro 13-inch with a touch bar still has the Core i5 processor. Despite it falling short to most people's expectations, the model still is considered the most luxurious laptop one can have.

As for the new touch bar, most critics say that it does not really amaze much. Techno Buffalo writer Brandon Russel says the touch bar is partly just a gimmick and partly an innovation for the future. One thing that really frustrates Russel is how Apple removed the SD card slot on its new models. Also, he notes a lot of "productivity-halting" issues you need to deal with before you can fully use the functionality of the laptop, a big problem which he never encountered from earlier MacBook models.

New Atlas' writer Will Shanklin share the same sentiments with the two previous writers mentioned. He noted that the MAcBook Pro models with a touch bar is overpriced and that it does not entirely make users do their work faster. Users need to be accustomed to all the changes they needed to face because of the new touch bar and the use of several dongles for slots that were taken out.
'Fable' Series Latest News & Updates: Creator Is in Discussions With Microsoft to Make 'Fable IV'

Peter Molyneux , the "Fable" series creator recently said that he wants to make "Fable IV" and has discussed this with the series' publisher, Microsoft. "Fable III" has received a positive critical reception from fans although there were some disappointments about the bugs that were never fixed in a patch.

In an interview with OXM, Molyneux said that he is surprised that "Fable IV" has not been created. "I would love to do "Fable IV" and the studio tried to do it. You'd have to get the original team back together though," he said.

According to GameSpot, Molyneux said that he and his team have discussed this matter with Microsoft and they sometimes upset the latter with their sense of humor. He explained that it's just part of being a typical British studio.

"I think it was the sense of humor. You know the British, slightly politically incorrect sense of humor, especially with "Fable", where we had prostitutes and same-s** marriage," he explained. In 2012, Molyneux left Lionhead for 22 Cans.

Microsoft has been upset with it, which have also ignored other developers. Some "Fable" developers have also expressed their disappointments with Microsoft where the most notable was the unsuccessful fight to have a black woman on the cover of "Fable III". John McCormack, the former art director of Lionhead was the one on talks about the black woman cover and was terribly upset with the outcome.

McCormack also said that Microsoft is one of the reasons why he left Lionhead Studio in 2012 when the latter rejected his proposal for a darker and grittier "Fable IV", reports Eurogamer. The studio officially closed in April this year.

"Fable" is a series of action role-playing video games published by Microsoft for Microsoft Windows, Xbox, OS X, Xbox 360 and Xbox One platforms. It was developed by Lionhead Studios, which closed earlier this year.
More Than Nine Drones Cost $100,000 Destroyed By Eagles in Australia, Mining Company Comes Up With Brilliant Resolution, Find Details Here!

Eagles in Australia must have been trained! Days have passed since reports claimed that drones were attacked by the large flying creatures. A huge mining company loss more than $100,000 because of the said aerial battle. How true that the giant natural wealth producer had finally come up with a solution?

More Than Nine Drones Destroyed By Eagles in Australia

People can't deny that Australians are now in a struggle on how their drones can fly freely. Eagles in Australia were in a couple of recorded video who's aggressively flying and attacking the high-end device sent by the world's seventh largest gold producer, South Africa's Gold Fields.These Eagles in Australia are in said to be batting drones that are sent by the company's mining location in Kambalda, Seeker noted. The eagles are reported to have already taken down almost 10 UAV's units and reportedly cost $100,000.

Mr. Steven Reid, the independent director of Gold Fields, showed to 140 delegates at the Australians Institute of Mining Metallurgy's Open Pit Operators's Conference in Kalgoorlie-Boulder the recent photograph of Eagles in Australia attacking the drones.



These drones are used to capture high-resolution photographs from the sky. The advance gadget helps the mining people to draw maps for their future projects. Eagles in Australia seem to be trained like the ones in Denmark. The wedge-tailed flying animals have become drone's mortal enemies.

Finally! Resolution Formulated For Eagles in Australia!

The brilliant director, Mr. Steven Reid, and his team came up with a solution to avoid attacks from Eagles in Australia. The whole team has extended their hands in collaborating and created a UAV-look-a-like Eagle, ABC cited. This cost around $10,000 per body and $10,000 per camera.

Camouflaging, however, Eagles in Australia did not actually work. They even designed the drones in rainbow color but still, these high-tech devices were attacked and destroyed by these large flying creatures.


"Chicago P.D." Season 4 Air Date, News & Updates: Who's Gonna Lead Without John Seda? - Marina Squerciati's Promotion, Nick Wechsler's Storyline

"Chicago PD" Season 4, off to its big comeback next year is full of questions as to who's gonna be the leader of the band when Antonio's out. Enlisting a newbie into the unit, Nick Wechsler to play Kenny Rixton is not a solution. Rumors are circulating that Kim Burgess (Marina Squerciati) is eyed to take in the challenge to be the new Chief.

In the last week's showing of "Chicago P.D. Season 4, Squerciati was playing cool and portrayed as ready for the top post in the intelligence arm of the unit. It is obvious that the lady cop who was first introduced in January 2014 is being catapulted for a promotion in the absence of Antonio as reported by Spoilerstv. While she joins intelligence, a vacuum is created in the patrol, who's gonna replace her in an equally great role is a cliffhanger that will hopefully get unravelled next year.

According to Gamenguide, "Chicago P.D." Season 4 will return in January 4, 2017 with the crossover of John Seda to "Chicago Justice". He will be bringing his character Antonio Dawson to the State Attorney's Office. While he said goodbye to the show, Nick Wechsler who plays Jack Porter in "Revenge" enters in as the new cop under the helm of Henry Voight (Jason Beghe).

"Chicago P.D." Season 4 will see the adventures of Wechsler in the multi episode story arc to start with Episode 10 "Don't Read the News". Meanwhile, Antonio's departure from the show was articulated in the last week's finale by presenting flashbacks of his stint as a firefighter in Chicago Fire. He was also portrayed going back to his old office in Firehouse 51.

There are also questions on Jay Halstead's (Jesse Lee Soffer) fate when "Chicago P.D." Season 4 will come back on January 4, 2016. To the avid followers of the show, stay tuned for more updates of the series.
'The Crown' Season 2 Cancellation News & Update: Queen Elizabeth Wants Series To Fold; Claire Foy Gets Blamed, Netflix Not Backing Down?

Recent news and updates regarding "The Crown"Season 2 is filled with such negativity and setbacks. Rumors have surfaced that the next season is being threatened for cancellation by Queen Elizabeth.

There are rumors rising on the horizon regarding the fate and future of "The Crown"Season 2. Some are insinuating that Queen Elizabeth wants the series to fold because it portrays her life and her ordeals. There are even notions arising that Claire Foy gets blamed for the forthcoming fate.

There are also presumptions that Netflix is not yet ready to give up the fight and has no plans on cancelling the series, "The Crown"Season 2. Despite the rising rumors, none of these claims were verified nor confirmed.

For one, Queen Elizabeth did not render any statements concerning "The Crown"Season 2 and even with Claire Foy, thus all rumors circulating for "The Crown"Season 2 should be set aside. This is not the first speculation that "The Crown"Season 2 has experenced. A former report from GamenGuide previously shared some rumors regarding the segment.

According to the report, details for "The Crown" Season 2 are not boding well. Claims have surfaced that Claire Foy and Peter Morgan's working relationship is in trouble.

These promos for Netflix's The Crown are wild pic.twitter.com/50498wimra  Tom Whyman (@HealthUntoDeath) November 21, 2016

Although the rumors regarding "The Crown" Season 2 remains unsettled, fans and followers are worried of the possible storylines for the segment and there are even notions that Queen Elizabeth's life remains unknown because the Queen demands it, as noted by the same post.

I, Philip, take thee, Elizabeth Alexandra Mary... pic.twitter.com/l2euDdGodH  The Crown (@TheCrownNetflix) November 20, 2016

Despite the rumors abounding for "The Crown" Season 2, all of these rumors were debunked. The series is still going strong and its segment remains firm and resolute for now.
Nokia Android Smartphone News & Updates: Andriod 7.01 Running Device On Screen

Nokia's return to the smartphone market is a big controversy. More developers following Google's material design. New Nokia Android smartphones are most likely going to be announced by HMD Global at 2017 MWC.

There have been several leaks on hand, but the latest leak shows a new "Nokia" smartphone running on the latest Android 7.0.1 OS. "The Android powered smartphone was spotted on GeekBench earlier today. Alongside the Pixel, two more devices have appeared on the website showing Nokia has plenty of devices to announce," as stated by the Nokia Pixel.

Formerly, a "Nokia" device called the D1C was also leaked on the website. This device features an octa-core Snapdragon 430 CPU, Adreno 505 GPU and 3GB of RAM. This too was running on a build of 'Android Nougat.

Of course, Nokia probably will not be calling the new smartphone Pixel, because Google has already taken the name. However, this device will be running Android 7.0.1 out of the box, as spotted by TimesNews on GeekBench.

The device carry's a Snapdragon 200 processor, Adreno 302 GPU and has 1 GB of RAM; which means that this is probably an entry level device as evidenced, by a not very well score on the GeekBench test. The Snapdragon 200 is a dual-core CPU and supports Quick Charge 3.0, according to PhoneArena.

Two more devices were spotted, named the Nokia Ara and the Nokia Genymotion C2-00 PureView. That latter is a strange name for a smartphone, but the company may just call it something else. The Nokia Ara also runs Snapdragon 200 build with 1GB of RAM. But the latest Android Nougat runs Android 5.1.1.

Looks like this is another entry level smartphone from "Nokia," but no other details such as screen size or battery were given. The Genymotion C2-00 Pureview, an Intel Pentium G3220 single-core processor coupled with 1.5 GB of RAM. Again, no other details were revealed in the results.
iOS 10 Jailbreak Latest News & Update: Pangu to Release Jailbreak Tool Sooner Than Expected? Hack Includes Open Source & Other Features

With the demand for an iOS 10 jailbreak seemingly growing by the minute, renowned hacking entity still remains silent to date. However, a new report suggests that the release of a jailbreak tool could be closer than expected.

Pangu to Release Jailbreak Tool Soon

ICrackUriDevice, a YouTube channel dedicated to cracking Apple devices, had linked to a post for the Pangu jailbreak. This then appears to be the Senior Security Engineer of Alibaba, with a Twitter account called SparkZheng. The user then claims that an iOS 10 jailbreak will indeed be released, but no exact date was still given.

While this might come off as sketchy for some, this could actually be a legitimate assertion, as Alibaba had reportedly acquired 25PP back in 2014. 25PP is the developer that has a contribution in the jailbreaks made by Pangu. The connection between the two company may serve as the missing link, confirming the claims of SparkZheng. So, is iOS 10 jailbreak is totally coming?

To further support his statement, the Alibaba Security Engineer who made the Twitter post was reportedly the exact same person who succeeded in jailbreaking the iOS 9.3.4. If this were true, then the iOS 10 jailbreak is definitely coming.

Open Source Feature

As if Twitter is not public enough, the user had also posted on Weibo, translating his claims on the iOS 10 jailbreak to the Chinese region. Pangu is definitely working on the hacking tool for the most recent mobile operating system for Apple, and is even reported to bring a few changes. This includes the very useful open source system feature for the iPhone 7 once the device is jailbroken.

Why the Delay?

According to the same source, the release of the iOS 10 jailbreak has been drastically delayed due to the very time-consuming and meticulous process it takes to hack the system. However, anticipating fans should not worry, as Pangu has already demoed that the iOS 10 is susceptible to hacking and could be perfectly exploited.
'The Avenger: Infinity War' Release Date, News & Update: Robert Downey Jr. & Chris Evans Set To Make More Marvel Films; No Crossover With 'The Avengers' And 'X-Men'?

Marvel Studios, President Kevin Feige has confirmed that the "Avengers: Infinity War" film will begin its production in January 2017. However, Feige also announced that they are now looking for new actors in the untitled Avenger sequel since some of their actor's contract is coming to an end.

The "Avengers: Infinity War" fans don't have anything to worry about because Iron Man" actor Robert Downey Jr. and "Captain America" actor Chris Evans is set to appear in future Avenger's films. "There are a lot of movies that everyone is signed on for, and we get to enjoy them for a long time," said Kevin Feige in an interview with Variety.

The Marvel President also stated that he "can't envision anyone else" playing "Iron Man" but Robert Downey Jr. only as well as Chris Evans as "Captain America" in the "Avenger: Infinity War" sequel. Which only means that Robert Downey Jr. will still be around for "Iron Man 4" and while Chris Evans said he'll be focusing as a director, it seems that he'll stick to acting for a bit more.

Kevin Feige was also asked about possibilities of an "Avengers" crossover with "X-Men" or 'Fantastic 4" films but he instantly cancels out the idea. "It's an impossibility at this juncture. We certainly have enough films to keep us busy for a number of lifetimes," the producer said.

The "Avenger: Infinity War" fans also noticed that the Avengers team's villains have been generally weak. The fans think that the Avenger's extraordinary power needs to have stronger villains in order for the Avenger teams to shine.

The "Avengers: Infinity War" will be released on May 4, 2018 while its untitled sequel will be released a year later on May 3, 2019. The "Avengers: Infinity War" will also feature Benedict Cumberbatch as "Doctor Strange" and some of the cast from "The Guardians of the Galaxy" Chris Pratt, Bradley Cooper, Vin Diesel and Zoe Saldana.
The Duggar Family Latest News & Update: Thanksgiving 2016 For Duggars; Michelle, Jim Bob Duggars Celebrate With Extended Family

The Duggar family just celebrated Thanksgiving and fans have been kept updated through the Duggars' Instagram account. This year's Thanksgiving will be even merrier since Jill, Jessa and newlywed Jinger, as well as other Duggar kids, spent Thanksgiving with their in-laws. Jim Bob and Michelle got to spend time with extended family members.

Starting our Thanksgiving week right, with family here at the #dixiestampede in Branson, MO! A photo posted by Derick Dillard (@derickdillard) on Nov 21, 2016 at 1:00pm PST

In the past controversial years, Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar have posted Instagram photos that focused on their 19 children. But after marrying off Jessa, Jill and Jinger, the Duggars had to make sure they still get to spend Thanksgiving around family, Yahoo reported. The whole Duggar family made a trip to Branson, Missouri for Thanksgiving. Grandma Duggar and Jim Bob's extended family were on board too including cousin Amy Duggar King and loving husband Dillon and Jib Bob's sister Deanna.

Michelle also used the opportunity to spend multiple occasions in one birthday, a Thanksgiving and a reunion of her extended family. Her sister Carol celebrated her birthday in the same week. They all stayed in one cabin, visited the Dixie Stampede and all together went to Silver Dollar City. The Duggar family is known for being Christians; they are very much excited for the Christmas season as seen in the Duggars Family website.

The day before Thanksgiving, Jim Bob treated his wife Michelle to a special event. This goes to show that the Duggars siblings' parents are still very much in love even after having 19 kids. The Duggar family has one more reason to celebrate Thanksgiving. The big clan gathered in the airport to welcome Jill, Derick and Israel Dillard back from their nine-month El Salvador missionary work. Jessa is looking forward to spend quality time with her sister, Jill. Indeed, the Duggar clan has had so much to celebrate this holiday season!
Nokia Pixel Launch Date, Specs, Features, News & Update: New Nokia Android Phone 2017 To Debut At MWC 2017? More Details Revealed!

The mobile devices world welcomes back the company that brought a lot of remarkable phones. Nokia has made a comeback and decided to join the competitive smartphone industry. A new Nokia Android smartphone lineup is reportedly coming out in February 2017 at the Mobile World Congress.

A couple of entry levels and top of the line Nokia Android smartphones 2017 have already been dappled on benchmark sites. Just recently, the new phone has emerged from the leaked list of Nokia Android phones with its specs indicating it is an entry-level mobile phone.

According to Geekbench, Nokia's new entry-level player is dubbed Pixel and it is reportedly running on the latest Android OS, the Android Nougat. The new Nokia Android phone is said to have a Qualcomm Snapdragon 200 processor paired with a 1GB of RAM. The CPU is a dual-core variant with a clock speed of 1.19GHz. New Nokia Android smartphones will also be supporting the Quick Charge 3.0 technology to charge the battery. Nokia Pixel was tested by Geekbench and how it runs and the device is said to have a single-core rating of 404 and a multi-core score of 661. The name Pixel is likely to change before it will be released commercially.

The company behind Nokia's comeback with a new Android phone is HMD Global. When the company signed a strategic licensing contract with Nokia Technologies, the cutting-edge technology and licensing unit of Nokia Corporation granted the Finland-based company exclusive global license to manufacture Nokia-branded mobile phones and tablets during the course of ten years. HMD plans to influence and cultivate Nokia's global brand reach, supplying stunningly designed, high quality mobile devices and tablets to people all over the world in connection with Nokia's brand commitment.

The new Nokia Android phone dubbed as Nokia Pixel will be joined by three more smartphones next year. Nokia D1C, Nokia 5320 and Nokia 1490 are already in the limelight are rumored to be released at next year's MWC. For more fresh out of the box Nokia news and update, stay tuned only here on GamenGuide.
A second route, which will service downtown to Alamitos Beach, will launch on Nov. 10.
This weekend millions of Christians around the world observe the first Sunday of Advent. Advent is defined as the arrival of a notable person, thing, or event. Christians believe that notable person to be the person of Jesus Christ, whose birthday began to be observed on Dec. 25 in the fourth century, when the Roman Empire systematically replaced its celebrations with Christian ones.

Christians proclaim the arrival of Emmanuel, God with us, the Prince of Peace, and the Son of God. It was a radical belief, and still is, that the divine and humanity would exist fully together in the person of Jesus. Central to Christian churches is the belief that Advent signifies the coming of their Lord.

Unfortunately, as Christians gained political power, this language led to systems that revolved around excluding other people and then vilifying them. It also continues to lead to attitudes of dominance, for instance, insisting that people say, Merry Christmas and making threats when they dont. As a reaction to this, many Christians try to distance themselves from such attitudes and language but are then accused of not being Christ-centered. For many of us, nothing could be further from the truth.

Christ did not manifest these attitudes of exclusionism and dominance; instead he emptied himself and became a servant. He loved the outcasts and the enemy, healed the sick, challenged the powers that oppressed, and called us to walk the way of kindness, compassion, and justice. His primary commandment for us is to love God with our whole being and he equated that to loving our neighbor as we love ourselves. Christ does not teach us that we are to abdicate these values for any ruler, for any ideal, or for any nation. Saying Christ is Lord is a political statement. A Christian who pledges unconditional loyalty to a political leader has abdicated their faith to another.

However, this does not mean we do not vote and are not politically active. My faith in Christ, for instance, makes me acutely aware how the rich and powerful control our political system across both aisles to protect the rich and powerful, at the expense of the poor. I may have to vote for someone who does not seem to have the strong conviction to challenge this and that is where my faith leads me to be involved beyond my vote, through advocacy, communication, and even protest.

This year it is crucial that Christians who voted for the president-elect, and those who didnt, proclaim loudly and clearly that unrepentant racism, misogyny, and hatred are contrary to the teachings of Christ and repellent to God. Further, a belief in race supremacy is spawned in a place of fear and pain and has no place in Gods realm or in Christianity. This Advent, Christians remember that Christ is their Lord, and no other, and dismiss calls to complete loyalty to a political leader as a voice that attempts to lead astray.

At Christmas, the diverse church celebrates that we have already been given one to follow who loves all humanity with grace and wholeness and who invites us to allow the Spirit of Truth to be our spirit. My prayer this season is that Christians universal be united in this Spirit and allow actions of radical hospitality of the immigrant, advocacy for the poor, freeing of the oppressed, and unconditional love for the outcast be our voices that proclaim, Christ is Lord!
Full transparency: I am completely shell-shocked with the outcome of the presidential election, which left my heart filled with deep sadness, dark rage and shame. Tuesday night and early Wednesday morning, young women and men in my life looked to me for counsel and comfort. Were they going to be OK? Are we as a nation going to be OK? My sisters, husband and female friends shared their despair as well. I vented on Facebook for my own sanity.

Wednesday, rather than call in sick, I rose, fought the tears, donned my black pantsuit and went to my high-tech male-dominated workplace feeling for the first time in a long time less than my male colleagues while mourning the dark and precarious election result.

As the week progressed I focused on quieting my anger, my fears and my tears. My mind worked overtime trying to reconcile the threads of thinking that delivered this outcome. I went dark on my Facebook. I journaled.

Nearly six days later I am emerging with a course of action, a high road. As a career woman in science, a seeker of truth through spirituality, a committed partner of 29 years and a mother of two millennials, I want for myself (and others equally shell-shocked) a productive way out of this election aftermath. As much as I am angry, grieved and tempted to invest my energies into not my president campaigns, the engineer in me knows this will leave me spinning with no forward momentum, only frustrated and more deeply angry. Instead I awaken to the reality that I must choose to rise above and engage more than ever before in my civic duty and privilege. This is the silver lining.

Today I commit to act constructively. I choose not to be complacent like those who didnt vote. I choose not to take the low road of divisiveness as some in the Trump-Pence camp. Instead I seek what is common ground with the other side while committing to protect key rights and defend an increasingly fragile democracy. Such commitment demands citizen engagement and accountability once modeled by our founding fathers and mothers. And so I commit to these actions:

 Hold accountable those in office, the media and those that delivered a Trump-Pence and Republican-led Congress to the promise of delivering American jobs while ensuring Trump and Pence uphold the principles of democracy (vs. authoritarianism) and honor the separation of church and state. Do this by tracking actions and writing letters.

 Find solidarity with Trump voters who sought solutions to the economic plight of Americans by contributing productive ideas to those in office inclusive of advocating for environmentally responsible manufacturing jobs and living wages.

 Choose and champion at least one of the hard-fought liberties for women, minorities and the environment which is at risk under a Republican majority Congress and presidency.

Support efforts to: repeal Citizens United, restore Glass-Steagall (bringing back accountability to the banking industry reducing risk of a 2008 like economic crash), re-establish an unbiased, unbought media characterized by facts and critical thinking.

I invite other disappointed voters to move beyond the anger, spinning and going dark and instead choose a clear path of forward momentum. I invite the victors to acknowledge their narrow victory and to be kind and open-minded to the other. We truly are stronger together and we all want America to be great. We have a lot of work to do and there is too much at stake to remain divided. Lets take the high road, all of us. Join me in forging a productive path.
Weihnachtslicht : General Anzeiger Christmas fundraising campaign

Friday evening the campaigns symbol shone more than 100 metres high from the Post Tower over Bonn and the region. Foto: Barbara Fromman.

Bonn The Post Tower lit up last night in support of the GA Christmas campaign to help the elderly. Heading to the Christmas market? Then donate by buying a Santa hat and joining the party at the Kipp Christmas pyramid.

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The Weihnachtslicht (Christmas light) campaign has supported senior citizens in need in Bonn and the region for more than 60 years and is one of the oldest charity campaigns run by a regional newspaper in Germany.

Friday evening the campaigns symbol shone more than 100 metres high from the Post Tower over Bonn and the region. Deutsche Post DHL has supported the GA welfare organisation for many years through various activities. We thank them very much, said Bernd Leyendecker, chairman of the Weihnachtslicht society. Anyone who missed the flame of solidarity for the fundraising campaign or who would like to see it again can do so on Saturday evening. The flame will shine out in the Post Tower colours from 8pm until midnight.

For a fun way of donating to the campaign, head to the Kipp familys pyramid at the Bonn Christmas markets on Friedensplatz. For years, the pyramid has been one of the attractions of the Christmas market and a meeting point for lovers of a good gluhwein. This year, boss Claudia Kipp has thought of something special to support the Weihnachtslicht campaign.

She is selling 2000 bright red Santa hats to her customers at the Bonn Christmas markets for 3 euros each. I will transfer the complete amount raised to the Weihnachtslicht. The campaign is really great and deserves to be supported, says the high-spirited show-woman. Bernd Leyendecker is already thanking Kipp and appealing to visitors: Buy the hats, because then you are doing something really good; with 6000 euros we can bring great joy to many old and needy fellow citizens.

To make the Santa hat sale more fun, Kipp has planned a Christmas party for the evening of St Nicholas Day, 6 December, with a surprise star guest and live music from 7pm.

The 2016/2017 campaign is in full swing and donations can be made at the General-Anzeiger branch offices at Bonner Bottlerplatz, Koblenzer Strae 61 in Bad Godesberg, Markt 45a in Siegburg and Hauptstrae 38 d in Bad Honnef.

Donations can also be paid directly to account number 4770, Sparkasse Koln-Bonn (BLZ 370 501 98): Iban: DE76 3705 0198 0000 004770, Bic: COLSDE 33.
The Sentinel-1 satellites have shown that the Millennium Tower skyscraper in the centre of San Francisco is sinking by a few centimetres a year. Studying the city is helping scientists to improve the monitoring of urban ground movements, particularly for subsidence hotspots in Europe.

Completed in 2009, the 58-storey Millennium Tower has recently been showing signs of sinking and tilting. Although the cause has not been pinpointed, it is believed that the movements are connected to the supporting piles not firmly resting on bedrock.

To probe these subtle shifts, scientists combined multiple radar scans from the Copernicus Sentinel-1 twin satellites of the same area to detect subtle surface changes  down to millimetres. The technique works well with buildings because they better reflect the radar beam.

It is also useful for pinpointing displacement hotspots over large areas, thanks to Sentinel-1s broad coverage and frequent visits.

Working with ESA, the team from Norut, PPO.labs and Geological Survey of Norway have also mapped other areas in the wider San Francisco Bay Area that are moving. These include buildings along the earthquake-prone Hayward Fault, as well as subsidence of the newly reclaimed land in the San Rafael Bay.

An uplift of the land was detected around the city of Pleasanton, possibly from the replenishment of groundwater following a four-year drought that ended in 2015.

European cities experience similar subsidence, and the San Francisco study is helping because it contains a multitude of features.

For example, the area around Oslos train station in Norway is reclaimed land. Newer buildings, such as the nearby opera house, have proper foundation into bedrock, but the older parts of the station experience severe subsidence.

Experience and knowledge gained within the ESAs Scientific Exploitation of Operational Missions programme give us strong confidence that Sentinel-1 will be a highly versatile and reliable platform for operational deformation monitoring in Norway, and worldwide, noted John Dehls from the Geological Survey of Norway.

The studies of San Francisco and Oslo are paving the way for moving from targeted case studies to a nationwide or even continental-scale land deformation service.

The Copernicus Sentinel-1 mission is, for the first time, making it possible to launch operational national deformation mapping services, said Dag Anders Moldestad from the Norwegian Space Centre.

The open data policy and regular coverage plan of Copernicus promise cost-efficient and reliable services.

In Norway, we have already initiated a framework project to provide nationwide basic deformation products to the public, with a free and open data policy. Many other countries in Europe are also working towards setting up similar services, noted Dr Moldestad.

The Sentinel-1 twins provide radar vision for Europes Copernicus environment monitoring programme. In addition to watching land movements, they feed numerous other services for monitoring Arctic sea ice, routine sea-ice mapping, surveillance of the marine environment, mapping for forest, water and soil management, and mapping to support humanitarian aid and crisis situations.

Note: The above post is reprinted from materials provided by European Space Agency.
Hire People to stand in Bank-ATM Queues with Book My Chotu News oi -Rohit The online service let you hire helpers that will stand in Bank and ATM queues for you at hourly basis.

An Indian startup- Bookmychotu.com has come up with a unique way to address the Government of India's Demonetization move. The startup has started a service that allows users hire helpers to stand for them in long queues outside the banks and ATMs, while they continue with their everyday life routines.

SEE ALSO: Vodafone Week: Vodafone Introduces Several Low Cost Data Plans For Users

The online portal, which is known for offering its services for domestic chores like cleaning, grocery shopping, home shifting, etc. has seized the opportunity at a right time when Indian citizens are struggling to deal with cash crunch due to Indian Government's decision to ban Rs. 500 and Rs. 1,000 notes.

Rs. 90 Per Hour You can hire people to stand in Bank and ATM queues by just paying Rs. 90 per hour, or a maximum duration of 8 hours by paying Rs. 550 in which the hired person can go to multiple banks or ATMs. Service Availability The Bookmychotu.com is currently offering its services in UP, Haryana, and Delhi. There's no word whether the online portal will expand its services to other cities in India or not. Click Here For New Smartwatch Best Online Deals How to Hire a helper To hire a 'helper', you first need to register online or call service's helpline on +91-8587028869. Post receiving the confirmation, you can co-ordinate with the helper to stand in the ATM or Bank queue for you. Security concerns To ensure security measures, Bookmychoutu further notes that the hired person will not enter the bank premises, and will only stand in the queue for the customer. Smartphone app is on its way The online portal's website mentions that the service will soon be available on smartphones. Click Here For New Smartwatch Best Online Deals

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All About the Rs. 1,501 Plan

Vodafone India has recently revealed its new Rs. 1,501 data pack that offers customers opting for the plan will get 15GB of instant data for 1 year.

Additional Offers After Choosing the Plan

By choosing this plan, users will receive special recharge benefits and discount rates including-1 GB data for Rs. 53, 2GB data for 103, and 5GB data for Rs. 256 all for 28 days.

Other Data Packs

Other that the Rs. 1,501 data plan, Vodafone users can also avail the Rs. 748 plan, which offers 3GB instant data, valid for 6 months. Thereafter, users will also get special discount rates on various plans, including-1GB for Rs. 106.

Additionally, the telecom operator is also offering 2GB data with Rs. 494 pack which has a benefit period of 6 months, after which the users can avail 1GB of data at Rs. 122 for 28 days.

SEE ALSO: Reliance Jio Expected to Improve Data Speeds By Mid December: Is Welcome Offer 2 in the Pipeline?

Vodafone SuperNet Services

These Vodafone SuperNet services has been introduced to offer enhanced voice and internet experiences to the customers in order to deliver faster internet, more data in a cheaper cost.

Limitations Of these Offers

#1 The packs valids only for the prepaid users

#2 Available only for the Tamil Nadu users as of now

#3 The data packs are valid only for the 3G users

Click Here for New Smartphones Best Online Deals
Overall, Double XL is a well-made film that might be liked by gentry in all shapes, sizes, and age too. By the way, do not miss the interval!!
Military Strikes Continue Against ISIL Terrorists in Syria, Iraq

From a Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve News Release

SOUTHWEST ASIA, Nov. 25, 2016  U.S. and coalition military forces continued to attack Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists in Syria and Iraq yesterday, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today.

Officials reported details of yesterday's strikes, noting that assessments of results are based on initial reports.

Strikes in Syria

Attack, bomber, fighter and remotely piloted aircraft, and rocket artillery conducted 12 strikes in Syria:

-- Near Abu Kamal, two strikes destroyed one oil wellhead and some oil production equipment.

-- Near An Tanf, a strike destroyed two rockets and a rocket launcher.

-- Near Raqqah, three strikes engaged two ISIL tactical units and destroyed a fighting position and a front-end loader.

-- Near Ayn Isa, a strike engaged an ISIL tactical unit.

-- Near Dayr Az Zawr, two strikes destroyed two oil wellheads and two oil tanker trucks.

-- Near Manbij, three strikes engaged two ISIL tactical units and destroyed a weapons storage facility and a fighting position.

Strikes in Iraq

Attack, fighter and remotely piloted aircraft, and rocket artillery conducted six strikes in Iraq, coordinated with and in support of Iraq's government:

-- Near Asad, a strike engaged an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed a vehicle.

-- Near Mosul, three strikes engaged two ISIL tactical units, destroying three ISIL-held buildings, two mortar systems, two vehicles, a vehicle bomb, an artillery system and a weapons cache. A supply route was damaged and a mortar system was suppressed.

-- Near Rawah, a strike destroyed a vehicle bomb factory.

-- Near Tal Afar, a strike destroyed a vehicle bomb factory.

Task force officials define a strike as one or more kinetic events that occur in roughly the same geographic location to produce a single, sometimes cumulative, effect. Therefore, officials explained, a single aircraft delivering a single weapon against a lone ISIL vehicle is one strike, but so is multiple aircraft delivering dozens of weapons against buildings, vehicles and weapon systems in a compound, for example, having the cumulative effect of making those targets harder or impossible for ISIL to use. Accordingly, officials said, they do not report the number or type of aircraft employed in a strike, the number of munitions dropped in each strike, or the number of individual munition impact points against a target. Ground-based artillery fired in counterfire or in fire support to maneuver roles is not classified as a strike.

Part of Operation Inherent Resolve

The strikes were conducted as part of Operation Inherent Resolve, the operation to eliminate the ISIL terrorist group and the threat it poses to Iraq, Syria, the region and the wider international community. The destruction of targets in Syria and Iraq further limits ISIL's ability to project terror and conduct operations, officials said.

Coalition nations that have conducted strikes in Syria include the United States, Australia, Bahrain, Canada, Denmark, France, Jordan, the Netherlands, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom. Coalition nations that have conducted strikes in Iraq include the United States, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Jordan, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom.

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Singapore's armored vehicles seized by Hong Kong customs

People's Daily Online

(People's Daily Online) 14:33, November 25, 2016

Singapore's defense ministry has confirmed that the armored vehicles and military equipment currently being held by Hong Kong customs belong to Singapore's armed forces, according to a report on the website Lianhe Zaobao.

Media reports in Hong Kong stated that the armored vehicles were seized by Hong Kong customs at a major port on Nov. 23. Meanwhile, Singapore's defense ministry said in a statement that a shipment of Terrex Infantry Carrier Vehicles (ICVs) and other military equipment had been held in Hong Kong since Nov. 23 due to a "request for routine inspections by the Hong Kong customs authorities."

"Singapore authorities are providing relevant assistance to Hong Kong customs, and expect the shipment to be returned to Singapore expeditiously," the statement read.

The vehicles were used by the Singapore armed forces in routine overseas training, and later shipped back commercially. The same process has been utilized for previous exercises, the statement explained.

Previous media reports in Hong Kong said customs officials discovered nine armored vehicles on a ship bound for Singapore from Taiwan on the afternoon of Nov. 23. The officials held the vehicles on suspicion of arms smuggling, with plans to find the identity of the owner as well as the vehicles' final destination.

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Yemeni retaliatory attacks leave three Saudi soldiers dead

Iran Press TV

Fri Nov 25, 2016 7:23PM

Yemeni army soldiers, backed by fighters from allied Popular Committees, have reportedly launched two separate attacks against Saudi border guards in the kingdom's southwestern border region of Asir, leaving three soldiers dead.

Yemeni snipers shot and killed three Saudi troops in the al-Alab border crossing on Friday evening in an apparent retaliation for the Riyadh regime's incessant aerial bombardment campaign against its impoverished and beleaguered country, Arabic-language al-Masirah television network reported.

Yemeni soldiers and Popular Committees fighters also lobbed several missiles at al-Sarqah military camp in the same Saudi region, though no reports of casualties were immediately available.

Separately, Yemeni forces and their allies foiled Saudi soldiers' attacks on their positions in the Rabuah area of Asir.

Earlier on Friday, scores of Saudi-backed militiamen loyal to resigned Yemeni president Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi were killed and injured as Yemeni forces thwarted their offensive against Boqe'e crossing in Najran, located 844 kilometers (524 miles) south of the Saudi capital Riyadh.

Yemeni forces also lobbed a barrage of artillery rounds at the gatherings of Saudi soldiers in Beit al-Moshqaf and Madrasah al-Qawiyah areas in Jizan, located 967 kilometers southwest of Riyadh.

Yemeni cameraman injured in Ta'izz Province

Meanwhile, a cameraman for al-Masirah television channel sustained gunshot wounds as he was covering developments in the southwestern province of Ta'izz.

Ali al-Moqlas was working in the Dhubab district of the province on Friday afternoon, when a pro-Saudi gunman opened fire on him. Moqlas's wounds have been described as minor and not life-threatening.

Moreover, Saudi fighter jets carried out an airstrike against an area in the al-Madaribah Wa al-Arah district of Yemen's southern province of Lahij, but no information on casualties or the extent of damage were immediately available.

Saudi Arabia has been engaged in a deadly campaign against Yemen since March 2015 in an attempt to bring back the former Yemeni government to power and undermine the Houthi Ansarullah movement.

The impoverished Arab country is grappling with the scarcity of food supplies and outbreak of diseases amid Saudi Arabia's atrocious airstrikes.

The United Nations International Children's Fund (UNICEF) says 7.4 million Yemeni children are in dire need of medical help, and 370,000 run the risk of severe acute malnutrition.

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India's Modi says will cut water supply to Pakistan

Iran Press TV

Fri Nov 25, 2016 7:5PM

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi says his administration is "committed" to cutting the water supply to Pakistan amid an escalation of tensions between the two nuclear neighbors.

Modi said at the inauguration of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in the city of Bathinda on Friday that the government was "committed" to getting "farmers their rights."

"Now every drop of this water will be stopped and I will give that to  Indian farmers. I am committed to this," Modi stated.

He said a task force had been set up to cut "each drop of water" from reaching Pakistan.

On November 23, Indian media speculated Modi's decision to cut the water supply to Pakistan.

Under an internationally mediated agreement between India and Pakistan signed in 1960, named the Indus Waters Treaty, the water of six rivers, namely Beas, Ravi, Sutlej, Indus, Chenab and Jhelum, are to be shared between the two countries.

On November 24, Sartaj Aziz, Pakistan's adviser to the prime minister on foreign affairs, said in response to Modi's decision that revocation of the treaty by India "can be taken as an act of war."

Islamabad will "react befittingly" if Modi attempts to violate the Indus Waters Treaty, Aziz warned.

Tensions have intensified between the two arch-rivals in the past months over cross-border military attacks and diplomatic spat.

Analysts believe Modi's provocative remarks against Pakistan aim to further escalate tensions for two purposes. First, in the domestic sphere, escalating the conflict into an all-out war between the two nations would distract the public from economic hardships already awaiting them due to the Indian rupee's devaluation. Second, New Delhi thinks further aggravating the situation would make the international community disregard its heavy-handed crackdown on the restive Muslim-majority region of Kashmir.

Pakistan, however, says it will not accept any pressure from India and will continue to support freedom fighters in Kashmir.

The Kashmir issue is an "unfinished agenda of the partition," Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said on Thursday.

Islamabad will never stop supporting the "freedom struggle of Kashmiris," the Pakistani premier said.

Pakistan and India have already fought three wars since their partition in 1947, two of them over Kashmir.

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Boko Haram hindering aid to refugees in Cameroon, UN says

Iran Press TV

Fri Nov 25, 2016 2:32PM

The United Nations says the Boko Haram Takfiri terrorists are hindering relief operations meant for tens of thousands of Nigerian refugees living in dire conditions in northern Cameroon.

The UN refugee agency (UNHCR) said on Friday that one of its teams had earlier this month been able to visit previously inaccessible border areas of Cameroon's Far North Region.

Leo Dobbs, a UN spokesman, said the team had managed to help pre-register more than 21,000 refugees who had fled acts of terror by Boko Haram in northeastern Nigeria in a span of two years and had been living for months with mainly impoverished host families.

"It was the first time we have been able to visit these people and there are believed to be many more," he said.

Dobbs said the refugees in northern Cameroon "urgently need assistance."

UN figures show about 27,000 refugees are living outside of camps in areas such as Fotokol, Makary and Mogode districts in the Far North Region.

Dobbs said the UNHCR "would like to help and have helped in a little way, but the continuing Boko Haram threat is a hindrance to regular access."

The UN official said that while some of the refugees in northern Cameroon were staying with poor host families, most were sleeping outdoors in the open, in makeshift shelters or on dirt floors in classrooms.

"Others were in abandoned villages whose residents had fled Boko Haram attacks earlier," he said.

The UNHCR is encouraging people to relocate to Minawao camp further from the border, which is home to nearly 60,000 refugees, Dobbs said.

Cameroon has been fighting Boko Haram since 2014. A joint regional force from Nigeria, Chad, Niger and Cameroon has helped retake swathes of territory from the militants, who come from northeastern Nigeria. However, the terrorist group still poses a security threat to civilians in the four littoral countries surrounding Lake Chad.

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Lebanese army arrests senior Daesh commander, 10 aides in border raid

Iran Press TV

Fri Nov 25, 2016 2:30PM

Lebanese military forces have arrested a high-profile member of the Takfiri Daesh terrorist group along with 10 other militants during a mop-up operation in the northeastern town of Arsal on the border with conflict-plagued Syria.

Lebanese soldiers mounted an offensive in the Wadi al-Araneb suburbs of the town, located about 124 kilometers northeast of the capital Beirut, on Friday morning, pounding a Daesh position in the area and inflicting heavy losses on the extremists' ranks.

The Lebanese army later announced in a statement that the soldiers engaged in fierce clashes with the militants as they stormed the latter's outpost. A senior Daesh commander, identified as Ahmad Youssef Ammoun but better known by the nom de guerre al-Sheikh, was critically wounded during the operation. He was transferred to a nearby hospital aboard a military helicopter.

The statement added that 10 other Takfiri terrorists were also arrested, and a large amount of munitions and several explosive belts were confiscated in the wake of the offensive.

The Lebanese army further noted that Ammoun was wanted for rigging vehicles with explosives, and then detonating the car bombs into several areas across Lebanon, including Beirut's southern neighborhoods.

Ammoun was also "involved in attacking military posts in August 2014 and killing citizens, soldiers and policemen on charges of communicating with [Lebanese] security forces," the army statement pointed out.

President Michel Aoun later praised the military operation, stressing that such offensives "ensure stability and ward off terror plots."

On October 9, Lebanese security forces discovered the body of a high-ranking Daesh commander, identified as Abu Bakr al-Raqqawi, in Wadi Aata district of Arsal.

Raqqawi was purportedly behind the killing of a police officer, identified as First Sergeant Major Zaher Ezzedine, in the area last January.

The Lebanese army detained Daesh militant commander Imad Yassine in Taware neighborhood of the Palestinian refugee camp of Ain al-Hilweh, located near the southwestern port city of Sidon, on September 22, following fierce overnight clashes between Takfiri terrorists and members of the Palestinian Fatah movement there.

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Tunisian president confirms presence of US drones on Libyan border

Iran Press TV

Fri Nov 25, 2016 8:54AM

Tunisia's President Beji Caid Essebsi has confirmed that the US is operating spy drones over the Tunisian border with Libya, in an admission likely to cause controversy.

Essebsi said in a recent interview with the regional channel El Hiwar Ettounsi that the drone flights were needed to avoid such cross-border terrorist attacks as a raid in March on the Tunisian town of Ben Guerdan.

"We do not have clear information, and we should act instead of waiting until another Ben Guerdan," the Tunisian president said.

Dozens of Daesh terrorists stormed the Tunisian border town of Ben Guerdan back then, attacking army and police posts. At least 53 people were killed in the attack, including civilians.

The question of the presence of the US military in Tunisia is likely to bruise local feelings in the North African country. The political opponents of President Essebsi will most likely interpret it as a breach of national sovereignty.

In an apparent attempt to defuse such concerns, Essebsi said that the drones used by the US are, at the request of the Tunisian authorities, not armed and that operating the surveillance drones will be handed over to Tunisia itself after Tunisian pilots have been trained by US soldiers.

"These drones are not offensive and their use is undertaken in the framework of a bilateral deal stipulating the exchange of intelligence and supply of drones to Tunisia after the end of their mission and expertise by Tunisian military forces in their use," he said.

The president, however, did not say whether the drones are flying in Libyan airspace, too, or how long they have been operating in Tunisia.

Tunisia has experienced violence since the 2011 uprising that ousted the country's dictator Zine El Abidine Ben Ali.

The country has also been affected by the growing instability in neighboring Libya, which has been in chaos since former dictator Muammar Gaddafi was toppled and later killed in 2011.

Since November 2015, Tunisia has been in a state of emergency over deadly attacks by Daesh on a museum in Tunis and a seaside resort in Sousse.

Washington has been conducting targeted killings through the use of remotely-controlled armed drones in several countries, angering the local populations without exception.

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8 Egyptian soldiers dead as car bomb hits restive Sinai Peninsula

Iran Press TV

Fri Nov 25, 2016 1:56AM

At least eight Egyptian soldiers have lost their lives when a group of unidentified armed men launched an attack against a military checkpoint in the country's restive Sinai Peninsula.

Egyptian army spokesman Brigadier General Mohamed Samir said in a statement that the assailants onboard sport utility vehicles "laden with large amounts of explosives" attacked the checkpoint late on Thursday.

He added that a car bomb attack in addition to a fierce exchange of gunfire and a separate bombing claimed the lives of eight members of army forces. At least 12 troops were also reportedly injured.

Samir noted that three militants were killed and several others wounded in the fighting, without providing any information about the exact location of the attack.

Security sources said earlier that attackers fired two rocket-propelled grenades at the checkpoint south of the city of el-Arish, situated 344 kilometers northeast of the capital Cairo, and three pick-up trucks carrying masked men then drove by and opened fire.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack, but it had the hallmarks of those carried out by the Takfiri Velayat Sinai group, previously known as Ansar Beit al-Maqdis.

Velayat Sinai militants have been responsible for most attacks in the Sinai Peninsula and Cairo that have increased ever since the country's military ousted Egypt's first democratically-elected President Mohamed Morsi in July 2013.

The military has been engaged in a high-scale security operation, dubbed "Martyr's Right," against militant positions in Northern Sinai since September 2015.

The operation got underway in the aftermath of coordinated terrorist attacks on several army checkpoints in the area, which claimed the lives of dozens of soldiers in July that year.

The militants pledged allegiance to the Daesh terrorist group, which is mainly active in Iraq and Syria, in 2014.

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Europe States Call to Renew Conventional Arms Control as Existing Treaties Fail

Sputnik News

15:44 25.11.2016(updated 17:33 25.11.2016)

Fourteen European countries' top diplomats called for relaunching conventional arms control to prop up stability and peace on the continent.

MOSCOW (Sputnik)  The foreign ministers of 14 European nations have called to renew conventional arms controls to reduce military risks after seeing the existing treaties "crumble" in recent years, in a declaration published Friday.

"We are convinced that a relaunch of conventional arms control is one important path towards a genuine and effective cooperative security allowing for peace and stability on our continent," the statement read.

According to the document, the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe is not being fully implemented and the OSCE's Vienna Document needs to be overhauled. Some provisions of the Open Skies Treaty are also not being enforced.

The declaration was promoted by Germany and signed by Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Finland, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland. It called on other nations to join the initiative.

This comes after German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier told a local newspaper, Die Welt, that joint initiatives and a dialogue with Russia were crucial for stability and security in Europe.

 Sputnik

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Update: air strikes against Daesh

25 November 2016

British forces have continued to conduct air operations in the fight against Daesh

Latest update

- Monday 21 November  A Reaper engaged three Daesh targets while supporting an Iraqi advance south-east of Mosul.

- Tuesday 22 November  Typhoons and a Tornado destroyed a terrorist desert encampment in western Iraq, including heavy weapons.

- Wednesday 23 November  Typhoons attacked a machine-gun position south-west of Mosul, while to the south-east of the city, a Reaper destroyed two mortars and an anti-tank gun.

- Thursday 24 November  Typhoons bombed a strongpoint to the north of Raqqa in Syria.

Detail

A Royal Air Force Reaper remotely piloted aircraft provided close air support to an Iraqi unit as it pressed towards Mosul from the south-east of the city on Monday 21 November. The Reaper's crew tracked a group of terrorists who had been observed firing at the Iraqi troops and, when it was safe to do so, successfully engaged them with a Hellfire missile. Our aircraft then gave targeting and surveillance assistance to two coalition air strikes on larger groups of extremists, before carrying out two further attacks of its own with Hellfires against yet more Daesh militants.

On Tuesday 22 November, a combined formation of two Typhoons and a Tornado conducted armed reconnaissance over the desert of western Iraq. A number of heavily-armed terrorists were reported to be encamped some 35 miles from Haditha. Their location was confirmed by the RAF flight, which then delivered a very effective attack with Paveway IV guided bombs. The following day, a Reaper was again in action south-east of Mosul. Most of its mission was devoted to hunting terrorist heavy weapons teams and conducting very patient surveillance to ensure there were no civilians at risk in the area. The Reaper directly supported one coalition air attack on an armed vehicle, and used three of its own Hellfires to destroy two Daesh mortars and a recoilless anti-tank gun which had all been observed when they attempted to engage the advancing Iraqi units. Meanwhile, south-west of Mosul, a Typhoon flight used a Paveway IV against a terrorist heavy machine-gun position.

RAF aircraft have also continued to provide reconnaissance and strike support to the Syrian Democratic Forces as they push towards Raqqa. As part of this, a pair of Paveway-armed Typhoons destroyed a Daesh strongpoint located some 15 miles north of the city on Thursday 24 November.

Previous air strikes

Tuesday 1 November: Tornados patrolled north of Mosul where they supported advancing Kurdish forces. A Paveway IV guided bomb destroyed a Daesh heavy machine-gun position when it opened fire on the Peshmerga, while an Enhanced Paveway II demolished a building in which a light machine-gun was sited. Meanwhile, to the south-east of the city, a Reaper provided further close air support to Iraqi troops. It conducted Hellfire attacks on a mortar team who were spotted firing, and two groups of terrorists, including individuals with rocket-propelled grenades. The Reaper also directed a successful coalition air attack onto a number of terrorists defending a trench network.

Wednesday 2 November: A combination of Typhoon and Tornado aircraft patrolled to the east of the city. Some distance to the south-east, they used a Paveway IV guided bomb to destroy a building from which a terrorist mortar team was operating. They then flew north to eliminate a sniper position with a second Paveway.

Thursday 3 November: Tornados struck two further targets north-east of Mosul. A Paveway IV destroyed a building from which Daesh extremists were firing on advancing ground forces, while a Brimstone missile accounted for a terrorist vehicle. South-east of the city, a Reaper flew overwatch for Iraqi troops as they pressed forwards. The Reaper's crew used all four of its Hellfire missiles against a mortar team seen firing from amidst trees, and three groups of terrorists as they fired on the Iraqis with rocket-propelled grenades, as well as attempting to set fire to piles of tyres to create a smokescreen. The Reaper was also able to provide surveillance support to two air strikes by coalition aircraft which destroyed a fortified position and an armed truck.

Friday 4 November: Reaper operations continued south-east of Mosul, with our aircraft directing a successful coalition air attack onto its target, a weapons dump, and using one of its own Hellfires to engage a group of terrorists on foot. Two Tornados struck close air support targets inside eastern Mosul itself, using Brimstone missiles to destroy an armed vehicle and a large truck-bomb. A Paveway also hit a group of terrorists which another coalition aircraft had been carefully tracking as they manoeuvred towards Iraqi troops. A second Tornado flight supported Iraqi operations elsewhere in the country, and north-east of Mosul used Paveway IV and Enhanced Paveway II bombs to destroy a cave occupied by Daesh in the hills above Bayji, as well as a nearby stock of equipment.

Saturday 5 November: Three Hellfire attacks were launched by a Reaper near Mosul, against a truck-bomb, a mortar and a rocket-propelled grenade team. The Reaper also assisted in a coalition strike against a second mortar. On Sunday 6 November, Paveway IV-armed Typhoons bombed a terrorist group in the Tigris valley south of Mosul, while Tornados used a Brimstone missile to destroy an armoured personnel carrier inside the city. On the outskirts, a Reaper tracked a terrorist driving a truck-bomb towards Iraqi troops, but the truck exploded prematurely as it drove over rough ground, negating any need for the Reaper to fire at it. The Reaper instead used its Hellfires against a truck being loaded with spare weapons, a recoilless anti-tank gun, a rocket-propelled grenade team and an armed truck.

Monday 7 November: A Typhoon mission armed with Paveway IV guided bombs destroyed a stockpile of rocket and mortar equipment to the north of Bayji, and a Reaper conducting armed reconnaissance near Raqqah struck a Daesh vehicle with a Hellfire missile. Near Mosul, a Reaper provided close air support to Iraqi forces. Daesh fighters were observed firing a recoilless anti-tank gun at the Iraqi troops, then loading the weapon into a vehicle. As the vehicle pulled away, it was destroyed by a Hellfire. The Reaper's crew then used a further three Hellfires, which have a very low risk of collateral damage, in successful attacks on groups of extremists as they engaged in street fighting with the Iraqi troops.

Tuesday 8 November: Reaper operations in the area continued, with our aircraft conducting three further Hellfire attacks on terrorist fighters, as well as providing targeting support to a coalition air strike which destroyed a mortar team. To the north-east of Mosul, a pair of Typhoon FGR4s used Paveway IVs to destroy seven Daesh positions.

Wednesday 9 November: A Reaper spotted an armoured vehicle firing on Iraqi troops on the outskirts of Mosul, and destroyed it with a Hellfire.

Thursday 10 November: A Reaper provided overwatch to Iraqi troops engaged in street fighting at Abasi in northern Iraq. Its crew used Hellfire missiles against two groups of terrorists, including a light machine-gun team. In Mosul itself, a mortar was spotted in an area of heavily wooded parkland. It was destroyed by a Paveway IV guided bomb from a Typhoon flight. North of the city, Tornados used a Brimstone missile to kill several terrorists as they manoeuvred along a street.

Friday 11 November: A pair of Typhoons patrolled over Syria, supporting the Syrian Democratic Forces north of Raqqa. Another coalition aircraft was able to identify a Daesh armoured vehicle well concealed under trees, and was able to direct the Typhoon onto the target, which was duly destroyed with a Paveway IV. Meanwhile, south of Mosul, Tornados used another Paveway IV to demolish a terrorist strongpoint on the banks of the Tigris.

Saturday 12 November: A Reaper maintained surveillance around Mosul. As well as supporting a coalition air strike that eliminated a recoilless anti-tank gun team, our aircraft used three Hellfire missiles against a mortar and two groups of terrorists engaged in combat with Iraqi troops.

Sunday 13 November: Typhoons again operated north of Raqqa and were able to destroy an anti-aircraft gun near Thulth Khunayz. Some miles to the north-east of Mosul, Tornados used a Paveway IV to collapse a tunnel system, while closer to the city, a Hellfire from a Reaper destroyed a large weapon mounted on the rear of a lorry. The Reaper then used a GBU-12 laser guided bomb to attack successfully both a buried weapons cache and a nearby terrorist vehicle.

Monday 14 November: Royal Air Force Typhoons provided close air support to Iraqi forces as they fought to liberate the site of the ancient Assyrian city of Nimrud. A group of terrorists were spotted repositioning in open country some distance north of Nimrud, and successfully struck with a Paveway IV guided bomb. To the north of Mosul, a Reaper provided similar close support to Kurdish troops, in particular hunting for Daesh mortars. The Reaper's crew successfully located two such weapons. One was subsequently destroyed by coalition jets guided onto the target by the Reaper, the second was struck using one of the Reaper's own Hellfire missiles.

Tuesday 15 November: A Reaper maintained patrols over Mosul and a further terrorist mortar team was silenced by a Hellfire missile. Tornados and Typhoons meanwhile maintained pressure on Daesh elsewhere in Iraq. The Tornados used a Paveway IV to bomb a terrorist bunker south of Haditha Lake, while the Typhoons destroyed a Daesh-held building to the west of Kirkuk.

Wednesday 16 November: The Typhoons operated in the same area using Paveway IVs against two more terrorist occupied buildings some 20 miles west of Kirkuk. A Reaper also continued to keep watch over eastern Mosul, where it successfully hunted down and killed two Daesh mortar teams, and supported a coalition fast jet attack that accounted for a third, vehicle-borne, mortar.

Two Typhoons, armed with Paveway IV guided bombs, were tasked on Thursday 17 November to deal with a group of buildings which Daesh had heavily booby-trapped with large improvised explosive devices in the path of the SDF's offensive north of Raqqa. Direct hits safely demolished all four target buildings, setting off large secondary explosions. Over Iraq the same day, two pairs of Tornados provided close air support over northern and western parts of the country. North-east of Tall Afar, one mission used a Paveway IV against a terrorist mortar position, while in the west, the other flight used an Enhanced Paveway II to bomb a bunker located in the countryside north-east of Rawah.

On Friday 18 November, a Reaper supported Iraqi troops as they fought to liberate the village of Umarkan, south of Mosul. The Reaper's crew observed a group of Daesh fighters retreating into a building. Having checked that there were no indications of any civilians in the area, the Reaper was able to direct a successful coalition air strike onto the target. Our aircraft then used two of its own Hellfire missiles to kill a group of terrorists as they manoeuvred in the open, and to destroy a vehicle carrying a mortar. In Mosul itself, a Typhoon flight used four Paveway IVs to destroy a weapons stockpile in a large isolated building on the western bank of the Tigris. A second pair of Typhoons meanwhile continued to support the SDF north of Raqqa. Working closely with a coalition surveillance aircraft, the Typhoons were able to destroy a terrorist strongpoint with a Paveway IV despite the SDF being very near the target. The Typhoons then used another Paveway IV against an artillery piece concealed in trees some ten miles north of Raqqa.

Tornados saw further action over Mosul on Sunday 20 November. On the southern edge of the city, to the east of Mosul airfield, an artillery piece had been spotted hidden amongst woodland. A Paveway IV was nevertheless successfully directed onto the target, and secondary explosions suggest ammunition was destroyed along with the gun itself.

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Trump's Transition Team Split on Secretary of State Choice

By VOA News November 25, 2016

Disagreements among members of President-elect Donald Trump's transition team about who should serve as his secretary of state have left the future national security role open until those differences can be resolved.

Rivals within the transition team are divided between 2012 Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney and former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani.

In a Twitter post Thursday, Trump adviser Kellyanne Conway expressed the sentiments of the faction opposed to Romney.

Conway said she had received a "deluge" of concern from people who questioned the loyalty of Romney, a former Massachusetts governor who assailed Trump as a "phony" during the presidential campaign.

Messy confirmation fight

Those opposed to Giuliani as secretary of state contend his extensive business relationships with foreign interests would most likely lead to a messy Senate confirmation fight. They also question whether the 72-year-old has the stamina to meet the demands of international travel the job requires.

The president-elect, who has developed a reputation for changing his mind, has praised both Romney and Giuliani. Trump apparently told aides that Romney "looks the part" of secretary of state and is said to have spoken glowingly of Giuliani in recent discussions with associates.

Others who have been said to be in the running for the position include former CIA Director David Petraeus and Senator Bob Corker of Tennessee. And recent reports have said retired Marine Corps General John Kelly is under consideration.

On Friday, Trump appointed Kathleen Troia "KT" McFarland to serve as deputy national security adviser and Donald F. McGahn to serve as assistant to the president and White House counsel. Neither position requires Senate confirmation.

Experience factor

In a statement, Trump cited McFarland's "tremendous experience and innate talent" and said McGahn "has a brilliant legal mind, excellent character and a deep understanding of constitutional law."

Having faced criticism about the inexperience of his initial picks, Trump finds in McFarland someone who previously worked under three presidents, although none since Ronald Reagan. McGahn, a former chairman of the Federal Election Commission, served as Trump's attorney during the campaign and was one of the few members of the Republican establishment to embrace the outsider candidate.

McGahn will have the task of untangling potential conflicts of interest that the New York businessman's presidency may present. Trump, who has never held public office, has real estate and leisure holdings all over the world, sparking concerns that his investments could color his decision-making in office. He has said that he will hand over day-to-day responsibilities of running his company to his children, but he has resisted calls to place his assets in a blind trust.

Trump also has expressed interest in finding a way to bypass a federal anti-nepotism law in order to give his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, a formal White House role.

Along with providing guidance on ethics issues, the White House counsel's office advises the president on the legality of proposed executive orders and legislation passed by Congress and vets potential administration appointees, including Supreme Court justices.

That's it until Monday

No more announcements on administration jobs are expected until Monday. On that day, Trump is set to meet with eight more prospective administration hires, transition spokesman Sean Spicer said. The group includes several business leaders, Pennsylvania Representative Lou Barletta, and David Clarke, the Wisconsin sheriff who is an aggressive opponent of the Black Lives Matter movement.

For now, Trump's transition team indicated he was focused on the challenges of governing.

Since arriving at his Palm Beach estate Wednesday, they said, the president-elect has spoken to the prime ministers of Greece, Hungary and Sweden, along with the presidents of Panama and Slovenia.

He is expected to return to his New York City home on Sunday.

As Trump spent the Thanksgiving Day holiday Thursday with his family at his Florida resort, he took to Twitter to say he was working to fulfill a campaign promise to create and preserve jobs. The billionaire real estate mogul said he was "working hard ... trying to get Carrier A.C. Company to stay in the U.S. MAKING PROGRESS - Will know soon!"

The air conditioner manufacturer responded on Twitter by saying it has had "discussions with the incoming administration" but had "nothing to announce at this time."

Carrier said earlier this year it would move 1,400 jobs from the Midwestern state of Indiana to Mexico within three years.

Some information for this report came from AP and Reuters.

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Trump Embraces Unpredictability as Foreign Policy Strategy

By William Gallo November 25, 2016

As a presidential candidate, Donald Trump repeatedly stressed the need for the president to be unpredictable when it comes to foreign policy. It seems he has succeeded.

With eight weeks to go until Trump enters the White House, many foreign policy experts concede they have no idea what kind of foreign policy he'll oversee.

"It's sort of like a new form of Kremlinology, trying to decipher which way he's going to go," joked Daniel Larison, senior editor of The American Conservative magazine.

Trump, a billionaire businessman who portrays himself as a master negotiator, has embraced two distinct and seemingly contradictory approaches to foreign policy.

At times, he calls for showing more restraint in the world, arguing that the U.S. has focused too much on building up other countries and not enough on itself.

On other occasions, Trump swings wildly in the opposite direction  for instance threatening to massively bomb Islamic State territory and work with American companies to "take the oil."

Backing away

Since winning the election, Trump appears to have backed away from, or least de-emphasized, some of his more extreme foreign policy proposals made during the campaign.

At the same time, though, the president-elect also has begun to fill out his new administration with several national security hawks, whose appointments seem to contradict a noninterventionist approach to the world.

Most notably, Trump chose retired Lieutenant General Mike Flynn to serve as national security adviser and Congressman Mike Pompeo of Kansas to head the CIA.

Neither man's record suggests an isolationist worldview.

Both oppose the Iran nuclear deal, and they have suggested regime change as a way to keep Tehran in check. Pompeo has suggested bombing Iran's nuclear facilities. Both men also have advocated for a much tougher approach to fighting the Islamic State terror group.

Some of those views are more aggressive than that of outgoing President Barack Obama. But they're not exactly a rarity within the U.S. defense establishment, The American Conservative's Larison said. He predicted Trump would continue more of Obama's policies than many people expect.

No 'wholesale repudiation'

"What you're seeing with these appointments is people who are generally in agreement with the overall foreign policy consensus in Washington. Where they differ, it seems to be mostly differences of degree or tactical differences," he said. "It's not going to be a wholesale repudiation of basic assumptions about the U.S. role in the world."

That assertion was backed up this week when Trump named South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley to serve as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. Like Pompeo, Haley comes from the more establishment, hawkish wing of the Republican Party.

But do Trump's appointments really suggest that his interventionist inclinations have won out over his isolationist ones? Not necessarily, said Elizabeth N. Saunders, a professor at George Washington University.

"There's contradictions within what Trump has said, [and] there's contradictions contained in his appointments. I just don't think we know yet," said Saunders, who also is a visiting fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations.

Additional signs about Trump's foreign policy priorities will emerge when he names more of his political allies to high-level positions, including the heads of the Defense and State departments.

Those looking for Trump's behavior to become any more predictable, however, may be waiting a while, according to Saunders, who pointed out that the president-elect seemed to have embraced impulsiveness as a strategy.

"I think the new watchword for American foreign policy is unpredictability," she said. "And it is going to be a very interesting experiment."

No surprise

The strategy can't have come as much of a surprise  Trump himself has been boasting about it for months, including during his first major foreign policy address in April.

"We must as a nation be more unpredictable. We are totally predictable. We tell everything. We're sending troops? We tell them. We're sending something else? We have a news conference," said Trump.

Trump promised that under his administration, reliable patterns would end.

"We have to be unpredictable," Trump said, waving his index finger in the air to make the point. "And we have to be unpredictable starting now."

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Austria - 2016 Presidential Election

Austrias anti-immigrant candidate, Norbert Hofer, failed in his bid to become the countrys first far right leader since World War Two. Alexander Van der Bellen won with 53.6 percent of the vote. A former leading member of the Green Party, Van der Bellen was the hope of Austrians who wanted to stop Hofer, a leader of the anti-migrant and anti-EU Freedom Party. Hofers campaign said the former aeronautical engineer, who campaigned on an anti-immigrant, Euroskeptic platform, conceded defeat to his environmentalist opponent, Alexander Van Der Bellen, who ran as an independent. The bottom line is it did not quite work out, said Herbert Kickl, Hofers campaign manager. In this case, the establishment, which pitched in once again to block, to stonewall, and to prevent renewal, has won, Kickl said to Austrian broadcaster ORF after results were released.

The election was seen as a test for the strength of populist movements in Europe. Van der Bellen's victory on Sunday came as a huge blow to Europe's right-wing populist movements which were anticipating a boost ahead of the 2017 elections in France, Germany and the Netherlands. Austrian Chancellor and Social Democrat Christian Kern congratulated Van der Bellen shortly after the exit poll was announced. While the final result will not be official until absentee votes are counted, officials said the outstanding ballots would not change the outcome.

The December election was the re-run of a May vote that Van der Bellen won by less than 1 percentage point. A new vote had to be held following a court ruling that annulled the first election after Hofer's Freedom Party claimed widespread irregularities.

The President is directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed, for a 6-year term, with eligibility for a second term. The last presidential election was held on 25 April 2010. Incumbent Heinz FISCHER was reelected with 79.3% of the vote, defeating Barbara ROSENKRANZ and Rudolf GEHRING. In 2016 the incumbent, Heinz Fischer, could not run for a third term.

On 24 April 2016 exit polls showed Norbert Hofer, the candidate of Austria's anti-immigration far-right Freedom Party, winning the first round of presidential elections, gathering more than 35 percent of the vote and leaving five rivals far behind, including nominees of the ruling governing coalition. Norbert Hofer packs a Glock - sometimes even when he is going about his work as a member of parliament - because, he says, he is afraid of refugees. He wanted Austria to leave the EU, demands a ban on head scarves for women and he would kick all foreigners out of the country's social system.

Green candidate Alexander Van der Bellen advanced to the second and final round of elections to be held May 23. He will face FPOe's Norbert Hofer. Van der Bellen came second with 21.1 percent of the votes. The economic scholar had served in the Green party for 11 years.

The two candidates nominated by the ruling parties failed to make it to the runoff to be held on May 22, early exit polls showed. With more than 50 percent of the vote tallied, both candidates from the ruling coalition, center-left Social Democrat Rudolph Hundstorfer and centrist People's Party nominee Andreas Khol, were shown with about 11 percent of the vote.

The projected win by Norbert Hofer was his party's best showing since its founding in 1945 and was widely seen as reflecting rising voter alarm over Europe's migrant influx and dissatisfaction with the European Union's role in the crisis. The result means that for the first time since 1945, Austria will not have a president backed by either the Social Democrats (SPOe) or the center-right People's Party (OeVP).

Although the post of president in Austria is largely ceremonial, the electorate apparently sees this vote as a way to let their displeasure known. The new president might make use of some of the considerable powers afforded to the head of state under Austrias constitution that until now have been not been used. In theory the Austrian president can fire the government  as Hofer threatened to do if elected  or dissolve parliament.

Austrians were upset with the government's handling of the refugee crisis; and they are skeptical that the center-left/center-right coalition can tackle any of the nation's growing list of problems. Those include a broken education system, rising unemployment and a budget deficit that is threatening to explode due to a mishandling of a banking crisis.

Austrian Chancellor Werner Faymann quit 09 May 2016, bowing to intense pressure two weeks after the opposition anti-immigration far-right dealt his coalition a historic blow in the first round of presidential elections. The center-left Faymann, 56, chancellor since 2008, said in a statement that he no longer had strong backing in his party, the Social Democrats (SPOe). As a result of this insufficient support I am drawing the consequences and resign my functions as party leader and chancellor, effective today, he said. The SPOe and its coalition partner since 2008, the center-right Peoples Party (OeVP), had dominated Austrian politics since World War II but their support has been sliding in recent years.

It was initially unclear who would succeed Faymann. The popular mayor of Vienna, Michael Haeupl, took over from Faymann on an interim basis as party chief, saying the SPOe needed a phase of reflection. Christian Kern, currently the head of the national railways company, and Gerhard Zeiler, former chief of national broadcaster ORF, had been touted as possible replacements. The ruling "grand coalition" of Social Democrats and the People's Party have a mandate until 2018. Given their lack of popularity, it is not likely they will call early elections.

On May 13, 2016 Austria's ruling Social Democratic Party settled on the head of the nation's railway network as the country's next chancellor. Christian Kern was widely admired for turning around the national rail company's fortunes. Former Green Party leader Alexander van der Bellen edged ahead of Freedom Party candidate Norbert Hofer in Austria's presidential election on 22 May 2016. The latest projections showed Van der Bellen at 50.1 percent, with around 72 percent of votes counted, according to the SORA Institute. Early projections had given FPO's (Freedom Party of Austria) Norbert Hofer the lead for becoming Austria's first far-right president, with 50.9 per cent of the votes, according to pollsters of the ARGE Wahlen group. With a margin of error between 1.6 and 1.8 percent the numbers remained too narrow to call a definite winner. Freedom Party's candidate Norbert Hofer narrowly lost the election to challenger Alexander Van der Bellen by just over 30,000 votes, out of more than 4.5 million ballots

On 01 July 2016 Austria's constitutional court accepted a challenge filed by the anti-immigration Freedom Party over the run-off presidential election on May 22, and ordered the election to be held again, expected in September or October. Constitutional Court President Gerhart Holzinger said in a statement released here that the vote will be held nationwide, not simply in some electoral districts as media had speculated may happen. No evidence of vote manipulation has been found by the court, but a number of instances of lax vote counting, particularly in the postal vote system where envelopes were often opened early and not in the presence of relevant authorities, were what led the court to its decision.

Hofer's Freedom Party does not explicitly want an 'Auxit', but has said the party will push for drastic reforms of the bloc and has threatened to hold a referendum to also leave the EU if its demands are not met. Hofer's election would mark the first far-right politician to actually take power in a European Union country, a prospect frightening to liberals and EU supporters across the continent.

On 04 December 2016 Norbert Hofer hoped to ride a global wave of insurgent populism to win the Austrian presidency and become the first far-right head of state in Europe since World War II. Speaking in November 2016, he borrowed a key theme from Trump's campaign, saying that that whenever the elites distance themselves from voters, those elites will be voted out of office.

The Brexit vote and the US elections had given new hope to Hofer's camp. Since May, the Brexit vote in the UK and the election of Donald Trump in the US have shown the power of the populist vote and certainly there are many members of the Freedom Party who believed that this would galvanise their supporters to turn up today and cast their ballot for Norbert Hofer." Other populist politicians who wanted their countries to leave the European Union were supportive of Hofer as they look ahead to elections they will face themselves next year. Both France's Le Pen and anti-immigrant politician Geert Wilders of the Netherlands expressed their support for Hofer.





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NATO and EU press ahead with cooperation on cyber defence

NATO - North Atlantic Treaty Organisation

25 Nov. 2016

Against a backdrop of increasingly complex cyber threats, senior officials from NATO and the European Union (EU) met today (25 November 2016) to discuss the next practical steps in NATO-EU cooperation on cyber defence.

"NATO and the EU are working more closely in this area than ever  sharing information between cyber crisis response teams, exchanging best practices, policy updates and working together on training, education and exercises" said Ambassador Sorin Ducaru, NATO's Assistant Secretary General for Emerging Security Challenges.

The high-level staff dialogue featured updates on recent developments such as NATO's Cyber Defence Pledge and the implementation of the EU's Network and Information Security (NIS) Directive. Proposals for increased cooperation were also discussed in areas such as information exchange. This increasingly coordinated effort is helping both organisations to better defend against cyber-attacks and enhance their resilience, which is critical in order to counter hybrid threats.

"The EU and NATO have a shared interest in becoming more cyber resilient. Coordinating on cyber security and defence will facilitate the protection of the critical networks on which we depend" said Pedro Serrano, Deputy Secretary General of the European External Action Service.

Earlier this year, NATO and the EU concluded a Technical Arrangement on Cyber Defence, which provides a framework for sharing best practices between NATO's Computer Incident Response Capability (NCIRC) and the Computer Emergency Response Team of the European Union (CERT-EU). Exercises are another area where NATO and the EU are working more closely together  in a few days, representatives from the EU will join NATO and national cyber defence experts in the Alliance's annual Cyber Coalition Exercise in Estonia.

Cyber defence is one of the areas in which NATO and the EU decided to step up their cooperation as part of the NATO-EU Joint Declaration at the NATO Summit in Warsaw this summer. In December, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and EU High Representative, Federica Mogherini, will present to NATO and EU Ministers concrete proposals for turning this cooperation into reality.

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Australia's Most Wanted Daesh Recruiter Arrested by Turkish Authorities

Sputnik News

13:39 25.11.2016(updated 13:53 25.11.2016)

Australia's most wanted Daesh operative and recruiter, Neil Prakash, was arrested in Turkey, media reported Friday, citing officials.

MOSCOW (Sputnik)  In May, Australia's Department of Defense said that Prakash was killed in a US airstrike in Iraq, near the second-largest city of Mosul. According to recent media reports, he was injured but survived.

According to ABC Australia broadcaster, citing a Turkish official, Prakash was arrested several weeks ago after Australian authorities contacted Turkey to inform that they had intelligence data he was planning to enter the country.

The terrorist was likely arrested while he was trying to cross from Syria into Turkey with false documents.

The Daesh, which is an extremist jihadist group outlawed in many countries, including Russia, overran large areas of Syria and Iraq in 2014 and declared a caliphate. The group has gained much notoriety for conducting suicide bombings and other attacks worldwide as well as for recruiting young people via social media.

 Sputnik

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IS Planned Attack on Paris-area Security Targets: Prosecutor

By Lisa Bryant November 25, 2016

The Paris prosecutor says France has avoided an imminent terrorist attack, and five recently arrested suspects received their orders from the so-called Islamic State group. The men allegedly had been planning to strike targets near the capital next week.

Paris prosecutor Francois Molins told reporters that the men had been receiving instructions via an encrypted App from an IS commander in the Iraq-Syria region.

He said the men were planning to strike the Paris area next Thursday, although the exact target was not clear. He said authorities had found screenshots of Google maps highlighting several places. Reports say the targets under consideration were police offices and the domestic intelligence headquarters in Paris, along with Disneyland theme park outside the capital.

Molins identified the suspects as four French citizens arrested in the eastern city of Strasbourg last weekend, and one Moroccan arrested in Marseille. Some had no previous police records. French authorities also discovered documents pledging allegiance to IS and glorifying a martyrs death.

Molins said two of the men had travelled to the Turkey-Syrian border in March 2015, via Cyprus. He said the Moroccan suspect had been turned away by authorities when he tried to enter Turkey.

Molins said authorities had also seized hand guns and other material, along with instructions on how to procure more arms. The men were to appear in court later Friday.

Molins said France faces a major threat from terrorists trained abroad and sent back to strike - or guided remotely from Syria. France is a top exporter of jihadists to the Middle East and some have begun to come back.

More than 230 people have been killed in a series of terrorist attacks since early 2015. The country recently marked the one year anniversary of attacks in Paris that killed 130 people.

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Senior Chinese military official visits Djibouti

People's Daily Online

(CRI Online) 20:09, November 25, 2016

A senior Chinese military official has visited a Chinese command ship being resupplied in Djibouti, along with soldiers and officers in the African country to support the construction of a supply facility.

Fan Changlong, Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission, emphasized that soldiers, officers and experts must ensure the quality and progress of overseas support construction, make greater efforts in peacekeeping missions and secure personal safety, improve military aid efficiency, deepen the relationship with local forces and ensure the safety of maritime communications.

Fan also held talks with Djiboutian President Ismail Omar Guelleh and Prime Minster Abdoulkader Kamil Mohamed, discussing ways of further strengthening bilateral relations and comprehensive cooperation in a variety of areas, including in military matters.

Fan recalled that Chinese President Xi Jinping and President Guelleh had reached an important consensus on bilateral relations during their meeting at a summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) in Johannesburg in December.

He said that the two leaders reached consensus on enhancing political mutual trust and advancing practical cooperation in various fields to jointly build a new model of win-win cooperation and common development between developing countries.

China is willing to work with Djibouti to implement the important consensus reached by the two leaders and to actively push China-Djibouti relations to a new level, Fan said.

Fan also pointed out that relations between the two militaries have been developing smoothly in recent years.

The two sides have carried out frequent exchanges of visits, and achieved remarkable results in personnel training, naval escort and supplies, and participation in UN peacekeeping operations.

He said China is willing to make joint efforts with Djibouti to continue to promote the healthy and stable development of relations between the militaries.

President Guelleh commended China for its strong support and assistance to Djibouti, saying that Djibouti attaches great importance to the relations between the militaries and the two countries.

Djibouti would like to strengthen exchange and cooperation with China in political, economic and military fields, he said.

Prime Minister Kamil said Djibouti and China can boast of close relations, and that Djibouti is willing to provide support for China's activities in Africa.

Fan was visiting the African country, after meeting Chinese soldiers and officers of the UN peacekeeping mission in Lebanon and the Chinese military experts for support missions in Tanzania.

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China academics expect Trump to pursue 'hegemony' in Asia

Iran Press TV

Fri Nov 25, 2016 9:55AM

An influential government think tank in China says the US will not disengage from Asia and the South China Sea under President-elect Donald Trump and will continue to seek "regional hegemony."

"There will be no overturning change to US policy in the South China Sea [under Trump]," said Wu Shicun, the head of the National Institute for South China Sea Studies, on Friday.

"China could possibly set up an Air Defense Identification Zone in the South China Sea if the US continues to intensify patrols and low-altitude spying in the region," he further told reporters in Beijing.

The think tank said in a report on the same day that "absolute control" was the ultimate US military strategy in the South China Sea.

The report referred to construction work the US says China is undertaking to build artificial islands in the sea and said, "From the US perspective, China's large-scale construction activities in the South China Sea confirmed US suspicion that China intended to implement an anti-access/area-denial strategy."

China claims sovereignty over almost all of the South China Sea, which is also partially contested by Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan, Vietnam, and the Philippines.

The US's military build-up in the region has led to worries of a rising risk of accidental collisions that could spark a consequential wider conflict.

Trump rarely mentioned the South China Sea during his campaign for the US presidency but brought up China and the economic rivalry with Beijing numerous times.

The director of the South China Sea Center at Nanjing University, Zhu Feng, said that the decision to publicly release the report showed that Beijing did not want war with the US and that it preferred to avoid an arms race with Washington in the region.

Last week, the Chinese ambassador to the US had said Beijing and Washington must avoid being too suspicious of each other's strategic intentions.

The US has long sought to limit China's maritime influence in the sea by invoking freedom of navigation rights.

The US has been taking sides with several of China's neighboring countries in their territorial disputes in the busy sea, in which 5 trillion dollars in ship-borne trade passes annually.

China, for its part, views the US's military presence in the region as an instance of meddling and likely to stir regional tensions.

A patrol by US warships in October was dubbed "illegal" and "provocative" by the Chinese Defense Ministry.

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Former Cuban President Fidel Castro Dies at 90

By Bill Rodgers November 26, 2016

Former Cuban President Fidel Castro is dead at the age of 90, his brother, Cuban President Raul Castro announced.

Fidel Castro's communist government survived a U.S.-backed invasion of Cuban exiles, a superpower missile crisis, assassination plots and decades of U.S. economic sanctions. But Castro lived long enough to see Washington announce the re-establishment of full diplomatic relations with Havana and the subsequent visit by a U.S. president to the island in March 2016.

Fidel Castro Ruz was born August 13, 1926, and grew up to become one of the leaders of the movement against the dictatorship of Fulgencio Batista. He led a guerrilla force that eventually routed Batista's army and took over the island in 1959.

Triumph and Communism

His victory and triumphant entry into Havana captured the world's attention. But he soon steered the country toward Communism and the orbit of the Soviet Union.

"He is a man who made a lot of promises to the Cuban people," said Cuban democracy activist Frank Calzon. "Cubans were going to have freedom. They were going to have honest government. They were going to have a return to the constitution. Instead what he gave them was a Stalinist type of government."

The United States mounted an invasion of Cuba by a group of Cuban exiles in 1961. But Castro's forces crushed the invaders at the Bay of Pigs. One year later, Cuba was at the center of a confrontation between the United States and the Soviet Union over the placement of nuclear missiles on the island. A nuclear war was narrowly averted.

As a close ally of Moscow, Castro deployed Cuban troops to various Cold War hot spots, such as Angola. His policies turned Cuba into an international player, according to Cuba expert Wayne Smith.

"I think he will be remembered as the leader who put Cuba on the world map," Smith said. "Before Castro, Cuba was considered something of a banana republic. It did not count for anything in world politics. Castro certainly changed all that, and suddenly Cuba was playing a major role on the world stage, in Africa as an ally of the Soviet Union, in Asia, and certainly in Latin America."

Democracy a casualty

At home, universal education and health care were accomplishments that came at the cost of human rights and democracy. Dissidents were thrown in jail and their relatives who protested were often intimidated by pro-government mobs.

"Fidel Castro kept power through fear, through the use of the secret police, through manipulating political forces  just like Stalin did or just like Hitler did," Calzon said.

Castro frequently denounced the United States, often staging mass rallies to protest the U.S. economic embargo against his country.

Despite decades of U.S. pressure, he managed to stay in power until being sidelined by intestinal surgery in July 2006. The ailing leader formally relinquished the presidency in 2008 to his younger brother Raul, in a transfer of power endorsed in a pro-forma election by Cuba's National Assembly.

Yet he maintained a role in public life as Cuba's state-run newspaper published his thoughts on various subjects, including a critique of President Barack Obama's historic visit to Cuba that underscored the normalization of ties.He also occasionally received visiting foreign dignitaries.

Large historical figure

His continued presence on the world stage made him unique, says Cuba specialist Phil Peters.

"I think all admit he was a very large historical figure who won a very impressive military victory in the Cuban revolution, who maneuvered through very difficult circumstances in the international sphere," Peters, of the Lexington Institute, said. "He put Cuba on the map, in many ways, far beyond its importance in history, far beyond its economic capabilities."

But the Cuban people paid a heavy price, Calzon, the democracy activist said.

"Whatever good he did, the cost that the Cuban people have had to pay in lives, in suffering, in torture far exceeds whatever positive could be said about him," Calzon said.

Tyrant or revolutionary, Fidel Castro remained at the center of the world's media spotlight until the end  an object of fascination for some and repudiation for others.

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China backs 'further response' to DPRK nuclear test

People's Daily Online

By ZHAO HUANXIN and WANG QINGYUN (China Daily) 09:28, November 25, 2016

Beijing supports the United Nations Security Council in "making a further response" to the latest and largest nuclear test conducted by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea in September, a Foreign Ministry spokesman said on Thursday.

"China is resolutely opposed to the DPRK's nuclear tests," Geng Shuang told a regular news briefing in Beijing. Geng reiterated China's stance on realizing denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, safeguarding its peace and stability and resolving issues through dialogue and negotiation.

Geng made the comments in response to foreign news agencies' reports on Wednesday that the United States and China had agreed on new UN sanctions against Pyongyang.

"It is our understanding that the Security Council members are now in consultation on a relevant draft resolution," Geng said.

On Wednesday, an unnamed senior Security Council diplomat was quoted by Reuters as saying that the proposed resolution was recently given to the remaining three permanent council members with veto powers  Britain, France and Russia.

Wang Junsheng, a researcher of Korean Peninsula and Northeast Asia studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said he believed the latest resolution will be tougher than previous resolutions that the body has approved in an effort to curb the DPRK's nuclear and missile programs.

It will probably include new items for sanctions, Wang added.

The 15-nation council has adopted five resolutions after nuclear tests conducted by the DPRK.

In the most recent resolution on March 2, the Security Council pledged to take "further significant measures" if the DPRK conducted another nuclear test.

Wang added that if the new resolution is approved, "the move will show that the international community is taking a united stance against the DPRK developing nuclear weapons and will help deter such efforts".

The proposed resolution would close loopholes from the council's March measures, both Reuters and Agence France-Presse reported.

Both reports speculated that coal exports from the DPRK would be targeted.

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DPR Korea: With victims' suffering 'enormous,' urgent solution needed - UN rights expert

25 November 2016  Wrapping up a 10-day visit to Northeast Asia, a United Nations human rights expert today called for a multi-faceted and people-centred approach to improve the "extremely complex" situation in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

"I met people who have lost trace of close relatives as a result of abductions or displacement during the Korean War. Their suffering is enormous and the urgency for the solution is accelerating with advancing age of victims and their families", said Special Rapporteur Tomas Ojea Quintana in a news release issued by the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).

According to the UN human rights office, since the creation of the mandate of the Special Rapporteur, in 2004, successive mandate holders have made requests to visit the DPR Korea, however, access has so far not been granted. In that regard, the experts have visited other countries in the region such as Japan, Thailand and the Republic of Korea.

This was Mr. Ojea Quintana's first visit to Northeast Asia after being appointed as the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPR Korea) by the UN Human Rights Council in August. He visited the Republic of Korea and Japan.

Further in the release, the Special Rapporteur stressed the need of holding the perpetrators of human rights violations accountable. By doing so, further violations could be deterred, he added.

He also said that pursuing accountability as well as expanding humanitarian and human rights initiatives by pushing for more engagement with authorities in DPR Korea  two approaches taken by the civil society in the country  are complementary and that all civil society groups deserve his support.

Noting that it was remarkable that the people who had to leave DPR Korea were "well aware" of their rights and that discussions with them helped him understand some of the human rights violations that motivated their decision to leave.

"I was particularly moved by their testimonies as well as their resilience," he said, adding: "Despite all the challenges that they have been through, they now look forward to the future."

The Special Rapporteur will present a full report on his mission to the Geneva-based Human Rights Council in March 2017.

Independent experts and Special Rapporteurs are appointed by the Council to examine and report back on a specific human rights theme or a country situation. The positions are honorary and the experts are not UN staff, nor are they paid for their work.

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Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)













French Presidential Rivals Spar Over Russia, Putin In-Depth Coverage "> In-Depth Coverage

RFE/RL November 25, 2016

French conservative presidential hopefuls Francois Fillon and Alain Juppe have traded blows over Russia in their final debate before a second-round primary, with Juppe criticizing his rival's perceived bond with the Kremlin.

Referring to Russian President Vladimir Putin's recent warm words about Fillon, the front-runner and former prime minister, Juppe said during the televised debate that "this must be the first presidential election in which the Russian president chooses his candidate."

Fillon has backed a strategic alignment with Moscow and advocated lifting EU sanctions targeting Russia over its seizure of Ukraine's Crimea territory and backing of separatists in eastern Ukraine.

He shrugged off Juppe's criticism, saying that "Russia is a dangerous country if we treat it as we have treated it for the last five years."

"We are allies of the U.S. -- we share fundamental principles with the U.S. that we don't with Russia," Fillon said.

He added, however, that current French President Francois Holland's stance on Russia -- including his backing of sanctions -- had served to isolate Moscow.

If Fillon defeats Juppe in the November 27 primary, he is widely expected to square off and defeat far-right candidate Marine Le Pen, who also supports closer ties to Moscow, in a presidential election in May.

Fillon captured 44 percent of the vote in the first-round primary last week, while Juppe garnered less than 29 percent. Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy, under whom Fillon served as prime minister, was eliminated in the first-round contest.

The debate came a day after Putin praised Fillon as "a professional to a high extent" and a man who is "able to maintain his point of view."

The Kremlin and senior Russian officials have already voiced optimism that Moscow's ties with the West could improve following Republican U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's stunning victory this month over Democratic rival Hillary Clinton.

Trump has praised Putin and said he would like to mend Washington's battered ties with the Kremlin in order to boost cooperation on matters like counterterrorism.

France and Germany have been among the leading EU voices in pressuring Russia over its annexation of Crimea in March 2014 and backing of the separatists in eastern Ukraine.

Aleksei Pushkov, the head of the Foreign Affairs Committee in Russia's lower house of parliament, said following Fillon's first-round primary victory that should he win the French presidency, it would mark the "end of the Berlin-Paris tandem" concerning Russia.

With reporting by AFP, dpa, Reuters, and TASS

Source: http://www.rferl.org/a/french -presidential-rivals-spar-over-putin-russia juppe-fillon/28138473.html

Copyright (c) 2016. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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Germany Mulls Moving Anti-Daesh Operations Base From Turkey to Jordan

Sputnik News

21:29 25.11.2016

Germany military officials will travel to Jordan's capital Amman this weekend to investigate a possible relocation of Tornado spy jets from southern Turkey, sources told a German newspaper on Friday.

BERLIN (Sputnik)  Earlier this year, Berlin prolonged until the end of 2017 the deployment of six Tornado jets and hundreds of German personnel to Turkey's Incirlik airbase despite strained relations between the two countries. The jets are used to collect intelligence on Daesh militants in Syria and Iraq.

"It is not clear yet whether it will be necessary to pull out German armed forces from Incirlik," a spokesperson for the Defense Ministry told the Bild newspaper.

The Ministry's mission, due to arrive in Amman on Saturday, will study options at its disposal, although the military told the outlet the relocation would mean a weeks-long pause in Tornado operations against the jihadist group outlawed in Russia. It is also considering airbases in Kuwait and Cyprus, Bild claimed.

German-Turkish relations deteriorated after the German parliament's decision in June to label the 1915 massacre of Armenians by the Ottoman Empire as genocide. Following this decision, Ankara restricted a delegation of German lawmakers' access to the air base. Nonetheless, in October, Turkey allowed the delegation to visit the German servicemen at the base.

 Sputnik

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India's First BVR Missile Astra on Verge of Commercial Production

Sputnik News

20:03 25.11.2016

The successful public firing of the home-made missile has set the stage for its commercial production from next year. The Astra will replace some of the French, Russian and Israeli air to air missiles.

New Delhi (Sputnik)  Indian Air Force is expected to receive country's first indigenous beyond visual range air-to-air missile (BVRAAM) Astra by the end of this year. Indian defense scientists had set this revised timeline due to delay in getting critical components. The scheduled date of completion of the project was September 2012.

"The project was delayed because of technological challenges and delay in availability of critical components but now it is expected to be completed in December 2016," Dr. Subhash Bhamre, India's Minister of State for Defense informed the Parliament.

Indian Air Force Sukhoi 30 MKI jets had fired the Astra during the Iron Fist' fire-power demonstration in the deserts of Rajasthan this March. India is planning to integrate `the Astra missiles on its next generation Tejas light combat aircraft.

The Astra will allow IAF jets hit aerial targets up to 60 km away. Indian scientists at DRDO are also developing a more powerful BVRAAM Astra Mk 2 with a range of 100 km.

 Sputnik

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Chinese Maritime Overtures to Bangladesh Makes India Wary

Sputnik News

19:44 25.11.2016(updated 19:46 25.11.2016)

Indian Defense Minister Manohar Parrikar will visit Dhaka at an awkward time in bilateral ties after Bangladesh accepted a generous aid offer including submarines from China.

NEW DELHI (Sputnik)  Manohar Parrikar, accompanied by vice chiefs of all the three services, will visit Dhaka to participate in Bangladesh's Liberation Anniversary celebrations. But analysts sense a palpable nervousness in the Indian establishment since October when visiting Chinese President Xi Jinping offered a $24 billion credit line to Bangladesh.

Indian unease deepened after a month when Bangladesh announced that it will receive two Chinese submarines by early next year.

"Beijing's overarching intent behind the sale of submarines would be to go beyond strengthening political ties with Dhaka. The long-term submarine training and maintenance needs of the Bangladesh Navy would also enable China's military presence in the Bay of Bengal, and enable it to collate sensitive data for PLA Navy's submarine operations in the future," says Gurpreet S Khurana, India Navy Captain and Executive Director at Indian Maritime Foundation.

India may also further sweeten its defense cooperation with Bangladesh by offering to supply offshore naval vessels on credit.

But, experts do not believe such a piece meal approach is sufficient to tackle Chinese "aggression". "Evidently, India's foreign policy vis-a-vis Bangladesh needs to be recalibrated. At the national-strategic level, India possesses insufficient financial and defense-industrial wherewithal to offset China's overwhelming influence upon Bangladesh. New Delhi may need to graduate from its long-standing policy of 'appeasing' Dhaka to a 'carrot and stick' policy," Captain Khurana added.

India has long considered Bangladesh part of its area of influence and its armed forces helped it secede from Pakistan in 1971. India shares cordial political and security ties with the current regime and last year gave a $2 billion grant to Bangladesh.

 Sputnik

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Iran, Pakistan vow to enhance naval cooperation

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Islamabad, Nov 25, IRNA -- Deputy Chief of General Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces in a meeting with Pakistan Naval Chief stressed enhancement of cooperation between the two countries' naval forces.

The meeting between Brigadier General Mehdi Rabbani and Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Muhammad Zakaullah was held in Karachi on the sidelines of Pakistan International Defense Exhibition.

The Iranian commander is holding meetings with different Pakistani defense and military officials with the aim to enhance bilateral cooperation in defense sector.

Both sides on the occasion stressed the need for naval cooperation between the two friendly countries for the security of territorial and regional waters.

Brigadier General Mehdi Rabbani said that Iran's Navy has been transformed into a highly motivated, well-equipped force and is effectively providing security to Iranian coastal areas.

Earlier in late September this year, An Iranian naval fleet docked at the Pakistani port of Karachi to convey the message of peace and friendship.

Iranian delegation arrived in Karachi on Tuesday to participate in the 9th International Defense Exhibition and Seminar (IDEAS 2016).

The defense industries of some countries including Pakistan, Turkey, China, Russia, as well as North American, South American, European, and Asian countries are present at the exhibition. There are 418 firms from 34 countries participating in the event, out of which 157 are Pakistani firms.

272*1723**1424

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UN Opens Two New Refugee Camps as More Iraqis Flee Fighting in Mosul

Sputnik News

17:28 25.11.2016

The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR)opened two more camps for thousands of Iraqis forced to flee the city of Mosul, while three of the six UNHCR-operated camps were already full, according to agency spokesman Matthew Saltmarsh.

WASHINGTON (Sputnik)  The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) has opened new camps to accommodate tens of thousands of Iraqis forced to flee the city of Mosul, agency spokesman Matthew Saltmarsh said on Friday.

"In the past week, UNHCR has opened Al Alam [camp], in Tikrit, which is hosting 180 Iraqis, with more expected," Saltmarsh told reporters. "Amalla camp, near Telafar, is set to open next week."

The spokesman explained that three of the six UNHCR-operated camps were already full.

More than 73,000 Iraqis have been displaced in a month since the start of the operation to recapture Mosul from the Daesh, according to the International Organization for Migration.

The UNHCR expects to provide assistance for 1.2 million Iraqi refugees during the coming winter months, and has begun construction of an additional three camps with a fourth in the planning stage, Saltmarsh said.

On October 17, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider Abadi launched the operation to retake Mosul from the Islamic State. The operation began with 4,000 Peshmerga fighters and 30,000 Iraqi soldiers backed by the US-led coalition.

 Sputnik

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Russian Foreign Ministry Denies Rumors of Military Buildup in Abkhazia

Sputnik News

18:08 25.11.2016(updated 18:09 25.11.2016)

The Russian Foreign Ministry denied on Friday media reports of alleged Russian military buildup in Abkhazia.

MOSCOW (Sputnik)  Georgian media has disseminated reports alleging that Moscow is planning to construct new military bases and airfields in the Galsky district of Abkhazia, as well as the deployment of a large military contingent there.

"Reports by Georgian media, repeated and circulated by some officials are flagrant speculations made without any attempts to create at least an appearance of being true," the ministry's spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told RIA Novosti.

 Sputnik

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Syrian army destroys terrorist tunnel near Damascus

Iran Press TV

Fri Nov 25, 2016 5:33PM

Syrian government forces have discovered and destroyed a long tunnel burrowed deep underground and used by foreign-sponsored Takfiri militants during a counter-terrorism operation on the outskirts of the capital, Damascus.

Unnamed military sources told Syria's official news agency SANA on Thursday that army soldiers and pro-government fighters from popular defense groups uncovered the 250-meter-long and one-meter-wide tunnel in Harasta city, situated roughly 8 kilometers northeast of Damascus.

The sources added that terrorists with the so-called Jaysh al-Islam, formerly known as Liwa al-Islam, group used the tunnel to transfer militants in addition to ammunition, and infiltrate into government-held areas.

The Syrian army's engineering units later placed explosives inside the tunnel, destroying it and all militants' structure built above it.

Five injured Takfiri militants being treated in Israel

Meanwhile, a Syrian army official has revealed that five Takfiri terrorists wounded during fierce exchanges of fire with Syrian government forces have been transferred to several Israeli hospitals and are receiving medical treatment there.

The official said the Tawhid al-Janoub Brigade militants sustained gunshot wounds in the course of clashes with Syrian army troopers in the Dara'a al-Balad district of the southwestern city of Dara'a, located about 90 kilometers south of Damascus, on Thursday.

More than 10 terrorists were also killed and their vehicles destroyed.

Syrian forces capture Hananu neighborhood in eastern Aleppo

Separately, Syrian soldiers managed to establish full control over Hananu neighborhood in the eastern quarter of the strategically northwestern city of Aleppo, located some 355 kilometers north of the capital, on Friday, following several days of fierce firefights with Takfiris there.

Hananu used to serve as a major stronghold of militant groups in eastern Aleppo since 2012, and militants used the region to launch attacks against areas under the control of government forces in the divided city.

The conflict in Syria, which flared up in March 2011, has claimed the lives of more than 400,000 people, according to an estimate by UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura.

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Egypt deploys pilots to boost Syrian anti-terror fight: Paper

Iran Press TV

Fri Nov 25, 2016 10:41AM

Egypt has reportedly sent 18 helicopter pilots to Syria to support the war-torn Arab nation in its fight against terrorism, and mulls more deployments to the same end early next year.

On Thursday, Lebanese As-Safir paper cited "well-informed Arab sources" as reporting that Egypt had dispatched the pilots to an airbase in the western Syria city of Hama on November 12, adding that the contingent was joined by four senior Egyptian military figures upon arrival.

It added that two Egyptian major generals had also been operating at the Armed Forces Staff Headquarters in the Syrian capital Damascus since last month. They have been touring frontlines, including the "Southern Front" in the city of Quneitra.

The daily cited one source "close to the Syria file" as saying that a large deployment of Egyptian troops will arrive in Syria in late January 2017 to take part in military operations "not limited to air support at Hama airbase."

Major General Ali Mamlouk, the head of Syria's National Security Bureau, had paid an official one-day visit to the Egyptian capital, Cairo, in October and held talks with senior Egyptian intelligence officials.

The two sides reached an agreement on "coordinating political standpoints" and improving bilateral "cooperation in the combat against terrorism" during the talks, official Syrian Arab News Agency reported at the time.

A month earlier, Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry had announced that Cairo and Riyadh did not share common attitudes vis-a-vis the ongoing crisis in Syria. Shoukry had said that terrorist groups cannot remain in Syria if peace is to be achieved in the conflict-stricken Arab country.

While Saudi Arabia and its allies in the Persian Gulf region, particularly Qatar, are financially and militarily supporting the extremists fighting to unseat Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, Egyptian officials have reiterated that the crisis in Syria can only be solved through political means.

On Tuesday, Egyptian President Abdul-Fattah al-Sisi said he supported the Syrian army in its war against terrorists.

"Our priority is to support national armies, for example in Libya to assert control over Libyan territories and deal with extremist elements. The same with Syria and Iraq," he said.

Despite having received billions of dollars in aid from Saudi Arabia, Cairo has refused to align itself with Riyadh on issues concerning Syria and also stopped short of joining the kingdom's March 2015-present war on Yemen, which has killed thousands.

Cairo's decision to play a role on the battlefield against terrorists, including Daesh, in Syria comes at a time when Egypt is also battling the Takfiri outfit's branch at home.

Valayat Sinai, previously known as Ansar Beit al-Maqdis, as the group is named, has been leading a deadly campaign of violence against both Egyptian security forces and civilians in Cairo and the restive Sinai Peninsula.

On Thursday, more than a dozen people, including security forces, were killed in Sinai in two separate terror attacks.

There have been no claim of responsibility for the attacks, but Egyptian officials usually blame the Daesh-linked militants for such acts of violence.

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Russian military finds mustard gas attack trace in Aleppo

Iran Press TV

Fri Nov 25, 2016 6:52AM

The Russian military's chemical warfare defense unit has once again found traces of chemical arms used by foreign-backed militants against civilians in Syria's northwestern province of Aleppo.

This time, the Russian Troops of Radiological, Chemical and Biological Defense (RChBD), as the unit is known, found an unexploded shell containing mustard gas, RT reported on Friday.

Such projectiles were reportedly used against residents of a village in the province in September, inflicting respiratory injuries on 40 people.

"An express-analysis of the contents [of ammunition] carried out using a portable infrared spectrometer revealed the presence of vesicant chemical warfare agent sulfur mustard," said an RChBD representative.

According to RT, the recovered chemical round is a crude homemade 240-mm mortar shell, with a capsule in the rear. The capsule contained from 0.5 to 1.5 liters of a black oily liquid, which proved to be a chemical warfare agent.

The RChBD representative further said, "We've taken roughly a 20 milliliter sample from the shell. Afterwards it was sealed tight and delivered to the Russian Centre for reconciliation of opposing sides in the Syrian Arab Republic for further investigation."

On November 11, the Defense Ministry cited the RChBD as saying that it had found similar unexploded projectiles containing "chlorine and white phosphorus" in the 1070 district of Aleppo's capital, which bears the same name as the capital.

Aleppo has been divided over the past four years between government forces in the west and foreign-backed militants in the east, making it a front-line battleground.

In September, the Russian military had warned that terror groups might start deploying chemical agents against the city's government-controlled areas.

At least eight people, including five civilians, suffered breathing difficulties in mid-September after Daesh terrorists fired mortar shells containing toxic gases in the towns of Harbal and Um Hosh, north of Aleppo.

Foreign supporters of the militants operating against the Syrian government have repeatedly accused Damascus of resorting to chemical weapons in Aleppo, an allegation strongly denied by Syria and Russia.

The Syrian government turned over its entire chemical stockpile under a deal negotiated by Russia and the United States back in 2013. The UN Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical WeaponsOPCW has overseen operations to remove the government chemical arsenal from Syria.

The deal came after hundreds of people were killed in an August 2013 chemical attack in the Ghouta suburb of Damascus. The Syrian government agreed to turn over its arsenal of chemicals despite denying any role in the Ghouta attack.

Last week, the UN Security Council extended for an additional year the mandate of an OPCW team investigating the use of chemical weapons in Syria.

Also on Friday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov called for further investigation into whether the Syrian government has used chemical weapons before the Arab country comes under sanctions as France has proposed.

Lavrov said a special UN unit had found that many Syrian opposition forces had used chemical weapons, so an investigation should be conducted on whether government forces have done so as well.

"We support the carrying out of investigations right now, on all the materials, information and any suspicious places. Currently, it is not 100 percent certain whether the Syrian government has used chemical weapons, so it should be rechecked," said the foreign minister.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault had said on Wednesday that an agreement was in the works at the UN Security Council to condemn the Syrian government for allegations it has used chemical weapons.

Lavrov further said the French proposal essentially seeks to isolate the Syrian government and buy time for the militants, warning that such a plan is against France's national interest.

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Syrian Army Less Than Two Miles Away From Al-Bab City Seized by Daesh

Sputnik News

21:11 25.11.2016(updated 21:47 25.11.2016)

The Syrian army is three kilometers (1.86 miles) away from the northern Syrian city of al-Bab, seized by the Daesh terrorist group, the Al-Mayadeen TV channel reported on Friday.

DAMASCUS (Sputnik)  According to Al-Mayadeen, the army supported by the militia managed to dislodge Daesh terrorists from six settlements near al-Bab, and it is successfully approaching the city, which serves as a base for Daesh militants, from the south-east.

The Free Syrian Army supported by the Turkish Air Force and armored vehicles is also conducting an offensive to liberate the city from south-west.

On August 24, Turkish forces, backed by US-led coalition aircraft, began a military operation dubbed Euphrates Shield to clear the Syrian border town of Jarablus and the surrounding area of Daesh, outlawed in Russia and many other countries. As Jarablus was retaken, the joint forces of Ankara, the coalition and Syrian rebels continued the offensive southwest.

Al Bab is one of Daesh's last remaining strongholds near the Turkish border. Capturing the city is of strategic importance to Turkey in order to prevent the Syrian Kurds taking it and unifying their own territories.

 Sputnik

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Turkey Plans Military Base in Northern Syria - SDF Representative

Sputnik News

16:31 25.11.2016(updated 16:40 25.11.2016)

A representative of the Army of Revolutionaries, part of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces said that Turkey is planning to build a military base in northern Syria on territory captured during the ongoing Euphrates Shield operation.

MOSCOW (Sputnik)  Turkey is planning to build a military base in northern Syria on territory captured during the ongoing Euphrates Shield operation, Zekeriya Abdulmecit, a representative of the Army of Revolutionaries, part of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), told Sputnik on Friday.

"According to information from reliable sources, Turkey intends to build a military base on Syrian territory near Akhtarin Currently, Turkey is deploying additional forces to Akhtarin in order to station its special forces troops here," Abdulmecit said.

The SDF member stressed that Turkey seeks mainly to prevent Syria's de facto autonomous Kurdish-dominated Rojava federation from joining its forces between Manbij and Afrin.

"Having secured control over Jarabulus, Turkey seeks to spread its influence here, to turkify the region. Its main task is to prevent us from capturing the road connecting Afrin and Manbij," he said.

Afrin is currently an enclave in the northwestern corner of Syria, separated from the rest of Rojava by the Daesh, Syrian opposition and Turkish forces currently fighting in the area of al-Bab.

On August 24, Turkish forces, backed by US-led coalition aircraft, began the Euphrates Shield operation to clear the Syrian border town of Jarabulus and the surrounding area of the Islamic State, outlawed in Russia and many other countries. After seizing Jarabulus, Turkish forces and opposition fighters pushed further south into the Aleppo governorate.

The operation has been widely criticized both by the Syrian Kurds and Damascus, who accuse Ankara of violating Syria's territorial integrity.

 Sputnik

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Syrian Army Conducting Major Offensive Against Militants to North-East of Aleppo

Sputnik News

15:04 25.11.2016

Three quarters of Bustan al-Basha neighborhood to the north-east of Syria's Aleppo are under control of the Syrian government forces after the launch of large-scale offensive against extremist groups, according to militia source.

DAMASCUS (Sputnik)  The Syrian government forces supported by local militias have launched a large-scale offensive against extremist groups in Bustan al-Basha neighborhood to the north-east of Syria's Aleppo, a militia source told RIA Novosti on Friday.

"The Syrian government forces with strong fire support are advancing in Bustan al-Basha district. By now, three quarters of the territories of this strategic district are under control of the forces. The Lebanese Hezbollah movement's troops provide support in the offensive," the source said.

Earlier this week, Syrian troops supported by local militias managed to break through the key terrorist positions in another strategic district of Masaken Hanano.

On Tuesday, Syrian Army's General Command called on militants to lay down arms in accordance with an amnesty decree, to stop the bloodshed, bombing of residential areas as well attacks on civilians.

Over the recent months, Aleppo has been a major battleground in Syria, engaging government forces, jihadists, and numerous opposition groups. Eastern Aleppo is held by militants, encircled by government forces, and the fighting has affected thousands of civilians still trapped in the city.

Between 200,000 and 300,000 civilians are still held by terrorists in the eastern neighborhoods of Aleppo, according to Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and United Nations Emergency Relief Coordinator Stephen O'Brien.

 Sputnik

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Syrian Opposition Member Says New Constitution Discussed With Trump's Son

Sputnik News

11:01 25.11.2016(updated 12:17 25.11.2016)

Randa Kassis, the chair of the Syrian opposition Movement of the Pluralistic Society, told Sputnik that she had discussed a new Syrian constitution during her October meeting with US President-elect Donald Trump's son.

MOSCOW (Sputnik)  On Wednesday, The Wall Street Journal reported that Donald Trump Jr. attended an October 11 event hosted by French think tank Center for Political and Foreign Affairs to discuss the issue of Syrian settlement. Kassis, the wife of the center's founder, Fabien Baussart, later said she and Trump discussed at the event how the United States and Russia could reach an agreement to end the war in Syria.

"The key issue for us is a constitution which outlines the president's powers. The president currently has all powers to be the ruler of Syria, the head of both the executive and legislative branches. We want to separate them, to take away a large part of the president's powers, whether it is Bashar Assad or someone else This is what I touched upon during the discussion with Trump Jr., how we can achieve this and defeat religious and ideological radicalism. The problem we have in Syria is bigger than Bashar Assad," Kassis said.

She added that her difference with the Riyadh-formed High Negotiations Committee (HNC) opposition group is that the latter considers Assad's departure as a cornerstone in the settlement process, while the pluralistic society movement does not consider this a key issue.

Kassis stressed that the discussion mentioned how a new constitution should be "secular" and make all citizens equal regardless of their origins or religion, noting that Trump showed a better understanding of the situation than many in the current US administration.

Syria has been in a state of civil war since 2011, with government forces fighting the Syrian opposition groups striving to overthrow Assad. Damascus is also fighting numerous extremist groups, in particular the Daesh, a terrorist group outlawed in Russia and many other countries.

The opposition and Damascus, along with the mediators, have been engaged in UN-brokered settlement talks. The latest round of intra-Syrian talks took place in Geneva in April. The HNC walked out of the negotiations, citing the continuous fighting in Syria and the lack of progress on humanitarian issues. HNC transition plans included constitutional revision in its final stage.

 Sputnik

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Russian Military Experts Prove Mustard Gas Used in Attack on Aleppo Civilians

Sputnik News

05:32 25.11.2016(updated 09:30 25.11.2016)

Russian military experts say they have found proof of the use of mustard gas by militants against civilians in the Syrian province of Aleppo.

ALEPPO (Sputnik)  The ammunition was used in a September attack on one of the villages in Aleppo province.

"An express-analysis of the contents [of ammunition] carried out using a portable infrared spectrometer revealed the presence of vesicant chemical warfare agent sulfur mustard [mustard gas]," Russian Troops of Radiological, Chemical and Biological Defence (RChBD) told journalists on Friday.

The ammunition was used in a September attack on one of the villages in the Aleppo province.

The ministry's spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov said that the UN-backed Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) was reluctant to join forces with Russia or send experts to Aleppo, while some OPCW members are ignoring evidence that chemical weapons are being used by militants against civilians in Syria.

On October 27, the OPCW-UN Joint Investigative Mechanism (JIM) expert panel released its latest report claiming that the Syrian government had used chemical weapons at least three times in the country throughout 2014-2015. An earlier report said Daesh terrorist group was also responsible for several attacks.

Syrian government forces have been fighting against multiple opposition and terrorist groups, including Daesh and Jabhat Fatah al Sham, formerly known as Jabhat al-Nusra, or Nusra Front.

Russian military experts have been analyzing samples taken in Syria in order to find proof of reports of chemical weapon use by members of radical groups against civilians.

 Sputnik

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Thousands of Syrians Stranded Near Border With Jordan Receiving Aid

By Lisa Schlein November 25, 2016

As freezing temperatures start to bite in the war-torn Middle East region, tens of thousands of Syrian refugees, stranded along the Syrian side of the border with Jordan, have been thrown a lifeline by the Hashemite Kingdom.

On Tuesday, Jordanian authorities announced the resumption of aid to tens of thousands of people, half of them children, who have been stuck in squalid conditions with little food, water, medical care and other necessities since Jordan closed the border on June 21 to Syrian refugees fleeing their war-torn country.

That followed the killing of seven Jordanian soldiers reportedly by Islamic State militants. Since then, Jordan has allowed only one delivery of aid, back in August, to the refugees forced to stay on a remote, barren strip of no-man's land.

"We are very happy that we can resume now the operation," said Jens Laerke, spokesman for the U.N. Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. "It is a lifeline to the 85,000 people. I believe three-quarters of them are women and children, who are stranded there in this remote, arid area."

Food, other aid delivered Tuesday

Laerke told VOA that food and essential items were delivered on Tuesday to some 170 households in the Rukban community in preparation for the winter months. He noted that this was the beginning of a planned two-week distribution cycle and in the coming days other relief, as well as health care services, would be provided.

Aid has begun to flow to the refugees from different U.N. agencies. For example, the U.N. Children's Fund has been distributing warm sweaters, trousers, jackets, hats, gloves, scarves, socks and boots to children under age one, as well as warm winter clothing for older children.

The agency, which has delivered safe water to the refugees on a daily basis since the border was closed in June, plans to provide hygiene kits, along with other non-food items.

Winter weather a major concern

UNICEF spokesman Christophe Boulierac said that aid workers have not yet had a chance to assess the condition of the refugees, but according to unconfirmed reports, there has been "an increase in malnutrition and rise in preventable diseases" among the children and women.

"There are also children with disabilities at about 2- to 3-percent and many unaccompanied and separated children." He said UNICEF was extremely concerned about the welfare of children, particularly during the bitter cold winter months when "children will be more susceptible to acute respiratory infections and other winter-related conditions."

He said UNICEF was establishing a so-called mobile health and nutrition caravan to provide primary health care services. "Discussions are ongoing with the Jordan Armed forces for access to children and individuals requiring urgent medical support," he said.

Warm clothing, blankets

With the onset of winter, the U.N. refugee agency has expanded its winter assistance program throughout Syria and the region. The agency said it aimed to reach 3.2 million internally displaced Syrians and refugees and 1.4 million displaced Iraqis within Syria and Iraq, as well as in Turkey, Jordan, Lebanon and Egypt.

The UNHCR said its humanitarian operation included a mixture of cash payments to people in need, along with the distribution of warm clothing, blankets, heating fuel and other necessities to help people survive the harsh winter.

While there are plans to assist more than 292,000 vulnerable Syrians and nearly 30,000 Iraqis and other nationalities in Jordan, a UNHCR spokesman, Matthew Saltmarsh, told VOA that the agency's winterization plan did not include the border area where the Syrian refugees were stranded.

'Challenging' operation

"We have not had access until now and we have been negotiating with the Jordanian authorities to obtain that access.

"This is one of the most challenging humanitarian operations in the world today and UNHCR and other agencies would like to extend their thanks to the government of Jordan for making the operation possible."

He said that he understood the security constraints that obliged authorities to stop aid to the area some months ago. Nevertheless, he said, "Overall, we are hopeful and confident that this will be the start of sustained, better access to the area."

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Turkish warplanes launch airstrikes on Syrian city of al-Bab

Iran Press TV

Fri Nov 25, 2016 11:2AM

Turkish warplanes have carried out a series of airstrikes on the Syrian city of al-Bab in yet another blatant act of aggression against the sovereignty of the Arab state.

According to the Turkish military, the airstrikes were conducted against targets in the city of al-Bab, located some 40 kilometers northeast of Aleppo, shortly before 8 a.m. (0500 GMT) on Friday.

The military claimed the attacks targeted Daesh.

The strikes are part of an ongoing incursion by Turkish military inside northern Syria.

On August 24, Turkish special forces, tanks and jets backed by warplanes from the US-led coalition launched their first coordinated offensive in Syria. On the same day, Damascus strongly denounced the intervention as a breach of its sovereignty.

Senior officials in Damascus have said that any side willing to fight terrorism on the Syrian territory should cooperate with the government and the Syrian army.

The latest strikes were carried out after three Turkish soldiers were killed in the area on Wednesday. Turkey on Thursday claimed that a suspected Syrian airstrike had killed the three.

Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said on Thursday that Ankara would retaliate against the Syrian army, which has not commented on the developments.

The accusation and the threat of retaliation against Syria came even as the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a pro-militant monitoring group, said the Turkish soldiers had been killed in an attack by Daesh.

Rami Abdulrahman, who runs the Britain-based group, dismissed reports that it was an airstrike, saying that the soldiers were killed during an attack by Daesh in the rural area of al-Bab, near a village called Waqqah on Wednesday.

A fourth soldier reportedly died in clashes with Daesh in the city on Friday.

In its military incursion into Syria, the Turkish military is supporting militants, including the so-called Free Syrian Army (FSA), fighting to topple the government of President Bashar al-Assad.

Hundreds of Turkish troops are taking part in the operation, which President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said this week was pushing forward with the aim of capturing the Syrian city of al-Bab.

Turkish forces earlier in the year rolled into the Syrian border city of Jarablus under the declared aim of removing Daesh militants from the city. In September, the Turkish forces occupied the city, which they said Daesh had left without resistance.

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Turkey slams EU for 'insignificant' vote on accession talks

Iran Press TV

Fri Nov 25, 2016 12:17AM

Turkish officials have strongly condemned a recent decision by the European Parliament to shelve accession negotiations with the Ankara government over the large-scale crackdown in the aftermath of the failed mid-July coup.

"The decision means nothing to us. Our relationship with the EU is not tight anyway. We have a pushy relationship with the EU... It is a great discrepancy that Europe says Turkey is irreplaceable on security issues on one hand, while taking these kinds of decisions with flimsy reasons. We expect the leaders of the European Union countries to raise their voices against this lack of vision," Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said at a press conference in the capital Ankara on Thursday.

He warned that Europe could be inundated with refugees and asylum seekers in case Turkey does not offer assistance under an agreement signed in March.

"We are one of the factors protecting Europe. If refugees go through, they will flood into Europe and take it over, and Turkey prevents this," Yildirim said.

"I accept that cutting off ties with Europe would harm Turkey, but it would damage Europe 5-to-6 times more," the Turkish prime minister pointed out.

Meanwhile, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu (pictured above) has downplayed the European Parliament motion as invalid, stating that it has disgraced the EU parliamentary institution.

"Essentially, the decision humiliates the European Parliament and the European Union. The European Parliament brought its credibility to ground with this decision," he said.

Cavusoglu went on to say that the United Kingdom voted to leave the European Union due to the politico-economic bloc's lack of vision and esteem.

"The EU should... learn lessons from its mistakes as soon as possible. If they want to bring Turkey to its knees with this kind of decisions, this is useless," he commented.

Additionally, Turkey's Minister of EU Affairs Omer Celik described the motion as "null and void."

"We would respect the motion if it was constructive despite being critical. However, the motion is politically inconsistent. They adopted it for political purposes. Those who want to give us a message should know that the parliament's message would not get through the crossing point between Turkey and the West," Celik said.

The Turkish minister also called on "prudent" figures in the West to save the EU from the "vicious cycle it has been in."

Earlier on Thursday, the European Parliament adopted a non-binding motion by 479 votes to 37, with 107 abstentions, calling for "a temporary freeze of the ongoing accession negotiations with Turkey."

Turkey has been trying to join the EU since the 1960s, but the formal negotiations started in 2005. However, the process has been mired in problems, and only 16 chapters of the 35-chapter accession procedure have been opened for Ankara so far.

Relations between Ankara and the EU have further soured following the July 15 botched putsch, which Ankara claims to have been organized by US-based opposition cleric Fethullah Gulen.

Over 240 people were killed and more than 2,100 others injured in the violence, which Gulen has strongly condemned and denied any involvement in. Tens of thousands of people, including military personnel, judges and teachers, have been suspended, dismissed or detained as part of the post-coup crackdown.

International rights groups argue that Ankara's crackdown has gone far beyond the so-called Gulenists and targeted Kurds as well as government critics.

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More Casualties Reported Among Turkish Soldiers In Syria

November 25, 2016

One Turkish soldier has been killed and five others sustained light injuries in clashes with Islamic State (IS) extremist group in northern Syria, the Turkish army has said in a statement.

The November 25 statement came a day after Turkey said three of its soldiers were killed in what the military said were suspected Syrian air strikes in northern Syria.

The army said 10 other soldiers were injured in the predawn air strikes on November 24. Syrian activists, however, disputed that claim, saying the soldiers were killed by IS militants.

Turkey sent ground troops into northern Syria in August, to support Syrian opposition forces in the fight against IS militants and to curb Syrian Kurdish territorial gains.

Turkish troops are pushing to capture the town of Al-Bab, the last major IS stronghold in northern Syria. The city is located some 30 kilometers south of the Syria-Turkey border.

Home to at least 2.7 million Syrian refugees, Turkey seeks to establish a "safe-zone" inside Syria.

The Syrian government opposes the Turkish incursion.

Based on reporting by Reuters and AP

Source: http://www.rferl.org/a/syria-turkish -troops-casualties/28139133.html

Copyright (c) 2016. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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Turkey Warns It Could Open Gates To Migrants If Pushed By EU

November 25, 2016

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has warned that Turkey could throw open its borders to illegal migrants heading to Europe, a day after the European Parliament voted for a temporary halt to EU membership talks with Ankara.

"We are the ones who feed 3-3.5 million refugees in this country. You have betrayed your promises," Erdogan said, referring to EU leaders, in a speech in Istanbul on November 25.

"If you go any further, these border gates will be opened," Erdogan added. "Neither I nor my people will be affected by these empty threats. Don't forget, the West needs Turkey."

The European Parliament voted on November 24 to freeze talks with Ankara on Turkey joining the EU. The vote was nonbinding but it underscored the increasing unease in Europe over Erdogan's tightening grip on power in the wake of a failed coup attempt in July.

More than 125,000 people accused of links to the coup plotters -- from soldiers and judges to journalists and teachers -- have been fired or detained since the July 15 coup.

Erdogan's comments prompted a swift warning from Germany that said such "threats" were unhelpful.

"If one looks at the facts, then it is the case that both sides are sticking to the agreement and we hope that remains the case, as it is in the interests of both sides," German Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Sawsan Chebli told reporters in Berlin.

In March, Turkey and the European Union agreed a deal for Ankara to halt the flow of migrants to Europe -- an accord that has largely been successful in reducing numbers crossing the Aegean Sea.

According to the International Organization for Migration, over 170,000 people have crossed to Greece so far this year compared to almost 740,000 in 2015.

Under the March deal, EU leaders pledged billions in aid to Ankara, fast-track visa conditions, and possible new impetus for EU membership talks. Erdogan has repeatedly criticized what he has said is the bloc's slow progress in meeting those promises.

Turkey hosts at least 2.7 million Syrian refugees. Thousands of migrants from other countries, including Afghanistan, also use Turkey as a transit route to reach Europe.

With reporting by AFP, AP, dpa, and Reuters

Source: http://www.rferl.org/a/turkey-warns-eu-open- border-migrants-if-pushed/28139160.html

Copyright (c) 2016. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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Turkish Air Force Hits 7 Daesh Targets in Northern Syria - General Staff

Sputnik News

15:13 25.11.2016(updated 15:27 25.11.2016)

General Staff said that Turkey carried out airstrikes against the Daesh extremist group near the northern Syrian city of Al Bab, hitting seven targets.

ANKARA (Sputnik)  Turkey carried out airstrikes against the Daesh extremist group near the northern Syrian city of Al Bab, hitting seven Daesh targets, the Turkish General Staff said in a statement on Friday.

"Turkish Air Force's airplanes hit seven previously reconnoitered targets near Al Bab in northern Syria and destroyed the buildings controlled by the terrorists," the statement, obtained by RIA Novosti, reads.

Earlier on Friday, Turkey carried out seven other airstrikes in northern Syria, destroying two command posts, three defense positions, one transport vehicle and one weapons depot.

Turkey is currently conducting an operation to liberate Al Bab, which serves as a base for Daesh, a terror group outlawed in many countries, including Russia.

On August 24, Turkish forces, backed by US-led coalition aircraft, began a military operation dubbed Euphrates Shield to clear the Syrian border town of Jarabulus and the surrounding area of the Daesh, outlawed in Russia and many other countries. As Jarabulus was retaken, the joint forces of Ankara, the coalition and Syrian rebels continued the offensive southwest.

The operation has been widely criticized both by the Syrian Kurds and Damascus, who have accused Ankara of violating Syria's territorial integrity.

 Sputnik

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Ankara Warns Against Airstrikes on Turkish Troops in Syria - Prime Minister

Sputnik News

10:57 25.11.2016(updated 11:54 25.11.2016)

Turkey warns against the repeat of Thursday's airstrike against Turkish troops in Syria, the country's prime minister, Binali Yildirim, said Friday.

ANKARA (Sputnik)  On Thursday, Turkey's General Staff confirmed the death of three of its troops near Syria's city of al-Bab, claiming that the attack was carried out by Syrian government jets.

"The Turkish General Staff is investigating the incident. It is essential to determine who is responsible for the airstrike and why it was carried out. The relevant sides have been warned that any repeat of such a move is unacceptable The incident near the city al-Bab will not impact Turkey's determination to complete Operation Euphrates Shield," Yildirim told the TRT channel.

Turkey respects Syria's territorial integrity, the prime minister added, stressing that Turkey's priorities are destroying the Islamic States (IS) jihadist group as well as preventing Syria's de facto autonomous Kurdish-dominated Rojava federation from joining its forces between Manbij and Afrin.

Yildirim promised that Turkish forces would not head to Aleppo.

Afrin is currently an enclave in the northwestern corner of Syria, separated from the rest of Rojava by the IS, Syrian opposition and Turkish forces currently fighting in the area of al-Bab.

On August 24, Turkish forces, backed by US-led coalition aircraft, began the Euphrates Shield operation to clear the Syrian border town of Jarabulus and the surrounding area of the Islamic State, outlawed in Russia and many other countries. After seizing Jarabulus, Turkish forces and opposition fighters pushed further south into the Aleppo governorate.

The operation has been widely criticized both by the Syrian Kurds and Damascus, who accuse Ankara of violating Syria's territorial integrity.

 Sputnik

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Erdogan: Turkey to Open Border if EU Continues its Threats

By Henry Ridgwell November 25, 2016

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned the European Union on Friday that if it continued to threaten his country, he would allow hundreds of thousands of migrants to flood into EU countries.

The European Parliament, in a largely symbolic vote Thursday, demanded the bloc freeze membership negotiations with Turkey over the government's heavy-handed crackdown following the failed military coup in July.

Warning: Gates to open

Erdogan, reacting with trademark anger Friday, warned that if it went any further, Turkey's border gates would be opened, calling the EU vote an "empty threat."

"When 50,000 immigrants reached [the border town] of Kapikule, you wailed. 'What would we do if Turkey opened the border gates?,' you've pondered. Look here, if this goes any further, those border gates will be opened  you should know that. Neither I nor this nation cares about empty threats," Erdogan said, while speaking at a congress on women's justice in Istanbul.

Analysts say Ankara believes it holds a trump card in threatening to break off the deal. Under the March agreement, Turkey agreed to take back all migrants crossing illegally to Europe, in return for over $3 billion in aid and the speeding up of EU membership talks.

But that threat is losing its potency, says Turkey analyst Kamran Matin of the University of Sussex.

"Because by now most European countries have actually set in place certain frameworks and practices in relation to the migration, so I don't think that will be an immediate problem," Matin said.

Freeze would be symbolic

Members of the European Parliament voted 479 to 37 in favor of a nonbinding motion urging the European Commission and national governments to institute what lawmakers acknowledge would be a largely symbolic freeze in negotiations that have been going on for 11 years but have long been stalled.

Neither side expects Turkey to be in a position to join the EU for many years to come.

"[EU members] are unhappy with what is going on in Turkey," Matin said, "but they don't want to be the party which initiates the suspension of the talks because that, they think, is what Erdogan is looking for, in order to tell Turkish people that 'it wasn't us, they actually ended the accession talks.' "

But the European Union has been increasingly vocal in condemning Turkey's crackdown following July's failed coup. Over 110,000 people have been sacked or suspended from their jobs, and over 36,000 people have been jailed pending trial.

In turn, Ankara has accused Europe of siding with terrorists.

Two-tier Europe

With such apparently irreconcilable differences, some observers say Turkey could push for a so-called two-tier Europe alongside other states outside the bloc, says analyst Hasan Turunc of Oxford University.

"Countries like Norway, Switzerland, maybe Britain and maybe Turkey  an EU with two gears," said Turunc, adding that such a model may be more acceptable for Germany and France.

Meanwhile, NATO says several Turkish military personnel have sought asylum in Europe following the post-coup crackdown. Member states will hear each case individually, but the granting of asylum would likely strain relations with Ankara even further.

EU leaders are scheduled to discuss Turkey again when they meet in Brussels at a regular summit December 15-16.

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Ukraine's Ex-President Accuses Kyiv Of Sabotaging His Testimony

RFE/RL November 25, 2016

Ukraine's ousted President Viktor Yanukovych has accused the Kviv government of "setting up a provocation" to "sabotage" his video testimony in a Ukrainian court trial of five former policemen charged with fatally shooting scores of antigovernment protesters in Kyiv in 2014.

Yanukovych, now living in exile in Russia, briefly appeared by video link on November 25 from Rostov-on-Don before a Kyiv courtroom.

But his testimony was postponed until November 28 after demonstrators from the Right Sector nationalist group blocked the exit of the jail where the five defendants -- former special forces officers -- are being held.

"I had preliminary information that the Ukrainian government was setting up a provocation in order to sabotage today's court hearing and prevent me from testifying as a witness in the case at any cost," Yanukovych told Russia's Rossia 24 television after his testimony was rescheduled.

A spokesman for Right Sector was quoted by the Ukrainian media as saying the demonstrators feared that the defendants would be set free after the court hearing.

Yanukovych was due to be questioned as a witness in the trial of five former Ukrainian riot police officers accused of murdering protesters. He was also expected to be asked what role he played in the crackdown.

In opening remarks via video link, Yanukovych said he wanted to "establish the truth" about the death of more than 100 demonstrators during the Euromaidan protests.

He said that "it was my own initiative to be a witness in this case. This was my own decision. So I am interested in establishing the truth in this case and punishing the perpetrators."

"I clearly see that delaying my questioning is a deliberate decision made by [protesters] today who don't want to establish the truth," Yanukovych added.

More than 100 protesters were killed in the three months of street demonstrations in Kyiv's Maidan square that forced Yanukovych to flee to Russia. Forty-eight of them were allegedly gunned down in February 2014 by snipers who Ukrainian authorities claim received direct orders from Russian-backed Yanukovych.

Russia moved to seize Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula shortly after Yanukovych was driven from power by protesters angry over his decision to abandon plans for a landmark pact with the EU and forge closer ties with Moscow.

Russia subsequently backed separatists who seized parts of eastern Ukraine, leading to a war that has killed more than 9,600 people.

With reporting by AP and Reuters

Source: http://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-yanukovych-t estimony-postponed/28139520.html

Copyright (c) 2016. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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Russia Protests Ukraine's Plan to Fire Missiles Above Crimea Waters

Sputnik News

02:40 26.11.2016(updated 02:43 26.11.2016)

Russia protested on Friday Ukrainian military's plan to fire missiles in airspace above Crimean territorial waters in the Black Sea.

MOSCOW (Sputnik)  Ukraine has unilaterally decided to hold missile firing exercises in Russia's airspace near Crimea, Russia's Federal Agency for Air Transport (Rosaviatsiya) said in a statement Friday.

"In violation of all international agreements, Ukraine unilaterally decided to hold missile firing exercises in Russia's sovereign airspace near Simferopol," the Russian air transport agency Rosaviatsia said.

Missiles drills will take place on December 1-2 between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. local time, according to the Russian agency. They will extend into Russia's civil airspace and present a threat to flight safety.

The Russian Defense Ministry specified the drills would be allegedly held to the west of the Crimean peninsula coastline. It called the exercise illegal and summoned Ukraine's defense attache earlier in the day to hand him a note of protest.

A warning has also been filed by Rosaviatsia whose spokesman, Sergei Izvolsky, said Kiev's unilateral decision violated "basic principles of civil aviation" that require prior coordination and the closing of airspace with bordering countries.

Ukrainian General Staff's spokesman Vladyslav Selezniov and national aviation authority Ukraerorukh declined to comment on the upcoming war games.

 Sputnik

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Ex-President Yanukovych Says Supports Ukraine's Territorial Integrity

Sputnik News

20:12 25.11.2016(updated 22:00 25.11.2016)

Former Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych said Friday he was dreaming of the end of the war in Donbas and its restoration.

ROSTOV-ON-DON (Sputnik)  Former Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych said Friday he supports Ukraine's territorial integrity and wants Donbass to be part of Ukraine.

"I was against violation of Ukraine's integrity from the start. Separation of Donbass was an emotional impulse of people who reacted negatively to riots, when radicals started spilling blood, there were many such reasons. I am for Donbass as part of Ukraine, for [Ukraine's] territorial integrity," Yanukovych told a news conference.

He added that the settlement of the Ukrainian conflict requires a wide-scale autonomy.

"As regards my return  media write much that I want to return to power but I am dreaming of putting a prompt end to the war in my homeland and of Donbass rising from the ruins," Yanukovych told a news conference.

"I am thinking of the end to the war rather than of anything else," he said.

Ukraine's eastern regions have been severely affected by Kiev's special military operation, launched in April 2014 against Donbass residents who rejected the legitimacy of the new coup-imposed central government and declared independence. In February 2015, the two sides reached a ceasefire deal after talks brokered by the leaders of Russia, France, Germany and Ukraine  the so-called Normandy Format  in the Belarusian capital of Minsk.

"These authorities came to power in Ukraine amid blood and lies, so they have no future. You will never build your happiness this way, this is not what the people needed," Yanukovych said about the current government in Kiev.

Yanukovych said his decision not to declare martial law after the start of late 2013 protests was his biggest mistake.

"I made many mistakes, the biggest of which was not finding inner strength to deploy troops and declare martial law in Ukraine, which was the only way of stopping radicals, but I couldn't spill blood," he told the reporters.

Yanukovych, who fled to Russia amid the anti-government Maidan revolt, said he still would not use martial law to quell protest even if he could turn back the time, "because I understood this would lead to a civil war."

The former leader denied siphoning money from Ukraine and said that the corresponding accusations were "falsified."

"I didn't siphon off anything from Ukraine, except personal belongings. All these investigations showed that all this, including Maidan protest, arose from lies, falsifications and a well-prepared propaganda," Yanukovich said.

Yanukovych was toppled in February 2014 following what a coup in Kiev. New Ukrainian authorities accuse him of corruption.

He called on Western countries, supporting the current Kiev regime, to create a competitive political environment in the conflict-torn country to ensure Ukraine's revival.

"Those Western backersmust be frank with themselves, open their eyes and create a normal competitive political environment in the country that would lead to elections. Ukraine will begin to revive, will transform, I believe in that," Yanukovych said.

The ex-president also said he had many supporters in Ukraine and maintained contacts with them.

He denied speculations that he had financed people's self-defense forces in the Donetsk and Lugansk Republics in Donbass.

"I could not finance [Donbass forces] for the simple reason that I did not have the funds. The money is on my [frozen] accounts in Ukraine, all property has been arrested. I could not finance anybody," Yanukovych told the reporters.

Ukraine's Authorities Fear Maidan Crimes Could Be Disclosed at Court Hearing

The Ukrainian authorities fear that some crimes can be disclosed at a court hearing on the case of former members of the Berkut special forces, accused of killing civilians during the 2013-2014 Maidan protests in Kiev, Viktor Yanukovych said.

Earlier in the day, a Kiev court suggested postponing the questioning of Yanukovych in connection with the case until November 28, as it was impossible to bring all members of the Berkut special forces to court.

"I am outraged over what has happened. We need to understand who benefits from it. I believe that there are fears that the Maidan crimes could be disclosed. These actions [that have led to the delay of the hearing] had been taken against the law," Yanukovych said.

Earlier this week, Yanukovych's lawyer Vitaliy Serdyuk said that some officials in Kiev, who were not interested in his public questioning could have been preparing to disrupt it.

In 2013, Kiev's main square, Maidan, witnessed pro-European protests sparked by Yanukovych's decision to postpone signing the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement. Later, the square became the focus of confrontations between the protesters and security forces. Before the protests ended in early 2014 in the coup, dozens of people were killed during the Maidan protests. The current Ukrainian authorities blame Yanukovych and the Berkut special forces for the deaths on Maidan.

Yanukovych said that all parties involved in the settlement of the Ukrainian crisis should review the February 2014 agreement on the settlement of the political crisis in Ukraine.

"We should return to the document that was supposed to resolve the crisisas it has never been implemented," Yanukovych told the reporters.

 Sputnik

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The final "question mark" on what has become a 20-race calendar for 2017 is Brazil.

That is the news from Bernie Ecclestone, whose earlier 21-date schedule has been reduced by one after he failed to reach a deal with Hockenheim.

"I'm not frustrated, just surprised," the F1 supremo said in Abu Dhabi, according to Globo.

"What else does Germany need to be interested in F1? They have drivers and a winning team. The only question mark now is Brazil, but we are solving it.

"I hope it will be resolved soon," Ecclestone added, referring to the historic Interlagos race.

Earlier, there had been doubts about Hockenheim and also Canada, but a solid deal with Montreal is now in place.

Ecclestone also played down any fears about Monza's fabled Italian grand prix, despite the fact that an actual contract is yet to be signed.

But the 86-year-old said he has enjoyed "many handshakes" with Italian officials about 2017 and beyond.

"After all, they are Italian," Ecclestone smiled.

"It could not be signed this week because they wanted to change some things in the contract, which we accept," he revealed.

For the future, however, there are doubts about Malaysia, who say they will stop hosting F1 after 2018.

But Ecclestone says: "They are good people. I never had problems with them."

And he also played down fears F1 could lose its spectacular night race in Singapore.

"They (Singapore organisers) said to me 'We've paid well in the last ten years, so we want it to be cheaper'," said Ecclestone. "I do not want to lose Singapore."

(GMM)
New McLaren chief Zak Brown says the famous British team must prioritise signing a title sponsor.

Since the departure of Vodafone and the start of the difficult works Honda era, Ron Dennis has reportedly refused to reduce McLaren's rate card in the search for a new title backer.

But Dennis has now been ousted, just as American Brown, formerly a F1 sponsorship guru, arrives at the Woking based team as executive director.

"It's critically important we find a title partner," Brown, revealing that a title sponsor will not be in place in time for 2017, said in Abu Dhabi.

"The brands we have on the car now are fantastic companies. We need more of them," he added.

(GMM)
The drivers will be central to the FIA's decision about whether to introduce the controversial 'Halo' cockpit protection concept in 2018 or impose a further delay.

Although the Grand Prix Drivers' Association has said Halo is unanimously supported up and down the grid, some drivers have revealed their concerns.

So in another bid to change minds, the drivers were given a further presentation by the FIA in Abu Dhabi, demonstrating how Halo reduces the risk of injury and death.

"Even this morning I was opposed," Toro Rosso driver Carlos Sainz said in Abu Dhabi, "but then we were shown the video and I thought Halo is not so bad."

Germany's Auto Motor und Sport reports that if the majority of the F1 drivers back Halo, it will be introduced for 2018 -- whether the teams like it or not.

Red Bull's Christian Horner said: "Only the drivers who have a contract for 2018 should be asked. Why would you ask Massa or Button?"

When asked for his opinion, Toro Rosso's Daniil Kvyat said: "F1 is watched by millions of fans so it's an issue of great importance for the sport.

"The final decision will still be taken by the FIA, but they want to hear the opinion of the drivers.

(GMM)
F1 drivers had talks with Pirelli in Abu Dhabi, following criticism of the Italian supplier's wet weather tyres.

Multiple drivers pointed the finger at Pirelli in the wake of the red flag and safety car-interrupted Brazilian grand prix.

"We discussed a lot, sharing impressions of the tyres, the problem with visibility and aquaplaning, suggestions of what can be improved. In general, it was a positive meeting," said Toro Rosso driver Carlos Sainz in Abu Dhabi.

But the Spaniard denied claims the drivers were "angry" with Pirelli after Brazil.

"No one is particularly angry or critical, we are trying to help to make the right decisions to help Pirelli develop more efficient tyres," Sainz insisted.

"I think Pirelli has a very difficult task to develop rain tyres with little to no testing," he added. "I don't think the tyre manufacturers in the past had those conditions."

(GMM)
All sides have denied reports that Pascal Wehrlein's next move in F1 is now a done deal.

Multiple authoritative sources had reported from Abu Dhabi that with Sauber losing the backing of Felipe Nasr's sponsor Banco do Brasil, the Swiss team will definitely replace him with German Wehrlein.

But Wehrlein, who currently drives for Manor with Mercedes backing, insisted that the stories about a done deal were "fictitious".

And Sauber team boss Monisha Kaltenborn said talks with Nasr, who it is understood still retains Banco do Brasil's personal backing albeit in a diminished form, are still taking place.

"We have our options, we are looking at them and we know Felipe very well. We're just going to continue our assessment and when we're ready we'll announce," she said.

Finally, Wolff said Mercedes is also still weighing up its options regarding Wehrlein's future, with both Sauber and Manor in the reckoning.

"We are in discussion with Monisha and in discussion with (Manor owner) Stephen (Fitzpatrick) and nothing is decided yet," said the Mercedes team boss.

(GMM)
How wet this year was (10)

April 13th's severe weather, "gravity wave" (9)

Tropical Storm Fay (8)

The hazy sky from the Western wildfires (7)

The record setting September rain (6)

The largest hailstone in 12 years in Cape May County (5)

June 4th's derecho, record heat and then more severe weather (4)

Tropical Storm Isaias (3)

How sweltering and warm it was this year (2)

The least snowiest year, winter, on record (1)

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Two years after states around the country passed an unprecedented number of police reforms after the killing of George Floyd, some are struggling to make the new policies stick. The momentum for change has slowed from its earlier frenetic pace. Some of the reforms have been rolled back or at least tweaked after police complained that the new policies were hindering their ability to catch criminals. Legal experts say police killings of Black people over the last decade  epitomized by Floyds killing  have altered the trajectory of policing. But change has come about unevenly in thousands of police departments across the U.S.
Dear Abby: Im engaged to a wonderful man I have been with for five years. We plan to get married as soon as his house sells and we can move into another home as a family. He has three children; I have four. Our kids get along well enough, and no serious parenting issues have come up yet. My concern is, he and his ex-wife havent immunized their kids. I have. All four of my children are up to date with their shots. We have agreed to disagree on this subject.

With the kids living together under the same roof, is there anything I should worry about as far as kids getting sick? I have read somewhere that it isnt good to have kids who are immunized around those who arent. Truth?

Wants the Facts in Indiana

LIFE HACKS VIDEO: Living better by living smarter

Dear Wants the Facts: Have you discussed this with their doctors? If you go to www.vaccines.gov, you will find a complete explanation of why vaccinations are so important and why parents should ensure that their children receive the optimum dose, which may involve two or more shots.

According to the Food and Drug Administration: For reasons related to the individual, not all vaccinated persons develop immunity. Most routine childhood vaccines are effective for 85 to 95 percent of recipients. If your children happen to fall into the unfortunate 5 to 15 percent category of recipients who havent developed full immunity, then you should be concerned.

Dear Abby: My mother-in-law is a wonderful lady, but Im having a hard time with how she is around my children. She is extremely obsessive over giving them baths, changing their diapers and, basically, just seeing them naked. I have talked with my husband about it because I dont think its appropriate. I want to discuss this with her, but he thinks its no big deal because this is just the way she is. How can I convey the seriousness of this issue? Or am I overreacting?

Just the Way She Is

Dear Just: I dont know your mother-in-law, so I cant judge her motivations. She was a mother before she became a grandmother, and it may be perfectly innocent. However, if something is going on that makes you uneasy, you must remember that, as your childrens mother, you have a responsibility to put a stop to anything you do not feel is appropriate.

Dear Abby: My husband has a brother, Tom, who is 10 years younger than him. He recently returned from college and is living with my in-laws. Tom has visited us a few times since his arrival. When he comes over, he doesnt bother to ring the doorbell or knock; he simply lets himself in. I dont appreciate the lack of privacy in my own home. People should at least knock or yell hello from the doorway before barging in. When I told my husband it bothered me, he got upset and defensive and accused me of picking on his family. Am I making too much of this?

Ding Dong in Texas

Dear Ding Dong: No, youre not. You didnt mention how long you and your husband have been married, but your home is not a bachelor pad that people drift in and out of. You are entitled to some privacy, and time to cover up if you are in a state of undress. That people ring the bell, knock on the door or yell to announce their presence is not too much to ask. In fact, its considered good manners.

P.S. Keeping the door locked could help solve the problem.
GREENWICH  James Rhaasan, 42, of Spring Street, Stamford, is due in court Dec. 22 to answer charges of risk of injury to a minor after he was accused of grabbing a youngster during a quarrel.

The incident arose on Mead Street on the afternoon of Nov. 10, when Rhaasan came to a home there and began arguing with a woman. He was accused of pushing her face, and dislodging her eyeglasses. He was also charged with grabbing a youngster, according to court papers. Rhasaan was told to leave, but did not, the arrest-warrant application states.
With New York State trying to keep Connecticut from dumping dredge spoils into Long Island Sound, and the new Connecticut Port Authority focused on reviving the states three largest ports, dredging Greenwich Harbor is becoming a more expensive and more difficult proposition.

Each boating season brings more frequent stories of boats running aground in places that were easily navigable only a year or two earlier. And most of the bigger private yachts that require consistent water depths of at least 8 feet or more no longer visit local ports of call.

Boaters and those who make their living on the water have not completely given up hope that they will find the millions of state or federal dollars needed to restore full navigability to the towns main harbor. The Connecticut Harbor Management Association, which advises local harbor management commissions and harbormasters, this summer urged each town to identify its highest priority project to put in front of the state Port Authority. Minutes of the towns Harbor Management Commission do not reveal if that body selected a project for top status, but it is hard to imagine a more important marine project for Greenwich than keeping its harbor accessible for recreational boating.

Recreation is not the only compelling reason to deepen Greenwich Harbor. According to estimates by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, dredging would increase tidal water flow in the harbor by 52 million gallons; almost double its current capacity. Given the two tidal cycles, that means 104 million additional gallons flowing into and out of the harbor every 24 hours or so. That would significantly improve the harbors ability to dilute the 10 million gallons of treated wastewater that the Grass Island sewage treatment plant is licensed to empty into the north end of the harbor every day. And it would greatly enhance the harbors ability to dilute sewage overflows that happen with every significant rainfall in town.

Proponents of dredging Greenwich Harbor are turning most of their efforts to identifying or creating non-government funding sources, and developing alternatives to creating mountains of dredged goo in specially designated areas of Long Island Sound.

It is hard to find specific estimates, but it is safe to say that Connecticut needs to dig up and dispose of tens of millions of cubic yards of dense muck just to revitalize its three biggest commercial ports: Bridgeport, New Haven and New London/Groton.

That makes the approximately 300,000 cubic yards needed to restore Greenwich Harbor, and to increase the navigable channel depth to 13 feet, a relatively minor project and, therefore, a low priority for state and federal funding. Several of Greenwichs wealthiest residents, who own boats far too big to anchor comfortably in local waters, are looking into how they could develop a public/private partnership that would raise funds through a combination of foundations and other tax-advantaged entities, according to state harbormaster for Greenwich, Ian Macmillan.

Right now there are a team of lawyers working to see how this can be done. There are a lot of complex legal issues. Plus, the federal government only issues dredging permits to state or local governments, so the relationship between the private money and the public interest needs to be quite clear, the harbormaster said. Macmillan would not name the boat owners interested in paying for dredging because he had not been authorized to speak for them.

Even if private funds are made available, there is still the issue of how and where to dispose of the dredged spoils. Clean spoils are still permitted in the three Long Island Sound dumping grounds, but only the easternmost area accepts polluted material, and New York State hopes to stop that.

The Greenwich dredge would produce a combination of clean and polluted spoils. Army Corps of Engineers tests of Greenwich Harbor revealed areas that included heavy metals and PCBs. Macmillan and others are looking east to Norwalk for one innovative way to bury polluted sea-bottom muck.

Several years ago, Norwalk faced a similar disposal problem. The solution was to essentially dig a deep hole just east of Norwalk Island. The clean fill from that dig was dumped in one of the officially approved areas; the polluted spoils were then placed in the dug hole and capped with a thick layer of cleaned fill. Something similar could work in Greenwich; but regulations require that such holes be built within town waters, and one can just imagine the political battle over which part of the greater Greenwich Harbor area  which is essentially all the water south of Great Captains and Little Captains Island, from the New York border to Stamford  should be used.

Bob Horton can be reached at bobhorton@yahoo.com .
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This definitely feels a bit like deja vu. Remember how yesterday a rumor from China claimed the Oppo Find 9 would launch in March with Qualcomm's Snapdragon 835 on board? Well, that got debunked in the meantime, but apparently there's another Chinese smartphone that will actually be out in March sporting Qualcomm's latest and greatest.

Yes, the Xiaomi Mi 6. According to one iSuppli analyst, this will be the first Chinese device to feature the upcoming SoC, and will be released at around the same time as Samsung's Galaxy S8 will get its international launch - as it happens, that model will also be powered by the Snapdragon 835.

Of course, this information isn't verified yet, and it's important to stress that it comes from the iSuppli analyst's personal Weibo account, so this prediction doesn't necessarily reflect his employer's views. Then again, the Mi 5 was announced in February this year and released in April, so if we do see the Mi 6 around one year later it wouldn't be shocking at all. Sure, Xiaomi has outed the Mi 5s not long ago, but it looks like some Chinese companies (think of OnePlus, for example) are switching to a release cycle of two flagships per year.

Source (in Chinese) | Via




Haiti - News : Zapping politics...





Lavalas lawyer talks about plot

In a letter to the Provisional Electoral Council (CEP), Gervais Charles, the lawyer of the Political Organization Fanmi Lavalas wrote on behalf of Fanmi Lavalas "[...] I urge you in accordance with Article 158.1 of the Electoral Decree, to verify the regularity of the minutes in relation to the lists of 'emargement' that any voter must sign or affix his fingerprints [...] This formality is essential to avoid any suspicion of conspiracy [...] Several citizens have already testified that their right to vote has been exercised without their knowledge by professionals infiltrated as members of the polling stations."



Privert wants to restore joy and hope to people

This week at the first council of ministers post-election, there was talk of end-of-year festivities. The de facto President Jocelerme Privert showed the need to accompany the Haitian population during the Christmas holidays to restore joy and bring hope to the homes "Solidarity with the families victims in the disaster areas will be the main thread of the activities that will be organized to celebrate the festivities of end of the year."



LAPEH threatens to challenge results if...

"The CEP jeopardizes the electoral process. If the Vote Tabulation Centre (CTV) advances in error, the published results will not be credible and we will challenge them," declared Marjorie Michel, representative of LAPEH, noting that the list of "emargement" are not in Compliance with the minutes, requiring the verification of all list of "emargement".



"Pitit Dessalin" requires ballot verification

Jean-Baptiste Nevelson, one of the two representatives on the CTV of "Pitit Dessalin" platform, said that members of polling stations let people vote without their electoral card in the Northwest and Northeast. "We find in the CTV different writings on minutes. We require an audit, even of ballots paper."



Haitian Distinguished by Obama

Jessy C. Petit-Frere, Minister a.i. of Haitians Living Abroad, congratulated the young Haitian Doctor Valery Moise, founder of the Association Diagnostic Group in the United States, which was recently distinguished as "Young Leaders of the Americas Initiative" by US President Barack Obama for his charitable works, the promotion and fulfillment of children in Haiti.



Preliminary draft of Parliament's Strategic Development Plan

The Planning Commission of the Chamber of Deputies, with technical and financial support from the National Democratic Institute, held a workshop in Petion-ville (24 and 25 November) as a prelude to the opening of the second legislative year of the 50th legislature, on the preliminary draft of the Parliament's Strategic Development Plan. The workshop was organized around the theme "The Strategic Development Plan of the Haitian Parliament, a tool necessary for the reconstruction of Parliament and democracy in Haiti".



HL/ HaitiLibre



HL/ HaitiLibre


















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The Vietnamese leader was welcomed at the Ivato international airport by Madagascars Prime Minister Olivier Mahafaly Solonandrasana, Vietnam's Consul General in the country Eric Nazaraly, and representatives from the summits organising board.



The relationship between Vietnam and the Fancophone Community has recorded fruitful developments. Over the last 30 years, especially in the periods of economic blockage and embargo, Vietnam has received support in terms of capital, expertise and technology from the community.

Madagascars Prime Minister Olivier Mahafaly Solonandrasana (R)

welcomes President Tran Dai Quang at the Ivato international airport (Source: VNA)



The community also serves as a channel for Vietnam to enhance bilateral relations with its developed country members.



Vietnam now has a stronger voice in designing and realising cooperation strategies of the community.



The country has been elected to many important positions in the community, such as President of the Permanent Council of the International Organisation of La Francophonie and President of the Ministerial Conference of La Francophonie for 1996-1997.



Through the forum, Vietnam has promoted bilateral relations with a number of its member nations.



With the successful organisation of the 7th Francophone Summit in 1997 in Hanoi, Vietnam made important contributions to institutionalising political activities and fostering links in economy, politics, culture, language, and education-training among the Francophone communitys member nations.



Vietnam has actively and practically joined in almost all prioritized fields of the community, from outlining cooperation strategies, accelerating administrative and financial reforms and adjusting resources for education and development fields. The country is said to be one of key members of the community.



In recent years, the International Organisation of La Francophonie and relevant agencies have coordinated with a number of Francophone member countries to implement projects in Vietnam./.
More than 2,000 new citizens are celebrating officially becoming Irish.

People from countries around the world were awarded their citizenship at a ceremony in Dublin's Convention Centre, which was attended by Tanaiste Frances Fitzgerald.

The Tanaiste told the new citizens that being able to say "I'm Irish" is "amazingly welcome" across the globe.

"From today, you are part of a new family. You'll have an Irish passport - a small, sturdy, and significant document. Much more significant than it looks at first glance.

"It says something, when you produce it. Something small and quiet.

"It says 'I am Irish'. That small, quiet statement is amazingly welcome, all over the world. It is an even more prized possession in these very uncertain times," she said.

"I find it amazing that, amid all the turmoil of the recession years, the drama of the bailout and the Troika programme, thousands of people were taking huge strides in their lives here in this very building, all the while," she added.

The Tanaiste also acknowledged that Ireland has to make progress in improving the lives of all of its citizens.

Declaration

The new citizens all made a public declaration of fidelity to the nation and loyalty to the state before receiving their documentation.

More than 95,000 people have been awarded citizenship since the ceremonies began five years ago.
A university worker, who has pleaded guilty to membership of the IRA, was arrested when he was aged just 16 by gardai investigating a large bomb that was placed at Shell's Ireland HQ.

Donal O'Coisdealbha (24), from Killester in north Dublin, is suspected of being one of the youngest-ever active dissident republican recruits.

Ultimately he was never charged in relation to his arrest for the bomb discovery at Leeson Street in September 2008, but senior sources say he has remained a chief suspect for the incident at Shell HQ.

Explosive

However, O'Coisdealbha's luck changed on May 13, 2015, when he was arrested by armed members of the Special Detective Unit (SDU) as dissident republicans were planning to carry out attacks during a visit by Prince Charles to Ireland that month.

The Special Criminal Court has already heard that O'Coisdealbha was arrested at Maynooth railway station while on his way to work at NUI Maynooth.

Gardai said a timer power unit for an explosive device was found in his locker at the college. A memory chip board - broken from another chip board linked to a location in Wexford where explosives were found - was also seized.

The court heard that home-made rockets and a modified fire extinguisher designed for a bomb were found in that raid. A senior detective told the court that O'Coisdealbha was recorded referring to having components for 26 explosive devices.

He said evidence in the case would include audio recordings of meetings in a pub in North County Dublin in April and May of last year.

Gardai believe the accused and another man were "at an advanced stage of planning the carrying out of attacks", the detective added.

It previously emerged that Independent TDs Mick Wallace, Clare Daly and Maureen O'Sullivan offered to post bail for O'Coisdealbha but he was unsuccessful in multiple applications.

The young IRA man is the stepson of former Provo and Colombia Three man James 'Mortar' Monaghan.

O'Coisdealbha is due to be sentenced for IRA membership at the Special Criminal Court on Monday.
A 35-year-old man charged with the murder of David 'Daithi' Douglas, who was shot dead on a Dublin street in July, has been further remanded in custody.

Frederick 'Freddie' Thompson, of Loreto Road, Maryland, Dublin, was arrested on November 1 and detained at Kilmainham Garda Station.

Mr Thompson was charged and remanded in custody following a brief hearing at Dublin District Court on November 7.

Mr Douglas (55), from Killala Road, in Cabra, north Dublin, was shot dead outside a shop on Bridgefoot Street in Dublin on July 1.

The father-of-one was standing in the doorway of the shop owned by his wife, Yumei, when he was approached and shot several times.

Remanded

The victim, who suffered a number of gunshot wounds, was rushed to St James's Hospital but was pronounced dead a short time later.

Mr Thompson faced his third hearing yesterday, when he appeared before Judge Victor Blake at Cloverhill District Court. He was further remanded in custody to appear again on December 9 at the same court.

At his first hearing, Detective Inspector Paul Cleary gave evidence that "in reply to the charge after caution he said 'no comment".

Bail cannot be considered in murder cases and the defendant will have to make an application to the High Court to get released pending trial. A book of evidence has yet to be completed and served, and Mr Thompson has not yet entered a plea.
The hunt is under way for a meteorite thought to have landed in Co Donegal, with remnants worth 50 times the value of gold.

The fireball was spotted in the skies above Ireland at around 5.20pm on Wednesday, with most reports coming from Co Donegal.

Astronomy Ireland expert David Moore say they have logged hundreds of reports.

Retired taxi driver John Gallagher, from Donegal town, says he saw the meteorite slow down and fizzle out in mid-air over the Bluestack Mountains.

"It was a huge fireball and it was very, very close. It seemed to be going quite slow and then it seemed to drop," he said.

David Moore says his team is collating reports and hopes to issue a possible location for the landing next week.
The former governor of Odesa region, Mikheil Saakashvili, said the authorities are trying to stop him holding a mass rally scheduled to take place in Kyiv this Sunday, November 27.

"The Last Winter With This Parliament is the title of our rally on Sunday. We want early elections to be called in line with the law. We want legal changes to let new blood enter the next parliament. When the authorities learnt of the forthcoming event this week, they started creating all kinds of impediments to us," Saakashvili wrote on his Facebook page on Friday.

Ukrainian security officers "called every carrier to stop people coming to the capital," Saakashvili said.

"We are being told daily about provocation plots. Bankova [Bankova Street in Kyiv, the seat of the Ukrainian presidential administration] is trying to entirely discredit the street protest, under the guise of Plan Shatun [Rogue Bear]. They want to bring to our rally paid 'Titushky' [hugs hired by government as agents provocateurs] in order to show that our rally has been bought," the politician said.

He also said he would "never stoop to participating in a paid-up rally."

It was reported that on November 7, 2016, Saakashvili announced his resignation as Odesa regional governor because he was tired of continuous lies and corruption, including on the part of the authorities in Kyiv, and on November 9 the Ukrainian cabinet agreed to his dismissal.

On November 19 Saakashvili announced the creation of New Force and the intention to conduct the movement's open Council in Kyiv.
It's been 125 years since Dracula was published. And it's still scary.
The desire of prosecutors to question former Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych via a video link as a witness rather than as a suspect plays into Russia's hands and undermines Ukraine's authority, Verkhovna Rada Deputy Speaker Oksana Syroid said.

"The prosecutors are so interested in questioning Yanukovych as a witness, but they are not demonstrating any interest in questioning him as a suspect," Syroid said on Facebook on Friday.

"Are our prosecutors so unprofessional, primitive, and negligent that they don't see that Russia is interested in their actions and the state's authority is inevitably being undermined? Or are they working in Russia's interests on purpose?" Syroid said.

The prosecutors should be held accountable for lack of professionalism, she said.

It was reported earlier that Kyiv's Svuatoshynsky District Court had postponed a hearing originally scheduled for November 25, during which Yanukovych was to be questioned via a video link as a witness in a case against five former members of the Interior Ministry's Berkut taskforce, to 1:00 p.m. Kyiv time November 28, 2016.
Former Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych spoke in favor of withdrawal of the Ukrainian forces from the territory of Donbas and providing the region with a broad autonomy.

"I stand in favor of Donbas being a part of Ukraine and Ukraine's territorial integrity being maintained. In order to stop the bloodshed it is necessary to cease shooting, withdraw forces," Yanukovych said at a press conference in Rostov-on-Don.

He said that for peace to prevail in Ukraine it is necessary to "withdraw forces, declare amnesty and provide a broad autonomy."
Yanukovych says he left Ukraine with 'hand baggage', has not a cent in accounts in world banks

Former Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych (2010-2014) said he has no funds in accounts in foreign banks and that he had taken only his personal belongings in hand baggage out of Ukraine.

"As for some fantastic money they wrote about a lot, there is not a cent of my money in any bank in the world to date. I have never had and have no accounts," Yanukovych said at a press conference in Russia's Rostov-on-Don on Friday evening.

He also said that he had never taken money and valuables out of Ukraine. "I never took out anything, except for my personal belongings in hand baggage," Yanukovych said.

In addition, the ex-president confirmed the death of his youngest son, Viktor. "I have heard plenty of insults in that period of time, I would have to say, even slander, lies, open and most diverse, cynical; for example, when it concerned death of my youngest son," Yanukovych said.
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An isolationist American President Donald Trump will shrink the United States role and military presence abroad, and will be disinclined to assist India to deal with China or any other threat.

This is not a bad thing to happen considering the Indian government, which has relied on Washington since 2000 for succour, will be compelled hereafter to bank on its own wit, political will, initiative, and national resources.

Unfortunately, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has only laced the foreign and defence policies from the Manmohan Singh-era with some showmanship, but otherwise stayed with the old script.

Modi has not defined national interest, articulated a strategic vision, or followed hard-headed policies to bolster national security. What the country has witnessed is a lot of summitry, Pakistan bashing, inattention to big-power imperatives, the same old, same old subservience to the United States and accommodation of China, and continued emphasis on imported armaments furthered, ironically, by Modis signature Make in India policy.

No geopolitical drive is discernible in Modis approach. Stitching together a coalition of rimland states in the east to ring-fence China is floundering because of Indias faintheartedness in speaking up on the South China Sea dispute, delaying the transfer of the Brahmos supersonic cruise missile to Vietnam owing to US pressure, and reluctance to engage in meaningful military cooperation with Japan.

Meanwhile, China has swiftly encircled India land-ward, is delivering on the $46 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and, seaward, has taken over Maldivian islands four nautical miles from the Lakshadweep chain. In comparison, India struggles to connect the Indian northeast with Myanmar, forget achieving anything as grand as the Ganga-Mekong connectivity announced by the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government in Vientiane 16 years ago.

To Indias west, the development of the critical Chabahar port, railway and roads northwards remains unimplemented, pending Washingtons approval. Linking Chabahar to Russias Northern Distribution Network will outflank CPEC and the prospective Chinese naval presence on the Baloch coast, and provide India access to Afghanistan and Central Asia, and Indian trade a cheaper land route to Europe. India has lost the first movers advantage in Iran and its goodwill.

The baleful US influence on strategic policy is reflected in India seeking entry into the Nuclear Suppliers Group and civil nuclear cooperation deals with all and sundry premised on its not conducting new nuclear tests, even when these are urgently required to obtain a credible thermonuclear arsenal and, at least, notional strategic parity with China. It has resulted in Modi postponing the test-firing of long-range, canisterised Agni-5 and sea-borne K-4 and K-5/K-6 missiles.

Further, foreign reactors are being bought at the expense of modernising the Indian nuclear weapons design and production complex, including the construction of the second Dhruva reactor to produce weapon-grade plutonium, which is progressing at a snails pace.

It mirrors the situation in the defence sector where rather than have the Defence Research & Development Organisation transfer the design and technologies of the formidable 4.5 generation Tejas Light Combat Aircraft to a consortium of Indian private and public sector companies to rapidly productionise, develop variants, induct in IAF and market the plane globally, the Modi governments approach will likely kill this indigenous plane.

Moreover, bending to American advice, Modi is shunning Russian hardware  the Indian militarys mainstay, in favour of obsolete Western equipment. Jazzing-up, 1970s vintage, US F-16s and F-18s, earmarked for license production under Make in India policy, is akin to dressing up a crone as teenager and Make in India being reduced to cobbling together any old item locally.

It is prompting foreign firms to unload worn-out production lines for antique aircraft, etc. for hefty moolah, and private sector firms to join defence public sector units in assembling 50-year old fighter aircraft and such, involving screwdriver-level technology.

The indigenous design, research and development and industrial capabilities in both the nuclear weapons and combat aviation fields are also being strangled as scarce resources are diverted to mindless, cost-prohibitive buys ($6 billion for a 1000MW nuclear plant, Rs 59,000 crores for just 36 Rafale combat aircraft!). When the import option was unavailable, India produced advanced strategic systems  nuclear weapons, the Arihant-class nuclear powered ballistic missile-firing submarine, and Agni missiles. So making conventional armaments is not problematic.

It needs Modi to show faith and confidence in Indian talent and capabilities, shutdown the arms-import channel, including license manufacture deals, that has institutionalised corruption, force the armed services to take ownership of indigenous weapons projects, and hold concerned bureaucrats, service chiefs, department and project heads accountable for bringing nuclear and defence projects in on-time and under budget. Such steps, alas, are not in the offing.

Haphazard arms procurement, highlighted by the commitment of some $70 billion since 2014 to purchase (with mid-life upgrades) an assortment of aircraft and other military goods, is exacerbated by the absence of a mechanism in the government for prioritisation and the arbitrary handling of competing military demands.

Thus, monies are found for the Rafale acquisition because Modi announced it, but the raising of 17 Corps for mountain offensives against China is lagging behind for want of funds. It reinforces the skewed threat and military orientation, resulting in meagre funding of wherewithal for the China front, and in capital-intensive armoured/mechanised forces to subdue Pakistan whose total annual budget only slightly exceeds Indias defence expenditure.

There is much that is woefully wrong with the national security system, some of it attributable to Modis policies, but nothing that is not rectifiable.

The writer is a Professor for National Security Studies, Centre for Policy Research, author, most recently, of Why India is Not a Great Power (Yet), and blogs at www.bharatkarnad.com
The Shiv Sena is experiencing much angst at the Union governments demonetisation of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes. When Narendra Modi told a delegation of the partys MPs that Bal Thackeray would have supported the policy and they were going against his spirit, it was contrary to what most Shiv Sainiks in Maharashtra believe.

These sainiks have been criticising their party president Uddhav Thackeray from Day 1 for not being more aggressive in his opposition to the demonetisation drive and it has prompted him to take the unusual step of joining hands with leaders on the opposite side of the spectrum like Mamata Banerjee and Arvind Kejriwal to oppose the policy. One Shiv Sainik said on the condition of anonymity, Had it been Balasaheb, he would have kicked up a big row and given an ultimatum to the government--withdraw the policy which is affecting the poor or face the consequences. But Uddhav does not have it in him to be the tiger that Balasaheb was.

Shiv Sena defends Azads remarks on demonetisation deaths

That biting criticism and Uddhavs flip-flop on the issue should, however, be seen in the context of the kind of party that the Shiv Sena is and has been since its inception. Bal Thackeray was wont to proudly proclaim that he just had to address a campaign rally and not lift a single finger to make it a success, that was the job of his workers who gathered both supporters and contributions at the grassroots. The cash crunch following the demonetisation now dries up those contributions in this election season with major civic bodies going to the polls between now and February and puts them in a bind.

Perhaps it may not have mattered so much had so many satraps have not exited the party over the years for they could have been depended upon to work their way around and be resourceful enough to deliver their regions to the party. For example, Narayan Rane was the king of the Konkan while he was with the Shiv Sena and trusted with winning the maximum number of seats for the party, election after election. There has been no one to quite take his place ever since he quit to join the Congress. Similar was the case with Ganesh Naik who joined the NCP and took the whole of Navi Mumbai along with him in the process. Thane was equally beholden to the late Anand Dighe and when he died  in hospital  after an accident some years ago, not even Bal Thackeray could prevent his angry supporters from ransacking that hospital.

They are perturbed: PM Modis demonetisation barb draws Opposition fury

Nevertheless, all such satraps however indispensable they may have been, ruled in the name of Bal Thackeray and trusted him to roar in their support and persuade reigning governments to look the other way in case of missteps on their part. Much of Bal Thackerays aura arose from the fact that many a time he had persuaded mighty Congress governments led by powerful chief ministers to do his bidding.

Uddhav, however, does not have the mettle to influence the BJP in a similar fashion and the stature to dictate terms to Narendra Modi as Thackeray did with Atal Bihari Vajpayee on more than one occasion. But, almost on the cusp of civic elections across the state for which his supporters have been gathering funds, he must fight for his workers every inch of the way. So, he seems to be employing every trick in his book in the hope the government will overturn the decision.

While he was not persuaded by such high-ups as Arun Jaitley, Rajnath Singh and Venkaiah Naid who called him up in the past week to express displeasure at his teaming up with Mamata and Kejriwal, he seemed to have softened his stand after Union transport minister Nitin Gadkari called on him. Though his media adviser Harshal Pradhan downplayed that meeting saying it was only to invite the Thackerays to his daughters wedding in Nagpur on December 4. I am not against the demonetisation, per se, Uddhav said later. But I will continue to insist that it is hurting the common man.

He is, of course, couching his objections in terms of concern for the poor. But it is his not-so-poor workers and the elections round the corner that worries the Sena leader the most. He may just have received a fillip with the Federation of Retail Traders Welfare Association recently calling upon him to help bail them out of a situation where they have suffered 70% loss of business in the last fortnight.

The trading community is the BJPs backbone and Uddhav told them, Not just your generation but the future generation will also suffer because of this move. Do not sit back and just shed tears. Be prepared to fight this autocratic decision ... which should have been taken by taking (you) who voted for BJP into confidence.

That seemed suspiciously like provoking them into battle with the government and skimming off the BJP vote bank. Clearly, the Sena is not quite ready to give up the fight just yet.

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Actor Shatrughan Sinha hit out at PM Modis demonetisation move on Friday with a series of tweets that he later had to delete, following an uproar by BJP members.

A BJP leader himself, Sinha says he still stands by his criticism of the move. I stand by what I said. I had to delete the tweet as it was being construed as a criticism of our beloved, much revered prime minister, the super-hero Narendra Modiji... Criticising a party decision is not a criticism of the Prime Minister. I maintain that demonetisation was well intended but very badly executed. It seems like a decision implemented in josh (haste) instead of hosh (deliberation). Forget black money, the working class is being denied access to his hard-earned money. You are saying you will get only Rupees 2.5 lakh to conduct a wedding. What can be done with that measly amount? Even a decent welcome for the baraat costs more... It is easy to say that the common man is willing to suffer for the larger good. But where is the larger good? As a learned economist has said, the Rs 2,000 note may solve the problem of space crunch. But would it quell the financial crunch? People are making jokes about the pink colour of the 2,000 rupee note coming off during Holi in their pockets, and save them money on buying colours. I dont think this is a joking matter. Today, its the `500 and Rs 1,000, what if tomorrow the new Rs 2,000 and the new Rs 500 notes are demonetised?

Sinha adds, The scariest part is that people have lost faith in the government and in the banking service. Today for the first time in a long time, the opposition is united. And for once what they are saying makes sense. Honourable PM has been let down by his learned advisors.

The actor-politician suggests a solution, Modiji should immediately form a high-powered committee of BJP stalwarts like LK Advaniji, Murli Manoharji, Subramaniyam Swamiji,Arun Shourieji... The committee should include a top notch lawyer. If errors of judgement have been made there should be no shame in admitting these... Correct the wrong immediately. Janta will love the government for admitting its mistake.
Despite 3 planes and 12 hour journey to the Maldives, Katrina Kaif is looking amazing in a recent photo shoot for Harpers Bazaar Bride India.

The 33-year-old actor posted on her Facebook page, a picture of herself on the clean beach posing for the lens as she nails the perfect physique for a white mesh swimsuit.

Maldives .... Harpers Bazaar Bride India shoot. 3 planes and a 12 hour journey later....we have reached, read the photo caption.

The Baar Baar Dekho star appears to be as radiant as the scenic country with its clear waters and beauty.

Like A Path Ahead in Life #pure sand #sky's #water #talking to the #Universe #maldives @anantarakihavah #FashionShoot @bazaarbridein A photo posted by Manish Malhotra (@manishmalhotra05) on Nov 25, 2016 at 10:13pm PST

Earlier in the day, Manish Malhotra also shared a picture with the star and captioned it as #ShootTime #maldives #beautiful #KatrinaKaif .#MyFirstTime in #maldives #Exciting #SeaPlane #Journey #Experiences #SliceOfLife.

The Boom star will be next seen in Anurag Basus Jagga Jasoos starring alongside her former flame Ranbir Kapoor.

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Harry Potter author JK Rowling has gifted a young girl living in war-torn Syria with copies of her famous boy wizard books.

My friend @jk_rowling how are you? Thank you for the book, love you from #Aleppo. - Bana pic.twitter.com/c84b4Zux0G  Bana Alabed (@AlabedBana) November 23, 2016

Seven-year-old Bana has been watching the Harry Potter films to distract her from the bombings and fighting, which is occurring in her hometown of Aleppo.

Bana, this made me so happy! Lots of love to you and your brothers! #StandWithAleppo https://t.co/ODTivIs5EZ  J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) November 24, 2016

After watching the film earlier this week, Banas mother Fatemah reached out to Rowling via Twitter, revealing her daughter and other local children were interested in reading the books the movies are based on, reported CNN.

Hello my friend @jk_rowling, I started reading your books now, my heart is for you. Thank you. - Bana #Aleppo #StandWithAleppo pic.twitter.com/MHtOIFzwuI  Bana Alabed (@AlabedBana) November 24, 2016

JK Rowling and actor Eddie Redmayne attend the premiere of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them in Manhattan, New York. (REUTERS)

Hi @jk_rowling I watched Harry Potter movie, Bana would like to read the book.- Fatemah #Aleppo  Bana Alabed (@AlabedBana) November 21, 2016

Rowling was moved by the message and replied, writing, Bana, I hope you do read the book, because I think youd like it. Sending you lots and lots of love xxx.

The 51-year-old writer subsequently sent her electronic copies of all the books in the franchise.

Banas mother has since shared her gratitude with the author on Twitter, writing, Thank you my friend Jk Rowling for the books, to which Rowling responded, Thinking of you, keep safe #Aleppo.

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In June, I asked many Kashmiri language experts about the number of novels written in Kashmiri. The consensus figure seems to be 12 to 13. Charles Dickens alone has written more. Except for a couple of them, these novels are known only to Kashmiri academics and a miniscule number of the lovers of this language that 95 percent of Kashmiris cant read.

One of these rarities, a novel that famously stands out for its provocative dedication, was recommended to me. The novel was written in 1975 and published for the first time in 2002. The dedication, which is often misquoted, has become part of the Kashmiri political discourse during the 27 years of anti-India insurgency.

Tas nawjawanas nazrana yus yi samaj paak karne khaetre godnyuk bandook chalavi

An offering to that youth who will fire the first gun to purify this society, the dedication reads.

It is also the only Kashmiri novel that was available in the market. Not in any bookshop though, but in the half-empty top shelf of a photocopying-cum-stationery shop run by the novelists middle-aged son near a college in Srinagar. The son has the publishing rights.

At Rs 150 for a hardbound edition, Jahnmuk Panun Panun Naar, Ones Own Hell, written by the late Akhtar Mohiuddin, is light on the pocket. But reading this 143-page novel felt like plodding through War and Peace twice over. Not because it is a difficult read but because of the linguistic handicap that I -- like many Kashmiris who struggle with reading their own mother tongue  suffer from.

I was reading a Kashmiri novel for the first time. So I read it twice, gaining fluency over diacritics in the aching, halting first reading that stretched over several days. I achieved a comfortable level of fluency in the second. The luxury of time was afforded by a ban imposed on Gandhi Jayanti on the Kashmir Reader, the newspaper I had been editing for a year.

The setting of the novel is 1970s Kashmir, a time of great political and social ferment. Mohiuddin calls it a constellation where the corrupt ex-minister, contractor, superintendent of police are the suns around whom various lesser moons revolve. The force that holds this universe together is the diabolical Haakim-e-Aala, chief ruler.

Mr X, a once nondescript clerk has been catapulted into this universe by the chief ruler himself. He is now a big contractor. He also draws salary from his clerical post. As the novel progresses, Mr X diversifies into charas smuggling. At the same time, he feels alienated and seriously contemplates starting a normal life with his wife, Mrs X. Hitherto she has merely been a big-eyed, curvy woman, partnering in his dealsoffering herself to officials to get tenders passed, and watching him record and then listen to tapes of the shrieks and moans of teenage girls being deflowered by rich and powerful men whom Mr X needs to trap in his quest for money and power. Among these people is a noted journalist identified only by the Urdu letter Sheen.

The girls come from that part of the city where people resemble each other in physical features and the shared wretchedness of their cramped lives. All of them look toward the colonies now inhabited by the likes of Mr X. A music school in the lower part of the city provides a steady supply of girls. X is the schools benefactor.

Once, the girls and the music teacher are handed suitcases and flown to Eastern Port, ostensibly for a performance. But the troupes visit is actually meant to deliver a consignment of charas. Once the mission is accomplished, the music teacher who leads the group is told to pack up and return home. The teacher wonders at the wasteful habits of the rich.

While Mr X contemplates the prospect of a normal life where the noise of children will animate the house, Mrs X is in the throes of suicidal despair. Before being married off to Mr X, Mrs X was a college student from the lower part of the city. The chief rulers son had seduced her. But before he could think of a long-term relationship, the chief ruler had married her off to Mr X who had, after the marriage proposal, poisoned his first wife. X moves with Mrs X into a house gifted by the ruler himself in a colony in the upper part of the town.

The night Mr X comes home to talk about his plans of a happy life, Mrs X has consumed poison and slept, never to wake up again. Next morning, when he finds her dead, Mr X runs off to the chief ruler who assures him calmly, Last rites performed.

A letter written by Mrs X, that reveals the elaborate web of corruption of which she was a part, had reached anti-graft officials. The house is raided. Officials seize the sex tapes stacked in shelves marked A, B and C, markers of the power hierarchy. These people are called for questioning.

A quake creates disturbance, people run but it settles, finally, the narrator says.

After the quake settles, we find Mr X in a bar, sipping whisky, thinking, How can I ever repay him. The Bab (father, the ruler) alone stood by me in this moment of grief.

The novel has never flourished in Kashmir. Having read a single work in this freakishly small body of a dozen odd novels, I am hardly qualified to even attempt something of a review of Jahnmuk Panun Panun Naar.

But this novels political content is not lost even on a first-time lay reader.

The democracy in this city had reached a stage where, one day, it had to take a dangerous turn. The world mistook this turn for an accident but the charlatans who steered the democracy had deftly negotiated the turn. Although this unprincipled and ungodly democracy had been sick since its inception, people had hoped it would grow healthy over time. But while its body emerged whole from that perceived accident, the damage to its soul was permanent, the narrator says.

The novel alludes to the rule of an authoritarian politician, where corruption has been institutionalized and ministers and officials easily shuttle between epicurean indulgence in women, wine and money and the facade of nobleness of their private lives.

Mr X hears the ruler tell a gathering once: Anyone who cant rise now will not rise ever. This line, repackaged in other less explicit idioms, seems to define all subsequent governments. Mohiuddins novel, conceived half a century ago, therefore, resonates loudly even today.

Jahnmuk Panun Panun Naar is a prescient diagnosis of how authoritarianism disguised as democracy ends up ravaging lives, creating ruinous divisions in society, and making demigods of political stooges. Those familiar with contemporary Kashmir would, after scratching the surface, find the valley teeming with Mr Xes and Sheens.

The gun Akhtar had desired did finally come and he was alive (he died in 2001) to witness its arrival. It aimed at overthrowing the entire power structure, rather than merely purifying the society corrupted by a Hakim-e-Aala, a figure that appears and reappears in various guises. Guns on both sides consumed the writers son and son-in-law. He is probably the only Kashmiri writer who captured the tumult of the early 1990s in fine impressionistic short stories.

Incidentally, in 1984, Akhtar returned the Padma Shri, awarded to him in 1968, in protest against the hanging of Maqbool Bhat, the founder of the JKLF.

Hilal Mir, editor of the Kashmir Reader, ironically states the ongoing ban on the newspaper has afforded him the luxury of time required to embark on the challenging task of reading a novel written in Kashmiri for the first time!

Jahnmuk Panun Panun Naar is proof that it is possible to write works of great literary value in Kashmiri, a language many of its speakers believe has not produced any worthwhile literature. Akhtar also wrote two other novels. Both have bleak titles: Doad Dug (Illness and Pain), considered his best, and Zuv ti Zolane (Life and Shackles).

There were small but valuable takeaways from reading this novel: I learned a few new Kashmiri words, learnt the correct pronunciation of a few others, and turned nostalgic on reading long-forgotten words that I had last heard in my childhood.

It took 27 years for Jahnmuk Panun Panun Naar to be published, a year after the death of its author. Many copies from the first print run of 500 remain unsold. This is the story of most Kashmiri authors and poets. Kashmiri poet and humorist Zareef Ahmad Zareef revealed that he published a poetry collection 30 years after he wrote it.

Read more: Future of Valley at stake? Why Kashmiri language gets little attention

Noted Kashmiri writer GN Gowhar said he translated his own novel, Argi Ashud, into English. I asked if the Kashmiri version is available in the market. Only the translation, Torch Bearer in Dark Circles, is available. Another Kashmiri novel, Gul Gulshan Gulfam, by distinguished playwright Pran Kishore, which was adapted into a popular TV serial on Doordarshan in the 1990s, has been translated into English only recently by Shafi Shauq, a noted scholar of Kashmiri.

Why hasnt the Kashmiri novel grown, I ask. Why would someone spend four, five years in writing a novel knowing fully well that there wont be readers after all that effort? Shauq said.
One of the states on the southernmost tip of India, Kerala had a population of about 20 million in 1959  half were Hindus, while the other half comprised Muslims and Christians. As a matter of fact, Christianity probably reached the shores of Kerala as early as 52 AD, when St Thomas, also known as Doubting Thomas (because he is said to have doubted that the other ten apostles had seen the resurrected Jesus), a disciple (some say a twin brother) of Jesus Christ, landed at Cranganore. Nevertheless, Christianity was certainly well established in Kerala in the fourth century AD.

From a political point of view, Kerala at the time of Independence had a strong Muslim League and Communist presence. When the voters of Kerala in 1957 brought the Communist Party of India (CPI) into power it created quite a stir. For the first time in history, a Communist government had been elected rather than grasping power through revolution and occupation. No single party got the majority votes, but due to the electoral system, the Communist Party with more than 35 per cent of the votes was invited to form the government.

When the elected Communists began to pass their programme through the Kerala legislature it caused agitation and instability in the state. The Kerala government was led by EMS Namboodiripad. His government was a duly elected one and should, of course, not have been overthrown until, possibly, by the voters at the next general election.

Earlier governments in Kerala had promised land reforms, but it was the Communist government that decided on implementing them. Another reform was an Education Bill, which Inder Malhotra describes as aimed at controlling and regulating the plethora of privately-run schools and colleges which had become a byword for waywardness. The Christian Church, the Muslim League and the Nair Service Society, all controlling numerous educational institutions and landed estates, were in the forefront of the agitation which soon developed into a mass movement for the removal of the Communist ministry.

Feroze and Indira on their way back to India from Europe. It was after her return that Indira first spoke to Nehru about her decision to marry Feroze. (Courtesy NMML, New Delhi)

But when in some schools, the portrait of Mahatma Gandhi was replaced with portraits of Marx and Stalin, the agitation grew even stronger and became a storm. New Delhi, already somewhat obsessed with the apprehension that too independent and powerful state governments were a danger to the centre and the unity of the nation, became worried. Jawaharlal Nehru tried to persuade Namboodiripad to go slow with his reforms, but Namboodiripad refused. Voices in the capital were raised conveying the message that the Communist government in Kerala should be thrown out with force and presidential rule imposed.

Nehru was ambivalent. He did not like the situation in Kerala, but he knew that it was against the idea of democracy to dismiss a popularly elected state government, even though the CPI by definition itself was not a democratic party. As a matter of fact, when the CPI won the elections in 1957, Nehru had been almost proud that his India was such a good democracy that it permitted Communists to come to power  by legal means. He also considered it possible that the outcome of the Kerala elections would prove to other Communists around the world that there was a peaceful and democratic road to power.

Unlike her father, Indira, president of the AICC (All India Congress Committee) in 1959, had no democratic second thoughts when it came to crushing the elected government in Kerala or the elected government of any Indian state for that matter. The agitation in Kerala may have been fuelled by the reforms the CPI government went for, but even before the agitation in Kerala against the Communist rule was in full swing, Indira Gandhi grasped the opportunity. She orchestrated the unrest from New Delhi through her loyal AICC workers in the state. And she did it hand in hand with the communal Hindus in the state and with the Muslim League. The situation turned violent, the police opened fire against demonstrators and many died. Even though some of the blame must be put on the Communist rulers, this was also the first but not the last time that Indian blood was shed because of Indira Gandhi. Here she showed that she could be a stiff authoritarian and undemocratic leader and it paid off. She was soon on the verge of ensuring that she got her way.

While the situation in Kerala was tense, in the background there was Feroze and their disintegrating marriage. On 21 July 1959, Indira wrote to Dorothy Norman: A veritable sea of trouble is engulfing me. On the domestic front, Feroze has always resented my very existence, but since I have become President he exudes such hostility that it seems to poison the air. Unfortunately he and his friends are friendly with some of our ministers and an impossible situation is being created.

Then she switched to the big political problem: The Kerala situation is worsening. This movement is not petering out as Communists claim but gathering momentum. The women, whom I have been trying to organise for years, had always refused to come into politics. Now they are out in the field. Over 8000 have been arrested. I have heard that in Europe and perhaps in America my father is being blamed for not taking any action. And here we discern that Indira Gandhi considers her father weak and indecisive: He has given a very good lead from the beginning but he is incapable of dictatorship or rough-shodding over the views of his senior colleagues.

Feroze and Indira Gandhi with Jawaharlal Nehru. Their first son Rajiv was born in 1944 in Bombay. (Courtesy NMML, New Delhi)

She continues in the same vein: More and more I find that he is almost the only one who thinks in terms of ideology rather than personality. I cannot write much in a letter but you would be surprised that some of the ministers whom we had considered the most anti-Communist are now supporting the Communist government of Kerala. My father cannot go against the wishes of the Home Minister, for instance. It is a very ticklish situation. Indira Gandhi was not able to separate anti-Communism from accepting a popularly elected Communist government. And even though Nehru was incapable of dictatorship and rough-shodding, Indira was not. Ultimately Nehru, basically weak as he was, caved in to his daughter and did it her way.

Many years later, around 1976, she was interviewed by Emmanuel Pouchpadass, her biographer. When she looked back at the events in 1959, she played down her own role saying that my part was not as important as it is now made out to have been.

That was not her only rationalization. She also said that the Marxists are always accusing me of having brought down their government. My recollection is that Mr Namboodiripad, who was the chief minister, did make a statement to the effect that the law and order situation was not entirely in their control, there was a strong public demand for a change of government. But it could never have been done had the Central Government not been willing. I did go to Kerala and I did report on the situation. My own opinion would not have changed things. The fact is that my father probably was not happy about the situation. I know Feroze was not happy about it.

What an understatement!

Feroze and Indira Gandhiat teh breakfast table with Jawaharlal Nehru. It was at thsi table that Feroze once accused his wife of being a fascist. (Unknown source)

Feroze was furious, to say the least. He fought her with all means, through the press, via other politicians and face-to-face with her over the breakfast table at Teen Murti. According to Janardan Thakur, well-known political correspondent: It was her husband who perhaps first called her a fascist, way back in 1959 when she was Congress President, Indira Gandhi had been lobbying hard for intervention in Kerala and Feroze had taken a stand against it. He thought it was undemocratic to dismiss an elected government, whether it was a communist government or otherwise. The issue had come up at breakfast table at Teen Murti, and there had been quite a row between Indira and Feroze, with Nehru looking on very distressed. It is just not right, Feroze had said, you are bullying people. You are a fascist. Indira Gandhi had flared up. You are calling me a fascist. I cant take that. And she had walked out of the room in rage.

Feroze lost the battle and Presidents rule was imposed in the state. But even after losing the battle, Feroze nonetheless continued the struggle for democratic principles. For the next turn of events that happened was that the Congress under the presidency of his wife made the situation even worse to ensure that the Communists could not return to power. The Congress made an electoral and political alliance with the Indian Union Muslim League and other disputable elements in Kerala.

Feroze after his first heart attack together with sons Rajiv and Sanjay. (Courtesy Feroze Gandhi College, Rae Bareli)

Feroze spoke out  not as a member of the Lok Sabha, but at a Congress meeting: We intend to have electoral alliances in Kerala. I really do not know what it all means. We are going to have and we will have alliances with the Muslim League, with the leaders of caste, casteism. Where are we? Where is the Congress? Where are the principles of the Congress? Sir, Shri Padmanabhan Nair, the day that the Presidents proclamation is issued, asked the Governor come on, now suspend the Education Act, suspend Agrarian Reforms Bill. Are we going to be dictated by a caste monster we have produced? Has the Congress organization come to this level? Has it fallen so low that we are going to be dictated [to] by communal elements, by leaders of caste and by those who can enthuse religious feelings into people and create situations where we get caught? Sir, tomorrow, if this is allowed to continue and this policy is allowed to work, we might as well have alliances with the Jana Sangh and we might as well have alliances with hundreds of other parties.

And he concluded: Today in Kerala you have forged the instrument of your own destruction. If this instrument is not destroyed, this instrument is going to destroy us. That is all that I have to say.

Ferozes colleague in the Parliament, Bali Ram Bhagat, shared with me in August 1998: I still remember his words. He described it as a caste monster, as A Caste Monster and we are surrendering to A CASTE MONSTER.

What was the reaction to his speech? Let us listen to an anonymous voice: For the first time I felt that there was a complete silence in the Central Hall where the party meeting was held. For the first time I felt an impasse in the meeting had reached. The way out was inconclusive debate and allowing a good deal of passage of time before the next meeting.

Heda, also a member of Parliament, shared: Among the Congress members, Feroze had devoted himself to the study of the Constitution quite early. His speech in the Party meeting on 2nd August 1959, was devoted to it. He raised his voice against the imposition of Presidents rule in Kerala. What surprised us most was that he did it almost single handed when both Prime Minister and Congress President, were so close to him. His emphasis was that we are not forming a pattern to determine the desirability or otherwise of the Presidents Rule in any given situation. The final decision is that of the Central Leadership. But at the same time public in general should feel that certain norms were followed and the extreme step was taken after due warning.

In another account, Feroze on this occasion in the Congress Parliamentary Board spoke out forcefully against the Congress adventure in Kerala. He denounced his party  and, by implication, his own wife  for signing up with right-wing forces in Kerala. Nehru later told friends that he found Ferozes remarks unforgivable.

Family ties: Indira Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru in 1959 (Ullstein bild via Getty Images)

But Feroze was not alone. The Congress Parliamentary Board also denounced the intrigues and history has shown that the most unforgivable thing was that Nehru yielded to his daughter. Had Nehru been wiser he should instead have lent an ear to his son-in-law. It was Nehru who deserted his democratic principles, which were reduced to lip service.

In 1998, I had the opportunity in London to talk with Mary Shelvankar, who was a good friend of Indira Gandhi. Being a Marxist-Leninist, who met and admired Vietnamese Communist leader Ho Chi Minh and Chinese Communist Partys Zhou Enlai, she could not have been overly happy when her friend Indira destroyed the first duly elected Communist government in the world.

When I mentioned the Kerala incident and the struggle between Feroze and Indira over her behaviour, Mary Shelvankar said: Feroze and Indira were nationalists and socialists, but when it came to democracy their differences were almost total. Feroze was more of a federalist, while Indira subscribed to a rather authoritarian attitude. I knew Indira much better than Feroze. I was  and I still am  much more to the left than she was. I still consider Lenin a good man. When my husband was Indias ambassador to Hanoi, he ever so often went home to report. I met Indira many times and we had many discussions. Over the years, Indira and I argued and argued on a very friendly level. I thought that one should let people be as they are and permit them to be on their own, but she stuck to the concept of Mother India. She wanted all the power in her hands. She was against a federal India. In her opinion India was not enough developed to be a federal state. Feroze had a different approach. I only met Feroze two or three times in New Delhi during the 1950s. I never got close to him, because I felt that Indira did not want it. But from my discussions with Indira, I understood that Feroze was for a federal India and was against the centralized India she wanted.

The elections in Kerala that followed Indira Gandhis successful intrigues showed that the Communist Party still had a very strong following. As a matter of fact, Indira and her allies succeeded through their acts to increase the support for the CPI from 35.28 to 43 percentage of the popular vote. In that sense, the agitation Indira had fuelled proved counter-productive. It rather, strengthened the popular base of the CPI than weakening it. Indira had shown her firm determination and iron will. Most other leaders of the Congress party not only demonstrated that they liked the fact that she subscribed to the Jesuit slogan that the end justifies the means. They exhibited poor judgement in another respect as well. They did not realize that she had displayed her mettle. The reason for their failure was perhaps that they may have shared her opinion in the actual point of issue. They may even have felt that she had carried out their wishes.

As a result of their blindness, they committed the big mistake a couple of years later of making her the prime minister of India. Dom Moraes wrote: Room was made for her at the top by the combined efforts of certain Congress politicians, and her image then was that of a shy and reticent person, anxious to please her mentors. When the right hour came, she raised her pinions, shook off all encumbrances, and took to the upper air, flying over the country like the spirit of her childhood heroine That heroine was Joan of Arc.

Bertil Falk and Indira Gandhi (Katarina Falk)

It is strange that she was able to uphold the impression of being a puppet for so long, even though she had come out in her true colours as early as in 1959 and that in a very decisive way, when she created the Kerala clampdown. But the fact is that the king- and queen-maker Congress leader from Tamil Nadu Kamaraj and the other responsible leaders of the so-called Syndicate, the breakaway party also called the Indian National Congress (Organization) that was formed when the Congress party split in 1969, did not understand the true face she showed during the Kerala crisis.

If Kamaraj had been more observant, keen and suspicious in 1959, he would have understood that Indira was not to be trifled with. He did not see the writing on the wall and committed his lifes political mistake to prefer her to Morarji Desai, something he later came to regret. It is of course always easy to be wise after the event, but the moment of truth finally dawned on him. When this otherwise very able and impressive Dr Frankenstein from Tamil Nadu understood that he had created a political monster, it was too late. He was himself cut to size, his powerbase eroded and he died disillusioned in 1975, with his creation standing by the side of his funeral pyre.

Read more: Gopalkrishna Gandhi on Feroze Gandhi



The miscalculation of Kamaraj and his friends and the failure of the Syndicate to undo the mistake are however extraneous to our subject. Except for one important fact. If they had been more democratic and had listened to Feroze and his friends in the party and the press in 1959, they would have been able to avoid the biggest political blunder of their lives in 1966.

Ferozes fear that this kind of unjustified action would erode the Congress Partys democratic credentials, and even encourage authoritarian tendencies in the future proved to be prophetic. The road from democracy to the Emergency was paved.

Presidents rule is the euphemism used for the implementation of Paragraph 356 of the Indian Constitution, which provides for dismissing state governments in cases of misgovernance, lack of a majority in the legislature and so on. In accordance with her conviction that India was not developed enough to be a federal nation, Indira Gandhi used Article 356 no less than twenty-nine times between 1966 and 1977. Presidents rule was also used nine times when the Janata regime was in power. And when Indira Gandhi was returned to power, she  in a vindictive mood  used or rather misused this tool eight times in 1980 alone. Steps have been taken in order to stop the galloping abuse of Article 356, but I have a feeling that more could be done.

A series of selfies, long before the word was invented, taken by the young Feroze Gandhi in London. (Courtesy NMML, New Delhi)

Now to be fair, Indira Gandhi reinstated the democracy she betrayed. When I asked her why she did so, she said that in a democracy it is not possible to keep an Emergency going for too long. At least and at last she understood that, but the Emergency was an expensive experience for India. And in the long run, Indira Gandhi after Operation Blue Star, when the Indian army stormed the Sikhs sacrosanct Golden Temple in Amritsar to flush out terrorists, had to pay an even higher price  her own life when she was assassinated by her Sikh bodyguards  for her ruthlessness than Kamaraj paid for his credulity.

In the long run, it is rather the legacy of Feroze than the legacy of his wife, that is alive and kicking. Indian democracy is at work at the national and the regional levels as well as the local level. Federal India is in many respects a democratic model for the world.
On her first trip to Mumbai, we take author and food historian Colleen Taylor Sen on a pav bhaji jaunt to some of the citys most iconic eateries

Colleen Taylor Sens tryst with Indian food goes back nearly four decades, when she met her husband Ashish Sen at university in Toronto. Like most Bengalis, he was passionate about food, and her mother-in-law, the late Arati Sen, also wrote frequently on the subject for the Bengali magazine Desh. Trips to India in the early 70s introduced her to its diversity, and she began writing about lesser known regional Indian cuisines for several American and Canadian publications.

It amazes me how much has changed in India since then. Twenty years ago, you couldnt find restaurants serving Bengali food and now, there are places serving Bihari, Mizo and Assamese food, which is revolutionary because people are beginning to discover other cuisines, she says, on the sidelines of Tata Lit Live in Mumbai. Colleens first book on the country, Food Culture in India, was published in 2004, and she has since written five more, including the recent Feasts and Fasts: A History of Food in India, which Brunch columnist Vir Sanghvi also wrote about earlier this year.

Colleens next book, to be published next year, is Street Food: Everything You Need to Know about Open-Air Stands, Carts, and Food Trucks Across the Globe, co-authored with Bruce Kaig. The book is an update to a 2013 version, which catered to academics and students. This version is intended for a broader market and is more reasonably priced, she says.

While she has made frequent trips to Delhi  she loves chole bhature  Kolkata and other parts of India in the past few decades, this is her first trip to Mumbai. And since her next project chronicles street food, it is only fitting that she be introduced to the culture here through a dish iconic to Mumbais culinary landscape  pav bhaji.

Made out of potatoes, peas, tomatoes cauliflower and other vegetables mashed together on a flat tawa, the bhaji comes with piping hot pavs doused in butter. Whether its served on handcarts or in swanky restaurants, pav bhaji has been a great leveller, just like the city it supposedly originated in. Wasnt this dish discovered as a way to use leftover vegetables the next day, and became popular with mill workers? she asks, as our kaali-peeli winds its way through south Mumbais traffic. Her theory is quite on-point, but what does she think of the dish? Find out.

The soft crunchy bite: Cannon Pav Bhaji, Fort

We begin our trail at the popular, 40-year-old Cannon Pav Bhaji opposite CST station in Fort. A modest-looking open eatery that has just enough space to stand  no tables here  the pav bhaji gets to us within a minute, ladled onto the plate by the efficient women servers. After observing it for a few seconds, Colleen asks if the bhaji has to be poured on the pav or vice versa. When I tell her its the latter, she breaks a piece of the greasy pav and dips it in the bhaji ever so carefully. Oh my, this is wonderful! she says, after the very first bite. I can taste the potatoes, tomatoes and lots of coriander. I cant really make out the other vegetables though, she adds. A few bites in, she grabs a spoon and scoops up some bhaji, noting that its mildly spiced. Whats becoming clear though, is her fondness for the pav. Its crunchy on the outside and so soft inside. Just perfect.

(Aalok Soni)

That buttery feeling: Sukh Sagar, Chowpatty

Dodging the Girgaum traffic, we make it to this Chowpatty landmark just around lunch time and quickly grab a seat in the air-conditioned section upstairs. The pav bhaji arrives after a nearly 10-minute wait and the first thing Colleen notices is the size of the pavs. Theyre much smaller here, compared to Cannon.

Does everyone make their own bread too? she asks. She scoops up the bhaji with a piece of pav. This has the same degree of spiciness, but its more buttery and has a smoother texture. Its more finely mashed, she observes. I think Im really starting to like this, she adds. While its hard for her to pinpoint a difference, if any, in the ingredients, she tries the bhaji by itself to confirm. I can really taste the crunchiness of the onions in this one. It was hard to notice that with the pav though, she says.

(Aalok Soni)

Bhaji without kanda: Manohar Pav Bhaji, Girgaum

We walk a few hundred metres to get to our next stop, Manohar Pav Bhaji. Its easy to miss this hole-in-the-wall, which has only a few tables inside. Its compact, so much so that the cook sits cheek by jowl with the cashier, furiously stirring the bhaji on the signature large tawa. To stir things up a bit, we order the Jain pav bhaji, a variant that doesnt contain onions or potatoes (Jains dont eat root vegetables). The pav bhaji comes with a side of tomatoes  as opposed to minutely diced onions. One bite, and Colleen is nodding her head in approval. This is delicious, she exclaims. This has so many dimensions and textures. The masala is great and I can really taste the pepper.

Traditionally, Jain pav bhaji substitutes the potatoes with plantain, but things are slightly different here, as Colleen finds out. The marked difference in taste, and texture, is due to the white peas (used in usal too), in place of the potatoes. This ones a winner... so flavourful. I love it, says Colleen as she tucks into the bhaji.

(Aalok Soni)

Cheese please: Swati Snacks, Tardeo

Our last stop is this upscale vegetarian eatery, frequented by Gujaratis in the area for panki (savoury rice flour pancakes) and handvo (a kind of vegetable cake). We seat ourselves at one of the tables opposite the kitchen, visible through a glass partition, and order a portion of the cheese pav bhaji, a spin-off thats hugely popular because well, what doesnt taste good with cheese!

As the dish arrives, Colleen remarks that the presentation is very elegant. The bhaji here is served in a deep bowl, not on a flat plate. By now, shes a bit of an expert, and is quick to dig in. The analysis doesnt take too long. I like this the least. Im just not fond of the flavouring, she comments. A few bites in, she consciously scoops up some of the grated cheese along with the bhaji. I cant taste the cheese, its too mild. Theres no richness... the others were spicier and more aromatic. A few sips of water later, she adds that she doesnt like the aftertaste either. The verdicts out on this one, and Colleens not impressed.

(Aalok Soni)

In the taxi back to her hotel, Colleen says thats shes surprised at how a simple dish can have so many variations. This has been one of the most interesting culinary adventures Ive had. Im going to try pav bhaji everywhere I go now, she says, laughing. She has another point to make. I think the quality is inverse to how fancy the place is. We hear you, Colleen!

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From HT Brunch, November 27

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Ousted Ukrainian ex-president Viktor Yanukovych supports Russian President Vladimir Putin's actions allegedly to protect Russian-speaking residents of Crimea during the change of government in Kyiv in 2014.

"This behavior deserves respect," Yanukovych said at a press conference in Rostov-on-Don on Friday evening.

At the same time, Yanukovych deplored the fact that Kyiv has lost its jurisdiction over Crimean territory. "Is it good that Crimea has been separated from Ukraine? No, I believe it's bad," he said.

At the same time, he laid the blame for the radicalization of sentiments in Crimea and its residents' desire to join Russia on the organizers of the Euro-Maidan events.

"Crimea started seeking help from Russia. But the referendum on Crimea's separation from Ukraine is a result of Maidan's provocation. Until Ukraine returns to the legal framework and until it conducts true investigations, it will be impossible to build the future without the truth," Yanukovych said.
What if your lehenga narrated your love story? After photos of her own wedding outfit set social media afire last year, Kresha Bajaj now translates romances of other brides-to-be on to their wedding ensembles

Kresha Bajaj used to hate traditional Indian togs. When she started her label Koecsh a few years ago, she was clear about what the label would stand for: edgy Western sensibilities. Her creations included collar harnesses, cage bustiers, spiked rings, experimental skirts and jackets. Thus, when her wedding date was set last year, Bajajs mother suggested she get her wedding lehenga from one of the many couturiers in the city, as Indian designs were not her forte. I spent days browsing and saw some beautiful ones, but they just werent me, says the Mumbai-based fashion designer. Thats when I decided that I was going to make my own lehenga, she adds.

While watching an episode of the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, she stumbled upon an ingenious idea. One of the characters had framed her wedding dress, and since I believe in all things multi-purpose, this had my attention. When she bounced the idea off her fiance Vanraj Zaveri, he was sceptical. He told me, you get sick of looking at the same art, are you sure you want to do this? she recalls. So that her wedding lehenga would always be a beautiful memoir, Bajaj decided to translate milestones from her relationship onto the lehenga, through intricate, embroidered designs on each kali. The jumping dolphins on the hem symbolised the moment Bajaj and Zaveri first met, at a protest rally against dolphin culling; the clinking of champagne glasses, the proposal in Maldives; while the palace symbolised the time they recced their wedding venue in Udaipur.

Bajajs pictures went viral, her story covered on websites such as Cosmopolitan and Metro UK. Ive always been a little weird with my creations and never thought it would get so popular, she says. Fast forward to a few months later and Bajaj now has her hands full, helping other brides-to-be translate their milestone moments onto their ensembles. Here are their stories.

Love in Singapore and a lehenga with a Merlion!

Singapore bride Sonam Nanwani met her husband at a satsang, represented on her lehenga through the two hands joined in prayer (Vidya Subramanian/HT PHOTO)

Sonam Nanwani reached out to Bajaj on email after seeing her pictures. The Singapore-based bride-to-be wanted her wedding lehenga to reflect all the beautiful moments she had experienced in her relationship. This one was a bit challenging as Sonam and Id never met. Everything was decided over texts and video chats, says Bajaj, adding that she really had to dig in to get as many details about their courtship as possible. Nanwani and her husband met at a satsang in Singapore, so, that first meeting was recreated by embroidering two joined hands  male and female  like in prayer, with diyas around. The celebrated Singapore skyline  including famous icons such as the Merlion  found its way on the hem, while roses became a recurring motif through the lehenga. During a chat, I discovered that her husband would write her a lot of letters during their courtship, so I decided to transpose one of the letters around the entire length of the dupatta, adds Bajaj. Plus, the couples names were also weaved in the midst of some zardozi that ran vertically through the lehenga. Considering that we had never met, she really trusted my vision and was very open to the suggestions I gave, she says.

London Eye + Mumbais Sea Link on this cross-cultural lehenga

The gold embroidery on Riddhi Veds wedding lehenga depicts iconic monuments of the cities the couple is from, such as the Taj Mahal Palace, the Gateway of India in Mumbai and the London Eye; and the facade of the Venetian hotel where Veds fiance proposed (Vidya Subramanian/HT PHOTO)

Riddhi Ved and her beau first met each other at a Spanish class in London. The friendship that blossomed over customary holas and buenas noches soon turned into love. Ved was from Mumbai and her groom-to-be, a Spaniard from London, and their cross-continental affair deserved a memento unlike any other. Ved is a Kutchi and wanted a panetar-style lehenga  a wedding outfit with a white base and traditional motifs that is common in Gujarati communities. Bajaj wanted to know what they loved the most, so Ved sent her a motif that had a flower entwined with a trumpet  she loved nature while he, music. The words Enamorado Siempre, meaning forever in love, were embroidered into the lehenga  as language had forged their destinies. Ved is originally from Mumbai so we decided to incorporate London and Mumbai elements, like the Eye and the Sealink in the outfit, says Bajaj. The proposal happened in Venice, so the facade of the hotel where they stayed was included as another element. I think one of the most beautiful elements is the recreation of a scene where they went ice-skating at Somerset House during Christmas. Its moments like these that make all the hard work so worth it, she says.

A work-in-progress sketch of the proposal segment on Riddhi Veds lehenga. It depicts the facade of the Venetian hotel where Veds fiance proposed

Love sonnets on a lehenga

This story was slightly different from the others in that Bajaj is designing the brides mehendi outfit. The raw silk lehenga has intricate resham work that includes details from the bride and grooms journey together. Because New York is special to the couple, the citys skyline finds its way onto the piece, while their names are also entwined in one of the portions. I asked her about the most romantic moment, and she said it was when he covered the entire path outside her house with rose petals on Valentines Day. Its a beautiful memory, says Bajaj. What she also discovered in subsequent talks was that the groom would write poems to her, and that was a token that merited a special space. We embroidered the longest poem hed written, along the hem, while the shorter ones were sewed on to each kali. A personal memory is now forever, she says.

The Times square lehenga with south Indian motifs

Bajaj is evasive about the details of this one, as it involves two famous celebrities from the South film industry. In this case, its a love story sari as the bride is south Indian and will wear it on her engagement, she says. The sari will be plain white with a heavy blouse, and the couples story will be showcased through the heavily embroidered pallu  since Times Square holds a lot of significance for them, the special moments in their relationship will be recreated on billboards, reminiscent of the iconic area. These include song lyrics, pictures and even their movie posters. Translating someones personal story on to a garment is quite sensitive and can even end up looking comical. When I consult with the bride on her likes and dislikes, it almost feels like a therapy session, laughs Bajaj. The end result, though, is always special.

From HT Brunch, November 27, 2016

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The government is planning to amend the Income Tax Act and introduce provisions to tax and penalise those who deposit old notes into their bank accounts that they cannot account for.

If deposited amounts do not match with their declared income, they will have to pay 60% tax on the amount deposited, which may go up to as high as 90% including penalties. However, if they declare the money as unaccounted while depositing it in the bank, the tax would be 50%, sources in finance ministry, who did not wish to be named, told HT.

The cabinet decision yesterday (Thursday) was a pre-cursor to a proposal to amend the tax laws in this session of Parliament, said an official in the tax department of the finance ministry.

Half of the deposit (what remains after the tax is deducted) would have to remain locked-in for a period of four years in case it is declared as unaccounted, and five years in case the depositor does not declare so but the disparity is subsequently detected by the income tax department.

Read more: Demonetisation: How govt rules changed as chaos increased

Changes to the Income Tax Act have to be in the form of a money bill introduced in Lok Sabha and passed by it before being ratified by Rajya Sabha. Money bills, simply put, are those that involve imposition or abolition of taxes.

Thursdays Cabinet decision was taken with the view of moving a money bill in Parliament, the source quoted above said.

The stated purpose of demonetisation is a surgical strike on black money. This is part of the governments on-going war against illegal money circulation in the economy, revenue secretary Hasmukh Adhia had earlier told HT.

And in keeping with this purpose, the government had announced that authorities will keep an eye on bank deposits above Rs 2.5 lakh. Any mismatch between wealth and income would invite heavy taxes and penalty.

But the government had earlier stated that any mismatch would attract 30% tax and 200% penalty on the taxed amount; imprisonment was also not ruled out.

Sources in the income tax department explained that the lowering of the tax amount was to pre-empt litigation.

Any income wealth mismatch could always be shown in the income tax return and for that 30% tax has to be paid. It is difficult for the tax authorities to ascertain the year when black money was generated and so the proposed 30% tax and 200% penalty on it can be litigated, explained a source in the tax department.

Amending the Income Tax Act was necessary to ensure that tax notices are not challenged in courts. And this tax will be applicable on all deposits from November 8, onwards, said Girish Vanvari, national head of tax in KPMG.

For our full coverage on demonetisation and black money crackdown, click here

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Deposits in Jan Dhan accounts soared sharply by around Rs 27,200 crore in just 14 days after the announcement of ban on old Rs 500 and Rs 1000 currency notes.

Total deposits in 25.68 crore Jan Dhan accounts crossed Rs 70,000 crore mark and were at Rs 72,834.72 crore on November 23.

As of November 9, total deposits in these accounts were Rs 45,636.61 crore.

After the surprise demonetisation of 500 and 1,000 rupee notes announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on November 8, deposits in Jan Dhan accounts have increased sharply to 27,198 crore.

However, 22.94 per cent of 25.68 crore accounts still have zero balance.

As on November 16, 25.58 crore accounts with aggregate deposits of Rs 64,252.15 crore were opened under Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) across the country.

Read | Rs 21,000 crore deposited in Jan Dhan accounts after demonetisation move

With a view to increasing banking penetration and promoting financial inclusion and with the main objective of covering all households with at least one bank account per household, the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojna was launched in August 2014.

Such accounts have a deposit limit of Rs 50,000.

Earlier, both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and finance minister Arun Jaitley had cautioned people against misuse of Jan Dhan accounts for conversion of black into white.

We are getting some complaints that suddenly monies have popped up in the Jan Dhan accounts, so there is a misuse and that is why the rationing in initial days takes place, Jaitley had said.

He had cautioned that the departments concerned will act if anything improper is found in the deposits.

Read | Govt agency to inspect Jan Dhan bank accounts after sudden jump in deposits
Tata Sons has slapped a legal notice on ousted chairman Cyrus Mistrys aide Nirmalya Kumar for alleged violation of confidentiality agreement and sought an unconditional apology for making disparaging remarks against the group and divulging information.

Kumar, a visiting Professor of Marketing at London Business School who was member of the now disbanded Group Executive Council under Mistry, took to Twitter to react to the legal notice.

Legal counsel #Tata to me: stop divulging Tata Groups future strategy. Thought no strategy n (and) roadmap was reason #CyrusMistry was fired! he said.

Tata Sons in the legal notice asked Kumar to issue an unconditional apology to the company, withdraw your disparaging remarks about the Tata Group from the social media and forthwith cease and desist from making any further public statements or disclosing any information in breach of your obligations you have explicitly undertaken.

It warned of initiating legal proceedings, both civil and criminal, if he fails to apologise and desist from disclosing confidential information.

In interviews say Tata group is grt (great) - cant throw basket out 4 few bad apples. How is it disparaging? Lakh crore marketcap loss #TataSons ..., Kumar, who claims he was asked to leave the Group soon after Mistry was abruptly removed as chairman of Tata Sons on October 24, said in another tweet.

Citing interviews and statements he had given recently, Tatas in the notice said he had signed an undertakings after resigning from the Group last month that he would refrain from publishing or circulating any such material that may directly or indirectly refer to the company... which constitutes disclosure of confidential or proprietary information.

Also, he had agreed and undertaken to no disparage either by himself or through any other person in respect of any matter pertaining to Tata Sons and/or its group companies as well as their directors and employees, the notice said.

In addition to these undertaking, he had also given a Confidentiality Undertaking at the time of joining services in June 2013.

Your media interviews and other statements in the press attributed to you, which you havent denied, amount to a contumacious breach of your obligations, both contractual and otherwise, the notice said.

Tata Sons said Kumar had access to information like Tata Groups future strategy, which had had chosen to divulge and discuss in the public domain.

You have used the information, entrusted to you in confidence, not only unauthorisedly but for the purpose and with the clear intention to cause detriment to the company and Tata Group, the notice said adding the issues disclosed by Kumar publicly had inherent confidentiality obligation.

Tata Sons also took strong objections to his disparaging remarks about the group and said it reserves right to claim damages for the same.
Fake news is very much in the news following the results of the American election. Among the many fake news reports aimed at damaging Hilary Clintons chances were claims that she had suffered brain damage, that she was an alcoholic and a drug addict, and that she had a long-term hidden Lesbian relationship. So damaging was the fake news that many believed it had influenced the result of the election. So widespread was this belief that Facebook and Google have now promised to take action against fake news sites. Mark Zuckerberg, the co-founder of Facebook, dismissed the idea that fake reports influenced the election as crazy but he did admit there was more that could be done to curb fake news and promised to improve further.

Read: Not just fake news, Facebook is a bad news platform by design

German chancellor Angela Merkel does not think its crazy to think that fake news can influence election results. Speaking after she announced that she would seek election for the fourth time, she said that public opinion was being manipulated on the internet and warned of the power of fake news on social media to spur the rise of populism.

Last week I learnt of the Indian governments concern about fake news when I got a surprise telephone call from the minister for information and broadcasting, Venkaiah Naidu. He asked gruffly, Did you write the report which is on social media in your name? No, I replied firmly. It is nakli, or fake. I then pointed out that two earlier nakli reports attributed to me had gone viral on social media. I had informed the government and the then ruling Congress party but heard no more. The minister said: The government is having trouble with false reports on the social media and I am seeing what can be done about it.

Read: Facebook didnt stop fake news over fear of offending conservatives: Report

All three nakli reports in my name supported the BJP and attacked the Congress. The latest report ends: [T]he time has come to continue to support the man (Narendera Modi) and keep your faith intact and we will see the new India for sure  bigger, better, stronger, corruption free, peaceful, prosperous than (sic) before with people having better quality of life (sic). In one of the earlier reports the language used to disparage Sonia Gandhi would be unprintable in any reputable newspaper. I got a large number of e-mails asking me about the reports. Many but not all didnt believe I had written them and only asked for confirmation. But some did think they were authentic, a few even congratulated me. The fact that people could believe such obvious fakes were genuine indicates the power of fake news.

There is nothing new about the power and danger of fake news in India. It is a matter of degree. The rumour mill or the bush telegraph was used to spread fake news long before anyone imagined the social media. But effective though that traditional method still is it cant compare with the rapidity and extent of the spread of fake news on social media.

Read: Just like in the movies: fake news videos have Bollywoodised truth

One well-documented reason for concern about the role of fake news in India is the role it plays in communal violence. A particularly significant case is recorded by the American political scientist Paul Brass. In his book The Production of Hindu Muslim Violence in India he describes the impact of a lie deliberately spread during the Aligarh riots in December 1990 and January 1991, in which The Peoples Union for Civil Liberties estimated between 125 and 150 people were killed. On December 10 the influential Hindi paper Aaj published under banner headlines a fake news story that 28 patients were killed in the hospital of Aligarh Muslim University. Brass says it is generally accepted that rioting, particularly attacks by Hindu mobs on Muslim persons and property intensified after that date.

Read: Pak-based group launches cyber attack on govt officials: Report

The Aligarh incident is significant because the rumour was spread by a well-established newspaper. In doing so Aaj undermined the credibility of the press as a whole. If we journalists are to survive in the welter of rumour and fake news that the social media spawn we have to be the one source to which people can turn to discover what is actually happening. We must cherish old-fashioned news values, and recognise that our unique selling point is credibility.

I can only say that I am at least glad that the originators of the fake reports attributed to me which have gone viral online have done such a botched job that many people from the minister down doubted the reports were authentic. If the reports had been more credible, less absurd, my credibility would have been severely damaged.

The views expressed are personal
A 15-year-old girl from central Delhis Anand Parbat, sold twice for marriage by human traffickers, was rescued three days ago from a home in south Delhis Mahipalpur, police said.

Four people, including the man the girl was married to, were arrested. Meenu, Tara Chand and Ram Kishore alias Kale trafficked the minor and Vishal married her. He kept her at his Mahipalpur home, said police.

This gang sold girls of poor families in Delhi as brides in Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Punjab where there is a shortage of brides due to a skewed sex ratio.

The girl was first sold to Baljeet, a 45-year-old resident of Haryanas Mewat, for Rs 90,000 in August-September. A month later, Baljeet committed suicide. He was depressed because the traffickers were pressuring him to pay Rs 1 lakh for helping him get a wife, police said.

The traffickers threatened to take away his bride if he did not pay and to implicate him in a false rape case. Since Baljeet was a farmer from a poor financial background, he was not able to arrange the amountHe chose to kill himself, said a senior police officer.

After Baljeets death, the traffickers went to his home posing as the girls relatives. They brought her back to Delhi, telling Baljeets family and neighbours that she was upset over her husbands death.

On the way, they kept her at Tara Chands relatives house in Haryana, as they looked for another customer to sell her to.

When the gang failed to strike a deal, they brought her to Delhi where she was married to Vishal, another relative of Tara Chand. He was charged around Rs 70,000, police learnt.

The minor was rescued and the four were arrested when police investigated a kidnapping case filed by the girls family at the Anand Parbat station, additional deputy commissioner of police (central), Chinmoy Biswal, told HT.

Investigators said Meenu lured the girl by promising her a job. Police are investigating how many others the gang sold to potential grooms.
Giving more power to people, deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia said contractors working on Delhi government projects in his constituency will only get paid if residents were satisfied with their work.

On Saturday, Sisodia inspected development work in his constituency, Patparganj, and talked to residents about the quality of work. Officials said he inspected fifteen development works completed recently.

He ordered for the payment to be released wherever people expressed satisfaction with the work. At one location, residents expressed displeasure with the work. He asked officials not to release the payment to the contractor till work is done to the satisfaction of residents, officials said.

During Sisodias visit, contractors and engineers of departments concerned were also present.

Later, he wrote on his Facebook page that he distributed pamphlets detailing the works to be done using MLA funds in a neighbourhood before the work starts.

The pamphlets have contact numbers of the contractor and the concerned engineer. This has resulted in people ensuring work is done by the contractor in front of them and exactly how it was described in the pamphlet, Sisodia wrote.

If residents are satisfied, they have to submit a letter to the deputy CM. If people are happy with the work they give a letter with signatures of the locals saying they are satisfied with the work. Only after this, payment is released, officials said.

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal said the model should be replicated across the city through mohalla sabhas  Delhi governments scheme to directly involve voters in decision-making related to their areas.

Excellent. This needs to be institutionalised now thro mohalla sabhas (sic), Kejriwal tweeted along with a video showing Sisodia talking to Patparganj residents.

Involving people in governance

Mohalla Sabhas: Every assembly constituency divided into 40-50 mohallas. People can propose, discuss and decide to carry out basic or urgent development works.

School Management Committee (SMC): Aims at involving parents in school functioning, including fund utilisation. Parents elected as members
Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) administration has issued show cause notices to 20 students, including sedition accused Kanhaiya Kumar and Umar Khalid, seeking explanation for the alleged illegal confinement of the vice-chancellor and other officials in the varsity building.

A group of agitating students had confined the V-C and other senior officials in the administrative building for over 20 hours last month alleging inaction on the administrations part in locating missing student Najeeb Ahmad.

Ahmad, 27, a student of School of Biotechnology and a native of Badaun in Uttar Pradesh, went missing on October 15 following an on-campus scuffle allegedly with the members of the ABVP, the night before.

Twenty students, including Kanhaiya and Umar, have been sent notices over the illegal confinement and have been asked to depose before the proctorial committee, which is probing the issue after a complaint was received from the universitys chief security officer, a senior varsity official said.

Read | JNU protesters call off 20-hour blockade of vice-chancellor over missing student

JNU students and teachers have been agitating against the university administration and Delhi police for their failure to locate the missing student.

On the directive of Union home minister Rajnath Singh to Delhi police commissioner Alok Kumar Verma, an SIT was formed last month to trace the missing student.

The SIT failed to get any actionable clues in the matter. The case was later transferred to Delhi polices crime branch.

The university panel probing the incident of October 14 following which Ahmad went missing had found ABVP members guilty of assaulting him. However, no disciplinary action has been taken yet.

Also Read | Najeeb was mild-mannered, always studying, says missing JNU students roommate
Delhiites are thinking of innovative ways to work around the currency ban as it is time to pay domestic helps, cooks, drivers and others whose services keep countless households running.

Two weeks since the currency ban announcement, cash is still a premium. Plastic cards and e-wallets may have helped some sail through the month. But they are of no use in paying for everyday services.

CHEQUES AND BARTER SAVE THE DAY

Lajpat Nagar resident and homemaker Sunita Srivastata (36) has to pay her help Rs 500 to wash utensils twice a day. Instead, she offered to buy her groceries.

Since it is a small amount, I will buy her monthly groceries for the sum and give her the bill. She understood that everyone is facing a cash crunch and agreed to my proposal, she said.

Many others in the neighbourhood also use the idea, Srivastava said.

Lado Sarai resident Ashish Parashar pays his house maid Rs 2,000. But this month, he offered to buy train tickets for his maids husband and her children, to save up on precious notes.

First, I gave her options of old notes, issuing a cheque or depositing the money in a bank account. She refused all three. She had told my wife that her husband and children will go to Punjab for a week. I bought their tickets. It costed around Rs 2,000, said Parashar.

SAVING UP FOR ANOTHERS PAY DAY

People are using credit cards as much as possible to pay wages in cash to household staff. (AP)

Others like IT professional Manoj Halder anticipated the situation. He used his card wherever possible to save up the cash to pay his maid and driver.

We can live on plastic money, but these people rely on what they get at the end of the month. I did not even feel like giving excuses, he said.

Halders driver and maid have been employed with the family for long. He pays them a total of Rs 20, 000.

Most of them consider household helps their lifelines and do not want to disappoint them, Lajpat Nagar resident welfare association president, Pawan Arora, said. Most of the people in our area are paying partly in cash, and paying the rest by buying things for them.

Dwarka Sector-12 resident Sudha Ashoks maid has agreed to accept a part of Novembers salary by cheque.

The 42-year-old has to pay her maid Rs 4,500 a month. That would mean two trips to the ATM to stand in serpentine queues because of the Rs 2,500 withdrawal cap per card.

My maid has a bank account and paying a portion of her salary by cheque will be convenient for both of us, said Ashok.

She will he pay her maid Rs 2,000 in cash  as she needs it urgently and the rest by cheque.

Instead of delaying payment or waiting for the situation to improve, we agreed I will issue a cheque in her name. She can get it deposited in her account according to her convenience, Ashok said.

NEW-AGE MAIDS NOT FOOLED BY OLD NOTES

With the influx of smartphones, most helps in Delhi are aware that old denomination of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 are banned. ( )

If residents are finding interesting ways to ride the cash crunch, maids and drivers are also on their guard about employers trying to dispose of old notes.

With the influx of smartphones, most helps in Delhi are aware that old denomination of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 are banned.

I keep myself updated about all the developments and try to inform as many people I can. I have told all the maids I know not to accept old notes, said Sarita Devi (48).

She heads a maids union in Mayur Vihar. The resident of east Delhis Chilla village has been in the business for over 20 years and has developed a strong network with other maids in the area.

Workers refuse to accept even Rs 2,000 notes and ask for Rs 100 notes. They said it was difficult to get change.

OPPORTUNITY IN SCARCITY

Still others have gone a step ahead with their resourcefulness.

South Extension resident, Nidhi Chaddha, said most residents in her locality pay drivers by cheque, but it comes with a rider. The driver is given a days holiday and he has to stand in the bank queue. He has to withdraw Rs 24,000the maximum withdrawal allowed. He can keep his monthly salary and return the remaining to the owner.
Forty-two days after JNU student Najeeb Ahmed went missing, his mother on Friday moved the Delhi high court seeking a direction to the government and police to produce him before the court.

Najeeb, a student of school of biotechnology and a native of Badaun in Uttar Pradesh, went missing from the hostel on October 15 a day after an alleged scuffle with the members of Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP).

A bench of Justice GS Sistani and Justice Vinod Goel issued notice to the Delhi government and police on the plea by the 27-year-old students mother, Fatima Nafees. The bench told Delhi Police to file a status report within three days.

Senior advocate Colin Gonsalves, who appeared for the mother, said that there was a political connection in the case because of the involvement of student group which is close to the ruling government.

Gonslaves said the family of the missing student was skeptical that police will not do anything compelling them to knock the courts door.

Najeebs mother has urged the court to set up a court-appointed special investigation team (SIT) of impartial officers of proven integrity from outside the state of Delhi to take over the entire investigation from Delhi Police crime branch.

She has alleged that her son was beaten up by members of ABVP which is affiliated to the RSS and therefore, closely connected with the BJP which is the party in power at the Centre.

Since the Delhi Police comes under the control of the Central government, it is not likely that any progress will be made in the investigation, she said.

Earlier this week, a proctorial enquiry by the university found an ABVP member guilty of assaulting Ahmed during a brawl over a month ago, a day after which Ahmed went missing.

Delhi Police has also raised the reward amount from Rs 50,000 to Rs 5 lakh for anyone providing information that could help locate Ahmed.

Following Ahmeds disappearance, JNU students and teachers have been protesting against the university administration and Delhi Police.

Delhi Police had last month set up an SIT on the orders of Union home minister Rajnath Singh. The case was later transferred to the crime branch.

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Ukrainian government forces' positions in Donbas have been shelled 37 times over the past 24 hours, the staff of the anti-terrorist operation in the eastern part of the country reported on Facebook on Saturday.

In the Mariupol sector, militants fired 152mm artillery guns to shell Shyrokyne. They also fired mortars, weapons of armored fighting vehicles, grenade launchers, and small arms upon Talakivka, Maryinka, Pavlopil, Novotroyitske, Shyrokyne, Lebedynske, Hnutove, Stepne, and Vodyane, it said.

In the Donetsk sector, militants shelled Adviyivka with 122mm tube artillery. They also fired small arms, grenade launchers, mortars, and weapons of armored fighting vehicles at Luhanske.

In the Luhansk sector, militants fired 120mm mortars at Troyitske and small arms and grenade launches at Novooleksandrivka and Krymske, the report said.
Three weeks after demonetisation I believe we can attempt to credibly answer two critical questions: How effective will this be in extinguishing black money  to use the finance ministers preferred verb  and could it have been done with better planning?

Lets take the second issue first. Given this has been allegedly planned for 10 months, the government should have printed and kept ready for immediate distribution a far greater number of the new 500- and 2000-rupee notes. It should also have vastly increased the number of 100-rupee notes in circulation. When it was withdrawing 86% of all currency, this was essential.

Not only did it not, but the printing of new notes only happened after September 4, when Urjit Patel took over as RBI governor. His signature is proof of this. Consequently, since our mints can print only 3,000 million pieces of currency per month whilst the government has removed over 23,000 million, the quantity of new notes ready for immediate infusion was irresponsibly  actually recklessly  small.

Read: Demonetisation was well intended but very badly executed: Shatrughan Sinha

Today we have an undoubted shortage of cash, which is why the government has imposed restrictions on how much can be drawn. That wouldnt have been necessary if the new notes had been ready in greater number and the circulation of the 100-rupee note sharply increased.

Second, the government could also have ensured that the new 500- and 2000-rupee notes were the same size, weight and thickness as the old 500- and 1000-rupee notes. After all, all dollar notes, whether one dollar or a 100, are the same size. If that had been done there would have been no need to recalibrate ATMs.

Third, the government should have permitted cooperative banks to exchange notes and accept deposits of old ones. These banks cover rural India far more effectively than mainstream ones. They have 100,000 branches in rural India with Rs 10 lakh crore investments. In comparison, 33% of the 138,626 branches of mainstream banks are in just 60 Tier-1and Tier-2 cities.

Read: Demonetisation shows PM Modis enormous courage: Ratan Tata

Now, to the question of effectiveness. This, after all, is the raison detre of the exercise. Pronab Sen, the former chief statistician, says only 6% of black money is held in cash. Former finance minister P Chidambaram puts the figure at 15. So even if this demonetisation is 100% successful the percentage of black money it will extinguish varies between small and minimal. Each of us must decide whether the pain, as well as the length we suffer it, is justified by this level of gain.

The demonetisation is also intended to eliminate counterfeit currency. Last weekend defence minister Manohar Parrikar claimed thousands of crores would be eliminated. However, a study in 2015, done by the National Investigation Agency, says that at any point of time only 4,000 million of counterfeit currency is in circulation. Thats just 0.028% of total currency. The study also says this increases by just 700 million a year.

Read: Vijayawada temple receives Rs 1.05 crores in banned currency notes in a month

So, once again, is this demonetisation and the pain its entailed an appropriate way of tackling counterfeit money? Venkaiah Naidu says its dealt a sledgehammer blow to Pakistans funding of terror. But isnt that true only if Pakistan cant find other means of raising currency of 5,000 million?

Im not an economist so I must admit I cant definitively answer the two questions I began with. Nonetheless I do believe the facts Ive presented and the points Ive made are relevant to any honest answer.

The views expressed are personal

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I remember that as a very young school boy hearing about Fidel Castro in a party in my diplomat-fathers house in New York in late 1959 after the Cuban revolution. As a special favour I was allowed to stay up as the adults engaged in an animated discussion. One spoke to my father in fluent Spanish. Later, I was told he was a revolutionary close to Fidel and who had to leave New York abruptly shortly thereafter. The group including Latin Americans, Africans, Europeans and Asians were not all diplomats but included journalists, academics and even a big businessman. There I heard that the US was thinking of suppressing the Cuban revolution, which had overthrown the Mafia- and US-backed Batista dictatorship.

Fidel had a very special relation with India. Fidel was a star of the Non Aligned Movement--as Vice President Hamid Ansari said in a meeting with him just a few months ago. He was also a great admirer of Nehru and had a friendship with Indira Gandhi, and this led to a warm friendship between the people of India and Cuba.

In April this year Fidel Castro gave a rare speech in the Communist Party Congress. He reiterated that the communist concepts were still valid and that the Cuban people will be victorious. He went on to say Ill soon be 90, something Id never imagined. He added Soon Ill be like all the others to all our turn must come. Even months earlier a frail Fidel said that he would die soon. The important thing that he Raoul and his slain comrade Che believed in was that the Cuban revolution should support the principles of peace, freedom, justice and equality not only in Cuba but everywhere else.

In the initial years Fidel and his colleagues concentrated on the security of Cuba and the consolidation of the Communist regime. This turned out to be extremely important. President Kennedys historian has written that Kennedys choices were, first preference would be a democratic regime, but if that was not possible, the second preference would be a dictatorial Batista regime and the third last choice would be a Castro regime. In 1961, the CIA-sponsored Bay of Pigs invasion by Cuban exiles had to be fought off by the Cuban government. This led to the Soviet Union deploying nuclear missiles to protect Cuba against the US government. This sparked the Cuban missile crisis. After that Cuba was virtually cordoned off and US citizens were stopped from visiting Cuba. Unilateral sanctions were imposed, most of which have been removed relatively recently.

Fidel Castro: A revolutionary who brought India and Cuba closer

Despite the extreme hardships Fidel, Raoul and in the initial period Che advocated Cuban support to other freedom struggles. While Che believed that a small group of committed revolutionaries could light the flame of revolution, most Cuban comrades in leadership positions did not agree. Some years later Che was captured by US-backed military troops and was executed on the spot. However Cuban troops did support freedom struggles in countries as diverse as Angola and Eritrea. This is often not noted or remembered. For a small country under the shadow and threat of the US, with its Guantanamo Bay occupied by the US as a prison for dangerous prisoners, the support that the Cuban Government led for long by Fidel and more recently by Raoul is simply amazing.

Ironically, the famous Cuban cigars that are cigar smokers delight throughout the world, was firmly stopped by his doctors for Fidel who then only chewed the cigar, and that also was banned later. Cuban rum however is very popular but a rare commodity.

Fidel Castro (L) waves to the Cuban Olympic delegation as they pass the reviewing stand during the opening ceremony of the Summer Olympics on July 24, 1992 . (AFP)

All revolutions have to change with the times. This was an issue debated by communists in Cuba and all over the world in which liberals also intervened. This led to a series of economic, political and social reforms in the latter period of Fidels life, taken further by Raoul.

We learnt a lot from the Cubans and even senior Indian Leftists like EMS Namboodripad, B T Ranadive, Inderjit Gupta, Jyoti Basu and A B Bardhan to name just a few were strongly influenced by the Cuban revolution. But the admirers of the Cuban revolution included radicals, left liberals and liberals throughout the world. There is a saying that old soldiers never die they only fade away. The flame of the Cuban revolution will never allow its heroes to fade away.

(Kamal Mitra Chenoy is professor of politics, School of International Studies, JNU and member of the CPI)
On a sunny Saturday afternoon, two days after a leopard was beaten to death in the area, tension is still palpable at Mandawar village  40km south of Gurgaon. Amid fears of punitive action for killing the animal that, they say, injured 13 people in three hours on Thursday, the villagers shared tales of courageous youth who prevented loss of life.

In the two days since the incident, the event has been embellished with snippets of valour. Seated on a cot puffing hookah with a group of villagers, Chajju Ram, a 50-year-old-farmer, recalled how one of the youths, Lalit, saved one Sandeep. Some men claimed that Lalit held the leopard by the scruff of its neck.

The leopard had caught Sandeeps abdomen when Lalit intervened and rescued him, Ram said, narrating how Lalit held his nerve while facing the animal, and ended up with bruises on his hands.

On the left of Gurgaon-Sohna road, a concrete road bisecting the sprawling agricultural farms leads to Mandawar -- a village tucked in the foothills of Aravallis and untouched by development. The village is surrounded by Faridabad in the east, Tauru in the west, Gurgaon city in the north and Sohna town in the south.

In the presence of police and ill-equipped forest officials who struggled to rescue the leopard, the villagers, armed with sticks and axes, hunted the animal for over three hours till they killed it. The initial autopsy report suggested that the three-to-four-year-old big cat died because of loss of blood.

The incident had sparked criticism from activists who demanded enhanced facilities for wildlife management in the region, and proper implementation of guidelines issued by the Union ministry of environment and forests in 2011 to control man-animal conflict.

Environmental activists maintained that there is an urgent need to conduct orientation meetings of wildlife and forest staff in Aravalli villages.

There is a need to enhance equipment and manpower in the region. In south Haryana, a comprehensive leopard and wildlife management plan needs to be developed, keeping in mind the numerous deaths of leopards that have taken place, said Chetan Agarwal, environment analyst.

Had it not been for the young men, many villagers would be dead by now. And, we are told that a case would be filed against us, former sarpanch Khazan Singh said.

A construction company worker, Lalit, 30, has attained a hero stature after Thursdays incident. As he gets ready for another round of treatment on Saturday afternoon, 10 villagers assemble outside his brick-and-mortar house to ferry him and another injured man, Yogesh,

to Sohna civil hospital. The

leopard had pounced on Yogesh, 30, while chasing a group

of villagers.

Apart from the rumour about police action, the village is also abuzz with a rumour that another leopard is roaming around. As a preventive measure, several residents have started keeping a stick next to their bed at night.

The episode has left us in the fear of more attacks, Pratap Singh, 53, said. Singh said he has never seen the nearly 2,000 residents of the village so scared.

Besides Lalit and Yogesh, villagers injured in the attack include Praveen and Bhupender. Two others, Shankar and Karamveer, who were part of the 1500-strong-mob, came from neighbouring Kherli Lala village. Another injured man, Ramzan, is from Satla village three kms from Mandawar.

They (forest) officials know that we live near the forest.

They should at least keep interacting with us. We have not seen wild animals before. We do not even know if it was a tiger or a leopard. They should have informed us about handling wild animals, Shashi Kant Bharadwaj, 25, said.

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The leopard beaten to death by residents of Mandawar village of Sohna in Gurgaon district on Thursday was cremated at a reserve forest the same day around 5pm by the wildlife department. The leopard had strayed into the village, 40 kms from Gurgaon, and attacked 12 people after it was surrounded by villagers.

We have burnt the carcass completely and disposed of it. As it is a sensitive issue, we cannot disclose the location of the cremation. We have burnt the carcass completely as leopard parts are very valuable and can be misused. The claws, teeth and skin of a leopard have immense importance in the international market, due to which we disposed of the carcass completely, said Rambir Singh, conservator of wildlife, Gurgaon.

According to the initial post mortem report, the animal died of blood loss.

A panel of three doctors conducted the post mortem at a veterinary hospital in Badshahpur. The final report will take three days to come, Singh added.

When asked, the wildlife department said it will take legal action against the villagers as killing a leopard is a crime under Schedule 1 of the Wildlife Protection Act (WPA), 1972.

At present, India has six schedules of the WPA, of which animals listed in Schedule I and Part II are the most endangered and iconic species such as tigers, leopards and elephants. The act states that hunting or harvesting any endangered species is against the law.

In August this year, villagers had discovered the carcass of a full-grown leopard in Gairatpur Bass forest area. The cause of death could not be determined from the post-mortem as the leopard had died in July. Forest department officials had burnt that carcass completely too inside Sultanpur National Park.

Read more: Disappearance of pets failed to tip off villagers to leopards presence

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Amber Heard, whose own abuse allegations against former husband Johnny Depp made headlines earlier this year, recently opened up about her experience and encouraged other victims to speak up against domestic violence.

The 30-year-old teamed up with the #GirlGaze Project to create an emotionally-charged two-minute video, where the actress speaks directly to the camera, urging women to raise your voice because it is the most powerful thing, reports E! Online.

In this November 3, 2011 file photo, US actors Johnny Depp, left, and Amber Heard arrive for the European premiere of their film, The Rum Diary, in London. He left his longtime partner, Vanessa Paradis, then took the step of marriage with Heard. Were they more odd than fairytale? Definitely. So when Heard filed for divorce earlier this year, alleging drunken rage and physical abuse, media and the public ate up the details, including Heard's display of facial bruises and a video of a raging Depp she secretly shot at home. (AP)

Speak up, speak up. Raise your voice, your voice is the most powerful thing and we, together, as women standing shoulder to shoulder cannot and will not any longer accept silence, she encouraged.

At many points in the video, Heard is seen fighting back tears, as she describes in detail the shame she felt through her experience.

I guess there was a lot of shame attached to that label of victim, Heard explained. It happens to so many women. When it happens in your home, behind closed doors, with someone you love, its not as straightforward. If a stranger did this it would be a no-brainer.

Heard also expressed that she believed there should be a greater focus on the negative stigma attached to reporting instances of domestic abuse and how to combat it, instead of solely addressing the attackers. (REUTERS)

The Drive Angry star then reflected on the support she received from close confidants.

If I hadnt had a few people that I really trust around me, a few women support, a few friends. If I hadnt had them around me, how different my life would be, she shared.

Heard also expressed that she believed there should be a greater focus on the negative stigma attached to reporting instances of domestic abuse and how to combat it, instead of solely addressing the attackers.

We need to take responsibility for how we talk about these things. The only way people are going to feel comfortable coming forward, raising their voices and standing up for themselves, is if we change the system in place that keeps them quiet, Heard said.

At the end of the former couples lengthy divorce battle, Depp agreed to pay Amber a 7 million dollars settlement, all of which she requested be donated to the American Civil Liberties Union and Childrens Hospital of Los Angeles.

Follow @htshowbiz for more
At least five personnel of Para Special Force deployed along the Manipur-Myanmar border sustained life threatening injuries when militants ambushed a patrol party at Sajik Tampak on Saturday morning.

The wounded soldiers were airlifted to the military hospital at Leimakhong army headquarters near Imphal.

Sources told IANS that the soldiers were patrolling in the interior areas of Chandel district located along the international border when one remote controlled bomb detonated. The militants also opened fire from automatic rifles while the soldiers retaliated.

Later the militants are believed to have escaped across the border. Reinforcements have been rushed for launching combing operations in the area.

There has been no claim about the attack from any underground organisation.

For a long time Sajik Tampak had been the general headquarters of several insurgent groups but eventually, security forces pushed them back and opened a camp. It was an ideal strategic area since approaching security forces could be sighted from a distance and the insurgents could escape across the border if they were pushed too hard.
Hisar police beefed up the security at Hisar airstrip days after Rs 3.5 crore in old currency was seized from a charted jet that flew from Hisar to Dimapur in Nagaland. The police on Friday assigned the investigations into case to station house officer, sadar police station, Jagbir Singh.

Security on Hisar airstrip has been beefed up and preliminary investigation has been started into the cash. Jagbir Singh has been assigned to probe into the matter, said superintendent of police Rajendra Kumar Meena.

Assistant sub-inspector Dilip Singh, who was on duty at the airport, told HT that, Earlier, it was one to three (one ASI and three guards) security officials of Hisar police. But now we have increased the security from to two to six (two ASI and six guards) security officials. The guards, under the ASI supervision, check each and every vehicle that reach the airport and note the vehicle number, name and other information and ask the vehicle owner to park their vehicle outside.

Rs 3.5 crore in demonetised notes were seized from a businessman who flew into Dimapur in a chartered plane from Hisar in Haryana.

The demonetised cash was flown in allegedly on basis of an income tax department certificate to a Nagaland businessman Anato Zhimomi, son-in-law of former chief minister, Neiphiu Rio, who now represents the Nagaland Peoples Front in the Lok Sabha.

It was found in a fuel station owned by Zhimomi on Wednesday night.

Meanwhile, the media was not allowed to enter the airport.
A Border Security Force (BSF) jawan was injured on Saturday as militants ambushed the convoy he was part of in Jammu and Kashmirs Kupwara district.

The BSF convoy was travelling from Langate towards Baramulla when militants opened fire on the vehicles near Udhipora crossing.

Superintendent of police, Handwara, Ghulam Jeelani said that the militants opened fire from the open fields lining the road. A soldier has been hit in his thigh. He is stable, he added.

The injured jawan, head constable Satinder Singh, was hospitalised and his condition is said to be stable.

This was second attack on security forces in the Handwara area in the past 36 hours. Militants on Thursday night opened fire on a police station here but there was no damage in the incident as the ultras fled from the scene when the police returned fire.

The SP attributed the increase in militant attacks to increased infiltration during summer when Kashmir was reeling under unrest following the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen militant Burhan Wani.

In the past few months, there has been a surge in militant activity in the Valley besides escalation of tensions between India and Pakistan on the Line of Control.

Saturdays attack came just a day after two militants and an army jawan were killed in a gunfight in Bandipora in northern Jammu and Kashmir, and two police officers were killed as militants attacked a patrol van in Kulgam district of south Kashmir.

Earlier, on November 22, two militants were killed and a cache of arms and two freshly minted Rs 2,000 notes were found on the men suspected to be members of the Lashkar-e-Taiba.

Jammu and Kashmir has seen a rise in gunfights within the state and along the border as ties between India and Pakistan have plunged to a new low.

Pakistani troops killed three Indian soldiers and mutilated one of the bodies close to Line of Control, the de factor border, in Machhil sector on November 23, with the army vowing retribution. Fourteen Pakistanis, including civilians, were killed in heavy the shelling the next day.

With agency inputs
Chief Justice TS Thakur on Saturday lashed out at the Narendra Modi-led government over increasing vacancies at various courts and for not providing adequate infrastructure, charges the Union law minister refuted saying 120 high court judges have been appointed so far.

The CJI said there are 500 judges posts lying vacant in high courts and that courtrooms are lying vacant without judges.

Tribunals are not equipped and are lying empty. Today a situation has come that when no retired Supreme Court judge wants to head the tribunal. I am pained to send my retired colleagues there. The government is not ready to give proper facilities. Vacancy apart from infrastructure is a major concern for the tribunal, Thakur said.

He added that in principle the judiciary was not against the formation of tribunals because it would relieve court duties, but the problem arose from the lack of adequate infrastructure provided to them.

The Centre and the top court have been at war since the top court struck down the National Judicial Appointments Commission (NJAC) act, which was brought in to end the more than 20-year-old practice of judges appointing judges under the collegium system, with the government having no say in the process.

Earlier, the Centre had conveyed to the Supreme Court that it had returned to the collegium or its reconsideration of 43 of the 77 names recommended for the appointment of judges in various high courts and that the remaining 34 have been appointed as judges.

On October 28, the apex court had lashed out at the NDA government for failing to appoint judges in various high courts despite the collegium clearing some of the names more than nine months ago.

You can as well close down the courts. Close down justice, a livid Thakur told attorney general Mukul Rohtagi.

Today we have a situation where courtrooms are locked because there are no judges. For example, Karnataka where one floor is shut. Why dont you lock the courts and lockout justice? Executive inaction is decimating the institution, the CJI had said.

Union law and justice Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, however, said the government has so far appointed 120 high court judges, adding that it was the second highest number of appointments in the history of the countrys judicial system.

We have got the highest regard for the CJI, but we respectfully disagree with him. This year we have made 120 appointments. This is the second highest after 121 were appointed in 2013. Since 1990 there had only been 80 appointments, Prasad told reporters.

Prasad also said that the Supreme Court has failed to make the memorandum of procedure (MoP), a document to guide appointment of judges to higher judiciary, more transparent and reasonable despite repeated requests from the government.

But for the larger issue of appointment is concerned, there is a Supreme Court decision of making the MoP more transparent, objective, reasonable, fair and the governments stand is pending for more than three months and we are yet to hear from the Supreme Court, he said.

Responding to Justice Thakurs claim that there is a lack of adequate infrastructure provided to the tribunals, Prasad said, As far as infrastructure is concerned, it is a continuous process. So many tribunal courts are there. But we need to understand that every retired Supreme Court judge cannot be given the same bungalow of the same size, there is land constraint also.

The Congress extended its full support to the top jurist saying Thakur did not have any choice but make a noise over the issue since the Centre had turned a deaf ear to his pleas.

Senior Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi said that Thakurs views were not personal since he spoke as the head of an institution, adding that the judiciary was helpless because even though it has vast powers, the actualisation of those powers and directives depends on the executive government.

Thirty-three percent of the lower judiciary is vacant. Forty percent of the high court judiciary is vacant. This is vacancy within the 13 judges per million of population ration that we have, which is, by the way, one of the lowest in the world. It should be 50 judges per million, Singhvi said.

What is the Chief Justice to do except speak, shout, lament? But the government seems to have deaf ears, he added.

In April, Thakur had made an emotional plea to the government to help upgrade judicial infrastructure and start addressing the glaring problem of shortage of judges during a joint conference of chief ministers and chief justices of high courts.
Union law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on Saturday said that judiciary must give directions to the executive but it should not interfere with the governance.

Court must give direction if executive fails, but governance must remain with those who are elected to govern. If those nuances are kept in mind then large number of problems that we encounter would be resolved, Prasad said at an event by the Supreme Court to mark the Constitution Day celebrations.

I must remind that the Constitution has always given legislation with the legislature and that must be remain preserved with it, he added.

Earlier in the day, the law minister rebutted the remarks of the Chief Justice TS Thakur who had lashed out at the Narendra Modi-led government over increasing vacancies at various courts and for not providing adequate infrastructure, charges the Union law minister refuted saying 120 high court judges have been appointed so far.

Justice Thakur had stated that there were 500 judges posts lying vacant in high courts while adding that courtrooms are unable to function without judges.

Responding to the CJIs charges, the law minister said that the government has so far appointed 120 high court judges, adding this is the second highest number of appointments in the history of the countrys judicial system.

We have got the highest regard for the CJI, but we respectfully disagree with him. This year we have made 120 appointments. This is the second highest after 121 were appointed in 2013. Since 1990 there had only been 80 appointments, Prasad, who was also present at the event, told the media later.

Prasad also said that the Supreme Court has failed to make the Memorandum of Procedure (MoP), a document to guide appointment of judges to higher judiciary, more transparent and reasonable despite repeated requests from the government.

Responding to Justice Thakurs claim that there is a lack of adequate infrastructure provided to the tribunals, Prasad said, As far as infrastructure is concerned, it is a continuous process. So many tribunal courts are there. But we need to understand that every retired Supreme Court judge cannot be given the same bungalow of the same size, there is land constraint also.
NATO is preparing to establish a training center for experts of the Ukrainian security and defense on the basis of the Ukroboronprom State Concern.

The management of the state concern, the NATO Liaison Office in Ukraine, Manager of the NATO-Ukraine Professional Development Programme Ove Urup-Madsen discussed in Kyiv the plans to establish a NATO training center to speed up the practical implementation of the bilateral plans and programs of partnership in Ukraine's security and defense sector, the press office of state concern reported on Friday

According to the report, the curriculum of the training center discussed by the parties will improve the level of knowledge of Ukrainian experts, including in the field of project management, the practical implementation of quality management systems on the defense industry enterprises, the mechanisms of interaction between consumers of defense products and the defense industry, as well as through cooperation mechanisms of NATO-Ukraine partnership programs.

Ukraine and NATO stepped up the dialogue on cooperation in the defense industry in 2014. In early 2015, Kyiv announced its plans to accede to the system of arms procurement for the current member states of the alliance. Ukraine also plans to switch its defense industry in full to NATO standards by 2020.
With payday barely a week away, banks across the country are bracing for a possible surge in demand for cash that people would need to pay their household bills.

Assurances from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and the central government that they have taken all the necessary steps to counter the payday rush havent done enough to dispel their fears.

To take some of the pressure off banks, the Centre started giving its junior employees a cash advance of Rs10,000 this week. The governments of Haryana, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh also want banks to provide paper currency that can be disbursed as salaries among their employees. Non-gazetted employees of the Delhi government, police and the New Delhi Municipal Council have been given the option of drawing a cash advance.

Read | Go cashless: Modis message to ministries, departments to fight graft

The demonetisation exercise announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on November 8 sucked out nearly 86% of the total currency (amounting to Rs14 lakh crore) in circulation across the country, leading to thinning cash supply. This not only hit individual households but also companies that often paid part of its perks in cash.

According to the RBI, about Rs1.36 lakh crore had been pumped back into the system until November 21.

However, a senior government official claimed no employee  whether public sector or private  has cause for worry. There will be no problem with the cash supply, he said.

An RBI official also gave his assurance that all necessary steps were being taken to prepare for the big day.

Nevertheless, both public and private companies are leaving no stone unturned to prevent a meltdown when payday arrives  whether it involves installing micro-ATMs on their premises or allowing partial withdrawal of the salary in cash.

Read | Currency ban turns boon, Delhi civic workers finally get salaries

While public sector giant BHEL gave its employees the option of taking Rs10,000 in cash advance, power major NTPC assured workers that the bank branches and ATMs on its campus wont run out of money.

Telecom firm MTS India, which has an ATM machine at its corporate office in Gurgaon, constantly urges the bank to replenish its cash. Ixigo, a travel search marketplace, has begun offering free lunch and shuttle services to its employees. Sunaina Mattoo Khanna at Bajaj Capital said office boys have been allocated to employees who are too busy to stand in bank queues.

While some firms  such as VLCC Healthcare  are paying salaries in notes of low denomination, others let their employees take a few hours off to finish their banking chores. Financial assistance has also been made available to those hardest hit by the cash crunch.

Companies like Infosys and Mahindra & Mahindra have installed micro-ATMs in their offices.

Read | Over two weeks after banknote ban, here are all steps taken by Modi govt
Police arrested six people and seized counterfeit currency worth over Rs 2 lakh near Hyderabad on Saturday, busting a fake notes racket.

The police seized 105 counterfeit notes of Rs 2,000, which was released this month following the demonetisation of Rs 1,000 and 500 notes, around 35 km from Hyderabad, under Ibrahimpatnam police station limits in Rachakonda police commissionerate.

Read | Rs 14 lakh in old and new denominations seized in Nashik

Of the Rs 2,22,310 in fake currency seized from the gang, Rs 2,000 notes were worth Rs 2,10,000. The remaining fake currency was in denominations of Rs 100, 50, 20 and 10.

Two colour Xerox machines and Rs 50,000 in cash was also seized from the spot, in addition to other incriminating evidence.

Rachakonda police commissioner Mahesh Bhagwat said the gang started off by printing fake currency notes of lower denominations, and after successfully circulating them in the market they moved the new Rs 2,000 banknotes.

Read | After complaints of printing variations, RBI says Rs 500, Rs 2000 notes legal

The police chief said the accused were still waiting for an opportunity to circulate the fake Rs 2,000 notes.

Jamalapur Sainath, 28, a butcher by profession, was the kingpin of the operation. The others were G Anjaiah, C Satyanarayana, K Sridhar Goud and A Vijay Kumar.

On credible information, police raided the house of S Ramesh  one of the accused  at Ibrahimpatnam and arrested the six. Two other accused  Kalyan and Srikanth  were still absconding.

Bhagwat said people can easily detect the fake Rs 2,000 note using the safety features of the new banknotes. Here are 21 ways to check if your new Rs 2000, Rs 500 notes are real.
India and Cuba are 14,000 kilometres apart. But for the most part of their bilateral ties, that distance was easily overcome, mostly because of one leader who evoked such awe in India: Fidel Castro.

Both the ruling Congress and the Left parties supported Castro, who for many embodied the fight against the supremacy and interference of the United States in all possible ways.

There are many sepia-tinted images that define the enduring charm Castro evoked in India. As vice-president Hamid Ansari once put it - Castro was the star of 1983 summit of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM). Ansari, a former career diplomat was then serving as the chief of protocol. The then prime minister Indira Gandhi instructed him to give special attention to the Cuban leader. Cuba was the outgoing chair of NAM.

The historic moment of handing over of the chairmans gavel by Castro to Gandhi turned out to be an interesting spectacle. Castro proceeded to give her a bear hug after giving her the gavel and a surprised Gandhi quickly moved away for some seconds. He seemed surprised for a moment too, but loud applause from the audience greeted the moment.

The 1983 NAM summit had a mild criticism for the Soviet Union, but Castro didnt oppose it contrary to what many would have thought.

The most interesting aspect of the meet perhaps was how Castro managed to pacify Palestine leader Yasser Arafat. Arafat was miffed at being given the speaking slot after the Jordanian delegation and threatened to leave the summit without speaking. It was at Castros persuasion that Arafat stayed back.

One reason Castro would never have forgotten India was the rare gesture by first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru. In September 1960, Castro was a pariah for most when he went to attend the United Nations general assembly meeting in New York. But Nehru was one of the first visitors to the hotel where a 34-year-old Castro was put up.

Veteran diplomats say some of the meetings between Castro and Indian prime ministers were as long as his speeches, very very long. Dont forget, Rajiv Gandhi had a six-hour meeting in Havana with president Castro in 1988.

Veteran Marxist leader Jyoti Basu visited Havana in September 1993, exactly 20 years after Castros visit to Calcutta, to convey his support to the Cuban Revolution. Basu, who was accompanied by current CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury, met Castro for two hours.

Socialism or Death, is the battle cry, he had told Basu, while asking detailed questions about India. Some specific questions even baffled Yechury about his understanding about India.

Castro appeared unexpectedly at the guest house to see Basu off.

Basu later wrote I was pleasantly surprised the next day when Castro made his way to our guest house unannounced and himself took us to the airport in a farewell gesture. I shall never forget this.

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Former Supreme Court (SC) judges can now hire domestic help at public expense.

The Supreme Court this week framed rules to reimburse the salary of one domestic help hired by a retired Chief Justice of India and SC judges.

The rules also provide for absorbing the domestic help as a permanent employee of the court if he or she serves the retired judge or spouse for 10 years.

The SC order came into effect on Friday.

The rule enables peons serving the Supreme Court establishment to opt for working at a retired judges residence. But the retired judges are free to hire anyone on contract at the dearness allowance adjusted to minimum scale.

Surviving spouses of the retired judges would also be entitled to the reimbursement.

The demand for reimbursement for domestic helps for judicial officers had found support from the First National Judicial Pay Commission set up way back in 1996. This commission had called retired judicial officers standing in queues to pay power and water bills a pathetic scene, if not embarrassing.

In its 1999 report, it recommended a monthly domestic help allowance of Rs 2,500 for serving judicial officers and Rs 1,250 for retired officers. But the higher judiciary got left out in many states.

The Chief Justices Conference in April this year had cleared a resolution to give retired judges of the high courts and Supreme Court the reimbursement facility for one domestic help. Some high courts such as the Jammu & Kashmir high court have already notified a similar set of rules.

But senior government functionaries such as the chief election commissioner or Central Vigilance Commissioner  whose pay and perks are at par with Supreme Court judges  cannot expect to receive the reimbursement facility.

The chief election commissioner is entitled to pay and pension at par with a SC judge as long as these are notified under the Supreme Court Judges (Conditions of Service) Act. Fridays order framing the reimbursement rules for domestic help was not issued under this law. The CJI has powers under Article 145 (2) of the Constitution to notify issues relating to service conditions of the courts officers and servants.

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The labour ministry will launch a campaign with the department of financial services to open bank accounts of workers, who do not hold one till date, in the organised as well as unorganised sector.

The ministry of labour and employment in collaboration with department of financial services, the ministry of finance is launching a nationwide campaign to open bank accounts in respect of those workers in both organised and unorganised sectors who do not have one even today, a labour ministry statement said.

Starting from November 26, 2016, special camps will be organised in every district at specific locations to facilitate the opening of bank accounts.

Government has decided to pursue this path of digital transactions more vigorously than ever before, it added.

We have already sent communications to all the state governments in this respect requesting their active cooperation, labour minister Bandaru Dattatreya said in the statement.

The team comprising of district magistrates, lead district manager of bank and labour officers of both Centre as well as state governments would decide the modalities of the camps including the locations within their districts and coordination with the banking channels, he said.

Dattatreya has called upon all the establishments and people concerned to facilitate the access to these camps and avail of the services therein, it said.

The campaign will continue in the coming days through the banks concerned, their business correspondents and camps as required, it further said.

In order to facilitate financial inclusion and to ensure transparency in all financial transactions, the government launched its flagship scheme of Jan Dhan Yojna in September, 2014.

More than 25 crore bank accounts have been created since then across the country thereby linking the working class to the mainstream of financial /banking activities. The DBT (direct benefit transfer) through this banking network has benefited crores of poor citizens of the country.
Being a Yadav bahu can be a tall order. A daughter-in-law of Uttar Pradeshs first family of politics must drape her sari in the perfect manner. She must be disciplined, speak only when spoken to, and, of course, keep her political ambitions in check.

But what if you are Aparna Yadav? People say I am very ambitious; some say over-ambitious. But would they say so if a man was entering politics? asks Aparna, the younger daughter-in-law of Samajwadi Party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav.

Aparna, who will be contesting elections from the Lucknow Cantonment seat, is making her maiden venture into politics in the Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh, slated to be held early next year.

We are at the official residence of Mulayam Singh, in one of its spacious halls, tastefully decorated with ornate chandeliers, crystal-studded cushions in pastel green and porcelain showpieces. The hall leads into the house where Aparna, 26, lives with Prateek Yadav, 28, and their three-year-old daughter, Prathama. Mulayams elder son and UP chief minister, Akhilesh, his wife Dimple, and their children have recently moved into a house next door.

Outside the heavily guarded Yadav residences, the city is abuzz with talk of the power struggle within the family  the recent conflict between the crown prince Akhilesh and his uncle, Shivpal Yadav. In this messy political matrix of the family, the younger daughter-in-law is being seen as crucial: those in the know insist that the roots of the crisis between the uncle and his nephew lie in the political aspirations and ambitions of Mulayams second wife, Sadhana Gupta, Aparnas mother-in-law.

Read:Akhilesh and Shivpal will work together under my guidance: Mulayam

Ever since Aparnas candidature was announced by Mulayams younger brother Shivpal Yadav earlier this year in March, mediapersons in the city have been busy speculating over how Sadhana has been wanting a share of the political pie for her son Prateek. Prateek, a fitness enthusiast, runs a high-end gym in the city, and in one of his few interviews, has categorically denied any interest in politics.

But journalists and political junkies in the city have not tired of discussing the political aspirations of Aparna, as opposed to her more sober sister-in-law, Dimple .

On the campaign trail with Aparna Yadav, Mulayams younger daughter-in-law. Aparna says hectic campaigning makes it hard for her to spend enough time with her three-year-old daughter. (Saumya Khandelwal/HT PHOTO)

Inside the hall, however, Aparna, dressed elegantly, her hair tied in a casual bun, is careful with her words. She speaks favourably of Akhilesh bhaiyya, the development work that his government has done, and foregrounds the need for attending to civic issues both in the city, and in her constituency.

Look at Lucknow now. We have cafes; soon we are going to have the Metro, just like Delhi. Lucknow has become a yo-type of city, she says.

Destined for politics

One day in the early 90s, Mrs Primrose Pepper, the tall, sharply-dressed teacher at Lucknows Loreto Convent, had a discussion with her students on the subject of reservation, an issue that had taken over the country in 1990. The then government, headed by V P Singh, had accepted the Mandal Commission reports recommendation of giving 27 per cent reservations to OBCs, and set off widespread protests in colleges across the country.

At the discussion, Aparna Bisht, then in class 11, had opposed the decision, arguing that caste-based reservations would only aggravate existing hierarchies, and quotas should instead be based on economic need. I have always been vocal about issues I feel strongly about, she says, recalling this as one of those moments that shaped her political consciousness.

Aparna grew up in interesting times  she recalls observing the emergence of new political parties such as the Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party, and her own proximity to these political events owing to her journalist father. I would see all these dharnas, the foreign correspondents who would come to cover these events. I would often ask my father why all this was happening, she says.

His answers about the social and political upheaval in UP, it seems, had some impact on her. For her Bachelors degree, Aparna chose to study Political Science, Modern History and English, and pursued International Relations for her Masters at the University of Manchester. England had fascinated me since childhood. And at that time, I really wanted to become a diplomat, travel the world, she says.

Read:Yadav family feud: Aman Mani Tripathis arrest a victory for CM Akhilesh Yadav

But destiny had other plans. The boy Aparna had been friends with for a few years was the then CMs son [Mulayams son Prateek]. Aparna says she knew she wanted to be with him for life. It was him or no one else, she says. Predictably then, marriage happened. You can tell that life as a young bride would not have been easy  in a candid moment, Aparna says that as a 21-year-old who wore boots and jeans, she couldnt even tie a sari, or cook aloo-mattha (a dish made of potatoes and buttermilk).

In time, however, Aparna mastered both, and also carved her own niche in the family. I dont think they had had anyone like me in the family before. But with my feminine energy, I think I have won peoples hearts. The family has opened up to me, she says.

Outside of the family too, Aparna worked to brand herself as a champion for womens rights. She is the brand ambassador of a city-based NGOs campaign for womens rights, and has been active in public speaking on related issues. So even as the family patriarch, Mulayam Singh, made headlines with his sexist statements  last year, he said that it was not possible for four men to rape a girl; in 2014, he said boys will be boys..they make mistakes  Aparna has been vocal about her cause. The discourse on violence against women has changed since 2012. Women need to stop thinking that its their fault. We need to question the boys and not the girls, says Aparna. They shouldnt have let the juvenile [one of the accused in the December 16 Delhi gangrape case] go. I support capital punishment in such cases, she says, getting visibly agitated.

Learning the ropes

All this while though, Aparna says she was never averse to politics. Politics and social work are two different sides of the same coin; its only Chanakya and Machiavelli who have spoilt it, she insists, adding that this was the right time to enter politics.

Those in the know insist that the time was right because Aparna had often broken ranks  the selfie with PM Narendra Modi in 2015; her tweets against cow slaughter and beef-eating; being the only member from the family to attend a function where the PM was speaking earlier this year, and opposing Aamir Khan for his comments about intolerance (after Mulayam supported the actor).

The proclivity towards the BJP and the PM, many say, was her way to arm-twist the family into giving her a ticket.

Aparnas outspoken behaviour has pitched her in opposition to the elder daughter-in-law Dimple, popular among party workers and often described as graceful, dignified and disciplined.

Aparna Yadav says she has always been vocal about issues that she feels strongly about. (Saumya Khandelwal/HT PHOTO)

But Aparna is unfazed by her detractors. I have my own voice, my own opinion, and that will always remain so. But I can also convince people with my feminine energy.You dont have to be like Mayawati to survive in UP politics, she says.

Now is a busy time for Aparna  hectic campaigning for the elections is already on. We are on way to a function to inaugurate a road in her constituency.

For the event, Aparna has changed into a pale green sari  I can now tie one in like five minutes  and is quite at ease with the somewhat frenzied crowd of young supporters mouthing syrupy statements and slogans about Aparna didi.

Read:Yadav family puts up united front at Agra-Lucknow Expressway inauguration

In her speech, she focusses on the areas civic issues, and also manages to take a dig at her opponent. Darr ke bhaag gayi (she got scared by me and ran away), she says about Rita Bahuguna Joshi, the sitting MLA, and a member of the Congress party who recently switched to the BJP.

The war of words has been on for some time  Aparna says Joshi said some disrespectful things about her, and so, she had to respond too  so Rita aunty became thuka hua kartoos (used bullet). I wouldnt say these things, but when someone attacks you , what do you do?, she says.

In the messy world of UPs electoral politics, the Yadav bahu, it seems, must learn more than just draping the perfect sari.

.

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It was the best of times, it was the worst of times Charles Dickenss paradox applies rather well to the extraordinary situation in India today, where most indices of terrorist violence and mass conflict show dramatic contraction or relative stability, while public assessments reflect a measure of hysteria unprecedented even when violence was peaking in multiple terrorist and insurgent movements across the country.

The year 2001 saw 5,839 fatalities in terrorist and insurgent violence across India, according to South Asia Terrorism Portal data, and the decade between 1994 and 2003 saw this figure consistently well above 3,000. There have been 761 such fatalities in the current year (all data till October 30), manifesting a reversal of the trend of sustained decline since 2002, with the exception of 2013, which, again, saw a rise to 884 fatalities from the 803 the preceding year. While these occasional reverses are far from acceptable, they do not reflect any radical disruption of the broadly positive trends.

Other indices of mass violence  fatalities in and incidents of communal violence and crimes against scheduled castes  also demonstrate stable trends, though there has been a sharp spike in crimes recorded against scheduled tribes in 2014 and 2015. Data in these categories for the current year is unavailable.

Of course, the situation in Jammu and Kashmir and along the Line of Control (LoC) and international border with Pakistan gives cause for concern. Terrorism-linked fatalities have spiked to 223, as against 174 last year. They had reached a particular low, at 117, in 2012, but have since been rising. They remain, however, a fraction of the 4,507 killed in 2001. It is useful, moreover, to recall that J&K was the theatre of a high intensity conflict (recording over a thousand fatalities each year) for all of 17 years, between 1990 and 2006, and that, for 11 of these, fatalities were above 2,000 each year. By that measure, and despite transient reversals, the current situation reflects a dramatic improvement.

Read | HTLS column by Indira Jaising: Towards equality, but still a long way to go

Of course, the stone-pelting campaign, which has resulted in 96 deaths and some 18,050 injured, including 4,050 security personnel, as well as the disturbing images of people maimed and blinded by pellet guns, add to the states enduring crisis. However, assessments from the establishment describing the situation as extremely fragile are misconceived, reflecting an unrealistic expectation of compete calm in a state that is yet to escape the dynamic that has fed terrorism and extreme violence there for over two-and-a-half decades.

The current ascendancy of jingoism, pseudo-nationalism and the politics of religious polarisation have enormously added to the problems of J&K. While the surgical strikes across the LoC, in response to the terrorist attack at Uri, cannot be faulted, their domestic and international politicisation has caused enormous harm. The continuous and strategically purposeless exchange of fire along the LoC and international border feed into the polarising politics of the right both in India and Pakistan, but will secure no lasting gains for either country, even as they notch up daily loss of life.

Crucially, while politicians can celebrate the lessons they are teaching the other side, it is soldiers and innocent civilians who pay with life, limb and property in an enveloping environment of fear. Unless such retaliatory use of force is backed by a more comprehensive and sustained deterrent and punitive strategy against Pakistan, it cannot contribute to a broader solution to the interminable problems of Kashmir, and the wider threat of Pakistan-backed terrorism across the country. There is little evidence that such a strategy has now found root in Raisina Hill, though its fitful beginnings may be visible.

New trends in Islamic terrorism have inspired great frenzies in the public and media discourse, particularly since the rise of the Islamic State (IS) in West Asia and the creation of al-Qaeda in the Indian Sub-continent (AQIS) in the latter half of 2014. The real impact is negligible. No single attack  major or minor  linked to either organisation has yet been recorded on Indian soil, and recruitment and mobilisation in favour of these groups has been marginal, and is likely to fall further despite aggressive efforts as the IS suffers devastating reverses in its heartland areas. As far as India is concerned, the Pakistani state-backed formations remain the most potent surviving Islamist threats, both in J&K and beyond.

Both the Maoist threat and the multiple insurgencies of the Northeast have suffered a relative collapse too. Maoist-linked fatalities across the country have dropped from a peak of 1,180 in 2010 to 381 this year, significantly higher than the 2015 tally of 251, principally as a result of a rise in Maoist fatalities from 101 to 211. It would be premature to declare the Maoist problem solved, but the movement is currently under an existential crisis that creates decisive opportunities for state consolidation.

Read | HTLS column by Shyam Saran: Our development model must be resource-frugal

Similarly, combined fatalities in the northeastern states have dropped from a peak of 1,317 fatalities in 2001, to 142 in 2016, down from 273 in 2015. Insurgencies of the Northeast are now ideologically bankrupt movements dominated by criminal-extortionist networks, and require coherent policy interventions to be brought to a final resolution.

While these conventional threats to Indias internal security recede, now dangers are being seeded by a polarising, often violent, identity politics and by increasing contempt for constitutional norms, the latter most visible in the destabilisation of elected governments in Uttarakhand and Arunachal Pradesh.

Further, our vulnerabilities persist, though threats have declined, as little has been done to address the endemic crisis of capacities in the countrys security and intelligence infrastructure (police-population ratios, for instance, actually declined last year). Despite its vaunting rhetoric on the subject, it appears that national security is not particularly high in the governments policy priorities.

(The writer is executive director, Institute for Conflict Management & South Asia Terrorism Portal and an expert on counter-terrorism.)
Former Army chief Bikram Singh, under whom the new Pakistan Army chief Lt Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa has served on a UN assignment, on Sunday said India should be careful and watchful with regard to his approach.

Gen (retd) Singh described Lt Gen Bajwa as a thorough professional who gave an outstanding performance under him in Congo but said things change once an officer goes back to his home country.

There might be great bonhomie when the goal is world peace under UN mandate but things change once you go back to your country. This is because your national interest comes first, Gen Singh told PTI.

He said India should wait and watch and be careful.

Asked if he sees any drastic change in Pakistani military policy once Lt Gen Bajwa takes over succeeding Gen Raheel Shareef who retires on November 30, he said, I do not see any change.

Gen Singh hoped that Lt Gen Bajwa will continue to consider homegrown extremism as a greater threat than India as he has publicly said.

The new Pakistan Army chief has wide experience of LoC affairs due to his extensive involvement with PoK and Northern Areas.

He has served in all these areas (bordering India) and knows pretty well what kind of terrain and conditions exist on both sides.
Amid rising tensions between Pakistan and India, Indian Hindu pilgrims have cancelled their visit to the revered Katas Raj temple in Pakistan, officials said.

As many as 200 Hindu pilgrims from different parts of India were scheduled to visit the Katas Raj temple complex - one of the holiest Hindu sites in Pakistan - on November 28. Pilgrims were supposed to perform religious rituals during the three-day visit.

Their scheduled visit has been cancelled, Siddiqueul Farooq, chairman of Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) and District Administration of Chakwal, confirmed to Dawn. The ETPB had made comprehensive security arrangements for the Indian pilgrims, he added.

Farooq cited the border tension as the reason behind the postponement of the visit. We had issued visas to the pilgrims but their government did not allow them to visit Pakistan, Dawn quoted him as saying.

To a question regarding Sikh pilgrims from India, Khalid Ali, additional secretary (Shrines) of the ETPB, told Dawn that Pakistan had issued 3,319 visas to Sikh pilgrims but only 2,008 visited Panja Sahib recently. He said the Hindu pilgrims would visit Katas Raj in February for the Shivratri festival.

Hindu pilgrims visit Katas Raj twice a year. The first visit is made in February while the second in November.
Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati on Saturday said that PM Narendra Modi will be responsible if the situation arising out of demonetisation goes out of control, warning that civic disturbances could erupt on account of the chaos and trauma caused to the common man because of the move.

The Prime Minister provided ample time to industrialist friends and those within the ruling party to convert their black money before de-notifying the Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes. People in the streets are suffering and there is commotion and chaos everywhere. An economic emergency has been imposed and citizens are losing patience, said Mayawati at a press conference.

Alleging the Prime Minister resorted to the move as a diversionary tactic, the BSP leader said that Modi realised in the heart of hearts that he had failed to fulfill even one fourth of the election promises in the two-and-a-half years of being in office.

Quoting media reports, Mayawati alleged that ahead of Modis announcement, the saffron party purchased expensive land in 14 districts of Bihar to construct party offices. The bhoomi pujan (ground breaking ceremony) for the construction of a grand BJP office in Delhi had also been done before the PMs announcement, she said.

For pulling a cruel trick on the common man in pursuance of vested political interests, the BJP will be taught a lesson in the coming elections in Uttar Pradesh and four other states as also in the 2019 general elections, the BSP leader said.

Responding to charges that BSP tickets could be purchased, Mayawati hit back saying that unlike the BJP, which took money from big industrialists, the BSP was run on donations from party MPs, workers and even prospective candidates. Apart from the BSP, all other political parties are enmeshed in black money, she said.
Spain will always help Ukraine in the implementation of its European aspirations, supports prompt completion of ratification of the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement, as well as immediate provision of the visa-free regime for Ukrainian citizens, Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy assured Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko.

According to a report posted on the Ukrainian president's website, Poroshenko congratulated Rajoy on his election as prime minister of Spain. The Ukrainian president thanked the Spanish premier the official Madrid's immutable support for Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity. "Spain resolutely supports and will always support territorial integrity of Ukraine," Rajoy said.

Poroshenko praised Spain's positive vote during the consideration of the UN GA resolution on human rights violations in Crimea by the Third Committee.

The two officials agreed to step up efforts for the soonest signing of the agreement on the common air space between Ukraine and the EU.

Poroshenko and Rajoy spoke for the further enhancement of bilateral political dialogue and discussed the exchange of visits.
On 6 December 2016, Vishal Kumar of Ayodhya will turn 24. So will the towns claim to notoriety. Two hours after Vishal Kumar was born to municipal worker Ram Kumar and his wife, an army of Hindutvas soldiers broke down a Mughal-era mosque because it stood on a land they believed to be the birthplace of the god-king Ram.

Last week in Ayodhya, I asked Vishal Kumar if he knows the significance of the day he was born. I know that something happened, Kumar said, squinting at the bright sun in a courtyard in one of the oldest neighbourhoods of Ayodhya. Some people were killed. The structure of a mosque was broken down. I dont know much else. It was so long ago.

In many ways, 6 December 1992 marked the beginning of the Hindu Rights campaign for a Hindu Rashtra  an India for Hindus. At its centre was the push for the construction of a temple to Ram on the site of the demolished mosque.

For years after the destruction of the Babri Masjid, the demand for the Ram mandir was a byword for Hindu nationalism. A lot has changed since the day in 1992, including shifts in political power and court battles over the claim to the site. Nearly 25 years after the event that polarised India, the movement for the Ram mandir is as irrelevant to the young Hindus of Uttar Pradesh as to those who tore down the Babri Masjid.

New Era, New Agenda

Its not an issue for me, at least. It doesnt mean anything to me. Ram toh dil mein baste hain (Ram is in ones heart). He doesnt belong to any one place, said Vishal Kumar. Two years ago, Kumar dropped out of a local college to help his family tide over financial distress. He is still looking for a job. When Kumar casts his vote in the upcoming elections in Uttar Pradesh, this is what he will be thinking of. The biggest election issue for me is employment. Other issues for me and my friends are progress, profitable education, factories.

In another ancient courtyard in Ayodhya, 20-year-old Pranu Shukla told me the last thing Ayodhya needs is another Ram mandir. Her father, an Ayodhya old-timer whose ancestors built their own temple to Ram, had just delivered the statement that every single person in Ayodhya wants the Ram mandir. The young woman didnt agree.

Read | Supreme Court to hear Swamys plea on building Ayodhya Ram Temple

Ayodhya already has so many temples. Each has a statue of Ram. They all look the same. Why do we need another? What should be built in this town, in my view, is something that will take the people of Ayodhya forward, something that can be used by everyone, like a shopping mall. It will create employment. It is time for the fuss over mandir vs. masjid to be over. Shukla, a student of business management at a local college, too has clear expectations from the next person who will lead Uttar Pradesh. He or she should be like [Narendra] Modi. They should have the courage to do what he has done with black money. I agree with his policies.

Sectarian Divide

Religion hasnt stopped mattering to the new generation of Uttar Pradeshs Hindus. The proliferation of Hindu-extremist outfits across the state point to a deepening of the sectarian divide, in fact. However, most young people joining these fringe armies relate more to the battles for Hindutva in which they can participate  against the imagined love jihad or the killing of cows  than an agenda from a time before they were born.

The whole of Hindutva is our agenda and not just the Ram mandir, said P K Mal, the leader of Hindu Yuva Vahini, a Gorakhpur-based organisation floated by Hindutvavadi rabble-rouser Yogi Adityanath. Of course, every Hindu wants the temple to be built in Ayodhya at some point. Agar bhagwan Ram Ayodhya mein nahin rahenge toh kya Mecca mein rahenge? (If lord Ram wont live in Ayodhya, where will he live  surely not in Mecca!) But our larger campaign is against the political appeasement of Muslims in UP. Against terrorism. For a Uniform Civil Code. For a Hindutva-led lifestyle. For a majoritarian state. We should take inspiration from [Donald] Trump.

The view that the Hindutva project no longer needs the establishment of a Ram mandir in Ayodhya isnt limited to the young Hindu radicals in Uttar Pradesh. Its believers include people who cleared the physical space for it to be erected on the morning of 6 December 1992.

Watch: The Fight For Ram Mandir Is Losing Steam

Then and Now

Ashok Chatterjee, 67-year-old businessman in Ayodhya, was among the throng of 150,000 kar sevaks headed for the Babri Masjid on the day of its demolition. An old correspondent for Panchjanya, a mouthpiece of the Hindu Right, Chatterjee later testified in the Allahabad High Court in the case over the legitimacy of the title to the contested site. Chatterjee is no longer waiting for the temple to be built in Ayodhya. The Ram mandir movement, he told me, has served its purpose in the Hindutva project.

Kar sevaks demolish the Babri Masjid in Ayodhya on December 6, 1992. (Sanjay Sharma/HT File Photo)

Everything is symbolic in Hinduism, he said, bent over a stack of files containing documents supporting the legal case for the Ram mandir. In my own drawing room, I used to hesitate before saying that I am Hindu. Ram mandir brought the words Hindu, Hindutva and Ram not just to our drawing rooms but to national imagination. It took the narrative of India back from the Congress and the communists. A whole community figured out where its roots are. And as a result of that Modi ji came to power in 2014 with 282 seats.

Chatterjee doesnt worry about the fact that the BJP hasnt put Ram mandir at the centre of its election campaign in the state. He feels the party can continue to reap the rewards of orchestrating the events of 6 December 1992.

Whether its Ab Ki Baar Modi Sarkar or Ab Ki Baar Trump Sarkar, these words originated from the Ram mandir movement. If 6 December didnt happen, Modi wouldnt have come to power in India, and Trump wouldnt have become the president of America. The same thing will make true BJPs goal of 288 seats in the UP elections.

In October, the BJP announced its decision to set up a Ramayana museum in Ayodhya. This is all the party has offered on the subject of Ram in its election campaign in Uttar Pradesh so far.

Ram mandir is not a part of the BJP campaign, said Keshav Prasad Maurya, the president of the partys state unit, in his office in Lucknow. The building of the temple and the development of Ayodhya are two different matters. The second should not be affected because of the status of the first. Be it the youth or Ram bhakts, everyone in UP is supporting BJP with the hope it will bring change.

Read | RSS asks BJP to address its core agendas including the Ram Mandir in UP poll campaign

This is also what Lallu Singh, a kar sevak from 1992 and the current MP from Faizabad  Ayodhyas twin town  told me when I visited him at his weekly durbar. BJPs priority right now is to uproot terrorism from the country, securing the borders, lifting the living conditions of the average citizen. The temple will be built either today or tomorrow. And lord Ram is lord Ram; he will decide when its the right time for him to take his seat in Ayodhya.

Aged 35 in 1992, Singh, an RSS volunteer since he was a boy, had taken care of logistics on the day of the mosques demolition. Today, Singh believes Hindus should see Narendra Modi as a stand-in for lord Ram.

What lord Sri Ram did while ruling Ayodhya, Modi is doing right now in India. Lord Ram finished off people with a demonic bent, the equivalent of todays terrorists, said Lallu Singh. He empowered the poor, turned them into soldiers in his war against Ravan. We can say that, to some extent, Modi is also following the same path. You meet any saint in Ayodhya and he will tell you that Modi ji is Sri Ram.

I asked Raghavesh Das Vedanti, a saint placed high in Ayodhyas holy order, about the connections between Narendra Modi and Ram.

Everyone in Ayodhya knows the reason Modi is in power at the centre is Hindutva. We believe the moment BJP forms the government in UP and the Supreme Court gives a judgement in our favour, the process of the building the Ram mandir will begin.

Mission Ram Mandir

The saints arent, however, the only people in UP who still care about the construction of the temple. In October, the Akhil Bharatiya Hindu Mahasabha, an organisation of radical Hindu nationalists, announced its decision to fight each of the 403 seats in the state election on a one-point agenda: Ram mandir.

Read| Enough politics on Ram Mandir, now build it, Sena tells BJP

Let BJP fight the election on the promise of progress. In any case, neither Modi nor BJP is capable of building the temple in Ayodhya, said Shivkant Shukla, a spokesperson. We have begun an awareness campaign at the level of the polling booth. The temple is in every Hindus interest, after all. I asked Shukla if the public is responding in the same spirit. People are showing some support, but not that much.

In a Time Warp

Removed from the twists and turns in the politics over the temple, the building of its structure continues at a workshop in the centre of Ayodhya. Stones are polished, columns stacked in rows, and designs carved on slabs of marble. Its with the same everyday care that an elaborate model of the temple is guarded in Karsevakpuram, the operative headquarters of the mandir movement. These are the five gates of the temple, this is where Sita is supposed to retire when upset, and those are the steps leading to the sanctum, says Hajari Lal, taking me around the Plaster-of-Paris framework.

On 5 December, 1992, the 32-year old RSS volunteer left his village in Benares to carry out his lifes duty in Ayodhya. I was there at the top of the building. We found whatever we could  shovels, spades, rods  and began striking at the dome. By noon, the structure was demolished. Four hours later, I was on the ground, buried under a pile of rubble. Lal spent the rest of that December first in a series of hospitals and then jails. When I went back to Ayodhya, police were sent with me for protection. Lal went home after, but he knew he had to come back.

Hajari Lal has been a fixture in Ayodhya for years now: taking care of the model, managing labourers at the workshop, attending to visitors. In acknowledgement of his services, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad sends him an occasional stipend to spend on personal needs. For 16 years now, Lals routine has revolved around the uncertainly over the fate of the temple; he doesnt know what hell do if it gets built.

I asked Lal if he still hopes to see that day. I dont think about it. Whether or not lord Ram takes his place at the temple, he is settled in the hearts of Hindus across the world.

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Union minister Smriti Irani made for a very generous customer on Saturday when she apparently paid a cobbler in Coimbatore Rs 100 instead of Rs 10 for a simple shoe fix up.

The incident, which came to light on social media, occurred when Irani alighted from the flight on her arrival. She was in the city to address a session at Isha Foundation.

The strap on her sandals had snapped, and the cobbler charged the Union minister Rs 10 for repairing it. However, Irani paid him Rs 100, BJP sources said.

This is so unlike an Indian politician,a grt exmpl of simplicity of @smritiirani ,stopping by at a cobbler herself 2get her chappal stitched pic.twitter.com/Mnv0jawTfN  Amritanshu (@AmritanshuGupta) November 26, 2016

The textile minister had spotted the cobbler near Perur while on her way to the foundation.

Accompanied by the state BJP general secretary, Vanathi Srinivasan, she waited by the cobbler till he finished stitching up her sandals.

When he was done, she paid him and said he didnt need to give her change. The minister apparently spoke in Tamil with the help of Srinivasan.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday called for a qualitative change in the police force through a collective training effort while he was addressing top police officials of the country on the second day of the 51st annual conference of the DGPs and IGs at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Police Academy in Hyderabad.

The PM spent the whole day interacting with top cops, holding one-on-one talks with each of them to understand policing problems in their respective states.

Speaking at the conference, the Prime Minister said development of soft skills was now essential, and should become a part of their training drill.

The PM laid emphasis on soft skills as well as leadership qualities for them. He added that the onus of inculcating these qualities through the ranks lay on these senior officers.

Union ministers of state for home affairs, Kiren Rijiju and Hansraj Gangaram Ahir, besides National Security Adviser (NSA) Ajit Doval were among those who attended the event.

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After battling it out in the court of law and political platforms, leaders of Punjab and Haryana are all set to take their fight over the controversy over the Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal to President Pranab Mukherjee next week. Leaders from both states are slated to meet the president on Monday in New Delhi.

As per separate statements issued by both state governments, the delegations of both states have been given the same time - November 28 at 6.15 pm, for the meeting.

The move by leaders from both states follows the recent verdict of the Supreme Court which said that the Punjab Termination of Water Agreements Act, 2004, was in violation of constitutional provisions.

Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal will call on President Pranab Mukherjee at Rashtrapati Bhawan at 6.15 pm on Monday, to draw his attention to the grave injustice being done to Punjab through brazen violation of the universally accepted riparian principle on river waters issue, a spokesman for the Punjab chief minister said on Saturday.

An all-party delegation headed by Haryana chief minister Mr Manohar Lal Khattar will call on President Pranab Mukherjee at Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Delhi on November 28 at 6.15 pm and urge him to get the decision of the Supreme Court on Sutlej Yamuna Link (SYL) Canal implemented at the earliest, a Haryana government spokesman, quoting chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar, said on Saturday.

Badal will be accompanied by all the members of his council of ministers and all members of Parliament from the ruling Shiromani Akali Dal-BJP alliance in the state, said the Punjab government spokesman.

He said that the delegation will stress the need for resolving the river waters issue strictly as per the riparian principle which had been adopted in all similar disputes in the country in which a state through which a river does not pass has no right on the waters of that river.

In the case of Punjab, neither Sutlej nor Ravi and Beas pass through Haryana and Rajasthan, and therefore, those states cannot claim a share on the waters of these rivers as a matter of right, he added.

The Punjab government has already declared that Punjab would accept no decision on river water issue which violates the nationally and internationally accepted riparian principle. It has also de-notified the acquisition of land acquired for the SYL canal. The land acquired for the canal almost four decades ago has been transferred back to the original owners.

The Punjab assembly, in an unprecedented move recently, had directed the Punjab government, its council of ministers and government officers and officials not to hand over land to any agency for the construction of the SYL canal.

The assembly also resolved that the Punjab government should levy a cost on Haryana, Rajasthan and Delhi for the water supplied to the non-riparian states over the past many years.

The Punjab government had earlier declared that it will neither accept the Supreme Court verdict nor implement it. It said that Punjab did not have a single drop of water to spare for other states.

The Haryana delegation will comprise chief minister Khattar, senior ministers of the Haryana government, ruling BJP leaders and leaders of the Congress, Indian National Lok Dal, BSP, Akali Dal, and others.

Khattar said that Haryana alone was supplying water to national capital Delhi and other states like Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Rajasthan should also contribute.
A Hanuman temple in Andhra Pradeshs Vijayawada received a whopping Rs 1.05 crore in the past one month after the government scrapped Rs 500 and Rs 1000 currency notes.

The authorities of the ancient Dasanjaneya Swamy Temple at Machavaram claimed they had never seen so much money, as the temple usually receives donations in the range of Rs. 1.5 lakh to Rs. 3 lakh from its devotees in a month.

A lot of devotees have been visiting the past one month. We have never received so much money, it is astonishing, Ramakrishna Macharyulu, the temples priest, told ANI.

The temple authorities said that after the government tightened its noose around black money traders, many are depositing the old currencies into the temple Hundi (donation box) to convert their money to white.

The administration has decided to utilise this money to develop the temples infrastructure.

Now that the temple has received so much cash, we have decided to develop the place. As soon as we hold a meeting with the committee, we will renovate the temple, said Sambasiva Rao, a member of the temples administration.
Indias top judge lashed out at the Centre on Saturday over the large number of vacancies in the high courts and his successor warned of striking down any future law that would impede the judiciarys independence.

Union law minister Ravi Shankar shot back by reminding how the top court failed the country during Emergency and attorney general Mukul Rohatgi mentioned a lakshman rekha for the judiciary.

The stinging comments by Chief Justice of India TS Thakur and justice JS Khehar, the CJI-in-waiting, was the latest in the face-off between the government and the judiciary over the appointment of judges since the Supreme Court struck down the National Judicial Appointments Commission (NJAC) Act.

The law was brought in to end more than 20-year-old practice, unique to India, of judges appointing judges under the collegium system, with the government having no say in the process.

There are around 500 vacancies in the high courts today. These judges should be working today, but they are not. At present, there are several vacant courtrooms in India but no judges available. A large number of proposals are still pending and hope the government will intervene to end this crisis, Thakur said at a conference of the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT).

Thakur, who is set to retire in the first week of January, voiced his concern over delays in disposal of cases due to a large number of vacancies in the high courts and various tribunals, which he said, were not equipped well enough to attract retired Supreme Court judges to head them.

The CJIs comments came days after the government objected to 43 names cleared by the top courts collegium for appointment as judges to the high courts in three states. The collegium, however, overruled the objection and returned the file to the government.

Prasad said the BJP-led government has appointed 120 high court judges, adding it was the second highest number of appointments since 1990. The highest number of appointment of 121 judges was made in 2013, Prasad said.

We have the deepest regard for the CJI but we respectfully disagree with him5,000 vacancies are there in the lower judiciary in which the government has no role to play. That is only something for the judiciary to take, he told reporters.

In a separate function later in the evening, Prasad said the judiciary must respect the separation of powers.

Legislation must remain preserve of the legislature. Problems will resolve if all organs remember domain. Courts must give orders, set-aside illegal decisions, but governance must remain with those elected to govern, he said in the presence of Thakur and justice JS Khehar.

Before Prasad spoke, Khehar said if the legislature brings about changes in the Constitution, such as the recent NJAC Act that had elements of interference with the judiciary, the SC will always strike it down.

His remarks were in response to attorney general Mukul Rohatgis comments that judiciary must maintain its lakshman rekha as underlined in the Constitution.

(With inputs from agencies)

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Pakistan has vowed to defend its borders, waters and space against any attacks by the neighbouring country, however, reiterated its stance that it would not respond in any kind to Indian aggression.

Adviser to the prime minister Nawaz Sharif on foreign affairs Sartaj Aziz, speaking in the National Assembly on Friday hinted that talks with India will take place only if Kashmir issue is included in the agenda.

We are ready for a dialogue with India if the Kashmir issue is included in [the agenda], the Dawn quoted Aziz, as saying in his eight-minute-long speech on the floor of the house.

Alleging that Indian forces have defied all international norms by attacking an ambulance at the LoC, he said that the situation has escalated following the attack in which 11 persons were killed.

Aziz said that India wants to divert the worlds attention away from the Kashmir issue.

The adviser further said the Kashmir cause is actively being taken forward by Pakistan since Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif delivered his speech at the UN General Assembly

It is an indigenous freedom movement...led by youths. We will continue [to offer] political, diplomatic and moral support to Kashmiris, Aziz said.

Urging political parties to keep away from making political points on the Kashmir and the LoC, he said that it gives a wrong message to the rest of the world.

Asserting that Pakistan would not come under any pressure, Aziz said that a befitting response would be given to India for any aggression in the border areas.
The arrest of Aman Mani Tripathi, who was picked by Shivpal Yadav as an SP candidate for next years assembly polls despite the chief ministers opposition, is being viewed as a victory for Akhilesh Yadav in the ongoing feud in the ruling family of Uttar Pradesh.

Aman Mani was arrested by the CBI on Friday for his alleged involvement in the murder of his wife, officials said. He is the son of four-time legislator Amar Mani Tripathi and Madhu Mani, both of whom are serving life term for murdering a poetess, Madhumita Shukla, in 2003.

The arrest is likely to be an embarrassment for Samajwadi Party (SP) state president Shivpal, who picked Aman Mani on October 3, when the CBI had already initiated a probe into the death of his wife.

Aman Mani had claimed that his wife, Sara, 27, died in a road accident when they were on their way to Delhi for a holiday in July 2015.

Saras mother, Seema Singh, filed an FIR against Aman Mani and his family members for allegedly murdering her daughter, who was pregnant at the time. She later sought a CBI probe into the case, and said that Aman Manis parents were against the marriage.

Aman Manis place is in jail, not in politics, she told Hindustan Times. ...justice must be done.

The UP police, under the influence of some leaders of the ruling party in the state, favoured Aman Mani in the case. And there was no hope of justice from UP police. So I demanded a CBI probe, which the chief minister readily recommended.

A case of kidnapping was also pending against Aman Mani with Lucknow police.

However, shortly after taking over as state SP president, Shivpal named Aman Mani as the partys pick, intensifying a bruising power struggle within the states ruling family.

I did not get any email informing me about the ticket (to Aman Mani). You people (journalists) got the mail, Akhilesh had said after Shivpals announcement.

Aman Mani was picked to fight from Nautanwa in Maharajganj in eastern Uttar Pradesh, the assembly constituency from which his father was elected MLA four times.

This selection was the third instance when Akhilesh and Shivpal had locked horns.

The first confrontation took place in the run-up to the 2012 UP assembly elections when Shivpal showed an inclination to induct criminal-turned-politician DP Yadav into the party fold. However, Akhilesh, who was the then state party president, blocked the move.

Read | Tainted UP leaders wait till kindom come

Earlier this year, Shivpal merged Mukhtar Ansaris Quami Ekta Dal (QED) with the SP, infuriating Akhilesh. The incumbent CM once again asserted his authority and undid the merger, making public the family rivalry bubbling under the surface.

The family feud intensified as SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav removed his son, Akhilesh, as the state president and Shivpal took his place. Shivpals first order of business was the QED merger followed by Aman Manis nomination.

I ask the chief minister, Akhilesh Yadav, why Aman Mani, the killer of my daughter, was given the ticket? If Mulayam Singh Yadav has courage then he should give a reply to the educated and wise public of Uttar Pradesh. Why was he given the ticket against public sentiments? Seema said on the day of the announcement.

She met Akhilesh twice in this regard, following which the murder case was handed to the CBI. Aman Manis arrest will come as a vindication for Akhilesh, who has been trying to assert himself in the distribution of party tickets for the upcoming assembly elections.

For the full coverage of the Yadav family feud, click here.

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Amid the ongoing investigation against televangelist Zakir Naik and the lack of clarity on his current location, seen as a tactic to stay out of reach of the National Investigation Agency (NIA), it has now come to the fore that Naik has also bagged Malaysian citizenship.

While it is suspected that Naik is in Malaysia at present, instead of Africa or Thailand as is believed, the investigators said there have been no extraditions from Malaysia in the past, though a treaty was inked in 2010.

People representing Naik in his absence in Mumbai confirmed the development, adding that the citizenship came as a package deal for the preacher, along with the highest civilian award  Tokoh Maal Hijrah  conferred upon him in 2013.

It is the state policy of Malaysia to offer citizenship to the awardees of the highest civilian honour of their land. Naik is now a Malaysian citizen too, said a representative.

With the noose tightening around him, the dual citizenship is likely to benefit Naik.

Malaysia was also a favourite of now-arrested underworld gangster Chhota Rajan, who was alleged to be holed up there for years before being extradited from Indonesia.

Rajan, who also underwent medical treatment in Malaysia, feared being handed over to Indian authorities. His aide, Aftab Alam alias Haji, is still suspected to be holed up in Malaysia.

Sources also said investigators allegedly thwarted an attempt by Naiks family members to leave India and they were under watch since.

Naik, meanwhile, issued another statement on Friday, criticising the Centres move of banning his Islamic Research Foundation (IRF) and registering a case against him.

Read:

Zakir Naik: IRF ban knee-jerk reaction by the Modi govt

NIA seeks to freeze accounts of Naik and IRF, block online activities

NIA says Zakir Naiks foundation gave Rs 80k scholarship to IS sympathiser

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After 36 long years, the whistle of the goods train once again reverberated in the Darjeeling Hills. Thanks to Tanago, a German Company, which has chartered the goods train from November 14 to 26.

Darjeeling Himalayan Railways (DHR) was once the main freight lifeline of the hills. It used to carry essential goods, mail and other commodities from the plains to the hills and products, including tea, oranges, ginger and cardamom from the hills to the plains. The freight service was discontinued in 1980.

When we came to Darjeeling last year, we found out that the freight wagons were lying idle in the Tindharia workshop. We approached the DHR to charter the trains. The DHR gave a green signal and assured us that they will make 5 goods wagons operational. Its a very proud moment for us as we are the first group to put the freight train back on track after 35 years said Peter Patt of Tanago.

Tanago is a company which arranges railway tours, including special trains and steam trains throughout the world for train enthusiasts. As many as 30 persons from Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Italy, England, USA and Japan are on a visit.

As many as 30 train enthusiasts from Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, England, USA and Japan are visiting Darjeeling where the freight train services were resumed on November 14. (Suman Baraily )

We have chartered two trains. One is a passenger and the other a freight train. All of us are travelling in the passenger train with the goods train following us. We are mainly clicking photographs of the freight train, reliving the journey, added Patt.

The goods train with three empty wagons is hauled by a steam loco. It has been doing different stretches, including Siliguri to Sukna, Siliguri to Rongtong, Siliguri to Tindharia. The trains arrived in Darjeeling on Friday. It will do a Darjeeling to Ghoom and back stretch on Saturday.

DHR is very popular among visitors. There were many more who wanted to join us this time. We will again return for a similar trip in March 2017 added Patt.

Read: Locals can help preserve Darjeeling toy train: UNESCO team

From Darjeeling, the travelers will visit Kolkata to experience the trams and then to Nilgiri to experience the meter gauge. The total trip is of four weeks duration.

The DHR is charging Rs.57,000/- per train per run (stretch.) The freight train is a new service for the DHR. It is mainly the railway enthusiasts who will charter the freight train. It will not be a regular service said Suman Pradhan, station manager, DHR, Darjeeling.

DHR was inscribed a World Heritage by UNESCO on December 5, 1999. In 1879, work started on the DHR, earlier called the Darjeeling Steam Tramways. The stretch from Siliguri to Kurseong was opened on August 23, 1880. The Siliguri to Darjeeling track was inaugurated on July 4 1881.
Five Ukrainian soldiers were injured in the anti-terrorist operation zone as a result of shellings by the enemy on Friday, November 25, the Defense Ministry's spokesman for the ATO matters, Andriy Lysenko, has said.

"Yesterday, no Ukrainian servicemen were killed and five were wounded. It all happened during enemy attacks," he said at a briefing in Kyiv on Saturday.

n the Luhansk sector, an armed clash took place near Novozvanivka, Lysenko said. The fighting lasted about half an hour, and no Ukrainian troops were injured. Militants also violated the ceasefire in Novooleksandrivka and Krymske, including with the use of mortars, he said.

"The enemy shelled our positions in the Luhansk sector a total of eight times over the past 24 hours, including once with heavy weapons, and there has also been an armed clash," he said.

In the Donetsk sector, fighting took place in the Svitlodar Arc area and in the Avdiyivka industrial zone, where militants used mortars twice, Lysenko said. Some of these attacks lasted more than 2.5 hours. A total of five enemy attacks have been recorded over the past 24 hours, including two using mortars, he said.

In the Mariupol sector, militants are continuing to massively shell government forces' positions in the coastal area. In particular, more than 40 mortar mines and several artillery rounds were fired upon Ukrainian government forces' positions in the Pavlopil and Shyrokyne area on Friday. The intensity of these attacks was the highest between 3:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m., he said.

Militants also violated the ceasefire in Dokuchayivsk.

They shelled the government forces' positions in the Mariupol sector a total of 23 times over the previous 24 hours, including nine times with heavy weapons, Lysenko said.
In the ongoing currency pinch, it was inspiring to read about citizens who made a policy decision to cut back, spend less and simplify their lifestyle. It makes you think of old cultural responses to hunger and gratitude.

For instance, when we offer cooked rice to a deity as naivedya, it does not mean that we expect God to actually eat it. Nivedana is the act of making known. Nivedyami means I am making it known to you or I am informing you or, closest in spirit, I want you to know that I know. Know what? That we acknowledge that the food we eat is a gift.

It does not mean I am offering you food or I am feeding God. It is our farmers who toil to grow that rice. Experts know how to increase its growth and variety. We even hear of fake rice mixed with plastic, Made in China and exported to Kerala and Nigeria.

Read: Please do as you would be done by, says Renuka Narayanan

However, if we believe in God, then patently rice is the original creation of the Creator or Mother Nature, if wed rather. We have food because of that creation. If all things belong to the Creator  isha vasyam idam sarvam, as the Upanishad has it  then to eat without acknowledging the Creator as the provider is equal to theft, say our sages and saints. So the act of naivedya is an act of etiquette that acknowledges our mortality, our physicality, our hunger, our dependence on food and therefore our gratitude that we have received food.

To eat mindlessly without acknowledgment is traditionally considered rude. The Christians say grace before a meal and the Muslims say In the name of God before eating. In fact, they say Bismillah karein for Lets eat. Every culture says Thanks for the food. Today its probably enough to just remember to think Nivedyami or Thank you before eating, in a private act of acknowledgment.

In many homes, it is the custom when the lid is first lifted on a just-cooked pot of rice or the pressure-cooker is opened, to lift the first slice of rice in offering, using the flat rice-serving spoon typical of an Indian kitchen. This rice is taken out to the balcony or yard and left in a designated spot for the crows, ants or even squirrels. So the rice, or a roti, is offered to other creatures before the family is fed. To deepen the connect, somebody even invented the folkloric notion that crows are ancestral spirits, rather like how the northern Scots think of seals as ancestors come back.

Read: Dussehra with a difference: No smoke or fire but so much fun

Annam brahmeti or Food is God says the Maitri Upanishad, and so it is considered a sin to reject or waste food. That, and the point that in a hungry world in which every living creature needs to eat, it really seems very ungrateful to reject food, even if our chosen or enforced lifestyle is to keep it simple.

Inadvertently, the current holdback reminds the fortunate that we are partners with God in growing and cooking food  Heres the good earth, use it well being the single-point MoU.

shebaba09@gmail.com

The views expressed are personal.

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Bachelor Girls, a documentary by filmmaker Shikha Makan, highlights the challenges of unmarried women trying to find a home in Mumbai

Nine years back, filmmaker Shikha Makan (now 36) moved from Delhi to Mumbai to pursue film direction. She thought of Mumbai as a city that epitomised freedom. But one of the first challenges she faced, as a single, independent woman, was finding a house for herself. Bachelors, be it men or women, routinely face harassment from housing societies, who are suspicious of their lifestyle and refuse to rent houses to them.

Makans struggle didnt end after she found a house to rent. One night, the society chairman in the Andheri building I was staying in pulled me up for coming late and asked me to leave the house within 24 hours. That incident left me baffled, recalls Makan. She thought of it as a stand-alone issue, but over the years, she met several women who faced such harassment on a daily basis.

Read: A science fiction short film suggests that Mumbai might be an alien base

Makan, who has a degree in psychology and was a research student and an RJ in Delhi, spent the next few years assisting on various documentaries and directing ad films. After making her debut with an experimental short film  Linger (2012)  which travelled to film festivals, Makan decided to make Bachelor Girls, a documentary on the bias towards unmarried women in housing societies.

Made over almost three years, the documentary is being screened this weekend at Vikalp@Prithvi. The title refers to the term used by real estate brokers to label unmarried women. The prism through which our society views a woman is tinted with judgments about character, clothes, lifestyle, and personal life, says Makan.

Filmmaker Shikha Makan (Photo: Shikha Makan)

The trailer, which released in September on Facebook, got 50,000 views in just two weeks. Being single, for a woman, is a difficult identity to live with, even in cosmopolitan Indian metros, where discrimination hits you in various garbs, adds Makan.

For Bachelor Girls, Makan spoke to women living in Mumbai and pursuing a range of occupations, be it film/media professionals who have irregular work timings, to women working in more acceptable professions such as banking and education.

We have a complex mesh of traditional and western ideologies coexisting today. [But] deep inside our social psyche, we continue to hold on to archaic ideas about women, says Makan.

Bachelor Girls will next be screened at the Vancouver International South Asian Film Festival (over this weekend) and the Madurai International Film Festival (in December). Makan is eventually planning to release the film online.

Bachelor Girls will be screened on November 25, 7pm onwards

At Vikalp@Prithvi, Prithvi House, Juhu

Entry is free; on a first-come-first-seated basis

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A day after issuing orders to take back its prime plot at Cuffe Parade  on which the iconic World Trade Centre (WTC) stands  the Maharashtra government formally took possession of the plot on Friday. It sealed some of the offices of M Visvesvaraya Industrial Research and Development Centre (MVIRDC) directors, the original lease holders of the plot.

The state will also approach the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) for further action as MVIRDC is registered under the Companies Act and four government representatives are on its board. The state has also filed a caveat in the Bombay high court with regard to this.

MVIRDC directors remained unavailable for comment despite calls made to the directors and an email sent to the company id - director@wtcmumbai.org.

Mumbai collector Ashwini Joshi visited WTC on Friday and addressed a meeting of all sub-lease holders to ensure there was no panic among them. She told them to henceforth pay a monthly outgoing amount as maintenance to the collectors office, instead of the MVIRDC.

The government will appoint a common facilitation centre at the premises on Monday to ensure daily operations are unaffected, Joshi told HT.

On November 24, the collector passed an order repossessing WTC land from the original lease holders, for violating the lease agreement. The 42,025-sq m plot was given to MVIRDC on a lease of 99 years and the WTC was constructed there in 1970.

A report prepared by the collector in this case, suggested that the government needs to approach the NCLT to probe the complaints made by the MVIRDC lessee association. The report was submitted to the principal secretary of the revenue department on September 3. Based on this, the state will approach the NCLT, said a senior official from the revenue department.

When contacted, Vijay Kalantri, vice president MVIRDC, said he was not in town and referred HT to YR Warerkar, executive director. Warerkar too could not be contacted. Beenal Gandhi, assistant director, coordination refused to comment.

Read

Maharashtra govt wants its Cuffe Parade land back from WTC for violating norms

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The commander in chief of the Cuban revolution, as his brother, President Raul Castro, called him, has died at the age of 90. Fidel Castro, who strode the world for nearly five decades as a colossus in military fatigues, unkempt beard and jaunty soldiers cap, is no more.

It was a demise prefigured by the great man himself. In April this year, he emerged from seclusion to deliver a memorable speech on the final day of Cubas Communist Party congress. Ill soon be 90, the former President said, adding that he did not expect to last much longer: to all, our turn must come.

For the previous ten years he had no longer been active on the national or world stage, since first handing over temporary charge of the country to Raul in 2006. (Raul formally assumed the Presidency in 2008). All the world had heard of him was through his writings in the state media under the rubric Reflections of Comrade Fidel. But for 47 years before that, Fidel Castro was Cuba.

Since starting a guerrilla movement against the corrupt and plutocratic Batista regime alongside the legendary Che Guevara in 1956, Castro  Fidel to his admirers and critics -- embodied the ideals of the socialist revolution he ushered in to the island state with his triumph in 1959.

Surviving the CIA-sponsored Bay of Pigs invasion by Cuban exiles, and a crippling US embargo that starved the island state of lucrative American trade and tourism, Castro ran a Marxist-Leninist state closely aligned with the Soviet Union. It featured high education, free health care, the lowest infant-mortality rates in the world and an internationalist foreign policy that saw Cuban doctors serving in Angola and Cuban troops fighting in Mozambique.

Castros rule also featured summary executions, imprisonment of dissidents without trial, ruthless suppression of freedom of speech, and labour camps for political trouble-makers. He ran a one-party state that brooked no dissent and dealt harshly with disagreement. Revolutionary justice, the failed lawyer famously said, is not based on legal precepts, but on moral conviction.

So far from God and so close to the United States, the misfortune bewailed by Mexican President Porfirio Diaz about his own country, could well have applied to Castros Cuba. Godless Communism prevailed, but the proximity of the US implied both an allurement and a threat.

Read: Fidel Castro: A revolutionary who brought India and Cuba closer

After its disastrous sponsorship of the failed Bay of Pigs invasion in 1962, the CIA attempted to assassinate him with such devices as cigars packed with explosives. The reciprocal support he received from the Soviet Union nearly precipitated a global nuclear holocaust during the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962.

But Fidel Castro survived them all. He grew into the elder statesman of international socialism, with a pugnacious brand of rhetoric that included long-winded and flowery speeches, some of which I heard during his frequent appearances at the United Nations General Assembly.

Fidel Castro was the star of 1983 summit of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) which took place in India. (HT File Photo)

At one UN summit, a five-minute time limit had been imposed upon Heads of Government that no one expected Castro to adhere to. With his impish sense of humour, Fidel ostentatiously placed a red handkerchief over the blinking light installed to warn speakers their time was up, signalling his apparent intention to ignore it  and then went on to conclude his remarks briskly in three minutes. It was a bravura show of playing to the gallery.

I enjoyed his company when I accompanied UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan to the South-South Summit Castro hosted in Havana in 1999, and had the opportunity to join Annans meetings with the great leader. Though very much a senior statesman at 73, Castro brimmed over with energy and curiosity, asking Annan questions and writing notes of his responses like an eager schoolboy.

His intellectual curiosity was inexhaustible, and his eyes sparkled with interest and delight. Charisma oozed from every pore.

My travels with Annan allowed me meetings with many famous world leaders, but Fidel Castro, it was clear, was larger than life even at close quarters.

Today that life has been exhausted, but what Fidel stood for, even if it is now eclipsed, captured the ideals and challenges of an era. The passions of the last decades of the Cold War period  idealist socialism and humanitarianism, messianic internationalism, opposition to imperialism and colonialism  inspired many to regard him as a saviour. The injustices of Cuba under Communist rule and the ruthless suppression of dissent led as many to denounce him as an oppressive dictator.

Cubas social achievements were considerable, but the limitations of Fidels economic approach became apparent with the collapse of the Soviet Union, which could no longer keep Cubas heavily subsidised economy afloat. The triumphant return of American capitalism to Cuba may yet mark his final epitaph.

Yet no history of the world in the 20th century would be complete without an appreciation of Fidel Castro and of what he stood for. Political greatness is always contextual, emerging from a particular time and historical period, and even if his record stands discredited in many peoples eyes today, Fidel was undoubtedly amongst the greatest leaders of his era.

Read: A revolution is not a bed of roses: Top quotes by Fidel Castro
The 1978 Spring  World Festival of Youth and Students was held in Havana, the Capital city of Cuba. I was a participant in the festival, representing the All India Youth Federation and India. A large number of youth and student activists from across the globe gathered in Havana. During the inaugural rally at Plaza de Revolution, Fidel Castro addressed the gathering. That was my first glimpse of Fidel Castro. Though the speech was in Spanish, it was very inspiring and enchanting  it electrified the whole gathering.

Comrade Fidel Castro was an icon for the entire suffering humanity and peace-loving people. At a very young age along with Che Guevara and other revolutionaries he defeated the military regime of Fulgencio Batista, dictatorial and unpopular administrator and also a marionette of the US. He founded the Communist Party of Cuba and elected to carry forward the legacy of Jose Marti.

Read | End of an era: Indian leaders pay tribute to the Cuban revolutionary leader

Under the leadership of Communist Party of Cuba, the Communist government banned slavery soon after assuming power. In addition the massive land reforms and housing scheme for the poor, uplifted the marginalised black population to a great extent. Likewise health and education sectors became easier to access regardless of race. Elimination of racial prejudice was the prime concern of Fidel Castro and the Cuban Communist Party launched an ideological campaign against racism.

Thus emerged Cuba as a modern socialist republic in the Western Hemisphere of the World, and it became a bulwark of Socialist Revolution and role model for the whole developing world. Cuba is a small island-nation but it has the educational, medical and other social sectors of a highly developed countries. That Cuba could continue to excel in these fields despite embargoes and the collapse of its trading partners makes its gains even more impressive.

This remarkable achievement was possible because vision and revolutionary zeal of Comrade Fidel. He was a great Marxist thinker and revolutionary. His thoughts and life have inspired millions of toiling masses across the globe. He was a great supporter of liberation movements and vocal critic against Apartheid regimes in Africa. He had special concern for post-colonial countries like India and continued his special affection towards Indian Sub Continent. As a leader of NAM Comrade Castro paid extra efforts to fortify and consolidate South-South cooperation.

Read | Fidel Castro: A revolutionary who brought India and Cuba closer

Comrade Fidel Castro and founding fathers of Socialist Cuba recognised the value of Education in reshaping social change in the society. Cubas education system is performing so well, even under the severe resource constraints because of the continuity in its education strategies, sustained high levels of investments in education, and a comprehensive and carefully structured system. The main aspects of the Cuban primary educational system are the high quality of basic education and universal access to primary and comprehensive early childhood education and student health programs .Moreover unlike many countries Cuba has developed mechanisms to foster community participation in management of schools and has paid great attention to the quality of teachers. Higher education in Cuba does not mean University education alone. Higher education also has various alternative vocational streams like polytechnic institutes, pedagogical institutes, higher educational centres and many more are other institutes for higher education besides universities.

Since 1970s Cubas medical internationalism increased Cubas profile on world stage in the developing world. Cubas vast expertise in health sector is not just confined to Cuba. Today nearly 40,000 Cuban doctors and nurses are working in 81 developing countries. The Cuban government established the Comprehensive Health Programme (CHP) to provide free medical support to Latin American and Caribbean countries. Later the programme was extended to assist the toiling masses of Afro-Asian countries. Over 1,500,000 people from Caribbean region have either improved or recovered their eyesight through Operation Milagro (Operation Miracle) formulated by the Cuban health ministry in 2000.

In the event of global economic crisis Castros vision for alternative policies are highly relevant. Castro was a committed communist vanguard, who stood for the cause of poor and downtrodden till his last breath. It is time to recollect what Comrade Fidel spoke in the court of law declaring history will absolve me. It is not the question of absolving alone it is really the question of acknowledging the greatness and life of Comrade Castro.

The author is the national secretary of the Communist Party of India and a Rajya Sabha member
Aapna Punjab Party (APP) convener Sucha Singh Chhotepur is all set to contest from Gurdaspur in the upcoming state assembly elections due early next year though his candidature will be formally announced after the party committee meeting on November 30.

Meanwhile, posters showing him as the party candidate from Gurdaspur are being published by a printing press in Dinanagar that will shortly be displayed in the Gurdaspur assembly segment.

As former Punjab minister confirms the news, he hopes to win the Gurdaspur seat for he hails from Chhotepur village in Gurdaspur.

He started his political career as a student leader from Government College, Gurdaspur.He has contested state assembly elections five times and won twice from Dhariwal, first as a Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader in 1985 and then independently in 2002. He resigned along with Capt Amarinder Singh, who is currently the state Congress chief, as minister from the Surjit Singh Barnala cabinet in 1986 to protest against Punjab Police entering the Golden Temple.

He contested as Aam Aadmi Party candidate from Gurdaspur parliamentary constituency in 2014 and polled 1.76 lakh votes.

After being sacked on corruption charges from Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party, Sucha Singh Chhotepur floated his own party named Aapna Punjab Party with himself as its convener.
The assistant garrison engineer, Western Command, RS Verma, who was arrested on Thursday red handed while accepting Rs 25,000 as bribe at Chandimandir, was seeking bribe for his senior officer too. This fact has been revealed in the transcript of conversations recorded by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). The transcript of RS Verma and the complainant was submitted before the court on Friday.

Meanwhile, the CBI did not press for RS Vermas police custody and the court sent him to Ambala jail.

The transcript revealed how bribe needed to be paid for getting completion certificates and how contractors are being threatened in the name of blacklisting.

Surender Sharma, a resident of Hisar, who is one of the partners in AR Construction Co, had not only complained against RS Verma but also against his senior BM Verma. He had alleged that both the garrison engineers were not clearing his 3 bills amounting to Rs 10 lakh, Rs 14 lakh and Rs 2 lakh.

He had told CBI that for clearing bills, RS Verma was seeking Rs 60,000 while for BM Verma he was asking 10% of a tender of Rs 44 lakh, ie Rs 44,000.

Sharma gave the complaint on November 23 and the same day he went with CBIs recorder to meet RS Verma. After the conversation was recorded, the trap was laid on November 24 where he was arrested with Rs 25,000 as bribe.

The CBI told the court that RS Verma directed Sharma to arrange as much as he could and hand over the same to him.

As per the recordings, BM Verma was not present in his office, so Sharma couldnt go and meet him. The CBI told the court that verification of demand of bribe by BM Verma couldnt be done on this account. The CBI also told the court that when Sharma asked RS Verma that whether he should call BM Verma on phone to verify his demand, he suggested him to meet him in person.

Unfortunately, he couldnt be trapped. My work at Chandimandir cantonment was related to fencing, tiling and other maintenance work, Sharma told HT.
Farmers under the banner of Kisan Sangharsh Committee (KSC) led by Satnam Singh Pannu blocked the national highway-15 (NH-15) near Rasoolpur village, 8km from Tarn Taran , on Friday, seeking arrest of the accused that had allegedly killed a Dalit female activist.

A 70-year-old activist of Zameen Prapati Sangharsh Committee (ZPSC) Gurdev Kaur, native of Sangrurs Jhalur village, was injured in a clash with her landlords last month and succumbed to injuries on November 12.

Social and Dalit activists have now been calling her the first martyr of Dalits struggle for villages common land.

Extending their support to those protesting against the inaction of police, KSC activists gathered on highway at around 2pm and started raising slogans against the SAD-BJP government for not taking action against the accused.

They also burnt the effigy of chief minister Parkash Singh Badal and blocked the road.

The blockade hit traffic order due to which, the commuters had to face inconvenience.

KSC leader Jasbir Singh Piddi said that farmers and labourers had been protesting for last few days in Sangrur but the police are doing injustice with the underprivileged sections by sparing the killers.

The Dalit community should be given one-third share of the land which is owned by the village panchayat, he added.
Commuters were left stranded on Chandigarh Road as 15,000 members of the Punjab State Ministerial Services Union (PSMSU) blocked Vardhman Chowk for an hour to protest against the Punjab government for not fulfilling their demands, on Friday.

The protest started at 11am in the GLADA ground and at 3pm the staff decided to block the Vardhman Chowk bringing traffic to a standstill. Consequently, police had to divert the route to help commuters reach their destinations.

Why is the staff blocking Vardhman Chowk? If they have any problem with the government, they must protest outside the chief ministers house, said Simranpreet Kaur, a commuter stuck in the traffic jam.

Long traffic snarls on all connecting roads to Vardhman Chowk led to harassment of commuters. There was chaos at Samrala Chowk, Moti Nagar and the road leading to Sector-32 Chowk. Cops had a tough time controlling traffic, so they diverted it to inner roads through residential areas from the main chowks.

The ministerial staff of the education department and health department is on strike since November 9 which has adversely affected the work in every department.

The workers raised slogans against the government and blamed them for not fulfilling their demands.

Their main demands include the release of dearness allowance, implementation of old pension scheme applicable to employees recruited before 2004, better pay grade and release of arrears from 2004 onwards.

State president Nachhatar Singh Bhai Rupa said, We stopped the protest after police assured us that deputy commissioner Ravi Bhagat will arrange a meeting with chief minister Parkash Singh Badal. If the meeting is not fixed by tomorrow, we will hold rallies at every district headquarters between noon and 2pm on December 5, adding that they will hold a maha rally in Phase 6 of SAS Nagar on December 11 if the government failed to fulfil their demands once again.



ETT TEACHERS ON STRIKE TO GET MEDICAL CERTIFICATES IN TWO DAYS, SAYS DPI

The protest by Elementary Teachers Training teachers entered day four on Friday. However, director, public instructions, (elementary)Pankaj Sharma has informed the district education officer, elementary, Balwinder Singh, that medical certificates will be issued to the teachers in the next two days and they will be able join government schools before November 30.

ETT teachers holding a protest outside the DC office in Ludhiana on Friday. (Gurminder Singh/HT Photo)

The DEO confirmed that we have informed the teachers that the DPI has spoken to the health secretary and the medical certificates will be issued to them.

On November 23, Sharma had extended the joining date of teachers from November 24 to November 30. Due to a strike by the ministerial staff of the health department, the civil surgeon has not been able to issue fitness certificates to the teachers. But she has given in written to the teachers that on November 23 , they can join as they are physically fit and the medical certificate will be issued after the ministerial staff strike ends.
A large number of Punjabi students, studying in different pockets of Canada, have raised their voice on different social networking platforms against a Toronto-based Punjabi radio channel host and a caller who criticised international students from Punjab in a recent radio show.

Students expressed their anger by writing their views on social media and by making their response videos.

Their siblings, cousins and relatives here in Punjab are busy pacifying them by suggesting them to ignore such statements against them and concentrate on bigger goals for which they went to Canada.

Majority of the students have shared their videos, featuring statements made against them in the radio show, followed by story of the struggle that they had to face for being an international student.

In the video of the said radio show, a woman calls up host Joginder Bassi to share her complaints against the increasing number of Punjabi students and suggested banning them.

Reacting to her views, Bassi said that international girl students from Punjab are clever as their only aim is to find a boy with permanent residency so as to get married to them and become a Canadian citizen.

A student Harman Singh from Jagraon who is currently studying in Montreal and is in Canada since the past few years said, It was not expected that a radio show can be so shameful, where people can make any kind of statements. I was shocked when the RJ said that girls from Punjab, instead of concentrating on studies and career, come here to make a match with a Punjabi boy with permanent residency to attain citizenship.

Why do people forget that we worked hard to get admission in Canadian colleges and universities, where we pay lakhs of rupees for every semester? Besides that, we do all kinds of odd jobs to arrange the fee money for the next semester, he said.

Gaganpreet Singh who hails from Ludhiana and is a Toronto-based student said, One must think before speaking, but some people are just mindless. Why do they forget the struggles Indian students have to face? Before pointing a finger at us, why cant the Punjabi community settled here first look at their own children who are not even connected to their roots and hardly respect their elders? Besides, the students coming to Canada are also helping to boost Canadas economy, as they pay so much for every semester.

When we apply for permanent residency, we join a force of productive citizens since we have the degrees and rich work experience, he added.

Meanwhile, there are also videos where students have appealed to all, to remain calm. These videos state that bad apples are everywhere and ignoring them is the best solution.

The radio host Bassi shared on his Facebook page that he has received hate calls from students for the said statement.

On Friday, by inviting one of the students to his show, Bassi appealed the students community to shed away their anger as no statement was made to hurt them.

Bassi remained unavailable for any comment on the issue despite repeated attempts.

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The Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office of Spain has put Ukrainian business tycoon, chief of Group DF Dmytro Firtash, who is charged with money laundering in large amounts, on the international wanted list, Deutsche Welle reported.

Firtash has been put on the list along with his two accomplices  citizens of Ukraine, whose names are not disclosed in the interest of the investigation, Deutsche Welle reports with reference to its source in the prosecutor's office in Spain.

The agency's interlocutor also said that when search warrant was issued, Firtash's five other accomplices were detained in Barcelona and in the resort town of Marbella on November 24. They were directly involved in money laundering organized by the Ukrainian tycoon. A famous Spanish lawyer, Antonio de Fortuny, was among the detainees, DW said.

According to prosecutors, these people have created a number of offshore companies in Panama for Firtash, and some of the capital stayed in Spain as investment in real estate.

These crimes involve tens of millions of euros of criminal origin. A representative of the prosecutor's office refused to disclose the exact amounts. They also said that Firtash's case was considered by prosecutors as part of the Variola operation, which started in July 2016 with the arrest in Spain of Stepan Chernovetsky, the son of former Kyiv Mayor Leonid Chernovetsky, and eleven other people also suspected of money laundering. Stepan Chernovetsky was freed from custody in summer but still remains under investigation.

The documents found during the searches in the Chernovetsky case helped the investigators to link Firtash to the case, the representative of the prosecutor's office said. However, he expressed the doubt that the Ukrainian tycoon will be ever arrested by Spanish law-enforcers. For several years, the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation has been searching unsuccessfully for Firtash in connection with serious charges, including a bribe in exchange for a license to develop titanium deposits in India, DW said.

As was reported, Chairman of Group DF's board and Ukrainian Employers Federation head Firtash was arrested in Austria on March 12, 2014, at the request of the U.S. authorities. The Vienna Regional Court for Criminal Matters ruled on Firtash's extradition-related arrest but then decided to release him on EUR 125 million bail on condition he would not leave Austria. On April 30, 2015, the same court ruled not to extradite Firtash to the United States.

Firtash told reporters after the court hearings that he was planning to return to Ukraine after receiving the adjudication.

In late December, Ukrainian Interior Minister Arsen Avakov said that Firtash will be detained in the event of his return to Ukraine in connection with a relevant request by the United States Department of Justice.

The U.S. government accused six individuals, including Firtash, of bribing Indian officials to receive a permit for mining operations. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, the accused attempted to pay a bribe worth $18.5 million in the hope of receiving $500 million from selling titanium mined in the Indian state Andhra Pradesh.
Authorities say Mexican TV and movie actor Renato Lopez has been shot to death in a car on a highway outside of Mexico City. A publicity agent was also killed in the attack.

Read: Latest updates from the world of TV

The Mexico State prosecutors office said Friday that the bodies of Lopez and Omar Giron were found in car in the rural township of Jilotzingo. The area where the shooting occurred Thursday is largely wooded.

Llevo menos de 24 horas en #CDMX y ya extrano la playa #twsteel #scotchandsodamx A photo posted by Renato Lopez (@renatolopez1) on Nov 22, 2016 at 4:15pm PST

The state prosecutors office said both men had been reported missing in Mexico City.

Lopez played a supporting role in the recently released movie Macho, about a straight fashion designer who feels obliged to act gay. Hes also been a host on television shows.

While musicians have sometimes been targeted in Mexicos drug violence, actors have largely been spared until now.

Follow @htshowbiz for more
Socialite Paris Hilton says she is not a dumb blonde.

Although people often expect the socialite to be ditzy, she says they are pleasantly surprised when they hear her talk about her business empire, reports Dailymail.

If someone hasnt met me yet, they automatically have their misconceptions about me. As soon as I am in a board room in front of them talking about my business, they immediately know Im not the dumb blonde they thought I was, Hilton told Galore magazine.

US socialite Paris Hilton greets children at the Teleton foundation in Tlanepantla, Mexico state, Mexico on November 10, 2016. (AFP)

Hilton, 35, says that she is flattered when people call her an icon.

Ive been called that by people and I found it very flattering but Ive never used it to describe myself... It makes me happy to be an inspiration to people. I am all about girl power and women being fierce and independent. So, its nice to see women following my lead and doing things on their own instead of just depending on a man, she said.

Hilton also says that she has a good idea of who is using her for her fame and who genuinely wants to spend time with her.

Over the years I have definitely figured out all the signs of a hungry tiger. I can mostly tell when there are paparazzi and I can see the way a person like that reacts. Also, being in this business for so long its pretty obvious what peoples intentions are, she said.

Follow @htshowbiz for more
A page in Cubas history has turned with the death of its revolutionary leader Fidel Castro. So what happens now on the communist island?

The Caribbean nation is at a crossroads. Fidel Castros successor Raul Castro has said he himself plans to stand aside in 2018.

But first, emerging once and for all from his elder brothers shadow, Raul faces the challenge of driving forward economic and political change.

Meanwhile, Cubas warming ties with the United States are at risk. US President-elect Donald Trump -- who called Fidel a brutal dictator on Saturday -- threatened before winning the election to reverse the recent rapprochement between Havana and Washington.

Out of Fidels shadow

Fidel Castro handed the reins of power to his younger brother a decade before his death on Friday.

But the elder Castro remained a weighty presence, publishing his reflections on Cuban and world affairs regularly in state media.

Officials said Fidel was still consulted on important decisions.

This photo taken on December 23, 2003 in Havana shows Fidel Castro (L) with his brother Raul, then minister of the Revoutionary Armed Forces. (AFP)

Raul Castro has overseen gradual economic reforms. Without Fidel in the background, change could move faster.

With Fidels death, the political and economic situation will probably open up, said Michael Shifter, president of the US research group Inter-American Dialogue. He spoke before Castros death.

It will take a weight off Raul. He will not have to worry any more about contradicting his brother.

Market reforms

Raul Castro has been discreetly loosening the grip of the military and state authorities on the economy since 2011, analysts say.

Reforms to the system are needed since the economy has been hit by the decline in cheap oil imports from Venezuela and falling commodity prices.

After Fidel Castros death, market-oriented reforms will gain momentum, as will efforts to eliminate the more impracticable communist policies, said Arturo Lopez Levy, a Cuba specialist at the University of Texas.

Without Fidels charisma, the communist partys positions will depend on the economic results.

Read | A revolution is not a bed of roses: Top quotes by Fidel Castro

Trump factor

Raul Castro and US President Barack Obama restored diplomatic relations last year after half a century of hostility.

But Obamas elected successor Trump has threatened to roll back the rapprochement if Cuba doesnt improve its human rights record.

All of the concessions that Barack Obama has granted the Castro regime were done through executive order, which means the next president can reverse them and that I will do unless the Castro regime meets our demands, Trump said in September.

Those demands will include religious and political freedom for the Cuban people and the freeing of political prisoners.

Cuba says it refuses to be dictated to by foreign powers.

Power struggle?

The end of the Castro era raises questions about the future of Cubas one-party system and who will replace the elderly generation of revolutionaries.

Raul Castro is 85 and has said he will step aside after the next Communist Party congress in 2018.

Read | Comrade Fidel: A saviour for many, an oppressive dictator for others

He has appointed as his number two Miguel Diaz-Canel, 56.

He is the first such high-ranking leader who is not an original member of the Castros revolutionary movement, which ousted former dictator Fulgencio Batista in 1959.

Now analysts foresee a struggle between hardline and more progressive members of the regime.

The expectation of change will grow among the majority of Cubans, Shifter said. Fidels death will certainly open the door to greater conflicts and confrontations among those in power.

The supreme arbiter of all conflicts in Cuba will be gone, he added of Fidel Castro.

Raul will have much more room, but so will his political rivals.

Out with the old

Moderate dissident Miriam Leyva said the death of Fidel Castro could herald the passing of a hardline sector of the old guard.

I think there is an opportunity here to open up this society even more and progress more quickly with reforms, she said.

People gather outside the Cuban embassy in Santiago on November 26, 2016, the day after Cuba's historic revolutionary leader Fidel Castro died aged 90. One of the world's longest-serving rulers and modern history's most singular characters, Castro defied 11 US administrations and hundreds of assassination attempts. (AFP Photo)

Since officially taking over as full president in 2008, Raul Castro has been working discreetly to de-Fidelize the leadership, said one Western diplomat who lived for years in Havana.

He has spent his whole life playing the role of the regime hardliner, said the diplomat, who asked not to be named.

But in fact, he has long been making an effort to bring about pragmatic developments, against the ideologues whom Fidel relied on.

Moving on

As for ordinary Cubans, many on the streets of Havana say they will always carry Fidel in their hearts. But they are looking to the future, too.

The vast majority of Cubans feel a personal connection with Fidel, said political scientist Rafael Hernandez, director of the Cuban magazine Temas.

In pictures | Looking for Fidel: Life of the revolutionary Cuban leader

That applies to both those who support him, wholly or with reservations, and those who see him as the cause of all Cubas ills.

The Western diplomat who spoke to AFP reckoned Cubans are moving on.

Cubans buried Fidel a long time ago, he said. They have their faces turned to the future. For many of them, he is no more than a glorious memory.

The post-Fidel era started in 2006, he added. What matters now is what happens post-Raul.

Also read | Fidel Castro: A revolutionary who brought India and Cuba closer
French President Francois Hollande on Saturday called for the embargo that punishes Cuba to be lifted definitively following the death of Fidel Castro.

I want, on the occasion of the death of Fidel Castro to again insist that the embargo that punishes Cuba should be lifted definitively (and that) Cuba should be fully regarded as a partner in the international community, said Hollande during a summit in Madagascar.

Instituted in the early 1960s, the trade embargo was designed to starve Castros regime of US currency. Despite the recent restoration of diplomatic relations between Washington and Havana, the embargo remains largely in place today.

France has always seen Cuba as a partner, said Hollande, who in May 2015 was the first western head of state to visit the island nation after the thaw in relations between the US and Cuba in December 2014.

Even if I have repeatedly denounced human rights abuses in Cuba, I have always believed that the embargo was an unacceptable, unilateral decision, he said.

Fidel Castro was a great figure of the 20th century. He aroused much hope with the Cuban revolution.

There have also been disappointments, Hollande said.
Indian leaders, cutting across party lines, paid tribute to Cuban revolutionary leader and former president Fidel Castro, who passed away on Friday night. Castro was in poor health since an intestinal ailment nearly killed him in 2006. He was 90.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi posted on Twitter that Castro was one of the most iconic personalities of the 20th century and a good friend of India.

I extend my deepest condolences to the Government & people of Cuba on the sad demise of Fidel Castro. May his soul rest in peace.  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) November 26, 2016

We stand in support with the Cuban Government and people in this tragic hour.  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) November 26, 2016

President Pranab Mukerjee also conveyed his heartfelt condolences on demise of Castro and said he was a dear friend to India.

Read | Fidel Castro: A revolutionary who brought India and Cuba closer

Describing his death as a loss not limited to Cuba or a particular ideology, Congress president Sonia Gandhi said Castro led the oppressed and stood up to any attempt at stifling the voice of freedom. His contribution to the Non Aligned Movement and his unflinching support for Indias cause on various fora will always remain deeply etched in the minds and hearts of the Indian people, she said in a statement.

This 7th March 1983 file photo shows then Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi next to Cuban president Fidel Castro during the opening of the Non Aligned Conference. (Virendra Prabhakar/Hindustan Times)

Left parties

Left parties across the country paid tribute to the leader, calling him a great friend of the Indian Communist movement.

Describing Castro as a source of inspiration, CPI(M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury said he steered Cuba from a very backward country to what it is today.

End of an era. But revolutionaries like Fidel Castro live forever. pic.twitter.com/4mXNHNTZM6  Sitaram Yechury (@SitaramYechury) November 26, 2016

Cuba has got the worlds highest rate of literacy, development in medical sciences where even the US sends doctors for training there. And he remained and remains a big revolutionary and source of inspiration, he said.

Then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi greets Fidel Castro upon his arrival in New Delhi enroute to Vietnam on September 10, 1973. (Rane Prakash/Hindustan Times)

Expressing deep sorrow over the demise of the former Cuban President, the CPI said, his demise is not just a loss for Cuba but for the whole world and for all revolutionaries.

His whole life is a source of inspiration and enlightenment to the world, Communist Party of India leader, D. Raja told IANS.

Indira Gandhi with Fidel Castro. (Rane Prakash/Hindustan Times)

The Left parties in West Bengal on Saturday decided to fly the red flag at half mast for three days at their respective offices across the state as a mark of respect. Eighteen Left parties, including the Communist Party of India-Marxist, Communist Party of India, All India Forward Bloc, Revolutionary Socialist Party, Communist Party of India- Marxist Leninist (Liberation), will also take out a rally from Lenins statue in the Esplanade area to the Ram Lila Maidan at Entally in central Kolkata.

Read | A revolution is not a bed of roses: Top quotes by Fidel Castro
The appointment of Lieutenant General Qamar Javed Bajwa as Pakistans next army chief has surprised many. He was not the senior most among those in the reckoning. In fact, he was the second lowest in terms of seniority of the names submitted by the outgoing army chief to prime minister Nawaz Sharif.

What may have tipped the scales in his favour is his experience in the Kashmir corridor, say analysts.

His elevation to the top army post comes amid the friction military-civilian relations have been under in Pakistan, as well as the recent escalation in tensions along the Line of Control. Perceived by some as a hardliner, he is expected to continue the armys policy of putting pressure on the civilian government in not engaging in a comprehensive dialogue with India.

Bajwa has extensive experience in operations in Kashmir, in the Pakistans Northern Areas, and in counter-terrorism.

The new army chief was chosen over the highest ranking contender, the armys Chief of General Staff Lt. Gen Zubair Hayat, previously responsible for the security of the countrys nuclear programme; and over Lt. Gen Ishfaq Nadeem, commander of the strategic Multan strike corps and viewed by many analysts as favourite for the job.

Bajwa is currently the Inspector General for Training and Development at the General Headquarters in Rawalpindi. Gen Sharif, who is set to retire on November 29, also served in this same post before taking over as chief.

Prior to this, he commanded the elite Rawalpindi-based X Corps, the largest and most important corps that is responsible for operations along the Line of Control in Kashmir. Pakistans most strategic defence installations, the Prime Ministers Secretariat and government security are the responsibility of the commander of X Corps.

It was this corps  especially its 111 brigade  that played a key role in the past during military takeovers, the most recent being in 1999 when Gen Pervez Musharraf seized power in a bloodless coup. In the X Corps, Bajwa also held the position of chief of staff.

Bajwa also served as chief of the Force Command Northern Areas and commanded a brigade in the same force. Bajwa also commanded a brigade in the UN peacekeeping mission in Congo in 2007, where he served alongside former Indian Army chief Gen Bikram Singh.

In the international environment, Bajwas conduct was outstanding and he was an extremely professional soldier, General Bikram Singh told Hindustan Times.

Senior Army officers described Bajwa as an old Kashmir hand with first-hand experience of operational aspects related to Line of Control and Kashmir.

A senior officer said it was too early to say whether Bajwa would carry forward the legacy of his predecessors or evolve an approach of his own.

The new army chief is from the infantrys Baloch Regiment, which has given three officers to the post of army chief  Gen Yahya Khan, Gen Aslam Beg and Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani. He was commissioned in the 10th Baloch Regiment in October 1980. He graduated from the Canadian Forces Command and Staff College in Toronto and did a Naval Post Graduate from the Monetray University in California. He also studied at the National Defence University in Islamabad. He has also been an instructor at the School of Infantry and Tactics at Quetta.

(With inputs from Rahul Singh, New Delhi)
Fidel Castro, was a Cuban politician and revolutionary who governed the Republic of Cuba as prime minister from 1959 to 1976 and then as president from 1976 to 2008. Politically a MarxistLeninist and Cuban nationalist, he also served as the First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba from 1961 until 2011.

The following are some facts about former Cuban leader Fidel Castro:

 Fidel Castro led Cuba for five decades and was the worlds third longest-serving head of state, after Britains Queen Elizabeth and the King of Thailand. He temporarily ceded power to his brother Raul in July 2006 after undergoing intestinal surgery. The handover of power became official in 2008.

 In his last years, Castro occasionally appeared in public and in videos and pictures usually meeting with guests. He wrote hundreds of columns for the official media. Stooped and walking with difficulty, Castro was seen in public twice in 2012 and twice in 2013. He was seen in public on Jan. 8, 2014, at the opening of a cultural center, though photos of visiting dignitaries at the Castro home appeared after that.

 Castro holds the record for the longest speech ever delivered to the United Nations: 4 hours and 29 minutes, on Sept. 26, 1960, according to the UN website. One of his longest speeches on record lasted 7 hours and 30 minutes on Feb. 24, 1998, after the national assembly re-elected him to a five-year term as president.

 Castro claimed he survived 634 attempts or plots to assassinate him, mainly masterminded by the Central Intelligence Agency and US-based exile organizations. They may have included poison pills, a toxic cigar, exploding mollusks, and a chemically tainted diving suit. Another alleged plan involved giving him powder that would make his beard fall out and so undermine his popularity.

 Despite the plots, a US-backed exile invasion at the Bay of Pigs and five decades of economic sanctions, Castro outlasted nine US presidents, from Dwight Eisenhower to Bill Clinton, stepping down while George W Bush was in office.

 Castro used to chomp on Cuban cigars but gave them up in 1985. Years later he summed up the harm of smoking tobacco by saying: The best thing you can do with this box of cigars is give them to your enemy.

 Time Magazine in 2012 named Castro as one of the 100 most influential personalities of all time.

 Castro had nine children from five women. His eldest son Fidel Castro Diaz-Balart, who is the image of his father and is known as Fidelito, is a Soviet-trained nuclear scientist born in 1949 out of his brief marriage to Mirta Diaz-Balart. Daughter Alina Fernandez, the result of an affair with a Havana socialite when Castro was underground in the 1950s, escaped from Cuba disguised as a tourist in 1993 and is a vocal critic. Castro has five sons with his common-law wife since the 1960s, Dalia Soto del Valle. He also has a son and a daughter born to two other women with whom he had affairs before coming to power.

Read | A revolution is not a bed of roses: Top quotes by Fidel Castro
Lt Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa, seen as a dark horse in the race for the post of Pakistan Army chief and considered to have extensive experience of affairs in Kashmir, emerged on Saturday as the successor to Gen Raheel Sharif.

Bajwa, a career infantry officer from the Baloch Regiment, will take over when Gen Sharif retires on November 29. Besides Bajwa, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif chose Lt Gen Zubair Hayat as the next chairman of the joint chiefs of staff committee.

On the advice of Pakistani Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif, President Mamnoon Hussain has approved the promotion of Lieutenant General Zubair Mehmood Hayat and Lieutenant General Qamar Javed Bajwa, the prime ministers office said.

Much of the speculation about the next army chief in recent weeks had centred around Hayat and Lt Gen Ishfaq Nadeem Ahmed, and Bajwa  who once served alongside former Indian Army chief Gen Bikram Singh in a UN peacekeeping mission in Congo - wasnt seen as a frontrunner.

Prime Minister Sharif finalised the names of the two generals on Saturday and an official notification was expected shortly.

Sources in Islamabad said the debate in recent weeks within the Pakistan Armys hierarchy was whether the next chief should be a general who was well versed with counter-insurgency operations or someone who could strike a balance between the drive against militant groups and countering India following the spike in tensions on the Line of Control.

With some sections of the military leadership believing that Operation Zarb-e-Azb, the counter-insurgency drive initiated by Gen Sharif, was winding down, Bajwa was perceived as the right fit given his expertise in Kashmir and along the LoC, the sources told Hindustan Times.

Despite its recent focus on counter-insurgency operations, the Pakistan Army remains  as former army chief Ashfaq Kayani once put it  an India-centric force that exercises immense influence on foreign and security policies.

For the political establishment led by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, Bajwa was seen as a better candidate as he is believed to be one of the generals who counseled against any adventurism by the army during the 2014 dharna by opposition leaders Imran Khan and Tahir-ul-Qadri. That protest had considerably weakened the PML-N government.

At that time, Bajwa headed the Rawalpindi-based X Corps, the Pakistan Armys largest formation that is responsible for operations along the LoC. The 111 infantry brigade, infamous for its role in several coups, is part of the X Corps.

Within military circles, Bajwa is also perceived as less of a hawk than some of his contemporaries and sources said he is believed to consider extremism is a major threat for Pakistan.

As Bajwas name did the rounds in recent days, there was a whisper campaign that suggested he was not fit for the post as his family reportedly had links with the Ahmedi minority, which has been declared non-Muslim. These reports were dismissed by the establishment and PML-N Senator Sajid Mir, who made the claim on social media, recanted.

The selection has been entirely on merit and the choice has been made in the best way possible, said defence analyst Lt Gen (retired) Talat Masood. He said the four contenders were running neck and neck as they were all equally competent and qualified. They all brought different skills and experience with them. What we have seen is that the most competent person has been selected.

Brig (retired) Mahmood Shah said the choice for Prime Minister Sharif must have been a very difficult one. At the end of the day I think merit has been kept in mind, he added.

Bajwa is currently serving in the General Headquarters as inspector general for training and evaluation, the same position held by Gen Sharif when he became chief in 2013. Besides serving as commander of X Corps, Bajwa also added to his expertise on Kashmir affairs by leading the Force Command Northern Areas as a major general.

Lt Gen Hayat is serving as chief of general staff (CGS) and was the senior-most of the four contenders for the army chiefs post. He also served as director general of the Strategic Plans Division (SPD), which oversees the countrys nuclear weapons.

His expertise in the SPD made him a good fit for the post of chairman of the joint chiefs of staff committee, which exercises jurisdiction over the strategic nuclear forces.
In a message weighed down by a history of discord between the US and Cuba but marked by hope of a better ties he helped forge, US President Barack Obama called Fidel Castro a singular figure who impacted lives of people and the world around him.

We know that this moment fills Cubans - in Cuba and in the United States - with powerful emotions, recalling the countless ways in which Fidel Castro altered the course of individual lives, families, and of the Cuban nation, Obama said in a statement issued by the White House on Saturday.

Working with Raul Castro, Fidel Castros younger brother and leader, Obama ended decades of hostility between the two countries separated only by 90 miles of water, and resumed full diplomatic ties, capping it with a visit earlier this year.

President-elect Donald Trump, who is less invested in the normalisation of ties  many Republicans remain opposed to it  issued a statement calling Castro a brutal dictator who oppressed his own people for nearly six decades.

While Cuba remains a totalitarian island, it is my hope that today marks a move away from the horrors endured for too long, and toward a future in which the wonderful Cuban people finally live in the freedom they so richly deserve.

Though the tragedies, deaths and pain caused by Fidel Castro cannot be erased, our administration will do all it can to ensure the Cuban people can finally begin their journey toward prosperity and liberty.

Many Cuban Americans, who fled their country during Fidel Castros regimes  in several waves  remain bitterly opposed to the normalisation of ties between the two countries, accusing Obama of letting Cuba off the hook.

At en election rally in Miami in Florida, which is home to the largest population of Cuban Americans, Trump had said, The next president can reverse them (resumption of ties with Cuba), and that I will do unless the Castro regime meets our demands.

Marco Rubio, a Cuban American who ran for the Republican ticket, had also promised to roll back the process if elected. And so did Ted Cruz, anther Cuban American who ran wot the White house, who called Obamas Cuba policy a tragic mistake.

Republicans wanted the US to continue its decades-old Cuba policy premised on the hope that the Castro brothers could be pressured to give up through punitive economic sanctions and diplomatic opposition and isolation.

President Obama argued that that policy wasnt working, and time had come to try a new approach based on engagement. And after 18 months of talks between officials of the two countries, backed by Pope Francis, US and Cuba established full ties.

Will Trump roll it back as promised? He gave no clues on Saturday.
US media early on Saturday headlined the death of the countrys long time rival Fidel Castro, updating websites over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend and devoting major coverage to the Cuban revolutionary.

The New York Times described Castro, who died late Friday in Havana, as the man who bedeviled 11 American presidents and briefly pushed the world to the brink of nuclear war.

Castro became a towering international figure whose importance in the 20th century far exceeded what might have been expected from the head of state of a Caribbean island nation of 11 million people, the paper wrote.

The Washington Post described Castro as a spiritual beacon to the worlds far left, and although he was beloved by a legion of followers, his detractors saw him as a repressive leader who turned Cuba into a de facto gulag.

In this Sept. 20, 1960 file photo, Fidel Castro holds a cigar as he stands with Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev outside Hotel Theresa in Harlem, New York. (AP)

With his trademark fatigues and scruffy beard, the Los Angeles Times wrote, Castro wore his defiance of Western capitalism like a badge of honor, keeping communism alive in the Western Hemisphere two decades after the fall of the Soviet Union.

For the Miami Herald, Castro was a shaggy-bearded figure in combat fatigues whose long shadow spread across Latin America and the world, and wondered if history will absolve him - as the leftist icon once defiantly claimed -- or if he will be vilified.

Read | Cubas Fidel Castro, a revolutionary leader who defied the US

Peter Schechter, a Cuba expert at the Atlantic Council think tank, believes that the rapprochement that began in 2014 between the United States under Barack Obama and Cuba under Raul Castro would not have happened ... with Fidel in the government.

And nevertheless Fidel clearly let his brother do it, he told AFP early Saturday.

Read | Fidel Castro: A revolutionary who brought India and Cuba closer
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has expressed condolences to the people of Cuba over the death of Fidel Castro.

"Fidel Castro has stepped into eternity. We may disagree with his views, but his charisma has defined the entire era. I ask the people of Cuba to accept my condolences. We will always remember the initiative of Fidel Castro, who felt the pain of Chornobyl and helped to bring back to life thousands of young Ukrainians," the Ukrainian president wrote on Twitter.

As reported, Fidel Castro died aged 90 on Friday. His funeral will be held on December 4. Cuba declared a nine-day mourning period.
Pakistan has decided to accord approval to a Russian request for using the Gwadar port in Balochistan for its exports as Moscow has also shown its willingness to be part of the $46-billion China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

Formal authorisation to Russia to join the CPEC will be given soon, and both countries will enhance cooperation in economic, defence and intelligence matters.

While talking to journalists, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, who is on a two-day visit to Turkmenistan, welcomed the Russian decision to join CPEC. He confirmed the move and told journalists that a formal agreement in this regard will be signed shortly.

It is possible that the agreement will be signed when President Vladimir Putin visits Pakistan as per his schedule in 2017.

Pakistani media reported that the head of Russias Federal Security Service, Alexander Bortnikov, made a secret visit to Pakistan and met senior military officials. This was the first visit by a Russian intelligence agencys head to Pakistan in 14 years.

Matters to enhance bilateral cooperation in Intelligence and defence were reportedly discussed in the meetings. The head of the Russian intelligence agency reportedly made a request about his country joining the CPEC, which was accepted by Pakistan, the reports said. Pakistan granted Russia access to warm waters via the Gwadar port, which has been developed with Chinese aid and is key to the CPEC.

This move comes after Iran and Turkmenistan also announced their willingness to use the Gwadar port for trade to have access to warm waters.

Local analysts have described the move as significant. The increase in cooperation with Russia comes at a time when Pakistans relations with the US are deteriorating, they said.

Russia and Pakistan held their first joint military exercise in September. About 70 soldiers from a mountain motorised rifle brigade of Russias Southern Military Division took part in the exercise.

Russia lifted a long-standing arms embargo and signed a landmark military cooperation agreement with Pakistan in 2014. Last year, the two sides finalised a deal for four Mi-35 attack helicopters  a move that angered India. Since then, reports have suggested that Pakistan is interested in acquiring more military gear from Russia, including Su-35 combat jets.
Norways supreme court on Friday rejected a final appeal by fugitive whistleblower Edward Snowden to secure assurances he would not be extradicted to the US should he travel to Norway to collect an award.

Just as was the case in an original lawsuit and the subsequent appeal to a lower court in Oslo, the supreme court said it could not evaluate an extradition request pre-emptively.

Former US National Security Agency (NSA) contractor, Snowden, who lives in exile in Russia, faces charges of espionage and theft of state secrets in his homeland that could land him up to 30 years in jail.

Its a further blow for the 33-year-old US citizen and his supporters at the Norwegian branch of the PEN Club who hoped he would be able to pick up the Ossietzky prize, which celebrates outstanding efforts for freedom of expression.

Norway was one of the countries where Snowden sought asylum after fleeing the United States in 2013, but Oslos response was that asylum seekers had to be physically present in the country to apply.

Considered a whistleblower by some and a traitor by others, Snowden won a similar Norwegian award in 2015, but was likewise unable to collect it.

Snowden has also been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize, which is also awarded in Norway, for the last three years, although without winning it.
After operating out of Pakistan for more than a decade, the leaders of Afghanistans Taliban movement may have moved back to their homeland to try to build on this years gains in the war and to establish a permanent presence.

If confirmed, the move would be a sign of the Talibans confidence in their fight against the US-backed government in Kabul. It could also be an attempt by the militants to distance themselves from Pakistan, which is accused of supporting the movement.

The Talibans leaders have been based in Pakistani cities, including Quetta, Karachi and Peshawar, since their rule in Afghanistan was overthrown in the 2001 US invasion after the 9/11 attacks.

Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said the leadership shura, or council, relocated to Afghanistan some months ago, although he would not say to where.

One Taliban official said the shura had moved to southern Helmand province, which the insurgents consider to be part of their heartland and where most of the opium that funds their operations is produced. The official refused to be identified because of security reasons.

Other Taliban sources said the justice, recruitment and religious councils had also moved to southern Afghanistan. The statements could not be independently confirmed.

Afghan President Ashraf Ghanis office said it had no confirmation that any such move had taken place.

No intelligence confirms that the Taliban has shifted its shura to Afghanistan, said Haroon Chakhansuri, Ghanis spokesman. We still believe they are still operating in their safe havens outside Afghanistan.

Mujahid, however, said Kabul officials were aware of the moves, prompted by battlefield gains that the insurgents believed would put them in a strong position once talks with the Afghan government aimed at ending the war were restarted. Dialogue broke down earlier this year.

The insurgents have spread their footprint across Afghanistan since international combat troops scaled down in 2014.

They have maintained multiple offensives and threatened at least three provincial capitals in recent months: Kunduz, in northern Kunduz province; Lashkah Gar, in Helmand in the south; and Tirin Kot in Uruzgan.

The US military has conceded the insurgents have gained ground, although definitive breakdowns are difficult to verify. This year, Afghan security forces are believed to have suffered their worst losses since 2001, with the military estimating 2016 fatalities at more than 5,000 so far.
In a message weighed down by a history of discord between the US and Cuba but marked by hope of a better ties he helped forge, President Barack Obama called Fidel Castro a singular figure who impacted lives of people and the world around him.

We know that this moment fills Cubans - in Cuba and in the United States - with powerful emotions, recalling the countless ways in which Fidel Castro altered the course of individual lives, families, and of the Cuban nation, Obama said n a statement issued by the White House Saturday.

Working with Raul Castro, Fidel Castros younger brother and leader, Obama ended decades of hostilities between the two countries separated only by 90 miles of water, and resumed full diplomatic ties, capping it with a visit earlier this year.

President-elect Donald Trump, who is less invested in the normalization of ties  many Republicans remain opposed to it, issued a statement calling Castro a brutal dictator who oppressed his own people for nearly six decades.

While Cuba remains a totalitarian island, it is my hope that today marks a move away from the horrors endured for too long, and toward a future in which the wonderful Cuban people finally live in the freedom they so richly deserve.

Though the tragedies, deaths and pain caused by Fidel Castro cannot be erased, our administration will do all it can to ensure the Cuban people can finally begin their journey toward prosperity and liberty.

Many Cuban Americans, who fled their country during Fidel Castros regimes  in several waves  remain bitterly opposed to the normalization of ties between the two countries, accusing Obama of letting Cuba off the hook.

At en election rally in Miami in Florida, which is home to the largest population of Cuban Americans, Trump had said, The next president can reverse them (resumption of ties with Cuba), and that I will do unless the Castro regime meets our demands.

Marco Rubio, a Cuban American who ran for the Republican ticket, had also promised to roll back the process if elected. And so did Ted Cruz, anther Cuban American who ran wot the White house, who called Obamas Cuba policy a tragic mistake.

Republicans wanted the US to continue its decades-old Cuba policy premised on the hope that the Castro brothers could be pressured to give up through punitive economic sanctions and diplomatic opposition and isolation.

President Obama argued that that policy wasnt working, and time had come to try a new approach based on engagement. And after 18 months of talks between officials of the two countries, backed by Pope Francis, US and Cuba established full ties.

Will Trump roll it back as promised? He gave no clues Saturday.
British Parliament has passed a new snooping law which, if gets royal assent, will give authorities power to access the internet browsing history of everyone in the UK.

The new Investigatory Powers Bill has been dubbed the snoopers charter for its sweeping nature of access to the British publics internet history.

The law forces UK internet providers to store browsing histories, including domains visited for one year, in case of police investigations.

The bill, which will come into force after receiving royal assent from Queen Elizabeth II next week, was introduced by then UK home secretary Theresa May in 2012, and took two attempts to get passed following breakdowns in the previous Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition government.

It wont happen in a big bang next week. It will be a phased programme of the introduction of the measures over a year or so, UK Home Office official Chris Mills told a meeting of internet service providers on Thursday.

The law requires telecom companies to keep records of all users web activity for a year, creating databases of personal information that the firms worry could be vulnerable to leaks and hackers.

The task of law enforcement and security and intelligence agencies has become vastly more demanding in this digital age. It is right that those protecting us have the powers they need to do so but it is the role of government and Parliament to ensure there are limits to those powers, said Prime Minister May in the House of Commons recently.

Welcoming the bill as a decisive moment in updating Britains surveillance laws, she said There should be no area of cyberspace which is a haven for those who seek to harm us to plot, poison minds and peddle hatred under the radar.

I am also clear that the exercise and scope of investigatory powers should be clearly set out and subject to stringent safeguards and robust oversight, including double- lock authorisation for the most intrusive capabilities. This bill will establish world-leading oversight to govern an investigatory powers regime which is more open and transparent than anywhere else in the world, she said.

However, civil liberty groups have long criticised the bill, with some arguing that the law will let the UK government document everything online.

Organisations including the UK Food Standards Agency and the Department for Work and Pensions will be able to see UK citizens entire internet browsing history within weeks.

Those internet connection records ICRs in effect serve as a full list of every website that people have visited, rather than collecting which specific pages are visited or whats done on them.

ICRs will be made available to a wide range of government bodies including law enforcement agencies such as the police, the military and the secret service. It also includes the Food Standards Agency, the Gambling Commission, councils and the Welsh Ambulance Services National Health Service Trust.

Also Read | UK lawmakers approve most sweeping surveillance powers
More and more people are calling for a full audit in key states where Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Hillary Clinton fought toe-to-toe.

A loosely-organized coalition is bent on releasing a report which will disclose that irregularities have marred the recent polls. In line with this, the group is coaxing Clinton to join them in presenting their concerns to federal authorities and to the congressional committee.

The 18-page detail tackles the issues associated with the results in areas covering Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.

Although it is unclear what the involvement of Dr. Barbara Simons is in the latest initiative, she has pointed out the significance of auditing the election ballots. Considering that she is an expert on electronic voting and an adviser to the US election assistance commission, it is likely that his analytical methods are needed.

Meanwhile, National Voting Rights Institute founder John Bonifaz and Director of the University of Michigan's Center for Computer Security and Society Professor Alex Halderman have led another group of analysts in drumming up noise for a review. They've been communicating with Simons about the matter.

Halderman has cautioned that inquiries must be made at the soonest since deadlines are fast approaching. He further adds that although voting machines are not linked to the web, it is likely that they are programmed prior to the polls.

Clinton's narrow loss to Trump during the recent polls has renewed the attention on foreign online interference. It can be recalled that Russian hackers infiltrated the regional electoral computer systems. In addition, emails from the servers of the Democratic National Committee have also been intruded.

The election results have come under heavy scrutiny since day one after the polls. On public surveys, Clinton has been consistently on the driver's seat for months.

David Greenwald, media personnel for the Oregonian, has noted Trump's disparate wins in places where electronic voting is utilized compared to locations using paper ballots.

However, Nate Silver, founder of FiveThirtyEight and a polling expert, shrugs off the theory, saying that the disparity disappeared as the elections went on.

Neutral observers and academics are currently communicating with the Democrats who worked for Clinton's bid for the presidency with regards to the official filing of request for a recount.

Based on the National Popular Vote Tracker which is managed by the Cook Political Report, Trump's lead in Michigan and Wisconsin have been trimmed to 0.2 and 0.8 percent, respectively, as of late. However, his numbers in Pennsylvania has increased by 1.2 percent.

@ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Wisconsin, the state where President-elect Donald Trump made a narrow victory, received a request for vote recount to verify the results of the recently concluded US Presidential Elections.

This after Jill Stein, the Green party's presidential candidate, formally filed a motion for vote recount in Wisconsin on Friday afternoon.

"We do not have a smoking gun. On the other hand, we have a system that invites hacking, tampering and malfeasance," said Stein in an interview aired over CNN.

Minutes before the 5pm ET deadline, the commission on elections of Wisconsin confirmed that it received the request filed the campaign team of Stein.

In filing the request, Stein pointed out that the voting system in Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and Michigan may have been hacked and the results may have been rigged.

"The commission is preparing to move forward with a statewide recount of votes for president of the United States, as requested by these candidates," said commission administrator Michael Haas as quoted by CBC News.

The Wisconsin law required Stein campaign to show basis for the recount and provide the cost for the recount, which was estimated to be around $1.1 million. As of Friday morning, her campaign had raised $4.8 million to cover the recount of the three states.

"These recounts are part of an election integrity movement to attempt to shine a light on just how untrustworthy the US election system is," said Stein in her website.

The election protest came as the lead of Democrat presidential contender Hillary Clinton in terms of popular votes widens to more than two million against Trump.

@ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
NASA itself has been conducting several mission to search for alien life on other planets, including Mars and Venus. However, conspiracy theorists never fail to blame the American space agency for hiding facts about extraterrestrial life.

A recent story published in the Daily Star suggests that alien hunters have found yet another reason to blame NASA. According to UFO enthusiasts, an entire alien civilization with huge cities and artificial structures can be seen in photographs of Venus captured by Magellan probe, which was launched by NASA back in 1989.

Conspiracy theorists believe that the satellite images of dry and hot planet Venus captured by the probe indicate how advanced their civilization is. They believe that these images act like a concrete evidence that there is life on other planets too, especially Venus.

The explanation provided by the UFO hunters suggest that Venus could be inhabited by aliens, who have the potential to survive such an inhospitable environment. Venus is hotter than Earth and its dry environment would otherwise discourage survival of any form of life that exists on Earth.

The Megallan probe was launched by NASA with an aim to gather information about Venus. Launched back in 1989, the probe entered the atmosphere of the planet in 1994.

The alien hunters claim that as a part of the mission, the probe collected a huge number of photographs of the planet, the ones that were recently published by NASA. The existence of alien civilization on the planet is evident from the complex buildings and structures that they have created, they claim.

Meanwhile, NASA has not officially responded to these claims. This is not the first time that the American space agency is being blamed for hiding facts about extraterrestrial life.

In the past, NASA has been blamed several times for cutting live feed from the ISS upon appearance of a strange object. According to Nature World News, one such incident took place recently.

Conspiracy theorists believe that these strange objects are nothing but UFOs. They further claim that NASA does not want anyone to know about alien life and that is why they hide facts from the public.

@ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Ukraine has no plans to conduct missile tests in the Kerch Strait, National Security and Defense Council Secretary of Ukraine Oleksandr Turchynov said commenting on the statement by the Russian Federal Agency of Air Transport of the alleged "violations by the Ukrainian side of Russian airspace during missile exercises", the NSDC press service reported.

"Russia's hysteria about Ukraine's alleged violation of all international agreements through unilateral decision to conduct missile tests in the 'sovereign air space of the Russian Federation', is devoid of common sense," the NSDC's press service quoted Turchynov as saying.

The NSDC secretary recalled that in accordance with all international agreements, the sovereign airspace of the Russian Federation in the Black Sea ends in the middle of the Kerch Strait, and further, to the west of the Strait lies the sovereign airspace of Ukraine.

Thus, all of the planned missile exercises are conducted by Ukraine in full compliance with its international agreements and obligations.

"That's why we ask the Russian Federation not to interfere with the testing through hysteria and provocations," Turchynov summed up.
As warned, Lil Durk decides to come through on this Black Friday and release his highly anticipated new mixtape They Forgot.

Laced with 14 tracks in total, the follow up to this years Durk2X album features guest appearances from 21 Savage, Lil Reese, Meek Mill, Mozzy, Dej Loaf, BJ The Chicago Kid, and more. Meanwhile, the hard-hittin production is handled by the likes of C-Sick, Young Chop, London On Da Track, KidWonder, and more.

Led by the previously heard singles Shooter2X & Baller, fans can now stream/download the entire mixtape for free. You already know this about to go dumb hard. Hit play and let us know what record youre feeling the most!
Over the past few weeks, Lil Durk has been teasing fans of his upcoming mixtape They Forgot, which has seen leaks like Baller & Shooter2X with 21 Savage drop recently, but on Friday night the Chicago rapper decided to it was time to release the full thing. Laced with 14 tracks in total, the follow up to Durk2X features guest appearances from Meek Mill, 21 Savage, Lil Reese, BJ The Chicago Kid, Dej Loaf & more.

Looking to highlight the tape, here goes one of the many standout cuts from it with Meek Mill called Young Niggas, which is produced by London On Da Track. Take a listen and let us know what you think.

Quotable Lyrics:

We aint got no love for that other side, no way

Young niggas a sweep your whole mother side with that K

30 shots on 30 shots, we run up on yo boy dead

Lawyer money on lawyer money, my young niggas okay

Ay, in the clip goin A

Extendos in my bape

Stars all on my roof

Hit the hood and that Wraith

Im just rollin round, Im rollin round in my city

Got that 30 round, 30 round and that semi

 Meek
President Michael D. Higgins leads the Irish tributes this morning to the breaking news of the death of former Cuban leader, Fidel Castro.

The Irish President said he felt great sadness of the news; while Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams described Fidel Castro as a good friend of the Irish people.

Fidel Castro's death was confirmed this morning at 5am Irish time on Cuban TV (Saturday, 26 November) by his brother, President Raul Castro. The commander in chief of the Cuban revolution died at 22:29 hours this evening, declared Raul, who took over the reins from his brother back in 2006.

The ex-Cuban leader  who ruled the country for nearly half a century  will be cremated today and there will be nine days of national mourning. Castro's ashes will then be buried in the southeastern city of Santiago on 4 December after a four-day procession through the country. 'In compliance with the expressed will of Companion Fidel, his remains will be cremated, stated his brother.

In a statement issued today, Irish President Michael D. Higgins paid a moving tribute to Castro. Having survived some 600 attempts on his life, Fidel Castro, known to his peers in Cuba as El Comandante, became one of the longest serving Heads of State in the world, guiding the country through a remarkable process of social and political change, advocating a development path that was unique and determinedly independent, President Higgins stated. Cuba achieved 100% literacy many years ago and built up a health system that is one the most admired in the world. With economic growth rates similar to many other Latin American countries, inequality and poverty are much less pronounced in Cuba than in surrounding nations."

But President Higgins pointed out that the former Cuban leader achieved all of the aforementioned under difficult circumstances.

His Governments faced not only issues of development but also the consequences of an embargo imposed by Cubas largest neighbour, the United States, which was a regular topic for discussion at the United Nations and which was criticised by a large number of countries in the international community," President Higgins added in his statement.

He was President of the Non Aligned Movement and a leading figure in international gatherings that sought a more equal world of trade, rejected odious debt and sought an independent path to development."

President Higgins also pointed out, "The restoration of diplomatic relations with the United States in 2014 and the visit of Pope Francis, and the response to it, have been ushering in a new period in Cubas history, one which seeks to retain the achievements of a social kind with greater freedoms in the civil society.

Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams described Castro as a global leader and tweeted a picture of them together.

He lived long enough to see the vindication of the sacrifices of his people when President Obama commenced the process of normalising relations between the USA and Cuba, he stated.

Recalling his meeting with the former Cuban revolutionary leader, Adams said: "He was very conversant with Irish history and good friend to the Irish people and an admirer of our struggle, especially the hunger strikers of 1981.

On the international front, Russian President Putin said Castro was a symbol of an era and a distinguished statesman.

Former Soviet Union leader Mikhail Gorbachev praised him for strengthening' the island nation. Fidel stood up and strengthened his country during the harshest American blockade, when there was colossal pressure on him and he still took his country out of this blockade to a path of independent development, Gorbachev added.

As of yet, there has been no comment made from US President Obamas administration.
Early this year, a disabled former automobile body worker named Greg Vialpando explained to lawmakers in New Mexico how medical marijuana helped his chronic back pain.

State legislators were considering a bill backed by workers' compensation insurers that would have exempted them from paying for medical marijuana. But Vialpando described how smoking the drug let him escape years of stupor caused by powerful prescription narcotic drugs known as opioids.

The lawmakers ended up dropping the bill, and Vialpando's expenses for buying marijuana are covered by insurance.

"I would recommend that people use medical marijuana over opioids any day," Vialpando said.

Ballot victories

For businesses and insurers, ballot victories this month for marijuana advocates are adding to an intensifying conundrum about the drug and issues such as insurance coverage, employee drug testing and workplace safety.

Voters in California, Massachusetts, Maine and Nevada approved initiatives legalizing the recreational use of marijuana, while voters in Arkansas, Florida, Montana and North Dakota passed proposals for its medical use. In total, 28 states now permit or will soon permit medical use of marijuana while eight states have approved recreational use.

A major part of the predicament centers on unclear science about the benefits of marijuana or the dozens of compounds, known as cannabinoids, that are found in the plant.

For its part, the Food and Drug Administration has approved only a synthetic version of a cannabinoid and a similar drug for narrow uses, such as to treat nausea in chemotherapy patients or to stimulate the appetites of patients with AIDS. Typically, health insurers will pay for marijuana-related drugs only for FDA-approved uses.

But state medical marijuana laws usually give doctors permission to recommend marijuana to a patient with a "debilitating" condition, a phrase that can encompass problems including glaucoma, cancer and chronic pain.

Usually, patients pay for the drug themselves and several states have explicitly exempted workplace compensation insurers for covering such costs.

But as a result of recent state court rulings in New Mexico, workplace insurers there are required to pay for marijuana-based treatments if they are recommended by a doctor. And lower courts in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts and Michigan have issued rulings directing workplace insurers to do so.

The number of patients receiving such coverage is small. And because marijuana is illegal under federal law, insurers paying for the drug must use a financial workaround to avoid violations.

Drug-free workplace

States have retained laws that protect the right of employers to have a drug-free workplace. An employer can withdraw a job offer to a candidate who tests positive for marijuana on a pre-employment drug screening or fire an employee who tests positive.

But several states with medical marijuana laws contain provisions that bar an employer from making an adverse employment-related decision in cases where an employee approved to use the drug shows evidence of it on a screening test

As marijuana legalization expands, there are also concerns about its effect on workplace safety. Some studies suggest that marijuana use can impair a person's judgment, though little data exists to compare the effect with that of other drugs like opioids.

As for Vialpando, 58, he said that during the decade he used opioids, he withdrew from his family and friends.

These days, he smokes about four marijuana cigarettes daily. He said he had gained weight, enjoyed talking again and had resumed working on hobbies at home.

"I feel like I've gotten my husband back," his wife, Margaret, said. "His personality has come back."
Saudi Arabia on Friday pulled out of planned talks with non-OPEC nations, including Russia, as disagreements about how to share the burden of supply cuts stood in the way of a deal to boost prices just days before a make-or-break meeting in Vienna.

OPEC officials were scheduled to meet Monday with non-members including Russia before a ministerial meeting in Vienna two days later. The meeting was later canceled entirely after the Saudis decided not to take part.

Instead, the group called another internal meeting to try to resolve its own differences, particularly the question of whether Iran and Iraq are willing to cut production, two delegates said, asking not to be identified because the deliberations are sensitive. Saudi Arabia wants an OPEC deal in place before conversations with other producers such as Russia, one delegate said.

The setback suggests that Saudi Arabia remains split from its two biggest Middle Eastern rivals at the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries. Iran insists it should be allowed to restore output to pre-sanctions levels, while it remains unclear if Iraq is still disputing the OPEC supply estimates that would provide the basis for any cuts.

With less than a week until the crucial ministerial meeting, the refusal of just one major producer to participate could scuttle the whole of the agreement reached in September in Algiers.

"The whole Algerian deal wasn't clear from the beginning, and their approach was 'leave it to later,' " said Abdulsamad al-Awadhi, a former OPEC official for Kuwait who is now an independent analyst in London. Two months after the initial accord "OPEC leaders are confused and the group's founding members can't solve differences, but they want to have a deal with non-OPEC. This a tough call."

Benchmark U.S. crude fell $1.90, or 4 percent, to $46.06 per barrel in New York. Brent crude, used to price international oils, lost $1.90, or 3.9 percent, to $47.10 in London.

In late September, OPEC agreed the outline of its first production curbs since the global financial crisis in 2008. Since then, the group has spent two months trying to agree how to share the cuts, which would bring its production to a range of 32.5 million to 33 million barrels per day. OPEC estimates that it pumped 33.6 million barrels a day last month.

Dxperts from member countries met in Vienna this week to finalize the details of the cuts. After two days of meetings, the talks concluded without resolving the issue of Iran and Iraq, instead deferring the matter to ministerial talks on Wednesday. Those officials will now reconvene on Monday in an effort to overcome the impasse.

Ministers from Saudi Arabia and Iran won't arrive in Vienna until Tuesday, said delegates, leaving little time for them to confer before the main meeting.

Saudi Arabia, OPEC's de-facto leader, is ready to cut production, but only if all members share the burden of cuts equitably and transparently. In practice, that means the kingdom thinks Iraq needs to cut output and Iran has to freeze production around current levels, one OPEC delegate said last week.

Iraq had sought an exemption from joining any production cuts, arguing that its fight against the Islamic State justifies special treatment. That assertion still leaves unresolved the significant issue of exactly how much the country would reduce production, and from what level, said a Gulf OPEC delegate.

Iran has insisted it won't accept any limits on its production until it has returned to the pre-sanctions level above 4 million barrels a day.

Without an OPEC deal, the International Energy Agency predicted that 2017 will be the fourth consecutive year in which supply runs ahead of demand, potentially causing lower prices.
BISMARCK, N.D. - The leader of the Cheyenne River Sioux in South Dakota is calling for all foes of the Dakota Access oil pipeline to boycott businesses in North Dakota's capital, a move Bismarck's city administrator says is uncalled for and disappointing.

The Cheyenne River Sioux Tribal Council voted in September to not spend money in Bismarck and neighboring Mandan, and Chairman Harold Frazier at the time called on all tribal members to join the effort. Earlier this week, he sought to broaden the boycott to make a statement against what he calls "heavy-handed, illegal and violent oppression" of pipeline protesters.
Last month, while eating dinner in downtown Houston, a white woman called me a "communist," preceding the term with the F-word, then yelled out that I "had a tiny penis."

I had never met her, nor was I in discussion with anyone about my political affiliations or genitals. She repeated those two phrases, loudly and angrily, until she was escorted out.

I was silent. I remained silent as I walked back to my car, fumbled for my keys and drove back home. How many others, I wondered, thought the way she did? Was she also in the grocery store, at the workplace, or even within my group of friends? Is this how other people see me - as "communist," which I took to mean "enemy," and with "a tiny penis," which I took to mean less than a man, less than human?

At the time, the hashtag #thisis2016, which caught fire after New York Times deputy Metro editor Michael Luo was told to "go back to China," was still making waves in social media. "This is 2016." The statement bore a sense of outrage and irony - how can people still be so stupidly hateful?

Watching an apparent rise in white supremacist rhetoric in the weeks since the election, I noticed #thisis2016 now has a proper answer: #ofcourse.

More Information 'Dialogues on Grace' When: 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday Where: 800 Aurora Tickets: $10; 14pews.org. See More Collapse

Staged in a small Heights church called 14 Pews is a piece of documentary theater called "Dialogues on Grace," by Cressandra Thibodeaux. At a time when calls for a "national conversation" on race seem at once pertinent and futile, the show invited an honest and sometimes brutal dialogue about the violence - and beauty - that imbues our identity.

Thibodeaux was raised by her white mother in a segregated St. Petersburg, Fla., in the 1970s. When she was 20, she met her father for the first time, a black musician who toured with Harry Belafonte. Because Thibodeaux appears and presents as white, meeting her father challenged her to think about race in complicated ways.

In "Dialogues on Grace," she presents her story alongside several others, basing the performance off of more than 50 interviews she conducted with Muslim, black, transgender, Asian and white people. She begins all her conversations with, "Tell me about a moment in which you experienced grace."

The stories that unfold are touching, thorny and deeply human. Presented mostly verbatim, the interviews rather raise questions that, for some, may seem new and challenging, while for others are retreads of their reality.

When asked about grace, one interviewee said that while white cops are killing black boys, and white shooters are killing black people in churches, black people are not doing the same to white people. When black protesters set a car ablaze, that, she says, is not an act of violence. It's an act of grace.

I worry, though, that grace is too hopeful a notion. I worry that certain moments demand anger and resistance instead, or that other people can easily rob you of your grace. And how do you demand grace of someone who doesn't have the privilege to be graceful?

For example, I noticed the difference in the way whites and blacks talked about race after Thibodeaux's show. White people tend to speak of tolerance and courage, rather than privilege.

One woman, older and white, spoke about growing up sharing a building with a family of black professionals. When neighbors came and burned crosses on their yard, her white parents stood bravely by the side of their black friends. For that woman, race is a difficult issue, but she was shown a righteous path.

That's often how white people talk about race - as a matter of choice. One audience member noted that not everyone's afforded such a choice. For those white parents, racism happened one day, then it was gone after the crosses burned to the ground. But racism exists every day for others. You can't take blackness on and off like a safety pin.

With outstanding performances from Thibodeaux, Candice D'Meza, Roc Living and Marty Blair, "Dialogues on Grace," seeks to foster empathy.

After the actors took our questions, they asked what we felt. When the white woman talked about standing up for her black neighbors, others reminded her of her privilege. I noted that her story was a "white savior narrative," which is the all-too-common story about white heroes saving people of color. The woman was challenged, but she heard us out.

In other words, people of color were given agency. You don't see that every day. The team, still developing the show, was interested in feedback, but allowing the audience a response served a higher purpose. In a time when people of color are relegated to stereotypes, being asked a question was empowering.

The actors modeled a kind of behavior that's easy to forget but remains the crux, if not the definition, of dialogue. They showed us how to take the first step. They listened.
When Daniel Pena's short story was published in Ploughshares last year, he was thrilled to see his work next to that of writers he admired: "That issue was star-packed with people who overshadowed me," said Pena, a 28-year-old assistant professor at the University of Houston-Downtown.

He didn't know the literary journal was submitting his piece for the prestigious Pushcart Prize. When he received an email telling him he'd won, Pena was stunned.

"I was in the library," he recalls. "I remember my face going numb. It was a very scary feeling."

The Pushcart Prize is awarded each year to the best short fiction, essays, poetry and other work published by small presses. Winning works are republished in an anthology; last year's collection included work by Zadie Smith, Colum McCann, Anthony Doerr and Tony Hoagland. Pena's story, "Safe Home," will appear in the 2017 anthology.

"Safe Home" opens with a pilot named Cuauh landing an M20J in a drug-ruined neighborhood near the Texas-Mexico border. He glides the plane right onto an abandoned residential street, dodging power lines and empty houses in a crumbling section of Juarez, where a driver waits to take him to a safe house.

Cuauh was a crop duster in Texas before he was deported. He was kidnapped by a drug cartel as soon as he got to Mexico, and now he uses his pilot skills to smuggle drugs across the border. He longs to go home to Harlingen, "to go back to his old farm in the orange groves and dust the crops until he bled black in the nose," and he thinks of nothing but how to escape the cartel - even if it means he has to kill to survive.

Pena, an Austin native, got the idea for "Safe Home" several years ago when he was training to be a pilot. At small rural airports across Texas, he'd frequently see abandoned planes with Mexican tail numbers. "I didn't know where they were coming from," he said. So he asked around about them, and started learning about drug cartels and the pilots who fly drugs across the border.

Pena began researching and writing about drug trafficking in graduate school at Cornell University. Then in 2014, he studied in Mexico City as a Fulbright scholar, researching America's drug war and its impact in Mexico. Much of his research was library work, he says, "but a lot of it was just sort of living there - just the texture of the environment. Obviously, it's in the news every day."

Pena taught at Cornell and at Louisiana State University before arriving at UH-Downtown this year. He teaches fiction and creative writing courses to undergraduates.

Details are what make "Safe Home" come alive: Pena's characters wear Tres Flores pomade, chew spearmint gum, eat Sabritas potato chips. When Cuauh - the pilot - recalls his childhood in Texas, it's with squirm-inducing specificity. He and his brother used to clip the wings of cicadas "and set them off against each other in a dirt ring like oversize ants," Cuauh recalls, watching as they turned hostile and desperate.

"He remembers how placidly his little brother watched as one cicada would split the other open, the broken one's exoskeleton sloughing off like flaking bits of fish food. And they'd talk over it just like teenage boys might talk over cigarettes or old men might talk over dialysis at the Harlingen Scott & White down the road - what is the worst way someone can die?"

Pena's career as a pilot was short, but his career as a writer seems inevitable. When he was a teenager, he read Rudolfo Anaya's novel "Bless Me, Ultima," and "it opened up a whole new world: Oh, Latinos can write about themselves."

In his undergraduate years at Texas A&M University, Pena planned to go to law school, but then he studied under National Book Award-winning author Larry Heinemann ("Paco's Story"). "He said, 'Hey, you can write. You should write,' " Pena recalled.

Besides fiction, Pena writes about Latin American writers and cultural issues for the Ploughshares website. He also contributes to The Rumpus and writes opinion pieces about Mexico for The Guardian.

Pena's extended family lives in northern Mexico, and he remembers visiting them often when he was a kid. In fact, he has dual citizenship in the United States and Mexico, and he's hyper-aware of drug trafficking's impact on both places.

"Especially in Houston, it's a story that's all around us," he said. "I feel like I can write about other things, but this is the thing that's always knocking on my door. It's everywhere."
Freeport police are questioning a man in connection with the death on Tuesday of a 7-week-old boy.

Antoine Allen Gorman, 27, was taken into custody about 3:45 p.m. Friday in Houston. He is facing three counts of abandoning or endangering a child. The charge carries a $250,000 bond, officials said.
Ukraine may join NATO in four years, Ukrainian Defense Minister Gen. of the Army Viktor Muzhenko said in Tallinn on Friday.

"In keeping with Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko's directive, the armed forces must be ready for this in 2020. We are well capable of meeting this target," Muzhenko said on Estonian television.

"The Ukrainian armed forces have gained the necessary combat experience and are actively preparing at the moment for possibly joining NATO," he said.

"There are still a lot of technical issues concerning modifications of weapons and hardware. There is also an issue of the unification of training practices. Some doctrinal documents are lacking. That is, there is still a lot of room for such activities," Muzhenko said.

Estonian defense forces Commander Lt. Gen. Riho Terras vowed to support Ukraine in its NATO aspirations but declined to guarantee that it will become an alliance member in 2020.

"We will hold staff negotiations at the start of next year, where we will be able to discuss cooperation in defense planning in detail," Terras said.
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Winter draws me to Huntsville State Park, where songbirds from northern states arrive to enjoy the mild season with local birds.

I enjoy the escape into a wilderness thick with deciduous trees like sweetgums barren of leaves alongside evergreen pines, their darkened green needles emanating the sweet, familiar scent.

Dense woods reveal such winter migrant birds as yellow-bellied sapsuckers, which are woodpeckers that drill shallow holes in tree bark to create tiny wells of sap oozing from the tree. The birds feed both on the sap and on insects trapped in the gooey, sticky stuff.

Meanwhile, the foot-tall resident pileated woodpecker that stays remarkably hidden spring through fall cannot easily hide in winter's leafless trees. The big woodpecker, with a black back and red crest, chips off chunks of peeling tree bark to uncover a hidden meal of beetles and worms.

Except for the endangered red-cockaded woodpecker, all resident East Texas woodpeckers - including pileated, red-bellied, red-headed, downy and the uncommon hairy - show up in the park during winter.

Orange-crowned warblers arrive in the woods from breeding grounds in Alaska and Canada and glean insects off twigs, branches and among dead leaves littering the ground. Orange feather tufts on the crown are normally hidden, which is no help for identification.

More Information Huntsville State Park Where: Six miles south of Huntsville on Park Road 40 off Interstate 45 What: 2,000-acres of forests, 21 miles of woodland trails, 210-acre Lake Raven takes its name from Gen. Sam Houston's Cherokee nickname "Coloneh," meaning raven. Activities: Bird-watching, hiking, biking, camping, fishing, picnicking, canoeing Hours: Open daily, 7 a.m.-10 p.m. Periodic winter closing for public hunting. Fee: $5 daily per person, children younger than 12 free Information: tpwd.state.tx.us See More Collapse

Look instead for warblers with a lackluster olive back and a dingy yellow underside covered with faint dark streaks. Listen in early morning for their crisp call notes - sounding like "tik-tik-tik."

Among my favorite winter migrants are hermit thrushes, arriving from breeding grounds in places like Minnesota and the New England states. Camouflaged in the color of brown leaves, the birds skulk among the forest understory and often perch stock-still on fallen logs.

Raven Lake stretches through woods and campgrounds yet holds crows instead of ravens. Shrubs and trees bordering the lake hold white-throated sparrows that sing their characteristic tune, which sounds like "oh-sweet-canada-canada," reminding us of their breeding home.

The lake hosts such winter ducks as American wigeons, mallards and ring-necked ducks, plus wood ducks year-round. A wintering bald eagle often shows up atop tall pine trees across the lake from Prairie Branch campground.

The park is a year-round home to brown-headed and white-breasted nuthatches, noted by their habit of creeping headfirst down a tree trunk while scrounging for insects.

A similar-looking bird arrives from northern conifer woods; it's appropriately named brown creeper, as it creeps up the tree looking like a moving patch of tree bark.
It all started when Mark Phillips wanted to be able to raise a glass during a hike, a day on the water or a camping trip. But water wasn't going to cut it for Phillips, who also found it cumbersome to carry beer, wine or hard alcohol when traversing the countryside.

So he spent a year coming up with a recipe to make powdered alcohol that he could mix with water wherever his travels took him. He called it "Palcohol."

Today, 34 states have banned the substance out of fear that underage drinkers could get a hold of the powder, or that drinkers could smuggle it into events, sprinkle it on others' drinks or snort it.

Lawmakers "are ignorant about the positive uses of Palcohol, and they're caught up in the hysteria about the imagined and unfounded misuse of powdered alcohol," Phillips said in a YouTube video defending his product.

'Very easy to conceal'

Texas lawmakers will decide this year whether to join those states in banning the substance, as Phillips and at least one more producer of powdered alcohol prepare for a spring 2017 release.

"Powdered alcohol WILL come to Texas, whether it's legal or brought in illegally," Lynne Barbour, spokesman for Palcohol-producer Lipsmark LLC, wrote in an email. "By legalizing it, Texas can control the distribution to keep it out of the hands of underage drinkers as well as receive significant tax revenue. Banning it will make it easier for kids to get it and will cost your state millions."

The U.S. Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau approved Palcohol in March 2015 as state legislatures were scrambling to ban its sale before it could hit store shelves.

Lawmakers here have begun filing bills to require powdered alcohol be regulated like other forms of alcohol, restricting sales to liquor stores. One such bill comes from state Rep. Carol Alvarado, D-Houston, who said her goal is to keep the powder off-limits for kids. She said, though, that she's not opposed to adults concocting drinks with the powder flavored to create cocktails like margaritas and mojitos.

"It would be very easy for kids to carry this pack of Palcohol in their pocket, in their backpack, in their wallet, in their purse," said Alvarado. "It's very easy to conceal."

Rep. Charlie Geren, R-Fort Worth, proposed banning the substance in 2015 but later met with Ralph McMorris, owner of Galveston-based Lt. Blender, which sells bagged cocktail mixes. McMorris convinced him to yank the bill for the time being.

"So far, everybody's created this myth about the product, and really it's much safer than typical alcohol products," said McMorris, a war veteran who earned the nickname "Lt. Blender" because he was the only one in his unit who had the appliance while stationed in Vietnam.

Galveston product

McMorris turned his name into a business, selling pouches of mixers that could be mixed with booze and frozen for later use. He has since developed his own powdered-alcohol recipes, made of Maltodextrin derived from a tapioca plant. His plan is awaiting federal approval for the powder, which would be sold in a four-serving bag for around $15, before he can sell it in liquor stores as soon as next year. The alcohol content is around 10 percent alcohol by volume, he said, "less than most wines."

Nothing in state law bans the sale of powdered alcohol here, but the state has yet to receive a request to put it on the market, according to Chris Porter, a spokesman from the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission, which oversees the alcohol industry.

Groups that work to prevent youth access to alcohol are worried that the powder will be too easy for young people to conceal and abuse due to its novelty.

"Now you have a product where young persons get a hold of it and adults don't even know what it is. How do you explain the dangers of the use of something that doesn't even look like alcohol," said Nicole Holt, chief executive officer of Texans Standing Tall, a group that wants to make access to alcohol, tobacco and drugs irrelevant to youth and teens.

The group had the same challenge educating people about the dangers of alcoholic energy drinks and e-cigarettes, she said.

Teens' drinking habits

More than one in five Texans in grades 7 to 12 say they have used alcohol in the past month, according to the most recent Texas School Survey from 2014. More than half of youths in that age group said they have used alcohol at some point, and nearly 14 percent said they have engaged in binge drinking, defined as consuming five or more drinks in one sitting for boys and four or more drinks for girls.

McMorris said he plans to lobby lawmakers to make sure they understand how the drink works.

"I want go up there," McMorris said. "I want to show it to them. I want to let them taste it, and let them kick it and let them do what they want to with it."
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Robert Ivany walked down a shady Montrose street one recent Wednesday toward new construction on the University of St. Thomas campus.

The Center for Science and Health Professions, the future home of nursing, biology and chemistry programs, is a point of pride for Ivany, as he winds down his last of 13 years as university president.

Focusing on science and medicine is one way he has guided the Catholic liberal arts college through a changing higher education landscape that now emphasizes work-based skills and job placement.

"All the major American cities have a major Catholic universityWe're lucky to be the only one here in Houston," said Ivany, who served in the U.S. Army for 34 years and was a military adviser for President Ronald Reagan. "I think it's our responsibility, then, to find ways that we can contribute (to the city)."

During the search this fall for the university's next president, however, conversations regarding the institution's identity evolved into alumni frustration and conflict between administrators and faculty members. St. Thomas is a flagship campus for the Basilian Fathers, an order founded in 1822 in France, and its core curriculum highlights theology and philosophy.

The tension culminated when Ivany sent a critical letter on Oct. 12 to professors who had commented on the search process. Some professors viewed his letter as threatening, calling a paragraph that raises the possibility of revoking tenure chilling to academic freedom. Ivany disputed that characterization.

Ivany's chosen successor, Richard Ludwick, will come to the university after leading the Independent Colleges of Indiana, a group of that state's 31 private, nonprofit colleges and universities. Previously, he was provost at St. Gregory's University, a Catholic university in Oklahoma.

Ludwick, who takes the helm at St. Thomas on July 1, said he is aware of the tension and will work to create a strong relationship with professors. "I will earn that trust," he said.

Preparing to enter his last semester as president, Ivany retains support from administrators and the board of directors. Provost Dominic Aquila said Ivany ensures the Basilian order "is steadfastly maintained" by speaking of faith often.

Aquila said Ivany has rebalanced humanities with popular science offerings. One of Aquila's first tasks when he came to the university in 2007 was slimming the core curriculum. The size was "getting in the way" of students pursuing high-credit studies in science and medicine, Aquila said.

The university also revived its nursing studies and started a new program with the Texas Medical Center that teaches how to develop a drug from the test phase to practical use.

"We have to look very hard at all the things that are out there in the community and say, where can we add something of value," Ivany said.

The university's enrollment has vacillated between about 3,200 and 3,800 students in the last decade. Roughly half of them are undergraduates.

On this recent day, Ivany, 69, led a tour of the urban campus during an interview, pointing out details he was proud of such as the red-and-gold gymnasium walls painted during an all-night student effort and the curved path that frames a grassy patch near the bookstore.

In his Army career, he served in Vietnam and assisted President Reagan as a military aide. A photo of the two men hangs in his office. Before leading St. Thomas, he was commandant of the U.S. Army War College in Pennsylvania for three years.

Here in Houston, Ivany has worked closely with university board chair Herbert Edmundson, a member of the Class of 1969 who led the search committee that ended up hiring Ludwick as the next university president. Every other Tuesday at 7:30 a.m., Edmundson buys Ivany breakfast at Ouisie's Table on San Felipe.

Edmundson praised Ivany for "weathering, as best as anyone could, turbulent times within the institution and without."

"Catholic higher education," he said, "is a different world."

Ivany will serve as president emeritus for a year after Ludwick takes command of St. Thomas. "They can work with me as they wish," he said.

The ongoing tension between administration and faculty members surfaced after Ivany announced in fall 2015 that he would step down after the 2016-17 academic year. Professors voted no-confidence in Ivany's administration in the spring, citing a lack of budgetary transparency, and appointed three faculty members to a liaison budget committee.

Ivany said he welcomed working with faculty but said budget strains were unavoidable as the university allocated more money to student financial aid.

Meanwhile, alumni criticized the university's search for a new president when no finalist interviewed on campus was a clergy member. Hundreds of them demanded the search committee reconsider a clerical candidate nominated by the Basilian order. In a Facebook group, they questioned St. Thomas's commitment to the Basilians and the university's Catholic roots.

The two fronts converged in the fall when the faculty budget committee said in a report that not interviewing the Basilian nominee could hinder Catholic student enrollment and slow donations to the university from the Basilian order.

In the letter to committee members, Ivany said the report "deeply disturbed" Basilian leadership and undermined the integrity of the search process. He closed the letter by saying disciplinary actions "up to and including potential termination of tenure and/or employment" may follow further commentary on the search process.

Threatening tenure evoked fear, professors said.

"This is just without precedent," said Mary Catherine Sommers, a member of the budget committee who has taught philosophy at the university since 1987.

She said it has been "really difficult" to reconcile the president's letter with her Catholic education and 30 years working at the university.

Randall Smith, a theology professor on sabbatical, made his concerns public in a piece published by The Catholic World Report. In an interview, he called tenure "sacrosanct" and said the relationship between faculty and administrators is fractured.

Ivany said the faculty budget committee overstepped by commenting on the presidential search process, and that the interactions between those faculty members and his administration did not threaten academic freedom. He declined to comment further on the matter.

Moving forward, Ludwick said he will meet with faculty and alumni to understand the university's needs and rebuild a relationship with professors. He said he first needs to better understand the root of the conflict. "That context will be helpful to understand as I enter this new work," he said.

Ludwick said he plans to draft priorities after meeting with students, staff and local community leaders, but he aims to expand the university's enrollment and offer online graduate classes.

"Given Houston and its demographics and the market, I think a significant (enrollment) increase could be born there," he said. "It's not simply our business plan. We do it because of our mission and the service to the student."

He acknowledged that he had been only "mildly familiar" with the Basilians before applying to be the university's next chief executive but has since tried to learn as much as possible about the religious order.

"I'm impressed by its commitment to St. Thomas," he said, calling clergy leadership on campus "a treasure."
Google "Houston AND pedestrian AND killed" and this is among the news you get:

"Pedestrian killed near Harris-Waller line"

"Pedestrian hit, killed in Dayton"

"Pedestrian hit, killed crossing road in north Harris County"

"Police: Motorcycle crash kills 2 pedestrians in Galveston"

"Pedestrian killed trying to cross South Gessner"

And that's just the first page of the Google search.

Pedestrians killed on area streets and even freeways are happening at a higher rate in 2016, sending a sobering message that a routine attempt to cross a street or walk along a road could result in one's death. It is past time for local lawmakers to implement a comprehensive strategy that aggressively addresses pedestrian safety. Pedestrian vulnerability comes into stark focus with the following:

The October death of an 18-year-old high school senior marked the third fatality this year in a Houston-area school zone. Chronicle transportation reporter Dug Begley found that this year's incidents came after two full years without a school-zone crash fatality.

According to Begley, of 372 incidents where pedestrians were struck in active school zones in Texas since 2010, 66 occurred in the Houston region, 49 in Harris County. More than half the incidents, 37 across the region, led to a minor injury or worse, based on Begley's review of state crash data.

The Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown metropolitan area has been listed in a 2014 report by the National Complete Streets Coalition, an arm of Smart Growth America, as among the 20 most deadly cities for pedestrians in the country with 1,034 deaths from 2003 to 2012.

And, according to another Chronicle report, at least 71 pedestrians died in the city through Oct. 31, a sum already 31 percent higher than the total for all 2015. Pedestrian deaths increased in recent years from 45 in 2013 to 50 in 2014 and 54 last year.

A bold strategy to curtail the deadly trend is needed as the population swells past 2.3 million people.

Police told the Chronicle's Andrew Kragle that pedestrian behavior - walking on sidewalks where they're available, walking against traffic and keeping the volume low on headphones, for instance - could help reduce pedestrian deaths. And while that direction seems to take the onus of safety off drivers - and it doesn't - the guidance does remind pedestrians and other vulnerable road users that it's better to be extra cautious in an age of distracted driving.

Pedestrian and driver awareness campaigns can only go so far, however. Public policy is key to making streets safer in car-centric Houston.

A statewide ban on texting while driving is a good starting point. State Rep. Tom Craddick is filing a distracted driving bill for the upcoming legislative session. It's his fourth try. Lawmakers should support him.

Former at-large Houston City Councilman Peter Brown, who directs the Better Houston organization aimed at improving neighborhoods, believes the city can do more to improve walkability, as well, including:

Revising its Infrastructure Design Manual to provide for enhanced pedestrian safety with narrower lanes to slow traffic, clearly marked crosswalks, signals better timed for safe walking speeds, and wider sidewalks.

Adopting the National Association of City Transportation Officials streets standards that would raise the focus on "Complete streets," designed for safe access for pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists and transit riders.

Part of a strategy for safer streets, Brown suggested, is a shift in priorities, making Houston or at least part of it designed for people and shifting the focus from cars to include walkways and more bikeways.

It's a tough sale in a region where transportation has focused mainly on moving as many cars as possible as fast as possible. But perhaps an energetic start now to make the streets safer would eventually lead to a future Google search for "Houston AND pedestrian AND killed" ending one year in zero results.
County government needs more fresh air. It's time to institute term limits at Harris County Commissioners Court.

This call for action isn't a personal swipe at Harris County Judge Ed Emmett, who recently announced that he plans to seek re-election when his current term expires in 2018. He has earned our respect after 10 years of service.

Or at Steve Radack, 67, who secured our endorsement for re-election for Precinct 3 commissioner, a post he has held since 1988.

It's simply a call to improve the structure of governance at the county level. Although the change would likely require a state constitutional amendment, term limits at the county level offer more advantages than disadvantages.

Term limits at the city of Houston, which were enacted by City Charter amendment more than 20 years ago, may have introduced a regrettable short-term bias. But few can dispute that they have resulted in a more open and transparent city government with less back-scratching and fewer insider deals.

Opponents argue that the voters already have the power to end the service of incumbents who have stayed too long. But incumbents have the advantage of sizeable war chests derived from the professionals and contractors who do business with the county. as well as gerrymandered precincts.

Elected offices shouldn't become personal fiefdoms. Yet the barriers to ousting long-serving commissioners are formidable. When El Franco Lee, Harris County's first African-American commissioner, died at 66, he had served more than three decades as commissioner of Precinct 1. Although Lee's political war chest of nearly $4 million was uncommonly large, in most cases office-seekers need sizeable personal income to challenge an incumbent who can count on the support of professionals and contractors who do business with the county.

Neither should it take a presidential-year Democratic sweep to elect the first African-American countywide executive officeholder in recent memory. Ann Harris Bennett will become our new tax assessor collector in 2017.

The openness of county government is further impaired by the practice of anointing successors when a vacancy arises. Emmett, 67, was appointed county judge in early 2007 after the resignation of Robert Eckels and then won election in 2008 to serve the remainder of the term. If Emmett were to resign early for any reason, the commissioners would pick his replacement, giving that person the advantage of the incumbency.

No public servant is indispensable. Nor do they own their offices. This is a region of more than 4 million people. More qualified citizens would have the opportunity to participate if these structural barriers to public service were removed.
Court appointments

Regarding "Senate trade-off: More Obama judge, Trump gets nominees (Page A8, Wednesday), in March, President Barack Obama nominated Scott Frost, James Hendrix and Irma Ramirez for Northern District of Texas openings, Karen Scholer for an Eastern District vacancy and Walter Counts for a Western District opening. Obama proclaimed "throughout their careers, these nominees have displayed unwavering commitment to justice and integrity." Frost, Ramirez and Counts have served as magistrate judges; Hendrix has been an assistant U.S. attorney since 2007; and Scholer has served as a state court judge.

The districts now experience eleven vacancies in 52 active judgeships. Thus, the courts lack 21 percent of their cohorts, which complicates justice's delivery. Resolving cases without one-fifth of the judges places more pressure on the courts' jurists. Every opening is a "judicial emergency" because judges manage caseloads 50 percent larger than the national average.

All five are highly qualified, mainstream nominees with the strong support of Texas Republican Senators John Cornyn and Ted Cruz. They secured September Judiciary Committee hearings but have languished since then, mainly because GOP leaders refused to grant panel or final votes. Because the nominees are experienced moderates and the districts require all vacancies filled, they must receive swift committee and floor votes.

Carl Tobias, law professor, University of Richmond School of Law

Climate change

Regarding "Climate Danger" letter to the editor (Page A35, Friday), Mr. Battig's "facts" fail to fully report that U.S. Rep. Lamar Smith, a Republican of San Antonio, zeroed-in on an incomplete answer by EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy. Smith, a noted climate-change denier, then pressed on the detail that the Clean Power Plan does not stand on its own so he could assert it was a plan with virtually no effect. He kept McCarthy from pointing out that the U.S. must be a leader in clean power so other nations will join us to keep the Earth's heat from frying all humans.

Sally Lehr, Houston
A Texas County man faces three felony charges after county authorities investigated a burglary at a business in Cabool.

A Texas County Sheriffs Department deputy stated in a probable cause statement sub mitted to the county prosecutor that a concerned citizen reported on Nov. 20 that the man was seen at L & D Motors loading items onto a vehicle, and that the man was not to be on the business property after being fired from his employment.

The officer reported that while attempting to make contact with the man, several of the allegedly swiped items were observed in plain sight at his residence. A search warrant was obtained, and stolen goods were found at the mans house including power tools, tires and wheels, a wood desk, an air conditioner and more.

Following the investigation, Jeffery W. Watts, 45, of 7325 Highway ZZ in Bucyrus, was arrested and is charged with second-degree burglary, receiving stolen property and unlawful possession of a firearm (all felonies). He is held in jail on $150,000 bond.
A Springfield man who fled from law enforcement and assaulted two state officers was arraigned last week in Texas County court and entered a plea of not guilty to the charges.

Christopher A. Hunt, 32, was charged in September with multiple crimes following a pursuit in Wright and Texas counties.

He is charged with two counts of tampering with a motor vehicle, three counts of assault or attempted assault of a law enforcement officer, armed criminal action and resisting arrest by fleeing, all felonies.

Texas County Circuit Court Judge John D. Beger granted a motion last Tuesday to reduce Hunts bail amount from $1 million to $250,000. Hunt is scheduled to be in court for a trial setting on Dec. 20.

Hunt also is charged with first-degree robbery in Greene County in connection with a September car theft.

According to a probable cause statement from the robbery, a man drove the Chrysler 300 to the Fast N Friendly gas station on North Kansas Expressway in Springfield just before midnight on Sept. 9 when he approached by a man with a gun.

The man with the weapon  later identified as Hunt  pointed the weapon at the victim, then got into the Chrysler 300 and drove away, according to the statement.

The car was later abandoned at a Texas County residence near Cabool after a chase and another vehicle was stolen.

The county chase ended when Hunt sprayed two state patrol officers with Mace as he was apprehended near Cabool Second Baptist Church.
The Ukrainian Defense Ministry has refuted the reports by the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic that militants attacked the Mariupol sector and killed five Ukrainian servicemen on Saturday.

"At about 10:00 a.m., the enemy started shelling our positions in the Mariupol sector first with small arms, then with grenade launchers and antitank grenade launchers, and later with heavy weapons. As of 12:30 p.m., the fire intensity lowered. There was no offensive, and no armed clashes were recorded," Ukrainian Defense Ministry spokesman for the anti-terrorist operation Oleksandr Motuzianyk told Interfax.

"Hence, the reports on our losses are also untrue," he said.

Motuzianyk also warned militants against attempts to accuse Kyiv of using mortars. "We are not using them, as we have pulled them back in keeping with the Minsk Agreements," he added.

Earlier Russian media reported with reference to the representative of the Donetsk People's Republic, Eduard Basurin, said that militants rebuffed an attack by Ukrainian government forces, killing five Ukrainian troops and injuring eight others. "Five of the enemy's troops were killed and eight others injured. An armored personnel carrier of the Ukrainian government forces was destroyed," he said.
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Co-authored by Samy Boukaila, Visiting Scholar, Center for Transatlantic Relations SAIS and one of the Founders and Treasurer of CARE, AlgeriaTea Ivanovic, Visiting Fellow, Center for Transatlantic Relations SAIS

Although the Mediterranean Basin is home to countries of three continents, and was the world's center for many centuries, Southern and Eastern Mediterranean countries (SEMCs) often complain that the only way to attract the attention of policymakers in Washington is via security issues. Apart from seeing the Mediterranean as part of European security, these countries reiterate the need to see the importance and the necessity of economic development and cooperation in the Mediterranean.

In fact, there were initiatives launched in the pre-Arab Spring era with the aim to develop economic relations between the countries of the Mediterranean, the US and EU member states. For instance, in 2003, the US launched MEFTA, with the aim of establishing a U.S.-Middle East Free Trade Area by 2013. When MEFTA was launched, Israel (in 1985) and Jordan (in 2000) had already established Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) with the US. Washington's close bilateral relationship with Morocco was reinforced by an FTA signed in 2004. Algeria established a substantial bilateral cooperation with the US in the energy sector, and by 2013 signed a Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA), a preliminary step towards a US FTA.

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Europe's history of aligning itself with the Mediterranean region goes back to 1969, when the EEC signed preferential agreements with the Maghreb countries (Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia). This was followed by the Global Mediterranean Policy formulated in 1972, the enlargement of the 1981 that made Greece part of the EC, the Iberian enlargement in 1986, and bilateral trade and co-operation agreements with SEMC. The Euro-Mediterranean Partnership, also known as the Barcelona Process, was established between the EU and the SEMCs in 1995 as a framework for the creation of a Mediterranean region of peace, security and shared prosperity. As a part of the Barcelona Process, the Euro-Med countries approved the principle of creating a Euro-Mediterranean free-trade economic zone until 2010. With a population of 800 million, this area would be twice the size of NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement).

The lack of co-ownership, weak visibility and institutional weaknesses of this initiative led to the creation of the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM), in 2008, with six strategic priorities: business development, social and civil affairs, higher education and research, transport and urban development, water and environment and energy and climate action, offering concrete projects that made it more visible in the daily lives of people living in the Mediterranean.

These initiatives are also supported by additional programs aiming to create economic opportunities and jobs to reduce high unemployment rates. In 2015, the EU assigned over 209 million Euros to the ENI CBC Mediterranean Sea Basin Program for the period 2014-2020, making it the largest out of 16 other programs to be implemented to the East and South of EU's external borders.

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Other organizations in the Mediterranean were established between EU member states and SEMCs, such as the 5+5 Dialogue (Algeria, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco and Tunisia + France, Italy, Malta, Portugal and Spain) created in 1990 in Rome, and considered the oldest forum for countries of the Mediterranean basin. This initiative focuses on infrastructure projects for the region, with a series of 58 projects dedicated to water strategy in the Western Mediterranean adopted in June 2016. Of those, 48 projects with a value of 132 million Euros are in the category of service actions, and 10 projects with a value of 304 million Euros, are under the infrastructure actions category.

There are also many projects initiated to develop economic relations among the countries of the Mediterranean. These initiatives are supported by the EU, as deepening south-south relations is one of the major components of the EU's policy towards the region. For instance, the Agadir Agreement of 2004 (FTA between Jordan, Tunisia, Morocco, Egypt) which has been seen as its first building block, entered into force in 2007. This agreement aimed to create FTAs between each of the partners and other countries, and remains open to other Arab Mediterranean countries. After this stage is completed, the objective is to form a single free trade area, including the European Union.

The other initiative taken with the similar goal that was the Arab League's initiative aimed to create Greater Arab Free Trade Area (GAFTA) by 2008. It would be achieved through an annual 10% reduction in customs fees, and the gradual elimination of trade barriers. Eighteen of the 22 Arab League states signed on to this agreement, which came into force on 1 January 1998.

Aside from these, FTAs have been signed between Mediterranean countries to further develop relations among the countries in the region. Israel and Jordan have signed a FTA, and Turkey has signed bilateral agreements with Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, the Palestinian Territories, Syria and Tunisia. Turkey has significantly increased its involvement in the Maghreb. In 2016, 75 Turkish companies were working in Tunisia, with investment levels topping 1 billion dollars, and a goal of settling 100 companies by 2018. All things considered, Turkey has invested far more in Algeria than neighboring Tunisia and Morocco. In 2015, combining steel, textile, and construction, the total trade volume topped 2.5 billion dollars. Negotiations are underway between other Mediterranean countries to establish similar agreements.

The Southern Mediterranean countries have been able to attract FDI, and in some cases, even managed to maintain growth rates of around 3% at the height of the economic crisis. Nevertheless, they are considered to be among the countries most in need of investment, in particular in terms of infrastructure and funding of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises. (SMEs). These needs have been exacerbated, particularly in certain countries (Tunisia and Egypt) by the 2011 revolutions and the on-going transitions. Each year between 2008 and 2012, the Mediterranean region received a total of around 10 billion dollars public aid for development projects, experiencing a sharp rise since. For example, in 2016, Egypt alone received 12 billion dollars from the IMF. Trade in the Mediterranean is oriented mainly towards Europe, whereas inflows of FDI to the Southern Neighborhood region decreased by almost half between 2008 and 2015. Despite the efforts of countries of the region to create a Free Trade Area and the EU's support to foster regional economic cooperation between SEMCs, it is still limited: intra-regional trade is a small fraction (5.9% in exports, 5.1% in imports) of the countries' total trade, one of the lowest levels of regional economic integration in the world.

Slow economic integration and a significant decrease in FDI since 2011, migration crises, terror threats, energy and environmental challenges, are alarming not only for the countries surrounding the Mediterranean, but also beyond. Economic integration, trade partnerships, and transatlantic cooperation are vital for the prosperity and stability of the Mediterranean region.

Some Mediterranean countries are members of the EU, the Western Balkans is on a slow EU accession journey, and Turkey while on and off in EU accession process, has a customs union with the EU that needs to be upgraded. Hence, one of the key and less-addressed issues is a need to create an economic union of North African nations. To achieve stability in the region, an economic union to enhance economic competitiveness within the entire Mediterranean basin should be on a high political agenda in the coming period.

When it comes to the Western Balkans countries, a successful accession to the EU would significantly contribute to stability for the entire region. Solely for the period of 2008-2010, EU assistance accounted for 2.8 billion Euro, almost doubling from the 2005-2007 period. Only Croatia has so far become an EU member, while the other countries are still years, if not decades away from fulfilling EU accession requirements. Clearly, the US, which brought peace to the war-torn region in the 1990s, should engage more to finish the task set out - to bring these countries into the EU family.

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On November 17, 2016, the United States Ambassador to the United Nations, Samantha Power, declared that she would soon introduce a resolution in the Security Council to impose an arms embargo on South Sudan; and, to place travel restrictions and freeze the assets of certain persons deemed responsible for the grisly violence convulsing the new nation. South Sudan was midwifed by the United States from Sudan five years ago.

The United Nations special advisor on the prevention of genocide, Adama Dieng, after a recent visit to South Sudan, discerned the "potential for genocide." United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon warned in a report that United Nations peacekeepers deployed to South Sudan could not diminish "a very real risk of mass atrocities.

Thereby hangs another tale of the United States foreign policy of ignorant arrogance in nation-building.

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It is a task for political geniuses, who can be counted on one hand with fingers left over. Republics cannot be summoned into being with copies of the United States Declaration of Independence and Constitution. They require a threshold of common culture, language, religion, customs, ethnicity, history, and education. They require a dispersal of power to prevent any political faction from acquiring sufficient power to oppress or persecute rival factions. They require institutional checks against limitless executive power--which is the earmark of all primitive political societies. And they require time to evolve.

A Republic, like a woman, must be courted, not taken by storm. Great Britain needed six centuries from Magna Charta in 1215 to the Great Reform Act of 1832 to embrace popular government. The United States needed nearly two centuries from the 1620 Mayflower Compact and the 1619 Virginia House of Burgesses to the 1787 United States Constitution for a Republic to take root. The 1789 French Revolution created a Republic by storm, but ended with the self-coronation of Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte exercising power dwarfing the executive prerogatives of the Bourbons which had provoked the storming of the Bastille.

The United States orchestrated the secession of South Sudan from Sudan in 2011 by a combination of military pressure and economic sanctions. It was the de facto senior partner with South Sudanese military strongmen in negotiating an agreement with Sudan to hold a referendum on South Sudanese independence. It passed by 99 percent.

The circumstances were propitious for the United States to demonstrate its professed genius in nation-building housed in the State Department, the National Security Council, and the intelligence community. South Sudan was not plagued by international or domestic terrorism. It possessed sufficient oil production and reserves to thrive economically. It had the support of the international glitterati like George and Amal Clooney, Mia Farrow, and Don Cheadle. It had the megaphone of New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof. And it had the support of the American Christian community confidant that the South Sudanese would turn swords into plowshares.

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But anyone with a passing acquaintance of the ordinary depravity of human nature and the lust for power and riches that have been chronicled for thousands of years could have discerned that the South Sudanese leadership, including President Salva Kiir and Vice President Riek Machar, featured a tribal array of thugs and thieves destined to convulse, terrorize, and impoverish the people. Benjamin Franklin, at the American constitutional convention in 1787, anticipated the likes of Mr. Kiir and Mr. Machar with unexcelled prescience:

"[T]here are two passions which have a powerful influence in the affairs of men. These are ambition and avarice--the love of power and the love of money. Separately, each of these has great force in prompting men to action; but, when united in view of the same object, they have, in many minds, the most violent effects. Place before the eyes of such men a post of honor, that shall, at the same time, be a

place of profit, and they will move heaven and earth to obtain it...

And of what kind are the men that will strive for this profitable preeminence, through all the bustle of cabal, the heat of contention, the infinite mutual abuse of parties, tearing to pieces the best of characters? It will not be the wise and moderate, the lovers of peace and good order, the men fittest for the trust. It will be the bold and the violent, the men of strong passions and indefatigable activity in their selfish pursuits. These will thrust themselves into your government and be your rulers."



The only prospect for arresting such thugs and thieves is by pitting ambition against ambition through an institutional separation of powers and checks and balances. But neither has ever made even a cameo appearance on the African continent. The signature of virtually every African nation is limitless or overwhelming executive power. The legislative and judicial branches are ciphers.

South Sudan predictably plunged into an abyss of unspeakable misery and bloodshed through a toxic cocktail of inter-ethnic, inter-tribal, and internecine warfare. Tens of thousands have been killed, 1.5 million have been displaced, and 5 million are in dire need of humanitarian assistance. Even a longstanding vocal champion of South Sudanese independence, John Prendergast, has lamented: "Conflict in South Sudan is fueled by competing kleptocratic networks in a greed-fueled winner-take-all pursuit of state control...."

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The wise foreign policy, like the wise man, knows what it doesn't know. South Sudan, joined by sister nation-building misadventures in Afghanistan, Iraq, Somalia, Libya, Yemen, ad infinitum, demonstrate that we are clueless about democratic transformation. We roll dice with the lives and welfare of others when we precipitate regime change in foreign lands.
A prison guard leading a prisoner along a corridor

Sociologists, criminologists, and other scholars regularly study and debate what works about the American criminal justice system, and what doesn't. In the current political and social climate, where reform of our ravenously bloated criminal justice system is on the agenda, this research has taken on a new importance and urgency.

Because it is a fact that most prisoners will eventually return to the community, better understanding of prisoner re-entry success and failure is crucial. What does it take for a prisoner to successfully navigate the treacherous waters of re-entry?

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Renowned scholar Marieke Liem, Senior Researcher and Chair of the Violence Research Initiative at Leiden University and a Marie Curie Fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School, analyzes re-entry for a particularly delegitimized population - those sentenced to life imprisonment with the possibility of parole - in her new book, "After Life Imprisonment: Re-entry in the Era of Mass Incarceration."

One in 10 prisoners in the United States is serving a term of life imprisonment. The majority of those individuals were given an indeterminate sentence, which means that they will one day be paroled back to society. Their crimes are all very serious, most involving homicide, and the amount of time they spend in prison is great. Professor Liem asks this question: What can we learn about re-entry by studying the success and failure of paroled lifers?

Review of the experiences of the interviewed lifers reveals significant challenges that impede successful re-entry. Professor Liem highlights the impact that disenfranchisement, lack of employment opportunities, culture shock, lack of stable housing, and the general dearth of available re-entry services has on returning prisoners. All of these issues, combined with often damaged and fragile personal, familial and social relationships, make a successful re-entry difficult.

With respect to returning lifers, there is another great difficulty that, perhaps ironically, very often foils the efforts of the returning prisoner: the parole system. Professor Liem reports that paroled lifers often cannot find work that their parole officers will approve, and that in practice, parole is a system of control and discipline (similar to institutionalization), and not one of rehabilitation and assistance. The stories of individual lifers related in the text reveal a healthy distrust of parole officers, whose decisions are god-like, life-altering and often arbitrary.

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Traditional studies of prisoner re-entry have focused on the concept of desistance, which translates loosely into staying crime-free. Professor Liem argues, however that given the difficulty faced by lifers who are released, but subject to parole, the focus should not be on how a lifer "goes straight," but how they manage the parole system, and how the parole system manages them. What the research indicated was that most lifers successfully desisted, but had difficulty adjusting to life on the outside, especially parole conditions and violated.

Thus, one of professor Liem's proposals for improving the likelihood of successful re-entry is to reform the parole system such that technical violations are not the reason so many prisoners return to prison. Her main suggestion, however, is that a concerted effort must be undertaken to improve the self-efficacy of returning prisoners. The research indicates that successful re-entry turns almost entirely on prisoners retaining a sense of control over their lives. As such, Professor Liem argues that improving self-efficacy through programs, job opportunities, mental health care, and support groups must be a significant focus of reform efforts.

"After Life Imprisonment" offers scholars, policy makers and interested readers an up-close look at the perils and possibility of re-entry. The research is thorough, the interviews are informative, and the conclusions are spot on. Anyone interested in understanding the realities of post-prison life for the long term incarcerated would do well to pick up a copy of Professor Liem's excellent book.
Serbian Air Force MiG-29 departing with two AA-8 Aphid missiles, Graf Ignatievo Air Base, Bulgaria.

The U.S. presidential election mercifully has ended. But global conflict continues. And politicians are still attempting to drag America into another tragic, bloody Middle Eastern conflict.

To do so would be madness. President-elect Donald Trump appears to recognize that Syria is not America's responsibility. Unfortunately, Vice President-elect Mike Pence, as well as some of those mentioned for top administration positions, take a more militaristic perspective. Trump should announce that his administration will not get involved in Syria's civil war in any way.

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President Barack Obama spent five years resisting pressure for direct military intervention. But he appointed war supporters John Kerry, Samantha Power, Susan Rice, and Hillary Clinton to manage his foreign policy. Kerry acknowledged to a group of Syrian refugees in Beirut that he and other officials had advocated use of force but "lost the argument."

However, rather than clearly set a policy of non-involvement, President Obama attempted intervention-lite. The administration failed in both its major objectives: oust Bashar al-Assad as president and empower "moderate" opponents. However, administration officials still have not given up. Even as the American people were voting on his successor his appointees were pushing "kinetic actions against the regime," reported anonymous sources. The president remains at odds with his own appointees.

Republican warrior wannabes claim that Washington could have provided just the right form of aid to just the right groups at just the right time and thereby created a liberal, democratic, united Syria allied with America. Even today Thanassis Cambanis of the Century Foundation argues the U.S. should "use its resources to manage conflicts like Syria's." That sounds good, but when was the last time Washington "managed" anything well in the Middle East?

Even with a quick military victory Washington got Iraq disastrously wrong, empowering Iran while triggering the very sectarian conflict which spawned the Islamic State. U.S. intervention in Libya left chaos and conflict in its wake. American policymakers demonstrate no facility for global social engineering.

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In Syria the Obama administration has pursued incompatible objectives and combatants. Washington remains committed to ousting the Assad regime, which remains the most important barrier to a triumph by the Islamic State. NATO ally Turkey spent the civil war's early years accommodating so-called Daesh, and now is battling Kurdish fighters, who have been America's staunchest allies against ISIS.

The U.S. has trained and armed so-called moderate insurgents, who have had only limited combat success, often surrendering, along with their U.S.-supplied equipment, to radical forces. One half billion dollar training program generated barely three score insurgents, most of whom were promptly killed or captured.

Former Obama official Derek Chollet said the administration hoped its aid to insurgents would give Washington "leverage" in dealing with its Sunni "allies." Yet the latter have manipulated America to serve their interests, pressing Washington to oust the Assad regime while supporting radical insurgent groups opposed by the U.S. After providing symbolic aid in the early days, America's Gulf allies led by Saudi Arabia abandoned the campaign against the Islamic State in favor of a brutal attack on Yemen, dragging the U.S. into a dangerous proxy war with Iran.

Extremist forces have threatened U.S. military personnel embedded with Syrian fighters. Arab and Kurdish insurgents trained and armed by Washington recently battled each other. Shia militias fighting with the Baghdad government against ISIS in Iraq are opposing U.S.-backed Sunni insurgents in Syria. Baghdad and Ankara neared war over Turkey's intervention in northern Iraq. Any attacks on Assad's forces threaten Russian military personnel and hardware.

Only a dreamer could imagine the incoming administration could do better to bring order to this bloody imbroglio.

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Washington must set priorities. Washington Post columnist Jackson Diehl argued that Russia "has proved that ... a limited use of force could change the political outcome, without large costs." However, that's because Moscow has one objective: keep Assad in power. Washington has a half dozen or more conflicting goals, none of are important enough to warrant the use of force.

Syria's civil war does not implicate any of Washington's traditional Middle Eastern interests, most importantly Israel and oil. America's chief concern should be the Islamic State, not Assad regime. Candidate Trump correctly opined: "our far greater problem is not Assad, it's ISIS."

Advocates of regime change claim that only through Assad's ouster can Daesh be defeated. However, the existing government remains the biggest military barrier to the radicals. Moreover, the group grew out of Iraq's sectarian war and would continue to promote its "caliphate" in a post-Assad Syria. Alas, history is full of examples--Soviet Union, Nicaragua, and Iran, among others--in which brutal radicals defeat decent liberals after they together depose a hated dictator. Unless the U.S. is willing to occupy the country, impose a new government, and remain until the state is rebuilt, the worst Syrians are likely to control a post-Assad future. And the results could be ugly even if Washington stuck around, as in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Retired Gen. John Allen and author Charles R. Lister argued that "the credibility of the United States as the leader and defender of the free world must be salvaged." But the Syrian tragedy has little to do with "the free world": brutal civil wars have occurred since the dawn of mankind. And Washington's chief duty is to defend America, not referee other nations' conflicts.

Yet ivory tower warriors continue to urge greater U.S. military involvement. Some propose targeting Russia with additional sanctions, which would not likely dissuade Moscow from acting on behalf of what it perceives as its important interests. However, further penalties would discourage cooperation even where the two nations' interests coincided.

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Another option is more training and better weapons for so-called moderates. Yet even President Obama admitted that there were few past cases when support for insurgents "actually worked out well." In a recent interview President-Elect Trump contended that "we have no idea who these people are" and as a candidate complained that "they end up being worse" than the regime.

The reality is more nuanced--Syria's insurgents span the spectrum--but the administration's experience has been a cruel disappointment. An anonymous American official admitted to the Washington Post: U.S.-backed forces are "not doing any better on the battlefield, they're up against a more formidable adversary, and they're increasingly dominated by extremists." There's no reason to expect better under the new administration.

Indeed, noted the BBC, "many of the more moderate rebel groups that the U.S. backs have formed a strategic alliance with Jabhat Fatah al-Sham [formerly al-Qaeda-affiliated al-Nusra] and now fight alongside it." Weapons previously provided to the moderates often ended up in the hands of more radical forces. Greater aid might prolong the fighting but would be unlikely to give the "good guys" victory. Providing anti-aircraft missiles would threaten Russian as well as Syrian aircraft, risking a significant escalation if Moscow responded with greater force. And any leakage to radical jihadists could result in attacks on Western airliners.

Establishing a "no-fly" and/or "safe" zone has become a panacea for many U.S. policymakers, including former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. It is an obvious way to appear to do something. However, protecting civilians in this way would simultaneously immunize combatants--attracting insurgents who would use such areas as a sanctuary, encouraging further regime and Russian attacks.

Moreover, Washington would have to do more than simply declare such a zone to exist. Enforcing it would be an act of war requiring continuous military action. U.S. officials have estimated that the effort would take hundreds of aircraft, thousands of personnel, and hundreds of millions of dollars or more a month. Washington would have to destroy the Syrian anti-air defense system, no simple task. Indeed, in one of her conversations revealed by Wikileaks, Hillary Clinton acknowledged that imposing a no fly zone would "kill a lot of Syrians" and "a lot of civilians."

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Moreover, a true "no-fly" zone would require preventing Russian air operations as well. Trump complained to the Wall Street Journal that by attacking Assad "we end up fighting Russia, fighting Syria." Moscow officials have warned against strikes that would threaten Russian military personnel; Moscow already has introduced its advanced S-300 and S-400 anti-aircraft missile systems. Nevertheless, several GOP presidential candidates advocated downing Russian aircraft, if necessary. Yet it would be mad to commit an unprovoked act of war against a nuclear-armed power over a third nation's conflict in which the U.S. has no substantial interest. Moscow would not likely yield peacefully.

Why let this declining power "push around the United States, which has the world's biggest economy" and "greatest military," asked Washington Post columnist Richard Cohen? Because Moscow has far more at stake and as a result is willing to accept greater costs and take greater risks than is America. Worse, Moscow would feel pressure to maintain its credibility and preserve its international status against an overbearing United States.

The result could be the very conflict America and the Soviet Union avoided during the entire Cold War. One anonymous U.S. official told the Washington Post: "You can't pretend you can go to war against Assad and not go to war against Russia." During the campaign Trump warned: "you're going to end up in World War Three over Syria if we listen to Hillary Clinton," since fighting Syria would mean "fighting Syria, Russia and Iran."

Direct military intervention also would be possible, but would raise the stakes dramatically. Special operations forces, drones, airstrikes, and even an Iraq-style invasion all are possible. But none would enjoy sustained public or allied support or end the ongoing murder and mayhem. Victory, whatever that meant, would simply trigger a new round of fighting for dominance in a post-Assad Syria, as occurred in Iraq. And conflict with Moscow could not easily be avoided.

How would any of this serve U.S. interests? The American people have no meaningful stake in the outcome. The Assad regime's fate is largely irrelevant to Washington. For nearly a half century under both Bashar al-Assad and his father, Hafez, who ruled previously, Damascus was hostile to the U.S. But Syria lost more than it won and never posed a threat to America or impeded Washington's dominance in the Middle East. Once the country dissolved into civil war the Assad regime's ability to harm others essentially disappeared. Even if the government survives, its influence will be much diminished for years.

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Washington worries about instability, but the U.S. has created greater chaos through its foolish war-making in the Mideast. Obviously, ending the Syrian civil war would be best for everyone, but a jihadist victory, likely if Assad is defeated, would threaten American interests more than continuing instability. Sen. John McCain, among others, claims that Assad's survival guarantees continuation of the war, but Washington cannot halt the conflict and is best served by staying out of the bloody imbroglio.

"Moderate" insurgents would be angered by Washington's withdrawal, but they are unlikely ever to gain power. America might lose its supposed "leverage" over such nominal allies as Riyadh and Ankara, but there is little evidence that Washington has gained anything from its supposed influence. Indeed, Saudi Arabia has essentially abandoned the fight against the Islamic State and Turkey is more often attacking Kurds than Daesh.

Even if Assad fell, Washington would have no control over what followed. Without ongoing American support, the so-called "moderates" would do no better against the radical forces than they have done against the Syrian army. The hundreds of thousands of Iraqis who died after the Bush administration blew up the country demonstrate that good intentions are an insufficient basis for U.S. policy.

Clinton criticized "the ambitions and the aggressiveness of Russia" in Syria. But Moscow's ambitions there do not threaten America. Russia's alliance with Syria goes back decades. Washington should do what is in America's interest, not what is against Russia's interest.

Of course, Syria is a humanitarian horror. But the civil war is not as bad as other conflicts largely ignored by the U.S., such as the mass slaughter in the Democratic Republic of the Congo during the late 1990s and early 2000s. Moreover, Syria is not genocide, ala Rwanda or Cambodia, but a civil war, in which a most of the dead are combatants, and from all sides. The bombing of civilian areas is horrific, but hardly a new military tactic, and one which Washington has only recently come to reject.

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Nor could the conflict be settled without using extraordinary force. Merely fudging the balance of military power won't end the killing. If jihadist groups took control after Assad's collapse and his allies' withdrawal, Washington would face pressure to "do something" to protect Alawites, Christians, and perhaps even "moderate" insurgents and their supporters. The U.S. has neither the responsibility nor the resources to police the globe.

Finally, the administration has unfinished business involving anti-American radicals, the Islamic State and al-Qaeda-affiliated al-Nusra/al-Sham. But Assad's ouster would empower both groups. They remain primarily insurgents which can be dealt with on the ground by the surrounding nations which they most threaten.

Donald Trump had only just been declared president-elect when those who dominate U.S. foreign policy thinking began urging him to conform to their disastrous designs in the Middle East. However, Trump appears to have learned from the past. He told the Wall Street Journal: "I've had an opposite view of many people regarding Syria."
Among the radical shifts in the political landscape that took place on November 8th are the revival of some serious threats to our ocean, our coasts and our planet. These threats include renewed efforts to open our coasts to offshore oil drilling, reversal of environmental laws that protect our waterways and public health, and possible reversal of our country's commitment to addressing climate change, including adhering to our COP21 agreements. Whether we live inland or along the coasts, we each have a stake in the health of our ocean and coastlines because our coasts are more than a place for recreation, they are also important habitats and significant drivers of our economy. During this changing political landscape, our actions now will impact the next four years. Together, we must stand up and defend our nation's coastlines.

For decades, organizations such as the Surfrider Foundation have successfully protected the Atlantic, Pacific and Eastern Gulf of Mexico from oil and gas development. Back in March, a huge victory for the Atlantic was won when the Obama Administration announced it was canceling plans to allow oil drilling off the Mid- and South Atlantic coast. Thousands of businesses and hundreds of coastal communities joined together to oppose offshore drilling because of the threat to their thriving tourism and recreation economy. That decision became official last week when the administration released its final 5 Year Offshore Drilling Plan, which protects not only the Atlantic, but also the Eastern Gulf of Mexico, West Coast and Arctic Ocean from oil and gas leasing for 2017-2022.

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As we celebrate this tremendous achievement for the many communities, groups, businesses, and citizens who spoke out against offshore oil drilling, a new threat looms on the horizon. The incoming administration has stated the intent to "open offshore leasing on federal lands and waters" and "streamline the permitting process for all energy projects." The good news is that we have an opportunity in the coming months to provide permanent protection to our coasts and ocean. A broad coalition of organizations has formed together to call for permanent protection for our ocean and coastlines that would prevent future expansion of offshore drilling in U.S. waters. Permanent protection would also ensure our marine ecosystems are protected from related seismic blasting, which is estimated to injure up to 130,000 marine mammals, including the critically endangered right whale and the bottlenose dolphin.

It is unclear what specific actions will be taken on energy and environmental policies in the near future but we must continue to uphold our nation's current environmental laws to defend the health of our coasts and ocean. The Environmental Protection Agency, which ensures the protection of human health and the environment, must be maintained and become stronger to enforce critical laws that protect all of us from pollution. The agreements made last year at the international conference, COP21, under the Paris climate accord, must be implemented, including the Clean Power Plan and the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. We must ensure continued federal support for the BEACH Act, which provides critical funding to help states pay for water quality monitoring and public notification programs at beaches around the country. The National Ocean Policy, initiated by the Obama administration to incorporate stakeholder feedback into a process of ocean protection, must also be protected and advanced at national, regional and local levels.

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Strong leadership on coastal, ocean and environmental issues will likely be absent from the top levels of government, but that does not mean that we are impotent to make change. A grassroots movement for coastal protection is already on the rise and we have the opportunity to define a new path to coastal stewardship through partnership building and outreach within our communities on local, regional and state levels. This was also evident on November 8th, when California upheld the nation's first plastic bag ban to remove billions of plastic bags from our waste stream, and when Florida defeated a bad bill that would have limited the expansion of solar power.

Our waterways are all connected. Clean water, ocean health, and coastal access are not partisan issues, they are priorities that impact the health of all of our communities. In a time of political division, taking action on the local, regional and grassroots level is a great way to affect change and protect our coasts for today and future generations.

When talking to long-time friend and colleague, Luis Jorge Herrera Rivera, a 2016 Goldman Prize winner, who protected the Northeastern Ecological Corridor in Puerto Rico after decades of fighting in setbacks, I asked how he carried forward. He responded, "What is the other choice?" It's time to dig deeper, do our work to the best of our ability and make the differences that we are capable of achieving.
I have been an online counselor for the past six years and have helped over a thousand individuals address personal and relationship problems. Until now, the impact of political affiliations on client's relationships has never been mentioned by anyone. But, the election of Donald Trump seems to have changed that and I have begun to receive requests regarding how to handle anger towards family members, friends, or work associates who voted for Trump. In some cases, I have worked with clients who were Trump supporters and have been vilified and ostracized by their children, siblings, or friends.

Political actions, including voting preferences, do not predict how people conduct themselves in face-to-face relationships. An extreme example of the disparity between the political and the personal may have been Adolf Hitler, at least as depicted by Hitler's last private secretary, Traudl Junge. Hitler was unfailingly polite, remembered everyone's birthday, and never made sexual advances. It was only after the war that Junge understood what else he was doing, because she only experienced Hitler as a kind boss.

Mohandas Gandhi, on the other hand, was Hitler's opposite. Acclaimed for his devotion to non-violent methods to achieve India's independence, he was by all accounts very hard to like as a person.

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Political behavior, whether by a voter or politician, also is often divorced from daily life because its effects do not necessarily impact on those the actors know. It is noteworthy, therefore, when a politician, such as Senator Rob Portman, who had consistently supported legislation that discriminated against gays, suddenly discovered his son was one. This unexpected personal experience led him to view his bigotry and voting record in a different light.

However, "conversion" by personal crisis is very rare. People generally maintain ideological positions because they deliberately avoid experiences which call them into question. They typically associate with others who share their beliefs and almost never consciously subject themselves to evidence and arguments supporting alternate viewpoints.

Voters support candidates for many reasons. They might not subscribe to every position their favorite takes, but there is usually at least one factor that tips the scales. They downplay, or ignore, the rest. Once in office, however, victors choose their own priorities. Yet, their voters are partially responsible for whatever they do, unless the candidate never addressed an issue in the campaign (e.g., G.W. Bush's invasion of Iraq; torture).

The extreme polarization during the 2016 election which has jeopardized long-standing personal relationships is certainly related to the candidacy of Donald Trump. He has said things and promised actions that have broken with the traditional use of "code," clearly signaling his allegiance to white supremacist ideology and sexism. His open bigotry makes it impossible to be surprised if he enacts policies targeting non-whites and undermining women's reproductive rights.

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Moreover, Trump has openly shown contempt for democratic traditions, the rule of law, and civility. In his private life, he has stiffed countless investors, contractors, employees and consumers and is an admitted sexual predator. While some of his supporters truly believe all the charges are false, many accept at least some are true, but voted for him regardless, because of one or more of their preferences, e.g., low corporate and personal taxes for the wealthy, deregulation of industry, reviving US manufacturing, policies designed to curb immigration and deport millions of undocumented workers and family members, ending legal abortion, opposing any gun control measures; a conservative Supreme Court. Or he was a male, or not Hillary Clinton. Finally, about 20 percent of those voters who indicated in exit polls they thought Trump was unqualified to be President voted for him anyway.

The anger those who opposed Trump feel towards his supporters stems from the difficulty they have accepting an excuse of ignorance regarding the President-elect's ideology and intentions. Even if Trump changes direction once in office, it won't be sufficient for many to forgive and forget. Yet, the clients I have spoken to who have been attacked and ostracized for their votes seem puzzled and hurt, because they believe they still are the "same" people they were before Trump's campaign. They define their continuity solely in terms of the warm and caring way they have always interacted with those who now shun them. They view voting preferences irrelevant as a criterion for maintaining a hitherto loving relationship.

Time may heal the rifts, but the process can be sped up if the recipients of anger come to understand that for some, virtue is not limited to how people treat those they have face-to-face contact with, but also others they will never meet, but whose lives are impacted by the choices voters make. It requires developing empathy for "others": learning about their world and how it was shaped by history, so one can imagine the consequences of an election outcome. For those who are angry, empathy for the objects of their wrath is critical too. Trump supporters have biographies situated in history as well, though those they choose to scapegoat bear no responsibility for their circumstances.

But before empathy can happen attention must be paid to values and facts. What are Trump supporters' priorities and why? What is the distinction between fact and opinion and how can the former be established in the House of Babel we live in?

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When we think about creating sweeping change in our lives, it often seems like a distant dream. When life gets in the way, it's easy to think it's "too late," or that we won't be able to restart because we are so set in our ways, whether it's our career, finances, or exercise plan.

Instead of sticking to the same old routine, realize you can change your life in meaningful ways that will make you happier and more successful, starting today. If you want to, you can reinvent your life -- that it's possible has been scientifically proven, and plenty of entrepreneurs have done it before.

Here are a few habits that will create that change, and a few success stories to show you that anything really is possible:



Practice being your future self.

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Quite simply, to become that ideal, future version of yourself, you need to practice being it.

According to Peter Bregman, CEO and leadership expert, in Harvard Business Review, "You need to spend time on the future even when there are more important things to do in the present and even when there is no immediate apparent return to your efforts."

His brilliant advice applies to almost any change you want to make in your life. Whether you want to get in better shape or start a business, it's not going to happen overnight. Instead of waiting for this change, start prioritizing and scheduling bite-size improvements today, no matter how busy you are.

Design your life around happiness.

Happiness can seem like such an abstract concept. After all, a Hallmark card or Dove chocolate wrapper doesn't exactly give you a concrete way to create a happier life.

But according to Stanford's famous "Designing Your Life" class, you can actually home in on what happiness means to you, and restructure your life around it. Instead of just abstractly chasing happiness, they suggest you journal it daily.

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Start by writing down the specifics -- when you were happy, what you were doing, why did it make you happy, etc.). If you notice reoccurring themes or patterns, start changing your goals or routines to incorporate them.

Don't beat a dead horse.



"Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." -- Albert Einstein



If you have been trying to succeed at something for a while now and it hasn't been working, or, even more important, it isn't making you happy, it is time to try something else. It does not mean that you are a failure. It means that you are smart enough to realize when something isn't working out and that you have enough dignity to do something to make yourself happy.



Take a vacation, or at least a 10-minute break from your screen.

If you can, take a vacation: Recharge, let loose, and revitalize your mind. Science says it's the equivalent of hitting the reset button on your brain: It destroys stress and gives you a much-needed fresh perspective to create sweeping change.

If you can't head to Costa Rica today, don't worry -- just take a break. A Cornell University study from 2009 shows that workers who followed automated reminders to take a break from their computer screens were 13 percent more accurate in their work after returning.

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Researchers also suggest meditating in a quiet space or even taking a walk -- preferably in the fresh air. Not only will your eyeballs appreciate it; your mind too will have a chance to recharge.



You're only as good as the people around you.

You may recall, when you were in high school, your parents telling you not to hang out with wrong crowd, and it probably drove you crazy. I am sorry to tell you, though, that they were right.

A Harvard Medical School study done by Dr. Nicholas Christakis found that individuals who surround themselves with people who smile and have a positive attitude themselves have a better attitude compared with those who are surrounded by negative and grumpy people.

It might not seem like a big deal, but start avoiding negative friends or colleagues whenever possible. If you can't avoid this, now's the time to start looking for a new job or social circle. The results will amaze you.

Say 'no' to everything else.

Warren Buffet reportedly said to his pilot of 25 years, "The fact that you're still working here tells me I'm not doing my job."

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He then told his pilot to write down 25 goals he was working on, and to narrow down the top five. Buffett's sage advice was to only follow those top five goals, and to say no to everything else.

You can do the same thing: Rather than overextending yourself, start tuning up your turn-down skills. For instance, if you want to start a business, learn to say no to frivolous activities that waste your time. When you start prioritizing yourself, positive change will arise in the blink of any eye.

Scare yourself every single day.



"Do one thing every day that scares you," said Eleanor Roosevelt.

She was right on the money. Although it might be intimidating, stepping outside your comfort zone is the only way to create change.

Is there something that you've been putting off because it brings butterflies to your stomach? Is there a slight fear you have, but you know you'll be more productive by moving toward it?

Whether it's going to that job interview or just saying hello to someone you want to meet, make an effort to do it daily, knowing that it will be a step toward conquering your fears and success goals.

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The bottom line.

It's never too late (or too early) to create that massive change in life you've always wanted. Your new success might not happen overnight, but it will happen eventually.
Mamer was born in southern Sudan but, due to conflict, was forced to walk hundreds of miles to Ethiopia and then back through southern Sudan to Kenya, where he lived as a refugee until he came to the United States. I met Mamer in 2003 at a church conference and when my pastor invited Mamer to spend the summer with our community, he did not hesitate to accept. Mamer came to the U.S. for a reason, to get an education and work experience so that he could return to Sudan and help build his country. Mamer's choices were and continue to be guided by a good vision and a keen sense of responsibility for the now independent South Sudan.

In 2008, I served as an international observer at the 2nd National Convention for the Sudan Peoples' Liberation Movement (SPLM) in Juba. The first convention was held in 1994. The Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA), signed in 2005, ended the 22 year civil war between the National Congress Party (NCP) in the north and the SPLM in the south. The purpose of the CPA was democratic transformation, a solution that could have addressed the root cause of conflicts plaguing Sudan today. The CPA provided the opportunity for the south to exercise its right to self determination if the NCP failed to make unity attractive in the 6 year interim period. The CPA also guaranteed a referendum for Abyei to decide if it would stay in Sudan or rejoin the south. Abyei is an important oil rich area on the border between the north and south and many of its leaders were present at the 2nd National Convention of the SPLM. A couple of days into the convention, word arrived that the NCP, emboldened by normalization talks with the U.S., had wiped out Abyei with the entire civilian population displaced and their homes burned to the ground. It was an incredibly tense time. Many worried about what would happen next and whether or not the CPA would survive. The answer was hanging on a huge banner behind the platform at the convention. The banner read, "No to War, Yes to Peace," and it captured the determination of a people committed to a vision for a better life.

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The six-year interim period of the CPA passed, and the NCP, known for failing to implement every agreement it signs, also underestimated the people of southern Sudan and the vision that guided them. Despite the NCP's foot dragging and widespread skepticism regarding the referendum's feasibility, the people of southern Sudan, with the support of the international community, peacefully and effectively conducted their long-awaited referendum in 2011 with 99% voting in favor of independence. The lesson I have learned since meeting Mamer in 2003 and many others since then, is to never underestimate the people of South Sudan. Their vision, purpose and pride can accomplish the impossible.

Fast forward 5 years, and the impossible seems to be on the horizon. On November 17th, after a recent trip to South Sudan, Adama Dieng, the UN Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide, reported to the UN Security Council that he "saw all the signs that ethnic hatred and targeting of civilians could evolve into genocide if something is not done now to stop it." Just five years later, the vision, the people and the future of South Sudan are at risk. A South Sudanese leader warned,

"We have to stop this war in South Sudan because when we take those children and give them guns, what do they learn? Violence. And what will be the future? They will think that the only solution for any problem is fighting and killing one another...we lose this generation and we lose the country." Hanna Andrew K. Dijok, Executive Director, Sisters Hope for South Sudan, 2nd Annual Coalition of Advocates for South Sudan (CASS) Conference

The question is how will South Sudanese rise to meet this new challenge? What vision will guide them through these perilous waters? How will they write this important chapter of their history?

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The 2nd Annual CASS Conference provided a rare opportunity for South Sudan's stakeholders to sit together and discuss the issues and a way forward out of this crisis. The stakeholders included the government, representatives of the various opposition, the church, civil society, women and youth as well as a variety of experts and friends of South Sudan. Per the conference report, "while the issues that divide South Sudan were ever present, agreement was reached on the desire for peace, the need for justice and accountability through the hybrid court, and the importance of reconciliation, dialogue and support from the U.S. and the international community." Over 100 organizations, prominent individuals and scholars, including South Sudanese organizations and leaders, reiterated in a letter to the African Union and IGAD, this call for urgent engagement by Africa's leaders to avoid "another genocide" in South Sudan.
In a shocking but not entirely surprising move, given increasingly violent confrontations near the Oceti Sakowin Camp, The United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) has issued what amounts to an eviction notice to Tribal Chairman Dave Archambault. In an email dated November 25, District Commander John W. Henderson says that safety is a priority, among other concerns, and that the portion of the Corps-managed federal property north of the Cannonball River will be closed to all public use and access effective December 5, 2016. A "free-speech" zone will be allowed south of the river.

"This decision is necessary to protect the general public from the violent confrontations between protestors and law enforcement officials that have occurred in this area, and to prevent death, illness, or serious injury to inhabitants of encampments due to the harsh North Dakota winter conditions, Henderson wrote. "The necessary emergency, medical, and fire response services, law enforcement, or sustainable facilities to protect people from these conditions on this property cannot be provided."

In reply, Tribal Chairman Archambault again called on President Barack Obama and Federal officials to intercede and once and for all deny access and permitting under Lake Oahe.

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"It is both unfortunate and disrespectful that this announcement comes the day after this country celebrates Thanksgiving--a historic exchange of goodwill between Native Americans and the first immigrants from Europe," Archambault said.

"Although the news is saddening, it is not at all surprising given the last 500 years of the mistreatment of our people. The Standing Rock Sioux Tribe stands united with more than 300 tribal nations and the water protectors who are here peacefully protesting the Dakota access pipeline to bolster indigenous people's rights," he added.

"We continue to fight for these rights, which continue to be eroded. Although we have suffered much, we still have hope that the President will act on his commitment to close the chapter of broken promises to our people and especially our children."

In recent weeks, confrontations between water protectors and law enforcement officials from Morton County North Dakota have resulted in the deaths of two horses, eye injuries, pulmonary injuries from rubber bullets, hypothermia from water cannons used in frigid conditions and the near-loss of an arm.

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National media has been mostly silent on these injuries until a New York woman, Sophia Wilansky, suffered a massive blast trauma injury to her arm last week. On Sunday November 20, 400 protesters and police had a violent confrontation on a bridge closed by authorities, effectively blocking access to the Dakota Access Pipeline construction project. Wilansky's injury is the most significant to date in the nearly six-month long standoff at Standing Rock, N.D.

Her father, Wayne Wilansky, told reporters gathered in Minneapolis that his daughter may need as many as 20 surgeries to possibly save her arm and hand. However the prognosis looks grim at this writing.

Standing Rock resident Vanessa Dundon suffered a severed retina after law enforcement shot her in the face with a tear gas canister, according to reports from Oceti Sakowin.

The fingers of blame are pointing in all directions. Protesters say police threw a concussion grenade that hit 21-year-old Wilansky and caused her injury. The Morton County Sheriff's Department says that they were not using that equipment the night of the incident. NPR has a good analysis here.

Confrontations increased after Energy Transfer Partners issued a statement on November 8, 2016 declaring that the Dakota Access Pipeline has not voluntarily agreed to halt construction of the pipeline in North Dakota. "Dakota Access has now completed construction of the pipeline on each side of Lake Oahe and is currently mobilizing horizontal drilling equipment to the drill box site in preparation for the tunneling under Lake Oahe." Dakota Access maintains it has all other regulatory approvals and land rights to complete the crossing of the Missouri River at Lake Oahe.

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However the USACE has vigorously opposed this stance, and is battling the issue out in District Court in Washington, DC.

This audio recording is instructive and supports claims of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe that they had not been consulted during the development of the pipeline project.

The announcement from the USACE comes several days before a group of Veterans planned to join the water protectors at Standing Rock.
The big feast is behind us, but there are still hungry houseguests to feed. Treat your company to a homemade brunch, from an elegant spinach and cheese strata to muffins bursting with fresh blueberries.

This elegant brunch strata -- really a savory bread pudding with spinach, cheese and cubes of bread baked in custard -- is ideal for entertaining. You do all of the preparation the night before and then let it rest in the fridge overnight. The next morning you simply turn the oven on, place the strata in, and effortlessly wait for brunch to emerge. GET THE RECIPE

Tender and sweet-scented with a gorgeous ribbon of melted chocolate running through it, this quick bread is fun to make. You spoon the banana and chocolate batters into a loaf pan alternately, and then artistically swirl the two together with a knife. GET THE RECIPE

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This salad of oranges, grapefruits and pomegranate seeds is the perfect antidote to all the overindulgence of the holidays. With only three ingredients, it's easy enough to make for yourself for breakfast but also elegant enough for company. GET THE RECIPE

Sweet, orange-scented and chock-full of cranberries and walnuts, this bread is tailor-made for the holidays. And it's the perfect recipe to use up those leftover cranberries you've got in the fridge. GET THE RECIPE

This easy and elegant smoked salmon spread is all you need to jazz up a bagel brunch. Bonus: it can be made ahead of time and keeps well. GET THE RECIPE

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These pumpkin muffins with a crunchy pecan streusel topping are a family favorite. Watch the video to see how easy they are to make! GET THE RECIPE

This savory bread pudding is brimming with sweet pork sausage and sharp cheddar. I love it for entertaining because it can be made ahead of time and feeds a crowd. GET THE RECIPE

Sweet, tender, and buttery with morsels of melted chocolate within, children absolutely love these scones. They're wonderful served warm out of the oven, especially on a lazy weekend morning when you feel like spoiling everyone. GET THE RECIPE

Part booze, part French toast, part bread pudding -- how could you go wrong? This is the ideal company-for-brunch dish because you assemble it the night before, let it sit in the fridge overnight, then just pop it in the oven when you're ready to eat. GET THE RECIPE
doctor and little girl patient in hospital

By Kathy Ko Chin, Ben D'Avanzo

While the details of President-elect Donald Trump's policy plans have been vague, he campaigned that "repealing and replacing" the Affordable Care Act (ACA) would be one of his top priorities. This campaign pledge echoed legislative proposals introduced by Congressional Republicans since the bill's passage, and who now have majority control over both the House of Representatives and Senate. Repealing the ACA would have a disastrous impact on the millions of Americans who have benefited from its expansion of access to health care, especially for Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders who benefited the most from the law and have much at risk in the incoming Trump presidency.

For example, under the ACA, Kay Bounkeua was able to join her parent's health insurance. Anton Saleh was able to switch to an insurer who covered his medications. And Tot 'Sy' Tran was better able to access Vietnamese-speaking health care interpreters. Without the ACA, neither Kay, Anton, nor Sy would be able to get the care they need to live healthy lives.

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In 2010, before the ACA was implemented, over 2.3 million Asian Americans did not have health insurance -- 15.7 percent of the Asian American population. Last year, the number of uninsured in our communities had decreased to 1.3 million, or 7.8 percent. This change was the greatest among any other race or ethnicity. Accounting for the rapid Asian American population growth in the past five years, as many as 2.7 million Asian Americans would be at risk for losing access to health care if the ACA was repealed. Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islander are also at risk. More than 85,000 Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders were uninsured in 2010, 17.4 percent of the population. In 2015, that rate fell to 9.9 percent, fewer than 55,000. If the rate returned to pre-ACA levels, over 94,000 would be at risk of losing their access to health care.

Fortunately, since the election, President-elect Trump has begun to back-track on his campaign pledge of a blanket repeal of the ACA. For example, he has stated that he favors allowing young people under age 26 to stay on their parents' health insurance plans and continuing the prohibition against denial of health insurance coverage because of pre-existing health conditions.

Both of these parts of the ACA are vitally important to our Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander communities. Asian Americans are one of the younger race groups in the U.S., with 37 percent of the population under the age of 26, compared to 35 percent for the U.S. population as a whole. The 2.2 million Asian Americans who are between the age of 18 and 26 are at risk of losing health care if the ACA is repealed. The Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander population is even younger, with 48 percent under age 26. Nearly 180,000 are between 18 and 26, and would be jeopardy of losing their health care if this part of the ACA were repealed.

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Prior to the ACA, insurance companies could deny coverage, or charge unconscionable and unaffordable rates, for consumers who have pre-existing conditions. Asian Americans are at high risk for certain diseases, such as being 4.5 times as likely to be infected with Hepatitis B. Asian Americans are 10 percent more likely to be diagnosed with diabetes than Whites, while Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders 2.4 times more likely. Returning to a time when there were few health insurance options for populations with pre-existing conditions would result in many Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders with chronic health conditions becoming uninsured and at greater risk for deteriorating health.

It remains unclear how President-elect Trump and the 115th Congress will be able to pick and choose what parts of the ACA they end up preserving. The law is based on a complex, inter-dependent framework of employer-based coverage, individual obligations to purchase health insurance, and federal subsidies to help low-income individuals and families afford coverage. Without the entire framework, the entire system can easily unravel, sending the number of uninsured Americans sky-rocketing.

Repealing the ACA would be a huge step back for everyone in the United States, but especially for our Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander communities. The Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum joined many other organizations to pass, defend, and help implement this historic law that has expanded access to health care for so many in our communities. We will re-commit to organizing our communities and our allies to continue to defend the ACA, and to urge the incoming President and Congress to preserve these important gains for all Americans.
A lot of people swear by Goodreads. I swear at it. Often. It's a treasure trove of unsourced quotations, some of them fake, just like Wikiquotes. Take the line that tops the list of George Eliot quotes: "It is never too late to be what you might have been."

There's no proof she ever said it. None whatsoever. Nobody has found that line in her letters, journals, stories, novels, or even discovered anyone who knew her claiming that she said it.

The first time I saw it on Goodreads (and Facebook, that other swamp of bogus quotations along with fake news), I felt sure it had to be phony. I spent two wonderful years in college reading Eliot and reading about her. The words just didn't sound like Eliot, they sounded like a Hallmark card. They sounded peppy. Eliot was many things. Peppy wasn't one of them.

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Rebecca Mead devoted a section of a beautiful long article about Middlemarch in The New Yorker to investigating the provenance of this quote and came up empty. I sent the link and a mild protest at their complicity to the "librarians" at Goodreads who never bothered to reply. I assume they're happy the fake quote brings them more hits, because two years later, that bogus quote still tops the list.

I've often seen this quotation from Mark Twain all over Facebook, and the first time was early in the morning, spoiling my first cup of coffee: "Sometimes I wonder whether the world is being run by smart people who are putting us on or by imbeciles who really mean it." My warning bells went off immediately because the whole thing sounded too contemporary, especially "putting us on." Not that Twain couldn't be scathing about politicians. In A Tramp Abroad he wrote, "An honest man in politics shines more there than he would elsewhere."

I haven't read nearly as much Twain as Eliot, but I know The Gilded Age well, having read James, Howells, Wharton, and other novelists of that period extensively. I also researched it for a few years to write my own Gilded Age Novel, Rosedale in Love: The House of Mirth Revisited.

There's one very popular quote people seem to relish during NaNoWriMo that's supposedly by William Faulkner:: "Don't be a writer, be writing." It doesn't show up on searches of Faulkner websites, but it's on Pinterest and Wikiquotes, and there are lots of Google images of it. That's grounds for suspicion as much as the Yoda-like quality of the phrase. I prefer certifiable Faulkner, like the advice he gave in a famous Paris Review interview: "I've heard people say,'If I could just stop doing this, I would be a writer.' I don't believe that. I think if you're going to write you're going to write, and nothing will stop you."

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Another outrageously obvious misquotation I frequently see on line was supposedly uttered by the brilliant Oscar Wilde: "Be yourself. Everyone else is already taken." Seriously? That sounds like a Nike ad at best. It's not witty, it's blunt and ungraceful. But Wilde did write in a letter to Alfred Douglas that "Most people are other people. Their thoughts are someone else's opinions, their lives a mimicry, their passions a quotation." I wonder what he would have said about people who disseminate fake quotes?

If you have a favorite classic author, there's probably a website devoted to sorting the spurious quotes from the authentic ones for that specific writer. So here's a thought: Before posting an inspiring author quote on Facebook or elsewhere, or tweeting it, why not verify whether the author actually said it? As Jane Austen put it so well, "The truth is always at our fingertips, if only we dare reach far enough."

Actually, she didn't.
The recent incident in which Mike Pence was booed by the audience when he attended Hamilton on Broadway, and cast members called on him to "uphold our American values," has many Trump supporters up in arms over what they consider to be hypocritical behavior on the part of his critics. Donald Trump demanded an apology from the cast, calling them "very rude" and saying "our wonderful future V.P. was harassed" by them. Judge Jeanine Pirro said on Fox it was "reverse racism..(he) has done nothing to deserve this inappropriate and disgusting behavior."

Reverse Philosophy

Even those among us who vehemently and bitterly opposed the racist and divisive rhetoric that Trump and Pence (who is guilty by association) espoused on the campaign trail are forced to pause and consider whether Trump supporters, this time, have a case. We appear to be very bad losers. No doubt, if the situation had been reversed and Hillary Clinton had been booed, we would have called the audience disrespectful and boorish. And, ironically, while we feared that Trump's supporters would resort to violence if he should lose, it is we who appear to be doing so, launching sometimes hostile protests across the country and even calling on the Electoral College to disregards the election results and choose Hillary Clinton instead.

But there's a very legitimate argument for continuing to express our dissatisfaction - and even being boorish - with the newly elected President and Vice President and refusing, for now, to be gracious about their election win: The fact is, Trump and Pence did many things on the campaign trail to deserve "this inappropriate and disgusting behavior" from people today. Trump was constantly lying, riling up supporters, openly endorsing violence against his critics, embracing racism, xenophobia, and white supremacy philosophies. He relentlessly and viciously attacked anyone who disagreed with him, sometimes promoting flagrant lies and highly damaging conspiracy theories against them. His many stadium rallies were characterized by audiences calling for the jailing of Hillary Clinton and Trump himself throwing out anyone who disagreed with him.

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A Dirty Shame

In simple terms, Trump won the election by fighting dirty. His behavior throughout the campaign was the very zenith of "inappropriate and disgusting behavior." It would of course be naive to say that all other politicians - including Hillary Clinton - have always fought clean. But his mean-spirited, openly unethical and ugly behavior violated every tenet of decorum and fair play that our American democratic values demands of its political leaders - and we, as good people, hold so dear in our daily lives.

Of course, it was the right thing for Barack Obama to call upon people to "give this new president-elect a chance." As President, it is incumbent upon him to express noble ideas that unite and preserve our democracy, which is especially fragile during the transition of power.

And it would be great if we were really sore losers because we don't like Trump's philosophy, but that's like saying we resented Hitler because we disagreed with his point of view. It should worry us that Trump continues to petulantly pick petty fights on Twitter with common citizens whom he feels have personally insulted his ego, as he does with the Hamilton cast, and with Alec Baldwin over his Saturday Night Live skits; and yet, on the more serious matters like the white nationalists' march where demonstrators gave "Heil victory" salutes, and the Ku Klux Klan members who celebrated his victory - he is, if not silent, disingenuous in disavowing their support. Pressed for a comment after months of silence on these types of demonstrations, he acted puzzled recently that anyone would make the connection to him and said that, if he "energies" these groups, he wants "to look into it and find out why."

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It's the typically dubious, tepid and noncommittal answer from Trump on racist issues that should signal to all intelligent Americans that his political agenda presents a clear and present danger to our democracy. The signal should be even more strongly recognized in his silence when a prominent supporter suggested internment camps for Muslims and he defends his appointment of Breitbart News' Stephen Bannon, viewed by many as an alt-right advocate, as his chief strategist and senior counsel,

It is therefore our patriotic duty to continue to vigorously renounce his political program. If the only opportunity ordinary citizens like us have to show our distaste is by booing him and Mike Pence when they mix among us in our humble everyday lives, then, by all means, let's do so.
By now we've all heard about it. Facebook has a fake news problem, a rampant epidemic of phony and outrageous headlines in which a fraction-of-a-penny-per-click gets traded for lies. The problem is Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg doesn't believe these accusations nor that Facebook may have unfairly influenced the 2016 U.S. presidential election. He thinks it's a "pretty crazy idea." According to him, more than 99 percent of what people see in their news feed is authentic. But they are not. Just ask the people who work at Facebook, who formed a secret police to investigate and regulate where their employer's actions went wrong. The bottom line is that truth doesn't matter here. And by not doing enough, Facebook has become a silent majority supporting the incentivizing of lies and ill-gotten gains.

Why these phony sites circulated invented news have come to be isn't the issue. We get that they put food on the table for people overseas working to support themselves or their family. According to BuzzFeed News, one Macedonian town alone has 140 U.S. political websites. These sites don't act pro-Trump as much as just follow the action. They learned that Trump supporters crave sensationalist headlines that support their theories and beliefs. In other words, they want to hear what they want to hear and will look for proof in support of it. Democrats apparently don't take the same bait. According to Gizmodo, 38 percent of right-leaning news stories on Facebook contained inaccuracies or falsehoods as compared to 19 percent of left-leaning news stories. Even worse, those numbers skyrocketed for Trump during the lead-up to the presidential election.

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One interesting point worth mentioning here is how Facebook even knows and categorizes in the first place whether you are a liberal or conservative. Yes, that's right, they do this. In certain instances, people identify themselves as such. But in most cases, the platform identifies your political leanings based on pages you like, topics you discuss, and your interests. It's another piece of what I call your permanent record, that nasty trail of thousands of bits of information about you that aggregated into your permanent data packet. That information then gets plugged into an algorithm to flood you with content in alignment with your perceived beliefs, skewing your perception of the world.

If only a small percentage of readers used Facebook for their news feed, the impact would be minimal. But 62 percent of Americans get their news from social media; 44 percent of adults get it from Facebook. 79 percent of American adults who use the internet are on Facebook; More than 1.8 billion people total around the world. The end result is you open the door to swap responsible journalism for salacious gossip, real truths for consequences, honesty for a dollar sign.

Facebook profits by selling ad space inside its news feed and brokering deals between advertisers and other online companies. Such actions reveal a winning hand for its shareholders but a loss to the American population. This time, it was our election, next time perhaps something on a world scale. The simple truth is cryptic algorithms that focus on the volume of clicks and not the veracity of the words are bad for society. Flooding users with lies about subjects that matter to them plays on their vulnerabilities and subjectivity, which drives them to fall prey to deceptions. It also unwittingly makes us co-conspirators by sharing lies with our friends. This doesn't bring us together as Zuckerberg wants Facebook to do, but rather polarizes us on opposite ends of the spectrum, comfortably in our filter bubbles, wound tightly to our own beliefs.

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This presidential election had enough 'truthiness' issues from the candidates themselves. Back in October, PolitiFact estimated that 26 percent of Hillary Clinton's statements were mostly false and a whopping 70 percent of Trump's proclamations were as well. Simple math shows that if you take Trump's abundance of falsities and combine it with Facebook's false headlines, the truth becomes an anomaly lost in a forest of fiction.

When Facebook promotes false headlines, it does so knowing it does not monitor truth, only the clicks, engagement and profit. The rest is up to you or me. At the end of the day, who are we to know what is and is not true? That's why we have the news. Or so we thought. That's also the criticism behind Fox News preying on people's beliefs that news on TV must be true to forward its own particular agenda.

In Zuckerberg's mind, Facebook is about connections. It's the flow of information. The last thing he wants his company to be labelled as is a media corporation. If it was, the company would face a whole different level of regulations, such as those followed by Comcast or Time Warner. Facebook as a media company puts an onus of responsibility to monitor and filter fact from fiction. Facebook doesn't want such responsibility. Even though it should naturally follow such practices, it would rather have it be a voluntary choice versus a legally-mandated one.

Studies show that roughly 20 percent of American social media users have changed their views on a political or social issue because of something they saw on social media. One in five may not seem like a lot, but within an election in which Trump won battleground states such as Michigan and Wisconsin by less than 30,000 votes each, you open up a Pandora's box that changes politics. Furthermore, according to a study published in Nature, almost 340,000 extra people turned out to vote in the 2010 US congressional elections because of a single election-day Facebook message. That's more of an immediate impact than any TV ad other than perhaps Willie Horton and Daisy Girl could muster.

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Back in May we learned that trending news on Facebook was controlled and edited by people and not algorithms. This led to an uproar by conservatives when they learned that stories in line with their beliefs were being suppressed from them. The end result there was that Facebook fired the trending team to appease the conservative outcry, while of course their algorithms remained vigilant. Ironically, that team was also responsible for ensuring that the trending news was at the very least real. The end result to all of this may very well have been to elect a president.

Google and Facebook, per usual, have already responded with supposed actions to help reign in the issue. Google pledged to restrict fake news sites from using its AdSense advertising network. Facebook updated its policy to clearly state that its advertising ban applies to fake news. Yet they both still profit when fake news appears. It's kind of a click-fraud issue for Google - hard to seriously rein something lucrative in when it feeds your bottom line and your true mission is money, not service. How many times can we be duped by these giants whose interests are defined by data, algorithmic manipulation, and money? Their words and actions rarely align. Furthermore, Facebook has a documented history of issues with experiments on members, clickbaits and hoaxes, furthermore calling into question its ability and interest to regulate itself.

Neither company really did that much to handle the problem at its source. The real issue is taking down the lies and keeping them from trending as current news. Much as Facebook itself would never support lies about its own personnel or institutions, neither should it support the sharing of such lies about the foundation of our democracy.

At the end of the day, fake or real news can be distributed on any platform. Yet promoting the Pope as a Trump endorser when nothing could be further from the truth, and allowing that misinformation to reach millions of people, makes us look like Chinese and Russian news manipulators. While a powerful argument can be made that the words and actions of FBI Director Comey caused Hillary Clinton's loss - equally compelling is that Facebook had just as strong an impact influencing voters and causing Trump's election, perhaps more.

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Future of Pakistan Depends on How it Deals With Identity, Image and Dissent

Pakistan has a long history of hounding the dissenters. The country's military establishment -and occasionally the civilian one too- has stigmatized, ostracized and persecuted those who differed with whatever was considered the state-sponsored gospel truth at the time. Pashtun and Baloch nationalist leaders like Ghaffar Khan and Ghaus Bux Bizenjo were smeared as traitors and arrested within a year of the country's independence. Regrettably, even Ms. Fatima Jinnah, the sister of the country's founding father Mohammed Ali Jinnah, was not spared by Pakistan's first military dictator Field Marshal Ayub Khan when she opposed him in a presidential election; he denigrated not just her politics and but also her character. Pakistan's state apparatus and its partisans have continued since to torment, vilify, and even worse, attack and physically eliminate the dissident voices.

This persecution is not random; there is a method to this madness.

The military establishment had anointed itself the guardian of not just the physical frontiers of Pakistan but also of the 'ideological frontiers' and it abhors that anyone would challenge it. After the independence from the British and, partition from India, in 1947 Pakistan faced a crisis of national identity. Two geographical wings with highly diverse ethnic and linguistic populations with strong centrifugal political campaigns in three out of the then five federating units alarmed the new ruling elite. Like the Soviet Union, this multi-ethnic state and its junta desperately needed fortifying cement that would not just hold the various ethno-national entities in the two wings together but also legitimize and consolidate the newly ascendant military's controlling position. After the partition of India, Pakistan inherited roughly one-third of its military, about three-quarters of which was of Punjabi origin. As the largest organized entity in the new country, the military not only grabbed power in 1958 but also clearly enunciated its vision for the new state based on "Islamic ideology".

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While the Communist Party of the Soviet Union had an ostensibly working ideology that was to become the supra-ethnic gel, the Pakistani brass had to cook one up. The army made a conscious decision to transform Pakistan into an ideological state as against a pluralist nation-state championed by politicians like Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy, whom the military had toppled and disparaged. Field Marshal Ayub Khan codified, in writing that the supra-ethnic Pakistani identity was to be Islamic in ideology and anti-India in military orientation, while its economic model would be a quasi-market economy literally financed by the US and western aid. To peddle its version of nation-building without any opposition, the military regime first censored newspapers but when that failed, the country's largest leftist publishing group Progressive Papers Limited was taken over at gunpoint. The junta actively enlisted fundamentalist clergy, which provided the praetorian state with a menacing tool to agitate against the liberal media and politicians. Curbs on freedom of expression were thus applied from the top and as well as from the street via the clergy-orchestrated agitation. This model of narrative management and control has continued since the Ayub Khan regime, with each successive military ruler tweaking it to his needs and even when military has ruled from behind the scenes. While Pakistan has had an interrupted democratic streak since 2008 - the longest in the country's 70-year history- the military still maintains a robust tutelary role over the civilian dispensation and exerts a chokehold over the so-called national narrative through panoply of direct and indirect methods.

The military is not concerned with the disastrous blowback of its policy of appeasing and nurturing religious zealots and jihadists but takes umbrage at the free and progressive thinkers when they critique it because in its view they tarnish its image. Never mind that in its crucible the military has actively fostered a Sunni Muslim, Punjabi male identity for Pakistan at the expense of the country's assorted minorities and ethno-national groups, it does not want to be seen doing that and hence the military's dislike for dissent. Over the past several years the space for nonconformists and progressive voices in Pakistan has shrunk considerably. The military, which is the country's largest business enterprise, has a vested interest in silencing the critical opinion. It benefits immensely from fomenting discord with Pakistan's neighbors as that helps it not only retain its preeminent position as the arbiter of national interest and security but a direct beneficiary of the domestic defense budget allocations and foreign military aid. The national security state facade is built at the expense of economic growth and diverts resources from health, education and social welfare sectors and tramples upon civil liberties and provincial autonomy; those questioning it draw the military's wrath. But it has to be questioned for it is as untenable as it is reckless.

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It is in this backdrop that over 70 prominent liberal, progressive and nationalist intellectuals, human rights and social media activists, and public figures from Pakistan assembled last week in London for a conference on 'The Future of Pakistan' organized under the banner of South Asians Against Terrorism and for Human Rights (SAATH). I had the honor of cohosting the event along with the former Pakistani ambassador to the US, Professor Husain Haqqani The conference had to be arranged away from Pakistan due to potential physical danger to its participants. While it was heartening to hear out such diverse array of opinions it was also disconcerting to gather that unless a course correction takes place, and soon, the prognosis remains precarious. The consensus opinion among the participants, formulated and read out as the forum's concluding declaration, was that Pakistan risks "global isolation because of widespread obscurantism, growing intolerance, lack of rule of law, along with official support for extremism and general disregard for human rights". Unless the Pakistani state changes its tack, the country will continue to lag behind on not just development indices but also reel under jihadism and insecurity. The future of Pakistan depends upon how it deals with its identity, image, and the dissenters who wish to contribute to improving it.
An estimated 58% of white voters in the 2016 election cast a ballot for Donald Trump. And since the stunning election results of November 8, there's been a growing narrative that seeks to explain why they flocked to him in droves. It goes like this: Most who voted Trump did so not because of his xenophobia, misogyny, and anti-intellectualism, but because he was the only candidate capable of blowing up the system. They were sick of years' worth of congressional obstruction, income inequality, and lack of representation by their elected officials. They felt oppressed, angry, and disgruntled, betrayed by leadership that systematically ignored their needs. Trump was the one and only candidate capable of hitting the reset button.

Framed in this manner, their decision to support the Manhattan billionaire seems far less offensive and far more justifiable. It's also complete horseshit. Here's why.

Those who love, loathe, or tolerate Hillary Clinton as a candidate can agree on one thing: She's been part of the Washington establishment for decades. For some, this means steadiness and experience; to work the system, you need to know it inside and out. For others, this means status quo; she's someone who colors inside the lines and favors incremental change on numerous issues. It's hard to argue with anyone asserting Clinton is the antithesis of an Extreme Makeover: Washington Edition candidate. Therefore, as the argument goes, the default disruption vote ends up with Trump.

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This is a 'binary choice' assertion, and it buckles hard under scrutiny. Clinton was by no means the only non-Trump option available to dissatisfied voters. Those looking to blow up the system had a perfectly viable candidate of change, and his name was Bernie Sanders.

As far as political counterprogramming goes, Sanders was at the very least on par with his fellow New Yorker. Like Trump, he was new to his adoptive party, and didn't represent government or special interests. Like Trump, he wanted to disassemble North American and global trade deals to bring jobs back to the American working class. Like Trump, he was angry, rough around the edges, and spoke his mind, putting Republicans and Dems alike on notice with his populist message. And like Trump, he was tired of the beltway gridlock.

Unlike Trump, Sanders ran a respectful and professional campaign, one that steered clear of divisive rhetoric and cultural marginalization. Despite his intellect and decades of experience, he was the furthest thing from a suited-up, pre-packaged politician. Whether one agreed with his policies or not, it's well established Sanders rode a forceful wave of grassroots support, pivoting from unknown entity to viable presidential contender within weeks. He knocked out two of his three primary opponents, and gave Clinton one of the biggest challenges of her career.

So why didn't Sanders clinch his party's ticket? Sure, there was the well-publicized collusion within the Democratic National Committee that threatened to weaken his chances. But the DNC was never organized or powerful enough to single-handedly make Clinton their party candidate, much less toss her the keys to the White House. (As former chief Obama speechwriter Jon Favreau recently mused, "I don't think the DNC has the power to rig a turkey sandwich.") The plain and simple reason Sanders didn't clinch the ticket: Trump supporters.

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It's easy to forget the Democratic and Republican primaries didn't take place in a bubble. They were concurrently held on the national stage over several grueling months. Which meant any voter, Democrat, Republican, or otherwise, could opt for Sanders, the candidate of disruption who was given the best odds of becoming our 45th President.

Would there be obstacles for Republican and independents considering a vote for Sanders? Not particularly. On the blue side, numerous states held closed primaries and caucuses, where only party members could participate. And let the record show that America's millions of 'severely disenfranchised' white voters weren't quite disenfranchised enough to face the slight clerical nuisance of registering as Democrats to get Sanders elected. A bewildering turn of events, as such a task would seem exponentially less inconvenient than four more years of a status quo presidency.

With this impenetrable wall of registration-averse voters, it seems evident Clinton would be guaranteed a win and move on to the general election. But not so fast. Because the following states held open Democratic caucuses and primaries, where any legal-aged citizen could vote regardless of party affiliation or lack thereof: Washington, Montana, North Dakota, Minnesota, Utah, Texas, Missouri, Arkansas, Wisconsin, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Arkansas, Tennessee, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, Virginia, Vermont.

Notice a pattern? I did. Most of these were either swing states or moderate-to-deeply red blow-up-the-system states. To boot, an additional ten states held semi-closed contests, where independent and undeclared voters could freely cast their ballots.

I've crunched the numbers several ways, and the results are always the same: If even a modest number of Trump primary voters in these states opted for Sanders instead, he'd have defeated Clinton, heavily-weighted superdelegates be damned. And yet they willfully resisted, many knowing full well that doing so ran against their self-interests. They could align with Sanders, who was strongly favored to defeat any Republican candidate in the general election, or they could align with Trump, despite nearly all polls at the time asserting he'd be trounced by anyone who opposed him. They made their choice.

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And in the wake of that choice, it's time to aggressively rebuke any narrative suggesting white voters elected an inexperienced, pathological lying, xenophobic sexual predator because he was the only candidate who could, to adopt the grating term one last time, blow up the system. This is a fallacy. Specifically, one that creates a false equivalence between government resentment and systemic bigotry. White voters--and they span myriad social and financial metrics--picked Trump not in spite of his hateful agenda and identity politics, but because of them.
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Their current leader Nigel Farage is friends with US President-elect Donald Trump  and the party could be about to elect a straight-talking northerner to takeover from him.

Could UKIP finally be getting its act together in Hull? Parliamentary Correspondent Patrick Daly looked to find out.

When you achieve the very goal you were created to grasp, is there any point in carrying on?

Many wondered if the Brexit result at the European referendum would mark the end of the United Kingdom Independence Party given its primary objective had been accomplished.

Not so, according to its city leaders  they're gunning for council seats and possibly even to pinch a Westminster seat off the Labour Party.

The party's profile couldn't be higher right now with their current leader touted as a future ambassador to the USA by President-elect Donald Trump this week. Nigel Farage has spent more time with the, soon-to-be, most powerful man in the world than the Prime Minister has.

But it can't all be the 'Monsieur Farage Show' and so having the right successor will be key for the right-wing party if it is to make local and national gains.

UKIP is currently embroiled in its second leadership election in the space of just a few months after Diane James  who has since left the party  resigned in October after just 18 days at the helm.

Paul Nuttall, Suzanne Evans and John Rees-Evans are the three contestants, with North West MEP Mr Nuttall getting the nod amongst the Hull party faithful.

Humber MEP Mike Hookem believes the Merseyside lad could snare Labour voters  many who will be in that contingent of the 67 per cent in the city who voted to leave the European Union.

Mr Hookem admitted it was "a shock" to him when the former history lecturer opted not to stand last time round. It is believed Mr Nuttall had concerns about the impact it would have on his family but he now sees himself as the man to unite UKIP's warring "factions" after much in-fighting.

"Paul is a political friend of mine and well liked within the party," said Mr Hookem.

"He is a northern lad and he speaks the northern language  he'll speak directly to Labour areas. We had a good 2015 manifesto and we'll build on those policies  they will resonate with the working men and women of this country."

Mr Farage, at his leaving speech at the UKIP conference in Bournemouth in September, told supporters he didn't think the "harvest of votes" to be taken from Labour had "even really started yet", signaling his support for targeting white working class voters who have grown disillusioned with the party they have supported for decades.

Mr Hookem said Ms Evans, an ex-BBC journalist, was not the person to capitalise on that opportunity. "For the northern areas, she will be Tory-lite," he explained.

UKIP came second in every Hull parliamentary seat at the 2015 general election but could not stop the three Labour incumbent MPs from increasing their majorities.

What will be different this year? "It has always been the long game in Hull," said the defence spokesman.

"We have always done well when it comes to the EU elections. It is a long and steady road.

"And now 'Saint' Jeremy Corbyn has been voted in, I think we will do very well next time round."

And could Mr Hookem, the east Hull born army veteran, be going for one of those seats himself? The MEP of two years confirmed he is considering running for a Humber seat but said he "hasn't made a decision yet" as to which one.

"I have always looked for a Westminster seat and I have been thinking about it for the last couple of months, but I haven't decided which one I'm going for. I will look to say more in the new year."

The reason why many in the country now know Mr Hookem's name is because of an alleged altercation between him and Steven Woolfe, a former UKIP MEP who was previously seen as a front runner for the top job.

When questioned on it, Mr Hookem says "nothing happened" and that the row was because Mr Woolfe had been "caught out" when going for talks with the Tory Party. He doesn't believe the episode will dent his chances at the polls if he does stand to be an MP.

Before resigning, Mr Woolfe said UKIP had entered "a death spiral" since Mr Farage signalled his intention to stand down as leader.

The suggestion is not one that Mr Hookem recognised, replying candidly: "There is only one death spiral and that is Steven Woolfe's career."

Mr Hookem might be preparing himself for a launch onto the Westminster stage, but there are others on the ground who know they will have to put in a lot of groundwork to turn council elections their way  UKIP has only ever had one Hull councillor in its history.

Bill Palfreman, secretary of Hull's UKIP branch, said he believed the support was there but it required greater efforts to "tap into" it.

Raised in the Avenues but now based in Leeds, the IT engineer said Labour had systematically failed the city and that it was time for a change.

"Labour has been a millstone around the neck of Hull for 70 years," he said.

"It has been a disaster. Hull has gone from being a worldly trading city to being a backwater because of this Labour council."

He pointed to the historical creation of post-war out-of-town estates such as Bransholme in east Hull which Mr Palfreman said had left generations of people in the city without decent job prospects.

"These are poor people  they can't afford to take a bus into town all the time. If you grow up in Bransholme, it is miles away from the city centre and, because it's a residential area, there is nothing," he said.

"It has absolutely killed the ability for jobs to occur naturally."

And UKIP's answer? Planning permission for "anything and everything"  even retrospective  in a bid to create more workshops and other business-related buildings, he said.

"If someone has a piece of land, it should be possible to throw up industrial units on it," explained Mr Palfreman.

"It should go through the nod [the council's planning process] in two-weeks flat."

The Eurosceptic party's plan, Mr Palfreman said, was to pick two wards at the next round of elections in 2018 where support had been highest. Those on the shortlist include Orchard Park, both Bransholme wards, Myton, St Andrews and Kings Park.
Here's when Dunkin' and Atwoods plan to open in Hutchinson

Developers of two business blame shipment delays of equipment and materials in pushing back openings for new Hutchinson retail locations.
(Xinhua) 20:45, November 25, 2016

Ji Guang, vice general manager of Lijiang-Shangri-La Expressway Investment Company, arrived at a construction site to oversee progress on the first expressway in the Tibetan areas of southwest China's Yunnan Province.

The Lijiang-Shangri-La Expressway has drawn almost 5 billion yuan (723 million U.S. dollars) of investment this year. It is expected to cost a total of 22 billion yuan when it is finished by the end of 2019.

Lijiang and Shangri-La are both popular tourist destinations in Yunnan.

"It will shorten the driving time between Lijiang and Shangri-La from the current 3.5 hours to 1.5 hours upon completion," Ji said.

Yunnan is one of several regions in central and western China experiencing a surge in fixed asset investment.

So far, 31 provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions in China have reported their fixed asset investment figures for the first three quarters of this year. Among them, western and central regions such as Yunnan saw significant investment growth, the Shanghai Securities News (SSN) said in a report on Thursday.

The southwestern province of Guizhou recorded the highest investment growth rate of 21.7 percent year on year, followed by Tibet and Yunnan, also in the southwest.

Other western and central regions such as Guangxi, Hubei, Sichuan and Chongqing also saw their investment grow by more than 12 percent year on year.

Meanwhile, investment growth in infrastructure construction was above 20 percent in more than half of all the 31 localities, according to the SSN report. In western and central regions, the rate was even higher, with Inner Mongolia, Yunnan, Chongqing and Shaanxi all reporting growth of more than 30 percent year on year.

"Investment in building infrastructure is an important support for all investment in the province, and we will try to get more projects under favorable state policies for western areas," Guizhou's provincial bureau of statistics said in an analysis of its investment figures.

The statistics bureau of Hunan Province voiced a similar opinion, with a statement saying that the province will speed up construction of railways, parking lots and rural infrastructure.

As China implements the Belt and Road Initiative by opening further to Central Asia and the Middle East, China's western inland regions are speeding up infrastructure construction, particularly transportation.

In order to absorb more private capital into the building of infrastructure, China has been promoting public-private partnerships, a type of partnership between government and private organizations based on franchise agreements.

The People's Bank of China has provided pledged supplementary lending (PSL) to financial institutions to fund housing renovation projects.

PSL can effectively channel medium- and long-term loans to the infrastructure construction sector, said Peng Wensheng, economist with CITIC Securities.

Xu Gao, chief economist with Everbright Securities, said investment in infrastructure is currently an important force to fuel economic growth at a time when exports and real estate investment are lackluster.

Dong Di, head of the economic research institute at Yunnan Academy of Social Sciences, said that infrastructure in China's underdeveloped western regions is still insufficient, so there is a lot of room for investment in this area.

"Investment is still a main engine for China's economic growth and it will continue to grow at a comparatively high speed within a certain period of time, but the regional differences will become obvious," said Feng Yongqi, associate professor at Jilin University.

The well-developed eastern coast has less potential to attract fixed-asset investment, while central and western regions will continue their high-speed growth in investment, Feng said.
A black bear attacked a 63-year-old grandmother in Maryland last Wednesday  and now she is stuck with a $200,000 hospital bill for treatment as she didn't have medical insurance, WUSA9 reports.Karen Osbourne, who suffered the first recorded bear attack in modern Maryland history, was in hospital for six days because of a broken arm, a broken pelvis, bites on the back of her torso, legs and head.Osbournes son, Matt Hauprich, started a GoFundMe page aimed at raising money for her hospital bills and graphically details the thrashing.It took 78 stiches to seal the gashes left by the bears claws. Shell now need four to six weeks of rehab, according to Hauprich.The unprecedented attack occurred when Osbourne pursued her dog into the woods from her daughters driveway in Frederick, Maryland.Osbourne unwittingly found herself between a fully grown, female Eastern Black Bear and a bear cub, who was scared up a tree by Osbournes dog on November 16, responding wildlife officials said.After 35 minutes of intermittent mauling, Osbourne was able to dial 911. The 193-pound mother bear was tranquilized and then destroyed, wildlife officials said.The bear was previously known as a mischievous neighbour, turning over garbage bins and had been outfitted with a radio collar to track its movements.Her cubs are still in the woods near Frederick.
(Xinhua) 09:38, November 26, 2016

China appreciates Hamburg's active efforts in promoting the role of the Hamburg Summit, Chinese Vice Premier Liu Yandong said here Thursday, hailing the summit as an important platform to strengthen Sino-EU mutual understanding and cooperation.

Liu made the remarks when meeting with the city's mayor, Olaf Scholz, during the seventh "Hamburg Summit: China Meets Europe," a biennial platform founded in 2004.

Expecting Hamburg could continue to play an important role for bilateral communication and cooperation in the coming years, Liu said Hamburg has been a leading EU city in conducting cooperation with China.

Hamburg is also an active participant in China's Belt and Road Initiative as well as Asia-Europe interconnectivity, Liu said.

She also expressed China's willingness to work with Germany to pass on the successful experience of holding the Group of 20 Summit, which is going to take place in Hamburg next year.

For his part, Scholz said he is glad to see his city's active role in promoting Germany-China cooperation, noting that Hamburg maintains good communication and cooperation with China in many fields.

Hamburg welcomes Chinese enterprises to invest in the city and will continue to provide convenient conditions and an open environment to facilitate bilateral cooperation, he said.
(Xinhua) 09:57, November 26, 2016

Complementarity far outweighs competition in innovation cooperation between China and Germany, Chinese Vice Premier said here on Friday.

Liu Yandong made the remarks when addressing a forum held at Germany's Free University of Berlin, which focuses on cooperation in higher education, technology and innovation between both countries.

The increasingly closer cooperation between China and Germany in education and technology has bolstered economic development in both countries, and there is huge space for future cooperation in innovation, Liu said.

She suggested both sides to further carry out dialogues on innovation policies, enhance practical cooperation, and promote cultural and educational exchanges.

Practical cooperation covers areas of advanced manufacturing, new energy resources, semiconductor lighting, new energy automobile, rail transit, biotechnology, next generation information technology, internet of things, etc., according to Liu.

Liu also called on institutions of higher education and scientific research from both countries to join hands to counter global challenges of climate change, critical illnesses, food safety, energy conservation and environmental protection.
Suriname Independence Day

Washington, DC - Secretary of State John Kerry: "On behalf of President Obama and the people of the United States, I congratulate the people of the Republic of Suriname as you celebrate the 41st anniversary of your nations independence on November 25.

"My country places a high value on its longstanding friendship with Suriname and on our joint efforts to promote prosperity, strengthen democratic institutions, safeguard the security of our citizens, improve health care, and preserve the environment. We work together on a variety of regional initiatives and have developed warm commercial and people-to-people ties.

"As friends and families gather to celebrate this festive occasion, I wish the people of Suriname continued peace and prosperity."
Royal Navy Leads US Task Force 50 for First Time

Arabian Gulf - Royal Navy Commodore Andrew Burns, commander of Amphibious Task Group embarked on the U.K.'s premier naval warship, HMS Ocean (L 12), took command of U.S. Naval Forces Central Command's Task Force (CTF) 50 in the Arabian Gulf, today.

This marks the first time a Royal Navy officer has led a U.S. task force in the Middle East and demonstrates a significant step in combined maritime operations.



A helicopter carrier and amphibious assault ship, Ocean is the flagship of the Royal Navy and will be providing continued forward presence in the Arabian Gulf. Capable of delivering Sailors and Marines by helicopter or landing craft, this premier naval warship brings its own unique capability of ensuring free flow of commerce, freedom of navigation and regional security.



The change-of-command ceremony took place onboard USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) (IKE). During the ceremony, Burns assumed command of CTF 50 from U.S. Navy Rear Adm. James Malloy, commander of Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 10.



Burns said this assumption of command by the Royal Navy is a significant development in the longtime U.S.-U.K. partnership.



"Together we have had an enduring presence in this region that has contributed to stability, order on the high seas and freedom of navigation, and ensuring the free flow of commerce, so vital to the prosperity of our respective nations," said Burns. "Today marks the start of another chapter in this partnership as the Royal Navy takes on the privilege of leading a U.S. task force in the Middle East for the first time."



Ocean will provide a range of flexible and adaptable capabilities to perform theater security cooperation efforts and maritime security operations aimed at providing continued presence following IKE's departure out of the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility.



Malloy said the handover of the CTF 50 to the Royal Navy, "represents a wise investment in this region's future."



"Hearing of his sterling reputation long before meeting him last month, I cannot think of a more capable officer and friend to continue the mission out here than Commodore Burns," Malloy said. "Security and stability cannot be maintained by one nation alone. Working together with our U.K. and other coalition counterparts, I am confident in the success of our shared interest for security, stability and prosperity in this region."



Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 3, embarked on IKE, completed 1,770 combat sorties, delivering 1,903 ordnances from both the Mediterranean Sea and Arabian Gulf in support of Operation Inherent Resolve in the fight against ISIL.



U.S. Naval Forces Central Command is responsible for approximately 2.5 million square miles of area including the Arabian Gulf, Gulf of Oman, North Arabian Sea, Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea.
On the Occasion of Albania's National Day

Washington, DC - Secretary of State John Kerry: "On behalf of President Obama and the American people, I am pleased to congratulate the people of Albania as you celebrate the 104th anniversary of your nations independence on November 28.

"The United States and Albania enjoy a long history of friendship and cooperation. Your country is a growing force for regional and global security, and the United States deeply appreciates your contributions to the Global Coalition to Counter ISIL, Operation Resolute Support, and KFOR. We also appreciate your strong commitment to countering violent extremism and promoting peace throughout the Western Balkans.

"In the years ahead, the United States looks forward to continued collaboration, particularly in support of your progress towards joining the European Union.

"On this special day, I send my best wishes for a happy, prosperous, and safe future for all Albanians."
Chinese students load luggages during an evacuation in Ramat Gan, Israel, on Nov. 25, 2016. A total of 159 Chinese students threatened by bushfires that rage in Israel were evacuated by Chinese embassy in Israel on Friday. (Xinhua/Guo Yu)
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An iconic London sculpture has been copied on a housing development in China, in the latest controversy over alleged plagiarism of British art, The Independent can reveal.

Wendy Taylor CBE was shocked to be sent a photo of a sculpture almost identical to her 1973 work Timepiece, placed amid blocks of flats on the banks of the Huangpu River in Shanghai.

The sculptor was alerted by an art aficionado who came across the installation on holiday and emailed a photo to check whether the work was hers.

A sculpture resembling Wendy Taylor CBE's sculpture Timepiece alongside the Huangpu River in Shanghai (Gwctoo/Instagram)

At first I thought someone had done a clever Photoshop and changed the background, but then I looked more closely and thought oh my god no, this is a complete copy, Ms Taylor said.

They only difference is the angle has been changed for the time.

I know it happens and I have had works copied before  they always say its a coincidence but in this case its absolutely blatant.

Ms Taylor says the Chinese sculpture is almost an exact copy of Timepiece, from the steel ring washer sundial with its central pointer  designed to resemble a dockyard nail  to the chains supporting it and base mimicking London cobblestones.

As the works details were specific to the London context in which it was created, she insists they cannot have been recreated by accident or coincidence.

The Grade II listed original has sat next to Tower Bridge for more than four decades as a tribute to the history of the Docklands, while functioning as a giant sundial.

Its a very familiar landmark and its very personal to me, Ms Taylor said. It is by the dock where my family worked many years ago.

A sculpture resembling Wendy Taylor CBE's sculpture Timepiece at Dongchang Riverside Greenland in Shanghai (Google Streetview)

Its got its own history and Im so shocked, it was brazen [to copy it].

The sculptor, who was made a CBE by the Queen in 1988 for her contribution to British art, has contacted the artists rights organisation Dacs, as well as the UK and Chinese governments, but fears there is nothing she can do to have the apparent plagiarism remedied.

Copyright law almost stops in Europe quite frankly, and Chinese laws are very different, Ms Taylor said.

To take anyone to court or to do anything about it would be financially out of the question. It makes one so dispirited, its very upsetting.

Her case follows British artist Anish Kapoors complaint over the appearance of a sculpture, in the Chinese city of Karamay, resembling Cloud Gate, which was installed in Chicago in 2006 and has since become a famed tourist attraction.

It seems in China today it is permissible to steal the creativity of others, Mr Kapoor said in August last year.

The Chinese authorities must act to stop this kind of infringement and allow the full enforcement of copyright.

Modern British Sculpture - picture preview Show all 10 1 /10 Modern British Sculpture - picture preview Modern British Sculpture - picture preview 537701.bin PA Modern British Sculpture - picture preview 537702.bin PA Modern British Sculpture - picture preview 537703.bin PA Modern British Sculpture - picture preview 537704.bin AP Modern British Sculpture - picture preview 537705.bin AP Modern British Sculpture - picture preview 537706.bin AP Modern British Sculpture - picture preview 537707.bin AP Modern British Sculpture - picture preview 537708.bin AP Modern British Sculpture - picture preview 537709.bin AP Modern British Sculpture - picture preview 537710.bin AP

Officials from Karamays tourism bureau claimed any similarities to the Turner Prize winners work were coincidental, arguing that the Chicago sculpture has a bean shape and theirs looks like an oil bubble.

Chinese authorities were previously accused of copying art in 2013, when a series of huge yellow rubber ducks appeared after Florentijn Hofman's work Rubber Duck toured cities around the world.

Ms Taylor said she has received no response from Chinas cultural office in London, and attempts to trace the creator of the sculpture in Dongchang Riverside Greenland have been unsuccessful.

After appealing for help from the British Government, she received a response from the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy advising her to contact an attache at the embassy in Beijing, to take the intellectual property complaint further.

Im only hoping that someone along the line will find out who the developers are, Ms Taylor said.

I would like to see more pressure put on the authorities to do something about it  even if its just to admit its a copy.

Thats the only thing one can hope to come out of it is to raise pressure for the future."
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Watching The Sopranos, it's perhaps a tough task to differentiate between the character and actors, specifically James Gandolfini who memorably played the lead role of Tony Soprano across all six seasons of HBO's acclaimed series.

Well, it's long been known that Gandolfini - who sadly passed away in 2013 - was one of Hollywood's nicest guys, but a new surfacing anecdote from one of his Sopranos co-stars cements this.

Drea de Matteo, who played Adriana La Cerva - the long-suffering wife of Tony's nephew, Christopher Moltisanti (Michael Imperioli) - described how when HBO's contracts meant that actors didn't get a cut of the series' DVD sales, Gandolfini stepped in.



The Sopranos is considered one of the greatest television shows of all times, enhanced by Gandolfini's all-encompassing performance as the Mafia boss for which he won three Best Actor Emmys.

Actors in both The Sopranos and Goodfellas and their parts Show all 39 1 /39 Actors in both The Sopranos and Goodfellas and their parts Actors in both The Sopranos and Goodfellas and their parts Lorraine Bracco as Dr Jennifer Melfi in The Sopranos Actors in both The Sopranos and Goodfellas and their parts Lorraine Bracco as Karen Hill in Goodfellas Actors in both The Sopranos and Goodfellas and their parts Michael Imperioli as Christopher Moltisanti in The Sopranos Actors in both The Sopranos and Goodfellas and their parts Michael Imperioli as Spider in Goodfellas Actors in both The Sopranos and Goodfellas and their parts Tobin Bell as Major Zwingli in The Sopranos Actors in both The Sopranos and Goodfellas and their parts Tobin Bell as a parole officer in Goodfellas Actors in both The Sopranos and Goodfellas and their parts Tony Sirico as Paulie 'Walnuts' Gualtieri in The Sopranos Actors in both The Sopranos and Goodfellas and their parts Tony Sirico as Tony Stacks in Goodfellas Copyright  1990 Warner Bros. Inc. Credit:  1990 Warner Bros. / Courtesy: Pyxurz. Actors in both The Sopranos and Goodfellas and their parts Frank Vincent as Phil Leotardo in The Sopranos Actors in both The Sopranos and Goodfellas and their parts Frank Vincent as Billy Batts in Goodfellas Copyright  1990 Warner Bros. Inc. Credit:  1990 Warner Bros. / Courtesy: Pyxurz. Actors in both The Sopranos and Goodfellas and their parts Vincent Pastore as Salvatore 'Big Pussy' Bonpensiero in The Sopranos Actors in both The Sopranos and Goodfellas and their parts Vincent Pastore as Man with Coatrack in Goodfellas Actors in both The Sopranos and Goodfellas and their parts Suzanne Shepherd as Mary DeAngelis (Carm's mother) in The Sopranos Actors in both The Sopranos and Goodfellas and their parts Suzanne Shepherd as Karen's Mother in Goodfellas Copyright  1990 Warner Bros. Inc. Credit:  1990 Warner Bros. / Courtesy: Pyxurz. Actors in both The Sopranos and Goodfellas and their parts Frank Albanese as Uncle Pat Blundetto in The Sopranos Actors in both The Sopranos and Goodfellas and their parts Frank Albanese as Mob Lawyer in Goodfellas Actors in both The Sopranos and Goodfellas and their parts Tony Darrow as Larry Boy Barese in The Sopranos Actors in both The Sopranos and Goodfellas and their parts Tony Darrow as Sonny Bunz in Goodfellas Actors in both The Sopranos and Goodfellas and their parts Tony Lip as Carmine Lupertazzi Sr. in The Sopranos Actors in both The Sopranos and Goodfellas and their parts Tony Lip as Frankie The Wop in Goodfellas Actors in both The Sopranos and Goodfellas and their parts Frank Pellegrino as Bureau Chief Frank Cubitoso in The Sopranos Actors in both The Sopranos and Goodfellas and their parts Frank Pellegrino as Johnny Dio in Goodfellas Actors in both The Sopranos and Goodfellas and their parts Chuck Low as Shlomo Teittleman in The Sopranos Actors in both The Sopranos and Goodfellas and their parts Chuck Low as Morris Kessler in Goodfellas Actors in both The Sopranos and Goodfellas and their parts Paul Herman as Beansie Gaeta in The Sopranos. Was also Dealer in Goodfellas Actors in both The Sopranos and Goodfellas and their parts Nicole Burdette as Barbara Soprano Giglione in The Sopranos. Was also Carbone's Girlfriend in Goodfellas. Actors in both The Sopranos and Goodfellas and their parts Marianne Leone as Joanne Moltisanti in The Sopranos. Was also Tuddy's Wife in Goodfellas. Actors in both The Sopranos and Goodfellas and their parts Daniel P. Conte as Faustino 'Doc' Santoro in The Sopranos. Was also Dr. Dan in Goodfellas. Actors in both The Sopranos and Goodfellas and their parts John 'Cha Cha' Ciarcia as Albie Cianflone in The Sopranos. Was also Batts' Crew #1 in Goodfellas. Actors in both The Sopranos and Goodfellas and their parts Angela Pietropinto as Helen Barone in The Sopranos. Was also Cicero's Wife in Goodfellas. Actors in both The Sopranos and Goodfellas and their parts Susan Varon as Susan in Goodfellas. Was also Joan Gillespie in The Sopranos. Actors in both The Sopranos and Goodfellas and their parts Frank Adonis was Guest #1 in The Sopranos and Anthony Stabile in Goodfellas Actors in both The Sopranos and Goodfellas and their parts Nancy Cassaro was Joanne Moltisanti in The Sopranos and Joe Buddha's Wife in Goodfellas Actors in both The Sopranos and Goodfellas and their parts Victor Collichio was Joe in The Sopranos and in Henry's 60's crew in Goodfellas Actors in both The Sopranos and Goodfellas and their parts Anthoy Alessandro was a waiter in The Sopranos and in Henry's 60's crew in Goodfellas Actors in both The Sopranos and Goodfellas and their parts Gaetano LoGiudice was Bada Bing Patron in The Sopranos and in Herny's 60s Crew in Goodfellas Actors in both The Sopranos and Goodfellas and their parts Vito Antuofermo was Bobby Zanone in The Sopranos and Prizefighter in Goodfellas Actors in both The Sopranos and Goodfellas and their parts Gene Canfield was Police Officer in The Sopranos and Prison Guard in Booth in Goodfellas Actors in both The Sopranos and Goodfellas and their parts Anthony Caso was Martin Scorsese in The Sopranos and Truck Hijacker in Goodfellas



The recounted anecdote is taken from a Reddit AMA with Matteo; it certainly lends credence to the touching tributes paid to the actor by co-stars, including on-screen wife Edie Falco, following his passing.

Earlier this year, actor Steven Schirippa - who played Tony's brother-in-law Bobby Bacala - shared a never-before-seen element to the series' famous dream sequence episode.
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Mayonnaise has always sparked an irrational fear in me. I would like to think Im a reasonable person who understands that cooking itself should be taken with a (generous) pinch of salt. Whenever possible I used to avoid making mayonnaise. Give me a vinaigrette any day of the week. But then I started working in restaurants and could no longer hide, although trust me I did try to hang out in the walkin fridge for as long as possible.

Invariably, every time, I would split it. Id splutter honestly I can make this as the sauce separated out in front of everyones eyes. See the thing is, when you make a mistake in the kitchen, thats when you learn how to cook properly, because you then understand how to fix it.

Finally, after having to whisk up giant vats of it in a gastro pub I was working at, I got over myself, and the mayonnaise. Now forever more I will enjoy beating egg yolks and oil together and, more often than not, turning it into an aioli by the addition of garlic, scooped up with some roast Jersey Royal potatoes.

Recommended 15 best student kitchen essentials

You can then make

Once youve got your basic mayonnaise technique you can then start to experiment. A pinch of sweet smoky paprika and lemon juice with a pan fried chicken breast and sweet potatoes. Or make tartare sauce  stir in some finely chopped shallot, capers, gherkins and parsley. A perfect accompaniment for lemon sole and diced sauteed potatoes.

An aioli is one of my favourites ways, made by mixing through a little raw grated garlic (beware, less is definitely more). I find a safer alternative is roasting the garlic (skin on) in tinfoil with a drizzle of olive oil. Then squeezing the cooked garlic out of the skins and folding through the mayonnaise. For a quick bearnaise style sauce I like to use (purists, avert your eyes) finely chopped tarragon with a dash of lemon juice.

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PA Food and drink news Coke Zero is replaced with Coke Zero Sugar Coca-Cola is pulling the plug on its Coke Zero. The much loved drink will be replaced with a new improved taste. The move, backed with a 10 million campaign, is said to come from Coca-Cola supporting people to reduce their sugar intake. Coca-Cola want people make this move while not sacrificing sugary taste of Coca-Cola. Coca-Cola Food and drink news Starbucks introduce new avocado spread The avocado craze has grown from hipster brunch restaurants to Starbucks. Starbucks have introduced their new avocado spread earlier this year and it has the internet in debate. Some argue that it not a spread but guacamole while others question if there is any avocado in there at all. When buying the new spread you can also buy an optional toasted bagel. It is a must try for all avocado connoisseurs. Starbucks Food and drink news New Mars chocolate bar The iconic British chocolate bar is about to get its partner in crime. The new bar, named Goodness Knows, will replace the gooey caramel goodness of the mars bar with oats. It is said to be more like a Florentine biscuit with a thin dark chocolate bottom. While being moderately healthy Mars says that is has good intentions. One pack has 154 calories and will sell for about 90p. Mars Food and drink news Wine prices could increase because of Brexit Wine lovers across the UK might soon have to shell out close to a quarter more for their favourite tipple after Brexit, as a weaker pound and sluggish economy takes its toll, a new study shows Rex Food and drink news Chocolate may be good for the heart A new study, published in the British Medical Journal: Heart, found that moderate chocolate intake can be positively associated with lessening the risk of the heart arrhythmia condition Atrial Fibrillation Getty Images/iStockphoto Food and drink news Brits throw away 1.4 million bananas each year British families are throwing away 1.4 million bananas that are perfectly good to eat every day at cost of 80m a year, new figures have shown PA/Armin Weigel Food and drink news Rosemary sales spike over exam time There has been a surge a surge in sales of the herb rosemary after a recent study found it helps improve memory. According to high street health food chain Holland & Barrett, sales of the herb have increased by 187 per cent compared to the same time last year Getty Images/iStockphoto Food and drink news Gluten-free diets 'not recommended' for people without coeliac disease Avoiding wheat, barley and rye in the belief that a gluten-free diet brings health benefits may do more harm than good, according to a team of US nutrition and medicine experts Getty Images/iStockphoto Food and drink news Starbucks launches two new coffee-based drinks Starbucks is launching two new coffee-based drinks in the UK, as it strives to tap into consumers growing appetite for healthy beverages. The Cold Brew Vanilla sweet cream and the Cappuccino Freddo, will both be available in stores throughout the UK from the start of May Twitter/@SbuxCountyHall Food and drink news Cadburys Dairy Milk Tiffin is making a permanent comeback after 80 years The Cadbury Dairy Milk Tiffin, first produced in 1937, is making a permanent comeback to the UK. The raisin and biscuit-filled chocolate bar is being launched after a successful trial last summer saw 3 million chocolate treats  at the cost of 1.49 for each 95g bar- purchased by nostalgic customers Cadburys Food and drink news Pizza restaurant makes worlds cheesiest 'Scottie's Pizza Parlor' in Portland Oregon has created the worlds cheesiest pizza using a total of 101 different cheese varieties. Facebook/Scottie's Pizza Parlor Food and drink news A pizza joint in Portland Oregon has created the worlds cheesiest pizza using a total of 101 different cheese varieties. 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Lets take two classic ways with mayonnaise. Add Dijon mustard, lemon juice and thinly sliced/grated celeriac for celeriac remoulade. This works well with cooked meats, fish or on toast as a snack. Or coronation chicken  curry powder, apricot chutney, a little tomato puree then stir through some cooked chicken. Then there is potato salad, coleslaw, tuna mayonnaise, shall I go on?

To make a lighter mayonnaise try using one whole egg along with the egg yolks  the addition of egg whites creates more air. You can also make a surprisingly good vegan mayonnaise using the water from a can of chickpeas. Emulsify the oil into a few tablespoons of the water in a food processor, once it starts to thicken then pour in the rest of the oil. Finish with lemon juice and some extra chickpea water. Try serving it with falafels.

Ingredients

2 egg yolks

1 tsp Dijon mustard

200ml vegetable oil (you could also use groundnut, rapeseed, grapeseed)

100ml olive oil

White wine vinegar

Lemon juice

Sea salt, cracked black pepper

Equipment

Bowl

Tea towel

Spoon

Balloon whisk

How to

Mayonnaise is an emulsion of oil suspended in egg yolk. We are using a combination of vegetable and olive oil as only using olive oil may give it too strong a flavour. But this is a personal preference. You can use a wooden spoon or balloon whisk. Sit the bowl on a damp cloth to hold it steady.

Put the yolks into the bowl with a pinch of salt and the Dijon mustard and beat for a minute to thicken. The start is when you need to add the oil really slowly to stop the sauce splitting. Begin to add the vegetable oil a drop at a time and whisk well after you add each drop. When the mixture has thickened you can start to trickle the rest of the oil into the bowl in a steady stream.

You may not need to use all the oil. Keep whisking constantly. Season to taste with salt and pepper, white wine vinegar and lemon juice. You can also make this in a food processor or with an electric hand whisk which is best for making large quantities. Store in a jar in the fridge for up to a week.

What to do if

If the mayonnaise splits/separates, then try whisking a drop of water into the mayonnaise first, but if this does not work then whisk a new egg yolk in a clean bowl. Slowly whisk the split mixture into the new egg yolk drop by drop. Add more oil as required. If the mayonnaise is too thick add a drop of water or lemon juice or white wine vinegar and if the mayonnaise is too thin add more oil (oil thickens it).

Next weeks kitchen essentials: How to make vegetable stock

For more tips follow Laoise Casey on Twitter @laoisecooks and Instagram @laoisecooks
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Harvard is one of the most prestigious universities in the world.

The Cambridge, Massachusetts, school accepted just 5.2% of roughly 39,000 applications for its class of 2020. As Harvard President Drew Gilpin Faust said in 2014, "We could fill our class twice over with valedictorians."

The school seeks out students who not only have high grades, but also have outstanding achievements under their belts  from overcoming homelessness to starting their own nonprofits. The students who manage to catch the attention of admissions officers overcome exceptional odds, but they should maintain some perspective.

Many things in life  like landing a job at some Wal-Mart locations  are harder to achieve than getting into that prestigious university.

Ben Winsor and Christina Sterbenz also contributed to this story.

A spot at one of New York City's top elementary schools

The elementary admissions process in New York City is utterly grueling. Among exemplary schools, one stands out as the gold-standard: Hunter College Elementary School.

Each year, Hunter chooses 25 girls and 25 boys from all of Manhattan to be admitted to its incoming kindergarten class.

They're hand-selected from a pool of about 2,500 applicants, according to the website Inside Schools. That makes the acceptance rate for Hunter 2%.

A job as an NBC page

Landing an internship-like role in the National Broadcasting Company's page program is competitive to say the least. Famously, the character Kenneth Parcel was a page on 30 Rock.

For example, in 2016 there were 2,600 applicants for 120 positions, for a 4.6% acceptance rate.

The NBC page role is a year-long entry-level role where employees perform PR responsibilities among other tasks depending on their department.

A spot at an innovative startup college

College startup Minerva Schools has received 16,000 applications for 306 available places this year, the Financial Times reported.

Its model vastly differs from what four years of school at other prestigious colleges resemble. Students don't stay in one place during their four-year education.

They spend time in up to seven residence houses in San Francisco, California; Berlin, Germany; Buenos Aires, Argentina; Seoul, South Korea; Bangalore, India; Istanbul, Turkey; and London, England.

At 1.9%, the acceptance rate for the unconventional college is far lower than at Stanford.

The American Dream

A recent report from researchers at Harvard and Berkeley Universities shows that in many major US cities, it's very hard to achieve a rags-to-riches success story.

The report analyses the number of people who were born into the lowest income quintile but ended up in the highest income quintile. The results don't bode well for upward socioeconomic mobility.

The chances were below 5% in Atlanta, Georgia; Charlotte, North Carolina; Jacksonville, Florida; Columbus, Ohio; Dayton, Ohio; Milwaukee, Wisconsin; and Indianapolis, Indiana.

Even at the top of the list, people in San Jose, California, showed just a 12.9% chance of living the American dream.

NASA's class of 2017

The NASA class of 2017 received 8,300 applications this year for less than 15 slots. That means if 14 people are selected, the acceptance rate will be .08%, Business Insider's Natalie Walters and Jacquelyn Smith reported.

"Applications opened Dec. 14, and closed Thursday, but that is just the beginning of an 18-month process that will end with the selection of 8-14 individuals for the opportunity to become astronaut candidates," the official press release explains.

A competitive music institute in Philadelphia

The Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia has an even lower acceptance rate than Stanford, as US News & World Report previously noted.

Curtis has an acceptance rate of around 4% but is more of a conservatory than a traditional university.

A job at Citadel

Landing a job on Wall Street is notoriously hard.

But gaining employment at hedge fund giant Citadel seems to be nearly impossible.

Founder and CEO Ken Griffin noted on CNBC that the hedge fund planned to interview 10,000 candidates to fill 300 job openings.

That's equates to a mere 3% acceptance rate.

The top 50 posts on a friend's Newsfeed

When Facebook compiles your Newsfeed, it chooses from roughly 1,500 different posts.

The company uses an algorithm based on the popularity and relevance of posts, along with other factors, to decide what goes where.

As a result, there's a 3.3% chance a certain post finds its way into the top 50 stories on someone's Newsfeed.

If you want to boost your chances, posts with photos do far better than links or text-based posts.

The Secret Service

Protecting the president of the US isn't a job for any run-of-the-mill bodyguard or security detail.

The full responsibilities of the Secret Service are, well, secret, but agents remain with the president and his family 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Other important government officials, like the vice president and his or her family, also receive protection, usually even after they leave their positions.

For these reasons, the Secret Service accepted less than 1% of its 15,600 special-agent applications in 2011, Bloomberg reported.

A green card

Up to 15 million people apply to the US green card lottery every year, all hoping for a chance at a life in America, The Wall Street Journal has reported.

But only about 50,000 green cards are available.

The odds of obtaining a green card (known officially a Diversity Visa) vary depending on the applicant's region. If you're not from Australia, New Zealand, or a Pacific island, the odds aren't good.

Fewer than 2% of applicants around the world end up getting a visa. The rate is about 6% in Oceania  because of fewer applications and relatively higher quotas.

The Indian Institute of Management

While Stanford lets in about 4.7% of applicants, not even 1% get accepted to India's top business school, Bloomberg Businessweek reported in 2013.

The Indian Institute of Management in Ahmedabad (IIM-A) received 173,866 applications for its 2012-2014 class. The university has the luxury of being extra choosy because of India's large population and the vast number of students with outstanding grades and test scores.

The ranks of successful startups

Foursquare's Michael Li began work on another startup in 2014: The Data Incubator.

It's essentially a boot camp for data scientists. While many programming Ph.D.s have solid research skills, few can meet the pace of a startup. They need training.

While Data Incubator hasn't released specific statistics on its inaugural classes, Li wrote on a Quora that his startup has an "exceptionally low admission rate" of under 5%.

A job at Google

After leaving Microsoft in 2009, Don Dodge became a developer advocate for Google.

Within a year, he posted a lengthy explanation of the hiring process there on his personal blog, hinting at the company's level of exclusivity, The Next Web reported.

In his words, Google receives about 1 million applications every year  but hires only 1,000 to 4,000 people. Best-case scenario, that means only 0.4% of hopefuls land a job at Google.

They go through recruiter screening, two or three phone interviews, and then four or five in-person interviews on site, not to mention jumping through other professional hoops.

A job at some Walmart locations

Met with both merriment and protest, Walmart came to Washington, D.C., at the end of 2013.

The store received more than 23,000 applications but hired just 600 associates, NBC Washington reported. That's a 2.6% acceptance rate.

While many Stanford graduates can expect a six-figure income, Walmart employees pocket an average of $11.83 an hour or nearly $25,000 annually, according to the company.

Read more:

 This chart is easy to interpret: It says we're screwed

 How Uber became the world's most valuable startup

 These 4 things could trigger the next crisis in Europe

Read the original article on Business Insider UK.  2016. Follow Business Insider UK on Twitter.
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An increasing number of African elephants are now born tuskless because poachers have consistently targetted animals with the best ivory over decades, fundamentally altering the gene pool.

In some areas 98 per cent of female elephants now have no tusks, researchers have said, compared to between two and six per cent born tuskless on average in the past.

Almost a third of Africas elephants have been illegally slaughtered by poachers in the past ten years to meet demand for ivory in Asia, where there is still a booming trade in the material, particularly in China.

About 144,000 elephants were killed between 2007 and 2014, leaving the species at risk of extinction in some areas. Meanwhile those African elephant populations that do survive could become virtually tuskless, like their Asian cousins, researchers have warned.

Joyce Poole is head of the charity Elephant Voices and has been tracking developments in the species for more than 30 years. She told The Times she had seen a direct correlation between the intensity of poaching and the percentage of females born without tusks in some of the herds she monitored.

In Gorongosa National Park in Mozambique, 90 per cent of elephants were slaughtered between 1977 and 1992, during the country's civil war. Dr Poole said that because poachers disproportianetly targetted tusked animals, almost half the females over 35 years of age have no tusks, and although poaching is now under control and the population is recovering well, they are passing the tuskless gene down to their daughters: 30 per cent of female elephants born since the end of the war also do not have tusks.

Wounded elephant rescue Show all 12 1 /12 Wounded elephant rescue Wounded elephant rescue Ben the elephant arrives looking for help Staff and guests at the Bumi Hills Foundation in Zimbabwe were surprised to see a wounded bull elephant seeming seeking help outside their window. Bumi Hills Foundation Wounded elephant rescue A vet arrives Vet Dr Richard Hoare flew in from Harare to treat Ben. Bumi Hills Foundation Wounded elephant rescue Getting Ben on the ground It takes 12 people to get the tranquilised animal on the ground so his wound can be treated. They also gave him a tracking collar so they can see how he is doing in the future. Bumi Hills Foundation Wounded elephant rescue Ben's gunshot wound The elephant had a septic wound which was 4cm in diameter and 10cm deep. Bumi Hills Foundation Wounded elephant rescue Looking after a tranquilised elephant The team placed a stick in Ben's trunk to make sure he could breathe. They monitored his breathing throughout the procedure. Bumi Hills Foundation Wounded elephant rescue Looking for the bullet Workers at the foundation used metal detectors to locate the bullets, however none were found. Bumi Hills Foundation Wounded elephant rescue Cleaning out the wound The vet and the safari team set about treating the wound, cleaning it out with a probe. Bumi Hills Foundation Wounded elephant rescue Cleaning out the wound A incision was created below the wound to allow fluids to drain out. Bumi Hills Foundation Wounded elephant rescue Elephants need a lot of antibiotics Dr Hoare administered a staggering 120ml of long-acting antibiotics to Ben. Bumi Hills Foundation Wounded elephant rescue In the wars The two bullet holes in Ben's ears show he has been a victim of poachers before. Bumi Hills Foundation Wounded elephant rescue Bumi Hills Foundation Helping Ben was a team effort by those at the foundation. Bumi Hills Foundation Wounded elephant rescue Ben's back on his feet A little unstable, but Ben managed to stand up a few minutes after the team were finished, and made his way tentatively back into the bush. Bumi Hills Foundation

Females who are tuskless are more likely to produce tuskless offspring, she said.

The most striking example is in the Addo Elephant National Park in South Africa, where 98 per cent of female elephants have no ivory. Big game hunters there had killed all but 11 elephants by the time the park was created in 1931. Four of the eight surviving females were tuskless.

In 2008, scientists found that even among elephants that remained tusked, the tusks were smaller than in elephants' a century before  roughly half their previous size.

Although not having tusks may protect elephants from poaching, it not ideal.

Tusks are used to dig for food and water, to dig up trees and branches and move them around, for self-defence and for sexual display," the BBC reported.

Conservationists say an elephant without tusks is a crippled elephant."
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News of communist revolutionary leader Fidel Castros death was greeted with solemn silence in Havana, but in its namesake Little Havana  a Miami neighbourhood home to many Cuban exiles  jubilant crowds waved flags and banged pots and pans.

Cars beeped their horns, while crowds sang the Cuban national anthem La Bayamesa. Dancing continued even after it started to rain, according to reports.

People shouted Cuba libre! (Cuba is free) and el viejo murio (the old man is dead), while others chanted: Fidel! Tirano! Llevate tu hermano! (Fidel! Tyrant Take your brother with you!)

Under Castros regime, thousands of exiles and refugees fleeing poverty and persecution settled in the US  with Castro facing criticism for presiding over alleged human rights abuses.

Many travelled there as minors under programmes such as Operation Pedro Pan, or were part of the Mariel boatlift in 1980, which was triggered by a sharp downturn in the Cuban economy. Castro had declared: Anyone who wants to leave Cuba can do so.

Relations between the two countries appeared to warm in recent years, with US President Barack Obama conducting his first official visit to the country in 2015. Yet the scenes in Miami demonstrate that animosity between the nations remains.

One journalist reported that many of those leading the music in Little Havana wore hats bearing slogans supporting US President-elect Donald Trump, while an inflatable effigy to the billionaire businessman was also seen at the celebrations.

Meanwhile, those in Cuba reacted with sadness to the death of the leader, who had freed the nation from the clutches of dictator Fulgencio Batista in 1959.

I am very upset. Whatever you want to say, he is a public figure that the whole world respected and loved, said Havana student Sariel Valdespino.

Carlos Rodriguez, 15, was sitting in Havanas Miramar neighbourhood when he heard that Fidel Castro had died.

Fidel? Fidel? he told Associated Press in disbelief. Thats not what I was expecting. One always thought that he would last forever. It doesnt seem true.

Its a tragedy, said 22-year-old nurse Dayan Montalvo. We all grew up with him. I feel really hurt by the news that we just heard.

The Castropedia: Fidel's Cuba in facts and figures Show all 10 1 /10 The Castropedia: Fidel's Cuba in facts and figures The Castropedia: Fidel's Cuba in facts and figures Attempts made on Castro's life since he came to power in 1959: 638 (according to Fabian Escalante, former Cuban security chief) Reuters/Prensa Latina The Castropedia: Fidel's Cuba in facts and figures Castro is a baseball fan - with 16 teams making up the Cuban National Baseball League Reuters/Kimberly White The Castropedia: Fidel's Cuba in facts and figures Size of the original rebel army led by Castro and including Che Guevara that sailed to Cuba in 1956, eventually toppling President Batista on 1 January 1959: 82 STF/AFP/Getty Images The Castropedia: Fidel's Cuba in facts and figures Acts of "civil disobedience" logged in Cuba in 2005, according to a report by the exiled Cuban Democratic Directorate: 3,322 Miguel Vinas/AFP/Getty Images The Castropedia: Fidel's Cuba in facts and figures Age at which Castro began smoking cigars: 15 Age at which Castro gave up smoking cigars: 59 Jorge Rey/Getty Images The Castropedia: Fidel's Cuba in facts and figures Jorge Rey/Getty Images The Castropedia: Fidel's Cuba in facts and figures Reuters/Andrew Winning The Castropedia: Fidel's Cuba in facts and figures Total number of Cubans believed to have emigrated while Castro was in power: about 1.4 million (81 per cent of whom have settled in North America) Rodrigo Arangua/AFP/Getty Images The Castropedia: Fidel's Cuba in facts and figures Duration of a speech Castro made at the UN in 1960: 4 hours 29 minutes (listed by the Guinness Book of Records as the longest speech made in the United Nations) Tom Mihalek/Getty Images The Castropedia: Fidel's Cuba in facts and figures Films: Castro is listed as an "uncredited extra" in the 1946 musical Holiday in Mexico and as a "poolside spectator" in the romantic comedy Easy to Wed (also 1946) Hrvoje Polan/AFP/Getty Images

A towering figure of the second half of the 20th century, Castro had been in poor health since an intestinal ailment nearly killed him in 2006. He formally ceded power to his younger brother two years later.

For five decades, Castro defied US efforts to topple him. He fended off a CIA-backed invasion at the Bay of Pigs in 1961, as well as countless assassination attempts.

His alliance with Moscow helped trigger the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962, a 13-day showdown with the United States that brought the world the closest it has ever been to nuclear war.

At home, he swept away capitalism and won support for bringing schools and hospitals to the poor. But he also created legions of enemies and critics, concentrated among Cuban exiles in Florida who fled his rule and saw him as a ruthless tyrant.

Those who settled in Miami influenced US policy towards Cuba and plotted Castro's demise. Some even trained in the Florida swamps for the disastrous Bay of Pigs invasion, but they could never dislodge him.

Additional reporting by Reuters
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President Barack Obama has said history will judge the late Cuban revolutionary Fidel Castro in a statement marking his death.

In a trial for a rebel attack on the Moncada Barracks in 1953 from which Castro launched the Cuban revolution, he famously told the court: Condemn me. It does not matter. History will absolve me.

History will record and judge the enormous impact of this singular figure on the people and world around him, the out-going President said in a statement issued on Saturday.

World leaders have issued mournful statements paying tribute to Castros death since it was announced by his brother this morning. The closest any have come to criticising his leadership was in the statement issued by the French President Francois Hollande, who described him as a "towering" figure but also noted concerns over his regimes human rights record. Canadian President Justin Trudeau issued a statement commending Castro as a legendary revolutionary and orator" and Syrias President Bashar al-Assad sent his condolences to Raul Castro, declaring his brother an inspiration.

The Castropedia: Fidel's Cuba in facts and figures Show all 10 1 /10 The Castropedia: Fidel's Cuba in facts and figures The Castropedia: Fidel's Cuba in facts and figures Attempts made on Castro's life since he came to power in 1959: 638 (according to Fabian Escalante, former Cuban security chief) Reuters/Prensa Latina The Castropedia: Fidel's Cuba in facts and figures Castro is a baseball fan - with 16 teams making up the Cuban National Baseball League Reuters/Kimberly White The Castropedia: Fidel's Cuba in facts and figures Size of the original rebel army led by Castro and including Che Guevara that sailed to Cuba in 1956, eventually toppling President Batista on 1 January 1959: 82 STF/AFP/Getty Images The Castropedia: Fidel's Cuba in facts and figures Acts of "civil disobedience" logged in Cuba in 2005, according to a report by the exiled Cuban Democratic Directorate: 3,322 Miguel Vinas/AFP/Getty Images The Castropedia: Fidel's Cuba in facts and figures Age at which Castro began smoking cigars: 15 Age at which Castro gave up smoking cigars: 59 Jorge Rey/Getty Images The Castropedia: Fidel's Cuba in facts and figures Jorge Rey/Getty Images The Castropedia: Fidel's Cuba in facts and figures Reuters/Andrew Winning The Castropedia: Fidel's Cuba in facts and figures Total number of Cubans believed to have emigrated while Castro was in power: about 1.4 million (81 per cent of whom have settled in North America) Rodrigo Arangua/AFP/Getty Images The Castropedia: Fidel's Cuba in facts and figures Duration of a speech Castro made at the UN in 1960: 4 hours 29 minutes (listed by the Guinness Book of Records as the longest speech made in the United Nations) Tom Mihalek/Getty Images The Castropedia: Fidel's Cuba in facts and figures Films: Castro is listed as an "uncredited extra" in the 1946 musical Holiday in Mexico and as a "poolside spectator" in the romantic comedy Easy to Wed (also 1946) Hrvoje Polan/AFP/Getty Images

Mr Obama has said he worked hard as a President to foster a new relationship with Cuba and put the past behind us after the discord and profound political disagreements that marked the relationship between the US and Cuba after Castro overthrew the government almost six decades ago.

As they process his death, he said Cubans will recall the past and also look to the future. As they do, the Cuban people must know that they have a friend and partner in America.

The human rights organisation Amnesty International said Castro was a progressive but deeply flawed leader.

Access to public services such as health and education for Cubans were substantially improved by the Cuban revolution and for this, his leadership must be applauded. However, despite these achievements in areas of social policy, Fidel Castros reign was characterised by a ruthless suppression of freedom of expression.

The state of freedom of expression in Cuba, where activists continue to face arrest and harassment for speaking out against the government, is Fidel Castros darkest legacy.
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As Cuba embarks on nine days of national mourning for Fidel Castro, dissidents and exiles around the world labelled the revolutionary a dictator whose crimes against his own people must not be forgotten.

History will absolve me, he once told judges of the regime he would eventually overthrow, transforming Cuba into a communist state and incurring the wrath of the US and its punishing trade embargo.

For many he was a champion of the poor, a symbol of liberation who overthrew a dictator and brought free education and health care to the masses.

 Cubans around the world react to death of Fidel Castro

But to exiles who fled his autocratic rule, he personified a repressive regime that locked up political opponents, suppressed freedom and democracy and destroyed the national economy.

Orlando Gutierrez, founder of the opposition Cuban Democratic Directorate in Miami, condemned Castro and his legacy as exiles and their descendants took to the streets of Little Havana to celebrate his death.

I regret that this criminal never faced a tribunal for all the crimes he committed against his own people, Mr Gutierrez said, according to a translation by the BBC.

This is a man who leaves a legacy of intolerance, of setting up a family-run dictatorship, which had no tolerance for anyone who thought differently, who set up a vicious totalitarian regime where people were persecuted for the most slight deviation from official ideology.

In the wake of his overthrow of Cuban President Fulgencio Batista in 1959, supporters of the old government were sent before summary courts and at least 582 were shot by firing squads over two years.

Estimates of executions under Castros 50-year rule run into the thousands, with monitors warning of unfair trials, arbitrary imprisonment and extrajudicial executions.

Castro responded by insisting that revolutionary justice is not based on legal precepts, but on moral conviction.

As the one-party system came into force, independent newspapers were closed and homosexuals, priests and others viewed as a threat were herded into labour camps for re-education.

Censorship and repression spread, with fans of American rock n roll among those targeted. Freedom of expression, religion, association, assembly, movement and the press were denied.

The Castropedia: Fidel's Cuba in facts and figures Show all 10 1 /10 The Castropedia: Fidel's Cuba in facts and figures The Castropedia: Fidel's Cuba in facts and figures Attempts made on Castro's life since he came to power in 1959: 638 (according to Fabian Escalante, former Cuban security chief) Reuters/Prensa Latina The Castropedia: Fidel's Cuba in facts and figures Castro is a baseball fan - with 16 teams making up the Cuban National Baseball League Reuters/Kimberly White The Castropedia: Fidel's Cuba in facts and figures Size of the original rebel army led by Castro and including Che Guevara that sailed to Cuba in 1956, eventually toppling President Batista on 1 January 1959: 82 STF/AFP/Getty Images The Castropedia: Fidel's Cuba in facts and figures Acts of "civil disobedience" logged in Cuba in 2005, according to a report by the exiled Cuban Democratic Directorate: 3,322 Miguel Vinas/AFP/Getty Images The Castropedia: Fidel's Cuba in facts and figures Age at which Castro began smoking cigars: 15 Age at which Castro gave up smoking cigars: 59 Jorge Rey/Getty Images The Castropedia: Fidel's Cuba in facts and figures Jorge Rey/Getty Images The Castropedia: Fidel's Cuba in facts and figures Reuters/Andrew Winning The Castropedia: Fidel's Cuba in facts and figures Total number of Cubans believed to have emigrated while Castro was in power: about 1.4 million (81 per cent of whom have settled in North America) Rodrigo Arangua/AFP/Getty Images The Castropedia: Fidel's Cuba in facts and figures Duration of a speech Castro made at the UN in 1960: 4 hours 29 minutes (listed by the Guinness Book of Records as the longest speech made in the United Nations) Tom Mihalek/Getty Images The Castropedia: Fidel's Cuba in facts and figures Films: Castro is listed as an "uncredited extra" in the 1946 musical Holiday in Mexico and as a "poolside spectator" in the romantic comedy Easy to Wed (also 1946) Hrvoje Polan/AFP/Getty Images

In 1964, Castro acknowledged holding 15,000 political prisoners. Hundreds of thousands of Cubans fled, including Castros daughter Alina Fernandez Revuelta and his younger sister Juana. An unknown number of Cubans drowned attempting to reach Florida in flimsy boats.

When Castro handed the presidency to his brother Raul in 2008, Human Rights Watch (HRW) warned that the abusive legal and institutional mechanisms set up during the communist revolution continued to deprive Cubans of their basic rights.

Even if Castro no longer calls the shots, the repressive machinery he constructed over almost half a century remains fully intact, said the groups Americas director, Jose Miguel Vivanco. Until that changes, its unlikely there will be any real progress on human rights in Cuba.

HRW cited secret police, surveillance, short-term detentions, house arrests, travel restrictions, criminal prosecutions and politically motivated sackings as methods of enforcing political conformity, as well as restrictions embedded in legal and constitutional structures.

All media is heavily censored and the spreading of unauthorised news a criminal offence, with internet access heavily limited by cost and restrictions.

HRW also warned that the counterproductive US embargo, which President Barack Obama, in his final State of the Union address to condemn, gave the Cuban government a pretext for violations.

Instead of achieving the aim of toppling Castros regime, monitors said the policy helped consolidate his hold on power by providing his government with an excuse for its problems and a justification for its abuses and enabling him to garner sympathy abroad  as did numerous and bizarre assassination attempts.

Perhaps the countrys most prominent ally was Russia, where past and present leaders were paying tribute to Castro on Saturday.

People celebrate after the announcement of the death of Cuban revolutionary leader Fidel Castro, in the Little Havana district of Miami, Florida, US. 26 November 2016. (Reuters)

In a message of condolence sent to the current Cuban President, his brother Raul, Vladimir Putin praised Castros free and independent Cuba as an inspirational example around the world.

He embodied the high ideals of a politician, citizen and patriot, truly convinced of the cause to which he devoted his entire life, said the Russian President.

The Chinese President, Xi Jinping issued a national address saying, Comrade Castro will live forever.

Statements from other world leaders were more measured, with Frances President Francois Hollande acknowledging human rights violations and disillusionment following Castros revolution.

Among his British defenders was Ken Livingstone, who described the former leader as an absolute giant of the 20th century and blamed the US for the restrictions on civil liberties.

The former mayor of London said: Im sure they will, over time, move towards something like a traditional west European democracy. It could have happened a lot earlier if you hadnt had, the entire time, a blockade by America, attempts to overthrow the regime, eight assassination attempts authorised by American presidents.

Mr Livingstone told BBC Radio 4s Today programme that of course Fidel did things that were wrong, adding: Initially he wasnt very good on lesbian and gay rights, but the key thing that mattered was that people had a good education, good healthcare and wealth was evenly distributed.

There was no such praise among hundreds of Cuban exiles and their descendants who poured into the streets of Little Havana in Miami to celebrate Castros death.

Cuba si! Castro no! they chanted, while others screamed Cuba libre! as cars blew their horns and people danced.

We're all celebrating, this is like a carnival, said 72-year-old Jay Fernandez, who fled to the US aged 18 in 1961. He held a sign reading: Satan, Fidel is now yours. Give him what he deserves. Dont let him rest in peace.
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Against all odds, Fidel Castro died of natural causes at the age of 90. It is an age even the former revolutionary and soldier himself never expected to reach.

Just before his last birthday, he told communist party members: Soon I will be 90Never would such an idea have occurred to me. It was not the fruit of any effort, it was the whim of fate. Soon I will be like all the rest."

Indeed, Castro survived perhaps more assassination attempts than any other world leader in history.

Recommended World leaders pay tribute to Fidel Castro

Having the nerve to establish a socialist state on the doorstep of the US during the Cold War, he was the target of the CIAs wrath for decades.

Cuban exiles, who fled the revolution and later the isolated country Cuba became, also lined up to take the life of 'El Commandante'.

Castros former bodyguard, Fabian Escalante, claimed there had been 638 attempts on the leaders life.

A number of them were said to have been carried out under the Cuban Project, also known as Operation Mongoose, which was signed off in 1961 by President Kennedy after the Bay of Pigs incident.

Unlike the overt failed invasion by US-backed Cuban exiles, who were defeated by Castros forces, the Cuban Project focused on covert operations to remove the communists from power.

Perhaps the most notoriously plot is the exploding cigar. Castro was famously fond of smoking these - in many of his iconic pictures, he is seen clamping on a smouldering stub  and the CIA tried to take advantage of this.

50 years of Castro Show all 3 1 /3 50 years of Castro 50 years of Castro 108530.bin REUTERS 50 years of Castro 108531.bin GETTY IMAGES 50 years of Castro 108532.bin GETTY IMAGES

The plot to pass on a cigar infused with explosives was widely reported but never proven. However, the CIA did attempt to use a poisoned cigar, Mr Escalante claimed, and another was spiked with LSD to humiliate the president.

Castro gave up smoking in 1985, saying it was only right he did so for the sake of Cuban public health.

Other CIA reported plots aimed to exploit Castros love of diving. Secret documents released in the 1990s revealed the agency did obtain a number of sea shells, the idea being to insert explosives into one that Castro might like the look of while underwater.

Another plot was to infect a diving suit intended for Castro with highly toxic fungi.

However, there were numerous more traditional attempts to kill El Commandante, ranging from grenade to gun attacks, many by anti-Castro Cuban exiles and some by the disgruntled mafia.

The mafia had many interest in Cuba in the 1940s and fifties, but were driven from their casinos and hotels when Castrol took over.

It was the mafia who closest to succeeding, Mr Escalante said, with a plan to drop a poison pill into a chocolate milkshake for Castro at the Libre Hotel.

But the capsule, hidden in a freezer in the kitchen, stuck to the internal apparatus and disintegrated when it was being retrieved.

Other attempts to poison Castro came close but also ended in failure. A lover of Castros was allegedly recruited by the CIA and planned to poison him. Reportedly, Castro sensed what she was up to a offered her his own pistol to do it. "I can't do it, Fidel," she said.

Surviving numerous attempts on his life became a source of pride for Castro. As he was fond of saying: "If surviving assassination attempts were an Olympic event, I would win the gold medal."

But the constant pressure took its toll, he was constantly on the move and even late into his life, long after the end of the Cold War, his whereabouts were kept a secret.

If he had been killed, Castro wrote in an August column to mark his 90th birthday, his brother Raul would have simply replaced him anyway. I almost laughed at the Machiavellian plans of the US Presidents," he wrote.
Guests take advantage of Target's Black Friday electronics sales on Thursday, Nov. 24, 2016, in Jersey City, N.J. [Photo: Imagine China]

Stores across the US opened their doors Friday for what is still one of the busiest shopping days of the year, with hundreds of shoppers flooded into, and in some cases lining up in front of malls to get the best Black Friday deals as the start of the holiday shopping season edging closer year over year.

Tukash Mukhopadhaya is one of the Black Friday Shopper:

"All my friends were standing near the 'Best Buy'. They bought TVs, Toshiba TVs, 4K. And I bought a coffee maker. A coffee maker for just $7.99 from Macy's. And there was a lot of equipment at just $7.99. Now I am going to head into the Best Buy store and I am just going to grab some speakers if they still remain, you know? So many people have already visited, I'm not sure if they're going to still be there or not."

Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, is used to launch the holiday shopping season, but the competition to grab customers first is keen.

Stores like Macy's, Walmart, Target and more, were open Thursday evening in what they hope will be a new holiday tradition.

Terry Lundgren, Macy's CEO said store traffic has been encouraging:

"We had 16,000 people at 5 p.m. last night. We opened the doors, I was here watching the traffic go in, I stood at the front door for 25 minutes and the traffic never eased. So it was very encouraging, and here we are mid-morning on Friday, still lots of traffic."

Around 137 million people, both through online shopping platforms and retail stores, are expected to take advantage of the Thanksgiving weekend, according to a survey conducted for the National Retail Federation. That includes online and in-store shopping.

Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, vies with the Saturday before Christmas, in being considered to be the busiest shopping day of the year.
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Ken Livingstone has mentioned Hitler while discussing former Cuban president Fidel Castro, who has died at the age of 90.

The former mayor of London defended the controversial socialist revolutionary as he compared the country under Castro's power to Britain in the Second World War.

Follow the latest live updates here

Ive been [to Cuba] many times, its a very open and relaxed society," Mr Livingstone told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.

"Im sure they will, over time, move towards something like a traditional West European democracy, but it could have happened a lot earlier if you hadnt had, the entire time, the blockade by America, attempts to overthrow the regime, eight assassination attempts authorised by American presidents.

We didnt have an entirely functioning democracy in World War Two, it was shut down. The general election was cancelled, anyone expressing support for Hitler was thrown into prison.

If youre living in a wartime situation, its not good for democracy.

Mr Livingstone, who called Castro an "absolute giant of the 20th Century" and a "beacon of light all over Latin America", also praised the countrys education and healthcare.

Fidel Castro: Life in pictures Show all 27 1 /27 Fidel Castro: Life in pictures Fidel Castro: Life in pictures Rex Fidel Castro: Life in pictures Fidel Castro in Havana, Cuba Rex Fidel Castro: Life in pictures Cuban president Fidel Castro looking at a rifle during a visit in North Vietnam during the Vietnam war Getty Fidel Castro: Life in pictures Cuban President Fidel Castro in Matanzas, Cuba, on the 46th anniversary of the assault on the Moncada Barracks by Castro's rebels. The attack marked the beginning of the Cuban revolution, which eventually propelled Castro to power Getty Fidel Castro: Life in pictures Fidel Castro with his first wife Mirta and his son Fidelito Rex Fidel Castro: Life in pictures Fidel Castro at his 'Guerrilla Man of Time' book launch in Havana, Cuba Rex Fidel Castro: Life in pictures Fidel Castro Rex Fidel Castro: Life in pictures Cuban President Fidel Castro delivers a speech attacking media organizations and groups opposed to his government in the wake of rumours of his death Getty Fidel Castro: Life in pictures Fidel Castro playing Basketball Rex Fidel Castro: Life in pictures Watched by Russian premier Nikita Khrushchev, Cuban dictator Fidel Castro takes a photograph of Moscow during his first visit to Russia Getty Fidel Castro: Life in pictures Cuban president Fidel Castro attends a protest against the US embargo of Cuba Getty Fidel Castro: Life in pictures Fidel Castro and Osvaldo Dorticos Torrado talking to Cuban medical staff who are going to Peru to help with the aftermath of an earthquake Getty Fidel Castro: Life in pictures Cuban revolutionary leader Fidel Castro relaxing at a sugar plantation near Havana, surrounded by children Getty Fidel Castro: Life in pictures Cuban President Fidel Castro presides over a massive May Day demonstration at Havana's Plaza de la Revolucion (Revolution Square Getty Fidel Castro: Life in pictures Cuban leader Fidel Castro is presented with an invitation to the New York Press Photographer's Ball, in New York City Getty Fidel Castro: Life in pictures Fidel Castro, Prime Minister of the Cuban Revolutionary government and first secretary of the Cuban Communist Party, and Ernesto Guevara known as Che, minister of Industry in Havana, Cuba Getty Fidel Castro: Life in pictures Cuban President Fidel Castro waves to participants of the traditional May Day parade attended by thousands of people in Havana's Plaza of the Revolution Getty Fidel Castro: Life in pictures Cuban Prime Minister Fidel Castro with Argentine guerrilla leader Ernesto Che Guevara Getty Fidel Castro: Life in pictures Pope Benedict XVI meets with former Cuban President Fidel Castro at the Vatican embassy in Havana, Cuba Getty Fidel Castro: Life in pictures Cuban revolutionary Fidel Castro and Soviet politician Nikita Sergeyevich Khrushchev in Moscow Getty Fidel Castro: Life in pictures Iraqi vice-president Saddam Hussein, stands with Cuban President Fidel Castro and Defense minister General Raul Castro in Havana, during his visit to Cuba Getty Fidel Castro: Life in pictures Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and former Cuban leader Fidel Castro Rex Fidel Castro: Life in pictures Cuban President Fidel Castro listens to Pope John Paul II as they walk on the tarmac of the Jose Marti International Airport in Havana Getty Fidel Castro: Life in pictures Fidel Castro with Chavez in Cuba Getty Images Fidel Castro: Life in pictures Fidel Castro greets Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe in Havana Getty Fidel Castro: Life in pictures Fidel Castro with Gabriel Garcia Marquez in 2000. The two friends first met in 1959 AFP/Getty Images Fidel Castro: Life in pictures Mandela salutes the crowd alongside Fidel Castro in Matanzas Getty

"Of course Fidel did things that were wrong," he added: Initially he wasn't very good on lesbian and gay rights, but the key things that mattered was that people had a good education, good healthcare and wealth was evenly distributed.

Castro's death, however, has divided opinion, and has prompted celebrations for Cuban exiles living in Little Havana, Miami.

Mr Livingstone was suspended from the Labour Party in April this year after stating that Hitler made deals with Zionist Jews in the 1930s. Despite heavy criticism for this, he then repeated his remarks in September this year while speaking with Victoria Derbyshire.
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World leaders continue to pay tribute to Fidel Castro, the late former President of Cuba and leader of a Communist one-party state that remains in place after almost six decades.

Donald Trump, meanwhile, was initally - and for once - apparently lost for words on Saturday when he shared his initial reaction - where else - on Twitter.

The Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn declared Castro a champion of social justice and a huge figure of modern history. President Francois Hollande was more reserved in his praise, remembering him as towering figure who incarnated the Cuban revolution, in both its hopes and subsequent disillusionment.

The Castropedia: Fidel's Cuba in facts and figures Show all 10 1 /10 The Castropedia: Fidel's Cuba in facts and figures The Castropedia: Fidel's Cuba in facts and figures Attempts made on Castro's life since he came to power in 1959: 638 (according to Fabian Escalante, former Cuban security chief) Reuters/Prensa Latina The Castropedia: Fidel's Cuba in facts and figures Castro is a baseball fan - with 16 teams making up the Cuban National Baseball League Reuters/Kimberly White The Castropedia: Fidel's Cuba in facts and figures Size of the original rebel army led by Castro and including Che Guevara that sailed to Cuba in 1956, eventually toppling President Batista on 1 January 1959: 82 STF/AFP/Getty Images The Castropedia: Fidel's Cuba in facts and figures Acts of "civil disobedience" logged in Cuba in 2005, according to a report by the exiled Cuban Democratic Directorate: 3,322 Miguel Vinas/AFP/Getty Images The Castropedia: Fidel's Cuba in facts and figures Age at which Castro began smoking cigars: 15 Age at which Castro gave up smoking cigars: 59 Jorge Rey/Getty Images The Castropedia: Fidel's Cuba in facts and figures Jorge Rey/Getty Images The Castropedia: Fidel's Cuba in facts and figures Reuters/Andrew Winning The Castropedia: Fidel's Cuba in facts and figures Total number of Cubans believed to have emigrated while Castro was in power: about 1.4 million (81 per cent of whom have settled in North America) Rodrigo Arangua/AFP/Getty Images The Castropedia: Fidel's Cuba in facts and figures Duration of a speech Castro made at the UN in 1960: 4 hours 29 minutes (listed by the Guinness Book of Records as the longest speech made in the United Nations) Tom Mihalek/Getty Images The Castropedia: Fidel's Cuba in facts and figures Films: Castro is listed as an "uncredited extra" in the 1946 musical Holiday in Mexico and as a "poolside spectator" in the romantic comedy Easy to Wed (also 1946) Hrvoje Polan/AFP/Getty Images

The South African president Jacob Zuma praised Castro for supporting the countrys struggle against apartheid.

Syrias President Bashar al-Assad sent his condolences to Castro's brother Raul and commended him as an inspiration. Conversely, Ed Royce, chairman of the US House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee, was unequivocal in his criticism: His legacy is one of repression at home, and support for terrorism abroad.

However, Mr Trump said that Castro was a 'brutal dictator' who 'oppressed his own people. He added that while Cuba was still a 'totalitarian island' he hoped the Cuban people could now live in 'freedom'

 Cubans around the world react to death of Fidel Castro

Castro will be cremated this afternoon in Cuba, where nine days of national mourning have been declared.

That Castro lived until 90, having survived multiple attempts on his life, was something he said he never imagined when he briefly emerged from seclusion earlier this year to deliver a farewell speech. Soon Ill be like all the others, Castro said. "To all our turn must come.
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Jeremy Corbyn has hailed Fidel Castro as a champion of social justice, following the announcement of the former Cuban leaders death.

The Labour leader admitted to flaws in the revolutionary leaders long rule over the Caribbean island, but praised him as a huge figure of modern history.

Mr Corbyn said: Fidel Castros death marks the passing of a huge figure of modern history, national independence and 20th century socialism.

From building a world class health and education system, to Cubas record of international solidarity abroad, Castros achievements were many.

For all his flaws, Castros support for Angola played a crucial role in bringing an end to Apartheid in South Africa, and he will be remembered both as an internationalist and a champion of social justice.

Mr Corbyns praise will come as no surprise because he is a long-standing supporter of the Cuba Solidarity Campaign, but will be controversial nonetheless.

In his statement, his only nod to the many human rights abuses under Mr Castros rule was to acknowledge all his flaws.

On a visit to Oxford, Mr Corbyn also spoke of the stories of his heroism while living in Mexico in exile and then the boat to Cuba, the march to Havana and the revolution in 1959.

And, he lauded the progress Cuba has made in recent years in opposing the death penalty, accepting LGBT [lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender] rights and healing relations with the United States.

He added: History will show that Fidel was somebody who stood up for something very, very different in the Caribbean and many independent people would say how good healthcare and education are in Cuba compared to many other places in the world.

Addressing concerns that he was overlooking the suppression of human freedoms, Mr Corbyn said: I have constantly raised the issues of human rights abuses everywhere in the world and if LGBT people are wrongly and badly treated and people are denied the freedom of speech, then that is wrong.

He added: I have never shied away from raising human rights concerns in any country in the world in any circumstances and I never will.

In the years before becoming leader of the opposition, Mr Corbyn visited the Latin America state several times and attacked US policy towards it.

Mr Castros death at the age of 90 was announced by his brother Raul Castro and followed years of speculation about his ill health.

He will be cremated in a service later today and his ashes will be laid to rest on 4 December. Nine national days of mourning will then begin in Cuba.
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A nurse has avoided being struck off for concealing the fact that medic Pauline Cafferkey had a raised temperature before she tested positive for Ebola.

The high temperature, noted on December 28 2014, should have triggered concerns that Ms Cafferkey was infected with the deadly virus.

But Donna Wood suggested a lower temperature was recorded on Ms Cafferkey's form so they could pass through the screening process at passport control at Heathrow Airport more quickly, a Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) panel found.

Ms Wood was handed a two-month suspension order during a hearing in Stratford, east London, on Friday, after the panel found her fitness to practise had been impaired on public interest grounds.

Ms Wood had faced the possibility of being struck off as a result of the hearing.

Najrul Khasru, chairman of the panel, said it had considered several aggravating factors before deciding to suspend Ms Wood - a sanction he said was appropriate.

He said she had put Ms Cafferkey and anyone coming into contact with her at unwarranted risk of harm and told her the seriousness of the misconduct could have contributed to the risk of Ebola - a very serious and dangerous illness - spreading into this country.

Mr Khasru said the panel was mindful of its duty to protect the public interest and public confidence in the profession.

But he said: While the public interest in this case is high, the panel considers that there was also a public interest in retaining and allowing a highly-skilled and well-regarded nurse to return to practice.

Mr Khasru described Ms Wood, who was one of the first group of NHS medics to travel to West Africa, as someone of good character.

The dishonesty in this case was a momentary lapse of judgment and unlikely to be repeated, he said.

He added that the misconduct was an isolated incident in an otherwise unblemished career.

Ms Wood and Ms Cafferkey, who were volunteer nurses returning from Ebola-stricken Sierra Leone, were going through passport control when their group was pulled aside for screening.

The NMC panel found that Ms Wood was aware Ms Cafferkey's temperature was above the nationally-set threshold, having been measured twice above 38C (101F).

But it said Ms Wood suggested a lower temperature of 37.2C (99F) be recorded on her screening form so the group could leave the uncomfortable and chaotic area more quickly.

A temperature above 37.5C (100F) required further assessment by doctors in the Public Health England (PHE) screening room.

The panel could not prove Ms Wood, who at the time was a senior sister at Haywood Hospital in Staffordshire, had written the incorrect temperature on Ms Cafferkey's forms.

It also ruled that her fitness to practise was not impaired on public protection grounds, describing her as low risk.

The medics had taken their own temperatures to help staff running the screening process, the hearing was told.

Ms Cafferkey's high temperature was later reported to another doctor, who recommended she was screened again, but she was given the all-clear to travel on to Glasgow.

The following day, the Scottish medic was admitted to hospital, where she was diagnosed with Ebola.

Ms Cafferkey, who survived the deadly outbreak, was cleared at an earlier hearing in September of allowing the incorrect temperature to be recorded.

An NMC panel found three charges against her proven by admission but said her fitness to practise was not affected.

It ruled that her judgment at the airport in December 2014 had been so impaired by the developing illness that she could not be found guilty of misconduct.

PA
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Ten asylum seekers, including four children, have received medical treatment after being found in the back of a refrigerator lorry in the Midlands.

Ambulance crews were called to a retail park off the M6 after the group of six men and four boys were discovered in Wednesbury, West Midlands, at around 5:30pm on Thursday.

Immigration officials are now processing the men who are understood to be from Iraq, Iran, Vietnam and Lebanon.

They have been referred to the Home Offices Immigration Enforcement directorate to be interviewed.

The children have been placed in the care of childrens services for further assessment.

Two Spanish men, aged 50 and 60, were arrested by police on suspicion of facilitating illegal immigration.

Emergency services were called to Axletree Way at 5:31pm to reports of 10 people in the back of a refrigerated lorry, a West Midlands Ambulance Service spokesman said.

Refugees welcome here: Protesters demand UK resettle more migrants in response to refugee crisis Show all 7 1 /7 Refugees welcome here: Protesters demand UK resettle more migrants in response to refugee crisis Refugees welcome here: Protesters demand UK resettle more migrants in response to refugee crisis The Solidarity With Refugees group said Saturdays protest aimed to show our Government and the world that Britain is ready to welcome more refugees. Rex Features Refugees welcome here: Protesters demand UK resettle more migrants in response to refugee crisis People march through central London as they take part in a protest rally organised by Solidarity with Refugees in a bid to urge the Government to take more action on the migrant crisis Press Association Refugees welcome here: Protesters demand UK resettle more migrants in response to refugee crisis The protest comes days before world leaders meet to discuss crisis at UN General Assembly Press Association Refugees welcome here: Protesters demand UK resettle more migrants in response to refugee crisis Demonstrators made their way from Park Lane to Parliament Square in London on Saturday afternoon Press Association Refugees welcome here: Protesters demand UK resettle more migrants in response to refugee crisis Marchers chanted refugees are welcome here and waved banners reading no-one is illegal and lets help people Press Association Refugees welcome here: Protesters demand UK resettle more migrants in response to refugee crisis The march was supported by charities and groups including the Red Cross, Asylum Aid, Save the Children, Hope Not Hate, Oxfam and the UN Refugee Agency Rex Features Refugees welcome here: Protesters demand UK resettle more migrants in response to refugee crisis In the wake of Alans death, David Cameron pledged to resettle 20,000 Syrian refugees in the UK over the coming five years but there have been additional calls to re-home those who have already reached Europe, as well as asylum seekers coming from other conflict zones such as Iraq and Afghanistan Rex Features

He said the men were thought to be between 16 and 26 years old.

"They were all assessed and treated for the effects of cold, with a nearby coffee shop providing hot drinks, he said.

"Nine of the patients were discharged at the scene, while one was taken to Walsall Manor Hospital after fainting."

It comes after an asylum seeker travelled from Calais to within eight miles of the British coastline in an inflatable kayak.

The Iranian man, aged around 30, was spotted by a cross-channel ferry earlier this month, before a UK border force vessel was dispatched to pick him up.

The man, believed to have been living in the Jungle camp before it was closed in October, was reportedly detained at an immigration centre in Croydon, London, and assessed under an immigration procedure known as 'Detained Fast Track' (DFT).

Additional reporting by Press Association
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A power cut plunged parts of central London into darkness during the Black Friday shopping holiday.

The West End and Soho districts - both of which were full of shoppers, tourists and people on nights out at the time - went dark shortly after 5pm.

The famous electric billboards of Piccadilly Circus shut down, leaving the cross section in shadows.

UK Power Networks explained "engineers are now on site" investigating the cause of the sudden blackout.

Engineers were able to get some power back to the affected area by re-routing around the fault. UK Power Networks tweeted full power was returned to Soho and the West End by 9pm.

The evening West End performance of Aladdin the Musical was cancelled due to the power cut.

A spokesman for the Disney West End musical, playing at the Prince Edward Theatre, tweeted: "Due to the ongoing power cut in Central London we regret that tonight's performance has been cancelled.

"Tickets will be refunded. Please refer to your original point of purchase for full details.

"We regret any disappointment or inconvenience caused by this unavoidable occurrence. Thank you."

Transport for London explained the tube network was not affected by the power cut but said travellers were held at Tottenham Court Road and Oxford Circus stations to avoid overcrowding.

Blackout witness Adrie van der Luijt tweeted: "You can't see where you are walking throughout Soho, Shaftesbury Avenue, Piccadilly Circus and Chinatown. Astonishing. No traffic lights."
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One of the UKs most notorious paedophiles killed himself in his prison cell after fellow inmates took out contracts to attack him, an inquest has heard.

James King, who was also known as Robin Hollyson, was just four months into a 24-year sentence for filming himself raping a three-month old baby when he was found unconscious in his cell at HMP Bristol in January.

He was rushed to Southmead Hospital in the city where he died two days later.

Two suicide notes were found at the scene but suspicions were raised when his cellmate, Cona Ellis, was found covered in blood and wearing Kings watch.

Ellis, who raised the alarm, told police that he was asleep and had been woken by gargling noises but it was later alleged that he had told prison officer Mike Simmonds he had watched King hang himself but had no involvement.

No charges have been filed and Avon and Somerset Police have deemed the death non-suspicious.

Fellow prisoner John Denham told the jury inquest at Avon Coroners Court that inmates had been taking out contracts to hurt King and had threatened to pour hot water on him or give him a black eye or two.

His mother, Deborah Wyatt, also gave a statement saying the former IT worker was subject to verbal bullying by the other prisoners and said he feared he may be attacked with a sugar and hot water solution  known as sugaring  which can cause painful burns, the Bristol Post reported.

During one visit, she said he had told her one of his co-defendants had been sugared and he suggested to us that the attack on Matthew was intended for him.

UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 31 October 2022 GBs James Hall competes during the mens parallel bars qualification at the World Gymnastics Championships in Liverpool AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 30 October 2022 People dressed in Halloween costumes paddle board along the river Avon in Christchurch, Dorset PA UK news in pictures 29 October 2022 Members of the public take pictures as police officers remove activists from a road during a Just Stop Oil protest, in London Reuters UK news in pictures 28 October 2022 A cosplayer attends the MCM Comic Con London 2022 at the ExCel Centre in London Reuters UK news in pictures 27 October 2022 98-year-old D-Day Veteran Bernard Morgan, whose story is among those featured on the giant poppy wall, during the launch of The Royal British Legion 2022 Poppy Appeal, at Hay's Galleria in central London PA UK news in pictures 26 October 2022 A meerkat explores a pumpkin in the enclosure at Wild Place, Bristol, where some of the animals are having pumpkin treats as part of their environmental enrichment PA UK news in pictures 25 October 2022 King Charles III welcomes Rishi Sunak during an audience at Buckingham Palace, where he invited the newly elected leader of the Conservative Party to become Prime Minister and form a new government PA UK news in pictures 24 October 2022 Rishi Sunak celebrates with Tory MPs outside the Conservative Campaign Headquarters after becoming the new leader of the Conservative Party Reuters UK news in pictures 23 October 2022 The Green Man at October Plenty, Borough Market's annual Autumn Harvest festival, in London, which returns for the first time post pandemic PA UK news in pictures 21 October 2022 Sculptor Peter McKenna puts the finishing touches to a pumpkin that will form part of the Planet A Hebden Bridge Pumpkin Trail in the West Yorkshire town PA UK news in pictures 20 October 2022 Britains Prime Minister Liz Truss delivers a speech outside of 10 Downing Street in central London to announce her resignation AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 19 October 2022 Salmon leap up Stainforth Force on the River Ribble in the Yorkshire Dales as they swim upriver to their spawning grounds during the annual Salmon migration PA UK news in pictures 18 October 2022 Just Stop Oil protesters continue their protest for a second day on the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge, which links Kent and Essex and which remains closed for traffic, after it was scaled by two climbers from the group PA UK news in pictures 17 October 2022 Hundreds of students take part in the traditional Raisin Monday foam fight on St Salvator's Lower College Lawn at the University of St Andrews in Fife PA UK news in pictures 16 October 2022 A protester holds a placard during a march into central London at a demonstration by the climate change protest group Extinction Rebellion AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 15 October 2022 A member of the public drags an activist who is blocking the road during a "Just Stop Oil" protest, in London, Britain REUTERS UK news in pictures 14 October 2022 Germanys Womens double skulls during day one of the World Rowing Beach Sprint Finals at Saundersfoot beach, Pembrokeshire PA UK news in pictures 13 October 2022 Family and mourners arrive at St Michael's Church, in Creeslough, for the funeral mass of 49-year-old mother of four Martina Martin, who died following an explosion at the Applegreen service station in the village of Creeslough in Co Donegal on Friday PA UK news in pictures 12 October 2022 Motorists in Coventry pass trees showing autumnal colour PA UK news in pictures 11 October 2022 A woman and her dog in the the North Sea at Tynemouth Longsands beach before sunrise PA UK news in pictures 10 October 2022 Police officers remove a campaigner from a Just Stop Oil protest on The Mall, near Buckingham Palace, London PA UK news in pictures 9 October 2022 A drummer plays during the Diwali on the Square celebration, in Trafalgar Square, London PA UK news in pictures 8 October 2022 Timothee Chalamet attending the UK premiere of Bones and All during the BFI London Film Festival 2022 at the Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre, London PA UK news in pictures 7 October 2022 Two young male fallow deer lock antlers in Dublins Phoenix park as rutting season begins PA UK news in pictures 6 October 2022 The Princess of Wales during a cocktail making competition during a visit to Trademarket, a new outdoor street-food and retail market situated in Belfast city centre, as part of the royal visit to Northern Ireland PA UK news in pictures 5 October 2022 Greenpeace protesters interrupt Prime Minister Liz Truss as she delivers her keynote speech to the Conservative Party annual conference PA UK news in pictures 4 October 2022 Prime Minister Liz Truss and Britains Chancellor of the Exchequer Kwasi Kwarteng wearing hard hats and hi-vis jackets, visit a construction site for a medical innovation campus in Birmingham AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 3 October 2022 British artist Sam Cox, aka Mr Doodle, reveals the Doodle House, a twelve-room mansion at Tenterden, in Kent, which has been covered, inside and out in the artist's trademark monochrome, cartoonish hand-drawn doodles PA UK news in pictures 2 October 2022 Erling Haaland celebrates after scoring Manchester City's second goal against Manchester United at Etihad Stadium. Haaland went on to score a hattrick, his third of the season in the Premier League. City beat United 6-3. Manchester City FC/Getty UK news in pictures 1 October 2022 Protesters hold up flags and placards at a protest in London. A variety of protest groups including Enough is Enough, Don't Pay and Just Stop Oil all demonstrated on the day AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 30 September 2022 British Prime Minister Liz Truss, who has not been seen in days, leaves the back of Downing Street after a meeting with Office For Budget Responsibility following the release of her governments mini-budget Getty UK news in pictures 29 September 2022 The Virginia creeper foliage on the Tu Hwnt i'r Bont (Beyond the Bridge) Llanwrst, Conwy North Wales, has changed colour from green to red in at the start of Autumn. The building was built in 1480 as a residential dwelling but has been a tearoom for over 50 years PA UK news in pictures 28 September 2022 Criminal barristers from the Criminal Bar Association (CBA), demonstrates outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London, as part of their ongoing pay row with the Government PA UK news in pictures 27 September 2022 David White, Garter King of Arms, poses with an envelope franked with the new cypher of King Charles III 'CIIIR', after it was printed in the Court Post Office at Buckingham Palace in central London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 26 September 2022 A gallery staff member poses next to a painting by Lucian Freud - Self-portrait (Fragment), 1956 - on show at a photocall for the Credit Suisse exhibition - Lucian Freud: New Perspectives at the National Gallery in London PA UK news in pictures 25 September 2022 Labour leader, Sir Keir Starmer is interviewed by Laura Kuenssberg in Liverpool before the start of the Labour Party annual Conference which he opened with a tribute to Queen Elizabeth II and sang the national anthem PA UK news in pictures 24 September 2022 Handout photo issued by Buckingham Palace of the ledger stone at the King George VI Memorial Chapel, St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle PA UK news in pictures 23 September 2022 A climate change activist protests against UK private jets while lighting his right arm on fire during the Laver Cup tennis tournament at the O2 Arena in London EPA UK news in pictures 22 September 2022 Woody Woodmansey, Lee Bennett, Kevin Armstrong, Nick Moran and Clifford Slapper attend the unveiling of a stone for David Bowie on the Music Walk of Fame at Camden, north London PA UK news in pictures 21 September 2022 A flock of birds in the sky as the sun rises over Dungeness in Kent PA UK news in pictures 20 September 2022 Flowers which were laid by members of the public in tribute to Queen Elizabeth II at Hillsborough Castle in Northern Ireland are collected by the Hillsborough Gardening Team and volunteers to be replanted for those that can be saved or composted PA UK news in pictures 19 September 2022 The ceremonial procession of the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II travels down the long walk as it arrives at Windsor Castle for the committal service at St Georges Chapel AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 18 September 2022 A man stands among campers on The Mall ahead of the Queens funeral Reuters UK news in pictures 17 September 2022 Wolverhampton Wanderers Nathan Collins fouls Manchester Citys Jack Grealish leading to a red card. City went on to win the match at Molineux Stadium three goals to nil. Action Images/Reuters UK news in pictures 16 September 2022 Members of the public stand in the queue near Tower Bridge, and opposite the Tower of London, as they wait in line to pay their respects to the late Queen Elizabeth II, in London AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 15 September 2022 Members of the public in the queue on in Potters Fields Park, central London, as they wait to view Queen Elizabeth II lying in state ahead of her funeral on Monday PA UK news in pictures 14 September 2022 The first members of the public pay their respects as the vigil begins around the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II in Westminster Hall, London, where it will lie in state ahead of her funeral on Monday PA UK news in pictures 13 September 2022 Crowds cheer as King Charles III and Camilla, Queen Consort arrive for a visit to Hillsborough Castle Getty UK news in pictures 12 September 2022 Crowds line the Royal Mile, Edinburgh, as King Charles III joins a procession from the Palace of Holyroodhouse to St Giles Cathedral following the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II Katielee Arrowsmith/SWNS UK news in pictures 11 September 2022 Members of the Public pay their respects as the hearse carrying the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II, draped in the Royal Standard of Scotland, is driven through Ballater AFP/Getty

King was one of a group of men who were convicted for abusing babies and very young children and distributing the pictures online in October 2015.

The court heard that King had suffered from anxiety and depression which got worse due to the press coverage of his conviction and he had previously attempted suicide.

But the prison chaplain said the 31-year-old had been more positive up until his death after he began bible classes and got a prison job.

After four hours of deliberation the jury recorded a verdict of suicide.
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Labour has vowed to fight any attempts to weaken European Union-imposed environmental laws after Brexit.

Shadow Brexit Secretary Sir Keir Starmer has demanded that all existing EU green laws are put into a new Act of Parliament, saying it would then be harder for future governments to U-turn on them.

Environmentalists have expressed concerns that leaving the EU will allow the climate-sceptic wing of the Conservative party to bring about a bonfire of green regulations, since more than 70 per cent of environmental safeguarding is regulated by the European Parliament.

In a speech to Labour environmentalists at Londons Coram Fields today, Sir Keir called for stronger protections for EU law than those proposed in the Governments Great Repeal Bill plan.

He said: A hard Brexit  removed from the single market and outside of common regulations and minimum standards  could be hugely damaging for our environment, our climate and our wider politics and society.

Labour will fight for a Brexit deal that puts the economy, jobs and living standards first and makes sure there is no watering down of key environmental protections or standards.

We will call for all existing EU environmental laws to be put into primary legislation through a new Act of Parliament.

This would make it far harder for future governments to weaken environmental legislation.

Recommended Melting sea ice could start uncontrollable global climate change

And it would enshrine EU minimum standards in UK law.

The Governments plan for a Great Repeal Bill will convert existing EU law into domestic law wherever practical, yet the process could weaken environmental standards because green laws may be transferred to secondary legislation rather than a full Act of Parliament.

Sir Keir added: We should make the case for more progressive, more ambitious domestic environmental policy too. Not to match EU standards but to go beyond them.

The UK is currently on course to cut emissions by only half the amount needed by 2030.

 Climate change: It's "game over" for planet earth

A report by the Committee on Climate Change (CCC) in October said there was an urgent need for action and that targets to reduce carbon emissions must continue to be met after the UK has left the EU.

The CCC warned that a failure to switch to an energy-efficient and green economy could cause economic problems, as British companies would struggle to sell their products in Europe.

Fears that the UK will not retain needed environmental protections after Brexit have been encouraged by a series of Conservative U-turns on green policy.

Having once championed itself as the greenest government ever, the Conservatives have now slashed subsidies for onshore wind and solar power; scrapped the zero carbon homes standard; ended an incentive for home insulation; and reversed its promise to exclude national parks from fracking.

Brexit Concerns Show all 26 1 /26 Brexit Concerns Brexit Concerns Brexit will put British patients at 'back of the queue' for new drugs Brexit will put British patients at the back of the queue for vital new drugs, the Government has been warned  forcing them to wait up to two years longer A medicines regulator has raised the alarm over a likely decision to pull out of the European Medicines Agency (EMA), as well as the EU itself. ealth Secretary Jeremy Hunt dropped the bombshell , when he said he expected the UK would quit the EMA  because it is subject to rulings by the European Court of Justice. Getty Images Brexit Concerns London to lose status as 'gateway to Europe' for banks One of Germanys top banking regulators has warned that London could lose its status as gateway to Europe for the banking sector after Britain quits the European trading bloc. Andreas Dombret, who is an executive board member for the BundesbankGermanys central banktold a private meeting of German businesses and banks earlier this week in Frankfurt that even if banking rules were equivalent between the UK and the rest of the EU, that was still miles away from [Britain having] access to the single market, the BBC reports. Jason Hawkes Brexit Concerns Exodus The number of financial sector professionals in Britain and continental Europe looking for jobs in Ireland rocketed in the months after the UK voted to leave the European Union Shutterstock Brexit Concerns Brexit is making FTSE 100 executives richer Pay packages of many FTSE 100 chief executive officers are partly tied to how well share prices are doing rather than the CEOs performance -- and some stocks are soaring. ritish equities got a boost since the June vote because the likes of Rio Tinto, Smiths Group and WPP generate most sales abroad and earn a fortune when they convert these revenues back into the weakened pound. Sterlings fall also made UK stocks more affordable for overseas investors. Rex Brexit Concerns Theresa May: UK to leave single market Theresa May has said the UK "cannot possibly" remain within the European single market, as staying in it would mean "not leaving the EU at all". Getty Brexit Concerns Lead campaigner Gina Miller and her team outside the High Court Getty Brexit Concerns Raymond McCord holds up his newly issued Irish passport alongside his British passport outside the High Court in Belfast following a judges dismissal of the UK's first legal challenges to Brexit PA wire Brexit Concerns SDLP leader Colum Eastwood leaving the High Court in Belfast following a judges dismissal of the UK's first legal challenges to Brexit PA wire Brexit Concerns Migrants with luggage walk past a graffiti on a wall as they leave the 'Jungle' migrant camp, as part of a major three-day operation planned to clear the camp in Calais Getty Brexit Concerns Migrants leave messages on their tents in the Jungle migrant camp Getty Brexit Concerns The Adventist Development and Relief Agency (Adra) which distributes approximately 700 meals daily in the northern Paris camp states that it is noticing a spike in new migrant arrivals this week, potentially linked the the Calais 'jungle' camp closure - with around 1000 meals distributed today EPA Brexit Concerns Migrant workers pick apples at Stocks Farm in Suckley, Britain Reuters Brexit Concerns Many farmers across the country are voicing concerns that Brexit could be a dangerous step into the unknown for the farming industry Getty Brexit Concerns Bank of England governor Mark Carney who said the long-term outlook for the UK economy is positive, but growth was slowing in the wake of the Brexit vote PA Brexit Concerns The Dow Jones industrial average closed down over 600 points on the news with markets around the globe pluninging Getty Brexit Concerns Immigration officers deal with each member of the public seeking entry into the United Kingdom but on average, 10 a day are refused entry at this London airport and between 2008 and 2009, 33,100 people were detained at the airport for mainly passport irregularities Getty Brexit Concerns A number of global investment giants have threatened to move their European operations out of London if Brexit proves to have a negative impact on their businesses Getty Brexit Concerns Following the possibility of a Brexit the UK would be released from its renewable energy targets under the EU Renewable Energy Directive and from EU state aid restrictions, potentially giving the government more freedom both in the design and phasing out of renewable energy support regimes Getty Brexit Concerns A woman looking at a chart showing the drop in the pound (Sterling) against the US Dollar in London after Britain voted to leave the EU Getty Brexit Concerns Young protesters outside the Houses of Parliament in Westminster, to protest against the United Kingdom's decision to leave the EU following the referendum Getty Brexit Concerns Applications from Northern Ireland citizens for Irish Passports has soared to a record high after the UK Voted in favour of Leaving the EU Getty Brexit Concerns NFU Vice President Minette Batters with Secretary of State, Andrea Leadsome at the National Farmers Union (NFU) took machinery, produce, farmers and staff to Westminster to encourage Members of Parliament to back British farming, post Brexit Getty Brexit Concerns The latest reports released by the UK Cabinet Office warn that expats would lose a range of specific rights to live, to work and to access pensions, healthcare and public services. The same reports added that UK citizens abroad would not be able to assume that these rights will be guaranteed in the future Getty Brexit Concerns A British resident living in Spain asks questions during an informative Brexit talk by the "Brexpats in Spain" group, about Spanish legal issues to become Spanish citizens, at the town hall in Benalmadena, Spain Reuters Brexit Concerns The collapse of Great Britain appears to have been greatly exaggerated given the late summer crowds visiting city museums, hotels, and other important tourist attractions Getty Brexit Concerns The U.K. should maintain European Union regulations covering everything from working hours to chemicals until after the government sets out its plans for Brexit, said British manufacturers anxious to avoid a policy vacuum and safeguard access to their biggest export market Getty

Theresa May has sent mixed messages on global warming, abolishing the Governments Department of Energy & Climate Change as soon as she assumed office and replacing it with the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.

But her Government has also signed up to cut emissions and Business Secretary Greg Clark  who now presides over the issue of climate change  has said the UK will continue to play our part in the transition to a global low-carbon economy.

Britains forthcoming departure from the EU raises further questions about how the burden of reducing carbon emissions, agreed in the Paris accord, will be shared among European governments.

Now that the UK is leaving the EU, it is thought the only way for the bloc to reach its overall goal for cutting carbon emissions will be by increasing the burden on the remaining 27 countries.

Additional reporting by Press Association
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A plan for Britons to retain the right to live and work in the EU  for a fee  has won the backing of the European Parliaments chief Brexit negotiator.

As The Independent revealed earlier this month, MEPs will consider a proposal to grant British citizens the right to claim associate citizenship, after withdrawal is completed.

Now the idea has won the important backing of Guy Verhofstadt, the former Belgian Prime Minister who held talks with the Brexit Secretary, David Davis, this week.

Mr Verhofstadt  an open supporter of a United States of Europe, has made himself a champion for the rights of the 48 per cent of British voters who voted Remain.

Many say, 'We don't want to cut our links', he told The Times.

I like the idea that people who are European citizens and saying they want to keep it, have the possibility of doing so. As a principle, I like it.

The comments are a significant boost to the campaign, which could also see British citizens retain the right to vote in European Parliament elections after Brexit.

Proposed by Charles Goerens, a Liberal MEP from Luxembourg, Amendment 882 is due to be considered by the Parliaments constitutional affairs committee on 8 December.

Mr Goerens said: Between 15 and 30 million British citizens deeply regret Brexit.

My amendment was tabled in order to get European citizenship for those British citizens who want to keep their citizenship.

Mr Goerens has suggested the scheme could even be free, but Mr Verhofstadts plan is for Britons to pay an annual membership fee to opt in to citizenship.

It is thought it would be particularly popular with young people, who stand to lose the most from losing the right to live and work in other European countries.

However, the idea would have to be approved by all EU nations to become part of any exit deal with Britain  and, predictably, has already drawn the fire of some Brexit supporters.

Andrew Bridgen, Conservative MP for North West Leicestershire, said: It's an attempt to create two classes of UK citizen and to subvert the referendum vote. The truth is that Brussels will try every trick in the book to stop us leaving.

Jayne Adye, director of the Get Britain Out campaign, told The Independent: This is an outrage. The EU is now attempting to divide the great British public at the exact moment we need unity.

It is totally unacceptable for certain citizens in the UK to subject themselves to laws, which are created by politicians who are not accountable for the British people as a whole.

Mr Verhofstadt, leader of the liberal bloc of MEPs in the Parliament, admitted there would be opposition from MEPs who think it is too easy to allow Britons to choose citizenship.

He added: I don't know if it will fly or not  there are big differences of view here in the Parliament. Some MEPs asked, why stay in the EU if your citizens can have the advantages of European citizenship.
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* The article below concerned a study by Hope not Hate, which was originally mis-characterised as having found that 50,000 tweets celebrating the death of Jo Cox had been posted in the aftermath of her murder. This claim was not, in fact, made by the study - nor did it suggest that 25,000 different accounts had posted such tweets. Hope not Hate has addressed these points here. Its original study can be seen here.

Concerns were raised about the Hope not Hate study - and the media coverage which followed - by Evolution AI, which had conducted its own analysis of tweets posted after Ms Cox's death. Its conclusions can be seen here.

We have taken the decision not simply to remove this article from our site but to add these caveats and explanatory links. 21/12/16

In the aftermath of the murder of MP Jo Cox, more than 50,000 tweets celebrated her death congratulating her killer, Neo Nazi Thomas Mair.

Tweets describing Mair as a "hero" and a "patriot" were sent in the aftermath of her murder from 25,000 accounts, according to a report on cyber hate speech.

On Wednesday, Mair was handed a whole-life sentence at the Old Bailey on Wednesday for the murder of the 41-year-old mother-of-two.

Dr Imran Awan of Birmingham City University, and Dr Irene Zempi of Nottingham Trent University studied 53,000 tweets following Ms Cox's murder in the run-up to the EU Referendum with the top 20 words including "hero", "patriot", "white power", "rapists" and "traitor" - reports the The Guardian.

The report, which will be published on November 28, explained online statements of hate and hate offences on the the street are linked to online perpetrators inspired by "trigger" events such as the EU referendum.

Dr Awan and Dr Zempi have called on social media companies to fulfill a duty of care and conduct in addition to founding an archive filled with online hate incidents.

Nick Lowles, chief executive of anti-fascist organisation Hope Not Hate said in support of the report: "Mair acted alone but he was inspired by over 30 years of reading Nazi propaganda.

"Clearly there were those on social media and other digital platforms who sought to exploit and profit from his disgusting actions, and the tensions also arising from the referendum process, to spread their vile beliefs.

 Jo Cox's husband hopes to continue her legacy after Mair guilty verdict

He added: "It is time for the authorities to take greater note of these ideologues of hate, and time too for social media companies - and Twitter in particular - to up their game when it comes to providing a safe platform for expression.

"Free speech does not equal hate speech, which can have very real consequences and impact in communities in the UK."
Many renowned Chinese and foreign physicists have joined a discussion about whether China should build a next-generation large hadron collider. Britain physicist and cosmologist Stephen Hawking is encouraging China to do just that.

China has an incredible opportunity to become the world leader here  dont waste it. A good example is to build the Great Collider that can lead high energy physics for the next fifty years, Hawking wrote.

Well-known mathematician Shing-Tung Yau is in favor of Hawking's suggestion, and proposed that China choose a place near Shanhai Pass in Qinhuandao, Hebei province as its building site. Meanwhile, Chen Ning Yang, Nobel Laureate in Physics, openly opposed the idea in September, though Wang Yifang, director of the Institute of High-Energy Physics (IHEP) under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, refuted Chens objections.

The discussion goes beyond China's borders. Philip Warren Anderson, an American physicist and Nobel laureate, is among the opponents of the plan, while David Jonathan Gross, an American theoretical physicist and string theorist, is a proponent.

Also important to mention is that the worlds current largest hadron collider is the LHC at CERN. It helped scientists to discover the Higgs boson, which is regarded as the last building block of the model.

Below is the original text by Hawking:

Particle physics is definitely not a dying field. It is however an entirely different enterprise than it was in 1980. Since then, the standard model looks to be essentially confirmed and this may give the impression that the field is complete. However, that is far from being true. There are phenomena that are just not included in the standard model. Some are CP violation, neutrino oscillations, dark matter. In theory, the problems are immense: how to include gravity, the recently discovered dualities of quantum field theories, quark confinement, dark energy, black holes, early-universe cosmology. It is a different world but one that offers huge challenges to ambitious young people interested in how our Universe works. China has an incredible opportunity to become the world leader here  dont waste it. A good example is to build the Great Collider that can lead high energy physics for the next fifty years.
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Momentum has announced it is to host a series of nationwide events and debates to coincide with Governments triggering of Article 50 in 2017.

Alongside The World Transformed the organisation  set up in the wake of Jeremy Corbyns victory as Labour leader  will launch a series of political and cultural events in local communities across the country.

The events will run under the name Take Back Control  the political slogan used by the Leave campaign during the referendum on Britains membership of the EU.

Emma Rees, one of Momentums national organisers, told The Independent: After the success of The World Transformed in Liverpool, Take Back Control is a series of exciting events that will bring together leave and remain voters to debate the terms of Brexit, the future of Britain and give a platform to voices too often left out of political conversations.

Lotte Boumelha, a Take Back Control organiser, added: Theresa May claims Brexit means Brexit. But this empty phrase has been used to hide the fact that the government is in chaos. Many people, both leave and remain voters, have felt dis-empowered since the referendum and shut out of the debate.

Take Back Control will be about reclaiming the narrative and opening up the negotiations. This is our Brexit. We should get to decide what it means and what it will look like. And while Theresa May has only a majority of 14 MPs - she will have to listen to us.

Another organiser Charlie Clarke, said Mr Corbyns re-election as Labour leader and the victory of Donald Trump in the American presidential election are all part of a revolt against politics as usual.

He added: Individuals have felt powerless for decades, and are starting to re-assert themselves. But taking back control is not the preserve of the right. We want to see a Great Britain that takes power back from the economic elites Trump and Farage belong to.

One that demands a more democratic voting system. A more balanced, plural media that isnt owned by billionaires. A political system where all the decisions arent made in Westminster. A society where people arent overworked, underpaid and weighed down with debt, rent and spiraling bill payments.

In March, to coincide with the Governments anticipated triggering of the exit process from the EU, The World Transformed will work with local Momentum groups, constituency Labour parties, and trade union branches to bring together leave and remain voters, open up the Brexit negotiations and discuss how we can take back control from economic elites and establishment politicians.

It is expected the events will host discussions on immigration, national identity, democracy, the economy and the future of Europe. There will be a focus on holding events in marginal constituencies, and those with a high leave vote - where The World Transformed will provide support, resources and funds to reach out to communities who voted leave and are often left out of the political conversation, the group adds.
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An elderly amateur pilot who went missing for a second time while attempting to fly the length of Africa with no radio or navigational equipment has been found safe in South Sudan.

Maurice Kirk, 72, a former vet and drinking partner of Oliver Reed, was taking part in the Vintage Air Rally, which runs from Crete to Cape Town over five weeks.

He went missing on Friday after departing Ethiopia in his light aircraft, Liberty Girl, a 1943 Piper Cub aeroplane Mr Kirk claims was flown by General George Patten in the Second World War.

But his plane became lost and Mr Kirk was out of contact with the rally organisers.

However, on Saturday, the rallys Facebook page posted a message saying Mr Kirk was alive and well, albeit in one of the most unstable countries in Africa.

Maurice is safe! the post said. We heard he had an engine failure and landed (not at an airfield) in South Sudan but had a puncture on landing.

Hes fine, we think the plane also. Locals found him and called a Brit in Juba they recently worked for. He contacted the British embassy in Juba.

Another team flying a 1930s era biplane also crashed on Saturday in Kenya, but were unharmed.

Mr Kirk, from Bristol, had gone missing earlier in the week while flying a three hour trip from Sudan to western Ethiopia. He had previously reported two instances of engine failure and was flying without a compass.

World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. 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In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. 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He and other rally pilots were held by the Ethiopian authorities after they accused them of crossing into the country illegally, but were later allowed to continue.

Mr Kirk had been asked to withdraw from the rally before going missing for the first time after his radio broke and because of a "mismatch in expectations," but continued anyway.

After he was safe he wrote on Facebook that he was quite shaken from engine failure on Khartoum and expressed a craving for alcohol.

Happily, a day before he went missing for the first time, Mr Kirk apparently enjoyed the company of UK officials in Sudan, writing on social media: Oh what a night at the British Embassy and access to real beer!

Despite the haphazard nature of his trip, Mr Kirk is a veteran rally pilot, coming last in the 2001 London to Sydney Air Race - although he was arrested on suspicion of being a spy in India - covering 14,000 miles.

However, his most famous adventure was in 2008, when he was arrested and briefly detained in a US psychiatric unit after he landed his plane six miles from George W Bushs ranch in Crawford, Texas during another round-the-world flight.

Mr Kirk had intended to send a thank-you note to the former President because the US Coastguard helped him after an aircraft he was flying had to ditch in the Caribbean.
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A political television show in Kenya has been dropped after a male guest made a rape remark about a female guest.

The show, hosted by former CNN journalist Jeff Koinange, had Miguna Miguna and Esther Passaris as guests - both of whom are contenders for the Nairobi governor seat.

Mr Miguna said "Esther is so beautiful everybody wants to rape her", in an off-air personal attack.

"You are chasing men all over, nobody wants you," he continued, the BBC reported. "You think you're beautiful, you are not. Esther is just colour. Without colour you are nothing."

"A woman who has absolutely no integrity. A socialite bimbo whose only claim to fame is because she is looking for billionaire sponsors, he said, according to Metro Afrique.

Ms Passaris accused Mr Miguna of being racist and tweeted after the show: Men like Miguna have no place or role to play in our empowerment. He is part of the problem."

World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty

Mr Koinage, the host of the show, apologised for the incident and said he would man up over what had happened.

"It was regrettable in most parts but again it was one show out of 300 we've done here at KTN for the last three years," he said.
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The United States greeted news of Fidel Castros death both with familiar disparagement of a tyrant whose revolution consigned Cuba to decades of totalitarian oppression as well as respectful expressions of hope that his passing will speed political reform on the island.

President Barack Obama, whose visit to Havana in March was meant to highlight the steps he has taken to end the decades of diplomatic enmity between Cuba and the US, notably declined to replay any of the old grievances that for years have been traded across the Florida Straits.

History will record and judge the enormous impact of this singular figure on the people and world around him, Mr Obama said. We extend a hand of friendship to the Cuban people.

But some Republicans, especially those whose constituents include the large Cuban-American community in Florida, were less restrained in their appraisal of Mr Castros place in history and barely optimistic that his death in itself guarantees that change for the better will come soon. Donald Trump called the late Cuban leader a "brutal dictator" in a statement issued on Saturday morning.

The day that the people, both inside the island and out, have waited for has arrived: A tyrant is dead and a new beginning can dawn on the last remaining communist bastion of the Western Hemisphere, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, a Republican congresswoman and a Cuban-American said. We lost our native homeland to communism. They just rule over Cuba with an iron fist.

Donald Trump, spending the weekend at his Florida estate, noted the passing of the former leader in a Twitter message that merely said, Fidel Castro is dead. Released hours later, his longer statement opened with an aggressive repudiation of the late leader. Today, the world marks the passing of a brutal dictator who oppressed his own people for nearly six decades. Fidel Castros legacy is one of firing squads, theft, unimaginable suffering, poverty and the denial of fundamental human rights.

However, it also offered glimpses of a softer tone that seemed to be a departure from his sometimes hostile campaign rhetoric regarding Cuba and the changes introduced by Mr Obama.

While Cuba remains a totalitarian island, it is my hope that today marks a move away from the horrors endured for too long, and toward a future in which the wonderful Cuban people finally live in the freedom they so richly deserve, the statement said. Though the tragedies, deaths and pain caused by Fidel Castro cannot be erased, our administration will do all it can to ensure the Cuban people can finally begin their journey toward prosperity and liberty.

Che Guevara playing golf with Fidel Castro after the revolution (Reuters)

In Cuba, it was Raul Castro, 85 who announced the death of his older brother late on Friday night. It was 60 years to the day since they and a few supporters left Mexico on a boat to launch their revolution .

At 10:29 at night, the chief commander of the Cuban revolution, Fidel Castro Ruz, died, he said on state television, dressed in his familiar green military uniform. Ever onward, to victory, he added, without offering a cause of death.

The elder Castro had been ailing for years. He ceded his position as leader of Cuba to his brother in 2008, two years after suffering a stomach affliction that almost killed him.

While Mr Obama met Raul Castro during his Havana visit, he was snubbed by Fidel who later wrote a scathing commentary warning Cubans to beware his honey-coated words and reminding them of past US efforts to overthrow and weaken the communist government.

The thaw in US-Cuba relations has seen both countries open embassies in each others capitals as well as a significant relaxation by the United States of restrictions on travel to and from the island. Just in the last few weeks, most of Americas scheduled air carriers, including United and American, resumed regular service to Cuba from cities across the US.

During my presidency, we have worked hard to put the past behind us, pursuing a future in which the relationship between our two countries is defined not by our differences but by the many things that we share as neighbors and friends  bonds of family, culture, commerce, and common humanity, Mr Obama said on Saturday.

However, because Congress remains resistant to rescinding a trade embargo first introduced in 1962, all the changes wrought by Mr Obama had to be done by executive order.

As candidate for president, Mr Trump more than once threatened to scrub those changes, barring concrete progress on the part of Cuba on human rights and democratisation. The next president can reverse them, and that I will do unless the Castro regime meets our demands, he told supporters at a rally in Miami, highlighting the release of political prisoners and the full restoration of religious freedoms as conditions Cuba would have to meet.

While the passing of Mr Castro will put the spotlight back on the US-Cuba ties in the short term, there is little indication that President-elect Trump has yet decided how he means to handle them. The course he eventually takes may depend in part also on his choice for Secretary of State, which he has yet to reveal.

Among those rebuking Mr Castro even in death was Senator Marco Rubio, whose own quest for the Republican presidential nomination earlier this year fell victim to the Trump bulldozer.

The dictator has died, but the dictatorship has not, Senator Rubio, himself of Cuban heritage, said in a statement, indicating his support for a more hawkish approach. The future of Cuba ultimately remains in the hands of the Cuban people, and now more than ever Congress and the new administration must stand with them against their brutal rulers and support their struggle for freedom and basic human rights.

Mitch McConnell, the Republican leader in the US Senate, said Mr Castros death was an opportunity for the Cuban government to turn the page for the good of the Cuban people, adding that freedom and democracy were overdue in the country. While Fidel Castro is gone, sadly the oppression that was the hallmark of his era is not, he said.
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South Korean President Park Geun-hye is facing increasing pressure to resign as hundreds of thousands of demonstrators join nationwide protests over corruption claims.

In what is believed to be one of the largest demonstrations so far over the allegations engulfing Ms Park, organisers said 1.3 million protesters filled the streets in the capital of Seoul on Saturday evening, with 1.5 million estimated to join by the end of the night.

Some 500,000 people are expected to turn out in other regions. Police put the number of participants in Seoul at 260,000.

The demonstrations mark the fifth straight weekend of protests in the country, and are among the largest seen in South Korea since the pro-democracy protests of the 1980s.

Farmers, university students and Buddhist monks were among the demonstrators, who beat drums and chanted "Park get out now", as they marched towards the Presidential Blue House, which had been cordoned over by 24,000 police.

The president is bracing for an impeachment push by opposition parties and some members of her own Saenuri Party. There are allegations she let her long-time confidante Choi Soon-Sil, who has been arrested for fraud and abuse of power, influence government affairs and amass an illicit fortune despite holding no official position - a scandal critics say undermines the country's democracy.

Protesters hold candles during an anti-government rally demanding the resignation of South Korea's President Park Geun-Hye (AFP)

Protesters sit on the street during an anti-government rally demanding the resignation of South Korea's President Park Geun-Hye (AFP)

Sixty-year-old Ms Choi allegedly used her relationship with Ms Park to drive donations from conglomerates, including SK, Lotte and Samsung, to non-profit foundations, which she set up and used for personal gain.

Ms Park has issued two public apologies over the scandal, which have only served to fuel public anger and suspicion, but has resisted repeated calls to resign.

She has promised to submit herself to an expanding probe by prosecutors, as well as a separate investigation by an independent special prosecutor to be appointed by parliament.

The headquarters of SK, Lotte and Samsung were raided by state prosecutors this week, along with the offices of the finance ministry and state pension fund.

World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. 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Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. 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At the rally in Seoul, protesters wearing raincoats and armed with umbrellas against the cold, wet weather, waved placards and lit candles as night descended.

Buddhist monks wearing grey robes recited a sutra while other protestors imitated Ms Park, Ms Choi and Samsung scion Lee Jae-Yong being led into prison.

"I don't think Park would step down voluntarily, but we need to raise our voice as much as possible to encourage parliament to push through with its move to impeach her," Lee Sung-Cheol, a 23-year-old student, told AFP.

"I came here because I wanted to show my children that people are the owner of this country, not the power holders," 47-year-old company employee Shim Ku-Il said.

Kwak Bo-youn, 45, said: "I was watching the news and thought this cannot go on - people really want her to step down but she hasn't. This is the second time for me to the protests, but the first time for my husband and kids".

Police buses are used as barricades to block access roads to the presidential Blue House as protesters take to the streets to press their demand for the resignation of South Korea's President Park Geun-Hye in central Seoul (AFP)

Protesters take to the streets to press their demand for the resignation of South Korea's President Park Geun-Hye in central Seoul (AFP)

Ms Park's approval ratings have plummeted since the allegations emerged. After hovering at just five per cent for three consecutive weeks her approval rating dipped one percentage point on Friday.

According to a poll by Gallup Korea, her disapproval rating has risen three percentage points to 93 per cent. Her lowest approval rating is among young people, with 99 per cent of 19 to 29 year-olds disapproving of the president.

A parliamentary vote to impeach Ms Park, whose five year term ends in February 2018, could take place as early as next week as an increasing number of ruling party politicians back the opposition-led campaign to remove her from office.

If parliament passes the impeachment motion, Ms Park would be suspended from official duties and replaced by the prime minister. The Constitutional Court would need to approve the impeachment.

Additional reporting from agencies
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A growing independence campaign in Hong Kong is a terrible mistake that undermines the Chinese-ruled city's push for democracy and serves merely to provoke Beijing, Chris Patten, the last governor of the former British colony, said on Friday.

Speaking after a speech to a packed Foreign Correspondents' Club, Mr Patten said that while democratic development in Hong Kong had been disappointingly slow, independence was not the answer.

There is no stronger supporter of democracy in Hong Kong than me, but to confuse that campaign with a campaign for independence is a terrible mistake, Mr Patten, who governed from 1992 to 1997 and was in tears at the handover ceremony, said.

It reduces support for democracy, it undermines the moral high ground which I think was achieved by students in 2014. It provokes not just officials of the Chinese Communist Party but it provokes the people of mainland China.

China took back control of Hong Kong in 1997 through a one country, two systems formula that allows wide-ranging freedoms, a separate legal system and specifies universal suffrage as an eventual goal.

Beijing's refusal to grant full democracy saw tens of thousands of students take to the streets in late 2014, protests that presented the central government with one of its greatest challenges in decades. Patten supported the students' demands.

Communist Party leaders in Beijing fear calls for democracy spreading to other cities. Britain itself made no mention of democracy for Hong Kong until the dying days of more than 150 years of colonial rule.

Mr Patten's comments on independence come after the issue grabbed international attention this month when Beijing intervened to effectively bar two pro-independence Hong Kong legislators from being sworn into office.

The move came after Yau Wai-ching, 25, and Baggio Leung, 30, pledged allegiance to the Hong Kong nation and displayed a banner declaring Hong Kong is not China during a swearing-in ceremony for the Legislative Council in October.

Referring to Hong Kong's much-vaunted rule of law, Mr Patten said he was fairly confident in it, although he acknowledged there had been some issues and people in the city were anxious.

There is nervousness that something which has been so fundamental to Hong Kong's success as a city and as an economy may be tampered with. I don't think that will happen. But it's a concern. People are nervous that it may happen, he said.

Mr Patten voiced concern over the case of five booksellers who went missing in late 2015, amid fears two were abducted  one from Hong Kong and one from Thailand  by Chinese agents. Four of the booksellers, who sold gossipy books about Chinese leaders, returned to Hong Kong and one, a Swedish national, remains in detention in mainland China.

The former Conservative Party chairman said he recently met an official who has dealt with Hong Kong for years and who relayed things about the rule of law which Mr Patten thought were worryingly aggressive.

I hope that doesn't signal any further efforts to undermine the independence of the judiciary or to undermine the rule of law, he said.

Political reform has been a constant source of friction between Hong Kong's pro-democracy movement and the mainland since the city returned to Chinese rule.

Speaking earlier at the sold-out event at the FCC titled A World After Trump and Brexit, which was also attended by former colonial chief secretary Anson Chan, Mr Patten laid out his fears for the future.

I hope Mr Trump the president proves different to Mr Trump the candidate, he said, referring to U.S. President-elect Donald Trump. Or else we're in trouble.

Reuters
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Moscow has protested Ukrainian plans to carry out missile tests near Crimea, in a move that demonstrates an uptick in tensions between the nations.

The Russian defence ministry presented the Ukranian military attache with a note challenging the planned military training, due to start at the beginning of December.

Moscow moved to annex Crimea in 2014 after a pro-Russian Ukranian president was ousted, and the territory remains contested.

Russian aviation agency Rosaviatsia said late on Friday it had received notification from Ukraine on missile tests in Russias sovereign air space on 1 and 2 December in the region of Simferopol in Crimea.

State media claimed the tests will extend into Russias civil airspace and present a threat to flight safety.

Yet Oleksandr Turchynov, Ukraines National Security and Defence Council Secretary, dismissed Moscows claims that Kiev had breached any international agreements.

Ukraine carries out the missile tests within the framework of all the international obligations and treaties, he said in a statement on his official website.

That's why we ask Russia not to hinder the tests by its hysterics and provocations.

Mr Turchynov also said Ukraine was free to conduct military tests anywhere in its airspace, including Crimea.

But he added that Ukraine was not planning to carry out the training launches over the Kerch Strait, a narrow strip of water that separates Russia and Crimea.

After the annexation of Crimea, Western nations imposed sanctions, such as limiting access to debt markets, against leading Russian companies. As another act of reprisal they took punitive measures against President Vladimir Putin's close allies.

Ukraines planned missile tests come as Moscow has been building up its military presence in Crimea.

Indyplus gallery: Military activity in Crimea as Ukraine crisis continues Show all 10 1 /10 Indyplus gallery: Military activity in Crimea as Ukraine crisis continues Indyplus gallery: Military activity in Crimea as Ukraine crisis continues Crimea-1.jpg Sean Gallup/Getty Images Indyplus gallery: Military activity in Crimea as Ukraine crisis continues Crimea-2.jpg Sean Gallup/Getty Images Indyplus gallery: Military activity in Crimea as Ukraine crisis continues Crimea-3.jpg Sean Gallup/Getty Images Indyplus gallery: Military activity in Crimea as Ukraine crisis continues Crimea-4.jpg Sean Gallup/Getty Images Indyplus gallery: Military activity in Crimea as Ukraine crisis continues Crimea-5.jpg Sean Gallup/Getty Images Indyplus gallery: Military activity in Crimea as Ukraine crisis continues Crimea-6.jpg LOUISA GOULIAMAKI/AFP/Getty Images Indyplus gallery: Military activity in Crimea as Ukraine crisis continues Crimea-7.jpg Sean Gallup/Getty Images Indyplus gallery: Military activity in Crimea as Ukraine crisis continues Crimea-8.jpg Bulent Kilic/AFP/Getty Images Indyplus gallery: Military activity in Crimea as Ukraine crisis continues Crimea-9.jpg Sean Gallup/Getty Images Indyplus gallery: Military activity in Crimea as Ukraine crisis continues Crimea-10.jpg Bulent Kilic/AFP/Getty Images

Tensions between the nations were also evident when Moscow accused Kiev of abducting two of its servicemen from Crimea on Sunday.

The Russian defence ministry said they were illegally detained, while Ukraine says the pair are deserters, who defected to Russia from the Ukrainian military after Crimea was annexed by Russian forces.

Russia called their arrest another act of gross provocation and called for their immediate return.

Earlier in November the UN condemned Russias occupation of Crimea.

Additional reporting by Reuters
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A four-year-old who travelled from the Ivory Coast to Italy alone has been reunited with her mother thanks to a total coincidence.

Oumoh was taken from her fathers family by her mother after being threatened with female genital mutilation and was rescued at sea and brought to Lampedusa on 9 November.

She was with 19 other migrants all of whom said they did not know who she was, according to police inspector Maria Volpe, whose job it is to look after migrant minors arriving in Sicily.

After Ms Volpe could not determine where Oumohs parents were she was then given to a childrens community in Palermo.

A fortnight later, the officer was tasked with speaking to an eight year-old, her mother and here brother, all of whom were rescued off the coast of Libya, AFP reported.

As the officer spoke to the mother, she let the child, Nassade, look through the pictures on her mobile phone  who then instantly recognised Oumoh.

The two children had met in a reception centre in Tunis and Nassades mother had a contact number for Oumohs mother.

Upon calling, Ms Volpe discovered the four-year-olds mother had taken Oumoh to Tunis where she had left her with her friend.

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The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. 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Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. 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She then went back to the Ivory Coast to collect some belongings and while she was away, the friend had the chance to set sail to Italy, so took Oumoh with her  although kept her distance on arrival.

"The mother may have be planning to embark too, but she was detained in the Ivory Coast longer than expected and when she returned to Tunis, her daughter was gone," Ms Volpe told AFP.

A DNA test will be conducted to confirm the relationship between the two.
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Q What will be the immediate impact of Castros death?

Among some Cubans, there will be a sense of relief at the passing of a dictator who they hold responsible for repressing the nation politically and economically for over half a century. But for most Cubans, I suspect there will be sorrow mixed with bewilderment about what happens next.

Recommended Music stops but holidays continue in Cuba

Fidel Castro led a group of 82 guerillas on an overloaded cabin cruiser that sailed from Mexico on 25 November 1956. By the start of 1959, he had taken control of Cuba, and ended the island's status as a playground for rich Americans. Under his leadership, the country began to eradicate poverty and create excellent health care and education systems. He kept the nation under his thumb for half a century, which had the effect of preserving the islands identity and putting Cuba on the world stage.

Q From a practical point of view, what will happen to the tens of thousands of tourists currently in Cuba?

They will continue their visits as normal. When another long-reigning leader, the King of Thailand, died last month, the nation was plunged into mourning. In Havana, there will be some disruption as the funeral and memorials take place, no doubt with an influx of foreign dignitaries, but Cuba will carry on its normal, fairly ramshackle way.

Q Fidel Castro took the remarkable step of declaring in 1994: Only tourism can save Cuba. Did it?

Yes, in terms of replacing funding from the Soviet Union. But even now tourism to Cuba isnt like other countries. Everything is controlled by the state, apart from some small-scale enterprises such as private restaurants and B&Bs.

Q Will there now be a revolutionary trail following in Fidels footsteps?

There already is: from the Rex Hotel in Santiago  from where his first attempted rebellion was launched in 1953  to the Museum of the Revolution in Havana, the story of Castro and the story of modern Cuba are intertwined. His legacy is everywhere on the island.

Q How will Cuba change?

Nothing happens quickly in Cuba, and since Fidel was replaced by his brother Raul a decade ago, theres no need for a succession. But I believe the fury directed at Cuba from the US, particularly from Cuban exiles in Florida will dissipate. Despite president-elect Trump vowing to reverse Obamas moves to rapprochement, I predict that the passing of Fidel will accelerate normalisation.

The newly opened US Embassy in Havana stresses that, for American citizens, Travel to Cuba for tourist activities remains prohibited by statute. I think that will change soon, and as a result the island will receive many more US visitors  to the economic and social benefit of the Cuban people.

Click here to view tours and holidays in Central & South America, with Independent Holidays.
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If you thought things couldnt get any worse in politics, you should probably look away now. From Brexit to Donald Trumps recent election, its fair to say that the news cycle has been pretty bleak in the last few weeks. Lucky for us, then, that our Chancellor Philip Hammond chose today, the day of his much-anticipated Autumn Statement, to let us know that the state of the UK economy is in even worse shape than we feared. Prior to the European Referendum analysts predicted that the Brexit black hole would total somewhere around 100bn. Today, the Chancellor confirmed that the figure is likely to be closer to 122bn, if not more.

For six years we have heard slogans from failing Tory governments about tackling the deficit and getting the country back into a surplus. Today the Chancellor confirmed that such slogans have been nothing but rhetoric. When George Osborne entered the treasury in 2010, he promised to balance the books within just a few years  and he said that the brutal cuts which plunged so many into poverty were therefore necessary. Today, Hammond dropped the pledge to reach a budget surplus by 2020 and only stated that it may happen sometime in the next parliament.

In real talk, that means that after six years of rampant austerity and failed Tory economics, the country is on a downward spiral. The Chancellor has now failed to meet a single target set by George Osborne in his last statement and the Tories continue to head up the creek without a paddle.

The only give-aways the Government could manage today were taken from Labours manifesto in 2015. Easing the burden on renters by abolishing tenant fees is a welcome move, one originally pledged by Ed Miliband, but it is a year too late.

 Autumn Statement explained

And though one Tory hand giveth, the other taketh away. At a time when the education budget faces serious strain, the Government has set aside 60m for grammar school expansion. As public services are stripped of vital funding, the Chancellor stormed ahead with the planned cuts to corporation tax as the UK engages in a race to the bottom with Donald Trump. The cuts imposed today will leave the just about managing families that Theresa May so often heralds out of pocket by thousands of pounds. This was a statement that finally confirmed the economic incompetence of this backward Tory party driven by ideological and often nonsensical cuts.

There is, however, some scope for optimism. It finally seems that the Labour party has started to get its act together. Many have heralded Jeremy Corbyns second leadership victory as the point at which the Labour leader found a new wave of confidence and finally gained the support  however reluctant  of his surrounding MPs. Corbyns performance at Prime Ministers Questions directly before the Autumn Statement was encouraging.

The Labour leader had the Prime Minister on the ropes as Theresa May attempted to let the roar of her Tory MPs drown out Corbyns assessment of the Governments assault on the NHS. Given that the NHS is firm Labour territory, it is no surprise that Corbyn delivered a passionate defence of the service  but it was good to see how well he managed to dismantle Mays platitudes and challenge her misleading rhetoric about Tory commitments to national health and social care.

Perhaps the greatest irony of all was the Prime Ministers claim that we can only afford a world-class NHS if her party is trusted to continue growing the UK economy. Yes, the Prime Minister said this just minutes before her own Chancellor confirmed that the predictions for economic growth had been slashed and that the nation faces a 122bn black hole. Shooting oneself in the foot doesnt even cover it.

 McDonnell: Autumn statement is 'press release policy making'

Moments after the Chancellor concluded his remarks, the Office for Budget Responsibility confirmed even worse news: the national debt looks set to hit almost 2 trillion. To put that into perspective, when Labour left office in 2010 the national debt stood at around 800bn. After six years of cuts the Government has managed to more than double the debt. A truly incredible accomplishment.

John McDonnells response to Hammonds Autumn Statement was strong. He challenged the Government on its apparent alliance with working people by arguing: If this Autumn Statement is supposed to re-launch the Conservative party on the side of working people, it has already failed.

McDonnell lambasted the Government for regurgitating old policies theyve already failed on before stating that this Autumn Statement represents six wasted years of abject Tory failure. A particularly strong line from the Shadow Chancellor was his knowing reference to Mays Jams rhetoric: Those who are just about managing are not just an electoral demographic, but friends, neighbours and the people we represent.

In responding to continued Tory failure, the Labour party proved that it is more than worthy of providing opposition to this Government. As the Labour leadership continues to grow in political stature in the face of an increasingly dismal Tory regime, and as sensible Americans mourn the fact that Donald Trump has just been voted in as their President-elect, Jeremy Corbyn might just be the Prime Minister-in-waiting that this country so desperately needs.
File photo taken on April 11, 2013 shows Fidel Castro attending the inauguration of a school in Havana. Cuban revolutionary leader Fidel Castro has died at 90, local media said on Nov. 26, 2016. (Xinhua/Cubadebate)

Cuban revolutionary leader Fidel Castro died late Friday at the age of 90, said his brother Raul, the current leader of Cuba.

"With deep sorrow I report to the Cuban people that our beloved leader Fidel Castro passed away at 10:29 p.m. on Friday," said Raul Castro in a statement broadcast on Radio Reloj.

His body will be cremated according to his will. The organizing committee for his funeral will give more details of the mourning.

Castro had led Cuba for nearly half a century before stepping down in 2006 for health reasons. He was succeeded by Raul Castro.

Fidel Castro spent the last years of his life largely out of the public eye, writing editorials on world affairs for Cuba's official Granma daily, and receiving dignitaries at his home in Havana.

The last such meeting was with Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang on Nov. 15.

Fidel Castro was born on Aug. 13, 1926 in Biran, a village in Holguin Province, as the son of Spanish immigrant Angel Castro and Cuban farmer Lina Ruz.

Castro became well-known worldwide after he led the 1959 Cuban revolution that overthrew Cuban dictator Fulgencio Batista.

Almost immediately, the United States moved to topple Castro, fearing the socialist revolution would inspire the rest of Latin America.

Washington attacked Cuba on many fronts, including economically and financially, by imposing a trade embargo in February 1962 that continues to this day.
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Cuba today, like so many poorer countries before it, is developing so rapidly along so many different lines that its a challenge to describe the modern country to someone who has never been there.

Wifi hotspots are popping up all over the place in urban areas, and luxurious tourist resorts are being built at an unprecedented rate, while in rural Cuba farmers, or campesinos as they are known, still use ox to plough the red soil and tobacco farmers pick large green leaves by hand.

They are all Cuban of course, but if you asked me to show you the real Cuba, I would take you to a small town called Chambas in the province of Ciego de Avila in central Cuba. Surrounded by fields of sugarcane and maize, Chambas is a typical small rural Cuban town, where horse-drawn taxis take weary shoppers home and owning a car, even a 1950s US behemoth, is beyond most peoples wealth.

My wifes grandfather Raul lives here  now in his early sixties, he spent most of his life resurfacing Cubas pot-holed roads until an accident a few years ago chopped off most of the fingers on his left hand. He now helps the neighbouring farmers as a labourer in the fields overlooking his house.

 Jeremy Corbyn praises 'heroism' of revolutionary Fidel Castro

Raul lives in a largish wooden shack he rebuilt last year with the help of his son and son-in-law. The floors are uneven concrete, the windows dont shut properly and the thatched roof wouldnt survive a category 1 hurricane, let alone a category 4.

In the corner of the kitchen a 1950s Russian-made fridge hums, and there is a tiny colour TV in the lounge. Raul for most of his life earned 300 pesos a month. Thats about 12. Its the normal wage in Cuba for most state employees. There are also monthly rations of course. Raul is a Cuban peasant and his life is not an easy one, but his house has electricity and running water. Clean water.

This is Fidels legacy. Clean water and electricity for all. And universal free education and healthcare. Cubans often joke that theyre healthier and better educated than Americans despite the 50-year-plus US blockade.

So for me, rural Cuba is Fidels Cuba. His ideals live on here  and the rural poor of Cuba have benefited the most from his cradle-to-grave policies. Here, the grandchildren of peasants really do go on to become consultant surgeons and commercial airline pilots. These are the people who idolise Fidel and will mourn his passing more than most.

Pictures of everyday life in Cuba Show all 20 1 /20 Pictures of everyday life in Cuba Pictures of everyday life in Cuba A man rides his modified bicycle past a vintage American car in Havana Getty Images Pictures of everyday life in Cuba A taxi sits parked by Ancon Beach waiting for returning bathers in Trinidad Getty Images Pictures of everyday life in Cuba Afrocuban carnival group "Los componedores de batea" performing in the streets of La Habana Vieja Rex Pictures of everyday life in Cuba Pastel colours for an ice-cream place and a vintage American car in Cienfuegos after sunset Rex Pictures of everyday life in Cuba A man on the phone in a bookshop in Old Havana (Habana Vieja) selling books and displaying propaganda poster of the Cuban Revolution Rex Pictures of everyday life in Cuba Street Musicians in Santiago De Cuba Rex Pictures of everyday life in Cuba A man works to repair his classic American car after it broke down along the Prado, a wide avenue that runs from Parque Central to the Malecon seafront highway, in Havana Getty Images Pictures of everyday life in Cuba Members of the 'Ladies in White,' a group founded by the partners and relatives of jailed dissidents that regularly protests against the Cuban government, demonstrate on the streets of Havana Getty Images Pictures of everyday life in Cuba Street vegetables vendor in Havana Getty Images Pictures of everyday life in Cuba The sun setting through the palm trees and creates long shadows on the pool deck at this resort in Cuba Varadero Rex Pictures of everyday life in Cuba General view of a street in Havana Getty Images Pictures of everyday life in Cuba A girls plays on a street in Havana Getty Images Pictures of everyday life in Cuba Girls walk past graffiti art along the Paseo de Marti, the wide boulevard that runs through the heart of the historic Old Havana neighborhood in Havana Getty Images Pictures of everyday life in Cuba A woman smokes her Havana cigar Getty Images Pictures of everyday life in Cuba A man harvests tobacco leaves for drying at a tobacco drying house on a co-op plantation in Pinar del Rio Getty Images Pictures of everyday life in Cuba Men play chess on a street in Havana Getty Images Pictures of everyday life in Cuba Locals take part in a gay parade in Havana Getty Images Pictures of everyday life in Cuba Scene of the Memories Paraiso Azul resort in Santa Maria Key Getty Images Pictures of everyday life in Cuba Beach on the Bay of Pigs, Zapata Peninsula Pictures of everyday life in Cuba Divers swimming above coral reef in Caribbean Sea Rex

Urban Cuba on the other hand is fast becoming the Cuba of the current President, Raul Castro. When I first visited Cuba in 2007, it was rare to see a Cuban with a mobile. The other half wasnt allowed into hotels or the opulent all-inclusive resorts. Thats all changed of course.

Now if I wander into the main square of Placetas, where I own a house, at any time of the day or night, people will be hunched over their mobiles and tablets, talking to relatives in Miami over Skype and IMO. And Placetas, while much bigger than Chambas, is not on the tourist trail, Ive never seen another foreigner there, its a typical large town, about 30km east of Santa Clara, where the armed revolution was won.

Life is pretty typical of Cuba here  its pleasant enough  the electricity rarely goes (unless theres a big storm), crime is low, the schools are good and the hospital and polyclinics are well equipped. Shortages of goods, which the locals still blame on the US blockade, vary from month to month.

In January this year I couldnt get cola anywhere. During my last trip in October, beef was impossible to source. But there was plenty of imported chicken from the US and Brazil. In Santa Clara the only beer you could buy in most state-run bars last month was El Presidente, a pleasant enough imported brew. Why? No one knows.

Some Cubans in Placetas have done well running their own businesses, living in big houses and driving modern European-built cars, but theyre still the exception. Most Cubans I speak to support the reshaping of the economy and the greater ties with the US. Just like us, they want to better their lives, they want a better mobile phone, a bigger house, they want to travel.

But none of them would want to live in a Cuba, no matter how rich, without universal free education, free healthcare, cheap public transport and the lowest rates of violent crime in the Americas. None of them. This is Fidel's legacy.
The introduction, establishment and spread of vector-borne animal diseases represent a significant risk to Ireland; especially as such a high proportion of output is devoted to animal products.

The warning is contained in the Department of Agricultures draft Climate Change Adaptation Plan for the Agriculture and Forest Sector

It says vector-borne diseases rely upon organisms such as mosquitoes, midges, ticks or sandflies that have an active role in the transmission of a pathogen from one host to the other.

Vectors can be introduced to new geographic areas for example by travel of humans and international trade, animal movement, migratory birds, changing agricultural practices, or by the wind.

The climate can play an important role in the lifecycle of diseases and pests that affect livestock, e.g. liverfluke or the introduction of new exotic disease not currently found in Ireland.

Susceptibility to disease may increase with the alteration of environmental stresses associated with changing climate patterns.

Each year, the Department advises farmers in relation to the predicted risk of disease caused by liver fluke infection in livestock based on advice received from the Liver Fluke Advisory Group.

DAFM also prepares an annual feed inspection and sampling plan which is heavily influenced by the assessment of risk factors that may impact on animal feed safety.

It is possible that as temperatures and rainfall increases, the level of mycotoxins occurring in cereal grains could rise. This would impact on cereals both home-grown and imported from Europe.

Key Disease threats

The Bluetongue Virus (BTV)

BTV is an infectious, non-contagious, arthropod borne disease affecting ruminants which is transmitted amongst vertebrate hosts by certain species of Culicoides midges (Mellor et al, 2000).

BTV occurs widely throughout the warmer regions of the world (OIE, 2016). Weather patterns can be critical at several points in the lifecycle of midges and infected midges can be transported by prevailing winds when certain climatic and vector factors are conducive.

DAFM commissioned a three-year vector monitoring programme to determine seasonal vector activity. This was carried out in conjunction with National University Ireland, Galway from 2007 to 2010.

DAFM regularly updates its contingency arrangements and plans to deal with a potential outbreak and continues to monitor developments.

DAFM also carried out a risk assessment on the introduction and spread of BTV in Ireland.

The Schmallenberg Virus (SBV)

SBV affects ruminant animals and was first detected in Ireland in October 2012. It is primarily spread by biting insects, such as the Culicoides midge.

It was expected that once the virus was detected here, it would spread rapidly. The warm and mostly dry conditions of summer 2013 were conducive to the spread of SBV. However, SBV did not spread, possibly due to the low temperatures of winter 2012 which may have reduced the number of midges.

DAFM regional veterinary laboratories, in conjunction with Sheep Ireland, district veterinary offices and a number of private veterinary practitioners, targeted sheep flocks which were blood sampled and tested for the presence of antibodies at six weekly intervals over the summer of 2013. Regular advice and technical updates were provided by DAFM.

Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD)

Lumpy skin disease (LSD) is a viral disease of cattle caused by a pox virus. It causes fever, nodules on the skin and may result in severe losses. LSD does not affect humans.

It is believed to be primarily transmitted by biting and blood feeding insects as well as other arthropods.

From 1929 when the disease was first recorded, until 1989, LSD was confined to Sub-Saharan Africa. In subsequent years, multiple countries in the Middle-East have reported LSD. Turkey has been reporting LSD outbreaks since 2013, and the disease spread from here to Azerbaijan (2014) and Greece (2015). Since then LSD has spread steadily through several Balkan countries during 2016.

DAFM is monitoring developments and updating contingency arrangements accordingly.
Financial Services Minister Eoghan Murphy says that big banks are considering a move here as a result of the UK Brexit vote

Ireland has had discussions with big banks which are looking here as a result of the Brexit vote, Financial Services Minister Eoghan Murphy has said.

But he said it was up to the Central Bank to decide on the level of risk that they think is appropriate for the financial sector.

It comes just days after a report that said the Central Bank is discouraging big investment banks from shifting large trading operations to Dublin.

"We have had discussions with big banks and big banks are looking at Ireland," Mr Murphy said, on the margins of a Funds conference in London.

Reuters reported on Tuesday that the Central Bank had indicated to global investment banks that they would face a tough time getting approval to shift operations here and that Ireland was reluctant to absorb large-scale investment banking - a claim the Central Bank has rejected.

The minister also said that some financial firms are expected to start applying for licences in Dublin early next year.

"I would be surprised if we didn't see applications getting underway towards the end of this year and very early next year," Mr Murphy told Reuters in an interview.

"Depending on the type of application made, it's too soon to say exactly when people would start to relocate."

His comments chime with those made earlier this month by IDA chief executive Martin Shanahan, who said he would expect decisions from companies that are carrying out site visits here to be made in early 2017.

Mr Shanahan said the IDA's offices around the world have seen a significant increase in activity since the vote on June 23.

Mr Murphy said Ireland has to have some engagement with fintech, which he described as a "very attractive pull point" for Ireland.

"While we have existing strengths in key areas, and it would make sense to continue developing those areas of strengths, we are also looking at new areas to answer the needs we think people are going to have after the Brexit negotiations are concluded," Mr Murphy said.

"This isn't about taking advantage of a difficulty that the UK is in, we are not seeking an opportunity here, but we do recognise that businesses will have needs as a result of Brexit and we are here to help manage those needs."

Meanwhile, senior officials from Britain's EU partners gather next week to coordinate plans for looming Brexit negotiations with UK prime minister Theresa May - but they can do little in detail until London works out what it wants.

Michel Barnier, the French former minister who will lead the negotiations for the European Commission, will host Tuesday's follow up on meetings in Brussels last week with the 27 other member states. Several officials and diplomats who were involved have said they revealed a striking degree of unity.

The main aim has been to clarify the kind of structures the EU will need for negotiating once Ms May delivers a letter - she says by late March - to trigger withdrawal under Article 50 of the EU treaty.

But Brussels officials stress that until Ms May's ministers agree among themselves what it is they realistically want, little can be said on the detail of the process. Mr Barnier aims to deliver a consensus outline of the EU's view in a month or two.

"It's not easy to check for the moment what the British interest is really," the conservative leader in the European Parliament, Manfred Weber said this week after a brief first meeting with May's Brexit negotiator David Davis.

First, there must be a withdrawal treaty, which should be completed within two years. It should divide up budget claims, agree the status of EU and British citizens living on either side of a new EU-UK border, agree how to manage the new land frontier in Ireland, and deal with outstanding cases involving Britain in the EU courts.

Second, during the two years, negotiators will try to settle what relationship will exist after, say, April 1, 2019. Some of this may involve a third stage on a bigger new treaty relationship that many believe will take many more years.

(Additional reporting Reuters)
Stripe, the online payments firm started by Limerick brothers Patrick and John Collison, has landed a 142m round of funding which values the company at a staggering 8.5bn.

The 142m round confirms the company as the world's most valuable financial technology start-up and one of Silicon Valley's fastest growing private firms.

Started in 2010, Stripe provides easy-to-use online payment tools for businesses. It now has thousands of customers, including Adidas, Macy's, Bloomingdale's and the US presidential campaigns of both major parties.

Its growth comes as online shopping continues to boom, with 7.5bn now spent online by Irish consumers alone each year. Globally, online commerce is growing at 23pc a year, compared to 6pc a year for all retail.

Patrick (28) is a former BT Young Scientist winner. Both he and brother John (25) attended Castletroy College in Limerick.

The two brothers have grown the company in San Francisco but recently opened a Dublin office with close to 50 people now working in it.

Half of all US internet users have purchased something from a Stripe user in the last year, according to a spokeswoman for Stripe.

The company's main competition comes from US rivals such as Braintree, which is owned by PayPal.

Stripe's latest funding round comes at a time when many private technology firms are struggling to hold their valuation.

So-called 'down rounds', where companies see their value fall as they take on new investment, have become common in the technology industry. Investors have taken a second look at some of the technology companies being funded, as multinationals such as Twitter struggle to turn a profit.

Stripe's 142m round is being co-financed by Google's investment arm, CapitalG, and General Catalyst as well as existing investors such as Sequoia Capital.

A spokeswoman said the company will use the cash to look for companies to buy and to expand around the world at a faster pace.

It currently has users in 110 countries.

Earlier this year, it launched new tools to help entrepreneurs in developing countries start businesses online through the use of Stripe-organised online facilities and banking services.

It will also invest in more uses for its service, such as blocking fraud, incorporating a company and other activities.

"As the global economy builds on increasingly tech-enabled rails, Stripe is doubling down on software tools that allow more companies to get started," said the spokeswoman.
The Ireland Strategic Investment Fund (ISIF) has invested 30m in one of the country's largest non-bank lender, Finance Ireland.

ISIF will take a 32pc stake in the SME-focused firm that was founded by former Permanent TSB chief executive Billy Kane.

Following the deal, Pimco and ISIF will each have a third of the business, with the balance held by management and other early backers.

ISIF will appoint two directors to the company's board, including ISIF head of private equity Fergal McAleavey. Pimco paid 25m last December for its stake.

Mr Kane said ISIF's backing will underpin its "ambitious growth plans" for the coming years.

With around 100m in equity Finance Ireland has capacity to lend 1bn into the Irish market over the next three years, he said.

"Our mission is to create a major non-bank lender in the Irish financial landscape offering customers a real alternative to the traditional banking sector and we are well on the way to achieving that," Mr Kane said.

The company has hired 40 new staff so far this year, bringing total head count across its asset leasing, agri, auto and commercial real estate (CRE) divisions up to 85.

That number is expected to grow by 30 over the next year and a half.

Its products include car finance, asset finance and leasing and MilkFlex, a 100m fund for dairy farmers, which is backed by ISIF, Rabobank, and Glanbia.
Ulster Bank Ireland is to become the first major bank to pay out a dividend since the financial crash.

The bank announced yesterday that it is to repay 1.5bn to its UK state-owned parent Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) next Wednesday, November 30.

Ulster has received approval from both the Central Bank of Ireland and the European Central Bank to make the payment, which will allow RBS to claw back some of the 15bn (17.6bn) it used to prop up the Irish business after the Crash. It comes as analysts at Merrion Capital said Bank of Ireland could "positively surprise" with its own dividend in February.

Ulster Bank Ireland will have a tier one capital ratio (CET1) in excess of 24pc, leaving the institution well in excess of the levels required by regulators after the payment.

Ulster Bank ceo Gerry Mallon said the announcement signals "a very important milestone" for the company.

"Ulster Bank remains very well capitalised with a strong balance sheet and is well-positioned to continue to support customers' ambitions through our excellent products and service," Mr Mallon said.

Goodbody analyst Eamonn Hughes expects further payments of a similar nature down the line.

"Ulster Bank Ireland's CET1 ratio will be in excess of 24pc post the dividend payment, significantly above minimum capital requirements," he said. "In addition to this, Ulster Bank's risk-weighted asset (RWA) density is 92pc - the highest among European peers," he added in a note to the markets.

Davy analyst Diarmaid Sheridan said the move will "release trapped capital" at a group level for RBS, however he believes the Irish arm's CET1 ratio remains "slightly overcapitalised".

RBS pumped almost a third of the 45bn bailout package granted to it by the UK government into Ulster Bank in the wake of the financial crash.

The dividend marks a reversal of Ulster Bank's position within RBS.

It was its weakest unit in the immediate wake of the credit crunch, and a drain on group capital.

Ulster Bank is now profitable, while RBS posted an attributable loss of 469m in the third quarter of this year, as litigation and restructuring costs took their toll.

The move to repay dividends by Ulster Bank comes after Bank of Ireland announced its intention to resume repayments in the first half of next year.

KBC Bank Ireland, which has also returned to profit, is also looking to restart its dividend programme. The bank, which posted a 44m net profit for the third quarter of the year, has sought High Court permission to reduce its share capital.

If successful, the lender would be freed up to begin paying back its Belgian parent.

The news that Ulster Bank will begin paying a dividend comes after the Central Bank fined it 3.3m over breaches in implementation of money laundering and terrorist-financing rules.

The State's financial watchdog fined the bank at the start of this month, and said Ulster had admitted to failures in its practices over a six-year period from July 2010.

An inquiry into the institution found eight breaches around areas including its management of outsourcing.

Ulster Bank ceo Gerry Mallon has hailed the first dividend since the Crash as a "very important milestone"
Ryanair boss Michael O'Leary has claimed RTE is a union-controlled "failed monopoly" which should be privatised.

Speaking following a business breakfast in Mullingar, Co Westmeath, yesterday, Mr O'Leary expressed his belief that "RTE should have been privatised years ago".

His comments came after the national broadcaster announced that it would be outsourcing its young persons' programming. "I think the best thing that could happen to RTE would be to privatise it. Break it up and sell it and allow it to compete openly and fairly with Newstalk and the private sector media," Mr O'Leary said at the Business in the Midlands event.

"It has been a failed monopoly for many years. It has not served the country well and the sooner it is broken up and sold...the better."

Speaking to a crowd of around 600 in Mullingar Park Hotel, the Ryanair boss also took issue with the coverage of industrial relations matters by the broadcaster. "It is always unions, unions, unions because they control RTE," he said. "Can we continue to afford to have this publicly subsidised TV monopoly that just panders to the trade union agenda all the time?"

Mr O'Leary expressed his belief that no organisations should be subsidised. Singling out Radio na Gaeltachta and the Irish Chamber Orchestra, he said if they can't survive independently they should go. He suggested people should also spend less time worrying about the "minority voices" from the likes of the 'Irish Times' and RTE.

Mr O'Leary said he believed Irish Rail was "doomed". He urged the transport company to cut its fares to encourage passenger numbers. "It needs to bring down rail fares to really low levels. If I can fly people for nine quid across Europe, why does Irish Rail charge them 30 and 40 quid to get from Dublin to Cork?" he said.

He also had some choice words for the current Dail, which he said was the "worst assembly of half-wits and lunatics", but said the electorate had to take responsibility.

"We, when given the opportunity, chose to vote in the worst assembly of half-wits and lunatics," he said. "I am referring to the Anti-Austerity Alliance and the Independents in the Dail, and then we wonder why we do not have decent or strong government."

However, he ruled out any suggestion that he would ever run for political office.

"The answer is no. I am unelectable. Even I wouldn't vote for me if I was running. On the other hand, if we decided we were going have a right-wing dictatorship for maybe six or seven years, I would be up for that. I would happily take on that job," he remarked.
Regulators at the Central Bank have been accused by an Oireachtas committee of abandoning motorists who have been hit with massive rises in insurance premiums.

Insurers were also accused of operating a closed shop, imposing unjustifiable increases and not being open about settling suspect claims.

The Oireachtas Finance Committee claimed the Central Bank had abandoned its role in protecting consumers hit by "exorbitant" price hikes.

In a report on insurance pricing, the committee states: "It would appear, to the committee, that the Central Bank has abrogated responsibility for protecting consumers by claiming European law prevents it from getting involved in pricing and risk.

"Thus, it is the opinion of the committee that the consumer has been thrown to the wolves."

The Central Bank and the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission were called on to do more to stop motorists having to bear all the financial pain for failures in the insurance sector. The cost of insurance has shot up in the past two years. Official figures show that premiums have risen by 70pc in three years.

In a report that makes 71 recommendations, the Oireachtas committee says drivers should be given more information on why they are being asked to pay so much more at the moment.

It accused insurers of having a "closed mentality" due to their unwillingness to share their figures on the seven out of 10 claims that are settled directly by insurance companies. Just 10pc of claims are settled in the courts, with 20pc settled by the Injuries Board.

The report adds: "The committee has concerns about the bona fides of the insurance sector in undertaking to provide this information in future of its own accord."

The committee said it was worrying that there was a "lack of any rationale or explanation for the sudden and inexplicable increases".

Motorists should be given a detailed breakdown of how their insurance cover has been calculated, the committee recommended.

Committee chairman John McGuinness said the hikes in motor cover were not justified, were having a negative impact on Irish society, and were not sustainable.

Read More: Calls for motorists to be given detailed breakdown of how insurance is calculated

"The price increases felt by so many citizens and businesses over the previous three years are not sustainable and, in my opinion, not justified," he said.

The Joint Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform wants explicit recognition that a valid NCT certification means a car is roadworthy, no matter how old it is.
The undated photo shows the entrance of Tsinghua University. [Photo: yz.kuakao.com]

The British Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) has released the latest global ranking, which demonstrates university graduates' performance in employability.

This year, a total of 53 Chinese Universities have been included in the QS Graduate Employability Rankings for Universities, with Tsinghua University winning third place.

The undated photo shows the entrance of Stanford University. [Photo: baidu.com]

Two U.S. academic institutes stay at the forefront of the list, as Stanford University ruling the chart at number one, with Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) closely on its heels at second.

A pie chart shows the 53 Chinese universities enlisted on the QS Ranking. [Photo: CRIENGLISH.com]

The enlisted Chinese universities in the overall rankings consist of 33 from the Chinese mainland, 14 from Taiwan, 5 from Hong Kong and 1 from Macao.

The photo shows Sydney University's Quadrangle Building.

Rounding out the top 5 is Australia's Sydney University and the UK's Cambridge University, coming in fourth and fifth, respectively.

Chinese institutes have witnessed an enhanced presence on the chart this time, with 6 universities from the Chinese mainland winning a spot in the top 100.

In terms of the performance in top 20, Peking University shot to 11th, Fudan University in Shanghai ranked 14th, and the University of Hong Kong took the 18th place.

The rankings cover 300 universities worldwide, and are based on the assessment of five indicators, including employer reputation (30%), alumni outcomes (20%), partnerships with employers (25%), employers' presence on campus (15%) and graduate employment rate (10%).

Established in 1990, QS has been regarded as one of three most influential global university rankings, along with Times Higher Education World University Rankings and Academic Ranking of World Universities.
It has been a rough week for our financial regulator. The Central Bank was accused of throwing motorists to the wolves over its failure to stem shocking insurance rises.

It also emerged that regulators had indulged rule breaches at Rush Credit Union for years.

No kudos was forthcoming for the regulatory honchos when it was revealed they did not want big international banks to move here, despite the thousands of jobs this would generate.

Although the move to alter its mortgage restrictions for first-time buyers was broadly welcomed, the decision had the whiff of bowing to political pressure.

Jaws dropped when documents produced in the High Court, and sworn by a senior Central Banker, showed regulators had been led on a merry dance for years by now shut-down Rush Credit Union.

The lender repeatedly breached instructions and directions it was given by the Dame Street, Dublin-based regulators.

As far back as July 2009 the Central Bank ordered the credit union not to issue any loans greater than 20,000.

But a subsequent inspection by staff from the Registrar of Credit Unions in the Central Bank found "instances of non-compliance with the lending restrictions".

A 53-page resolution report presented to the High Court by senior regulator Patrick Casey outlines a string of regulatory breaches over the past seven years.

Numerous inspections were carried out by regulators which found "significant, pervasive and recurring issues in relation to the reserve position, governance, internal control framework and lending practices".

Deputy governor Sharon Donnery gave a less-than stellar performance on the 'Today With Sean O'Rourke' programme on RTE when asked why the regulator was so indulgent of the errant lender.

She said there was a reluctance to close a community-focused organisation like a credit union, and it had been hoped that a merger would have rescued Rush.

Ms Donnery, who was registrar of credit unions in the Central Bank from February 2013 to August 2014, was forced to defend the regulator from accusations it was not on top of its job. She said fraudulent activity was hard to detect.

The tardiness in acting on Rush CU is reminiscent of the regulator's handling of the shocking mess that occurred at investment firm Custom House Capital.

Lawyers for its clients Lavelle Coleman questioned why the Central Bank failed to protect them when regulators were aware of problems for at least two years before the firm collapsed.

If the Central Bank has questions to answer about its role in regulating relatively small financial fry like Custom House Capital and Rush Credit Union, it is no wonder it is discouraging big banks from setting up here.

The Central Bank insists it is not trying to turn away investment. But news agency Reuters reported the Central Bank had indicated to global investment banks they would face a tough time getting approval to shift operations here.

Investment banks such as Credit Suisse, Barclays, Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley are working out how to secure access to the European Union when Britain leaves the bloc. Each employs thousands of people in the UK.

If that was not bad enough, there was no comfort for Governor Philip Lane and his colleagues when the Oireachtas Finance Committee produced a report on motor insurance. The committee claimed the Central Bank had abandoned its role in protecting consumers hit by exorbitant price hikes. "It is the opinion of the committee that the consumer has been thrown to the wolves."

The Central Bank's other deputy governor, Cyril Roux, had told the committee European law prevents it from getting involved in pricing. This defence seems to run contrary to a letter from previous governor Patrick Honohan to Finance Minister Michael Noonan last year explaining why premiums had risen so much.

Prof Honohan stated the Central Bank had requested insurers to take measures, including "a revision of their pricing".

The stinging rebuke from the TDs and senators blew away any feel-good factor for governor Philip Lane for his announcement this week of a major relaxation of the much-criticised mortgage rules.

The change to allow first-time buyers to borrow up to 90pc of the value of a home was seen as positive and practical. But Prof Lane and the Central Bank are also open to the charge that the change constitutes a climb-down, and a bowing to political pressure.

Some have also depicted the change to the deposit rules as Prof Lane failing his first big test.

Those criticisms of Prof Lane, an academic who is sincere and eager to improve the work of the regulator, may be unfair.

But it is hard to escape the conclusion the Central Bank still has a lot of work to do to instil confidence in its ability to protect consumers.
The three million members of credit unions have been rattled by the forced shut-down of Rush Credit Union.

Evidence given to the High Court shows Central Bank regulators have been heavily engaged with the north county Dublin lender since 2009 over persistent breaches of directions.

This closure of Rush is likely to prompt members of the State's 315 other credit unions to ask themselves how they can be sure something similar is not happening in their local lender.

Here are 10 questions to ask to work to out if your credit union is financially sound:

Q: Are my savings, or member shares, safe?

A: Members' savings remain safe, as the state deposit scheme covers savings in credit unions up to 100,000 per depositor.

Q: How would I know if my credit union was in trouble?

A: There are five key questions you need to ask the manager and/or board:

Has the board been told by the Central Bank to postpone the annual general meeting? If it has, it is a sure sign the regulator is unhappy with the way the lending is being run. Rush CU had no AGM since 2013.

Will a dividend be paid, and was one paid last year? Credit unions that are reporting losses are being barred from paying a dividend by regulators. No dividend was paid in Rush since 2008.

Is the loan book shrinking? A declining loan book is an indicator that income is set to fall fast at a credit union. It may have lending restrictions imposed on it by regulators. Although it could also be due to low demand for loans.

Are loan arrears rising? And how many loans are three months, six months or nine months in arrears? Rising arrears are a sign of trouble ahead.

How much money has been put aside to cover loans unlikely to be repaid? The level of provisioning, compared with previous years, should tell you how healthy or otherwise the credit union now is.

Q: Are more credit unions likely to end up being shut down by regulators?

A: Rush was a rogue. The Central Bank has been heavily involved in trying to tame it.

Most other credit unions are sound. However, one in the Munster area needs a rescue merger.

All this is because a small number of credit unions have not been immune to the financial downturn. Loan arrears, loan defaults and rising costs are all impacting, although these problems are easing. Some 100 credit unions have been merged into larger ones in the last two years, with many now bigger and run by professionally qualified managers.

Q: Have many credit unions gone bust lately?

A: Credit unions have been casualties of the financial collapse, but nothing like to the extent of the banks. Rush is only the second to be forcibly shut down, after Berehaven in Cork. Newbridge in Kildare was taken over by Permanent TSB and eventually closed.

In reality the vast majority of credit unions are well run and solvent, so it is unlikely that the registrar will have to intervene again to the extent that they have with Rush, Newbridge and Berehaven.

Q: Can the credit union call in my loan?

A: The credit union can only demand immediate repayment of your loan if you stop paying it. This is not something it will want to do.

Q: The credit union manager and chairperson assure me everything is fine, but I am still suspicious. Where else can I get information?

A: You should only be concerned if there is no AGM. If you're not happy with the response from your credit union, write to the registrar of credit unions in the Central Bank to find out what the problem is, though it's doubtful that they will outline what the problem is either.

The real problem is that when a credit union gets into financial difficulty members are generally last to know.

Q: I have a loan. Would that get wiped out in the event that my credit union goes into liquidation?

A: Unfortunately not, no one gains from these events. You are still obliged to honour your debt in full. Your loan book will probably be sold to another financial entity, probably another credit union.

Q: Are members entitled to know what is going on, particularly where there's a problem?

A: Yes, they own the credit union. But there are flaws with the current system. Where a credit union has financial problems, it typically has to work closely with the Central Bank to resolve them. While this is going on, the AGM is delayed, so the members get cut out as the annual communication is at the AGM.

Q: If there is no annual meeting, will there be no new board?

A: If regulators tell a credit union to delay an AGM it will delay the election of a new board.

The old board, probably through a lack of ability, may have caused the problems. This means there is probably a real need to vote them out and for new more able replacements to be appointed. And that can't happen unless an AGM is held.

Q: How could members be better informed?

A: Members could ask the registrar to host a communications meeting for members where they could set out the problems - typically poor practices and governance. However, the Central Bank will be reluctant to do this.

If members feel that the board isn't handling it particularly well, 50 or more members could request the registrar to allow them to hold a special general meeting to replace some or all of the board.
Actor Brad Pitt has said he will miss a premiere he was due to attend on Wednesday because he is focused on his "family situation".

Angelina Jolie filed for divorce from Pitt last week, citing irreconcilable differences, and she has asked for physical custody of the couple's six children.

Pitt has narrated the new documentary Voyage Of Time from director Terrence Malick, which will have its premiere at the California Science Centre Imax Theatre in Los Angeles.

In a statement, Pitt said: " Terrence's Voyage of Time is an incredibly beautiful and unique experiential Imax film for children and families chronicling the birth of time.

"I'm very grateful to be part of such a fascinating and educational project, but I'm currently focused on my family situation and don't want to distract attention away from this extraordinary film, which I encourage everyone to see."

Pitt, who previously starred in Malick's 2011 film Tree Of Life, narrates a 40-minute Imax version of Voyage Of Time, which examines the origins of the universe. Actress Cate Blanchett has narrated another feature-length version of the film.

The FBI said last week it was considering an investigation into an alleged altercation between Pitt and one of his children on a private plane.

Several media outlets, using anonymous sources, reported that the Ocean's Eleven star was under investigation by a child welfare agency after allegedly clashing with his 15-year-old adopted son Maddox.

The FBI said it was "continuing to gather facts and will evaluate whether an investigation at the federal level will be pursued".

Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services said it could not confirm or deny whether it was investigating Pitt.

Meanwhile, The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) said it was not handling any reports or allegations into child abuse against Pitt. A spokesman for the force later said that a report of an incident on a plane involving Pitt been passed to the FBI, but refused to confirm any details about the allegations.

Jolie, 41, and Pitt, 52, known collectively as Brangelina, married in 2014 after 10 years together.

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Jolie's lawyer Robert Offer said the actress had filed for the dissolution of the marriage "for the health of the family".

In legal documents filed with the Los Angeles Superior Court, the Maleficent star asked for physical custody of the couple's children - Maddox, Pax, 12, Zahara, 11, Shiloh, 10 and eight-year-old twins Knox and Vivienne. She also filed for Pitt to be granted child visitation rights and to share legal custody of the children.

Jolie is being represented by divorce lawyer Laura Wasser, who helped in her divorce from Billy Bob Thornton and has represented Johnny Depp in his divorce from Amber Heard.

In a statement following news of the divorce, Pitt said he was "very saddened" and "what matters most now is the well-being of our kids".

The couple first met when they played married spies in the film Mr And Mrs Smith, when Pitt was still married to Friends star Jennifer Aniston.

Jolie was previously married to Thornton and British actor Jonny Lee Miller.
Scarlett Moffatt on I'm a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here. Image: UTV Ireland

The Gogglebox stars' wages have been revealed.

An unidentified source has revealed how much the families who appear on Gogglebox are paid to take part in the show, the Sun reports.

According to the insider, each Gogglebox family receives 1,700 (1,500) each month, to be split between them. In return they're obliged to spend 12 hours a week filming the show, in two six-hour stints.

On top of their earnings, each family also gets a takeaway meal provided for them during the filming sessions.

In 2014 reports claimed that the show's future was in jeopardy as the cast were displeased with their low wages - said to be 17 (15) a night.

The following year Gogglebox star Dom Parker spoke to the Telegraph's Lorraine McBride about the issue, and specifically the 17 figure, saying: "Im not sure thats an accurate figure but its not far off. Its a fact that because it comes through C4s factual department, they have zero budget."

Asked if he thought he should be in for a pay rise after Gogglebox won a Bafta, Dom said: "Not really, because its still early doors and we can be kicked off the show in 15 minutes."

"The power lies in the hands of the show. If we turned round and said: 'Now were famous, we want 100m or were not turning up!' they'd say, 'Well dont turn up then!'

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Scarlett Moffatt, another Gogglebox star who is currently appearing on I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here, told her fellow contestants earlier this week that her fame has allowed her to pay off her parents' mortgage.

Asked how it had made her feel, she said: "Oh it was the best. I just wrote them a letter and said, thanks for being mint, and sorry for leaving fake tan all over the house, and then I put a cheque in for them.

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Almost 500k of tax payers money was accidentally given to imprisoned criminals last year by the Department of Social Protection.

The Department told Independent.ie that the value of prisoners illegally claiming social welfare in 2015 was 442,362 or 880 on average.

At the end of 2015, 152,000 has been recouped to date and the expectation is that the majority of this will be recovered.

500 cases of over payments were identified last year arising from social welfare customers who were imprisoned. 171 of the cases identified in 2015 have been fully repaid and the process continues, according to The Department.

Prisoners are not entitled to claim social welfare, largely due to the State paying for their upkeep  shelter, food, medical expenses  while incarcerated.

Following the release of these figures, a spokesperson from the Department of Social Protection said: The majority of people committed to prison resume income support from the Department following their release, which means the Department is in a position to recover the full value of any over-payments arising.

The over-payment is recovered by means of a deduction (usually weekly) from any new benefit or assistance payment. The Department also has powers to make a mandatory deduction of up to 15% of the personal rate of social welfare weekly payment until the over-payment is recovered in full.

Information on new prisoners is received weekly from the Irish Prison Services and processed internally by the Department of Social Protection. A customer may also receive additional income support in respect of a dependent adult and children, said the spokesperson.

It is up to prisoners to notify the department when they are sent to prison because it is illegal for them to claim welfare.

It is understood that they are able to receive payments such as jobseekers' allowance because they are getting family members to collect the money or are getting it paid directly into their bank accounts. In some cases, relatives have posed as prisoners to collect welfare.

Prisoners claiming social welfare could be prosecuted and fined up to 2,500.
The Citizens' Assembly will finally begin discussing abortion today amid continuing allegations of bias in its composition and criticisms of some expert contributors.

The 99 citizens, selected at random to form a cross section of Irish society, will begin their deliberations under chairwoman Ms Justice Mary Laffoy of the Supreme Court at the Grand Hotel in Malahide.

Tipperary Independent TD Mattie McGrath said he had no doubts about the impartiality and integrity of Judge Laffoy.

But Mr McGrath said the body did not have any representative from 11 counties and he added that two expert witnesses had already publicly expressed controversial views on abortion and related issues which raised questions about their suitability.

"Citizens from counties Tipperary, Leitrim, Cavan, Louth, Sligo, Longford, Offaly, Kilkenny, Carlow, Waterford and Kerry are entirely absent, which cannot be accepted," Mr McGrath said.

Mr McGrath also used Dail privilege to raise questions about two expert witnesses.

Mr McGrath said former Master of Holles Street Maternity Hospital, Dr Declan Keane, told a constitutional committee back in 2000 that he was dissatisfied that "abortions for fatal abnormalities could not be performed in Irish hospitals".

Mr McGrath said the issue of fatal foetal abnormalities was likely to occur in the assembly's deliberations. He questioned whether someone with a stated view could be an "impartial expert".

Mr McGrath equally used Dail privilege to question the involvement of Professor Deirdre Madden from University College Cork who was on the commission on human reproduction. The commission's report recommended that "destructive research on human embryos" should be permitted.

A spokeswoman for the Citizens' Assembly insisted both Dr Keane and Prof Madden had been subjected to "robust checks" on impartiality, in line with guidelines voted for by TDs and senators, before they were appointed. She added that assembly members were chosen by the polling firm Red C using census data to balance for age, gender and regional location.

The two-day session will open with a welcoming address from Ms Justice Laffoy.

Various lawyers, historians and medical experts will address the assembly today and tomorrow. Three more working sessions are planned on the issue.
A building contractor company from Dublin are helping an exceptionally talented skateboarder who broke his neck by building an extension to his home  free of charge.

In July, Scott Keegan from Lucan was in a serious accident while diving at Portran beach, which left him with a broken neck and without the use of his legs.

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The 23-year-old father of one was very well-known and respected in the skateboarding community and came out on top in many competitions around the country.

His accident came as a great shock to his family and many friends who immediately set up a fundraising campaign to assist towards his rehabilitation.

He is currently in hospital while he waits for an available bed in the National Rehabilitation Centre in Dun Laoighaire.

One of the major challenges that Scotts parents had in the aftermath of the accident was adapting their home to suit their sons needs.

In a display of extraordinary generosity, building contractors MJ Duncan & Sons Limited decided to help the family out by building an extension to the side of Scotts home free of charge.

Before his accident, the 23-year-old worked as an apprentice carpenter for the company and worked alongside his best friend Gavin, son of Managing Director Michael Duncan.

The extension, which is currently under construction, will have a bedroom, utility room, dining room, bathroom and everything Scott could need when he returns from hospital.

Speaking to Independent.ie Michael Duncan said: We have known Scott a very long time because he is such close friends with my son Gavin.

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After his Leaving Cert he came to work for us as an apprentice carpenter and he brought so much joy and laughter wherever he went and was greatly loved by all of our staff and contractors.

His accident came as such a massive shock to us that we felt that we needed to do something for his family in this very tough time. Everyone involved in our company is giving us a big hand with the extension. Our suppliers, subcontractors and staff are voluntarily working very hard to help out  it really is amazing.

We wish Scott the very best in his recovery and I hope this extension will show how much he means to us.

Scotts mum Christine said that words cannot describe how humbled and grateful she is for what MJ Duncan & Sons are doing.

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Its just so incredible what theyre doing. I get emotional just thinking of how generous everyone has been helping us, she said.

Scott is blown away so much by this  its the only thing thats kept him going.

On top of this, Rachel Duncan from the company took it upon herself to organise a fundraising night in October for Scott. All of their staff and suppliers showed up, including all of Scotts friend.

There was a huge turnout on the night and we raised over 50,000, which was just mind blowing.

"The money is such a comfort to us and will be put aside for his rehabilitation and any equipment that he needs."

Christine described the tragic accident that changed her sons life forever.

It happened on July 17 this year. The weather was fabulous so he, his girlfriend and his friend decided to go to Portrane beach with his three month old daughter Abbey.

Scott was just playing in and out of the water and at one stage when he dived in he landed on his neck  we still dont know exactly what happened

He has a C6 spinal injury and is paralysed from the chest down. He doesnt have a lot of function in his fingers but he can move his hands. It was a very bad injury, but it still could have been a lot worse."

MJ Duncan & Sons are still accepting donations to help Scott and his family. Email Rachel@mjds.ie for more information.

Scotts friends have also set up a GoFundMe page and have raised more than 9,000 for him. See https://www.gofundme.com/2j47rik.
A former Russian oligarch has told an Irish court he fears being assassinated if he returns to his home country.

Mikhail Khodorkovsky also revealed he had been granted asylum in the UK earlier this year owing to "a well-founded fear of persecution" based on his political views.

Mr Khodorkovsky has been a vocal critic of Russian president Vladimir Putin.

He expressed fears for his safety in a written submission to Dublin District Court, which this week heard an application by his legal team for the lifting of freezing orders on over 100m in assets held in Irish-based trusts.

The assets were frozen in 2011 on the application of the Garda Bureau of Fraud Investigation (GBFI) while Mr Khodorkovsky was in a prison colony in Siberia after being convicted of tax evasion, embezzlement and money laundering.

The trials were widely regarded as lacking due process and being politically motivated.

Former oil tycoon Khodorkovsky had the remainder of his sentence pardoned by Mr Putin in 2013, following international pressure for his release.

He has claimed the Irish-based funds were legitimately obtained through dividends and a share buyback scheme at his former oil firm Yukos.

However, lawyers for the GBFI have sought to continue the freezing orders, saying it is investigating whether the funds are linked to money laundering.

The court is due to make a decision in the next fortnight.

In a written submission to the court, Mr Khodorkovsky said: "There have been ongoing threats and intimidation against me leading me to believe that were I to return to Russia I would likely spend the rest of my life in prison or indeed face the very real risk that I may be killed."

Mr Khodorkovsky said he retained Dublin solicitor Dara Robinson to assist the GBFI investigation, and detailed answers were provided to questions posed by detectives. He said officers were provided with "a number of volumes of materials" in respect of the funds invested in Ireland. The questions posed were "very far beyond what might ever be considered as amounting to necessary due diligence for the purpose of satisfying anti-money laundering obligations," he said.

However, gardai responded with further questions, saying they wished to establish a "clear audit trail" for the funds.

Mr Khodorkovsky said the GBFI investigation was grounded on his convictions in Russia and that gardai had shown an "absence of interest" in material showing those convictions were politically motivated.
A Dublin woman, who claimed her life had been disturbed for three years because of noises "morning, noon and night", from a water pump in her neighbour's apartment has been awarded damages in the Circuit Civil Court.

Carol-Ann Flanagan, a Dublin City Council tenant who lives at Cross Guns Bridge, Phibsborough, claimed the pump, used to power a shower, washing machine and taps in the apartment directly adjacent to hers and owned by landlord Kay Lennox, had not been designed for multiple appliances.

Ms Flanagan (inset), who moved into the apartment in May 2012, described the noises as resembling "little explosions".

"The apartment went from being a relatively quiet and peaceful place to something like a construction site," she said.

The court heard she contacted Dublin City Council, which investigated the matter but decided the noise did not constitute a nuisance. She had issued legal proceedings against Ms Lennox, of St Fintans Road, Sutton, Dublin, after mediation had failed.

HELPLESS

She said she had been hopeless and helpless and did not know where to turn with her complaints. "I am not a party reveller. I read a lot at home. I'm only a tenant who wants to live in peace and quiet," Ms Flanagan said.

She told Circuit Court President Mr Justice Raymond Groarke that the noise frequency had reduced by 50pc since an engineering inspection took place in 2015.

The judge earlier reprimanded Ms Flanagan for interrupting Ms Lennox's evidence. He said she had exaggerated her complaints but he was satisfied the noise constituted a nuisance.

The judge said Ms Lennox's tenants had done the best they could to accommodate Ms Flanagan, but awarded her 7,500 damages.
Among the 1,400 children in the William T. Sampson School, a public school in the United States, a vast majority come from China and 83% of them speak rural Chinese dialects at home. The Chinese children are "left behind" because they often grow up in China, away from their parents, until they reach school age. These children often face great challenges when coming from China to America to live in a new country with parents they barely know.

Families of the students in the William T. Sampson School in New York City are not rich. Every year, several hundred children come to the school from China. They are not only newcomers to the school and the country; many of them are even not familiar with their parents.

Mary Chu, the school's parent coordinator, explained that in many Chinese immigrant families in the U.S. have children that are sent back to China as babies to live with elder relatives such as grandparents. This is to enable their parents to live and work in the U.S. as hard as they can to make a living and save money. When the children grow old enough to attend school, they are sent back to America to live with their parents.

Patrick So, the school's social worker, said that such cases are quite common here. He mentioned that he recently asked a mother how many times she saw her child in the last six years, and the mother replied she had only been together with her child for a few months over the last half a year.

In order to make a closer connection between children and parents, the school provides music and art classes in which parents are allowed to accompany their children in order to try and form a closer bond with them. Patrick So also gives training courses to parents on how to talk with their own children.

Margaret Russo, the principal of the school, said that the school is a carefree place where parents and children can enjoy each other's company. "We hope the school can make closer relationship between parents and children," said Russo.

Chen Wenming, president of the parents' association at public school 160, said that when her son arrived back in America from China, he was in bad condition. She said she believes somehow her son came into contact with dangerous levels of lead, resulting in him having learning disabilities.

"I saw the dullness in his eyes, and I'll never let my daughter follow the same path." said Chen.

The school tries its best to encourage better connections between children and their parents. In August of this year, organized by Mary Chu, the school had a trip in China, hoping to learn more about the children's community. The trip provided teachers with a perspective on the experiences of the children.

"You don't know the language and you have to rely on others and figure things out." said Debra Fox, a fifth-grade teacher. "You have to experience it by yourself and it makes you realize how hard these little kids have it," she added.
The sister of a teenager who died from a lethal synthetic party drug nicknamed N Bomb claimed the sentences handed down to three people for drug offences were "an insult to his memory."

Nicole Ryan warned that Ireland does not take drug-dealing offences seriously enough - and claimed the trio who admitted the drugs offences had "no human decency" over their behaviour around the courthouse, where they were laughing and 'high-fiving' their friends.

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Only one of the three people who admitted drugs offences before Cork Circuit Criminal Court following a Garda investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death of Alex Ryan (18) last January was jailed yesterday.

Harry Clifton (29) of St Finbarr's Place, Cork, was jailed by Judge Gerard O'Brien for six months.

Clifton has previous convictions for drug offences, including possession and cultivation of cannabis.

He pleaded guilty to four charges of having drugs in his possession for sale or supply on January 18 last, including N Bomb, DMT, MDMA and cannabis.

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However, both Jessica O'Connor (20) and Ruairi Maher (22) avoided jail and received two-year suspended prison sentences.

O'Connor, of Rosebank House, Ballyhar, Killarney, Co Kerry, pleaded guilty to a single charge of possession of a controlled drug, namely N Bomb, in Cork city on January 18.

Maher, of Ballycurrane, Thurles, Co Tipperary, pleaded guilty to a single charge of conspiring with another to handle drugs, namely N Bomb.

Judge O'Brien slated as "insidious" the normalisation of so-called recreational drug use, particularly by middle-class youngsters.

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"This case highlights the insidious normalisation of the consumption of illicit drugs," he said.

"What is recreational drug use in the upper-middle classes is scumbag drug use to people who live in less affluent areas," he warned.

"The offences committed arise from a devil-may-care and reckless attitude towards the consumption of illicit drugs and in this case designer drugs.

"The participants (in the party) were middle-class college students whose sense of entitlement to access that better and greater high clouded their judgement.

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"When are young people going to understand there are no quality controls on illicit drugs manufactured by criminals? Many of them have rat poison in them."

Judge O'Brien said the disregard of people, many of them well-educated, to the dangers of drugs was "disturbing and deeply regrettable".

Six people got sick after the four-day Cork house party attended by Mr Ryan last January, but only he died.

Mr Ryan's sister, Nicole, said his death left her family devastated.

"What kind of message are we sending out - we are essentially telling people that no matter what you do selling drugs you, are going to get a suspended sentence," she said.

Ms Ryan said her family was also "very upset" at the behaviour of the three defendants around the courthouse.

"They didn't show one ounce of remorse for Alex - they didn't show any remorse towards us," she said.

"They had 10 months to contact us and say sorry or say something to us. It is heartbreaking - they were basically laughing at his death.

"In my opinion, they have absolutely no regard for human life at all."

Ms Ryan said her family were shocked that many of the people who attended the tragic party last January - an event described by Judge O'Brien as "an orgy of drink and drugs" - attended court to support the defendants.

Not one had attended Cork University Hospital (CUH) last January as her brother was dying, Ms Ryan said.

"This (sentence) gives no incentive for young people to stay away from drugs - a suspended sentence with good behaviour?," she said.

Nicole said she will never forget the sight of her brother fighting in vain for his life in the intensive care unit of CUH.

"He was lying in the hospital bed. There were tubes everywhere - in his arms and from his mouth," she said.

"It was awful to see. We hoped and prayed that he would pull through but there was too much damage.

"Alex was a wonderful person. He had a beautiful smile and he was as kind-hearted a soul as you could ever meet.

"He made one very bad decision. That mistake cost him his life."

Judge O'Brien heard the tragedy occurred after around a dozen young people had a four-day party in Cork last January.

Jessica O'Connor was in the company of Alex Ryan and used the dating app, Tinder, to match up with another young man.

She 'matched' with Ruairi Maher and, during their online conversation, queried whether specific drugs could be sourced.

Maher knew that Harry Clifton might have such drugs and initiated contact.

Maher sourced 12 'trips' of a hallucinogenic drug Clifton told him was 2CB but was in fact an extremely dangerous drug called 25i, or N Bomb.

Maher bought the drugs for 80 - and made a profit of 40 by selling it to the others for 120.

Clifton had been using the drug himself and did so by swallowing a quantity wrapped in paper.

He knew the drug was powerful so he advised the trio to be careful with it. He also gave them a smaller dose than he would use himself.

Mr Ryan later ingested the drug by inhaling it - one of the most dangerous ways of consuming it.
The GAA will continue to spurn potential income of 3m a year by not selling the naming rights to Croke Park.

Peter McKenna, Stadium and Commercial Director, said that as far he was concerned "it just isn't the right thing to do in a ground with as much history and tradition as Croke Park".

The IRFU receives 4m per annum from Aviva for the Lansdowne Road naming rights, prompting speculation that the GAA would do the same.

"Personally, I would not favour it. Croke Park is Croke Park. It's rich in history and tradition and we should keep it that way. Of course, there's money to be had but I think you're making a big jump into a commercial environment.

"There is something pure and elegant about Croke Park as it is. This is a facility which owed a lot of money at one stage but we have managed to make it debt-free without going too far down the commercial route.

"There is a real affinity among the public with Croke Park. You'd lose a lot of that if it were just a named park," said Mr McKenna in an exclusive interview with the Irish Independent.

He is confident the GAA could negotiate a 30m package over 10 years, 10m lower than Aviva's deal in Lansdowne Road.

"Aviva gets more international exposure and the market is more depressed now than when that deal was done," said Mr McKenna.

While several GAA grounds around the country have had naming rights sold and Cork county board is actively pursuing a deal for the redeveloped Pairc Ui Chaoimh, Mr McKenna says that Croke Park is in a different category.
Susie Gaynor-McGovern and John Finn take part in the Clerys protest on North Earl Street in Dublin Photo: Gerry Mooney

Staff who lost their job at the Clerys department store are angry that it is open again to allow shoppers to store their bags.

Part of the store has reopened for the Christmas period as part of an initiative in association with Dublin Town to provide seasonal shoppers with the option of storing some of their bags as they roam around the city.

Dublin Town CEO Richard Guiney said that the owners of the property responded to their request for free space.

"It allows people to basically drop their bags off; they don't have to lug them around so they can leave them there and come back and collect them the following day," Mr Guiney said.

Former shop steward Gerry Markey said they were yet to meet with the building's new owner Deirdre Foley - 18 months after they were made redundant.

"She has opened the door and that's the reason why we're going up there today, we're just letting her know that we're still here," he said as a group protested outside the store.

"It shouldn't be opened at all until they meet with us, we haven't been given closure since June last year."
Health Minister Simon Harris with Mary Brosnan, director of midwifery and nursing, and Alexandra Marzec, from Ashbourne, and her baby Charlie during his visit to the National Maternity Hospital yesterday Photo: Colin O'Riordan

Health Minister Simon Harris paid an early morning visit to the National Maternity Hospital, Holles Street yesterday following news it would move to a new site in Blackrock.

The minister met with master Dr Rhona Mahony and director of midwifery and nursing Mary Brosnan before moving on to St Vincent's Hospital to discuss the transfer to Elm Park.

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But although new mother Alexandra Marzec from Ashbourne was happy to pose for photos following the historic announcement, her newborn son Charlie was not so impressed, as our photo shows.

It's expected that the maternity hospital could move from Holles Street, where it has been based since 1894, to Dublin 4 by 2021.
The night after news broke that almost a third of symphysiotomy claims have been officially deemed 'unfounded', Rita McCann suffered a nightmare that she was back, almost 60 years ago, in the room where the procedure was being performed upon her.

Her hospital notes from the National Maternity Hospital in Holles Street were scant but on them was clearly marked the once obscure medical term that had never been explained to the young prospective mother in 1956.

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It took until 2000 for her to realise what had happened - and to find relief in meeting other women who could share the same story she did.

The process culminated in a Redress scheme described by campaigner Marie O'Connor of Survivors of Symphysiotomy as having taken a "prejudicial view of women", adding that this was borne out by the report published by Judge Maureen Harding Clark on the Surgical Symphysiotomy Ex-gratia Payment Scheme.

The report found that over 30pc of applicants' claims were unfounded.

The Judge found 185 applicants showed no physical evidence of a symphysiotomy having been carried out.

She also said it was "highly probable" that several applicants had received awards in error because she was unable to rule out the possibility that they had undergone the procedure and the medical evidence was "unsatisfactory".

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Judge Harding Clark, later in the report, said the explanation of a symphysiotomy as the unhinging of the pelvis was "too simplistic" but instead likened it to "perhaps the slight opening of a book to allow an enclosed letter to slip out".

The Judge criticised media reportage of women who had come forward with claims of symphysiotomy as "sensationalist".

However she neglected to observe that balanced reporting was not possible given that most if not all of the obstetricians involved had passed away many decades previous.

At another point, the report highlighted how some victims had used their funds with Judge Harding Clarke noting that one woman had purchased a hat - as though this was a matter that required to be addressed in an official Government report.

Marie O'Connor told the Irish Independent that the scheme's policy of not taking survivor testimony coupled with its insistence on inaccessible medical records to prove injury led to the majority being denied the disability payment.

She claimed the report "defended the practice of symphysiotomy, minimised the injuries caused, discredited applicants whose claims the scheme rejected and ignored the human rights violations of women who were subjected to this surgery".

As someone who underwent a symphysiotomy herself, Rita McCann, who received a redress payment, is clear as to how the confusion may have arisen in some women who may have thought they had undergone the procedure when in fact they did not.

"The doctors told us nothing," she said simply.

She was in the labour ward for 36 hours and given no information before she was wheeled into a single room and given a local anaesthetic, feeling an incision.

"Then I got a cramp in my right leg and then my left leg and that didn't help matters because it left me in complete agony throughout."

Rita said she went into shock. "I was looking forward to the birth of my baby," she said. "I hadn't a clue what they were doing."

She had known other woman who had a caesarean section and so expected to hear a baby's cry but when she questioned the doctor, he said her baby would not be born yet.

She recalled a trainee doctor at the time saying something about "the severity of the procedure".

Afterwards, she was given an injection to put her to sleep.

"It didn't seem to be for too long and when I woke up I was struggling for breath with a mask over my mouth," she said.

Her baby had been delivered by forceps but it was another two or three days before she got to see her son, Shane.

"I was terrified," she said, thinking her baby had died.

When she finally met him, she couldn't lift him out of the cot because she was in such severe pain from the procedure.

Two weeks after the birth, she was allowed home but she had to go to her parents for help with the baby.

It took six months before she was able to walk again properly and Rita said she was left with a deep fear of giving birth which dogged her for her next four pregnancies.

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Almost 60 years later, the anger over what happened is still there. Confusion over the procedure would not have arisen if the women had been told what was happening, she believes.

"Mistakes can be made but whether they did or they didn't have them, they obviously had a bad experience," she said.

Rita O'Leary from near Mallow, Co Cork was another who received a payment under the redress scheme.

"I hadn't a clue what was happening. I was knocked out," she said.

Afterwards, doctors told her it was "God's will" but never told her what procedure they had carried out on her.

After leaving hospital she recalls being "thrown to one side by the pain".

"It took a whole year before I could walk straight," she said.

She had five children in all and throughout their childhood would go upstairs to try to hide the bouts of pain she still experiences to this day.

"I was unlucky. But I didn't blame anybody. That's life. What can you do? Not a bloody thing," said Rita.
The natural parents of an adopted adult will be able to block access to their birth certificate if they have "compelling reasons" why the information should not be released.

The provision is allowed for in newly published adoption legislation which gives people who are adopted a right to their birth certificates.

The wide-ranging Adoption (Information and Tracing) Bill 2016 aims to modernise the law and meet many of the demands of adopted adults while also balancing the rights of birth parents.

"Over the past year, work has been ongoing to draft this important legislation. This Government fully appreciates that the desire to know one's identity, or to re-establish contact, is fundamental and entirely reasonable," Children and Youth Affairs Minister, Katherine Zappone, said.

"However the balancing of rights of those affected by adoption cannot be discounted."

Under the terms of the Bill an adopted adult will also be entitled to a copy of their adoption order - again subject to conditions.

The Adoption Authority of Ireland will have overall responsibility for the safeguarding of adoption records, including information relating to informal adoption arrangements and people whose birth was incorrectly registered.

"All adoption records, which are currently held in a number of locations, are to be transferred to the custody of the Authority. The Bill provides that the records are to be indexed and a searchable electronic database of records be created," said Ms Zappone.

An information and tracing service, currently operated on a voluntary basis, will be given statutory footing.

It will provide a structured and regulated access to information and tracing services. Adopted people and birth parents can put their name on the register indicating they would like to be contacted. Where both parties consent, the agency will facilitate contact.

Referring to the rights of birth parents, the Bill said their right to privacy should be protected.

It means they put their name on the register indicating they do no want contact or be notified in advance if the child they gave up for adoption seeks their birth certificate as an adult.

If a birth parent has not registered, or has indicated a "no contact" preference, the adopted adult must sign a declaration saying they will not try to make contact.

Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, welcomed the Bill but pointed out it does not bring any immediate changes to current arrangements. Anyone affected by or concerned about the publication of the Bill can contact their local Tusla adoption team for advice.
It seems that Irish influence in the Vatican is not on the wane. It might in fact be in the ascendancy, advanced by the rise of two clerical high-fliers from Dublin who happen also to be brothers.

Last weekend, Pope Francis consecrated Irish-born Bishop Kevin J Farrell, Prefect of the newly established Vatican department for Laity, Family and Life, as a cardinal - making him the highest ranking Irishman in the Vatican today.

Should the newly minted cardinal feel homesick for his Irish roots, he can share some nostalgic memories with his older brother, Bishop Brian Farrell, who now works a stone's throw away in the Vatican as Secretary of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity and Vice-President of the Commission for Religious Relations with Jews.

The Farrell brothers, from Drimnagh in Dublin, are among six Irish-born prelates serving on Vatican commissions.

The others are Archbishop Diarmuid Martin, Archbishop Kieran O'Reilly, Cardinal Sean Brady and Bishop Paul Tighe.

It must be quite a novelty within the Vatican's walls to have two brothers serving at the same time in such prestigious roles at the heart of the Roman curia.

According to the anecdotes, like any Irish family, the Farrells are not adverse to a bit of slagging.

It seems Kevin (69) is happy to remind his older brother Brian (73) that though the elder of the two made it to the Vatican first, he was actually made a bishop first, when Pope St John Paul II appointed him as an auxiliary to the diocese of Washington in 2001.

The two Farrells grew up in a household of four boys in Galtymore Park in Drimnagh and attended the local Christian Brothers school.

As youngsters, they served Mass at Our Lady of Good Counsel church, where their mother was a daily Mass-goer and a volunteer in the McAuley Centre, which looks after elderly parishioners.

When he was 19 in 1966, Kevin Farrell joined the conservative Legion of Christ, an order Brian had entered in 1961 and for which he was ordained a priest in 1969.

Although Kevin later left the order and joined the diocesan priesthood in the USA, Brian Farrell remains a member of the Legion of Christ to this day.

The order suffered a tarnished reputation in light of a series of abuse scandals linked to its founder, Fr Marcial Maciel Degollado.

The Mexican priest ruled the Legion with an iron fist and imposed great secrecy on its members from 1941 until 2005. Then, Pope Benedict XVI ordered him to a life of prayer and repentance for his sexual abuse of seminarians, his fathering children with a number of women, and his known drug addiction.

In 2010, Bishop Brian Farrell, who acted as superior of the Legion's US novitiate from 1970 to 1976, was appointed as one of four advisors to a Vatican-appointed investigation team that reorganised the wealthy but dysfunctional order.

In an interview published by the 'National Catholic Register' last year, the two Farrell brothers said that their vocations were born of faithful parents, a mother who attended Mass every day, close relations with a tight-knit community of hard-working priests in Drimnagh and volunteering as altar boys.

"My mother, all her life, prayed that God might call one of her sons to the priesthood," said Bishop Brian Farrell.

"She had a deep relationship with God. A very personal relationship with God. She talked about God with ease and love."

By bestowing a red hat on Kevin Farrell, the Pontiff was not acknowledging his leadership as Bishop of Washington and subsequently of Dallas. Pope Francis's decision was also a nod of approval for Farrell's public defence of the Pontiff's new document on the family, Amoris Laetitia, amid a number of criticisms made by conservative elements in the Church's upper echelons.

Cardinal Farrell now joins the select group of prelates who will become the men tasked to choose Francis's successor.

Indeed, Ireland for the first time in years has a 'papabile' candidate among the Church's cardinal electors.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny is busy preparing for his official meeting with Pope Francis next week to formally invite the Pontiff to visit Ireland in 2018 for the World Meeting of Families.

A spokesperson for the archdiocese of Dublin told the Irish Independent that Cardinal Farrell is already working with Archbishop Diarmuid Martin as the countdown begins to the high-profile international Catholic event, and the possible papal visit that hosting such an event will bring.

She recalled that both Cardinal Kevin and his brother, Bishop Brian, attended the International Eucharistic Congress in Dublin in 2012, another international Catholic gathering which proved much more successful and popular with participants than the doomsayers predicted.

Cardinal Kevin Farrell celebrated his first Mass as Cardinal last Monday, in a chapel in the Vatican dedicated to Mary, Queen of Families.

He told family members from Ireland and 100 representatives from the Diocese of Dallas that the setting was appropriate, since he is now in charge of the Dicastery for the Laity, Family and Life.

With his star on the rise, expect to see much more of Cardinal Kevin Farrell over the next two years.
Crime correspondent and broadcaster Paul Williams admits he lost it when he confronted drug-lord John Gilligan living on the grounds of the gangsters former sprawling equestrian centre in Co Kildare.

The Irish Independent journalist said the criminal who was the chief suspect  but never convicted- of the murder of his friend and colleague Veronica Guerin twenty years ago  is thumbing his nose at the Irish State and people by living beside the Jessbrook equestrian centre.

Its a grotesque insult to the memory of Veronica Guerin, he said of the Sunday Independent crime reporter who was gunned down by hitman Patrick Dutchy Holland as she was driving on the Naas dual carriageway on June 26, 1996.

The award-winning journalist said the Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB) was set up to take Jessbrook from Gilligan (65).

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"And now after 20 years, hes effectively a tenant of the CAB, he said of the property that has been lying idle for years after it was seized from Gilligan by the CAB but was sold in 2014.

Speaking as a guest on The Late Late Show last night, Mr Williams said: John Gilligan has spent 15-20m of taxpayers money so he can play ducks and drakes with the law.

Gilligan (65) was acquitted of Veronica's murder - but he remains the chief suspect.

He was eventually convicted of drug trafficking in 2001, and was initially handed a 28-year-sentence, which was eventually reduced on appeal.

Gilligan was freed from Portlaoise Prison on October 15, 2013.

Footage of Williams' visit to Jessbrook House last month and a poignant tribute to Veronica Guerin as he retraces the steps of her callous murder will feature in a documentary on TV3 on Monday and Tuesday called Paul Williams: State of Fear.

This new two-part series sees crime journalist and writer Paul Williams go on a personal journey, comparing the horrific events of 1996 which saw the assassination of journalist Veronica Guerin, to 2016 and the spate of murders in recent months, to understand if we are winning or losing the war on crime and if were still living in a state of fear.

The programme features new footage of John Gilligan and Paul also speaks to a number of prominent people in Irish media, most of whom were colleagues of Veronicas as well as Veronicas brother Jimmy.

Following on from the two-part crime documentary on Wednesday 30th November, Pat Kenny Tonight will also hone in on the subject of organised crime in Ireland. Pat and Colette will be joined in studio by special guests to debate if anything has improved in the last twenty years or if we are all still living in fear.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov. 26

By Anakhanum Hidayatova  Trend:

Latvias Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkevics is expected to visit Azerbaijan in early 2017, Latvian Ambassador Juris Maklakovs told Trend.

During his upcoming visit, the foreign minister will work on organization of a higher level visit, the diplomat said.

He noted that high-level visits between Azerbaijan and Latvia take place regularly.

Speaker of Latvias parliament Inara Murniece visited Azerbaijan few months ago, Maklakovs said, adding that he and Murniece invited Ogtay Asadov, speaker of the parliament of Azerbaijan, to visit Latvia the next summer.

The ambassador, praising the political relations between the two countries, expressed concern over the decline in the trade between Azerbaijan and Latvia.

Total trade turnover between Azerbaijan and Latvia amounted to $6.78 million in January-October 2016, which is 8.3 percent less than in the same period last year, according to the State Customs Committee of Azerbaijan. Despite that, in the reporting period the export of Azerbaijani goods increased by 19.98 percent, however, the import decreased by 9.98 percent.

Over the recent years, the bilateral trade turnover fell by three times, the Latvian ambassador said. He added that the ways to develop Azerbaijani-Latvian trade turnover are being discussed.

Maklakovs noted that the relations between Azerbaijan and Latvia in the sphere of tourism and culture develop quite successfully, but it is necessary to work on the development of economic ties.

Latvia has already proposed Azerbaijan to consider the possibility of cooperation in the spheres of environmentally friendly technologies, food industry, pharmaceuticals and health tourism during the 6th meeting of Azerbaijan-Latvia intergovernmental commission on economic, scientific, technical and cultural cooperation in Riga.

Priority areas of cooperation between the two countries include joint investment projects, increasing the volume of trade turnover, effective use of international transportation corridors, education, agriculture, construction, tourism and health.

Latvia's Minister for Transport Uldis Augulis said earlier that Latvia is an important transportation artery and an integral part of the new Silk Road and the North-South transportation corridor.

Ambassador Maklakovs added that a new strategic agreement between the EU and Azerbaijan will certainly become beneficial for both sides. The first agreement between the EU and Azerbaijan was signed in 1996, and a lot has changed in the world since then, he said.

It is necessary to develop new cooperation opportunities and the new agreement will make that possible, he noted.

Latvia has always supported the Eastern Partnership program, and the country will provide the same support for the new agreement, which will be beneficial for both Azerbaijan and Latvia, as a member of the EU, Maklakovs added.

The European Council adopted a mandate for the European Commission and the high representative for foreign affairs and security policy to negotiate, on behalf of the EU and its member states, a comprehensive agreement with Azerbaijan on Nov. 14. The new agreement should replace the 1996 partnership and cooperation agreement and should better take account of the shared objectives and challenges the EU and Azerbaijan face today.

The agreement will follow the principles endorsed in the 2015 review of the European Neighborhood Policy and offer a renewed basis for political dialogue and mutually beneficial cooperation between the EU and Azerbaijan.

The agreement also envisages the compliance of Azerbaijans legislation and procedures with the EUs most important international trade norms and standards, which should lead to the improvement of Azerbaijani goods access to the EU markets.

Currently, bilateral relations between the EU and Azerbaijan are regulated on the basis of an agreement on partnership and cooperation that was signed in 1996 and entered into force in 1999.

---

Follow the author on Twitter: @Anahanum
Olympic showjumper Greg Broderick on Going Global at Ballypatrick near Thurles, Co Tipperary Photo: Sinead Ni Riain

From the Olympics to the Onassis family in just a few months. After competing for Ireland at Rio, the country's most valuable ever horse has been sold to one of the world's most prestigious stables.

The granddaughter of the celebrated Greek shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis has bought Olympian Greg Broderick's horse, Going Global.

Expand Close Athina Onassis, who paid 10-12m to buy Going Global Photo: REUTERS/Bruno Domingos / Facebook

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The record-breaking sale, in the region of 10-12m, was completed yesterday when the horse left the stables outside of Thurles, Co Tipperary.

A fortnight ago, renowned showjumper Athina Onassis flew into Shannon Airport on her private jet. She was chauffeur driven to Ballypatrick Stables where she rode the horse and examined him with her advisers. After passing all resulting medical tests, the sale was completed for a fee believed to be the biggest ever for an Irish horse, making it one of the most expensive showjumpers in the world.

The horse was 90pc owned by Canadian breeder Lee Kruger and 10pc by Mr Broderick.

Going Global's most celebrated hour came in the Aga Khan at the Dublin Horse Show in 2015 when Mr Broderick rode a double clear round to help win the coveted Nations Cup.

The 10-year-old gelding was bred in Ireland at Mill House Stud in Gowran, Co Kilkenny.

There were mixed emotions at Ballypatrick as Mr Broderick described Going Global as "the horse of a lifetime".

"It's been an unbelievable journey for us right from novice classes to making dreams come true with Olympic Games and Nations Cup wins," he said.

Mr Broderick said Going Global had given the Irish horse world "something to be very proud of".

"He was part of the family here at Ballypatrick and like a best friend to me. He will be hugely missed but it was a logical decision to sell him at the height of his career," he said.

Mr Broderick is now planning to develop his stables, where there are 45 horses riding out and 300 horses on the farm.

After seeing the development of Going Global over the past five years, Mr Broderick feels the horse is now peaking.

"He always had the makings of a superstar. I felt from the start he would make an Olympic horse. He really was a horse for the big day," he said.

But Going Global's bloodline lives on at Ballypatrick. After qualifying for the Olympics, Mr Broderick had a charity auction for a three-quarters brother of Going Global, which raised 35,000 for Crumlin Children's Hospital, the Jack and Jill Foundation and the Suir Haven cancer charity.

The foal is still at the stables and attracting a lot of hype.
Irish political leaders have paid tribute to Cuban revolutionary leader Fidel Castro who died, aged 90.

President Michael D Higgins said the Cuban was "a giant among global leaders" while Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams recalled how Castro was a "good friend to the Irish people and an admirer of our struggle".

In a statement issued on Saturday morning President Higgins said the Cuban leader will be remembered as a giant among global leaders whose view was not only one of freedom for his people but for all of the oppressed and excluded people on the planet.

"I have learned with great sadness of the death of Fidel Castro, founder of modern Cuba, and its Prime Minister from 1959 to 1976, as well as its President from 1976 to 2008," he said in a statement.

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"Fidel Castro will be remembered as a giant among global leaders whose view was not only one of freedom for his people but for all of the oppressed and excluded peoples on the planet.

The President continued: Having survived some 600 attempts on his life, Fidel Castro, known to his peers in Cuba as El Comandante, became one of the longest serving Heads of State in the world, guiding the country through a remarkable process of social and political change, advocating a development path that was unique and determinedly independent, he said.

Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Previous Next Close Then Cuban Prime Minister Fidel Castro smokes a cigar during interviews with the press during a visit of U.S. Senator Charles McGovern, in Havana in this May 1975 file photo. REUTERS/Prensa Latina/File Photo Cuba's President Fidel Castro looks at the crowd during a mass rally in Cordoba, Argentina July 21, 2006. REUTERS/Andres Stapff/File Photo Then Cuban President Fidel Castro fights a yawn on the first day of the VII Ibero-American summit on Margarita Island in this November 8, 1997 file photo. REUTERS/Andrew Winning/File Photo Then Cuban Prime Minister Fidel Castro relaxes in a swimming pool during a visit to Romania in this May 28, 1972 file photo. REUTERS/Prensa Latina/File Photo Then Cuban President Fidel Castro (R) and then Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev (L) exchange documents during a treaty signing ceremony in Havana in this April 4, 1989 file photo. REUTERS/Gary Hershorn/File Photo Pope Benedict XVI meets former Cuban leader Fidel Castro in Havana in this March 28, 2012 file photo. REUTERS/Alex Castro-Cubadebate/Handout/File Photo Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez (L) visits his then Cuban counterpart Fidel Castro in Havana in this August 13, 2006 file photo. REUTERS/Estudios Revolucion-Granma/Handout/File Photo Then Cuban President Fidel Castro smokes a cigar during a meeting of the National Assembly in Havana, in this December 2, 1976 file photo. REUTERS/Prensa Latina/File Photo Former Cuban leader Fidel Castro (C) casts his ballot at a polling station in Havana in this February 3, 2013 file photo provided by Cubadebate. REUTERS/Ismael Francisco/Cubadebate/Handout/File Photo Former South African President Nelson Mandela (L) hugs Cuba's President Fidel Castro during a visit to Mandela's home in Houghton, Johannesburg in this September 2, 2001 file photo. REUTERS/Chris Kotze/File Photo Former Cuban leader Fidel Castro and former U.S. President Jimmy Carter (L) talk during a meeting in Havana in this March 30, 2011 file photo. The woman in the center is a translator. REUTERS/Alex Castro/Courtesy of Cubadebate/Handout/File Photo Ernesto Che Guevara (front) plays golf as Fidel Castro stands behind him at Colina Villareal in Havana in this undated file photo. REUTERS/Prensa Latina/File Photo Cuban President Fidel Castro (R) winks at a woman at the graduation of hundreds of Cuban art students at Havana's Sports City in this October 28, 2005 file photo. REUTERS/Claudia Daut/File Photo Then Cuban President Fidel Castro addresses the audience during an event with his Venezuelan counterpart Hugo Chavez on Havana's Revolution Square in this February 3, 2006 file photo. REUTERS/Stringer/File Photo Former Cuban President Fidel Castro listens during a meeting with his brother Cuban President Raul Castro (R) and Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez (L) in Havana in this June 17, 2008 file photo. REUTERS/Estudios Revolucion/Handout/File Photo Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and then Cuban President Fidel Castro (R) listen to the Cuban national anthem at the baseball stadium "Latinoamericano" in Havana in this May 14, 2002 file photo. REUTERS/Rafael Perez/File Photo Cuban President Fidel Castro walks to the podium during the May Day commemoration ceremony in Revolution Square in Havana in this May 1, 2004 file photo. REUTERS/Claudia Daut/File Photo Cuban President Fidel Castro salutes as the national anthem plays during a reception for the Cuban baseball team in Havana in this March 21, 2006 file photo. REUTERS/Claudia Daut/File Photo Then Cuban President Fidel Castro talks to then Pope John Paul II during the presentation of their delegations at the Palace of the Revolution in Havana in this January 22, 1998 file photo. REUTERS/Paul Hanna/File Photo People are seen through a poster with a picture of Cuba's former leader Fidel Castro and late Argentine revolution leader Che Guevara (L) during the May Day parade in Havana's Revolution Square in this May 1, 2013 file photo. REUTERS/Desmond Boylan/File Photo Fidel Castro (L) is seen during a hunting trip in Romania in this May 1972 file photo. REUTERS/Prensa Latina/File Photo Cuba's President Fidel Castro (L) talks to Elian Gonzalez during a political rally in celebration of Elian's 12th birthday in Cardenas, Cuba in this December 6, 2005 file photo. REUTERS/Claudia Daut/File Photo Then Cuban President Fidel Castro acknowledges the applause of the audience while standing underneath an image of late revolutionary hero Ernesto Che Guevara, during the inauguration of games involving mainly Cuban and Venezuelan athletes in Havana in this June 17, 2005 file photo. REUTERS/Claudia Daut/File Photo Former Cuban leader Fidel Castro (L) holds up the arm of his brother, Cuba's President Raul Castro, during the closing ceremony of the sixth Cuban Communist Party (PCC) congress in Havana in this April 19, 2011 file photo. REUTERS/Desmond Boylan/File Photo Then Cuban Prime Minister Fidel Castro attends manoeuvres during the 19th anniversary of his and his fellow revolutionaries arrival on the yacht Granma, in Havana in this November 1976 file photo. REUTERS/Prensa Latina/File Photo Then Cuban Prime Minister Fidel Castro plays baseball in Havana in this August 1964 file photo. REUTERS/Prensa Latina/File Photo Cuba's President Fidel Castro addresses the audience during an anti-Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA) meeting in Havana in this April 28, 2005 file photo. REUTERS/Mariana Bazo/Files Then Cuban President Fidel Castro addresses the audience during a political rally in celebration of the 12th birthday of Cuban boy Elian Gonzalez in Cardenas in this December 6, 2005 file photo. REUTERS/Claudia Daut/File Photo Then Cuban President Fidel Castro laughs during the year-end session of the Cuban parliament in Havana in this December 23, 2005 file photo. REUTERS/Claudia Daut/File Photo Then Cuban President Fidel Castro (R) and his Venezuelan counterpart Hugo Chavez chat on the field after taking part in a friendly baseball game between their two countries at the Barquisimeto baseball stadium in this October 29, 2000 file photo. Picture taken October 29, 2000. REUTERS/Andrew Winning/Files Cuba's President Fidel Castro attends a Mercosur trade bloc summit in Cordoba, Argentina in this July 21, 2006 file photo. REUTERS/David Mercado/File Photo Cuba's President Fidel Castro gestures during a tour of Paris in this March 15, 1995 file photo. Ailing Cuban leader Castro said on February 19, 2008 that he will not return to lead the country, retiring as head of state 49 years after he seized power in an armed revolution. REUTERS/Charles Platiau/Files Former Cuban leader Fidel Castro speaks during celebrations to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the creation of the Committees for the Defense of the Revolution (CDR) in Havana in this September 28, 2010 file photo. REUTERS/Desmond Boylan/File Photo Cuban President Fidel Castro (L) and Argentine soccer legend Diego Maradona play with a ball during an interview in La Havana, in this October 26, 2005 file photo. REUTERS/Canal 13/Handout/File Photo Iin this Feb. 6, 1959 file photo, Cuba's leader Fidel Castro speaks to a crowd during his triumphant march to Havana after the fall of the Batista regime. Former President Fidel Castro, who led a rebel army to improbable victory in Cuba, embraced Soviet-style communism and defied the power of 10 U.S. presidents during his half century rule, has died at age 90. The bearded revolutionary, who survived a crippling U.S. trade embargo as well as dozens, possibly hundreds, of assassination plots, died eight years after ill health forced him to formally hand power over to his younger brother Raul, who announced his death late Friday, Nov. 25, 2016, on state television. (AP Photo/File) Fidel Castro, left, raises his brother's hand, Cuba's President Raul Castro, center, as they sing the anthem of international socialism during the 6th Communist Party Congress in Havana, Cuba.(AP Photo/Javier Galeano, File) Then Cuban President Fidel Castro glances over his shoulder during the May Day commemoration at Revolution Square in Havana, in this May 1, 2004 file photo. Picture taken May 1, 2004. REUTERS/Rafael Perez/Files Cuba's President Fidel Castro addresses the crowd at the Plaza de la Patria (Homeland Square) in Bayamo, Cuba, July 26, 2006. REUTERS/Claudia Daut/File Photo Cuban President Fidel Castro listens to a speaker during the May Day parade in Havana's Revolution Square in this May 1, 2005 file photo. REUTERS/Claudia Daut/File Photo Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez (L) and his Cuban counterpart Fidel Castro joke after joining their medallions, given by medical graduates, at Havana's Karl Marx theatre, in this August 20, 2005 file photo. REUTERS/Claudia Daut/File Photo Then Cuban President Fidel Castro addresses the audience as president of the Non-Aligned Movement at the United Nations in New York, in this October 12, 1979 file photo. REUTERS/Prensa Latina/File Photo Then Cuban President Fidel Castro (L) and Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez joke during a batting session where Chavez pitched to Castro after taking part in a friendly baseball game between their two countries at the Barquisimeto baseball stadium in this October 29, 2000 file photo. REUTERS/Andrew Winning/File Photo Former Cuban leader Fidel Castro attends the closing ceremony of the sixth Cuban Communist Party (PCC) congress in Havana in this April 19, 2011 file photo. REUTERS/Desmond Boylan/File Photo In this March 14, 1957 file photo, Fidel Castro, the young anti-Batista guerrilla leader, center, is seen with his brother Raul Castro, left, and Camilo Cienfuegos, right, while operating in the Mountains of Eastern Cuba. Cuban President Raul Castro has announced the death of his brother Fidel Castro at age 90 on Cuban state media on Friday, Nov. 25, 2016. (AP Photo/Andrew St. George, File) In this Aug.18, 1999 file photo, Cuba's leader Fidel Castro gestures at a speaking event as he explains that he does not understand why he is not blind after all the camera flashes he has received in Havana, Cuba. Former President Fidel Castro, who led a rebel army to improbable victory in Cuba, embraced Soviet-style communism and defied the power of 10 U.S. presidents during his half century rule, has died at age 90. The bearded revolutionary, who survived a crippling U.S. trade embargo as well as dozens, possibly hundreds, of assassination plots, died eight years after ill health forced him to formally hand power over to his younger brother Raul, who announced his death late Friday, Nov. 25, 2016, on state television. (AP Photo/Jose Goitia, File) In this April 19, 2016 file photo, Fidel Castro attends the last day of the 7th Cuban Communist Party Congress in Havana, Cuba. Fidel Castro formally stepped down in 2008 after suffering gastrointestinal ailments and public appearances have been increasingly unusual in recent years. Cuban President Raul Castro has announced the death of his brother Fidel Castro at age 90 on Cuban state media on Friday, Nov. 25, 2016. (Ismael Francisco/Cubadebate via AP, File) China's Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi (L) writes in a notebook as former Cuban leader Fidel Castro holds it during a meeting in Havana in this August 1, 2010 file photo. REUTERS/Roberto Chile/File Photo Cuban President Fidel Castro attends a conference on terrorism in Havana's convention centre June 3, 2005. REUTERS/Mariana Bazo/File Photo Cuba's President Raul Castro announces the death of his brother, revolutionary leader Fidel Castro, in a still image from government television in Havana, Cuba November 26, 2016. Cuban Television via Reuters TV FILE - In this Jan. 25, 1998 file photo, Cuba's leader Fidel Castro, left, greets former Pope John Paul II at the Jose Marti International Airport in Havana. Former President Fidel Castro, who led a rebel army to improbable victory in Cuba, embraced Soviet-style communism and defied the power of 10 U.S. presidents during his half century rule, has died at age 90. The bearded revolutionary, who survived a crippling U.S. trade embargo as well as dozens, possibly hundreds, of assassination plots, died eight years after ill health forced him to formally hand power over to his younger brother Raul, who announced his death late Friday, Nov. 25, 2016, on state television. (AP Photo/Ruth Fremson, File) / Facebook

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Whatsapp Then Cuban Prime Minister Fidel Castro smokes a cigar during interviews with the press during a visit of U.S. Senator Charles McGovern, in Havana in this May 1975 file photo. REUTERS/Prensa Latina/File Photo

Cuba achieved 100% literacy many years ago and built up a health system that is one the most admired in the world. With economic growth rates similar to many other Latin American countries, inequality and poverty are much less pronounced in Cuba than in surrounding nations.

His Governments faced not only issues of Development but also the consequences of an embargo imposed by Cubas largest neighbour, the United States, which was a regular topic for discussion at the United Nations and which was criticised by a large number of countries in the international community. 

The Irish president added that Castro was of a generation of leaders that sought offer an alternative global economic and social order.

He was President of the Non Aligned Movement and a leading figure in international gatherings that sought a more equal world of trade, rejected odious debt and sought an independent path to development.

"He was speaking of how it was possible to eliminate global hunger and of the enormous burden that international debt was placing on impoverished nations. Expected to give a lengthy speech, his very short statement ended with the phrase: Let us pay the debt to humanity, not the debt to the banks.

The restoration of diplomatic relations with the United States in 2014 and the visit of Pope Francis, and the response to it, have been ushering in a new period in Cubas history, one which seeks to retain the achievements of a social kind with greater freedoms in the civil society.

Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams also paid homage to the 90-year-old, revolutionist by Tweeting a picture of himself and Castro in 2001.

He later posted a statement describing Castro as a "global leader".

Fuair Fidel bas. RIP pic.twitter.com/vLuBjBd2gj  Gerry Adams (@GerryAdamsSF) November 26, 2016

"He lived long enough to see the vindication of the sacrifices of his people when President Obama commenced the process of normalising relations between the USA and Cuba."

He called for the blockade on Cuban goods to the USA to be "totally lifted."

The Sinn Fein leader went on to recall meeting with Castro.

"He was very conversant with Irish history and good friend to the Irish people and an admirer of our struggle, especially the hunger strikers of 1981."

Adams unveiled a memorial in Havana at the time to mark the 20th anniversary of the hunger strikes.

The memorial tablet includes a quote from a speech by Fidel Castro during the 1981 hunger strike condemning British stubbornness intransigence cruelty and insensitivity.

Adams, who later met Cuban President Fidel Castro, paid a tribute in his speech to about 100 hunger strikers whose names were inscribed on the marble memorial.s
Fine Gael has now overtaken Fianna Fail as the countrys most popular political party, according to a new opinion poll.

Support for Fianna Fail has fallen for the third successive poll as Micheal Martins party continues to facilitate Enda Kennys Fine Gael led-minority Government.

Fianna Fail is down two points on 24pc while Fine Gael is unchanged on 25pc.

Fine Gaels partners in Government, the Independent Alliance, is down two points to 4pc.

Sinn Fein is up three points to 16pc, Labour is unchanged on 5pc and the Anti Austerity Alliance People Before Profit group is down a massive four points to 5pc.

The Social Democrats up one to 4pc while the Green Party is unchanged on 3pc, according to the Sunday Business Post/Red C poll.
Irish maternity issues, past and present, have been to the fore this week - none of them covered in glory.

First, there was the publication of the symphysiotomy report and the compensation of 34m for the 'barbaric' treatment of 399 women.

Then the National Maternity Hospital managed to agree a compromise with St Vincent's Hospital, so that it could move to the Dublin 4 site, and avoid clashing with the Sisters of Mercy. Governance procedures have been agreed whereby a new 'National Maternity Hospital' company will be established with clinical and operational independence in the provision of maternity, gynaecology and neonatal services, as well as financial and budgetary independence.

Also this week, the Mother and Baby Home Commission of Investigation extended its date for submissions from former inmates.

Between the symphysiotomy mothers and the Magdalene mothers, we are, hopefully, coming to the end of one era where women, generally of a poorer class, were treated like animals.

Motherhood has an intangible position in Irish politics and law. On the one hand it is suggested motherhood is a sacred cow, enshrined in the constitution, where the: "State recognises that by her life within the home, woman gives to the State a support without which the common good cannot be achieved."

The reality as we all know is paradoxically different. Most of the women who were awarded compensation through the Symphysiotomy Redress Scheme are in their 70s and 80s, many already dead. But there were critics who resented the payment of between 50,000 and 150,000 to these women, because they did not all supply medical records. Can you imagine trying to obtain a hospital record from 40 or 50 years ago? All you have is a life-long limp, chronic back pain and incontinence to prove your point.

When you consider 50m has already been spent on an as yet, non-existent children's hospital without a query, it makes this 38m a passable apology for a life of agony.

One Irish hospital continued the invasive and brutal treatment until the 1990s.

This controversial operation, rarely used in the rest of Europe after the mid-20th century, was carried out on an estimated 1,500 women in Ireland between the 1940s and 1980s.

The procedure involves slicing through the cartilage and ligaments of a pelvic joint (or in extreme cases, called pubiotomy, sawing through the bone of the pelvis itself) to widen it and allow a baby to be delivered unobstructed.

In July 2014, the UN Human Rights Committee called for the Irish government to hold an investigation into the issue. Nigel Rodley, chair of the UN Human Rights Committee, called the use of the operation without patients' informed consent a "systematic assault".

Commenting on the symphysiotomy report this week by Judge Maureen Harding Clark, Health Minister Simon Harris said all of the women eligible to receive compensation had received their respective payments, the majority of claimants were over 75 years of age.

But one woman, who was offered compensation, refused in order to continue litigation against the State. Another woman, Olivia Kearney from Louth, who, at 18, was subject to a post-caesarean symphysiotomy at Our Lady's Hospital Drogheda in 1969, now 64, was awarded damages in 2012, for this "grave medical malpractice" when no medical justification for it was found in her notes. Her compensation award of 450,000 was slashed to 325,000 in the Supreme Court.

The scheme compensation is only given on the condition that claimants discontinue any legal action.

Given the length of time that it can take to challenge the State - you only have to think of Louise O'Keeffe and her battle all the way to the European Court of Human Rights to recognise her abuse at the hands of a teacher - it would put many elderly women off.

In defence of the obstetric profession, former master of the National Maternity Hospital, Dr Peter Boylan, in an interview said the description of the procedure as "barbaric" implied that doctors and obstetricians who carried out the procedure were barbarians which, he said, was outrageous.

He also said that symphysiotomy can happen spontaneously and while the procedure is rarely used now, it was still used in rare and life-threatening situations. In that regard, I expect it is now carried out with consent, which makes all the difference.

Historically, it is clear that was not the case, and there were influential obstetricians with deeply-held religious beliefs, according to Jacqueline Morrisey, a historian who began investigating the practice in the 1990s.

Dr Alex Spain, the master of the National Maternity Hospital until 1948, disapproved of caesarean sections - his Catholic beliefs, not his medical judgment, guided his actions. At the time, the established medical consensus was that having more than three caesarean sections was dangerous, and that further pregnancies would have to be stopped by sterilisation or contraception. Dr Spain considered this unacceptable, and talked about "the mutilating operation of sterilisation and marital difficulty".

Dr Spain would lead the revival of symphysiotomy among the maternity hospitals of Dublin.

His successor, Arthur Barry, refused to allow women whose lives were at risk, to be given advice on "natural", Catholic-approved contraception methods.

When you consider how money is wasted in this country, it is best to look at the compensation as a tangible 'end of life' gift to mothers who have suffered through a Catholic-driven hospital ethos.

It does not make it right that there was lack of consent, but the past cannot be undone. Hopefully, it will provide some comfort in their future.
Senior members of the judiciary have written to the Government expressing concern about aspects of the Coalition's plan to reform the process of appointing judges.

The objections, voiced in a memo sent to Tanaiste Frances Fitzgerald, centre on the make-up of a new commission which will advise the Cabinet on appointments.

The Independent Alliance secured agreement from Fine Gael that the commission would have a majority of members from a non-legal background and an independent chairperson.

However, the judges have told Ms Fitzgerald they favour a commission where the judiciary and legal practitioners are substantially represented, in line with practice in other jurisdictions. They have also said the Chief Justice should chair it, rather than a person from a non-legal background.

The memo, sent yesterday, is the latest twist in the increasingly bitter row over reform of the appointments process.

All eyes will now be on Transport Minister Shane Ross, who has driven the reform plans and whose provocative comments about the integrity of the judiciary have caused fury amongst judges.

During hard fought negotiations on the Programme for Government, Mr Ross secured agreement for the slimming down of the existing 12-person judicial appointments advisory board and its replacement with a commission with a lay majority and an independent chair.

It was also agreed that just three names would be put forward for each vacancy, considerably limiting the discretion of the Cabinet.

Mr Ross believes the current system is as "an outlet for political patronage" and has claimed judges "lead a charmed life".

The Independent Alliance TD has also vetoed the appointment of any new judges until the new system is in place, a stance which has prompted fears huge backlogs will begin appearing in the courts as the legislation is not ready.

His recent remarks that judges would "fight change" drew an angry response last weekend from Chief Justice Susan Denham, who said the opposite was the truth.

Another senior judge, Circuit Court President Raymond Groarke, said on Thursday the failure of the Government to appoint new judges was interfering with his ability to comply with the law.

His court currently has three vacancies and will have five by January.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny sought to soothe those concerns yesterday, indicating there may be appointments in advance of the new system if there is an immediate need for them.

Ms Fitzgerald also left the door open to further appointments under the current system, saying she would review the situation and did not want undue delays in the courts.

The memo for the Tanaiste was sent by senior judges by way of a follow-up to a meeting between a judicial delegation with Ms Fitzgerald and Mr Ross last week.

That delegation was made up of Mr Justice Donal O'Donnell of the Supreme Court, and Ms Justice Mary Finlay Geoghegan and Mr Justice George Birmingham, both of the Court of Appeal.

The memo outlined that a large degree of consensus existed between the Government and the judiciary on the proposed reforms.

It said judges recognised the need to recast the advisory commission and for there to be a limit of three candidates nominated per vacancy.

It noted there was consensus on the need to ensure "merit-based" appointments and taking the issue out of the political sphere.

The memo was also supportive of interviews being conducted as part of the selection process and the need to attract a wider group of candidates than before now.

However, it said two points of divergence remained.

The first sticking point is that the judiciary believe the Chief Justice should chair the commission as no other head of a branch of government would sit on a committee that they did not chair.

Secondly, it said the judiciary favoured a majority of people from a legal background being on the commission, to safeguard the independence of the judiciary.

It pointed out that any concerns about this could be alleviated by ensuring that candidates are selected on a consensus basis or, failing that, by a weighted majority.

The memo also suggested that lay members of the board could be selected by the Top Level Appointments Commission.

Whether the intervention by the judiciary at this stage will have any impact on the Government's plans is debatable.

Mr Ross has already stated his belief that judges want to control the selection process and appears immovable in his opposition to there being a majority with a legal background on the commission.

The reforms sought by Mr Ross are becoming a red line issue for the Independent Alliance and the indications are Fine Gael will not risk the stability of the Government to appease the judiciary.
Fr. Gerry Campbell and Fr. Eugene Sweeney VG, with Joe Purcell, Patrick Logue, Dr. Tony Hanna and Sr. Rhoda Curran at a presentation night in The Armagh Diocesan Pastoral Centre, The Demesne

The remarkable work done by staff and volunteers at the Pastoral Centre at the Magnet, Dundalk, was highlighted last week at a retirement function for a number of key members.

Dr Tony Hanna, Sr Rhoda Curran, Joe Purcell and Patrick Logue were honoured for their outstanding commitment to the Armagh Diocese and the Dundalk and North Louth areas. The Armagh Diocesan Pastoral Centre, founded in 1993 was originally housed at Mount Oliver and moved in 2007 to the beautifully refurbished former Magnet cinema at the Demesne where staff were able to continue and expand the number of services offered.

The centre's director, since 1998, was Sr Rhoda, who outlined a number of the initiatives that have found a home at the Pastoral Centre, none of which, she said, would have been possible without the dedication of the highly-trained and experienced volunteers who give freely of their time to help others.

Among the programmes delivered at the Pastoral Centre is the Right of Christian Initiation of Catholics, overseen and delivered by Mr Purcell, who was also deputy director of the centre. Around 20 people per year complete this programme.

In addition, the centre has also offered a large amount of 'life improvement' and life enhancement programmes, which help people to empower themselves. These include wellness, bereavement counselling, which offers no appointment, free sessions with a qualified psychotherapist on Thursday mornings and the Rainbows programme, which offers children and young people a pathway to understanding following the loss of a loved one, through death or family breakdown.

Sr Rhoda said: 'There are around 60 children on the current 12 week programme and though many of them are unsure and shy when they first start, at the end of it they are more self confident and understanding about what's happened to them and that is marvellous to see.

Marriage guidance and preparation organisation, Accord, use the facility for their monthly weekend courses for engaged couples.

Dr Hanna has looked after the theology-based programmes and the centre is a meeting place for the Irish Council of Churches, set up in advance of the peace process it is a group that includes the Christian churches in Ireland which meet regularly to discuss issues affecting them all, North and South.

Dr Hanna, along with Mr Logue, were also responsible for the introduction of the diocese-wide pastoral plan.

Sr Rhoda, said she is pleased that so many people have benefited from the programmes offered at the centre, which has great support not only from the local clergy in the parishes in Dundalk and North Louth, but also from Archbishop Eamon Martin, Cardinal Sean Brady and Bishop Gerard Clifford.

She said she intends to remain involved with the centre at some level and will be taking time in her retirement to visit her nieces, nephews and grand nieces and nephews as well as spending time on Scripture.
Louth County Council's bud get for 2017 was passed on Monday night by 14 votes to nine, with Fine Gael's Maria Doyle refusing to approve it after she failed to secure an increase in rates rebates for vacant premises.

Introducing the budget for 2017, Chief Executive Joan Martin said that it was largely the same as the 2016 budget as there was no additional funding available to the local authority and they were dealing with a mixture of the same challenges.

These included debt collection, rates, and high vacancy rates in the two towns. She had no doubt that Brexit would also present its own challenges.

She had met all of the members of the Municipal Districts to talk about their issues and concerns and a lot of them fell into the category of roads, footpaths, traffic, regeneration of towns, bus routes, pay parking, etc. She had attempted to deal with as many of these as possible in the budget and the capital programme, she said.

The priorities for her were housing-related issues and she reported that the council had a very successful year in delivering targets and she expected that they would be able to draw down all the funding for 2016 available to them under Rebuilding Ireland.

Homelessness was one of the greatest problems and there had been a spike in the numbers of people presenting as homelessness in the last few months and if this continued it would be quite a considerable challenge for the council.

The housing construction industry was still struggling and they had reduced development levies in an effort to help it.

Their other priorities were economic development and creating jobs through the Economic Forum and working with local traders.

Tourism, she continued, has to have the greatest potential for the area even though Louth was starting from a low base and they were helping local providers to develop stories to fit in with the Ireland's Ancient East campaign.

They were also putting a lot of money into festivals and would be appointing an advisor to ensure they get a massive input from tourism in 2017.

There were plans for the regeneration of town centres in both Drogheda and Dundalk and the council staff would seek every opportunity to get money from whatever source, be it EU or Intereg funding, that they can.

While she would like to see all the wishes of the councillors included in the budget, she could only work with the finance they have and she put the budget before them and recommended that it be adopted.

Cllr Maria Doyle complained that she hadn't received any feedback to suggestions which she had made. She proposed that they change the rebate given to the owners of vacant premises from 50% to 75% as it has been a burden for small and medium property owners who were trying to lease out premises but were unsuccessful. She suggested the rebate only apply to premises of less that 500 sq ft as she understood the concerns around larger premises.

Ms Martin replied that the proposal should have been costed and Cllr Doyle was proposing a reduction in income, she must identify a cut in expenditure and where costs could be made.

Cllr Doyle said she had raised the matter in an email but had received no reply, to which Ms Martin told her she was sitting in the chamber long enough to know that she couldn't change the budget.

She said she didn't respond to any councillor over their submissions but looked at them all and included what she could in the budget.

Cllr Doyle argued that they shouldn't be 'looking for blood from a stone' from those who are not in business any more. Later in the meeting, Ms Martin said the increase rebate could cost in the region of 1.4 million and she would be 'hard-pushed to find 100,000'.

Ms Martin said that the rates have been coming down from 65 to 63 and would come down 60 when they have a unified rate across the whole county.

Cllr Pio Smith said his difficulty was that feedback didn't come to the councillors and they were being asked to vote on a budget which they had got less than a week previously. He felt that there was so much in it that they would need some kind of workshop to help them understand all the issues and implications of making changes to one area or another.

Director of Finance, Ms Bernadette Walshe replied that there had been a three day workshop in 2015 and they had produced a booklet and as things hadn't changed much since then, she had thought that was suffice.

'It clearly failed,' said Mr Smith, who said that he was coming to view himself as 'a rubber stamp councillor' and was becoming increasingly frustrated about what they could do.

Cllr Mark Dearey said that the problem regarding the rates reduction for vacant premises was that the money which they get has now being integrated into their budget and to change it would be extremely difficult, but he understood why Cllr. Doyle raised the issue.

Ms Martin revealed that if it hadn't been for that cash coming into the council's coffers, she would have had to decimate the community grants or the library service.

'Our financial position is no better than it was two or three years ago.'

After a number of hours of debate, the council passed the budget by 14 votes to nine, with councillors from Sinn Fein voting against, along with Cllr. Doyle and Cllr. Marianne Butler.
Dr Gerard McKiernan, Head of School of Informatics and Creative Arts presents the Michael Van Dessel Scholar award to Jessica Hui Sze Lee

The prestigious Michael Van Dessel Choral Conducting Scholar Award 2016/17 was awarded to Jessica Hui Sze Lee, a fourth year student on the BA (Hons) Applied Music programme in DkIT.

From Malaysia, Jessica is currently specialising in solo performance on violin at DkIT and is also an excellent pianist.

As well as performing with the DkIT Choir and Chamber Choir, Jessica performs in a classical music group at the Institute. She is also a fiddle and piano player with the DkIT Traditional Music Ensemble and has performed on RTE Ceili House.

One of her most memorable performances was at the Pre-Circom Award Ceremony live in front of many top media representatives from around the world.

Over the course of her studies to date, Jessica has engaged in a number of notable performances, including at Birr Castle and has travelled to Belgium as part of an Erasmus Intensive Programme at Artesis University College, Antwerp.

Jessica also appeared in numerous stage productions in Dundalk including No No Nanette (2015), To Stay or Leave (2015) and In Great Company (2016).

Speaking at the presentation of the award, Dr Adele Commins, Head of Department of Creative Arts, Media and Music at DkIT, noted the importance of Michael Van Dessel's immense contribution to the development of music making in Dundalk.

Dr Commins, herself a musical director of two church choirs in Louth, noted the significance of DkIT continuing the strong tradition of choral singing in Dundalk.

The presentation took place in the Fr McNally Recital Room at Dundalk Institute of Technology, named after another significant figure in Louth's musical history, and was attended by all of the members of the DkIT Ceol Oirghialla Choir.

Dr Gerard 'Bob' McKiernan, Head of School of Informatics and Creative Media, congratulated all of the students on their contribution to the cultural life of the Institute and celebrated the relationship between DkIT and the community.

There is a strong tradition of choral singing in Dundalk. Michael Van Dessel (1899-1974) was organist and musical director at St Patrick's Church and St. Joseph's Redemptorist Church.

He was noted by many as Dundalk's 'most distinguished musician' on account of his work as teacher, musical director, composer, conductor and organist.

Van Dessel was one of a number of European musicians who settled in Ireland during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, many of whom played a central role in raising the standard of liturgical music in their adopted towns. Choral conducting is an integral element of the BA (Hons) Applied Music and each year the award is presented to a student who is recognised for excellence in conducting and in contributing to vocal studies at the Institute.
Dundalk is set to bloom in purple next Spring after 20,000 purple crocuses were planted in town last week.

The planting at Jocelyn Grove, was led by Dundalk Rotary Club, with the 'invaluable assistance' of Louth County Council, as part of the 'Purple for Polio' campaign.

Dundalk Rotary president, Barry Oliver explained the background to the project.

'For over 30 years, Rotary and its members have been committed to fighting to eradicate polio across the world.'

'With eradication now closer than ever, Rotary International in Great Britain and Ireland's latest campaign 'Purple4Polio' is designed to unite communities to engage in activities as part of the final push to eradicate polio for good.'

In Ireland, polio is no longer a threat to young children thanks to effective immunisation. The Rotary movement has been working to create the same level of protection for children across the world, supporting immunisation programmes for millions of children.

The Purple4Polio campaign ties in with the 100 year anniversary of The Rotary Foundation.

The Rotary Club in Dundalk has been in existence for over 51 years, and to mark this campaign locally the Town Hall in Dundalk was one on hundreds of buildings around the world which chose to light up blue to support of World Polio Day.

'We were delighted to be able to do our bit locally to highlight the campaign,' said Barry.

He added: 'On behalf of the Rotary Club in Dundalk, thank you to Louth County Council for providing the plot, the man and lady power and your co-operation in allowing us to bring a little purple to Dundalk town centre.'
'This cannot happen, it will be disastrous for our country,' said north Wicklow woman Sarah Gibson-O'Gara, who attended a protest in Bray last week objecting to the proposed site of a new children's hospital in Dublin.

Sarah's son Martin (6) was born with severe brain damage and requires around-the-clock nursing care and regular visits to hospital. He stands a high risk of choking, requires oxygen on a 24-hour basis and is on 15 medications a day.

'Access is crucial,' said Sarah. She did a trial run of the journey from their Newcastle home to the St James's site, and one to the Connolly site. 'The journey to St James' took me 85 minutes. It was just 45 minutes to Connolly. Neither of those are in rush hour traffic,' she said.

'It can be a nightmare to try to get him to hospital,' said Sarah.

She said that anyone's child could be affected by the location of the hospital.

The Connolly for Kids group gathered outside the Bray office of health minister Simon Harris last Wednesday morning. 'We hope to change the Government's decision to locate the hospital at the St James site and move it to Connolly. The 145 acre site there is much more suitable, cheaper, quicker to build and with easier access,' said Sarah.

In a strongly worded letter to the Taoiseach last Friday the Connolly for Kids Hospital group sought the dissolution of the National Paediatric Hospital Development Board and the Children's Hospital Group Board. They claim that 'since there is no justifiable reason to build the hospital at St James's, the Children's Hospital Boards are making false and misleading statements publicly about the St James's site'.

The crowd attending the protest held pickets stating 'The public wants the truth Minister'; 'Why are you afraid of the truth Minister', and 'Why do you find the truth offensive'.

Minister Harris was at the St James's campus in July to mark the start of the first phase of construction.

The location of the hospital was selected in 2012 following a comprehensive process which involved local and international experts. As is best practice internationally, the new children's hospital will be tri-located with an adult teaching hospital and in due course, with the Coombe Women and Infants University Hospital.

At the launch in July, Minister Harris said that the project is: 'A major step towards transforming how paediatric care is delivered in this country. Bringing together the three children's hospitals under one roof will mean that the sickest children will no longer have to move from hospital to hospital to avail of the care they need. It will also lead to better clinical outcomes for children as there will be greater opportunities for staff to work together across disciplines.

'Children and young people receiving complex treatment and care, young people transitioning to adult services, as well as the sickest newborns and mothers, will greatly benefit from specialist services coming together on this campus,' said Minister Harris.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov. 26

Trend:

Over the past 24 hours, Armenias armed forces have 17 times violated the ceasefire along the line of contact between Azerbaijani and Armenian troops, said Azerbaijans Defense Ministry Nov. 26.

The Azerbaijani army positions located in the Farahli village of Azerbaijans Gazakh district underwent fire from the Armenian army positions located in the Shavarshavan village of the Noyemberyan district of Armenia.

Meanwhile, positions of the Azerbaijani army located in the Munjuglu, Kokhanabi and Aghbulag villages were also fired at from the Armenian army positions located in the Chinari village of Armenias Berd district, as well as on nameless heights of the same district.

Moreover, the Azerbaijani army positions were fired at from the Armenian positions located near the Armenian-occupied Chilaburt and Goyarkh villages of the Tartar district, Marzili village of the Aghdam district, Kuropatkino village of the Khojavand district, as well as on nameless heights of the Goranboy, Tartar and Fuzuli districts.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations.

Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts.
Wicklow County Council will write to Irish Water to inform the national water utility that local representatives expect timely responses to any queries made.

Councillors met with Irish Water representatives in County Buildings on September 5, yet some elected members had to wait for over three months for replies to their questions.

At the Wicklow County Council meeting held on Monday, November 14, Cllr Joe Behan proposed writing to Irish Water to voice councillors disappointment with the responses received regarding matters affecting County Wicklow and demanding that Irish Water answer questions put to them in a timely manner.

'We met with Irish Water over three months ago and were asked to provide questions in advance. There was a line-up of Irish Water officials on the day alright but there were no written replies to any of the queries,' said Cllr Behan.

Cllr Behan said he eventually received a response late on a Sunday night in November.

'Irish Water are constantly failing to get back to us with responses. When we raise questions we are entitled to proper answers that we can consider,' he said.

Cllr Gail Dunne said that the utility 'never responded to any of my questions, one of which was very important.'

Cllr Gerry Walsh only received a reply from the September meeting two to three weeks ago.

Cllr Pat Fitzgerald, cathaoirleach of Wicklow County Council, said he had only been contacted late on Sunday, despite having also submitting questions back in September.

'Getting responses over two months later isn't good enough. Irish Water seem to have total disregard for public representatives in most areas. I got a solitary response on what I raised over one issue and then suddenly the answers to all the other questions arrived in a flurry,' he said.

Cllr Nicola Lawless received a reply within 'a few days' though she wondered if maybe she received some 'favouritism' because Irish Water think Sinn Fein 'don't like them.'

The longest wait experienced was by Cllr Pat Doran.

'I asked a question three years ago and got an answer last month,' he said.

As well as writing to Irish Water, Wicklow County Council will also send a resolution to the relevant Government Department as proposed by Cllr Tommy Cullen.

According to Cllr Cullen, Wicklow County Council had one of the highest performances in the eastern region when the local authority was responsible for water.

'A review should be carried out and local authority staff sent to work for Irish Water should be sent back to Wicklow County Council and the maintenance and supply of water should go back to being the responsibility of the local authority,' he said.
Bray area parents gathered at the office of Minister Simon Harris last Wednesday morning to object to plans to locate a new children's hospital at the site of St James's Hospital in Dublin. Members of the Connolly For Kids group said that they would prefer the 145-acre site at Connolly Hospital just off the M50 beside Blanchardstown.

Newcastle mother Sarah Gibson-O'Gara is mother to six-year-old Martin, who requires around-the-clock nursing care and is regularly in hospital.

She said that she has timed the journey to each site, and the trip to St James's was 40 minutes longer. Neither journey was carried out in rush-hour traffic.

Another Bray mother, not related to the Connolly For Kids group, said that she would prefer to bring either of her children to a site on the outskirts of the city, with adequate parking.

Minister Harris said last July that the project is 'a major step towards transforming how paediatric care is delivered in this country'.
A cold crisp, but sun drenched afternoon was the backdrop for the 59th annual Sean Moylan Commemoration in Kiskeam where Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin who delivered the Oration this year began by paying tribute to Moylan and his comrades.

"The people of Ireland have shown how to look to the past in order to help understand who we are and to draw inspiration for our future, and this has been a powerful testimony to the fact that patriotism can be the mark on an inclusive, modern republic" he said.

The Fianna Fail leader went on to say that we should never take this for granted; "At this grave dark moment in world affairs, we should never stop reminding ourselves of the republican spirit which has defined our modern history and should define how we face the future" he continued. "We have come through a deep recession and we must address the challenge of a Country which has become more divided and more unfair. On top of this we face rising threats from an international situation which could cause deep, long term damage, we desperately need a new urgency and ambition in our Government" he added saying that Brexit is already undermining Irish businesses which have for decades worked on the basis that our countries shared a commitment to working constructively with other European countries.

Mr. Martin went on to say that rural Ireland needs a guarantee that it will have fair access to the social and economic services which are essential for Communities and Businesses to thrive, and that as a nation we must also understand that the hard line populism developing in other countries is a threat to us as well.

Moylan served as Commandant of the Cork No. 2 Battalion during the War of Independence and during the subsequent Civil War served as Director of Operations for the Anti-Treaty Forces.

Moylan was elected as a TD for the first time during the 2nd Dail and was later elected as a Fianna Fail TD in 1927 before serving as Minister for Lands, Minster for Education and Minister for Agriculture before his untimely death in 1957.

"His commitment to the cause of Irish freedom should be a reminder to us all about our duty as Irish citizens to make our country prosperous and successful," said Michael Moynihan TD who is the Vice Chair of the Commemoration Committee. "Last Sunday was a great day. Our parish and community came together to celebrate one of our own."
A 71 year old North Cork man has been charged with attempting to impede the prosecution of his son for dangerous driving causing the death of a father of four in a hit and run in Co Kerry four years ago.

Dan Joe Fitzgerald was charged last week with attempting to impede the prosecution of his son, Shane on a charge of dangerous driving causing the death of Paudie O'Leary (42) on July 1st 2012

Mr O'Leary was out for a training cycle at 5am on the day in question when he was struck and knocked off his bike at Scrahanfada near Gneeveguilla by a Toyota Landcruiser that failed to stop.

His body was later found by relatives searching for him and gardai began an investigation to try and identify the hit and run driver who fatally injured Mr O'Leary but failed to stop or report the matter.

In March 2015, Shane Fitzgerald, who had denied any involvement in the incident, was convicted of dangerous driving causing the death of Mr O'Leary after a trial at Tralee Circuit Criminal Court.

Fitzgerald was sentenced to six and a half years in jail for the offence by Judge Thomas O'Donnell who suspended the final 18 months of the jail sentence and he banned him from driving.

Last Friday, Dan Joe Fitzgerald of Upper Knockeen, Meelin, Newmarket, Co Cork appeared before Cork District Court where he was charged with attempting to impede a Garda prosecution.

The charge stated that he knowing or believing Shane Fitzgerald to be guilty of dangerous driving causing death did act with intent to impede the apprehension or prosecution of Shane Fitzgerald.

The offence, which is contrary to Section 7 (2) of the Criminal Law Act and carries a penalty of up to ten years, is alleged to have happened at a place unknown between July 1st and July 13th 2012.

Insp Fergal Foley gave evidence of arrest, charge and caution and told Judge Leo Malone that Fitzgerald Snr made no reply to the charge when it was put to him after caution.

Insp Foley said the Director of Public Prosecution had directed trial on indictment and that time was needed for preparation of a book of evidence and he applied for an adjournment.

Defence solicitor, Shane Collins Daly, told Judge Leo Malone that his client was applying for free legal aid in relation to the matter as he was a 71 year old pensioner with limited means,

However, Insp Fergal Foley said Gardai believed Fitzgerald had an income until relatively recently

"He was engaged in importing machinery from the UK and then selling it," he said.

Judge Malone said he was reserving a decision on free legal aid until Gardai made a full inquiry into the statement of means submitted by Mr Fitzgerald in support of his free legal application

Judge Malone remanded Fitzgerald, who did not speak during the brief hearing, on bail on his own bond of 500 to appear again before Cork District Court on December 15 next.
A judge has sympathised with the family of a young North Corkman who died in Cork University Hospital five days after ingesting a deadly dangerous hallucinogenic drug at a house party in Cork city earlier this yea.

Judge Gerard O'Brien extended his sympathy to the family of 18 year old Alex Ryan from Millstreet as he adjourned the case against three people charged with drug offences following a Garda investigation into the death of Mr Ryan.

Judge O'Brien expressed concern after hearing the evidence in the case of three accused, Harry Clifton (29), Ruairi Maher (22) and Jessica O'Connor (20) of Rosebank House, Ballyhar, Killarney, Co Kerry, who were charged following the death of Alex Ryan (18) in Cork earlier this year.

Mr Ryan from Liscahane, Millstreet, died at Cork University Hospital on January 23, 2016 after taking ill when he ingested a synthetic drug called 251 NBOMe, colloquially known as N-bomb, at a house party at St Patrick's Terrace, Greenmount, on January 18.

Judge O'Brien questioned whether Clifton - who had pleaded to possessing the drug for sale or supply - had any insight into the dangers of such designer drugs after hearing evidence about the garda investigation into how Mr Ryan ended up consuming the fatal drug.

Judge O'Brien had heard that Mr Ryan and O'Connor had been among a group of 60 young people who participated in a party at Oliver Plunkett Street in Cork where alcohol, speed and ecstasy were consumed on January 15th and the party continued for some over the weekend until January 18th.

Some eight people were at the house party in Greenmount and six of these, including Mr Ryan and O'Connor, ended up at CUH after ingesting N bomb with five them making a recovery but Mr Ryan losing his fight for life five days later.

"What is alarming is the level of disrespect that young people have for themselves and their own safety by taking drugs that are illicit and manufactured by criminals, and think it's okay because they are having a good time," said Judge O'Brien.

Clifton had earlier pleaded guilty to a total of four charges arising out of the garda investigation into Mr Ryan's death, including possessing N Bomb and possessing MDMA or ecstasy for sale or supply and simple possession of DMT and cannabis at his flat at Proby's Quay in Cork on January 19th.

Maher of Ballycurrane, Thurles, Co Tipperary, pleaded guilty to conspiring with another to possess N-bomb for the purpose of sale or supply in Cork city on January 19th while O'Connor pleaded guilty to possessing N bomb for supply to another, also in Cork city on January 18th.

Det Garda Danny McInerney told Cork Circuit Criminal Court that gardai began an investigation after six people were taken to CUH after ingesting a drug at a house party. Phone records led them to Clifton.

Gardai searched his house and found a half a gramme of N bomb which Clifton told them was part of a batch of the drug which he thought was a less potent synthetic drug called 2CB, while they also found 5.5gms of MDMA worth 550.

Gardai established that Clifton had sold 12 trips of N bomb to Maher on January 18th for 80 when he called to the flat with O'Connor and Mr Ryan, and that Maher had sold 12 trips on to others in the group for a total sum of 120, making a 40 profit for himself.

Maher had linked up with O'Connor on Tindr and in the course of attending the party on Oliver Plunkett Street on January 15th he had offered to try and source some drugs from Clifton, who told him when handing over the drugs that no one should consume more than one trip of the drug.

Clifton had five previous convictions, including one for cultivation of opium poppies, while Maher had 11 previous convictions, including one for simple possession of drugs. O'Connor, who was studying architecture in UCC at the time, had no previous convictions.

Judge O'Brien heard that all three were deeply remorseful for what had happened and never expected the drugs to have the fatal consequences that they had, even though Det McInerney told the court that N bomb was known to have been fatal in several cases worldwide.

Judge O'Brien, who was told that none of the three had any drug addictions, adjourned the matter until Friday for penalty and he extended his sympathy to members of Mr Ryan's family who were in present in court.
There's a coffee morning on Sunday, December 4 in aid of student nurses undertaking placement in Tanzania, Africa in April 2017, one of the poorest countries in the world.

The coffee morning is in aid of a student nurse from Newmarket, Ellie Birtley who is currently studying at the University of Chester and is undertaking four voluntary weeks in Tanzania in Africa in April 2017.

Ellie will be working alongside healthcare professionals within a local under-resourced hospital in one of Africa's poorest locations, where she will help them and explore their areas of expertise, clinical skills, knowledge, culture and communication skills.

She will also be spending some of her free afternoons helping out at the local orphanage.

Ellie is hoping to raise some money to cover the cost of this trip, which will allow her to volunteer full time as a student nurse for this four-week period in a third-world country.

The coffee morning is in the CYMS Hall after Mass on Sunday, December 4.

Ellie would also like to thank many of the local businesses in Newmarket that have given generous donations so far.
A grieving Mr Noel Clancy recalled how he listened to Bob Dylan's 'Blowing in the Wind' and thought how it reflected the tragedy of deaths on Irish roads.

Mr Clancy told Cork Circuit Criminal Court in his victim impact statement how he was in a daze at the funeral mass for his wife, Geraldine, and daughter, Louise after they were killed in a car crash on December 22, 2015 when the choir sang the Dylan anthem, which was a favourite of Louise's.

"I could see Louise singing and playing her guitar - the words might well be the story of road collisions in Ireland. 'How many deaths will it take to know that too many people have died - the answer, my friend, is blowing in the wind'."

Mr Clancy told how he and his other children, Fiona and Declan, had gone into the funeral home in Fermoy for a rosary on the day after his wife and daughter were killed when their car was hit by a car driven by their neighbour, Susan Gleeson near their home in Kilworth.

"When we went in and saw the coffins side by side, my heart broke. I pushed the coffins apart and knelt between them and put my left hand on Geraldine's clasped hands and my right hand on Louise's and cried for my wife and daughter."

Mr Clancy recalled how he first met Geraldine when he was 19 but that it took him ten months to summon up the courage to ask her out and their first date was on July 20, 1980 and from that day until the day she died "we were a team".

They had got engaged on August 16th 1984 in Galway, a city they grew to love as they holidayed there many times over the years and they were married on September 5th 1986 and went on their honeymoon to Italy.

"We honeymooned in Italy and it was idyllic. We always planned to return to Rome. We threw coins in the Trevi Fountain and wished to return. We were never in a rush, there would always be time. Rome would always be there but we ran out of time," he said.

"When I lost Geraldine, I lost everything - my girlfriend, my wife, my life partner, my lover, the mother of my children and my best friend - all the things we did together, all the the decisions we made together, big and small, on farm and off farm.

"The holidays, the road trips to Wales, Donegal, Kerry and Scotland - the weekends in the Marina Hotel in Waterford to celebrate her birthday on December 15th- all lost - the magical Christmas of the past replaced last year by a visit to a funeral home and this year to a cemetery."

Mr Clancy spoke about how Louise had overcome her struggles with autism to study English and Sociology at UCC and she was hoping to become a journalist and had just returned home for Christmas from her ERASMUS year at the University of Sussex when the crash happened.

"If I lost the past with Geraldine, I lost the future with Louise - because of her struggles with autism and her determination to overcome every obstacle, nobody deserved a bright, happy, safe and rewarding future more than Louise," he said.

He recalled how on the night she was born, she swallowed mucus, choked and turned blue but was put into an incubator and recovered though doctors said the event was responsible for her autism which resulted in her being slow to walk and slow to talk

"It became apparent that she would not be able to go to mainstream national school and instead she spent three years in Scoil Triest in Glanmire and there with the dedication of the fantastic staff and home tuition by Geraldine, she bloomed and in 2001 was able to return to mainstream education."

He told how after visiting Louise in the University of Sussex in Brighton, he imagined her achieving her dream of working as a journalist covering major stories in war zones and disaster areas and giving a voice to the voiceless.

"I could see her with the students in Tiananmen Square, I could imagine her in the townships in South Africa during the apartheid days, I could hear her telling the stories of the Kurds on the Iraq/Turkish border and being with the civil rights marchers on the Bogside on Bloody Sunday.

"That's where Louise would be - telling the story of the oppressed and the downtrodden, the persecuted and the hungry, the sick and the homeless - 'The pen is mightier than the sword, Dad - always remember that,'- I remember that, Lou, I remember."

And he recalled how on Christmas Day - three days after they were killed - the undertaker asked him a question about the funeral which he hoped that he would never have to ask any other family ever again, as he spoke of the devastation that had hit their family on an ordinary December morning.

"He asked me 'Which coffin will we lower first?'- While most people were enjoying Christmas with their families, I was trying to make a decision. I phoned him back and told him that we would lower Geraldine first and place Louise back in her arms."
Following a chance encounter while he was living in Dublin in 1974, Mitchelstown man Liam Cusack developed a strong and lasting friendship with William Trevor.

They would meet up every time that Mr Trevor visited the town of his birth and Mr Cusack told The Corkman that his friend always took great pride in his Mitchelstown roots.

"It was something we would often discuss and William once told me that there were two things in life over which you have no control - where you are born and where you die," he said.

"That was why he always held a great love for Mitchelstown throughout his life, often making subtle references to the town in his work," said Mr Cusack.

He said that Mr Trevor's literary legacy could not be understated, describing it as being "almost beyond comprehension."

"I am an avid reader, but I am not a critic. Those who do know about these things generally agree that he was the greatest short story writer ever outside of Checkov," said Mr Cusack.

"Not that you would ever suspect that when you met him, William was the most self effacing man you could ever meet and would shy away from publicity.

He was a wonderful person and I am very proud to be able to say that we enjoyed a great friendship over the years," added Mr Cusack.
Famed Irish tenor Eugene Ginty will perform at a very special mass in the Dominican Church on Sunday November 27th (noon).

The remembrance mass will recall all those who have passed away and their families.

Afterwards, the Boyne will be the focus when Fr Jim Donleavy and Mayor Oliver Tully will lead a procession to the nearby Dominic's Bridge where flowers will be thrown into the river in a symbolic gesture.

'This is a mass for everyone and we'd love the people to play a part,' Fr Jim stated.

Anybody who wishes to take part, be it reciting a prayer of the faithful or what they wish, can contact the mass office or contact 0861533953.

The ONE will also attend on the day.

As a result of the noon mass, the usual 10.30am mass will now be at 10am. All are most welcome to attend.

ODS President's lunch date

The Old Drogheda Society's President's Lunch takes place on Sunday December 4th in the Boyne Valley Hotel.This year's guest speaker will be Fiachra Trench, the well known composer, arranger and musician.

Terry spend his early life in Drogheda, his mother was the artist Bea Orpen and his father Terry Trench was a well known historian. He studied science at Trinity College, Dublin and composition and organ at the Royal Irish Academy of Music He pursued further musical studies at the Universities of Georgia and Cincinnati and at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London.

From 1969 until 1991 he worked in London as composer, arranger, musical director and record producer. His musical credits are impressive and his string arrangement appears on such hits as 'Fairytale of New York' by the Pogues; 'Love is all around' by Wet Wet Wet; 'I don't like Mondays' by the Boomtown Rats; he has worked with the best in the business, including Kate Bush, Van Morrison, Elvis Costello, Art Garfunkel, Phil Lynott, Sinead O'Connor, Paul Brady, Mary Black, The Chieftans, The Corrs, Bonnie Tyler and Paul McCartney.

Since returning to live in Ireland he has worked principally in the area of music for film and television. His scores include those for Dear Sarah, A Love Divided and the major BBC documentary series, People's Century. He has also collaborated on many film scores including Twelfth Night, Die Hard and Pearl Harbor.

Places at the lunch which is also open to non members can be booked by phoning Drogheda Museum Millmount on 041-9833097, cost 25. The lunch is timed for 1pm and there will be a book stall open from 12.30 pm.

Two of his orchestral works, MM: Symphonic Movement and Overture for Brass and Percussion, have been performed by the National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland, and the RTE Concert Orchestra has performed his Summer Suite (Five Pastiches for Orchestra).

As arranger/musical director he has worked with rock, pop and folk performers including Van Morrisson, Elvis Costello, The Corrs and The Chieftains. He is musical director and pianist with the Carmel McCreagh Band.
Tashkent, Uzbekistan, Nov. 26

By Demir Azizov Trend:

Uzbekistan intends to create another four free economic zones, according to the draft decree of the countrys acting president, prime minister Shavkat Mirziyoyev, published for the Uzbek societys discussion.

In accordance with the project, it is planned to create Urgut, Gijduvan, Kokand and Khazarasp free economic zones in Bukhara, Samarkand, Fergana and Khorezm regions of Uzbekistan.

Creation of new free economic zones is aimed at formation of favorable conditions for attracting foreign and domestic investments to create modern production facilities for deep processing of mineral and raw material resources and agricultural products, as well as integrated and efficient use of production and resource potential of the four regions of Uzbekistan.

It is planned to create the new production facilities in the spheres of deep processing, storage and packaging of horticultural and agricultural products, textile, carpet weaving, footwear and leather goods, as well as environmentally friendly chemical, pharmaceutical, food and electrical industry, mechanical engineering and the automotive industry, production of building materials and in other areas.

It is planned that the free economic zones will be operating during 30 years with the possibility of further extension. Special tax and customs privileges will be in power during this time in the free economic zones. Logistics centers and customs posts will be also set up in the territory of the free economic zones.

Discussion of the draft decree on the creation of new free economic zones will be completed in early December 2016.

It was reported that in late October 2016, the acting Uzbek president adopted a decree on the unification of customs and tax privileges and preferences for the participants of free economic zones, which are operating and being created in the country.

In accordance with the document, the benefits for the participants of the free economic zones will be provided for a period of 3-10 years depending on the amount of the investments made.

Currently, there are three free economic zones offering investors privileges and special opportunities for doing business in Uzbekistan. They are the Navoi free economic zone established in Navoi region in 2008, the Angren free economic zone created in Tashkent region in 2012, and the Jizzakh free economic zone with its branch in Syrdarya district, established in 2013.

As many as 50 projects worth $395 million have been currently implemented in the territories of free economic zones in the spheres of textile, chemical, pharmaceutical, food, electrical industry, automotive industry, as well as production of building materials.
The Ardee Baroque Festival takes place in County Louth from Thursday, 24th to Sunday, 27th November 2016. Celebrating its 13th year, the festival will feature an ensemble of Irish musicians, artists and historians, with the Irish Baroque Orchestra headlining this year's event.

Aimed at music lovers young and old, this year's Ardee Baroque Festival includes a performance of Vivaldi's Four Seasons by the Irish Baroque Orchestra; a family friendly concert from Music Generation Louth's String Orchestra; a poetry night; an art exhibition and performances of works from Bach, Handel and Clarke.

The programme of events will include:

Lit Lab Poetry Night

Lit Lab, a group of poetry and prose writers from Meath and Cavan, will read from their 2015 publication Behind the Lines. This is an anthology of work inspired by articles and ads from pages of the 1915 Anglo-Celt newspaper. It brings to the modern reader the plaintive, haunting and sometimes humorous voices of the Great War. Time: 7.30pm, Thursday, 24th November . Venue: Hatch's Castle, 48 Market Street, Ardee, Co Louth. Admission: Free.

Abbey Art Group Celebrating Creativity Exhibition

Abbey Art Group, a group of artists founded by local artist and teacher Susan Farrelly, will showcase a diverse range of art in the Celebrating Creativity exhibition. Launch Time: 7.30pm, Friday 25th November, Exhibition continues 10.00am - 5.00pm Sat 26th - Tue 29th (Sun 2pm-5pm). Venue: Frame and Art, Deeside Industrial Estate, off Irish Street, Ardee, Co. Louth. Admission: Free.

Photographic Exhibition

Local photographic artist, Brian Kieran will be exhibiting his unique images in St Mary's Abbey throughout the festival weekend. Time: 10am - 6pm, Thursday 24th to Sunday 27th and after concerts in St Mary's Abbey. Venue: St Mary's Abbey. Admission: Free.

Music Generation Louth String Orchestra

The Senior String players of Music Generation Louth will give their very first performance at Ardee Baroque Festival. The orchestra, whose members are aged between 14 and 17 years old, will play well known works for strings at this family-friendly concert. Time: 1pm, Saturday, 26th November. Venue: Scoil Mhuire na Trocaire, Hale Street, Ardee, Admission: 5.

Darragh Morgan (Violin) and Adi Tal (Cello) Performing Bach

Join violinist Darragh Morgan and cellist Adi Tal, both members of the multi award-winning Fidelio Piano Trio, for an intimate performance of works by Bach, combining pieces for solo violin and solo cello, including the famous Cello Suite No 1. Time: 3.30pm, Saturday, 26th November Venue: Hatch's Castle. Admission: 10.

Irish Baroque Orchestra

The Irish Baroque Orchestra will once again headline the Ardee Baroque Festival, under the direction of Irish musician Peter Whelan. The orchestra will perform an evening of Vivaldi, including his most famous work, The Four Seasons with Claire Duff, violin soloist. This is the first time in the history of the Festival that this work will be played in its entirety. Time: 7.30pm, Saturday, 26th November. Venue: St Mary's Abbey. Admission: 18 & 15 concession.

Sunday Lecture: Jessica Fahy, National Gallery of Ireland

Jessica Fahy of the National Gallery of Ireland, an art historian and expert on Irish art, will deliver a lecture and slide presentation titled 'Irish Painting 1850-1900'. This will explore the historical context and artists in this important period of Irish art. Time: 1pm, Sunday, 27th November. Venue: Hatch's Castle. Admission: Free.

Niall O'Sullivan (Trumpet) Rachel Croash (Soprano) and David Adams (Organ)

One of Ireland's finest trumpet players of his generation, Niall O'Sullivan will perform a range of works written for trumpet and organ, including Clarke's famous wedding anthem Prince of Denmark's March. Together with soprano Rachel Croash and organist David Adams, they will also perform Handel's aria Lascia Ch'io Pianga. Time: 3pm, Sunday, 27th November. Venue: St Mary's Abbey. Admission: 15 & 12 concession.

Ticket Information

Tickets can be reserved by calling 087-3434523 or by emailing ardeebaroque@gmail.com. Tickets can also be purchased at Frame and Art, Deeside Industrial Estate, off Irish Street, Ardee, Co Louth. Check out www.ardeebaroque.com for further details or follow the festival on Twitter and Facebook.
PJ Collins, Knights Of St Colmbanus, presenting a plaque to Oliver Murphy for the St Oliver Camino event pictured with Archdeacon James Carroll, Geraldine Lennon, manager of the IWA Centre and Jim Garvey, Knights Of Columbanus

Geraldine Lennon, manager of the Irish Wheelchair Association Drogheda Branch said that their participation in the St Oliver Camino was the highlight of the year for the members. She said "we intend to make the Camino an annual event".

Archdeacon James Carroll presented certificates and passports to the 11 members who took part in St Oliver's Camino walk this year.

The presentations took place during a special Mass held in the Association's premises in Morality Street.

Mr. P. J Collins, of the local Council of the Knights of St Columbanus, presented a plaque from the Knights to Dr. Oliver Murphy (one of the founder members of the I.W.A.) who accepted it on behalf of the Drogheda Branch Irish Wheelchair Association for their participation in the Camino.

Oliver noted, "The humble beginnings of the organisation 56 years ago thanked everyone for their help in creating the huge organisation it is today".

Adult ceili

Adult Ceili and set dancing classes every Monday evening in The Forge Heritage Centre, Drumshallon, Ballymakenny. Eolas (info) 086 3577304

Library events

Drogheda library hosts a number of events this week as part of the Bonanza.

Thursday 24th November; Drogheda Photo Club Annual Exhibition Launch at 6.30 p.m. Exhibition on view during library opening hours until end January 2017.

Friday 25th November; Christmas Storytime & Colouring for children aged 3-6 years, 3.30 p.m.

Saturday 26th November; Christmas Storytime & Colouring for children aged 3-6 years, 1 p.m & 3 p.m.

Holy Family group day

The Holy Family Prayer group host a day of renewal in the Ballsgrove Community Centre on Sunday November 27th.

The guest speaker is Fr Jim Campbell from Dublin.

The theme is Christ the King and it starts at noon and runs until 5pm, finishing with mass. All are welcome.

MS thanks

Louth Branch MS would like to thank all who helped them in any way during the year, and wish everyone a Happy Christmas and a prosperous New Year.
A Holy Hour with music and reflections is to be held in St. Mary's Church, James Street, Drogheda on Wednesday December 14th at 8pm. All Welcome.

Christmas craft fair

Duleek Fair Committee invites you to a Christmas Craft Fair on Sunday, December 4th in the Courthouse, from 10am to 5pm. It promises to be a fantastic family day and Santa Claus will be paying a visit as well. There will be a wide variety of crafts for sale on the day.

Bag pack for Vietnam

A Bag pack takes place in Dunnes Stores, Southgate, Drogheda on Saturday 26th November from 11am to 6pm.All proceeds to the Christine Noble Foundation in Vietnam organised by the 11 Transition Year girls travelling at their own expense to Vietnam next April. All support very welcome.

Plunketts Race Nite

The annual Plunketts RaceNite will be held on Friday next in Foley's commencing 8.30pm.

Prizes galore and a raffle will be held also. There will be an auction Race also. The evening will be professionally run and finger food will be served too. All welcome!

'Singing families of Louth'

A CD celebrating the 'Singing Families of Louth' will be launched in the Droichead Arts Centre on Sunday November 27 at 3.15pm. It features father and daughter Gerry and Gilly Cullen, and father and son, Pat and Stuart Carolan.

They perform some wonderful new and old local songs and the CD is a must for music fans.
It was great to get a reaction in relation to a piece recently on a World War I fighter ace called Captain Patrick Langan-Byrne.

He was a native of Mayne in Clogherhead and he enjoyed a quite remarkable life - but sadly died at the age of 21 after being shot down over the Western Front.

It's believed he was buried, but his grave not marked.

My sources came from two locations, one being Dr Julianne Byrne who explained his name is on the cenotaph on Mary Street, but the Langan part is omitted.

'Paddy was my grandfather's first cousin, the second son of John and Harriet Byrne, who lived in 33 Lawrence Street. This house is now owned by Branigan and Matthews solicitors,' she stated. Indeed, her brother, Kevin, is the principal in that practice. Both Paddy and his brother Frank (Francis) went to the first world war. Frank made it through and joined the British police force in Burma, where he died in a hunting accident in 1925.

Both brothers are commemorated on a plaque in Mayne cemetery in Clogherhead, placed there by Harriet. After John Byrne died, she married Major Humphries, and when he died she lived in Mayne Cottage, Clogherhead.

In her final years Harriet lived in the Shelbourne Hotel, where she died in 1944. Harriet herself is buried with her infant child, Stephanie, in the (old) Byrne family grave in St. Peter's Cemetery.

It was from Patrick's old school that more details were found.

Margaret Doyle is the archivist at Clongowes Wood College in Clane, Co Kildare and they have a stunning history, and have managed to capture much of it as research material. 'The Clongownian' publication features the story of Patrick and the poigant letter from Major FS Hawker to his mother.

He went missing in action on October 16th 1916 after being shot down. Three days later the major wrote,'It was a terrible blow to the squadron losing such a valuable officer and charming companion. Except for two or three who had been with me since last February, he accomplished more than any other pilot in the squadron.

'By his marvellous pluck and unfailing cheery goodwill he gained the admiration and affection of all who knew him,' he stated.

The Clogherhead man had gone up with several others that day and were diving on two German planes when he appeared to be hit, his place diving vertically.

No-one saw the crash but presumed he 'went down in Hunland'.

'He had been just promoted Flight Commander and in due course will be gazetted Captain and with DSO at his age and his undoubted ability he would have gone far if he had been spared. I am awfully cut up at losing such a good friend and sympathise with you most sincerely,' the major wrote.

Captain Byrne was awarded the DSO for gallant action on October 1 1916. He had been asked to fly in low over German lines for a special reconnaissance.

His machine was shot to bits, riddled with bullets and all the instruments broken.

Speaking afterwards, he remarked 'I was untouched, so prayers must be very strong. Fancy being at 300 yards and at times half that distance from some 1,000 men shooting 'rapid' at you and to escape unhurt.'

The report he gathered was vital to the army and after being sent to Sir Douglas Haig, he was sent the Distinguished Service Order within seven days!

We would like to express our appreciation to Clongowes Wood College archivist Margaret Daly for permission to publish material on Capt Patrick Anthony Langan-Byrne from the Clongownian annual of 1917.

Our thanks also to former DI deputy editor Jim McCullen for research assistance.
Winner, Carmel Hanratty with Lelia Doolan of the Design Gallery receive an award of excellence from the Drogheda Independents Pat Gough (left) and Hubert Murphy (right)

The first 'Awards of Excellence' competition, organised by the Drogheda Independent, brought a few smiles, claps and cheers as three winners were formally honoured last week.

The aim was to honour those in the retail trade who go the extra mile, whose smile lights up a day, who simply make a premises a home from home.

And what an array of entries we had.

They arrived in from every corner of the region, butchers, hardware experts, those combating litter and dumping, a Tesco giant, two Centra queens, a Mace wonder, milk men, West Street cafe employees, Ardee and Dunleer traders, a friendly plumber, the list just went on and on.

In the end, we selected three prime examples that embodied the spirit of the 'Awards of Excellence' - nominated by our readers.

Award 'like winning the lottery' for happy Carmel in the Design Gallery

'It's just like winning the lottery,' declared a delighted Carmel Hanratty, one of the happy faces behind the counter at The Design Gallery at Laurence's Gate.

She got quite a shock when the Drogheda Independent handed over her prize last week, but was estatic.

'I'm coming to the end of my working life, so to get this now means a lot to me,' she declared.

However, owner, Lelia Doolan, was having none of the retirement talk. 'She's a wonder worker as the award states,' she remarked. 'Carmel is a most loyal and trustworthy person. She always has plenty of banter with the customers.'

Carmel has worked in The Design Gallery for nine years after spending many years in the catering trade.

Carmel's 'beautiful smile' is what encouraged Sharon Hanna to nominate her. 'She is always willing to offer advice and she is a joy to go into. A super woman!'
A volunteer with a heart of gold from the Drogheda Animal Rescue centre has been shortlisted for the Volunteer Ireland Awards.

Wendy Jane Vion proves invaluable to Drogheda Animal Rescue. She makes daily car runs to Slane's vet to pick up or drop off sick animals. She takes all the information from each run and each animal and passes it on to the other main DAR organiser.

Wendy also fosters a number of DAR Cats. This involves caring for a cat that could be injured, hissy or pregnant.

Wendy helps come up with fun ideas and events to help raise money for DAR and her positive personality and passion helps to inspire passion in others to help.

From almost 500 nominations, 29 exceptional volunteers, including two from Co. Louth, have been shortlisted for honours and Ireland's unsung heroes will be celebrated at a special ceremony in City Hall, Dublin on 7th December.

Each nominee has shown extraordinary dedication to help others, often taking time away from family and friends to give back.

Commenting on the shortlist for the Volunteer Ireland Awards, Louth Volunteer Centre Manager Grainne Berrill said "Thousands of people across Ireland volunteer each day, giving their time without asking for anything in return. In 2016 alone Louth Volunteer Centre volunteers have contributed a gift of almost 35,000 hours of their time to community and voluntary organisations in Louth.

'These awards are a chance for us to recognise exceptional volunteers like Joan in Blackrock and Wendy Jane in Drogheda and really celebrate volunteering in Ireland.

'Reading their individual stories is truly inspiring and we are honoured to shine a light on their work. Thanks to volunteers like these, Ireland is ranked number one in Europe on the World Giving Index for volunteering time and Louth should be proud."

For more information on the Volunteer Ireland Awards 2016 or to read the inspiring stories of the shortlisted volunteers visit www.volunteer.ie.

If you would like to find out more about volunteering in Louth contact Louth Volunteer Centre at 042 9392934, info@volunteerlouth.ie or check out our website at www.volunteerlouth.ie.
Certified Public Accountant Gail McEvoy, has been reappointed to the Board of the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC), the global organisation for the accountancy profession.

IFAC is the worldwide organisation for the accountancy profession and comprises 175 members and associates in more than 130 countries representing almost 3 million accountants.

Ms McEvoy is a CPA Ireland member since 1997 and has served as Institute President and Vice President from 2010 to 2012. Ms McEvoy was first appointed to the board of IFAC in 2013 and has served in an advisory capacity to the IFAC Small and Medium Practice Committee. Ms McEvoy is Principal Partner of McEvoy Craig, Drogheda since 1999 and is a Director of the Drogheda Port Company.

Commenting on her appointment, McEvoy said; "I am honoured to be reappointed to serve on the Board of IFAC. I have thoroughly enjoyed supporting IFAC over the past three years and look forward to continuing to do so. As Brexit and other factors create uncertainty for the Irish economy the opportunity to work at a global and strategic level is something I am particularly looking forward to the challenge."

Nano Brennan, President of CPA Ireland welcomed the appointment. "I warmly congratulate Ms McEvoy on this appointment, which is testament to her ability and standing within the profession. It is a tremendous honour for her, CPA Ireland and the whole accountancy profession in Ireland."
Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov. 26

By Maksim Tsurkov  Trend:

Azerbaijans Energy Minister Natig Aliyev has cancelled his visit to Vienna, where he planned to take part in the second meeting of the OPEC High-level Committee, established by the Algiers Accord, with non-OPEC oil producing countries, the ministry told Trend Nov. 26.

The minister has revised his plans for visiting Vienna in connection with the cancellation of this meeting, the ministry said.

It was earlier reported that the meeting of the OPEC High-level Committee, established by the Algiers Accord, with non-OPEC oil producing countries, which was scheduled for Nov. 28, will not take place because of Saudi Arabias refusal to participate in it.

Six non-OPEC oil producers are Azerbaijan, Brazil, Kazakhstan, Mexico, Oman and Russia.

Earlier, Financial Times reported that Saudi Arabia will not attend a meeting with non-OPEC producers Nov. 28, arguing it is pointless to gather when the 14-member oil cartel has not yet reached a deal itself.

OPEC members reached a preliminary deal in Algeria in September to cap oil production at 32.5-33 million barrels per day. The deal is expected to be finalized in Vienna on November 30.

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Follow the author on Twitter: @MaksimTsurkov
Artists will be taking to the streets around Fingal next year as part of an exciting festival of painting built around the summer solstice.

An annual week-long event, the Dublin Plein Air Painting Festival is set to be celebrated in style in the region next June.

Five or six pre-selected 'paint out' locations around Fingal will be chosen for each day's painting, while there will also be a series of workshops during the festival hosted by artists who specialize in plein air painting and a 'quick paint' competition.

The 'quick paint' is one of the public's favourite parts of the festival because they get the opportunity to see a painting completed within an hour and a half for so.

This is generally held in a town or village in order to allow the public to watch the work in progress and is quite a challenge for the participating artists.

At the end of the festival an exhibition will be held where artists exhibit the work painted during the festival. These works are available for sale from the artist directly to the public.

'Plein air painting is all about painting outdoors,' explained Skerries artist Paul D'Arcy.

'It's about the experience of painting in the landscape, enjoying the elements and catching those fleeting moments as you work on your canvas. A very different experience to working in the studio.'

'We want to give an opportunity for professional and amateur artists to enjoy the local landscape, learn through our workshops, have fun and make friends during the festival.

'This is the objective of the Dublin Plein Air painting festival,' added Paul. 'We are currently encouraging artists to register through our website at www.dublinpleinair.ie where you can also get all the information you need regarding the festival.'

'North Dublin has some of the best coastal scenery and also includes rural landscape, rivers and urban scenery. It has attracted artists to Fingal for many years,' he added, 'and I'm sure many international artist will be blown away by the beauty on our doorstep.'

If you are interested in joining in the festival it would be advised that you register early at www.dublinpleinair.ie

Next year's dates are Monday, June 19 to Sunday June 25.
A book of poems and reflections written by a Fingal man is set to posthumously published next week.

'For the Love of my Life' was written by the late playwright, theatrical producer, director and tenor Tomas O'Riain.

Following his death in March, his partner Mary has undertaken to publish some of his work which was Tomas's long-time dream.

Tomas was educated at Plas Mhuire CBS and St Joseph's College Baldoyle. He learned his stage skills and drama at the Brendan Smith Academy in Dublin and was voice trained by Winnie O'Dea to be a tenor.

For many years he taught stage craft to all age groups, which included singing production, acting and all forms of stage craft.

A native Irish speaker, Tomas was associated with Conradh na Gaeilige, Comhaltas Naisiunta Dramiochta and Scoil and Tseachtar Laoch in Ballymun.

Tomas has written and produced over 20 plays in Irish and English and produced more than 400 stage shows.

His love of writing included a number of poems and reflections which are contained in the book,

The book will be launched on Friday December 9 in the Seamus Ennis Centre , Naul by Fr Peter McVerry, All the proceeds from the book go to the McVerry Turst.

Members of various societies Tomas and his wife Mary were involved in will recite some of the poems from the book on the night. There will be tea and coffee , wine and canapes served on the night.
The future of cooking in Dublin is in safe hands as local chef Chris Fullam has just been announced as a finalist in the Euro-Toques Young Chef Competition.

Chris will join the other five finalists and begin to battle it out in Ireland's most prestigious culinary competition for young talented chefs.

He currently works as Sous Chef at Old Street, Malahide, Chris's mentor is Chef Patron Fergus Caffrey.

This is the 29th year of the competition, which has produced high calibre chefs including Neven Maguire, Gearoid Lynch and Mark Moriarty who won the title of San Pellegrino World Young Chef champion earlier this year - after claiming the title of Euro-Toques Young Chef of the Year in 2013.

Speaking at the event Chris said: 'Having been a Euro-toques finalist in 2014, I am more determined than ever to really give it my best shot. I have worked under some amazing chefs over the past few years including Michael Viljanen who I would describe as a culinary genius.

'I'm now about to embark on a really exciting journey opening Old Street with Fergus Caffrey this winter, which I am really looking forward to.'

The theme of this year's competition is 'Inspiration'. Throughout the three-month process, candidates have been tasked with getting under the skin of what really inspires their drive and creativity.

The first stage involved a social media entry, expressing their inspiration in 140 characters or less. Second stage was a written entry comprising a recipe and an explanation of their concept and thought process.

The third stage was face-to-face interviews with a panel of top Euro-toques chefs and the GM of La Rousse Foods, during which they faced a daunting on-the-spot omelette challenge!

Finally, six finalists were carefully chosen to battle it out in the kitchen of Chapter One on November 27 with two separate skills tests to be cooked in two hours in front of a panel of top chefs - including 2 star Michelin chef Nathan Outlaw and Great Irish Bake-Off judge Paul Kelly.

This year's grand prize includes an all expenses paid stage at 'Restaurant Nathan Outlaw', training under special guest judge and Chef Patron Nathan Outlaw. Nathan Outlaw has worked extensively with legendary chef Rick Stein. He now runs his self-titled two Michelin Star restaurant, Restaurant Nathan Outlaw, in Port Isaac, Cornwall.
The annual Fingal Enterprising Women's Network (FEWN) Christmas lunch is set to take place on Tuesday, December 6, in Roganstown Hotel and Country Club. The Christmas networking event will be a great opportunity for female entrepreneurs to mix with other women in business.

The final FEWN event of the year is designed to allow the entrepreneurs to mingle and connect with many new people from a variety of business backgrounds in an open networking environment, giving them an opportunity to build relationships and learn from each other.

The special guest speaker for the Christmas lunch is Niamh Barry, founder of The Irish Fairy Door Company. Founded at the height of the recent recession, the Irish Fairy Door Company has gone from strength to strength, with very strong demand for their product range.

Rapid growth in any company brings challenges as well as joys and Niamh will both inform and entertain as she talks about her business journey.

Head of Enterprise in Fingal, Oisin Geoghegan said: 'Our guest speaker Niamh Barry set up her business in difficult times and despite the many challenges that this has presented, she has enjoyed considerable success. By hearing her story and learning how she has grown this business, our Network members will come away with some great ideas that they can apply to their own business.'

The event will feature a Christmas lunch with an emphasis on business networking and the guest speaker is sure to be an inspiration to all of the businesswomen in attendance.

There is a nominal booking fee of 10 which includes Christmas lunch and a glass of mulled wine for Fingal businesswomen. Places are strictly limited and are available on a first come, first served basis and can be booked at www.localenterprise.ie/fingal.
Students and staff at Skerries Community College have been recognised for their work against suicide.

The school was presented with a Cycle Against Suicide Award at the Royal Hospital, Kilmainhan which recognises the immense efforts of 83 schools around the island of Ireland who have completed the Ambassador School Programme, and become actively involved in mental health promotion.

The Ambassador School Programme, one aspect of a wide range of Cycle Against Suicide initiatives, is school-led, and involves the completion of 'Five Gears' over the course of a year, all of which are aimed at raising awareness of the message that "It's OK not to feel OK; and it's absolutely OK to ask for help".

At a special reception, Skerries Community College was awarded the prestigious status of Ambassador School by Cycle Against Suicide in recognition of its fulfilment of the Five Gears, and its exceptional commitment to the promotion of positive mental health.

The school was represented at the event by Link Teacher, Marise Carr, who understandably are very proud of their achievements.

'The Ambassador School Awards ceremony was a great day. It's wonderful to attend such a positive event, and have the efforts of the students recognised.

'Our participation in the Ambassador School Programme has had an enormously positive impact on our school community, fostered a school-wide approach to the promotion of positive mental health, and provided incredible opportunities for student leadership.'
Residents in north county Dublin have been urged to 'Be Winter Ready' this year, and to take advantage of Government resources in doing so.

'The 'Be Winter Ready' information campaign launched last week, with a co-ordinated whole-of-Government approach, led by the Government Task Force on Emergency Planning.

Deputy Alan Farrell (FG) said: 'In advance of the cold winter months, people here in Dublin Fingal should check out www.winterready.ie where they will find practical advice on how best to prepare for the coming winter.

'The website contains useful information from a wide range of sources including Government Departments and Agencies, An Garda Siochana, the Health Service Executive, the Office of Public Works, Local Authorities and the transport providers.

'It contains specific advice for home owners, road users, schools, the farming community and the business sector. In addition, a synopsis of the information available has been compiled into a 'Be Winter Ready' booklet, which can be downloaded from the website.'

He said it was important to ensure that people all across Dublin Fingal were prepared, stay safe and know where to find help if they need it.

'The Government is working hard to ensure that the North County is winter ready this year and we are also doing all in our power to mitigate against future flooding events to protect homes and businesses across the county.'

The information campaign was launched by Minister for Defence, Paul Kehoe, Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government, Simon Coveney, the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Shane Ross, and the Minister of State at the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform with special responsibility for the Office of Public Works and Flood Relief, Sean Canney.

The launch was timed to coincide with a meeting of the Government Task Force on Emergency Planning.
Gas Networks Ireland has welcomed the verdict in a case relating to the dishonest use of gas arising from unlawful interference with a gas meter.

The company was speaking after the conviction of a Fingal man for the offence by Judge John O' Neill at a sitting of Dublin District Court at the Four Courts last week.

Judge O' Neill imposed a 1,000 fine and additionally ordered costs of 1,480 to be paid to Gas Networks Ireland.

Gas Networks Ireland, in presenting its evidence to the Court, noted that this offence took place at a mid-terraced property in a residential housing estate.

It was pointed out that the meter tampering identified in this case presented a risk of potentially deadly consequences not only for the family of the accused, but also for those families in neighbouring properties and the estate in general.

Owen Wilson, Networks Safety Manager for Gas Networks Ireland said: 'The verdict sends out an important message to the public that meter tampering is a serious crime with potentially deadly consequences.

'We are working to end unlawful interference with gas meters and the dangers associated with this activity.'

'Gas customers should only ever allow a Registered Gas Installer (RGI) to work on their gas boiler or gas meter.

'Rogue contractors can make seemingly attractive offers, but the dangers involved, in allowing someone who is not registered and qualified to do the work, are very real. Anyone who agrees to allow someone who is not a registered gas installer to work on their gas installations is risking their own life, those of their family, and of the people living nearby.'

Due to the dangers involved, gas meter tampering is a criminal offence with possible fines of up to 5,000 and possible prison sentences of up to 6 months for those found guilty of the crime.

Gas Networks Ireland has been actively engaged in identifying and making safe installations where tampering has been found and has detected over 1,500 cases of meter tampering across the country since 2014, with more than 1,100 of those cases detected in Dublin.

Members of the public are asked to report any suspicions of meter tampering to Gas Networks Ireland in strict confidence by calling 1850 200 694.

Further information is available at www.gasnetworks.ie/metertampering.
A new urgent care centre at Connolly Hospital in Blanchardstown, which will be built as part of the development children's hospital at St James's Hospital, will provide a great boost to Fingal residents, it has been claimed.

Speaking after a presentation on the new hospital, Cllr Tom O'Leary said that the new care centre represented great news for the people of Balbriggan, Skerries, Rush and Lusk.

He said he wished the project well and looked forward to seeing it fulfilled.

Eilish Hardiman, Group CEO of the Children's Hospital Group informed councillors that the aim of the project was to improve services for children, which was part of the national plan for paediatrics and not just about the Dublin area.

'What is fundamental to that model is that, as much as possible, paediatric care should be provided as near to the child's home as clinically appropriate.'

Ms Hardiman explained that as much of 85 per cent of children were discharged after their visit to the emergency department without ever being admitted.

'We need to ensure that urgent care and emergency care and out patient services are conveniently based as locally as possible.;

She said that of the in-patients that attend the three hospital in Dublin, namely Temple Street, Crumlin and Tallaght, 78 per cent came from the great Dublin area.

She said that when the area of residence was examined further, it found that 7.7 per cent of in-patients came for the North County Dublin area, while 8.3 per cent attended day care services.

She said the 'holy grail' is tri-location. 'Combining children, adult and maternity services is the optimal model for sick children and high risk mothers with infants.'

Cllr Duncan Smith (Lab) said that a lot of people were worried about getting into St James's Hospital in the event of emergency.

He asked for clarification that people could head to the proposed new urgent care centre in Connolly Hospital in the event of an emergency.

Cllr Adrian Henchy raised concerns about the poor connection links from northern Fingal to hospitals. 'We are poorly connected to all hospitals out there for out-patients and other uses. It is important we get Fingal connected to this hospital,' he said.

In response, Ms Hardiman said the satellite centres would have enough specialist skills to stabilise the child in the event of an emergency.

She added that they would be out talking to GPs, organising roadshows and devising an app to guide people where to go for treatment.
Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, Nov. 26

By Huseyn Hasanov Trend:

Turkmenistan is committed to open door policy and the equal, mutually beneficial cooperation with all the countries, including Afghanistan, Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov said at a meeting of the cabinet of ministers, the Turkmen government said in a message.

He said that Turkmenistan is tied with Afghanistan by unbreakable bonds of friendship and centuries-old historical and cultural unity.

The preparation for the commissioning of the first stage of the Asia International Railway Corridor (Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Tajikistan railroad) was discussed at the governmental meeting.

Construction of this main pipeline was launched June 5, 2013 with the participation of the presidents of Turkmenistan, Tajikistan and Afghanistan.

Construction of Atamyrat-Imamnazar (Turkmenistan)-Akina (Afghanistan) section of the railway has been currently completed. Turkmenistan is tied with Afghanistan by the largest energy project as well. Construction of the Turkmen section of the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline was launched December 13, 2015.

It is planned to commission the pipeline with a capacity of 33 billion cubic meters of gas per year in December 2019. Turkmen gas will help meet the growing need for natural gas in India and Pakistan, where these needs can grow twice by 2030. In addition, it will reduce the deficit of energy resources in Afghanistan as well.
Fine Gael's regional Brexit forums will be visiting the Grand Hotel in Malahide on Monday next (November 28) at 8pm.

Minister for Foreign Affairs Charlie Flanagan, along with representatives from a number of industries will also attend to discuss Brexit with members of the public.

Deputy Alan Farrell, who has been appointed as co-chair of Fine Gael's Working Group on Brexit, has urged people get along to discuss the implications of Brexit.

'I am delighted to bring my Party's first regional forum on Brexit to the North County, and I would encourage constituents from across Dublin Fingal to attend on the night. The Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Charlie Flanagan TD, and Ian Talbot from Chambers Ireland will be guest speakers at the forum.

'Brexit undoubtedly presents one of the greatest economic challenges that Ireland has faced over the last 50 years and it has the potential to impact on everyone in Dublin Fingal, and across our island - both North and South.'
A Swords firm was among 12 companies from Dublin that are celebrating after achieving certification to key international business standards.

Syncreon was among 30 organisations from across the country who were recognised for their achievement at a special ceremony at the National Standards Authority of Ireland offices in Dublin.

Located in Swords, Syncreon specialize in the design and operation of supply chain solutions for technology companies. It employs over 12,000 people worldwide, including 250 people in Ireland.

The company has achieved certification to a number of standards, including Quality Management Systems, Environmental Management Systems and Occupational Health and Safety. However, most recently it has achieved certification to the international standard for Information Security, ISO 27001.

Speaking at the certificate ceremony, Syncreon Senior Director Standards & Compliance Mairead Portley said this standard will help them attract new business.

'Certification ensures that we are operating to the highest international standards,' said Ms Portley.

'Our customers recognise that we are best in class as we hold certifications in Quality, Environment, Health and Safety and information security - meeting and exceeding our customer requirements. Having a full suite of accredited standards ensures that when we tender for new business that customers have the confidence that we work to international recognised standards,' she added.

All of the organisations who achieved certification were independently audited by NSAI inspectors in order to ensure they complied with the standards.

They join an elite group of over 3,000 organisations who are currently NSAI certified to a variety of internationally recognised standards such as Food Management Systems, Quality Management Systems, Environmental Management Systems and Occupational Health and Safety.

Addressing delegates at the event, the Minister of State with responsibility for Employment and Small Business Pat Breen advised Irish businesses to consider certification to international standards, in order to remain competitive in a post Brexit era.

'Ireland is a small country, open economy, exporting 80% of what we produce, so it is extremely important that Irish organisations are competitive and operate to the highest quality standards. Those who buy Irish products and services, not only here at home, but also across the world, expect nothing less.'said Minister Breen.

'Certification to international business standards will be crucial in a post Brexit environment, especially if you are exporting to Britain or tendering for British contracts.

'It will also give you that competitive edge when seeking opportunities in new markets,' he added
A best selling children's history book contains a number of Wexford references.

Historopedia is the second book by father-and-daughter duo, Kathi and John Burke, and follows on from their runaway bestseller Irelandopedia, which won three awards including an Irish Book Award 2015 and a CBI Book of the Year Award 2016.

In Historopedia John and Kathi focus on the decisive battle of the 1798 Rebellion - the Battle of Vinegar Hill and the book contains both text and illustrations to show how the battle was found.

John writes: 'The British defeated the United Irish Army, though several thousand United Irishmen escaped. Rebel leaders, most of whom were Protestant, were executed. Their heads were cut off and stuck on spikes in Wexford town!"

The book also details how a group of around 360 Normans landed in Bannow, and how Arthur Leared, from Wexford, adapted the stethoscope in 1851 by attaching two earpieces with rubber tubes, leading to the modern stethoscope.

Historopedia is a perfect introduction to Ireland's history for young and old as it journeys through our country's culture and events explores over 10,000 years filled with bloody battles, dreadful disasters and revolutionary rebels.

Historopedia is published by Gill Books and out now, priced at 24.99.
Ian Lacey at the launch of his book 'Half The World Away' with his parents John and Emilie and sister Alice

Five years after he set off on his epic 27,000 km cycle from Alaska to Argentina, Gorey's Ian Lacey finally launched 'Half the World Away', an account of his fifteen-month-long adventure.

Around 150 people turned up at Gorey Library last Saturday to hear Ian read excerpts from the 384 page book which contains his reflections on the journey, diary entries from the trip, and sixteen pages of some of the stunning photographs that he took.

Between July 2011 and October 2012, Ian cycled from Deadhorse, Alaska, to Ushuaia, Argentina, raising funds for the Carers Association of Ireland.

Ian was delighted with the reaction so far, and thanked all who attended, including Michael Considine who launched the book, and John Wyse Jackson of Zozimus Books for his support. Thanks also went to the library staff and his family and friends. 'Half the World Away', priced 15, is available locally and on www.ianlacey.com
The new pedestrian crossing on The Avenue 'is a recipe for disaster' according to one local resident. The man, who didn't want to be named, said that the new crossing is far too close to the roundabout to be safe and said that 'there will be a major crash there and someone is going to be badly hurt.

'If someone is coming down the road from the shopping centre side or the Ballycanew road at speed they simply won't be able to see a pedestrian on the crossing until they are on the roundabout itself. I know they shouldn't be travelling at speed but the reality is that some motorist do.

'Stopping on the roundabout, especially stopping suddenly is a recipe for disaster. As far as I know you are not even allowed to stop on a roundabout. That roundabout there is one of the busiest roundabouts in Gorey and the new crossing is just too close to it.

'To me it seems that there wasn't a lot of thought put into the location of the roundabout. It's literally six or eight feet away from the roundabout. It looks farcical to me.'

Gorey district engineer Neville Shaw said that 'careful consideration' was given to the location. 'The Council is satisfied that this crossing is in the correct location and in accordance with recommended guidelines,' he said. 'Full road safety was paramount. Any closer to the roundabout would have been dangerous. There needs to be a least one car length stopping distance between the roundabout and the crossing.'

'The proximity of the entrance way to the businesses was also a factor,' he added. 'To locate it further away, was not an option as it would have moved too far from the desire line.' This, he said, would lead to people taking short cuts.
The annual Christie Hennessy Celebration returns to Tralee this weekend with a host of top Irish acts set to pay tribute to the town's most famous musical son.

This is the sixth year of the celebration and all the action will be taking place at The Rose Hotel on Friday and Saturday night.

Friday night sees the return of the Tralee Troubadour Club when host Francie Conway will be joined on stage by a variety of acts including Mickey Harte; Chapter 2; Kolumbus; Roy Buckley; Martyn Travis; Declan Caruthers and local musician John Buggy and his band.

There will also be a special tribute to Christie Hennessy with Pam and Joe.

The Troubadour Club event kicks off at The Rose Hotel at 8.30pm with tickets costing10 available from Tralee Chamber Alliance or at the door on the night.

Saturday afternoon will see the dedication of the Christie Hennessy Plaza in Tralee Town Square at 4pm.

A plaque in Hennessy's honour will be unveiled near the musician' statue and the ceremony will be followed by the switching on of the Christmas lights.

On Saturday night attention will turn to up and coming musicians at the IMRO Christie Hennessy Song Competition. The contests will see ten finalists - selected from over 200 entries - battle it out for a prize of 1,000 provided by Tralee Credit Union. Renowned musician John Spillane will also be performing as a special guest.

The live final takes place at The Rose Hotel. Doors open at 8.30pm and entry to the event is completely free of charge.

The celebration is supported by Tralee Chamber Alliance; IMRO; The Troubadour Club; Tralee Credit Union; The Rose Hotel; Kerry County Council and Radio Kerry.
Singing duo Daragh and Conor Breen are fulfilling every Irish child's dream this Christmas - the brothers are preparing to set off to Dublin on December 2nd to perform at this year's Late Late Toy Show.

The two boys first started studying music in St Treasa's NS, Kilflynn four years ago. It was under the initiative of the Principal Mrs Carroll that music was introduced to the school, with students attending classes every Tuesday evening.

Daragh, who is in first-year in Mercy Mounthawk, studies the banjo under Timmy O'Flaherty from Moyvane. Daragh also plays other instruments and played the guitar at the audition. Conor, who is in 6th class at St Treasa's, takes classes with TP McNamara from Lisselton and played accordion for the audition. The boys have a busy few weeks before the Toy Show, with two practice sessions and a dress rehearsal to attend in Dublin.

The brothers aren't new to performing for crowds though, having performed with the Lixnaw CCE in the Scor competitions over the past few years.

The boy's application was picked from over 3,000 and they travelled to the Imperial Hotel in Cork for the audition three weeks ago along with the other 100 successful candidates.

It was only last Wednesday that the boys received the call with the great news that they were through to the live show.

Daragh and Conor, along with their parents Maura and Tom, younger brother Thomas and sister Sarah will travel to Dublin for the show on December 2 next, which always kicks off the Christmas season on RTE, not to mention the country.

The boy's mother Maura said "We would like to thank Mike Parker and the community of Kilflynn for their texts, phone calls and messages of congratulations and support.

"The whole community is thrilled with this massive achievement and we encourage the whole county to tune in, especially the grandparents in Dingle!"
Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, Nov. 26

By Huseyn Hasanov  Trend:

President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov met with Secretary General of the International Road Transport Union (IRU) Umberto de Pretto, the Turkmen government said in a message.

During the meeting, Berdimuhamedov highlighted Turkmenistans strong interest to deepen fruitful cooperation with the IRU in the creation of new transport corridors in the Central Asian and Caspian regions.

The parties exchanged views on the opportunities of implementation of international projects aimed at developing the modern transport and communication infrastructure.
The Pope's special envoy to these shores was the cherished guest of honour in a major celebration in Ballyheigue on Sunday involving the opening and blessing of a newly-created spiritual space there and the launch of a massive book chronicling the community's religious over the decades.

Apostolic Nuncio, Archbishop Charles Browne was the man of the hour as the parish came out in droves to welcome him to the coastal community.

Beginning with a special Mass at St Mary's Parish Church at which Archbishop Browne was chief celebrant, the festivities moved on down to Our Lady's Well and Grotto.

It was here the Apostolic Nuncio blessed and opened the stunning new Gairdin Mhuire - a special space sculpted and set aside as a meditative and prayerful retreat for whoever might wish to visit it. It was the brainchild of the recently-departed parish priest Fr Tom Leane, who all were delighted to welcome back too to take part in the day. The afternoon revolved around the Community Centre where the Nuncio was welcomed by Mayor of Kerry Michael O'Shea and treated to numerous performances of song, dance and much else.

Events culminated in the launch of the massive new tome Going Global for God, a publication the Nuncio was apparently very impressed with containing as it does a comprehensive account of all the religious of Ballyheigue to have served in missions overseas - written by historian Micheal O hAllmhurain.
The risk of crytosporidium-related illness in the greater Kenmare area is to be lessened considerably under a 4.5 million investment that's set to overhaul the water treatment plant in the town.

But a long-term solution to secure a water supply for the town into the future remains a major concern.

The project was announced last week by Irish Water and widely welcomed in the community in a plan that is set to upgrade the existing water treatment plant to make supply clean and safe.

At present, the treatment plant does not provide adequate treatment for the noxious bacteria cryptosporidium or the chemical group known as trihalomethanes (formed as the result of a reaction between chlorine and organic matter) - with the risk to the community seeing Kenmare included on the Environmental Protection Agency's remedial action list with years.

Irish Water - which is making the investment in partnership with Kerry County Council - said that 2,200 people in the Kenmare area will benefit from safer and reliable water as a result. Work is to begin early in the New Year and will take roughly one year.

"The upgrades to the water treatment plant in Kenmare will address the water quality treatment deficiencies at Kenmare, which will enable the removal of 2,200 people from the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Remedial Action List (RAL)," Regional Programme Lead with Irish Water Gerry O'Donnell said. "These works will provide a secure and sustainable supply of quality drinking water to Kenmare."

A contract has been signed with Loughrea-based contractors Glan Agua to carry out the work at the plant.

Irish Water said that the long-term availability of water for the Kenmare area remains an issue, but that the agency will pursue a solution to this in 'subsequent programmes'.
Residents of a care home in Killarney the HSE is planning to close by next year will be 'traumatised' by having to move into houses in the community, staff working with them are warning this week.

21 adults with intellectual disabilities currently resident in the Cluain Fhionnain centre in Killarney, which was established following the closure of St Finan's, are to be moved out into individual houses in the community as part of the same policy causing such controversy at St Mary of the Angels in Beaufort at present.

The Cluain Fhionnain home was the subject of a HIQA report this week which found the model of care there 'institutionalised' - of the kind now being targeted by the HSE's national decongregation policy to close up care homes where many residents live together with care staff side-by-side and to move them into the wider community.

Among the other findings of the HIQA report this week was that staff had contributed to a delay in progressing the closure of Cluain Fhionnain and that 'restrictive practices' were observed by inspectors in part of the home.

But the Psychiatric Nurses's Association of Kerry hit back at the claims in a stinging rebuke to HIQA this week in which they warned that residents would find it extremely difficult to 'transition' to community living - exactly as parents at St Mary of the Angels are warning.

"Given that over 80 per cent of the residents of Cluain Fhionann have spent up to 40 years in institutional type settings the change to a community settings will be very difficult and traumatic for the vast majority," PNA spokesperson Cormac Williams wrote to HIQA inspector Mary Moore on foot of the report.

He said the PNA were deeply disappointed at what he termed the 'implicit' suggestion nursing staff there were responsible for slowing the transition process.

"Since this process of change and transition has commenced over 2 years ago a tsunami of paper work including reports, plans and proposals from HIQA, Rehab, HSE and others has been given to staff to implement.... The daily routines of the units has been disrupted with the coming and goings of many outside staff from HIQA, Rehab and many other organisations which has taken up far more of the staff's time and efforts on a daily basis."

Mr Williams said that staff were frustrated and angry trying to deal with the extra workload at a time when their numbers had already been slashed under cutbacks. And he said the 'restrictive practices' were vital in ensuring the safety of the more profoundly-disabled residents.
Two Wexford writers feature in the recently published Ireland's Own Anthology of Winning Irish Short Stories, the seventh annual collection from Ireland's leading family magazine which has been produced in Wexford town since 1902.

Thirty nine stories and memoirs were selected for this literary jewel from an entry of over 500 in the annual Ireland's Own writing competitions, including the major prize winners and those that were highly commended.

Tina Sweeney, from Eden House, Roperstown, Enniscorthy was the overall short story winner last year, and she has made it into the prize list again with her story The Promise, a sensitive treatment about teenage depression and the interaction and love between two sisters.

Rockets and Rossini is the evocative title of a memoir by Kevin Lewis from Clonard in Wexford town.

He grew up in High Street very close to the old Theatre Royal and this fuelled an interest in the world famous Wexford Opera Festival, on stage and off. As a youngster, the two biggest attractions were the fireworks on opening night and the arrival in town of the legendary and magical Guinness Clock with its many dancing figures putting on a display every quarter hour.

Almost 50 years ago Kevin graduated to Festival stage as a pageboy in Rossini's 'Othello' and thus began a lifelong involvement and fascination with the great event which still continues. At the recent Festival he was a voluntary worker in the magnificent new National Opera House which has replaced the old Theatre Royal.

The other 37 stories and memoirs in the new anthology, drawn from 16 Irish counties, feature tales of love, loss and nostalgia, all laced with a good dash of humour. Michael Harding, the author, playwright and columnist, himself an award-winning short story writer, provides the foreword to the anthology in which he lauds the art of storytelling 'which is what makes us human'.

He also lauds the role of Ireland's Own in encouraging and promoting storytelling for over a century. If you are among the many thousands of weekly loyal readers of Ireland's Own, you will love this book, but it should also appeal to a much wider audience and it would certainly make an ideal Christmas present for Irish people at home and abroad. The Ireland's Own 2016 Anthology of Winning Irish Short Stories is published by Wexford company, Three Sisters Press, at 14.99, and is widely available through bookshops or on the internet through www.irelandsown.ie It is also available directly from the offices of People Newspapers in counties Wexford and Wicklow.
Wexford Deputy James Browne has joined the chorus of protest over any plans to cut rail services in the south of the county.

And he warned the government that any attempt to downgrade rail services in the county will be fiercely resisted.

Deputy Browne made the comments following the publication of a report which suggests that rail services south of Gorey could be withdrawn as early as 2018.

When details of the study were revealed in this newspaper several weeks ago, all the country's TFs came out against it, but since then the proposal has gained momentum, much to the chagrin of local politicians and business people.

'The Government is currently considering the future of the rail network in Ireland and it seems they have earmarked Wexford as a county where they can cut services,' said Deputy Browne.

'Fine Gael should be warned that any attempt to withdraw rail services will be fiercely resisted by the people of Wexford,' he said.

'The recent publication of the rail review report suggests closing the rail line south of Gorey. This would leave the people of Enniscorthy, Wexford and Rosslare Strand without a rail service.

'It would also mean that trains would no longer serve Rosslare Europort which would put what is a vital piece of state infrastructure at risk of closure.

'It is deeply disappointing that the Government is considering closing rail services at a time when the need for public transport couldn't be greater.

'The Government clearly lacks a coherent strategy for developing the rail network. We need a different vision for growing rail services, one which focuses on making rail travel more attractive and reliable so that passenger numbers can be increased.'

Deputy Browne said Minister Shane Ross should be focusing on increasing the profitability of Irish Rail through passenger growth instead of closing rail lines.

'It makes no sense to close the rail line in Wexford considering the move towards promoting greater use of public transport.'

'I have serious concerns about the future of Rosslare Europort should this proposal come to pass. It is already a vital piece of state infrastructure, and its importance will increase once Brexit formally begins. Many manufacturers are considering using Rosslare as an access point for shipping goods to Europe post-Brexit.

'And it makes makes absolutely no sense for Irish Rail to close the rail link to Rosslare considering the fact that the port uses this rail link to ship freight, and the demand for this service is likely to increase in the years ahead.'

On Monday, Wexford County Council gave its backing to two motions urgeing Irish Rail to abandon any plans it may or may not have to axe the service south of Gorey.

Cllr Davy Hynes said it was outrageous that Irish Rail are considering this.

'You can't even a get a train off the ferry in Rosslare and we have the National Opera House and we're being told this by this crowd,' he told fellow members.
A letter from Minister for Health Simon Harris claiming that the HSE is providing extensive cover for mental health patients in the county through numerous centres was described as very patronising by Cllr Deirdre Wadding at the meeting.

Cllr Wadding said: 'It's very patronising and most unsatisfactory to say we have everything we want.'

Cllr Keith Doyle and Cllr Anthony Kelly said a dedicated 24/7 acute mental health unit is needed in County Wexford.

Cllr Doyle said: 'They are afraid to give it us because they know it will open up a can of worms.'

Cllr Johnny Mythen said there is only one child and adult psychologist for a county with 150,000 people.

'We know we have one of the highest rates of suicide in the country. To stand by and do nothing is not an option.'

Cllr Frank Staples agreed, saying: 'This is a very serious issue. I think we need to send the figures for suicides to the Minister of State for Mental Health and Older People, Helen McEntee.'

Chairman Cllr Paddy Kavanagh said the council would write to the minister again and propose that a delegation from the council meet to discuss the matter.

Cllr Barbara Anne Murphy said the council lost Cllr Fergie Kehoe to suicide earlier this year, adding, 'we know it's important to do something about suicide in the county.'
Returning for a second Sligo screening is local made documentary "The Making of a Medium" on Thursday the 1st of December. This is a feature length documentary exploring Spiritualism, telling the life story of Sligo native, Sean Conway, as he comes to understand that he is a spiritual medium.

It asks what is a medium and how does one become one. The film was produced and directed by Sligo natives James Dennison and Niall Flynn of Atlantic Light Productions. The crew and cast were mainly from the Sligo area and the film was shot almost exclusively in Sligo, with the exception of a few interviews in Dublin and Cork.

The film is unique as it was completely self funded by the producers with no outside help, apart from the time and kindness of local individuals. The Making of a Medium looks at the current spiritual revolution from the perspective of the people involved.

They tell the life story of Sean as he comes to understand that he is a spiritual medium. Sean was just like any child growing up in the seventies, coming from a large family in a small house in Sligo.

He spent his days exploring the countryside with his identical twin brother Liam.

All seemed well by day, however by night Sean was being visited by strange visitors, people from the distant past.

Reflecting the complexity of medium-ship and spirituality as a religion, academic experts and grassroots activists explain this shift in beliefs and tell us what they are exactly.

They tell of the benefits certain people gain from medium-ship. Shot on location in Ireland, The Making of a Medium reveals this new spiritual revolution. It asks what is a medium and how does one become one.

The first screening was in Aid of The MS Northwest Therapy Centre sold out and due to popular demand.

Tickets for the screening in the Gaiety are priced at 10 and are available from the Heart's Desire Cafe in Stephen Street car-park.
In the same way that Woody Guthrie wrote and sang about the Great Depression and Bob Dylan wrote and sang of the changing world of the 1960s, Tommy Sands wrote and sang about the Northern Troubles. His songs bridged the sectarian divide in a way that endeared both him and his music to people everywhere.

His song, There Were Roses, is a stunning example of his song-writing ability and showcases like no other song the tragic nature of a war where neighbours find themselves on different sides of the same struggle. Tommy, and the wider Sands Family, toured Europe and America to great acclaim during the 1980s on the festival circuit, often appearing to crowds of tens of thousands. Their blend of family harmonies and a unique traditional folk style left them a firm favourite with fans all over the world.

Tommy, now performing as a solo artist will play a House Concert at Moy River B&B in Cloonacool this coming December 2nd at 8pm. Booking for the concert is essential as places are limited. Reserve a place by calling 087 2512030.
The Benbulben COPD Group was among various other groups across Ireland at the first-ever COPD national patient conference in Dublin. COPD stands for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and it is hugely common in Ireland, where there is approximately 380,000 people suffering with the disease.

COPD, perhaps better known as bronchitis or emphysema, is a progressive lung disease where the airways of the lungs are narrower than normal, leading to airflow obstruction and difficulty breathing.

The conference coincided with worldwide COPD Day. Damien Peelo, Executive Director, COPD Support Ireland, Said: "It's clear we have a COPD crisis on our hands, which is only going to get worse. There are many more undiagnosed people in the community too."
The recent Cock Pheasant of the Day Competition and Social was run by the Gun Clubs of Tubbercurry, Cloonacool and Moylough with great success.

Almost 1,000 was raised for the Irish Heart Foundation.

A unique feat was how for the last two years, the competition was won by a young lady, Charlene Wimsey from Achonry who took up shooting just a few years ago.

Charlene is proving that women are definitely better than men in most fields!

After the successful day, the group went to the social in Joe Dan's Pub in Drumartin.

This was the 32nd running of the event, which was based around the opening of the Pheasant Shooting Season which opened on November 1st.

The day was run in a spirit of fun and enjoyment, with the emphasis on giving by the shooting fraternity of South Sligo.

Each year, Pheasants shot by the shooting men and women of Co Sligo are entered into a competition to assess the Best Bird of the Day.

There are various categories, including the heaviest, longest, best white collar and best overall bird.

Charlene Wimsey from Achonry had won the competition two years in a row.

While having a social emphasis, fundraising is also done with a raffle and auction of birds plus a few novelty events. Local musicians added to the occasion.

The group was delighted with the amount raised and over the last 32 years, more than 50,000 has been raised for both local and national charities.

This year's event was run to support the works of the Irish Heart Foundation, as one of the event's great supporters over the years was Michael Rochford from Lough Talt who died just a couple of months ago. Michael was a great supporter of the Irish Heart Foundation, and he was remembered by all his friends at this year's event as attention now turns to the next one.
Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, Nov. 26

By Huseyn Hasanov  Trend:

The first-ever Global Sustainable Transport Conference, convened under the auspices of the United Nations, kicked off in Ashgabat Nov. 26.

The event is attended by the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon.

Signing of several international conventions and agreements is expected during the conference.

A broad range of issues are on the conference agenda. They include sustainable transportation, environmental change, city transport system and transport communication between cities and villages, financing the transportation sector, international cooperation in transportation, development of multilateral transport corridors and infrastructure, as well as road safety.

The global conference is being held in accordance with the UN resolution adopted at the 70th session of the UN General Assembly in December 2015.

Ashgabat is involved in several large-scale projects. The Kazakhstan-Turkmenistan-Iran and Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Tajikistan railways, road and rail bridges across the Amu Darya River, as well as theTurkmenbashi International Seaport, are to become the important links in the international network of transport communications in the region.

Turkmenistans favorable geographical position determines its growing status as an important transit and transport hub of regional and continental importance, the Turkmen state news agency Dovlet Habarlary earlier said in its commentary.
A 36 year old man caught driving while banned for 20 years had has his case adjourned for a year after Judge Kilrane said he was prepared to give him one final chance though it was against his instincts to do so.

Before the court was Ronan Lynch of 105 St Brigid's Place who was charged with having no insurance, tax or NCT when stopped at Carrowgubbadagh on January 2nd last.

Garda Brendan Gardiner told the court he stopped the defendant for travelling at 129kph in a 100kph zone.

The defendant had 48 previous convictions.

The defendant was represented by Mr Gerard McGovern, solicitor who handed in a reference from the defendant's employer.

Lynch, called by Mr McGovern, agreed that he had a bad record. The defendant said his record was bad before 2010 when he had some 39 convictions and he had also spent some time in prison.

The Dublin native said he had since made a new life for himself in Sligo.

He was working in a factory here for 14 months and had settled here.

On the day he was stopped he had friends around and one had too much drink taken and decided to drive him home to Collooney.

It was a simple mistake said the defendant, adding that he felt he had done enough "prison time."

Judge Kilrane noted that the reference pointed out that the defendant was a valued employee.

However, he was driving in January and again in May in Mullingar when he was disqualified for 30 years having previously been put off the road for 20 years.

"And, this is when he is supposed to have turned his life around?"- Judge.

Mr McGovern pleaded that Lynch had put his "bad past in the past."

"Has he?" - Judge.

Lynch said he had a very foolish youth where he had stolen cars. He never had a licence.

Mr McGovern pleaded: "He's had a criminal background but outside of driving he had done exceptionally well but he should have known that driving while disqualified is a very serious offence."

He added that it wasn't easy for the defendant to change his life and become a skilled, valued worker.

"Prison will only bring everything back down on him again," said Mr McGovern.

Lynch told the judge he didn't have a car now and neither did his partner.

The car he was driving on the occasion was since scrapped and he got a lift to work.

Asked for his views on the matter, Inspector Paul Kilcoyne said it appeared the defendant had a life for himself in Sligo now.

He had driven no later than May however and also knowing that he was going to be prosecuted for the offence in May.

Judge Kilrane said no one is banned for 30 years without a string of convictions.

The Judge said Lynch was driving while banned on January 2nd when he was also speeding with "absolutely nothing on the car." He's up and at it again on May 15th this year in Mullingar when he says there was an emergency. "These were very serious matters," he said.

In mitigation, he was had emerged from a past that included prison and was now a skilled welder and fabricator.

"I'm all in favour of giving someone a second chance but he's got about ten chances.

"The question is does he deserve one final chance?

"I'm prepared against all my instincts to give him one," said the Judge.

The case was adjourned to November 9th 2017 by the Judge who told the defendant, this was to prove "what you are saying is what you mean."

The Judge added that if there was another offence, "I can tell you here and now you will be going off for eleven months."
Shoppers and business owners will be glad to hear the ongoing works to O'Connell St will reopen in time for the Christmas rush.

Irish Water, who are overseeing the upgrade works, announced the street will reopen at the end of November following the 1.25m water main and sewer rehab project.

A statement issued by Irish Water said as part of the O'Connell Street Water Main and Sewer Rehabilitation project, works will be off street by the end of November. It added road surface reinstatement works will be completed as agreed with local traders to facilitate the Christmas shopping period.

"To date approximately 510 metres of old water main that are prone to leakage, regular bursts and interruptions to supply on O'Connell Street have now been replaced.

"This work has also involved the replacement of more than 60 customer connections on the water main network.

"Irish Water, working in partnership with Sligo County Council and Carty Contractors Limited, would like to thank the general public and the business community for their patience and co-operation during the works."

The water main rehabilitation works will result in significant improvements in network performance and level of customer service, it added. This relates to supply pressure, security of supply, fire flow capacity and operational pressure as well as delivering significant savings in terms of leakage reduction.

"Due to unforeseen circumstances the sewer liner works have taken longer than anticipated and will not now be completed until early 2017.

"All excavations associated with the sewer works including the installation of new manholes and access points, will be complete by the end of November leaving just the installation of the sewer liner itself to be completed in early 2017.

"There is no further excavation required as part of these works.

"These final works will take place from mid-January with an expected completion date at the end of February.

"Further details including traffic and pedestrian management plans for these works will be issued to the local community and the media once available in the coming weeks," the statement added.

Irish Water announced details of the 1.25 million project in July which will directly benefit businesses and residents in Sligo town by improving water pressure and securing the water supply. This represents a major investment by Ireland's national water utility in Sligo.

Meanwhile, there had been much criticism of the delay in starting vital enhancement works which were due to start after Irish Water had completed their remainder works on the street. Sligo County Council indicated at its recent monthly meeting that the works, expected to begin in early 2017, will now not go ahead until September at the earliest due to redesigning plans.
The large number of local people who attended last Wednesday's rally and Thursday's public meeting in Ballygawley clearly confirms the significant and ongoing support of the community for their local post office, Cllr Declan Bree told 'The Sligo Champion."

"Given the fact that An Post has indicated that 700 rural post offices are not sustainable, the people of Ballygawley and the surrounding area have every reason to be concerned about the future of their post office. I well recollect addressing a meeting of Sligo County Council some years back warning that the E.U. Postal Services Directive, if transposed into Irish law would open up postal services to private companies.

"I warned, and indeed the Communications Workers Union warned at the time that this would lead to the private sector cherry picking profitable postal services while An Post would be expected to maintain and subsidise the less profitable services which would eventually lead to post office closures. Unfortunately the establishment parties went ahead and adopted the Directive and since then we have witnessed the closure of countless rural post offices," said Cllr Bree.
The towering vestibule of Temple House and other photos appear in the new book on Hidden Ireland

One of the finest estates in Ireland, Temple House in Ballymote, features in a lavish new publication on Ireland's most beautiful country houses.

Hidden Ireland, Discover Ireland's Most Beautiful Houses is gorgeously illustrated with lush photography by James Fennell, and written by antiques dealer and stylist Josephine Ryan.

"Arriving at Temple House, through black-painted iron gates and a drive that runs for half a mile through sheep-dotted rolling pastures, one discovers a true great house," writes the author.

Temple House is the ancestral home of the Perceval family and features a ruin of a 13th century castle built by the Knights Templar, made so famous by Dan Brown's bestseller ' The Da Vinci Code'.

The intriguing family history of the Percevals and the House are extensively covered in Hidden Ireland along with many photographs of the house's unique architectural and historical features.

"It's very exciting," owner Roderick Perceval told The Sligo Champion. "There are beautiful pictures in it of beautiful houses across the countryside. Having a hardback book will make a big difference."

"Temple House and my parents were one of the co-founders of Hidden Ireland in the eighties. The book was created by Hidden Ireland to showcase the wonderful setting of these houses," he said.

"It means that we've now got something of quality to showcase them in - it's a hardback coffee table book. It'll be there forever. It's something we're all very, very proud of."

Roderick says the absence of owners in the book was intentional as "it's all about the houses, the interiors and the grounds. That's the most important thing for us."

"The selection criteria for membership of Hidden Ireland is strict," said author Josephine Ryan.

"It's as much about the people as about the bricks and mortar. The houses are all privately owned and the owners are as different as the properties, but they all have one thing in common - they are genuinely delighted to receive visitors.

"In return, they offer visitors a slice of their own lives - usually in an oasis of calm with the occasional bit of madness thrown in for the craic," she said.

Just in time for the celebration of 30 years of Hidden Ireland, the group that represents historic country houses where visitors can stay and dine, the Hidden Ireland book features houses in sixteen different counties from all four provinces.

There are 30 historic house bed and breakfast properties in Hidden Ireland, ranging from hunting lodges to renovated forges, cottages to manor houses.

Roderick and his wife Helena Perceval had a good B&B season and are now entering their 'house party season' for Christmas.

Their season finishes in January and the B&B season starts up again in April. "Every house is individual and that's our unique appeal," he added.
Much loved Wicklow chef and food writer, Catherine Fulvio, will return to our screens this week with a brand new format cooking, travel and lifestyle series called, 'Tastes like Home', on RTE One.

The new show is being sponsored by Londis.

Having grown up on a working farm Catherine knows all too well the taste of home and the theme of the new TV series is one that she holds close to her heart.

Over six weeks we will join her on this exciting new format TV series which will see Catherine selecting six families to join her on a mission to establish a meal that 'Tastes like Home' and to bring these tastes across the globe.

Sheila Kirwan from Clonegal, County Carlow will feature on episode three of 'Tastes like Home', which will see Catherine Fulvio travel to London to surprise Sheila's daughter Mary Claire Kirwan and her husband Thomas Baker with her special recipe of Nettle and Leek Soup and Brown Bread.

Catherine is very excited about the show airing and feels like it will strike a chord with audiences across Ireland who love home cooking and have family members living abroad.

'It's funny how a recipe represents a family, a place and a time, a tradition is simply a sense of togetherness.

'Taste is the most evocative of all senses and can transport us back to our childhoods, to a memorable meal or special moment in time and I have no doubt this show is really going to resonate and connect with the viewers from the outset.'

Catherine loves using local food in her cooking and so it is very fitting that the show is sponsored by Londis, who's tagline 'Local Like You' reflects the importance we all place on that special feeling of home and familiarity.

'I am used to replicating dishes that have been passed down through the generations for our visitors here at Ballyknocken House and Cookery School and I thoroughly enjoyed meeting the contestants and their family members throughout the filming of 'Tastes like Home' to learn to cook their special family recipes.

'It was a great experience overall and I hope people enjoy watching the programme as much as I enjoyed being part of it,' says Catherine.

Six families including the Kirwans, from across the country were chosen to meet with Catherine to teach her how to make their Tastes like Home dish. Catherine visits the family here before jetting off to recreates the dish.
Wicklow town band 'Dangerous Dave & the Side Effects' have helped Greystones man Alan Hurst release 'Alan's Song' in aid of Enable Ireland.

Alan has cerebral palsy, is a wheelchair user and does not verbally communicate. He penned the lyrics to 'Alan's Song' and the band then set them to music.

The song includes the powerful lyrics 'So please don't push me in my wheelchair, like I'm a baby in a pram. Please don't speak on my behalf, cos I'm the only one who can.'

A native of England, Alan lives in Blacklion, at the independent living Chesterfield Homes houses. He has a board with a host of different words, which he can use to point to words to communicate with people.

The Wicklow town band said that the song is a reflection of Alan's thoughts and feelings on how it feels to be a wheelchair user in modern-day Ireland. He faces physical and emotional obstacles in his everyday life, and the song expresses some of his frustrations.

'This track gives an insight and is written from the heart on how negative misconceptions from some members of the public can affect somebody who sometimes feels trapped inside his own body,' said the band.

'It illuminates the frustration experienced by a person with a disability trying to be accepted as a person and not just seen as a wheelchair.'

Alan would like to thank Dangerous Dave & the Side Effects for their part in producing the piece of music.

Shortly after hearing Alan's story, the band received his lyrics and got to work on producing the song that's now available on iTunes and various online stores for 1.29.

All proceeds go to Enable Ireland. Dangerous Dave & the Side Effects have also just released their debut album.
St Patrick's landing in Wicklow and other storytelling gems will be used in a new tourism drive to boost the local economy as part of Ireland's Ancient East.

Legend has it that St Patrick initially arrived by sea to the Travelahawk Beach in Wicklow town, only to be driven off by locals throwing stones at his boat.

The St Patrick tale will be just one of the many Wicklow stories used to attract greater numbers of visitors to the county.

Wicklow Enterprise Park, Wicklow Chamber of Commerce and Wicklow Tourism have launched 'Wicklow Tales', an initiative drawing on the opportunity of Failte Ireland's storytelling marketing programme for Ireland's Ancient East.

Over a hundred guests from the local business, hospitality and tourism sectors attended the launch of the initiative at Wicklow's Historic Gaol on Thursday night. Wicklow Gaol also happens to be one of the iconic visitor destinations on Ireland's Ancient East trail.

'Wicklow town and District Chamber are delighted to be associated with the launch of 'Tales of Wicklow' which we are confident will play an important role in the promotion of Wicklow town as having a distinct product to promote as part of Ireland's Ancient East,' said Wicklow Town and District Chamber president Pascal Burke.

Guests were treated to an evening of legend and folklore, with local author Chris Rush sharing some of his spooky goings-on he experienced in Wicklow Gaol.

A showcase by Wicklow Enterprise Park manager Emeir O'Connell demonstrated how these stories can be adapted to all aspects of business life to create an unforgettable customer experience.

The Jailers Rest Cafe demonstrated told a series of stories through their colourful menu of nibbles served on the evening, while Wicklow Tourism presented mini-laminated stories for shop windows.
Councillors have lambasted Wicklow County Council for failing to inform them that Ballynagran landfill will be accepting an additional 40,000 tonnes of waste from the greater Dublin region.

It was announced on Friday that a shortfall in the availability of landfill facilities, mainly due to the closure of the largest landfill in the country at Drehid in County Kildare, means that Ballynagran and Knockharley landfill in County Meath will accommodate waste from Dublin until the end of the year.

'I am extremely disappointed that we were never consulted as public representatives,' said Cllr John Snell, Cathaoirleach of Wicklow Municipal District.

'All the councillors were only in the chamber last week and we could have discussed the issue there and asked any of the relevant questions. Negotiations must have taken place before a decision was made and if the elected members had been informed, it could have been brought up at one of the council meetings for discussion.

'I'm sure some people will be angry because this announcement is in complete breach of the planning conditions placed on Ballynagran.'

It is understood that discussions over the use of Ballynagran took place last week involving the Department of Communications Climate Action and Environment, the EPA, the CCMA, the Regional Waste Management Planning Offices and the Local Authorities. Both Wicklow and Meath County Council have activated the available landfill capacity in Ballynagran and Knockharley under Section 56 of the Waste Management Act 1996. Dublin City Council has also invoked this legislative provision which gives a local authority broad powers to take measures in order to prevent or limit environmental pollution.

The Chief Executives of Wicklow, Meath, Dublin City have exercised this statutory power so that additional waste may be accepted at the landfills until the end of 2016.

'When planning was first sought for Ballynagran, public consultation took place and there was a planning process involved,' said Cllr Snell. 'People living in the area mounted legal cases and the only assurances were the conditions of the planning, including that the vast majority of waste would be from Wicklow. Now the EPA, the Minister and the relevant Councils have overpowered and revoked these conditions. People in the area don't want Ballynagran turning into some sort of super dump.'

Cllr Joe Behan has also pledged to raise the matter at Monday's meeting of Wicklow County Council when the budget for 2017 will be set.

'What is most disturbing about this decision is that the County Managers and EPA have decided it is OK for them to breach planning conditions and licensing terms by using little known loop holes, while keeping the whole plan hidden from the public until it is too late to stop.

'The fact that Councillors received an email announcing this decision at 4.55 p.m. on Friday last, just as the offices were closing for the weekend, tells us all we need to know about the lack of respect for the public and representatives shown by the elite County Managers Organisation in this country.'

According to a statement released by Wicklow County Council, the Drehid landfill will be in a position to resume accepting waste from the start of January.

Cllr Snell has also sought reassurances regarding the Ballynagran Community Projects fund.

'One of the planning conditions was that 1.50 of every tonne dumped in Ballynagran was to be ring-fenced for a community grant scheme. I am told that will still be the case over the 40,000 tonnes from Dublin.'
Liadh Ni Riada, MEP, and Deputy John Brady of Sinn Fein at a public meeting on Fisheries and Brexit in the Royal hotel, Arklow

There is considerable fear within the Arklow fishing community about the potential effect that Brexit might have on the industry.

According to Sinn Fein TD John Brady, who hosted a public meeting with Ireland South MEP Liadh Ni Riada, a 'united front' is needed in order to protect the fishing industry.

'The people who showed up at our public meeting were quick to communicate their fears over Brexit, with the emphasis clearly on the challenges ahead for the fishing industry locally. Questions from the floor included worried queries regarding a recent high court decision which upheld a complaint that fishing vessels registered in the North of Ireland were excluded from certain activities in 26 county waters.

The problem of course is that many local fishermen happen to have Northern registered vessels. They now risk being banned from operating in their own home territory. For decades the fishing industry North and South enjoyed mutual agreement to share the waters, it now looks like this could be turned on its head, leaving a struggling fishing community who are unsure as to their future,' he said.

He added that once Britain exits the European Union, potentially taking back full control of its fishing industry, it is impossible to predict what impact this could have on the Irish industry.

Deputy Brady also said that upcoming negotiations around Brexit offer the Irish Government an excellent opportunity to secure a better deal.

Speaking at the meeting, Ms Ni Riada who is on the European Parliament fisheries committee, said that a united front must be formed to lobby both the Irish government and Brussels.

'I will be meeting with The International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) in Brussels to argue on behalf of the Irish fishing industry. To the best of my knowledge no member of any Irish Government has ever had a meeting with this important body. The government need to urgently pull together all interested parties across the broad spectrum of the Irish Fishing Industry in the context of the Brexit negotiations, the government must take this opportunity to press for new ways and explore new avenues to renegotiate previous arrangements with their counterparts in the European Council,' she said.
Credit card services company Elavon welcomed special guests from Toastmasters International to their Arklow premises recently.

In recognition of the support given to the international organisation through in-house Toastmasters clubs in Arklow and Loughlinstown, Teresa Dukes International Director of Toastmasters addressed staff at a lunchtime event.

'It is an honour to recognise the continuous support Elavon gives to their employees as well as assisting the in-house Elavon Toastmasters clubs both here in Arklow, and in Loughlinstown,' said Ms Dukes.

She told Elavon employees that 'developing communications and leadership skills is a top priority in the modern age.'

Teresa Dukes, a member of the board of Toastmasters International, is on a whirlwind tour of the UK and Ireland of major corporate Toastmasters clubs as part of her ambassador role on behalf of the board of the California-based organisation.

The event was hosted by Simon Deller, president of Elavon Arklow Toastmasters Club, and attended also by Patricia O'Reilly, club development director of Toastmasters District 71.

The meeting also featured several speeches by local Toastmasters as well as being addressed by Ms Dukes.

'Toastmasters means courage, opportunity and challenge: the courage to share ideas where they are heard, the opportunity to develop skills at your own pace, and the challenge to help others grow. Together, Toastmasters not only grow personally and professionally, but are ready and able to grow their communities and businesses as well,' she added.

As a member of the Toastmasters International board of directors, Ms Dukes is a working ambassador for the organisation. She works with the board to develop, support and modify the policies and procedures that guide Toastmasters International in fulfilling its mission.

Toastmasters International, to which the Arklow group is affiliated, is a worldwide non-profit educational organisation with 345,000 members worldwide.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov. 26

By Fatih Karimov  Trend

Irans Trade Promotion Organization (TOPI) signed a MoU with the International Trade Center (ITC), the official website of the TPOI reported Nov. 6.

The document was signed by Arancha Gonzalez, executive director of the ITC and Mojtaba Khosrotaj, head of the TPOI on the sidelines of the 11th World Conference of the Trade Promotion Organization (TPO) Network held on November 24 and 25 in Marrakech, Morocco.

The document aims cooperation in preparing Irans national export strategy, comparative study of the performance and activities of the Trade Promotion Organization of Iran with similar organizations in the world as well as planning and implementation of practical training courses for Iranian commercial attaches in target markets and developing cooperation in business training.

ITC is the joint agency of the World Trade Organization and the United Nations. ITC assists small and medium-sized enterprises in developing and transition economies to become more competitive in global markets, thereby contributing to sustainable economic development within the frameworks of the Aid-for-Trade agenda and the Global Goals for Sustainable Development.
Cllr Gail Dunne said Irish Water has committed to changing filters more often at the pumping station at the Murragh

Irish Water has given a commitment to tackle smells emanating from the Murrough Waste Water Pumping Station which have been causing local residents distress.

People living nearby to the pumping station have been complaining of foul odours for the past number of years, especially during the summer months when some residents have said the stench can become particularly unbearable.

Veolia Ireland operates and maintains the pumping station on behalf of Irish Water and has faced past criticism due to odours coming from the station.

Cllr Gail Dunne recently met with officials from both Irish Water and Veolia Ireland.

'I went down to the Murrough by the pumping station about four to five weeks ago and literally nearly got sick because the smell was so horrid. It's hard to believe how bad the smells actually get unless you are down there,' said Cllr Dunne.

'I have received complaint after complaint from people living in the area.

'No one should have to live like that. In the summer people can't even open their windows because the smells are so bad.'

During the meeting, Irish Water committed to getting Veolia Ireland maintenance staff to change the filters in the pumping station at least three times a year.

'The filters were only being changed once a year and this was causing much of the problem. There was never a problem with odours when Wicklow County Council maintained and managed the pumping station and that's because filters were changed regularly,' said Cllr Dunne.

'To be honest I think too many corners have been cut by Irish Water in order to save money and this has led to the problem of repeated periods of bad smells.

'Residents shouldn't have to cope with these smells. It also isn't a nice way to introduce visitors and tourists to Wicklow town.

'The Murrough is a popular location for walking and jogging. Also, one of the first things anyone coming into Wicklow town from the port access road would notice is the smells. It's not exactly a great advertisement for the town,' said Cllr Dunne.
Jenna Jackson and Lilliana McDonald, Avoca, at the IT Carlow Conferrals at Wicklow Campus

Friday's conferring ceremony held in the Wicklow County Campus on Friday means over 600 graduates have passed through Clermont since the first conferring in 2009-2010.

Two awards were presented for outstanding academic achievement. Ben Cullen, from Dublin, who graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Energy Management, received the IT Carlow Student of the Year Award at Level 7.

Jane Craven Swan, from Wicklow, who received a Higher Diploma in Arts in Early Childhood Education and Care, was presented with the Wicklow County Council Student of the Year Award at Level 8.

Cllr Pat Fitzgerald, Cathaoirleach of Wicklow County Council, congratulated all the graduates and their families.

'It is extremely important to have a quality third level college in the county in order to support economic development and job creation. Wicklow County Council will continue to work closely with Institute of Technology Carlow in the further development of life long learning courses and in the ongoing evolution of Wicklow Co Campus as a centre of excellence in enterprise, innovation and education,' said Cllr Fitzgerald.

Dr Patricia Mulcahy, President of Institute of Technology Carlow praised Wicklow County Council for its vision and commitment to higher education provision in the county.

'The success of the joint initiative between Wicklow County Council and Institute of Technology Carlow positions Wicklow County Campus well in its objective to become a centre of excellence in enterprise, education and innovation in county Wicklow and sees the campus act already as a catalyst for economic development in the county.'

Minister of State for Food, Forestry and Horticulture, Andrew Doyle TD, was also on hand to pass on his congratulations to the graduates

Wicklow County Council Chief Executive Bryan Doyle stated that: 'Wicklow County Council is proud to be associated with the continued success of Wicklow County Campus. I would like to congratulate all of today's graduates on their considerable achievements which will help equip them with the required knowledge and give them the confidence to face any challenges.'
Communities on both sides of the Wicklow-Carlow border were plunged into grief on Saturday following the untimely death of Mick Lambert (67) in a farm accident at home.

Businessman and farmer Mick was well known in the communities of Ardnaboy, near Knockananna in South Wicklow where he lived and in Hacketstown, Co Carlow where he ran Lambert's Hardware.

The tragic news of Mick's passing filtered out on Saturday evening when it emerged that an accident had occurred at the Lambert farm.

The alarm was raised at around 4.30 p.m. when Mick became trapped under material which had been removed from a trench he and another man had been digging.

Gardai from Baltinglass, Carlow Fire Service and the Ambulance Service and Caredoc attended the scene but sadly Mick passed away.

His remains were transferred to Naas Hospital for a post mortem examination.

Investigations were launched by the Gardai and the Health and Safety Authority as a matter of procedure and to assist the coronor.

Mick was a highly regarded and popular man and very well-liked by his customers at the store he ran for many years.

Parish Priest in Hacketstown, Fr Jim McCormack said that Mick was 'a man of strong faith who helped a lot of people'.

'The parish is deeply shocked at the untimely death of Mick Lambert. Mick was a man of great faith and did a lot of work for the parish. He will be sadly missed by all,' he said.

Warm tributes have also been paid to Mick by a number of community organisations who posted kind words on Facebook including Hacketstown Community Group, Kiltegan GAA, Knockananna Camogie Club, Knockananna Youth Project and Ellis Well Drilling.

Rathdangan Community Council posted the following tribute: 'Mick was a lovely man indeed always had a word for everyone and a witty cheerful personality that made him the popular man he was. He ran one of the best hardwares this side of the country and I often have heard it said 'go to lamberts they will definitely have it'...and indeed they would just like any great hardware would... it's so hard to believe we won't see Mick winking from behind the counter of lamberts anymore but he certainly will always be remembered as a thorough gentleman.'

Mick was a charitable man and was a director of 'Self Help Development International', now Gorta Self Help Africa, for more than a decade following its foundation.

The charity was co-founded by Mick's brother, Fr Owen in the 1980s and for over 20 years the charity was based from offices in a building that was provided by Mick in Hacketstown.

CEO Ray Jordan said that he was saddened to learn of this tragic and untimely death.

He expressed condolences to Mick's wife Catherine and wider family on their loss.

'The Lambert family were visionaries, and played a central role in creating one of Ireland's very first long-term development organisations. Michael Lambert was at the heart of those efforts for over 20 years', he said.

'Michael Lambert was extremely active in business, farming and in his local community, yet he also devoted a great deal of his time and energy to Self Help, and helped to lay the foundations for an organisation that today is working to end hunger and poverty for more than 1.8 million people in Africa.'

Mick is survived by his wife Catherine, brothers Fr Owen, (CSSP), Paddy, John, Hugh and Seamus, sisters Sr Eileen, (OFS), Breda, Peigi, Kathleen, and Marion and extended family.

He was predeceased by his brother Benny and sisters Mary-Ann and Teresa.

Mick will be laid to rest today in Knockananna following funeral mass in the Church of the Immaculate Conception.

The family has requested that donations, in lieu of flowers are donated to APA for their work in Africa, where Fr Owen is based.
Minister of State for Food, Forestry and Horticulture Andrew Doyle was honoured to be a guest speaker at the An Bord Bia Farmers' Market skills training workshops at Tinakilly House County held on Wednesday.

The 'Skills Training for Selling at Farmers Markets' workshop was specifically designed by Bord Bia, to provide practical solutions to the challenges most frequently faced by food, drink and horticulture producers and sellers.

Minister of State Doyle spoke about his own experiences of selling turnips, holly and Christmas trees at Smithfied Markets many years ago and the importance of farmers selling directly to consumers at farmers' markets.

Local food producer, farmer and successful stallholder, Margaret Hoctor from Kilmullen Farm in Newcastle, delivered the workshop to over 30 participants.

Margaret, a regular at the Marley Park food market in Dublin, shared her own knowledge and wide experience of she developed the family business through this channel.

The workshop was very interactive with participants sharing their ideas and experiences in farmers' markets.

Speaking at the event Minister Doyle said 'farmers' markets are a great opportunity for food producers and entrepreneurs to tell their story and to understand what captures consumers' interest - what consumers regard as local, authentic and unique, what would encourage them to purchase on a regular basis.

'I am delighted that An Bord Bia has decided to develop this series of workshops providing useful advice in relation to budgeting, marketing and stall management to farmers' market sellers. These events are also wonderful networking opportunity for stallholders.'

Food and Farmers' Markets have experienced considerable growth in recent years. Bord Bia research identified over 150 Irish food markets.
A rusty container of lubricant oil for a US military vehicle among abandoned US material outside Kulusuk (AP)

Greenland is calling on Denmark to clean up an abandoned under-ice missile project and other US military installations left to rust in the pristine landscape after the Cold War.

The 1951 deal under which Nato member Denmark allowed the US to build 33 bases and radar stations in the former Danish province does not specify who is responsible for any cleanup.

Tired of waiting, Greenland's leaders are now urging Denmark to remove the junk that the Americans left behind, including Camp Century, a never-completed launch site for nuclear missiles under the surface of the massive ice cap.

"Unless Denmark has entered other agreements with the United States about Camp Century, the responsibility for investigation and cleanup lies with Denmark alone," said Vittus Qujaukitsoq, Greenland's minister in charge of foreign affairs.

Camp Century was built in 1959-60 in north-western Greenland, officially to test sub-ice construction techniques. The real plan was top secret: creating a hidden launch site for ballistic missiles that could reach the Soviet Union.

The project was abandoned in 1966 because the ice cap began to crush the camp. The US removed a portable nuclear reactor that had supplied heat and electricity, but left an estimated 200,000 litres of diesel oil and sewage, according to an international study published in August.

Scientists are warning that as global warming melts the ice cap, the waste could surface and pollute the environment.

In an October 24 letter to Danish Foreign Minister Kristian Jensen, obtained by The Associated Press, Qujaukitsoq asked about Denmark's plans for Camp Century, adding that an international study said the waste includes "radioactivity, oil and PCB pollution".

PCB stands for polychlorinated biphenyl, a man-made chemical once widely used in paints, plastics and other products, banned after it was demonstrated to cause cancer and other ailments.

At a meeting on November 17 in Nuuk, the Greenland capital, to discuss the issue, Mr Jensen said Denmark's Environment Ministry was investigating the environmental risks.

"I hope it can be done as quickly as possible," he told a news conference, declining to give any specifics.

He later told The Associated Press in an email that "it is still too early to say who will be involved in a possible cleanup".

The US military was interested in Greenland during the Cold War due to its strategic location in the Arctic. Under the 1951 agreement, the US also built four radar stations as part of an early warning system to detect incoming Soviet bombers.

The US Air Force still uses the Thule Air Base, about 745 miles below the North Pole. Military airfields in Narsarsuaq, Kulusuk and Kangerlussuaq have become civilian airports.

Several other military installations have been abandoned, some in remote areas, in the hope they would be entombed forever in the thick ice cap that covers most of the vast island.

AP
French police last night arrested a 47-year-old former soldier who investigators said was the main suspect in the killing of a female worker at a retirement home for Christian missionaries.

The death near the southern city of Montpellier late on Thursday set nerves jangling in France after a string of recent jihadist atrocities, but local prosecutor Christophe Barret said investigators believed it was not Islamist terrorism.

The suspect, who had served in Frances parachute regiment, worked at the missionaries home some years ago but was now unemployed, a source in the investigation told AFP.

He was arrested in the town where he lives, 15km from Montferrier-sur-Lez where the retirement home is located, and did not put up any resistance.

The prosecutor told reporters earlier that a replica gun that fires pellets had been found in a vehicle parked nearby.

Burst

Witnesses had reported that the killer appeared to have been carrying a sawn-off shotgun when he burst into the nursing home on Thursday evening before stabbing a 54-year-old worker to death. Police found her body in the buildings laundry room.

More than 130 police backed by a helicopter mounted the search for the suspect, said policeman Jean-Philippe Lecouffe.

A police official, who asked to remain anonymous, said military decorations were also among items found in the car nearby and that the vehicle was traced to a former member of the military.

He told reporters that a woman who works at the retirement home called police on Thursday night to say she had been attacked.

When the officers arrived, they found the body of another woman, gagged and tied up outside the building with three stab wounds.

The residence is operated by the African Missions Society, and takes in retired priests, nuns and others who have worked on missions in Africa.
Iran is assessing a proposal for a collective OPEC output cut, but hasnt announced any commitment to reduce its own production as the group tries to end disagreements about how to share the burden of supply cuts ahead of a meeting in Vienna, Bloomberg reported.

Algerian Energy Minister Noureddine Boutarfa presented a proposal for an OPEC cut of 1.1 million barrels a day during a meeting with his Iranian counterpart Bijan Namdar Zanganeh in Tehran on Saturday, according to an Iranian oil ministry official. OPEC is also proposing a 600,000 barrel a day output cut by non-OPEC producers, the official said.

The two ministers discussed each countrys share of the proposed cut and Zanganeh said Iran will assess the proposal and discuss it further at the Vienna meeting on Nov. 30, the official said. Zanganeh, who didnt comment on Irans position about cutting its own production, expressed optimism about the OPEC meeting next week, the official said.

The OPEC talks indicate that the group can arrive at a lasting agreement on its output and market management, Zanganeh said after the meeting, according to the Oil Ministrys official news service, Shana. If we reach an agreement, I am optimistic that prices will rise and the global economy requires such conditions.

Boutarfa, the architect of the Algiers crude supply agreement in September, is on a shuttle diplomacy mission to try to resolve differences blocking the OPEC deal, particularly the question of whether Iran and Iraq are willing to cut production. He is also due to meet with the Iraqi oil minister next week.

An oil production cut would help the oil price to rise to $55-$60 a barrel, Boutarfa said, according to the Iranian oil ministry official. If no agreement is reached in Vienna next week, the price may remain under $50 a barrel, he said.

All OPEC members accepted the decisions adopted in Algiers, which proposed that the groups production be reduced to a range of 32.5 million barrels a day and 33 million barrels, Zanganeh said, according to Shana. Right now the debate revolves around how to divide the production cuts, he said.

In a surprise move, Saudi Arabia pulled out of talks planned for Monday with non-OPEC producers including Russia because it wants to secure an OPEC deal first. The meeting was later canceled and OPEC members called instead for internal talks to try to resolve their own differences ahead of the ministerial meeting on Nov. 30.

The setback suggests that Saudi Arabia remains split from its two biggest Middle Eastern rivals at the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries. Iran insists it should be allowed to restore output to pre-sanctions levels, while it remains unclear if Iraq is still disputing the OPEC supply estimates that would provide the basis for any cuts. With less than a week until the crucial ministerial meeting, the refusal of just one major producer to participate could scuttle the whole of the agreement reached in September in Algiers.
Pictured in April 2011 file photo, Fidel Castro, left, raises his brother Raul's hand as they sing the anthem of international socialism during the 6th Communist Party Congress in Havana (AP)

Fidel Castro pictured speaking at the United Nations General Assembly in New York in October 1979, as the former Cuban president has died aged 90 (AP)

Cuba's former president Fidel Castro, who led a rebel army to victory to become one of the world's longest serving leaders, has died at the age of 90.

President Raul Castro said on state television that his older brother died at 10.29pm on Friday. He ended the announcement by shouting the revolutionary slogan: "Toward victory, always!"

News of Castro's death prompted both celebrations and condolences. The Cuban government declared nine days of national mourning, ending when Castro's remains are interred on December 4 in the eastern city of Santiago - the birthplace of his revolution.

World leaders hailed Castro as a "figure of enormous historical importance" whose life was "a lighthouse to all revolutionaries around the world".

He had seized power after toppling the government in 1959, introducing a Communist revolution. He defied the US for decades, surviving many assassination plots.

His supporters said he had given Cuba back to the people. Critics saw him as a dictator.

President Barack Obama said: "History will record and judge the enormous impact of this singular figure on the people and world around him."

President-elect Donald Trump was more outspoken branding him "a brutal dictator who oppressed his own people for nearly six decades".

He said Castro leaves a legacy of "firing squads, theft, unimaginable suffering, poverty and the denial of fundamental human rights".

Russian President Vladimir Putin said in a telegram to Raul Castro: "Free and independent Cuba, which he (Fidel Castro) and his allies built, became an influential member of the international community and became an inspiring example for many countries and nations. Fidel Castro was a sincere and reliable friend of Russia."

Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras tweeted: "Goodbye, commandante. Until the peoples' eternal victory."

But in Miami's Little Havana, Cuban exiles poured onto the streets to celebrate news of his death.

Thousands banged pots with spoons, waved Cuban flags and whooped in jubilation.

Cubans fled their homeland after Castro took power. Some were loyalists of Fulgencio Batista, the president prior to Castro, while others left with the hope they would be able to return soon, after Castro was toppled. He never was.

The bearded revolutionary, who survived a crippling US trade embargo as well as dozens, possibly hundreds, of assassination plots, died 10 years after ill health forced him to hand power over to Raul.

Castro overcame imprisonment at the hands of dictator Batista, exile in Mexico and a disastrous start to his rebellion before triumphantly riding into Havana in January 1959 to become, at the age of 32, the youngest leader in Latin America.

For decades he served as an inspiration and source of support to revolutionaries from Latin America to Africa.

His commitment to socialism was unwavering, though his power finally began to fade in mid-2006 when a gastrointestinal ailment forced him to hand over the presidency to Raul in 2008, provisionally at first and then permanently.

His defiant image lingered long after he gave up his trademark Cohiba cigars for health reasons and his tall frame grew stooped.

"Socialism or death" remained Castro's rallying cry, even as Western-style democracy swept the globe and other communist regimes in China and Vietnam embraced capitalism, leaving the island of 11 million people an economically-crippled Marxist curiosity.

He survived long enough to see Raul Castro negotiate an opening with Mr Obama on December 17 2014, when Washington and Havana announced they would move to restore diplomatic ties for the first time since they were severed in 1961.

He cautiously blessed the historic deal with his lifelong enemy in a letter published after a month-long silence. Mr Obama made a historic visit to Havana in March 2016.

Fidel Castro Ruz was born on August 13 1926, in eastern Cuba's sugar country, where his Spanish immigrant father worked first recruiting labour for US sugar companies and later built up a prosperous plantation of his own.

He attended Jesuit schools, then the University of Havana, where he received law and social science degrees. His life as a rebel began in 1953 with a reckless attack on the Moncada military barracks in the eastern city of Santiago. Most of his comrades were killed and Fidel and his brother Raul went to prison.

Fidel turned his trial defence into a manifesto that he smuggled out of jail, famously declaring: "History will absolve me."

Freed under a pardon, Castro fled to Mexico and organised a rebel band that returned in 1956, sailing across the Gulf of Mexico to Cuba on a yacht named Granma. After losing most of his group in a bungled landing, he rallied support in Cuba's eastern Sierra Maestra mountains.

Three years later, tens of thousands spilled into the streets of Havana to celebrate Batista's downfall and catch a glimpse of Castro as his rebel caravan arrived in the capital on January 8 1959.

The US was among the first to formally recognise his government, cautiously trusting Castro's early assurances he merely wanted to restore democracy, not install socialism.

Within months, Castro was imposing radical economic reforms. Members of the old government went before summary courts, and at least 582 were shot by firing squads over two years. Independent newspapers were closed and in the early years, homosexuals were herded into camps for "re-education".

In 1964 Castro acknowledged holding 15,000 political prisoners. Hundreds of thousands of Cubans fled, including Castro's daughter Alina Fernandez Revuelta and his younger sister Juana.

Castro's speeches, lasting up to six hours, became the soundtrack of Cuban life and his 269-minute speech to the UN General Assembly in 1960 set the world body's record for length that still stood more than five decades later.

As Castro moved into the Soviet bloc, Washington began working to oust him, cutting US purchases of sugar, the island's economic mainstay. Castro, in turn, confiscated US assets.

The American government imposed a trade embargo, banning virtually all US exports to the island except for food and medicine, and it severed diplomatic ties on January 3 1961.

On April 16 of that year, Castro declared his revolution to be socialist, and the next day, about 1,400 Cuban exiles stormed the beach at the Bay of Pigs on Cuba's south coast. But the CIA-backed invasion failed. The debacle forced the US to give up on the idea of invading Cuba.

The biggest crisis of the Cold War between Washington and Moscow exploded on October 22 1962, when president John F. Kennedy announced there were Soviet nuclear missiles in Cuba and imposed a naval blockade of the island.

After a tense week of diplomacy, Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev removed them.

Castro cobbled revolutionary groups together into the new Cuban Communist Party, with him as first secretary. Unions lost the right to strike. The Catholic Church and other religious institutions were harassed. Neighbourhood "revolutionary defence committees" kept an eye on everyone.

But the collapse of the Soviet bloc ended billions in preferential trade and subsidies for Cuba, sending its economy into a tailspin.

As the end of the Cold War eased global tensions, many Latin American and European countries re-established relations with Cuba. In January 1998, Pope John Paul II visited a nation that had been officially atheist until the early 1990s.

Aided by a tourism boom, the economy slowly recovered and Castro steadily reasserted government control.

As flamboyant as he was in public, Castro tried to lead a discreet private life. He and his first wife, Mirta Diaz Balart, had one son before divorcing in 1956. Then, for more than four decades, Castro had a relationship with Dalia Soto del Valle. They had five sons together and were said to have married quietly in 1980.

By the time Castro resigned 49 years after his triumphant arrival in Havana, he was the world's longest ruling head of government, aside from monarchs.

In retirement, Castro voiced unwavering support as Raul slowly but deliberately enacted sweeping changes to the Marxist system he had built.

His longevity allowed the younger brother to consolidate control, perhaps lengthening the revolution well past both men's lives. In February 2013, Raul announced that he would retire as president in 2018 and named newly minted Vice President Miguel Diaz-Canel as his successor.

"I'll be 90 years old soon," Castro said at an April 2016 Communist Party congress where he made his most extensive public appearance in years. "Soon I'll be like all the others. The time will come for all of us, but the ideas of the Cuban Communists will remain as proof that on this planet, if one works with fervour and dignity, they can produce the material and cultural goods that human beings need and that need to be fought for without ever giving up."

AP
Protesters carry an effigy of dictator Ferdinand Marcos during a rally at Manila's Rizal Park (AP)

Thousands of Filipinos, including more than a dozen nude students, protested against the hasty burial of Philippine dictator Ferdinand Marcos in a heroes' cemetery, in a growing political storm that is lashing the president who allowed the entombment.

A few thousand activists joined a "Black Friday" protest despite rainy weather at Manila's seaside Rizal Park, where they carried Marcos' effigy in a mock coffin.

While the anger was directed at Marcos and his family, President Rodrigo Duterte was also targeted for allowing the burial of the dictator, who was ousted in a largely peaceful "people power" revolt three decades ago.

Protesters held placards reading "Digong traitor, a lapdog of the dictator," referring to Mr Duterte by his nickname.

Dozens of students trooped outside the presidential palace in Manila in a separate protest and burned an effigy of Marcos in a mock coffin.

At the state-run University of the Philippines, a fraternity turned its annual recruitment ritual into a protest with naked student recruits running with placards that read: "Marcos dictator not a hero."

Alpha Phi Omega fraternity spokesman Toby Roca said: "This run is a manifestation of our anger against what we see as the Marcoses trying to revise history, trying to revive their name because they have fallen from grace.

"We are angry that they are trying to ignore our painful history of human rights abuses under his term."

Mr Duterte, whose father served in Marcos's Cabinet, allowed the burial on grounds that there was no law barring his interment at the Heroes' Cemetery, where presidents, soldiers, statesmen and national artists are buried.

It was a political risk in a country where democracy advocates still celebrate the ousting of Marcos each year.

Mr Duterte's decision was upheld earlier this month by the Supreme Court.

Marcos opponents had 15 days to appeal against the decision, but Marcos's family, backed by Mr Duterte's defence and military officials, buried him in a secrecy-shrouded ceremony with military honours last week at the cemetery.

The stealthy burial enraged democracy advocates and sparked protests in Manila and other cities.

Protest leader Bonifacio Ilagan, a left-wing activist detained and tortured under Marcos, said many protesters are young Filipinos who did not experience the brutalities of the dictatorship but "got assaulted by the surreptitious burial".

He said he was struck by the message on a placard carried by a college student in a recent rally that said: "If he was a true hero, why was he buried in secrecy?"

Human rights victims who suffered under Marcos's rule asked the Supreme Court this week to order the exhumation of his remains and to hold his heirs and Mr Duterte's officials in contempt for their role in burying the body before the court heard final appeals.

Marcos's rule was marked by massive rights violations and plunder. After being ousted in 1986, he flew to Hawaii, where he lived with his wife and children until he died in 1989.

Mr Duterte has allowed the protests to proceed without permits but has stood by his decision to allow the burial.

During a speech in southern Zamboanga city, he said he tried to strike a balance by considering the sentiments of many pro-Marcos followers in the dictator's northern political stronghold.

He has said that past presidents opposed to the burial should have taken steps to legally prevent it, for example by passing legislation.

Mr Duterte's deadly crackdown on illegal drugs has been widely criticised but has not sparked widespread protests because many crime-weary Filipinos back the effort despite concerns over the killings of many drug suspects, said political analyst Ramon Casiple.

"Duterte's decision to allow the Marcos burial opened up old wounds," he said.

AP
Mortar rounds fired by Islamic State militants have killed 16 civilians in areas of Mosul already retaken by troops, Iraqi military and hospital officials say.

They said the bodies of the 16, killed overnight and early on Saturday, have been taken to military hospitals in eastern Mosul.

An Associated Press team in eastern Mosul on Saturday said scores of civilians are continuing to stream out of the inner areas of the city to escape the fighting, making their way to camps for the displaced.

The UN refugee agency UNHCR says at least 73,000 Iraqis have fled Mosul since the government's campaign to retake the city began on October 17.

AP
The Florida college student accused of randomly killing a couple and chewing on the dead man's face had no detectable hallucinogenic drugs in his system, according an FBI toxicology report released Wednesday, Nov. 23. Photo: AP

The Florida college student accused of randomly killing a couple and eating the flesh off the dead mans face wrote about being bullied and accepting his death, new court documents reveal.

The journal of Austin Harrouff (19) was released by the State Attorneys Office along with hundreds of other documents made public this week.

They also revealed that the troubled youth had searched the internet for schizophrenia, hallucinations, and Satan.

It is reported that Harrouff had been acting strangely before storming off during a family dinner on the day of the murder in Jupiter, Florida.

Later that night the 19-year-old was discovered on top of John Stevens (59) biting his face after allegedly stabbing him and his 53-year-old wife to death in their driveway.

Newly released drug test results revealed that Harrouff was not under the influence on a synthetic drug like flakka or bath salts, whose abusers have been known to become suddenly and irrationally violent.

When Harrouff was transported to hospital he reportedly told investigators he ate something bad. When asked what, Harrouff replied, humans.

He has since been charged with two counts of first-degree murder.

In one undated journal entry Harrouff wrote: 'You say my big hearts gonna kill me one day, my head roller coasting with these drugs in my brain,' 'So why do it anyways? Why do it anyways?'

'Do you know what it feels like to be so afraid to speak? Becoming a bully cause all the bullies bullied me,' 'The anxiety I feel inside feels like I internally bleed.'

Internet history from Harrouffs phone showed search terms including How to sell your soul to the Devil, How do I let God into my life and How to contact Oprah Winfrey, the station reports. He also searched for information about mental disorders, and once searched, Why am I losing my emotions?

In the days before the killings, Harrouff talked about having superpowers and being immortal, family has said.

Florida authorities also released extremely graphic crime scene photos earlier this week. One shows the accused in a pool of blood with several cuts on his body. Another shows a trail of blood in the driveway along with a beer bottle and sunglasses, blood spatters on plastic containers in the garage, and a pair of scissors.

Other photos show a bloodied Harrouff in handcuffs.

One of Harrouffs attorneys, Nellie King, said her client has a mental illness, but did not say if he had been diagnosed with a specific disorder.

Austin is struggling with severe mental illness and the judicial process will bear all of this out in due time, King said in a statement.

Harrouffs parents had also expressed concern for their sons mental health. On the day of the attacks, Harrouffs mother called 911 to say her son had stormed off from dinner with his father.

Hes acting a little strange. It seems like hes a little delusional, said Mina Harrouff to a dispatcher.
A young couple and their two-month-old girl have been found dead in a hotel room in Alaska, in a tragedy that is being treated as a combination of murder and suicide.

Police said all the dead had gunshot wounds and there are no signs that drugs or alcohol were involved.

Police and fire services found a man crying as he sat in a second-floor hallway of a Hampton Inn when they were called by hotel staff on Friday.

The unidentified man led police into a nearby room, where they discovered the bodies of Linda Hutton (54) McKay Hutton (22) Emily McDonald (22) and toddler Teagan Hutton.

"All we can say is that it's a family," Fairbanks Police officer Doug Welborn told the Daily News early Saturday, declining to specify the relationship between the victims.

"This is a very fluid situation," he added.

Expand Close "I've always loved this picture, I love you baby girl!" Hutton commented on McDonald's profile picture recently. Picture: Facebook / Facebook

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Post mortems are due to be performed on the victims.
US President-elect Donald Trump has given his first reaction to the death of Fidel Castro with a tweet.

Mr Trump tweeted: "Fidel Castro is dead!", without elaborating.

Fidel Castro is dead!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 26, 2016

Trump, who takes office on Jan. 20, threatened during his campaign to reverse President Barack Obama's moves to open relations with Cuba over concerns about religious freedom.

Other world leaders and politicians have given less cryptic responses to Castro's death.

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Russian President Vladimir Putin praised Fidel Castro as the "symbol of an era," the Kremlin said in a statement Saturday.

Former London mayor Ken Livingstone said Mr Castro was an "absolute giant of the 20th century", and blamed the US for the restrictions on civil liberties under his leadership.

He told Radio 4's Today programme: "I'm sure they will, over time, move towards something like a traditional west European democracy. It could have happened a lot earlier if you hadn't had, the entire time, a blockade by America, attempts to overthrow the regime, eight assassination attempts authorised by American presidents."

Mr Livingstone said Cuba could reform now it was not under threat of American invasion "even if Trump goes a little bit bonkers".

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He admitted "of course Fidel did things that were wrong", adding: "Initially he wasn't very good on lesbian and gay rights, but the key things that mattered was that people had a good education, good healthcare and wealth was evenly distributed.

"He was not living as a billionaire laundering money off into a Panamanian bank account or anything like that, he was good for the people."

Former Labour MP George Galloway tweeted a picture of himself with Castro, writing: "You were the greatest man I ever met Comandante Fidel. You were the man of the century. Hasta la Victoria Siepmre. Orden. RIP."

He later added: "Who knew so many sickos were out there waiting for Fidel's death? Dogs can dance on the lion's grave. But they can never be a lion."

Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Previous Next Close Then Cuban Prime Minister Fidel Castro smokes a cigar during interviews with the press during a visit of U.S. Senator Charles McGovern, in Havana in this May 1975 file photo. REUTERS/Prensa Latina/File Photo Cuba's President Fidel Castro looks at the crowd during a mass rally in Cordoba, Argentina July 21, 2006. REUTERS/Andres Stapff/File Photo Then Cuban President Fidel Castro fights a yawn on the first day of the VII Ibero-American summit on Margarita Island in this November 8, 1997 file photo. REUTERS/Andrew Winning/File Photo Then Cuban Prime Minister Fidel Castro relaxes in a swimming pool during a visit to Romania in this May 28, 1972 file photo. REUTERS/Prensa Latina/File Photo Then Cuban President Fidel Castro (R) and then Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev (L) exchange documents during a treaty signing ceremony in Havana in this April 4, 1989 file photo. REUTERS/Gary Hershorn/File Photo Pope Benedict XVI meets former Cuban leader Fidel Castro in Havana in this March 28, 2012 file photo. REUTERS/Alex Castro-Cubadebate/Handout/File Photo Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez (L) visits his then Cuban counterpart Fidel Castro in Havana in this August 13, 2006 file photo. REUTERS/Estudios Revolucion-Granma/Handout/File Photo Then Cuban President Fidel Castro smokes a cigar during a meeting of the National Assembly in Havana, in this December 2, 1976 file photo. REUTERS/Prensa Latina/File Photo Former Cuban leader Fidel Castro (C) casts his ballot at a polling station in Havana in this February 3, 2013 file photo provided by Cubadebate. REUTERS/Ismael Francisco/Cubadebate/Handout/File Photo Former South African President Nelson Mandela (L) hugs Cuba's President Fidel Castro during a visit to Mandela's home in Houghton, Johannesburg in this September 2, 2001 file photo. REUTERS/Chris Kotze/File Photo Former Cuban leader Fidel Castro and former U.S. President Jimmy Carter (L) talk during a meeting in Havana in this March 30, 2011 file photo. The woman in the center is a translator. REUTERS/Alex Castro/Courtesy of Cubadebate/Handout/File Photo Ernesto Che Guevara (front) plays golf as Fidel Castro stands behind him at Colina Villareal in Havana in this undated file photo. REUTERS/Prensa Latina/File Photo Cuban President Fidel Castro (R) winks at a woman at the graduation of hundreds of Cuban art students at Havana's Sports City in this October 28, 2005 file photo. REUTERS/Claudia Daut/File Photo Then Cuban President Fidel Castro addresses the audience during an event with his Venezuelan counterpart Hugo Chavez on Havana's Revolution Square in this February 3, 2006 file photo. REUTERS/Stringer/File Photo Former Cuban President Fidel Castro listens during a meeting with his brother Cuban President Raul Castro (R) and Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez (L) in Havana in this June 17, 2008 file photo. REUTERS/Estudios Revolucion/Handout/File Photo Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and then Cuban President Fidel Castro (R) listen to the Cuban national anthem at the baseball stadium "Latinoamericano" in Havana in this May 14, 2002 file photo. REUTERS/Rafael Perez/File Photo Cuban President Fidel Castro walks to the podium during the May Day commemoration ceremony in Revolution Square in Havana in this May 1, 2004 file photo. REUTERS/Claudia Daut/File Photo Cuban President Fidel Castro salutes as the national anthem plays during a reception for the Cuban baseball team in Havana in this March 21, 2006 file photo. REUTERS/Claudia Daut/File Photo Then Cuban President Fidel Castro talks to then Pope John Paul II during the presentation of their delegations at the Palace of the Revolution in Havana in this January 22, 1998 file photo. REUTERS/Paul Hanna/File Photo People are seen through a poster with a picture of Cuba's former leader Fidel Castro and late Argentine revolution leader Che Guevara (L) during the May Day parade in Havana's Revolution Square in this May 1, 2013 file photo. REUTERS/Desmond Boylan/File Photo Fidel Castro (L) is seen during a hunting trip in Romania in this May 1972 file photo. REUTERS/Prensa Latina/File Photo Cuba's President Fidel Castro (L) talks to Elian Gonzalez during a political rally in celebration of Elian's 12th birthday in Cardenas, Cuba in this December 6, 2005 file photo. REUTERS/Claudia Daut/File Photo Then Cuban President Fidel Castro acknowledges the applause of the audience while standing underneath an image of late revolutionary hero Ernesto Che Guevara, during the inauguration of games involving mainly Cuban and Venezuelan athletes in Havana in this June 17, 2005 file photo. REUTERS/Claudia Daut/File Photo Former Cuban leader Fidel Castro (L) holds up the arm of his brother, Cuba's President Raul Castro, during the closing ceremony of the sixth Cuban Communist Party (PCC) congress in Havana in this April 19, 2011 file photo. REUTERS/Desmond Boylan/File Photo Then Cuban Prime Minister Fidel Castro attends manoeuvres during the 19th anniversary of his and his fellow revolutionaries arrival on the yacht Granma, in Havana in this November 1976 file photo. REUTERS/Prensa Latina/File Photo Then Cuban Prime Minister Fidel Castro plays baseball in Havana in this August 1964 file photo. REUTERS/Prensa Latina/File Photo Cuba's President Fidel Castro addresses the audience during an anti-Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA) meeting in Havana in this April 28, 2005 file photo. REUTERS/Mariana Bazo/Files Then Cuban President Fidel Castro addresses the audience during a political rally in celebration of the 12th birthday of Cuban boy Elian Gonzalez in Cardenas in this December 6, 2005 file photo. REUTERS/Claudia Daut/File Photo Then Cuban President Fidel Castro laughs during the year-end session of the Cuban parliament in Havana in this December 23, 2005 file photo. REUTERS/Claudia Daut/File Photo Then Cuban President Fidel Castro (R) and his Venezuelan counterpart Hugo Chavez chat on the field after taking part in a friendly baseball game between their two countries at the Barquisimeto baseball stadium in this October 29, 2000 file photo. Picture taken October 29, 2000. REUTERS/Andrew Winning/Files Cuba's President Fidel Castro attends a Mercosur trade bloc summit in Cordoba, Argentina in this July 21, 2006 file photo. REUTERS/David Mercado/File Photo Cuba's President Fidel Castro gestures during a tour of Paris in this March 15, 1995 file photo. Ailing Cuban leader Castro said on February 19, 2008 that he will not return to lead the country, retiring as head of state 49 years after he seized power in an armed revolution. REUTERS/Charles Platiau/Files Former Cuban leader Fidel Castro speaks during celebrations to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the creation of the Committees for the Defense of the Revolution (CDR) in Havana in this September 28, 2010 file photo. REUTERS/Desmond Boylan/File Photo Cuban President Fidel Castro (L) and Argentine soccer legend Diego Maradona play with a ball during an interview in La Havana, in this October 26, 2005 file photo. REUTERS/Canal 13/Handout/File Photo Iin this Feb. 6, 1959 file photo, Cuba's leader Fidel Castro speaks to a crowd during his triumphant march to Havana after the fall of the Batista regime. Former President Fidel Castro, who led a rebel army to improbable victory in Cuba, embraced Soviet-style communism and defied the power of 10 U.S. presidents during his half century rule, has died at age 90. The bearded revolutionary, who survived a crippling U.S. trade embargo as well as dozens, possibly hundreds, of assassination plots, died eight years after ill health forced him to formally hand power over to his younger brother Raul, who announced his death late Friday, Nov. 25, 2016, on state television. (AP Photo/File) Fidel Castro, left, raises his brother's hand, Cuba's President Raul Castro, center, as they sing the anthem of international socialism during the 6th Communist Party Congress in Havana, Cuba.(AP Photo/Javier Galeano, File) Then Cuban President Fidel Castro glances over his shoulder during the May Day commemoration at Revolution Square in Havana, in this May 1, 2004 file photo. Picture taken May 1, 2004. REUTERS/Rafael Perez/Files Cuba's President Fidel Castro addresses the crowd at the Plaza de la Patria (Homeland Square) in Bayamo, Cuba, July 26, 2006. REUTERS/Claudia Daut/File Photo Cuban President Fidel Castro listens to a speaker during the May Day parade in Havana's Revolution Square in this May 1, 2005 file photo. REUTERS/Claudia Daut/File Photo Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez (L) and his Cuban counterpart Fidel Castro joke after joining their medallions, given by medical graduates, at Havana's Karl Marx theatre, in this August 20, 2005 file photo. REUTERS/Claudia Daut/File Photo Then Cuban President Fidel Castro addresses the audience as president of the Non-Aligned Movement at the United Nations in New York, in this October 12, 1979 file photo. REUTERS/Prensa Latina/File Photo Then Cuban President Fidel Castro (L) and Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez joke during a batting session where Chavez pitched to Castro after taking part in a friendly baseball game between their two countries at the Barquisimeto baseball stadium in this October 29, 2000 file photo. REUTERS/Andrew Winning/File Photo Former Cuban leader Fidel Castro attends the closing ceremony of the sixth Cuban Communist Party (PCC) congress in Havana in this April 19, 2011 file photo. REUTERS/Desmond Boylan/File Photo In this March 14, 1957 file photo, Fidel Castro, the young anti-Batista guerrilla leader, center, is seen with his brother Raul Castro, left, and Camilo Cienfuegos, right, while operating in the Mountains of Eastern Cuba. Cuban President Raul Castro has announced the death of his brother Fidel Castro at age 90 on Cuban state media on Friday, Nov. 25, 2016. (AP Photo/Andrew St. George, File) In this Aug.18, 1999 file photo, Cuba's leader Fidel Castro gestures at a speaking event as he explains that he does not understand why he is not blind after all the camera flashes he has received in Havana, Cuba. Former President Fidel Castro, who led a rebel army to improbable victory in Cuba, embraced Soviet-style communism and defied the power of 10 U.S. presidents during his half century rule, has died at age 90. The bearded revolutionary, who survived a crippling U.S. trade embargo as well as dozens, possibly hundreds, of assassination plots, died eight years after ill health forced him to formally hand power over to his younger brother Raul, who announced his death late Friday, Nov. 25, 2016, on state television. (AP Photo/Jose Goitia, File) In this April 19, 2016 file photo, Fidel Castro attends the last day of the 7th Cuban Communist Party Congress in Havana, Cuba. Fidel Castro formally stepped down in 2008 after suffering gastrointestinal ailments and public appearances have been increasingly unusual in recent years. Cuban President Raul Castro has announced the death of his brother Fidel Castro at age 90 on Cuban state media on Friday, Nov. 25, 2016. (Ismael Francisco/Cubadebate via AP, File) China's Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi (L) writes in a notebook as former Cuban leader Fidel Castro holds it during a meeting in Havana in this August 1, 2010 file photo. REUTERS/Roberto Chile/File Photo Cuban President Fidel Castro attends a conference on terrorism in Havana's convention centre June 3, 2005. REUTERS/Mariana Bazo/File Photo Cuba's President Raul Castro announces the death of his brother, revolutionary leader Fidel Castro, in a still image from government television in Havana, Cuba November 26, 2016. Cuban Television via Reuters TV FILE - In this Jan. 25, 1998 file photo, Cuba's leader Fidel Castro, left, greets former Pope John Paul II at the Jose Marti International Airport in Havana. Former President Fidel Castro, who led a rebel army to improbable victory in Cuba, embraced Soviet-style communism and defied the power of 10 U.S. presidents during his half century rule, has died at age 90. The bearded revolutionary, who survived a crippling U.S. trade embargo as well as dozens, possibly hundreds, of assassination plots, died eight years after ill health forced him to formally hand power over to his younger brother Raul, who announced his death late Friday, Nov. 25, 2016, on state television. (AP Photo/Ruth Fremson, File) / Facebook

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Whatsapp Then Cuban Prime Minister Fidel Castro smokes a cigar during interviews with the press during a visit of U.S. Senator Charles McGovern, in Havana in this May 1975 file photo. REUTERS/Prensa Latina/File Photo

Former Labour Cabinet minister and anti-apartheid leader Peter Hain, now Lord Hain, said: "Although responsible for indefensible human rights and free speech abuses, Castro created a society of unparalleled access to free health, education and equal opportunity despite an economically throttling USA siege.

"His troops inflicted the first defeat on South Africa's troops in Angola in 1988, a vital turning point in the struggle against apartheid."
It's one of the most enduring rituals of the presidential transition: On Inauguration Day, one first family returns to its home town, while the next moves into the White House.

But come January, this tradition will be dramatically upended, as Donald Trump's wife, Melania, plans to continue living in Manhattan with their young son Barron, at least until he completes the school year.

It could create a striking disconnect in Washington, where, in another break with tradition, the Obamas are setting up their new home only a few miles away, similarly delaying an out-of-town move to allow their daughter Sasha to finish high school here.

Michelle Obama has signalled a desire to stay engaged in advocacy work, and her presence in the capital could overshadow Mrs Trump, who for at least the first six months of her husband's presidency will be something of a first lady in absentia.

Yet there's no reason to think the White House will operate much differently without a resident first lady. The East Wing's bureaucracy will keep churning along. State dinners will still be scheduled. Tour groups will be accommodated, and the White House residence will be cared for by a team of butlers, housekeepers and florists.

"The White House adjusts to its occupants, and the occupants adjust to the White House," Anita McBride said, adviser in the George W Bush administration who served as chief of staff to Laura Bush.

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"It's different, but, like everything in this election, the playbook is being rewritten every single day. The role of first lady is really defined by each occupant."

There may be fewer initiatives from the first lady's office in the first few months of the administration, but McBride predicts the Trump team will nonetheless hire a staff for his wife and roll out programmes eventually.

"What I'm hearing is that when and if needed, Mrs Trump can get here to be able to participate in events, but he also has other members of his family who can support her in those duties," she said of the ceremonial functions.

It's been decades since daughters, sisters or nieces have stepped into the role of first lady, but that has happened. Jacqueline Kennedy, who cherished her private life, travelled extensively during her time in the White House, and President Kennedy's relatives filled in when she was away. Bess Truman likewise spent most summers in Missouri with her daughter.

"Mrs Truman felt that Margaret was exposed to a lot of East Coast power and a lot of celebrity, and she felt that her daughter should have a good Midwestern upbringing and get her head on straight," Myra Gutin said, a scholar at Rider University who studies first ladies.

Other first families have come to the White House with young children, and most of them - President Obama, as well as Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton - enrolled them in local schools midway through the year.

Yet an opposite trend has also taken hold in Washington, as more and more members of Congress have left their families back in their home districts. For many, it's been a way to maintain closer ties with voters and signal their independence from Beltway culture. Yet some critics believe the practice has heightened partisanship because lawmakers now bolt from Washington every weekend and spend very little time interacting with one another on a casual basis.

Many first ladies have fantasised about escaping the national spotlight, said Gil Troy, a historian at McGill University and author of 'The Age of Clinton'.

"It's the unspoken expectation that the presidency is a family, and certainly a couple's responsibility," he said. Without his wife and youngest son in the White House, Trump "might end up missing all those little touches and all those sources of happy news that actually can boost a president."

The presidency is one of the loneliest jobs in the world, he said.

"Having your spouse around can be very normalising . . . The first lady can give a little bit of wind to the political sails of a president, so they should be conscious not to lose that opportunity," he said.

The job of first lady comes without a salary; its duties are not written into the Constitution. Yet the structural apparatus of the White House has grown to support the unofficial position. The president's spouse traditionally hires a social secretary and four or five staff to oversee planning of hundreds of events each year in the White House. There is also a correspondence office and floral shop that, along with the chefs and team of staffers who maintain the family's private residence, typically work more closely with the first lady's staff than the president's.

Whenever Laura Bush travelled, her staff was capable of working with her from afar to arrange big events, Bob Scanlan said. He was a florist in the White House for 13 years and worked for the Clintons, the Bushes and the Obamas.

"There were incidences where there were dinners coming up and we would take photographs and the social secretary would email them to the first lady if she wasn't in the house to see the mock-ups," Scanlan said. "With technology, it's a lot different."

One of the first formal events at the White House is scheduled for shortly after the inauguration - the Governors' Ball, hosted by the president and first lady - but the permanent staff is well accustomed to helping a new first family learn the ropes.

"There is a certain continuity," long-time White House pastry chef Roland Mesnier said. "We had administrations where a first lady was not too involved with the run of the place because she was interested in other things" - notably, Rosalynn Carter and Hillary Clinton, he said. "It worked fine. The social secretary knew very well how to run the place."

Melania Trump made clear throughout her husband's campaign that her 10-year-old son's adjustment is her first priority. He will finish out the year at Columbia Grammar and Preparatory School in Manhattan, his father has said.

Eight years ago, Michelle Obama seriously contemplated staying in Chicago with her young daughters because she did not want to interrupt their school year, said McBride, who helped Obama's staff transition into the East Wing. Mrs Obama ultimately decided to make the move to coincide with the start of her husband's term.

Some of the president-elect's critics saw a dismaying symbol in the family's decision to remain in New York. "This gesture disdains DC as capital and hence further delegitimizes govt.," the author Daniel Mendelsohn tweeted.

But Kate Andersen Brower, the author of two books about White House life, saw the decision as less political than practical.

"It strikes me Melania is a creature of habit, and the upheaval of moving to Washington was too much at this time, but the enormous privilege of living in the White House would be hard to overlook for too long," she said. "The protocol is you just do it. You just make it work."
Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov. 26

By Fatih Karimov  Trend:

Irans Supreme Court has overturned death sentence of Iranian billionaire businessman Babak Zanjani, Mehr news agency reported Nov. 26 citing an informed source.

Zanjani was sentenced to death last April for corruption, but he appealed the ruling.

Meanwhile, Gholamreza Ansari, an official with the Supreme Court of Iran, told ISNA that he has no recent information regarding the issue.

In December 2013, Iranian judiciary officials accused Zanjani of massive fraud at the Oil Ministry and money laundering. He has been kept in custody and attended court hearings since then.

After sanctions were imposed against the National Iranian Oil Company, Iran had to partially export its oil through Zanjani's channels. Meanwhile, the ministry said Zanjani still owes more than two billion euros for the oil exports he handled on behalf of the former government.

One of Iran's richest men, Zanjani was blacklisted by the US and EU for helping Iran evade oil sanctions.
There will be a recount of the US presidential vote in Wisconsin as failed Green Party candidate Jill Stein stepped up her bid to force two other key Midwestern battlegrounds, Michigan and Pennsylvania, to do the same.

In a move that could complicate President-elect Donald Trump's push for national unity as he continues to shape his White House team, Ms Stein formally requested a Wisconsin recount on Friday, and vowed to do the same in the coming days in Michigan and Pennsylvania.

Wisconsin officials confirmed on Friday evening they would move forward with the first presidential recount in state history.

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Ms Stein gained little more than 1% of the national vote, and there is no evidence of election tampering in the states where Mr Trump scored razor-thin victories.

But Party spokesman George Martin insisted "the American public needs to have it investigated to make sure our votes count".

He said: "We're doing this to ensure the integrity of our system."

Mr Trump's team ignored questions about the looming recounts.

Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton leads the national popular vote by close to two million votes. Mr Trump scored narrow victories in key battleground states, however, giving him the necessary 270 electoral votes to assume the presidency.

He won in Pennsylvania, and in Wisconsin, breaking a Democratic winning streak dating back 32 years. He holds a slim lead in Michigan, where a Republican presidential candidate had not won since 1988; The Associated Press still has not officially called that race.

Wisconsin, where Mr Trump leads by little more than 22,000 votes, will conduct an unprecedented presidential recount, state administrator Michael Haas announced, citing requests by Ms Stein and independent candidate Rocky De La Fuente.

"The commission is preparing to move forward with a state-wide recount of votes for president of the United States, as requested by these candidates," Mr Haas said, noting that the recount is expected to be completed by the December 13 federal deadline.

In Michigan, Mr Trump's 10,704-vote lead is expected to be certified by the state elections board on Monday. The deadline to ask for a recount is Wednesday.

A state-wide recount would cost Ms Stein roughly 790,000 dollars (63,316), said Fred Woodhams, a spokesman for the Michigan secretary of state. An opposing candidate would have seven days to file objections to the recount petition, after which the board would schedule a public hearing and later issue a ruling on the objections.

Mr Trump's transition team indicated he was in Florida focused on the challenges of governing.

He has gathered with family at his Mar-a-Lago Palm Beach estate for the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, and made two senior-level staff appointments and scheduled meetings with several more prospective administration officials.

He chose Fox News analyst Kathleen Troia "KT" McFarland to serve as deputy national security adviser and lawyer Donald McGahn as White House counsel.

Mr Trump cited Ms McFarland's "tremendous experience and innate talent" and said Mr McGhan "has a brilliant legal mind, excellent character and a deep understanding of constitutional law".

Having faced criticism about the inexperience of his initial picks, Mr Trump finds in Ms McFarland someone who previously worked under three presidents, although none since Ronald Reagan.

Mr McGahn, a veteran Republican election lawyer, served as Mr Trump's lawyer during the campaign.

Trump transition spokesman Sean Spicer said the president-elect scheduled meetings on Monday with eight more prospective administration hires.

They include several business leaders, Pennsylvania Republican Lou Barletta, and David Clarke, the Wisconsin sheriff who is an aggressive opponent of the Black Lives Matter movement.

There were also signs of internal discord within the president-elect's small inner circle as Mr Trump considered his choices for secretary of state, the most important role.

The options include former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani, who lacks foreign policy experience but is intensely loyal to Mr Trump, and 2012 Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney, who aggressively opposed the tycoon's candidacy but is regarded as more qualified.

Trump spokeswoman Kellyanne Conway took the unusual step of shining light on the controversy over the Thanksgiving holiday, tweeting that she had been "receiving a deluge of social media & private concerns re: Romney Some Trump loyalists warn against Romney as sec of state".

Since arriving in Palm Beach on Wednesday, the president-elect has spoken to the prime ministers of Greece, Hungary and Sweden, along with the presidents of Panama and Slovenia.

He is expected to return to his New York City home on Sunday.
Taliban suicide bombers stand guard during a gathering of a breakaway Taliban faction, in the border area of Zabul province, Afghanistan (AP)

The leaders of Afghanistan's Taliban movement may have moved back to their homeland after operating out of Pakistan for more than a decade, to try to build on this year's gains in the war and to establish a permanent presence.

If confirmed, the move would be a sign of the Taliban's confidence in their fight against the US-backed government in Kabul. It could also be an attempt by the militants to distance themselves from Pakistan, which is accused of supporting the movement.

The Taliban's leaders have been based in Pakistani cities, including Quetta, Karachi and Peshawar, since their rule in Afghanistan was overthrown in the 2001 US invasion after the 9/11 attacks.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said the leadership shura, or council, relocated to Afghanistan "some months ago", although he would not say to where.

One Taliban official said the shura had moved to southern Helmand province, which the insurgents consider to be part of their heartland and where most of the opium that funds their operations is produced.

Other Taliban sources said the justice, recruitment and religious councils had also moved to southern Afghanistan. The statements could not be independently confirmed.

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani's office said it had no confirmation that any such move had taken place.

"No intelligence confirms that the Taliban has shifted its shura to Afghanistan," said Haroon Chakhansuri, Ghani's spokesman. "We still believe they are still operating in their safe havens outside Afghanistan."

Mujahid, however, said Kabul officials were aware of the moves, prompted by battlefield gains that the insurgents believed would put them in a strong position once talks with the Afghan government aimed at ending the war were restarted. Dialogue broke down earlier this year.

The insurgents have spread their footprint across Afghanistan since international combat troops scaled down in 2014.

They have maintained multiple offensives and threatened at least three provincial capitals in recent months: Kunduz, in northern Kunduz province, Lashkah Gar, in Helmand in the south, and Tirin Kot in Uruzgan.

The US military has conceded the insurgents have gained ground, although definitive breakdowns are difficult to verify. This year, Afghan security forces are believed to have suffered their worst losses since 2001, with the military estimating 2016 fatalities at more than 5,000 so far.

A permanent Taliban presence in Afghanistan would send a message to followers and fighters that the insurgents now control so much territory they can no longer be dislodged by government security forces, said Franz-Michael Mellbin, the European Union's ambassador in Kabul.

He said he has not confirmed the reports, which have circulated for weeks. But such a move could also be part of "the Taliban's attempt to try to create a more independent position", he said, as "parts of the Taliban would like to be under less direct pressure from Pakistan."

Ghani has failed to make headway in efforts to fully engage Pakistan in cutting support for the Taliban and bringing them into a dialogue aimed at peace.

After a year-long diplomatic offensive, Ghani in late 2015 cut ties with Islamabad and has since openly accused Pakistan of waging war on Afghanistan, using the Taliban as its proxy.

Pakistani authorities deny accusations that their powerful ISI intelligence agency supports the insurgents.

With the major councils based in Afghanistan, Pakistan's role could be reduced at a time when the Islamabad government is under pressure from the United States and major ally China to rein in what many see as its terrorist-supporting activities.

If the move is confirmed, it could also indicate a unity among leaders, who have recently been portrayed by some observers, including the US military, as suffering widening divisions and struggling for cash - even though the opium production under their control has an annual export value of billions of pounds, according to the UN Office on Drugs and Crime.

The Taliban's leadership shura consists of 16 elected officials who oversee activity across Afghanistan, give permission for any changes in planning and strategy, and mediate disputes among military commanders.

The military commanders include Mullah Yaqoub, the son of the movement's founder, Mullah Mohammad Omar - who was declared dead last year - and Sirajuddin Haqqani, leader of the brutal Haqqani network and a co-deputy leader with Yaqoub.

The Afghan Taliban are led by Mullah Haibatullah Akhundzada, who took over after the death of Mullah Omar's successor, Akhtar Mansoor, in a US drone strike this year. High-ranking Taliban officials say Haibatullah is not engaged in day-to-day decision-making.

A senior Taliban commander, Asad Afghan, told The Associated Press the move would consolidate the insurgents' military gains and help lay the ground for a dominant position if and when peace talks resume.

"We are in the last stages of war and are moving forward," said Afghan, who is closely involved in formulating the insurgents' war strategy.

"We are the real government in Afghanistan," he said. The move across the border would give the movement "more focus" at a time it needs to be "quick, clear and more secure about our decisions".

AP
Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov. 26

By Fatih Karimov  Trend:

Irans Defense Minister Brigadier General Hossein Dehghan said that purchase of Russian-made Sukhoi Su-30 fighter jets is on the agenda, Tasnim news agency reported Nov. 26.

Dehghan further said that Iran certainly will negotiate with any country, excluding the US and Israel, to meet its defense demands.

Moscow and Tehran have been discussing the deliveries of the Su-30 aircraft for quite a long time. In February, a high-ranking official in the Russian Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation said that the contract of for the delivery of Russian Su-30SM fighters could be signed in 2016, but so far the parties are only negotiating the issue.

Dehghan further touched upon the reports about possibility of Russian bombers reusing the Nojeh Airbase in Irans western province of Hamadan, saying Iran is cooperating with friendly countries, including Russia to support Syrias legal government.

If this support needs the reuse of the base, Iran will agree, he said.

On August 16, Russian bombers used Irans Nojeh to launch attacks on terrorist positions in Syria. A day later Russian sources said the operation killed 150 terrorists.

Some Iranian politicians raised concerns on the issue, saying the move is against the Islamic Republics constitution.

Senior Russian diplomats later confirmed that Moscow has stopped using Iran's Hamadan airbase for the time being, but may resume operations from there any time soon.

Iran has been sending military advisors to Syria to help the countrys military forces in the fight against terrorists through their know-how and consultations.
On Monday, Nov. 21, tragedy struck the town of Flora, as four young girls  Kionnie Precious Welch (age 5), Kerriele Danyell McDonald (age 7), Kayara Janell Phillips (age 9) and Keyana Latrice Davis (age 11) lost their lives in a house fire.

The fire started around 3:30 am that morning and along with the four fatalities, the girls mother Gaylin Rose was seriously hurt and transported via air to an Indianapolis hospital. Two officers were injured as well.

In a moment of extreme tribulation, members of the Indianapolis community have stepped up to offer a helping hand.

Pastor John Girton, of Christ Missionary Baptist Church, took to social media to request donations to help pay for the funeral services and other expenses stemming from Roses displacement.

Girton got the call from assistance from Roses family members, who are also congregants of Christ Missionary.

These circumstances were so overwhelming, said Girton who added that using his network and resources to help was, for him, a given. The need here is so extraordinary. Its a lot to take care of one death but in this instance we have four to deal with.

Tomorrow at 11:00 am, all are invited to attend services at Christ Missionary Baptist Church  located at 1001 Eugene St. Indianapolis, Indiana, where donations will be collected.

Services for the children will be held on Wednesday in Flora. The exact time and location is pending.

For more information, call 317-925-4132.
What inspires the most is the place where we live in. Cities are the most inspiring places; be it art or the spirit to face tough situations in life, the place plays the most important part in our lives.

Image Credit: india.com

Renowned travel agency, Travelbird has come out with a list that has 85 cities judged on the basis of indicators Performing Arts Companies, Art Schools, Art Galleries, Museums, Film Industry, Music Production, Startups and Inspired Romance.

Image Credit: rudraneelvilla

Miami has topped the list, whereas Jodhpur from Rajasthan is 76th and Mumbai is at the 83rd position. The top ten consists of mostly European cities like Bristol, Salzburg and Heidelburg as the European art and culture is of higher value and significance. Apart from the eight criteria, Google search indications were considered while making the list.

Heres the list.
1. Not Just Ranveer-Deepika, A Bevy Of Celebs Upped The Glamour Quotient Of Ambanis' Big Bash!

Ambanis hosted a pre-wedding bash for their niece Isheta Salgaoncar and it saw a bevy of Bollywood stars making grand appearances

2. Amitabh Bachchan's Film 'Pink' Is Invited For A Special Screening At The United Nations HQ

Twitter

This thought-provoking film has achieved yet another amazing feat. Actor Amitabh Bachchan took to Twitter to announce that the film has been invited for a special screening at the United Nations Headquarters.

His recent comment for an interview says, This film is extremely important not only for me but for them, too. I dont want to sound pro-feminist and say that these girls have made a beautiful film yaar, but they really have. Ive always said that I enjoy making films with women. Im aware that they have this respect towards me, but I havent made them feel that way, they were just kind to feel that. Unfortunately , this hasnt gone down to well with the social world.

4. Salman Khan Got So Fed Up Of Swami Omji That He Walked Out Of Bigg Boss 10!

Salman grilled the self-styled godman for commenting against Rohan and his family. He even told him in stern words that this kind of behavior is unacceptable in the house. Instead of feeling apologetic, Omji argued with Salman. So much so, that Salman Khan walked out of the show saying that Swami Omji can keep talking.

5. WTF! Madurai Couple Claims That Dhanush Is Their Biological Son, Seeks Monetary Compensation From The Actor

An elderly couple Kathiresan(60) and Meenakshi(55), has filed a petition claiming that he is their biological son and has failed to provide financial support to them. We named him Kalaiselvan and enrolled him in a school in Melur. When he completed class 10th, we got him admitted in class 11 in a school in Sivaganga district, they told India Today.
Cuban revolutionary leader Fidel Castro died today. America's Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) was involved in numerous failed attempts to eliminate him for most part of his life, particularly during the 1960s and 70s. Every time, Castro deceived his death only to humiliate his main adversary, the USA.

"If surviving assassination attempts were an Olympic event, I would win the gold medal," Castro is believed to have said this.

In February of 1959, Fidel Castro became the Prime Minister of Cuba. Since then, according to the man who was charged with protecting him for most of his regime, he's survived over 600 assassination attempts.

AFP

The Church Committee, constituted to probe US government's attempt to kill various world leaders using CIA had found CIA and other governmental agencies employed a so-called tactic of "plausible deniability" during decision-making related to assassinations.

The Church Committee stated that it substantiated eight attempts by the CIA to assassinate Fidel Castro in 1960-1965. Fabian Escalante, a retired chief of Cuba's counterintelligence, who protected Castro, believes that the number of assassination schemes or actual attempts by the Central Intelligence Agency to be 638.

Escalante had revealed that the Eisenhower administration tried to kill Castro 38 times where Kennedy (42); Johnson (72); Nixon (184); Carter (64); Reagan (197); Bush Sr. (16); Clinton (21) had also tried their best to neutralise Castro.

AFP

Richard Helms, former CIA Director once revealed that Kennedy Administration officials had exerted a heavy pressure on the CIA to "get rid of Castro".

Here are the major methods considered to be employed by the US to oust the Beard.

1. Femme fatale

Marita Lorenz, one of many women Castro was involved with had allegedly accepted a deal from the CIA in which she would feed him capsules filled with poison. Though she managed to smuggle the capsules in his bedroom in her jar of cold cream, but failed to feed him.

2. Poisoned wet-suit

In 1975, the Senate Intelligence Committee claimed it had "concrete evidence" of a plan to offer Castro a wetsuit lined with spores and bacteria that would give him a skin disease (and maybe worse). The plan supposedly involved American lawyer James B. Donovan, who would present Castro with the suit when he went to negotiate the release of the Bay of Pigs prisoners. A 1975, AP report said the plan was abandoned, "Because Donovan gave Castro a different diving suit on his own initiative."

3. Ballpoint hypodermic syringe

A pen with a hypodermic needle so fine that Castro wouldnt notice when someone bumped into him with the pen and injected him with an extremely potent poison. This plan, however, never got materialized.

AP

4. Exploding cigar

Cigar was one thing which remained closer to Castro than anybody else. CIA reportedly had planned to pack a Cigar with explosives to take Fidels head off. In 1967, the Saturday Evening Post reported that a New York City police officer had been propositioned with the idea and hoped to carry it out during Castro's United Nations visit in September 1960.

5. Contaminated cigar

Another method involving Cigar was involved in February 1961 when CIA went as far as to recruit a double agent who would slip Castro a cigar filled with botulin, a toxin that would kill the leader in short order. The double agent was allegedly given the cigars in February of 1961, but he apparently got cold feet.

AFP

6. Exploding conch shell

Castro was fond of scuba diving and knowing it, CIA planned to plant an explosive device in a conch shell at his favorite spot. They plotted to make the shell brightly colored and unusual looking so it would be sure to attract Castros attention, drawing him close enough to kill him when the bomb inside went off.

7. Remove the beard

The US believed that loss of the beard would show Cubans that Castro was weak and fallible. A half-baked scheme was hatched to use thallium salt, the chemical in depilatory products such as Nair (hair removing cream), in Castros shoes or in his cigar. The chemical would be absorbed or inhaled and cause the famous facial hair to fall out.

8. Bacterial handkerchief

Wikispaces

The CIA had once reportedly though of this idea to cover Fidel in harmful bacteria and toxins. They considered giving him a germ-covered hankie that would make him very ill.

9. Poisoned milkshake

According to Escalante, the closest the CIA ever came to killing Castro was a deadly dessert drink in 1963. The attempt went awry when the pill stuck to the freezer where the waiter-assassin at the Havana Hilton was supposed to retrieve it. When he tried to remove it, the capsule ripped open.
Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz, commonly known as Fidel Castro, the Former President of Cuba has passed away at the age of 90. The news was confirmed by his younger brother and Cuban President Raul Castro this morning.

Castro who was born in a wealthy family was the architect of the Cuban revolution of 1959 which saw the overthrow of the government of Cuban President Fulgencio Batista. Under his rule Cuba was transformed into a socialist one party rule. Read more

1. Govt May Slap 60% Tax, 4-Year Jail On Those Depositing Unaccounted Money

The government may soon introduce steps including a up to of 60 per cent tax and up to four years of jail term for those willing to disclose the details of unaccounted money deposited in banks till December 30 following the currency demonetisation.

This will ensure that the cash that remains with them becomes "white", providing a legal alternative as opposed to illegal parking slots like gold, real estate or offshore accounts. The new penalty is higher than the 33.9% tax levied on current (high) income. Read more

2. Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina To Honour Indian Soldiers Killed In 1971 War, Will Meet Their Kin

On the 45th anniversary of the 1971 India-Pakistan war which resulted in the liberation of erstwhile East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) the leadership in Dhaka has decided to honour Indians fought the war.

As a mark of respect, she will hand over a cash reward of Rs. 5 lakh to the families of the 1,668 members of the Indian Army who lost their lives in the war. Read more

3. Govt To Provide Free Birth Control Injections To Women

In a move that will give women more choices to protect their reproductive rights, the government will soon make injectable contraceptives available, introducing it first in medical colleges and district hospitals in a phased manner.

Minister of state for health Anupriya Patel told the Lok Sabha the contraceptive would subsequently be introduced in sub-district hospitals, community health centres and primary health centres. Read more

4. 10 Baby Girls Rescued From Old-age Home In Bengal, Suspected To Be Linked With Child Trafficking Network

Ten babies, all of them girls aged between one and 10 months, were recovered from a home for the elderly and mentally ill at Thakurpukur following a midnight raid on Thursday.

Wrapped in flimsy blankets and soiled bedclothes, the little girls were dumped on the floor of a dank room on the top floor of the nondescript building to be sold when the right customer came up. The sight even moved hardened CID sleuths. Read more

5. Pak Minister claims They Can Kill Three Indian Soldiers For One Pakistani, One Should Ask Really

On Friday, Pakistan defence minister, Khawaja Asif said that Pakistan army will kill three Indian soldiers for every Pakistani soldier they neutralise. If we pick one body, they will pick three, he said.

Pakistanis used to believe that one Pakistani soldier is equal to 10 Indian soldiers, now they seem to have reassessed their own capabilities. Read more

6. Pakistan Names Qamar Javed Bajwa As New Army Chief

Ending weeks of speculations over the successor of General Raheel Sharif, Pakistan government on Saturday named General Qamar Javed Bajwa as the new army chief of the country.

He will take over the command of the worlds sixth-largest army by troop numbers from its outgoing chief Gen Raheel Sharif who is set to retire on November 29. Bajwa's appointment as the new chief of army staff (COAS) came as a kind of surprise as he wasn't among the favorites in the race for one of the most powerful posts in Pakistan. Read more
As Pakistan's Chief Of Army Staff (COAS) General Raheel Sharif is due to hang up his boots on 29 November, he is ending his tenure with quite high popularity. Although, most of the Army chiefs remain quite revered in Pakistan, General Sharif enjoyed a special position, where people was in him a charismatic saviour of the nation.

Reuters

General Sharif, unlike many of predecessors including Ayub Khan, Zia-ul-Haq and Pervez Musharraf didn't seize power with a military coup and let PM Nawaz Sharif be the face of the nation. Pakistan's military structure and internal security condition could have driven him to do so, but he seems to have resolutely dispelled the temptations, if there were any.

Army generals in India, on the other hand, have never enjoyed so much power at their disposal. If we go by recent examples, after the recent surgical strikes against terrorists in PoK, the government gloated over its success, while COAS Dalbir Singh Suhag remained silent.

AFP

India too has seen charismatic COASs in General KC Cariappa, General KS Thimayya, and Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw, but none could come remotely closer to the popularity enjoyed by their Pakistani counterparts. Why?

Here are five major reasons why the absolute power always rested in hands of Pakistan army generals while Indian generals always lived under shadow of the governments.

1. Pakistan has always played a threat perception card to legitimise army's power

Ever since partition India in 1947, Pakistan always projected the impression that it must have a formidable army to save the country from the impending threat from India. Conflict over Kashmir in 1947 further cemented to perpetual fear which resulted in massive spending on army and its generals being looked as messiahs.

Wikipedia

Pakistan generals played on the threat perception to make their autocratic approach legitimate with masses backing them. While in India, the perception of first government under Jawaharlal Nehru was that India isn't threatened at all as China was perceived as friend in early 1950s and India did not consider Pakistan as a threat.

2. India's political class always kept Generals Tamed while Pakistan failed in doing so

Some may call it the genius of Nehru that he foresaw the rise of military generals to power in Pakistan, he with the help of defense minister VK Krishan Menon always kept army generals in check. But his policy went haywire when he didn't listened to the repeated calls of then COAS KS Thimaya for military upgrading, which resulted in massive defeat at the hands of China. There are several books where it's has been mentioned that how the duo of Nehru and Menon kept army generals in early 1950s under check.

Photodivision.gov.in

3. In Pakistan, generals became answers for political incompetence, while democracy prospered in India

When the first Marshall Law was imposed in Pakistan in 1958, the Pakistani people celebrated in ecstasy because they believed that civilian government couldn't do any good for them. Similarly, with every defeat Pakistan faced at the hands of India, the civil government got punished for the defeat of army and Pakistan army became stronger than ever before.

Tribune

Whereas the Indian army has always been kept at bay from civilian matters. In fact even when Indira Gandhi imposed emergency in 1975, it was a political crisis, but Indian army didn't interfere in the political muddle.

4. 'Law of Necessity' which legitimised the Coups

On October 24, 1954 the Governor-General of Pakistan, Ghulam Mohammad, dissolved the Constituent Assembly and appointed a new council of ministers on the grounds that the existing one no longer represented the people of Pakistan.

The President of the Constituent Assembly, Maulvi Tamizuddin, appealed to the Chief Court of Sind at Karachi to restrain the new council of ministers from implementing the dissolution. In response, members of the new Council of Ministers appealed to the court saying that it had no jurisdiction to approve the request of the President to overturn the dissolution and appointments. But the court ruled in favour of Tamizuddin.

AFP

But the new council of ministers, approached Federal Court aka Supreme Court of Pakistan where Chief Justice Muhammad Munir, ruled against the decision of Sindh Court and said that Governor-General's assent was necessary for all legislation to become law. Therefore, the Chief Court of Sind had no jurisdiction to overturn the Governor General's dissolution and it was held as valid. This was called the Law of Necessity which rested power in one man's hand and legitimise the coups that followed.

6. Despite holding important post, Indian army generals never interfered

Much like Pakistan, Indian Army too has produced many charismatic generals, but none despite being neglected, humiliated and insulted dared or wished to attempt a coup. Field marshal Sam Manekshaw was known to be quite vocal even in front of PM Indira Gadhi. However, even he could not breach the limits sets for him by the democratic government in India.

Wikipedia

7. India is ruled through constitution whereas theocracy rules Pakistan

Since independence India is ruled by constitution and no matter how bad the situation has gone, sanctity of the constitution has never been tarnished. Meanwhile, in Pakistan, the constitution majorly became a theocratic document over a period of time. It was believed that it needs one leader who can guide the nation. This is used by the army generals in Pakistan to assume an unassailable power over the people.
There is a need to develop relations between Tehran and Ankara to solve the problems in the Middle East, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said on Saturday, Sputnik International reported.

"Nowadays, when the situation in the region seems shaky, the development cooperation, like-mindedness, as well as contacts between Tehran and Ankara can be very useful for solving problems in the region," Rouhani said after a meeting with Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Chavushoglu in Tehran, as quoted by the IRNA news agency.

The Iranian president said that cooperation between the regional states was necessary to resolve the crises in Syria and Iraq, and help in the fight against terrorism.
A former manager of Punjab National Bank, Dipak Kumar Kohli (66) was handed a three-year jail term on Friday by a special CBI court for a loan scam of over Rs 25 lakh.

Ironically, Kohli has already spent 14 years in jail for the crime.

Huffington Post/representational image

Kohli stood a free man after the court sentence but the punishment served by him is far greater than the crime. Maximum provision of jail term in this case is 10 years and Kohli has served 14 years.

Kohli had to remain in jail despite bail granted to him by Gujarat high court in 2013.

He was arrested in October 2002 for disbursement of Rs 3.5 crore towards loan to some 40 people without verifying land records. Question was raised on authenticity of documents and Kohli was booked in 70 different cases for cheating, forgery and criminal conspiracy.

Huffington Post/representational image

Out of 70 FIRs, the Navrangpura police did not file chargesheet in six cases, in which he was granted default bail. By August 2013, Kohli got bail in 30 cases and he was acquitted in one case.

For remaining 39 cases, the trial began after 2014. The delay was caused in trail because the person, who had filed the complaints, did not turn up before the court for cross examination as he had left the country.

Because of delay in trial, Kohli filed bail applications in the high court in 2013 and Justice AJ Desai ordered to release him forthwith on condition of furnishing bail bond of Rs 5,000 in each of the 39 offences.

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The court had ordered for his release citing Kohli had remained behind bars for more than a decade, more time than the maximum provision for sentencing in such cases.

Kohli furnished bond in these 39 cases but still could not step out of jail as papers of six cases, in which cops did not file chargesheet in time and he got default bail, could not be traced in court and in police station as well.
Industrialist and former chairman of Tata Sons, Cyrus P. Mistry, on Saturday went on a short pilgrimage to the famed Saibaba Temple in Shirdi and the Shani Shingnapur Temple, both in Ahmednagar district.

BCCL

Mistry, who on Friday was removed as chairman of the Tata Steel board, started the day with a morning visit to the Saibaba Temple in Shirdi, accompanied by his wife. The couple stood for their passes in the VIP queue along with many others.

Later, they had 'darshan' of the Samadhi and statue of Saibaba, the 19th century saint revered by all communities, and were offered 'prasad', said the temple spokesperson Mohan Yadav.

AP

After that, the couple went to the world-renowned Shani Shingnapur Temple in the same district (Ahmednagar), barely a 30-minute drive from Shirdi.

Also Read: Tata Steel Board Sacks Cyrus Mistry, OP Bhatt Named New Chairman

They also performed an 'abhishek' at the 5.9 feet tall dark stone idol representing Lord Shani, standing imposingly on the open air platform where it is believed to have emerged nearly four centuries ago.

BCCL

Given Mistry's corporate and social status, both the Shirdi and Shani Shingnapur temple visits passed off without any fanfare or getting any special treatment from the authorities of the two temples.
On the 45th anniversary of the 1971 India-Pakistan war which resulted in the liberation of erstwhile East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) the leadership in Dhaka has decided to honour Indians fought the war.

AFP

Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will visit India next month during the anniversary celebrations, The Hindu reported.

As a mark of respect, she will hand over a cash reward of Rs. 5 lakh to the families of the 1,668 members of the Indian Army who lost their lives in the war.

Bangladesh Liberation War Affairs Minister A.K.M. Mozammel Huq told The Hindu that Hasina will meet the families of the victims. He also said a letter of gratitude from Ms. Hasina in Bengali, English and Hindi, and a plaque, will be given.

As part of the celebration a book on the contribution of the martyrs will be published. The country is also building a war memorial in the Brahmanbaria, Bangladesh to pay homage to the Indian soldiers.

Bangladesh, then known as East Pakistan had fought a 10-month-long civil war against Pakistan, before it gained independence on December 16.

India had played a key role in the formation of Bangladesh.
While the opinion in the country over demonetisation is divided, the Narendra Modi government has received it a thumbs ups from China. The Prime Minister must be happy to receive praise from an unexpected quarter. Global Times, the English language mouthpiece of the Chinese government called it a very bold move.

BCCL

The article titled "Modi takes a gamble with money reform" says no matter what the outcome is it will create a precedent, and China will draw lessons from its impact on corruption.

"Modi's move is very bold. We cannot imagine what would happen in China if the country bans its 50- and 100-yuan notes," the article said.

BCCL

While stating that the demonetisation can crack down on corruption and shadow economy, the article says "it is obviously unable to solve the deeper social and political issues that help breed the aforementioned problems."

It asserted that the western-style democratic system of India allows little room for such bold moves.

BCCL

Reform is always difficult and requires more than just courage. Modis demonetisation came with good intention but whether it can succeed depends on the efficiency of the system and the cooperation of the entire society. More and more people are growing pessimistic about the ability of Modis government to control the process, the editorial said.
Every second child in western states of Maharashtra, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Goa is subjected to one and more forms of sexual abuse. This shocking revelation was made by a recent report titled Children in Difficult Circumstances compiled by Plan India  an NGO which advocates for survival, protection, development and participation rights of all children.

According to the the report as many as 28,982 children in Maharashtra and 8,598 children in Gujarat are suffering from HIV/AIDS.

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Madhya Pradesh  which reported 13.8% (5,076 out of 36,735 cases) of total rape cases in the country  accounted for the highest crime against children (16.9%).

Also Read: 10 Baby Girls Rescued From Old-age Home In Bengal, Suspected To Be Linked With Child Trafficking Network

Delhi tops list of child trafficking cases in India

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The national capital  according to the report  has earned the dubious distinction of having ranked the highest in child trafficking cases. In fact, the region has become a favoured destination and transit for traffickers in the northern region, along with Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan.

The children are generally trafficked for labour, sex trade and agricultural work.

Also Read: Did Doctors Declare Your Newborn Dead? Traffickers May Be Selling Your Baby For A Lakh Or More

Around 2.8 million people are trafficked for commercial sexual exploitation annually, of which 40% are children. It has become a more organised criminal activity carried out for flesh trade, child marriage, beggary, organ trade and adoption. It is also observed that ratio of trafficking increases in disaster hit areas, said the report.

Eastern India emerges as hub for child trafficking in the country

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The eastern states, including Bihar, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Sikkim, Jharkhand, West Bengal along with Andaman and Nicobar Islands, accounted for 61 per cent of the total human trafficking cases in India.

Also, of the total children in the eastern region who went missing, an average 48 per cent are yet to be traced, says the report citing National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data for 2014.

Child marriage still remains a grave concern in northern states

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Child marriage remains a grave concern with Rajasthan ranking the highest, where 57.6 per cent of women in the age group of 20-24 were married before the legal age of 18 years. This is followed by Uttar Pradesh (54.9 percent) and Haryana (28 percent).

30 per cent of women were married before the age of 18 in Madhya Pradesh, followed by Maharashtra (25.1 per cent) and Goa (9.8 per cent).

Disparities exist in the incidence of child marriage across social groups, wealth quintile and education of women, says the report adding that child marriage violates a range of womens inter-connected rights such as equality on grounds of sex and age to receive the highest attainable standards of health, to be free from slavery, access to education, freedom of movement, freedom from violence, reproductive rights and the right to consensual marriage.

Child marriage is often a route for trafficking of young girls for sexual exploitation. Out of 3 million women and girls in India engaged as sex workers, 40 per cent are minors. Trafficking of girls is high in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana into four metropolitan cities and Goa.

Poverty, frequent natural disasters, migration, dysfunctional family, domestic violence and low status of girl children abet child trafficking, the report added.

Drug consumption, a major concern for children in northeast states

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Meanwhile, in north-eastern states  including Assam, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh  drug consumption emerged to be a major concern.

According to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data, of the total number of cases filed under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substance Act, 1985, in 2015, 10 per cent were from these states, the report stated.

The findings were the result of consultations conducted in 28 states and four Union Territories for over three months, with over 2,000 civic society organisations including government departments working with children in difficult circumstances.

The findings were the result of consultations conducted in 28 states and four Union Territories for over three months, with over 2,000 civic society organisations including government departments working with children in difficult circumstances.
Cuban revolutionary icon Fidel Castro was a source of inspiration for the Left parties in Kerala, especially after the collapse of the Soviet Union, CPI leader and former state minister Binoy Viswom said.

AP

When the world witnessed the collapse of the Soviet Union and the Eastern socialist group of nations in the late 1980s and early 1990s, the Left parties and their sympathisers in the state had looked up to Castro as a "Symbol of enduring socialist ideals", he said.

Former Cuban president and iconic communist leader Castro died in Havana last night at the age of 90.

AP

Viswom said the victory of the Cuban revolution, led by Castro, had inspired millions of people in Kerala, more so after the collapse of the Soviet Union.

"He was a symbol of the anti-imperialist movement. The victory of the Cuban revolution in 1959, two years after the first communist government came to power in Kerala through the ballots, had inspired millions of communists and party sympathisers in the state," he added.

AP

Noted Malayalam poet Karivellur Murali, who wrote the award winning play Che Guevara, said the collapse of the Soviet Union had demoralised the communists in Kerala.

Guevara was an Argentine revolutionary leader who was Castros chief lieutenant during the Cuban revolution.

"Castro stood as a lighthouse of hope for leftists and communists in the state after the collapse of the Soviet Union and communist bloc," Murali said.

He said Castros demise came exactly 60 years after the Cuban leader, along with Guevara, Raul Castro and other revolutionaries, had begun his voyage from a Mexican port on a yacht called Granma to Cuba to fight against the administration of General Batista.

Reuters

Interestingly, when the CPI(M)-led LDF government returned to power in May this year, one of the questions before the party was how would it effect a leadership change replacing veteran leader VS Achuthanandan with his younger colleague Pinarayi Vijayan.

When the reporters kept asking CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury how the veteran leader was going to be accommodated, pat came the reply, "He will be there as the Castro of Kerala to guide the government and party."
In a move that will give women more choices to protect their reproductive rights, the government will soon make injectable contraceptives available, introducing it first in medical colleges and district hospitals in a phased manner.

Netmums/representational image

Minister of state for health Anupriya Patel told the Lok Sabha the contraceptive would subsequently be introduced in sub-district hospitals, community health centres and primary health centres.

"Yes, the government proposes to make injectable contraceptives available to the public... It has been decided to introduce it...starting from medical colleges and district hospitals," Patel said in a written reply.

Last year, the ministry had approved injectable contraceptives for women under the family planning programme after recommendations from the drugs technical advisory committee.

Nature World News/representational image

The injectable drug, Deoxy medroxyprogestrone acetate, prevents pregnancy for three months.

It is injected into the arm or buttock muscle. The drug has a female hormone that prevents release of the egg from the ovary.

Injectable contraceptives will be the sixth form of contraceptive to be given free under the government programme. The government already offers five birth control options - female sterilization, male sterilization, IUD, condoms and pills - free of cost under the national family planning programme.

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Replying to another question, Patel said new interventions have been made by the government in family planning. She said the packaging for condoms has now been improved and redesigned to boost its demand.
From introducing e-wallets to setting up of ATMs within their premises, temples in India are trying to help devotees make donations without crumbling under the impact of demonetisation.

BCCL/representational image

Even as some continue to accept old Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes, others have started to change. Puri's Jagannath Temple has started paying sevaks(temple volunteers) and suppliers by cheque, bringing down cash transactions to a bare minimum.

Mumbai's Shree Siddhivinayak Temple and Gujarat's Shree Somnath Temple have initiated talks with Paytm to introduce e-wallet facilities.

Also Read: Tirupati Temple Is Accepting All Currency, Donations Via Cards And Giving Free Food To All Stranded Without Legal Tender

"We have stopped accepting old Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes. Our average daily collection is Rs 6 lakh, which has dropped to Rs 3.5 lakh now," Sanjeev Patil, chief executive officer of Shree Siddhivinayak Temple said.

AP/representational image

"Footfall on Sundays, generally around 1.25 lakh, dropped to 40,000-50,000."

The temple plans to introduce Paytm and set up ATMs within its premises. Talks have been held with IndusInd Bank, ICICI Bank and AxisBank.

"The board will now choose the bank. The ATM will help devotees have ready cash in hand to offer to the god," Patil added.

Also Read: After Demonetisation Jain Temples In Mumbai Are Asking Devotees To Help Clear Their Old Notes

The Shree Somnath Temple has stopped accepting old notes and now accepts donations only through cards, cheques and demand drafts.

BCCL/representational image

"We are also considering e-wallet facility for our devotees. We had a round of talks with Paytm too," said Vijaysinh Chavda, deputy general manager of the Shree Somnath Temple Trust.

"The temple trust will discuss the issue at length in coming weeks and take a decision."

Tirupati temple, one of the richest in India, has not seen a significant decline in offerings after demonetisation.

"Generally, we receive cash offerings of Rs 2.5-3.5 crore daily. On Tuesday, we had received a donation of Rs 4.18 crore," said the official spokesperson of the Tirupati Tirumala Devasthanam.

"We cannot ask our devotees to stop giving donation in old notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000. We will allow devotees to give donations in old notes even after December 30 deadline. We will then sort out the issue with Reserve Bank. If e-wallet becomes popular among devotees, we will surely think about it."
With over four lakh people dead ever since Syrian civil war started in 2011, the suffering of Syrian people does not seem to be ending soon. Unable to find adequate medical facilities, dozens of wounded Syrians are fitted with prosthetic limbs at two free clinics near the Turkey-Syria border.

AFP

But due to high demand, the clinics are finding it tough to provide Syrians with medical facilities including limbs and if things don't change soon, they will be unable to offer free treatment and therapy beyond February.

Doctors at one rehabilitation centre say they'll be unable distribute artificial limbs by February due to high demand.

Doctors at a clinic in Gaziantep told Al Jazeera that they were treating all Syrians, including government soldiers, who had lost body parts in the war.

"We treat them regardless of ethnicity, colour or religion," Dr Hamza Diab, an orthopedic surgeon told Al Jazeera.

AFP

"As a medical team we don't look at controversial issues. We simply receive them and treat them,"added the doctor.
Eight years ago this day Mumbai had come a standstill when terrorists from Pakistan attacked India's financial capital and killed over 160 people. The perpetrators of that nefarious act of terrorism are still at large.

AFP

While the main accused of the 26/11 Mumbai attack, Hafeez Saeed, not only roams free in Pakistan, he lives there like an honoured guest; the others Lashkar-e-Taiba top commander, Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhavi, is a top leader of Lashkar-e-Taiba is out on bail, whereas David Coleman Headly is the only person convicted and that too because his trial took place in the US.

Here is the current Status of the accused of Mumbai attacks

1. Hafeez Saeed: Roaming free

AFP

Hafiz Saeed is a co-founder of Lashkar-e-Taiba and the chief of Jamaat-ud-Daawah is the alleged mastermind of the Mumbai attack. Despite several proofs given by India, Pakistan has never arrested Hafiz Saeed. He not only roams freely in Pakistan, but also spills venom against India openly. His group Jamaat-ul-Daawah open collects funds for raising Jihad against India in Pakistan. Hafiz Saeed is believed to be one of the most influential people in Pakistan after army chief Raheel Sharif and PM, Nawaz Sharif.

2. Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhavi: In and out of jail

AFP

Lakhavi, one of the masterminds of Mumbai Attack is the top commander of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and is currently out on bail in Pakistan. In December, 2008 Pakistan arrested Lakhvi but refused to hand him over to India. Lakhavi remained in jail, but of course with all facilities at his disposal, till March 2015 when Islamabad High Court released Lakhavi while he was still under trial. Though due to India's diplomatic pressure, he was taken in custody again, he was granted bail and he's out since April 2015.

3. David Coleman Headly: In US jail

AFP

David Coleman Headly is the only person who has been punished for Mumbai attacks as the US Federal Court sentenced him for 35 years. A Pakistani by origin, Headly had conducted recce Mumbai in 2008 under the direction of Lashkar chiefs, Headley performed five spying missions in Mumbai to scout targets for the attacks.

The following year, he performed a similar mission in Copenhagen to help plan an attack against the Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten, which had published cartoons of Prophet Muhammad. He was arrested at O'Hare International Airport, Chicago, while on his way to Pakistan in October 2009. Headley was prosecuted by a Mumbai special court in early February 2016, via a video link from his prison cell in the United States.
US President Barack Obama offered condolences on Saturday to the family of Cubas deceased former leader Fidel Castro, and urged the nation to regard the United States as a friend, Sputnik International reported.

"Today, we offer condolences to Fidel Castro's family, and our thoughts and prayers are with the Cuban people," Obamas statement circulated by the White House read.

"In the days ahead, they will recall the past and also look to the future. As they do, the Cuban people must know that they have a friend and partner in the United States of America," the message concluded.
The brutal gang rape that Habiba and her sister endured is a story that is becoming depressingly familiar among the thousands of Rohingya refugees fleeing to Bangladesh to escape the violence of Myanmar's soldiers.

Reuters

"They tied both of us to the bed and raped us one by one," said 20-year-old Habiba, who has now found shelter with a Rohingya refugee family a few kilometres from the Bangladesh-Myanmar border.

"We're almost starving here. But at least no one is coming here to kill or torture," said Hashim Ullah, Habiba's older brother who escaped with his sisters.

Habiba and her sister Samira, 18, say they were raped in their home in Udang village by troops who then burnt down their house.

Reuters

"One of the soldiers told us before leaving that they will kill us if they see us around the next time they come here. Then they torched our house."

Widespread allegations of rape have raised fears that Myanmar's security forces are systematically using sexual violence against the stateless Rohingya.

The violence has forced thousands to flee, prompting a UN official to accuse Myanmar of carrying out "ethnic cleansing" of the Muslim minority.

AP

Similar stories of violence and dispossession fill the rows of plastic-roofed shacks that have become the only refuge for thousands of Rohingya Muslims who have fled Rakhine state.

The escapees have told of gang rapes, torture and murder being carried out by Myanmar troops in the small strip of land that has been under military control after deadly raids on police border posts last month.

While the military and government have rejected the charges, rights groups have long accused the military of using rape as a weapon of war in several other ethnic conflicts which simmer in the country's borderlands.

Thailand-based NGO the Womens League of Burma has documented 92 cases of sexual violence by fighters between 2010 and 2015, which they say have been used "as a means of shaming and destroying ethnic communities".

Reuters/representational image

Fears of Muslim men violating Buddhist women have also long stirred the hatred of hardline nationalists in Myanmar.

Allegations Muslims raped Buddhists sparked sectarian clashes in 2012 that drove tens of thousands of Rohingya into displacement camps and riots two years later near Mandalay.

But the volume of rape allegation among the Rohingya fleeing Rakhine suggest a pattern of abuse by Myanmar's army beyond anything documented before.

Reuters/representational image

Hundreds of thousands of registered Rohingya refugees have been living on the Bangladesh side of the border for decades, having fled violence and poverty across the border.

In Myanmar the Rohingya are seen as illegal immigrants and labelled "Bengali", even though many have lived there for generations. They are denied citizenship and face severe restrictions on movement, work and basic access to education and hospitals.

But Dhaka has resisted urgent international appeals to open its border to avert a humanitarian crisis, instead telling Myanmar it must do more to prevent the stateless Rohingya minority from entering.
Two people were shot, one of whom has died, following a shooting in the Coral Springs Mall, according to the statement of local police, Sputnik International reported.

The Coral Springs Mall in Florida has been places on lockdown following a shooting on Saturday morning, the local police department stated.

"CSPD working shooting at Coral Square Mall, mall on lockdown NO suspects are being sought at this time," Coral Springs Police announced on Twitter.
Wounded Knee III in the Making? By Dave Lindorff "As darkness does not come at once, neither does oppression. In both instances there's twilight where everything remains seemingly unchanged, and it is in such twilight that we must be aware of change in the air, however slight, lest we become unwitting victims of the darkness."

-- Justice William O. Douglas November 25, 2016 " Information Clearing House " - The struggle at Standing Rock, North Dakota, between the Sioux people and their supporters and the oil corporations and banks trying to run a dangerous pipeline for filthy Bakkan crude oil through their sacred lands and underneath the Missouri River was cranked up to a new level of violence Sunday and in ensuing days as National Guard troops and the Morton County Sheriffs Department, bolstered by volunteers from various other police departments conducted an all-night attack using maximum violence, including flash-bang concussion grenades, rubber bullets, mace, tear gas and three water cannons -- this at a time the temperature on the prairie had fallen to a low of 22 degrees fahrenheit. The casualties of this one-sided battle against peaceful protesters on a bridge were enormous, with some 300 of the estimated 400 protesting water protectors, both native people and non-native supporters, injured, 26 of them seriously. There was evidence that police were aiming rubber bullets at protesters heads and groins to inflict maximum pain and damage, with eight of the injured hospitalized, including a 13-year-old girl shot in the face, whose eye was reportedly damaged. The gravest injuries were a tribal elder who suffered a cardiac arrest, and Sophia Wolansky, a 21-year-old New York City resident who had come to back the Standing Rock Sioux in their struggle to halt construction of the pipeline. She was hit in the arm by a flash-bang grenade thrown at her by a Morton County Sheriffs deputy, which blew up on impact, blowing away the flesh and muscle and reportedly some of the nerves the length of her forearm and some bone of the elbow joint (see accompanying photo below of the wound). She has been evacuated to a hospital in Minneapolis where physicians and nurses are fighting to save her arm and hand from an amputation. Wolanskys father Wayne, a 61-year old lawyer in New York, angrily called on President to put a halt to the violent repression at Standing Rock. He said of his daughters injury, which was the result of a flash-bang concussion grenade being thrown directly at her , This is the wound of someone who's a warrior, who was sent to fight in a war," Wayne said. "It's not supposed to be a war. She's peacefully trying to get people to not destroy the water supply. And they're trying to kill her." Concussion grenades are not supposed to be used to target people. The attack on Sunday night, which has been rightly condemned by UN human rights observers as an atrocity, harks back to the simultaneous country-wide crushing of the Occupy movement occupations in cities across the US during early November, 2011, when local police aided in some cases by armed federal parks police, assaulted occupiers with maximum violence, almost always at night, barring the media from witnessing their deliberate and coordinated over-the-top violence. In that case, an aggressive campaign of legal discovery by the Partnership for Civil Justice using the Freedom of Information Act, resulted in the unearthing of documents from both the Department of Homeland Security and the FBI proving there had been a concerted campaign by those federal agencies to coordinate the crushing of the Occupy Movement. That campaign urged police to use maximum violence, to operate at night, and to share the results of their attacks with other city police departments so that tactics of repression that worked, could be replicated. It would appear that the repressive lessons learned by police agencies in 2011 are now being used as a kind of repression handbook by Morton County Sheriff Kyle Kirchmeier and his deputies against the protesting Sioux water protectors and their Anglo supporters. There is no indication that such vicious repression is working though. Even as the brutal assault last Sunday night and Monday morning sent dozens of people to area hospitals, more brave people continued to pour into Standing Rock to support the struggle of the Standing Rock Sioux and the many representatives of some 300 US tribes around the country, and the representatives of indigenous peoples from around the world fighting this battle. The decision to run the so-called Dakota Access Pipeline through Sioux sacred lands, some of it formerly awarded to the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe by US treaty, but later stolen from them, stands in stark contrast to an earlier decision to reroute it from a planned Missouri River crossing point near North Dakotas capital city of Bismarck. There, protests by the local (white, middle-class) public forced a rethink by the companies behind the pipeline, and the US Army Corps of Engineers. They decided to alter the planned route to run it through Indian territory instead. The Standing Rock Tribal Council has called on President Obama to put a halt to this dangerous and obscene project, suggesting that as president he has the power to declare the crossing location a National Historic Site, thus protecting it from such defilement. The president, of course, could also look at the local Sheriffs repressive and and violent tactics against an Indian people, and simply federalize local National Guard troops, ordering them to force local police to stand down instead of following the Republican governors orders to participate in the repression as they are now doing under his trumped-up "state emergency" declaration. That the president hasnt already acted to stop the attacks on peaceful protesters speaks volumes about Obama's lack of courage and of principle and of his hypocrisy. In 2014, President Obama visited the Standing Rock Sioux, and acknowledged their centuries of abuse by the US government. Now, however, that abuse is occurring on this presidents watch, and incredibly, despite the extent of the violence, he has done nothing to stop it. Its time for all decent Americans to take a stand in support of the Sioux People of Standing Rock. Contact the White House at 202-456-1414 and demand that the president send troops to stand between Sioux water protectors and their local law-enforcement assailants, and to have Federal Marshals arrest those who commit acts of brutality. The militarized response to peaceful protest at Standing Rock should stand as a warning to all who would protest Americas slide into totalitarianism. What the government will do to Native Americans and their Anglo supporters today is what we can probably expect them to do to any of us who protest in this new Trumpian America. On the bright side, the growing violence against the Standing Rock Sioux and their implacable struggle to defend their sacred lands has mobilized some 1000 or more American military veterans of America's past imperialist wars to plan a "deployment" to stand in unarmed defense of the Sioux Nation against the military and police forces of the State of North Dakota and the Dakota Access Pipeline consortium and its private military contractors arrayed against them. Organized by Wesley Clark, Jr., a retired military officer and son of Gen. Wesley Clark, a former commander of NATO, the plan of an organization called Veterans for Standing Rock Dave Lindorff is an American investigative reporter. He received two Project Censored awards in 2004 and 2011. This this article was first published at This Can't Be Happening
F*** You, White Liberal: a Middle-Eastern American Glad Trump Won

By Christopher Ketcham

November 25, 2016 " Information Clearing House " - " Counterpunch " - I received the following note in the wake of an op-ed I recently published at the Daily Beast called  Anarchist for Trump : Time For Liberals To See America As It Really Is.

As a Middle-Eastern American, it began, I just wanted to thank you for your [article.] I first became politically aware while I was in the army during 9/11 and our countrys response to it. I felt like a living contradiction, being one of the heroes as a soldier and a villain as a Middle Eastern person. The writer was an Iranian-American dual citizen named Bijan Sharifi, who was an infantryman in the U.S. Army and who now teaches art in a youth prison in Ohio. He remarked how disgusted he was at our countrys behavior internationally and how he had voted for Obama in 2008, partly because I knew Clinton would continue the policies of Bush.

But a funny thing happened in the wake of the election. First, there was his own complete disillusionment with the new president, as Sharifi puts it: Obama continued the same policies in the Middle East and spying at home. Then came a greater disappointment, one which turned out to be a common enough experience during the Obama years. My white liberal friends were with me when it was against Bush, said Sharifi, but their rhetoric quickly changed with Obama. Even my black friends werent trying to hear any criticism of Obamas imperialism. Now all my white liberal friends want to stand in solidarity with me?

I resent the hell out of them and their protests, continued Sharifi. Theyre partisans trying to disguise themselves as social justice warriors. Obama detained and deported Latinos in record numbers in for-profit detention centers. Spied on Muslim-Americans here and bombed innocent Muslims over there. We shame Donald Trump for saying he wants to kill terrorists families, but give Obama a pass when he drone strikes an entire extended family at a wedding party out of existence? Fuck that. Fuck Obama, fuck Clinton. And, in a final parting blow before signing off: Fuck white liberals and their meaningless protests.

Amen. I immediately wrote Sharifi back to start a conversation. Mainly I wanted to commiserate over the moral bankruptcy of liberalism in its politically-correct identity-politics form. With liberals, we agreed, it is more acceptable to take bread from, and drop bombs on, brown children than it is to utter bigoted rhetoric. The liberal will tell you its more racist to make stupid proclamations about Muslims in America than it is to be a chief architect of their demise overseas (Clinton uses inclusive language at home, which apparently is all that matters to the liberal). Trump says a racist thing at a rally during the campaign  Theres my African American  and the media is aghast, while Clinton supports African regimes that conscript children soldiers no older than 16 years old and years ago took to the stump for her husband to declare African-American children the mythic superpredators in support of a bill that put them into cages by the millions. Why is it that in the identity politics of the Left its despicable to step out of line with language but perfectly acceptable to inflict tangible, material harm to minorities on a national and international scale?

As my friend Travis Kelly tells me, Two million Muslims/Arabs killed in the War on Terror  two million BROWN people, not to mention all the maimed, widowed, orphaned, homeless and impoverished. These horrors dont even register on the radar of the prissily politically correct, so obsessed with their own WESTERN WHITE privilege that transgender bathroom privileges trump [emphasis his!] 2000 children blown to bits in Gaza.

Perhaps the PC folks will celebrate the glorious day when a transgender runs the CIA and oversees our torture programs.

Social justice is broken in this country, Sharifi told me. There is no social justice without economic justice and peace. Hillary Clinton offered gay rights and pro choice platitudes  while burning those brown kids to bones and ashes. And always she has pursued the economic interests of her masters among the 1 Percent.

When I caught up with Sharifi, he was preparing a speech for an anti-Trump rally in Columbus. It was, to put it lightly, contrarian. He sent me his notes.

This Middle Eastern American from a Muslim family is glad trump won, the speech opens. Fucking rich white moderate liberal social justice warriors can throw their fucking bullshit safety pins in the trash until they are really willing to take a hard fucking look in the mirror. These motherfuckers are screaming about trigger words and safe spaces here in America while completely ignoring the literal triggers people in the Middle East have to deal with everyday and the fact that Obamas drone strikes have erased any semblance of a safe space in the minds of little Middle Eastern boys and girls. Ill ask any of these so-called social justice protesters this: where the fuck has your outrage been?
Trump's National Security Adviser Facilitated the Murder of Civilians in Afghanistan By Gareth Porter November 25, 2016 " Information Clearing House " - " Real News " - After retired Lt. Gen. Michael J. Flynn spoke at the Republican National Convention, The Washington Post captured the prevailing media view of Flynn in the headline: He was one of the most respected intel officers of his generation. Now hes leading Lock her up chants. Now that President-elect Donald Trump has chosen Flynn as his national security adviser, media coverage has given prominence to the more serious issue of Flynns denunciation of Islam as a cancer and other manifestations of his embrace of Islamophobia. But the mainstream media view of Flynns military record ignores his pivotal role in devising a targeting scheme that was the basis for an indiscriminate Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) campaign of killing and incarcerating Afghans suspected of being in the Taliban insurgency. The corporate media, which have never examined that dark chapter in the history of the Afghanistan war critically, have long treated the campaign as one of the few success stories of the war. But as an investigation published by Truthout in 2011 revealed, the target list that JSOC used for its night raids and other operations to kill supposed Taliban was based on a fundamentally flawed methodology that was inherently incapable of distinguishing between Taliban insurgents and civilians who had only tangential contacts with the Taliban organization. And it was Flynn who devised that methodology. The night raids on Afghan homes based on Flynns methodology caused so much Afghan anger toward Americans that Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal, the US commander in Afghanistan, acknowledged the problem of Afghan antagonism toward the entire program publicly in a March 2010 directive. The system that led to that Afghan outrage began to take shape in Iraq in 2006, when Flynn, then-intelligence chief for JSOC, developed a new methodology for identifying and locating al-Qaeda and Shia Mahdi Army members in Iraq. Flynn revealed the technologies used in Iraq in an unclassified article published in 2008. At the center of the system was what Flynn called the Unblinking Eye, referring to 24-hour drone surveillance of specific locations associated with known and suspected terrorist sites and individuals. The drone surveillance was then used to establish a pattern of life analysis, which was the main tool used to determine whether to strike the target. We now know from reports of drone strikes in Pakistan that killed entire groups of innocent people that pattern of life analysis is frequently a matter of guesswork that is completely wrong. Flynns unclassified article also revealed that SIGINT (signals intelligence), i.e., the monitoring of cell phone metadata, and geo-location of phones were the other two major tools used in Flynns system of targeting military strikes. JSOC was using links among cell phones to identify suspected insurgents. Flynns article suggested that the main emphasis in intelligence for targeting in Iraq was on providing analysis of the aerial surveillance visual intelligence on a target to help decide in real time whether to carry out a strike on it. But when McChrystal took command of US forces in Afghanistan in mid-2009 and took Flynn with him as his intelligence chief, Flynns targeting methodology changed dramatically. JSOC had already begun to carry out night raids in Afghanistan  usually attacks on private homes in the middle of the night  and McChrystal wanted to increase the tempo of those raids. The number of night raids increased from 20 per month in May 2009 to 90 per month six months later. It reached an average of more than 100 a month in the second half of 2009 and the first half of 2010. At this point, the targets were no longer Taliban commanders and higher-ups in the organization. They included people allegedly doing basic functions such as logistics, bomb-making and propaganda. In order to rapidly build up the highly secret kill/capture list (called the Joint Prioritized Effects List, or JPEL) to meet McChrystals demands for more targets, Flynn used a technique called link analysis. This technique involved the use of software that allowed intelligence analysts to see the raw data from drone surveillance and cell phone data transformed instantly into a map of the insurgent network. That map of each network associated with surveillance of a location became the basis for adding new names to the JPEL. Flynn could increase the number of individual nodes on that map by constantly adding more cell phone metadata for the computer-generated map of the insurgency. Every time JSOC commandos killed or captured someone, they took their cell phones to add their metadata to the database. And US intelligence also gathered cell phone data from the population of roughly 3,300 suspected insurgents being held in the Afghan prison system, who were allowed to use mobile phones freely in their cells. What the expansion of cell phone data surveillance meant was that an ever-greater proportion of the targets on Flynns kill/capture list were not identified at all, except as mobile phone numbers. As Matthew Hoh, who served as the senior US civilian official in Zabul Province until he quit in protest in September 2009, explained to me, When you are relying on cell phones for intelligence, you dont get the names of those targeted. What made Flynns methodology for expanding the kill/capture list even riskier was that there was no requirement for any effort to establish the actual identity of the targets listed as cell phone numbers in order to guard against mistakes. Using such a methodology in the Afghan sociopolitical context guaranteed that a high proportion of those on the kill/capture list were innocent civilians. As former deputy to the European Union special representative to Afghanistan Michael Semple (one of the few genuine experts in the world on the Taliban movement) explained to me, most Afghans in the Pashtun south and east of Afghanistan have a few Taliban commander numbers saved to their mobile phone contacts as a survival mechanism. Nader Nadery, a commissioner of the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission in 2010, estimated that the total civilian deaths for all 73 night raids about which the commission had complaints that year was 420. But the commission acknowledged that it didnt have access to most of the districts dominated by the Taliban. So the actual civilian toll may well have been many times that number  meaning that civilians may have accounted for more than half of the 2,000 alleged Taliban killed in JSOCs operations in 2010. The percentage of innocent people among those who were captured and incarcerated was even higher. In December 2010, the US command in Afghanistan leaked to a friendly blogger that 4,100 Taliban had been captured in the previous six months. But an unclassified February 5, 2011, internal document of the Combined Joint Inter-Agency Task Force responsible for detention policy in Afghanistan, which I obtained later in 2011, showed that only 690 Afghans were admitted to the US detention facility at Parwan during that six-month period. Twenty percent of those were later released upon review of their files. So alleged evidence of participation in the Taliban insurgency could not have existed for more than 552 people at most, or 14 percent of the total number said to have been captured. But many of those 552 were undoubtedly innocent as well. Michael Flynns role in the JSOCs killing and capturing of Afghans in 2009 and 2010 earned him a promotion to lieutenant general in September 2011, and the following April, President Obama nominated him to become director of the Defense Intelligence Agency. Those rewards might give us the impression that he did a splendid job in Afghanistan. In reality, however, Flynn committed serious offenses against Afghans and against the interests of all Americans. His actions should have been a bar to holding the position he has now been given. Instead, it appears, he has been rewarded once again for his role in creating a system of indiscriminate murder in Afghanistan.
Philippines Duterte Seeks Peace





Duterte is not a saint, but he stands for an independent foreign policy.

By Marjorie Cohn

November 25, 2016 " Information Clearing House " - In April 2016, Rodrigo Duterte won the Philippine presidential election by a landslide, with more than 6 million votes. He openly declared that he was the nations first Left president, calling himself a socialist but not a communist. So far, his regime has been controversial, to put it mildly.

The U.S. press has focused on Dutertes vicious war on drugs that claimed upwards of 2,000 lives and led to the incarceration of tens of thousands of people. His decision to allow former Filipino dictator Ferdinand Marcoss burial in the National Cemetery of the Heroes also has drawn the ire of those who recall Marcoss brutal two-decade regime that killed more than 3,000, tortured tens of thousands, and stole $10 billion from the Philippines.

But, significantly, Duterte is engaging with revolutionary forces in the peace process that aims to end 47 years of armed struggle against the repressive Filipino government. And Duterte has taken actions that, for the first time, challenge the longstanding military and economic power of the United States in the Philippines.

Peace Process With Opposition

Since 1969, a civil war has been raging in the Philippines. The roots of the armed conflict can be traced to the colonial and neocolonial domination of the Philippines by the Spanish, then U.S. imperialism, feudal exploitation by big landlords and capitalist interests, as well as widespread bureaucratic corruption. After Dutertes election, he cited peace as a top priority of his administration, vowing to engage in peace negotiations with the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP).

According to JustPeacePH, an international platform that supports the Philippine peace process and takes its name from its Internet site, justpeace.ph, The daily, systematic and systemic injustice experienced by the people drive them to desire and seek fundamental changes in society through various means. But because the forces against fundamental social change use all means including the instruments and violence of the state to defend the status quo, many Filipinos over many generations have embraced armed struggle to overthrow the ruling system.

The NDFP is the alliance of progressive forces seeking to bring about fundamental change in the existing social system in the Philippines through armed revolution, JustPeacePH states in its Primer on Just and Lasting Peace in the Philippines. The NDFP alliance includes trade unions, peasants, youth, women, national minorities, teachers, health workers, religious clergy, the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), and the New Peoples Army.

Dutertes Peace Initiative

Two rounds of peace negotiations have already occurred since Duterte took office, with a third scheduled for January 2017 in Oslo, Norway.

In May, Duterte declared he would release all political prisoners, which number more than 400, through a presidential declaration of amnesty, provided both houses of congress approve. Nineteen NDFP consultants, who have been involved in the revolutionary movement for years, have already been released.

Duterte offered four cabinet positions to the CPP, but they declined, stating there must first be a comprehensive peace agreement. The CPP, however, recommended a veteran peasant leader who was appointed Secretary of Agrarian Reform and a veteran academic activist leader who was named secretary of social welfare and development.

These are major appointments, Luis Jalandoni, NDFPs Senior Adviser on the Peace Negotiating Panel, told me at a recent conference of the International Association of Democratic Lawyers in Lisbon, Portugal.

NDFP has a peoples army and organs of political power with mass organizations in 71 out of the 81 provinces in the country, Jalandoni said. He noted that landlessness and poverty afflict the 100 million people in the Philippines.

The NDFP insists on addressing the roots of the armed conflict in order to achieve a just and lasting peace, Jalandoni said.

The demands in the peace talks are: Release of all political prisoners; Land reform for the peasantry (70% of the population); National industrialization to develop the economy using available human and natural resources; Protect the environment and ancestral lands of the indigenous peoples; and Philippine national sovereignty and abrogation of all unequal treaties with the United States.

Challenging U.S. Power

U.S. domination and interference in the Philippines date back to 1898, when the United States annexed the Philippines. The U.S. continued to exercise colonial rule over the country until 1946, when the Philippines gained its independence although the United States retained many military installations there and the Filipino economy maintained its dependence on the U.S.

With U.S. assistance, Marcos ruled the Philippines with an iron fist from 1965 through 1986, under martial law from 1972 to 1981. In 2002, the Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo government developed Oplan Bayanihan, a counterinsurgency program modeled on U.S. strategies. After 9/11, the Bush administration gave Arroyo $100 million to fund that campaign in the Philippines.

Oplan Bayanihan led to large numbers of extrajudicial killings, forced disappearances, torture and cruel treatment. Many civilians, including children, have been killed. Philippine military and paramilitary death squads murdered hundreds of members of progressive organizations. Communities and leaders opposed to large-scale and invasive mining have been targeted. Even ordinary people with no political affiliation have not escaped the governments reign of terror.

From 2001 to 2010, the U.S. government provided more than $507 in military assistance to the Philippine government, facilitating tremendous repression.

Between 2010 and 2015, the Philippine police, military and paramilitary forces perpetrated extrajudicial killings, forced disappearances, torture, illegal arrests and forced evacuation, many to enable extraction by mining companies.

The 2014 Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement, which President Barack Obama negotiated with Dutertes predecessor, gave U.S. troops the right to prolonged deployment in the Philippines. The agreement is widely seen in the Philippines as a threat to the countrys sovereignty.

In September 2016, Duterte declared, I am not a fan of the Americans  Filipinos should be first before everybody else. He added, In our relations to the world, the Philippines will pursue an independent foreign policy. I repeat: The Philippines will pursue an independent foreign policy.

The United States has not apologized for all the atrocities it committed against the Filipino people, Duterte said. Responding to U.S. criticism of the Philippines for its human rights violations, he stated, Why are you Americans killing the black people there, shooting them down when they are already on the ground.

Duterte promised to end joint military maneuvers with U.S. forces and expel the hundreds of U.S. troops currently stationed in the Philippines. He also expressed his intention to end bilateral agreements concluded by his predecessor with the United States and reverse permission for the United States use of five Philippine military bases.

I will break up with America, Duterte said. I would rather go to Russia and to China. He vowed to rescind joint patrols with U.S. and Filipino forces against Chinese expansion in the disputed South China Sea. Indeed, Duterte recently traveled to China and secured valuable fishing rights for Filipinos in the South China Sea.

Hope for Peace Prospects

In an unprecedented development, both the government and the opposition declared unilateral ceasefires in August. But there are still problems with the governments ceasefire, says Jalandoni, as Duterte doesnt have full control of the military. The military and paramilitary forces, which are protected by the military, have engaged in several violations that imperil the ceasefire, he said.

There is high optimism that the peace talks will prosper under the presidency of Duterte, according to JustPeacePH. Unlike past presidents who harbor strong anti-communist bias, Duterte seems capable of rethinking the governments peace strategy since he claims to be a socialist.

Opposition forces are not uncritical of the excesses in Dutertes war on drugs. The CCP declared the campaign is becoming anti-people and anti-democratic. Due process must be respected, human rights must be upheld; the drug users and small drug dealers, who come from poverty, require rehabilitation and care, the CCP maintains.

Understandably, Dutertes war on drugs and other crimes is given more coverage by the global media, JustPeacePH wrote in its primer. But Dutertes aim to establish a lasting peace in the provinces deserves even more attention as this strikes at the root causes of the problem of illegal drugs and related crimes.

Jalandoni said, Duterte is not a saint, but he stands for an independent foreign policy. His stand against the United States is respected and has received a lot of support.

The NDFP, Jalandoni noted, says that if there are threats against Duterte by U.S. imperialism, the Left will be a reliable ally to him, adding, He is the first president to stand up to the United States.

Marjorie Cohn is professor emerita at Thomas Jefferson School of Law where she taught from 1991-2016, and a former president of the National Lawyers Guild. She lectures, writes, and provides commentary for local, regional, national and international media outlets.
Four persons were killed while several houses including the house of the village head were burnt, when unknown gunmen attacked Mile One Village in Tafan District, Kaduna State on Friday.

A resident, who preferred anonymity, on Saturday in Kafanchan said that the hoodlums launched an attack against the residents between 2 p.m. and 10 p.m on Friday.

He added that, Pasakori, a boundary village with Mile One came under similar attack on Thursday.

The Interim Chairman of Jemaa local Government Area, Dr Bege Katuka, confirmed the incident via telephone.

He said: I just left the affected village barely 30 minutes ago, I was there to assess the extent of damage.

Reports say the residents of the neighbouring villages of Gidan Waya, Ungwuan Ninzo and Ungwuan Kagoro have fled for fear of possible attacks.
The Federal High Court, Ikoyi, Lagos, has rejected the stay on application of Senator Rashidi Ladoja, a former governor of Oyo state, to stall further proceedings on the N4.7 billion fraud case the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is seeking to re-open against him.

Justice Mohammed Idris adjourned the case to 14 December for the arraignment of the former governor. The former governors counsel, Mr. Bolaji Onilenla, argued that there is an appeal challenging the competence of the charge before the Supreme Court.

In his ruling, Justice Idris said an appeal before the Supreme Court cannot stall the proceedings of a criminal trial. He explained that the provision of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015 (ACJA) gives room for a trial to proceed even if there is an appeal before a higher court.

The judge also ruled against the applicants objection to the representation of Mr. Oluwafemi Olabisi, a lawyer in Festus Keyamos Chambers.

In the application, Mr. Onilenla said only Mr. Festus Keyamo can represent the EFCC, as he was the one given a fiat by the Attorney-General of the Federation. But Justice Idris said the fiat was given to Festus Keyamo Chambers, not to Mr. Keyamo as a person. As such, he added, anyone from the chambers can represent the EFCC in court.

Only the EFCC can insist that it should strictly be Mr. Keyamo that represents it in court, he explained.

The commission had approached the court to seek warrant for the arrest of Ladoja, following his absence in court for his re-arraignment last Friday.

Mr. Onilenla, however, pleaded with the court not to issue a warrant for his clients arrest, stating that his client was not properly informed.

Senator Ladoja appeared before the court on Friday alongside his former aide, Chief Waheed Akanbi.

The duo were first arraigned in 2008 and had proceeded to appeal the competence of their charge up to the highest court.

The Supreme Court dismissed the appeal as lacking in competence. Ladoja filed an application to re-list the appeal at the Supreme Court on 27 October, 2016.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has released billionaire businessman and lawyer, Tunde Ayeni, after detaining him for two days.

Mr. Ayeni was freed Saturday morning after he and other officials of his bank, Aso Savings and Loans Plc, committed to paying up a controversial N1billion naira the former management of the bank allegedly passed to a former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Bala Mohammed, those familiar with the matter told PREMIUM TIMES.

Our sources said Mr. Ayeni personally made a cheque deposit of N100 million naira with he and his colleagues promising to pay the balance in the weeks ahead.

When contacted over the matter on Saturday afternoon, Mr. Ayeni said the matter for which he was invited by the EFCC had to do with a transaction carried out by the management of the bank.

It has nothing to do with me as a person, Mr. Ayeni said. This transaction happened in 2010, and I was not even the chairman of the bank at the time.

But as one of the key stakeholders of the bank, the EFCC asked me for some explanations which I made. The whole matter is clearer to them now, and the matter is being resolved.

Mr. Ayeni was arrested Thursday in relation with the ongoing investigation of former Minister Mohammed for alleged fraud.

EFCC investigators believe Mr. Mohammed received one billion Naira from Aso Savings, an Abuja-based Primary Mortgage Institution, in yet unclear circumstances shortly after the bank transacted a land swap deal with the FCT administration during the ministers tenure.

Mr. Ayeni was a former chairman of the bank, and one of its largest shareholders.

An EFCC insider had told PREMIUM TIMES that Mr. Ayeni had to be detained because he kept insisting he did not authorise the passage of any money to Mr. Bala, and that he should not be harassed for the conduct of the management of the bank.

He was not initially cooperative, one source said. We told him point black that we will release him once they pay back the money. The money belong to the bank. So we want to give the money back to the bank.

The EFCC is investigating Mr. Mohammed, who was arrested on October 24, for alleged financial crimes in excess of N1.6 trillion.

Sources within the agency told this newspaper that Mr. Mohammed, who served from April 2010 until May 2015, was allegedly involved in extensive land racketeering while he was minister.

After computation of the land deals that he struck, we discovered that more than N1.6 trillion could not be accounted for, a source said.

The former minister could not be reached to comment for this story.

This is the second time Mr. Ayeni would be a guest of the EFCC.

In 2004, he was arrested in relation with the corruption trial of former Bayelsa Governor, Diepreye Alamieyeseigha.

The businessman was arrested by the commission over the matter and later mentioned in court documents as admitting helping Mr. Alamieyeseigha to execute some deals.

The EFCC has since cleared Mr. Ayeni of complicity in the Alamieyeseigha saga.

In two letters sighted by PREMIUM TIMES, the anti-graft agency admitted Mr. Ayeni was detained and questioned over some transactions during the Alamieyseigha case, but was cleared of all liabilities.

Mr. Ayeni has since then remained one of Nigerias most ambitious businessmen, investing heavily in almost all key sectors of the Nigerian economy  oil and gas, telecoms and power.

He was until recently the chairman of Skye Bank and was awarded Commander of the Order of Niger (CON)  a national recognition  by the Federal Government.

Source: PremiumTimes
Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov. 26

Trend:

A Turkish serviceman was killed and three were injured in the attack of militants of the Islamic State (aka IS, ISIL, ISIS or Daesh) terrorist group in Syria, Turkish Milliyet newspaper reported.

On Aug. 24 morning, the Turkish Air Force, with the support of the coalition aircraft, launched an operation to liberate the city of Jarabulus from the IS militants in northern Syria, near Aleppo.

The operation was dubbed the Shield of the Euphrates.

Syria has been suffering from an armed conflict since March 2011, which, according to the UN, has so far claimed over 500,000 lives.

Militants from various armed groups are confronting the Syrian government troops. The IS, YPG and PYD are the most active terrorist groups in Syria.
Renowned human rights lawyer and activist, Fred Agbaje is dead.

He died in London on Friday and the cause of his death hasnt been disclosed.

His colleague and fellow human rights lawyer, Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, confirmed Agbajes passing and described him a thoroughbred lawyer and a man of principle.

Agbaje was shortlisted several times for the SAN rank but never bagged the prestigious rank.

He got nominated for SAN (Senior Advocate of Nigeria) three times but failed to make the final list, and he told me he would not lobby anybody for that title, Adegboruwa said. He was a highly detribalised Nigerian, not many knew he was from Edo State. The bar has lost an icon, his place in Nigerias judiciary can never be filled.

Before his death, he served as the in-house lawyer for Ben Bruces Silverbird Group, among other positions he held.
The online page of a controversial deposit money scheme, MMM, has taken a spot amongst the most visited websites in Nigeria, according to Web traffic monitor, Alexa.com.

Statistics available on Alexa, a standard for online traffic evaluation, show that MMM maintained the 5th position for the most part of November, edging out major platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and online retailer, Jumia.com.

PREMIUM TIMES could not find a spokesperson for MMM to comment for this story, but the spike in its online presence might not be unconnected with its growing popularity amongst Nigerians.

Nigerians continue to patronise the scheme which promises a return of up to 30 per cent on every investment within 30 days despite all warnings from the appropriate authorities to desist.

The Central Bank of Nigeria recently rolled out a radio and television blitz warning Nigerians not to risk their incomes on the scheme, all to no avail.

Members of the House of Representatives were criticised by some MMM participants when they called for immediate crackdown on promoters of the scheme earlier this month.

Typical allegations from online commenters were about how the lawmakers were trying to block a critical means of livelihood for the masses.

This week, the group marked its first anniversary in the country by donating gifts to the internally displaced persons in the Federal Capital Territory.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that members of the community as part of their activities marking the exercise tagged: MMM Cares, donated relief materials to IDPs at the Gwoza and Bama Camps in Abuja.

They donated bags of rice, garri, cartons of beverages and noodles as well as clothing, and drugs, NAN said.

Source: PremiumTimes
In anticipation of the UNs International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, celebrated each year on November 25, Moroccos national television service, 2M, broadcast a makeup tutorial on how women can hide traces of domestic violence, as part of its morning show called Sabahiyates on Wednesday.

The show thought it would broadcast a tutorial teaching female viewers how to conceal injuries from domestic violence, and when the video was posted online, it caused a lot of outrage.

The video was removed from the 2M site on Friday. Later that afternoon, 2M released a communique on its Facebook page addressing the issue.

Management believes that this segment is completely inappropriate and displays a lack of editorial understanding due to the sensitivity and seriousness of the subject of violence against women, says the statement.

This approach is in total contradiction with the editorial identity of the channel and [] the commitment of 2M for 27 years in favour of the defence of womens rights.

Meanwhile, Lilia Mouline, the makeup expert who hosted the Sabahiyates show in question, has since told Yabiladi that in no way are we endorsing [domestic violence].

We are here to provide solutions to these women who, for a period of 2 to 3 weeks, are putting their social life aside while their wounds heal. These women have already been subjected to moral humiliation and do not need to also have others looking at them, Mouline adds.

Makeup, allows women to continue to live normally while waiting for justice.
Nigerian newspaper headlines November 26, 2016.

Premium Times

The wife of a former Nigerian vice president, Atiku Abubakar, on Friday told a Lagos court how a business partner defrauded her of N918 million.

Guardian

Less than 24 hours to when Ondo State will go to polls to elect Governor Olusegun Mimikos successor, a factional candidate of the States ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who sacked by the appeal court, Jimoh Ibrahim, has praised the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Rotimi Akeredolu, as an ideal person to lead the state.

Thisday

Fidel Castro, the Cuban revolutionary leader who built a communist state on the doorstep of the United States and for five decades defied U.S. efforts to topple him, died on Friday, his younger brother announced to the nation. He was 90.

The Sun

The tension in Ondo has reached fever pitch as residents of the state prepare to elect a governor.

The Nation

The police yesterday declared its readiness for todays governorship election in Ondo State with the deployment of 22 armoured vehicles, 20 gunboats, 2 helicopters

Leadership

The distortions that happened to Budget 2016, in which series of rogue projects and figures were injected into the financial document wont happen to next years budget, President Muhammadu Buhari has vowed.

Vanguard

The United Nations Development Programme, UNDP, and Civil Society Organisations, CSOs, have advised Nigerian Government, particularly the Delta State Government to adopt the new International Public Sector Accounting Standard, IPSAS in the budgetary system to ensure active participation of the people in its budgetary process.

Punch

So many people would have thought that filmmaker, Seun Egbegbe, was perhaps, directing a movie when the news and pictures hit the internet that he was beaten for absconding with nine iphones at Computer Village, Ikeja, Lagos.
1.6 million registered voters in Ondo state will head to polling units on Saturday as the state elects Governor Olusegun Mimikos successor. There was some concern as violence among rival party supporters broke out in Akure, the state capital on Friday.

The leading candidates in the election are, Mr. Eyitayo Jegede of the Peoples Democratic Party; Chief Rotimi Akeredolu of the All Progressives Congress; Dr. Olu Agunloye of the Social Democratic Party and Olusola Oke of the Alliance for Democracy.

Mr. Eyitayo Jegede was named the PDP candidate on Thursday after an appeal court ruled that Jimoh Ibrahim was not the legitimate PDP candidate.

26,000 policemen and 15,000 personnel from the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps have been deployed in the state to maintain law and order along with some army officers. Despite the presence of security agents, Governor Mimiko has alleged that the APC plans to rig the elections,

INEC did not release the list of voters register to the PDP until yesterday (Thursday), in clear infraction of its own laws and against its advertised timetable and schedule of activities for the Ondo State election. INEC refused to publish Eyitayo Jegedes name for 30 days as stipulated in Section 34 of the Electoral Act 2010.

INEC denied Eyitayo Jegede the right to submit his party agents list at least seven days before the election, as stipulated in Section 45 of the Electoral Act 2010, among many others. As we speak, collation tags for ward collation officers are not available for PDP ward agents.

More than the above, the agents on INECs list are agents submitted by a man already aptly described by the courts as an impostor, who has also openly showed he is working as a fifth columnist in the Ondo State election. We were expected to run a race with our hands tied behind our back while INEC also goes ahead to foist a wuruwuru to the answer result.
Cubas state-run media announced on Saturday morning that revolutionary and longtime Cuban leader, Fidel Castro died on Friday at the age of 90. Fidel has been in ill health since 2006 which necessitated his handing over power to his brother, Raul Castro.

Raul announced his death in a televised broadcast in which he said, Dear people of Cuba, with profound pain, I have to sadly inform you that today, November 25, 2016, at 10:29 in the evening, the Cuban Revolution Fidel Castro died

He then went on to say Fidel Castro will be cremated in compliance with his expressed will.
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Russian President Vladimir Putin had a phone talk with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday, focusing on Syria, the Kremlin press service said, TASS reported.

"Today, President of the Russian Federation V.V. Putin had a telephone conversation with President of the Turkish Republic Recep Tayyip Erdogan, continuing to exchange opinions on the situation in Syria," the statement said.

The conversation was the second between the two leaders in the past two days. On Friday, Putin and Erdogan had a phone conversation about the Syria crisis and the joint efforts in the fight against terrorism. The Kremlin said that they had exchanged opinions in an encouraging tonality.
If you had asked me before I visited Rome to free-associate off the phrase Italian cinema, I probably would have said something like, Antonioni-Fellini-Bicycle Thief-little boys-poverty-whore-mother-sex-womens mustaches-death.

As the great-grand-daughter of Sicilians, jokes about womens mustaches are something I really cant get enough of. I might have further said, thinking of Fellini, that Italian cinema is a cinema of extravagance and fantasy.

I might have added, thinking of Pietro Germi, that Italian families are lunatic asylums of which, if they are lucky, the patients will one day become the wardens.

I might have further added, thinking of Antonioni, that brooding and alienation and despair are attempts to remake that oppressive familial reality.

I might have finally added, remembering Visconti, that the Italians imagining of southern Italy as a polluted backwater of mustaches lost in time gave rise to fascinating experiments with depth of field.

Many of these associations have to do with Cinecitta, Romes most famous film studio. Before Mussolini founded Cinecitta in 1937, 80% of movies screened in Italy were American. Between 1937 and 1943, the studio produced 279 films (nearly half of which were comedies, perhaps because Il Duce was a known fan of Laurel and Hardy), but after the war, production ceased; the Germans looted the equipment and the studio was used to house refugees.

By the early 1950s, American dollars were back. It was cheap to shoot in Italy, and the location was divine: perfect golden light, a short drive to the sea. Besides, it was fun to work in Rome. Liz Taylor and Richard Burton flaunted their affair up and down Via Veneto.

Alongside the Americans, of course, worked Italys most famous directors. These were the glorious decades of Italian filmmaking  of Rossellini, De Sica, Antonioni, Visconti, Leone, Pasolini and Fellini, who kept an apartment at Cinecitta.

The sheer size of the studio  86 acres, piazzas and offices and postproduction facilities and a huge backlot to hold thousands of extras  made it perfect for lavish dreamscapes like La Dolce Vita as well as big-budget spectacles like Ben-Hur and Cleopatra.

Until the spaghetti western took over, Cinecitta also churned out peplum, swords-and-sandals epics that were operatic spectacles of wide-screen heroism and full-colour romance. They starred bodybuilders and were big at the drive-in.

Extravagance, of course, is what Italy is all about. Extravagance is the Roman Empire and Berlusconis bunga bungas and the fashion industry and the papacy. Extravagance is taking all of August off when your country is in a recession. Extravagance is also what Cinecitta, at its height, was all about.

Perhaps the greatest homage to Cinecitta comes in Godards Contempt, which came out in 1963. Early in that movie, a French screenwriter named Paul arrives at Cinecitta for a meeting with an American producer.

The American, whose name is Jerry, is financing a film version of The Odyssey, directed by Fritz Lang, who plays himself. Cinecitta, which should be a bustle of set-building and prop-mastering and principals in blue eye shadow, is desolate.

Whats going on? Paul asks the producers assistant, a girl in a mustard-coloured sweater.

Jerry fired nearly everybody, she says. Italian cinema is in trouble.

One of the jokes here  that Italian cinema couldnt survive without an almighty chequebook  isnt funny anymore. The studio has been largely privatised  the state owns only a 20% share, plus the land and facilities  and operates at a fraction of its former pace.

A few years ago, Cinecittas owners decided that the studios legacy was more lucrative than investing in the studio itself.

So they did the sensible thing: They announced plans to open a luxury compound on the Cinecitta lot and to build a theme park, Cinecitta World, about 30 minutes from Romes centre. Three months of protests and picketing followed; three workers went on hunger strike. Cinecitta employees feared that Cinecitta World foretold the end of studio production and, with it, their livelihoods.

The problem was that by building a monument to something that wasnt actually dead, people got the idea that it was. Theres a fine line between celebrating a legacy and burying it alive.

One overcast morning this past August, I waited in the shadow of Temple of Moloch for the gates of Cinecitta World to open. As the minutes passed, a crowd of perhaps 100 Italians amassed, all taking pictures of each other. At the stroke of 10, grey fog spumed across the turnstiles.

We scanned our tickets beneath the monsters jagged teeth and crossed over to an old-timey set of New York City.

An empty stage loomed, suggestively, at the end of the block. Moments later, gunshots popped and men in trench coats scuttled from doorway to doorway. Music blared. Everyone was taking pictures of everything.

A small gaggle of high ponytails and broad chests bounded onstage, stretching and smiling as Pamela Lacerenza, a contestant on the first season of The Voice of Italy, sang triumphantly into a microphone. The song went something like Cinecitta World, I love Cinecitta World, Cinecitta World, yeah!

To a certain sensibility, such a scene represents a nightmare of existential alienation. Imagine how Antonioni would shoot it: overcast skies, barren fairground, rides that no one is lined up for.

Now imagine what Dino Risi would do: kerchiefed nonnas doing the twist, bachelors leering at any leg in sight. The truth is that my day at Cinecitta World wasnt like either. It was more mundane.

It was like this one reel that Cinecitta made to advertise itself in the 1930s, in which a gust of wind blows down the set walls and four actresses who had been sipping afternoon tea out of china cups suddenly find themselves in the middle of an unremarkable empty field with the fallen remnants of their make-believe world lying inert around them.

I wandered. Tucked next to the kids zone, at a long tent, a woman was holding a clipboard with one hand and handing out olive-green helmets with the other. She explained to me, mostly with gestures, that this was Aquila IV, a World War II-themed attraction. Ah, I said to myself.

This must be a ride based on a classic Italian war film that I have never seen! How interesting! I took a helmet and joined the group inside what turned out to be a submarine.

An actor in a white T-shirt and a shaved head shuffled us into a line and yelled, ordering us to bend over and touch our toes: Up. Down. Up. Down. Faster!

We were naval recruits. We moved through the submarine, and in each hold, a new scene unfolded. We marched. I was commanded to turn a wheel. Faster, faster! We said, Si, signore. At the end, the captain shook a toilet-paper roll in our faces. Something had happened in the bathroom.

I was confused. Was the purpose of this attraction to pretend to be a member of the Italian navy in World War II? This seemed an unfestive and politically unpalatable activity for a family park.

It wasnt something that the Germans would do, for example. It wasnt until I met up with my guide, Cynthia, that I got an explanation. Aquila IV is indeed a World War II attraction, but the point is not for guests to imagine themselves as fascist seamen.

The Aquila IV submarine is from the set of U-571 (2000), an American movie starring Matthew McConaughey and Jon Bon Jovi, which was filmed at Cinecitta.

Aquila IV is an exception. By and large, most of the attractions and rides of Cinecitta World dont directly reference specific films. Theres no Rome Open City reenactment, no 8 1/2-themed Tunnel of Love.

This is because Cinecitta doesnt own the rights to most of the movies that have been shot on its grounds. So unlike Universal Studios, with its Transformers 3-D and Simpsons and E.T. rides, all the attractions at Cinecitta World are generic.

Cynthia used the word homage a lot. The drop tower called Erawan, for example, is decorated with a giant elephant. This, she said, is an homage to Bollywood.

Most of Cinecitta Worlds sets were painstakingly designed by Dante Ferretti, who worked on Martin Scorseses Gangs of New York, also filmed at Cinecitta.

Besides a New York set at the park, theres Ancient Rome, anchored by the Roman Aqueduct and a self-serve cafeteria, and the western-themed Ennios Creek, named for the composer Ennio Morricone.

Authentic Morricone music plays on that street, but its hard to hear over one of those rides often found outside grocery stores, where a kid sits on a horse and spins around while Dixie tinkles.

Giulia, a Venetian teenager, was crestfallen at the lack of spectacles. She warned me off the show Audition, and I took her advice. Instead I attended Enigma (the e is backwards), the parks marquee event. Dancers in skintight suits did tricks with giant boxes to a pulsing electronic soundtrack.

A vague plot took shape. We travelled to ancient Rome, the Wild West and outer space. A doll came to life and grew 40 feet tall and sang an aria. A video projection of an elephant charged. The End? the screen asked. An actor in a white suit draped a red scarf around his neck and took a seat in a directors chair, his back to the audience. A man behind me caught the reference. Fellini, he murmured, audibly.

Enigma had taken place in one of the former studios of megaproducer Dino de Laurentiis. This is because Cinecitta World is located on what used to be the grounds of Cinecittas rival, a studio de Laurentiis opened in 1964 called  seriously  Dinocitta. One of the first films shot there was John Hustons The Bible, which called for the construction of five separate arks.

Cinecitta World will close or it wont; either way, films will continue to be made. And the only place to find movie history will be, as always, at the movies.

The scene at the beginning of Contempt continues with the French screenwriter and the girl in the mustard sweater trudging towards the green door of Cinecittas Teatro 6. They find Jerry, the American producer, exiting the studio, shielding his eyes against the sun. Jack Palance plays it to high stormy heaven.

He is in a tragic mood. Only yesterday there were kings here, he says. Kings and queens, liars and lovers  his voice rises to a crescendo now  all kinds of real human beings  here it breaks  feeling all the real human emotions. Yesterday I sold this land. And now theyre gonna build a five- and ten-cent store . . . on this, my lost kingdom!

Its the end of cinema, the girl translates.

I think cinema will live on, Paul says.
The decrease in losses at CityJet came despite its revenues having dropped by 8% from 179.8m to 165m.

The directors said they were delighted.

The turnaround came from efficiency gains and by focusing on on chartered flight, as well as cutting costs, the airline said.

It was sold by Air France to Germanys Intro Aviation, in 2014.

This week, the airline narrowly avoided a pilots strike when Unite deferred plans after agreeing to talks at the Workplace Relations Commission.

On the 2015 accounts, executive chairman Pat Byrne said yesterday: These results clearly illustrate the improving trading position of CityJet as we continue to reshape the business into a profitable and sustainable aviation operator.

Revenues this year were 30% higher than 2015, he said.

In 2015, we sowed the seeds of this restructuring, ordering new aircraft, acquiring an airline in Finland and securing long-term wet-lease business to de-risk us from the volatility of the air transport markets, Mr Byrne said.

Cityjet made 14m of last years total 165m revenues in Ireland. The companys largest market is France, where it had 53m of its sales.

Staff costs in the year totalled 34m, while directors were paid 1.58m, including a 478,000 payment for loss of office during the year.

Former CEO Christine Ourmieres resigned in March 2015. Two other directors resigned in March 2016.

Mr Byrne said: We have taken delivery of eight new CRJ900 jets, which we operate for Scandinavian Airlines, with four more CRJ900s arriving next March. We also took delivery of the first three new Superjet SSJ100s, from an order of 15, which we are we very successfully placing in the charter and wet-lease markets.

He said half of its 26-airline fleet was providing so-called wet-lease services for other airlines.

It plans to take delivery of nine more aircraft next year.

Clearly this is a growing business, with more growth to come. The 2015 results show that the trajectory we are on is delivering results, Mr Byrne said.

CityJet employs over 900 staff, with bases at Amsterdam, Dublin, London, Stockholm, Paris, and Helsinki.

Four aircraft are based in Paris operating services for Air France.

Eight planes are based in Stockholm and Helsinki operating on behalf of SAS.
New political pressures on the euro could also help Irish SMEs exporting across the Irish Sea, as new figures showed the UK was so far weathering the fallout from its Brexit decision.

The upbeat UK figures come at a time when traders are trying to assess the outcome of next weekends Italian referendum, which could spark a political crisis in Rome.

The turnaround in the fortunes of sterling has been marked in the last two and a half weeks. Though trading slightly lower yesterday at 85.1p, the UK currency has nonetheless clawed back about half of all of its worst losses sustained against the euro since the shock Brexit vote in late June.

The rebound will likely ease fears over retailers in the Republic leaking sales to the North and to UK online retailers during this cyber-spending weekend and ahead of the Christmas spending splurge. Sterling has surged against the euro from a post-Brexit low of 91p on October 11.

At 91p, the exchange rate also threatened to wipe out plans of Irish exporting SMEs because of the headwinds they face from a weak sterling. Since then, an English high court ruling and emollient comments from prime minister Theresa May, as well as better news for the UK economy, has helped boost sterling.

British retail sales grew at their fastest rate in more than a year, according to a Confederation of British Industry survey published yesterday, as shoppers there have shown little sign of retrenching spending since Junes vote to leave the EU, despite a sharp fall in sterling that looks set to push up prices early next year.

Separately, official figures showed UK firms brushed off the uncertainty over Brexit in the three months after the referendum and increased their investment, helping to drive solid growth in the economy.

There are now also political worries bearing down on the euro, including the possibility of a no vote in the Italian referendum, which would raise fears that elections in the Netherlands, France, and Germany next year would lead to Brexit-like populist rejections of establishment politics.

David Lamb, head of dealing at Fexco, said that since Octobers nadir that political factors were boosting sterling and weighing on the euro. Sterling could rise to 83p against the euro by the end of the year, but a move to 80p would need a fresh catalyst and that could be the Italian referendum, Mr Lamb said, adding that the Brexit issues surrounding sterling will not evaporate anytime soon.

I think sterling can recover a bit more [and] 83p by year-end is not impossible, he said.

Sterling was trading as high as 69p against the euro this time last year, and was at 76p on the eve of the Brexit vote in June.

Philip OSullivan, chief economist at Investec Ireland, which has one of the largest currency treasury desks in Ireland, said that sterling at 85p against the euro spells much better news for Irish exporters.

Consumer spending in the UK has been a positive surprise for the UK economy there, but sterling still faces significant Brexit-related risks, he said.
A radio controlled Japanese cartoon character 'Doraemon' flies during the Tokyo Toy Show 2005 hosted by Japan Toy Association on July 21, 2005 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo : Koichi Kamoshida/Getty Images )

Anime fans in Japan voted for the animated film or series that they find to be the saddest, and the list includes a mix of serious to generally funny ones. The poll involved 500 participants, and the titles chosen are undoubtedly familiar to anime enthusiasts.



According to the results from the survey conducted by ranking.goo.ne.jp, "Code Geass" is in 10th place and tied in eighth place are "Slam Dunk" and "Your Lie in April." Ranked No. 7 is "Natsume's Book of Friends" and in No. 6 is "Hanasaku Iroha."



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Here is the list of Top 5 anime tear-jerkers:



In No. 5 is the science fiction/romance film "The Girl Who Leapt Through Time." It was released in 2006 and is somewhat of a sequel to the novel by Yasutaka Tsutsui, published in 1967. It centers on Makoto Konno, a teenager who gains the power to leap through time. She uses her newfound powers unwisely. Her best friend, Chiaki Mamiya, reveals to her that he is from the future and he had also leapt through time. They eventually separate, with him promising that he will wait for her in the future.



In No. 4 is the romance television series "Kimi ni Todoke." It was adapted from the manga of the same title and was aired from 2009 to 2011. It focuses on Sawako Kuronuma, a teenager who wants to make friends in school but is not accepted because of her looks. Things change, however, when the popular Kazehaya begins talking to her. They fall for each other, but they have to overcome the obstacles that hinder their relationship.



In No. 3 is the drama/tragedy "A Dog of Flanders," adapted from the 1872 novel of the same title, written by English author Marie Louise de la Ramee aka Ouida. It is about an orphan boy named Nello and his dog, Patrasche. One tragedy leads to another, from being falsely accused of setting fire to a rich man's property to his grandfather's death, until he and his dog meet their demise.



In No. 2 is "AnoHana: The Flower We Saw That Day," an anime series that focuses on a group of friends who go their separate ways when one of them gets into a car accident and dies. They try to move on until Meiko appears as a ghost to the group leader Jinta with a request. However, she can't remember what it is. Jinta gathers their friends and they to try to discover what Meiko's wish is. In the process, their feelings of guilt for Meiko's death resurface.



In No. 1 is "Doraemon," the story of the robotic cat Doraemon, who is sent back in time to help a boy named Nobita. Nobita suffers from bullying and poor grades, and Doraemon's solutions to assist his human friend often goes wrong in one way or another.



There are many more tear-jerkers out there, and even the funniest or silliest anime films or series have their tender moments.






In late European trade, Brent crude fell 1.8% to $48.13 a barrel. Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (Opec) officials were scheduled to meet with non-members including Russia on Monday before a ministerial meeting in Vienna two days later.

Instead, the group called another internal meeting to try to resolve its own differences, particularly the question of whether Iran and Iraq are willing to cut production, said two delegates, asking not to be identified because the talks are sensitive.

Saudi Arabia wants an Opec deal in place before conversations with other producers, one delegate said. The setback suggests that Saudi Arabia remains split from its two biggest Middle Eastern rivals at Opec. Iran insists it should be allowed to restore output to pre-sanctions levels, while it remains unclear if Iraq is still disputing the Opec supply estimates that would provide the basis for any cuts.

With less than a week until the crucial ministerial meeting, the refusal of just one major producer to participate could scuttle the whole agreement reached in September in Algiers.

The whole Algerian deal wasnt clear from beginning and their approach was leave it to later, said Abdulsamad al-Awadhi, a former Opec official for Kuwait who is now an independent analyst in London. Two months after the initial accord, Opec leaders are confused and the groups founding members cant solve differences, but they want to have a deal with non-Opec. This a tough call.

In September Opec agreed the outline of its first production curbs since the global financial crisis in 2008. Since then, the group has spent two months trying to agree how to share the cuts, which would bring its production to a range of 32.5m to 33m barrels per day.

Opec estimates it pumped 33.6m barrels a day last month. Technical experts from member countries met in Vienna this week to finalise details of the cuts.

After two days of meetings, the talks concluded without resolving the issue of Iran and Iraq. Ministers from Saudi Arabia and Iran will not arrive in Vienna until Tuesday, leaving little time for them to hold talks before the big meeting.

Capital Economics in London said it expects some face-saving deal but for it to have little material impact on supply.
Michael Creed told fishermen in West Cork the appropriate consents and tendering for the works to facilitate the project in Castletownbere will start early in 2017.

Subject to the consents being in place, he said it is hoped that work will start in July 2017, with a targeted completion date of mid-2019.

The investment will almost double the length of pier space on Dinish Island to more than 400m; as well as providing an administration building, to house harbour management and the Sea Fisheries Protection Authority. The project is a direct response to the increase in fish landings into Castletownbere since the last major development became operational in 2010.

When completed, the new facilities will be on a par with the best in Europe, and will not only allow for a major expansion of the seafood and other marine industries in the south-west, but will also provide opportunities and further economic diversification, he said.

The pier at Dinish Island in Castletownbere. Picture: John Eagle

The village is Irelands largest white fish port, and last year accounted for wild fish landings of 45,762 tonnes worth almost 113m, and a significant level of aquaculture landings, with some 3,027 tonnes of farmed salmon landed there. Irish vessels landed almost 15,500 tonnes of fish compared to 11,290 tonnes in 2010, while other EU vessels landed 30,326 tonnes last year against 7,740 in 2010.

The value and volume of fish being landed in Castletownbere, has surged beyond expectations since 2010. The volume of fish landed has increased by 140%, while the value of fish landed has risen 277%.

The total tonnage of fish landed into Castletownbere by the Irish fleet and fleets from other EU countries has increased from 19,030 tonnes in 2010 to 45,762 tonnes in 2015. Since 2010, the number of landings from other EU fleets alone has increased by 242% from 409 to 1,400.

Mr Creed said he is committed to progressing the 21m expansion given the level of increased activity.

Sarah David fishing boat from Skibbereen. Picture: Gerard McCarthy

Niall Duffy, editor of the fishing industry newspaper, The Skipper, welcomed the investment: However, without guaranteed access to fish stocks and improved quotas in the long term, it could be a facility that benefits foreign fleets rather than Irish fisherman. There is no point in having some of the best facilities in Europe if they dont benefit the Irish fleet.

Mr Creed accepted that the Fisheries Council talks in Brussels next month to set 2017 quotas will be challenging, with significant cuts proposed in quotas, including a 68% cut in cod, 20% cut in monk and in megrim, and a 9% cut in prawns.

He said he is committed to working closely with the industry and will take account of the scientific advice to work to deliver a balanced package of quotas. However, he said investment in Castletownbere, and the increased landings by other EU fleets, creates opportunities for the processing and supply industries.
A deal between the EU and Britain must be agreed within two years once Britain triggers Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty, the formal process for leaving the EU.

Mr Kenny said: I think it will be impossible to do the negotiations within the contemplated two-year period. Thats why I think theres a growing feeling in Europe that there should be a transition period, and that the transition period will be longer than those two years  I think it will be, he told Sky News.

Meanwhile, a border poll on a united Ireland has been firmly ruled out by Enda Kenny and others attending a British-Irish summit amid ongoing talks on Brexit implications.

Any border or checkpoint changes due to Brexit would create enormous difficulties for Ireland and cause job losses, Mr Kenny said after the meeting of the eight leaders. .

The British-Irish Council (BIC), including leaders from the North, Scotland, and Wales, discussed the need for countries to continue to have access to the single market.

Welsh first minister Carwyn Jones said BIC members talked about minimising the possibility of any hard borders as a result of Brexit.

Mr Kenny said Ireland supports the Good Friday Agreement and its conditions. One of its clauses says a border poll, or a vote on a united Ireland, should be called if there is a strong body of opinion that one is needed.

Mr Kenny disagreed with being quoted this week as saying at a private fundraising event in Dublin that Brexit could in an uncomplicated way bring about a united Ireland.

He told reporters there is no intention of having a border poll now.

There is no indication that a border poll will succeed now. Weve enough on our plates at the moment to deal with Brexit and the many challenges that arise from many other issues.

Mr Kenny said new checkpoints or fresh port controls going up between countries would create enormous difficulties.

Nicola Sturgeon, Scotlands first minister, held talks with Mr Kenny at the summit yesterday and will visit Dublin next week.

Meanwhile, Mr Kenny has indicated that if there is a need to appoint judges because of a shortfall, the Government will ensure the work of the judiciary can continue.

There are a small number of circuit court and others that will probably [need judges] following next year on retirements or whatever. Were considering all of that. And we need a situation where judges are entitled to get on with their work in dealing with the many cases that come before them at all levels of the courts.

His comments come after criticism from Circuit Court president Raymond Groarke, who said this week that he cannot implement the law unless more judges are appointed.
What we really need to do is diagnose these people, said Don Hennessy at the launch of a new report on femicide in Ireland in Dublin yesterday.

209 women have been killed violently since 1996, with 16 children dying with their mother over the 20-year period.

Nobody is diagnosing or analysing the man, and until we look at the tumour, we cant cure the cancer, said Mr Hennessy.

He said abusive men are always sexually dominant in the relationship. Some are very demanding, and some go elsewhere to have their demands met.

Some of them are gay, but all of them will be in charge of the bedroom. A woman is never allowed to make the first move.

The men are arrogant as well and would say to him: Youve no idea whats going on, Don. If you were in my position, you would probably do the same thing.

Such men also feel entitled, and their entitlement grows from puberty and they believe that, sexually, they have the right to have their needs met, irrespective of the cost to their partner.

A woman [in an abusive relationship] would know within the first year what is allowed and what is not allowed and what the sanctions are if she goes beyond what is permitted.

Abusive men also spend a lot of time grooming the women, following the same steps as a paedophile, to sexually dominate another human being. Such men get inside womens heads, creating anxiety, confusion and terror.

Mr Hennessy said an abusive man would feel more entitled when a woman feels anxious, confused and terrorised  thinking that she is not such a great woman after all and he is doing his best.

Once his entitlement grows he is likely to kill her just as easy as he is likely to go for a pint and she knows that.

Mr Hennessy showed a picture of Rachel Callaly who was murdered in October 2004 by her husband, Joe OReilly who has continued to maintain his innocence.

When OReilly appeared on the Late Late Show three weeks later, people had sympathy for him because, like a lot of abusive men, he was an expert conman.

Mr Hennessy said young women like Rachel need to have someone explain to them what someone like Joe is capable of: When they know about Joe, then they have a better chance of avoiding him.

Earlier, Government chief whip, Regina Doherty, said she is embarrassed by the funding cuts to domestic abuse services in recent years.

When you look at the funding cuts over the last number of years it is very hard not to escape the fact the Womens Aid budget was cut by over 20%, said Ms Doherty.

She said it is important now to correct the imbalance and finance campaigns aimed at raising awareness of domestic violence.

I have no problem admitting that I have been embarrassed by what happened over the last number of years but I think it is far more important now that we correct the imbalance in the funding.
The Eighth Amendment, which amended Article 40 of the Constitution in 1983, acknowledged the right to life of the unborn, with due regard to the equal right to life of the mother.

The assembly will be presented with a history of abortion law in Ireland by barrister Eoin Carolan, a run down on current practice by a group of medical experts, and a lecture on ethics by a professor from Oxford University.

Roundtable discussions and question-and-answer sessions will also be held today and tomorrow as part of the discussions.

The assembly is made up of 99 citizens from a broad spectrum of the electorate and is chaired by Justice Mary Laffoy.

I am tremendously encouraged by the speakers who will be joining us this weekend. I trust they will take us through their work in a balanced and fair manner, Justice Laffoy said yesterday.

All of the assemblys public proceedings will be live-streamed on www. citizensassembly.ie over the course of the weekend.

Meanwhile, hundreds turned out in Cork and Dublin yesterday lunchtime, calling for an immediate referendum on the Eighth Amendment. The lunchtime rally, Women Rising, in Dublin was held by the Coalition to Repeal the Eighth Amendment, while Cork Pro-Choice organised the meeting at St Patricks Bridge.

The two rallies were part of an international day of support for women in countries where abortion is banned or difficult to access, such as Brazil, Ecuador, Peru, Poland, and Mexico.

The convenor of the Coalition to Repeal the Eighth Amendment, Ailbhe Smyth, said the rallies were an effort to demand change from the Government on urgent issues facing women.

The 66 member organisations that make up our coalition are calling on people to join in solidarity with women across Europe, South America, and Asia... as they rally to demand change from governments on urgent issues regarding women.

In Ireland, we will be calling for a referendum to repeal the Eighth Amendment to protect and respect womens lives, health, and choices, said Ms Smyth.

Were saying that women deserve better and Ireland can do much better.
Carol-Ann Flanagan, a Dublin City Council tenant of Crossguns Bridge, Phibsborough, claimed the pump, used to power a shower, washing machine, and taps in the rented apartment directly adjacent to hers and owned by Kay Lennox, had not been designed for multi appliances.

Ms Flanagan, who moved into the apartment in May 2012, said the noises were like little explosions.
The small, unmanned aircraft (SUA) technology allows search volunteers to cover areas of ground six times faster than previous methods.

Maria Hennigar (35) has been missing from the Doolin area since early November.

Civil Defence volunteers from Ennis joined gardai and the Doolin coastguard, from lunchtime yesterday. The search will be concentrated around Doolin village, and Doolin pier and its coastal surrounds, before moving inland. Three Ennis-based Civil Defence volunteers will operate the SUA technology under new pilot licences, secured in conjunction with the Irish Aircraft Authority (IAA). The team includes a drone pilot and two camera operators.

Volunteer Stevie Hayes said the technology allows them to search in a fraction of the previous time.

With 10 to 15 volunteers, the search of a 500m area could take 30 minutes, whereas, with the drone, we can cover it in three to five minutes.

The drones have maps, GPS, and zoom technology, so if anyone spots something and wants to take a closer look, we can do that, Mr Hayes said.

Missing Clare woman Maria Hennigar

Pilot licences have been secured to fly up to 500m in height, whereas the standard drone operator is limited to 300m.

A lot of the terrain we cover is dangerous cliff tops and caves, and slippery, rocky coastal regions, so this technology allows us to carry out our work in a much safer way, Mr Hayes said.

The 150,000 scheme began last winter and teams in nine counties have completed training.

The technology became operational over the summer and the IAA and Department of Defence will present the Civil Defence teams with their official certificates at a ceremony in the Phoenix Park today.
Photo credit: The West Cork Garda Youth Awards at the West Cork Hotel, Skibbereen, in association with SuperValu and media partner the Irish Examiner. Eoin Quinn, Skibbereen, one of the overall award winners, with Chief Supt Con Cadogan, West Cork and Kerry Divisions, and Gerry Devine, regional manager, SuperValu. Pictures: Denis Minihane

Chief Superintendent Con Cadogan revealed the plan as he presided over an awards night in West Cork honouring young people who have shown compassion, bravery, and community spirit.

Chief Supt Cadogan said the first garda awards ceremony of its type was launched in the West Cork Garda Division 22 years ago.

He said it had become such a success that it had since been rolled out to nearly every other garda division in the country.

The last garda division to take the awards programme onboard will be Galway and Chief Supt Cadogan said that plans were being considered to then hold a national ceremony at which they will pick the very best from all the divisions for special national recognition.

The awards ceremony was started in West Cork by Juvenile Liaison Garda James OMahony. It has stood the test of time and been very successful,said Chief Supt Cadogan.

He said that many former winners had since moved on to have very successful careers and pointed out to the current crop of winners that having such an accolade on their CVs would impress prospective employers.

I know there have to be winners, but as far as Im concerned everyone who was nominated is a winner and we can be very proud of them, he said.

Its imperative that we recognise our youth and all the excellent work they do in their communities.

This year, 128 young people were nominated for the West Cork Garda Youth Awards, held at the West Cork Hotel, Skibbereen.

There were six overall award winners, three special achievement recipients, and two group awards for a total of 36 people.

In addition, local Garda District Awards were handed out to seven people.

The six overall winners were Amy Sexton, Jordan McCabe, and Timothy ODriscoll from Bandon, Eoin Quinn (Skibbereen), Ellen ODriscoll (Goleen), and Mair Kelly (Goleen).

Amy won for volunteering with Penny Dinners and a meals on wheels group.

Jordan was recognised for his fundraising and Eoin for his volunteerism.

Ellen was also honoured for her volunteerism, while Timothy got the award for helping children following the Nepalese earthquake.

Mair was part of a group recognised for Show Racism the Red Card.
On Thursday, it was announced that a governance agreement had been reached between St Vincents Hospital Group and the National Maternity Hospital, and that a state-of-the-art obstetrics facility would built at the St Vincents campus by 2021.

We regard the building in Holles Street as currently owned by women. Its held in trust by governors.

When we are ready, the building will be sold, Dr Rhona Mahony, the master of the National Maternity Hospital said.

The National Maternity Hospital was first established in 1894, but attempts to relocate from Holles Street began 20 years ago.

Since 1998, we have been trying to move our hospital, Dr Mahony said.

She also said that the sale proceeds would go towards the new maternity hospital, in Dublin 4.

The proceeds of the building will go to the HSE, to be reinvested in this project, to build a hospital for women, because the building we own now is owned by women, its for women, and it is quite fitting, and proper, that when it is sold that the proceeds will go to the new maternity hospital that will continue for generations to deliver state-of-the-art care, Dr Mahony said.

Minister for Health, Simon Harris, announced on Thursday that an agreement had been reached between the two hospitals, which paved the way for the new facility.

He said that the National Maternity Hospital was in serious need of an infrastructural overhaul.

It is clearly from an infrastructural point of view, in such significant need of moving to a new, improved, modern facility, Mr Harris said.
Amidst mixed reactions to the finance-based decision from the State broadcaster, one familiar high-pitched voice was raised.

Boscos gloves came off in tweets from the puppets official twitter account, saying: Maybe tonight RTE will get rid of adult programmes. The red-haired puppet also tweeted Enda Kennys official account asking for the Taoiseach to intervene and followed up the Twitter outburst with a radio appearance where he criticised the thinking behind RTEs decision.

I just dont understand, and I dont think its because Im too little, Bosco said on The Anton Savage Show on TodayFM.

Why are children not as important as adults? I think its because children dont vote or spend money and RTE doesnt care about them. I think we should stamp our feet and shout out loud.

Bosco was echoing the sentiments of the RTE Trade Union Group, which said that RTEs decision was a bad one, resulting in the cancelling of 15 freelance contracts, while eight Young Peoples Department staff would retain their positions and 11 more would be relocated within RTE.

@EndaKennyTD Hello mr Boss did you know Rte are getting rid of Children's Programs Can you talk to them and tell them its a bad idea xBoscox  Bosco OFFICIAL (@boscosbox) November 24, 2016

The voice of Bosco, puppeteer Paula Lambert, said she agrees with Bosco completely. Ms Lambert, part of the Lambert family whose father Eugene was instrumental in Irish childrens programming, producing shows such as Bosco and Wanderly Wagon, said the national broadcaster has a responsibility to their younger viewers.

She said: 30% of RTEs viewers are children. There should be a discussion about it. This is a huge debate and this should have been a discussion that included the people who pay.

She also said that it was important to maintain Irish identity in kids television. From Bosco and Wanderly Wagon to Zig and Zag and Dustin The Turkey on The Den, RTE has often featured quality programming aimed at Irish children, penned, produced, and presented by homegrown talent.

Speaking on his RTE radio show, Ray DArcy reunited with his former Den co-host Dustin the Turkey to discuss the news. The presenter said he didnt know what to think of the announcement, while Dustin, was more outspoken, echoing Paula Lamberts fears that less homegrown TV would be made available for Irish children.

Its heart-breaking in a way, Dustin said. The Den was fantastic, and it was live. There was no script, no researcher. We just did what we wanted. Kids are clever, and they love good TV.

Irish children should still be watching Irish television.

Childrens TV scriptwriter and puppeteer Dominic Moore said the glory days of young peoples programming was the era of Wanderly Wagon but that, in recent years, resources had become more limited.

Wanderly Wagon ran on RTE from 1967 to 1982.

Young peoples programming began to slip away, he said. I think, from RTEs point of view, it was one of the easiest departments to go.

The statement from the national broadcaster said the decision was made because of the challenging financial environment, but that overall budgets for young peoples programming would not be cut and that RTE still welcomed proposals from independent Irish production companies.

Members of Animation Ireland, the trade organisation for Irish independent animation companies, were keen to stress that from their end little would change.

Larger companies, such as Brown Bag Films, who produced Oscar-nominated Give Up Yer Aul Sins and Granny OGrim, or Boulder Media, whose work includes Danger Mouse, employ up to 150 in-house animators.

Paul Cummins is the CEO of Galway-based Telegael, which independently produces animated and live action shows for an international and Irish market. They have produced childrens shows such as Sabrina: Secrets of a Teenage Witch and Bubble Bay for clients including Nickleodeon and Discovery Kids.

Irish animation is going from strength to strength as an employer, Mr Cummins said.From the independent sector, were very reassured that RTE have committed to investing the same amount in commissioning programmes.

From what we can tell, the only real change will be that links wont be produced in-house.

The majority of the programming is acquired anyway, so in a way this will make very little difference.

Telegael are currently in co-production with an Australian company on a childrens series of half-hour sit-coms, called Drop Dead Weird, which will be aired on RTE.

Childrens animation is so expensive now that programmes have to have a global appeal, said Mr Cummins. You cant make a programme for one market anymore; it simply isnt cost-effective.

Dara O Briain and Blathnaid Ni Chofaigh presenting Echo Island.

From Sneaky Snake to Zig and Zag

Wanderly Wagon

Childrens television series which aired on RTE from September 1967 until 1982. Wanderly Wagon followed both human and puppet characters as they travelled around Ireland  and later mythical lands and outer space  rescuing folk, learning about nature, and having adventures. The original premise of the show expanded to follow the characters to magical lands of Irish mythology, and into outer space. The concept was inspired by a family holiday one of the creators had on a horse-drawn caravan in Co Cork. Characters included OBrien, Godmother, Judge, FortyCoats, Mr Crow, Dr Astro, and Sneaky Snake, as well as two squirrels who sounded remarkably like Bosco.

Bosco

A childrens television programme produced during the late 1970s and 1980s. The show, featuring the eponymous and androgynous red-haired puppet who lived in a box, ran for 386 episodes, ending production in 1987. Bosco became a shared cultural experience for children growing up in Ireland at the time. Many still have fond memories of The Magic Door, The McSpuds, Gregory Grainog, and The Tongue Twister Twins, and merchandise featuring Bosco remains popular among adults of a certain age  and mindset.

Frank tells Bosco a story. The red-haired puppet has been an outspoken critic of RTEs move to outsource childrens programming, going so far as to tweet Taoiseach Enda Kenny.

Anything Goes

A young peoples programme featuring live segments, competitions and cartoons. It ran from 1980 to 1986. Presenters included Dave Heffernan, Kathy Parke, Aonghus McAnally, and Mary Make and Do FitzGerald.

The Den

A long-running childrens programme on RTE was first broadcast on September 29, 1986 on RTE1. It moved to Network 2 two years later. It was initially aired as a continuity strand for weekday afternoon programmes but later expanded during the late 1990s and the 2000s  it was known as Dempseys Den, Den TV, and Den2 at various stages.

Guests included then President of Ireland, Mary Robinson.

The Den introduced puppet characters such as Zig and Zag, their puppy Zuppy, Podge and Rodge, Dustin the Turkey, and Socky. Zig and Zag later transferred to Channel 4, Podge and Rodge moved onto adult comedy programming on RTE (including their own talk show), while Dustin ran for president and achieved global notoriety by representing Ireland in the Eurovision Song Contest. The Den aired for the last time in September 2010.

The Morbegs

Starred two larger than life-size creatures called Molly and Rossa, who came from a mythical place called Morbeg Land. It transmitted every weekday (and occasionally aired on The Den) over two decades. The show originally started in September 1996 and ended in May 1998 but reruns continued to be shown until November 2008.

Other RTE young persons productions included: Dilin O Deamhas, Pats Hat, Pats Chat and Pats Pals, Jo Maxi (which launched the career of Ray Darcy), Echo Island (Dara O Briains first job in television), and, Blackboard Jungle.
The late Cuban communist dictator, Fidel Castro. (Photo : Getty Images)

Fidel Castro, long the symbol of the failed system of government called communism, died at his home in Havana, Cuba late in the evening of November 25. He was 90 years old.



The cause of death was not announced by the Cuban government, now headed by his brother, Raul Castro. No other details of Fidel Castro's death was immediately forthcoming.



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"The commander in chief of the Cuban revolution died at 22:29 (EST) this evening (Nov. 25)," said Raul Castro in tersely announcing his brother's death.



An unrepentant communist to the end, the dictator Fidel Castro ruled Cuba with a bloody fist as First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba from 1961 to 2011, and as President from 1976 to 2008 when he ceded power to his younger brother Raul because of failing health.



After the Cuban Revolution, Fidel Castro sought and failed to transform Cuba into a socialist paradise, and later failed to export Cuba's brand of violent communism into neighboring Latin American states.



His close friend, the late Ernesto "Che" Guevara, an Argentinian doctor, was killed in Bolivia in their utopian quest to spread communism in Latin America. Guevara partnered with Castro to overthrow the corrupt government of pro-U.S. dictator Fulgencio Batista in 1959 after a three-year guerilla war.



As Cuba's communist dictator, Castro's aim was to defeat U.S. imperialism and infuse Cubans with a sense of nationalism. In his campaign to achieve these goals, however, Castro violated civil liberties, forcing many Cubans to flee Cuba for Miami.



Castro, whose full name is Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz, was born August 13, 1926 in Biran, Holguin Province to a wealthy family.



A true Marxist-Leninist, Castro turned Cuba into a one-party communist state under the Communist Party he headed. Cuba was the first communist state in the Western hemisphere and a source of immense irritation to the United States since the 1960s.



Castro's friendly relations with the communist Union of Soviet Socialist Republics led the administration of U.S. President John F. Kennedy to launch a covert operation to overthrow Castro.



That anti-Castro U.S. campaign run by the CIA led to the disastrous Bay of Pigs Invasion fiasco on April 17, 1961. Communist forces personally led by Castro defeated the CIA-sponsored paramilitary group, Brigade 2506 whose 1,500 men invaded Cuba to overthrow Castro. The U.S. proxy invasion was defeated after three days of fighting.



In response to the failed Bay of Pigs Invasion, Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev agreed to Cuba's request to deploy Soviet nuclear missiles in Cuba to deter future U.S. harassment of Cuba. This decision led to the Cuban Missile Crisis from Oct. 16 to 28, 1962.



The Cuban Missile Crisis, which almost triggered World War III, ended when Kennedy agreed not to invade Cuba again and Khrushchev agreed to withdraw Soviet nuclear missiles from Cuba.



Fidel Castro will be cremated on November 26.


Judge Gerard OBrien said a sense of middle-class entitlement by young people looking for the greatest high formed the background to a Co Cork teenagers death at an orgy of drink and drugs.

Teenager Alex Ryan paid the ultimate price by taking a so-called designer drug, N-bomb, at a Cork City party last January.

The judge, at Cork Circuit Criminal Court, also pointed out the medias interest in the case.

What is recreational drug use for the upper middle class, he said, is scumbag drug use for those who live in less affluent areas.

The application of designer drug is a self-serving and justifying term.

However, Judge OBrien said: The deaths of socially deprived young people that have drug addiction problems hardly warrant a comment  because they are not privileged, they are poorly educated, and cannot access the facilities and luxuries that many of the young people who attended at this event can obtain.

The arrival of the synthetic drug at the party in Greenmount, in Cork City, led to one man, Harry Clifton, with an address in Cork, receiving a two-year jail sentence with 18 months suspended and two other defendants, Ruairi Maher, 22, from Thurles, and Jessica OConnor, 20, from Killarney, receiving two-year jail sentences fully suspended.

Nicole Ryan, whose 18-year-old brother Alex died, was critical of the level of punishment. She also challenged any suggestion the defendants had shown genuine remorse.

They had 10 months to contact us and say sorry or say something to us, but not one ounce of remorse has been shown, she said.

Judge OBrien said the matter had attracted media attention.

The participants were middle-class college students whose sense of entitlement to access that better and greater high clouded their judgement, he said.

What is recreational drug use for the upper middle class is scumbag drug use for those who live in less affluent areas.

He said the fact certain elements in youth culture speak of recreational drug use so freely and regularly has normalised an activity which is highly profitable for some and can have fatal consequences for others.

The offences committed arise out of a devil-may-care and reckless attitude to the consumption of illicit drugs and, in this case, designer drugs, he said.

I have no doubt that Mr Alex Ryans tragic death has given the participants in this party pause for thought.

Mr Ryan, according to the evidence, was a willing participant in the drug-taking at this party.

He paid the ultimate price for it and his family must live with his absence from their lives forever.

And while all young people feel invincible since time began, that invincibility in the past referred to the possibility of never being involved in an accident climbing Mount Everest  not the wilful and reckless ingestion of drugs obtained from persons who consort with criminals that manufacture these products for the sole purpose of profiting from the horror of addiction and depravity.

The arrogant disregard by young people, admittedly a minority, to the laws in respect of drug-taking and their mindless carelessness of their own lives not to mention their health is most disturbing and deeply regrettable.

This case highlights the insidious normalisation of the consumption of illicit drugs.

The law does not recognise the term recreational drug use.

Judge OBrien said people were bleating on about not knowing what was in the drug but he said that very many illegal drugs were full of rat poison.
Christopher Carroll, of 30 The Crescent, Kilteragh, Dooradoyle, pleaded not guilty at Limerick Circuit Court to threatening to kill or cause serious harm to Patrick Doyle on April 8, 2013.

In a statement to gardai and in a letter of apology, he admitted losing his temper but said he did not intend any harm to Mr Doyle. In his statement to gardai, he said he humbly apologised for what he said and could not recall making the alleged threats.

Mr Doyle said in evidence he worked with SGS Ireland Ltd, East Link Business Park, Ballysimon Rd, where the company carried out metering and other tests on taxis on behalf of the NTA.

As part of the meter verification test, Mr Carrolls Avensis was found to have two front tyres with different sizes. On telling the accused his taxi had failed the test, he said Mr Carroll got very agitated and came close to his face, saying he would bite his nose off. Mr Doyle asked the accused to leave as their business had been finished. He stated the accused then said to him: Ill be back wearing a balaclava and put a bullet in your fucking head.

Mr Doyle agreed with Brian McInerney, defending, that he had been made aware of a two-page letter of apology in which the accused agreed he flew off the handle.

However, he said this letter did not reflect what happened as the accused still denied threatening to kill him. Mr Doyle denied egging the pudding and hamming it up by making a State case out of a small spat.

Sgt Viv Downey gave evidence of a statement given by the accused in which he said he flew off the handle as he felt Mr Doyle might have been fairer to him. He was also angered that he would have to go to Dublin for a re-test as Mr Doyle said he would not repeat the test for him, owing to what had occurred. He denied threatening to kill Mr Doyle.

Sgt Downey said the accused stated he did not wish Mr Doyle any ill will.

The statement included comments: If I said something like that [threaten to kill] there was no intention to carry it out and I apologise if I said it in the heat of the moment.

I have a lot of trouble in my life. I am a reformed alcoholic with a heart condition and Im up to my eyes in debt. I am very embarrassed and humbly apologise. I meant no harm to anybody. If I said anything I did not mean it. I humbly apologise for any words and withdraw any allegation or suggestion of visiting danger on him. If I said anything I did not mean it.

The jury returned a unanimous not-guilty verdict after less than an hour.
The Eurobarometer poll also found that 11% of Irish people believe being drunk or on drugs justifies sex without consent.

Chief executive of the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre, Noeline Blackwell, said they are concerned and shocked, but not surprised by the figures.

We know people dont think enough about consent, and dont understand it well enough, she said. But sex without consent is rape.

She referred to the recent Supreme Court judgement that sex without consent could not exist if a woman, for any reason, was not in a condition to give it.

Ms Blackwell said the aim over the next year should be to reduce by half the number of people who think sex without consent is acceptable in certain situations.

The survey found that 7% of Irish people think walking home alone, wearing certain clothing, and going home with someone makes sex without consent acceptable. About 9% think sex without consent is acceptable if a person is wearing revealing clothes. A similar number (9%) said intercourse without consent is justified if a person voluntarily goes home with them.

The Dublin Rape Crisis Centre is supporting the 16 Days campaign opposing violence against women.

Between now and Saturday, December 10, we want to remind people that consent in sexual relations is crucial, said Ms Blackwell. Consent makes the difference  it makes a good relationship or an assault. Without consent, it is an assault, up to and including rape.

She said they are not surprised that people do not feel they need to ask for consent from someone who has consumed alcohol or drugs.

We come across people who have been assaulted when they have been drinking or taking drugs, and they are afraid to say what happened, said Ms Blackwell.

The Eurobarometer poll was published yesterday to mark International Day to End Violence Against Women, and 1,002 people were interviewed in Ireland for the survey.

Three quarters (77%) said domestic violence against women was common and one quarter (26%) stated that they knew a friend or family member who had been a victim. The survey also showed victim-blaming persists  almost one in five (18%) believe violence is often provoked by the victim. Nearly one in four (23%) think women often make up or exaggerate claims of abuse.

Meanwhile, a report shows that a woman in Ireland is most likely to be killed in her home and by a current or former partner or husband. Since 1996, 209 women have died violently.
Michael Cambridge, who runs ODwyers pub in Kanturk, in north Cork, applied for a three-year lease for Mollys bar, at no 53, McCurtain Hill, in Clonakilty.

He said he would operate a loyalty card scheme there and that it was no different from similar promotions by supermarkets.

The application was strongly opposed by gardai, and the local vintners association said it was arranging a meeting with local Fine Gael TD Jim Daly, as to urge the Government to close what it deemed a loophole.

Insp Fergal Foley told Clonakilty District Court he was concerned about the loyalty cards and and felt they were contrary to Section 16 of the Intoxicating Liquor Act, 2008.

However, he told the court that while that section of the act  which provides for Garda objections to the granting of licences  had been enacted, the relevant regulations in this instance had not been put in place by ministerial order.

What the legislation clearly states is what is being proposed is illegal, but, unfortunately, the minister has not brought in the regulations that will give cause or effect to Section 16 [of the act], he said.

Mr Cambridges solicitor, Eamonn Fleming, said there was no legal prohibition to prevent the granting of the licence.

He also said that Mr Cambridge would be able to track the amount of alcohol consumed by any customer using the loyalty card, and that this could be of help to gardai.

Loyalty cards are available in supermarkets, Mr Fleming said. Why should there be a prohibition on a publican doing the same thing?

He added that to deny the application would be anti-competitive.

Insp Foley said the primary trade in supermarkets was in groceries and he said he was worried a loyalty card scheme could lead to excessive drinking and gardai are then the ones that have to pick up the tab on the street.

The court heard publicans in Clonakilty worked together to monitor stag and hen parties, and to ensure there was responsible trading. Insp Foley said garda objections were not against Mr Cambridge but in the public interest.

Giving evidence, Mr Cambridge said he intended to be personally involved in the running of the bar, which will change its name from Mollys Bar, and would observe all laws and regulations.

Indicating that a similar scheme was operating in his pub in Kanturk, he said: It has not affected me in the other pub.

In granting the licence, Judge James McNulty said Clonakilty was a Premier League tourist town. You could really say it is a top- four club, it is that good, and that Mr Cambridge needed to be aware of that.

Judge McNulty said he had his doubts over whether Mr Cambridges business model would do much for his trade, but granted him the licence and wished him good luck.

Afterwards, a representative of local vintners said they had no issue with anyone taking on a new licence, but wanted fairness and a continuing of co-operation between publicans to ensure responsible trade.

The Department of Justice confirmed that the sections in the 2008 Act would be repealed and replaced in the Public Health (Alcohol) Bill.
Darius Savickis, a Lithhuanian national, orally raped a 23-year-old woman as she walked home from work in Galway on November 28, 2005.

After he was arrested, he absconded to Scotland but eventually agreed to his return here, where he pleaded guilty to the rape and was sentenced to six years imprisonment in 2009.

While serving that sentence in Castlerea prison, he was assaulted by a prison officer.

A High Court jury gave him just 225 for what happened to him in that incident, but the Court of Appeal found he had been assaulted and increased it to 17,225.

His victim then applied to the High Court for a freezing order on that award pending determination of her own action seeking damages against him for what he did to her.

Savickis lawyers oppose the application.

The case continues.
Judge Sean O Donnabhain said that even though the accused would repay all of the money taken or more  between money paid and proposals to pay  a jail term still had to be imposed.

Jennifer ODriscoll of St Johns Terrace, Worlds End, Kinsale, Co Cork, was sentenced to three years, with the last two years suspended.

Det Sgt Clodagh OSullivan, who investigated the case, said ODriscoll, aged 45, no longer worked as a HSE social worker.

ODriscoll used her detailed knowledge of the payment system for foster families and her position of trust within that area to steal more than 97,000 between May 2008 and January 2013.

Judge O Donnnabhain said that the starting point in dealing with any fraud case was that the fraud was deliberate and planned, but this was marked by a distinct and organised methodology by ODriscoll to create a web of deceit with herself at the centre.

It was bad enough that she had stolen money that was destined for people who were entitled to payments to foster children, but what made it even worse was that she used the names of actual children who were not even within the compass of the HSE to perpetrate the fraud, he said.

He accepted it would have been a difficult and prolonged case for the State to prove, had it gone to trial, and there was no certainty as to the outcome, so in that sense ODriscolls plea of guilty was of significant benefit.

He also accepted that ODriscoll had lost her job as a social worker and would not work in the profession again and that she had repaid a significant sum and could conceivably end up paying back more than she stole when all her pension entitlements were forfeited.

He believed the appropriate headline sentence was three years but suspended the final two, given ODriscoll had no previous convictions and had previously been of good character.

Det Sgt OSullivan said: Nine foster carers and 23 children were embroiled in this investigation. Named children were placed on the list of children at risk even though they were never in care at all.

This deception went on for more than five years before ODriscoll was eventually caught. None of the foster families ever suspected her.

A disciplinary issue arose in relation to the social worker and in the course of this issue there was an examination of her work and the crime was discovered.

ODriscoll pleaded guilty to 38 charges of theft and 42 of deception. The charges refer to thefts of various sums of cash at North Lee social work department, Blackpool, Cork, on dates from May 29, 2008 to January 1, 2013.
Nicole Ryan also criticised the punishment handed down, but her fury focused on the behaviour of the accused over the past weeks proceedings at Cork Circuit Criminal Court.

They had 10 months to contact us and say sorry, or say something to us. But not one ounce of remorse has been shown, said Nicole, whose brother Alex, 18, died in hospital after attending a drink and drugs-fuelled orgy in Corks Greenmount area last January.

Harry Clifton, aged 29, of 11 St Finbarrs Place, Probys Quay, Cork, yesterday received a two-year sentence with 18 months suspended. He had pleaded guilty to having N-bomb for the purpose of supply and related charges.

Ruairi Maher, aged 22, of 12 Ballycurrane, Thurles, Co Tipperary, received a suspended two-year jail sentence. He had admitted conspiring with another to possess a controlled drug for the purpose of sale or supply, namely N-bomb.

Jessica OConnor, aged 20, of Rosebank House, Ballyhar, Killarney, Co Kerry, also received a suspended two-year sentence. She had admitted having N-bomb for the purpose of sale or supply.

OConnor had been at a weekend-long party with friends and they had decided to get their hands on some kind of hallucinogenic drug. Maher, who sourced 12 doses of the N-bomb from Clifton for 80, told OConnor he could get her 12 trips for 120  making a 40 profit by the transaction.

Harry Clifton: 18 months of term suspended; Ruairi Maher: Suspended sentence; Jessica OConnor: Suspended term.

Through these channels, the drug was brought to the party in Greenmount.

Apart from the drug, there had been evidence of people attending the party consuming huge quantities of alcohol, including wine, spirits, and tequila.

After the sentencing at Washington Street Courthouse, Ms Ryan stated: It is heartbreaking. It is such a terrible week for us.

But they [the defendants] were actually laughing at us. They were basically laughing at his death.

In my opinion, they have absolutely no regard for human life at all.

People do have disregard for drugs. But the people who sell these things have to be held accountable.

They were all young, they were all stupid, but to say they were remorseful was not true.

They didnt show one ounce of remorse towards Alex.

With two of the accused getting wholly suspended sentences, Ms Ryan also stated: What kind of message are we sending out?

We are essentially telling people that no matter what you do  selling drugs  you are going to get a suspended sentence.

We are basically telling people you are not going to be punished for what you do.

The investigation had taken place against the background of Mr Ryans death after he sniffed the synthetic drug.

Detective Garda Daniel McEnery said the investigation commenced following the admission of several young people to hospital after they had taken a drug at a party in Greenmount. Most of the people at the party were students aged around 20.

Judge Gerard OBrien said Maher and OConnor and the late Mr Ryan sought out Clifton with the express purpose of purchasing an illegal product that would be as potent as possible.

He said they submitted that they did not know what they were getting but he said their recklessness was culpable.

The judge said the deceased Mr Ryan did not have to be induced, coerced or cajoled into taking the drug during what he described as young people in an orgy of drink and drugs consumption, a drug which he said had been sourced from dubious, invisible, others.

Judge OBrien said people were bleating on about not knowing what was in the drug, but he said that very many illegal drugs were full of rat poison.

Ms Ryan, meanwhile, said her family was shocked that many of the people who attended the tragic party last January attended court to show their support to the three defendants.

Not one of them had attended Cork University Hospital last January as her brother had fought in vain for his life.

She said she will never forget the sight of her brother fighting in vain for his life in the intensive care unit.

He was lying in the hospital bed.

There were tubes everywhere, in his arms and from his mouth. It was awful to see.

We hoped and prayed that he would pull through but there was too much damage.

Her family, she said, will forever be haunted by the sight of her brother slowly losing his battle for survival in front of their eyes.

A lot of our hopes and dreams died with Alex. There is not a day that we dont think about him and what a terrible loss we have suffered.

They later donated the teens organs, with four people effectively being saved.

The family now wants to help support the anti-drugs campaign in Ireland.

Alex was a wonderful person, she said.

He had a beautiful smile and he was as kind-hearted a soul as you could ever meet.

But he made one very bad decision. That mistake took his life and changed our lives forever.

Alex paid for his mistake with his life.

We dont want any other Irish family to suffer our loss.
A typical, well behaved dining set comprising a sideboard, dining table with matching caned chairs in faux Elizabethan style  all dark oak, barley twists and knobbley knees, sitting ready for natters over a bare lamb chop.

The good room where you show off your increasing household income, now that you and the husband are working, stages over-stuffed corpses of hefty late Victorian and Edwardian parlour furniture. What light battles through the shrouding nets is suffocated in heavy velvet pelmets and floor length curtains, finally sucked down into a dark Oriental rug.

A second-class carriage clock taps out the hours flanked with inherited Oriental porcelain (made for export, nothing thrilling). You might have gone completely insane to celebrate the end of the Great War, and covered the wing-backed armchairs with Colefax & Fowler shrub roses. Otherwise, all is stifling conventionality that wont scare your parents, the horses or the neighbours.

The roots of change had arrived a decade earlier, but following the Exposition Internationale des Arts Decoratifs et Industriels Modernes in Paris in 1925, British and Continental artists, potters, textiles makers, glass houses, and furniture firms began mass producing startling new colours, shapes, and devices as the Art Deco took a hold in high society.

However, not everyone in the 20s and 30s was a daring Hercules Poirot, turning their houses upside down to this savagely contemporary look. There was more vintage, plain utilitarian, and turn of the century Arts and Crafts styling, than cloud-backed maple chairs or borzoi-topped clocks in a typical semi-D. First-time buyers with modest means needed products that allowed them to dip their toe into the roaring age of jazz without losing a whole leg.

The wall mask of a beautiful womans face (and occasionally a hand to the face) was one of a number of ceramics that provided a flash of brazen contemporary colour and glam in the miasma of the plain early 20th-century hall or living-room. Nothing catches our attention like a human portrait, were simply hard-wired to look into a face mounted or framed be it a carved African tribal mask or a 18th-century painting.

The mask, an ancient device for transforming and disappearing from everyday life, has a magic all its own. Masks from the Deco era retain this immediacy and drama, and are instantly recognisable as tokens of the age, showcasing new opportunities, attitudes, entertainments, and fashions that were redefining the looks and expectations of an entire generation.

The artists who created the master moulds used to make factory runs, had everything from the shape, ethnicity, and expression of the face, to the styling of the hair, the choice of make-up, plus the addition of a hat, scarf of prop for the divine girl, to play with. Popular interest in celebrity, the silent musicals and comedies of Hollywood, the variety theatre, and the circus were channelled in many masks from the 20s and 30s.

Each is highly individual  flirty, enigmatic, surreal, even dangerous, and she will always be finished within bright glazes and be, what was termed in the 20s delightful. Curly or waved hair was a popular choice as it added interesting texture. Exotic blue and even luxuriant green tresses, taken from modernist art on the continent, appears regularly. Empty, formless eyes can give some faces a slightly eerie stare.

In affordable masks made between the world wars, look out for English pieces by the Staffordshire potters: JH Cope, Royal Doulton and John Beswick (of Beatrice Potter bunny fame). Prices range from 150-500. Clarice Cliff also made some very progressive masks in the 1930s with a high degree of stylisation in oriental and starlet styles, which appeals to mask collectors and Bizzare fans; 400 plus.

Royal Doulton masks are rare, but shine with their signature quality for figures and characterful faces. Some English masks had a choice in colour-ways too. The Beswick Marlene Dietrich, very popular with collectors, has a range of beret colours and red or blonde hair; 250-300. Look for impressed marks on English or French masks or Google and compare to known originals of flat profiles and full face, statue-style masks.

Masks were made right up into the 1960s and honest reproduction and forgery of good pieces began in earnest in the late 1980s. Follow the trail with a collectors club for the pottery or porcelain makers if you can find them. Chalk masks are relatively common but rarely survive without a chip or two and are not as valuable as fired pieces.

Continental masks offer the significant treasures in their invention and the quality of the sculpting and finish. Individual, bespoke masks are four figure investments. Goldscheider of Vienna are the best known with masks made in multiple pieces and a lot of hand finishing; 450 up. Royal Dux of Bohemia made large elegant cameos in a satin finish with exaggerated features, gorgeous eyes and high couture, which now enjoy an ecstatic following, starting from 300.

Look out for unmarked, well made antique Czech masks. FW Goebel is best known for its saccharine-sweet, child figures beloved of Hitler and made beautiful masks full of intricate work and beautiful shading to the paintwork, again in the 400 plus range.

My personal favourite are the rare and exquisite porcelain works of Sandro Vacchetti and Helen Konig Scavini for Essevi/Leci of Italy, as they just seem to nail the lively expression of a woman at the height of her seductive powers right to the wall.
It is not, however, as disheartening as the Eurobarometer figure that records that 27% within the EU support that certain-situations position. It is, however, far less disheartening than the Romanian figure showing that 55% endorsed this view.

It is a principle of our time that the only time sexual intercourse is appropriate is when two, fully aware, consenting adults agree. The practice is, as the poll also shows, somewhat different. More than one-in-10  11%  of Irish people and 12% of other EU respondents suggest that being drunk or using drugs justifies sexual intercourse without consent. In Romania that ratio hits 30%. This compares to only 2% in Sweden, Finland, Spain, and Denmark.
Commentary Burma is Heading in the Wrong Direction

Daw Aung San Suu Kyi meets Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing in the commander-in-chiefs Naypidaw office on Dec. 2. / Htet Naing Zaw / The Irrawaddy

If one wanted to describe the current political climate in Burma, it is like a roller coaster ride.

The Daw Aung San Suu Kyi-led government has faced ups and downs in recent months and is now at a low. There is growing criticism toward her leadership, her cabinet and her administrations management of the conflicts in northern Burma and in Arakan State. More challenges are waiting in the pipeline.

The renewed conflict in the North needs immediate attention as ethnic leaders want to discuss political issues, but have been confronted with more military offensives in recent months, particularly after the much-touted 21st Century Panglong peace conference at the end of August.

The recent offensive by the Northern Alliance in northeastern Shan Stateincluding ethnic armed groups belonging to the Kachin, Kokang, Palaung (Taang) and Arakaneseis troubling and could derail ongoing peace meetings being initiated by the government. The strategy is to build up pressure on the government and to raise the issue as one that extends beyond Burma, as the target is not just security forces but cross-border trade with China.

Three of the armed groupsthe Kokang, Palaung and Arakanesewere not invited to the last peace conference, but they had expressed a willingness in taking part in the process.

China sent a delegation to Naypyidaw to discuss the issues at handa strong indication that China holds the key in the northern conflict; the Chinese also previously promised to help the Burmese government in the peace process.

Last month, Burma Army commander-in-chief Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing was in Beijing, where he also met President Xi Jinping and agreed to military-to-military engagement and increased cooperation between the two armed forces. The two also discussed the non-state armed groups based in Burmas north.

Subsequently, ethnic armed organizations launched the current offensive.

The fact is that several ethnic armed forces in the North are under the influence of China and in restoring stability China will undoubtedly play a key role.

Chinas strategic interest in Burma, as well as its recent decline of influence in the country, has also been well observed. China is concerned that several of its major business projects have faced strong opposition, including the controversial Myitsone dam in northern Burma, which has been suspended. The decision on the multi-billion dollar hydropower project is on hold and the current government formed a commission to decide and evaluate the fate of the dam in August.

In any case, Burmas de facto leader issued a statement calling for a stop to the fighting four days after ethnic insurgents launched the offensive in Shan State. But ethnic leaders were surprised, as Daw Aung San Suu Kyi was silent when military leaders began their own offensive several weeks ago.

Meanwhile, the West and the UN remain focused on issues surrounding the Rohingya Muslims in Arakan State. Pressure is being built up to allow access and aid to the conflict area in northern Arakan State.

Recent militant attacks in Northern Arakan suggest growing radicalization among the Rohingya population. The West asked the Burmese government to allow an independent investigation on recently abuses by security forces reported in the region, but so far there has been limited access to the conflict zone. The government denied the alleged human rights abuses and skeptics insist that the serious allegations require strong verification.

Some fear that the situation in Arakan State will soon be out of control and the armys presence is in fact needed, as local Arakanese have feared. Arakanese politicians have a strained relationship with the current government and Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, but are much closer to the army and are in favor of taking strong action against Rohingya Muslims.

The official line of both the Burma Army chief and Daw Aung San Suu Kyi is that the Rohingya Muslims are not one of Burmas ethnic minorities. Much of the countrys Buddhist population, including some ethnic minorities, feel the same way.

There is a danger of polarization as the West fails to speak on the issue of the ethnic Arakanese who feel that they have been guarding the western border to deter immigrants from flocking through from Bangladesh. They feel their concerns are being neglected. The more the issue of the Rohingya is raised to the level of international intervention, the more that the local Arakanese and several nationalist groups will feel a need to call the Burma Army to step in to the situation directly. There is no rationality and pragmatism with which to resolve the issue.

The relationship between Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing is not a healthy one, either. According to sources close to the leaders, the trust and confidence between them is quite thin, and they reportedly particularly disagree on how to approach both ethnic conflict in the North and the conflict in Arakan State.

In some cases, the exchange of smiles in front of cameras has been soothing to watch, but in reality there is rising tension between the two figures.

One theory is that Daw Aung San Suu Kyis leadership is effectively undermined and that she is losing her popularity particularly among some ethnic groups and Burman intellectuals. Some critics feel that the government is losing control of the country. The other harsh reality is that Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and her cabinet have limited capacity with which to manage the country and to win the trust and confidence of the ethnic groups and the general population. Rising commodity prices and slow economic growth are also of major concern among urban-based residents.

A recent spate of minor bombings in the former capital, Rangoon, is a growing sign of instability and has invoked fear and insecurity, as well. Glass energy drink bottles filled with chemical liquids reportedly caused the explosions. There were no casualties in the blasts, but questions have been raised about whether the acts were politically motivated. The last one occurred at the immigration department of the Rangoon divisional government office; Rangoon chief minister Phyo Min Theins residence is also in the vicinity.

The situation resembles that of two powerful and dominant lions sharing a cave. A cynic might ask how long they will be able to make their friendship last.

And so this time, yet again, it seems that Burma is heading in the wrong direction.

Aung Zaw is the founding editor-in-chief of The Irrawaddy.
Fairy Tail is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Hiro Mashima. (Photo : Facebook/Fairy Tail fan page)

Chapter 512 of "Fairy Tail" is expected to continue the heating fight between Larcade and Sting. Fans have predicted Larcade will be killed and defeated as soon as Sting unleashes his White Shadow Dragon.



In chapter 511, after questioning the similarity in scent of Larcade's to Natsu's, Sting tried to counter the former's attacks but seemed unsuccessful. At first, Zeref's son casted the starvation magic to distract the White Dragon. His magic seemed effective as Sting almost devoured Frosh as soon as he saw it.



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Meanwhile, other Fairy Tail guild members also tried eating each other as soon as Larcade unleashed his attack. While Sting was able to battle it out, he was still at the verge of giving on the magic. Larcade, on the other hand revealed the true identity of Natsu.



While many believed Natsu is Zeref's brother, Larcade revealed the reason why he has the exact same scent with Natsu is because the latter is also Zeref's child. After exchanging blows, the Light Mage threatened the White Dragon that he will be unleashing his other spell that totally weakens human, the sleep magic.



On the other hand, Sting was advised by Rogue that he can his opponent if he releases his White Shadow Dragon. The latter encouraged Sting to consume his shadow in order to gain sufficient strength and unleash the sleeping monster.



Following the events that happened, Yonkou Productions is predicting in their released manga that Sting will be defeating Larcade. Although it may seem at first that the Light Mage has the upper hand, using his White Shadow Dragon attack enabled Sting to defeat such a powerful villain.



Fans over at Manga Trip is speculating as well that Larcade will be defeated by Sting. Although Zeref's son will think he is already owning the match, Sting extracted power from the darkness Larcade's sleep magic brought to defeat the latter.



Meanwhile, the same publication also hinted on the condition of Natsu's body after battling with Gray. According to Porlyusca, Natsu's body need to be warmed up for him to survive. Hearing this, Lucy did not hesitate to do something to increase the body temperature of Natsu.



For other information about Chapter 512 of "Fairy Tail," check out the video below.






A 41-year-old mother from Wolcott, Indiana is being accused of injecting her 15-year-old son's intravenous lines multiple times with feces while he was undergoing cancer treatment. The child developed life-threatening blood infections; which delayed his treatment. Doctors say that the boy would have died had he undergone cancer treatment while he still had the blood infection.

The Teenage Cancer Patient Had Unexplained Infections

Tiffany Alberts, a teacher, is now facing six counts of aggravated battery and one count of neglect of a dependent resulting in serious bodily injury, all felonies. The investigation started November 17 when medical staff said the 15-year-old boy, who is being treated for leukemia at Riley Hospital for Children, developed several unexplained infections. After his first round of therapy, he returned to the hospital after a few days due to high fever, vomiting and significant bouts of diarrhea. Doctors who looked after him couldn't find a medical explanation for the persisting blood infection. That's when Alberts was brought in for questioning.

Mom Claimed She Injected Feces Into IV For Her Son To Be Moved To A Better Treatment Unit

According to court documents, Alberts allegedly first told investigators that she injected water into her son's IV to "flush the line" because the "medicine that was given to him burned." However, she later confessed that she did inject the boy's IV with fecal matter several times since November 13. She claimed she only did it to get her son moved to another unit at Riley, where she said treatment was better.

Alberts Is Now Awaiting Trial With A No Contact Order

On Wednesday, Alberts posted an $80,000 surety bond and was released from jail. A judge allowed her to reside on Elmore Drive in Springfield as she awaits trial, with a no contact order with her son as a condition of her release. Her next court date is a pre-trial hearing set for Jan. 17, 2017, online court records show.
Women's rights activists are calling on the High Courts to review the lower- court decision on Malawi's "hyena man", who had unprotected sex with girls as part of a traditional custom. Eric Aniva from Malawi is paid by widows to "sexually cleanse" them after the deaths of their husbands and by families to have sex with underage girls to mark their passage to adulthood. He is HIV-positive.

Aniva Had Sex With At Least 100 Girls Without Telling Them He Has HIV

The 45-year-old "hyena man" was arrested earlier this year after he admitted that he had unprotected sex with girls and women without telling them of his HIV-positive status. He was tried under Malawi's Gender Equality Act of 2013. Emma Kaliya, executive director of Malawi Human Rights Resource Centre (MHRRC) said: "We are shocked and appalled that a man, living with HIV, has for over two decades sexually violated children as young as 12 years of age in an outdated, retrogressive culture that is harmful for women and girls."

The Sentence Given To Aniva Is Too Lenient, Activists Say

Although two women testified against him, he was not found guilty of having sex with underage girls, because none of them came forward. As a result, the lower court sentenced him to two years in prison for engaging in "harmful cultural practices" which carries a maximum of five years in prison for violations of the law.

"What message does this send to all perpetrators of sexual violence hiding behind discriminatory and destructive cultural practices - that you can get away with only two years? This is a disgrace and a big let-down to the women and girls of Malawi. The courts of justice must revoke and reconsider this sentence. We are enraged," Kaliya said.

Michael Goba Chipeta, Aniva's lawyer, said he would appeal both the conviction and sentence.
A research conducted by psychologists at the University of Basel in Switzerland and Ruhr University Bochum in Germany suggests that mental disorders, like depression and anxiety, are antecedent risk factors of certain physical diseases in early life. According to the study, depression in young people is often followed by arthritis and diseases of the digestive system, while skin diseases are common after anxiety disorders.

"Our results expand the relevance of mental disorders beyond mental to physical health care, and vice versa, supporting the concept of a more integrated mental-physical health care approach, and open new starting points for early disease prevention and better treatments, with relevance for various medical disciplines," the study said.

Physical Diseases Tend To Occur More Frequently In Children Who Previously Suffered Mental Disorders

The study group led by Marion Tegethoff in collaboration with Professor Gunther Meinlschmidt looked into the temporal pattern and relationship between physical diseases and mental disorders in children and young people. They analyzed data from a representative sample of 6,483 teenagers from the U.S. who age range between 13 and 18.

What the researchers found out was that some physical diseases tend to occur more frequently in children and teens if they have suffered from certain mental disorders previously. Also, some mental disorders tend to occur more frequently after the onset of particular physical diseases. Anxiety is common if a person had already suffered a heart disease.

Epileptic Disorders Were Associated With Eating Disorders

The researchers also noted that there was a close association was also established for the first time between epileptic disorders and subsequent eating disorders. This offers groundbreaking insights into the casual relationship between mental disorders and physical diseases.

"For the first time, we have established that epilepsy is followed by an increased risk of eating disorders - a phenomenon, that had previously been described only in single case reports. This suggests that approaches to epilepsy treatment could also have potential in the context of eating disorders," said Tegethoff.
Chinese company Huawei Technologies has officially become the most profitable Android smartphone brand in the entire world, beating its Asian biggest competitor Samsung, after it gained the most profit among mobile devices that uses this operating system in the third quarter of 2016, becoming also the most profitable smartphone supplier in the world, just behind Apple.

Naturally, this represents a huge impact in the phone market and a turning point in smartphones world, considering that Huawei rises, far from getting interrupted, has increased without stop since it was founded some years ago. Getting to this point, it is important to know which has been the keys to its success, so heres a little analysis of how this Chinese brand has achieved this important position.

Offering The Same As Any Other Android Smartphone With A Lower Price

This is obviously the most important reasons for Huaweis success, but even if it looks simple, it is actually something extremely difficult to conquer, giving the fact that if a smartphone competitor sells a product with a high cost, it is because it offers a quality and effectiveness that is equivalent to the price, at least most of the time.

In this situation, what Huawei have done is extremely difficult, because offering similar specs and features as the most important brands is not precisely an easy task if the price would be cheaper, but managing to do this has been a key for the Chinese companys success, because everyone will prefer paying less for a phone that has almost the same as the expensive.

Taking Advantage Of Its Competitors Crisis

Sometimes business is an unfriendly game in which the competition is so rough that you have to be cold and ruthless, and in the smartphone world, this is exactly the situation if you want to achieve an important position. This is why, the ugly part of making a hit is not only by doing a good job and offering a great product but also taking advantage every time a competitor have a crisis.

Of course, this is exactly what Huawei and every single smartphone maker did after the Galaxy Note 7 recall, which was one of the worst moments in Samsungs history, to the point in which even the South Korean economy was harmed. Considering that were talking about the most important manufacturer in the phone business, its weakness had as a collateral damage the rise of other companies, and Huawei was one of those, keeping its quality and consistency as ever.

Its Most Important Weapon: Conquering The Emergent Markets

This is probably the main reason why Huawei has become the most profitable Android smartphone brand in the world, giving the fact that the company not only have been the most important mobile device in China, but also in many other emerging markets like Latin America, in which this has been nicely received by customers, who usually prefers this phone than any other because of its quality and affordable price.

This is obviously something that talks great about Huawei considering that this smartphone wasnt sell in the U.S. for years, and its strategy was to be well positioned in the emerging markets, which the company perfectly achieved. In fact, Huawei is keep pushing in this strategy, since it is now making its smartphones in India, which would be increase its powerful position in the market in midterm.
Everyone is searching for the best smartphone deals for this year's Black Friday sale. Among to offer the best smartphone deals is Best Buy. Here is what you need to know everything about the deal:

Best Buy's Samsung Galaxy S7 Deal

In a written article at BGR, Best Buy is said to be offering the best Samsung Galaxy S7 deal. About the deal, if you buy a Samsung Galaxy S7 or Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge on Verizon or Sprint, it will be eligible for the $400 gift card and a Samsung Gear VR with $50 bonus Oculus content. However, it takes a long process and buyers will have to wait before they get their hands on the free Samsung Gear VR.

How To Get It

To get it, the user must first purchase or lease an eligible Galaxy device at Best Buy from November 24 to November 25. Next is to go to Samsung's promotion page and use the drop-down menu to fill out their information and generate an offer claim form. After filling the necessary details, submit the form with an image of their receipt by December 12, 2016. This claim will be then reviewed within 4 weeks. Finally, once the claim has been confirmed, the user will then receive the Samsung Gear VR after 12 weeks or less.

Why You Should Buy It

Virtual reality will be the next big thing to dominate in 2017. With a price like this being offered, this is a great deal. Regarding the Samsung Gear VR performance, it is well capable and performs quite well.

Samsung Galaxy S7 Specs And Features

Design. The body dimensions are 142.4 x 69.6 x 7.9 mm. Body weight is 152 g. It is dust proof and water resistant. It comes in black, white, gold, silver, and pink gold casing.

Display. The display type is Super AMOLED capacitive touchscreen, 16M colors. The display size is 5.1 inches. The display resolution is 1440 x 2560 pixels.

Platform. Operating systems is Android OS, v6.0 (Marshmallow). Chipset is Qualcomm MSM8996 Snapdragon 820, Exynos 8890 Octa. The CPUs are Quad-core (2x2.15 GHz Kryo & 2x1.6 GHz Kryo) and Octa-core (4x2.3 GHz Mongoose & 4x1.6 GHz Cortex-A53). GPU is Adreno 530 and Mali-T880 MP12.

Memory. Internal memory is 32/64 GB and 4 GB RAM.

Camera. Primary camera is 12 MP. Secondary camera is 5 MP. Video quality is 2160p@30fps, 1080p@60fps, and 720p@240fps (HDR).

Battery. Battery is a non-removable Li-Ion 3000 mAh battery. Talk time is up to 22 hours. Music play is up to 62 hours.

Features. Fingerprint, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer, heart rate, SpO2, fast charging, Qi/PMA wireless charging (market dependent), S-Voice natural language commands and dictation, and ANT+ support.
The election of Donald Trump has gotten more experts talking about the automation's anticipated effect on the job market.

Jobs Vs. Automation

Computer scientist Moshe Vardi started a debate six months ago about the anticipated effect of automation on the job market, according to Geek Wire. As a no political candidate, the scientist was talking about the potential impact of automated manufacturing and autonomous cars on future employment.

Today, the topic became hot, after the election of Trump as the next U.S. president. Rice University's Vardi said that the debate went practically mainstream from being just somewhat esoteric. In fact, even Trump has made jobs a central issue of his agenda.

Trump said this week in a YouTube video that he wants the next generation of innovation and production to happen right in America, whether it's curing disease, building cars or producing steel. This is, in his opinion, the only way of creating jobs and wealth for Americans.

Trump's vision focuses on doubling down on fossil-fuel sources, renegotiating trade deals, cracking down on work visas and cutting back on regulations. But Even if Trump follows through on those initiatives, they won't address the fundamental shift that will transform the very nature of work in near future: the rise of artificial intelligence and robotics.

According to Vardi, stopping technology is not an option, but we all will need to deal with the implications of these technological advances for the labor force. Not doing anything about it will certainly have political consequences.

The key to Trump's narrow victory in this year's presidential election were the frustrations of dislocated manufacturing workers in America's Rust Belt. were seen as. Now, many of those workers are hoping that Trump's policies will bring back from foreign shores more of America's manufacturing base. But, according to Vardi, next-generation factories will create far fewer jobs.

According to Market Watch, even if U.S. manufacturing output is nearing an all-time high, the manufacturing employment has been falling for decades. The robotic revolution is expected to disrupt transportation, another large employment sector, due to the development of self-driving vehicles.

Various Opinions

In a study published on news.rice.edu, Vardi forecasts that by 2050 around half of the world's population will be already out of the labor force. But others have a different perspective. A group known as Innovation for Jobs, or I4J, argues that a people-centered economy may rise from the disruption in employment created by automation.

The I4J group foresees an age when distributed work and smartphones can create a flexible, versatile work force. In their book, "Disrupting Unemployment," members of I4J write that the problem consists in that we are trying to run the new economy in the old way, rather than too much innovation or automation being an issue.

Oren Etzioni, CEO of the Seattle-based Allen Institute for Artificial Intelligence, said that, when it comes to the effect on employment, he distinguishes between automation and artificial intelligence (AI). According to him, the American economy lost already more jobs

"due to email (outsourcing, offshoring) than will be lost to AI." However, we still do need to take into consideration AI's impact on jobs and the Trump administration will have to balance appropriately the different considerations
With its next supercomputer, by the year 2017, for the same power consumption Japan plans to deliver a tenfold increase in computing performance.

Japan's Next Supercomputer

According to PC World, Japan's next supercomputer, due to go live by the end of 2017, is called AI Bridging Cloud Infrastructure (ABCI). On the machine will run deep learning applications for Japan's National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST).

By the end of next year Japan plans to build a super-efficient computer that could reach 130-petaflops, making it to the top of the world's supercomputer rankings. The planned computer would outperform Sunway TaihuLight, the current world leader that delivers 93 petaflops.

The Sunway TaihuLight supercomputer is located at the state-funded Chinese Supercomputing Center, in Wuxi, Jiangsu province. The machine is a 40,960-node system that is entirely powered by Chinese processors (the 260-core ShenWei 26010) designed by Shanghai High Performance IC Design Center.

Japan's National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) wants to make one of the most efficient supercomputer in the world, aside of aiming to build the world's fastest machine. It is aiming for a power consumption of under 3 megawatts. Given that Oakforest-PACS, Japan's current highest entry in the Top500 supercomputer list, delivers one-tenth the performance (13.6 petaflops) for the same power, this is an impressive goal. By comparison, TaihuLight consumes over 15 MW.

AIST is also aiming for a power usage effectiveness of under 1.1. That's a value currently attained only by the world's most efficient data centers. In order to attain these ambitious goals, the institute plans to use liquid cooling. This technology is also being used by French company Atos in the design of its supercomputer for the French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA). While AIST expects to complete its machine in a year from now, Atos won't have its computer ready until 2020.

Next Supercomputer's Applications

With the new computer design, AIST is targeting deep learning and machine learning applications in the field of artificial intelligence (AI), while other countries have built their supercomputers for calculations such as nuclear weapon simulations or atmospheric modeling. The project is intended for use by existing industrial supercomputer users, academia and startups. The name of the project s AI Bridging Cloud Infrastructure (ABCI), according to a document published by AIST earlier this month.

ABCI will be built around 40 kilometers northeast of Tokyo, at the University of Tokyo's Kashiwa Campus. According to Ars Technica, the investment in the massive system is part of Japan's strategy to boost country's standing in the world of technology. Japan has been rather overshadowed in the recent years by developments in China and South Korea.

Currently, Japan has 27 supercomputers in the Top 500 list and all of them run Linux, according to top500.org. It is yet unknown what company will gain the contract to build the new supercompter for the Japanese government. Bidding for the project is scheduled to stay open until December 8.
There is a fundamental difference between US President Barack Obama and President-elect Donald Trump regarding climate change. Obama not only believes in critical scientific beliefs like global warming, but takes steps for a positive change also. Trump, on the contrary, believes the entire concept is a hoax.

Trump even claimed earlier that global warming was a Chinese hoax. Activists are deeply concerned how the president-elect is going to tackle the issue, if he does not believe in the cause in the first place.

Obama, meanwhile, continues to take steps against factors that harm the environment. The Interior Department has proposed the 2017-2022 OCS Oil and Gas Leasing Program. Going along the plan, the Obama administration has imposed a ban on drilling in the Alaskan Arctic.

Donald Trump may try and kill the program. But, that will also mean having an alternate plan. It will take at least a couple of years to come up with a replacement. Climate change activists are anyway worried if the Trump administration would undo all the positive changes Obama has made.

Obama is, nevertheless, aware of such possibilities. The White House apparently has plans to ensure Obama's effort do not go waste even after he leaves office in January. According to David Goldston, it won't be easy to change the White House policy on climate change.

"Donald Trump can't just snap his fingers and change climate policy," said the New York Times quoted the director of government affairs at the Natural Resources Defense Council as saying. "We have ways to thwart him in Congress and the courts that we could employ."

This may come as a bit of relief for activists that President-elect Donald Trump now has an open mind regarding the issue. He has said that he finds "some connectivity" between climate change and human actions. Even though he claimed during his campaign that he would pull out of the Paris agreement as a president, he now says he is open to discussions regarding the issue.
SpaceX has bagged a $112-million contract from NASA, as it plans to send the Surface Water and Ocean Topography into orbit. In 2021, the water-monitoring satellite will be sent from the Vandenburg Air Force Base in California. SWOT is believed to carry out the first global survey of surface water on Earth.

SWOT will track how water bodies change over time and take high-resolution ocean measurements. The satellite is expected to survey around 90% of the planet twice in every 21 days. It will also gather data related to reservoirs, rivers and lakes.

According to NASA, it will play a significant role in managing freshwater resources around the globe. It is also expected to improve predictions related to climate and weather. NASA and the French space agency Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales will jointly develop and manage the SWOT spacecraft.

The $112-million contract should benefit SpaceX which saw a $300-million satellite explode along with a Falcon rocket in September. With the explosion of the Amos-6 satellite, Mark Zuckerberg's plans to provide internet services in Africa suffered a setback. According to NASA, Climate change is rapidly warming lakes around the world.

According to Stephanie Hampton, the society depends on surface water for several human uses. The director of Washington State University's Center for Environmental Research, Education and Outreach in Pullman says it is used not only for drinking, but for irrigation, energy production and manufacturing as well.

Some notice the irony of this $112-million contract for SpaceX, as President-elect Donald Trump plans to cut NASA's budget. Bob Walker, one of Trump advisers, wants NASA to stop wasting money on "politically correct environmental monitoring," CNBC reported. According to him, Trump would prefer NASA to focus only on space exploration, as the Trump administration is likely to fund other agencies for earth science research.
The cause of the latest fire in the popular in Sayeda Aisha has not yet been determined; no injuries reported

Related Massive fire spreads through popular south Cairo market

Cairos fire department succeeded to extinguish a blaze that erupted Saturday morning in the popular Al-Sayeda Aisha street market in the south of the capital, destroying six alleyways of furniture and household shops, state news agency MENA reported.

The fire broke out in an 600-metre area of the market, which is known as Al-Tunsi or Friday market. No injuries were reported, MENA said.

The market is considered a time bomb in the heart of the capital as it lacks to safety and security conditions and this catastrophe could be repeated anytime," Cairo governor Atef Abdel-Hamid was quoted by MENA as saying.

"The market is very chatoic, and the narrow alleys where the market is located make it not safe and easy for civil protection to intervene," Khaled Mostafa, spokesman for Cairo governorate, told Ahram Online.

"We [the governorate] almost found a new location, which is 500 metres from the current market, in El-Khalifa area, and it will be fully protected," he added.

According to Mostafa, the total number of merchants in the market is not known.

The general secretary of the governorate told MENA that the cause of the fire had not been determined.

Two fires flared in the same market in June and September 2016.

The street market, located near Salah Eddin Citadel in the heart of Cairo, opens Friday and Sunday. The market is known for its cheap antiques, garments, furniture and household appliances.

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In a recent interview od the US president-elect Donald Trump with The New York Time, he clearly said that he received phone calls from Apple CEO Tim Cook and Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates after winning the presidential election earlier this month. These calls for the two "big men" to congratulate Trump with its victory. Aside from that, Trump also said that he talked to Cook regarding the possibility of getting Apple products in the U.S.

Donald Trump Offers Tim Cook Incentives To Make iPhone in U.S.

As reported by the MacRumors, Trump told Cook via phone conversation that it will be a "real achievement" for him as a politic man when he gets Apple to make its products in the United States. Most of Apple's current manufacturing partners operate in countries such as China and Vietnam, but Trump is willing to give an incentive to the company to build at least one plant in the United States and make its local products.

I got a call from Tim Cook at Apple, and I said, 'Tim, you know one of the things that will be a real achievement for me is when I get Apple to build a big plant in the United States, or many big plants in the United States, where instead of going to China, and going to Vietnam, and going to the places that you go to, you're making your product right here.'

CEO Cook acknowledged what Trump said by saying "I understand that." As reported by TechTimes, Trump replies mentioning what he and America can do for the company. Trump told the CEO that Apple could build a big plant in the Unites States, or several big plants, and make its devices right there, and that could be doable with the right incentives.

I think we'll create the incentives for you, and I think you're going to do it. We're going for a very large tax cut for corporations, which you'll be happy about.' But we're going for big tax cuts, we have to get rid of regulations, regulations are making it impossible. Whether you're liberal or conservative, I mean I could sit down and show you regulations that anybody would agree are ridiculous. It's gotten to be a free-for-all. And companies can't, they can't even start up, they can't expand, they're choking.

All quoted phrases are from the full transcript interview of Donald Trump held by The New York Times.
Greenpeace has been on the forefront in the fight for the environment. As global warming and climate change continue to threaten the world, its cause is more urgent than ever. Greenpeace wants the UK to ban microbeads, as these are pollutants that are harming marine life.

Plastic microbeads are very small. They are very tiny that they cannot even be filtered. Most of these are washed off and carried to canals that lead to the sea. These small microbeads are then eaten by many fishes and other marine creatures.

Erik Van Sebille, an oceanographer and climate scientist at the Imperial College London said that microbeads are the most harmful type of plastic, since marine life eats them. There are around 12 million tons of plastic waste that goes into the ocean every year, though only a fraction of those is made up of plastic microbeads. Still, it has been shown that they could harm marine life.

Small plastic could easily be digested by animals. Plastic that is large would be ignored by most marine animals, Sebille notes. Small plastic like microbeads though are not easily distinguished by animals, so they would likely be eaten. Microbeads are small. They can have a size of 0.1 millimeters, which would make them easily be digested by most marine creatures.

Cosmetics has been one of the main culprits that contain microbeads. As an example, exfoliating cream can have as much as several hundred thousand of them. This has been explained by David Santillo, a researcher for Greenpeace at Exeter University.

The British government will review microbeads this December. There is mounting pressure from Greenpeace and other environmental groups to have them banned, according to Phys Org. The United States and other countries have already taken steps to limit the use of microbeads in products.

Already some supermarket chains like Tesco are taking action. Tesco is asking manufacturers to use natural ingredients in their products, as The Express Tribune reports. These natural ingredients would be more environmental friendly than the use of such ingredients like microbeads.

Greenpeace wants the UK to ban microbeads as they pose a threat to the environment and harm marine life. Many marine creatures are susceptible to it and would eat it. Also in danger are coral reefs, which are said to be threatened by carbon dioxide.
A number of new leaks have sprouted giving a clearer picture of what the Samsung Galaxy S8 is all about.

The Samsung Galaxy S8 is looking more and more like its rival's flagship smartphone, the iPhone. This is both a good and a bad thing. It's good to duplicate the good traits of others but one needs to come up with his, her or its own identity. Fortunately, the new leaks show Samsung is on the right track.

Specifications

The Galaxy S8 will sport an all-screen design similar to what the iPhone 8 will reportedly have. Both devices will also ditch the home button and instead have it integrated. Some rumors say that the S8 will have some of the iPhone 7's features including a pressure sensitive display and a phablet variant with dual lens camera which is similar to the iPhone 7 plus.

A new post on Weibo, China's version of Twitter, indicates the Galaxy S8 will come in a 256GB version. The iPhone 7 also came with a 256GB variant along with 32GB and 128GB ones. The Galaxy S7, meanwhile, only had 32GB of internal storage which could be expanded up to 256GB using a microSD.

Kevin Wong, head of the IHS in China, has indicated that the Galaxy S8 is one of two smartphones that will have the latest Qualcomm processor in the Snapdragon 835. The other one is the Xiaomi Mi 6. Aside from the Snapdragon 835, rumors say that the S8 will have Samsung's own Exynos chipset under its hood.

Artificial Intelligence

Samsung recently had the name 'Bixby' trademarked. This is an indication that Samsung next flagship phone will have its own voice-assisted AI system just like Apple's Siri and Amazon's Alexa. Bixby is the male-voice AI while rumors say a female-voiced AI, Kestra, will also be available.

Accessories

The accessories of the Galaxy S8 have also been leaked, as reported by Forbes. Samsung's saviour will have as accessories: a premium faux-leather protective cover, a keyboard cover that supports a physical qwerty keyboard, a clear-view cover that allows the user to see the screen, and an LED view cover that makes it easier to see the notifications.

Release Date

Wong also said that the S8 and the Mi 6 will be released in March next year.
The Samsung Galaxy S8 is set to be announced some time in February 2017, but new reports about new features keep coming. The latest news is regarding the rumored Artificial Intelligence (AI) voice assistant on the Galaxy S8, which will rival Siri, Google Assistant and Cortana.

As per reports, the new AI voice assistant on the Galaxy S8 will be called Bixby. The South Korean smartphone maker recently acquired a company called Viv Labs, which is an AI startup founded by the makers of Siri.

Male And Female Versions Of The AI Assistant

Apple has Siri, Google has the Google Assistant and Microsoft has Cortana. Now, according to SamMobile, Samsung will have two AI assistants in male and female versions, called Bixby and Kestra.

As per Android Authority, the company was recently granted trademarks for these names and various other variations of the names. The description for the trademark filings stated things like, "Computer software for enabling hands-free use of a mobile phone through voice recognition" and "Computer software used to process voice commands."

Samsung needs an AI assistant very badly, as competitors have had it for quite some time now. Of course, Samsung does come with an assistant called S-Voice, but that is mostly a gimmick and is nowhere as smart and useful as Siri or Google Assistant.

How Will It Help Samsung?

The Samsung Galaxy S8 will get a new payment feature called Bixby Pay. This would allow users to make payments through voice commands. Smartphones these days are all equipped with some kind of voice recognition software. However, to have an AI assistant that can understand and reply to normal human speech is pretty cool. It will be another new feature for the next galaxy smartphone.

The Samsung Galaxy S8 and the Galaxy S8 Plus or whatever it may be called, will be even better with an AI assistant on board. Users can perform several actions, get answers for queries and hopefully make faster payments.
Historic HIV vaccine trials in humans will start in South Africa. If the trials have positive results, it will be a huge step to HIV AIDS cure. Researchers will work with thousands of volunteers to develop a vaccine to prevent the deadly disease that kills over a million people each year.

Four years back, researchers in Thailand tested a vaccine which involved16,000 people. The result only had 31% positive results. That was why it did not get the approval in public. The test, however, encouraged researchers to go ahead and try different combinations for the drug to come back stronger with another trial.

If the HIV vaccine trials in humans produce at least 50% positive results, it will be enough for to start licensing negotiations. Nevertheless, even if it gives 60% positive results, it will still be lower than present standards for vaccines. But, since more than two million people get infected every year, it is worth giving a shot.

Nelson L. Michael, the director of the US Military HIV Research Program that led the Thailand research, believes this is going a historic even for HIV, if the test shows efficacy.

"Given that right now we have nothing, we'd be happy if this vaccine were even 45 or 50 percent effective," the Washington Post quoted Gita Ramjee, director of the HIV Prevention Research Unit at the Medical Research Council in Durban, as saying. "Even a modestly effective vaccine like that would have a huge impact here."

Meanwhile, in China, the national drug authority examined the results of a clinical research on Wednesday. The research is related to Albuvirtide for Injection, a home-produced anti-HIV drug, in its final phase. If Chinese authorities approve the drug, this is going to be world's first long-acting anti-HIV injection, Global Times reported.

The HIV vaccine trials in humans in South Africa and the Chinese injection may prove that scientists are fast moving forward to HIV cure. Sooner or later, there will be ways to counter the lethal disease.
The Microsoft Surface Phone will supposedly feature the new Snapdragon 835 processor and will be released in late 2017. The new report also mentions that Microsoft has more than one Surface phone in the making.

Microsoft Surface Phone Updates

The Surface Phone is to Microsoft as the iPhone is to Apple and Pixel to Google. It will be its first self-designed smartphone and will run a different version of Windows 10 Mobile called Redstone. Most reports point to a 2017 release date for the smartphone.

According to Nokia Power User, a reliable source has given them plenty of new information regarding the upcoming Surface Phone. The source reveals that one or more of the devices use the not yet released Snapdragon 835 processor. One of these devices has 6 GB of RAM and the other has 4GB of RAM but uses a 64-bit architecture. Both the devices will most likely come with a 5.5-inch QHD display.

The prototype devices cannot run X86 apps on their own, but once connected to a display using Continuum, they can run the apps. Continuum allows users to run Windows desktop apps on any display using a dock.

Therefore, a total of three different Surface Phone variants could be available in late 2017. As per PhoneArena, the Surface Phone will come with Redstone 3 OS out of the box and it will be a major software update.

Snapdragon 835 On Surface Phone

The recently announced Snapdragon 835 processor is a big leap for the smartphone industry. It will be manufactured using Samsung's 10nm process, which should make it more efficient. The processor will also be much more powerful than the current Snapdragon 821.

Microsoft will also be able to use the Quick Charge 4.0 feature of the Snapdragon 835, which can provide up to five hours of power from just five minutes of charging. Expect the Microsoft Surface Phone to be elegant, fast and very productive. The company will market the phone as a 3-in-1 device and even a laptop replacement.
Today

Windy with a mix of clouds and sun. High 76F. Winds W at 20 to 30 mph. Winds could occasionally gust over 40 mph.

Tonight

Partly cloudy skies. Gusty winds during the evening. Low 57F. Winds WSW at 20 to 30 mph. Winds could occasionally gust over 40 mph.

Tomorrow

Sunny. Windy during the morning. High 68F. Winds W at 20 to 30 mph. Winds could occasionally gust over 40 mph.
The delegation will submit to British MPs a report 'which rings alarm bells about the rising danger of political Islam in Europe'

An Egyptian delegation including 12 MPs affiliated with parliament's foreign affairs committee will visit London Sunday to exchange views with British politicians and MPs on political Islam, the Muslim Brotherhood and relations between Egypt and England.

Dahlia Youssef, head of the Egyptian-British Parliamentary Friendship Association, said in a statement Saturday that the five-day visit to London will begin on Sunday and end Thursday.

This visit comes upon an invitation from the British House of Commons, whose two delegations visited Cairo and Sharm El-Sheikh over the last three months, said Youssef.

Youssef also indicated that the UK House of Commons' release of a report which defends political Islam and the Muslim Brotherhood on 7 November also makes the Egyptian parliamentary delegation's visit to London highly necessary and urgent.

The Egyptian parliament's foreign affairs committee issued a 10-page report on 19 November in response to the UK parliament's defence of political Islam.

Informed sources said Egypt's report entitled A response to the UK House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee's report in defence of political Islam and the Muslim Brotherhood was translated into several European languages.

We intend to submit this report which rings alarm bells about the danger of the spread of political Islam movements like the Muslim Brotherhood across Western Europe to the European Parliament, the Inter-parliamentary Union, the UK House of Commons, the German Bundestag, and the French National Assembly, said Youssef.

Youssef said it is important that European politicians and MPs take a different perspective from a country which has suffered so much from political Islam and its affiliated groups  particularly the Muslim Brotherhood.

She added that most European politicians and MPs take their information about political Islam from the Western media and American think tanks, which always like to describe political Islam movements as victims of Arab dictatorships and that if the Arab governments are democratic and political Islam movements are integrated into their political process, everything will be OK and political Islam will be a democratic power.

The Egyptian parliament's report aims to expose this big lie about political Islam in terms of showing that the ideology of political Islam makes it immune to any political democratic integration and this was made clear by the experiences of political Islam in recent years in countries like Egypt, Tunisia and Turkey, said Youssef.

The report  which accuses the UK House of Commons of doing its best to exonerate the Muslim Brotherhood and its affiliated terrorist and militant groups of the charge of terrorism  also warns that political Islam movements claim victimhood and repression as a cover to spread in Western Europe.

This is another big lie, but the problem is that some liberal politicians and MP in Western Europe give an ear to these false claims and thus give a cover to this malignant tumour to spread in Europe and America like cancer, said the report, which describes political Islam movements as foxes in disguise.

Youssef said the Egyptian parliament is ready to provide UK politicians and MPs with all the documents necessary to prove the dangers of the ideology of political Islam, which is based on Islamicising the entire world either by militant jihad or by spreading a strict code of Islam across the world.

If they are really keen to know what political Islam is, they must show interest and learn lessons from the country which has suffered so much from this malignant tumour, said Youssef.

Youssef said the visit will also include meetings with a number of British think tanks, members of the media covering tourism issues, and Egyptian expatriates in England.

Youssef said the meetings in London could also comprise topics like the importance of the British government lifting the embargo on direct British flights to the Red Sea resort of Sharm El-Sheikh as well as economic conditions in Egypt.

The Egyptian parliament's foreign affairs committee began a visit to Germany last Monday which included meetings with the head of the German Bundestag foreign affairs committee Norbert Rutgen, representatives from the ruling coalition in Germany, and leftist MPs.

The delegation also held meetings with officials from the German foreign ministry and Chancellor Angela Merkel's deputy national security advisor.

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An Egyptian judge was referred on Saturday to an Alexandria criminal court along with five other defendants over abuse of power and bribery charges.

According to the state security prosecution, the judge is accused of receiving a bribe of EGP 650,000 to acquit a defendant in a drug possession case.

The judge has submitted his resignation which has been accepted by the Egyptian minister of justice.

Last week, another judge was referred to a criminal court over charges of possessing 69 kilos of cannabis.

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Almost a thousand workers had lost their jobs when the General Motors plant in Moraine, Ohio stopped its operations on 2008. Now, Chinese billionaire Cho Tak Wong, known as Mr. Cho, looks forward to a greater America as he is about to offer 3,000 posts as the said manufacturing plant reopens.

23 per cent of the high-quality automobile windows all over the world is produced and manufactured by Fuyao Glass International empire owned by Mr. Cho. The Chinese billionaire has now transformed the said facility in Ohio into a world-class auto glass factory which can house around 3,000 laborers.

In an interview with CBS, Jim Reid, the plant supervisor, said that when he stepped into the facility two years ago, the place was gloomy and chaotic since nobody used it for almost half a decade. However, despite being vocal with his support to Donald Trump's presidency, Reid confirmed that making the recently elected president accept the thousands of jobs offered by a Chinese businessman was tough in the beginning.

"I'll be honest. I struggled with it a bit when I made the decision. Just because of what I've been led to believe through my life," the plant supervisor said. During the 2016 US Presidential campaign, the Republican bet has held the Chinese nationals responsible for taking the jobs intended to be created for the Americans.

Nonetheless, Cho Tak Wong was never intimidated or threatened with the stand of President-elect Trump towards the employment in the United States. Mr. Cho said that Trump's position on the issue during the campaign was only for the campaign itself. Now that the Republican is already seated in the White House, things will totally be different compared to Trump's rhetoric during the campaign. Next Shark revealed that Mr. Cho is making America "great again",

The employees to be hired will receive a salary with an average of $12 to $15 per hour. However, Mr. Cho confirmed that he is considering an increase in the laborers' salary sooner or later. So far, no less than 10% of the manufacturing plant's personnel are Chinese nationals.
Recent reports feature the South African operator Vox Telecom striking new partnerships to improve labor and commerce in the country. Their alliance with CTU Training Solutions guarantees better opportunities for the youth. Meanwhile, their partnership with Showmax (South Africa's Netflix) successfully markets their data bundle "Fat Pipe" to avid viewers.

Vox Telecom seemed on fire for the past few days enacting one great strategy at a time. Its alliance with CTU Training Solutions is primarily geared towards the goal of providing South African students with the good IT and communication skills - plus the integration of work culture which can be credited as a professional experience.

This strategy enables Vox Telecom to address the issue concerning South Africa's shortage in the IT and communications industry. According to IT News Africa, Vox Telecom CEO Jacques Du Toit is taking advantage of the current growth and expansion of their company.

Fortunately, it was an initiative that South African students have openly received. After all, a competent on-the-job experience is just the perfect scheme to increase a fresh graduate's chances of succeeding in the fast-paced IT and communications industry. The painless enlistment and career stability for the youth ultimately solves the current problem of manpower shortage.

Capitalizing on the better employment prospects of young adults may look like a guaranteed threefold return on investment. Based on the article featured by Jobs & Hire, young adults are more likely to seek job promotion or resignation only within a two-year window period.

In a report published by Telecom Paper, Vox Telecom announced the release of their special holiday offer inclusive within November 15, 2016, to January 31, 2017. For every purchase of worth one television from any GAME Store branch, customers may receive free Showmax subscription and a total of 900 GB "Fat Pipe" ADSL data for three months.
No details as of yet has been released about the film sequel "Annabelle 2." Since a trailer about the movie has been released, months have passed and no information on the film what so ever has been heard, but one thing is certain it will surely be scarier than the latter.

According to Christian Times, "Annabelle 2" will likely be more or a backtrack of the first one sincce it will explore the main roots of the evil doll. The rundown of the film as revealed Annabelle was created by a doll maker for his daughter, however storylines say the daughter died in which her soul was infused within the origins of the doll.

Later on the doll had been from shelter to shelter for other young girls to play with. Years after Annabelle the doll was created, it started taking lives of children and created disaster unleashing hell from one to the other.

In one interview, costume designer Leah Butler said that the production of "Annabelle 2" was very different in feeling that a suggestion was to be made true due to the fact that the doll was so scary and looked blood-curdling an actress from the cast suggested that a priest was to bless the doll for precautionary measures and safety of the production team as a whole. Other news suggest that Annabelle's character had a similar counterpart. This includes the infamous Chucky from "Child's Play".

Rumor also has it that in time both Chucky and Annabelle will team up to make a super scary movie that will surely make audience jump off their seats. If it happens it will be one to make people be really uncomfortable but if not a short appearance would do just for the sake of horror film history.

The creator of the franchise "Child's Play" told USA Today, "We would be into it, the only problem is that we are in different studios and that would probably be years worth of red tape to work it out. But if it all could be worked out, then yes, we're very into it." "Annabelle 2" is expected to premier on May 19, 2017. To get the latest news and updates tuned in to Jobs & Hire.
Naji was convicted earlier this year of publishing a 'sexually explicit article' in a literary state newspaper

A Cairo misdemeanor court rejected on Saturday writer Ahmed Naji's appeal against a two-year prison sentence for publishing a sexually explicit article in a literary state newspaper.

Naji was sentenced in February by a Cairo appeals court for publishing parts of his novel The Use of Life in the cultural newspaper Akhbar El-Adab.

This is Naji's third appeal to suspend the implementation of the sentence.

In late April, Naji's defence team filed an appeal before the Court of Cassation, though a court session to hear the motion has not yet been set.

The prosecutor accused Naji of publishing a text that spewed sexual lust and transient pleasures, using his mind and pen to violate public decency and good morals, inciting promiscuity.

The initial decision to refer Naji to court came after one of the newspaper's readers filed a legal complaint claiming that reading the text caused him to experience heart palpitations and an extreme feeling of sickness along with a sharp drop in blood pressure.

An online campaign titled Egypt art on trial has been launched in solidarity with Naji and stands against the existence of the charge of violating public modesty, and that Article 178 of the criminal code restricts the freedom of writing and creativity, contradicts the Egyptian constitution and should be amended.

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FDIC bans bank official from all financial activities

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. said Friday that a Bank of North Carolina employee, William Anthony Burchette, has agreed to a consent order that prohibits him from further participation in financial activities with the High Point business.

The FDIC said Burchette was informed of potential violations of federal law and his right to a hearing on the charges.

Burchette waived those rights, the agency said, entering into a consent order on Oct. 3, without admitting or denying any violations of law. The agency did not provide what role Burchette had with the bank.

The FDIC said that actions by Burchette involved personal dishonesty and demonstrated (his) willful and continuing disregard for the safety or soundness of the bank. The agency said the bank suffered financial loss and Burchette had a financial gain from his actions.

The consent order prohibits Burchette from participating in the conduct of affairs of any financial institution without FDIC approval, stating that such violations of law demonstrate respondents unfitness to serve as a director, officer, person participating in the conduct of the affairs or as an institution-affiliated party of the bank or any other insured depository institution.

Insteel to be included in S&P SmallCap 600 index

Insteel Industries Inc. will begin being traded on the Standard &Poors SmallCap 600 index Tuesday, the stock market said Friday.

The Mount Airy company is replacing Littelfuse Inc., which moved to the S&P MidCap 400 index, replacing Lexmark International.

Insteel, which manufactures and markets steel wire reinforcing products, also will be added to the S&P SmallCap 600 GICS Building Products Sub-Industry index.

Clemmons craft brewery hopes to open in May

Have Another! Brewing Co. is expected to open in May in an 1,800-square foot building off Ramada Drive, becoming what is believed to be the first brewery in Clemmons.

Earlier this month, the Clemmons Village Council approved a zoning request from brewery owners and Clemmons residents Lynn Johnson and Jon Cornatzer. The two men are new to the brewing business.

According to the N.C. Craft Brewers Guild, North Carolina has 180 craft breweries and brew pubs, the most of any state in the South. Most are concentrated in Asheville and the Triangle, with a few in Winston-Salem.

The city will get another in the next few weeks when Wise Man Brewing opens downtown.

Johnson, an engineer, and Cornatzer, a musician, have been working on the brewerys opening for about three years, with the goal of keeping it in Clemmons. They are refurbishing an existing building on Commercial Park Court where they will brew the beer with the possibility of eventually opening a tasting room, Johnson said.

Initially, Have Another! will be equipped with three barrels, each holding 31 gallons of beer.
Two of the three former Mocksville police officers who won $4.1 million in damages for wrongful termination want their jobs back now that Town Manager Christine Bralley has retired, according to a motion filed Tuesday in U.S. District Court.

Lt. Rick Donathan, Detective Jerry Medlin and Maj. Ken Hunter won those damages after an eight-day trial in U.S. District Court in Winston-Salem in May.

During that trial, the officers testified that then-Mocksville Police Chief Robert Cook and Bralley fired them on Dec. 29, 2011.

The firings came two weeks after the officers contacted the N.C. Attorney Generals Office and the N.C. Office of the Governor to report allegations of corruption at the Mocksville Police Department, starting with Cook.

After the trial, the former officers filed papers with the court asking to be reinstated to their former positions, but in August, U.S. District Judge Thomas D. Schroeder rejected that request. He also reduced the amount of damages to $1.8 million. He is considering a final judgment in the case.

Town officials said the town didnt have any available positions and that people would have to be fired in order for the officers to get their jobs back.

Bralley and the current police chief, Todd Penley, said in affidavits that the lawsuit had created so much animosity that it would not be feasible for the officers to be re-hired.

Attorneys for the officers said reinstatement wouldnt work as long as Bralley remained town manager.

Bralley announced at an Oct. 4 meeting of the towns board of commissioners that she was retiring. The retirement would be effective Nov. 1. Cecil Wood, former county manager for Yadkin County, is interim town manager.

Town officials are starting the search for a permanent town manager.

Attorneys Robert Elliot and Michael Elliot said in their motion filed Tuesday that Bralley was forced to retire and because of her retirement, she would no longer have any authority over the Mocksville Police Department if the officers were reinstated.

In their motion Tuesday, only Donathan and Medlin are seeking to get their jobs back. Robert Elliot could not be immediately reached for comment.

Bralley had her letter announcing her retirement posted on the towns website. She doesnt give a reason why she decided to retire. Her attorney, Norwood Blanchard, did not immediately return a message seeking comment.

Cook, who retired in 2013, and Bralley are each liable for punitive damages of $30,000  $10,000 for each of the officers.

A key issue during the trial was whether Bralley knew the officers had contacted the governors office. Bralley said she didnt.

Two days before the officers were fired, Bralley contacted Sprint, the towns cellphone provider. Bralley said she was reviewing cellphone calls to see whether officers were making too many personal calls on their town-issued cellphones.

But Schroeder ruled there was evidence that Bralley called Sprint six times in an effort to link the TracFone the officers used to town-issued cellphones belonging to Donathan and Medlin. Donathan and Medlin had accidentally used their town-issued cellphones to contact the TracFone.

Attorneys for the town of Mocksville are asking Schroeder to further reduce the amount of damages to only $1 million. Town officials argue that the town should be granted governmental immunity and that the amount of damages should be limited to the towns liability insurance.

Schroeder will issue a final judgment in the case at a later time. Its unclear when he will make a decision.
An Egyptian misdemeanour court ordered Saturday the release of 22 policemen over a prison break that took place in the coastal governorate of Ismailiya last October.

The policemen were released pending trial that is scheduled to be held 10 December.

The policemen face charges of extreme negligence" and being directly responsible for the escape of six inmates from El-Mostakbal Prison, which serves as a temporary detention centre for prisoners who are being tried in nearby courts.

Last October, an exchange of fire ensued inside the prison between the escaping armed inmates, who received arms from a bag delivered during prison visits, according to the prosecutions investigation, and security forces, killing a nearby resident and injurying five policemen, including a police major who was shot in the head and died from his injuries.

Two of the six inmates who absconded were arrested shortly after the incident, while four are still at large.



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A federal judge agreed Monday to expedite the hearing of a motion from two Appalachian State University students to intervene in a voting-rights lawsuit.

The lawsuit was filed Tuesday by Francis De Luca, president of the right-leaning Civitas Institute, against the State Board of Elections. The lawsuit threatens to hold up certification of the contested governors race.

Judge James Dever III, of the Eastern District of N.C., has set a hearing for 11 a.m. Friday to address De Lucas motion.

De Luca wants Dever to issue a preliminary injunction that prevents the state board from certifying results until it has verified the mailing addresses of more than 90,000 same-day registrants during the early voting period. That process could take until Dec. 7 to complete.

The state board is supposed to finish the statewide ballot certification process by Tuesday, but that now could be delayed until at least Dec. 9.

Attorneys representing the three intervenors filed their motion Wednesday.

The prospective intervenor defendants  Anthony Lobo, a junior at ASU, Michael Kuykendall, a junior at ASU, and Anna Jaquays of Blowing Rock  voted by same-day registration in Watauga County. Also requesting to intervene is the League of Women Voters of N.C.

The intervening motion was submitted out of concern the state board may respond too slowly to the Civitas complaint. The state board approved during an emergency teleconference Sunday to hire outside counsel to represent it in the De Luca lawsuit.

The attorneys also say it is not certain the state boards interest in defending the lawsuit aligns with the potential intervenors.

The validity of same-day registration is determined typically by whether mail to the registrants listed mailing address is returned as undeliverable.

De Luca claims that as many as 3,000 ballots could be at risk in the 2016 election given that past elections have had up to 3 percent of same-day registrations tossed for being invalid. The students attorneys agree that thousands of eligible North Carolina voters could be disenfranchised by De Lucas lawsuit if successful.

The latest count from the state board has Democratic challenger Roy Cooper with a 8,085-vote lead over Gov. Pat McCrory out of more than 4.7 million votes cast. Twelve counties have not completed the canvassing of absentee and certified provisional ballots, including Buncombe, Forsyth, Guilford and Mecklenburg counties.

Coopers lead was 4,987 when all 2,704 precincts were reported in complete but unofficial results Nov. 9. State law allows McCrory to call for a recount if he stays within 10,000 votes of Cooper. McCrory filed for a recount Tuesday.

It is not clear how much, if any, that McCrory would benefit from De Lucas request. Political analysts say Republican voters have been more likely to vote by same-day registration than Democrats since that option became available in 2007.

The potential intervenors claim their ballots are at risk of being tossed if De Luca is successful with his complaint since the initial attempt to verify their mailing address was unsuccessful due to processing errors by poll workers who assisted them with registering.

In the example of Lobo, a poll worker did not include the number of his off-campus apartment in the listing of his address. In Kuykendalls case, mail is not delivered to his dorm room, which was the address listed on his registration rather than his on-campus P.O. box.

After their ballots were protested by Republican supporters, the Republican-controlled Watauga elections board determined the three potential intervenors do live at the address they gave to the poll workers.

The potential intervenors attorneys are affiliated with the Southern Coalition for Social Justice. The group was successful in August in persuading the federal Fourth Circuit Appeals Court to overturn parts of North Carolinas voter-identification law that included prohibiting same-day registration and voting during the early voting period.

The students attorneys claim that De Lucas challenge is no more than a collateral attack on the Fourth Circuits judgment, and that the potential intervenors have strong interests in ensuring that the Fourth Circuits decision is upheld.

This is not the first time that restrictions related to the state voter ID law in Watauga spurred legal action.

In October 2014, Wake Superior Court Judge Donald Stephens ruled the state boards decision to leave out the Appalachian State precinct site appeared to discourage student voting and looked like a constitutional violation.

Although the board ultimately complied with Stephens order in the Watauga County case, state attorneys argue that early voting decisions arent subject to judicial review and continued the appeal. The state board was brought into the Watauga case when the countys three-member board couldnt agree on an early vote plan.
GREENSBORO  Greensboro police are looking for two suspects in the death of a Greensboro man, who crashed his car into a building after being shot Nov. 7 and died Thursday from his wounds.

Michael Anthony Coleman, 65, of 600 Savannah St. was found in a vehicle that had crashed into the corner of a building at 200 S. Eugene St. about 7:20 p.m., Greensboro police said in a news release.

Further investigation revealed that Coleman was robbed and shot in the 1200 block of Randolph Avenue. Police said he was attempting to the drive himself to the hospital when he lost control of the vehicle.

Coleman was taken to Moses Cone Hospital, where he died. The death is now classified as a homicide.

Witnesses described the suspect as a 6-foot, dark-skinned black male with a medium build who appeared to be in his late 20s to early 30s. The man may have had long dreadlocks and no facial hair and at the time of the incident was wearing a red hooded sweatshirt, dark blue jeans and black shoes.

He may be an associate of a light-skinned, thin, black male who has LV tattooed under his left eye and New Orleans tattooed across one hand.

That man is described as having very crooked teeth and standing about 5 feet 6 inches tall.

Anyone who can identify either man is asked to call Crime Stoppers at (336) 373-1000 or text the tip to 274637 using the keyword badboyz.
Person falls 400 feet at Cascade Falls

WILKES COUNTY  A person fell down a waterfall in Wilkes County on Friday, according to Nathan Gatlin with the North Carolina Forest Service.

Gatlin said the person fell about 400 feet at Cascade Falls, which is in E.B. Jeffress Park along the Blue Ridge Parkway in western Wilkes County.

The incident happened at about 6:30 p.m.

As of 7 p.m., the Millers Creek Fire Department was working to rescue the person, Gatlin said.

No other information has been released.

WGHP/FOX 8

Sunset Beach bans cabanas on the shore

SUNSET BEACH  Sunset Beach has become the latest town in southeastern North Carolina to ban cabanas on the beach.

The StarNews of Wilmington reported that Sunset Beach joins Ocean Isle Beach and Myrtle Beach, S.C., in banning cabanas.

Wrightsville Beach, Kure Beach, Carolina Beach, Oak Island, Caswell Beach, Bald Head Island and Holden Beach allow cabanas, with some restrictions.

Sunset Beach Mayor Robert Forrester said the idea of removing the beach tents has been around for a long time. Forrester said there were numerous comments supporting and opposing the ban.

The mayor said some families with elderly relatives or young children wanted to keep cabanas. Forrester said those in favor of the ban cited space and safety issues.

Town officials are working to define the terminology in the ban.

Associated Press

Ex-teacher accused

of sex with student

HENDERSONVILLE  A former teacher in Hendersonville has been charged with having sex with a 17-year-old female student.

The Henderson County Sheriffs Office told local media that 29-year-old Devon Ross Lategan of Apex was charged Wednesday with one count of sexual activity with a student last June.

Lategan was then a teacher at West Henderson High School.

Lategan was arrested in Wake County. Lategan was working this year at Athens Drive High School in Raleigh. It was not immediately clear whether he has been suspended from the job in Raleigh. It was also unknown whether Lategan has an attorney.

Authorities say additional charges may be filed.

2 die in wreck in Raeford; man charged

RAEFORD  Police in Raeford say a Cumberland County man is being charged with drunken driving after a wreck that killed two people earlier this week.

Ray Crumpler with the Raeford Police Department told local media that the wreck happened about 10:15 p.m. Wednesday near Sandhills Community College.

Crumpler says 36-year-old Gil Garcia of Fayetteville will be charged with driving while impaired when he is released from a hospital.

Crumpler says Garcia passed one vehicle before topping a hill and running into the back of an SUV, which flipped several times. The driver of the SUV, Ervin McCain of Raeford, died in the wreck. A woman in his SUV was also killed. Her name has not been released.

Two other passengers in the SUV were hurt.

Duke Energy gives $1M to protect wetlands

CHARLOTTE  Duke Energy will resolve a federal lawsuit by contributing $1 million to protect the lower Cape Fear River, Sutton Lake near Wilmington and some wetlands.

The Charlotte Observer reported Duke will match up to $250,000 contributed by other sources to the newly created Cape Fear River Restoration and Preservation Fund.

A Superior Court judge ordered Duke earlier this year to remove coal ash from its retired Sutton power plant near Wilmington. The judge had left open advocates claims in federal court that Sutton Lake had been contaminated by ash.

The resolution of the lawsuit means advocates have settled litigation about eight of Dukes 14 coal-fired power plants in North Carolina.

The Southern Environmental Law Center said unresolved cases involve Dukes Mayor, Roxboro, Belews Creek, Cliffside, Marshall and Allen plants.

Associated Press

Raleigh woman killed in holiday crash

RALEIGH  A woman who had just celebrated her 22nd birthday died on Thanksgiving Day when the car she was driving turned into the path of an oncoming sport utility vehicle on Lynn Road.

Juana Maria Cardonaalvare of Open Sight Court in Raleigh was turning left from Battleford Drive onto Lynn Road just after 6:45 p.m. when she pulled in front of a Toyota SUV, which slammed into the drivers side of her car at an estimated 50 mph, according to an accident report police released Friday morning.

Cardonaalvare, who had celebrated her birthday the day before the accident, was pronounced dead at the scene, according to the report. A passenger, Hiroshi Arakawa, 25, of East Six Forks Road, suffered serious injuries.

The driver of the Toyota, Nicholas Alberto Riverarubio, 18, of Garner, was not injured. Two passengers in his SUV  Daniel Larosa, 10, of Raleigh and Thomas Gabriel Rivera, 14, of Garner  had minor injuries, according to the accident report.

Police do not think alcohol, drugs or speeding were factors in the crash. Police concluded that Cardonaalvares car failed to see its way clear before entering the intersection, and no charges were filed.

McClatchy News Service
PHIL RONALD TURNER, Winston-Salem

Not related

The FBI  the organization that some think purposely sunk Hillary Clintons presidential candidacy  says that hate crimes against Muslims were up 67 percent in 2015 (FBI: Hate crimes against Muslims up by 67 percent, Nov. 15).

But Im sure that has nothing to do with the good people who voted for President-elect Donald Trump.

***

POLLY MCCLENDON, Pfafftown

Wasting our tax dollars

It is time Gov Pat McCrory conceded that he has lost the election and stop spending our tax dollars to garner up more votes. It appears that the margin for Roy Cooper only continues to grow.

With the present drought the wildfires and the past flooding, North Carolinas dollars should be spent in a more productive way than in an attempt at personal gain by McCrory. The voters have spoken!

***

JAMES MINTON, Wilkesboro

Doesnt get it

When Gov. Pat McCrory was first elected, one of his first acts was to practically end unemployment benefits. Several of us lost our homes, vehicles and even our wives. We wrote to the governor to complain, but he didnt get it.

Later when he turned a blind eye to Duke Power and let it get away with the coal-ash mess and go up on rates, we wrote the governor again. He still didnt get it.

Now hes lost the election. Looks like he still doesnt get it.

***

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The Front to Defend Freedoms, an Egyptian coalition consisting of a number of political parties and rights organisations, released a statement on the third anniversary of the so-called Shura protests calling for the release of people detained in that case as well as a stop to policies of oppression.

The Shura protests case dates back to November 2013, when police broke up a protest in front of the now-defunct Shura Council where demonstrators demanded that the committee tasked with writing Egypt's constitution at the time strike down articles that allowed for military trials of civilians.

The statement called for the release of the Egyptian activists Alaa Abdel-Fattah, Abdel-Rahman Tarek and Ahmed Abdel-Rahman, who tried to defend female protesters after they were beaten by security forces as he passed by the protest but did not participate.

The statement also called for the overturning of verdicts issued in absentia against other defendants who were sentenced to 15 years in prison in the same case.

Dozens were arrested during the protest and 22 defendants stood trial for breaking the protest law two days after it was issued.

In September 2015, 18 of the 22 defendants were pardoned by a presidential decree, while earlier this month one detainee was pardoned by the president.

The Front to Defend Freedoms is a coalition that was formed in February 2016 to defend constitutional rights and liberties, and it consists of a number of political parties and rights organisations including the Egyptian Social Democratic Party, the Dostour Party, the Association for Freedom of Thought and Expression (AFTE) and El-Hakanya Centre for Social and Economic rights.

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By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) |  

Fidel Castro is dead at 90. He presided over the only pro-USSR Communist state in the Western Hemisphere, and was therefore a thorn in the side of Washington, which insists on hegemony and capitalism in the New World.

Castro was the last of the Communist guerrillas turned national leader. He outlived Ho Chi Minh, Mao Zedong, and Abd al-Fattah Ismail Ali Al-Jawfi of the Peoples Democratic Republic of Yemen. At home, he presided over an authoritarian one-party state. On the other hand, despite its poverty, in health statistics like deaths per 100,000 of mothers in childbirth, Cuban health care produced statistics not so far from those of the rich USA (as low as 40 compared to 28 in the US). Cubas per capita GDP, at near $7,000, is higher than Thailand, South Africa, Iran or Jordan.

The US state department complained that Cuba critiqued the US role in the Middle East:

a) Portraying U.S. actions and diplomacy in the region as those of an aggressor, seeking to impose hegemony by force such as the recurrent attacks on Iraq, violation of sovereign rights (no-fly zones), the perpetuation of unjustified economic sanctions to countries in the region (Iraq, Iran, Syria), open political intervention and the use of brutal force as acts of retaliation (the Bin Laden case/Yugoslavia); b) portraying the U.S. as the main obstacle to a peaceful settlement of the Israel/Palestine and the Gulf conflicts, and c) discrediting U.S. policies, especially by gaining support for Cubas agenda at the U.N.

Not sure in what respect any of this was incorrect.

On the other hand, Cuba had an interventionist phase in the 1960s and 1970s. Castro inserted himself into numerous conflicts in the Middle East, in part of fight what he saw as imperialism. The adventures were gradually for the most part abandoned in the past two decades.

Cuba was a player, with Egypts Gamal Abdel Nasser, in the Non-Aligned Movement, though critics pointed out that Havanas closeness to Moscow precluded genuine non-alignment.

Cuba helped train the Algerian army in the 1960s after Algeria achieved independence from France. Both countries were proponents of Third Worldism.

Cuba gave serious help to the Palestine Liberation Organization, including training of guerrillas and offering scholarship to Palestinian students to study in Havana.

Cuba joined Libya and Algeria in supporting the Polisario Liberation Front in the Western Sahara against Morocco, which annexed that territory in the 1970s when it was relinquished by the Spanish colonial authorities. When, in later decades, Moroccan relations with Algeria improved, Castro dropped the Sahara intervention.

To its credit, Cuba broke off relations with Iraq in 1980 when Saddam Hussein invaded Iran.

Likewise, Cuba denounced the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in late 1978, despite its dependence on the Soviet Union for a lifeline, given the US boycott of Cuba.

Castro opposed the Arab Spring youth revolts; it is hard to see, though, the difference between a Mubarak or the newly capitalist al-Assad gang and Fulgencio Batista, against whom Castro himself revolted. Cuba had had a longterm relationship with Arab authoritarian governments. In the past couple of years, Cuba has provided military trainers and advisers to the regime of Bashar al-Assad.

In general, you have a sense that Cuban foreign policy became confused about the Middle East after the initial heyday of the 1960s and 1970s. When postcolonialism, Third Worldism and anti-imperialism were keynotes, Cuba had foreign policy successes. But the rise of Muslim fundamentalism as a revolutionary force was unwelcome in Havana. Castro even took refuge in conspiracy theories, such as that al-Qaeda and Usama Bin Laden were covert US operations. It sided with its old friends from the socialist one-party states, such as Syria, that survived into the twenty-first century.

-

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PressTV: Syria, Cuba celebrate 50 years of establishing diplomatic ties
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By James A. Haught | (Charleston Gazette-Mail) |  

Existentialists contend that humanity has a streak of irrational absurdity that defies logical understanding. The Donald Trump presidential victory rouses that feeling.

Ever since election night, Ive felt like a Franz Kafka character caught in incomprehensible circumstances that make no sense.

Whatever possessed 61 million Americans (one-fourth of voting-age adults) to trust their nation to an off-the-wall kook?

Republican leader Mitt Romney called Trump a phony, a fraud. Republican leader Bobby Jindal called him a madman who must be stopped. Republican leader Jeb Bush called him a jerk. Republican leader Lindsey Graham called him a race-baiting, xenophobic religious bigot. Republican Sen. Ted Cruz called him a serial philanderer, and he boasts of it. Former Republican Gov. Tom Ridge called him an embarrassment to my country. Republican executive Meg Whitman called him a dishonest demagogue who plays to our worst fears.

Yet Trump is preparing to install his national administration, and most news media treat it as normal.

Will he be the worst president in U.S. history  even worse than George W. Bush, who started the needless Iraq War on false pretexts? So far, the 2017 prospect looks ominous:

Trump vows to appoint Supreme Court justices who will make it a crime again for desperate girls and women to end pregnancies. He vows to find and deport 11 million undocumented Hispanics. He vows to halt Americas participation in international efforts against the menace of global warming. He vows to give the wealthy a colossal tax break, which will force cutbacks in people-helping programs. He called for a ban on Muslims entering America. He vows to kill the Affordable Care Act that provides health insurance for 20 million.

Trump is filling his incoming administration with known racists like Jeff Sessions and Stephen Bannon, plus a loose cannon like Mike Flynn. Romney, who called Trump a phony and fraud, is under consideration for secretary of state.

Welcome to the Twilight Zone.

Does America face four ugly years that will reverse human rights progress and damage the national safety net? With Republicans in complete control of Washington, how much harm will occur?

Already, House Speaker Paul Ryan wants to turn Medicare over to commercial insurance corporations. All other advanced nations have liberal democracies that protect citizens. Will America lose standing in this regard? Or will reality convince the GOP that it cant undo a century of hard-won progress?

At least, everyone should hope that Trump doesnt start an unnecessary war, as Bush did.

America is the strongest nation on Planet Earth, with the most powerful economy. It can endure almost anything. Presumably it will suffer through the coming four years in some fashion. Hold on.

(Haught is editor emeritus of West Virginias largest newspaper, The Charleston Gazette-Mail. He can be reached by phone at 304-348-5199 or e-mail at haught@wvgazettemail.com.). Reprinted with the authors permission.

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Joy-Ann Reid For Tax Cuts | Rachel Maddow | MSNBC
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By Maged Mandour | ( OpenDemocracy.net ) |  

The election of Trump will give second wind to autocrats in the region as well as create space for the growth of Russian influence.

The presidency of Donald Trump, symptomatic of a deep crisis in the liberal capitalist order, can spell wide ranging structural changes in Middle East international relations, changes that will serve to embolden and strengthen the hands of autocrats, from Sisi in Egypt to Assad in Syria.

Even though Trump remains a wild card, his campaign as well as his cabinet choices to date offer a glimpse on the direction of the policies he intends to follow in the Middle East.

The Trump campaign revolved around the notion that America had become international laughing stock because it had been taken advantage of by its allies. Trump struck more of an isolationist tone arguing for the need for American allies to do more. He has also oscillated to more extreme and militaristic positions, which reflect a more aggressive stance; he stated, for example, that he would use torture, even if proven ineffective, resort to massive bombing campaigns against IS as well as expand Guantanamo bay prison.

Trump has also shown a willingness to cooperate with Russia, the new rising power, in the war against IS.

In examining Trumps first picks for secretary of state, one gets an understanding of the type of policy he intends to follow in the Middle East. His picks include John Bolton, a leading neo-conservative hawk, and Newt Gingrich, an ex-neo conservative yet still considered on the far right of the American political spectrum. More recently, Trump also met Mitt Romney in what appeared to be a preliminary meeting for Romney to become the new secretary of state.

These choices are indicative of the type of foreign policy that Trump intends to follow with regards to the Middle East. Bolton, previously the American ambassador to the United Nations, was one of the primary supporters of the war on Iraq, and has recently decried the US lost opportunities to destroy Iranian nuclear capabilities.

Trump will follow a policy that focuses on combating IS, aggressively containing Iran, while cooperating with both the Arab autocrats and Putin.

Gingrich was an early supporter of the war on Iraq, having helped plan the invasion, but then becoming critical of the war as it dragged on; however, he was quoted saying Andrew Jackson had a pretty clear idea about Americas enemies. Kill them, showing the degree to which he is willing to use force rather than diplomacy to resolve international disputes. He was also critical of the Iran nuclear deal, claiming a nuclear deal will be the regimes greatest victory over America. Finally, Romney is also openly critical of the Iran nuclear deal, calling it in an op-ed written for the Wall Street Journal, a calamity.

Based on his choices, one can conclude that Trump will follow a policy that focuses on combating IS, aggressively containing Iran, while cooperating with both the Arab autocrats and Putin, allowing the former to cement their hold on power and the latter to expand his sphere of influence in the Middle East.

This trend was reflected most clearly in the case of Egypt, when Sisi met president-elect Trump on his trip to the UN in New York. During the meeting, Trump heaped praise on Sisi as a capable leader, promising American support for his war on terror. He stated that America would be a friend, not just an ally to Egypt.

Sisi was also promised an official invitation to visit the White House, an invitation that was denied by Obama, a snub to an old ally at the time when the Egyptian regime was seeking international recognition after the coup that brought it to power.

Unlike Clinton, who also met Sisi during the same visit, there was no mention of repression or the need to revive civil society. This praise was reciprocated by Sisi, who stated in an interview with CNN that he believed that Trump would be a strong leader, in essence, giving implicit endorsement.

However, Sisi was not only praised by Trump, he was also highly praised by other leaders in the Republican party, such as Jeb Bush and Ted Cruz, indicative of the ideological affinity between the American right and the Sisi regime.

Thus, one can expect a warming of relations between Egypt and the United States, as any concerns over repression, which the Obama administration might have had, will be replaced by support for these same practices as a way of combating terrorism.

Moreover, closer relations between Trump and Putin might facilitate a closer relationship between Egypt and Russia, as Egypt searches for reliable international allies, especially after relations with Saudi Arabia recently soured. This might increase Russian influence over the largest Arab country and military, giving more credence to its claim of being a global player.

In Syria, the change in American policy will have the strongest impact. The expectation of a drastic change in American policy was reflected in the statement made by Assad, who hoped that Trump would act as a reliable ally in the war against terror, which from the perspective of Assad, includes the entire Syrian opposition.

Trumps electoral triumph has tilted the tide of the civil war strongly in favor of Assad

Even though Trump is expected to pursue the war against IS, he is more likely to work closely with Russia to support the campaign against broader Assad opponents, which the United States had not targeted before, like Ahrar El Sham, a Salafist group that is not linked to Al Qaeda.

Any hope for the Syrian opposition to receive additional military aid, most notably MANPADs, that are essential in confronting Assads domination of the sky, a position held by Clinton, have been irrevocably dashed.

Trumps electoral triumph has tilted the tide of the civil war strongly in favor of Assad; it has increased Russian influence over Syria, allowing it to dictate the shape of future transitions, ensuring the survival of Assad at the head of this transition. The current onslaught on Aleppo is a case in point, as the Syrian regime and its Russian ally take advantage of Trumps win to drive opposition out from the city.

Finally, is the position that Trump is likely to take on Iran and how this will affect relations with Saudi Arabia. Even though Trump has demanded that Saudi Arabia financially contribute more to American military expenses in the region  since the United States offers it protection  their positions are likely to be similar in relation to Iran, which can lead to considerably stronger ties.

Trump has voiced opposition to the Iran nuclear deal and has shown some signs that he is willing to cancel the deal, which would mean a return to old tensions between the United States and Iran. This would bring the United States and Saudi Arabia closer together in the face of their old regional foe, and will strengthen the position of the Kingdom, which has been steadily losing ground to Iran, especially in Syria and Yemen.

The appointment of John Bolton, Newt Gingrich, or Romney as secretary of state, all prominent opponents of the Iran nuclear deal, provides an indication that Trump is most likely to follow an aggressive policy of containment.

Expected American policy will create the space for the growth of Russian influence in the region.

This will also act to remove tension with Israel, which was strongly opposed to the Iran nuclear deal. Indeed, Trumps desires to have closer ties to Israel manifested themselves in his promise to move the American embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, ignoring the massive blow that this would serve to the peace process, the two state solution, and possible Palestinian popular resistance to such a move.

Thus, the election of Trump will give second wind to autocrats in the region, not only due to ideological affinity, which Trumps right wing populism provides, but also due to a recalibration of American policy, which will focus on maintaining the current status quo, while aggressively containing Iran.

Expected American policy will also create the space for the growth of Russian influence in the region, more specifically in Syria and Egypt, as the United States takes a more accommodating approach to Russia, which will fill the vacuum left by American disengagement from the region.

Via OpenDemocracy.net

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CNN:  Saudi Arabia eyes Trump presidency
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu visited Iran on Saturday and met President Hassan Rouhani, Iranian state media reported, in rare previously announced talks between the regional rivals.

Cavusoglu was also due to meet his Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif during the visit, the official news agency IRNA reported.

"Despite (their differences), the two countries' officials are looking for solutions and seeking to draw closer their points of views, especially on Iraq and Syria," IRNA reported, without giving details of the talks.

Iran, a Shia Muslim nation, is a main ally of President Bashar al-Assad in Syria's civil war, while Sunni-majority Turkey has been one of his fiercest critics and has supported his opponents.

Iran has joined Iraq in criticising the Turkish military presence in northern Iraq, which Ankara has said is at the invitation of a Kurdish regional government.

Relations between the two neighbours appear to have improved after Iran supported the government of Turkey against a failed military coup in July.

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TeleSur |  

More than 10,000  mostly civilians  have been killed and more than 3 million have been displaced in the conflict.

Whistleblowing organization Wikileaks on Friday dropped yet another batch of files, this time detailing evidence of the United States arming, training and financing Yemeni forces in the build up to the current war.

The so-called Yemen Files appears to show how the Yemeni government received military hardware from the U.S., including aircraft, vehicles and vessels, as well the Yemeni procurement of US biometric systems.

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange said that in the rarely reported conflict the United States government has provided most of the bombs and is deeply involved in the conduct of the war itself, in a statement on the organizations website.

The latest leak of more than 500 documents from the U.S. Embassy in Yemens communications covers both Hillary Clinton and John Kerrys time as secretary of state from 2009 until March 2015, when the current conflict broke out. The embassy, based in the capital Sanaa, closed only a month beforehand.

With U.S. backing, the Saudi Arabia-led coalition has been fighting Yemens Houthi movement since March 2015. It wants to restore its ally president, Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi, who was driven into exile by Houthis forces in late 2014.

Wikileaks said that the war in Yemen was largely strategic, with the country sitting at an important narrow choke point for oil trade passing through the Middle East.

Saudi Arabia seeks to control a port in Yemen to avoid the potential constriction of its oil shipments by Iran along the Straight of Homuz or by countries which can control its other oil shipment path along the Red Sea, the statement read.

The new leak sheds further light on what many experts and human rights advocates argue: that the coalition is committing war crimes using U.S. made weapons. Internal warnings have stated that the U.S. would almost certainly be accused of committing war crimes in the conflict through providing logistical and intelligence support to Saudi-led coalition.

Since 2009, Obama has made 42 separate weapons deals with the kingdom totaling US$115 billion, according to a report from the Center for International Policy in September. The U.S. has also confirmed that it had previously sold white phosphorus, a napalm-like chemical, to the Saudis.

Recently, Yemeni civilians have been increasingly targetted by Saudi air raids. The U.N. says more than 10,000 people have been killed, most of them civilians, and more than 3 million have been displaced.

The U.S. previously said it would review its support for the Saudis after a U.S.-backed, Saudi-led airstrike killed more than 140 people and injured over 500 who were attending a funeral.

Despite internal warnings that U.S. weapons would almost certainly be used to commit war crimes against Yemeni citizens, the Obama administration since 2015 has approved US$1.3 billion in arms sales to Saudi Arabia.

On Wednesday, at least 12 Yemeni civilians were killed after Saudi Arabia refused to extend a two-day cease-fire on Monday, with both side blaming each other for violations of the cease-fire.

Via TeleSur

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AFP: Yemen: IDPs struggle to cope with cold weather
[JURIST] A 66-year-old woman and six-year-old boy have died [BBC report] in a fire in the Greek migrant camp [JURIST report, backgrounder] of Moria on Lesbos, causing some experts to question humanitarian conditions at several Grecian migrant camps. Two others were seriously burned in the fire which is suspected to have been caused by an accidental gas canister explosion. The fire triggered clashes between Greek police [Hellenic police, official website] and migrants leading some migrants to set fires to other parts of the camp. Over the past few months, Moria has been afflicted with unrest as migrants grow weary of long asylum processing wait times. Panos Navrozidis, International Rescue Committees (IRC) [advocacy website] country director in Greece, stated [press release] Friday that the loss of innocent lives last night at Moria is a damning indictment of the ineptitude of European leaders response to the refugee crisis. IRC further commented that humanitarian actors have been warning about the overcrowded conditions on Moria for months. IRC continued that the refugee camp was only built to accommodate 1,200 people but now houses an estimated 2,700 migrants and that conditions are only expected to worsen as winter approaches. Alexis Tsipras [official website], Prime Minister of Greece, stated [National Herald] Friday that he was shocked, as is the entire Greek nation, by the tragic event in the Moria camp on Lesbos and that he would intensify efforts for security and quality of life in the refugee centers.

The rights of refugee and migrant populations has emerged as one of the most significant humanitarian issues around the world. In April several aid organizations urged [JURIST report] EU leaders to stop deportations of migrants from Greece to Turkey and to stop detaining asylum seekers. Also in April Human Rights Watch reported [JURIST report] that the first deportation of 66 people from the Greek island of Chios to Turkey was riddled with an array of irregularities. In April UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon urged [JURIST report] world leaders to accept more refugees and to combat the growing international anti-refugee sentiments. That same month, an independent UN human rights expert encouraged EU leaders to remain steadfast [JURIST report] in their obligations to handle the recent influx of migrants to the EU.
At least eight members of Libyan pro-government forces were killed Saturday during a fresh offensive on Islamic State (IS) group holdouts in the Islamist militants' stronghold of Sirte, a medical source said.

Forces supporting the Government of National Accord (GNA) -- Libya's UN-backed, Tripoli-based administration -- launched a bid to retake the city from IS six months ago.

They quickly seized large chunks of the city, but the offensive slowed amid an effort to avoid losses and to protect civilians still trapped by the Islamist militants.

A hospital where pro-GNA forces are treated said on Saturday that it had received eight dead and 17 wounded fighters.

The loyalist forces' press centre said on its Facebook page that IS had carried out two suicide attacks. It added that a woman had opened fire as troops tried to secure an escape for her from a house retaken from the militants.

Pro-GNA fighters said they had taken around 30 buildings from IS in Sirte, the former hometown of longtime dictator Moamer Kadhafi, which is around 450 kilometres (280 miles) east of Tripoli.

Six months of fighting have left nearly 700 GNA fighters dead and 3,000 wounded. The death toll for the Islamist militants is not known.

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Related Cuban revolutionary Fidel Castro dies at 90

Russian President Vladimir Putin praised Fidel Castro, the socialist Cuban icon who has died aged 90, as the "symbol of an era," the Kremlin said in a statement Saturday.

"The name of this distinguished statesman is rightly considered the symbol of an era in modern world history," Putin said in a telegram to Cuban President Raul Castro cited by the Kremlin. "Fidel Castro was a sincere and reliable friend of Russia."

Putin added that Castro has managed to build a "free and independent Cuba" that "became an influential member of the international community and served as an inspiration for many countries and peoples."

The Kremlin strongman hailed Castro as a "strong and wise person who always looked to the future with confidence."

"He embodied the high ideals of a politician, a citizen and a patriot sincerely convinced of the rightness of the cause to which he dedicated his whole life," Putin said.

"His memory will forever remain in the hearts of the citizens of Russia."

Putin also said that Castro had made a "huge personal contribution" in the establishment and development of the countries' bilateral relations.

Former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev hailed Castro for strengthening his island nation.

President Raul Castro, who took power after his elder brother Fidel was hospitalised in 2006, said that the revolutionary leader's remains will be cremated early on Saturday.

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OMAHA  First National Bank of Omaha has awarded a total of $1,105,000 in community development grants to 51 organizations in Nebraska, Colorado, Illinois, Kansas, South Dakota and Texas. The grants will support affordable housing, education and job training, and economic development programs.

In Nebraska, First National Bank awarded $816,000 in community development grants to 32 organizations across the state including $14,000 to Kearney Works. The organization provides career education, training and pathways that lead to degree completion and employment credentialing necessary to obtain and sustain employment.

A $16,000 grant was also awarded to Kearney Area Habitat for Humanity to support affordable housing construction in Kearney.

To view First National Banks 2015 First in the Community Impact Report and learn more about the full extent of its community contributions visit: www.firstnational.com/site/about-us/in-the-community/index.fhtml.
LINCOLN  A proposed college tuition freeze puts Nebraska in league with a growing number of public colleges and universities that have promised not to raise tuition if they can get more state taxpayer support.

Public university systems in Iowa, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire and Washington state are among those that have explicitly offered to freeze tuition rates next school year if their state legislatures will allocate more money in 2013-14 and beyond. Other public universities announcing tuition freezes include those in Arizona, California, Rhode Island, Maine and Texas.

It's a logical strategy, higher education experts say. Research shows tuition increases at public universities are driven primarily by state budget cuts.

Yet a tuition freeze alone isn't enough to solve the problems ailing higher education, said Joni Finney, a professor of higher education at the University of Pennsylvania. Though freezes are politically popular, they can lead to even bigger spikes in tuition after the freeze is lifted, if state government funding declines and the university hasn't taken steps to control spending.

It (a freeze) may provide students and their families some relief, she said, but it doesn't deal with the long-term problem of developing a sustainable financial strategy. It puts off solving that problem.

California, Washington and Virginia experimented with tuition freezes in the 1990s, with those states boosting higher education appropriations to buy out tuition hikes, Finney said. But when state revenues ran short, the freezes were lifted, and students endured higher-than-usual tuition increases.

The biggest challenge for these agreements is that when times get tough and states have revenue declines, they pull back, said Don Heller, dean of the College of Education at Michigan State University. The thing about these agreements is that they're only as strong as the people who make them.

When recessions bit into state tax revenues over the past decade, many lawmakers across the country adopted a philosophy of disinvestment. The reasoning was that universities have the ability to raise tuition and that students and their families, as the primary beneficiaries, ought to bear a bigger share of college costs.

The recent spate of tuition freezes may signal that the policy pendulum is beginning to swing in a new direction, Heller said.

After the recession and the run-up in (college) prices, we're starting to see pushback, he said. Legislators are starting to realize that the burden is getting too large for some families.

In Iowa, for example, the Board of Regents has promised not to raise tuition on undergraduates from Iowa next year, if the Legislature and Gov. Terry Branstad approve a 2.6 percent increase in state funding for the University of Iowa, Iowa State University and the University of Northern Iowa.

Craig Lang, president of the Iowa Board of Regents, said the proposal is structured so Iowa tax dollars follow Iowa kids.

The University of Minnesota promised not to raise tuition on undergraduates from Minnesota for two years if state government agrees to spend an additional $92 million on the university over that span, including a $43 million boost to the general operating budget.

Several other states have used variations on the freeze theme to accomplish somewhat different goals.

Since 2007, after students demanded more predictability, the University of Kansas has offered a four-year tuition compact to incoming freshmen.

Though it starts out higher than KU's standard tuition, the compact rate locks in for those students for four years. Illinois adopted a similar policy for its higher education institutions in 2003. Texas Gov. Rick Perry has called for a similar approach in his state.

Last fall, Indiana University announced a plan that would freeze tuition rates for students who have completed 60 credit hours by the end of their sophomore year. The proposal is intended to minimize debt loads by encouraging students to complete their bachelor's degrees within four years.

The University of Texas at Austin will launch a pilot program this fall to pay down the student loans of financially needy freshmen who are on track to graduate in four years, said Tom Melecki, student financial services director.

In Nebraska, Gov. Dave Heineman, University of Nebraska and state college leaders jointly announced what they called a compact to freeze resident tuition at NU and state colleges for two years.

The freeze, which would apply to undergraduates and graduate students from Nebraska, depends on the Legislature agreeing to Heineman's call to increase funding for NU and the state colleges, an increase over two years of about 9 percent.

NU President J.B. Milliken said he hopes the freeze will usher in a new state commitment to support for higher education. He also hopes it will help the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and the University of Nebraska at Omaha attract more Nebraska students and meet ambitious enrollment goals.

He described the proposed freeze as a part of NU's long-term strategic plan, implemented eight years ago, which emphasizes prudent fiscal management, adequate financial aid for students, stable levels of support from the state and moderate and predictable tuition increases.

Indeed, NU's tuition already compares well to the amounts charged by many of its counterparts. While Nebraska state government did not increase its general spending on higher education in recent years, neither did it make significant cuts. It even found extra money to help pay for new facilities like a cancer research center in Omaha, a research park in Lincoln and a new stadium for Peru State College.

By comparison, the University of Minnesota's state funding has been slashed by $140 million since 2008 and Iowa's universities lost $125 million in annual state funding from 2008-09 to 2010-11.

Those who study higher education agree with NU leaders that the ultimate solution involves settling on a stable amount of state funding and establishing predictable tuition increases. It requires higher ed institutions to manage costs and policymakers to develop financial aid strategies to help low-income students afford college.

Pennsylvania's Finney said she does not know how families with young children can reasonably plan for college, given the volatility in tuition rates.

Ultimately, we've got to figure out what's a reasonable tuition policy, instead of raising it as high as the market can bear, she said.

Private colleges urge more aid from state for all students

LINCOLN  Private colleges say providing more financial aid to all Nebraska college students would be a better use of state funds than Gov. Dave Heineman's proposed two-year tuition freeze for the state colleges and the University of Nebraska.

The tuition freeze would be offset by a $47 million increase in the state's contribution to the NU and state college budgets over the next two years. Heineman also proposes a $1 million increase in a state grant program that benefits financially needy college students in Nebraska.

The freeze proposal does nothing for the 33,000 students who attend Nebraska private nonprofit colleges and universities, said Tip O'Neill, president of the Association of Independent Colleges and Universities of Nebraska.

Nebraska ranks 40th among the states on the proportion of state higher education funds used for student financial aid, O'Neill said. Most of state higher education funds in Nebraska go to support institutional operations. Many states also provide more financial assistance to students who attend private institutions.

Nebraska private nonprofit colleges and universities awarded more than 41 percent of all bachelor's and advanced degrees in Nebraska during the 2010-11 academic year, O'Neill said. He also said private institutions enrolled a higher percentage of minority students and, in 2010-11, awarded twice as many degrees to African-American students than the NU and the state college system combined.

Though O'Neill thanked Heineman for the proposed increase to the Nebraska Opportunity Grant Program, he said private colleges believe the proposed increase is far too little.

In the short term, he said, private colleges are calling for a significant increase in the student financial aid program. In the long term, state lawmakers should consider productivity and degree completion when they allocate scarce state resources for higher education.

Heineman declined to respond Wednesday to the concerns raised by the private colleges. It is surprising that any education leader would take issue with a strategy to make higher education more accessible for Nebraskans, NU spokeswoman Melissa Lee said. Our proposal would have a tremendous impact on students and families in the state, and from the feedback we've received, we believe Nebraskans agree.
The legacy of Cuba's Fidel Castro elicited praise Saturday from some world leaders who remembered him as a friend and ally, but exiles in Miami celebrated his death.

Here are some early reactions to the passing of the 90-year-old Cold War icon, whose life was defined by his resistance to the capitalist United States.

"The name of this distinguished statesman is rightly considered the symbol of an era in modern world history," the Russian president said in a telegram to Cuban President Raul Castro, Fidel's brother, cited by the Kremlin.

"Fidel Castro was a sincere and reliable friend of Russia."

"Fidel stood up and strengthened his country during the harshest American blockade, when there was colossal pressure on him and he still took his country out of this blockade to a path of independent development," Interfax news agency quoted former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev as saying.

"In the past years, even when Fidel Castro was not formally in power, his role in strengthening the country was huge."

China's president hailed Castro in a message read out on state television: "The Chinese people have lost a good and true comrade.

"Comrade Castro will live forever. "

The South African president gave one of the warmest tributes to the late Cuban leader.

"President Castro identified with our struggle against apartheid. He inspired the Cuban people to join us in our own struggle. As a way of paying homage to the memory of President Castro, the strong bonds of solidarity, cooperation and friendship that exist between South Africa and Cuba must be maintained and nurtured," Zuma said.

The cordial relationship between Canada and Cuba was reflected in remarks made by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

"It is with great sadness that I have just heard of the death of Fidel Castro. A longtime friend of Canada and my family," Trudeau.

Fidel Castro embodied Cuba's revolution in both its "hopes" and its later "disappointments", the French President said in a statement.

"An actor of the Cold War... he represented, for Cubans, pride in rejecting external domination," Hollande added, alluding to Castro's opposition to the United States.

The Venezuelan president, Cuba's main ally in the region, said of Castro on Twitter: "It is up to us to continue his legacy and carry his flag of independence."

The Spanish prime minister sent his condolences to Cuba's government and people, via Twitter, where he described Castro as "a figure of historic significance".

India's prime minister sent his "deepest condolences" to Cuba. "May his soul rest in peace," he tweeted.

"Fidel Castro was one of the most iconic personalities of the 20th century. India mourns the loss of a great friend."

Castro's death was treated less sympathetically in Miami, the American city just 90 miles (150 kilometres) from the Cuban coast, where many opponents of the communist regime escaped. Many others died trying to reach it by boat.

Amid cries of "Cuba Libre!" and "Freedom! Freedom!" Cuban-Americans poured on to the streets.

"It's sad that one finds joy in the death of a person -- but that person should never have been born," said Pablo Arencibia, 67, a teacher who fled Cuba 20 years ago.

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FILE - In this Thursday, Oct. 20, 2016 file photo, Malta's Prime Minister Joseph Muscat arrives for the EU summit in Brussels. Joseph Muscat, whose country is about to assume presidency of the European Union for six months from Jan. 1, 2017, says Britain's exit from the bloc will see both sides lose out. (AP Photo/Olivier Matthys, File)
Crude oil is shown at the site of a pipeline break northeast of Peace River, Alta., on May 4, 2011. In 2014, the Alberta Energy Regulator held an inquiry into odours from heavy oil operations in the Peace River area after years of complaints from residents in tiny communities such as Three Creeks. CANADIAN PRESS\Ian Jackson
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The National Bank of Egypt (NBE), the countrys largest public lender, has relaxed its bank card purchase limits abroad to a maximum of EGP 100,000 per month for the highest credit category, up from EGP 65,000, Ahram Daily reported.

The move comes in the wake of the daring decisions by the Central Bank to float the local currency, NBE senior official Hazem Hegazy told Ahram Daily.

A hard currency crunch and an earlier decline in foreign currency reserves have led the majority of Egyptian banks to tighten their limits abroad.

However, following the flotation of the pound in early November, a number of have banks relaxed their limits.

Hegazy added that the flotation of the pound has increased confidence in the banking sector and increased [dollar reserves], as customers sold them for Egyptian pounds.

NBE also increased the classic card's purchase limit to EGP 20,000 and the Gold cards purchase limit to EGP 50,000.

Similarly, the countrys largest private lender, the Commercial International Bank, (CIB) increased its limits last week, with maximum withdrawal for platinum cards increasing to EGP 150,000 per month.

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Related Egyptian middle classes fear tuition fee increases after pound float

A survey conducted by Egypts Baseera polling centre revealed that 77 percent of households that fall within the countrys highest economic bracket make use of ration cards.

The independent Baseera centre says that half of these households said that they would be willing to give up their cards for households more in need.

The total number of those willing to give up their cards stands at 5.5 million households, according to the centre.

According to the centre, eight out of every 10 Egyptian households use government-issued subsidy cards, with Lower Egyptian governorates showing the highest use of ration cards at 89 percent, followed by the southern governorates at 80 percent, while urban governorates coming in last at 69 percent.

In October, Egypts supply minister Mohamed Ali El-Sheikh said that 71 million people use subsidy cards to buy essential foodstuffs.

Baseera says that if these citizens forego the use of their cards, this would save nearly a third of the budget allocated to subsidising goods, which stood at EGP 41 billion in the 2016/2017 budget.

In October, the state-run Central Agency for Public Mobilisation and Statistics (CAPMAS) revealed that 10.5 percent of subsidies are received by families in the poorest bracket; while subsidies decrease gradually to 4.2 percent for the richest bracket.

Egypt is currently working to provide essential food goods and regulate the market amid price hikes and a shortage of essential commodities.

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A recent story in Crains New York Business cited the difficulty small independent medical practices face coping with declining reimbursement rates from insurers, rising overhead costs and a torrent of new regulations that have come into play in recent years.

According to the article, only 26 percent of New York state physicians now own their own practice, compared with national rates of physician ownership of 76 percent thirty years ago. Honestly, I was not surprised by the numbers. Consolidation of independent medical practices into larger organizations is old news, and it is no secret that the drivers include those mentioned.

I was, however, struck by the subsequent letter to the editor by Malcolm Reid, the president of the Medical Society of the State of New York. In it, Dr. Reid states: Physicians should have a fair choice of practice setting to deliver care to patients, whether that is in a large health system, large medical group or within a smaller medical practice, and goes on to say that Many physicians enjoy independent practice because of the personal attention that can be directed to their patients without external interference.

I am sure they do, but honestly, why should we expect the government or the public to assure that physicians have a fair choice? To put it bluntly, Reid (and the rest of us) should get over the idea that the organization of care should revolve around whats good for doctors. He makes it quite clear that he is not advocating that fair choice of practice setting is about patients, since he concedes that effective patient-physician relationships can be maintained in a variety of practice and employment arrangements. Rather, he is saying that doctors should have the right to practice in independent practices because, well, thats how they like to practice.

To be clear  and before the pitchforks come out  I am not saying that independent practice is bad, and I am not saying that I dont care about how physicians feel about their practice arrangements. What I am saying is that if an independent practice is worth preserving, then the case for it has to be made on the basis of what it provides to the patients we serve, and not on the basis of what it provides to the doctors who care for them.

Ira Nash is a cardiologist who blogs at Auscultation.

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With legal pot comes a problem: How do we weed out impaired drivers?

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On November 8, voters in California, Maine, Massachusetts and Nevada approved ballot measures to legalize recreational cannabis. It is now legal in a total of eight states. And this creates potential problems for road safety. How do we determine whos impaired and whos not?

The effects of alcohol vary based on a persons size and weight, metabolism rate, related food intake and the type and amount of beverage consumed. Even so, alcohol consumption produces fairly straightforward results: The more you drink, the worse you drive. Factors like body size and drinking experience can shift the correlation slightly, but the relationship is still pretty linear, enough to be able to confidently develop a blood alcohol content scale for legally determining drunk driving. Not so with marijuana.

We have a reliable and easy-to-use test to measure blood alcohol concentration. But right now we dont have a fast, reliable test to gauge whether someone is too doped up to drive.

The need is urgent. The 2014 National Survey on Drug Use and Health reported that 10 million Americans said they had driven while under the influence of illicit drugs during the previous year. Second to alcohol marijuana is the drug most frequently found in drivers involved in crashes.

But how do you know when youre too stoned to drive? How can police tell?

My colleagues and I at the Center for Medicinal Cannabis Research at UC San Diego have received a US$1.8 million grant from the state of California to gather data about dosages, time and what it takes to impair driving ability  and then create a viable roadside sobriety test for cannabis.

Testing for marijuana isnt like a BAC test

Alcohol and marijuana both affect mental function, which means they can both impair driving ability.

Some elements of cannabis use are similar. Potency of strain affects potency of effect. Marijuana and its active ingredient  THC  alter brain function, affecting processes like attention, perception and coordination, which are necessary for a complex behavior like driving a car.

Regular users tend to become accustomed to the drug, particularly in terms of cognitive disruption or psycho-motor skills. Because they are accustomed to the drugs effects, this means they may function better relative to naive users.

Smoked marijuana produces a rapid spike in THC concentrations in the blood, followed by a decline as the drug redistributes to tissues, including the brain. The psychological impact depends upon a host of variables.

Lets say, for example, a person smokes a joint and gets into his car. THC levels in his blood are likely to be quite high, but his cognitive functions and driving skills may not yet be impaired because the drug hasnt yet significantly impacted the brain. But another driver might use cannabis but wait a few hours before getting behind the wheel. Her THC blood levels are now quite low, but shes impaired because drug concentrations remain high in her brain.

Six states have set limits for THC in drivers blood, and nine other states have zero-tolerance laws, making the presence of THC in the drivers blood illegal.

But unlike alcohol, evidence of cannabis use can linger long after its effects have worn off, particularly if people are regular users or consume a lot in a single episode. Among chronic users, it may not clear out of their systems for weeks. Therefore, unlike blood alcohol concentration, the presence and amount of different cannabis compounds in the blood or urine do not necessarily tell you whether the driver is impaired due to marijuana.

This is why a quick and simple assessment of whether someone is driving while under the influence is difficult. And that is a necessity for any type of effective roadside sobriety test.

To create a fast and easy-to-use test, there are a few questions about marijuana that our team at UC San Diego has to answer.

How much marijuana is too much to drive?

Current blood, breath, saliva and urine tests have been challenged as unreliable in court, though they are used to prove that someone has ingested marijuana.

In California and elsewhere, the primary assessment of impairment is the law enforcement officers field sobriety test.

One specific challenge is determining the relationship of dose or potency, and time since consumption, to impairment. While there has been some research in this area, the studies have not comprehensively examined the issues of dose and time course of impairment. The lack of data is one of the big reasons for our work now.

Later this year, we will begin controlled experiments in which participants will smoke varying amounts of cannabis in varying strengths and then operate a driving simulator. Well look for impairment effects in the immediate period after exposure and over subsequent hours.

Well also investigate the relationship between THC and other cannabinoid levels in blood to different measures, such as saliva or exhaled breath. Roadside blood sampling is impractical, but perhaps there is an easier, reliable indicator of marijuana exposure.

Finally, there is the goal of finding the best way to assess impairment. A driver suspected of being high might be asked to follow with his finger a square moving around on a devices screen, a test of critical tracking. Or she might perform tablet tests that more validly simulate the demands of driving.

The idea is to determine whether and how these measures  drug intake, biomarkers, objective cognitive performance and driving ability  correlate to produce an evidence-based, broadly applicable assessment standard and tool.

Igor Grant is professor and chair, department of psychiatry and director, Center for Medical Cannabis Research, University of California, San Diego. This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.

Image credit: Shutterstock.com
Launched in 2015 by the Goethe-Institut, the Science Film Festival brings screenings to a variety of venues in Alexandria, moving to other Egyptian cities for the first time

In its second edition, the Science Film Festival takes place between 1 October and 18 December, screening a large number of films in 16 countries in Southeast Asia, North Africa and the Middle East.

In Egypt, screenings take place between 27 November and 16 December in the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, Goethe Institut (Alexandria), along other locations in Alexandira.

For the first time, the festival is reaching out to a young audience in Cairo and other cities.

The festival was initiated in 2015 and is organised by the Goethe-Institut, the cultural institute of the Federal Republic of Germany.

This year, the festival's theme is "Material," aiming at introducing to viewers how materials are put together, how they can be used and changed.

Following the theme, a series of films focus on different aspects of the material world, reaching out to children and young audience's interests.

The films are divided into the following categories: Family Edutainment, Ecology and Environment, Natural Science, Technology and Life Science, Culture and History, and Non-Verbal & Science Shorts.

The festival brings eight films to Egypt: five from the Family Edutainment segment, two from Natural Science, Technology and Life Science and one from Non-Verbal & Science Shorts.

Apart of the screenings, the Science Film Festival offers a large variety of science-related activities, descriptions of which can be found on the festival's website.

The Goethe-Institut reported on its website that this year the festival "received 181 submissions from 46 countries. With over 750,000 visitors last year in 16 countries, the event is one of the largest science festivals worldwide."

This year the countries participating in the festival include (in alphabetical order): Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Egypt, Indonesia, Jordan, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Oman, Palestine, Philippines, Qatar, Sudan, Thailand, UAE, Vietnam.

Check the programme below for more details:

For more arts and culture news and updates, follow Ahram Online Arts and Culture on Twitter at @AhramOnlineArts and on Facebook at Ahram Online: Arts & Culture

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A Native American tribe will be hosting a Prayer Ceremony for Standing Rock Reservation at the Laredo Civic Center on Saturday.

With the continuous fight for the right to clean water against the Dakota Access Pipeline, the Kickapoo Traditional Tribe of Texas and Promise al Sol will be hosting a Prayer Ceremony.

Over 500 tribal nations have come together for the same cause.

The event will be held at the Laredo Civic Center, located at 2400 San Bernardo Avenue from 10:00 am  1:00 pm. It will consist of a healing circle dance, performances by Native American dancers and a shell ceremony.
Two homeowners are looking for the vandals who spray painted graffiti on their fence's wall.

Both of the residents say they are upset and will now have to spend money to clean the mess.

The vandals spray painted words such as "Trust God" and "Pimp", as well as other statements.

One of the residents says he has an idea of who is responsible for the graffiti but does not want to point fingers until he is sure.

The homeowner says he will offer a reward to the person who knows who committed the crime.

The homeowners says he has filed a police report but police tell him they cannot do anything until they have enough proof of who painted the wall.
Investors pull another $595 mln from U.S.-based bond funds -Lipper



NEW YORK, Nov 25 (Reuters) - Investors pulled another $595 million from U.S.-based bond funds during the latest week, Thomson Reuters Lipper data showed on Friday, during a bond rout following the U.S. presidential election. Stock mutual funds and exchange-traded funds (ETFs) in the United States attracted $452 million during the seven days through Nov. 23, the data showed, after a record week of inflows for stock ETFs the week before.

(Reporting by Trevor Hunnicutt; Editing by Chris Reese)

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and may not reflect those of Kitco Metals Inc. The author has made every effort to ensure accuracy of information provided; however, neither Kitco Metals Inc. nor the author can guarantee such accuracy. This article is strictly for informational purposes only. It is not a solicitation to make any exchange in precious metal products, commodities, securities or other financial instruments. Kitco Metals Inc. and the author of this article do not accept culpability for losses and/ or damages arising from the use of this publication.

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ATHENS, Nov 26 (Reuters) - Greece's bailout performance review is progressing well and its timely conclusion will be a key factor in including the country's bonds in the ECB's asset buying scheme, European Central Bank Executive Board member Benoit Coeure said on Saturday.

"It is in the interest of the Greek economy that the review is completed in a timely way," Coeure told newspaper Efimerida Ton Syntakton in an interview.

Greece's official creditors are assessing its performance against reforms and fiscal targets set in its bailout programme of up to 86 billion euros ($91.02 billion) agreed last summer, its third since its debt crisis exploded in 2010.

The Eurogroup of euro zone finance ministers is scheduled to meet on Dec. 5 to take stock of the progress made and set a timeline for the completion of the review.

Greek government officials said this week that there were still differences between Athens and its lenders on fiscal targets and labour and energy reforms. Coeure said it was "vital" for Greece that the financial aid programme which ends in 2018 succeeds, noting that a fourth bailout "is not an option anyone is considering."

He said that the ECB did not have a precise timeline on including Greek government bonds in its asset buying scheme, a move Athens has high hopes for as it would help it regain market access before the bailout ends.

"This (QE inclusion) is a decision taken independently by the Governing Council of the ECB. Programme developments and clarity on debt measures are an important input given our concerns about debt sustainability," Coeure told the paper.

The ECB's Governing Council would base its assessment also on an internal analysis, taking into account other risk management considerations before making the final decision, Coeure said.

"The inclusion of Greek bonds in the PSPP could be an important signal that reforms are on track and debt is being put on a more sustainable footing," he said.

While the aim of the bailout programme is to restore Greece's full access to international capital markets by mid-2018, this cannot be achieved without strong commitment by the government to stick to the path of reforms, he said.

"It is essential to maintain the momentum and persist with the reform efforts. Regaining market access needs to be also based on restoring debt sustainability," Coeure said.

He said the implementation of the programme must be coupled with debt-mitigating measures, as agreed by the Eurogroup in May last year, to provide markets the assurance they require to finance the future needs of Greece's economy.

"The ECB supports the need for debt measures in line with the Eurogroup agreement. The nature of the measures is for the euro area member states to decide," he said.

Despite differing views on budget surplus targets and debt sustainability between the International Monetary Fund and the euro zone, the fund's participation in the third bailout would be "a factor of credibility" for the programme, he said.

(Reporting by George Georgiopoulos; Editing by Jonathan Oatis)
New road, sidewalks coming to Almira Drive, View Ridge Elementary

The city is pursuing a nearly $5 million project that will reconstruct Almira Drive, and create a safer route for pedestrians with new sidewalks.
First NZ Herald reports:

A staffer in East Coast Bays MP Murray McCullys local office has been selected to contest the seat at next years election. Erica Stanford works in a senior role in McCullys local electorate office and has worked overseas in export sales roles. McCully has been MP for East Coast Bays since 1987 and in February announced he would not contest the seat next year, saying he would retire from Parliament when his time as foreign minister ended. Stanford is highly likely to enter Parliament next year  the North Shore electorate is a safe National seat, with McCully holding an almost 17,000-strong majority over closest challenger Colin Craig in 2014. Stanford said she was thrilled to be selected. Having been raised here, and now in turn raising my own kids here, Im not exaggerating when I say I think its the best place to live in Auckland.

Describing Erica primarily as a staffer is very much underselling her. Shes also a self-employed story producer for television, a sales director for Powerforce and has extensive export experience.

Also Newshub reports:

One of Prime Minister John Keys confidants and former senior advisors is set to enter Parliament, with Newshub learning she is being lined up as Nationals Wellington Central candidate. Nicola Willis has launched a challenge against incumbent candidate and list MP Paul Foster-Bell for the partys nomination, which opens in January. Ms Willis is a corporate high-flyer, currently holding a senior position at Fonterra as the general manager of nutrient management, pushing sustainability initiatives across some of the dairy giants farms. Before that, she was in charge of Fonterras stakeholder management portfolio which saw her wining and dining important figures from the public and private sectors, and from overseas. She worked as John Keys senior advisor from 2006  2011, when he was Opposition Leader, and then Prime Minister. When nominations do open, it is my intention to put forward my nomination and to stand for the candidacy, she told Newshub. This is a decision Ive come to after lots of conversation with my family. Its up to the National Party members to decide who their candidate is, so its them Ill be focused on, says Ms Willis.  Ms Willis lives in Auckland with her husband Duncan Small, and their four children. Mr Small used to work for the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet before taking a top job at Air New Zealand. She grew up in Wellington and her parents live in Kelburn.

And Newshub also reports on another possibility:

Rumours are circulating that former Porirua mayor and ex-Labour stalwart Nick Leggett could be standing in the Mana electorate at next years election for the National Party. Mr Leggetts previously been flagged as a future Labour Party leader but he could be about to jump ship, and stand for National in Wellingtons Mana electorate. Its up for grabs following Hekia Paratas decision to leave politics however Mr Leggett says nothing is official  yet.

I would never say never but I say that in the widest possible sense, he said. I wont rule out standing for any, I think that would be silly to. He says his focus in the short term is building up his consultancy company. Great to see so many talented people standing or thinking of standing.

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Some 3,000 university students gathered at Gwanghwamun Square in central Seoul on Nov. 26 march the streets, calling for President Park Geun-hye to resign. They rallied for two hours from 2 p.m. and headed for the presidential house Cheong Wa Dae. / Korea Times photo by Choi Ha-young



By Choi Ha-young, Park Si-soo



South Korea is infamous for its extremely high educational competition, pitting students against each other in pursuit of high scores they believe will land them in good schools and high-paying jobs.



But the burgeoning corruption scandal involving President Park Geun-hye seems to have put a brake on the furious race: an increasingly number of students has put down their pens, closed their textbooks, and taken to the streets, despite the cold weather, condemning Park and demanding her resignation.

On Saturday, nearly 3,000 university students gathered in front of the King Sejong statue in Gwanghwamun Square, central Seoul. They staged an anti-President rally of their own at 2 p.m., four hours before the fifth weekly mass anti-President on Saturday at the same venue that drew nearly 1.3 million people on Nov. 26.

Across the country, nearly 1.6 million people took to the streets in the largest anti-President protest in decades.












Mrs Aminat Titi Abubakar, wife of former Nigerias Vice-President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, yesterday told a Lagos high court sitting in Ikeja of how she was defrauded of N918 million by a former governorship aspirant in Akwa Ibom State, Nsikakabasi Akpan Jacobs.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had arraigned Jacobs, Abdulmalik Ibrahim and Dana Motors on a 15-count charge of conspiracy, stealing and fraudulent conversion of properties belonging to THA Shipping Maritime Services Ltd.

Led by the prosecution counsel, Mr Babatunde Sonoiki, told the court presided over by Justice Oluwatoyin Ipaye how Akpan allegedly defrauded her of her shares in the company and other proceeds.



She told the court that Akpan Jacobs who doubled as the companys managing director and secretary had allegedly gone to the Corporate Affairs Commission where he altered the share arrangement in his favour.

She alleged Akpan forged a company board resolution re-distributing the shares ownership and alloted 70 per cent to himself , 15 per cent to her and 15 per cent to Holmes.

With the shares re-distribution, Akpan Jacobs was alleged to have fraudulently assumed full ownership of THA Shipping and subsequently sold a property worth N918m belonging to the company to Dana Motor Nigeria Limited.

When asked, she said Akpan told her that he allotted major shares to himself in other to obtain loan from the bank for the company.

Testifying further before the court, Mrs Atiku stated that Akpan Jacobs , a pastor used the proceeds from the sales of the companys property to contest for the governorship position in Akwa Ibom State.

Mrs Atiku lamented that her investment in the company had gone down the drain and stated that her interest in coming to court is to ensure that justice is done.

I have never been inside a court before. Not even a police station in all my life. I am here because I want justice. All my investment and even profit are gone. I want this to serve as a deterrent to other fraudsters that they cant defraud people and not face justice, she said.

Part of the charge preferred against the defendants by the EFCC stated: that yNsikakabasi Akpan Jacobs and Abdulmalik Ibrahim as the Managing Director and Company Secretary on or about the 10th day of August 2008 in Lagos within the Ikeja Judicial Division with intent to defraud stole and converted to your own personal use the sum of N918,000,000.00 being proceeds sale of the property and appurtenances situted at Plot C63 A Amuwo Odofin Commercial. Layout along Oshodi-Apapa Expressway, Lagos belonging to Tha Shipping and Maritime Service limited entrusted with you as the Managing Director.

yNsikakabasi Akpan Jacobs and Abdulmalik Ibrahimy on or about the 1st day July 2002 in Lagos within the Ikeja Judicial Division with intent to defraud forged a Memorandum and Article of Association of Tha Shipping and Maritme Service Limited dated the 1st day of July 2002 purporting the sgnatures therein to have been signed by Florence Doregos and Fred Holms.

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The SLFP does not condone the continuation of the Emergency Regulations (The Public Security Ordinance) more than a day necessary

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This transcript appears in the November 25, 2016 issue of Executive Intelligence Review.

HELGA ZEPP-LAROUCHE IN DIALOG WITH

THE PERU ASSOCIATION OF ECONOMISTS

On the New Silk Road

and World Reconstruction

[Print version of this transcript]

A question-and-answer session immediately followed Mrs. Zepp-LaRouches pre-recorded video presentation to the Nov. 17 XXIII National Congress of the Association of Economists of Peru, held in Pucallpa, Ucayali in Peru's Amazon region. Her answers have been back-translated into English from the simultaneous interpretation into Spanish.

Question: What sort of credit system would be created for the financial platform for construction of regional infrastructure, such as the bi-oceanic rail corridor?

Zepp-LaRouche: Well, I think that this is a matter of negotiations among the participating countries, that is, Brazil, Peru, probably Bolivia, China. I think that China has already invested a lot in similar projects around the world. For example, China has invested $46 billion in Pakistan to develop a corridor connecting China to the Gulf coast. This is a project which has great potential for the future, because finally it is going to link up with India, and this is going to be one of the factors of stability in the relationship between two countries that, often in the past, have had tensions.

So, I think that China will probably participate in investing in this bi-oceanic corridor, and there obviously has to be a multilateral credit arrangement that takes into account the duration and the amount of time that it will take to build the railroad, and when it will begin to operate, and how it will be linked to other projects.

So that generally is not a big problem, so long as these credits are channeled solely to the development of infrastructure. And in that case, the investment should be measured not simply as the cost of the rail link, but you also have to calculate the medium and long-term increase in all of the other areas of industry, agriculture, and trade, which will come about as a result of the investment in infrastructure.

Throughout history, investment in infrastructure has been the precondition and the starting point for the industrial transformation of any country. So people who say that infrastructure is too expensive, and that therefore it should be privatizedthats a mistake. Because the idea isnt to have privatized infrastructure, but rather to view infrastructure as the necessary precondition for the increase and industrial progress of the continent, and of the whole region.

Question: How can changes in economic mentality in China transform the world? How can they help address problems that have arisen under the existing economic model?

Zepp-LaRouche: I think that China, clearly, still has a system based on a single party, and naturally it is the Communist Partyhowever, with Chinese characteristics. And I can tell you that it is my deepest personal conviction that, far more important than the communist aspect as such, which goes back to Karl Marxwho, by the way, was born in the same city that I come from in Germany, Trierin any case, the Chinese Communist Party is greatly influenced by the philosophy of Confucius. Confucianism has been the state philosophy of China for thousands of years. And it has a system of values which is totally different from the system of the neoliberal monetarist theory.

Xinhua/Jorge Villegas

Confucianism places great emphasis on knowledge, on learning throughout life, by everybody in the whole world, especially the labor force. It also places great emphasis on excellence, that one always has to try to achieve results in the best manner possible. It places great emphasis on innovation: never do the same thing twice, always progress in technological leaps, leapfrogging ahead. And China has shown that it is not necessary to repeat all of the stages of industrialization which the industrialized countries have gone through in a chronological fashion, in the way they did. Rather, you can choose and define areas in which a country can be a true world leader, and place great emphasis on the education of students in that specific area.

And that way, in a growing division of labor in a world which is increasingly specialized and differentiated on the level of the world economy, every country absolutely can profit from that system. And although there may be a multi-party system or there may be things from the old paradigm, or values from the old system that go along with globalization that only emphasizes obtaining the immediate maximum financial profit in the short term, I think that what is most profitable in the long term, and even in the medium term, is the Chinese model, which is based on the best aspects of what caused the industrial revolution in any country. Whether it be Germany, Russia, or the United States, there has always been a model which is based on physical economy. And I think that that, perhaps with greater difficulty, can be repeated in other countries.

But it absolutely can be achieved, if you have a national mission, and if that national mission is something coherent with the requirements of all mankind. And I think that this goes to the entire question of The New Silk Road Becomes the World Land-Bridge,that is, that we are not talking only about transportation lines from A to B, but rather of the total industrialization, a transformation of all continents and all parts of the planet, which so far have not fully developed.

In a certain sense, I think that once we proceed from that perspective of the totality, that humanity has to achieve a higher level of development in which every human being on the planet must participateI think that, in that way, even a country which does not have the characteristics of China, can learn from the Chinese model about how to achieve that.

Our Historic Opportunity Right Now

Question: Helga, you are known as the Silk Road Lady. On what principles have you based yourself, to develop that concept of a world model?

Zepp-LaRouche: Well, I think that it actually began, in a certain way, when I went as a young journalist to China in 1971; I had the opportunity to go there on a cargo ship of a company that had traded with China for over 100 years, and therefore wasnt affected by the Cultural Revolution. And I was very curious to visit and know China in the period of the Cultural Revolutionwhich was a very difficult moment, but I was very happy to have been able to be there.

And that experience had a big impact on me, because people were very unhappy. There were the Red Guards, who went into peoples houses at night, and took them out of their houses and threw them in jail. The population was terrorized. But at the same time I encountered ancient Chinese culture, which impressed me very much, from that time on.

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Schiller Institute

I developed a great interest in Chinese history and culture. And based on the general experiences of that trip, which also took me to Senegal, South Africa, Malaysia, Thailand, and Singaporewhen I returned from that trip, I had the profound conviction that the underdevelopment of the developing countries was something so horrible. I could give you a lot of details of what I saw: how children slept in horrible conditions; and how a woman wanted to sell me some small thing, and I had to tell her that I didnt have any money to help her. But I returned with a profound conviction that the underdevelopment of the developing sector was something that had to be rectified.

And, fortunately, I came across the economic theories of Lyndon LaRouche, who was promoting exactly that. He was promoting true industrialization. The Third World has to be developed. And that was at the beginning of the 1970s, when the oligarchy was imposing the paradigm that began with the idea that there shouldnt be any development. They began to talk about over-population; about sustainable development, which from the very beginning really meant that there should not be any development at all. And the Club of Rome, about which I spoke earlier, and their idea that there are limits to growth, and now that there is an equilibrium and all growth must be stopped.

Lyndon LaRouches movement opposed all of that and did in-depth studies and published development programs, such as for Africa. If you look at the map of Africa and of Latin America in the 1970s, they had a lot in common. They did not have infrastructure, or perhaps they just had one railroad which went from a mine, carrying raw materials to a port, for the colonialist exploitation of the resources. But the domestic development of infrastructure and its development was something that simply didnt exist. And thats why the idea of a transcontinental railroad between Brazil and Peru is something that is so, so crucial, because it is exactly the kind of infrastructure that every country should have, in every continent, as a precondition for industry and agriculture.

So we first did a plan for the development of Africa, and then at the end of the 1970s and beginning of the 1980s, with President Jose Lopez Portillo of Mexico, we proposed the idea of Operation Juarez.

We also worked with Indira Gandhi at the beginning of the 1980s, with a 40-year development plan for the development of India, which she began to implement. After they killed her, we worked with her son, Rajiv Gandhi.

My husband, Lyndon LaRouche, proposed a plan for the economic development of the Middle East, called the Oasis Plan. And when the Berlin Wall came down in 1989, it was clear that we had to connect Europe to Asia through infrastructure corridors, to create the same advantages of development and industry for the landlocked regions as the seacoasts, by connecting them to coastal areas and rivers.

Therefore the idea of The New Silk Road is an idea which we naturally supported when President Xi Jinping adopted it in 2013. We published all of those projects in a single report which is called The New Silk Road Becomes the World Land-Bridge.

So, in a certain way, we can say that over the last 40-45 years, we have participated directly in those projects, all on the basis of the most profound conviction that 500 years of colonialism and imperialism, and these policies, have led to many countries of the Southern Hemisphere having to accept conditions so horrible that people who live there simply cannot achieve their creative potential, which all human beings have. In the past, only a privileged elite could develop that potential, while many, many people dont even have the money or the possibilities of educating their children properly.

And I think we have reached the time in which that condition, which is an unjust condition of Mankind, can be overcomenot just in our lifetimes, but even in the next few years. Because if we look at the speed with which China has been able to progress with this idea of One Belt, One Road, and with the New Silk Road, it is truly impressive. In China, they have changed in an unprecedented manner.

So I have a lot of optimism that in the next years, we will have forgotten hunger; extreme poverty will have ended; that every child will have the opportunity to go to a good school; and we will truly be able to make a leap and achieve a Mankind worthy of that name.

Thank you very much.
This article transcript in the November 25, 2016 issue of Executive Intelligence Review.

HELGA ZEPP-LAROUCHE

ADDRESSES PERU ASSOCIATION OF ECONOMISTS

Th e Ne w Sil k Roa d Concep t, Facin g the Collaps e o f th e Worl d Financia l System

[Print version of this transcript]

On Nov. 17, Schiller Institute founder Helga Zepp-LaRouche delivered the following keynote address to the XXIII National Congress of the Association of Economists of Peru, held in Pucallpa, Ucayali, in the Amazon region of Peru. The title of the Nov. 17-19 congress is The Peru-Brazil Bi-Oceanic Train: Impact on the Economy of the Amazon Region and the Country. Zepp-LaRouches presentation, delivered at the opening session on Nov. 17, was on The New Silk Road Concept, Facing the Collapse of the World Financial System. The Peruvian economists congress was timed to coincide with the Nov. 19-20 Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Lima, Peru, with the expected participation of numerous heads of state, including Chinas Xi Jinping and Russias Vladimir Putin.

Helga Zepp-LaRouche

Dear ladies and gentlemen, honorable guests of this very important conference: I am extremely honored to be able to speak to you. This conference is very important, not only for Peru and the rest of Latin America, because it deals not just with infrastructure and rail lines, but because it is really about a paradigm shift to a completely new economic system which is eminently possible to realize. Now, obviously, the context of everything has changed with the unexpected, or for some unexpected, outcome of the American election. It was not just that people voted for Trump, but that they voted against the war policy of Hillary Clinton, which they perceived as the continuation of the present confrontation of the Obama Administration towards Russia and to a certain extent against China. And they also voted against the absolute injustice of a system which has increased the gap between rich and poor to an unbearable degree.

Now, if you look at what caused the actual election result, it was the voters in the so-called rust belt in the formerly industrialized states of Ohio, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania, people who lost employment, who became impoverished, who had no future, and they just gave an absolute repudiation of these policies.

It is an open secret that the U.S. economy is in a much worse state than the official statistics would try to have you believe. As a matter of fact, in certain European economic circles, they call the United States the country of the limitless statistical possibilities, meaning that these statistics are all massaged and are a paper tiger. And as people know, you cant eat a paper tiger, you cant fill a hungry stomach with that.

The revolt of the population took a first, very, very dramatic expression in June with the Brexit, the announced exit of Great Britain from the European Union. I would say that the Trump victory in the United States is a reflection of this same rejection of the policy of the establishment, where people feel that this establishment has completely gotten out of synch with the interests of the common people. Therefore, unless the policies are dramatically changed, in all of the United States and in all of Europe, and many other parts of the world, one has to expect more such populist revolts, such rejections of existing policies.

Cabinet Public Relations Office, Japan

In his acceptance speech, where Trump all of a sudden was more statesmanlike, he not only promised that he would be the President for all Americans, but he announced that he would rebuild the United States economy: Build roads, bridges, train systems, and he even said that he would make the United States the most modern infrastructure in a few years, which is a big promise, given the infrastructure development in other parts of the world already. But he promised that he would reconstruct the real economy of the United States.

Six Land Corridors

This obviously will have a big impact on the ability for the Latin American countries to put a lot of emphasis on their infrastructure development. This is not an option, this is an absolute necessity, because the world, at least concerning the trans-Atlantic part of the world economy, is facing a larger explosion than 2008. Many people have illusions about that, but we are sitting on a powder keg, in which you are stuck with the too-big-to-fail banks, those you cannot let go under because their crash would bring down the whole financial system, and whose managers you cannot put in jail for the same reason. They are much bigger today than they were in 2008; the debt and derivatives exposure is 40, 60, 80% larger. Take Deutsche Bank alone: They have a derivatives exposure of 42 trillion euros, which is four times the entire GDP of the European Union and 12 times the GDP of the German economy.

All the major too-big-to-fail banks in Europe and the United States have Deutsche Bank, with its derivatives exposure, as their derivatives counterparty. Therefore, if Deutsche Bank goes bankrupt, it would bring down practically all of these banks. But the same condition is true for the Italian banks, and for many of the British banks after the Brexit.

In addition, you have the problem that these banks all have had dramatic losses in the last years because of criminal fines, because they have been involved in a large variety of crimes: LIBOR manipulation, sums in the three-digit billions; money laundering: HSBC. You had the Wells Fargo Bank in open fraud against its customers; the same for Deutsche Bank. And there are many other examples.

The only way you can stop these developments, so as to prevent a repetition of the 2008 explosion on a larger scale, is by implementing, immediately, the Glass-Steagall banking separation law which Franklin D. Roosevelt implemented in 1933. That has to be the absolutely necessary first step, but it has to be followed with the Four Laws of Lyndon LaRouche which I will talk about a little bit later.

Now, this situation is very dangerous and must be remedied. With the election of Trump, nothing is clarified yet. The only thing which has been eliminated is the immediate danger of World War III, but if the economic reforms which Im now going to talk about are not implemented on a global scale, we may be back in a war danger in the very short term. So do not be at ease, but be optimistic, because the alternative economic system is already in place. And since most of the media have not paid adequate attention to that system, let me elaborate on it now, and you will see that we are actually in the middle of a huge development perspective already.

China, in particular President Xi Jinping, three years ago proposed the creation of a New Silk Road. He consciously referred to the ancient Silk Road which2,000 years ago during the Han Dynastyconnected China with Europe, and at that time it was not only the exchange of goods such as porcelain, silk, book printing, and many other things; but it was also the exchange of culture, of ideas, and most important, of technologiesnot just silk but the technology of how to make silk, how to print books, how to manufacture porcelain. At that time it led to an absolute increase in productivity, of culture. It meant a tremendous upgrading of civilization at that time.

Now, today, it would mean, and it is already meaning the exact same thing in terms of modern technologies, such as high-speed rail systems, space cooperation, fusion and fission research, and other advanced technologies. Since President Xi Jinping announced the New Silk Road in Kazakhstan in September 2013, there has been an absolute explosion of economic activity, and already, now, this whole project is 12 times larger than the Marshall Plan, which reconstructed the German economy in the postwar period. It already involves 4.4 billion people, the majority of mankind; it involves more than 100 nations and large organizations. And to just give you an idea of the enormity of what has happened in these three years, I want to give you a short overview of the different projects which are already near completion or under way.

There are presently six large land routes being constructed: This is the belt in the One Belt, One Road conception of the Chinese. Most of them are in different degrees of completion. You have the Eurasian Land-Bridge connecting China, Kazakhstan, and Russia, to Europe. Then you have the different corridors: one going from China to Mongolia to Russia; a second one from China to Central Asia to West Asia; a third one is the corridor between China and Pakistan, which China has invested $46 billion in alone. The fourth, Bangladesh, China, India, and Myanmar; the fifth, from China to Indo-China; and then you have in addition to that, the so-called 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, which is the road in the One Belt, One Road.

52 Special Economic Zones

From Chinese ports, this Maritime Silk Road goes through the South China Sea to the Indian Ocean, to Europe; a second route from China through the South China Sea to the South Pacific. All of these projects are based on a win-win cooperation with the idea that not only China profits from them, but all participating countries will, equally.

Xi Jinping made this really his personal project. Look at how many personal trips he conducted in these three years, he went to 37 countries on state visits: 18 in Asia, 9 in Europe, 3 in Africa, 4 in Latin America, and 3 in Oceania. He made free trade agreements with 11 states along the One Belt, One Road. He made bilateral agreements with 56 states. He made joint Memorandums of Understanding for planning operations with scores of regional organizations, such as the European Union, the Central and East European Countries (CEEC), the Mekong neighboring states, the African Union, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), as well as ASEAN, and ASEM (the Asia Europe Meeting). This is becoming a very extensive integrated network of projects.

Part of these projects are transport lines which represent the traffic arteries through these countries. It includes the agreements for telecommunications, power plants, power grids, the creation of conditions governing locations which make landlocked areas suitable for investment as well as ocean or river sites. It is important for agriculture and development to develop these conditions. It includes the building of many new cities.

As of mid-2016, 39 cargo routes have been developed from China to Europe, on which trains arrive every week. It involves the activities of many Chinese state corporations, such as the China Railway Group Ltd., and the China Communications Construction Co. Ltd. It involves 38 large infrastructure projects in 26 countries. It involves new transport grids through landlocked areas which were completely unreachable before. It involves the upgrading of ports, and the modernization of existing infrastructure.

In the Chinese part of the Silk Road, by the middle of this year China had already built 98 new airports. Very soon it will be the case that no city in the One Belt, One Road region will be farther away from an airport than 100 km. Within China, China has already built 20,000 km of high-speed rail for running a very excellent model of high-speed train developed by China. By the year 2020, they want to have a 50,000 km high-speed rail system in China, connecting every major city through such a system. And this is intended to be extended to the other countries.

Xinhua/Cai Zengle

The following Chinese state companies are involved: Telecom China Unicom, China Mobile, and TDLTE Net 4G mobile telecommunication. They have now contracted for plans in 30 countries, including China, the United States, Japan, India, Saudi Arabia, and Russia.

Already in the last three years, this has led to an explosion of trade: Between 2013 and 2016 the trade volume increased by $3.1 trillion. There are $51 billion direct investments in these countries. China has created five Special Economic Zones (SEZ) across its borders: One in Dongxing on the border with Vietnam; another one Ruili on the border with Myanmar; another in Erenhot on the border with Mongolia; and another one called Manzhouli on the Russian border. Plus one in the port of Mongla in Bangladesh on the Bay of Bengal.

Xinhua/Le Yanna

In addition, they have created 15 zones of economic cooperation across borders: In the northeast of China in Liaoning in the border area with North Korea; a second one in Jilin, in the border area of North Korea and Russia; another one in Heilongjiang, with Russia; another one in the south of China in Guanxi; and a fourth one in Yunnan at the border with Vietnam; and four such zones have been built in Xinjiang on the border with Kazakhstan.

By mid-2016, China had agreements for a total of 52 Special Economic Zones (SEZ) in 18 countries along the One Belt, One Road. Three of them are already fully operational: the industrial park between China and Belarus; the second one between Thailand and China, the Rayong industrial zone; and the third is the Indonesia-China Integrated Industrial Parks. The others are in different stages of realization, such as the industrial parks in Cambodia, Vietnam, Pakistan, Zambia, Egypt, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Hungary, and four such zones in Russia.

The Far Side of the Moon

Part of this is an upgrading of the energy infrastructure. China is presently participating in 40 energy projects abroad, comprising power plants, electricity grids, and oil and gas pipelines in 19 countries, including the Central Asia-China gas pipeline which was started in 2014, and the very huge Russia-China gas pipeline which also was started in 2014. And this also includes joint nuclear projects with China and Romania, with China and Great Britain, China-Pakistan, and China-Argentina.

China is also involved in the construction of water projects in Angola, Brazil, Nepal, Pakistan, and Argentina.

To finance all of this China also initiated, together with the other BRICS countries, a completely alternative financial system, responding to the fact that in the last decades the activities of the IMF and the World Bank have betrayed criminal neglect of funding infrastructure in the developing countries, leading to the absolute underdevelopment of such continents as Latin America or Africa, or large parts of Asia. China remedied that by creating the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) in 2015, which immediately, despite massive pressure from Washington not to do so, had 57 founding members, including Great Britain, Germany, France, Australia, New Zealand and Canadavery strong allies of the United States, which found it more attractive to join this bank. This bank has $100 billion of founding capital.

Then in addition, the BRICS countries created the New Development Bank in July 2015, which also had $100 billion in founding capital. By December 2014, China had already created the $40 billion New Silk Road Fund. The Maritime Silk Road Fund amounts to another $40 billion. But the largest part of this financing still comes from state banks such as the China Development Bank, which is involved in more than 900 projects for transport, energy, and raw materials in 60 countries. The China Export-Import Bank is involved in more than 1,000 projects as wellroads, rails, ports, power plants, pipelines, communications, and industrial parks in 49 countries. The China Export and Credit Insurance Corp. also supports investments totalling $2.3 trillion in medium- and long-term projects in the high-tech area, in machine-tool building and similar areas.

Then, as a very important additional element in the new financial system, there is also the Contingent Reserve Arrangement (CRA) of $100 billion, which was the reaction of the Asian countries and the BRICS countries to the speculative attacks which caused the Asia crisis of 97, in which such speculators as George Soros speculated the currencies of a country down by 80% in one week. So the CRA has been created to counter such speculative attacks for all the participating members.

Now, at the G-20 Hangzhou summit, which this year was organized by China, China put a lot of emphasis on innovation, insisting that innovation must be the driver of the world economy. By the middle of this year, China had already signed in this spirit, Memorandums of Understanding with 56 countries for scientific cooperation, joint space research, and joint investment in research of energy environment. They have created 38 science centers and technology centers, research labs, R&D industrial parks, exchange of scientific personnel and especially an exchange of several thousand young scientists of the countries along the One Belt, One Road.

China National Space Administration

So China, which has completely understood the science-driving ability of the space program, is now conducting probably the most advanced space program of all countries in the world. They will go to the far side of the Moon at the end of 2018, which will open up tremendous windows into space, because its more shielded from the radiation from the Sun and from the Earth, so you will find totally new insights into the laws of the universe at that time. And China, by the year 2022 will also have, as it stands now, the only functioning space station. And they have especially invited developing countries to be part of that, so that these countries development is not held back.

Confucian Philosophy

If you look at these developments, they are absolutely breathtaking. The first maps which were published in 2013 only showed very narrowly the One Belt, One Road line from China to Europe and the Maritime Silk Road. But if you look at the subsequent three years of development and fill in the projects which I just have named, you can see that this conception has grown exponentially. We, the Schiller Institute, are not unrelated to that, because this is a project we have pursued for more than 25 years: The so-called Productive Triangle linking the industrial zones of Western Europe with those of Eastern Europe was our answer to the fall of the Wall in 1989. Since the Iron Curtain was no longer there, we proposed economic integration of Eastern and Western Europe, and when the Soviet Union disintegrated in 91, we simply extended the so-called Productive Triangle to connect from the European industrial and population centers to those of Asia through infrastructure development corridors, and we called that the Eurasian Land-Bridge, the New Silk Road.

And we kept making new projects, we kept developing this idea further for every part of the world: for Latin America, for Africa, for the Middle East. Naturally at the time that Xi Jinping again put the perspective of the New Silk Road on the table, in 2013which they had previously done in 96, and which had been halted because of the Asia crisiswe intensified these studies and produced a 370-page study called The New Silk Road Becomes the World Land-Bridge. When you look at the projects of that blueprint you can actually see that what China is doing right now by advancing all the projects I just named, will very, very rapidly to fill out the proposed projects of the World Land-Bridge.

From that standpoint, it is not a question of whether the rail line should be built from Brazil to Peru, or from Brazil to Bolivia to Peru, because all of these will be built in this larger World Land-Bridge.

At the time that this discussion initially occurred in 2013, many countries in Central Asia had exactly the same debate. They said, Oh, this New Silk Road is not good, because it only proposes the east-west alliance between China and Europe, and we want the north-south alliance from Central Asia to Russia. This is all solved, because at the latest big conference in Vladivostok in September, and then after other conferences last month in St. Petersburg and Moscow, the full integration of the Eurasian Economic Union with the New Silk Road/One Belt, One Road Initiative is already taking place.

What is really happening is that the Chinese economic model has become the most attractive economic model in the world, because Chinalike Germany, by the way, in the postwar periodChina also had a real economic miracle, since China was able to to speed up the economic development for which the industrialized countries had required 200 years. China did this in essentially 30 years. Therefore when China offered, in 2013, the participation in that model on a win-win basis, what Xi Jinping really offered is the idea that every country in the world can participate in the kind of development which China has demonstrated.

China obviously has the so-called Chinese characteristics, which means a very strong influence of Confucian philosophy. It also means naturally a one-party system which many countries dont have. But in principle other countries can approximate this model absolutely if they focus on that which China was focussing on in its economic model, namely excellence in education, consistent emphasis on new innovation, lifelong education of the labor force, and leapfrogging technologyin other words the idea that developing countries must not repeat all the steps the industrial countries have taken, but they can choose certain state-of-the-art technologies and become the best in these areas, and in that way pull the other areas of the entire economy upward.

Two Systems

The Chinese model has become so attractive that it is very, very clearly the centerpiece of a completely new dynamic, and of a strategic realignment of many countries. The fact that there is such an option now, has already changed the world. The option for development for the developing countries has not existed since the assassination of John F. Kennedy, or actually since Franklin D. Rooseveltit existed for a short period with John F. Kennedybut for the last 50 years, there was to the contrary the clear attempt to prevent development of the developing sector. There was the completely fraudulent thesis of the Club of Rome saying that there are limits to growth, that we have somehow reached the end of the ability of the planet to grow. This was the basis for the creation of the Green movement. The Club of Rome and the famous book Limits to Growth was based on a completely fraudulent thesis, which asserted that resources are limited, leaving out, consciously, the fact that what is a resource is entirely determined by the level of technology with which you work on that raw material. You have either a stone tool in the Stone Age, or you have a piece of iron, or rare earth mineral, something an engineer can make absolutely the most advanced things out ofthat entirely depends on the level of technology which determines what kind of raw material you have.

In the time of the first two decades after the Second World War, in the United Nations you still had what was called at the time, UN Development Decades, which was the idea that each decade would lead to an improvement of the developing countries. But that was then replaced by a completely different idea. In 1967, Pope Paul VI still produced an Encyclical which he called Populorum Progressio, which was the idea that every country had the right for full development.

Pope Paul VI

After the paradigm shift of the Club of Rome/zero growth oligarchy, they replaced the right to development with such notions as overpopulation, sustainable development, appropriate development, which was really a synonym for no development at all.

With the New Silk Road/One Belt, One Road Initiative, however, and the alternative financial system, the AIIB and et al., you have for the first time, again the chance to completely break out of this anti-development containment. But it is also clear that the international oligarchy which was behind this zero growth movement is still waging a war against development. Ill give you one example: The so-called Said Business School of Oxford University published a completely absurd report in September of this year, in which they said that infrastructure investment of $10.8 trillion by China in the last decade would be the cause of a pending collapse of the economy in China, and consequently of the world economy. This conclusion is based on the idea that infrastructure is not profitable, which is absolutely ridiculous.

When we talk about infrastructure, were not talking about transport lines from A to B, for which the profit of such infrastructure would come out of a toll booth of a privatized highway or a privatized railroad. But we are talking about infrastructure in the context of physical economy, in which it creates the absolute necessary framework for the development of agriculture, industry, the productivity of the labor force, and the unleashing of the creative powers of mankind.

Infrastructure is only one aspect of what Lyndon LaRouche has called physical economy, a notion which actually originated with Gottfried Leibniz, who used it for the first time in the context of the discovery of the steam engine and the increase of productivity through the input of science and technology in the production process. This tradition continued through the cameralists, through Friedrich List, the author of the Customs Union concept in Germany, and the one who very clearly in his economic theoretical writings made the distinction between the American System of economy and the English systemthe fundamental difference between the national economy of Alexander Hamilton, the United States first Secretary of the Treasury, and the free-trade advocate, Adam Smith.

The fight between these two systems has continued to the present day. It is the fight between the oligarchical system trying to get maximum profit by keeping the population down and backward, and the republican model of economy which says that the only source of wealth is the creative abilities of the population.

Out into Space

Friedrich List is, to the present day, the most known and most studied economist in China. At the Fifth World Congress in China in 2013 in Shanghai, the majority of economists said that they based the Chinese economic model primarily on the theory of List. List maintained that the development of the productive powers of labor and the resultant increased industrial capacities are much more important than so-called statistical wealth, monetary values, unlike asset-driven economies such as the United States and Great Britain. Friedrich List wrote for a contest of the French Academy of Sciences in 1837, in which he developed a vision for the future role of transport systems, which he called a space and time economy, ideas which are still completely valid for today.

Friedrich List saw in the continuous perfection of transport and communications systems, the precondition for the progress of humanity, enabling human beings to increasingly unfold the potential given to them by nature. The idea was that the more talents could exchange their ideas and collaborate in all areas, the greater progress would be in all areas of knowledge, and the more science and art would be inspired and spread to all sectors and disciplines.

And, he observed something that is completely applicable for our present jet age, noting that the easier it would be for human beings to move from place to place, the more they would save time and compress space. The more the development and efficiency of his powers would increase and utilize the material riches of nature for his purposes. He said the impact of these characteristics of space and time in economies would be demonstrated by the wealth of nations which would develop an advanced transport and communications system even if their natural environment was unfavorable. The high degree of speed, regularity and cost-efficiency of transport would facilitate new levels of the development of the mental and material productive forces.

In an almost prophetic forecast, he saw this new development orient towards the uniting of all nations in one humanity, in a republic of the planet based on the economy of mankind.

Now, it is the realization of this program of the World Land-Bridge, proceeding from the common aims of the mankind, which will be exactly the fulfillment of what List called the republic of the planet, the economy of mankind.

Fiedrich List was a visionary. And indeed, the World Land-Bridge which he anticipated is the natural next phase in the evolution of mankind. And I want to also remind you of another great person, whose ideas are very relevant for this, and that is the great German rocket scientist Krafft Ehricke, who looked at the long arc of the evolution of the development of our planet and mankind. He outlined how life has developed out of the oceans with the aid of photosynthesis to the land; how it then came to the evolution of one species to the next, always having a higher energy-flux density in their metabolism, until you finally arrive at the human being who is distinct from all previous species, through his creative intellect, through his creative reason which is not shared by any animal or any other possible form of life.

Now, in the early development, this human being, or man, could only settle on rivers or on oceans. Then as the development continued, with the help of infrastructure, man could really open up the landlocked areas of the planet. And as the technological development became more efficient, man developed these railways, and in that sense the World Land-Bridge conception, which will open up the remaining landlocked areas of the planet, is really the logical next phase of the evolution of man.

And it does not stop here, because the next phase of the evolution is to bring this infrastructure into near space. The industrialization of the Moon which the Chinese are most advanced in pursuing, is the obvious stepping stone for larger excursions into near space, to develop a much better understanding of the laws of our Solar system, of the Galaxy, and finally the laws of the Universe at large.

In order to solve the problems on Earth today, we all must assume the view of the astronauts, the cosmonauts, the taikonauts, who all report when they come back from space, when they look down they only see our small, fragile, blue planet, and you dont see borders, you dont see divisions, you see one mankind, and one planet.

Patriot and World Citizen

So obviously, Earth is not what the environmentalists claim, an Earthbound, closed system, but life on Earth is part of the laws which are defined in the Solar system, and in the larger scale, defined by the Galaxy. So therefore, the solutions to all the problems on our planet have to take into account what is going on in the space around us and the interaction, for example, of the Solar system with Galaxy, the impact that has on the climate and similar things.

Now we can also, from that large arc of evolution determine the necessary next step of discovery, where must we put the focus. Because mankind should not vanishyou know there are many geologists who say that mankind only appeared one second before midnight, and will disappear one second after midnight in the longer arc of the evolution of the Universe. I dont think that that is an acceptable view, because mankind is capable of mastering the laws of the Universe, and if mankind were to vanish then all the great works of our forebears, of such musicians and composers, as Bach and Beethoven, would have been in vain, because they would vanish. But mankind can go on a path of scientific and technological progress, where we will overcome all hurdles which we already can see clearly in existence, such as asteroids or developments on the Sun which affect the planet Earth. We can create a path to overcome these types of problems.

Now, let me return to what I started with. The U.S. election has created a potential to go in this direction. The absolute precondition is that the relationship between the United States and Russia and the United States and China must be put on a new basis: This is absolutely crucial for world peace, it is absolutely crucial to solve the terrible crises in Syria and Ukraine.

Therefore, in order to make all of these things a reality, we need a completely new set of international relations among nations. We have to proceed from the UN Charter which has absolute respect for the national sovereignty of all countries, which follows the principle of non-interference, and respect for the different social systems. President Xi Jinping has offered a new model of the relations among major powers which says basically, exactly that: non-interference, mutual respect for the sovereignty of the other. But these are the principles which also must guide the relations of the countries working together on the One Belt, One Road.

Therefore, we have to absolutely replace the old geopolitical view, which insists that one nation or group of nations has a legitimate interest against another group of nations, and we must replace this geopolitical idea, with a new paradigm for mankind, which must be defined by the common aims of mankind. President Xi Jinping has called that the community of common destiny, or the community of a common future of mankind.

This must be defined based on the ideawhere do we want mankind to be in a thousand years from now? Or in 10,000 years from now? And if you think back, 10,000 years ago, from the standpoint of the development of the Universe, its a very small part of time, so we have made a gigantic leap in the last 10,000 years. And I imagine we will make an even more gigantic leap in the next 10,000 years, and if we are going to survive as a human species, we will have to change the way we think about our kind completely. We have to think about it from the standpoint of a unified humanity.

Friedrich Schiller, who is the wonderful poet, after whom the Schiller Institute is named, was of the opinion that there must not be a contradiction between being a patriot and being a world citizen. I think that that idea is reachable in our time, because if we give every newly born child on this planet a universal education which transmits not only universal history, geology, music, science, the arts, but also a knowledge and love for the other cultures in their highest expression, of the German Classics, of Confucianism, of the Gupta period, of Cervantes, of Goya, of every high point of each culture, then these children will be able to develop the entire potential which each of them could unfold, and which in the past only very few exceptions could unfold.

The Future of Man

The immediate steps ahead to solve this crisis must be the following: We must have an immediate, global implementation of the Glass-Steagall law implemented by Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1933. We have to end the casino economy where money is the reference point as opposed to the development of the real economy and the creative potential of the population. This, then, naturally must be followed by the other three fundamental laws developed by Lyndon LaRouche which must be the creation of a National Bank in every country in the tradition of Alexander Hamilton, who created the United States with that institution; and then a credit system in every country which gives credit lines for the development of infrastructure, research & development, education, and other things which contribute to the increase of productivity and creativity of the population; and finally, we need a combination of such credit systems through a New Bretton Woods system which will be the relation among the national economies, organizing the international investments in the projects of the World Land-Bridge, which will have international clearinghouses, to compensate for the fact that nations are different. Theyre not all the same: you have small nations, large nations, thinly or greatly populated countries; we have countries which have a lot of raw materials, others have few or none; you have countries which have skilled labor, others have not so skilled labor forces. And you need a development perspective of at least 20, 30, 40, or 50 years, in order to overcome that, and these clearinghouses must be what calculates that and makes sure that the bad practices of the World Bank, which demanded payback of credit before the projects were realizedthat this practice is replaced by a complete focus on the completion of these projects and the fulfillment of their potentials.

So therefore, as you could see by my remarks, we are not only talking about rail lines from Brazil to Peru, or infrastructure as such. Were really talking about a completely new paradigm in the thinking of mankind. We are talking about a new era of civilization in which all human beings, every single child born on the Earth, will have the potential to develop every aspect of the potential embedded in him or her.

The future of mankind, if we are to exist, will therefore be that we will have a lot more geniuses, that it will not be that we will have a genius once in a century, like Plato, Confucius, Beethoven, or Einstein. But that a person of such a quality will be increasingly the new normal identity of civilization.

So in that spirit, I think we are hopefully at the beginning of a completely new era of mankind.

Thank you.
PRESS RELEASE

New China Policy Paper on Latin America and Caribbean: Win-Win Cooperation and Expanding Common Interests

Nov. 25, 2016 (EIRNS)Coinciding with the conclusion of Chinese President Xi Jinpings tour of Ibero-America, Chinas Foreign Ministry yesterday issued a broad-ranging policy paper on Latin America and the Caribbean, describing it as a "blueprint for the future" based on "new ideas, proposals and initiatives in Chinas Latin America and Caribbean policy for the new era." The Foreign Ministrys last policy paper on this subject was issued in 2008.

As the world is undergoing "unprecedented historical changes, with multipolarity and globalization gaining momentum," the document states, China stands ready

"to promote the construction of a new type of international relations with win-win cooperation at the core, and forge a community of shared future."

And, it adds, Chinas relations with Latin America and the Caribbean are in "the new stage of comprehensive cooperation."

From here, in four separate sections, the document describes in great detail, and in many subsections, an array of areas in which comprehensive cooperation is planned, beginning with the characterization in Part I, of Latin America and the Caribbean as "a Land Full of Vitality and Hope." It pinpoints the July, 2014 BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) summit in Brazil as the takeoff point for the "comprehensive and cooperative partnership," reflected in the establishment of the China-Celac Forum, (Celac is the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States) as a crucial vehicle for policy coordination.

This partnership, the document notes, "serves as a shining example of developing countries working together to seek common development." Financial and technical aid is offered without any political conditionalities. Poverty reduction will be a key goal. Chinese companies are encouraged, and will be provided the financial means, to invest in the region or establish branches there. The document also makes the point, in an obvious reference to the United States, that Chinas aid to, and relationship with, this region of the world, is in no way directed toward, or intended to exclude, "third parties."

Part IV of the document, entitled "Further Strengthening Cooperation in All Fields," provides the most detailed description of Chinas planned contribution to the economic development of Latin America and the Caribbean, spanning projects in manufacturing cooperation, engineering, infrastructure building, science and technology and aerospace, to name a few. In the latter area, it underscores it

"will pay full attention to the role of space technology as a driving force for the scientific, technological and industrial development of Latin American and Caribbean countries."

Cooperation in science and technology innovation includes nuclear energy, civil aviation, building R&D centers, high-tech parks and joint laboratories, among others. Manufacturing cooperation will include projects "which will cover the whole industrial chain," allowing both sides to "increase local employment, upgrade the level of industrialization and promote local economic and social development."
PRESS RELEASE

Russia Is Offering Nuclear Reprocessing Deal to Germany; Russian-German Raw Materials Forum Held in Dusseldorf

Nov. 25, 2016 (EIRNS)At the Russian-German Raw Materials Forum in Dusseldorf yesterday, Valery Jazev, president of the mining industry entrepreneurs, presented the Tomsk special research program for a fast breeder reactor to reprocess used nuclear fuels. The objective is to develop a reactor for commercial use that can breed from all used nuclear fuels and radioactive materials.

The Tomsk project involves, as Jazev explained, work on the development of radiation materials for instance for medical purposes, as well as for the marking of materials for industrial use. Jazev said that Russia is ahead of all other nations in this sector, with a research advantage of 10-15 years, and that in a few years from now, Russia will be in possession of a profitable technology for exports globally. Russia could also offer this technology to reprocess used nuclear materials from Germany, which will need such technology after the exit from nuclear technology in 2022. This is meant an important Russian contribution to the energy partnership with Germany.
PRESS RELEASE

Impeachment of South Koreas Park May End THAAD Deployment

Nov. 25, 2016 (EIRNS)A leading member of the South Korean opposition Democratic Party (Minjoo) has claimed he has evidence that the woman accused of illegally using her personal influence over President Park Geun-hye, Choi Soon-sil, was responsible for influencing the President to drop her opposition to the deployment of the U.S. Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile system in July.

An Mik-suk, a member of the National Assembly from the Democratic Party, told the press that Choi had direct ties to Lockheed Martin, the producer of the THAAD system, and had met with the president of Lockheed in June, a month before Park made her decision to allow the Obama administration to proceed with the THAAD system, which both Russia and China have identified as a direct threat to their national security. An also said that Choi had been similarly involved with a 2014 decision by the South Korean government to purchase 40 of Lockheeds F-35s, rather than Boeings F-15s.

While An has not provided any definitive proof of the allegations, knowledgable sources in Seoul told EIR that he is a credible person and that the accusations could well be true. Investigations into Chois use of her influence over President Park to get huge contributions from major companies for her foundations are already under investigation, and a vote to impeach Park for her role appears to be imminent in the next week or so.

The Korea Times reported that An told TBS radio: "As far as I know, Choi met with Lockheeds president in June," having been introduced by a "big shot" in diplomatic and defense circles who had close ties to Lockheed. Park made her decision in July. An said that six years ago, when this go-between stayed in the United States for two years, Lockheed paid for it. He said any alleged wealth Choi might have accumulated from her coercion of the corporations would be nothing compared with the "commission" she may have received from the governments decision to deploy THAAD.

An added:

"When National Security Office chief Kim Kwan-jin was serving as defense minister and decided to select the F-35 over Boeings F15 Silent Eagle, he said it was a political decision. I am focusing on what that meant."

On Nov. 15, An claimed that Lockheed has won many more defense contracts in South Korea since Park became President in 2013 than previously.

"Lockheed was awarded some 80 billion won ($68 million) in contracts covering from 2010 to 2015, but contracts the company secured to cover from 2015 to 2021 are worth more than 12 trillion won (over $10 billion)."

Several leading Korea "experts" in the United States today warned that the THAAD deployment could go down with Park.
Winter is arriving in Southern California  its time to break out the long-sleeved shirts (sorry, snowy lands, you can keep your parkas) and settle in with a good book.

THE BIG STORY

Michael Chabons new novel Moonglow was inspired by a story his grandfather told on his deathbed. The novel is about families  their lies, loves and the stories they tell about themselves. Kate Tuttle talks to Chabon about fatherhood and fiction; the novelist comes to Los Angeles on Nov. 30.

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Michael Chabons new novel is Moonglow. (David Butow / For The Times )

HAVE YOURSELF A MERRY KRAMPUS CHRISTMAS

The Krampus and the Old, Dark Christmas is Al Ridenours gleefully erudite study of the more gruesome and ancient traditions associated with the holiday, which in parts of Europe is accompanied by the terrifying creature the Krampus, which our reviewer Elizabeth Hand describes as a hairy, horned, chain-toting biped that resembles a Wookiee on a bender.

TALKING WITH PHIL COLLINS

Phil Collins has had a most unusual path through pop fame, including his new tour. Hes a chart-topping, Oscar-winning pop star (Against All Odds, In the Air Tonight, Sussudio), a self-deprecating dad, and just 65, although he titled his memoir Not Dead Yet. He talks to James Reed about his revealing autobiography.

Phil Collins (Fabrice Coffrini/AFP/Getty Images )

REMEMBERING WILLIAM TREVOR

The short story writer William Trevor died Sunday at age 88. The author, who made the small details of quiet lives fill worlds, is remembered by author Scott Bradfield, who writes, He proved through performance  year after year and decade after decade  that a good writer could keep pulling a different rabbit out of the same hat again, and again, and again. He is one of the few short story writers who never let me down.

BESTSELLERS

Congratulations to Brit Bennett, whose debut novel The Mothers appears on our bestseller list this week. Bennett, who was one of the National Book Foundations 5 under 35 honorees, wrote this coming-of-age story about a trio of African Americans in Southern California.

Brit Bennett, author of The Mothers (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times )

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

Thanks for all your kind words about our new newsletter. Im The Times books editor  email me your thoughts at Carolyn.Kellogg@latimes.com.
Question: Not long after we moved into our townhouse, we came to loggerheads with the board. Try as we might to resolve our differences, nothing worked. My wife and I found ourselves in a lawsuit with the association that started shortly after we moved here. Yesterday our attorney explained the gravity of the loss he expects we will suffer within a few months.

We now want to cut our losses by getting the money out of our mortgage-free home and moving away. But our attorney said we cannot sell our home or even our vehicles in order to avoid the judgment because of something called the Uniform Fraudulent Transfer Act. Is this true?

Answer: This is a lesson for all potential homeowner litigants: Assets must be protected prior to being sued and prior to you suing the homeowners association or board directors. Heres why.

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Each titleholders real property in a common-interest development may be pledged as collateral for any association loans, which may be obtained without approval from owners. That leaves titleholders to pay the mortgage bill through special assessments or homeowner dues. These assessments are in essence a lien, levied against each property until the associations loan is paid off. When owners sell their property, the buyer either accepts the lien with the sale or the seller has to pay the lien off before the sale. Thats just one complication.

If a titleholder is engaged in litigation, the Uniform Voidable Transactions Act (formerly known as the Uniform Fraudulent Transfer Act) comes in play. The act, California Civil Code Sections 3439 to 3439.14, specifies that any real or personal property, bank account funds, safety deposit box valuables, annuities, stocks and bonds are no longer yours to transfer.

If you were planning to safeguard these assets by transferring them to a child or another person, you are out of luck if litigation has started or if a judgment has been entered against you. Late transfers can be voided by the court. If you were to die during this time, your estate can be attached, preventing any of your property from passing to your heirs until the outstanding claims are paid.

Though this may sound odd, one way that titleholders can protect their assets against unexpected litigation is to make certain that they have a mortgage, and the larger the better. A mortgage can act as a buffer between an owners assets and anyone seeking to take the property.

A mortgage, even multiple mortgages, makes the foreclosure process more complicated, prolonging the proceedings and giving the owner more time to move and/or make other arrangements.

A mortgage also brings the bank into the process if an association starts a judicial foreclosure, meaning that it proceeds through the court. The bank will vigorously defend its interests, which can sometimes align more closely with the titleholder than the initiator of the foreclosure process.

If the association or judgment creditor seeks to foreclose on your mortgaged property outside the court  a so-called non-judicial foreclosure  the bank as a priority lien holder must be notified of the intent to foreclose. If the association or judgment creditor did not serve you with notice of that proceeding, which is not unheard of, the bank will have a separate duty to notify you of it, which ensures that you have an opportunity to defend your asset.

A mortgage also means that less of an owners money is tied up in an illiquid asset in the event that assets need to be transferred quickly.

Contrast that scenario with a free and clear property without a mortgage, which essentially serves as a neon sign announcing that there are no encumbrances to prevent a taking of that property. In other words, should the right situation present itself, its a methodical but relatively easy land grab.

Whether or not a property is mortgaged, titleholders need to include loss assessment coverage and a large umbrella policy as part of their personal homeowners insurance package.

In the event of litigation or should the association specially assess the owner during a time of hardship, loss-assessment would typically pay the owners share up to the limits of the policy and after accounting for the deductible.

An umbrella policy provides an extra level of protection to all existing insurance policies and is only triggered for very large claims or judgments. Depending on the type of policy you may have in place, an umbrella may also provide defense attorneys to represent you and the insurers interests. But dont forget, just like asset transfers, loss-assessment coverage and umbrella policies must be in place prior to any litigation. No insurer will take you after the fact.

Your home is a valuable asset, but when you buy into a common-interest development with a deed-restricted title, you make that asset more susceptible to liability. It is your responsibility to use the tools available to bolster your protection and to plan carefully, because there are far fewer tools available to you once litigation has started.

Zachary Levine, a partner at Wolk & Levine, a business and intellectual property law firm, co-wrote this column. Vanitzian is an arbitrator and mediator. Send questions to Donie Vanitzian, JD, P.O. Box 10490, Marina del Rey, CA 90295 or noexit@mindspring.com.

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While Southern California shoppers have so far enjoyed a relatively tranquil Thanksgiving and Black Friday, a fight broke out farther north at a mall in Modesto.

The brawl at the Vintage Faire Mall erupted on Thursday night, according to the Modesto Bee. About six men were involved in the fight, which moved quickly into the entrance of the JCPenney store, according to a YouTube video taken of the incident.

Modesto Police Lt. Steve Stanfield said he wasnt sure if officers were called to the scene. He said any officer who would have responded is probably still asleep. There were no reported victims, however, and no documentation of anyone taken into custody.

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I talked to the graveyard units and they knew nothing about it, Stanfield said. When he got into work today, everybody was looking at each other going, Did anybody know there was a fight at the mall?

Were trying to see if anyone responded, he added.

Scenes of violence have marred Black Friday in previous years. In 2011, for example, a woman at a Porter Ranch store pepper-sprayed several customers in what authorities described as a shopping rage incident.

Follow Shan on Twitter @ByShanLi

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Next to the Village Pet Market, two doors down from Trader Joes, a vision of Californias energy future is for sale.

Blands Solar & Air, in a nondescript strip mall here, looks a little like a car dealership, only for personal electricity generators from the sun. The unusual storefront gives potential customers a chance to do the solar-panel equivalent of kicking the tires.

A childrens play area and electronic information kiosks greet customers as they walk through the doors on their way to a lineup of roofs  barrel tile, slate, conventional shingle and metal  all covered with solar panels.

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I got to see what I was buying, said Victoria Vidal, a 55-year-old Bakersfield resident said after signing an agreement to buy a solar system. It actually made it real to come in and touch the panels.

Solar experts say theres nothing quite like it.

By all accounts, owner Glenn Bland runs the largest, most comprehensive solar power showroom in California, with not only panels but also actual rooftops with the systems mounted for potential customers to see.

Blands 5,000-square-foot Bakersfield showroom, which opened in October 2014, is one of three he owns. He operates one in Templeton and another in Clovis. His plans for 2017 include the addition of a store in Fresno and a fifth in a to-be-determined location.

Of the 100 solar installations Bland contracts each month, 50% to 60% are the result of his showrooms.

Its no longer a left coast, liberal thing.  Bernadette del Chiaro, executive director, California Solar Energy Industries Assn.

We want to bring a new level of professionalism to the solar industry, Bland said. Its been very well received.

Bakersfield might not seem the likely place for a clean energy business to succeed. Although it gets plenty of sunshine, the San Joaquin Valley city is a conservative outpost in an overwhelmingly liberal state.

Yet by the end of 2015, homeowners in Bakersfield installed 12,000 solar systems, twice as many as in San Francisco, according to the California Solar Energy Industries Assn. San Jose has a population that is three times the size of Bakersfield but has 1,000 fewer rooftop solar installations.

Overall, Bakersfield is third among California cities, behind Los Angeles at 20,000 and San Diego at 14,000.

Even on the national level, more consumers are viewing solar power as an economic benefit rather than part of the environmentalists agenda. That has many solar proponents hopeful that President-elect Donald Trump will embrace solar in addition to his avowed support for expanding fossil fuels such as natural gas, coal and oil.

Members of the tea party have even started fighting against efforts to stymie the growth of rooftop solar in the Western states of Nevada and Arizona.

Its no longer a left coast, liberal thing, Bernadette del Chiaro, executive director of the solar association, said of solar growth.

Del Chiaro said she believes Blands showroom approach is the direction the industry is headed with the likes of SolarCity merging with Tesla Motors for one-stop home-energy shopping. Tesla Motors Chief Executive Elon Musk wants customers coming into his showrooms to buy solar panels that help power the house and the Tesla car in the garage, plus a battery to store electricity for times when the sun isnt shining.

Maybe theres a limit to the storefront, but I kind of feel not, Del Chiaro said. I feel its like the Apple Store, which reimagined tech retailing.

As solar becomes more of an everyday appliance, people are going to want to see it, she said. Right next to the Apple Store is your home energy store.

Solar companies have sought to reduce some of their labor costs, such as customer acquisition, by linking up with other businesses.

SolarCity, for instance, partnered with Airbnb to offer $1,000 rebates on a solar system to those who use the home-sharing service. That helped SolarCity avoid the cost of collecting customers at hardware stores or other recruiting methods.

Bland doesnt yet push the kind of broad package that Musk has been advocating, although he has sold solar and battery storage to some who lack access to electric service by a utility company. Those customers usually live in isolated locations or are rich enough to afford the hefty price of being able to live largely off the grid.

The typical rooftop solar system in California costs about $7,000 to $8,000 with government incentives. Battery storage can run an additional $5,000 for a small unit produced by energy storage leader Sonnen Inc. and up to $24,000 for one that will keep the lights on and the refrigerator running for a couple of weeks.

Theyre too expensive, Bland said of home batteries. We do have off-grid customers up in the hills, but not many. I think were looking at three years before we can see batteries enter the mainstream market.

Blands been a good predictor of the solar market over the years. He broke into the business decades ago, realizing solars potential.

During the Great Recession, Bland began offering training about solar to housing contractors whose regular work had dried up.

In addition to his solar showrooms, Bland founded CalCom Solar, which is ranked No. 3 on Inc magazines list of the fastest growing privately owned companies. CalCom develops solar systems for agriculture and water management operations. The Visalia, Calif.-based company employs 54 full-time workers.

The Vidals are hoping that Bland can help them eliminate their electric bill with a solar-energy system.

Victoria Vidal, a letter carrier, and her husband Juan, a maintenance mechanic, spent a couple of years studying solar before stepping into Blands showroom.

I read about a hundred companies, Victoria Vidal said. This is a very big investment.

Juan Vidal said the couple was approved for financing after only a few minutes,an improvement over the hardware stores where theres a guy that has a brochure.

Here, we dont have to go through a second or third party to get things done, he said. Its a big difference. I was very impressed.

ivan.penn@latimes.com

For more energy news, follow Ivan Penn on Twitter: @ivanlpenn

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If you ask Colin Farrell what unites all his work on film and television, his only reply is me. The 40-year-old actor, born in Dublin, Ireland, has often sought edgier roles, like in the recent second season of True Detective or in last years eclectic indie The Lobster. But hes also ventured into the fantastical, romantic worlds of films such as A Winters Tale. Now hes starring in J.K. Rowlings Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, an adaptation of the Harry Potter authors book about wizards in 1920s New York. But even here, in Rowlings magical world, Farrell finds himself in a character that requires a sense of grit.

I think there are certain themes Ive played over time, he notes. Often I play men who are dealing with some kind of moral quandary. But not all of them for sure  I like to think of them each as unique. Its a lot of fun to explore things you havent explored before.

Farrell, who is filming Sofia Coppolas The Beguiled in New Orleans, was interested in the sense of fun surrounding Fantastic Beasts, in which he plays a character who might be good or who might be very bad. The idea of working on a story by J.K. Rowling and knowing that David Yates was going to be at the helm  David is such a strong director  were things I was aware of before I even read the script, Farrell says.

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And then I read the script and it was such fun really. It transported me to another time and place, and I liked the character. He has an enigmatic quality to him.

It was so much fun to be around these extraordinary sets and see the imagination of J.K. Rowling being brought to life. And to get a wand? Come on.  Colin Farrell

Here Farrell looks back at some of his projects, including his first onscreen appearance.

Colin Farrell, left, and Eddie Redmayne appear in a scene from Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. (Jaap Buitendijk / Warner Bros. Entertainment via AP )

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, Percival Graves (2016)

Id done a couple of pieces that were heavy and a bit darker in tone before and I thought it would be nice to find something lighter. This came up and it was a no-brainer. Sometimes youre trying to bury yourself into a character  and youre still looking at this character, what their truth is and what their purpose is and the grounding of the story, but there was such an escapist element to it. It was so much fun to be around these extraordinary sets and see the imagination of J.K. Rowling being brought to life. And to get a wand? Come on.

True Detective, Det. Ray Velcoro (2015)

I loved doing True Detective. And I had a real love for that character. As a man, he was the human equivalent of an old, beaten down pair of shoes. He was born of an America that was part of a bygone era. A very conflicted character, too. There was a lot of really humane issues at play and he had a lot of incredibly dramatic scenes I got to jump in and play around with. I know the reception was lukewarm  the first season was so strong across the board and there were so many expectations  but the experience was incredible.

The Lobster, David (2015)

It was easily the most unique thing Id ever read. It was so nothing else. It was so specific and so disturbing and it stayed with me after I put it down. As much as I was agitated and confused in reading The Lobster, in the end I was also really moved. I thought there was a sweetness I really engaged with. But it was mostly about believing in Yorgos [Lanthimos] as a director and wanting to be part of his vision come to life.

Winters Tale, Peter Lake (2014)

Id known [director] Akiva [Goldsman] for years. It was such a beautiful experience. I dont know that we fully realized the beauty or the power the script had in it when we were making the film. But the actual script was incredibly moving  one of the most moving things Id ever read.

Horrible Bosses, Bobby Pellit (2011)

He was just an ... Just shallow and self-centered and kind of dumb beyond all belief and obnoxious. So I got to really play dress-up. Im sure it was something of a superficial performance, but it was fun the way we created the bald cap and the belly. I had a big say in my costume and the interior decorating of his house. There was a certain amount of safety I felt because I had so much on with the costume. It might seem like I would feel ridiculous, but I felt less vulnerable than I do when Im playing characters that look closer to me. I was also only there for two weeks. If I had to play that character for three months I dont know that Id be as effusive in my speaking of enjoying it.

In Bruges, Ray (2008)

When I read it, it was fun, anarchic, irreverent and ultimately really moving. With all the violence and racist and classist stuff, it was a really moving story about these two men who live lives of great loneliness and find a deep sense of kinship and love in catastrophe. We were in Bruges for several months in the winter, which added to the sense of darkness. It was a small movie so wed shoot at a cafe and then literally pick up the camera and move down the road and shoot there. The city is so small that it just felt like our movie set for a couple of months.

Alexander, Alexander (2004)

Alexander was a once in a lifetime experience. It was so big in scope and reach and ambition and epic quality. It had an incredible filmmaker and an incredible cast and script. And yet somehow it was not what people wanted it to be or what people expected it to be. It got thrashed critically and publicly. But more importantly the experience of shooting it was extraordinary. It was a cast of mostly male actors getting up to all sorts of nonsense at night and working really hard during the day, in all these exotic locales. It feels like it was a very significant chapter in all our lives even though it didnt work out commercially or financially. I would do it all over again.

Minority Report, Danny Witwer (2002)

Steven Spielberg was wonderful to work with. He gets very excited about the scenes and takes. Hes very supportive and very positive. And Id grown up on Risky Business and The Outsiders so to be on a set with Tom Cruise I was like, What is happening here?

Frankie Starlight, Young Man in Cinema No. 2 (1995)

I think that was the first time I was ever on a film set. I remember that day very well. It was me and two other fellows sitting behind a guy and a girl together. We were eyeballing the girl. I remember there was a little caravan and they had my costume in the caravan. I thought, Holy ... this is amazing.
A hashish lab explosion set off a fire in a midtown Ventura apartment building Friday afternoon, but the four occupants managed to escape without injury, authorities said.

Responding just after 2 p.m. to a report of an explosion in a large apartment complex in the 300 block of Hurst Avenue, firefighters quickly put out the blaze in the kitchen of a second-story unit, Ventura Fire Department Battalion Chief Douglas Miser said.

Firefighters determined that the blast was caused by the ignition of butane that was being used to extract hashish oil from marijuana.

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No major injuries were reported but paramedics assisted one person who complained of difficulty breathing, authorities said.

Only one unit was damaged, and the loss was estimated at less than $10,000, Miser said.

Ventura police detectives remained at the scene Friday night to identify all persons responsible for the crime, Cmdr. Terry Medina said.

Indoor marijuana farmers can create potential fire hazards by using natural gas, propane or butane to power carbon dioxide generators that make the plants grow. In recent years across the country, similar methods used to produce more potent marijuana extracts have resulted in explosions and other catastrophes.

In marijuana production-related accidents, more than 30 people were injured last year in Colorado from butane explosions involving hash oil  a concentrated form of marijuana extracted from the plants leaves and flowers.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

doug.smith@latimes.com

Twitter: @LATDoug

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The Council on American-Islamic Relations has called for increased police protection of local mosques after letters that threatened the genocide of Muslims and praised President-elect Donald Trump were sent to multiple California mosques this week.

The letters were sent to the Islamic Center of Long Beach and the Islamic Center of Claremont, CAIRs greater Los Angeles chapter said in a statement. The same letter also was sent to the Evergreen Islamic Center in San Jose, according to CAIRs San Francisco Bay Area chapter.

The handwritten letter, which was photocopied, was addressed to the children of Satan and called Muslims a vile and filthy people.

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Your day of reckoning has arrived, the letter states, according to CAIR-LA. Theres a new sheriff in town  President Donald Trump. Hes going to cleanse America and make it shine again. And, hes going to start with you Muslims.

The letter, signed only by Americans for a Better Way, said Trump was going to do to you Muslims what Hitler did to the jews [sic].

Acts of hate tear at the fabric of who we are as a nation.  Los Angeles City Atty. Mike Feuer

Both the Los Angeles and Bay Area chapters of CAIR have called for increased cooperation with law enforcement agencies to protect mosques.

Hussam Ayloush, executive director of CAIR-LA, said in an interview that the Claremont and Long Beach Islamic centers received the letters Wednesday. The groups were debating whether to go public with the letters, he said, because they did not want to encourage copycats or create panic. But once they learned of the letter sent in Northern California, they wanted to inform the public and encourage police to look into the matter, Ayloush said.

Ayloush said people at the L.A. County mosques were disheartened that anyone would address fellow Americans, fellow human beings, in such a hateful, dehumanizing way.

You always want to trust that most people are good, that your neighbors have been good, and that has been our experience, he said. Still, he said, the letters and the tone of the campaign season has left local Muslims concerned for their safety.

Ayloush said the irresponsible, hateful rhetoric of the Trump campaign has fueled a level of vulgarity, vile hatred and anger among many self-proclaimed Trump supporters.

Im not saying [Trump] created racist people, he said. He normalized it. While he might say hes not responsible, and I respect that, I remind President-elect Trump that he has a responsibility to act as a president for all Americans.

Los Angeles law enforcement leaders this week vowed to crack down on hate crimes, which surged in California and across the nation last year.

Acts of hate tear at the fabric of who we are as a nation, and we want to send a strong message that no one should be reluctant or afraid to report a hate crime, Los Angeles City Atty. Mike Feuer said.

Anti-Muslim incidents jumped 67% in 2015, according to newly released FBI hate crime statistics. There were 257 reported bias crimes against Muslims last year, compared with 154 in 2014.

A spate of bias incidents that followed Trumps presidential election victory has drawn serious concerns from police and human rights activists.

The Southern Poverty Law Center last week reported 701 incidents of harassment since Trumps win, with most occurring in the first three days following the election. Of those, 206 incidents were anti-immigrant and 51 were anti-Muslim.

There also were 27 reported anti-Trump incidents, according to the SPLC.

hailey.branson@latimes.com

Twitter: @haileybranson

UPDATES:

12:50 a.m. This article was updated with an interview with Hussam Ayloush.

This article was originally published at 11:05 a.m.
Family members of Sherri Papini, the Northern California mother missing for three weeks, said they are overjoyed at her return home as more details emerge about her abduction.

Its been a range of emotions: sadness, anger. Right now, its joy, Papinis sister, Sheila Koester, told the Redding Record-Searchlight. We are overwhelmed with joy of how supportive everyone has been to help bring us together as a family again.

Koester added in an interview with the Sacramento Bee: What I can say is that her and [her husband] Keith have been reunited. And that they are very happy to be together and theyre very thankful for everyone for allowing them to have their privacy and allowing them to recover from their situation that all of us have been in.

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Papini was released by her captors on Thanksgiving morning, Shasta County Sheriff Tom Bosenko said.

The 34-year-old woman was found bound by restraints along Interstate 5 in Yolo County. Officials were called about 4:30 a.m. after Papini was able to flag down a motorist. The mother of two was treated for injuries that did not appear life-threatening and reunited with her husband, Keith.

Speaking on Good Morning America, Bosenko said detectives are hoping to get more information from Papini soon in an effort to find her kidnappers.

Obviously she was emotional and quite upset, but elated to be freed, and so we were able to get some information from her, he added. Then, in the days following this, we will be following up with her.

Officials said they were searching for two women in connection with the abduction. They were last seen driving a dark SUV and were believed to be armed with a handgun.

This investigation is far from over, Bosenko said.

Officials said they were not aware of a motive for the kidnapping and did not provide details on Papinis injuries or whereabouts. Bosenko also said it was not clear whether Papini knew her abductors.

The Redding resident disappeared Nov. 2 while out for a jog in the small town of Mountain Gate in Shasta County.

Her husband reported her missing after he came home from work and found that she hadnt picked up their children from daycare. Her cellphone and headphones were found near where she had last been seen, about a mile from her home, investigators said.

Her disappearance made national news, and the community launched an aggressive manhunt to find her. Her story was shared on social media, and volunteer searches were launched.

A private group working with Papinis family released a video Wednesday offering $100,000 to anyone with information leading to her safe return, according to NBC affiliate KNVN.

Bosenko said police had received more than 400 tips in the case, but Papinis release was not a result of the reward money.

It shows what a community can do when it works together to get the word out, he said.

Residents who had been helping with the search were relieved that Papini was found safe.

It was just the biggest blessing, not only for the family but for the community thats been trying to find her, Sandra Oswald, a 29-year-old community organizer in Redding, told the Associated Press. Now, its just praying for them and her recovery.
LA 90: In Miamis Little Havana, Cubans whoop, dance and reflect as they celebrate Castros death Couples twirled and shimmied their hips to blasting salsa and rumba music. Men smoked thick Cuban cigars. Women and girls paraded in flouncy Sunday dresses.
For the second year in a row, protesters rallied along Chicagos Magnificent Mile urging a Black Friday boycott to raise awareness of police misconduct toward minorities and other inequalities in the citys poorest neighborhoods.

Protesters gathered about 10 a.m. near Chicagos old Water Tower monument on North Michigan Avenue. Activists spoke to the gathering about police shootings and the need for action. Some in the crowd chanted, No justice. No peace, and, in a reference to the mayor, said, Hey, hey. Ho, ho. Rahm Emanuel has got to go.

Shortly after 11 a.m. the crowd, numbering in the hundreds, marched south along the sidewalk of the citys most famous retail district. The crowd was smaller than the one that took to the streets on Black Friday year earlier. Still, it reflected ongoing tensions between Chicagoans and a government they call unresponsive and indifferent.

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The crowd calling for a Black Friday boycott along the Magnificent Mile was smaller than in 2015. (Abel Uribe/Chicago Tribune )

Some protesters gathered in front of the Ralph Lauren store and yelled, Shut it down! The group passed several high-end retail shops that dot the Magnificent Mile, breaking off into smaller groups.

One group linked arms in a circle outside the Victorias Secret store, but shoppers were able to enter and exit the store without a problem. Some onlookers snapped pictures of the protesters and carried on undeterred with their shopping. Uniformed Chicago police officers convened in front of a handful of stores on the Mag Mile, as its known here, just in case.

Traffic moved normally, leaving shoppers and tourists to amble freely along the street while helicopters whirred overhead. The lack of action allowed some officers to shake hands with passers-by in one case, or point a group of lost tourists toward Grand Lux Cafe.

Kirby Shaw, 23, handed out posters early Friday outside the old Water Tower, urging a civilian police oversight council. The Los Angeles cook, in Chicago visiting his sister, said he was walking down the Mag Mile and decided to get involved after coming upon the gathering protesters. He said police misconduct, and Donald Trumps presidential election victory, were motivators.

I figured if Im going to be writing about it on social media I should actually get involved, Shaw said. A lot of the same things that are going on here also are happening in L.A., but you dont hear about it as much.

Fridays protest paled in comparison to last year, when an estimated crowd of 1,000 people temporarily blocked traffic and access to about a dozen ritzy Michigan Avenue retailers to protest the recorded fatal shooting in 2014 of black teenager Laquan McDonald by a white Chicago police officer, Jason Van Dyke.

The public uproar over his death ensued after the court-ordered release last year of dashboard-camera video, in which the teen is shot 16 times as he appears  with knife in hand  to be walking away from police.

Chicago is still coping with the aftermath of McDonalds death. It awaits the conclusion of a federal civil rights investigation of Police Department practices and the trial of Van Dyke, who is charged with murder. The dashcam footage of the shooting prompted the city to pay McDonalds family $5 million.

Last year protesters blocked store entrances and some retailers reported a huge drop off in sales. We were down a lot, Sarah Midoun, a sales associate at Aldo shoe store, said at the time. We were budgeted to make $37,000 but we only did $19,000  customers told us they were concerned.

Four people were arrested during that demonstration, also held the day after Thanksgiving.

This years protest was planned by a network of groups that includes the Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression and Black Lives Matter. Organizers said they wanted to draw attention to a range of issues, including police mistreatment of minorities and economic inequalities that keep the citys West and South sides plagued with gun violence and poverty.

Activists also are denouncing Mayor Emanuels new police oversight agency, the Civilian Office of Police Accountability, which they argue falls short of their call for the true independence of civilian-led oversight in cases of alleged police misconduct.

Barbara Lyons, 79, of Jewish Voice for Peace, said a mix of community groups is taking part in the protest, all with a similar message of inclusion.

For some, its about the police; some its about immigration. Its just all the people who are not [Trump supporters], and theyre afraid, said the longtime activist.

It just upsets me what kind of world my grandchildren will grow up in, she said.

As a shopper himself, Shaw said he understands some will not be happy with their message to boycott Black Friday, but for one day of the year you cannot buy things and support your local retailers and help make a difference.

Gutowski and Perez write for the Chicago Tribune.
Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein on Friday formally requested a recount of election results in Wisconsin.

President-elect Donald Trump narrowly won Wisconsin and Pennsylvania in the initial count and has a small lead in Michigan. Stein has said she plans to request recounts in the three states  all reliably Democratic in recent presidential elections  to see whether hacking may have taken place, though theres no evidence voter results were hacked or electronic voting machines were compromised.

Wisconsin Election Commission officials dont believe the state has ever conducted a presidential recount. They estimate the process could cost as much as $1 million, which Steins campaign will have to cover.

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Steins campaign has been raising money through online appeals since Tuesday to cover the cost of recounts, with $5.2 million raised as of Friday afternoon.

Wisconsins unofficial election results show Trump with 1,404,000 votes, Hillary Clinton with 1,381,823 votes and Stein with 31,000 votes. Wisconsin officials have already announced a limited audit of state voting machines, but the state is less vulnerable to cyberattacks because it uses electronic machines with voter-verifiable paper trails in most counties.

Theres no smoking gun here, but were saying the American public needs to have it investigated to make sure our votes count, said George Martin, a member of the Wisconsin Green Partys coordinating council. Were doing this to ensure the integrity of our system.

Wisconsin Elections Commission Administrator Mike Haas said Steins campaign filed the request Friday afternoon, ahead of the states 5 p.m. Friday deadline. Under state law, the state must comply with candidates recount requests if the candidates can present a basis for one and cover the cost if the margin between the candidates is more than .25 percent of the total votes cast.

Haas said the recount would likely begin next week and include a rigorous examination of all ballots, poll lists, absentee applications, rejected absentee ballots and provisional ballots. Federal deadlines require the state to complete the recount by Dec. 13, he said.

Wisconsin Republican Party Executive Director Mark Morgan issued a statement calling the recount request absurd and nothing more than an expensive political stunt that undermines Wisconsins election process.

Martin said Republicans response was expected and emphasized that the recount was about determining whether the system was secure, not who won or lost the fight for Wisconsins 10 electoral college votes. During a news conference in Milwaukee, Martin said Steins campaign would also ask for a reconciliation of voting records that would go beyond an audit, but he didnt provide details.

Ross Hein, elections supervisor for the state commission, sent a memo to county clerks on Wednesday telling them to expect a recount. He said the process could be frustrating after a labor-intensive election season but that Stein was entitled to a recount under state law.

Independent presidential candidate Rocky De La Fuente also filed a recount request in Wisconsin on Friday. He got only 1,514 votes in Wisconsin.

The deadline for requesting a recount in Pennsylvania is Monday. Michigans deadline is Wednesday.

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Breitbart News wants supporters to #DumpKelloggs after advertiser pulls out By David Ng Breitbart News senior editor-at-large Joel Pollak, left, and Chief Executive Larry Solov at the Breitbart offices in Los Angeles. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) The Breitbart News Network is seeing some of its advertisers head for the exit doors and is responding in typical Breitbart fashion: by going on the counteroffensive, labeling one of them as un-American and calling it a war on conservatism. Since Donald Trumps victory in the presidential election, Los Angeles-based Breitbart has experienced a backlash from some advertisers who say that the online site conflicts with their corporate values. Breitbart took a pro-Trump stance during the campaign, supporting the Republican candidates views on immigration and national security. The companys executive chairman, Steve Bannon, who is on a leave of absence, was Trumps campaign manager and has been named chief White House strategist. Although Bannon was quoted in Mother Jones as saying Breitbart is a platform for the alt-right  the ultraconservative movement associated with white nationalism  the news site has denied accusations that it engages in racist rhetoric. The company has stated that it isnt affiliated with the alt-right and that the brand of nationalism it espouses is political, not racial. Breitbart is fighting back at one of the advertisers  breakfast cereal maker Kellogg Co.  by launching a Twitter campaign, #DumpKelloggs, that encourages its readers to sign a petition and boycott the maker of such favorites as Froot Loops and Apple Jacks. Read More Facebook

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Supreme Court weighs rules for jailed immigrants in Trump era By David Savage The Supreme Court building in Washington. (Saul Loeb / AFP-Getty Images) Facing the likelihood of dramatically stepped-up deportations under a President Donald Trump, the Supreme Court justices sounded closely split Wednesday over whether the government can indefinitely jail immigrants with criminal convictions while they fight legal efforts to remove them from the country. Trump, who made illegal immigration one of the platforms of his presidential campaign, has promised to deport as many as 3 million immigrants once he takes office, and the Supreme Court case involving a Los Angeles immigrant could give his administration greater leverage. Read More Facebook

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Trump says he saved American jobs, but he hasnt shown how he can turn the victory into policy By Noah Bierman A Carrier Corp. plant in Indianapolis. (Darron Cummings / Associated Press) President-elect Donald Trumps newly announced agreement to save more than 1,000 jobs in Indiana gave him the kind of trophy he covets: a tangible victory that matches his campaign promise to serve as deal maker in chief. But its long-term value will depend on what Trump gave up to keep those factory jobs from going to Mexico and whether he is able to craft a successful fiscal policy that has a broader impact on the economy. Read More Facebook

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Lawmakers reach a compromise to help California soldiers ordered to repay enlistment bonuses By David S. Cloud House and Senate negotiators announced a compromise Tuesday that would permit the Pentagon to forgive debts owed by thousands of California National Guard soldiers who received improper bonuses during the height of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The agreement was included in a defense bill due to be voted on by the House on Friday and the Senate next week. It seeks to strike a balance between the Pentagons concerns about fraud in the bonus system and lawmakers attempts to resolve a scandal that has hurt thousands of military veterans and sparked a public furor. The compromise calls on the Pentagon to forgive the enlistment bonuses and student loans benefits unless the soldier who received the money knew or reasonably should have known that he or she was ineligible for it. The provision stops short of requiring the Pentagon to forgive debts allegedly owed by all California Guard soldiers as long as they fulfilled the terms of their enlistment contracts and did not commit fraud  a far more sweeping waiver that members of the California delegation had proposed. Read More Facebook

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Pentagon says human errors led to mistaken bombing of Syrian-backed forces By W.J. Hennigan Smoke rises near the Syrian village of Hisha, about 25 miles from Islamic States de facto capital of Raqqah, after an airstrike by the American-led coalition on Nov. 9, 2016. (Delil Souleiman /AFP/Getty Images) A U.S. military investigation has found that unintentional human errors led to a coalition airstrike that mistakenly killed dozens of Syrian-backed troops this fall, but it did not recommend disciplining anyone for the deadly attack. The Sept. 17 air raid on a garrison in the eastern Syrian town of Dair Alzour is one of the worst coalition errors to emerge since the Obama administration began an air war against Islamic State militants in Iraq and Syria in mid-2014. The attack, which was in an area also frequented by Russian forces, led to sharp criticism from Moscow after it emerged that Russian attempts to use a communications hotline to stop the attack were not answered for nearly half an hour. Russias Defense Ministry has said the attack killed 62 Syrian troops, wounded 100 more and opened the way for an Islamic State offensive in the area. It also helped destroy an already fragile U.S.-Russian cease-fire. A four-page redacted summary of the investigation that was released Tuesday concluded that the botched bombing did not violate international laws of armed conflict. Read More Facebook

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U.N. slaps new sanctions on North Korea for recent nuclear test By Tracy Wilkinson Participants stand behind a military band in Pyongyang, North Korea, on Sept. 13 during a celebration rally after the countrys successful test of a nuclear warhead. (Kim Won-Jin / AFP/Getty Images) The United Nations has slapped additional sanctions on North Korea in an effort to cut its exports of raw materials as punishment for conducting another nuclear test. The U.N. Security Council on Wednesday unanimously approved a U.S.-drafted resolution aimed at cutting North Koreas exports of coal, copper, silver and other raw materials, which are its biggest legitimate sources of foreign revenue. The latest sanctions were issued in response to Pyongyangs fifth and largest nuclear test, which was conducted in September in violation of U.N. resolutions. U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Samantha Power estimated the new sanctions will cost North Korea about $800 million a year in lost export income. North Korea is determined to refine its nuclear and ballistic missile technology to pose an even more potent threat ... to international peace and security, Power said. But this resolution imposes unprecedented costs on the [Kim Jong Un] regime for defying this councils demands, she said. Previous international sanctions have had little apparent effect on decisions in Pyongyang, and its difficult to know whether the latest round will make a difference. In March, a set of sanctions described as the most severe in two decades was imposed. But North Korea has gotten around some of the restrictions thanks to complicity from China, its neighbor and longtime benefactor. Wednesdays measures included a 60% cut on North Koreas export of coal, its biggest income source, and bans on the export of copper, nickel, silver and zinc. The sanctions also banned North Koreas export of statues, a business that caters mostly to Africa, and blacklisted 11 people and 10 entities. Under the resolution, North Korea is also threatened with suspension of some U.N. privileges if it fails to comply. Facebook

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CIA director warns Trump it would be the height of folly to scrap the Iran deal By Brian Bennett In an unusual public warning, the head of the CIA said Wednesday it would be the height of folly and disastrous for President-elect Donald Trump to scrap the Iran nuclear deal. CIA Director John Brennan said in a TV interview that ripping up the historic accord could allow Iran to resume its nuclear program and set off an arms race in the Middle East by encouraging other countries to acquire their own nuclear weapons. I think it would be disastrous for the incoming Trump administration to renege on the deal with Iran, Brennan said in an unusually blunt interview with BBC. It could lead to a weapons program inside Iran that could lead other states in the region to embark on their own programs, so I think it would be height of folly if the next administration were to tear up that agreement, Brennan said. It is extremely rare for the CIA director to issue a public warning to an incoming administration, and it suggests deep concern inside the intelligence community about Trumps intentions. During the campaign, Trump variously promised to dismantle or to revise President Obamas signature foreign policy achievement, an international deal that cut off Irans ability to build or acquire nuclear weapons in exchange for easing of sanctions on its finances and oil industry. Rep. Mike Pompeo (R-Kan.), Trumps pick to replace Brennan as CIA director, also has been a vocal critic of the deal. I look forward to rolling back this disastrous deal with the worlds largest state sponsor of terrorism, Pompeo wrote Nov. 17 on Twitter. After meeting Trump at the White House after the election, Obama said they had discussed the Iran deal and that he hoped it would survive intact, noting that the United States would be acting alone if it sought to impose new sanctions. The five members of the United Nations Security Council plus Germany negotiated the deal in 2015, and the U.N. later voted to enforce it. Implementation began in January, and no evidence has emerged to indicate Iran is violating its side of the agreement. View Twitter post Obama administration officials want to brief Trump and his top advisors on classified details and assessments of the Iran deal, including monitoring systems put in place to verify Iranian compliance. So far, Trumps transition team has delayed receiving more than a handful of in-depth intelligence briefings. There are a lot of people out there who read the papers and listened to news broadcasts where the facts may be a bit  you know  off, Brennan told the BBC. I want to make sure the new team understands what the reality is. It ultimately will be up to them to decide how to carry out their responsibilities, Brennan said. Robert M. Gates, a former CIA chief and secretary of Defense, also called for preserving the nuclear deal. It would be a mistake to tear up the agreement at this point, Gates said in an interview on CBS This Morning. I think we would be the ones isolated, not the Iranians, because none of our partners who helped to negotiate that would walk away from it. But I think what the new president can do is push back against the Iranians. Facebook

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Rep. Nancy Pelosi elected by House Democrats for another term as minority leader By Lisa Mascaro House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (Andrew Harnik/Associated Press) House Democrats elected Rep. Nancy Pelosi for another term as minority leader after she fended off a rival who said the November election showed the party needs change at the top. The San Francisco Democrat has beaten back challengers before, but this years campaign from Ohio Democratic Rep. Tim Ryan focused attention on President-elect Donald Trumps success in attracting white, working class voters in Rust Belt states that had traditionally been part of the Democratic base. Pelosi responded by expanding her leadership team to include more seats at the table for younger members and those from states Trump won. The only woman to serve as House speaker, Pelosi has faced calls for her ouster ever since Democrats lost the House majority in 2010. First elected to leadership in 2002, the mother of five -- and grandmother -- has also endured questions about how much longer she will stay at the helm. The 76-year-old typically swats back such inquiries by noting the comparable ages of male colleagues in leadership roles elsewhere in the Capitol. Pelosi remains a fundraising powerhouse and despite interest by other Democrats in taking a turn at leadership, few have been able to make the case to their peers that they could match her drive. But this year, Pelosi appeared to take her challenge seriously. She repeatedly worked to shore up support from liberals and minorities who make up the bulk of the Democratic caucus. She also pointed to the gains Democrats have made under her watch -- they picked up six seats in November -- and warned that losses could have been worse. Democratic Rep. Adam B. Schiff of Burbank, in nominating Pelosi during a closed-door meeting Wednesday, said, We need the very best to lead us.... No one is a better tactician than Nancy Pelosi. Facebook

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Trump pledged to protect Medicare. His choice for health secretary has other ideas By Noah Bierman Rep. Tom Price (R-Ga.), President-elect Donald Trumps choice for Health and Human Services secretary. (Carolyn Kaster / Associated Press)) President-elect Donald Trump reassured voters during his insurgent political campaign that he would protect Medicare, Social Security and other popular federal assistance programs. But in tapping Rep. Tom Price (R-Ga.) to be his Health and Human Services secretary, he has elevated one of the most aggressive proponents of dramatically overhauling the government safety net for seniors and low-income Americans, a long-held conservative goal. Read More Facebook

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Trump says he will leave his business in total to fully focus on running the country By Jim Puzzanghera (Mandel Ngan / AFP/Getty Images) President-elect Donald Trump tweeted Wednesday morning that he would leave his business operations in total to fully focus on running the country. Trumps vast interests in real estate and other ventures have raised unprecedented concerns about the potential for conflict of interest, both at home and internationally. In one of a series of tweets, Trump said he would be leaving my great business in total. Legal documents are being crafted which take me completely out of business operations. The Presidency is a far more important task! he said. However, Trump made no mention that would be giving up ownership of the Trump Organization, which includes hotels, golf resorts and other properties and many licensing deals that span the globe. Neither did he specify whether his separation from his businesses would be permanent. To avoid conflicts or the perception that his presidency would benefit his financial empire, government ethics lawyers and watchdog groups have urged him to sell off his businesses and put the assets in a blind trust to be managed by an independent third party. Trump said last week that he has been turning over operations of his businesses to three of his children, who already have senior positions at the Trump Organization. But some critics have said turning over control to his children may not be enough to alleviate such concerns, since several of his adult children remain active in planning his transition. What he does not seem to realize, or does not want to admit, is that the conflicts arise from his ownership of the Trump Organization, said Noah Bookbinder, executive director of the Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, in reacting to Trumps announcement Wednesday. He will continue to know what his business interests are and to benefit from them whether or not he is involved in the day-to-day management, so the conflicts remain unchanged. Federal conflict-of-interest rules for government employees and members of Congress dont apply to the president. Trump said in an interview with the New York Times last week that the president cant have a conflict of interest  In theory, I can be president of the United States and run my business 100%. He said then that it would be very hard to sell off his businesses because they are mostly real estate, but also noted that he would like to try and formalize something in terms of an arrangement that would distance his businesses from his work as president. On Wednesday, he tweeted that While I am not mandated to do this under the law, I feel it is visually important, as President, to in no way have a conflict of interest with my various businesses. Trump said he would detail the changes at a New York news conference with his children on Dec. 15. I will be holding a major news conference in New York City with my children on December 15 to discuss the fact that I will be leaving my ...  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 30, 2016 great business in total in order to fully focus on running the country in order to MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN! While I am not mandated to ....  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 30, 2016 do this under the law, I feel it is visually important, as President, to in no way have a conflict of interest with my various businesses..  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 30, 2016 Facebook

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Trump names billionaire investor Wilbur Ross as Commerce secretary By Jim Puzzanghera President-elect Donald Trump and Vice President-elect Mike Pence greet investor Wilbur Ross, left, in New Jersey on Sunday. ( (Carolyn Kaster / Associated Press)) President-elect Donald Trump has chosen billionaire financier Wilbur Ross, known as the king of bankruptcy for his investments in distressed properties, to serve as Commerce secretary, according to a person familiar with the decision. If confirmed, Ross would become the Trump administrations chief liaison with the business community and a leading advocate for U.S. trade abroad. Ross, 80, who was a senior policy advisor to Trumps campaign, is worth $2.9 billion, according to Forbes magazine. Like Trump, Ross has been critical of U.S. trade deals. He sharply criticized trade negotiators and called for the U.S. to withdraw from the yet-to-be-ratified Trans-Pacific Partnership and to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement. Trump has pledged to do both upon taking office. Read More Facebook

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Trump taps Wall Street executive and Hollywood producer Steven Mnuchin for Treasury secretary By Jim Puzzanghera Steven Mnuchin at Trump Tower in New York this month. (Eduardo Munoz Alvarez / AFP/Getty Images) President-elect Donald Trump has chosen Steven Mnuchin, a wealthy Wall Street executive and Hollywood movie producer who served as his campaign finance chairman, to be the next Treasury secretary, according to a person familiar with the decision. Mnuchins deep roots on Wall Street fit the mold of past Treasury secretaries but contrast with the populist stance that Trump took during his campaign. Mnuchins net worth is unclear, but he could be the second billionaire member of Trumps Cabinet, after Betsy DeVos, who is Trumps pick for Education secretary. The third is expected to be financier Wilbur Ross, who has been selected as Commerce secretary. Mnuchins selection  which was first reported Tuesday by the New York Times  drew ire from Democratic and liberal groups, which have accused him of profiting from the financial crisis after buying the failed IndyMac Bank in 2009. Read More Facebook

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Noam Chomsky, Junot Diaz and nearly 400 MIT faculty oppose Trump picks in open letter By Colleen Shalby President-elect Donald Trump. (Evan Vucci / Associated Press) Nearly 400 MIT faculty members, including professor emeritus Noam Chomsky, writer Junot Diaz and four Nobel Prize winners, signed an open letter criticizing President-elect Donald Trumps Cabinet picks. The President-elect has appointed individuals to positions of power who have endorsed racism, misogyny and religious bigotry, and denied the widespread scientific consensus on climate change. Regardless of our political views, these endorsements violate principles at the core of MITs mission. At this time, it is important to reaffirm the values we hold in common. The letter also denounces the controversial rhetoric often associated with Trumps campaign and impending presidency. For any member of our community who may feel fear or oppression, our doors are open and we are ready to help, it states. MIT boasts a student body represented by 120 foreign countries, all 50 U.S. states and three U.S. territories. While campaigning, Trump lauded his late uncle, John, who was a professor at MIT for nearly 50 years. Shortly after Trump announced his candidacy, he spoke about him to CNN. I had an uncle who went to MIT who is a top professor. Dr. John Trump. A genius. Its in my blood. Im smart. Great marks. Like really smart, Trump said. A handful of faculty members who signed the statement overlapped in time with John Trump. At least one, physics professor Robert Jaffe, said that he did not know the uncle, but hopes that his nephews administration will maintain a dedication to science. Facebook

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With no Cabinet to build, Hillary Clinton appears with Katy Perry By Chris Megerian Pop star Katy Perry was one of Hillary Clintons biggest celebrity boosters on the campaign trail, and on Tuesday night the former Democratic presidential nominee introduced the singer at a charity gala in New York. Perry has served as UNICEFs goodwill ambassador. Hilary Clinton surprise appearance just now to intro @katyperry #SnowflakeBall #UnicefSnowflake pic.twitter.com/3wh2Zc2BwG  David Ushery (@DavidUshery4NY) November 30, 2016 Facebook

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Jill Stein pays fee to green-light Wisconsin recount By Michael A. Memoli The recount is officially on. The Wisconsin Elections Commission said Tuesday that Green Party nominee Jill Stein has paid the nearly $3.5 million estimated cost to set into motion a statewide retabulation of the presidential vote. Stein had asked for the recount after claiming that evidence of foreign interference existed. She is also seeking recounts in Michigan and Pennsylvania; together, the three states carry enough electoral votes to flip the election from President-elect Donald Trump to Democrat Hillary Clinton, but such an outcome is all but impossible. The Wisconsin recount, which starts Thursday, is likely to cost Stein slightly more, the commission said, blaming an earlier error in adding up cost estimates from the 72 county clerks who will oversee the ballot review. Stein will be charged whatever additional costs are incurred after the recount is concluded. Officials on Monday said that most counties will complete their recount in a week but that more populous counties will face a challenge in meeting the deadline to certify results. The state aims to finish by Dec. 12, as state law gives the recount petitioner five days after the new tally is finished for further legal challenges. Presidential electors in 50 states and the District of Columbia will meet Dec. 19 to formally cast the votes that will elect Trump as the next president. Facebook

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Repeal and replace Obamacare? It wont happen on Trumps first day, GOP leader says By Lisa Mascaro House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy. (J. Scott Applewhite / Associated Press) House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Bakersfield) cast doubt on whether the Republican-led Congress would be ready to repeal Obamacare by inauguration day, as some in President-elect Donald Trumps transition team have suggested could happen in a special session. But McCarthy said Republicans would try to start as soon as possible on what he acknowledged would be a complicated two-step process to repeal and replace Obamacare that will consume much of 2017 and beyond. Their plan involves retroactively passing a fiscal 2017 budget in the early weeks of Trumps term. Such a maneuver would give Republicans the ability to unwind President Obamas signature domestic program with a simple majority vote, without facing a Democratic filibuster. Replacing the Affordable Care Act would come later, and likely extend into fiscal 2018. Once its repealed you will have hopefully fewer people playing politics and everybody coming to the table to find the best policy, McCarthy told reporters. I just want to make sure we get it right. McCarthy on Tuesday welcomed reports that Trump intends to nominate House Budget Committee Chairman Tom Price (R-Ga.) to lead the Health and Human Services Department as Congress focuses on getting rid of Obamacare. Democrats, though, suggested that Price, a medical doctor who has championed House Speaker Paul D. Ryans plans to overhaul Medicare, will face so much opposition in the Senate that he may not be confirmed. Try it, said Sen. Charles E. Schumer of New York, the incoming Democratic minority leader. Privatization of Medicare goes way beyond where most Americans are. For years, Republicans have promised to end Obamacare, and with Trump in the White House they will have their best opportunity to do so. But McCarthy cautioned that repealing and replacing the Affordable Care Act will be more complicated than simply sending a bill to the White House for the presidents signature. Instead, Congress will need to insert special repeal instructions as part of the wonky budget reconciliation process. And that will take time, he said. McCarthy said that replacing Obamacare will be even tougher than repealing it. Even though Republicans have promised their own healthcare law, they have never been able to produce an agreed-upon alternative. To gather ideas, McCarthy said he would solicit advice from governors and state insurance commissioners. Hell be sending a letter to the states later this week. Since Congress did not pass a 2017 budget for the fiscal year that began Oct. 1, they hope to retroactively approve one in the weeks ahead so they can include the first part of the special instructions needed to repeal the program. But he doubted that would be completed by the time Trump takes office. I dont think you can do it before [Jan.] 20th, he said. Theres only so many legislative days. The finish the job, lawmakers will use the reconciliation process for the fiscal 2018 budget, which is due by spring. McCarthy predicted Congress would still need to pass additional legislation, which cannot be completed through the reconciliation process, in order to ensure a smooth transition. Facebook

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Obama will skip Fidel Castros funeral but is sending an informal delegation By Christi Parsons The Cuban flag hangs at half-staff in front of a picture of Fidel Castro on the facade of the Cuban national library in Havana. (Ronaldo Schemidt / AFP/Getty Images) President Obama is not going to the memorial service for former Cuban dictator Fidel Castro on Tuesday but instead is sending a pair of key representatives to pay their respects, an informal appearance that reflects the delicate diplomacy between the White House and the leadership in Havana. Obama is sending Jeffrey DeLaurentis, the top U.S. diplomat in Cuba, along with deputy National Security Advisor Ben Rhodes, but the two men are not being dispatched as part of a formal delegation, White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest said Tuesday. DeLaurentis and Rhodes played key roles in reopening U.S. ties to the communist island nation in late 2014, ending five decades of a Cold War-era freeze in relations. The policy has been celebrated for opening the possibility of expanded trade with and travel to Cuba, while critics attacked Obama for engaging with President Raul Castro without extracting concessions on human rights. His brother Fidel held power through firing squads, false imprisonment and harsh treatment of dissidents. President-elect Donald Trump was one of those critics, saying after Fidel Castros death that if Cuba isnt willing to make a better deal for the Cuban people  and the U.S. as a whole, I will terminate the deal. After Castro died Friday, the White House released an oblique statement noting that his death filled Cubans with powerful emotions, recalling the countless ways in which Fidel Castro altered the course of individual lives, families, and of the Cuban nation. History will record and judge the enormous impact of this singular figure on the people and world around him. Facebook

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Donald Trump to pick Elaine Chao, a well-connected establishment figure, as Transportation secretary By Noah Bierman President-elect Donald Trump plans to name Elaine Chao  a former Labor secretary married to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.)  as his Transportation secretary, according to House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Bakersfield). Chaos establishment ties conflict with Trumps promise to drain the swamp in Washington and promote outsiders to lead his government. But Chaos connections could be an asset in Trumps plan to promote a major infrastructure proposal that could face resistance from within his party. Trump has decried the state of the nations airports, bridges and roads and promised to make their revitalization a major part of his jobs program aimed at helping working-class Americans whose votes helped propel him to victory. Chao, who served as Labor secretary through the entire George W. Bush administration, could play a central role in negotiating an infrastructure spending bill while her husband leads the Senate. Trumps spokesman Jason Miller did not confirm the pick on a conference call with reporters but said that Trump had taken people whove been successful in all different walks of life  including business, government, and military  to fill a Cabinet that Miller called a true dream team. The Taiwan-born Chao also exemplifies the type of immigrant success story that became the subject of debate during Trumps campaign, which promised to crack down on illegal immigration and labeled many of those entering the country illegally from Mexico as criminals, drug dealers and rapists. Chao is one of four sisters who attended Harvard Business School. Her family donated $40 million to the institution in 2012. Facebook

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U.S. economy grew 3.2% in third quarter, the best in two years By Jim Puzzanghera The U.S. economy grew faster in the third quarter than initially estimated, expanding at its strongest pace in two years in a rebound from a weak first half of 2016. Total economic output, also known as gross domestic product, expanded at a 3.2% annual pace from July through September, the Commerce Department said Tuesday. The figure was up from an initial estimate of 2.9% and the best performance since the economy expanded at a 5% annual rate in the third quarter of 2014. Read More Facebook

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Q&A: What you need to know about the Wisconsin recount By Michael A. Memoli This is certainly not Bush vs. Gore, a Wisconsin elections official said Monday. Well, what is it? The state is initiating the first significant candidate-driven recount in a presidential election since the 2000 ordeal in Florida between then-Vice President Al Gore and eventual President George W. Bush. This time, though, Donald Trump is certain to remain president-elect after Wisconsins nearly 3 million ballots are re-tabulated. But the fight here and potentially in other states has given third-party candidates new rationale for seeking public attention for their causes, and it has given Trump fresh ammunition to trash his opponents  as well as, bafflingly, the political process in which he just secured the presidency. Here is a look at the issues involved in the Badger State and elsewhere as the seemingly unending 2016 presidential election seeps into overtime. Read More Facebook

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By tweet and petition, Donald Trump and the left cast doubt on credibility of election By Noah Bierman (Evan Vucci / Associated Press) Rather than celebrating his victory, Donald Trump is amplifying far-right conspiracies to undermine the credibility of an election he won. At the same time, he is finding some common cause in the quixotic effort by the fringe left to prevent him from reaching the White House. The chances of changing the election result with selective ballot recounts, as some on the left hope, or finding widespread voter fraud as alleged by Trump are next to nil. Yet a combination of self-interest and a desire for misdirection have propelled factions of both parties to debate the results of an election already decisively settled. Trumps motives are often hard to pinpoint. But by pushing the myth that millions of ballots were cast illegally for his opponent, as he has done on Twitter in recent days, he may be building the case to claim a larger mandate for his victory despite the fact that Hillary Clinton is leading the popular vote by more than 2 million votes. The issue also distracts attention from mounting questions about the financial conflicts of interest he is likely to have in the White House, given that he plans to allow his children to run his international real estate and branding business while he serves as president. Finally, Trumps rhetoric may also sow the seeds of future efforts to propose more restrictive voting rules championed by some of his top advisors. Read More Facebook

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Democrats look to make some deals with Trump  and divide the GOP in the bargain By Lisa Mascaro Republicans became known as the party of no during the Obama years because of their frequent efforts to block the presidents initiatives. As congressional Democrats prepare to deal with a Republican White House, they appear ready to take the opposite approach, effectively challenging President-elect Donald Trump by finding opportunities to say yes. The goal is to strategically engage with the White House on common objectives and at the same time try to drive a political wedge between Trump and those Republicans anxious about his costlier ideas, such as rebuilding infrastructure, aiding blue-collar workers and expanding paid family leave, a pet project of daughter Ivanka Trump. Read More Facebook

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Trump to name a harsh critic of Obamacare as his pick for Health secretary By Noam N. Levey (Drew Angerer / Getty Images) President-elect Donald Trump plans to select House Budget Committee Chairman Tom Price (R-Ga.) to be his Health and Human Services secretary, according to a person familiar with the decision. In picking Price, Trump is tapping an arch-conservative lawmaker and leading critic of the Affordable Care Act to lead his push to roll back President Obamas signature health law. Price, a six-term congressman from suburban Atlanta, has never held an executive position comparable to leading the federal Department of Health and Human Services, a behemoth that includes the Food and Drug Administration, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Institutes of Health and the agency overseeing Medicare and Medicaid. Three of the four previous Health and Human Services secretaries were former governors. Price, an orthopedic surgeon, would be the first physician to serve as the departments secretary since Dr. Louis Sullivan, who held the post from 1989 to 1993 under President George H.W. Bush. He would also be among the most politically conservative Health and Human Services secretaries in history. And as a member of House leadership, he would bring to the Trump administration a revolutionary governing agenda closely aligned with Republicans on Capitol Hill. Read More Facebook

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Trump says he won the electoral college in a landslide, but he ranked near the all-time bottom By Cathleen Decker In addition to winning the Electoral College in a landslide, I won the popular vote if you deduct the millions of people who voted illegally  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 27, 2016 President-elect Donald Trumps tweet that he would have won the popular vote this month but for millions of illegal voters was not based on fact. There is no proof backing up his statement, and voting researchers uniformly dismissed it as false. Also problematic was his second claim in the same tweet, that his victory was one of the rare landslides in American political history. A study of electoral vote results by John J. Pitney, an author and professor of government at Claremont McKenna College, shows that Trump resides on the lower end of the electoral vote scale. He won 56.97% of the electoral votes up for grabs by virtue of his state wins. That places him 46th out of the 58 elections since George Washingtons era, Pitney found. In 38 elections, the winner exceeded 60% of the vote, a lopsided verdict by voters. Clear landslides were won most recently by Ronald Reagan in both of his elections: In 1984, he won 97.58% of electoral votes, and in 1980 he won 90.89%. President Obama won nearly 68% of the vote in 2008 and just under 62% in 2012. Faring worse than Trump among modern presidents was George W. Bush, who eked past Al Gore in 2000 with 50.37% of the vote, after a protracted squabble over the Florida results that ended in a U.S. Supreme Court verdict favoring Bush. Facebook

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Trump says Cuba has to act or hell end the diplomatic thaw, but its not that simple By Tracy Wilkinson In his latest comment on Cuba since the death of revolutionary leader Fidel Castro, President-elect Donald Trump said Monday he would end Washingtons diplomatic thaw with the island unless Cuba makes a better deal. If Cuba is unwilling to make a better deal for the Cuban people, the Cuban/American people and the U.S. as a whole, I will terminate deal, Trump tweeted. President Obama and Cuban President Raul Castro renewed diplomatic ties in 2014 after a half-century of Cold War hostility. Since then, through a series of executive orders, Obama has eased restrictions on Americans traveling to Cuba and U.S. firms doing business there. Castro, at the same time, has made it easier for Cubans to travel and to engage in limited private enterprise. However, Castro has not enacted significant political reforms, and the death Friday of his brother, former president and leader of the revolution Fidel, at age 90, is not likely to usher in quick change. It was not clear what Trump meant by a better deal. An email seeking clarification from his transition team was not answered. Previously, however, Trump has spoken of the release of political prisoners and more open space for free expression of opinions and dissent. These are the same elements the Obama administration has been demanding, while choosing not to delay economic progress while awaiting political change. From a legal standpoint, Trump could easily reverse Obamas executive orders with little more than a signature. Politically, however, renewed estrangement would be more complicated and would isolate the U.S. as the only country in the world that does not recognize the Communist-led government in Havana. Its not as simple as one Tweet might make it seem --@PressSec Josh Earnest, on whether @realdonaldtrump might undo @POTUS Cuba policy  Christi Parsons (@cparsons) November 28, 2016 Trump and his top aides have sent conflicting signals over his likely Cuba policy. On Saturday, his staff put out a statement saying a Trump administration would do all it can to help Cubans achieve prosperity and liberty. But it did not mention reversing Obamas actions expanding ties. While Cuba remains a totalitarian island, Trump said, it is my hope that today marks a move away from the horrors endured for too long, and toward a future in which the wonderful Cuban people finally live in the freedom they so richly deserve. Kellyanne Conway, a top advisor, told NBCs Meet the Press on Sunday that nothing is definite when it comes to Cuba. But Trumps soon-to-be White House chief of staff, Reince Priebus, said that Trump would be looking for some movement in the right direction to keep the Cuba opening on course. Conservative Republicans, like Sens. Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz, oppose detente with Cuba as long as any Castro continues to rule. But a growing number of Cuban Americans, as well as most Democrats and a substantial segment of the business community, want better ties and opportunities for economic exchange. Facebook

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The era of super-low interest rates might be ending. Whats in it for you? By Jim Puzzanghera Since President-elect Donald Trumps surprising election victory this month, financial markets have sent a forceful message that the era of super-low interest rates is coming to a close. Mortgage rates have shot up. Bond yields have jumped to their highest levels in a year. And the dollar has surged against other major currencies to values unseen in more than a decade. Those developments have been fueled by expectations of stronger economic growth and higher inflation from Trumps promises to cut business taxes, reduce regulations and increase defense and infrastructure spending. His plans triggered a post-election stock market rally and, combined with recent solid economic data, increased expectations that the Federal Reserve would nudge up its benchmark short-term rate again next month  with more hikes to follow next year. Read More Facebook

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Trump seems ready to fight the world on climate change but hes likely to meet resistance By Evan Halper Coal trucks leave a power plant operated by PacifiCorp outside Huntington, Utah. ( (George Frey / Getty Images)) Donald Trump is branded with all manner of unflattering labels, but one that hasnt seemed to much bother him is climate pariah. The president-elect is unabashed in his disdain for Americas global warming policy. He has placed a staunch climate-change doubter and antagonist of mainstream science in charge of reshaping  or as Trump has suggested, dismantling  the Environmental Protection Agency. He has talked frequently about reneging on the historic Paris global climate treaty the U.S. took a lead in drafting. And he has said he wants every federal green-energy program eliminated. Environmentalists take little comfort in Trumps recent comments that he accepts there is some connectivity between human activity and climate change and that he has an open mind about it, as what hes said elsewhere and done so far suggests otherwise. And even those comments gave scientists cause for alarm. You can make a lot of cases for different views, Trump told the New York Times, casting doubt on the finding by more than 90% of climate scientists that emissions are accelerating global warming. Im not sure anybody is ever going to really know. Read More Facebook

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Jared Kushner, the Trump son-in-law whos the next presidents eyes and ears By Chris Megerian The election results were rolling in, and so were the phone calls for Donald Trump. But no matter who was on the other end of the line, the person handing the phone to the next president of the United States was the same. Jared was screening the calls, said Armstrong Williams, a political ally who described the scene in Trumps Manhattan skyscraper on election night. That would be Jared Kushner, Trumps son-in-law, and his election-night role provides a glimpse of the enormous influence he wields as Trump prepares to take office in January. As the husband of Ivanka Trump, the president-elects elder daughter, Kushner holds an unassailable position inside Trumps unruly ecosystem of advisors. Read More Facebook

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Trump falsely claims that millions voted illegally, costing him the popular vote By Matt Pearce Donald and Melania Trump cast their ballots on Nov. 8. (Evan Vucci / Associated Press) Donald Trump falsely claimed Sunday that he won the popular vote, alleging in a tweet  without evidence  that millions of people had illegally voted for his Democratic opponent, Hillary Clinton. In addition to winning the Electoral College in a landslide, I won the popular vote if you deduct the millions of people who voted illegally, Trump wrote, hours after he tweeted his opposition to a recount in Midwestern states initiated by the Green Party. In addition to winning the Electoral College in a landslide, I won the popular vote if you deduct the millions of people who voted illegally  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 27, 2016 Election experts, who say election fraud is rare, immediately denounced Trumps claim. Theres been no evidence produced of millions  or thousands  or even hundreds  of noncitizens voting for president in 2016, tweeted Rick Hasen, a professor of law and politics who writes for the Election Law Blog. The source of Trumps claim appears to be a widely shared Nov. 14 article on the conspiracy site Infowars, which is famous for claiming the Sandy Hook mass shooting was a hoax. Politifact investigated the illegal votes claim and rated it false. Facebook

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Trump is warned that supporters will feel betrayed if he picks Mitt Romney as secretary of State By Don Lee A senior advisor to President-elect Donald Trump stepped up an extraordinary public effort Sunday to discredit Mitt Romney and thwart the chances that he would be picked as secretary of State. Kellyanne Conway warned on Sunday TV talk shows that Trumps supporters would feel betrayed if he picked the former governor of Massachusetts, a sharp critic of Trump during the campaign, for a senior Cabinet position. Conway, who was Trumps campaign manager and now is a top advisor to the incoming president, said she felt compelled to speak out on the matter because of the backlash from the grass roots. People feel betrayed to think that Gov. Romney, who went out of his way to question the character and the intellect and the integrity of Donald Trump, now our president-elect, would be given the most significant Cabinet post of all, Conway said on NBCs Meet the Press. They feel a bit betrayed that you can get a Romney back in there after everything he did, she added. We dont even know if he voted for Donald Trump. Conway dodged questions about whether Trump supported the concerns she has been raising publicly about Romney, which began with a tweet she posted on Thanksgiving morning: Receiving deluge of social media & private comms re: Romney. Some Trump loyalists warn against Romney as sec of state. Conway made clear that she did not approve of Romney, who was the GOP presidential nominee in 2012, and didnt see him as especially qualified to act as Americas top diplomat. In the last four years, has he even been around the globe doing something on behalf of the United States of which were unaware? she asked on CNNs State of the Union. Did he go and intervene in Syria where they are having a massive humanitarian crisis? Meaning when I say intervene, like offered help. Has he been helpful to Mr. [Benjamin] Netanyahu? she said of the Israeli prime minister. Im all for party unity, but Im not sure that we have to pay for that with the secretary of State position, Conway said, although she quickly added that she would respect what Trump decides. During the campaign, Romney called Trump a phony and a fraud and said his policies would lead to economic ruin. In response, Trump mocked Romney as a failed candidate who had choked in the 2012 race. But a little more than a week ago, Trump met with Romney for about 90 minutes at a golf course in New Jersey to discuss the State Department post. Afterward, Trump said the meeting went great and Romney described the discussion as very thorough and in-depth. Trump is also considering Rudolph W. Giuliani, who was a fierce Trump loyalist during the campaign, for the job. The former mayor of New York has touted his experience traveling, consulting and speaking overseas since leaving office in 2001. But his extensive business deals abroad have raised concerns about potential conflicts of interest if he gets the post instead of Romney. In criticizing Romney, Conway exposed what appears to be deep divisions in the Trump camp as it tries to assemble a team. It is highly unusual for a senior representative of an incoming president to be lobbying publicly against a candidate under consideration. Reince Priebus, the Republican National Committee chairman and Trumps choice to be chief of staff, on Sunday sought to downplay reports of internecine struggles in the transition. However, he acknowledged that picking Romney would represent a team of rivals concept. Trump wants to put the best possible people together for all Americans, Priebus told Fox News Sunday. The fact that hes actually even flirting with the idea of choosing a rival should tell the American people where hes at  which is the best place for everyone in this country, he said. Conway also said Trump, who spent the Thanksgiving holiday weekend at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Fla., talked with President Obama by phone on Saturday for about 40 or 45 minutes. She wouldnt say what they talked about. I can tell you from President-elect Trumps side that he very much enjoys speaking with President Obama, talking about the serious issues that face this country and the world, Conway said on NBC. They get along nicely. They disagree on many things. Thats not going to change. Facebook

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Hillary Clinton campaign will participate in ballot recount in Wisconsin By Don Lee Hillary Clintons presidential campaign will participate in a ballot recount led by Green Party candidate Jill Stein in Wisconsin and perhaps two other battleground states that were crucial to Donald Trumps victory, a Clinton campaign lawyer said Saturday. In response, Trump called the recount request ridiculous and a scam designed to raise money for Steins political party. Read More Facebook

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Donald Trump names KT McFarland, Don McGahn to White House posts By Michael A. Memoli Don McGahn is named by President-elect Donald Trump as his White House counsel. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images) President-elect Donald Trump added to his West Wing roster Friday, naming KT McFarland as deputy national security adviser and Donald McGahn as his White House counsel. McFarland served in three separate Republican administrations, most notably as a spokeswoman for Defense Secretary Caspar Weinberger under Ronald Reagan. In 2006, she sought to challenge Hillary Clinton for her U.S. Senate seat from New York but lost in the Republican primary. Most recently, she has been a regular contributor to Fox News on national security issues. She joins retired Gen. Michael Flynn, previously named as Trumps national security adviser. So proud & honored to have KT McFarland as part of our National Security team. She will help us #MAGA  General Flynn (@GenFlynn) November 25, 2016 McGahn, who was general counsel for Trumps campaign and a former chair of the Federal Election Commission, is a partner at the powerhouse Washington law firm Jones Day. President Obama revealed at a recent news conference that he had advised Trump to hire a strong White House counsel to guide him and his team, who could provide clear guideposts and rules to help avoid ethical and conflict of interest concerns. Trump campaign officials said Friday that the president-elect, who is spending the holiday weekend at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, would make no additional high-level announcements until next week when he returns to New York. On Monday, he will meet with several more potential Cabinet and sub-Cabinet choices, including Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke, Pennsylvania Rep. Lou Barletta and Oklahoma Atty. Gen. Scott Pruitt. Facebook

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Ben Carson hints he may join Trump Cabinet as Housing secretary By Christi Parsons Former Republican presidential candidate Ben Carson speaks in Lakewood, Colo. on Oct. 29. (David Zalubowski / Associated Press) Ben Carson said Wednesday that an announcement is imminent about his role in improving the nations inner cities  a broad hint that President-elect Donald Trump will name him secretary of Housing and Urban Development. After serious discussions with the Trump transition team, I feel that I can make a significant contribution, particularly to making our inner cities great for everyone, Carson said on Facebook. An announcement is forthcoming about my role in helping to make America great again. Carson, himself once a candidate for president, would be the first African American named to Trumps Cabinet. He was a mild critic of Trump during the campaign, but after dropping out of the race, he backed Trump and now serves on the president-elects transition team. Though Carsons professional background is as a neurosurgeon, he has spoken often of his experiences growing up in inner-city Detroit, with a mother who sometimes relied on food stamps and other assistance. Carson has said they moved into a tenement at one point but has never said whether he lived in public housing. Days ago, a senior advisor said Carson thought he lacked the background needed to manage a federal agency, and that he didnt think it was the best way for him to serve. Carson didnt want to take a position that could cripple the presidency, advisor Armstrong Williams told the Hill newspaper. HUD is responsible for administering low-income housing assistance, fair housing laws, housing development and aid to neighborhoods in distress. Carson indicated a change of heart Wednesday. We have much work to do in strengthening every aspect of our nation and ensuring that both our physical infrastructure and our spiritual infrastructure is solid, he wrote. In an interview with the New York Times on Tuesday, Trump suggested he isnt applying the usual standard of qualifications to his Cabinet picks. Were trying very hard to get the best people  not necessarily people that will be the most politically correct people, because that hasnt been working, Trump said. So we have, really, experts in the field. Some are known and some are not known, but theyre known within their field as being the best. Thats very important to me. Facebook

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Trump picks Michigan school-choice advocate to be his Education secretary By Christi Parsons President-elect Donald Trump chose a Michigan charter school advocate and prominent Republican donor to serve as his secretary of Education, he said Wednesday, a decision that may hearten supporters of school choice but worry teacher unions  and even some of Trumps core supporters. Trumps pick, Betsy DeVos, is a champion of charter schools and school vouchers that give families tax funds they can spend on private school if theyre not happy with their local public schools. DeVos, 58, served as chairwoman of the Michigan Republican Party, a credential that ties her to the party establishment reviled by many Trump supporters. She and her family are among the countrys largest donors to Republican and conservative Christian causes, including opposition to same-sex marriage. She has also backed the Common Core initiative to standardize educational requirements across the nation. Trump repeatedly called for its demise. In a tweet after her selection was announced, DeVos disavowed past support for Common Core, acknowledging that the topic was an issue among conservative activists. Many of you are asking about Common Core. To clarify, I am not a supporterperiod. Read my full stance, here: https://t.co/qB2nAXvX0B  Betsy DeVos (@BetsyDeVos) November 23, 2016 In his statement announcing her as his choice, Trump called DeVos a brilliant and passionate education advocate. Under her leadership, we will reform the U.S. education system and break the bureaucracy that is holding our children back so that we can deliver world-class education and school choice to all families, Trump said in the statement. 1:46 a.m.: This post was updated with DeVos statement about the Common Core. Facebook

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Trump may have one more Cabinet-level pick coming before Thanksgiving By Christi Parsons (John Minchillo / Associated Press) President-elect Donald Trump may decide another Cabinet-level position Wednesday, aides said, after he announced South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley as his ambassador to the United Nations. Aides did not say which job Trump was considering making an announcement about. As he and his family settle in for Thanksgiving at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Trump is still spending significant time on one prominent position, secretary of State, a sign that a pick for it may not come before the holiday, one staffer on the presidential transition team said. In his search for a secretary of State, Trump has met with close advisor and former New York Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani and with Mitt Romney, the 2012 Republican nominee for president. Aides said Trump chose Haley for the U.N. post because she improved South Carolinas economy and took part in overseas trade and recruitment trips. The two have a natural chemistry, one staffer said, and their views jibe on how the U.S. should be represented on the world stage. Facebook

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Trump taps South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley for U.N. ambassador By Tracy Wilkinson South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley speaks at the Federalist Societys National Lawyers Convention in Washington on Nov. 18. (Cliff Owen / Associated Press) President-elect Donald Trump on Wednesday picked South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, a rising star in the GOP, as the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, an announcement that brings a measure of diversity to a transition that has been dominated by white, male figures. Haley, 44, and the daughter of Indian immigrants, is the first woman and first person of color to be picked for the new administration. Read More Facebook

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Dalai Lama: I have no worries about Trumps election By Associated Press (Ganbat Namjilsangarav / Associated Press) The Dalai Lama, the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader, said he has no worries about Donald Trumps election as U.S. president and expects the businessman will align his policies with global realities. Commenting at the conclusion of a four-day visit to Mongolia, the leader of Tibetan Buddhism said he looks forward to meeting Trump at some point after the Jan. 20 inauguration. The 81-year-old monk says he has always regarded the U.S. as the leading nation of the free world and wasnt concerned about remarks made by Trump during the election campaign. Some of those comments have been cited as offensive to Muslims, Latinos and other U.S. minority groups. China accuses the Dalai Lama of seeking to split Tibet from China and had demanded Mongolia scrap his visit. Facebook

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Trump asks Ben Carson to consider Housing secretary post By Chris Megerian Donald Trump asked Ben Carson to consider serving as secretary of Housing and Urban Development, an advisor to the former Republican presidential candidate said Tuesday. They discussed the potential job at a meeting in the morning and Carson is seriously considering it, said the advisor, Armstrong Williams. Its a role that plays to Dr. Carsons passions, he said. Asked what qualifications the retired neurosurgeon has for overseeing housing policy, Williams said: Dr. Carson has experience with everything. Youd be shocked at the depth of his experience. Williams had previously suggested that Carson didnt feel he had the experience to serve in Trumps Cabinet, but he said Tuesday that those comments were taken out of context. Housing secretary was one of a few options discussed Tuesday, Williams said. Carson always felt that hed be willing to serve in the administration if Trump felt that no one else could fill the position, he added. Facebook

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Texas judge blocks Obama administrations new overtime rule from taking effect By Michael A. Memoli Labor Secretary Thomas E. Perez. (Andrew Harnik / Associated Press) A Texas judge blocked President Obamas bid to expand overtime pay protections to millions of Americans on Tuesday, thwarting a key presidential priority just days before it was set to take effect. The Labor Department rule would have doubled the salary level at which hourly workers must be paid extra for overtime pay, from $23,660 to $47,476. Siding with business groups including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Texas District Judge Amos L. Mazzant III halted it. The rule, finalized in May, represented the first such change in more than a decade and was hailed at the time as the most consequential action the Obama administration could take for middle-class workers without congressional involvement. Plaintiffs had argued the Labor Department acted beyond its authority under the Fair Labor Standards Act. The administration said more than 4 million salaried workers stood to benefit from the change when it took effect Dec. 1. The rule was already in jeopardy after the election of Donald Trump. Just as the Obama administration made the change through its rule-making prerogatives, a Republican administration could undo it. Neither the White House nor the Labor Department had an immediate comment. Republican lawmakers and their allies in the business community, which were behind the legal challenge, celebrated the decision. The decision brings us a step closer to curbing regulations that have resulted in $80 billion in compliance costs and more than 25 million hours of paperwork, said Linda Kelly, senior vice president for the National Assn. of Manufacturers. The fights are not yet over  and our work is just beginning. Facebook

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Heres why the electoral college (probably) wont stop Donald Trump from becoming president By Chris Megerian Some liberals who really, really, really dont want Donald Trump to be president are pinning their hopes on a long-shot effort to prevent him from officially winning the election. Understanding how their plan would work requires some background on the electoral college, which was established in the Constitution at a time when the founding fathers were wary of direct democracy. As widely known, presidents are not chosen based on the national popular vote  if they were, Hillary Clinton would be the next commander in chief, given she is ahead by roughly 1.7 million votes. Each state is assigned a certain number of electoral votes based on population. Those votes are awarded to candidates based on the states popular vote. Trump won the presidential race with 290 electoral votes. (That total will reach 306 if Michigan is called for him, as expected.) The process doesnt end on election day. Each electoral vote is represented by an elector, an actual person who has to cast an official ballot for the president on Dec. 19. The electors are chosen through different processes state by state, and usually are selected by state political parties. With unrest over the result, there are efforts to persuade electors to be faithless, meaning they wouldnt back Trump even if he won their states. A Change.org petition calling the president-elect a danger to the Republic has almost 4.6 million supporters. What are the chances of this actually happening? Very slim, says George C. Edwards III, a Texas A&M political science professor who has written a book about the electoral college. From time to time, there are faithless electors, he said. Theyre few and far between. There were some electors who refused to vote for winning candidates in the 1800s, such as six who declined to support James Madison, but never enough to sway the outcome of the race. In the last century there have only been a handful of cases. There were some attempts to persuade electors to back Al Gore over George W. Bush during the disputed 2000 election, but they were unsuccessful. Facebook

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Can Trump put another Justice Scalia on the Supreme Court? By David Savage Judge William H. Pryor Jr. of the U.S. 11th Circuit Court of Appeals moderates a panel discussion during the Federalist Societys National Lawyers Convention in Washington last week. ( (Cliff Owen / Associated Press)) President-elect Donald Trump will soon have the chance to make good on one of his most consequential campaign promises: fill the Supreme Court vacancy with a judge in the mold of conservative icon Justice Antonin Scalia, who died in February. Any Trump nominee is almost guaranteed to be a conservative jurist who is antiabortion and supports a strict interpretation of the 2nd Amendments right to bear arms. But what kind of conservative he selects will determine whether his nominee will be quickly confirmed or instead trigger a fierce fight in the closely divided Senate, potentially overshadowing the early months of Trumps presidency. If Trump opts for a Scalia-like justice, as he repeatedly said he would during the campaign, conservatives lawyers say the betting favorite is Judge William H. Pryor Jr. from the 11th Circuit Court in Atlanta, a former Alabama attorney general who called the Roe vs. Wade decision legalizing abortion the worst abomination in the history of constitutional law. The 54-year-old Pryor believes in Scalias approach of interpreting the Constitution by its original meaning  one that has little room for gay rights, even womens rights. His nomination would electrify Trumps conservative base, but it would also set off a confirmation battle for which the outcome is not assured. Read More Facebook

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Michelle Rhee has some thoughts on Donald Trump By Joy Resmovits After meeting with president-elect Donald Trump Saturday, former Washington, D.C., schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee weighed in on people who have told her to avoid him. She also indicated that shes not likely to be named as Trumps secretary of Education. In light of the speculation about the Secretary of Education role, I wanted to clarify my position and what's best for America's students. pic.twitter.com/DXRZxdAZNX  Michelle Rhee (@MichelleRhee) November 22, 2016 Facebook

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Trump veers off script on climate change, his potential conflicts of interest and even whether to prosecute Clinton By Evan Halper President-elect Donald Trump strayed far from the talking points of his campaign during his wide-ranging interview Tuesday with New York Times journalists. Trump suggested he does not necessarily need to sever ties to his businesses while president. He said he has an open mind to acting on climate change. And he even offered some praise for the Clinton Foundation. On the business ties, Trump was vague about when he will wind them down and how. He suggested he intends to transfer ownership to his kids, but then he also noted that the president is immune from federal conflict-of-interest laws. "In theory I could run my business perfectly and then run the country perfectly. There's never been a case like this,"he says of his tangles  Maggie Haberman (@maggieNYT) November 22, 2016 Trump on his businesses/conflict q's: "The law's totally on my side, the president can't have a conflict of interest."  Maggie Haberman (@maggieNYT) November 22, 2016 Trump, who once declared global warming a hoax perpetrated by the Chinese, backed off his skepticism of climate change. He said he believed there is a connection to human activity and warming  but he is still undecided about how much of one. And he said he has an open mind to keeping in place the international climate agreement President Obama took a lead in negotiating, which Trump has been vowing for months to withdraw from. Tom Friedman asks if Trump will withdraw from climate change accords. Trump: Im looking at it very closely. I have an open mind to it."  Michael M. Grynbaum (@grynbaum) November 22, 2016 Trump also addressed the public re-emergence of the white supremacist movement, and how his campaign has energized those groups. He said he disavows and condemns such groups, including the neo-Nazis who gathered in Washington over the weekend. But he defended his pick of chief strategist, Stephen K. Bannon, the Breitbart News executive who boasted that his outlet is the platform for the alt-right. Trump: Ive known Steve Bannon a long time. If i thought he was a racist, or alt-rightI wouldnt even think about hiring him."  Michael M. Grynbaum (@grynbaum) November 22, 2016 Trump is asked about concerns from minority groups about Breitbart Newss coverage under Steve Bannon. His reply: pic.twitter.com/FBqCGwQpBr  Michael M. Grynbaum (@grynbaum) November 22, 2016 When the conversation turned to Hillary Clinton, Trump said he will not press law enforcement agencies to prosecute her. And he even said people could argue the Clinton Foundation has done good work. Trump is pressed if he has definitively ruled out prosecuting Hillary Clinton. Its just not something that I feel very strongly about."  Michael M. Grynbaum (@grynbaum) November 22, 2016 That last tweet was Trump making clear he doesn't favor prosecution. Added people could argue the Clinton Foundation has done "good work."  Maggie Haberman (@maggieNYT) November 22, 2016 Read More Facebook

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Ben Carson made it clear that he was too inexperienced for a Cabinet job. Now Trump says hes considering Carson for one By Evan Halper I am seriously considering Dr. Ben Carson as the head of HUD. I've gotten to know him well--he's a greatly talented person who loves people!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 22, 2016 It was only a week ago that Ben Carson had put out word that he wasnt qualified to run a federal agency, and thus had no place in Donald Trumps Cabinet. Now Trump says Carson would be the perfect person to run a federal agency. Trump tweeted on Tuesday that he is seriously considering Carson to run the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Carsons qualifications? Hes a greatly talented person who loves people! Perhaps Carson was playing hard to get last week, when one of his top advisors, Armstrong Williams, told multiple news outlets that Carson wasnt a good fit for any of the Cabinet posts. Dr. Carson feels he has no government experience; hes never run a federal agency, Williams told the Hill. Trumps tweet that Carson was at the top of his list for the HUD job was unusual for another reason. Such trial balloons are typically floated anonymously, to gauge public reaction. If its hostile, the president-elect can scrap the plan and deny it was ever something he seriously contemplated. After Trumps advisors put the media on notice Tuesday morning that they would offer no details of what Trump will discuss at his meeting with Carson, Trump went ahead and shared them with millions of people himself. Facebook

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Donald Trump may have won the election, but hes still mad at the media By Evan Halper The President-elect does not care who knows how unforgiving or vain or distracted he is, David Remnick writes. https://t.co/6vOriXjf4E  The New Yorker (@NewYorker) November 22, 2016 So much for burying the hatchet. Even victory has not diminished Donald Trumps resentment of the news media. His relations with the news outlets have gotten no better now that he has transitioned from confrontational candidate to confrontational president-elect. Trumps angry rant about the New York Times on Tuesday morning  in which he briefly canceled a meeting with the outlet  followed what was by several reports a stormy session the day before with major news networks. Television executives and journalists traveled to Trump Tower for the closed-door meeting anticipating a discussion about media access to the White House and perhaps a recalibration of the increasingly hostile relationship. Trump had something else in mind. He delivered an angry scold about the way he has been covered, complaining of unfairness even in the selection of the photos of him used during broadcasts, which, he griped, emphasized his double chin. He called the coverage outrageous and dishonest, according to a report in the New Yorker. Its unclear what Trumps intentions were. But if his goal was to chasten the media, he did not succeed. Some at the meeting described being offended and accused Trump of failing to understand the press 1st Amendment protection from government suppression. Facebook

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Aide says Trump does not want to pursue charges against Hillary Clinton By Del Quentin Wilber A top official of Donald Trumps presidential campaign on Tuesday reaffirmed signals sent by the president-elect that hes not interested in pursuing criminal charges against Hillary Clinton, despite his repeated campaign promises to prosecute the Democratic nominee over her handling of classified materials and involvement in the Clinton Foundation. Kellyanne Conway, Trumps former campaign manager, also told MSNBC that congressional Republicans should follow Trumps lead, suggesting they drop their own probes into Clinton. I think when the president-elect, whos also the head of your party, tells you before hes even inaugurated that he doesnt wish to pursue these charges, it sends a very strong message, tone, and content to the members, Conway said. Trump had promised his supporters that he would re-investigate whether Clinton broke laws while using a private email server as the nations secretary of State, even after the FBI concluded she had not. During a presidential debate, he even pledged to assign a special prosecutor to look into the matter. Despite his supporters strongly favored such an investigation -- they often erupted into chants of Lock her up! at his rallies -- Trump hinted after the election that he had changed his mind, telling 60 Minutes earlier this month that the Clintons were good people and he didnt want to hurt them. Conway said the former Democratic presidential candidate still has to face the fact that a majority of Americans dont find her to be honest or trustworthy, but she added, If Donald Trump can help her heal, then perhaps thats a good thing to do. FBI Director James B. Comey has said that Clinton was extremely careless in how she and her aides handled classified information on her private server while she served as secretary of State. But agents, he said, turned up no evidence they had intended to violate espionage laws. The Justice Department agreed with Comey and closed the inquiry. Its highly unusual for a president to tell an attorney general whether or not to investigate a potential criminal matter, especially one involving his political rival. Trumps apparent desire to drop the matter raises questions about the FBIs inquiry into the Clinton Foundation, which unlike the email probe has not been concluded. The attorney general would have some discretion whether to prosecute, said Carl Tobias, a law professor at the University of Richmond. Politically, however, its not feasible if the president really doesnt want it to happen. The FBI has not commented on the status of any investigations into the Clinton Foundation. FBI agents in New York were reportedly looking into the nonprofit and wanted permission to use more aggressive law enforcement tools to dig deeper into the organization. But they were blocked by prosecutors and top FBI officials who did not believe the investigators had developed evidence to justify such actions, according to law enforcement officials. Facebook

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One of Donald Trumps meetings might offer a clue for how he wants to replace Obamacare By Noam N. Levey Dr. James Jackson performs a physical on Matthew Shorter, 51, a Medicaid patient enrolled in the Healthy Indiana Plan, at the Heart City Health Center in Elkhart, Ind. (Zbigniew Bzdak / Chicago Tribune) Donald Trump has consistently vowed to repeal and replace Obamacare. But he has yet to explain what he intends to replace it with. His meeting schedule today might offer a clue of what he is pondering. On the agenda is a chat with Seema Verma, an architect of Indianas unusual healthcare program for the poor. Indiana is among a handful of red states that took federal aid through the Affordable Care Act to expand Medicaid eligibility to poor, childless adults. But unlike most traditional Medicaid expansions, Indiana set up a system that requires many low-income residents on the program to pay small monthly contributions for their health coverage. Conservatives, including the states governor, Vice President-elect Mike Pence, have argued that this makes poor patients take greater responsibility for their health. And healthcare advocates in Indiana generally supported the program, in large part because it was seen as the only way to expand health protections in the deeply conservative state. But cost-sharing requirements for low-income patients remains controversial, and a number of states that have experimented with it in the past stopped after concluding it was too expensive and difficult to administer. Read More Facebook

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Britain says not so fast to Trump tweet about Nigel Farage as ambassador to U.S. By Laura King Donald Trump, right, welcomes pro-Brexit British politician Nigel Farage to speak at a campaign rally in Jackson, Miss., in August. (Gerald Herbert / Associated Press) Donald Trump and Nigel Farage were always something of a love match. But cold political realities may have intervened. The U.S. president-elect tweeted late Monday that Farage, leader of a far-right British political party, would make a great British ambassador to Washington. Apparently, the British response early Tuesday could be summarized as: Er, no. There is no vacancy, the Guardian newspaper quoted a spokesman at 10 Downing St., the prime ministers official residence in London, as saying. We already have an excellent ambassador to the U.S. Farage was a wholehearted proponent of Brexit, the June referendum in which the United Kingdom voted to leave the European Union, with still unknown long-term results. The British politician traveled to the United States during the campaign to offer his support for Trump, making rally appearances to sometimes bemused crowds to promote their purported common cause. In the course of his push for the presidency, Trump declared himself Mr. Brexit, and at one point dubbed his insurgent campaign Brextit-plus-plus  an allusion to his support for a referendum across the Atlantic that was strongly colored by anti-immigrant sentiment. Farage was among the early visitors to Trump Tower following the GOP candidates unexpected victory. The two posed, grinning, in front of a bank of gold-plated elevators in the president-elects Manhattan residence. But hopes of a more formalized relationship appear to have been dashed. The Guardian quoted members of Parliament as saying Farages inflammatory views made him a poor candidate for a diplomatic post. The Reuters news agency said it would be highly unusual for an incoming foreign administration to so publicly air its pick for a diplomatic post. Trumps suggestion, it noted, provoked anger, support and even hilarity in Britain. The news agency quoted a Conservative lawmaker, Simon Burns, as joking that Britain should name its own choice for U.S. envoy to the United Kingdom: Hillary Clinton. Facebook

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Trump the president vs. Trump the businessman: Can he juggle both? By Don Lee Donald and Melania Trump greet a guest at a grand-opening ceremony last month at Trumps new hotel in Washington. (Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images) The Trump Organization spent months trying to drive off the culinary union from its Las Vegas hotel, losing one legal battle after another before a federal labor board. Soon Donald Trumps company, which has refused to bargain with the union after housekeepers and other employees voted to join last December, could gain some leverage. As president, Trump will be able to appoint two new members to the National Labor Relations Board, giving the agency a 3-2 Republican majority that could be more sympathetic to Trump. We hope that Mr. Trump doesnt use his power to interfere, considering he has a financial interest in the outcome, said Bethany Khan, spokeswoman for Culinary Workers Union Local 226. Khans concern is but one of many examples of potential conflicts of interest that could arise for Trump the president vs. Trump the businessman. His vast holdings include hotels, office buildings and golf courses, and he has licensing deals across the globe. Read More Facebook

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Donald Trump briefly cancels meeting with New York Times and complains about its nasty tone By Amy Fiscus I cancelled today's meeting with the failing @nytimes when the terms and conditions of the meeting were changed at the last moment. Not nice  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 22, 2016 Donald Trump briefly canceled a meeting Tuesday with New York Times journalists, claiming that its terms were suddenly changed. The charge was made in the obfuscatory style that has come to mark Trumps tweets. He said only that the terms of the meeting were changed, not who changed them; the paper said Trump, not anyone on its side, had requested new terms after the meeting was set. NYT did not try to change ground rules. Trump did, asking for only a private meeting and no on-the-record segment, which NYT refused. https://t.co/EpmZFdDYAh  Jonathan Mahler (@jonathanmahler) November 22, 2016 The meeting was supposed to have included both a private discussion, similar to one Trump had Monday with television news network executives, and a segment where reporters were free to quote Trump by name. The Times said Trump later asked for the meeting to be fully private, a request the newspaper refused. After the cancelation gained widespread attention, spokeswomen for both Trump and the newspaper said it was back on as scheduled. Trump has done a handful of interviews since being elected, none with the Times, and has not held a news conference, as is customary for most presidents within a few days of their election. He also said the papers coverage of him had a nasty tone, without citing specifics. Its front page Wednesday included stories questioning the constitutionality of his foreign business deals and one citing concerns that the military might have too much influence over foreign policy in a Trump administration. 7:25 a.m.: This story was updated with the scheduled meeting being reinstated. Facebook

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Neo-Nazi alt-right crowd cheers the president-elect with Hail Trump By Jessica Roy A newly released video shows a room full of people doing the Hitler salute and yelling Hail Trump! after listening to a speech about white nationalism that invokes Nazi terminology. The video was taken over the weekend by a reporter for The Atlantic while working on a documentary about Richard Spencer. Spencer is the person speaking in the video. He runs the National Policy Institute, a self-described alt-right think tank that openly supports white nationalist and neo-Nazi policies. In the past, he has called for a peaceful ethnic cleansing of the United States. In the video, Spencer calls the media leftists and cucks, invoking popular alt-right insults for people they disagree with. He calls the media the Lugenpresse, which is what the original Nazi Party called the media in Germany  the lying press. We dont exploit other groups, he says, the we referring explicitly to white people. We dont gain anything from their presence. The press has clearly decided to double-down and wage war against the legitimacy of Trump and the continued existence of white America, he continues. But they are really opening up the door for us.... America was, until this past generation, a white country, designed for ourselves and our posterity. It is our creation, it is our inheritance, and it belongs to us. America was, until this past generation, a white country, designed for ourselves and our posterity. It is our creation, it is our inheritance, and it belongs to us.  Richard Spencer Members of the crowd give the Nazi salute throughout the speech. Last week, the Twitter accounts for Spencer and his think tank were suspended, along with a number of other alt-right accounts. Trumps campaign issued a statement in response to the video: President-elect Trump has continued to denounce racism of any kind and he was elected because he will be a leader for every American. To think otherwise is a complete misrepresentation of the movement that united Americans from all backgrounds. White supremacists have credited Trumps win with sparking a new interest in their movement. Facebook

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Donald Trumps first promises since winning the election leave out the border wall, NAFTA and his Muslim ban By Noah Bierman President-elect Donald Trump spent more than a year campaigning to build a border wall, repeal Obamacare and rescind President Obamas moves to protect from deportation some immigrants who came to the U.S. illegally. But in his first extensive public comments since winning the election this month, Trump mentioned none of those issues. Nor did he talk about withdrawing from the North American Free Trade Agreement, banning Muslims from entering the country, or ending the Syrian refugee program. Trump instead made five more modest promises for his first day in office during a nearly three-minute video released Monday that presented him as a more moderate figure and appeared to be an effort to soften Trumps message while he establishes an inner circle of advisors and Cabinet picks of hard-liners. In the video, Trump promises to withdraw from the massive Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal, a potential disaster for our country, and instead pursue bilateral agreements with some of the Pacific countries involved. He promised to lift restrictions on energy production, including shale and coal, implement a rule that any new government regulation must be accompanied by removing two regulations on the books and to instruct his Joint Chiefs of Staff to develop a new cybersecurity plan. His only discussion of immigration involved the legal immigration system  a crackdown on visa fraud. Trump also said his previously announced ethics rules  barring employees in his administration from lobbying for five years after they leave the government and from lobbying for foreign governments for life  would take effect as soon as he is inaugurated. Trump vowed in the video to release more plans in the days to come. These are some of our Day 1 executive actions, spokesman Jason Miller said in an email. By no means is it everything hell work on day one or after that  many additional good things to come. Read More Facebook

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World gets glimpse of deportation plan Kris Kobach took to meeting with Trump By Colleen Shalby Kris Kobach, the Kansas secretary of state whos been tapped to join Donald Trumps immigration policy transition team, probably didnt intend for the world to see details of his plan to bar terrorists and Syrian refugees when he brought it to a meeting Monday. But thats what happened when he posed for a photo with President-elect Donald Trump outside of Trump International Golf Club in New Jersey. The document was in full unobstructed view, as Kobach apparently wasnt thinking about the power of a zoom lens. The clearest part reads: DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY KOBACH STRATEGIC PLAN FOR FIRST 365 DAYS Bar entry of Potential Terrorists Update and reintroduce the NSEERs screening and tracking system (National Entry-Exit Registration System) that was in place from 2002-2005. All aliens from high-risk areas are tracked. Add extreme vetting questions for high-risk aliens; question them regarding support for Sharia law, jihad, equality of men and women, the United States Constitution. Reduce intake of Syrian refugees to zero, using authority under the 1980 Refugee Act. Record Number of Criminal Aliens in the First Year Those details arent exactly new. Trump has made it clear that he intends to deport 2 million to 3 million immigrants in the country illegally who fall under his definition of criminal. And Kobach, who is behind several controversial immigration laws and was the architect behind the NSEERs system, has said previously that he will help Trump reverse President Obamas immigration policies. The Obama administration has set a second-term priority to deport migrants with criminal convictions. Since taking office, Obama has expelled more people than any other president in American history. Less legible on Kobachs document, but still visible, are mentions of its definition of criminal alien (any alien arrested for any crime, and any gang member); the phrase 386 miles of existing actual wall; the Patriot Act; and Draft Amendment to National Voter .... Its possible this line refers to the National Voter Registration Act. Kansas Senate Minority Leader Anthony Hensley criticized Kobach. Thats the height of irony if hes wanting a job in Homeland Security and youre able to see in a photograph what should be confidential information, Hensley said. Facebook

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Rolling out Obamacare was chaotic, but a repeal could be much worse By Noam N. Levey In the summer of 2013, as state and federal officials readied new insurance marketplaces created through the Affordable Care Act, millions of Americans started getting disquieting notices from their insurers. Health plans were being canceled because they didnt comply with the law, often called Obamacare. Some 4 million people were ultimately told they would lose their plans. The ensuing outrage sparked a political firestorm, seriously eroded public confidence in Obamacare and forced an embarrassed President Obama to change federal regulations so people could keep their coverage. Yet that tumultuous episode could be dwarfed by what President-elect Donald Trumps administration and its congressional allies unleash beginning next year. They plan to not only repeal the law but are contemplating changes that are significantly more far-reaching and could disrupt insurance coverage for many more Americans than did the original law. Read More Facebook

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The U.S. labor forces guy problem: Why arent more men working? By Jim Puzzanghera Inmates at San Quentin State Prison in August. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) As the recovery from the Great Recession continues, job growth is solid and the labor force is growing at close to its fastest pace since 2000 because more unemployed workers are coming off the sidelines. Still, the percentage of working-age Americans in the labor force remains stuck near its lowest level since the late 1970s. Although retiring baby boomers are the main reason, theres another troubling factor that experts predict wont be solved by stronger economic growth. Too many men in their prime dont have a job and arent even looking for one. Experts trying to figure out the reasons are probing the roles of criminal background checks, painkillers and even video games. In all, about 7 million men ages 25 to 54 are neither employed nor available for work, putting them outside the labor force. Their growing numbers worry and puzzle economists. Read More Facebook

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Obama gives strong support to Pelosi as she faces leadership fight By Christi Parsons House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi. (J. Scott Applewhite / Associated Press) President Obama all but endorsed Nancy Pelosi to continue to lead House Democrats on Sunday, defending her as she faces a challenge to her position from restive members of the Democratic caucus. Although he is reticent to meddle in party votes while he is on the way out the door, Obama said at a news conference that he cannot speak highly enough of the first female House speaker, who has been a key ally on some of his most important work as president. She combines strong progressive values with just extraordinary political skill, and she does stuff thats tough, not just stuff thats easy, Obama said when asked whether the California Democrat should be reelected to her position. Obama made his remarks during a news conference in Lima, Peru, where he was wrapping up a summit meeting with Asian and Pacific leaders. Some of Pelosis decisions have been unpopular, even with voters in her San Francisco district, he said, but she has done them anyway because its the right thing to do for the American people. Pelosi faces a challenge from Rep. Tim Ryan of Ohio, a seven-term member of the House. Perhaps the most notable example of her support for Obamas agenda was Pelosis steadfast support for the Affordable Care Act, which likely cost some Democrats their seats in Congress in the midterm election when Republicans took over the chamber. In offering advice to fellow Democrats, though, 
The Los Angeles City Council is considering joining a movement to replace Columbus Day with an official holiday called Indigenous Peoples Day, to recognize the contributions, as well as the suffering, of the nations original inhabitants.

Of course, giving city workers a day off would not begin to make amends for centuries of discrimination, enslavement and government-sanctioned genocide of Native Americans. Nor would wiping Columbus Day off the calendar reverse the destruction of indigenous peoples sacred spaces or the attacks on their cultural heritage.

Without question, Los Angeles, along with California and the nation as a whole, must do a far better job recognizing the violent history of oppression that decimated the countrys indigenous people. Californias political leaders in the 1850s made no secret of their desire to exterminate the areas native inhabitants. State legislators funded anti-Indian militias. Native people were massacred. Villages were destroyed and tribes forcibly relocated. Yet few Californians know the details of this terrible history.

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Is it not possible to honor the spirit and ambition of exploration while also acknowledging the terrible damage inflicted by the colonial powers?

Would a holiday help Californians learn about this shameful period and encourage the process of reconciliation? Possibly. But only if the symbolic holiday is paired with meaningful policies and honest statements. Californias leaders could consider, for instance, an official public apology for the states history of mistreating native peoples. Or they could debate whether to compensate tribes that lost sacred sites or return land that holds special value. The city could, if it chose, provide greater protection for sacred sites threatened by building projects or it could offer its official support for local tribes, many of which are still seeking federal recognition. The true stories of native peoples, beyond the simplistic portrayal of the first Thanksgiving meal, must become part of our national narrative. Schools should be required to teach the history, warts and all. Los Angeles has the nations second-largest population of Native Americans.

But the effort to raise public consciousness about the history of native peoples has become a zero-sum game. Proponents say its not enough to designate an Indigenous Peoples Day. The government also has to remove Columbus Day from the official calendar because, in these observers view, it honors a cruel slave trader whose arrival in the New World set into motion the mass killing of native peoples. Columbus represents the violent colonization of the Americas, they say, so in this war of symbolism Columbus Day must die so Indigenous Peoples Day can live.

But why must this be a binary choice? The debate over Columbus and his legacy reflects ongoing confusion in the United States about how the countrys history of racism and oppression fits into a proud national identity. The U.S. is a nation that has taken in millions of needy immigrants  but also grew through a colonization process that devastated native people. Its a country that was founded by individuals fleeing oppression  but who then prospered on the labor of slaves. Even Columbus Day itself sends a bit of a mixed message: It wasnt created to celebrate colonial domination at all, but was designated as a federal holiday in the 1934 after a campaign by Italian Americans and Catholics, who were then targets of ethnic and religious discrimination, to help establish their place in U.S. history.

Erasing history is not the answer. The better approach is to confront it straight on, honestly and comprehensively.

Whether the holiday is called Columbus Day or Indigenous Peoples Day or Explorers Day or History Day, is it not possible to honor the spirit and ambition of exploration while also acknowledging the terrible damage inflicted by the colonial powers? Isnt there a way to celebrate the rise of a democratic nation built on a promise of liberty and equality, while also recognizing that progress for some led to displacement, injustice and death for others? There should be.

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To the editor: As I turned the pages of my newspaper Wednesday morning and reached the op-ed section, my eye initially caught a colorful photograph of what looked like a row of mint-green suitcases on a conveyor belt. What a pretty color, I thought; Ill have to read that piece. (The more we confront the death penalty, the less we like it, Opinion, Nov. 23)

My heart sank when I realized that it was in fact a photo of the gurney inside Californias lethal injection chamber. It was accompanying the op-ed article by law professors Carol Steiker and Jordan Steicker on California voters disgraceful decision to reject Proposition 62, which would have banned the death penalty in the state.

Voters knee-jerk reactions to symbolism and the abstract appeals to law and order are sinking us. Well, OK: At times theyre literally killing us. What happened to our process of critical thinking and what the authors wisely refer to as engaged decision-making?

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Jane Faulkner, Santa Barbara

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To the editor: The authors of the op-ed article against capital punishment make some questionable claims.

One is that many voters are impulsive-driven at the polls to vote in favor of capital punishment, meaning we have not thought about this particular issue before. Where is the evidence for this claim?

In addition, the authors cite the National Research Council of the National Academy of Sciences report of 2012 and conclude that there is no reliable evidence that the death penalty helps deter murder. However, the authors dont tell us that this very exhaustive report actually states there is no reliable evidence either way on this issue.

Distorting the results of this report and demeaning the average voter as impulse-driven will not persuade many Californians to change their minds on the death penalty.

Robert Newman, West Hills

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To the editor: James Reston Jr.s notion that Lee Harvey Oswalds real target was Texas Gov. John Connally was firmly rejected by Vincent Bugliosi in his definitive investigation published in 2007, Reclaiming History. (Lee Harvey Oswalds little green book shows JFK wasnt the real target, Opinion, Nov. 22)

Reston claims Oswalds supposed enmity for Connally goes back to the former Marines entreaty to Connally to help reverse the undesirable discharge the Corps slapped on him after he tried to defect to the Soviet Union. The dismissive and classic bureaucratic brushoff that Reston says Connally sent back to Oswald is contradicted by Bugliosi. He reports that Connally wrote to Oswald that he had left his position as Navy secretary before Christmas 1961 in order to run for governor of Texas, and he was passing along Oswalds request to his successor, Fred Korth.

Reston notes the case of Secret Service Agent Mike Howard, who claims to have seen the missing hit list when he found Oswalds address book the day of the assassination. But Bugliosi quotes Howard interviewing Oswalds brother, Robert, on Nov. 23, 1963, about the idea that Connally was the target because of the undesirable discharge issue.

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Bugliosi writes, I dont think that was the motive, Robert says, explaining that he never heard Lee express any kind of resentment toward Connally and knew for a fact that Lee had received a letter notifying him that Fred Korth ... would be the one to rule on Oswalds efforts to have his discharge changed to honorable.

The JFK conspiracy industry has been dying a slow death for decades, but evidently a few more bucks are squeezable from the embers.

Neal Matthews, San Diego

..

To the editor: Restons hypothesis that Oswald was actually trying to shoot Connally and not Kennedy could have an enormous impact on Oswalds reputation.

Given Texas love of guns, Reston has likely sullied Oswalds reputation, since he is accusing Oswald of something that for some Texans is far worse than ending a liberal presidency: being a bad shot.

Ariel Sotolongo, Los Angeles

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To the editor: Immediately after the election there were vigorous discussions regarding the medias soft treatment of the candidates and how to remedy it. Now, less than three weeks later, The Times and others have reverted. (Trump shifts on at least 3 prominent issues: Climate, torture and prosecution of Clinton, Nov. 22)

The print headline Flip-flopping en route to the White House is a prime example. Flip-flopping is when you change your egg order from over easy to scrambled. Saying climate change is a hoax and then stating there is mild evidence of human involvement, threatening to prosecute Hillary Clinton (when it is not in a presidents purview to do such) and then saying, I dont want to hurt the Clintons, is not flip-flopping, it is lying.

For The Times to ponder whether or not President-elect Donald Trumps remarks reflected a genuine pivot is ignoring all that has been observed over the last 18 months. Either he was lying then, now or (most likely) both, as his short attention span and desire to deflect any accusations with whatever comes out of his mouth are well documented.

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This leaves two possibilities: The Times either believes he will change, or it is frightened to label him a liar. The latter is not only sad, it is also an abdication of journalistic responsibility.

Glenn Egelko, Ventura

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To the editor: One should not be surprised that Trump is expressing opinions now that differ from what he said before the election. He has not received enough credit for his brilliant (but cynical) campaign.

Early on Trump realized that while Republicans could not win by appealing to majorities, there were still many single-issue voters around. So he went after them.

He became an avid supporter of gun rights, picking up members of the National Rifle Assn. He changed from pro-choice to anti-abortion. He appealed to conspiracy theorists by denying President Obamas natural-born citizenship. Add in the Clinton haters, the anti-taxers, the anti-Muslim voters and the anti-immigration people, and you have a Trump presidency. His brilliant campaign may change politics forever.

We can already see that the electorate was cleverly manipulated and that Trump had no intention of implementing most of his promises. He will not lock up Hillary Clinton. Trade agreements and Obamacare dont look so bad. Climate change might even be real!

Unless we find some way to educate Americans about the necessity of compromise in politics, I am very afraid for the future of our country.

Bruce Scott, Fountain Valley

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To the editor: If Trump moves to the center, I am all for it.

I did not vote for Trump. But rather than tag him a flip-flopper, I would applaud the evolution of his understanding. Like it or not, he will be the next president.

I will continue to hope that as he delves deeper into issues like climate change, the Affordable Care Act, torture and Medicare, he will move away from the simplistic bombast of his campaign and the House Republicans.

Michael Olson, Pasadena

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To the editor: As a liberal Democrat and Clinton supporter, Im relieved that Trump seems to be flip-flopping or at least backing off with respect to some of his more repulsive positions.

However, it just goes to show that The Donald, like all politicians, will say anything to get elected.

Carolyn Gill, Redlands

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Hillary Clintons presidential campaign will participate in an effort led by Green Party candidate Jill Stein to recount ballots in Wisconsin and perhaps two other battleground states that were crucial to Donald Trumps victory, a Clinton campaign lawyer said Saturday.

In response, Trump called the recount request ridiculous and a scam designed to raise money for Steins political party.

In a blog post, Clinton lawyer Marc Elias said her team had not planned to participate in a recount, noting that inquiries over the last two weeks had not uncovered any actionable evidence of hacking or outside attempts to alter the voting technology that affected the final tally in Wisconsin, Michigan or Pennsylvania.

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Elias downplayed any notion that a recount would change the results, noting that the number of votes separating Trump and Clinton in Michigan  the closest of the three states  vastly exceeds the largest margin ever overcome in a statewide recount.

Preelection polls had shown Clinton leading in all three states. Trump won them by a combined margin of 107,000 votes.

But regardless of the potential to change the outcome in any of the states, we feel it is important, on principle, to ensure our campaign is legally represented in any court proceedings and represented on the ground in order to monitor the recount process itself, he wrote.

In his statement, Trump aimed his fire at Stein, not Clinton.

This count is just a way for Jill Stein, who received less than one percent of the vote overall and wasnt even on the ballot in many states, to fill her coffers with money, most of which she will never even spend on this ridiculous recount, Trump said.

This is a scam by the Green Party for an election that has already been conceded, and the results of this election should be respected instead of being challenged and abused, which is exactly what Jill Stein is doing, he added.

Elias said that the Clinton campaign had quietly taken a number of steps in the last two weeks to rule in or out any possibility of outside interference and that others have expended time and effort to investigate various claims of abnormalities and irregularities.

While that effort has not, in our view, resulted in evidence of manipulation of results, now that a recount is underway, we believe we have an obligation to the more than 64 million Americans who cast ballots for Hillary Clinton to participate in ongoing proceedings to ensure that an accurate vote count will be reported, Elias said.

Stein filed for a recount in Wisconsin on Friday. The filing deadline for a recount has passed in Pennsylvania, so she will have to challenge the results in court to proceed. In Michigan, Stein has to wait until Monday for the certification of the results.

If Jill Stein follows through as she has promised and pursues recounts in Pennsylvania and Michigan, we will take the same approach in those states as well, Elias said in the blog post.

On Friday, the Obama administration said in a statement that it was confident in the overall integrity of electoral infrastructure and it defended the integrity of the election results as representing the will of the American people.

Although the administration warned in early October that Russian hackers were seeking to interfere with the campaign by leaking emails stolen from Democratic Party leaders and Clintons aides, the White House said Friday that we believe our elections were free and fair from a cybersecurity perspective.

During the campaign, Clinton sharply criticized Trump for refusing to say he would accept the election results if she won. She conceded her loss to Trump hours after polls had closed on election day and congratulated him.

Stein, a Massachusetts physician, who ran as a third-party candidate with running mate Ajamu Baraka, a human rights activist, launched the drive to verify machine-counted vote totals, saying that they were highly vulnerable to hacking and malicious programming.

As of Saturday afternoon, Steins drive has brought in about $5.8 million to support the cost of the recounts, with a goal of raising $7 million, according to her website.

don.lee@latimes.com

Follow me at @dleelatimes

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About midway through her free Thanksgiving meal provided by the Salvation Army Burbank Corps, a local resident simply known as Miss Pam took her cellphone out of her bag and started taking pictures of the food in front of her.

The photos she was snapping were for her older sister, who recently became widowed in South Carolina after her husband of nearly 58 years died.

Shes in a real flux, and shes worried about me because Im out here all alone, Pam said.

Burbank Mayor Jess Talamantes offers resident Pam Jay a piece of pumpkin pie during the Salvation Armys Thanksgiving dinner. (Ross A. Benson / Burbank Leader)

Pam was one of more than a few hundred people who stopped by the Burbank Corps headquarters at Third Street and Angeleno Avenue Wednesday night and received a hot meal consisting of turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy, green beans and two types of pies: apple crumble and pumpkin.

My grandmother would be proud of these blanched beans, Pam said. Theres texture and taste to it.

Those receiving the free meal gathered inside the Burbank Corps gymnasium, which was configured to seat 124 people at a time. The local nonprofit was able to feed about 300 folks during last years dinner and had aspirations to feed more Wednesday night, said Lt. Jeremy Baker.

From left, Joshua Hernandez, Maria Beltran and Walter Alas enjoy a Thanksgiving dinner at the Burbank Salvation Army on Wednesday, November 23, 2016. (Ross A. Benson / Burbank Leader)

As soon as a person was seated at a table, a swarm of volunteers from the Burbank Sunrise Rotary Club and Bellarmine-Jefferson High School asked them what they wanted to drink and eat.

Last year, we thought we would maybe feed 150 to 200 people, and we ended up with 300 people, Baker said. We realized this is really something that the community of Burbank looks forward to and really enjoys.

Lt. Brittany Baker, Jeremy Bakers wife, was also there that night to guide people to the gym to get their meal.

Theres such a need for this, she said. So many people in our community today dont have loved ones to spend Thanksgiving with, so we get to provide that environment and spread some holiday cheer during this Thanksgiving season.

Burbank Salvation Army Lt. Jeremy Baker serves up a tray of Thanksgiving dinners to a waiting crowd. (Ross A. Benson / Burbank Leader)

Burbank resident Bobby McCreery said he was thankful for receiving the free meal from the Salvation Army, which is helping him to save money for an upcoming surgery.

He added that out of all the Salvation Army branches he has visited, he believes that the Burbank Corps has the best outreach and cares about its community.

They just seem to be more aggressive, in a good way, about being a part of the community, he said. Their willingness to help others is just great.
Huntington Beach police were searching Friday for five suspects who cut power to a science lab at Edison High School, causing 67 fish to die.

Police responded to 21400 Magnolia St. at about 10:30 a.m. Nov. 19, police spokeswoman Jennifer Marlatt said.

Five suspects had cut power to the schools Innovation science lab at about 1 a.m., stopping the oxygen pumps used in the classroom fish tanks, Marlatt said.

Sixty-seven fish, including tilapia, sea bass and catfish, died, Marlatt said.

The school suffered about $1,000 worth of losses.

Marlatt said police determined the number of suspects from surveillance video but were unable to identify characteristics of any of the vandals.

Students started a GoFundMe campaign to help raise money for new backup generators for the laboratory. They had raised $1,830 by Friday afternoon.

Police are asking anyone with information about the incident to call them at (714) 960-8811.

benjamin.brazil@latimes.com

Twitter: @benbrazilpilot
With more than 120,000 public workers suspended and nearly 40,000 people in prison, the aftermath of Turkeys failed July 15 coup is being felt across every part of society, including its highest-ranked schools.

The day after the coup attempt, 1,577 deans  working at nearly every university in the country  were forced to resign. An estimated 200,000 students were left in limbo after the closure of 15 universities and 1,043 private schools reportedly linked to Fethullah Gulen, the cleric the Turkish government blames for the putsch. More than 6,000 academics at 107 universities have since been fired as well, many accused of links to Gulens movement or the Kurdistan Workers Party, or PKK.



For the record: An earlier version of this article said that the rectors of 1,577 universities were forced to resign. It was 1,577 deans who were forced to resign.

These last few months will have an impact on our society that will last for decades to come, said Ozgur Bozdogan, the head of Egitim-Sen, one of the countrys largest teachers unions.

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At Istanbuls Bogazici University, students and faculty members have been holding daily protests this week after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan used emergency powers to appoint a new rector, bypassing a decades-old practice that saw university staff members elect their boss from among their ranks.

The old rector was trying to defend the democratic autonomous structure of the university, said Ahmet, a senior studying economics, who asked that his full name not be used. Founded in 1863 by American philanthropists, Bogazici has long been considered one of the most liberal schools in the country. Police are not permitted to enter the campus, and student groups regularly host conferences on largely taboo subjects such as the Armenian genocide and the treatment of the countrys Kurdish minority.

You can link anyone against you to any terrorist organization, without any investigation.  Mustafa Turgut, a high school literature teacher in Istanbul

At a protest this week on the street outside the campus gates, Ahmet noticed a police officer staring at him across the crowd of 300 hundred students and teachers with whom he was marching. He walked towards me and the crowd split apart to make way for him, before I started running, Ahmed said.

Police grabbed Ahmet, but moments later fellow students freed him. We all wanted to make sure no one was detained, because now under the state of emergency you dont know how long you will be in prison, he said.

The government wants to end our autonomy, they have always seen Bogazici as a kind of enemy, Ahmet said. The newly appointed rector, Mehmed Ozkan, has pledged to protect the universitys participatory, pluralistic and free tradition. But students such as Ahmet fear space for criticizing the government will only shrink. Ozkans sister is a parliament member from the ruling Justice and Development Party, or AKP.

Its not just university students who are being affected by the sweeping post-coup measures.

When primary and secondary students returned to school this year, they spent most of the first day watching videos about the triumph of democracy over the coup plotters, and speeches by Erdogan that equate the civilian counter-coup with historic Ottoman victories going back 1,000 years.

Meanwhile, authorities scrambled to find replacements for the nearly 30,000 teachers at the primary and secondary levels who had been suspended and another 30,000 who had been fired under emergency rule, accused of having ties to Gulen or the PKK.

People fear this climate, because they cannot really protest against this process; everyone fears losing their jobs, said Mustafa Turgut, a high school literature teacher in Istanbul. Turgut has no books to teach from, because the Ministry of Education has ordered a review of all textbooks for possible links to Gulen or the PKK.

We have experienced a coup, and right now there is a sensitivity in our society, Muammer Yildiz, the deputy undersecretary of education said this month about the textbook restrictions. We follow this sensitivity carefully. Millions of textbooks had to be reprinted for the new year, and 58 textbooks were banned.

Turgut has watched his colleagues being fired or jailed, while others have left the country. One teacher from the eastern city of Tunceli, Turgut said, fled to Canada with his two children. I talked to him on the phone, he said I dont want to raise my kids in a madmans hell.

The Turkish government has designated both Gulens movement  which at one point ran some of the countrys leading private universities and schools  as well as the PKK as terrorist organizations, and said the dismissals of teachers was meant to root out these groups.

The suspended teachers, Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said in September, have had certain types of connections to terror, and investigations would determine how many of these are directly associated with the terrorist organization, and how many are not.

The Education Ministry did not respond to requests for comment.

Nearly 10,000 of the teachers fired or suspended after July 15 have been members of the Egitim-Sen union, which often rallies alongside the pro-Kurdish Peoples Democracy Party, or HDP, itself now the target of an investigation for suspected ties to the PKK. About 1,800 of the left-leaning unions members, including Turgut, are facing criminal or disciplinary investigations into terrorism and other serious crimes.

The investigations are the end result of years of efforts by the Justice and Development Party to control schools, said Turgut, who until three weeks ago taught at an elite high school in Istanbul where students must score in the top one percentile on national standardized tests to enroll. In the last two years authorities have tried to alter the curriculum to be more conservative, canceling programs such as concerts, plays and even student-run philosophy discussion groups.

But after the coup, the [AKP] has been taking bigger steps and faster steps to make these schools more conservative, Turgut said, and now it is much easier to do, because you can link anyone against you to any terrorist organization, without any investigation.

Farooq is a special correspondent.

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The death of Fidel Castro was long in coming, so world reaction was somber and introspective from foes and friends alike.

One exception came from U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, who cited the passing of a brutal dictator and added that Cuba remains a totalitarian island.

He described Castros legacy as one of firing squads, theft, unimaginable suffering, poverty and the denial of fundamental human rights.

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Trumps future policies toward Cuba, and whether he continues with diplomatic normalization with the Communist-led government, are a matter of much speculation. He has said he would toss out Obama administration reforms that opened economic and diplomatic ties with Havana as well as saying he would merely modify them. He suggested Saturday he was open to a journey towards prosperity and liberty.

President Obama alluded to both the history of animosity between the United States and Cuba and the advent of landmark change in those relations. Obama said he extended a hand of friendship to the Cuban people.

For more than half a century, Obama recalled, the relationship was marked by discord and profound political disagreements. But, he said, we have worked hard to put the past behind us, pursuing instead a future based on shared familial, cultural and commercial bonds.

We know that this moment fills Cubans  in Cuba and in the United States  with powerful emotions, Obama said. History will record and judge the enormous impact of this singular figure on the people and world around him.

1 / 9 Antonio Nico Lopez, left, Abel Santamaria, Fidel Castro, Jose Luis Tasende and Ernesto Tizol stand with comrades in Los Palos, Havana province, during the preparation of the attack on the Moncada Garrison. (Prensa Latina / AFP/Getty Images) 2 / 9 Castro with Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev at the United Nations. (Marty Lederhandler / Associated Press) 3 / 9 Castro enjoys a Cohiba cigar during a ceremony at the Palace of Receptions in Havana. (Phil Sandlin / Associated Press) 4 / 9 Castro addresses the United Nations General Assembly. (Marty Lederhandler / Associated Press) 5 / 9 Castro with Nicaraguas President Daniel Ortega at the opening of a sugar processing plant in the Central American country. Cuban workers built the project. (Arturo Robles / Associated Press) 6 / 9 Castro during an interview at his presidential palace in Havana. (Charles Tasnadi / Associated Press) 7 / 9 Castro and former President Carter attend funeral services for former Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau in Montreal. (Jacques Boissinot / Associated Press) 8 / 9 Castro consults with his brother Raul during a meeting of the Cuban parliament. Castro, the only leader Cuba had known for nearly five decades, would hand the reins of power to his brother after undergoing intestinal surgery in July 2006. (Adalberto Roque / AFP/Getty Images) 9 / 9 2011: Castro at the Cuban Communist Party Congress in Havana, during which he officially relinquished his position as head of the party. (Adalberto Roque / AFP/Getty Images)

Secretary of State John F. Kerry, who raised a U.S. flag over the American Embassy in Havana last year for the first time in nearly five decades, said the U.S. had an earnest desire not to ignore history but to write a new and better future for our two peoples.

Russian President Vladimir Putin praised Castro as a sincere and reliable friend of Russia.

The name of this distinguished statesman is rightly considered the symbol of an era in modern world history, Putin said in a telegram to Fidels brother, President Raul Castro, according to the Kremlin.

The Soviet Union for decades was Cubas main Cold War supporter and financial patron. When the Soviet Union collapsed, so did Cubas economy, plunging the country into what Cuba called a special period of hardship that derailed many of the social reforms of the revolution.

The last leader of the U.S.S.R., Mikhail Gorbachev, praised Castro for standing up to the U.S., even though it brought the planet to the brink of another world war.

Fidel held his ground and strengthened his country at the time of the harshest American blockade, at the time of massive pressure on him, Gorbachev was quoted as saying by Russias Interfax news agency.

Nevertheless, he led out his country from the blockade to the path of self-sustained and independent development.

Not surprisingly, the warmest words of condolence came from leftist governments and nations were Cuba once participated in so-called liberation struggles.

Recalling Castros close relationship with South Africas late president, Nelson Mandela, and support for the fight against apartheid, the countrys current leader, Jacob Zuma, thanked Castro for inspiring his people to join us in our own struggle.

Chinese President Xi Jinping hailed Castros role in spreading communism in the world and lamented the loss of a close comrade.

No Latin American government revered Castro more than that of socialist Venezuela. Its previous president, the late Hugo Chavez, was an apprentice of Castros, and current President Nicolas Maduro has exhibited the same dedication.

We will keep on winning and keep fighting, Maduro said on Venezuelas Telesur television. Fidel Castro is an example of the fight for all the people of the world. We will go forward with his legacy.

Before the devastating economic crisis that hit Venezuela, the oil-rich country routinely provided billions of barrels of petroleum to Cuba and other friendly nations at cheap rates. Cuba, in exchange, sent doctors and teachers, as well as intelligence agents, to work in Venezuela.

Latin American leftists leaders such as Maduro, but also the presidents of Ecuador, Bolivia and El Salvador, are in many ways one of Castros most tangible legacies. Their ascension to power through democratic means might not have happened were it not for political movements against the right-wing dictators who had long held sway in the region.

One of the greats has left us, Ecuadors president, Rafael Correa, said. Fidel has died. Long live Cuba! Long live Latin America!

In El Salvador, the fight was an armed one. The tiny Central American country was engulfed in one of the Cold Wars most important proxy wars in the 1980s, when Cuban and Soviet-backed leftist guerrillas of the Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front (FMLN) battled security forces loyal to the rightist, U.S.-backed government.

A U.N.nited Nations-brokered peace agreement eventually ended that war, which killed tens of thousands and sent millions of refugees to California and other parts of the U.S. Today the FMLN holds the presidency.

The Salvadoran government Saturday expressed eternal gratitude to Castro and the Cuban people for their help.

Elsewhere in the West, where Cuba has long enjoyed better relations than with Washington, reaction was tempered.

Castro embodied Cubas revolution in both its hopes and its later disappointments, French President Francois Hollande said.

Boris Johnson, Britains foreign minister, said Castro was historic if controversial. His death marks the end of an era for Cuba and the start of a new one for Cubas people that Johnson said should include improvement of human rights.

In Canada, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau recalled his fathers friendship with Castro. Pierre Trudeau, prime minister from 1968 to 1984, was the first Western leader to visit revolutionary Cuba, in 1976, and Castro served as an honorary pallbearer at the elder Trudeaus funeral in 2000.

While a controversial figure, Justin Trudeau said, both Mr. Castros supporters and detractors recognized his tremendous dedication and love for the Cuban people who had a deep and lasting affection for El Comandante. 

For more on international affairs, follow @TracyKWilkinson on Twitter

Special correspondent Christopher Guly in Ottawa contributed to this report.

Also:

Fidel Castro dead at 90: The revolutionary icons influence was felt far beyond Cuba

Trump promised to be unpredictable in foreign policy. How will that work?

For first time, U.S. abstains in U.N. vote to lift Cuba embargo
Two days after a wave of wildfires spread throughout the mixed Arab-Jewish city of Haifa and forced tens of thousands to flee, residents returned to pick through the blackened debris of their homes while pondering what had started it all.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday had called the string of brush fires arson terror and announced the arrests of suspected arsonists as the wildfires, now extinguished in Haifa, threatened other cities around the country. The blazes, which have forced Israel to rely on foreign reinforcements to get them under control, continued into a fifth day Saturday, threatening towns in the Galilee mountains in the north and the wooded hills around Jerusalem.

Once-green swaths of pine forest surrounding Haifas mountainside neighborhoods had been rendered a slope of ash and blackened branches. Government-run Israel Radio estimated that as many as 800 homes had been destroyed. The air was still sharp with the smell of ash and fire hoses still lined streets of stricken neighborhoods.

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Now, as Haifa residents take stock of the damage, many express concern that the fires and the accusations of politically motivated arson also might tear at the threads of Jewish-Arab coexistence in the city.

I dont want to think it was someone from Haifa. Jews and Arab live in peace here  Avner Hadad, Haifa resident

I dont want to think it was someone from Haifa, said Avner Hadad, a 63-year-old art teacher and sculptor who fled as flames advanced on his house Thursday. Jews and Arab live in peace here. The city is theirs and ours. You dont want to believe that this beautiful fabric could turn into hatred and revenge.

Still, he asked, how could the fire be anything but intentional? Its definitely arson. Its not normal that a fire could be on the other side of the city and then reach here in a half hour. There was a goal: to burn people, Havner said.

Like many in the city, he had no time to rescue belongings. I didnt have time to take anything. I fled with my dog. There was fire in the trees on both sides of the street, and you couldnt see anything. It was unbelievable, he said.

On Saturday, the fires had shifted to other locations: Israel Radio reported that five crews were fighting a blaze near the Arab city of Nazareth, and that thousands of residents had been evacuated from the Israeli settlement of Halamish in the West Bank.

Israel was relying on help from Italian, Greek and Turkish aircraft crews while Palestinian fire engines from the West Bank city of Jenin had helped douse the flames in Haifa.

A police spokesman said that 30 individuals had been arrested on suspicion of arson in recent days, but declined to give more details. Meanwhile, politicians echoed Netanyahus accusation that theres no doubt fires were set on purpose. Anat Berko, a parliament member from the ruling Likud Party, alleged on Israels Channel 10 news that Haifas Arab neighborhoods had been deliberately spared.

Those allegations have insulted Israels one-fifth Arab minority, especially in the Haifa region, where Arab communities reached out to shelter evacuees. Arab community leaders complained to Israeli news outlets which, alluding to Palestinian uprisings against Israel, described the rash of fires as an arson intifada.

People are very angry about this incitement, said Jafar Farah, the director of Mossawa, a nonprofit Arab civil rights group. There are more than 100 fires, and to try to connect them to Arab citizens is an abuse of common sense.

An Israeli firefighting plane helps extinguish a fire over the Halamish settlement, northwest of Ramallah near the village of Nabi Saleh in the occupied West Bank. (Menahem Kahana/AFP/Getty Images )

An Israeli inspects his burned house after a major fire swept the northern coastal city of Haifa. (Atef Safadi/EPA )

Yossi Alpher, a former peace process adviser to former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak, said several factors  such as dry winds, homes built close to forests, and potential lack of preparedness  came together to create the crisis. At least some of the fires, he said, appear to be deliberate.

If its arson by hostile Palestinians, its terrorism, Alpher said. But as far as how much of it was arson, whether this was organized terrorism, or spontaneous terrorism, what the role of incitement on the Internet, and what the role of Israeli unpreparedness, you can only speculate.

While many on Arabic-language social media celebrated the first fires, Alpher noted that Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas had condemned the fires and sent Palestinian rescue crews to Israel. A Netanyahu spokesman said Saturday that Netanyahu called Abbas to thank him.

In the Haifa Arab neighborhood of Kbabir, located just few minutes drive from the fires and home to a community of Ahmadiyya Muslims, Sheikh Muhammad Sharif Odeh opened up the local auditorium center to host 150 soldiers from Israels Home Front Command while the fires raged.

We have to put out the physical fires and we also have to put out the fire of hate, Odeh said. Allah is the one sovereign and we have to look after everyone. The ethnic mosaic [in Haifa] is strong, and politicians cant change the relations here.

The blazes were the most widespread in recent memory. In 2010, some 42 people were killed in a blaze in the Carmel Forest outside of Haifa, but the wildfires were limited to one area.

In the Haifa neighborhood of Romema, Meir Berko crunched over a mess of charred wood, shards of glass and terra cotta from a destroyed second floor and looked down to the azure blue of Haifa bay. In a burned-out bedroom, a glass of tea with lemon was still sitting next to the bed after having been abandoned by his son as the fire approached from the pine trees below the house.

Your heart breaks because the life you built is gone. You have to rebuild and start over, Berko said. This is an act of terrorism. They knew about the winds. They waited for the weather. Jews would not do this. I hope its not Arabs from Haifa  it would undermine the coexistence here. We live in harmony.

Mitnick is a special correspondent.

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Walid Moallem, Syrias foreign minister, is known both for his ability to almost lazily parry a deluge of questions as well as his trademark languid pace of delivery.

But in a recent meeting in Damascus with a roomful of journalists and analysts, he seemed even more relaxed than usual and began by posing a question, smiling as he delivered each word.

I will open my first question to you, Moallem said.

Who can tell me, why this hysteria in the West because of Aleppo?

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In the past month, pro-government troops have launched a ground invasion to retake the rebel-held enclave in Aleppo, a city divided between the state and the rebels fighting to topple Syrian President Bashar Assad.

As Assads forces have punched through front lines stalemated since 2013, the offensive on the oppositions districts  home to an estimated 250,000 people and blockaded since last summer  has brought worldwide condemnation from Western governments and aid groups.

But Moallem was unperturbed.

Instead, his opening gambit in the hourlong interview showed that the foreign minister, like other officials interviewed in a rare reporting trip to Syria, displayed the growing belief that the governments worst days are behind it.

The visit to the capital, organized by the British Syrian Society, showed a state more assured than ever it will emerge victorious in the almost six-year Syrian civil war, a conflict where the dead number in the hundreds of thousands and which has transformed the country into a post-apocalyptic gallery of destruction.

Damascus resurgence of confidence comes more than a year after its nadir. In July 2015, Assad admitted his forces were too overstretched after a string of spectacular advances by the rebels fighting to topple him. But Russias entry into the war last September tipped the scales in the governments favor.

Moallem dismissed any chance Assad would leave before the end of his term, a top demand by the opposition that has branded him a war criminal.

Damascus also remains adamant that Western nations hoping Assad would set down will have to engage with his government.

If we succeed in winning Aleppo again, and Im sure we will, its up to the West  to rethink about [sic] their policies, continued Moallem with a heavy sigh.

And its not bad if somebody is mistaken to review his mistakes.

Bouthaina Shaaban, Assads political and media adviser, agreed. She blamed the repeated breakdown of peace negotiations, held under the auspices of the U.N. in years past in the Swiss city of Geneva, on the opposition and its international backers, which include Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Turkey, France and the U.S.

It is the Syrian government who has been absolutely ready to participate in any negotiation and dialogue, and it is the other side that didnt come to the negotiations or wasnt allowed, Shaaban said.

Previous iterations of the Geneva talks had faltered because of what critics said was the governments insistence on combating terrorists, the blanket term Damascus uses to describe the rebels, even as peace talks were continuing.

The opposition, which formed an umbrella group under Saudi custodianship, refused to begin negotiations unless the government engaged in a number of confidence-building measures, including the lifting of sieges and a cessation of hostilities.

Shaaban asked whether any Western country would accept a political opposition that uses force and who kills  to change the system.

She added that the government doesnt need to negotiate with the opposition in exile. Instead, it would rely on local reconciliation agreements.

We are going with negotiations, reconciliations and clemencies because we want to stop bloodshed in the country.

Damascus recently has forged a spate of amnesty agreements in rebel-held areas. Rebels who lay down their arms can return to the embrace of the nation, according to the government, and reintegrate into civilian life. Those who have not completed their military service, according to interviews in local media outlets with rebels who had reconciled, either can return to the army or join a citizens militia in their own area.

Opposition leaders, however, insist that the amnesties are forced on besieged populations who had a grim choice: surrender to the government or face starvation. Even those who do accept the governments offer, they say, face reprisals or end up disappeared.

Russias military might, in the form of warplanes and special forces operatives, had powered the governments advance on Aleppo and other rebel-held areas, but the government also has been aided by thousands of Shiite irregulars from Lebanon, Iraq, Iran and Afghanistan. The government has secured its core areas in the countrys west, sidelined rebel fighters in the south and kept Islamic State at bay in the east.

It has cobbled together a sense of normalcy in some areas under its control, especially in the seat of power in Damascus, even while opposition areas a stones throw away remain under siege and rocked by ferocious airstrikes.

Internationally, Damascus enjoys the unflinching support of Iran, Russia and China, and even some of Syrias regional neighbors have reengaged with the government.

On Thursday, the Lebanese pro-Assad daily Assafir reported that Egyptian military personnel have deployed in Syria to join in combat operations alongside the Syrian army.

Two days earlier, in an interview with Portuguese broadcaster RTP, Egyptian President Abdul Fattah Sisi said his priority is to support national armies, for example in  Syria and Iraq, according to a report by the AFP.

Our stance in Egypt is to respect the will of the Syrian people, and that a political solution to the Syrian crisis is the most suitable way, and to seriously deal with terrorist groups and disarm them, he said.

That position also has extended to Assad. President-elect Donald Trump appears poised to scrap support programs for the rebels. Both he and Assad have expressed interest in subsequent interviews in working together against Islamic State.

Conversely, in recent years the U.S. and other countries have imposed sanctions on Assad and many of his people, including Moallem and Shaaban.

Other Western nations and human rights groups have excoriated Assads government for holding thousands of people as detainees and for using airstrikes and indiscriminate weapons against civilian populations in rebel areas. They also have derided as a sham the 2014 election, which handed Assad a third term.

Moallem brushed these criticisms aside. We have a president elected  for seven years in office.  He was elected, and he has to continue his office. Moallem said.

Shaaban, meanwhile said Assads steadfastness and belief in his country has made an extremely positive impact on the morale of the Syrian people.

She added that if you go into the streets now, youll find him more loved and respected than when the crisis began.

Bulos is a special correspondent.

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Pro-Trump rant on Allentown-destined plane

A video posted on Facebook shows a man addressing fellow passengers in a political rant on a flight to Allentown. "We got some Hillary b-----s on here?" he asks at one point. (Facebook)

A flight to Allentown turned bizarrely political when a supporter of President-elect Donald Trump addressed fellow passengers.

"We got some Hillary b-----s on here?" the man asks at one point in a 44-second video shared more than a million times on social media after being posted Tuesday.

"Donald Trump! He's your president. Every g-----n one of ya's. If you don't like it, too bad," he concluded before sitting down in what appeared to be an otherwise quiet cabin.

The flight was headed to Lehigh Valley International Airport from Atlanta, according to various reports, including BuzzFeed News.

The woman who took the video was 21-year-old Emma Baum, who lives in Belize and was on her way home to Quakertown to see family, according to The Morning Call. As she was talking to the man about the presidential election, he jumped out of his seat and she said she would record him, to which he replied "Go ahead! I want to tell everyone about Trump. I hope it goes viral," the Call reported, quoting Baum.

Delta Airlines has been responding to comments about the video on Twitter.

"We're sorry this disruption happened," the airline says in multiple posts. "Our crews work hard to ensure flying is comfortable for all passengers. We are investigating the incident."

Steve Novak may be reached at snovak@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @type2supernovak and Facebook. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
TROPHIES



Let's hope the numbers work out. The Da Vinci Science Center's planned $130 million science center and aquarium in Downtown Easton -- at the site of the Days Inn at South Third Street and Larry Holmes Drive -- would be an educational asset and a big visitor draw. The plan calls for the city to buy the hotel and adjoining land for $5.9 million, and sell or lease the land to Da Vinci, which is preparing a fundraising campaign. Kudos to Mayor Sal Panto and Da Vinci representatives who have been negotiating since the nonprofit museum said it wanted to expand in Allentown, Bethlehem or Easton. Panto said he hopes construction on the science center could start in 2018 and be completed in 2020.



Joe Azzalina Jr. has been one of the enduring merchants and a friendly presence in Downtown Easton for more than 40 years -- first as a worker at Joe's Deli (founded as Joe's Market by his father, Joe Sr.), then as the owner, and in recent years working part-time at the shop on Northampton Street, after the business was sold in 2005. As much as anyone, Azzalina has witnessed the changes in the downtown, from its deepest days of decline to its latter-day revival, as he tended to the needs of business people and local residents. Customers were greeted with Azzalina's good service and conversation, along with reasonably priced sandwiches and other deli offerings. He plans to retire at the end of the year, to spend more time babysitting his granddaughter.



The members of the East Hills Middle School band had an experience to remember this week, marching in Philadelphia's Thanksgiving Day parade -- the only middle school band invited this year. The 163 members boarded buses at 5:15 a.m., and more than 300 supporters from the Bethlehem community planned to travel along. East Hills was selected after submitting an audition video last year, and the band has been practicing since then. "They've worked very hard. It's quite an honor to be selected," said band trip coordinator Gwenn Noel." All the other marching bands are from various high schools and colleges around the country."



TURKEYS



Why did authorities wait nearly 18 hours to circulate descriptions of two men wanted in the fatal shooting of a Palmer Township man outside his house? The official word is township police had information and evidence to collect in the wake of Monday night's killing of Michael Davis, 25, on Eldridge Avenue. Northampton County District Attorney John Morganelli said so during a news conference at 2 p.m. Tuesday. "There's not a lot of information that we have," he said at the outset. In an era of social media when people's access to and consumption of information is greater than ever, Palmer Township police and the district attorney's office waited too long to get the word out that a killer or killers were at large. They suggested the public was not at risk because the ambush of Davis appeared to be a targeted attack, not a random one. On Tuesday night, with techniques similar to the night before, masked men who lay in wait attacked another township resident as he arrived home in his car. That victim survived. This time, police alerted folks within a few hours. It's what the public has come to expect and should demand, especially given the violent nature of these crimes.



In a related matter, Morganelli and Nazareth Police Commissioner Randall Miller responded to a Nazareth police Facebook post that urged people to exercise their Second Amendment rights after the fatal shooting and carjacking in Palmer. Morganelli said the post was not a call for vigilantism, and people should call police if they witness something suspicious. Miller said the Facebook page is operated by a Nazareth police officer on his own and doesn't necessarily reflect the views of the department. Morganelli said people have a right to protect themselves if their lives are in danger, but added: "It should not be construed ... as an authorization to get their guns and go out in the streets."



The buildup to the Thanksgiving Day rivalry between Easton and Phillipsburg high schools isn't limited to pep rallies and a bonfire for a few students. A group of Phillipsburg girls were stopped by Palmer Township police early Monday as they were driving away from Easton Area High School. They admitted their involvement in vandalism that included sprayed-painted walls, smeared paint on the school's alma mater display and chalk messages on a sidewalk, police said. A day later, Phillipsburg school officials discovered vulgar messages spray-painted on a sidewalk outside the high school. While these acts might pale in comparison to those of previous years -- stealing the Easton Red Rover statue or leaving a dad cat on the P'burg campus -- property damage is property damage, as opposed to chalk messages or toilet-papering. The students responsible should be required to pay for the cleanup.




What utter spineless local politicians we have here in Laois.

They huffed and puffed and talked the talk, but when push came to shove, they tucked their tails between their legs and ran away.

They were a bit like in the old poem: 'Oh, The grand old Duke of York. He had 10,000 men; He marched them up to the top of the hill and he marched them down again.'

I refer to last week's editorial in your newspaper when you wrote about the - 'Sickening back down' - by our so-call public representatives over a proposed protest they were to mount on the Dail over the future of our hospital in Portlaoise.

One even had the audacity to declare that they weren't going to mount a token demonstration outside the Dail because they are 'politicians not protesters.'

The word politician does not come close to what they are  'Yes Men'.

They sit in their comfy chairs in a warm County Hall with their hands out for every expense going, slap each other on their backs and claim they represent the people of Laois - but only if they don't rock the boat or they don't upset their pay masters.

The people of Laois, and further afield, demand that they get up off their arses and do whatever has to be done to save Portlaoise Hospital.

If that means that they come down from their Ivory towers in County Hall and travel to Dublin for an hour or two to register the people's anger over any plans to close the A&E in the hospital, well that's what they do.

No ifs, buts or maybes.

I can, without contradiction, point to at least 13 of our so-called politicians, from Fianna Fail, Sinn Fein, Fine Gael, Labour and Independents who I have seen over many years out on the streets of Laois protesting over one thing or another.

However, that was either before an election or when cameramen from the local newspapers were present.

The people of Laois will remember which of our so-called councillors stood up and were counted and who led the charge against the attack on our hospital, come next election time.

Yours sincerely,

Brian Byrne

Esker Gate

Irishtown

Mountmellick
Robust, not afraid to criticise and a catalyst for change are among descriptions of the late Michael Reilly, Inspector of the Irish Prisons, who died on Saturday.

The Tanaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality, Frances Fitzgerald TD, expressed her sympathies to the family of Judge Michael Reilly, who oversaw the conditions and rights of prisoners in prisons in Portlaoise and elsewhere in Ireland.

Judge Reilly was serving as the Inspector of Prisons when he died, a position he had held since January 2008.

"Michael Reilly served the State with great commitment as Inspector of Prisons, a role he agreed to take on after a distinguished career on the bench as a judge in both the District and Special Criminal Court," said the Minister.

"He was robust and fair-minded in the way he carried out his work as Inspector of Prisons; he was not afraid to criticise where this was merited, but he retained the respect of everyone involved in penal policy throughout his tenure as Inspector. Judge Reilly was determined that his work would make a difference, and it did.

"I worked very closely with Judge Reilly and I found him to be a very warm genuine, caring person with a deep interest and commitment to the work he was carrying out so diligently and so carefully.

"On my own behalf and that of the Government, I want to offer my deepest condolences to his family at this very difficult time for them," said Minister Fitzgerald.

Michael Donnellan, Director General of the Irish Prison Service, also expressed his sympathies.

It was with shock and sadness that I learned of the sudden death of Judge Michael Reilly, the Inspector of Prisons. Judge Reilly has given great service as Inspector of Prisons since 2008 and, since my appointment as Director General of the Irish Prison Service in 2011, I have been privileged to work closely with him and to witness the passion and dedication that he showed for the role.

"Judge Reillys reports and recommendations have been the catalyst for many changes in the Irish Prison Service and his contribution to prison reform has been hugely significant.

"On my own behalf and on behalf of the Irish Prison Service I would like to extend deepest sympathies to his family for their loss, concluded Mr Donnellan.
Motorist in Laois need to drive with care again as Met Eireann issues another warning for fog as visibilty is already poor in the Portlaoise area.

After a bright day in Laois which followed a night of heavy fog, the national forecaster has issued a Yellow Fog Warning for Ireland overnight Saturday but say it will probably not as dense as in previous nights.

The warning was is valid from Saturday, November 26 to 10am Sunday, November 27.

The forecast is for a misty and murky night with fog in many parts of Leinster. Temperatures in the range of 2 to 4 degrees Celsius.

Sunday will be mostly dry, fog will mostly clear. Highest temperatures of 7 to 10 degrees in light or moderate easterly winds. Patchy frost and fog will develop again on Sunday night. Lowest temperatures in the range of 0 to 5 degrees in light easterly breezes.

High pressure will dominate Ireland's weather next week so it will stay mostly dry with generally light winds.
My daughter recently turned four and we had to start thinking about schools for her. Not that you actually have to remind yourself of that as I sensed an almost obsessive attitude with schools and what school you would chose for your child around me.

I always felt myself getting very upset in a lot of the school conversations and I had to think for a moment why that was. To me, it is that this talk about needing to get into the good school always seems less related to any real knowledge of what the school actually teaches or how they relate to children, but that the good school will prevent a child from ending up in a lower social class. This deep-seated fear of downward social movement is something that worries me greatly when it comes to promoting a fairer and more equal society, and yet the competition around schooling and the Ofsted regime seem to do a great job keeping the anxieties going. While I understand very well that we all want our children to find a good job and be financially comfortable, I simply cannot stand for the idea that this is the only determinant in making a good life and promoting a strong society.

There is so much talk about needing to value nurses and social workers and teachers and the like more, that these professions are overworked and under paid. The government resents the fact that it is losing good lower level medical staff to countries like Australia.

Yet, it seems to me that at primary school level, there is a substantial section of society that is effectively communicating to their child that these kinds of jobs are to be avoided at all costs and that getting into the good school will do that for you. What does that say about valuing these professions that this country so desperately needs?

What is a good school? To me, it is one has as key aim to educate people that fill the professional needs of a society, which requires all sorts of different jobs to function. It is a school that stands strong on promoting the value of each strand of work and that gives its students the confidence to pursue a trade that they find interesting, meaningful and fulfilling.

In order for that to happen, teachers are not only or merely there to deliver outstanding results in maths and English. They act as companions and observers to the childs developing character and the affinity to skills that is revealing itself in it. They are there to help the child become self-confident by getting to know themselves and what they are good at and enjoy and by encouraging them to be themselves.

This may mean that a teacher, drilled to bring every child up to national skills level, will need to sit down with a (middle class) parent at some point and talk about whether the 11+ may really be the path for child that will make them happy. Or whether university is even the way to go.

Education works in the service of the needs of society and in the service of the needs of the individuality of its students. The primary goal has to be to introduce pupils to a wide range of subjects, philosophies and skills sets and allowing them to find that professional path that is in or closest to their nature.

That is equality to me, and will work wonders in equalising how we staff and (financially) value different jobs in this society.

* Carolin Hollingsworth joined the Liberal Democrats in 2016 and lives in Kent.
TRAFFIC calming measures on the N21 at Templeglantine are having the opposite effect than that intended, according to concerned locals.

And they claim that at least five accidents have occurred at the Abbeyfeale side of Templeglantine since the traffic islands were introduced.

Now, efforts are being made to change the system, starting with a review of accidents.

Local councillor Michael Collins has welcomed such a review which will be carried out by Limerick City and County Council in conjunction with An Garda Siochana and the road safety section of Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII), formerly the NRA.

I am happy this is going ahead. Its a start, Cllr Collins said this Wednesday.

But locals, among them Eugene Flynn, have already identified the faults behind the traffic calming system and the changes that are needed.

Mr Flynn, whose mother Sadies house is just inside the first of a series of traffic islands and the speed limit,, said she is extremely afraid.She is living in fear that somebody is going to end up stuck in her front wall, he told the Limerick Leader this Wednesday.

The latest accident, he explained, was a near-shave, and in another incident, the 20-plus foot high 60km speed sign, at the side of her lawn, was knocked over.

The problem, he argued, is that traffic coming from the left is forced through the pinch-point of the traffic islands. They are hitting the islands, he said What is going to happen is someone will hit the house.

But after the islands, the line of the road curves right, forcing traffic out into oncoming traffic. Big vehicles in particular, Mr Flynn said,, go over the central white line.

Getting into and out from his mothers house is a nightmare, he added.

Seamus Collins, an activist with the Barnagh Action Group, is also deeply concerned and pointed out that In recent weeks, a string of traffic cones have appeared along the road, a clear indicator of a problem.

The traffic calming is doing the opposite of what it is supposed to do, he said.

It was very badly planned, he continued, pointing out that access to services in the village, such as the petrol station, the church and the hotel, are made more difficult because of the placement of traffic bollards.

And he argued that some of the bollards and/or traffic islands need to be changed or removed altogether. Crucially, he was convinced that the line of the road coming from Abbeyfeale needs to be re-adjusted and the speed-limit sign moved.

No date has been given as to when the review of accidents will be completed. But the matter is due to come before the Newcastle West Municipal District councillors.
A COUNTY Limerick man, who claimed the dole while he had over 100,000 in his bank account, has been sentenced to six months in prison.

Kilmallock Court heard that Fergus OGorman, of Knockadea, Ballylanders claimed 68,804 in benefits between November 2005 and April 2014.

He pleaded guilty to six sample charges of making false declarations under the Social Welfare Act. OGorman, who represented himself, said he is living in a mobile home, currently doesnt have ESB and all the money is gone.

State solicitor Aidan Judge said information came to light as a result of various Government departments communicating.

The Department of Social Protection sent an inspector to interview Mr OGorman in regard to his application for jobseekers allowance.and to put it to him that he had certain monies in his account, said Mr Judge.

An application to the bank to obtain information revealed that during this time OGorman had 106,929 on deposit with Bank Of Ireland, said Mr Judge.

He was invited by the department to continue with the interview under caution and he did not co-operate. There are six summonses at various points between November 29, 2005 and April 29, 2014. No money has been paid back, 68,804 remains outstanding, said Mr Judge.

OGorman said he doesnt have any money.

I was trying to get on the property ladder but the prices kept going up so much. Money just kept going bit by bit. Its gone. Thats the truth. I cant make a silk purse out of a sows ear. What can I do? Ive got nothing from social welfare for two and a half years, said OGorman.

Judge OLeary said he drew down 68,000.

I was trying to get on the property ladder. I knew it was wrong but I didnt think I would be on social welfare all that time. I sold a house on the Main Street in Ballylanders. I said I would scale down to a smaller house in better repair. It was 2005, 2006, 2007 and prices kept going up. Thats where the money came from, said OGorman, who added that if he got work he would try and pay it back.

He said he has had so many sleepless nights over this and wants to get it sorted.

Judge OLeary said he wouldnt be in trouble if he hadnt made false declarations. If I had known it was such a serious crime I would have stayed out of it, said OGorman.

The judge said she needed proposals. I appreciate that. My hands are tied. I am not working, said OGorman.

Why arent you working? asked Judge OLeary.

There isnt a lot out there. I got a third year education, said OGorman.

Judge OLeary said a lot of smart people left school after third year. She adjourned the matter until after lunch for OGorman to consider his position.

After the break Mr OGorman said the only thing he had to say was that he has a judgment against two other people.

I used five different solicitors. I didnt get any justice. I have the receipts to prove it. It was for a serious case against two lads who assaulted me. Am I ever going to get justice? My face was fractured in two places, said Mr OGorman.

Judge OLeary said that wasnt the matter before her. She fined OGorman a total of 4,500 and handed down two three month prison sentences to be served consecutively.
A PROPER commemoration to celebrate the centenary of the Limerick Soviet should be held in 2019, according to the head of the Walt Disney Company in Ireland.

Limerick born Trish Long, vice president and general manager of Disney in Ireland, has urged the powers that be to organise an event to mark the events of April 1919, when Limerick was a self declared soviet, when the city briefly printed its own money and organised its own food supply for the people.

This was just one of the many ideas highlighted when Capital Limerick was launched in Dublin last week at a sold out gathering, which brought together Limerick business people based in Dublin who want to promote and enhance Limericks profile and reputation in the capital.

The Soviet lasted just 12 days, but made headlines worldwide, coinciding with the beginning of the War of Independence, part of a general strike organised by the Limerick Trades and Labour Council.

Ms Long stressed that it was important for Limerick to own its uniqueness and identity; to be the best version of itself as opposed to a poor copy and that weve successfully avoided our identity being caught up in what we are not which is a syndrome common to some Irish cities.

As an example of some of the unique elements, she said that Limerick was the only city in the country which could choose in two and a half years time to take the opportunity to celebrate its strong and independent spirit by finding an appropriate way to own it and celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Limerick Soviet.

The main objective of Capital Limerick is to mobilise professionals and business people based in Dublin to come together and to harness their drive and expertise to contribute to the forward momentum now underway around Limerick and to provide help in the social and economic development of Limerick.

Importantly the new grouping intends to create an awareness of Limericks unique qualities and attractiveness amongst companies and organisations in the capital and in particular amongst Limerick people at decision making levels of those companies and organisations.

Speaking at the event, Minister of State Patrick ODonovan recalled being first elected to Dail Eireann, and rushing home to tell his father, who was ill in bed.

Never forget where you came from, was his Dads advice .

There can be a real tangible benefit to Limerick from this. Capital Limerick is about bringing Limerick professionals based in Dublin to network together and promote their home place, he said.

Today, we can see the emerging potential of what I am sure will be a very influential and successful group. Limerick can only benefit from such a unique endeavour. There is an opportunity here to sell and promote Limerick particularly with the recent prosperous changing circumstances, he noted.

Welcoming the guests, Capital Limerick spokesperson and founder, Clair Hayes, said the group wants to promote and drive the commercial and socio-cultural profile of Limerick.

Limericks greatest era is yet to come. Capital Limerick is about mobilising those of us based in Dublin who are united around that aim and seeing how we can help and get involved in the recovery and resurgence that is already visible, she said.

John Moran said: Limerick is on the move. It is now increasingly recognised as a fun glocal city. Glocal is the new description of desirable urban cities that have a global outlook and connections but yet a local feel. In that sense Limerick is offering a compelling alternative to Dublin for quality of life, opportunity and community.

I congratulate the team for their idea to facilitate fans of Limerick to get together here in Dublin. It will help shine a light on the transformation of the region and harness goodwill and practical support for organisations working on the ground there to make life better for all of its inhabitants.

All proceeds from the inaugural lunch and subsequent activities will be invested in Limerick-based community and charitable projects, the group said.
CREWS working on behalf of Irish Water are continuing their efforts to repair a large burst water main which has affected supply to hundreds of homes across the city.

The pipe, which runs under a green area at Rhebogue Meadows, Rhebogue burst at around 2am with a number of local residents describing the noise as being something like an explosion.

Gardai and two units of Limerick Fire and Rescue Service attended the scene for over hour before emergency crews were deployed.

A number of concrete garden walls were knocked such was the force of the water while a small number of houses suffered significant flood damage.

One woman whose home was partially flooded told the Limerick Leader she was awoken at around 2.15am by gardai knocking on her door.

"They just told us that a pipe was after bursting and that we needed to lift everything off the floor," she said adding that her kitchen floor was covered by around two inches of muddy water.

Kevin Sage who also lives in the area posted video footage of the flood waters on Youtube.

He described how the water flowed through the garden of another house and into his back garden.

"It was like a waterfall flowing the whole way across the back garden, it was unbelievable, really," said Kevin.

Because of the size of the burst pipe there are reports of low-pressure in several parts of the city including Rhebogue, Corbally, Moyross and Ballynanty.

Irish Water says crews are working to restore supply to all affected areas as soon as possible.

In addition to repairing the burst water main, crews working for the State utility have been carrying out works at the affected houses to ensure they are safe.

It is understood an assessor also visited the scene this morning to examine the damage caused.

#IWLimerick: Repairs to a large burst main may affect supply to Corbally, Moyross and surrounds. Crews are working to restore supply.  IW Customer Care (@IWCare) November 26, 2016

For updates, stay with limerickleader.ie or follow the Limerick Leader on our social media platforms - Twitter, Instagram & Facebook.
Actress Jin Se-yeon recently finished a seven-month shoot for the period drama "Flower of Prison."

The final day on set was an emotional one. "I cried on the last day of shooting. At a gathering after wrapping the last episode, the entire cast and crew were in tears," she said.

Offering her a major leading role in a lengthy drama, "Flower of Prison" provided an important catalyst for Jin's acting career, so she threw herself into the work. But at first, many viewers didn't seem to be impressed.

"I was really worried at first about whether I would be able to satisfy viewers' expectations. When I read negative comments or reviews, it rather encourages me to try harder next time and do better to dispel any doubts about my acting skills."

Jin said she is not close with actors her own age, as she has mostly worked with older actors so far. "I've never had a chance to play a role suited to my age," said Jin, who is still in her 20s.

"As for my next project, I want a role I can easily relate to, like a college student who is anxious about getting a job, or a girl who has a secret crush on a guy," she said.

Asked what she thought she might be doing now if she hadn't become an actress, Jin said, "I've only ever dreamed of being an actress. I guess I'd be looking for a job."
THREE of Irelands top dance artists unite to present Maria Maria Maria at Dance Limerick next week.

Oona Doherty, Emma Fitzgerald, and Maria Nilsson Waller have joined forces to bring three solo works to the Johns Square based dance organisation next Tuesday, November 29 at 8pm.

The powerful performances explore the personal, the universal, the idiosyncratic and the mundane in a series of startling portraits of contemporary Ireland. The three diverse works, spanning the poetic to the punk, are connected by their charismatic and powerful performers, female choreographers who have won acclaim.

Produced by Firkin Crane in Cork, in partnership with Dance Limerick, this production is part of a tour which also includes Cork, Ballina, Galway and Belfast.

Jenny Traynor, director of Dance Limerick, said: Were delighted to welcome these outstanding dance artists to Dance Limerick.

We know Maria Nilsson Waller and Emma Fitzgerald from their exciting performances here previously, and Im particularly pleased that they will be joined by Oona Doherty, who was recently selected as an Aerowaves Artist 2017, reflecting the esteem in which shes held not just in Ireland but on the European stage. Limerick audiences are in for an extraordinary evening of dance.

Oona Doherty portrays the the streets of her native Belfast in Lazarus and the Birds of Paradise, Emma Fitzgeralds new work Rest is a darkly humorous and biographical that combines story-telling, song and dance, while Maria Nilsson Waller, a multi-talented choreographer, who also composes and designs many of her own performance works, presents Prime.

See www.dancelimerick.ie.
Norway's Supreme Court has rejected Edward Snowden's request for a legal guarantee that would allow him to collect an award in the Scandinavian country without risk of being extradited to the United States.

In its ruling Friday, the Supreme Court upheld decisions by lower courts that also refused the request.

An Oslo law firm filed the lawsuit in April on behalf of the former National Security Agency contractor and the Norwegian chapter of the free speech and literary organization PEN, which had invited Snowden to receive its Ossietzky Prize.

Snowden, who is currently in Russia, faces charges in the U.S. that could land him in prison for up to 30 years for leaking to journalists details of a secret U.S. eavesdropping program.
Apr 29, 2021, 7 AM

A previously unrecorded full pane of the United States 1893 $2 Columbian stamp turned up in Germany earlier this year, and was sold by the Hans Mohrmann firm at public auction Nov. 15.

By Matthew Healey, New York Correspondent

In a stunning discovery, a nearly intact pane of $2 Columbian stamps has surfaced in Germany.

The sheet, although separated into two parts, is the only known complete pane of 100 of the $2 stamp (Scott 242) from the first United States commemorative series, issued in 1893.

The pane was auctioned Nov. 15 by the small Munich stamp-auction firm of Hans Mohrmann, with little publicity and no online bidding.

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Aside from its separations, the pane, with two imprint plate blocks at top and a natural straight edge at bottom, is in an excellent state of preservation, with fresh, never-hinged gum throughout.

From an opening bid of just 10,000 (about $10,625), the pane was hammered down for 510,000, or about $677,000 with the firms 20 percent buyers premium.

The buyer, Stefan Hempfling, also paid Germanys 19 percent value-added tax, bringing his total outlay to more than $800,000.

Hempfling, who is primarily a dealer in German-area stamps and covers, also described himself in a phone interview on Nov. 21 as an avid buyer of unusual worldwide postal history and stamps. He is based in the small town of Viereth-Trunstadt, an hours drive north of Nuremberg.

Scott Trepel, president of Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries in New York City, first alerted Linns to the story, after having flown to Munich to bid in person. Trepel said he dropped out of the bidding at 400,000 and flew home empty-handed. He was, however, able to furnish an image of the pane and a more detailed description of it.

The story of the pane and how it came to spend decades squirreled away in Germany is tantalizingly short on detail.

Hans Mohrmann did not reply to a request for comment, but the panes new owner said the consignor had been an elderly widow who inherited it, along with many German stamps, after her husband died several decades ago.

She gradually sold off the German material, but the pane of $2 Columbians remained in her safe, mostly because none of the local dealers could put a reliable value on it.

Finally, she took it to Mohrmann, who told her it would probably fetch more than 10,000 at auction.

It is well known that German dealers were avid buyers of U.S. stamps during the 19th century; for example, the sole recorded buyer of some of the rarer 1875 Special Printings was a dealer from Berlin.

But it is not known who originally bought this pane of Columbians, whose face value of $200 would be equivalent to more than $5,000 today, nor is it known how the pane got into the possession of the late German collector.

The Munich Columbians had been stored, folded up, in a parchment envelope in a bank safe. While the acid-free parchment kept the stamps color and gum pristine, the folding weakened the perforations to the point where the pane eventually split into two parts, one of 30 stamps and one of 70. There are further separations in the upper-left part of the pane, affecting the upper-left plate block.

Trepel called the upper right-hand plate block of 10 spectacular, adding that to his knowledge, only two plate blocks of six and one plate block of eight survive for the $2 Columbian.

Most of the other stamps in the pane are not especially well centered, Trepel said, although he allowed that a professional grading service might render a more generous opinion.

Full, mint panes of lower-value 19th-century U.S. stamps are not rare, but the situation for the higher-value issues is very different.

Donald Sundman, president of Mystic Stamp Co. in Camden, N.Y., exhibited a set of mint panes of the Columbian issue, from 1 up to the $1 denomination (Scott 230-241), at World Stamp Show-NY 2016 earlier this year. His nominal asking price for the $1 pane was a cool $1 million.

At the time, Sundman said he believed that no panes existed for the $2, $3, $4 or $5 values.

Asked whether he intends to preserve the pane or break it into singles and blocks for resale, Hempfling said he is open to either option, and that his decision would rest on prices.

I would be happy to sell it intact, he said, assuming he can justify it financially. Perhaps to a museum or to a wealthy American collector.
A post on Stein's campaign website called the voting machines used in Wisconsin "highly vulnerable to hacking and malicious programming," and said the machines lacked any security features.

"Now that we have completed funding Wisconsin's recount (where we will file on Friday) and funding Pennsylvania's recount (due Monday), we will focus on raising the needed funds for Michigan's recount (due Wednesday)," it said.

Former Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein has now raised the necessary $5 million to fund a vote recount in three swing states won by Donald Trump this month, a statement on her website said Friday.

Stein, however, stands to gain little from a recount, having won around 1 percent of the popular vote. The statement on her website said the recount effort wasn't meant to help Hillary Clinton, who lost to Trump. Rather, the website says the move "is about protecting our democracy."

While Clinton fans across the country may be hopeful about the recount, Trump's victory margins in the three states are large enough that overturning the results seem unlikely, according to experts.

The Clinton campaign has yet to comment on the possible recount, but she and her supporters repeatedly denounced Trump during the campaign after he said he thought the election might be rigged against him.

"We are a country based on laws, and we've had hot, contested elections going back to the very beginning," Clinton said in October, after her final debate with Trump. "But one of our hallmarks has always been that we accept the outcomes of our election."
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On Sunday, November 13, the Longford and Westmeath Harriers hosted their third Point to Point at Corbeagh House in Ballinalee.

This year the weather was much kinder and horses from as far away as Antrim, Fermanagh, Tipperary, Wexford and Waterford travelled to the venue for a great day of racing.

The McGreal family, who own the venue, worked with a small and dedicated team of volunteers to get the track ready in advance of the event. The Turf Club inspected the course on Thursday and deemed the going as good. However, heavy rain on Friday left the ground soft.

Final checks were made in the early hours of Sunday morning to make sure all was ready and in place for the final inspection. Happily the Turf Club inspection on Sunday morning was positive and it was all systems go for the first race at 12:30pm.

A phone call at 10:30am caused some panic as the catering company phoned to say their van had broken down. Frantic phone calls failed to source a replacement.

Quick thinking and the arrival of the extended McGreal family, who travelled from Galway and Meath, saved the day. A warm fire and refreshments were provided for the owners, trainers, jockeys, stewards and spectators in the Den in the farmyard of Corbeagh House.

Spectator numbers were well up on previous years. It was clear from a quick scan of the crowd that this has become a family event with young and old enjoying the days racing.

Cheering, as horses approached the final fence, could be heard in Ballinalee as race goers encouraged their horses to cross the line in first place.

This year Paddy Berry and Liam Dillon, both members of the Longford Harriers, provided an added spectacle for the occasion. They, with their trusted hunting horses, acted as mounted stewards for the day. Their job was to catch any loose horses on the track. Thankfully they werent too busy.

Phones and social media were kept busy to ensure those who could not attend were kept up to date on what was happening. Video clips and photos were posted on social media on a regular basis throughout the day.

The Corbeagh House venue is fast becoming the testing ground for potential track contenders. A close inspection of the statistic highlights that winners in Corbeagh go on to win on the track. Since 2014, eleven have won on the track and the twelfth, which hasn't yet raced on the track, has won at several other Point to Points. This meant this year's runners had a lot to live up to!

Race goers were treated to a superb day's National Hunt racing. Each race is run over a distance of three miles, which is three circuits of the course and horses must jump sixteen fences. Spectators can get a real feel for the sport as they can stand near the fences and feel the ground vibrate as the horses gallop by.

Just Dont Ask was very impressive in the opening race, sponsored by Connolly Red Mills. He ran out an easy winner in a slowly run race and will be one to watch in the future.

Themagicofmelleray, ridden by Noel McParlan, was gifted the second race when Smooth Spoon, trained by local Westmeath trainer Robert Brabazon, fell at the last fence. Robert had trained the winner of this race, sponsored by Currygrane Fishing Lodge, last year.

In the third race, sponsored by Irish Netting Systems & Reilly Structural Steel Ltd. The B won to the great delight of Mary Blundell, a long-time owner and supporter of Point to Points and helped Noel McParlan land his second winner of the day.

Shauna Larkin, the only lady rider to have a winner so far this season, won the Quinns Supply Stores Ltd sponsored fourth race on Rosc Catha. This impressive winner had a 20 length advantage over Lucy Kate trained by Ciaran Murphy.

The Rawles Bar & Lounge sponsored fifth race saw Maple Mons taking the honours. Ridden by Declan Lavery, Mapel Mons knocked her handler in the parade ring before galloping away to the start. However she still had lots left to give and had a 6 length advantage over her nearest rival. This is definitely another to watch in the future.

The final race, sponsored by Haley McCoppin, saw only one finisher. Thornfield set a very strong pace which proved too much for the other competitors.

With bookmakers in attendance and a live commentary on each race, a great atmosphere prevailed on the day. Great credit must go to the McGreal family for providing such a superb and unique venue. The local community again rose to the occasion with sponsors from Longford, Ballinalee and Edgeworthstown. The committee would like to acknowledge all the businesses that provided sponsorship and these were recognised in the published race card.

Niall Rawle invited all who attended back to Rawles Pub for complimentary refreshments. Those who travelled distances really appreciated his hospitality and enjoyed the hot soup and sandwiches provided. A great evening of food, drink and craic was had by all.

The comments from owners, trainers and jockeys were very positive. The Turf Club complimented the committee on a well organised event. The committee would like to thank all those who worked tirelessly in preparing the venue, coordinating all the activities on the day and everyone who supported us on the day.
Luton is a large town, borough and unitary authority area of Bedfordshire. Luton and its near neighbours, Dunstable and Houghton Regis, form the Luton/Dunstable Urban Area with a population of about 258,000. Luton is home to Championship team Luton Town Football Club, London Luton Airport and The University of Bedfordshire. You can find us on Facebook and Twitter. For all the latest news from Luton sign up to our newsletter here.
Lifestyle / Gastronomy

Nov 26, 2016 | By Madelaine Angelina

Spanish chef Martin Berasategui recently earned a three-Michelin-star rating for his Lasarte restaurant in Barcelona. It is the chefs second venture to score the coveted triple-stars, the first being at his eponymous restaurant in Basque Country, Spain. Only a select few other chefs have achieved two three-star ratings.

Lasarte is a joint effort of Martin Berasategui and Paolo Casagrande. The cuisine served at Lasarte is described by Michael Ellis, Michelin Guides international director, as surprising and particularly imaginative.

Ellis also complimented Berasateguis feat in the culinary scene, noting that Some of his great creations make it possible to gauge the full extent of this chefs creativity: unique creativity in the service of an almost exceptional taste experience, elevating this restaurant to the position of one of the meccas of world cuisine.

Other than the Spanish west coast capital, the Basque Country region in the countrys north is also cementing Spains status as a Michelin-acclaimed gastronomic hotspot. Berasateguis self-titled restaurant there has attracted food fans from all around the world. The region is also famous for the dining establishments under the renowned Arzak family.

The 2017 edition of the Spain and Portugal Michelin Guide also lists 28 two-star restaurants of the region and a new total of nine three-star restaurants in Spain.

While France only counts 10 two-star restaurants in the latest Guide, the 2017 Spain and Portugal edition sees 28 restaurants awarded two stars, with 23 in Spain and five in Portugal. With a list like that, theres something for all tastes and in all regions. However, further down the Costa Blanca, Alicante stands out for its upsurge in culinary quality, in particular with Escalata in Cocentaina and BonAmb in Xabia.

The future of Spains gastronomic scene seems assured, with 15 restaurants newly crowned with one Michelin star. Catalonia confirms its status as an unmissable destination for food lovers thanks to Celeri, focusing on a raw no-cook cuisine, and Xerta, serving contemporary Mediterranean cuisine.

With its vibrant energy, the gastronomy of Spain almost overshadows that of neighboring Portugal, with which it shares a Michelin Guide. Portuguese cuisine is, however, on the up, Michelin resumes, with two new two-star restaurants and seven eateries gaining one star.
In Estonia a patent was granted on April 15 1998 followed by a marketing authorisation on June 8 2001 for a pharmaceutical composition comprising the active agent capecitabine. Based thereon a supplementary protection certificate (SPC) was requested and granted. According to Estonian national SPC regulations the SPC provided a protection term of 15 years from the date of grant of the marketing authorization, that is until June 8 2016.

On December 15 2014, however, a generic competitor wanted to bring a generic composition comprising capecitabine onto the Estonian market since, according to the competitors calculation, the SPC protection term ended on June 10 2013. The patentee filed an infringement suit against the competitor and the court of second instance, the Tallinn Court of Appeal, transferred the case to the CJEU for clarification of the termination date of the SPC in Estonia.

How did the discrepancy in the calculation of the termination dates arise?

On May 1 2004 Estonia became a member of the EU and according to European SPC regulations the protection term of an SPC is calculated based on the first marketing authorisation in the EU which, in the present case, was granted for capecitabine in Switzerland on June 10 1998. The CJEU hinted that Article 21(2) of SPC Regulation 469/2009 states that the regulation applies to SPCs granted according to national regulations in Estonia prior to the date of Estonias accession to the EU.

Further, Article 13 of this regulation in conjunction with recital 9 thereof indicates that the holder of both the patent and the SPC should not be able to enjoy more than 15 years of exclusivity from the time of the first marketing authorisation granted in the EU which, according to Article 13, has to be interpreted as the European Economic Area (EEA). Accordingly, the protection term of an SPC is calculated based on the first marketing authorisation in the EEA, even if a national SPC was granted based on a national marketing authorisation before accession of the country in question to the EU.

Bettina Hermann

V.O.Johan de Wittlaan 72517 JR The HagueThe NetherlandsTel: +31 70 416 67 11Fax: +31 70 416 67 99info@vo.euwww.vo.eu
Maria del Pilar TroncosoASIPI President

What are your biggest goals for your presidency of ASIPI?

Since its beginning, ASIPI has been a key institution for IP reference. Therefore, one of my biggest goals is to reaffirm and maintain our Association's position within the local and international stage, as a lead institution for IP culture.

During my presidency I hope to support countries in our region to make the most of intellectual property as a platform for international commerce. And with this to go deeper into IP issues that affect our region, including an exchange of information within our countries, in order to learn how they are handled in each of them.

I would like ASIPI to be a source of study for IP professionals, in order to improve the quality of their practice and its development, as well as being a space for networking. Through the project ASIPIEDUCA, we hope to motivate IP education among children, promoting respect and knowledge of IP as a cultural necessity.

Overall, my main goal is that ASIPI assists in creating a region that uses IP as a promoter of economic development.

What has ASIPI achieved so far this year?

This has been a very active year for ASIPI. Concerning education, ASIPI held four webinars, and three roundtables: two in Bolivia (La Paz and Santa Cruz de la Sierra), one in Paraguay; and we successfully held our Seminar on Anti-Counterfeiting in Aruba.

Regarding the events organised with sister associations and government authorities, we celebrated a seminar on "New labelling and packaging regulations" in the Dominican Republic, alongside the Dominican government; and co-sponsored the "Forum on Promoting IP Rights Enforcement" and WIPO's "Inventor's Assistance Program". Also, we held a seminar with INTA and COVAPI, regarding public policies in IP Venezuela, among other events.

We have kept our active participation as a member of the user association of the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO); and our constant attendance and academic participation in our sister associations' congresses and seminars. Also, we coordinated with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) a round of workshops regarding PCT in several countries, which will take place in November.

Similarly, we have been working on a project with the International Trademark Association (INTA), to prove the positive impact of IP in the economy of five Latin American countries. Having tangible evidence of the benefits of IP, it will be easier to develop projects and activities that promote awareness of IP among the authorities in our region.

All of this, without stopping constant work and research regarding IP in the region, the job our working committees do every day, the plans for our future events and the daily tasks each member of our Association does.

Do you plan any changes to the organization of the Association, and in how it works with its members and other IP associations?

I do not plan to make changes, in the strict sense of the word. I firmly believe our predecessors have done a remarkable job, always following and being faithful to the guidelines that built our Association from the start. Time changes and ASIPI moves with them, developing and adapting itself to the modern culture and technology.

Without changing our essence, I believe we can always improve, we can always be better. I and the Executive Committee are looking forward to improving our Association, with new ideas, new methods to approach and study IP for our entire region. That is our goal, a fresh and updated culture of knowledge, respect and recognition of intellectual property.

ASIPIs annual conference takes place in Buenos Aires, Argentina in December this year

What are you particularly looking forward to at the ASIPI conference in Buenos Aires in December?

I am looking forward to the event as a whole. Our academic programme has very interesting subjects with well-known and high quality professionals sharing their inputs in each of them. Similarly, we prepared a round of five workshops with practical and innovative IP topics.

Also, during the event we have scheduled several meetings with IP authorities and international and local IP associations in order to evaluate the work we have done so far, and discuss future projects. Finally, I am also expecting to strengthen interpersonal and professional relations among the associates. To me, ASIPI's main events are always something to look forward to.

What are the biggest IP issues in Latin America?

Latin America needs to believe that IP is a source of self-improvement. It is imperative to devote more economic resources to research and development. Also, it is necessary that our countries formulate public policies that promote IP as a path to enhance economic growth, being aware of IP, how it works and what it protects. We Latin-Americans have intellectually rich countries with a highly creative population. However, we have not yet progressed into an informed culture of the positive consequences IP could provide.

We are certain there is a lack of initiative from potential inventors, because they have no financial or state support, they are not informed and as a result they do not know how to protect their work. It is tremendously difficult to incentivise national invention, without a palpable opportunity to carry out a project.

Another important issue in the region is counterfeiting, especially because in the last few decades Latin America has become a hotspot for the manufacturing and acquisition of forgeries and fake goods.

In the last few years, our IP offices have improved a lot in their internal processes, but there are still some countries that have a considerable backlog of cases.

As well, within the everyday practice, we need more judges with knowledge and some sort of experience of IP topics. It becomes more difficult to evaluate, discuss and complete an IP process with this inconvenience.

Madrid is a big issue in the region, but it seems there are mixed views on it. How successful has it been so far, and will other countries join?

International agreements are not equally beneficial to all countries. Depending on the type of economy, a treaty may be more favourable to some but not necessarily to others. I think it falls to each country to analyse the convenience to adopt the Madrid Protocol.

Consequently, it is a subject that should be studied by each country and its reality. In addition, it is necessary, on one hand, to review the current trade mark registration process in each of them, and evaluate its efficiency for users, and on the other hand, to prepare and be aware of the necessary adjustments that shall be made if said instrument is adopted, so it does not result in an unbalanced treatment for nationals.

Mexico and Colombia are the two Latin American countries that ratified the Madrid Protocol more recently (Cuba adopted it in 1995), and there are no uniform opinions on whether it has been beneficial for said countries.

How has the TPP agreement been received in Latin America? How big an effect will it have on the countries from the region that are part of it?

The TPP is a free trade agreement that aims to enhance innovation, productivity and competitiveness, among other necessary marks to promote economic growth. As of February 2016, two Latin American countries had signed the agreement: Mexico and Peru.

The TPP has been well received, but as any agreement it has experienced its negative commentaries. It will help to make the countries more accessible in a context of a globalized commerce with lower limits each passing day. Naturally, it will boost exportation and the exchange or national goods in markets that were closed before.

On the negative side, if poorly implemented, the agreement might have certain collisions with the national legislation of the signatory countries. As well, without a proper supervision, some economic sectors might suffer a downfall, such as food and agriculture and textiles.

Both Mexico and Peru have developed a public policy of promoting trade goods and services, and taking this into consideration, signing the TPP was a logical move. However, even if the agreement has been signed, both governments must ratify it, so in practical reality, the TPP will be enforced around 2018, and additionally, after the ratification, national legislation must be revised. Only when both of these events happen, and we start implementing the agreement as a reality, we will be able to measure the actual effects of the treaty.

What are the biggest issues in your home country of the Dominican Republic at the moment?

My country faces almost all the same issues as Latin America. Unfortunately, we have low investment into research and development, very few public policies that promote IP as a path to enhance economic improvement, and lack of awareness of how and why IP is used.

We need judges with more knowledge regarding IP topics, especially when it comes to technical matters. In consequence, all of this makes most of the processes terribly slow, affecting the IP rights owners and weakening the trust in public institutions.

Nevertheless, I believe that in the last 15 years the Dominican Republic has become more aware of IP law and everything it involves, now we have a much more informed population about their IP rights. Recently, the National Office of Intellectual Property (ONAPI) celebrated the 2016 "Innovative Summer Camp", which is an initiative that motives high school students to pursue science careers and teach them about patentable innovation. However, these kinds of projects are harder to do due to the lack of financial investment and public policies.

For the Dominican Republic, the industry sector is extremely important, and our government aims to create a stable legal atmosphere for the all the economic sectors and the right development of IP. Our administration believes that information is the best method for consumers to have knowledge of the products they acquire, and therefore, the use of trade marks is the tool of excellence for said purpose, since it constitutes a condenser of the characteristics and qualities of the products.

At the present, the Dominican Republic counts with an adequate IP legislation, in accordance with international treaties. Also, its patents granting procedure has improved in the last years, and the trade mark registration procedure is expedited and efficient, that facilitates the local trade, as well as the domestic and foreign investment. I am certain from now on the IP practice on the Dominican Republic will only get better each passing year.
Understanding the Trump Presidency , Beyond Merkel

By Reva Goujon : We hear all the time about how the world "should" work. Self-proclaimed liberals and conservatives, Keynesians and Reaganites, humanists and hawks, globalists and nationalists have crammed the airwaves and filled our Twitter feeds with policy prescriptions, promoting their worldview while scorning others'. But after the emotionally charged year this has been, I suspect many people are growing weary of big theories and cursory character assassinations. Instead, it may be time to replace the pedantry with something more fundamental  and less divisive  in which to ground our thoughts and make sense of the world.

Rather than focusing on what should happen, perhaps we would do better to turn our attention to what will happen. And in this, geopolitics can come in handy. It is a deceptively simple tool, one that won't bury you in academic pretension or require a fancy algorithm to model. But its simplicity doesn't make it any less powerful. When you boil down the frothy mixture of ideas, personalities and emotions that have bubbled up over the past year, what is left are some fairly obvious answers on how we got to this point and, more important, where we are heading.

Geography Doesn't Argue

It all starts with the map. And not just any map, but one that emphasizes topography over political borders. The beauty of such a map is that it doesn't leave much room for polemical debate. As the Dutch-American geopolitical thinker Nicholas Spykman once put it, "Geography does not argue. It simply is."

The map can tell us the basic facts about a particular nation or region. Is it massive or tiny, mountainous or flat? Is it a land power or an island? Is it stuck between bigger powers or does it loom over smaller neighbors? Is it enclosed by geographic barriers or split from within? Do its river systems run in a direction that unites or divides? The map will show whether a place has navigable waterways and coastal depth, where its biggest population centers are, how much rain its lands get and how many resources those lands contain, whether it rests in a temperate zone or an inhospitable wasteland, what infrastructure links it with others or isolates it, and so on.

Then, we layer on history. How has the map shaped a nation's behavior over the centuries? Regardless of the prevailing personality or ideology of the time, what were the constraints that limited that nation's options, or the compulsions that pulled it in a particular direction? What internal and external conditions existed when the nation was most celebrated in its history? When it entered its darkest days? Do the circumstances emerging today resemble a cycle of the past?

Time is important. Geopolitics is the study of the human condition, and human history is told through the passing of generations. On average, a new generational cycle is completed every 20 years or so. This means that the world we knew two decades ago and the world we will see two decades from now should look very different from the one we're experiencing today. If you're skeptical, consider 2016. Now subtract 20-25 years and see what picture you end up with. In the late 1990s, the United States was in the midst of an economic boom, and political theorists in a postwar euphoria boldly claimed that we had reached the "end of history" and that liberal, capitalistic democracy had triumphed over dangerous ideological thinking. Russia was still in shambles, and the European Union was convinced that closer integration would invite economic prosperity, positioning the Continent to better compete with America. Meanwhile, Japan was starting to feel the pain of its first Lost Decade, and China had begun its rapid ascent as the world's economic "miracle."

Now consider the cycle we are in today, one that began with a crisis that shattered the world. The 2008 collapse of the global financial system stripped away the prosperity that bound the European Union together, short-circuited China's low-end manufacturing boom and triggered a prolonged slump. Jobs were lost and disillusionment with the political establishments spread. At the same time, discontent began to boil over in the Islamic world as populations rose up against their ruling strongmen, all while the United States drowned in its Middle Eastern wars. Russia used these regional fires to blow smoke into Washington's eyes, distracting it while Moscow rebuilt its influence in the Russian borderlands. From this position of relative strength, the Russians squeezed Ukraine's energy supplies and warred with Georgia to remind its neighbors of Moscow's military might  and of the weakness of U.S. security guarantees.

Once we find our place in the generational cycle, we can look to the future and weigh the bigger structural forces at play. How will aging demographics, energy availability, climate change, migrant flows, expanding power vacuums, technological advances and China's economic evolution work together to compound global stressors, create opportunities and revive historical compulsions? This is where the "-isms" will rear their heads: Nativism, protectionism, populism and nationalism will flow easily from these broader forces as the world tries to steady itself from the hyperglobalization of the previous generation.

Only at this point do we add in the individual. If you skip ahead, as many intuitively do, and try to glean answers from what figures such as Donald Trump, Marine Le Pen or Rodrigo Duterte say, you risk falling into the deep chasm between intention and reality. But when you organize the world into generational cycles and base your understanding on a firm geopolitical foundation, individuals form but a thin film on what is already a thick body of analysis. The leaders in question are then revealed as products of their time, not aberrations in need of constant psychoanalysis. And the structural forces that brought them to power will be the ones to constrain, shape and bend their actions once in office, limiting the possibilities as to what may actually transpire.

Imperatives Laid Bare

We find ourselves today at a particularly compelling phase of this generational cycle. The election of straight-talking populists amid a stressful global environment has laid bare the basic imperatives of the nation-state. Whereas idealism in better, more prosperous times does a good job of cloaking unpleasant truths, hard survival instincts will drive behavior under more trying circumstances.

And this is where geopolitics matters most.

Russia's sprawling landmass and lack of natural defenses compel it to reach beyond its borders and build buffers against the West. As tension inside Russia increases, solidifying those buffers while Russia is still strong enough to do so will become a matter of urgency. Regardless of who sits in the White House, Moscow has no choice but to assume that the West will take advantage of Russia's inherent vulnerabilities to keep the Eurasian power in check. Should the Kremlin perceive the next U.S. president to be a more pliable negotiator, its biggest imperative will be to try to reach an understanding that rolls back NATO's encroachment in the former Soviet Union. But this also means Russia cannot be expected to make any concessions that fundamentally weaken its grip on the critical buffer territory it has seized in eastern Ukraine.

This is where it will become important to focus on the smaller powers squeezed between the bigger ones. These countries tend to have the most acute sense of their environment, and they often adapt to the shifting tides of geopolitics before anyone else sees them coming. The rim of states in Central and Eastern Europe will have to soberly calculate the course of negotiations between Russia and the United States at a time when core Continental powers such as Germany are trying to manage the fallout from the European Union's disintegration. For nations sitting on Russia's front lines, such as Poland, now is the time to band together and bolster their defenses. But for those such as Hungary that rest easier behind the shield of the Carpathian Mountains, now is the time to stay close to Moscow and keep their options open.

Russia will surely run into roadblocks as it barters with the Americans, but it can use the perception of a budding bargain with Washington to intimidate its neighbors while taking advantage of the geopolitical forces pulling Europe apart to weaken the West's resolve. As an island nation, the United Kingdom's instinct will be to distance itself from the Continent  and balance off of the United States across the Atlantic  as other European powers revive their age-old feuds. France, rooted in the southern Mediterranean, will become increasingly polarized from Germany and its allies in Northern Europe as nationalist forces chip away at their troubled union.

Questions over the United States' security commitments in the Far East have presented an opportunity for China as well. The nations stretching from the Indochina mainland to the island chains of Southeast Asia are caught between China's overbearing reach and Japan's reawakening. Even before the U.S. election, these countries were trying to chart a course forward without the firm assurances of their longtime U.S. protector. Seeking strength in numbers, these small, exposed nations will try to coordinate with one another, acting under the larger umbrella of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in the hope that their collective voice will grant them some level of parity with their bigger and more powerful neighbors. But in the face of economic stress, political tumult, North Korea's nuclearization and uncertainty over Washington's role in the region, they will eventually break with one another to tend to their own needs. And when they do they will become more vulnerable, giving China ample space to assert its military dominance and extend economic concessions in an attempt to reshape the regional status quo in its favor.

The Middle East will be no less immune to this geopolitical test. Turkey is determined to reclaim its sphere of influence in the former Ottoman belt reaching from Aleppo through Mosul to Kirkuk. At the same time, Iran is trying to preserve its influence in the arc between the Persian Gulf and Mediterranean Sea. As the two countries collide amid the region's broader ethno-sectarian struggle, the volatile Middle East will continue to draw in the United States, as well as Russia, which will use these conflicts as bargaining chips in its negotiation with Washington. Strategically speaking, neither the United States nor Iran is in a position to renew tension in the Persian Gulf by throwing out their nuclear deal. But domestic politics could put that theory to the test. Meanwhile, Israel will wait and react to the larger rivalries unfolding around it. Though the United States will maintain its relationship with Israel, it is unlikely to go out of its way to support Israel in ways that could alienate the region's key Muslim powers. Regardless of the next administration's personal preferences for allies, they will not outweigh Washington's strategic interest in maintaining working relationships with the countries taking the lead in reshaping the region.

The fate of North America likewise hangs in the geopolitical balance. The United States rests at the heart of a continent endowed with many resources, navigable waterways, deep coastal ports and massive oceans that protect it from and link it to the rest of the world. The robust trade, infrastructure and cultural ties the United States shares with Mexico and Canada cannot be abruptly severed without creating significant turmoil at home. To be sure, the elemental forces currently fueling nativism, protectionism and anti-establishment sentiment in the United States will force Washington to recalibrate its policies somewhat. But the unique advantages that destined the United States to become a global empire will reduce the chances of a dramatic retrenchment in its foreign policy. The United States will still be driven to capitalize on revolutionary changes in technology to stay competitive and to build a North American economic powerhouse. And when it looks overseas, the United States will still be compelled to prevent larger powers such as China and Russia from dominating their neighborhoods and will have little choice but to rely on regional partners with often-colliding interests to manage developing crises.

Still, the nuances of the United States' policy adjustments and the time it takes to shape them will spread uncertainty in many parts of the world and drive nations to prepare for their worst-case scenarios. So now is the time to put our ears to the ground and feel the earth tremble. We then need to raise ourselves up, dust ourselves off and watch the map come alive.

"A Simple Tool for Understanding the Trump Presidency is republished with permission of Stratfor."

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SPRINGFIELD -- Anabela Basile was looking for a new building to house her business, USA Mortgage Network, which had outgrown its offices in Indian Orchard.

What she found, with the help of her daughter Tanya Vitale-Basile, a real estate professional, was business space for her whole family.

She bought the former Salvatore's Restaurant at 1333 Boston Road in Springfield and renovated part of the building as her new mortgage office. With the help of her family, she transformed the rest it into the new Compari's Ristorante.

Her husband, Joe, and daughter Kayla Basile will work at the restaurant. Kayla Basile has worked at the Hampden House restaurant for more than seven years, she said.

Records on file at the Hampden County Registry of Deeds show that Basile, through a company called Basile Properties LLC, paid $685,000 for the building most recently owned by Salvatore Scibelli and Nancy A. Carrie.

The Scibelli family made waves in October when they announced that the restaurant would close after more than 40 years. The new Compari's opened just before Thanksgiving.

Joe Basile said many of the things that made Salvatore's so beloved will stay.

"We are still going to do Italian," he said. "We are going to do more small plates. We are going to have tapas."

Tapas is a Spanish tradition where diners are offered a variety of foods in small portions.

Compari's will also cater to Salvatore's tradition of hosting events, including the tradition many families have of eating there following funerals, as it is near St. Michael's Cemetery.

"Everybody has been here for events like that," he said.

The restaurant has a new bar, a new entryway and has been redecorated throughout, said Anabela Basile. Some staff from the old Salvatore's are back.

The restaurant, the property and the liquor license is Anabela Basile's.

Joe Basile has been in the news before. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison in 1992 after pleading guilty in federal court to drug trafficking charges. At the time, it came out in court that he netted in excess of $500,000 transporting more than 30 kilograms of cocaine from Florida for sale in Western Massachusetts in 1986 and 1987.
Tom Westerholm | twesterh@masslive.com

Spurs 109, Celtics 103

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Tom Westerholm | twesterh@masslive.com

"{k*'

The San Antonio Spurs defeated the Boston Celtics 109-103 on Friday, breaking Boston's three-game winning streak with a gutsy performance from the their second unit.

Here are 10 things to like and dislike from a hard-fought loss.

AP Photo/Elise Amendola

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Also Gregg Popovich got cheered instead of booed when he was announced, so shouts to todays crowd.  Tom Westerholm (@Tom_NBA) November 25, 2016

Tom Westerholm | twesterh@masslive.com

LIKE: Gregg Popovich getting cheered during pre-game intros

San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich is one of the genuinely good guys in the NBA (unless you are a sideline reporter, of course), so it was cool to hear Celtics fans giving him a reception other than the shower of boos usually reserved for opponents.

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Tom Westerholm | twesterh@masslive.com

DISLIKE: Bad fouls by Jae Crowder

The hustle is in Crowder's DNA, but some context to the attached clip: There were 0.6 seconds remaining in the half, the Celtics were leading by four, the Spurs were in the bonus, and Manu Ginobili is shooting 94.4 percent from the free-throw line so far this season.

Crowder had another, perhaps more egregious foul late in the fourth quarter, reaching in when the Spurs were once again in the bonus and the Celtics were trying to rally. Boston would not have been in a position to challenge for a win without Crowder's contributions, but in a close games, mistakes like that hurt.

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Tom Westerholm | twesterh@masslive.com

LIKE: Jae Crowder's hot start

A hot start does a few things for Jae Crowder: It gets him in a good rhythm, it gives the Celtics another dangerous option both off the catch and attacking closeouts, and  perhaps most importantly in the early going  it gives him a chance to rest his bad ankle.

Crowder sat down midway through the first quarter after dropping in 10 early points to pace Boston out to a nice lead, and he immediately went to the bike to keep himself loose. Everything about his start was perfect for Boston  he was locked in and moving well defensively, and he attacked the rim fearlessly. He still didn't look 100 percent, but he looked a whole lot closer than he did on the team's three-game road trip.

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Tom Westerholm | twesterh@masslive.com

DISLIKE: This incredibly costly miscue

This was the play everyone had questions about after the game. At first glance, it looks like Isaiah Thomas' mistake, but Marcus Smart appeared to misjudge where the screen was coming to free up Patty Mills, and the price was a 3-pointer that more or less clinched things for the Spurs.

It was a frustrating finish for the Celtics, who played really solid defense for long stretches, but the Spurs will make you pay for lapses, and this was a bad one.

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Tom Westerholm | twesterh@masslive.com

LIKE: Defending LaMarcus Aldridge

Boston's defense in the first half was rock solid, and the way the bigs defended Spurs power forward LaMarcus Aldridge was a big part of it throughout the game. On the attached play, Al Horford does the damage, but Amir Johnson had the lion's share of the assignment. He pushed Aldridge off the block, used his chest to prevent Aldridge from taking over, and contested every jumper really well, taking away one of San Antonio's primary offensive weapons.

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Tom Westerholm | twesterh@masslive.com

DISLIKE: Struggles against the second unit

If most Celtics fans were told before the game that Kawhi Leonard and LaMarcus Aldridge would shoot a combined 12-for-30 from the floor, they would understandably expect a win.

Instead, after thoroughly outplaying San Antonio's first unit in the first quarter (Gregg Popovich: "Our first group was still in bed. ... It was hard to watch."), the Celtics had trouble containing units that included David Lee, Davis Bertans and Patty Mills. Stevens said the Spurs ride their hot hands, and that is certainly true, but allowing Mills and Bertans to knock down a combined 5-of-8 3-pointers is a recipe for disaster.

AP Photo/Elise Amendola

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Tom Westerholm | twesterh@masslive.com

DISLIKE: David Lee dunking all over Kelly Olynyk

Olynyk was immediately removed from the game by Stevens after this poster, which seems a little unkind, but Brad Stevens  it seems  is not one for redemption stories.

Fortunately...

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Tom Westerholm | twesterh@masslive.com

LIKE: Al Horford got David Lee back anyway

It wasn't quite as vicious or direct, but this Al Horford dunk with Lee flying ineffectively in the other direction is still really good.

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Tom Westerholm | twesterh@masslive.com

LIKE: Marcus Smart making defensive highlight plays

Marcus Smart anticipating passes and making highlight defensive plays could be a spectacular YouTube compilation. Get on it, internet.

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Tom Westerholm | twesterh@masslive.com

LIKE: Jaylen Brown locking up great players

Here's a list of players Jaylen Brown has locked up at various points throughout the season:

- LeBron James

- Stephen Curry

- And now, Kawhi Leonard

That's a pretty good list! Obviously, Brown has a long ways to go from a consistency standpoint, but in short stretches, his athletic tools and defensive instincts have been incredibly encouraging.

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Jaylen Brown takes it to the rack and finishes the tough layup through contact! pic.twitter.com/KYXurlmLPT  Boston Celtics (@celtics) November 25, 2016

Tom Westerholm | twesterh@masslive.com

BONUS HIGHLIGHT: Jaylen Brown plus the foul

The flashes are there. When Brown starts stringing them together, he's going to be a problem.
SPRINGFIELD  Two people were shot and wounded just outside the Worthington Street entrance to the Mardi Gras strip club early Saturday morning.

Police cordoned off the parking lot at 350 Dwight St. just after 2 a.m. as two people wounded in the shooting were taken to the hospital from the scene by ambulance.

Police scoured the area of the parking lot there for evidence, marking at least five shell casings and other related materials close to a small building housing the parking lot administration and a late-night walk-up grill.

Springfield Police Lt. Richard LaBelle said the wounded individuals were transported to the Baystate Medical Center where one is being treated for a non-life-threatening leg wound, and the second is in the trauma unit with a gunshot wound to the lower abdomen.

LaBrelle said the color and make of the suspect vehicle changes as each witness adds his or her take. But, he said, video surveillance of the area around the shooting scene indicates a dark colored Lexus seems to be the right description. The Hispanic male driver of the car was apparently the shooter, witnesses said.

According to preliminary information, LaBelle said it appeared that one or both of the injured individuals got into a dispute with others outside the rear of the club. The two were walking in the parking lot when the vehicle, apparently carrying the offending parties, pulled up and someone fired several shots from it, then fled the area.

Anyone with information is asked to call Springfield Police at 413-787-6310. Those who wish to remain anonymous may text a tip via a cell phone by addressing a text message to "CRIMES," or "274637," and then beginning the body of the message with the word "SOLVE."

This is a developing story and additional information will be published as it becomes available.
SPRINGFIELD -- Black Friday began badly for Sherlock Suban.

Suban, 32, of Springfield, was arrested just after midnight for allegedly assaulting and attempting to strangle the mother of his two children.

Shernock Suban, 32, of Springfield

The couple began arguing when Suban's girlfriend of 10 years returned home late Thursday night after spending Thanksgiving with her family, according to the arrest report. The dispute escalated, and Suban began throwing her belongings down the stairs of their Warrenton Street home, officer Seth Barker wrote in the report.

"Mr. Suban did not like how (his girlfriend) would come home late at night, seemingly whenever she wanted, without any regard for him. He wanted her out of the house," the report said.

The woman told police that Suban first threw her belongings down the stairs, then threw her on the bed and attempted to strangle her. As she struggled to breathe, she began to "scratch wildly" at his face, the report said.

"It was only after a couple of swipes to Mr. Suban's face that he let go," the report said.

The couple had been fighting recently, and Suban was intoxicated, the woman told police. Neither of the couple's children were present during the fight, the report said.

She began to sob at one point, explaining that she "didn't want to get Suban in trouble," the report said.

Suban was arrested and charged with domestic assault and battery and strangulation. Following his arraignment in Springfield District Court on Friday, he was released on $500 bail and ordered not to abuse the alleged victim.

The bail, imposed by Judge Charles W. Groce III, was recommended by defense and prosecution lawyers.

Suban, who was represented during the arraignment by a court-appointed lawyer, told the judge he will hire a private attorney for the rest of the case.

A native of Jamaica, Suban works as a self-employed truck driver. In 2014, he was arrested on a domestic assault and battery charge involving the same woman, according to court records. Information on the outcome of that case was not available Friday.

Suban is due back court for a pretrial hearing on Dec. 9.
Sarno waving flag.JPG

11/25/16-Springfield-Springfield's annual Parade of the Big Balloons was held Friday morning on Main Street in Springfield. Here marching from left, Springfield City Councilor Adam Gomez, Springfield Mayor Domenic J. Sarno and Springfield City Councilor Bud L. Williams.

((Dave Roback / The Republican))

In this 2012 Republican file photo, flags from many nations fly during on-campus inauguration ceremonies for Hampshire College President Jonathan Lash.

SPRINGFIELD

- Mayor Domenic J. Sarno will join protests over Hampshire College's refusal to fly the American flag, which the mayor's office said is "disrespectful."

Sarno will protest at the Amherst campus Sunday, along with veterans groups and other activists. The plan is to line the road near 893 West St. with demonstrators carrying American flags.

The demonstration will begin at 1 p.m. MassLive.com will carry live coverage online and on social media.

In a statement, Sarno's office said the mayor will "attend in support and stand in solidarity with our cherished veterans and our American flag in protest of Hampshire College's continued refusal to fly the flag, which is so disrespectful to those who have given the ultimate sacrifice in order for all of us to live the lives we lead.

God Bless America," the statement concluded.

The Hampshire College Board of Trustees voted to stop flying any flag on campus after several high-profile incidents involving the American flag. The first was an informal decision by some on campus to lower flags to half-staff after the presidential election. Later, someone burned a flag on campus.

Then the college raised a flag in honor of Veterans Day, but also flew it at half-staff.

"Flying the flag at half-staff is a time-honored way to convey mourning," trustees said when taking their vote, "and many have suggested that, in addition to those occasions specified under the U.S. Flag Code, our flag remain at half-staff as an expression of collective grief for the violent deaths that are occurring daily in this country and around the world."

But removing the flag would allow a discussion about its many possible meanings to students from around the world, the school said.

"Our goal is to give voice to the range of viewpoints on campus across cultures, and hopefully find common ground," school spokesman John Courtmanche said in a statement to CNN. "We've heard from members of our community that, for them and for many in our country, the flag is a powerful symbol of fear they've felt all their lives because they grew up as people of color, never feeling safe. For others, it's a symbol of their highest aspirations for the country."

Each incident involving the flag led to backlash on campus and in the community at large. Flags stopped flying on Nov. 18, leading to denouncements from State Rep. John Velis, D-Westfield, and Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 754.

"As a concerned citizen and a veteran I am profoundly upset that your administration has labeled the American Flag a 'disruptive symbol,'" Velis wrote in a letter to Hampshire College President Jonathan Lash. "In this Thanksgiving season, let us show respect to those who have disrupted their own lives to ensure your students' safety and freedom of expression and acknowledge the disruption caused to the families who are receiving their loved ones in a flag-draped coffin."

Former Republican presidential candidate Ben Carson called the flag's removal "unconscionable" in a post on his official Facebook page.
Wallet-thief.jpg

Springfield police detectives are looking to identify the man in this photo, who is suspected of stealing a wallet from a student on the American International College campus.

(Springfield Police Department)

SPRINGFIELD  Detectives with the Springfield Police Department are asking for the public's help in identifying a man suspected of stealing a college student's wallet.

Police say that a 24-year-old girl who attends American International College was at the school's library on Sunday and set her purse down on a chair while she was studying. She left her desk for a moment, and when she returned she discovered that her wallet was missing.

Police say that whoever took the girl's wallet took her debit card and used it to make various purchases at a number of nearby stores.

Police have asked that anyone who believes they can identify the pictured suspect to contact Detective Mark Bacon of the Major Crime Unit at 413-787-6355.
west side complete streets grant photo.jpg

West Springfield's tax classification schedule for fiscal 2017 represents a tax shift factor of 1.515, triggering a residential property tax rate of 17.05 per thousand dollars of valuation and $33.14 per thousand for the commercial, industrial and personal property class.

(Bobby Bruso / West Springfield director of marketing & communications)

WEST SPRINGFIELD -- The Town Council this week adopted a tax classification that slightly increases property taxes for homeowners and slightly decreases them for business owners.

The tax classification schedule for fiscal 2017, which began July 1, represents a tax shift factor of 1.515, triggering a residential property tax rate of 17.05 per thousand dollars of valuation and $33.14 per thousand for the commercial, industrial and personal property class.

The new rates mean the average residential tax bill will go up by around $15, while the average business or commercial tax bill will decrease by around $45.

The fiscal 2016 tax rate was $16.99 per thousand for residential property and $33.21 per thousand for commercial.

"We're trying to do the very best job we can for everyone. Nobody likes to pay high taxes, nobody likes to lose money, but we're tying to work with every one of you out there, whether you're residential or commercial," at-large Councilman George R. Kelly said at the Nov. 21 public hearing on the classification issue.

That's when the nine-member Town Council voted 8-1 in favor of the 1.515 tax shift, providing a little relief to West Side's business community.

The council could have adopted a tax shift factor ranging from 1 percent to 1.59 percent, the higher rate representing the maximum shift factor permitted by the state Department of Revenue, according to Sharon Wilcox, West Springfield's chief financial officer and accountant.

Wilcox said commercial, industrial and personal properties represent about 30 percent of the town's total value, yet for the past five years this class has been responsible for roughly 45 percent to almost 48 percent of the town's tax levy. The town's residential tax class represents around 70 percent of the town's total value.

Before the council voted on the new classification, council President George D. Condon III provided a snapshot of changes to West Springfield's commercial and residential real estate stock over the past fiscal year. The town had 825 commercial businesses on the tax rolls in fiscal 2016, Condon said, but that number has slipped to 805 for fiscal 2017.

"We've actually lost 20 businesses over this past year, and residentially we've actually gained eight houses," he said. "So what I'm trying to get at with this is that we do have changes in the value of the properties every year, which obviously impact what it is that we have to make a decision on."

The 30 percent of the town's value that's derived from commercial, industrial and personal properties breaks down to roughly 19 percent, 5 percent and 6 percent, "in that order," Condon said. Of these 805 commercial properties, 169 of them (21 percent) are valued at over $1 million, but only 49 properties (6 percent) are valued at over $2 million, he said.

"So 94 percent of the businesses in town are small businesses," Condon said, "and we've tried to always look at what's fair as best we can."

At Monday's public hearing on the tax classification issue, as well as at a previous Nov. 7 hearing on the matter, members of the town's business community spoke out against having to shoulder what they believe is too much of the town's tax burden.

John Weiss, a local business owner and member of the board of directors of the West of the River Chamber of Commerce, used the town's 70-30 tax value split to make a point.

"If you own 70 percent of something, and you pay 55 percent of that to use it, that's a pretty darn good bargain. But if you own 30 percent of something and it costs you 45 percent to use it, that's a little unfair," Weiss said, referring to the residential and commercial percentages of the tax levy, respectively.

"We (the business community) understand you have a difficult decision," he said to councilors, "but with that in mind, we still do not believe that the commercial property owner in town is getting a fair shake."

Councilor Daniel M. O'Brien, who represents District 4 in West Side, proposed a tax shift factor that would have given a more "robust" tax break to businesses, citing the key role they play in the heavily commercialized town. Condon and Kelly voted for O'Brien's amendment, but the rest of the council rejected the measure.

"I want West Springfield to be an attractive place to attract new business and to have empty storefronts viable again, which brings the town further forward to where we need to be going," O'Brien said.
Trump

In this March 6, 2006 file photo, Kathleen "KT" McFarland is seen at her home in New York. President-elect Donald Trump has tapped Fox News analyst McFarland to serve as deputy national security adviser. (AP Photo/Jason DeCrow, File)

MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- President-elect Donald Trump pressed forward Friday with two more administration picks, as failed Green Party candidate Jill Stein took new steps to force recounts across key Midwestern battlegrounds that could complicate Trump's push for national unity.

Stein, who earned little more than 1 percent of the national vote, formally requested a Wisconsin recount Friday afternoon, vowing to do the same in the coming days in Michigan and Pennsylvania. There is no evidence of election tampering in the states where Trump scored razor-thin victories, but Green Party spokesman George Martin insisted "the American public needs to have it investigated to make sure our votes count."

"We're doing this to ensure the integrity of our system," he said.

Trump's team ignored questions about the looming recounts. Set to assume the presidency in 55 days, he was focused instead on the daunting task of building an administration from scratch.

Gathered with family at his Mar-a-Lago Palm Beach estate for the holiday weekend, the incoming president made two senior-level staff appointments and scheduled meetings with several more prospective administration officials.

He tapped Fox News analyst Kathleen Troia "KT" McFarland to serve as deputy national security adviser and campaign attorney Donald McGahn as White House counsel. In a statement, Trump cited McFarland's "tremendous experience and innate talent" and said McGhan "has a brilliant legal mind, excellent character and a deep understanding of constitutional law."

Having faced criticism about the inexperience of his initial picks, Trump finds in McFarland someone who previously worked under three presidents, although none since Ronald Reagan. McGhan, a veteran Republican election lawyer, served as Trump's attorney during the campaign.

Neither position requires Senate confirmation.

Trump transition spokesman Sean Spicer said the president-elect scheduled Monday meetings with eight more prospective administration hires, a group that includes several business leaders, Pennsylvania Rep. Lou Barletta, and David Clarke, the Wisconsin sheriff who is an aggressive opponent of the Black Lives Matter movement.

Facing external pressure from Stein, there were also signs of internal discord within the president-elect's small inner circle as Trump weighed his choices for secretary of state.

The options for the nation's chief diplomat include former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, who lacks foreign policy experience but was intensely loyal to Trump, and 2012 Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney, who aggressively opposed Trump's candidacy but is largely regarded as more qualified.

Trump spokeswoman Kellyanne Conway took the unusual step of shining light on the controversy over the Thanksgiving holiday, tweeting that she had been "receiving a deluge of social media & private concerns re: Romney Some Trump loyalists warn against Romney as sec of state."

Meanwhile, Stein announced on her website she has raised enough money to fund recounts in Wisconsin and Pennsylvania and was pursuing additional funding to do the same in Michigan.

Trump's Nov. 8 victory was unexpected and historic, by some measures.

Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton leads the national popular vote by close to 2 million votes. Trump scored narrow victories in key battleground states, however, giving him the necessary 270 electoral votes to assume the presidency.

He won in Pennsylvania. He won in Wisconsin, breaking a Democratic winning streak dating back 32 years. He holds a slim lead in Michigan, where a Republican presidential candidate hadn't won since 1988; The Associated Press still hasn't officially called that race.

Wisconsin, where Trump leads by little more than 22,000 votes, has never conducted a presidential recount. Even before Stein's Friday request, Wisconsin elections Commission Elections Supervisor Ross Hein sent a memo to clerks this week telling them to expect one.

In Michigan, Trump's 10,704-vote lead is expected to be certified by the state elections board Monday. The deadline to ask for a recount is Wednesday.

A statewide recount would cost Stein roughly $790,000, said Fred Woodhams, a spokesman for the Michigan secretary of state. An opposing candidate would have seven days to file objections to the recount petition, after which the board would schedule a public hearing and later issue a ruling on the objections.

Trump's transition team indicated he was focused on the challenges of governing.

Since arriving at his Palm Beach estate Wednesday, they said, the president-elect has spoken to the prime ministers of Greece, Hungary and Sweden, along with the presidents of Panama and Slovenia.

He is expected to return to his New York City home on Sunday.
2016 Election Clinton

Former President Bill Clinton applauds as his wife, Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton speaks in New York, Wednesday, Nov. 9, 2016, where she conceded her defeat to Republican Donald Trump after the hard-fought presidential election. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

(Matt Rourke)

Officials with Hillary Clinton's Democratic presidential campaign announced Saturday that they will participate in a Wisconsin election recount initiated by Green Party nominee Jill Stein.

Clinton campaign lawyer Marc Elias, who announced the decision in a Medium.com post, said although the Democrat's campaign had not planned to exercise the option, it intends to participate and ensure the already initiated process "proceeds in a manner that is fair to all sides."

Elias further indicated that Clinton's campaign would take a similar approach if Stein follows through in her promise to pursue recounts in Pennsylvania and Michigan. He, however, acknowledged that President-elect Donald Trump's margins of victory exceed the largest ever overcome in such processes.

"Regardless of the potential to change the outcome in any of the states, we feel it is important, on principle, to ensure our campaign is legally represented in any court proceedings and represented on the ground in order to monitor the recount process itself," he wrote in the post.

Contending that the campaign received hundreds of messages, emails and calls urging it to investigate claims of result tampering -- particularly in the three battleground states Stein has pledged to challenge -- Elias said Clinton's team has quietly taken steps to rule out any possibility of outside interference in the vote tally.

The campaign, for example, has had lawyers and data scientists comb over results for signs of hacking, held numerous meetings and calls with outside experts to review data; attempted to catalog and investigate theories presented to them; examined laws and practices as they pertain to recounts; and monitored and staffed post-election canvasses, he said.

Although Clinton's campaign has not found evidence of result manipulation, Elias said, it feels "an obligation to the more than 64 million Americans who cast ballots for Hillary Clinton to participate in ongoing proceedings to ensure that an accurate vote count will be reported."

Clinton campaign spokesman Brian Fallon, told the Washington Post that the move should not suggest the campaign was not accepting the presidential election results.

"The post says we would not have sought the recount on our own, that we see no evidence of tampering so far, and acknowledge the margin in Michigan, which is the tightest of the three, exceeds the largest deficit ever overcome in a recount," he reportedly said. "We note we are guarding our prerogatives now that someone else has launched a recount. Not sure what you could point to to suggest there is anything here that calls the results into question."

Stein recently kicked off an effort to demand recounts in Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania -- places where she said there's a "significant need to verify machine-counted vote totals."

The Wisconsin Elections Commission announced Friday that it had received a recount petition from Stein, as well as fellow third party presidential candidate "Rocky" Roque De La Fuente. The state must complete the recount by Dec. 13.
Li Keqiang, Fidel Castro

FILE - This Sept. 25, 2016 file photo shows Cuba's former leader Fidel Castro talking with China's Premier Li Keqiang, in one of the last pictures taken of Castro before he died, in Havana, Cuba. President Raul Castro said on state television that his older brother died late Friday, Nov. 25, 2016. He was 90. (AP Photo/Alex Castro, File)

(Alex Castro)

President-elect Donald Trump cast Fidel Castro as a "brutal dictator" Saturday, saying he hopes that the former Cuban leader's death will help the country move away from being a "totalitarian island."

Trump, in a statement issued by his presidential transition team following news of Castro's death, condemned the longtime Cuban president and leader of the Communist revolution, who he said leaves a legacy of "firing squads, theft, unimaginable suffering, poverty and the denial of fundamental human rights."

The incoming president added that although that legacy cannot be erased, he's hopeful Castro's death "marks a move away from the horrors endured for too long, and toward a future in which the wonderful Cuban people finally live in the freedom they so richly deserve" -- something on which Trump said his administration will be focused.

"Though the tragedies, deaths and pain caused by Fidel Castro cannot be erased, our administration will do all it can to ensure the Cuban people can finally begin their journey toward prosperity and liberty," he said. "I join the many Cuban Americans who supported me so greatly in the presidential campaign, including the Brigade 2506 Veterans Association that endorsed me, with the hope of one day soon seeing a free Cuba."



Trump's statement came hours after he briefly acknowledged Castro's death on social media.

"Fidel Castro is dead!" he tweeted Saturday morning.

Fidel Castro is dead!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 26, 2016

The president-elect's reaction to the former Cuban leader's passing struck a much harsher tone than that of President Barack Obama.

The outgoing president offered "a hand of friendship to the Cuban people" and underscored his administration's efforts to improve relations between the two countries, in a statement issued Saturday morning.

Obama further argued that "history will record and judge the enormous impact of this singular figure on the people and world around him."

U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Florida, took issue with Obama's statement, calling it "pathetic" and arguing that it fails to mention the "thousands (Castro) killed and imprisoned."

Rubio, meanwhile, called the former Cuban leader "an evil, murderous dictator" cautioning that although he has died, "the dictatorship has not."

He called on Congress and Trump's incoming administration to stand with the Cuban people against what he called "their brutal rulers."

Cuban President Raul Castro announced via state television that his brother died Friday evening at the age of 90.
Le minsitre du Travail va presenter lors de la seance parlementaire du 16 Juillet 2019, deux projet d eloi attendu par la classe syndical et les salaries de Maurice.

The Workers Rights Bill





The Workers Rights Bill (10,7 KiB, 789 hits)

The Employment Relations (Amendment) Bill





The Employment Relations (Amendment) Bill (10,7 KiB, 915 hits)

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Award-winning author Vince Vawter spoke to middle school students at East recently about his book Paperboy, a story that parallels his childhood in the 1960s and the struggles he faced with his stuttering.

Here synopsis from the authors website, vincevawter.com: An 11-year-old boy living in Memphis in 1959 throws the meanest fastball in town, but talking is a whole different ball game. He can barely say a word without stuttering, not even his own name. So when he takes over his best friends paper route for the month of July, he knows hell be forced to communicate with the different customers, including a housewife who drinks too much and a retired merchant marine who seems to know just about everything. The newspaper route poses challenges, but its a run-in with the neighborhood junkman, a bully and thief, that stirs up real troubleand puts the boys life, as well as that of his familys devoted housekeeper, in danger.

Vawter says that many of the situations and characters in Paperboy are based on real people and real situations he faced.

The paperboy one time has to tell a stranger what his name is, and he blocks on the sound that starts his name. He holds his breath and loses his breath and passes out on the porch. That actually happened to me, and more than once, Vawter said to the students.

Other instances he recalls in the book was when he went out to eat at a fancy, Italian restaurant, and somebody makes fun of him causing him to blow spaghetti all over the table, That actually happened, too, Im sorry to say.

Although Vawter still speaks with a stutter that hasnt stopped him from traveling the country talking to students about his book that students can related to no matter the issues they could be dealing with.

I go to a lot of schools, and I know a lot of students dont have speech impediments, but they have other things that are challenging them, he said. I think my message is just dont give up. They see me in front of them still stuttering, but they see I havent given up. I still stutter, but I like to say that I have found my voice.

Vawter fielded many questions from the students who had read the book prior to his visit, and did a reading of the first few paragraphs. As a child, Vawter found comfort in his dads typewriter, a way he could communicate without talking. He writes about this in the book.

I like the sound the typewriter key makes when it smacks the black ribbon because its always the same. I never know what kind of sounds are going to come out of my mouth, if anything happens to come out at all. Just so you know I hate commas, the book reads. I leave them out of my typing any time I think I can get away with it. My composition teacher said a comma meant that it was time for a pause. I pause all the time when Im trying to talk whether I want to or not. Humungous pauses. I would rather type a gazillion ands than one little comma. I type so much in my room that the white letters are wearing off the typewriter keys. But, the key with the comma on it looks brand news, and it can stay that way if you ask me.

Vawter said he just completed a sequel to Paperboy that will be released soon. The book is available for purchase on Amazon and other major retailers. For more information, visit www.vincevawter.com.

BOX: About the author:

Vince Vawter retired after a 40-year career in newspapers, most recently as the president and publisher of the Evansville (Ind.) Courier & Press. He lives with his wife in Louisville, Tenn., on a small farm in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains.

Box: Awards:

 Newbery Honor Award

 ALA-ALSC Notable Childrens Book

 IRA Childrens and Young Adults Choice

 IRA Teachers Choice

 Junior Library Guild Selection

 Bank Street College of Education Best Book of the Year

 National Parenting Publications Award Honor Book

 BookPage Best Childrens Book

 ABC New Voices Pick

 ALA-ALSC Notable Childrens Recording

 ALA-YALSA Amazing Audiobook

 Amazon Best Books of the Year 2013: Ages 9-12
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"Several nursing homes, clinics and NGOs are involved in this racket and whenever babies died while being shifted from one place to another, these traffickers used to bury them in and around the places where they were kept," the CID official said.Between the Baduria and Thakurpukur raids, another two nursing homes were searched in Kolkata city.At the one on College Street, the Criminal Investigation Department police team (CID) also found cash of around 200 US dollars, 2000 Honk Kong dollars, 1200 Euros, 15,000 rupees and gold.CID officials said the arrest of Partha Chatterjee  the owner of Ramkrishna Nursing Home on College Street  was important given he played a key role in coordinating with the Machhlandapur NGO arranging the babies.He has been slapped IPC Sections 369 (kidnapping or abducting child under 10 years with intent to steal from its person), 370 (buying or disposing of any person as a slave), 315 ( act done with intent to prevent child being born alive or to cause it to die after birth) and 120B (criminal conspiracy).Few doctors were also part of the racket. CID sources said the doctors used to receive anything between Rs 60,000-70,000 for each fake document they helped prepare."Whenever there was a need for a baby  dead or alive  to be sent to Baduria, these doctors were contacted and they arranged the babies," claimed a CID officer.The 14th accused to be arrested was Marefa Bibi of Machhlandapur. She helped the main accused Najma Bibi in the dirty work."In all, 15 persons have been arrested and some of them are common to the four operations conducted so far," said Additional Deputy General of CID, Mr Rajesh Kumar. "We are trying to unearth the nexus. But many more nursing homes may be involved," he added.A CID team working on a tip off, raided Purbasha, an old age home with 23 residents at Thakurpukur.On the top floor of the building, they found 10 infant girls, all between the ages of one to 10 months.The space was rented out by the owner of the building. He is being investigated.Police suspect those involved would convince unmarried women to deliver their babies and leave.Married women were shown dead infants and told they had given birth to still born babies, when in fact they had not.The male babies were sold for Rs 2 lakh, while the female babies for Rs 1 lakh.Bodies of two infants dug up at Baduria from a ground adjoining an NGO that is suspected to be involved in the racket.CID sources maintained that besides the three nursing homes at Baduria, Behala and College Street, there are at least five other nursing homes which are under their scanner.Investigators say with this direct evidence, they can now build their case which would have otherwise been difficult unless the real mothers came forward to claim their legitimate babies.CID officials say they might record the statement of some government officials and have already asked for a list of all licensed nursing homes in the state. "We need to prepare a list of the unlicensed nursing homes which indulge in unscrupulous activities," said a source.Cops are also tracing the involvement of political links in the illegal trade.Meanwhile, the police have moved the rescued infants to safety and shifted them to ESI hospital for treatment.Source: Medindia
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Members of the new forum will be from various fields, such as eminent health care providers, engineers from the Indian Institute of Technology (IITs) and nano science researchers, among others, who have been researching on nano science for almost a decade."Apart from providing targeted delivery, nano drugs will also help in lowering the cost as dosage will reduce from milligrams to nanograms with less side effects," Amit Dinda, Secretary of ISNM and Professor of Pathology at AIIMS, told IANS.The society, launched during an event held at the AIIMS will have Professor Y.K. Gupta of AIIMS as the first President of the new forum.He said that though India ranks third in terms of publications on Nano Sciences, it was behind several nations in terms of using it in the field of medicine."Through this we will be able to use nano medicine, bringing all scientists working in the field of nano medicine on one platform," said Dinda.The ISNM will also see collaborations in future with American Society of Nano Medicine and similar societies from other countries as well."We will solve the challenge of patient treatment in various ways through this initiative," he said.According to medical science, Nano particles can help deliver drugs directly to the diseased cells, reducing the damage which other methods like chemotherapy do to healthy cells."The platform will give members an opportunity to closely interact with peers in the field of nano medicine with particular emphasis on the interdisciplinary nature of the contacts between innovators and physicians focusing on clinical application," Dinda noted.According to the government statistics, Rs 2,000 crore has been allocated for research on the use of nano technology.Source: IANS
Movember (or No Shave November) is a movement that originated in 2004, and is all about growing out ones facial hair to raise awareness about health issues no one talks aboutprostate cancer being one of them. It's essentially about celebrating life (and longevity) and how better to do it than being lazy, growing out your beard and looking good while doing so. Because why not?

We spoke to 30 menwho seem to have mastered the art of grooming a good mug-rugon how it's actually done. Read on:

Name: Sahil Salathia

Profession: Actor

 Sahil Salathia

Where are you right now?

On a movie set in Kamalistan in Bombaywhich Im not allowed to talk about, yet!

It's Novemberhow are you feeling, what are you eating, drinking and listening to?

Im feeling festive, eating lots of butter chicken on set, feeling sexy AF in my big boy beard and (obviously) listening to Starboy by The Weekndwhich I feel I have an obsession with...Dont believe me? Just look at my Snapchat and my Instagram stories!

 Sahil Salathia

Tell us about your beard timeline. How long have you been growing it? Any special beard stories:

I've been growing my beard for about two months now. Id like to thank God and, my insanely high testosterone levels for all the excellent facial hair growth. The beard has also earned me some off-duty perksif you know what i mean! (laughs)!

Do you use products? If so, what is your favourite product?

I use beard oils and a very specific beard shampoo from this really cool new brandMoochwala.

How do you maintain your beard? Tell us your daily routine?

I genuinely like to take care of my beard. It's like taking a bath! My beard regime happens every alternate day, followed by a trim once in every two weeks. I think it's important to give it a custom look. Having said that, Ive to keep it rough and rugged for the next four to five months. Because, actor problems!

 Sahil Salathia

Tell us about your beard do's and don'ts...

Do  Oil, wash, dry and finally comb/brush your beardevery alternate day!

Pro-tip: Use castor oil (works like magic) to make your beard look fuller and thicker.

Don't  Skip the beard clean-up regime for more than a week, trust me, that is a just a sign of being unhygienic.

Has growing a full-on beard changed your sense of style. Do you dress differently when you have a full beard?

Not really! I seem to always stick to my basic aesthetics when it comes to fashion. However, a good beard helps to make every damn thing just look better!

One advice for boys trying to grow their beards?

Two words, Castor oil! And patience, growing a kickass beard is not a day's job; it takes time.
If you are aware of the war-torn situation that the Iraq belt is facing, you can very well imagine the plight of the people who were forced to flee their homeland and take refuge in countries that were alien to them. In a world that is losing humanity, the added burden of a large number of refugees is making many host countries uncomfortable. One recent cruel representation of what is happening there was the horrific picture of a Syrian kid which went viral.

 Twitter

A documentary on a Sikh mans efforts titled Selfless Sikh by BBC World News is a heartwarming, beautiful video that depicts how Ravi, a 47-year-old Sikh helps the Yazidi families who are struggling to survive this apocalypse. I think what people need is hope. They have hope that somebody is coming. He also works with an organisation called Gender Center that helps Yazidi women rebuild their lives.

Being a Sikh man, his appearance has often led to him being mistaken as a member of ISIS sometimes, but that doesnt deter him from doing his bit. Every month, he religiously visits them and provides them with basic supplies of daily needs.

 BBC World News

He also spends a lot of time talking with the families. Yes, theres danger. Is it worth for me because its a calling from within. The Sikh community has always been a stellar example when it comes to helping make the world a better place. Ravis personal motto is recognise the whole human race as one.

 BBC World News

Its people like him who restore our faith in humanity at a time when the entire world is losing it by the minute. If only more people had empathy for their fellow beings and did their bit, we would be able to build a better future for ourselves.
Travel isnt just about ditching your regular schedule and running away to some secluded location; we all have different ideas about travelling, but even you would agree with us that most of the time our opinions are dominated by the culture, art and historic significance of the place we are thinking about. But there is a difference between liking a city and getting inspired by it and its a proud moment for our country because two of our beautiful cities, Mumbai and Jodhpur, have made it to the list of worlds most inspiring places.

 Wikimedia

Earlier, people used to love these places, but thanks to this list, we now know that people draw inspiration from them as well. The list has been issued by Travelbird, a celebrated travel agency, which includes 83 cities that inspired people. The judgment was based on parameters like performing arts companies, art schools, art galleries, film industry, music production, startups, romance and museums.

 Wikimedia

Miami has topped the list, followed by Bruges, San Fransisco and Bristol at the second, third and fourth position. The top ten positions are occupied mainly by European cities, thanks to their art and cultural significance. Jodhpur and Mumbai stand 76th and 83rd position. So, what if the two cities dont fall under top 10 or 20, the fact that they have made it to the list is more than enough for us to plan another trip to these two beauties.
Alternate Foreign Minister Giorgos Katrougalos carried out a visit to India (New Delhi, 23-25 November) to co-chair the 7th Greek-Indian Joint Interministerial Committee, have talks with members of the Indian government, and speak at business and academic events.



More specifically, on 23 November, Mr. Katrougalos co-chaired, with the Indian Deputy Minister for Commercial and Industrial Affairs, Rita Teaotia, the 7th Greek-Indian Joint Interministerial Committee. The negotiations covered a large range of sectors in our bilateral relations (economy, transport, investments, tourism, shipping, energy, agriculture, etc.).



During his stay in India, the Alternate Minister also had consultations with the Minister for Commerce and Industry, Nirmala Sitharama, the Minister of State for External Affairs, M. J. Akbar, the Minister of State for Infrastructure, P. Radhakrishnan, the Minister of State for Shipping, M. L. Mandaviya, and the Minister of State for Civil Aviation, Jayant Sihna.



Mr. Katrougalos also set out our countrys positions on a new Europe, in the light of the new global challenges, at an event organized by the Indian Council of World Affairs (23 November).



Mr. Katrougalos was also the keynote speaker at an investment forum hosted by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), in collaboration with Enterprise Greece and the Greek Embassy in New Delhi. At this event, the Alternate Minister presented to Indian investors and entrepreneurs the investment opportunities offered by Greece at the current time.



Finally, at the National Law University of New Delhi, Mr. Katrougalos delivered a lecture on the main goals of a social Europe.



During his visit, Mr. Katrougalos gave interviews to the Indian dailies The Hindu and The Sunday Standard, and to Raja Sabha TV.
The Deputy Foreign Minister for Greeks Abroad, Terens Quick, together with the Greek Egyptians of Athens and Greeks hailing from communities of many African countries, today attended the Divine Liturgy celebrated at St. Athanasios, Metochion of the Patriarchate of Alexandria, in Kypseli.



The liturgy was said by His Beatitude Theodoros II, Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa, who was also celebrating his birthday.



In his statements, Mr. Quick stressed:



The Hellenism of Egypt is one of the most important pillars of the Greek community abroad, all the more so in a country like Egypt, to which we are linked by many things.



I have experienced the Greek Egyptians, both here and in Egypt, as they chart a course contributing to both Greece and Orthodoxy, which is glorified in the Patriarchate of Alexandria, the primate of which is not simply a Patriarch, but also a Missionary.



I have known His Beatitude for many, many years. From the time when he hiked through the vastness of the African continent, doing work that perhaps very few hierarchs can show for themselves.



We agreed with His Beatitude that, in December, together with my colleague Deputy Foreign Minister Ioannis Amanatidis, who is competent for ecclesiastical affairs, we will carry out a visit to the Patriarchate of Alexandria. And with regard to my own portfolio, with His Beatitudes help, given that he knows every square inch of Africa, I will plan a tour of African countries, places where no representative of the Greek government has ever been, very simply to shake the hands of the Greeks -- in some places a handful, in others, more -- who live, endeavour and are wonderful ambassadors of the homeland.


We express our sincere condolences to the people and government of Cuba on the loss of Fidel Castro, an emblematic figure of international politics and a constant, faithful friend of Greece and Cyprus. Fidel Castro will go down in history for his uncompromising and courageous struggle and as a point of reference for every liberation and social movement.


HARBOR BEACH  The Harbor Beach Police Department had been without a formal contract with the city for over four months. At this week's Harbor Beach City Council meeting, a new contract with the police union was approved.

Previously, the city had a contract with the Fraternal Order of Police Union of Michigan (FOP), Harbor Beach Police Employees. That contract officially expired June 30. During the Harbor Beach Administration Committee Meeting on Nov. 14, the contract was discussed in closed session.

The administration committee, comprised of Mayor Gary Booms, Councilman Robert Swartz and Councilman Al Kleinknecth, arrived at a tentative agreement. That agreement was presented to the city council on Monday, and it was approved unanimously.

The new contract will be retroactive to July 1. In part, Harbor Beach police officers (including Chief Todd Bucholtz) will receive a 2 percent wage increase for the first three years of the contract, and 1.5 percent for the last two years.

In addition, the city will place 25 cents per hour into a health insurance savings account for each FOP employee. That figure will increase to 50 cents during the second year of the contract, and it will increase to 75 cents for years three, four and five. Another point of interest in the contract will allow more leeway with holiday scheduling. Previously, days off (earned by working holidays) needed to be taken in a two-week period prior to or after the holiday. That has been adjusted to cover a wider time frame.

The next Harbor Beach City Council Meeting is scheduled for Dec. 5 at 7 p.m. at City Hall.
TUSCOLA COUNTY  Newly elected members to the Almer Charter Township Board and to the Ellington Township Board of Trustees brought a new attitude about wind development.

The two townships held back-to-back special meetings Tuesday at the Tuscola Technology Center, and each made similar motions about slowing down a wind development project in their townships that previous board members had started to put in place.

The meeting was regarding NextEra Energy Resources' plan to develop Tuscola III in the area, which is a $200 million wind-farm project.

During their separate meetings, Ellington and Almer township officials each approved hiring Attorney Mike Homier from Foster Swift Collins & Smith, each township put in place an ordinance imposing a temporary moratorium on wind energy development, and each selection of a planning commission liaison.

According to Ellington Clerk Bobbie Mozden, Homier specializes in handling wind development issues, but his services will not be limited to just wind energy.

"Almer and Ellington townships have thoroughly debated every issue of wind energy for more than a year now. The permit application we submitted for Tuscola III reflects some of the most stringent setbacks and noise regulations of all local ordinances, both current and proposed, and balances the concerns of both participating and non-participating landowners," said Bryan Garner of NextEra Energy Resources.

"The citizens of Almer and Ellington Townships deserve a vote on this project and an opportunity to realize the significant economic and clean energy benefits Tuscola III presents."

Although several members on each board are part of the Ellington - Almer Township Concerned Citizens group, they say they are not against wind development but rather want time to study the issues and review the ordinances.

"Residents have felt they have a very weak wind ordinance and that it was enacted under a conflict of interest. They have fought for change over the past year and have been denied their right to due process," explained Ellington Township Supervisor Russell Speirs about the boards' action.

During the November election, voters replaced four out of five members on the Ellington Township Board - Speirs, Mozden, Carmell Pattullo, and Gregg Campbell.

"The newly elected board put in place a one year moratorium to halt all wind related actions within the township so they can create an ordinance that reflects their desire for health, safety, and welfare," said Speirs. "In doing this, it will give residents their right to due process including a vote if they choose."

Almer Township Clerk Peggy Reavey confirmed her board followed the same action as Ellington, but had not yet set the length of the moratorium.

"The new board members want to slow things down to review all of the information and the ordinances," Reavey said.

New Almer Township members are Trustees Jim Tussey, Art Graff, Jim Rosentangel, and Supervisor James Mantey.

The boards' action is in regard to NextEra Energy Resources proposed $200 million project, Tuscola III Wind Energy Center, which is to build a total of 52 turbines in Almer, Ellington and Fairgrove townships. The company filed for special use permits in those townships in September.

Because the permits have not yet been approved, the process can be slowed down and more review done, explained Mozden.

The delay will not hinder the wind project.

"The wind production tax credit is still available and the timing of approvals won't affect our ability to use the tax credit to provide more affordable power to Michigan ratepayers," said Garner.

In other business during those meetings, Gregg Campbell was appointed as the planning commissions liaison to the Ellington board, and Jim Tussey was appointed as the liaison to the Almer board.

And in Ellington, the township meeting was rescheduled to 7:30 p.m. Dec. 14 because of training scheduled for newly-elected officials.
Zoo bans animal selfies after video bares abuse

From:Shanghai Daily | 2016-11-26 02:46

THE Shanghai Wildlife Park has halted a profitable photo-taking program with tiger cubs after an animal keeper was accused of forcing a cub to pose with visitors and abusing the animal.

A video shot by a tourist surnamed Lin showed a male staffer placing the cub on the lap of a boy, who suddenly pushed the animal away. The cub fell to the ground.

The zoo worker was then shown apparently forcing the cub to pose with other visitors, including hitting its head to open its eyes to pose for shots, online video shows.

But Lin said he was protecting the cub, saying he had to help when the animal fell to the ground.

Lin said the video was unfair, saying zoo workers could not ignore a fallen animal, the Shanghai Morning Post reported.

Lin also said: It is not proper to keep children in close contact with the cubs of fierce animals.

Tourists to the park can choose to have photos taken with cubs of tigers, lions and bears for 30 yuan (US$4.30) per person each time.

The video has triggered much online criticism.

Such a commercial practice of cashing in on animals should be banned and there should be stricter animal protection regulations in China, one netizen said.

The Shanghai Forestry Bureau said it was investigating the incident. The park said it was also checking what happened, but denied any abuse.

Such interactive programs are popular practice in overseas wildlife parks as well, because visitors want to get close to animals, said a park employee surnamed Ni.

The park does not charge for photos, but does accept donations, such as to help buy milk, for which people can have their photo taken.

The national Forestry Administration issued a ban on close contact with wildlife and exploitative shows back in 2010. But the ban is not compulsory and does not mention punishment, hindering its enforcement.
The following companies are subsidiares of PPG Industries: AIPCF V Texstars Blocker Inc., AkzoNobel, Alpha Coating Technologies LLC, Alpha Coatings Inc., Broad Range Development Limited, CG Holdings Manufacturing Co., Centro de Investigacion en Polimeros S.A. de C.V., Chemfil Canada Limited, Chorlton Trade Paints Limited, Comercial Mexicana de Pinturas S.A. de C.V., Comex, Comex Industrial Coatings S.A. de C.V., Consorcio Comex S.A. de C.V., Cristacol S.A., Cuming Microwave Corporation, Deutek SA, Dexmet Corporation, Dexmet Holding Corporation, Distribuidora Kroma S.A. de C.V., EPIC Insurance Co. Ltd., Eberle Design Inc., Empresa Aga S.A. de C.V., Ennis Canadian Holding Company, Ennis Paint Canada ULC, Ennis Paint Netherlands Holdings LLC, Ennis Paint U.K. Holding Company Limited, Ennis Traffic Safety Solutions Pty Ltd, Ennis-Flint, Ennis-Flint Inc., Foshan Bairun Chemicals Co. Ltd., Fpu Industrial S.A. de C.V., Grupo Comex S.A. de C.V., Hemmelrath Automotive Coatings (Jilin) Co. Ltd., Hemmelrath International Trade (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Hodij Coatings B.V., Homax Products, Industria Chimica Reggiana I.C.R. SPA, Johnstones Paints Limited, Kalon Investment Company Limited, Kalon South Africa Proprietary Limited, Karl Woerwag Lack-und Farbenfabrik GmbH & Co. KG, Masterwork Paint, MetoKote Corporation, MetoKote Mexico Holdings Inc., MetoKote UK Limited, MetoKote de Mexico S. de RL de CV, Milamar Coatings LLC, OOO Tikkurila, PPG A P Resinas S.A. de C.V., PPG AC - France SA, PPG ALESCO Automotive Finishes Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., PPG Aerospace Materials (Suzhou) Co. Ltd., PPG Architectural Coatings (Puerto Rico) Inc., PPG Architectural Coatings Canada Inc./PPG Revetements Architecturaux Canada Inc., PPG Architectural Coatings Ireland Limited, PPG Architectural Coatings Italy S.r.l, PPG Architectural Coatings UK Limited, PPG Architectural Finishes Inc., PPG Asian Paints Private Ltd., PPG Business Services S.A. de C.V., PPG COATINGS SINGAPORE PTE. LTD., PPG Canada Inc., PPG Cetelon Lackfabrik GmbH, PPG Cieszyn S.A., PPG Coatings (Hong Kong) Co. Limited, PPG Coatings (Kunshan) Co. Ltd., PPG Coatings (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., PPG Coatings (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., PPG Coatings (Thailand) Co. Ltd., PPG Coatings (Tianjin) Co. Ltd., PPG Coatings (Wuhu) Company Ltd., PPG Coatings (Zhangjiagang) Co. Ltd., PPG Coatings B.V., PPG Coatings Belgium BV, PPG Coatings Danmark A/S, PPG Coatings Deutschland GmbH, PPG Coatings Europe B.V., PPG Coatings Nederland BV, PPG Coatings S.A., PPG Coatings South Africa (Pty) Ltd., PPG DYRUP S.A., PPG Deco Czech a.s., PPG Deco Polska sp. z.o.o., PPG Deco Slovakia s.r.o., PPG Deutschland Business Support GmbH, PPG Deutschland Sales & Services GmbH, PPG Distribution S.A.S., PPG Europe B.V., PPG Finance B.V., PPG Finland Oy, PPG France Business Support S.A.S., PPG France Manufacturing S.A.S., PPG Guadeloupe SAS, PPG Hemmelrath Lackfabrik GmbH, PPG Holdco SAS, PPG Holdings (U.K.) Limited, PPG Holdings Argentina USA LLC, PPG Holdings Latin America USA LLC, PPG Iberica S.A., PPG Iberica Sales & Services S.L., PPG Industrial Coatings B.V., PPG Industrial do Brasil - Tintas E. Vernizes - Ltda., PPG Industries (Korea) Ltd., PPG Industries (Singapore) Pte. Ltd., PPG Industries (UK) Ltd, PPG Industries Argentina S.R.L., PPG Industries Australia PTY Limited A.C.N. 055 500 939, PPG Industries Colombia Ltda., PPG Industries Delfzijl B.V., PPG Industries Europe Sarl, PPG Industries France S.A.S., PPG Industries International Inc., PPG Industries Italia S.r.l., PPG Industries Kimya a Sanayi VE Ticaret AS, PPG Industries LLC, PPG Industries Lackfabrik GmbH, PPG Industries Lipetsk LLC, PPG Industries Middle East FZE, PPG Industries Netherlands B.V., PPG Industries New Zealand Limited, PPG Industries Ohio Inc., PPG Industries Poland Sp. Z.o.o., PPG Industries Securities LLC, PPG Industries de Mexico S.A. de C.V., PPG Investment (Singapore) Pte. Ltd., PPG Italia Business Support S.r.l., PPG Italia Sales & Services S.r.l., PPG Japan Ltd., PPG Kansai Automotive Finishes Canada LP, PPG Kansai Automotive Finishes U.K. LLP, PPG Kansai Automotive Finishes U.S. LLC, PPG Luxembourg Finance S.aR.L., PPG Luxembourg Holdings S.aR.L., PPG Management (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., PPG Packaging Coatings (Suzhou) Co. Ltd., PPG Paints Trading (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., PPG Performance Coatings (Hong Kong) Limited, PPG Powder Coatings (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., PPG Refinish Distribution Limited, PPG Romania S.A., PPG Reunion SAS, PPG SSC Co. Ltd., PPG Switzerland GmbH, PPG Trilak Korlatolt FelelosseguTarasasag (PPG Trilak Kft.), PPG Vietnam Co. Ltd., PRC-DeSoto Australia Pty Ltd., PRC-DeSoto International Inc., PT. PPG Coatings Indonesia, Painter's Supply, Paintzen, Peintures de Paris SAS, Plasticos Envolventes S.A. de C.V., Polymeric Systems Inc., ProCoatings B.V., ProCoatings BV, Protec Pty Ltd, Reno A&E LLC, Revocoat France SAS, Revocoat Holding SAS, Revocoat Iberica SLU, Revocoat S.A.S, Road Infrastructure Investment Holdings Inc., SEM Products Inc., Sealants Europe SAS, Sierracin Corporation, Sierracin/Sylmar Corporation, Sigma Marine & Protective Coatings Holding B.V., SigmaKalon (BC) UK Limited, SigmaKalon Group, Sikar (Shanghai) Trading Co. Ltd., Spraylat International Ltd, Texstars LLC, The Crown Group Co., The Crown Group Inc, The Homax Group, Tikkurila Group, Tikkurila Oyj, Tikkurila Sverige AB, Traffic Safety Intermediate LLC, Traffic Safety Parent LLC, VF Specialty Products LLC, Vanex Inc., Vernisol S.p.A., VersaFlex Acquisition Corp., VersaFlex Inc., VersaFlex Intermediate Holdings LLC, Versaflex, Viasa S.A. de C.V., Whitford, Whitford B.V., Whitford Corporation, Whitford Jiangmen Ltd., Whitford Ltd. (HK), Whitford Ltd. (UK), Whitford Pte. Ltd., Whitford S.r.l., Whitford Worldwide Company LLC, and Worwag Coatings.

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Bright Horizons Family Solutions Inc. provides early education and child care, back-up care, educational advisory, and other workplace solutions services for employers and families. The company operates through three segments: Full Service Center-Based Child Care, Back-Up Care, and Educational Advisory and Other Services. The Full Service Center-Based Child Care segment offers traditional center-based child care and early education, preschool, and elementary education services. The Back-Up Care segment provides center-based back-up child care, in-home child and adult/elder dependent care, school-age camps, virtual tutoring, and self-sourced reimbursed care services through child care centers, school-age campuses, and in-home caregivers, as well as the back-up care network. The Educational Advisory and Other Services segment offers tuition assistance and student loan repayment program administration, workforce education, and related educational consulting services, as well as college admissions advisory services. As of December 31, 2021, it operated 1,014 child care and early education centers in the United States, Puerto Rico, the United Kingdom, Canada, the Netherlands, and India. The company was formerly known as Bright Horizons Solutions Corp. and changed its name to Bright Horizons Family Solutions Inc. in July 2012. Bright Horizons Family Solutions Inc. was founded in 1986 and is headquartered in Newton, Massachusetts.
NextEra Energy, Inc. is the largest electric utility holding company in the US. It operates a network of power generation and distribution facilities that include fossil-fuel-generated and green energy. As of mid-2022, the company was capable of generating 58 GW of electricity with nearly 60% of the load produced by green sources including wind and solar. In their view, going green isnt an option, its the solution. NextEra Energy has been recognized multiple times as a leader in clean energy and ESG practices and was ranked the #1 electric and gas utility on the Forbes list of Most Admired Companies.

The company is the result of several mergers that begin with FPL Group. FPL Group is now a subsidiary of NextEra Energy and the third-largest provider of electricity in the US servicing nearly half of Florida. FPL and its affiliates are the single largest provider of renewable energy generated from wind and sun. The group changed its name in 2010 following a decision to shift focus onto renewable energy sources.

Today, NextEra Energy, Inc through its subsidiary FPL serves about 12 million people in eastern and southwestern Florida. The company employs nearly 14,900 people who service 5.8 million accounts. The company is in business to generate, transmit, and distribute electricity to retail and wholesale clients. Electricity is generated through wind, solar, nuclear, natural gas, and coal-fired facilities.

The company is also engaged in the construction and operation of new facilities, specifically renewable power generation, storage, and delivery facilities, and can offer custom solutions tailored to any need. Offerings include tailored services to assist businesses with their transition to clean energy.

NextEra Energy also owns and operates 7 nuclear power stations in Florida, New Hampshire, and Wisconsin generating power for the wholesale market.

Unlike other companies that are targeting net-zero emissions, NextEra Energy has a plan to reach real zero and is investing heavily to reach that goal by 2045. The company had invested nearly $50 billion in green energy infrastructure and initiatives by mid-2022. The plan is to first work on reducing its own emissions and then take its knowledge and expertise to the world.
EnPro Industries, Inc. engages in the design, development, manufacture, marketing, and service of engineered industrial products in the United States, Europe, and internationally. It operates through three segments: Sealing Technologies, Advanced Surface Technologies, and Engineered Materials. The Sealing Technologies segment offers single-use hygienic seals, tubing, components and assemblies; metallic, non-metallic, and composite material gaskets; compression packing products; hydraulic components; expansion joints; wall penetration products; and dynamic, flange, resilient metal, elastomeric, and custom-engineered mechanical seals for chemical and petrochemical processing, pulp and paper processing, power generation, food and pharmaceutical processing, primary metal manufacturing, mining, water and waste treatment, heavy-duty trucking, aerospace, medical, filtration, and semiconductor fabrication industries. This segment also provides aseptic fluid transfer products for the pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical industries. The Advanced Surface Technologies segment offers cleaning, coating, testing, refurbishment, and verification services for critical components and assemblies used in semiconductor manufacturing equipment, as well as for critical applications in the space, aerospace, and defense markets; and specialized optical filters and thin-film coatings for various applications in the industrial technology, life sciences, and semiconductor markets. The Engineered Materials segment provides self-lubricating, non-rolling, metal polymer, engineered plastics, and fiber reinforced composite bearing products for various applications in the automotive, pharmaceutical, pulp and paper, natural gas, health, power generation, machine tools, air treatment, refining, petrochemical, and general industrial markets. The company was incorporated in 2002 and is headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Shanghai Disney Resort to open retails stores at Hongqiao airport

From:Shanghai Daily | 2016-11-26 02:46

SHANGHAI Disney Resort will open two new retail stores at Hongqiao International Airport in the spring of 2017, the resort announced today.

Both stores will be at the domestic departures of T2 terminal of the airport to allow visitors and travelers bring home merchandise collections more conveniently, according to the resort.

The resort already has a 3,000-square-meter World of Disney Store at Disneytown that includes Marketplace specialty shops and a Spoonful of Sugar confectionery.

With the development of our new stores at Hongqiao Airport, we look forward to bringing this unique experience to more guests traveling to and from Shanghai, said David Koo, director of merchandise at the resort.

It has developed more than 7,000 different merchandise items including Disney apparel, toys, stationery, lifestyle products, collectibles and gifts. It will also update or add new retail products, based on ongoing Chinese consumer research and insights, according to Koo.

The current most popular products at the resort include a Mickey and Minnie themed foldable fleece collection which can be wore or folded into a back cushion. Another bestseller is the Storybook Chocolate Set at the confectionery that candies are packaged into a storybook-shaped box.

The resort will offer more new products soon for the coming Chinese New Year, which falls on January 28 in 2017, the resort said.
Oil States International, Inc. engages in the provision of manufactured products and services used in the drilling, completion, subsea, production and infrastructure sectors of the oil and natural gas industry, as well as in the industrial and military sectors. It operates through the following segments: Well Site Services, Downhole Technologies and Offshore or Manufactured Products. The Well Site Services segment includes a broad range of equipment and services that are used to drill for, establish and maintain the flow of oil and natural gas from a well throughout its life cycle. The Downhole Technologies segment provides oil and gas perforation systems and downhole tools in support of completion, intervention, wireline and abandonment operations. It also designs, manufactures and markets its consumable engineered products to oilfield service as well as exploration and production companies. The Offshore or Manufactured Products segment designs, manufactures, and markets capital equipment utilized on floating production systems, subsea pipeline infrastructure, and offshore drilling rigs and vessels, along with short-cycle and other products. The company was founded in July 1995 an
Citizens Financial Group, Inc. operates as the bank holding company for Citizens Bank, National Association that provides retail and commercial banking products and services to individuals, small businesses, middle-market companies, corporations, and institutions in the United States. The company operates in two segments, Consumer Banking and Commercial Banking. The Consumer Banking segment offers deposit products, mortgage and home equity lending products, credit cards, business loans, wealth management, and investment services; and auto, education, and point-of-sale finance loans, as well as digital deposit products. This segment serves its customers through telephone service centers, as well as through its online and mobile platforms. The Commercial Banking segment provides various financial products and solutions, including lending and leasing, deposit and treasury management services, foreign exchange, and interest rate and commodity risk management solutions, as well as syndicated loans, corporate finance, mergers and acquisitions, and debt and equity capital markets services. This segment serves government banking, not-for-profit, healthcare, technology, professionals, oil and gas, asset finance, franchise finance, asset-based lending, commercial real estate, private equity, and sponsor finance industries. It operates approximately 1,200 branches in 14 states and the District of Columbia; 114 retail and commercial non-branch offices in national markets; and approximately 3,300 automated teller machines. The company was formerly known as RBS Citizens Financial Group, Inc. and changed its name to Citizens Financial Group, Inc. in April 2014. Citizens Financial Group, Inc. was founded in 1828 and is headquartered in Providence, Rhode Island.
University job fairs helping graduates

From:Shanghai Daily | 2016-11-26 03:46

FUDAN University launched a job fair on Friday, which was also the biggest of the about 300 job fairs it has held this semester.

Shanghai Television Station said the expected salaries of fresh graduates is also increasing  to about 7,000 yuan (US$1,010) a month and 10,000 yuan for postgraduates.

The general salary normally increases each year, while some jobs like information technology witnessed higher increase as the whole industry is raising salaries, said Zheng Yanxu, an officer with Shanghai Engineering Cell Therapy Research Center, who attended the job fair. If you dont lift the pay, you cannot attract the talent.

Students learning traditional Chinese medicine are also in a short supply in the job market.

In the job fair of the Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine pharmaceutical companies such as Pfizer and AstraZeneca were joined by personal care products giants like Kao.

Chinese herbal medicine is one of a popular features in personal care products, an unidentified officer with Kao told the television station. Many companies are investing in development in that field. So are we.

The company has set up a Chinese medicine research center.

In addition to local students, those who are studying aboard also came to scout for jobs to secure a position at home.

Sheng Xue, 25, is to graduate from University of Leicester in the UK in January. The advertising major came to the job fair at Shanghai before her graduation ceremony.

Its not easy to get working visa after graduation in the UK, she said, while the advertising industry in China is developing really fast  so it is also a big attraction.

The job fair at Fudan featured nearly 7,000 positions from about 300 companies, and the one at the Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine featured nearly 4000 positions from about 140 companies.
The following companies are subsidiares of NOV: APL France SAS, APL Norway AS, APL do Brasil Ltda., ASEP Otomotiv Sanayi Ticaret Ltd., Acker Holdings LLC, Ackerman Holdings C.V., Ackerman Holdings GP LLC, Advanced Production and Loading, Advanced Wirecloth S. de R.L. de C.V., American Pipe and Construction International, Ameron B.V., Ameron International, Ameron International Corporation, Ameron Pole Products LLC, Ameron Polyplaster Industria E Comercio de Tubos Ltda., Ameron Singapore Holding LLC, Andergauge Limited, Andergauge Redback LLC, Arabian Rig Manufacturing Company, Big Red Tubulars Limited, Bondstrand Ltd., Brandt Oilfield Services (M) Sdn. Bhd., C.M.A. Canavera S.R.L., CJSC Fidmash, CJSC Novmash, Chemineer Inc., Coil Services Middle East LLC, Cooperatie Intelliserv Holding U.A., Cooperatie NOV NL U.A., Danco AS, Elmar Far East Pty Ltd, Enerflow Industries, Environmental Procedures LLC, Fiber Glass Systems (Qingdao) Composite Piping Co. Ltd., Fiber Glass Systems L.P., Fiber Glass Systems Oman L.L.C., Fiberspar, Fiberspar Australia Pty. Ltd., Fibra Ingenieria y Construccion S.A., FidService LLC, Fjords Processing (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Fjords Processing AS, Fjords Processing Australia Pty Ltd, Fjords Processing France SAS, Fjords Processing Korea Co. Ltd., Fjords Processing Limited, Fjords Processing Middle East DMCC, Fjords Processing UK Ltd., Fryma S.a.r.l., GPEX L.P., Grant Prideco (Jiangsu) Drilling Products Co. Ltd, Grant Prideco (Singapore) Pte Ltd, Grant Prideco III C. V., Grant Prideco Inc., Grant Prideco Jersey Limited, Grant Prideco Mauritius Limited, Grant Prideco Netherlands B.V., Grant Prideco PC Composites Holdings LLC, Grant Prideco S. de R.L. de C.V., Grant Prideco de Venezuela S.A., GustoMSC B.V., Hebei Huayouyiji Tuboscope Coating Co. Ltd., Hydralift AmClyde Inc., Hydralift France SAS, Inspecciones y Pruebas No Destructivas S. de R.L. de C.V., IntelliServ Norway AS, Intelliserv GP Holdings LLC, Intelliserv Inc., Intelliserv International Holding Ltd, Intelliserv LLC, JiangYin Tuboscope Tubular Development Co. Ltd, Keystone Tower Systems Inc., MSI Pipe Protection Technologies UK Limited, Merpro Group Limited, Midsund Bruk AS, Mono Group Pension Trustees Limited, Mono Pumps New Zealand Company, Monoflo NOV S.A.I.C., Moyno Inc., NKT Flexibles I/S, NOV (Asia) Inc., NOV (Barbados) Holding SRL, NOV (Barbados) SRL, NOV (Caymans) Ltd., NOV (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., NOV - Oil Services Angola LDA., NOV APL Limited, NOV Africa Pty Ltd, NOV Australia Pty Ltd, NOV Azerbaijan LLC, NOV Brandt Europe France, NOV Brandt Oilfield Services Middle East LLC, NOV CAPS Pte. Ltd., NOV CV1 GP LLC, NOV CV2 GP LLC, NOV Canada ULC, NOV Completion Tools LLC, NOV Completion and Production Solutions Korea Ltd., NOV Denmark Cooperatief U.A., NOV Downhole Argentina LLC, NOV Downhole Bolivia S.R.L., NOV Downhole Colombia LLC, NOV Downhole Comercializacao de Equipamentos para Petroleo Ltda., NOV Downhole Congo LLC, NOV Downhole Eurasia Limited, NOV Downhole Italia S.R.L., NOV Downhole Kazakhstan LLC, NOV Downhole Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., NOV Downhole Pty Ltd, NOV Downhole Thailand LLC, NOV EU Acquisition SNC, NOV Elmar (Middle East) Limited, NOV Eurasia Holding LLC, NOV Expatriate Services Inc., NOV FGS Malaysia Sdn Bhd, NOV FGS Singapore (Pte.) Ltd, NOV Flexibles Equipamentos E Servicos Ltda., NOV Flexibles Holding ApS, NOV Fluid Control B.V., NOV GEO GP LLC, NOV GEO LP1 C.V., NOV GEO LP1 LLC, NOV GEO LP2 C.V., NOV GEO LP2 LLC, NOV Gabon SARL, NOV Germany GmbH, NOV Germany Holding GmbH, NOV Ghana Limited, NOV Grant Prideco Drilling Equipment Manufacturing LLC, NOV Grant Prideco Drilling Products Middle East FZE, NOV Grant Prideco L.L.C., NOV Holding Danmark ApS, NOV Holding Sub UK 1 Limited, NOV Holding UK 1 Limited, NOV Holding UK 2 Limited, NOV Holdings B.V., NOV India Private Limited, NOV Intelliserv UK Limited, NOV International Holdings C.V., NOV International Holdings GP LLC, NOV International Holdings LLC, NOV Intervention & Stimulation Equipment US LLC, NOV Intervention and Stimulation Equipment  Aftermarket Comercio de Equipamentos e Servicos Ltda., NOV Kenya Limited, NOV Kostroma LLC, NOV Kuwait Light & Heavy Equipment Repairing & Maintenance Co., NOV LP (Trading) LLC, NOV MFG India Private Limited, NOV Mexico Holding LLC, NOV Middle East FZCO, NOV Mozambique Limitada, NOV NL Mexico Holding B.V., NOV Oil & Gas Services Egypt (S.A.E), NOV Oil & Gas Services Senegal S.A.R.L., NOV Oil & Gas Services Uganda Limited, NOV Oil and Gas Services Ghana Limited, NOV Oil and Gas Services Namibia (Proprietary) Limited, NOV Oil and Gas Services Nigeria Limited, NOV Oil and Gas Services South Africa (Pty) Limited, NOV Oilfield Services Tanzania Limited, NOV Oilfield Services Vostok LLC, NOV Oilfield Solutions Ltd., NOV Park II B.V., NOV Process & Flow Technologies AS, NOV Process & Flow Technologies Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., NOV Process & Flow Technologies Pte. Ltd., NOV Process & Flow Technologies UK Limited, NOV QFZ LLC, NOV Rig Solutions Pte. Ltd., NOV Romania LLC, NOV Saudi Arabia Co. Ltd., NOV Saudi Arabia Trading Co., NOV Services Ltd., NOV Servicios de Personal Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., NOV Tanajib Kuwait for Services and Maintenance of Oil Rigs Refineries and Petrochemicals W.L.L., NOV Tuboscope Italia S.R.L., NOV Tuboscope Middle East LLC, NOV Tuboscope NL B.V., NOV Tubulars and Connectors Ltd., NOV UK (Angola Acquisitions) Limited, NOV UK Finance Limited, NOV UK Holdings LLC, NOV UK Holdings Limited, NOV UK Korea LP, NOV Wellbore Technologies Norway LLC, NOV Wellbore Technologies do Brasil Equipamentos E Servicos Ltda., NOV Wellsite Services Germany GmbH, NOV Worldwide B.V., NOV-BLM SAS, NOVM Holding LLC, NOW International LLC, NOW Nova Scotia Holdings LLC, NOW Oilfield Services LLC, NQL Holland B.V., National Oilwell (U.K.) Limited, National Oilwell Algerie, National Oilwell Varco (Beijing) Investment Management Co. Ltd., National Oilwell Varco (Thailand) Ltd., National Oilwell Varco Algeria, National Oilwell Varco Almansoori Services, National Oilwell Varco Bahrain WLL, National Oilwell Varco Belgium SA, National Oilwell Varco Denmark I/S, National Oilwell Varco Egypt LLC, National Oilwell Varco Eurasia LLC, National Oilwell Varco Guatemala Limitada, National Oilwell Varco Guyana Inc., National Oilwell Varco Hungary Limited Liability Company, National Oilwell Varco Korea Co. Ltd., National Oilwell Varco L.P., National Oilwell Varco MSW S.A., National Oilwell Varco Mexico S.A. de C.V., National Oilwell Varco Muscat L.L.C., National Oilwell Varco Norway AS, National Oilwell Varco Peru S.R.L., National Oilwell Varco Petroleum Equipment (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., National Oilwell Varco Poland Sp.z.o.o., National Oilwell Varco Pte. Ltd., National Oilwell Varco Rig Equipment Trading (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., National Oilwell Varco Romania S.R.L., National Oilwell Varco Solutions S.A. de C.V., National Oilwell Varco UK Limited, National Oilwell Varco Ukraine LLC, National Oilwell Varco de Bolivia S.R.L., National Oilwell Varco de Chile - Servicios Limitada, National Oilwell Varco do Brasil Ltda., National Oilwell de Venezuela C.A., National-Oilwell Pte. Ltd., National-Oilwell Pty. Ltd., PT Fjords Processing Indonesia, PT H-Tech Oilfield Equipment, PT NOV Oilfield Services, PT National Oilwell Varco, PT PROFAB INDONESIA, Pesaka Inspection Services SDN.BHD., Pipex Limited, Pipex PX Limited, Pridecomex Holding S. de R.L. de C.V., R&M Energy Systems Australia Pty Ltd, R&M Energy Systems de Argentina S.A., R&M Energy Systems de Venezuela C.A., R&M Singapore Holding LLC, RE.MAC.UT. S.r.l., RHI Holding LLC, ReedHycalog International Holding LLC, ReedHycalog L.P., ReedHycalog LLC, ReedHycalog UK Limited, Robannic Overseas Finance A.V.V., Robbins & Myers B.V., Robbins & Myers Foundation, Robbins & Myers GP LLC, Robbins & Myers Holdings LLC, Robbins & Myers Holdings UK Limited, Robbins & Myers Inc, Robbins & Myers Inc., Robbins & Myers Italia S.R.L., Robbins & Myers N.V., Rodic S.A. de C.V., Romaco S.a.r.l., STAR Sudamtex Tubulares S.A., STSA, Screen Manufacturing Company Unlimited, Slip Clutch Systems Limited, South Seas Inspection, Subseaflex Holding ApS, T-3 Energy Preferred Industries Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., T-3 Energy Services Cayman Holdings Ltd., T-3 Energy Services Cayman Ltd., T-3 Energy Services LLC, T-3 Energy Services Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., T-3 Investment Corporation IV, T-3 Mexican Holdings Inc., Telluride Insurance Limited, Tianjin Grant TPCO Drilling Tools Company Limited, Tuboscope & Co. LLC, Tuboscope (Holding U.S.) LLC, Tuboscope Brandt de Venezuela S.A., Tuboscope Norge AS, Tuboscope Vetco (France) SAS, Tuboscope Vetco (Osterreich) GmbH, Tuboscope Vetco Capital Limited, Tuboscope Vetco Moscow CJSC, Tuboscope Vetco de Argentina S.A., Tubular Coatings Solutions Ltd., Tucom Composites Polyester Sanayi Ticaret Ltd., Urban WLY LP, Varco BJ B.V., Varco CIS LLC, Varco International de Venezuela C.A., Varco L.P., Varco US Holdings LLC, Vetco Enterprise GmbH, Vetco Saudi Arabia Ltd., Visible Assets Inc., Wilson International, Woolley Inc., XL Systems Antilles N.V., XL Systems Europe B.V., XL Systems International Inc., voestalpine Tubulars Corporation, voestalpine Tubulars GmbH, and voestalpine Tubulars GmbH & Co KG.

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United Parcel Service, Inc. provides letter and package delivery, transportation, logistics, and related services. It operates through two segments, U.S. Domestic Package and International Package. The U.S. Domestic Package segment offers time-definite delivery of letters, documents, small packages, and palletized freight through air and ground services in the United States. The International Package segment provides guaranteed day and time-definite international shipping services in Europe, the Asia Pacific, Canada and Latin America, the Indian sub-continent, the Middle East, and Africa. This segment offers guaranteed time-definite express options. The company also provides international air and ocean freight forwarding, customs brokerage, distribution and post-sales, and mail and consulting services in approximately 200 countries and territories. In addition, it offers truckload brokerage services; supply chain solutions to the healthcare and life sciences industry; shipping, visibility, and billing technologies; and financial and insurance services. The company operates a fleet of approximately 121,000 package cars, vans, tractors, and motorcycles; and owns 59,000 containers that are used to transport cargo in its aircraft. United Parcel Service, Inc. was founded in 1907 and is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia.
Despite Flipping in Surf 4 Times in a Year, Marines Say New ACV Is the Future of Amphibious Warfare

Some Marine veterans familiar with the vehicle and its operations have worried about the reliability of the ACV.
The Pentagon has pledged a swift and orderly transition to the new administration even as outgoing Defense Secretary Ashton Carter reportedly is moving to sack cyber and intelligence chief Adm. Mike Rogers, who met with President-elect Donald Trump last week.

Carter also has come under fire from the heads of the House and Senate Armed Services Committees, who have warned against any "midnight" moves on personnel and policies intended to freeze in place Obama administration programs before the new team can take over.

At a Pentagon briefing Tuesday, Press Secretary Peter Cook acknowledged that Carter and Director of National Intelligence James Clapper had recommended to President Obama that U.S. Cyber Command and the National Security Agency, both headed by Rogers, be split up.

Cook declined comment on reports that Carter and Clapper wanted Rogers dismissed before the breakup of the agencies.

"I'm not going to discuss any of the private conversations between the secretary of defense and the president of the United States," Cook said while essentially confirming that Carter and Clapper have pushed for splitting up NSA and Cyber Command.

"The secretary has said publicly in the past that it has been worthwhile to look at the structure in place right now to make sure that it is as effective as possible in dealing with the evolving threat this country faces, and that's a review that the president and others have acknowledged as well," Cook said.

Last week, Rogers went to Trump Tower in Manhattan to meet with the president-elect. The Washington Post later reported that Carter and Clapper urged Obama to remove Rogers as the dual-hatted head of Cyber Command and the NSA. Rogers is under consideration by Trump to replace Clapper as director of national intelligence, the Post reported.

Following the Post report, Rep. Devin Nunes, head of the House Intelligence Committee, defended Rogers and said he was considering a hearing on the breakup of the NSA and Cyber Command. "I have been consistently impressed with his leadership and accomplishments," Nunes said of Rogers in a letter to Carter and Clapper.

At the Halifax International Security Forum last weekend, Rogers said, "I'm accountable for my actions" but declined comment on whether he was being pressed to step down.

"I'm not going to go down that road," he said.

Rep. Mac Thornberry, a Texas Republican and chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, and Sen. John McCain, an Arizona Republican and chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, have warned Carter against attempting to make major changes in his last days in office.

In a letter to Carter, McCain said, "I write to urge you to suspend all efforts on the development and implementation of rules and regulations at the Department of Defense that would change long-standing policy, including with regard to military personnel ratings, standards, uniforms, job titles, and related issues.

In a statement, Thornberry said, "I am concerned by press reports that the Obama Administration is considering changing the relationship between U.S. Cyber Command and the National Security Agency, as well as their leadership, on its way out the door. The new administration should have the opportunity to review the situation and to make any decisions."

At the Pentagon briefing, Cook said he did not know whether Carter had seen McCain's letter but added that Carter will continue to "carry out his obligations as secretary of defense, continue to serve this commander in chief, and do what he thinks is appropriate and necessary for the Department of Defense."

Trump's transition team for the Defense Department is being led by retired Army Lt. Gen. Joseph "Keith" Kellogg, a Vietnam veteran who endorsed Trump last summer; Mira Ricardel, a former Boeing executive and former acting assistant secretary of defense for international security policy in the George W. Bush administration; and retired Army Brig. Gen. Michael Meese, an adviser to Gen. David Petraeus in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Meese is the son of Edwin Meese, the former attorney general in the Reagan administration and now a member of the Trump transition team.

-- Richard Sisk can be reached at Richard.Sisk@Military.com.
The first American service member to die fighting the Islamic State in Syria was a decorated and highly experienced Navy explosive ordnance disposal specialist.

Senior Chief Petty Officer Scott Cooper Dayton, 42, died Nov. 24, killed by wounds sustained in an improvised explosive device blast in northern Syria, Navy officials said in a news release. He was assigned to Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit Two, based in Virginia Beach, Virginia.

The blast occurred in the vicinity of Ayn Issa, near the Islamic State stronghold of Raqqa, where U.S. troops are working with local forces to retake the city. Ayn Issa is also about 120 miles east of Aleppo. Dayton had been serving with Combined Joint Task Force-Operation Inherent Resolve, the operation focused on defeating Islamic State militants in Iraq and Syria.

Dayton was from Woodbridge, Virginia, Navy Expeditionary Combat Command spokeswoman Lt. Cmdr. Jennifer Cragg told Military.com. He was an enlisted explosive ordnance disposal warfare specialist and an enlisted surface warfare specialist, officials said.

Dayton had served in the Navy for 23 years, entering service in February 1993. And he had distinguished himself with numerous service awards, including the Bronze Star, Joint Service Commendation Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, and seven Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medals. He had previously deployed twice to Iraq and had earned the Combat Action Ribbon, officials said in the release.

"We offer our deepest condolences and sympathies to the family and friends of Senior Chief Petty Officer Scott Dayton, who made the ultimate sacrifice on a day we set aside time to give thanks for our freedom and to recognize the men and women who defend that right," Rear Adm. Brian Brakke, commander of Navy Expeditionary Combat Command, said in a statement.

The vast majority of U.S. efforts to combat the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria have consisted of airstrikes on strategic targets. While officials continue to maintain there are no U.S. combat troops on the ground in either country, relatively small contingents of U.S. advisers and special operators have been on the ground assisting local forces.

On Thursday, Defense Secretary Ashton Carter offered his condolences at the news of Dayton's death.

"I am deeply saddened by the news on this Thanksgiving Day that one of our brave service members has been killed in Syria while protecting us from the evil of ISIL," he said, using another name for the Islamic State.

Dayton's command and his family were expected to make statements about his death Friday evening, Cragg said.

-- Hope Hodge Seck can be reached at hope.seck@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at@HopeSeck.
Depending on your PT test, the order of swimming may best be determined by where it is in the order of events of that test.
Matthew McConaughey in Gold (2016)

The 1980s story of Detroit's Richard "White Boy Rick" Wershe Jr., an underage FBI informant turned drug dealer, is being made into a Hollywood film -- and not a low-budget one.

According to Deadline Hollywood, A-list Oscar-winning actor Matthew McConaughey, who's appeared in the films "Dallas Buyer's Club," "Magic Mike," "Dazed and Confused," "Interstellar" and dozens more, "is in negotiations" to star in the film as Wershe's father.

The film is listed in pre-production under the working title "White Boy Rick" on IMDB.com, the Internet Movie Database, directed by Yanne Demange, a writer and director from France.

Says the IMDB Description of "White Boy Rick":

The story of teenager, Richard Wershe Jr., who became an undercover informant for the police during the 1980s and was ultimately arrested for drug-trafficking and sentenced to life in prison.

While the film is based on Wershe's true story, it appears creators may take some artistic license.

Deadline Holywood reports McConaughey will play the late Richard Wershe Sr., "a blue-collar factory worker trying to keep his family together as the automotive industry collapses around him in Detroit." In actuality, Weshe's father considered himself an entrepreneur who held multiple various jobs -- none consistently -- and never worked in the auto industry.

Wershe's parents separated before his teenage years and he spent time between his mother's and father's homes.

"The role of Rick has not yet been cast," Vince Wade, a reporter who is authoring a book about Wershe's case, writes in his blog, Informant America. "The film has been in development for several years and it has had multiple screenplay re-writes."

There are multiple unique facets of Wershe's life, case and controversial imprisonment that attracted Hollywood. He began working for the FBI as an undercover informant at age 14, and became increasingly intertwined with Detroit's booming drug scene with help from law enforcement.

"At age 14, Wershe was recruited by the FBI to become a paid informant against the politically-connected Johnnie Curry drug gang on Detroit's east side," writes Wade, who keeps in contact with Wershe in prison. "Johnnie Curry was married to Cathy Volsan Curry, the niece of the late Detroit Mayor Coleman Young.

"Curry enjoyed police protection in the form of intelligence reports and other tips until he and his gang were brought down by the FBI with considerable help from Rick Wershe, Jr."

Wershe says law enforcement stopped using his services and paying him for information after the busts. With the connection he'd made as an informant, he decided to go to the other side and began dealing drugs himself.

When he was 17, police arrested Wershe and charged him with possession and intent to distribute more than 17 pounds of cocaine.

Media gave Wershe the nickname "White Boy Rick," one he's not fond of. LAw enforcement and city officials claimed he was a drug kingpin whose greed destroyed countless lives.

At the time, Michigan had a "650-lifer law," which has since been repealed. It required anyone convicted of possessing more than 650 grams of cocaine be sentenced to automatic life in prison without the change of parole.

Wershe, who was 18 when convicted, has spent nearly 29 years in prison.

City officials, as recently as last year, continued their fight to keep the nonviolent offender in prison.

After being imprisoned, Wershe helped federal agents set up nearly a dozen corrupt Detroit police by orchestrating a drug deal at Coleman A. Young airport.

Police were caught providing protection and transport for a cocaine shipment.

Wershe also gave information that led to the investigation of Gilbert Hill, a Coleman Young insider who once led the Detroit Police Homicide Unit. Wershe claimed Hill helped cover up an accidental child killing that resulted from a drug dealing hit.

Some people brought down in the sting were top government officials with close ties to former Mayor Coleman A. Young. Some people with ties to the Young administration remain in power and their continued battle to keep Wershe locked up is political revenge, Wade believes.

Stemming from Supreme Court rulings, Wershe's sentences was reduced from mandatory life to life with the possibility of parole.

In 2003, Wershe got his one and only chance to argue for release before the Parole Board. Some FBI agents argued on behalf of Wershe, while the Detroit Police Department and Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan -- who was then the Wayne County prosecutor -- actively campaigned to keep him behind bars.

"This is one inmate that needs to remain in prison for his entire life," Duggan wrote in a letter to the Parole Board.

Wershe is expected to argue for release before the Parole Board again in December 2017.
DETROIT, MI - A candlelight vigil is planned Saturday night for fallen Wayne State University Officer Collin Rose.

It is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. in Scripps Park, 3660 Trumbull St., near Grand River and Trumbull avenues, according to information posted on Facebook by neighborhood organizers.

"We just want to, as a neighborhood, come together, show our appreciation," said Lisa Young, who has lived in the Woodbridge neighborhood for more than 20 years and is helping to plan the vigil.

"It is also a loss to our community... we actually knew him. He was a really nice guy."

Participants will join in a procession through the greater neighborhood, the location of the Tuesday shooting that killed Rose, 29, just a few blocks off the Midtown Detroit campus.

Rose died Wednesday, Nov. 23, at a Detroit hospital.

DeAngelo Lamar Davis, 31, of Detroit is accused of shooting him in the head before 7 p.m. Nov. 22, shortly after Rose called for backup while stopping Davis on a bicycle in a section of Detroit that has seen a recent increase in theft from vehicles.

While campus police are tasked with ensuring safety on campus, they also patrol surrounding neighborhoods where students often live, park or walk.

Residents had many interactions with him, Young said. He had been talking to people, trying to get to the bottom of the larceny issue.

Woodbridge is a "different area" of Detroit, a closely-knit group of people who are neighborly and, at times, "overly welcoming."

"It is just the way we are," said Young, 53.

They will not be afraid, she said. "We are not going to sit in our houses and cower behind our windows and let evil take over our streets."

She and others also hope to have a soon-to-be established dog park next to Scripps Park named in Rose's honor.

Rose worked as a dog handler for the university and was involved in the animal rescue community.

He was engaged to be married, graduated from Gull Lake High School northeast of Kalamazoo and previously worked for the nearby Richland Police Department. The police chief there called him an "all American kid" with a big personality and a great smile.
GRAND RAPIDS, MI -- State police Lt. Rob Davis answers readers questions in Ask a Trooper.

Have a traffic question? Email Davis and the troopers at the Lakeview and Rockford posts at AskTpr@michigan.gov

Reader: What is the ACTUAL speed limit on Michigan Interstates? Is it what's posted or what 85% feel is "reasonable and proper" according to their own judgment?

If it's as dictated below, why are speed limit signs necessary at all? If the posted limit is only a traffic engineer's recommendation, shouldn't they be smaller and with a yellow background as they are for curves and access ramps?

I'm tired of a system that had three contradictory definitions of the legal "Speed Limit!" The posted limit, the 85th percentile and the judge in a court room! Somebody needs to come up with an absolute and it needs to be enforced! Period!

I am quoting a published MSP statement from at least two years ago.

"A person operating a vehicle on a highway shall operate that vehicle at a careful and prudent speed not greater than nor less than is reasonable and proper, having due regard to the traffic, surface, and width of the highway and of any other condition then existing. A person shall not operate a vehicle upon a highway at a speed greater than that which will permit a stop within the assured, clear distance ahead."

So if this is what the MSP says the speed limit is.... how could they issue a speeding ticket to someone doing 90 MPH when there's no one 1/2 mile ahead of them on a straight stretch of highway? I consider that to be ample space to stop if necessary and I'm sure the 85% would agree!

Lt. Rob Davis

Rob: The posted speed limit is the absolute speed limit on both Interstates, trunk lines, and secondary roads. The language the reader is referring to comes from the first section of 257.627 (Speed Limitations).

This section is not addressing absolute speed limitations, but limitations based upon existing conditions and circumstances.

So the absolute speed limit on I-96 might be 70mph, but if it is a sheet of ice, then that limit is based upon what is "reasonable and proper."

So it would obviously not be reasonable or proper to drive 70 mph on a roadway that is covered in ice. In practical terms this portion of the law is often used in crash investigation. If you're involved in a crash on that same icy interstate because you lost control and struck another vehicle, you might be cited for "driving too fast for conditions," regardless of your actual speed.

Another example is a rear-end collision where you hit the vehicle in front of you. In this case you might be cited for "failing to stop in an assured clear distance." This is basically saying you were traveling too fast to be able to stop in time, regardless of the posted limit.



Mike: My question is about legalities of dash cam videos as evidence of traffic incidents.

I have a dash cam installed and running continuously as I drive. Should my vehicle be involved in a traffic incident, can the video be used to show proof of fault of the other driver(s)?

Rob: An accident is really like any other investigation and that video would be included in the evidence. Just be aware that if it were a serious accident, we would likely seize it regardless of the circumstances and obtain a search warrant to do so if necessary.

Thanks for the question.

Karen: I was glad to see this article in last Sunday's Chronicle.

I ran into this going North on Henry Street in Muskegon. I was going north and wanted to turn into Russ's so I stayed to the right of the double yellow where the entrance to Meijer and Russ' meet.

Russ' in Muskegon is the large building on the left. Meijer is on the right.

I was sworn at, had horns blown at me and even got the finger.

The worst was the man behind me who roared around me at a high rate of speed making the situation dangerous. Then when the center lane cleared and I could complete my turn an elderly couple pulled up in the middle lane next to me.

I ended up doing a no no, I pulled ahead and carefully went in the exit. When I called the Roosevelt Park police to clarify the law I was told it was OK to use the center line regardless of the double yellow. Could I be ticketed?

Rob: You would likely only be ticketed in an accident situation, where the officer would be determining right of way and thus who is at fault.

Deb: In Kalamazoo on Gull Road around the Sprinkle area, the bike lane is not a separate space, but part of the car traffic lane. It takes up about 1/3 of the lane easily. I haven't really noticed this situation anywhere else in Kalamazoo.

Here's a Google map of Gull Road and Sprinkle Road in Kalamazoo.

Laws were just passed in Kalamazoo about having a 4 foot space between bikes and cars. But this Gull Road situation does not see safe to me.

I am all for bike lanes and sharing, but it looks like this is one wide bike lane and one auto lane in reality. How can this be fixed to a safer situation?

Rob: I took a look at what you're referring to on Google Maps, and you're right that is very narrow with really no shoulder. It that case I would point out your concerns to the Kalamazoo County Road Commission Engineering folks. It's tough for me to give you advice on the 4 foot rule, other than to really slow down if there is a bike and try and get in the other lane. I'll also try to find a person in Kalamazoo to forward this chain.
160219_DragonsMilk_22ERB

The original Dragon's Milk Bourbon Barrel Stout photographed at New Holland Brewing on Friday, Feb. 19, 2016.(Emily Rose Bennett | MLive.com)

(Emily Rose Bennett)

HOLLAND, MI -- Next time you are in Portland or Seattle, there's a good chance you'll be able to order a Dragon's Milk with your meal.

The West Michigan-based New Holland Brewing says it signed a deal to distribute its craft beer and artisan liquor in Oregon and Washington through a new partnership with Columbia Distributing.

The arrangement expands the Holland-based brewery's distribution network to 34 states, and will make New Holland's beers available in the Pacific Northwest at restaurants, pubs and retail locations. The distribution will begin in December with the company's flagship Dragon's Milk, a year-round Bourbon Barrel Stout.



"The Pacific Northwest and beer have a great story together already so we're excited to throw Dragon's Milk into the mix," said Brett VanderKamp, New Holland's co-founder and president. "It's a natural fit and we've had many requests from fans to bring our products to this market, especially since we poured at the Oregon Brewer's Festival this past year."



"We took a fact-finding trip to Michigan and were literally blown away by New Holland," says Jesse Ferber, VP of Craft and Imports at Columbia Distributing. 'Walking into the barrel room was like a religious experience for our craft team. Every employee we met was so proud to be part of the New Holland family and everyone had a story to tell about their favorite beer."



The Northwest is a tough market to break into for non-local craft brewers, Ferber said.

"We've reached the point where just another IPA won't cut it," he said, adding the 80-year-old Portland-based company looked at a number of Midwest brewers over the past year and knew if found a connection after a visit to New Holland.
HOLLAND TOWNSHIP, MI -- The wife of a man shot and killed by an Ottawa County sheriff's deputy said he was battling mental illness.

Police said 43-year-old David Leroy Thelen was shot and killed when he approached a deputy with a large knife and did not obey orders to drop it.

Deputies had responded to Thelen's apartment -- at the Beeline Apartments, 314 Beeline Road -- shortly after 8 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 23 on a medical call. Thelen made the call for help himself.

According to Ottawa County police dispatch traffic, deputies responded at 8:08 p.m. to a report of a 43-year-old man who was "possibly passed out, now awake with abnormal breathing."

At 8:15 p.m., a deputy shouted to dispatchers on his radio: "Shots fired, shots fired, send more cars." Then several seconds later he said "I'm OK. Suspect down."

Thelen's estranged wife, Jennifer Thelen, said Friday via electronic messaging her husband has a mental illness but she did not specify its exact nature.

In an online post, Thelen said her husband forced her to leave their apartment. In mid-October, she reported she had moved back to the Louisville, Kentucky area to be with family.

"He has been dealing with mental illness which he's had most of his life and things became bad with our relationship," Thelen wrote about her husband.

When the shooting happened Wednesday, neighbor Ralph Janssens was standing on his nearby balcony.

He saw a deputy knock on an apartment door and, when it opened, the deputy and an accompanying reserve deputy quickly stepped back several feet.

"I was not at all surprised when they shot him," Janssens said.

He said the man had something in his hand and was approaching the deputies.

"They didn't have any choice," he said. "I'm sorry it happened. Think of what this poor officer has to deal with now."
George Rinsema2

Sgt. George Rinsema, a tank commander during World War II, poses for a photo during the war. (Courtesy photo | U.S.S. Silversides Submarine Museum)

((Courtesy photo | U.S.S. Silversides Submarine Museum)

MUSKEGON, MI -- Sgt. George Rinsema was a tank commander during World War II who saw action in the Battle of the Bulge, fought at the Siegfried Line in Germany and crossed the Rhine.

During 1995, Rinsema revisited his combat route with his sons. One of those sons, Clyde Rinsema, will tell his father's story in a presentation at USS Silversides Submarine Museum at 6 p.m. Monday, Nov. 28.

The event is one of many World War II-related programs at the museum as the country approaches the 75th anniversary of the bombing of Pearl Harbor, Dec. 7, 1941, which launched the United States into World War II.

George Rinsema fought in the European theater of the war. In April 1945, he met with Russian soldiers at the Elbe River in central Germany. Elbe Day, April 25, 1945, was the day that Russian and American troops met in the middle of Germany, having successfully cut the country in half - it was an important step toward the end of the war.

The presentation will include pictures George Rinsema took with a German camera during combat, photos he discovered in a bombed out German home in Hannover, Germany, video related to the Battle of the Bulge, quotes from letters he wrote to loved ones during combat, and anecdotes about people he met in Germany while revisiting his combat route with his sons.

The event is free and open to the public. The museum is located at 1346 Bluff St. in Muskegon.
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A local company plans to grow and hire more employees.

Molded Fiber Glass plans an additional 15,000 to 20,000 square feet of space and to add new machines and equipment. With the added space and equipment, the company plans to hire 20 new employees within three years, according to information from Burke County.

The company currently has 183 workers at its Reep Drive facility in Morganton.

The expansion is expected to increase taxable investment of $8 million, according to the county.

Burke County commissioners could decide at its regular December meeting on whether to approve an economic development incentive for the company based on its expansion plans.

The item is on the commissioners pre-agenda meeting, at which time the board will decide whether to keep it on its agenda for its Dec. 20 regular meeting. If it stays on the agenda for the regular meeting, the board will hold a public hearing on the item before making a decision.

Burke Development Inc. is recommending an economic incentive of 50 percent of new taxable investment over a three-year period, according to information from the county. That would work out to around $27,200 a year, starting with the 2018-19 fiscal year county budget, according to the information.

The commissioners pre-agenda meeting will start at 3 p.m. on Dec. 5 in the county board room of the Burke County Services Building, located at 110 N. Green St., Entrance E, Morganton.
Was this a "change election"? Donald Trump's victory is widely attributed to the public's thirst for something new, which he represented and Hillary Clinton didn't. It would be more accurate to say the outcome stemmed from too much change  which has discombobulated conservatives, as well as liberals.

Trump would be very different from past presidents, and that quality appealed to voters fed up with the status quo. But his supporters were voting for something old. "Make America Great Again" is a cry of nostalgia.

Clinton stood for stability, predictability and caution. So the choice boiled down to "undo all the changes I don't like" vs. "don't change a thing."

The problem is that change, however disruptive, is a defining achievement of our age. The modern capitalist economy is continually adapting to serve the demands of the populace. Material progress and more choices come about through the creation of new methods and new products that make old ones obsolete.

The 20th-century economist Joseph Schumpeter called this phenomenon "creative destruction," which he argued is "the essential fact about capitalism." It has become the essential fact about modern life, indispensable to the rising living standards that Americans expect. But it carries a price: No one is guaranteed that life will forever remain as it is.

Trump ran well, we are told, among working-class whites who have seen the industries that once employed them shrink or vanish. Both he and Clinton, as well as Democratic insurgent Bernie Sanders, cultivated these voters by turning against international trade. But most of the upheaval in our industrial landscape has not been caused by foreign competition.

By one measure, total employment, American manufacturing has wasted away. Since 2000, 5 million jobs have disappeared. But U.S. manufacturing output is 15 percent higher now than it was then and nearly double what it was in 1987.

A lot of automaking jobs have moved not to Mexico but to Tennessee and South Carolina. A lot of coal mining jobs in Appalachia have been lost to natural gas fracking operations in Texas.

But politicians act as though well-paying jobs should be tenured perches. That can't be the case in a healthy, dynamic economy  not with blue-collar jobs and not with white-collar ones.

Law was once a lifetime ticket to a high income. Not anymore. Law firms are shedding partners, and the Bureau of Labor Statistics says lawyers can expect to see more price competition, more tasks going to paralegals and some work being outsourced overseas. The number of people working at newspapers has been slashed by 38 percent in the past decade. A century ago, 1 in 3 Americans worked on farms. Today, it's 1 in 50.

Change is something to navigate, not something to obstruct. Our lives are easier, better and longer than those of generations past, and those achievements have been built on the ruins of defunct businesses and occupations. I would prefer that people get their news on printed pages, but my preferences hold no sway with readers who like electronic transmission.

Remember video stores? Economist Mark J. Perry of the conservative American Enterprise Institute notes that in 1999, they employed 170,000 people. Good luck finding one now.

But the ubiquity and familiarity of change don't make it less a source of anxiety. And the endless transformation extends to the realms of culture, religion and family life, where it's also often unwelcome.

The resistance comes in different forms among different people. Conservative whites feel besieged by immigrants, whose language and customs are sometimes jarringly alien. Liberals and minorities in places such as San Francisco and Brooklyn resent gentrification and rising housing prices, which remake the neighborhoods they call home.

Nostalgia for the 1950s and '60s is common across the political spectrum. Working-class whites remember them as an era when high-wage factory jobs were plentiful and the culture was less open to exotic influences. Liberals fondly recall that inequality was moderate, unions thrived and people still believed in government. Conservatives miss the low crime rate, sturdy families and cultural uniformity. (Blacks, women and Latinos: Your memories may vary.)

It may be normal to cherish fond memories of the good old days, but for better or worse, they can't be resurrected, and it's a fraud for political leaders to pretend they can. Anyone who wants to stop or roll back the tide of change picked the wrong century in which to be born.

Steve Chapman blogs at www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/chapman. Follow him on Twitter @SteveChapman13 or at www.facebook.com/stevechapman13. To find out more about Chapman, visit www.creators.com.
Israelis voted on Tuesday for an unprecedented fifth time in four years to break the political impasse that has paralysed the country.
Les emplois a Rennes sont abondants et varies. Il y a quelque chose pour tout le monde. Que vous soyez a la recherche dun emploi []
Les blattes ou cafards (Blatta orientalis) sont des insectes qui appartiennent a la famille des Blattoptera. Ils se caracterisent par leur forme allongee, leurs ailes []
New members inducted into Institute of ...
A Winter Storm Warning remains in effect for the Sierra Nevada through 4 PM Sunday.

According to the National Weather Service, snow levels will continue to remain around 3,000 feet.

Several inches of total snow accumulation is expected above 3,000 feet. Half a foot to a foot-and-a-half of snow is likely above 5,000 feet.

Snowfall rates from one to three inches per hour are possible during the overnight hours. In addition to the snow, breezy to gusty winds may cause white out conditions at times.

A Winter Storm Warning means severe winter weather conditions are expected or are occurring. Significant amounts of snow are forecast that will make travel dangerous. Only travel in an emergency. If you must travel, keep an extra flashlight, food, and water in your vehicle in case of an emergency.
Saturday morning at La Terasita restaurant on Columbus Drive in Tampa was buzzing with news of Fidel Castros death.

Fidel Castro died Friday, according to reports



Local Cuban community had a mixed, though mostly relieved, reaction

Tampa Mayor spoke released a statement



"Today is a great day for the Cuban people who have to emigrate thanks to the regime thats been there for almost half a century, Ed Mendoza, who came to the U.S. in 1996, said.

The restaurant is full of regulars who fled the Castro regime.

"We came over in 1966 with the Freedom Flights and were basically looking for religious, political freedom and we found it in this country, Gabriel Font said.

But there were also some differing opinions in the restaurant.

"I never had any problems, political problems with Fidel, or his brother or the Cuban government, Osmani Larralde said.

A few miles away, Casa Cuba held its own celebration. The group played the drums, waved flags and chanted about the possibility of a free Cuba without Fidel Castro.

"He not only destroyed the economy, but he separated family, killed many people and divided a nation, Retired U.S. Army Colonel Orlando Rodriguez said.

Rodriguez was one of the Cuban exiles who fought in the Bay of Pigs. He was captured and imprisoned for nearly two years. When the U.S. rescued Rodriguez, he joined the Army, serving in the Vietnam War and retiring in 1990.

This is the best country in the world, Rodriguez said.

Rodriguez said he hopes Cuba can now become a better, freer country.

Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn also issued a statement on the death of Fidel Castro:

"As one of the birthplaces of Cuban independence in the late 1800's, Tampa has long and storied history with the island of Cuba and its people. Generations of Cubans have helped to build this amazing city and we are forever grateful for their contributions. Many arrived in our City fleeing the totalitarian policies of the Castro government with nothing more that the shirts on their backs and a yearning for freedom. They have never strayed from the belief that one day Cuba would again be free. The passing of Fidel Castro offers hope that one day the Cuban people will enjoy the benefits of a free and democratic society."
Former Cuban President Fidel Castro died Friday evening at the age of 90.

Castro led a rebel army to improbable victory in Cuba in 1959, embraced Soviet-style communism and defied the power of 10 U.S. presidents during his half century rule.

Former Cuban leader, Fidel Castro, dies at age 90

Castro led Cuba for half a century

He gained power in 1959

"Socialism or death" remained Castro's rallying cry even as Western-style democracy swept the globe and other communist regimes in China and Vietnam embraced capitalism, leaving this island of 11 million people an economically crippled Marxist curiosity.

In 2008, Castro handed over the presidency to his younger brother, Raul Castro, due to health reasons.

Many U.S. politicians issued statements on the passing of Fidel Castro.

Sen. Bill Nelson wrote:

Now that Fidel is gone, the U.S. should continue to press hard against his brother Raul and continue to take steps to support the Cuban people until he provides basic rights and freedoms to all the people of Cuba. In the meantime, the new Trump administration should continue the policy of opening travel and communication with Cuba.

Florida Gov. Rick Scott said:

I join Cuban-Americans and Floridians across the country who are incredibly hopeful for the future of Cuba. After decades of oppression, the Cuban people deserve freedom, peace and democracy. I have met so many Cubans who have come to Florida to flee the tyranny, brutality, and communism of the Castro brothers oppressive regime and now is the time to look at policy changes that will demand democracy in Cuba. Todays news should usher in an era of freedom, peace and human dignity for everyone in Cuba and the State of Florida stands ready to assist in that mission. I spoke to President-elect Trump this morning to let him know that the State of Florida will help his administration in any way to support a pro-democracy movement in Cuba.

Some even said that 'history will remember Fidel Castro as an evil, murderous dictator.'

Sen. Marco Rubio sent a statement saying:

"Fidel Castro seized power promising to bring freedom and prosperity to Cuba, but his communist regime turned it into an impoverished island prison. Over six decades, millions of Cubans were forced to flee their own country, and those accused of opposing the regime were routinely jailed and even killed.

Sadly, Fidel Castro's death does not mean freedom for the Cuban people or justice for the democratic activists, religious leaders, and political opponents he and his brother have jailed and persecuted. The dictator has died, but the dictatorship has not. And one thing is clear, history will not absolve Fidel Castro; it will remember him as an evil, murderous dictator who inflicted misery and suffering on his own people.

The future of Cuba ultimately remains in the hands of the Cuban people, and now more than ever Congress and the new administration must stand with them against their brutal rulers and support their struggle for freedom and basic human rights.

President-elect Trump also issued a statement on the passing of Fidel Castro:

"Today, the world marks the passing of a brutal dictator who oppressed his own people for nearly six decades. Fidel Castros legacy is one of firing squads, theft, unimaginable suffering, poverty and the denial of fundamental human rights.

"While Cuba remains a totalitarian island, it is my hope that today marks a move away from the horrors endured for too long, and toward a future in which the wonderful Cuban people finally live in the freedom they so richly deserve.

"Though the tragedies, deaths and pain caused by Fidel Castro cannot be erased, our administration will do all it can to ensure the Cuban people can finally begin their journey toward prosperity and liberty. I join the many Cuban Americans who supported me so greatly in the presidential campaign, including the Brigade 2506 Veterans Association that endorsed me, with the hope of one day soon seeing a free Cuba."

U.S. President Barrack Obama extended a hand of friendship to the Cuban people:

"At this time of Fidel Castros passing, we extend a hand of friendship to the Cuban people. We know that this moment fills Cubans - in Cuba and in the United States - with powerful emotions, recalling the countless ways in which Fidel Castro altered the course of individual lives, families, and of the Cuban nation. History will record and judge the enormous impact of this singular figure on the people and world around him.

For nearly six decades, the relationship between the United States and Cuba was marked by discord and profound political disagreements. During my presidency, we have worked hard to put the past behind us, pursuing a future in which the relationship between our two countries is defined not by our differences but by the many things that we share as neighbors and friends - bonds of family, culture, commerce, and common humanity. This engagement includes the contributions of Cuban Americans, who have done so much for our country and who care deeply about their loved ones in Cuba.

Today, we offer condolences to Fidel Castro's family, and our thoughts and prayers are with the Cuban people. In the days ahead, they will recall the past and also look to the future. As they do, the Cuban people must know that they have a friend and partner in the United States of America."
For the physicians, nurses and staff of Covenant Health Plainview, its considered a great honor to provide for the healthcare needs of our community and our area neighbors.

Over the last several years, Covenant Health Plainview has strived to provide the most compassionate care available, and has invested in bringing only the best and advanced healthcare capabilities to anyone who crosses our doorways.

We strive for excellence. We want only to provide the best care available to anyone who comes into one of our facilities. Whether that is a patient coming in for a routine checkup or someone being rushed into our Trauma IV rated Emergency Department, said Covenant Health Plainview CEO Bob Copland.

And it seems that dedication has not gone unnoticed, as the community recently voted to give Plainviews hospital 18 awards in this years Plainview Herald Readers Choice contest; including best hospital in the area, best walk-in clinic, best urgent care, best radiology, best physical therapy and best place to work.

Thats just amazing, said Copeland. We are very grateful for the support of the community and the area. We take great pride in what we do here and will continue grow and improve to meet the areas medical needs.

Copeland praised the hard work of the Covenant Plainview family which earned the Gold honors for the hospital.

Covenant Plainviews rapid and advanced critical emergency team made the ER department a shoe-in for the Gold Medal in Urgent Care.

For the first year in several years, Covenant Plainviews Radiology Department, an actual Pink Ribbon facility, earned a Gold Medal, while the dedicated team of the physical therapy department also took a Gold Medal in assisting patients to regain their mobility.

The Covenant Healthcare Center, located at 2222 West 24th St., earned a Gold Medal for best walk-in clinic. Healthcare providers at the clinic include Family Medicine with Obstetrics physician David L. Wright, D.O.; Ruth K. Rector-Wright, D.O., Family Medicine with Pediatrics; Charles Smith, D.O. Obstetrics and Gynecology, Jessica Charest, M.D. Obstetrics and Gynecology; and Sandra B. Rivera, FNP-C.

Winning Readers Choice Gold Awards also included physicians Sergio Lara, M.D. for Best Internal Medicine; Kevin Jones, D.O. for Best Cardiologist; Benjamin Farr, D.O. was named Best Surgeon; Charles Smith as Best OB/GYN.

Registered nurse and emergency services manager Kendra Guerra won gold for Best Nurse while Sally Bird, FNP-C took Best Nurse Practitioner and Louisa Padilla won Plainviews Best Administrative Assistant.

Earning Readers Choice Silver Awards were Dr. David Wright for Best Family Practitioner and Best OB/GYN while Ruth Rector-Wright was named Best Pediatrician. Ilhan Yildiz, M.D. was named Best Surgeon in the silver division and Sandra B. Rivera, FNP-C, took Best Nurse Practitioner in the division.
A woman was killed Friday morning when a fire considered suspicious by police ripped through her home in San Mateo, officials said.

The three-alarm blaze at the house in the 1500 block of Oak Street was reported at 4:39 a.m. by a newspaper delivery person passing by, officials said. When firefighters got to the scene, heavy smoke was coming from the eaves of the house, and within seconds flames were shooting from the attic and roof, officials said.
San Jose police initiated an investigation after a mosque in the city received a letter threatening that President-elect Donald Trump will do to you Muslims what Hitler did to the Jews.

Leaders of two mosques in Southern California, the Long Beach Islamic Center and the Islamic Center of Claremont, said Saturday they received the same letter. All of the messages were signed by Americans for a Better Way.

Authorities in San Jose were alerted to the letter Thursday night after the imam at the Evergreen Islamic Center on Ruby Avenue found it in the mail. The letter called the recipients children of Satan and vile and filthy people.

Investigators are treating it as a hate-motivated incident, said Sgt. Enrique Garcia, spokesman for the San Jose Police Department.

Theres a new sheriff in town  President Donald Trump, the letter said. Hes going to cleanse America and make it shine again. And, hes going to start with you Muslims.

Peter Fimrite / The Chronicle / /

You Muslims would be wise to pack your bags, the note continued.

Faisal Yazadi, president of the mosques board of directors, said he hoped the letters sender would engage in a conversation with their community.

Our doors are never locked, he said. I hope that person knows that were more than happy to have a dialogue. Hopefully, we learn a thing or two from him or her, and he or she learns something from us.

Despite never having previously dealt with such an incident at the mosque, Yazadi said the outpouring of support from Police Chief Eddie Garcia, city officials, neighbors, a Catholic bishop and the NAACP made him feel unfazed by the hateful letter.

Without their support I dont think Id be talking to you so strongly now, he said.

But Tarek Mohamed, chairman of the Long Beach mosque, said the situation warranted the involvement of the FBI. He said the letter sender probably isnt stable but we dont want to leave anything to chances.

The local police is limited by the city, Mohamed said. If we have mosques being threatened across the state, its not a local thing. We need some higher authority to investigate.

Police in Signal Hill, where the Long Beach mosque is located, didnt immediately respond to requests for comment. Officials at the Pomona Police Department said Saturday they hadnt received a report about the letter sent to the Claremont mosque.

The anti-Muslim message comes amid a local and national rise in hate crimes. In San Francisco, police have seen a 10 percent increase in crimes motivated by racism, sexism and other prejudices. After the election, California attorney general and incoming U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris sent a bulletin to police agencies outlining laws surrounding hate crimes because of the statewide uptick.

Zahra Billoo, executive director of the Bay Area chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, said Trumps campaign promises and rhetoric made some of his supporters feel validated in their Islamophobic views. Billoo said she was grateful for the fast police response in San Jose over the holiday weekend and that the letter was just words, rather than violence.

In some ways its a threat from the individual, she said. But in other ways it attempts to threaten the community through the power of the presidency.

Kimberly Veklerov is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: kveklerov@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @kveklerov
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SAN ANTONIO  One man is dead and at least one other hospitalized from gunshot wounds early Saturday morning at multiple scenes on the Northwest Side that police say may be connected.

Police found a male with non-life-threatening gunshot wounds at around 2 a.m. after a shooting in the parking lot of Vanity Factory, in the 2800 block of NW Loop 410, according to a sergeant on scene.
President Barack Obama wont explicitly say that Donald Trump is on the wrong side of history, but surely he believes it.

The president basically thinks anyone who gets in his way is transgressing the larger forces of history with a capital H. In 2008, he declared John McCain on the wrong side of history right now (the right now was a generous touch  allowing for the possibility that McCain might get right with History at some future date).

Obama has returned to this phrase and argument obsessively. It is deeply embedded in his, and the larger progressive, mind  and indirectly contributed to the lefts catastrophic defeat Nov. 8.

The notion that History takes sides is a distant cousin to the Marxoid idea that we are on an inevitable path to socialism, and borrows heavily from the (genuine and very hard-won) moral capital of the abolitionists and civil-rights movement. Obama likes to quote Martin Luther King Jr. for the proposition that the arc of the moral universe bends toward justice. Whoever is considered on the wrong side of history by the left is always loosely associated with slavery and Jim Crow.

This means that progressives wield History as a weapon, and make it an occasion for constant self-congratulation. But there is a downside in the accompanying sense of smug inevitability that is off-putting at best and blinkered and self-deluding at worst.

For the left, History is not a vast, unpredictable, untameable force but has all the characteristics of a stereotypical Whole Foods shopper. History reads The Huffington Post and follows Lena Dunham on Twitter. It really cares whether transgender people get to use the appropriate bathroom. History was probably hanging out at the Javits Center on election night, and collapsed into a puddle of tears right around the time Wisconsin was called.

The political dangers of this point of view should be obvious:

It assumes that certain classes of people are retrograde. Why would Democrats bother to try to appeal to working-class white voters if they are stamped with the disapproval of History?

It becomes a warrant for all manner of overreach. History evidently favored trying to get nuns to sign up for contraceptives and forcing small business to bake cakes for gay weddings.

And, if History is thought to have an ascendant electoral coalition (and a hell of a data operation), it creates an unjustified sense of political inevitably. This is what the theorists of the emerging Democratic majority, and most pundits on the left, bought into.

All that said, the evidence was pretty good for the proposition that welfare-state programs, once ensconced, could never be reversed and therefore must enjoy the approval of History. This assumption pervaded the Obamacare debate. Sen. Harry Reid lambasted Republicans for not joining us on the right side of history and compared them  of course  to defenders of slavery.

In retrospect, History might not have been so enamored of sprawling legislation based on faulty economic premises. When Republicans pass a repeal bill, it will constitute the most significant rollback of the welfare state ever.

Another progressive assumption is that the nation-state is bound to decline, as supranational institutions like the European Union grow and cross-border migrations increase. In a trip to Germany in April, Obama deemed Angela Merkels policy of welcoming a massive wave of migrants as on the right side of history. Never mind that its recklessness has caused a backlash that is still brewing. Obama believed the same of his own latitudinarian views on immigration, apparently never imagining people might consider it progress to tighten our borders rather than render them more porous.

Now, a president who so confidently associated himself and his cause with the tide of the future has presided over a political wipeout that will send much of his legacy into the dustbin. If nothing else, History has a keen sense of humor.

comments.lowry@nationalreview.com
President-elect Donald Trumps 10-point immigration plan, outlined in Phoenix, Arizona, on Aug. 31, reads like a page out of the alt-right playbook. The speech was a glimpse of what immigrant communities can look forward to in a Trump administration.

Moreover, the hiring of Stephen Bannon as a senior White House adviser and Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach as a top adviser on immigration makes it clear that the alt-right and its policies will have a voice in the Trump White House.

These developments have left many immigrant families restless and fearful of what Jan. 21 holds for them.

But instead of assuming what a Trump administration might do, lets review what it can do when it comes to immigration policy.

Immigration law, for the most part, is settled law. The current iteration of the Immigration and Nationality Act, or INA, however, was adopted to restrict immigration, not to welcome immigrants. And the act gives a Trump administration great latitude to have a significant impact on the immigration system.

The media focus on the plight of the 11 million undocumented immigrants in the United States, but there are an estimated 13.3 million legal permanent residents and millions of other immigrants in the United States under one of the many visa categories.

The Trump administrations musings on deporting 2 million to 3 million criminal immigrants and creating a national registry do not just affect the undocumented but millions of legal permanent residents and other visa holders. The INA already has the mechanisms in place to implement both policies as soon as the Trump administration takes office on day one.

The criminals-first policy has been the cornerstone of the Obama administrations immigration policy since it took office eight years ago. However, from news reports and interviews with the president-elect, it seems that the soon-to-be occupant of the White House has his sights on defining criminal much more broadly.

A Trump administration would expand the Secure Communities program so that any immigrant, legal or undocumented, who has contact with local law enforcement will be subject to removal from the United States. The expansion of the Secure Communities program effectively turns local law enforcement agencies into an immigration deportation force.

The criminals-first policy places in jeopardy millions of green card and visa holders, who at some point in their lives were detained, arrested, cited and convicted of minor infractions, paid their debt to society and are now, many years and sometimes decades later, subjected to detention and removal from the United States.

The criminals-first policy is not just about undocumented immigrants but any immigrant in the United States.

Currently, the most vulnerable are not part of the criminals-first policy. The most vulnerable are the Dreamers. Although the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, program was a godsend for many undocumented immigrant children brought to the United States at a young age, it could become a nightmare under a Trump administration.

DACA is a registration system for more than 700,000 undocumented immigrants.

Because the program is based on an executive order, the new administration can rescind the order without informing the beneficiaries. Once rescinded, DACA recipients are subject to immediate removal. It is a cheap way for hundreds of thousands of undocumented immigrants to be placed in removal proceedings and subsequently deported.

Why is this cheap? Because the government does not have to detain these individuals  it simply mails them a notice that they are now in immigration proceedings. Moreover, DACA recipients presumably have no other relief from deportation.

The proposed registration system announced by several Trump administration advisers on several major news outlets recently is another immigration policy that can be immediately implemented. In fact, it was already in place under the name National Security Entry-Exit Registration System, or NSEERS.

NSEERS creates a registry of immigrants who come from what President-elect Trump termed countries with a history of exporting terrorism. The program was mothballed in 2011 by the Department of Homeland Security under significant criticism by civil and human rights groups because it targeted individuals based solely on their national origin or religion. The constitutionality of the program was challenged but never found unconstitutional by federal appeals courts. The program is ripe for revival under a Trump White House, and it looks like Trump advisers are looking to bring back NSEERS.

But immigrant communities shouldnt panic. Instead, they should plan.

Immigrants, undocumented or documented, who have had some contact with law enforcement in the past must be aware of their rights. Organizations such as the ACLU, American Immigration Council, Dreamers United and Migration Policy Institute have created videos and electronic media to teach immigrants about their rights.

Immigrants who face criminal charges should consult or hire an attorney with an immigration law and criminal law background.

Immigrants with a green card should consult an immigration attorney and seek advice on becoming a U.S. citizen.

Immigrants without legal status should seek advice from immigration attorneys on the qualifications for legal status or protection from removal.

All immigrant families must create a plan, like a disaster survival plan, to be ready when law enforcement authorities detain a member of the family.

In the plan, families should include resources to pay attorneys and/or immigration bonds, plans for U.S.-born children to stay with other family members and/or friends, and enough resources for the family to survive without a primary breadwinner.

Immigration lawyers are not appointed by the courts, so immigrant families face a significant financial impact when faced with deportation.

The Stanford Law Schools Immigrants Rights Clinic and the Northern California Collaborative for Immigrant Justice released a study in October 2014. They found that detained immigrants who are represented by attorneys are three times more likely to prevail in their removal cases than those not represented by counsel.

It is important for immigrant families to plan for this financial impact before it happens because it can become the difference between staying in the United States and being deported.

Having this knowledge and planning can calm the fears and lay a foundation to protect the immigrant community and address the challenges it will face under a Trump presidency.

On the international front, President-elect Trump has called for an outright ban on immigrants from countries with a history of exporting terrorism. Because our immigration system relies heavily on discretion, a Trump administration can stop the flow of immigrants without any legal recourse.

Consular officers in foreign countries have wide discretion to approve visa applications. The consular officers determination is not subject to judicial review or legal challenges. Consequently, a Trump White House could systemically deny visas for specific individuals unilaterally without review or recourse from those seeking a visa.

This makes the outright ban of Muslims a great possibility. Only international pressure or retaliation through reciprocal actions against U.S. citizens may prevent the implementation of such a ban.

These are immigration policies that a Trump administration can immediately effect without congressional input and despite the countrys support for immigrants and their families.

Through planning and education, immigrant communities can minimize the impact a Trump presidency will have on their lives.

Juan R. Gonzalez is a criminal and immigration attorney with Eric M. Bernal & Associates of San Antonio.
A landmark U.S. Surgeon General report labels substance addiction a public health crisis that has killed 500,000 Americans through overdoses since 2000.

The key words here are public health. Yes, these addictions continue to sap U.S. resources in costs related to crime, lost work productivity and health care  to the tune of $417 billion annually. But addictions occur not because users are willfully defying social norms or are intent on being criminals.

Addiction is a disease of the brain, every bit as much as diabetes and other maladies are diseases of the body, the report confirms. And it is treatable, with new therapies coming online.

Nonetheless, only 1 in 10 alcohol and substance abusers receive specialized treatment. Imagine that rate of treatment for, say, those with diabetes or cancer. There would be no public tolerance for it.

Substance abuse  including for alcohol  is closely linked with mental illness. Yet Mental Health America ranks Texas 46th in the nation in access to mental health treatment.

Texas does, however, have a relatively high number of facilities for substance abuse treatment, according to the federal government. But eight other states, only one with a larger population, have more facilities. Texas, the nations second most populous state, has nearly 70 percent of Californias population, but the Golden State has 3.7 times the facilities, according to 2010 figures, the latest available. Clearly, there are unmet needs in Texas.

As many people in the nation suffer from substance abuse  20.8 million  as suffer from diabetes, and that number is far more than those who have cancer. Nearly 66 million people reported binge drinking in the past month. Thats a quarter of the U.S. adult and adolescent population.

Heres one reason its happening.

Our health care system has not given the same level of attention to substance use disorders as it has to other health concerns that affect similar numbers of people, the report says. Substance use disorder treatment in the United States remains largely segregated from the rest of health care and serves only a fraction of those in need of treatment.

Other contributors, aside from access related to lack of facilities or insurance (another category in which Texas leads), are shame, discrimination, and lack of screening for misuse and abuse. Moreover, according to the report, more than 40 percent of those who know they have a drug or alcohol problem dont want to quit.

Substance abuse can hijack brain circuits, making it a health condition, not just a work or crime problem. In other words, use disrupts the ability to control and avoid. It is not a matter of weakness. We know this intuitively, but the science on it is even firmer.

U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, who says this issue is a moral test for America, has done the nation a valuable service with this report. Now, Texas and the rest of the nation must step up to improve access and change the culture surrounding substance abuse.

This means, says the report, adopting an evidence-based public health approach. It can start with more government-funded or -aided awareness and prevention programs, and continue on to treatment and rehabilitation.

Public health has not been the approach the U.S. has adopted when it comes to drugs. We are generally in an interdict-and-punish mode. Stopping drugs from getting to U.S. users does have merit. However, consider if there were a diminished U.S. market altogether because this country treated addiction as a disease and abuse as a preventable phenomenon.

There is no call for legalization of drugs in this report or this editorial. It is a call to give the issue more nuance and to move the front lines beyond law enforcement to family doctors, neighborhood clinics and treatment.

A moral test, indeed. But also a matter of necessity.
An exercise in stepping into other shoes. If you voted against Donald Trump, take all that anxiety youre feeling and then multiply by 100. No, 1,000. Were talking crippling anxiety.

Thats how young immigrants who took advantage of the presidents Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program  DACA  are feeling about now. Their guts are in knots. Their minds are fevered with worry. They are looking around and wondering, why do you hate me? They are feeling betrayed. They were.

This country threw them a lifeline. Trump has promised to draw it up, while also pledging to deport all 11 million or so undocumented immigrants in the country but winnowing this to 2 million to 3 million recently. Just the criminals, he says, but a number so high that it is sure to ensnare others.

But heres why if you are a DACA participant, you should chill just a bit. Meet Carolina Canizales, 26, of San Antonio and Enrique Chavira, 22, of Austin. They are a couple of DACA beneficiaries who are working for Dreamers rights.

Canizales is pursuing her masters degree at the University of Texas at San Antonio and worked for United We Dream, an organization representing the interests of so-called Dreamers, people who were brought here as children by undocumented immigrant parents. She was brought to this country at the age of 9, with her sister, by their mother. They were fleeing the violence rampant at that time in Monterrey, Mexico. Her mother was a housekeeper in Alamo Heights, and thats where Canizales grew up and went to school.

Chavira came to this country, also from Monterrey, when he was 6. He grew up in Waco. After graduating from Texas A&M, he attended St. Marys University School of Law for a time but had to quit to make a living. He works in an Austin law office that practices immigration law. His dream is helping people like him and his family. Thats what he does in this law office.

Their advice: If your DACA papers are expiring, apply to renew them. If you havent applied, hold off. Let the dust settle.

Understand, its totally reasonable to have all those fears. After all, if youve applied for DACA, youre now on a federal list. But Canizales and Chavira say whatever Trump is going to do will take time. In the meantime, they and others like them will be strategizing  and resisting.

People such as Canizales and Chavira are why that kind of resistance is necessary.

They are good people, and this is pretty much the only country they know. They want it to live up to its ideals and not punish young people for the alleged immigration sins of fathers and mothers. They counsel calm and patience, but each acknowledges that their emotions have been on roller coasters.

The Nov. 8 election promises to undo whatever measure of normalcy theyve been able to reach by being allowed drivers licenses and not being forced to work for pay under the table. You know, items most of us take for granted.

On election night, Chavira and Canizales watched the votes come in and their hearts sank. We woke up to a world we didnt know existed, Canizales said, I didnt want to believe there was so much hate in this country.

I wanted to cry, said Chavira. That turned to anger when he discovered that a cousin  at one time undocumented and who he accompanied to his naturalization  voted for Trump. Betrayal by strangers is one thing, by family another.

He told Facebook friends, if you voted for Trump, were done. I will literally blame you as I am being deported.

Heres what Canizales said she will tell people who admit to voting for Trump but insist they are not bigots.

I dont think you can split a person in pieces, she said. Its about values at the end of the day and values cant be split either. You have them or you dont.

The Rev. Jesse Jackson came to see the Editorial Board on Nov. 18. He urged forgiveness  but not forgetfulness. Here are a couple of other nuggets from him.

They won the battle, but not the war. If youre drowning dont stop kicking. I remain determined to keep fighting.

Chavira and Canizales are in accord with Jackson  both pledge to continue fighting for immigration fairness. We all should. Make that anxiety work for something. Keep on kicking because the water is getting deep.
Government will soon unveil higher denominations of money to bring convenience to the transacting public but has to do so with caution to avoid inflationary pressures, Secretary for Finance and Economic Development, Mr George Guvamatanga has said.

He said some coins and bond notes will gradually be withdrawn from circulation when Government ultimately introduce higher denominations.

Mr Guvamatanga said this today while responding to questions from journalists during a media briefing in Harare that was organised by Finance and Economic Development Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube.

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The ruling Zanu PF party has won a parliamentary by-election in the Midlands province amid claims of politically-motivated violence by the opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC).

The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission declared Zanu PF candidate, Spencer Tshuma, winner of the Gokwe-Kabuyini parliamentary seat after polling 10,777 votes against CCCs Costin Muguti, who got 4,800 votes.

ZEC did not address CCCs claims of electoral fraud fueled by violence allegedly perpetrated by the ruling party.

Tafadzwa Mugwadi, Zanu PFs information and communications director, said the win indicated that President Emmerson Mnangagwas government is doing people-oriented programs.

But CCCs spokesperson, Fadzayi Mahere, said in a tweet, This is not victory. Its electoral theft. We thank the thousands of brave citizens in Gokwe who voted for change. Weve engaged the region & international community over the escalation of political violence. Security of the vote & voter are integral for 2023.

CCC leader, Nelson Chamisa, also said in a tweet, A SALUTE TO BRAVE CITIZENS & CHANGE CHAMPIONS IN GOKWE KABUYUNIThis was a good fight, a learning moment and its a process. Were doing well against all odds. We continue excelling. We must deal with fear, forced voting, and abuse of traditional leaders. We will WIN BIG! #fakapressure.

A SALUTE TO BRAVE CITIZENS & CHANGE CHAMPIONS IN GOKWE KABUYUNI..This was a good fight, a learning moment and its a process. Were doing well against all odds.We continue excelling.We must deal with fear,forced voting,abuse of traditional leaders.We will WIN BIG! #fakapressure pic.twitter.com/3fEO4AADmC  nelson chamisa (@nelsonchamisa) August 28, 2022

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Yves here. As indicated in Links, well have more to say about this in due course. Note, however, that as Blumenthal points out, some of the sites that are listed as PropOrNot allies receive US government funding. As Mark Ames pointed out via e-mail, The law is still clear that US State Dept money and probably BBG money cannot be used to propagandize American audiences. So if these sites really are allies in terms of providing hard dollars or other forms of support (shared staff, research), this site and its allies may be in violation of US statutes.

By Max Blumenthal, a senior editor of the Grayzone Project at AlterNet, and the award-winning author of Goliath and Republican Gomorrah. His most recent book is The 51 Day War: Ruin and Resistance in Gaza. Follow him on Twitter at @MaxBlumenthal. Originally published at Alternet

A shady website that claims Russia is Manipulating US Opinion Through Online Propaganda has compiled a blacklist of websites its anonymous authors accuse of pushing fake news and Russian propaganda. The blacklist includes over 200 outlets, from the right-wing Drudge Report and Russian government-funded Russia Today, to Wikileaks and an array of marginal conspiracy and far-right sites. The blacklist also includes some of the flagship publications of the progressive left, including Truthdig, Counterpunch, Truthout, Naked Capitalism, and the Black Agenda Report, a leftist African-American opinion hub that is critical of the liberal black political establishment.

Called PropOrNot, the blacklisting organization was described by the Washington Posts Craig Timberg as a nonpartisan collection of researchers with foreign policy, military and technology backgrounds. The Washington Post agreed to preserve the anonymity of the groups director on the grounds that exposure could result in their being targeted by Russias legions of skilled hackers. The Post failed to explain what methods PropOrNot relied on to conclude that stories planted or promoted by the Russian disinformation campaign were viewed more than 213 million times. (Timberg also cited a report co-authored by Aaron Weisburg, founder of the one-man anti-Palestinian Internet Haganah operation, who has been accused of interfering in federal investigations, stealing the personal information of anarchists, online harassment, and fabricating information to smear his targets.)

Despite the Washington Posts charitable description of PropOrNot as a group of independent-minded researchers dedicated to protecting the integrity of American democracy, the shadowy group bears many of the qualities of the red enemies it claims to be battling. In addition to its blacklist of Russian dupes, it lists a collection of outlets funded by the U.S. State Department, NATO and assorted tech and weapons companies as allies. PropOrNots methodology is so shabby it is able to peg widely read outlets like Naked Capitalism, a leading left-wing financial news blog, as Russian propaganda operations.

Though the supposed experts behind PropOrNot remain unknown, the site has been granted a veneer of credibility thanks to the Washington Post, and journalists from the New York Times, including deputy Washington editor Jonathan Weissman to former Obama senior advisor Dan Pfeiffer, are hailing Timbergs story as Pulitzer-level journalism. Russia appears to have successfully hacked American democracy, declared Sahil Kapur, the senior political reporter for Bloomberg. The dead-enders of Hillary Clintons campaign for president have also seized on PropOrNots claims as proof that the election was rigged, with Clinton confidant and Center For American Progress president Neera Tanden declaring, Wake up people, as she blasted out the Washington Post article on Russian black ops.

PropOrNots malicious agenda is clearly spelled out on its website. While denying McCarthyite intentions, the group is openly attempting to compel formal investigations by the U.S. government, because the kind of folks who make propaganda for brutal authoritarian oligarchies are often involved in a wide range of bad business. The group also seeks to brand major progressive politics sites (and a number of prominent right-wing opinion outlets) as gray fake-media propaganda outlets influenced or directly operated by Russias Federal Security Service (FSB). It can then compel Facebook and Google to ban them, denying them the ad revenue they rely on to survive.

Though PropOrNots hidden authors claim, we do not reach our conclusions lightly, the groups methodology leaves more than enough room to smear an outlet on political grounds. Among the criteria PropOrNot identifies as clear signs of Russian propaganda are, Support for policies like Brexit, and the breakup of the EU and Eurozone and, Opposition to Ukrainian resistance to Russia and Syrian resistance to Assad.

By these standards, any outlet that raises the alarm about the considerable presence of extreme right-wing elements among the post-Maidan Ukrainian government or that questions the Western- and Saudi-funded campaign for regime change in Syria can be designated a Russia dupe or a paid agent of the FSB. Indeed, while admitting that they have no idea whether any of the outlets they blacklisted are being paid by Russian intelligence or are even aware they are spreading Russian propaganda, PropOrNots authors concluded that any outlets that have met their highly politicized criteria have effectively become tools of the Russian intelligence services, and are worthy of further investigation.

Among the most ironic characteristics of PropOrNot is its claim to be defending journalistic integrity, a rigorous adherence to the facts, and most of all, a sense of political levity. In fact, the groups own literature reflects a deeply paranoid view of Russia and the outside world. According to PropOrNots website, Russia is staging a hostile takeover of Americas alternative online media environment in order to Make Russia Great Again (as a new Eurasian empire stretching from Dublin to Vladisvostok), on the other. That means preserving Russian allies like Bashar al-Assad in Syria, breaking up the globalist EU, NATO, and US-aligned trade and defense organizations, and getting countries to join Eurasianist Russian equivalents Or else.

The message is clear: Stamp out the websites blacklisted by PropOrNot,or submit to the malevolent influence of Putins new global empire.

Among the websites listed by PropOrNot as allies are a number of groups funded by the U.S. government or NATO. They include InterpreterMag, an anti-Russian media monitoring blog funded through Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, an arm of the U.S. government, which is edited by the hardline neoconservative Michael Weiss. Polygraph Fact Check, another project of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty aimed at Russian misinformation, is listed as an ally. So is Bellingcat, the crowdsourced military analysis blog run by Elliot Higgins through the Atlantic Council, which receives funding from the U.S. State Department, various Gulf monarchies and the weapons industry. (Bellingcat is directly funded by Google, according to Higgins.)

Unfortunately for PropOrNots mysterious authors, an alliance requires the consent of all parties involved. Alerted to his designation on the website, Bellingcats Higgins immediately disavowed it: Just want to note I hadnt heard of Propornot before the WP piece and never gave permission to them to call Bellingcat allies,' he wrote.

As scrutiny of PropOrNot increases, its credibility is rapidly unraveling. But that has not stopped Beltway media wiseguys and Democratic political operatives from hyping its claims. Fake news and Russian propaganda have become the great post-election moral panic, a creeping Sharia-style conspiracy theory for shell-shocked liberals. Hoping to punish the dark foreign forces they blame for rigging the election, many of these insiders have latched onto a McCarthyite campaign that calls for government investigations of a wide array of alternative media outlets. In this case, the medicine might be worse than the disease.
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The Washington Post fakes so much news, the paper had to give back a Pulitzer Prize due to extreme journalism FRAUD

The Washington Post only discredits itself by invoking hilarious conspiracy theories everyone knows are completely fabricated

You are reading the REAL PRESS in America: Sites like Natural News (and hundreds of other independent, honest, high-integrity truth news sites

Almost everything the Washington Post calls a LIE is the TRUTH. Anything they insist is TRUE is probably a LIE...

When truth becomes "lies" and lies are proclaimed as "facts," you're living in 1984...

(NaturalNews) I had to interrupt my high-level meeting with Vladamir Putin to bring you this breaking story: According to the Washington Post,to overthrow America's journalism with Russian propaganda.Read the astonishing accusation via The Gateway Pundit All News Pipeline or the Washington Times . The original story from WashPost is at this link . Already, even Glenn Greenwald from the Intercept is calling the WashPost a horrific example of shoddy, shady journalism.Even more astonishing, according to the Washington Post,, achieving a position of total media dominance required to overrun the "truth" reported by the NYT, WashPost and CNN in order toYep, this is the new desperate theory from the dying "lamestream media" that has lost all credibility (and most of its readers). Myself, Alex Jones, Matt Drudge and a few dozen other people now control all information in America, you're being told, andto spread completely false lies about Hillary Clinton (because she's actually a really, really nice person in excellence health, didn't you know?).This might be a good opportunity to point out thatawarded to its celebrated reporter named Janet Cooke because she completely fabricated an award-winning story about a young heroin addict . As explained at Breitbart.com , another news site the WashPost accuses of being "fake":Maybe the Washington Post will now win a replacement Pulitzer Prize for its phenomenal fabrication of this story on how "the Russians" are running Natural News! Can I please attend the ceremony? Because I'd sure like to share a word of thanks from Vladamir Putin, my inside source on most of our breaking stories.The upshot is that almost no one believes anything the Washington Post prints anymore, and it's stories like these that drive home the obvious fact thaton any subject at all. (Seriously, the Washington Post has become the National Enquirer, and the National Enquirer has become what used to be the Washington Post...)As Zero Hedge reports The Washington Post goes on to laughably claim that pro-America websites that fought to publish the truth about Hillary Clinton's long history of criminal activity were part of an "online echo chamber" functioning as "part of the [Russian] propaganda campaign."Because, you see, the left-wing "lamestream media" is NOT an echo chamber of Hillary Clinton talking points, we've been told. Nope, even though the Washington Post, New York Times, USA Today, CNN and MSNBC-- and they all say almost exactly the same thing every day, using almost identical words and phrases, they are not an "echo chamber" at all, you see.So then, all these videos which demonstratemust be fakes too then, right?Note that, using the exact same words and phrases. That's because they are not centrally controlled like the WashPost, NYT, CNN, etc.That's why. The dying "lamestream media" has nearly reached the point of irrelevancy, grasping at desperate conspiracy theories to childishly attempt to discredit their competition. What's next from the WashPost, stories of Natural News(Oh yeah, my editorial department is run by little green men, I forgot to mention that... they work really well alongside the Russian spies, too...)The most astonishing part about all this is the realization that, having been dominated by independent media which they now desperately label "fake media" because they don't like the truths we're reporting."None of it is fake," writes Kelly Riddell of the Washington Times . "[We're] merely doing the job the mainstream media refuses to do."She goes on to explain:We have now reached the point in America. The lamestream media, in other words, is now invoking tin foil hat conspiracy theories becauseNobody trusts the mainstream media anymore other than gullible, hypnotized leftists who live in "the Bubble."Orwell was right:The Washington Post is pushing lies as truth while attacking the truth because they don't like inconvenient facts. Prepare to see every information source that does not push the delusional lies of the state relentlessly attacked, censored and discredited.It's all part of the revolution of awakening, my friends. There's no surprise in all this. The globalists are losing control and they're lashing out like the Terminator after he was dropped into that massive vat of molten metal. Here's what the mainstream media looks like right this minute:Oh, and don't forget how thecompletely fabricated its entire college campus "rape" story, either. When you're ready to read the REAL news, use GoodGopher.com , the #1 independent news search engine (use it for research, updates, citations and more).
(NaturalNews) A recent report from The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) in Canada has suggested that the northern nation should restrict access to high-dose opioids in order to curb their opioid epidemic.Across the globe, opioid addiction is becoming an increasingly prevalent problem. The opioid epidemic reaches well beyond American soil  Canada is no exception. CTV News reports that addiction to prescription opioids increased by 70 percent in the seven years between 2004 and 2011.Canada's Federal Health Minister Dr. Jane Philpott commented,"There's a very serious concern across the country about opioids and the escalating numbers of opioid overdoses and deaths."The new report from the CAMH outlines many of the suspected forces driving the epidemic. For example, the agency notes that a lack of education among medical practitioners likely has contributed to the crisis, and the failure of government-funded initiatives means little relief has been provided.One particular instance stands out as being particularly short-sighted. The report highlights the Ontario government's brilliant idea to remove OxyContin from drug plans. This endeavor led to the rise of prescriptions for other drugs, such as fentanyl  which is up to 100 times stronger than morphine and has been linked to a number of deaths across the country.CAMH stated in their report, "When opioid policy targets only particular opioids or formulations, use patterns may simply shift, with targeted opioids merely replaced by others."The report further noted, "Events of the past few years serve to illustrate one of the key challenges of opioid policy: unless it addresses all opioids, use patterns may simply shift without a reduction in harm  or harms may even increase. Solving the opioid crisis will necessarily require reducing the availability of prescription opioids."Some Canadian provinces have already begun restricting access to high-dose opiates such as fentanyl and morphine by removing them from the Ontario Drug Benefit program, with the exception of their use in palliative care. Philpott, however, is calling for a more evidence-based approach to curbing opioid abuse. Removing the drugs, after all, hasbeen shown to just push addicts to abusing new substances. Philpott stated, "The response to the crisis needs to be comprehensive. There's no single solution that's going to solve it."New Canadian guidelines for opioids are expected to be unveiled some time in 2017, but until then, the government is suggesting that the nation's healthcare practitioners follow the CDC's current guidelines, which specify that opioids should not be the first line of treatment for pain, unless it is cancer-related.Of course, the CDC guidelines have done very little for preventing opioid abuse in America. Opioid drugs cause more deaths in America than heroin. Prescriptions for opioids tripled in 20 years; in 2011, doctors wrote over 219 million prescriptions for these powerful drugs. Pain clinics, which at one time supposedly existed to help people, sprouted up all across the country. These little clinics have been dubbed "pill mills" for a good reason; they have ravaged the United States. There are almost 5,000 pain clinics nation-wide. South Florida has been widely considered to be the "pill mill" capital of the US, but in the last few years, things have changed. A CDC report of data from 2014 revealed that West Virginia had the highest rate of drug overdose death in the country, and one of the highest rates of opioid prescription, only bested by Alabama and Tennessee. And following Florida's crackdown on pill mills, the state has since seen a dramatic increase in heroin use . There has got to be a better way, don't you think?A recent study, showed that states that provide access to medical cannabis were associated with significantly lower opioid overdose mortality rates. States with medical marijuana laws also exhibited an almost 25 percent lower average of annual opioid overdose deaths than states without laws. Some users report that using medical marijuana has even helped them overcome their addiction to opiates. Perhaps medicinal plants like cannabis could pave the way for a better future.
The nanny state hikes taxes and tells you how to live

Big government deciding how you should live your life is tyranny

(NaturalNews) When you surrender all of your healthcare decisions to the state, you lose more than just the freedom to choose your own treatments and care options . You also lose your freedom to live the lifestyle you choose, even if it isn't the healthiest lifestyle of all.As reported by the BBC, Britain's socialized medicine establishment is considering a ban on all sugary drinks , especially soda, because of the health problems they can lead to. And since taxpayers fund the National Health Service and pay for most healthcare, bureaucrats who run the NHS are only trying to make the best use of scarce funds.But that will require some major loss of freedoms.At present, the NHS is only asking staff and the general public about whether or not to ban or impose a tax on any sugary drinks sold in hospitals. Understand, however, that if this camel gets its nose under the tent, a wider ban will follow.Chief executive Simon Stevens has said he wants the NHS to set a health example, and to "practise what we preach." He also said that trials at four NHS hospitals show that other options could work. Trials and consultation will continue until Jan. 18, 2017.If a plan is enacted, it would make England the first country in the world to take such a dramatic measure.In addition to sodas, other sugary drinks under consideration include fruit juices, sweetened milk-based drinks and sweetened coffees.If the tax idea is approved instead of the outright ban, officials with NHS say a 20 percent hike on sugary drinks may raise between $26 million and $50 million extra per year. Those proceeds would be put back into patient charities and "health and wellbeing programmes," in order to keep the NHS's 1.3 million employees fit.So, in other words, British citizens would be paying to keep government workers healthier, but everyone would suffer the loss of a lifestyle choice. But again, that's what happens when you turn your life over to government; bureaucrats get to impose "solutions" to problems.And sugary drinks cause health problems, without question; no one who is serious is denying that. As Stevens noted, "Confronted by rising obesity, type 2 diabetes and child dental decay, it's time for the NHS to practise what we preach."Continuing, he said that by putting the increased taxes back into staff health and patient charities, "these proposals are a genuine win-win opportunity to both improve health and cut future illness cost burdens for the NHS."That's true. But a ban will hurt others as well.The British soft drink industry, for instance, is none too pleased with this trend of banning or taxing their products. "It's hard to see how a ban on soft drinks can be justified given that the sector has led the way in reducing consumers' sugar intake  down by over 17% since 2012," said Gavin Partington of the British Soft Drinks Association.He added that the industry last year set a goal of reducing calories in soft drinks 20 percent by 2020. "Given that the government is looking to introduce a soft drinks tax in 2018 it seems slightly odd that another public body wishes to duplicate this process," Partington noted.As stated earlier, there is no question that sugary soft drinks cause a host of health problems  obesity being the biggest one, with a number of health issues stemming from that.But liberty-minded people who are otherwise paying their own way should also be free enough to decide for themselves how they want to live. If that's the kind of lifestyle they choose, and they are paying their own way, so be it. Teach them what you can about eating better and more healthily and hope that it helps.These choices are made for you, however, when you hand over all control to a government body. That's not freedom, that's tyranny  even if decisions are supposedly made in your best interests. First a soda ban to "save money," and then ... what's next?
Losing power and influence, the fakestream media no longer commands audience or respect

Nothing left but to concoct a fable about why it is now irrelevant

The alternative media has ripped power away from the fakestream media

(NaturalNews) There is a saying often misattributed to Mahatma Gandhi that goes, "First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win."This quote, which most likely was derived from a speech given by union leader Nicholas Klein in 1914, perfectly sums up the current state of relations between the so-called 'mainstream media' and alternative media.All throughout the latest presidential campaign cycle, the titans of the Fourth Estate  self-absorbed, self-anointed and self-serving  completely whiffed its outcome. Assuring anyone who would watch or tune in that the election was in the bag for Hillary Clinton, they dismissed Trump as a buffoon, an imbecile, a lout, a womanizer, a racist, a bigot, a homophobe and a tax cheat.The fakestream media, as it is now called, skewed polls, skewed coverage and did its best to shield Clinton from obvious conflicts of interest and [alleged] criminality.. In fact, all of the Trump-bashing may have actually helped him sail to victory, given that the public's trust in the media is at an all-time low The fakestream media was wrong about everything. They predicted a 98 percent chance Clinton would win. They predicted she'd win 323 electoral votes (she has 232).They predicted she'd win all of the "battleground states." She didn't. In fact, Trump won nearly all of them  including the mostly blue states of Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin  to seal the deal.The fakestream media said Trump's pledge to build a border wall and enforce immigration laws  which it called "racist"  would doom him with Hispanics and even blacks. He brought in more than the 2012 GOP candidate , Mitt Romney.They said his raunchy comments would doom him with women. It didn't And so on.Meanwhile, the 'alternative' media  sites like ours, the Drudge Report, Zero Hedge, Infowars, and more  reported the truth about Trump and his campaign, did not go out of our way to slime or smear him, and was accurate in our portrayal of all aspects of the campaign  not just those we wanted our readers to see. Some of us even predicted a Trump victory How did the fakestream media react? With disbelief. With shock. With anger. With head-shaking.And also with ridiculous conspiracy theories about how news sites like ours were actually working with the Russians to spread propaganda and "fake news."Not even kidding. Enter theIn a story it actually expects readers to believe , the Post published baseless allegations using 'anonymous' sources and supposed "independent research" organizations to actually claim that we and about 200 other news sites are part of some massive conspiracy hatched in Moscow to steal the election from Clinton and hand Trump a victory.Understand that if anyone is guilty of creating and spreading fake news,. Long infiltrated by the CIA, as one of the Post's last real reporters, Carl Bernstein, uncovered in the late 1970s , the establishment press has been whoring itself out for every single Democratic and Left-wing cause for decades.But as this election has proven, despite going all-in for Clinton,. So what does that tell you now about the so-called power of the mainstream media ? It tells us thatas trusted, powerful and reliable purveyors of news andThe fakestream has completely lost control over the country's various political narratives. It's no longer driven by the Post, The New York Times, the LA Times, CNN, ABC, NBC, CBS, MSNBC and the rest of the far-left media cabal. In fact, if you can sit through a typical political news show on Sunday morning or weekday evenings on the various cable channels, you will find that none of the hosts and so-called "experts" actually talk to the American people. They only talk to. They pontificate about "the American people believe this" or "the American people will do that," but in the end, as this election has proven,We're not supposed to be sitting here today talking about "President-elect Trump" picking his Cabinet. We're supposed to be joyously celebrating the landslide election of the first female president, awaiting her coronation with bated breath, ready to elevate her to "queen" status before her shoo-in reelection in four years.And of course, the fakestream media was supposed to be driving these narratives. Instead, they are left to sulk, whine about the Electoral College and fabricate stories about how the Russians stole our election and our democracy  without explaining why Vladimir Putin hates Clinton but loves Trump.But it's all making this perfectly clear: The former 'mainstream media' no longer wields the power in the Fourth Estate. By being clear, diverse and accurate, we in the "alternative" press have become the powerful new mainstream. And don't forget, you can always access these truth sites via GoodGopher.com
New York Times: Castro a "savior"

Donald Trump gets it right: Castro was a "brutal dictator" who brought misery and suffering to millions

Left-wing media "journalists" really do worship totalitarian communist dictators... and they hope to turn America into a communist stronghold

Reader comments explain reality far better than any left-wing "journalist"

(NaturalNews) Fidel Castro, now dead at 90, was a communist tyrant who oppressed his people, ordered the deaths of his political enemies, and turned Cuba into such a human hell that tens of thousands of his own citizens risked their lives to flee the island nation in search of freedom.Today, thousands of Cuban exiles who fled Castro's tyranny took to the streets in Miami to celebrate a world without Castro, reports the Miami Herald:But members of the so-called "lamestream media" -- NYT, WashPost, CNN, MSNBC and so on--, fawning over his tyrannical rule, dishing out heaps of praise for his "accomplishments."In doing so, the commie-loving members of the lamestream mediawho pose a real danger to the freedoms and liberties of America.The New York Times , whose owner recently announced he would get the paper back to reporting accurate news after a year and a half of fabricating false accusations against Donald Trump, practically assignedto Castro, praising his defiance of the USA and describing him as a "savior" to the Cuban people. (Yes, the New York Times is run by communist sympathizers who genuinely hate liberty and who hope to turn the United States into a larger version of Cuba, run by a female tyrant like Hillary Clinton.) Newsbusters compiled several more gushing love-fest comments about Castro from the left-wing media in the United States, quoting the "journalists" who even hailed Castro as a "George Washington!""Fidel Castro, who died late Friday night, was a tyrant who oppressed Cubans and brought misery to many for several decades and while much of the breaking news coverage emphasized that reality, journalists on ABC, CNN and MSNBC -- matching how too much of the media approached Castro for decades -- couldnt resist crediting him for supposed great advancements in education, literacy and health care," writes Newsbusters:President-elect Donald Trump nailed the correct response to Castro by issuing a statement that said, "Today, the world marks the passing of a brutal dictator who oppressed his own people for nearly six decades... [The Castro regime was] one of firing squads, theft, unimaginable suffering, poverty and the denial of fundamental human rights."As this Breitbart.com story explains , Trump is now calling for a "free Cuba" to end the era of suffering under a brutal dictator:Lest you have any doubts whatsoever about the real mission of the political left, its celebration of the life of a communist tyrant answers the question once and for all: Left-wing "journalists" are seditious, anti-American communist wannabes.They literally celebrate brutal dictators and tyrants on the left. Cuba is the kind of world under which they hope to live, which is precisely why every single one of them, without exception, supported Hillary Clinton for President.To the left,: Firing squads, the elimination of private property, the banning of guns in the hands of private citizens, the government confiscation of personal assets and a state-run media are all perfectly fine to them. In fact, they love it! They can't wait to turn America into a communist regime modeled after Cuba. Hence their labeling of Castro as their "George Washington."Do I need to remind you thatThey deliberately seek to undermine democracy. For the last 18 months, left-wing journalists deliberately and maliciously lied day after day to try to put a commie-leaning politician into the White House. They despise democracy and they despise the voters. All they seek is total domination over the populace, even if liberty and freedom have to be crushed along the way.This is why radio host Michael Savage says America must invoke the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAAC) and. If they are allowed to keep poisoning the minds of the American people, they may yet succeed in overthrowing the Republic and installing their own Castro-like dictatorship across America.The nation was very nearly at that point until recently, come to think of it. The entire lamestream media is. "Journalists" who work for CNN, WashPost, NYT, etc., are almost all socialist or communist-leaning propagandists who deliberate try to undermine the U.S. Constitution, Bill of Rights and Electoral College. Now, they are determined to destroy the Trump presidency by any means possible, including fabricating fake news while attempting to censor all the independent REAL news by labeling it "fake news." (In other words, the lamestream media, so they must now turn to censorship to maintain their monopoly over "news.")That smacks of a Fidel Castro tactic for state-controlled media, doesn't it? And it's no surprise, since the lamestream media actively desires a centralized, state-run media monopoly that outlaws all dissenting views. (As part of this mainstream media lunacy, just yesterday the Washington Post accused Natural News of being controlled by the Russian government . No, it wasn't a satire piece. They reported it as if it were factual!)All this is a perfect reflection of the kind of tyranny and brutality Castro himself inflicted upon the people of Cuba. Now, commie-leaning news operatives like Andrea Mitchell want to inflict the same brutality, censorship and disinformation upon the people of America. That is their mission: To destroy liberty, destroy the Constitution, override democracy and install a tyrant in Washington who wields absolute power over the economy, the media and the culture of America. (Obama very nearly pulled it all off, too... it's going to take Trump at least four years just to unwind all the damage Obama has already done.)Reader comments from the Newsbusters.org article:From user "Blonde Gator":From another user:Keep your eyes open over the next few days as, too. Every leftist loves communism... maybe we shouldand give them their wish!
Washington Post Disgracefully Promotes a McCarthyite Blacklist From a New, Hidden, and Very Shady Group

(NaturalNews) The Washington Post has just committed journalistic suicide.The once-esteemed publication ran with a highly publicized but journalistically shoddy hit piece, sourced from a secretive and shady group of shadowy people who refuse to identify themselves, with the intention of blacklisting news sites that disagree with the kind of state-run propaganda printed by WashPost.The Post's commission ofwas so blatant and malicious that Gleen Greenwald, a mostly left-leaning independent journalist at, tore into the shoddy journalism with his own analysis (reprinted in part below).As Greenwald and co-author Ben Norton wrote, "[T]he article is rife with obviously reckless and unproven allegations, and fundamentally shaped by shoddy, slothful journalistic tactics." From the Intercept story:Below, I reprint a large portion of the original Intercept story by Ben Norton and Glenn Greenwald. I strongly encourage you to visit the original link in order to read the story will all hyperlinks intact.The Washington Post on Thursday night promoted the claims of a new, shadowy organization that smears dozens of U.S. news sites that are critical of U.S. foreign policy as being routine peddlers of Russian propaganda. The article by reporter Craig Timberg  headlined Russian propaganda effort helped spread fake news during election, experts say  cites a report by a new, anonymous website calling itself PropOrNot, which claims that millions of Americans have been deceived this year in a massive Russian misinformation campaign.This Post report was one of the most widely circulated political news articles on social media over the last 48 hours, with dozens, perhaps hundreds, of U.S. journalists and pundits with large platforms hailing it as an earth-shattering expose. It was the most-read piece on the entire Post website after it was published on Friday.Yet the article is rife with obviously reckless and unproven allegations, and fundamentally shaped by shoddy, slothful journalistic tactics. It was not surprising to learn that, as BuzzFeeds Sheera Frenkel noted, a lot of reporters passed on this story. Its huge flaws are self-evident But the Post gleefully ran with it and then promoted it aggressively, led by its Executive Editor Marty Baron:In casting the group behind this website as experts, the Post described PropOrNot simply as a nonpartisan collection of researchers with foreign policy, military and technology backgrounds. Not one individual at the organization is named. The executive director is quoted, but only on the condition of anonymity, which the Post said it was providing the group to avoid being targeted by Russias legions of skilled hackers.In other words, the individuals behind this newly created group are publicly branding journalists and news outlets as tools of Russian propaganda, while cowardly hiding their own identity. The group promoted by the Post thus embodies the toxic essence of Joseph McCarthy but without the courage to attach their names to their blacklist. Echoing the Wisconsin Senator, the group refers to its lengthy collection of sites spouting Russian propaganda as The List.The credentials of this supposed group of experts are impossible to verify, as none is provided either by the Post or by the group itself. The Intercept contacted PropOrNot and asked numerous questions about about its team, but received only this reply: Were getting a lot of requests for comment and can get back to you today =) [smiley face emoticon]. The group added: Were over 30 people, organized into teams, and we cannot confirm or deny anyones involvement.Thus far, they have provided no additional information beyond that. As Fortunes Matthew Ingram wrote in criticizing the Post article, PropOrNots Twitter account has only existed since August of this year. And an article announcing the launch of the group on its website is dated last month. WHOIS information for the domain name is not available, as the website uses private registration.More troubling still, PropOrNot listed numerous organizations on its website as allied with it, yet many of these claimed allies told The Intercept, and complained on social media, they have nothing to do with the group and had never even heard of it before the Post published its story....The Washington Post should be very proud: it staked a major part of its news story on the unverified, untestable assertions of this laughable organization.One of the core functions of PropOrNot appears to be its compilation of a lengthy blacklist of news and political websites which it smears as peddlers of Russian propaganda. Included on this blacklist of supposed propaganda outlets are prominent independent left-wing news sites such as Truthout, Naked Capitalism, Black Agenda Report, Consortium News and Truthdig.Also included are popular libertarian hubs such as Zero Hedge, Antiwar.com and the Ron Paul Institute, along with the hugely influential right-wing website the Drudge Report and the publishing site WikiLeaks. Far-right, virulently anti-Muslim blogs such as Bare Naked Islam are likewise dubbed Kremlin mouthpieces. Basically, everyone who isnt comfortably within the centrist Hillary-Clinton/Jeb-Bush spectrum is guilty. On its Twitter account, the group announced a new plugin that automatically alerts the user that a visited website has been designated by the group to be a Russian propaganda outlet....To hype its own story, the Post article uncritically highlights PropOrNots flamboyant claim that stories planted or promoted by Russias disinformation campaign were viewed more than 213 million times. Yet no methodology is provided for any of this: how a website is determined to merit blacklist designation or how this reach was calculated. As Ingram wrote: How is that audience measured? We dont know. Stories promoted by this network were shared 213 million times, it says. How do we know this? Thats unclear.Presumably, this massive number was created by including on its lists highly popular sites such as WikiLeaks, as well The Drudge Report, the third-most popular political news website on the internet. Yet this frightening, Cold War-esque 213 million number for Russian planted news story views was uncritically echoed by numerous high-profile media figures, such as New York Times deputy Washington editor Jonathan Weisman and professor Jared Yates Sexton  although the number is misleading at best.Some of the websites on PropOrNots blacklist do indeed publish Russian propaganda  namely Sputnik News and Russia Today, which are funded by the Russian government. But many of the aforementioned blacklisted sites are independent, completely legitimate news sources which often receive funding through donations or foundations and which have been reporting and analyzing news for many years.The group commits outright defamation by slandering obviously legitimate news sites as propaganda tools of the Kremlin.One of the most egregious examples is the groups inclusion of Naked Capitalism, the widely respected left-wing site run by Wall Street critic Yves Smith. That site was named by Time Magazine as one of the best 25 Best Financial Blogs in 2011 and by Wired Magazine as a crucial site to follow for finance, and Smith has been featured as a guest on programs such as PBS Bill Moyers Show. Yet this cowardly group of anonymous smear artists, promoted by the Washington Post, has now placed them on a blacklist of Russian disinformation.The group eschews alternative media outlets like these and instead recommends that readers rely solely on establishment-friendly publications like NPR, the BBC, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, Buzzfeed and VICE. That is because a big part of the groups definition for Russian propaganda outlet is criticizing U.S. foreign policy.PropOrNot does not articulate its criteria in detail, merely describing its metrics as behavioral and motivation-agnostic. That is to say, even if a news source is not technically a Russian propaganda outlet and is not even trying to help the Kremlin, it is still guilty of being a useful idiot if it publishes material that might in some way be convenient or helpful for the Russian government. In other words, the website conflates criticism of Western governments and their foreign policies with Russian propaganda. News sites that do not uncritically echo a pro-NATO perspective are accused of being mouthpieces for the Kremlin, even if only unwitting ones.While blacklisting left-wing and libertarian journalists, PropOrNot also denies being McCarthyite. Yet it simultaneously calls for the U.S. government to carry out formal investigations of these accused websites, because the kind of folks who make propaganda for brutal authoritarian oligarchies are often involved in a wide range of bad business. The shadowy group even goes so far as to claim that people involved in the blacklisted websites may have violated the Espionage Act, the Foreign Agent Registration Act, and other related laws.In sum: theyre not McCarthyite; perish the thought. They just want multiple U.S. media outlets investigated by the FBI for espionage on behalf of Russia.Who exactly is behind PropOrNot, where it gets its funding and whether or not it is tied to any governments is a complete mystery. The Intercept also sent inquiries to the Posts Craig Timberg asking these questions, and asking whether he thinks it is fair to label left-wing news sites like Truthout Russian propaganda outlets. Timberg replied: Im sorry, I cant comment about stories Ive written for the Post.As is so often the case, journalists  who constantly demand transparency from everyone else  refuse to provide even the most basic levels for themselves. When subjected to scrutiny, they reflexively adopt the language of the most secrecy-happy national security agencies: we do not comment on what we do.Timbergs piece on the supposed ubiquity of Russian propaganda is misleading in several other ways. The other primary expert upon which the relies is Clint Watts, a fellow at the Foreign Policy Research Institute, a pro-Western think tank whose board of advisors includes neoconservative figures like infamous orientalist scholar Bernard Lewis and pro-imperialist Robert D. Kaplan, the latter of whom served on the U.S. governments Defense Policy Board.What the Post does not mention in its report is that Watts, one of the specialists it relies on for its claims, previously worked as an FBI special agent on a Joint Terrorism Task Force and as the executive officer of the U.S. Military Academys Combating Terrorism Center. As Fortunes Ingram wrote of the group, it is a conservative think tank funded and staffed by proponents of the Cold War between the U.S. and Russia.PropOrNot is by no means a neutral observer. It actively calls on Congress and the White House to work with our European allies to disconnect Russia from the SWIFT financial transaction system, effective immediately and lasting for at least one year, as an appropriate response to Russian manipulation of the election.In other words, this blacklisting group of anonymous cowards  putative experts in the pages of The Washington Post  are actively pushing for Western governments to take punitive measures against the Russian government, and are speaking and smearing from an extreme ideological framework that the Post concealed from its readers.Even more disturbing than the Posts shoddy journalism in this instance is the broader trend in which any wild conspiracy theory or McCarthyite attack is now permitted in U.S. discourse as long as it involves Russia and Putin  just as was true in the 1950s when stories of how the Russians were poisoning the U.S. water supply or infiltrating American institutions were commonplace. Any anti-Russia story was  and is  instantly vested with credibility, while anyone questioning its veracity or evidentiary basis is subject to attacks on their loyalties or, at best, vilified as useful idiots.Two of the most discredited reports from the election season illustrate the point: a Slate article claiming that a private server had been located linking the Trump Organization and a Russian bank (which, like the current Post story, had been shopped around and rejected by multiple media outlets), and a completely deranged rant by Newsweeks Kurt Eichenwald claiming that Putin had ordered emails in the WikiLeaks release to be doctored  both of which were uncritically shared and tweeted by hundreds of journalists to tens of thousands of people, if not more.The Post itself  now posing as warriors against fake news  published an article in September that treated with great seriousness the claim that Hillary Clinton collapsed on 9/11 Day because she was poisoned by Putin. And thats to say nothing of the papers disgraceful history of convincing Americans that Saddam was building non-existent nuclear weapons and had cultivated a vibrant alliance with Al Qaeda. As is so often the case, those who mostly loudly warn of fake news from others are themselves the most aggressive perpetrators of it.Indeed, what happened here is the essence of fake news. The Post story served the agendas of many factions: those who want to believe Putin stole the election from Hillary Clinton; those who want to believe that the internet and social media are a grave menace that needs to be controlled, in contrast to the objective truth which reliable old media outlets once issued; those who want a resurrection of the Cold War. So those who saw tweets and Facebook posts promoting this Post story instantly clicked and shared and promoted the story without an iota of critical thought or examination of whether the claims were true, because they wanted the claims to be true. That behavior included countless journalists.So the story spread in a flash, like wildfire. Tens of thousands of people, perhaps hundreds of thousands or even millions, consumed it, believing that it was true because of how many journalists and experts told them it was. Virtually none of the people who told them this spent a minute of time or ounce of energy determining if it was true. It pleased them to believe it was, knowing it advanced their interests, and so they endorsed it. That is the very definition of how fake news functions, and it is the ultimate irony that this Post story ended up illustrating and spreading far more fake news than it exposed.Read the incredible FULL STORY with all links at The Intercept
Globally threatened Irrawaddy dolphins and Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins inhabiting the Thai-Cambodian border served as ambassadors to promote the concept of transboundary Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) management.

The 18-month-long transboundary dolphin conservation project between Thailand and Cambodia revealed that the transboundary coastal areas in the Trat, Thailand, and Koh Kong, Cambodia habitats for these dolphins.

Results between 2008 and 2014 estimated the population of the Irrawaddy dolphins at 500, making the Thai-Cambodia transborder population the second largest in the world.

According to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Living Mekong Program, the Irrawaddy River dolphins are "flagship species," as they reflect the overall health of the river for other species. These dolphins can reach a length of nine feet and have blunt, rounded noses.

Reports show that threats for these dolphins include fishing, pollution, and habitat destruction. Gillnets, among other fishing gear, have been the major player in threatening this species. In 2012, a law was passed prohibiting gillnets in large stretches of the Mekong River.

The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) published the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, whereby Irrawaddy dolphins are monitored alongside 71,576 animal and plant species.

In a report by IUCN.org, Brian Smith, Asia coordinator of the IUCN SSC Cetacean Specialist Group and project technical adviser, said, "Unfortunately, these dolphins are in trouble. Many die when they get entangled in fishing gear, particularly gillnets."

To further their conservation project, officials revealed that dolphin watching into ecotourism program in Trat and Koh Kong will be implemented. This program aims to educate and raise awareness for the conservation and protection of such threatened species. They also hope to improve the livelihoods of fishermen who were affected by the dolphin management zones. IUCN partnered with WWF with the Save our Species fund which educates and trains rangers to monitor gillnet fishing in the Mekong.
A South San Francisco police officer who was left in critical condition Thursday after being hit in the head by a suspect's skateboard was identified Friday, police said.

The violent attack started around 2:20 p.m. Thursday near the 300 block of Grand Avenue when officer Robby Chon, a 12-year veteran of the force, attempted to approach a suspect reportedly disturbing the peace at a local business, police said. The suspect, who was later identified as Luis Alberto Ramos-Coreas, a 28-year-old resident of South Francisco, did not yield to the officer's commands, prompting Chon to call for backup.

When a second officer arrived, Ramos-Coreas took off from the scene on foot, according to police. During a subsequent chase, Ramos-Coreas immediately came to a screeching halt, pivoted and smacked Chon in the head with the skateboard.

South San Francisco Police Department

Chon, who is married with two children, was transported to a local hospital with a "major head injury" and taken into the operating room, police said.

"The officer underwent emergency surgery for traumatic head injuries," police said in a press conference Friday. "He remains hospitalized in critical condition at this time."

The second officer on scene was able to detain Ramos-Coreas after another brief foot pursuit, police said. Ramos-Coreas was booked on suspicion of numerous felony charges, including attempted murder of a law enforcement officer.

Ramos-Coreas does have a history of "criminal contacts" with police, but the specifics of those run-ins were not detailed by officials.

South San Francisco Mayor Mark Addiego said Friday that this attack is unacceptable.

"This city will not tolerate violence of any nature directed against its police forces," he said.

Since the assault, a GoFundMe campaign to support Chon and his family gathered over $20,000 in just three hours. That donation number is expected to grow.

Officials are currently investigating the attack. Anyone with information is asked to contact the South San Francisco Police Department at (650) 877-8900 or the anonymous tip line at (650) 952-2244.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
A 19-year-old man fatally shot by a Chicago police sergeant died from a gunshot wound to his back, the Cook County medical examiners office said Friday.

Chicago Police Supt. Eddie Johnson said Thursday that the officer shot Kajuan Raye Wednesday night after Raye twice turned and pointed a gun at him during a foot chase, the Chicago Sun-Times is reporting.

An autopsy Friday found that Raye died from a gunshot wound to the back, according to the medical examiners office. His death was ruled a homicide.

As of Thursday, Johnson said officers had not found the gun Raye pointed, and a police spokesperson referred a reporter to Johnsons statement when asked if there were any updates on finding any gun.

We conducted and completed a grid search during the overnight hours for ballistic evidence and the offenders weapon and we were not able to locate a weapon as of yet, Johnson said during a Thanksgiving Day news conference at police headquarters.

Unfortunately we still do not have a complete synopsis of exactly how and what transpired, said Johnson, who wore jeans and sweatshirt as he read a prepared statement for just over a minute.

There are still many unanswered questions and we are working diligently to find those answers, Johnson said, noting that the Independent Police Review Authority, which investigates officer-involved shootings, is investigating the incident.

But in an effort to be as transparent as possible, I wanted to make sure we shared what information we know at this point.  Its important to note that there is still a lot of investigating going on as we have some missing information in our timeline, so I ask that we wait for detectives to let evidence tell our story, he said.

Detectives and evidence technicians are now in the process of retrieving surveillance video that may have captured the account.

Johnson did not take questions at the news conference, so it is unclear if the police sergeant who fatally shot Kajuan Raye was wearing a body camera.

Johnson said the sergeant, responding to a battery in progress call, spotted Raye  who matched a description of the offender  in the 1400 block of West 65th Street at 11:07 pm.

Based upon the sergeants statement to investigators, the sergeant then approached and announced his office at which time the offender fled on foot with the sergeant in pursuit, Johnson said.

The sergeant then told investigators that the offender turned and pointed a weapon in the direction of the sergeant on two separate occasions, Johnson said.

The sergeant then indicated that he discharged his weapon striking the offender, Johnson said, adding that the sergeant was not injured.

The shooting occurred in the 6500 block of South Marshfield, a few blocks from where the chase began.

Raye, 19, was shot multiple times and taken to Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, where he was pronounced dead, according to the medical examiners office. He lived in the 1400 block of East 156th Street in Dolton.

The sergeant will be placed on desk duty for 30 days, per CPD policy.

Rayes mother, 38-year-old Karonisha Ramsey, said her son was with friends in a neighborhood he wasnt familiar with when they decided to get the bus home. His friend told her the police pulled up and Raye ran.

Next thing you know, all he heard is gunshots, Raye said. It happened real quick.

Ramsey said she doesnt know if her son had a gun.

A gun should have been right there when they killed him, she said.

Raye attended Grand Prairie High School in Grand Prairie, Texas and lived with his grandmother and aunt. He returned home to live with his mother in Dolton when he turned 18, Ramsey said, adding that her son was trying to get a job but didnt have a high school diploma.

Ramsey said she hasnt spoken to the police as of Thursday morning. A doctor at Christ told her Raye died on the way to the hospital.

The doctors at the hospital told me when he arrived there he had no pulse. They said they tried to revive him, they tried to do everything they could, Ramsey said.

A spokeswoman for the Independent Police Review Authority could not be reached for more details.

Raye pleaded guilty to theft on Sept. 10, 2015 and was sentenced to court supervision, according to Cook County court records. On July 25, a warrant was issued for his arrest because he violated supervision.

Less than a week earlier, a man was fatally shot by CPD officers about a mile away in the same neighborhood.
Two men killed about 10 minutes apart brought the Thanksgiving weekend tally to eight fatal shootings.

In all, at least 61 people were shot in attacks across the city over four-day holiday weekend, according to Chicago Police.

Last year, 8 people were killed and 20 were wounded in shootings during the same holiday weekend, beginning at 7 p.m. the day before Thanksgiving.

The latest homicide happened at 2:03 p.m. Sunday in the Gresham neighborhood. An 18-year-old man was sitting in a parked vehicle in the 8800 block of South Marshfield Avenue when someone fired at the vehicle from an SUV, police said. The SUV, described as being dark in color, was driven away from the scene, headed north on Marshfield. The 18-year-old suffered several shots to the chest and took himself to Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn where he was pronounced dead, according to police and the Cook County medical examiners office. His name has not yet been released.

[NATL-CHI] Shocking Photos Show Inside Abandoned Lincoln Mall

About 10 minutes earlier, in East Garfield Park, a 37-year-old man had been shot dead, police said. Rickey J. King was with a group in the 3800 block of West Adams Street when someone across the street opened fire; the assailant then fled on south on foot. King was shot in the head and pronounced dead at the scene, according to police and the Cook County medical examiners office.

At 2:38 a.m. Sunday in the Homan Square neighborhood on the West Side, two men were seated in a parked vehicle in the 3400 block of West Harrison Street when a silver car stopped in front of them and two males wearing hooded sweatshirts exited the car and opened fire, police said. Erik Peoples, 30, suffered gunshot wounds to the head and body and was pronounced dead at the scene, police said. The other man, 31, was shot in the right arm and taken to Mount Sinai Hospital, where his condition was stabilized.

A 56-year-old man was gunned down at 3:38 p.m. Saturday in the South Side Woodlawn neighborhood, authorities said. Witnesses told police they saw two men get into a fight and then heard a gunshot in the 6600 block of South Kenwood Avenue. The man was shot in the head and pronounced dead at the scene at 3:47 p.m., according to police and the medical examiners office. His name has not been released.

About 2:15 a.m. Saturday two gunmen opened fire outside a house party in the South Chicago neighborhoods 8800 block of South Exchange Avenue, authorities said. A 20-year-old man shot in the chest was pronounced dead at the scene. The medical examiners office has not released his name. Another 20-year-old man shot in the groin was taken in critical condition to Northwestern Memorial Hospital, along with a 21-year-old man wounded in the arm, police said. A 25-year-old woman was taken to Stroger Hospital with a graze wound to the head, a 22-year-old man shot in the hand went to Trinity Hospital and a 23-year-old man shot in the arm went to the University of Chicago Medical Center. Their conditions all had stabilized, police said.

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Friday evening, a 16-year-old boy was slain in the Back of the Yards neighborhood on the South Side. Diego Alvarado heard gunfire and realized hed been shot in the back, groin and arm about 6:40 p.m. near his home in the 4800 block of South Throop Street, authorities said. Alvarado died at Stroger at 7:32 p.m.

Five hours earlier, two people robbed 24-year-old Thomas Smith and then shot him in the abdomen shortly before 2 p.m. in the 7300 block of South Lowe Avenue in the South Side Englewood neighborhood, authorities said. Smith, of the 9600 block of South Dobson, died at Stroger at 4:30 p.m.

Shortly before 12:30 a.m. Friday, officers on patrol near Harrison and Central Park Avenue in Homan Square heard gunfire and saw 37-year-old Cleotha Mitchell fatally shoot 35-year-old Jeffery Banks, according to police. The officers engaged the offender and shot him, according to police, who said Mitchell had shot a second person in the arm. That persons condition was stabilized at a hospital, while Mitchell and Banks were pronounced dead at the scene at 12:44 a.m.

The Independent Police Review Authority is investigating the officers use of force in that shooting, as well as that of a CPD sergeant who fatally shot 19-year-old Kajuan Raye in the back a night earlier. The sergeant said he saw Raye point a gun at him twice during a West Englewood foot chase. As of Friday night, investigators had not found the weapon the sergeant claimed he saw. Rayes family was planning to file a federal lawsuit.

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One of the weekends latest nonfatal shooting happened at 10:19 p.m. Sunday in the Parkway Gardens neighborhood on the South Side. A 20-year-old man was walking on the sidewalk in the 6500 block of South King when someone in a green car fired shots, police said. He was shot in the left leg and taken to University of Chicago Hospital, where his condition was stabilized.

Earlier Sunday, a 32-year-old man was seriously wounded in a shooting in the River North neighborhood. Around 6:06 a.m., he was in the 600 block of North Clark when a gunman on a bike rode up and opened fire, according to police. He was shot in the abdomen and taken in serious condition to Northwestern Memorial Hospital, police said, adding that he is a convicted felon. Additional details were not immediately available.

About an hour earlier, a 21-year-old man was shot in the Logan Square neighborhood on the Northwest Side. He was involved in an argument with a group of people at 5:08 a.m. in the 2700 block of North Ridgeway when someone in the group pulled out a gun and fired shots, striking the man in the right leg, police said. He took himself to Community First Medical Center and will be transferred in good condition to Illinois Masonic Medical Center. A police source said the man is a documented gang member and convicted felon.

At least 43 more people were wounded in other attacks between 7 p.m. Wednesday and 5 p.m. Sunday.
Black Friday might be all about the malls and big box stores, but dont forget to hit some of those independent stores on Saturday.

Across Connecticut companies are participating in Small Business Saturday, where shoppers are encouraged to support those local mom and pop shops and small businesses across the state.

According to the National Federation of Independent Business, the four weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas are vital to independent merchants and can determine whether they are profitable for the entire year.

Small Business Saturday, started by American Express seven years ago, puts the focus back on smaller, independently-owned stores that often get forgotten in the holiday rush. In 2015, 95 million Americans reported shopping at small businesses on Small Business Saturday and they spent more than $16 billion.

Experts say shopping small provides a big benefit not only to your pocket book but to the local economy.

Its important to shop small because when you give back to local businesses youre directly supporting the community and you cant find some of these offerings anywhere else, said Lindsey Burke, Town Green District Director of Marketing.

In New Haven, over 400 local businesses are participating. Parking will be free in the Elm City Saturday  look out for the parking meters covered with white bags.

The Greater Norwich Area Chamber of Commerce is hosting a Holiday Community Bazaar at the Holiday in on Laura Boulevard, with over 66 local vendors and crafters.

Many other Connecticut towns and cities are urging shoppers to get out and shop local Saturday.
President-elect Donald Trump declared on Twitter that he had spoken with Carrier Corporation executives about working to keep their Indiana air conditioner manufacturing facility from moving to Mexico.

Trump made the claim in a tweet sent Thursday, saying, I am working hard even on Thanksgiving, trying to get Carrier A.C. Company to stay in the U.S. (Indiana). MAKING PROGRESS  Will know soon!

Carrier executives told the roughly 2,000 employees back in February of their plan to move the plants operations to Mexico.

David Cadden, a Management and Strategy Professor Emeritus at Quinnipiac, said a move like that could only be characterized as one meant at saving money.

"Right now the pay at Carrier per hour is probably the equivalent of the pay per day at the Mexican location they were looking at, Cadden said. It very much is a bottom line issue."

NBC Connecticut reached out to Carrier for a comment but never heard back.

Carriers official Twitter account did post, Carrier has had discussions with the incoming administration and we look forward to working together. Nothing to announce at this time.

United Technologies Corporation, which is based in Farmington, is the parent company of Carrier. In the past year it made a move to sell Sikorsky Aircraft which was widely viewed as a strategy move related to sagging gains for the aerospace company.

Cadden doesnt see the same kind of connection with Carrier, meaning there is likely no plan to move the headquarters or corporate operations from Connecticut.

"It looks as though UTC is trying to develop a portfolio of industrial-based firms. The key element is the have sufficient margins and I thinK Carrier probably meets those required margins whereas Sikorsky at the time was not which is why they were sold off to Lockheed Martin."
We've all seen the "Lock, Take, Hide" signs in parking lots of Dallas gyms, grocery stores and especially mall parking garages.

Police say pay attention to them.

At a business district bustling with shoppers, Deputy Chief Albert Martinez showed us several examples of enticements for criminals, from a purse left on the seat to a cell phone tucked in a cup holder.

"Of course we want our citizens to have their cell phones for safety and it's an opportunity and that's what we're really combating," he said.

"We don't have anything in the car and we have our purses with us and we're making sure they're zipped up and stuff but we haven't had any issues, I haven't seen anything," said NorthPark Center shopper Jill Mangold.

Many eyes are watching, not only are Dallas police officers constantly patrolling the lots, but also mall security is making more of a visible presence as a deterrent.

"I saw the police walking around and driving the cars. It's really good. Yeah, I feel really safe," said shopper Kun Huang.

It's a top priority for officers during this initiative who say the more you can do in prevention, the less risk the criminals will take.

"Just don't give them an opportunity. Don't give anyone an opportunity to look in your vehicle and see something they think is worth taking," said Martinez.
A Dallas preparatory school for boys denounced actions by one of its graduates, releasing a statement on Friday that said it rejects "racism and bigotry in all of its forms and expressions."

The message from St. Mark's School of Texas did not name the graduate but referenced a video of the alumnus "leading a white nationalist meeting in Washington, D.C."

White nationalist Richard Spencer, an alumnus of St. Mark's, lead a conference in Washington, D.C., on Nov. 19, drawing Nazi-style salutes from people in the audience.

In a video released on YouTube by The Atlantic, Spencer praised the election of Donald Trump as president by saying, "Hail Trump! Hail our people! Hail victory!"

America was, until this past generation, a white country designed for ourselves and our posterity, Spencer said. It is our creation, it is our inheritance, and it belongs to us.

St. Mark's statement, from headmaster David W. Dini, read in part:

On Friday, November 18th in our annual Thanksgiving message to alumni,

parents, and faculty, we referenced recent news stories that connect St. Marks to ideas

expressed by one of our graduates that conflict directly with our core values and

principles. Just one day later, video footage emerged of this alumnus leading a white

nationalist meeting in Washington, D.C., bringing even greater attention to these hateful,

divisive, racist, and anti-Semitic views. This has been deeply troubling and terribly

upsetting to our whole school community. At St. Marks, we reject racism and bigotry in

all its forms and expressions. Our mission, values, and programs stand in direct

opposition to these vulgar ideas. In light of such comments, our mission to develop boys

of strong character, compassion, empathy, and courage has increasing relevance and

importance.

"On Friday, November 18th in our annual Thanksgiving message to alumni,parents, and faculty, we referenced recent news stories that connect St. Marks to ideas expressed by one of our graduates that conflict directly with our core values and principles. Just one day later, video footage emerged of this alumnus leading a white nationalist meeting in Washington, D.C., bringing even greater attention to these hateful, divisive, racist, and anti-Semitic views. This has been deeply troubling and terribly upsetting to our whole school community. At St. Marks, we reject racism and bigotry in all its forms and expressions. Our mission, values, and programs stand in direct opposition to these vulgar ideas. In light of such comments, our mission to develop boys of strong character, compassion, empathy, and courage has increasing relevance and importance."

It continued:

"We remain deeply committed to including and valuing all students of different backgrounds, races, religions, beliefs, and experiences, and our commitment to those ideals is paramount and immutable."

Spencer is scheduled to address students at Texas A&M University on Dec. 6. The school said it did not invite Spencer but cannot stop the speech because people can reserve campus space available to the public.

The Dallas Morning News reported that some of Spencer's former classmates at St. Mark's began an online fundraising campaign to repudiate his ideas. The goal is to raise money for the International Rescue Committee, a nonprofit group that helps refugees and asylum-seekers, including in the United States.

Last December, the state of Texas tried to bar the International Rescue Committee from resettling Syrian refugees in Texas. But in June, a U.S. District Court judge ruled that Texas had no legal standing to bring a suit.
A faulty blow-off valve started leaking natural gas for the third time in two days late Friday night.

At about 10:30 p.m. Friday, the Kaufman County Office of Emergency Management, Atmos Energy and several other agencies responded to the gas leak on Farm-to-Market (FM) 148 near FM 2932 in Talty, Texas.

Steve Howie, with Kaufman County Emergency Management, said this is the third time the same valve has gone off.

The first time was on Thanksgiving morning, then again on Friday morning and now the third time late Friday night.

He said residents were told to prepare to evacuate as a precautionary measure, but at least check, that was not necessary.

Howie said the valve stopped leaking, but crews were still waiting for a specialist from Atmos Energy to inspect the gas line.

This is a developing story, check back for updates.
From stopping a terrorist attack before it happens to busting corrupt public officials, the FBI handles the countrys biggest criminal investigations.

Its work is often done in secret.

But every year, a group of about 40 citizens are invited to participate in a Citizens Academy where agents talk about some of their biggest cases and offer unique insight into how they do their work.

It meets one night a week over two months at the FBIs Dallas headquarters.

"I would say it's very much an eye opener, said Glen Pirtle, manager of Classic Chevrolet in Grapevine and a member of the most recent class.

Assistant Special Agent in Charge Michael Costanzi helps run the program.

"It's an exposure of the FBI that gives the opportunity to the public to get an inside look at what we do, Costanzi said.

In one exercise, Pirtle and his fellow citizens were put through a made-up but realistic kidnapping scenario  where they played the agents.

Real-life agents helped supervise as they tried to rescue the victim and arrest the kidnappers.

They learned how the FBI searches a car and dusts it for fingerprints.

They saw how explosives experts can disable a bomb.

And they were briefed on closed cases  and how agents investigated them.

Among them: Hosam Smadi, the Jordanian man convicted of plotting to blow up a downtown Dallas skyscraper in 2009.

FBI undercover agents were there every step of the way -- right up to when he thought he was detonating a bomb -- and got arrested instead.

"It didn't go so well for him and he's serving 24 years in prison, Costanzi said.

More recently, there was the case of the Texas actress Shannon Richardson, who was convicted of producing ricin and mailing it to President Obama.

She's now serving an 18-year sentence.

"You can go your whole life never meeting or being involved with the FBI, Costanzi said. This gives us an opportunity to let people see that we are the front line for them, we are out there protecting their interest."

Pirtle says it's a world he never knew existed until the citizens academy.

"Every day those guys are on the line and it doesn't stop day or night, he said.
Operations are back to normal at an Uptown Dallas restaurant after a fire broke out in the kitchen, fire officials say.[[403060396,C]]

The fire started at about 5:30 Friday evening inside the Villa-O restaurant located on the 4500 block of Travis Street.

The restaurant was evacuated, but guests and staff are back inside now.

No injuries have been reported.

Dallas Fire-Rescue officials said the fire appears to have started in a ventilator in the kitchen. The investigation is ongoing.
The business consulting firm Deloitte just released its annual holiday survey of shoppers.

It found that Black Friday has lost some of its luster with North Texas shoppers. Fifty-nine percent of people say they no longer rely on the day after Thanksgiving to knock out their big purchases.

Chopper 5 went up Friday morning to catch the crowds waiting for malls to open, but didn't find a lot of them.

However, NBC 5 did find a break-of-dawn-dash-for-deals at one North Fort Worth Cabela's, where the first-in-line spilled through the doors at the stroke of 5:00 a.m.

"You're looking at the Black Friday shopping crew," said shopper Catrina Kidd, standing in the middle of a crowd of her family.

She was among the hundreds of dedicated hunters, willing to start earlier and earlier to find the best deals.

"Yesterday afternoon or evening, well about 4:00 or 5:00 I guess, we went out, Kidd said. To shop! It's a family tradition at this point."

And as the line stretched around the Cabela's store, a familiar ringing sound reminded shoppers of another kind of giving.

"Thank you, sir. Your kindness is only matched by your charm and beauty," Salvation Army Bell Ringer Danny Jacobus told a man as he tucked money into his traditional red kettle.

Jacobus knows how to have a little fun with his task.

"Merry Christmas, y'all! The ones with the sourest look are the ones who usually turn back around and surprise you. That's the way human nature is," Jacobus said.

Hes been ringing the Salvation Army bell for eight years, but this is his first year coming out with the early morning crowd.

"So far, so good, said Jacobus. I've only been here an hour and a half and the bucket's about half full."

He may have an advantage, given his white-bearded resemblance to a certain someone.

"Well, the kids come up and go 'who are you?' And I have to play it off and say 'I'm Santa's cousin!'" Jacobus said with a laugh.

And remember, when you hear that bell, he knows who's been good!

"You're the soul of kindness," Jacobus said with the dropping of another donation.
Police say a man trying to stop another man from beating a woman in a crowded San Antonio parking lot has been shot dead and a bystander has been critically wounded.

The shooting happened Friday afternoon outside a Wal-Mart store.

Police Chief William McManus says a man was assaulting a female companion when the other man drove up and demanded he stop.

McManus says the attacker drew a handgun and fired at the man, killing him and critically wounding a female bystander.

A woman in the vehicle with the man who was shot was injured by shattered glass.

McManus says the beaten woman escaped and a police helicopter followed the shooter's vehicle for 10 miles before his arrest.
Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings elaborated on a tweet that some people are calling divisive.

During the taping of "Lone Star Politics," which will air Sunday, November 27 at 8:40 a.m. on NBC 5, Mayor Rawlings said he was thinking about this year's fiery political campaigns when he published the following Tweet on Thanksgiving:

Gratitude is the start of anything great. On this Thanksgiving, Im thankful for the Latino families of Dallas. Weve got your back. -MR  Mike Rawlings (@Mike_Rawlings) November 24, 2016

Dozens of Mayor Rawlings' Twitter followers liked the tweet. But a few people criticized it as "divisive."

The mayor told NBC DFW he was not directly referring to the election of Donald Trump as U.S. President, but he was referencing some of the campaign rhetoric.

"[There have been] really some terrible things that was said about the Hispanic population of our country," said Mayor Rawlings. "It's such a growing population and I want to encourage them."

See more of his in-depth interview on Lone Star Politics, Sunday, November 27 at 8:40 a.m. on NBC 5. The show is joint production between NBC 5 and our media partners, The Dallas Morning News.
Laurie Kay Bosman was 25-years-old when she was killed in 1987. She was found strangled to death in her north Dallas apartment.

Her son, Shawn Chelf, was just 7-years-old at the time.

The pain and anguish on Chelf's face as he speaks of his mother's murder is testament to the decades old torture of the unknown.

"I feel like that kid again, 7-years-old that was just...I was just a kid," he said. "I heard my grandma crying and I was trying to figure what could possibly make her cry like that. She said 'Laurie's dead.'"

Detectives say there were signs of a struggle in Bosman's apartment. They are still analyzing evidence, including DNA.[[402929766,R]]

Chelf has made it his personal mission to help solve cases like his mother's, a calling since the day he lost her.

He's now a Double Oak Police officer.

It's not often you see one barely able to maintain composure, but for Chelf it was very difficult.

"I'm sorry. I haven't talked about this since I was a kid," he said.

The husband and father now is on a continued quest for justice for that 7-year-old boy and a mother taken too soon.

"At the wake when I grabbed her hand I was hoping she'd wake up. I was really hoping this was all just a bad dream," Chelf recalled.

He says he's hopeful the DNA that was collected all those years ago will provide answers.

Click here to read more on this report from our media partners at The Dallas Morning News.
Texas political leaders reacted to the death of Cuban communist leader Fidel Castro, who died Friday night at the age of 90.

Senator Ted Cruz, a Cuban-American, posted this message to Facebook on Saturday:

Fidel Castro's death cannot bring back his thousands of victims, nor can it bring comfort to their families.

Today we remember them and honor the brave souls who fought the lonely fight against the brutal Communist dictatorship he imposed on Cuba.

Sen. Cruz's father emigrated from Cuba to the United States in the 1950's.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott published this message on Twitter:

Dictator #Castro is dead. May Cubans soon taste the fruit of freedom. Viva Cuba Libre!

Rep. Jeb Hensarling, who represents the 5th Congressional District of Texas (which includes parts of Dallas) sent the following statement to NBC DFW:

Today, the Cuban people have been freed from the grasp of a tyrant, but unfortunately, they are not yet free. Now, the hard work must continue to truly liberate the people of Cuba. And the United States must be a willing partner to the freedom-seeking Cuban people who want to fight for that God-given right.

Today, the Cuban people have been freed from the grasp of a tyrant, but unfortunately, they are not yet free. Now, the hard work must continue to truly liberate the people of Cuba. And the United States must be a willing partner to the freedom-seeking Cuban people who want to fight for that God-given right.
A woman says she was towed from an Uptown Dallas street, despite there being no signs or warnings against parking in the area.

"There's no signs over here that say no parking and there's no signs on that side of the street that say no parking," said Jessica Frankel.

Frankel's little, blue Nissan Versa was at the center of a big problem in June, one she still doesn't understand to this day.

"I still have no idea. I still can't figure out why my car was towed," said Frankel.

Frankel said she parked her car in Uptown one evening and came back to find it gone.

"First thought was hopefully it wasn't stolen," Frankel said.

Not stolen, but arguably the second worst thing that could happen -- it had been towed.

She found out after calling 911 that the Dallas Police Auto Pound took it away.

Completely perplexed and caught off guard, the North Texas woman looked around for a "No Parking" sign. She didn't find one, but nonetheless, she needed to get her car.

So she went to the pound the next day and paid $185 to get her car back.

"Then they also handed me a ticket," Frankel said.

She went to go contest the ticket, but it wasn't in the system.

"An officer, or someone, came out and handed me a sheet of paper and said sorry for the confusion, and said here is the information on if you want to get your money back from your vehicle getting towed," Frankel said.

Not much of an explanation, but the document said she was "not liable" and Frankel felt vindicated.

"When he told me it was officer error, I thought it was a cut and dry."

But not so fast.

She submitted the paperwork and waited for a month.

"I then did not hear anything back from them," Frankel said.

She never got her money back.

We reached out to the Dallas Auto Pound who first told us the vehicle was parked illegally and that the officer error on the citation does not change the violation.

"Well, the obvious thing is to put up parking signs if it is illegal to park in this area," Frankel told us.

We thought the same thing.

When we asked them how drivers should know they shouldn't park there - they said they'd research and came back with a resolution, saying:

"We do recognize that without proper signage illustrating "No Parking" it may cause confusion with motorists. Therefore, to alleviate confusion at this specific location, the police department will be requesting the city's Streets Department to place signage that plainly states this location is a No Parking zone."

Our contact with the Dallas Police Department also told us they would refund Frankel the amount she paid to get her car back due to the confusion. Frankel has since received the check for $185.95 and said she's happy and hopes the city gets those signs up very soon.

Parking in some North Texas neighborhoods, like Uptown, can sometimes be tricky, so here's some advice:
A hateful and Islamophobia-laden letter was delivered to a South Bay Muslim community Thursday, prompting law enforcement authorities to commence an investigation.

Copies of the same letter were also delivered to two Islamic Centers in southern California, the Los Angeles chapter of the Center for American-Islamic Relations said Friday. Long Beach and Pomona police have not yet responded to requests for confirmation.

The short hand-written letter, which was mailed to the Evergreen Islamic Center in San Jose and addressed to the "Children of Satan," called Muslims a "vile and filthy people" and urged them to "pack your bags and get out of dodge."

The note also made reference to Donald Trump and said that the president-elect is "going to cleanse America and it make it shine again. And, he's going to start with you Muslims."

In the final paragraph, the message read, "This is a great time for patriotic Americans. Long live President Trump and God bless the U.S.A."

Faisal Yazadi, Chairman of the Board at the Evergreen Islamic Center, was baffled by the letter, but not surprised based on the recent tension brewing in the United State following a divisive election season.

The Islamic center warned parishioners to remain alert and keep an eye out for potential violence, but it is not planning to add visible security to watch over the mosque at this time.

Yazadi is still pleased that the San Jose Police Department is taking the message seriously.

"Within minutes of letting them know, I had three cop cars pulled up our our property," he said.

Santa Clara County Supervisor Dave Cortese was alarmed by the behavior displayed in his jurisdiction.

"It's threatening," he said. "It's obviously threatening. It indicates a state of mind you would hope doesn't exist in Santa Clara County."

The Council of American-Islamic Relations issued a statement Friday clamoring that police and government leaders step up and protect local mosques.

"We urge local law enforcement authorities to work with Muslim community leaders to ensure the safety of all houses of worship," Zahra Billoo, the Executive Director for the San Francisco Bay Area chapter of CAIR, wrote. "Our state's political and religious leaders need to speak out against the mainstreaming of Islamophobia that we are witnessing in California and nationwide."

In a similar fashion, CAIR's Los Angeles chapter called for "stepped-up police protection of local mosques" in response to the letters.

Less than two weeks ago, an anti-Muslim note was left on a woman's car in Milpitas.

Anyone with information regarding the recent letter is asked to contact the San Jose Police Department's Assaults Unit, which is responsible for handling hate-related incidents, at (408) 277-4161. Those wishing to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers at (408) 947-7867.
As leaders from across South Florida and around the world offer their thoughts on the passing of Fidel Castro, President Barack Obama issued a statement after the death of the former Cuban leader.

We know that this moment fills Cubans - in Cuba and in the United States - with powerful emotions, recalling the countless ways in which Fidel Castro altered the course of individual lives, families, and of the Cuban nation, Obama said. History will record and judge the enormous impact of this singular figure on the people and world around him.

For nearly six decades, the relationship between the United States and Cuba was marked by discord and profound political disagreements. During my presidency, we have worked hard to put the past behind us, pursuing a future in which the relationship between our two countries is defined not by our differences but by the many things that we share as neighbors and friends - bonds of family, culture, commerce, and common humanity. This engagement includes the contributions of Cuban Americans, who have done so much for our country and who care deeply about their loved ones in Cuba.

Today, we offer condolences to Fidel Castro's family, and our thoughts and prayers are with the Cuban people. In the days ahead, they will recall the past and also look to the future. As they do, the Cuban people must know that they have a friend and partner in the United States of America.

Obama has spent much of the last two years working to thaw relations between the two nations  a move that has been met with praise from some and deep criticism from others, especially in the Cuban exile communities in South Florida.

President-elect Donald Trump, who has been a vocal opponent of Obamas plans, issued a statement of his own:

"Today, the world marks the passing of a brutal dictator who oppressed his own people for nearly six decades. Fidel Castros legacy is one of firing squads, theft, unimaginable suffering, poverty and the denial of fundamental human rights.

"While Cuba remains a totalitarian island, it is my hope that today marks a move away from the horrors endured for too long, and toward a future in which the wonderful Cuban people finally live in the freedom they so richly deserve.

"Though the tragedies, deaths and pain caused by Fidel Castro cannot be erased, our administration will do all it can to ensure the Cuban people can finally begin their journey toward prosperity and liberty. I join the many Cuban Americans who supported me so greatly in the presidential campaign, including the Brigade 2506 Veterans Association that endorsed me, with the hope of one day soon seeing a free Cuba."
What to Know New Jersey lawmakers are concerned about the fate of marijuana legalization after President-elect Donald Trump's attorney general selection

Sen. Jeff Sessions, who will lead the Justice Department, said in April that "good people don't smoke marijuana"

Four states approved marijuana legalization on Election Day: California, Massachusetts, Maine and Nevada

New Jersey lawmakers say they're concerned about what President-elect Donald Trump's selection of U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions as attorney general could mean for marijuana legalization, but they're still planning to move forward after Gov. Chris Christie's term ends in 2018.

Trump said during the campaign he favors letting states decide whether marijuana should be legalized, but he recently invited Sessions, an Alabama Republican who opposes legalizing recreational marijuana and said in April that "good people don't smoke marijuana," to lead the Justice Department.

"It seems like he's extremely anti-legalization," said Democratic state Sen. Nicholas Scutari, the leader of the legalization effort in the Legislature. "I can only take President-elect Trump at his word when he said it should be a state's right issue."

The issue comes to the forefront after Election Day when four states  California, Massachusetts, Maine and Nevada approved marijuana legalization, while four others  Arkansas, Florida, Montana and North Dakota  voted to establish medical marijuana programs.

New Jersey already has a tightly regulated medical marijuana program that includes six alternative treatment centers, or dispensaries, but the issue has largely stalled in New Jersey because of the Republican governor's resolute opposition.

This week on his regular radio call-in show, the governor criticized a resident who called him the only impediment to legalization. Christie argued that approving marijuana would clear the way for cocaine and heroin legalization, which has not been proposed, and said he would not agree to "poisoning" young people for the potential tax revenues.

"To me, legalization of marijuana for tax purposes  and that's the only way people justify it because you can't justify it any other way  is blood money," Christie said. "That's what it is to me."

Scutari acknowledges that it's unlikely Christie would ever sign the bill, which has not been reintroduced yet this year, but says he plans to begin the hearing process in the coming weeks to lay the groundwork for when Christie leaves office.

A top Democratic prospect for governor, Phil Murphy, said he supports legalization. Democratic candidate John Wisniewski, an assemblyman, has voted to expand the state's medical marijuana program. His campaign manager said he supports decriminalizing marijuana and creating a legal framework for a market.

Republican candidate Jack Ciattarelli, an assemblyman, favors decriminalizing marijuana possession for those who have small amounts, but doesn't back full-scale legalization. He voted against bills expanding the medical marijuana program.

Republican Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno, who is considering a run, hasn't weighed in on the issue. A spokeswoman didn't immediately respond to questions on expansion.

Assembly Speaker Vincent Prieto has said he is open to considering legalization. His fellow Democrat, Senate President Steve Sweeney, sounded open to the idea and said he's taking his lead from Scutari. "When Nick's ready to roll, we're going to roll," he said.

But not everyone with a vote is on board. Beyond Christie, who'll be out of office at the latest in January 2018 when his term ends, several lawmakers are reluctant to sign off on expansion.

Democratic state Sen. Joe Vitale, who chairs the health committee, said not enough evidence from Colorado, Washington and other states where recreational marijuana is legal has been analyzed. He also said the potential for a revenue cash cow in budget-strapped New Jersey is not enough to authorize its use.

Part of the debate has also centered on decriminalizing the drug's use, with the aim of keeping lower-income men and women out of jail. Vitale sees this as a key distinction and said he backs decriminalization but not full-scale legalization.

"Legalizing a drug, I believe, is just a wrong direction to go," Vitale said.
A collision between a Jeep and a motorcycle in Northeast Philadelphia left the bike's driver dead and his passenger critically injured, police said.

The crash happened along Grant Avenue near Academy Road at 6:44 p.m. Friday, police said.

The 33-year-old male motorcycle driver and his female passenger were rushed to Aria Torresdale Hospital for treatment. The man died a short time later, police said.

The woman, who police have yet to identify, is listed in critical condition.

The driver and passengers in the Jeep were not injured, police said.

The Philadelphia Police Accident Investigation Division is looking into the cause of the crash.
The Valley Forge Tourism and Convention Board is asking Montgomery County officials to up the municipality's hotel tax so it is in line with neighboring counties and in turn, boost funds to market the suburban Philly locality as a destination.

Hotel owners voiced support of the increase, which would take Montgomery County's hotel tax from 2 percent to 4, according to Main Line Media News.

Supporters of the proposal said upping the tax would raise resources for the county without impacting the upward path it is on, the suburban newspaper reported. The tourism agency has said it anticipates a record year for the county, thanks in part to the Democratic National Convention.

The Montgomery County Board of Commissioners is considering the tax hike, which received support from Montgomery County Commissioner Josh Shapiro, a Democrat who is leaving that role for the Attorney General's office come January. Commissioner Joseph C. Gale, a Republican, said he was opposed to the increase, Main Line Media News said.

To read the full article, click here.

For more business news, visit Philadelphia Business Journal.
Cuban-Americans gathered Saturday in communities around New Jersey to celebrate the death of Fidel Castro, saying now is the time for the world to take steps to bring freedom to their homeland.

Cuban Americans in Miami celebrated in the streets after news broke of Fidel Castros death. Many fled Cuba to escape Castros tyranny.

In Union City, a pharmacy had raised a large Cuban flag along with a sign stating "the liberty bells are ringing. Long live Cuba libre." A clock also had a sign reading "Fidel, your time has come," and a man walking said "one less to worry about."

[NATL] The Life and Times of Fidel Castro

The news of Castro's death was long anticipated by the exiles that left after he took power. Rumors have come and gone for decades, and Castro's death had become something of a joke. This time, though, it was real.

"This is about the people," said Natalie Rodriguez, 19, of North Bergen. "There are people that say Castro is a revolutionary, but that's not democracy over there."

Rodriguez became emotional while discussing her grandparents struggle to leave Cuba to escape Castro's regime.

"They had it hard, they had it very hard, but there were people that have had it worse, people that come in makeshift rafts. They were coming here for the dream," she said.

U.S. Rep. Albio Sires, who was 11 when his family fled Cuba, called on the international community to "seize the moment" and bring freedom to his homeland.

"Fidel Castro defiled democracy, oppressed innocent people and imprisoned a nation with his totalitarian tactics," the Democrat said. "We must insist that all political prisoners are freed and that basic human rights are respected. The Cuban people deserve to live in a society where they have the freedom to access information, to organize, to worship and to speak what is on their mind without fear of being thrown into the gulags."

Another Cuban-American lawmaker form New Jersey, U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez, said Castro's "oppressive legacy will haunt the Cuban regime and our hemisphere forever." But he said Castro's death provided an opportunity to bring democracy to the communist-controlled island.

"Instead of condoning the continuation of repressive actions of a repressive regime simply because some believe it's been long enough, the United States and the international community must stand up and support the Cuban people as they seek ways to implement changes that bring the fundamental principles of democracy," Menendez, a Democrat, said.

Menendez and Sires both strongly opposed President Barack Obama's decision last year to restore diplomatic relations with Cuba. They also have called for the return of Joanne Chesimard, who was convicted in 1977 in the death of state Trooper Werner Foerster during a gunfight on the New Jersey Turnpike in 1973.

Chesimard was sentenced to life in prison but escaped and made her way to Cuba, where Castro granted her asylum and she has been living under the name Assata Shakur.

Following the death of Cuban leader Fidel Castro, questions are looming about what will happen to New Jersey fugitive Joanne Chesimard. Chesimard was convicted of killing a New Jersey state trooper, but escaped from prison and fled to Cuba.
When officials turned on the lights on a Christmas Tree in Center City, they were not only adding a festive luster to Dilworth Plaza but also illuminating Philadelphia-area businesses  especially small businesses that helped bring the holiday cheer to City Hall.

It was Small Business Saturday and local establishments took advantage of the holiday shopping weekend. NBC10s Drew Smith has the details.

Displayed at City Hall is what is being called Philadelphia's official Holiday Tree, with a steel base around the bottom of the Christmas tree designed by a firm that's worked on high-profile productions like Hamilton, the Broadway smash hit and Tony Award-winning musical.

Small businesses across our area are hoping to get some love from holiday shoppers with Small Business Saturday. Aundrea Cline-Thomas has the details..

The tree lighting took place Saturday, Nov. 26, or Small Business Saturday.

The tree is part of the city's new, seven-week Philly Holiday Festival that features parades, light shows and fireworks displays from Thanksgiving through New Years Day.

The tree is a major investment for Philadelphia, funded in partnership with a number of businesses from around the region, including Geno's Steaks, Inspire, One Liberty Observation Deck, the Bethany Miracle Center and Wawa.

To read the full article, click here.

For more business news, visit Philadelphia Business Journal.
A suspect who allegedly fired a gun at police during a foot chase along several blocks in Kensington was shot by as many as five officers, and a woman bystander was also struck in the gun fire as she stood a block away, police said.

The ordeal began Friday around 10:30 p.m. when two 24th district officers spotted a 33-year-old man on the 1800 block of E. Clementine Street. After the officers asked the man to stop, he reached toward his waistband area, police said. The officers say they then saw a bulge under his sweatshirt.

The officers contacted police radio and then chased after the man who ran to the 3000 block of Helen Street, according to investigators. As the man reached a dead-end, the officers noticed he was holding a gun in his hands, police said.

The man allegedly fired his gun at the officers who returned fire. The man then continued on Helen Street and ran several blocks to 2800 Amber Street where he was met by other responding officers, investigators said.

The man then allegedly turned with his gun raised toward the officers. The officers then opened fire, striking the man several times. He fell to the ground and was taken to Temple University Hospital where he is currently in critical condition.

A 36-year-old woman who was walking on the 2900 block of Amber Street during the shootout was also shot in the left calf.

"Unfortunately, she's hit by gunfire," police spokesman Lt. John Stanford said. "Just unfortunate that she was hit by gunfire because of this incident."

The woman was taken to Hahnemann Hospital where she was treated and released.

No officers were injured during the incident.
Authorities in Israel arrested at least a dozen suspects for arson-related offenses after wildfires forced the partial evacuation Haifa, officials said Friday, NBC News reported.

Israeli officials have suggested that Arab assailants were to blame for igniting the fires  vowing that any perpetrators would be treated as terrorists.

On social media, some people celebrated the fires under the #Israelisburning hashtag. Netanyahu's spokesman Ofir Gendelman blamed these tweets on "Arabs and Palestinians."

The blaze near Haifa was one of around a dozen burning around Israel, its worst bout since a four-day wildfire killed 42 people in 2010.
San Diego County Sheriffs (SDSO) deputies arrested a man in possession of a loaded sawed-off shotgun on Thanksgiving in Spring Valley.

Rancho San Diego Station deputies received calls of an armed suspicious person near 3600 Bancroft Drive at approximately 8:48 p.m. Thursday after reports came in of an African-American man brandishing a shotgun in the area.

A deputy was traveling northbound on Bancroft Drive at around 9:20 p.m. when he spotted the suspect near a taco shop. As the deputy made a U-turn and continued in the suspects direction, the man started in the opposite direction and attempted to hide behind a dumpster.

According to the SDSO, two deputies were approaching the dumpster when they heard the distinct sound of a shotgun slide being pulled and a round being loaded into the weapon.

The deputies took cover and began giving the suspect orders to drop the shotgun when they heard what they believed was the sound of the gun being thrown inside of the dumpster. The suspect then stepped out from his hiding spot and began walking in the opposite direction of the deputies with his hands up.

Despite commands to stop, the suspect continued walking away, prompting the deputies to chase after the man and tackle him to the ground. After the suspect was taken into custody, deputies recovered a loaded shotgun, with a round chambered, from the dumpster.

The suspect was later identified as 26-year-old Dontel Wallace, a convicted felon.

Wallace was booked into the San Diego Central Jail and charged with Felon in possession of a weapon, possession of a short-barreled shotgun, resisting an officer and other related charges.
Thousands of Sharp Hospital nurses in San Diego are preparing to go on a strike next week after negotiations have stalled, the union announced on Friday.

A three-day strike is scheduled to start on Monday at 7 a.m., according to Sharp Professional Nurses Network.

The union claims that its nurses are overworked and underpaid, and due to the lack of competitive wages, there is a high turnover rate. It also argues that nurses are often sent home due to canceled shifts.

Although negotiations between the union and Sharp Healthcare fell through on Friday, they may continue over the weekend.

Dan Gross, Executive Vice President at Sharp Healthcare told NBC 7 that they are preparing for a possibility that a deal is not reached by Monday.

We have contracted with a nurse agency that would be providing us with nurse replacements for those nurses who do honor the strike. We also have many of our own nurses who are communicating to us that they plan to be to work on Monday," Gross said.

Gross says negotiations fell through a few days ago when the union asked that all incoming nurses be required to join and pay dues. He added that currently, it is not mandatory for nurses to join the unionwith only about 48,00 nurses paying dues.

But while the union and hospital try to find common ground, families and patients say their main concern is having quality care, regardless of where the negotiations stand.

"You hope that somebody that has compassion with their patients is going to be there. I don't know if people they hire to cover a strike are going to be able to accomplish that," said Broderick Harris, whose mother is hospitalized.

Harris added that he hoped the hospital would give the nurses what they are requesting.

"I hope they give them what they want because they deserve it," he said.

If a deal is not reached over the weekend, the strike wil began Monday morning. Nurses are planning to strike in front of the Sharp Hospitals in La mesa, Kearny Mesa, Chula Vista and Coronado.
After helping save two toddlers stabbed by their own father, a Maryland paramedic is working to make sure the children have a good holiday.

The night of Nov. 11, Prince George's County paramedic Lt. Pamela Graham responded to a home in District Heights.

"We got the call as 'children stabbed,' so you always think, 'No, this cannot be. Something's wrong," she recalled.

A 2-year-old boy and 3-year-old boy were stabbed by their father, 25-year-old Christian Diller, police said. The children were rushed to Children's National Medical Center with non-life-threatning wounds.

Diller sexually assaulted the children's mother, police said. He was charged with first-degree murder, assault and related charges.

Graham treated the children's wounds as they were rushed to a hospital.

Weeks later, the case still haunted Graham, who has 20 years on the job.

"Two-year-olds and 3-year-olds are supposed to be running around, jumping off the couch and playing with the toys," she said.

So, she set up a website to raise money for the family. The children's mother is relocating from the house where the children's father attacked all three of them, and she needs help.

Graham also is hosting a holiday party for the family.

"We set up something for Christmas at my house, [with] the fire department and police department. Santa will be coming," she said.

The YouCaring page Graham set up had raised $550 toward a $2,500 goal as of Friday evening.
Fidel Castro, the father of communist Cuba who led the country for nearly half a century, died Friday night at the age of 90, President Raul Castro announced on state TV.

The former president was expected to be cremated, as he wished, on Saturday, his brother said in the brief televised message, which he concluded with the revolutionary rallying cry, "onward toward victory, always."

The Cuban government announced nine days of national mourning beginning Saturday and culminating with a burial ceremony Dec. 4. In the meantime, a mass gathering will be held in the capital Tuesday. The following day, his ashes will embark on a four-day tour of the country retracing the "Caravan of Liberty" he led after ousting his predecessor in 1959.

Celebrations erupted on the streets of Cuban-American neighborhoods in Miami and remembrances from world leaders poured in when word spread that the divisive, iconic figure had passed away.

Castro retreated from the public eye in 2006 following emergency surgery for intestinal bleeding. His health problems forced him to temporarily hand power to his younger brother, who permanently took his place as president in 2008.

Castro's death follows a historic thawing of relations between Cuba and the United States with the announcement in mid-December that the countries planned to restore diplomatic and economic ties.

Six weeks after that announcement, Castro made his first comments about the deal, writing that he backs the negotiations even though he distrusts American politics.

"I don't trust the policy of the United States, nor have I exchanged a word with them, but this does not mean I reject a pacific solution to the conflicts," he wrote in a letter to a student federation read at the University of Havana.

In a statement released Saturday, President Obama called for continued partnership between Cuba and the United States.

"Today, we offer condolences to Fidel Castro's family, and our thoughts and prayers are with the Cuban people," Obama said in the statement. "In the days ahead, they will recall the past and also look to the future. As they do, the Cuban people must know that they have a friend and partner in the United States of America."

"We will always defend cooperation and friendship with all the people of the world, including with our political adversaries," he wrote.

President-elect Donald Trump, meanwhile, assailed Castro as a "brutal dictator" in a statement Saturday.

"Today, the world marks the passing of a brutal dictator who oppressed his own people for nearly six decades," Trump said in the statement. "Fidel Castros legacy is one of firing squads, theft, unimaginable suffering, poverty and the denial of fundamental human rights."

Trump's statement goes on to say that his administration will work toward ensuring "prosperity" and "liberty" for the Cuban people.

"Though the tragedies, deaths and pain caused by Fidel Castro cannot be erased, our administration will do all it can to ensure the Cuban people can finally begin their journey toward prosperity and liberty," the statement read.

Since relinquishing power, Castro's health had been the topic of intense speculation. On several occasions, media reported inaccurately that he was near death or had died. Once in 2012, Castro replied to the rumors himself in an article published on Cuba Debate, a state-run website, in which he boasted that he was not only alive, but didn't "even remember what a headache is."

Castro had defied death many times before, both as the revolutionary who led an armed uprising against dictator Fulgencio Batista, and as Batista's communist successor who inspired a number of U.S.-backed assassination plots. Nine U.S. presidents came and went during Castro's rule, which, like him, proved resilient, outlasting most other communist governments around the world.

For 49 years Castro ran Cuba, transforming what was once an American playground with striking social inequalities into a poor, isolated country with a notorious record on human rights. To some, he was a hero. Through a rigid system of socialized medicine, education and cultural facilities, Castro's government elevated Cuba's most impoverished citizens and reduced the sort of racial inequalities prevalent throughout the Americas. For challenging and insulting U.S. policies and presidents, he won the devotion of like-minded leaders, including the late Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez. In a 2004 speech slamming the U.S. war on terrorism, for example, Castro accused President George W. Bush of hypocrisy and fraud, while in 2011 he penned an op-ed in the Cuban press calling President Barack Obama "stupid."

His own critics, however, were not tolerated. To those who challenged his revolutionary vision or lived outside of the rigid framework he established on the islandwhich for years quarantined its HIV-positive citizens and jailed everyone from dissidents to homosexualshe was a brutal dictator.

U.S. politicians were among the most harsh Castro critics. Florida Senator Marco Rubio condemned Castro in a statement Saturday, writing in part: "One thing is clear, history will not absolve Fidel Castro; it will remember him as an evil, murderous dictator who inflicted misery and suffering on his own people."

Castro's human rights abuses and economic policies prompted throngs of Cubans to flee, many risking their lives to do so. One of the largest mass exoduses came in 1980 when Castro opened the exits to more than a hundred thousand citizens, including prisoners and mental patients who were loaded on boats bound for Florida. In a speech to supporters, Castro happily bid them farewell and mocked the United States for "doing an excellent sanitation job for us."

In his final years, however, Castro appeared to be taking a more critical look at the policies he had enacted, calling his government's treatment of gays, for example, an "injustice," and saying in 2010 that "the Cuban model [of communism] doesn't even work for us anymore."

Indeed, Raul Castro has loosened both travel restrictions and the government's grip on the economy since taking power in 2008, allowing citizens to open some small businesses and legally buy everything from computers and cell phones to foreign cars, however exorbitantly taxed they may be.

The agreement to normalize relations between Cuba and the United States came as prisoners in both countries were freed, among them U.S. subcontractor Alan Gross, sentenced in 2009 to 15 years in prison for trying to set up internet access for the Jewish community in Cuba. But the U.S. trade embargo in place for more than 50 years remained in place. Only Congress can lift it.

Raul Castro, currently 85, has said that he will not seek reelection at the end of his second term in 2018, which will leave the leadership of the country open to someone other than an original Cuban revolutionary for the first time since the overthrow of Batista.

Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz, the son of a wealthy Spanish-born landowner and his cook, was born Aug. 13, 1926. His upbringing, which exposed him to both the privilege and poverty of his nation, laid the groundwork for his revolutionary path later on.

His political views were further shaped at the University of Havana, where he studied law. After graduating, he delved deeper into revolutionary politics and ultimately organized the rebellion that would overthrow Batista. Joined by his brother Raul, and the legendary guerrilla fighter Ernesto "Che" Guevarra, Castro succeeded in ousting his predecessor in 1959 after two failed attempts, one of which landed him in prison.

While the United States quickly recognized Castro's new government, it cut off diplomatic ties as the country's communist policies  such as the nationalization of U.S. properties in Cuba  became clear.

The next few years were marked by increasingly desperate attempts on the part of the U.S. to remove Castro from power. The Bay of Pigs invasion, a botched mission that sent U.S.-trained Cuban exiles back home to take down Castro, became one of the biggest embarrassments of John F. Kennedy's presidency, and emboldened Castro and his supporters.

Months later, Castro green-lighted the construction of Soviet nuclear missile sites on the island, well within range of U.S. targets. When Kennedy caught wind of the plans, a 13-day standoff ensued, with Kennedy ultimately convincing the Soviets to back down in exchange for the removal of U.S. missiles from Turkey. The so-called Cuban Missile Crisis was a defining moment for both Kennedy and Castro and further embittered relations between the two countries.

Castro's prolific writing and famously long-winded speeches regularly featured tirades against the U.S. and insistence that Cuba would never change course. "Socialism or death! Fatherland or death!" was the motto.

Though he demonstrated, throughout his life, his willingness to die for his vision and values, he survived one of the longest and most controversial political careers of the 20th century, only stepping down as the result of his declining health.

Little is known about how Castro spent his final years. The topic of both his health and personal life have been closely guarded secrets, with Castro revealing only as much as he wished. It is unclear, for example, just how many children he fathered. Asked in an interview for Vanity Fair in 1993, Castro replied, "it's almost a tribe."

What is known is this: He was married twice, first to Mirt Diaz-Balart, whom he divorced in 1955 after having one child, and later to Dalia Soto del Valle, with whom he had five sons. Others have been cited as mistresses and children, including Alina Fernandez, a Cuban exile who published a memoir about growing up as Castro's daughter in 1960s Cuba.

After leaving the presidency, Castro wrote a series of his own personal reflections, though his focused mainly on past and current events. In his final post, published in September 2013, Castro expressed relief that the U.S. appeared to be backing away from plans to intervene militarily in Syria's civil wara move, he said, that could prevent "global catastrophe."
Its the busiest time of year for Vermonts Christmas tree growers, with customers on the hunt for trees that match their specifications for shape, height, and fragrance.

According to the USDA agricultural census of 2012, its most recent study, Vermont had 288 tree farms that were growing trees on more than 3,600 acres. Tree sales brought in roughly $2.8-million, according to the census.

Estimates have suggested Vermonts Christmas tree industry supplies customers across the state and New England with more than 134,000 trees. Some are even shipped across the country and internationally.

At the Russell Christmas Tree Farm in Starksboro, draft horses pull wagons that bring customers to one of owner Dave Russells fields to select a tree.

"I tell everybody that theyre welcome to have the best tree Ive got," Dave Russell said. "They just have to go find it!"

The Lewis family, visiting Vermont from Long Island for the Thanksgiving weekend, said picking out their tree from Russells property has become an annual tradition.

"The holidays are not the same if were not up here," mom Kristie Lewis said.

Russell said about 30 or 40 percent of the approximately 1,000 trees the farm will sell this year are cut down by families on wagon rides.

The rest of his trees go to customers who save money by skipping the horse-drawn experience.

"It is a unique offering, which draws people in," Russell said of the horse-drawn wagon rides.

A wagon or sleigh ride including a fresh-cut tree costs $75 per household at the Russell Christmas Tree Farm. A tree without the wagon ride costs $45.

But if horses arent your speed, at Sharp Farm in Milton, you could use a Segway to pick out your tree.

Owner Rick Sharp needs the right weather conditions and beefed-up winter tires to use the people-movers to take tree shoppers through his property.

He requires a simpler model of Segway tires for his summertime tour business on Burlingtons waterfront.

"And they fit just perfectly between the rows of trees, so it works really well," Sharp said of the concept to get around the Christmas tree farm on a Segway. "You can get around a lot quicker with a Segway."

However, Sharp said most customers opt to simply walk through the rows of trees at his farm, with only a small percentage going with the Segway option. Its a charge of $59 for a tour of the scenic property, but you do get half off the price of your tree with a Segway tour.

Without the Segway tour, a 5-8-foot tree from Sharp Farm costs $40, with an extra $6 per foot for taller trees.

"Its a great idea, absolutely," tree shopper Nikoa Kmetz-Derr said of using a Segway to get around a tree field. "Especially with so much land. You could probably really hike up there if you really wanted to look, so its great that they provide some transportation."

Whether folks explore on foot, wheels, or hooves, Vermonts tree farms are glad to help keep the states working landscape thriving.
Across South Florida, the death of former Cuban leader Fidel Castro is being met with a sense of celebration from members of the exile community.

The leaders of the Assembly of the Cuban Resistance held a news conference Sunday at the Bay of Pigs Veterans Association Brigade to discuss Castro's death. The Ladies in White and activist Sylvia Iriondo spoke passionately about continuing the fight to bring democracy to Cuba. A march and rally will be held Wednesday at the Bay of Pigs Memorial in Little Havana.

Castro, who spent nearly five decades ruling the country after launching a military takeover in 1959, died Friday night at the age of 90. His death was announced on Cuban television by his brother, Raul, who took over as leader of the nation in 2008 when Fidel Castro stepped down.

Hundreds of Cuban Americans crowded to the roads in Hialeah and Little Havana to celebrate the demise of the father of communist Cuba.

People waved Cuba's flag and banged on pots and pans along Bird Road and southwest 87th street.

The front page of Sunday's Miami Herald is a special edition with a simple headline, DEAD, and a photo of Castro.

For more than five decades, thousands of Cubans have been escaping the communist island to gain freedom in the United States and elsewhere.

Many South Florida Cubans told NBC 6 Fidel's death is symbolic and may pave the way for true change in Cuba.

U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, who had vocally opposed the Castro regime, said the crowds were not celebrating death, instead they were celebrating "an opportunity to begin a new chapter of freedom".

Other South Florida members of Congress, including Lincoln and Mario Diaz-Balart as well as Debbie Wasserman Schultz, echoed those thoughts in calling for a change to the island to ensure freedom for those still living on the island.

The mayors of City of Miami and Miami-Dade County, who are both Cuban American, also reacted to the death of Castro. Miami Mayor Tomas Regalado, described his death as a "victory", while Miami-Dade Carlos Gimenez said the announcement was "something that we've been waiting for".

Florida Senator Marco Rubio released a statement saying that "the dictator has died, but the dictatorship has not. And one thing is clear, history will not absolve Fidel Castro; it will remember him as an evil, murderous dictator who inflicted misery and suffering on his own people."

Florida's other U.S. Senator, Bill Nelson, said that the U.S. should "continue to take steps to support the Cuban people" until Raul Castro provides basic rights. Governor Rick Scott said today's news should "usher in an era of freedom, peace and human dignity".

Other politicians have also chimed in - including Texas Senator Ted Cruz. His father came to America from Cuba in the 1960s:

Alan Gross, an American citizen who spent five years in a Cuban prision following his arrest on charges of being a spy, also reacted to Castro's death:

In the religious community, Pope Francis called the death "sad news" while Archbishop Thomas Wenski called for peace for both Cuba and its people.

Fidel Castro's death comes on the 17th anniversary of when Elian Gonzalez was rescued off the Florida coast.

In 1999, the Cuban boy landed in Miami after his mother and her boyfriend drowned during their journey from Havana.

Elian, who was five years old at the time, became embroiled in an international custody battle and eventually returned to Cuba.
Bill DeRoche had nearly finished stringing the holiday lights outside his home Tuesday when he was suddenly knocked to the ground by a jolt of electricity.

"When the first responders got here, they said they expected to be taking away a corpse," said DeRoche's wife, Karen LeClair.

But on Wednesday, DeRoche returned to his Merrimack, New Hampshire, home with few injuries-third degree burns to the sides of his feet and some sore hands.

"He's lucky to be alive," LeClair said, "I'm counting my blessings."

DeRoche accidentally hit a power line with a metal pole he had been using to decorate atop the family's outdoor tree. The contact sent about 20,000 volts of electricity into the ground.

"The pole was both his curse and his savior," LeClair said, "The electricity went through the pole and into the ground, and he got the residual I guess, more or less."

DeRoche spent one night at Massachusetts General Hospital's burn unit, but decided to go home the following day.

Despite the scare, the couple has already returned to their holiday decorations. The lights on the lawn were back on by Thanksgiving night. Now, they hope to complete the tree.

"It was a freak thing, I think. We've been doing this 20 years," LeClair said,"I managed to make ends meet and have the place looking pretty."
Oakland is considering becoming a "dry town" to block marijuana retail stores and social clubs.

Unofficial results from the Maine secretary of state's office indicate the state referendum legalizing pot for people 21 or older narrowly passed. The vote is being recounted.

Most Oakland residents voted against the measure.

The Morning Sentinel reports Town Manager Gary Bowman said Tuesday the town can't enforce a pot moratorium though because its comprehensive plan hasn't been updated and the town doesn't have to zone.

Bowman says the Town Council could update the plan, restrict licenses or declare Oakland a "dry town."

Councilor Don Borman says the town could later change the "dry town" designation.

Bowman says he'll work on drafting a potential ordinance.

Numerous other cities and towns have adopted and considered moratoriums.
A Manchester, New Hampshire, teen is accused of pulling a dozen fire alarms in one day on the city's west side.

Police say the fire department responded to 12 false fire alarms between roughly 1:30 a.m. and 11:45 p.m. on Friday. A witness who was monitoring the alarms on a scanner went to one location and saw a car pull up to the alarm box and someone get out and pull the alarm. The witness called authorities and followed the car.

Fire officials then stopped the vehicle until police arrived.

Nineteen-year-old Justin Nagy was charged with creating a false public alarm. The driver, 20-year-old Stavros Doukeris, was charged with criminal liability. It was unclear Saturday whether they are represented by attorneys.
Police have located a woman who had been missing from Newton, Massachusetts, since early Saturday morning.

Marley Patterson Lyman, 84, was last seen at about 1 a.m. outside of the Hotel Indigo on Grove Street, according to police. Lyman, a California resident, was visiting family in the area.

Just after 6 p.m., police said Lyman was located safely in New Hampshire and that her family had been notified of her whereabouts. No further details were given.
After Black Friday is over, Rhode Island Gov. Gina Raimondo plans to shop locally to support the state's small businesses.

The Democratic governor is promoting this weekend's "Small Business Saturday" with the Small Business Administration.

She's scheduled on Saturday to visit Barrington Books in Cranston, The-Sew-Op and the ImPressed Olive in North Kingstown, and Finishing Touches and the 401 Studio in Wakefield. Her schedule is subject to change.

The SBA says there are more than 96,000 small businesses in Rhode Island, making up about 96 percent of the state's businesses.

Raimondo is visiting the local shops to encourage people to do the same in their communities on the busiest shopping weekend of the year for many people.
Police are being asked to investigate after swastikas and other offensive graffiti were found at a Massachusetts school.

Superintendent Linda Dwight of Harvard Public Schools sent an email to parents Friday saying that a rock in front of the Bromfield School had been vandalized with swastikas, homophobic symbols and racist words. One of the swastikas was marked over a Jewish Star of David.

Dwight said the school district condemns the graffiti and has asked police to investigate. Police in the town of Harvard could not immediately be reached for comment.

The Bromfield School is located 30 miles west of Boston and teaches about 700 students from sixth grade through high school.

Last week, officials in nearby Billerica, Massachusetts, said a shuttered elementary school had also been vandalized with a swastika.
The Wisconsin Elections Commission has decided to recount the votes in the state in the last U.S. presidential elections, after concerns were raised that the voting systems can be hacked.

The recount, which was requested by Jill Stein, candidate of the Green Party for the U.S. presidential election, and Rocky Roque De La Fuente, another candidate, is expected to begin late next week, the Elections Commission said.

The Commission is preparing to move forward with a statewide recount of votes for President of the United States, as requested by these candidates, administrator Michael Haas said in a statement Friday.

Citing the hack of the Democratic National Committee of the Democratic Party in the run-up to the election and reports of breaches of voter registration databases in at least two states, Stein in her petition for recount wrote that Wisconsin uses both the optical scan and direct-recording electronic types of electronic voting machines, which are both susceptible to compromise.

For the last decade, computer scientists have warned about the vulnerabilities of these machines, including that they can be breached without detection and even after certain security measures are put in place, Stein wrote.

She added that in Wisconsin there is evidence of voting irregularity suggesting potential tampering of the voting machines in the 2016 presidential elections, as well as an increase in the number of absentee voters, which could be attributed to a breach of the states voter database.

Stein asked for a hand count of all paper ballots in Wisconsin. The Elections Commission said it is working towards a deadline of Dec. 13 to compete the recount.

President-elect Donald Trump bagged the states 10 votes in the electoral college that selects the president by winning 1.4 million votes to 1.38 million votes bagged by rival Hillary Clinton. A group of voting security experts and election lawyers said earlier this week that Clinton should ask for a recount in Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Michigan as there were outstanding questions about the voting results in the close contests.

The only way to know whether a cyberattack changed the result is to closely examine the available physical evidence  paper ballots and voting equipment in critical states," wrote J. Alex Halderman, a computer science professor at the University of Michigan, in a post on Medium.com. The deadline for asking for recounts was Friday in Wisconsin, Monday next week in Pennsylvania, and Wednesday in Michigan, he noted.

Whether voting machines are connected to the Internet is irrelevant, Halderman wrote in a submission in support of Stein. As demonstrated by him in the laboratory in just a few seconds, anyone can install vote-stealing malware on a voting machine that silently alters the electronic record of every vote, he added.

In the optical-scan method, votes entered on paper ballots are scanned electronically and counted, while in the DRE machines the votes are counted as people vote but a verifiable paper trail is also maintained, and only the paper record documents the vote in a way that can't be modified by malware or other cyberattacks, according to Halderman.

We are standing up for an election system that we can trust; for voting systems that respect and encourage our vote, and make it possible for all of us to exercise our constitutional right to vote, Stein said in a statement Friday. She launched a campaign to raise funds to meet the fees for the recounts in the three states.

Election integrity experts have independently identified Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin as states where "statistical anomalies" have raised concerns, according to the new campaign, which has clarified that the effort to recount votes in the three states is not intended to help Clinton and is unlikely to change the election outcome.
By Express News Service

BENGALURU: A gang of unidentified men kidnapped the 10-year-old son of a timber merchant in broad daylight in Bengaluru on Saturday.

Mayank was on his way to school with his grandfather in the morning when he was abducted.

The boy's father Haresh Patel owns a timber shop in KR Puram called Vinayaka Timbers and the family resides in Ayyappanagar. On Saturday morning at around 8 am, Mayank, a fourth standard student, was walking to his school, Narayana E Techno School along with his grandfather Dahiyabhai as was their routine day. The school is located right behind their residence but the path to it has little traffic in the morning.

The abductors drove up in a Maruti Eco, pushed Dahiyabhai aside and pulled Mayank into the car and drove away. Dahiyabhai suffered minor injuries but immediately informed his family members.

The boy's uncle Purushotham approached KR Puram police and filed a case. A special team has been formed to nab the accused. Police also obtained footage from a CCTV camera installed at a nearby bank and were able to identity the vehicle used by the accused.

Till late Saturday evening the family had received no ransom calls, said police. Patel, who hails from Gujarat, settled down in Bengaluru a few years ago. A senior police officer said they are yet to ascertain the motive behind the kidnapping.

BENGALURU: A gang of unidentified men kidnapped the 10-year-old son of a timber merchant in broad daylight in Bengaluru on Saturday. Mayank was on his way to school with his grandfather in the morning when he was abducted. The boy's father Haresh Patel owns a timber shop in KR Puram called Vinayaka Timbers and the family resides in Ayyappanagar. On Saturday morning at around 8 am, Mayank, a fourth standard student, was walking to his school, Narayana E Techno School along with his grandfather Dahiyabhai as was their routine day. The school is located right behind their residence but the path to it has little traffic in the morning. The abductors drove up in a Maruti Eco, pushed Dahiyabhai aside and pulled Mayank into the car and drove away. Dahiyabhai suffered minor injuries but immediately informed his family members. The boy's uncle Purushotham approached KR Puram police and filed a case. A special team has been formed to nab the accused. Police also obtained footage from a CCTV camera installed at a nearby bank and were able to identity the vehicle used by the accused. Till late Saturday evening the family had received no ransom calls, said police. Patel, who hails from Gujarat, settled down in Bengaluru a few years ago. A senior police officer said they are yet to ascertain the motive behind the kidnapping.
Mebin John By

Express News Service

BENGALURU: Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation has sent 18 notices to various app developers, bloggers and web site owners to pull down any names, words and logos with KSRTC because the corporation holds all the rights to the brand.

We are answerable for all the content that comes with KSRTC, says Rajender Kumar Kataria, Managing Director, KSRTC. Therefore, we have decided to take action against any individual who uses the brand name KSRTC in their apps or blogs because they may give misleading information or defame the corporation. Notices sent to the 18 is just the first stage.

We will also be asking people to pull out social media pages or accounts that carry the name, because the corporation has its own official accounts. In this drive, many fan pages will have to go.

Interestingly, this decision will affect people and fans from two states -- Karnataka and Kerala -- because both two corporations share the abbreviation. In 2013, Karnataka registered KSRTC as their property and asked Kerala to stop using it. KSRTC (Kerala) officials called foul stating the state has been operating the services since 1965 while Karnataka began operations much later, in 1974. Kerala has filed an objection with the Intellectual Property Appellate Board, says T Shibu Kumar, chief law officer with Keralas transport corporation, the legal battle is still on.

The Kerala corporation has many fan clubs, most active on social media platforms, and one runs a popular KSRTC Blog. The administrator of this blog, which provides information and bus timings, too has got the notice from the Karnataka corporation. The blog has more 5 lakh followers and their Facebook page has more than 50,000 members.

The legal notice that was sent to Sujith Bhakthan TR, the administrator, says that he has violated the intellectual property rights of KSRTC (Karnataka) and, without its authorization, has made unfair gains out of the brand. In addition, with unauthorized usage and falsifying a trademark information, the blog has caused a huge loss of revenue to KSRTC (Karnaraka). It warns the blogger to remove all content pertaining to KSRTC from the website.

The blogger is surprised because he has not posted anything about the Karnataka corporation. My blog is exclusively for the Kerala transport corporation and its promotion, says Sujith. I never published any misleading or negative posts about KSRTC(Karnataka) and will go ahead with the legal proceedings.

BENGALURU: Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation has sent 18 notices to various app developers, bloggers and web site owners to pull down any names, words and logos with KSRTC because the corporation holds all the rights to the brand. We are answerable for all the content that comes with KSRTC, says Rajender Kumar Kataria, Managing Director, KSRTC. Therefore, we have decided to take action against any individual who uses the brand name KSRTC in their apps or blogs because they may give misleading information or defame the corporation. Notices sent to the 18 is just the first stage. We will also be asking people to pull out social media pages or accounts that carry the name, because the corporation has its own official accounts. In this drive, many fan pages will have to go. Interestingly, this decision will affect people and fans from two states -- Karnataka and Kerala -- because both two corporations share the abbreviation. In 2013, Karnataka registered KSRTC as their property and asked Kerala to stop using it. KSRTC (Kerala) officials called foul stating the state has been operating the services since 1965 while Karnataka began operations much later, in 1974. Kerala has filed an objection with the Intellectual Property Appellate Board, says T Shibu Kumar, chief law officer with Keralas transport corporation, the legal battle is still on. The Kerala corporation has many fan clubs, most active on social media platforms, and one runs a popular KSRTC Blog. The administrator of this blog, which provides information and bus timings, too has got the notice from the Karnataka corporation. The blog has more 5 lakh followers and their Facebook page has more than 50,000 members. The legal notice that was sent to Sujith Bhakthan TR, the administrator, says that he has violated the intellectual property rights of KSRTC (Karnataka) and, without its authorization, has made unfair gains out of the brand. In addition, with unauthorized usage and falsifying a trademark information, the blog has caused a huge loss of revenue to KSRTC (Karnaraka). It warns the blogger to remove all content pertaining to KSRTC from the website. The blogger is surprised because he has not posted anything about the Karnataka corporation. My blog is exclusively for the Kerala transport corporation and its promotion, says Sujith. I never published any misleading or negative posts about KSRTC(Karnataka) and will go ahead with the legal proceedings.
By Express News Service

MUMBAI: A 9-month-old girl has sustained serious head injuries after she was beaten up by a caretaker at a creche in Navi Mumbai. The owner and caretaker have been arrested, police said Friday.

On Tuesday, when the infants parents Ruchita and Rajat Sinha went to pick her up, they noticed that their daughters eye was swollen. Upon inquiry, the owner told them that the baby had hurt herself after she had a fall. But a doctor suspected it to be a case of child abuse. Subsequently, the parents lodged a complaint.

CCTV footage showing the caretaker beating up the infant

The incident came to light when the footage of Purva Play School and Creche, a daycare centre for children at Kharghar, was analysed by the police and the infants parents. The footage showed the attender at the creche beating Ruchitas daughter while the other infants were sleeping.

Then, Kharghar police arrested the caretaker Afsana Sheikh and the daycare centres owner Priyanka Nikam (34) on Thursday. However, Nikam was later released on surety bail while Sheikh has been remanded in police custody.

But the parents said that the police wasted almost 12 hours before lodging a complaint. They had the CCTV footage that showed how my baby was repeatedly thrown to the floor and how she was thrashed. But, even after that they wanted me to go to the hospital and bring in the injury report, Ruchita told the Express.

First the police let go the owner and only the caretaker was under police custody. Charges slapped against them were not serious in nature. It was only after the TV channels started showing the CCTV footage and people got enraged, the police have swung to action, Rajat said. She has suffered a minor brain haemorrhage, he added.

Meanwhile, people attacked the creche and demanded it be shut down. Maharashtra Women and Child Welfare minister Pankaja Munde said they have made it compulsory for creches to install CCTV cameras.

MUMBAI: A 9-month-old girl has sustained serious head injuries after she was beaten up by a caretaker at a creche in Navi Mumbai. The owner and caretaker have been arrested, police said Friday. On Tuesday, when the infants parents Ruchita and Rajat Sinha went to pick her up, they noticed that their daughters eye was swollen. Upon inquiry, the owner told them that the baby had hurt herself after she had a fall. But a doctor suspected it to be a case of child abuse. Subsequently, the parents lodged a complaint. CCTV footage showing the caretaker beating up the infantThe incident came to light when the footage of Purva Play School and Creche, a daycare centre for children at Kharghar, was analysed by the police and the infants parents. The footage showed the attender at the creche beating Ruchitas daughter while the other infants were sleeping. Then, Kharghar police arrested the caretaker Afsana Sheikh and the daycare centres owner Priyanka Nikam (34) on Thursday. However, Nikam was later released on surety bail while Sheikh has been remanded in police custody. But the parents said that the police wasted almost 12 hours before lodging a complaint. They had the CCTV footage that showed how my baby was repeatedly thrown to the floor and how she was thrashed. But, even after that they wanted me to go to the hospital and bring in the injury report, Ruchita told the Express. First the police let go the owner and only the caretaker was under police custody. Charges slapped against them were not serious in nature. It was only after the TV channels started showing the CCTV footage and people got enraged, the police have swung to action, Rajat said. She has suffered a minor brain haemorrhage, he added. Meanwhile, people attacked the creche and demanded it be shut down. Maharashtra Women and Child Welfare minister Pankaja Munde said they have made it compulsory for creches to install CCTV cameras.
Shama Bhagat By

Express News Service

The youngster who was known for her brashness chooses her words carefully now, but when it comes to her roles, she is ready to push the envelope. Being mentored by her father Mahesh Bhatt and director Karan Johar, Alia has been making the right moves in the industry.

Whether her roles or endorsements, she has been experimenting, and how. Her choice of filmsfrom Highway to Udta Punjab to Kapoor & Sons (Since 1921)have been unique. She says now is the time when she can go all out and experiment. Alia is looking forward to Gauri Shindes Dear Zindagi with Shah Rukh Khan, which released this Friday.

Its a light-hearted film. I have been a big fan of Shah Rukh since childhood and was overwhelmed when I came to know he is playing the lead, she says.

She adds that is no scope for romance in the film. No relationship exists without love. It was a fresh experience, and the film is far from the other films I have done. If anyone ever makes a love story where I could work with Shah Rukh, I would love to do it. He doesnt carry any baggage of being a star on the sets. He will go out of the way to make you comfortable. He is very cool. He is passionate about his work and movies. He loves to do movies and different work like Dear Zindagi, Raees and Bandhua.

Alia explains that she discussed the movie a lot with Shah Rukh. He gave me a lot of advice and I will follow them in life. He used to talk about each and everything. Sometimes I would do stupid things in front of him. We are very similar in our thinking and behaviour. The gist of emotion is the same but the way we carry out is different.

She says that Shah Rukhs most annoying habit on the sets was not eating on time. He drinks a lot of coffee. I would drink coffee too, but I always eat on time. We would be shooting serious scenes and the entire set would be silent, and suddenly we would hear a rumbling sound, which came from Shah Rukhs stomach. We knew he was hungry and we would force him to eat.

Alia met Shah Rukh when she was very young. I had gone to his house because papas friends wanted to meet him. Shah Rukh had worked with papa in films like Chahat and Duplicate. I had worn an ugly top. There was a spread of sandwiches on the table and I had one in my mouth and was staring at him in awe. When I was shooting for Dear Zindagi, I showed the picture to him.

She believes everyone will relate to the film. I play a moody girl who doesnt take life seriously. But unlike me, she doesnt think before she talks.

This is the first time Alia will be shouldering the film with four male co-stars opposite her. I dont have a burden on my shoulders. Dear Zindagi is director Gauri Shindes film and she has written it beautifully. There is a certain grimness involved in her writing. I just did my work and got out. Age does not matter when you are an actor. The minute I start thinking I am the youngest successful star it will come in the way of my work and it will ruin the whole process. I am grateful for all the love, but I dont want the right over it. This is all momentary. I want to keep surprising all the people all the time.

How does she try to stay positive in the film? Being positive all the time is difficult, but you dont have to be negative either. Its a waste of emotion and a waste of time.

Alia is very guarded and secretive when it comes to her personal life. I dont share a lot about my life but I have a lot of friends with whom I share things.

She wants to change certain traits in her. I become hyper quite soon and I get angry easily and say things I regret later. I want to change this. I cant lie, I get caught easily. I lie to mom sometimes, especially after I come home late and want to go to the gym. I lie that I have to go for a meeting.

Shes doing Badrinath Ki Dulhaniya with Varun Dhawan. Its a very desi and heartland romance kind of film, which has the flavour of desi ghee. Varun is doing great in the comedy space and is growing. We are proud of each other.

About talks that she will be doing Aashiqui 3 on the home banner, she says that the script is being worked on. I will take the call after hearing the script, she says.

It was also said that former actress Sharmila Tagore had said that if a biopic was ever made on her, she would like Alia to represent her in the film. Alia replies, Yes, I met her in Singapore where she was attending a poetry fest. She said she loved Kapoor & Sons. She is a legendary actress, and If I get an opportunity, I would love to do her biopic.

The youngster who was known for her brashness chooses her words carefully now, but when it comes to her roles, she is ready to push the envelope. Being mentored by her father Mahesh Bhatt and director Karan Johar, Alia has been making the right moves in the industry. Whether her roles or endorsements, she has been experimenting, and how. Her choice of filmsfrom Highway to Udta Punjab to Kapoor & Sons (Since 1921)have been unique. She says now is the time when she can go all out and experiment. Alia is looking forward to Gauri Shindes Dear Zindagi with Shah Rukh Khan, which released this Friday. Its a light-hearted film. I have been a big fan of Shah Rukh since childhood and was overwhelmed when I came to know he is playing the lead, she says. She adds that is no scope for romance in the film. No relationship exists without love. It was a fresh experience, and the film is far from the other films I have done. If anyone ever makes a love story where I could work with Shah Rukh, I would love to do it. He doesnt carry any baggage of being a star on the sets. He will go out of the way to make you comfortable. He is very cool. He is passionate about his work and movies. He loves to do movies and different work like Dear Zindagi, Raees and Bandhua. Alia explains that she discussed the movie a lot with Shah Rukh. He gave me a lot of advice and I will follow them in life. He used to talk about each and everything. Sometimes I would do stupid things in front of him. We are very similar in our thinking and behaviour. The gist of emotion is the same but the way we carry out is different. She says that Shah Rukhs most annoying habit on the sets was not eating on time. He drinks a lot of coffee. I would drink coffee too, but I always eat on time. We would be shooting serious scenes and the entire set would be silent, and suddenly we would hear a rumbling sound, which came from Shah Rukhs stomach. We knew he was hungry and we would force him to eat. Alia met Shah Rukh when she was very young. I had gone to his house because papas friends wanted to meet him. Shah Rukh had worked with papa in films like Chahat and Duplicate. I had worn an ugly top. There was a spread of sandwiches on the table and I had one in my mouth and was staring at him in awe. When I was shooting for Dear Zindagi, I showed the picture to him. She believes everyone will relate to the film. I play a moody girl who doesnt take life seriously. But unlike me, she doesnt think before she talks. This is the first time Alia will be shouldering the film with four male co-stars opposite her. I dont have a burden on my shoulders. Dear Zindagi is director Gauri Shindes film and she has written it beautifully. There is a certain grimness involved in her writing. I just did my work and got out. Age does not matter when you are an actor. The minute I start thinking I am the youngest successful star it will come in the way of my work and it will ruin the whole process. I am grateful for all the love, but I dont want the right over it. This is all momentary. I want to keep surprising all the people all the time. How does she try to stay positive in the film? Being positive all the time is difficult, but you dont have to be negative either. Its a waste of emotion and a waste of time. Alia is very guarded and secretive when it comes to her personal life. I dont share a lot about my life but I have a lot of friends with whom I share things. She wants to change certain traits in her. I become hyper quite soon and I get angry easily and say things I regret later. I want to change this. I cant lie, I get caught easily. I lie to mom sometimes, especially after I come home late and want to go to the gym. I lie that I have to go for a meeting. Shes doing Badrinath Ki Dulhaniya with Varun Dhawan. Its a very desi and heartland romance kind of film, which has the flavour of desi ghee. Varun is doing great in the comedy space and is growing. We are proud of each other. About talks that she will be doing Aashiqui 3 on the home banner, she says that the script is being worked on. I will take the call after hearing the script, she says. It was also said that former actress Sharmila Tagore had said that if a biopic was ever made on her, she would like Alia to represent her in the film. Alia replies, Yes, I met her in Singapore where she was attending a poetry fest. She said she loved Kapoor & Sons. She is a legendary actress, and If I get an opportunity, I would love to do her biopic.
By ANI

NEW DELHI: Despite 3 planes and 12 hour journey to the Maldives, Katrina Kaif is sizzling hot in a recent photo shoot for Harpers Bazaar Bride India.

The 33-year-old actress posted on her Facebook page, a picture of herself on the clean beach posing for the lens as she nails the perfect physique for a white mesh swimsuit.

Maldives .... Harpers Bazaar Bride India shoot. 3 planes and a 12 hour journey later....we have reached, read the photo caption.

The Baar Baar Dekho star appears to be as radiant as the scenic country with its clear waters and beauty.

Earlier in the day, Manish Malhotra also shared a picture with the star and captioned it as #ShootTime #maldives #beautiful #KatrinaKaif .#MyFirstTime in #maldives #Exciting #SeaPlane #Journey #Experiences #SliceOfLife."

The Boom star will be next seen in Anurag Basus Jagga Jasoos starring alongside her former flame Ranbir Kapoor.

NEW DELHI: Despite 3 planes and 12 hour journey to the Maldives, Katrina Kaif is sizzling hot in a recent photo shoot for Harpers Bazaar Bride India. The 33-year-old actress posted on her Facebook page, a picture of herself on the clean beach posing for the lens as she nails the perfect physique for a white mesh swimsuit. Maldives .... Harpers Bazaar Bride India shoot. 3 planes and a 12 hour journey later....we have reached, read the photo caption. The Baar Baar Dekho star appears to be as radiant as the scenic country with its clear waters and beauty. Earlier in the day, Manish Malhotra also shared a picture with the star and captioned it as #ShootTime #maldives #beautiful #KatrinaKaif .#MyFirstTime in #maldives #Exciting #SeaPlane #Journey #Experiences #SliceOfLife." The Boom star will be next seen in Anurag Basus Jagga Jasoos starring alongside her former flame Ranbir Kapoor.
By Express News Service

Express views

Director: Deekay

Film: Kavalai Vendam

Cast: Jiiva, Kajal Agarwal, Bobby Simha, Sunaina, RJ Balaji, Bala.

A new age rom-com depicting relationships, break-ups and patch-ups, the film revolves around a cheerful and happy-go-lucky chef who takes life as it comes and learns his lessons the hard way. Deekays second film after Yaamiruka Bayamey (2014), Kavalai Vendam seems like a futile attempt to replicate Hollywood coming-of-age comedies like American Pie (1999). With puerile humour and juvenile jokes, its not a very inspiring film. After taking up such a theme, the director seems hesitant or unable to go the whole way.

Pert, pretty and fun loving, Divya falls for the easygoing Arvind. What follows is a quick marriage, a misunderstanding and a quicker separation. Three years later, Divya revisits Arvind to persuade him to give her a divorce. One does not look for logic in such comedies. However, comedy being serious business, the script should have been crafted to appeal the audience. But the screenplay deteriorates as the narration progresses. Double entendres, suggestive scenes and off-colour jokes, like the men getting caught with their pants down quite often...urgh, its puts you off.

The script may be a let-down, but Jiiva has done whatever the role demands of him. Stylish and chic, Kajal is ravishing and a sight for sore eyes. Sunaina as the heros friend is wasted in a weakly etched role. Balaji and Bala who play the heros buddies, barely get any genuinely funny moments. No wonder Bobby Simhas appears disinterested in the film...cant really blame the guy!

The locations are eye-catching, the cool lush ambiance of Coonoor is breathtakingly captured. The tones give a rich colourful look to the frames. There is no let-down in style. Its the content that disappoints!

Express views Director: Deekay Film: Kavalai Vendam Cast: Jiiva, Kajal Agarwal, Bobby Simha, Sunaina, RJ Balaji, Bala. A new age rom-com depicting relationships, break-ups and patch-ups, the film revolves around a cheerful and happy-go-lucky chef who takes life as it comes and learns his lessons the hard way. Deekays second film after Yaamiruka Bayamey (2014), Kavalai Vendam seems like a futile attempt to replicate Hollywood coming-of-age comedies like American Pie (1999). With puerile humour and juvenile jokes, its not a very inspiring film. After taking up such a theme, the director seems hesitant or unable to go the whole way. Pert, pretty and fun loving, Divya falls for the easygoing Arvind. What follows is a quick marriage, a misunderstanding and a quicker separation. Three years later, Divya revisits Arvind to persuade him to give her a divorce. One does not look for logic in such comedies. However, comedy being serious business, the script should have been crafted to appeal the audience. But the screenplay deteriorates as the narration progresses. Double entendres, suggestive scenes and off-colour jokes, like the men getting caught with their pants down quite often...urgh, its puts you off. The script may be a let-down, but Jiiva has done whatever the role demands of him. Stylish and chic, Kajal is ravishing and a sight for sore eyes. Sunaina as the heros friend is wasted in a weakly etched role. Balaji and Bala who play the heros buddies, barely get any genuinely funny moments. No wonder Bobby Simhas appears disinterested in the film...cant really blame the guy! The locations are eye-catching, the cool lush ambiance of Coonoor is breathtakingly captured. The tones give a rich colourful look to the frames. There is no let-down in style. Its the content that disappoints!
Shevlin Sebastian By

Helga Peeters stood in the middle of a 200-year-old warehouse on Bazaar Road in Mattancherry near Kochi. There were broken bricks all over the floor. When she looked upwards, there were gaps in the tiled roof. But what was making her look worried, on a day in mid-October, was that the workers had played truant. It will be difficult to meet the deadline of opening this art centre for holding the Kochi Biennale event that begins on December 12, she says.

Helga breaks into a smile. Thats India for you, she says. Everything can go smoothly one day, but on the next work can come to a standstill. Its a challenging time for me.

But, in early November, luck turned in Helgas favour. Following discussions with the owner of a 100-year-old house at the nearby Jew Town, Helga was able to lease out a 3,000 square feet space. About 2,250 square feet will be given temporarily for three months to be used by the Students Biennale, while the remaining area will be an art centre, says Helga.

After the art centre is established, Helga is planning to bring talented and upcoming artists from Belgium to India. It will be such a different experience for them, she says. And an exciting one too because they will realise that India is like an onion. There are layers upon layers. It is fascinating. This is why I also keep coming back. On every trip I learn something new. Belgian as well as Indian artistes will display their works in the art gallery.

She got the idea of starting an arts centre when she attended the second edition of the Biennale in 2015. I felt inspired by the energy and excitement of the art festival, she says. It seemed that a new wind was blowing through Fort Kochi. And I wanted my guests to experience it first-hand.

Helga, who belongs to Antwerp, runs a travel firm, Anubhuti (to feel something that you would like to treasure). Over the past decade or so, she has brought groups of tourists to different parts of India such as Ladakh, Kolkata, Darjeeling, Jaipur, Mumbai and Kochi.

I am not just taking them from one place to another, but I make them immerse themselves in the local milieu, says Helga. Travelling through this colourful, complex, beautiful and spiritual country is magical as well as inspiring.

In Kerala, and especially Fort Kochi, tourists enjoy the European heritagePortuguese, Dutch and British style buildingsas well as the tradition of Ayurveda and yoga. The nature in Kerala is unique, says Helga. It is green in Belgium, too, but not so tropical. And our people love the sea.

The trip is also a moment of self-reflection. During the visit, my compatriots are able to compare their own lives to what they see in India, says Helga. It makes them aware that things can be done differently.

Usually, at the end of the trip, they say they are ready for their next trip to India. And they end up coming five to six times. And they always tell me it is a real anubhuti, says Helga.

Helga Peeters stood in the middle of a 200-year-old warehouse on Bazaar Road in Mattancherry near Kochi. There were broken bricks all over the floor. When she looked upwards, there were gaps in the tiled roof. But what was making her look worried, on a day in mid-October, was that the workers had played truant. It will be difficult to meet the deadline of opening this art centre for holding the Kochi Biennale event that begins on December 12, she says. Helga breaks into a smile. Thats India for you, she says. Everything can go smoothly one day, but on the next work can come to a standstill. Its a challenging time for me. But, in early November, luck turned in Helgas favour. Following discussions with the owner of a 100-year-old house at the nearby Jew Town, Helga was able to lease out a 3,000 square feet space. About 2,250 square feet will be given temporarily for three months to be used by the Students Biennale, while the remaining area will be an art centre, says Helga. After the art centre is established, Helga is planning to bring talented and upcoming artists from Belgium to India. It will be such a different experience for them, she says. And an exciting one too because they will realise that India is like an onion. There are layers upon layers. It is fascinating. This is why I also keep coming back. On every trip I learn something new. Belgian as well as Indian artistes will display their works in the art gallery. She got the idea of starting an arts centre when she attended the second edition of the Biennale in 2015. I felt inspired by the energy and excitement of the art festival, she says. It seemed that a new wind was blowing through Fort Kochi. And I wanted my guests to experience it first-hand. Helga, who belongs to Antwerp, runs a travel firm, Anubhuti (to feel something that you would like to treasure). Over the past decade or so, she has brought groups of tourists to different parts of India such as Ladakh, Kolkata, Darjeeling, Jaipur, Mumbai and Kochi. I am not just taking them from one place to another, but I make them immerse themselves in the local milieu, says Helga. Travelling through this colourful, complex, beautiful and spiritual country is magical as well as inspiring. In Kerala, and especially Fort Kochi, tourists enjoy the European heritagePortuguese, Dutch and British style buildingsas well as the tradition of Ayurveda and yoga. The nature in Kerala is unique, says Helga. It is green in Belgium, too, but not so tropical. And our people love the sea. The trip is also a moment of self-reflection. During the visit, my compatriots are able to compare their own lives to what they see in India, says Helga. It makes them aware that things can be done differently. Usually, at the end of the trip, they say they are ready for their next trip to India. And they end up coming five to six times. And they always tell me it is a real anubhuti, says Helga.
Ostensibly, the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is meant for trade and commerce. However, it has serious geopolitical ramifications which we seem to have overlooked. The first is the very alignment of this so-called economic corridor. It runs through the disputed Gilgit-Baltistan region of J&K which legally belongs to India. We should have protested vehemently against any renewed road construction activity in this disputed region. Amazingly, some mandarins in our foreign ministry initially welcomed the initiation of the CPEC project. China is cleverly using the alibi of trade to further its military ambitions.

The recently published map alignment of this corridor indicates two major loops that come close to the Indian borders in Punjab and Rajasthan. The whole world knows that major tank battles have taken place here in past Indo- Pak warsnotably, 1965 and 1971.In any future Indo-Pak conflict, these would be the two primary areas for major tank-to-tank battles which may well be decisive.

The two stated aims of China are the mechanisation and informatisation of its military. As part of this drive, almost all Chinese Army formations have converted to wheeled/track-based mechanised formations with high mobility and firepower. These can easily operate in the Tibetan plateau but cannot be applied across the Himalayan passes (except in Ladakh). The CPEC now provides China a major opportunity to apply its huge tank forces against India via Pakistan in any future war. This would erode the tank superiority we have over Pakistan and poses an existential threat to India. No government worth its salt can accept this accentuation of the land threat to India with equanimity. In such a scenario, India may well have to reconsider its no-first-use nuclear doctrine.

Secondly, the CPEC culminates in the Gwadar port in Balochistan. This is already operational and Pakistan has offered this to China as a naval base. That has serious implications for Indias national security in as much as it poses serious threats to our sea-based lines of communications from the Middle East and Africa. This could jeopardise our energy security. The nightmare would be China basing its nuclear and conventional submarines at Gwadar. In one fell swoop, Pakistan, by renting out its territory, has made the Chinese Navy, a serious contender in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR). Responsible nation-states dont let such serious threats emerge in their own geopolitical backyard with such impunity.

They dont react to such serious developments with the equanimity that we have displayed so far. We have permitted China to reach the Makran coast without let or hindrance. When news of the CPEC had first emerged in the press, sections of the foreign ministry bureaucracy had even welcomed it. The guiding mantra then was to not do anything to annoy China. People had to be reminded that this rail road corridor was being built through our territory. China had contemptuously decided to ignore all Indian concerns and sensitivities and invest $46 billion in Chinas highway through Pakistan. The CPEC is now operational. By renting out its territory, Pakistan had in one fell swoop, made China a major military player in the IOR.

Donald Trump had threatened that he would make allies like Europe, Japan and South Korea pay more for US bases and protection. He wanted Japan and South Korea to develop their own nuclear weapons. An isolationist America may not continue the US pivot to Asia. In such a scenario, it becomes imperative for Asian powers like India-Japan-Vietnam and South Korea to balance the power of an increasingly aggressive China. Towards that end, our Prime Ministers recent visit to Japan was a landmark event, because it saw the signing of the India-Japan Civil Nuclear deal.

The signing of the US-2 Amphibian plane deal will perhaps be equally significant. India and Japan can cooperate in the development of a Fifth Generation Fighter, conventional warships and submarines, tank and aircraft engines and in the field of cyber warfare and outer space. Japan and South Korea may well have to develop nuclear deterrents of their own because the US nuclear umbrella may no longer be guaranteed. Singly, the Asian powers, who feel threatened by a rising China, may not be able to hold their own against the colossus in Asia but collectively they could force it to disperse efforts and resources in multiple directions.

Multi-polar world orders are inherently unstable and prone to conflict. India must now seek alliance partners who are prepared to contain the Chinese aggression. Asia may well see the emergence of a NATO-style architecture to balance China. India will have to exert enormously to counter the China-Pakistan axis that is solely directed against itself. If Pakistan is so willing to rent out its territory simply to discomfort India, it must be prepared to pay the price for its mindless provocations.

gagandeep.

The writer is a war veteran and strategic analyst.

bakshi@yahoo.com

Ostensibly, the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is meant for trade and commerce. However, it has serious geopolitical ramifications which we seem to have overlooked. The first is the very alignment of this so-called economic corridor. It runs through the disputed Gilgit-Baltistan region of J&K which legally belongs to India. We should have protested vehemently against any renewed road construction activity in this disputed region. Amazingly, some mandarins in our foreign ministry initially welcomed the initiation of the CPEC project. China is cleverly using the alibi of trade to further its military ambitions. The recently published map alignment of this corridor indicates two major loops that come close to the Indian borders in Punjab and Rajasthan. The whole world knows that major tank battles have taken place here in past Indo- Pak warsnotably, 1965 and 1971.In any future Indo-Pak conflict, these would be the two primary areas for major tank-to-tank battles which may well be decisive. The two stated aims of China are the mechanisation and informatisation of its military. As part of this drive, almost all Chinese Army formations have converted to wheeled/track-based mechanised formations with high mobility and firepower. These can easily operate in the Tibetan plateau but cannot be applied across the Himalayan passes (except in Ladakh). The CPEC now provides China a major opportunity to apply its huge tank forces against India via Pakistan in any future war. This would erode the tank superiority we have over Pakistan and poses an existential threat to India. No government worth its salt can accept this accentuation of the land threat to India with equanimity. In such a scenario, India may well have to reconsider its no-first-use nuclear doctrine. Secondly, the CPEC culminates in the Gwadar port in Balochistan. This is already operational and Pakistan has offered this to China as a naval base. That has serious implications for Indias national security in as much as it poses serious threats to our sea-based lines of communications from the Middle East and Africa. This could jeopardise our energy security. The nightmare would be China basing its nuclear and conventional submarines at Gwadar. In one fell swoop, Pakistan, by renting out its territory, has made the Chinese Navy, a serious contender in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR). Responsible nation-states dont let such serious threats emerge in their own geopolitical backyard with such impunity. They dont react to such serious developments with the equanimity that we have displayed so far. We have permitted China to reach the Makran coast without let or hindrance. When news of the CPEC had first emerged in the press, sections of the foreign ministry bureaucracy had even welcomed it. The guiding mantra then was to not do anything to annoy China. People had to be reminded that this rail road corridor was being built through our territory. China had contemptuously decided to ignore all Indian concerns and sensitivities and invest $46 billion in Chinas highway through Pakistan. The CPEC is now operational. By renting out its territory, Pakistan had in one fell swoop, made China a major military player in the IOR. Donald Trump had threatened that he would make allies like Europe, Japan and South Korea pay more for US bases and protection. He wanted Japan and South Korea to develop their own nuclear weapons. An isolationist America may not continue the US pivot to Asia. In such a scenario, it becomes imperative for Asian powers like India-Japan-Vietnam and South Korea to balance the power of an increasingly aggressive China. Towards that end, our Prime Ministers recent visit to Japan was a landmark event, because it saw the signing of the India-Japan Civil Nuclear deal. The signing of the US-2 Amphibian plane deal will perhaps be equally significant. India and Japan can cooperate in the development of a Fifth Generation Fighter, conventional warships and submarines, tank and aircraft engines and in the field of cyber warfare and outer space. Japan and South Korea may well have to develop nuclear deterrents of their own because the US nuclear umbrella may no longer be guaranteed. Singly, the Asian powers, who feel threatened by a rising China, may not be able to hold their own against the colossus in Asia but collectively they could force it to disperse efforts and resources in multiple directions. Multi-polar world orders are inherently unstable and prone to conflict. India must now seek alliance partners who are prepared to contain the Chinese aggression. Asia may well see the emergence of a NATO-style architecture to balance China. India will have to exert enormously to counter the China-Pakistan axis that is solely directed against itself. If Pakistan is so willing to rent out its territory simply to discomfort India, it must be prepared to pay the price for its mindless provocations. gagandeep. The writer is a war veteran and strategic analyst. bakshi@yahoo.com
By IANS

NEW DELHI: The BJP on Friday denied allegations by opposition parties that it had used its "black money" in the form of high-denomination notes ahead of demonetisation through a series of property deals across the country, saying that it was purchasing land only to build party offices.



The party termed the activity as "normal" and said that it had been collecting funds for the same for long.



"It is absurd to allege that the party has started buying properties in view of demonetisation," party spokesman and Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said in a statement.



Bihar's ruling Janata Dal United (JD-U) and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) on Friday alleged that the BJP managed its black money by purchasing land worth crores of rupees ahead of the note ban and demanded a probe into the land deals.



Prasad said that in the Maha Sampark Abhiyan held in Bangalore on July 5, 2015, party President Amit Shah had emphasised on the need of setting up party offices across the country as "our membership has already crossed 10 crore mark".



"We have taken up work of building party offices. Without a good party office there can be no expansion of party work within a district. Therefore, we have decided that by December 2016, in every organisational district across the country we will construct a new party office.



"As part of its expansion programme, the party president had also made a request to collect funds for this purpose and establish the party offices. He had also urged party workers to contribute generously. The party and its karyakartas have been working relentlessly for the last 16 months to achieve this," said Prasad.



The Minister said that it was "preposterous" to suggest that a "normal activity undertaken by the party as part of its regular and decided agenda" to expand at the grassroot levels had anything to do with the demonetisation scheme which came into effect from November 9.



A local Hindi news channel in Bihar on Thursday telecast a report that the BJP purchased land in 25 districts of Bihar ahead of demonetisation of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes announced on November 8.



According to reports, the BJP purchased land in more than two dozen districts, including Saharsa, Patna, Madhubani, Katihar, Madhepura, Lakhisarai, Kishanganj and Arwal.



The size of the plots acquired ranged from 250 sq feet to about half an acre. Their values range between Rs 8 lakh to Rs 1.16 crore. The costliest plot of land was bought at Rs 1,100 per sq feet.



NEW DELHI: The BJP on Friday denied allegations by opposition parties that it had used its "black money" in the form of high-denomination notes ahead of demonetisation through a series of property deals across the country, saying that it was purchasing land only to build party offices. The party termed the activity as "normal" and said that it had been collecting funds for the same for long. "It is absurd to allege that the party has started buying properties in view of demonetisation," party spokesman and Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said in a statement. Bihar's ruling Janata Dal United (JD-U) and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) on Friday alleged that the BJP managed its black money by purchasing land worth crores of rupees ahead of the note ban and demanded a probe into the land deals. Prasad said that in the Maha Sampark Abhiyan held in Bangalore on July 5, 2015, party President Amit Shah had emphasised on the need of setting up party offices across the country as "our membership has already crossed 10 crore mark". "We have taken up work of building party offices. Without a good party office there can be no expansion of party work within a district. Therefore, we have decided that by December 2016, in every organisational district across the country we will construct a new party office. "As part of its expansion programme, the party president had also made a request to collect funds for this purpose and establish the party offices. He had also urged party workers to contribute generously. The party and its karyakartas have been working relentlessly for the last 16 months to achieve this," said Prasad. The Minister said that it was "preposterous" to suggest that a "normal activity undertaken by the party as part of its regular and decided agenda" to expand at the grassroot levels had anything to do with the demonetisation scheme which came into effect from November 9. A local Hindi news channel in Bihar on Thursday telecast a report that the BJP purchased land in 25 districts of Bihar ahead of demonetisation of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes announced on November 8. According to reports, the BJP purchased land in more than two dozen districts, including Saharsa, Patna, Madhubani, Katihar, Madhepura, Lakhisarai, Kishanganj and Arwal. The size of the plots acquired ranged from 250 sq feet to about half an acre. Their values range between Rs 8 lakh to Rs 1.16 crore. The costliest plot of land was bought at Rs 1,100 per sq feet.
Prasanta Mazumdar By

GUWAHATI: Five commandos of the elite 21 Para were injured in an ambush by the insurgents in Manipurs Chandel district on Saturday morning. Two of them reportedly suffered severe injuries.

The attack was carried out at around 9 am at Khangtal village on the India-Myanmar border. The commandos were on a foot patrol when the militants triggered an IED blast and fired indiscriminately from automated weapons.

A team of the commandos had gone to a remote area on the Myanmar border two days ago to carry out an operation against the militants following receipt of information about their movement there. Today (Saturday), while they were returning on foot, the militants ambushed the personnel at Khangtal village. Five commandos were injured, two of them critically, in the incident, defence sources told Express.

They said the commandos also retaliated leading to a gunfight which lasted for a few minutes. Later, the militants escaped taking advantage of the forested area.

All the injured personnel were airlifted to the military hospital at Leimakhong, near Manipur capital Imphal.

Meanwhile, the Coordination Committee (CorCom) and the Paresh Baruah faction of outlawed United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA) jointly claimed responsibility for the attack, which they codenamed Barak. CorCom is a conglomerate of Manipuri insurgent outfits.

In a joint statement, CorComs joint military commission chairman MM Ngouba and ULFA military chief Paresh Baruah hailed the rebels for the successful operation.

Last year, several insurgent groups of the Northeast came under a common platform with the formation of United National Liberation Front of WESEA (UNLFW). The outfits have their camps in the jungles of Myanmar.

As many as 18 army personnel were killed and several others injured in an ambush by the militants of SS Khaplang faction of Naga insurgent group National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN-K) in this Manipur district last year.



GUWAHATI: Five commandos of the elite 21 Para were injured in an ambush by the insurgents in Manipurs Chandel district on Saturday morning. Two of them reportedly suffered severe injuries. The attack was carried out at around 9 am at Khangtal village on the India-Myanmar border. The commandos were on a foot patrol when the militants triggered an IED blast and fired indiscriminately from automated weapons. A team of the commandos had gone to a remote area on the Myanmar border two days ago to carry out an operation against the militants following receipt of information about their movement there. Today (Saturday), while they were returning on foot, the militants ambushed the personnel at Khangtal village. Five commandos were injured, two of them critically, in the incident, defence sources told Express. They said the commandos also retaliated leading to a gunfight which lasted for a few minutes. Later, the militants escaped taking advantage of the forested area. All the injured personnel were airlifted to the military hospital at Leimakhong, near Manipur capital Imphal. Meanwhile, the Coordination Committee (CorCom) and the Paresh Baruah faction of outlawed United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA) jointly claimed responsibility for the attack, which they codenamed Barak. CorCom is a conglomerate of Manipuri insurgent outfits. In a joint statement, CorComs joint military commission chairman MM Ngouba and ULFA military chief Paresh Baruah hailed the rebels for the successful operation. Last year, several insurgent groups of the Northeast came under a common platform with the formation of United National Liberation Front of WESEA (UNLFW). The outfits have their camps in the jungles of Myanmar. As many as 18 army personnel were killed and several others injured in an ambush by the militants of SS Khaplang faction of Naga insurgent group National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN-K) in this Manipur district last year.
By Express News Service

NEW DELHI: The Ongoing tug of war between the judiciary and government surfaced once again on Saturday, when the law minister countered Chief Justice of India on shortage of judges issue.

Addressing an All India Conference of Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) in national capital, Chief Justice TS Thakur sought government intervention over shortage of judges in high courts and tribunals.

"500 judges posts are vacant in the high courts. They should be working today, but they are not. At present, there are several vacant courtrooms in India but no judges available. A large number of proposals are still pending and hope the government will intervene to end this crisis," Justice Thakur said.

But, Justice Thakur was immediately received counter argument by the union law minister Ravi Shakar Prasad, who said the government has made 120 appointments this year which was the second highest since 1990.

"We respectfully disagree with him (CJI). This year we have made 120 appointments. The second highest of 121 is of 2013. Since 1990 there have been only 80 appointments. 5,000 vacancies are there in the lower judiciary in which the government of India has no role to play. That is something only for the judiciary to take care.

Minister also said, "As far as infrastructure is concerned, that is a continuous process. Where the larger issue of appointment is concerned, there is a Supreme Court decision of making the Memorandum of Procedure (MoP) more transparent, objective, reasonable, fair and the government stand is pending for the last more than three months and we are yet to hear from the Supreme Court.".

Justice Thakur also talked about "manpower deficit" was also present in the tribunals which also faced the problem of lack of infrastructure leading to pendency of cases for five to seven years, apart from making apex court judges averse to heading such quasi-judicial bodies.

"State of affairs in the tribunals is giving me the impression that you (tribunals) are no better. You are suffering from the same kind of deficit, manpower deficit. You cannot set up a tribunal, you cannot set up a bench at so many places because there are no members."

But taking a different view on the issue, Justice J Chelameswar of the Supreme Court said that almost 35% of cases pending before the higher courts are Service related matters,

Lack of precision in the Law and judicial rulings favouring both the rival parties are the prime reasons for the mounting arrears in Service related litigations, justice Chalameswar added.

Chief Justice Thakur also said that if we are having 18 to 20 vacancies against the total strength of tribunals 65, then shortage is actually in large number.

The working is going to be affected and that is why you have cases that are more than five years and seven years old. The least that you (government) must do is to ensure that these tribunals run with full strength, Justice Thakur added.

The CJI also said the tribunals "are not equipped and are lying empty and today a situation has come that no retired Supreme Court judge wants to head the Tribunal. I am pained to send my retired colleagues there". "Government is not ready to give proper facilities. Vacancy apart from infrastructure is a major concern for the Tribunal," he added.

CJI also talked about need to amend the rules for appointment of chairpersons and members of various tribunals so that the judges of the high courts can also be eligible for the posts.

Speaking at the event, Prasad said that the rising number of appeals against CAT judgements before high courts and the Supreme Court compounds the problem of pending litigations, and suggested exploring the idea of inter-court appeal as an alternative.

Addressing the gathering the Minister of state in PMO Jitendra Singh assured the Government will work towards strengthening the CAT. Besides, he advocated more interactions between the CAT and the Union Ministries while also proposing inter-Ministerial Committees to avoid instances of conflicting judgements in similar cases on different occasions.

An Amendment Bill to the Prevention of Corruption Act is pending before the Parliament that would mandate sanction for prosecution of all Officers as against the existing Joint Secretary level and above to provide a shield to the honest and diligent officers, he added. In fulfilling the Prime Minister Narendra Modis vision of Maximum Governance, Minimum Government, Singh said his ministry has taken several initiatives to improve the grievance redressal mechanism and putting all DoPT information in the public domain besides launching a mobile app where the entire personnel data can be accessed on the phone.

NEW DELHI: The Ongoing tug of war between the judiciary and government surfaced once again on Saturday, when the law minister countered Chief Justice of India on shortage of judges issue. Addressing an All India Conference of Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) in national capital, Chief Justice TS Thakur sought government intervention over shortage of judges in high courts and tribunals. "500 judges posts are vacant in the high courts. They should be working today, but they are not. At present, there are several vacant courtrooms in India but no judges available. A large number of proposals are still pending and hope the government will intervene to end this crisis," Justice Thakur said. But, Justice Thakur was immediately received counter argument by the union law minister Ravi Shakar Prasad, who said the government has made 120 appointments this year which was the second highest since 1990. "We respectfully disagree with him (CJI). This year we have made 120 appointments. The second highest of 121 is of 2013. Since 1990 there have been only 80 appointments. 5,000 vacancies are there in the lower judiciary in which the government of India has no role to play. That is something only for the judiciary to take care. Minister also said, "As far as infrastructure is concerned, that is a continuous process. Where the larger issue of appointment is concerned, there is a Supreme Court decision of making the Memorandum of Procedure (MoP) more transparent, objective, reasonable, fair and the government stand is pending for the last more than three months and we are yet to hear from the Supreme Court.". Justice Thakur also talked about "manpower deficit" was also present in the tribunals which also faced the problem of lack of infrastructure leading to pendency of cases for five to seven years, apart from making apex court judges averse to heading such quasi-judicial bodies. "State of affairs in the tribunals is giving me the impression that you (tribunals) are no better. You are suffering from the same kind of deficit, manpower deficit. You cannot set up a tribunal, you cannot set up a bench at so many places because there are no members." But taking a different view on the issue, Justice J Chelameswar of the Supreme Court said that almost 35% of cases pending before the higher courts are Service related matters, Lack of precision in the Law and judicial rulings favouring both the rival parties are the prime reasons for the mounting arrears in Service related litigations, justice Chalameswar added. Chief Justice Thakur also said that if we are having 18 to 20 vacancies against the total strength of tribunals 65, then shortage is actually in large number. The working is going to be affected and that is why you have cases that are more than five years and seven years old. The least that you (government) must do is to ensure that these tribunals run with full strength, Justice Thakur added. The CJI also said the tribunals "are not equipped and are lying empty and today a situation has come that no retired Supreme Court judge wants to head the Tribunal. I am pained to send my retired colleagues there". "Government is not ready to give proper facilities. Vacancy apart from infrastructure is a major concern for the Tribunal," he added. CJI also talked about need to amend the rules for appointment of chairpersons and members of various tribunals so that the judges of the high courts can also be eligible for the posts. Speaking at the event, Prasad said that the rising number of appeals against CAT judgements before high courts and the Supreme Court compounds the problem of pending litigations, and suggested exploring the idea of inter-court appeal as an alternative. Addressing the gathering the Minister of state in PMO Jitendra Singh assured the Government will work towards strengthening the CAT. Besides, he advocated more interactions between the CAT and the Union Ministries while also proposing inter-Ministerial Committees to avoid instances of conflicting judgements in similar cases on different occasions. An Amendment Bill to the Prevention of Corruption Act is pending before the Parliament that would mandate sanction for prosecution of all Officers as against the existing Joint Secretary level and above to provide a shield to the honest and diligent officers, he added. In fulfilling the Prime Minister Narendra Modis vision of Maximum Governance, Minimum Government, Singh said his ministry has taken several initiatives to improve the grievance redressal mechanism and putting all DoPT information in the public domain besides launching a mobile app where the entire personnel data can be accessed on the phone.
By PTI

NEW DELHI: An IndiGo Airbus A320 plane and a KLM Boeing Dreamliner aircraft were involved in a near miss incident earlier this month, prompting the Indian authorities to order a probe considering it as a serious incident.



IndiGo's Airbus A 320 plane was flying from the national capital to Bengaluru while KLM's Boeing 787 aircraft was en route from Amsterdam to Kualampur, as per the website of Aviation Safety Network.



The Aircraft Accidents Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has launched an investigation into the matter.



Citing preliminary data from the Indian authorities, BEA said IndiGo aircraft came in close proximity with KLM plane as the required standard lateral and vertical (radar) separation was reduced. The vertical separation was reduced to 200 feet, it added.



The incident happened on November 2 in the Indian airspace, according to French aviation regulator BEA.



Details about the number of passengers could not be ascertained.



Near miss incidents are generally described as airprox (aircraft proximity).

It refers to a situation where in the opinion of a pilot or Air Traffic Services personnel, the distance between the planes as well as their relative positions and speed have been such that the safety of the aircraft involved may have been compromised.

NEW DELHI: An IndiGo Airbus A320 plane and a KLM Boeing Dreamliner aircraft were involved in a near miss incident earlier this month, prompting the Indian authorities to order a probe considering it as a serious incident. IndiGo's Airbus A 320 plane was flying from the national capital to Bengaluru while KLM's Boeing 787 aircraft was en route from Amsterdam to Kualampur, as per the website of Aviation Safety Network. The Aircraft Accidents Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has launched an investigation into the matter. Citing preliminary data from the Indian authorities, BEA said IndiGo aircraft came in close proximity with KLM plane as the required standard lateral and vertical (radar) separation was reduced. The vertical separation was reduced to 200 feet, it added. The incident happened on November 2 in the Indian airspace, according to French aviation regulator BEA. Details about the number of passengers could not be ascertained. Near miss incidents are generally described as airprox (aircraft proximity). It refers to a situation where in the opinion of a pilot or Air Traffic Services personnel, the distance between the planes as well as their relative positions and speed have been such that the safety of the aircraft involved may have been compromised.
By Express News Service

CHENNAI: Union minister for textiles Smriti Zubin Irani sat patiently by the side of a wayside cobbler in Perur on the outskirts of Coimbatore, got her sandal mended, and rewarded him with a hundred rupee note on Saturday.

And this warm episode was duly recorded by the BJP's youth wing and helpfully posted on social media, where the images went viral and everybody went home happy.

The cobbler P Ganesh said did not know who the lady was. "She came to get her sandal stitched. I did so and she gave me Rs 100 instead of Rs 10 because she did not have change."

The minister arrived in Coimbatore to attend a business leadership conclave at Isha in Poondi. She refused to speak to the media at the airport, probably because of the torn sandal. On the way to the venue of the conclave, she stopped at Ganesh's 'shop' near the famous Perur temple to have it mended.

Ganesh said she was indeed different from the cusom he gets normally but thought that she was a visitor to the temple. He was taken by surprise when the minister sat down next to him, making an image social media loves.

The photos and video was tweeted by Tamil Nadu BJP youth wing vice-president, S G Suryah.

CHENNAI: Union minister for textiles Smriti Zubin Irani sat patiently by the side of a wayside cobbler in Perur on the outskirts of Coimbatore, got her sandal mended, and rewarded him with a hundred rupee note on Saturday. And this warm episode was duly recorded by the BJP's youth wing and helpfully posted on social media, where the images went viral and everybody went home happy. The cobbler P Ganesh said did not know who the lady was. "She came to get her sandal stitched. I did so and she gave me Rs 100 instead of Rs 10 because she did not have change." The minister arrived in Coimbatore to attend a business leadership conclave at Isha in Poondi. She refused to speak to the media at the airport, probably because of the torn sandal. On the way to the venue of the conclave, she stopped at Ganesh's 'shop' near the famous Perur temple to have it mended. Ganesh said she was indeed different from the cusom he gets normally but thought that she was a visitor to the temple. He was taken by surprise when the minister sat down next to him, making an image social media loves. The photos and video was tweeted by Tamil Nadu BJP youth wing vice-president, S G Suryah.
Anand ST Das By

Express News Service

PATNA: After consistently praising the BJP-led Centres demonetisation move since it was announced on November 8, Bihar Chief Minister and JD(U) national president Nitish Kumar on Saturday officially came out in support of the exercise and decided to keep his party away from Opposition-called protest plans of November 28.

JD(U) also made it clear that it would support the Narendra Modi government if it follows up demonetisation with an attack on benami properties in the country. The decisions came in discussions Kumar held with his core team of senior party colleagues and advisors in Patna.

The two-hour-long meeting at the CMs official residence 1, Anne Marg was attended by JD(U) state president Vashistha Narayan Singh and three Rajya Sabha members Pavan Kumar Varma, RCP Singh and Harivansh, among others, said sources.

We have been supporting it (demonetisation) and we will keep supporting it. There will be no change in our stand on the issue, said Vashistha Narayan Singh, announcing the partys official stand after the meeting. Nobody has asked us to join the proposed protests, nor do we have any plans to join any such protests against demonetisation, he added.

As many as 13 Opposition parties are planning to stage nationwide protests against demonetisation on November 28. West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee is scheduled to stage a demonstration in Patna on November 30.

Jan Adhikar Party chief and MP from Bihars Madhepura, Pappu Yadav, on Saturday said his party would join Banerjees protest.

The JD(U) state president said if the Centre begins a scrutiny of benami properties across the country, JD(U) would support the move. Earlier in the day, Nitish Kumar once again publicly praised demonetisation in his speech at a function to mark Bihars Prohibition Day. He also appealed to the Centre to begin immediate countrywide raids on benami properties.

While BJP appreciated JD(U)s stand on demonetisation, Kumars ruling allies RJD and Congress were yet to react to JD(U)s stand. This is a welcome step. Other parties should also support demonetisation by rising above politics, said senior BJP leader and former Bihar deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi.

PATNA: After consistently praising the BJP-led Centres demonetisation move since it was announced on November 8, Bihar Chief Minister and JD(U) national president Nitish Kumar on Saturday officially came out in support of the exercise and decided to keep his party away from Opposition-called protest plans of November 28. JD(U) also made it clear that it would support the Narendra Modi government if it follows up demonetisation with an attack on benami properties in the country. The decisions came in discussions Kumar held with his core team of senior party colleagues and advisors in Patna. The two-hour-long meeting at the CMs official residence 1, Anne Marg was attended by JD(U) state president Vashistha Narayan Singh and three Rajya Sabha members Pavan Kumar Varma, RCP Singh and Harivansh, among others, said sources. We have been supporting it (demonetisation) and we will keep supporting it. There will be no change in our stand on the issue, said Vashistha Narayan Singh, announcing the partys official stand after the meeting. Nobody has asked us to join the proposed protests, nor do we have any plans to join any such protests against demonetisation, he added. As many as 13 Opposition parties are planning to stage nationwide protests against demonetisation on November 28. West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee is scheduled to stage a demonstration in Patna on November 30. Jan Adhikar Party chief and MP from Bihars Madhepura, Pappu Yadav, on Saturday said his party would join Banerjees protest. The JD(U) state president said if the Centre begins a scrutiny of benami properties across the country, JD(U) would support the move. Earlier in the day, Nitish Kumar once again publicly praised demonetisation in his speech at a function to mark Bihars Prohibition Day. He also appealed to the Centre to begin immediate countrywide raids on benami properties. While BJP appreciated JD(U)s stand on demonetisation, Kumars ruling allies RJD and Congress were yet to react to JD(U)s stand. This is a welcome step. Other parties should also support demonetisation by rising above politics, said senior BJP leader and former Bihar deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi.
Manish Anand By

Express News Service

NEW DELHI: Unable to break the Parliament logjam, the BJP is bracing to battle the political slugfest over demonetisation on the streets. In a bid to counter the call for Bharat Bandh given by the Opposition for Monday, ministers and BJP MPs will take out marches over the weekend across the country in support of demonetisation. Another group of ministers has been tasked by PM Narendra Modi to migrate their respective domains to digital mode of payment within a fortnight.

Minister for Science and Technology and Earth Sciences Harsh Vardhan will take out a march in Delhi to sensitise people on the demonetisation move. Minister of State for Power and Renewal Energy Piyush Goyal will take out public march of farmers and workers of the unorganised sector in Indore. BJP national general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya will join Goyal in Indore. Minister of State for Railways and Telecommunications Manoj Sinha will camp in poll-bound Uttar Pradesh to spread awareness on demonetisation.

Union Ministers and BJP MPs have been given instructions to call the bluff of the Opposition and mobilise public opinion against its agitation opposing demonetisation. A group of ministers, including Ravi Shankar Prasad, Ram Vilas Paswan and Radha Mohan Singh, have been asked to completely transfer transactions of various departments under their ministries to the digital mode within a fortnight, sources said. Paswan said payments for procurement of kharif crops are being done through the digital medium and departments under his ministry will achieve 100 per cent digital transfers in a fortnight.

NEW DELHI: Unable to break the Parliament logjam, the BJP is bracing to battle the political slugfest over demonetisation on the streets. In a bid to counter the call for Bharat Bandh given by the Opposition for Monday, ministers and BJP MPs will take out marches over the weekend across the country in support of demonetisation. Another group of ministers has been tasked by PM Narendra Modi to migrate their respective domains to digital mode of payment within a fortnight. Minister for Science and Technology and Earth Sciences Harsh Vardhan will take out a march in Delhi to sensitise people on the demonetisation move. Minister of State for Power and Renewal Energy Piyush Goyal will take out public march of farmers and workers of the unorganised sector in Indore. BJP national general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya will join Goyal in Indore. Minister of State for Railways and Telecommunications Manoj Sinha will camp in poll-bound Uttar Pradesh to spread awareness on demonetisation. Union Ministers and BJP MPs have been given instructions to call the bluff of the Opposition and mobilise public opinion against its agitation opposing demonetisation. A group of ministers, including Ravi Shankar Prasad, Ram Vilas Paswan and Radha Mohan Singh, have been asked to completely transfer transactions of various departments under their ministries to the digital mode within a fortnight, sources said. Paswan said payments for procurement of kharif crops are being done through the digital medium and departments under his ministry will achieve 100 per cent digital transfers in a fortnight.
Fayaz Wani By

Express News Service

SRINAGAR: The border ceasefire between India and Pakistan, which completed 13 years on Saturday, is in tatters as troops of two countries are caught in hostilities along the 720-km long Line of Control (LoC) and 198-km long International Border (IB) in Jammu Kashmir.

The border ceasefire agreement between the two countries came into effect on November 26, 2003. It was seen as a biggest confidence building measure (CBM) and came as a major relief for the border people of J&K, who were the worst affected by cross-border firing and shelling.

After the ceasefire, Indian and Pakistani troops on both sides started de-mining the villages and villagers started cultivating their lands.

The border ceasefire survived intermittent skirmishes between troops of the two countries in last more than a decade.

However, it is now under serious threat as the hostilities between the troops of two countries have witnessed an upward trajectory since September 18 deadly militant attack on an Army base in Uri in North Kashmir in which 19 soldiers were killed and two dozen others injured. All the four attackers belonging to Jaish-e-Mohammad were also killed in the retaliatory firing.

Army responded strongly to the militant attack by conducting surgical strikes on militant launch pads across the LoC on the intervening night of September 28 and 29 inflicting heavy casualties on the militants.

Pakistan, however, has denied that Indian Army conducted any surgical strikes in its territory but admitted that two of its soldiers were killed in Indian Army firing at the LoC.

Since the surgical strikes, ceasefire violations have witnessed a surge and Pakistani troops are resorting to firing and mortar shelling on security forces posts and civilian areas along the LoC and IB in J&K on a near daily basis.

The Pakistans notorious Border Action Team (BAT) comprising commandos and well trained militants have conducted two cross-LoC raids in Machil sector killing four soldiers, beheading two of them.

According to defence sources, there have been more than 300 ceasefire violations by Pakistani troops along LoC and IB after the surgical strikes.

They said in the Pakistani troops firing and shelling, 18 soldiers and 12 civilians were killed. About 70 army men and border guards and 76 civilians have also been injured in the Pakistani firing and shelling.

We have also inflicted damages to Pakistani troops by causing heavy casualties to them and damaging dozens of their posts, they said.

According to defence sources, there have been more than 400 border ceasefire violations this year.

If the ceasefire violations continue unabated and army and civilians continue to suffer casualties, then there is every likelihood that the ceasefire accord may be under threat and may not hold, they said.

According to official statistics, Pakistani troops committed more than 550 ceasefire violations along the LoC and IB in 2014. In these ceasefire violations, 19 people including five security men were killed and over 150 injured.

It further reveals that there were 253 ceasefire violations along IB and 152 along IB in J&K in 2015. In these ceasefire violations, 26 people including 16 civilians, four BSF men and six army men were killed. Another 97 people including 71 civilians and 26 security men were also injured in the cross-border firing and shelling last year.

The situation along the LoC and IB in entire J&K is now grim and border people are living under fear psychosis. The authorities had to close schools in border areas and evacuate some border population after heavy Pakistani shelling early this month.

We are living under total fear due to uncertainty, which has once again engulfed the borders. We dont know when the cross-border firing and shelling will begin. We are totally unsafe as we dont have underground bunkers, where we could take refuge during Pakistani firing and shelling before 2003 border ceasefire accord, said Abdul Razzaq, a resident of Gurez that witnessed Pakistani troops firing and shelling few days back.

He expressed hope that the border ceasefire would remain in force and troops of both countries would respect the ceasefire.

An army official in Srinagar told Express that there is war-like situation along the frontiers.

It (war-like situation) is because of the Pakistani troops aggression. After our surgical strikes, Pakistani troops are demoralised and are trying to vent out frustration by firing at our posts and civilian areas. However, after our counter-offensive against them at LoC on November 23, their guns have fallen silent and we hope they will respect and uphold the border ceasefire, he said.

The official, however, said if they again start breaching border ceasefire, Indian troops would continue to give a befitting reply to them.

SRINAGAR: The border ceasefire between India and Pakistan, which completed 13 years on Saturday, is in tatters as troops of two countries are caught in hostilities along the 720-km long Line of Control (LoC) and 198-km long International Border (IB) in Jammu Kashmir. The border ceasefire agreement between the two countries came into effect on November 26, 2003. It was seen as a biggest confidence building measure (CBM) and came as a major relief for the border people of J&K, who were the worst affected by cross-border firing and shelling. After the ceasefire, Indian and Pakistani troops on both sides started de-mining the villages and villagers started cultivating their lands. The border ceasefire survived intermittent skirmishes between troops of the two countries in last more than a decade. However, it is now under serious threat as the hostilities between the troops of two countries have witnessed an upward trajectory since September 18 deadly militant attack on an Army base in Uri in North Kashmir in which 19 soldiers were killed and two dozen others injured. All the four attackers belonging to Jaish-e-Mohammad were also killed in the retaliatory firing. Army responded strongly to the militant attack by conducting surgical strikes on militant launch pads across the LoC on the intervening night of September 28 and 29 inflicting heavy casualties on the militants. Pakistan, however, has denied that Indian Army conducted any surgical strikes in its territory but admitted that two of its soldiers were killed in Indian Army firing at the LoC. Since the surgical strikes, ceasefire violations have witnessed a surge and Pakistani troops are resorting to firing and mortar shelling on security forces posts and civilian areas along the LoC and IB in J&K on a near daily basis. The Pakistans notorious Border Action Team (BAT) comprising commandos and well trained militants have conducted two cross-LoC raids in Machil sector killing four soldiers, beheading two of them. According to defence sources, there have been more than 300 ceasefire violations by Pakistani troops along LoC and IB after the surgical strikes. They said in the Pakistani troops firing and shelling, 18 soldiers and 12 civilians were killed. About 70 army men and border guards and 76 civilians have also been injured in the Pakistani firing and shelling. We have also inflicted damages to Pakistani troops by causing heavy casualties to them and damaging dozens of their posts, they said. According to defence sources, there have been more than 400 border ceasefire violations this year. If the ceasefire violations continue unabated and army and civilians continue to suffer casualties, then there is every likelihood that the ceasefire accord may be under threat and may not hold, they said. According to official statistics, Pakistani troops committed more than 550 ceasefire violations along the LoC and IB in 2014. In these ceasefire violations, 19 people including five security men were killed and over 150 injured. It further reveals that there were 253 ceasefire violations along IB and 152 along IB in J&K in 2015. In these ceasefire violations, 26 people including 16 civilians, four BSF men and six army men were killed. Another 97 people including 71 civilians and 26 security men were also injured in the cross-border firing and shelling last year. The situation along the LoC and IB in entire J&K is now grim and border people are living under fear psychosis. The authorities had to close schools in border areas and evacuate some border population after heavy Pakistani shelling early this month. We are living under total fear due to uncertainty, which has once again engulfed the borders. We dont know when the cross-border firing and shelling will begin. We are totally unsafe as we dont have underground bunkers, where we could take refuge during Pakistani firing and shelling before 2003 border ceasefire accord, said Abdul Razzaq, a resident of Gurez that witnessed Pakistani troops firing and shelling few days back. He expressed hope that the border ceasefire would remain in force and troops of both countries would respect the ceasefire. An army official in Srinagar told Express that there is war-like situation along the frontiers. It (war-like situation) is because of the Pakistani troops aggression. After our surgical strikes, Pakistani troops are demoralised and are trying to vent out frustration by firing at our posts and civilian areas. However, after our counter-offensive against them at LoC on November 23, their guns have fallen silent and we hope they will respect and uphold the border ceasefire, he said. The official, however, said if they again start breaching border ceasefire, Indian troops would continue to give a befitting reply to them.
By PTI

NASHIK: Police seized more than Rs 14 lakh unaccounted cash in high denominations of defunct and new notes from two separate cars on Nashik-Aurangabad road and detained drivers of both the vehicles.

According to Ranjit Dere, in-charge of Niphad Police Station, the cash (Rs 14,65,760) was seized during a routine checking of vehicles yesterday. Police intercepted one car in which they found 462 new currency notes of Rs 2000 hidden under the seats which amounted to Rs 9.24 lakh. Since driver Ejaj Jalil Khan (28), a resident of Aurangabad could not give a proper explanation about the cash, he was detained, the official said.

While in another car police found 20 bundles of notes in denominations of scrapped Rs 1000 and Rs 500 totalling Rs 5.5 lakh. The driver of the car Abdul Majid Kazi (36) from Andheri was detained with the amount, Dere added. The case has been handed over to the Income Tax department.

Earlier Rs 73 lakh in cash was impounded in two cars on Nashik-Aurangabad road after government had banned high currency notes.

NASHIK: Police seized more than Rs 14 lakh unaccounted cash in high denominations of defunct and new notes from two separate cars on Nashik-Aurangabad road and detained drivers of both the vehicles. According to Ranjit Dere, in-charge of Niphad Police Station, the cash (Rs 14,65,760) was seized during a routine checking of vehicles yesterday. Police intercepted one car in which they found 462 new currency notes of Rs 2000 hidden under the seats which amounted to Rs 9.24 lakh. Since driver Ejaj Jalil Khan (28), a resident of Aurangabad could not give a proper explanation about the cash, he was detained, the official said. While in another car police found 20 bundles of notes in denominations of scrapped Rs 1000 and Rs 500 totalling Rs 5.5 lakh. The driver of the car Abdul Majid Kazi (36) from Andheri was detained with the amount, Dere added. The case has been handed over to the Income Tax department. Earlier Rs 73 lakh in cash was impounded in two cars on Nashik-Aurangabad road after government had banned high currency notes.
By Express News Service

PATNA: Shatrughan Sinha, the BJP MP from the Patna Sahib constituency in Bihar, drew flak from his own party on Thursday for his criticism of the Centres demonetisation move. In a tweet that attracted nationwide attention, the popular Hindi film actor of yesteryear rubbished a survey on demonetisation that purportedly found 90 per cent of Indians supporting the move.

Let us stop living in a fools paradise and getting carried away by planted stories and surveys conducted by vested interests, Sinha had tweeted. The tweet came a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi shared the results of this survey and claimed that almost the entire nation had been appreciative of the demonetisation move implemented since November 8 midnight.

Shatrughan Sinha

In a second tweet that came soon, Sinha sought to reject the Modi governments claim that demonetisation was essentially a pro-poor exercise. Must understand the pain of the poor, suffering, voters, supporters and women... Well-intentioned savings over many years of our mothers & sisters for emergency cant be equated with black money, wrote Sinha.

Alarmed by his words and their timing, BJP state president, Mangal Pandey accused Sinha of indirectly supporting the Congress and advised him to join the party instead.

Shatrughanjee, why are you indirectly supporting Congress? If you have so much love for the corrupt who possess black money, you must join Congress, tweeted Pandey. His caustic response came after senior BJP leaders in Bihar discussed Sinhas diatribe with at least three national-level leaders of the party.

Sinha was previously warned by the BJP leadership a number of times. He is a known loyalist of BJP veteran L K Advani. Before the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, Sinha was reportedly among a few senior BJP leaders who had been lobbying hard to get Advani projected as the BJP-led NDAs prime ministerial candidate.

Meanwhile, accusing the JD(U) of adopting double standards on demonetisation, the saffron party posed a question to Chief Minister Nitish Kumar whether his party was in favour of the decision to ban old `1,000 and `500 notes or against it.

On one hand, Nitish Kumar welcomes the step to end black money. On the other hand, MP and former JD(U) president Sharad Yadav sits on a dharna with Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee, demanding a rollback of the demonetisation decision, senior BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi said.

Immediately after the demonetisation announcement, the chief minister had supported the step to fight black money.(With PTI inputs)

PATNA: Shatrughan Sinha, the BJP MP from the Patna Sahib constituency in Bihar, drew flak from his own party on Thursday for his criticism of the Centres demonetisation move. In a tweet that attracted nationwide attention, the popular Hindi film actor of yesteryear rubbished a survey on demonetisation that purportedly found 90 per cent of Indians supporting the move. Let us stop living in a fools paradise and getting carried away by planted stories and surveys conducted by vested interests, Sinha had tweeted. The tweet came a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi shared the results of this survey and claimed that almost the entire nation had been appreciative of the demonetisation move implemented since November 8 midnight. Shatrughan SinhaIn a second tweet that came soon, Sinha sought to reject the Modi governments claim that demonetisation was essentially a pro-poor exercise. Must understand the pain of the poor, suffering, voters, supporters and women... Well-intentioned savings over many years of our mothers & sisters for emergency cant be equated with black money, wrote Sinha. Alarmed by his words and their timing, BJP state president, Mangal Pandey accused Sinha of indirectly supporting the Congress and advised him to join the party instead. Shatrughanjee, why are you indirectly supporting Congress? If you have so much love for the corrupt who possess black money, you must join Congress, tweeted Pandey. His caustic response came after senior BJP leaders in Bihar discussed Sinhas diatribe with at least three national-level leaders of the party. Sinha was previously warned by the BJP leadership a number of times. He is a known loyalist of BJP veteran L K Advani. Before the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, Sinha was reportedly among a few senior BJP leaders who had been lobbying hard to get Advani projected as the BJP-led NDAs prime ministerial candidate. Meanwhile, accusing the JD(U) of adopting double standards on demonetisation, the saffron party posed a question to Chief Minister Nitish Kumar whether his party was in favour of the decision to ban old `1,000 and `500 notes or against it. On one hand, Nitish Kumar welcomes the step to end black money. On the other hand, MP and former JD(U) president Sharad Yadav sits on a dharna with Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee, demanding a rollback of the demonetisation decision, senior BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi said. Immediately after the demonetisation announcement, the chief minister had supported the step to fight black money.(With PTI inputs)
Harpreet Bajwa By

Express News Service

CHANDIGARH: Demonetisation has been a double whammy for Punjab. The state government's revenue has fallen by almost 50 per cent and farmers are unable to buy fertilizers and seeds for the winter wheat crop.

The Punjab government's daily take by way of value-added tax [VAT], which used to be Rs 30-35 crore until November 8, has fallen to Rs 14 crore. Revenue from stamp duty, which used to be Rs 200-250 crore per day, has almost dried-up. There have hardly been any sales of property in the state since Nov. 8.

Excise duty, mainly by way of sale of liquor, too has dried up. Liquor vends across the state have not deposited any taxes this month. If the situation continues, Excise Department officials fear that the liquor contractors might not pay any fees at all and may even prefer to surrender their vends.

Liquor licence fee is paid by the 15th of every month in Punjab. A delay invites penal interest. There are 12,000 liquor vends in the state and the Excise Department earned Rs 5,440 crore in the last financial year in the form of excise duty.

Sources said the Punjab government has for the first time drawn twice the overdraft this month, using over Rs 2,050 crore beyond its limit. It has exhausted its ways and means advances (WMA) limit of Rs 925 crore.

On the farm front, despite the Union government asking NABARD to disburse Rs 21,000 crore to cash-starved cooperative banks throughout the country,

Punjab's 800 branches of cooperative banks are deserted as money has not reached them. Farmers in Punjab are unable to sow wheat as they are standing in long lines at commercial banks in order to deposit and withdraw money.

Many farmers have turned to private moneylenders to borrow money for seeds, fertilizers and pesticides.

One farmer in Gurdaspur, Bhagwant Singh, who owns around 18 acres of land, said, "The government has announceed that it has given Rs 21,000 crore to cooperative banks but nothing of it is seen on the ground. These banks have no money to give to us. Our crop credit limits are still standing and now we are paying interest on them to banks as we do not have money to pay back."

Another farmer, Avtar Singh said he bought seeds, fertilizers and pesticides on credit from a shopkeeper. "My money lying with me is now redundant as shopkeepers are not accepting Rs 500 notes for seeds and fertilizers. We can use old currency at government shops but they do not have stocks. This decision of the government has hit us badly."

Cooperative banks and agriculture societies are the backbone of farming in Punjab. Farmers have not been allowed to deposit their old currency now were they able to withdraw their money from such banks. And the sowing season is drawing to a close.



CHANDIGARH: Demonetisation has been a double whammy for Punjab. The state government's revenue has fallen by almost 50 per cent and farmers are unable to buy fertilizers and seeds for the winter wheat crop. The Punjab government's daily take by way of value-added tax [VAT], which used to be Rs 30-35 crore until November 8, has fallen to Rs 14 crore. Revenue from stamp duty, which used to be Rs 200-250 crore per day, has almost dried-up. There have hardly been any sales of property in the state since Nov. 8. Excise duty, mainly by way of sale of liquor, too has dried up. Liquor vends across the state have not deposited any taxes this month. If the situation continues, Excise Department officials fear that the liquor contractors might not pay any fees at all and may even prefer to surrender their vends. Liquor licence fee is paid by the 15th of every month in Punjab. A delay invites penal interest. There are 12,000 liquor vends in the state and the Excise Department earned Rs 5,440 crore in the last financial year in the form of excise duty. Sources said the Punjab government has for the first time drawn twice the overdraft this month, using over Rs 2,050 crore beyond its limit. It has exhausted its ways and means advances (WMA) limit of Rs 925 crore. On the farm front, despite the Union government asking NABARD to disburse Rs 21,000 crore to cash-starved cooperative banks throughout the country, Punjab's 800 branches of cooperative banks are deserted as money has not reached them. Farmers in Punjab are unable to sow wheat as they are standing in long lines at commercial banks in order to deposit and withdraw money. Many farmers have turned to private moneylenders to borrow money for seeds, fertilizers and pesticides. One farmer in Gurdaspur, Bhagwant Singh, who owns around 18 acres of land, said, "The government has announceed that it has given Rs 21,000 crore to cooperative banks but nothing of it is seen on the ground. These banks have no money to give to us. Our crop credit limits are still standing and now we are paying interest on them to banks as we do not have money to pay back." Another farmer, Avtar Singh said he bought seeds, fertilizers and pesticides on credit from a shopkeeper. "My money lying with me is now redundant as shopkeepers are not accepting Rs 500 notes for seeds and fertilizers. We can use old currency at government shops but they do not have stocks. This decision of the government has hit us badly." Cooperative banks and agriculture societies are the backbone of farming in Punjab. Farmers have not been allowed to deposit their old currency now were they able to withdraw their money from such banks. And the sowing season is drawing to a close.
Balbir Punj By

The US Congress has come up with a fresh report saying that China is intent on using Pakistan to thwart India at every turn. This is to obtain a unhindered path in the world, especially in the Asian context, adds the report. The report has come at a time when a new American president is taking over  one who will have a nononsense policy towards China and has pledged to assert American leadership globally. Donald Trump has said that the very first day he assumes office as the 45th President of the United States (on January 20), he will scrap the American membership of the Trans Pacific Partnership. TPP was signed in February in view of protecting Americas interests in global trade.

The deal also proposed to work with China in cooperation with countries in the Pacific rim, in the backdrop of the South China Sea divide. But those very countries including Japan, Philippines, Vietnam etc. were apprehensive of Chinas ambitions as it sought to assert its claims on the Pacific islands. These islands are claimed by as many as seven other countries in Asia. Not many in the US were happy with TPP either. Trump during his election campaign itself had pledged that the US would leave the partnership. China had even proposed a partnership with America, but President Obama rejected it. In his eight years in office, Obama sought to limit Chinas ambitions by working with it. He strengthened US ties with the countries in Pacific and Indian oceans. Obama struck an alliance with Japan, India and Australia to keep the maritime trade corridors free, even as China was pursuing the One Belt, One Road initiative. Thus the Congress report on US-China relations comes at a time when Trump is setting up a team to take over the US administration.

The report has warned that in the last ten years, Chinese influence has spread in and around South Asia  traditionally seen as Indias sphere of influence. Beijing has also sought to build a secure push for itself in the Indian Ocean and block Indias play in that region. This is why it is using a wholly willing Pakistan to thwart Indias rise as a challenger to Chinas ambitions. It wants to cement its place as the sole leader of Asia. The report, however, also points out that the rise of terrorism is a major threat to Chinas security, thus prompting a shift in the countrys strategic calculations. In Chinas southern provinces, there has been a significant rise in radicalisation of Muslim minorities. For decades, authoritarian regimes in several Muslim majority states bordering China in Central Asia have kept restive regions under control.

The US report terms, checking Indias rise, primarily exploiting India-Pakistan rivalry as an important agenda for China. New Delhi clearly sees that Beijing supports Pakistan on all major regional issues. The overall balance of power between China and India currently is in Chinas favour, and Beijing intends to keep it that way. Chinas primary mechanism in this regard is its support for Pakistan. For India, it is no news. New Delhi has seen Beijing backing Pakistan on crucial issues like declaring Masood Azhar as a globally designated terrorist and blocking Indias entry into the Nuclear Suppliers Group. It has harassed Indian businessmen seeking to expand Indian exports to China and has been showing evident hostility to Indian diplomacy in Southeast Asian countries such as Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia. In addition, China is pushing a $51 billion investment in Pakistan. The Chinese Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is an initiative to build a rail, road and industrial corridor from its southern provinces through Pakistan occupied Kashmir.

It creates a corridor between the new port that China is building at Gwadar in Balochistan and Kashgar in Xinjiang. China is also seeking to oust regimes in Nepal, Maldives, Myanmar and Sri Lanka  governments it thinks could be friendly to India. No doubt, the US Congressional report seeks to show that the threat of terrorism to China is forcing certain changes in Beijings South Asian policy that is centred on favouring Pakistan to thwart India. Counter terrorism has become an increasingly important facet of Beijings engagement with South Asia, the US report claims. The response from India to these developments would be watched keenly. But the Modi government, with its numerous initiatives, has already built strong bonds with all the Southeast Asian nations. Under Prime Minister Modi, India now has a friendly regime in Nepal and Sri Lanka, close relations with Bangladesh and a partnership with Bhutan and Afghanistan.

As a counter to CPEC, India is building a port in Iran. Chabahar is being built by India linking Afghanistan, central Asian nations with rich oil and gas fields. The port has a huge deve l opment potential. Whether the Trump administration will join India in all these ventures is to be watched. Right now, the expected protectionist trade moves by the incoming Trump administration could further weaken China which has built a huge fortune by exporting globally, mainly to the US. This is also a time when the growth rate of China has sunk to six per cent. The countrys devalued currency has threatened economic growth thus forcing its migrant population to return to rural areas amidst growing distress. Xi Jinping is certainly not riding the silk road without any challenges.

Balbir Punj is former Rajya Sabha member and a Delhi-based commentator on social and political issues

Email: punjbalbir@gmail.com

The US Congress has come up with a fresh report saying that China is intent on using Pakistan to thwart India at every turn. This is to obtain a unhindered path in the world, especially in the Asian context, adds the report. The report has come at a time when a new American president is taking over  one who will have a nononsense policy towards China and has pledged to assert American leadership globally. Donald Trump has said that the very first day he assumes office as the 45th President of the United States (on January 20), he will scrap the American membership of the Trans Pacific Partnership. TPP was signed in February in view of protecting Americas interests in global trade. The deal also proposed to work with China in cooperation with countries in the Pacific rim, in the backdrop of the South China Sea divide. But those very countries including Japan, Philippines, Vietnam etc. were apprehensive of Chinas ambitions as it sought to assert its claims on the Pacific islands. These islands are claimed by as many as seven other countries in Asia. Not many in the US were happy with TPP either. Trump during his election campaign itself had pledged that the US would leave the partnership. China had even proposed a partnership with America, but President Obama rejected it. In his eight years in office, Obama sought to limit Chinas ambitions by working with it. He strengthened US ties with the countries in Pacific and Indian oceans. Obama struck an alliance with Japan, India and Australia to keep the maritime trade corridors free, even as China was pursuing the One Belt, One Road initiative. Thus the Congress report on US-China relations comes at a time when Trump is setting up a team to take over the US administration. The report has warned that in the last ten years, Chinese influence has spread in and around South Asia  traditionally seen as Indias sphere of influence. Beijing has also sought to build a secure push for itself in the Indian Ocean and block Indias play in that region. This is why it is using a wholly willing Pakistan to thwart Indias rise as a challenger to Chinas ambitions. It wants to cement its place as the sole leader of Asia. The report, however, also points out that the rise of terrorism is a major threat to Chinas security, thus prompting a shift in the countrys strategic calculations. In Chinas southern provinces, there has been a significant rise in radicalisation of Muslim minorities. For decades, authoritarian regimes in several Muslim majority states bordering China in Central Asia have kept restive regions under control. The US report terms, checking Indias rise, primarily exploiting India-Pakistan rivalry as an important agenda for China. New Delhi clearly sees that Beijing supports Pakistan on all major regional issues. The overall balance of power between China and India currently is in Chinas favour, and Beijing intends to keep it that way. Chinas primary mechanism in this regard is its support for Pakistan. For India, it is no news. New Delhi has seen Beijing backing Pakistan on crucial issues like declaring Masood Azhar as a globally designated terrorist and blocking Indias entry into the Nuclear Suppliers Group. It has harassed Indian businessmen seeking to expand Indian exports to China and has been showing evident hostility to Indian diplomacy in Southeast Asian countries such as Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia. In addition, China is pushing a $51 billion investment in Pakistan. The Chinese Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is an initiative to build a rail, road and industrial corridor from its southern provinces through Pakistan occupied Kashmir. It creates a corridor between the new port that China is building at Gwadar in Balochistan and Kashgar in Xinjiang. China is also seeking to oust regimes in Nepal, Maldives, Myanmar and Sri Lanka  governments it thinks could be friendly to India. No doubt, the US Congressional report seeks to show that the threat of terrorism to China is forcing certain changes in Beijings South Asian policy that is centred on favouring Pakistan to thwart India. Counter terrorism has become an increasingly important facet of Beijings engagement with South Asia, the US report claims. The response from India to these developments would be watched keenly. But the Modi government, with its numerous initiatives, has already built strong bonds with all the Southeast Asian nations. Under Prime Minister Modi, India now has a friendly regime in Nepal and Sri Lanka, close relations with Bangladesh and a partnership with Bhutan and Afghanistan. As a counter to CPEC, India is building a port in Iran. Chabahar is being built by India linking Afghanistan, central Asian nations with rich oil and gas fields. The port has a huge deve l opment potential. Whether the Trump administration will join India in all these ventures is to be watched. Right now, the expected protectionist trade moves by the incoming Trump administration could further weaken China which has built a huge fortune by exporting globally, mainly to the US. This is also a time when the growth rate of China has sunk to six per cent. The countrys devalued currency has threatened economic growth thus forcing its migrant population to return to rural areas amidst growing distress. Xi Jinping is certainly not riding the silk road without any challenges. Balbir Punj is former Rajya Sabha member and a Delhi-based commentator on social and political issues Email: punjbalbir@gmail.com
By Express News Service

VISAKHAPATNAM: Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting M Venkaiah Naidu on Friday said people, who were queuing up in front of banks and ATMs, were queuing up for a better India as he strongly defended the Centres demonetisation move. Addressing a meeting of party workers here, he said, During the last 15 days, the poor and the honest have made the most profound statement ever made in any country in recent times. That is: They do not mind putting up with short-term inconvenience for better days.

He was speaking on the topic, Bold and Revolutionary Step to Curb Corruption and Black Money. Referring to black money stashed in Switzerland and Mauritius by tax evaders, the Union Minister said the Centre would get back the ill-gotten wealth and explained that demonetisation was directed at looters, the dishonest and rule-breakers. They have to fall in line and become law abiding citizens, whether they like it or not. The present war is against black money and corruption. Common people need not worry as they stand to benefit, he asserted.

He further clarified that demonetisation was not a sudden decision though the announcement was. In the very first Cabinet meeting of the Modi government held in May, 2014 it was decided to constitute a Special Investigating Team (SIT) to bring back black money stashed abroad, he recalled. To effectively deal with undisclosed income, the Undisclosed Foreign Income and Assets and Imposition of Tax Act, 2015 was brought in on July 1, 2015, he added.

Other steps initiated in line with the governments thinking include constitution of a multi-agency group to probe the Panama Paper leaks and, joining global efforts to combat tax evasion and black money by signing the Multilateral Competent Authority Agreement in respect of Automatic Exchange of Information (AEIO). Information sharing arrangement with the US under its Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA) was also part of this effort, he said.

India has entered into Double Taxation Avoidance Agreements (DTAAs) with several countries, including tax havens like Mauritius and Cyprus. An Automatic Exchange of Information Agreement was also negotiated with Switzerland to clamp down on black money, Naidu said.

VISAKHAPATNAM: Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting M Venkaiah Naidu on Friday said people, who were queuing up in front of banks and ATMs, were queuing up for a better India as he strongly defended the Centres demonetisation move. Addressing a meeting of party workers here, he said, During the last 15 days, the poor and the honest have made the most profound statement ever made in any country in recent times. That is: They do not mind putting up with short-term inconvenience for better days. He was speaking on the topic, Bold and Revolutionary Step to Curb Corruption and Black Money. Referring to black money stashed in Switzerland and Mauritius by tax evaders, the Union Minister said the Centre would get back the ill-gotten wealth and explained that demonetisation was directed at looters, the dishonest and rule-breakers. They have to fall in line and become law abiding citizens, whether they like it or not. The present war is against black money and corruption. Common people need not worry as they stand to benefit, he asserted. He further clarified that demonetisation was not a sudden decision though the announcement was. In the very first Cabinet meeting of the Modi government held in May, 2014 it was decided to constitute a Special Investigating Team (SIT) to bring back black money stashed abroad, he recalled. To effectively deal with undisclosed income, the Undisclosed Foreign Income and Assets and Imposition of Tax Act, 2015 was brought in on July 1, 2015, he added. Other steps initiated in line with the governments thinking include constitution of a multi-agency group to probe the Panama Paper leaks and, joining global efforts to combat tax evasion and black money by signing the Multilateral Competent Authority Agreement in respect of Automatic Exchange of Information (AEIO). Information sharing arrangement with the US under its Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA) was also part of this effort, he said. India has entered into Double Taxation Avoidance Agreements (DTAAs) with several countries, including tax havens like Mauritius and Cyprus. An Automatic Exchange of Information Agreement was also negotiated with Switzerland to clamp down on black money, Naidu said.
By Express News Service

TADEPALLIGUDEM (WEST GODAVARI ): BJP president Amit Shah made two things crystal clear in his half-an-hour address at a farmers rally here Saturday  almost all the welfare schemes meant for farmers are from the Centre and it is time for the saffron party to expand in the State. The party chief, without rubbing his ally Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on the wrong side, managed to send a subtle message that BJP workers should make the party strong from the grassroots independent of their ally the ruling TDP.

Party workers should reach out to villages and work at the booth level to take people on board as the Centre was rolling out welfare programmes, Shah told them and stressed that BJP should become stronger in all States, including Andhra Pradesh, to achieve the larger objective of strenghtening the country. Prime Minister Narendra Modi alone can make the country a power house in the world, he claimed.

The Prime Minister, incidentally, was in the sibling State of Telangana on Saturday and Shah lost no time in referring to his presence in Hyderabad, while asking the audience to raise slogans in BJPs support, loud enough for the PM to hear. The rally, organised in farmers name, was also effectively used by Shah to defend, explain and clarify the governments demonetisation move. He assured the farmers that they need not worry. Only those who stacked black money should worry as the measure is intended to go after them, he explained.

Though the meeting was called a farmers convention, there were hardly any farmers among the audience. In fact, the turnout was not impressive as the party workers could not mobilise people, thanks to demonetisation. Though the organisers expected about one lakh farmers, the crowd was far less, and comprised mostly partymen, women and students.

TADEPALLIGUDEM (WEST GODAVARI ): BJP president Amit Shah made two things crystal clear in his half-an-hour address at a farmers rally here Saturday  almost all the welfare schemes meant for farmers are from the Centre and it is time for the saffron party to expand in the State. The party chief, without rubbing his ally Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on the wrong side, managed to send a subtle message that BJP workers should make the party strong from the grassroots independent of their ally the ruling TDP. Party workers should reach out to villages and work at the booth level to take people on board as the Centre was rolling out welfare programmes, Shah told them and stressed that BJP should become stronger in all States, including Andhra Pradesh, to achieve the larger objective of strenghtening the country. Prime Minister Narendra Modi alone can make the country a power house in the world, he claimed. The Prime Minister, incidentally, was in the sibling State of Telangana on Saturday and Shah lost no time in referring to his presence in Hyderabad, while asking the audience to raise slogans in BJPs support, loud enough for the PM to hear. The rally, organised in farmers name, was also effectively used by Shah to defend, explain and clarify the governments demonetisation move. He assured the farmers that they need not worry. Only those who stacked black money should worry as the measure is intended to go after them, he explained. Though the meeting was called a farmers convention, there were hardly any farmers among the audience. In fact, the turnout was not impressive as the party workers could not mobilise people, thanks to demonetisation. Though the organisers expected about one lakh farmers, the crowd was far less, and comprised mostly partymen, women and students.
Anil S By

Express News Service

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A Note of dissent from CPI state secretary Kanam Rajendran on the Maoist hunt in Nilambur has one again brought to light the approach towards extremism - a long-standing bone of contention within the Left.

Noticeably, its the CPI - which was in power during the Kakkayam and Varghese episodes - that has now come out against police action. The episode has also turned the focus once again on the Naxal Varghese murder, one of the first-ever encounter killings in the country in 1970, a time when the term encounter killing was not familiar to the public. Kanam has openly come out against the government, saying: its not fit for a civilised society to silence those who raise their voice. However, Left commentator Appukkuttan Vallikunnu observed that the opinion should be perceived differently.

It has more to it than an armed struggle. Its natural for any government to prevent armed move. The issue is about the encounter aspect - whether it should be dealt with in such a way. When a Left Government is in power this becomes all the more relevant, he said. Ideally the government should have brought those engaged in such armed struggles before the law. A Left Government should be able to indulge in a political intervention to ensure the same, he said. Though the mainstream Left parties have kept themselves away from armed struggle, its relevance has been a major discussion within the Left movement in the country.

Meanwhile, some who took part in such a movement had a different take. An establishment that has declared a full-fledged armed warfare against a democratic set up cannot expect the democracy to give all its facilities on a silver platter, said a former Naxal.

Though the content of an armed struggle is never lost, it has ceased to be a solution in todays world. However, that possibility is always there. At least some cadres who can opt for armed struggle are dormant in the state. Specifically, in the backdrop of the ongoing political violence in the northern districts, it cannot be ruled out, he said.

CPI voices dissent over encounter death

Alappuzha/Kochi: The CPI, the second largest partner of the LDF in Kerala, has voiced its protest against the encounter death of two Maoists at Nilambur in Malappuram on Thursday, saying people did not elect the Left Democratic Front to ape Narendra Modi. There are many people working for the rights of the tribal people and Dalits. It is time to consider their slogans. It is not appreciable for a civilised society to silence people who raise their voice for their rights, instead of giving an ear to them. Nobody has the right to kill people who air their opinion.

The situation in Kerala is different from that of North Indian states. Such brutality in the name of Maoist hunt is totally unacceptable in Keralas context. People did not elect the LDF to follow Narendra Modi, said CPI state secretary Kanam Rajendran. He was inaugurating a representatives meet as part of the state conference of the Joint Council of State Service Organisations here on Friday.Expressing his concern over the police action, Kanam said everyone has the right to express his opinion in democracy.

There are many people who work for the welfare of tribals and marginalised sections of society. The Union Government and some states have formed special forces to annihilate Maoists. But the situation is entirely different in Kerala. The government cannot use draconian laws to silence people who raise their voice against injustice. Though they gave a call to boycott Assembly elections, the people did not heed their voice and elected the LDF to power, Kanam said.

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A Note of dissent from CPI state secretary Kanam Rajendran on the Maoist hunt in Nilambur has one again brought to light the approach towards extremism - a long-standing bone of contention within the Left. Noticeably, its the CPI - which was in power during the Kakkayam and Varghese episodes - that has now come out against police action. The episode has also turned the focus once again on the Naxal Varghese murder, one of the first-ever encounter killings in the country in 1970, a time when the term encounter killing was not familiar to the public. Kanam has openly come out against the government, saying: its not fit for a civilised society to silence those who raise their voice. However, Left commentator Appukkuttan Vallikunnu observed that the opinion should be perceived differently. It has more to it than an armed struggle. Its natural for any government to prevent armed move. The issue is about the encounter aspect - whether it should be dealt with in such a way. When a Left Government is in power this becomes all the more relevant, he said. Ideally the government should have brought those engaged in such armed struggles before the law. A Left Government should be able to indulge in a political intervention to ensure the same, he said. Though the mainstream Left parties have kept themselves away from armed struggle, its relevance has been a major discussion within the Left movement in the country. Meanwhile, some who took part in such a movement had a different take. An establishment that has declared a full-fledged armed warfare against a democratic set up cannot expect the democracy to give all its facilities on a silver platter, said a former Naxal. Though the content of an armed struggle is never lost, it has ceased to be a solution in todays world. However, that possibility is always there. At least some cadres who can opt for armed struggle are dormant in the state. Specifically, in the backdrop of the ongoing political violence in the northern districts, it cannot be ruled out, he said. CPI voices dissent over encounter death Alappuzha/Kochi: The CPI, the second largest partner of the LDF in Kerala, has voiced its protest against the encounter death of two Maoists at Nilambur in Malappuram on Thursday, saying people did not elect the Left Democratic Front to ape Narendra Modi. There are many people working for the rights of the tribal people and Dalits. It is time to consider their slogans. It is not appreciable for a civilised society to silence people who raise their voice for their rights, instead of giving an ear to them. Nobody has the right to kill people who air their opinion. The situation in Kerala is different from that of North Indian states. Such brutality in the name of Maoist hunt is totally unacceptable in Keralas context. People did not elect the LDF to follow Narendra Modi, said CPI state secretary Kanam Rajendran. He was inaugurating a representatives meet as part of the state conference of the Joint Council of State Service Organisations here on Friday.Expressing his concern over the police action, Kanam said everyone has the right to express his opinion in democracy. There are many people who work for the welfare of tribals and marginalised sections of society. The Union Government and some states have formed special forces to annihilate Maoists. But the situation is entirely different in Kerala. The government cannot use draconian laws to silence people who raise their voice against injustice. Though they gave a call to boycott Assembly elections, the people did not heed their voice and elected the LDF to power, Kanam said.
By Express News Service

COIMBATORE: Five Maoists, arrested by Q branch police in May 2015 at Karumathampatty, alleged that the Kerala government executed a fake encounter at Malapuram district on Thursday, killing two of their comrades. They called for a state-wide bandh in Kerala on Monday to condemn this. The Maoists were produced in Court on Friday and issued with charge sheet.

Maoists Roopesh, his wife Shyna and his accomplices Anoop Mathew George, Kannan and Veeramani were brought to the court in the morning.

The encounter in the Kerala on Thursday afternoon was a fake encounter. They were killed by poisoning. If they were killed during a fight with the police, they might have got some injuries on their bodies. Court has to intervene and conduct a probe into the matter, they said.

They followed it up with slogans praising their outfit.

When the case came up for hearing, all five Maoists were produced before First Additional District Judge M Christopher, in charge of the Principal District Judge court. Defence lawyer S Balamurugan said, Police registered 28 cases against these people under Unlawful Activities Prevention (UAP) Act for being a member of a banned outfit. When a person was booked with one case for being a member of a banned organisation, how can they be booked in 28 cases for the same offence in various places across the State?

Government pleader S Arumugam responded that they will look into it. Following this, the Judge told the Government Pleader to get a proper affidavit from the police and submit the same before the next hearing.

Subsequently, Roopesh requested judge to speak to his wife as he was not allowed to do so in jail. The Judge granted permission

COIMBATORE: Five Maoists, arrested by Q branch police in May 2015 at Karumathampatty, alleged that the Kerala government executed a fake encounter at Malapuram district on Thursday, killing two of their comrades. They called for a state-wide bandh in Kerala on Monday to condemn this. The Maoists were produced in Court on Friday and issued with charge sheet. Maoists Roopesh, his wife Shyna and his accomplices Anoop Mathew George, Kannan and Veeramani were brought to the court in the morning. The encounter in the Kerala on Thursday afternoon was a fake encounter. They were killed by poisoning. If they were killed during a fight with the police, they might have got some injuries on their bodies. Court has to intervene and conduct a probe into the matter, they said. They followed it up with slogans praising their outfit. When the case came up for hearing, all five Maoists were produced before First Additional District Judge M Christopher, in charge of the Principal District Judge court. Defence lawyer S Balamurugan said, Police registered 28 cases against these people under Unlawful Activities Prevention (UAP) Act for being a member of a banned outfit. When a person was booked with one case for being a member of a banned organisation, how can they be booked in 28 cases for the same offence in various places across the State? Government pleader S Arumugam responded that they will look into it. Following this, the Judge told the Government Pleader to get a proper affidavit from the police and submit the same before the next hearing. Subsequently, Roopesh requested judge to speak to his wife as he was not allowed to do so in jail. The Judge granted permission
By Express News Service

CHENNAI: Three years after the death of dalit youth Ilavarasan following his marriage with a Vanniyar girl and subsequent torching of three dalit hamlets near Dharmapuri, the case took a new turn with Madras High Court ordering CB-CID probe on Friday.

Ilavarasan was found dead near the railway track in Dharmapuri on July 4, 2013, days after Divya, whom he had married, returned to her family.

When the petition from his father, Elango of Natham Colony, seeking transfer of the case to a Special Investigation Team (SIT) comprising outstation officials came up before the bench of Chief Justice SK Kaul and Justice R Mahadevan, a report was placed before it, in which the Deputy Superintendent of Police, Harur, claimed that Ilavarasan had committed suicide in an inebriated condition. He was distressed over the failure of his marriage and nobody could be blamed, the report added.

In view of the different perceptions of the two doctors i.e at page (42) (and of the AIMS), we consider it appropriate that the deposition and investigation material be handed over to the CB-CID for further investigation, the bench said.

A compliance report should be submitted, the bench added and listed the matter to February 17.

Earlier, the bench, disposing of a batch of petitions from advocates S Senkodi and P Pugalenthi and others relating to the atrocities committed on dalits by Caste Hindus right from the death of Divyas father, had made several observations and gave directions which included fixing responsibility for administrative lapses.

According to petitioner, after his son married Divya and her father committed suicide, the caste Hindus unleashed violence on dalits living in three colonies in Dharmapuri district in November 2012. Nearly 400 houses were torched and properties worth several lakhs damaged. On July 4, 2013, his son was found dead near a railway track. After he moved the court, second post mortem was conducted. While so, on July 7, 2013, the Superintendent of Police informed the media that Illavarasans death was suicide. This created serious doubts in the fairness of the investigation conducted by the local police.

CHENNAI: Three years after the death of dalit youth Ilavarasan following his marriage with a Vanniyar girl and subsequent torching of three dalit hamlets near Dharmapuri, the case took a new turn with Madras High Court ordering CB-CID probe on Friday. Ilavarasan was found dead near the railway track in Dharmapuri on July 4, 2013, days after Divya, whom he had married, returned to her family. When the petition from his father, Elango of Natham Colony, seeking transfer of the case to a Special Investigation Team (SIT) comprising outstation officials came up before the bench of Chief Justice SK Kaul and Justice R Mahadevan, a report was placed before it, in which the Deputy Superintendent of Police, Harur, claimed that Ilavarasan had committed suicide in an inebriated condition. He was distressed over the failure of his marriage and nobody could be blamed, the report added. In view of the different perceptions of the two doctors i.e at page (42) (and of the AIMS), we consider it appropriate that the deposition and investigation material be handed over to the CB-CID for further investigation, the bench said. A compliance report should be submitted, the bench added and listed the matter to February 17. Earlier, the bench, disposing of a batch of petitions from advocates S Senkodi and P Pugalenthi and others relating to the atrocities committed on dalits by Caste Hindus right from the death of Divyas father, had made several observations and gave directions which included fixing responsibility for administrative lapses. According to petitioner, after his son married Divya and her father committed suicide, the caste Hindus unleashed violence on dalits living in three colonies in Dharmapuri district in November 2012. Nearly 400 houses were torched and properties worth several lakhs damaged. On July 4, 2013, his son was found dead near a railway track. After he moved the court, second post mortem was conducted. While so, on July 7, 2013, the Superintendent of Police informed the media that Illavarasans death was suicide. This created serious doubts in the fairness of the investigation conducted by the local police.
Kumar Vikram and Ayesha Singh By

NEW DELHI: After over 600 jewellers received income tax (I-T) notices following reports of massive gold sales in lieu of old currency notes, the I-T department has issued notices asking for their account details and CCTV footage.

CCTV footage of a jewellery shop

A Karol Bagh-based jeweller said, Of course, all such transactions were made under the table. They had to be kept secret. To escape raids and other legal hassles, weve shown in our books that the money was generated from cash sales till November 8. Hence, CCTV footage had to be destroyed.

Jewellers told The Sunday Standard that many shop owners have destroyed CCTV content on some pretext or the other. Major jewellery markets also downed their shutters to escape I-T raids. Some even took advice from chartered accountants to show backdated transactions.

A jeweller in Chandni Chowk said many businessmen like him have resorted to stratagems such as destroying CCTV footage to escape the Income Tax net. He said manipulation was done at many levels. We sold gold at very high margins after the announcement of ban. People were willing to buy gold and we were happy to make profits. Now, what can I-T officials do if our CCTV cameras are defective and have not been working for the past few days? We had installed the cameras for our own safety and security, he added.

I-T surveys were carried out at many jewellery showrooms and wholesale bazaars in cities. Kutcha Mahajani, the biggest wholesale market for gold jewellery in Delhi-6, also witnessed massive business after which, raids were conducted at some shops. We closed our shops for over 10 days to avoid raids, said a jeweller.

NEW DELHI: After over 600 jewellers received income tax (I-T) notices following reports of massive gold sales in lieu of old currency notes, the I-T department has issued notices asking for their account details and CCTV footage. CCTV footage of a jewellery shopA Karol Bagh-based jeweller said, Of course, all such transactions were made under the table. They had to be kept secret. To escape raids and other legal hassles, weve shown in our books that the money was generated from cash sales till November 8. Hence, CCTV footage had to be destroyed. Jewellers told The Sunday Standard that many shop owners have destroyed CCTV content on some pretext or the other. Major jewellery markets also downed their shutters to escape I-T raids. Some even took advice from chartered accountants to show backdated transactions. A jeweller in Chandni Chowk said many businessmen like him have resorted to stratagems such as destroying CCTV footage to escape the Income Tax net. He said manipulation was done at many levels. We sold gold at very high margins after the announcement of ban. People were willing to buy gold and we were happy to make profits. Now, what can I-T officials do if our CCTV cameras are defective and have not been working for the past few days? We had installed the cameras for our own safety and security, he added. I-T surveys were carried out at many jewellery showrooms and wholesale bazaars in cities. Kutcha Mahajani, the biggest wholesale market for gold jewellery in Delhi-6, also witnessed massive business after which, raids were conducted at some shops. We closed our shops for over 10 days to avoid raids, said a jeweller.
By AFP

SWEDEN: At a Stockholm mosque just after morning prayers on Saturday, unidentified attackers burst into the building, spraypainting swastikas and hate speech on the walls and throwing firecrackers, police said.

All of the worshippers had left the mosque at the time of the attack except one, and he was shaken but unharmed, mosque officials told Swedish news agency TT.

Police said they were investigating the incident as vandalism and a hate crime. No arrests had been made several hours after the attack.

"This is not something one would expect... It's hard to understand what is going on in society, both internationally and in our own country. I don't recognise Sweden anymore," Mustafa Tumturk, a representative of Stockholm's Muslim community and one of the founders of the mosque in 1985, told TT.

Sweden has seen a spate of attacks against mosques and refugee centres in recent years, as the country has taken in record numbers of refugees -- 245,000 in 2014 and 2015.

SWEDEN: At a Stockholm mosque just after morning prayers on Saturday, unidentified attackers burst into the building, spraypainting swastikas and hate speech on the walls and throwing firecrackers, police said. All of the worshippers had left the mosque at the time of the attack except one, and he was shaken but unharmed, mosque officials told Swedish news agency TT. Police said they were investigating the incident as vandalism and a hate crime. No arrests had been made several hours after the attack. "This is not something one would expect... It's hard to understand what is going on in society, both internationally and in our own country. I don't recognise Sweden anymore," Mustafa Tumturk, a representative of Stockholm's Muslim community and one of the founders of the mosque in 1985, told TT. Sweden has seen a spate of attacks against mosques and refugee centres in recent years, as the country has taken in record numbers of refugees -- 245,000 in 2014 and 2015.
By Associated Press

NEW YORK: A group of election lawyers and data experts has asked Hillary Clinton's campaign to call for a recount of the vote totals in three battleground states  Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania  to ensure that a cyberattack was not committed to manipulate the totals.

There is no evidence that the results were hacked or that electronic voting machines were compromised. The Clinton campaign on Wednesday did not respond to a request for comment as to whether it would petition for a recount before the three states' fast-approaching deadlines to ask for one.

President-elect Donald Trump won Wisconsin and Pennsylvania by razor-thin margins and has a small lead in Michigan. All three states had been reliably Democratic in recent presidential elections.

The group, led by voting-rights attorney John Bonifaz and J. Alex Halderman, the director of the University of Michigan Center for Computer Security and Society, contacted the Clinton campaign this week. That call, which was first reported by New York Magazine, raised the possibility that Clinton may have received fewer votes than expected in some counties that rely on electronic voting machines.

But Halderman, in an article posted on Medium on Wednesday, stressed that the group has no evidence of a cyberattack or voting irregularities. He urged that a recount be ordered just to eliminate the possibility.

"The only way to know whether a cyberattack changed the result is to closely examine the available physical evidence  paper ballots and voting equipment in critical states like Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania," Halderman wrote.

Recounts, which are often costly and time-intensive efforts, would likely only be initiated if the Clinton camp pushed for one, though Wisconsin independently announced that it would conduct an audit of its vote. A call for a recount, particularly coming on the heels of a fiercely contested and sharply partisan election, would likely be cheered by Democrats but denounced by Republicans eager to focus on governing.

A request to the Trump transition team for comment was not immediately returned.

Trump's campaign had long believed that his message of economic populism would resonate in the Rust Belt. He frequently campaigned in Pennsylvania and made a late push in both Wisconsin and Michigan, successfully turning out white working-class voters whom pollsters may have missed.

Many pre-election polls showed Clinton with slight leads. While advocating for the recounts, Halderman writes that "the most likely explanation" for Trump's surprise win "is that the polls were systematically wrong."

The deadlines for petitioning for a recount in all three states are in the coming days, with Wisconsin's on Friday. Green Party candidate Jill Stein announced a fundraising effort Wednesday to pay for such recounts.

The focal point of any possible electoral cyberattack presumably would have been electronic voting machines that, whether or not they are connected to the internet, could be infected with malware that could change vote totals. But many of those machines produce a paper record of the vote that could be checked to see if the vote tabulations are accurate.

Pennsylvania is considered one of the states most susceptible to hacking because 96 percent of its voting machines have no paper trail. Wisconsin is far less vulnerable because it uses electronic machines with voter-verifiable paper trails in most counties. Michigan is considered the safest of the three because it uses paper ballots.

Officials in the three states confirmed that no recounts have been ordered. A spokesman for the U.S. Justice Department says it is not tallying the number of voting complaints to determine whether federal action is warranted.

Many election experts have called for routine post-election audits designed to boost public confidence in vote outcomes, by guarding against both tampering and natural vote-counting mistakes. These could involve spot-checks of the voting records and ballots, typically in randomly selected precincts, to make sure that votes were accurately recorded.

In many states, audits involve hand-counting the votes on paper ballots and comparing the results to the totals stored in the state's electronic voting system. Such audits do sometimes turn up mistakes that reverse an election. That happened in Florida's Palm Beach County in 2012, when a post-election audit determined that the "winners" in two city council races were actually losers.

Routine audits also make it possible to confirm the accuracy of elections without putting the onus on losing candidates to call for a recount. In states without regular audits, a candidate who questions the results gets "painted as a sore loser," Pamela Smith, president of the nonprofit Verified Voting, said in an interview earlier this year. "If you do a regular audit, you often don't need a recount. It either shows the count was right or you find something."

Any attempted hack to swing the results in three states would have been a massive and unprecedented undertaking. But electoral security was an issue that loomed large in many Americans' minds this year as the Democratic National Committee and several Clinton staffers had their emails breached and later released. U.S. security officials believe that hack of email was orchestrated by Russian hackers.

NEW YORK: A group of election lawyers and data experts has asked Hillary Clinton's campaign to call for a recount of the vote totals in three battleground states  Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania  to ensure that a cyberattack was not committed to manipulate the totals. There is no evidence that the results were hacked or that electronic voting machines were compromised. The Clinton campaign on Wednesday did not respond to a request for comment as to whether it would petition for a recount before the three states' fast-approaching deadlines to ask for one. President-elect Donald Trump won Wisconsin and Pennsylvania by razor-thin margins and has a small lead in Michigan. All three states had been reliably Democratic in recent presidential elections. The group, led by voting-rights attorney John Bonifaz and J. Alex Halderman, the director of the University of Michigan Center for Computer Security and Society, contacted the Clinton campaign this week. That call, which was first reported by New York Magazine, raised the possibility that Clinton may have received fewer votes than expected in some counties that rely on electronic voting machines. But Halderman, in an article posted on Medium on Wednesday, stressed that the group has no evidence of a cyberattack or voting irregularities. He urged that a recount be ordered just to eliminate the possibility. "The only way to know whether a cyberattack changed the result is to closely examine the available physical evidence  paper ballots and voting equipment in critical states like Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania," Halderman wrote. Recounts, which are often costly and time-intensive efforts, would likely only be initiated if the Clinton camp pushed for one, though Wisconsin independently announced that it would conduct an audit of its vote. A call for a recount, particularly coming on the heels of a fiercely contested and sharply partisan election, would likely be cheered by Democrats but denounced by Republicans eager to focus on governing. A request to the Trump transition team for comment was not immediately returned. Trump's campaign had long believed that his message of economic populism would resonate in the Rust Belt. He frequently campaigned in Pennsylvania and made a late push in both Wisconsin and Michigan, successfully turning out white working-class voters whom pollsters may have missed. Many pre-election polls showed Clinton with slight leads. While advocating for the recounts, Halderman writes that "the most likely explanation" for Trump's surprise win "is that the polls were systematically wrong." The deadlines for petitioning for a recount in all three states are in the coming days, with Wisconsin's on Friday. Green Party candidate Jill Stein announced a fundraising effort Wednesday to pay for such recounts. The focal point of any possible electoral cyberattack presumably would have been electronic voting machines that, whether or not they are connected to the internet, could be infected with malware that could change vote totals. But many of those machines produce a paper record of the vote that could be checked to see if the vote tabulations are accurate. Pennsylvania is considered one of the states most susceptible to hacking because 96 percent of its voting machines have no paper trail. Wisconsin is far less vulnerable because it uses electronic machines with voter-verifiable paper trails in most counties. Michigan is considered the safest of the three because it uses paper ballots. Officials in the three states confirmed that no recounts have been ordered. A spokesman for the U.S. Justice Department says it is not tallying the number of voting complaints to determine whether federal action is warranted. Many election experts have called for routine post-election audits designed to boost public confidence in vote outcomes, by guarding against both tampering and natural vote-counting mistakes. These could involve spot-checks of the voting records and ballots, typically in randomly selected precincts, to make sure that votes were accurately recorded. In many states, audits involve hand-counting the votes on paper ballots and comparing the results to the totals stored in the state's electronic voting system. Such audits do sometimes turn up mistakes that reverse an election. That happened in Florida's Palm Beach County in 2012, when a post-election audit determined that the "winners" in two city council races were actually losers. Routine audits also make it possible to confirm the accuracy of elections without putting the onus on losing candidates to call for a recount. In states without regular audits, a candidate who questions the results gets "painted as a sore loser," Pamela Smith, president of the nonprofit Verified Voting, said in an interview earlier this year. "If you do a regular audit, you often don't need a recount. It either shows the count was right or you find something." Any attempted hack to swing the results in three states would have been a massive and unprecedented undertaking. But electoral security was an issue that loomed large in many Americans' minds this year as the Democratic National Committee and several Clinton staffers had their emails breached and later released. U.S. security officials believe that hack of email was orchestrated by Russian hackers.
By Associated Press

HAVANA: Former President Fidel Castro, who led a rebel army to improbable victory in Cuba, embraced Soviet-style communism and defied the power of 10 U.S. presidents during his half century rule, has died at age 90.

With a shaking voice, President Raul Castro said on state television that his older brother died at 10:29 p.m. Friday. He ended the announcement by shouting the revolutionary slogan: "Toward victory, always!"

Castro's reign over the island-nation 90 miles (145 kilometers) from Florida was marked by the U.S.-backed Bay of Pigs invasion in 1961 and the Cuban Missile Crisis a year later that brought the world to the brink of nuclear war. The bearded revolutionary, who survived a crippling U.S. trade embargo as well as dozens, possibly hundreds, of assassination plots, died 10 years after ill health forced him to hand power over to Raul.

Castro overcame imprisonment at the hands of dictator Fulgencio Batista, exile in Mexico and a disastrous start to his rebellion before triumphantly riding into Havana in January 1959 to become, at age 32, the youngest leader in Latin America. For decades, he served as an inspiration and source of support to revolutionaries from Latin America to Africa.

His commitment to socialism was unwavering, though his power finally began to fade in mid-2006 when a gastrointestinal ailment forced him to hand over the presidency to Raul in 2008, provisionally at first and then permanently. His defiant image lingered long after he gave up his trademark Cohiba cigars for health reasons and his tall frame grew stooped.

"Socialism or death" remained Castro's rallying cry even as Western-style democracy swept the globe and other communist regimes in China and Vietnam embraced capitalism, leaving this island of 11 million people an economically crippled Marxist curiosity.

He survived long enough to see Raul Castro negotiate an opening with U.S. President Barack Obama on Dec. 17, 2014, when Washington and Havana announced they would move to restore diplomatic ties for the first time since they were severed in 1961. He cautiously blessed the historic deal with his lifelong enemy in a letter published after a month-long silence.

Carlos Rodriguez, 15, was sitting in Havana's Miramar neighborhood when he heard that Fidel Castro had died.

"Fidel? Fidel?" he said as he slapped his head with his hand in shock. "That's not what I was expecting. One always thought that he would last forever. It doesn't seem true."

"It's a tragedy," said 22-year-old nurse Dayan Montalvo. "We all grew up with him. I feel really hurt by the news that we just heard."

Fidel Castro Ruz was born Aug. 13, 1926, in eastern Cuba's sugar country, where his Spanish immigrant father worked first recruiting labor for U.S. sugar companies and later built up a prosperous plantation of his own.

Castro attended Jesuit schools, then the University of Havana, where he received law and social science degrees. His life as a rebel began in 1953 with a reckless attack on the Moncada military barracks in the eastern city of Santiago. Most of his comrades were killed and Fidel and his brother Raul went to prison.

Fidel turned his trial defense into a manifesto that he smuggled out of jail, famously declaring, "History will absolve me."

Freed under a pardon, Castro fled to Mexico and organized a rebel band that returned in 1956, sailing across the Gulf of Mexico to Cuba on a yacht named Granma. After losing most of his group in a bungled landing, he rallied support in Cuba's eastern Sierra Maestra mountains.

Three years later, tens of thousands spilled into the streets of Havana to celebrate Batista's downfall and catch a glimpse of Castro as his rebel caravan arrived in the capital on Jan. 8, 1959.

The U.S. was among the first to formally recognize his government, cautiously trusting Castro's early assurances he merely wanted to restore democracy, not install socialism.

Within months, Castro was imposing radical economic reforms. Members of the old government went before summary courts, and at least 582 were shot by firing squads over two years. Independent newspapers were closed and in the early years, homosexuals were herded into camps for "re-education."

In 1964, Castro acknowledged holding 15,000 political prisoners. Hundreds of thousands of Cubans fled, including Castro's daughter Alina Fernandez Revuelta and his younger sister Juana.

Still, the revolution thrilled millions in Cuba and across Latin America who saw it as an example of how the seemingly arrogant Yankees could be defied. And many on the island were happy to see the seizure of property of the landed class, the expulsion of American gangsters and the closure of their casinos.

Castro's speeches, lasting up to six hours, became the soundtrack of Cuban life and his 269-minute speech to the U.N. General Assembly in 1960 set the world body's record for length that still stood more than five decades later.

As Castro moved into the Soviet bloc, Washington began working to oust him, cutting U.S. purchases of sugar, the island's economic mainstay. Castro, in turn, confiscated $1 billion in U.S. assets.

The American government imposed a trade embargo, banning virtually all U.S. exports to the island except for food and medicine, and it severed diplomatic ties on Jan. 3, 1961.

On April 16 of that year, Castro declared his revolution to be socialist, and the next day, about 1,400 Cuban exiles stormed the beach at the Bay of Pigs on Cuba's south coast. But the CIA-backed invasion failed.

The debacle forced the U.S. to give up on the idea of invading Cuba, but that didn't stop Washington and Castro's exiled enemies from trying to do him in. By Cuban count, he was the target of more than 630 assassination plots by militant Cuban exiles or the U.S. government.

The biggest crisis of the Cold War between Washington and Moscow exploded on Oct. 22, 1962, when President John F. Kennedy announced there were Soviet nuclear missiles in Cuba and imposed a naval blockade of the island. Humankind held its breath, and after a tense week of diplomacy, Soviet leader Nikita Krushchev removed them. Never had the world felt so close to nuclear war.

Castro cobbled revolutionary groups together into the new Cuban Communist Party, with him as first secretary. Labor unions lost the right to strike. The Catholic Church and other religious institutions were harassed. Neighborhood "revolutionary defense committees" kept an eye on everyone.

Castro exported revolution to Latin American countries in the 1960s, and dispatched Cuban troops to Africa to fight Western-backed regimes in the 1970s. Over the decades, he sent Cuban doctors abroad to tend to the poor, and gave sanctuary to fugitive Black Panther leaders from the U.S.

But the collapse of the Soviet bloc ended billions in preferential trade and subsidies for Cuba, sending its economy into a tailspin. Castro briefly experimented with an opening to foreign capitalists and limited private enterprise.

As the end of the Cold War eased global tensions, many Latin American and European countries re-established relations with Cuba. In January 1998, Pope John Paul II visited a nation that had been officially atheist until the early 1990s.

Aided by a tourism boom, the economy slowly recovered and Castro steadily reasserted government control, stifling much of the limited free enterprise tolerated during harder times.

As flamboyant as he was in public, Castro tried to lead a discreet private life. He and his first wife, Mirta Diaz Balart, had one son before divorcing in 1956. Then, for more than four decades, Castro had a relationship with Dalia Soto del Valle. They had five sons together and were said to have married quietly in 1980.

By the time Castro resigned 49 years after his triumphant arrival in Havana, he was the world's longest ruling head of government, aside from monarchs.

In retirement, Castro voiced unwavering support as Raul slowly but deliberately enacted sweeping changes to the Marxist system he had built.

His longevity allowed the younger brother to consolidate control, perhaps lengthening the revolution well past both men's lives. In February 2013, Raul announced that he would retire as president in 2018 and named newly minted Vice President Miguel Diaz-Canel as his successor.

"I'll be 90 years old soon," Castro said at an April 2016 communist party congress where he made his most extensive public appearance in years. "Soon I'll be like all the others. The time will come for all of us, but the ideas of the Cuban Communists will remain as proof that on this planet, if one works with fervor and dignity, they can produce the material and cultural goods that human beings need and that need to be fought for without ever giving up."

HAVANA: Former President Fidel Castro, who led a rebel army to improbable victory in Cuba, embraced Soviet-style communism and defied the power of 10 U.S. presidents during his half century rule, has died at age 90. With a shaking voice, President Raul Castro said on state television that his older brother died at 10:29 p.m. Friday. He ended the announcement by shouting the revolutionary slogan: "Toward victory, always!" Castro's reign over the island-nation 90 miles (145 kilometers) from Florida was marked by the U.S.-backed Bay of Pigs invasion in 1961 and the Cuban Missile Crisis a year later that brought the world to the brink of nuclear war. The bearded revolutionary, who survived a crippling U.S. trade embargo as well as dozens, possibly hundreds, of assassination plots, died 10 years after ill health forced him to hand power over to Raul. Castro overcame imprisonment at the hands of dictator Fulgencio Batista, exile in Mexico and a disastrous start to his rebellion before triumphantly riding into Havana in January 1959 to become, at age 32, the youngest leader in Latin America. For decades, he served as an inspiration and source of support to revolutionaries from Latin America to Africa. His commitment to socialism was unwavering, though his power finally began to fade in mid-2006 when a gastrointestinal ailment forced him to hand over the presidency to Raul in 2008, provisionally at first and then permanently. His defiant image lingered long after he gave up his trademark Cohiba cigars for health reasons and his tall frame grew stooped. "Socialism or death" remained Castro's rallying cry even as Western-style democracy swept the globe and other communist regimes in China and Vietnam embraced capitalism, leaving this island of 11 million people an economically crippled Marxist curiosity. He survived long enough to see Raul Castro negotiate an opening with U.S. President Barack Obama on Dec. 17, 2014, when Washington and Havana announced they would move to restore diplomatic ties for the first time since they were severed in 1961. He cautiously blessed the historic deal with his lifelong enemy in a letter published after a month-long silence. Carlos Rodriguez, 15, was sitting in Havana's Miramar neighborhood when he heard that Fidel Castro had died. "Fidel? Fidel?" he said as he slapped his head with his hand in shock. "That's not what I was expecting. One always thought that he would last forever. It doesn't seem true." "It's a tragedy," said 22-year-old nurse Dayan Montalvo. "We all grew up with him. I feel really hurt by the news that we just heard." Fidel Castro Ruz was born Aug. 13, 1926, in eastern Cuba's sugar country, where his Spanish immigrant father worked first recruiting labor for U.S. sugar companies and later built up a prosperous plantation of his own. Castro attended Jesuit schools, then the University of Havana, where he received law and social science degrees. His life as a rebel began in 1953 with a reckless attack on the Moncada military barracks in the eastern city of Santiago. Most of his comrades were killed and Fidel and his brother Raul went to prison. Fidel turned his trial defense into a manifesto that he smuggled out of jail, famously declaring, "History will absolve me." Freed under a pardon, Castro fled to Mexico and organized a rebel band that returned in 1956, sailing across the Gulf of Mexico to Cuba on a yacht named Granma. After losing most of his group in a bungled landing, he rallied support in Cuba's eastern Sierra Maestra mountains. Three years later, tens of thousands spilled into the streets of Havana to celebrate Batista's downfall and catch a glimpse of Castro as his rebel caravan arrived in the capital on Jan. 8, 1959. The U.S. was among the first to formally recognize his government, cautiously trusting Castro's early assurances he merely wanted to restore democracy, not install socialism. Within months, Castro was imposing radical economic reforms. Members of the old government went before summary courts, and at least 582 were shot by firing squads over two years. Independent newspapers were closed and in the early years, homosexuals were herded into camps for "re-education." In 1964, Castro acknowledged holding 15,000 political prisoners. Hundreds of thousands of Cubans fled, including Castro's daughter Alina Fernandez Revuelta and his younger sister Juana. Still, the revolution thrilled millions in Cuba and across Latin America who saw it as an example of how the seemingly arrogant Yankees could be defied. And many on the island were happy to see the seizure of property of the landed class, the expulsion of American gangsters and the closure of their casinos. Castro's speeches, lasting up to six hours, became the soundtrack of Cuban life and his 269-minute speech to the U.N. General Assembly in 1960 set the world body's record for length that still stood more than five decades later. As Castro moved into the Soviet bloc, Washington began working to oust him, cutting U.S. purchases of sugar, the island's economic mainstay. Castro, in turn, confiscated $1 billion in U.S. assets. The American government imposed a trade embargo, banning virtually all U.S. exports to the island except for food and medicine, and it severed diplomatic ties on Jan. 3, 1961. On April 16 of that year, Castro declared his revolution to be socialist, and the next day, about 1,400 Cuban exiles stormed the beach at the Bay of Pigs on Cuba's south coast. But the CIA-backed invasion failed. The debacle forced the U.S. to give up on the idea of invading Cuba, but that didn't stop Washington and Castro's exiled enemies from trying to do him in. By Cuban count, he was the target of more than 630 assassination plots by militant Cuban exiles or the U.S. government. The biggest crisis of the Cold War between Washington and Moscow exploded on Oct. 22, 1962, when President John F. Kennedy announced there were Soviet nuclear missiles in Cuba and imposed a naval blockade of the island. Humankind held its breath, and after a tense week of diplomacy, Soviet leader Nikita Krushchev removed them. Never had the world felt so close to nuclear war. Castro cobbled revolutionary groups together into the new Cuban Communist Party, with him as first secretary. Labor unions lost the right to strike. The Catholic Church and other religious institutions were harassed. Neighborhood "revolutionary defense committees" kept an eye on everyone. Castro exported revolution to Latin American countries in the 1960s, and dispatched Cuban troops to Africa to fight Western-backed regimes in the 1970s. Over the decades, he sent Cuban doctors abroad to tend to the poor, and gave sanctuary to fugitive Black Panther leaders from the U.S. But the collapse of the Soviet bloc ended billions in preferential trade and subsidies for Cuba, sending its economy into a tailspin. Castro briefly experimented with an opening to foreign capitalists and limited private enterprise. As the end of the Cold War eased global tensions, many Latin American and European countries re-established relations with Cuba. In January 1998, Pope John Paul II visited a nation that had been officially atheist until the early 1990s. Aided by a tourism boom, the economy slowly recovered and Castro steadily reasserted government control, stifling much of the limited free enterprise tolerated during harder times. As flamboyant as he was in public, Castro tried to lead a discreet private life. He and his first wife, Mirta Diaz Balart, had one son before divorcing in 1956. Then, for more than four decades, Castro had a relationship with Dalia Soto del Valle. They had five sons together and were said to have married quietly in 1980. By the time Castro resigned 49 years after his triumphant arrival in Havana, he was the world's longest ruling head of government, aside from monarchs. In retirement, Castro voiced unwavering support as Raul slowly but deliberately enacted sweeping changes to the Marxist system he had built. His longevity allowed the younger brother to consolidate control, perhaps lengthening the revolution well past both men's lives. In February 2013, Raul announced that he would retire as president in 2018 and named newly minted Vice President Miguel Diaz-Canel as his successor. "I'll be 90 years old soon," Castro said at an April 2016 communist party congress where he made his most extensive public appearance in years. "Soon I'll be like all the others. The time will come for all of us, but the ideas of the Cuban Communists will remain as proof that on this planet, if one works with fervor and dignity, they can produce the material and cultural goods that human beings need and that need to be fought for without ever giving up."
By AFP

MADAGASCAR: French President Francois Hollande on Saturday called for the embargo that "punishes" Cuba to be "lifted definitively" following the death of Fidel Castro.

"I want, on the occasion of the death of Fidel Castro to again insist that the embargothat punishes Cuba should be lifted definitively (and that) Cuba should be fully regarded as a partner in the international community," said Hollande during a summit in Madagascar.

Instituted in the early 1960s, the trade embargo was designed to starve Castro's regime of US currency. Despite the recent restoration of diplomatic relations between Washington and Havana, the embargo remains largely in place today.

"France has always seen Cuba as a partner," said Hollande, who in May 2015 was the first western head of state to visit the island nation after the thaw in relations between the US and Cuba in December 2014.

"Even if I have repeatedly denounced human rights abuses in Cuba, I have always believed that the embargo was an unacceptable, unilateral decision," he said.

"Fidel Castro was a great figure of the 20th century. He aroused much hope with the Cuban revolution.

"There have also been disappointments."

MADAGASCAR: French President Francois Hollande on Saturday called for the embargo that "punishes" Cuba to be "lifted definitively" following the death of Fidel Castro. "I want, on the occasion of the death of Fidel Castro to again insist that the embargothat punishes Cuba should be lifted definitively (and that) Cuba should be fully regarded as a partner in the international community," said Hollande during a summit in Madagascar. Instituted in the early 1960s, the trade embargo was designed to starve Castro's regime of US currency. Despite the recent restoration of diplomatic relations between Washington and Havana, the embargo remains largely in place today. "France has always seen Cuba as a partner," said Hollande, who in May 2015 was the first western head of state to visit the island nation after the thaw in relations between the US and Cuba in December 2014. "Even if I have repeatedly denounced human rights abuses in Cuba, I have always believed that the embargo was an unacceptable, unilateral decision," he said. "Fidel Castro was a great figure of the 20th century. He aroused much hope with the Cuban revolution. "There have also been disappointments."
By Associated Press

Key events in Cuba under Fidel Castro:

Jan. 1, 1959  Castro's rebels take power as dictator Fulgencio Batista flees Cuba.

June 1960  Cuba nationalizes U.S.-owned oil refineries after they refuse to process Soviet oil. Nearly all other U.S. businesses expropriated by October.

October 1960  Washington bans exports to Cuba, other than food and medicine.

April 16, 1961  Castro declares Cuba socialist state.

April 17, 1961  Bay of Pigs: CIA-backed Cuban exiles stage failed invasion.

Feb, 7, 1962  Washington bans all Cuban imports.

October 1962  U.S. blockade forces removal of Soviet nuclear missiles from Cuba. U.S. President John F. Kennedy agrees privately not to invade Cuba.

March 1968  Castro's government takes over almost all private businesses.

April 1980  Mariel boatlift: Cuba says anyone can leave; some 125,000 Cubans flee.

December 1991  Collapse of Soviet Union devastates Cuban economy.

August 1994  Castro declares he will not stop Cubans trying to leave; some 40,000 take to sea heading for United States.

March 18, 2003  75 Cuban dissidents sentenced to prison.

July 31, 2006  Castro announces has had operation, temporarily cedes power to brother Raul.

Feb. 19, 2008  Castro resigns as president.

July 2010  Castro re-emerges after years in seclusion, visiting a scientific institute, giving a TV interview, talking to academics and even taking in a dolphin show at the aquarium.

April 19, 2011  Castro is replaced by his brother Raul as first secretary of the Communist Party, the last official post he held. The elder Castro made a brief appearance at the Congress, looking frail as a young aide guided him to his seat.

April 19, 2016  Castro delivers a valedictory speech at the Communist Party's seventh Congress, declaring that "soon I'll be like all the others. The time will come for all of us, but the ideas of the Cuban Communists will remain."

November 25, 2016  Fidel Castro dies

Key events in Cuba under Fidel Castro: Jan. 1, 1959  Castro's rebels take power as dictator Fulgencio Batista flees Cuba. June 1960  Cuba nationalizes U.S.-owned oil refineries after they refuse to process Soviet oil. Nearly all other U.S. businesses expropriated by October. October 1960  Washington bans exports to Cuba, other than food and medicine. April 16, 1961  Castro declares Cuba socialist state. April 17, 1961  Bay of Pigs: CIA-backed Cuban exiles stage failed invasion. Feb, 7, 1962  Washington bans all Cuban imports. October 1962  U.S. blockade forces removal of Soviet nuclear missiles from Cuba. U.S. President John F. Kennedy agrees privately not to invade Cuba. March 1968  Castro's government takes over almost all private businesses. April 1980  Mariel boatlift: Cuba says anyone can leave; some 125,000 Cubans flee. December 1991  Collapse of Soviet Union devastates Cuban economy. August 1994  Castro declares he will not stop Cubans trying to leave; some 40,000 take to sea heading for United States. March 18, 2003  75 Cuban dissidents sentenced to prison. July 31, 2006  Castro announces has had operation, temporarily cedes power to brother Raul. Feb. 19, 2008  Castro resigns as president. July 2010  Castro re-emerges after years in seclusion, visiting a scientific institute, giving a TV interview, talking to academics and even taking in a dolphin show at the aquarium. April 19, 2011  Castro is replaced by his brother Raul as first secretary of the Communist Party, the last official post he held. The elder Castro made a brief appearance at the Congress, looking frail as a young aide guided him to his seat. April 19, 2016  Castro delivers a valedictory speech at the Communist Party's seventh Congress, declaring that "soon I'll be like all the others. The time will come for all of us, but the ideas of the Cuban Communists will remain." November 25, 2016  Fidel Castro dies
By PTI

COLOMBO: The 62nd birth anniversary of slain LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran was today celebrated at a university in Sri Lanka's Tamil-dominated Jaffna city. Hundreds of Jaffna University students, academic and non-academic staff gathered at the Kailasapathy Auditorium of the varsity to celebrate the birth anniversary by cutting cakes, official sources said.

They also lit candles and planted saplings in memory of those who were killed during nearly three-decade long civil war which ended in May 2009.

The birth anniversary was celebrated despite the Sri Lankan government's warning that action would be taken against anyone trying to take part in the event, sources said. Commemoration events were held both yesterday and today in Jaffna.

The government had said although those killed in the war could be commemorated, the LTTE war dead should not be commemorated. During the LTTE years, the week from November 21 to 27 was celebrated as the Martyr's week which also coincided with the Prabakaran's birthday on November 26.

Prabhakaran was killed in 2009 by the Sri Lankan forces, ending decades of civil war in the country. According to the UN figures, up to 40,000 Tamil civilians were killed by security forces during former Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa's regime that brought an end to the war with the defeat of the LTTE in 2009.

COLOMBO: The 62nd birth anniversary of slain LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran was today celebrated at a university in Sri Lanka's Tamil-dominated Jaffna city. Hundreds of Jaffna University students, academic and non-academic staff gathered at the Kailasapathy Auditorium of the varsity to celebrate the birth anniversary by cutting cakes, official sources said. They also lit candles and planted saplings in memory of those who were killed during nearly three-decade long civil war which ended in May 2009. The birth anniversary was celebrated despite the Sri Lankan government's warning that action would be taken against anyone trying to take part in the event, sources said. Commemoration events were held both yesterday and today in Jaffna. The government had said although those killed in the war could be commemorated, the LTTE war dead should not be commemorated. During the LTTE years, the week from November 21 to 27 was celebrated as the Martyr's week which also coincided with the Prabakaran's birthday on November 26. Prabhakaran was killed in 2009 by the Sri Lankan forces, ending decades of civil war in the country. According to the UN figures, up to 40,000 Tamil civilians were killed by security forces during former Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa's regime that brought an end to the war with the defeat of the LTTE in 2009.
By AFP

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Saturday appointed General Qamar Javed Bajwa as the country's new chief of army staff, the prime minister's office said.

"President Mamnoon Hussain, on the advice of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, promoted Lieutenant General Qamar Javed Bajwa to the rank of full general and appointed him as the chief of the army staff," a Prime Minister's office spokesman said in response to a query by AFP.

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Saturday appointed General Qamar Javed Bajwa as the country's new chief of army staff, the prime minister's office said. "President Mamnoon Hussain, on the advice of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, promoted Lieutenant General Qamar Javed Bajwa to the rank of full general and appointed him as the chief of the army staff," a Prime Minister's office spokesman said in response to a query by AFP.
By AFP

PARIS: British fashion photographer David Hamilton, 83, was found dead in his Parisian home on Friday, emergency services sources said Friday.

Hamilton, known for his widely published nude images of underage girls, hit the headlines recently after former child models said he had raped them.

An informed source said he had died of heart failure and that medication was found near the body.

Hamilton, whose books of often suggestive pictures of young girls have sold millions of copies, this week threatened to sue his accusers, saying he had previously been cleared of abuse.

The artist, whose work has long raised questions about where art ends and pornography begins, was at the centre of a raft of allegations after a French radio presenter accused him of raping her when she was 13.

Flavie Flament published an autobiographical novel last month in which she told of being raped by a famous photographer during a shoot.

Although she did not name Hamilton in "The Consolation", she used his photograph of her as the book's cover.

Flament, 42, later told French media that Hamilton had raped her after three other women contacted her with near identical allegations.

Hamilton confirmed Flament had been his model, but denied the allegations, telling AFP on Tuesday: "I have done nothing improper."

Flament's editor Karina Hocine told AFP Friday the radio presenter was "devastated" by the news of Hamilton's death.

"Naturally, we feel horrified and, at the same time, really disgusted that there was not enough time for justice to run its course," she added.

PARIS: British fashion photographer David Hamilton, 83, was found dead in his Parisian home on Friday, emergency services sources said Friday. Hamilton, known for his widely published nude images of underage girls, hit the headlines recently after former child models said he had raped them. An informed source said he had died of heart failure and that medication was found near the body. Hamilton, whose books of often suggestive pictures of young girls have sold millions of copies, this week threatened to sue his accusers, saying he had previously been cleared of abuse. The artist, whose work has long raised questions about where art ends and pornography begins, was at the centre of a raft of allegations after a French radio presenter accused him of raping her when she was 13. Flavie Flament published an autobiographical novel last month in which she told of being raped by a famous photographer during a shoot. Although she did not name Hamilton in "The Consolation", she used his photograph of her as the book's cover. Flament, 42, later told French media that Hamilton had raped her after three other women contacted her with near identical allegations. Hamilton confirmed Flament had been his model, but denied the allegations, telling AFP on Tuesday: "I have done nothing improper." Flament's editor Karina Hocine told AFP Friday the radio presenter was "devastated" by the news of Hamilton's death. "Naturally, we feel horrified and, at the same time, really disgusted that there was not enough time for justice to run its course," she added.
By Associated Press

MIAMI: Within half-an-hour of the Cuban government's official announcement that former President Fidel Castro had died, Miami's Little Havana teemed with life  and cheers.

Thousands of people banged pots with spoons, waved Cuban flags in the air and whooped in jubilation on Calle Ocho  8th Street, and the heart of the neighborhood  early Saturday. Honking and strains of salsa music from car stereos echoed against stucco buildings, and fireworks lit up the humid night sky.

Police blocked off streets leading to Cafe Versailles, the quintessential Cuban American hotspot where strong cafecitos  sweetened espresso  were as common as a harsh word about Fidel Castro.

"Cuba si! Castro no!" they chanted, while others screamed "Cuba libre!"

Celebration, not grief, permeated the atmosphere. That was no surprise. Castro has cast a shadow over Miami for decades, and in many ways, his policy and his power have shaped the city and its inhabitants.

Cubans fled the island to Miami, Tampa, New Jersey and elsewhere after Castro took power in 1959. Some were loyalists of Fulgencio Batista, the president prior to Castro, while others left with the hope they would be able to return soon, after Castro was toppled. He never was.

Many others believed they would not be truly free under Castro and his communist regime. Thousands left behind their possessions, loved ones, and hard-earned educations and businesses, traveling to the U.S. by plane, boat or raft. Many Cubans died on the ocean trip to South Florida. And many never returned to see their childhood homes, their neighborhoods, their playgrounds, their businesses, their cousins and aunts and uncles, because Castro was still in power.

The ones that made it to Miami took a largely, and vehemently, anti-Castro stance.

On New Year's Eve every year, Cubans in Miami utter a toast in Spanish as they hoist glasses of liquor: "Next year in Cuba." But as the Cuban exiles aged, and as Castro outlived them, and as U.S. President Barack Obama eroded the embargo and younger Cubans returned to the island, the toast rang silent in many households.

In Miami, where Havana is closer both geographically and psychologically than Washington, the news of Castro's death was long anticipated by the exiles who left after Castro took power, and in the decades since. Rumors have come and gone for decades, and Castro's death had become something of a joke  mostly because it seemed to happen so frequently.

This time, though, it was real.

"We're all celebrating, this is like a carnival," said 72-year-old Jay Fernandez, who came to Miami when he was 18 in 1961. He and his wife and another woman held up a bilingual sign he'd made four years ago when Castro first became ill. "Satan, Fidel is now yours. Give him what he deserves. Don't let him rest in peace."

Several blocks away, at the Bay of Pigs memorial, Antonio Hernandez, 76, rode his bicycle up in a light rain and stood at the eternal flame that honors the men who tried, and failed, to wrest Cuba from Castro's grip in 1961.

"Everybody's happy. Now this guy won't do any more damage," said Hernandez, who came to Miami on the Mariel boat lift in 1980. "His brother will now go down, too. But the world has to pay attention to this, not just we Cubans."

Wrote Valentin Prieto, a prominent Cuban-American blogger, on Facebook: "A few hours of sleep tonight is the very last thing fidel castro will ever rob me of." In his writings on his blog, Prieto never capitalized Castro's name.

Many Cubans made successful livings and raised families in Miami despite having to learn a new language and start their lives over. Exiles who arrived as teenagers with no money in their pockets became millionaires, political leaders, clergy members, teachers  influential members contributing to the sturdy fabric of American society.

Cemeteries in South Florida abound with the remains of those who fiercely wished Castro had died before them. Their children weep today because they could not see their parents and grandparents return to Cuba under a democratic regime, to see their homeland one more time.

Gabriel Morales, a 40-year-old financial executive, monitored social media early Saturday from his home in Miami. His parents both left Cuba decades ago. His father left Cuba before Castro took over, and then returned to visit during Castro's regime. He vowed never to return until the regime changed, Morales said.

Morales' mother left after Castro assumed power; her family had their property appropriated by the government, Morales said.

"Feels weird," Morales said in a text message to an Associated Press reporter. "Been waiting to hear this news all my life. Seems unreal."

___

MIAMI: Within half-an-hour of the Cuban government's official announcement that former President Fidel Castro had died, Miami's Little Havana teemed with life  and cheers. Thousands of people banged pots with spoons, waved Cuban flags in the air and whooped in jubilation on Calle Ocho  8th Street, and the heart of the neighborhood  early Saturday. Honking and strains of salsa music from car stereos echoed against stucco buildings, and fireworks lit up the humid night sky. Police blocked off streets leading to Cafe Versailles, the quintessential Cuban American hotspot where strong cafecitos  sweetened espresso  were as common as a harsh word about Fidel Castro. "Cuba si! Castro no!" they chanted, while others screamed "Cuba libre!" Celebration, not grief, permeated the atmosphere. That was no surprise. Castro has cast a shadow over Miami for decades, and in many ways, his policy and his power have shaped the city and its inhabitants. Cubans fled the island to Miami, Tampa, New Jersey and elsewhere after Castro took power in 1959. Some were loyalists of Fulgencio Batista, the president prior to Castro, while others left with the hope they would be able to return soon, after Castro was toppled. He never was. Many others believed they would not be truly free under Castro and his communist regime. Thousands left behind their possessions, loved ones, and hard-earned educations and businesses, traveling to the U.S. by plane, boat or raft. Many Cubans died on the ocean trip to South Florida. And many never returned to see their childhood homes, their neighborhoods, their playgrounds, their businesses, their cousins and aunts and uncles, because Castro was still in power. The ones that made it to Miami took a largely, and vehemently, anti-Castro stance. On New Year's Eve every year, Cubans in Miami utter a toast in Spanish as they hoist glasses of liquor: "Next year in Cuba." But as the Cuban exiles aged, and as Castro outlived them, and as U.S. President Barack Obama eroded the embargo and younger Cubans returned to the island, the toast rang silent in many households. In Miami, where Havana is closer both geographically and psychologically than Washington, the news of Castro's death was long anticipated by the exiles who left after Castro took power, and in the decades since. Rumors have come and gone for decades, and Castro's death had become something of a joke  mostly because it seemed to happen so frequently. This time, though, it was real. "We're all celebrating, this is like a carnival," said 72-year-old Jay Fernandez, who came to Miami when he was 18 in 1961. He and his wife and another woman held up a bilingual sign he'd made four years ago when Castro first became ill. "Satan, Fidel is now yours. Give him what he deserves. Don't let him rest in peace." Several blocks away, at the Bay of Pigs memorial, Antonio Hernandez, 76, rode his bicycle up in a light rain and stood at the eternal flame that honors the men who tried, and failed, to wrest Cuba from Castro's grip in 1961. "Everybody's happy. Now this guy won't do any more damage," said Hernandez, who came to Miami on the Mariel boat lift in 1980. "His brother will now go down, too. But the world has to pay attention to this, not just we Cubans." Wrote Valentin Prieto, a prominent Cuban-American blogger, on Facebook: "A few hours of sleep tonight is the very last thing fidel castro will ever rob me of." In his writings on his blog, Prieto never capitalized Castro's name. Many Cubans made successful livings and raised families in Miami despite having to learn a new language and start their lives over. Exiles who arrived as teenagers with no money in their pockets became millionaires, political leaders, clergy members, teachers  influential members contributing to the sturdy fabric of American society. Cemeteries in South Florida abound with the remains of those who fiercely wished Castro had died before them. Their children weep today because they could not see their parents and grandparents return to Cuba under a democratic regime, to see their homeland one more time. Gabriel Morales, a 40-year-old financial executive, monitored social media early Saturday from his home in Miami. His parents both left Cuba decades ago. His father left Cuba before Castro took over, and then returned to visit during Castro's regime. He vowed never to return until the regime changed, Morales said. Morales' mother left after Castro assumed power; her family had their property appropriated by the government, Morales said. "Feels weird," Morales said in a text message to an Associated Press reporter. "Been waiting to hear this news all my life. Seems unreal." ___
By AFP

WASHINGTON: President Barack Obama on Saturday said the United States is extending "a hand of friendship to the Cuban people" following the death of revolutionary leader Fidel Castro.

"History will record and judge the enormous impact of this singular figure on the people and world around him," he said in a statement.

The United States restored diplomatic ties with Cuba in July 2015 and re-opened its embassy in Havana a month later in a historic rapprochement ending more than a half-century of Cold War enmity with the communist island. Obama made a landmark visit to Cuba in March.

"During my presidency, we have worked hard to put the past behind us, pursuing a future in which the relationship between our two countries is defined not by our differences but by the many things that we share as neighbors and friends," Obama said.

WASHINGTON: President Barack Obama on Saturday said the United States is extending "a hand of friendship to the Cuban people" following the death of revolutionary leader Fidel Castro. "History will record and judge the enormous impact of this singular figure on the people and world around him," he said in a statement. The United States restored diplomatic ties with Cuba in July 2015 and re-opened its embassy in Havana a month later in a historic rapprochement ending more than a half-century of Cold War enmity with the communist island. Obama made a landmark visit to Cuba in March. "During my presidency, we have worked hard to put the past behind us, pursuing a future in which the relationship between our two countries is defined not by our differences but by the many things that we share as neighbors and friends," Obama said.
Food deals, seals and the 'Karate Kid': Can't-miss events this weekend

Get your fill at area restaurants, watch some seals, laugh at a comedy show, take in a concert and maybe even leave Newport County for some fun.
One of Editor & Publishers 10 That Do It Right 2021
Today FIGO, ICM, ICN and IPA announce the publication of a report showing the global burden of maternal, newborn and young child deaths and launch the Together We Can campaign to tackle it.

Most maternal, newborn and child deaths are preventable. The new report highlights nine main killers which are responsible for the high mortality rates in the 20 countries with the highest instance of these deaths; Hemorrhage, Hypertension, Maternal Sepsis, Prematurity, Asphyxia, Neonatal Sepsis, Childhood Pneumonia, Diarrhea, Malaria. Simple interventions to the way mothers and babies are cared for could save up to 50% of these lives by 2035, interventions like the rotavirus and hib vaccinations, active management of third stage labour (AMTSL) and kangaroo care.

Health professionals are a critical force in driving forward improvements in reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health. Health professional associations, FIGO, ICM, ICN and IPA, represent millions of gynecologists, obstetricians, midwives, nurses and pediatricians, whose expert care touches the lives of billions of people each year. These globally respected organisations are now coming together in the Together We Can campaign to advocate for safer pregnancy, better birth and healthier childhoods and ensure that the experts who care for mothers, newborns and children are at the centre of health policy decisions.

FIGO President, Professor Chittaranjan Narahari Purandare, said: "FIGO is delighted to launch the Together We Can campaign with our colleagues in ICM, ICN and IPA. It is critical that we provide much needed antenatal care during pregnancy, deliver them safely with healthy newborns, look after their wellbeing during the postnatal period and give the children healthier childhoods."

ICM President, Frances Day-Stirk, said: "The global data on maternal mortality indicates that most preventable maternal and newborn deaths occur in low and middle income countries. The key to ensure that progress is made in achieving SDGs 3 and 5, more qualified and supported healthcare professionals are needed - all working together to make the change."

ICN Chief Executive Officer, Dr Frances Hughes, said: "The Together We Can campaign demonstrates the critical role of the health workforce in reducing maternal, newborn and child deaths. As nurses, we know that it is only by working together effectively that we can promote the interventions which work best to protect these vulnerable populations."

IPA President, Dr Zulfiqar Bhutta, said: "Health professionals' hands-on work gives us unique experience in improving and saving lives. This campaign will put us where we need to be - at the centre of health policy and implementation."
The leading heart charity, Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY) is urging all MPs to make a pledge to support a National Strategy for the Prevention of Young Sudden Cardiac Death to help save young lives.

This week marks CRYs 21st Raising Awareness Week - and MPs gathered at a Parliamentary Reception at Westminster last night (Wednesday 23 November) where they stood shoulder to shoulder with bereaved families, charity Patrons and eminent researchers to launch the new campaign; #MPsupport4CRY.

UK healthcare policy to prevent young sudden cardiac deaths is informed by a number of guidelines and recommendations. However, the current guidelines are contradictory and based on inconsistent assessments of the incidence, methods of diagnosis and management of cardiac conditions in young people.

The charity is therefore calling for a National Strategy to ensure the guidelines and policies to prevent young sudden cardiac death are consistent  and the first stage must be to correctly acknowledge the incidence of these tragic deaths.

There is clear published evidence that government advisors are significantly under-reporting the number of young sudden cardiac deaths (age 35 and under). This has lead to the National Screening Committee advising the government the risk of young sudden cardiac death is tiny and that the overwhelming majority of heart attacks happen in elderly people.

Dr Steven Cox, CEO of CRY said:

12 young people dying every WEEK is not a tiny issue. This is one of the most common causes of death in young people. Also, it is completely wrong and unacceptable to compare cardiac arrests in seemingly fit and healthy young people to heart attacks in the elderly. The number of deaths reported to the government appears to be less than one tenth of the true number of young sudden cardiac deaths. This is partly because of the way these deaths are reported. Cardiac arrests are electrical problems and when a person dies the electricity disappears so there is no evidence of the electrical problem that has caused the death, so expert pathology and urgent testing of all immediate family members is essential. Otherwise, it becomes very easy for the issue and scale of the problem to be swept under the carpet.

Every week, 12 apparently fit and healthy young (aged 35 and under) people in the UK die from a previously undiagnosed heart condition. In 80% of cases, there will have been no signs or symptoms, which is why CRY believes proactive screening is so vitally important  now testing over 23,000 young people every year. Sport itself does not cause young sudden cardiac death but it can exacerbate an underlying condition, if not identified.
Toyota Motor Corp expects hybrid cars to make up 20 percent of its total vehicle sales in India by 2020 from less than 2 percent today, a senior company official told Reuters.Toyota, which already sells the Camry hybrid in India, plans to introduce hybrid technology in models like the Corolla and Prius sedans and could introduce it for sport-utility vehicles and multi-purpose vehicles, Akito Tachibana, managing director of Toyota's India business said on Wednesday.The Japanese carmaker also plans to work with its low-cost car-making division, Daihatsu, to develop clean fuel technology vehicles for emerging markets like India, Tachibana said, where affordability is an issue.The development costs of hybrid vehicles means they are out of reach for a vast majority of India's first-time car buyers, which then makes it difficult for carmakers to achieve the volumes needed to bring down the price.For instance, Toyota's Camry hybrid is priced starting at 3.3 million rupees ($47,932), about 15 times the price of a petrol variant of one of India's top-selling small cars.Toyota will work to increase the amount of components it sources from the Indian domestic market to bring down the overall cost of manufacturing hybrids, Tachibana said.Several Indian cities have high levels of air pollution partly caused by automobiles. Earlier this month, New Delhi shut schools, put construction projects on hold and advised people to stay indoors as part of an "emergency" plan to deal with dangerous levels of air pollution.Also read: New Toyota Prius is Coming to India in January 2017 Authorities in New Delhi also began revoking licenses for diesel vehicles more than 15 years old which could remove as many as 200,000 cars from the city's roads. Late last year, the country's top court banned the sale of large diesel cars in New Delhi."We think that hybrid and plug-in hybrid technology is the best solution in India," Tachibana said, adding that this clean fuel technology is also needed to meet India's stricter emission and fuel efficiency norms starting in 2017.Toyota's sales in India rose about 3 percent in the first seven months of the current fiscal year ending March 31, 2017, compared with the same period a year ago, according to India's auto industry body the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers.The number of Toyota vehicles sold for that period was 83,633, according to auto industry body data and Toyota's market share was 5 percent.Total passenger vehicle sales in India rose 11 percent over the same period to 1.77 million.($1 = 68.8473 Indian rupees)
London: Indian steel giant Tata Steel is getting set to make some "major announcements" on its growth plans for the UK, according to a UK-based academic close to Tata Group interim chairman Ratan Tata.



Lord Kumar Bhattacharyya, founder-chairman of Warwick Manufacturing Group (WMG) and one of the Tata Group's advisers, said the group is "resolving" the problems facing the business.



"Of course we went through some problems as you have read in the press in the last few months but we are now resolving it and we are working with everybody, with the workers, local authorities and government, in order to make sure that Tata produces steel here for the next 10 years at least. We will do that," Lord Bhattacharyya told a meeting of political and automotive leaders from the West Midlands on Thursday evening.



He stressed Britain "has got a lot of skill in steel", adding: "We have been going through some problems of course, temporary problems, but nevertheless I think we are on the verge of solving it. We will work with Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) to introduce thin steels for the new generation of cars."



The Labour party peer is also a member of the panel that will choose Tata's successor as group chairman, the 'Guardian' reports.



The future of Tata Steel's UK operations and its 11,000 workers has been in doubt since the firm announced a review in March and the entire UK business was put up for sale.



However, Tata Steel then announced a potential merger of its European operations, including the UK business, with the German group ThyssenKrupp.



Talks with ThyssenKrupp have been continuing, but Tata sources told the newspaper the company is now willing to commit to its UK sites whether this deal goes ahead or not.



The future of Tata Steel UK's pension scheme, the British Steel Pension Scheme, has been a major obstacle to the future of the business.



It has liabilities of more than 15 billion pounds and 130,000 members, making it one of the biggest retirement schemes in the UK
Posts are falling vacant and I am at pains in persuading my colleagues who are demitting office to accept these appointments: CJI Thakur pic.twitter.com/MsKUznajPE  ANI (@ANI_news) November 26, 2016

Chief Justice of India TS Thakur on Saturday expressed his concern over increasing vacancies at various courts and urged the government to intervene.500 judges posts are vacant in the High Courts. They should be working today, but they are not. Presently, there are several vacant court rooms in India, but no judges available. A large number of proposals are still pending and hope the government will intervene to end this crisis, he said.Several tribunals are without judges and I am pained to send my retired colleagues there. Tribunals are not equipped and no retired SC judge wants to head tribunal, he said.Meanwhile, Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said, We have highest regard for CJI but we respectfully disagree with him. This year we have made 120 judges appointment (second highest appointments up to 2013).Since 1990, there have been only 80 appointments. 5,000 vacancies are in lower judiciary in which the government has no role to play, he added.In April, Thakur - while addressing a joint conference of Chief Ministers and Chief Justices - broke down urging the government to fill up vacancies in the High Court.
Mumbai: In November 2015, five teams- each comprising over half a dozen men and armed with explosives- sneaked into Mumbai through various points along the city's coastline. Quite like the Lashkar-e-Taiba operatives who entered in 2008 on November 26. Similar breaches were made in the month of May and November in 2016, but thankfully for the citizens of Mumbai, these were personnel from Coast guard and other security forces performing a maritime security exercise called 'Sagar Kavach'.



The fact that as many as five teams were able to make their way in successfully has been worrying.



Post the attack of 26/11 in Mumbai, 'Sagar Kavach' was introduced as a maritime security exercise and is held every year twice since 2009. Coast guard, Indian Navy, Marine wing of state or city police and other agencies responsible of coastal security are involved in the operation. Two teams, Red (dummy militants) and Blue (security forces) are made. Red team is tasked with breaching the security around the coast and the blue teams have to spot the dummy militants and stop them. The exercise is being conducted in all the states with a coastal line. In the month of November the exercise was conducted in Maharashtra and Goa.



A senior official from coast guard said that the number of personnel in each team varies according to the task that they have been asked to complete. For example, a red team member might be given dummy explosives and then he is asked to go out and try to breach the security accordingly when he deems that it is possible to do so. It helps in knowing the loopholes, added the officer.





A source from the Indian Coast Guard (Western Region) confirmed that certain number of Red teams did breach the security cover of the Blue teams. Another senior officer from the agency said, Breaches are supposed to take place as it makes the various agencies aware of the gaps in security which should be filled. Coast guard officials claim that the breaches are decreasing with time, and the new loop holes which are spotted are being addressed.



A Navy spokesperson said, Sagar Kavach is conducted to check the loop holes in the coastal security. This time we reduced the intelligence which is generally provided to the blue team. We made it extremely difficult for them.



He further added that colour coding of the fishing boats which was suggested by the security agencies have been implemented after the notification was issued. In Gujarat they have a standard colour, but in Maharashtra, the colour coding is done district wise. This has been done to make it difficult for the terror forces to disguise themselves as fishermen even if they try to sneak in with a particular colour skinned boat. Fishermen were initially against it but they have now agreed to follow the notification, said the spokesperson.



Eight years have passed since Mumbai and the country experienced the deadliest terror attack in the history of the nation. The maximum city was brought to a standstill as ten militants caused mayhem in South Mumbai for 60 odd hours.



Mumbai Police on the other hand claimed that 18 boats are currently patrolling along the coastline of the city. Patrolling is being done every day from last one year. Licensed police personnel operate these boats and the licenses are issued under Inland vessels act. Operational officers are from the coastal police stations from the port zone. Goa ship yard is maintaining these boats, said a senior officer from Mumbai police.



Although claims of regular patrolling are being made by the force, fishermen at Badhwar Park, from where the ten terrorists entered on November 26 in 2008, claim that they have hardly seen the Marine police patrolling in the area. Only when there is some VIP movement in the area, we have seen patrols being done, claimed a fisherman.



When CNN-News18 visited the spot, it was found that there was only one watch tower at the jetty with a single constable keeping his guard looking towards the main road, next to it. Even the shed where coupons are handed over to the fishermen leaving from the jetty and then checked when they come back, did not have police presence and a single security guard from a security agency sat there, who did not seem to have any authority to take any action.



Damodar Tandel, President, Akhil Maharashtra Machchimar Kriti Samiti, who also stays at Badhwar Park, said that there were several loop holes in the security provided at the spot and the issue should be addressed. If ten people are leaving from the spot by a boat to catch fish and terrorists kill five of them and board the same boat along with the other five fishermen (after threatening them), will the person sitting at the shed handing out the coupon remember the faces? Will he be in any position to take any action? asked a fisherman.



Commodore Uday Bhaskar, Defense expert , said, When I visited Mumbai last year, the police was having many issues in making the security boats work along the coastline. It is difficult for me to imagine that the issues have been resolved. Regular assessment is important to know that if patrolling is being done then what is the pattern that the patrolling team is noticing. More arrests should be made by the police related to smuggling as Mumbai coastline has got a history of criminal activities.



Maharashtra Police came up with force one post 26/11 attack, Director General of Police (Maharashtra), Satish Mathur, said that Force One personnel carry out extremely tough training sessions.







Many of the central forces have now approached us to rope them in during the training of Force one. The force has got quick reaction time and is one of the best in the state. Marine police is doing patrolling on a daily basis at the spots where it is required. Sometimes it also depends on the depth of the water therefore the patrolling boats might not be visible to the fishermen as they patrol further in the deep water, he added.



The question which now arises is that are the security forces which are claiming to be potent, ready to handle any threat to the coastline, or the claims which are being made by the fishermen need to cause some worry?
: Tata Steel's ousted Chairman Cyrus Mistry and Board Director Nusli Wadia are likely to address shareholders at the December 21 extraordinary general meeting (EGM) to present their side of the story in the ongoing Tata-Mistry board room battle.Tata Steel has also called the EGM next month for the removal of Mistry and Wadia from the directorship of the Board."Mistry has informed the company that he intends to make both, written and oral representation to the shareholders in respect of his removal," Tata Steel said in a regulatory filing."The company will in terms of Section 169(4) of the Companies Act, 2013, subject to proviso of the said Section and if the time permits it to do so, circulate the written representation to the shareholders," it added.Tata Steel's EGM notice further said the company, subject to the proviso of the said Section and if the time permits it to do so, circulate written representation to theshareholders.Tata Steel said Wadia too has informed that he intends to make both written and oral representation to the shareholders in respect of his removal.Wadia has been supporting Mistry, who was ousted as Chairman of Tata Sons - the holding company of the Tata group firms. Mistry however continued to be at the helm and/or director of some of the group companies.In further escalation of the boardroom brawl at one of the country's biggest business conglomerates, the 10-member board of Tata Steel by "majority consent" removed Mistry as Chairman and named O P Bhatt, an independent director and former head of State Bank of India, as interim head.Tata Steel is the third group firm to remove Mistry as chairman. First Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) removed him as chairman but that ouster was not through a vote but by virtue of Tata Sons holding a commanding 73.26 per cent stake in the India's largest software services firm.Then on November 15, seven out of 10 board members of Tata Global Beverages voted him out.
Its only half an hour since shutters were up, but already about ten people have arrived to pick up cash at the tiny Rampur Mod branch of Bandhan Bank in the North 24 Parganas district of West Bengal. Two of the three men who man the bank are requesting people to downsize their cheques and return in the afternoon. The third, the branch manager, is on the phone, checking when their share of cash will come in.Suddenly, there is a commotion. A stocky man in jeans and a black T-shirt wants to deposit Rs 1000 in Rs 10 coins. It turns out this was what the bank had given him the previous day when he withdrew cash. He says he wants to give it back in because no one in the village wants to take them. Theres a rumour doing the rounds that Rs 10 coins are fake. Another bit of misinformation thats making days longer and life more tenuous. The daily clarifications and relief measures that are being announced since the overnight ban on Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes on November 8, havent helped.Bandhan Bank Founder and Managing Director Chandra Shekhar Ghosh says, "If you want to do big things for the the country then for the short time you can also bear some pain for that," but adds that the "informal noise and information" is a big worry. He says, "A lot of news has come informally and people haven't been able to figure out what is right; and a clear message has not come from formal channels."Bandhan Bank Founder and Managing Director Chandra Shekhar Ghosh. (Picture Courtesy: CNN NEWS18)Last year, Bandhan Bank was one of the only two entities to get a banking licence from the Reserve Bank of India. With 85 of its 95 lakh customers inherited from its microfinance business and 68% of its branches in villages, it has a finger on the pulse of rural India. The bank reports that, since demonetisation, deposits in its rural branches have gone up three times compared to the urban ones. Due to the less number of people and bank branches, those in villages tend to keep some cash at home, mainly in larger denominations. Its this money that was exchanged in the first week after demonetisation was announced.Subsequently, the pinch has been felt on withdrawals that are rationed not only by the government but also by the cash-strapped banks. There isn't enough supply, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi has already said the disruption will last 50 days. Ghosh says, "If we can get a good supply of small denomination notes of Rs 500 and Rs 100, we can streamline within a week." He cautions that if this takes time, frustration can rise again.In Rampur, a village of mainly Muslim farmers, tailors and shopkeepers, lack of liquidity is impacting demand and supply. According to Ghosh, fruit sellers hes been speaking to say demand has halved and that rotting fruit means lost capital. Small shops, like mithaiwallas, are claming that daily demand is down by 75%. And though its time to plant potatoes, farmers can't get started as they are not able to borrow.Though Bandhan Bank had stopped its micro loans immediately after the announcement, it has resumed them since November 21. Its an odd predicament - people who have got loans cannot access them because of the limit on withdrawals, but their interest payments have already kicked in. Since Bandhan is a bank, it can accept weekly repayments in Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes, but micro finance institutions havent been offered that option by the RBI. Ghosh is concerned that the industry could be looking at a crisis. If theres a long break in repayments, the discipline thats vital for the business will be affected. Though he says it wont be anywhere like in 2010 - when the Andhra government had passed an ordinance asking people not to pay back - the disruption could be an opportunity for mischief-makers.Weighing the ongoing disruption against the long-term benefit of eradicating black money, Ghosh says while there will be an impact, more needs to be done. Getting people to use electronic transactions, reducing taxes and making government machinery corruption free, are some of the other steps, he feels, that need to be taken.As for creating a cashless economy, thats being touted as the panacea for black money, Ghosh says: "This is an opportunity for us as people are ready to listen; previously they were not ready." But, he admits, a lot of handholding and education would be needed to get a large mass of Indians to convert.At the Rampur Mod branch, most of the people have left except for a couple of young men who have chosen to wait for their money. They are playing a game on their phones to kill time. Its only a matter of time before Digital India forces them to use their smartphones to do so much more.
Islamabad: Amid rising tensions between Pakistan and India, Indian Hindu pilgrims have cancelled their visit to the revered Katas Raj temple in Pakistan, officials said.



As many as 200 Hindu pilgrims from different parts of India were scheduled to visit the Katas Raj temple complex - one of the holiest Hindu sites in Pakistan - on November 28. Pilgrims were supposed to perform religious rituals during the three-day visit.



"Their scheduled visit has been cancelled," Siddiqueul Farooq, chairman of Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) and District Administration of Chakwal, confirmed to Dawn. The ETPB had made comprehensive security arrangements for the Indian pilgrims, he added.



Farooq cited the border tension as the reason behind the postponement of the visit. "We had issued visas to the pilgrims but their government did not allow them to visit Pakistan," Dawn quoted him as saying.



To a question regarding Sikh pilgrims from India, Khalid Ali, additional secretary (Shrines) of the ETPB, told Dawn that Pakistan had issued 3,319 visas to Sikh pilgrims but only 2,008 visited Panja Sahib recently. He said the Hindu pilgrims would visit Katas Raj in February for the Shivratri festival.



Hindu pilgrims visit Katas Raj twice a year. The first visit is made in February while the second in November.
New Delhi: Deposits in Jan Dhan accounts soared sharply by around Rs 27,200 crore in just 14 days after the announcement of ban on old Rs 500 and Rs 1000 currency notes.



Total deposits in 25.68 crore Jan Dhan accounts crossed Rs 70,000 crore mark and were at Rs 72,834.72 crore on November 23.



As of November 9, total deposits in these accounts were Rs 45,636.61 crore.



After the surprise demonetisation of 500 and 1,000 rupee notes announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on November 8, deposits in Jan Dhan accounts have increased sharply to 27,198 crore.



However, 22.94 per cent of 25.68 crore accounts still have zero balance.



As on November 16, 25.58 crore accounts with aggregate deposits of Rs 64,252.15 crore were opened under Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) across the country.



With a view to increasing banking penetration and promoting financial inclusion and with the main objective of covering all households with at least one bank account per household, the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojna was launched in August 2014.



Such accounts have a deposit limit of Rs 50,000.



Earlier, both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had cautioned people against mis-use of Jan Dhan accounts for conversion of black into white.



"We are getting some complaints that suddenly monies have popped up in the Jan Dhan accounts, so there is a misuse and that is why the rationing in initial days takes place,"

Jaitley had said.



He had cautioned that the departments concerned will act if anything improper is found in the deposits.
Self-control and self-restraint is as much important as the power to police; greater the power the greater the need for introspection: AG pic.twitter.com/qQeaFo53I9  ANI (@ANI_news) November 26, 2016

Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi on Saturday said the judiciary must recognise the lakshmanrekha and be ready for introspection, hours after Chief Justice of India TS Thakur and the Centre publicly differed over vacancies in judges' posts.Everyone, including judiciary, must recognise there is lakshmanrekha and be ready for introspection, Rohatgi said.Earlier in the day, Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad differed with CJI Thakur who said 500 judges' posts were vacant in high courts. "Five hundred judges' posts are vacant in the high courts. They should be working today, but they are not. At present, there are several vacant courtrooms in India but no judges available. A large number of proposals are still pending and hope the government will intervene to end this crisis," Justice Thakur said while addressing an All India Conference of Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT).Disagreeing with the CJI, Law Minister Prasad said the government has made 120 appointments this year which was the second highest since 1990. The highest number of appointments of 121 were made in 2013, Prasad said."We respectfully disagree with him (CJI). This year we have made 120 appointments. The second highest of 121 is of 2013. Since 1990 there have been only 80 appointments. Five thousand vacancies are there in the lower judiciary in which the government of India has no role to play. That is something only for the judiciary to take care.On October 28, a bench headed by Thakur had slammed the Centre for sitting over the top court collegium's recommendations on the appointment of high court judges, saying the action amounted to paralysing and locking out the judiciary.In April this year, Thakur during a joint conference of chief ministers and chief justices of high courts, broke down and urged the government to improve the infrastructure and fill up vacancies in the courts.(With agency inputs)
Mumbai: Over 900 candidates out of the 15,827 contesting the first phase of the local bodies polls in Maharashtra are 'crorepatis', stated an Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) and Maharashtra Election Watch report.



ADR and the Maharashtra Election Watch analysed the self-sworn affidavits of the 9,495 candidates contesting the municipal council polls, 639 candidates fighting the polls for the posts of presidents of municipal councils and 623 contesting the nagar panchayats polls.



In the first phase, a total of 164 municipal councils and 3,706 nagar panchayat seats will go to the polls tomorrow. A total of 15,827 candidates are in the fray.



The analysis shows that 927 candidates in the fray for the three elections are multi-millionaires.



The 9,495 candidates for the municipal council polls are from 19 districts -- Solapur, Kolhapur, Sangli, Satara, Nandurbar, Dhule, Jalgaon, Jalna, Parbhani, Hingoli, Beed, Osmanabad, Yavatmal, Akola, Washim, Amravati, Buldhana, Wardha and Chandrapur.



The analysis of affidavits of the candidates covers all the prominent divisions of Maharashtra -- Pune, Nashik, Nagpur Aurangabad and Amravati.



As per the details of the candidates in the 19 districts analysed by ADR, the average worth of assets per candidate is more than Rs 36 lakh.



Out of the 9,495 candidates, 743 (8 per cent) are 'crorepatis'.



The candidate with the highest declared total assets, worth Rs 46 crore, is Madhubala Dilipsinh Bhosale, who is contesting as the councillor candidate for Phaltan municipal

council.



As many as 397 candidates have declared zero assets in the 19 districts, the ADR report said.



There are 1,186 candidates who have declared assets worth below Rs 50,000 (excluding those declaring zero assets). Jugalkishor Rampalji Lohiya, fighting the Parali-Vaijnath municipal council seat, has the highest liabilities of Rs 14 crore.
On the night of November 26, 2008, ten men carrying assault rifles, grenades and ammunition came ashore at two locations in Colaba. They split into teams and headed out to attack different locations in South Mumbai. Thus began a gruesome terrorist attack, dubbed 26/11, that lasted four days. At the end of it 164 people were dead and more than 300 injured.I grew up in Bhubaneswar and studied in an Odia medium school. I was an idealistic youth and wanted to bring change in the country. I did my under graduation in agriculture from Allahabad University and for my masters, I specialized in Dairy technology from Banaras Hindu University. People think Banaras is a very Hindu-centric place, but it is not. Its a city where you meet people and become philosophical, you can discover yourself. I came to the realization that I wanted to do advocacy and write, maybe that would bring change faster. I read books about Mahatma Gandhi, Vinoba Bhave and also leftist literature at the BHU library and then I joined the Indian Institute of Mass Communication in Odisha.After joining the Indian Express as an intern I thought of working with a grassroots organization and doing social advocacy. I joined Pradhan, an NGO that works on livelihood issues, and went to Gumla district in Jharkhand, which is Naxal-affected. It was a wonderful experience and whatever work Ive done subsequently is not worth what I did in that one year trying to improve livelihoods. I put my agricultural knowledge to use and got people to grow a variety of hybrid maize. The average income of people there is Rs. 4,000 a month; I managed to increase that to Rs. 8,000 via Maize cultivation.But there are other issues, it was a tough environmentI thought of getting back to mainstream journalism and advocacy. I joined Economic Times online and after that worked for Down to Earth magazine. My dad fell ill during this time and I realized that I needed money for his treatment. I joined the financial services firm Thomson [which later acquired Reuters] as a reporter in 2006 in Mumbai.I had fixed up a meeting with two acquaintances from France on the evening of November 26. I am not a pub person at all and inquired from friends about a good place to meet up and they suggested Leopold Cafe in Colaba, which is affordable and a favourite with foreigners. I reached Leopold at 8.30 pm and we got a table near the entrance and ordered beer and golden prawns tikka. We were talking about movies and having a good time.There was a person sitting at the next table who reminded me of Jack Sparrow from the movie Pirates of the Caribbean. Suddenly he was flung from his chair and landed at a distance. At the same time there was a small blast on his table. I thought it was a birthday prank. This is my last memory. I think I blacked out for a minute or two after this.I was hit by something and I blacked out. I think I started running towards the entrance. I dont know what took hold of me maybe it was the instinct for self preservation. At the entrance I saw a man and woman lying sprawled on the floor. I then realized that blood was pouring out from under my ribs and I thought I had been injured in a bomb blast. I started pleading with people in cars outside the cafe to take me to the hospital, but they threw me out. I was getting weak, but still trying to escape. A trinkets seller named Kishore saw me struggling and offered to take me to hospital. My body was in shock, but my mind was in a heightened state of awareness. I could hear a tatatatatatatata sound in the background. No one was sure what was happening, people thought a gang war had broken out.We got a taxi at Regal cinema and went to St. George hospital, behind Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, where another attack was underway. While in the taxi I started thinking I am about to die and stray thoughts started flashing through my mind: I asked for forgiveness If Id hurt anybody in life; How would my parents manage without me?; I should give my bank account details to someone.When I reached the hospital the staff dumped me at the entrance steps and wouldnt let me enter because they thought I was a gangster who was injured in a shootout. I was blacking out, but thinking about which friend to call. A doctor came running and screamed at the staff, Isko maarega kya? Take him to the OPD and treat him first.In the OPD the doctors found a bullet while treating me. Thats when I realized Id been shot and the bullet had cracked a rib and was almost just short of a lung. When the wound is fresh its easier to take a bullet out. They showed it to me after they removed it. All this while I was thinking I was dying but when a doctor came in and said Id survive, I instantly became stronger.By this time there were a lot of policemen who were carrying the bodies of other cops who had been shot and injured. On the OPD there were 2 dead bodies next to me. There was a kid who had been shot dead and the mother was crying; an old man in a skull cap had been shot 4 times in the chest and stomach and was moaning with pain, Ab Allah hi bachayega. News filtered in that Cama hospital had been attacked. They decided to move everybody to JJ Hospital, which had been secured.At JJ there were no free beds and many of us were lying on the floor. After a while I got a bed with another person. All my friends were trying to reach me, but couldnt get through because of the security cordon. My boss managed to come, but she initially thought I was dead and went to the mortuary. She later found out that I was alive. Kishore was with me for 2 hours.I wanted to get further treatment in a hospital in Vashi, near my residence, where my sister and friends were, so they got an ambulance and I was shifted out. I was relaxed since my friends were with me and I was operated in Vashi. I was bedridden for a month and only started working in January.While recovering I was very depressed. Why did this happen to me? I also read stories of other victims and start thinking that anybody could come and shoot you and the government could not do a thing. There was a lot of anguish, fear and frustration, that India is a country where you will not be protected. The sound of a cracker was enough to get me shaking.I tried to be extra positive to combat my depression. I could not stand to be serious and even to this day I do not watch serious movies or read serious books. I want to remain very dumb and very funny. If there is anything sad on TV I switch it off thinking, lets stay positive.I became very relaxed: let us sit, let us talk, let us enjoy, because tomorrow may not be there. Our life is so sad already, why should we depict sadness in art? I know that serious art sensitizes people, but I started avoiding it.My sister encouraged me to take up painting. Shes a textile designer and taught me acrylic painting. I understood that the canvass is mine, it is a place that I control completely, I can make it beautiful by filling it with colours and that I dont have to compete or fight with anyone. It was very therapeutic.I also picked up a habit of drinking tea, experimenting with different kinds of masalas.My parents had been looking for a match for me even before the attacks. But after this a lot of marriage proposals were turned down. The girls families were apprehensive about how sound I was. More than 30 marriage proposals crumbled. I have nothing against them. This is how the world is. During this period I realized that people who stood by me were the ones who had my real interests at heart.In 2011, I went to IIMC for an alumni meet where I met a student, Malavika Joshi, who I later ended up marrying. I gave her advice on how to be a business journalist. She joined a business daily and moved to Mumbai. We started meeting up and she was very sensitive towards me. She understood me and we connected well. We were both covering the Reserve Bank of India for our respective news organizations and meeting up on the beat gave us a lot of time together. We started dating and married in 2014. We get along very well and she understands if I want to watch a funny, crappy film. We also paint together at home.My biggest learning has been that tomorrow may or may not come; Be good to people and keep the people that you really like in your life; Eschew bitter words because you can hurt the people you like with them.
Jammu: Two BSF jawans were injured on Saturday as terrorists open fired at a BSF convoy in Wadipora near Handwara in Kupwara district of Jammu and Kashmir.



Earlier in the morning, gunshots were heard as a BSF convoy, from Kupwara to Srinagar, passed through Wadipora area of Kashmir's Langate at around 9.30 am.



Meanwhile, it is being learnt that the injuries to both the jawans are of a very light nature.



One BSF jawan has received a bullet injury in his leg.



Noteworthy, both have been admitted to the hospital where they are being treated.







As per the latest information, the police are suspecting the hand of terrorist outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba behind the attack however, no confirmation has been made on the same yet.



Meanwhile, the search operation, in the area, to nab the terrorists is still on.
Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar on Saturday dared enemies to shoot him, saying he had given up his official bullet-proof Ambassador and was using a non-bullet proof vehicle.



"The car stopped after every two days. I bid goodbye to the Ambassador and asked for a regular white car without bullet proofing. If someone wants to shoot me, shoot me. But as far as those who wish to shoot these bullets are concerned, we will not let them reach Delhi alive" Parrikar said.



The Defence Minister was speaking at an election rally in Aldona village in North Goa, 20 kms from Panaji.
Mumbai: Sanitation workers who were paid their wages by a contractor in the scrapped Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes on Saturday lodged a police complaint.



The workers of solid waste management department of the civic body BMC submitted a written complaint to Borivali Police against the contractor who had paid wages to them in the now useless Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes.



The entire matter is civil in nature and hence it has been referred to the department concerned, police said.



Police asked these workers to resolve the issue by meeting the relevant authorities.


London: Researchers have found that depression in young people is often followed by arthritis and diseases of the digestive system, while skin diseases are common after anxiety disorders.



The findings suggest that mental disorders are antecedent risk factors of certain physical diseases in early life, but also vice versa, according to the researchers.



"Our results expand the relevance of mental disorders beyond mental to physical health care, and vice versa, supporting the concept of a more integrated mental-physical health care approach, and open new starting points for early disease prevention and better treatments, with relevance for various medical disciplines," the study said.



The research group led by Marion Tegethoff in collaboration with Professor Gunther Meinlschmidt from the University of Basel in Switzerland examined the temporal pattern and relationship between physical diseases and mental disorders in children and young people.



They analysed data from a representative sample of 6,483 teenagers from the US aged between 13 and 18.



The researchers noted that some physical diseases tend to occur more frequently in children and adolescents if they have previously suffered from certain mental disorders.



Likewise, certain mental disorders tend to occur more frequently after the onset of particular physical diseases.



Affective disorders such as depression were frequently followed by arthritis and diseases of the digestive system, while the same relationship existed between anxiety disorders and skin diseases, showed the study published in the journal PLOS ONE.



Anxiety disorders were more common if the person had already suffered from heart disease. A close association was also established for the first time between epileptic disorders and subsequent eating disorders.



The results offer important insights into the causal relationship between mental disorders and physical diseases.


Image: Yogen Shah

Image: Yogen Shah

Image: Yogen Shah

Image: Yogen Shah

Image: Yogen Shah

In a party thrown by Mukesh and Nita Ambani at their Mumbai residence, the who's who of Bollywood turned up all bright and shiny. While Deepika Padukone walked hand-in-hand with Ranveer Singh, Aishwarya Rai and Abhishek Bachchan were accompanied by Amitabh Bachchan. Shah Rukh Kha, Alia Bhatt, Manish Malhotra, Karan Johar, Sonakshi Sinha and a lot of other bigwigs of the industry were present to celebrate the upcoming wedding of Mukesh-Nita's niece Isheta.Be it a layered gown or a cocktail sari, each one of them was dressed in their festive best. Considering that the wedding season is just upon us, here's a quick low-down on who wore what and the best of trends to help you dress your best this time.Alia Bhatt, who is currently basking in the glory of her latest film Dear Zindagi, wore a cocktail sari designed by Manish Malhotra. It's probably the first time Alia has taken up a sari for a public appearance. Not only does her sari gets a thumbs up but her cut-sleeve blouse makes gives her an edge over the other celebrities present at the occasion.If you're a die-hard fan of bling, Aishwarya Rai's ensemble might work for you. She chose a bright and shiny lehenga from Manish Malhotra's collection. Since it's too shimmery for a usual wedding, it'd definitely make you fetch all the attention.Deepika Padukone, who invariably squashed all breakup rumours as she arrived hand-in-hand with Ranveer Singh at the Ambani residence, looked ravishing in a white laser-cut Rohit Bal sari. Styled by Shaleena Nathani, her marsala lips made her stood out amongst others. The grace with which she pulled off a turtle-neck blouse earns her a brownie point!While most of the ladies took to glistening shiny fabrics this time, Kriti Sanon mellowed down her bling by opting for a green-coloured outfit. She chose a lehenga from couturier Anju Modi's collection and teamed it up with Amrapali jewellery.Another one to take a non-blingy route was Sonakshi Sinha, who turned up in a royal blue Anita Dongre Anarkali. Thumbs up for the colour but the cut-out bustier could have been avoided and probably, a little subtle neckline would have worked wonders for her.
Arrival is what youd traditionally describe as a sci-fi film, or an alien movie, although frankly its more than that. Much of the pleasure of this film lies in watching Amy Adams figure things out. She plays Dr Louise Banks, a top linguistics professor recruited by the US military after massive pebble-shaped spaceships show up mysteriously in different parts of the world. Louise and maths wiz Ian Donnelly (Jeremy Renner) are sent to the ship thats docked in Montana, with the objective of establishing a dialogue with its other-worldly travelers.Dont worry, Im not going to give away any spoilers. Im not going to describe what the aliens look like, or why theyve come. What I will tell you is that this film is the antithesis of the Independence Day type of films where aliens are immediately regarded as hostile and as enemies, and in which humans respond to their arrival by firing guns and blowing them up. Thats just lazy, and Denis Villeneuve is anything but a lazy filmmaker. Sure there are characters here that feel threatened and reach for their weapons, but Arrival is the kind of film that suggests empathy, patience, and grace might yield better results.The films look and feel too is unlike your typical sci-fi blockbuster. It really unfolds like a drama about ordinary people who suddenly find themselves in this extraordinary scenario. There are moments of such beauty amidst nature, and repeated glimpses of a tragic back-story, revealed at a meditative pace and accompanied by such a haunting score (by Johan Johannsson), there are times you feel like youre watching a Terrence Malick film.Its quite commendable that the screenplay (by Eric Heisserer), which conveys bold, complex ideas and offers new perspectives on time, communication, and memory, does so without resorting to jargon and without alienating the viewer. Its genuinely accessible; this is not Christopher Nolan-style mind-bending stuff.But to repeat what I already told you, the films greatest joy is in experiencing the awe and wonder of what is happening through Amy Adams and her sense of excitement and fear that plays out on the canvas that is her beautiful, expressive face. She is not only the heart and soul of this film, but also the eyes and ears of the viewer, as it is through her that we understand what the film is trying to say.Clocking in at just under two hours, Arrival is that rare film that you dont want to miss even a moment of. You literally dont want to blink or look at your phone in the fear of missing out something small, something important. Its an intelligent film and thats not a bad thing.Dont read anything more about it. The joy of discovery is beyond everything else. Im going with four out of five.What's your review of Arrival?What's your reaction of Arrival
A new low for women's rights in the workplace in India. What were they thinking? #Fail pic.twitter.com/3PW5mMaKOt  Siddharth (@Actor_Siddharth) November 20, 2016

Following the outrage against featuring in a sexist advertisement, actor Ranveer Singh has issued an apology. Ranveer Singh has now issued a statement apologising for his role in the advertisement"It was important to give the brand creative freedom while designing their campaign, but I guess we got it wrong on one of those billboards and I'm sorry this happened but it's a thing of the past... we rectified it immediately by having that hoarding taken down asap from everywhere over 30 cities overnight. I treat all women with the utmost respect both professionally and personally and would never do anything to disrespect them.", the actor said.The actor landed himself in trouble with his latest campaign for a menswear brand. The actor is shown carrying a female colleague with the tagline Dont Hold Back. Take Your Work Home. This campaign by Marching Ants agency has not gone down well and generated widespread outrage, even actor Siddharth called the campaign out for being regressive and sexist.He tweeted and we quote: A new low for womens rights. #failAd guru Piyush Pandey also slammed the advertisement telling CNN News 18, Agencies can do better. You have a very good actor in Ranveer, you don't have resort to what is not considered correct, this ad will offend a lot of people, not just women. In this day and age, when everyone is talking about harassment at work, you have to be sensitive to issues around the world.Another ad guru, Dilip Cherian has also condemned the intended humour in the advertisement saying, "While I support humour in advertisements, I don't support the sort of sexist humour that was shown in this ad and Ranveer shouldn't have done it either.The brand in contention, Jack and Jones India, has apologised unconditionally and pulled the advertisement and signage down, and though Ranveer has also expressed regret, the outrage is yet to die down.
Mumbai: After the release of their movie Dear Zindagi, actress Alia Bhatt says she has started missing her co-star Shahrukh Khan.



At the promotional event of Singapore Tourism on Friday, the actress, asked about the experience of working with a superstar like Shahrukh, said: "It was a magical experience working with him. Personally, I've learnt a lot from him which I don't want to share with anybody. I am really missing him today."



"For the past couple of week, we were so busy in promoting the film. So Shahrukh, I am really missing you," she said.



Sharing a memory of shooting abroad in Singapore, the actress said: "We didn't have so much time while shooting for 'Dear Zindagi'. We went for dinner at a Mexican restaurant where we played all Bollywood songs while having dinner. We have lots of beautiful memories of shooting 'Dear Zindagi'."



"When we go abroad we have our own team, but also need support from that place and the people. While shooting for 'Dear Zindagi', it was raining heavily and we had a lot of work to finish. The Singapore team was so cooperative that they supported us in all our needs. It's a pleasure shooting over there," she said.



"We even shot 'Badrinath ki Dulhania' there for 20 days but we didn't feel that we are not in India," she added.



Directed by Shashank Khaitan, and produced by Karan Johar, "Badrinath ki Dulhania", starring Varun Dhawan, Alia and Gauhar Khan, is the second instalment of "Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania".



The film is slated to release on March 10, 2017.
Mohali: Taking a dig at Arvind Kejriwal for announcing his party would appoint a Dalit Deputy-CM if voted to power, Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal on Saturday asked how the AAP leader can transform the destiny of Dalits when he himself is "not sincere toward them".



"How can merely a post of Deputy Chief Minister help transform the destiny of under-privileged sections of the society, when you (Kejriwal) are not sincere toward them from the core of your heart," he said here.



"Kejriwal's announcement is an attempt to woo Dalits in the state before the next year Assembly polls," the Chief Minister told reporters on the sidelines of a function.



Reacting sharply to the "irresponsible utterances" of the MLAs who defected to the Congress from the SAD-BJP alliance, he said, "Such turncoats followed a pro-party line when they were part of the alliance. The moment they left they started criticising us because their sole motive is to secure a ticket from any party to pursue their vested interests."



Meanwhile, Badal laid the foundation stone for the Advanced Autism and Research Care Centre, which will be built at a cost of Rs 16 crore, at Sector 79 here.



The Chief Minister asked the health department to ink an MoU with a world class Autism institute to help the centre provide the best of treatment.



"I was extremely pained to know from a doctor in my medical team, whose child suffers from Autism, about the trauma and hardships faced by children suffering from it and of their parents," he said, adding this inspired him to do something to help those affected by the condition.



Badal directed his Advisor and the Principal Secretary for Health to work out modalities for the MoU.



"Punjab is the first to launch the Chief Minister's Cashless Cancer Care Scheme besides upgrading infrastructure at medical colleges in Patiala, Faridkot and Amritsar, and setting up a 100-bed Advanced Cancer Institute at Bathinda," Badal said.
Tehran: At least 43 people were killed in a collision between two trains in Iran's Semnan province on Friday, said Iran's Red Crescent Society.



Xinhua news agency quoted spokesman of Relief and Rescue Organisation of Red Crescent Society, Mostafa Mortazavi, as saying that another 100 people were injured and hospitalised.



Earlier reports said that the accident occurred in Haft-Khan train station located between Semnan and Damghan at 7.45 a.m. local time (0415 GMT).



Two wagons were set in fire as the trains collided and most of the injuries were due to the burning, semi-official Fars News Agency reported.



Two helicopters, firefighters and Red Crescent teams have been dispatched to the scene to help the victims, Iraj Reisian, the head of Crisis Management of Semnan province, was quoted as saying by semi-official Mehr News Agency.



It is possible that freezing of electronic system of Svznbany, which controls the movements of the trains, was the cause of the accident as the temperature had reached minus 12 degrees Celsius in the region, Mehr said.
Fidel Castro, the Cuban revolutionary leader who built a communist state on the doorstep of the United States and for five decades defied U.S. efforts to topple him, died on Friday, state-run Cuban Television said. He was 90.Castro in poor health since an intestinal ailment nearly killed him in 2006.The bearded Fidel Castro took power in a 1959 revolution and ruled Cuba for 49 years with a mix of charisma and iron will, creating a one-party state and becoming a central figure in the Cold War.He was demonized by the United States and its allies but admired by many leftists around the world, especially socialist revolutionaries in Latin America and Africa.Transforming Cuba from a playground for rich Americans into a symbol of resistance to Washington, Castro outlasted nine U.S. presidents in power.He fended off a CIA-backed invasion at the Bay of Pigs in 1961 as well as countless assassination attempts.His alliance with Moscow helped trigger the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962, a 13-day showdown with the United States that brought the world the closest it has been to nuclear war.Wearing green military fatigues and chomping on cigars for many of his years in power, Castro was famous for long, fist-pounding speeches filled with blistering rhetoric, often aimed at the United States.At home, he swept away capitalism and won support for bringing schools and hospitals to the poor. But he also created legions of enemies and critics, concentrated among Cuban exiles in Miami who fled his rule and saw him as a ruthless tyrant.In the end it was not the efforts of Washington and Cuban exiles nor the collapse of Soviet communism that ended his rule. Instead, illness forced him to cede power to his younger brother Raul Castro, provisionally in 2006 and definitively in 2008.Although Raul Castro always glorified his older brother, he has changed Cuba since taking over by introducing market-style economic reforms and agreeing with the United States in December to re-establish diplomatic ties and end decades of hostility.Six weeks later, Fidel Castro offered only lukewarm support for the deal, raising questions about whether he approved of ending hostilities with his longtime enemy.In his final years, Fidel Castro no longer held leadership posts. He wrote newspaper commentaries on world affairs and occasionally met with foreign leaders but he lived in semi-seclusion.His death - which would once have thrown a question mark over Cuba's future - seems unlikely to trigger a crisis as Raul Castro, 85, is firmly ensconced in power.
Baghdad: Iraq's parliament on Saturday voted to accord full legal status to government-sanctioned Shiite militias as a "back-up and reserve" force for the military and police and empower them to "deter" security and terror threats facing the country, like the Islamic State group.



The legislation, supported by 208 of the chamber's 327 members, was promptly rejected by Sunni Arab politicians and lawmakers who said it was evidence of what they called the "dictatorship" of the country's Shiite majority.



"The majority does not have the right to determine the fate of everyone else," Osama al-Nujaifi, one of Iraq's three vice presidents and a senior Sunni politician, told a news conference after the vote. "There should be genuine political inclusion. This law must be revised."



Sunni lawmaker Ahmed al-Masary said the legislation fuels doubts about the participation of all Iraqi communities in the political process. "The legislation aborts nation building," he said, adding that the law created a dangerous parallel to the country's military and police.



The law, tabled by the chamber's largest Shiite bloc, placed the militias under the command of Shiite Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi and gave militiamen salaries and pensions that mirror those of the military and the police.



In a statement, al-Abadi welcomed the legislation and said the "Popular Mobilisation" forces, the formal name of the militias, would cover all Iraqi sects, a thinly veiled reference to the much smaller and weaker Sunni tribal forces.

The Shiite militias number more than 100,000.



"The Popular Mobilisation will represent and defend all Iraqis wherever they are," al-Abadi said. The vote comes at a time when the government is waging a major campaign to dislodge the Islamic State group from Mosul,



Iraq's second largest city and the last major urban centre still controlled by the extremist group.



The Shiite militias, most of which are backed by neighbouring Iran, have been bankrolled and equipped by the government since shortly after IS swept across much of northern and western Iraq in 2014.



Many of these groups existed long before IS emerged, fighting American troops in major street battles during the US military presence in Iraq between 2003 and 2011.



They have played a key role in checking the advance of IS on Baghdad and the Shiite Shrine cities of Samarra and Karbala in the summer of 2014 and later helped liberate IS-held areas to the south, northeast and north of Baghdad, standing in for the security forces which largely collapsed in the face of the IS blitz in 2014. However, their role has somewhat diminished as more and more of Iraq's security forces have regained their strength.



Iraq's Sunni Arabs and rights groups have long complained that the militiamen have been involved in extra judicial killings, abuse and the theft or destruction of property in areas where they drove out IS. The militias' commanders, however, deny the charges or insist that the excesses are the work of an isolated few.


Ismailia: Islamic State claimed responsibility on Friday for an attack on an Egyptian military checkpoint in northern Sinai Peninsula that killed at least 12 soldiers.



An Islamist insurgency in the rugged, thinly populated Sinai has gained pace since the military toppled President Mohamed Mursi of the Muslim Brotherhood, Egypt's oldest Islamist movement, in mid-2013 following mass protests against his rule.



The militant group staging the insurgency pledged allegiance to Islamic State in 2014 and adopted the name Sinai Province. It is blamed for killing hundreds of Egyptian soldiers and police since then.



"An armed group of terrorist elements attacked a checkpoint in North Sinai on Thursday night using four-wheel-drives rigged with explosives," the military said in a statement that put the death toll at eight soldiers and three attackers.



Medical sources said four more bodies were found on Friday, bringing the toll to 12 out of the checkpoint's 31 soldiers. Twelve soldiers were wounded and one was missing.



Islamic State said it had killed 15 soldiers, destroyed two armoured vehicles and taken weapons from the checkpoint before blowing it up.



Witnesses said security forces set up extra mobile and static checkpoints in and around Arish city, the capital of North Sinai province, and were searching for the attackers.



Later on Friday, a spokesman for the U.S. State Department condemned the attack, offering condolences to the families of the victims and sympathy for the injured.



"We express our solidarity with the people of Egypt as they confront violent extremism. The United States strongly supports Egypt's security, and together we will continue to work together to defeat this threat," spokesman John Kirby said in a statement.
Heres a look at the key days in the government of former Cuban leader Fidel Castro, who passed away on SaturdayCastro's rebels take power as dictator Fulgencio Batista flees CubaCuba nationalises US-owned oil refineries after they refuse to process Soviet oil. Nearly all other US businesses expropriated by OctoberWashington bans exports to Cuba, other than food and medicineCastro declares Cuba socialist stateBay of Pigs: CIA-backed Cuban exiles stage failed invasionWashington bans all Cuban importsUS blockade forces removal of Soviet nuclear missiles from Cuba. US President John F Kennedy agrees privately not to invade CubaCastro's government takes over almost all private businessesMariel boatlift: Cuba says anyone can leave; some 125,000 Cubans fleeCollapse of Soviet Union devastates Cuban economyAugust 1994: Castro declares he will not stop Cubans trying to leave; some 40,000 take to sea heading for United StatesSeventy-five Cuban dissidents sentenced to prisonCastro announces has had operation, temporarily cedes power to brother RaulCastro resigns as presidentCastro re-emerges after years in seclusion, visiting a scientific institute, giving a TV interview, talking to academics and even taking in a dolphin show at the aquariumCastro is replaced by his brother Raul as first secretary of the Communist Party, the last official post he held. The elder Castro made a brief appearance at the Congress, looking frail as a young aide guided him to his seatCastro delivers a valedictory speech at the Communist Party's seventh Congress, declaring that "soon I'll be like all the others. The time will come for all of us, but the ideas of the Cuban Communists will remainFidel Castro dies
Iowa: A long-distance First Lady will be one of the many different things about Donald Trump's administration.



Breaking with tradition, Melania Trump and 10-year-old son Barron will remain in New York City until the end of the school year, after the new President moves into the White House on January 20.



The decision sets Melania Trump apart from other First Ladies. But it seems in character for the former model and naturalized US citizen from Slovenia. She was an elusive figure in the campaign and had no political experience before her husband's stunningly successful outsider campaign.



In an interview with US Weekly earlier this year, Melania Trump said that Barron "needs a parent at home, and I like to keep it as normal as possible."








Islamabad: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Saturday met Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani and reaffirmed Pakistan's commitment to the efforts for peace and stability in the war-torn country.



The two leaders held talks regarding efforts for peace and stability in Afghanistan and strengthening bilateral ties as they met on the sidelines of the Global Conference on Sustainable Transport in Turkmenistan's capital Ashgabat, Foreign Office said here.



"Emphasising that politically negotiated settlement through an Afghan-owned and Afghan-led peace process was the most viable option for lasting peace in Afghanistan, the Prime Minister said that Pakistan would continue its serious efforts for facilitating the peace process, including through the QCG (Quadrilateral Coordination Group)," it said.



Sharif appreciated Afghanistan's efforts for peace and stability in Afghanistan and expressed support to the peace agreement with armed group Hizb-e-Islami Afghanistan.



The two leaders discussed the need of cooperation to combat the scourge of terrorism, which was a common enemy and a serious challenge to peace in both countries and the region, Foreign Office said.



Discussing the importance of economic development for peace and stability in Afghanistan, Ghani thanked Sharif for Pakistan's new development package of USD 500 million announced at Brussels last month.



The two leaders also agreed upon the need for continued engagement in other areas, including coordination for smooth, safe and dignified repatriation of Afghan refugees and their sustainable reintegration in Afghanistan.
Oslo: Norway's supreme court on Friday rejected a final appeal by fugitive whistleblower Edward Snowden to secure assurances he would not be extradicted to the US should he travel to Norway to collect an award.



Just as was the case in an original lawsuit and the subsequent appeal to a lower court in Oslo, the supreme court said it could not evaluate an extradition request preemptively.



Former US National Security Agency (NSA) contractor, Snowden, who lives in exile in Russia, faces charges of espionage and theft of state secrets in his homeland that could land him up to 30 years in jail.



It's a further blow for the 33-year-old US citizen and his supporters at the Norwegian branch of the PEN Club who hoped he would be able to pick up the Ossietzky prize, which celebrates "outstanding efforts for freedom of expression."



Norway was one of the countries where Snowden sought asylum after fleeing the United States in 2013, but Oslo's response was that asylum seekers had to be physically present in the country to apply.



Considered a whistleblower by some and a traitor by others, Snowden won a similar Norwegian award in 2015, but was likewise unable to collect it.



Snowden has also been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize, which is also awarded in Norway, for the last three years, although without winning it.










The holidays are the busiest time of the year for area food pantries and shelters which welcome a surge of homeless and needy residents in search of hot meals or warm rooms.

Organizations said they stay on top of it all with lots of preparation, donations and volunteers.

Hand Up Lodge, a shelter located on Fifth Street in Lynchburg, is steadily accepting donated meals, gloves, hats, mittens and coats for its guests.

We rely a lot on volunteerism, Program Manager Jacqueline Jones said. Our biggest issue is running out of food. Many guests dont have food stamps, so we have to be prepared to give them food.

The shelter is always in need of linens, towels, sheets, toiletries, gently used backpacks and anything guests can take with them when they are back on the streets.

Since the 1980s, the shelter has housed men, women and families and provided individual accommodations for them. Because independence is important, many guests prepare their own meals to eat whenever they choose.

In the past year, I have seen an increase in a need for shelters, Jones said. Thats because of the economy, people get laid off, they lose their housing, and we have to be able to accommodate as many as possible.

The shelter can accommodate up to 28 individuals for up to 30 days.

We are pretty much always full, she said. We do have those who might stay a little longer due to some circumstances it causes them to stay longer. If theyre not able to go to another shelter, they stay with us a lot longer than 30 days.

When school is out or during inclement weather, the shelter will not close, Jones said.

Anything that will affect children, we will keep it open, she said.

At Miriams House on Magnolia Street in Lynchburg, Executive Director Sarah Quarantotto said homelessness is a constant in the area. She said she sees growing numbers of the single population who live outdoors during warm months but need a place to stay in the winter.

Miriams House is open to women and children and can house up to 15 families at a time for nine single women and six families.

Some shelters have different policies; people who maybe dont have access to one shelter can come to us in the winter, she said. 

The shelter has no barriers and will take any woman who is homeless, regardless of criminal background or substance abuse.

We have a policy at Miriams House that residents dont need to be out of the house during the day, which is especially relevant when its cold, Quarantotto said. We have online access to internet for job searches and [an] on-site case manager so residents can work in housing attainment without having to be out in the cold.

Warmer clothing, such as such as socks, gloves and coats, is needed this time of year, as well as household items and paper products, she said.

We are here consistently, she said. In warmer and colder months, we want everyone to know that if theyre facing homelessness, we are here to help to serve the most vulnerable in the community.

In Bedford County at the Grace House Community Church on Blue Ridge Avenue, volunteers are preparing for the winter by opening the doors to all members of the community and providing shelter to any who seek it.

A new policy, voted on by the Grace House Community Church Board of Trustees, states that if temperatures drop below 50 degrees, the shelter will fly a solid white flag on the front of its building to let guests know they have a warm place to stay for the night.

This policy stems from what Grace House says is an unfortunate, but common reality, according to a news release. Grace House says they want to see every person in the community safe and warm.

Soup kitchens also are prepping for the colder months and holidays.

At the Daily Bread on Clay Street in Lynchburg, volunteer coordinator Kelli Diaz said the organization can always use financial donations around this time of year to serve not only its main location downtown but seven others in Appomattox, Campbell County, Madison Heights and Lynchburg.

The biggest need is to keep the lights on and heat going, she said. Coffee is great during winter; we go through so much. Blankets  many guests use them to hang over windows because they dont have heat and they use the blankets to keep the draft out.

She added that there are some guests who are homeless, so sleeping bags are needed for them. Canned food, socks, gloves, and underwear are also needed.

For Thanksgiving, the kitchen cooked about 25 turkeys, which Diaz said the organization was blessed with.

Its so interesting when people come. You dont expect what you see, she said. People have an image of homeless people, but we have two-week-old babies, families, people in their 90s, mentally ill people, veterans, there is such a variety. You meet some of the neatest people, and theyre so real.

Diaz has been working at the Daily Bread for three years and said she feels fortunate to do what she does.

Volunteer spots fill up quickly, but she said there are still some spots open for Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Years Day.

Neighbors Helping Neighbors, based in Amherst County is about to experience its first winter and holiday season serving people.

President Garry Friend said gathering food is what keeps them most busy.

This is our first food kitchen in the county, and people have been very generous with things like turkeys and canned food, he said.

The kitchen opened in May of this year and has served around 1,200 since then.

Lunch is served on Wednesdays at Madison Heights Baptist Church and Thursdays at Ascension Episcopal Church in Amherst. Friends goal is to serve five days a week.

If I had to sit on Santa Claus lap, Id ask for a walk-in refrigerator and freezer, he said. It would help us store more capacity and help more people.

Friend said he hopes to get the word out that the organization is available to people and wants to see new faces.
The next meeting of the Central Virginia Opioid Epidemic Coalition will meet at 6 p.m. Nov. 29 in the Dolan Room at Lynchburg General Hospital. The program will feature Lt. Jon Wilks of the Bedford County Sheriffs Department who will discuss the impact of opioids on law enforcement in Bedford County. During the business meeting, members will set a Coalition work agenda for 2017. All interested individuals and groups are invited to attend.
An interview with former Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell will be featured Sunday on the radio broadcast of Conversations with Andre Whitehead.

Among the topics that will be discussed in the interview include the trial in Richmond, the Supreme Courts unanimous decision to overturn McDonnells convictions, and the former governors faith and family support.

The McDonnell interview will be the first in a two-part series.

Future shows will feature Robert Day of Patrick Henry Family Services, who will provide an update on his new book "Worse of Mothers ... Best of Moms" and Mary Woodruff on the success of Woodruffs Store Cafe and Pie Shop in Amherst County.

Conversations with Andre Whitehead, the radio show, airs Sundays at 8 a.m. on WLNI 105.9 FM. Conversations is televised Sundays at 9 a.m. on the CW5 network.
RUSTBURG  An Evington man faces multiple felony charges including the alleged attempted malicious wounding of several law enforcement officers during a Sept. 18 incident.

James Albert Richards, 43, was charged Nov. 18 after the Campbell County grand jury handed down indictments in the case.

According to the Campbell County Sheriffs Office, Richards discharged a weapon while struggling with deputies, whom he also allegedly threatened, while they were at his house for a welfare check.

The indictments include four counts of attempted malicious wounding of a law enforcement officer; four counts of assault and battery against a law enforcement officer; three counts of use of firearm during the commission of a felony; possession of a firearm by a convicted felon; and unlawfully discharging a firearm or throwing a missile into or at an occupied building. All the charges are felonies.

A hearing to name Richards attorney took place Nov. 22 in Campbell County Circuit Court. Richards has a jury trial set for Feb. 9. His lawyer could not be reached for comment.

Sheriffs Office Maj. L.T. Guthrie said Friday the charges stemmed from an incident in which authorities conducted a welfare check at Richards home at 16 Pelt Lane.

We had received information that he was possibly a danger to himself or others, Guthrie said. Deputies found the subject in the bedroom and he was armed with a handgun at the time, Guthrie said.

Deputies struggled with him to disarm him and Richards made threats to shoot law enforcement officers as well, according to Guthrie.

The firearm actually discharged inside the residence [and they] were able to take him into custody following a brief struggle, he said. Deputies had their hand on Richards arm when the gun went off, he said.

An acquaintance of Richards was at the house at the time of the incident but was unharmed, he said.
AMHERST The Mount Pleasant wildfire that started in Amherst County last Saturday has spread to more than 11,000 acres, but also is 45 percent contained, officials said Friday night.

A separate wildfire in Nelson County was 100 percent contained late Thursday night after burning 1,600 acres in the Eades Hollow area.

On Friday night fire officials held a public meeting, the third this week, at Pedlar Volunteer Fire Department to update residents on the Mount Pleasant fire. Almost two dozen came out for the update.

Tonight my big concern is you folks, David Hamilton, the incident commander with the Montana team, said. We put a lot of smoke in the air today. We put a lot of fire on the ground today. That smoke is currently rising, but I have a bad feeling tonight that its going to start settling.

Hamilton warned residents living the area of Wiggins Spring Road they could be under a cloud of smoke in the morning, due to back-burning, a technique used by firefighters to fight fire with fire. Crews scorch the area, which deprives the fire of fuel.

He said the fire that could be seen from the Blue Ridge Parkway and coming down Route 60 all was under control.

All of that is inside our fire lines and doing what we want it to do, he said. Its consuming so theres not really a big threat up there.

The fire started Saturday afternoon near the George Washington National Forest and spread to private land in the Mount Pleasant area. It is one of 23 uncontained large fires burning in the southeast part of the United States, according to Hamilton.

Throughout Friday, crews continued to strengthen control lines on the south, north and east sides of the fire. Resources provided structure protection for homes along State Route 634 (Coffeytown Road) and State Route 635 (Buffalo Springs Turnpike).

Coffeytown Road resident Arnold Bradley said, from his home, they can smell the smoke more and more.

Its still amazing how there have [been] no houses have been damaged, Bradley said. [Firefighters] have done an amazing job protecting them.

Hamilton said 80 homes and structures are in the acreage affected by the fire. Due to strong control lines, none of the blaze has jumped the lines. Hamilton said crews monitor the lines throughout the night so residents can rest easy.

George Washington and Jefferson National Forest ranger Lauren Stull encouraged residents to discourage onlookers from coming up to the mountain to check out the blaze. Stull said crews turned away 90 non-residents in the Wiggins Spring area Friday.

Theyre in the way out there, Stull said. Its for their safety with all that smoke. Our folks are still out there and they need to get through. Trying to pass 90 people is not easy.

Asked about the long-term damage the fire will have on the forested area of Amherst County, crews were optimistic.

In the grand scheme of things, this fire has done a lot of good, Hamilton said. It really kind of started in an area where it never got lined up on any big slopes.

Hamilton said even through the back-burning, the blaze was very smooth and controlled.

All theseacres are going to come back better than it was before, he said. Im not going to say that there isnt any [damage], but theres very little if there is some.

Another public meeting will be held at 7 p.m. Sunday night at the Pedlar Volunteer Fire Department.
In the months leading up to the presidential election, the media coverage was full of references to the perils of running while female.

A few headlines from this fall:

PBS: The hidden sexism that could sway the election.

The Atlantic: Fear of a Female Candidate.

Fortune: Why Sexism Is So Central to This Presidential Race.

NBC News: Obama Says Sexism to Blame for Close Presidential Race.

This narrative was fueled, in large part, by all the horrible things Donald Trump has said about women.

To refresh the astonishingly short memories among us: Trump said hed look Rosie ODonnell in that fat, ugly face of hers and tell her she was fired. As Megyn Kelly reminded us, he has called women he doesnt like fat pigs, dogs, slobs and disgusting animals. After Kelly asked Trump about this at the first Republican primary debate, he later described her as having blood coming out of her wherever.

About our gender, Trump has said, You have to treat them like s-. Weeks before the election, The Washington Post shared a video in which Trump, at my age of 59, bragged about getting away with sexual predator behavior, advising another man to grab women by their genitals. In his final debate with Hillary Clinton, he called her a nasty woman.

Eventually, even stuffy news organizations were willing to describe this behavior for what it was: sexism, for the timid, and misogyny, for those tired of the tap dance. We even saw some conversations about what such rhetoric was bringing out in men who saw in Trump the permission to say out loud what theyve thought of us all along.

Many of us women dared to think that we, as a nation and an electorate, were finally willing to name the problem and confront it.

Then Trump won enough electoral votes, if not the popular vote, to be our next president.

Poof.

Now the analysis is all about the white working-class voters who supported him. They are not the only reason he won, but they are the convenient focus now for guilt-ridden journalists who failed to listen to an entire swath of America.

The new narrative is that we  including people of color and women  must understand the anger of the white working class. Its the economy, insist their shiny new defenders.

I do not doubt that many of these voters are, indeed, angry about what has happened to their jobs, their families and their communities. They believe that Trump cares about them, which is yet another sin he has committed against the electorate.

However, I come from the white working class. I cherish my roots, but I caution against romanticizing them. We have always had our darker side, fueled by a fear of the other, which often includes women.

Yes, many  but not most  women voted for Trump. Disappointing, but not shocking. Finally, perhaps, we can lay to rest the fiction that all of us women are alike.

Hillary Clinton has lost, again. Cue the collective relief in pundit-land. Sexism? Misogyny? So last week. Were now supposed to pretend that patriotism requires that we unite behind the man who has made so clear his long disdain for us. If we dare to continue pointing this out as evidence for our distrust, we are divisive and poor sports.

The Democratic Party offers little comfort right now. All the potential names floated for the next chairman of the Democratic National Committee are male. Ditto the names, so far, of potential challengers to House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi.

Fascinating, this unwillingness even to pretend to care how that may look to us, the message we hear. You had your chance, girls. Now step aside.

Fortunately, we have long memories, and we are not where we started this long presidential campaign.

A poem by the late Yosano Akiko, a Japanese writer and feminist, has been making the rounds. Written in 1911, it is titled The Day the Mountains Move:

The day the mountains move has come.

I speak, but no one believes me.

For a time the mountains have been asleep.

But long ago they all danced with fire.

It doesnt matter if you believe this,

my friends, as long as you believe:

All the sleeping women

are now awake and moving.

We are restless, but we are still here.

Schultz is a Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist and professional in residence at Kent State Universitys school of journalism. Email her at con.schultz@yahoo.com.
Thumbs up to Beacon of Hope, its donors and its staff for giving almost 600 high school seniors in Lynchburg the chance to make a post-secondary educational degree a reality.

Beacon of Hope is a local nonprofit with the mission of steering local high school graduates toward higher education. Last week, 585 seniors at E.C. Glass and Heritage high schools turned in more than 1,000 applications to Virginias 24 two-year colleges, 33 independent colleges and 15 public universities  at no cost to the students, thanks to Beacon of Hope.

This was the fourth year of Beacon of Hopes Virginia College Application Week, which included a host of other college-related events and activities to help students navigate the college-selection process.

Application fees can add up rather quickly, especially when each one can range in cost from $25 to $75 and up. For some students and their families, thats a budget-breaker.

Thanks to Beacon of Hope, the dream of higher education for hundreds of Lynchburg teens is closer to coming true.

Thanks to one and all.

* * *

Thumbs up to Lynchburg master firefighter Josh Phillips on his receiving a top state award from the Virginia Office of Emergency Medical Services.

Phillips, 29, has worked for the Lynchburg Fire Department for six years, where hes a paramedic in addition to a master firefighter.

At the Virginia Emergency Medical Services conference in Norfolk earlier this month, Phillips was awarded the 2016 Governors Award for Outstanding EMS Pre-Hospital Provider, an honor only one person in the commonwealth receives each year.

Regional EMS councils from around the state make nominations for honors within their local service areas. The winner of each regional honor then goes on to compete for the Governors Award.

Phillips, whos also an adjunct faculty member at Central Virginia Community College in the emergency medical program, was the Blue Ridge EMS Council nominee on his way to receiving the state award.

Hes not the first state winner from Lynchburg; in 2009, Lynchburg firefighter John Bomar won at both the regional and state levels.

Congratulations, Master Firefighter Phillips. Its a well-deserved honor.
Trini Muslims return home

The fifth, Wade Charles, was detained on arrival and taken to San Fernando Police Station. They were accompanied by a foreign service officer from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He was among the first to emerge and to leave the airport, even before his charges were released.

The men, who had been held on suspicions of terrorist activities at a hotel in Venezuela on March 19, 2014, were not charged for the offence.

Instead they were found guilty by the Venezuelan courts for espionage.

After the terrorism charges had been dropped, the men had been asked to plead guilty to spying.

They had refused. Nevertheless they had been slapped with the espionage charge, found guilty, and sentenced to the time they had spent in the prison. Tears of joy from the family, relatives and friends of Asim Luqman who first emerged out of the customs and immigration area. His wife and Aamina Luqman and their children were on hand to greet him amidst laughter and tears. He emerged eating a cheese snack. Asked what he was looking forward to he said, doubles. Andre Battersby exited before Luqman unknown to relatives and the media waiting outside. To follow almost an hour after Luqman was Dominic Petilall whose wife Saadiqua Mohammed, three sons, brother and relatives converged on him. It was a tearful reunion and all that Petilall would say was that he was happy to be back with his family and to get to know his last son, Mohammed, who was six months old when he was detained in Venezuela.

A few minutes later, Leslie Daisley, took a side exit to be greeted by his wife Latoya Baptiste and son Abdur Rahman Daisley. Daisley, the nephew of Battersby, was too overwhelmed to say anything.

In spite of their incarceration, the men looked fairly well. As the crowd waited for Charles to emerge, Umar Abdullah, Head of the Islamic front told the media that he had been taken to the San Fernando Magistrate Court. We are yet to find out what is taking place with Charles. I would be speaking with our lawyers to find out the reasons why he was taken to San Fernando. It was heartbreaking for Charles mother Gloria Charles, who while waiting earlier in the day, had told Newsday, I am the happiest mother alive! On being told her son was to be detained, she cried out, that is so unjust and so unfair. I stand up here like a fool for hours. Oh God. You all could have called me to see my child. They took my child and gone with him again! Expressing how fed up she was with this Government, Charles said, I was waiting to see my son walk through that door and instead get to hear that police take him to San Fernando Police Station. Oh God. You all have a heart. Monday is elections. Even before Charles was detained, a relative (who did not want to be named) told Newsday, she was feeling apprehensive and felt that The men would not walk free or They (immigration) will hold one of them. She said it was eerie that there was heavy police presence at the airport.

When asked why the armed police presence, a senior police officer told Newsday, It is elections time and we have to ensure security at the airport. Asked if it was on account of the arrival of the five men, the officer said, the police would also have to ensure that nothing untoward happens on their arrival and they needed to ensure crowd control as well. Initially the men were due to arrive at noon.
British to help in Police Service manpower audit

Dr Rowley made this known during an address at the opening of the newly constructed St Joseph Police Station adding that government has approached the British to conduct the audit.

We now know that there is not a shortage of police officers on the ground, said the Prime Minister. One of the things that is required is a proper and comprehensive across the board assessment of what is our policing manpower, how we have deployed them and how we can re-deploy them under the current circumstances to get the best result. Rowley explained that during his time as Opposition Leader he sent Fitzgerald Hinds to a place which had a similar population and similar size to Trinidad and Tobago, to see how they handled their policing and if anything could be learnt from their practices.

One of the most important things that was learnt from the trip was that there was considerably less police officers in Fairfax, as compared to the number in Trinidad and Tobago.

In fact it was discovered that Trinidad and Tobago held far more police officers per hundred thousand citizens than the international standard.

It was because of these discoveries that the Prime Minister approached the British to conduct the audit.
Sunday decision on UNC candidate

This after the Independent Liberal Party (ILP) yesterday filed an application for leave for judicial review of the legitimacy of the UNCs Adrian Shazar Ali candidacy on the grounds of his address.

Putting on her legal robes, Opposition Leader and UNC political leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar yesterday in the third San Fernando High Court pleaded with Justice Rahim for a prompt decision, arguing that the absence of a decision could be used as a jabbing point for opposing political parties in the last two days of the election campaign.

These are political considerations, said Justice Rahim, my remit does not have those considerations. The judge said Persad- Bissessars argument was based on the assumption that he would rule in her favour and stood his ground to decide tomorrow morning. The application for leave for judicial review was made by ILP Deputy Political Leader Sunil Ramjitsingh acting as the election agent of Simeon Mahabir, the ILP candidate for Munroe Road/Caroni Savannah. The review application contends that Ali resides outside of said electoral district.

ILP political leader and attorney Rekha Ramjit told the court that since the law allowed for Ramjitsingh to be sued on Mahabirs behalf as his election agent, he (Ramjitsingh) could also sue on Mahabirs behalf, thereby having locus standi (legal right to bring court action). However, another of Alis lawyers - Deborah Peake SC, countered that Ramjit offered no evidence that Ramjitsingh was indeed Mahabirs election agent.

Ramjit said that Section 11 of the Municipal Corporations Act spells out that councillors must reside within the electoral district they are representing.

Justice Rahim interjected, asking, isnt it saying the exact opposite? Rahim said he interprets the law to mean that councillors could represent as long as they live within ten miles outside the boundaries of the municipality.

Ramjit said Ali lives at 69 Mon Plasir Road, Caroni and produced a companys registration form on which Ali is listed as a Director, as evidence.

This address, Ramjit argued, was contrary to the 41 Clarke Road, Charlieville address declared in Alis application to be nominated for the local government election.

Peake countered that the definition of residing could mean that a person could possess multiple properties and therefore an address on a companys registry is insufficient to prove residency.

Added to this, the law places no duty on a returning officer to investigate whether the address placed on an application was true. Ramjit also did not provide sufficient evidence that 69 Mon Plasir Road, Caroni fell outside ten miles of the Chaguanas Borough Corporation.

Persad-Bissessar said the Representation of the People Act provided a seven day window prior to nomination day for the legitimacy of candidates to be scrutinized by appointed and approved scrutineers and a further one hour window after for said nomination to be contested.

Both windows were missed, she said.

Justice Rahim considered this argument and asked, If it is discovered on the day before an election that the candidate perpetrated fraud against the returning officer, what recourse is there? To answer this question and to allow time to read and digest all the information, Rahim denied the strong appeals by both Persad- Bissessar and Peake for an immediate decision. He will give a decision and his reasoning orally tomorrow morning in the Port-of-Spain Hall of Justice
Having a man not a financial plan, women told

The advice and warning came from Keisha MacQuan, Centre Manager  North, First Citizens Investment Services, as she spoke to the women about Creating a secure financial future. Reminding them about their mothers and grandmothers advice when they were going out on dates as young women to always have their vex money in case they fell out with their dates and had to get back home on their own, she said women in relationships should always have their vex money  in these times, money in terms of savings and investments.

She said that it is easy to begin investing and it is only a myth that you need a lot of money to invest.

She said that in addition to serving as the primary caregivers in the home, women buy on behalf of the people they live with and are the gatekeepers for their household expenses. She added that women are generally the ones who shop around to find a good deal while men usually tend to buy what they want when they see it.

So if we are savvy enough to manage our household expenses then we should also be knowledgeable enough to invest those funds. She said that according to the Harvard Business Review, women are the ones who make the purchasing decisions in seventy to eighty percent of households; eighty to ninety percent of women will be responsible for their finances at one point or another in their lives and sixty percent of people who live in poverty are divorced women.

She advised the women to make sure they know what is happening with their finances both in good and bad times, warning that some men hide their money in case things go bad in their relationship. She said incomes of most men tend to increase after a divorce while it is the opposite for women. She said most women only start to save and invest after marriage while men tend to save consistently through their lives and asked how many women have organised wills; are prepared for retirement or to deal with the death of a spouse; for single life; the loss of a spouses income or to deal with finances and debt on their own.

Dr. Kamla Mungal, Director, Accreditation and Quality Enhancement Centre/Leadership Institute at the University of the West Indies and the Arthur Lok Jack Graduate School of Business, addressed the audience about The Art of Transformation: Self and Society. She told the women that they are better than their environment and have the capacity to make it better. She said they will never influence the world by trying to be more like it and they should not be afraid of their individualism.
Sat calls on Education Minister to fix Hindu schools

He was responding to questions regarding the situation at the Ramai Trace Hindu School in Penal where parents and students of the of the school protested along the SS Erin Road on Thursday morning calling on Minister Garcia to complete their school so that they can be comfortably housed. The students are currently housed at the Hanuman Milan Temple in Rock Road Penal but parents say the accommodation is not adequate.

Yesterday morning when parents arrived at the temple to drop off their children, they were greeted by locked gates.

PTA President Indar Jairaj said parents have now taken a decision to keep their children at home until the new school is opened. Jairaj said the new school is 95 percent complete.

Speaking during an interview yesterday, Maharaj said students are suffering. There are five newly built Maha Sabha schools that are almost completed but are yet to be opened, he said, adding that thousands of students are suffering as they are forced to study in unsuitable venues.

Schools located in Reform, Rousillac, Arima, Endeavour and Claxton Bay are ninety-five percent completed and are awaiting the ministers attention. He also named a pre-school in El Dorado that is also waiting to be opened. Whenever we try to find out why the Minister is not attending to these schools we get a response that says they are investigating the construction of the schools and as a result they cannot attend to the school.

What is this investigation about? We need to know, Maharaj said.

Maharaj pointed out that the parents are taxpayers and they should be given their due at the end of the day.

He reminded that the Minister of Education got the second largest grant in the last budget, yet schools and students are suffering. Taking a jab at the government, Maharaj said while the current government has stopped the distribution of laptop computers our Caribbean neighbour is moving ahead.

We see Jamaicans are now doing their exams on their laptops so we are backward in this regard, he said.
It Took Heidi Klum

2 Years to Look Like This
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(Newser)  Hillary Clinton didn't concede the election until after a late-night phone call from President Obama, according to a new book on the historic defeat. The Hill reports that authors Amie Parnes and Jonathan Allen say sources told them Obama called Clinton as results came in from Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin, and told her: "You have to concede." The sources say that in Clinton's Manhattan hotel room, some aides thought there was still hope and urged her to wait as long as possible, but the atmosphere changed after Obama's call.

"There was a lot of discussion about Michigan and Wisconsin and whether the numbers could flip it," one source says, adding that the swing state races were so tight that Clinton might not have conceded that night without the call from Obama. "If anybody knew what actually happened that night, no one would have conceded," the source says. The insiders say that Obama called after campaign chief John Podesta has been sent to tell supporters Clinton would not be speaking that night. She decided to call Trump and concede before Podesta returned, according to the sources, who say she told aides: "Just give me the phone. I'm calling him." (There is going to be a recount in Wisconsin.)
(Newser)  The family of the missing California woman found alive on Thanksgiving has a lot of thanks to give. "We are overwhelmed with joy over how supportive everyone has been to bring us together as a family again," Sherri Papini's sister told reporters Friday, per KCRA. "Everyone's tireless efforts has made our family whole this Thanksgiving. We cannot thank you enough." Papini, a mother of two young children, disappeared after going for a jog Nov. 2. Police say she was kidnapped and was reunited with her family Thursday after her captors dumped her near Interstate 5 in Yolo County, where she was able to flag down a passing car.

Papini had been chained and beaten by her captors, according to police audio obtained by the Sacramento Bee. The California Highway Patrol "is on scene and advised that she is chained to something," a radio dispatcher told a responding officer. "CHP is advising that she is heavily battered." Police say they are searching for two armed Hispanic woman in a dark-colored SUV. A motorist who called police after seeing Papini by the roadside tells the New York Daily News that the woman she glimpsed in the dark appeared terrified and was waving a piece of fabric up and down. "I realized if she was that close to getting hitwilling to be that close to freeway trafficshe must really need help," the driver says. (Read more missing woman stories.)
(Newser)  Within half an hour of the Cuban government's official announcement that former President Fidel Castro had died, Miami's Little Havana teemed with lifeand cheers. Thousands of people banged pots with spoons, waved Cuban flags in the air and whooped in jubilation early Saturday. Honking and strains of salsa music from car stereos echoed against stucco buildings, and fireworks lit up the humid night sky, the AP reports. Police blocked off streets leading to Cafe Versailles, the quintessential Cuban-American hotspot where strong cafecitossweetened espressowere as common as harsh words about Castro. "Cuba si! Castro no!" they chanted, while others screamed "Cuba libre!"

Cubans fled the island to Miami, Tampa, New Jersey, and elsewhere after Castro took power in 1959. Some were loyalists of dictator Fulgencio Batista. Many others believed they would not be truly free under Castro's communist regime. The ones that made it to Miamiwhere Havana is closer both geographically and psychologically than Washingtontook a largely, and vehemently, anti-Castro stance. The news of Castro's death was long anticipated by the exiles. Rumors have come and gone for decades, and Castro's death had become something of a jokemostly because it seemed to happen so frequently. This time, though, it was real. (Read more Fidel Castro stories.)
(Newser)  A train collision in northern Iran killed at least 45 people and injured 100 on Friday, Iran's state media reported. The official IRNA news agency reported that the accident occurred in sub-zero temperatures when a moving passenger train struck another parked at Haftkhan station, about 150 miles east of the capital, Tehran. The report said that in the collision, four carriages derailed and two caught fire. Iran's judiciary says three employees of the state railroad company have been detained over the accident, the AP reports. (Read more Iran stories.)
(Newser)  The security challenges of having a president-elect who lives at the top of a publicly accessible skyscraper were highlighted Friday night when a man described by police as "emotionally disturbed" was arrested at Trump Tower. The man, identified as Roosevelt Pleas, entered the Fifth Avenue building at 10:30pm and aroused suspicions during the Secret Service security screening when he told agents he had just gotten a call from Donald Trump and needed to speak to him straight away, the New York Daily News reports.

The agents contacted police officers on duty in the building and the 26-year-old was taken into custody for a psychiatric exam. The New York Post reports that a record check found that Pleas was wanted for failing to answer a court summons in Brooklyn. Pleas did not have a weapon and posed no threat to Trump, authorities say. A law enforcement source tells CNN that to protect Trump and his family, who plan to spend a lot of time in New York even after he becomes president, the Secret Service is considering renting an entire floor at Trump Tower to serve as a command post. The rent would be around $1.5 million a yearand it would be paid to the Trump Corporation. (Read more Trump Tower stories.)
(Newser)  At least nine people were woundedthree of them fatallyin shootings during Black Friday shopping across the US. A man in a Walmart parking in San Antonio, Texas, tried to intervene Friday when he saw another man punching a woman in the head, Reuters reports. Police say the other man shot the Good Samaritan in the neck, killing him. A woman with the Good Samaritan was wounded by shrapnel, and a female shopper was in critical condition after catching a stray bullet. "You have to give credit to the man for being willing to intervene," the police chief says. In Chattanooga, Tennessee, an argument inside a mall spilled into the parking lot, where one person was shot in the leg and another in the arm, according to WRCB. Police say at least one victim is a gang member.

A 21-year-old man died Friday after being shot multiple times outside a mall in Mays Landing, New Jersey, CBS Philadelphia reports. His 26-year-old brother was shot in the leg. Police released few details on the shooting. Two of the shootings occurred during early Black Friday shopping on Thursday night. According to KOLO, a 33-year-old man was fatally shot during a road-rage incident in the parking lot of a Walmart in Reno, Nevada. In Memphis, Tennessee, a 21-year-old was shot and injured outside a mall food court, WREG reports. Its sad, one regular Black Friday shopper told CBS after witnessing the New Jersey shooting. "Its getting scary now. (Read more Black Friday stories.)
(Newser)  By 1931, all but 11 elephants living in what is now South Africa's Addo Elephant National Park had been killed, mostly for their ivory. Of the eight female elephants left, half had no tusks. Now 98% of female elephants in Addo are tuskless, the Independent reports. The normal rate for African elephants is between 2% and 6%. Researchers say more and more elephants are being born without tusks as poachers kill off individuals with tusks and leave the rest to pass on their tuskless genes, according to Nautilus. Females who are tuskless are more likely to produce tuskless offspring, elephant expert Joyce Poole explains to the Times. In Mozambique's Gorongosa National Park, 90% of elephants were killed between 1977 and 1992; 30% of female elephants born since then are tuskless.

And the problem isn't getting better. Poaching has been on the rise since 2007. Approximately 144,000 elephants were killed between 2007 and 2014. Over the past decade, nearly a third of African elephants were killed by poachers. That's left African elephants facing extinction and in a tough place, evolution-wise. While being born tuskless protects them from poachers, it's dangerous in other ways. Elephants need their tusks for self-defense, sexual display, and digging for food and water. Without them, they're considered "crippled"more likely to be malnourished and susceptible to disease. Sadly, researchers say the entire species could soon be tuskless if something isn't done. (The Great Elephant Census returns jarring news.)
(Newser)  Jill Stein's recount efforts in Wisconsin, Michigan, and Pennsylvania just got a major new supporter: the Clinton campaign. NBC News reports the campaign announced Saturday it will participate in the recount in Wisconsin and possible recounts in Michigan and Pennsylvania to make sure the process is "fair" for everyone. "We certainly understand the heartbreak felt by so many who worked so hard to elect Hillary Clinton, and it is a fundamental principle of our democracy to ensure that every vote is properly counted," campaign lawyer Marc Elias says in a post on Medium. The campaign was spurred to get involved in the recount partly based on reports that Russians hacked the DNC, tried to hack voter registration databases, and spread fake news about the election, according to the Washington Post.

But that doesn't mean the Clinton campaign expects anything to change. Elias says they've had experts combing over the results for weeks and haven't found any "evidence of manipulation." And he notes that even in the closest of the three states, Michigan, Trump's lead "well exceeds the largest margin ever overcome in a recount." He adds that the Clinton campaign didn't initiate the recount efforts itself and had absolutely no plans to do so but now must monitor them "on principle." Clinton spokesperson Brian Fallon denies that Elias' post means the campaign isn't accepting the results of the election. "We see no evidence of tampering so far," he tells the Post. "Not sure what you could point to to suggest there is anything here that calls the results into question." (Read more recount stories.)
(Newser)  A TV reporter in Denver, Colo., has quit journalism after she says her life was threatened by the subject of one of her stories and her bosses failed to take it seriously, Mediaite reports. Heidi Hemmat was an award-winning investigative journalist with a focus on business fraud for KDVR. In February 2015, her investigation led to fraud charges against a local business owner. According to Raw Story, Muhammed Murib of AAAA TV Electronics Repair and Vacuum started harassing and threatening Hemmat. Then it got worse. In a blog post revealing what happened, Hemmat says she got a call from Murib's therapistunder an exception to HIPAA laws that allows health providers to violate patient privacy when the patient "presents a serious and imminent threat of harm." The therapist said Murib was "homicidal" and planned to kill her.

Hemmat says her boss at KDVR balked at the cost of providing security for her, saying, "If he was going to kill you, he would have done it by now." In a statement, KDVR denies the "unequivocally false" accusations, saying "we took Heidi's concerns very seriously and provided her with support, security, and an attorney, for which Heidi expressed her appreciation. To be clear, we never denied a request for additional security." Hemmat took out restraining orders against Murib, "but my sense of safety was goneand the way I viewed my job forever changed," she writes. "I couldn't keep ambushing people who did bad things to other people." And so she quit. Despite the end of her journalism career and fear for her own life, Hemmat says she has found a reason to be thankful in her husband and young children. (Read more journalism stories.)
(Newser)  While his mother was preparing food in the kitchen, a 5-year-old Florida boy called 911 to invite law enforcement officers over for Thanksgiving dinner, the AP reports. Monica Webster of the Walton County Sheriff's Office tells the News Herald that with all the bad calls they receive every day, this was a happy call. But young Billy Nolin's family had no idea he'd invited guests to dinner. Mom Landi McCormick says she was cooking when Billy's grandfather noticed him talking to someone on an old cellphone. McCormick reprimanded Billy when he admitted calling 911. He was crying when Deputy Dannon Byrd drove up. She says the deputy thanked Billy for his kind invitation, then reminded him he should only use 911 for emergencies. The deputies gave Billy a sheriff's badge. (Read more Thanksgiving stories.)
(Newser)  "Your day of reckoning has arrived, reads a letter sent to at least three California mosques this week. Theres a new sheriff in townPresident Donald Trump. Hes going to cleanse America and make it shine again. And, hes going to start with you Muslims. The Los Angeles Times reports the Council on American-Islamic Relations is asking for greater police protection in the wake of the letter, which was handwritten and photocopied. Signed by "Americans for a Better Way," the letter says Trump would "do to you Muslims what Hitler did to the Jews," while calling Muslims "the children of Satan" and a "vile and filthy people."

CAIR is asking for the letter to be investigated by police as an act of religious intimidation, CBS Los Angeles reports. The executive director of CAIR-LA says the California Muslim community is disheartened that anyone would address fellow Americans, fellow human beings, in such a hateful, dehumanizing way. According to the Orange County Register, there have been more than 100 documented anti-Muslim incidents in the US since election day. (Read more Islamophobia stories.)
CEO Satya Nadella described the upcoming 2017 Microsoft release as "the ultimate mobile device." He talked about how Microsoft missed getting on the first mobile train, but is determined to deliver something unique, and will continue to be in the phone market

"We will continue to be in the phone market not as defined by today's market leaders, but by what it is that we can uniquely do in what is the most ultimate mobile device. Therefore we stopped doing things that were me-too and started doing things, even if they are today very sub-scale, to be very focused on a specific set of customers who need a specific set of capabilities that are differentiated and that we can do a good job of," Nadella told Australian Financial Review.

Many speculated that the ultimate mobile device they currently have in their pocket implies that Microsoft's current focus on the cloud could mean making that mobile device 'ultimate' by getting users signed up and using Microsoft apps such as Outlook or OneNote.

It could mean working with manufacturers to ensure that Microsoft's software is already on the handset when the consumer opens the box. Such case is also applied to devices from manufacturers such as Asus and Samsung who have deals to install apps like Microsoft Office at the factory on some Android-powered devices.

Microsoft first emerged to be non-appealing as its competitors such as Samsung and Apple dominate the smartphone manufacturing business. But currently, its Surface brand has been proclaimed as three 'best in class' devices that exhibit some of the highest specifications, the classiest design touches, and a surfeit of critical acclaim, according to Forbes.

The Surface Pro 4 mixes the best features of a tablet with an ultraportable PC. The Surface Book is a high-speed business focused laptop with a detachable tablet-like screen. And the recently launched Surface Studio pushes the desktop computer to the ultimate conclusion, especially for graphics artists.

And now, many waiting Windows Phone fans are speculating that if given all those design touches and put them in a smartphone chassis; outfit it with one or two different screen sizes to offer a smaller device or larger phablet; pack it full of processor power, memory, and storage; and use Windows 10 and its competent management of a mobile environment for the end-user. Then, the best smartphone possible by Microsoft is indeed the ultimate device. If it is a success, then Microsoft succeeded in creating the ultimate device to show off its potential for the next five to ten years.
Archeologists recently unearthed a residential city and a cemetery in Egypt, which is believed to be 7,300 years already. Found near some historical sites and the Nile River, the said discovery could possibly encourage tourists from across the globe to visit Egypt again- after two airplane events and a long-time civil and political unrests.

Mahmoud Afify, who is the head of the Egyptian Antiquities Sector, told the media that the said discovery could date back to BCE 5316. The said period is extremely significant, as it is when the first Egypt's Dynasty could be traced.

"Remains of huts and daily life tools were found in the site, including the remains of pottery and stone tools, which indicates that the residential city supplied the labor force engaged in the construction of royal tombs with food and drink."

The interesting discovery was found around 440 yards at the south of the King Seti I Temple located in Abydos city. The said city is believed to be the capital of Egypt during the pre-dynastic days and the early dynastic times, the recent discovery could affirm this belief.

Along with this, head of the Central Administration of Upper Egypt Antiquities who is Hany Aboul Azm also confirmed the discoveries of 15 huge cemeteries that are created from mudbrick. Interestingly, the large size of these structures can significantly connote the great status and prominence of the occupants.

Egypt remains hopeful that the recent discoveries could be the break that they are longing for in order for tourists to visit their place once more. Some of the famous spots in Egypt are the Nile Valley, the pyramids, tombs, and some other historical riches that the place is bestowed with.

This year, Egypt experienced a decline in their tourists. During 2010, around 14 million visited the country however during the first half of this year, less than 3 million came.
Dogs have the ability to recall events or happenings even if they are of less or no importance. Who would have thought that they could remember more than you think?

A lot of research and study have been done and it has been discovered that dogs have the same mental ability like that of humans, Science Daily reports. Claudia Fugazza of MTA-ELTE Comparative Ethology Research Group in Budapest, Hungary said that the results of our study can be considered as a further step to break down artificially erected barriers between non-human animals and human." Dogs are considered clever and there are surprises when a dog and its owner shares the same kind of mental ability. Dogs are trained to do as they are told and can watch and study a persons performance and make the same action as that person. The fact that dogs are trained to take action like humans doesnt give a reason for their memory been like that of humans.



New York Times added that dogs tend to always lie down immediately if they are beside a mat or cloth. It means dogs are trying to show that they are not in a state to take action but just in a state of rest. Scientists have taken other experiments and have made a suggestion that Rats, Pigeons, and Chimpanzees have the same mental abilities like dogs. But Fugazza has said that there is strong evidence to back this research because dogs remember events in a more specific manner than other experiments. Jonathon D. Crystal of Indiana University said that the work on dogs could offer new researchers a new technique that could be very helpful.



According to Science Mag, Brian Hare who is a dog expert at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina and was never even involved in the study of dogs said: It shows that our dogs remember events much like humans do and it blows out of the water the old way that most scientists would characterize animal memory. Dog memory isn't based on just repetitions. Parrot, whales are likely to be the next on the list to be tested probably they can also recall event or incidents in their memory.
Kolkata:

West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee has rejected a call of a 12-hour strike by the Left parties against the ban on Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes.

"In Delhi at the meeting of Opposition parties, a Bandh was never discussed or agreed to. We do not support any Bandh called. People are suffering so I appeal to all to help citizens and stand by them at this hour of crisis," Mamata said in a Tweet.

The Left parties including the CPI-M and CPI had called a 12-hour statewide strike on November 28.

Announcing the decision, Left Front chairman Biman Bose said 18 Left parties would participate in the strike. Banks, ATMs, health and milk distribution services have been kept out of the purview of the strike, Bose said.

Left Front partner RSP said the suffering of the common people has forced the Left Front to call the strike.

Asked if the Left Front would approach TMC for support for the strike since it has also opposed the demonestisation move and called a rally on Monday, RSP state secretary Khiti Goswami said, "TMC supremo (Mamata Banerjee) had earlier called for a united fight against the move. So we will communicate to her as TMC has also called a rally on that day."

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New Delhi :

The 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks was a sure enough wake up call for the intelligence and security forces of our nation as our maritime borders had never witnessed an attack of such a scale and dimension launched through the sea route on a major metropolitan city.



There was a need for a complete overhaul in the Indian defence forces combat strategy and doctrine to counter terrorism post the 2008 Mumbai attacks which had manifested into many new forms.



There was a consensus drawn among the defence and security experts that the maritime borders of our country were vulnerable to potential attacks from the sea in the future. To plug the gaping holes of our defences capabilities in the high seas and along the coastline, the top brass of the defence forces envisaged a large scale plan to upgrade and modernise the naval and air striking prowess of our country.



Over the last 5 years, The Indian Navy and Air force have inked important military deals with major international defence firms to revamp and modernize their equipment and armory to be one up the enemy and secure our coastline and air space. Indian defence research and manufacturing agencies like HAL and DRDO have contributed immensely to enhance the defence capabilities of the nation.

Also read: No guarantee that attack like 26/11 wont happen again on Indian coasts: Maritime Security expert



Here is a timeline of the major up-gradation and modernization of India's naval fleet and air strike capabilities to thwart any attack from sea or air:

Major Defence Deals to enhance Indian Navy's defence capabilities

1. INS Chennai: Indian Navys largest-ever Made-in-India guided missile destroyer commissioned

Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar on commissioned India's third indigenously designed guided missile destroyer 'INS Chennai', in Mumbai.

Built at the Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd in Mumbai, the ship's construction also marks the end of the Project 15A to build Kolkata-class guided missile destroyers. Chief of the Naval Staff, Admiral Sunil Lanba, was also present on the occasion.

2. India inducts indigenous nuclear submarine INS Arihant, completes nuclear triad



Indias indigenous nuclear submarine INS Arihant was reportedly commissioned into service in August, completing Indias nuclear triad.After being inducted, the submarine completes India's nuclear triad, giving it the capability to respond to nuclear strikes from sea, land and air-based systems.

3. India signs $1 billion deal with US for 4 P-8I submarine hunter aircrafts

India signed a $1-billion deal with the US defence and aerospace giant Boeing for four P-8I submarine hunter planes. India had already bought eight P-8l planes in a $2.1 billion deal and the new contract is a follow-on order. The new fleet will improve the anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare capabilities of Indian Navy.

4. Pipavav Defence pact with Russian firm Zvyozdochka to refit submarines

Pipavav Defence and Offshore Engineering announced the signing of a multi-crore agreement with Russia-based JSC Ship Repairing Centre Zvyozdochka for medium refits and life certification of eight EKM 877 submarines in India.

5. Upgraded submarine INS Sindhukirti boosts Navys flagging fleet

The 3000-tonne INS Sindhukirti's re-induction into the fleet is vital since the Navy is down to just 13 old diesel-electric submarines.

A submarine's design or "prescribed life" is considered to be 25 years. But 10 of the 13 conventional boats are already older than that, with the others not being far behind. INS Sindhurakshak, which sank after internal explosions at Mumbai naval dockyard in killing 18 personnel, was in fact one of the relatively newer submarines.

6. INS Vikramaditya aircraft carrier inducted into the Indian Navy

The $2.3 billion INS Vikramaditya aircraft carrier was inducted into the Indian Navy, giving a strategic boost to its maritime warfare capabilities.

The mammoth 44,500-tonne warshipIndia's largest naval vesselwas commissioned into the navy at Sevmash Shipyard in this northern Arctic port during a colourful ceremony attended by Defence Minister AK Antony, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin and senior government and naval officials of the two countries.

Also read: Terror attacks originating from Pakistani soil continue to haunt India after 26/11 Mumbai mayhem

Major Defence Deals to enhance air strike capabilities

1. India signs $8.8bn deal to buy 36 Rafale fighter jets from France

Sept 23, 2016

India signed one of its biggest defense deals in decades, committing to buy 36 Rafale fighter jets from French aviation company Dassault.

Main feature of Rafale is Beyond Visual Range (BVR) Meteor air-to-air missile with a range of 150 kilometer. The BVR technology makes Rafale a strategic weapon. Indian army has used BVR during Kargil war, ranging 50 kilometer. It is also the first fighter jet deal for India in last 20 years.

2. India and Russia signed deal to jointly produce 200 Kamov Ka-226T helicopters

October 17, 2016

India and Russia signed a deal on October 17 to jointly produce 200 Kamov Ka-226T helicopters, at the India Russia Summit in Goa. The helicopters are believed to boost the capabilities of the armed forces.

3. IAF inducts first squadron of homegrown Tejas

Jul 1, 2016

The first squadron of home-grown Light Combat Aircraft Tejas was inducted into IAF with two fighter planes joining the force. State-run HAL handed over the first two Tejas aircraft to IAF, which makes up the first squadron named Flying Daggers, at a ceremony preceded by inter-faith prayers at the Aircraft System Testing Establishment.

4. India-US sign $3 billion deal to purchase 22 Apache attack helicopters and 15 Chinook heavy-lift choppers

September 2015

India signed a nearly $3 billion deal for purchase of 22 Apache attack helicopters and 15 Chinook heavy-lift choppers with American aviation giant Boeing and the US government. The first helicopter is likely to be handed over to India in the next three to four years.



The $2.3 billion INS Vikramaditya aircraft carrier was inducted into the Indian Navy, giving a strategic boost to its maritime warfare capabilities.



The mammoth 44,500-tonne warshipIndia's largest naval vesselwas commissioned into the navy at Sevmash Shipyard in this northern Arctic port during a colourful ceremony attended by Defence Minister AK Antony, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin and senior government and naval officials of the two countries.



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New Delhi:

"Allah kasam, maaf kar do. Chhod do, aisi galti dobara nahin hogi," Mohammad Ajmal Amir Kasab had said a few seconds before his hanging on November 21, 2012, four years after he was captured alive by the Mumbai Police for the 26/11 mayhem.

However, the remorse Kasab showed before being sent to the gallows cannot heal the wounds and scars left on people's hearts and minds.

And it is not obvious for a human killing machine trained by the Lashkar-e-Taiba to feel sorry for what he did.

Read | How India improved its naval and air strike capabilities post 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks

The utterance was the only reaction from the otherwise passive Kasab before his execution.

Perhaps, he was not trained by his handlers to regret killings.

A Pakistani militant with troubled childhood

The image of Kasab clutching his AK-47 at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus became the symbol of November 2008 attacks.

Kasab, 21 at the time, was the only surviving member of the group that launched a bloody rampage across Mumbai, killing about 166 innocent people.

Several months after he was captured, Pakistan admitted that he was one of their citizens.

Read | No guarantee that attack like 26/11 wont happen again on Indian coasts: Expert

A BBC report portrays him as a person with troubled childhood. Reports suggest he came from a remote village called Faridkot, where his father sold food.

Kasab had received little education and spent his youth alternating between labouring and petty crime.

Hand-picked for 'Mumbai job'

In an interview with Pakistani media, a resident of Faridkot identified Qasab as his son. He said that he had left home four years before the attacks.

"He had asked me for new clothes on Eid that I couldn't provide him. He got angry and left," Dawn newspaper quoted the man as saying.

Kasab came under the influence of the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and after training in one of several remote camps, he was hand-picked for the Mumbai operation.

He was captured on camera at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, a slight figure in combat trousers and a blue sweatshirt, clutching an assault rifle.

After his arrest, Kasab was interrogated and then charged with 86 offences, including murder and waging war on India.

Death sentence

About a year-and-a-half after his arrest, Kasab was sentenced to death by a special court in May 2010.

Kasab appealed against the sentence, and the Bombay high court in Mumbai began hearing the case in October 2010.

After the high court rejected his appeal in February 2011 and in July of that year, Kasab took his appeal against his death penalty to the Supreme Court.

On 29 August 2012, the Supreme Court rejected his appeal and upheld his death penalty. He then appealed unsuccessfully to the president for clemency.

Read | Terror attacks originating from Pakistani soil continue to haunt India after 26/11 Mumbai mayhem

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Havana :

Former President Fidel Castro, who led a rebel army to improbable victory in Cuba, embraced Soviet-style communism and defied the power of 10 US presidents during his half century rule, has died at age 90.

With a shaking voice, his younger brother, Raul Castro, announced on state television that his brother died at 10:29 p.m. on Friday night.

Castro's reign over the island-nation 90 miles from Florida was marked by the US-backed Bay of Pigs invasion in 1961 and the Cuban Missile Crisis a year later that brought the world to the brink of nuclear war.

The bearded revolutionary, who survived a crippling US trade embargo as well as dozens, possibly hundreds, of assassination plots, died eight years after ill health forced him to formally hand power over to Raul.

Read | 'I will be a Marxist-Leninist until the last days of my life': Here are 15 memorable quotes by Fidel Castro

Castro overcame imprisonment at the hands of Dictator Fulgencio Batista, exile in Mexico and a disastrous start to his rebellion before triumphantly riding into Havana in January 1959 to become, at age 32, the youngest leader in Latin America. For decades, he served as an inspiration and source of support to revolutionaries from Latin America to Africa.

His commitment to socialism was unwavering, though his power finally began to fade in mid-2006 when a gastrointestinal ailment forced him to hand over the presidency to Raul in 2008, provisionally at first and then permanently.

Read | India condoles Fidel Castros death: Who said what

His defiant image lingered long after he gave up his trademark Cohiba cigars for health reasons and his tall frame grew stooped.

"Socialism or death" remained Castro's rallying cry even as Western-style democracy swept the globe and other communist regimes in China and Vietnam embraced capitalism, leaving this island of 11 million people an economically crippled Marxist curiosity.

Also read: Revolutionary leader and former Cuba President Fidel Castro dies at 90

He survived long enough to see Raul Castro negotiate an opening with US President Barack Obama on December 17, 2014, when Washington and Havana announced they would move to restore diplomatic ties for the first time since they were severed in 1961.

He cautiously blessed the historic deal with his lifelong enemy in a letter published after a month-long silence.

Fidel Castro Ruz was born August 13, 1926, in eastern Cuba's sugar country, where his Spanish immigrant father worked first recruiting labor for US sugar companies and later built up a prosperous plantation of his own.

Castro attended Jesuit schools, then the University of Havana, where he received law and social science degrees. His life as a rebel began in 1953 with a reckless attack on the Moncada military barracks in the eastern city of Santiago.

Most of his comrades were killed and Fidel and his brother Raul went to prison smuggled out of jail, famously declaring, "History will absolve me."

Freed under a pardon, Castro fled to Mexico and organised a rebel band that returned in 1956, sailing across the Gulf of Mexico to Cuba on a yacht named Granma. After losing most of his group in a bungled landing, he rallied support in Cuba's eastern Sierra Maestra mountains.

Three years later, tens of thousands spilled into the streets of Havana to celebrate Batista's downfall and catch a glimpse of Castro as his rebel caravan arrived in the capital on January 8, 1959.

The US was among the first to formally recognise his government, cautiously trusting Castro's early assurances he merely wanted to restore democracy, not install socialism.

Within months, Castro was imposing radical economic reforms. Members of the old government went before summary courts, and at least 582 were shot by firing squads over two years. Independent newspapers were closed and in the early years, homosexuals were herded into camps for "re-education."

In 1964, Castro acknowledged holding 15,000 political prisoners. Hundreds of thousands of Cubans fled, including Castro's daughter Alina Fernandez Revuelta and his younger sister Juana.

Still, the revolution thrilled millions in Cuba and across Latin America who saw it as an example of how the seemingly arrogant Yankees could be defied. And many on the island were happy to see the seizure of property of the landed class, the expulsion of American gangsters and the closure of their casinos.

#Newsgraphic on the life of Cuban revolutionary Fidel #Castro, who died on November 25 aged 90 pic.twitter.com/DitJ6DKESk  AFP news agency (@AFP) November 26, 2016

Castro's speeches, lasting up to six hours, became the soundtrack of Cuban life and his 269-minute speech to the UN General Assembly in 1960 set the world body's record for length that still stood more than five decades later.

As Castro moved into the Soviet bloc, Washington began working to oust him, cutting US purchases of sugar, the island's economic mainstay. Castro, in turn, confiscated USD 1 billion in US assets.

The American government imposed a trade embargo, banning virtually all US exports to the island except for food and medicine, and it severed diplomatic ties on January 3, 1961.

On April 16 of that year, Castro declared his revolution to be socialist, and the next day, about 1,400 Cuban exiles stormed the beach at the Bay of Pigs on Cuba's south coast.

But the CIA-backed invasion failed.

The debacle forced the US to give up on the idea of invading Cuba, but that didn't stop Washington and Castro's exiled enemies from trying to do him in. By Cuban count, he was the target of more than 630 assassination plots by militant Cuban exiles or the US government.

The biggest crisis of the Cold War between Washington and Moscow exploded on October 22, 1962, when President John F. Kennedy announced there were Soviet nuclear missiles in Cuba and imposed a naval blockade of the island.

Humankind held its breath, and after a tense week of diplomacy, Soviet leader Nikita Krushchev removed them. Never had the world felt so close to nuclear war.

Cuban Communist Party, with him as first secretary. Labor unions lost the right to strike. The Catholic Church and other religious institutions were harassed. Neighborhood "revolutionary defence committees" kept an eye on everyone.

Castro exported revolution to Latin American countries in the 1960s, and dispatched Cuban troops to Africa to fight Western-backed regimes in the 1970s. Over the decades, he sent Cuban doctors abroad to tend to the poor, and gave sanctuary to fugitive Black Panther leaders from the US.

But the collapse of the Soviet bloc ended billions in preferential trade and subsidies for Cuba, sending its economy into a tailspin. Castro briefly experimented with an opening to foreign capitalists and limited private enterprise.

As the end of the Cold War eased global tensions, many Latin American and European countries re-established relations with Cuba. In January 1998, Pope John Paul II visited a nation that had been officially atheist until the early 1990s.

Aided by a tourism boom, the economy slowly recovered and Castro steadily reasserted government control, stifling much of the limited free enterprise tolerated during harder times.

As flamboyant as he was in public, Castro tried to lead a discreet private life. He and his first wife, Mirta Diaz Balart, had one son before divorcing in 1956. Then, for more than four decades, Castro had a relationship with Dalia Soto del Valle. They had five sons together and were said to have married quietly in 1980.

By the time Castro resigned 49 years after his triumphant arrival in Havana, he was the world's longest ruling head of government, aside from monarchs.

In retirement, Castro voiced unwavering support as Raul slowly but deliberately enacted sweeping changes to the Marxist system he had built.

His longevity allowed the younger brother to consolidate control, perhaps lengthening the revolution well past bothmen's lives. In February 2013, Raul announced that he would retire as president in 2018 and named newly minted Vice President Miguel Diaz-Canel as his successor.

"I'll be 90 years old soon," Castro said at an April 2016 communist party congress where he made his most extensive public appearance in years. "Soon I'll be like all the others.

The time will come for all of us, but the ideas of the Cuban Communists will remain as proof that on this planet, if one works with fervor and dignity, they can produce the material and cultural goods that human beings need and that need to be fought for without ever giving up.

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New Delhi:

Former Cuban President Fidel Castro, who governed the Republic of Cuba as Prime Minister from 1959 to 1976 and then as President from 1976 to 2008, has died at the age of 90.



The Cuban politician and revolutionary had led a rebel army to improbable victory in Cuba, embraced Soviet-style communism and defied the power of 10 US presidents during his half century rule.



His younger brother, Raul Castro, on announced on state television that his brother died at 10:29pm (Local time) on .

Also Read: (Fidel Castro: The Cuban guerrilla revolutionary who defied US for 50 years)





Here are some of his more memorable quotes about himself, communism, and his movements in Cuba:



1. I feel my belief in sacrifice and struggle getting stronger. I despise the kind of existence that clings to the miserly trifles of comfort and self-interest. I think that a man should not live beyond the age when he begins to deteriorate, when the flame that lighted the brightest moment of his life has weakened.

- Letter from prison ( 1953)





2. I am not a dictator, and I do not think I will become one. I will not maintain power with a machine gun.

- I Won't Be a Dictator, interview with Ruth Lloyd (January 1959), printed in The Spokesman-Review ( 1959)





3. Men do not shape destiny. Destiny produces the man for the hour.

- I Won't Be a Dictator (1959)





4. I am not a communist and neither is the revolutionary movement, but we do not have to say that we are anticommunists just to fawn on foreign powers.

- Resignation announcement ( 1959)





5. A revolution is not a trail of roses. A revolution is a fight to the death between the future and the past.

- Speech on the second anniversary of the triumph of the revolution ( 1961)





6. I joined the people; I grabbed a rifle in a police station that collapsed when it was rushed by a crowd. I witnessed the spectacle of a totally spontaneous revolution... That experience led me to identify myself even more with the cause of the people. My still incipient Marxist ideas had nothing to do with our conduct  it was a spontaneous reaction on our part, as young people with Marti-an, anti-imperialist, anti-colonialist and pro-democratic ideas.

 Fidel Castro on the Bogotazo, 2009, My Life: A Spoken Autobiography





7. Marxism taught me what society was. I was like a blindfolded man in a forest, who doesn't even know where north or south is. If you don't eventually come to truly understand the history of the class struggle, or at least have a clear idea that society is divided between the rich and the poor, and that some people subjugate and exploit other people, you're lost in a forest, not knowing anything.

 Fidel Castro on discovering Marxism, 2009, My Life: A Spoken Autobiography





8. In a few hours you will be victorious or defeated, but regardless of the outcome  listen well, friends  this Movement will triumph. If you win , the aspirations of Marti will be fulfilled sooner. If we fail, our action will nevertheless set an example for the Cuban people, and from the people will arise fresh new men willing to die for Cuba. They will pick up our banner and move forward... The people will back us in Oriente and in the whole island. As in '68 and '92, here in Oriente we will give the first cry of Liberty or Death!

 Fidel Castro's speech to the Movement just before the Moncada Attack, 1953

The Real Fidel Castro. New Haven and London: Yale University Press





9. I would honestly love to revolutionize this country from one end to the other! I am sure this would bring happiness to the Cuban people. I would not be stopped by the hatred and ill will of a few thousand people, including some of my relatives, half the people I know, two-thirds of my fellow professionals, and four-fifths of my ex-schoolmates

 Fidel Castro, 1954

Fidel Castro. New York and London





10. We are not executing innocent people or political opponents. We are executing murderers and they deserve it.

 Castro's response to his critics regarding the mass executions, 1959

Fidel: A Biography of Fidel Castro





11. There is often talk of human rights, but it is also necessary to talk of the rights of humanity. Why should some people walk barefoot, so that others can travel in luxurious cars? Why should some live for thirty-five years, so that others can live for seventy years? Why should some be miserably poor, so that others can be hugely rich? I speak on behalf of the children in the world who do not have a piece of bread. I speak on the behalf of the sick who have no medicine, of those whose rights to life and human dignity have been denied.

 Fidel Castro's message to the UN General Assembly, 1979





12. We do not have a smidgen of capitalism or neo-liberalism. We are facing a world completely ruled by neo-liberalism and capitalism. This does not mean that we are going to surrender. It means that we have to adopt to the reality of that world. That is what we are doing, with great equanimity, without giving up our ideals, our goals. I ask you to have trust in what the government and party are doing. They are defending, to the last atom, socialist ideas, principles and goals.

 Fidel Castro explaining the reforms of the Special Period: 19902000





13. I am a Marxist-Leninist, and I will be a Marxist-Leninist until the last days of my life.

- Speech on the anniversary of the Granma landing ( 1961)





14. I propose the immediate launching of a nuclear strike on the United States. The Cuban people are prepared to sacrifice themselves for the cause of the destruction of imperialism and the victory of world revolution.

- As quoted in "Castro Wanted a Nuclear Strike" in The New York Times ( )





15. They talk about the failure of socialism but where is the success of capitalism in Africa, Asia and Latin America?

- Statement of 1991, during the fall of USSR.

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New Delhi:

Leaders in India expressed grief over the death of Cuban revolutionary leader Fidel Castro on Saturday.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi condoled the demise of Castro whom he described as one of the most iconic personalities of the 20th century and a "good friend" of India.

"I extend my deepest condolences to the government and people of Cuba on the sad demise of Fidel Castro. May his soul rest in peace," Modi tweeted.

Fidel Castro was one of the most iconic personalities of the 20th century. India mourns the loss of a great friend.  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) November 26, 2016

I extend my deepest condolences to the Government & people of Cuba on the sad demise of Fidel Castro. May his soul rest in peace.  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) November 26, 2016

"Fidel Castro will remain a legend and a source of inspiration. The world will miss him," ANI quoted CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury as saying.

Read | Fidel Castro: The Cuban guerrilla revolutionary who defied US for 50 years

Yechury told reporters that he had fortune of meeting Castro 3-4 times.

DMK president M Karunanidhi too paid rich tributes to departed Cuban revolutionary icon, hailing him as a 'lion cub' who grew to lead a rebellion in the South American country.

"A lion cub who grew to become a respected revolutionary leader in a small country, Fidel Castro is one of the greatest leaders I can never forget," he said in a statement.

Read | 'I am not a dictator. I will not maintain power with a machine gun': Here are 15 memorable quotes by Fidel Castro

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Hyderabad:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi took part in an hour-long Yoga session with top police officers of the country on Saturday, who gathered at the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Police Academy in Hyderabad for an annual conference focusing on cross-border terrorism, infiltration and radicalisation of youth.

Later, he paid tributes to Martyrs Column at SVPNPA here, where he placed a wreath. The Prime Minister also paid floral tributes to Patel at his statue at SVPNPA, and planted a sapling on the Academy premises.

The three-day conference of the Directors General of Police (DGPs) of all states was inaugurated in the city on Friday by home minister Rajnath Singh.

Union ministers of state for home affairs Kiren Rijiju and Hansraj Gangaram Ahir, besides national security adviser (NSA) Ajit Doval and home secretary Rajiv Mehrishi are among those attending the event.

The Prime Minister would spend the entire day in deliberations with the top police officers before flying back to Delhi this evening.

"Issues like cross-border terrorism, radicalisation of youth and attempts to lure Indians to Middle East terrorist groups, like Islamic State, and other matters of internal security will be discussed at the meeting," official sources said.

Filling up of vacant posts in various police forces, reforms in police forces, menace of narcotics smuggling and human trafficking will also be discussed extensively during the conference.

The Prime Minister and Home Minister will interact with the top police officers and get their feedback about the internal security situation and various aspects of police personnel, the sources said.

This is for the third time since Independence that the conference is being held outside Delhi. It was held in Guwahati in 2014 and Kutch in Gujarat last year.

The idea of holding the meeting of DGPs and IGPs outside Delhi was mooted by Modi after he assumed power in 2014. The conference is being attended by around 100 DGPs of states, Director Generals of Central paramilitary forces and their Inspectors General.

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Chattarpur (MP) :

Seventeen children were injured, six of them seriously, when their school bus overturned near Muderi village in the Chattarpur district in Madhya Pradesh police said.

The bus of Christ Jyoti School in Lavkush Nagar here was carrying children to the school from Chandla. It overturned near Munderi, nearly 70 kms from the district headquarters, while the driver tried to save a motorcyclist, Sub Divisional Officer of Police, Lajjashankar Mishra said.

Six children are seriously injured in the mishap and have been admitted in to Chattarpur district hospital, while the remaining were sent home after getting first-aid, he said. A case has been registered in this regard and further investigations are on, police added.

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New Delhi :

BSP supremo Mayawati on Saturday addressed a press conference on note ban and UP elections 2017 in Delhi and slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his decision of demonetisation announced by him on November 8.

Excerpts from BSP chief Mayawati's press conference on demonetisation and Utar Pradesh elections in Delhi:

# There's a financial emergency-like situation after currency ban in the country.

# The demonetisation decision was taken by the Centre for political gains.



# The demonetisation decision was taken by the Centre for political gains.



# BJP is facing challenge only from BSP in Uttar Pradesh election.



# There is a chaos in the country due to the currency ban.



# Samajwadi Party government has completely failed in Uttar Pradesh.

# PM Narendra Modi is scared to address the Opposition in the House over the demonetisation issue.

# BSP will have no political relation with Samajwadi even in future.

# PM Narendra Modi is scared to address the Opposition in the House over the demonetisation issue.



# Demonetisation move has brought nothing but economic emergency, common people are suffering.



# The demonetisation decision by central govt is a sudden decision taken without preparation.

# Only BSP a threat to BJP in UP's Assembly election; no threat from SP, Congress.

# When so many people are suffering, how can it be a good decision? asks Mayawati



# BSP understands the suffering of the people.



# Why does PM Modi cry every time? He does that for public sympathy.



# BSP will keep fighting for the people and voters are regretting their 2014 mandate.



# Congress is on ventilator in Uttar Pradesh.



# Just like Samajwadi Party, BJP is digging its own grave before Uttar Pradesh elections.

# Our party is opposing Govts demonetisation move not for any political benefit but for nation.

# No sign of tension on faces of BJP leaders; they were given enough time to adjust black money before PM's demonetisation announcement

#I want to warn the people of Uttar Pradesh that their (SP) fight is not over. Their internal fight is still going on and truth will come out after state elections

#I also urge people of UP not to divert their votes to other parties but come for BSP.

READ FULL COVERAGE: BLACK MONEY CRACKDOWN

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Patna:

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Saturday said he has taken a principled stand on demonetisation as he is convinced that the step will help fight black money and laughed off reports of his meeting with BJP President Amit Shah as background to his support.

I support demonetisation as Im convinced that it will help in the fight against black money, Kumar said addressing a function to mark Prohibition Day here.

With political meaning being derived from his stand on demonetisation which is different from those of Congress, RJD and other non-BJP parties, Kumar said he has taken a principled stand as in his opinion scrapping of high value bank notes would help in diluting black money.

Is this the first time that I have taken a principled stand which might be politically different from others on an issue on which Im convinced? Kumar, who had reminded the media on Friday that he had supported Pranab Mukherjee for presidentship despite being a member of NDA.

Will those hoarding black money be able to deposit the entire volume in bank accounts? Reserve Bank could issue new notes against a quantity of black money which would not find way to banks during the current drive, he said expressing views on demonetisation raging in national politics.

Kumar, who is also JD(U) National President, laughed at reports appearing in a section of media here which attributed his support to demonetisation to his secret meeting with BJP chief Amit Shah at a farmhouse recently.

Had the reporter who gave this news taken me to the farmhouse where I met Amit Shah? he said and lamented over such baseless news which hitherto was prevalent only in social media platform.

Kumar, who has described the Centres demonetisation decision as sahshik (courageous), said in addition to scrapping of higher denomination currencies, attack on benami properties and prohibition could lead to creation of kala dhan mukt Bharat (black money free India).

He said when he spoke of benami properties it includes real estate as well as stocking of gold and diamonds with the help of ill-gotten wealth.

I will urge Prime Minister Narendra Modi that this is the right time to immediately hit at benami properties as well clamp liquor ban for better results against black money, he said.

Kumar, who has taken prohibition in a mission mode in Bihar, said it is well known that people involved in liquor trade have amassed huge benami properties.

FULL COVERAGE: BLACK MONEY CRACKDOWN

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Bengaluru:

Backing former Prime Minister Manmohan Singhs demonetisation comments in Parliament, CPI(M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury on Saturday called Prime Minister Narendra Modi as Narendra Moun Modi for remaining silent in Parliament over the issue.

Mr Narendra Modi used to call Manmohan Singh Moun Mohan Singh - that he doesnt open his mouth. In this Parliament session, the tables have reversed. Manmohan Singh spoke rather eloquently and it was Modi who was sitting silent and did not come back to Parliament after the break, he told reporters.

The statement comes in the wake of Singhs comments on demonetisation when he said the step would lead to a dip in GDP growth by at least two per cent and that it was a case of organised loot and legalised plunder and reflected a monumental management failure.

Yechury said demonetisation would have a deep impact on the Indian economy on a medium term basis as it would take at least six months for things to settle down.

It will take 175 days - it means six months - to actually bring back the economy to a level which was there prior to the November 8 announcement. It will have a very deep impact on the Indian economy for medium term, he said.

Yechury said that even after this period, there would be circulation of counterfeit currency, black money and continuation of corruption.

Black money is not always a stock. Only five to six per cent is as stock. Much of the black money is a flow. It is in real estate and jewellery, he added.

Yechury said the success of demonetisation in India is a far cry as the country has 1.3 billion people with inadequate internet connectivity, unlike Sweden, the worlds only cashless economy. That country could achieve it as they have a small population and have 100 per cent internet connectivity.

By the time the transition takes place it will be many many years, he said.

Yechury opined it would not be possible to weed out black money unless there was a check on corporate funding to political parties. However, it could be a reality if there were state funded elections.

If you want to stop corruption, block the supply side of corruption. Why are you not stopping corporate funding to political parties? Let there be a system of state funding of elections. Unless you do this, how can you check this sort of black money? he asked.

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New Delhi:

Eight years ago on November 26, 2008, Mumbai was attacked by LeT terrorists from Pakistan who took 168 lives and wounded more than 300 people. It left a deep scar in the hearts Mumbaikars (people of Mumbai) and the whole nation was in the state of shock.

Mumbai is called city of dreams and presence of Bollywood adds glamour to its way of life. Bollywood celebrities have their own memories and stories during the terror attacks in the city. But some of them are marked with controversies. Here we look at some of those controversies which occurred in the aftermath of Mumbai terror attacks.

Ram Gopal Varmas visit to Taj Hotel post- terror attack: Perhaps one of the most talented and innovative film director in India, Ram Gopal Varma visited Taj hotel after Mumbai terror attacks along with actor Riteish Deshmukh, son of Vilasrao Deshmukh who was Chief Minister of Maharashtra when Mumbai terror attack took place.

ALSO READ: (26/11 Mumbai attacks anniversary: The supreme sacrifice of Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan which nation can never forget)

Varmas visit was criticized for being insensitive towards the people of Mumbai. There were allegations on the director that his visit was facilitated by Vilasrao Deshmukh and the speculation of casting Riteish Deshmukh in one of his upcoming movie based on terror attacks in Mumbai.

Varma denied all the allegations and said that the sole purpose of his visit was nothing but his curiosity to witness a scene of an unprecedented happening. Riteish himself did not know that anybody would read meanings into this act and his father Vilasrao did not even know that he was in the group of members visiting Taj hotel. In 2012 Varma also apologized regarding his visit to Taj hotel.

Rahul Bhatt and David Headley: Rahul Bhatt is an Indian fitness trainer and an aspiring film actor he is the son of famous film director Mahesh Bhatt and Kiran Bhatt. In September 2008, Rahul Bhatt and friend Vilas Varak met David Headley at a Mumbai gym.

After the 26/11 attacks, Headley wrote Rahul an email in which he said he would soon be visiting them again. Headley claims to have warned Bhatt not to visit South Mumbai area on November 26, the day the Mumbai attacks started. Rahul Bhatt has denied all the allegations made against him.

David Coleman Headley is an American terrorist of Pakistani origin, and a spy who conspired with the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) in plotting the 2008 Mumbai attacks.

It has been alleged that Headley made periodic trips to Pakistan for LeT training. Under the direction of Lashkar chiefs, Headley performed five spying missions in Mumbai to scout targets for the attacks, which killed 168 people.

ALSO READ: (26/11 Mumbai Terror Attack Anniversary: How celluloid portrayed the mayhem)

Death of celebritys relative: Bollywood actor Ashish Chowdhury's sister, Monica Chhabaria, and her husband also were killed during the terror attack at the Oberoi. The actor waited outside the hotel for word of his sister, who he said had stopped answering phone calls after the siege began.

Salman Khan's statement: In an interview to Pakistani channel Express TV, Salman had said: "Too much hype has been created around the 26/11 attacks because elite people were targetted. Attacks have happened in trains and small towns too, but no one talked about it so much."

This was met with strong criticism and Salman apologized for his statement. Later on, speaking to an Indian TV channel, Salman said: "The interview has been twisted. I saw it myself, the way it is coming across on TV, it is sounding insensitive. I was just saying life is equal for both rich and poor, some attacks get more media coverage and some don't. Why is that? Every human life is important."

READ FULL COVERAGE: 26/11 MUMBAI TERROR ATTACKS

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Dehradun:

Describing Uttarakhand as a small state suffering from resource crunch, Chief Minister Harish Rawat on Saturday asked the Centre to take necessary steps to help the state deal with the adverse effects of demonetisation on tourism and agriculture.

In a letter to Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, he said demonetisation could be a good step so far as black money was concerned but adequate preparatory measures should have been taken prior to the move.

Sudden demonetisation of high value currency notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1000 without adequate preparatory steps has adversely impacted agriculture, tourism and overall revenue generation in a small state like Uttarakhand.

Demonetisation is weighing heavy on a state already battling the losses caused by the recommendations of the 14th Finance Commission, Rawat said.

Noting that a vast majority of people living in remote hill areas of the state depended on the cooperative banking system, he said exclusion of cooperative banks from any transactions (deposits and exchange) of the banned notes had put the rural populace, dependent on agriculture, in a tight spot as the sowing season was already underway and they had no cash to buy seeds and fertilisers.

Noting that the current crisis might result in failure of rabi crop and subsequent rise in foodgrain prices, Rawat asked the Union Minister to allow cooperative banks to accept deposits of banned Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes.

Paucity of cash has led to a drop in sale, exchange of goods and services and affected tourism in general. It has had a negative impact on the state governments sources of income, including VAT collections, he said.

Also noting that demonetisation will lead to a rise in the Centres earnings through collection of direct and indirect taxes, the Chief Minister said the benefits should be shared with the states.

FULL COVERAGE: BLACK MONEY CRACKDOWN

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New Delhi :

Mumbai terror attacks were an infliction point in the military history of India. It brought to light the gaping holes which existed in the maritime defences of our country.

Terrorism has been a major threat to world peace. According to Global Terrorism Index (GTI) 2016, there was a 650% increase in fatal terror attacks on people living in the world's biggest economies in 2015.

Terror spread a cause of serious concern

Five countries which experienced the worst attacks, accounting for 72% of all deaths from terrorism in 2015 are:

- Iraq,

-Nigeria,

-Afghanistan,

-Syria

-Pakistan

Rising terror powers namely ISIS, Boko Haram have actually wreaked havoc when it comes to attack on multiculturalism and lone wolf attacks.

ALSO READ: (Controversies involving Bollywood celebrities after 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks)

Here is a list of the attacks that took place in and around the world after 2008 Mumbai terror attacks.

Whats so striking about these terror attacks is the fact that somewhere, these world attacks drew a line of similarity with 2008 Mumbai attacks in terms of hatred ideology, lone wolf attacks, homophobia, anti-pluralistic thoughts.

#Kunming massacre in China, March 2014

5 separatists ran amok with kinves at Kunming railway station in south-west China, killing 31 and wounding 141 members of the public.

#Public school attack in Peshawar, Pakistan in December 2014

Taliban gunmen stormed a military-run school in Peshawar, killing at least 141 people.

#Charlie Hebdo attack, January 2015

At least 17 people were killed in Paris during the three-day siege by extremists who stormed the French satirical magazines office.

#Charleston church shooting, June 2015

Mass shooting took place at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, killing nine African-Americans were killed by a white supremacist. Dylann Roof, suspected gunman, now faces hate crime charges as well as nine charges of murder and three of attempted murder.

ALSO READ: (26/11 Mumbai Terror Attack Anniversary: How celluloid portrayed the mayhem)

#Sousse attack, Tunisia, June 2015

Sousse terror attack that killed 38 tourists on the beaches of Sousse in Tunisia. Seifeddine Rezgui, the 23-year old university student carried out the brutal attack.

#Paris terror attacks in 2015

At least 129 people died after a series of violent incidents around Paris, France, on Friday 13 November 2015. Soon after the terror attack Islamic State released a video purporting to show nine jihadists behind the attacks.

#Germany terror attack 2016

In what can be called a lone wolf attack, at least nine people were killed and many others injured after a gunman went on a shooting rampage at a shopping centre in Munich in Germany.

#Turkey terror attack, 2016

Three terrorists armed with bombs and guns killed at least 36 people at Istanbul Ataturk Airport in Turkey. There was no immediate claim of responsibility but Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said that the evidence points to Daesh, using another name for IS.

ALSO READ: (26/11 Mumbai attacks anniversary: The supreme sacrifice of Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan which nation can never forget)

#Brussels attack, 2016

On March 22, three coordinated suicide bombings occurred in Belgium: two at Brussels Airport in Zaventem, and one at Maalbeek metro station in central Brussels. The attack took 32 lives, three perpetrators were also killed and more than 300 were injured. ISIL claimed the responsibility for the attack.

READ FULL COVERAGE: 26/11 MUMBAI TERROR ATTACKS

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Mumbai:

Martyrs who sacrificed their lives on 26 November 2008 during the dastardly terrorist attack on Mumbai were given rich tributes on Saturday by a commemoration, led by Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

The attacks had completely rattled the common populace of Mumbai and nearly 166 people were killed during the ciry's seize.Family members of the martyred personnel and survivors of the daring strike recalled the harrowing moments and pledged support to efforts to root out terrorism.

"I pay homage to the brave policemen who fought for Mumbai's safety and laid down their lives for us on 26/11. We are proud of them and we will strive hard for safety and security of our state," Fadnavis said paying homage at the 26/11 police memorial at the Mumbai Police Gymkhana.

Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao, Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray, former Mumbai police commissioners Julio Ribeiro, M N Singh and several senior present and former police officers were present.

On November 26, 2008, ten Pakistani terrorists arrived by sea route and opened fire indiscriminately at people killing 166, including 18 security personnel, and injuring several others, besides damaging property worth crores.

Also Read: 8 years of 26/11 attacks: How flimsy or strong we are when it comes to combating terrorism? | Exclusive Interview

The then ATS chief Hemant Karkare, Army Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan, Mumbai's Additional Police Commissioner Ashok Kamte and Senior Police Inspector Vijay Salaskar were among those killed in the attack.

The attack had begun on November 26 and lasted until November 29. Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, the Oberoi Trident, the Taj Mahal Palace and Tower, Leopold Cafe, Cama Hospital, the Jewish community centre were some of the places targeted by the terrorists.

Ajmal Kasab was the lone militant who was captured alive.

Also Read: 26/11 Mumbai attacks anniversary: The supreme sacrifice of Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan which nation can never forget

He was hanged four years later on November 21, 2012.

At a video exhibition titled '26/11: Stories of Strength', showcased by The Indian Express in association with Facebook and Instagram, Fadnavis called for leveraging manpower with technology for security purposes.

He said the 2008 Mumbai attacks were an insult to India, wherein ten terrorists held an entire nation to ransom.He said the whole world should be proud of the resilience shown by the city to cope with the terror attacks.

Kia Scherr, who lost her family in the ghastly attacks, said she and her family in Florida could only watch the news and wait to hear from her relatives who were in the city then.

Also Read: Controversies involving Bollywood celebrities after 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks

"I have forgiven those who killed my family because I want to be relieved from the burden of anger. Since the attacks, I have been reborn in Mumbai again. I have received so much of love, generosity from people here," she said.

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Kolkata:

Trinamool Congress on Saturday firmly opposed the 12-hour strike in West Bengal called by the left parties on November 28, even as the Left Front justified the shutdown saying it is necessary to register protest against demonetisation.

The Left Front is actually trying to help BJP on demonetisation and that is why they have called this strike to increase the sufferings of the masses. They should have refrained from calling the strike, TMC general secretary Subrata Bakshi said.

On November 28, the TMC will take out a rally from College Square to Esplanade to protest against demonetisation, he told reporters after the partys core committee meeting.

ALSO READ: (Exclusive Videos | News Nation does ATM Reality Check in different cities as demonetisation enters 18th day)

Mamatadi had expressed her displeasure over the strike call and said that people dont support strikes and bandhs, he said. State Transport Minister Suvendu Adhikari said his department would run 2,600 more buses to maintain normalcy during the bandh.

Government will pay compensation if any vehicle got damaged during the bandh period, he said.

Justifying the shutdown, Left Front chairman Biman Bose said, the strike call is necessary to register protest against demonetisation which caused sufferings to the people. We have kept banks, ATMs, health and milk outside the ambit of the strike. So that people dont face any problem.

Commenting on TMCs opposition to the strike, CPIM state secretary Surjya Kanta Mishra said, we are happy that TMC is not supporting the strike call. We have given the call to oppose the anti-people decision of the Centre. Whoever is serious about the issue will not oppose the strike call.

State Congress chief Adhir Chowdhury said that his party decided to extend moral support to the strike by Left parties.

ALSO READ: (Watch video | Nitish Kumar describes demonetisation as courageous step, highlights its poor implementation)

West Bengal BJP president Dilip Ghosh, however, said they will see whether the TMC is really serious about foiling the strike called by the Left.

Recently we have seen them working together as friends against us in Delhi. So we want to see whether TMC really practice what they preach, he said.

Opposing Mondays strike call by Left parties against demonetisation, the West Bengal government today ordered all its employees to attend offices on November 28 and the following day.

No employee of the state government will be granted leave on that day. In the event of any employee remaining absent without sufficient reason, the absence will be treated as dies non, Chief Secretary Basudeb said.

The state finance department has issued a circular stating that all employees would be required to attend office on Monday and Tuesday and exceptions would be made only in case of bereavement, maternity leave, hospitalisation and other genuine reasons.

An employee failing to attend on both the days would compromise a days pay barring reasons other than above, he said.

We oppose bandhs. We will take out a protest march (against demonetisation) on Monday, state Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee told reporters while leaving the state secretariat Nabanna this evening.

The state government would take all measures to maintain law and order and normal functioning of public services, the Chief Secretary said.

He said that all the offices, agencies and institutions of the state government would remain open on Monday and steps would be taken to ensure and security of citizens and their properties.

READ FULL COVERAGE: BLACKMONEY CRACKDOWN

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Lucknow:

Accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi of shying away from Parliament, Congress leader Kapil Sibal on Saturday said desh ka chowkidar was taking a peaceful nap while the poor were having sleepless nights.

The Prime minister who had made an entrance to the Parliament by bowing his head in respect to it, is today shying away from speaking there ...the chowkidar of the country has closed his eyes and is sleeping peacefully while the poor are spending sleepless nights, he told reporters in Lucknow.

Currency is never black...those who think it is, have their thinking flawed... actually it is the transaction which is black...The Prime Minister does not have the right understanding of economic situation, Sibal said.

He alleged that a note in the hands of a poor has also been rendered as black money.

The actual reason behind demonetisation is political and not economic...it is only for winning the UP polls ...to spring a surprise and help Modi emerge as the messiah of the poor, the Congress spokesperson said.

Sibal further said the Prime Minister does not know how to follow up demonetisation. Modi could not think as to how the labourers, farmers and others will run their livelihood...he could not think how the wholesale and retail market will manage...vegetable vendors will not take the payment in cheque.

Citing statistics, he claimed that of the 125 crore population, only 60 crores have bank accounts whereas no transaction has taken place in the accounts of 32 crore people for years and asked whether they all have black money.

Demanding that the names of those having foreign accounts be made public, Sibal asked when the government has the list why it is not being made public?

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Imphal:

Militants carried out a deadly ambush in Chandel district of Manipur, injuring five special forces personnel of the Indian army.

Army sources said an IED blast was triggered during a combing operation by the commandos.

This was followed by firing from light arms by the militants.

They said that even though five of the team were injured, the commandos fought back and managed to rescue those injured.

The sources said the incident happened in Sajik Tampak in Chandel district, which is close to the Myanmar border.

Chandel has witnessed many deadly attacks on security forces in the recent past. Eighteen soldiers were killed in the district on June 5, 2015 in an ambush.

On May 23 this year, six personnel of the Assam Rifles were killed in an ambush in Chandel.

Also Read: Manipur: IED blast kills 1 in Imphal

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New Delhi :

Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on Saturday said that the judiciary must give directions to executive but without interfering in the governance.

Prasad was speaking at a function in the Supreme Court lawns to celebrate Constitution Day where he stressed that problems will resolve if all organs remember their domain.

Court must give direction if executive fails, but governance must remain with those who are elected to govern. If those nuances are kept in mind then large number of problems that we encounter would be resolved.

ALSO READ: (Differences between judiciary, govt over shortage of judges continue)

I must remind that the Constitution has always given legislation with the legislature and that must be remain preserved with it, he added.

Earlier in the day, Law Minister disagreed with Chief Justice of India TS Thakur on his claim that 500 judges posts are vacant in the high courts.

Justice Thakur on Saturday lashed out at the Narendra Modi-led government over increasing vacancies at various courts and for not providing adequate infrastructure.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
Kolkata:

A rally was taken out by the left parties in West Bengal on Saturday to pay respects to former Cuban President Fidel Castro.

They have also decided to fly the red flag at half mast for three days at their respective offices across the state to pay tribute to the revolutionary leader.

Led by Left Front chairman Biman Bose and CPI(M) state secretary Surya Kanta Mishra, 18 Left parties, including the CPI, CPI(M), All India Forward Bloc, RSP, Communist Party of India-Marxist Leninist (Liberation), took out the rally from the Lenin statue at Esplanade to Ram Lila Maidan at Entally in central Kolkata.

Also Read: 'Why should some people walk barefoot, so that others can travel in luxurious cars?': Remembering Fidel Castro

Condoling the demise of the legendary communist leader, Mishra said, "Fidel Castro will continue to inspire all struggles for social transformation through revolution. He will inspire generations. We salute the relentless fighter."

Cuba's former president and communist icon Castro, who led a rebel army to an improbable victory in his country, died on Friday night in Havana at the age of 90.

Also Read: Vladimir Putin praises former Cuban President and socialist icon Fidel Castro as 'Symbol of an Era'

Once a Left citadel, Bengal and Castro shared a bond as the Cuban had a stopover at the city airport while returning from Hanoi on his way to Cuba in September, 1973.

He was received by the then top communist leaders of Bengal, Jyoti Basu and Promode Dasgupta, at the airport.

Also Read: Former President Fidel Castro's funeral to be held on December 4, says Cuban government

In September 1993, Basu, then the chief minister of West Bengal, had visited Havana, 20 years after Castro's visit to Kolkata, to convey his moral and political support to the Cuban revolution.

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Varanasi:

Central government's demonetisation move has received lavish praise from Samajwadi Party leader Amar Singh.

Terming the decision as a bold and 'courageous experiment, the SP leader went a step further as he claimed that 'proud' to have Narendra Modi as his Prime Minister.

Singh, whose party has slammed Modi for demonetisation, claimed the step has reduced the gap between rich and the poor and now people would pay taxes instead of evading them.

Though it was implemented without "proper arrangements", the sudden implementation of the move helped prevent "adjustment" of black money and unaccounted cash by hoarders, the Rajya Sabha member said on Friday.

Describing the decision as "courageous" experiment to eliminate black money, corruption and fake currency, Singh said he as "a countryman is proud to have such a Prime Minister who is so dedicated and adamant to root out corruption.

"According to him, now the black money hoarders are getting "sleepless nights".

"The people standing in queues outside banks are saying that the Prime Minister has punished all who have amassed huge wealth, whether they are from his party (BJP) or others," he said.

Even people who are facing problems and suffering are saying that they can bear the hardship for some days but will support the Modi-led government's demonetisation scheme to curb corruption, black money and terrorism, Singh said.

"I am not a BJP spokesperson but a SP Rajya Sabha member, whatever the opinion of my party might be on the issue but I have shared my personal view on it," he said.

Also Read: Narendra Modi App demonetisation survey results update: 10 lakh responses in first 100 hrs; 91% of those polled say they don't mind inconvenience

However, he registered his protest against the "mismanagement" in implementing the demonetisation move, saying he was pained to the see people suffering due to it.

"I am not against this scheme, but the government's failure in making proper arrangement before implementing the scheme has only brought sufferings in the lives of common people which has pained each one of us," Singh said..

"What is the purpose of implementing a scheme due to which poor, farmers, small traders and common people have to suffer?" he said.

Singh claimed that due to demonetisation many companies have started reducing their staff to cut their cost.

Raising questions over the app-based survey by the Modi government over demonetisation, in which allegedly majority of people have supported the move, the Rajya Sabha member said there were "doubts" on the survey.

Read Full Coverage: Black Money Crackdown

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DANBURY  Michael Brinckerhoff had just walked the dogs and was about to leave home to buy a new car when his phone rang.

It was someone from the Department of Children and Families. Brinckerhoff was told that a little girl he barely knew, Indigo, needed a home  and that the 5-year-olds mother had told DCF that she wanted her daughter to live with Brinckerhoff.

Brinckerhoff had met Indigos mother at a support group 16 years ago. Years later, when Indigo was 1, Brinckerhoff met the brown-haired, brown-eyed little girl for the first time. Not usually drawn to children, he was smitten. But their paths crossed only one other time, when she was 3.

Then, on Sept. 30, 2014, Brinckerhoff got that call.

Twenty-six hours later, Brinckerhoff and his partner  now fiance  Troy Saunders, went to pick up Indigo at a home in Danbury. Indigo had made a card for them, which was illustrated with a cat, and the words, New Home.

The two men, who hadnt been thinking about having children of their own, took Indigo to Target to buy some necessities: new clothes, a backpack, a lunchbox and a toothbrush. Their guest room became her bedroom.

Two weeks later, Brinckerhoff, an interior designer, told Saunders, Shes staying here; were going to figure this out.

About two months after the couple brought Indigo home, Saunders, a bus supervisor for NYC Transit, said, That little girl has me wrapped right around her finger.

One night, after putting her to bed, Indigo asked Brinckerhoff to turn the light back on.

She looked at me and said, Thank you for taking care of me, I love you, he recalled.

DCFs goal, initially, had been to reunite Indigo with her mother, but when that couldnt happen, the couple began the adoption process.

Indigo, whom they have nicknamed Gogo, would ask if she could stay with them forever and they would respond, We hope so.

On April 4, the trio stood outside the Danbury courthouse in full embrace, surrounded by their families and friends, moments after the adoption became official.

November is National Adoption Month. Every year in Connecticut, DCF and the Judicial Branch finalize hundreds of adoptions - typically 400 to 500 a year.

During the last fiscal year, adoptions were finalized for 465 children  including Indigo  and subsidized guardianship was transferred to 251 children. Transfer of guardianship doesnt require the courts to terminate parental rights and typically involves transferring a child to a relative or someone he or she knows.

DCF Commissioner Joette Katz said the recruitment of families has been re-designed to move away from a general message about the need for adoptive and foster families to one that focuses on a specific child who needs a home.

All around the country, states and counties struggle to achieve results through the conventional marketing recruitment methods that child welfare agencies have always used, Katz said in a statement. But when we focus on finding a family for one child at a time, it really brings a spotlight on the joys and rewards of adopting. The pictures and stories of the individual kids are that compelling.

Since the adoption, Indigo, Brinckerhoff and Saunders have moved into a new house in Danbury  a home they designed together, as a family. Indigos brightly colored artwork adorns the walls, and nestled in the back of the home is her favorite room  her bedroom, bright pink, with a large dollhouse full of Barbies.

This week, the three sat together at home, with Indigo sandwiched between her two dads.

Brinckerhoff, 48, called fatherhood the best thing that ever happened to him.

I feel that I have purpose in life now, Saunders, 50, added. Now I really have something to work toward in life.

Indigo, with an enormous smile bursting across her face, blurted out:

Me.

For more information on how to become an adoptive or foster parent, call 888-KID-HERO or visit ctfosteradopt.com
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NEW MILFORD  Seeing as Marilyn Monroe hadnt used it in more than 50 years, and the towns Homestead Inn got new keys, the key the iconic actress used to get into her favorite room  No. 22  was sold Friday by two resident antique dealers.

We just bought all the keys because people like old hotel keys, said Loretta Kretchko, who co-runs Bob Kretchko Antiques with her husband, Bob. We werent thinking Marilyn.

In 1956, Monroe stayed in the inn while she was dating playwright Arthur Miller, who lived in Roxbury at the time. The two later married.

The Kretchkos purchased the keys two years ago, right before a new owner renovated the inn, Loretta said, and they planned on selling them. Many of the rooms had several sets, which was great for the Kretchkos  more old keys to sell, she said.

But this was the only No. 22 key, Loretta said. (Monroe) always stayed in 22.

Last week, the famed Happy Birthday, Mr. President dress Monroe wore when she serenaded President John F. Kennedy went up for auction in Los Angeles and garnered $4.8 million. The Kretchkos thought they should get in on the Monroe act, Loretta said, so they posted the key with its little mid-20th-century fob on eBay.

They put the starting price around $25, she said. Since it was really a New Milford item, they decided to donate 10 percent of whatever the key brought in to First Congregational Churchs food pantry.

If you dont have $4.8 million for her dress, this is the next best thing, Bob wrote on eBay.

The key sold Friday morning for $131 to a person in New Jersey, Loretta said.

While she would have liked the key to go for more  more money for the pantry, she said  she was happy it found a new home.

The Homestead Inn has had its share of famous guests over the years, including Joseph and Rose Kennedy, who stayed in New Milford while their future-president son, John, was an eighth-grader at the Canterbury School.

blytton@hearstmediact.com; 203-731-3411; @bglytton
Marxist leader still smitten by a handshake with Fidel

West Bengal,National,Politics, Sat, 26 Nov 2016 IANS

Kolkata, Nov 26 (IANS) Almost four decades back a young Marxist from Bengal had the moment of his life. After running through slushy fields, and eluding big, burly bodyguards, it was a brief handshake with Cuban revolutionary leader Fidel Castro that now veteran CPI-M leader Shyamal Chakraborty cherishes even today.

The year was 1978; the occasion - World Youth Festival at the Cuban capital Havana. Chakraborty was part of a group of young leaders from India who attended the event as delegates.

"It was the last day of the festival. I remember a camp fire had been organised for the delegates at the venue Lenin Park. I and some other delegates were walking when suddenly we heard a commotion behind. Some people were shouting 'Fidel, Fidel'.

"We turned around. A jeep passed us and halted at a distance. We could see the hazy visage of Castro. Immediately, we started running. I remember it had rained that day. But we were desperate to get close to the revolutionary leader. We crossed the slushy fields on to the road.

"Two-three of us managed to go near him and shook hands with him. Somen Mitra (now a veteran leader of the Congress) was also among the lucky ones. But soon, Castro's bodyguards rushed in and removed us from the spot.

"I still recall neither of us washed our right hand or used it to eat dinner that night. it was an unbelievable feeling," Chakraborty, now a senior trade union leader, recalled during a chat with IANS.

The fleeting moments helped to erase the disappointment of not getting to see Castro in person some years back in Kolkata.

"He had made a brief stopover at Dum Dum Airport in 1973. The police did not allow me to enter the airport. Only our top leaders like Jyoti Basu and Promod Dasgupta went inside and spent some time with him," said Chakraborty, a former state minister and Rajya Sabha member.

Asked to spell out his emotions at Castro's death, Chakraborty said: "He was a true revolutionary leader. He was the inspiration and guardian of later day Left regimes in the American continent. From the Sandinistas of Nicaragua to Hugo Chavez of Venezuela, all looked up to him for guidancea.

"He stood as a wall against capitalism. He worked tirelessly to consolidate alternative trade between Latin American nations," he added.

--IANS

ssp/vd
Militants attack army base in Pakistan

Pakistan,Indo-Pak/Pakistan,Defence/Security,Terrorism, Sat, 26 Nov 2016 IANS

Islamabad, Nov 26 (IANS) Pakistan's army on Saturday said that a mosque was targeted at an army facility in northwest Pakistan, resulting in a shootout in which four of the attackers and two soldiers died.

The army said in a statement that 14 soldiers were wounded in the suicide attack, claimed by a faction of the Pakistani Taliban, Jamaat-ul-Ahrar, on Ghalani Camp in the Mohmand tribal region bordering Afghanistan.

It said the attackers wanted to enter the camp and started shooting after they reached the mosque, where residents and a large number of recruits were present.

--IANS

ahm/
USS Zumwalt (DDG-1000) is pier side following an engineering casualty the ship suffered transiting the Panama Canal. The guided missile destroyer will undergo repairs at a former U.S. naval station until its fit to complete its journey to Naval Station San Diego, Calif., U.S. 3rd Fleet spokesman Cmdr. Ryan Perry told USNI News.

The ship was in the midst of a southbound transit through the canal when it suffered the casualty, Under orders from U.S. 3rd Fleet commander Vice Adm. Nora Tyson, Zumwalt is now stopped for repairs at the former U.S. Naval Station Rodman

A defense official told USNI News on Tuesday the repairs could take up to ten days.

The ship lost propulsion in its port shaft during the transit and the crew saw water intrusion in two of the four bearings that connect to Zumwalts port and starboard Advanced Induction Motors (AIMs) to the drive shafts, a defense official told USNI News on Tuesday. The AIMs are the massive electrical motors that are driven by the ships gas turbines and in turn electrically power the ships systems and drive the shafts.

Before the casualty, the ship was set to arrive in San Diego by the end of the year and start weapon system activation period before joining the fleet as an operational warship sometime in 2018.

Zumwalt is the first of three in the $22-billion class. Michael Monsoor (DDG-1001) and Lyndon B. Johnson (DDG-1002) are currently under construction at BIW.
You might think bears are gigantic, marauding beasts who don't need anyone's help - and you'd be right, for the most part.

Most bears are quite vicious - if you attack them or come into their territory - but if they happen to wander into a cesspit with the intention of chowing down on a nearby chicken farm, then it gets a little bit more complicated.

Construction workers in Turkey had to be called in to help the bear out of the pit in order for it to survive. It's understood the bear fell into the cesspit - a septic tank, essentially - and was discovered by the owners who then contacted authorities and began rescue efforts.

Take a look.

As you can see, it was a little em-bear-assing for the bear and he quickly ran off into the woods.

Yes, we got a bear pun in there and no, we're not sorry.

Via Streamable
Carnival of Space 484 is up at Everyday Spacer

Universe Today  New Theory of Gravity Does Away With Need for Dark Matter

Unlike the traditional view of gravity as a fundamental force of nature, Verlinde sees it as an emergent property of space. Emergence is a process where nature builds something large using small, simple pieces such that the final creation exhibits properties that the smaller bits dont. Take a snowflake. The complex symmetry of a snowflake begins when a water droplet freezes onto a tiny dust particle. As the growing flake falls, water vapor freezes onto this original crystal, naturally arranging itself into a hexagonal (six-sided) structure of great beauty. The sensation of temperature is another emergent phenomenon, arising from the motion of molecules and atoms.

The more massive the object, the more it distorts space-time, shown here as the green mesh. Earth orbits the Sun by rolling around the dip created by the Suns mass in the fabric of space-time. It doesnt fall into the Sun because it also possesses forward momentum. Credit: LIGO/T. Pyle

Universe Today  Pluto Has a Subsurface Antifreeze Ocean

This cutaway image of Pluto shows a section through the area of Sputnik Planitia, with dark blue representing a subsurface ocean and light blue for the frozen crust. Artwork by Pam Engebretson, courtesy of UC Santa Cruz.

Nextbigfuture  Space entrepreneur Robert Bigelow said Nov. 17 that he believes that the Trump administration should as much as double NASAs budget in the coming years and make plans for a human return to the moon.

The Obama administration, in its fiscal year 2017 budget proposal, requested $19 billion for NASA, less than half a percent of the overall request of more than $4 trillion.

Nextbigfuture  NASA is requesting help to minimize the production, operations, and maintenance (POM) costs of the Space Launch System (SLS), Orion, and Exploration Ground Systems (EGS).

SLS rocket and Orion spacecraft are costing more than $3 billion per year in development costs.

The request would also look at other launch systems. Clearly Spacex offers a lower cost alternative

This request is likely a signal to the Trump administration that NASA is willing to look at other rockets instead of the ridiculously overpriced Space Launch System.

Nextbigfuture  Planetary Resources, Inc., the asteroid mining company, announced today that it has finalized a 25 million euro agreement that includes direct capital investment of 12 million euros and grants of 13 million euros from the Government of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg and the banking institution Societe Nationale de Credit et dInvestissement (SNCI). The funding will accelerate the companys technical advancements with the aim of launching the first commercial asteroid prospecting mission by 2020.
Japans Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry will spend 19.5 billion yen ($173 million) to build a 130 petaflop supercomputer in 2017. It will be called the AI Bridging Cloud Infrastructure (ABCI).

The US is also planning to build a 200-250 petaflop supercomputer dedicated for Artificial intelligence in 2017

ABCI will be an open innovation platform with computing resources of more than hundred petaflops for world-class AI R and D. Through industry and academia collaboration, Algorithms, Big Data, and Computing Power will be leveraged in a single common public platform.

ABCI will rapidly accelerate the deployment of AI into real businesses and society.

It will offer extreme computing power with more than hundred petaflops tailored for AI, ML (Machine Learning) and DL (Deep Learning)

With deployment planned for the AIST facility at the Kashiwa Campus of the University of Tokyo, the machine will be constrained by power and available space. The AIST design document calls for extreme energy efficiency in the 3 Megawatt machine with a PUE rating of 1.1. With additional budget, power, and space, Matsuoka claims the architecture could scale to 2 Exaflops at just 30 Megawatts.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has called for companies, bureaucrats and the political class to work more closely together so Japan can win in robotics, batteries, renewable energy and other new and growing markets.

Cloud Infrastructure

Big Data and HPC integrated in modern design for advanced data analytics, scientific simulation, etc.

Ultra high bandwidth and low latency in memory, network and storage for accelerating various AI workloads

Open hardware and software architecture with accelerator support based on commodity devices

Wide-ranging Big Data and HPC standard software stacks for cloud ecosystem

Multi-petabyte-class shareable big data storage for AI R and D collaboration

Advanced cloud-based operation including dynamic deployment, container based virtualized provisioning, multitenant partitioning, automatic failure recovery, etc
High-pressure silicates can incorporate water as OH-defects into their crystal structures, with some major consequences for their physical properties. Minerals within the transition region of the mantle from 410-660 km depth could contain the majority of our planets water and acted to control surface waters over geologic time.

Researchers have found the first direct evidence for water-bearing fluids in the uppermost lower mantle from natural ferropericlase crystal contained within a diamond from Sao Luiz, Brazil. The ferropericlase exhibits exsolution of magnesioferrite, which places the origin of this assemblage in the uppermost part of the lower mantle. The presence of bruciteMg(OH)2 precipitates in the ferropericlase crystal reflects the later-stage quenching of H2O-bearing fluid likely in the transition zone, which has been trapped during the inclusion process in the lower mantle. Dehydration melting may be one of the key processes involved in transporting water across the boundary between the upper and lower mantle.

 Direct evidence for water-bearing fluids in the uppermost lower mantle.

 Exsolution of magnesioferrite from ferropericlase starts in the lower mantle.

 Brucite precipitates reflect the later-stage quenching of H2O-bearing fluids trapped in the lower mantle.

 Dehydration melting is a key process in transport of water across the 660 km discontinuity.

Analysis of a mineral inclusion in a 90-million-years-old diamond revealed that the Earths mantle might hide a lot more water than we believed, buried as deep as 1,000 kilometers below the surface.

Water exists far deeper in the Earth than scientists previously thought. Mookherjee and Andreas Hermann from the University of Edinburgh estimate that in the deep Earthroughly 400 to 600 kilometers into the mantlewater is stored and transported through a high-pressure polymorph of the mineral brucite.

Previously, scientists thought brucite was not thermodynamically stable that deep in the Earth. This opens up a Pandoras Box for us, Mookherjee said. this discovery of a new high-pressure phase of brucite indicates that water could be efficiently transported to far deeper realms without decomposition.

PNAS  High-pressure phase of brucite stable at Earths mantle transition zone and lower mantle conditions

Significance  High-pressure phase of brucite stable at Earths mantle transition zone and lower mantle conditions

Hydrous minerals help transport water deep into Earths mantle, and form part of a cycle that regulates the sustained presence of surface water on Earth. To understand the deep-water cycle, it is crucial to study the properties of hydrous minerals under the conditions present in Earths mantle. Brucite is one of the simplest hydrous minerals and stores significant amounts of water as hydroxyl groups. It is assumed to decompose in the mantle transition zone, but we show here that a more compact high-pressure phase is stabilized instead that pushes the stability region of brucite into the lower mantle. Brucite might be present in much larger quantities, and play a larger role in water transport and storage, than previously thought.

Abstract  High-pressure phase of brucite stable at Earths mantle transition zone and lower mantle conditions

We investigate the high-pressure phase diagram of the hydrous mineral brucite, Mg(OH)2, using structure search algorithms and ab initio simulations. We predict a high-pressure phase stable at pressure and temperature conditions found in cold subducting slabs in Earths mantle transition zone and lower mantle. This prediction implies that brucite can play a much more important role in water transport and storage in Earths interior than hitherto thought. The predicted high-pressure phase, stable in calculations between 20 and 35 GPa and up to 800 K, features MgO6 octahedral units arranged in the anataseTiO2 structure. Our findings suggest that brucite will transform from a layered to a compact 3D network structure before eventual decomposition into periclase and ice. We show that the high-pressure phase has unique spectroscopic fingerprints that should allow for straightforward detection in experiments. The phase also has distinct elastic properties that might make its direct detection in the deep Earth possible with geophysical methods.

Water exists one-third of the way to the Earths core. A 90 million year old diamond from a volcano near the Sao Luiz river in Juina, Brazil has a sealed inclusion, an imperfection in the stone. It contains minerals trapped by the forming diamond.

Through infrared microscopy, scientists analyzing the material found it included hydroxyl ions in its chemical make-up, a compound usually formed from water molecules. And there were a lot of these ions present in the inclusion.

They found it was mainly composed of ferropericlase, a mixture of iron and magnesium oxide which can absorb some other metals, such as chromium, aluminum, and titanium, in the extremely hot and pressurized environment of the lower mantle. Jacobsen found that these extra metals had separated from the ferropericlase, a phenomena that can only take place in milder conditions as the diamond inches towards the surface. Based on the composition, they estimate the inclusion formed at around 1,000 kilometers deep. The inclusion was sealed in the diamond since the beginning, and for the metals to be present at all, it had to have originated in the lower mantle. That means the water signature can only come from the lower mantle.

Ringwoodite is polymorphous with forsterite, (Mg)2SiO4, and has a spinel structure. Spinel group minerals crystallize in the isometric system with an octahedral habit. Olivine is most abundant in the upper mantle, above about 410 km (250 mi); the olivine polymorphs wadsleyite and ringwoodite are thought to dominate the transition zone of the mantle, a zone present from about 410 to 660 km depth.

Ringwoodite is thought to be the most abundant mineral phase in the lower part of Earths transition zone. The physical and chemical property of this mineral partly determine properties of the mantle at those depths. The pressure range for stability of ringwoodite lies in the approximate range from 18 to 23 GPa.

An ultra-deep diamond found in Juina, Mato Grosso in western Brazil, contained inclusions of ringwooditethe only known sample of natural terrestrial originthus providing evidence of significant amounts of water as hydroxide in the Earths mantle. The gemstone, about 5mm long, was blasted up from the depths by a diatreme eruption. The ringwoodite inclusion is too small to see with the eye. The mantle reservoir is found to contain about three times more water, in the form of hydroxide contained within the wadsleyite and ringwoodite crystal structure, than the Earths oceans combined

Japanese and other researchers also are helping illuminate the deep water cycle
ATLANTIC SKIES: Stellar asterisms  eye-catching pretenders to the constellation throne and just part of the bigger picture

Most everyone, or at least most amateur astronomers, are familiar with the constellations in the night sky to some degree. Many, however, may not be familiar with the numerous asterisms in the night sky. What is the difference between a constellation ...
Mr Bagudu Hirse, former Minister of State (Foreign Affairs), who was abducted by gunmen in Kaduna on Sunday, Nov. 20, has regained his fre...

Mr Bagudu Hirse, former Minister of State (Foreign Affairs), who was abducted by gunmen in Kaduna on Sunday, Nov. 20, has regained his freedom, his brother, Mr John Hirse, has confirmed.Bagudu was released in the early hours of Saturday, John, retired permanent secretary in the federal civil service and currently District Head of Mangu, in Plateau, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), in Jos on Saturday.He said that the former minister washale and hearty, and thanked Nigerians for the prayers and words of encouragement during the tying period.May God reward everyone who stood by us during the tough period, he said.John, however, did not give further details, and also refused to comment over whether a ransom was paid to the abductors.Bagudu was abducted by gunmen at the Kaduna residence of Ambassador Mamman Daura, where he had gone to condole the family over the death of the former Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji ibrahim Dasuki.
Senator representing Bayelsa East senatorial district, Ben Murray-Bruce has said that the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, created wealth wh...

As a Nigerian, if you want wealth for your children and for yourself, here is the solution - starting in Rivers State. Watch and RT. pic.twitter.com/TNRmBpyjnq November 25, 2016

Senator representing Bayelsa East senatorial district, Ben Murray-Bruce has said that the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, created wealth while in power. He said that Nigerians never heard of recession, inconclusive elections nor huge sums of money to be borrowed as loan which the present administration is guilty of. As a Nigerian, if you want wealth for your children and for yourself, here is the solution  starting in Rivers State.
Members of the major political parties in the ongoing Ondo State governorship election have accused one another of inducing voters with mo...

Members of the major political parties in the ongoing Ondo State governorship election have accused one another of inducing voters with money.It was observed that members of the All Progressives Congress, the Peoples Democratic Party and the Alliance for Democracy were giving money to voters at most polling centres visited across the state.Some polling units in Odigbo, Okitipupa and Ilaje local governments areas were given N450,000 while each voter got between N3,000 and N5,000.
The police yesterday declared its readiness for todays governorship election in Ondo State with the deployment of 22 armoured vehicles,...

The police yesterday declared its readiness for todays governorship election in Ondo State with the deployment of 22 armoured vehicles, 20 gunboats, 2 helicopters.The Deputy Inspector-General of Police in charge of Operations, Joshak Habila, said anyone found inducing voters with money would be arrested, no matter how highly placed.The DIG, who is the ground commander-in-charge of Ondo governorship election, said every arrangement had been made to ensure there were no security breaches.Habila is being assisted by two Assistant Inspectors-General of Police Paul Okafor of Zone 11 and E. S. Saha of the Air Wing.Each senatorial zone is headed by a commissioner of police.The DIG said over 26,000 policemen had been deployed to ensure a smooth election.According to him, there are 3,009 polling units, each to be manned by at least five policemen to be assisted by men of sister agencies such as the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), the army, among others.He said the 203 wards in the state would be adequately policed.He said: The IGP in his magnanimity has given us over 20 gunboats which will take care of the riverine areas. We also have our horses and sniffer dogs that will be used when the need arises.Two helicopters have been provided that will take care of the airspace and for surveillance. We have 344 hilux vehicles. More are coming.We have 12 additional armoured personnel carriers in addition to the 10 that were on ground.Habila said no one should go near a polling unit with more than N5,000. This, he said, is a way of checking voter inducement.Our men are motivated to do their job. Were appealing to Ondo people to come out en masse to cast their votes for the candidates of their choice.Were warning anyone who may have any negative thoughts to perish it because they will surely meet their waterloo, he said.He said his men were working in harmony with INEC to ensure that materials got to polling units on time and in safety.The Ondo State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Femi Johnson, added that an inter-agency security committee was set up to ensure maximum security.He said the DIG met with the Military Brigade Commander, 32 Artillery, as well as Controllers of Prisons, Immigration, the Department of State Services Director, among others.All the sister agencies are working together and supporting one another to ensure a hitch-free election, he said.He said there would be intensive stop-and-search of vehicles travelling through the highways, such as the Benin-Ore Road, which he said would not be completely locked down.He said there would be restriction of movement within the state as from 12 am yesterday until about 8pm today to ensure there were no infiltrators.Most times we have discovered that elections will dovetail till 8pm or later and you see people misbehaving while the election processes are still ongoing. That is why we appeal to our people to cooperate with us.The Inspector-General of Police has done everything that is required to ensure a hitch-free election. Anything that has to do with security is already in place, he said.Also yesterday, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared its readiness to conduct a hitch-free governorship election in the state.
The simultaneous accreditation and voting innovation adopted by INEC commenced on Saturday as voters gathered at polling units across Ondo...

The simultaneous accreditation and voting innovation adopted by INEC commenced on Saturday as voters gathered at polling units across Ondo State to choose their next governor.Reports have it that there was calm in Ondo West Local Government Area of the state as some voters were sighted queuing up to vote.As at 7:30 am, some residents were seen Boloerunduro, Owena, Oboto, Elemosho, Wasinmi and Ondo heading to polling units while there was heavy presence of security men at various check points.At Ward 7, Unit 20 in Ondo, voters were already at the polling unit although INEC staff were not yet at their duty post.Speaking at Ward 9 Unit 6,Ondo, a resident, Mr Sola Ajakaiye, commended government and INEC for putting in place adequate security measures to ensure peaceful election.In Igboroko Ward 2, Polling Unit 2, Owo, the Presiding Officer, Miss Busayo Olawale, said all logistics had been put in place to ensure a hitch-free poll.Similarly, at Igboroko Ward 2,Polling Unit 8,the Assistant Presiding Officer ,Mr Amos Ogunbodede, noted that the unit was only waiting for the starting time to commence the electoral process. In the same vein, Mr Fumen Nuhu, the Presiding Officer of Igboroko Ward 2,Polling Unit1, said that all logistic arrangement had been made.Voters were sighted casting their votes at Igboroko Ward 2,Unit1. However, at Ijebu Ward 4,Unit 9,the voters were disappointed because the card reader was not functioning as at 8:51 a.m. Speaking, the units presiding officer, Miss Osidi Safia, said that the device would be repaired within five minutes.There was also a heavy presence of security personnel in all the polling units visited. In Akure, accreditation and voting also commenced simultaneously at Ward 4 Unit 12 and Obanla Badas House Unit 006 Ward 04.Some security agents as well independent observers were also sighted while voters were on the queue to ensure a smooth electoral process. Also voting commenced at 8:11 a.m. at Unit 9 Ward 2, Sacred Heart Primary school 1 in Akure South Local Government Area.Speaking, Mr Bello Ameen, the Presiding Officer, said all the materials were set and working perfectly. He urged the voters not to panic if the card reader did not recognise any of the fingers as they would still be allowed to vote.No fewer than 1,280,580 voters with Permanent Voter Cards would decide who the governor would be out of the 28 contestants in Saturdays governorship election. Although 1,659,186 voters were registered for the election, 378,606 did not turn up to collect their PVCs.Among the major contestants are Mr Eyitayo Jegede of the PDP, Chief Rotimi Akeredolu of the APC, Dr Olu Agunloye of the Social Democratic Party and Olusola Oke of the Alliance for Democracy. Others include the candidate of the Accord Party, Mr Oladare Amuda, Mr Yinka Orokoto of the Action Alliance, the candidate of the Allied Congress Party of Nigeria and Chief Adetuwo Ogunjumelo.Also in the race are the candidate of the Citizens Popular Party, Mr Peter Fasua, the candidate of the Labour Party, Adeuti Stephen and the candidate of the Peoples Party of Nigeria, Mrs Temidola Olagbegi.
Good day and welcome to NigerianEye 's live update of the Ondo State Governorship Election .

Ondo State Governorship Election

DAY 2: CLICK HERE FOR UPDATES ON THE RESULT ANNOUNCEMENT AT INEC HEADQUARTERS

APC candidate Akeredolu wins ward with high margin.

APC 413. PDP 13. AD 4.

The candidate of the Alliance for Democracy, Chief Olusola Oke is leading in some units in Ward 1, Igbodigo in Okitipupa Local Government Area. His supporters were seen jubilating already.

Mimko wins his polling unit; Ward 07, Unit 20 Ondo west LGA

Jegede wins his polling Ward2..Unit 9 Akure South LGA.

Vote buying going in PU28/06/03/011, POLICE QUARTERS - NR. WOSEM CHURCH, GBOGI/ISIKAN II, AKURE SOUTH

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DSS arrests (APC) Akeredolu 's Media Aide, Yemi Olowolabi, at Unit 2, Ward 3,Okeijebu,Idanre for sharing money at a polling booth

Card reader rejects Governor Mimiko

PU: 28/06/11/026 Owode/Imuagun Akure Incidences of vote buying by party agents have been reported

PU28/06/04/006, Ijomu/Obanla, Akure South. APC Party agents engage in vote buying but @PoliceNG have intervened

PU: 28/14/12/008-009 Serious vote buying with PVC's being held by the party agents.

Voting has been disrupted in Ago Yeye Polling Unit, Oba Road due to actions of APC agents





pic.twitter.com/BqLtqr9SIi Breaking! People chasing away APC chairman, ward 2, Akure while trying to buy votes at Arakale #OndoDecides November 26, 2016





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Jinadu Rd. RAC ll Okitipupa Polling booth position not protecting secrecy of ballot as agents watches vote

Massive vote buying in PU28/06/04/019, ADO ROAD- TESTING GROUND, IJOMU/OBANLA, AKURE SOUTH

Vote buying and money inducement in PU28/18/03/017, Igboroko, Owo. Police and security should intervene - Situation Room

Thugs have overwhelmed officials of in PU28/08/05/001, Ijomu/Isurin, Idanre. @PoliceNG and DSS should intervene

Card Reader problem at PU28/14/01/005, Okitipupa. Voting has stopped

Vote buying going on in PU28/06/02/030, GBOGI/ISIKAN I, Akure South by party agents. More security agents needed

Voters in PU28/05/11/002, Oke-Afa/Owode, Akure North LGA are induced/forced to vote for PDP by party agents

PDP's governorship candidate in the election, Eyitayo Jegede, arrives at his polling unit with his wife





Candidate of the SDP, Dr. Olu Agunloye, casting his vote





Good day and welcome to's live update of theAbout 28 political parties and their candidates are contesting in the election. However, four of the parties are tipped as serious contenders. The candidates areSDP.10:15NO announcement from INEC headquarters in Akure where party representatives, officials and journalists are gathered. With the look of things, many speculate that result announcement at the headquarters will begin tomorrow morning.10:10Ondo election: Unofficial results show Akeredoulu of APC in early leadUnofficial results coming in from Ondo State in the ongoing governorship election in the state show that Rotimi Akeredolu of the All Progressives Congress is currently in early lead.According to the result available from some polling units, Aketi, as Akeredolu is fondly called is leading his close challengers, Eyitayo Jegede of the Peoples Democratic Party and Olusola Oke of the Alliance for Democracy.The results below.Ode Aye Polling Unit 18APC  107,AD  87,PDP  31Gbogi/Isinkan Unit 3AD-20PDP-41APC-40Iditala camp 1:AD 8,PDP 6,APC 25Iju oke camp:AD 15,PDP 7,APC 39Ward 10 polling unit 4 in Akungba LGAACCORD 6AD 76APC 192LP 16NUPN 3PDP 115SDP 41Elegiri/Ifedore Ward 11Unit 09APC 23PDP 37AD 6PPA 1Igbara Oke Ward 1. Ayegbo compoundPDP 24APC 44AD 34Ward 6 unit 1, Akure South, Ilekun Oda Road.AD 44,PDP 50,APC 53LAGBOJA UNIT 010 ODE AYE WARD2APC 77,AD 68,PDP 91Iju oke camp:AD 15,PDP 7,APC 39Ward 6 unit 1, Akure South, Ilekun Oda RoadAD 44,PDP 50,APC 53.Akoko North East, Ilepa ward 2APC:76PDP:30AD:26SDP:15VOID:13Ondo ward 4 unit 0016AAPC  52,AD  58,PDP  42Iyere Owo ward10 unit 9PDP. 24AD, 6APC-136Ileoluji ward4 unit 3 resultsAD 49PDP 94APC 152Igbo-Oja, Unit 3 in Ondo East LG.PDP  316APC  88AD  82PDC  01Ondo west UNIT 35AD  15APC  17PDP  66Akoko NW ward 1:APC 1,121;AD 688;PDP 375;SDP 606PU 014, Ward 02, near Water CooperationAPC 81AD 32PDP 65Akoko North-west ward 1APC :1,121AD :688PDP: 375SDP: 606------------------------------------------------------------10:00pmResults are still being collated in various local governments. No local government result has been announced at the INEC headquarters in Akure where party representatives, officials and journalists are gathered.----------------------------------------------------------------9:00pmSSG Loses Polling Unit As Akeredolu Wins UnitAPC governorship candidate in the Ondo State election, Chief Rotimi Akeredolu won convincingly in his own unit, Unit 6, Ward 5 at Oke Ijebu Owo.His party, APC, polled 413; PDP 13 and AD 4 votesSecretary to State Government (SSG), Dr Aderotimi Adelola, however lost his own unit to APC at Unit 007 Ayesan Ward located at St Peter Pry School Araromi Obu, Odigbo Local Govt.APC scored 113 votes, AD 79 while PDP got 73.----------------------------------------------------------8:55pmBelow is our compilation of unofficial results filtering in from different parts of the state:- The candidate of the Alliance for Democracy (AD), Olusola Oke has pulled off a surprise win in Ilaje area of Ondo with massive votes.Check it out:Mahin 11, Unit 1, Ilaje: AD 29, APC 9, LP 1, PDP 1Mahin 11, unit 2, Ilaje: AD 26, APC 14, LP 1, PDP 5Mahin 11, unit 5, Ilaje: AD 96, APC 7, LP 1, PDP 9Mahin 11, unit 7, Ilaje: AD 59, APC 15, LP 1, PDP 18Mahin 11, unit 18, Ilaje: AD 60, APC 34, LP 1, PDP 8Mahin 11, unit 19, Ilaje: AD 98, APC 34, LP 1, PDP 8,Mahin 6, Ilaje: AD 60, APC 24, LP 1, PDP 21Mahin 7, Ilaje: AD 64, APC 46, LP 1, PDP 31Mahin 8, Ilaje: AD 44, APC, 39, LP 1, PDP 10------------------------------------------------------------------------7:20pmFlash: Unusual happening at OndoWest ward 10, collation centre, as policemen are preventing people from monitoring collation-----------------------------------------------------------------7:05pmAkure, the capital of Ondo State, remains calm and devoid of any crisis or celebration as the people await the declaration of the just concluded governorship election in the state.----------------------------------------------------------------7:00pmEmerging trend: APC has most 2nd place results in PDP & AD's strongholds. PDP & AD rotate 2nd & 3rd places at APC's strongholds-----------------------------------------------------------------5:52FLASH: @inecnigeria noted 96% punctuality in today's #OndoDecides election across the state. Commission will start releasing results at 3 AM---------------------------------------------------------------------5:30DSS invades the home of Akinwunmi Sowore, a former LGA Chair of Ese-Odo and AD Chieftain in Ondo State.He was later whisked away by the DSS.---------------------------------------------------------------5:05Owo LGA Uso/Emure-ile Ward 11 unit 5 PDP: 125 APC: 25 AD: 20.---------------------------------------------------------------4:55pmThugs and malfunction of card readers plagued Omotoso, units 18 and 19, ward 3, Okitipupa Local Government Area.Officials said for two hours, the machine refused to read the cards. The voters waited for hours until INEC deployed a technical personnel to fix the problem.Thugs came troubling the units, but the police was called in to ward them off.Just as counting was about to start, the thugs returned and the police had to be called in again.Makinde: Counting of votes at Unit 10 Igbodigo in Okitipupa LGDSP Abubakar confirmed that 2 persons have been arrested while trying to snatch a ballot box at PU28/14/03/002,OkitipupaOlugbon: Cancellation of unused ballot papers at ward 2, unit 9, Gbogi/Isikan 1, Akure southTotal Records:555Sorting of ballot papers & counting commenced at Araromi/Ifon Farm Settlement, OSE LG.Presiding officer at Ward 8, PU016 Near Poly gate Owo LGA counting votes at 2.13pmPU: 28/17/06/007 Accreditation & Voting completed at Araromi/Ifon Farm, OSE LGA. Counting yet to startSorting and counting has commenced in unit 002, Oke/Afa, ItaogboluThe card reader at Unit 27, Ward 7, Ademulegun/Kola Rewire, has difficulty accessing many of the voters thumbs. This has slowed down the voting.The INEC officials also complained that the battery of the one card reader they have is fast running out.However, all party agents said they are okay with use of the incident form for voters whose fingerprints were rejected by the card readers.PU: 28/05/09/002 Oba-Ile Akure North Voters are being served Snacks by some party agents to influence voting decisions.At PU28/12/05/002, Iyansan/Omi, Irele APC agent have reportedly engaged in vote buying. Also in PU28/06/04/006, Ijomu/Obanla, Akure South, APC party agents are engaging in vote buying but police have intervened.PDP Officials at PU: 28/06/11/26 Owode Imuagun Akure South were seen fighting over moneyAPC candidate, Rotimi Akeredolu after casting his voteThe Deputy Governor of Ondo, Mr. Lasisi Oluboyo has accused the All Progressives Congress of wooing the voters with money in the ongoing state governorship election.Electoral observers at a jetty in Ugbonla-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------PU014 Okeraye/Aye Rd. Okitipupa1. Failure of card reader, no backups, 23 incidences registered.Others unregisteredEyitayo Jegede asked his supporters not to leave their polling units after casting their votes alleging that plans were ongoing to disenfranchise his supporters.Ward 01 PU 002. All present have voted. INEC officials are idle, waiting for the 2pm poll Closing time to count votes.Polling officials waiting for voters to show up at Ile-Oluji Ward 01 PU 002- Voters chase away APC chairman while trying to buy votes at Arakale----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Some men were arrested at PU28/16/11/002, Okelisa Okedoko/Ogbodu, Ondo West, trying to disrupt the processPDP candidate, Eyitayo Jegede and his wife being accredited and casting their votes at Ward 2, unit 9, Gbogi/Isinkan 1: Olusola Oke, the AD governorship candidate, votes. He said he is confident of victory because Ondo people have been yearning for genuine change.His unit 5, at Ilowo Ilaje ward 3 was peaceful and the turn out was impressive.-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------: There is chaos at Ilaje as Card reader at unit 13, Ido Ogba ward 2, Ilaje registers 300 voters before arriving polling unit.Residents have arrested the INEC officials there vowing to keep them until they rectify the anomaly.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------The candidate of, during a phone-in interview on Alaba FM said he got reports of card readers preloaded with about 300 votes at Idi Ogba. Alagbon, Oke Igba. He said this is becoming a trend across the state.PU28/17/12/007, Ute Ward, Ose. Man caught impersonating as a NCP party agentMore Photos from the Ondo State Governorship Election 2016Party member allegedly tries to canvas votes, induce police on election day (Video)Voters expressed frustration over faulty card reader at unit 10 Agbabu Ward in Odigbo LGAParty agents have overwhelmed @inecnigeria officials in PU28/03/05/003, Ipe II Ward, Akoko South East. @PoliceNG please interveneVoters on the queue at Unit 1 ward 10 Agbabu 1. ODIGBO LGThe Resident Electoral Commissioner in Ondo State,Segun Agbaje, says the turnout of people across the state has been impressive, adding that card readers which malfunctioned will be replaced with the extra ones provided for the polling units.Accreditation and Voting have begun Baptist Day school unit 8 Ward 10, Erusu Akoko, Akoko North West LGAVoting commences at Baptist Day school unit 8 Ward 10, Erusu Akoko, Akoko North West LGAVoters queue to perform their civil responsibilities at Oba Adesida road ward 11, unit 1,Accreditation and voting have Orita Odigbo in Odigbo Local Government Area of Ondo StateAccreditation and voting have started in some polling units in Oba Akoko, Akungba Akoko, Arigidi Akoko, Ikare, Ugbe Akokoto supporters this morning, "I am a lawyer.I know it's wrong now to campaign. So, I won't do that.All I will say is that you troop out and vote and be orderly. Don't lose your vote."PU 13 Akure South, Ward 2, Gbogi Isikan 1, 721 Reg Voters28/18/08/11 Owo LGA / Isaipen Ward / Sadibo/Fagboyegun INEC Officials arrived and setting up of cubicle-----------------------------------------------------INEC officials have arrived at unit two, Oba-ile Second gate, Akure North Local government with all electoral materials and security officials on ground.Unit 03 Oba-ile road, mobile filling station. All materials are here also. Total number of registered voters here are 1026.Officials just arrived PU28/06/07/007, Odopetu Akure South. However, Police personnel not present at the moment.INEC officials and electoral materials already at Oba-Ile Second Gate Unit 2, Akure. Security operatives are also available here. Few voters are trickling to do accreditation.
elias copy.jpg

Evesham Township Police Det. Richard Hernandez is seen with K-9 Elias in this undated photo. Elias, now in retirement, died suddenly on Thanksgiving Day, police said. (Evesham Township Police Facebook Page)

EVESHAM TWP. -- Members of the Evesham Police Department are mourning the sudden Thanksgiving Day death of a retired K-9.

Elias, 12 years old, died on Thursday, according to a post on the department's Facebook page.

"K-9 Elias, rendered more than eight years of dedicated and efficient service to the Evesham Police Department and community," the post said. "He will be greatly missed by handler Detective Richard Hernandez, his family, and the men and women of the Evesham Police Department."

According to police, Elias, a German shepherd, began service with the department in December 2005 and retired in 2014, going to live with his handler, Hernandez.

The website Memorials to Fallen K-9s says Elias was credited with 100 arrests during his career.

Among them was a 2012 arrest where two suspects were captured more than a mile from a service station they allegedly attempted to blow up, according to the Memorials site. The pair were said to have assaulted police officers before Elias subdued them.

In 2007, he is credited with stopping a suspect from re-entering a house where a suspect had allegedly assaulted his former wife in front of their children.

On his last day of service in 2014, Elias helped make a big arrest. The Evesham police Facebook page says Hernandez and Elias were assisting the Willingboro Police Department on a vehicle stop and Elias' sense there were drugs in the car lead to the vehicle impoundment and the discovery of a large amount of pot and a semi-automatic handgun.

The postings only said the K-9's death was sudden, but did not elaborate further.

Bill Gallo Jr. may be reached at bgallo@njadvancemedia.com. Follow Bill Gallo Jr. on Twitter @bgallojr. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
NEWARK -- During a groundbreaking ceremony last week for a 22-story apartment tower across the street from the New Jersey Performing Arts Center, Newark Mayor Ras Baraka said the building would "turn this area completely around." Former Gov. Thomas H. Kean called the $116 million project, "a building block to bring back the greatest city in the state."



Known as One Theater Square, the tower helps fulfill a requirement by the state that housing be developed in the area surrounding NJPAC, which was completed in 1997 at a cost of $187 million -- most of it taxpayer funds -- and justified in part as a redevelopment project for the state's economically-struggling largest city.

NJPAC is now in its 20th season, and eight years have passed since a Philadelphia firm was named to develop the One Theater Square site. So, why did such a critical project lay dormant for so long, even as other hi-rise apartments sprouted one after another in Jersey City, only a few miles east?

There are several reasons, according to NJPAC officials, development experts and others: the onset of a global recession just as a developer was named; depressed local economic conditions and a violent history that had discouraged large-scale residential development since the early 1960's; and regional employment trends and real estate market forces that made Jersey City a much safer bet for real estate investors.

"Nobody wanted it to take as long as it took," said John Schreiber, who took over leadership of NJPAC, as well as the One Theater Square project, from the arts center's founding president and CEO, Lawrence Goldman.

But Schreiber, who became NJPAC's CEO five years ago, was confident that work on One Theater Square would continue uninterrupted, and that the project would be completed, as projected, in the summer or fall of 2018.

Plans for the building were unveiled in 2005, initially calling for a 28-story tower, which then grew to 44 stories, before settling back down to half that number.

Dranoff Properties, a Philadelphia-based developer whose projects include a hi-rise near the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, was named developer of the Theater Square site in 2008 through a competitive bidding process. Then the Great Recession hit.

And so, the 1.2-acre site remained a parking lot for another eight years. This even as Newark's rival for the title of New Jersey's greatest city, Jersey City, shook off the recession and began a whole new residential building boom.

But Jersey City had something to offer during the post-recession years that Newark did not, said Kevin Riordan, executive director of the Center for Real Estate at the Rutgers Business School in Newark. Along with its easy commute to Manhattan via PATH train, New York Waterway ferries, and the Holland Tunnel, one of the main factors driving Jersey City's latest residential building boom, said Riordan, has been its strong job growth.

In a new urban era when people want to live near where they work, the demand for housing in Jersey City was met first by its existing housing stock, then by newly built high-rise apartments.

"Jobs, and in particular well-paying jobs, were clustered around Jersey City," Riordan said. "Jersey City and Hoboken always had attractive brownstones. The next level of development was to create vertical, or high-rise."



As the Hudson waterfront built out, forcing up land values, construction costs and rents, development began to spread west, particularly to areas with PATH access, including Jersey City's Journal Square neighborhood, Harrison, and finally Newark.

"(The) cost of creating those high rises and the cost of living in those high rises has gone up, so development has been pushed out west," Riordan said.

Along with market forces, Theater Square is also getting some help from the state and local governments, including $33 million in Urban Transit Hub tax credits from the state Economic Development Authority, and an $11 million loan from the city.

The building will include mostly 1- and 2-bedroom apartments, as well as studios and 3-bedroom units, ranging in size from 585 to 1,700 square feet. Rents are expected to start at $1,250 for a studio, $2,000 for 1-bedroom, $3,150 for a 2-bedroom and $4,500 for a 3-bedroom. The project will include 26 affordable units.

Dranoff CEO Carl Dranoff attributed the delayed start to the complexity of the project, and its location in a largely untested market.

"Public/private partnerships like One Theater Square are complicated jigsaw puzzles to assemble, and if you lose a single piece the deal begins to unravel," Dranoff said in a statement.

"Time is the enemy -- the longer it takes to get to closing, the more chance for potholes along the way. Newark was considered a new frontier in urban development when we were selected by NJPAC as redeveloper in 2008. When the great recession continued through 2012, we realized the project needed to be re-scoped and reimagined. While this occurred our financing commitments and our costs had to be realigned and resynchronized."

"Finally," Dranoff added, "in 2016 we were able to close the financing and begin construction."

Just around the corner from the Theater Square site, at the City Bean Cafe on Park Place, workers from the neighborhood welcomed word of the new building as they ordered breakfast on a recent weekday.

"I'm glad to see the city coming up," said Rita Keith, who works in marketing at WBGO, the jazz radio station just up the block.

With few residents in the area at this point, City Bean is closed on Sunday. But the clerk behind the counter, Robert Guerrido, said he could imagine expanded hours and possibly more jobs at the cafe, once One Theater Square is occupied.

"It's not going to be me working on Sunday," Guerrido said. "So, maybe my boss will hire some more people."

Steve Strunsky may be reached at sstrunsky@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @SteveStrunsky. Find NJ.com on Facebook.




A woman celebrated the death of Fidel Castro in Union City Saturday.

UNION CITY -- Jubilation filled Bergenline Avenue Saturday as residents celebrated the death of Cuban dictator Fidel Castro.



Shouts of "viva Cuba libre" -- "Long live free Cuba" -- were heard in the neighborhood, dubbed "Havana on the Hudson" for its large Cuban population.



"Fifty years I have been waiting for this," said Gabriel Rohaidy, 58, a business owner who proudly displayed multiple Cuban flags outside his shop. "That devil did a lot of damage to the Cuban people."



Fidel Castro died at the age of 90 Friday night, his brother and current president, Raul Castro, announced.



On Saturday, political refugees and Cuban elected officials gathered at the Union De Ex-Presos Politicos Cubanos club on 43rd street, where the walls were lined with hundreds of portraits of those killed in Cuba.



"It made me happy to be alive, to see Fidel's death, to see the end," said 73-year-old Joseph Rodriguez as tears filled his eyes. "He was a dictator who took the liberties of my country."



Rodriguez fled Cuba in 1961, part of a program that managed to get 14,000 kids out of the country, he said.



The West New York resident was skeptical of sweeping change but hoped it would come eventually.



"Even though he was my mortal enemy, I recognize the supreme leader he was -- he was an intelligent man," Rodriguez said. "Raul Castro doesn't have his half his qualities or charisma."





U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) spoke at the club and said the idea that the Castros were "over" was a fallacy. Raul, Menendez said, is even more brutal than his brother.



"This isn't the end of the Castros because there is a Castro named Raul in power and ruling with an iron first," said the senator. "Raul has more blood on his hands than Fidel."



Menedez also criticized President Barack Obama's statement on Fidel Castro's as "tone deaf" to the victims of the regime.



The senator said that since Obama announced policy changes in December of 2014, the island has experienced even more political oppression and more people have been fleeing. Earlier in the day, Menendez said Fidel Castro's death was an opportunity to bring freedom to the country.

Earlier this year, Mayor of West New York and native Cuban Felix Roque announced a plan to bring thousands of Cuban refugees stuck in Costa Rica to New Jersey. Roque said he heard first hand from the refugees how an oppressive regime still ruled.

"It is going to take a while but change will come," Roque said Saturday.

Those who fled Cuba at a young age from the Castro regime were skeptical.

"Nothing will change by death, the tyrant structure and power is still there," said 73-year-old Matthew Perez.

Still, people in the neighborhood rejoiced in Fidel Castro's death.

People drove down Bergenline Avenue waving Cuban flags out the window. "Fidel!!! Llego tu Hora" -- "Fidel your time has come" -- read a sign on one storefront.

By early afternoon, a wooden door painted with the Cuba flag and placed on Bergenline Avenue contained numerous messages.

Fernando Villar, a 30-year-old Cuban American whose father fled the country after being a political prisoner for almost a decade, recalled the moment as bittersweet since his father passed before he could witness Fidel's death. Villar said it was up to his generation to enact change.

"It's like the abusive father is no longer in the picture and the weight is lifted off the Cuban people," Villar said. "Our generation, the millennials are the ones to hopefully mend the rift Fidel and Raul Castro caused within the Cuban society.

Fausto Giovanny Pinto may be reached at fpinto@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @FGPreporting. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
NORTH BRUNSWICK -- The Hugs for Brady Holiday Light Show is expected to draw around 150,000 people over its five-week run. The event kicked off Friday.

Held on DeVry University's campus off Route 1, in North Brunswick, the show is hosted by the Hugs for Brady Foundation -- founded by Sherrie and Michael Wells, of Kendall Park, who lost their 23-month-old son, Brady Michael, in 2010 to a rare strain of leukemia. Since then, the couple and hundreds of volunteers have been dedicating their lives to ending childhood cancer.

The light show is the largest event the foundation has been a part of, according to Michael Wells.

On Friday evening, Mary Roth, of Edison, who was with her 10-year-old daughter and friend, said, "It's a great cause and a great way to start the holiday season."

Here are some of the best and brightest attractions featured:

A majestic light show that runs at various times throughout the night, featuring computer-controlled, intelligent LED lights -- all of which can be individually altered to fit the show and music, according to Justin Bitner, owner of Lights Show Group LLC and the designer of the event. The Frost's Snow Zone where kids can get their faces painted for free using fluorescent, glow-in-the-dark paint. A giant bubble tree with a professional photography studio that offers attendees either instant-print photos or photos that can be uploaded online. Free balloons, gourmet food trucks and a spot to roast your own s'mores in a fire pit, free of charge. A 3-D ornament three stories high that greets you at the entrance. It is made up of around 35,000 Christmas lights. A 30-foot animated frosted-light tunnel and other interactive objects to be explored, including a huge gift box. An enormous, abstract tree that is covered in transparent balls. You can also grab a photo there. There are 20 fully decorated trees, one of which you will find sings a variety of holiday tunes. An 8-foot-tall, animatronic snowman with a built-in monitor and microphone that also sports some singing skills and maybe a few jokes too. Heated tents with crafters, ice sculptures, and a variety of vendors. A 50/50 raffle and a raffle that could win you a free car.

The Hugs for Brady Foundation has raised around $200,000 for cancer research this year alone, according to a statement from the foundation.

At the event Friday night, Sherrie Wells said, "We decided that there is not enough awareness (and) that kids get cancer too. And, currently, over 2,000 children are battling cancer in New Jersey."

Standing next to her husband, Michael, she added, "I just had a parent come up to me, and she told me that her son released a balloon in the sky because 'Brady needed a balloon to play with also.'"

The show runs from Nov. 25 to Dec. 30, Monday to Thursday 5 to 9 p.m., and Friday to Sunday 4 to 10 p.m.

Tickets cost $15 for adults, $12.50 for seniors, college students and veterans, and $10 for children.

To purchase tickets or for more information, visit www.hugsforbrady.org.

Spencer Kent may be reached at skent@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @SpencerMKent. Find the Find NJ.com on Facebook.
TRENTON -- It has almost been like a reality show the past few weeks, watching President-elect Donald Trump consider and choose candidates to fill out his Cabinet as he prepares to take office in January.

And at least a few names on the list have ties to New Jersey.

Here's a look at Trump's picks so far, the open spots, and who's in contention:

ALREADY HIRED

The positions below do not require U.S. Senate confirmation.

WHITE HOUSE CHIEF OF STAFF: Reince Priebus, the chairman of the Republican National Committee, was selected to oversee the White House staff and help set the president's schedule. Priebus spent his early years in New Jersey. He was born in Dover in Morris County and raised in nearby Netcong until he was 7, when his family moved to Wisconsin.

CHIEF STRATEGIST: Trump named Stephen Bannon, his former campaign CEO and the chairman of conservative website Breitbart News, as a top aide and suggested he will work hand-in-hand with Priebus.

NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER: Retired Army Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn, whom Trump reportedly considered for his running mate, will consult the president on matters of national security.

Trump also named Kathleen Troia "KT" McFarland -- a Fox News national security analyst who once worked in the Pentagon during President Ronald Reagan's administration -- as deputy national security adviser.

WHITE HOUSE COUNSEL: Don McGahn, an Atlantic City native and a leading election-law expert, will go from being Trump's chief campaign attorney to serving as the president's top lawyer.

ALREADY NOMINATED

The nominees below still need to be confirmed by the U.S. Senate to assume the roles.

ATTORNEY GENERAL: U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Alabama), a former federal prosecutor and state attorney general in his home state, was nominated to become the nation's leading law enforcement officer.

AMBASSADOR TO THE U.N.: South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, a former Trump critic, was chosen to become the country's top liaison to the United Nations.

SECRETARY OF EDUCATION: Betsy DeVos, a wealthy philanthropist and Republican donor, was picked to oversee the nation's education system. She is a major advocate for school choice, which allows parents either to receive taxpayer money for children to attend private and parochial schools, or for them to attend publicly funded but privately run charter schools.

CIA DIRECTOR: U.S. Rep. Mike Pompeo (R-Kansas), a member of the House Intelligence Committee, was selected to run the country's intelligence agency.

SECRETARY OF COMMERCE: Trump is expected to nominate Wilbur Ross, a billionaire investor and Weehawken native, to run the commerce department, according to reports. As secretary, Ross would help promote American business and oversee trade.

Reports say Trump is also likely to pick Todd Ricketts, a top GOP donor and the owner of the Chicago Cubs, as deputy secretary.

STILL OPEN

The positions below require U.S. Senate confirmation.

SECRETARY OF HOUSING: Trump has reportedly asked retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson, a former rival in the 2016 Republican primary, to run the housing and urban development department -- commonly known as HUD. Carson, a Detroit native, hasn't accepted yet but said on Facebook earlier this week that he feels he "can make a significant contribution particularly to making our inner cities great for everyone" and he will soon make an announcement.

SECRETARY OF STATE: Former Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney is reportedly being considered to become the nation's top diplomat to foreign countries. But some prominent members of Trump's camp are reportedly pushing back against Romney, a frequent critic of Trump during the election.

Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani is also reportedly in contention. As are former U.N. ambassador John Bolton, U.S. Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.), and others.

SECRETARY OF HOMELAND SECURITY: A source told NJ Advance Media this week that New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie is being considered to help oversee the department tasked with protecting America.

Giuliani -- like Christie, a former federal prosecutor -- is also reportedly in the running. As is Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach.

SECRETARY OF ENERGY: The source said Christie is also a contender to run the energy department. The governor has said he intends to finish his second and final term in New Jersey -- which ends in January -- though he has not ruled out working for Trump, a longtime friend and former Atlantic City casino tycoon, in Washington, D.C.

Also reportedly in contention are billionaire oil executive Harold Hamm and Robert E. Grady, of Gryphon Investors. Grady advised Christie on taxation before the governor began his first term in New Jersey and later spent half a decade chairing the New Jersey State Investment Council and overseeing the state's $80 billion in pension funds until 2014.

SECRETARY OF DEFENSE: Among the names reportedly being considered are U.S. Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas), a former Army officer and retired Marine Corps Gen. James Mattis.

SECRETARY OF TREASURY: Those reportedly in the running are billionaire investor Tom Barrack and former banking executive Steve Mnuchin, Trump's campaign finance chairman.

SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR: Reportedly in contention to run the interior department, which manages the nation's parks and other public land and water, are former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin; former Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer; Forrest Lucas, president of Lucas Oil Products; Grady; and Hamm.

SECRETARY OF HEALTH: Among those reportedly being considered to become the nation's top health official are a pair of Trump's ex-rivals for the 2016 GOP nomination: former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabe and former Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal.

OTHER OPEN POSITIONS

Secretaries of labor, national intelligence, and veteran affairs; director of the Environmental Protection Agency; and U.S. trade representative. All require U.S. Senate confirmation.

Brent Johnson may be reached at bjohnson@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @johnsb01. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook.
WASHINGTON -- U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez, New Jersey's most prominent Cuban-American politician, said Fidel Castro's death offered an opportunity to bring democracy to the communist-controlled island.

"Today, Cubans are one step closer to achieving freedom," said Menendez (D-N.J.), a former Senate Foreign Relations Committee chairman.

Rep. Albio Sires (D-8th Dist.), who escaped Castro's Cuba with his parents, said his death should "serve as a new dawn for the Cuban people."

"The international community should seize this moment and insist that the Cuban people deserve more," Sires said. "The Cuban people deserve to live in a society where they have the freedom to access information, to organize, to worship, and to speak what is on their mind without fear of being thrown into the gulags."

Menendez, too, said Castro's death could provide "an historic opportunity" to take steps to bring freedom to Cuba.

"It is my sincere hope that we will use this moment to listen to the human rights activists, the Cubans who have sacrificed day and night in a peaceful struggle for freedom to reexamine and determine a new policy toward the Castro regime," Menendez said.

President Barack Obama offered "condolences to Fidel Castro's family" in a statement, and said "our thoughts and prayers are with the Cuban people."

"History will record and judge the enormous impact of this singular figure on the people and world around him," he said.

Both Menendez and Sires strongly opposed Obama's decision to reverse 50 years of American policy and restore diplomatic relations with Cuba, and said nothing has changed since then.

"Contrary to the romanticized idea being peddled by some, recent lopsided concessions in U.S. policy towards Cuba have not led to an iota of positive changes in the way the regime rules or the Cuban people live," Menendez said.

Castro "proved to be a brutal dictator who must always be remembered by his gross abuses of human rights, systemic exploitation of Cubans, unrelenting repression, and stifling censorship upon his own people," he said. "Fidel's oppressive legacy will haunt the Cuban regime and our hemisphere forever."

Obama, though, said his action moved toward "a future in which the relationship between our two countries is defined not by our differences but by the many things that we share as neighbors and friends -- bonds of family, culture, commerce, and common humanity."

Jonathan D. Salant may be reached at jsalant@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JDSalant. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook.
President-elect Donald Trump shared four words on social media Saturday after learning that Fidel Castro, the controversial and defiant leader of Cuba, had died late Friday:

Fidel Castro is dead!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 26, 2016

Later, Trump released a statement, calling Castro's death "the passing of a brutal dictator who oppressed his own people for nearly six decades. Fidel Castro's legacy is one of firing squads, theft, unimaginable suffering, poverty and the denial of fundamental human rights."

The statement continued: "Though the tragedies, deaths and pain caused by Fidel Castro cannot be erased, our administration will do all it can to ensure the Cuban people can finally begin their journey toward prosperity and liberty. I join the many Cuban Americans who supported me so greatly in the presidential campaign."

During the campaign, Trump spoke about rolling back President Obama's efforts to restore diplomatic ties with the island nation. Trump had said he would reverse Obama's executive order with one of his own if his demands for the Cuban people were not met by the government there.

"Those demands," Trump said, "will include religious and political freedom for the Cuban people and the freeing of political prisoners."

The president-elect's threats have thrown the brakes on some of the economic development and planning that started after Obam'a re-established diplomatic ties.

Trump's apparent enthusiasm was matched by thousands of people in South Florida, who took the streets to celebrate the news. Cuban exiles, their friends and supporters spilled into the streets of Little Havana and celebrated the news into early Saturday morning.

While Castro's foes celebrated his death, his friends across Latin America mourned.

The leftist government of El Salvador is expressing "eternal gratitude" to Castro and the Cuban people for help "in the most difficult times." That's apparently a reference to Cuba's support of the guerrilla bands battling a U.S. backed, military-dominated government in the 1980s.

The government statement issued Saturday says Castro's "example will live forever in our struggles and will flower in the noble ideas of new generations."
TRENTON -- New Jersey lawmakers say they're concerned about what President-elect Donald Trump's selection of U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions as attorney general could mean for marijuana legalization, but they're still planning to move forward after Gov. Chris Christie's term ends in 2018.

Trump said during the campaign he favors letting states decide whether marijuana should be legalized, but he recently invited Sessions, an Alabama Republican who opposes legalizing recreational marijuana and said in April that "good people don't smoke marijuana," to lead the Justice Department.

"It seems like he's extremely anti-legalization," said Democratic state Sen. Nicholas Scutari, the leader of the legalization effort in the Legislature. "I can only take President-elect Trump at his word when he said it should be a state's right issue."

The issue comes to the forefront after Election Day when four states -- California, Massachusetts, Maine and Nevada-- approved marijuana legalization, while four others -- Arkansas, Florida, Montana and North Dakota -- voted to establish medical marijuana programs.

New Jersey already has a tightly regulated medical marijuana program that includes six alternative treatment centers, or dispensaries, but the issue has largely stalled in New Jersey because of the Republican governor's resolute opposition.

This week on his regular radio call-in show, the governor criticized a resident who called him the only impediment to legalization. Christie argued that approving marijuana would clear the way for cocaine and heroin legalization, which has not been proposed, and said he would not agree to "poisoning" young people for the potential tax revenues.

"To me, legalization of marijuana for tax purposes -- and that's the only way people justify it because you can't justify it any other way -- is blood money," Christie said. "That's what it is to me."

Scutari acknowledges that it's unlikely Christie would ever sign the bill, which has not been reintroduced yet this year, but says he plans to begin the hearing process in the coming weeks to lay the groundwork for when Christie leaves office.

A top Democratic prospect for governor, Phil Murphy, said he supports legalization. Democratic candidate John Wisniewski, an assemblyman, has voted to expand the state's medical marijuana program. His campaign manager said he supports decriminalizing marijuana and creating a legal framework for a market.

Republican candidate Jack Ciattarelli, an assemblyman, favors decriminalizing marijuana possession for those who have small amounts, but doesn't back full-scale legalization. He voted against bills expanding the medical marijuana program.

Republican Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno, who is considering a run, hasn't weighed in on the issue. A spokeswoman didn't immediately respond to questions on expansion.

Assembly Speaker Vincent Prieto has said he is open to considering legalization. His fellow Democrat, Senate President Steve Sweeney, sounded open to the idea and said he's taking his lead from Scutari. "When Nick's ready to roll, we're going to roll," he said.

But not everyone with a vote is on board.

Beyond Christie, who'll be out of office at the latest in January 2018 when his term ends, several lawmakers are reluctant to sign off on expansion.

Democratic state Sen. Joe Vitale, who chairs the health committee, said not enough evidence from Colorado, Washington and other states where recreational marijuana is legal has been analyzed. He also said the potential for a revenue cash cow in budget-strapped New Jersey is not enough to authorize its use.

Part of the debate has also centered on decriminalizing the drug's use, with the aim of keeping lower-income men and women out of jail. Vitale sees this as a key distinction and said he backs decriminalization but not full-scale legalization.

"Legalizing a drug, I believe, is just a wrong direction to go," Vitale said.
By Joseph Hannagan Jr.

There comes a time when an illness cannot be cured. It's then that hospice services are a great benefit --a way to thank America's veterans by providing comfort, compassion and peace in their final days.

Salem County's Veterans Affairs Officer Joseph Hannagan Jr. (File Photo)

The Veterans Administration now offers help when hospice is needed.

Hospice care honors for veterans with choice, comfort and dignity at the end of life. Hospice provides a multi-disciplinary team of physicians, nurses, home health aides, counselors and chaplains to manage pain and symptoms, and offer social, spiritual and emotional support. The veteran also receives medication and equipment, 24-hour on-call support, respite care and bereavement support for family members.

* Who qualifies for the VA hospice benefit?

All veterans enrolled in the VA healthcare system are eligible for hospice if their treatment goals focus on comfort rather than cure, and they have a diagnosis of a life-limiting illness with a life expectancy of six months or less.

* Where is VA hospice care provided?

Veterans may receive care in their home environment, including private homes, senior housing, assisted living and long-term care facilities, group homes, hospitals, VA nursing home care units, and state veterans' homes.

* How do the VA and hospices cooperate?

Veterans can receive care from both the hospice and the VA at the same time. Hospice and VA staff work together to coordinate the veteran's care, and referrals for hospice care can come from either the VA to the hospice or from the hospice to the VA.

* How does the veteran enroll in the VA health care system?

A veteran must be enrolled in the VA healthcare system to receive Va benefits. He or She should contact the Salem County Veterans Service Office for help with this enrollment and the VA will initiate an enrollment proves which determines each veterans' eligibility for these VA benefits.

* Who veterans' hospice care?

Hospice care services are covered by the Department of Veterans Affairs, Medicare and Medicaid or by private insurance. No one is ever denied care based on their inability to pay, their ethnicity, age, gender, mental or physical status or religion.

By working together we can ensure that our veterans who are near the end of life have access to high-quality hospice and palliative care

Quality hospice and palliative care for veterans are made possible through a partnership with the Department of Veterans Affairs and the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization.

This information is taken from pamphlets provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs on hospice.

For immediate help, call Vistas at 866-791-2229 and tell them you're seeking care for a veteran

Joseph Hannagan Jr. is Salem County Veterans Affairs Officer. Veterans can contact Hannagan at his office by calling 856-339-8603, via cell phone at 609-774-7450 or via email at Joseph.Hannagan@salemcountynj.gov
WASHINGTON (AP)  The House committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol has issued a subpoena to Donald Trump. The nine-member panel sent a letter to the former president's lawyers on Friday, demanding his testimony under oath by mid-November and outlining a series of corresponding documents. The decision by lawmakers to exercise their subpoena power comes a week after the committee made its final case against the former president, who they say is the "central cause" of the multi-part effort to overturn the results of the 2020 election. It remains unclear how Trump and his legal team will respond to the subpoena, if at all.
Editors note: Area ministers who would like to be part of this feature can contact Joan von Kampen at 308-535-4707 or joan.vonkampen@nptelegraph.com. Submissions ideally should be excerpted from that weekends sermon. Submissions may be edited for length or to conform to newspaper style.

Life is about thanksgiving

One of the beautiful events in the USA is the commemoration of a harvest festival celebrated by the Pilgrim Fathers in 1621, which is now held every year on the fourth Thursday in November and is called the Thanksgiving Day. It is an invitation to live a life of gratitude.

When we look around, we see the measure of gratitude perhaps getting reduced day by day. Jesus asked, Where are the other nine? (Luke 17:17). I feel those nine are getting multiplied in our society nowadays. The exceptional one who is a Samaritan stands with his eyes closed, hands clenched and in complete gratitude to the Lord who healed him. Yes, it is almost always true to say that it is those who are marginalized, downtrodden and at the periphery of the society who are most grateful for the benefits they receive.

Why cant we take the invitation to live a life of gratitude a little more seriously? We know that almost all the religions of the world invite their followers to live gratefully. Buddhism has a tradition of many types of meditation focused on gratitude. One is to wake up every morning and be grateful for your own breath. Is it a small thing to realize that this morning too you are breathing? Is breathing itself a negligible thing? Is it not what life is all about? So stay aware of your breathing every morning, inhaling with gratitude in your heart and exhaling with a smile on your face. If we train our kids to do it from childhood, surely they will stay grateful persons all through their lives.

Another method in Buddhism is tea meditation. It is said that an old man in Japan went into a restaurant and ordered a cup of tea. Before starting to drink, he bent down and brought his head to the knees of the server kids. In Japanese culture it is symbolic of the acknowledgment of respect and gratitude you have for the other. And then the old man took the cup of tea, brought it close to his chest, looked into it so gratefully and drank it slowly one sip at a time. This action of the old man made the owner of the restaurant reflect about the magnitude of gratitude the old man has toward the universe and the cosmic light and power behind it. So he left the restaurant and followed the old man. After long years of wandering and searching, he came back and started what is today called tea meditation. If you ever see any flier about tea meditation, there will be only one sentence in it: Come, lets have a cup of tea. What does that mean? It means, come, lets look at this world a little more gratefully.

The man who lived most gratefully on the face of the earth is Jesus of Nazareth. Look at the word bread in the Gospels. Whenever he took bread in his hands, it is mentioned that he gave thanks. Why? Think of the 13 wandering youngsters, one carpenter and 12 fishermen. For the past three or four years they have not gone for work. And the land that they live in is perhaps one of the most miserably poor places in the world. Palestine is still a poor place for living, we know. A land where, if a copper coin goes lost, the women search for it till the end of the day! A place where if a friend comes at night, one has to go to another friends house and ask for some food for the guest! In such a place, how did the 13 young men live from day to day without starving? That is because all the poor people of that place gave some pieces of their own bread for these wandering youngsters. Therefore every time Jesus took a piece of bread, his eyes would be filled with tears. He knew that the bread that he ate was not the fruit of his own sweat nor of his friends but it was the generous gift of his fellow Palestinians.

The New Testament in fact rewrites the pride of the Old Testament. What do I mean? We read in Genesis, Eat by the sweat of your brow (Genesis 3:19). The New Testament knows that this is just not possible. The whole of our life is spent by eating the fruit of the labor of somebody else.

That is why every time Jesus took bread, his eyes were filled with tears and his heart with gratitude.

The two disciples walking to Emmaus couldnt make out that it was Christ who was walking with them the whole day. In the evening, when he took bread, they realized it was Christ because there was complete manifestation of gratitude on his face.

Thanksgiving Day may bring in lots of memories. But one that is uppermost in our hearts must be gratefulness. Gratitude is the term that denotes that we exist absolutely, not because of our own merits. And that awareness brings tears into our eyes, and we stand, our heads bent and our hands joined, in front of our God and our universe.

The Rev. Dr. C.P. Varghese

St. Patrick Catholic Church

North Platte
DirectBuy, the Merrillville-based buying club for home furnishings, rose to become a national brand with television commercials that promised "no hidden retail markup."

Now the company is in bankruptcy court, saddled with about $200 million in debt and facing more than a dozen lawsuits for sales practices critics called high-pressure and deceptive.

But despite those ferocious headwinds, DirectBuy executives remain optimistic the company can forge a future as a smaller, scaled-back online commerce company.

They say the Chapter 11 bankruptcy will let the company restructure debt under new ownership, likely creditors Bayside Capital and PennantPark Investment Corp. Chief Marketing Officer Curt Hilliard said the company needs its debt to be "right-sized to the balance sheet."

"We're undergoing a transformation into a full digital business model," Hilliard said. "We can't continue to operate with a 1970s or 1980s model."

The reorganized company would be similar to an Amazon but with concierge shopping and an app that lets you take a picture of, for example, kitchen cabinets or a couch and find the lowest price for that or a similar product online.

Operations have been consolidated at the company's corporate headquarters at 8450 Broadway in Merrillville, where the 45-year-old company employs about 400 and has been hiring for call center and other positions.

DirectBuy has closed all of its 160 North American brick-and-mortar showrooms, which were franchised, and slashed membership fees as it transitions to becoming a full-fledged e-commerce company. Three-year memberships used to cost up to $7,000, but the company now offers memberships for $39.95 a month after a $199 fee. That's down from a minimum entry fee of $699 just last year.

Given the once steep cost of membership, DirectBuy once mainly served customers doing major home renovations, but now hopes a lower price point will help it enlist new members at various life stages. The company's main source of revenue is from member fees, and it's looking to grow membership after it exits bankruptcy court.

By transforming into a lower cost monthly subscription service, more consumers can take advantage of DirectBuys amazing savings at every stage in their lives," Hilliard said.

Consumers can save money by shopping DirectBuy for a broad range of needs including furnishing a first home, renovating an older home, building a dream home, planning a wedding, welcoming a new baby, or creating a man cave, Hilliard said.

This year, the company introduced its savings guarantee, launched a new app, started staging trade events and expanded to more online platforms like Shopify. DirectBuy's 200,000 members can now buy DirectBuy projects on social media or through Google Shopping, and get membership discounts directly at participating retailers like Sherwin-Williams.

"Were confident this digital archetype will foster trust and confidence with our members and consumers alike, as we engage in personal, authentic interactions throughout their unique buying journeys," Director of Digital Marketing Jonathan Leake said.

Leake owns a boutique advertising firm in Chicago and was brought on board to help the company target online consumers who might have an interest in wholesale prices for home furnishings and decor, such as when getting married or buying their first home. Targeted DirectBuy ads might pop up if someone is looking at real estate online, or searches for phrases like "discount furniture," "kitchen renovation" or "kitchen remodel."

"It's a natural fit if you suddenly have all this square footage you're trying to fill," he said. "We rank pretty well organically but want to get in front of a new bride so she can see what a DirectBuy membership could offer."
PORTAGE  The state Natural Resources Commission will hold a public hearing regarding alcohol in state parks.

It is virtually nothing more than a housekeeping measure, but those opposed to allowing liquor at Indiana Dunes State Park likely will take advantage of the public forum to again express their displeasure at legislation allowing liquor at state parks.

NRC administrative law judge Sandra Jensen said the hearing at 5 p.m. Tuesday at Portages Woodland Park, 2100 Willowcreek Road, does not trump or override the statute. We are attempting to bring a rule that already exists in line with the new legislation.

After the Porter County Alcoholic Beverage Commission denied a permit to Pavilion Partners, the company chosen by DNR to renovate and operate bars and restaurants and a banquet center in the pavilion, the Indiana General Assembly in March passed a new state law allowing the Department of Natural Resources to apply for alcohol permits.

The DNR applied for and received such permits in August for nine state parks, including Indiana Dunes.

Basically this allows the DNR to respond to customer service at the state parks, said DNR spokesman Phil Bloom.

Even with this, the Indiana Dunes State Park will still have the most restrictive covenants, said Bloom, adding alcohol will continue to be prohibited at the parks beaches and campground.

A spokesman for Dunes Action, which has been fighting allowing liquor in the park, said members will be at the hearing.

We are trying to get as many people there as possible. It is another chance to tell why we are opposed to alcohol at the state park, said Norm Hellmers, of Valparaiso.

Hellmers said that at the last NRC hearing, Dunes Action presented a petition with 10,000 signatures against alcohol at the park, specifically on the beach. Hellmers said the group contends the pavilion is located on the beach and, therefore, alcohol should not be permitted at the pavilion. He said the group is also opposed to the addition of a banquet center.

There has never been an opportunity for us to address the DNR. They did not listen to the voice of the public. The best we can do is to say we are against it, it is the publics opinion and will, Hellmers said.

Steve Patterson, spokesman for Pavilion Partners, said none of that group plans to attend the hearing.
LOWELL  For the third time in two weeks, an area police officer has been arrested on drunken driving charges.

Hammond police Officer Mathew Anderson, 30, of Hammond, was arrested early Saturday after being observed driving erratically on Interstate 65 near Ind. 2, according to Indiana State Police.

Anderson was arrested about 2 a.m. Saturday and reportedly refused standard field sobriety tests and a certified breath test at the Lake County Jail, according to police.

A trooper was conducting a traffic stop on southbound I-65 when he saw a 2007 Honda Civic, traveling in the left lane, veer abruptly to the exit ramp, traveling completely onto the right shoulder, state police said.

The state trooper ended the traffic stop he was conducting and followed the Honda off the interstate, where he saw the vehicle cross the right fog line and continue to weave, according to the release.

The trooper smelled alcohol on the drivers breath during the traffic stop, according to the release.

Hammond police Lt. Richard Hoyda said Saturday the department is aware of Andersons arrest, but no action will taken by Hammond Police Chief John Doughty until Monday.

Anderson has been charged with operating while intoxicated (refusal), operating while intoxicated (endangering) and unsafe lane movement.

Lake Station police Officer Andres Verduzco was charged Nov. 12 with operating while intoxicated in Porter County after driving his Jeep into a utility pole. He registered a blood alcohol content of 0.13 on a portable breath test, but refused to take a certified chemical test.

Verduzco, 31, of Portage, is on administrative leave.

He was seated in the back seat of a Lake Station police car when Porter County police arrived, according to police.

On Tuesday, A Lake County sheriffs officer was arrested following an off-duty crash in Schererville, according to Indiana State Police.

Sgt. Joseph Hardiman, 34, told police he attempted to avoid a deer before striking a parked, unoccupied car. State police were dispatched to the crash in the 5400 block of 75th Avenue, after Schererville police requested an independent investigation.

A breath test showed his blood alcohol content was 0.19, police said. He has been placed on administrative leave with pay.

Lt. Guy Mikulich, 37, also with the Lake County Sheriffs Department, has been suspended without pay since his drunken driving arrest July 10 in Gary. State police allege Mikulich was driving intoxicated while on duty at the Gary Air Show when he struck and severely injured a pedestrian.

Mikulich has pleaded not guilty.
COLUMBIA, S.C.  The white man charged in the shooting deaths of nine black parishioners at a South Carolina church last year is competent to stand trial, a federal judge ruled Friday.

U.S. District Judge Richard Gergel's decision clears the way for jury selection to restart Monday in the hate-crimes trial of 22-year-old Dylann Roof.

The judge had delayed the process of narrowing the final jury pool on Nov. 7 when Roof's lawyers suggested their client either didn't understand the charges against him or couldn't properly help them with his defense. The lawyers did not say what led them to question Roof's fitness for trial.

Roof is charged in federal court with hate crimes, obstruction of religion and other counts in connection with the June 17, 2015 attack at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston. He could face the death penalty if convicted.

The decision came after Gergel wrapped up a hastily called two-day hearing to determine if Roof is mentally fit to stand trial.

The judge said he took the rare step of keeping the hearing closed to the public and media because Roof made statements to a psychologist that might not be legal to use at his trial and could taint potential jurors.

The judge said Friday that he refrained from releasing a transcript of the hearing for the same reason, reversing an earlier pledge to release a redacted transcript. Family members of the victims have complained about the secrecy surrounding the proceedings, but Gergel maintains that the steps he has taken are to ensure that Roof receives a fair trial and that pre-trial exposure doesn't provide grounds for an appeal.

At Roof's competency hearing, Gergel heard testimony from psychologist James Ballenger and four other unnamed witnesses and reviewed sworn statements from three others, the judge wrote in his order.

Roof also has already been found competent in state court, where prosecutors plan a second death penalty trial on nine counts of murder.

According to police, Roof sat through nearly an hour of prayer and Bible study at the church with its pastor and 11 others before pulling a gun from his fanny pack near the end of the class and firing dozens of shots.

Roof hurled racial insults at the six women and three men he is charged with of killing and the three people left alive, authorities said. He said he left the three unharmed so they could tell the world the shootings were because he hated black people.

___

Follow Jeffrey Collins on Twitter at http://twitter.com/JSCollinsAP. His work can be found at http://bigstory.ap.org/content/jeffrey-collins
VALPARAISO  Just outside Valparaiso University Chapel of the Resurrection, two sheep come to life each week to tackle some of lifes biggest issues.

Rick and Ted are the thought-provoking characters of Agnus Day, a comic strip based on the weekly lectionary reading.

Agnus Day is the product of the Rev. James Wetzsteins mix of artistic talent and theological study.

Wetzstein serves as university pastor, the lead ministerial position at VU. But the comic strip serves global audiences online and in traditional church bulletins.

Wetzstein began to preach at Our Savior Lutheran Church in Gary in 1990 and became involved in the arts community in Miller. He joined the Northern Indiana Arts Association, now South Shore Arts.

He said he became immersed in the arts community through nonprofit management, but not actually as an artist.

He decided to take a Saturday morning cartooning class to hone his drawing skills. He was looking for a way to interpret Scripture and express it artistically.

After conferring with his wife, Tracey, an attorney, he decided to launch a weekly comic strip in 1997 with characters that would be recognizable across various social groups.

Agnus Day (like the Latin Agnus Dei, which means lamb of God) examines the weekly Scripture reading in the Lutheran church.

It comes to life early each week as Wetzstein prepares to study the lectionary from his office in the Helge Center, the offices attached to the VU chapel. He publishes each week on Wednesday, in plenty of time for churches to use in their Sunday bulletin.

Regular guys

Rick and Ted are like regular guys who often struggle to understand the Bible.

Rick is the dark-nosed sheep, who is older, wiser, knows the Bible and is long-suffering.

Ted is more tuned into popular culture, is materialistic, is self-righteous and worries about being on the outs with Jesus.

Their conversations, Wetzstein said, are intended to be thought-provoking, especially for adults.

He said there are a few other faith-based comic strips, but the tone of many is snarky, Wetzstein said.

Theres no snark in Agnus Day, he said. Its purpose, he said, is to be edifying.

The purpose is to convey a meaning of the Scripture that people may not know, or that they may commonly get wrong.

The first comics were drawn and then taped into place at Garys Our Savior Lutheran Church bulletin.

Spreading across the world

Then came technology.

Wetzstein said his purchase of an iMac included a scanner, which allowed him to scan it and share with friends.

The email list grew, and eventually he created a Yahoo group, which now includes about 3,000 members.

Wetzstein said he makes the strip available to churches at no cost for use in bulletins and newsletters. He has received bulletins from churches on every continent except Antarctica.

Agnus Day also appears in some textbooks, like Lutheranism 101, published by Concordia Publishing House.

The weekly strip can be found online at agnusday.org and on Facebook.

Both sites allow readers to share feedback, which Wetzstein said is mostly positive.

The internet has been wonderful in getting his message out through the English-speaking world. But Wetzstein said cultural differences can make some American pop culture references hard to understand in other countries.

He once created a strip about the Transfiguration of Jesus, the biblical story of Jesus meeting Moses and Elijah. He used the phrase Jesus got homies, but later realized some other cultures may not have understood the got homies reference.

While the strip is just three segments, the medium allows him to give Rich and Ted different emotions and to dress them up. A lot can be expressed before he adds the text for their conversations.

Makes you think

Its no surprise to the Rev. Steve Bongard that Wetzstein has found success with Agnus Day.

Bongard, who serves as the senior pastor at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Valparaiso, attended seminary with Wetzstein. Bongard said Agnus Day often is used in Immanuels Sunday bulletin.

I thought it was great, Bongard said when he learned about Agnus Day several years ago. He studied art and its a good fit. ... His Agnus Day cartoons are not only funny, but he makes you think about the Bible text for the day.

Bongard said Wetzsteins talents dont end with Ted and Rick.

He said Wetzstein served as an artistic design consultant and helped Immanuel Lutheran Church create a baptismal feature in the church.

Hes a very thoughtful, energetic kind of person, Bongard said. He has a love of art and theology and for other people.

Scott Moore, a Lutheran pastor serving in Erfurt, Germany, said Wetzstein has a desire to communicate the Christian faith in relevant ways.

I have read and used Agnus Day in my parishes for over 15 years now, Moore said. It is timely, funny, and always insightful to some aspect of the Bible passage the strip is referring to. It is intensely distilled theology in three frames. That is no small feat.
INDIANAPOLIS  The sole African-American justice serving on the Indiana Supreme Court is likely to step down early next year.

The Times has learned that Justice Robert Rucker, a Gary native, has informally been advising lawyers and judges in the Region and across the state to be prepared to apply if theyve ever considered joining Indianas five-member high court.

Rucker, who turns 70 on Jan. 19, has not officially announced any plans to resign the Supreme Court seat hes held since 1999, and declined to comment for this story.

However, Chief Justice Loretta Rush recently acknowledged that she anticipates Rucker will choose to end his court service in 2017.

Hoosier voters retained Rucker for a 10-year term in 2012, which would allow him to remain on the bench, if he wanted, until reaching the states mandatory judicial retirement age of 75.

Rucker is the longest-serving active justice following the April 29, 2016, retirement of former Chief Justice Brent Dickson, a Hobart native.

He also is the only remaining justice appointed by a Democratic governor. The four other justices all have been appointed in the past six years by Republicans.

Should Rucker resign, the Indiana Judicial Nominating Commission would solicit applications for the vacancy, interview the candidates and ultimately recommend three potential justices to the governor, likely Republican Gov.-elect Eric Holcomb who takes office Jan. 9.

The governor then appoints a new justice from the list of three finalists who serves for two years before Hoosier voters decide whether to retain the justice for a renewable 10-year term.

Rucker is a graduate of Indiana University Northwest and earned his law degree from Valparaiso University School of Law in 1976.

His studies and part-time work at Inland Steel were interrupted when he was drafted into the U.S. Army and sent to Vietnam as a radio operator with the First Cavalry Division, where he was twice wounded in action and received the Purple Heart and Bronze Star.

After stints as a deputy Lake County prosecutor and deputy Gary city attorney, and work in private practice, Democratic Gov. Evan Bayh appointed Rucker to the mid-level Indiana Court of Appeals in 1991.

He was the first African-American judge to serve on that court or any state appellate bench.

Gov. Frank OBannon elevated Rucker to the Supreme Court nine years later based on what he said was Ruckers wealth of legal experience and record as a careful, thoughtful, thorough and independent judge.

The Lake Superior Courthouse in Gary was named the Robert D. Rucker Building in 2010.
WINFIELD  The first phase of the downtown master plan process has wrapped up, and all the town needs to move ahead with the second phase, the engineering to prepare for the actual implementation of the plan, is the money.

The town's Redevelopment Commission met with about a dozen business owners recently to get them up to speed on the status of the planning and to get their feedback. Commission Chairman Dave Anderson said, "Our goal is to help the businesses succeed."

"Winfield really is a bedroom community, and we wanted to develop a sense of community with gathering places," Anderson said. "We wanted to see how we could make the community more cohesive. This is something we are going to do."

The plan was put together by DLZ with funding from the Creating Livable Communities program through the Northwestern Indiana Regional Planning Commission. Developed as part of the town's comprehensive plan, the downtown plan is based on the results of a community survey and calls for developing a "modernized rural" appearance with lots of open space but with modern amenities close by.

Plan addresses walkability

One of the concepts the plan focuses on is making it easier for residents to walk or bike to the businesses built around the center of town through the addition of sidewalks/pathways with crosswalks. The downtown is surrounded by subdivisions, where sidewalks are available, but they don't go anywhere yet, Anderson said.

Sidewalks on both sides of Randolph Street and, to a lesser extent, 109th Avenue, will be enhanced with decorative streetlights, landscaping and possibly fencing to improve the overall appearance, hide the obvious sea of parking lots without hiding the businesses and give the town a sense of identity. The improvements are expected to slow traffic so drivers can see what the town has to offer, Mike Jabo, of DLZ, said.

The sidewalks are expected to encourage more people to leave the car at home and spend more time visiting local businesses. To further promote that aspect, Anderson said he will be talking to businesses about providing areas within the parking lots to create gathering places to sit and enjoy a meal or meet friends and hold outdoor activities.

Mike Duffy, of DLZ, said some people walk to the downtown although it is dangerous, and he said that would only increase if safe sidewalks and crossings were provided. People who are not in their car tend to spend more time going to more businesses, Duffy said.

Little Winfield not so little

"Little Winfield is not so little when it comes to commerce," Anderson said pointing out it can draw from the 8,000 residents in Lakes of the Four Seasons as well as the town's 5,000 people.

Business owners at the meeting said they liked the plan, and the town will get a grant for $100,000 next year to install a crossing signal (Hawk Light) at one location and erect safety signs. Anderson said the Hawk Light, which is a flashing signal that pedestrians can turn to red to cross, is planned on Randolph in front of the town offices. That could change depending on the effort to get a full scale traffic signal at 108th and Randolph.

If that signal is installed, the Hawk Light probably would be moved south of 109th to the area near Stonegate subdivision. In the meantime, the town has applied for other grants, including one for $400,000 from NIRPC that would come from funds reallocated from projects that aren't ready to proceed in the programmed year. The town also is hoping its tax increment financing district will begin to produce revenue to accomplish some of the plan's goals.

The town is getting a new Dunkin Donuts and a Taco Bell that will bring TIF money for the projects, and Anderson said development of the land behind Walgreens could someday generate enough revenue for the commission to borrow for bigger projects. New businesses now are required to provide sidewalks and landscaping, which will help accomplish the plan, and town officials hope existing businesses will participate with improvements too.

"It's a big plan, and now we have to get into the details," Anderson said. "Right now we want to think big. It's going to take time. We will work with the businesses, and the more participation we get, the sooner we can make this happen."
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CANNON BALL, N.D.  Dakota Access oil pipeline protesters will not follow a government directive to leave the federal land where hundreds have camped for months, organizers said Saturday, despite state officials encouraging them to do so.

Standing Rock Sioux tribal leader Dave Archambault and other protest organizers confidently explained that theyll stay at the Oceti Sakowin camp and continue with nonviolent protests a day after Archambault received a letter from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers that said all federal lands north of the Cannonball River will be closed to public access Dec. 5 for safety concerns.

The Corps cited the oncoming winter and increasingly contentious clashes between protesters, who believe the pipeline could harm drinking water and Native American cultural sites, and police.

Standing Rock tribal members believe the land in which the encampment is on is owned by the Sioux through a more than century-old treaty with the U.S. government.

We are wardens of this land. This is our land and they cant remove us, said protester Isaac Weston, who is an Oglala Sioux member from South Dakota. We have every right to be here to protect our land and to protect our water.

The vast majority of the several hundred people fighting against the four-state, $3.8 billion pipeline have created a self-sustaining community at the sprawling camp, which is on Corps land in southern North Dakota, and have put up semi-permanent structures or brought motor homes and trailers in advance of the harsh winter.

On the unseasonably warm Saturday, people were chopping wood and setting up tents at the encampment, which is more than a mile from a Missouri River reservoir where the final large segment of the pipeline is yet to be completed due to the Corps consulting with the tribe. Authorities had set up a staging area about a mile away on a hill overlooking the site.

Dallas Goldtooth, a protest organizer with the Indigenous Environmental Network, said it is an atrocious example that colonization has not ended for us here as indigenous people, and that the governments request will escalate already rocky tensions.

Representatives from the Army Corps of Engineers didnt immediately return multiple messages Friday or Saturday seeking comment and verification of the letter. Last month, the Corps said it would not evict the encampment, which started as overflow from smaller private and permitted protest sites nearby and began growing in August.

President Barack Obama raised the possibility of rerouting the pipeline in that area earlier this month, something Kelcy Warren, CEO of Texas-based pipeline developer Energy Transfer Partners, told The Associated Press is not an option from the companys standpoint. Obama said his administration is monitoring the challenging situation but would let it play out for several more weeks.

Some of the protests have resulted in violent confrontations  one woman suffered a serious arm injury last weekend  and more than 500 people have been arrested since August.

The Corps letter, according to Archambault, said that those who stay on the land after Dec. 5 may be prosecuted, and that therell be a free speech zone south of the river.

Archambault said Saturday that he doesnt believe the Corps will forcibly evict people from the camp, adding that the tribe is working to provide protesters protection from the elements on its reservation, which is south of the Cannonball River, but offered few details.

Its the federal governments job to peacefully close the camp because it allowed people to stay there in the first place, Gov. Jack Dalrymple said in a statement Saturday.

Our state and local law enforcement agencies continue to do all they can to keep private property and public infrastructure free from unpermitted protest activities, and its past time that the federal government provides the law enforcement resources ... to enforce their own order to vacate, the Republican said.

That sentiment was echoed by Morton County Commission chairman Cody Schulz, who said county and state leaders have been seeking federal law enforcement help for months. Its now time for the federal government to live up to its obligations said Schulz.

Republican U.S. Sen. John Hoeven and Democratic U.S. Sen. Heidi Heitkamp said the protesters need to move for public safety.

The well-being and property of ranchers, farmers and everyone else living in the region should not be threatened by protesters who are willing to commit acts of violence, Hoeven said in a statement Friday. He also called on the Obama administration to let work on the pipeline move forward, saying, this difficult situation has gone on too long and we need to get it resolved.

Heitkamp said the Corps order is a needed step to support the safety of residents, workers, protesters and law enforcement.
Heres a holiday trivia quiz: Name a Hoosier running for executive office who didnt poll a majority of the popular vote even though this person won both times.

That would be Vice President-elect Mike Pence.

The Donald Trump/Mike Pence ticket now trails Democrat Hillary Clinton by more than 2 million votes out of 126.4 million cast in the popular vote. In 2012, the governor won with just 49 percent of the vote here in Indiana in a three-way gubernatorial race.

To the victor go the spoils, as the old saying goes. But simply winning an election doesnt mean a mandate. I went kayaking on the Whitewater River near Brookville last September, and driving from Nashville through Greensburg, Batesville, Oldenburg and Metamora was to find with dozens of Trump/Pence yard signs, some homemade. In rural America, it feels like a mandate.

The reality is, we live in a divided land. It would have been the same if Clinton had won the Electoral College. Grasping the helm of a roiled nation requires a different type of leadership.

What happened to Pence after his 2012 win is instructive. He governed in mandate style, signing several pieces of socially divisive legislation like the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, while polls showed public sentiment going in the opposite direction. In the four polls conducted this cycle by WTHR/Howey Politics Indiana, we found Pence to be one of the most polarizing figures in modern Hoosier politics.

While he could have won re-election, he and his team eagerly opted for the national ticket last July as the better career move. It was something he openly pursued when dozens of other Republicans begged off. He was amply rewarded Nov. 8.

Pence came back to Indiana a few days after Trump named him head of the transition team. He gave a Veterans Day speech at Camp Atterbury before settling in at the gubernatorial retreat, Aynes House, in the middle of Brown County State Park. Inside the cabin that weekend was certainly a celebratory mood.

But there were dark forces batting around the state. Sixteen miles to the west in Bloomington, KKK and Nazi swastikas were spray-painted on a public trail. The Democratic headquarters was vandalized. Fourteen miles to the east in Pences hometown of Columbus, Latino high school students were taunted with build that wall.

And about six miles to the north in Bean Blossom, an Episcopal Church was vandalized with swastikas and Heil Trump spray-painted on its walls.

Some of this is the work of delinquents seeking shock value. But there is a palpable unease coursing through our nation after one of the most coarse and divisive campaigns in modern history.

Earlier last week, the white nationalist National Policy Institute convened in Washington, with The Atlantic magazine revealing members shouting Heil Trump and give Nazi salutes. When talking with New York Times editors and reporters Tuesday, Trump did what he should have done.

This not a group I want to energize, he said. And if they are energized, I want to look into it and find out why. I condemn them. I disavow, and I condemn.

Its one thing to disavow this type of rhetoric and conduct before New York Times journalists. Its another to choose a conspicuous public forum to make clear that this incoming administration is not of authoritarian bent.

Because of Trumps campaign rhetoric during the past 15 months, many saw what they described as a demagogue with authoritarian leanings. It clearly motivated some of his supporters.

Much of Trumps support wasnt from the basket of deplorables as Clinton described them. I know many, many Trump voters. Their motivation was to break the system as we know it. And its been busted.

This past week, weve seen Trump evolve before our eyes. He could get his crowds to chant lock her up, but now wont seek a special prosecutor for Hillary Clinton. He once denounced the Paris climate accords, but now signals that global warming could be abetted by mankind.

He once saw waterboarding as an option against terrorists but now quotes Gen. Mad Dog Mattis as saying he can glean more information with a pack of cigarettes and a couple of beers. He once belittled 2012 nominee Mitt Romney but now is considering him as secretary of state.

Perhaps Trump is cognizant that losing the popular vote belies a mandate. Perhaps a move to the center is a path toward reconciliation.

Pence will return to Indiana in December for the states bicentennial celebration. He would be wise to address the divisions we face in our state and nation. Theres an opportunity for him to set a tone of tolerance in a nation and state roiled in fear and loathing.
HILLA, Iraq  A car bomb tore through a gas station south of Baghdad on Thursday, killing at least 56 people, including 20 Iranians, in an attack claimed by the Islamic State group.

Police and hospital officials confirmed the toll and said another 45 people were wounded in the attack, which destroyed the gas station and set several cars on fire.

The blast knocked out power at the station, forcing relatives looking for the remains of loved ones to use the glare of their mobile phones to guide them. Body parts that remained unclaimed were gathered in a blue bag and placed on the sidewalk outside the station. Large sections of the station were covered in blood.

Irans Deputy Foreign Minister Hassan Qashqavi was quoted by the semi-official Tasnim news agency as saying that 80 people were killed, including 40 Iranians. Conflicting death tolls are common in the aftermath of large attacks.

The Islamic State group claimed the attack in a brief statement carried by its Aamaq news agency, saying it was a suicide truck bomb.

The Iraqi officials said the target of the attack appears to have been a bus carrying Iranian pilgrims heading home after taking part in a major Shiite religious observance in the holy city of Karbala. The blast left the bus and some dozen cars charred.

The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media.

Thursdays attack came a day after several small-scale bombings in and around Baghdad killed 31 people and wounded more than a 100, a particularly bloody day even by the standards of the Iraqi capital, which has for more than a decade endured near-daily violence blamed on IS or its forerunner, al-Qaida in Iraq.

In northern Iraq, meanwhile, troops drove IS militants from three more neighborhoods in Mosul, the countrys second largest city, where U.S.-backed offensive has been underway for more than six weeks.

Brig. Gen. Haider Fadhil of the special forces told The Associated Press his men have retaken the neighborhoods of Amn, Qahira and Green Apartments and were expanding their foothold in the densely populated district of Zohour.

The neighborhoods are all east of the Tigris River, where most of the fighting has taken place. A U.S.-led coalition is carrying out airstrikes to support the troops.

Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi meanwhile flew to an airstrip outside the town of Tal Afar, to the west of Mosul, on a previously unannounced visit on Thursday, according to footage aired by the state-owned Iraqiya television network. The airstrip was seized from IS by state-sanctioned Shiite militiamen earlier this week.
Fidel Castro may have had an adversarial relationship with the U.S. government, but he was no stranger to New York City. Not only did Castro spend a honeymoon here in 1948, he would return five times while in power, most recently in 2000, and he was often met with a welcoming embrace. Our Bobby Cuza has that story.

He may have been an enemy of the United States, but here in New York he was often treated like a hero, particularly in Harlem, where in 1995 Fidel Castro addressed a packed house at the Abyssinian Baptist Church that included elected officials and community leaders, having changed out of the business suit he wore earlier in the day to address the United Nations.

"If the last time I went to Harlem I was wearing my fatigues," Castro said during that visit. "How come I'm going to go to Harlem dressed in a business suit?"

Castro was making reference to 1960, when he spent a week and a half in New York. After walking out of the Shelburne Hotel on Lexington Avenue in a dispute with the manager, he and his entourage decamped to Hotel Theresa in Harlem, where he got a warmer reception, and received guests including Malcolm X and Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev.

The previous year, just months after seizing power, Castro had been mobbed at Penn Station, and welcomed at City Hall by Mayor Robert Wagner. Not all mayors were so welcoming.

"I think that Fidel Castro doesnt belong in any gathering in New York City," said Mayor Rudy Giuliani.

Mayor Giuliani refused to host Castro at any city-sponsored events. And his visits did draw protests; but it was undeniable Castro could deploy his charms; in 1995, he visited news organizations including the Wall Street Journal and the New York Times, where he addressed the newsroom.

"I believe everything that your newspaper writes," Castro told Times staffers. "Except when you speak ill about us."

He would make another visit uptown in 2000, when he was again met by an adoring crowd, this time at Riverside Church  where hundreds waited in line for a glimpse of the Cuban leader.

Heres how one man explained Castros appeal in 1995.

"Fidel Castro is a symbol of resistance for oppressed people all over the world," said one.

"Hes a nice man," said another. "Hes a beautiful man!"
HAVANA (AP)  Former President Fidel Castro, who led a rebel army to improbable victory in Cuba, embraced Soviet-style communism and defied the power of 10 U.S. presidents during his half-century rule, has died at age 90.

With a shaking voice, his younger brother, Raul Castro, announced on state television that his brother died at 10:29 p.m. on Friday night.

Castro's reign over the island nation 90 miles from Florida was marked by the U.S.-backed Bay of Pigs invasion in 1961 and the Cuban Missile Crisis a year later that brought the world to the brink of nuclear war. The bearded revolutionary, who survived a crippling U.S. trade embargo as well as dozens, possibly hundreds, of assassination plots, died eight years after ill health forced him to formally hand power over to Raul.

Castro overcame imprisonment at the hands of dictator Fulgencio Batista, exile in Mexico and a disastrous start to his rebellion before triumphantly riding into Havana in January 1959 to become, at age 32, the youngest leader in Latin America. For decades, he served as an inspiration and source of support to revolutionaries from Latin America to Africa.

His commitment to socialism was unwavering, though his power finally began to fade in mid-2006 when a gastrointestinal ailment forced him to hand over the presidency to Raul in 2008, provisionally at first and then permanently. His defiant image lingered long after he gave up his trademark Cohiba cigars for health reasons and his tall frame grew stooped.

"Socialism or death" remained Castro's rallying cry even as Western-style democracy swept the globe and other communist regimes in China and Vietnam embraced capitalism, leaving this island of 11 million people an economically crippled Marxist curiosity.

He survived long enough to see Raul Castro negotiate an opening with U.S. President Barack Obama on Dec. 17, 2014, when Washington and Havana announced they would move to restore diplomatic ties for the first time since they were severed in 1961. He cautiously blessed the historic deal with his lifelong enemy in a letter published after a month-long silence.

"It's a tragedy," said Dayan Montalvo, a 22-year-old nurse. "We all grew up with him. I feel really hurt by the news that we just heard."

Fidel Castro Ruz was born Aug. 13, 1926, in eastern Cuba's sugar country, where his Spanish immigrant father worked first recruiting labor for U.S. sugar companies and later built up a prosperous plantation of his own.

Castro attended Jesuit schools, then the University of Havana, where he received law and social science degrees. His life as a rebel began in 1953 with a reckless attack on the Moncada military barracks in the eastern city of Santiago. Most of his comrades were killed and Fidel and his brother Raul went to prison.

Fidel turned his trial defense into a manifesto that he smuggled out of jail, famously declaring, "History will absolve me."

Freed under a pardon, Castro fled to Mexico and organized a rebel band that returned in 1956, sailing across the Gulf of Mexico to Cuba on a yacht named Granma. After losing most of his group in a bungled landing, he rallied support in Cuba's eastern Sierra Maestra mountains.

Three years later, tens of thousands spilled into the streets of Havana to celebrate Batista's downfall and catch a glimpse of Castro as his rebel caravan arrived in the capital on Jan. 8, 1959.

The U.S. was among the first to formally recognize his government, cautiously trusting Castro's early assurances he merely wanted to restore democracy, not install socialism.

Within months, Castro was imposing radical economic reforms. Members of the old government went before summary courts, and at least 582 were shot by firing squads over two years. Independent newspapers were closed and in the early years, homosexuals were herded into camps for "re-education."

In 1964, Castro acknowledged holding 15,000 political prisoners. Hundreds of thousands of Cubans fled, including Castro's daughter Alina Fernandez Revuelta and his younger sister Juana.

Still, the revolution thrilled millions in Cuba and across Latin America who saw it as an example of how the seemingly arrogant Yankees could be defied. And many on the island were happy to see the seizure of property of the landed class, the expulsion of American gangsters and the closure of their casinos.

Castro's speeches, lasting up to six hours, became the soundtrack of Cuban life and his 269-minute speech to the U.N. General Assembly in 1960 set the world body's record for length that still stood more than five decades later.

As Castro moved into the Soviet bloc, Washington began working to oust him, cutting U.S. purchases of sugar, the island's economic mainstay. Castro, in turn, confiscated $1 billion in U.S. assets.

The American government imposed a trade embargo, banning virtually all U.S. exports to the island except for food and medicine, and it severed diplomatic ties on Jan. 3, 1961.

On April 16 of that year, Castro declared his revolution to be socialist, and the next day, about 1,400 Cuban exiles stormed the beach at the Bay of Pigs on Cuba's south coast. But the CIA-backed invasion failed.

The debacle forced the U.S. to give up on the idea of invading Cuba, but that didn't stop Washington and Castro's exiled enemies from trying to do him in. By Cuban count, he was the target of more than 630 assassination plots by militant Cuban exiles or the U.S. government.

The biggest crisis of the Cold War between Washington and Moscow exploded on Oct. 22, 1962, when President John F. Kennedy announced there were Soviet nuclear missiles in Cuba and imposed a naval blockade of the island. Humankind held its breath, and after a tense week of diplomacy, Soviet leader Nikita Krushchev removed them. Never had the world felt so close to nuclear war.

Castro cobbled revolutionary groups together into the new Cuban Communist Party, with him as first secretary. Labor unions lost the right to strike. The Catholic Church and other religious institutions were harassed. Neighborhood "revolutionary defense committees" kept an eye on everyone.

Castro exported revolution to Latin American countries in the 1960s, and dispatched Cuban troops to Africa to fight Western-backed regimes in the 1970s. Over the decades, he sent Cuban doctors abroad to tend to the poor, and gave sanctuary to fugitive Black Panther leaders from the U.S.

But the collapse of the Soviet bloc ended billions in preferential trade and subsidies for Cuba, sending its economy into a tailspin. Castro briefly experimented with an opening to foreign capitalists and limited private enterprise.

As the end of the Cold War eased global tensions, many Latin American and European countries re-established relations with Cuba. In January 1998, Pope John Paul II visited a nation that had been officially atheist until the early 1990s.

Aided by a tourism boom, the economy slowly recovered and Castro steadily reasserted government control, stifling much of the limited free enterprise tolerated during harder times.

As flamboyant as he was in public, Castro tried to lead a discreet private life. He and his first wife, Mirta Diaz Balart, had one son before divorcing in 1956. Then, for more than four decades, Castro had a relationship with Dalia Soto del Valle. They had five sons together and were said to have married quietly in 1980.

By the time Castro resigned 49 years after his triumphant arrival in Havana, he was the world's longest ruling head of government, aside from monarchs.

In retirement, Castro voiced unwavering support as Raul slowly but deliberately enacted sweeping changes to the Marxist system he had built.

His longevity allowed the younger brother to consolidate control, perhaps lengthening the revolution well past both men's lives. In February 2013, Raul announced that he would retire as president in 2018 and named newly minted Vice President Miguel Diaz-Canel as his successor.

"I'll be 90 years old soon," Castro said at an April 2016 communist party congress where he made his most extensive public appearance in years. "Soon I'll be like all the others. The time will come for all of us, but the ideas of the Cuban Communists will remain as proof that on this planet, if one works with fervor and dignity, they can produce the material and cultural goods that human beings need and that need to be fought for without ever giving up."
An emotionally-disturbed man was taken into custody after police say he showed up at Trump Tower and demanded to speak to Donald Trump.

Police say Roosevelt Pleas claimed he had received a phone call from the President-elect.

It all happened yesterday around 10:30 at night in the atrium of the Midtown building.

The Secret Service notified NYPD about the 24-year-old after they determined he was not a threat.

Police took the Brooklyn resident into custody without incident.

He is currently undergoing a psychiatric evaluation at St. Lukes Hospital.

They say Pleas was not armed.

Police say he has an open warrant for an unanswered criminal court summons in Brooklyn.

Hell be taken to Brooklyn criminal court after his testing is complete.
Police are searching for a man involved in an apartment burglary in the Bronx.

Cops say the individual shown here entered a 22-year-old man's home through a kitchen window.

It happened on Monday morning at 9:30, near Minerva Place. Once inside, police say he took more than $2,800 worth of electronic equipment including a computer, house phone, Xbox and PlayStation. He fled through the front door.

He is described as around 30 years old and 5-feet-8 inches to 6-feet tall.

Anyone with information on the case should contact the Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS, or text CRIMES and then enter TIP577, or visit www.nypdcrimestoppers.com.
Note: This Op-Ed is from the archive, written in 2006.

Santa Barbara, Calif.

FIDEL CASTRO appears to have cheated death (yet again) and will celebrate his 80th birthday today. Although he has decreed that his birthday celebration will take place on Dec. 2 (the 50th anniversary of his return to Cuba from exile), he in fact came into the world, weighing 12 pounds, on Aug. 13, 1926, at 2 a.m. at his familys estate at Biran.

In 1952, when Fulgencio Batista seized power through a military coup, Fidel Castro declined an invitation to join the regime from Rafael Diaz-Balart, a brother of his wife, Mirta, and a minister in the new government. He had far grander ambitions.

On July 26, 1953, Mr. Castro and his younger brother Raul declared war against Batista with an audacious assault on the Moncada military garrison in Santiago de Cuba. The attack was a disaster, with more than 60 men killed, but it made Fidel Castro a household name. He reveled in his ensuing trial  declaring famously that history will absolve me  and was sentenced to 15 years at the Isle of Pines prison. (He served less than two.)

Castro was productive and prolific in prison, reading ceaselessly and writing hundreds of letters. Twenty-one of those letters were published in Cuba in 1959 in a volume edited by his friend and frequent correspondent, Luis Conte Aguero. (Mr. Conte Aguero broke with Castro soon after and fled to Miami in 1960.)
Wilbur L. Ross, the billionaire investor expected to be nominated as the next commerce secretary, has made his fortune through the tricky business of buying deeply troubled companies.

With wealth estimated at $2.9 billion, Mr. Ross, who turns 79 on Monday, would join a cabinet that is already expected to include one of the superwealthy in Betsy DeVos, the nominee for secretary of education, and that may soon have others.

In choosing Mr. Ross to be the face of American business for the rest of the world, President-elect Donald J. Trump is turning not to a cautious corporate chieftain, but to a risk-taking speculator. Like his presumptive boss, Mr. Ross has been considered either a hero or a villain during his career. There is not a lot in between.

In 2002, he won praise from workers when he bought the shuttered steel mills of LTV, a bankrupt company in Cleveland. Four years later, Mr. Ross was pilloried after an explosion at the Sago Mine in West Virginia, which his company had bought a few weeks earlier, killed 12 miners.
United Technologies is among the countrys biggest military contractors, producing engines for the Pentagons most advanced fighter jets and receiving more than $5 billion annually from the federal government. That equals 10 percent of the companys revenue.

The size of the federal governments dealings with United Technologies has also caught the eye of legislators on Capitol Hill, like Senator Joe Donnelly, Democrat of Indiana.

Its unfair to ask the same workers who have been laid off to pay tax dollars that will go to the company that fired them, he said. Were in this together as Americans. When our workers succeed, our economy succeeds and our defense contractors succeed.

Senator Donnelly is pushing for the government to consider outsourcing as a factor in deciding which companies receive federal contracts.

Kenneth G. Dau-Schmidt, a professor of labor and employment law at the Maurer School of Law at Indiana University, said he also thought that Mr. Trump could get a win here, adding, Because they are a defense contractor, the federal government has some leverage.

Whether he can do something that benefits the working class in general is a different story, he said. The underlying problems are very hard to address. Trying to hold back the economic tide of automation, and the loss of middle-class manufacturing jobs, is something Im not sure anybody can do.

While Carrier is best known for its air-conditioners, it also sells a variety of other heating and cooling equipment for homes and small businesses, like the furnaces and fan coils made at the Indianapolis factory.
Paul Sylbert, an Oscar-winning production designer who created the look of films as various as Alfred Hitchcocks The Wrong Man, Robert Bentons Kramer vs. Kramer and Warren Beattys Heaven Can Wait, died on Nov. 19 at his home in Jenkintown, Pa., near Philadelphia. He was 88.

The death was confirmed by his wife, Jeannette Sylbert.

Mr. Sylbert  the twin brother of Richard Sylbert, the even more noted production designer of Whos Afraid of Virginia Woolf and Chinatown  was known for his obsessive attention to detail and clever solutions to difficult filming problems. Working with top directors like Hitchcock, Elia Kazan and Milos Forman, he went to enormous lengths to create a look that served the directors vision and conveyed a sense of authenticity.

For John Singletons Rosewood (1997), about a black settlement in Florida that was burned to the ground by a racist mob in 1923, he spent untold hours interviewing survivors and scouring local archives and census records to build an accurate picture of Rosewood and a nearby town whose sawmill employed many of the residents.

We built two and a half miles of road to one place, and a mile and a half to the other place, and built both towns from scratch, Mr. Sylbert told the journal TCI: Theater Crafts International in 1997.
MASTIC BEACH, N.Y.  It was only six years ago that residents here on Long Island took a leap into the unknown, shunning the Town of Brookhaven, where Mastic Beach was a lowly hamlet, and incorporating as a village.

The idea was to gain control over myriad problems in Mastic Beach, a working-class community on the South Shore. There were absentee landlords renting to tenants who did not maintain their yards. There were boarded-up houses. And there was a feeling that Brookhaven, a sprawling town of 486,000, did not care.

But now, after an experiment in municipal governance that spawned political infighting, fear of rising taxes and lagging services, residents have voted to abolish the village.

It sounded good, but ultimately the village government wasnt working, said Harry Janssen, an airline mechanic who grew up here and voted on Nov. 16 to disband.
In the city within a city rising west of Pennsylvania Station are many astonishing sights.

The most astonishing  for the moment, anyway  is a mammoth steel structure, as long as a city block, that seems to float 51 feet over the ground at Ninth Avenue and 33rd Street.

With a volume of 1.2 million cubic feet, this structure alone would be more than enough of a building in most parts of New York City. But on the Far West Side of Manhattan, which is being redeveloped at a gargantuan scale, it is merely a pedestal for a skyscraper that will eventually soar 995 feet.

The $1 billion skyscraper, called 1 Manhattan West, will not simply sit on this pedestal. It will balance on it.
It wasnt until she was 3 years old that Shatiana Vanterpool received a diagnosis. Unable to walk or talk, she was taken by her mother, Shayntte Johnson, to three different doctors, and finally it was discovered that she had cerebral palsy, which affected her muscle tone and motor skills. She didnt learn to walk until she was about 5. And doctors said she would never be able to speak.

Now, at 21, Ms. Vanterpool rides the subway on her own. Her mother said this makes her a little nervous sometimes, but you have to let her grow and see what the other side is like. After years of hard work, including physical, occupational and speech therapy, Ms. Vanterpool is enrolled in a rehabilitation program for adults with intellectual disabilities that helps prepare them for the work world.
Detroit is not only the lowest in this group of lowest-performing districts on the math and reading scores, it is the lowest by far. One well-regarded study found that Detroits charter schools performed at about the same dismal level as its traditional public schools. The situation is so bad that national philanthropists interested in school reform refuse to work in Detroit. As someone who has studied the citys schools and used to work there, I am saddened by all this.

The situation is not entirely Ms. DeVoss fault, of course, but she is widely seen as the main driver of the entire states school overhaul. She devised Detroits system to run like the Wild West. Its hardly a surprise that the system, which has almost no oversight, has failed. Schools there can do poorly and still continue to enroll students. Also, after more than a decade of Ms. DeVoss getting her way on a host of statewide education policies, Michigan has the dubious distinction of being one of five states with declining reading scores.

In contrast, consider the case of New Orleans, where virtually all the schools are charters. Here, the state has taken over about a third of charter schools because of poor results since the system was revamped in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. Also, while the system initially had limited oversight and worked poorly, local leaders now take extensive steps to facilitate a fair process of school choice, help prevent schools from cherry-picking students and manage a centralized student expulsion system. In other words, the system provides some oversight to help ensure that families have good schools to choose from.

The New Orleans results have been impressive. In the decade after the reforms, the citys standardized test scores have increased by eight to 15 percentile points and moved the district from the bottom to almost the state average on many measures. High school graduation and college entry rates also seem to have improved significantly, even while suspensions, expulsions and the rate of students switching schools have all dropped. Detroit and New Orleans represent radically different versions of school choice  and the one that seems to work is the one that uses the state oversight that Ms. DeVos opposes.
As same-sex marriage laws have expanded in the past decade in Europe and the Western Hemisphere, the movement to legalize such unions has faced staunch resistance in Asia.

Early next year, Taiwan could become a pioneer in the region if one of several bills that would permit same-sex marriage becomes law. Efforts to put the issue on the legislative agenda date back to at least 2005, when a bill was blocked promptly after it was introduced. Since then, the gay rights movement on the island has built enough political support to make it feasible. President Tsai Ing-wen, who came into office last spring, supports legalizing same-sex marriage, and she has argued that doing so would strengthen society. Politicians from all major opposition parties are on board.

Hsiao Bi-khim, a lawmaker who introduced the bill in 2005, told The Times that so far 56 of the Legislatures 113 lawmakers have voiced support for at least one of the marriage bills. That is just one vote shy of the number needed for passage during the next legislative session, which starts in February.

The quest to legalize same-sex marriage in Taiwan comes as other Asian nations take steps of their own to advance equality for gays and lesbians. In Japan, the governing Liberal Democratic Partys latest manifesto includes a reference to the need to promote awareness of sexual diversity, a notable gesture in a country where sexual orientation and gender identity issues have long been taboo in political spheres. Municipalities and companies, meanwhile, have acted unilaterally to extend benefits to gay people, including those in same-sex relationships.
WASHINGTON  The Obama administration said on Friday that despite Russian attempts to undermine the presidential election, it has concluded that the results accurately reflect the will of the American people.

The statement came as liberal opponents of Donald J. Trump, some citing fears of vote hacking, are seeking recounts in three states  Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania  where his margin of victory was extremely thin.

A drive by Jill Stein, the Green Party candidate, for recounts in those states had brought in more than $5 million by midday on Friday, her campaign said, and had increased its goal to $7 million. She filed for a recount in Wisconsin on Friday, about an hour before the deadline.

In its statement, the administration said, The Kremlin probably expected that publicity surrounding the disclosures that followed the Russian government-directed compromises of emails from U.S. persons and institutions, including from U.S. political organizations, would raise questions about the integrity of the election process that could have undermined the legitimacy of the president-elect.
ATLANTA  The 10-line report, written on wide-ruled notebook paper by an elementary school student in Chattanooga, Tenn., arrived on Nov. 16.

The bus driver drives fast, the Woodmore Elementary School student wrote. The driver of Bus No. 366, the child added, drove so that it felt like the bus is going to flip over. And when a student stood in the aisle, the child wrote, the driver stops the bus and he makes people hit their head.

Five days later, the bus driver, Johnthony K. Walker, driving 37 children home from Woodmore, strayed from his route and crashed, leaving six children dead in one of the countrys deadliest school bus wrecks in recent years.

The crash, for which Mr. Walker has been charged with vehicular homicide, is being investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board and the Chattanooga police. Records released Friday night by the Hamilton County Department of Education showed that Mr. Walkers behavior was a frequent worry this semester.
Bernardo Alvarez Herrera, a longtime ambassador to the United States who led Hugo Chavezs diplomats in defending Venezuelas socialist revolution to skeptical foreign governments, died on Thursday in Caracas. He was 60.

President Nicolas Maduro of Venezuela announced the death but did not give the cause.

Mr. Alvarez was Venezuelas ambassador in Washington from 2003 to 2010, a period of deeply strained relations with the United States. But American officials long saw Mr. Alvarez, a former college professor, as a pragmatist who prevented ties between the countries from fraying even further.

With Bernardo, there was always a willingness to engage in dialogue; that wasnt necessarily true of others in the government, said Michael Shifter, president of the Washington-based Inter-American Dialogue, which recently hosted Mr. Alvarez for an event.

For the past year Mr. Alvarez had been Venezuelas ambassador to the Organization of American States, where he helped stymie a hemispheric push to isolate Mr. Maduro for jailing opponents and quashing an opposition campaign to cut short his term through a recall referendum.
ROSTOV-ON-DON, Russia  In a rare public appearance, Viktor F. Yanukovych, the former president of Ukraine, said Friday that he regrets he did not impose martial law and order troops to disperse the mass protests that toppled his government and forced him into exile in Russia.

My main mistake was that I was not resolute enough to sign an order, Mr. Yanukovych told dozens of journalists at a news conference. But even today, I would not sign this order because Ukraine was divided then and that would unleash a civil war.

The protests began late in 2013 when Mr. Yanukovychs government announced that it was suspending its plans to sign a trade deal with the European Union and that it would instead seek closer economic ties with Russia.

The demonstrations, centered in Maidan Square in Kiev, grew in size and intensity, attracting international attention. But it was the shooting of scores of protesters in February 2014 as they tried to enter the government district that drew widespread condemnation and led many of Mr.Yanukovychs political allies to abandon him. Security forces, after hearing that they would be blamed for the shootings and that protesters had seized hundreds of guns, left the capital.
A 42-year-old Navy sailor whose many decorations included the Bronze Star has been identified as the first member of the American armed forces to be killed in combat in Syria, the Defense Department said on Friday.

The sailor, Senior Chief Petty Officer Scott C. Dayton, lived in Woodbridge, Va., and was assigned to a bomb-disposal unit based in Virginia Beach, the Pentagon said in a news release.

He was killed by an improvised bomb on Thursday in northern Syria, where the Americans have been helping to organize an offensive against the Islamic State.

American warplanes have been bombing targets inside Syria to help tens of thousands of militia fighters try to oust the Islamic State from Raqqa, the extremist groups stronghold in the country.
Betty Uyen Bui, a daughter of Huong N. Bui of San Jose, Calif., and the late Phuong V. Bui, was married Nov. 26 to David Elliott Purcell, a son of Carol Burke Purcell of McLean, Va., and the late Francis E. Purcell. The Rev. Timothy Mills, an American Baptist minister, officiated at a nondenominational ceremony at the Ritz-Carlton in San Francisco.

The bride, 42, will take her husbands name. She is a human resources manager in San Francisco for KPMG, the accounting and professional services firm in Amstelveen, the Netherlands. She graduated from the University of California, Berkeley.

The groom, 46, is the vice president for digital marketing in San Francisco for Visa. He graduated from George Washington University and received an M.B.A. from Cornell.

Ms. Bui and Mr. Purcell, who were introduced in June 2015 through a dating app called the League, went on a first date later that month to a wine bar in San Francisco.
When I was a new mother living on the Upper West Side of Manhattan in 2010, I often forgot that my infant son, Harper, didnt look like me. As I pushed him around the neighborhood, I thought of him as the perfect brown baby, soft-skinned and tulip-lipped, with a full head of black hair, even if it was the opposite of my blond waves and fair skin.

Hes adorable. What nationality is his mother? a middle-aged white woman asked me outside Barnes & Noble on Broadway one day, mistaking me for a nanny.

I am his mother, I told her. His daddy is Filipino.

Well, good for you, she said.

Its a sentiment that mixed-race couples hear all too frequently, as interracial marriages have become increasingly common in the United States since 1967, when the Supreme Courts decision in Loving v. Virginia struck down laws banning such unions. The story of the couple whose relationship led to the court ruling is chronicled in the movie, Loving, now in theaters.

In 2013, 12 percent of all new marriages were interracial, the Pew Research Center reported. According to a 2015 Pew report on intermarriage, 37 percent of Americans agreed that having more people marrying different races was a good thing for society, up from 24 percent only four years earlier; 9 percent thought it was a bad thing.
Jenna Shane Kauffman, a daughter of Janis Rosenthal Kauffman and Robert J. Kauffman of Philadelphia, was married Nov. 26 to Jonathan Grinberg, a son of Sima Davidson and Dr. Isaac Grinberg of Huixquilucan, Mexico. Cantor David F. Tilman led the ceremony in the planetarium at the Franklin Institute, the science museum in Philadelphia.

The bride, 28, who will take her husbands name, works in Suffern, N.Y., as an associate manager of global marketing for Avon Products. She graduated from Temple University.

The groom, 29, works at Tommy Hilfiger in New York, where he is a senior project manager of store design for Mexico and Latin America. He graduated from Universidad Iberoamericana of Mexico City.

The couple met in April 2014 at a Seder on the first night of Passover at Sammys Roumanian Steakhouse on the Lower East Side of New York.
Chuck Willis, 60, is a senior emergency preparedness administrator at Baltimore Gas & Electric.

Q. What kind of emergencies do you prepare for and how do you do it?

A. Its my job to determine how much extra staff we need when a storm threatens. I look at our historical data for storms similar to the one predicted, how many outages there were and how many people were needed to restore power. My group also writes plans and procedures to be followed in the event of storms.

How long have you had this job, and what did you do before then?

I joined the company 30 years ago. I wasnt ready for college after high school, so I joined the United States Navy and served as a machinists mate on a nuclear submarine. Afterward I worked in my wifes familys restaurant business. Since coming here, Ive gotten a bachelors and masters degree in management.

How do you determine staffing for an emergency?

We use Excel spreadsheets and write commands to extract usable data quickly. We need to look at wind speed, wind gusts and amount of rain, snow or ice expected and how long the storm is going to last. Sixty-mile-an-hour gusts over an hour can cause damage, but gusts over four, six or eight hours are a different story.
The doorbell rang. On the steps of the brownstone in the Bedford-Stuyvesant section of Brooklyn were two police officers, two firefighters and two Buildings Department inspectors. The one who did the talking said to get out immediately, not because there was a gas leak, not because anyone was suspected of selling illegal drugs, but because the brownstone was being used as a bed-and-breakfast.

He also said that anyone who tried to go back in would be arrested.

That left seven people in limbo on that September afternoon. Six were tourists. Four were upstairs, the other two were out sightseeing or doing whatever else tourists do in New York. The inspector said they could not even pack their luggage. The seventh was Ambyr DAmato, the live-in host.

The scene played out on a stoop that moviegoers with good memories might recognize. The brownstone, at 7 Arlington Place, was the backdrop for Spike Lees 1994 film Crooklyn, a warmhearted film that critics praised for its pleasant focus on a lost place and time. The place was Bedford-Stuyvesant, the time the 1970s.

How different 7 Arlington Place was then: It was a two-family house. That was before the housing frenzy swept through Bed-Stuy; before 7 Arlington Place was sold for $1.7 million ($400,000 above the asking price); before it underwent a top-to-bottom renovation; before it was rezoned as a one-family house; and before the bed-and-breakfast opened.
Miami  The first time Fidel Castro died was around my birthday in 2006. I was in Miami when the announcement went out that Castro had had an operation and was temporarily ceding power to his brother. This being the first time Castro had voluntarily stepped away from his dictatorship, speculation ran wild. Miami Cubans took to the streets to celebrate the death of a tyrant, a symbol of death and loss for Cubans of all races and faiths.

This morning, my sister texted, Fidel is dead again, one of 26 messages from friends and relatives sharing the news.

Id already heard: around midnight, Cubans of every age again poured into the streets of Miami to celebrate the death of a dictator whod had a profound effect on our lives  who was, in many ways, the reason we were all here in the first place. I was in Westchester, a south Miami neighborhood thats arguably the heart of Miamis Cuban community (and as a Hialeah native, Id be the first one to argue).

On Bird Road, where the lane closest to the sidewalk had been blocked off to allow for overflowing crowds, police lights bathed people in swirls of blue and red light. A father had his arm around his adolescent daughter, who was draped in a Cuban flag, the two of them watching the celebration around them. A woman about my age, there with her girlfriend, wore a T-shirt she seemed to be saving for this day: it read, Tu dia llego (meaning, your day has come, though the accents were missing from both dia and llego). A crew of fraternity brothers, none of them Cuban, said theyd come down from Broward to see this. Hialeah must be on fire right now, one of them said.
The country had signaled strongly in the last two midterms that they were not happy. The Dems answer was to give them more of the same from a person they did not like or trust.

Preaching  and pandering  with a message of inclusion, the Democrats have instead become a party where incivility and bad manners are taken for granted, rudeness is routine, religion is mocked and there is absolutely no respect for a differing opinion. This did not go down well in the Midwest, where Trump flipped three blue states and 44 electoral votes.

The rudeness reached its peak when Vice President-elect Mike Pence was booed by attendees of Hamilton and then pompously lectured by the cast. This may play well with the New York theater crowd but is considered boorish and unacceptable by those of us taught to respect the office of the president and vice president, if not the occupants.

Here is a short primer for the young protesters. If your preferred candidate loses, there is no need for mass hysteria, canceled midterms, safe spaces, crying rooms or group primal screams. You might understand this better if you had not received participation trophies, undeserved grades to protect your feelings or even if you had a proper understanding of civics. The Democrats are now crying that Hillary had more popular votes. That can be her participation trophy.

If any of my sons had told me they were too distraught over a national election to take an exam, I would have brought them home the next day, fearful of the instruction they were receiving. Not one of the top 50 colleges mandate one semester of Western Civilization. Maybe they should rethink that.
This is not normal  so say Donald Trumps critics as he prepares to assume the presidency. But the American republic is only the second-oldest institution facing a distinctively unusual situation at the moment. Pride of place goes to the Roman Catholic Church, which with less fanfare (perhaps because the papacy lacks a nuclear arsenal) has also entered terra incognita.

Two weeks ago, four cardinals published a so-called dubia  a set of questions, posed to Pope Francis, requesting that he clarify his apostolic exhortation on the family, Amoris Laetitia. In particular they asked him to clarify whether the churchs ban on communion for divorced Catholics in new (and, in the churchs eyes, adulterous) marriages remained in place, and whether the churchs traditional opposition to situation ethics had been developed into obsolescence.

The dubia began as a private letter, as is usual with such requests for doctrinal clarity. Francis offered no reply. It became public just before last weeks consistory in Rome, when the pope meets with the College of Cardinals and presents the newly-elevated members with red hats. The pope continued to ignore it, but took the unusual step of canceling a general meeting with the cardinals (not a few of whose members are quiet supporters of the questioners).

Francis canceled because the dubia had him boiling with rage, it was alleged. This was not true, tweeted his close collaborator, the Jesuit father Antonio Spadaro, shortly after replying to critics who compared him to J.R.R. Tolkiens Grima Wormtongue by tweeting and then deleting a shot of Tolkiens Gandalf growling his refusal to bandy crooked words with a witless worm.
The case of Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, an American soldier who, after leaving his post, was held hostage by the Taliban for five years, became a recurring theme of Donald Trumps unruly campaign speeches.

In August 2015, Mr. Trump fired up a New Hampshire crowd by calling Sergeant Bergdahl a dirty rotten traitor. He proceeded to falsely claim that six young beautiful people were killed trying to find him. Then he dismissed arguments that the former hostages psychological problems may have led him to walk off a base in Afghanistan in 2009. In the old days, Mr. Trump said, pantomiming an execution by pretending to fire a rifle twice. Bing bong.

Those remarks are certain to loom large over Sergeant Bergdahls court-martial, which is scheduled to start in April. Sergeant Bergdahl is charged with desertion and misbehavior in front of the enemy; a guilty verdict could result in a sentence anywhere from no jail time to life. But how can he get a fair trial in the military justice system when the next commander in chief has proclaimed his guilt and accused him of treason?

The short answer is he cant. Eugene Fidell, Mr. Bergdahls lawyer, says he intends to submit a motion the day Mr. Trump takes office, cataloging the roughly 40 times Mr. Trump made disparaging remarks about his client, and seeking to have the case dismissed.
One official with the United Steelworkers said his Pittsburgh-based union had urged members to back Mrs. Clinton, but many preferred Mr. Trump, largely because of his tough talk on trade with Mexico and China. Many lapped up his promises to bring back manufacturing jobs, hinting at a return (an improbable one) to the 1950s and 60s, when manufacturing boomed and unions were mighty. (Mr. Trumps G.O.P. allies are spoiling, however, to further hobble labor unions, which are far weaker than in the 60s.)

Many steelworkers, the official explained, disliked Mrs. Clinton because of her ties to Wall Street, because her husband had championed Nafta and because she had supported the Trans-Pacific Partnership before coming out against the trade pact during the campaign.

Leo Gerard, the steelworkers president, sent a letter to his unions 600,000 members, acknowledging that its ranks were divided this election season. While the economy has grown, he wrote, the growth has failed to stimulate the manufacturing sector because of our nations failed trade policies. Maintaining that Mr. Trump had appropriated his unions message, he wrote, Trump used our own words to speak to these problems, and to the real suffering, fears and anxieties that so many feel.

Most labor leaders viewed Mr. Trump far more harshly than his union backers did; they often attacked him as a con artist and a threat to unions and workers. Mrs. Clinton would have prevailed had she adopted a more muscular pro-worker message, union leaders lament, more like Bernie Sanderss message attacking trade deals and inequality.

With Mr. Trumps victory and with Republicans now controlling both houses of Congress, unions are expecting a series of stinging blows. Even as Mr. Trump talks of spending $1 trillion to improve infrastructure, many Republicans are eager to repeal an 85-year-old law requiring that contractors pay union-level wages on federal projects. Congressional Republicans are likely to take up nationwide right-to-work legislation, which would sap union treasuries by barring any requirement that workers pay union dues or fees. And even if Senate Democrats manage to block such a law, Republican gains in Kentucky and Missouri mean those states are likely to enact their own right-to-work laws.
People have approached me looking for a way to change the minds of Trump voters, but I cant offer any magic technique. That kind of persuasion happens in person-to-person interactions and it requires a lot of honest listening on both sides. For me, the conversations that led me to change my views started because I couldnt understand why anyone would fear me. I thought I was only doing what was right and defending those I loved.

I think the Hamilton cast modeled well one way to make that same connection when they appealed to Vice President-elect Mike Pence from the stage: We, sir  we  are the diverse America who are alarmed and anxious that your new administration will not protect us. Afterward, the actor Brandon Victor Dixon explained, I hope he thinks of us every time he has to deal with an issue or talk about a bill or present anything. Im sure Mr. Pence believes his policies are just. But now he has heard from individuals who are worried about those policies. That might open him to new conversations.

I never would have begun my own conversations without first experiencing clear and passionate outrage to what I believed from those I interacted with. Now is the time for me to pass on that outrage by clearly and unremittingly denouncing the people who used a wave of white anger to take the White House.

Mr. Trumps comments during the campaign echoed how I also tapped into less-than-explicit white nationalist ideology to reach relatively moderate white Americans. I went door-to-door in 2008 talking about how Hispanic immigration was overwhelming American culture, how black neighborhoods were hotbeds of crime, and how P.C. culture didnt let us talk about any of it. I won that small election with 60 percent of the vote.

A substantial portion of the American public has made clear that it feels betrayed by the establishment, and so it elected a president who denounces all Muslims as potential conspirators in terrorism; who sees black communities as crime-ridden; who taps into white American mistrust of foreigners, particularly of Hispanics; and who promises the harshest form of immigration control. If we thought Mr. Trump himself might backtrack on some of this, we are now watching him fill a cabinet with people able to make that campaign rhetoric into real policy.

Much has been made of the incoherence of Mr. Trumps proposals, but what really matters is who does  and doesnt  need to fear them. None of the ideas that Mr. Trump has put forward would endanger me, and I once enthusiastically advocated for most of what he says. No proposal to put more cops in black neighborhoods to stop and frisk residents would cause me to be harassed. A ban on Muslim immigration doesnt implicate all people who look like me in terrorism. Overturning Roe v. Wade will not force me to make a dangerous choice about my health, nor will a man who personifies sexual assault without penalty make me any less safe. When the most powerful demographic in the United States came together to assert that making America great again meant asserting their supremacy, they were asserting my supremacy.

The wave of violence and vile language that has risen since the election is only one immediate piece of evidence that this campaigns reckless assertion of white identity comes at a huge cost. More and more people are being forced to recognize now what I learned early: Our country is susceptible to some of our worst instincts when the message is packaged correctly.
Brandon Wilson is a former armed robber who, after serving roughly a decade in prison, reinvented himself as a successful debt broker. Basically, he makes a living buying and selling old, unpaid debts.

If you want to buy $100,000 worth of old credit card debts for $1,000, or even $500, hes your man. But he offered another service to his clients as well. For years, before the Dodd-Frank act created the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau  when the industry was still largely unregulated  he was a fixer, a gun for hire. Here is how he explained it: Part of the package you get of being my business associate or my friend is that Im gonna protect you from the sharks.

Consumer debts  be they credit-card debts, auto loans, gym fees, payday loans, overdue cellphone tabs, old utility bills or even delinquent book club accounts  can be bought, sold and even stolen with relative ease. Typically, these loans are really nothing more than a list of names, addresses, Social Security numbers and balances on an Excel spreadsheet. It doesnt take much for an unscrupulous debt broker to steal such a file or double sell it, by unloading the exact same debt on two unsuspecting buyers. When this happens, a debtor may pay off a debt only to get calls from another company demanding payment once again.

This is where Brandon Wilsons services come in handy.

Mr. Wilson offers a kind of insurance policy, as he puts it. A few years ago, when I was writing a book on the debt-collection industry, I sat in on a meeting between Mr. Wilson and one of his clients  a former banker  and heard him explain how he, and he alone, would keep the thieves, hucksters and criminals away: If you dont give them a little bit of fear, right  if its just the law, if its just the attorney general, if its just a civil suit  they could care less. So they need someone to go put a stop to that right now. That might not be bashing someone over the head, it might be sitting them down and saying: Look, man, you ever do 10 years in the can? I have. You ever sat there for 10 years waiting for your date? I have. You think youre getting away with this? Youre not.
A dull muffled roar gave but an instants warning before the top of the tank was blown into the air, The New York Times wrote in 1919. Two million gallons of molasses rushed over the streets and converted into a sticky mass the wreckage of several small buildings which had been smashed by the force of the explosion. Wagons, carts, and motor trucks were overturned. A number of horses were killed. The street was strewn with debris intermixed with molasses and all traffic was stopped.

It was January. The place was Boston. And when 2.3 million gallons of molasses burst from a gigantic holding tank in the citys North End, 21 people were killed and about 150 more were left injured. The wave of syrup  some reports said it was up to 40 feet tall  rushed through the waterfront, destroying buildings, overturning vehicles and pushing a firehouse off its foundation.

For nearly 100 years, no one really knew why the spill was so deadly.

But at a meeting of the American Physical Society this month, a team of scientists and students presented what may be an important piece of the century-old puzzle. They concluded that when a shipment of molasses newly arrived from the Caribbean met the cold winter air of Massachusetts, the conditions were ripe for a calamity to descend upon the city.

By studying the effects of cold weather on molasses, the researchers determined that the disaster was more fatal in the winter than it would have been during a warmer season. The syrup moved quickly enough to cover several blocks within seconds and thickened into a harder goo as it cooled, slowing down the wave but also hindering rescue efforts.

Its a ridiculous thing to imagine, a tsunami of molasses drowning the North End of Boston, but then you look at the pictures, said Shmuel M. Rubinstein, a Harvard professor whose students investigated the disaster.
A businessman with a lifetime of experience in management has been elected president of the United States. Donald J. Trumps administration may be viewed as an experiment  an opportunity to discover whether one particular businessmans perspective and skills will be assets in governing a nation.

Mr. Trumps background evidently appealed to voters, but he should be careful not to be overconfident. His election may be a culmination of a trend in society of lionizing business stars and expecting too much of them.

Weve seen this phenomenon in the outlandish salaries paid to top chief executives and in the public enthusiasm for them. Rakesh Khurana, dean of Harvard College, described the trend eloquently in his book Searching for a Corporate Savior: The Irrational Quest for Charismatic C.E.O.s (Princeton, 2002). He discerned a long trend in American business toward choosing chief executives from outside a company and paying them handsomely for some presumed business flair despite their ignorance of the long-term internal issues facing a company.

Professor Khurana warned that expecting these people to perform acts of genius was asking for trouble. The charismatic outsider tends to become authoritarian, alienating others in the company. The executives desperate efforts to live up to their promise may sometimes result in wild gambles. There are grounds for concern that President Trump could be this kind of outsider chief executive.
Citing public safety concerns, federal officials plan to close access to a campsite where demonstrators have protested the construction of a crude oil pipeline near the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation in North Dakota and create a free speech zone.

The Army Corps of Engineers, in a letter Friday to the chairman of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, Dave Archambault II, said the decision had been made to protect the general public from the violent confrontations between protesters and law enforcement officials that have occurred in this area.

Mr. Archambault said in a statement that the tribe was deeply disappointed by the decision.

It is both unfortunate and disrespectful that this announcement comes the day after this country celebrates Thanksgiving  a historic exchange between Native Americans and the first immigrants from Europe, he said. Although the news is saddening, it is not all surprising given the last 500 years of mistreatment of our people.

The authorities will close the area north of the Cannonball River, including the Oceti Sakowin camp, about 40 miles south of Bismarck, where opponents of the 1,170-mile Dakota Access Pipeline have gathered for months.
But Ms. Lynch chose to seek the death penalty after a contentious review process that included South Carolinas top federal prosecutor siding with Mr. Roofs defense lawyers in their offer of a guilty plea in exchange for a life sentence. Ms. Lynch said that the nature of the alleged crime and the resulting harm compelled this decision.

In a court filing the same day the attorney general made her decision public, the Justice Department cited nine aggravating factors, including that Mr. Roof had expressed hatred and contempt towards African-Americans, as well as other groups, and his animosity toward African-Americans played a role in the murder charges in the indictment.

Prosecutors also said that Mr. Roof had demonstrated a lack of remorse and that he had caused injury, harm and loss to the individuals that he killed as well as to the family, friends and co-workers of those individuals.

The Justice Department declined to comment further for this article.

Although Ms. Lynchs decision capped a process formally shrouded in secrecy, it was an unsurprising one to observers like Ms. Risher, who said she had felt as early as last December that prosecutors would seek the death penalty in one of the highest profile criminal matters before the Justice Department.

The cases prominence influenced Ms. Lynchs decision, according to people with knowledge of the Justice Departments review, and some federal officials worried that forgoing the death penalty would effectively curb the governments options in future cases with lower fatality counts and less public scrutiny. Some of the people insisted on anonymity to discuss a confidential process.

I think what the federal government did is what the federal government thought it had to do, which was speak on behalf of the nation, Mr. Savage said. I was always told, Well, Andy, if we dont move for the death penalty in this case, when would we?
WASHINGTON  Nearly three weeks after Election Day, Hillary Clintons campaign said on Saturday that it would participate in a recount process in Wisconsin incited by a third-party candidate and would join any potential recounts in two other closely contested states, Pennsylvania and Michigan.

The Clinton campaign held out little hope of success in any of the three states, and said it had seen no actionable evidence of vote hacking that might taint the results or otherwise provide new grounds for challenging Donald J. Trumps victory. But it suggested it was going along with the recount effort to assure supporters that it was doing everything possible to verify that hacking by Russia or other irregularities had not affected the results.

In a post on Medium, Marc Elias, the Clinton teams general counsel, said the campaign would take part in the Wisconsin recount being set off by Jill Stein, the Green Party candidate, and would also participate if Ms. Stein made good on her plans to seek recounts in Michigan and Pennsylvania. Mrs. Clinton lost those three states by a total of little more than 100,000 votes, sealing her Electoral College defeat by Mr. Trump.

The Clinton campaign had assailed Mr. Trump during the election for refusing to say he would abide by the results if he lost. On Saturday, Mr. Trump responded to the campaigns decision to join the recount with a statement calling the effort ridiculous and a scam by the Green Party.
Heres a look at how the others besides Mr. Graham and Ms. Collins figure to be at the center of activity.

Mr. Alexander: As chairman of the Senate health committee, he will be pivotal in any action Congress takes to overturn the Affordable Care Act, and he has urged caution to his colleagues. He has forged a close relationship with Senator Chuck Schumer of New York, the new Democratic leader, and has worked well with Senator Patty Murray of Washington, the senior Democrat on the committee and now No. 3 in her partys leadership. He left the Republican leadership a few years ago because he felt constrained by a role requiring party-line allegiance.

Mr. McCain: He has already made clear that he will oppose any effort by the Trump administration to reinstate interrogation methods, like waterboarding, that have been deemed to be torture. Given his distrust of President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia, he, along with Mr. Graham, will serve as a check on efforts to foster closer ties with Russia. As chairman of the Armed Services Committee, he will wield tremendous influence over Pentagon policy. Newly re-elected at age 80, Mr. McCain most likely ran his last race, freeing him from electoral concerns about a backlash from the right.

Ms. Murkowski: As chairwoman of the energy committee, she is a strong advocate of domestic oil and gas production, but has also raised concerns about man-made climate change and its increasing impact on her states environment. Like Ms. Collins, she has a voting record in support of abortion rights, and she can be more of a libertarian than a conservative. Perhaps most important, she won re-election in 2010 as a write-in candidate and clashed with the party leadership, making her something of a free agent.

Mr. Flake: One of the most outspoken Trump foes in the Senate, he took Mr. Trump on directly at a private party meeting. Both in the House and the Senate, Mr. Flake has challenged his leadership, and in some cases has won, notably on his crusade against the home-state projects known as earmarks. A champion of immigration reform, he is up for re-election in 2018 and is likely to be hit from right and left.

Mr. Paul: He has already threatened to filibuster Mr. Trumps cabinet picks, and he previously raised the alarm about the reach of government surveillance programs, which could put him at odds with the new administration. He has urged restraint with American military power, putting him distinctly at odds with Mr. McCain and Mr. Graham in that area.
HAVANA  At the Salon Rojo, one of Havanas most popular nightspots, where the reggaeton usually blares into the early hours, the music stopped abruptly.

An announcement was made: Fidel Castro had died.

The police waved along young women in miniskirts and young men with gelled mohawks as they spilled into the streets. No one was weeping. No one was chanting.

Some said the country would be better off, freer now, though they said it quietly, wary that someone might overhear such hopes. A hearse, repurposed as a taxi, happened to drive by.

Take him with you, one of the young men shouted with a smile as a friend cheered him on. The young women with them looked embarrassed, but not angry.
While Mr. Trump said during the Republican primary race that restoring diplomatic relations with Cuba  a step the Obama administration took last summer  was fine, he called Mr. Obamas December 2014 agreement with President Raul Castro of Cuba, Mr. Castros younger brother, a very weak agreement that provided too many concessions to the Cubans.

All of the concessions Barack Obama has granted the Castro regime were done through executive order, which means the next president can reverse them, and that I will do unless the Castro regime meets our demands, Mr. Trump said at a campaign event in Miami in September. Not my demands. Our demands.

Mr. Trump announced last week that he had named Mauricio Claver-Carone, a fierce critic of Mr. Obamas opening with Cuba who leads a pro-embargo political action committee, to his transition team for the Treasury Department. The move was seen as a signal that Mr. Trump is considering unraveling the web of regulations Mr. Obama has put in place to ease trade and commercial restrictions against Cuba.

Last month, Mr. Obama issued a sweeping directive setting forth a new United States policy to lift the Cold War trade embargo entirely  a move that would require congressional approval  and end a half-century of clandestine plotting against Cubas government. And he announced that his administration was lifting perhaps the most symbolically potent aspect of trade restrictions, the $100 limit on bringing Cuban rum and cigars into the United States. Earlier, Mr. Obama had also resumed direct flights between the two countries.

During my presidency, we have worked hard to put the past behind us, pursuing a future in which the relationship between our two countries is defined not by our differences but by the many things that we share as neighbors and friends  bonds of family, culture, commerce and common humanity, Mr. Obama said in his statement.

Advocates of the opening argued that Mr. Castros death could be a pivot point, clearing away the last emotionally charged remnants of a policy that has outlived its usefulness.
MEXICO CITY  For half a century, as Fidel Castro transformed Cuba into a Communist state and sparred with the United States, his brother Raul worked in his shadow, the authoritarian leaders disciplined, junior partner.

But by the time the elder Mr. Castro died on Friday night, Raul Castro, who assumed presidential powers in 2006 before getting the official title in 2008, had transformed Cuba into a country that was unrecognizable in many ways  and yet remarkably the same.

Raul discarded some of the precepts that Fidel had considered sacred, chipping away at the Communist scaffold his brother had built. And in a stunning embrace that caught the world off guard, he negotiated an end to the 50-year diplomatic standoff with the United States that Fidel had fiercely maintained.

It is now solidly Rauls Cuba, an island where millennials talk to their cousins on Skype, where restaurant owners hustle for zucchini at privately run farms and where Americans clog the streets of Old Havana.
Though expectations have been building, a breakthrough has been elusive given the Communist governments deep suspicion of foreign and religious influences as subversive, and the fears of Chinese Catholics wary of state interference in their faith, said people closely following the talks. There are still difficult issues that are not yet agreed upon, said the Rev. Jeroom Heyndrickx, the acting director of the Ferdinand Verbiest Institute in Belgium, which studies Catholicism in China.

The central dispute is over the power to name new bishops and the fate of existing bishops in China. For the Catholic Church, bishops are divine successors of the apostles, to be appointed by the pope. But China has long insisted on controlling ordinations, arguing that anything else amounts to interference in its internal affairs.

Most Chinese bishops are recognized by both the Vatican and the Chinese authorities, but there are several in the state-backed church who are excommunicated and working without papal approval, including some rumored to have broken their vows of chastity and fathered children.

There are also more than two dozen underground bishops, many of whom are viewed with suspicion by the government and a few of whom are believed to be in prison.

Any deal would have to decide what happens to both groups. The Vatican cant be seen as selling out people who have suffered and gone to jail for their faith, said a Vatican official, who requested anonymity to speak candidly about the secretive talks.

There is little doubt of Francis enthusiasm for China.

In 2014, he sent a greeting to President Xi while flying through Chinese airspace on his way to South Korea. And his encounter with Joseph Xu Honggen, the bishop of Suzhou, in St. Peters Square last month was said to be the first public meeting between a pope and a bishop resident in mainland China since the Communist Revolution.
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan  Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif of Pakistan on Saturday chose Lt. Gen. Qamar Javed Bajwa, a military commander with a solid soldierly reputation and a firm belief in civilian supremacy, to lead the countrys powerful army.

General Bajwa will replace Gen. Raheel Sharif, an immensely popular commander in Pakistan for his successes against Taliban militants. General Bajwa will take charge this coming week when General Sharif retires, the prime ministers office said on Saturday evening.

The new army chief faces multiple challenges, including deteriorating relations with neighboring Afghanistan and archrival India as border clashes escalate, as well as conflict with militants inside Pakistan. General Bajwa is said to believe that militant groups represent the biggest threat to the country, but he was also described as a staunch believer in democracy and civilian supremacy by Feroz H. Khan, a retired Pakistani brigadier and the author of Eating Grass: The Making of the Pakistani Bomb, a book about Pakistans nuclear program.

He believes in giving space to civilians and the support for policy, Mr. Khan said.

To what extent General Bajwa will stay true to those convictions remains to be seen in a country where the military wields tremendous power and drives security and foreign policy. General Sharif was seen as an overreaching figure in the civilian government.
PODGORICA, Montenegro  After multiple but unproven accusations that President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia is working hard to destabilize Americas friends in Europe, a pro-Russian mercenary detained in Montenegro is slowly spilling his guts  and providing the first insiders account of what the authorities in this tiny Balkan nation say were Russian efforts to sow mayhem.

The man, Aleksandar Sindjelic, a veteran anti-Western activist from neighboring Serbia, has become a key informant  and a suspect  in a sprawling investigation into an alleged plot orchestrated by two Russians to seize Montenegros Parliament building last month, kill the prime minister and install a new government hostile to NATO.

Mr. Sindjelics account of the events includes a visit to Moscow in September to plan the operation and details of the encrypted phones he was asked to use to avoid eavesdropping. He has not directly implicated any Russian officials but has raised questions about the links between state agencies and a murky network of Russian nationalists active in the Balkans and in eastern Ukraine.

The Montenegrin authorities say two Russians carrying passports in the names of Eduard V. Shirikov and Vladimir N. Popov commanded the botched plot. But both men, who oversaw preparations for the operation from Belgrade, the capital of Serbia, are back in Moscow, and it is unclear whether they were traveling under real or fake identities and for whom exactly they were working.
When it comes to the future of the American West, few things are as important as fundamental infrastructure. The challenge of fixing all that ails it, after more than a generation of neglect, is daunting. But, according to the American Society of Civil Engineers, fix it we must: these experts grade our water resources as being in a D condition; energy resources, a D+; roads and transit, a D; and rail infrastructure, a C+.

Given the scope of the problem, the last thing we need is illogical or politically driven distortions of the regulatory process that make it even harder to attract and implement needed investment.

A case in point is the Cadiz Water Project pipeline, which would address the water crisis for 400,000 people in Southern California, while also creating 5,900 good, family-supporting jobs and $878 million of economic activity. Although it received all of its permits in accordance with some of the nations strictest environmental regulations and was green-lighted by trial and appellate courts, the project has languished at the hands of the U.S. Bureau of Land Management.

The design ingenuity of the project places the pipeline along a railroad right-of-way. Throughout the West, transportation corridors are often used for infrastructure such as water pipelines, fiber optics and electrical lines, so that pristine lands need not be disturbed. Under BLM rules, the pipeline is required to further railroad purposes in order to occupy the right-of-way. To meet that requirement, Cadiz committed to dedicate water and hydropower to the railroad to make possible automated fire suppression and a transloading station, as well as water for other critical purposes. The project will also create an eco-tourist steam train operation and cultural center to help the public learn more about both American railroads and the Mojave Desert environment.

Clearing this last hurdle from the BLM should have been a breeze. Instead the BLM has tried to stop the project in its tracks, choosing to set a new standard that will apply to every utility using or planning to use such a railroad right-of-way on federal land. In a controversial decision issued last year, the agency determined the pipeline was outside the scope of the railroads right-of-way despite its many benefits for the railroads operation  in one stroke changing years of historical precedent. In one section, they found that a water pipeline which would provide for fire suppression couldnt satisfy the railroad purposes test because it is not yet a common industry practice. Instead BLM advocated that the railroad just throw sand on any fires rather than accept Cadizs innovative water-line benefits.

It appears that by changing the rules for a single water pipeline, the BLMs motive may be to block the project itself, not enforce existing regulations. If BLMs decision stands, it will mean expensive and sometimes prohibitive delays for using these existing, sensible corridors throughout the West. It will damage or end the partnership between utilities and our nations railroads and destroy the environmental benefits currently enjoyed by the American public.

Some in Congress want to fix this problem. The U.S. House Oversight Committee, alarmed at the BLMs apparent bias, has gotten involved. And legislators in the House have included a straightforward amendment in this years federal appropriations bill for the Department of the Interior. The language would clarify that the scope of railroad rights-of-way should be interpreted as it has been historically, allowing third-party uses that benefit the railroad and the infrastructure of the nation.

Organizations ranging from unions to infrastructure and agriculture advocates  as well as more than 100 community members and business leaders in the West and a bipartisan list of members of Congress  have voiced support for this legislative fix. House and Senate leaders, particularly those from the West, where BLM controls 47 percent of all property, should support the bill as well.

The legislation is a no-brainer for the half-million men and women of LIUNA who want to go to work every day doing the hard job of building and rebuilding the backbone of our nation. Railways will benefit from railroad improvements and utilities will benefit from a better permitting process. Workers and their families will win with good jobs and the water, natural gas, telecommunications and electricity that rail right-of-way projects convey, and our environment benefits through the protection of undisturbed open lands. Were counting on Congress to set the BLM straight.

Rocco Davis is vice president and Pacific Southwest regional manager for LIUNA  the Laborers International Union of North America  representing 70,000 working men and women and their families.
If you spend any time on the internet, you are now probably well aware  and well more aware than youd like to be  that the so-called alt-right is having its day in the media sun. Despite near-universal fear and loathing in the media toward its small but vocal band of Nazi-saluting white nationalists, they have managed to attract hugely outsized attention by latching effectively onto the Trump phenomenon. This is a multi-layered problem, but not quite in the way many seem to think.

The first layer involves a tremendous amount of confusion just over political categories  which makes todays quasi-fascistic ethno-nationalists look more powerful and influential than they really are. To understand how, a little intellectual history is in order.

To begin with, over the past several generations, the ideological and dispositional coalitions mobilized and exploited by the Republican party have shifted dramatically, if not always in easy-to-understand ways. In the wake of Barry Goldwaters landslide defeat by Lyndon Johnson, moderate Rockefeller Republicanism lost its party influence to a more broadly conservative movement, defined by William F. Buckley and company, that fused some currents of cultural traditionalism and classical liberalism with more modern libertarian strains of thought. Fusionism came to be known as traditional or mainline conservatism.

But in the wake of the Reagan years, as Republicans sought to compensate for declining political prestige by strengthening the rigor of their ideological identity, mainline conservatism became increasingly formulaic. For Republicans in power, that meant an increasing emphasis on politicking a policy agenda defined more by doctrinally correct rhetoric than by results in governing. (Democrats tried to attack this move by defining the GOP as the party of no.) For more grassroots Republicans outside the political establishment, however, increased ideological rigor led away from what increasingly looked like mere lip service from party bigs who seemed to have secured themselves a seat on a permanent Beltway gravy train. Despite the rapid growth of a seemingly monolithic conservative-infotainment complex, symbolized by Fox News, talk radio, and a mutually reinforcing network of opinion journalism outlets, the disillusionment brought on during the Bush and Obama years led many conservatives toward a pre-Goldwater strain of right-wing thoughts and feelings.

So as the mainstream GOP tried and failed to prevail as the party of Romney, grassroots heresies were quietly gaining force, on issues ranging from immigration to free trade to military interventionism and beyond. More and more conservatives began to think that the Bush and Obama administrations had far too much in common. Ideological sharpening led to ideological blowback  especially on the relative fringes of the right, where the biggest critics of left-wing globalism and crony capitalism became convinced that right-wing globalism and crony capitalism also existed, were also part of the problem, and also needed to be defeated. The same sort of ideological and political pull affected the furthest of the fringe, where out-and-proud racists and white nationalists began to sense a window of opportunity to attract more attention, appeal and legitimacy.

No Republican was able to stop this perfect storm of political insurrection in time to stop Donald Trump from winning first the GOP nomination and then the presidency. And the sheer shock of his victory created a breakthrough opening in the public consciousness for the most outlandish, outrageous and inconceivable forms of right-wing heresy against all forms of modern mainstream conservatism as Americans had known it.

Thats where the so-called alt-right came in. But not all alternative conservatives, whether they associate themselves with that label or not, are racist white nationalists. Breitbarts alt-right provocateur Milo Yiannopoulos, for instance, gets his mileage out of mocking campus pieties, not quoting Hitler in the original German. Whats more, the alt-right does not have a monopoly on long-marginalized conservative heresies. Arch-traditionalist religious conservatives, for instance, have long nursed an appreciation for monasteries and monarchy, but not for white identity politics. And many contemporary advocates for a return to Americas oldest conservative traditions simply seek  however utopian it may now seem  a politics that puts peace above war, republic over empire, and a society of middling fortunes over one characterized by extreme poverty and extreme wealth. In sum, the conservative heresies now on the ascendant may all be fairly marginal, but they are not at all uniform. But in their efforts to quickly claw notoriety and power from the press, some of the most prominent or self-promoting alt-righters and white nationalists have gladly allowed the media to define the whole jumble with its most shocking and offensive part.

Why has the media done this? Liberal and progressive critics, along with mainstream conservatives horrified by the tenor and substance of the Trump campaign and the incoming Trump administration, have charged that the political press is foolishly normalizing organized political racism  a recipe for putting the most discredited strain of American thought right at the center of power. Others have suggested that the media is now so desperate or greedy for clicks and eyeballs that it has simply decided the best way to get them is by stoking the outrage and rubbernecking that surrounds public performances of neo-Nazi ideals.

Another option, however, not exclusive of the above, is to consider that the media is glamorizing the figures in question more than it is just normalizing or profiting from them. The columnist and author Virginia Postrel recently noticed that Donald Trump tapped into a deep desire to partake in a kind of glamor. The feeling is universal, but the manifestation is particular: One persons glamorous vacation may be a busy trip to Paris, while another dreams of the solitude of a mountain cabin. What you find glamorous depends on who you are  and who you yearn to be. What the media is glamorizing about todays faux-Hitler Youth is their pride in their transgressiveness  something weve seen in spades from the left for decades, but hardly at all from the right. So much of our media-fueled culture now celebrates prideful transgressiveness, it cant help but ogle people it sees as all but demonic. But we can  right?

James Poulos is a columnist for the Southern California News Group.
In these parts, Walter Babcock is known on a first-name basis. More than four decades ago, Babcock founded the ever-bustling Walts Wharf restaurant on Main Street in Seal Beach.

On Nov. 17, Babcock, 84, died from complications of dementia.

While Walts Wharf is a highly successful eatery visited by regulars from around Orange County, Long Beach and beyond, it was just one of many interests Babcock enjoyed. A jack-of-all-trades, he also worked as a dentist, vintner and cattleman.

He was just a very smart guy who could figure out how to do almost anything, said his daughter, Brenda Via.

Born in Cambridge, Neb., in 1932, Babcock grew up in Long Beach  where he attended Wilson High School and Long Beach City College. He met his future wife, Mona Haberman, while working as manager of Norm Meagers Store for Men in Lakewood.

He took his bride back to his home state to attend the University of Nebraska College of Dentistry. In 1962, Babcock opened a Seal Beach dental office, where he practiced for 30 years before retiring. His family lived in Park Estates in Long Beach and both children, Brenda and Bryan, likewise graduated from Wilson High.

In 1970, Babcock noticed that the vintage building on the corner of Main Street and Central Avenue in Seal Beach was for sale.

Hed always complained, Why cant we get any good, fresh fish around here? Via recalled. So her parents decided to fill that void by purchasing the space for a restaurant. Mona Babcock oversaw the bookkeeping and daily business of Walts Wharf, while her husband practiced dentistry.

As if that wasnt enough to keep the Babcocks busy, they bought property in the Santa Ynez Valley in 1978 and planted a vineyard. That vacation home/hobby soon became another success story, Babcock Winery  where Walts son Bryan Babcock continues to produce wines.

Dad never set out to be a vintner, Via said. But the location turned out to be a perfect spot for growing exceptional grapes.

An avid fisherman, Babcock fell in love with Montanas Bitterroot Valley, where he bought property in 1994. There, he decided to raise black Angus cattle  grass fed from start to finish.

Because he had heart disease issues, he was very conscious of healthy eating, Via said. He learned how cows are typically raised on corn, which is not a natural feed for them. He loved his cows and took good care of them.

In all his spare time, Babcock did things like build a 55-foot steel hull fishing vessel.

People would ask, How did you know how to build that? He would just say, I dont know. I just did it. Via said. He taught himself all this stuff. He read constantly.

Despite his many accomplishments, Babcock never boasted, Via said. He was soft-spoken and very humble.

Babcock is survived by his wife, two children and four grandchildren.

Contact the writer: sgoulding@scng.com
WASHINGTON  The Obama administration said Friday that despite Russian attempts to undermine the presidential election, it has concluded that the results accurately reflect the will of the American people.

The statement came as liberal opponents of Donald Trump, some citing fears of vote hacking, are seeking recounts in three states  Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania  where his margin of victory was extremely thin.

A drive by Jill Stein, the Green Party candidate, for recounts in those states had brought in more than $5 million by midday Friday, her campaign said, and had increased its goal to $7 million. She filed for a recount in Wisconsin on Friday, about an hour before the deadline.

In its statement, the administration said, The Kremlin probably expected that publicity surrounding the disclosures that followed the Russian government-directed compromises of emails from U.S. persons and institutions, including from U.S. political organizations, would raise questions about the integrity of the election process that could have undermined the legitimacy of the president-elect.

That was a reference to the breach of the Democratic National Committees email system, and the leak of emails from figures like John D. Podesta, Hillary Clintons campaign chief.

Nevertheless, we stand behind our election results, which accurately reflect the will of the American people, it added.

Supporters of Clinton have enthusiastically backed the notion of challenging the results in the three states as a last-ditch effort to reverse Trumps majority in the Electoral College. They have seized on suggestions by some computer scientists that the states, which were crucial to Trumps win, need to manually review paper ballots to assure the election wasnt hacked.

The campaign, uniting around the hashtag #AuditTheVote, has picked up momentum among grass-roots activists still mourning Trumps victory. But the pleas for recounts have gained no support from the Clinton campaign, which has concluded that it is highly unlikely to change the outcome.

In Michigan, Stein must wait for a Monday meeting of the states Board of Canvassers to certify the results of the Nov. 8 balloting before filing for a recount. In Pennsylvania, where paper ballots are used only in some areas, election officials said the deadline to petition for a recount had passed, but that a candidate could challenge the result in court before a Monday deadline.

The recount efforts have generated pushback by experts who said it would be enormously difficult to hack voting machines on a large scale. The administration, in its statement, confirmed reports from the Department of Homeland Security and intelligence officials that they did not see any increased level of malicious cyberactivity aimed at disrupting our electoral process on Election Day.

The administration said it remained confident in the overall integrity of electoral infrastructure, a confidence that was borne out. It added: As a result, we believe our elections were free and fair from a cybersecurity perspective.

However, intelligence officials are still investigating the impact of a broader Russian information warfare campaign, in which fake news about Hillary Clinton, and about U.S.-Russia relations, appeared intended to influence voters. Many of those false reports originated from RT News and Sputnik, two state-funded Russian sites.

Those fake-news reports were widely circulated on social media, independent studies, including one set for release soon, have shown, sometimes in an organized fashion by groups that appear to have had common ownership. Individuals, conservative talk show hosts and activists recirculated them, often not knowing about the accuracy of the reports.

A study published just before the election on warontherocks.com, written by Andrew Weisburd, Clinton Watts and J.M. Berger, documented efforts by trolls to attack the reputations of those who challenged Russias activities in Syria, and to spread rumors about Clintons health. The study said that an effort to track 7,000 social media accounts over 21/2 years indicated that support for Trump isnt the end of Russias social media and hacking campaign in America, but merely the beginning.

But the misinformation effort is far from black-and-white. Many people who spread false news have no connections to any foreign power, including a man in Austin, Texas, who posted a Twitter message saying that paid protesters were being bused to an anti-Trump demonstration there. The buses, it turned out, were there for a corporate conference.

The barrage of online efforts to influence the election this year has prompted broader concerns that similar attempts, directed by the Kremlin or its surrogates, could now be focused on elections next year in Germany and France.
JERUSALEM  Twenty-two people had been arrested on suspicion of arson or incitement to arson, security officials said Friday, as Israel continued to battle its worst wildfires in years.

The fires, which began Tuesday, have erupted throughout the country, blazing through parched forests, incinerating scores of homes and forcing tens of thousands of people to flee. Two prisons were also evacuated.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Friday that a considerable number of the fires were set and described them as terror, a term usually given to militant attacks by Palestinians.

There is a price to crime, and there is a price for terror and incitement, and we will exact it, Netanyahu said while on a tour of the Hatzor military base, according to local news reports. The instructions are to prosecute anyone committing these acts so that all can see that anyone who tries to burn down the state of Israel will face the fullest punishment.

Firefighters had most of the dozens of fires under control by Friday, allowing thousands of people to return to their homes in the northern port city of Haifa, one of the areas that was hit hardest. Still, new fires erupted near Jerusalem and in the Galilee in northern Israel. Hundreds of residents of Nataf, a small Jewish community near Jerusalem, were evacuated from their homes Friday evening, fleeing another fire.

By Friday evening, a 747 Supertanker firefighting plane from the United States had landed in Israel to be used to extinguish some of the blazes and 50 U.S. firefighters were expected to join the effort, Israeli media reported.

While unusually hot, dry conditions and strong winds helped fan the flames, almost half of the fires are suspected of being arson, according to assessments by Israeli security officials.

The consensus is that this is arson, Israels public security minister, Gilad Erdan, said Friday. In one instance, Erdan said, his forces had found evidence that gasoline was used to start a fire.

Of the 22 people arrested on arson charges, one was a Palestinian who was arrested on suspicion of causing a fire that broke out early Friday in forests around the tiny Jewish community of Beit Meir near Jerusalem, the Israeli media reported. Eight were released, and 14 had their remand extended.
Homebuying in Dana Point in the third quarter fell oh-so-slightly as 172 residences sold vs. 173 a year ago, according to CoreLogic. Thats a sales loss of 0.6 percent.

Here are nine trends in and around Dana Point from the report:

1. Dana Point ZIP code 92624  26 homes sold in the period, flat vs. a year ago. Median selling price of $788,000 vs. $849,500 a year ago, a loss of 7.2 percent.

2. Dana Point ZIP 92629  146 homes sold vs. 147 a year ago. Thats a sales loss of 0.7 percent. Median of $860,000 vs. $815,000 a year ago, a gain of 5.5 percent.

And heres some countywide trends of note for the July-to-September period:

3. Orange County median price for the quarter was $643,000  up 4.9 percent or $30,000 in a year!

4. Countywide sales were 10,077  up 0.2 percent in a year!

5. Local single-family home sales totaled 6,111  down 3.9 percent from a year ago. Median selling price was $705,000  up 3.7 percent from a year ago.

6. Resales of O.C. condos were 2,920  down 0.7 percent from a year ago. Median selling price was $450,000  up 5.4 percent from a year ago.

7. Builder sales in the county were 1,046  up 38 percent from a year ago. Median selling price was $820,000  down 0.6 percent from a year ago.

8. In Orange Countys 27 least expensive ZIPs  median sales price at $568,750 and below  2,754 homes sold. Thats down 5.6 percent compared to a year ago.

9. In the 27 priciest ZIPs  median sales price beginning at $705,000  3,147 homes sold. Thats up 8.9 percent compared to a year ago.

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Federal housing authorities have reached an agreement with Orange County landlords after two women complained of being discriminated against because of their disabilities.

Residents of the Alicia Park Apartments in Laguna Niguel filed a complaint on June 14 with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the agency said this week.

A woman with a mobility impairment and her daughter, who has a respiratory disability, asked building management if they could move to a unit without carpet. They stated their unit was infested with mold and had two ruptured pipes.

The women claimed the request was denied as was their request for an accessible parking space next to their unit, the statement read.

According to the agreement, the company that manages the apartments and its owners will pay the women $17,500, replace the carpet with flooring, get rid of the mold and dirt and add the parking space. They will also sign a one-year lease with the women.

When residents with disabilities request reasonable accommodations, its because they need them to be able  to enjoy their home. They arent asking for special treatment, Gustavo Velasquez, HUD Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity said in a statement.

The owners of the Laguna Niguel property also agreed to train staff in fair housing policies.

Anyone who believes they have experienced discrimination may file a complaint by contacting the Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity at 800-669-9777. Complaints can be filed online at hud.gov/fairhousing.

Contact the writer: 714-796-7865 or afausto@scng.com
HANOI, VIETNAM (AP)  Vietnamese authorities have seized 1,362 pounds of ivory smuggled from Africa after finding 4 tons at the same port over the past two months, state media and an official said Friday.

The ivory seized Thursday had been hidden in two containers arriving at Cat Lai port in southern commercial hub of Ho Chi Minh City, the Customs newspaper said.

Le Dinh Loi, the citys deputy customs chief confirmed the report, but did not give more details Friday.

The smugglers used more sophisticated tactics than previous shipments by packing wax around the ivory when it was sealed inside emptied-out timber and using wood nails to evade X-ray checks, according to the newspaper, published by the General Department of Customs.

The seizure came just a week after leaders and senior officials from more than 40 countries met at an international conference on illegal wildlife trade in Hanoi, which was attended by Britains Prince William.

The conference called for stepped-up efforts to combat illegal wildlife trade.

At the conference, Prince William, who is president of United for Wildlife, praised Vietnam, China and other Asian countries for taking steps to battle wildlife trafficking, but said rhinos, elephants, pangolins and tigers are still being killed in horrifying numbers.

He said the international community is not moving fast enough to keep up with the crisis.

Vietnam is one of the worlds major transit points and consumers of ivory and rhino horn.

Elephant ivory is used as jewelry and home decorations in Vietnam, which bans hunting of its own dwindling population of elephants.
Local Islamic leaders are asking for increased police protection after at least three California mosques received a letter that threatened Muslims and praised President-Elect Donald Trump.

Over the past several days, Islamic centers in Long Beach, Claremont and San Jose all received the same photocopy of a handwritten letter addressed to the Children of Satan. The letter called Muslims vile, filthy and evil. It then stated that Trump  who, during his campaign, proposed making Muslims register and blocking people of faith from entering the country  is going to cleanse America.

Hes going to do to you Muslims what Hitler did to the Jews, the letter reads. You Muslims would be wise to pack your bags and get out of Dodge.

The letter is signed Americans for a Better Way.

Its the latest in a series of incidents targeting Muslims and other minority groups since the Nov. 8 election.

The threatening letter arrived at the Long Beach Islamic Center on Wednesday, said Tarek Mohamed, the congregations chairman.

Mohamed said during a telephone interview that he plans to make a report to local police on Sunday, although he considers the threats to be a matter for the FBI since more than one mosque received hate mail.

Were going to report this to the authorities. No doubt, he said. This is not a local incident.

The letter isnt the first time Mohamed said hes received a hostile note. But he said hes concerned about a rise in anti-Muslim incidents following the presidential election.

He said the current climate has members of the Islamic Center feeling miserable, particularly those who were born in the United States to immigrant parents.

Some of them are starting to question, Is this our country? Mohamed said.

More than 100 anti-Muslim incidents have occurred across the country over the past few weeks, according to the Council on American-Islamic Relations, or CAIR, a Washington, D.C.-based civil rights organization. And FBI statistics show a 67 percent jump in incidents against Muslims in 2015.

This hate campaign targeting California houses of worship must be investigated as an act of religious intimidation, and our states leaders should speak out against the growing anti-Muslim bigotry that leads to such incidents, said Hussam Ayloush, executive director of CAIRs greater Los Angeles area chapter.

The organization called for stepped-up police presence around mosques. It also urged American Muslims and Islamic institutions to take extra security precautions and report any incidents.

CAIR-LA is asking Muslim community members to report any bias incidents to police and to CAIR-LAs Civil Rights Department at 714-776-1847.

Contact the writer: 714-796-7963 or bstaggs@ocregister.comTwitter: @JournoBrooke
ISTANBUL  President Recep Tayyip Erdogan threatened Friday to open the floodgates of migrants into Europe again, apparently in response to a move to suspend talks on Turkeys membership in the European Union.

You did not keep your word, the president said in a speech here, addressing Europe. You cried out when 50,000 refugees were at the Kapikule border, he said, referring to the border crossing with Bulgaria, one of the busiest in the world even in normal times. You started asking what you would do if Turkey would open the gates. Look at me  if you go further, those border gates will be open. You should know that.

Erdogan was referring to an agreement between Turkey and the European Union in which the bloc gives Turkey up to 6 billion euros (about $6.3 billion) through 2018 in exchange for Turkish cooperation on keeping migrants from crossing into Europe. The agreement mandated an acceleration of talks on Turkeys joining the union, which the European Parliament voted Thursday to suspend. While the vote was nonbinding, Erdogan made clear that he was angered by it.

The agreement has been broadly successful in reducing much of the refugee and migrant flow into Europe this year, with crossings from Turkey dropping below 100 a day recently, compared with 2,000 a day before the agreement, which was signed in March.

In 2015, three-quarters of a million refugees passed through Turkey on the way to Europe. The United Nations estimates the number of refugees in Turkey at 2.7 million, with some estimates going much higher. The vast majority of them are Syrians displaced by their countrys bitter war.

Erdogan reminded his listeners, part of an international womens meeting, of Alan Kurdi, the Iraqi Kurdish toddler whose body was found washed up on a Turkish beach after his family failed to reach Greece by boat, and of Omran Daqneesh, the 5-year-old Syrian boy photographed with his face covered in dust and apparently shellshocked after his home was bombed.

You did not pick up Baby Alan when he washed up on the shores of the Mediterranean, he said. You did not pick up babies like Omran. We are the ones feeding in this country 3 million, 3.5 million refugees. You did not keep your promises.

So far, 677 million euros has been disbursed to Turkey under the agreement on migrants, with hundreds of millions more in the pipeline. But other aspects of the agreement, particularly visa-free travel for Turks in Europe and the return of migrants from Europe in return for resettlement of refugees from Turkey, remain unresolved.

Although he did not explicitly say so, Erdogans remarks suggested that Turkey might cancel the agreement and allow migrant flows to resume into Europe as before if the bloc went further in finally suspending formal talks on Turkeys accession to the union. Those talks have dragged on for 11 years, causing great anger within Turkey.

Officials in Europe were quick to insist that the agreement was still in effect.

We consider the EU-Turkey agreement as a common success, a German spokeswoman, Ulrike Demmer, said at a news conference after Erdogans remarks. Threats from both sides will not help now. If there are problems, we must address them. As I have said, this agreement is in the interest of all.

In Brussels, EU authorities continued to work with their Turkish counterparts on carrying out the agreement.

We are fully committed to the application of that EU-Turkey agreement, Margaritis Schinas, chief spokesman for the European Commission, said at a news conference Friday. The commission, which is the blocs executive body, expects Europe and Turkey to remain committed to implementing their respective obligations, Schinas said.

Not only was the European Parliaments vote Thursday on suspending talks nonbinding, there also seems to be little support for such a move among the countries that would have to approve a suspension.

However, if Turkey makes good on threats to restore capital punishment, that would effectively end its hope of joining the bloc, since abolition of the death penalty is a requirement for membership.

On Friday, at a second public meeting, Erdogan repeated his pledge to approve the death penalty, despite opposition in Europe, if the Turkish parliament votes in favor of it.
Bernie Sanders Says Killer Mikes Name Got Me A Little Bit Nervous Elijah C. Watson Elijah Watson serves as Okayplayer's News & Culture Editor. When

During his presidential campaign one of Bernie Sanders most staunch supporters was Killer Mike. Late last year the two spoke at length about a number of important topics: economic freedom; social justice; free healthcare and voting.

Their six part, hour long conversation inevitably led to the Atlanta rapper endorsing the United States senator, stating:

I have said in many a rap, I dont trust the church or the government, a Democrat, Republican, a pope, a bishop or those other men. But after spending five hours tonight, after spending five hours with someone who has spent the last 50 years radically fighting for your rights and mine, I can tell you that am very proud tonight to announce the next president of the United States, Sen. Bernie Sanders.

Although this years presidential election has come and gone Sanders is still fighting on, having recently served as a guest on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert, where he told Stephen Colbert and everyone viewing that Now more than ever, its our revolution.

The political figure also recently spoke to GQ, where the magazine discussed everything from the countrys political climate to his interactions with Killer Mike. In the interview the senator admits that someone had to inform him on who the Run The Jewels rapper was, and says the name made him feel a bit apprehensive.

I assume someone had to explain to you who Killer Mike was, the interviewer says.  Yes, they did. The name got me a little bit nervous. But Killer Mike has never killed anybody. Its just, hes a killer rapper, Sanders responds.

Hopefully we will see a reunion of sorts between the two, but at the very least Sanders once again offers an opinion that we can all get behind: that Killer Mike is one of the best rappers out.

You can read the interview here.
LINCOLN  Nebraskans covered by Medicaid have only a few days left to choose a managed care plan before one is chosen for them.

As of early this week, barely one in five had made a selection.

That means some 175,000 people still need to get signed up for one of the three plans available through Heritage Health, the new version of Medicaid managed care.

State officials and advocates both say they are hoping for a late surge in enrollments.

We still have a ways to go, said Calder Lynch, the state Medicaid director. Historically weve had a very low percentage sign up.

Under Heritage Health, three companies will administer physical health, mental health and pharmacy services for nearly everyone covered by Nebraska Medicaid.

The companies are United HealthCare Community Plan of Nebraska, Nebraska Total Care (Centene) and WellCare of Nebraska.

The plans begin coverage on Jan. 1.

Thursday is the deadline for people on Medicaid to pick one of the three.

After that date, people will be automatically assigned to plans by AHS, the contractor hired to handle enrollment.

Assignments will try to match people with plans that include their doctors and other health care providers. But the assignments also must ensure that each plan ends up with a roughly equal number of people, Lynch said. Most people who have made a choice so far have gone with United HealthCare, the only company that has offered a Medicaid managed care plan previously in Nebraska, he said.

People will have a chance to change plans before the end of March if they wind up in one that does not work for them, Lynch said.

But they will not be able to opt out of the Heritage Health managed care program.

Lynch said Heritage Health aims to improve care for Nebraskans, which should control the growth of Medicaid costs and make state government more efficient.

Integration of services means better communication among primary care and behavioral health providers, more opportunities for preventive care, and more consistent, all-inclusive coverage for individuals, he said.

Medicaid is a $2 billion health care program in Nebraska, funded by the state and federal governments. It covers low-income children, parents, people with disabilities and the elderly.

Using managed care within Medicaid is not new for Nebraska, or for other states. Iowa launched a statewide Medicaid managed care program in April.

Currently, three companies manage physical health services for about 80 percent of people on Medicaid. One operates statewide, one covers urban counties and one covers rural areas.

A fourth company has handled mental health for almost all Medicaid recipients, while state employees deal with pharmacy services.

Heritage Health expands Nebraskas use of managed care to cover additional people and bring together a broader array of health care services under one administrative umbrella.

Groups that are new to Medicaid managed care include people covered by both Medicare and Medicaid, people who get Medicaid through a home- and community-based waiver and people getting long-term care services.

Heritage Health will not cover nursing home care and other long-term support and services for the elderly and people with disabilities.

The state also will pay separately for dental care and nonemergency transportation for all Medicaid recipients.

Information packets about the new program and about the three managed care plans were mailed out in September.

People also can read about the plans at neheritagehealth.com or get information by calling 888-255-2605. The phone line is available Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Interpretation services are available to callers.

Enrollment can be done online, by phone or by mail. Lynch said the process generally takes less than 10 minutes.
The countdown to an attendance milestone is on at the zoo, and if you time it right, you could score big.

The Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium is expecting its 2 millionth visitor of the year in the coming weeks. The record-setting guest will win a hefty prize package, including a $500 zoo gift card, a zoo-themed gift basket, a personal photographer for their day at the zoo and a two-year patron-level zoo membership.

The patron membership includes free admission to the zoo, the Lee G. Simmons Conservation Park and Wildlife Safari and the zoos Imax theater for two adults and up to six children or grandchildren plus two additional guests with every visit. The membership also includes discounts on concessions and in the gift shop, plus other perks.

As of Nov. 13, the zoo was less than 33,000 visitors away from hitting the milestone. Historic attendance patterns indicate the level should be broken in early December.

If the number is passed, the zoo will join a handful of zoos with more than 2 million annual attendees.

The zoo has already broken its all-time attendance record of 1.7 million, set in 2012. The opening of the African Grasslands, the Alaskan Adventure splash ground and an unseasonably warm fall helped this years surge.

The zoo will begin a daily countdown to 2 million on Thursday.
Financial institutions, overcoming some initial trepidation about privacy, are increasingly gauging consumers creditworthiness by using phone company data on mobile calling patterns and locations.

The practice is tantalizing for lenders because it could help them reach some of the 2 billion people who dont have bank accounts. On the other hand, some of the phone data could open up the risk of being used to discriminate against potential borrowers.

Phone carriers and banks have gained confidence in using mobile data for lending after seeing startups show preliminary success with the method in the past few years. Selling such data could become a more than $1 billion-a-year business for U.S. phone companies over the next decade, according to Crone Consulting LLC.

Fair Isaac Corp., whose FICO scores are the worlds most-used credit ratings, partnered last month with startups Lenddo and EFL Global Ltd. to use cellphone information to help facilitate loans for small businesses and individuals in India and Russia. Last week, startup Juvo announced its working with Liberty Global Plcs Cable & Wireless Communications to help with credit scoring using cellphone data in 15 Caribbean markets.

And Equifax Inc., the credit score company, has started using utility and telecommunications data in Latin America over the past two years. The number of calls and text messages a potential borrower in Latin America receives can help predict a consumers credit risk, said Robin Moriarty, chief marketing officer at Equifax Latin America.

It turns out, the more economically active you are, the more people want to call you, Moriarty said. That level of activity, that level of usage is whats really most predictive.

The new credit-assessment methods could allow more people in areas without bank branches to open accounts online. They could also make credit cards and loans more accessible and prevalent in some parts of the world. In the past, lenders mainly relied on bank information, such as savings and past loan repayments, to judge whether to let someone borrow.

Some of the data financial institutions are using come directly from interactions with potential borrowers, while other information is collected in the background. FICOs partner EFL sends psychological questionnaires of about 60 questions to potential borrowers mobile phones. With Lenddos technology, FICO can check if users phones were physically present at their stated home or work address, and if they are in touch with other good borrowers  or with people with long histories of fooling lenders.

We see this as a good opportunity to explore that type of data for risk assessment, as a viable means of extending financial inclusion, said David Shellenberger, a senior director at FICO.

Juvos Flow Lend mobile app uses data science and games  like letting users earn points  to build real-time subscriber profiles, to let C&W personalize lending criteria and provide immediate credit extensions. Prepaid customers can request credit advances for airtime and data.

In most cases, consumers must grant permission for their telecommunications records to be accessed as part of their risk assessment. One reason its taken the credit-risk industry some time to work out agreements with phone carriers or their representatives is because of negotiations over how to best protect client privacy.

Companies are also concerned about making sure they dont make themselves susceptible to claims of bias. By checking phone records to see if a credit applicant associates with people with a poor track record of repaying loans, for example, lenders risk practicing discrimination on people living in disadvantaged neighborhoods. In addition, to comply with the Fair Credit Reporting Act in the U.S., a data provider must have a process in place for investigating and resolving consumer disputes in a timely manner  something that telecommunications carriers abroad may not offer.

Several large phone companies declined to comment about whether they share data with financial institutions, and few of the startups or financial companies were willing to disclose their telecommunications partners.

Startup Cignifi, which helps customers like Equifax crunch data on whom phone users are calling and how often, works with phone companies like Bharti Airtel Ltd.s unit in Ghana. Cignifi scores some 100 million consumers in 10 countries each month, CEO Jonathan Hakim said. Banks typically use such assessments alongside other evaluations to decide whether to grant a loan.

The way you use the phone is a proxy for the way you live, Hakim said. We are capturing a mirror of the customers life. His company collects phone data  such as whom the potential borrower is calling and how frequently  from partners like Airtel Ghana, and crunches it for customers like Equifax, as well as marketers. Cignifi always gets customers permission to use data, he said.
On Nov 23, we issued an updated research report on Charter Communications Inc. CHTR  the second largest cable MSO (multi service operator) in the U.S. The company currently has a Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell).

(You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.)

Risks

Charter Communications is facing stiff competition from online video streaming service providers such as Netflix Inc. NFLX, Hulu.com and YouTube as they provide a reasonably-priced source of TV programming. Over the last ten years, the over-the-top business model has been gaining momentum, especially amid volatile economic conditions. Notably, in the third quarter of 2016, Charter Communications lost 152,000 video customers in the residential segment. Additionally, the company faces intense competition from telecom operators and other cable MSOs in the high-growth Ethernet market.

Moreover, the multi-channel video market in the U.S. is almost saturated. Furthermore, gaining customers from competitors is a difficult task as most pay-TV operators offer innovative packages.

Charter Communications also has a highly leveraged balance sheet. At the end of third-quarter 2016, Charter Communications had $1,165 million of cash and cash equivalents and $61,996 million in outstanding debt.

Growth Prospects

However, the acquisition of two U.S. cable operators  Time Warner Cable and Bright House Networks  will strengthen the companys foothold in hybrid fiber coax (HFC) and fiber networks. This should also help Charter Communications better address small and medium-sized businesses (SMB) along with large enterprises. The company is also adopting various initiatives to improve its Spectrum products and cloud-based user interfaces. Also, accelerated residential and commercial customer growth, investments in business services division and rollout of several initiatives bode well.

The company also announced plans to foray into the wireless service business, following the footsteps of rival cable TV behemoth Comcast Corporation CMCSA. Toward this end, Charter Communications will utilize the Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) agreement that Time Warner Cable had signed with Verizon Communications in 2012. Additionally, Charter Communications intends to install several Wi-Fi hotspots across cities to expand its network.

Story continues

Recent Events

In Oct 2016, Charter Communications selected ARRIS International plc. ARRS, a major customer premise equipment (CPE) manufacturer for the cable TV industry, as its vendor partner for the cable MSOs next-generation WorldBox 2.0 set-top box. Initiated in early 2015, WorldBox 2.0 is Charter Communications innovative hybrid IP/QAM video platform which has been built to offer traditional and cloud-based user interfaces, content and new video features.

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Yanbing Dong, a third-year doctor of musical arts student in the Glenn Korff School of Music at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, is among 39 winners of the 2016 London Grand Prize Virtuoso International Music Competition. The competition is open to all nationalities and ages in strings, piano, wind, vocal and chamber music. A selected group of winners received an invitation to perform at the Elgar Room in the Royal Albert Hall in London on Dec. 13-14. Dong will perform Haydns Sonata Hob. 50 in C Major on Dec. 13.

A North Platte, Nebraska, couple were recognized as the 2016 Alumni of the Year for Mid-Plains Community College. Gayland and Sandy Meyer were honored Nov. 7 during the Nebraska Community College Associations annual meeting at the Holiday Inn Convention Center in Kearney. Members of the colleges cabinet selected the Meyers for the award because of their long history of returning gifts of time, talent and treasure to the community.

Lincoln native Emberlyn Hemmer was honored at a national charity gala Nov. 12 at theCHIVEs fourth annual Green Gala in Austin, Texas. The event celebrates those people helped by the national charity movement. Hemmer was born with type 4 caudal regression syndrome, the most severe. Because her spine ends at T-12, she has no hipbones, no tailbone, no pelvic bones. She has no feeling below the end of her spine. TheCHIVE, a national humor website, purchased Hemmers family a 2016 wheelchair-accessible Dodge Caravan.

The Nebraska Health Care Association awarded its 2016 State Impact Award to Debra Welk. Welk recently retired from Immanuel, where she served as vice president of health care services. The award, NHCAs highest honor, was presented to Welk at the Nebraska Nursing Facility Association/Nebraska Assisted Living Association Fall Convention in La Vista, in recognition of her significant impact on Nebraskas assisted living and nursing facilities and the individuals in their care.

Former Nebraska State Sen. Tom Carlson of Holdrege is the 2016 recipient of the Maurice Kremer Groundwater Achievement Award from the Groundwater Foundation. Carlson was presented with the award at the joint Nebraska State Irrigation Association and Nebraska Water Resources Association Conference Nov. 21 in Kearney. The Kremer Award is presented annually by the Groundwater Foundation to an outstanding Nebraskan who has made a substantive contribution to the conservation and protection of Nebraskas groundwater.

Doane College presented eight alumni awards to nine individuals at the annual awards banquet held in conjunction with the colleges Homecoming events on Oct. 16. Winners of this years awards included: India Williams of Kansas City, Missouri; Patricia Mahar of Howey-in-the-Hills, Florida; Fred Ritter of Columbus, Nebraska; Ruth Olsen of Lincoln; John and Leslie Allbery of Denver; Craig Coppersmith of Elkhorn; John Lothrop of Crete; and Dr. Brenda Neumon Lewis of Norfolk, Virginia.
Agriculture classroom: Bryan High School held a ceremony on Friday to celebrate the latest addition to its Agricultural Academy program: a Rubicon AgroBox. Bryan recently received the L3 (Living, Learning Lab), which is a modular classroom designed to allow students to experiment, fail and succeed. From botany to controls engineering, the L3 offers hands-on multidisciplinary learning for the needs of tomorrows workforce. Rubicons AgroBox allows food to be grown where it is consumed, limiting waste and creating economic development in neighborhoods that need it most. Through the innovative L3 classroom model, Rubicon combines STEAM education with hands-on experimentation. District officials, business and community partners were present to help celebrate. Rubicon Agriculture CEO Chris Moorman also attended.

Technology in action: McMillan Magnet Middle School Project Lead the Way students are busy completing STEAM projects at the Mastercraft Building. Green architecture students are creating models of an Old West town using a laser engraver and Popsicle sticks, while a second group is working to create light lab canvas drawings of buildings using LED lights. In addition, automation and robotics students are getting ready to begin their robotics test beds, which will require them to combine their knowledge of building and programming skills. Students will be attaching switches and motors to a cortex that they will program to move using programming technology.

High Tea: On Nov. 6, Roncalli Catholic High School welcomed more than 300 school supporters for the 16th Annual High Tea. The event raised more than $14,000 for the schools students and programs as attendance rose by more than 20 percent from 2015. Students volunteered as greeters and servers at the event. High Tea is a Roncalli Catholic tradition that encourages creativity and fun while raising funds for scholarship and tuition grant programs.

Community service: Norris Middle School National Junior Honor Society students will help serve meals at the Intercultural Senior Center at 12:30 p.m. Tuesday and Dec. 6. The activity aims to provide opportunities for students to serve those in their community and build community relationships. The Norris chapter is made up of 42 members.

Thanksgiving dinner: Masters Elementary special education students in Steven Rivas classroom have been practicing the fine art of entertaining  hosting, greeting, serving and displaying proper table manners  over the past three weeks. Students demonstrated what they have learned for their parents during a Thanksgiving Parent Appreciation Dinner on Nov. 22 in their classroom.

Therapy dog: Field Club Elementary third grade students in Kristine Beilenbergs classroom have embarked on a mission to help Eli  a 7-month-old Jack Russel Terrier  become socialized as he prepares for his new role as a therapy dog for children being treated for cancer at Childrens Hospital. Eli makes regular weekly visits to the school and interacts with students in the hallway outside of their classroom.

Cupcake wars: Collaboration and competition were baked together with artistic flair recently at Liberty Middle School in Papillion. Students in family consumer science and art teamed up for their own version of Cupcake Wars, the popular Food Network program pitting teams of cupcake bakers against each other to create stunning displays. The Liberty students spent a class session working on the theme and a sketch for their cupcake display as well as cupcake and icing flavors. Then they spent the week working in their own areas  family consumer science students on the baking and icing, art students on building and decorating. At the end of the project, volunteer judges from within the school evaluated the cupcakes and their presentation. The winner of the contest was Falling Leaves featuring a display by Nick McWilliams and Tyler Davis along with pumpkin spice cupcakes and butterscotch leaves by Avree Zelasney and Samantha Graham.

Food drives: Students at La Vista Middle School gathered 3,320 nonperishable food items during a recent schoolwide drive organized by the student council. The donations were to be used to fill 10 Thanksgiving meal boxes and 10 winter break boxes for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks to go home to families in need in the Papillion-La Vista Community Schools. Remaining donations will go to the Tri-City Food Pantry.

The staff of the Papillion-La Vista Community Schools recently collected $2,125 to support the Tri-City Food Pantry. Prairie Queen Elementary School also collected more than 1,500 food items, one of many drives to support the Tri-City Food Pantry organized by the school district. The Tri-City Food Pantry serves families in Papillion, La Vista and Ralston. The goal of the school district collection, other than to provide direct support for the pantrys mission, is to raise awareness of how the pantry receives referrals from social workers and counselors.

Career day: High-ability learners from Papillion-La Vista Community Schools three middle schools came together Nov. 9 to learn about careers in law, public safety and security from Papillion and La Vista police officers. La Vista Police Officer John Danderand showed off Bardo, his police service dog, while Papillion Police Sgt. Preston Maas showed off gear used by South Metro SWAT team members. Students were able to try on some of the special equipment, such as a ballistic vest and helmet. Many career fields are explored by the districts high-ability learners, who are given the opportunity to share their interests at the beginning of the school year. The Papillion Police Department hosted students interested in law enforcement for a seminar in its police stations community room.

Toy drive: Leo Club members at Papillion and Liberty Middle Schools collected stuffed animals for Aidans Animals. The local charity distributes the toys to be given to local agencies that work with children in crisis situations, such as law enforcement, fire and rescue, Red Cross and family crisis shelters. Leo Club is the youth arm of Lions Club International, the worlds largest service club organization. At Papillion Middle School, 387 stuffed animals were collected by students. At Liberty Middle School, 70 stuffed animals were donated. Premier Waste Solutions provided containers to help with the drives.

Art time: Middle school high-ability learners studying art spent time on Nov. 15 and 16 creating paintings reflecting pieces of a stained glass window at downtown Papillion business Twisted Vine, a member of the Papillion La Vista Community Schools Cooperation BEST business partnership program.

Socks drive: At several Papillion-La Vista elementary schools, October became Socktober as students collected socks  one of the least donated items at homeless shelters  to benefit people in the local community. Hickory Hill Elementary School student council members gathered four large bags of 1,388 pairs of socks at its drive. Students at the school also had a decorated Socktober trunk-or-treat vehicle at the schools fall festival. The fifth-grade classes at Hickory Hill brought the most socks, a total of 392 pairs, to benefit the Stephen Center in Omaha. Socktober drives were also held at Parkview Heights and Patriot Elementary Schools. Both of those schools held the drive in coordination with Red Ribbon Week, where students learned lessons about avoiding drugs and alcohol. Parkview Heights collected 1,089 pairs of socks, which its student council delivered to the Stephen Center. Patriot brought in 632 pairs of socks for its Red Ribbon Week crazy sock spirit day.

Softball benefit: Millard South High Schools Swing for the Cure softball tournament benefit raised $1,175 for Angels Among Us and $1,175 to the Nicki G Foundation. Angels Among Us helps families cope with the stress of pediatric cancer. The Nicki G Foundation is a local cancer support organization created in honor of Millard South junior outfielder Peyton Glatters mother, who passed away from cervical cancer two years ago. The money was raised through the combined efforts of Millard South, Lincoln Southwest, Omaha Central and Omaha Westside.

Candy for soldiers: The Platteview Central Middle School student council held a Candy for Soldiers collection the week after Halloween. Families from Platteview Central, Westmont Elementary and Springfield Elementary, located in the Springfield Platteview school district, donated surplus Halloween candy. The Platteview Central student council put together 160 bags of candy. Fifty of the bags went to the Papillion Fire Department to be included in care packages handed out on Veterans Day to homeless veterans at the Siena-Francis House. The remaining bags were shipped to two 2016 Platteview graduates serving in the military.

Art contest: First National Bank of Omaha and Nebraska State Treasurer Don Stenberg announced the 12 winners of the fifth annual Draw Your Dreams contest. Each winner will receive a $1,000 contribution to a NEST 529 College Savings Plan account. To qualify for the scholarship, students used pencil, crayons, paint, watercolor or paper collage to create landscape-oriented pictures portraying what they want to be when they grow up. The contest was open to children from kindergarten through eighth grade. Members of the Nebraska Art Teachers Association judged the entries and chose the 12 winners: kindergarten  Sophie Yu of Lincoln; first grade  Anastasia Schreffler of Papillion; second grade  Autumn Smith of Tilden, Nebraska, and Casey King of Meadow Grove, Nebraska; third grade  Korbin Werner of Tilden; fourth grade  Marley Schroeder of Wilber, Nebraska; fifth grade  Matthias Knerl of Tekamah, Nebraska, and Nevaeh Bartek of Wilber; sixth grade  Alexandra Schreffler of Papillion and Brooke Wilcox of Tilden; seventh grade  Abby Gilreath of Omaha and Kolton Hammer of Blair.
With each puff of his Montecristo Cuban cigar and each sip of his Cuban coffee Saturday, Gerardo Machado felt a long-carried weight grow lighter.

Painful memories of life in Fidel Castros Cuba were finally beginning to fade. In the wake of Castros death, as Cubans began nine days of mourning, the Omahan was celebrating.

Machado, 85, celebrated a day he said he will always remember, because now he can start to forget.

The devil is gone, he said.

Erasing memories also means revisiting them. So between the many phone calls Saturday from cousins and old comrades, Machado recalled the 22 months he spent trudging through the islands mountains, fighting against Castros Communist revolution.

He recalled his capture, the jail cell and the bloody lashings, the day they yanked out his fingernail when he wouldnt give up the names of other soldiers. He recalled the stamped and sealed order for his execution, scheduled just five days from when he was released. That was 1959; he wasnt even 30 years old.

Machado left Cuba that year, going first to Mexico City, then Miami, then coming to Omaha, where he taught Spanish at Creighton Prep and the University of Nebraska at Omaha.

He said he thinks God didnt let him die in 1959 because He wanted him to teach students about what happened in Cuba.

I almost wish he would have lived a little longer, Machado said of Castro, because maybe then he could have done something good. He died for nothing. He lived only for communism.

Machado was just one of many Omahans reflecting on Castros death.

Vivienne Cuadrado, 73, said the news did not surprise her. Its been coming for the last several years. He was going to meet his Maker. Hopefully he had a moment to repent first.

She was mostly saddened at the thought of how Castros life and influence shaped her home country. What he did to what was once such a happy country, its just so sad, she said.

After losing property in the revolution, Cuadrados family left for the United States when she was a teenager. She moved to Omaha and enrolled in Duchesne College in 1961. She earned her masters degree from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and spent decades teaching Spanish in Omaha high schools.

For 75-year-old Luis Canal, Castros death stirred up anger.

Honestly, a man like that should not have died in his own bed, Canal said. Many people my age would tell you that they wished they could have killed him themselves. So do I.

Canal left Cuba in 1958 after graduating from high school. He attended the University of Texas and went back to visit during the first couple of years away, but his father told him to never return. The last time he saw his beautiful, beautiful country was in 1960.

Neither Machado nor Cuadrado believes Castros death will bring immediate change to Cuba; his younger brother, President Raul Castro, will continue to lead as he has done officially since 2008.

I dont think this means freedom for the country, Cuadrado said.

Though Machado called Castros death the best news of the year, he agreed with Cuadrado. Before I go, I want to see Raul gone  that will be a whole new celebration.

Jonathan Benjamin-Alvarado is not Cuban but understands the mix of emotions. He agrees that not much will immediately change for Cuba.

The assistant vice chancellor for student affairs at UNO has been to Cuba 29 times and will leave for his 30th visit next month. Hes written books and dozens of articles on the country.

In 2006, shortly before Fidel Castro handed power temporarily to Raul, Benjamin-Alvarado had an eight-hour dinner and conversation with Fidel. He remembers being in awe, scribbling 35 pages of notes from the meeting and coming away impressed by the leaders intelligence and by the respect he commanded.

Late into the night, he and Castro chatted about the Cuban missile crisis, the assassination of John F. Kennedy, even how he ate fish instead of red meat.

Though Benjamin-Alvarado acknowledges never personally feeling the losses of what many Cubans experienced under Castro, he said its morose to celebrate his, or anyones, death.

He believes Castros legacy will be one of fervent nationalism.

The revolution solidified what it meant to be Cuban, he said. He certainly wasnt a saint by any stretch of the imagination, but that sense of nation is perhaps what has kept Cuba together.

For the future of Cuban-American relations, Benjamin-Alvarado is hopeful. He hopes the Trump administration will continue what the Obama administration began in the final weeks of 2014 with the restoration of diplomatic relations with Cuba. He called those efforts mostly cosmetic changes, but said they represented a start.

For so long weve had a Fidel policy and not a Cuba policy, Benjamin-Alvarado said, clarifying that a Cuba policy would focus on bringing stability and fostering self-determination in the country rather than just ousting a regime. I hope now we can put that defeat Fidel policy to bed and focus on a true country policy.

But for now, in these first few days without Fidel Castro, Cubans will struggle with what Benjamin-Alvarado calls a double-edged sword of emotion, the tangle of joy and sadness felt by Machado and Cuadrado.

At 1 a.m. Saturday, Benjamin-Alvarado turned on the radio, tuning in to National Public Radio. Reports from the Little Havana neighborhood in Miami told of Cuban-Americans rushing into the streets, yelling The dictator is dead.

From many friends, Machado heard of the Miami celebrations, too. Part of him wished he could be there, proudly waving his Cuban flag alongside other Cuban-Americans who understand the complicated emotions of loving and grieving for a country they left years ago.

But the celebrations may be short-lived, Benjamin-Alvarado said.

All that joy will be tinged with a dose of reality, he said. Soon I think (Cubans) may realize that this doesnt really matter. Life in Cuba will likely not change soon.
On Nov 24, 2016, we issued an updated research report on Citigroup Inc. C. Amid the current regulatory pressure and challenging revenue environment across the banking sector, this New York-based banking giant remains focused on its streamlining moves and product enhancements, while maintaining a strong capital position.



Citigroups third-quarter 2016 earnings per share outpaced the Zacks Consensus Estimate, driven by decline in operating expenses. Though the company witnessed decline in overall revenues, it recorded higher fixed income markets revenues, supported by an improved trading environment. Also, investment banking revenues improved owing to rise in industry-wide debt underwriting activity during the quarter.



As of Sep 30, 2016, the companys loans were up 2% year over year at $638 billion, while deposits climbed 4% year over year to $940 billion.



In the earnings conference, management stated that it expects growth in the developed and emerging markets to pick up next year, while uncertainties tied with Brexit still persist.



Management noted that North America Consumer Banking achieved volume growth in the third quarter despite persistently shrinking branch footprint. It highlighted that while over the past several years the company has reshaped its branch network, enhanced technology and remained focus in its core six markets, it will undertake further investments for growth.



Citigroup now remains focused on its segmentation strategy associated with Citigold wealth management platform and improving digital and mobile banking capabilities. Additionally, the company will continue to upgrade the branch network with smart branches and Citigold centers.



Notably, Costco acquisition will not be really accretive to Citigroups earnings until in the later part of 2017 and certainly in 2018. Management projects increased profitability driven by the cards business, throughout 2019.



The company will invest around $1 billion in Mexico over the next four years, primarily in technology, branches and ATMs. It anticipates maintaining positive operating leverage in fourth-quarter 2016 and every year, throughout the investment period, on the back of revenue growth and cost savings from technology upgradation.



Shares of the company gained more than 20% over the past three months.

Story continues

CITIGROUP INC Price

CITIGROUP INC Price | CITIGROUP INC Quote

The restructuring and streamlining efforts, along with an attractive core business, should support future performance. In addition, Citigroup remains committed to enhance shareholders value on the back of a solid capital position. However, sustained pressure on the companys net interest income remains a concern amid the lingering low-rate environment. Moreover, several issues, such as a stringent regulatory landscape and litigation burden, remain key concerns.



Over the past 60 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate moved north 2% to $4.69 for 2016, while it edged down 1% $5.10 for 2017.



Citigroup currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).



Other Stocks to Consider



Bank of America Corporation BAC: The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2016 has moved up 15.7% to $1.47 per share for 2016 and 1.9% to $1.58 per share for 2017, in the last 60 days.



The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation BK: Over the last 60 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current year increased 4% to $3.15 per share and climbed 3.6% to $3.42 per share for 2017.



Comerica Incorporated CMA: Over the last 60 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current year grew 9.2% to $2.97 per share and climbed 10.4% to $3.92 per share for 2017.



Notably, all the three stocks carry a Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

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Ever since Egypts Abdel Fatah el-Sissi led a military coup against a democratically elected Islamist government three years ago, his apologists in the West, led by Secretary of State John Kerry, have hoped he would launch economic reforms to revive the economy.

The thinking is that more free-market policies, new flows of foreign investment and, eventually, growing prosperity would help stabilize Egypt after years of turmoil.

In the meantime, el-Sissis brutal repression of domestic dissent could be overlooked.

For three years the former general ignored the entreaties of Kerry and other Western counselors. He squandered tens of billions of dollars provided by Saudi Arabia and other Persian Gulf allies on wasteful mega-projects, such as building a new channel for the Suez Canal and propping up Egypts currency.

Meanwhile, he conducted the most sweeping and violent campaign against dissent in the countrys modern history, jailing not just Islamists but secular liberals, journalists and civil society activists, including American Aya Hijazi.

Now el-Sissi has finally embraced liberal reforms recommended by the International Monetary Fund.

He had little choice: Saudi Arabia cut off its largesse, and as shortages of foreign currency spread through the economy, staples such as sugar and cooking oil started to disappear from shops.

This month the government finally floated the currency  precipitating a devaluation of more than 50 percent  and reduced gasoline subsidies. The IMF responded by approving a $12 billion, three-year loan program.

Kerry was quick with praise: Egyptian leaders are making the difficult decisions needed to move their country towards prosperity, he said in a statement.

The State Department seems to be betting that el-Sissi will prove to be one of those rare leaders, like Chiles Augusto Pinochet, who manage to liberalize and modernize their economies even while engaging in bloody repression.

It seems a far-fetched bet, given el-Sissis economic illiteracy, the vast corruption embedded in his regime and the military and Egypts history of popular uprisings against austerity measures.

The government survived one test Nov. 11, when citizens failed to turn out en masse for protests called by the Muslim Brotherhood.

But the regimes response was not to relax. Instead, it began rushing a new law through parliament that would destroy what remains of independent civil society groups, such as the program for Cairo street children that Hijazi directed.

Any group could be banned on the grounds that its activity conflicts with national security and the public order.

Five-year prison terms are mandated for anyone cooperating with a foreign organization or conducting opinion polls without prior approval.

The heavy repression, and the exhaustion of many Egyptians after nearly six years of political turmoil, may save el-Sissi in the short term from the eruption of unrest that some are predicting.

Diplomatically, he is likely to get even stronger support from the incoming Trump administration than he has from Kerry.

But its unlikely that the strongman can succeed in stabilizing Egypts economy while suffocating civil society. The bet on him by the IMF and the United States is not likely to pay off.
26/11 case: Lakhvi, others to be charged for abetment to murder

26/11: The files that were never opened

26/11 attacks: Tributes paid to heroes, victims on eighth anniversary

India

oi-Jagriti

Mumbai, Nov 26: Rich floral tributes were paid to martyrs who lost their lives while fighting terrorists during the Mumbai terror attacks that shook the nation on the same day eight years ago.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Governor C Vidyasagar were among dignitaries who paid tributes to martyrs of 26/11 attacks.

On November 26, 2008, 10 Pakistani terrorists reached Mumbai by sea route and opened fire indiscriminately at people killing 166, including foreign nationals and 18 security personnel.

Eighth Anniversary of 26/11 Attack

Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, the Oberoi Trident, the Taj Mahal Palace & Tower, Leopold Cafe, Cama Hospital, the Nariman House Jewish community centre were some of the places targeted by the terrorists during the attack lasted for three days.

Marine Drive, Mumbai: Tributes being paid on 8th anniversary of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack. pic.twitter.com/gAf0j2q7ob  ANI (@ANI_news) November 26, 2016

Mumbai: Tributes being paid on 8th anniversary of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack. CM Devendra Fadnavis, Governor pay homage pic.twitter.com/uXG9gNL6mM  ANI (@ANI_news) November 26, 2016

#MumbaiAttacks Saluting our martyrs who fought valiantly.India wiping out counterfeit currency,hitting perpetrators of terror in their roots  Rajyavardhan Rathore (@Ra_THORe) November 26, 2016

#INDIA will never forget the barbaric #MumbaiAttacks. I offer my humblest condolences to all the families that lost a loved one (4/4)  Vijay Kumar Singh (@Gen_VKSingh) November 26, 2016

I pay homage to the brave martyrs who laid down their lives in #MumbaiAttacks. My thoughts & prayers go out to the families of the victims.  Manohar Lal (@mlkhattar) November 26, 2016

My heartfelt tribute to all bravehearts who fought valiantly & sacrificed their lives protecting us from terrorists. Jai Hind #MumbaiAttacks  Jagat Prakash Nadda (@JPNadda) November 26, 2016

My humble tributes to the martyrs of 26/11 - unforgettable act of bravery by our nation's heroes #MumbaiAttacks  Jyotiraditya Scindia (@JM_Scindia) November 26, 2016

Let us remember the valiant sacrifice of brave heroes on the night of #MumbaiAttacks & stand united to combat the evil forces of terrorism.  Vinod Tawde (@TawdeVinod) November 26, 2016

OneIndia News
26/11 Mumbai attack: US says it stands with India, remains resolute in fight against terrorism

26/11 files: 8 years later, Baby Moshe remembers his parents

India

oi-Sandra Marina Fernandes

Bengaluru, Nov 26: Eight years ago, the entire nation was glued to their television sets. India had never witnessed a terror attack of this magnitude.

News broke that terrorists had attacked CST Station,Taj Hotel, Oberoi Trident Hotel and Nariman Point in Mumbai. Images of gunfight between the terrorists and police officials were all over the news.

166 people were killed in the 26/11 attacks and many were injured. Among the survivors was Baby Moshe, who was saved by his Indian nanny, Sandra Samuels. Moshe Holtzberg, known as Baby Moshe lived with his parents Rabbi Gavriel Holtzberg and his wife Rivka, in the Chabad House.

What happened at Chabad House

Moshe lived with his parents at Chabad House in Mumbai. On the fateful night of Nov 26, 2008 terrorists attacked Chabad House and killed Moshe's parents. Samuels, then grabbed a crying Moshe and rushed out of the building. It was later confirmed by the NSG Commandos that Moshe's parents died in the attack.

Following the attack, Moshe alongwith Samuels returned to Israel to live with his grandparents. Even though Samuels didn't have a passport, she was given a special visa so that she could travel to Israel with Moshe to look after him.

Samuels did so without thinking twice, even though she had her own family back in India.

Baby Moshe turns 10

Moshe, who is in the fifth grade, recently celebrated his 10th birthday. Samuels, who stayed with him till he was 8 years old, has now moved to Jerusalem, where she works with children with special needs. However, she visits Moshe every Saturday and talks to him over the phone daily.

[Also Read: 26/11: The files that were never opened]

Moshe's uncle and namesake, Moshe Holtzberg, who stays in Mumbai says that his nephew is doing well. He visits his parents grave every year and knows what happened to them but does not like to talk about it, Holtzberg told a daily.

Moshe's grandparents, in an interview to israelnationalnews.com said that their grandchild wants to be a normal kid, like everyone else. "He told us outright, 'I don't want anyone to treat me like a pity case or an orphan, I don't need pity," they said.

But that does not mean that the family doesn't talk about what happened. They visit the grave every year and pray for Moshe's parents' souls.

Moshe's grandparents hope that he grows up to be a Chabad emissary one day. Moshe's uncle says that Moshe will definitely come to India, though it is uncertain when.

OneIndia News
26/11: The files that were never opened

India

oi-Vicky

New Delhi, Nov 26: There was heightened activity on the narrow lanes of Machimarnagar, Mumbai on November 25, 2008. Something big was about to happen and Indians did not have a clue as what they were about to witness in the next 24 hours.

Ten terrorists of the Lashkar-e-Tayiba (LeT) had landed from Pakistan and were about to carry out one of the biggest ever attacks India has witnessed so far.

Investigations that were conducted stated that the ten terrorists had landed on the night of 26/11 and went about the attack.

There were repeated demands made to investigate into the local link, but those files were never opened or gone into for reasons known best to the investigators. Following the attack the Ram Pradhan Committee was set up to look into the lapses by the Mumbai police.

One of the members of the committee, V Balachandran who is a retired Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) officer pointed out that there was a complaint made to them about a lady being involved in harbouring the terrorists.

Files that were never opened:

Balachandran tells OneIndia that during the inquiry there was a rumour that the terrorists had reached Mumbai days before the attack. They were staying in a hut used by the underworld in Machimarnagar. This fishermen's colony in Colaba was where the terrorists had stayed is what we heard, Balachandran said.

Further we heard that the kingpin of the diesel scam scam (a lady) had provided shelter to the ten terrorists. The terrorists who stayed at the hut are said to have conducted a reconnaissance of the targets they were to attack.

In idle moments, memories of attack haunt, says 26/11 survivor

These details were discussed, but then our chargers did not permit us to go into this. These notes were personally handed over to the Central Intelligence Agency. However we did not hear back from them.

The crime branch which probed the case however concluded that the terrorists had landed on the same day of the attack, Balachandran also said.

Many feel that it is impossible to carry out an attack without even viewing the attack sites in person. It was claimed during the investigation that the terrorists had viewed these sites on maps provided for them and went about the attack with precision.

To this Balachandran points to the attack carried out at the Chabad House. It is located in a narrow lane connected to the Colaba Causeway. I have lived in this area for a very long time, but I had never heard of it.

It was quite surprising to see the ease with which the terrorists went about the attack here, he also adds.

OneIndia News
500 judges should have been working, but they are not: CJI Thakur

India

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

New Delhi, Nov 26: Chief Justice of India T S Thakur criticised the government on Saturday for not filling up the vacancies in the judiciary. He said at a function that there are around 500 vancancies in the High Court.

500 HC judges should be working today, but they are not he said. He said that appointments had been made. There are 121 appointments, but large number of proposals are still pending and we hope the government attends to it, the CJI also said.

Justice Thakur further went on to add that the armed forces appellate tribunal and the competition commission is without a chairman. Posts are falling vacant and I am pain persuading my colleagues who are remitting office to accept these appointments, the CJI further said.

''I have in the past written to the government stating that unless the rules are amended the problem will not be solved. I had said that the Chief Justices of High Courts too should be made eligible for appointments in the tribunals. There may be a situation where an SC judge may not be available to head these tribunals,'' Justice Thakur also said.

Union Minister, Ravi Shankar Prasad however said that he respectfully disagrees with the CJI had said. Prasad said that this year 120 judges were appointed.

OneIndia News
Acid attack convict, who jumped parole in 2007, arrested

India

oi-PTI

Pune, Nov 25: A 36-year-old convict who was absconding for nine years after jumping parole in 2007 was arrested by the city police. Kailash Sitaram Adagale was serving life imprisonment for throwing acid on a 21-year-old girl in January 2005.

"The sessions court here held him guilty and sentenced him to seven years' rigorous imprisonment in March 2007, however, Adagale then challenged the order in High Court.

"State government too appealed in the High Court and sought higher punishment," said an officer of the Anti Extortion Cell. In August 2007, Adagale, who had got parole, did not retun to the Yerawada Central Prison here and disappeared. In February this year, High Court enhanced his punishment to a life term.

"We received a tip-off that he was going to come near Bal Gandharv chowk on Thursday.

A trap was laid and he was arrested," said the officer. Adagale worked as a driver for cab service of a call center at Hinjawadi here where the girl worked. He had professed love for her many times, but she rejected him. On January 31, 2005, he threw battery acid on her to take revenge, injuring her face and an eye.

PTI
Ban on IRF is like the demonetisation fiasco, says Zakir Naik

India

oi-Vicky

The latest to take on the government on the demonetisation is Dr Zakir Naik, the controversial Islamic preacher. Naik's NGO, the Islamic Research Foundation (IRF) was banned for a period of 5 years by the Union Home Ministry.

Naik feels that the ban on his NGO may have been to distract the media from what was going on in the country post the decision to demonetise the Rs 500 and 1,000 notes.

He further goes on to state in a letter that the laws are not equal. While speaking about the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) under which his NGO was banned, he asks if the draconian law was limited only to Muslims.

Is UAPA meant to silence the minority community he asks while seeking to know why no action was taken against Rajeshwar Singh of the Dharm Jaagran Manch, Sadhvi Prachi and Yogi Adityanand.

Also read: Was banned without a question being asked: Zakir Naik

Read the full letter here:

I was right after all. IRF and I were set up for a ban. Despite some saying that I played the 'Muslim card', it is now proven that the decision to ban IRF was taken months ago and it was a communal decision.

Before investigations were done, even before reports submitted, the ban was already decided. IRF was to be banned. Whether it was owing to my religion or some other reason, does not matter. What now matters is that my work of 25 years - completely lawful work - has been banned.

And that is the most unfortunate thing for this country. This must be the most unique ban to be applied in the history of India, because not a single time was I questioned or given a chance to explain.

Not a single chance. No notice, no summons, no calls and no contact ever made with me to get my side of the story. I kept offering my help in investigation but it wasn't taken. The entire investigation was completed without any agency asking me a single question about my so called 'wrongdoings'.

But then why would they? My participation in the investigation process would have cleared up the air and exonerated me, which wasn't acceptable to the government.

Also read: Zakir Naik had planned another donation of Rs 25 lakh to Rajiv Trust

Now that they've banned me without asking me a single question, I have no choice left but to answer them only through the legal system and not personally. Their agenda is open and clear: implicate me by hook or by crook, which I will fight.

Timing of the ban

From the government's point of view, the timing itself could not have been better. The decision to ban IRF was taken in the middle of the demonetization fiasco, as the country reeled under the selfimposed cash crunch.

I won't be surprised if this ban was meant to distract media from what was going on in the country. For the public that is starved for cash, for trade and basic amenities, one cannot expect much of resistance. Flawless timing really.

The ban notification alleges that I have incited violence through some of my statements. I would at this juncture like to re-emphasize that I have at all points only advocated peace and condemned violence in any form. In fact I am one of the few persons who ever publicly spoke against state sponsored violence and terrorism.

These facts have never been given their due after having been explained on several occasions. All the questions and allegations have been answered and explained a dozen times in the last few years. To people and to the media. Why? Because most have not bothered to look through the entire portion of the Q&A.

They've watched a smaller, doctored clip and based their opinions on it. Common people aside, I expected professional investigators from government agencies to do a thorough job.

Had they done so, this issue would have been a no brainer, a non-issue. But I guess, that was not the plan. The plan was to ban, not investigate. Which is perhaps why the draconian law of UAPA was exercised on very select organisations such as Islamic Research Foundation.

The name of the religion has been made synonymous with violence while condoning the reckless behavior of some majority leaders.

Also read: Not once, but ISIS recruit got money from Zakir Naik's NGO twice

Law is not equal

The law does not seem to apply to the likes of Rajeshwar Singh, Yogi Adityanath and Sadhvi Prachi who continue to make inflammatory speeches aimed at inciting communal hatred for mere political mileage.

Rajeshwar Singh of Dharm Jaagran Manch recently made a televised statement that 31st December 2021 will be the last day for Islam and Christianity in India and that he and his associates have taken an oath to end Islam and Christianity from India before 31st December 2021.

Don't such statements and many more by fanatics like Sadhvi Prachi and Yogi Adityanath require them to be arrested and tried under UAPA? Leave aside legal action, the government has neither condemned their actions nor reprimanded them.

Is this draconian law mainly meant for Muslims? Muslims who've been practicing and propagating their religion peacefully and well within the constitutional framework?

Does the UAPA now exist mainly to silence minority groups? I urge my Muslim brothers and sisters in India to rely on Allah alone, unafraid of this vicious campaign against them. Allah says, 'And if you are patient and fear Allah, their plot will not harm you at all.' (Al-Qur'an 3:120)

Demonetisation fiasco

Like the demonetization fiasco, the Modi government's IRF ban and its modus operandi has been distraught with senseless decisions and knee jerk actions. After having said that the Islamic International School will not be affected, the government goes ahead and freezes the School's bank account.

How will a school survive without its day-to-day expenses being met? We're talking about the future of hundreds of school children here. I know, and more than 100 million of my followers across the world know, that I've propagated peace and compassion and justice.

I'm very sure I haven't broken any law, and with this ban, I'm even surer that things have happened with a deeper, sinister agenda.

The system and agencies have been used to suit a pre-meditated result set by the government of India, a government that took an oath to uphold the Indian Constitution, the same Constitution that allows me the freedom to profess, practice, and propagate my religion.

Let us not be gullible to think this was just an attack on me. It is an attack on whom I represent, the Indian Muslims. It is an attack on peace, democracy and justice. By the grace of the Almighty, my work is now spread across the world and a ban in India, however agonizing, will not ruin everything.

I had mentioned in my first letter that God willing many Muslim countries will roll the red carpet for this humble servant of Allah. I have received from several Muslim countries a response better than what I had expected. I will continue my work and rebuild.

India is my home

But India is my home, my roots, and I will fight this ban come what may. God-willing, I will pursue all legal options to repeal this ban. Because Islam has taught me not to let an injustice go by. I will fight, be sure of that. To my fellow Indians, I have only one thing to say.

The country's democratic fabric is under attack. People's lives are being played with. Governments are misusing their authority on people they're supposed to protect. This needs to change. It needs to change for the future of every one of us.

I have faith in the judiciary and I still believe that truth will prevail and the Modi government will fail in its plans. But whatever the outcome, I strongly believe that the best efforts to quash my work will only help it rise higher and stronger.

Even though the Modi government is misusing the law to scare Indian Muslims, these actions, Godwilling, will make me strive harder to spread the message of the religion of peace till my last breath.

For Allah says, "Truth has (now) arrived, and Falsehood perished: for Falsehood is (by its nature) bound to perish." (Al-Qur'an 17:81) Beshak. Without doubt.

Sincerely yours Dr Zakir Naik Servant of Allah

OneIndia News

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Story first published: Saturday, November 26, 2016, 8:36 [IST]
Bharat Bandh: Karnataka, Kerala, WB to be worst hit

India

oi-Vicky

The opposition has called for a Bharat Bandh on November 28 over the demonetisation issue. The bandh is expected to evoke a mixed reaction and is expected to be total in the non-BJP ruled states. States such as West Bengal and Kerala are expected to witness a total bandh.

[Also Read: Bharat Bandh: Transport services likely to be hit in Karnataka]

While all shutters are expected to be downed in the non-BJP ruled states, in Kerala the bandh will take the form of a hartal. In the CPM ruled state of Kerala it has been decided to exempt the banking sector, marriage functions, hospitals, milk and newspaper vendors from the dawn to dusk hartal. In Kerala, it has been decided to organise a picket march to the Raj Bhavan on Monday.

The situation in all other non-BJP states is likely to remain the same. Since there are many people outside the banks and ATMs, the banking sector is unlikely to be affected. Essential services too are unlikely to be hit. The state leaders feel that there is already a great deal of inconvenience being caused to the people and this bandh should not add to it.

In West Bengal the bandh is expected to be total. West Bengal chief minister, Mamata Banerjee has been spearheading the movement against demonetisation ever since the decision was taken on November 8. However in West Bengal too essential services and the banking sector is unlikely to be disturbed.

In Karnataka transport services are likely to be hit. KSRTC, BMTC and Metro services would remain suspended on Monday. The Karnataka Legilslative assembly too would not function on Monday. In some colleges the examinations scheduled for November 28 are being postponed. No decision on whether schools and colleges being shut or open has been taken as yet.

The central intelligence bureau reports that the bandh will be successful only in the non-BJP ruled states. In states like Bihar the bandh is unlikely to be successful as the Chief Minister, Nitish Kumar has supported the move. The IB states that the bandh is likely to be most severe in West Bengal followed by Karnataka and Kerala.

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Story first published: Saturday, November 26, 2016, 18:11 [IST]
BJP's tact to divert attention from Morbi, says a stung Kejriwal after Sukesh's claims

BJP paid in cash for land deals in Bihar: Media report

India

oi-IANS

By Ians English

Patna, Nov 26: The BJP's political woes over its land deals in Bihar ahead of demonetisation aggravated on Saturday as a media report quoting official documents said the party purchased the land in cash, contrary to its leaders' claims on Friday.

The Janata Dal-United and the Rashtriya Janata Dal reiterated their demand for high-level probes, including by a Joint Parliamentary Committee.

A local Hindi news channel on Saturday telecast a report that the Bharatiya Janata Party, which is in opposition in Bihar, paid cash to purchase land worth crores of rupees in 25 districts ahead of the November 8 demonetisation of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes.

The media report said it has got sale deeds of land from the registrar office concerned in several districts which mentioned payments in cash.

Till Friday, the BJP leaders -- including Leader of Opposition in Bihar assembly Prem Kumar and former Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi -- repeatedly said the payments were made through cheque and real-time gross settlement systems (RTGS) in banks.

Both Prem Kumar and Modi said the party did not commit any wrongdoing and that the land deals were transparent.

After the report on payments in cash, neither of the two BJP leaders was available for comment despite repeated attempts.

BJP legislator Sanjeev Chaurasia, BJP state Vice-President Lal Babu Prasad were among those authorised by BJP President Amit Shah to sign the land deal documents on the party's behalf.

After claiming on Friday about payments through cheque and RTGS, both Chaurasia and Prasad too were unavailable for comments on Saturday.

Janata Dal-United legislator and party spokesperson Neeraj Kumar told IANS that it is now clear that the BJP leaders "lied" on the land deals and that the party used black money for the purchases.

"Where is any chance of doubt after official documents of the sale deeds clearly mention that the landowners were paid in cash?"

The JD-U leader said the documentary evidence had exposed the BJP once again.

Neeraj Kumar said: "The BJP, which has been campaigning against black money and corruption, invested its own black money in crores by purchasing big land parcels in most districts of Bihar ahead of demonetisation. The BJP paid in cash for all these land deals. It should be probed by a Joint Parliamentary Committee or a high-level committee under the Supreme Court."

Rashtriya Janata Dal legislator Bhai Virendra reiterated his demand for a high-level probe into the land deals.

"It is clear the BJP managed to park its black money by purchasing land worth crores of rupees ahead of the currency ban."

On Friday, Prem Kumar said the purchases were at circle rates fixed by the state government in various districts.

Modi too had said the party maintained accounts of its land deals, and if cash payments were made as alleged, there should be a probe.

"The probe will establish as to who paid the cash and who received it," he said.

According to reports, the BJP purchased the land in more than two dozen districts, including Gaya, Purnea, Siwan, Saharsa, Patna, Madhubani, Katihar, Madhepura, Lakhisarai, Kishanganj and Arwal.

The land area ranged from 250 square feet to about half an acre, purchased for between Rs 8 lakh and Rs 1.16 crore. The land with the highest rate was bought at Rs 1,100 per sq. feet.

IANS


Iraq gets a new government after a year of deadlock

New IT rules will make sure no unlawful content is posted online: Minister

Centre sets up panel for digital government-citizen transactions

India

oi-IANS

By Ians English

New Delhi, Nov 25 The government has constituted a committee of officers headed by NITI Aayog Chief Executive Officer Amitabh Kant to work towards making all government-citizen transactions digital, an official communique said on Friday.

The committee will identify and operationalise within a set time frame the user-friendly digital payment options in all sectors of the Indian economy.

"This is an integral part of the government's strategy to transform India into a cashless economy," the release said.

"The committee aims to identify various digital payment systems appropriate to different sectors of the economy and coordinate efforts to make them accessible and user-friendly," it added.

The committee, led by National Institution for Transforming India Aayog CEO, will also organise training and capacity building of various states, union territories, ministries and departments of the Centre as well as trade and industry bodies.

Its members include Secretaries of Department of Financial Services, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion, Department of Investment and Public Asset Management and Ministry of Rural Development.

Besides, the Managing Director and CEO of National Payments Corporation of India and Chairman of National Highways Authority of India are also on the committee.

IANS
Indianapolis, IN-based Eli Lilly and Companys LLY shares tumbled to a new 52-week low of $64.18 on Nov 23 after the company announced disappointing data from a late-stage study on its Alzheimer's disease candidate, solanezumab. The companys shares closed a little higher at $68.00, reflecting a decline of almost 11% from the close of the last trading session.



What Led to the Decline?



Eli Lilly announced that solanezumab failed to meet the primary endpoint in a phase III study (EXPEDITION3) in patients with mild Alzheimer's dementia.



The study revealed that patients treated with solanezumab failed to demonstrate a statistically significant slowdown in cognitive deterioration compared to placebo.



Consequently, the company has decided not to submit the regulatory submissions for the candidate. These unfavorable findings will result in a fourth-quarter 2016 charge of approximately $150 million (pre-tax), or approximately 9 cents per share (after-tax). Eli Lilly will issue an updated guidance for 2016 and reveal its expectations for 2017 next month.



We remind investors that this is not the first time that solanezumab has failed to meet the primary endpoint in late-stage studies. In Aug 2012, the company announced that solanezumab failed to meet the primary endpoint in two phase III EXPEDITION studies  EXPEDITION1 and EXPEDITION2  in patients with mild-to-moderate Alzheimer's disease.



Earlier this year, the companys shares took a hit when it changed the primary endpoint for the EXPEDITION3 study. While the original study design included co-primary endpoints of cognition and function, the company decided to proceed with a single primary endpoint of cognition.



Dementia due to Alzheimers disease accounts for 6080% of all dementia cases. As many as 47 million people are estimated to be living with dementia across the world. Moreover, people affected by the disease are expected to increase to nearly 75 million in 2030 and 131 million in 2050.



The market thus represents huge commercial potential and a successfully developed product could generate billions of dollars of sales once launched. However, successful development of therapies for the treatment of Alzheimers disease is very challenging, with a number of companies already having failed to do so.



Meanwhile, Eli Lilly, in collaboration with AstraZeneca plc AZN, is currently evaluating another Alzheimers disease, candidate, AZD3293, in a phase III study. AZD3293 enjoys fast track status in the U.S.

Story continues

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Vandas loss estimates narrowed from 68 cents to 56 cents for 2016 over the last 60 days, while its earnings estimates increased from 16 cents to 17 cents for 2017. The company posted a positive earnings surprise in three of the last four quarters, with an average beat of 56.65%. Its share price has surged 86% year to date.



Cambrexs earnings estimates increased from $2.46 to $2.55 for 2016 and from $2.91 to $3.06 for 2017 over the last 60 days. The company posted a positive earnings surprise in three of the trailing four quarters with an average beat of 19.78%.



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JNU Admissions 2022: PG First merit list to be released today; how to check

'Pollution not a state problem': As Delhi chokes, AAP leader passes the buck to Centre

Demonetisation Effect: Didi aims to conquer Delhi, learns Hindi to woo North India

India

oi-Oneindia

By Oneindia Staff Writer

New Delhi, Nov 26: It looks like Didi, as West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is popularly known as, has camped in Delhi, these days.

In the wake of the vigorous campaign launched by the Opposition against demonetisation drive initiated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the West Bengal CM is more seen in the capital, then in her home turf.

Observers say Didi is using the anti-demonestisation campaign to establish her foothold in the national politics.

To woo the crowd in North India, Didi has decided to polish her Hindi. She speaks Hindi, but it is rustic.

[Also Read: Demonetisation: Are you facing financial stress? IMA issues advisory]

So, the West Bengal CM has hired a Hindi tutor and even bought a Bengali-Hindi dictionary, say reports.

"I was in Delhi from 1984. First, as a parliamentarian and then as a member of the Union Cabinet. I spoke in Hindi then. But over the years, particularly after 2011, my Hindi has become rusty with lack of practice," she told The Indian Express.

Didi has also started tweeting in Hindi, rather than English.

[Also Read: Public opposes Bharat Bandh called by Opposition against demonetisation]

"Pradhan mantri ji, aap har virodhi ko bhrashtachari kahte hai. Aap kya jadugar hai. Janta ki awaz suniye. Unki takleef ko samjhiye. Janta is takleef ko bhula nahi sakti. Janta ki takleef ko mazak mat samjhiye. Aap ki policy se janta ko takleef kyun hoga, rahat honi chahiye. Har state ki, pure desh ki economy tahas nahas ho rahi hai. Janta dukh mein aur aap khushi mana rahe hai

(PM, you are equating all opposition with corruption. Are you a magician? Listen to the voice of the people. Understand their discomfort. People will not be able to forget this.

Your policy shouldn't bring discomfort to people, but comfort. Every state and the country's economy has been destroyed. People are unhappy and you're celebrating)."

In the coming days, the Chief Minister is going to spend more time in North India, as she has two scheduled rallies in Lucknow and Patna against demonetisation.

And, we are definitely going to see Didi speaking in Hindi to address the Hindi audience.

OneIndia News

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Story first published: Saturday, November 26, 2016, 13:19 [IST]
Hope Pak occupied Kashmir will become part of India by 2024: Union minister Kapil Patil

Farooq Abdullah is not a "Hindustani": RSS

India

oi-Vikas

By Vikas

The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) on Saturday lashed out at National Conference president Farooq Abdullah for questioning India's claim on Pakistan occupied Kashmir. RSS leader Indresh Kumar said that former J&K CM's comments shows that he is not a "Hindustani".

"Aaj ye baat karke yeh bata diya hai ki kam se kam woh Hindustani nahi hai aur Hindustan ka sagga bhi nahi hai (By saying this he has proved that he is not an Indian)," Kumar told news agency ANI.

Kumar further said that Abdullah's remarks have insulted the sacrifices made by the security forces for Kashmir.

According to reports, Abdullah had on Friday taunted the government saying Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) is not a personal property to be inherited.

"Kya yeh tumare baap ka hai (Is this your fathers' property)," Abdullah was quoted as saying by News 18 website yesterday.

Addressing a function in the Chenab Valley, he had reprotedly said that PoK is presently under Pakistan occupation and it is not the personal property of India so that it could make a claim over it

like an inherited property of forefathers.

Abdullah had on Wednesday said that autonomy to both sides of J&K was the solution to the end the nearly seven-decade major problem between India and Pakistan.

Farooq Abdullah k stmnt se mujhe lagta hai jitne aaj tak balidaan kiye gaye hain Kashmir k liye unka apmaan unhone kia hai-Indresh Kumar,RSS pic.twitter.com/q5Pz0cg3HK  ANI (@ANI_news) 26 November 2016

OneIndia News
Induction of Congress MLAs into BJP is death of Parrikar's legacy, says outgoing Goa deputy CM

Swaraj, Parrikar, Ananth Kumar: BJP has lost some of its tallest leaders recently

Goa to be India's first cashless society: Manohar Parrikar

India

oi-PTI

Panaji, Nov 26: Strongly backing the demonetisation decision, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar on Friday said Goa is on its way to become India's first cashless society.

This would fulfil a dream of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is pushing for a cashless society through the demonetisation scheme, which is also aimed at curbing the menace of black money, said Parrikar, a former Chief Minister of Goa.

"Goans are using cards (ATM/credit) in a big way. Goa will soon be the first state with cashless society fulfilling a dream of the Prime Minister," Parrikar said.

He was addressing BJP's 'Vijay Sankulp' rally at Sankhalim village, 45-km from here. Parrikar said with demonetisation, Modi has struck hard at the root of black money and terror financing.

"This is not just a strike on black money but also against terror funding, fake currency and drugs money."

"We all need to provide support to the Prime Minister in his decision. The Prime Minister has insisted on moving towards a cashless society. Goa will be the first State to achieve this goal," Parrikar said.

"Goa has shown the way in the past when the State Government started disbursing payment under Dayanand Social Security Scheme (a pension plan) through electronic mode directly into the bank accounts of beneficiaries."

"Currently, none of the State Governments payments are done through cheques. All the payments are through electronic transfers," Parrikar said.

A smartphone can be turned into a bank by using an app called Unified Payments Interface (UPI), Parrikar said.

The State Government will organise camps to educate people about this application, he said.

"We will also train BJP workers who will educate masses about this facility. This will allow people to move around without carrying cash," the Minister said.

PTI
Govt launches nationwide campaign to open bank accounts for workers

India

oi-Oneindia

By Oneindia Staff Writer

New Delhi, Nov 26: The ministry of labour and employment in collaboration with Department of Financial services will launch a nationwide campaign on Saturday to open bank accounts of workers in both organized and unorganized sectors who do not have one till date.

"Starting from November 26, special camps will be organized in every district at specific locations to facilitate the workers to open their bank accounts. Government has decided to pursue this path of digital transactions more vigorously than ever before, said a release issued by the government.

"We have already sent communications to all the state governments in this respect requesting their active cooperation." said Bandaru Dattatraya, the Minister of State (IC) for Labour and Employment.

Deposits in Jan Dhan accounts rise to Rs 64,250 crore

"The modalities of the of the camps including the locations within their districts and coordination with the banking channels will be decided by the team comprising district magistrates, lead district manager of the bank and the labour officers of both Centre as well as state governments," added he.

OneIndia News

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Story first published: Saturday, November 26, 2016, 10:52 [IST]
Gujarat invites Hardik Patel for talks on quota demand

India

oi-IANS

By Ians English

Gandhinagar, Nov 25 The Gujarat government on Friday invited Patel agitation leader Hardik Patel for talks to reach an amicable solution to the community's demand for quotas in government jobs and educational institutions under the other backward classes (OBC) category.

"We are willing to hold talks with Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) leaders, including Hardik Patel, to bring about a solution to this long-standing problem," said Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel.

"In the past too we have maintained that the issues can be resolved only through negotiations," he added.

The move is seen as an effort to resolve one of the toughest challenges faced by the ruling BJP since Narendra Modi shifted from state politics to become Prime Minister in 2014. The Patel agitation had seen the BJP lose its grip over 80 per cent of local self government bodies after a gap of two decades in December last year.

Hardik Patel has welcomed the decision by the Vijay Rupani government. "We will raise our two key demands of reservations for Patel community in government jobs and educational institutions as well as action against the policemen who treated our people in a high-handed manner during the agitation," he said.

Hardik at present remains exiled outside the state's geographical boundary for six months as ordered by Gujarat High Court under his bail conditions and the period gets over in January. Official say the talks can be held at Udaipur, where Hardik is stationed, Ahmedabad or state capital Gandhinagar.

"We have called a meeting of all our convenors to discuss whether to meet the government, when and whether it is in the interest of the community. But, one thing is clear that if the state government tries to play politics as it did in the past during the Anandiben regime, then it would backfire and we would re-launch the agitation with even more force," said PAAS spokesperson Varun Patel.

The Opposition Congress on its part called the invite by the government as a "desperate" move to save itself from losing the state in forthcoming elections.

"First they beat up people, including young and women, and now they are showing empathy. It is BJP government that has filed innumerable cases, including those of sedition, against so many youngsters. Talk of discussions is just another sham," said Congress spokesperson Manish Doshi.

IANS
Indian pilgrims cancel visit to Pakistan over 'rising tension'

International

ians-IANS

By Ians English

Islamabad, Nov 26: Amid rising tensions between Pakistan and India, Indian Hindu pilgrims have cancelled their visit to the revered Katas Raj temple in Pakistan, officials said.

As many as 200 Hindu pilgrims from different parts of India were scheduled to visit the Katas Raj temple complex - one of the holiest Hindu sites in Pakistan - on November 28. Pilgrims were supposed to perform religious rituals during the three-day visit.

"Their scheduled visit has been cancelled," Siddiqueul Farooq, chairman of Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) and District Administration of Chakwal, confirmed to Dawn. The ETPB had made comprehensive security arrangements for the Indian pilgrims, he added.

Farooq cited the border tension as the reason behind the postponement of the visit. "We had issued visas to the pilgrims but their government did not allow them to visit Pakistan," Dawn quoted him as saying.

To a question regarding Sikh pilgrims from India, Khalid Ali, additional secretary (Shrines) of the ETPB, told Dawn that Pakistan had issued 3,319 visas to Sikh pilgrims but only 2,008 visited Panja Sahib recently. He said the Hindu pilgrims would visit Katas Raj in February for the Shivratri festival.

Hindu pilgrims visit Katas Raj twice a year. The first visit is made in February while the second in November.

IANS
Suspended ex-Andaman chief secretary Narain claims was in Delhi on day of alleged rape

Man booked for rape of 12-year-old after video of injured girl surfaces on internet

Man rapes 8-year-old to use her blood for removing obstacles to his marriage

Kerala: Japanese woman raped

India

oi-PTI

Thiruvananthapuram, Nov 26: A 35-year-old Japanese woman was allegedly raped by a man from neighbouring Karnataka at nearby Kovalam, police said today.

The accused, identified as Teja (25), was arrested today based on the woman's statement. His family runs a handicrafts shop at Kovalam, police said.

A case was registered against him under section 376 (punishment for rape) of the Indian Penal Code. The incident is alleged to have taken place last night, they said.

The woman, who was injured and bleeding in her hotel room, was rushed to the government SAT Hospital here by the staff, police said.

After being tipped off by hospital authorities about the incident, police collected information from the woman and arrested the man. The woman had arrived in Kovalam yesterday, police said.

PTI
Left parties take out rally to mourn Castro's death

India

oi-PTI

Kolkata, Nov 26: The Left parties in West Bengal today took out a rally here and decided to fly the red flag at half mast for three days at their respective offices across the state as a mark of respect to Cuban leader Fidel Castro.

Led by Left Front chairman Biman Bose and CPI(M) state secretary Surya Kanta Mishra, 18 Left parties, including the CPI, CPI(M), All India Forward Bloc, RSP, Communist Party of India-Marxist Leninist (Liberation), took out the rally from the Lenin statue at Esplanade to Ram Lila Maidan at Entally in central Kolkata.

Condoling the demise of the legendary communist leader, Mishra said, "Fidel Castro will continue to inspire all struggles for social transformation through revolution. He will inspire generations. We salute the relentless fighter."

Cuba's former president and communist icon Castro, who led a rebel army to an improbable victory in his country, died last night in Havana at the age of 90.

Once a Left citadel, Bengal and Castro shared a bond as the Cuban had a stopover at the city airport while returning from Hanoi on his way to Cuba in September, 1973. He was received by the then top communist leaders of Bengal, Jyoti Basu and Promode Dasgupta, at the airport.

In September 1993, Basu, then the chief minister of West Bengal, had visited Havana, 20 years after Castro's visit to Kolkata, to convey his moral and political support to the Cuban revolution.

PTI
Central team roped in as dengue cases in Bihar rise to over 5000

Mamata Banerjee to sit in dharna at Patna for demonetisation rollback

India

oi-PTI

Patna, Nov 26: Trinamool Congress supremo and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will sit in a dharna in Patna on November 30 to demand rollback of the Centre's demonetisation decision, TMC vice-president Mukul Roy said on Friday.

"Mamata Banerjee will sit on a dharna at Gardanibagh in Patna on November 30 for roll back of the demonetisation decision," Roy told reporters here.

He exuded confidence that representatives of many parties would join the TMC's dharna in Patna. Earlier in the day, Bihar Chief Minister and JD(U) president Nitish Kumar said he had a talk with Banerjee on demonetisation.

Former JD(U) president Sharad Yadav had joined the TMC supremo at a sit-in at Jantar Mantar in Delhi.

"She had spoken to me before going to Rashtrapati Bhawan and I had pointed to her that even the President has supported demonetisation," Kumar said about his parleys with Mamata Banerjee.

Asked about Mamata Banerjee's remark that his stand on demonetisation was due to some political compulsion, the Bihar Chief Minister dismissed it.

"What majboori (compulsion) do I have? Is expressing one's viewpoint a majboori?... I always speak with the strength of what I feel is right," he said.

Kumar said he supported scrapping of high denomination notes to fight black money and was against any roll back of the decision, but had criticised the "poor arrangement" to carry the drive.

Banerjee who is at the forefront in the agitation against scrapping of high denomination currencies by the Centre, has planned to hold protests in different parts of the country to force a rollback.

After the Jantar Mantar agitation in Delhi, Banerjee would sit on a dharna at Lucknow on November 29 and next day in Patna, Roy said adding, he would talk to leaders of other parties and invite them to join the sit-in.

PTI
BSF seizes Rs 3 lakh in Pak currency from man, grandmother returning from Kartarpur Sahib

In a joint op by BSF & Assam Police, heroin worth over Rs 45 cr seized

BSF shoots down drone along Pakistan border in Punjab

J&K: BSF medical officer arrested in recruitment case sent to 10-day CBI remand

Militants attack BSF convoy in Kashmir

India

oi-IANS

By Ians English

Srinagar, Nov 26: Two Border Security Force (BSF) troopers were injured on Saturday in north Kashmirs Kupwara district when militants attacked a convoy.

Militants fired at a bus which was part of the convoy passing through Langate area of the district.

Both the injured troopers were said to be out of danger.

IANS


Source: Politico. Michael Hirsh made the posts after Richard Spencer said "Hail Trump" and "hail our people" during a conference in Washington D.C.

Michael Hirsh, national editor at Politico, resigned after sharing addresses of white nationalist Richard Spencer, CNBC has confirmed.

The Daily Caller first reported the news and took screenshots of Hirsh's remarks before they were deleted.

"Stop whining about Richard B. Spencer, Nazi, and exercise your rights as decent Americans. Here are his two addresses," Hirsh said in a public Facebook post captured by The Daily Caller.

Hirsh made a similar comment on Monday, tweeting that it's "good" that Spencer would be moving to Washington and that "it's important that we know where he lives."

Hirsh's accounts seem to have been deactivated. Twitter and Facebook did not immediately respond to CNBC's request for comment.

Politico's John Harris, editor-in-chief, and Carrie Budoff Brown, editor, said that Hirsh's comments crossed a line.

"These posts were clearly outside the bounds of acceptable discourse, and POLITICO editors regard them as a serious lapse of newsroom standards. They crossed a line in ways that the publication will not defend, and editors are taking steps to ensure that such a lapse does not occur again," Harris and Brown said in a statement to CNBC.

Hirsh made the posts after Spencer, president and director of the National Policy Institute, said "Hail Trump " and "hail our people" during a conference in Washington D.C. on Saturday. Spencer later said his comments were meant to be "cheeky," "exuberant" and "ironic."







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For beneficiaries of EWS flat a gift from PM Modi like none other

Modi hurting RBI's image, claims AAP

India

oi-IANS

By Ians English

New Delhi, Nov 26: Slamming Narendra Modi on the issue of demonetisation, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Saturday said the image of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has been severely hurt due to the Prime Minister's move.

"Recently, the issue of faulty printing of Rs 500 notes surfaced where different notes have different kind of printing. What was shocking is the RBI's response that it happened due to the rush to release currency," AAP spokesperson Dilip Pandey told reporters here.

He said that this has severely hurt the image of the central bank.

"We want to ask Modi how much more would you degrade the image of RBI," Pandey said.

He also criticised Modi for "changing the rules" related to currency spike every other day.

"Earlier you (Modi) said there will be 90 per cent penalty on unaccounted money and now it has been reduced to 50 per cent. What kind of joke is this?"

"We have consistently said that demonetisation is just a scheme to convert black money of those close to Bharatiya Janata Party into white ," Pandey said demanding its rollback.

On Friday, AAP alleged that the BJP bought acres of land worth crores of rupees in Bihar to utilise its "black money" days before the central government announced demonetisation on November 8.

The AAP spokesperson on Saturday alleged that according to latest reports, BJP purchased land not only in Bihar but in 28 places during the last one year on the orders of its president Amit Shah.

"West Bengal has surfaced as another state where BJP bought land using both cheque and cash which raises suspicions that those BJP leaders already converted their black money," Pandey said.

He added that the time has come to probe the accounts of all the BJP and AAP leaders to clarify once and for all who is against black money and who hoards black money.

IANS


Prashant Kishor claims Nitish Kumar in touch with BJP says don't be surprised if he joins hands with it again

Nitish asks police to keep a tab on ex-liquor traders

India

oi-PTI

Patna, Nov 26: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who has taken up prohibition on a 'mission mode', today instructed police to check whether those linked with liquor trade previously had found an alternate vocation, and book those who were continuing in the trade.

Speaking on the occasion of Prohibition Day function, he also asked senior police officials to take stock of the conduct of policemen at the lower level and find out how the illegal supply of liquor was continuing, despite the decision taken that officers in-charge of such police stations, where illegal alcohol trade was detected, would not get field posting for 10 years.

The Chief Minister issued these two-point instructions to police headquarters in a bid to further intensify the crackdown against liquor in the state. He said that it had come to light that notwithstanding prohibition, liquor was being illegally transported to the state not only from neighbouring Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal and Nepal, but also from a far off state like Haryana.

[Also read: Bihar CM Nitish Kumar for nationwide liquor ban]

The police is already on the job to probe the illegal liquor trade network from a far away place like Haryana, he said.

Drawing the attention of Additional Director General of Police (Headquarter) Sunil Kumar and his counterpart in Law and Order Alok Raj, who were also present at the function, Kumar said an exercise should be initiated to gauge whether those involved in liquor trade earlier were surviving on their old income or have found new ways by surreptitiously supplying alcohol at a premium.

PTI
'Ill considered demonetisation decision' to be blamed for unemployment: Manmohan Singh

Five years of demonetisation: Notes in circulation on rise; so are digital payments

Noteban will be marked among worst policy blunders: Jairam Ramesh

PM Modi should admit that demonetistion a failure: Owaisi on cash seizure in UP

Aware of Lakshman Rekha says SC on demonetisation

OneIndia Survey: Demonetisation will not be an issue in the forthcoming assembly polls

India

oi-Oneindia

By Oneindia Staff Writer

New Delhi, Nov 26: In one of the biggest online surveys conducted on demonetisation by OneIndia, a majority of the poll participants feel demonetisation will not be an issue in the forthcoming assembly polls.

The voters participated in the poll through OneIndia's English, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Bengali and Gujarati channels.

A total of 31,198 netizens participated in the survey.

On the question of-- What impact will demonetisation have in the forthcoming assembly elections?-- out of the 31, 198 voters, 13, 352 (42.79 percent) say public memory is too short and it will not be an issue.

However, 11,514 (36.90 percent) voters say the BJP will gain in the elections because of demonetisation.

Only 6,331 (20.26 percent) voters say the ruling party at the Centre will face defeat in the elections.

Seven states--Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Goa, Manipur, Uttarakhand, Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh--are set for assembly elections in 2017.

On November 8, Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a televised address to the nation announced the demonetisation of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes.

According to the BJP-led NDA government, the move is to fight against black money, counterfeit currencies and terror funding.

OneIndia News

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Saturday, November 26, 2016, 8:42 [IST]
Five years of demonetisation: Notes in circulation on rise; so are digital payments

OneIndia survey: Majority feel demonetisation will eradicate black money

India

oi-Vikas

By Vikas

Bengaluru, Nov 26: The Union Government's decision to ban Rs.500 and Rs.1,000 notes on November 8 has had wide ranging implications on lives of the citizens. The move is broadly aimed at tackling three problems - hoarding of black money, terror financing and presence of fake currency notes in the system.

[Also read: OneIndia survey- Has the common man benefited from demonetisation? Majority say yes]

Whether the move will be able to eradicate black money completely has drawn mixed reactions in one of the biggest online polls run by Oneindia. The survey was run in Oneindia's English, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Bengali and Gujarati channels, in which 31198 people participated.

Although, a majority of people (54.3%) did agree that demonetisation was a big step in the direction of eradicating black money, around 45.7% felt that introduction of Rs.2,000 notes will only increase black money.

Out of the 31,194 people posed with the question "Will black money be eradicated completely?", 14267 said that "introduction of the Rs 2,000 note will only increase black money" while 16, 927 agreed that "it is a big step in that direction".

[Also read: OneIndia survey: Majority feel govt was not prepared after demonetisation]

It is quite evident that the menace of black money is so widespread that only demonetisation will not help to weed it out.

The demonetisation will surely affect those who have hoarded massive amounts of wealth in high value currency notes, but people will eventually find ways to convert their unaccounted wealth into white money.

Another thing is that all the black money is not necessarily cash and all that is in the bank is not white. There are always Swiss Banks and other safe havens abroad where black money can be stashed.

Coming to unaccounted cash in Rs.500/1000 notes, there are already reports of Jan Dhan accounts, especially of those with low money inflow, being used to deposite cash, which can later be withdrawn at a premium.

There were also reports of cash being directed to certain North-eastern states such as Nagaland, where I-T rules on declaring source of income does not apply. Black money hoarders can exploit such loop holes to convert their cash to white by paying a commission to those willing to cooperate.

Apart from cash, large amount of black wealth is invested in real estate, gold and other precious metals, diamonds, benami financial investments, undervalued stocks, undisclosed foreign holdings, and hawala.

The black economy is well entrenched in India because of multiple reasons. A multipronged approach is needed to root out this problem, but the most important thing that is needed is change in the mindset. People must take pride in being law abiding citizens and feel that taxes are being collected in the larger interest i.e. nation's development.

Oneindia News

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Saturday, November 26, 2016, 12:00 [IST]
UK PM Liz Truss resigns after 45 days in office, successor to be elected next week

Iraq gets a new government after a year of deadlock

PM Modi condoles death of Fidel Castro

India

oi-PTI

New Delhi, Nov 26: Prime Minister Narendra Modi today condoled the demise of Cuban leader Fidel Castro whom he described as one of the most iconic personalities of the 20th century and a "good friend" of India.

"I extend my deepest condolences to the government & people of Cuba on the sad demise of Fidel Castro. May his soul rest in peace," he tweeted.

"Fidel Castro was one of the most iconic personalities of the 20th century. India mourns the loss of a great friend," the Prime Minister said.

Fidel Castro- 1926-2016

He said India extends support to the Cuban government and its people in this tragic hour. Cuba's former president and communist idol Fidel Castro, who led a rebel army to improbable victory in his country, died at 90 years of age.

PTI
Is there a Bharat Bandh tomorrow: Here is what we know

Public opposes Bharat Bandh called by Opposition against demonetisation

India

oi-Oneindia

By Oneindia Staff Writer

New Delhi, Nov 26: There is definitely a lot of anger among the voters over demonetisation.

However, they strongly disapprove the nationwide strike (Bharat Bandh) called by the opposition parties against the demonetisation drive by the Narendra Modi government on November 28.

The general sentiment among the people is that bandhs are bad for the country's economy.

Moreover, at a time when the nation is fighting cash crunch due to the scrapping of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes by the Modi government on November 8, the bandh will add to the woes of the people.

[Also Read: Demonetisation: Are you facing financial stress? IMA issues advisory]

"I strongly oppose the bandh. It is totally uncalled for. The opposition parties are doing further harm to the nation. We are already dealing with an unprecedented cash crunch due to the sudden and hasty demonetisation decision. This bandh will further hit the economy," said a senior retired bureaucrat based in Bengaluru, on condition of anonymity.

Echoing the retired bureaucrat's views, Taniya Roy, a women entrepreneur from Bengaluru, said both the Modi government and the opposition parties were playing politics over demonetisation.

"Nobody is worried about the common people," she added.

Since the time demonetisation has been announced, a united opposition has been constantly attacking the Centre over poor implementation of demonetisation.

According to reports, bandh is likely to be fully observed in states like Karnataka, Kerala and West Bengal, where opposition parties are heading these states.

OneIndia News

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Saturday, November 26, 2016, 11:22 [IST]
Tata Sons slaps legal notice on Cyrus Mistry's aide

India

oi-PTI

New Delhi, Nov 26: Tata Sons has slapped a legal notice on ousted chairman Cyrus Mistry's aide Nirmalya Kumar for alleged violation of confidentiality agreement and sought an unconditional apology for making "disparaging" remarks against the group and divulging information.

Kumar, a visiting Professor of Marketing at London Business School who was member of the now disbanded Group Executive Council under Mistry, took to Twitter to react to the legal notice. "Legal counsel #Tata to me: stop divulging 'Tata Group's future strategy'. Thought no strategy n (and) roadmap was reason #CyrusMistry was fired!" he said.

Tata Sons in the legal notice asked Kumar to "issue an unconditional apology to the company, withdraw your disparaging remarks about the Tata Group from the social media and forthwith cease and desist from making any further public statements or disclosing any information in breach of your obligations you have explicitly undertaken."

It warned of initiating legal proceedings, both civil and criminal, if he fails to apologise and desist from disclosing confidential information.

"In interviews say Tata group is grt (great) - can't throw basket out 4 few bad apples. How is it disparaging? Lakh crore marketcap loss #TataSons ...," Kumar, who claims he was asked to leave the Group soon after Mistry was abruptly removed as chairman of Tata Sons on October 24, said in another tweet.

Citing interviews and statements he had given recently, Tatas in the notice said he had signed an undertakings after resigning from the Group last month that he would "refrain from publishing or circulating any such material that may directly or indirectly refer to the company... which constitutes disclosure of confidential or proprietary information."

Also, he had agreed and undertaken to no disparage either by himself or through any other person in respect of any matter pertaining to Tata Sons and/or its group companies as well as their directors and employees, the notice said.

In addition to these undertaking, he had also given a Confidentiality Undertaking at the time of joining services in June 2013. "Your media interviews and other statements in the press attributed to you, which you haven't denied, amount to a contumacious breach of your obligations, both contractual and otherwise," the notice said.

Tata Sons said Kumar had access to information like Tata Group's future strategy, which had had chosen to divulge and discuss in the public domain.

"You have used the information, entrusted to you in confidence, not only unauthorisedly but for the purpose and with the clear intention to cause detriment to the company and Tata Group," the notice said adding the issues disclosed by Kumar publicly had inherent confidentiality obligation.

Tata Sons also took strong objections to his "disparaging" remarks about the group and said it reserves right to claim damages for the same.

PTI
Would gouge out enemy's eyes if provoked: Manohar Parrikar

India

oi-PTI

Panaji, Nov 26: Union Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar today said India did not seek war, but would "gouge out eyes" of the enemy if provoked.

"We don't itch for a fight, but if someone looks at the country with evil eye, we will gouge his eyes out and put them back in his hand, we have that much power," he said while addressing a rally in Aldona Assembly constituency in Goa.

Goans can tell the world that they had sent a man to the Centre who had slapped the enemy across the face, he said.

"There was no firing on the border for the last three days because if they (Pakistan) fire once, we fire twice at them. We are giving tit-for-tat response, and when they realised it, they approached us, seeking to stop it," Parrikar said in an apparent referrence to the request by Pakistan for DGMO-level talks three days ago.

Asserting that, Armed Forces were fully prepared, Parrikar said his mother had taught him that "even if you are going to hunt a rabbit, be prepared to kill a tiger".

PTI
Cuba: Former President Fidel Castro dies at 90

International

oi-Jagriti

Havana,Nov 26: Fidel castro the revolutionary who defied the United States of America died today. The Cuban President Raul Castro announced that the 90 year old revolutionary leader had died.

The state television had first reported that the former Cuban Prime Minister had died at the age of 90. He was the Prime Minister of the country between 1976 and 2008. Cuban President Raul Castro announced the death of his brother took place at 22:29 hours this (Friday) evening.

His supporters said that Castro had given Cuba back to the people. Raul Castro announced that the cremation would take place later on Saturday. There would be several days of national mourning too he also added. Raul Castro ended the announcement by shouting the slogan, "Towards victory, always!"

OneIndia News
Explained: What is a marsquake? Causes and what does it look like?

Huge deposit of frozen underground water found on Mars

International

oi-PTI

Houston, November 26: The deposit ranges in thickness from about 80 metres to about 170 metres, with a composition that is 50 to 85 per cent water ice, mixed with dust or larger rocky particles.

Scientists using data from NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter have found a huge reservoir of water frozen beneath a region of cracked and pitted plains of the red planet, which may prove to be a vital resource for astronauts in future.

Researchers examined part of Utopia Planitia region on Mars, in the mid-northern latitudes, with the orbiter's ground-penetrating Shallow Radar (SHARAD) instrument. Analyses of data from more than 600 overhead passes with the onboard radar instrument unveil a deposit more extensive in area than the state of New Mexico, which could hold about as much water as in Lake Superior, largest of the Great Lakes of North America.

The deposit ranges in thickness from about 80 metres to about 170 metres, with a composition that is 50 to 85 per cent water ice, mixed with dust or larger rocky particles. At the latitude of this deposit - about halfway from the equator to the pole - water ice cannot persist on the surface of Mars today.

It sublimes into water vapour in the planet's thin, dry atmosphere. The Utopia deposit is shielded from the atmosphere by a soil covering estimated to be one to 10 metres thick.

"This deposit probably formed as snowfall accumulating into an ice sheet mixed with dust during a period in Mars history when the planet's axis was more tilted than it is today," said Cassie Stuurman from the University of Texas, Austin in the US.

Mars accumulates large amounts of water ice at the poles. In cycles lasting about 120,000 years, the tilt varies to nearly twice that much, heating the poles and driving ice to middle latitudes.

Climate modeling and previous findings of buried, mid-latitude ice indicate that frozen water accumulates away from the poles during high-tilt periods.

The newly surveyed ice deposit spans latitudes from 39 to 49 degrees within the plains.

It represents less than one per cent of all known water ice on Mars, but it more than doubles the volume of thick, buried ice sheets known in the northern plains.

Ice deposits close to the surface are being considered as a resource for astronauts.

"This deposit is probably more accessible than most water ice on Mars, because it is at a relatively low latitude and it lies in a flat, smooth area where landing a spacecraft would be easier than at some of the other areas with buried ice," said Jack Holt of the University of Texas.

The Utopian water is all frozen now. If there were a melted layer - which would be significant for possibility of life on Mars - it would have been evident in the radar scans.

"Where water ice has been around for a long time, we just don't know whether there could have been enough liquid water at some point for supporting microbial life," Holt said.

Utopia Planitia is a basin with a diameter of about 3,300 kilometres, resulting from a major impact early in Mars' history and subsequently filled.

The study was published in the journal Geophysical Research Letters.

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Saturday, November 26, 2016, 12:48 [IST]
Take a look at EWS flats at Kalkaji to be inaugurated by PM Modi [Photos]

Modi's demonetisation move 'gamble', will set precedent: Chinese media

International

oi-PTI

Beijing, Nov 26: Terming Prime Minister Narendra Modi's demonetisation move as "very bold", China's official media on Saturday said it was a "gamble" that would create a precedent irrespective of whether it succeeds or fails and China will draw lessons from its impact on corruption.

"Modi's move is very bold. We cannot imagine what would happen in China if the country bans its 50 and 100 yuan notes," said an editorial in the state-run Global Times titled 'Modi takes a gamble with money reform'. 100 yuan is China's highest currency note.

"To prevent a leak of information jeopardising the implementation of the demonetisation reform, the roll out of the plan had to be kept confidential. Modi is in a dilemma as the reform aims to render the black money useless but the process goes against the governance principle of winning support of the public before initiating a new policy," the editorial said.

"As more than 90 per cent of transactions in India are made with cash, banning 85 per cent of the currency in circulation brings a lot of trouble to people's daily life" sparking fierce criticism including from "former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh who termed it as organised loot", it said.

"Demonetisation can crackdown on corruption and shadow economy but it is obviously unable to solve the deeper social and political issues that help breed the aforementioned problems," the editorial said.

However, it stated that as far as the root causes of corruption exist, the problems will always resurface. "In other words, the Modi government wishes to turn a long and arduous reform into a one-off deal," it said.

Also read: Demonetisation: Are you facing financial stress? IMA issues advisory

"Demonetisation is a gamble for Modi. He bet on both the execution ability of the government and the tolerance level of the Indian society, hoping that the benefits of this reform can outrun the negative social impacts and low morale," the editorial said.

It asserted that the "Western-style" democratic system of India allows little room for such bold moves. "However, he is really carrying it out, and will create a precedent no matter he succeeds or fails," it said.

"Reform is always difficult and requires more than just courage. Modi's demonetisation came with good intention but whether it can succeed depends on the efficiency of the system and the cooperation of the entire society. More and more people are growing pessimistic about the ability of Modi's government to control the process," the editorial said.

Noting that China's reform and opening-up has been going on for nearly 40 years, the editorial said it had ups and downs but remained largely stable. "Its success is based on broad public support," it said.

"The strong execution capabilities of the Communist Party of China are built on the consensus of the entire country. By observing India's reforms we will draw lessons, which would in turn help us understand our own reforms," it said.

PTI
Pak off the FATF grey list doesn't mean it's not under scrutiny anymore: MEA secretary

Imran Khan again targets Pakistan's establishment on Day 2 of protest march; govt rules out talks over snap polls

Amid turmoil at home, Pakistan PM Sharif to visit China to felicitate Xi for his record win

Shehbaz Sharif arrives in China on maiden visit to felicitate President Xi Jinping on his record win

Pak Defence Minsiter warns of killing three Indian soldiers for every Pakistani soldier killed

International

oi-Vikas

By Vikas

Islamabad, Nov 26: Looking to provoke India further, Pakistan Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has warned that they would kill three Indian soldiers for every Pakistani soldier killed, reported news agency ANI.

Speaking at the National Assembly on Friday, he threatened India of dire consequences if New Delhi showed aggression against Pakistan.

Further blaming India for the deteriorating situation along the LoC, Asif said India was behind terrorism in Pakistan. He said that Islamabad has sent dossiers and video evidence to back its claim.

Indian troops had on Wednesday mounted a massive offensive on Pakistani positions along the LoC. The retaliation was after Pakistan killed three Indian soldiers.

The sodiers martyred were Gunner Manoj K Kushwah, Riflemen Prabhu Singh and Shashank K Singh. In what can be called as a cowardly and ghastly act, the body of Prabhu Singh was found mutilated.

Meanwhile, Pakistani officials have claimed that 10 civilians were killed in shelling by India. Pakistan said that in the shelling an ambulance and a bus had been hit.

The aggression by Indian troops is said to have inflicted heavy damage on Pakistani Army infrastructure in Poonch, Rajouri, Kel and Machhal sectors.

OneIndia News

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Saturday, November 26, 2016, 12:29 [IST]
Pak off the FATF grey list doesn't mean it's not under scrutiny anymore: MEA secretary

Imran Khan again targets Pakistan's establishment on Day 2 of protest march; govt rules out talks over snap polls

Amid turmoil at home, Pakistan PM Sharif to visit China to felicitate Xi for his record win

Shehbaz Sharif arrives in China on maiden visit to felicitate President Xi Jinping on his record win

Pak: Two killed as militants attack oil company's vehicle

International

oi-PTI

Karachi, Nov 26: Two persons were killed when suspected militants today attacked a vehicle of a private oil exploration company in the coastal district of Gwadar in Pakistan's restive Baluchistan province.

The militants opened fire on the vehicle in the Pasni area of Gwadar, officials said. In the firing, two security guards on top of the vehicle were killed, he said.

The oil exploration company officials were in Pasni to conduct a survey of the area when the incident happened. The Gwadar port became operational last week when Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif launched the first ships to take chinese trade goods to Sri Lanka, UAE and EU countries.

The port is an important part of the USD 42 billion Pakistan China Economic Corridor project. Attacks on government, security officials and workers of private oil and gas companies in parts of Baluchistan is common in the province which is facing a separatist movement from insurgents and also other sectarian and terrorist violence.

PTI
International news brief: Hurricane Orlene hits Mexico; Robert Vadra attends wedding in Chicago and more

Black Friday: Massive protest in Chicago against police brutality

International

oi-IANS

By Ians English

Chicago, Nov 26: More than a hundred people took to the streets in central Chicago on Friday for the second year in a row, blocking entrance to Nike store on the iconic North Michigan Avenue to raise awareness about police misconduct towards minority groups.

Holding slogans like 'Boycott Black Friday' and 'Black Lives Matter', protesters lined up in front of the Nike store in an attempt to stop people from entering, while police officers formed another line separating protesters from the store's main gate and let customers through, Xinhua news agency reported.

The protest remained largely peaceful with occasional outburst of chanting like 'No Justice, No Profits' and 'CPAC (Civilian Police Accountability Council) Now' .

Last year, more than 1,000 protesters took to the Chicago's North Michigan Avenue on Black Friday to protest the fatal shooting of a black teenager by a white policeman.

IANS


Trump weighs in on Cuban leader's death: 'Fidel Castro is dead!'

International

oi-PTI

Washington, Nov 26: President-elect Donald Trump today weighed in on the death of Cuban revolutionary leader Fidel Castro, tweeting simply "Fidel Castro is dead!".

Castro died yesterday night aged 90 after defying the United States during a half-century of iron-fisted rule.

Trump's shock victory this month has cast uncertainty over two years of moves by President Barack Obama to end more than 50 years of Cold War enmity with the communist island.

Blocked from ending the US embargo on the island by a Republican-controlled Congress, Obama pushed smaller reforms using executive authority.

That means Trump, who takes office on January 20, will be able change course just as easily, potentially reinstating trade and financial restrictions and reversing developments like the resumption of air and cruise-ship travel, and postal service.

"All of the concessions that Barack Obama has granted the Castro regime were done through executive order, which means the next president can reverse them and that I will do unless the Castro regime meets our demands," the Republican real estate billionaire said in September.

"Those demands will include religious and political freedom for the Cuban people and the freeing of political prisoners." The White House has not yet reacted to Castro's death, although a statement is expected later today. The United States restored diplomatic ties with Cuba in July 2015 and a month later re-opened its embassy in Havana. Obama made a landmark visit to the communist-ruled island in March.

The moves were criticized by many of the politically influential Cuban exiles and their families living in the United States. Trump's closest rival in the Republican presidential primary race, Texas Senator Ted Cruz - whose father is Cuban - said on Facebook that Castro's death "cannot bring back his thousands of victims, nor can it bring comfort to their families."

"Today we remember them and honor the brave souls who fought the lonely fight against the brutal Communist dictatorship he imposed on Cuba," Cruz said.

Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, another conservative Cuban-American who represents southern Florida's 27th district where many Cuban exiles live, also hailed Castro's death.

"A tyrant is dead and a new beginning can dawn on the last remaining communist bastion of the Western hemisphere," she wrote on her website. "We must seize the moment and help write a new chapter in the history of Cuba; that of a Cuba that is free, democratic, and prosperous."

(AFP)
Cuban revolutionary leader Fidel Castro has died at the age of 90, Castro was suffering a long battle with illness. World will never forget Castro as a Communist revolutionary and his remarkable personality. He born in very rich family but he said "it doesn't sound too good to say I am the son of a landowner, so let us rather say I am the grandson of exploited Galician peasants."
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Saudi Arabia told the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries that it would not attend the scheduled talks with nonmembers in Vienna on Monday, according to Reuters.

The country is OPEC's top oil exporter, and it wields the most political power among the group of oil-producing countries.

Monday's meeting was scheduled to discuss a possible agreement that would limit oil output. Such an agreement would most likely lift prices.

There has been optimism that the meeting  unlike talks earlier this year in Doha, Qatar  would end with an agreement, following the economic damage that cheaper oil has done to many OPEC members. Saudi Arabia, for example, could face higher borrowing costs if oil prices fall further.

Crude-oil prices fell after the news crossed. West Texas Intermediate crude oil futures, the benchmark for US prices, dropped by 1.77% to as low as $47.13 a barrel in New York.

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Fidel Castro passed away this Friday at the age of 90 years in Havana

Photo: 93.1 Amor





The Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea, Peter ONeill has extended condolences to H.E. Raul Castro, the President of Cuba, on the death of his Brother, the Late Fidel Castro, in Cuba overnight.Prime Minister ONeill, who arrived back from an Official Visit to Cuba on Friday this week, said at the passing of a world Leader, irrespective of politics, is a time to pause and reflect."It was only Tuesday night this week that I had dinner with President Raul Castro and he expressed his concern at the health of his brother, the Prime Minister said."We did not expect that the passing of Fidel Castro would be so soon."The passing of Fidel Castro is another marker in global politics."Regardless of the politics of the time, such as the Cold War in relation to Cuba, when the war is over we all have the time to look back and to be humble."Ultimately it does not matter on which side of the politics your stood in a war, but when a warrior passes it is time to pay homage to the person who stood by their convictions.The legacy that Fidel Castro leaves for the world is far-reaching.Outside the politics, Fidel Castro pioneered the development of pharmaceuticals and healthcare services in his country and these are being extend around the world.On behalf of the Government and the people of Papua New Guinea, I extend our sincere condolences to the Castro family for your loss, the passing of a great man of conviction.
PLEASE ASK YOUR US SENATORS AND CONGRESS MEMBER IN A LETTER EMAILED TODAY TO PRESS THE ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS BY ASKING THEM TO RESCIND THEIR DECEMBER 5 EVICTION NOTICE OF THE WATER DEFENDERS! WE CAN MAKE THIS HAPPEN!

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click here roll it in 15 minutes to get past all the prep stuff, and then there is at least 40 minutes more.

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Governor Suspends Sheriff, Pending Removal

published with permission of Lauren Donovan, reporter at the Bismarck Tribune

McKenzie County Sheriff Gary Schwartzenberger was placed on interim suspension Wednesday night, pending his removal from office, by Gov. Jack Dalrymple.

The governor ordered the interim suspension based on a recommendation from Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem after McKenzie County requested the sheriff be removed under a process available in state law.

The petition for removal was made by the county's acting State's Attorney Todd Schwarz on Oct. 24, alleging the sheriff is guilty of misconduct, malfeasance, crime in office, neglect of duty or gross incompetency. The county commission had voted in support of the petition for removal.

In a recommendation dated Wednesday, just short of the 30-day window to make his findings on the petition, Stenehjem said the allegations were investigated by the Bureau of Criminal Investigation and he recommended following through on removal.

Stenehjem said an assigned prosecutor will draft a formal complaint and once filed, a special commissioner will conduct a removal hearing within 30 days. He also recommended Schwartzenberger's immediate suspension until the hearing is concluded.

Dalrymple told Schwartzenberger in a letter also dated Wednesday and copied to the county commission that he agreed with Stenehjem's findings and said, "" it is in the best interests of the state that you be

suspended from the performance of duty immediately upon receipt of this notice and until a final decision on removal is made."

The county's second-in-command is Capt. Larry Clock.

The suspension was enforced by BCI agents, who tracked down

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Global Wearable Technology Market by Manufacturers, Regions, Type and Application, Forecast to 2021 by ReportBazzar

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ReportBazzar has announced a new report titled "Global Wearable Technology Market by Manufacturers, Regions, Type and Application, Forecast to 2021" To their offeringsRequest Sample Report:Wearable technology is gaining popularity at a rapid pace, and it has gone beyond just connected eyewear and smartwatches with new products such as wrist bands, smart shoes, smart apparels, and more. Companies are creating apparel, accessories, and fitness wear that can do everything from monitoring heart rate to charging a smartphone.Scope of the Report:This report focuses on the Wearable Technology in Global market, especially in North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific, South America, Middle East and Africa. This report categorizes the market based on manufacturers, regions, type and application.Market Segment by Manufacturers, this report coversFitbit, Apple, Samsung, Sony, Motorola/Lenovo, LG, Pebble, Garmin, Huawei, XIAO MI, Polar, Wahoo fitness, EZON, Jawbone, Inc, Google, Inc,Market Segment by Regions, regional analysis coversNorth America (USA, Canada and Mexico)Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia and Italy)Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India and Southeast Asia)South America, Middle East and AfricaMarket Segment by Type, coversSmartwatchSmart WristbandHearablesAugmented RealityMarket Segment by Applications, can be divided intoFitness & wellnessHealthcare & medicalInfotainmentEnterprise & IndustrialBrowse Report Summary with TOC:There are 13 Chapters to deeply display the global Wearable Technology market.Chapter 1, to describe Wearable Technology Introduction, product scope, market overview, market opportunities, market risk, market driving force;Chapter 2, to analyze the top manufacturers of Wearable Technology, with sales, revenue, and price of Wearable Technology, in 2015 and 2016;Chapter 3, to display the competitive situation among the top manufacturers, with sales, revenue and market share in 2015 and 2016;Chapter 4, to show the global market by regions, with sales, revenue and market share of Wearable Technology, for each region, from 2011 to 2016;Chapter 5, 6, 7 and 8, to analyze the key regions, with sales, revenue and market share by key countries in these regions;Chapter 9 and 10, to show the market by type and application, with sales market share and growth rate by type, application, from 2011 to 2016;Chapter 11, Wearable Technology market forecast, by regions, type and application, with sales and revenue, from 2016 to 2021;Chapter 12 and 13, to describe Wearable Technology sales channel, distributors, traders, dealers, appendix and data source.Enquiry For Discount:About us:Reportbazzar.com is your trusted source for the most inclusive and informative assortment of market research reports designed to empower you with the latest in industry information that translates to time and cost savings for your business. We not only help you give wing to your latent business ideas but also facilitate you in taking the best informed and strategic decisions that guarantee success in your most promising business endeavors.Contact Us:ReportBazzar30 Wall Street, 8th floor,New York, NY 10005.United States.US: +1 (212) 389-6363India: +91 20 66528525Email Id: sales@reportbazzar.comWebsite:
China Auto Transmissions Market by Manufacturers, Type and Application, Forecast to 2021 by ReportBazzar

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ReportBazzar has announced a new report titled "China Auto Transmissions Market by Manufacturers, Type and Application, Forecast to 2021" To their offeringsRequest Sample Report:Auto Transmissions is a machine that consists of a power source and a power transmission system, which provides controlled application of the power. Often the term transmission refers simply to the gearbox that uses gears and gear trains to provide speed and torque conversions from a rotating power source to another device.Scope of the Report:This report focuses on the Auto Transmissions in China market. This report categorizes the market based on manufacturers, type and application.Market Segment by Manufacturers, this report coversSAICChongqing TsingshanVolkswagenAisinZhejiang WanliyangShaanxi FastJATCOGETRAGHondaCheryAnhui XingruiMOBISGeelyShanghai GM DongyueHarbin DonganShandong MenwoInner Mongolia OEDShanxi DatongDPCANanjing PunchMarket Segment by Type, coversMTATAMTMarket Segment by Applications, can be divided intoPassengerCommercialBrowse Report Summary with TOC:There are 11 Chapters to deeply display the China Auto Transmissions market.Chapter 1, to describe Auto Transmissions Introduction, product scope, market overview, market opportunities, market risk, market driving force;Chapter 2, to analyze the top manufacturers of Auto Transmissions, with sales, revenue, and price of Auto Transmissions, in 2015 and 2016;Chapter 3, to display the competitive situation among the top manufacturers, with sales, revenue and market share in 2015 and 2016;Chapter 4 and 5, to show the market of Auto Transmissions by type and application, with sales market share and growth rate by type, application, from 2011 to 2016;Chapter 6, Auto Transmissions market forecast, by type and application, with sales and revenue, from 2016 to 2021;Chapter 7, to analyze the Auto Transmissions market development potential except China, covering China, Southeast Asia, India, Latin America etc.Chapter 8, 9, 10 and 11, to describe sales channel, distributors, traders, dealers, market effect factors, appendix and data source.Enquiry For Discount:About us:Reportbazzar.com is your trusted source for the most inclusive and informative assortment of market research reports designed to empower you with the latest in industry information that translates to time and cost savings for your business. We not only help you give wing to your latent business ideas but also facilitate you in taking the best informed and strategic decisions that guarantee success in your most promising business endeavors.Contact Us:ReportBazzar30 Wall Street, 8th floor,New York, NY 10005.United States.US: +1 (212) 389-6363India: +91 20 66528525Email Id: sales@reportbazzar.comWebsite:
Global Aircraft Systems Market by Manufacturers, Regions, Type and Application, Forecast to 2021 by ReportBazzar

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ReportBazzar has announced a new report titled "Global Aircraft Systems Market by Manufacturers, Regions, Type and Application, Forecast to 2021" To their offeringsRequest Sample Report:Aircraft System is a complex system comprised of several simple sub systems to ensure continued airworthiness of the aircraft.Scope of the Report:This report focuses on the Aircraft Systems in Global market, especially in North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific, South America, Middle East and Africa. This report categorizes the market based on manufacturers, regions, type and application.Market Segment by Manufacturers, this report coversGERolls-RoycePratt & WhitneySafranRaytheonHoneywellNorthrop GrummanTHALESRockwell CollinsUTASGifasParkerAlcatel Alenia Space (THALES)Liebherr groupMarket Segment by Regions, regional analysis coversNorth America (USA, Canada and Mexico)Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia and Italy)Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India and Southeast Asia)South America, Middle East and AfricaMarket Segment by Type, coversElectromechanical systemAvionics systemEngine control systemMarket Segment by Applications, can be divided intoMilitaryCommercial termsOtherBrowse Report Summary with TOC:There are 13 Chapters to deeply display the global Aircraft Systems market.Chapter 1, to describe Aircraft Systems Introduction, product scope, market overview, market opportunities, market risk, market driving force;Chapter 2, to analyze the top manufacturers of Aircraft Systems, with sales, revenue, and price of Aircraft Systems, in 2015 and 2016;Chapter 3, to display the competitive situation among the top manufacturers, with sales, revenue and market share in 2015 and 2016;Chapter 4, to show the global market by regions, with sales, revenue and market share of Aircraft Systems, for each region, from 2011 to 2016;Chapter 5, 6, 7 and 8, to analyze the key regions, with sales, revenue and market share by key countries in these regions;Chapter 9 and 10, to show the market by type and application, with sales market share and growth rate by type, application, from 2011 to 2016;Chapter 11, Aircraft Systems market forecast, by regions, type and application, with sales and revenue, from 2016 to 2021;Chapter 12 and 13, to describe Aircraft Systems sales channel, distributors, traders, dealers, appendix and data source.Enquiry For Discount:About us:Reportbazzar.com is your trusted source for the most inclusive and informative assortment of market research reports designed to empower you with the latest in industry information that translates to time and cost savings for your business. We not only help you give wing to your latent business ideas but also facilitate you in taking the best informed and strategic decisions that guarantee success in your most promising business endeavors.Contact Us:ReportBazzar30 Wall Street, 8th floor,New York, NY 10005.United States.US: +1 (212) 389-6363India: +91 20 66528525Email Id: sales@reportbazzar.comWebsite:
Global High Strength Steel Market by Manufacturers, Regions, Type and Application, Forecast to 2021 by ReportBazzar

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ReportBazzar has announced a new report titled "Global High Strength Steel Market by Manufacturers, Regions, Type and Application, Forecast to 2021" To their offeringsRequest Sample Report:High Strength Steel includes conventional High-Strength Steels and advanced High-Strength Steels (AHSS).Scope of the Report:This report focuses on the High Strength Steel in Global market, especially in North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific, South America, Middle East and Africa. This report categorizes the market based on manufacturers, regions, type and application.Market Segment by Manufacturers, this report coversArcelor Mittal (Luxembourg)SSABPOSCOUnited States Steel Corporation (U.S.)Voestalpine AGThyssenKrupp AGBaosteelAnsteelMarket Segment by Regions, regional analysis coversNorth America (USA, Canada and Mexico)Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia and Italy)Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India and Southeast Asia)South America, Middle East and AfricaMarket Segment by Type, coversHigh Strength Low Alloy SteelsDual Phase SteelsBake Hardenable SteelsCarbon Manganese SteelsMarket Segment by Applications, can be divided intoAutomotiveHoisting and mining equipmentAviation & MarineBrowse Report Summary with TOC:There are 13 Chapters to deeply display the global High Strength Steel market.Chapter 1, to describe High Strength Steel Introduction, product scope, market overview, market opportunities, market risk, market driving force;Chapter 2, to analyze the top manufacturers of High Strength Steel, with sales, revenue, and price of High Strength Steel, in 2015 and 2016;Chapter 3, to display the competitive situation among the top manufacturers, with sales, revenue and market share in 2015 and 2016;Chapter 4, to show the global market by regions, with sales, revenue and market share of High Strength Steel, for each region, from 2011 to 2016;Chapter 5, 6, 7 and 8, to analyze the key regions, with sales, revenue and market share by key countries in these regions;Chapter 9 and 10, to show the market by type and application, with sales market share and growth rate by type, application, from 2011 to 2016;Chapter 11, High Strength Steel market forecast, by regions, type and application, with sales and revenue, from 2016 to 2021;Chapter 12 and 13, to describe High Strength Steel sales channel, distributors, traders, dealers, appendix and data source.Chapter 12 and 13, to describe High Strength Steel sales channel, distributors, traders, dealers, appendix and data source.Enquiry For Discount:About us:Reportbazzar.com is your trusted source for the most inclusive and informative assortment of market research reports designed to empower you with the latest in industry information that translates to time and cost savings for your business. We not only help you give wing to your latent business ideas but also facilitate you in taking the best informed and strategic decisions that guarantee success in your most promising business endeavors.Contact Us:ReportBazzar30 Wall Street, 8th floor,New York, NY 10005.United States.US: +1 (212) 389-6363India: +91 20 66528525Email Id: sales@reportbazzar.comWebsite:
Global Iloprost Sales Market Popularity, Development, Collaborations, Industry Analysis and Shares

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Global Iloprost Industry 2016 Market Overview, Size, Share, Trends, Analysis, Technology, Applications, Growth, Market Status, Demands, Insights, Development, Research and Forecast 2016-2020.All recent dynamics that have occurred so far in the global Iloprost market have been accounted for in this all-encompassing report titled Iloprost. A key part of these market dynamics include the player profiles and the markets overall competitive landscape, as players are known to have their fair share of influence over it. Other dynamics of the global Iloprost market reported include drivers, restraints, and key opportunities that affect a majority of the players in it. To completely cover the competitive landscape of the global Iloprost market, a SWOT analysis is jotted down for all players, new and old. This allows for a clearer projection for the global Iloprost market over the coming years. Additional factors included in the player profiles are their financial structures and current strategic planning for all the key players in the global Iloprost market.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @The global Iloprost market is further analyzed on the basis of its industrial chain, a passage that employs research and data based on the usage and production capabilities present in the market currently. This portion also incorporates the product descriptions and cost structures of the global Iloprost market. The report also followed a detailed analysis route within the global Iloprost market to derive its characteristic traits in terms of upstream and downstream demands for raw materials, as well as the import, and export trends that follow.The report also provides the results of a highly detailed study on the global Iloprost market based on its regional segmentations. For each key region stated, the user is provided with facts and figures on the player pool as well as demand, along with predictions for the same. This can be crucial for regional players trying to expand their horizons in the global Iloprost market.Browse Complete Report with TOC @Table of ContentsGlobal Iloprost Sales Market Report 20161 Iloprost Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Iloprost1.2 Classification of Iloprost1.2.1 Type I1.2.2 Type II1.2.3 Type III1.3 Application of Iloprost1.3.1 Application 11.3.2 Application 21.3.3 Application 31.4 Iloprost Market by Regions1.4.1 United States Status and Prospect (2011-2021)1.4.2 China Status and Prospect (2011-2021)1.4.3 Europe Status and Prospect (2011-2021)1.4.4 Japan Status and Prospect (2011-2021)1.5 Global Market Size (Value and Volume) of Iloprost (2011-2021)1.5.1 Global Iloprost Sales and Growth Rate (2011-2021)1.5.2 Global Iloprost Revenue and Growth Rate (2011-2021)2 Global Iloprost Competition by Manufacturers, Type and Application2.1 Global Iloprost Market Competition by Manufacturers2.1.1 Global Iloprost Sales and Market Share of Key Manufacturers (2011-2016)2.1.2 Global Iloprost Revenue and Share by Manufacturers (2011-2016)2.2 Global Iloprost (Volume and Value) by Type2.2.1 Global Iloprost Sales and Market Share by Type (2011-2016)2.2.2 Global Iloprost Revenue and Market Share by Type (2011-2016)2.3 Global Iloprost (Volume and Value) by Regions2.3.1 Global Iloprost Sales and Market Share by Regions (2011-2016)2.3.2 Global Iloprost Revenue and Market Share by Regions (2011-2016)2.4 Global Iloprost (Volume) by Application3 United States Iloprost (Volume, Value and Sales Price)3.1 United States Iloprost Sales and Value (2011-2016)3.1.1 United States Iloprost Sales and Growth Rate (2011-2016)3.1.2 United States Iloprost Revenue and Growth Rate (2011-2016)3.1.3 United States Iloprost Sales Price Trend (2011-2016)3.2 United States Iloprost Sales and Market Share by Manufacturers3.3 United States Iloprost Sales and Market Share by Type3.4 United States Iloprost Sales and Market Share by Application4 China Iloprost (Volume, Value and Sales Price)4.1 China Iloprost Sales and Value (2011-2016)4.1.1 China Iloprost Sales and Growth Rate (2011-2016)4.1.2 China Iloprost Revenue and Growth Rate (2011-2016)4.1.3 China Iloprost Sales Price Trend (2011-2016)4.2 China Iloprost Sales and Market Share by Manufacturers4.3 China Iloprost Sales and Market Share by Type4.4 China Iloprost Sales and Market Share by Application5 Europe Iloprost (Volume, Value and Sales Price)5.1 Europe Iloprost Sales and Value (2011-2016)5.1.1 Europe Iloprost Sales and Growth Rate (2011-2016)5.1.2 Europe Iloprost Revenue and Growth Rate (2011-2016)5.1.3 Europe Iloprost Sales Price Trend (2011-2016)5.2 Europe Iloprost Sales and Market Share by Manufacturers5.3 Europe Iloprost Sales and Market Share by Type5.4 Europe Iloprost Sales and Market Share by Application6 Japan Iloprost (Volume, Value and Sales Price)6.1 Japan Iloprost Sales and Value (2011-2016)6.1.1 Japan Iloprost Sales and Growth Rate (2011-2016)6.1.2 Japan Iloprost Revenue and Growth Rate (2011-2016)6.1.3 Japan Iloprost Sales Price Trend (2011-2016)6.2 Japan Iloprost Sales and Market Share by Manufacturers6.3 Japan Iloprost Sales and Market Share by Type6.4 Japan Iloprost Sales and Market Share by ApplicationFor Market Research Latest Reports Visit @About UsQYReseachReports.com delivers the latest strategic market intelligence to build a successful business footprint in China. Our syndicated and customized research reports provide companies with vital background information of the market and in-depth analysis on the Chinese trade and investment framework, which directly affects their business operations. Reports from QYReseachReports.com feature valuable recommendations on how to navigate in the extremely unpredictable yet highly attractive Chinese market.Contact Us1820 AvenueM Suite #1047Brooklyn, NY 11230United StatesToll Free: 866-997-4948 (USA-CANADA)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Web:Email: sales@qyresearchreports.com
Global Glass Lined Reactor Market Key Challenges, Collaborations, Advanced Technologies and Developments 2016

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Qyresearchreports include new market research report Global Glass Lined Reactor Market Professional Survey Report 2016" to its huge collection of research reports.The research study offers an in-depth analysis on the global Glass Lined Reactor market intended to help the existing players and other stakeholders in determining the primary factors that are likely to influence the growth of the overall market. In addition, the research study helps in understanding the key business strategies and policies that have been widely adopted by the players operating in the market in order to increase their market penetration in the coming years.The research study offers information related to historical information of the global Glass Lined Reactor market, along with the forecast figures from 2016 to 2021 in terms of volume and revenue. Additionally, the expected statistics, market size, and share of each segment studied in the research study have been discussed at length in a scope of the research report.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @Some of the key questions related to the global Glass Lined Reactor market have been addressed in the research report. These comprise:Which are the key regional segments of the global Glass Lined Reactor market?What are the latest developments in the global Glass Lined Reactor market over the last few years?What are the estimated statistics for the global Glass Lined Reactor market throughout the forecast period?What is the expected size of the global Glass Lined Reactor market?Which segment of the global Glass Lined Reactor market is anticipated to witness robust growth in the near future?Furthermore, the research report offers a thorough overview of the global Glass Lined Reactor market, focusing on the latest trends, promising opportunities, and predicted growth rate of the market. The research study further offers an in-depth competitive analysis of the global Glass Lined Reactor market and presents a list of all the leading players operating in it.Browse Complete Report with TOC @Table of Contents1 Industry Overview of Glass Lined Reactor1.1 Definition and Specifications of Glass Lined Reactor1.1.1 Definition of Glass Lined Reactor1.1.2 Specifications of Glass Lined Reactor1.2 Classification of Glass Lined Reactor1.2.1 Type I1.2.2 Type II1.2.3 Type III1.3 Applications of Glass Lined Reactor1.3.1 Pharmaceutical1.3.2 Petrochemical1.3.3 Food industries1.3.4 Other1.4 Market Segment by Regions1.4.1 North America1.4.2 China1.4.3 Europe1.4.4 Southeast Asia1.4.5 Japan1.4.6 India2 Manufacturing Cost Structure Analysis of Glass Lined Reactor2.1 Raw Material and Suppliers2.2 Manufacturing Cost Structure Analysis of Glass Lined Reactor2.3 Manufacturing Process Analysis of Glass Lined Reactor2.4 Industry Chain Structure of Glass Lined Reactor3 Technical Data and Manufacturing Plants Analysis of Glass Lined Reactor3.1 Capacity and Commercial Production Date of Global Glass Lined Reactor Major Manufacturers in 20153.2 Manufacturing Plants Distribution of Global Glass Lined Reactor Major Manufacturers in 20153.3 R&D Status and Technology Source of Global Glass Lined Reactor Major Manufacturers in 20153.4 Raw Materials Sources Analysis of Global Glass Lined Reactor Major Manufacturers in 2015For Latest QYResearchreports Press Release Visit @QYResearchReports.com is an unimpeachable source of market research data for clients that comprise acclaimed SMEs, Chinese companies, private equity firms, and MNCs. We provide market research reports on various categories such as Energy, Chemicals, Alternative and Green Energy, Manufacturing, Machinery, Pharmaceuticals and Materials, and Glass.QYResearchreportsContact Us1820 AvenueM Suite #1047Brooklyn, NY 11230United States+1-518-621-2074866-997-4948USA-Canada Toll freesales@qyresearchreports.com
Global ICP-OES Spectrometer Industry Development, Collaborations, Industry Competitive Analysis, Landscape & Shares 2016

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Qyresearchreports include new market research report Global ICP-OES Spectrometer Industry Report 2016" to its huge collection of research reports.The report on global ICP-OES Spectrometer industry is a comprehensive study of the market dynamics, which is expected to have a lasting impact on the market from 2016 to 2021. It gives a detailed introduction of the global ICP-OES Spectrometer industry, its past status, and also the current state of the market. The past and present market size are then utilized to forecast the future growth of the global ICP-OES Spectrometer market. The report is collated by expert analysts and market professionals who have made use of primary and secondary research methods to make a detailed and useful study on the market for ICP-OES Spectrometer. This study is expected to be highly useful for those investors planning to invest their money in the ICP-OES Spectrometer market. It gives important information regarding the growth trajectory of the industry and is beneficial for both new entrants and well-established players.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @The report makes a list of all the factors that have led to the growth of the market and studies these drivers in detail. In addition to this, the impact analysis of each of the drivers in the coming years has been carried out. Similarly the challenges faced by the players in the global ICP-OES Spectrometer industry have been discussed along with the impact analysis. The study of challenges help players and investors to brace themselves for the likely problems they will face and devise plans and tactics to overcome these problems or prevent them altogether.The report includes a competitive landscape wherein key players in the market are profiled and the collective share of the top three players in the market are also given. The business overview of the companies, coupled with the financial overview, their joint ventures, collaborations, and partnerships have all been discussed.Browse Complete Report with TOC @Table of Contents1 ICP-OES Spectrometer Market Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of ICP-OES Spectrometer1.2 ICP-OES Spectrometer Segment by Type1.2.1 Global Production Market Share of ICP-OES Spectrometer by Type in 20151.2.2 Type I1.2.3 Type II1.2.4 Type III1.3 ICP-OES Spectrometer Segment by Application1.3.1 ICP-OES Spectrometer Consumption Market Share by Application in 20151.3.2 Application 11.3.3 Application 21.3.4 Application 31.4 ICP-OES Spectrometer Market by Region1.4.1 North America Status and Prospect (2011-2021)1.4.2 Europe Status and Prospect (2011-2021)1.4.3 China Status and Prospect (2011-2021)1.4.4 Japan Status and Prospect (2011-2021)1.4.5 Southeast Asia Status and Prospect (2011-2021)1.4.6 India Status and Prospect (2011-2021)1.5 Global Market Size (Value) of ICP-OES Spectrometer (2011-2021)2 Global ICP-OES Spectrometer Market Competition by Manufacturers2.1 Global ICP-OES Spectrometer Production and Share by Manufacturers (2015 and 2016)2.2 Global ICP-OES Spectrometer Revenue and Share by Manufacturers (2015 and 2016)2.3 Global ICP-OES Spectrometer Average Price by Manufacturers (2015 and 2016)2.4 Manufacturers ICP-OES Spectrometer Manufacturing Base Distribution, Sales Area and Product Type2.5 ICP-OES Spectrometer Market Competitive Situation and Trends2.5.1 ICP-OES Spectrometer Market Concentration Rate2.5.2 ICP-OES Spectrometer Market Share of Top 3 and Top 5 Manufacturers2.5.3 Mergers & Acquisitions, Expansion3 Global ICP-OES Spectrometer Production, Revenue (Value) by Region (2011-2016)3.1 Global ICP-OES Spectrometer Production by Region (2011-2016)3.2 Global ICP-OES Spectrometer Production Market Share by Region (2011-2016)3.3 Global ICP-OES Spectrometer Revenue (Value) and Market Share by Region (2011-2016)3.4 Global ICP-OES Spectrometer Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2011-2016)3.5 North America ICP-OES Spectrometer Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2011-2016)3.6 Europe ICP-OES Spectrometer Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2011-2016)3.7 China ICP-OES Spectrometer Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2011-2016)3.8 Japan ICP-OES Spectrometer Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2011-2016)3.9 Southeast Asia ICP-OES Spectrometer Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2011-2016)3.10 India ICP-OES Spectrometer Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2011-2016)For Latest QYResearchreports Press Release Visit @QYResearchReports.com is an unimpeachable source of market research data for clients that comprise acclaimed SMEs, Chinese companies, private equity firms, and MNCs. We provide market research reports on various categories such as Energy, Chemicals, Alternative and Green Energy, Manufacturing, Machinery, Pharmaceuticals and Materials, and Glass.QYResearchreportsContact Us1820 AvenueM Suite #1047Brooklyn, NY 11230United States+1-518-621-2074866-997-4948USA-Canada Toll freesales@qyresearchreports.com
UO Tour.jpg

Prospective students and their families tour with University of Oregon, led by a UO student. Typical students apply to five to eight colleges, and keeping up with all the many deadlines and requirements can make one dizzy. A new free online tool, apply101, does most of the organizing for you, says a student who used it last year.

(Betsy Hammond / The Oregonian / 2015)

It's been eight years since Portland native Natalie Miller moved on from her job as a college admissions officer. But she found she could never wholly leave the role behind.

Co-workers at subsequent employers would seek tips for writing the perfect essay or helping their kids fill out applications. Family friends would seek her advice on which schools their teens should consider, how to impress the admissions committee or whether to apply early decision.

Miller was always happy to help, but she wondered whether there was a way for her to give that help at scale -- especially to students who don't have a lot of experienced support at home to master all the necessary steps.

As part of her MBA program at the University of Oregon, she answered that with a resounding yes. She has created, with help from a financial whiz partner and code-writing husband, a website called apply101 that makes applying to college and for aid a lot easier.

Apply101, which is free to use, knows all the application requirements at virtually every U.S. college -- - transcript deadlines, test deadlines, which recommendations to submit, application due-dates, scholarship opportunities. It organizes them, in colored-coded detail, in one place. It even texts busy teens with just-in-time reminders to get each bit of paperwork done on each college's timeline, then rewards users with badges and cute animal videos when they meet crucial milestones.

Applying for college is no longer the simple matter it was when many of today's parents of high schoolers did their own college searches.

Deadlines have proliferated - many schools offer early decision or early action, or both - and timelines to qualify for need-based and merit aid come earlier in the student's senior year. On top of that, the typical student is counseled to apply to six to eight colleges and some apply to twice that number.

Lisa Sloan, a parent at Portland's Wilson High School, found apply101 a big help when her son, Ian, was on his college search and application mission in 2015. "It's just simply overwhelming," she said of his search. "There are so freaking many schools out there. And every school has different requirements and different deadlines."

Like many parents, she bore the misconception that the Common App, which allows students to complete the backbone of just one application and submit it to many colleges, would make the process easy. It didn't.

"You're afraid you're not going to get into a school just because you forgot one requirement," she said. With seven schools on her son's list of his top choices, she was grateful that the apply101 team had researched every college's requirements and preloaded them for Ian and for her to see.

A big plus, she said, was that "it allowed me to monitor Ian's progress without talking to him," by giving her access to the list of tasks he had completed and yet-to-finish. "I didn't want to waste a nag asking him about something he had already done," for risk of being completely tuned out like the waaaaah, waaaaah, waaaaaah voice of an adult in a Charlie Brown cartoon, she said.

College student Ian Sloan poses in his dorm room on move-in day. Sloan says using apply101 organized his college search, focusing him on the crucial tasks and deadlines, and drastically cutting back how much his mom had to nag him.

Agreed Ian Sloan, "She nagged me enough about remembering to empty the dishwasher."

For him, the website's text function was a lifesaver. "All the schools have different dates for when they want it. I totally forgot some of the deadlines," he said. "Apply101 would text and email reminders to my phone. Then I would remember to do it."

Miller, a 2002 graduate of Portland's Grant High School, went to Scripps College in Claremont, California. Fascinated by the admissions process, she worked in the school's admission office all four years as an undergraduate. Upon graduating, she worked a year as an admissions officer, traveling the country to pitch Scripps and sitting around the table back in Claremont as the team decided whom to admit.

She has since switched to a career working in project management on technology ventures. A self-taught techie, "My favorite thing in the world is to solve problems," she said. Her day job is managing projects for Nike.com.

She runs apply101 on the side, so far funding it out of her own pocket. She plans to eventually get funding from some colleges who like the site and want data from it.

She was encouraged that, with only word-of-mouth promotion, the site drew 3,000 users last year. "The college admission process is way more complex than people give it credit for," so it's been gratifying to help that many students and families negotiate it, she said.

She sympathizes with students or parents who desperately want that help. "I had two parents who applied to one school, the University of Oregon, and did not understand the admission process at all." Now 30 percent of college applicants apply to seven or more colleges. "That is where thing get crazy complex."

In the end, Ian Sloan's college application season ended early and with little drama. He decided to apply early to Western Washington University, which he judged would be his best fit, and the school admitted him and gave him a $10,000 yearly scholarship. Success! His search was over by November of senior year.

Ian Sloan's college application process ended early and without much drama. He's at Western Washington University in Bellingham, with a sizable merit scholarship, and is having a great time, as is evident from this shot of a dorm competition.

But Lisa Sloan doesn't expect the same degree of simplicity will ensue for her daughter Amy, currently a Wilson sophomore. "My daughter believes that everything is possible. She is going to have 15 different options. She absolutely will use apply101. I'm not doing it without it."

Ian Sloan agrees his sister will use the website - and not because their mom will make her. "She knows it will keep her focused, because she has seen me do it. And Mom won't bug her as much if she uses it."

-- Betsy Hammond
The Morses' holiday traditions are centered on two strong cases of love at first sight. First, Greg and Dorte Morse met and instantly fell in love under a starry Scandinavian sky. A year later, she moved from Denmark to Eugene and enrolled in college while he completed his degree. They married in 1983.

Two decades later, they saw a photo of a carefully preserved 1910 Craftsman, and they knew instantly that this was the place they wanted to raise their children.

"We fell in love with the staircase. We couldn't help it," says Dorte, pointing to the wood-paneled, cantilevered staircase that serves as "the heart of the home." The stairs invite you in and make this big house feel cozy, she says.

The Morses and their four children became only the fourth family to live in this century-old house with a covered wraparound porch overlooking a quiet street in Portland's Southwest Hills.

The people who sold the house to the Morses threw a party and invited the second owners and the granddaughter of the first owner, who was William Bittle Wells. He founded the Pacific Monthly magazine in 1898, which in 1907, merged to become Sunset, The Pacific Monthly.

During Portland's post-Lewis and Clark 1905 Exposition building boom, Wells hired architect John Bennes of Bennes, Hendricks & Thompson to design a high Arts and Crafts house.

Expensive building and finishing materials were employed. Exterior walls are clad in multicolored tapestry bricks that were brought here by train from New York. Each brick cost 5 cents when new, according to historic documents.

The Wells-Furnish House was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1989 and is included in the book, "Classic Houses of Portland, Oregon 1850-1950."

Wandering through the three-level house today feels as if time has stood still. All but two of the lighting fixtures are original, including brass fixtures designed by Fred C. Baker, whose work is found in the Pittock Mansion and the State Capitol.

Original ornamental window glass and glazed door panels were made at the Povey Brothers Studio in Portland, which was known in the early 20th century as the "Tiffany of the Northwest."

The smooth paint on the music room walls has never been covered. A 19th century mirror in one room came from a railroad station in San Francisco.

There are five fireplaces with Rookwood ceramic tile chimney fronts and the master bathroom's dressing room has a rare shaving sink and antique showerheads.

"This house has an old soul," says Dorte.

And a lot of character.

But it's not a museum. "This is where the kids' bring their friends," says Dorte. "We can have eight kids staying over on a weekend night. The house is in full use. You can touch and go everywhere."

Gathering friends and family is especially a high priority in December, when the family observes two types of Christmas, Danish and American-style, as well as Hanukkah. This year, the festival of lights is from sunset, Dec. 24 to nightfall, Jan. 1.

On a breakfast table in the nook off the kitchen, the Morses display Royal Copenhagen china's signature blue-and-white pattern to honor Greg's Jewish faith. The table linen, purchased in Israel by Greg's mother, has an embroidered menorah, or sacred candelabrum.

Scattered among the plates are gold-foiled chocolates that look like coins or Hanukkah gelt. Winners of the dreidel toy spin receive one as a prize. Gold-rimmed Danish glassware from Dorte's family are also displayed.

"Visitors love that our home is not professionally decorated," says Dorte. "It's a mixture of old Danish heirlooms from my family and treasured items from Greg's family. It's not the perfect Pottery Barn pillows. Instead, we have pelts, lots of lit candles and live cedar garlands."

Each year, the family celebrates Christmas both on Dec. 24, when gifts are opened after dinner and a dance holding hands around the tree in the Danish tradition, and on Dec. 25, when treats from Santa are pulled from stockings above the fireplace, as in the American tradition.

Enter the front door and look closely at the stairs. Poking between the sturdy railings are tiny ceramic elves wearing bright red caps and coats. These mischievous nisser are the first inkling of Dorte's sense of humor and her childhood memories of December family holidays in Denmark.

In the dining room, on a large, antique mahogany dining table, are sets of Christian Dior china the couple received on their wedding day. The silverware is from Dorte's grandparents and the Austrian wine glasses are from her parents. "I remember they bought these goblets when I was a child," says Dorte. "Everything gets carefully handled because these heritage pieces mean so much to us."

Sparkling light comes through original leaded glass windows and highlight the dining room buffet, where more tiny elves are playfully arranged. They are surrounded by miniature cups holding rice porridge and other pixie food. In the Danish tradition, pixies might make things disappear, over salt your meal or tease you by playing other tricks if they're hungry.

A Scandinavian Christmas Eve dinner might include roast duck, goose or pork, sometimes served with boiled or sweet potatoes, red cabbage, beets and cranberry jam. Dessert may be ris a l'amande, a rice pudding with whipped cream, vanilla and almonds with hot cherry sauce or risengrod, a hot rice pudding.

"There is one hidden, whole almond in the dish and whoever finds it, wins the mandelgave, typically a marzipan pig," Dorte says, adding "everyone eats until stuffed in order to find the almond."

Another sweet Christmas favorite are doughnut-like aebleskivers served with jam and powdered sugar, according to Visit Denmark's "Yuletide in Denmark: An Introduction to Danish holiday traditions."

The Danish spirit of hygge means creating a sense of comradeship, conviviality, contentment and coziness, according to the booklet. Mulled red wine, gingerbread and candlelight help to achieve that special hygge feeling.

"The dim lighting helps to soften the clean, uncluttered surfaces and uncompromising white walls that are typical features of Danish living rooms," according to the booklet. "Everyone's ideal is to have a Christiania kakkelovn (antique stove) or an open fireplace and feel the warmth from its hygggelige glow."

One way the Morses and others launch a Danes' Christmas is by lighting a calendar candle every night from Dec. 1 to Dec. 24. The candle has 24 markings and sometimes red-cheeked pixies dancing in yellow clogs.

In the Morses' family room is another way to countdown the holiday. Each of four white Advent candles, upright in a modern candle holder by Danish designer Georg Jensen, is lit on one of the four Sundays leading up to Christmas Eve.

Also in the family room is a Danish Christmas tree, a Norwegian spruce with plenty of space between the branches to attach the family's vintage elves and string the children's handmade cut paper Danish flags, stars and hearts. It's believed Danish author Hans Christian Andersen, who wrote "The Little Mermaid" and other cherished children stories, introduced the Christmas paper heart ornament 200 years ago.

Lighting the traditional Christmas tree are real candles held in Georg Jensen tree candle holders.

"Real candles, instead of electric lights, are very important in Danish living," says Dorte, standing on a handmade wool rug with images of red pomegranates. There are pops of red throughout the house, all year round. "That's the color fan in me," she says.

Up one flight of those captivating stairs is a large landing, big enough for a table and chairs where the children -- Elijah, 22, Helena, 20, Camilla, 14, and Sebastian, 11 -- used to do their homework and play board games. During the holidays, however, the space is reserved for the children's big and bushy American-style Douglas fir Christmas tree that the family cuts at a tree farm.

Nearby is a window seat in which to watch for Santa. And hanging in front of many vintage panes of glass in the home are the family's handmade, scented orange and clove pomanders, another Danish tradition.

"We feel so fortunate to live and raise their family in this old, beautiful historic home," says Dorte. "The character and the warm history is felt in every nook and cranny."

She and Greg feel fortunate that their two older children come home for the holidays during college breaks. She says they snuggle up on the couch with the whole family and the dogs and childhood friends trickle in for delicious dinners and long sleepovers.

The Morse family moto, she says, smiling, is "our house is your house."



-- Janet Eastman

jeastman@oregonian.com

503-799-8739

@janeteastman




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In this Nov. 4, 2016, file photo, Donald Trump speaks in Hershey, Pa.

(AP Photo/ Evan Vucci)

By Elizabeth Hovde

Humble pie, anyone? The slices served election night unfortunately come too late. If only society had been eating it regularly, perhaps we could have avoided a President Trump. Silly me. I called the election wrong, too.

Even though I didn't support or vote for Donald Trump - primarily because I couldn't reconcile my faith with how he treated people - I woke up on Nov. 9 confused, sad, but also relieved Hillary Clinton was not my president: She is one of many Democrats who suggest I'm cruel and selfish and a woman-hater because of my views on the need for more personal responsibility, parental rights and so on. But that Wednesday morning, I woke up thinking maybe I wasn't the ideological minority I've felt like for the past two-plus decades. It was weird.

People and pundits have scoured the country to determine why so many voted for an inexperienced, arrogant, no-filter candidate -- all-too willing to convince themselves it was racism, misogyny, "fake" news or the Comey effect. I offer the theory shared by many conservatives who are neither racist, sexist nor know who James Comey is. In the Pacific Northwest, at least, conservatives have been kicked in a corner a long time and saw a way out, as off-putting as it was.

My Nov. 9 relief was temporary. There've been several protests, riots and marches -- even ones in Portland where adults encouraged middle- and high-school students to leave their school day, walk city streets unguided, hamper city traffic and use a lot of government resources. Thank you, Portland Police Bureau, for trying to keep them safe. Students marched against a free election (crazy) and fascism, a word many marchers could not explain. The girl I saw stripped down to her bra in a march across the city also made the events look more like senior-skip day. And did anyone think about the Trump-supporting or conservative-leaning kids in area schools? I am sure they've not been comfortable this month. A mock election at my child's middle school made it clear who the political minority was.

The election's outcome has also been treated like a national tragedy, not unlike September 11. Insults aimed at Trump or third-party voters are prolific. All this threatens to leave conservative thinkers here where they were: kicked in the corner.

In the Pacific Northwest, conservatives are used to losing. Liberals aren't. Their superior attitude about politics is welcome in homes, schools and up and down Main Street. One of my only conservative friends wrote a recent blog entry titled, "What would you write if you were not afraid?" Her answer was, "I voted for Trump."

Because of my right-of-center thinking in this liberal land, I've regularly been called "stupid" and an "idiot" over the past 20 years. I have received threats in email and in person. I overhear my name in the middle of jokes. I've been told by a handful of readers it's no wonder I think as I do, because I had a traumatic brain injury in 2011. Make no mistake: Conservatives in the Pacific Northwest are a minority -- an ideological one that few stand up for or sympathize with. I'm lucky I have friends; Many choose not to read my columns, and I keep politics out of conversations.

As a columnist, I'm sure I experience more insults than the average conservative and am thankful God built me with thick skin. Many conservative contacts tell me that they, too, are shunned or insulted for their political beliefs.

Of course, no mistreatment of conservatives excuses Trump's irresponsible behavior or the hateful actions of a relatively small band of people feeling vindicated by Trump's election or using Trump's victory to get media attention. We conservative thinkers need to make clear when we don't support Trump's behavior, his decisions or the "alt-right" folks; They don't represent the average conservative, just as Trump did not represent the Republican Party.

It'd be excellent if Trump more often condemned harmful actions, trying to reassure Americans that things will be all right. While he did strenuously denounce a white nationalist conference in Washington, D.C., last weekend, he is not doing a good job of this overall. He seems too busy Tweeting the "Hamilton" cast. We need him to lead.

Obama is leading. Well.

Accompanying my short-lived, morning-after relief was an excellent speech by the president: He called the presidential election an "intramural scrimmage" and vowed to help Trump with transitioning, just as President George W. Bush and his team did for him. While Obama has made me proud, society has failed "huuuge."

What happened to Michelle Obama's pre-election proclamation? "When they go low, we go high." That was repeated far and wide, with reckless abandon. What happened to the many people who rightly said the first week of November that Trump better accept the election?

Pass the humble pie, without a side of hypocrisy. November has offered a cornucopia of it.

Elizabeth Hovde's column appears on the fourth Sunday of the month.
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Far-right leader Marine le Pen tries glasses as she visits the "Made in France" trade fair in Paris recently. Preparing for next spring's presidential election, Marine Le Pen works to smooth her image.

(AP Photo)

By the editors of Bloomberg View

On Sunday, France's Republican Party will choose its candidate for the presidential election next spring. Opinion polls say that the Republicans are so far ahead that the party, in effect, is about to name the next president -- either Alain Juppe or Francois Fillon, former prime ministers offering not-too-dissimilar conservative programs.

The polls, for once, had better be right. The likely alternative to either of those men would be disastrous -- and not just for France.

Support for the Socialist party has collapsed: President Francois Hollande's approval rating stands (if that's the right word) at 4 percent. So the Republican nominee is likely to face Marine Le Pen, leader of the populist National Front. She's France's answer to Donald Trump, except with more self-discipline, added xenophobia and a clearer sense of purpose. If she wins, the European Union would be badly and perhaps fatally wounded. By comparison, Brexit would be a minor nuisance.

Le Pen celebrated Britain's vote to quit last June as the beginning of the end for the EU -- a project she's called "objectively a total failure." An EU without France, which designed and built the EU alongside Germany, is objectively a hard thing to imagine. A National Front victory would shake Europe more violently than Trump's win has rocked the U.S.

The polls suggest that either Fillon or Juppe ought to beat her easily -- but there are many unknowns. It's unclear who will stand for the Socialists, for example, or whether Emmanuel Macron (who quit the government earlier this year and leads a new party) will gather strong support. Right now, though, the threat from Le Pen looks real.

Fillon did surprisingly well in the first round of the primary, and seems well-placed to beat Juppe for the nomination -- which is good, because he'd be the stronger rival to Le Pen. Compared with Juppe, he's no friend of multiculturalism or the European Commission. He takes a hard line on "Islamic totalitarianism." He says immigrants should assimilate, wants to curb immigration from outside the union, and proposes to reform (though not dismantle) the EU's system for borderless intra-EU travel. This puts him in a better position to stop conservative support from leaching to Le Pen.

Fillon's proposed tough-love economic reforms -- including labor-market deregulation -- also have the advantage of being just what France needs. The country may even be ready for them.

Le Pen isn't Europe's only populist insurgent, and dealing with this dangerous swelling of discontent isn't a job for French politicians alone. The EU's other member governments and institutions need to recognize the doubts that many citizens have about the project. Without pandering or surrendering, they need to show they're listening. Ignoring these worries failed with Brexit. The union cannot afford to make the same mistake with France.

(c) 2016, Bloomberg View
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Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala. speaks to media at Trump Tower in New York, on Nov. 17.

(AP Photo/File)

By Dan Zak

In 2006, Jeff Sessions rose in the Senate chamber to personalize a debate on immigration. He, too, had immigrant forebears, he said, including "my great-great-great-great-grandfather," who made it to the United States in time for the Civil War.

And then, the Alabama Republican groused, "Lincoln killed one of them at Antietam."

Keep this in mind about the people making up the new Washington power structure: They remember. America, always an aspiring democracy, is now also a grudgeocracy.

This goes beyond Sessions, recently nominated to serve as Donald Trump's attorney general. There's retired Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn, who, nudged out of his post at the Defense Intelligence Agency, ascended to the highest ranks of the Trump campaign by blasting his former boss, President Barack Obama, as a "liar"; now he's been tapped as national security adviser. There's Stephen K. Bannon, who built a right-wing website into a thriving media empire by raging against the so-called "elites" that he used to hobnob with; he's set to become senior White House counsel.

And then there's the president-elect himself, who welcomed television journalists to Trump Tower on Monday for what they probably assumed would be a post-election charm offensive. Instead, he berated them for months-old coverage that he deemed unfair.

The spirit of resentment is bipartisan, and it's everywhere. Hillary Clinton and her supporters are looking to blame anyone but themselves: The FBI! No, the Kremlin! The pollsters! The Bernie people are battering the Democrats with "if only's" and "I told you so's." It seems like half of Twitter users have "Deplorable" in front of their names - a badge that conveys a fierce grudge against Clinton and her characterization of Trump voters. White nationalists fling their ethnic grudges into the air with Nazi salutes.

Yet no one is setting the tone like the Trump team. The transition kicked off with the ultimate grudge match: the ouster of Chris Christie, who is himself the king of the Jersey-style grudge; two of his former staffers were convicted in connection with a scheme to retaliate against a mayor who didn't endorse the governor's re-election by creating a traffic jam.

Christie knew of - and laughed at - their grudgy scheme to close toll lanes on the George Washington Bridge, according to a state official who pleaded guilty. But days after Trump's election, it was Christie's turn. He was shoved out of his post heading the Trump transition team, reportedly at the behest of Trump son-in-law Jared Kushner, whose dad Christie once prosecuted and sent to prison.

Grudge karma! It seems to be on the president-elect's mind the moment he wakes up. Trump tweeted at 6:16 a.m. Monday that he canceled a meeting with the "not nice" New York Times, whose approval he's courted for 40 years. (Hours later, the meeting was back on, if grudgingly.)

Ted Cruz, a lawyer by trade, was invited to the president-elect's Manhattan tower last week as Trump was openly considering his Cabinet picks. This invitation was probably not a courtesy.

"Did Trump bring Cruz to Trump Tower right before selecting Sessions for AG just to humiliate Cruz one final time?" tweeted the New Yorker's Ryan Lizza.

Seems quite possible, given Trump's obsession with loyalty, defiance and showing up his opponents. In July, Cruz stood onstage at the Republican National Convention and told a dyspeptic crowd to "vote your conscience" - essentially giving them license to defect from the imminent nominee. It's possible Cruz held a grudge himself, after losing the Republican primary to a candidate who'd disparaged his wife's looks and accused his father of colluding with Lee Harvey Oswald.

The shelf life of Trump's grudges is long. In 1975, Richard Ravitch, a New York housing official, denied a tax exemption for one of Trump's construction projects. Thirty-four years later, when New York Gov. David Paterson named Ravitch as his lieutenant governor in 2009, Trump wrote to him to complain that Ravitch was "extremely weak, ineffective and a poor negotiator," according to the Washington Post book "Trump Revealed."

But grudges - and the potential to overcome as well as act on them - certainly lend drama to politics. Could Trump possibly get over South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley's campaign criticism of him? Why, yes! So his nomination of her as U.N. ambassador carried an extra bit of flare. But would he extend such forgiveness to Mitt Romney, who once called Trump a "a phony, a fraud," only to emerge as a surprise contender for secretary of state? Stay tuned . . .

The word itself goes back 700 years. The Middle English "grudgen" meant "to complain," and the Middle High German "grogezen" meant "to howl," according to Merriam-Webster.

"I have a grudge against England because she induced us to go into the World War," the isolationist Sen. Robert Reynolds, D-N.C., said in 1939.

"America has no time to waste on a long drawn-out political grudge fight," Vice President Gerald Ford said in 1974, as impeachment pressure on Richard Nixon intensified.

"When people treat me unfairly, I don't let them forget it," Trump said last year in Dubuque, Iowa.

Mike Pence, the next vice president, was booed at a performance of "Hamilton" and then hectored by the cast about diversity; Trump supporters responded to this cheeky exercise of free speech by calling for a boycott of the Broadway show, already sold out until the end of time, which is now how long the grudge against it will last. This is somehow fitting, given that the story of "Hamilton" hinges on Aaron Burr's years-long grudge against the title character.

The cast and producers of "Hamilton" should "immediately apologize to Mike Pence for their terrible behavior," Trump tweeted at 6:22 a.m. Sunday as the boycott trended on Twitter, which is a perfect social-media device for nursing and publicizing grudges. The New York Times has kept track of all Trump's Twitter insults, a digital museum of grudgery that extends to critics like John McCain ("has failed miserably)" and Ruth Bader Ginsburg ("her mind is shot") and to inanimate objects like the microphone at the first presidential debate ("very bad" and "really bad").

Of course, neither a caustic one-liner nor a faulty microphone approaches the grudge-worthiness of being shot with a .22-caliber bullet. But the magnanimous Ronald Reagan, rather than smear his would-be assassin, had this to say in 1983 about John Hinckley Jr.: "I don't hold a grudge or anything."

(c) 2016, The Washington Post

Dan Zak is a staff reporter of The Washington Post.
gr.OCEANA9

Rockfish swim off Cape Arago on the Oregon Coast. A number of rockfish species had become significantly overfished, yet in recent years fishermen, scientists, conservationists and government officials have worked to improve practices along West Coast fisheries.

Jane Lubchenco and Brad Pettinger

In the last 20 years, one of the country's most valuable natural resources has transformed from a national disaster to a great American recovery story. But unless you're a fishery scientist or a fisherman who suffered through the near collapse of a fishery, you've probably never heard the story.

We lived it.

We've been working along the West Coast for 40 years and can attest to the catastrophic collapse of a once massive groundfish fishery. We know fixing it was hard and messy. But we also know that troubled fisheries in the United States and around the world should look to our success and others for lasting solutions.

In the early 2000s, the fishery was in terrible shape. A number of rockfish species were becoming significantly overfished. As long-lived species, their recovery was expected to take decades. Level of discards of "bycatch" -- accidental catch that occurs when fishing for target species - was high. This led to the fishery being declared a 'federal disaster.' Fish, fishermen and the communities that relied on them were suffering, and it was clear that if the system hadn't yet hit rock bottom, it soon would.

Fortunately, potential economic extinction is a strong motivator. Fishermen teamed with scientists, conservationists and government managers. In 2011, we adopted a new approach that would bring science, accountability and long-term sustainability to a system that badly needed them.

Where previous management approaches placed numerous and strict limits on when, where and how boats could fish, the new approach established and managed secure fishing privileges for the fishery. Scientists used sound data to determine the amount of each species that could be caught each year while still allowing the species to recover. That total annual catch limit was divided among members of the fishery.

The approach provided fishing businesses the flexibility to fish on their own schedules -- not the government's -- and plan their year like other businesses. It also gave fishermen a vested interest in fishing more selectively and making sure rules are followed. As the fishery recovered, the amount of fish they could catch increased.

In exchange for this flexibility and security, fishermen agreed to strict monitoring and reporting that ensured each share was honored. Every fish caught is tracked, "bycatch" is tallied, and each boat can be monitored by an outside observer.

In five short years, the conservation turnaround has been remarkable and faster than anticipated. Species have rebuilt, bycatch discarding decreased by 75 percent and fishery managers have increased the amount of fish that can be sustainably caught. In fact, the fishery was recently certified as sustainable by the Marine Stewardship Council and received a slew of top ratings from Monterey Bay Aquarium's Seafood Watch.

There are stories like this all across the United States. Better management approaches like these have helped rebuild 40 different fisheries nationwide while continuing to grow jobs in the fishing industry. In the Gulf of Mexico, secure fishing privileges helped save the iconic red snapper commercial fishery while doubling fishermen's revenues. Around two-thirds of the fish caught in U.S. federal waters (by volume) is now under this new management scheme.

The recovery of our nation's fisheries has been nothing short of amazing, especially when you consider the increasing seafood demand and new challenges like climate change and ocean acidification.

But it's not over.

Many species are not yet managed effectively in state and in federal waters, and there's constant pressure from some special interests to weaken the federal law that helped make the successes possible.

Share your opinion

Submit your essay of 700 words or less to commentary@oregonlive.com. Please include your email and phone number for verification.

For 40 years the Magnuson-Stevens Act has evolved to foster an environment where fishermen, conservationists, scientists and other stakeholders can shape the way their fisheries are managed. This uniquely democratic approach is considered a model around the world and is the primary reason we have made so much progress.

Our hope is that members of President-elect Donald Trump's incoming administration, along with our leaders in Congress and in state houses across the country recognize what our nation and its fishermen have achieved and embrace the innovative tools that helped us recover our fisheries and the foundational fisheries law that made it possible.

Dr. Jane Lubchenco is a Distinguished University Professor of Marine Studies at Oregon State University and the former administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Brad Pettinger is the director of the Oregon Trawl Commission, which represents trawl vessels that land shrimp and groundfish into the state of Oregon.
Michael Flynn

Retired Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn installed a secret internet connection into his office at the Pentagon even though it was "forbidden," according to a profile in The New Yorker by Dana Priest.

The network connection was among other rules the former chief of the Defense Intelligence Agency broke because he found them to be "stupid," including sometimes sneaking out of a CIA station in Iraq without authorization and sharing classified information with NATO allies without approval, according to The New Yorker.

While Flynn  who was recently tapped to be President-elect Donald Trump's national security adviser  apparently had his own private connection, the New Yorker profile doesn't provide a clear picture as to why.

It's likely his Pentagon office already had an authorized, unclassified connection to the internet called NIPRNet, which is separate from classified networks such as SIPRNet and JWICS, a former DIA analyst told Business Insider.

All of those networks are monitored in some way. A separate, unknown network would not have had the same  or possibly any  level of monitoring. If it were implemented in secret, it would also not have the same protections from hackers that a known connection would have.

It's also possible that Flynn's Pentagon office was known as a SCIF, or sensitive compartmented information facility  a secure facility in which intelligence can be discussed without fear of it being compromised. Network connections in SCIFs are closely controlled, and outside electronics such as mobile phones are not allowed inside.

"If his office was an SCIF, then that would be really bad," the DIA analyst said. "But there are so many unknowns."

Whether or not his office was an SCIF, the possibility of an external internet connection installed in violation of facility rules drew parallels to former presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, who was often criticized by the general on the campaign trail for using a private email server while she was secretary of state.

Story continues

"So there seems to be a standard for the Clintons that's not the same standard for the rest of America," Flynn told The Heritage Foundation.

Spokespersons for DIA and the Pentagon did not immediately respond to a request for comment. A Trump campaign spokesperson also did not respond.

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Some Malheur National Wildlife Refuge occupiers appear to have jumped from one conflict with the federal government straight into another: At least three claim to now be in a federal database of known or suspected terrorists.

Jason Blomgren, 42, Jon Ritzheimer, 33, and Jeff Banta, 47, believe they're on the terrorist watch list, created in the wake of the 9/11 attacks to track people who could be a threat to national security.

All three said federal airport agents have pulled them out of regular screening lines to pat them down and question them when they've tried to fly. Ritzheimer also said he got extra scrutiny when police stopped him for a minor traffic accident.

They said their boarding passes get marked with "SSSS," widely acknowledged among civil rights attorneys as the U.S. Transportation Safety Administration's notice to give somebody special screening at the airport. Any law enforcement official checking Blomgren's criminal history could see a warning to approach him with caution because he may be a member of a terrorist organization.

The men were among more than two dozen people arrested and charged with federal crimes in the 41-day armed occupation last winter in eastern Oregon. They carried guns and threatened violence against anyone who tried to remove them from the refuge, the indictments said. None of their charges were related to terrorism.

In a result that made national headlines, Banta was acquitted of conspiracy to impede a federal officer last month in Portland along with occupation leader Ammon Bundy and five others. Before trial, Blomgren and Ritzheimer pleaded guilty to conspiracy to impede federal workers from doing their jobs.

All three said their actions don't justify the listing and that the consequences are degrading.

"It really gets under my skin," Ritzheimer said. "It's a traumatic thing to have to go through every time I fly."

It's unclear how many others involved with the occupation might be on the watch list or exactly what actions get the attention of the Terrorist Screening Center. Shawna Cox, also acquitted in the five-week trial, said she flew from Las Vegas to Portland and back a few weeks after the verdict and experienced no additional screening.

One man who was in Burns during the occupation and wasn't charged believes he's on the list, too. Brandon Rapolla of Springfield, one of the leaders of the Pacific Patriots Network, a coalition of groups that challenge perceived government overreach, said he's gotten pulled aside before every flight he's taken since the standoff.

Ammon Bundy, occupation leader, believes he's been on the list since before the Oregon standoff. He testified during the trial that he was strip-searched every time he flew after a 2014 armed confrontation with federal agents at his father's Bunkerville, Nevada, ranch. He also has publicly posted his boarding pass carrying the SSSS label.

Bundy's mother, Carol Bundy, and an aunt, Margaret Houston, told The Oregonian/OregonLive that they, too, got extra scrutiny on each of their numerous flights after the Bunkerville showdown.

"It's just so humiliating," said Houston, 60. "And then it's scary because you think, 'Why are they treating me like this?'"

Neither of them has been charged in connection with Nevada clash.

The FBI wouldn't confirm or deny if any of the Malheur occupiers are in the Terrorist Screening Database.

But Timothy Healy, a former Terrorist Screening Center director, said that because taking over federal property while armed could be interpreted as domestic terrorism, it's very likely.

The occupiers set themselves up as champions of local ranchers fighting an unrelenting federal bureaucracy over control of public lands, claiming the Constitution was on their side.

They didn't take over the remote refuge to operate it or make money, said Healy, who was director from 2009 to 2013.

"They're doing it to make a point," he said.

The watch list

The federal government established the Terrorist Screening Center two years after al-Qaeda operatives flew planes into the World Trade Center towers in the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

The screening center's purpose was to replace a fragmented system of tracking suspected terrorists. With about a million records, names on the list are accessible to some federal agencies including the Transportation Security Administration, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the FBI and to state and local law enforcement agencies around the country.

The watch list is split into two primary categories: The "no-fly" list bars people from getting on a plane. The less-restrictive "selectee" and "expanded selectee" lists earn a person extra attention every time they fly.

To place people on any of those lists, the government doesn't require a conviction or even a criminal charge - only "reasonable suspicion" that a person is a known or suspected terrorist, according to an internal instructional document obtained by the media.

How the screening center actually applies the various criteria is unconstitutionally opaque, said former FBI agent Mike German of the Brennan Center for Justice, a nonpartisan law and policy institute.

"There is no independent due process," German said. "There is nothing but an agent's assessment of the danger an individual poses."

A case in point: Shawna Cox and a Pacific Patriots Network founder, Joseph Rice, both appear to have avoided a listing. Rice, who lives in Medford, played an active role in the network's actions in Burns but, unlike Rapolla, said he's flown hassle-free multiple times since then.

Healy said Terrorist Screening Center agents probably reviewed the information on Cox - including her court testimony - and decided she wasn't a threat. The fact that she's a woman likely worked in her favor because Western women rarely become radicalized, he said.

Blomgren, Ritzheimer, Banta and Rapolla all said they never saw an SSSS on their boarding passes until after the occupation, but ever since each has gotten the four-letter stamp.

It's possible to get an occasional SSSS on a boarding pass and not be on the watch list, said American Civil Liberties Union attorney Hugh Handeyside. But people who are on either of the "selectee" lists always get the added screening, according to the instructional document.

Several lawsuits challenging the watch list point to the special searches as evidence that somebody is on the list.

Ritzheimer, who lives in Peoria, Arizona, has flown from Phoenix to Portland at least 10 times since he was arrested, he said, because he wanted to be at every status conference for his case. Each time he's gone through security, Transportation Security Administration workers take him to a separate lane for an individual inspection, he said.

They have searched him, swabbed all his items and his hands for bomb-making materials and thoroughly examined his carry-on bag, he said. When he gets to the gate, he's usually searched again, he said.

Since the occupation, Blomgren, who lives in Murphy, North Carolina, has flown four times to Portland and back, with added scrutiny each time, he said. Banta, who lives in Yerington, Nevada, said the same thing has happened to him when he flew three times between Reno and Portland.

TSA officials declined to answer specific questions about their screening process.

Ritzheimer also believes a low-key encounter with law enforcement turned confrontational because police may have seen he was listed as a potential terrorist.

He said he got in a minor accident in September in Phoenix after a woman turned left on a yellow light while he was still going straight. One police cruiser pulled up within minutes and an officer politely requested Ritzheimer's license. For no apparent reason, three more cruisers then arrived and the officer became markedly rude and aggressive, he said.

Published reports have shown that records that list people's criminal histories can include warnings to law enforcement officers that they could be a member of a terrorist organization and should be approached with caution.

Blomgren said he didn't point a gun at anybody or threaten anyone's life during the standoff. He doesn't see his role in the occupation as a criminal act, but as a protest.

"We're not out bombing things, we're not out destroying things," he said. "We're voicing our First Amendment rights that are backed up, that are protected, by our Second Amendment rights."

Former Nevada Assemblywoman Michele Fiore, who played a prominent role in the occupation's conclusion, said the men's placement on the list is political retribution. They're exactly the people that someone would want on a plane if a real terrorist was on board like 9/11, she said.

"If these guys were on a plane, that terrorist would've been beaten and beaten down," Fiore said.

The controversy

The only way for people to challenge their placement on the list is to submit a request to the Department of Homeland Security.

If their information matches a record in the database, the Terrorist Screening Center reviews their case. The center contacts the original agency that leveled the terrorism accusation to determine if they should still be listed, according to a 2014 court opinion explaining the list.

People who go through the process aren't told if they're listed or why and so don't have a way of challenging the evidence against them, according to the same court opinion.

The Terrorist Screening Center regularly reviews people's cases and removes them from the list if necessary, even if they never filed an appeal, said Healy, the former director.

Several lawsuits have claimed that the lack of a meaningful way to challenge their listing violates people's Fifth Amendment guarantee of a fair judicial process before losing their rights.

The due process argument was successful in a Portland court against the no-fly list. Thirteen challenged their no-fly status in 2010. U.S. District Judge Anna Brown ruled in their favor in 2014, ordering the government to provide a way for them to present evidence to show they don't belong on the list.

Two challenges on similar grounds against the selectee lists failed this year in Michigan. The plaintiffs argued that they had a right to travel freely without burden and that the terrorist label damaged their reputations.

The government argued that receiving extra scrutiny doesn't violate any constitutional rights. The judges agreed and dismissed both cases.

The additional searches are a small price to pay for protecting people, Healy said.

"If this guy's inconvenienced, I'm sorry," he said. "But if your inconvenience saves 20 lives, then be inconvenienced."

But the Terrorist Watchlist has another substantial problem, civil rights attorneys say.

The government requires only "reasonable suspicion" of a connection to terrorism to list someone, a much lower standard than the "burden of proof" required for a criminal conviction.

It's perfectly reasonable to restrict what people do in order to protect communities, said Portland civil rights attorney Thomas Nelson. But doing that without giving them a chance to prove their innocence violates the Constitution, he said.

"That's the reason we have trials. To prove facts," he said. "And the facts could be totally wrong."

Healy has a much starker view. He's convinced that if list standards tighten, people will die because terrorists will slip through the net. To help understand the stakes, he asks people to think of the issue from a more personal perspective.

"Do me one favor, lawyer," he said. "Put your family on that plane."

The future

Ritzheimer and Blomgren said they're intent on fighting their status. But at least for Blomgren, the more immediate priority is challenging his guilty plea.

As far as Banta is concerned, it's possible the list won't have much of an effect on him. "I don't have a lot of purpose to be flying," he said.

The listing has given Ritzheimer a new perspective on Muslims, a group he notoriously antagonized. In 2015, he organized an armed protest outside a Phoenix mosque. He told CNN's Anderson Cooper that "True Islam is terrorism."

But in June, Ritzheimer reached out to the Council on American-Islamic Relations, offering to join the organization in a lawsuit challenging the watch list. The subject line said: "Olive Branch."

The council never got back to him, he said.

Ibrahim Hooper, spokesman for the council, was skeptical of Ritzheimer's overture, but told The Oregonian/OregonLive that any reconciliation could start with a meeting in a public place between Ritzheimer and the executive director of the council's Arizona branch, potentially to be followed by a visit to the Phoenix mosque.

Ritzheimer said he gets it now.

"There's Muslims that are American citizens that are also put on this list without due process and that's not right," he said. "I would gladly defend their rights as well."

-- Fedor Zarkhin

503-294-7674; @fedorzarkhin
Hanford National Park

In this Nov. 12, 2015, file photo, fourth grade students from White Bluffs Elementary School help local historians and politicians raise the National Parks Service flag for the first time at Hanford's B Reactor, near Richland, Wash. The new Manhattan Project National Historical Park at Hanford is a year old and proving to be quite popular. About 13,000 people visited the park in its first year, despite its relatively remote location in southeastern Washington, far from the state's major population centers. (Sarah Gordon/The Tri-City Herald via AP, File)

(Sarah Gordon)

SPOKANE -- The Manhattan Project National Historical Park at Hanford is a year old and proving to be quite popular.



About 13,000 people visited the park in its first year, despite its relatively remote location in southeastern Washington, far from the state's major population centers.



"It's a great number," said Kris Kirby, who recently was named superintendent of the historical park.



She's based in Denver and is splitting her time between the park's three sites: the Hanford Nuclear Reservation near Richland, Washington; Oak Ridge, Tennessee; and Los Alamos, New Mexico. Each community played a key role in developing the world's first atomic bombs during World War II.



The park was created a year ago, with the signing of an agreement between the U.S. Energy Department, which owns Hanford, and the U.S. Interior Department, which includes the National Park Service. Kirby is the national park's first employee, but officials are in the process of hiring a person to work specifically at the Hanford site.



The centerpiece of the Hanford park is the B Reactor, the world's first full-sized nuclear reactor. It was hurriedly built by the Manhattan Project in the darkest days of WWII as the United States rushed to beat Nazi Germany in developing the first atomic bomb.



B Reactor produced plutonium for the bomb dropped on Nagasaki, Japan, effectively ending the war.



Most of last year's park visitors took buses out to the B Reactor, Kirby said.



Another option is to tour the handful of derelict buildings that are all that's left of the small towns evacuated to create the nuclear reservation. Exhibits tell the story of residents who were forced to leave their homes, farms and businesses in 1943 to make way for the secret wartime project.



About 50,000 people eventually worked to create the Hanford site during WWII.



A total of nine reactors eventually were built there to create plutonium for the nation's nuclear arsenal during the Cold War. All the reactors are now closed and the site is mostly engaged in cleaning up the huge volume of radioactive waste left over from plutonium production.



Visitors should not expect to see major changes at the national park until after a general management plan is prepared, which will provide guidance for the next 20 years, Kirby said.



Work on the plan could start about a year from now and take two to three years to complete, she said.



One question is whether the park should build a visitor center, she said.



"Right now we don't have the budget to construct one, and I don't know that we ever will get that budget, so we are assessing a variety of options," Kirby said.



It may be possible to convert an existing building into a visitor center, she said.



Park tours are offered spring through fall, and Kirby wants to focus on increasing the number of people who take them.



The park also has seen some special events. On the National Park Service's 100th anniversary this fall, an organized bike ride took place on the Hanford site, which is normally closed to the public.

-- The Associated Press
Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette and the Food Bank Council of Michigan have announced that donations for the 26th annual Michigan Harvest Gathering Giving Campaign reached $308,000 and 403,000 pounds of food. The donations will provide 2.2 million meals to families across Michigan.

While many of us enjoyed a Thanksgiving table overflowing with food, many families in Michigan dont know where their next meal is coming from, said Schuette. My wife Cynthia and I founded the Michigan Harvest Gathering with the hope of ending hunger in Michigan. I want to thank everyone who has joined us in that goal and made the 26th year such a success.
Diane Postler-Slattery, the president and CEO of MidMichigan Health, will discuss Leadership Challenges in the Changing Healthcare Environment: How Nursing Plays a Vital Role in a public talk at Alma College.

She will speak at 4:30 p.m. Monday in the Dow Science Center Room L1. Admission is free and the event is open to the public. A small reception will follow.

Diane Postler-Slattery has a record of outstanding leadership and community involvement, and I am delighted that she has agreed to share her vision of the integrated role of nursing in healthcare with our students and campus community, said Alma College President Jeff Abernathy.

She was trained as a nurse prior to her administrative career and sees the value of the four-year bachelor of science in nursing degree program, which prepares students to provide the highest quality of patient-centered care.

MidMichigan Health, a four-hospital nonprofit integrated health system headquartered in Midland, has more than 4,900 employees, physicians and volunteers.

Postler-Slattery joined MidMichigan Health in 2013. Prior to her appointment, she was president and chief operating officer of Aspirus Wausau Hospital in Wausau, Wisconsin, and senior vice president of quality and extended services for the Aspirus system. She has bachelors and masters degrees in nursing from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire and a Ph.D. in education administration from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

She is active in professional and civic organizations and is a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives. She was recently elected to the board of directions for the Midland Center for the Arts.
Michigan Youth Arts, on behalf of the Michigan Council for Arts & Cultural Affairs, is providing a total of $40,000 in grants for the 2016-2017 school year through its Arts & Culture Trek grant program.

The program offers individual grants of up to $500 per school to cover the transportation cost of an arts or culture-related field trip.
To the editor:

The Midland High School Honor Society recently had a Thanksgiving food drive to benefit families in Midland County that may need a helping hand this time of year. The students generously donated 881 food items to the HELP Food Pantry at Memorial Presbyterian Church.

As part of the Midland County Emergency Food Pantry Network, the HELP Food Pantry serves five families a day, Monday through Friday, providing them with a weeks worth of groceries. These families are experiencing a rough spot in their lives and turn to us for help. They may be between jobs, have extra medical bills, unexpected car repairs or many other reasons why they need a little help. Our pantry is a self-service pantry where they can come and choose food and personal care items they need for themselves.

We would like to thank all the students at Midland High School who donated food items and the Midland High Honor Society and Ben Ladwig for coordinating, delivering and sorting all the canned goods. We would also like to thank teacher advisors Anthony Gates and Brendon Smith for their help and guidance.

We also express our appreciation to the parents, teachers and other community leaders who have taught these young people the values of dignity, respect and charity.

May God bless each and every one of you for helping others in our community.

The HELP Food Pantry

Memorial Presbyterian Church
As soon as the Thanksgiving leftovers were packed into the refrigerator and the dishes were done, I started decorating for Christmas.

Some years I dread putting up holiday decorations, but this year I was eager to begin decking the halls and trimming the tree.

In July my parents and I visited Germany with the purpose of returning to Bamberg, the city where my stepfather was stationed in the U.S. Army 50 years ago. There were other stops along the way, too.

The picturesque towns of Rothenberg and Miltenberg look just like you might imagine German villages. Well-preserved medieval towns with gingerbread-trimmed houses, these places have a real fairy tale feel. And they offer something else for the modern tourist  Christmas shops open year-round.

Kathe Wohlfahrt is the mother brand of all Christmas specialty items in Germany. The Kathe Wohlfahrt stores, located in multiple cities (including Stillwater, Minn.), are a Christmas fans dream come true. Every inch of retail space is covered in ornaments, linens, music boxes, nutcrackers and hundreds of other enchanting items.

Some stores are smaller (one floor) while others are holiday super stores. The three-floor flagship in Rothenberg is called the Christmas Village and offers more than 30,000 holiday items.

My mother and I stood in the center of Rothenberg, obediently listening to our tour guide, but itching to abandon the group.

After announcing two hours of free time, the guide suggested, Be sure to visit historic landmarks.

Yeah, right. Mom and I wasted no time in heading up the street to the holiday shopping magnet.

Translated from German, the Kathe Wohlfahrt website describes the selection of merchandise as overwhelming. And that it is.

The store looks like a Bavarian village with snow topped roofs, thousands of tiny lights and a 16-foot white Christmas tree decorated with more than 1,000 glass ornaments. Just when you think youve seen all the rooms, you stumble upon another. Its the Christmas equivalent of Goods Furniture in Kewanee.

Other women from our tour group piled into the store with us. So much for the historic sites.

Our collective first thought was, how will we ever make it through this store in two hours and be back to the bus on time?

With power shopping focus!

Customers are guided along a path (no detours allowed), taking them past displays on all three floors. We shuffled along in a steady line, mesmerized by the bright and glittering holiday decor.

I hugged my purse close to my body. Not for fear of being robbed, but fear of wiping out a display of breakable snowmen with one careless swing of my bag.

Shoppers are given baskets to carry their selections and, when the basket is full, a helpful woman dressed in a traditional German dress and apron conveniently takes the basket and replaces it with an empty one. Your selections will be waiting at the counter. How handy!

My stepfather cruised through all three floors in record time, muttering comments like, We dont need any more of this stuff. Finally, he stood in the very long check-out line to hold our place while Mom and I continued to shop. Otherwise, wed never finish on time.

Experienced clerks quickly rang up the purchases and expertly packed the ornaments to avoid damage in transit. For efficiency's sake, we put all the ornaments in one large box to sort when we got home.

After Thanksgiving dinner, Mom and I ooh'd and ahh'd over the new ornaments and divided the gifts from decorations we plan to keep.

What did you get at the store? my daughter asked her grandfather.

Its made of long, narrow white paper with numbers on it, he said.
NORMAL  Residents in Central Illinois now have local access to medical marijuana.

"Our Normal location is open now Tuesday to Sunday," said Trent Woloveck, vice president of national finance for the Denver, Colo.-based marijuana company, The Green Solution, which owns and operates the dispensary at 501 Northtown Road in Normal.

TGS Illinois Inc., a subsidiary of the Colorado company, received the only retail dispensary license in Illinois State Police District 6 that includes McLean, DeWitt and Livingston counties.

TGS, which also is opening a dispensary in St. Louis suburb of Sauget, sells marijuana products, including: flowers, a traditional plant version; edibles, which put marijuana into food such as candy and fruit; concentrates, which are intended to be mixed with food or drink; and topicals, including oils and creams.

Those items are all available at the Normal location that opened several weeks ago. It has has five employees, but could expand to around 60. It currently has 46 registered patients.

Tanya Griffin, former vice president of local expansion for TGS, said previously that a reasonable "shot in the dark" is that the Normal dispensary will have 500 patients within a year of opening.

TGS' Denver locations average more than 1,000 customers per day, she added.

The Normal dispensary was slated to open in April, but was repeatedly delayed. TGS bought the property, a former Curves weight loss facility, last fall and performed a large-scale renovation this spring and summer.

Illinois is slated to have medical marijuana through at least 2020 under a pilot program that started in 2013 under former Gov. Pat Quinn and was extended this summer under Gov. Bruce Rauner.
SPRINGFIELD  Responding to a looming shortage of registered nurses and growing demand from employers for nurses with four-year degrees, Illinois community colleges are pushing for the ability to award bachelors degrees in nursing.

However, the idea has been met with some opposition from the states public universities that say theyre willing to work collaboratively to address the issue, but dont think community colleges should be in the business of awarding bachelors degrees.

An Illinois Senate committee held a hearing on the proposal last week, but its sponsor, Sen. Andy Manar, D-Bunker Hill, said he doesnt intend to move forward until after the new General Assembly is seated in January.

The hearing was held to encourage conversation among community colleges and universities, Manar said, adding that he plans revise the bill, possibly limiting it to certain high-need areas.

This bill isnt about going after universities; this bill isnt about trying to inject controversy into the nursing community, he said. This bill is straight up about making sure that under served communities have health care."

A report last year from the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation found that nearly one-third of registered nurses 55 and older planned to retire within the next five years.

Under Illinois law, registered nurses can have either an associate degree or a bachelors degree. But nationally, a bachelors degree is the typical entry-level education required for a job as a registered nurse, according to the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Manar said communities across his district, which stretches from Decatur to the Metro East suburbs of St. Louis, are having trouble finding enough qualified nurses to fill positions at hospitals, nursing homes, doctors offices and other health care facilities.

Todays policies are leaving those communities behind, he said.

Supporters say the change would make it possible for students and working nurses to earn bachelors degrees while staying closer to home, saving both time and money.

Matt Berry, a spokesman for the Illinois Community College Board, said the council representing presidents of the states 48 community colleges have endorsed the idea. However, it would be up to individual schools to decide if its something theyre interested in doing, Berry said, adding that he expects six to 12 would pursue it.

We really look at this as an access issue and as an employer-driven proposal to meet workforce needs, he said.

Rob Widmer, president of Heartland Community College in Normal, said his school supports the proposed change statewide, but hasnt had in-depth discussions about creating a bachelors program.

Our graduates are very successful coming out of the (associate degree in nursing) program, said Widmer, noting that the school has close partnerships with Illinois State and Illinois Wesleyan universities for students who want to pursue a higher degree. Both universities have nursing schools.

Berry pointed to a report from the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation that showed 44 percent of qualified applicants werent admitted to Illinois bachelors degree programs in nursing in 2013 due to lack of capacity.

But John Charles, director of government and public affairs for Southern Illinois University, said four-year schools offer robust nursing programs with room to expand.

The programs are in existence, theyre up and running, and theyre successful, Charles said.

While the program has an on-campus component, Charles said, the university is willing to work with community colleges to bring those courses to students on their campuses rather than requiring them to come to Edwardsville.
BLOOMINGTON  An allergist, immunologist, researcher and philanthropist  who treated patients in Normal for years  was remembered Friday as a woman who improved lives on two continents.

Dr. Anjuli Seth Nayak  who operated Sneeze Wheeze & Itch Associates, a medical practice and clinical research center at 2010 Jacobssen Drive, Normal, until 2013  died Tuesday. She was 62.

Nayak died in Chicago, where she relocated from Bloomington several years ago to be closer to one of her adult children. Nayak, who had acute lymphoblastic leukemia, participated in investigational therapy through University of Chicago Medicine.

Nayak died of an infection as a complication of the leukemia, said Dr. Wendy Stock, professor of medicine and Anjuli Seth Nayak Professor in Leukemia at University of Chicago Medicine.

Stock, who became Nayak's primary care physician as she battled leukemia, was with Nayak the night she died.

"I will truly miss her," Stock said. "She was a very special person.

"But her spirit will be with me in my heart forever," Stock continued. "She inspired me to find treatments for leukemia and inspired me to be a better physician and person."

Dr. Dar Siri, who acquired the Normal-based medical practice and research center when leukemia forced Nayak to retire in 2013, called Nayak "a courageous leader in the field of allergy, immunology and pharmaceutical research.

"Through strength in her faith and persistence, she rose from humble beginnings (in India) to levels of personal and professional success that few can match," Siri said.

Nayak and her former husband, Dr. Nicholas Nayak, "made significant scientific, educational and financial contributions to improving the lives of others through medicine locally, nationally and internationally," Siri said. "Her legacy and spirit in these endeavors survive her."

The Nayaks helped to develop a hospital, orphanage and nursing school in India.

Nayak's involvement in clinical trials  as a researcher and patient  inspired her to donate $3.5 million to University of Chicago Medicine last year for an endowed professorship for leukemia research. Stock, an expert on acute and chronic leukemias, became the first Anjuli Seth Nayak Professor in Leukemia.

"Her generosity will carry on forever among people interested in finding a cure for leukemia," Stock said. "Her generosity extended to improving health and education locally at the University of Chicago and globally."

Funeral arrangements are pending.
KaiCell Moving Ahead with Feasibility Study for Pulp Mill in Paltamo, Finland Nov. 25, 2016 - KaiCell Fibers Ltd on Nov. 22 said that it will move ahead with a feasibility study and environmental impact assessment for the development of a biorefinery (pulp mill) in Paltamo, the Kainuu region of Finland. KaiCell noted that after an extensive study it selected the industrially proficient municipality of Paltamo due to rail and major roads connecting Paltamo to the Finnish west coast ports, and the airport in Kajaani being only thirty minutes away by car. The mill site covers 178 hectares. According to KaiCell, a modern pulp mill would add significant value to the Kainuu region's harvestable softwood resources by processing softwood into bio-products with broad international market appeal. As noted on KaiCell's website, We aim to maximize the value derived from the fiber wood, thus ensuring optimal use of this renewable and regenerating raw material. The company is committed to the principles of sustainable development, social impact awareness and environmental responsibility throughout all its activities. Kainuu's forests primarily yield softwood, with pine as the dominant species. Taking into account harvesting logistics and haulage distances, and combining wood and wood chips from local sawmills, a total sustainable volume of 2,5 million m3 per year is considered realistic, and enables the mill to operate at full capacity without the need for wood imports or long-distance sourcing, KaiCell said on its website. We want to find the right partners for our bio-industrial park and can offer them: Secure and direct supply of sulphate pulp produced from high strength northern Finnish softwood.

Surplus energy from the pulp mill.

Environmental systems (effluents, air emissions etc.).

Maintenance, administration and logistics synergies.

Favorable conditions and incentives for companies entering the partnership. KaiCell pointed out that the venture to build a biorefinery started at the initiative of Kainuun Liitto (The Regional Council of Kainuu) in response to concerns by forest owners and other bio-economy stakeholders that the region's sustainable annual growth in fiber wood was not being converted into economic benefits for the area. KaiCell Fibers was established in January of 2016 by the Regional Council of Kainuu and NC Capital Partners Ltd for the purpose of driving the Kainuu biorefinery project to realization. To learn more about KaiCell Fibers, visit: www.kaicellfibers.com. SOURCE: KaiCell Fibers Ltd
Education is the building block of society. A man knows nothing about his obligations and rights when there is no education. It is the duty of the government to provide quality education to children so that they can do well in their present and their future.

It is a matter of great concern that federal authorities control the education process in the United States. According to Market Oracle , schools in Maryland are not allowed to start classes before labor day due to the executive orders by Governor Larry Hogan.

Experts say that this delay in school opening will affect children studies. It is also worth noting that such examples depict the authority of central government over the educational system and how they have dominion over such matters. This extent of involvement of Federal officials in determining the meals, praying, curriculum designing and other matters invite debates and criticism.

Even though many politicians advocate freedom in choosing alternatives in education, both parties support the agenda that all decisions must come from Center, even when they don't agree on details. Apart from all these hindrances, experts suggest that parents should think out of the box and look for options such as charter schools, religious schools and homeschooling. They emphasize that parents should explore the curriculums they want their children to study.

In New Zealand, Stuff reports that schools have the scope and authority to design their own curriculum, approved by the Ministry of Education. Schools can decide what to include in the courses, keeping in mind what would enhance their knowledge, learning, skills and moral values.

Teachers can also research for ways and areas from where they could add material to the curriculum. Recently, the students and teachers have researched on climate change and its effects on education mediums and involving children in such studies will enhance their learning.

Do you think the U.S. federal government's involvement in education is too much? Please share your thoughts below.
Private schools are run on private funding and donations as there is no help from the government in their expenses. Public schools are under the authority of the government and run on government funding. But recently, it has been revealed that public schools are also asking for donations from parents.

According to New York Times, a letter was written by grandparents of a kindergarten student in which they express their worries over a serious matter. The letter says that parents organization ask parents to donate a handsome amount to the school, which violates the rules of free public education and asking for a thousand dollar donation is highly unethical.

Public schools are funded by the tax paid by the people, and they should treat all children equally as there is no discrimination in tax paying. The whole practice is damaging the image of public schools and fairness in providing quality education equally well to all students.

At the same time, even the best of public schools are far behind private schools and they need financial help to provide better facilities in schools, and since they have no other way, they can only ask parents to donate money.

The Washington Post reported a DC school chancellor who unknowingly violated rules by asking donations from a large food service. After the lawsuit, the chancellor admitted that the act was wrong and against the code of ethics.

The investigation is currently in process as there is evidence that Kaya Henderson, the former vice chancellor was in contact with the food system contractor of the school and solicited donations. There was a connection between the contractor and the Chancellor via emails which came to light recently. The emails showed different conversations in which there is information about what amount was donated and when it was donated.


The patient-centered health care in Chatham is proving effective. As President-elect Donald Trump shapes an agenda for the following four years, he has pledged to supplant former President Barack Obama's signature Affordable Care Act, which has become prohibitively exorbitant for many.

Trump already pointed out that his administration's goal is to make a patient-centered health care structure that focuses on promoting excellence and affordability according to an article on Savannah Morning News.

The mention of patient-focused health services offers a glimpse into something doctors, healing facilities and insurance agencies have now been taking a shot at and refining for a long while.

Blue Cross and Blue Shield (BSBC) of Georgia reported encouraging outcomes a month ago from primary care specialists in Savannah who have participated in the organization's value-based, patient-centered program throughout the previous three years.

On July 2013, BCBS of Georgia's Enhanced Personal Health Care begun and now covered more than 200,000 patients with more than 1,200 doctors coordinating.

How does it work?

Partaking practices which are mostly primary care workplaces, get direct care coordination payments monthly from the insurance agency to offset the cost of the extra work required to adopt a patient-focused care model and effectively manage care. They get data and insights too, which obtains from insurance agency information that helps them manage patient's health better as cited on Help Connection.

Those practices that succeed in sustaining or enhancing the quality of care and hit their cost-of-care targets earn rewards in the form of a share in the savings they deliver toward the end of a 12-month estimation period.

Resources intended to guarantee better patient care incorporate information that enables providers to target people with chronic conditions or gaps in care like medicines that haven't been filled or missed medical examinations and a system to flag members at risk for readmission to the healing center. Apparently, the plan benefits more than just practices and insurance agencies.

The results delivered by the program which was statewide in 2014 stated that participating primary care doctors offered a 2% higher rate of care for diabetic patients, including screening for kidney infections, monitoring blood sugars, helping to prevent amputation and other difficulties of living with diabetes; a 3.5% better rate of cervical and breast tumor screenings; and a 4.5% increase in patients taking their cholesterol, blood pressure and diabetes medications as recommended.

Locally, participating practices including South Coast Health, Memorial Health, University Physicians, St. Joseph's/Candler Medical Group, Pediatric Associates of Savannah and Family Health Care Center in Statesboro have shown promising changes and helped to enhance quality.

WHAT IT DOES

According to Angela Kaylor, "Healthcare is developing." "Everybody's looking at quality measures and information. And we are becoming more centered around keeping people healthy. Becoming more of a proactive and not reactive practice", she added.

She said, Memorial is working with various insurance agencies, although BCBS was the first to present a patient-centered care program. Its goal is to lessen costs while enhancing quality, patient outcomes, and satisfaction.

She also stated that when people are healthier, their health care expenses will lessen. Dr. Ben Spitalnick, a Savannah pediatrician, concurred.

IMPROVING COMMUNICATIONS

Dr. Thad Riley possesses Family Health Care Center in Statesboro.

According to him, they requested to get involved in the program as soon as possible. The software that distinguishes what we call "hot spotters" amazes him. It helps them to see who are setting off to the emergency room when perhaps they could have kept them out of the ER. Or, if they go into the doctor's facility, it lets them know when they released so they can set a follow-up visit and keep them from going back.

Riley's practice also has adopted another program that is centering in on the primary markers of chronic disease management, collaborating and sharing information technology to enhance care, avoid duplication of services and decrease costs.

A therapeutic office or facility where a group of health professionals work together and cooperate to give a new, expanded type of care to patients is a "medicinal home," according to the National Committee for Quality Assurance.

ST. JOSEPH'S/ CANDLER ON BOARD

It's an idea that St. Josephs/Candler Medical Group has to adopt, with its Eisenhower practice obtaining NCQA Patient-Centered Medical Home acknowledgment for using "evidence-based, patient-focused processes that concentrate on highly coordinated care and longterm, participating connections."

Research shows that medical homes can prompt to higher quality and lower costs and can enhance patient and provider reported an experience of care according to Katie Gingrich, quality chief for St. Joseph's/Candler Medical Group.

"We use electronic medical records to ease your care so that you don't have to repeat a similar data with every health care provider. The goal is to make sure that everybody agrees about your care," Gingrich said.

St. Joseph's/Candler also partakes in the BCBS Enhanced Personal Health Care program. It was the Blue Cross Blue Shield that was one of the first commercial payers to move toward quality-based care tailored to the patient's medical needs according to her.

"BCBS remains by far the most in-depth program," fresh added.

STAYING INDEPENDENT

Riley said independent doctors need the resources the insurance agencies offer.

"It's impossible for a group of independent doctors to keep up all of this on their own. Programs like Blue Cross are critical in helping independent doctors stay independent. That's a part of health care we would prefer not to lose", he stated.


Barron Trump is recently in the headlines as speculations emerged that the President, Donald Trump's son, Barron Trump is diagnosed with autism. One of the well-loved Hollywood celebrities, Rosie O'Donnell was caught under fire after her fans slammed her for promoting Barron Trump's autism rumor.

Donald Trump's 10-yearold first made the headlines after he almost fell asleep during one of his father's speeches. It was then reported that Barron Trump is diagnosed with autism, which turned out to be rumors. To add fuel to the fire in regards to his autism speculations, it was mentioned that TV personality Rosie O'Donnell keeps promoting Barron Trumps autism rumors.

Part of what Rosie O'Donnell stated that sparked outrage was the way she taunted Barron Trump, which should not have been a huge deal. Rosie O'Donnell's remarks should not have been a big deal, but it throws shade to Barron's autism rumors, which upset most of her fans according to Fox News.

"Barron Trump Autistic? If so, what an amazing opportunity to bring attention to the autism epidemic," Rosie O'Donnell stated during her speech.

In defense of her actions, Rosie O'Donell highlighted that she was just raising awareness as the autism epidemic continually spread, and thousands of children are still left undiagnosed. Rosie O'Donnell's autism awareness turned out to be negative as if received negative backlash from the entire autism community.

Rosie O'Donnell have been making rounds in the headlines almost every year. The TV personality was also slammed after exposing her daughter's mental health struggles. Her remarks regarding 19-year-old daughter's autism started when Chelsea O'Donnell ran away and refused to go back to her mother. In response to her mother's mental health claims, however, Chelsea O'Donnell posted a tweet where she highlighted that the reason that she ran away was due to neglect.

President-elect Donald Trump remained mum on his son's condition up to this date. As a parent, what would be your response in regards to Barron Trump's autism speculation?
Students in Asia, Africa, and the middle east are asked about the choice of the universities for their higher studies, the names that come out are often Harvard, Stanford, Notre Dam, etc. US universities have a reputation for providing best higher education.

After Donald Trump's win, lots of discussions has been going over the impacts of the President-elect's policies on education department. According to Brain Buxa, a senior official at the general consulate, counselor chief Charles Louama stated that United States universities are still welcoming students from abroad to study a variety of subjects.

The counsellor when asked about recent statements of Trump, regarding immigrants and whether it could affect the number of foreign students coming for higher studies in the US, replied that there's nothing like that, Universities are looking forward to students who are planning to study in the US, and there are great choices and options for them.

The recent stats have shown an increase in the number of international students who came for higher studies in the US. Almost five percent of total students in the US are foreigners.

However there's another side to the story as well, the data collected by the international institution of Education (IIE) tells that Indians have the record amount of students in the U.S for higher studies this year. Your Story says that Trump coming into power could be a matter of concern for foreign mainly Indian students. India is the second biggest contributor of students for higher studies in the U.S and in this way a huge contributor to the economy of America.

Although some of the college consultation firms assure that there would be no change in policies regarding education for international students, there are others who think that the shocking results of the elections show that Trump's support is real and there is a high risk of a change in the current system.


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This week the House of Lords passed the Investigatory Powers Bill, putting huge spying powers on their way to becoming law within weeks. The bill  which forces internet companies to keep records on their users for up to a year, and allows the Government to force companies to hack into or break things they've sold so they can be spied on  has been fought against by privacy campaigners and technology companies including Apple and Twitter.

But the Government has worked to continue to pass the bill, despite objections from Apple and other tech companies that the legislation is not possible to enforce and would make customers unsafe. The House of Lords's agreement to the text now means that it just awaits Royal Assent, at which point it will become law.

To be clear, the new law forces internet companies to keep a full browsing history of all of their users and give it up to a huge range of government agencies if they are asked. It also gives spies unprecedented powers to read people's messages, as well as forcing technology companies like Apple to hack into their own phones if they are asked.

A follow up report by the UK's Independent stated that "The Investigatory Powers Bill was just passed through the House of Lords and so is now just weeks away from becoming law. But signatories to a new petition hope that process can be stopped, forcing lawmakers to keep the new powers from being published.

At the time of publication, the petition fighting this legislation that is likely to become law in the next few weeks has been signed by 45,000 people. They require 100,000 signatures for parliament to consider debating it once again."

Yet if the likes of Apple and other heavy weights couldn't stop the bill, then trying to force another debate via a petition may delay the bill a day but is unlikely to yield a victory in stopping it.

In February Apple's CEO Tim Cook told ABC's 'World News Tonight' anchor David Muir that what the U.S. government was asking of the tech giant -- to essentially create software enabling the FBI to unlock an iPhone used by one of the San Bernardino, California, shooters -- amounted to the 'software equivalent of cancer.'"

Later in that interview, Muir asked Cook, "And if Congress decided that there's this small category, this was a terrorist's iPhone, if Congress decided that, the American people signed off on that, you'd entertain it? Cook: "Let me clear. At the end of the day, we have to follow the law. Just like everybody else. So we have to follow the law."

Cook's words will now be used against him when the UK's new law is given its final approval. Governments around the world will be watching this closely because of the hard stance that Apple has taken on this issue. Apple even rehired Jon Callas to strengthen their iOS operating system encryption. Will Apple's CEO now "follow the law" if called upon to do so or will he say that his answer only applied to U.S. law?

At the moment it appears that while the U.K. will be first to test the law and force Apple to comply by unlocking iPhones, this trend of governments forcing the issue with tech companies and Apple is likely to continue next June when a new securiy based law by the Chinese goes into effect. Patently Apple covered this in a report titled "Chinese Cyber Security Law goes into Effect in June 2017 that may Require Apple to surrender iOS Source Code." We followed up with a secondary report days later titled "China Warns Tech Companies at World Internet Conference in China that "Nothing outweighs National Security"

Other governments such as Germany and France are sounding security bells as well. We covered one such story back in October titlled "Tech Companies like Apple are unlikely to Assist Europe's Call for Decryption Tools in War on Islamic Terrorism, for now."

In the end, Apple's determination to fight governments around the world from enforcing them to unlock iPhones could come to a grinding halt and reversal when the UK's security bill becomes law before the end of the year. And if the U.K. forces this issue with Apple, then China is likely to be next when their laws go into Action by June 2017. At that point, the house of cards on this issue is bound to collapse.



Will Apple "abide by the law" as Cook once stated or will he reverse his statement and go to war costing the company tens of millions if not more to fight a war they can't win. There's no doubt that that die-hard Apple and tech loyalists in general will call on Apple to go down in flames fighting the good fight for privacy. So the question becomes  will Apple's CEO be a pragmatist on this issue or will he try to play the hero card? I'm hoping for the former while most, I'm sure, will be hoping for the latter.

Where do you stand?

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In which brave and courageous, godlike heroes clash with savage, murderous barbarians. Of course Salon, being slightly to the Left of center, simply takes the old stereotypes and flips the nameplates around.

First, note the Myth of myths in the article: The idea that kids in America today would not be aware of the hardships and atrocities visited upon the Native American population when it is overwhelmingly focused on in our schools, on the news, on PBS, on educational TV, in popular culture and in almost every publication out there. That is like imagining a kid growing up in the 1950s who never heard of Communism. But again, the Myth of Myths  fear it. Its always a sign of movements with ulterior motives.

As Ive said before, my appreciation and celebration of American heritage along with American Indian heritage is courtesy of my wife. She is proudly part Indian, and part descended from Jenny Wiley, a woman whose family was slaughtered by Indians before she herself was enslaved. Eventually Jenny escaped and was able to convey her tale, which was later corroborated. Thus my wife is dutifully proud of her American Indian heritage, but also her European American heritage. And likewise, she tends not to idolize either tradition or ancestry. Which is a good thing, and would be nice if we could get back to a time when we actually understood the history better than today. Something that, apparently, outlets like Salon would rather lose an arm than see happen.

The fact is, there were no Native Americans when the first Europeans arrived in the New World. They werent even there when the Vikings came. There existed a vaguely similar culture across the lands in a way similar to Europe, with radically different people with different customs and cultures joined together only by a few common traits. Most who lived along the East coast by the 15th Century were themselves immigrants or invaders. Its not as if the first migrants crossed the Bering Straight and shot straight for the East Coast, set up shop, and remained in place for the next 10,000 years. Those who were there as Columbus, and later other European explorers and settlers, came to the shores either had conquered or displaced others, or were descended from their ancestors who did the same.

And as those strange looking explorers from an unknown land came to settle in this new world, the local inhabitants reacted in a variety of ways. Some lashed out with immediate violence, others sought friendship. More common was the tendency for the inhabitants to seek some form of truce with these new immigrants in the hopes of solidifying help against other, hostile Indian tribes.

Though the disease that cost most of the Indian lives is pretty much settled history, the exact extent and cause is still open for debate. Particularity tricky is the possibility that explorers from Asia, specifically China, may have come to the New World via the Pacific Ocean. Knowing that a great many diseases common in Europe were also known in Asia, the question then remains if we will see such a devastation of native populations in the West, and if not, why werent those native populations in the West devastated the way they were in the East? So while much is known, more is assumed, and there is also much that we dont know yet  if well ever know.

Of course while all of this was happening in the good old soon-to-be-American lands, in Europe, Ottoman forces were preparing to make their second big attempt to conquer Europe by way of Vienna and subsequently smash into that coveted European continent. It had already tried once, only to be stopped at the Battle of Lepanto. It would be stopped again outside the gates of Vienna. But while those immigrants were traveling to the new world for divers reasons, most in Europe had no way of knowing how long Europe would last. It wasnt the first time Europe faced invasion in its history. The Mongols, the Vikings, the Magyars, and by different ways and from different places, the Muslims. The Christian Visigothic kingdom of Spain had been conquered ages past, and only recently had been retaken. Sicily was a cosmopolitan mix of Christian and Islamic influences due to Muslim attempts to strike at Europes soft underbelly mixing with Normans from the north. And while invaders had been stopped in most cases, or assimilated in a few others, most Europeans had no way of knowing how the Ottoman menace would eventually turn out. The Islamic world had, after all, successfully conquered Byzantium, signalling the death knell of Christendom and subjecting much of southeastern Europe to centuries of second class citizenship at best.

This isnt anything new of course. Though Im shocked at how few Americans know this part of history (being far more versed in Americas subsequent treatment of American Indians and slave trade). Im stunned at how few Americans know of the Islamic worlds vibrant and extensive African slave trade. And of course, if we want to be snarky and say Thanksgiving is all about Europeans conquering the Native Americans, perhaps we should remember the reason the age of exploration happened in the first place was because the Islamic world had destroyed the Byzantine world, sacked and conquered Constantinople (modern Istanbul), and threatened Europes trade links to Asia. Perhaps we should emphasize 1453 as the beginning of the American Indians woes.

And it wasnt just Europe and the Islamic world and the various wars over land and territory going on in the pre-Columbian Americas. In India, one of many invading forces, in this case the Mughal Empire, was brutally subjecting the Indian subcontinent to its will. Other kingdoms would rise and conquer that region, often using similar brutal tactics, until eventually the British would come in and set India under its domination. While Spain and Portugal were busy in South America, the First Burmese Wars had happened, as the Qing Dynasty was preparing to topple the Ming and use whatever tactics to solidify control in China. In Africa, various empires continue to vie for control, attacking neighbors and enslaving losers. By Plymouth colonys founding, the Songhai Kingdom, one of Africas greatest and most aggressively expansive empires, had crumbled after a brief, but meteoric, rise to power.

The point being that progressives, through Multi-Cultural education with a sprinkling of Political Correctness, have established a historical narrative where the world is casually seen as a pretty happy place with awesome cultures and wonderful people in beautiful civilizations pretty much making love, having occasional squabbles, and singing John Lennon songs. Suddenly BAM! In come those brutal, murderous, racist, imperialist European Christians, butchering and slaughtering their way through the hapless hordes of peace loving flower children throughout the world. All was happy and peace and equality and LGBT rights and equality for women, until the dark ages of the Christian West from which modern liberalism is hellbent on delivering the world.

The fact is, the Europeans of that age were aggressive and violent, using the ideals and technological breakthroughs that began apace during the Reconnaissance in order to finally break away from a defensive posture and take their colonial designs into other parts of the world. The main goal was to gain a foothold against other European powers, using lands gained as economic and political leverage. The world they invaded and conquered was every bit as violent and aggressive as they were, the Europeans merely had bigger guns. In some cases, centuries of plague and sickness had rendered Europeans immune to illnesses that other people had never encountered, but suddenly were forced to encounter all at once. But slavery, war, conquest? These were as common to the world of the pilgrims at Plymouth as dirt and sky. In fact, what is really shocking  and seldom at all focused on any more, though it was emphasized when I was a kiddo  was that in this world of violence, conquest, slavery and extermination, the Plymouth colony actually forged a peace treaty with the Wampanoag that lasted almost 50 years. Not a bad record for those days. Or any days for that matter. Ah, what could have been. I wonder why that isnt the focus of so many Native Americans and Progressives nowadays.

Nonetheless, this was, like all periods in history, a complex and vast story with many elements worth studying. A team of experts dedicated to only studying the 1620s could spend a hundred years and still come away with questions unanswered. Thats the way history is. Usually we have a dozen or so pieces of a thousand piece puzzle and we do our best to figure out the picture. Which is why history is more of an art than a science, no matter what Marx believed. And its that artistic side that allows so much room for agendas, biases, prejudices, politics, ideologies, axes to grind, and any one of a thousand other factors to influence how we read that handful of puzzle pieces.

So hopefully we had a happy Thanksgiving, celebrated a rare occasion in history where two radically different people came together, and actually formed a temporary bond. Sure, we can invoke collective guilt and blame the Pilgrims for what later people with the same skin color and religion did, but I thought the idea of collective guilt went out in the mid-20th century. Because collective guilt is no longer vogue, Ill go with focusing on what could have been, celebrating that moment of friendship and alliance, and remembering the courage and kindness that this holiday should inspire  if we are as smart as we love to imagine. Assuming, of course, that courage and kindness are the traits were hoping to inspire in a new generation in the first place.
Saturday Link Love is a new feature where I collect and post links to various articles Ive come upon over the past week. Feel free to share any interesting articles youve come along as well! The more the merrier.

How Fake News Goes Viral: A Case Study, in New York TimesEric Tucker, a 35-year-old co-founder of a marketing company in Austin, Tex., had just about 40 Twitter followers.

Please, I Am Out of Options: Inside the Murky World of DIY Abortions, on the GuardianMartina read through her email once again and hovered her finger over the send button.

And Then There Were Nones: How Millennials Flight from Religion Is Transforming American Politics, on LongformJust over thirty years after Falwell gave his speech, the United States is becoming more secular rather than more religious.

Historian Finds German Decree Banning Trumps Grandfather, on the GuardianA historian has discovered a royal decree issued to Donald Trumps grandfather ordering him to leave Germany and never come back.

What If Trump Wanted More Illegal Immigration? Wait, Hes On It!, on BloombergThe president-elect we have, whether he knows it or not, already has figured out how to maximize the number of illegal Mexican immigrants.

I have a Patreon! Please support my writing!


Mary Edwards Walker was born in Oswego, New York, on this day in 1832.

She was the youngest child of free-thinking Christians, raised to think critically, and to challenge gender roles. She attended the Syracuse Medical College (now the SUNY Upstate Medical University), the only woman in her class, in 1855.

She was briefly married to another physician, but divorced due to his infidelity.

Dr Walker attracted attention for her eccentric dress for the day, wearing mens trousers under dresses. Later she simply wore mens clothing.

When the Civil War began she was only allowed to work as a nurse, later as a volunteer surgeon, and finally as a contract acting assistant surgeon (civilian). This made her the first woman to be employed by the Army as a surgeon. Absolutely fearless, she would cross the lines to bring medical attention to the wounded. In 1864, in such a situation and shortly after assisting a Confederate surgeon in an operation was arrested and charged as a Union spy. Four months later she was exchanged for a Confederate surgeon.

After the war General William Tecumseh Sherman and others nominated her for the Medal of Honor. She was awarded it in 1865, to this date the only woman so honored.

The citation read: Whereas it appears from official reports that Dr. Mary E. Walker, a graduate of medicine, has rendered valuable service to the Government, and her efforts have been earnest and untiring in a variety of ways, and that she was assigned to duty and served as an assistant surgeon in charge of female prisoners at Louisville, Ky., upon the recommendation of Major-Generals Sherman and Thomas, and faithfully served as contract surgeon in the service of the United States, and has devoted herself with much patriotic zeal to the sick and wounded soldiers, both in the field and hospitals, to the detriment of her own health, and has also endured hardships as a prisoner of war four months in a Southern prison while acting as contract surgeon; and Whereas by reason of her not being a commissioned officer in the military service, a brevet or honorary rank cannot, under existing laws, be conferred upon her; and Whereas in the opinion of the President an honorable recognition of her services and sufferings should be made. It is ordered, That a testimonial thereof shall be hereby made and given to the said Dr. Mary E. Walker, and that the usual medal of honor for meritorious services be given her.

In later years Dr Walker had various occupations, and wrote two books. She attempted to vote 1871, but was refused. She died in 1919 one year before women won the right to vote.

Someone to remember.

And celebrate
Before Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or YouTube made their entry in the media market, the PatnaDaily had already registered its presence in...
Patna: Nearly a year after being appointed the Chancellor of the Nalanda International University, former Singapore leader Georgo Yeo resigned from his post on Friday citing complete lack of autonomy in the university.

Blaming the Center for interfering in the functioning of the university, Yeo said that with this kind of extreme control, the university will have hard time earning the image of an international place of higher learning.

Yeo is apparently peeved at President Pranab Mukherjee's move to overrule the governing body's decision to keep Vice Chancellor Gopa Sabharwal for one more year or until her successor was found after her term expired yesterday. The President's decision to dissolve the governing body of the Nalanda International University also contributed in Yeo's resignation, sources said.

The former Singapore minister was appointed Chancellor of the Nalanda University on May 30, 2015. He succeeded Nobel Prize winner Dr. Amartya Sen who did not seek a second term due to dispute with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Yeo complained about the President of India not informing the governing board of his decision to dissolve it or its decision to not extend the tenure of Sabharwal as the Vice Chancellor of the university until her replacement was found.

"When I was invited to take over the Chancellor's place, I was assured that the government will not interfere in the functioning of the university and it will have full autonomy in making decisions. However, that's not the way it has turned out to be," Yeo said in his letter.
Missing Spiritual Leader's Supporters Beaten by Plainclothes Intelligence Agents at Iran's Parliament

11/26/16

Source: International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran

Approximately 50 followers of imprisoned spiritual leader Mohammad Ali Taheri-who has been missing for more than a month-were beaten by plainclothes members of Iran's intelligence forces and then arrested by the police in front of Parliament on November 21, 2016, according to eyewitnesses.



A recent protest by Mohammad

Ali Taheri followers in front of Evin prison in Tehran



Hundreds of Taheri's followers had gathered in front of the Parliament building in Tehran to deliver letters about his case to lawmakers, but were violently attacked by plainclothes agents, according to an eyewitness who asked not to be identified.

"Around 2 pm I and about 300 other students of Taheri gathered in front of Parliament to protest his unjust incarceration," a source told the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran. "Previously, we had gone to the Supreme Leader's office, but they took our letter and threw it in the trash bin right in front of our eyes and told us to get lost."

The eyewitness continued, "Our objective in gathering in front of Parliament was only to deliver letters seeking answers about our teacher's unjust situation. Each of us had a copy of the same letter in our hand. First we were told to stand in line to hand out the letters one by one, but suddenly plainclothes agents attacked us. They started to beat the men, and when the women came to help, the agents beat them, too."

"There were policemen there too, but they did not participate in the attack. It was only the plainclothes agents who brutally attacked us and shouted foul language. There were also individuals who were constantly taking pictures of us."

Mohammad Ranjbar told the Campaign that his wife was among the people who were arrested: "On Wednesday morning, November 23, my wife [Firouzeh Yaghoubi] contacted me from Gharchak Prison in Varamin (city). She said that on November 21 she and about 50 others were [rounded up in front of Parliament] and first taken to Vozara Detention Center in Tehran and then to Evin Prison the next day. Ten of them were freed the same day after signing a commitment not to participate in future rallies, but the rest were transferred to Gharchak and Fashafouyeh Prisons-the women were sent to Gharchak and the men to Fashafouyeh."

Ranjbar added that he hoped his wife could go free on November 27 because they had posted the bail, which was set at 50 million tomans ($15,600 USD).





Mohammad Ali Taheri





For more than a month, the location of Taheri, the leader of the banned Erfan-e Halgheh spiritual group, has been concealed by the authorities. He fell into a coma after three weeks on hunger strike and was taken from Evin Prison to Baghiatollah Hospital on October 18, 2016, but his family and lawyer have not been able to visit him in the hospital or the prison.

Taheri, who completed his five-year prison sentence for "insulting the sacred," "immoral contact with women," and "carrying out illegal medical procedures" in February 2016, had gone on hunger strike on September 19 to protest his continued incarceration.

Iran's security establishment has come down hard on Taheri and supporters of Erfan-e Halgheh, viewing it and any other alternative belief system, especially those seeking converts, as a threat to the prevailing Shia order.
Deputy NSC Advisor Pick McFarland: Treat Middle Easterners Like Kids

11/26/16

By Derek Davison (source: LobeLog)

On Friday, Donald Trump's transition team announced that Fox News national security analyst Kathleen Troia McFarland will serve as his Deputy National Security Advisor, working under National Security Advisor-designate Michael Flynn. McFarland previously served on Gerald Ford's National Security Council and as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs in the Reagan administration, from 1982 to 1985.

NBC News predicted that McFarland's appointment "will likely be far less controversial" than that of her new boss, Flynn, which is a fair assessment. It's not every administration, after all, that appoints a National Security Advisor who says that Islam is "like a cancer," who argues that "fear of Muslims is rational," and who has taken money from foreign governments in the very recent past. Neither should McFarland's appointment raise as many eyebrows as notorious Islamophobe Clare Lopez's would have. Lopez had been considered a front-runner for the position McFarland has now taken.

But McFarland's appointment does seem to confirm that the Trump administration's foreign policy will be shaped by people who fundamentally believe that there is something inferior about the people of the Middle East, and that the United States must pursue confrontation as its primary response to Middle Eastern nations. McFarland may not be as incendiary in her views as Flynn, but consider the "one essential truth of the Middle East" that she claimed to offer readers of her blog back in 2014:

Why? Because we failed to realize one essential truth of the Middle East - that the nations in that part of the world aren't just like us. We in the West think of peace as society's default position. War is a temporary state of affairs that happens when peace fails. For us, war is something that has a beginning, a middle, and an end. When it is over, win or lose, the warring factions lay down their arms, and resume their normal lives. In the modern Middle East, war and peace are seen through a different lens. War is the default position, the normal state of affairs. Peace is what happens between wars; it is the temporary pause where defeated factions fade into the woodwork to lie low, regroup, and plan their next assault.

If it's true that "war is the default position" in the Middle East, then it is only because 36 years of American foreign policy have made it so. From supporting Saddam Hussein's aggressive war against Iran, to going to war to retaliate against Saddam Hussein's aggressive invasion of Kuwait, to imposing a decade's worth of destructive sanctions and airstrikes on Iraq throughout the 1990s, to finally invading Iraq and deposing Hussein under the flimsiest of pretenses during the Bush administration, the United States has done just about everything it could to destabilize, militarize, and cannibalize the Middle East. To say that these past four decades of more or less nonstop conflict have been caused by some violent tendency that is innate to the people of the region is no less wrong, and no less offensive, than saying that it's rational to fear Muslims.

McFarland's views on the Middle East and its people are further elucidated in this 2015 Fox News essay on the Iran nuclear deal, in which she describes the nation of Iran and the Iranian people as though they were America's delinquent kindergarten-aged children who need to be strictly parented:

After watching the twists and turns of negotiations with Iran over the last year, I'm convinced that a savvy mom could negotiate a better deal than our experienced diplomats. Why? Because our diplomats seem lacking in good, old-fashioned common sense, which parents need in abundance to survive. I've studied nuclear weapons at MIT, philosophy at Oxford and politics at George Washington University, but some of the most important lessons I ever learned were as a mother enrolled in the school of life. Because learning about weapons' throw-weights, epistemology or Chinese characters is nothing compared to learning some good old-fashioned common sense. So while the diplomats in Vienna debate enrichment cycles and sanctions relief, they might spend some time sussing out the people they're dealing with - on both sides of the table. No diplomat can be a good negotiator without the basic skill set most parents learn while navigating the kids through childhood and puberty. In the end, countries are just an aggregate of their leaders and people. They're motivated by some of the same incentives and disincentives as your typical 6-year-old.

What are these lessons McFarland wants to apply to complex international diplomacy from her experiences as a mother?

Don't let your kids eat dessert before dinner. That's what Secretary Kerry is doing. Iran's supreme leader insists we lift all sanctions upon signing, including unfreezing over $100 billion in assets, and Iran will get around to inspections and changes to their nuclear program over time. If they get everything they want up front, what is the incentive for them to carry out their end of the bargain down the road? You DO want to see what's in that backpack, especially if your kid's been caught smoking pot in the past. You want to have surprise inspections of his room. Of course your kid will argue with you, with all the standard techniques, like "Heh, Mom, don't you trust me?" And then, as a negotiating tactic, he will concede a small thing, but not the big thing, like, "OK, Mom, give me an hour and then you can inspect my room. But my backpack is off limits." No way a savvy Mom falls for that!

Yet, according to press reports, that is exactly what Secretary Kerry is considering! Iran's supreme leader has rejected the idea of anytime/anyplace inspections and flatly rejects the idea of inspectors coming onto military installations. Iran's Parliament voted to ban inspectors from military sites, documents and scientists while some legislators chanted "Death to America." Really? What is the most logical place for Iran to conduct nuclear weapons research? On their military bases, of course! Any agreement that doesn't allow for anytime/anyplace inspections isn't worth the paper it's written on. As Ronald Reagan said, "Trust but Verify."

Leaving aside McFarland's fear-mongering about how the nuclear deal treats military sites, a point that actual arms control experts have repeatedly debunked, the broader issue is this: in conducting international negotiations, the United States can't treat other countries as though they were its wayward children. The reason for this is pretty simple: they aren't America's wayward children. Washington doesn't get to send Ayatollah Khamenei to bed without dessert; it doesn't get to take away his iPad and ground him for the weekend; and the only way it will get to check his "backpack" is by negotiating access to it in a way that no parent ever would (unless they're prepared to muster a force of several hundred thousand soldiers to invade their child's bedroom). If you want to strike a deal that curtails any Iranian ambitions for a nuclear weapon and gets the U.S. and Iran off of the road to a military confrontation, then that deal can't be made entirely on America's terms. Iran has to get something, too.

The kind of thinking that treats Iranians, or America's other potential geopolitical foes, as children is insipid and belittling on its face, but it's also incredibly dangerous when given a high-ranking voice within a U.S. presidential administration. What foreign leaders would possibly be willing to engage in tough negotiations with the Trump administration if its top officials approach them as defective inferiors? More ominously, if the Trump foreign policy team views Middle Easterners as juvenile delinquents whose brains are somehow broken, according to enlightened Western standards, how concerned can we expect Trump will be about minimizing civilian casualties when he inevitably orders some kind of strike against a Middle Eastern target? Trump's approach to foreign policy, as nebulous as it still is, looks more frightening by the day.

About the Author:



Derek Davison is a Washington-based researcher and writer on international affairs and American politics. He has Master's degrees in Middle East Studies from the University of Chicago, where he specialized in Iranian history and policy, and in Public Policy and Management from Carnegie Mellon University, where he studied American foreign policy and Russian/Cold War history. He previously worked in the Persian Gulf for The RAND Corporation.


135 year old registered as oldest man in Iran

11/26/16

Report by Press TV; photos by kurdtoday.ir





Ahmad Soufi





An ongoing national census in Iran has registered a 135 year old as the oldest Iranian man and the second oldest one in the world.



'Ahmad Soufi' who lives in the western city of 'Saqqez', Kordestan province, was born in February 1882.









His family describes him as kind, friendly and a helpful man. He is healthy and has no signs of any illnesses. He has no children but has 4 stepchildren.



Earlier, census takers had announced that a 130 year old man in the city of 'Kamyaran' was the oldest Iranian man.






Gerda Henkel Foundation allocates 650K Euros to museum studies in Iran

11/26/16

Source: Tehran Times

TEHRAN - The non-profit Germany-based Gerda Henkel Foundation has allocated 650,000 Euros to support research projects by the National Museum of Iran and a museum which is planned to be built in the city of Yazd by 2019.





Yazd skyline in detail (undated photo)

The city located in central Iran boasts a very rich cultural heritage and traditional architecture.



It is part of the 5 million Euro fund which Gerda Henkel aims to channel into historical and archaeological missions in several countries, including Russia and Uganda, the Mehr news agency reported on Saturday.



The foundation has described Yazd as a city of rich history whose water supply system [qanat] is on the UNESCO World Heritage site, meanwhile it accentuates the city's material and immaterial heritage is hardly explored.



"Historically significant buildings of the 15th century characterize the cityscape of Yazd," it highlighted.



The foundation also plans to support the National Museum of Iran, whose collections are the most valuable cultural heritage of the Islamic Republic.



The Gerda Henkel in close collaboration with Iran's Culture Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts Organization will study part of the 15,000 objects of the museum treasure trove and its database as a pilot project.



Founded in 1976, the Gerda Henkel Foundation concentrates its support on the historical humanities, mainly on history, archaeology, the history of art and other disciplines with a historical component.


Death toll in train collision in Semnan, Iran reaches 44

11/26/16

Source: Tehran Times

At least 44 died and 100 got wounded after two passenger trains collided in Iran's north-central province of Semnan (see photos).





Source: 7 Sobh daily

(see more photos)





So far, 80 of the injured have been transferred to nearby hospitals and 20 got outpatient care, IRNA quoted Mostafa Mortazavi, an official with Iran's Red Crescent Society as saying.



The accident happened when a passenger train in motion crashed to another one that had stopped at the station.



The two trains collided early Friday in Haft-Khan station in the city of Shahroud, about 400 kilometers east of Tehran. Four carriages derailed and two caught fire.



The rescue teams were soon dispatched to the crash site but subzero temperature has made it difficult for rescue forces and firefighters to get to the scene timely, but eventually the firefighters succeeded in putting out the blaze, Ali Yahyaei, a provincial rescue and relief official said.



Additionally, Yahyaei pointed, the Red Crescent helicopters have arrived at the crash site, offering rescue services.



The bodies are completely burnt and are hard to identify and the number of fatalities and casualties are expected to rise, he added.



On the cause of the accident, the Semnan governor general, Mohammad-Reza Khabbaz, explained that one of the trains was forced to stop four and a half kilometers to the station due to technical failures most probably caused by cold weather when the other train crashed into it.







Source: Hamshahri daily



Rouhani urges investigation by responsible bodies

President Hassan Rouhani has urged all the responsible bodies, especially the transport ministry, to investigate the incident, announce reasons behind it, and name the probable guilty persons, IRNA reported.



He also called for taking all the necessary measures to prevent from such heartbreaking incidents happening.
Former President Fidel Castro, who led a rebel army to improbable victory in Cuba, embraced Soviet-style communism and defied the power of 10 U.S. presidents during his half century rule, has died at age 90.

With a shaking voice, his younger brother, Raul Castro, announced on state television that his brother died at 10:29 p.m. on Friday night.

Castros reign over the island-nation 90 miles from Florida was marked by the U.S.-backed Bay of Pigs invasion in 1961 and the Cuban Missile Crisis a year later that brought the world to the brink of nuclear war. The bearded revolutionary, who survived a crippling U.S. trade embargo as well as dozens, possibly hundreds, of assassination plots, died eight years after ill health forced him to formally hand power over to Raul.

Photos: World reacts to death of former Cuban President Fidel Castro

Castro overcame imprisonment at the hands of dictator Fulgencio Batista, exile in Mexico and a disastrous start to his rebellion before triumphantly riding into Havana in January 1959 to become, at age 32, the youngest leader in Latin America. For decades, he served as an inspiration and source of support to revolutionaries from Latin America to Africa.

His commitment to socialism was unwavering, though his power finally began to fade in mid-2006 when a gastrointestinal ailment forced him to hand over the presidency to Raul in 2008, provisionally at first and then permanently. His defiant image lingered long after he gave up his trademark Cohiba cigars for health reasons and his tall frame grew stooped.

Socialism or death remained Castros rallying cry even as Western-style democracy swept the globe and other communist regimes in China and Vietnam embraced capitalism, leaving this island of 11 million people an economically crippled Marxist curiosity.

Related: Riverside police chief hopes for greater human rights

He survived long enough to see Raul Castro negotiate an opening with U.S. President Barack Obama on Dec. 17, 2014, when Washington and Havana announced they would move to restore diplomatic ties for the first time since they were severed in 1961. He cautiously blessed the historic deal with his lifelong enemy in a letter published after a month-long silence.

Its a tragedy, said Dayan Montalvo, a 22-year-old nurse. We all grew up with him. I feel really hurt by the news that we just heard.

Fidel Castro Ruz was born Aug. 13, 1926, in eastern Cubas sugar country, where his Spanish immigrant father worked first recruiting labor for U.S. sugar companies and later built up a prosperous plantation of his own.

Castro attended Jesuit schools, then the University of Havana, where he received law and social science degrees. His life as a rebel began in 1953 with a reckless attack on the Moncada military barracks in the eastern city of Santiago. Most of his comrades were killed and Fidel and his brother Raul went to prison.

Fidel turned his trial defense into a manifesto that he smuggled out of jail, famously declaring, History will absolve me.

Freed under a pardon, Castro fled to Mexico and organized a rebel band that returned in 1956, sailing across the Gulf of Mexico to Cuba on a yacht named Granma. After losing most of his group in a bungled landing, he rallied support in Cubas eastern Sierra Maestra mountains.

Three years later, tens of thousands spilled into the streets of Havana to celebrate Batistas downfall and catch a glimpse of Castro as his rebel caravan arrived in the capital on Jan. 8, 1959.

The U.S. was among the first to formally recognize his government, cautiously trusting Castros early assurances he merely wanted to restore democracy, not install socialism.

Within months, Castro was imposing radical economic reforms. Members of the old government went before summary courts, and at least 582 were shot by firing squads over two years. Independent newspapers were closed and in the early years, homosexuals were herded into camps for re-education.

In 1964, Castro acknowledged holding 15,000 political prisoners. Hundreds of thousands of Cubans fled, including Castros daughter Alina Fernandez Revuelta and his younger sister Juana.

Still, the revolution thrilled millions in Cuba and across Latin America who saw it as an example of how the seemingly arrogant Yankees could be defied. And many on the island were happy to see the seizure of property of the landed class, the expulsion of American gangsters and the closure of their casinos.

Castros speeches, lasting up to six hours, became the soundtrack of Cuban life and his 269-minute speech to the U.N. General Assembly in 1960 set the world bodys record for length that still stood more than five decades later.

As Castro moved into the Soviet bloc, Washington began working to oust him, cutting U.S. purchases of sugar, the islands economic mainstay. Castro, in turn, confiscated $1 billion in U.S. assets.

The American government imposed a trade embargo, banning virtually all U.S. exports to the island except for food and medicine, and it severed diplomatic ties on Jan. 3, 1961.

On April 16 of that year, Castro declared his revolution to be socialist, and the next day, about 1,400 Cuban exiles stormed the beach at the Bay of Pigs on Cubas south coast. But the CIA-backed invasion failed.

The debacle forced the U.S. to give up on the idea of invading Cuba, but that didnt stop Washington and Castros exiled enemies from trying to do him in. By Cuban count, he was the target of more than 630 assassination plots by militant Cuban exiles or the U.S. government.

The biggest crisis of the Cold War between Washington and Moscow exploded on Oct. 22, 1962, when President John F. Kennedy announced there were Soviet nuclear missiles in Cuba and imposed a naval blockade of the island. Humankind held its breath, and after a tense week of diplomacy, Soviet leader Nikita Krushchev removed them. Never had the world felt so close to nuclear war.

Castro cobbled revolutionary groups together into the new Cuban Communist Party, with him as first secretary. Labor unions lost the right to strike. The Catholic Church and other religious institutions were harassed. Neighborhood revolutionary defense committees kept an eye on everyone.

Castro exported revolution to Latin American countries in the 1960s, and dispatched Cuban troops to Africa to fight Western-backed regimes in the 1970s. Over the decades, he sent Cuban doctors abroad to tend to the poor, and gave sanctuary to fugitive Black Panther leaders from the U.S.

But the collapse of the Soviet bloc ended billions in preferential trade and subsidies for Cuba, sending its economy into a tailspin. Castro briefly experimented with an opening to foreign capitalists and limited private enterprise.

As the end of the Cold War eased global tensions, many Latin American and European countries re-established relations with Cuba. In January 1998, Pope John Paul II visited a nation that had been officially atheist until the early 1990s.

Aided by a tourism boom, the economy slowly recovered and Castro steadily reasserted government control, stifling much of the limited free enterprise tolerated during harder times.

As flamboyant as he was in public, Castro tried to lead a discreet private life. He and his first wife, Mirta Diaz Balart, had one son before divorcing in 1956. Then, for more than four decades, Castro had a relationship with Dalia Soto del Valle. They had five sons together and were said to have married quietly in 1980.

By the time Castro resigned 49 years after his triumphant arrival in Havana, he was the worlds longest ruling head of government, aside from monarchs.

In retirement, Castro voiced unwavering support as Raul slowly but deliberately enacted sweeping changes to the Marxist system he had built.

His longevity allowed the younger brother to consolidate control, perhaps lengthening the revolution well past both mens lives. In February 2013, Raul announced that he would retire as president in 2018 and named newly minted Vice President Miguel Diaz-Canel as his successor.

Ill be 90 years old soon, Castro said at an April 2016 communist party congress where he made his most extensive public appearance in years. Soon Ill be like all the others. The time will come for all of us, but the ideas of the Cuban Communists will remain as proof that on this planet, if one works with fervor and dignity, they can produce the material and cultural goods that human beings need and that need to be fought for without ever giving up.

<! The following message will be displayed to users with unsupported browsers: > Your browser does not support the iframe HTML tag. Try viewing this in a modern browser like Chrome, Safari, Firefox or Internet Explorer 9 or later.

Associated Press writer Michael Weissenstein reported this story in Havana and Peter Orsi reported from Mexico City. AP writer Anita Snow in Mexico City and AP news researcher Rhonda Shafner in New York contributed to this report.
A motorcyclist was killed early Friday evening, Nov. 25, in a crash with a truck in Palm Springs, according to officials.

The crash was reported shortly after 5 p.m. at the Intersection of Farrell Drive and Ramon Road in the city, according to a Palm Springs police news release.

The two vehicles  a Yamaha motorcycle and Ford truck  crashed in the intersection. However, it was unclear what the circumstances of the crash were or whether alcohol or drugs were factors, according to officials.

The driver of the truck remained at the scene and was cooperating with authorities.

The motorcyclists name was not being released until his family could be notified of his death.

Ramon Road between Cerritos and Compadre roads, and Farrell Drive between Baristo Road and Mesquite Avenue, were expected to remain closed for several hours as police investigated.

Police are asking anyone with information about the collision to contact Traffic Detective Kevin Lu at 760-323-8125.

Contact the writer: 951-368-9693, agroves@scng.com or @AlexDGroves on Twitter.
A fire at a multifamily duplex in Indio Friday, Nov. 25, left one person displaced, a dog severely injured and caused $125,000 in damage, according to officials.

The fire was reported shortly after 11 a.m. in the 45000 block of Park Street in Indio, according to a Cal Fire/Riverside County Fire Department news release.

The fire was contained in less than 20 minutes, according to the release.

Officials say that Animal Control was summoned to the area for a severely injured dog. They say firefighters performed CPR on the dog and were able to get it breathing on its own.

In an update shortly after noon, officials say that one woman was displaced by the fire and that the American Red Cross has been requested to come assist her.

It was unclear late Friday afternoon what had caused the fire at the duplex.

Contact the writer: 951-368-9693, agroves@scng.com or @AlexDGroves on Twitter.
The memories may seem insignificant.

A laugh. A Hawaiian-themed Thanksgiving. Hikes in the mountains.

But for 15-year-old Katharine Kate Bowman, they have helped her remember her father since he was killed in the Dec. 2 terrorist attack. Events of the past year also offered inspiration and a new calling in the world of politics for the Upland teenager.

The feeling of missing him comes through little moments and memories, Katharine said of her father, Harry Hal Bowman, in an email earlier this month. His loud, funny-sounding laugh, kayaking, whale watching, museum visits, that aloha Thanksgiving  all little things that I never really thought about until he was gone.

Bowman, a 46-year-old Upland resident, was a statistical analyst with the San Bernardino County Department of Public Healths Division of Environmental Health Services. He had been with the division a few months before the attack at the Inland Regional Center.

A favorite memory of Katharines is climbing Mount Baldy, the highest peak in the San Gabriel Mountains, with him.

The entire climb was really fun and took longer than expected because we kept stopping to talk or look out at the view or look at a specific rock with a really interesting geological history that Dad just really had to take a picture of, she wrote.

When they reached the top, it was time to rest. And talk.

We talked about the most random stuff, most of which I dont remember in the slightest, she wrote. But, it was just the two of us out in our mountains on a beautiful day.

Katharine has continued hiking those mountains with her mother, Karen Fagan, her fathers ex-wife, and sister, Elizabeth, 12.

But life isnt as carefree since the terrorists struck and she lost her dad.

Now she stands near doors and gets anxious when there are no open exits.

Logically, I know that nothing will happen, but theres still a significant part of my mind that remembers that everyone in the San Bernardino shooting thought that, too, she wrote. Afterwards, I realized how much comfort I had taken in thinking that nothing that bad could ever happen to me. But, it happened to my dad and it happened to my family and now I no longer have that comfort.

Since the shooting, she has found herself turned off by the hate and divisiveness that arose in the aftermath.

More division and fear is not what the United States needs, Katharine wrote. We need compassion and unity.

In January  shortly after the attack  she experienced a moment of inspiration.

She and her family joined about 200 others for a sometimes tearful speech by President Barack Obama in the East Room of the White House. It solidified her belief in the presidents gun control proposal, what she believes is common sense.

The day that I came back from the Presidents gun control announcement in D.C., I decided that I wanted to go into politics and that I wouldnt be silent anymore, she said.

Bowman applied for and is now studying at the School for Ethics and Global Leadership in Washington, D.C., which offers high school juniors a semester focusing on international studies and thoughtful leadership development.

I decided that change wasnt happening fast enough, she wrote, and that it was my responsibility to do something about it.

Contact the writer: jiyer@scng.com or951-368-9282Twitter: @PE_iyer
Riverside police are searching for two burglars who broke into several businesses early Saturday, Nov. 26, near Martin Luther King High School.

At about 7 a.m., the owner of Splash Car Spa and Detail arrived to the business and saw two men in hooded sweatshirts fleeing east toward the school, said Lt. Dan Hoxmeier.

The window of the store, located at 18651 Van Buren Boulevard, had been smashed and a stolen vehicle was abandoned in the parking lot. At least four area businesses were later found to have been burglarized by the duo.

Officers spent two hours searching for the suspects with assistance from a K9 unit and helicopter team.

Hoxmeier said detectives were trying to gather fingerprints from the stolen vehicle.

Police had not apprehended anyone or yet identified any suspects shortly before 10 p.m. Saturday evening, said Lt. Mark Rossi.

This story is developing. Check back for updates.
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The Military High Command has given strong indication that the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) will deal ruthlessly with any person or group of persons who are planning to mar the December 7 general elections and threaten the peace of the nation.



The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Air Marshal Michael Sampson Oje, who issued the stern warning yesterday at a media engagement on the preparedness of the military towards the December 7 general elections, also said personnel of GAF are ready to arrest and deal ruthlessly with people who are habouring ulterior motives to snatch ballot boxes and cause mayhem during the elections.



He said GAF and other security agencies have been empowered by the State and have monopoly over the use of force in the country, adding that the military has the capability to apply varying degree of force to any situation to ensure that the peace and security of the state is protected and maintained.



We remain committed to our oath to defend the territorial integrity of the nation and in this resolve we shall not falter, the CDS said, stressing that the military would be playing its role in maintaining peace and security without prejudice fear or favour.



The event was attended by the Inspector General of Police (IGP), John Kudalor and Director-General of Police Operations, COP Christian Tetteh Yohuno and other senior officers of the service.



The Chief of Defence Staff said the military has secured the borders of the country and would help deal with people who cause chaos before, during and after the general elections.



He explained that the military would continue to embark on the normal patrols, especially in areas identified as flashpoints in the country.



The military has its intelligence and various strategies in place to deal with the situation if things get out hand for the police and sister security agencies who would be directly involved in the elections to ensure an incident-free election, he added.



The CDS called on the media to also play their role in ensuring that the 2016 general elections do not pose any security threat to the nation.

He said the media, who are major stakeholders in the conduct of successful elections, must not allow politicians to incite their supporters to cause commotion on their platforms.



He said the media must take a cue from what happened in Rwanda, Burundi and other African countries, which recorded genocide and conflicts because hate speeches were transmitted via the media.



You as media must block out anyone who uses foul or inciting language or any hate speech, Air Marshal Samson-Oje told the media.



On his part, COP Christian Tetteh Yohuno debunked reports that the police administration had given additional list for the special voting to the Electoral Commission (EC), saying that those new recruits, who have been drawn into the controversy, are part of the police service.



Most of the recruits who are registered voters would also be deployed to polling stations so they have to vote during the special voting in order to carry out their duties, he added.



He said not all policemen have been placed on the special voting list.



COP Yohuno gave the assurance that the police have put in place all the necessary measures to address all security challenges at the polling stations.



If people at the polling stations see any suspicious characters who want to snatch ballot boxes, they should quickly alert the police to arrest such people, he said.



He said measures had been put in place to enhance security for voters and media personnel at the various polling stations and also deal with trouble-makers at flashpoints in the country.

Source: Daily Guide









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The inauguration of the Ayalolo Transport System will not sideline the operations of the Ghana Private Road Transport Union, President Mahama said on Friday.



He said: The system will rather supplement your efforts and provide time-bound transport services to commuters in the capital.



President John Dramani Mahama said this when he gave the go-ahead for the commencement of the Bus Rapid Transport System in selected areas of the Greater Accra Region.



The 245 buses would be commuting between Accra-Amasaman, Accra-Adentan and Accra-Kasoa.



The buses are fully air-conditioned and fitted with USB charging systems, television sets, internet connectivity and controlled externally by a central control system in BRT offices.



The buses would also move at exact times that would be publicly communicated later.



President Mahama said the transport system, which would be operated in Accra on pilot basis, would be replicated in all regional capitals.



He appealed to the drivers and management to handle the buses cautiously so as to achieve the purpose for which they were brought.



The BRT system was initiated in 2011 when President Mahama, then the Vice President, broke the grounds for the building of the terminals at Adabraka in Accra Central.



The idea was mooted when he visited Sweden to see how it was operated and to provide a similar rapid transport system in Ghana.

Source: GNA









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The fear of the partisan political tag is creating a great challenge to the operations of the Public Interest Accountability Committee (PIAC), says Dr Steve Manteaw, a member of the Committee.



PIAC is a citizens-led statutory body established under section 51 of the Petroleum Revenue Management Act (Act 815) to provide additional non-parliamentary and independent oversight over the collection and utilization of Ghanas petroleum revenues.



Dr Manteaw, a policy analyst told journalists attending a 14-day training course on oil, gas and mining that government interference has obstructed the activities of the Committee.



He said between 2011 and 2015, revenue generated from the oil sector stood 3.2 billion dollars but a huge chunk - almost 70 percent of the revenue, was spent in the education sector.



Dr Manteaw, who is the campaign coordinator of the Integrated Social Development Center (ISODEC), a non-governmental organization, said PIAC has undertaken a national exercise and monitored the utilization of the oil revenue in some of the regions.



The Committee has officially written to the Ministry of Petroleum to respond to some of the findings but about three months now the sector minister has not responded, he said.



Dr Manteaw, who is also the Chairman of the Civil Society Platform, said substantial governance gaps remained in the countrys oil and gas industry saying the lack of integration of the sector into the rest of the economy is a teething challenge.



Mr Ishmael Edjekumhene, the Executive Director of the Kumasi Institute of Technology and Environment, a non-governmental organization and member of PIAC, said the responsibility to ensure the judicious utilization of the oil revenue was not a sole duty of PIAC alone.



He appealed to the media, civil society organisations and the public to develop the interest and monitor revenue inflows in the oil and gas sector.

Source: GNA









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The Member of Parliament (MP) for Assin Central, Kennedy Ohene Agyapong has apologized profusely to the Inspector General of Police (IGP) for attacking his person.



The NPP Legislator during a political discussion used various unprintable words on the IGP for failing to arrest supporters of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) who allegedly attacked the home of NPP flagbearer, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.



A video of him insulting the IGP has since gone viral on social media with several of his political opponents calling on the police service to deal with him.



But the NPP MP speaking on Oman FM on Thursday called on the IGP to forgive him for the unprintable words used on him.



I want to apologise to the IGP for the attacks on himhe is a friend from Tema but you know in the heat of things, such things can happenso he should forgive meI have called but because I have changed my number, he has not been picking but he should please forgive me, he appealed.



The NPP firebrand politician also said he would as part of the steps to rendering an unqualified apology to the IGP visit him in his office to demand forgiveness.



Ken Agyapong blamed the attacks on the IGP on the recent death of his mother who he said might have made him confused while on set.



Nana Addos house was attacked by NDC sympathizers who were on a health walk in Greater Accra region.



This led to clashes in front of his house which led to the firing of warning shots in his vicinity.

Source: adomonline









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A member of the ruling NDC Communications Team, Peter Boamah Otokunor, was arrested and detained by the Amasaman Police for six hours.



The NDC communication member, Today learnt, was arrested for allegedly leading soldiers from the Castle to attack sand winners on a land legally given to them by the Paramount Chief of Pampasu Traditional Area, Nana Aponoahene Akapeh.



The incident occurred on Saturday, November 19, 2016 after Peter Otokunor led macho men and soldiers to a land at Pampasu near Teacher Mantey to beat up sand winners, food vendors and others who were struggling for their daily bread without any provocation.



According to an eye witness, Samuel Atsu Forson, who is also a sand winner, Peter Otokunor on that day led four Toyota V8 vehicles branded in NDC colours carrying soldiers and macho men to the site where they were working.



He said he got the hint that some NDC officials were coming to the area, but he ignored the information since he thought they were in the town on their usual campaign tour.



According to the 28-yearold san winner (Samuel Atsu Forson), being an NDC supporter himself, he did not suspect any danger.



but they were taken by surprise when the soldiers pounced on them and beat them mercilessly and sacked them from the site, with the explanation that the land belonged to Otokunor and so none of them had the right to encroach on it, the eye witness narrated.



According to him, the soldiers fired warning shots to scare them, seized the keys to eight of their tipper trucks and also deflated tyres of some of the machines at the site.



He disclosed this in an interview with the press at Sapeiman near Amasaman in Accra.



He pointed out that the soldiers who were wielding guns severely assaulted a number of people including women who were later rushed to the Nsawam General Hospital for treatment after they were given police medical forms.



Moments after the incident had happened, the victims reported to their Chief Togbui Agah Semaglo I, Sapeiman Ewe Community Chief, who caused the immediate arrest of Otokunor, but was bailed after spending six hours in detention.



According him, Otokunor was arrested when he went to Nana Akapes palace with the intention of calling for an amicable settlement of the matter.



Samuel Atsu Forson also hinted that Otokunor when arrested told the police that he acquired the said land from a certain man when in actual fact the land belonged to the Chief of Pampasu and his elders.



According to Sapeiman Ewe Community Chief, Togbui Agah Semaglo I, who caused the arrest of Otokunor, he was disappointed in Otokunors action because the NDC that he (Otokunor) speaks for is a democratic party which does not supports violent actions.



The chief said despite the fact that Otokunor managed to reach out to top NDC officials, some of whom rushed to the police station to bail him, he was made to stay behind bars for six hours to prove to him that nobody is above the law, not even the NDC gurus.



He said it was unfair to treat persons who support and vote for the NDC since the party came into being in 1992 till date with such wicked and atrocious acts.



He therefore called on the NDC leadership to call Otokunor to order and condemn such wicked acts on its own supporters, saying The NDC I know and support is not a violent party. We respect our people and expect that the same courtesy is reciprocated to those at the grassroots.



Togbui Agah Semaglo I said it was not right for Otokunor to use his position as a member of the NDC Communication team to harass individuals no matter their political affiliations, and that, that will not auger well for the countrys democracy.



The chief said he will not base on the incident and condemn the NDC but it is my wish that these kinds of things do not continue to tarnish the image of the area.



When Peter Otokunor was contacted on phone by Today he denied the incident saying nothing happened and that he was not arrested.



However, police sources say he was lying and that he was put behind bars and was released on bail at the intervention of some top NDC gurus who came to his rescue.

Source: Today









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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The Chief of Boinza in the Juaboso Constituency of the Western Region, Nana Yao Ntadu III, has assured the Presidential Candidate of the National Democratic Party (NDP), Mrs Konadu Agyemang Rawlings, of a parliamentary win for the party in the constituency in the 2016 polls.



Sleep and do not worry because we are sending your son to Parliament, he told Mrs Rawlings when a delegation of the party visited the town.



Nana Ntadu said this at a durbar of chiefs and people of Boinza last Monday where the parliamentary candidate contesting on the ticket of the NDP, Mr Stephen Mintah Cletron, was endorsed.



The delegation included the running mate of Mrs Rawlings, Mr Kojo Mensah Sosu; the General Secretary, Alhaji Mohammed Frimpong; the Organising Secretary of the party in the Ashanti Region, Nana Opoku Agyemang, and the Ashanti Regional Treasurer of the party, Mr Kweku Duah.



Forgotten town



Nana Yao Ntadu said Boinza was an important historical town which shares boundaries with Cote dIvoire, yet the historical significance was lost on politicians who breezed through the town in political frenzy during election times only to forget all about them afterwards.



He said though a critical town in historical and political terms, their road remained rough and dusty.



It was for that reason, therefore, that he pledged support for Mr Cletron, a citizen of Boinza, for development to reach his people.



Wait patiently and watch out for the results of Boinza for the parliamentary candidate who would win, and see if we will not send him to Parliament, he told the delegation.



A sub-Chief, Nana Gyasehene Awuah Dome, for his part charged Mrs Rawlings to help fix challenges with telecommunications in the town whether she wins the election or not.



Broken pact



The running mate of the party, Mr Sosu, for his part impressed upon the people that Mrs Rawlings was in the race to re-institute the values birthed when the National Democratic Congress (NDC) was born in 1992.



Those values such as transparency and accountability to the people had been lost by the party with the unmerited and gargantuan judgement debts paid to cronies of the party such as Mr Alfred Woyome, he said.



Hence, the NDP and Nana Konadu had taken on the bold step to purge the political system of rot and set the country on the right course.



He also urged them to take whatever free bees that were dolled out by officials of the NDC on their campaign trail, as it was their own money.



The General Secretary, Alhaji Frimpong said the NDC government had broken the spiritual covenant between themselves and Ghanaians by their bad governance.



The NDP was thus in the race to restore the spiritual and natural pact between leaders and their people by ensuring rule by the people.



Later at a durbar, Mr Sosu endorsed the candidature of Mr Stephen Mintah Cletron as the Member of Parliament on the ticket of the party.



The team also stopped at Bibiani where they interacted with supporters there.

Source: Daily Graphic









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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Former President Jerry John Rawlings was the toast of thousands of mourners who stormed the Manhyia Palace in Kumasi on Thursday to mark the one-week celebration of Asantehemaa, Nana Afia Kobi Serwaa Ampem II.



Ex-President Rawlings was accompanied to the venue by his wife, Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings.



The former Ghana leader arrived at the funeral ground around 1:30pm to a rapturous applause by the charged mourners.



Interestingly, the sad mourners suddenly became elated when they heard chants of Mr. Rawlings.



Minutes after his arrival, most of the mourners rushed to the dais to catch a glimpse of him.



The shouts continued for some time and Mr. Rawlings, who seemed to enjoy it, intermittently acknowledged the cheers of the crowd with a broad smile on his face.



The security personnel had a hectic time in controlling the crowd who mobbed ex-President Rawlings after he paid homage to Otumfuo Osei Tutu II with his wife.



The mourners started shouting the famous slogan, JJ do something before you die which was commonplace during the revolution days.



Mr. Rawlings, who was seen nodding his head in admiration, was finally escorted to the dais by the security personnel.



Interestingly, the crowd showed hostility towards President John Mahama with shouts of we want change, change is coming, among others.



The shouts of change intensified when Nana Akufo-Addo, who was accompanied by party gurus like Freddie Blay, Bernard Antwi Boasiako, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, among others, arrived at the venue.



The president was virtually forced to leave the venue early due to the chants from the crowd who became very hostile to him.

Source: Daily Guide









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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Flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party, Nana Akufo-Addo has appealed to Ghanaians to work towards ensuring that peace prevails in the country during and after the impending elections.



Addressing party supporters at a rally in the Brong Ahafo Region, Nana Akufo-Addo indicated the importance of maintaining a violence free environment before and after elections, describing it as the only way for Ghana to progress.



Nana Akufo-Addo admonished Ghanaians to disallow the negative influence of political parties that thrive on tribal differences to incite violence.



Ghana needs peace, we should work together to promote the peace of the country. We should hoot at political figures who try to dwell on tribal differences to create misunderstandings among the various tribes and incite violence and yet would bring us nothing better when they win the presidential seat.



Against that backdrop, Nana Addo urged the electorate not to entertain any fear but come out in their numbers on December 7 and exercise their constitutional rights to ensure the NPP is voted into power.





Source: Ghanaweb









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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The flag bearer of the People's National Convention (PNC), Dr Edward Nasigre Mahama, has expressed his intention to provide tax relief to employers who engage the services of the physically challenged in their firms, should he win the election.



At the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) presidential encounter in Accra, he observed that many employers refused to employ individuals who were qualified but were physically challenged, a situation he described as discriminating.



Therefore, he said a PNC government would give tax benefits to companies that employ persons with disabilities because some of the physically challenged are likely to work very well than the able persons.



Presidential encounter



The PNC leader made the comment when he took his turn at the Presidential Encounter of the states broadcaster, GBC, in Accra, last Thursday.



The encounter is aimed at affording the presidential candidates for the December 7 polls an opportunity to inform the public, particularly Ghanaians, of their intentions for the country.



The National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), STAR-Ghana and the European Union (EU) assisted GBC to organise the programme.



The Presidential Encounter has also hosted Mr John Dramani Mahama of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the leader of the Progressive Peoples Party (PPP), Dr Papa Kwesi Ndoum.



Three political parties



Since the beginning of the Fourth Republic, the PNC leader said, of all the political parties contesting the election in December, three of them: the PNC, the NDC, and the New Patriotic Party (NPP), had contested in all the six general elections of which the NDC and the NPP had been tried and tested, leaving the PNC which was yet to be given the mandate to rule.



That notwithstanding, he said, Ghanaians had been receiving and benefiting from his messages, including the School Feeding Programme and the creation of the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection; hence, It will be better to endorse the messenger by voting for the PNC and enjoying good governance.



PNCs slogan



New Beginning, New Deal and New Force is the PNCs slogan, which Dr Mahamasaid he was optimistic could get Ghana out of what he described as its economic crises and restore our national dignity so we can complete our socio-economic ambitions.



The PNC leader said he was going to support the youth with seed capital to engage in entrepreneurship.



He also observed that the youthful population in the country had so much potential and resourcefulness, which had been left untapped, and it was seriously holding back development.



Collapsed NHIS



The PNC leader lamented how the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) was being managed and pledged to revamp the scheme when voted into power.



According to him, the scheme could not properly address the health needs of its providers because of financial constraints.



In view of that, if he is given the mandate come December 7, he will ensure that the 2.5 per cent of the Value Added Tax (VAT), which is used to support the running of the scheme, will be controlled and managed by the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), unlike the current situation where the money is kept in the Consolidated Fund and managed by the Ministry of Finance (MoF).



The MoF, he explained, was going to serve as a conduit for the funds, through which the 2.5 per cent VAT would go to the NHIA, Because the authority is the management mandated to supervise the fund, not the MoF.



Still on NHIS, he said some revenue from the oil funds would also be allotted to support the running of the scheme for its financial viability.



Thinking subject



On education, Dr Mahama disclosed his intention to introduce Thinking as a subject of study at the basic level if he was given the mandate to govern.



According to him, the economic condition of the country has been is caused by the "mismanagement" of the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC), and the attitude of some Ghanaian youth point to the lack of right thinking.



Therefore, the subject would focus on teaching Ghanaian children about the resources the country, and how these resources could be harnessed for the benefit of the whole country.



Commitment



If Dr Mahama wins the December polls, his first commitment would be to address the power crises and sign the Freedom of Information Bill (FIB) to law.



Dr Mahama appealed to Ghanaians to vote for him and start afresh because Ghana is yet to be liberated from its economic crises, and the big six have endorsed me with the sixth position on the ballot paper.



Last year, the country spent about $300 million importing rice. When I am voted as president, I am going to support Ghanaian rice farmers with $400 dollars to reduce the importation, he promised.

Source: Daily Graphic









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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The Chiefs and queen mothers in the Ga West district of Greater Accra have massively endorsed President John Mahama's second term to allow him continue his good policies that are not only changing the phase of the capital city, Accra but the entire nation.



The Chiefs and queen mothers led by their President, Nii Tetteh Okpe II, Chief of Amamamole, showered praises on President John Mahama for his commitment towards improving the lives of ordinary Ghanaians and prayed he is retained by majority of Ghanaians to continue his good works which are expected to create more job opportunities and improve the lives of Ghanaians.



In separate endorsements by the Chiefs who met Chief of Staff, Julius Debrah and his campaign team said the people of Amasaman, Trobo and surrounding communities can see, feel the impact of some of the initiatives that have improved their lives and would wish him victory to sustain ongoing development projects across the country.



They also advised against skirt and blouse to ensure the NDC gets the needed Parliamentary majority to help the President pursue his good policies.



Later at a mini rally the Chief priest crowned their wish with a powerful prayer, invoking the gods of the land to protect and ensure a resounding victory for the NDC.



Municipal Chief Executive of the Ga South Municipality, Ato Quaye Armah said the NDC government is proud of its achievement and is confident of victory.



The MCE said within the last four years, the area has benefited from development in the health, education, road and transport sectors among several other initiatives.



He made reference to the Ofankor Hospital which was built within a year and is due for inauguration by the President next month.



Mr Ato Quaye Armah said all clinics within the Ga West Municipality also have been fitted with maternity wards while water coverage which was 23 percent at the time President Mahama assumed office has shot up to 33 percent with other projects in the pipeline.



He proudly referred to the Ayalolo Bus Rapid system which is currently being piloted between Ayalolo through Achimota to Circle as a major booster for commuters especially workers who shuttle between Accra and various communities in the area.



The Ga West MCE also noted that standard in education at the basic level has improved drastically following the provision of eleven 30-unit Millenium City Schools and several other school blocks built.



"Today the Pokuase township roads have been tarred bringing comfort to motorists and passengers. We can see several projects ongoing and we know you acknowledge them and will vote massively for the President John MAHAMA and the NDC Parliamentary aspirants for Amasaman and Trobo constituencies.



In a brief remark, Mr Julius Debrah urged electorate to endorse the second term bid of President MAHAMA to implement policies captured in the 2016 manifesto which will create jobs, boost entrepreneurship and continue to expand infrastructure.



The mini rally which was addressed by NDC national communication officer, Solomon Nkansah was also used to show NDC sympathisers gathered how to vote to reduce the number of spoilt ballot.



The Chief of Staff'a delegation which includes Professor Kwamena Ahwoi, deputy Communications Minister Ato Sarpong, Greater Accra regional Chairman of the party, Ade Coker, former National Youth Organizer of the party, Ludwig Hlodze, some NDC national and regional executives will wrap up the 5-day campaign tour with a keep fit exercise in the Ledzokuku Constituency in Sunday.

Source: Emmanuel Akorli/PeaceFM









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WARNING: This story might be distressing for some readers. If you are in distress, or if you or someone you know are being bullied, please call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Kids Helpline on 1800 338 881 for anonymous, 24/7 counselling and advice.





The principal of the school Tyrone Unsworth attended has claimed the school wasnt aware of any bullying allegations against the 13-year-old, despite previously saying shed been informed of a violent assault perpetrated on Unsworth by another student outside of school grounds.

In a statement, Jacquinta Miller gave her condolences to his family, who took his own life earlier this week after horrific homophobic bullying, but said staff at Aspley State High School hadnt been told of the abuse.

Let me be very clear: no allegation of bullying against this young person was made to our school. Neither the student nor his family ever came to us to say there was a problem of any kind. If they did, we absolutely would have stepped in. The safety and wellbeing of everyone in our school is our highest priority and we do not tolerate bullying in any way, shape or form.

Previously, Unsworths mother Amanda said Tyrone had been beaten with a star picket by another student while out of school grounds. The ABC reports Miller admitted to being aware of that incident.





Aspley State High School didnt immediately reply to a request for more information.

Tyrone s tragic suicide has shattered young LGBTIQ people and allies across the country, with stories of the horrific abuse that led to the 13 year olds death touching a nerve. Its inspired many young people to share their own stories of bullying, both in and out of educational institutions.

Tyrones death has furthered calls to fully roll out the Safe Schools program, with a rally in Sydney today giving many the opportunity to share condolences and push for education reform.

Ill be saying a few words at the marriage equality rally tomorrow in Sydney  then collecting signatures to save Safe Schools. Come. pic.twitter.com/qD4GyjdfFg  Samuel Leighton-Dore (@SamLeightonDore) November 25, 2016

Marriage equality rally in Sydney today! We ?? this sign! pic.twitter.com/RpT61EdEVy  Sydney Mardi Gras (@sydneymardigras) November 26, 2016

Marriage equality rally has arrived in Pitt Street Mall ?????????? pic.twitter.com/X1jWZwXHv7  Sydney Mardi Gras (@sydneymardigras) November 26, 2016

If you feel strongly about the Safe Schools Coalition  the best thing you can do is contact your local member of Federal Parliament.

Source: Brisbane Times.

Image: Supplied.
Two people have been killed in separate shooting incidents around the US, as the annual Black Friday sales see shoppers descend on retail outlets in search of bargains.

Both incidents took place in parking lots, with one man shot and killed in what was described as a road rage incident over a parking spot outside a Walmart in Reno, Nevada.

The other was killed outside of a Macys store in South Jersey. Local media report that the victims 26-year-old brother was shot in the leg during the incident, and is in hospital in a stable condition.

Witnesses to the Macys shooting reported seeing a bullet-riddled SUV, surrounded by shell casings, in the parking lot of the Hamilton Mall. One told CBS Philly:

Its a tragedy  Its very scary you know, youre starting off the holiday season and youre excited about the upcoming times with family and now theres going to be family who are missing people and their holidays will never be the same.

There has been one other shooting reported so far this year, outside a mall in Tennessee  one person was injured, but there were no fatalities.

Black Friday Death Count, a website that exists because the world is a goddamn horrifying place, says that there have been nine deaths and 101 injuries related to Black Friday shopping since 2006.

Thats yet another great reason to never leave the house, TBH.

Source: News Corp.

Photo: CBS Philly / Twitter.
The United States is a weird place. For starters, its pretty backwards what you can and cant show on TV. Hyperviolence? Check. Ads for potentially deadly drugs? Yup. Highly inflammatory political content? For sure. What about a nipple? Hell no.

A Boston based CNN subsidiary seems to have totally shat the bed  with unconfirmed reports that RCN broadcast a full 30 minutes of sweaty, sweaty porn featuring transexual performer Riley Quinn, in place of a (probably less sexual) episode of Anthony Bourdains Unknown Parts. Twitter user @solikearose uploaded this highly suss screenshot:

The (now hidden) caption read: Did anyone else with RCN in Boston see the hardcore porn that was broadcast by CNN by mistake?

Theres a very simple beauty of TV. While every fuckup on the internet is around potentially forever, unless someone happened to be recording it, RCN might almost have been able to fly under the radar. But the internet is a cruel place, and so it was not to be.

Others joined in with their own evidence that it went down:

And just in case you dont believe that there was another witness and need more photo evidence @RCNconnects @solikearose @CNNPartsUnknown pic.twitter.com/n9srxggM7b  OtherPersonWhoSawIt (@CNNpornwitness) November 25, 2016

Luckily, many saw the funny side.

Many thanks @RCNconnects for truly leaving no parts unknown to its news-seeking subscribers.  goinliveinfive (@goinliveinfive) November 25, 2016

Gotta say, waking up to that is probably a TV stations worst fing nightmare. Their social media team went into overdrive:

@solikearose 800-746-4726. We have not had any reports of the programming issue you mentioned on CNN in Boston. If youre still having an  RCN (@RCNconnects) November 25, 2016

@solikearose issue with that channel, please DM us your address so we can troubleshoot when youre home. Thanks, Melissa  RCN (@RCNconnects) November 25, 2016

Jeff Carlson  the General Manager of RCN told Variety that the channel is in the process of researching this incident but see no evidence our CNN network feed was compromised last evening in Boston.

Riley seems to have taken it in good grace: (Warning, its a very NSFW account)

Hey @CNN thanks for the free airtime.  Riley Quinn (@TSRileyQuinn) November 25, 2016

CNN has firmly put the blame on their local rebroadcaster, telling local media: The RCN cable operator in Boston aired inappropriate content for 30 minutes on CNN last night. CNN has asked for an explanation.

That explanation might never arrive  with RCN denying the event happened, and some outlets questioning the original tweeter.

But hey, if it is true  kudos to RCN for keeping Boston LGTBIQ aware.

Source: The Independent

Image: Family Guy
The long-awaited Gilmore Girls: A Year In The Life arrived on Netflix on Friday night and set us up for a solid weekend of comfort eating and binge watching.

Those whove finished the new season  and a big ol spoiler warning obviously applies  will know that the fourth episode ended on a bit of a cliffhanger, wth Rory Gilmores big annoucement that shes pregnant.

On the one hand, thats a pretty great ending, because it brings the entire show full circle. On the other, it raises a lot of quesstions, like who the father is, and what the hell Rory will do next?

Creator Amy Sherman-Palladino has long said that she had the ending in mind since the very beginning of the show, and that she always knew what the last four words would be.

Now theyve been spoken, is there hope for any new episodes? Based on an interview that Sheman-Palladino recengly gave to The Hollywood Reporter, the ideas definitely not off the table. She said:

We really had a very specific journey in our minds and we fulfilled the journey. So to us, this is the piece that we wanted to do. And the whole thought about, is there more, is there more, is there more  this has to go out into the universe now. Weve got to put this to bed. And then whatever happens, happens.

Scott Patterson, who plays Luke in the show, said that hed be keen to do more in an interview with the same publication earlier this year:

Itd be nice to do it every year. Maybe every two years, do a three-month thing, do four more chapters. It was easy to do. It was fun. It was really rewarding and people got a sense that if this was going to be the last thing that we now have some closure.

Long story short, we may yet be checking in with the Stars Hollow gang again a few years down the line.

Source: The Hollywood Reporter.

Photo: Netflix.
Every time Pete Evans opens his mouth, a public health body throws up its hands in despair.

There was the time he warned his 1.5 million Facebook followers against the dangers of sunscreen, saying that its full of poisonous chemicals and that wearing it is a recipe for disaster.

Then theres his ongoing crusade against fluoride in tap water, which has been slammed by the Australian Dental Association as delusional and by NSW Health Minister Jillian Skinner as inappropriate and quite disturbing.

The My Kitchen Rules judge is also no fan of Wi-Fi, and leapt to the defence of fired ABC journalist Dr Maryanne Demasi, who was let go after a Catalyst report claiming that it causes brain tumours.

In a Facebook Q&A session shortly after, he was asked by a fan about the dangers of Wi-Fi in our schols and houses, and doubled down on claims that it causes health problems, saying:

EMFS [electromagnetic fields] are causing a lot of issues for people  [we] turn off Wi-Fi at night at home and have our house EMF friendly. If people have no educated themselves on this yet, then I urge them to do so as well. EMFS are casing a lot of issues for a lot of people.

In a recent Fairfax profile that was packed with quality quotes, Evans hit peak Pete when he explained that he protects himself from the dangers of Wi-Fi via the earthing process, which involves a special mat that he keeps by his computer.

He told journalist Jane Kadzow:

When youre sitting at your computer, you put your feet onto a little mat and it sort of, potentially, negates any of the Wi-Fi issues, you know, and reconnects you to the Earth. So that to me sounds like, wow, thats a positive thing.

Adherents of earthing believe that connecting to the Earths natural, negative surface charge by being barefoot outside can act as a defence against chronic inflammation and cancer.

Seeing as earthing mats are now the new activated almonds, you can pick up one of the type Pete described for around $70. You can also buy fitted sheets, sleeping pads and yoga mats, so your entire home can scream WAKE UP, SHEEPLE.

One of the key texts of the movement is Earthing: The Most Important Health Discovery Ever!, a weighty tome that Evans recently spruiked to his Facebook fans.

You could give that a go, or skip straight to this piece by Yale University clinical neurologist Dr Steven Novella, who called earthing one of many pseudosciences that fits into the just make shit up category.

The Blocked By Pete Evans Facebook group has already clocked the article, so you could also just grab a snack and spend the afternoon reading the comments there.

Source: Fairfax.

Photo: Pete Evans / Facebook.
Vibra Health Plan

The Vibra Health Plan in Lower Paxton Township began selling insurance on Oct. 15.

(Photo provided.)

UPDATE: Capital BlueCross to acquire majority interest in the Vibra Health Plan

For Michael Fiaschetti, starting a health insurance company is personal. After observing how a relative had to deal with an insurance company during a long-term illness, Fiaschetti thought he could do better.

"I thought to myself that no one should ever have to go through that," he said.

Fiaschetti, who has been in the insurance field for more than 30 years and who previously served as the president of health markets for Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield, thought that the keys to a better insurance company would be that if the company was more focused and more personalized.

In March of 2015, Fiaschetti launched the Vibra Health Plan with Brad Hollinger, who serves as the company's chairman. Hollinger is also the chairman and CEO of Vibra Healthcare LLC in Lower Allen Township, which operates acute medical rehabilitation hospitals and long-term acute care hospitals. Fiaschetti, serves as president and CEO of the Vibra Health Plan, which is based in Lower Paxton Township.

In the highly regulated insurance industry, it has taken about a year and half for the company to begin selling insurance. During that time, the Vibra Health Plan had to recruit a network of doctors and hospitals which includes more than 8,000 professional providers and more than 50 hospitals, set-up an IT system, come up with a marketing plan and more.

Vibra Health Plan also had to be approved by the state of Pennsylvania and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Fiaschetti says that it took about a year to be approved by CMS. In September, the Vibra Health Plan was approved to sell insurance for 2017, for the enrollment period that began last month and ends on Dec. 7.

The company's two insurance plans are focused solely on those people that are Medicare-eligible and everything is structured around the medicare consumer, Fiaschetti said.

"I think we're the only program in this market that is focused exclusively on medicare beneficiaries," he said.

In addition to the company's focus on the medicare consumer, Fiaschetti says two other keys to the Vibra Health Plan are the company's Member Advocate Program and what the company calls "first call resolution".

Under Vibra's Member Advocate Program, each client is assigned their own representative, who will offer one-on-one assistance with health-related issues. Assistance from the Vibra Member Advocate team may include anything from helping members coordinate transportation to an appointment to helping members identify local resources to assist them in paying for essential daily needs like food and electricity. Fiaschetti says the company's database includes around 650 entities in its coverage to area that it can recommend to its clients.

With the company's goal of "first call resolution" Fiaschetti says that customers won't get a long recording but, an actual person on the other end of the line that will strive to resolve the problem on the first call.

The company's two plans are the Essential Coverage PPO plan and the Enhanced Coverage PPO plan. Both plans include prescription drugs, vision coverage, the Member Advocate Program, optional supplemented dental coverage and more. The Enhanced Coverage PPO includes some extra benefits including lower copays.

Fiaschetti says that the company has been getting the word out through television, direct mail and through independent brokers. The company employs around 60 people and its coverage area includes 17 counties that including Dauphin, Cumberland, Perry, Lebanon, Lancaster, Adams, Franklin and York counties. The coverage area also includes the Allentown and Scranton areas and down the line, Fiaschetti hopes to eventually expand the company into western Pennsylvania and the Philadelphia area.
SUNBURY -- The disappearance and presumed murder of Barbara Elizabeth Miller has stumped investigators for more than 25 years.

Investigators early on identified a person of interest, but without a body and just circumstantial evidence, prosecutors doubted they could obtain a conviction, so the case remains unsolved.

Retired Sunbury Sgt. Degg Stark, who is now a Northumberland County detective, said investigators did everything physically and forensically possible to try to solve the case when Miller disappeared.

"We explored all leads," he said Friday. "We don't believe we overlooked anything."

There are more than 600 pages of transcribed interviews, he said.

Saying that, Stark it is always willing to have fresh eyes look at a cold case.

That's the reason Timothy S. Miller, the new Sunbury administrative police chief, said he wants a crack at solving what has been classified as a homicide. Maybe something was missed, he said.

If money becomes available, he said, he would like to enlist the help of Kenneth Mains, a Lycoming County detective and former Williamsport police officer.

Mains three years ago established The American Investigative Society of Cold Cases, a non-profit professional organization that reviews homicide and disappearance cold cases.

All facets of law enforcement across the country, including psychologists and forensics experts, assist him in reviewing cases or work as consultants.

"I think it's good to revisit these cases every once in a while," Miller said. There may be advances in DNA that were not available in the past, he said.

Selinsgrove Police Chief Thomas L. Garlock, who headed the investigation when he was a detective on the Sunbury force, said the case is definitely worth another look.

However, it is going to be difficult after all of these years because leads are more difficult to follow and people have died, he said.

Miller, who has been declared legally dead, was 30 when she was reported missing after she failed to attend a July 2, 1989, wedding reception. Items she had taken home from the wedding the previous day were found in her apartment.

A task force formed after Stark in 2002 decided to take another look at her disappearance and worked solidly on the case for two years. A $5,000 reward failed to generate any information.

One of the leads it followed was a search of the abandoned zinc and lead Doughty Mines, a little more than a mile south of Sunbury near the Susquehanna River.

DNA tests of the more than 20 pieces of clothing, hats, combs and pocket change recovered from the mines came back negative, Stark said.

Northumberland County Coroner James F. Kelley recalls being involved in an extensive search of strip mines in the Trevorton area in which high resolution imaging and divers were used.

Miller had received written death threats accusing her of being a drug informant, but about two weeks before her disappearance, she asked police to return the notes, claiming the matter was settled.

Investigators came up with several viable motives, all of which pointed toward a person of interest, he said.

At the time of her disappearance, Miller had a relationship with Joseph Walter "Mike'' Egan, a former Sunbury police officer who had lost his job and served state prison time for extortion.

Egan refused to meet with the task force when it was investigating the disappearance, although he had spoken with investigators earlier, Stark said.

The possibility a cop may be a suspect does not settle with him, said Miller, whose late father, William, served as Williamsport's police chief.

Kelley said he hopes for the family's sake the case can finally be solved.
One of the most brutal dictators in modern history has just died. Oddly enough, some will mourn his passing, and many an obituary will praise him. Millions of Cubans who have been waiting impatiently for this moment for more than half a century will simply ponder his crimes and recall the pain and suffering he caused.

Why this discrepancy? Because deceit was one of Fidel Castro's greatest talents, and gullibility is one of the world's greatest frailties. A genius at myth-making, Castro relied on the human thirst for myths and heroes. His lies were beautiful, and so appealing. According to Castro and to his propagandists, the so-called revolution was not about creating a repressive totalitarian state and securing his rule as an absolute monarch, but rather about eliminating illiteracy, poverty, racism, class differences and every other ill known to humankind. This bold lie became believable, thanks largely to Castro's incessant boasting about free schools and medical care, which made his myth of the benevolent utopian revolution irresistible to many of the world's poor.

Many intellectuals, journalists and educated people in the First World fell for this myth, too - though they would have been among the first to be jailed or killed by Castro in his own realm - and their assumptions acquired an intensity similar to that of religious convictions. Pointing out to such believers that Castro imprisoned, tortured and murdered thousands more of his own people than any other Latin American dictator was usually futile. His well-documented cruelty made little difference, even when acknowledged, for he was judged according to some aberrant ethical code that defied logic.

This Kafkaesque moral disequilibrium had a touch of magical realism, for sure, as outrageously implausible as anything that Castro's close friend Gabriel Garcia Marquez could dream up. For instance, in 1998, around the same time that Chile's ruler Augusto Pinochet was arrested in London for his crimes against humanity, Cuba's self-anointed "maximum leader" visited Spain with ample fanfare, unmolested, even though his human rights abuses dwarfed those of Pinochet.

Even worse, whenever Castro traveled abroad, many swooned in his presence. In 1995, when he came to New York to speak at the United Nations, many of the leading lights of that city jostled so intently for a chance to meet with him at media mogul Mort Zuckerman's triplex penthouse on Fifth Avenue that Time magazine declared "Fidel Takes Manhattan!" Not to be outdone, Newsweek called Castro "The Hottest Ticket in Manhattan." None of the American elites who hobnobbed with Castro that day seemed to care that he had put nuclear weapons to their heads in 1962.

If this were a just world, 13 facts would be etched on Castro's tombstone and highlighted in every obituary, as bullet points - a fitting metaphor for someone who used firing squads to murder thousands of his own people.

He turned Cuba into a colony of the Soviet Union and nearly caused a nuclear holocaust.

He sponsored terrorism wherever he could and allied himself with many of the worst dictators on earth.

He was responsible for so many thousands of executions and disappearances in Cuba that a precise number is hard to reckon.

He brooked no dissent and built concentration camps and prisons at an unprecedented rate, filling them to capacity, incarcerating a higher percentage of his own people than most other modern dictators, including Stalin.

He condoned and encouraged torture and extrajudicial killings.

He forced nearly 20 percent of his people into exile, and prompted thousands to meet their deaths at sea, unseen and uncounted, while fleeing from him in crude vessels.

He claimed all property for himself and his henchmen, strangled food production and impoverished the vast majority of his people.

He outlawed private enterprise and labor unions, wiped out Cuba's large middle class and turned Cubans into slaves of the state.

He persecuted gay people and tried to eradicate religion.

He censored all means of expression and communication.

He established a fraudulent school system that provided indoctrination rather than education, and created a two-tier health-care system, with inferior medical care for the majority of Cubans and superior care for himself and his oligarchy, and then claimed that all his repressive measures were absolutely necessary to ensure the survival of these two ostensibly "free" social welfare projects.

He turned Cuba into a labyrinth of ruins and established an apartheid society in which millions of foreign visitors enjoyed rights and privileges forbidden to his people.

He never apologized for any of his crimes and never stood trial for them.

In sum, Fidel Castro was the spitting image of Big Brother in George Orwell's novel "1984." So, adios, Big Brother, king of all Cuban nightmares. And may your successor, Little Brother, soon slide off the bloody throne bequeathed to him.

By Carlos Eire/Special To The Washington Post:Eire is an author and the T.L. Riggs Professor of History and Religious Studies at Yale University.
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A section of Route 322 between the two blackened sections of that roadway on this map is closed due to a traffic crash on Friday evening.

(PennDOT)

UPDATE: As of 8:55 p.m. Friday, PennDOT is reporting that lanes have reopened on U.S. 322 between Penhar Drive and Mushroom Hill Road in Swatara Twp. that had caused all lanes of the highway to be closed about a half hour ago.

CLEARED: Accident on US 322 eastbound at Mushroom Hill Rd.  511PA Harrisburg (@511PAHarrisburg) November 26, 2016

The crash was reported shorting before 8 p.m. Friday.

For more traffic information, follow live traffic updates, accident reports and road closures below from PennDOT, Total Traffic Network and other Twitter sources.

Get a look at conditions on local roads -- via PennDOT traffic cameras -- anytime here on PennLive. For Pennsylvania Turnpike updates and possible travel delays visit theTurnpike website here.

Tweet us at @pennlive with any incidents you see on your commute or send a submission to submissions@pennlive.com.
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U.S. Rep. Lou Barletta, R-11th congressional district

Rep. Lou Barletta, who is rumored to be in line for the post of Transportation secretary under in the incoming Trump Administration, is scheduled to meet with the president-elect on Monday, according to a report in PoliticoPro.

Barletta, a Republican from the 11th congressional district, sits on the House Homeland Security and Transportation committees. He was an early Trump supporter who became a campaign surrogate and was eventually tapped to serve in his transition team.

"I'm just happy to working on the Trump team," Barletta said as recently as last week when asked about the possibility of being tapped for the nation's top transportation post.

Former PennDOT secretary under the Corbett Administration, Barry Schoch said Barletta would be a perfect fit for the job.

Schoch said Barletta understands the nature of the nation's transportation needs and the issues that factor in, including the dynamics of revenue, construction and unions, which carry out the majority of the construction and improvement work.

"Transportation has always been a bipartisan issue," Schoch said. "Lou understands a lot of that. I think he would be an ideal fit for it. It would be great for us for the state of Pennsylvania."

Trump has vowed to revamp the nation's transportation infrastructure.

Schoch noted that Barletta would bring to the job his experience not only in the House Transportation Committee, but his work as mayor of Hazleton and with the family business, which included transportation contracts.

Barletta last year was instrumental in getting bipartisan consensus for a five-year transportation bill poised to improve roads, bridges and rail systems. In December, the U.S. House of Representatives overwhelmingly approved the Fixing America's Surface Transportation (FAST) Act.

Barletta, Schoch said, would bring his ability to reach beyond his party.

"This particular issue requires someone who knows how to work on both sides of the aisle," Schoch said. "This is not an issue that is germane to one party."

Trump continues to make selections for his cabinet, to date tapping Alabama Sen. Jeff Sessions for the office of Attorney General; Gov. Nikki R. Haley of South Carolina to be the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations; and Betsy DeVos, a prominent Republican fund-raiser, as secretary of education. Trump also tapped former neurosurgeon and GOP challenger Ben Carson as secretary of Housing and Urban Development.
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(Chambersburg Police Department)

Authorities in Franklin County are searching for a man accused of raping a teenager in 2008.

Police in Chambersburg said an arrest warrant has been issued for Salvador Castillo-Tobar, no age or address given, on charges of rape, indecent assault, simple assault, sexual assault and unlawful restraint.

Castillo-Tobar is accused of attacking the 16-year-old victim on Aug. 13, 2008, police said.

Anyone with information about Castillo-Tobar is asked to contact police at 717-264-4131 or submit an anonymous tip here.

Further information was not immediately available.
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(National Weather Service)

Chilly temperatures and some sunshine are expected for the midstate on Saturday, according to forecasters with the National Weather Service at State College.

"A seasonably chilly day is in store for Saturday across central Pennsylvania, and a breezy northwest wind will make it feel even more brisk," according to the National Weather Service.

Parts of northern and western Pennsylvania could see some scattered lake-effect snow showers on Saturday night, forecasters said.

In the Harrisburg area for Saturday, expect partly sunny skies and high near 49. The low at night will be around 34.

Penn State fans heading up to Happy Valley on Saturday for the Penn State-Michigan State game will want to wear a warm jacket.



The forecast calls for partly sunny skies and breezy conditions in State College with a high temperature reaching only 42 on Saturday, forecasters said.

SUNDAY: Mostly sunny skies, with a high near 47 and winds around 10 mph. Low around 30.

MONDAY: Mostly sunny skies, with a high near 51. Low around 41. There will be a 40 percent chance of rain at night. Rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.

TUESDAY: There will be a 70 percent chance of rain showers. Cloudy, with a high near 56. Low around 46.

WEDNESDAY: A 70 percent chance of rain showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 59. Low around 43.

For the latest forecasts, visit PennLive's weather page.

You can see live weather updates via the National Weather Service and other Twitter sources below.

Tweet us at @pennlive with photos of inclement weather at your place, incidents you see on your commute or send a submission to submissions@pennlive.com.
By Jim T. Ryan

Staff Writer

A Nov. 10 ceremony dedicated and renamed the Route 74 bridge over Shermans Creek as the Pfc. William Oscar Stambaugh Memorial Bridge in honor of one of Perry County's first casualties of World War II.

"The ceremony we're holding today is a solemn one but one with great pride," state Rep. Mark Keller said in opening comments at the bridge in Spring Twp.

It was an honor to write the bill that dedicated the bridge in Stambaugh's name, Keller said, honoring him and all the others who have made the ultimate sacrifice for their country.

It was a great testament to the small village of Bridgeport that multiple young men served in World War II, he continued.

Keller added he was honored to be dedicating the bridge just a day before Veterans Day. He urged others to honor all veterans, but especially remember those who have died.

"Reflect on the great feats of our veterans who have opened doors for everyone," Keller said.

The Stambaugh family had approached Keller about honoring their relative with the bridge dedication.

Stambaugh was born in 1920 and graduated from Landisburg High School and then went on to be a truck driver before entering the Army on Nov. 25, 1941.

As a soldier in the 32nd Infantry Division, known as the Red Arrowmen, he saw action in the Pacific theater. Stambaugh, 22, was killed in action in Buna, New Guinea, a little more than a year after joining the Army. The last time he was seen was while climbing a mountain with his unit. He had fallen behind because of sore feet.

Stambaugh was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart and the Presidential Citation. He is buried in Mt. Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Landisburg.

Among those at the ceremony were surviving members of Stambaugh's family. Keller gave his brother, Richard Stambaugh, a replica of the sign that dedicates the bridge in Pfc. Stambaugh's honor.

His nephew, Pastor Brian Stambaugh, prayed at the ceremony, asking God to watch over, bless, and give strength to the nation's soldiers, veterans, and those who gave their lives in service of the country.

"We want to recognize the sacrifice each of them have made," Brian Stambaugh said.

Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 7463's honor guard gave a 21-gun salute as part of the ceremony.

The dedication sign was unveiled and Pfc. Stambaugh's restored car from the 1930s was driven across the bridge.

"This forever holds his legacy here in Perry County," Keller said.

Jim T. Ryan can be reached via e-mail at jtryan@perrycountytimes.com
FILE - In this April 20, 1959 file photo, Cuba's leader Fidel Castro addresses a National Press Club luncheon in Washington, D.C. Former President Fidel Castro, who led a rebel army to improbable victory in Cuba, embraced Soviet-style communism and defied the power of 10 U.S. presidents during his half century rule, has died at age 90. The bearded revolutionary, who survived a crippling U.S. trade embargo as well as dozens, possibly hundreds, of assassination plots, died eight years after ill health forced him to formally hand power over to his younger brother Raul, who announced his death late Friday, Nov. 25, 2016, on state television. (AP Photo/John Rous, File)
More days of rain, snow predicted for this winter

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration recently predicted that the Great Lakes region will have more frequent precipitation than usual this winter.
Trooper Cody Donahue (Colorado State Patrol)

An 11-year veteran of the Colorado State Patrol was struck by a tractor-trailer and killed Friday afternoon on Interstate 25 just outside of Castle Rock, becoming the third state trooper to be fatally hit by a vehicle in the line of duty in the past 18 months.

Trooper Cody Donahue was outside of his patrol car and investigating an unrelated crash in the interstates northbound lanes near Tomah Road when the tractor-trailer slammed into him.

Authorities say they have detained the trucks driver, who will likely be arrested and charged. The drivers name and other identifying information have not been released, the Denver Post reports.



This is an incredibly sad day, one that we are seeing way too frequently, Division Chief Steve Johnson, of the Douglas County sheriffs office, said during a news conference. When you see these troopers and you see these law enforcement officers just trying to do their job, just please move over.
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A Donald Trump presidency would likely mean higher taxes for millions of middle-income families, CBS News reported on Friday, citing analysis from the nonpartisan Tax Policy Center.

Under Trumps tax plans, eight million middle-class families would be hit with higher taxes under the incoming presidents proposed Contract With the American Voter, which Trump released in October.

Among the millions of people slammed with tax hikes under Trump would be a majority of single-parent households  families who likely need a tax cut more than two-parent households. Thats because Trump plans to eliminate the head-of-household filing status, which 22 million Americans took advantage of last year and will no longer be able to if Trumps proposal becomes reality.

If youre a low- or moderate-income single parent, youre going to get hurt, said Tax Policy Center fellow Bob Williams, according to CBS News.

The plan would also hurt taxpayers who have elderly parents living with them.

Another group of income earners likely to be hurt by Trumps tax proposal are households with three or more children. According to USA Today, a two-parent household with four children could lose nearly $7,000 in tax deductions as a result of the president-elects plan to eliminate the personal exemption.

These are parts of the tax code that millions of families use to reduce the amount money they have to give to the government and, if the incoming president has his way, they will no longer be able to.

There are, however, some Americans that will mightily benefit from Trumps tax proposal: the wealthy.

Under a Trump administration, the wealthiest 1 percent of income earners would have the most to gain as they would see an enormous 14 percent reduction in their tax burden, despite enjoying most of the gains during the recovery.

Ultimately, Donald Trumps tax proposal is right in line with the failed trickle-down economic policies weve seen out of every Republican president in modern history. The only group of Americans that will truly benefit are those who dont need it.
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You would think that a Republican would have the same negative feelings toward former Soviet KGB agent Vladimir Putin as former Soviet ally and dictator Fidel Castro. But no, that would make too much sense.

Trump should have stopped with his initial tweet, which at least had the virtue of being factual:

Fidel Castro is dead!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 26, 2016

Instead, in a statement released by Trumps transition team, the president-elect managed to not only condemn Castro but to praise himself for having done absolutely nothing:

Today, the world marks the passing of a brutal dictator who oppressed his own people for nearly six decades. Fidel Castros legacy is one of firing squads, theft, unimaginable suffering, poverty and the denial of fundamental human rights.

While Cuba remains a totalitarian island, it is my hope that today marks a move away from the horrors endured for too long, and toward a future in which the wonderful Cuban people finally live in the freedom they so richly deserve.

Though the tragedies, deaths and pain caused by Fidel Castro cannot be erased, our administration will do all it can to ensure the Cuban people can finally begin their journey toward prosperity and liberty. I join the many Cuban Americans who supported me so greatly in the presidential campaign, including the Brigade 2506 Veterans Association that endorsed me, with the hope of one day soon seeing a free Cuba.

While Trumps BFF Putin is busily denying his own citizens fundamental human rights, Donald Trump condemns Fidel Castro for the denial of fundamental human rights. And Trump hasnt had a chance to fulfill his promise to violate Americans fundamental human rights.

What stands out here, however, is Trumps complete inability to let any event pass without somehow turning it into a praise-fest for himself. How any endorsement has anything to do with Fidel Castros death is something known only to the self-aggrandizer-elect.

With unintentional irony, The Daily Caller tells us Trumps Castro Statement Proves Hes No Obama because rather than praising himself, President Obama took the opportunity instead to say,

At this time of Fidel Castros passing, we extend a hand of friendship to the Cuban people.

Even House Speaker Paul Ryan, that doer of so many wrongs, managed to get this one right, stating Today let us reflect on the memory and sacrifices of all those who have suffered under the Castros.

By the time Trump has an opportunity to pat himself on the back for something he has actually done, his shoulder will be as swollen as his ego.
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An election fraud complaint has been filed with the Wisconsin Elections Commission after it was uncovered that more people voted in the presidential race than the total number of votes in 4 precincts in Wisconsin.

The Democratic Coalition Against Trump announced the complaint in a statement, The Democratic Coalition Against Trump filed an Election Fraud complaint with the Wisconsin Elections Commission on Saturday afternoon regarding four separate precincts located within Outagamie County, WI. According to local reports, there were four precincts in Hortonville, Cicero, Bear Creek, and Grand Chute, where it was reported that more people had voted in the presidential race, than had voted overall. The discrepancy, which was attributed by local officials to human error, added over 1,000 votes to Donald Trump which were then taken away when the official election results were posted. The Democratic Coalition Against Trump filed the Election Fraud complaint to urge the Wisconsin Elections Commission to look into these precincts to investigate this vote padding as intentional fraud, as opposed to a clerical error.

It appears that there may have been some classic examples of vote padding happening in Wisconsin. When a reliably blue state in recent presidential elections suddenly shifts to red by the smallest of margins, it should raise some concerns. The state has removed nearly 5,000 votes from Trumps lead over due to human error.

When you have not one, but four separate precincts reporting that more people voted for president than voted overall, that should not be treated as a clerical error, but rather as a coordinated attempt to commit widespread election fraud, said Scott Dworkin, Senior Advisor to the Coalition. The Wisconsin Elections Commission should not look into just these precincts, but into every other precinct in the state where there was a discrepancy, Dworkin added.

The state should be looking into every vote in every precinct because this level of error is unprecedented. The numbers arent adding up in Wisconsin. As more irregularities are found in the totals scrutiny should be increased.

Voters deserve to have their questions answered, and the best way to verify the integrity of the nations elections is with a full audit and recount in Wisconsin, Michigan, and Pennsylvania.

PoliticusUSA has reached out to The Democratic Coalition Against Trump for an update on the status of the complaint and is awaiting their reply.
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MEXICO CITY (Reuters)  An overwhelming majority of Mexicans hold a negative view of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, but most believe their own president should meet with him to defend the countrys interests, an opinion poll showed.

The survey by polling firm Buendia & Laredo for newspaper El Universal showed that 74 percent of respondents had a negative opinion of Trump, a Republican. Only 5 percent had a positive view of him.

Trump, who launched a string of verbal attacks on Mexico during the campaign, has vowed to build a wall along the U.S. southern border, carry out mass deportations of illegal immigrants and has threatened to ditch a trade agreement with Mexico and Canada.

President Enrique Pena Nieto sparked widespread anger by inviting Trump to Mexico City for talks at the end of August.

A parallel survey by the same pollster published at the weekend showed that nearly two-thirds of Mexicans believed the invitation was a mistake.

Still, now that Trump has been elected president, 53 percent of Mexicans said Pena Nieto should meet the New Yorker to promote the countrys interests with the United States, the poll showed. Some 43 percent of those surveyed took the opposite view.

Fully 52 percent of the respondents said they held a positive opinion of Trumps defeated Democratic rival, Hillary Clinton, with only 7 percent of the opposite view.

The poll of 1,000 Mexicans was conducted between Nov. 11 and 15, and had a margin of error of 3.5 percent.

(Reporting by Natalie Schachar; Editing by Leslie Adler)
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Everyone knows by now how close Donald Trump and his pal Vladimir Putin really are. As observed earlier, Trump eagerly overlooks Putins human rights abuses while condemning Castro today for the same sort of behavior.

However, Vladimir Putin threw some water on Trumps anti-Castro routine by pointing out what a great pal Fidel himself was to Americas enemies:

Putin: "Castro was a sincere and reliable friend of Russia. https://t.co/zmdiMXhnbW  Katy Tur (@KatyTurNBC) November 26, 2016

It is true, and Putin is not lying about Castros enduring friendship with the Soviet Union and then Putins rule of post-Communist Russia. It is difficult for Trump to justify attacking Castro while praising Putin, but that is precisely what he has done, leaving us with this conundrum to unravel:

Trump says he loves Putin. Trump says he hates Castro. Putin says he loves Castro.

This is just another conflict of interests Trump needs to answer, and not a financial one this time, but an ideological. Where does Trump stand on dictatorship? Barring a rescue on the recount front, it is a question America will have answered in the most unpleasant way possible.
Though the clock is falling back, fun is still springing up all around the Lowcountry. Immerse yourself in Scottish heritage at the Charleston Scottish Games and Highland Gathering, head to Summerville for the Timrod Library's 125th birthday, or spend a night with friends celebrating Charleston Beer Week. Read moreMy Charleston Weekend: Beer, Bagpipes, and a Birthday Bash
The California man who was fatally shot outside Summerville's Hampton Inn off I-26 did not know his alleged killer, police say. The FBI estimates that 10 percent of people murdered in 2021 in the U.S. were killed by a stranger, though the relationship between the victim and defendant was unknown in roughly half of the crimes, according to data.

. Read moreFatal shooting of California man at Summerville hotel 'random act of violence,' police say
Electric vehicles arent a panacea. They dont reduce traffic congestion or the need to spend billions of dollars repairing and expanding our highways, the way mass transit, ride sharing and more walkable and bicycleable communities can. To the contrary, they make it more difficult to pay for the necessary upgrades, because despite some modest steps, politicians here and elsewhere have been unwilling to change our tax laws to ensure that vehicles using little or no gasoline pay their fair share for those improvements. Read moreEditorial: SC electric vehicle expansion helps state in multiple ways
ST. CLOUD  For some people, a dog is more than just a pet. Their dog is a family member, a confidante and a best friend.

Becky Stawarski's best friend was named Shatzi.

But two years ago, Stawarski was given the news that no dog parent wants to hear: Your dog has cancer.

"I was told it was a very aggressive form of cancer," Stawarski said. "I was told she had about two months to live."

With limited income and no stable form of transportation, she knew trips to the University of Minnesota for chemotherapy were out of the question.

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Faced with a difficult decision and precious little time, Stawarski was running out of options.

Until a Facebook post caught her eye.

It was an ad for canine massages at Armstrong Equine & Canine Massage Therapy in Becker.

"I was like, 'Really? Do people do that?' " she said.

After talking with the owner, Leda Mox, Stawarski decided to give it a try.

"It was just amazing to see (the dogs) look so relaxed," she said. "I said I just have to do this."

Stawarski enrolled in Mox's classes and was able to perform massage therapy on Shatzi until she passed in January  outliving her projected life expectancy by more than a year.

In July, Stawarski, 31, decided to turn her hobby into an in-home business, helping other pet parents find healing. And Hands Healing Hounds was born.

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Canine massage is a relatively new field in animal therapy. But according to Lola Michelin, founder of Fall City, Washington-based Northwest School of Animal Massage, the canine massage industry is on a rapid growth track.

"In the last 15 years it has become more and more popular," Michelin said. "And has become more widely embraced by pet owners and veterinarians."

Michelin said canine massage had evolved from equine massage, a technique that has been around for decades.

"A lot of those horse people had dogs and they had noticed some of their dogs had difficulty aging," she said. "And so canine massage grew out of that."

But canine massage is not strictly for elderly dogs.

"The use of massage is very relaxing and calming," Michelin said. "And it can be used to help anxious pets or those recently adopted pets having difficulty transitioning into their new home."

Much like humans who use professional massage therapy to help alleviate sore muscles and decrease tension, Michelin said dogs can have the same types of benefits.

"This is not a substitute for veterinary care," she said. "We can't diagnosis or prescribe treatment options. But what we can do is make observations about the health of your dog's skin or coat and detect lumps or things that you might not be aware of."

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Even thought it is a new field, several governing agencies like the National Board of Certification for Animal Acupressure and Massage and the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork have worked closely to provide regulatory standards for this industry.

Stawarski is certified through NCBTMB.

Stawarski's clients are dropped off at her St. Cloud home for 30-45 minute sessions. She uses a combination of essential oils to create a relaxing environment for each dog while she works on massaging sore muscles.

"I want this to be an experience that they would want to have again," Stawarski said. "So I let them get up and wander around a bit and get comfortable."

Each session begins with a gentle kneading motion across the body, to get the dog familiar with the therapy. Depending on the dog and their health issues, Stawarski can target pressure to certain joints  for arthritic dogs  or the face to help with breathing and allergies.

Stawarski said each dog is different and will let her know if its painful or pleasurable.

"Some of the obvious signs I look for (if the dog is in pain) is if they pull away or move a part of their body away from me or if they snarl or growl," she said. "But if it's things they like, they will yawn or lick their lips or show their belly. And doggie kisses, of course."

Like human massage, Stawarski recommends dogs drink plenty of water after their massage session.

Prices are determined by the weight of the dog. Toy breeds sessions cost around $25 and giant breeds can cost about $50. Appointments can be made through the Hands Healing Hounds Facebook page.

Stawarski has also worked with dog rescues in Princeton and the Twin Cities. She has plans to start working with the Tri-County Humane Society as well.

Stawarski has seen a lot of improvement with some of her clients, especially those that are recovering from injuries. But she is quick to point out her services do not replace traditional veterinary care  massage is a supplemental service.

But it's a service that Stawarski has grown to love.

"This may sound cheesy, but this is my calling," she said. "Dogs are your family and you will do whatever you can for your family. I'm not in this to make the big bucks. I'm here to give alternatives for pet owners and to help improve the quality of life for your pet. If I can give (owners) their dog back just for a little while, my job is done. That's my reward."
America's travelers made plenty of inauguration plans before last week's election, then had to unmake them. The result is a big jumble with many hotel rooms still available in the Washington, D.C., area, whether you're celebrating or protesting the new president. But nothing's cheap.

Some sample prices:

The Watergate Hotel:$995 and up.

Trump International Hotel:apparently sold out.

The Tabard Inn:$335 for a room with shared bath.

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Instead of Hillary Clinton voters converging on Jan. 20 to celebrate the inauguration of the country's first female president, as many expected, Donald Trump voters are rushing to book rooms so they can be on hand for the ceremony. But the Clinton people aren't necessarily staying home.

Many feminists are now planning a Jan. 21 Women's March on Washington. Jack Lindemuth, director of revenue for the Kimpton Hotels in the area, reported via email that the women's march "is driving significant additional demand" for that weekend.

At the Kimpton chain's 10 hotels in Washington, D.C., inauguration specials carry a four-night minimum, with rooms of roughly $660 to $1,500 nightly, before taxes. Most of those hotels also have single nights available between Jan. 17 and 23, a spokeswoman said, but the hotels closest to the parade route, the National Mall and the Capitol building are selling faster.

At northwestern Washington's historic Tabard Inn, "a lot of rooms got canceled regarding Mrs. Clinton," said general manager Roberto Mancia. "But at the same time, people were booking for the other candidate."

By Tuesday afternoon, the 35-room hotel had just two rooms left for Jan. 20. Like many hotels in the area, the Tabard Inn was requiring a four-night minimum and had bumped up its usual prices. For a room with a shared bathroom, ordinarily priced around $140, the inauguration-week rate was $335 per night.

At the Trump International Washington D.C. Hotel, which opened in September on Pennsylvania Avenue, director of sales Patricia Tang said in October that the hotel's inauguration rates would be $1,250 a night with a five-night minimum, regardless of who won the election. On Tuesday afternoon, the hotel's website reservation tool said it was sold out on the 20th and 21st, but a telephone reservation agent said email reservation requests would be considered at ptang@trumphotels.com.

(For what it's worth, Room 22, the hotel's presidential suite, was available at $12,000 nightly beginning Jan. 22.)

At the Watergate, reborn in 2016 as a luxury hotel with '60s style, management decided before the election on inauguration-weekend rates of $995 nightly and up (with a three-day minimum). So far, the hotel is sticking with it.

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Bookings had a "slower start than expected," a spokesman wrote in an email, "but as people get acclimated to the new president, bookings have picked up."

At the Jefferson, a luxury hotel on 16th Street NW, inauguration-weekend rooms are priced at $1,500 per night, with a four-night minimum. Despite a slow start in sales, a spokesman said, "We are just about sold out now."

As of early this week, the Kimpton George Hotel, the Kimpton Topaz Hotel, the Kimpton Hotel Madera, the Kimpton Rouge Hotel and the Kimpton Hotel Monaco Washington D.C. were all close to selling out, probably because they're close to the White House, the National Mall and the Capitol Building.

The Kimpton Mason & Rook Hotel, the Kimpton Donovan Hotel, the Kimpton Carlyle Dupont Circle Hotel, the Kimpton Glover Park Hotel and the Kimpton Hotel Palomar Washington D.C. reported more availability.

A Kimpton spokeswoman said the chain's inauguration-week rates are 400 percent to 500 percent higher than the usual rates for January, one of the slowest months in most years. The inauguration rates are only about 200 percent above the usual price when Congress is in session and there's a big conference on.
When the diverse cast of the hit Broadway musical "Hamilton" remained on stage and appealed to Vice President-elect Mike Pence "to work on behalf of all of us," it ignited a flash bomb in the culture wars.

The statement, which some saw as a lecture and others a plea, left many people squirming about the appropriateness of using the stage to issue such an overt political statement to the next U.S. vice president. But Rochester area theater directors, actors and playwrights saw the declaration as falling within theater's broader scope and purpose, which aims not only to entertain but to challenge and even unsettle.

"One thing that theater does is it pushes the envelope," said Jerry Casper, director of the Rochester Community and Technical College theater. "Part of what we should do is make people think."

Casper points to early 20th century writers such a French playwright Alfred Jarry whose works  especially his attack on French royalty  so inflamed audiences that fights would break out by the second act.

"I'm not sure that it's a bad thing that theater makes people think and makes them a little upset," Casper said.

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The question, of course, is context. The message spoken on the stage didn't spring organically from the play itself but was delivered by a cast member, Victor Dixon, at the end of the performance. The musical, which features hip-hop and rhythm-and-blues songs, depicts and celebrates the role immigrants played in the American revolution and the early republic.

"We, sir  we  are the diverse America who are alarmed and anxious that your new administration will not protect us, our planet, our children, our parents or defend us and uphold our inalienable rights, said Dixon, who is black and played Vice President Aaron Burr in the production. "We truly hope that this show has inspired you to uphold our American values and to work on behalf of all of us."

Pence, who was both booed and applauded when he entered the theater, was standing in the hallway outside the auditorium when the remarks were made. He reportedly told his daughter, "That's what freedom sounds like."

But a less conciliatory Trump turned to twitter to condemn the statement, punctuating the end of one tweet with the demand, "Apologize!"

Other conservatives saw the moment as an act of condescension, another example of cultural elites demonstrating how out of touch they are with the rest of America.

"Hey Democrats, want help to rally the country around Donald Trump," wrote conservative commentator Marc A. Thiessen. "Here's a great idea: Have a crowd of wealthy, out-of-touch Manhattan liberals (who can afford $849 tickets to "Hamilton") boo Vice President-elect Mike Pence while the cast of the Broadway show lectures him on diversity."

Gregory Stavrou, executive director of the Rochester Civic Theatre, said he was "proud of the actors" for what they had to say. The remarks were a "legitimate expression of concern" spoken in a respectful way.

"I think these actors are more than people performing a show for you on stage, that you pay to come and see," Stavrou said. "They're valued artists in our community. They said their concerns. What's wrong with that."

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Scott Dixon, an actor and playwright for Commonweal Theatre in Lanesboro, said the message relayed by Dixon was also consistent with the theme of the play, which includes the line, "Immigrants, we get the job done." That line brought a standing ovation from the audience when Pence was there.

"You're talking about the vice president. You're talking about an opportunity to have the ear, access in a way you may never otherwise have to a very important man," Dixon said. "And to give credit where credit is due, Pence stayed in the lobby to hear the remarks. He said he wasn't bothered or offended or insulted at all."

Casper said he thought the statement was OK for a reason that had nothing to do with the theater: The remarks by Dixon echoed the uncertainty many are feeling about the new administration.

"We don't know what's happening. Everybody's uncomfortable," Casper said. "If you're not a white male right now  I mean, I have a lot of students that I talk to at the college who are kind of going, 'we just don't know what to expect. What's going to happen?' So tensions are high."
It's probably too early for a handful of Stewartville kids to pick a career, but they already have some experience in a decidedly adult occupation: Law enforcement.

Alivia Szydel, Ava Szydeland Cael Szydel, along with friends Zurich Hansonand Ashlyn Olsonon Tuesday received Citizen Letters of Recognition from the Olmsted County Sheriff's Office for their actions last month.

About 3:15 p.m. Oct. 22, a deputy was sent to Meadow Park, in Stewartville, after a phone call from Ashley Szydel. Her children, she told the dispatcher, had been walking with friends along a path in the park when they found a bag containing a large number of quarters. They ran home and told their parents, who called law enforcement.

When the deputy arrived, the children escorted deputies to the spot where they'd found the bag, which weighed nearly 40 pounds and contained more than $600 in change.

It was later learned the property was associated with several burglaries on Sept. 14 in Stewartville  it became "a crucial piece of evidence in order to prosecute the suspect," according to Deputy Mike Strelow.

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He nominated the children for the award, which was presented by Sheriff Kevin Torgerson.

Several other awards were presented, including:

Life saving awards

 On Sept. 30, a detainee in the Olmsted County Adult Detention Center attempted to take his own life by cutting a large artery in his upper arm.

Colin Rigelman, a nurse on duty that day, recognized the seriousness of the injury and took steps to get and keep direct pressure on the wound while immediately getting emergency medical responders to the ADC.

Cortney LeVanwas the lead health technician on duty that day and played a pivotal role in stopping the detainee from bleeding to death. She assisted Rigelman with immediate first aid and helped keep pressure on the wound until relieved by other staff.

Rigelman and LeVan "helped save the life of a detainee who would not have made it without their assistance," the nomination form reads.

Detention Deputies Alex Ziemann, Alex Hartleyand Matt Adamsonwere also on duty that day, and played a crucial role in "stopping the detainee from bleeding to death with their quick actions," wrote Sgt. Ted Maeder, who nominated the five.

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 On Oct. 11, Deputy Scott Bakerwas dispatched to a suspicious person call at the 100th Street overpass on U.S. Highway 52 north. The caller said a woman was standing on the overpass, looking over the edge of the railing. When Baker arrived, he saw the woman  visibly upset and crying  sitting on the concrete railing over the highway.

Baker began talking to her "in a calm and caring voice as he walked to where she was seated and positioned himself within arm's reach as he attempted to engage her in conversation with little success," the nomination says.

The woman began to lean over the railing as if she were attempting to let herself fall into traffic passing below on U.S. 52; Baker was able to quickly grab her by the arm and pull her back onto 100th Street.

During the entire incident, Baker "remained calm and continued to talk to the female in a caring voice, explaining that she was not in trouble, that he was concerned for her and that he was going to get her some help," wrote Sgt. Bruce Christenson. "I believe that Baker's response to the incident and quick thinking ultimately saved this young lady's life."

 On Sept. 5, Elizabeth Schneider-Lobergand Deputy Jake Lewiswere working in the intake unit of the Adult Detention Center when they discovered a male detainee had tied a sheet around his neck and around the top bunk, and was hanging by his neck. Lewis, "while remaining calm, radioed for assistance  as he managed to remove his keys from his duty belt and get the cell door open."

When Sgt. Chris Smileyarrived, Lewis was holding the man up under the arms while Schneider-Loberg removed the sheet from around his neck. The man was unresponsive and bluish/white as he was lowered to the floor so Schneider-Loberg could start CPR, wrote Smiley in his nomination.

After only a few chest compressions, the man began to breathe on his own. He was sent to the hospital, and fully recovered.

Medals of commendation:

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 Detective Tim Parkin"went above and beyond his regular duties by taking proactive measures to resolve ongoing criminal activity in the region" for his actions in an investigation that took a career criminal off the streets.

In July, Parkin learned about regional crimes that matched the offender's previous method of operation; he applied for and was granted a court order to begin surveillance of the man. The surveillance showed he was active in Southeast Minnesota, northern Iowa and western Wisconsin, so Parkin contacted multiple law enforcement agencies in the areas, warning them.

In late August, Parkin learned the man was in Wisconsin. He immediately notified the local Wisconsin sheriff's office, which was able to verify that the man had been at a residence during the time frame of a burglary there. Parkin in turn notified Olmsted County's patrol division to intercept the man when he arrived back in town.

The man was arrested and is now in prison, awaiting trials in Wisconsin and Minnesota.

 When Detention Deputy Lisa Pelowskistarted working on gun permits in 2005, 70 permits to carry were issued. As of September 2016, she's already issued 1,470 permits for the year  more than 300 over the numbers for 2015. In other Minnesota counties who issue fewer permits to carry and permits to purchase, there are 3.5 people who do the same job that Pelowski does alone for Olmsted County. She also does the background checks for the permits, reviews the permits and collects payment.

Pelowski holds the front desk position at the ADC, answers public calls, greets the public, pats down detainees, does the public fingerprinting and bookings, prints all staff and volunteer identification badges, releases property for detainees, sends out court/arraignment lists, takes out-of-county bail payments and more.

Nominator Marisa Thorpe wrote that Pelowski "exceeds beyond what is required in her position and is completely dedicated to her role She is relied upon by the public who ask for her by name, by detainees, all ADC staff and Sheriff Torgerson."

 One incident, two awards:

On April 27, the Olmsted County Sheriff's Office Warrants Division was asked by the U.S. Marshal Service to help apprehend a man from South Dakota who was possibly en route to Olmsted County. The man was considered armed and dangerous. It was soon learned the man  who was known to be a heavy methamphetamine user with violent tendencies and had threatened to go on a shooting spree  was in an apartment in Hayfield.

Investigators Mark Chambersand Joe Swenson, both assigned to the Southeast Minnesota Violent Crime Enforcement Team, responded to the scene, along with members of other agencies.

The man attempted to drive away, directly at Chambers, who fired his rifle; the suspect's vehicle knocked Chambers to the ground. Chambers and a Marshal shot at the fugitive several times; the suspect ended up crashing his vehicle into a nearby apartment building. He ran, but Swenson and other officers were able to catch him and take him into custody. The man is now in prison in South Dakota.

"Due to the quick actions of Swenson and Chambers, this fugitive was captured without any injury to innocent bystanders. Swenson accompanied Chambers to the hospital, thereby showing the meaning of the word 'partner.' Chambers'  showed his dedication to training and willingness to place himself in harm's way to protect others," wrote nominator Deputy Tony Heaser.

Swenson received a Medal of Commendation; Chambers was awarded the Medal of Valor.

Letters of recognition:

 Sgt. Maja Donahue

 Inv. Chad Nelson

 Detention Dep. Dean Pike

 Dep. Jon Strum

 Detention Dep. Rick Trogstad

 Sgt. Jerry Wooner

Certificates of appointment:

 Elizabeth Sanders, detention deputy

 Alex Ziemann, detention deputy

 Justin Woodford, detention deputy

 Jordan Anderson, deputy sheriff

 Tanner Clay, deputy sheriff

 Jonathan Bonde, detention deputy

 Kyle Colwell, detention deputy

 Mike Hardin, fleet mechanic

Emergency manager certification:

 Deputy Cassie Deets
Dr. B Speaks!

It always seems impossible until it's done. That is the way Nelson Mandela put it. His quote motivates mission-driven people to accomplish d Read moreTeacher assistants help support teachers and students to learn
Its not even noon yet out here on the Left Coast, and while the competition is very keen to see who can make the greatest fool of himself fawning over Fidel Castro, I think we can declare a winner already in the sweepstakes for Greatest Moral Imbecile of the Week.

First runner up is Justin Trudeau, the current nincompoop running Canada. Heres his complete statement:

The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, today issued the following statement on the death of former Cuban President Fidel Castro: It is with deep sorrow that I learned today of the death of Cubas longest serving President. Fidel Castro was a larger than life leader who served his people for almost half a century. A legendary revolutionary and orator, Mr. Castro made significant improvements to the education and healthcare of his island nation. While a controversial figure, both Mr. Castros supporters and detractors recognized his tremendous dedication and love for the Cuban people who had a deep and lasting affection for el Comandante. I know my father was very proud to call him a friend and I had the opportunity to meet Fidel when my father passed away. It was also a real honour to meet his three sons and his brother President Raul Castro during my recent visit to Cuba. On behalf of all Canadians, Sophie and I offer our deepest condolences to the family, friends and many, many supporters of Mr. Castro. We join the people of Cuba today in mourning the loss of this remarkable leader.

But the winner really needs to go to Jean-Claude Juncker, the head of the European Commission, for the succinct Tweet:

And yet Im guessing he still wonders why Britain went for Brexit.

UPDATE (11:30 am PST): You know, I really should have waited until we heard from Jesse Jackson, who never disappoints:

Meanwhile, honorable mention to, of all people, Nancy Pelosi, for getting it right:

The death of Fidel Castro marks the end of an era for Cuba and the Cuban people. After decades under Fidels doctrine of oppression and antagonism, there is hope that a new path for Cuba is opening. . . Generations of Cuban political prisoners, democracy activists and families suffered under Fidel Castros rule.

Maybe she read the election returns a little more clearly than usual?
The freakout over Donald Trumps alleged love affair with Vladimir Putin may or may not have a firm basis in reality. But to the extent that its Democrats who are freaking out, I cant help but note their hypocrisy.

It was President Obama and then-Secretary of State Clinton who gave us the Russian reset, one consequence of which was to deny Poland and the Czech Republic a missile shield. It is Obama whose response to Putins aggression against Ukraine has been so tepid.

Moreover, it is Obama whose policy, as opposed to his rhetoric, mirrors Trumps statements regarding Syria that have many analysts freaking out. U.S. policy under Obama has been to (1) stand by and watch the Assad regime, now a puppet of Russia and Iran, destroy the Syrian opposition and (2) hope to enlist Russia in the fight against ISIS. This is basically the policy that Trump has taken so much abuse for advocating.

But Obamas foreign policy isnt just congenial to Russia in the Age of Putin. Fidel Castros death reminds us that under Obama, the U.S. has replaced the old Soviet Union as a leading benefactor of totalitarian anti-American regimes.

The Soviet Union propped up Castos Cuba. Obama has helped do the same by normalizing relations with Cuba in exchange, essentially, for nothing.

These days, Iran is Americas main enemy among nations. It has also become an ally of Russia.

Obamas Iran deal has enriched the Iranian regime to a degree that neither Khrushchev, Brezhnev, nor Putin could have dreamed of approaching.

Its possible that Trumps policy towards Putin will mirror or even be marginally worse than Obamas. The president-elect seems to indulge in the same fantasy that caused Obama and Clinton to be so misguided during the reset era  the belief that Putins bad behavior is Americas fault, i.e., the product of bad U.S. policy rather than of Putins soul.

We can be reasonably confident, however, that Trump wont ape Obama when it comes to enriching Americas enemies gratuitously. Thus, provided that Trump doesnt undermine NATO  something I very much doubt he will do  better days are very likely ahead when it comes to U.S. foreign policy.
The Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON) has described CBN Governor Godwin Emefieles suggestion of a new phone call tax on consumers as economically wrong.

Mr. Emefiele suggested that calls beyond three minutes should be taxed, as an alternative means of generating revenue for the government.

But ATCON president, Olusola Teniola, told journalists in Lagos on Saturday that the proposal was technically and economically wrong.

He said that operators in the telecommunications industry were not consulted on the issue before the pronouncement.

Contrary to the CBN governors believe, it is the poor people who make more calls than the rich.

So, the proposal is not targeted at the middle or higher class.

I have not seen any industry where you dont want people to use your products or services more.

We want people to be speaking longer, he said.

Mr. Teniola said the CBN governors proposal that people should cut their phone calls after three minutes was not founded on any theory.

In fact, you will now see that people will be cutting their calls.

It does not make sense, not only technically but economically, to apply that kind of thinking as a tool or solution out of the present economic recession, it is not going to work, Mr. Teniola said.

He said that ATCON had already proposed to the Senate a one per cent VAT increase across all sectors.

This is a more realistic measure toward getting more revenue for the government, Mr. Teniola said.

The ATCON president said the ICT industry had been envisaged to help the country gets out of recession.

But the sector should not be killed with over taxation, he said.

He suggested other ways the country could raise additional revenue to finance the increased expenditure that could engender fast and sustainable growth of the economy.

I think we can consider introducing a negligible telecom surcharge to be entirely borne by the initiator of a call in order to protect the poor and vulnerable amongst us.

We could structure it to only take effect after the third minute of talk.

Some analyses have indicated that the government could earn about N100 billion per annum from this alone.

Obviously, this surcharge will mainly be borne by middle and upper class people since I do not know many poor people who make calls for more than three minutes, he said. (NAN)
The Director-General of the State Security Service, Lawal Daura, on Thursday vowed necessary action against Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State for blocking SSS operatives from arresting a senior judge in Port Harcourt last month, PREMIUM TIMES has learnt.

At a meeting with members of the House of Representatives, Mr. Daura said the governor was only protected by Constitutional immunity, and would be dealt with once he loses his immunity, several sources at the meeting told PREMIUM TIMES.

The warning came when Mr. Daura appeared before the House Ad-Hoc Committee investigating the crackdown on the judges, two of whom sit on the Supreme Court.

Our sources said the SSS chief refused to fully cooperate with the committee and withheld details of the departments arrests of judges in October, infuriating many members.

One source said Mr. Daura failed to disclose anything spectacular that could aid the committees inquiry, preferring instead to tell us about how legal his agencys actions were and who crossed his path.

The SSS carried out the coordinated operation in different cities on October 7 and 8, and arrested seven judges.

The operation generated intense controversy, with many Nigerians questioning the powers of the SSS to arrest suspects of alleged corruption and economic crimes.

On October 11, the House of Representatives set up a committee to investigate the raids and its aftermath. The committee was inaugurated on Wednesday by Speaker Yakubu Dogara who condemned the operation and urged his colleagues to carefully examine whether the agency acted within its powers.

Mr. Daura appeared before the committee on Thursday, and immediately sought a private session with the members.

But some lawmakers said after extensive exchanges between them and the top intelligence official, they could not obtain useful details.

It was a very important hearing but he insulted the sensitivity of all of us present by failing to provide anything useful that we havent already read in the media, one lawmaker said furiously. He requested to speak anonymously because of the sensitivity of the matter.

At some point, some of the lawmakers said they queried why Mr. Daura requested an executive session in the first place.

We made him understand that his cocky attitude was unacceptable and not in the best interest of our country, another lawmaker said. Yet this is why he took us into a private session.

The SSS has become increasingly opaque since President Buhari appointed Mr. Daura last year. The agency, which used to have a spokesperson, immediately cancelled all channels of communications with the public and the media.

Lawmakers say Mr. Daura did not act any different on Thursday.

He pushed back against all relevant questions that we asked him, a lawmaker said, preferring only to stick to his position that what he did was legal.

The lawmakers said Mr. Daura stuck to his talking point even on the preparation against the arraignment of the judges.

He refused to answer us, saying we will see the details were requesting when he presents them against the judges in court.

The lawmakers said Mr. Daura issued a series of threats against some prominent citizens who spoke out against the conduct of the organisation in recent times.

Neither Mr. Daura not the SSS could be reached for comments.

But our sources said amongst those Mr. Daura threatened to deal with was Mr. Wike, who prevented the SSS from arresting a judge in Port-Harcourt during the raid, sparking a row between the governor and the agency at the time.

He thoroughly condemned the actions of Wike. And vowed to take necessary action against him when he no longer enjoys immunity, the lawmaker said. Mr. Wike took office in May 2015 and is expected to complete his first term in 2019.

One lawmaker said Mr. Daura acted as if he was the head of a secret agency.

The lawmaker said the committee would expand its findings to include questions about the SSS portrayal of itself as a secret organisation.

The Defence Intelligence Agency is the organisation I know to be secret in this country, the lawmaker said. There may be others in the military or for financial intelligence, but I know for a fact that the SSS is not a secret organisation.

Other agencies such as the EFCC and the ICPC also made submission to the committee yesterday, but they confined themselves to enumerating their constitutional role, the lawmakers said.

Both of them submitted documents that are less than 10 pages just to basically explain what laws allowed them to do, another lawmaker said. But we decided to give them a pass because they were only dragged into a matter that does not concern them.

We all know the SSS is solely responsible for the arrest, detention and allegations of fraud against the judges.
Nigerian Senators and House of Representatives members have pocketed half a trillion Nigeria between 2006 and 2016, a member who was suspended for exposing alleged fraud in the House said Friday.

Abdulmumin Jibrin said he was exploring ways for foreign investigators to probe the alleged fraud, which he said amounted to a crime against humanity.

Mr. Jibrin said member received the huge figure as running cost, provided for each year in National Assembly budgets.

The National Assembly has received about N1 trillion since 2006 and about N500 billion has gone directly into private pockets through the fraud called running cost, Mr. Jibrin said in a statement.

Mr. Jibrin said he was corroborating former President Olusegun Obasanjos claims about the level of corruption in the National Assembly.

Mr. Obasanjo came down hard on the legislators in a speech in Lagos on Wednesday, chiding the parliament as a den of corruption controlled by a gang of unarmed robbers.

He called on President Buhari to take extreme measures to purge the parliament of its corrupt elements, saying it stinks and stinks to high heavens.

The House of Representatives hit back at the former leader the next day, labelling him as the most corrupt Nigerian in history.

In a statement signed by its spokesman, Abdulrazak Namdas, the House said Mr. Obasanjo had lost the moral standing to speak against corruption, having allegedly bribed lawmakers with a huge stash of money over a decade ago.

Mr. Jibrin took sides with Mr. Obasanjo in the faceoff, saying the former presidents attacks were characteristically blunt and honest.

He said the allocation of the National Assembly had seen an exponential growth in recent years.

Mr. Jibrin dismissed Mr. Namdas explanation why the House had been hiking its budget every year as a manifestation of his lack of institutional knowledge on budgetary issues.

Namdas lacked the institutional knowledge to comment on issues like this, Mr. Jibrin said. What does he know about allocations to the House?

Statutory allocations to the National Assembly rose from about N40 billion in 2006 to N150 billion in 2011 and N120 billion in 2015 and N115 billion in 2016.

Mr. Jibrin said details of the National Assembly budget are shrouded in secrecy and are being hidden from even most lawmakers.

Despite effusive promises, Senate President Bukola Saraki failed to publish details of the National Assembly budget for 2016. Mr. Saraki and Mr. Dogara sidestepped Nigerians demand for transparency in the parliaments expenses throughout the year.

The opacity and other alleged official transgressions of Mr. Saraki, Mr. Dogara and other lawmakers will be forwarded to the FBI and Interpol, Mr. Jibrin said.

I have received a briefing from my lawyers in London that such scams equal a crime against humanity, Mr. Jibrin said. And there are laws in America and Europe that allow the FBI and Interpol to deal with such cases at the international level so that the culprits who created the scam can be prosecuted.

Mr. Namdas did not immediately respond to PREMIUM TIMES requests for comment Saturday afternoon.
The online page of a controversial deposit money scheme, MMM, has taken a spot amongst the most visited websites in Nigeria, according to Web traffic monitor, Alexa.com.

Statistics available on Alexa, a standard for online traffic evaluation, show that MMM maintained the 5th position for the most part of November, edging out major platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and online retailer, Jumia.com.

PREMIUM TIMES could not find a spokesperson for MMM to comment for this story, but the spike in its online presence might not be unconnected with its growing popularity amongst Nigerians.

Nigerians continue to patronise the scheme which promises a return of up to 30 per cent on every investment within 30 days despite all warnings from the appropriate authorities to desist.

The Central Bank of Nigeria recently rolled out a radio and television blitz warning Nigerians not to risk their incomes on the scheme, all to no avail.

Members of the House of Representatives were criticised by some MMM participants when they called for immediate crackdown on promoters of the scheme earlier this month.

Typical allegations from online commenters were about how the lawmakers were trying to block a critical means of livelihood for the masses.

This week, the group marked its first anniversary in the country by donating gifts to the internally displaced persons in the Federal Capital Territory.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that members of the community as part of their activities marking the exercise tagged: MMM Cares, donated relief materials to IDPs at the Gwoza and Bama Camps in Abuja.

They donated bags of rice, garri, cartons of beverages and noodles as well as clothing, and drugs, NAN said.
President Muhammadu Buhari is being represented this Saturday in Abu Dhabi by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo as Nigeria and the United Arab Emirates seek to build closer relationship and economic ties.

The Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, who is also the Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the UAE Armed Forces, Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, extended an invitation to President Buhari as Special Guest at the Eight Race of the Grand Prize of Union Airways for Formula 1, organised by Abu Dhabi holding this weekend.

Considered as the biggest international sporting event in the Middle East, the race attracts wide global attention, and the presence of several heads of states and governments from across the world.

President Buhari held bilateral discussions with the Crown Prince during his visit to UAE earlier this year, securing a number of agreements and offers of assistance from the Emirate including helping in the North East with the re-establishment of livelihood for IDPs.

While in Abu Dhabi, Vice President Osinbajo will hold follow-up bilateral discussions on this offer, and other issues of mutual economic and diplomatic concerns, a statement by Laolu Akande, the spokesperson for the vice president, said.

Mr. Osinbajo, who is accompanied on the weekend trip by his wife, Dolapo Osinbajo and the Honourable Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Khadija Bukar Ibrahim left Abuja Friday afternoon and is expected back on Sunday.
The spokesperson of Afenifere Renewal Group, Yinka Odumakin, and human rights activist, Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, have filed an action before the Lagos Division of the Federal High Court, seeking to stop the proposed recruitment of 10,000 personnel into the Nigeria Police through local government quota.

Joined as defendants in the suit numbered are the Nigeria Police Force, the Inspector-General of Police, the Nigerian Police Council, the National Assembly, the Senate and the House of Representatives, the Minister of Police Affairs and the Attorney-General of the Federation.

The plaintiffs are urging the court to declare that the Nigerian Police Council is the only constitutionally established body in Nigeria saddled with the responsibility to recruit and appoint persons into the Nigeria Police Force, in accordance with Section 14 and Paragraph 30 of the Third Schedule of the 1999 Constitution.

The Police Service Commission, last August, shortlisted about 330,000 candidates out of the nearly one million applicants that applied for recruitment into the Nigeria Police Force.

Only 10,000 vacancies were available.

In August, the police said the successful candidates would be subjected to compulsory polygraph test (lie detector test); general background test; biometrics, medical and physical examination; and aptitude, oral and psychological tests.

But in their suit, Messrs. Odumakin and Adegboruwa urged the court to declare illegal the National Assemblys directive that police recruitment be done on local government basis.

They also urged the court to declare as unconstitutional the National Assemblys directive to the Nigeria Police Force to supervise the police recruitment exercise against the enshrined duty of the Police Service Commission which is statutorily saddled with such responsibility.

The plaintiffs further urged the court to suspend the recruitment of the 10,000 personnel into the police.

In the affidavit in support deposed to by Mr. Adegboruwa, he stated that it was wrong for the National Assembly and the Inspector-General of Police, to seek to take over the statutory roles of the Nigeria Police Council and that any recruitment based on local government quota will create inequality across the nation, as that will be contrary to section 14 of the 1999 Constitution relating to the federal character principle.

Mr. Adegboruwa stated further that under paragraph 30 of the Third Schedule to the 1999 Constitution, it is the Police Council that has the statutory power of recruitment, promotion and discipline of all policemen and women and not the Inspector-General of Police or indeed the National Assembly.

No date has been fixed for the hearing of the case.
Segun Agbaje, the INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Ondo State, says the commission has more than 250 spare smart card readers to replace those malfunctioning.

He said this on Saturday while speaking with journalists at Unit 9, Ward 2, Gbogi/Isinkan in Akure South Local Government Area of the state on the sidelines of the accreditation and voting process for the governorship election.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that there had been complaints of malfunctioning card readers in some polling units in the state.

I have called the Head of Department of ICT to get smart cards for areas with smart card challenges and very soon they will get them.

Card reader is not a major challenge because it can be addressed within 10 to 20 minutes; we have over 250 smart card readers for exchange in case of malfunction.

I believe more people are still coming and the election is going on smoothly across the state, he said.

He further said that the challenge faced by those whose names were not on the list but have PVCs would be addressed by the ICT Department soon.

Describing the electoral process as very impressive, he said the report emerging from the Election Monitoring System Operating Room at the commissions Abuja headquarters was positive.

No fewer than 1,280,580 voters with Permanent Voter Cards would decide who the governor would be out of the 28 contestants in Saturdays governorship election.

Although 1,659,186 voters were registered for the election, 378,606 did not collect collect their PVCs.

Among the major contestants are Eyitayo Jegede of the PDP, Rotimi Akeredolu of the APC, Olu Agunloye of the Social Democratic Party and Olusola Oke of the Alliance for Democracy.

Others include the candidate of the Accord Party, Oladare Amuda, Yinka Orokoto of the Action Alliance, the candidate of the Allied Congress Party of Nigeria and Adetuwo Ogunjumelo.(NAN)
The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has alleged that a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Ondo State violated election laws by campaigning during voting.

The party said Tunji Light-Ariyo, a known chieftain of the APC, was recorded campaigning on behalf of and canvassing for votes for the APC candidate, Rotimi Akeredolu, at PUs 28, 29, and 30 in Ward 2 of Akure South Local Government Area, in spite of the prohibition of such actions by the Electoral Act 2010.

The party in a statement by its spokesperson, Dayo Adeyeye, said the recording of this event also clearly show several police officers and men of other security agencies standing by and doing nothing while this was going on.

In fact the video shows that the police men were providing security cover for him.

The PDP also complained that voters in several parts of the state have suffered several incidents of card reader failures.

The party said despite that INEC owns lots of card readers, in several locations, there were no back up card readers. The party said many voters were deprived of their right to vote for candidates of their choice.

For instance, the Polling Unit of Governor Olusegun Mimiko suffered Card Reader failure at his Polling Unit  Ward 7 Unit 20 Ondo West Local Government Area  that has prevented voters from casting their votes, it said.

PDP said its early observations from the conduct of the Ondo State gubernatorial election has shown several irregularities and poor preparations on the part of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, as well as officers of the Nigerian Police and other security agencies.

We view these incidents for what they are  violations of the law and evidence of the plots to rig the elections in favour of Rotimi Akeredolu.

We reiterate our earlier warnings that we will not stand by and watch anyone tamper with the democratic process and subvert the will of the Ondo people, the party said.
The state funeral for Fidel Castro who died at the age of 90, has been fixed for Sunday December 4, in Santiago de Cuba, according to state media report.

But the cremation of the remains of Castro will be carried out according to his wishes, and has been fixed for Saturday, Cuba President Raul Castro, announced early Saturday.

According to official states media, the government has also declared nine days of mourning in honour of the fallen hero.

The death of Cuba strongman, Mr. Castro, has triggered both celebration and mourning, as critics welcomed his demise while supporters grieved for the polarising strongman who dominated Cuba for decades.

In Maimi, celebrations spilled out over the death of Mr. Castro and the state government decreed a nine days of mourning. During the period, all activities and public performances will be halted, and Cubas flag will be flown at half-mast in public and at military establishments.

According to reports , the countrys radio and television channels will broadcast informative, patriotic and historical programming.

Mr. Castro reigned in Havana for nearly five decades with an iron hand, defying a U.S. economic embargo intended to dislodge his regime.

But he lived long enough to see a historic reunion between Cuba and the U.S. The two nations re-established diplomatic relations in July 2015.

Meanwhile, messages by world leaders have been pouring in celebration of Castro who ruled Cuba for 47 years.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, praised him, describing Mr. Castro as a symbol of an era, while former Russian leader Mikhail Gorbachev hailed him for strengthening Cuba.

Narenda Modi, India prime minister, said Fidel Castro was one of the most iconic personalities of the 20th century, and said India mourned the loss of a great friend.

Mexicos President, Enrique Pene Nieto called Mr. Castro a friend of Mexico, who had promoted bilateral relaionships based on respect, dialogue and solidatity.

Also, Nicolas Maduro, the Venezuelas president, has sent a solidarity and love message to Cuban people on the loss of the countrys longtime leader.

Mr. Maduro has remained a close ally of Cuba, in his Twitter message, he called on all the revolutionaries of the world to continue his legacy under the flag of independence , socialism and homeland.

In his message, Chinas president Xi Jinping says, Mr. Castro will live for ever especially in the minds of those who loved and cherished him. (NAN)
Security agents keeping vigil in the ongoing governorship election in Ondo State have arrested some suspected hoodlums at Igbokoda, Ilaje, for allegedly snatching ballot boxes.

Police officials said the suspects were chased from interior communities to the Igbokoda jetty where they were arrested.

They were taken to a police station where the Divisional Police Officer, DPO, declined to speak to journalists.

However, the spokesperson of the police in the state said he has not been briefed on the arrest, promising to get back to journalists on the matter.

Although the election is progressing with little violence, unknown gunmen killed a chieftain of the opposition All Progressives Congress, APC, Afolabi Olaposi, on Thursday night in Owo town.

In preparation for the election, the Nigeria Police Force deployed 26,000 personnel, three helicopters, 12 Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs) and 20 gunboats to Ondo State.

The civil defence corps also deployed about 15,000 of its personnel.

PREMIUM TIMES reporters in Ondo confirmed high presence of security officials in voting units and strategic locations across the state.
The Nigerian Army has said that a woman who was arrested wearing military uniforms, with a fake identity card, was travelling alone and was not carrying any improvised Explosive Device, IED.

Rumours were rife on social media Friday that a fake female officer was arrested with two kids along Keffi/Abuja way. The reports also claimed they all had IEDs on them.

However, the Nigerian Army said the woman was arrested at Gwagwalada and had falsely claimed to be a Major in the Nigerian Army.

PRNigeria, a firm that circulates press releases for Nigerian security outfits, said it gathered that the fake officer who also claimed to be a serving medical doctor, was alone when she was arrested.

Contrary to insinuation, the fake Major Juliana Gumel was not carrying Improvised Explosive Devices (IED) nor was she with kids when she was arrested, the statement said.

Army spokesperson, Sani Usman, said the arrested perpetrator was undergoing interrogation.

She claimed to be a Medical Doctor and a major with a fake Private Soldiers outdated identity card. But not with IED. I believe Guards Brigade or the Nigeria Police will issue a formal statement on it,  Mr. Usman said.
Billionaire businessman and lawyer, Tunde Ayeni, is in detention at the headquarters of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission in Abuja in relation with the ongoing investigation of former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Bala Mohammed, for alleged fraud, PREMIUM TIMES can report.

Mr. Ayeni was arrested Thursday and has remained in detention ever since, with investigators asking him to refund one billion Naira his bank, Aso Savings and Loans, an Abuja-based Primary Mortgage Institution, allegedly passed to Mr. Mohammed in yet unclear circumstances.

We will release him once he pays back the money, an EFCC official familiar with the matter said Friday night. We want to give the money back to the bank.

The official said Mr. Mohammed struck a N1billion deal with Aso Savings and Loans, which transacted a N1billion land swap transaction with the FCT administration at the time.

Mr. Ayeni was vice chairman of the bank at the time.

The EFCC is investigating Mr. Mohammed, who was arrested on October 24, for alleged financial crimes in excess of N1.6 trillion.

Sources within the agency told this newspaper that Mr. Mohammed, who served from April 2010 until May 2015, was allegedly involved in extensive land racketeering while he was minister.

After computation of the land deals that he struck, we discovered that more than N1.6 trillion could not be accounted for, a source said.

The former minister could not be reached to comment for this story.

This is the second time Mr. Ayeni would be a guest of the EFCC.

In 2004, he was arrested in relation with the corruption trial of former Bayelsa Governor, Diepreye Alamieyeseigha.

The businessman was arrested by the commission over the matter and later mentioned in court documents as admitting helping Mr. Alamieyeseigha to execute some deals.

The EFCC has since cleared Mr. Ayeni of complicity in the Alamieyeseigha saga.

In two letters sighted by PREMIUM TIMES, the anti-graft agency admitted Mr. Ayeni was detained and questioned over some transactions during the Alamieyseigha case, but was cleared of all liabilities.

Mr. Ayeni has since then remained one of Nigerias most ambitious businessmen, investing heavily in almost all key sectors of the Nigerian economy  oil and gas, telecoms and power.

He was until recently the chairman of Skye Bank and was awarded Commander of the Order of Niger (CON)  a national recognition  by the Federal Government.
Bagudu Hirse, former aviation minister, who was abducted by gunmen in Kaduna on Sunday, Nov. 20, has regained his freedom, his brother, John Hirse, has confirmed.

Bagudu was released in the early hours of Saturday, John, retired permanent secretary in the federal civil service and currently District Head of Mangu, in Plateau, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), in Jos on Saturday.

He said the former aviation minister washale and hearty, and thanked Nigerians for their prayers and words of encouragement during the trying period.

May God reward everyone who stood by us during the tough period, he said.

John, however, did not give further details, and also refused to comment over whether ransom was paid to the abductors.

Mr. Bagudu was abducted by gunmen at the Kaduna residence of Mamman Daura, where he had gone to condole the family over the death of the former Sultan of Sokoto, Ibrahim Dasuki.

Mr. Bagudus abduction took place a day after the release of Sheikh Yusuf, a Jos-based cleric and administrative secrertary of the Jamaatu Nasril Islam (JNI), who was equally kidnapped in Kaduna.

The cleric was released on Saturday, Nov. 19, after four days in the custody of his abductors. (NAN)
Fidel Castro, the Cuban revolutionary leader who built a communist state on the doorstep of the United States is dead.

Mr. Castro, who for five decades defied U.S. efforts to topple him, died on Friday at the age of 90, state-run Cuban Television said.

Mr. Castro had been in poor health since an intestinal ailment nearly killed him in 2006 and he formally ceded power to his younger brother, Raul, two years later.

It was Raul who announced his brother died on Friday evening.

Mr. Castro took power in a 1959 revolution and ruled Cuba for 49 years with a mix of charisma and iron will, creating a one-party state and becoming a central figure in the Cold War.

He was demonized by the United States and its allies but admired by many leftists around the world, especially socialist revolutionaries in Latin America and Africa.

Mr. Castro transformed Cuba from a playground for rich Americans into a symbol of resistance to Washington.

He fended off a CIA-backed invasion at the Bay of Pigs in 1961 as well as countless assassination attempts.

His alliance with Moscow helped trigger the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962, a 13-day showdown with the United States that brought the world the closest it has been to nuclear war.

He swept away capitalism and won support for bringing schools and hospitals to the poor.

He also created legions of enemies and critics, concentrated among Cuban exiles in Miami who fled his rule and saw him as a ruthless tyrant.

In the end, it was neither the efforts of Washington and Cuban exiles nor the collapse of Soviet communism that ended his rule.

Instead, illness forced him to cede power to his younger brother Raul, provisionally in 2006 and definitively in 2008. (Reuters/NAN)
The wife of a former Nigerian vice president, Atiku Abubakar, on Friday told a Lagos court how a business partner defrauded her of N918 million.

Titi Abubakar, who testified before Justice Oluwatoyin Ipaye, said one Nsikakabasi Akpan-Jacobs, identified as a pastor, sold a property belonging to her company and used the proceeds to fund his governorship ambition in Akwa Ibom State.

I am here because I want Justice, Mrs. Abubakar told the court.

All my investment and even profit is gone. I want this to serve as a deterrence to other fraudsters that they cant defraud people and not face justice.

Akpan Jacobs; Abdulmalik Ibrahim, a lawyer; and Dana Motors were arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on a 15 count of conspiracy, stealing and fraudulent conversion of properties belong to THA Shipping Maritime Services Ltd.

They pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The trio are accused of conspiracy and stealing of N918 million, proceeds of the sale of a property situated at Plot C63A, Amuwo Odofin Commercial Layout, along Oshodi Apapa Expressway, belonging to Tha Maritime and Shipping Services Limited.

The company, formed in 2000, had 49 per cent shares belonging to Mrs. Abubakar, 25 per cent to Mr. Akpan-Jacobs, and 25 percent to one Fred Holmes.

Mr. Akpan-Jacobs, who is also the companys managing director, allegedly conspired with the secretary to alter the share arrangements at the Corporate Affairs Commission. He allegedly forged a company board resolution re-distributing the shares ownership giving himself 70 per cent , 15 per cent to Mrs. Abubakar, and 15 per cent to Mr. Holmes.

With the shares re-distribution, Mr. Akpan-Jacobs then allegedly proceeded to assume full ownership of THAShipping and subsequently sold a property worth N918m belonging to Dana Motors Nigeria Ltd

In 2014, the court had issued a bench warrant for Mr. Akpan-Jacobs arrest after the 46 year old repeatedly failed to appear for trial. He also failed to produce medical evidence to back his claims that he was ill.

Part of the charge against the defendant reads, That Nsikakabasi Akpan Jacobs and Abdulmalik Ibrahim as the Managing Director and Company Secretary on about the 10th day of August 2008 in Lagos within Ikeja judicial division with intent to defraud stole and converted to your own personal use the sum of N918,000,000.00 being proceeds sale of the property and appurtenances situated at plot C63 A Amuwo Odofin Commercial Layout along Oshodi-Apapa Expressway, Lagos, belonging to Tha shipping and Maritime Service limited entrusted with you as the Managing Director.

Nsikakabasi Akpan Jacobs and Abdulmalik Ibrahim on about the 1st day July 2002 in Lagos within Ikeja judicial Division with intent to defraud forged a Memorandum and Article of Association of Tha Shipping and Maritime Service Limited, dated the 1st day of July 2002 purporting the Signatures therein to have been signed by Florence Doregos and Fred Holmes.

According to the EFCC, the offences contravene Sections 390, 467,468 and 516 of the Criminal Code Laws of Lagos State 2003.

The Commission said Dana Motors contravened Section 18(1) of the EFCC Act of 2004, when it fraudulently acquired the property from the first and second defendants.
The 31st plenary and annual general meeting of the Unity Schools Old Students Association holds today at Kings College, Lagos.

The theme for this years event is Education, National Unity and National Security,

The Unity Schools  also known as Federal Government Colleges (FGCs) and Federal Government Girls Colleges (FGGCs)  were established and are maintained by the Federal Government as a contribution to fostering both skilled human development and national co-existence in Nigeria.

There are 104 Unity Schools all over Nigeria.

Established in 2006, USOSA, an acronym for the network of former students of the unity schools, has a membership of nearly one million alumni drawn from all over Nigeria and active in all walks of life within and beyond Nigeria, many of them in the Diaspora.

PREMIUM TIMES is at the venue of the AGM to bring you live updates of the proceedings.

11.52: The AGM begins with a rendition of both stanzas of the national anthem.

A one-minute silence is observed for deceased Unity schools students and staff, followed by a rendition of the schools anthem.

Members of the first session are called to the stage:

Joseph Tegbe, the Chairman of USOSA Board of Trustees,

An alumnus of FGGC, Ogbomosho.

Albert Okumagba, the very first president of USOSA.

(FGGC, Warri and Kings College, Lagos).

Kabiru Nuhu, (FGGC, Kano)

Oluseyi-Thomas, the principal of Kings College, (FGGC, Ilorin).

Ibim Semenitari, immediate past MD of Niger Delta Development Commission (FGGC Abuloma)

Mohammed Kumalia (FGGC Maiduguri).

Rufun Jauro (FGGC Wukari)

Bimpe Zacchaeus (Queens College Lagos).

12.03: Mr. Oluseyi-Thomas says he received a call from the ministry yesterday to stand in for the minister.

But I knew of the meeting about two months ago. Unfortunately we couldnt release the annex campus for this event because of the matriculation holding there today.

When you look back on the quality of education you had to what we have now, youll admit out association has a very important role to play in education.

He says he was in FGGC Ilorin from 1975.

I didnt even know we have a national body like this. I was very happy when I was told about it.

What we are having now is far different from what we had during our own time.

I believe the ministry will be waiting for our communique.

Mr. Oluseyi-Thomas asks for permission to return to the annex campus is Victoria Island for the event there.

In his opening remarks, Professor Chidi Odinkalu says USOSA members are true Nigerians and the association has to begin investing in relationships.

We knew the country before the country knew us.

The biggest and best organisation is built with youth. We cannot take the energies of the young people for granted. We have to make sure they become the drivers of the next generation.

There are things USOSAns must not be caught doing. We are built on the highest levels of integrity.

From next year, we are going to retool.

We have not gone to any governor. No minister has given us money. Its members like you who have made today possible. Somebody who does not have a job gave me N1,000 for this event. We have lots of schools taking ownership for todays activities.

Weve had 62 schools register for this event, thats the highest ever in any of our AGMs.

12.57: The first plenary is titled State of Our Schools.

It is facilitated by Bimpe Zacchaeus and Prof. Yemi Fawehinmi.

The session begins with the screening of the current deplorable state of the unity schools. Some members shake their heads as they watch in despair.

Naija Smooth Talker, the MC and an alumnus, says, If the state of our schools are juxtaposed with the products of our schools, you will agree with me that it will be a mismatch.

The moderator for the session is Ibim Seminitari.

She says theres a need to have a conversation around the state of the unity schools. What can we do to make government address these issues?

The matter of funding always comes up in discussions like this and we have to look at creative ways of generating funds.

Prof. Fawehinmi says the schools shown in the video are not our schools.

If they are our schools, they wont look like that. Do our homes look like that?

He says theres a need to address who owns the schools.

Except we own the ownership of the school, nothing is going to happen.

He says Kings College old students, for instance, had a lavish dinner recently while the school was closed because staff were not paid.

He said Nigeria does not need to have up 104 Unity Schools.

When I was in FGGC Ogbomosho, it was two schools per state.

Can we sustain 104 schools? I dare say we cant.

He says when he was at Ogbomosho, there was no air conditions and he did fertilisation of the soil in the bush, but the quality of teaching was very high.

All of us are who we are because we went to those schools. With the current state of the schools, can they produce people like us?

As long as the principals are servants to the ministries, nothing will change. We need to have autonomy for those schools to be run properly. We need to have our offices in those schools.

When a principal cannot determine the kind of students he wants, thats not a principal, thats a senior prefect.

13.12: The second speaker, Mrs. Zacchaeus (Queens College Lagos), says our secondary schools moulded us and made us what we are today.

She says she couldnt see the video from her seating position but watching the viewers reactions says it all.

She says teachers are not to be blamed.

QC has 10 arms, each has 45 students. When we were there, it was five arms.

She says the message from the ministry that old students should no longer have their secretariats inside the school means that its not our school.

She says she was part of the investigating panel in the recent Queens College sex scandal but the education ministry became involved and dismissed the panel.

The teacher involved is still in school, so how safe are our children?

Its high time we take back our schools. Its high time we bring back the glory of our schools.

13.39: Mrs. Semenitari says the Unity Schools principals can actually decide how they want their schools to be run.

Part of the beauty of the public service is that you can write a memo to say no.

Lawrence Wilbert (FGC Ugwolawo), says theres a need to remember why the Unity Schools were created in the first place.

So I will not encourage a conversation around the sales of any of the schools.

I will like to ask each and every one here present, what are we doing to improve our respective schools?

The president of the FGGC Akure Old Students Association says when they started engaging the principal of the school, their WAEC result improved from 34 per cent to 89 per cent.

We as old girls, we have taken it upon ourselves to ensure that education in FGGC Akure is at least 60 per cent of what we had.

A former student from FGGC Kano says it was not possible to take over the running of the unity schools from the federal government.

Bimbola Tiamiyu (FGGC Ogbomosho) says Board members of USOSA must have a child or a grandchild there.

And instead of going away during our leaves, why dont we go to the schools and teach the students on not just the core subjects but other areas that would help them improve?

A member from FGGC Onitsha says USOSA should organise a teachers training programme to identify ways to improve the teachers. She says in the Queens College sex scandal, the association failed the student.

We are too disconnected from what is happening in the schools. We need to have people who directly know what is happening in those schools. As it is now, the government cannot run those schools, thats the reality.

Kunle Oladejo (FGGC Ilorin) says government should be reminded to provide infrastructure and rebuild the schools according to the laws.

USOSA can sponsor a private member bill on this.

13.39: Frank Nweke (FGGC Maiduguri) says it would be impossible to get the schools back to what they used to be.

When I was in the cabinet, with Oby Ezekwesili, it was clear to government that they could not continue to run those schools.

He says there were moves for groups to take over the schools and run them on mutually agreeable terms but there were serious push backs.

Ten years later, were now back on the same discussion.

14.15: Naija Smooth Talker sheds more light on an earlier statement that Kings College Old Students Association held a lavish dinner while the school was closed down for non-payment of teachers salaries.

The dinner was held in the school. And it was at the dinner that the old students heard about the teachers unpaid salaries. Two weeks after the dinner, the teachers salaries were paid in full.

The second plenary, on Education, National Unity, and Security, is presented by Rufun Jauro (FGGC Wukari).

He says 19,000 education workers have fled the northeast since 2009. And over 2,000 mostly girls have been abducted.

Mr. Jauro says the association wants to introduce a short term strategy to provide a radio programme to help the children catch up on education.

He says USOSA can provide interactive pens  that enables children learn basic shapes  at IDP camps in the northeast.

14.37: The first discussant for the session, Amina Saliu (FGGC Bida) says a recent visit to her alma mater showed a majority of the students were from Bida town, Minna, Zungeru, and neighbouring towns.

We need to stand back and do one important thing, do an audit of all the projects we had done in our schools.

She says even though the association has friends in government such as the permanent secretary of the Ministry of Education, something should be done to nurture that friendship.

Its it about sending your child to school, it is about what is the future of my child.

She says USOSA must find gatekeepers to work with.

Our religious leaders are very strategic. There are leaders in the churches and mosques we can work with.

She says USOSA needs to get their house in order

We need to ask ourselves, whats the most suitable method for mentoring?

14.53: The second discussant is Mohammed Kumalia (FGGC Maiduguri), a former member of the House of Representatives.

He says funding national unity is one of the greatest challenges Nigeria has today.

This country invested in us, and trained us to hold this country together

He says in the past, students would come by train from Lagos, Port Harcourt, and they who were in Maiduguri would escort them to the train station during school vacations.

When Boko Haram began, they said it was a political tool against the government of Goodluck Jonathan. Unfortunately, many people believed it. Nothing was done until it spread all over the place.

He says nobody should say western education is evil in Borno State because the state is a citadel of knowledge.

The northern part of the country is the most educationally disadvantaged. and I hate to use that word disadvantaged.. Who disadvantaged you? We all had the same opportunity to send our children to school. This is the conversation we should be having.

He says even though he lives in Abuja, he sent his children to school in Lagos because he wants them to grow up as Nigerians.

He says Boko Haram started because of bad governance and negligence of education.

Government is not putting their money where their mouth is.

He says there can be management contracts for the Unity schools to enable experts manage the schools.

15.30: Its time for members reaction from the floor.

Mike Chukwu (FGC Sokoto) says if the continued existence of the FGCs can no longer be sustained, that of Nigeria should be prioritized.

He says his alma mater had not recorded above 30 per cent pass in the past three years examinations.

What we want to do in the northeast is to gather resources, those of us that can.

Prof. Odinkalu says of the 15 Unity schools in the northeast, five are closed, and only six are registered with the association.

Potiskum and Maiduguri are operating; Lassa, Michika, Monguno are not operating.

A former student says members should take over the invigilation of WAEC exams.

Who wants to do pro-bono teaching? Who wants to do invigilation? We have to start that conversation here.

The session ends with financial supports from members to help the OSAs of schools in the northeast to register with the association.

Ms. Semenitari summarises the session by listing some of the action points: Agreement that USOSA needs to take proactive action, get government to claim ownership of the schools,insist on better policies and government commitment for more funding and using the northeast as a launch pad for active participation of members.

There is a 20 minute break for lunch.

15.50: Prof. Odinkalu says the plenary had ended and the AGM has begun.

It begins with the induction of the newest member of USOSA  the Federal Science College, Ogoja.

There will be a communique at the end of the meeting.

This concludes the live blog.
Some Nigerian troops fighting the terrorist Boko Haram group in the North-East were Saturday morning caught in an explosion triggered by an improvised explosive device planted by the sect, PREMIUM TIMES has learnt.

The troops, who are of the 122 Task Force Battalion, Pulka, in Borno State, ran into the land mine between Banki junction and Bama as they conducted escort patrol from Pulka to Maiduguri, people familiar with the matter told this website.

The incident occurred at 9:10 a.m. Saturday, our sources said.

Five members of the detachment were badly injured, and were promptly evacuated to Bama for first aid by a patrol team from Bama.

The distance between Bama and Banki junction is just 7km, a military analyst told PREMIUM TIMES. There are troops deployed in-between yet Boko Haram terrorists still sneak in and plant mines.

They sneak in at night and plant the mines. They know troops would always move in the morning.

News of the incident in Pulka came shortly after army authorities emailed PREMIUM TIMES a statement saying a woman arrested wearing Nigerian Army uniforms in Abuja on Friday was an impersonator.

The fake army officer, who was arrested along Gwagwalada road falsely claimed to be a Major in the Nigerian Army, authorities said.

The army said contrary to insinuations, fake Major Juliana Gumel was not carrying Improvised Explosive Devices (IED) nor was she with kids when she was arrested.

Army spokesperson, Sani Usman, said the suspect was undergoing interrogation.

Mr. Usman, a colonel, said, She claimed to be a Medical Doctor and a  major with a fake private soldiers outdated identity card. But not with IED. I believe Guards Brigade or the Nigeria Police will issue a formal statement on it.
Four persons were killed while several houses including the house of the village head were burnt Friday, when unknown gunmen attacked Mile One Village in Tafan District, Kaduna State.

A resident, who preferred anonymity, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday in Kafanchan that the hoodlums launched an attack against the residents between 2 p.m. and 10p.m on Friday.

The Interim Chairman of Jemaa local Government Area, Bege Katuka, confirmed the incident via telephone.

He said: I just left the affected village barely 30 minutes ago, I was there to assess the extent of damage.

Reports say the residents of the neighbouring villages of Gidan Waya, Ungwuan Ninzo and Ungwuan Kagoro have fled for fear of possible attacks.

NAN reports that the villages as well as Kaduna State College of Education have been turned to ghost towns.

NAN also recalls that Pasakori Village which shares boundaries with Mile One Village came under similar attack on Thursday. (NAN)
Human rights lawyer and activist, Fred Agbaje, is dead.

Mr. Agbaje died in London on Friday, a source close to the family told PREMIUM TIMES.

The cause of his death is yet to be disclosed.

His colleague and fellow human rights lawyer, Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, who also confirmed Mr. Agbajes passing, described him a thoroughbred lawyer and a man of principle.

He got nominated for SAN (Senior Advocate of Nigeria) three times but failed to make the final list, and he told me he would not lobby anybody for that title, Mr. Adegboruwa said.

He was a highly detribalised Nigerian, not many knew he was from Edo State. The bar has lost an icon, his place in Nigerias judiciary can never be filled.

Before his death, Mr. Agbaje served as the in-house lawyer for Ben Bruces Silverbird Group, among other positions he held.
The governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, has accused the commissioner of police in the state of withdrawing majority of (the) policemen providing security for him

Mr. Wike also claimed that he intercepted a security manual to be used by the police for the December 10 rerun legislative election in the state, according to a statement by Simeon Nwakaudu, the governors media aide.

As I speak with you, the Commissioner of Police has withdrawn the security around me, Mr. Wike was quoted as saying on Friday, when he flagged off the reconstruction of the Igbo-Etche Road.

It is God that will protect me.

As a governor, the Commissioner of Police has the effrontery to withdraw my security. There is no limit to this kind of intimidation and impunity, Mr. Wike said.

The governor alleged that the police in the state was planning to attach at least 15 policemen to one APC leader, for the purpose of intimidation and theft of electoral materials.

He also alleged that policemen would be used by INEC to divert election materials to the home of All Progressives Congress leaders for electoral fraud.

Mr. Wike, who called on youths to protect their votes in the forthcoming election, said nobody in the state would be intimidated by the police. He warned the police against indiscriminate arrest in the state.

The police in the state dismissed the governors allegations as untrue.

We have not withdrawn any security attached to the governor, and we dont intend to withdraw it, Nnamdi Omoni, the Police spokesman in the state, told PREMIUM TIMES, Friday night.

Mr. Wike had made a similar accusation against INEC, alleging that the electoral body was planning with the APC to rig the election. The commission equally dismissed the allegation as untrue and baseless.
Businessman Jimoh Ibrahim has taken to his twitter handle to launch a surprise campaign for the All Progressives Congress and its candidate, Rotimi Akeredolu.

The governorship election holds on Saturday with the PDP, AD, SDP and APC featuring as major participants.

Mr. Ibrahims support comes a day after the Supreme Court threw out his appeal against the judgement sacking him as candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party.

Mr. Ibrahims post confirms the allegations that he and his co-travellers in the Ali Sheriff faction of the party were out purposely to destroy the party and ensure it did not win the governorship election.

The people of Ondo have no choice than to Love Akeredolu, hew wrote on Friday on his handle @JimohIbrahimOFR.

I know him as a selfless politician with peerless leadership.

I can see #OndoLoveAkeredolu everywhere. Why wont the people of Ondo Love Aketi? Hes a consistent politician with first class integrity.

Jimoh Ibrahim was the candidate of the states ruling PDP in the election until Wednesday when the Appeal Court dismissed his claims to the partys governorship ticked.

But Mr. Jegede, who is weakened by the 30-day legal battle, appeared to have been dealt a blow since he had no time to put his campaign back into full swing.

His call for the postponement of the election was rejected by INEC.
The candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Eyitayo Jegede, has accused the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, of flooding his constituency in Akure with malfunctioning card readers in order to stop his supporters from voting.

Mr. Jegede who was speaking after casting his vote at his polling unit in the Cathedral Area of Akure, said he was glad that he was reinstated as a candidate but was unhappy that many of the card reader brought to his constituency in Akure were faulty.

He said he was concerned why it was taking INEC so long to replace the malfunctioning card readers.

He called on his supporter to stay on the queues and make sure they vote. He also called on them to escort their ballots until they are taken to the final collation centre.

I have voted. In my polling unit, it has been peaceful so far. I give glory to God that I am here. I am glad.

I have heard reports of the malfunctioning of the card readers. In substantial part of Akure South Local Government, the card readers have been malfunctioning. In some they have changed them, in some others they have not and our people are queuing and unfortunately they have not been able to cast their votes.

I have spoken to INEC officials that please in the name of God, change those malfunctioning card readers that they have deposited in our constituency.

They brought malfunctioning card readers to our constituency so that we will not vote.

And I tell them, allow our people who have voters cards and have been register to vote to cast their votes. This is an opportunity in four years. Please for the sake of God allow our people to vote.

Our people must be steadfast. They must remain steadfast and insist on casting their votes and they must stay there and let those votes to be counted and they most escorts the result to the next collating Centre.

And from there to the local government centre and the final collation centre, people must accompany these results to the Collation Centre.

We are just starting and I have told you what challenges we have facing. Card rendering are not working and our people are not allowed to vote. It is only when card readers are functioning that you can say you have conducted a credible election. Card readers are not functioning.

INEC has said it has enough card readers to replace malfunctioning ones and is ensuring replacement is promptly done.
Eyitayo Jegede, the PDP candidate in Saturdays governorship election, has expressed satisfaction with the accreditation and voting process.

He also called on the electorate to vote for the candidate of their choice.

Mr. Jegede spoke while voting at his Unit 9 Ward 2, Gbogi/Isikan, Sacred Heart Primary School 1 in Akure South Local Government Area.

He expressed satisfaction with the voting process, saying it was peaceful and orderly.

Mr. Jegede, however, urged INEC to tackle the challenge of faulty smart card readers in polling units.

I have discussed with the REC Ondo State on the problems with card readers at most polling units, he added.

Also speaking, the governorship candidate of the Alliance for Democracy, Olusola Oke, lamented the malfunctioning of the card readers deployed by INEC.

Mr. Oke said this in an interview with journalists after he had voted at his Igbo Ward III Polling Unit 005.

I am not easily frustrated, but it is embarrassing as a candidate that the card reader could not easily capture my hand, he said.

Mr. Oke noted that the electoral process in the country was not a perfect one yet.

The News Agency of Nigeria(NAN) reports that Mr. Oke voted at 9.17 a.m.

The AD candidate, however, said he was impressed with the turnout of voters in Ilaje council area.(NAN)
GALLOWAY TOWNSHIP  The smoke was heavy at first, as New Jersey Forest Fire Service workers gave parts of Stockton Universitys forest a good dose of fire.

Students took temperature and wind readings, overseen by faculty and Fire Warden John Sanford.

But as the heat built in the 6.7-acre controlled burn, changing air currents pulled the smoke into the center, away from onlookers, and the circle of flames rushed toward the center to burn itself out.

These forests are fire ecosystems. They need fire, said Robert Williams, a certified forester with 40 years of experience who wrote Stocktons 10-year forest-management plan.

The pine trees evolved with fire and need it to send seeds out to reproduce, he said.

The plan also includes thinning of parts of the forest to make habitats for a variety of animals, taking out half or more of the trees and leaving the best, he said.

Bark beetles, for example, like a densely packed pine forest so they can move quickly from tree to tree. When the forest is thinned it makes it more difficult for them to spread, he said.

Controlled burns also make out-of-control wildfires less likely.

Regular fires get rid of ladder fuels such as shrubbery and downed trees and branches that could escalate an accidental fire into a disaster, said Stockton senior Sean LaVergne, of Delanco Township in Burlington County, an environmental science major with a focus on forestry.

Ladder fuels are something that go from the ground to the canopy of the tree. So the fire would follow that up like a ladder, said LaVergne, who was there with other students to observe and collect data. Then you would have a canopy fire, and thats when the fire gets out of control.

Vital to safety was the ring of fire breaks that were made with sand and wet down before the blaze was lighted to keep it from escaping.

A variety of tree ages is also good for biodiversity of plants and animals that need different environments to thrive, Williams said.

Native Americans managed the forest with fire for thousands of years, he said.

Stockton professor of environmental studies George Zimmermann said small mice and other creatures were seen running from the fire. But those that stayed underground would be OK, he said, as the soil would protect them from the high temperatures at the surface.

The burn area included parts of a thinned forest where half the trees had been removed, a small control plot where no trees were removed, and a clear-cut area where only a few of the best trees remained, Zimmermann said.

The area is across Vera King Farris Drive from the Arts and Sciences building, and its providing students with a living laboratory.

Students used a portable weather station to monitor and record air temperature, wind speed, direction and gusts, and relative humidity, he said.

They measured fuel loads before the burn and will measure what is left afterward, he said. Buried temperature sensors recorded flame heat and speed.

Its one of many controlled burns students study, Zimmermann said.

We do this all the time. We are getting ready to burn Delaware Avenue, he said of a 50-plus-acre fire return interval experiment on campus.

That area is divided into plots that will be burned in different time periods to study the effects on plants, animals and fuel load. The project there already has been going on for three years, Zimmermann said.

Zimmermann said maturing forests must be managed if they are to survive in a world where insects such as bark beetles can kill vast numbers of trees or a catastrophic forest fire could wipe out thousands of acres.

Since European settlement, we have clear-cut these areas five or six times, Zimmermann said. So right now we are getting to a forest here thats 130 years old in some places on campus. Wharton State Forest is a 150-year-old forest. We havent seen those in centuries.

Without forest management, Zimmermann said, bark beetles or catastrophic fires will reset them back to time zero.

So this thinning now, if we do it right, will lessen the threat from beetles, lessen the threat from catastrophic fires, and maybe  just maybe  a couple of generations from now, we will have people running through forests that are a couple of hundred years old. And that has not been seen for a very, very long time.
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Healthy community grants available through statewide program

{child_byline}NICOLE LEONARD

Staff Writer{/child_byline}

Local agencies, organizations and community groups will have the chance to apply for money to help develop projects aimed at improving healthy communities through youth leadership.

New Jersey Health Initiatives, the grant-making arm of the Princeton-based Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, is calling for grant proposals for its Next Generation Community Leaders program. Accepted organizations will receive a total of $200,000 over three years.

The grant program will support up to 10 organizations with youth teams made up of high-school aged students who will participate in training, paid summer employment and development activities to address a specific community project or goal.

The program has previously funded area projects like Bridgeton Youth: Helping to Feed, Learning to Lead, a community group under the direction of the Gateway Community Action Partnership.

Bridgeton High School teens attended training and leadership workshops to work on getting more families signed up for summer feeding programs. Bridgeton Mayor Albert Kelly had said that he hoped to continue the program next summer with help from the grant money.

Coalitions at Cape Regional Medical Center in Cape May Court House, the AtlantiCare Foundation and Rutgers University in Camden have won program grants in the last two years. Coalition projects focus on improving nutrition access, recreational development and other initiatives to improve healthy living in Cape May County, Atlantic City and Bridgeton.

Each coalition gets $50,000 in the first year while team members come up with a focus topic, such as nutrition or summer feeding, and a plan on how to improve upon it in a selected community. The remaining grant funds can be used in the next two years to support the projects.

Local organizations interested in applying for funding are encouraged to attend an information session Monday from 4 to 6 p.m. at Atlantic Cape Community College in Mays Landing.

Other information session options include Monday at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation in Princeton from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. or on Tuesday at Union County College in Cranford, Union County, from 1 to 3 p.m.

{child_tagline}

Contact: 609-272-7022

Twitter @ACPressNLeonard

{/child_tagline}

{child_related_content}{child_related_content_item}{child_related_content_style}More Information{/child_related_content_style}{child_related_content_title}More Information{/child_related_content_title}{child_related_content_content}

To learn more about the New Jersey Health Initiatives Next Generation Community Leaders program and 2017 grant proposal applications, njhi.org/our-grants/

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ATLANTIC CITYA Pleasantville man was arrested after a standoff with Atlantic City police outside the Bass Pro Shop, authorities said.

City police arrested Norman McDougal, 55, on Thursday after he stole two large knives from Bass Pro Shop and became a threat to store employees, police said.

McDougal was charged with robbery, aggravated assault, terroristic threats, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose and resisting arrest. He was completing a mental health evaluation at AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center, City Campus, where he was taken after his arrest, police said.

Officers arrived at Bass Pro Shop at 2:42 p.m. after a 911 call about McDougals theft, police said. Officials said he also tried to steal shoes and socks when he was approached by a store employee.

McDougal lunged at the employee with the knives in his hand while yelling, police said. He lunged again and chased another employee away with the knives in his hand as he left the store, police said.

Patrol officers met McDougal as he left Bass Pro Shop and told him to drop the knives, which he refused to do, police said. McDougal was yelling incoherently and raising and swinging the knives, according to police.

Atlantic City police Lieutenant Curtis Williams and Officer Mark Pincus attempted to talk with McDougal and get him to surrender, police said.

Atlantic City SWAT Detective Dawn Riggins, a crisis negotiator, talked with McDougal outside Bass Pro Shop and he put the knives onto the ground right before the SWAT team took him into custody.

There were no injuries to officers, Bass Pro Shop employees or store customers.

McDougal will be transferred to the Atlantic County Justice Facility after his release from AtlantiCare. His bail is set at $100,000.
TRENTON  A bill to prevent child marriages passed the state Assembly with bipartisan support and was sent to the Senate for a vote.

Between 1995 and 2012, nearly 3,500 children, some as young as 13, were married in New Jersey, according to Assemblyman Chris Brown, R-Atlantic, a sponsor of the bill.

The current law puts children at risk for abuse, Brown wrote. Children  the overwhelming majority are girls  can be forced into marriage with few avenues to escape an abusive relationship. Studies show child marriage harms a girls health, education and economic opportunities while increasing their risk and exposure to violence.

Military uniforms in high school: A bill that would allow high school students serving in the military to wear their uniforms at graduation ceremonies was unanimously approved by the Assembly this week.

Assemblymen Bob Andrzejczak and Bruce Land, both D-Cape May, Cumberland, Atlantic, sponsored the bill that would allow students who have completed basic training and are active military members to wear their dress uniforms at graduation. Pennsylvania, New Hampshire and California allow military uniforms at graduation.

Forcing young men and women who clearly are standout individuals to blend into the crowd on graduation day simply doesnt make any sense, Andrzejczak wrote in a statement.

 John DeRosier
LOWER TOWNSHIP  The family of a pregnant township woman found dead after an overdose last week said she struggled with heroin addiction and was trying to improve her life before relapsing.

Amanda Albee, 30, was discovered dead by her 9-year-old daughter Nov. 15 in the room they shared, according to Albees sister Amy Toomin.

Cape May County Prosecutor Robert Taylor said it is too early to tell if the substance was heroin, fentanyl  a dangerous synthetic opiod that has been showing up in the county  or a mix.

Fentanyl is similar to morphine but 50 to 100 times more potent, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse.

Toomin and Albees mother, Theresa Crompton, said police told them the heroin Albee thought she was using was actually fentanyl.

Woman charged in overdose death of pregnant Lower Township resident LOWER TOWNSHIP  A woman has been charged in the overdose death of a pregnant woman, the Cap

They knew that she was pregnant and they sold it to her anyway, said Toomin, 29, who said she is in recovery for addiction.

Alycha Rodriguez, 22, of Brooklyn, New York, has been arrested and charged with first-degree strict liability of drug-induced death for allegedly selling Albee the drugs, the Prosecutors Office said.

Albee was three months pregnant, family said.

It wasnt Albees first battle with drugs. Her heroin use prompted her older daughter to be placed in the sole custody of Toomins father, Toomin said.

She was a great person when she was clean, Toomin said. She was always so overwhelmed, trying to strive for perfection.

Rodriguez was staying temporarily at the Beach House Motel in the Rio Grande section of Middle Township.

On the same day Albee overdosed, officers saw Rodriguez chasing two men away from her motel room with a knife, Middle Township police said.

In September, Rodriguez was arrested in front of the Catalina Motel in Middle Township along with Jason Weaver, 39, also of Brooklyn, police said.

Rodriguez and Weaver were charged with various drug offenses, and Weaver was found to have an arrest warrant out in New York for handgun possession.

Toomin said Rodriguez was staying in a room at the Beach House Motel rented by Albees ex-boyfriends brother.

Several residents of the motel interviewed Friday said they never met Rodriguez but that drug and law enforcement activity was common at the motel.

Some people come here selling drugs, said Felix Santos, who added that hes trying to find another place to live.

Weve been working so hard to clean this place up, said Joe Berdel, the motels manager.

Rodriguez was not a resident of the motel, she was just visiting a friend, Berdel said. He said he threatened to kick her out a couple of times.

Should have kicked her out sooner, Berdel added. She wasnt even supposed to be here.

Erin Miller, 30, said shes living at the Beach House Motel with her three children while she waits to move into a house in Lower Township. She said she pays $400 a week in rent.

I dont like the kids being out here, Miller said. The cops are always here.

Berdel said he showed police surveillance tapes that captured Ablee entering and leaving the motel.

The whole thing took about ten minutes, he said.

Crompton said she greeted people for two hours at Ablees memorial services. More than 200 people attended, Crompton and Toomin said.

She was just absolutely beautiful, Crompton said. I miss her smile.
President-elect Donald Trump continued to build his administration Friday with two more appointments  one with a long family history with Trump and Atlantic City.

Donald McGahn, a former member of the Federal Election Commission and a nephew of legendary Atlantic City lawyer Patrick Paddy McGahn, was tapped for White House counsel.

The president-elect praised McGahn as a person with a brilliant legal mind, excellent character and a deep understanding of constitutional law.

McGahn, who also was the campaign attorney for the president-elect, follows in his uncles footsteps in having a close working relationship with Trump.

Paddy McGahn was hired by Trump in the 1980s shortly after the real estate mogul made it known that he was interested in opening a casino in Atlantic City.

Before he was a lawyer, Paddy McGahn fought in the Korean War and was awarded three Purple Heart medals.

After the war, he became one of the areas best-known lawyers. He helped Trump with several legal issues surrounding the casinos, including an employee parking lot at Trump Castle. He also famously led a legal fight against a hot dog vendor who set up his cart outside Trump Taj Mahal.

Trump named a cocktail lounge at the Taj after the elder McGahn  Paddys Saloon.

Donald McGahn grew up in Atlantic City before attending the University of Notre Dame and getting a law degree at Widener University in the early 1990s.

Part of his responsibilities as White House counsel will be to try and sort through any conflicts of interest between President Donald Trump and businessman Donald Trump.

Gathered with family at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida, for the holiday weekend, Trump made another senior-level staff appointment and scheduled meetings with several more prospective administration officials.

He tapped Fox News analyst Kathleen Troia KT McFarland to serve as deputy national security adviser. In a statement, Trump cited McFarlands tremendous experience and innate talent.

Having faced criticism about the inexperience of his initial picks, Trump finds in McFarland someone who previously worked under three presidents, although none since Ronald Reagan. McGhan is a veteran Republican election lawyer.

Neither McFarland nor McGahn will require Senate confirmation.

Trump transition spokesman Sean Spicer told the Associated Press that the president-elect scheduled Monday meetings with eight more prospective administration hires, a group that includes several business leaders, Pennsylvania Rep. Lou Barletta, and David Clarke, the Wisconsin sheriff who is an aggressive opponent of the Black Lives Matter movement.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
The B.L. England plant was supposed to close in 2007 but because of political games and manipulations it has been allowed to stay open. This plant, even if its repowered, will be largest source of air pollution in South Jersey. The repowering plan means more greenhouse gasses and pollution than the plants current operations. The Christie administration, in order to repower the plant with natural gas, rammed through the South Jersey Gas pipeline. The state Appellate Court ruled against this ploy.

Despite the fact that it is unneeded, the Christie administration is trying to push through the South Jersey Gas pipeline to keep the B.L. England power plant open longer. The Sierra Club sued the EPA to require that the Christie administration close or clean-up the plant in 2007, because it could not meet Clean Air Act standards. Since, there has been 20,000 megawatts of electricity added to the PJM grid in the last four years, which is 50 times this plant. At the same time, the area has seen a decline in growth, there is a power plant sitting empty in Atlantic City, and the grid operator has already been modeling for the plants closure. By keeping this plant open, this is clearly a dirty deal so Gov. Chris Christie can take care of his buddies at South Jersey Gas.

Instead of protecting the environment, the Christie administration has allowed the plant to be re-powered, instead of re-built so it doesnt have to be as clean. The new air permit for B.L. England allows the plant to increase operations by 24/7, 365 days per year and increase pollution by a factor of five. Natural gas has 30 percent less carbon than coal when burned, but has more methane released. Methane is 87 times more potent than carbon dioxide as a greenhouse gas. If you look at leakage of methane from pipelines and drilling, natural gas has about the same emissions as coal, overall.

Based on actual data from the plant, in 2014, B.L. England emitted 87 tons of carbon dioxide, 534 tons of NOx, and 288 tons of SOx per year. This permit would increase the carbon dioxide footprint to 1,706,305, 5,533.8 tons of NOx and 8,046 SOx. It will even allow emissions from fine particulates and even release 129,000 pounds of lead, 35,800 pounds of arsenic, 10,360 pounds of cadmium, and 99,000 pounds of chromium per year. By increasing emissions and toxic chemicals, ultra-fine particulate pollution will be a threat to public health.

Not only is this plant a huge contributor to air pollution, it is exempt from cooling towers. As a result, this plant takes millions of gallons of clean water out of the Great Egg Harbor Bay each day. When it discharges heated water, it causes millions of fish kills, algae blooms and water quality problems. The DEP permit for this plant will allow it to keep polluting the same way for the next five years.

The administration tried to use this power plant as justification for the pipeline. However, this pipeline violates the Comprehensive Management Plan because both projects go through the Forest Preservation Area, where such development is prohibited without benefiting the people living in the Pinelands. By serving a power plant outside the Pinelands, whose gas will go into the grid, this pipeline clearly goes against laws in place to protect the Pinelands.

The Pinelands is a United Nations Biosphere Reserve recognized for its biodiversity and holds 17 trillion gallons of clean drinking water in its aquifer. The South Jersey Gas pipeline would cut an ugly scar through the most environmentally sensitive area of the Pinelands, destroy open space, threaten biodiversity, and risk our water supply. All of this destruction is unnecessary given that the B.L. England is unneeded and could be used instead as a port for offshore wind.

Offshore wind not only creates jobs in installing, operating and maintaining wind turbines, but includes manufacturing wind turbines. This site would be a great place for new factories, manufacturing the steel for the turbines, and assembling and transporting the windmills. Offshore wind can provide a third of energy needs and provide 3,500 megawatts worth of energy by 2020. If we had that energy supply, we could easily retire B.L. England. The plants lawyer was involved in the Bridgegate incident. Everything about this plant, and the pipeline, is a scandal.

Jeff Tittel, of Lambertville, Hunterdon County, is director of the New Jersey Sierra Club.
For the New World Order, a world government is just the beginning. Once in place they can engage their plan to exterminate 80% of the world's population, while enabling the "elites" to live forever with the aid of advanced technology. For the first time, crusading filmmaker ALEX JONES reveals their secret plan for humanity's extermination: Operation ENDGAME.

Jones chronicles the history of the global elite's bloody rise to power and reveals how they have funded dictators and financed the bloodiest warscreating order out of chaos to pave the way for the first true world empire.

Watch as Jones and his team track the elusive Bilderberg Group to Ottawa and Istanbul to document their secret summits, allowing you to witness global kingpins setting the world's agenda and instigating World War III.





to Ottawa and Istanbul to document their secret summits, allowing you to witness global kingpins setting the world's agenda and instigating World War III. Learn about the formation of the North America transportation control grid, which will end U.S. sovereignty forever.





Discover how the practitioners of the pseudo-science eugenics have taken control of governments worldwide as a means to carry out depopulation.





View the progress of the coming collapse of the United States and the formation of the North American Union.

Never before has a documentary assembled all the pieces of the globalists' dark agenda. Endgame's compelling look at past atrocities committed by those attempting to steer the future delivers information that the controlling media has meticulously censored for over 60 years. It fully reveals the elite's program to dominate the earth and carry out the wicked plan in all of human history.

Endgame is not conspiracy theory, it is documented fact in the elite's own words.




Ken will be responsible for providing strategic leadership and unifying global business efforts in Asia, Europe, Australia and the Middle East in addition to the Americas. He continues as President of SICO America, the largest operating unit of SICO Inc. and reports to Chris Wilson, CEO of SICO Inc.

In addition to his new role as President, Ken was also appointed to the Board of Directors of Beijing SICO-SST Hospitality Equipment Manufacturing Ltd. SICO-SST is a joint venture company between SICO Inc. and Beijing Sheng Shi Tong Hotel Equipment Manufacturing Company Ltd. Established in 2004, SICO-SST serves China's market. Ken replaces Andy Shea who resigned from the SICO-SST Board. Andy remains on the Board of Directors of SICO Inc.

"Ken's leadership of SICO America, and now across the globe, is a critical move in providing a seamless brand experience for customers around the world," said Chris, third generation leader for the family-owned company. "As only the second non-family member president, I am confident the success Ken has demonstrated at SICO and at other international companies will continue to drive innovation for our company. Ken's leadership skills are well-suited to lead our efforts as we continue our mission to be the innovator of high quality value added products for event spaces around the world." His addition to the SICO-SST Board allows for integration of all efforts around the globe carrying the SICO brand.

Since joining the company in 2008 as Vice President of Sales and Marketing for SICO America, Ken was promoted to Executive Vice President and President of SICO America in 2012 and 2013 respectively. He was promoted to Vice President of Global Sales and Marketing in April 2016. Prior to joining SICO, Ken held a number of senior leadership roles at AT&T/Lucent Technologies, Shaw Industries and Lifetouch.

"Working closely with the Wilson family and continuing the vision of innovation created by Chris' grandfather Kermit in 1951 when the company originated is an honor," said Ken, "I look forward to emphasizing innovation in product development to ensure we remain a global market leader in space utilization products."

Ken holds both an MBA from the University of St. Thomas, Minneapolis, Minnesota and an executive MBA from the University of Minnesota.

About SICO Incorporated

SICO is the global leader in mobile folding and rolling, space efficient products that help customers optimize their use of space. The detailed engineering and superior manufacturing that goes into every SICO product is supported by a strong warranty program and excellent customer service. In addition to mobile folding cafeteria tables, SICO manufactures and sells portable dance floors, catering tables, room service tables, food warmers, luggage carts, mobile buffet stations, portable stages, choral risers, mobile sleepers, crowd barriers and wallbed systems. SICO Incorporated is headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA with additional offices in Europe, Asia, Australia and the Middle East.

Please visit www.sicoinc.com for additional information.

Related Links

http://www.sicoinc.com



SOURCE SICO Incorporated
SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 25, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Ficks & Co has launched a Kickstarter campaign where all will be able to purchase limited edition holiday gift packs containing their innovative, vitamin and electrolyte infused, cocktail mixers. Their bottles of Moscow Mule, Lemondrop, and Margarita mixers have seen rapid growth throughout California's Bay Area since their summer release, in part due to Ficks' unique dual approach of reducing both sugar and calories while introducing a proprietary blend of vitamins and electrolytes; a first in the category. This $25 variety pack is their first foray into national distribution.

Available Now on Kickstarter

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161125/442967

"Our new line of all natural mixers has received such incredible reviews in its first few months," said Ron Alvarado, CEO of Ficks & Co. "People love the taste and ease of use, so we're thrilled to have the chance to share these mixers with the rest of the country just in time for the holidays."

Packaged in a limited edition gift box, this holiday pack contains 8 oz. bottles of all three of the company's flavors, and comes with guaranteed Christmas delivery and optional gift wrapping. With a goal of $10,000 to produce these gift packs, the campaign has already received almost $1,000 in a strong first day.

Alvarado continued, "Ficks Mixers are essentially craft cocktails in a bottle. We think our holiday gift pack will be the perfect gift this season for that cocktail lover in peoples' lives who also appreciates a healthy, balanced lifestyle."

Each of the three flavors  Moscow Mule, Lemondrop and Margarita  is non-alcoholic, and was formulated in Santa Cruz, California by the natural foods development company Venus Research and Development. Venus has created innovative products for some of the biggest names in the Natural Food Industry, including Whole Foods, Trader Joe's and SunOpta, and believes Ficks will lead an innovative new product category.

"The Ficks team came to me with this progressive new idea for the cocktail mixer line," says Grace Venus, head of Venus Research and Development. "We've been working in concert since then, developing the perfect flavors for launch and creating an innovative functional blend, while remaining true to the all-natural ingredients. I believe they have something valuable here, and I can't wait to see them start shipping these cool variety packs nationwide."

Ficks made headlines in 2013 with the launch of their Cocktail Fortifier, which went on to be sold in such major retailers as Nordstrom, Harvey Nichols, Urban Outfitters and Homegoods. The crowdfunding campaign for that product brought in more than $40,000 for its first production run, so the Ficks team will be looking to top themselves.

About Ficks & Co

Ficks & Co is a San Francisco based beverage company founded in 2013 by Ron Alvarado, Matt McDonald, and Mike Williamson. The company focuses on providing a variety of low sugar, low calorie products that contain a unique blend of vitamins and electrolytes. In 2016, the team launched its latest line of products, Ficks Premium Cocktail Mix.

About Venus Research and Development

Venus Research and Development was founded by Grace Venus in 2003 to develop Private Label and Branded Products for the Natural Food Industry. Venus Research and Development offers a comprehensive resource for small companies searching for innovative product development. Since its inception, Venus Research and Development has assisted bringing over 200 beverages, pasta sauces, soups, salsa, and frozen foods to commercialization.

Media Contact:

Ron Alvarado

Phone: (916)425-8110

Email: [email protected]

Related Images

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Related Links

Kickstarter Campaign

Company Website

Related Video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-IyaA11-fYI

This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com. For more info visit: http://www.newswire.com

SOURCE Ficks & Co
MIAMI, Nov. 26, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Famous for being one of the most controversial political figures in world history, Fidel Castro, who died on November 25 at the age of 90, had a life full of intrigue and conspiracies. The documentary FIDEL CASTRO EN LA MIRA examines Castro's life and personality from the unique perspective of the spies who followed his every move for more than half a century. The production will air Sunday, November 27 at 9PM E/P.

The one-hour special includes exclusive interviews with KGB agents, CIA analysts, Cuban intelligence operatives, and exiles from the island who conspired both for and against Castro and kept a close eye on his movements. Spanning more than 50 years of history, these figures share their experiences, intimate anecdotes and first-hand information about the secret war to derail the Cuban Revolution with recollections that help build a more complete picture of the life and psychology of the man behind the legend.

Key figures interviewed in FIDEL CASTRO EN LA MIRA include:

Brian Latell : Former intelligence officer who began tracking Castro in 1964 for the CIA.

: Former intelligence officer who began tracking Castro in 1964 for the CIA. Chris Simmons : Senior Counter Intelligence Specialist at the Defense Intelligence Agency. He was an important player in the counterintelligence effort against Cuba from 1996-2004.

: Senior Counter Intelligence Specialist at the Defense Intelligence Agency. He was an important player in the counterintelligence effort against from 1996-2004. Felix Rodriguez: Former CIA official who was involved in the Bay of Pigs invasion and the capture of Che Guevara .

. Peter Kornbluh : Director of the Cuban Documentation Project at the National Security Archive.

: Director of the Cuban Documentation Project at the National Security Archive. Domingo Amuchastegui: Former Cuban diplomat and spy.

Nicolai Leonov : Former Senior KGB officer who knew both Fidel and Raul Castro in the revolution's early days.

: Former Senior KGB officer who knew both in the revolution's early days. Antonio Veciana : Cuban exile who was head of the Anti-Castro movement Alpha 66 movement, and was involved in several assassination attempts on Castro.

: Cuban exile who was head of the Anti-Castro movement Alpha 66 movement, and was involved in several assassination attempts on Castro. Oleg Nechiporenko : Retired Colonel from the KGB. He also advised Cuban Intelligence officials on spying techniques during 1970s.

FIDEL CASTRO EN LA MIRA is produced by Pacha Films for Discovery en Espanol under the supervision of Michela Giorelli. For Pacha Films, Luis del Valle serves as executive producer and William Hicklin as director.

For more about network programming, please follow us on facebook.com/discoveryenespanol, Twitter @DiscoveryenESP, Instagram @discoveryenespanol and YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/discoveryenespanol.

About Discovery en Espanol

Discovery en Espanol connects Spanish-speaking viewers in the U.S. to the world and all its wonder and possibilities. It provides quality programming focusing on bold storytelling across core genres including adventure, ingenuity, natural history, investigation and current affairs. Created by Discovery Communications, Discovery en Espanol is widely distributed on Hispanic tier packages throughout the country. For more information, please follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/discoveryenespanol, Twitter @DiscoveryenESP, Instagram @discoveryenespanol and YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/discoveryenespanol

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SAN CLEMENTE, Calif., Nov. 25, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Sovereign Health, a leading national provider of behavioral health treatment services, is pleased to announce the launch of a new article that's now live on The Hill: "The mysterious sealed opioid report fuels speculation." This article, written and edited by Dana Connolly, Susan Logan-McCracken and Rachael Mattice, explains the outcome of the investigation of the opioid epidemic.

As this editorial notes, the opioid epidemic continues to worsen in the U.S. as overdose rates have reached epidemic proportions. Half a million Americans have died from a drug overdose over the past 15 years, the majority from opioids. An investigation was launched back in 2012 to determine the nature of the relationship between medical organizations setting guidelines for prescribing opioids and the manufacturers who sell them.

The Senate Finance Committee still has the report sealed despite pressure from public health advocacy groups. This mysterious behavior by the government is leading to even greater speculation about who is responsible for this epidemic and why no one has been held accountable for all the deaths so far.

"As the opioid addiction epidemic continues to worsen across the U.S., it's easy to point fingers at potential enablers," said Rachael Mattice, managing editor for Sovereign Health. "The key report mentioned in the article could provide solidified data behind these claims, which is not only important from a journalistic perspective, but also from a health care and public safety point of view. Sovereign Health is proud to be able to raise awareness to such important data that could impact the future of addiction treatment policies. In turn, we are also proud that we able to have a voice on a respected site such as The Hill."

This new article follows a recent Sovereign Health editorial, "Is affordable healthcare affordable? Is it profitable?" This article discusses whether the Affordable Care Act is good or bad.

About the Authors

Dana Connolly, Ph.D., is a senior staff writer for Sovereign Health, where she translates current research into practical information.

Susan Logan-McCracken, M.P.W., is an editor for Sovereign Health and an award-winning author. Logan-McCracken has 25 years of experience as a journalist, most recently as the editor of Cat Fancy magazine.

Rachael Mattice is the managing editor for Sovereign Health, leading a team of diversified managers, team leaders, writers and editors in the U.S. and India digital newsroom.

About Sovereign Health

Sovereign Health's mission is to provide a broad spectrum of high-quality behavioral health treatment services for adults and adolescents, including support services for family members. One factor that differentiates Sovereign from other treatment providers has been the company's ability to offer separate mental health and addiction or dual diagnosis treatment programs at its facilities. For more information, visit www.SovHealth.com.

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WASHINGTON, Nov. 26, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Today, Administrator Maria Contreras-Sweet, the head of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and a member of President Obama's Cabinet, will celebrate Small Business Saturday with visits to small businesses in Washington, D.C .and Alexandria, Va. She is available for media interviews.

At 10 a.m., Contreras-Sweet will participate in a tour of businesses in the Shaw neighborhood of Washington, D.C. starting at the Shaw Bijou restaurant. She will then visit small businesses in the Eastern Market neighborhood of Capitol Hill, including Woven History & Silk Road, the East City Bookshop and the Labyrinth game store. In the afternoon she will visit several small businesses in Old Town Alexandria, including Sonoma Cellars, a local restaurant to conclude the day and #DineSmall.

Now in its seventh year, Small Business Saturday is a day to celebrate the small business owners and entrepreneurs that drive our local economy. Follow along on social media via @MCS4Biz and @SBAGov, and with the hashtags #SmallBizSat, #ShopSmall & #DineSmall. For more information visit www.sba.gov/SmallBusinessSaturday. For a full list of Small Business Saturday Coalition members, please visit www.shopsmall.com/SUPPORTERS.

Saturday, November 28, 2015 10 a.m.  11 a.m. WHAT: Media conference and availability on-location

WHO: Administrator Contreras-Sweet

WHERE: Shaw Bijou (1544 9th St. NW)





11:30 a.m. 12:30p.m. WHERE: Woven History & Silk Road (315 7th St. SE); East City Bookshop (645 Pennsylvania Ave., Suite 100 SE); Labyrinth (645 Pennsylvania Ave. SE)





1 p.m. WHAT: Walking business tour in Alexandria and #DineSmall segment  Administrator dines with her family

WHO: Administrator Contreras-Sweet

WHERE: King Street businesses; Sonoma Cellars Restaurant

Media interested in setting up interviews or wanting to RSVP for any of these events should contact Chris Upperman at [email protected] or call (202) 510-7925.

Cosponsorship Authorization #16-2050-36. SBA's participation in this cosponsored activity is not an endorsement of the views, opinions products or services of any cosponsor or other person or entity. All SBA programs and services are extended to the public on a nondiscriminatory basis.

Release Date: November 26, 2016 Contact: Chris Upperman (202) 510-7925 Release Number: MA16-60 Internet Address: http://www.sba.gov/news Follow us on Twitter, Facebook & Blogs

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If you were looking for the Charlestown Democratic Town Committee website and ended up here, try this





Got news tips, gossip, suggestions, complaints?E-mail us: progressivecharlestown@gmail.com We strive to avoid errors in our articles. Our correction policy can be found here
Islamabad, Nov 23 : Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif is expected on Wednesday to discuss the crucial issues, like selection of the new army chief and Indias "aggression" along the Line of Control (LoC) and the International Border, with his cabinet members, ARY News reported.

The army on Monday put to rest all speculations about possible extension of tenure to army chief General Raheel Sharif as it announced that he has begun his farewell visits ahead of his retirement on November 29.

Analysts believe that the government's pick should be one who will have a major influence on the country's often strained relationships with the US and nuclear rival India.

Contenders this year include Lt. Gen Javed Iqbal Ramday, Lt. Gen Zubair Hayat, Lt. Gen Ishfaq Nadeem Ahmad and Lt. General Qamar Javed Bajwa.

The Prime Minister had named the then Lt. Gen. Raheel Sharif, brother of a war hero, on November 27, 2013, to take charge of the world's sixth largest army from General Ashfaq Kayani.

Some official circles are of the view that Nawaz Sharif will consult Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan before finalising any names for the slots as Khan is said to have cordial relations with security establishment.

The cabinet meeting will also discuss the heightened hostilities between Pakistan and India and the eastern neighbour's "repeated violations" of ceasefire agreement on the LoC.
Islamabad, Nov 24 : Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif will pay a two-day official visit to Turkmenistan beginning Friday leading his country's delegation to the first ever Global Conference on Sustainable Transport, being held in Ashgabat.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon will be present at the conference which will be attended by 1,500 participants, including heads of state and government, Ministers, private sector chiefs, civil society leaders and UN officials, Xinhua news agency reported.

The conference will discuss promotion and role of sustainable transport toward achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

During the visit, Sharif will also hold a bilateral meeting with Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov.

"The meeting will provide an opportunity to review the decisions taken during two visits of the Prime Minister to Turkmenistan last year and the Turkmen President's visit to Pakistan in March this year," the Pakistan Foreign Ministry said.

"Both the sides will also exchange views on bilateral, regional and international issues of mutual interest," the Ministry said in a statement.

The Foreign Ministry said Pakistan is keen to improve connectivity with Central Asian nations by establishing transport and communication links.

These will be conducive to tapping the potential of trade, economic interaction, people-to-people contacts and tourism.

The statement also mentioned that Pakistan and China have launched the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor to provide seamless connectivity to ports at Gwadar and Karachi.

Pakistan's rail and road transport corridors can be utilised by land-locked Central Asian countries to have access to the country's seaports.
Kolkata, Nov 24 : The Bank Employees Federation of India (BEFI) on Thursday alleged that customers vandalised bank property in some of the branches of public sector banks and halted banking operations after becoming impatient over the cash crunch following demonetisation.

The union said the situation "could turn worse" in a week or so if the customers face difficulties in withdrawing their salaries from banks and ATMs.

"Customers are getting impatient day by day due to non-availability of cash in banks and ATMs following the demonetisation of Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 notes.

In a protest over the cash crunch, customers on Tuesday had halted the day's operations in a branch of a public sector bank at Amabikanagar in West Bengal's Bankura district. There were some incidents where customers vandalised bank property, said BEFI's General Secretary Pradip Kumar Biswas.

"We apprehend the situation could turn worse in a week or so if customers' plight continues for withdrawing salaries in the next week," he said.

The union's secretary Joydeb Dasgupta said: "There is a shortage of cash supply even though the central government kept on saying there is enough supply of cash."

Citing Reserve Bank of India's (RBI) data, Biswas alleged that the shortage of cash would continue even though the "four currency notes printing presses" are running at "optimal capacity".

"Cash shortage would continue even though four currency notes printing presses will run at their optimal capacity. It would take 4-5 months to restore normalcy in cash supply," Biswas said.

In value terms, Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 bank notes together accounted for 86.4 per cent of the total value of bank notes in circulation, RBI's latest annual report said.

As on March 2016, there were 15,707 million pieces of Rs 500 notes and 6,326 million pieces of Rs 1,000 notes in circulation.
Chennai, Nov 24 : The demonetisation of old 500 and 1,000 rupee notes by the government will result in increasing tax revenue, higher government capital expenditure and faster fiscal consolidation, said Moody's Investors Service.

In report released on Thursday, Moody's said the demonetisation is affecting all sectors of the economy to various extents, with banks being the key beneficiary.

"Although the measures in the near term will pressure GDP (gross domestic product) growth and thereby government revenues, in the longer term they should boost tax revenues and translate into higher government capital expenditure and/or faster fiscal consolidation," said Marie Diron, an Associate Managing Director in Moody's Sovereign Group.

"Corporates will see economic activity decline, with lower sales volumes and cash flows, with those directly exposed to retail sales most affected," added Laura Acres, a Managing Director in Moody's Corporate Finance Group.

According to Moody's, the demonetisation will disrupt economic activity, resulting in temporarily weaker consumption and GDP growth in the immediate term.

However, greater formalisation of economic and financial activity would ultimately help broaden the tax base and expand usage of the financial system, which would be credit positive.

Implementation challenges, in addition to affecting growth and government revenues, will affect corporates by lowering sales volumes and cash flows, the report said.

In the medium term, the impact on the corporates will depend on how quickly liquidity returns to the system and transaction flows are restored.

The government could prevent the same amount of cash returning into the system, in an effort to increase the use of non-cash transactions and digital payments.

This would improve the overall operating environment for doing business in India -- by improving the ease and speed at which payments reach manufacturers and reducing corruption -- but would prolong the economic disruption.

Consumption in India is still largely cash-driven and a move towards digital payments would require a likely gradual change in consumer habits.

Banks would benefit significantly from a move towards digital payments, given their role as intermediaries for such transactions.

In addition, rising bank deposits -- which Moody's expects to increase by one-two per cent as a result of the demonetisation -- could lower lending rates, a positive for the banks.

In the nearer term, however, Moody's expects asset quality to deteriorate for banks and non-bank finance companies, as the economic disruption will significantly impact the ability of borrowers to repay loans, in particular the loans against property, commercial vehicle and micro finance sectors.

A prolonged disruption could also have a more significant impact on asset quality, as both corporate and small and medium sized enterprise customers have a limited ability to withstand a sustained period of economic weakness.

These same factors will also drive delinquencies in securitisation transactions.

Indian auto asset-backed security (ABS) transactions in particular are mainly backed by loans extended to individual entrepreneurs that predominantly transact in cash, Moody's said.
Malappuram (Kerala), Nov 25 : The bodies of two Maoists, shot dead in a gunfight with Kerala Police near here, will undergo an autopsy at the Kozhikode Medical College hospital, an official said Friday.

The two ultras - a man and a women - were killed in a gunfight with the Kerala Thunderbolts, an elite commando force of the state police in a forest area near Nilambur.

On Friday morning, an inquest was conducted and pictures of the dead have now come out, showing both wearing green shirts and trousers.

The shootout took place in the deep forest area and according to police, a third person also was injured, but managed to escape. Police are combing the forests area to locate more members of the group, and even a contingent of Karnataka Police also joined the search operations on Friday.

Even though the Kerala Police officials have not officially named the two Maoists, the dead have been identified as Koppam Devarajan and Ajitha alias Kaveri.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan told reporters in the capital that the members of this group have held skirmishes with police.

"We are waiting for more information to come," he said.

Meanwhile, Communist Party of India State Secretary Kanam Rajendran strongly condemned the shooting down of the two Maoists.

"It's unfortunate that people who speak for the oppressed are being eliminated and that's not the way. The LDF (Left Democratic Front) here should not do what Narendra Modi does," he said.
London, Nov 26 : The First Ministers of Scotland and Wales met in Cardiff on Friday and confirmed their shared ambition to maintain full and unfettered access to the European Union's Single Market.

Scotland First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and Welsh First Minister Carwyn Jones were in the Welsh capital for a meeting of the British Irish Council. Other people at the meeting included Ireland's Prime Minister Enda Kenny, Xinhua news agency reported.

During talks after the British Irish Council Summit, Sturgeon and Jones also discussed ways in which the ambitions of Scotland and Wales can be fulfilled.

Sturgeon has made it clear that if a Brexit deal is not suitable for Scotland she will bid for a second referendum to sever Scotland's ties with Britain.

Speaking after the meeting, Sturgeon said Friday's meeting was another positive and useful opportunity to discuss some of the shared concerns both Scotland and Wales have around Britain's exit from the European Union.

"Both Scotland and Wales have spoken loud and clear -- Single Market status is simply the only way to protect the economy not only of Scotland and Wales respectively, but the UK as a whole. Anything else risks us falling off a hard-Brexit cliff edge, and we are united in our call to ensure the UK Government does all it can to ensure that happens."

Carwyn Jones said:" This has been a constructive discussion where we have shared our very strong concerns over the prospect of Britain's pursuing a hard Brexit."

"We will continue to work together to build a coalition in favour of Britain having full and unfettered access to the single market," he said.

There was criticism in Cardiff that Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May had not attended the summit meeting.

Although a number of British government ministers attended the event, Sturgeon and Northern Ireland's Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness both said May should have attended the British Irish Council (BIC) meeting in Wales.

Northern Ireland Secretary James Brokenshire, who did attend the talks said: "The Prime Minister strongly supports the British Irish Council," adding that is why two British government cabinet ministers and two other government ministers attended the Cardiff meeting strongly representing the British government's perspective.
Madison, Nov 26 : The election commission in Wisconsin has received a request for a recount of the votes in the state narrowly won by Donald Trump more than two weeks ago.

The request was filed by Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein, BBC reported.

Stein has also pledged to file vote recounts in Michigan and Pennsylvania.

A Hillary Clinton win in Wisconsin alone would not overturn Trump's lead -- it provides only 10 votes in the crucial electoral college that gave him victory in the November 8 election.
New Delhi : Donald Trump's victory has been ascribed to the anger of the white working class in the US over the discontent caused by globalisation because of the curtailment of job opportunities.

The same explanation has been offered for the success of the pro-Brexit group in Britain and the rise of the far-right parties in France, Germany and elsewhere in Europe.

But there are deeper reasons. First, the discomfiture of the white Europeans over the ascent of the black and brown nations after the end of colonisation was compounded by the need for the immigration of these very same "coloured" people to make up for the shortfall in the working population in Europe caused by the two World Wars.

As long as these new citizens performed menial jobs and looked upon their stay in their adopted countries as a temporary sojourn that would end as soon as they had made enough money to go back home, the British or the French reluctantly accepted their presence in their midst.

But the newcomers never returned home. Moreover, the second- and third-generation immigrants were no longer as subservient as their parents to the whites or willing to do lowly jobs.

Then came the new laws on racial equality which meant that they could no longer be discriminated against at the workplace or elsewhere.

As a result, the white man's country was becoming multicultural or "multi-culti", as the brown sahib, Nobel laureate V.S. Naipaul, ruefully said.

In the US, the scene was different -- but only slightly. There, too, the civil rights movement sought to give equal status to the blacks.

But racism persisted, as is evident from the recent ugly episode of Michelle Obama being called an "ape in heels" by a Trump supporter who expressed relief at the possibility of the First Lady in the White House again being "classy" -- and white.

As the blacks remained an unassimilated group in the US more than a century-and-a-half after the end of the Civil War, the racial problem was exacerbated by the influx of the light browns -- the Mexicans and Latinos.

These "aliens" might have continued to live as second-class citizens in the US and the UK if globalisation and automation did not ensure that factories could operate anywhere in the world where the wages were lower than those in the "advanced" countries of the West.

The relocation of the industries and the outsourcing of service sector jobs meant that for the first time in living memory, the whites were at the receiving end.

To make matters worse for them, the new-fangled concepts of human rights and open borders meant that asylum-seekers from war-torn countries of the Middle East -- "cockroaches" as a writer in the pro-Brexit Daily Mail called them -- would have to be given shelter in the white countries of Europe and North America, thereby further skewing their colour composition and bringing in new cultural and religious practices.

As Brigitte Bardot said: "My country, France, my homeland, my land is again invaded by an overpopulation of foreigners, especially Muslims."

It is not surprising that Bardot has called Marine Le Pen the "modern Joan of Arc", for the leader of the National Front in France fears that immigration is an "organised replacement of our population", threatening "our very survival".

In the US, the leader of the white supremacist National Policy Institute has noted that "America was, until this last generation, a white country designed for ourselves and our posterity. It is our creation, it is our inheritance and it belongs to us".

The ideas of "Liberte, Egalite, Fraternite" have gone for a toss, therefore, in France, as has the Magna Carta in Britain along with the stirring words of the Statue of Liberty near the New York harbour: "Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses..."

These reflected the views of the enlightened whites. But, now, old-fashioned racism, which had simmered below the surface, has come to the fore.

But even as a majority of the whites turn to racism and xenophobia, India has shown that "multi-culti" is not a dirty word. Indeed, the values of pluralism are so deeply ingrained in India that even the right-of-centre Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has become moderate under Narendra Modi, who, in the words of Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, has changed from being a "hate figure to an avatar of modernity and progress".

Unlike the preference of the whites to either exterminate or subdue the indigenous populations -- the Native Americans in the US, the Aborigines in Australia -- India has always been a land of assimilation with its 4,635 communities and 22 constitutionally recognised languages.

In contrast, Europe and the US have been conflict-prone with the "enemy" ranging from blacks to Jews to Muslims.

(Amulya Ganguli is a writer on current affairs. The views expressed are personal. He can be reached at amulyaganguli@gmail.com)
Havana, Nov 26 : Fidel Castro has died at the age of 90, Cuban state television announced on Saturday, ending an era for the country and Latin America.

"The commander in chief of the Cuban revolution died late on Friday," President Raul Castro said.

President Castro told the nation in an unexpected late night broadcast on state television that Fidel Castro had died and would be cremated later on Saturday.

There would now be several days of national mourning on the island.

Raul Castro ended the announcement by shouting the revolutionary slogan: "Towards victory, always!"

Barring the occasional newspaper column, Fidel Castro had essentially been retired from political life for some time.

The revolutionary icon, one of the world's best-known and most controversial leaders, survived countless US assassination attempts and premature obituaries, but in the end proved mortal after suffering a long battle with illness.

Castro ruled Cuba as a one-party state for almost half a century before handing over the powers to his brother Raul in 2008.

His supporters praised him as a man who had given Cuba back to the people. But his opponents accused him of brutally suppressing opposition.

In April, Castro gave a rare speech on the final day of the country's Communist Party congress.

He acknowledged his advanced age but said Cuban communist concepts were still valid and the Cuban people "will be victorious".

"I'll soon be 90," the former president said, adding that this was "something I'd never imagined".

"Soon I'll be like all the others, to all our turn must come," Fidel Castro said.

Born in 1926 in the south-eastern Oriente Province of Cuba, Castro was imprisoned in 1953 after leading an unsuccessful rising against Batista's regime and was released in 1955 under an amnesty deal.

Castro was elected in 1976 as President by Cuba's National Assembly, he reaches an agreement in 1992 with US over Cuban refugees.

In 2008 castro stands down as President of Cuba due to health issues.

An accomplished tactician on the battlefield, he and his small army of guerrillas overthrew the military leader Fulgencio Batista in 1959 to widespread popular support.

Within two years of taking power, he declared the revolution to be Marxist-Leninist in nature and allied the island nation firmly to the Soviet Union.

Yet, despite the constant threat of a US invasion as well as the long-standing economic embargo on the island, Castro managed to maintain a communist revolution in a nation just 90 miles off the coast of Florida.

Despised by his critics as much as he was revered by his followers, he outlasted ten US presidents and defied scores of attempts on his life by the CIA.
Mumbai, Nov 26 : On the eighth anniversary of the 26/11 terror attack that shook the city, Bollywood personalities like Amitabh Bachchan, Anupam Kher and Shabana Azmi saluted the braveheart martyrs and victims on social media.

The attack by 10 Pakistani gunmen with the terrorists taking hostages in hotels and opening fire on roads of the city of dreams shook the nation. The attacks left 166 people, including 28 foreigners, dead and the nightmare ended after a 60-hour-long operation that began on the night of November 26, 2008.

Here's what the stars posted on Twitter Amitabh Bachchan: In remembrance of those that sacrificed in death, so we could live!

Anupam Kher: While we remember these 26/11 images, please send a warm hug to the families who have lost their dear ones on this day forever. Mumbai Attacks.

Azmi Shabana: We will not forget 26/11 and the selflessness of those who sacrificed their lives beyond the call of duty.

Shekhar Ravjiani: Thoughts and prayers with the families of victims and martyrs of #26/11. I salute the brave souls who led us to safety that fateful night.

Sajid Khan: Salute to the bravehearts who fought gallantly to protect us... prayers for all the victims and their families. Mumbai attacks, jai hind.

Ehsaan Noorani: One of the darkest days in the history of Mumbai and India... prayers for the families and souls of those who passed on in the Mumbai attacks.

Varun Dhawan: Today is a day we must not ever forget as a nation. We will always be in debt to the police and armed forces who sacrificed their lives.

Vishal Dadlani: Eight years since 26/11. Police reformed/trained? Coast Guard stronger? Are we more prepared in any way? Nah. May it never happen again. Jai ho!

Raveena Tandon: #26/11 never forgive. Never forget... May this never happen again. May we get strength to wipe out this evil and then may peace prevail.

Aftab Shivdasani: We will never forget the sacrifice of our heroes who protected us 8 years ago. They will always be immortal for us.
Chennai, Nov 26 : Producer R.D Raja is thrilled with the response to the dubbed Telugu version of his Tamil film "Remo". He believes the film has enabled its lead actor Sivakarthikeyan to join the big league in Telugu filmdom too.

"The visibility both in terms of promotions and commerce is a clear indication that Sivakarthikeyan has joined the big league in Telugu industry," Raja said in a statement.

On Friday, the Telugu version of "Remo" released in cinemas.

"Remo has opened well across all centres and if the response in the auditoriums is to be considered a benchmark, this film will make a mark for itself in the Telugu commercial arena," he said.

In the film, directed by debutant Bakkiyaraj Kannada, the story revolves around a jobless wastrel who, in the disguise of a woman, attempts to win over the woman of his dreams.

Keerthy Suresh plays the leading lady.
Ashgabat, Nov 26 : Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Saturday announced the country's decision to join the Ashgabat Agreement and the Lapis Lazuli Corridor while addressing a two-day Global Sustainable Transport Conference in this Turkmen capital.

The Ashgabat agreement is a transport agreement between Oman, Iran, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan and seeks to create an international transport and transit corridor.

The objective of the agreement is to facilitate the transport of goods between Central Asia and the Persian Gulf.

The Lapis Lazuli Corridor seeks to foster transit and trade cooperation between Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey by reducing barriers facing transit trade.

It intends to develop a Custom Procedure Integration in the region.

"I would like to take this historic opportunity to announce our agreement in principle to join the Ashgabat Agreement as well as the Lapis Lazuli Corridor.

"I am positive (the Ashgabat Agreement) will be beneficial not only to Pakistan but also to the entire Central Asian and South Asian region and beyond," Sharif said.

He said "peaceful neighbourhood is a key pillar of (Pakistan's) policy", adding that without regional peace and stability "we will not be able to reap the benefits of regional connectivity and integration".

"Through integration of economies, markets and, more importantly cultures, which provide the doorway for peaceful co-existence, I have asked my relevant government ministers to approach the depository countries for an early start of negotiations in this behalf," he added.

Referring to China's one-belt one-road initiative as a "game-changer", the PM said: "It aims to create the world's largest platform to integrate development of various regions in the Eurasian land mass."

He said the most promising element of this initiative is the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.

"A package of multiple infrastructure and development projects that will boost connectivity in the region, help integrate South Asia, China, Central Asia and the Middle East and offer opportunities for hundreds of millions of people in this region."
New Delhi, Nov 26 : Noted author Ruskin Bond was presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award at Times Lit Fest here on Saturday for his outstanding contribution in the field of literature.

Bond, moments after receiving the award, reminded his young readers of climate change in the course of conversation with writer Paro Anand.

"Nature has been really kind to me. So I think I can give back to the nature by celebrating it. I am not an activist, but I can celebrate it in my writings," the author said as he took a pause to think.

"For the sake of our children and grand children, we should try and save the planet," he said.

Bond was speaking to a packed house, comprising of young school children and elderly, at India Habitat Centre here.

"I am not a pessimist so I will not say that life will end in 50 years. I am an optimist so I will say that life may end in 150 years," said an emotional Bond, whose writings reflect his close proximity to the nature.

"It has always been my observation that I have written better when I am in the lap of the nature. People have been my stories, animals have been my stories and when I run out of people and animals, I make stories out of ghosts. But there is an element of nature all through."

He advised his young readers to become "one's own best friend" and read as many books as possible.

"Reading books has sustained me right from a young boy to this age. It has always made me feel that life is beautiful," he said.

Bond also responded to questions from young readers and shared his answers on diverse issues, ranging from the current state of children's literature in the country to the number of times he has fallen in love at first sight, second sight or at hindsight, for that matter.
New Delhi, Nov 26 : Chief Justice of India T.S. Thakur on Saturday expressed concern over non-filling of vacancies in various courts, saying around 500 posts of High Court judges were lying vacant.

The government, however, said that 120 appointments have been made this year.

"Around 500 vacancies in the High Courts today. Five hundred High Court judges should be working today, but they are not. A large number of proposals are still pending and hope the government will intervene to end this crisis," Justice Thakur said at the All India Conference of Central Administrative Tribunal.

Thakur said due to lack of infrastructure, the posts of chairmen in various tribunals are lying vacant.

"A large number of pending vacancies in the High Courts and various tribunals leads to delay in disposal of cases," he said.

"Tribunals are not equipped and are lying vacant. Today, a situation has arisen that no retired Supreme Court judge wants to head the tribunal. I am pained to send my retired colleagues there," Justice Thakur added.

Law and Justice Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, however, said the Centre had made 120 appointments this year.

"We have the highest regard for the CJI but we respectfully disagree with him. This year, we have made appointments of 120 judges (the second highest up to 2013)," Prasad said.

"Since 1990, there have been only 80 appointments. There are 5,000 vacancies in the lower judiciary, in which the Centre has no role to play. That is something only for the judiciary to take (care of)," said the minister.

On October 28, during a hearing, a bench headed by Justice Thakur slammed the Centre for sitting over the top court collegium's recommendations on the appointment of High Court judges, saying the action amounted to paralysing and locking out the judiciary.

In April, the Chief Justice broke down during a joint conference of Chief Ministers and High Court Chief Justices, and urged the government to improve the infrastructure and fill up vacancies in the courts.
Patna, Nov 26 : The BJP's political woes over its land deals in Bihar ahead of demonetisation aggravated on Saturday as a media report quoting official documents said the party purchased the land in cash, contrary to its leaders' claims on Friday.

The Janata Dal-United and the Rashtriya Janata Dal reiterated their demand for high-level probes, including by a Joint Parliamentary Committee.

A local Hindi news channel on Saturday telecast a report that the Bharatiya Janata Party, which is in opposition in Bihar, paid cash to purchase land worth crores of rupees in 25 districts ahead of the November 8 demonetisation of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes.

The media report said it has got sale deeds of land from the registrar office concerned in several districts which mentioned payments in cash.

Till Friday, the BJP leaders -- including Leader of Opposition in Bihar assembly Prem Kumar and former Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi -- repeatedly said the payments were made through cheque and real-time gross settlement systems (RTGS) in banks.

Both Prem Kumar and Modi said the party did not commit any wrongdoing and that the land deals were transparent.

After the report on payments in cash, neither of the two BJP leaders was available for comment despite repeated attempts.

BJP legislator Sanjeev Chaurasia, BJP state Vice-President Lal Babu Prasad were among those authorised by BJP President Amit Shah to sign the land deal documents on the party's behalf.

After claiming on Friday about payments through cheque and RTGS, both Chaurasia and Prasad too were unavailable for comments on Saturday.

Janata Dal-United legislator and party spokesperson Neeraj Kumar told IANS that it is now clear that the BJP leaders "lied" on the land deals and that the party used black money for the purchases.

"Where is any chance of doubt after official documents of the sale deeds clearly mention that the landowners were paid in cash?"

The JD-U leader said the documentary evidence had exposed the BJP once again.

Neeraj Kumar said: "The BJP, which has been campaigning against black money and corruption, invested its own black money in crores by purchasing big land parcels in most districts of Bihar ahead of demonetisation. The BJP paid in cash for all these land deals. It should be probed by a Joint Parliamentary Committee or a high-level committee under the Supreme Court."

Rashtriya Janata Dal legislator Bhai Virendra reiterated his demand for a high-level probe into the land deals.

"It is clear the BJP managed to park its black money by purchasing land worth crores of rupees ahead of the currency ban."

On Friday, Prem Kumar said the purchases were at circle rates fixed by the state government in various districts.

Modi too had said the party maintained accounts of its land deals, and if cash payments were made as alleged, there should be a probe.

"The probe will establish as to who paid the cash and who received it," he said.

According to reports, the BJP purchased the land in more than two dozen districts, including Gaya, Purnea, Siwan, Saharsa, Patna, Madhubani, Katihar, Madhepura, Lakhisarai, Kishanganj and Arwal.

The land area ranged from 250 square feet to about half an acre, purchased for between Rs 8 lakh and Rs 1.16 crore. The land with the highest rate was bought at Rs 1,100 per sq. feet.
New Delhi, Nov 26 : "Journey to Justice", a documentary on the genocide in Bangladesh during the 1971 Liberation War and the ongoing trials of perpetrators of war crimes in that country was screened here on Saturday.

The 60-minute film covers in detail the genocide during which the Pakistani occupation army, along with their local collaborators - mainly from the Jamat-e-Islami - killed three million innocent people, brutally raped over 200,000 women and rendered 10 million people refugees in India.

It also covers the ongoing trials of perpetrators of war crimes by the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) set up by the Awami League government of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina nearly 40 years after that mass carnage.

Speaking to viewers ahead of the screening at the Press Club of India here, Shahriar Kabir, who researched, scripted and directed the film, said that it was the most difficult documentary he has ever made.

"I travelled to 12 countries for this," he said. "We had to wait for 40 years to see the perpetrators being brought to justice."

Kabir said that after the ICT started functioning in 2010, 50 perpetrators have been tried and six of them have been hanged.

"The tribunal is unique as it is trying international crimes under a domestic law that came into effect in 1973," he said.

The documentary has rare footage of the Holocaust in the Second World War and the 1971 genocide in Bangladesh.

Kabir, in the documentary, also interviews human rights activists, lawyers, journalists, writers and civil society activists in countries like India, Pakistan, Nepal, Turkey, the US, Britain, Sweden and France.

Bangladesh High Commissioner Syed Muazzem Ali, who was also present, said that even in war certain rules must be followed.

"A crime is a crime, there must be punishment. And crime against humanity is a huge crime," Ali said.
Islamabad, Nov 26 : Setting at rest weeks of intense speculation, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Saturday appointed Lt General Qamar Javed Bajwa as Pakistan's new Chief of Army Staff (COAS).

Sharif also finalised Lt General Zubair Hayat as the new Chairman Joint Chief of Staff Committee (CJCSC), Dawn online reported.

A career infantry officer belonging to the Baloch Regiment, Bajwa is currently serving as Inspector General of the Training and Evaluation.

Bajwa and Hayat will be promoted to the rank of four-star generals and take up their new posts from November 29, the day the current Army Chief Raheel Sharif retires.

Others in contention for the post of army chief were Bahawalpur Corps Commander Lt General Javed Iqbal Ramday and Multan Corps Commander Lt General Ishfaq Nadeem.
Kozhikode, Nov 26 : While the Kerala Police have maintained that two Maoists were killed in a shootout in the forest, human rights activists have said that this was a "fake encounter".

Friends and relatives of the two prevailed upon the police to preserve the bodies till Monday evening.

According to the police, the Kerala Thunderbolts -- an elite commando force of the state police -- was on a patrol in the deep forests of Nilambur.

"It was they who fired first and the fire was returned," said a top police official.

The two ultras were identified as Koppam Devarajan and Ajitha alias Kaveri.

Their bodies were brought to the Kozhikode Medical College hospital on Friday night and the autopsy was conducted on Saturday.

But on Saturday morning close relatives and friends of the two arrived at the hospital with a group of human rights activists, including Ayinoor 'GROW' Vasu and demanded justice, saying it was a "fake encounter".

"This was no encounter, instead it was a fake encounter and we demand a judicial probe into what happened," said Vasu.

The police, finding it tough to pacify them, took them into custody. They were let off two hours later.

Relatives of Devarajan, who included his aged mother, said they have had no contact with him for the past 30 years.

The Communist Party of India, the second biggest ally of the LDF government led by Pinarayi Vijayan, has lashed out at the manner in which the police action was conducted and condemned the incident.

State Congress President V.M. Sudheeran demanded a judicial probe into the entire episode and the Kerala State Human Rights Commission has directed the state police chief to conduct an enquiry and submit a report.
Chandigarh, Nov 26 : After battling it out in the court of law and political platforms, leaders of Punjab and Haryana are all set to take their fight over the controversy over the Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal to President Pranab Mukherjee next week. Leaders from both states are slated to meet the president on Monday in New Delhi.

As per separate statements issued by both state governments, the delegations of both states have been given the same time - November 28 at 6.15 pm, for the meeting.

The move by leaders from both states follows the recent verdict of the Supreme Court which said that the Punjab Termination of Water Agreements Act, 2004, was in violation of constitutional provisions.

"Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal will call on the President of India Pranab Mukherjee at Rashtrapati Bhawan at 6.15 p.m. on Monday, to draw his attention to the grave injustice being done to Punjab through brazen violation of the universally accepted Riparian Principle on river waters issue," a spokesman for the Punjab Chief Minister said on Saturday.

"An all-party delegation headed by Haryana Chief Minister Mr Manohar Lal will call on President of India Pranab Mukherjee at Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Delhi on November 28 at 6.15 p.m. and urge him to get the decision of the Supreme Court on Sutlej Yamuna Link (SYL) Canal implemented at the earliest," a Haryana government spokesman, quoting Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, said here on Saturday.

Badal will be accompanied by all the members of his council of ministers and all Members of Parliament from the ruling Shiromani Akali Dal-BJP alliance in the state, said the Punjab government spokesman.

He said that the delegation will "stress the need for resolving the river waters issue strictly as per the Riparian Principle which had been adopted in all similar disputes in the country in which a state through which a river does not pass has no right on the waters of that river".

"In the case of Punjab, neither Sutlej nor Ravi and Beas pass through Haryana and Rajasthan, and therefore, those states cannot claim a share on the waters of these rivers as a matter of right," he added.

The Punjab government has already declared that Punjab would accept no decision on river water issue which violates the nationally and internationally accepted riparian principle. It has also de-notified the acquisition of land acquired for the SYL canal. The land acquired for the canal almost four decades ago has been transferred back to the original owners.

The Punjab assembly, in an unprecedented move recently, had directed the Punjab government, its council of ministers and government officers and officials not to hand over land to any agency for the construction of the SYL canal.

The assembly also resolved that the Punjab government should levy a cost on Haryana, Rajasthan and Delhi for the water supplied to the non-riparian states over the past many years.

The Punjab government had earlier declared that it will neither accept the Supreme Court verdict nor implement it. It said that Punjab did not have a single drop of water to spare for other states.

The Haryana delegation will comprise Chief Minister Khattar, senior ministers of the Haryana government, ruling BJP leaders and leaders of the Congress, Indian National Lok Dal, BSP, Akali Dal, and others.

Khattar said that Haryana alone was supplying water to national capital Delhi and other states like Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Rajasthan should also contribute.
New Delhi, Nov 26 : As Haryana is all set to hold the Rs 100-crore 'International Gita Mahotsav', Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Saturday denied the state's BJP government was promoting Hinduism in the garb of the holy book.

"Bhagvad Gita is not confined to any particular religion; it gives a universal message of the essence of life to the mankind. We are not promoting Hinduism in the garb of the Gita. The mahotsav has nothing to do with promotion of Hinduism," Khattar told the media in New Delhi.

President Pranab Mukherjee will inaugurate the five-day event on December 6 in Kurukshetra.

"Besides Hindus, scholars from other religions -- be it Islam or Christianity -- have been invited to participate in the event. Writers, poets, scientists and other personalities with keen interest in the Gita also have been invited," Khattar said.

"Every state has its own identity. The holy land of Kurukshetra, where Lord Krishna delivered the celestial message of Bhagvad Gita, is in Haryana. Bhagavad Gita is a 5,000-year-old holy book which symbolises the art of living," the Chief Minister said.

Khattar said the earlier political leadership in Haryana neglected the Gita and 'gau' or cow during their rule.
Mogadishu, Nov 26 : Ten people were killed in a bomb explosion near a former Somalia air force academy in Mogadishu on Saturday, police said.

According to the police, most of the victims were civilians. The number of those injured was not yet clear.

"Somali forces are already on the ground conducting investigations," Xinhua news agency quoted the official as saying.

The explosion ripped through the market causing mayhem as people ran for safety, an eyewitness said.
Antananarivo, Nov 26 : French President Francois Hollande on Saturday reiterated that all the embargoes imposed by the US against Cuba should be lifted.

Following the death of Cuban leader Fidel Castro on Friday at the age of 90, Hollande made these remarks after the opening ceremony of the 16th Francophonie Summit held in Antananarivo, Madagascar, Xinhua news agency reported.

"Although I often criticised Cuba for its human rights, I always considered the embargoes as an unacceptable unilateral decision," Hollande told the media.

"History aside, it's the future that counts," Hollande said, adding that he wanted to reiterate, after learning about the passing away of Fidel Castro, "the embargoes penalizing Cuba should be lifted, completely lifted".

He hoped that lifting the embargoes would eventually allow Cuba an opening and a full reintegration into the international community.

"France always sees Cuba as a partner," Hollande said, explaining that was why he paid a visit last year to that country to "end the cold war which was still ongoing in Cuba".

Hollande, who paid an official visit to Cuba on May 11 last year, was the first western leader to visit the Communist island nation.

Speaking of Fidel Castro, Hollande said the Cuban revolutionary leader was "a grand personage of the 20th century. He brought up a lot of hopes with the Cuban revolution".

"He always wanted to, with pride, defend Cuba against external pressure," he said.

Hollande expressed his condolences to his brother Raul Castro and to the Cuban people.
Chennai, Nov 26 : In a step to suck out the surplus liquidity from banking system following demonetisation of 500/1,000 rupee notes, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Saturday levied additional cash reserve ratio (CRR) for banks.

According to RBI, the banks have to maintain an incremental CRR of 100 per cent on the increase in net demand and time liabilities (NDTL) between September 16, 2016 and November 11, 2016.

The additional CRR directive is effective from Saturday/November 26, 2016.

Simply put CRR is the percentage of the total deposit that banks have to keep with RBI.

The central bank reiterated that the CRR continues to remain at four per cent of outstanding NDTL.

The RBI will review the incremental CRR on December 9 or earlier.

Post demonetisation of the two high value notes, there has been a surge in bank deposits in relation to the expansion of bank credit, leading to large excess liquidity in the system.

"The magnitude of surplus liquidity available with the banking system is expected to increase further in the fortnights ahead," the RBI said.

As a result the RBI has decided to absorb a part of this surplus liquidity by applying an incremental CRR as a temporary measure.

The increased liquidity is due to the return of invalid notes into the banking system by way of deposits by account holders.

According to RBI, the incremental CRR will absorb only the excess liquidity while leaving sufficient funds with the banks to lend to productive sectors of the economy.

The central bank also said that it has revived the Guarantee Scheme to enable deposit of banned notes with it or at currency chests and get immediate value.

This measure should also facilitate banks' compliance with the incremental CRR.
New Delhi, Nov 26 : The Delhi BJP on Saturday alleged that corruption was deep rooted in the Arvind Kejriwal-led Delhi government after the CBI filed a case against one of its MLAs in the Waqf Board recruitment case.

The party also said it would request Lt. Governor Najeeb Jung to appoint a committee of eminent Muslim personalities to run the Waqf Board.

"The registration of an FIR (First Information Report) by the CBI after inquiry of the complaint of recruitment scam in Delhi Waqf Board establishes that corruption is deep rooted in (Delhi Chief Minister Arvind) Kejriwal-led government," Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Delhi unit chief Satish Upadhyay told reporters here.

"We will soon request Jung appoint a committee of eminent Muslim personalities to run the body so that the benefits of the board activities reach the weakest section of their society," the BJP leader added.

Upadhyay's remarks came a day after the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) said that it has registered a case of criminal conspiracy against AAP Okhla legislator Amanatullah Khan and some unknown officials in the alleged recruitment scam.

On October 7, Najeeb Jung dissolved the religious body and referred all Board matters involving alleged rule violations and corruption to the CBI for investigation.

Khan had resigned as the chairman of the body in September, following allegations that he had illegally appointed a number of people to different posts in the board.
Rabat, Nov 26 : The 22nd Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP22), hosted in Marrakesh, has reinforced confidence in Morocco, said President of Peru-Morocco parliamentary friendship group, Roland Reategui Flores.

Reategui also said that the conference, which paved the way for the Paris Agreement, has boosted "its credibility at the international level" and has proved the nation's "unfailing commitment to fight climate change", MAP news agency reported.

In a press release, received by MAP-Latin America, Reategui expressed the group's congratulations for "the success of this important event" and hailed the significance of its achievements under the leadership of King Mohammed VI.

Peru, as host country of COP20, hailed Morocco's efforts for hosting COP22 as well as its endeavour in the effective implementation of the Paris Agreement.
Antananarivo (Madagascar), Nov 26 : Morocco's King Mohammed VI said that separating Morocco and Africa would be "an error" in an interview to Malagasy press on Saturday.

During an official visit to Madagascar, Mohammed said: "Morocco and Africa are one. To separate them would be an uprooting, an error."

"The women, men and children I meet give me the strength to continue. They make me proud to be African and a 'son of the country', as deemed by the President of the Republic, he added.

Talking about his visit to Antisirabe in Madagascar, the King said: "My visit was very moving. Contrary to exile experiences in general, my family has maintained good memories and a strong relationship with Antisirabe."

He added that he would like to set up a vocational training centre in the fields of tourism and construction and build a mother-child hospital which will also provide training for medical staff.

"The rumours that these projects would only benefit the Muslim community are totally false. These projects are intended for the entire population."

Promoting bilateral relations between Morocco and Madagascar, he said: "Madagascar has undeniable assets to succeed. Morocco is ready to support its ministerial departments, public companies and private sector.
New Delhi, Nov 26 : Union Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh on Saturday launched e-pashuhaat portal (www.epashuhaat.gov.in) on the occasion of National Milk Day.

Singh did this during the celebration of National Milk Day on the birth anniversary of Verghese Kurien, the Father of the White Revolution.

"For the first time in the world under the scheme National Mission on Bovine Productivity 'e-pashuhaat' portal has been developed for connecting breeders and farmers regarding availability of bovine germplasm," Singh said.

According to the minister, breeders and farmers can sell and purchase breeding stock through the portal.

"Information on all forms of germplasm including semen, embryos and live animals with all the agencies and stake holders in the country has been uploaded on the portal. Through this portal, farmers will be aware about the availability of quality disease- free bovine germplasm with different agencies in the country. The portal will lead to propagation of high genetic merit germplasm," Singh said.

Singh also said that milk production recorded a growth of 6.28 per cent during 2014-15 and 2015-16, which is much higher than the growth rate of around 4 per cent in the previous years.

The minister added that per capita availability of milk increased from 307 gm per day in 2013-14 to 340 gm per day in 2015-16, a growth of 5 per cent, which was below 3 per cent before 2014-15.
Washington, Nov 27 : US President Barack Obama said on Saturday in a statement on Fidel Castro's death that history would be the judge of the Cuban revolutionary leader's "enormous impact".

In a statement on the White House's website, Obama also noted that the United States was extending a "hand of friendship to the Cuban people" at the time of the death of Castro, who passed away Friday night at the age of 90, EFE news reported.

The US President said Castro altered the lives of his nation and its people in countless ways after taking power in 1959, adding that his death was a moment of "powerful emotions" for Cubans on the Caribbean island and in the United States.

"History will record and judge the enormous impact of this singular figure on the people and world around him," Obama said.

Relations between the United States and Cuba were marked for decades by "discord and profound political disagreements", Obama said in the statement, while also recalling the process begun in late 2014 to restore full diplomatic relations with America's Caribbean Cold War enemy.

The goal of normalising ties (embassies were reopened last year) was to pursue "a future in which the relationship between our two countries is defined not by our differences but by the many things that we share as neighbours and friends -- bonds of family, culture, commerce, and common humanity", the President said.

That engagement has included the contributions of Cuban Americans, "who have done so much for our country and who care deeply about their loved ones in Cuba".

In March, Obama became the first sitting US President to visit Cuba in 88 years. During his stay on the island, he met with President Raul Castro - the revolutionary leader's younger brother, who has led the country for a decade -- but not with Fidel.

Obama issued a presidential policy directive in October aimed at making the US opening toward Cuba "irreversible", although his successor in the White House -- Republican Donald Trump, who will take office in January -- pledged during the campaign to rollback the US-Cuban thaw until "freedoms are restored" on the Communist-ruled island.

In a statement on Saturday that contrasted sharply with Obama's, Trump said Castro was a "brutal dictator" who oppressed his own people and left a legacy of "firing squads, theft, unimaginable suffering, poverty and the denial of fundamental human rights".
After a tumultuous few months riddled with uncertainty, foreign investment in the country is finally starting to incline. Supporting these trends, Maher Milad Iskander & Co, one of the largest corporate law firms in Egypt, have completed the incorporation of Eosol Energys very own branch here in Egypt.

Eosol Energy, a Spanish renewable energy developer engaged in the construction and operation of wind farm, solar and biomass energy projects, decided to take advantage of the government subsidies and lucrative feed-in-tariffs which are now available to those working in the renewable energy sector here in Egypt. The company has traditionally operated in France, America and Spain, but will be adding Egypt to their portfolio imminently thanks to the dedication of their legal team. These changes are part of a larger scheme implemented by the Egyptian government aimed at stabilizing the economy and reviving investment within it.

The transition began with the announcement of the Egyptian pound being floated, an action primarily aimed at preventing currency exchange on the black market, and increasing the foreign currency reserve in the country. The action was praised by many as it gives investors flexibility in the Egyptian market, as well as contributing to the support of the export sector.

Further changes include the announcement of a new and improved investment law which will put in place further incentives for both national and international entrepreneurs looking to make the most of the abundance of opportunities which the country has to offer.

A representative from Maher Milad Iskander & Co., stated that the sectors which have seen the most significant increase have been renewable energy, oil, gas and petroleum, and construction and real estate. The general outlook for the coming years therefore appears to be optimistic, and if current trends are an indicator of what is to come, there should be a consistent influx of revenue coming in from foreign investment over the next few years.
Both myself and the department had confidence that Soliton IT could make the RIS solution work for King Edward VIIs." Corey Frazer, Imaging Manager.

Located within the Harley Street medical area, King Edward VIIs Hospital is an independent, acute, private hospital famed for its medical excellence in treating complex and life threatening conditions. A small organisation, the hospital has 56-beds, a 4-bed Critical Care Unit and three operating theatres. A registered charity, with Her Majesty the Queen as its Patron, King Edward VIIs Hospital was initially established in 1899 to care for officers returning from the Boer War. Today the hospital treats anyone seeking private healthcare and its charitable focus continues to support service and ex service personnel of all ranks.

Equipped with state of the art facilities and providing consistent clinical excellence within a culture of kindness, the hospital is renowned for its superb standard of nursing, and is the only hospital in the UK where consultants are invited to practice. This ensures that King Edward VIIs works with the very best in each respective medical specialty and the hospital offers a wide range of surgical and medical services with a strong emphasis on the following areas Pain and Neuroscience, Breast, Orthopaedics, Gynaecology, General Medicine, Ophthalmic, Urology and ENT.

King Edward VIIs Hospital embraces cutting edge technology and has recently entered a new partnership with Vital Imaging - giving consultants access to 2D/3D diagnostic images from their browser, tablet or smartphone and consequently providing them with the swiftest and most accurate diagnosis of patient conditions. The site has also introduced Londons first ultra-high definition 4K integrated operating theatre. The very latest cameras and monitors have a resolution of 8-million pixels (four times more than standard) and the combination of ultra-high definition and extremely accurate colours offers surgeons the best vision and clarity when carrying out procedures.

The hospital promotes a collaborative approach to care, bringing together teams of specialists to provide optimum treatment for our patients. Leading Orthopaedic Surgeon Professor Justin Cobb commented:

The main reason for going to King Edward VIIs is human: the nursing staff are brilliant, ensuring that the patient is immaculately cared for both on the wards and in the operating theatre. Without that element, all the machines in the world would not be enough.

An inflexible legacy system puts RIS requirements out to tender

Amongst their clinical services is King Edward VIIs esteemed Imaging facility. The sites Diagnostic Imaging Department is equipped with the industrys most advanced technology to support their team of Consultant Radiologists. Offering MRI, CT, Mammography, Ultrasound and Fluoroscopy, the department boasts a series of hi-tech equipment to offer the best radiology service to mirror the hospitals prestigious standard of healthcare.

Corey Frazer, Imaging Manager for King Edward VIIs, manages the Imaging and Diagnostic processes and remains constantly vigilant of modern technology within radiology disciplines. The departments practices were supported by a Radiology Information System (RIS) and Picture Archiving Communication System (PACS) provided by Agfa. The Impacs solution was in place for 7 years and, although it provided process functionality, was considered inflexible and technically unreliable by the team. The program crashed frequently, offered a multitude of options which were not relevant to the department and, on a task level, took several minutes to register a new patient. The limited workflow meant that radiologists had a timely process to route and review exams and its dated infrastructure was technically fragile; the solution had no DR (disaster recovery) or back-up system which left the department vulnerable to technical failure. As emerging technologies were becoming more available and proven in the industry, combined with the Agfa contract ending, Corey and the team sought new considerations for a replacement solution and the hospital went out to tender for a complete replacement RIS/PACS.

Solution criteria: a customised system for a unique site

Corey had firm requirements for a new RIS and PACs solution. He needed system reliability in terms of build, process and infrastructure; the hospital could not accept system failure or technical glitches. To accommodate the mobile nature of staff, the solution had to accommodate remote access so that consultants could access the system from any location. The workflow element was also important  availability, routing, quick reference and traceability of patient examinations and notes were vital in ensuring a quick response time to patients. From an organisational perspective, the solution had to accommodate the structure of the site; King Edward VIIs is a small 56-bed hospital and their workflow processes are different to that of a standard NHS Trust site and so a one-size-fits-all solution could not support the hospital when their radiology workflow is typically more streamlined. Due to the time in service of their legacy system, a replacement solution from a new vendor had to be simple to use and make for an easy transition for users.

King Edward VIIs reviewed many RIS and PACS vendors to seek a solution that would optimise their radiology functions, ensure task autonomy and allow technical flexibility. In addition, the hospital needed vendors that could be flexible in their approach and give the hospital the customised features it needed. Corey comments:

Its our system, our patients, our data. I needed to be in control of the installation and deployment. I needed a vendor who could be flexible and accommodating to this and a solution that offered fluidity.

King Edward VIIs takes a format-agnostic approach with RIS and Deconstructed PACS

After assessing seven different suppliers, Corey and the team opted for a unique collaboration - Radiology+ from Soliton IT and a Deconstructed PACS (also known as VNA) from Vital Images. The combined technology was the first of its kind in a hospital site. As a RIS electronically manages radiologys tasks, communications and analytics, the Deconstructed PACS handles and stores clinical images as a standard PACS would, but with the added and vital flexibility of recognising many picture formats in order that images can be accessed vendor-neutrally by other systems. This agnostic approach eases migration of systems and enables access to images across varying modalities.

King Edward VIIs investment into Radiology+ was supported by the workflow-driven structure of the application, which included all stages of clinical imaging functions: patient planning, resource management, results distribution and statistical analysis in a concise and content-rich interface. The additional workflow tools of Radiology+ allows not only the standard data collection of a RIS but also unique user configuration, data sharing and scheduling - the daybook feature was particularly welcomed by the department who could now view personnel and patient whereabouts and timings - all on a single interface which was important for a small department across several floors. The modular structure of the system gave the hospital future options of data/information sharing and the potential for strategic add-ons modules. Corey also saw aptitude with Soliton IT as a company; a team of in-house developers and support engineers who can configure the system and make it seamless to the unique organisational needs of the hospital. He comments:

Both myself and the department had confidence that Soliton IT could make the RIS solution work for King Edward VIs. They consistently displayed a can-do attitude to our bespoke integration requirements and worked with me directly in areas of data migration and deployment, with vigilance to the importance of our data and flexibility and how we wanted to manage it. We used to be a PACS-driven department  now we are RIS-driven.

Coreys selection was also based on the principle of flexibility and ease of use. Vital Images Deconstructed PACS offers consolidated access and management of enterprise imaging data for healthcare sites who do not want the financial investment into PACS, as well as providing the flexibility to view JPG, PNG, TIF and PDF files alongside the standard DICOM format. Driven by Radiology+, the system enabled 200+ users the ability to manage radiology tasks and move data freely among imaging systems with full viewing and archiving compatibility. Integrating seamlessly into the hospitals PAS system Compucare, radiologists and system users now have simplified access to the complete patient imaging record and King Edward VIIs has the added safeguard of future proofing their clinical imaging processes by investing in a truly flexible integrated system.
'The way I look at it, thats another piece of trash off the street': Man shoots, kills teen in possible hate crimeTHE ASSOCIATED PRESSFirst posted: Wednesday, November 23, 2016 10:04 PM EST | Updated: Wednesday, November 23, 2016 10:12 PM ESTCHARLESTON, W.Va.  Police in West Virginia have accused a 62-year-old white man of killing a black 15-year-old after they bumped into each other and exchanged words, and a federal official says the case is under review as a possible federal hate crime.A complaint signed by Charleston Police Detective C.C. Lioi says William Pulliam, confessed, showed no remorse and told police, The way I look at it, thats another piece of trash off the street.Liois statement says Pulliam left the scene after the shooting to go have dinner and then visit a friend. A revolver was found at the friends house.Police havent identified the victim, but his mother, Nafia Adkins, told the Charleston Gazette-Mail it was her son, James Means.Pulliam was arraigned on a murder charge and jailed Tuesday, court officials said. He has requested a court-appointed lawyer.According to city police, the teen was shot Monday evening at an intersection and taken by ambulance to a Charleston hospital, where he was pronounced dead from two gunshot wounds.Assistant U.S. Attorney Steve Ruby said authorities are in the early stages of reviewing whether the shooting falls within the federal hate crimes statute for killing someone because of their race or colour.Nafia Adkins told the newspaper that people in the community shouldnt hold grudges and leave the investigation of her sons death to authorities.We know that justice is going to succeed in this matter, she said.In the criminal complaint, witnesses told Lioi that the teen and Pulliam bumped into each other in front of the store, where they exchanged words. Pulliam went inside and Means sat down on a nearby porch with friends. When Pulliam later walked past them, the verbal exchange resumed and the teen crossed the street to confront the man and was shot.Pulliam told WCHS-TV in an interview at the jail that he felt threatened by the teenager and his friends, that he shot in self-defence and that race had nothing to do with it. He denied giving the statement that investigators attributed to him.William Pulliam allegedly show and killed a 15-year-old black teen in Charleston, West Virginia. (Screen Capture)
Bonus Tigo Credit for Hondurans from their relatives and friends abroad. Servicio garantizado y con rapidez. (Jose Irving Cruz, customer)

LlamaHonduras.com hosts a new promotion for those who live abroad and send mobile credit to a Tigo mobile in Honduras online, in seconds, until November 30, 2016. On every top up made to someone in Honduras who uses a Tigo prepaid mobile, LlamaHonduras.com adds automatically 200% free extra credit. The offer is available on LlamaHonduras.com until November 30. The top up process takes few seconds and the top up is instant with LlamaHonduras.com: https://llamahonduras.com/buy/mobile_recharge

Mobile credit can be transferred online on LlamaHonduras.com in seconds, and there are regular promotions on LlamaHonduras.com that bring extra credit. Payment is possible with any major card or Paypal account, no matter the currency of one's bank account. Plus, no contract is needed. Mobiles get the top up balance instantly, and customer support team is available 24/7 in both Spanish and English.

There are certain conditions to send the 200% Bonus along with top ups to Tigo mobiles in Honduras, made from anywhere in the world. First, in order to receive the credit, numbers should be topped up on certain days to receive the Bonus. These days depend on the end of the phone number, as it follows:



Monday recharges for numbers that end in 0 or 1

Tuesday recharges for numbers that end in 2 or 3

Wednesday recharges for numbers that end in 4 or 5

Thursday recharges for numbers that end in 6 or 7

Friday recharges for numbers that end in 8

Saturday recharges for numbers that end in 9

The promotional balance can be used to make calls and SMSs to all networks in Honduras, as well as to the USA and Canada, and for buying an Internet package. The promotional balance does not expire. More details about the use of the credit received through this promotion can be found with the local provider, Tigo Honduras.

Besides top ups to Tigo mobiles in Honduras, LlamaHonduras.com makes available top ups to Claro mobiles too. It takes less than a minute, and the top up to a Claro mobile is instant.

Expats make 90% of LlamaHonduras.com customers and fans, and the number one resource that led to the website and service optimization. Many of them send top ups as a gift, because they are easy to send. Others find mobile recharges a practical and quick way to support family back in Honduras at any time of the day and night.

A second expat service on LlamaHonduras.com is the Voice Credit. It helps make international calls. For $10 Voice Credit one gets 91 minutes to call landlines in Honduras or 62 minutes to call mobiles there in 3 different ways:

-using Access Numbers like with any calling card, without the need for Internet connection

-from KeepCalling app available for Android and iOS devices

-from Web Call to any phone (Web Call is a desktop app available in one's LlamaHonduras.com account)

Thank You points are added automatically on every purchase on LlamaHonduras.com, no matter if it is Mobile Recharge or Voice Credit. These points can be converted into calling credit for international calls when one collects 1000 in his or her account.

LlamaHonduras.com has been optimized by now thanks to expats' feedback. According to existing customers that leave comments on review platforms, it is an easy and economical alternative to offline mobile credit top ups.

It costs nothing to open an account on LlamaHonduras.com, and it comes with a range of advantages:

-No contract between the provider and the customer.

-Mobile-friendly website and free KeepCalling app app for international calls.

-Payment is welcome in any currency, and Paypal is accepted besides all major cards.

-Safety of transaction is guaranteed by the certifications on the website: "Verified & certified", Trustee, etc.

-The account costs nothing and is available in both Spanish and English.

-Voice Credit is the service that offers balance for international calls at low rates, and it never expires.

-Free features can be activated any time to make international calls feel like local calls in terms of price, dialing procedure, phone Contacts import and connection.

-All transactions are available in one's account at any time, and the call record is displayed in the account for the last 30 days.

-Users get major offers by email if they press the "Get offers" button on the homepage.

-Customer Service is known as highly supportive; it is available 24/7 in both Spanish and English, and other international languages.

-There are no hidden fees on any of the products (Voice Credit, Mobile Recharge)

-Multiple actions from the same account. A Honduran expat can buy Voice Credit for his/her international calls, and occasionally top up a mobile in Honduras using the same account.

-There are 3 different ways to call and text with and without Internet access: a smartphone app for Android and iOS, called KeepCalling, access numbers that require no Internet access and can be used from landlines, pay phones, smartphones and old generation phones; and Web Call desktop app that requires no download (available in one's account) for calls from PC to phone.

LlamaHonduras.com is a website dedicated to Hondurans worldwide, travellers or professionals who live abroad temporarily. The website is a brand of KeepCalling, with 14 years of experience on the global market. The mother company is a telecommunications business registered in 2002 in the USA, listed by Inc 5000 as one of the fastest growing companies in the USA for 5 consecutive years. Presently, KeepCalling provides its services to hundreds of thousands of consumers and businesses, with a focus on customer satisfaction. In 2015 the company registered a revenue increase of over 200% from 2011 to 2014.
Toxic employees unscrupulous behavior is detrimental to the well-being of other staff members and the success of the company as a whole. While toxic employees may still get work done well, they affect the atmosphere of the entire team.

Some employees look great on paper. Theyre accomplished, well-educated, and have all the technical skills needed to do the job. But vindictiveness and deception wont be listed under their job skills; disdain for rules wont be covered in their accomplishments; and antagonist will not be in their job title.

Employees with a toxic personality may be hard to spot in an interview, but a study conducted by PsychTests indicates that there are certain core traits that toxic employees tend to display that can make the office a very unpleasant environment.

Analyzing data from 997 people who took their Integrity and Work Ethics Test, researchers at PsychTests looked at the most prominent traits that set toxic people apart from the rest of the population. Among the 17 traits assessed, these are the top six most toxic characteristics:

(Note, scales range from 0 to 100. The higher the score, the stronger the trait.)

Calculating

Score for toxic group: 64

Score for non-toxic group: 14

Cunningly opportunistic, toxic individuals will immediately seize the chance to take advantage of a situation or a person (especially if they are vulnerable). Every move and decision they make is carefully planned, like a play in chess. Toxic employees will only help others if it benefits them in some way.

Vindictiveness

Score for toxic group: 62

Score for non-toxic group: 11

Not only are toxic employees more likely to hold grudges, they are unlikely to let slights or transgressions committed against them go unpunished. They may even go out of their way to get back at someone who wronged them, like a colleague who is competing with them for a promotion, or a manager who gives them a bad performance review.

Manipulation

Score for toxic group: 61

Score for non-toxic group: 8

Toxic employees can influence people to achieve their own ends by preying on their weaknesses or toying with their emotions. They are not opposed to using guilt-tripping, intimidation or downright blackmail to achieve what they desire.

Schadenfreude

Score for toxic group: 61

Score for non-toxic group: 5

Toxic individuals often take pleasure in seeing others fail, especially enemies or competitors. They feel vindicated when someone who has wronged or crossed them gets a taste of their own medicine or becomes a victim of misfortune.

Disdain for Gullible People

Score for toxic group: 61

Score for non-toxic group: 14

Toxic employees have little sympathy for people who dont think for themselves and who believe everything they hear. And given their opportunistic nature, toxic individuals may be more likely to take advantage of people who can be easily fooled. In their view, the fools had it coming or are basically asking to be exploited.

Disdain for Weakness

Score for toxic group: 60

Score for non-toxic group: 15

Toxic employees tend to dislike overly emotional people, and often interpret a lack of emotional discipline as a sign of weakness. Toxic managers may have little sympathy for employees who are going through a difficult time or struggling with a challenging project.

PsychTests study also revealed that:



45% of toxic employees lied about their job skills on their resume.

33% exaggerated their accomplishments.

29% lied about why the left their previous job.

57% covered up a mistake at work so that they wouldnt get in trouble.

34% spend more than half an hour surfing the web during work hours.

22% have stolen from their employer

35% consider dishonesty justifiable if an employee hasnt had a raise in a long time.

Surprisingly, 57% of toxic employees (compared to 53% of non-toxic employees) believe in karma.

With more and more companies adopting a no reference policy, it can be difficult to get a clear picture of what an employee is really like. Accomplishments and good grades may indicate ambition and discipline, for example, but they wont tell you whether a person is tactful, kind, or a team player, explains Dr. Jerabek, president of PsychTests. This means that employees with problematic and toxic traits will slip through the cracks. Companies will only find out how detrimental a person is to team morale and camaraderie once this individual starts working with other people. It may take months for someone to show their true colors, as people tend to be on their best behavior for a few months after being hired. It takes a number of incidents before people really cue in  and even then, management may fail to take action until other staff members file a complaint, especially if they turn in excellent work. But while toxic employees may still get work done well, they affect the atmosphere of the entire team  their colleagues focus often shifts from performance and quality control to licking their wounds and airing their grievances. The cost of toxic attitudes and behaviors is tremendous.

Want to assess your level of honesty and integrity? Go to http://testyourself.psychtests.com/testid/3977

Professional users of this test can see a sample of the Work Integrity test report:

WINS (Work Integrity Screening)

Request a free demo of this test and any other assessments from ARCH Profiles extensive battery: http://hrtests.archprofile.com/testdrive_gen_1

To learn more about psychological testing, download this free eBook: Spotting Diamonds in the Rough. (http://hrtests.archprofile.com/personality-tests-in-hr)

About PsychTests AIM Inc.

PsychTests AIM Inc. originally appeared on the internet scene in 1996. Since its inception, it has become a pre-eminent provider of psychological assessment products and services to human resource personnel, therapists, academics, researchers and a host of other professionals around the world. PsychTests AIM Inc. staff is comprised of a dedicated team of psychologists, test developers, researchers, statisticians, writers, and artificial intelligence experts (see ARCHProfile.com). The companys research division, Plumeus Inc., is supported in part by Research and Development Tax Credit awarded by Industry Canada.
La Granja Restaurants

La Granja Restaurant at 3240 Old Boynton Road, Boynton Beach, FL 33436 is one of almost 50 La Granja locations in South Florida. In recent years, Perus eclectic cuisine has earned acknowledgement as one of the worlds finest, and La Granja offers it fresh, fast and affordable.

La Granja in Boynton Beach is open until 10 p.m. today on Black Friday for hungry shoppers who want to eat delicious Peruvian food.

La Granja has continued to expand throughout South Florida to almost 50 locations since 1995, including 9 franchises, despite tough competition. In every La Granja location, customers can choose to dine in or take out a meal to enjoy at home. They also offer family meals that serve four or more.

La Granja Restaurants is an authentic, family style Peruvian food restaurant chain that has become a popular family favorite for more than two decades. La Granja is widely known for its delectable, made from scratch, whole food Peruvian specialties that are offered fresh daily in over 40 locations throughout Florida.

La Granjas signature dish is Pollo a la Brasa. This Peruvian-style roast chicken is so deliciousand popularthat its now available in cities around the globe. At La Granja, this special roasted chicken is available in whole, half, quarter or boneless breast servings, all accompanied with rice and beans. Chicken wings with French Fries are also offered on the menu.

La Granja has also made a name for itself in South Florida for its generous support and strong ties to the community.

In 1993, members of the Bartra family founded La Granja in Aruba. The restaurant evolved into a robust empire with more than 40 locations in Florida today. The Bartra family credits La Granja's great success to their hard work, as well as being afforded the chance to prosper in the United States of America, which they truly believe is the land of opportunity.

For further information and to search for the nearest location, visit https://www.lagranjarestaurants.com/en/

Additional contact information:

La Granja Corporate Office

3907 NW 49th Street Tamarac, Fl 33309

Phone: (954) 968-7988

info(at)lagranjarestaurants(dot)com

https://www.lagranjarestaurants.com/en
Budding artist Pankhuri Kohli illustrates the trappings of contemporary lives The artists display an exceptional depth in their paintings

Mother daughter duo Sujata Tibrewala and Pankhuri Kohli will be showing some of their thought provoking artworks for a Winter Art & Crafts Fair organized by American multinational and technology company, Intel, in Santa Clara, California on November 29, 2016. The event encourages Intel employees to display their creative talents and brings together a unique shopping experience with innovative products put up for sale. The artists plan to send the proceeds from the sale of their artworks to benefit West Valley Community Services, Inc. a non-profit agency that has been providing assistance to people in Santa Clara county who need housing and financial aid.

Ms Tibrewala, who is an employee at Intel, took it as a perfect opportunity to display her art and try to help the community through a philanthropic effort. The event is also special to Ms Tibrewala as her daughter and budding artist, Pankhuri Kohli will also be displaying some of her paintings. Ms Kohli, a high school senior student, is an occasional painter and treats art as an engaging hobby. While she may have inherited the talent by her artist mother, her paintings display an individualistic streak and seasoned maturity. Ms Kohli almost resonating the effervescence of youth in her artworks often uses bright pop colors in her paintings. Her subjects too very often veer around the cobwebs of millennial life. In one of the paintings Ms Kohli shows a young woman trapped in a cuboid as social media signage are scattered all around her. The painting masterfully showcases how the trappings of social media peer pressure often shape our contemporary lives. Yet another painting shows a young girl fraught over the vain idea of beauty as propagated in popular media as logos of various beauty brands and glossy magazines scream in the background. Almost with a genius stroke of her brush, the artist busts the myth of perfect beauty, as pushed by mainstream media.

The emerging artist effortlessly glides between serious to fun as another of her to-be-featured artworks is a happy portrait of her mother and herself. Yet another one shows a young woman painted standing backwards. Without seeing the face, the portrait is that of a happy girl, as butterflies -- the immediate reminder of youth and restless energy adorn the painting.

Artist Sujata Tibrewala too will be displaying some of her most treasured works at the fair. One of her paintings titled A journey to the Sun, is a blissful reminder of the fact that earth serves as a happy solace for humans. The artist imagines a foray to the space where she is saved in a spaceship by a matronly figure and sees millions of volcanoes erupting in the sun. She imagines how minuscule human existence is in front of the fiery powers of the universe.The painting is a strong reminder to cherish and save planet Earth that harbors countless precious lives.

Both the artists display an exceptional story telling power through the medium of paintings and hope to be back for more such meaningful endeavors.

About the event:

The Santa Clara Winter Art & Crafts Fair will be held on Tuesday, November 29, 2016 between 10.00am to 4.00pm at the Intel headquarter in Santa Clara, California.The initiative by Intel, encourages their employees to come up and display their creative talents.

Both the artists have decided to raise funds from the sale in their booth at the fair for West Valley Community Services, Inc. (WVCS), a private non-profit, community-based agency that has been providing direct assistance and referral services to the west valley communities of Santa Clara County for over 40 years.
Frosty the Snowman is able to help everyone have fun in the snow quickly, thanks to Point of Rental Essentials software.

Grand Prairie, Texas: Point of Rental Software, a Texas-based company providing rental and inventory management solutions worldwide, joins Opportunity International in its mission to end global poverty this holiday season. Opportunity International supports local microfinance organizations that provide innovative financial solutions to empower people, create small businesses, and build vibrant communities.

Point of Rental is dedicated to using innovation to improve businesses and lives as well. This holiday season, the software company is joining Opportunity Internationals mission by donating to the charity for every social share of the companys Frosty the Snowman parody. Only shares from Point of Rentals Christmas page can be accurately tracked for the corresponding donations to be made.

The video is a rendition of Walter Rollins & Steve Nelsons Frosty the Snowman, featuring rental store owner Frosty and his use of his new rental software, Point of Rental Essentials, to increase his stores profitability and efficiency.

For each share, Point of Rental will donate five dollars to Opportunity International. To participate, visit https://www.point-of-rental.com/campaigns/point-of-rental-christmas/.

About Point-of-Rental Software, Inc.

Listed by Inc. 5000 as one of Americas fastest growing private companies, Point of Rental Software provides award-winning rental and inventory management solutions to thousands of companies worldwide. Founded in 1983, the company offers smart, scalable software designed for rental companies of all sizes and industries. Point of Rental Elite delivers a customized ERP software for world-class rental corporations. Point of Rental Expert is a full-featured rental management software that optimizes complex operations for advanced rental businesses. And, Point of Rental Essentials is a cloud-based rental and inventory software that streamlines business for straightforward rental operations. To learn which product is right for your business, visit point-of-rental.com or call 1-800-944-RENT (7368).
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Today

HomeStore, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., 701 E. Dodge St., Fremont. The HomeStore sells donated items at discounted prices. Proceeds support the mission of Fremont Area Habitat for Humanity.

Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, 10 a.m., Chapter 5 Club, 136 N. Main St., Fremont

Storytime, 11-11:30 a.m., Keene Memorial Library auditorium, 1030 N. Broad St., Fremont.

Alcoholics Anonymous womens heart to heart group, noon, Chapter 5 Club, Fremont.

Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, 5:15 p.m., Chapter 5 Club, Fremont.

Narcotics Anonymous open meeting, 7:30 p.m., United Faith Church, 218 W. Gardiner St., Valley.

Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, 10:30 p.m., Chapter 5 Club, Fremont.

Narcotics Anonymous Lie Is Dead Group, 8 p.m., Care Corps, 723 N. Broad St., Fremont.

Sunday

Knights of Columbus pancake breakfast, 7:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Delaney Hall, St. Patricks Catholic Church, Fremont. Pancakes, sausage or ham, eggs, toast, coffee and orange juice will be served.

Alcoholics Anonymous Happy Sober Sunday Group, 9 a.m., Chapter 5 Club, Fremont.

Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, 10 a.m., Chapter 5 Club, Fremont.

Narcotics Anonymous Seekers of Serenity Group, 10:30 a.m., Care Corps, 723 N. Broad St., Fremont.

Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, 5:15 p.m., Chapter 5 Club, Fremont.

Christmas concert featuring Mark Smeby, 7 p.m., Redeemer Lutheran Church, Hooper. Smeby, a Nashville recording artist, will be presenting stories and songs from his latest CD, Hope for the Holidays. Admission is free, but a love offering will be taken.

Narcotics Anonymous Point of Freedom Group, 7 p.m., Good Shepherd Lutheran Church Education Building, west of the church, 1440 E. Military Ave., Fremont. Enter through the rear door.

Alcoholics Anonymous Sunday speaker, 7:30 p.m., Chapter 5 Club, Fremont.

Monday

TOPS Club (Take Off Pounds Sensibly), 9 a.m., First United Methodist Church, 850 N. Broad St., Fremont. Weigh-ins begin at 8 a.m. Visitors (preteens, teens and adults  male and female) are welcome. The first meeting is free. For more information, call Janet Bloemker at 402-721-8952.

Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, 10 a.m., Chapter 5 Club, Fremont.

Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, noon, Chapter 5 Club, Fremont.

Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, 5:15 p.m., Chapter 5 Club, Fremont.

Narcotics Anonymous basic text study, 6:30 p.m., Good Shepherd Lutheran Church Education Building, west of the church, 1440 E. Military Ave., Fremont. Enter through the rear door.

Adult Game Night, 7-8:30 p.m., Keene Memorial Librarys large meeting room, Fremont. This is a chance to meet new people, learn new games and socialize. Coffee and tea will be provided.

Celebrate Recovery, 7-9 p.m., Sanctuary Church, 1640 W. Military Ave., Fremont. Childcare is available.

Celebrate Recovery, 7 p.m., Fremont Church of the Nazarene, 960 Johnson Road.

Fibromyalgia Support Group, 7 p.m., Health Park Plaza Conference Room 5, Fremont.

Alcoholics Anonymous 12x12 meeting, 8 p.m., Chapter 5 Club, Fremont.
Ten years ago, T. Martin Bennett found an old copy of a book about Mitsuo Fuchida, the Japanese pilot who led the attack on Pearl Harbor and who is still largely unknown to Americans, except as a one-dimensional enemy of the U.S. during wartime. Bennett, a Tennessee-based author, screenwriter, and entrepreneur, says, Id never heard a single word about Fuchida, other than that he was a villain. But as he started reading about Fuchidas life and its extraordinary circumstances, drama, and beauty, he knew he had to tell Fuchidas story. The result is Wounded Tiger, Bennetts vivid, cinematic work of historical fiction, published in this second edition to coincide with the 75th anniversary of the attack.

What makes Fuchidas story so captivating and surprising is that he actually stands at the unlikely intersection of three lives. Fuchida, hand-picked by Admiral Yamamoto to lead the Pearl Harbor attack, later turned away from war, became a Christian evangelist, and lived in the U.S. His conversion was a direct result of encountering two Americans: Peggy Covell and Jacob DeShazer. Each of the plotlines can stand on its own as a great story, Bennett says. But the combination of the three is like three cords wound into a powerful rope.

In Bennetts telling, Fuchidas story unfolds through a series of remarkable coincidences. In 1947, he was about to testify at a war crimes trial in Tokyo, confident that war made both sides treat each other inhumanely. But, just before the trial, Fuchida encountered Kazuo Kanegasaki, a sailor and friend whom he thought had died. Kanegasaki told Fuchida that as a prisoner of war he was treated with almost sisterly respect by Covell, whose parents were Christian missionaries in the Philippines. Once Fuchida became aware of her choices, Bennett says, it astonished him, gripped his mind, and turned him down an unknown path of discovery.

In 1948, chance struck a second time when Fuchida was again ordered to testify. As he got off the train in Tokyo, he was handed a pamphlet entitled, I Was a Prisoner in Japan by DeShazer. In 1942, DeShazer was one of the Dolittle Raiders who bombed Japan. He was captured in enemy territory in China and spent 40 months as a prisoner of war, most of it in solitary confinement. He was severely malnourished and witnessed the executions of some of his crew members. During captivity, DeShazer convinced a guard to let him borrow a Bible. After being freed and going to college in the U.S., DeShazer returned to Japan as a missionary.

Character arcs are the dramatic elements we love to see, Bennett says. The greater the arc, the more dramatic the story. In the case of Wounded Tiger, we see extreme character arcs on all levels of conflict: national, physical, social, mental, and spiritual. The transformations of these characters over time, and especially the resolution of their inner conflicts, will certainly resonate with readers. According to Bennett, The most difficult to deal with is the antagonist of our own selves, which is what we see in this story.

Perhaps the most unlikely coincidence of all is the close friendship that grew between Fuchida and DeShazer. In May 1950, Fuchida knocked on DeShazers door, and the two met and embraced. Socially, to go from bitter enemies to friends for life is not unheard of but still quite rare, and in the circumstances of the Pacific War and the context of Wounded Tiger, nearly unbelievable, Bennett says. Ultimately, this is a story about restored relationships on every level. I often say that, if this story were purely fiction, it wouldnt be very good because it would be too far out to be believed. It seems like it couldnt possibly happen. Yet its true.

Wounded Tiger is written in a fast-paced, almost cinematic style, in part because Bennett originally wrote the story as a screenplay. Capotes In Cold Blood, particularly its immediate presentation of the dramatic elements without compromising the facts of the case, was also an inspiration. The book is full of fascinating details: Fuchida wore red underwear for the Pearl Harbor attack so his comrades wouldnt be discouraged if he returned wounded; the emperor of Japan watched American cartoons that were captured by the Japanese when they took an American island in the Pacific. Bennetts inclusion of 263 historic photos and maps only enhances the immersion, making Wounded Tiger a captivating and inspiring story.
A few weeks ago, our country elected as president a man whose campaign rhetoric and actions evinced unprecedented hostility toward press freedoms and free expression in the United States. Out on the campaign trail, president-elect Donald Trump verbally attacked the mainstream media, blacklisted reputable media organizations, insulted individual journalists based on race, gender, and disability, and threatened to expand U.S. libel laws.

Trump also proposed policies that would underscore divisions within our society along lines of ethnicity, race, and religion and further marginalize the voices of immigrants, Muslims, people of color, and the LGBTQ community, among others. Trump has also demonstrated a persistent indifference to the culture of vitriol, hatred, and abuse that some of his most ardent backers have cultivated online. Repeated pleas for Trump to disavow trolling, anti-Semitism, racism, and misogyny were consistently ignored and denied.

Over the past week many have questioned to what degree Trumps presidency will hew to the declarations of his campaign. Many commentators have ruminated that his rhetoric on the stump was deliberately hyperbolic or even fanciful, calculated only to win an election. Working on behalf of an organization of writers, I cannot be so quick to dismiss Trumps campaign fulminations as empty words. If we believe that Trump was willing to say just about anything to be elected, what would stop him now from offering equally empty correctives?

Moreover, even if these words had meaning only in the form of campaign threats and promises, they have already had consequences. They have fueled a climate of surging public distrust of the media and sparked fear among individuals who worry that they are no longer safe in America. They have undercut the power of U.S. constitutional values in the eyes of a world that has now witnessed these principles being openly denigrated by a presidential candidate. Words do matter, and Trumps approach on the stump could have grave and dangerous consequences if it carries over to the bully pulpit of the U.S. presidency.

For PEN America, with a mission that encompasses safeguarding free expression, amplifying less-heard voices, and fostering dialogue that bridges divisions, many of Trumps campaign messages came across as menacing. Ahead of the political party conventions in July, we sent an open lettersigned by more than 20,000 peopleto both Trump and Hillary Clinton, articulating our concerns and asking them both to respect and protect the role of the press.

Trumps early actions during the transition have not been comforting. He broke with long-standing precedent in refusing to allow a press corps to accompany him to his first meeting with President Obama. Possible cabinet appointees, as secretary of state, include former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani, who has been quoted as saying,:Freedom is not a concept in which people can do anything they want, be anything they can be. Freedom is about authority. Freedom is about the willingness of every single human being to cede to lawful authority a great deal of discretion about what you do.

For those who share PEN Americas commitment to free expression, we hope that you will join us in a rolling series of powerful statements and actions in the coming weeks aimed at safeguarding the freedoms that make great writing possible. Sign up for our daily alert on rights and expression. Watch for petitions and tool kits that will help arm you to defend free speech. Join us as we stand with artists and writers who speak their minds despite fear of reprisal. Share and forward our efforts to prevent marginalized voices from being silenced.

At PEN Americas annual gala in May, author J.K. Rowling railed against some in the government of the United Kingdom who had called for Trump to be banned from entering that country. Trumps freedom to speak protects my freedom to call him a bigot, Rowling explained. His freedom guarantees mine. Trump has used his freedom to speak to become the president of the U.S. Its high time we used ours.

Suzanne Nossel is the executive director of PEN America.
Kensington Nabs Ripley-like Debut

John Scognamiglio, editor-in-chief at Kensington, has acquired world and audio rights to Edwin Hills debut novel, Little Comfort. The publisher described the book, which is set to be published in summer 2018, as a cross between Laura Lippmans Hush Hush and Patricia Highsmiths The Talented Mr. Ripley. It centers on two teenagers who flee their New England hometown after being involved in a murder and then return 10 years later with new identities. Hill is the editorial director and v-p at Macmillan Higher Education and has previously published work in the Los Angeles Review of Books and the Life Sentence. Robert E. Guinsler of Sterling Lord Literistic represented him in the deal.

Dlouhy Books Buys Fearless Debut

Dara Hyde of the Hill Nadell Literary Agency sold world rights to Matt Mendezs debut novel, When We Were Fearless, to Caitlyn Dlouhy at Caitlyn Dlouhy Books, an imprint of Simon & Schusters Atheneum Books, in a two-book deal. When We Were Fearless, which is set to be published in fall 2018, tells the story of two high school friends growing up in a barrio community in El Paso, Tex. Mendezs second book will follow in 2019.

Sourcebooks Has Blackout

Shana Drehs at Sourcebooks took North American rights to Blackout by Marc Elsberg. Originally published in 2012 by Blanvalet in Germany, where it sold over a million copies, the debut thriller is about, the publisher said, a terrorist attack that plunges countries into total darkness, as a former hacker teams up with an investigative journalist to discover who is behind the crime. The deal was brokered by Helen Edwards at Penguin Random House UKs Transworld imprint. The book is slated for a June 2017 release.

St. Martins Picks Up Israeli Bestseller

Leslie Gelbman, executive editor-at-large at St. Martins Press, has purchased world English and audio rights to Israeli writer Yoav Blums novel The Coincidence Makers from Amy Tannenbaum of the Jane Rotrosen Agency. The Coincidence Makers, about, SMP said, three members of a secret organization devoted to creating and carrying out coincidences, was first published in Israel in 2011 by Ketera publisher whose list includes books by Amos Oz, Haruki Murakami, and Donna Tarttand has sold more than 40,000 copies there. Translation rights have been sold to publishers in Brazil, China, France, Germany, Italy, and Poland, and an auction in Turkey is underway. The novel is set to be published by St. Martins in winter 2018.

Editors note: In this issue, Daniel Lefferts begins a three-month run writing the Deals column while Rachel Deahl is on maternity leave. All Deals items should be sent to dlefferts@publishersweekly.com and to jmilliot@publishersweekly.com.
Peak Ratings

New books by two Fox News hosts claim the top spots on their respective lists. Megyn Kellys memoir, Settle for More, debuts at #1 in hardcover nonfiction and #4 overall. In it she details her sexual harassment allegations against former Fox News chairman and CEO Roger Ailes, as well as her famously contentious relationship with Donald Trump. Within hours of the books release, the Los Angeles Times reported, more than 100 negative one-star reviews had appeared on Amazon, via a proDonald Trump Reddit forum called The_Donald, which is not officially associated with the president-elect.

Over in childrens picture books, Take Heart, My Child by Fox and Friends cohost Ainsley Earhardt, illustrated by Jaime Kim, leads the pack. The book is, in part, a message to Earhardts daughter, who was born in November 2015.

(See all of this week's bestselling books.)

Movie Watch

Stories of Your Life and Others by Ted Chiang debuts at #22 in trade paper-back this week, 14 years after its original publication. Why the renewed interest? One of the pieces in the anthology, Story of Your Life, is the basis for the much-lauded film Arrival, which opened November 11. Weve had our eye on Chiangs book for a long time; when it pubbed in 2002, our starred review called it the first must-read SF book of the year.

Swing and a Hit

Zadie Smith has been a critical and fan favorite since the 2000 publication of White Teeth, which, alongside other accolades, Time named among the 100 best English-language novels from 1923 to 2005. Swing Time, her latest, has garnered generally strong reviews (including a star from PW) and debuts this week at #15 in hardcover fiction, with Smiths best first-week sales since BookScan began keeping records in 2001. Heres a look at how earlier books compare.

First-Week Print Unit Sales for Zadie Smith

The Autograph Man (2002) 1,452 On Beauty (2005) 7,202 NW (2012) 4,707 Swing Time (2016) 9,272

Scrappy Somebodies

A trio of celeb memoirs passed the 10K print unit sales mark their first week out of the gate. Anna Kendrick, a best supporting actress Oscar nominee for 2009s Up in the Air, debuts at #7 in hardcover nonfiction with Scrappy Little Nobody. Two notches below, Superficial is the follow-up to The Andy Cohen Diaries, by the executive producer of The Real Housewives and the host of Bravos Watch What Happens: Live. And at #12, Born a Crime by Trevor Noah revisits The Daily Show hosts apartheid-era South African childhood; as the son of a black mother and a white father, he spent much of his early life in hiding.

New & Notable

Turbo Twenty-Three

Janet Evanovich

#1 Hardcover Fiction, #3 overall

Evanovich nabs the top spot on two lists with her books starring bounty hunter Stephanie Plum; the previous book in the series, Tricky Twenty-Two, is #1 on our mass market list for the second week in a row.

Our Revolution

Bernie Sanders

#3 Hardcover Nonfiction, #9 overall

Sanders, whose book deal was announced in mid-July, shortly after he endorsed Hillary Clinton for president, delivers an insiders account of his campaign as well as his vision for the future.

Top 10 Overall

Rank Title Author Imprint Units 1 Double Down (Wimpy Kid #11) Jeff Kinney Amulet 112,655 2 Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (screenplay) J.K. Rowling Scholastic/Levine 99,778 3 Turbo Twenty-Three Janet Evanovich Bantam 64,689 4 Settle for More Megyn Kelly Harper 63,870 5 Tales from a Not-So-Friendly Frenemy (Dork Diaries #11) Rachel Renee Russell Aladdin 51,419 6 The Whistler John Grisham Doubleday 50,513 7 No Mans Land David Baldacci Grand Central 49,218 8 Killing the Rising Sun OReilly/Dugard Holt 48,976 9 Our Revolution Bernie Sanders St. Martins/Dunne 44,735 10 Night School Lee Child Delacorte 39,144

All unit sales per Nielsen BookScan except where noted.
DAVENPORT (AP)  When Bob Christensen was drafted into the Army during the height of the Vietnam War, he thought for sure he would be shipped to the jungles of Vietnam.

Instead, the Freeport resident was funneled into a non-combat role in the U.S.: preventative medicine. His mission? Protect the troops at home from a host of nasty ailments.

In that role, Christensen, now 69, worked inspecting mess halls and handled mosquito abatement. He served his tour from 1969 to 1971 at Fort Benning in Georgia and in Tacoma, Wash.

After his stint in the Army, he wanted to go into public health, but science just wasn't his "forte." He earned a master's degree in business administration and became an entrepreneur, operating a small fastener distribution company, Partners in Maintenance in Freeport.

He didn't consider branching out into the moving business until one of his two sons needed to relocate for his wife's new job. Son Kevin used Two Men and a Truck when they made the move 11 years ago, Christensen said, and mentioned the company as a business opportunity.

"He said we ought to think about that business," Christensen said. "So I looked into it. It seemed like a good thing to do."

He launched his Two Men and a Truck franchise in Loves Park about nine years ago. He and his sons now own that location, along with franchises in Davenport and Peoria.

Because he's a veteran, Christensen hires fellow vets to work at his three businesses. Veterans have the strength and skills to handle the workload at Two Men and a Truck, he said.

"They show up on time. They're eager to work. And most important, they've learned team building," Christensen said. "In the Army you learn to work as a team. It's not just you. All those characteristics are ideal for us."

He and his sons employ nearly 80 people. Seven or eight are veterans; four serve in the National Guard. Veterans are a natural fit, he said, because they are trained to be problem-solvers and some are accustomed to being leaders.

"You've got to learn how to control people and manage them without resorting to pointing a gun at them," Christensen said, chuckling.

"We're always, always, always looking for good people," he said.

Noelle Burak, franchise development manager for Two Men and a Truck in Lansing, Mich., said the company is focused on hiring veterans this year. The company -- which operates in 40 states and four countries -- offers veterans a 10 percent discount off the $50,000 franchise fee.

Veterans must provide honorable discharge paperwork to qualify for the discount. Currently, 16 franchise owners are veterans, Burak said.

The company has partnered with VetFran, an initiative of the International Franchise Association. It provides training for veterans on how to create a budget and build a business plan, Burak said. The company also works with VetToCEO, she said, which is a nonprofit organization that provides a seven-week program to franchisees detailing how to operate a business.

Two Men and a Truck also recruits on military bases. That wasn't the case when Christensen started with the company; there were no incentives for veterans to become franchise owners at that time, he said.

Two-thirds of company managers began working on trucks, Christensen said. One-third of franchise owners first worked on the trucks.
GENESEO -- Sometimes you need a little silliness and a lot of friends to get through life. Those are things Geneseo's Ann Grafft is cherishing while appearing in Richmond Hill Players' holiday comedy, "In-laws, Outlaws, and Other People (That Should Be Shot), which opens Thursday, Dec. 1.

"At the end of the day, it's about the people for me -- going and having that intense experience," Ms. Grafft said of her love for theater. Her husband, Jonathan, is a frequent area actor, most recently playing the lead in "Flowers for Algernon," and current RHP board president.

"People who don't do it have a hard time understanding. People ask why you do that, spend all that time, have to memorize all those lines," she said. "But once you've got that, it's having fun, and getting to play this whole make-up game, having this union, having this unit together. You're creating these bonds that never get broken. You can do one show with somebody and become friends for the rest of your life."

It was her good friend Jenny Winn who convinced Ms. Grafft to take a role in Quad-City Music Guild's "Guys & Dolls" in 2010, her first local show. She had been in eighth-grade choir but didn't do theater in high school or college. Ms. Grafft and her husband have two kids -- Aidan, 13, and Elizabeth, 16, who also like performing.

Mr. Grafft and the kids were in RHP's "Cheaper by the Dozen"; he and Aidan were in "Flowers for Algernon" together; and Ann and Elizabeth were in "Anne of Avonlea" at Playcrafters.

Mom and son have done two Music Guild shows together -- "A Christmas Story" and "Children of Eden." Ms. Grafft has done several other musicals; her husband doesn't sing.

She wanted to do "In-laws, Outlaws ..." (which premiered in 2010) since it was a light comedy, different from what she's ever done. "This part is completely not me," Ms. Grafft said. The production is being directed by Eugenia Giebel.

Ms. Grafft plays Bunny, married to the redneck Bud (James Amble). Her sister Janet (Stacy Herrick) is hosting Christmas at their contemporary New Jersey home.

In the story, the Douglas family is busily preparing for their annual Christmas Eve dinner. After robbing a neighborhood liquor store, high-strung and irritable Tony and his dim-witted sidekick, Vinny, find themselves in a bind when their getaway car wont start. They flee on foot into a nearby neighborhood in search of a house to hide out in for a while, and that's where the fun begins, according to the synopsis.

It's one of those "sitcom"-like plays where the best-laid plans go to hell, Ms. Grafft noted.

"I would say two robbers ending up in your home Christmas Eve is about as wrong as you can get," she said. "I have moments of concern, particularly for my daughter, but my character just sails through the whole thing. Everything will be fine, like she figured marrying Bud. She looked past the flaws; she's the eternal optimist."

Even though Bunny rolls her eyes at some things Bud does, and she has more smarts and manners, she really loves him deep down, Ms. Grafft said.

"It's just kind of crazy and goofy," she said of the boisterous play. "How am I going to make Bud happy? ...They jab at each other; she will let him get by with things. He's also kind to her. It's interesting for me to play something so different."

The robbers are played by young Nick Waldbusser, who's the lead one, and 50-ish Jim Strauss, who is Vinny. They're a total odd couple, Ms. Grafft said. "You'd think the older person would be in charge. Jim is pretty hysterical. He plays dumb perfectly."

RHP veterans John VanDeWoestyne and Diane Greenwood play Uncle Leo and Aunt Rose.

"If anything, they're more cantankerous than Bud and I," Ms. Grafft said of the roles. "I'm lucky because John is just generally a good friend, involved in the theater. Theater doesn't feel weird to me. I'm there constantly, supporting other family members, sometimes helping with this and that.

"When people are confident around you, it makes you that much more comfortable," she said of the longtime actors. "I just want to try and make an attempt, to do anything that makes me, even for a moment, just a line or two, to be as funny as them. That's something to shoot for. They're both like legends."

In real life, Ms. Grafft is a morning manager at Geneseo Jazzercise, and stay-at-home mom, since Mr. Grafft travels a lot for his job.

If you go

-- What: In-laws, Outlaws, and Other People (That Should Be Shot).

-- When: Dec. 1-4 and 8-11; 7:30 p.m. Thursdays, Fridays and Saturday (Dec. 3 only), and 3 p.m. Sundays. In cooperation with the Geneseo Christmas Walk, the Saturday, Dec. 10, show will begin at 3 p.m.

-- Where: The Barn Theater in Richmond Hill Park, Geneseo.

-- Tickets: $12, available at 309-944-2244 or rhplayers.com. An audio-description performance will be presented Friday, Dec. 2.
MILAN -- The annual Rock Island County 4-H awards presentation was held Nov. 6 at Camden Center, Milan.

Donors were noted by the Rock Island County Extension & 4-H Education Foundation. Foundation President John Flaherty reported a donation of more than $11,000 from the Martha Bazik Rittmueller, and County Director Jenny Garner noted a $2,500 memorial contribution by the family of the late Calvin Frels, of Moline. 1st Farm Credit Services was also honored for its $1,500 donation to the Rock Island County 4-H Teen Federation.

Outstanding Officer Awards were presented to Nicholas Berenger, Hayburners, treasurer; Alexis Berenger, Hayburners, secretary; and Kade Foster, Rural Go-Getters, reporter.

The I Dare You Leadership Awards went to Brittany Olson, Rockridge Royals, and MyKeisha Wells, Teen Teacher and Hunger Ambassador. The Electricity Award went to Alaina Heim, Buccaneers. The Bright Futures Award went to Sarah Saddoris, Buccaneers.

Volunteers were honored for their contributions to the 4-H youth development program in Rock Island County. Keith Gorham was named Volunteer of the Year; Pat Edmondson was honored as a Lifetime Volunteer. Suzanne Hoke was honored as 4-H Alumni. Ken Moose Miranda was honored as Friend of 4-H/Individual and 1st Farm Credit, Corey Bull, was honored Friend of 4-H/Business.

Sarah and Deke Carls also were honored for their induction into the Illinois 4-H Hall of Fame.

Receiving Triple Crown awards for exemplary 4-H clubs were Prairie Ramblers, Rural Go-Getters and Rural True Blues. The County Membership award went to Buccaneers. The County 4-H Club Recognition Award went to Magical Muggles for their work in Community Involvement.

Receiving project awards for Achievement were Asrielle Allen, Teen Teacher; Sarah Anderson, Teen Teacher, Teen Hunger Ambassador; Clare VanSpeybroeck, Hunger Ambassador; and MyKeisha Wells, Teen Teacher, Hunger Ambassador. Receiving awards for Community Involvement & Global Awareness was Clare VanSpeybroeck, Hunger Ambassador.

Receiving State Blue Awards and Scholarship honors was Shelby Ledbetter, Team Dauntless for Leadership, Communications, Project Mastery and Personal Development. She received a $1,000 scholarship for Communications. Ms. VanSpeybroeck, Teen Hunger Ambassador, also received a $1,000 scholarship for Leadership.

Ms. Ledbetter also received the State 4-H Leadership, Citizenship, and Professional Awards along with a $1,000 scholarship for the State 4-H Legacy of Leadership award.

Maya Chavez, Shelby Ledbetter, Paw Kaw Ku and Josh Brodnax were honored for their work with the Speaking for Illinois 4-H program.
COLONA -- The Green Rock-Colona American Legion, 312 Broadway St., will host a pancake breakfast fundraiser for the family of Sgt. Leevon Ritter from 7:30 to 11 a.m. Sunday.

The menu will include scrambled eggs, biscuits and gravy, sausage, pancakes, fruit, coffee, tea, juice and milk for a suggested donation of $7. Call 309-792-8934 for more information.

Sgt. Ritter, who died May 22, 2012, will be one of 60 organ donors honored on the Donate Life Parade float in the 2017 Tournament of Roses Parade. His family will be traveling to Pasadena, Calif., Dec. 28 to Jan. 3 to meet with other donor families, recipients and living donors.

Funds raised at the breakfast will help with airfare, hotel and general event expenses. Donations are also being accepted at gofundme.com/honorleevon.
A Quad-Cities group supporting protests against the Dakota Access Pipeline picketed two Davenport banks on Friday, hoping to call attention to local investments in the controversial $3.8 billion project.

Sage Sisters of Solidarity and supporters carried signs in front of Wells Fargo and US Bank on West 2nd Street. Those banking organizations, as well as Chase Bank, are among institutions financially backing the pipeline project, members said.

The 1,200-mile pipeline would carry oil across four states to a shipping point in Illinois. The project has been held up while the Army Corps of Engineers consults with the Standing Rock Sioux, who believe the project could harm the tribe's drinking water and Native American cultural sites.

The Obama administration said this month it wants more study and tribal input before deciding whether to allow the partially built pipeline to cross under a Missouri River reservoir in North Dakota.

Many native groups and supporters in the U.S., and indigenous groups worldwide, have rallied in support of the Standing Rock Sioux and of protests that have involved reports of violence against Native Americans.

Sage Sisters of Solidarity was formed by three Quad-Cities Native American women in response to the DAPL project. One of them, Regina Tsosie, a Navajo, said more actions are planned.

"We're planning another divestment drive soon, and planning a fundraiser in December for Standing Rock," she said. Ms. Tsosie said the intent is to call attention to banks helping to finance the project and to discuss that with any interested customers walking in and out -- though with the cold, windy weather Friday bank customers were few and far between.

As the group of 13 stood in front of one bank branch and then marched to the other, several people in cars honked, waved and gave thumbs-up on support.

"Mitakuye Oyas'i," Ms. Tsosie shouted to one.

"It means we are all related, in Lakota," she said.

The other two Sage Sisters of Solidarity founders are Melisa Marroquin, a Lipan Apache, and Josie Ironshield, a Standing Rock Sioux. The group has a Facebook page and a website, sagesistersofsolidarity.wordpress.com.

"Collectively, we come from traditional, cultural and indigenous perspectives, thus recognizing that we are guardians of the Earth," Ms. Marroquin said in a statement. "Our mission is to stand in solidarity with Standing Rock, protect the Earth, the environment, and oppose all forms of social, civil, environmental and cultural injustices."

Many people in support of the protests might not know that banks they invest with are backing the project, she said.

"There are 17 banks that are connected to funding the DAPL," said Sarah Ford, an assistant coordinator with the group. Other groups nationwide are now encouraging actions publicizing that, she said.

The aim is to encourage patrons to "consider that, by investing their money in these banks, and the bank is in turn investing in the pipeline, that they are by proxy contributing their money to the pipeline," she said.

Alan Elias, senior vice president for wholesale and international communication for Well Fargo, sent a statement on the DAPL investment on request.

"We respect the differing opinions involved in this dispute, and we understand the concerns of all parties involved," the statement said. "The reality is that Wells Fargo is one of 17 financial institutions involved in financing the Dakota Access Pipeline project, which was evaluated by an independent engineer to be compliant with the Equator Principles, a framework that is designed to determine, assess and manage social and environmental risks and impacts of projects. In this particular case, the Principles provided an additional layer of due diligence for potential environment and social impacts.

"... While we are considering the issues that have emerged during this situation, we do not comment on specific customer relationship."
Today is Saturday, Nov. 26, the 331st day of 2016. There are 35 days left in the year.

1866 -- 150 years ago: Gen. Hasbrook Davis said he believes President Johnson is a very bad man and wishes him out of office, but he questions the wisdom of impeachment.

1891 -- 125 years ago: A thief broke into Goldsmiths clothing store and escaped with a $14 overcoat.

1916 -- 100 years ago: Capt. Anton Hohman, of Rock Island, was placed in charge of the Meisic Police Station in the Philippine Islands.

1941 -- 75 years ago: James Struck, of Moline, was named to the U.S. Naval Academy, Annapolis, Md., by Congressman A.J. Johnson.

1966 -- 50 years ago: Santa Claus arrived in Rock Island today, but anyone who was in the downtown area doesnt have to be reminded. A crowd estimated at more than 1,000 gathered along 17th Street in the vicinity of the Sheraton Rock Island.

1991 -- 25 years ago: Hiland Toyota, Moline, has opened a Toyota Truck Center for sales of new and used two- and four-wheel drive trucks, the dealerships first major expansion in its 25-year history.
The post-election leftist anti-Donald Trump protests and/or riots are nothing new.

In 1714, a German prince became George I, King of England. He came to the throne because Queen Anne died without issue. He was Anne's closest living Protestant relative. The Act of Settlement of 1701, prohibited some 50 Catholics, who were closer relatives, from inheriting the throne. Protests, unlawful assemblies and riots ensued, encouraged by the Jacobites, on behalf of James Stuart, Anne's half-brother.

To suppress these riots, Parliament (1714) passed The Riot Act ("An act for preventing tumults and riotous assemblies, and for the more speedy and effectual punishing the rioters.")

The act defined the offense of riot" and made riot a felony punishable by death -- but only after the King's "Proclamation to disperse" was proclaimed:

"If twelve [persons] or more, unlawfully, riotously, and tumultuously assemble together, to the disturbance of the public peace, ... and are ... commanded by any ... justice.... , or ... sheriff ... , where such assembly shall be by proclamation, in the form hereinafter directed, to disperse ... and peaceably to depart to their habitations, ... should ... twelve or more (notwithstanding such proclamation made) unlawfully, riotously, and tumultuously remain together ... for one hour after such ... proclamation, ... [they] shall be adjudged felons ... and shall suffer death."

The act specified both the form of the proclamation, and how it was to be made:

"The justice of the peace [or other authorized person] shall [go] among the said rioters, or as near to them as he can safely come, [and] with a ... loud voice make ... the proclamation in these words: 'Our sovereign Lord the King ... commandeth all persons ... assembled, immediately to disperse ... and peaceably to depart to their habitations, or to their lawful business, upon the pains contained in the act ... for preventing tumults and riotous assemblies. God save the King."

It is from this act that we get the expression, "He read them the riot act."

Recall, "Disperse, ye rebels" at Concord Bridge?

Our First Amendment provides that "Congress shall make no law ... abridging the freedom ... of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."

Note that the operative word is "peaceably." Mob actions, unlawful assemblies and riots -- which by definition are not peaceful -- are beyond the pale of First Amendment protection.

Modern-day Illinois law also makes provision for suppressing mobs, riots and disturbance. "Whenever there is a tumult, riot, mob ... of persons acting together by force ... to commit felony, or to offer violence to persons or property, the Governor has a duty ... to order such military force ... to aid the civil authorities in suppressing such violence and executing the law."

The governor's order specifies "only the work to be done" and that "It shall not include the method to be employed." It also says the "military officer present shall exercise his discretion and be the sole judge as to what means are necessary."

The law also provides: "Whenever 12 or more persons, any of them armed with clubs or dangerous weapons, or 30 or more, armed or unarmed are unlawfully, riotously or tumultuously assembled, it is the duty of the commanding officer of such military force ... present on duty, to go among the persons so assembled, or as near them as safety will permit, and in the name of the State command them immediately to disperse, and if they do not obey, every person refusing to disperse shall be deemed one of the unlawful assembly and shall be guilty of a Class A misdemeanor...

When those unlawfully assembled refuse to disperse, the officer in command has the duty of suppressing the assembly "in such manner as may be most expedient." If in the process, rioters or spectators are killed or wounded, the military personnel "shall be held guiltless of any crime and justified in law."

What should be noted is that once the National Guard is sent in, the commanding officer present exercises his discretion and is the "sole judge as to what means necessary."

One caveat: While the soldiers acting to suppress the riot are immune under Illinois law, they are still subject to being charged with civil or criminal federal civil rights violations, if they use excessive force.
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Strengthening their partnership for the Spanish-language world, Telemundo and Netflix have expanded their distribution deal by adding the musical series Guerra de Idolos.

Starring Sheryl Rubio, Maria Leon, Maria Jose Magan, Sofia Lama and Erika de la Rosa, the drama, set in Mexico, will include traditional soap opera topics like fame, wealth, love and revenge.Guerra de Idolos will premiere on Netflix and Telemundo in 2017, but has no specific release date yet.The production announcement arrives shortly after both partners extended their worldwide alliance . Under the terms of the current distribution agreement, Telemundo series such as El Chema and Sin Senos Si Hay Paraiso will premiere exclusively on Netflix Latin America, to be available later in Spain and the US. The popular subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) platform has also gained on-demand rights for hits like La Reina del Sur and Pasion de Gavilanes.
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Sensex up just 6.5% while the best returns were during Manmohan Singh, with the Sensex soaring nearly 167.5%, report Samie Modak and Ashok Divase.

Illustration: Uttam Ghosh/Rediff.com

In the two-and-a-half years that the government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been in power, the Sensex has delivered only 6.5%, despite the initial rally.

An analysis of the mid-term returns of previous seven governments since 1980 showed this was the second-worst.

The worst return was during another National Democratic Alliance government. The 30-share Sensex, an index of the country's blue-chip companies, had dropped over 30% in the first 30 months of then prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's government, which took charge on October 13, 1999.

The best returns were during Dt Manmohan Singh's government, with the Sensex soaring nearly 167.5%.

Business Standard has compared the market returns for the first two-and-a-half years of seven governments, starting with Indira Gandhi's in 1980, from when Sensex data is available.

The analysis has been done from the date of the swearing-in ceremony of PM Modi and not the election result day.

Even if the data is analysed from the election result day, the performance ranking remains unchanged. Although, the Sensex returns improves to 9% for the Modi government.

The tepid returns so far in Modi's term are contrary to the initial euphoria.

The NDA's strong showing in the May 2014 Lok Sabha elections had triggered a bull run in equities.

In the initial 10 months, benchmark indices had soared over 20% with the Sensex, the Nifty climbing to a record high of 30,000 on hopes of reforms and fast turnaround in the economy and corporate earnings.

However, global headwinds and delay in domestic earnings recovery has led to a retreat in stock prices.

"The performance in the first half has been a mixed bag. The initial returns have tapered off as the hopes have not materialised. While the current government had to inherit stalled projects and excess corporate leverage, a lot of things could have been done better," said Rajeev Thakkar, chief investment officer, PPFAS Mutual Fund.

The markets saw a secular up move in the initial 15 months of the Modi government, while the last 15 months have been choppy.

The domestic markets have suffered three significant bouts of correction -- in August 2015 following China's surprise yuan devaluation, in January this year because of global growth concerns and the meltdown in commodity prices, and the latest meltdown because of economic uncertainty created by demonetisation and risk-off sentiment triggered by Donald Trump's surprise victory in the US presidential elections.

The Indian markets have dropped over 6% since November 8, when Modi announced the recall of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes -- 86% of the currency in circulation.

The latest correction has seen the Sensex erase most of its yearly gains and is currently trading flat on a year-to-date basis.

If the markets end the year with negative returns, it will be a second straight calendar year with negative returns in the Modi government's tenure.

In 2015, the Sensex had ended with 5% losses.

The Sensex had ended a calendar year with negative returns only twice during the United Progressive Alliance's 10-year tenure.

Analysts believe the government had the right drivers in place to uncheck recent market underperformance.

'Landmark macro reforms aimed at putting India's economy on a long-term growth path are in place. Implementation of the goods and services tax in mid-2017 will boost tax compliance and corporate efficiencies. The government's new demonetisation scheme curbs corruption. The Aadhaar-based e-governance programme allows widespread financial inclusion and is driving bottom-of-the pyramid opportunities and potential subsidy savings of $7 billion to $8 billion. The low-cost housing scheme imparts meaningful upside to the construction sector. These and other initiatives will help reverse 12 months of market underperformance,' said Mahesh Nandurkar, head of India strategy at CLSA, in a note.
Singh, who had also served as Reserve bank governor, had lashed at the government on many aspects of the ongoing exercise, including making this charge. Hed said GDP growth would fall by at least two percentage points.



Economist and NITI Aayog member Bibek Debroy says ex-prime minister Manmohan Singh is mistaken in saying the ongoing demonetisation would hurt the nations gross domestic product (GDP) and its growth.

Singh, who had also served as Reserve bank governor, had lashed at the government on many aspects of the ongoing exercise, including making this charge. Hed said GDP growth would fall by at least two percentage points.

Hed also termed the implementation of demonetisation a 'monumental management failure'. And, rapped the government for expecting poor people to wait even 50 days in the system rejig, adding many had already lost their lives.

Debroy, in an interview with India TV news anchor Karan Thapar, said there would be no shortage of currency notes and the demonetisation exercise was justified -- it would be a deterrent for future generations.

Questioning this, Thapar said only a small percentage of the total estimate of undisclosed (black) money was held in the form of cash. The bulk was in the form of immovable assets like real estate. While former chief statistician Pranab Sen has pegged this figure at six per cent of GDP, former finance minister P Chidambaram had said it was near to 15 per cent.

Debroy said the gain was not limited to this, the large amount of revenue generated (with people returning their money, etc) would provide the government room to spend on public goods and services. The pain in the process of demonetisation was a transfer from the relatively rich to the relatively poor.

Debroy also clashed with Thapar over the amount of counterfeit currency in circulation, which demonetisation is expected to weed out. Thapar pointed to the governments own affidavit to the Supreme Court a day before, that Rs 400 crore worth of counterfeit currency circulates in the economy at any point, quoting the National Investigative Agency. That, he noted, was a very low figure, given the amount in circulation.

Debroy said that figure was a low estimate and has shot up compared to those in 2011-12, necessitating demonetisation. They are also deterrents to future generations, he added.

On the creation of more black income, Debroy said demonetisation was not meant to address that. It had, instead, been dealt with by other government initiatives such as the Income Declaration Scheme, the clamp on cash transactions and the coming national goods and services tax.
Amendments will be tabled in Parliament for approval by Monday or Tuesday, reports Archis Mohan, Indivjal Dhasmana and Arup Roychoudhury.

Illustration: Uttam Ghosh/Rediff.com

Those who deposited their black money in banks, disclosing it to be untaxed wealth, since the government announced demonetisation will now have to pay income tax at 50% and a quarter of the portion of the unaccounted income would remain with the government for four years, as per amendments planned to the Income Tax Act by the Centre.

The amendments will be tabled in Parliament for approval by Monday or Tuesday, a top government official said on Friday.

According to the amendments planned, those who deposit their unaccounted income in banks till the last date would have to pay a 50% tax and will have to forgo 25% of the deposited amount for four years.

Those who do not disclose their black money and are caught by an income tax (I-T) officer would have to pay 60% tax and 30% penalty, the official said.

The government announced demonetisation of the old series Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes on November 8.

Those who possess money in these denominations were allowed to exchange it for new notes at banks till Thursday, or deposit the sum in their accounts till December 30.

The amendments to the I-T Act were approved by the Union Cabinet on Thursday. The sum that a black money holder will have to forgo for four years may be invested in zero-rated bonds, sources said. But there was no clarity about this yet.

Responding to reports, sources in the government also clarified it had no intention of imposing any limit of holding of gold.

Black money holders who availed of the recent window had to pay 45% of the money to the government, comprising 30% income tax, 7.5% penalty and surcharge each.

The tax is to be paid in three instalments -- 25% of the total tax, cess and penalty by November 30, an equivalent amount by March 30 next year and 50%^by September 30.

So, those who did not avail of the window will now have to pay a higher rate.

Amit Maheshwari, managing partner, Ashok Maheshwary & Associates, said money was never parked in bonds in any of the previous income-disclosure schemes. However, there are bonds to escape capital gains.

He said the government does not need people to declare their black money, but is wary of black money holders trying to convert these into white through Jan Dhan and other accounts.

This was because if all the Rs 14 lakh crore in circulation in old Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes returned to banks, the Reserve Bank of India's outstanding liabilities would remain the same and it would have to issue this amount to banks in new currency notes.

If part of this money was held in black, say Rs 3 lakh crore, did not come into the system, these would be wasted and RBI have to issue only Rs 12 lakh crore to the banks in new currency notes.

The remaining Rs 3 lakh crore was its gain, which could be transferred to the government at the end of the RBI's financial year in June.

"But," he said, "the government does not want those converting black money into white through dubious means getting away. Besides, their money will remain in the system for specified period and could be deployed for productive purposes."

Since November 10, when people were allowed to deposit their money in old currency notes at banks, Jan Dhan accounts saw a surge of Rs 20,000 crore, almost 50% of total deposits in these accounts in over two years since the launch of the scheme.

Sources said the government was keen to root out benami deposits, particularly in Jan Dhan accounts.

The step was also significant since the current provision of 30% tax and 200% of tax as penalty could be circumvented by those who might deposit black money but pay tax in advance.

In that case imposing a penalty could become a vexed issue under the current I-T Act.
A Border Security Force jawan was injured on Saturday when terrorists opened fire on a security forces convoy in Handwara area of north Kashmirs Kupwara district.

One jawan has sustained bullet injuries in the attack by militants on a convoy at Handwara this morning, a BSF official said in Srinagar.

He said the injured jawan has been hospitalised and his condition is stated to be stable.

This is second attack on security forces in Handwara area in the past 36 hours.

Terrorists on Thursday night opened fire on a police station in Handwara but there was no damage in the incident as the ultras fled from the scene following retaliation by the cops.

Representative image.
That she is a popular leader cannot be disputed.

But equally indisputable is her brand of whimsical politics.

One reason everyone is a little wary of coming together under a banner led by Banerjee, reports Aditi Phadnis.

IMAGE: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee leads a march to Rashtrapati Bhavan to protest against demonestisation. Photograph: PTI Photo

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So is Mamata Banerjee the heroine of demonetisation?

She was the first to unambiguously criticise the move, she followed it up with a fervent effort to unite the Opposition around the issue of inconvenience to ordinary people, and when no one came, then with Arvind Kejriwal's party on one side and the National Conference on the other, marched to Rashtrapati Bhavan and the Reserve Bank of India to slam the move, doing what she is best at: Street protest.

Obligingly, the Bharatiya Janata Party came to know of it and there was a stand-off: And it was led by Mamata.

To be honest, there are not many like her around any more: Totally un-self-conscious about rabble-rousing and with a completely transparent eye to the main chance.

It brings the old days back.

November 25, 1992: Mamata Banerjee, then president of the West Bengal unit of the Youth Congress, organised a rally at Kolkata's Brigade Parade Ground to launch a movement against the Communist Party of India-Marxist's long rule in the state.

The crowd that attended was impressive and it cheered her enthusiastically as she proceeded to sound the symbolic 'death knell' of the state government from the dais.

This support moved her so much that she announced, then and there, that she would quit her post as junior minister in the Narasimha Rao government (she was in charge of youth affairs and sport) and devote her energies full-time to building an anti-Left Front movement.

Rao was, naturally, livid that a junior minister had put him in such an embarrassing position by making a public announcement before informing him.

Banerjee couldn't be bothered.

The dramatic public announcement came to nothing; she did not resign from the Rao ministry. Nor was it the first time she displayed such selective amnesia.

Earlier the same year she had said she would resign her ministership when she was defeated by colleague Somen Mitra in elections for the post of president of West Bengal Pradesh Congress Committee. She forgot to follow up on this too.

IMAGE: Mamata Banerjee briefs President Pranab Mukherjee about her opposition to demonestisation. Photograph: PTI Photo

Her current leadership spell draws on three premises: Elections to five state assemblies will be held in the next few months and could shift the tide of public opinion away from the BJP, seeking an option in the Opposition; there is currently a vacancy for the leadership of the aforementioned Opposition; and the rest of the Opposition is a bunch of lily-livered cowards.

There is only one problem: The mover of the resolution is Mamata Banerjee.

That she is a popular people's leader cannot be disputed. But equally indisputable is her brand of whimsical politics.

After she became chief minister of West Bengal, Banerjee's hold on her party is such that leaders know they must indulge her every whim, or face a fall from grace.

This leads to unforeseen consequences, as several leaders who thought they had a brilliant political future discovered after they were dumped by Banerjee -- for not listening to Rabindra Sangeet with the right degree of concentration (Banerjee was singing) or for not taking medicines she had prescribed (she fancies herself as a doctor), for example.

And so, while bitter rivals Congress and CPI-M could sink their differences and come together, everyone is a little wary of coming together under a banner that is led by Mamata Banerjee.

But then you could argue that an all-in Opposition unity as a banding together of all anti-BJP political parties is a proposition that will be put to test only next year, so the idea still has time to evolve.

The election to the President of India is due end of June/beginning of July next year. By then several state assembly elections including Uttar Pradesh will have been completed.

Will there be an election?

It seems unavoidable at this point, given the fractious relationship between the Congress and the BJP.

Will other Opposition parties -- including Mamata Banerjee -- accept a common Opposition candidate and work towards respectable numbers for him/her?

In a Presidential election, MLAs and MPs are voters, an electoral grouping which comprises 4,896 members.

Of this, 776 are MPs and 4,120 MLAs from the states.

According to the BJP, the National Democratic Alliance has around two per cent more votes than a majority. The party feels this percentage will increase after the election in the five states.

The value of votes for a UP MLA is more than the value of MLAs from any other state -- to be precise, the value of one UP MLA vote is 208 and the total value of the states votes is 83,824.

At present, there are only 41 BJP MLAs in the UP assembly. Unless this number goes up, the BJP could be in perilous waters.

All this is speculative at this point.

Union governments in power have a huge capacity to dole out patronage, win friends and influence people in an election of this nature.

But Mamata Banerjee is setting the stage. The question is: What will she get out of it?
'He was a very good friend for India. He stood by us through thick and thin.'

IMAGE: Fidel Castro with Dr Manmohan Singh during the then prime minister's visit to Havana in 2006. Photograph: Press Information Bureau

Fidel Castro's bear hug to Indira Gandhi in the spring of 1983 at the Non-Aligned Movement summit in New Delhi best symbolises his warm ties with India which always looked to the legendary leader as a 'great friend.'

Under Jawaharlal Nehru, India was amongst the first countries to extend recognition to Cuba after the 1959 revolution led by Castro who overthrew the Fulgencio Batista regime.

Unmindful of the United States sanctions on Communist Cuba starting from the Cold War era, India has always maintained political, trade, cultural and people-to-people relations for about six decades.

It was Nehru who reached out to the Cuban icon and told him that the non-aligned nations saw his leadership with immense hope.

Castro, who died on Friday night aged 90, had been denied the possibility of staying in five star hotels in New York in 1960 when he attended the UN General Assembly and the owner of the Theresa Hotel came and invited him and his delegation to stay there. Then, important dignitaries paid him courtesy calls there.

Castro, years later, told then external affairs minister K Natwar Singh that, 'The first person who came to see me was Prime Minister Nehru. I can never forget his magnificent gesture. I was 34 years of age, not widely known. I was tense. Nehru boosted my morale. My tension disappeared.'

The friendship established between them was strengthened during his daughter Indira Gandhi's prime ministership.

The bond of India-Cuba friendship is best symbolised with the unforgettable image of Castro embracing Indira Gandhi while handing over the NAM chairmanship to her in 1983 in New Delhi.

'Today, while handing over, after more than three years, the chairmanship of the Non-Aligned Movement to our admired Indira Gandhi and to India, that she in her historic right represents, we can affirm that we have a movement whose unity was not weakened, whose vigour has grown, whose independence has been withheld despite all the challenges it faced...' he had said at the time.

Castro and Indira Gandhi met on several occasions. In September 1973, she hosted a dinner for him in New Delhi when he was on his way to Vietnam.

Another landmark visit occurred in August 1985, when then prime minister Rajiv Gandhi visited Havana.

IMAGE: India's first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru with Fidel Castro in the United States in 1960. Photograph: Prensa Latina/Reuters

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh visited Cuba in 2006 while Vice-President Hamid Ansari met Castro during a visit to Cuba in October 2013.

IMAGE: Fidel Castro greets Vice-President Hamid Ansari during a rare 65-minute meeting in October 2013. It was the last time the Cuban revolutionary met an Indian leader.

Ansari's 65-minute meeting with Castro reflected the warmth in the relationship between India and Cuba, two of the founding members of the Non-Aligned Movement.

The meeting was the first time in a long time that the Cuban leader met a foreign dignitary.

"I had the privilege of meeting him 6, 7 times, both in Havana and Delhi," Natwar Singh said, remembeing Castro. "He was a very good friend for India. He stood by us through thick and thin."
Cuban revolutionary leader Fidel Castro, who died at the age of 90 on Friday night, faced off with 11 United States Presidents since he aligned himself with the Soviet Union.

Although the US was among the first to formally recognise his government in 1959, it began working to oust him as Fidel moved into the Soviet bloc.

A quick look at Fidels relations with various US Presidents since 1959, when he seized power from dictator Fulgencio Batista:

Dwight Eisenhower (1953-61): He provided arms to Batista during revolution and prepared the invasion of the Bay of Pigs when 1,400 Cuban exiles stormed the beach on Cubas south coast. He broke off diplomatic ties with Cuba in January 1961.

John F Kennedy (1961-63): He gave the green light for the invasion of the Bay of Pigs in April 1961. Brought into effect the US embargo against Cuba in February 1962 before the Cuban missile crisis erupted. Although he was working to promote a rapprochement, Kennedy was assassinated in 1963.

Lyndon Johnson (1963-69): Reinforced the embargo and tried to prevent the sale of Cuban nickel to Soviet bloc countries. Approved CIA plots to assassinate Fidel and supported anti-Fidel guerrilla groups.

Richard Nixon (1969-74): Boosted anti-Fidel activity, including the arrests of Cuban fishermen, also worked against sale of Cuban nickel to Soviet satellite states.

Gerald Ford (1974-77): Ford authorised the first trip of US businessmen to Cuba and eased the embargo.

Jimmy Carter (1977-81): Further eased the embargo. Opened a US interests section in Havana and allowed a Cuban interests section to open in Washington. He allowed Cuban exiles to travel home and signed a maritime boundary treaty.

Ronald Reagan (1981-89): During Regans regime, US-Cuba relations took a turn for the worse. He rolled back the ease in embargo. Creation of the Cuban-American National Foundation, the main exile organisation, and the anti-Fidel stations Radio and TV Marti. First immigration deal signed in 1984.

George H W Bush (1989-93): Reinforced the embargo with the Torricelli Act, as the Soviet bloc crumbled. US subsidiaries in third countries were also banned from dealing with Cuba.

Bill Clinton (1993-2001): He put into force the Torricelli Act and approved Helms-Burton Act, which again tightened embargo. In 1994, 36,000 Cubans fled for the US in makeshift boats and rafts. A new immigration agreement was signed and Clinton backed anti-Fidel activists.

George W Bush (2001-2009): Increased financial aid to anti-Fidel groups and strengthened embargo. Limited travel to Cuba by exiles, and the money they could remit to relatives at home. Approved food trade with restrictions. During his rule, Raul Castro took the reigns of power in Cuba.

Barack Obama (2009-present): He lifted restrictions on trips by exiles and amount of money they could send home and opened a dialogue on immigration. In December 2014, Obama and Raul Castro announced that the nations would normalise relations. The two countries reopened embassies in each others capitals in July 2015. Obama made a historic visit to Cuba in March 2016, the first by a serving US president since 1928.

IMAGE: Fidel Castro with former US President Jimmy Carter in Havana in 2002. Photograph: Reuters
President Pranab Mukherjee, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other Indian leaders condoled the demise of Cuban leader Fidel Castro on Saturday.

PM Modi described Castro as one of the most iconic personalities of the 20th century and a good friend of India.

I extend my deepest condolences to the government and people of Cuba on the sad demise of Fidel Castro. May his soul rest in peace, he tweeted.

Fidel Castro was one of the most iconic personalities of the 20th century. India mourns the loss of a great friend, the prime minister said in another tweet.

He said India extends support to the Cuban government and its people in this tragic hour.

Heartfelt condolences on sad demise of Cubas revolutionary leader, former President and friend of India, Fidel Castro, tweeted President Pranab Mukherjee.

Congress chief Sonia Gandhi describing Castros death as a loss not limited to Cuba or a particular ideology. She said Castro led the oppressed and the striving from the front and stood up to every attempt at stifling the voice of freedom.

His contribution to the Non Aligned Movement and his unflinching support for Indias cause on various fora will always remain deeply etched in the minds and hearts of the Indian people, she said in a statement.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said Castro was a brave leader of world communism and will always be remembered as an inspiration for anti-imperialist movements.

Castro was not just the leader of Cuban Communist party but the brave leader of world communist movement. Beyond that, he was the inspirational force of anti-imperialist movements the world over, he said in a statement.

Describing Castro as a man of strong and unparalleled personality, Vijayan hailed the challenges he had posed to the imperialist policies of the United States.

Marxist veteran and former Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan said Castros death was a great loss to humanity in these days as imperialist forces were spreading its roots globally.

Describing Castro as a source of inspiration, Communist Party of India-Marxist general secretary Sitaram Yechury said he steered Cuba from a very backward country to what it is today.

He steered Cuba from a very backward country to what it is today. It has got the worlds highest rate of literacy, development in medical sciences where even the US sends doctors for training there. And he remained and remains a big revolutionary and source of inspiration, he said.

End of an era. But revolutionaries like Fidel Castro live forever, he said in a tweet.

In a statement, the Communist Party of India said Fidel Castro played a historic role in building the modern socialist Cuba, which is free from illiteracy, hunger and illness. Castro was great Marxist thinker and a legendary revolutionary fighter.

He was great friend of Indian Communist movement and India. He played remarkable role in the non-aligned movement giving it a new orientation, the party said.

Expressing deep sorrow over the demise of the former Cuban President, the CPI said, his demise is not just a loss for Cuba but for the whole world and for all revolutionary.

Castro, who led a rebel army to improbable victory in Cuba, embraced Soviet-style communism and defied the power of 10 US presidents during his half century rule, died in Havana on Friday night.

General Secretary of the Communist Party of India-Marxist-Leninist Liberation Dipankar Bhattcharya, tweeted, Fidel Castro, the communist great who batted through the post-Soviet era, is no more. Red Salute Comrade, your mission will be fulfilled.

Paying rich tributes to the departed Cuban revolutionary icon, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam president M Karunanidhi hailed him as a lion cub who grew to lead a rebellion in the South American country.

A lion cub who grew to become a respected revolutionary leader in a small country, Fidel Castro is one of the greatest leaders I can never forget, he said in a statement.

Condoling Castros death, the 93-year old Karunanidhi expressed his sympathies with the people of Cuba and supporters of the former Cuban president all over the world.

He also recalled a poem presented by him during an event to commemorate the Cuban revolution in Chennai a few years ago and hailed Castros leadership.

Castro had ushered in lot of people-oriented welfare measures and had defied the US on many occasions, he said.

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu also expressed grief over the death of Castro.

In his condolence message, Kumar described Castro as a revolutionary leader and a successful administrator.

The Janata Dal-United president said he had a chance to meet Castro during a World Youth festival in Hawana in 1978.

Naidu said in a statement, In the fight against imperialist forces, Castro stood out as a warrior. He not only toiled to build Cuba, but also became exemplary of fighting spirit.

Leader of Opposition in Andhra Assembly Y S Jaganmohan Reddy said Castro kept the Communist flag flying for decades.

He showed the world how a small country could live on its own terms without bowing to external pressures, Reddy said in a statement.

AP Congress president N Raghuveera Reddy and vice president S Sailajanath also mourned Castros demise.

Photograph: Charles Platiau/Reuters
The wedding celebrations show the controversial mining baron retains influence over elected representatives, whichever party is in power, reports Raghu Krishnan from Bengaluru.

Gali Janardhana Reddy got his first iron ore mining licence in 1995. It was around the time his daughter Brahmani was born.

Reddy, whose wealth from iron ore mining helped the Bharatiya Janata Party to form its first government in the south, made sure no expenses were spared for Brahmani's wedding with Rajeev Reddy, a fellow mining magnate's son, last week.

The ostentatious wedding that recreated an artificial palace that resembled Hampi, capital of the Vijayanagara empire, and the Balaji temple of Tirupati, is estimated to have cost around Rs 500 crore (Rs 5 billion).

The five-day wedding celebration saw 50,000 people turn up, including state BJP leaders B S Yeddyurappa and Jagadish Shettar, both former chief ministers. They defied advice to stay away from the event at a time when the country was bearing the brunt of demonetisation.

Not only from the BJP, Reddy saw attendees across the political spectrum. Three top ministers of the Congress government in the state -- Home Minister G Parameshwara, Power Minister D K Shivakumar and Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy -- and even Karnataka Governor Vajubhai Vala were present.

The celebrations also set the stage for Reddy to send a political message that he could not be written off, at a time when the BJP is preparing itself for a comeback in Karnataka.

Reddy, a police constable's son, came into prominence during the historic battle between Sonia Gandhi and Sushma Swaraj in 1999 for the Ballari (then Bellary) elections.

Reddy and associates campaigned and mobilised resources for Swaraj in a vigorous battle that saw Sonia Gandhi enter Parliament from the traditional Congress constituency.

Swaraj and Reddy continued to nurture the seat, which became a BJP stronghold. Reddy's friend, Sriramulu, now represents it in the Lok Sabha.

Reddy's closeness to Swaraj got him access to the top leadership. It helped that his mining business was soaring due to China's growing appetite for steel.

Reddy not only used his licences but also became greedy enough to tap iron ore illegally, plundering not only the earlier pristine environment of Ballari, but altering the border between Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.

At the same time, he funded the BJP's desperate push to win Karnataka. Joining Yeddyurappa's cabinet as minister, he launched 'Operation Kamala' to buy out legislators to ensure the government' stability.

With brute money power, Reddy's writ ran so large that he controlled the transfer of bureaucrats and also how much mining had to be done in Ballari.

It did not last too long.

After state Lokayukta Santosh Hedge indicted him in July 2011 for illegal mining activities that cost the state exchequer, the Central Bureau of Investigation arrested him for defrauding the state. And Yeddyurappa had to resign after the Lokayukta indicted him of involvement.

Since January 2015, Reddy is on conditional bail issued by the Supreme Court, which has told him not to set foot in Ballari, so that he doesn't influence people there.

The wedding celebrations show he retains influence over elected representatives, whichever party is in power.

In fact, the BJP's desperation to return to power might increase his clout in the state.
Lt Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa, who has extensive experience of handling affairs in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and the northern areas, was on Saturday appointed as Pakistans new army chief to succeed Gen Raheel Sharif.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif appointed Bajwa as Chief of Army Staff by elevating him to the rank of four-star general, officials said.

Bajwa will take charge of the worlds sixth-largest army by troop numbers in a formal handover on Tuesday, when General Raheel formally retires.

Raheel in January had declared he would not seek extension. I will retire on the due date, he had said.

There were speculations that the government would give him extension at the eleventh hour citing reasons that he was needed by the country to lead war on terror. The post of Army chief is the most powerful in Pakistan.

Pakistans defence minister Khawaja Asif has confirmed that Bajwa was appointed as COAS and Zubair Hayat as Chairman Joint Chief of Staff Committee.

May God help us in these decisions and new appointments, he said.

Bajwa was serving as inspector general of the Training and Evaluation and has been elevated to position of four star general and appointed as COAS, the officials said.

He has also commanded the famed 10 Corps, the Armys largest, which is responsible for the area along the Line of Control.

As a Major General, he led the Force Command Northern Areas. He also served in the 10 Corps as Lieutenant Colonel. He also served with a UN mission in Congo as a brigade commander, alongside former Indian Army chief Gen Bikram Singh, who was also there as a division commander.

Previously, he also remained the commandant of the Infantry School in Quetta.

The new army chief has wide experience of LoC affairs due to his extensive involvement with PoK and northern areas, reports said in Islamabad.

His military colleagues say he is not attention-seeking and remains well-connected with his troops.

The new army chief is from the infantrys Baloch Regiment, which has given three officers to the post of army chief Gen Yahya Khan, Gen Aslam Beg and Gen Ashfaq Perviaz Kayani.

Sharif appointed Chief of General Staff Lt Gen Zubair Hayat as CJCSC by elevating him to the position of four-star general. He is the senior most serving army officer.

Hayat is from the artillery. As a three-star general, he was previously posted as director general of the Strategic Plans Division and corps commander Bahawalpur.

The most obvious man dropped while making the two key appointments by Prime Minister Sharif is Lt Gen Ishfaq Nadeem Ahmed who was serving Multan Corps Commander.

Another officer left out is Bahawalpur Corps Commander Lt Gen Javed Iqbal Ramday.

There were two other senior officers overlooked, including Heavy Industrial Complex Taxila Chairman Lt Gen Syed Wajid Hussain and Director General Joint Staff Lt Gen Najibullah Khan.

Another Lt Gen Maqsood Ahmed serving as military adviser with the United Nations is already on an extension and was not eligible for promotion.

It is the record fifth time Sharif appointed an army chief as prime minister. If his botched attempt to replace Gen Pervez Musharraf with Ziauddin Butt in 1999 is also counted, this will be the sixth time Sharif appointed head of army.

His earlier picks were Gen Asif Nawaz Janjua (1991), Gen Waheed Kakar (1993), Gen Musharraf (1998) and Gen Raheel Sharif (2013). Of the seven army chiefs after Gen Zia, five were handpicked by Sharif.

After Gen Musharraf, all four-star generals in the army -- Gen Tariq Majid, Gen Khalid Shamim Wynne, Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, Gen Rashad Mehmood and Gen Raheel Sharif -- were from the infantry.

Gen Musharraf was the last four-star general from the artillery.
IMAGE: A sniffer dog and police personnel pay homage to the victims and martyrs on the 8th anniversary of 26/11 terror attacks at CST Railway Station in Mumbai on Saturday. Photographs: Sahil Salvi

Rich tributes were paid on Saturday to the martyrs who laid down their lives eight years ago on this day during the terrorist attack on Mumbai in which 166 people were killed, with Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis leading the commemoration.

Family members of the martyred personnel and survivors of the daring strike recalled the harrowing moments and pledged support to efforts to root out terrorism.

IMAGE: Maharashtra Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao lays wreath at a 26/11 memorial.

"I pay homage to the brave policemen who fought for Mumbais safety and laid down their lives for us on 26/11. We are proud of them and we will strive hard for safety and security of our state," Fadnavis said paying homage at the 26/11 police memorial at the Mumbai Police Gymkhana.

Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao, Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray, former Mumbai police commissioners Julio Ribeiro, M N Singh and several senior present and former police officers were present.

IMAGE: A cop lights a candle at a memorial of Tukaram Omble who helped catch Ajmal Kasab alive.

On November 26, 2008, ten Pakistani terrorists arrived by sea route and opened fire indiscriminately at people killing 166, including 18 security personnel, and injuring several others, besides damaging property worth crores.

The then Anti-Terrorism Squad chief Hemant Karkare, National Security Guard commando Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan, Mumbais Additional Police Commissioner Ashok Kamte and Senior Police Inspector Vijay Salaskar were among those killed in the attack.

IMAGE: Policemen pay tributes to 26/11 martyrs.

The attack had begun on November 26 and lasted until November 29. Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, the Oberoi Trident, the Taj Mahal Palace and Tower, Leopold Cafe, Cama Hospital, and the Jewish community centre were some of the places targeted by the terrorists.

Ajmal Kasab was the lone terrorist who was captured alive. He was hanged four years later on November 21, 2012.

IMAGE: Gun salute to the martyrs.

At a video exhibition titled 26/11: Stories of Strength, showcased by The Indian Express in association with Facebook and Instagram, Fadnavis called for leveraging manpower with technology for security purposes.

He said the 2008 Mumbai attacks were an insult to India, wherein 10 terrorists held an entire nation to ransom.

IMAGE: Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis meets victims of the attack and their kin. Photograph: Santosh Hirlekar/PTI Photo

He said the whole world should be proud of the resilience shown by the city to cope with the terror attacks.

Kia Scherr, who lost her family in the ghastly attacks, said she and her family in Florida could only watch the news and wait to hear from her relatives who were in the city then.

"I have forgiven those who killed my family because I want to be relieved from the burden of anger. Since the attacks, I have been reborn in Mumbai again. I have received so much of love, generosity from people here," she said.

IMAGE: Schoolchildren pay tributes to the martyrs and victims. Photograph: PTI Photo

Sourav Mishra, a survivor of the attack, said he was at the Cafe Leopold in Colaba when terrorists opened fire and he feels lucky to have survived.

"After bullets pierced my body, I somehow managed to escape through one of the doors and everything seemed like a movie scene then, all hazy. A local vendor outside the cafe took me to the hospital while I was all the time thinking I would not survive. I feel lucky today," Mishra said.

IMAGE: Chairman of the All-India Anti-Terrorist Front M S Bitta at event of victims of 26/11 terror attacks in Mumbai on Saturday. Photograph: PTI Photo



Joint Commissioner (Law and Order), Mumbai Police, Deven Bharti, who participated in a panel discussion at the exhibition, said security forces had never thought an attack of the magnitude of 26/11 would ever take place and that it was a failure of imagination on their part.

We never thought there could be a terrorist attack at multiple points from the sea side. After the attacks, police of other countries had to change their Standard Operating Procedures to handle 5-6 attacks at the same time, he said.

IMAGE: Staff of Cama Hospital, which was attacked by Kasab and his aide, pay tributes to those who died in the attacked. Photograph: Sahil Salvi

Bharti, who was with the Crime Branch when the attack took place, said the city police did not have SOPs to handle an attack of this magnitude then and the senior personnel did whatever they could with the help of their teams, grit and determination.

That attack was a failure of our imagination. But today, we have a fighting force as good as National Security Guard which is trained by agencies based in Israel, America and Germany. They are at par with any commandos. We can respond to a terror situation in a much better way today, he said.
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MASON CITY  Alliant Energy will have a hearing with the Iowa Utilities Board Dec. 19 over billing practices this summer.

Alliant said high bills sent to some Iowa customers were caused by a combination of higher energy use because of a hotter summer and problems with a new billing system.

The Office of Consumer Advocate requested the formal hearing and investigation Oct. 4. It will include a hearing format with testimony, witnesses and cross-examination.

Part of the problem occurred because a new billing system caused some customers to receive bills with their usage estimated based on the previous years use, which was less than the amount actually used this year because of hotter weather, Alliant said.

When the meters were read and the actual amount of energy used added back in, it appeared on some statements to be quite a jump.

North Iowans are mad about hefty Alliant bills An unexpected hike in energy bills from Alliant Energy over the past few months has left man

Jeanine Penticoff, Alliant Energy vice president of customer engagement and solutions, said about 5 percent to 6 percent of bills are estimated each month for a variety of reasons, including readers unable to get to the meter because of a locked gate. The company reads 723,000 meters in Iowa each month, she said.

We were hearing a lot of feedback from customers, Penticoff said. Customers were under-billed and were not prepared when the actual amount due was later charged.

Iowa consumer group wants Alliant bill issue settled MASON CITY | The Office of Consumer Advocate of Iowa wants Alliant Energy's billing issues r

Penticoff said Alliant has identified and fixed a software patch problem that caused a number of bills to be estimated.

The new billing system was in development for nearly three years and was thoroughly tested, she said. Situations like this give us an opportunity to improve and has given us more insight.

Penticoff said the companys data shows energy use this summer was higher than last year.

We had a cooler-than-normal summer in 2015, she said.

The summer  June, in particular  was hotter than 2015 and there were fewer cooling degree days, according to the company.

Justin Foss, an Alliant spokesman, said, We hear people saying I kept my thermostat at 62 degrees so it couldnt have been hotter.

Yes, but you used more energy to keep it that way, he said. To keep your house at 68 when its 69 outside does not take as much effort as when it is 98 outside.

Prices per therm and kilowatt remained roughly the same from 2015 to 2016, according to Foss.

The cost of energy hasnt changed much; its a change in usage, he said.

Penticoff addressed some customer concerns over trust.

Weve been serving our customers for over 100 years, Penticoff said. The last thing we want to do is disappoint them.

Alliant in October filed a request for temporary waivers with the state utilities board, spelling out the changes the company will make to help resolve the issue.

The company says it is working with those affected by higher bills by spreading the additional charges over the next 12 months with no negative impact to the account or credit score. It has also suspended late payment fees and service disconnection for affected individuals.

It says it is also adjusting the billing process to prevent estimates for multiple months during periods of extreme temperatures, and has hired more employees to handle the process of reviewing bills when monthly usage appears significantly higher or lower than previous usage.

Were confident that the changes weve made will be a solution and we can prevent it from happening again, Penticoff said.

As for this winter, Foss said he expects heating bills to be higher, since last winter was mild.

Alliant encourages customers to get a free home energy assessment, an itemized list of what can be done within a home or business to improve energy efficiency.

In Iowa, we see a lack of insulation, Foss said. Sometimes you just dont think of that.
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This just in...
British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said his country remained committed to Afghanistan "for the long haul."



Johnson rejected that Britain's exit from the European Union and U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's shock election victory would lead to the West reducing its engagement with countries like Afghanistan.



"If the question is do I think that the Western world is going to start withdrawing or turning in on itself, then the answer is emphatically no, I don't think so," Johnson told reporters on November 26 in Kabul, where he made an overnight visit, his first, after a trip to neighboring Pakistan.



"That certainly won't be the situation with the United Kingdom," he added.



During his brief visit, Johnson met with President Ashraf Ghani and Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah.



Johnson also visited Kabul University, where he attended a performance of a scene from Shakespeare's tragedy Macbeth in Dari, as well as the British cemetery, with its memorial to more than 450 British soldiers killed in Afghanistan since the U.S.-led invasion in 2001.

Based on reporting by Reuters and AFP
Fidel Castro, the man who led Cuba for nearly a half century has died at the age of 90, his brother, President Raul Castro, announced on national television.



"The commander in chief of the Cuban revolution died at 22:29 hours" on November 25, the president announced on national television.



The former revolutionary leader will be cremated on November 26 in accordance with his wishes, Castro said.



The son of wealthy, Spanish-born landowners, Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz was born on August 13, 1926. He received a strict Roman Catholic education under Jesuit priests.



Their austerity may have influenced Castro, who said he was shocked by the stark contrast between his familys wealth and the poverty of those around them.



Embracing Marxism-Leninism after law school in Havana, Castro in the early 1950s began organizing a militia in a bid to oust pro-American President Fulgenico Batista.



Under Batista's regime, known for its corruption and brutality, Havana was at the time a playground for America's rich -- famous for its nightlife and music.



But the fun ended on January 1, 1959. After failing six years previously in a bid to spark a popular revolt, Castro's forces finally ousted Batista, storming into Havana to the cheers of thousands of supporters.



Just 30 days after entering Havana, Castro embarked on a victory tour of the United States.



During the visit, which would be his last to the United States, Castro portrayed himself as a humble man without ambition.

"But I have said that I have no ambition at all," he claimed. "I feel myself sincerely, I do not have ambition for money, power, nothing -- only to serve my country."



Little did anyone know that he would go on to lead his nation for nearly half a century.

Missile Crisis



In the year following the revolution, relations between Havana and Washington soured. First, the United States suspended Cuban sugar imports after Havana nationalized a U.S.-owned oil refinery. Washington began a partial economic embargo of Cuba, followed by a severing of diplomatic ties.



But Castro was not to be deterred. Fortified by deepening political and economic ties with Moscow, Castro's forces soundly defeated a U.S.-backed invasion by Cuban exiles in the Bay of Pigs in April 1961.

A full economic embargo of Cuba soon followed. But it was the events of October 1962 -- the so-called Cuban missile crisis -- that would shake the world.



Speaking at the United Nations, U.S. Ambassador Adlai Stevenson demanded to know from Valerian Zorin, his Soviet counterpart, whether Moscow was deploying nuclear-tipped missiles in Cuba that could hit U.S. cities.



"All right, sir, let me ask you one simple question," he said. "Do you, Ambassador Zorin, deny that the USSR has placed, and is placing, medium and intermediate range missiles in sites in Cuba? Yes or no? Don't wait for the translation! Yes or no!"



Zorin refused to reply, much to Stevenson's chagrin, but Russian missiles had indeed been deployed on the Caribbean island.



Taped records of conversations involving U.S. President John F. Kennedy show that the world has perhaps never been closer to a nuclear confrontation.



But after a U.S. naval blockade of Cuba, Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev relented. The missiles were removed.



As America's No. 1 enemy, Castro was reportedly the target of hundreds of assassination attempts. One was even said to have included a cigar laced with explosives.

Progress At A Price



Castro went on to attain iconic status in Latin America, where Cuba's excellent medical system, 98 percent literacy rate, and low infant mortality were the region's best.



Yet progress came at a price, often paid for by the Soviet Union, which at its demise in 1991 was giving Havana some $6 billion a year in aid.



With that money cut off, and the country still under an intense economic blockade, tens of thousands of Cubans sought to reach the United States aboard makeshift boats. Many of them died.

Over the years, Castros regime was also regularly criticized by human rights groups and Western governments for persecuting dissidents and jailing them without trial.

With the collapse of the U.S.S.R., Cuba was fighting for survival, as Castro acknowledged in a 1992 speech when he said the country was being "asked again for an extraordinary international mission. Save the Cuban revolution! Save Socialism in Cuba!"



For some years now, that revolution has been in the hands of Castro's younger brother, Raul, who was unanimously chosen as president by Cubas National Assembly in February, 2008.



Fidel Castros younger brother by four years, Raul had been acting president since 2006, when Fidel underwent intestinal surgery. Like Fidel, he was a revolutionary, serving as a rebel commander in the 1950s. After his brother became president, Raul rose to prominence in the regime. He was minister of the armed forces from 1959 to 2008.



As president, he has introduced economic reforms in the area of consumer choices, wages, and food production.

In December 2014, Raul Castro agreed to reestablish diplomatic ties and end decades of hostility with the United States.

Castro lived long enough to see U.S. President Barack Obama visit Cuba earlier this year, the first trip by a U.S. president in 88 years.

He did not met Obama and wrote a scathing column condemning the U.S. president's honey-coated words and reminding Cubans of the numerous U.S. efforts to overthrow and weaken Cubas Communist government.

Former RFE/RL correspondent Jeffrey Donovan wrote the original version of this article.
Iranian Oil Minister Bijan Zanganeh says he is optimistic that the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) can reach a deal to cut oil production and boost flagging prices later this month.

Zanganeh also said he will announce Tehran's own decision about any output cuts at the meeting on November 30 in Vienna.

Zanganeh was speaking after meeting Algerian Energy Minister Nouredine Bouterfa in Tehran on November 26.

"The proposal of Algerian Energy Minister on the production of each country was presented today and carefully studied," Zanganeh was quoted as saying by the oil ministry's official news agency SHANA.

Bouterfa said Algeria's proposals called for 1.1 million barrels per day in cuts by OPEC members and decreases totaling 600,000 by non-members, SHANA reported.

Iran has previously said it will not halt production until it raises its crude output to pre-sanction levels of 4 million barrels per day.

Bouterfa was quoted as saying that his coutnrys proposals would boost oil prices to $60 by the end of 2017.

Based on reporting SHANA and Reuters
Iraq's parliament approved a law on November 26 that would transform the Popular Mobilization forces, a coalition of Shiite militias that play a role in fighting Islamic State, into a legal and separate military corps.

There have been disagreements over the paramilitary forces as Iraq battles the Islamic State (IS) group, which swept across northern and western Iraq in 2014.

The bill, supported by the Shi'ite blocs in parliament, was boycotted by lawmakers from the Sunni minority who object to the existence of armed forces outside the army and police.

Iraq's Sunni Arabs and rights groups have accused the Shi'ite militiamen of extrajudicial killings, abuse, theft, and the destruction of property in the places where they have expelled IS.

The Shi'ite militias, most of them backed by neighboring Iran, existed long before IS emerged and were fighting American troops during the U.S. military presence in Iraq between 2003 and 2011.

The law will put the militias under Shi'ite Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi and give them salaries and pensions similar to those of the military and police.

The law doesn't specify how many fighters will be included in the legalized Popular Mobilization corps, or define the breakdown between members from the different communities.

The bill comes at a time when Iraqi forces are fighting Islamic State militants to recapture Mosul, IS's last major city stronghold in Iraq, with support from the U.S.-led coalition, Kurdish and Popular Mobilization forces.

Based on reporting by AP and Reuters


Two Chinese engineers were killed by unknown assailants on November 26 in Pakistans southwestern Balochistan province.

Mansoor Kichki, the assistant commissioner in the Pasni district, told RFE/RL's Radio Mashaal that both men were killed in the morningwhile on their way to work. The assailants took their vehicle and escaped.

No group has so far claimed responsibility for the attack.

The Pasni district is close to the port of Gwadar on the Arabian Sea. Two weeks ago, Pakistan's Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and army chief General Raheel Sharif welcomed the first shipment of Chinese goods through the renovated port of Gwadar.

China is building roads and other infrastructure in Pakistan under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor project that is expected to absorb more than $40 billion in Chinese investment in the coming decades.


Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has appointed Lieutenant General Qamar Javed Bajwa as the new army chief to replace the outgoing General Raheel Sharif.

General Raheel Sharif was a popular military leader, commended for improving the security situation and cracking down on militant groups.

General Bajwa will take over the world's sixth-largest army by troop numbers in a formal handover on November 29, when General Sharif's three-year term expires.

The army chief is arguably the most powerful person in Pakistan, where the military has ruled for more than half of the country's 69-year-history since it gained independence in 1947.



The prime minister also named General Zubair Mehmood Hayat as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC), the most senior military office. Hayat would have an almost exclusive jurisdiction over nuclear forces and assets in this position.

"On the advice of Pakistani Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif, President Mamnoon Hussain has approved the promotion of Lieutenant General Zubair Mehmood Hayat and Lieutenant General Qamar Javed Bajwa," the prime minister's office said.

Bajwa was selected over Lieutenant General Ishfaq Nadeem, commander of the strategic Multan strike corps and seen by many pundits as favorite for the post.

Little is known about Bajwa, who has been heading the army's Training and Evaluation Wing. His position is unknown on delicate issues such as the army's relationship with the civilian government or his stance towards archrival India.

In a statement on November 26, the military released a brief biography of Bajwa, who was commissioned in 1980 and was partly educated abroad, including staff college training in Canada and naval post-graduate studies in the United States.

Bajwa has also served abroad, commanding the Pakistan Contingent in Congo, and spent time commanding infantry divisions.

Pakistan's powerful army has an oversized role in domestic and foreign affairs.

Apart from controlling security, the military has a vast business empire in the country and often dictates key areas of Pakistan's foreign policy, including relations with neighboring India and Afghanistan.

With reporting by Reuters and dpa
OSAGE  Since 1984, Debbie Goodale and Carrie Bremer, co-leaders of the Miracle Tree Project, have dedicated their time and talents to assuring the children of Osage feel the Christmas spirit year after year.

The Miracle Tree, which is located at Larsons Hardware Hank in Osage, is one way in which the people of Osage can give back to those around them during the holiday season.

According to Bremer, there are two types of mittens on the tree; the red mittens are for toy donations and the green mittens are for clothing donations.

Each mitten identifies the age, gender and type of gift the child desires. Gifts should be unwrapped when returned to Hardware Hank with the mitten tag

People can choose how much they spend for their gift donations, Bremer said.

Santa Claus always makes sure the gifts are even between siblings, Bremer added.

Over the years there have been some gift trends, from Barbies and dolls to Legos and pajamas. Now the team sees a lot of requests for winter coats, snow boots and snow pants.

When delivering gifts to homes, Bremer said she sees childrens eyes the brightest when they realize they are receiving a new coat.

Those who do not wish to shop for gifts can donate cash. Bremer said they have approximately 100 volunteers involved in the Miracle Tree project and many of them enjoy shopping for the gifts.

Bremer said the continued success of the holiday project is a result of support from a lot of organizations and people.

This doesnt just come together during the holidays, it is a year-long effort of shopping and planning, she said.

Bremer encourages families to get involved. It is good to get your kids involved in the art of giving, she said.

Area youth groups, church groups, 4-H clubs, local businesses and a lot of individual volunteers help make the Miracle Tree a success.

We have had some ah-ha moments where we have had kids who we helped for several years and they end up giving back to the Miracle Tree as adults, Bremer said, adding, I think the Lord loves a joyful giver and if there is any better time to give, it is at Christmas.

The Miracle Tree is on display in Larsons Hardware Hank, 1520 Main St. in Osage. Unwrapped gifts should be returned to Hardware Hank with the associated mitten by Dec. 4. Gift delivery is slated for mid-December.
WASHINGTON -- It could have been the start of a war the likes of which the world had never seen.



Films and history books have documented the the hair's-width margin that separated the United States and the Soviet Union from nuclear conflict during 13 days in October 1962, the height of the Cuban missile crisis.



But a speech drafted by U.S. President John F. Kennedy, and newly released to the public, throws what may be the starkest light yet on just how close the sides came to starting World War III.



"My fellow Americans, with a heavy heart, and in necessary fulfillment of my oath of office, I have ordered -- and the United States Air Force has now carried out -- military operations with conventional weapons only, to remove a major nuclear weapons build-up from the soil of Cuba," Kennedy was to begin.



This speech is the highlight of an archive containing nearly 3,000 pages of notes, transcripts, and other documents kept by Robert Kennedy, the president's brother and close adviser.



It was posted online by the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum last week to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the crisis.



The newly released material offers a fascinating glimpse of the limited options open to the U.S. leader during the tense standoff between the United States and the Soviet Union.



"What this document reminds us, vividly, is that if President Kennedy had felt forced to choose what to do in the first 48 or 72 hours after the U.S. discovered the Soviet Union sneaking nuclear-tipped missiles into Cuba, he would have conducted an air strike on those missiles, as the speech tries to justify," says Graham Allison, the director of the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs at Harvard University and an expert on the Cuban missile crisis.



"We would have the seen the chain of events that would have initiated. Down that path we would have come to nuclear war."



Nail-Biting Diplomacy



Kennedy's speech, of course, was never delivered. The U.S. leader instead enacted a naval blockade of Cuba and as the world held its breath, the approaching Soviet ships turned back.



But Kennedy also came close to ordering a strike after the blockade to prevent the missiles that were spotted by the United States from becoming operational.



WATCH: Kennedy announces a naval blockade of Cuba

In his notes, Robert Kennedy wrote: "If we go in, we go in hard" -- a reference to the major land invasion of Cuba that was expected to follow roughly 500 bomb strikes.



What no one in Washington knew at the time is that Moscow already had nearly 100 smaller, fully operational nuclear weapons on the island, which would have been enough to eliminate U.S. forces and escalate the conflict into unprecedented territory.



According to Thomas Putnam, the director of the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library, the specter of war allegedly compelled the president's usual speech writer to turn down the assignment.



"One story is that Ted Sorensen, who wrote most of [Kennedy's] speeches and, I think, wrote the one where he announced to the world the discovery of the missiles, told [President Kennedy] he couldn't write that speech," Putnam says. "He didn't think we should invade and...he couldn't even come up with words that would perhaps support an invasion that would lead to a nuclear exchange. So I believe the author [of the speech] was [National Security Adviser] McGeorge Bundy."



After days of nail-biting diplomacy, Moscow pledged to withdraw its weapons and Washington pledged to stay out of Cuba.



Another notable document in the archive is a chart drawn by Robert Kennedy that divides the president's advisers and military leaders into proponents of a blockade and proponents of a strike -- men known to history as "doves" and "hawks." Arrows and question marks indicate that not all were convinced of which option was best.



Raw Material Of History



Memos detail the botched Operation Mongoose, a plan to overthrow Cuban leader Fidel Castro that helped convince Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev to send nuclear weapons to the island.



There are also notes referring to a secret deal for the United States to withdraw missiles from Turkey as well as CIA documents describing the failed Bay of Pigs invasion and a 1964 mafia-linked plan to assassinate Castro.



"What these documents are for us is the raw material of history," says Putnam. "They allow you to see Robert Kennedy's thinking, to see the notes, the doodles, [and] what his concerns were. Since he was such a key player in the Cuban missile crisis, having these documents helps to bring history to life."



Graham Allison says one detail from the archive has particularly resonated with him.



"Bobby has his notes after a civil defense briefing in which they've heard planning for what might happen if the actions they choose end up triggering an attack, and he writes down '42 million' and '90 million.' Those, I infer, are the answer[s] to the question [of] how many Americans are estimated to die if the U.S. attacks first, as opposed to waits until the Soviet Union attacks first, in which case 90 million Americans die."



"Well, those are unbelievable numbers, if you try to think of it. There they are in his handwriting with an underline," says Allison. "Who in the world could imagine trying to make a choice about something that has such momentous consequences?"
The Tajik Foreign Ministry has revoked the accreditation of six correspondents from RFE/RL's Tajik Service.

According to the broadcaster, the ministry said in a phone call on November 25 that the reason for withdrawing the accreditation was the service's refusal to remove a story about the president's daughter being appointed to a top post.

RFE/RL said the report on President Emomali Rahmon's daughter, Rukhshona Rahmonova, was based on a post on the Foreign Ministry's website that was further confirmed to RFE/RL by a source in the ministry.

The news outlet said officials gave RFE/RL five minutes to remove the story, saying otherwise the Dushanbe-based correspondents would lose their accreditation.

The journalists' accreditation was suspended in the afternoon on November 25 after RFE/RL checked the sourcing of the report and decided to stand by the story, the broadcaster said.

It said the six people who lost their accreditation had nothing to do with the news about the appointment of the Tajik president's daughter as the head of the International Relations Department of the Tajik Foreign Ministry.

RFE/RL said the Foreign Ministry refused to give a reason for the suspensions.

It is the second time in recent weeks that Tajik officials have demanded that RFE/RL remove stories from its website.

On November 6, officials demanded the removal of a report on a U.S. State Department warning to U.S. citizens not to travel to Tajikistan because of potential terrorist threats. RFE/RL refused to remove the story.

"We are outraged by this action by the Tajik government," RFE/RL President Thomas Kent said. "Our journalists simply reported an official statement by the U.S. government, and quoted from a staff list on the Tajik Foreign Ministry's own website. We expect this arbitrary action to be reversed forthwith."


Khaiser Dzhemilev, the son of Crimean Tatar leader Mustafa Dzhemilev, was released from a penal colony in Astrakhan in southern Russia on November 25.

Dzhemilev's lawyer, Nikolai Polozov, said in a Facebook post on November 26 that Dzhemilev has arrived in Ukraine.

Dzhemilev was granted early release from a three-and-a-half year sentence on manslaughter and weapons possession charges.

Dzhemilev was initially convicted by a Ukrainian court in 2013 of accidentally shooting one of the family's bodyguards, Fevzi Edimov.

After Russia's annexation of Crimea in March 2014, the Moscow-backed authorities took over the case, moved him to mainland Russia and tried him again on the same charges.

Mustafa Dzhemilev, who strongly protested the annexation of Crimea and is currently living in Kyiv, said that Russia was using his son to blackmail him into stopping his campaign against the annexation.

Dzhemilev, 72, has been banned from Crimea since Russia invaded and annexed the peninsula in early 2014.

He had been the chairman of the Crimean Tatars' Mejlis, or council, until it was banned by pro-Moscow representatives in Crimea.

He is a member of the Ukrainian parliament and a well-known Soviet-era human rights activist.

With reporting by the Financial Times and TASS
Russia-backed separatists in Ukraine's eastern Donetsk region say they have expelled two journalists with Russia's independent TV channel Dozhd from territory they control, accusing the men of "biased and provocative" coverage of the conflict there.

Separatist authorities in Donetsk said in a November 25 statement that they had "deported" Dozhd journalists Sergei Yerzhenkov and Vasily Polonsky. The announcement came after the TV channel said it had lost contact with the two men.

The statement accused the journalists of conducting "illegal journalistic activity" in areas of Donetsk controlled by the separatists, who have been fighting a bloody war with Ukrainian forces that has killed more than 9,600 since April 2014.

Dozhd is known for its critical coverage of Russian President Vladimir Putin, who has denied accusations by Kyiv, NATO, and the EU that the Kremlin is backing the separatists despite substantial evidence of such support.

The channel also provides a regular platform for opponents of the Russian government.

Dozhd said it lost contact with the journalists on November 25 after Polonsky reported that he had been detained by separatist authorities.

It added that the two men had received permission to report from the region both from the separatists and the Ukrainian government.

With reporting by RFE/RL's Russian Service, Dozhd, and AP
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MASON CITY  A 22-year-old Hampton woman was killed Friday night and two people were injured in a crash involving three vehicles on Partridge Avenue between Mason City and Rockwell.

Griselda Castaneda Tello was pronounced dead at the scene.

According to the Cerro Gordo County Sheriffs Office, Tello was southbound on Partridge Avenue/U.S. Highway 65 at about 7:35 p.m. in a 2001 Chevrolet Impala, when a 2005 Chevrolet K3500 pickup driven by Paul Edward Wood, 59, of Manly, northbound on Partridge, crossed the centerline and struck the Tello vehicle.

A third vehicle, a 2001 Daewoo Lanos driven by Jacqueline Sickels, 58, of Sheffield, was headed south on Partridge Avenue when it struck debris in the roadway, causing her vehicle to spin out of control.

Wood was transported by ambulance to Mercy Medical Center-North Iowa with what were described as minor injuries. Sickels was taken to the hospital by private vehicle. Both were reported by a Mercy spokesperson as being treated and released.

The accident remains under investigation by the Cerro Gordo County Sheriffs Office.

Assisting agencies were Iowa State Patrol, Mason City Fire Department, Rockwell Police Department and Rockwell Fire Department.
Silly me.

For the past 20 years, I have tried to use this space in two different ways  to inform the public on how government works, or to inform the government on how the public thinks it should work.

Today, I am going to try to do both. Fasten your seatbelts.

For years, city officials have been trying to find a way to eliminate or at least reduce the incessant sound of train horns blaring as trains roll through the city. To make matters worse, in recent years there have been more trains and thus more noise.

From the citys standpoint, the answer is to create quiet zones at railroad crossings. Accomplishing this requires the cooperation of the railroad.

Twice before, in negotiations with the Union Pacific Railroad, the UP has wanted the crossing at Ninth Street Northwest closed as part of the deal. One time it offered the city $500,000; another time it offered $600,000. Both times the city rejected the offers, primarily because of neighborhood objections.

This time around, part of the deal is creation of a bike trail along the railroad right-of-way. Instead of a cash payment, the railroad is willing to sell the right-of-way to the city. The result: The railroad gets rid of the Ninth Street crossing and city moves forward on the quiet zone and the bike trail  two quality-of-life council priorities.

Sounds like a good deal to just about everybody  except to many of the neighbors near the Ninth Street crossing who believe closing it will be a health and safety hazard.

It is a classic example of the government thinking it is doing something for the people; and the neighbors thinking the government is doing something to the people.

The city plans a public information session on the quiet zone project from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday in the second floor meeting room at City Hall. It is an informal gathering in which the public can drop in, ask questions and learn more about the project.

Ironically, public hearings and public meetings sometimes add to the publics distrust of government  and I can see both sides of it.

The city is often reluctant to hold a public hearing on something until a lot of the details are worked out. After all, why get the public aroused about something that might not happen? Makes sense, doesnt it?

But the public wants to know whats in the works while it is still in the planning stages so they can have some input. Makes sense, doesnt it?

When a public hearing is held at a council meeting, residents get five minutes to speak. Then the council deliberates and votes, leaving the impression members had their minds made up before the public even spoke.

Years ago, I worked for a man who held staff meetings to get employees input on projects he had in mind. He wrote all of our ideas on a large flip chart. When all ideas were listed, he flipped over to the next page where he had outlined what he had already decided to do. Well, so much for our input.

That is exactly how the public often feels after the city holds a public hearing on something.

One way of fixing this is to resume the neighborhood listening posts the council used to hold to get residents views on issues. Perhaps they can resume after next weeks elections when the council will be at full strength.

The listening posts remind us that the city and the public are all in the same boat. Can we all just grab an oar?

Silly me.
Richmond police have identified a 17-year-old who died Friday in the North Richmond neighborhood of Providence Park as George M. Carrington III of Chimborazo Boulevard.

Carrington was found near an overturned vehicle in the 600 block of Milton Street. He had been shot and was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police are investigating the incident as a homicide.

Detectives are actively pursuing all available leads in the case and continue to gather information, police said in a news release Saturday. They do not believe the incident to be a random act.

The release said officers were in the area Friday evening for an unrelated incident. At 5:39 p.m., officers heard a loud crash on Milton Street. Once on the scene, they found an overturned white Buick sedan.

Police are still investigating, and a medical examiner will determine the cause of death.

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call Major Crimes Detective Greg Russell at (804) 646-7715 or contact Crime Stoppers at 780-1000 or at www.7801000.com.

Residents also can submit tips to GUN250 about people illegally possessing guns by texting Crime Stoppers at 274637, then using the keyword GUN250 followed by your tip.
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NEW YORK, Nov. 25, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Pomerantz LLP announces that a class action lawsuit has been filed against Allergan plc (Allergan or the Company) (NYSE:AGN) and certain of its officers. The class action, filed in United States District Court, Southern District of New York, and docketed under 16-cv-08661, is on behalf of a class consisting of all persons or entities who purchased or otherwise acquired Allergan securities between February 25, 2014 and November 2, 2016, both dates inclusive (the Class Period), seeking to recover compensable damages caused by defendants violations of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.



If you are a shareholder who purchased Allergan securities during the Class Period, you have until January 3, 2017 to ask the Court to appoint you as Lead Plaintiff for the class. A copy of the Complaint can be obtained at www.pomerantzlaw.com. To discuss this action, contact Robert S. Willoughby at rswilloughby@pomlaw.com or 888.476.6529 (or 888.4-POMLAW), toll free, ext. 9980. Those who inquire by e-mail are encouraged to include their mailing address, telephone number, and number of shares purchased.

[Click here to join this class action]

Allergan, a specialty pharmaceutical company, develops, manufactures, markets, and distributes medical aesthetics, biosimilar, and over-the-counter pharmaceutical products worldwide. The Company was formerly known as Actavis plc and changed its name to Allergan plc in June 2015 after acquiring Allergan Inc. The Companys common stock has traded under the ticker symbol AGN since June 15, 2015. Prior to June 15, 2015, the common stock of Actavis plc traded on the NYSE under the ticker symbol ACT.

On July 26, 2015, Allergan entered into a master purchase agreement, under which Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. agreed to acquire Actavis, the Companys global generic pharmaceuticals business unit. On August 2, 2016, the companies announced the completion of the acquisition.

The Complaint alleges that throughout the Class Period, Defendants made materially false and/or misleading statements, as well as failed to disclose material adverse facts about the Companys business, operations, and prospects. Specifically, Defendants made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (i) Allergans Actavis unit and several of its pharmaceutical industry peers colluded to fix generic drug prices; (ii) the foregoing conduct constituted a violation of federal antitrust laws; (iii) consequently, Allergans revenues during the Class Period were in part the result of illegal conduct; and (iv) as a result of the foregoing, Allergans public statements were materially false and misleading at all relevant times.

On November 3, 2016, media outlets reported that U.S. prosecutors might file criminal charges by the end of 2016 against Actavis and several other pharmaceutical companies for unlawfully colluding to fix generic drug prices.

On this news, Allergans share price fell $9.07, or 4.58%, to close at $188.82 on November 3, 2016.

The Pomerantz Firm, with offices in New York, Chicago, Florida, and Los Angeles, is acknowledged as one of the premier firms in the areas of corporate, securities, and antitrust class litigation. Founded by the late Abraham L. Pomerantz, known as the dean of the class action bar, the Pomerantz Firm pioneered the field of securities class actions. Today, more than 80 years later, the Pomerantz Firm continues in the tradition he established, fighting for the rights of the victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty, and corporate misconduct. The Firm has recovered numerous multimillion-dollar damages awards on behalf of class members. See www.pomerantzlaw.com
MINNEAPOLIS, Nov. 26, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Vital Images, Inc. (Vital), a Minneapolis-based enterprise medical imaging and informatics company, and Stratasys, Ltd. (Stratasys), the 3D printing and additive manufacturing solutions company, are partnering to exhibit 3D printing and automated segmentation of medical images at the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) 2016, November 27  December 2. The companies technologies will be showcased in Vitals booth (North Hall, #7356) and Stratasys booth (North Hall, #6360).



Healthcare organizations continue to see value in 3D printing and automated segmentation for improving patient care and efficiency. Vitals Vitrea Advanced Visualization software provides multi-modality, automated segmentation tools to generate 3D models from DICOM 3D datasets. The software converts CT, MR and XA images to stereolithography (STL) files for direct use with 3D printers. At RSNA, a range of anatomical models will be on display and models will be printed live in the Vital booth with a Stratasys printer.

Vital Images and Stratasys have collaborated to create 3D printing packages that contain Vitrea software and 3D printers that allow customers to expedite implementation of their 3D printing initiatives. Customers can choose from various packages that combine best-in-class DICOM editing software and auto segmentation algorithms with next-generation 3D printers. These innovative solutions are being sold by both the Vital Images and Stratasys sales teams.

Automated segmentation and STL creation have been integrated into Vital software for years and our partnership with Stratasys allows customers to take full advantage of these next-generation capabilities, says Jim Litterer, president and CEO of Vital Images. We encourage those attending RSNA to stop by the Vital booth for live demonstrations of how automated segmentation can speed up the workflow of STL creation.

For healthcare organizations looking to benefit from 3D printing without a capital investment in equipment, Vital offers their 3D Print On-Demand service. The innovative platform allows customers to send files to a global network of Stratasys 3D printers, with the resulting 3D models being shipped directly to the customer. Models are available in a wide range of colors and materials, from soft and dissectible to rigid and durable.

For years I have been using 3D software for all of my challenging clinical cases, in my surgical planning and quantitative assessment of tumor volume in lung tumors, says Ritu Gill, M.D., M.P.H., director of imaging research at Brigham and Women's Hospital. It offers accurate segmentation of anatomical and pathological structures, including airway, vasculature and bones from images, and then converts them to models that then can be printed. Not only do 3D models allow for surgical planning and a multidisciplinary discussion, but they also allow me to show patients the model and explain our teams surgical approach.

Physicians and allied healthcare personnel are looking for solutions to simplify the workflow of 3D printing in a hospital, says Scott Rader, general manager Stratasys Healthcare Solutions. When you combine the power of Vitrea software with Stratasys multi-material, full-color printing, a doctor can quickly move from patient imaging to simulating both hard and soft tissue, and also differentiate tissues using vibrant color in a single print. This partnership will accelerate the adoption of 3D in hospitals by combining Vital Images Vitrea software that physicians use every day with powerful Stratasys printers.

Vital and Stratasys will be hosting a 3D print networking event Monday, November 28, after RSNA exhibiting hours. The reception will feature several experts with extensive clinical experience in 3D printing and segmentation. For more information, please visit www.vitalimages.com/events/rsna2016.

About Vital Images, Inc.

Vital Images, Inc., a Toshiba Medical Systems Group company, is a leading provider of diagnostic imaging and enterprise informatics solutions to help healthcare organizations deliver exceptional care while optimizing resources across multi-facility organizations. The company's solutions are scalable to meet the unique needs of hospitals and imaging centers and are accessible throughout the enterprise anytime, anywhere. For more information, visit www.vitalimages.com or join the conversation on Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube.

Vitrea is a trademark of Vital Images, Inc.

Vitrea Advanced Visualization is not cleared for surgical planning.

Marks not owned by Vital Images, Inc. are the property of their respective holders.
Merkel explained during an interview that there is enough evidence to prove that online public opinion has been manipulated by fake news and bots. This is a red flag for all of us and according to the chancellor, lawmakers must confront this phenomenon and if necessary, regulate it. Something has changed  Opinions arent formed the way they were 25 years ago, as globalization has marched on, debate is taking place in a completely new media environment. Merkel said.

After this months presidential elections, Donald Trumps victory has caused the Internet to debate over whether fake news played here a role here or not. Some critics even went so far as to say that social networking platforms Facebook and Twitter should take more drastic measures against misinformation on their platforms. German officials have strongly criticized the American for-profit corporation and on-line social media and social networking service Facebook for failing to police hate speech on its platform over the past year. Google and Facebook have however recently announced that they will exclude fake news stories from their advertisement networks.
The ship has a stealthy design to reduce its radar signature. The large 185 metre ship has a radar signature the size of a 15 metre fishing boat making it the perfect vessel for surprise attacks. Its allegedly 50 times harder to detect than current U.S. Navy destroyers. Rail guns fire missiles at up to seven times the speed of sound. After the technical problem occurred, the Zumwalt had to be towed to port to remain at ex-Naval Station Rodman in Panama to address the issues. The Zumwalt costs more than $4.4bn and was commissioned in October in Maryland. Recently however, the Navy admitted it couldnt viably afford the projectiles for the ships guns after learning they would cost $1 million a pop. A Russian military expert recently described Zumwalt as a floating supercomputer with missiles.
Re: Letter to the editor: Proposition Q, a controversial measure on this [ #permalink

1 Kudos 1 Bookmarks
By SA Commercial Prop News

Vice President Joice Mujuru admires an artistic impression of the Mall of Zimbabwe Millennium Park launch, seen with Local Government, Rural and Urban Development Minister Ignatius Chombo and developers John McCormick and Ken Sharpe.



The R800 Million (US $100 million) shopping mall in Zimbabwes capital Harare, may attract foreign retailers to the city. They traded where the angels feared and they seem to be reaping the rewards.

Developers of the multimillion-dollar emporium, The Mall of Zimbabwe in Borrowdale, Harare, say construction work for the exquisite shopping complex was well on course, with the project's ground-breaking set for October this year.

While many investors voted against Zimbabwe with their feet in 2008 leaving the country when its economy was on its knees, for them it was the right time to invest.

Now they dream of building the biggest shopping mall in Africa, outside South Africa, in Harares up market Borrowdale suburb.

West Group, Augur Investments and McCormick Property Development, are dreaming of building a $100 million Shopping Mall in Zimbabwe.

Although the controversial project is facing resistance from Borrowdale residents and environmentalists, Jason McCormick, Managing Director of McCormick Property Development, said in statement that, it's a juggernaut that cannot be stopped.

The project is set for a ground breaking ceremony later this year.

Ken Sharpe of Augur Investments said the, project is the largest commercial development ever in Zimbabwe.

When complete the project will see the creation of a $100 million (ZAR R800 Million) shopping centre made up of over 150 retail outlets occupying 68 000 square metres of space and catering for thousands of shoppers every day.

The mall will be situated along Borrowdale Road, opposite the famous Borrowdale Race Course. Before it has even taken off the ground the Mall of Zimbabwe has already attracted significant tenants and some of them are the big South African retailers.

The Mall of Zimbabwe will be modeled along Cape Towns V and A Waterfront. It will have up market restaurants and has already attracted tenants such as ShopRite, Pick and Pay, Spar, Woolworths, Edgars, Truworths, Game and Mr Price, said McCormick.

The Mall of Zimbabwe will only open its doors in October 2014. It will consist of a closed air-conditioned regional mall made up of shops, restaurants, banks, fast food outlets, and other recreational facilities. It is estimated that 4000 jobs will be created by the project.

The Mall of Zimbabwe is being developed on a site acquired by Augur Investments in terms of a controversial barter trade deal between the Government of Zimbabwe and Augur Investments which augur is financing the design and construction of the Harare Main airport highway.

The tri-partite investment partners say they used their gut feelings to decide to sink their money into Zimbabwe.

While everyone was running away from Zimbabwe, we used our gut feelings to invest, we sought the local knowledge and we felt it was time to put money into the country, said McCormick.

He said they were impressed by what they saw and never looked back on investing in a country still considered by some investors as a no go area.

They have big plans too.

We want to spread our property development to other parts of the country. In fact we also want to bring the town to the rural areas, said McCormick.

Although they have faced resistance and accusations of cutting corners with their investment, the tri-partite investors remain unfazed by that talk.

We have the backing of the President, Prime Minister and cabinet ministers because they understand what we are trying to do for Zimbabwe and we obey the laws of the country, said McCormick.

In the meantime they are concentrating on putting up more construction cranes on the skylines of Harare and help keep the resurgent economy ticking.
By SA Commercial Prop News

OVERALL office vacancy has now breached the 10% level  the highest since 2004  with office nodes previously deemed popular experiencing a decrease in demand, owing to a weak economy.

A director of the High St Property Company, Rodney Luntz, said additional costs such as electricity were putting pressure on the rental property sector.

A dramatic electrical tariff increase of more than 25% this year alone is seeing operational costs skyrocketing, with these cost pressures being passed on to tenants, Mr Luntz said.

The year started off well for listed property and seemingly also for the underlying commercial property portfolios. The South African listed property sector recorded the highest total return of 1,60% of the four traditional asset classes for July.

Bonds with 1,42% and cash at 0,44% were the next best performing asset classes for the month. Equities recorded a total negative return of 1,99% in July.

South African listed property, as an asset class, has recorded the highest total return for the past 12 months with 14,73%. Mr Luntz said initially he had high hopes for the commercial property sector in the first quarter.

Sentiment was good and the economy was on a growth path coming out of a recession. Rentals were rising and vacancies across the board were stabilising and in some areas decreasing. The SA listed property sector, in fact, touched a record high of 395,38 points in July, he said.

But Mr Luntz said the outlook had recently been dealt a blow with both the commercial office and the industrial property sectors coming under pressure.

According to the SA Property Owners Associations latest report for the second quarter of this year, SAs overall office vacancy rate has breached the 10% level.

The reports figures show that popular office nodes have now experienced a decrease in demand. These include Bedfordview, Braamfontein, Bruma, Cresta, Blackheath, Fourways, Greenstone, Hyde Park, Dunkeld, Randburg and Rivonia.

The Sandton central business district is sitting with vacancies of 9,6%. But that is still better than nine months ago when it recorded vacancies of 11,4%.

But while South African commercial property prospects may not be that good at the moment, opportunities in other African markets are attracting property investors.

Prof Francois Viruly, presidentelect of the African Real Estate Society, said South African property developers and investors were following their local tenants across the African continent.

South African investors are already showing solid investment and development activity across southern Africa, Ghana, Nigeria and Angola, he said.

Prof Viruly said at present much of the focus was on the development of shopping centres and hotels.
A first-of-its-kind journey along India and Pakistan border

What binds the two most talked about nations - India and Pakistan together? What makes the
Kansas announces 4-game suspensions for Bill Self, Kurtis Townsend

There's news in the NCAA infractions case concerning Kansas men's basketball: Bill Self and Kurtis Townsend have been suspended.
Disneys first Polynesian movie, Moana, has received widespread praise from some of the first Samoans to have seen it.

At Apollo Cinemas on Thursday night, Digicel staff members, their families and survivors at the Campus of Hope were among the first Samoans in Samoa to catch a glimpse of the movie.

Starring Seiuli Dwayne Johnson and Aulii Cravalho as the voices for Maui and Moana, the Disney movie received the thumps up from the audience.

Tupu Lefao said there was a very strong influence of the Polynesian culture in the movie.

I think it covered pretty much the South Pacific from Samoa to New Zealand and to Fiji and Tonga so it was really good, he said.

The most important lesson is the culture that they showed in there and the characters that the movie had. There were some great lessons for the kids.

Francine Fruean couldnt agree more.

It was excellent, she said, There was a Samoan song and the music throughout the movie was brilliant.

It portrays a lot of good Polynesian culture, it highlights the different types of islands in the Pacific so well done to Disney.

A young girl from the Samoa Victim Support Group said she enjoyed it a lot.

I loved it because as a young person, Moana was able to save her whole village, she said.

It made me day dream a little bit because I was imagining myself as Moana she had so much courage and she didnt think about herself but she thought of her parents, her family and her whole village.

Maui on the other had he was very cute for a giant. He was big on the outside but he had a loving heart so I really love the movie and I dont mind watching it over and over again.

One viewer enjoyed it more than others. Well my name is Moana Hickling, she said. I feel so special because I have the same name as the main character even though we have different last names but thats okay.

I think as a parent and an adult it was really inspiring for the children.

Its a great movie I love the grandmother and the generational thing that they got in there. It is really inspiring because if there is one thing in the Polynesian culture we respect is the generation, our grandparents and all that.

She went on to say the movie reflects on courage and its a great inspiration for women.

It encourages all women to be strong and not to be afraid of anything that comes in their way and they can do a lot more than people think they are, so in the movie people of the village told Moana not to go beyond the reefs but she had courage, she said.

[And] so I think women can break through and make a difference to their family, villages, churches and the community and we all have seen that now in Samoa and the entire island.

Ms. Hickling emphasise that movie also brought an enormous lesson to the young people.

This movie has brought to the young ones a lesson to believe in themselves and have faith in who they are and the talents that they have no matter what anyone says, she said.

Because there comes a time that they have to stand up for themselves and have courage and I think thats what Moana showed in the movie.

And I think with Maui as big as he was he was a gentle giant, humble and was as soft as anything but he was very strong and his heart was in the right place.

So its a great movie and I am so glad I came to watch it.

Moana is continuing at Apollo Cinemas. Last night screening included a special dress up party.
Orange was the colour of choice in Samoa yesterday.

And if what they say is true that strength can be found in numbers, all you had to do was be at S.T.A Fale in the morning and you would have walked away with an appreciation that the campaign to End Violence Against Women (E.V.A.W) is gaining massive momentum.

People of all ages donned their brightest orange, whether it was shorts, t-shirts or shoes for the November 25th celebration of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women.

Observed globally, Samoas celebration started at the crack of dawn with a Fun Run to E.V.A.W sponsored by UN Women, Digicel, with support from Samoa- Australia Police Partnership (S.A.P.P) and the Ministry of Women, Community and Social Development (M.W.C.S.D).

Molly Thompsen, one of the participants, said raising awareness about the issue is extremely important.

We all know how many Samoans have been through violence in the past years and for me, this is a very important step for us to take as a community, he said. This is not just for women, its for men as well. Molly tackled the fun run/walk from the S.T.A Fale to the Sheraton Samoa Aggie Greys and back. The run this morning went really well. We have to stand together and help each other to stop the violence.
More than 100 students studying at the University of the South Pacific (U.S.P) celebrated sweet success at the E.F.K.S Hall at Sogi yesterday morning

The graduates were conferred degrees, diploma and certificates from the University.

Prime Minister of the Cook Islands, Henry Puna, was given the honour to confer the certificates, diplomas and degrees.

Vice-Chancellor, Professor Rajesh Chandra delivered the University Graduation address, where he urged the graduates to make use of what they have learnt to improve the development of their nations.

To all the graduates, this is your day this, this is your moment and this is your celebration, he said.

Onosefulu Sianua Fuatai, spoke on behalf of the graduates.

Graduation is a time to reflect on a journey that was taken to arrive to todays success, he said.

It is also a time to anticipate and to look forward to what tomorrow will bring and to how each of us strive through the education we've achieved to improve and make our world a significantly a better place to live.

She encouraged the graduates with a quote by Mahatma Gandhi

Be the change you wish to see in the world, she said. Achieving success and compete in the long road that many of us have taken to graduate was not easy in fact the challenges were significant.

We are different people today compared to what we were when we commenced studies.

A highlight of this years graduation was the Universitys commitment to the government of Samoas vision to provide more qualified Science teachers.

The University and governments collaborative efforts for the improvement of Science teachers in Samoas classrooms was initiated in the form of the Science Teachers Accelerated Programme (S.T.A.P)  set up to fast track the Bachelor of Science Degree over a period of two years.

In this period with relevant credit transfers from their Diplomas  60 Science Teachers were admitted to undertake studies towards a Bachelor of Science with the University in 2014.

These teachers were fully funded by the government and have been studying for two years to achieve this degree. From this pilot initiative  four other Pacific Island countries will be launching their Science Teachers Accelerated Programmes for the very first time next year in Tonga, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands and in Fiji. Two Police members also graduated with the Certificate in Policing and one also with his Diploma in Police Management fully utilizing the sponsorship through the Samoa-Australia Police Partnership programme.

This year also sees a large number of graduates in the Master of Education - evidence that schools are continuing to encourage professional development which in return continues to benefit our education system.
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP)  The white man charged in the shooting deaths of nine black parishioners at a South Carolina church last year is competent to stand trial, a federal judge ruled Friday.

U.S. District Judge Richard Gergel's decision clears the way for jury selection to restart Monday in the hate-crimes trial of 22-year-old Dylann Roof.

The judge had delayed the process of narrowing the final jury pool on Nov. 7 when Roof's lawyers suggested their client either didn't understand the charges against him or couldn't properly help them with his defense. The lawyers did not say what led them to question Roof's fitness for trial.

Roof is charged in federal court with hate crimes, obstruction of religion and other counts in connection with the June 17, 2015 attack at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston. He could face the death penalty if convicted.

The decision came after Gergel wrapped up a hastily called two-day hearing to determine if Roof is mentally fit to stand trial.

The judge said he took the rare step of keeping the hearing closed to the public and media because Roof made statements to a psychologist that might not be legal to use at his trial and could taint potential jurors.

The judge said Friday that he refrained from releasing a transcript of the hearing for the same reason, reversing an earlier pledge to release a redacted transcript. Family members of the victims have complained about the secrecy surrounding the proceedings, but Gergel maintains that the steps he has taken are to ensure that Roof receives a fair trial and that pre-trial exposure doesn't provide grounds for an appeal.

At Roof's competency hearing, Gergel heard testimony from psychologist James Ballenger and four other unnamed witnesses and reviewed sworn statements from three others, the judge wrote in his order.

Roof also has already been found competent in state court, where prosecutors plan a second death penalty trial on nine counts of murder.

According to police, Roof sat through nearly an hour of prayer and Bible study at the church with its pastor and 11 others before pulling a gun from his fanny pack near the end of the class and firing dozens of shots.

Roof hurled racial insults at the six women and three men he is charged with of killing and the three people left alive, authorities said. He said he left the three unharmed so they could tell the world the shootings were because he hated black people.
Now that Samoas preeminent troubleshooter, Honorable Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi, has stepped in to clean up the mess in which the Police Department has been allowing itself to remain bogged down over the years, how on earth is he going to get the job done?

It would be interesting to know.

After all, since the widely held assumption is that all those officers in there are his children anyway, why is he turning this seemingly insubstantial fracas into a mountain of a problem, when all he should do is tell them to quit the silly infighting and get the job done the only way it should be done!

Poor Tuilaepa. Who wants to be a lousy prime minister for sixteen lousy years if this is the sort of nonsense one has to deal with all the time! Personally, I would rather be a pauper begging on the streets of Apia than having to deal with this sort of nonsense if you really want to know.

Now in case you havent read it, this is the relevant portion of what the Prime Ministers Office said:

The Hon. Prime Minister, Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi, will now assume responsibility for the Fire and Emergency Services Authority as well as take on the duties for the Ministry of Police.

Responsibility for Samoa Police had traditionally fallen under the purview of the Prime Minister.

The decision to change these portfolios and return oversight of Samoa Police back to the Prime Minister, reaffirms the importance placed on law and order and in keeping Samoa a peaceful nation.

Keeping Samoa a peaceful nation. A good line, no doubt.

Would it not make an appropriate slogan now that this country is being torn apart slowly and yet surely by abject violence?

Salaifulu Lavatai, 76, of Fagaloa, has a word to say about the cause of this violence we are talking about here.

The reason, he told the Samoa Observers Village Voice, is that Samoas once most emulated shining example called respect  or faalolao  is heading irrefutably towards extinction. (S.O. 26 November 2016.)

Salaifulu said: I am very saddened with all the changes we have in Samoa today. Life in Samoa is not the same any more.

This is because our culture, especially our faaaloalo (respect) is fading away.

Life is changing so fast especially with a lot of changes from overseas influencing our Samoan way of life.

He then pointed out the main aspect of our culture that is slowly dying is respect.

We are very respectful people. That is one important aspect of our culture and our way of life (that every Samoan should keep closely in mind). But if we compare the behavior of our people nowadays with that in the past, you cant help but shake your head.

Its not the same anymore, especially with our youth. Most of them dont respect the elders anymore. They dont listen to their parents and the language used nowadays is just inappropriate.

He said: This problem is spreading like a disease and it will continue to spread if we dont do anything about it.

Another change is that most of our children nowadays do not know how to do Samoan chores. They waste time on useless things.

And the main cause of the problem has a lot to do with life at home, Salaifulu says.

Everything starts at home, he reminds. Home is where everything begins.

Parents should devote more time with their children and keep reminding them about how they should live their lives.

They should focus on straightening the behavior of their children and teach them about our culture and our way of life.

And if they dont do their job right, the children will continue on with this behavior and that means we will lose our culture forever.

Children are the future of our families, villages and country. Bring them up well and they will be great leaders, and if not, we will suffer.

Said Salaifulu: Family is the foundation of any childs life. If we work together as a family and as a community to build strong foundations for our children, all is well.

We need to uphold our culture and heritage and this can be done only if we all work together and help build strong foundations for the future of our country.

Back on 15 July 2012, a story titled, Warning a joke  PM, was published in the Sunday Samoan.

At the time, bingo gambling had been a popular pastime for quite sometime, and now that casino gambling had been given the green light by the government, churches objected.

The Chairman of National Council of Churches, Reverend Kasiano Leaupepe, warned Tuilaepa that casino gambling would drive Samoa into further poverty.

He said: The love of money is the root of all problems in Samoa and the world.

The love of money and the Casino combined will only drive our people further into poverty.

People will save money to play in the Casino instead of feeding their families. The addiction will result in more crime as people will start stealing to fuel their addiction.

In response, Tuilaepa scoffed at Leaupepe, saying: The strange thing about it is that all churches are playing bingo; now thats gambling so it is no different from a casino.

Tuilapea told the Sunday Samoan that perhaps Rev. Leaupepe was joking.

He said it was hilarious that people like him were against casino when church leaders were encouraging gambling through different forms of fundraising activities.

There is some kind of funny excitement in the way people think, Tuilaepa said then. So the way I look at the warning from the Chairman of the N.C.C, I think he was not really serious; he was probably joking.

Tuilaepa said there was nothing to worry about though.

No locals are allowed in those casinos, he explained. The casino is not for them. That is the law unless some idiot in the future decides to alter it.

We have the [Gambling] Authority, the Attorney General, the Police, and a member of the combined Holy people (churches) to ensure that locals abide by the law.

Now wait a minute; he has the Attorney General, and the Police, who are his children. Now thats reassuring indeed!

Still, Rev. Leaupepe was not convinced.

He maintained that gambling would open the door to the influx of outsiders, who have no fear of God.

He said: Our country is founded on God. We should hold on to that motto.

Have a peaceful Sunday Samoa, God bless.
Dear Editor,

Now, now everyone, cool down! Why are we gugulu now, when this mess is as old as the third police commissioner back! The so called corrupt culture that has mutilated the Ministry especially the last of the Mohicans making up the executive to date, and the majority of the senior officers in the management who are all hiding behind this so called sedition, treason, inciting to hostility (a crime to go against the government) and plotting the arrest of Commissioner Keil because of their abhorrence feelings towards him.

Why are we alarmed if this was something that started since he was appointed last year 2015? The same problem with the last few Police Commissioners (this is the 3rd one) that they manipulated so it could go back and destroy himnotice the same senior officers that were the previous commissioners advisors then, have now backfired to the existing suspended one! Oh yes that seat is pretty hot and they want it! Pushing everything to other officers and then just sit back and laugh about it, like we did itagain!

I have always admired the work these men and women do for our community. Preserve life and properties. Always there when called upon, maybe an hour later but they still turn up, when the drunk is fast asleep. However, at the end of the day, they work 24/7, without striking for a pay rise. Malo lava Police!

Since Commissioner Keils appointment, you hear conversation of these senior managers (men & women) out in the clubs and gatherings, ( e little boy, e leiloa se mea, ese lava LAPD ese samoa police) these are the same officers uttering anything to display their poto and wanting people to know they know more than the appointed Commissioner.

So how can the Ministry become ONE if they think like this? They had a chance to apply to the position unfortunately only one woman applied and the rest were men! Now Commissioner Fuiavailili (a man) has been appointed and they still go on and on about him as an alien from another planet yet its just from their own insecurities as human beings.

There are issues that were mentioned by a previous letter from a junior officer regarding sexual behavior etc. I remember last year around about the same time now, on the media that Commissioner Fuiavailili made a speech and emphasized his support and stance for women in that Ministry to fight against domestic violence, he was against sexual harassment, he stood up for womens rights and fair treatment in the workplace!!And recently there were two assistant commissioners involved with, sexual behavior towards police women, this is when the Commissioner was suspended for the first case that was withdrawn from the Court last Friday. There were two investigations against these two officers, where are they?

Then theres some pornography issues (watching blue movies) using the ministry resources during working hours without doing any work by another Assistant commissioner, where has that gone to?

What about files or records of one member of the community that was authorized by another assistant commissioner to be cleared, which resulted in transferring a young police officer and without the knowledge of the existing suspended Commissioner?

These are the same dead flies leading the Police!

The list is exhausted but why are they trying to get rid of Commissioner Fuiavailili when all of the executive members were his advisors.

No stupid CEO would just final anything without the advice of his assistants. Then the Commissioner acted upon your recommendation yet when it comes back and hits the commissioner you sit back and relax and let him get the blame.

E faafefea ona tou faia faapea le tagata faatoa oo mai I totonu o le Matagaluega ananafi ma le tele naua o tausaga o outou tautua ma le tou, so called honesty, o solomusa ia outou le pipio ma le fai le alofa o tagata faigaluega.

If it was done like that to you by your previous bosses why wouldnt you change the mindset now and help the new officers do something good.

Arresting the Commissioner

The police officers dragged the Commissioner like he committed a murder crime, stripped the police uniform from him like he was not a high ranking officer and pierced his soul with embarrassment, which has scarred him for life.

The Inspector that led the arrest ordered all the general policing members that were present (women & men) that no one talks or speaks about anything that has happened or they will be all dismissed or better yet thrown in jail.

This particular Inspector has the authority to do this? Is this lawful or plain stupidity! He ordered the bashing of the Commissioners new driver Silivelio who tried with his respectful heart and loyalty to protect the very boss that you were supposed to respect! Wasnt this Inspector the one involved in a case of bashing up of one defendant (woman) resulted in a broken nose and the young policewoman officer was convicted and imprisoned? Same young lady which he allegedly had an affair with?

And he is still an officer of the law? O fea le ava fatafata ma tamaitai leoleo, aemaise le vaaiga lelei o le mamalu o le atunuu e tovaa atu I mataupu i le Ofisa o leoleo? Seriously you need to be suspended as well as you have committed a lot of irregularities as an officer of the law.

Advice

My advice to the Prime Minister and Cabinet, ua tatau ona tou tagai ane ile malu o le malo poo saogalemu lena mea o iai. No one can go the proper way in filing anything about what is happening because they will stop it and brush it off as usual, especially if they know they are being blamed. They advise everyone e aua le tui e lesi o le patua o lesi, realistically they are doing this to low ranked officers if they speak up let alone amongst themselves. This is the reason why the Commissioner has his door opened where anyone is welcomed to come in and voice their complaints, the same as every other CEOs, yet when these corrupted ones find out, they will twist the matter to fall back on these young officers, then the poor officers ended up either being transferred away, being investigated or demotivated them ending up in leaving the service. The senior officers that obviously signed the petition letter to get rid of the Commissioner, isnt this sedition or inciting to hostility (which is a crime in Samoa), when this is against the appointed individual that the Cabinet approved to be the head of the Ministry of Police?

Request

Can this Ministry be under the Prime Ministers care or at least the Acting PM (a woman for a change), as when you headed the Ministry years back, no one or nothing ever messed up? Theres too much conflict of interest with the present Minister because these assistant commissioners seem to lie in front of him when he gets to see them individually and maybe some of them are related to the Minister and the poor man has to give them chances? Not fair for what the Commissioner has gone through all these past months.

Moving forward

This corruptive culture is killing the Ministry. There is no way that the Ministry can move forward and adapt to changes if these people are leading the Ministry. This is why theres opposition to what Commissioner Keil is trying to do in there. They will never move forward simply because they are very used to sitting on the same thing years back and still do. They are very comfortable with their relaxed behavior and the reason why its not a good thing because the new officers who come in with fresh ideas will turn out to be the same. Realistically, either they move out or this culture will end up destroying the ministry and it wont help the community.

Shuffling of Assistants to Acting Commissioners position

This is now a negative issue as this brings a lot of commotion. They each bring in their own style of management with their fist up high in the air to do what they want to do while they are in that position, either to reinstate the corrupted officers that the Commissioner suspended while been investigated with different charges or they will transfer their favorite men to section where they dont do anything but mingle.

There seems like there is no stableness in the Ministry and because of this, the community do not want to expect the worse.

To the members of the communities, these men and women need our prayers and they need our support by keeping the peace and love within each other as they are trying to bring these matters up and start cleaning out their ministry for a better tomorrow. O le tatalo ia tatou lava papale ma tatalo ia oo lenei Matagaluega I se itu e pito sili ona lelei aua le alu I luma o le latou auaunaga.

Finally, to the Commissioner of Police, have faith and stay strong as you have brought a lot of great changes for the Ministry and because of you most of these officers have made changes in their lives as well as their families in matters that favors intrinsically. Im very positive they all want you back to fight for the safety of the people of Samoa because you fought for them all. You motivated them to become better people and speak their minds!

A man who speaks boldly with a good heart, is a man that is made of pure love Anon.

Vaeaufano F

Aleipata
The new Minister of Police, Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi, is baffled by the number of ghost letters floating around in the media about the Police.

In fact, the Minister who is also the Prime Minister has denied receiving a copy of a petition from senior Police officers calling for the removal of Police Commissioner, Fuiavailiili Egon Keil.

Speaking to the Sunday Samoan, Tuilaepa who returned from a trip to Morocco on Wednesday night; said he has only heard about the so-called petition as well as the ghost letters.

There is no letter, Tuilaepa said.

Told that all the letters  including the petition  are addressed to him, the former Minister of Police, Sala Fata Pinati and his Cabinet, Tuilaepa said it is not unusual for disgruntled officers to do that.

That is how people are, he said.

I think they take their cue more from the Samoa Observer. Its addressed to me but I have not received it.

The denial from the Prime Minister and the Minister of Police comes as another unsigned letter written by someone who identified himself/herself as a Police officer who is concerned about the corruption/politics within the Samoa Police force arrived.

The letter, which does not have a date, is addressed to Prime Minister Tuilaepa, former Acting Prime Minister, Tuitama Dr. Leao Tuitama, former Minister of Police, Sala Fata Pinati and the Ombudsman Maiava Iulai Toma.

The letter was dropped off at the Samoa Observer office at Vaitele.

It is published below in full:

To Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi (Prime Minister)To Dr Leao Tuitama (Acting Prime Minister)To Sala Fata Pinati (Minister of Police)To Maiava Iulai Toma (Ombudsman)

Subject: Urgent Revelation before a next unlawful arrest takes place?With so much commotion regarding the Police saga, I can no longer stay silence regarding the internal corruption that has taken its toll within the Police force. What was witnessed on Monday 14th November at the Police headquarters has strengthened me to speak out.As a Police Officer holding a Non Commissioned rank I am truly disappointed and disgusted about what is now happening within the Ministry of Police. Since the arrest of the Police Commissioner, so much has been shared and discussed amongst our own staff level. So much is said that much of what has been hidden is now finding its way out to the public.This is my own conclusion after sharing of information among my own level of Non Commissioned Officers and few junior officers.

A. It has become clear that the person who was in charge with the second Police Commissioner's investigation was a Police Inspector. This police inspector instigated the charges, which led up to the incident that occurred on the 14th of November. This inspector had allegations against him, which was dealt with by the Police Commissioner before he was suspended. This has become a personal issue between the Police Inspector and the Police Commissioner. This is the same officer who led the arresting of the Police Commissioner at his office.

Felony of this young police officer

He was charged by the Police Commissioner for breach of Police Regulation and PoliceService Act before the Police Commissioner was suspended. The outcome of his case was stuck somewhere till now between the moon and the sun since the PoliceCommissioner was suspended for his first case.This Police Inspector was also transferred by the Police Commissioner to another section due to poor performance issues.This same Police Inspector had an argument with the Police Commissioner at AfegaPolice Post this year in the presence of the Police Minister, Assistant Commissioners and all Police Officers at Afega Police Post. His misbehaviour and breach of ethics showed his lack of respect for the Commissioner and authority. A staff meeting was called immediately to resolve this issue between him and the Police Commissioner.

This Police Inspector led a group of Police officers with an appointment to Government officials to stop the Police Promotion, which was approved by the Police Commissioner and the Minister. This led to the cancellation of the promotion instantly. He himself took this ill action, given that he was not selected for any promotion due the panel members results. This officer has no respect or care for the Minster who also approved this promotion.This Police Inspector was also involved with other criminal investigation a few years ago.He is also the same person who also wrote a No confidence letter on behalf of the Senior Management without consulting them. He literally fooled the senior management by only giving them the second page to sign without revealing the content in the first page. He misleads them by explaining to them different information to convince them to sign. You will confirm this information when you interview all the senior management officers.

A. The 2nd Police Officer who was also assisted the above mentioned in the arrest of the PoliceCommissioner was a Sergeant who has also breached the following allegation and was sentence by the Police Commissioner this year.

He was sentence for breach of Police Service Act by negligent on performance of his duty and was demoted from the rank of Senior Sergeant to the rank of Sergeant.

A. The 3rd Police Officer who also assisted in the arrest of the Police Commissioner was a Police Corporal who also breached the following allegation and was also handled by the Police Commissioner this year.

Felony of this police officerHe was suspended by the Police Commissioner this year for being armed with a firearm in front of one of the Night Club in town. He was charged with being armed and assault charges at the Court this year. This case is now with the National Prosecution Office yet still no outcome and the NPO is still silent about this case. Who is protecting him? He is now reinstated back to work by the Acting Assistant Commissioner when the Police Commissioner was suspended.He was also investigated for using a fire arm while on duty to shoot one of the vehicle which was chased by the Police at Alafua. The investigation is with the NPO for their legal opinion and still no outcome. Who is delaying this case? He is now back to work yet this investigation is still pending with no results.He was also a suspect for injuring one police officer who chased a criminal when he fired his firearm. This investigation also has no results. Who is protecting him during this investigation?He was labelled in the Ombudsman report in X or Y, In the case of the other two officers they were invited back for a second interview to be told of the contradicting evidence that had been collected and, in the spirit of natural justice and fairness, given the opportunity to review their original statements. In both cases they chose to confirm their original evidence and consequently the Ombudsman will be referring these cases to the Director of Public Prosecutions for consideration of a charge of perjury. Finding 5: The actions of the Officers X and Y in drawing their weapons was contrary to the Use of Force Policy and their failure to inform the complainant of his legal rights or reason for arrest contrary to the Police Powers Act 2007. Who is protecting him and this report was the starting point of what is going on now?He assaulted a Police officer who supported the Police Commissioner on Monday morning but no investigation was ordered for him. He was freed on Monday without charges against him. They charged a Police officer who used insulting words during the Police Commissioner's arrest and disregarded the assault charges against this officer which is more serious than what this junior constable did.

A. The 4th Police Officer was a Senior Constable who was also breached the following allegations and was sentenced by the Police Commissioner this year.He was convicted and sentence by the Police Commissioner of Police for breach ofPolice Regulation and gives him a final warning.

All these 4 Police Officers were assigned to the General Policing Duties who serve Police posts in town area and deal with minor investigations which raised the following concerns:Why have the executive choose these Police Officers who have issues with the Police Commissioner which l have highlight above. These Police Officers have personal issue with the Police Commissioner because of their cases.Why this investigation was not lead by an Assistant Commissioner or a Superintend since this investigation was against the top Police Officer within the force and follow the proper and clean process.Why this investigation was not handled by the Criminal Investigation Division who have the knowledge and the experience with those types of cases compared to what the General Policing roles and duties.Why this investigation was not handled by the Professional Standard Unit like one of the Assistant Commissioner's investigation this year that was lead by another Assistant Commissioner and was followed through a proper channel but no result.Why you choose these 4 Police Officers from the General Policing who have limited and inadequate knowledge and skill compare to the Criminal investigation Division Officers.

Why this investigation was not handled by any Superintend who is neutral and therefore avoid any biasness to this case.Should this type of set up for any investigation be practiced at all give the 4 officers bad intentions against the Police Commissioner.Why this Police Inspector is so powerful in accordance to his action. All his action mention above was totally not aligned with all Police law and proper procedures of performing police duties. Who gives him this power?We have a lot of outstanding warrants of arrest that we need to execute but why these Police officers spend so much energy to stop this new Police Commissioner who has done an outstanding job within a short period of time compared to a lot of problems that Police have before his appointment.These Police Officers called an Operation on Sunday for all Police Officers at all Police Outpost to come on Police HQ to assist with the arrest of the Police Commissioner.

Very powerful and why?The action of these Police Officers l think goes against all the Government ethics and morals laid out for any police officer.

According to what we discussed with my police, friends, there are 2 separated new cases that these assigned Police Officers were appointed to investigate.

1. The first case was handled by the Professional Standard and was removed by the instruction of Acting Commissioner and referred to the above mention Police Officers for investigation.The PSU have insufficient evidence before this file was removed from them. But these PoliceOfficers use their own police tactic and their police technique to obtain their second statements from these same witnesses in order to full-filled their assigned task by the higher authority. Which statements are the truths if we compare these Z statements from these two different investigations in one matter? What are their promises to these witnesses if they change their statements?

2. The second investigation was the complaint from the 3rd Police Officer who I mention before that has 4 different cases against him of using firearm. He was suspended to await a court case and reinstated by the Acting Assistant Police Commissioner to form up a new case against the Police Commissioner.This new investigation was initiated AS a plan B by these Police Officers and others from inside and outside, in case the Police Commissioner wins the first case. The first case was a similar process with the second investigation in which NPO uses a Police Officer who was temporarily attached there as Case officer to do the investigation. Any officer at this stage would have limited knowledge and skills in terms of investigation experience and it was reflect with the outcome of the first case against the Commissioner.The saga goes further and eventually police officers are now digging up old cases and outdated information to form charges against the Police Commissioner. Any old case is now converted to become a crime in orders to stop the Police Commissioner. They are now worried because of what they did to the Police Commissioner in the first case.I was reading a newspaper which mentioned that these cases were followed on proper procedures. But what I have highlighted above can show us that this case was not following proper procedures. I think this is the same procedures they used for the Commissioners first case and we all know the outcome. These Police Officers can do this investigation to look like a proper procedure but at the end they have insufficient evidence to prove their charges. They try their best to drag the Police Commissioner from coming back till his contract is over. It is another way to stop the Police Commissioner to perform his duties which might affect themselves.Truly these Police officers are still not happy about the amendment of the law to open the Police Commissioner position outside to other Police Officers who serves other countries to apply. If they are against the new amended of our law, they are against the government. If they can unlawfully arrest their own Boss, who is next? A member of parliament or another CEO or a police officer or others.My conclusion is Samoa, the felony that is going on in the force is disheartening. The work of 4 inadequate, unskilled officers above supported by executive members and Superintendents and Inspectors needs to stop. These officers need to be suspended actually terminated as they are ruthlessly damaging our laws and causing a storm for their own pettiness and ill behaviours.While we are being hypnotised to believe that the Commissioner is at fault, we are not told of the truth of why these officers hate the Commissioner. Simply put they are caught out and their wrong doings are held against them which is the only reason why they would go this far as to embarrass the Commissioner and ruin the Ministry of Police reputation.Samoa is also now seeing that the Senior Management Police Officers have no confidence in their own leadership. With all that has happened there is no support and firm togetherness amongst the senior members of police, and because of this the division between staff members has begun.I know that the Police Commissioner is a good man, he has tried in many ways to change the system to safe guard the staff and community. The new system implemented by the Police Commissioner has also helped the Ministry to obtain a $5,000.00 a week revenue from police reports compared to many years ago.I have also come to say that for the first time ever, Samoa is clearly in a stage where we are winning war against drug dealers and growers and the gun raids that has recently taken place. Is this clearly not enough to justify hard work and efforts to keep our Samoa safe?

God Bless Samoa Police,Police Officer who is concerned about the corruption politics within the Samoa police force.
Stories dont end; they just turn into new beginnings.

Thats a fitting description for 20 graduates of Malua Theological College celebrated success with their families, friends yesterday.

Prime Minister, Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi and other Members of Parliament were among the hundreds of relatives and friends from Samoa and overseas who crowded the Womens Fellowship Hall at Malua to witness the momentous occasion.

A special service was held to start the celebration where Reverend Elder Tavita Anesone reminded the graduating class this is not the end of their calling from God.

Instead, he encouraged them to continue relying on the Lord and let him be at the forefront of their next journey.

The President of M.T.C Class of 2016, Melepone Isara, spoke on behalf of the graduating class to thank all their families, friends and the college for their support.

Speaking to the Sunday Samoan, Mr. Isara described their four-year journey at Malua as enjoyable.

The man from Vaitele-fou, Moataa, Puapua, Avao, Vaiee and Faleasiu returned the glory to God for his guidance over the years.

I also want to thank my parents, my family, my friends, the Principal and staff of Malua for their ongoing support throughout our four years at Malua.

He couldnt stop smiling yesterday for his dream has finally become a reality.

This was something Ive always wanted to do, he said. It was a dream that I had for a very long time. And so in 2012, I decided to pursue this dream and I was fortunate to get the opportunity and started here in 2013.

Looking back to his four years at Malua, Melepone said it was a journey filled with challenges.

There were a lot of challenges, especially the first year.

 But it was what I expected and we came prepared to face all the challenges. And we were able to overcome all the difficulties and all the surprising challenges along the way. So today really is a special day and we are giving back all the glory to God for His love and guidance.

Nevertheless, Melepone said that the skills and knowledge he learned at Malua is something he will always take with him everywhere he goes.

I learned a lot of new and different skills from the time I spent here at Malua. I entered the college in 2013 with a few skills but I can say that I am taking away a bag full of skills from this journey. And I will continue to use those skills on our next journey.

So whats next for him and his wife Tupe Isara?

Weve been awarded a scholarship to go to Fiji. The scholarship is for two years, and we will leave everything to God to guide us through the next chapter for us.

The Graduating Class of 2016

1) Eroni & Litia Sitanilei (Toamua/Savaia)

2) Faalata & Sarai Leaumoana (Paia, Safatoa, Sataoa)

3) Fiamalua & Faapisa Peleseuma (Ulutogia/Sapapalii)

4) Francisco & Olive Fatu (Utuali'i/ Lalomanu/ Salelavalu)

5) Kuresa & Easter Tavalani (Saleimoa)

6) Panapa & Tema Alafau (Lelepa)

7) Rupi & Tamara Apaola (Saleimoa/Safune)

8) Rupi & Kanona Leota (Salesatele/Sapunaoa/Matautu Falelatai)

9) Soliga & Falelauiulaaepouitoa Aleki Teo (Afega/Tafua)

10) Sumeo & Sauimalae Leota (Falelatai/ Vaiusu)

11) Vaasaumamao Lafaaua (Vaovai/Uafato)

12) Fatilua & Vaituutuu Fatilua (Leusoalii/Laulii/Lona Fagaloa/Moataa)

13) John & Rotanya Kalolo (Atafu)

14) Latu & Malua Afioga (Moataa/Vailele/Aufaga)

15) Leefu & Ie Pule (Lepa/Vaivase-tai)

16) Melepone & Tupe Isara (Vaitelefou/Moataa/Puapua/Avao/Vaiee/Faleasiu)

17) Timoteo & Ilasa Tapelu (Magiagi/Siumu/Avao/Safotu)

18) Ututau & Samaria Tauati (Vaivase-uta/Vaiala)

19) Vailele & Eseta Lemalu (Matautu-Lefaga/Safotu)

20) Letaulau & Tina Pesaleli (EFKS Nuu-fou/ Vaitele)
Contrary to media reports the Police Commissioner is facing more than 200 new charges, the Chief Executive Officer of the Ministry of Justice and Courts Administration Papalii John Taimalelagi, has set the record straight.

Speaking to the Sunday Samoan, Papalii said there are only 22 charges filed against the suspended Fuiavaililii Egon Keil.

Only 22 charges have been filed against Fuiavailili and those are the only charges that will be presented before the court on Monday, Papalii said.

I dont know where these 259 charges came from but according to our records there are only 22.

Papalii also confirmed the charges against Fuiava include counseling and procuring to murder, possession of unlawful firearms, being armed with dangerous weapons, insulting words and threatening words.

All the charges are filed through our Ministry and they are the final charges to be presented in Court, he said.

So I dont know where those charges come from. Theres no other place I can think of.

The charges stemmed from an alleged incident during one of the Police drug raids at Faletiu in 2015.

Other charges in relation to firearms are some of the illegal weapons collected from the Firearm Amnesty last year and was kept under the authority of the Commissioner by the Tactical Operation Squad.

The first charges against Fuiavailili were withdrawn and dismissed in the Supreme Court on the 11th November 2016 when an overseas prosecutor Paul Dacre QC told the Court there is insufficient evidence to prove them.

After the charges were dropped, Cabinet decided to reinstate him right away.

However, Fuiavailili turned up for work on the 14th November 2016 only to find out there are new charges against him. He was arrested and locked in a Police cell.

He is due in Court tomorrow.
The story of a 5-year-old child who is suffering from rheumatic heart disease was published in the Samoa Observer edition of 1 November 2016.

The child is one of the many victims of this deadly disease.

Due to the urgency of the childs condition, a visiting cardiologist from New Zealand early October advised for the early evacuation to overseas for the relevant treatment.

Under the governments overseas medical treatment assistance, the child can be evacuated in no time. The parents however were faced with the difficulty of sourcing out funds to pay for their travel expenses especially given that they rely solely on the produce from their plantation for a living.

Time was not on their side and as such, they sought SVSGs support, to advocate for financial assistance for their sons travel.

With a childs life at risk, SVSG worked the whole weekend to secure a donor, then to arrange for the earliest flight to New Zealand and to liaise with the National Health for all the medical support required for his travel. It has been a challenging time for the parents, as well as SVSG, as it took up the role of being the voice for the child through the donors.

The Little Angels Foundation of New Zealand was approached, as the supporting partner of SVSG in its work for vulnerable and underprivileged children in Samoa. And God was on our side.

The Foundation saw the need for action and paid $3,150.00 for the return airfare of both the child and the accompanied parent. In addition, monetary donation of NZ$500.00 was presented to the parents to assist with the childs care while in New Zealand.

SVSG prepared a suitcase of warm clothes and other necessities required by the child. It has been a challenging but a blessed journey for this child, thanks to the support of the Little Angels Foundation.

The father was humbled and grateful of the prompt response from SVSG and the Foundation, who were at the airport to wish our little angel well on his journey. An update from New Zealand noted our angel being discharged from the hospital with medication until his scheduled surgery.

On behalf of SVSG, President Siliniu Lina Chang thanked the Director of the Little Angels Foundation for the heart to support the vulnerable children of Samoa. You have time and time again give relentlessly to support the children in need, and as we approached the festive season, we believe your spirit of giving will save the life of this little angel.
A night out on the rock with good company and refreshing wine is the perfect recipe for a great time.

Thats exactly what happened at the Glass Lounge on Thursday Night where Liquor Planet introduced the award-winning Soho wine range from New Zealand to the local market.

Talei Lesa Ah Liki, Managing director of Liquor Planet, hosted a wine tasting session for business owners and the like to try out the magnificent wine.

The owner, Rachel Carter, named the company Soho because some of the best times of her life were in Soho, Manhattan, London and Japan, said Ms. Ah Liki.

Talei and Rachel Carter have a lot in common. They are both successful business women breaking into an industry that hasnt always been to kind to women. Now, the dynamic duo are working hand in hand to broaden the range of wines offered in Samoa.

Ms. Ah Liki said she found Soho on a trip overseas in New Zealand.

Whenever Im in New Zealand or Australia I always look for new wines for the shop. So I try it and like it. Thats when I wanted to bring the wine to Samoa just to diversify our range in the shop. Thats basically it, to give our customers a choice.

Not only is she looking to give her customers a choice but also for visitors and travelers coming to Samoa who are accustomed to seeing Soho offered in restaurants and resorts.

A few of the locals that Ive talked to while we were setting up this event had already heard of it but its just not here in Samoa. Theyre quite excited to come out tonight and try it. If they like it and the price is right, then theyre willing to put it on and give their customers a range of wine.

Ms. Ah Liki is working closely with Rachel Carter and is ecstatic to be tapping into the wine market in Samoa. She mentioned, When I did contact her in the beginning about trying to get Soho into Samoa, she was like Im so happy. Weve been working closely with Fiji but looking for someone to bring the wine into Samoa.

There are a lot of Samoan people who really love their wine now. Before it was like saying wine is just wine. But now we have a lot of upwardly mobile, young, middle class people who know their choice of wine. Even my older aunties are wine connoisseurs.

There is a market for good wine. Especially for the Christmas season coming in, well launch it. Something different.

The three most popular Soho wines that are now available in Samoa are:

 Stella Sauvighon Blanc: Notes of fresh herb, elderflower,& river stone, bursting with juicy fruit salad flavors --- melon, white, peach, passion fruit and citrus peel. Lovely saline focus yet gentle In expression & taste.

 Havana Pinot Noir: Lifted red cherries with earthy, forest floor complexity & lot of intensity on the nose. The palate is full & rich with an excellent tannin structure which supports lovely fruit core of ripe red fruits.

 Jagger Pinot Gris: Redefined and exotic scents of spice, baked pear, white flower and mandarin peel- reminiscent of old fashioned ginger beer . A textural yet delicate palate given lift by a fresh acidity & lively citrus finish.
Happy 83rd birthday, Emperor Akihito!

The Japanese Embassy hosted a celebration to recognise the birthday of the Emperor of Japan, Emperor Akihitios at the Tanoa Tuistala Hotel.

Japanese Ambassador, Tuimaugaoalii Kazumasa Shibuta, said the tradition began in 1948 after World War II. The occasion was celebrated in traditional Japanese fashion with great food and lots of sake, a traditional Japanese drink made from fermented rice.

The night was a fusion of Samoan and Japanese culture that created quite a unique ambiance. Everything from the decorations that were fuchsia teuila and hand-made origami swans, to the exquisite cuisine which consisted of fresh sashimi and hand rolled sushi, strongly reflected the combination of both cultures.

This of course was no coincident.

Tuimaugaoalii commented on the parallels between the Japanese and Samoan cultures.

We have a very similar tradition and culture because we have the same ancestors from Asia; the Samoan and Polynesian people. Therefore, the social system is very similar as well as some of the customs. Of course, the surface is always changing but spiritually its always the same.

His Excellency was quite the highlight of the event with his bubbly, outgoing personality. He greeted every guest personally at the door alongside his stunning wife who was dressed in a beautiful silk kimono.

In attendance were fellow Ambassadors, Ministers, leaders of the community, business owners, people of Samoan-Japanese descent and of course, Japanese International Cooperation Agency volunteers who came together to celebrate the Japanese National Holiday.

Tuimaugaoalii shared some of the traditional practices that are common in the Japanese culture. For instance, present in the middle of the stage was a large barrel known as a sake barrel which contained 72 liters of sake!

Deputy Prime Minster Fiame Naomi Mataafa was called on stage alongside his Excellency to crack open the barrel. After the opening and everyone was served, the entire room raised their glass for a special toast in honor of the Emperor.
Black Friday, the annual brick-and-mortar shopping frenzy, has evolved into a far more casual affair that rewards early morning devotees with ample parking, not-too-crowded stores and, perhaps best of all, pleasant mall-goers.

Even those who snoozed a bit found a few of San Diegos notoriously packed malls to be surprisingly calm well into the mid-morning hours. Take Linda Lowry, 66, of Clairemont who arrived at Westfield UTC around 8 a.m. to an unusual situation of sorts.

We actually thought the parking lot might have more cars than it did, she said. Because of the construction, we were surprised.

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Lowrys experience aligned with those of most Friday morning shoppers around the county (save for people who braved lines for 99-cent poinsettias at Home Depot).

Black Friday is not what it was compared to years ago, its really died down, said Renee Krud of Phoenix, who was visiting her daughter, a recent UC San Diego grad, and shopped at Fashion Valley Mall. Its not a mob scene.

Thats because the retail craziness so often associated with this unofficial shoppers holiday has been transferred, in part, to Thanksgiving Day. It has also been spread out across an increasingly elongated holiday shopping season where deals are just as accessible from smartphones.

In fact, by 5:30 a.m., Fridays online shoppers were out in full force, having already spent $490 million, according to Adobe Systems, which tracks e-commerce transactions. The firm expects Black Friday to hit $3.05 billion in online revenue, growing more than 11 percent over last year and surpassing the $3-billion threshold for the first time.

Humbler in-store morning crowds, then, are a reflection of changing retail dynamic where Black Friday still means door-busters, just ones that neither start or stop on Friday.

Black Friday is becoming less important as a singular day, said Yoram Wurmser, a retail analyst with analytics firm eMarketer. The whole week  starting on Wednesday  is now an event  while the individual character of those days has been decreasing.

This year, holiday shoppers in the U.S. are expected to spend, in total, about $885 billion in November and December, or a little over 3 percent more than they did last year, according to eMarketer. Holiday retail e-commerce sales, meanwhile, are expected to balloon to nearly $95 billion, growing 17 percent over 2015 and accounting for more than 10 percent of total holiday retail for the first time in history.

The sport of Black Friday, however; well, thats alive and well.

For proof, look no further than Dereje Abebe, who, at 3:45 a.m., pulled into the Best Buy electronics store in Mission Valley. He wanted to be one of the first in line to get a bargain.

I want to get that 55-inch screen TV, the Point Loma resident said of the Sharp big-screen on sale for $259.

Lars Perner, a marketing professor at the Marshall School of Business at USC, would classify Abebe as a competitive Black Friday shopper, a still-not-uncommon kind of buyer who loves the thrill of the hunt.

There may still be some things that are in limited supply and often its a matter of who can get to these things the quickest, said Perner. You have people who get up very early to get to things that people who are staying home and sleeping wont get, so they can see themselves achieving more than others.

Other Black Friday enthusiasts, like Stacy Gierczak of San Diego, are considered strategic shoppers. Gierczak went to Fashion Valley early Friday with her daughter Kylie and a meticulously planned list of about a dozen stores to tackle, as denoted on her smartphone.

Shes crazy, Kylie said with a laugh.

No, her mother insisted. Im organized.

No, Kylie said, shes crazy.

While Black Friday mobs might be a thing of past, deals still abounded for those in search of them.

Krud, the Fashion Valley shopper from Phoenix, said her son Mason relished the Black Friday experience. You can save so much money, the teenager said as he exited the Microsoft store with an Xbox, which was marked $50 off.

And Lisa Bauer, 26, a Black Friday mall regular, was pleased to nab 50 percent-off sweaters at the Michael Kors boutique at UTC.

Other shoppers, accompanied by family or friends, approach Black Friday as a social event.

Im just here to hang out with my family, said Thomas Maroki, who was accompanied by his relatives. But Maroki still bought a new jacket at Zara. It was 30 percent off, he said.

Marokis cousin, Mario Azabo, got up at 4 a.m. to start shopping.

I dont care all that much about the sales, Azabo said. Coming out here is a more of a seasonal thing. The sales are a bonus.

Perner, the USC marketing professor, said for some families, the shopping season acts as a kind of bonding experience.

Thanksgiving itself is a family-oriented time and one kind of activity you can plan for is shopping. And for some, its a family tradition, Perner said. You can share stories about the trips you made in the past years where you got some great bargains.

Indeed. Deal-hunter Tammy Weldner, 49, of Carmel Valley was up at 5 a.m., per usual, but her 13-year-old daughter proved far more ambitious.

Her and her friends have a tradition of going out at 9 p.m. (on Thursday), Weldner said. They go to Dennys for breakfast and then they sleep, and they get up and go again.

jennifer.vangrove@sduniontribune.com (619) 293-1840 Twitter: @jbruin
As the holiday shopping season begins, San Diego County is urging consumers to double check receipts to make sure they are not overcharged at the cash register.

Last year, about one of every six businesses that were inspected by county personnel charged more than was listed for an item, an error that can add up during the business retail season of the year.

To prevent overcharges, county officials recommend shoppers review their receipts to make sure that the price they were charged is the price listed. If theres a discrepancy, they should immediately alert the stores manager.

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Also, as purchases are totaled, stores are required to display an items cost at the register. County officials say to watch the display for inconsistencies.

Another recommendation: bring a copy of advertisements for a sale to the store. Businesses cant legally charge more than the lowest price they have advertised, posted or quoted, county officials said.

Issues can be reported to the countys Department of Agriculture, Weights and Measures by calling (888) 878-3722 or emailing sdcawm@sdcounty.ca.gov.

State law requires stores be inspected about every three years. The countys Department of Agriculture, Weights and Measures inspects businesses to make sure optical scanners are accurate, scales are properly calibrated and that customers are given accurate bills.

An analysis by The San Diego Union-Tribune of county data from 2012 through 2014 showed that some stores had more overcharging incidents than others. The analysis found Sears and its outlet stores overcharged on 15.7 percent of the 197 items purchased by county inspectors during that time period. Of the overcharges, most occurred at the Sears Outlet on Vista Way in Oceanside.

Fashion retailer H&M wasnt too far behind: 14.4 percent of the 216 items purchased by inspectors between 2012 and 2014 were overcharged, according to the Union-Tribune analysis. One storefront in Escondido overcharged on six of seven items.

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Twitter: @jptstewart

joshua.stewart@sduniontribune.com

(619) 293-1841
Roughly 100 people rallied in Old Poway Park late Saturday morning to urge the City Council to reconsider its decision to deny Habitat for Humanitys 22-unit veterans housing project.

We come here to attempt to undo what I believe was an injustice that has befallen our veterans, who after giving so much to this country have been denied the simple right to buy a home in a proposed low-to-moderate income housing project right here around the bend, right beside that hill, said Poway Deputy Mayor Jim Cunningham.

Cunningham and Councilman John Mullin, who attended the rally, voted for the project on Nov. 15. But after hours of often emotional debate they saw it defeated 3-2.

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Now Cunningham  in what he says is a call to action  is trying to get at least one of those council members who voted the project down to reconsider.

Fliers with the personal phone numbers, email addresses, Twitter handles and Facebook links of all three dissenting council members were distributed to the crowd.

Mayor Steve Vaus and Councilmen Barry Leonard and Dave Grosch denied the project for several reasons, chief of which were traffic concerns and cost.

In the planning stages for about three years, the project would have been built on a city-owned vacant lot on Twin Peaks Road roughly 300 feet west of Espola Road. But residents of the area turned out in force during several meetings to protest, saying traffic along Twin Peaks is already terrible.

Worries about Habitats ability to make sure the complex would be limited only to veterans or active military were also voiced, as were concerns about the city having to kick in $800,000 for the project and the land.

Michael Cunningham, chancellor of the National University System and Jim Cunninghams younger brother, helped organize the rally and pledged $100,000 of his own money toward the project in hopes of changing the minds of the dissenting council members.

Several others, including Rep. Scott Peters, D-San Diego, and former state assembly member Nathan Fletcher, also spoke during the rally, which was held around the parks gazebo.

We need to turn the hearts of the City Council, Peters said.

We dont forget our veterans. We dont leave them behind.

Vaus said Saturday there is no chance the decision will be revisited.

All three of us are on the record saying we stand by our votes, he said.

Poways commitment to veterans is unwavering, Vaus said. Im looking forward to the meeting Ive scheduled with a preeminent developer of affordable housing for veterans. Im confident well be able to find a site suitable for such a project, and Poway will continue its proud tradition of honoring our heroes.

Grosch said his vote wont change.

Im a Vietnam veteran, he said. I am the vice commander of our local VFW. I just did not feel this project was up to the highest standards that our veterans deserve. Too many issues, too many concerns.

We can and we will do better, he said.

jharry.jones@sduniontribune.com; 760/529-4931; Twitter: @jharryjones
A mysterious pest has damaged willows along the Escondido Creek Watershed, leaving conservation officials scrambling for answers to the die-off.

Officials with the Escondido Creek Conservancy originally feared the damage was caused by the shot hole borer beetle, which attacks 137 tree species including willows, oaks and sycamores.

Tests at UC Riverside came back negative for a fungus associated with the beetle, but didnt reveal what could be threatening the watershed.

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.. It was found to not be the beetle  it was something else going on, said Ann Van Leer, executive director of the conservancy.

The problem began over the summer, when the Escondido Creek Conservancy learned that trees in Elfin Forest were rapidly wilting and dying, Van Leer said. Months later, the damage is especially visible near Questhaven and Harmony Grove Road  a spot that conservancy board member Leonard Wittwer called ground zeroof the infestation  where a tangled heap of branches lies in the creek bed. Blackened leaves droop from nearby trees.

When these things became infested, it was like someone turned their blow torch on and burned them, Wittwer said.

On Aug. 3, the conservancy closed the trails in the Los Cielos Preserve, out of fear that the invasive beetles could be causing the destruction.

The Kuroshio Shot Hole Borer has infested areas of coastal San Diego, according to the University of California Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources. The insect, an invasive species that originates from the highlands of Taiwan and Okinawa, decimated the Tijuana River Valley, where hundreds of thousands of denuded tree trunks stand in the place of formerly lush streamside habitat.

The collapse of willow groves ripples through the watersheds ecosystem, Van Leer said.

Willows are one of the key trees which support other plants and animals, she said. Its one of the foundation plants. A lot of birds and insects rely on the willows. Its an indicator species of the watershed.

The loss of those trees harms animals such as the least Bells vireo, an endangered songbird that lives along streams. And the stands of dead wood pose their own hazards to surrounding communities.

Its an ecological bummer and then becomes a fire hazard, Wittwer said.

Worried that Escondido Creek could suffer similar damage, the conservancy closed its trails to the public on Aug. 3, and submitted samples from the trees to plant pathologist Akif Eskalen at UC Riverside.

We didnt know, and we wanted to be very cautious, because we didnt want people and bicycles spreading the infection by moving through the area, Van Leer said.

They were surprised but relieved to find that the samples showed no signs of Fusarium fungus, which transports and spreads the beetle infestation. Instead, the lab found a different fungus, Phaeoacremonium.

The results only compounded the puzzle, however, since Phaeoacremonium is a slow-growing pest that isnt associated with sudden die-offs.

In communications with Dr. Eskalen, he was interested as to why our willows trees have died so quickly from this particular fungus, which is known to slowly kill trees, the conservancy stated on its website. He wondered if something else may additionally be affecting these willows.

Eskalen said he plans to visit the site on December 2, and hopes to get additional clues to the die-off.

This is a new disease that we havent figured out yet, he said. We still dont know what caused the decline of those willows.

After learning that the trees tested negative for the invasive beetles, the conservancy reopened the trails at Los Cielos. Theyre also looking for ways to help boost the trees resistance to the fungus, and plan to watch carefully for signs of renewed die-off next spring. In the meantime, officials urge hikers and cyclists to stay on the trails, keep dogs on leash, and never remove firewood from the preserve.

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deborah.brennan@sduniontribune.com Twitter@deborahsbrennan
Just under 83 years ago, the U.S. Congress repealed Prohibition, immediately putting thousands of underground speakeasy bars around the country out of business.

But for nostalgia-lovers who never got a chance to visit the clandestine cocktail clubs, a new speakeasy has quietly opened in an unmarked corner of an Oceanside restaurant.

On Oct. 27, the 101 Proof speakeasy debuted at the Urge Gastropub and Whiskey Bank at 2002 S. Coast Highway. The upscale 35-seat bar is accessed via a slotted metal door on the north side of the building, but only to patrons with a reservation and an old-fashioned key they collect at the reception desk inside Urge.

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The 101 Proof club is one of four speakeasy-style bars around San Diego that are accessed via hidden portals and sometimes secret passwords.They include Noble Experiment, hidden behind a door made from beer kegs in downtowns Neighborhood restaurant; False Idol, the new tiki oasis accessed through a walk-in refrigerator in Little Italys Craft & Commerce; Prohibition, an underground bar downtown accessed via a fake law office door; and the temporarily shuttered Charles Kenneth, a concrete bunker underneath Carlsbads Land & Water Co. restaurant, which really was used as a speakeasy during the Prohibition era.

Laura Leon, one of four bartenders at 101 Proof, said speakeasies have resurged in popularity in recent years because bar-goers are looking for something different.

Its an escape from the normal bar experience, said Leon, whose natty period uniform includes a brocade vest and bow tie. When people come in here, its a different reality. People say its like theyve entered Disneyland.

The 101 Proof club is the latest project for 3 Local Brothers (or 3LB), a hospitality company started in 2007 by Grant Tondro and siblings Zak and Nate Higson. Their businesses include Brothers Provisions, the Barrel Room wine bar, Mason Ale Works and Urge gastropubs in Rancho Bernardo and Oceanside.

The Oceanside Urge eatery opened in January in a building formerly occupied by an Adventure16 outdoor goods store, and before that, Bank of America. The speakeasy was built inside the old bank vault, which had been used as a storage area for many years.

The vaults steel safe door is one of many vintage decorations inside the month-old speakeasy. Theres a stamped copper ceiling, antique-style lamps, a replica Victrola and leaded-crystal decanters on the bar, antique spirits bottles on the walls and a section of hand-laid floor made entirely of pennies. Diners can sit at low and communal tables or belly up to the bar for an up-close look at old-fashioned cocktail-making.

There are 22 custom cocktails, priced from $11 to $16, that include modern takes on the Old Fashioned, Sidecar and even a tiki drink. Most incorporate sweet liqueurs and bitters, which Prohibition-era bartenders used in mixed drinks to mask the acrid flavor of the raw moonshine. There are also more than 100 whiskeys as well as beers on tap, and a limited menu of gourmet dishes like scallops, duck confit, roasted bone marrow and lamb chops, priced from $20-$22.

Even without advertising, 101 Proof has drawn a steady and growing clientele. Bartender Chad Lee said the club was filled to capacity on its third weekend. The customers, he said, range from their mid-20s to late 60s and are split evenly between men and women.

To re-create the authentic feel of a speakeasy, 101 Proof has a list of house rules, including no cell phones, no selfies, no public displays of affection and low speaking tones. Patrons can send a drink to someone theyre interested in, but cant hit on them. And theres a dress code, including no flip-flops, ripped jeans, T-shirts or ball caps.

Lee said that so far, patrons have been very respectful of the rules and some have arrived dressed to the nines in suits and flapper dresses.

Its been a lot of fun and theres so much good energy, he said. Some people nerd out on the cocktails and some just want to sit and enjoy the atmosphere, which isnt crowded or noisy. It keeps the vibe nice.

Among the patrons one night last week was April Williams, who with a friend had ordered an Old Fashioned and the top-selling Boom Tiki Tiki, which is served aflame.

I think this is a cool concept, she said. I like that its small and creatively designed and they have really good cocktails.

Leon said 101 Proof hosts dinners every month with cocktail and beer pairings and a ticketed party is planned on the Dec. 5 anniversary of Prohibitions repeal. Fans who cant get enough of the experience can buy annual memberships at $500 and $1,000 levels, with privileges that include a private booze locker, front-of-the-line privileges and more.

Hours at 101 Proof are 6 p.m. to midnight, Thursdays-Saturdays (closed on Thanksgiving). To make a reservation, visit 101proofoceanside.com, or ask at the Urge front desk about getting on the list. When 101 Proof reaches capacity each night, patrons can wait in the Urge bar for an opening.

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pam.kragen@sduniontribune.com
During four decades as a criminal defense attorney, Herb Weston has represented gang members, alleged rapists, even accused killers.

That kind of gritty career might seem unusual for someone who originally planned to be a priest until leaders at the Santa Barbara seminary he attended decided he was a bit too jovial for the job.

They said he laughed too much, the 65-year-old Weston recalls.

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Whatever his vocation, community involvement and caring for others has remained a core value for the Vista attorney and his family. Every year for the last 30 years, the Westons have hosted an annual benefit attended by local law enforcement officers, attorneys and others, who show up at his familys law firm to drop off donations of toys, clothes, blankets.

The family gathers a truckload of items each Christmas to give to a local charity. This year, the goods will go to St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church in Vista to help people and families in need.

Herbs daughter, Tanya  also a defense attorney, who practices alongside her dad  said the benefit is a natural fit for her family. The nature of their jobs means they come in contact not just with defendants but with their families  mothers and wives and children often facing financial hardship. Seeing that kind of need compels them to respond to it, they said.

We are in a position to give back to the community, Westons wife Jackie said, and we can make a difference.

Weston has handled more than 5,000 cases  some of them high-profile  over the last 37 years and his clients have included more than 50 people accused of murder.

One of those clients is a Fallbrook gang member accused in the 2015 beating death of an African American man who authorities said was attacked at random on the street. Prosecutors initially charged the murder as a hate crime, but Weston successfully argued to have that charge dismissed. Another client is Esteysi Sanchez, an Oceanside woman and undocumented immigrant accused driving drunk and plowing into a homeless man on a sidewalk  then continuing to drive with his lifeless body wedged in her car.

Though his cases sometimes make headlines, Weston focuses on the work and has become something on an institution in North County.

A Chicago native, he first moved West for seminary school in 1969. After a few months of meditating on mountaintops, he left the seminary and followed his parents to upper Michigan, where he enrolled in college and drew a low number in the draft. While researching how to obtain a deferment, Weston discovered a love for the law.

Where else do they pay you to talk, to try to convince somebody what to believe in? Weston said with a laugh.

After college, in 1973 he and Jackie decided to move to Vista, a warm place where Herb had some friends. The couple was poor and their first Christmas tree was a little twig tree with no lights, one they grabbed when a local store tossed it in the trash.

To pay bills, Weston spent about six months selling high-end family Bibles  $99.99 in the early 1970s  to young Marines. There were times when he was attending California Western School of Law in San Diego that the family didnt have enough food for their five children, and once even lived in their van for a week. Jackie, who grew up poor, credits the community for helping, and recognizing that they were not freeloaders.

Little by little, career success would come. In the 1990s, Weston landed his first murder case. The jury cleared his client of first-degree murder, and deadlocked on lesser charges. She was later convicted of second-degree murder.

All criminal defense attorneys routinely face the same question: How can you represent a guilty person? Like many of his colleagues, Weston said, he rarely asks his clients if they are guilty. If the government accuses someone of a crime, they had better be ready to prove it, he said. Its his job to make them do so.

I am more worried that a person is going to be convicted wrongly than a guilty person is going to get off, Weston said.

He sighs when he recalls one case in the early 1980s when a client was convicted of a role in the aftermath of a murder. I was absolutely convinced he was innocent, Weston said. It was one of the biggest injustices.

Still he said, typically things go as they should. I really, really believe in our justice system, in our jury system.

Nearing retirement age, Weston said hes tapping the brakes a bit on his case load  then quickly adds that hes got another five years of law practice in him.

When he does step aside, the family business will live on. About dozen years ago, his daughter joined his practice.

She is five times better than I was, Weston said. She just knows more than I did. I was lucky to find a courtroom door.

Tanya Weston, who just turned 40, said shes been watching her father in the courtroom since she was a child, and worked with him on a murder trial in her first year in practice.

Not every attorney is a good attorney, and I happened to get so lucky and get the best, she said of her fathers tutelage. And to be his daughter to work with him  its the best.

teri.figueroa@sduniontribune.com

Twitter: @TeriFigueroaUT
Donald Trump is branded with all manner of unflattering labels, but one that hasnt seemed to much bother him is climate pariah.

The president-elect is unabashed in his disdain for Americas global warming policy. He has placed a staunch climate-change doubter and antagonist of mainstream science in charge of reshaping  or as Trump has suggested, dismantling  the Environmental Protection Agency. He has talked frequently about reneging on the historic Paris global climate treaty the U.S. took a lead in drafting. And he has said he wants every federal green-energy program eliminated.

Environmentalists take little comfort in Trumps recent comments that he accepts there is some connectivity between human activity and climate change and that he has an open mind about it, as what hes said elsewhere and done so far suggests otherwise.

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And even those comments gave scientists cause for alarm. You can make a lot of cases for different views, Trump told the New York Times, casting doubt on the finding by more than 90% of climate scientists that emissions are accelerating global warming. Im not sure anybody is ever going to really know.

Yet few things on Trumps confrontational agenda put him more quickly on a collision course with the rest of the world, much of his own country and even some in his own party than his stated desire to abandon the fight against global warming. The looming assault on environmental regulation will test the resilience of Californias leadership role in the world, which is defined in large part by aggressive action on climate change that became a blueprint for the Obama administration.

Donald Trump will be about the only head of state who does not believe in climate science or the responsibility of his government to act, said Michael Brune, executive director of the Sierra Club, which signed up more members in the week after Trump won the election than during the rest of 2016 combined. This makes the Bush-Cheney administration look like it came from an environmental training camp.

But Trump may be picking a tougher fight than he knows. The last time the White House made the kind of retreat Trump envisions  when President Bush walked away from the Kyoto protocol in 2001  the policy landscape of climate change was drastically different.

Much of the action on climate change in this country no longer plays out in federal agencies but at local commissions enforcing laws in 29 states that push public utilities to go green. Their mandates are to encourage investment in cleaner plants and technology development.

Major U.S. trading partners that signed on to the nearly 200-nation accord reached in Paris last year are already signaling that they will retaliate if the United States backs out, possibly by slapping environmental trade tariffs onto some American products.

Bailing on the deal could also increase the influence of China, itself once a chief climate pariah and now a green-energy powerhouse and lead instigator of international climate agreements. Trump is poised to create a leadership vacuum in the fight against climate change that would only expand Beijings reach, Chinese officials say.

None of those potential consequences faze the free-market think tanks urging Trump to go rogue. Just weeks ago, these groups were on the lonely fringe, pursuing an agenda written off as wacky by the mainstream science community, but now find themselves helping drive policy at the highest levels.

We disagree with President Obama that climate change is the end-all and we ought to reorient the global economy around this phenomenon, said William Yeatman, a senior fellow at the Competitive Enterprise Institute.

One of the organizations most outspoken scholars, Myron Ebell, was tasked by Trump to oversee the transition to the new administration at the EPA. Ebell accuses the mainstream science community of unnecessarily alarming the public about global warming. Where many erstwhile allies abandoned that position in the face of mounting evidence to the contrary, Ebell doubled down. Last year, he attacked the call by Pope Francis for action on climate change as scientifically ill-informed, economically illiterate, intellectually incoherent and morally obtuse.

That Ebell is now setting the direction of the EPA is horrifying to no small number of policymakers and scientists who have worked on this issue since even before the Kyoto talks. Some dont even accept it. They expect Ebell will stir so much public outrage that his influence in the new administration will quickly wane.

He is a fanatical ideologue, said David Doniger, who directs the climate program at the Natural Resources Defense Council. If this were a corporation, would you turn a sales unit over to a nut like that?

But Trump, who shook up his transition team after winning the election, has left Ebell in charge of the shift at the EPA and may keep him in place to run the agency. Trumps transition team did not respond to a request to interview Ebell.

In California, state officials are already dusting off their playbooks from the George W. Bush years, when the state launched its ambitious climate agenda in spite of the White House. The states clean-energy start-ups and innovation labs are redrafting business plans to focus on serving customers in places likely to be more hospitable to green tech during the Trump administration. Home-grown California technologies thought to be destined for Pittsburgh or Cincinnati may now divert to Paris or Shanghai.

I dont see this impacting California one bit, said Yuan-Sheng Yu, an analyst at Lux Research who wrote a report on the future of climate policy under Trump. California has made clear it is going to move forward regardless of who is president, just as it did before Obama.

Trump faces an even more politically daunting barrier: many fellow Republicans. Generous federal tax credits for wind and solar production have provided an economic boost to states red and blue alike. Republican Sen. Charles E. Grassley of Iowa put Trump on notice, saying this year that only over my dead body would Congress allow a repeal of the wind tax credits Trump has proposed eliminating.

Still, U.S. greenhouse gas emissions, which have been dropping for years, are projected to turn sharply upward under Trump, according to the Lux report, even as California and many other states push ahead with their climate plans.

For starters, Trumps agenda would enable unfettered operation of Americas most polluting power plants. Obamas Clean Power Plan  which Trump said he will immediately kill  aimed to shut those down. Without those federal regulations in place, states resistant to the California-type approach are free again to go their own way.

Combine that with Trumps plan to strip all subsidies for green power, and add a Trump environmental agenda that includes none of the aggressive goals Hillary Clinton set for accelerating solar installations, and the amount of carbon released into the environment surges.

The public remains alarmed by climate change, and Trump will pay a heavy political price if he proceeds, environmental groups warned.

But even the climate contrarians at the Competitive Enterprise Institute are skeptical about how far he will go. Yeatman pointed to a postelection report in an energy industry publication that said Trump is already putting on the back burner his plan to end the wind and solar subsidies driving so much of Americas green economy.

And the energy plan the Trump campaign has now posted on its website also concerns him. Along with a massive surge in fossil fuel production, Trump promises to make full use of renewable energy sources.

And on Tuesday, Trump walked back a few more steps. Asked whether he was dead set on abandoning the Paris accord, the president-elect wavered. Im looking at it very closely, he said. I have an open mind to it.

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Theres a story about a famous photographer who was a guest at a dinner party. The host said to him, Oh, I love your photos! You must have a wonderful camera. At the end of the dinner as the photographer was thanking his host for her hospitality, he commented, I loved your pie. You must have a wonderful oven!

As someone who cooks and bakes for company, you know that your masterpieces owe their flavor to your skill, not your appliances, but a well-equipped kitchen can definitely make entertaining easier and more successful. This is especially true during the holidays, and though its too late to replace appliances or cabinetry for this season, you can still add some great gear to help with the feasts still to come this year.

Organizing tools

The last thing you want when youre cooking is to be hunting for the pot or pan you need  you know, the one you only use once or twice a year! If its buried in the back of a blind corner cabinet, that search might involve kneepads and flashlight. But it doesnt need to anymore. There are terrific cabinet organizers for awkward corners, the otherwise useless cabinet above your double oven or refrigerator, or that narrow base door cabinet thats too skinny to hold your favorite skillets.

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If youre short on cabinet or countertop space, backsplash organizers can tap into unused kitchen real estate and hold spices, knives, paper towels and other small items. Place those where youll use their contents most conveniently  like your mixing spoons near the cooktop for stirring pots on the burners.

Back-of-door shelves can hold cleaning items below the sink, canned goods in a pantry, cooking gadgets in a cabinet near the range, etc. Like backsplash organizers, these, too, tap into otherwise wasted space.

There are also newer organizer types to hold your tablet or smartphone securely while youre cooking from to your favorite recipe app. Having it placed at a comfortable viewing angle like The Container Stores Tablet & eReader Stand can keep food or water off the screen while making it easier to read, and make it less likely to fall and break.

Small appliances and gear

Jean at DelightfulRepast.com, a popular cooking blog, observes: When cooking for a crowd, home cooks always feel the need for more burners and more oven space. An extra burner or two is always a welcome addition to the holiday kitchen.

One option she suggests is a double electric burner. Another option is a portable induction burner, like a high wattage pro model from Fagor, which can get food on the table faster if you have induction-friendly cookware. There are larger countertop convection toaster ovens that can give you a small bonus oven. Consider a steam upgrade to give yourself a new combi-steam countertop oven without remodeling your kitchen.

A gadget I wouldnt want to be without at any celebration is the Shenkitchen Professional Wine Opener Corkscrew, a very affordable opener that removes a cork quicker and more easily than any of the dozens Ive tried, the blogger adds.

Another gadget thats becoming popular with home cooks is the spiralizer. This relatively new tool from Bed, Bath & Beyonds Holiday Lookbook helps you turn vegetables into ribbons and other decorative shapes for healthier (and quite pretty) pasta alternatives.

An older favorite that can help prepare more dishes than youd imagine is the slow cooker. Programmable models have been around for a while, letting you cook while youre at work, but the latest innovation is smartphone operation. Models like Crock-Pot-6-Quart WeMo Enabled Smart Slow Cooker, a popular offering at Best Buy, adds the ability to program it from your iPhone or Android.

Brian Malarkey, chef and partner of Herb & Wood, shares, I love getting my kids involved in meal prep, especially during the holidays when we are hosting family and friends and making a big meal for our guests. Kitchen Aids mini mixer is perfect for this since its lighter and easier to manage. Plus its a perfect additional tool when you are preparing multiple courses and need to use appliances several times throughout the day. While I use the standard size mixer to make pastas or bread, my kids can use the mini mixer to make cookies or muffins.

If you lack the space for a full-size mixer, or the upper-body strength to lift it on and off a counter, the new mini mixer can be a great alternative for your kitchen.

Celestina Campo Ford, chef and co-owner of A Moveable Feast in Coronado, loves her Cuisinart Elemental 13-Cup Dicing Food Processor: I cant live without this small appliance  professionally and personally! It chops, slices, dices, shreds. From tomatoes to nuts and everything in between. It not only saves me hours and hours, but it also saves me from fatigue to my arms, hands and shoulders, which allows me more time to enjoy my guests and relax. Thats super-helpful when youre cooking yourself for large groups, dont you think?

Last words

Fatigue seems almost inevitable when youre standing for hours in front of a range or cooktop getting a holiday dinner ready, then loading the dishwasher afterward. Its even worse if you have tile floors in your kitchen. An anti-fatigue mat can really help soften the impact on your feet, legs, hips and back. There are decorative styles from brands like Wellness Mats that can really make your cooking a more comfortable, less tiring experience while looking good on your floor. Hopefully, these tips  especially those from the pros  will help make your holiday entertaining easier, more delicious and even more fun.

Gold is a Certified Kitchen Designer in San Diego and the author of New Kitchen Ideas That Work and the upcoming New Bathroom Idea Book (Taunton Press). She also blogs at jgkitchens.com.
Kurese Bell was 17 when he was charged with murder.

Despite his age, his case was handled in adult criminal court based on a determination that both he and the crime he was accused of committing were not suited for the juvenile system.

Until recently, state law allowed prosecuting agencies in California  including the San Diego County District Attorneys Office  to make those determinations in certain cases without taking the issue to a judge first. Its a process known as direct filing.

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But that changed when voters on Nov. 8 approved Proposition 57. In addition to speeding up parole consideration for non-violent felons, the measure does away with direct filing, meaning a Juvenile Court judge has to determine whether its appropriate for a minor in a specific case to be tried as an adult.

Bell, now 20, was convicted of first-degree murder, attempted murder and other charges in connection with two San Diego robberies, one of which ended in a shootout at a North Park medical marijuana dispensary. His lawyer is now asking for a new trial, arguing that Proposition 57 should apply to Bells case retroactively, and should be transferred and tried again in Juvenile Court.

Proposition 57 is likely to affect defendants in dozens of direct-filed cases now pending throughout the state, including a handful in San Diego County. Some have already made requests to have their cases moved to Juvenile Court.

District attorneys throughout California will now have to decide whether to fight to keep in the adult system cases involving minors that were already filed there.

Bonnie Dumanis, the states lone district attorney who supported the ballot measure, said San Diego County will oppose transferring those cases. She estimated about four are pending.

Obviously there were reasons why we chose not to file in the Juvenile Court, she said, adding that her offices position on Proposition 57 is that it applies only to cases filed after voters approved the initiative.

Dumanis, who spent years as a Juvenile Court judge, said she supported Proposition 57, at least in part, because it aligned with her own long-held beliefs about how cases involving minors should be handled in their early stages.

In most cases involving the most serious crimes, such as murder, rape, arson or robbery, a judge will hold what is known as a fitness hearing to determine whether a minor should be prosecuted in adult court. That decision is based on several criteria, including the type of crime the minor is accused of committing, the minors criminal history and whether he or she is likely to be rehabilitated.

I always thought that its more appropriate for a judge to hear both sides as to why a juvenile should be treated as an adult, she said.

Bell is not the only young offender in San Diego to request a transfer hearing to the Juvenile Court after Proposition 57 was passed. However, he may be the only one who did so post-conviction. A jury found him guilty of the felony charges in February, but he has yet to be sentenced.

Its definitely a unique position, said attorney Patrick Dudley, who took over Bells case after the trial. He explained in court documents that the potential for a much shorter sentence is the very reason why the initiative should apply retroactively in Bells case.

The dynamics of him being in the Juvenile Court versus the adult court are tremendous, he said in an interview, noting that Bell faces decades behind bars on the murder conviction alone.

Hes likely to not have a parole date for 25 years, Dudley said.

San Diego Superior Court Judge Lorna Alksne is expected to consider the request for a new trial at a Dec. 9 hearing. If the motion is denied, the sentencing will go forward.

The decision about whether a young person is prosecuted as a juvenile or as an adult is at its core a question about punishment, Dudley wrote in court documents. In California, he said, it determines whether a young person can be confined up to age 23  which is when the Juvenile Court would lose jurisdiction in Bells case  or possibly for life.

Dubbed the Public Safety and Rehabilitation Act of 2016, Proposition 57 made several changes to state law, including allowing prison inmates serving time for non-violent felony offenses to be considered for release earlier than they would have previously.

Specifically, the initiative requires an inmate serving time for non-violent offenses to be eligible for parole consideration after serving the full prison term for his or her primary offense and before serving any additional time for other crimes or sentencing enhancements.

The initiative also allows the state Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to award custody credits to inmates for good behavior and other achievements. That authority had belonged previously to the Legislature.

Gov. Jerry Brown championed the initiative, one of several criminal justice reforms he has supported in an ongoing effort to reduce prison overcrowding and better prepare non-violent offenders to re-enter society.

The proposition was endorsed by Dumanis, Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom, a number of retired Superior Court judges and the American Civil Liberties Union.

It was opposed by San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer and more than 50 district attorneys from around the state, as well as dozens of law enforcement associations, most of whom focused their arguments on the prospect of early parole and release for certain inmates. They argued that Proposition 57 would make every home, every neighborhood, every school less safe.

Bell was tried in January on felony charges linked to two armed robberies in 2014: one at Illusions Smoke Shop in Rolando on April 21, 2014, and another four days later at Greener Alternative medical marijuana dispensary in North Park.

Prosecutors said Bell and another young man, Marlon Thomas, were gang members and drug dealers who hit the dispensary because they needed to re-up on their marijuana supply. The heist didnt go as planned, and they got into a shootout with a security guard inside the building.

The guard suffered a gunshot wound to his pelvis but survived.

Thomas, 18, was fatally wounded. Bell was charged with murder in his accomplices death because it occurred during a robbery.

A Superior Court jury deliberated about a day before finding him guilty.

dana.littlefield@sduniontribune.com

Twitter: @danalittlefield
A malfunctioning stove started a kitchen fire that displaced a family of five in Clairemont Friday night, a fire official said.

The blaze sparked about 10 p.m. in a unit at a two-story apartment building on Caminito Aguilar, a cul-de-sac off Mount Aguilar Drive, said San Diego Fire-Rescue Department spokesman Lee Swanson.

Firefighters saw smoke coming from the first-floor home when they arrived, Swanson said. Crews contained the fire to the kitchen and extinguished it within 20 minutes.

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No one was injured.

The stove had been on even though the knobs were turned off, Swanson said.

The Red Cross was called to assist a family composed of two adults and three children, Swanson said. Other residents were temporarily evacuated.

Investigators had not estimated how much damage the blaze caused.

Twitter: @D4VIDHernandez
A hit-and-run victim suffering life-threatening head trauma was found lying in a gutter in Lake Murray Saturday morning.

The pedestrian was walking across Blue Lake Drive about 6 a.m. when he was struck by a vehicle turning left from Jackson Drive, San Diego police said.

The driver fled in an unknown direction. A passerby discovered the victim, who appeared to be in his 50s, lying in a gutter, police said.

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He was taken to a hospital with life-threatening injuries.

Police did not release a description of the vehicle or driver.

Breaking News

kristina.davis@sduniontribune.com

Twitter: @kristinadavis
San Diego Countys three animal shelters have opened on Sundays in response to long-standing complaints from volunteers.

Shelters in Bonita, San Diego and Carlsbad now offer adoptions from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Sundays under a 90-day test program that began last month. County officials said they planned to re-evaluate the project early next year.

The residents of San Diego and volunteers at the regional shelters asked the county Board of Supervisors and the Department of Animal Services leadership to be open on Sundays, county spokesman Michael Workman said in a statement.

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After independent consultant review and research on government-run shelters across the state, the county Board of Supervisors approved conducting a three-month pilot to be open on Sundays and evaluate the results, he added.

It is not clear how effective the Sunday hours have been in adopting out animals since they began late last month.

The added hours for the pilot project will cost the county just under $300,000. If the program is extended, it would cost $1.2 million next year, Workman said.

The change came after stories in The San Diego Union-Tribune detailed a spate of complaints from volunteers, including that shelters werent open on Sundays when families are more likely to be able to adopt a pet.

The volunteers also complained that adoptable dogs and cats were being killed to free up more kennel space, and dogs that could be adopted were left to languish in cages for days at a time.

In response to the reports, county officials hired an independent consultant. The Arboreta Group spent several weeks interviewing staff, volunteers and others before issuing a report containing 24 recommendations.

Most of the suggestions focused on improving communications and collaboration with volunteers who donate thousands of hours a year to the shelters.

Bonnie Kutch volunteered for the county for years before giving up and moving over to the San Diego Humane Society. She said recruiting and retaining enough volunteers to walk dogs remains a persistent problem.

This is unhealthy for the dogs, particularly the housebroken dogs who will hold it in for days at a time, Kutch said. It is also detrimental to the emotional well-being of the dogs, many who eventually go kennel crazy and become harder to adopt because of it.

Volunteers at the San Diego Humane Society walk dogs multiple times a day, as recommended by the Association of Shelter Veterinarians, Kutch said.

Dawn Danielson, longtime director of the county Department of Animal Services, defended the practices inside the shelters.

Its nice to get the dogs out, but its not required, she said in an interview last year. We want them to be able to urinate and defecate in their kennels because it helps prevent infections.

Several volunteers told the Union-Tribune that animals were being killed unnecessarily and raised other concerns with department managers. They requested they not be identified by name because other volunteers who have spoken out were kicked out of the program.

They also complained about no longer having access to kennels, meaning they wait 10 or 15 minutes for someone to unlock cages before walking animals. They also say more experienced volunteers were passed over for a committee set up to provide feedback to managers.

Many volunteers are giving up and not coming in anymore, said one such volunteer. Management denies that volunteers have quit and that anyone is anything but thrilled with all the changes, but that is far from the truth.

Workman said some new practices have bothered some volunteers but they are helping.

Change can be difficult for some, he said. The county heard some complaints about signing in and out every shift, but overall things are improving.

Melanie Murnane donates her time at the North County shelter in Carlsbad. She said she has noticed specific improvements in the past year, specifically being able to foster dogs at home so they are more adoptable.

This is an important program that gives the dogs a much needed break and provides valuable information that can be shared with adopters, she said.

Murnane said the rules also should be consistent across the department and enforced the same by all department managers.

Things that benefit the animals welfare such as play groups, overnight fostering, the ability to walk dogs off county property and kiddie pools to play in on hot days have not been allowed at all three shelters, depending on who the supervisor is at the time, she said. That doesnt make sense. If its allowed at one campus, it should be allowed at all of them.

Longtime volunteer Leslie Davies said she is grateful the shelters are open for adoptions on Sundays, but she worries that more people do not know about the change in business hours.

How is it going to be successful when they did almost nothing to get the word out? she asked. This should have been all over the news.

Workman said the announcement was sent to several news outlets, including the Union-Tribune. It also was posted on the County News Center website.

RELATED:

 Volunteers object to animal shelter practices

 Shelter cats killed over limited space

 County animal shelters retain outside help

 Animal shelter report calls for volunteer collaboration

RELATED

Beagles rescued from puppy mill arrive at Encinitas shelter

jeff.mcdonald@sduniontribune.com (619) 293-1708 @sdutMcDonald
When scores from the spring 2016 California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress were released, they revealed that across the board, scores were up relative to 2015: some 5 percentage points higher in English language arts/literacy and 4 points higher in math. In noting the improvement, state Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson emphasized the momentum the states education system now has as it prepares students for careers and college.

Indeed, the California students performance improved markedly, but the cold hard fact remains that less than half of Californias students met or exceeded the established standards. Only 37 percent of those tested met or exceeded standards in math; 49 percent of those tested met or exceeded standards in English.

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Although rightfully proud of our students improvement, we should ask, just how well are Californias kids doing relative to those in other states?

California adopted the Common Core State Standards in 2010 and joined the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC) in 2011. SBAC was established by a group of states that agreed to use a common assessment and, as important, to establish consistent achievement standards across the states in the consortium. With uniform standards, the SBAC assessments provide each member state with a consistent, interstate measuring stick.

Of the 15 SBAC states that reported scores in 2015, Californias students ranked 15th in English and 14th in math. The 2015 assessment, thus, provided further evidence for what has long been known: nationally, Californias kids sit near the bottom of the performance ladder.

In 2016, Californias scores improved, as they did in states around the country. In each of the 12 SBAC states that reported scores in both 2015 and 2016, performance rose in English and, but for Nevada, in math as well. (Nevadas 2015 scores may have been artificially high because the assessments from Clark County, a low-performing county and, by far, the states largest county, were not included in the 2015 results.)

What is impressive is the improvement in Californias relative rankings. Among the 12 states, California rose to the 10th position in both math and English (and was only 1 percentage point away from rising to ninth in English). Californias students improvement in math was greater than in any other state, and they tied for the greatest improvement in English.

Also encouraging is that Californias younger students, who performed woefully in 2015, made incredible improvements. The 2016 results show that Californias fifth-, sixth-, seventh- and eighth graders, though still near the bottom of the distribution, moved up.

Cohort analysis further supports these findings. The analysis is done by comparing the scores of, for example, students in third grade in 2015 to their scores as fourth-graders in 2016  essentially the same group (cohort) of students.

In every grade for both English and math, Californias students improved more than the average of the 12 states; in most cases, Californias improvement was among the top three.

After years of public school malaise and student underperformance, has California turned the corner? Based on two years worth of data, it would be premature and irresponsible to make definitive pronouncements. The good news is that we might be doing something right. The sobering news is that we still have a long way to go.

California must be an education innovator. Multiple studies indicate that parental involvement helps students, and California has taken a step in that direction. One step is the 2013 Local Control Funding Formula, which gives local school districts and individual schools more autonomy and discretion in the use of school funds. As Michael Kirst, president of the California State Board of Education, observed, the theory of local control is to bring the democracy bottom up rather than top down.

With that authority, local school districts and school administrators should provide the opportunity for more parental involvement and can do so with only marginal changes. Schedule parent-teacher conferences in the evening, not during the parents workday. To do so may require on-site day care  a low-cost, worthy investment. There should be regular communications between principals, teachers, and parents that, among other things, establish goals, outline homework expectations, and provide classroom schedules. Districts should provide after-school programs with academic content, essentially extending the school day. On a broader level, the California Department of Education should consider a longer school year.

Mr. Torlakson praised the hard work  of Californias teachers, parents, school employees, and administrators. The 2016 results are encouraging, but the work is far from done; Californias students still have a steep hill to climb.

Sousa is a research fellow at the Hoover Institution, Stanford University. He is the co-author of School Figures: The Data Behind the Debate and co-editor of What Lies Ahead for Americas Children and Their Schools.

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It is hard for scientists to comprehend what Donald Trumps election and policies will mean for the environment, the science related to global warming and climate change, and the habitability of major parts of the Earth. Trump seems to lack any interest, understanding or appreciation of core science issues, especially those dealing with climate change, and he has called climate change a hoax perpetuated by the Chinese to undermine the United States industrial potential. Sen. Jim Inhofe, R-Oklahoma, as well as numerous other Republican members of Congress, has echoed the hoax claim. In contrast, congressional Democrats are mostly aligned with the view that climate change is perhaps the most important issue we face with respect to the future quality of life, the health of the environment and national security.

It is important to define of what the terms mean. Global warming refers to the increasing surface temperature of the Earths surface as a result of increasing levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide associated with fossil fuel emissions. Climate change, on the other hand, refers to how this warming affects components of the Earths biosphere, ocean and atmosphere systems. There have been snide comments by various climate change denier groups that because global warming is not taking place, scientists changed the name to climate change. However, there are long-term temperature records that clearly show that global temperatures have increased in the last several decades to values not seen in more than 800,000 years. A recent report in the journal Science shows how climate change has already impacted 82 percent of the ecosystems evaluated.

Well-organized climate change denier groups are largely supported by fossil fuel-based energy industries and wealthy industrialists. Their mode of operation is to attack scientists who publicly speak out on the climate change issue, especially those who suggest how to deal with this in the most effective way (i. e., cuts in carbon dioxide emissions by power plants, decreasing our use of fossil fuels, etc.). As I noted in a 2013 op-ed in this newspaper, I know firsthand about these venomous, coordinated attacks. One of the things they always seem to mention is that I (and climate scientists in general) do not understand the scientific method.

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Lets test how climate change stacks up with respect to the scientific method. As the great physicist Richard Feynman noted: It doesnt matter how beautiful your theory is, it doesnt matter how smart you are. If it doesnt agree with experiment, its wrong. For climate change, the basic theory is that atmospheric carbon dioxide absorbs some of the energy emitted by the Earth that would be otherwise lost to space. The more carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, the warmer the Earth becomes. As a net affect of this absorption, there is a warming of the overall surface of the Earth. Famous scientists such as Joseph Fourier and John Tyndall first proposed this in the 19th century. In 1896, Svante Arrhenius developed a model to demonstrate how differing amounts of atmospheric carbon dioxide influence global surface temperatures and established the basic concepts of climate change. As noted by F.B. Mudge in 1997, at the turn of the century, the theory of global climate change from increasing atmospheric carbon dioxide levels was widely accepted. It had also been suggested that carbon dioxide was accumulating in the atmosphere from coal combustion. The term Greenhouse effect was first used by Arrheniuss colleague Nils Ekholm in 1901 in the Quarterly Journal of the Royal Meteorological Society. Today, there is a huge body of evidence published in worldwide scientific journals that supports the carbon dioxide climate change concept.

The climate change deniers often ask me, what experimental evidence do I personally have that shows the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere influences Earths surface temperatures? My answer to their question is simple: Read the extensive science literature on the role of carbon dioxide in regulating the Earths temperature. Moreover, humanity is doing the ultimate experiment: With the release of carbon dioxide from fossil fuel burning and its accumulation in the atmosphere, scientists have been able to observe firsthand how global surface temperatures respond.

It is not a coincidence that over the last several years, as atmospheric carbon dioxide levels have reached record levels in the Keeling curve, there have been record high global temperatures, with 2016 shaping up to be the warmest ever measured.

As a glimpse of things to come, Trump has appointed Myron Ebell to lead his EPA transition team. Ebell does not have a degree in any science field and has been called the Superstar of the Denialosphere. In a 2006 article in Forbes, Ebell wrote higher temperatures are killing people who are likely to die soon anyway. This is not a good sign.

Bada is a distinguished professor of marine chemistry, emeritus, at Scripps Institution of Oceanography.

Want to see more letters that appear only online? Follow @UTLetters on Twitter and UTOpinion on Facebook.
As The Washington Post columnist David Ignatius and others have noted, President-elect Donald Trump has steadily backed away from some controversial campaign positions. In his interview this week with staffers at The New York Times, the billionaire developer sounded like a different man, praising President Barack Obama and opponent Hillary Clinton and talking about the need to unite a divided nation.

Many will never forgive Trump for his grossly offensive rhetoric, behavior and history  but like it or not, his normalization by the media is well under way. He won the Electoral College, and as president-elect  outside of his Hamilton and Saturday Night Live dust-ups  hes sounded a lot more like moderate Republicans of the 1970s and 1980s than the fire-breathing conservatives Americans have seen as both parties became more rigid.

Now Trump has a chance to make his most reassuring move yet: nominating Mitt Romney  another Republican who feels from a different generation  to be secretary of state. Apart from his two failed bids for the presidency, Romney has been successful at every high-profile job he has had. The Harvard MBA and law school graduate co-founded and ran a successful investment firm, Bain Capital. He helped Bain & Company, a previous employer, return to profitability after the management consultant firm went downhill following his move to Bain Capital. He was a leader of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Boston organization. He was brought in to serve as CEO and president of Salt Lake Citys faltering 2002 Winter Olympics organizing committee and won national praise for orchestrating a successful winter games. As governor of Massachusetts from 2003 to 2007, he won high marks and was instrumental in winning adoption of a state health insurance reform measure that was superior to the federal version enacted in 2010.

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In short, he has been an even-keeled, problem-solving technocrat. Beyond that, he offers Trump, whose affinity for Russian President Vladimir Putin would be a running joke if it werent so dangerous, his best chance to lessen worries; in 2012, Romney called Russia our greatest geopolitical foe.

Romney may not have the foreign-policy background of other perceived secretary of state candidates such as former U.N. Ambassador John Bolton, but he is well-traveled and has established relationships with many foreign leaders, including a friendship with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that dates back to the 1970s, when both men were rising stars at the Boston Consulting Group.

Yet because Romney harshly criticized Trump during the GOP primary, some Trump staffers are taking potshots at him and pushing former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, a prominent and outspoken Trump supporter. Americans remain grateful for Giulianis inspirational resolve in the wake of the 9/11 attacks, but he is not in Romneys league when it comes to temperament and depth of experience.

Trump appears to recognize that Romney has the gravitas to be the face of American diplomacy to the world  and he doesnt seem as thin-skinned as some of his aides. If the president-elect chose Romney, it wouldnt just reassure jumpy Americans.

It would reassure a jumpy world.

Twitter: @sdutIdeas

Facebook: UTOpinion
Regarding No, we cant scrap the Electoral College or make it choose Clinton (Nov. 16): The Electoral College was not created to rubber stamp the popular vote. Instead, it was intended to protect our country from a demagogue such as Trump. The Federalist Papers, the Constitution and the opinions of the Supreme Court unequivocally demonstrate this.

Letters and commentary policy

The U-T welcomes and encourages community dialogue on important public matters. Please visit this page for more details on our letters and commentaries policy.

E-mail letters@sduniontribune.com

Mail: Andrew Kleske, Reader Outreach Editor San Diego Union-Tribune P.O. Box 120191 San Diego, CA 92112-0191.

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Trump is embraced as the champion of alt-right extremists, he is poised to violate the emoluments clause of the Constitution, he is flagrantly attempting to silence the press and he continues to act as internet troll-in-chief.

I agree we cannot make the Electoral College vote for Hillary Clinton on Dec. 19. Instead, the electors should exercise their constitutional rights to cast their votes for a compromise Republican candidate who, in the words of Alexander Hamilton, is endowed with the requisite qualifications. Mitt Romney comes to mind. The alternative  Trump  would be intolerable.

Anne Brunkow

San Diego

Trump shows what it takes to be a winner

To writer Rene Loaiza (Hard to fathom what kids can learn from Trump, Nov. 24), who cant think of anything her kids can learn from the election of Donald Trump, I would suggest this: vanquishing 17 opponents including a very well-known, well-funded and assumed-to-be-the-winner opponent against all odds; never giving up and persevering to victory.

You may not like anything else about Trump, but there is a lesson here that one can succeed despite any and all obstacles. Tell that to your children.

Marsha Ruiz

Lakeside

Nations poor voted to form a ruling class

In 1783, the American peasants won their freedom from the royal ruling class of England.

In 2016, the American peasants surrendered their freedom to the royal and now ruling clan of Manhattan.

Justin Ward

Oceanside

Todays youth dont know what real fear is

Donald Trump wins the presidential election, everyones surprised, even shocked, then protests begin. What has me shaking my head is seeing college students expressing their fears and being so upset that they need counseling, cant study, are afraid of the future and need safe spaces on campus.

George Will (How academic was it? Nov. 20) called out American institutions of higher learning for failing to produce mature, clear-thinking students, informed about U.S. history and prepared to enter our polarized, complex society.

These student protests have caused me to flash back to Vietnam, 1969, when I served as a combat medic with a tank company. I saw soldiers, including teenagers, routinely respond to exchanges of gunfire, incoming mortars, RPGs, ambushes, land mines and more.

Everyone was scared but had to face their fears. Our average age was 22, pretty close to those protesting the result of a free and open election.

Jim McBride

Poway

Jimmie Johnsons roots are really in Crest

Regarding Jimmie Johnson: The legend from El Cajon (Nov. 22): Can we please get the facts regarding where Jimmie Johnson is from correct?

He may have been born in El Cajon, only because that was where the closest hospital is. However, he is from Crest/La Cresta.

While that may not sound as ritzy as El Cajon, you need to report where his true roots are. He went to Crest Elementary School and graduated from Granite Hills High School.

Jimmie has hundreds of fans in Crest, who probably feel as I do, that Crest is being shunned every time you mention he is from El Cajon, and not Crest.

Rita Phillips

Vista

Pension managers have their eyes on the future

Regarding State leaders still ignoring pension mess (Nov. 21): While I appreciate that the U-T editorial board despises public pensions and will miss no opportunity to lambaste them, it would be nice to see some semblance of balance.

One example of many I could cite: In its most recent editorial, the board states that state pension agencies often dont achieve their expected annual returns. This is a meaningless and misleading assertion.

Pension systems (like all prudent investors) invest for the long-term. What matters is whether long-term returns match the target returns on which the pensions rely. If so, theres no investment return issue. If not, the targets need adjustment. Only a reckless investor (or pundit) panics over short-term returns.

B. Chris Brewster

Pacific Beach

Real estate companies should focus on clients

Regarding Home buyer wins disclosure ruling (Nov. 22): The big guys want it all. The same real estate company should never be allowed to represent both sides (buyer and seller) of a transaction. It is an inherit conflict of interest.

Keep everything at arms length to provide both sides of a transaction with appropriate representation. The clients should always come first, not the interests of the real estate companies. To accept commissions on both sides of a transaction smells of a breach of fiduciary responsibilities.

Edward Kitrosser

Pacific Beach

Holidays should not be just about shopping

I have come to realize that the U.S. is a sick society. People dont know the meaning of holiday.

Thanksgiving and Christmas have no meaning to them.

All they care about is shopping until they drop. For Gods sake, cant they just take one day off and relax with family and friends without rushing to the stores at ungodly hours to buy more stuff? This materialistic culture will not provide happiness. It creates anxiety and depression.

Europeans have got it together. Stores are closed during holidays.

Peggy Hinaekian

La Jolla

Want to see more letters that appear only online? Follow @UTLetters on Twitter and UTOpinion on Facebook.
Donald Trump says he wont take a salary as President of the United States, but his business could soon benefit from the Secret Service detail assigned to protect him and his family in New York, according to reports.

The Secret Service is reportedly in talks to lease at least two floors of Trump Tower to the tune of about $3 million a year, a New York Post story said Thursday. The sum, in addition to the existing costs of protecting the soon-to-be first family paid by taxpayers, has stirred up some outrage among financially-struggling Americans.

https://twitter.com/GregDWelch/status/802271785924313088

The plan is for the agency to rent two floors on the New York building to run a 24/7 command post and house more than 250 Secret Service agents and New York Police Department officers, according to the Post. No matter the costs, the Secret Services job is to protect the president and his family wherever they live and travel.

But whats causing some people to raise objections is the fact that the more than $3-million-a-year cost paid by taxpayers would benefit Trumps business.

https://twitter.com/Beth7316/status/802271979105554437

https://twitter.com/amgilbert7/status/802273479907246080

https://twitter.com/CivicAcumen/status/802267868066967552

The Secret Service is a big agency. Its annual budget is about $2 billion per year  $1.8 billion in 2014 and $1.9 billion in 2015  and it staffs more than 6,000 people. By way of context, the cost of protecting major presidential and vice presidential candidates and their spouses during the 2016 presidential campaign was more than $123 million, per the Department of Homeland Security.

So, protesting over the cost of government, including the presidents required protection, is not new. Indeed, some people swatted down the complaints by drawing comparisons to security costs under past presidents including President Barack Obama and President George H.W. Bush.

https://twitter.com/chick_lori/status/801041341190983680

https://twitter.com/sillynotabsurd/status/802206389011619840

Even the National Review raised an eyebrow with a blog post headlined, The Press Suddenly Realizes a Presidents Life is Opulent and Expensive.

In his post, Jim Geraghty writes that yes, we did go through a variation of this when Obama was elected. It cost the federal government about $1.5 million to secure Obamas Kenwood home in Chicago from Nov. 5, 2008 to Jan. 18, 2009 when the family moved to the White House.

When it comes to cost of living, though, Chicago is not New York.

Tell us what you think  understandable or acceptable?

Email: luis.gomez@sduniontribune.com

Twitter: @RunGomez
A rally held in Old Poway Park on Saturday drew a large crowd of supporters, aiming to have the Poway City Council rescind its 3-2 vote not to support San Diego Habitat for Humanitys for-sale housing project for veterans on Twin Peaks Road.

The event was organized by Michael Cunningham, the brother of City Councilman Jim Cunningham, who has been the projects strongest council advocate. Cunningham was one of the two yes votes for the project with City Councilman John Mullin, also in attendance, the other.

The council voted on Nov. 15 not to allow the 22-unit housing development to move forward. The development would provide low- and moderate-incoming housing for veterans and their families.

The rally drew several speakers, including Cunningham, Congressman Scott Peters and former Assemblyman Nathan Fletcher, who spoke in favor of the housing project and encouraged people to call the three members of the council to try and change their minds about the vote before the Dec. 6 city council meeting.

Cunningham said that the rally aimed to undo what he believes to be an injustice that has befallen our veterans, and that he believed the majority of Poway residents would agree with him.

He said that the councils 3-2 vote potentially killed the dreams of veterans to move into low-incoming housing, and he called for Powegians to contact Steve Vaus, Dave Grosch and Barry Leonard to try and convince them to rescind their no votes. Cunningham said that they were good people, but on the wrong track with veterans.

I will never leave anyone behind, said Cunningham. I will never abandon this project.

Peters commented on the amount of homeless veterans around San Diego County and said that in order to help veterans find homes, cities has to provide that housing. There are not enough units for veterans, Peters said.

Peters also said that with 15,000 housing units in Poway, adding 22 more should not cause a traffic problem.

You want to know how to really thank veterans for their service? Give them a place to live, said Peters. We need to turn the hearts of the city council, dont leave veterans behind.

Both Cunningham and Peters said that $100,000 had been raised for the project, which Peters said made the deal sweeter and that there was no reason for the council not to change their minds.

Fletcher said that while there are often nice words for veterans, it takes more than words to help and that the 22 units in the housing development would have a real impact for 22 veterans and their families.

He also said that Poway was a community that takes care of its own, as just as it came together to help protect children in the aftermath of Chelsea Kings murder, it needs to come together for veterans. This is an opportunity (for the council) to do the right thing, Fletcher said, And stand with veterans with their votes and their actions.

Lori Holt Pfeiler, the president and CEO of San Diego Habitat for Humanity, which was going to build the housing development, said that there were more than 100 veterans who had expressed interest to Habitat for Humanity in living at the development.

Email: news@pomeradonews.com
Cubas President Raul Castro, left, and Syrias President Bashar al-Assad review the honor guard at Revolution palace in Havana, Monday June 28, 2010. Al-Assad is in Cuba for an official visit. (AP Photo/Javier Galeano) ( / AP)

Cubas President Raul Castro, left, and Syrias President Bashar al-Assad review the honor guard at Revolution palace in Havana, Monday June 28, 2010. Al-Assad is in Cuba for an official visit. (AP Photo/Javier Galeano) ( / AP)

Cubas President Raul Castro, right, shakes hands with Syrias President Bashar al-Assad at Revolution palace in Havana, Monday June 28, 2010. Al-Assad is in Cuba for an official visit. (AP Photo/Ismael Francisco, Prensa Latina) ( / AP)

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President Bashar Assad of Syria sat down with Cuban leader Raul Castro on Monday as part of his first tour of Latin America, a trip that is taking him to meetings with many of the regions left-leaning governments.

A four-star army general, Raul Castro exchanged his traditional olive-green fatigues for a dark suit to host Assad at the stately Palace of the Revolution. There was no word on what they discussed, but Cuban state media have said Assad was coming to promote cooperation between his Mideastern nation and the communist-run island.

Earlier, the governments of Cuba and Syria announced they had reached an agreement to jointly battle drug trafficking and help each other dismantle international smuggling syndicates working between both countries.

Assads first Latin America stop was in Venezuela for talks with socialist President Hugo Chavez. After Cuba, he heads to Brazil, where President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva is a friend of both Raul and Fidel Castro. Assad also plans a visit to Argentina, led by the center-left government of Cristina Fernandez.

Cuba and Syria are on a list of nations the U.S. considers state sponsors of terrorism, an allegation Havana has angrily denied for decades.

Assad spent much of the weekend with Venezuelas Chavez, who denounced Syrias neighbor Israel as a genocidal government.

On Sunday, Assad called Israel a state based on crime, slaughter.

Also Monday, U.N. General Assembly president Ali Treki met with Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez during the veteran Libyan diplomats official visit to Cuba.

Id like to thank the United Nations for the role it plays in defending peace and international rights and, in particular, for its repeated resolutions seeking an unconditional end to the United States economic and financial blockade against Cuba, Rodriguez said, referring to annual votes by the world body to condemn Washingtons trade embargo - the last of which passed in October on a 187-3 vote.

He honors us with his presence, Rodriguez said of Treki, who took the helm of the General Assembly last year.

Treki saluted Cuba for sending troops to African nations like Angola in the 1970s amid fighting for independence from colonial rulers.

In Africa we feel very appreciative of Cuba for its role and that of President Fidel Castro in the liberation of our continent, Treki said through an interpreter. In Africa, we never forget what Cuba did.
The plan to legalize recreational marijuana next year has earned different responses from health experts. The Canadian Pediatric Society is urging the federal government to take the necessary steps to protect the children and discourage its use among the youth.

According to CBC News, the statement released on Thursday recommended that there be an age restriction for the purchase of pot and that the ingredient in cannabis that causes people to get high also be restricted in products sold to young people.

"We want to ensure that sales of cannabis products are prohibited to all youth under the legal age for buying tobacco and alcohol, so 18 or 19, depending on their location in Canada," said Dr. Christine Grant, an adolescent medicine specialist at McMaster University who co-authored the CPS position paper. "And importantly, we want the government to strongly consider limiting the concentration of THC in cannabis that 18- to 25-year-olds can purchase legally."

The society emphasized a 2010 report by the World Health Organization (WHO) that suggests about 30 percent of Canadian youth has tried cannabis at least once by age 15, which is the highest among 43 countries and regions in Europe and North America.

THC, or tetrahydrocannabinol, is the main psychoactive component of marijuana. CTV News Toronto reported that Grant said young adults frequently experiment with marijuana. "By aligning the legal age for cannabis use with that for other legally controlled substances, young adults will have access to a regulated product, with a known potency. They'll also be less likely to engage in high-risk illegal activities to access cannabis," she continued.

Meanwhile, Dr. Grant also said that there are many risks that accompany the use of recreational marijuana among young people including deleterious effects on the developing brain.

"We know that our brains develop well into our 20s and also from science that cannabis has an effect both structurally and functionally on our brains and that when our brains are developing we're most vulnerable," Grant said Wednesday from Hamilton. "So by limiting concentrations of THC up until 25, we're hoping we can mitigate some of the risks."

It is also important to note that according to research, regular use of pot can lead to one in six youth developing a psychiatric diagnosis known as cannabis-use dependency. This can significantly hinder with young people's everyday life, including their schooling, relationships and interest in social activities like sports.

Reducing or trying to quit weed altogether can result in withdrawal symptoms such as irritability, anger, agitation and difficulty in sleeping. Physical symptoms may manifest as digestive system upset, fever, chills and headaches.

However, the thing that most concerns Dr. Grant is that heavy or regular pot-smoking can in some cases cause psychotic events, such as depersonalization, losing touch with reality and experiencing visual and auditory hallucinations.
Some of the environmentalists suggest solar panels be used as a power source. As it is, it can act as a substitute to the usual power supply that is being used commonly. Now, one country that has a problem on where to get the power supply, the solar comes in and eventually lights up the whole city.

In American Samoa, the whole island of Ta'u is powered by diesel generators previously. However, over these past years, Tesla has installed a microgrid solar energy panel and batteries that cater "nearly 100 percent" of the needed power for the 600 residents.

This week, Tesla closed its $2.6 billion acquisitions from the SolarCity. To laud, the company revealed that a major project of solar energy will wire up the entire island of Ta'u, according to the report by The Verge.

The project shows the potential benefits of the SolarCity procurement with Ta'u's microgrid composure of 5,328 solar panels from Tesla and SolarCity alongside with 60 Tesla Powerpacks batteries for storage. However, purchasing SoalrCity is such a risky move. It is because the purchase will bring billions of dollars in debt. Still, Elon Musk, Tesla CEO, said that the acquisition is"blindingly obvious" -- a necessary step in his so-called "Master Plan" to integrate clean energy generation and storage.

This island in American Samoa now runs on nearly 100% solar energy thanks to 5,300+ solar panels & 60 Tesla Powerpacks pic.twitter.com/65Jm8rvXs9  Tesla (@TeslaMotors) November 22, 2016

A local resident who owns a family food store on the island Keith Ahsoon said that "This is part of making history. This project will help lessen the carbon footprint of the world. Living on an island, you experience global warming firsthand. Beach erosions and other noticeable changes are a part of life here. It's a serious problem, and this project will hopefully set a good example for everyone else to follow," as quoted by SolarCity Blog.
It is quite rare for archaeological discoveries in the east to be noticed. However, just recently, the mitochondrial testing done on human remains in Xinjiang, China's westernmost province attracted the attention of the international media. Results suggested that there were already 'Westerners' in China when Qin Shui Hang was the emperor of China.

According to a report on The Conversation, the discovery happened when mitochondrial DNA tests were conducted on human remains from Xinjiang. The timing was also impeccable as the discovery happened just as new and surprising claims were being suggested about Emperor Qin's (the first Emperor of China) own tomb in Shaanxi Province, the most famous tomb for its buried ranks of about 8,000 life-size terracotta warrior sculptures.

In an article in BBC, archaeologist Li Xiuzhen said that the many sculptures found in and around the tomb, including not just the Terracotta Army but also other sculptures of musicians, dancers and acrobats, were "inspired by ancient Greek sculptures and art."

It was also mentioned in the article that the alleged "Greekness" of the army sculpture went viral, but the archaeologist in China (and around the world) did not pay any attention to it. Two weeks after the news broke, Zhang Weixing, head of the Emperor Qin Shi Huang's Mausoleum Site Museum, told a news publication that there is "no substantial evidence at all" for contact between ancient Greeks and those responsible for the Qin tombs, Live Science reported.

Meanwhile, Li Xiuzhen even retracted and protested to Xinhua News Agency, China's largest official state press agency, that her words had been taken out of context. "The terracotta warriors," she clarified, "may be inspired by Western culture, but were uniquely made by the Chinese."

She also told Xinhua that her ideas had been misrepresented after being placed alongside those of art historian Luckas Nickel's, who had speculated that "a Greek sculptor may have been at the site to train the locals."

However, why were Xiuzhen's comments very controversial?

For hundreds of years, archaeologists and art historians have been anxious to see the imprint of the Greek's works of art and architecture all over the world. But this view was based on a Eurocentric logic that has always assumed that other civilizations were fundamentally incapable of creating highly technical, impressive and aesthetically pleasing works of art.
Officials from the National Museum of Antiquities in Leiden, Netherlands, were surprised to know that the ancient mummified Nile crocodile that was on display since 1828 was stuffed with 47 baby crocodiles. They were also mummified and wrapped individually inside the large mummified crocodile.

New scans reveal 47 mummified crocodile hatchlings in a 10-foot-long crocodile mummy https://t.co/SgQfBjG5Rk pic.twitter.com/L9Y327DN2l  Archaeology Magazine (@archaeologymag) November 19, 2016

The officials knew this shocking discovery, after more than decades. The findings were revealed using advanced 3-D scans. The museum officials stated that when they started they really were not expecting new discoveries in this project the mummy was already scanned that are detected with high-tech 3D scans and interactive visualization as many baby crocodiles was a big surprise, even scientifically, as reported by Science Alert.

In the previous scanning in 1990, it showed that the 10-foot-long specimen was stuffed with two smaller adolescent crocodiles that were wrapped and mummified, too. The scanner failed to detect the 47 other baby crocodiles.

Laura Weiss, a curator at the National Museum of Antiquities in Leiden said that the 2,500-year-old specimen was likely a sacrifice to the crocodile god Sobek. She further said that the ancient Egyptians believed in life after death. This could explain the sacrifice and mummification of both baby and adolescent crocodiles.

The mummifying of numerous crocodiles as an offering to the gods was a ritual before. In British Museum in London, one crocodile was mummified after death with 20 hatchlings. It is said to be worshiped in life as a living incarnation of Sobek. There are other two more mummified crocodiles that were being studied at the Hearst Museum of Anthropology in California, according to National Geographic.
Reddit's CEO Steve Huffman has admitted that he secretly edited posts made against him by Donald Trump supporters. Redditors on the site started insulting him after a subreddit called "r/The_Donald" which was a discussion on Pizzagate conspiracy theories was taken down.

Reddit's CEO Huffman admitted that he changed some mentions in the messages, but did not alter any messages. As reported in Techcrunch, he said,

"Yep. I messed with the "f**k u/spez" comments, replacing "spez" with r/the_donald mods for about an hour."

Reddit had earlier banned a discussion on a conspiracy theory, "Pizzagate." The theory was allegedly a fake news story about a pizza restaurant in Washington which was the center of child trafficking ring run by Hillary Clinton and John Podesta. The story got so much attention on social media that it was covered by The New York Times.

Since the "Pizzagate" Reddit thread was violating the terms and conditions of the site by posting individuals private information it was closed by the company management. After the personal information of the restaurant owner was posted in the conversation, he has been receiving death threats, reported Economic Times. Reddit CEO admitted that he was trying to troll the trolls. Huffman admitted that he wished to maintain good relationships with the users but was annoyed at being called a pedophile. He further added,

"It's been a long week here trying to unwind the r/pizzagate stuff, as the CEO, I shouldn't play such games, and it's all fixed now."

Post his admission, Steve Huffman has once again raised the earlier concerns that Reddit was not capable of working with the community. Furious users are blaming him of censorship with many demanding his resignation. Reddit CEO, Huffman has started the company in 2005 before quitting five years later to start travel site Hipmunk in 2010. He had returned to Reddit in 2015 after Ellen Pao quit under unfavorable circumstances.

The open admission of tampering with the comments by the Reddit CEO will badly affect the already hit credibility of the site. What do you think about the incident? Let us know in the comment section below.
China recently launched the Tianlian I-04, the country's fourth data satellite, to facilitate worldwide network operations that will provide control services, measurement and data relay for its manned spacecraft, space stations and space labs.

A Long March-3C carrier rocket launched the satellite at 11:24 p.m. Beijing time on Wednesday, from southwest Sichuan province's Xichang Satellite Launch Centre.

Tianlian I-04, which has been developed by the China Academy of Space Technology (CAST) under the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC), will join its three predecessors to fulfill global network operation, Xinhua reported. Incidentally, the Tianlian I-01, Tianlian I-02 and Tianlian I-03 were launched in April 2008, July 2011 and July 2012, respectively. The launch of the fourth data satellite makes it the 241st mission of Long March series of rockets for China.

The country has launched more than 100 spacecrafts into space in the past few years since the Xichang Satellite Launch Centre saw the first experimental communications satellite taking off in 1984. The recent launches by the nation include its first lunar probe the Chang'e-1 and more than 20 BeiDou navigation satellites. According to official reports, 2017 will see the launch of 10 or more satellites.

China has slowly and steadily proven that its space agency is not lagging behind that of any other nations when it comes to space exploration. Recently, two Chinese astronauts successfully completed a month-long stint on the Tiangong-1 space station, making it the country's longest manned space mission.

Earlier this year, in August, China became the first nation in the world to successfully launch a quantum satellite into space. The satellite, which weighs 631 kg and named after ancient Chinese scientist Micius, has ultra-high security features that allow "hack-proof" communications between the space and the ground. The country had also announced in August that it was working on a hypersonic space plane, which will supposedly be the next breakthrough in spaceflight.
More states are legalizing marijuana for medical purposes. But, for some, it is for recreation. Experts now are investigating how cannabis affects the motor skills.

The new study searches for the long-term effect of cannabis. The researchers compile multiple studies and found that smoking marijuana can impair human motor skills and coordination, even when the smoker is no longer high.

In the review, researchers revealed that people who used marijuana had differences in some parts of the brain labeled as the corticostriatal networks compared to people who does not use it. The areas are linked to control and motor learning. Also, according to the studies that are included in the review, it can also affect people's memory, ability to switch between tasks and the reaction time.

The review includes 14 studies published between the years 1992 to 2015. It specifically looks at the cannabis users' motor function. Also, the review includes the connection of the cannabis users to the cognitive functions, HiTech Days reported.

A postdoctoral research scientist and the review's lead author from the University of Dallas, Texas, Shikha Prashad shared that, "While we found many inconsistent results between studies, the general consensus supports [the idea that there are] cognitive and motor impairments associated with cannabis use."

As follows, when the researchers gathered all the previous studies, the result showed that marijuana "may change the way brain regions process information and communication, in a way that affects people's motor control." In addition, the changes may be the basis of potential impairments in the processing of cognitive and motor information, thus affecting the capability to learn new motor skills, Parshad explained in an interview with Live Science.

However, future studies may help them completely understand the connection between the use of marijuana and motor learning. "The motor-learning field is rich with [ideas] that can be applied to study the effects of cannabis use on cognitive and motor processes," Prashad added.

Meanwhile, cannabis users fight for the positive effects of marijuana. More countries have seen the effects. Therefore, more cannabis-related laws are being passed.
FLORENCE, S.C.  Florence has long been a popular spot to stop along Interstate 95, but this holiday season some shoppers are making a trip to town just for the retail variety and bargains.

Stores were busy for Gray Thursday and even busier on Black Friday. Local shoppers and commuters alike stood in line for the deals.

Brittany Jacobs made the trip to Florence from Laurinburg, North Carolina  about 45 minutes. She said Florence offers some stores that are typically found only in larger, more metropolitan cities.

I can get some stuff in Florence that I can usually only find in Raleigh or Charlotte, she said. Florence isnt quite as busy and its not too far away. Plus the stores I like to shop at have really good Black Friday sale this year.

Another draw is the variety of stores available to shoppers. Magnolia Mall holds big brand stores like Belk, JC Penney, Best Buy and Dicks Sporting Goods  with dozens of outlet stores nearby.

The Florence Mall carries larger name stores like Ulta Beauty and TJ Maxx , while downtown Florence has several boutique shops like Mi Ladies and Mainstream Botique.

Shaquanna Bostick of Bennettsville  about 30 minutes away -- said she typically does all her shopping in Florence because everything she needs is within a 10-minute drive.

Especially with Christmas shopping, its real convenient, she said. Florence is really the only place thats not too far to drive for the day. We can come here and get everything and not have to worry about driving back too far.

Another big draw for shoppers coming into Florence on Black Friday is the wide selection of restaurants.

Jim Poole, of the Turbeville area, doesnt care for holiday shopping much but always enjoys lunch when hes in Florence.

We always eat at either Red Bone Alley or Percy & Willies when we get done shopping, he said. Some of the best food around, I tell you.
COLUMBIA, S.C.  Teams from two federal agencies will hold meetings in Nichols on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday to talk with people about recovering from the flooding caused by Hurricane Matthew.

The flooding forced the residents to leave their homes, and many of their houses and businesses were damaged or destroyed.

Specialists from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Small Business Administration will give tips and advice on a variety of topics.

The meetings will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day at Nichols Town Hall at 514 W. Mullins St. (U.S. 76).

FEMA specialists in hazard mitigation will be available all three days to provide tips and advice on such topics as rebuilding techniques, how to replace damaged drywall and caulk windows, and the benefits of hurricane straps. The experts will answer questions about making homes stronger and safer, and how to protect houses from future disaster damage. Most of the information will be geared to do-it-yourselfers and general contractors.

Representatives of FEMAs National Flood Insurance Program will be available to answer questions on Tuesday and Wednesday only. These specialists can help with servicing claims, provide general information regarding policies and offer technical assistance to aid in recovery.

In addition, residents will be able to register for FEMA disaster assistance at the Nichols Town Hall sessions. FEMA disaster survivor assistance personnel will be there all three days to help with completing applications and to answer questions. Both renters and homeowners who had uninsured or under-insured losses from Hurricane Matthew may be eligible for federal disaster assistance.

Disaster assistance may include grants to help pay for temporary housing, home repairs, personal property replacement and serious disaster-related needs not covered by insurance or other sources.

FEMAs partner in disaster recovery, the Small Business Administration, will also have staff available to help survivors and to answer questions. SBA offers low-interest disaster loans to businesses of all sizes (including landlords), nonprofit organizations, homeowners and renters.

Homeowners can get free reference booklets, in English and Spanish, on cost-effective rebuilding and repair techniques to make homes more resistant to natural disasters.

More information about strengthening property can be found at http://www.fema.gov/what-mitigation.

For more information about the disaster recovery operation, visit fema.gov/disaster/4286 or the South Carolina Emergency Management Division at scemd.org/recovery-section/ia.

Applicants may contact SBAs Disaster Assistance Customer Service Center by calling 800-659-2955, emailing disastercustomerservice@sba.gov, or visiting SBAs website at www.sba.gov/disaster. Deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals may call 800-877-8339.
Estimados amigos,

Les doy cordialmente la bienvenida a este Blog informativo con articulos, analisis y comentarios de publicaciones especializadas y especialmente seleccionadas, principalmente sobre temas economicos, financieros y politicos de actualidad, que esperamos y deseamos, sean de su maximo interes, utilidad y conveniencia.

Pensamos que solo comprendiendo cabalmente el presente, es que podemos proyectarnos acertadamente hacia el futuro.

Las convicciones son mas peligrosos enemigos de la verdad que las mentiras.

There are decades when nothing happens and there are weeks when decades happen.

You only find out who is swimming naked when the tide goes out.

No soy alguien que sabe, sino alguien que busca.

Only Gold is money. Everything else is debt.

Las grandes almas tienen voluntades; las debiles tan solo deseos.

Quien no lo ha dado todo no ha dado nada.

History repeats itself, first as tragedy, second as farce.

If you know the other and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles.

We are travelers on a cosmic journey, stardust, swirling and dancing in the eddies and whirlpools of infinity. Life is eternal. We have stopped for a moment to encounter each other, to meet, to love, to share.This is a precious moment. It is a little parenthesis in eternity.
The owner of a Brooklyn bed and breakfast is saying that the Mayor's Office of Special Enforcement is targeting her business under the guise of fighting Airbnb, even though she doesn't list her building on the website.

Liz Mandarano, who owns a bed-and-breakfast at 7 Arlington Placethe brownstone from Spike Lee's Crooklyntold the Times that her business is a casualty in the city's battle against Airbnb. In September, two police officers, two firefighters, and two Buildings Department officials rang Mandarano's doorbell, ordered everyone in the building to leave immediately and said anyone who returned would be arrested.

"We are not Airbnb. We are classic B&Bs, but we were targeted to show that OSE was doing what it was supposed to do," Mandarano told the Times.

The inspector returned a second time and was turned away by Ambyr D'Amato, the bed-and-breakfast's live-in host. He returned again 19 days later and was turned againthis time, D'amato showed him a letter of support by City Council members Robert Cornegy Jr. and Jumaane Williams.

"The inspector refused to look at it and got angry and said, 'I'm coming back with a warrant,'" Mandarano said. Buildings Department records show that after the last visit, the building's "violation conditions"individual locks on guests' bedroom doorswere resolved, but Mandarano says the city is refusing to withdraw the building's violations and fines could total "in the low six figures."

In October, Governor Cuomo banned New York City residents from advertising apartments on Airbnb for less than 30 days (renting apartments out for less than 30 days was already illegal). The new law is complaint-based, meaning landlords with illegal listingsAirbnb or otherwiseare only punished for renting out apartments if the city manages to find out about them.

When the latest anti-Airbnb law went into effect, Buildings Department officials said they weren't out to get independent bed-and-breakfast owners. But according to the Times, an inspector went to 7 Arlington Place in September after an extremely detailed complaint was called into 311 on November 3rd, 2015.

The complaint said the building "was a one-family home now has been constructed into bed-and-breakfast, rents the rooms and has people coming in and out with suitcases. Advertises events there." But Mandarano doesn't believe that her neighbors were the ones who made the complaintshe alleges that the caller was someone from the OSE, which has been denied by a spokesperson.

"I feel like there's harassment here," Mandarano said. "We're the people who serve you tea in the morning, we make muffins, we make eggs, we show you guides and say 'Have you thought about taking this walk? You'd enjoy it.'"

"There are bad players," she added. "There are people who violate their co-op and condominium bylaws. We are not those people. We are not fly-by-night people. We are vulnerable because we are easy to find."
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Chris Phillips, a marijuana entrepreneur and Livermore father of four, faced five felony counts and possible prison time after he was accused of illegally growing pot at his home, which police raided in June.

But when California voters legalized cannabis for recreational use Nov. 8, they retroactively erased several small-time pot crimes and reduced the penalties for bigger ones like growing, selling and transporting.

So at 9 a.m. the next day, Phillips sat in a courtroom in Pleasanton. He was first on the docket, and it wasnt long before his attorney Bill Panzer and Alameda County prosecutors hammered out a deal for the 36-year-old to plead guilty to just one misdemeanor possession charge.

It was literally a sigh of relief, said Phillips, who runs several pot farms, a medical dispensary in Long Beach and an extract brand  and had been out of jail on a half-million-dollar bond.

I have four kids, he said. The police put assault rifles in their faces. My family has PTSD from it. Every time we see a cop, we get scared. My kids dont want to interact with them. Im trying to teach them, No, its OK to talk to them. Sometimes things happen.

Much of the debate over Proposition 64 centered on how it would allow adults to use marijuana, while creating taxed retail stores and turning a shadowy industry into a free-market competition. But the core motivation behind legalization was the growing view that punishing people for pot does more harm than good, especially since those arrested have disproportionately been people of color.

California judges are now setting free scores of people whose pending cases are no longer cases at all. Thousands more in jail or prison, or on probation or parole, are beginning to petition to reduce their sentences. And potentially tens of thousands of citizens with a rap sheet for pot can clear their names.

California does not keep detailed records on pot crimes, but the attorney generals office said police made 8,866 felony pot arrests in 2015, involving 7,987 adults and 879 juveniles  mainly for possession for sale, cultivation and transportation.

Roughly 2,000 jail and prison inmates are affected by Prop. 64, according to estimates from the Drug Policy Alliance, a reform group that helped sponsor the initiative.

The California Legislative Analysts Office said Prop. 64 could result in net court savings of tens of millions of dollars per year. Counties that took the hardest line on pot in the past are seeing the biggest shares of sentence reductions and dismissals, lawyers say.

Leah Millis/The Chronicle

Were getting calls many times throughout the day, said Joe Rogoway, an attorney who practices in San Francisco and the North Bay and specializes in cannabis law. Its cathartic. Im elated to be able to go into court and help people.

The changes are profound. For example, illegally growing a single marijuana plant used to be a felony punishable by up to three years in prison. Today, its no longer a crime. About a dozen other crimes were either deleted or downgraded.

Alameda County Assistant District Attorney Teresa Drenick, an office spokeswoman, said local judges were sending felony pot cases to misdemeanor court, though she didnt have the exact number of cases. Were absolutely following the law, she said.

Sacramento County prosecutors say they have about 75 affected cases. San Mateo officials report approximately 100 pending cases, mostly felonies for alleged cultivation, while San Francisco prosecutors report about 200 affected cases, mostly involving small-time sales.

San Mateo County District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe said defendants being held in county jails because they could not post bail are being released if theyve already served more time than they would if convicted of whats now a misdemeanor. That will be common, he said. Therell be plenty of those.

Wagstaffe, who is also president of the California District Attorneys Association, expects Prop. 64 to cause police officers to arrest and cite fewer people for remaining pot crimes that are now misdemeanors, because the effort is not worth the paperwork and police time.

Pot-related arrests have been under intense scrutiny for years. A study by the American Civil Liberties Union found that black people were more than twice as likely as whites to be arrested for marijuana possession in California in 2010, despite similar levels of pot use between the racial groups. In San Francisco, blacks were four times as likely as whites to be arrested for pot possession.

Because young, low-income people of color have felt the brunt of drug enforcement, they stand to gain the most from the laws changes, said San Francisco Public Defender Jeff Adachi. Thats certainly what were hoping, he said.

Now, citizens who potentially faced years in jail are sometimes facing days. Omar Figueroa, a Sebastopol attorney specializing in cannabis, said one of his clients was looking at up to nearly five years in prison for felony transporting of pot and possession for sale, as well as a related probation violation. After Prop. 64, Figueroa said Sonoma County prosecutors agreed to an infraction charge, with no jail and no probation.

In Los Angeles, attorney Allison Margolin spoke of a client with a 3-year-old warrant alleging hash possession. The defendant never surrendered, and now he doesnt have to. Possession of hash is no longer a crime at all, she said. We can take away his warrant.

Beyond those in jail, or awaiting trial on pending cases, an estimated tens of thousands of Californians on probation or parole have begun petitioning to reduce or end supervision, which would give them full rights to travel, refuse a search and use marijuana medically. Many crimes that once yielded three, five or seven years of probation now have a maximum term of one year under Prop. 64.

Margolin noted that Prop. 64 builds on Proposition 47, which reduced drug possession and low-level theft crimes from felonies to misdemeanors when California voters approved it in 2014. While Prop. 47 diverted most drug users out of the felony court system, she said, Prop. 64 diverts pot growers, sellers, transporters and all juveniles, as well.

Its really awesome for a lot of people, of course, Margolin said. A young person who sold weed in college and gets caught and then has it affect their whole life  theres probably more than 100,000 people in those situations.

The biggest group touched by Prop. 64  those who have already been punished for past pot convictions  may number in the hundreds of thousands. Many are now eligible to clean up their records, which could improve their job prospects or give them the right to possess a gun.

Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Updated to include drought zones while tracking water shortage status of your area, plus reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts.

I cannot overstate the significance of this, said Rogoway. It really is a paradigm shift.

The California Judicial Council posted forms online last week for any pot convict or defendant  adult or juvenile  to petition for a resentencing, for reduced charges, or to expunge and seal their record.

Those who are awaiting trial or are behind bars dont need a form. They can petition for a Prop. 64 sentence reduction orally at their next court date.

Margolin plans to hold a Prop. 64 legal clinic Dec. 3 while offering to help people address past convictions for $1,000. She said such expungements may not totally clear peoples records in all databases, but they will no longer have to check employment application boxes saying they were convicted of a felony.

For those aiming to make a living in the marijuana business, Prop. 64 may be even more pivotal.

Felons who felt locked out of the industry now have a reason to strive forward, said Phillips, the Livermore entrepreneur, who announced with pride that he had become Puerto Ricos first medical marijuana licensee. You can make your new life happen.

Ironically, Phillips had spent a year opposing Prop. 64, believing the law would lead to a corporate takeover of cannabis that would undermine medical patients. But just two weeks before the election, Phillips said he sat down with his lawyer, read the 62-page initiative and realized it would set him free.

How stupid I was for a whole year talking about this, he said.

David Downs is The San Francisco Chronicles Cannabis Editor. Email him at ddowns@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @davidrdowns

How Prop. 64 changed cannabis crimes

The California ballot measure that passed Nov. 8 significantly reduced maximum penalties for traditional marijuana-related crimes. Here are examples of changes:
During San Franciscos early days, one of the most picturesque spots in town was a small freshwater lagoon located just west of Russian Hill, known in the Spanish and Mexican era as the Laguna Pequena, or small lake.

Bounded roughly by todays Lombard, Filbert, Gough and Octavia streets, the lake was fed by several springs  giving the area the name Spring Valley. The Forty-Niners reported that Spanish and Indian women used the Laguna Pequena to wash clothes, an activity that would be most associated with the lake and lead to a new moniker, Washerwomans Lagoon.

During the Gold Rush, laundry was extremely expensive. Because most men had no idea how to do domestic work or found it too humiliating to try, and there were few women, anyone willing and able to do laundry could charge exorbitant rates  $8 or more to wash a dozen shirts. As a result, many Argonauts sent their shirts to Hawaii or China to be washed, while others simply left their dirty shirts on the ground.

One observer wrote, There were at that time, I really believe, not 10 square feet in the city, where a dirty, but in every other respect perfectly new shirt was not lying.

Seeing an opportunity to make a fast buck, a few male Forty-Niners did try their hand at laundering at Washerwomans Lagoon. As journalist Bayard Taylor reported in 1849, It was an amusing sight to see a great, burly, long-bearded fellow kneeling on the ground, with sleeves rolled up to the elbows, and rubbing a shirt on the board with such violence that the suds flew and the buttons, if there were any, must soon snap off.

Soon, however, a new group appeared at the lake: the Chinese.

Barred from the mining camps, the Chinese seized the opportunity to make a living doing something that whites did not want to do. By 1852, they dominated the trade at the lagoon and had initiated a tradition that would make laundering the predominant occupation for Chinese in America for more than half a century. (In 1920, according to the U.S. census, 30 percent of all employed Chinese Americans were engaged in laundry work.)

In 1854, the Daily Alta California reported that 300 people were doing laundry at the lake, of whom 200 are Chinamen, 50 Mexicans, 15 Hindoos, 15 French, and the remainder Americans and Germans. The price of laundered shirts had dropped to $5 a dozen.

At the time, the lake was pristine. The Alta described it as a sheet of sweet pure water and urged its readers to take the new planked toll road that ran from Portsmouth Square over the saddle of Russian Hill, down to the citys western edge at Pacific Avenue and Larkin Street, and then across a beautiful landscape to Washerwomans Lagoon.

But the lake did not remain sweet and pure for long. What The Chronicle called the soap-suds of the heathen degraded the water, but much worse were the citys first slaughterhouses, established in the 1850s near Pacific and Larkin, whose waste was carried off by streams that fed into the lagoon.

As Robert Bardell notes in The Presidio Road, an article in the winter 2012 issue of the Argonaut, Pigs were still being slaughtered at the corner of Broadway and Van Ness as late as December 1867. To process the byproducts of the slaughterhouses, tanneries and factories that turned out soap, tallow and glue opened near the lake. Dairies, which began to operate in the area starting in the 1850s, also contributed waste. But the most toxic waste was the raw sewage that ran into the lake from the expanding neighborhoods on Russian and Nob hills.

By the 1870s, Washerwomans Lagoon was a reeking, stagnant cesspool in which dead dogs and cats were commonly seen floating. Several cases of cholera were tied to it, including one that killed a son of Mayor Ephraim Burr. Pressure mounted for it to be filled in, and on April 8, 1877, a chain gang of more than 200 men from the city jail began to dump wheelbarrows of earth into the lagoon. As The Chronicle reported, the work was delayed because the city blacksmith had to make shackles and balls and chains for the workers.

The first shovel of sod was turned by one Thomas Garrity, one of the oldest and most celebrated bummers in the city, who had been jailed for being drunk and disorderly no fewer than 37 times. That shovelful was of a composite formation, embracing an old boot, a beef head, and remnant of an old hoop skirt, The Chronicle drily noted.

The filling in of the lagoon did not end the areas unsavoriness, however. On Feb. 2, 1887, The Chronicle reported that raw sewage from all of Spring Valley was discharging at Vallejo and Franklin streets in a stream large enough to turn a small mill. From there it passed under Union Street in a wooden culvert and rushed down a decline into what was once Washerwomans Lagoon.

This river of filth, a channel 8 to 10 feet deep, then spread over the flat area where the lake once stood, before draining into a sewer at Lombard and Laguna that had been built to drain the old lagoon. The paper said a new sewer was urgently needed to confine this noisome river.

Within a few years, sewers had been built, roads extended, toxic industries removed and the area so built up that virtually no trace of the lake was left. Today, the only reminder of Washerwomans Lagoon is a strange little street that is the sole survivor of an equally strange Gold Rush-era real estate tract that once adjoined the lake. That street, and tract of land, will be the subject of the next Portals.

Gary Kamiya is the author of the best-selling book Cool Gray City of Love: 49 Views of San Francisco, awarded the Northern California Book Award in creative nonfiction. All the material in Portals of the Past is original for The San Francisco Chronicle. Email: metro@sfchronicle.com

Trivia time

Previous trivia question: How many armed members of the Second Vigilance Committee were there at its height?

Answer: 6,000 - the largest vigilante movement in U.S. history.

This weeks trivia question: Who owns the land and cross at the summit of Mount Davidson?

Editors note
At least a third of San Franciscos commercial properties risk running afoul of city law requiring water-efficient toilets and faucets by the end of the year.

A 2009 conservation ordinance, which established some of the states most aggressive building codes even before Californias historic drought began, would leave thousands of property owners on the hook for monthly fines if they dont swap out their old plumbing fixtures soon.

City officials estimate that 30 percent of San Franciscos 160,000 commercial toilets do not meet efficiency standards that go into effect Jan. 1  a maximum of 1.6 gallons of water per flush. About 86 percent of urinals and 20 percent of showerheads fall short.

The ordinance also requires water-efficient faucets, but the city doesnt have estimates on how many may be subpar.

Its not just that its the law to replace the old plumbing fixtures; its that it saves an incredible amount of water and money, said Julie Ortiz, water conservation manager at the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission. Its among the biggest ways to make the biggest difference in lowering our water footprint.

Commercial buildings with upgraded fixtures use as much as 50 percent less water, said Ortiz, an important savings after five years of drought and amid the specter of drier times ushered in by global warming.

While many of San Franciscos more than 15,000 commercial properties may be delinquent, its not due to a lack of guidance by the department.

For years, the Public Utilities Commission has been offering rebates that typically cover the entire cost of a new toilet or urinal  up to $125 for a tank-style toilet, $500 for a high-pressure commercial flushometer toilet and $500 for a urinal. The agency also gives away showerheads.

To make the upgrade even more appealing, the commission this fall began offering free installation of toilets at commercial properties. The deal comes with a basic, no-frills, 1.2-gallon-flush toilet, but it puts business owners on the right side of the law while saving water and money.

Michael Baier, general manager of San Franciscos Stanford Court Hotel on Nob Hill, said city assistance made new plumbing fixtures for his nearly 400 guest rooms a no-brainer.

The return on investment worked out well for us, said Baier, who has 393 new toilets sitting in one of his hotels ballrooms, awaiting installation. Water is so expensive. The payback is very quick.

Baier estimates that an average hotel toilet gets flushed eight times a day, and with his fixtures dating back decades and using as much as 6 gallons of water per flush, theres quite a bit of savings to be had.

When you start doing the math, and looking across the city, Im not sure Hetch Hetchy needs to be expanded, he said, referring to the citys main source of water.

Lacy Atkins/The Chronicle

A handful of cities in California have similar efficiency mandates for commercial properties. In places that dont, state law requires businesses to meet a set of statewide low-flow requirements by 2019.

Residential properties in San Francisco face similar standards as city businesses, but only when a property turns over or a remodel is done.

In jurisdictions that dont have a residential conservation policy, California law requires single-family homes to meet a suite of statewide efficiency requirements by the end of this year, with multifamily dwellings hitting a deadline at the end of 2018. These rules, however, are not likely to be enforced.

Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Updated to include drought zones while tracking water shortage status of your area, plus reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts.

There are requirements and there are deadlines, but the state legislation is silent on what happens if the deadlines are missed, said Max Gomberg, climate and conservation manager for the State Water Resources Control Board.

Water-wasting fixtures, though, can no longer be offered in stores. All toilets and faucets sold in California, as of this year, were required to meet new statewide efficiency standards, which satisfy San Francisco law as well.

The citys commercial conservation ordinance requires that urinals use no more than 1 gallon of water per flush, showerheads spray no more than 2.5 gallons per minute and faucets dispense no more than 2.2 gallons per minute. It also requires property owners to fix all leaks.

Owners are required to submit an affidavit confirming they meet the citys standards.

Those who arent in compliance will receive a warning letter, city officials said, and if the issue goes unaddressed, could be fined $48 per month plus the cost of any hearings needed to resolve the matter.

Our hope is that, through our recent mailings and outreach, a lot of the properties will comply in advance, said Lily Madjus Wu, a spokeswoman for the San Francisco Department of Building Inspection. Code enforcement is something the agency does, but we prefer the owners comply.

Kurtis Alexander is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: kalexander@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @kurtisalexander

To learn more

For details on what is required of commercial properties in San Francisco by Jan. 1, and for information on city rebate programs, visit http://sfwater.org/index.aspx?page=683.
The Bay Area got hit with another round of rainfall Saturday, and the showers should continue Sunday morning, forecasters said.

By Saturday afternoon, the storm had already brought about a half of an inch of rain to Mill Valley, Santa Rosa and San Rafael, and almost an inch and a half to remote Venado, west of Healdsburg, said Brian Mejia, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service.
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You could make the case that Mission Street is the most San Franciscan of all the citys fabled streets. For one thing, its the longest street in the city  7.29 miles from the Embarcadero to the San Mateo County line. It continues on for miles after that, through the Top of the Hill district in Daly City and onward. Its the main street into Colma, the city of the dead. Many a San Franciscan have taken their last ride on Mission Street.

The Salesforce Tower, soon to be the tallest building in the city, has a Mission Street address. So does the Millennium, which has gained a measure of fame as the Leaning Tower of Frisco. There are museums on Mission and a wig factory, fine dining and greasy spoons, expensive condos and low-rent apartments. Mission Street is part of the new Financial District, the center of Latino San Francisco and the main street of the working-class Excelsior district. Mission Street is new, old and changing. Its complicated.

Its tough to understand, too, so we spent a long day on Mission, walking and riding on the 14-Mission Muni buses from the bay to just beyond the county line.

We started where Mission starts, at the Embarcadero. Its a great place to begin, because here is the Audiffred Building, a 19th century wonder that was once a sailors saloon with a famous free lunch. Later, this part of town hit the skids, and another establishment housed in the building was so raunchy that even local tough guys avoided it. Now its Boulevard, one of the best restaurants in the country.

Across the street is a monument to the great 1934 waterfront strike; two men were shot and killed at this corner on a day San Francisco unions still remember as Bloody Thursday.

But history is history by the time you get to Beale Street. Here, Mission Street is the center of a new Financial District of glass towers. But when you look up, also look down. There are cracks in the sidewalk near the Millennium Tower, which is tilting out of plumb.

Scott Strazzante/The Chronicle

Across the street, the sign on the Salesforce Tower says its marking the center of the new economy, and maybe it is. On Mission Street? Who knew?

The street has changed little from Fourth to maybe Seventh. The Marriott Marquis  the jukebox Marriott  looks as odd as it did when it was new 27 years ago. The Old Mint is still waiting for a new life. Sixth and Mission is still Skid Row, and the rooftop steel decoration on the Federal Building still looks like a bad hair day.

Mission runs west and turns south after a bit, and ducks under the Central Freeway. Now it changes character. This is the Mission District, the oldest neighborhood in San Francisco. Its the best and worst of the city. A vibrant Latino district, a district also with vagrancy and crime problems.

The BART plaza around 16th and Mission is a bit sketchy. You wouldnt want to bring visiting relatives there unless they wanted to score a few illegal drugs or were homeless.

But the street gets better, more diverse, much different. At 18th, theres a French bistro across the street from the burned-out ruin of an abandoned store. Mission is lined with small stores and check-cashing places. But also the Foreign Cinema and the revitalized New Mission Theater. Nearby, El Techo, with Latino food in a rooftop setting.

Its a street in transition. One of the most underutilized streets in the city, said Phil Lesser, who is president of the Mission Merchants Association. He remembers when this stretch was the Mission Miracle Mile, but that was in another San Francisco.

Always something doing at 24th and Mission, where the BART station plaza is full of life: street preachers, street food  tamales, churros, Michoacan ice cream  and stalls selling colorful stuff, like in Mexico.

Between 24th and 25th, Mission is San Francisco in a single block: La Taqueria and La Traviata restaurants, Italian and Mexican bakeries, Chinese places, an old-time hardware store, a hole-in-the-wall eatery that features food from Guam across from Rosamunde, with 20 kinds of sausage and 50 beers. Also a McDonalds.

Past Cesar Chavez Street, another change, with 60 small businesses, a restaurant-and-bar row with flavors that range from Belgium to Peru to Japan to Nicaragua to El Salvador.

Mission goes up College Hill and down over Alemany Boulevard, and now its the Excelsior, a district that looks as if the 21st century hasnt arrived yet, the way the town looked before the tech boom. The famous glittering city of San Francisco is just over the hill.

Up the next hill heading south on Mission is Daly City, the most Asian city on the West Coast. But thats another story.

Carl Nolte is a San Francisco Chronicle columnist. His column appears every Sunday. Email: cnolte@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @carlnoltesf
Grant Langston remembers a time not so long ago when younger people equated online dating with social leprosy.

I can remember talking to twentysomethings and they would just laugh at me and say, I hope that I never have to use online dating. I have a lot of friends and a social life, Langston said.

If only it were that simple today, especially for Langston, the new CEO of eHarmony. Founded in 1997 by psychologist Neil Clark Warren, the Los Angeles company was a pioneer in using the Internet to match potential couples. Over time, eHarmony was primarily known for older people willing to endure long surveys and an arduous process of guided communications to find love.

But online dating has exploded in recent years, especially among younger people. About 15 percent of U.S. adults reported using an online dating service this year, compared with 11 percent three years ago, according to a report by the Pew Center. Among those 18 to 24 years old, 22 percent said they used free mobile apps like Tinder, a fourfold jump from 2013.

Given that backdrop, eHarmony seems a little archaic these days. For Langston, the challenge is making eHarmony relevant to the hook-up generation without compromising the hand-holding, yenta-like approach to dating that made the company so prominent.

I dont think we have any interest in the person who just wants to pick up someone, Langston said during a recent visit to The Chronicle. We like the DNA of the company. Weve been a premium offering from the day we started. We have done a lot of work to build expertise that has value. Were here for a reason.

But there are people using Tinder today who are not looking for a hookup, that want a serious relationship, he said. That person belongs at eHarmony. Its our failure that caused them to be on Tinder. They exchanged (our) expertise for (Tinders) ease of use.

Desktop sites like Match.com (which owns Tinder) and eHarmony pair people through complex algorithms derived from data their users put into the system, including age, income, education and hobbies.

Tinder, however, relies on a smartphones GPS to allow users to see photos of people in the same area. They swipe right if they like the person, left for the opposite. Tinder, which is free, has become so popular that swipe left and swipe right have made their way into the vernacular.

Tinder has allowed people to think of dating as a more casual activity, said Laura Chau, an associate who specializes in technology deals for Canaan Partners venture capital firm in San Francisco. With the mobile device, it allows dating into all parts of your life: Youre on a bus swiping left and right.

Tinder gives people access to a larger pool of potential mates, she said.

Its a volume game, Chau said. Theres always more supply than demand.

Yet Tinder has become synonymous with finding a one-night stand rather than a meaningful relationship. Thats where eHarmony sees an opening. Since most people get married in their late 20s or early 30s, Langston wants to at least get eHarmony into the minds of Tinder uses so they are willing to try it once they are ready to settle down, he said.

We want them to drift to us if they want a more serious relationship, Langston said.

In fact, eHarmony has only a limited window to win over users willing to spend money on that search.

One of the things weve learned is that people in their 20s and 30s who have income are very happy to spend more in the search for a more enduring relationship, Langston said. When youre in the 40s and 50s that changes. You can see the impact of relationships that dont work out. You see bitterness. They believe less in compatibility. They are interested in companionship but not marriage.

To reach people in that limited window, eHarmony must make itself easier to use, Langston said. Even he acknowledges that the companys process is a bit clunky, especially the feature that requires both partners in a potential match to jointly answer a series of questions before meeting, a feature that has grown stale, he said.

Obviously, people that were using eHarmony in the past who want a simpler interface have gone to these sites, Langston said. Thats really my first order of business, to rebuild our apps and desktop experience so theres some comparability to the experience you get with those guys.

In early December, eHarmony will release features that will make communications feel less like email and more like instant messaging services like Slack. Langston said he also wants to explore video.

I have a world-class video camera that shoots great video on this phone, Langston said. Why isnt that part of the experience? Why am I not using that to communicate or show my profile, who I am? So were looking at that.

The biggest problem, though, is price.

Air Quality Tracker Check levels down to the neighborhood Ratings for the Bay Area and California, updated every 10 minutes

Tinder is free, although it charges for some add-on services, while eHarmony costs up to $57 a month. You obviously get more with eHarmony, but Chau of Canaan Partners thinks people prefer Tinders transactional model, where you can pay to kick your profile to the top of the list, over committing to a monthly subscription.

Theres also the problem of people associating eHarmony with older people.

Theres no question twentysomethings dont want to be seen as using the same service as fiftysomethings, said Susie Lee, founder and CEO of Siren, an online dating startup in Seattle.

Chau also predicts that eHarmony will eventually have to acquire a Tinder-like company if it wants to compete with it.

The company also did not do itself any favors with younger peoplea demographic highly supportive of same-sex marriage  by initially refusing to match gay couples. In 2008, the company agreed to offer a separate gay site called Compatible Partners to settle a lawsuit from the attorney general of New Jersey.

Founder Warren, an evangelical Christian, admitted the decision hurt eHarmony.

I think this issue of same-sex marriage, within the next five to 15 years, will not be an issue anymore, Warren said in 2013. Weve made too much of it. Im tired of it. It has really damaged our company.

In any case, Lee of Siren thinks the dating industrys tendency to build matches on age and income is outdated, noting that plenty of people dont narrow their searches that way. What really matters is whether their personalities mesh, she said. Unfortunately, there is no sure-fire way to determine compatibility, even with the most advanced algorithm.

We need to transcend socioeconomics, she said. Relationships and chemistry are very complicated. If it were easy, then everyone would be paired up.

Thomas Lee is a San Francisco Chronicle business columnist. Email: tlee@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @ByTomLee
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The U.S. Department of Transportation wants to create a national network of proving grounds where automakers can safely test self-driving cars, Secretary Anthony Foxx said this week.

Such facilities could include race tracks and test tracks at car factories. Universities, corporate campuses and even the urban cores of cities could choose to participate by allowing autonomous vehicle testing on their properties.

All would be required to draft a safety management plan and designate a safety officer to carry it out. They would also be required to share best practices and safety testing data, excluding any information the car companies consider proprietary.

We believe that by designating facilities as part of a community of practice, we can foster a safe environment for these entities to share best practices related to testing and developing this technology, Foxx wrote on the departments official blog.

Safety is our top priority ... and over the past year we have leaned in on ushering in these innovations that will transform transportation as we know it, he wrote.

Facilities interested in participating have until Dec. 19 to apply for the program. The department plans to pick member facilities next year and wants all of them operational by 2018.

It is not immediately clear whether the companies and facilities already testing autonomous vehicles will want to participate. The incoming administrations approach to self-driving cars is also unknown.

The program does not offer financial incentives. And automakers, which are racing each other to develop self-driving technology, may be hesitant to share much information with competitors.

Before we make an application, we have to go back to our partners and say, What do you think? said Randy Iwasaki, executive director of the Contra Costa Transportation Authority.

The authority runs GoMentum Station, a testing facility for autonomous vehicles on the site of the former Concord Naval Weapons Station. Three companies  Honda, Ubers Otto and EasyMile  use the stations grid of roads to test self-driving cars, trucks and shuttle buses.

A bill signed by Gov. Jerry Brown in September even authorized tests of vehicles without brakes, steering wheels or human occupants at the site.

Iwasaki said the authority would consider applying for inclusion in the Transportation Departments proving ground network. But first, it must weigh whether participation would add a new layer of regulation without bringing much benefit in return.

Does it mean well be able to develop this technology faster? he asked.

The automakers and their federal regulators see self-driving technology as a way to prevent traffic accidents, which claim more than 30,000 lives in the United States each year. At the same time, critics fear it could eventually eliminate the jobs of truck and taxi drivers.

David R. Baker is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: dbaker@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @DavidBakerSF
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A man was killed and two others were injured in a shooting Friday in a residential neighborhood of San Franciscos Western Addition, police said.

Gunfire broke out near the intersection of Turk and Scott streets just before 11 a.m., said Officer Giselle Talkoff, a spokeswomen for the San Francisco Police Department.

When officers arrived, they found two victims on the street suffering from gunshot wounds, and paramedics transported them to a hospital, Talkoff said. One of the victims died, and another was being treated for life-threatening injuries, she said.

The third victim in the shooting later walked into a hospital seeking treatment, she said.

Officers at the scene Friday afternoon said that of the two injured victims, one was in surgery and the other had a graze wound.

Police described the shooter as a man, 40 to 50 years old. He was last seen fleeing eastbound on Turk Street.

Sylvia Gonzalez, 46, who lives nearby, said she heard what sounded like six fireworks ring out through the neighborhood shortly before police patrol cars swarmed the street.

Another neighbor, 24-year-old Rob Schone, said he came home just after noon to see his home was within a taped-off crime scene area. His next-door neighbors house had two bullet holes in it.

Officers told Schone that a group of men had been talking on the street when an altercation broke out and shots were fired.

Neighbors said they werent surprised by the violence. David Spires, 51, who lives a block away from the shooting scene, said gunfights had happened there several times before.

This is a shooting gallery right here, he said. Its a jungle here in my neighborhood.

Bill Hutchinson and Sarah Ravani are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: bhutchinson@sfchronicle.com, sravani@sfchronicle.com Twitter: bill_hutchinson, @SarRavani
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Hold onto your hats.

The Chronicles front page from Nov. 26, 1950, covers the Great Appalachian Storm that pummeled the East Coast for a week.

Paralyzing snows, hurricane-force winds and bitter cold dealt large areas of the nation their worst weather-whipping in years yesterday, the story read. The storms caused 91 deaths, paralyzed entire industrial centers, crippled transportation and caused heavy damage.

By the time the storm dissipated on Nov. 30, more than 350 were dead and over 50 inches of snow had fallen in some areas. It was a blizzard that at times became a cyclone, with winds reaching upwards of 100 miles an hour.

A huge wind-propelled tide smashed beach homes a mile inland on New Yorks Staten Island, the story read. More than 1,000 families were evacuated from flooded East Coast shore areas.

The front page features three photos from storm-beaten areas: enormous tides at LaGuardia Air Field in New York; record snowfall in Pittsburgh; and flooding destruction in Atlantic City.

It would take weeks to dig out.

We have a contender: One would have to look long and hard to find a worse first paragraph of a story. This article on the 1950 Big Game between Cal and Stanford begins: Stanford today tied California and 81,414 fans in knots, 7 to 7, and a broken-hearted little blonde in Section BB went boo-hoo ... It burns your eyes just reading it.

See more front pages: Go to SFChronicle.com/covers to search a database of hundreds of Chronicle Covers articles that showcase the newspapers history.

Chronicle Covers highlights one classic Chronicle newspaper page from our archive every day for 366 days. Library director Bill Van Niekerken and producers Kimberly Chua, Michelle Devera and Jillian Sullivan contributed to the project. Tim ORourke is the executive producer and editor of SFChronicle.com. Email: torourke@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @TimothyORourke

(Click to enlarge)




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With his first Supreme Court appointment, President-elect Donald Trump will be in a position to deal a severe blow to unions representing government workers, the stronghold of organized labor in the United States.

Unions won a reprieve in March when the court, after the death of its leading conservative, Justice Antonin Scalia, deadlocked 4-4 on a lawsuit by nonunion teachers in California. They were challenging the fees they had to pay to the California Teachers Association, in various districts, for the costs of representing them in negotiations over pay and working conditions. That left in place an appeals court ruling upholding the fees.

But the issue remains alive in other cases that could reach the Supreme Court within a year. Trump, who has promised to appoint justices in the mold of Scalia, said during his presidential campaign that he liked right-to-work laws, which would make union membership and dues voluntary for all workers.

It is better for the people, Trump told a radio interviewer in February. You are not paying the big fees to the unions.

Although the labor dispute turns on a constitutional issue  whether union fees paid by government employees are a form of speech protected by the First Amendment  its partisan implications are clear. A ruling against the unions would cost them funding from hundreds of thousands of nonmembers and the political clout that goes with it, largely in favor of Democrats.

If the court ends mandatory fees for nonmembers, public employee unions ability to function as collective bargaining representative and political opposition will be crippled, said William Gould, a Stanford University labor law professor, chairman of the state farm labor board and former chairman of the National Labor Relations Board. Gould signed arguments supporting the unions in the California teachers case.

Such a ruling, countered Patrick Semmens, vice president of the National Right to Work Foundation, would make unions more accountable to their members.

Employees constitutional right of free speech is violated when they are forced, as a condition of government employment, to pay any money at all to a union they disagree with, said Semmens, whose organization represents nonunion members challenging the fees in federal courts.

Mark Wilson/Getty Images

This years Republican Party platform called for a national right-to-work law, which would apply only to private-sector employees covered by federal labor laws. A Supreme Court ruling would affect government workers in California and 23 other states that allow public employee unions to collect fees from nonmembers to pay for collective bargaining, excluding expenses for political activities. In the teachers case, those fees amounted to 70 percent of normal union dues.

Union membership has steadily declined in the private sector, where last year only 6.7 percent of employees were members. For government workers, the figure was 35.2 percent.

Under federal law, any union, public or private, that wins a majority vote in its workforce is required to represent all employees at the bargaining table.

The union case is one of several in which the Supreme Court deadlocked 4-4, allowing lower-court rulings to stand, after Scalias death in February and Republican senators subsequent refusal to consider President Obamas nomination of appeals court Judge Merrick Garland as his successor.

Some of the unresolved cases, including disputes over contraceptive coverage and Obamas attempt to spare immigrant parents of U.S. citizens and legal residents from deportation, are likely to disappear from the courts docket because of policy changes by Trumps administration. But the litigation over public employee unions is based on state laws and is headed back to the court, where its fate will probably be determined by the next new justice.

The court unanimously upheld a unions authority to collect fees from nonmembers in 1977. That ruling has come under attack from conservatives on the current court, led by Justice Samuel Alito.

A 2012 opinion by Alito suggested the fees were constitutionally vulnerable, and another Alito ruling in 2014 stopped just short of overturning the 1977 decision. Both were issued by 5-4 majorities.

The premise of the 1977 ruling was that unions were requiring only their members to subsidize political activity, like lobbying, and therefore did not interfere with free speech by making nonmembers share in the costs of collective bargaining. But Alito and other critics argue that all negotiations by public employee unions are political  and thus subject to the constitutional right to dissent  because they affect government spending.

Cliff Owen/Associated Press

Should the government pay higher wages or lesser wages? Should it promote teachers on the basis of seniority? ... All of those questions are necessarily political questions, Scalia said at a hearing on the California case in January, a month before his death.

Advocates on both sides said they would expect a justice chosen by Trump to cast the deciding vote against the mandatory fees. But public employee unions will survive, said Jeffrey Demain, a San Francisco attorney who was on the legal team for the California teachers union and is handling similar cases in other courts.

After the Supreme Courts 2014 ruling ended mandatory union fees for home care workers in an Illinois state program, Demain said, unions increased their efforts to recruit those workers as members, with considerable success. Many of them told recruiters, he said, that they hadnt joined earlier because theyd never been asked.

Bob Egelko is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: begelko@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @egelko
SACRAMENTO  California hopes to expand a nutrition program for the poor that puts more Brussels sprouts, chard and other vegetables and fruits on the tables of food-stamp recipients by awarding them with extra dollars when they buy fresh produce.

The state set aside $5 million in the current budget to tap into a federal matching program that rewards the poor with extra money for fruits and vegetables. In turn, the program helps farmers increase their profits.

There are people who dont have access to fresh foods, said Assemblyman Phil Ting, D-San Francisco, who authored a bill last year to set up a state program to solicit the federal matching funds. This is just one way to leverage their dollars and buying power. Processed foods are often cheaper, but this is a way to make their dollars go further so they dont have to make those tough choices.

The California Department of Agriculture is applying to the U.S. Department of Agriculture for the matching federal dollars. The state expects to hear in March or April whether it will receive the federal matching grant.

Several California nonprofits obtain their own federal and private grants to offer the program through certified farmers markets. In the Bay Area, the Berkeley-based nonprofit Ecology Center collects donations and grants and has received matching federal grants to run its program. This year, the Ecology Centers incentives program, which they call Market Match, is part of the states application for federal matching money.

The Market Match program works like this: People on public assistance can go to participating farmers markets, where they tell market staff how much they would like to use at the market from their electronic food stamps card. Customers are then given $1 tokens for that amount along with up to $10 in additional Market Match tokens that can be used to buy fruits and vegetables.

Ajua, a Berkeley resident who declined to give her last name, said the program has allowed her to put far more fruits and vegetables on the table she shares with her 13-year-old son. On Tuesday, she picked up persimmons, clementines, collard greens, lettuce and leeks. Ajua goes to three farmers markets in Berkeley every week, where she is able to receive up to $10 at each for every $10 she uses on her EBT card. Thats $120 a month in matching money, a substantial amount, she said, considering food stamps provide $350 a month.

My son and I have stellar health and I credit this program, she said in a phone interview. Its pricey to buy decent food and this gives me the opportunity to try new things.

Many farmers markets that offer the program stay open year round knowing both the farmers who sell their foods and the customers who purchase them rely on the markets.

Carle Brinkman, the Market Match program manager at the Ecology Center, said the program allows low-income people to afford healthy foods that typically cost more. Ecology Center works with farmers markets and organizations statewide to administer the Market Match program.

This time of year, we hear stories about customers saving their benefits to use them at the market in order to prepare a nice meal during Thanksgiving or Christmas, Brinkman said. Market Match is really doing double duty by supporting low-income families and allowing them to make healthy food choices and supporting small and mid-sized farmers that sell at these markets.

The food-stamp match program began in 2007 and is operating in dozens of states. In California, there are 220 farmers markets that offer Market Match and 40 additional sites like farm stands and mobile farmers markets that offer the program.

Brinkman said the program is growing and that she hopes to reach more rural communities in the future. She said in the Bay Area, the program is helping many people bridge the gap between the high cost of housing and paying for basic needs like food.

If people have a little more to spend on groceries, they can put the income they do have toward housing, child care and other expenses, she said. We always hear stories about how this makes such a difference for people.

Kate Creps hears those stories, too. The executive director of the Heart of the City Farmers Market in the Tenderloin district began offering Market Match in June 2015. In its first year, they gave out $265,000 in matching incentive money to people using their food stamps at the market.

She said given the areas dense population of poverty and the citys high cost of living, there is more interest than there is money for the program. Creps said they only have enough grant money to match $5 of what people spend using their food stamps at each market.

Its impossible to try to live in the city right now, she said. There are so many people scared about the future and so many people trying to pay rent and get fresh food. Thats even harder in the Tenderloin because there is no full-service grocery store. We are hearing constantly that people couldnt afford produce in the city without this program and we are seeing an unprecedented amount of people shopping with an EBT card.

The Heart of the City Farmers Market is part of the Ecology Centers California Market Match Program. Creps said Heart of the Citys Market Match grant allows it to double whatever private donations it receives, so that if someone donates $500, the farmers market can give out $1,000 in Market Match money. A $20,000 donation would allow the market to give its low-income shoppers $10 in matching money instead of $5 for a month, which would be a major gift this holiday season.

We see the added Christmas rush, she said. People are buying for holiday gatherings. We are excited that they include so much produce in their meals.

Melody Gutierrez is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: mgutierrez@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @MelodyGutierrez
Philip Arnold and his cousin John Slack arrived in San Francisco late one November evening in 1870, long past banking hours and with a very valuable package they needed to deposit.

The middle-aged Kentuckians were an unlikely pair of would-be millionaires. Arnold was a bookkeeper for a drill-bit manufacturing business and Slack was his mostly silent partner. But, as they stood in the office of San Francisco businessman George Roberts, their quiet mumblings indicated they had larger money-making schemes afoot.

Arnold told Roberts that they needed a place to store their package until the morning when they could transfer it to the Bank of California. They refused to tell Roberts what was in this priceless parcel, but Arnold, ever the huckster, "accidentally" let slip that it had something to do with "rough diamonds." Roberts was thrilled  and hastily sworn to secrecy.

That was, of course, the best possible way to encourage Roberts to immediately spread the news all over town. He went first to Bank of California founder William Ralston who, in the morning, went straight to Arnold and Slack to see the goods for himself. In the parcel were 60 pounds of uncut diamonds, worth an estimated $600,000 according to Arnold.

He was up-selling a bit: The diamonds were stolen from his workplace, collected from the diamond-tipped drill bits.

When asked where he'd found such riches, Arnold told them there was a place in Indian Territory where rubies, garnets and diamonds were as abundant as pebbles. It was a dream that investors desperately wanted to believe  and were not completely remiss in doing so.

Many of the men were veterans of the California Gold Rush and had lived through that great moment of discovery. Further east, the Comstock Lode was still yielding silver ore, proving that the American West was chock-full of riches. And only a few years prior, the discovery of diamonds in South Africa had forever altered the world's diamond market.

Arnold and Slack were given $50,000 upfront by investors and told to return to the mine and bring back more riches. They boarded a ship to London under assumed names and there purchased $20,000 worth of uncut diamonds and rubies. Jewels in tow, the pair made the long trip back to Wyoming, the site of their "mine." They scattered diamonds around the ground and used sticks to push rubies into anthills. The remaining jewels were put into a sack and Arnold and Slack headed home to San Francisco to impress their waiting investors.

They were met at the train station in Oakland by investor Asbury Harpending, who eagerly took their $1 million haul with him to San Francisco. At a meeting of investors at his home, he poured the bag of jewels onto a pool table, scattering the room with a "dazzling, many-colored cataract of light." They were going to be rich, cheered the men. Even richer than they already were.

Not entirely naive to scams, the group sent a few stones to famous New York jeweler Charles Lewis Tiffany, who confirmed the few gems were worth at least $150,000. As the ensuing scandal revealed, however, Tiffany wasn't much of a diamond assessor. They were worth only $2,000.

But his word was good enough for the San Francisco investors. On June 4, 1872, the investors arrived at the Wyoming mine and start digging. It didn't take long before they hit the motherlode.

"It was a diamond, fast enough," Harpending wrote in his memoir. "Any fool could see that much. Then we began to have all kinds of luck. For more than an hour, diamonds were being found in profusion, together with occasional rubies, emeralds and sapphires. Why a few pearls weren't thrown in for good luck I have never yet been able to tell. Probably it was an oversight."

Keen to buy out Arnold and Slack's stake in the investment, the pair were offered $150,000 plus an additional $300,000 to buy out their stock options. Probably shocked their scheme was still working, the two eagerly cashed out. Arnold fled to Kentucky where he and his wife (in her name) purchased a farm; Slack was never heard from again.

Meanwhile, their pleased investors were about to get some bad news. A young geologist named Clarence King, who was doing federal mapping in the region, ran into one of the diamond hunters. Curious, no doubt, King headed to the mine.

There, he found diamonds scattered around next to rubies, quite the natural improbability. He also noticed that rubies were only found in anthills that had human footprints next to them.

Gentlemen, he announced gravely. The mine was "utterly valueless."

King took the news back to San Francisco, where he presented his findings at Ralston's office. He called them the victims of "unparalleled fraud." On Nov. 26, 1872, the San Francisco newspapers published news of the hoax, splashing huge headlines calling it "the greatest fraud of the age."

Overnight, the Chronicle estimated the company's worth went from $10 million to nothing. Its directors were humiliated, so much so that even though Arnold was indicted in a San Francisco court, he was never pursued for damages. Some historians suspect the investors were ready to bury their failure; they'd eat the loss in order to avoid the headlines.

And so, quietly, the city's most expensive, ridiculous hoax came to a close. Only one mystery lingered: Where did the hundreds of thousands of dollars that Arnold pocketed go?

That, only Arnold's ghost could tell us.
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The first of the month has a way of coming around faster than any other day on the calendar, especially when its the day youre supposed to slip a check beneath the landlords door.

And when you have missed a few firsts of a few months, the landlords start slipping things under the door, too. Things like eviction notices.

Thats the situation that Verna Rankins and her 2-year-old son, Kameron, found themselves in.

Rankins, a 31-year-old single mother living in East Oakland, has held one temp job after another, mainly answering phones. She has answered the phones for a stationer, a mobile veterinary clinic, an electronics company and several hotels. Temp, she knows all too well, stands for temporary.

It means you can walk in any day and someone can tell you that your job is over, she said. So long. Goodbye.

Her job as a mom is anything but temporary. Bills piled up. Bills for diapers, doctors and day care. Bills for groceries and gasoline. Bills for interest on the bills.

Falling behind can happen to anyone, Rankins said. You dont have to do anything wrong. It can just happen. Rich or poor. Anybody and everybody.

Rankins and her son live in a one-bedroom apartment with steel bars on the windows and street battles just outside them. Rankins, a native of St. Louis, has lived in the East Bay since she was 15. She is working on a community college degree, when she can find time to attend class.

Their small living room is populated with a stuffed dog, a small scooter and a handful of jigsaw puzzles with long-lost pieces. Over the summer, when the bills piled up faster than usual, things started going south. Before long, Rankins was three months behind on her rent.

The landlord slipped her an eviction notice. Rankins scraped up just enough to postpone the date for one more month. But then the 1st of the next month began to creep closer and closer and, this time, she had nothing to scrape.

Its not the landlords fault, Rankins said. He has a mortgage and bills to pay of his own. I dont blame the landlord. Its just the situation.

In desperation, she and her unemployment office counselor turned to The Chronicles Season of Sharing Fund.

After verifying her story, the fund cut a check for three months back rent and sent it to the landlord  two days before the eviction notice was to take effect.

You cannot believe what a weight was lifted from my shoulders, Rankins said. I cried the whole day. All I can say is thank you.

And good news seems to breed good news. A short time later, Rankins got another job offer at a Palo Alto hospital  a permanent job, with benefits and better pay.

With a little good luck, Rankins will never again come up short on rent day. And she said she is well on her way to making that little good luck happen.

Steve Rubenstein is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: srubenstein@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @SteveRubeSF

About the fund

Donations to the Chronicle Season of Sharing Fund help thousands of people in the Bay Area throughout the year. Assistance is in the form of grants paid directly to the supplier of services, such as a landlord. Individuals do not receive direct grants. For more information: www.seasonofsharing.org
Microsoft is putting its considerable financial and engineering muscle into the experimental field of quantum computing as it works to build a machine that could tackle problems beyond the reach of todays digital computers.

There is a growing optimism in the tech world that quantum computers, superpowerful devices that were once the stuff of science fiction, are possible  and may even be practical. If these machines work, they will have an impact on work in areas such as drug design and artificial intelligence, as well as offer a better understanding of the foundations of modern physics.

Microsofts decision to move from pure research to an expensive effort to build a working prototype underscores a global competition among technology companies, including Google and IBM, that are also making significant investments in search of breakthroughs.

In the exotic world of quantum physics, Microsoft has set itself apart from its competitors by choosing a different path. The companys approach is based on braiding particles known as anyons  which physicists describe as existing in just two dimensions  to form the building blocks of a supercomputer that would exploit the unusual physical properties of subatomic particles.

Leading researchers acknowledge that barriers still remain to building useful quantum machines, both at the level of basic physics and in developing new kinds of software to exploit certain qualities of devices known as qubits that hold out the possibility of computing in ways not possible for todays digital systems.

Unlike conventional transistors, which can be only on or off at any one time, representing a digital 1 or 0, qubits can exist in superposition, or simultaneously in both states. If qubits are placed in an entangled state  physically separated but acting as though they are deeply intertwined  with many other qubits, they can represent a vast number of values simultaneously. A quantum computer would most likely consist of hundreds or thousands of qubits.

Microsoft began funding research in the field in 2005 when it quietly set up a laboratory known as Station Q under the leadership of mathematician Michael Freedman.

Microsoft now believes it is close enough to designing the basic qubit building block that the company is ready to begin engineering a complete computer, said Todd Holmdahl, a veteran engineering manager who will direct the Microsoft effort. Over the years, he has led various Microsoft projects, including its Xbox video game machine and the yet-to-be-released HoloLens augmented-reality system.

Once we get the first qubit figured out, we have a road map that allows us to go to thousands of qubits in a rather straightforward way, Holmdahl said.

There is still a debate among physicists and computer scientists over whether quantum computers that perform useful calculations will ever be created.

A variety of alternative research programs are trying to create qubits using different materials and designs. The Microsoft approach, known as topological quantum computing, is based on a field that took on new energy when this years Nobel Prize in physics was awarded to three scientists who had done fundamental work in forms of matter that may exist in just two dimensions.

Holmdahls project will also include physicists Leo Kouwenhoven of Delft University, Charles Marcus of the University of Copenhagen, David Reilly of the University of Sydney and Matthias Troyer of ETH Zurich.

They will all become Microsoft employees as part of the Artificial Intelligence and Research Group that Microsoft recently created under the leadership of one of its top technical employees, Harry Shum.

Microsofts newly hired physicists say the decision to try to build a topological quantum computer comes after scientific advances made in the past two years that give the scientists growing confidence that the company will be able to create more stable qubits.

The magic recipe involves a combination of semiconductors and superconductors, Marcus said. The researchers recently made a remarkable breakthrough in their ability to control the materials used to form qubits, he said. Most of the competing approaches involve cooling quantum computers to near absolute zero temperatures.

So far, there are relatively few proven algorithms that could be used to solve problems more quickly than todays digital computers. One early effort, known as Shors algorithm, would be used to factor numbers, giving hope that quantum computers might be used in the future for breaking codes.

That would potentially have world-shaking consequences because modern electronic commerce is built on cryptographic systems that are largely unbreakable using conventional digital computers. Other proposed approaches might allow faster searching of databases or perform machine learning algorithms, which are being used to make advances in computer vision and speech recognition.

More immediately, however, these tools might advance the basic understanding of physics, a possibility physicist Richard Feynman mentioned when he speculated about the idea of a quantum computer in 1982.

For his part, Kouwenhoven said, My dream application for a quantum computer would be a machine that could solve problems in quantum physics.
More than half of all New Yorkers don't have enough money saved to cover them in the event of a lost job, medical emergency, or other disaster, according to a new report by the Association for Neighborhood & Housing Development.

Nearly 60 percent of New Yorkers lack the emergency savings necessary to cover at least three months' worth of household expenses including food, housing, and rent, but that statistic isn't spread evenly across the five boroughs.

The Bronx has the highest rate of families without adequate emergency savings: in Mott Haven, Melrose, Hunts Point, Longwood, Highbridge, South Concourse, University Heights, Fordham, Belmont, and East Tremont, 75 percent of families have inadequate emergency savings. The Staten Island neighborhoods of Tottenville and Great Kills have the lowest rate, with just 41 percent of families lacking the funds necessary to cover three months' worth of expenses.

Without these savings, families who face emergencies could be at risk of eviction, foreclosure, damaged credit, and even homelessness.

In Brooklyn, families in Brownsville (70%), Bed-Stuy (67%), Bushwick (68%), East New York (67%), and South Crown Heights/Prospect Heights (67%) are the most at-riskin Manhattan, an average of 67 percent of families in Harlem, Washington Heights, and Inwood lack necessary savings.

In Queens, the neighborhoods with the highest percentage of these households were Elmhurst/Corona (64%), Rockaway/Broad Channel (60%), Sunnyside/Woodside (59%), and Jackson Heights (59%).

As DNAinfo notes, advocates say that rental assistance is crucial in preventing homelessness citywide, especially in neighborhoods where rents rise faster than incomesmany of which overlap with the neighborhoods where families lack adequate savings.

And although an increase in rental assistance services like the one proposed by Queens Assemblyman Andrew Hevesi could cost the cost $450 million in state and federal funding, it would be more cost-effective than allowing more families to enter the chronically underfunded shelter system.

Many tenants don't know where to get emergency rental assistance, which can prevent them from falling behind on their rent. And landlords are increasingly claiming "chronic rent delinquency" after just a single late payment, which allows them to begin eviction proceedings earlier on than they would otherwise.

The ANHD report also includes a litany of other statistics that, when looked at together, paint a picture of a neighborhood's potential for economic opportunity: incarceration, unemployment, poverty rates for each neighborhood are included, as are each neighborhood's percentage of small businesses, percentage of households without internet, and percentage of rent-burdened households.

According to the report, the three neighborhoods with the biggest risk to economic opportunity are Highbridge/South Concourse, University Heights/Fordham, and Mott Haven/Melrose.
Every dog owner knows that their pet can be taught to understand rudimentary English, like "sit," "fetch" or "stop." But despite being called man's best friend, it's not often humans try to meet their pups half-way when crossing the inter-species language barrier - after all, dogs have their own language too.

According to The Whole Dog Journal, Norwegian dog trainer Turid Rugaas identified more than 30 body gestures that dogs use to communicate with each other. Learning just a few might help dog owners have a better relationship with their pet, as well as help them understand when to pull their dogs out of risky situations with other canines.
Alejandro Escovedo had hit something close to rock bottom. He was struggling with hepatitis C and had barely survived a life-threatening hurricane on his honeymoon in Mexico, only to spend the next year working to get out from under the trauma.

Coming out of that toxic environment, a song titled I Dont Want to Play Guitar Anymore made perfect sense. The idea seemed unimaginable for a guy who has defined his life by playing one. But for a while, it was very real.

The song, written in collaboration with former R.E.M. guitarist Peter Buck, anchors Escovedos latest album, Burn Something Beautiful (Fantasy), co-produced by Buck and mutual friend Scott McCaughey, longtime R.E.M. sideman and leader of the Minus 5 and Young Fresh Fellows.

It was a song that Buck had actually started working on, reflecting his own personal turmoil in the years since R.E.M. broke up in 2011.

Peter and I shared that period of time where we kind of went dark, Escovedo says. The way I related to that line, when I was really sick with hepatitis C, I got to this point where I was asking, Why me? Why did this happen to me? Everyone around me (on tour) was drinking just as much as me or more than me, but I got it. Why did I get it? I started placing the blame on music, which had led to that lifestyle. I didnt play guitar for a year. I wanted to get away from it, go into this repentance. This was all in my head.

Buck was enduring his own crisis when he began working on the song before showing it to Escovedo. I was going through a lot of life stuff, depression, and I had a whole notebook of stuff that was very on the down side, he says. Id written the first verse and chorus, basically asking, Why am I doing this? When I brought it to Al, the melody got better, he wrote new verses, it became not so much Im moving up but Im going to persevere in the face of all this  which is what the record is all about.

Burn Something Beautiful is the latest landmark in a career that took shape in San Francisco in the late 70s, when Escovedo was leading one of the citys first punk bands, the Nuns, who opened the Sex Pistols final show in 1978. He later moved to Austin, Texas, where he joined the post-punk band Rank and File, then co-founded the guitar-heavy True Believers.

A solo career blossomed in the 90s, and hes been steadily releasing albums ever since that encompass his wide-ranging musical interests, from punk and garage rock to folk and experimental music. Hes been playing hundreds of shows annually since the 90s, and continued a rigorous touring schedule even as he coped with hepatitis C. In September 2014 he and his new wife, Nancy, narrowly survived Hurricane Odile.

We spent 12 hours just trying to survive, Escovedo says of the Category 4 hurricane. We were trapped, the front of the house fell into the ocean. We were calling family and the kids to say goodbye. We resigned ourselves to the idea that we werent going to make it.

They survived, but Escovedo would go through spells of feeling disoriented and shell-shocked. He, Buck and McCaughey had begun working on music, and were touring together when the depth of Escovedos trauma became fully apparent just minutes before he was supposed to step onstage with his new bandmates at a sold-out show in Portland, Ore.

I took my wifes hand, pulled her to me and told her, I dont think I can do this, I dont think I can play in front of so many people, he says. She said its going to be OK, youve played in front of Springsteens audience, you can do this. But up in the dressing room, it happened again. I couldnt do it, and we had to cancel. I still owe Scott a big one because he had to go out there and tell everyone I couldnt play.

Escovedo went to a hospital where everything checked out and decided to resume the tour, but Buck talked him out of it.

He had episodes in the recent past, and I hadnt seen one, but when I did finally see one, it was terrifying, Buck says. I was onstage with Bill Berry when he collapsed on stage in my arms (Berry suffered a brain aneurysm at an R.E.M. show in 1995, which the drummer survived, and quit the band two years later). I wasnt going to let that happen again.

Escovedo was eventually diagnosed with and treated for post-traumatic stress disorder. But his album with Buck and McCaughey was shelved, and he retreated from the music business. He and Nancy eventually moved to Dallas, where she was working on a TV series, and he submitted to a strict medical regimen to combat his long-running struggle with hepatitis C. After three days in bed, I felt like I had a new body, a new mind, he says. It was almost like something had been exorcised.

Reinvigorated, Escovedo got back in touch with Buck and McCaughey to finish the songs they had been working on and to record the album that would become Burn Something Beautiful. The albums a room wrecker, with guitars cranked and amplifiers strained, while still honoring Escovedos more introspective l impulses.

I broke down a lot of barriers going in, so I was totally open, Escovedo says. You know how much I love the Velvets, fuzz, distortion  I dont know if any of my records have expressed that outside of (side project) Buick MacKane, but thats the way they (Buck and McCaughey) play as a band.

Buck says he wasnt sure what to expect when Escovedo walked into a Portland studio in March after his lengthy hiatus. I was worried because I wasnt sure where Al was (in terms of his health and mental outlook), but he was radiant, Buck says. I was going through some life changes myself, as tends to happen at this age (Buck is 59, Escovedo 65), so there was a feeling of rebirth.

For Escovedo, the recording sessions were a tonic after a long period of self-doubt. I Dont Want to Play Guitar Anymore isnt a cry of surrender, but a reaffirmation. There was a time in my life where I was wondering who I am if I dont have this guitar to play, he says. In the end, music was the salvation. It was joy and a relief to find that out.
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Pauline Oliveros, a pioneering composer, performer and musical thinker who influenced several generations of musicians with her call for a process she dubbed deep listening, died Thursday at age 84.

Her death was reported on social media by the flutist Claire Chase and confirmed by friends on her Facebook page.

Ms. Oliveros played an integral role in the flurry of musical experimentalism that clustered around the San Francisco Tape Music Center during the early 1960s. In later years, she developed a distinctive brand of slow-moving, spiritually tinged improvisation built on the rhythms of the human breath.

Throughout her career, Ms. Oliveros maintained a lively intellectual curiosity, composing works based on subjects as diverse as 17th century African history, the inventor Nikola Tesla and Native American mythology. She was a compelling teacher, holding posts at Mills College in Oakland, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and elsewhere, and a prolific writer on musical subjects. She was also a tireless advocate for the place of women in music, discussing the exclusion of female composers and performers from the canon long before the question became commonplace.

Ms. Oliveros prided herself on a certain kind of artistic elusiveness.

Im very jumpy  I like to jump out of categories as fast as possible, she told The Chronicle in a 2002 interview. Pigeonholing a work or putting it in a box kind of dismisses that work, or discounts the more interesting aspect of it. Ill do anything I can to get out of that.

It was scarcely coincidental that Ms. Oliveros instrument of choice was the accordion, which she had adopted as a child growing up in Houston. In solo performances and in larger musical experiences that often drew audience members into the process, she used the drone-like qualities of the accordion as a musical anchor.

Some of her early music consisted of conventionally notated concert works, involving traditional orchestral or chamber instruments, and others involved tape or electronic processing. Still others were in the tradition of American experimentalism, calling for unusual performative elements.

In her 1970 composition Meditation on the Points of the Compass, for example, audience members are situated in a circle within a concentric arrangement with a chorus and percussionists, and are asked to participate by humming or whistling along with the performers. Her 1971 publication Sonic Meditations consists of a series of exercises for communal improvisation.

Ms. Oliveros creative life took a distinctive turn in 1989, when she and two collaborators, trombonist Stuart Dempster and vocalist Panaiotis, descended into a vast cement cistern  14 feet deep and 186 feet in diameter  in Port Townsend, Wash. The slow, richly reverberant improvisations they performed there, captured on a disc on the sorely missed San Francisco label New Albion, marked the beginning of deep listening as a catchphrase and something close to a brand.

From there sprang the Deep Listening Institute, a foundation connected to RPI, and the Deep Listening Band, which has made several subsequent recordings devoted to long, drone-based music.

Ms. Oliveros was born in Houston on May 30, 1932, and studied at the University of Houston. At 20, carrying her accordion and $300 in cash, she made her way to the Bay Area, where she studied at San Francisco State University and became enmeshed in a lively new-music scene that also included Terry Riley, Steve Reich, Loren Rush and others.

It was during those years, she said later, that she began to develop the ideas that would eventually become deep listening.

I began to notice that I wasnt hearing everything going on around me, she said in the 2002 interview. There were a lot of subtle sounds and vibrations that I just wasnt picking up. And so I determined to try to listen to everything all the time, and to remind myself when I wasnt listening.

Since 1985, Ms. Oliveros had been based in upstate New York. Information on survivors was not available.

Joshua Kosman is The San Francisco Chronicles music critic. Email: jkosman@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @JoshuaKosman
ATLANTA  Donald Trumps disavowal last week of white supremacists who have cheered his election as president hasnt quieted concerns about the movements impact on his White House or whether more acts of hate will be carried out in his name.

Members of the self-declared alt-right have exulted over the Nov. 8 results with public cries of Hail Trump! and reprises of the Nazi salute. The Ku Klux Klan plans to mark Trumps victory with a parade next month in North Carolina. Civil rights advocates have recoiled, citing an increase in harassment and incidents of hate crimes affecting African Americans, Jews, Muslims, Latinos, gays, lesbians and other minority groups since the vote.

The president-elect has drawn repeated criticism for being slow to offer his condemnation of white supremacists. His strongest denunciation of the movement has not come voluntarily, only when asked, and he occasionally trafficked in re-tweets of racist social media posts during his campaign.

Further, Trump has named Stephen Bannon, the conservative media provocateur who shaped the final months of Trumps campaign, as a White House chief strategist. Bannons appointment has become as a flash point for both sides.

Trumps detractors and his alt-right supporters broadly agree on one thing: It may not even matter what Trump himself believes, or how he defines his own ideology, because his campaign rhetoric has emboldened the white identity politics that will help define his administration.

Those groups clearly see something and hear something that causes them to believe he is one who sympathizes, said Rep. Elijah Cummings of Maryland, a black Democrat. He was among 169 members of Congress who signed a letter opposing Bannons White House appointment.

White nationalist leader Richard Spencer said he believes Trump, Bannon and the alt-right are all riding in the same lane. Spencer said neither Trump nor Bannon is a movement identitarian, Spencers preferred term for his racially driven politics. But Spencer said Trumps election validates Spencers view that America must reject multiculturalism and political correctness in favor of its white, Christian European heritage.

Spencers group, the National Policy Institute, drew headlines for their recent gathering where some attendees mimicked the Nazi salute as they feted Trump. Spencer told the Associated Press the salutes were ironic exuberance that the mainstream media doesnt get.

Ben Jealous, a former national president of the NAACP, said Trump should pull a George Wallace. The segregationist Alabama governor ran for president on white identity politics but years later publicly apologized.

Trump shouldnt just disavow the worst behavior of others, Jealous said, but take accountability for the worst behavior hes engaged in him himself.
CHARLESTON, S.C.  The U.S. District Court will begin the long process of questioning prospective jurors Monday for the capital trial of Dylann Roof, who is charged with 33 federal counts, including hate crimes, in the June 17, 2015, killings of nine people at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church.

Roof, whom a judge on Friday declared competent to stand trial, has offered, in exchange for a sentence of life in prison, to plead guilty. The government has refused to make such a plea agreement.

The 17-month path to Roofs first death penalty trial  the state of South Carolina is also seeking his execution in a separate case  has been marked by public demonstrations of forgiveness and reconciliation. But the federal governments decision to pursue Roofs execution is widely questioned, and it is in defiance of the wishes and recommendations of survivors of the attack, many family members of the dead and some Justice Department officials.

In May, Attorney General Loretta Lynch announced her decision to seek the death penalty against Roof, and critics make different arguments.

Some are opposed to capital punishment because they doubt its efficacy or morality. Others argue that because a death sentence for Roof would prompt years of appeals, the decision can only protract the emotional agony of a massacre that rattled the nation. And still others contend that executing a young man like Roof, who is 22, could allow him to escape decades of punishment.

I want that guy every morning when he wakes up, and every time he has an opportunity for quiet and solitude, to think of what Tywanza said to him: We mean you no harm. You dont have to do this, said Andrew Savage III, a Charleston lawyer, referring to Tywanza Sanders, a 26-year-old man who died in the attack. Savage represents three survivors and family members of the victims who became known as the Emanuel Nine.

But Lynch chose to seek the death penalty after a contentious review process that included South Carolinas top federal prosecutor siding with Roofs defense lawyers in their offer of a guilty plea in exchange for a life sentence.

The cases prominence influenced Lynchs decision, according to people with knowledge of the Justice Departments review, and some federal officials worried that forgoing the death penalty would curb the governments options in future cases with lower fatality counts.
FAIRFIELD  Fairfield teachers were given information to guide their approach in the days following the 2016 presidential election, and some high school social studies classrooms became a site to discuss the twists and turns of the race and results.

Fairfield Warde High School social studies teacher Jim DAcosta said addressing current events in class is important because history as a discipline explains why things are the way they are today. In his nearly three decades of teaching, DAcosta said this is the most disturbed he has seen his students following an election.

They were short on sleep, very anxious and very disturbed, and looking for leadership, said DAscosta, who is in his 28th year of teaching, 20 of them in Fairfield. And school is a place where hard issues should be addressed.

He said the safe atmosphere in school and adult leadership  particularly in social studies classes, where teachers are responsible for guiding students through tumultuous and upsetting historical events  provide an important venue to address events, such as this years presidential election.

After the results were in, a district official sent teachers a National Association of School Psychologists document, providing guidance for making the school environment safe and supportive for all students after the election, Fairfield Education Association President Bob Smoler said.

The guidelines include fostering respectful dialogue, discussing the importance of respect for the American democratic process and helping students manage strong emotions. Counseling staff was available for students, according to Smoler.

DAcosta, who teaches four U.S. history classes to 11th-graders, decided his priority as a teacher was to help calm the extreme emotional climate the day after the election. He allowed each of his students to comment on something they heard or felt as votes were tallied on election night, knowing many of the juniors stayed up past midnight waiting on the results that ultimately declared Donald Trump the next president.

DAcosta said he went around the room so students could vent in a safe, controlled space. He told them all Americans could be proud of the peaceful transition of power over the countrys history in every case but the Civil War, which broke out due to divisions much deeper than today.

My students were well aware of the positions that the campaign exposed nationally. Were a blue state and primarily a blue town, so the huge surprise of the Trump victory had especially our Democratic-leaning students really upset, he said. The students were shocked and surprised, and their nerves were rattled.

Wardes Amy MacIntosh, a longtime Advanced Placement U.S. government and politics and U.S. history teacher, coordinates her classes chapters on the election to correspond with Election Day each year. Covering the three branches of government, elections and parties, she tries to teach by tying in current events.

This year, the election provided a chance to examine both presidential candidates, their positions and the role of the media. Post-election, as the course moved on to bureaucracies and agencies, MacIntosh had students debate whether or not FBI Director James Comey violated the Hatch Act, a law limiting the political activities of certain federal employees.

This election cycle has given us a lot to look at, she said.

A particular struggle she saw among students this year was sorting through what information was fact and fiction, leading to a significant amount of fact-checking in class.

While it is typical for presidential election years to inspire more interest from students, MacIntosh found this season to be the most enthusiastic she has seen students in a dozen years teaching the A.P. government course. Outside of social studies classrooms, she also saw more talk and engagement on the subject.

This election has got kids at all areas of the school more interested in government and politics than ever before, MacIntosh said.

After the presidential election was called, the following 48 hours were emotional for many students, with some happy and wanting to talk about it, some sad and some scared, she said. She addressed the results by keeping a positive tone in class and focusing on the power of the president under the U.S. Constitution, as well as the checks-and-balances system.

With class focused on the facts, the provisions of the Constitution and what government can and cannot do, you can have a great dialogue with kids of all political persuasions and really keep it focused and positive, MacIntosh said.

Students asked questions about what the president-elect can and cannot do in office, offering a chance for her to give students more information on how the government and Constitution function.

Maybe well have a more informed public at the end of this, MacIntosh said.

When addressing the election at school, Smoler, a math teacher at Warde, said teachers do not share their personal opinions, but focus on their job to spur discussions. Social studies and language arts classes engaged in active discussions about both candidates. Teachers, he added, try to get students to think for themselves, though they often reflect other influences at the high school age.

Smoler noted the contrast between Hillary Clinton and Trump, both personally and in terms of policy, gave students the chance to discuss what it means to be president and what qualifies a candidate as fit to serve.

This was one for the ages, and it will be interesting to see long-term what impact it has on these students opinions, he said.

Lweiss@hearstmediact.com; @LauraEWeiss16
BILLINGS -- With a little more than a month left before the 2017 Legislature convenes, the Office of the State Public Defender has lost two key leaders set to defend the office's budget.

New chief administrator for the office, Scott Cruse, was hired on Aug. 22. He issued a letter of resignation to Public Defender Commission Chair Richard "Fritz" Gillespie on Nov. 16. Tuesday, within a week of receiving Cruse's resignation, Gillespie also submitted his letter of resignation to Montana Gov. Steve Bullock.

Cruse was hired by the commission as a co-manager of the agency with the three others. It was the commission's hope that Cruse would implement cost-saving measures to stave off the agency's impending $3.5 million budget shortfall.

During the 2015 legislative session, the Legislature took the unusual step of approving the OPD's budget as one-time-only. Normally, state agencies build off the prior year's budget. Instead, during the 2017 legislative session, the OPD will have to justify the budget from the ground up.

Cruse was asked to help build a new budget, but he was also given a position without power to implement change, he wrote in his letter of resignation. He was asked to solve a budget crisis that OPD leadership had ignored for over a year, he said.

Gillespie, who helped hire Cruse, agreed to begin his third term on the commission in October.

"I anticipated I would be working in the background supporting a new face and voice for the Office of the State Public Defender before the Legislature," Gillespie wrote in his letter. "Recent events preclude that from happening."

Cruse was "unwilling to stand before the legislature and defend the OPD's half-hearted mitigation effort just so a supplemental appropriation can be obtained," he wrote.

"I face palpable resistance daily from some program managers as well as many OPD Public Defenders who believe that mitigation equates to a cessation of services for indigent clients and thus resist any effort to address the shortfall," Cruse wrote.

He called the process of dealing with the budget shortfall through the Public Defender Commission "slow" and "ineffective."

Cruse accused OPD managers of having an "entitlement philosophy" resulting in an "inability to work with a budget."

"I have observed a business as usual attitude, stalling and outright defiance toward any effort to save money by some program managers."

Cruse identified cost saving measures that could curb costs without getting rid of client services, he said. But time is running out for the agency, Cruse said.

Gillespie was not critical of the agency in his letter of the resignation. Rather, he said he could not generate the energy needed to represent the OPD during the upcoming legislative session.

"For more than seven years I have worked alongside very talented and dedicated lawyers and staff who have selflessly, and sometimes sacrificially, represented those without the economic ability to pay for the representation our constitutions require," Gillespie said. "It has been my great honor to serve with them."

A lawsuit filed by the ACLU in 2002 sought reform of the states public defense system. The lawsuit was dropped when legislation passed in 2005 created a statewide public defense system.

Last session, the Legislature created a task force to study the State Public Defender Operations. The group recommended removing agency oversight from the Public Defender Commission and giving it to the governor. The governor would pick an executive director from three nominees chosen by the Public Defender Commission, which would become an advisory panel.

"OPD needs strong central leadership with direct authority over the organization's budget right now if there is going to be any chance of shortfall mitigation," Cruse said.

Neither Bullock nor Chief Public Defender William Hooks responded to requests for comment on the resignations on Wednesday.
RIO DE JANEIRO  A new corruption scandal was engulfing the fledgling government of Brazils president, Michel Temer, on Friday after a former minister in his Cabinet accused him of exerting pressure to assist a top political ally in a property deal.

As Brazils political class reels from a period of extraordinary turmoil, the latest scandal is shaping into the most acute crisis facing Temer, 75, since he rose to power six months ago after the impeachment of his predecessor, Dilma Rousseff.

The former minister, Marcelo Calero, who was in charge of culture, told federal investigators that Temer had pressured him to overrule a heritage preservation measure halting the construction of a luxury tower in the northeastern city of Salvador. The ally of Temer, Geddel Vieira Lima, who held the title of government secretary, had invested in an apartment in the development. Vieira Lima submitted his resignation on Friday morning, apologizing and explaining in a letter to Temer that he was leaving the government for the good of the nation.

Leading opposition figures in the capital, Brasilia, said Thursday night that they would seek the impeachment of Temer over the claims. Temers office acknowledged in a statement that he had discussed the matter on two occasions with Calero, but insisted that the president had merely sought technical solutions to the problem.

Reports that Calero had secretly recorded his discussions with Temer shook the political establishment, opening the possibility that the Supreme Court could begin an investigation. Temer was already on the defensive over claims by Rousseff that her ouster was an illegal usurpation of power.

If the recording shows that the president acted for the private interests of a minister against the public heritage, then the Temer presidency is over, said Jose Roberto de Toledo, a columnist for the newspaper O Estado de S. Paulo.

The scandal comes as outrage grows over efforts by allies of Temer in the scandal-plagued Congress to grant amnesty to themselves and to other legislators in corruption cases involving political campaigns. Temer himself was found guilty of violating campaign finance limits in a case that could make him ineligible to run for office for eight years.

Temers Brazilian Democratic Movement Party, a centrist group that is tilting to the right, is also under fire after the arrest on graft charges of leaders including Eduardo Cunha, the powerful former legislator who engineered Rousseffs impeachment, and Sergio Cabral, the former governor of Rio de Janeiro who helped the city land the Summer Olympics.

Signaling the potential for even more turmoil, pressure is growing on another leader in Temers party, Renan Calheiros, the head of the Senate, who is battling multiple claims of corruption including a case in which he is alleged to have allowed a lobbyist to pay child support for Calheiros son from an extramarital affair.
BAGHDAD  Rekindling sectarian rivalries at a sensitive time, Iraqs parliament on Saturday voted to legalize state-sanctioned Shiite militias long accused of abuses against minority Sunnis.

Lawmakers passed legislation that promotes the militias to a government force empowered to deter security and terror threats facing the country, including the Islamic State group.

The legislation, supported by 208 of the chambers 327 members, was quickly rejected by Sunni Arab politicians and lawmakers as proof of the dictatorship of the countrys Shiite majority and evidence of its failure to honor promises of inclusion.

The majority does not have the right to determine the fate of everyone else, said Osama al-Nujaifi, one of Iraqs three vice presidents and a senior Sunni politician. There should be genuine political inclusion. This law must be revised.

The legislation comes at a critical stage in Iraqs two-year-long fight against the Islamic State, a conflict underscored by heavy sectarian tensions given that the group follows an extremist interpretation of Sunni Islam and the security forces are predominantly Shiite. The Shiite-led government last month launched a massive campaign to dislodge Islamic State from the city of Mosul, the last major urban center still held by the extremist group.
1 Hospitals bombed: Air strikes and rockets in northern Syria knocked out two medical centers in northern Idlib province dedicated to women Friday and killed at least 12, including two people in one of the health facilities, according to opposition activists, a charity group and a hospital manager. Warplanes and artillery shelling also continued to pound the besieged rebel-held neighborhoods of the northern city of Aleppo as government troops pushed their way from the enclaves northeastern district.

2 Terror arrests: Five men arrested this week in two French cities were planning a terror attack in France as early as next week and were receiving their orders from an Islamic State member based in Iraq or Syria, Paris prosecutor Francois Molins said Friday. The five were arrested on Sunday, four of them in the eastern city of Strasbourg, and one in the southern city of Marseille. They include two French citizens both aged 37, a 36-year-old Franco-Tunisian and a 35-year-old Franco-Moroccan. The other man arrested is a 46-year-old Moroccan. All were detained after a long investigation by French intelligence services.
1 Syria fighting: Government troops have captured a neighborhood in the northern city of Aleppo days after they resumed an offensive on the besieged rebel-held eastern part of the city. The army said troops have seized full control of the Hanano district in Syrias largest city. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said troops now control most of the district, adding that Hanano was the first Aleppo neighborhood to fall into the hands of rebels in 2012. The Observatory said that since the government offensive resumed on eastern Aleppo on Nov. 15, 357 people have been killed in the city and nearby villages.

2 Israel fires: Fires raged in several locations across Israel for a fifth day Saturday, including in a Jewish West Bank settlement where 40 homes were burned and all 1,000-plus of its residents evacuated. After several days of extended fires that caused major damage in northern Israel and in the Jerusalem area, firefighters have managed to quickly gain control of most of the blazes that have erupted since. They got a boost Saturday with the arrival from the U.S. of a Boeing 747-400 Supertanker, the worlds largest firefighting aircraft, which is capable of carrying 75 tons of fire retardant. No deaths have been caused by the fires, but dozens of people have been hospitalized for smoke inhalation. Initial investigations point to the majority of the fires being caused by arson. The countrys leaders say Arab attackers are behind them.
MANILA  Philippine troops, backed by bomber aircraft, assaulted local sympathizers of the Islamic State group, including dozens of militants who took cover Saturday in an unoccupied Islamic school in the south, military officials said.

Troops opened an assault on the Maute group militants in Butig on Thursday because of intelligence reports that they were continuing to make explosives after being blamed for a Sept. 2 bomb attack that killed 15 people in southern Davao city, the presidents hometown, military spokesman Brig. Gen. Restituto Padilla said.
Justin Lynch/Associated Press

JUBA, South Sudan  South Sudans government has accepted with no conditions an increase the peacekeeping force in the country as mandated by the U.N. Security Council in August, Minister of Cabinet Affairs Martin Lomuro said Saturday.

I expect them to arrive at any time. The challenge is now on the U.N. to implement and fulfill their promises, Lomuro said.
CITY HALL -- Mayor Bill de Blasio is willing to spend big bucks on Staten Island deer vasectomies.

A city contractor already performed 468 vasectomies on borough bucks through Nov. 19 before taking a break from the $3.3 million plan for Thanksgiving and wind conditions this week.

That's already far more surgeries than the Parks Department expected.

"We have to get the problem under control," de Blasio said during an unrelated event in Manhattan on Tuesday. "We believe this is the best approach and we will provide the necessary funding."

PLAN COSTS UP TO $3.3 MILLION

The Parks Department hired Anthony DeNicola and his team at wildlife conservation nonprofit White Buffalo Inc. to perform hundreds of deer vasectomies to help manage Staten Island's white-tailed herd.

The city is paying White Buffalo $2 million this fiscal year for the effort.

The contract can't exceed $3.3 million over the three-year research study -- so the total cost could be less than that if the Parks Department determines enough progress has been made.

A department spokesman said the city would prepare and bid out a new contract should there be a need for deer population managment after three years.

The city had to get a special permit for the plan since the state doesn't recommend fertility control programs to manage deer because they are expensive and have shown limited effectiveness.

Wildlife experts have also said the plan won't work because the city is ignoring basic deer biology and conventional herd management practices.

HOW MANY VASECTOMIES NEEDED?

The vasectomy plan is expected to eventually reduce the borough herd 10 to 30 percent.

For the plan to work, at least 90 percent of male deer on Staten Island have to get vasectomies.

Experts say about 40 percent of any deer population is male. So with 468 vasectomies already performed, that puts at least 700 in the herd.

Exactly how many more surgeries will be necessary is unclear.

Only 527 deer were found on Staten Island during the city's latest aerial survey of the herd, far less than the last count and considered just a minimum population.

The city has also put radio collars on 43 sterilized males and 14 doe through Nov. 19. The trackers will be used to assess population dynamics, including deer mortality and birth rates.

An unrestrained and expanding deer herd on Staten Island could harm parks and private property, spread tick-borne illness and wander into roads more often, increasing the risk for deadly vehicle collisions.

THREE DEER EUTHANIZED

At least a dozen deer caught by the city through the vasectomy program have been hit by cars so far.

Earlier this month, a Staten Island man walking his dogs in Mount Loretto forest on Monday night found a dead deer that got a vasectomy from the city two weeks earlier.

The city has also euthanized three deer.

The state permit requires that any deer injured and found unable to survive in the wild must be put down.

De Blasio didn't know the circumstances surrounding those deaths but said that the city still thinks this is the best approach.

"In terms of the situation where three deer died, I don't know enough about the approach to know if that is something exceptional -- obviously, that's very few, we want to keep it as few as possible," de Blasio said. "Right now, we think this is the best approach and we'll keep monitoring but we think this is the best approach."

A de Blasio spokeswoman later pointed out that less than 1 percent of deer have died -- lower than the expected mortality rate.

De Blasio was also able to joke when the Advance asked about "the vasectomy plan."

"You have to say 'deer' so you don't give the impression we're doing that to humans," de Blasio said with a chuckle. "That could cause a lot of misunderstanding."
Trump Clinton

She might have won the popular vote but he's going to the White House. Thank the Electoral College.

(Associated Press/David Goldman)



Chris DeSanctis for the Staten Island Advance



In April 2014 Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo signed the National Popular Vote (NPV) bill to change New York's participation in the Electoral College.

New York's 33 Electoral College votes would be granted to the winner of the national popular vote in a presidential election, rather than to the winner of New York's popular vote. The bill would take effect if similar bills are passed in enough other states to represent a majority of Electoral College votes and form a compact.

Unfortunately, if more states successfully join this effort, the Electoral College will eventually become irrelevant.



NPV proponents could better spend their time dealing with the nation's economy, jobs, and rising health care costs rather than unwisely working to alter a system that George Washington, Alexander Hamilton and John Adams helped to create.



First, the Electoral College promotes relative civility in our presidential elections. The dispute in Florida over balloting during the 2000 presidential election between George W. Bush and Al Gore, for example, demonstrated why the Electoral College is worth keeping - not abolishing. Thanks to the Electoral College, the struggle was centered only in Florida and encompassed only that state's 25 electoral votes.



With a national vote differential of only 500,000 (less than a 0.5 percent) between the two candidates, a national popular vote Electoral College compact would have caused Florida's problems to appear minor in comparison. Both campaigns would have contested votes state by state, precinct by precinct, looking for a few thousand here and a few thousand there. That struggle would have taken place across America, rather than just in Florida.



The late Democratic senator from New York, Daniel Patrick Moynihan, once remarked about such a circumstance under a national popular vote agreement: "There would be genuine pressures to fraud and abuse. It would be an election no one understood until the next day or the day after, with recounts that go on forever, and in any event, with no conclusion, and a runoff to come. The drama, the dignity, the decisiveness and finality of the American political system are drained away in an endless sequence of contests, disputed outcomes and more contests to resolve outcomes already disputed. That is how legitimacy is lost."

Close presidential races are managed more effectively with the Electoral College.



Second, the Electoral College preserves federalism by giving candidates the incentive to campaign in lightly populated states. Notice New Hampshire or Iowa, which, although having comparatively few voters, see presidential candidates often.

Under a national popular vote, candidates would appeal only to more populous states and cities by making promises to them, garnering enough votes there to win. The worries of rural voters and those not clustered in L.A., New York or Chicago, among other large cities, would not be considered. The Electoral College, however, forces candidates to understand different policy preferences state by state, both small and big.



Wyoming's three electoral votes, for example, have far more influence than the state's popular votes, giving that state relatively more sway in choosing the president.



Third, the National Popular Vote bill could disenfranchise New York voters. If this system existed in 2004, New York's 33 Electoral College votes would have gone to George W. Bush, winner of the national popular vote, even though our state overwhelmingly voted for John Kerry, 57.76 percent to 40.48 percent.



Again, Sen. Moynihan's convictions come to mind: "The president would be elected by a popular vote expressed through the states. That has been our principle ever since. It is the principle enshrined in the Electoral College."

Moynihan believed that power should never be given to an individual "save when it is consented to by more than one majority." Allowing 50 majorities to choose our president rather than one national majority provides more accountability, diversity, and balance.



If states consider any changes to the Electoral College, it should adopt the Congressional District Method, which would grant presidential candidates one Electoral College vote for every congressional district in which they win the popular vote. This idea further respects the individual vote, while maintaining the college's other important features. However, if Electoral College abolitionists insist on making the college irrelevant, they should work through the correct process of amending the U.S. Constitution.



* * *

Chris DeSanctis is the Head of School at Gateway Academy in Tottenville. He is also an adjunct professor in the Department of Government at Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, CT and has taught government at the College of Staten Island. He can be reached at cdesanctis@gatewayacademyny.org.
Armenian Prime Minister Karen Karapetyan yesterday hosted Chinas Ambassador to Armenia Tian Erlong.

Karapetyan stressed the need to expand Armenias relations with China and noted that concrete steps should be taken towards greater economic cooperation.

Ambassador Erlong said his mission is to contribute to the development of Armenian-Chinese relations and added that special attention should be paid to the deepening of economic cooperation in different directions. The Ambassador assured that he will convey the Prime Ministers message to his countrys government.
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Wheelchair-bound competitors took up their positions alongside able-bodied rivals under rainbows of coloured sails as the first Friendship Cup got underway in Canberra.

Japanese competitors travelled to Lake Tuggeranong for the special event, which saw sailors from across Australia jetting in to take part. The inaugural event was an initiative of Sailability, an organisation which aims to enrich the lives of people of all abilities through sailing.

John Garbutt, Stewart Cathie and Colin Alderton take part in the Sailability ACT Friendship Cup on Lake Tuggeranong. Credit:Elesa Kurtz

Lake Tuggeranong became a hive of activity as about 90 cheerful competitors in boats breezed past spectators on the shore, with singles competing in the morning and doubles in the afternoon.

The race is set to continue on Sunday, with the winning country and competitor to be announced about 2pm.
Controversial super trawler the Geelong Star was confirmed to have left Australian waters on the eve of the Senate inquiry report being handed down on its operation.

Opponents of the vessel described it as a win for Australia, and recreational and commercial fishers welcomed the news.

The Geelong Star has now left Australian waters. Credit:Jonathan Mallinson

The Geelong Star had been operating in the small pelagic fishery for 18 months, reportedly selling the fish product to Africa. It previously had concentrated fishing efforts on the far south coast of New South Wales, where community concerns centred on the impact the vessel was having on recreational fisheries, the tourism industry, and the diversity of marine life.

A recent review of the vessel management plan failed to address the community concerns of localised bait fish depletion.
A swag of city-based bank branches are in the middle of a grand game of musical chairs as leasing deals struck up to 10 years ago expire.

Despite or perhaps because of the shift to online and mobile banking, the weight of the personal is proving significant and bank branches are getting bigger rather than smaller, according to CBRE retail leasing agent Zelman Ainsworth.

Citibank has occupied 350 Collins Street for many years. Credit:Erin Jonasson

The latest round of banking chamber leasing deals started about 15 months ago and there are four more banks still looking for new digs, Mr Ainsworth said.

"The bank deals happen in groups every seven to 10 years. It's easier for them to move into other former banking chambers because the infrastructure they need is already there," he said.
Fast-forward to 2016 and the total number of registered vehicles in the ACT has reached almost 300,000 and the population is nudging 400,000. The number of sets of traffic lights is now 315. What could be the mysterious formula that connects a doubling of the population and a tripling of the number of registered vehicles to a skyrocketing number of traffic lights? Or, is it all just down to chaos theory? Penleigh Boyd, Reid Let's look for angels

I was watching an old movie, Pollyanna, recently and was taken by a heartfelt comment from the young star that it is easy to find badness in humanity if you look for it. It made me think about the state of the world and our political system in Australia at the present time. Isn't it about time we looked for and found our better angels. Our Federal Parliament now resembles hand-to-hand trench warfare where if the government somehow manages to get a piece of legislation through the Parliament it is hailed as a "victory". Whatever happened to the concept of governing for all Australians, where passing good legislation though both Houses was par for the course if the government was on its game and had taken the people with it? Yes, I know the Senate composition is now tricky but this is the hand that our Prime Minister engineered and the Coalition has to deal with it.

Politics in Australia today is profoundly depressing and the electorate is starting to feel this and express it at the ballot box. Let's look for our better angels and hope they will triumph over the political mediocrity suffocating Australia today. Our country deserves much better. Barry Harris, Curtin Coverage was a drag Last Sunday's Canberra Times reported: "SpringOUT parade and family fun day celebrates Canberra's queer community. Civic streets turned rainbow on Saturday morning as the SpringOUT Pride Festival concluded with a pride march through the city centre."

There's little doubt that if this was a "few hundred" of the 8641 motorsport participants and supporters who signed a petition about the Canberra International Dragway several years ago parading through the city centre on a busy Saturday morning they would still be trying to make bail. I would also like to commend The Canberra Times on it's wonderful [lack of] coverage of the American Car Show at Queanbeyan ... not. Michael Attwell, Canberra Motorsport Suppporters Group, Dunlop Tape tells the truth on fat I am usually enlightened after reading a Gittins piece, but his "No sugar coating issue" (Canberra Times, November 23, p18) left me disappointed when he authoritatively starts a paragraph with "Yet the incidence of obesity  a BMI

of more than 30  is growing in rich countries." The appeal to BMI by medical profession as a diagnostic tool for individuals is a story that should have been part of the Andrew Masterton story "Clairvoyance is real  the latest pseudo-science hiccup to be published" (Canberra Times, November 20). Gittins' use of BMI to back his claim is at odds with the photo on the Canberra Times website adjacent the Peter Martin article on sugar tax, namely a fat-bellied man with a girth of 109 centimetres. BMI is a statistical calculation from the the 1800s developed by Belgian polymath and social statistician Lambeth Quetelet seeking a formula that would correlate, numerically, to the average citizen. It was never developed as a diagnostic tool for obesity. To use it thus, according to Stanford mathematician Keith Devlin (Devlin's Angle on the web) is kindergarten arithmetic. BMI ignores the greater density of muscle to fat  sportsmen often have obese BMI readings because of muscle bulk.

BMI also ignores the belly fat-to- bum fat ratio and the amount of belly fat laid down. According to the Heart Foundation a simple tape measure around the belly of more than 94 centimetres for a man and 80 centimetres for a woman increases the risk of heart disease and stroke as it indicates the level of fat which coats the heart, kidneys, liver, digestive organs and pancreas. So let's have much more tape- measure reportage and much less of the poorly understood dependence on BMI. Instead of BMI calculators, health websites should tell Googlers to get a tape measure, not click in height and weight. Yet, I am still with Gittins and Martin and agree that we should tax sugary drinks, as suggested by the Grattan Institute. Denis Waters, Nicholls

Word choice faulty To recent letter writers to The Canberra Times: Please note there is a difference in meaning between "flaunt" and "flout". Some diplomats are flouting the law  certainly not flaunting it. Jean Smyth, Conder Email: letters.editor@canberratimes.com.au. Send from the message eld, not as an attached le. Fax: 6280 2282. Mail: Letters to the Editor, The Canberra Times, PO Box 7155, Canberra Mail Centre, ACT 2610.
November 18 marked 50 years since the Holt government decreed that  for the first time in Australian history  it would be legal for married women to work in the public service.

But it's also easy to forget just how profoundly things for women in this country have changed in the last half-century, which is why I thought I'd mention a little anniversary that slipped past unremarked last Friday.

And it's true; there's a long way to go before Australian workplaces are a truly level playing field.

Many working women who noticed the recent headlines about the gender pay gap being stuck rather firmly at about 16 per cent will have raised their eyes silently heavenward and wondered if this stuff will ever change.

Now, there are plenty of things that married women should be banned from doing. Like referring to their husbands as "Dad" in conversations with adults, or "Hubby" at any time ever, or licking their thumb to wipe something off their husbands' cheeks, or writing to the "Mere Male" column about the hilarious time he put the electric kettle on the hob (how we laughed!). Or providing graphic detail about his vasectomy after five sauvignon blancs at the school trivia night.

But that fact that quite recently in this country women would get the sack from their jobs when they got married is quite a freaky thought.

The "marriage bar" was inherited from Britain, but the government of Clement Atlee abolished their version pretty smartly after World War II, while we clung to it for another couple of decades.

The principle behind the law was twofold. First, it was felt that a female public servant who got married would no longer be capable of doing her job, given the notorious female incapacity to perform any other sensible function simultaneously with the task of gestation, curtain selection, or the cooking of a chop.

There was, moreover, an ancillary disinclination to allow women who had snared a lifelong financial benefactor (a husband) to double-dip by holding down a paid job that should by rights go either to a man, or to a spinster who needed occupation to stave off the pangs of despair, plus enough money for cat food.
One Nation leader Pauline Hanson is copping flak for taking her senators to a healthy part of the Great Barrier Reef in an effort to disprove claims the icon is dying.

Ms Hanson donned a wetsuit and snorkel gear for her swim off Great Keppel Island on Friday, when she took aim at green groups for telling "untruths" about the reef's health.

Senators Malcolm Roberts, who has long argued the case for global warming doesn't stack up, and Brian Burston joined Ms Hanson on the trip to support tourism operators by showing the world the reef is alive and well.

But the trip has been criticised by conservationists, who say Ms Hanson had taken her senators and the media to a healthy section of reef unaffected by unprecedented coral bleaching caused by high water temperatures.
The federal government wants Islamic State fighter Neil Prakash brought to Australia to face a raft of terrorism charges.

The Justice Minister, Michael Keenan, says the government has formally requested the extradition of the Islamic State recruiter, propagandist and attack planner.

Prakash has been arrested in Turkey six months after he was believed to have been killed in a drone strike in neighbouring Iraq.

"Prakash is subject to a formal extradition request from Australia," a spokeswoman for the minister said on Saturday.
There was a modest Australian authenticity about it. Cleary based The Sundowners on stories told to him by his father, who had run away to the outback as a boy, and on the splendid journalistic study of big sheep stations and people out west, On the Wool Track, written by C.E.W. Bean, who would become the great Australian front-line historian of the First World War. Dad looked forward to seeing the film when it was released in 1960. Sitting on the bench seat of our car beside my father at the drive-in, however, I became aware of a frustration and disappointment settling on him. The film was made by the American producer and director Fred Zinnemann.

The lead actor playing Paddy Carmody turned out to be the American film star Robert Mitchum, known for his cleft chin and bedroom eyes. His attempt at an Australian accent was risible. All the other leads were played by English actors  Deborah Kerr, Peter Ustinov and Michael Anderson jnr. It was as authentically Australian as a Hollywood western, despite its wide Australian landscapes and kangaroos and koalas and mobs of sheep. It offended my father that the film adaption of Cleary's book jarred the ear and eye, and that no Australian actor had been seen fit for the lead role. With the naivety of childhood, I was offended on his behalf and wanted to know what we could do about it. Wasn't there someone we could write to and complain, I asked. The old man responded that there were a lot of things you couldn't change by complaining.

Best, he advised, to think about how we are, rather than how some big-talker thought we ought to be. We were all right without people who didn't know anything about us faking it, he soothed, or words to that effect, as we drove back to the farm. There seems still a bit in this advice as a big-noting American is allowed to elbow colossal space for himself across Australian TV screens, newspaper pages and social media sites. Donald Trump isn't trying to play an Australian in a movie, of course, but many Australians, including some public figures who ought to know better are treating his path to the American presidency as some form of triumph for them and their views. More recoil, loudly, from his preposterous utterings, his easy lying and his humourless befuddlement. Either way, we are lending Trump too much of ourselves. As a commentator who reacted in print with a form of fury on the day of his election (The day America chose to become the Jerry Springer Show), I must count myself into this equation.
The cheese toastie gets a makeover, too: the Cornersmith version fills a pita with fresh goat's cheese, black beans, red cabbage and fermented pineapple sambal. Unique and delicious indeed.

The Cornersmith plate, a lunchtime bestseller, changes daily according to the produce sourced. So my apple and radish salad with grilled asparagus, house-made labne and charred leek encrusted with poppy seeds and served with toasted light rye, could be something quite different when you visit.

A room or large cupboard for storing food. It's a pretty apt descriptor for this little place, more oversized pantry than commodious cafe, but therein lies its charm.

With just 20 seats inside and a smattering of chairs outside, Oxford Larder is brimming with provisions, which is why you'll see fresh herbs dangling in bunches from the ceiling and shelves stacked with dried pasta, passata, pickles and preserved lemons  much of it homemade  in between the copper pots, tasteful coffee-table books and old fashioned scales.

So far, so quaint, but if you're not enchanted yet, there's an old world jazzy soundtrack that seems to slow time right down, and exotically accented staff to transport you far from peak-cafe Collingwood. Peel Street alone is packed with fab options these days  Two Birds, Plug Nickel, Mr Peel, etc  but none is quite so humble and homely as this one.

Oxford Larder is so teeny-tiny, you can practically peer over the shoulders of the chefs behind the glass cabinet up the back as they whip up your lunch  perhaps an Italian style-burger, which is really more of a meatball sandwich; or incredibly tasty lamb and beef koftas, the mince flecked with coriander and served with the Larder's signature beetroot "detox salad" on a fluffy charcoal bun.

A Nordic potato waffle, served crunchy with smoked salmon, crushed avocado, sour cream, beetroot pickle and a soft-boiled egg, is another fine option.
Grace died four years after her reunion with her son, John. They are shown here in 1975. Credit:Courtesy of John De St Jorre We became a typical middleclass family headed by two professional people. My father, born into a French family in the Seychelles, was a marine engineer, and my stepmother was a well-born Scot who became a schoolteacher. My brother and I did well at school. I spent two years in the army, much of it in Malaya during the 1950s Communist insurgency, followed by a degree at Oxford. My brother, on a National Coal Board scholarship, became a mining engineer, married, and moved to Canada. During my last year at Oxford, I was recruited into MI6 the old-fashioned way by my medieval history tutor operating as a discreet "talent-spotter". I entered a secret world in an organisation that did not officially exist, yet had two names (the Secret Intelligence Service was the other), via an arcane recruitment process. John de St Jorre with his father, George in 1939. Credit:Courtesy of John De St Jorre Through this time the silence about my mother's fate continued. That silence, when you think about it, was astonishing  but my brother and I accepted it without question. It was part of the quasi-Victorian mores and conventions of the time. If your parents, or indeed any adult, did not broach a subject, you never did, either. Whole areas of discussion now completely normal  religion, politics, sex and family secrets  were then taboo. I was a creature of that era, respectful of its conventions, curious but cautious and, after a miserable, dislocated childhood, willing to trade anything for stability and happiness.

However, as I grew older, I felt increasingly guilty about not doing something to find my still unnamed mother, and increasingly resentful of my parents for covering up the past. Grace (at right) as a teenager, with her sister Olive. Credit:Courtesy of John De St Jorre It was complicated by knowing that my father loved us. He was our daddy, the kindly man who shielded us from an unrelenting hostile world in our motherless childhood. I never forgot it and loved him back. It was clear that he wanted to protect us. But from whom? Our mother? What had happened to trigger that need? Mayhem, madness, murder? The only breakthrough before he died in 1965 was when he was forced to reveal some basic facts that I needed for MI6's vetting process. As a result, I finally learnt my mother's name. I was 24 years old. After my father's death, I felt liberated to take action. By that time, I had quit MI6  I had spent most of my time working in Africa  and begun to drift, doing odd jobs to survive but enjoying the freedom of the era. It was, after all, the 1960s and it seemed the right thing to do.

The limited world of the 1940s and '50s had given way to a brighter, more expansive universe. London had become prosperous and vibrant. New plays, films, novels, even clothes and furniture seethed with rebellion against the old order; time-encrusted social tabooswere discarded like cracked china; the chiaroscuro tones of old London that I remembered from my childhood ceded to the bright colours of a confident future. "You never had it so good," trumpeted a political slogan of the day. World War II and its drab, exhausted aftermath were forgotten. London was swinging and it was cool to be British. As all this changed, so did I. I not only witnessed this social revolution but participated in it. At state secondary schools and at Oxford on a government scholarship, I took advantage of the Labour Party's radical reforms in education and health, both cost-free and accessible. Emerging from the jungles of Malaya, I saw the sun sinking on the British Empire, and it became clear that America called the shots while Britain obediently followed. I found myself becoming more independent, bolder and scornful of many of the social conventions I had once regarded as sacrosanct. In a profound way, I felt like a different person, a person who could do anything he wanted, including looking for his mother. But it wasn't easy. My brother, preoccupied with his work and growing family in western Canada, was distant from the problem. He had no memories of our mother and, as he later explained, her "death" was real for him. The past was past and emphatically dead. With Edith, my stepmother, it was more complicated. By this time, she had settled into the maternal role. Most people did not know she was not our real mother, something we all tacitly agreed not to divulge. I was fond of her, but a sense of betrayal over the woman she had replaced never left me. This manifested itself as a shearing away from any physical contact, something I am sure Edith noticed, and which made me ashamed of myself.

My search which stretched over 10 years, was a tortuous one. It entailed false leads, miraculous coincidences and discoveries, frequent dead ends, and sheer good luck. As time went on, I realised that an initial rebuff was not necessarily the end of the matter. My sources, all women  not a single man ever came forward  were rather like me. It took them time to absorb and ponder. I had to make a sustained effort to draw out the past. The flow of information was neither rapid nor constant  but the reward was lifting another veil. For people who have lost relatives, finding them raises all kinds of difficulties, of which the physical search is probably the least demanding. Tough  and, at times, agonising  moral choices have to be made. After long separations, is it a good idea to break into lives that may have been rebuilt on the rubble of a shattered past? Does the person who has disappeared really want to be found? Some form of prior consultation would be reasonable, but how can that be done without revealing identities and connections? How much collateral damage will be inflicted on close relatives and friends of the seeker and the sought? These problems are common to all attempts to restore broken blood ties, but they are particularly acute when the search involves reconnecting a mother with her child. At various times in my long search, their collective complexity almost scuttled the enterprise. One of the many things that slowed me down was the necessity to find a regular job and, after freelancing in central Africa, the Observer newspaper hired me. While the search for my mother never left my mind, I was deflected by covering political crises in Africa and the Middle East, and wars, notably the late 1960s Nigerian-Biafran conflict, the 1973 Arab-Israeli war, and the 1979 Islamic revolution in Iran.

During the search, I pieced the story together, the full version of which can be found in my memoir. The salient points are that my mother had a breakdown after the birth of my brother, probably due to post-natal depression, but found herself going in and out of mental institutions, often full of mad and violent inmates. My father became increasingly worried about our safety. To make matters worse, my maternal grandmother, with whom we lived for a while, was a fearsome, tyrannical figure who hated my father. Rows between him, her, and our mother got worse and worse, swirling around our young heads. By the time the war started, my parents' marriage had broken up and, in the summer of 1940 as the bombing of London began, my father took my brother and me away. My mother agreed to the separation, thinking that she would continue to see us regularly and would always be a part of our lives. But my father had another plan. For him, the break  with his wife and with her entire family  was final. And so it remained for the next 35 years. Meanwhile, my mother was institutionalised increasingly often and subjected to the era's barbaric treatment of the mentally ill: electric shocks without anaesthetics, a frontal lobotomy, physical abuse and neglect. I found her, damaged by 40 years in mental hospitals. I also discovered she had an older sister, the only person who had stayed by her side through years of illness and anguish. My aunt knew I was alive through tracking me by my Observer byline. But she never dared to contact me for fear of breaking into my life uninvited. She was a wonderful find: hale, resilient and loving, and proved to be a vital gobetween for my mother and me, as well as a brimming repository of family history. My mother lived for four years after our reunion, which happened in 1975 just after my 39th birthday. During that time we managed to re-establish the ties that are the deepest in human experience, the bond between mother and child.
Berries! CALL me a glutton or sensualist, but of all the surprising pleasures of summer in Sweden, the abundance of wild berries has to be my favourite. Carpets of wild blueberries cover the floor of the forests, sweet little wild strawberries known as smultron pop up like weeds next to lakes and swimming holes, backyard vegie patches overflow with gooseberries, blackcurrants and juicy cherries.

And here on a sandy beach track in Sweden's southernmost county, Skane, we've hit the motherlode: scores of wild raspberry bushes groaning with sweet, ripe fruit. We hop out of the hire car, our thonged feet covered in yellow sand, and gorge ourselves with fruit in what feels to me, an Australian, as the most incongruous of Swedish experiences.

It's all about vitamin D, gorging on berries and surfing. Credit:Alamy

While it's easy to file Sweden away as that cold, snowy place at the top of Europe, a place where you can see the Northern Lights, the country has a completely different character during its fleetingly short summer. (As the locals joke, summer is the best day of the year in Sweden.) Temperatures climb up to the high 20s, businesses shut their doors, and people flock to the many lakes, and the Baltic and North Sea coasts, to stock up on vitamin D for the coming winter.

My Swedish partner and I have packed our two kids into the car for a summer road trip, and our route will take us through Skane to the far south-east region of Osterlen, a part of the country often described as Sweden's Tuscany thanks to its sweeping rural landscapes and pretty farmhouses. Because we're both surfers  and optimists  we've strapped a borrowed longboard to the roof on the off-chance that the adjacent Baltic Sea will serve up some surfable waves.
Only rapid action can prevent the rising ocean temperatures that threaten the existence of the reef.

Lets meditate. Youre descending down the stairs, wading into water. Eventually you are completely submerged, floating in a giant fishbowl.

Hundreds of damselfish hover around you. Countless tiny blue-green chromis, at most five centimetres long, gather near your left arm. They are joined by a handful of larger damselfish known as sergeant majors  see their military-style black-and-white stripes.

Over to your right is a school of muddy brown surgeonfish. They keep their distance and youd do well to do the same  spear-like spines at the base of their tails can puncture the flesh when they feel threatened. The edge of the fishbowl is set by giant plate corals, more than a metre across and stacked 10 high in a circular wall stretching from ocean floor to surface. Below is a forest of soft and branched staghorn coral, some displaying flashes of vibrant colour, others a ghostly white, others still enveloped in dirty brown fuzz. Hear that noise like paper crinkling? Thats the sound of near fluorescent turquoise parrotfish using their beak-like mouths to rasp algae growing on the coral surface. OK, enough bliss; time to wake up.

Advertisement This soothing paradise exists in the real world. Called, appropriately enough, the fishbowl, it sits on the edge of the Australian continental shelf, about 70 kilometres north-east of Port Douglas, far north Queensland. It is part of what is known as south northern Opal Reef  SNO, for short. Lying in the centre of the national treasures 2300 kilometre run up the Queensland coast, SNO tells the 2016 story of the Great Barrier Reef in miniature. For years, it has been a prized site for tourism due to its extraordinary ecology and natural design. Still is. In a day snorkelling along its 10-kilometre length, we swam alongside sea turtles, humphead wrasse, giant clams and reef sharks. It is spectacular. But it doesnt look the same as it did 12 months ago. Soaring ocean temperatures bleached beds of coral here in late summer and early autumn. When the water reaches about 30 degrees, coral becomes stressed and ejects the tiny marine algae, known as zooxanthellae, that live inside its tissue and give it colour and energy. With the zooxanthellae gone, the coral starves and its tissue becomes transparent. Usually, if the temperature returns to normal within eight weeks, the coral can recover. If not, it starts to die. Advertisement

Over the past year, coral reefs across the Pacific have been damaged by ocean temperatures several degrees above average. It coincided with an El Nino event in the eastern Pacific, which pushed already inflated temperatures higher. On parts of the reef, the water temperature rose above 30 degrees in February and stayed high through March and April. Seven months on, Taylor Simpkins  a Californian marine biologist who guides snorkelling tours for eco-tourism company Wavelength Reef Cruises  estimates that in parts of the fishbowl up to 40 per cent of coral has bleached and died. Thats why parrotfish are flourishing: the algae they eat flourishes on dead coral, giving it its fuzzy texture. Simpkins is visibly moved as we return to the surface and describes the change shes witnessed and documented in photos over the past year. From September last year to April there was a drastic change to the reef, it was in a very sick state and a dire state, she says. Some of it has recovered, but plenty of it hasnt. There may be more carnage to come in the months ahead. Swimming over staghorn coral that were bleached but survived, Simpkins notes that in their weakened state a few colonies have already started to bleach again. And the water is just 27 degrees at the moment, she says. But Simpkins is also realistic about what she is showing people. It is not immediately obvious to the untrained eye that this is an ecosystem under great stress. Some parts of SNO are relatively untouched, and even in the worst affected areas more than half of the coral is still alive. It is more than beautiful enough to please the 48 tourists visiting with Wavelength on a November Saturday. Depending on your perspective, it is either not as bad as some scientists and activists have argued  a line that has been run consistently in some media, notably Brisbanes Courier-Mail  or damaged to an extent unimaginable a year ago, and a daunting harbinger of how quickly the whole reef could be lost. Government agencies estimate 22 per cent of the reef died during the bleaching event at the start of 2016. Its gone and, depending on the type of coral, will take years or decades to recover, if it ever comes back. In some places the damage has spread to boulder coral, which can live for a thousand years.

Underwater re-surveys through October and November by James Cook University show that the total amount that has died has increased over winter. The worst of the damage is in the north, above Port Douglas stretching up into the Torres Strait towards Papua New Guinea. These parts of the reef are little seen by the 1.5 million tourists who visit each year, and mostly embark from cities further south. They are also the areas that have been least touched by development and farming. Until this year it was the reefs most pristine section. Scientists estimate an average death rate of 60 per cent in this region. Around Lizard Island, a research hub off the coast at Cooktown, some reefs are assessed to be 80 per cent dead. In late November, green group WWF released video from the island suggesting the annual underwater snow storm of coral spawning had been not seen in the wake of the bleaching this year.

According to Professor Terry Hughes, head of the ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Science Studies, the coral dies in three ways. There was instant mortality in March due to severe heat stress  the coral basically cooked. There was then a slow loss of coral over the months that followed as some did not regain their colour and effectively starved to death. Now, corals are finding a third way to die. Theyre being eaten. Predators  small snails known as Drupella, but also crown-of-thorns starfish  are targeting the weakened surviving coral. The amount of predation by Drupella on the most damaged reefs is about 10 times higher than it was before the bleaching event, Hughes says. When the coral dies, there is a flow on effect. Up to 90 per cent of staghorn coral died in some areas. This is crucial, because fish species live and feed in the nooks and crannies they create. Over the coming years, as coral cover slowly recovers, scientists expect fish numbers to fall and rise with them. The impact will reverberate through the complex reef ecosystem. Advertisement

This year is the third time the Great Barrier Reef has bleached, following similar, lesser events in 1998 and 2002. This year was clearly the worst, and scientists believe had it not been for chance the damage could have been greater. It was only the arrival of Cyclone Winston in February that rapidly cooled the waters along the central and southern reef, rescuing them from bleaching. Hughes says the bleaching this year can be clearly pinned on climate change. While there have always been El Nino events, it wasnt until 1998 that one was converted into bleaching of the Great Barrier Reef. He says global warming of about one degree means we have now reached a point where there is sometimes bleaching at the cooler end of the cycle, in La Nina years. La Nina years now are warmer than El Nino years were 25 years ago. So were rapidly moving to a situation where bleaching can happen in any hot year, Hughes says. The most likely scenario is a fourth bleaching event will happen in about five years time in the next El Nino event. We could be lucky and it could be later, or it could be sooner. This series is looking at not just threats to the reef, but also solutions. But the truth is there is no solution to the problem  and ultimately any of the problems facing the reef  without tackling climate change. It is necessary not only to prevent coral bleaching, but also to stop ocean acidification  caused by oceans gradual absorption of emitted carbon dioxide  and to limit the likelihood that cyclones that hit the Queensland coast will become more intense. Already, the damage from cyclones Ita and Yasi in recent years is there to see in piles of crushed coral on parts of the ocean floor. Cyclones are, of course, part of the natural cycle. The goal is that they not be made unnecessarily worse. Despite this, the federal governments 2050 plan for reef sustainability deals with building the reefs resilience to climate change by dealing with other threats, but not dealing with climate change itself. Analysts estimate that climate pledges across the globe would add up to warming of 2.8 degrees. Despite this, Hughes offers some faint hope. People often ask me what will the barrier reef look like with two degrees warming, he says. I think at two degrees well still have a coral reef system but it will be dominated much more by species that are fast to recover than longer-loop species. At more than two degrees we will see very degraded coral reef systems. By 2030, under business as usual emissions, we could see annual bleaching events. But it really depends on the trajectory of global warming, which in turn depends on the trajectory of greenhouse gas emissions. Hughes sees only one answer. I would like to see Australia take more of a leadership role in this, reflecting our countrys responsibility for the largest coral reef system in the world.
Exfoliation Finding the perfect body scrub  then putting it to work  is a summer mission. To be effective, it needs to be grainy but gentle, with sloughing elements such as bamboo, crushed almonds and fruit extracts, and moisturising ingredients like rosehip oil and shea butter. Work over skin in a circular motion. Go on, smooth things over.

Cameron Diaz, Nicole Richie and Emma Stone are fans of this hairstyling primer: it combats humidity (yay!), boosts shine and cuts down blow-drying time. Spray evenly onto towel-dried hair, comb through and then bring out the heat-styling guns. Davines Your Hair Assistant Blowdry Primer, 250ml, $40, hairjamm.com.

Road test

This week I try ... a galvanic facial

Comfort Zone Body Strategist Scrub, $74. Biology No 351 Skin Smoothing Body Buff, $40. Trilogy Exfoliating Body Balm, $36. Credit:Jennifer Soo

The lowdown Guinot has a French expert therapist, Sandrine, visiting Australia, so I'm trying the company's new Hydradermie Youth Treatment, which targets the skin's cellular energy using its wonder electrode machine. Bring it on! Phase one involves a deep-cleanse, exfoliation and application of a soothing gel serum that's absorbed with the help of rollers that emit a gentle galvanic current (electricity generated by a chemical reaction). It feels tingly, in a pleasant way. Next comes an oxygen based cream that's massaged into my face with the soothing help of a warm thermal electrode. Phase three is an old-school facial massage to boost circulation. The last step? A mask.
Claire, I don't think you should jump to the conclusion it's a gender thing as such. There's simply nothing to be gained.

I work in Sydney in a marketing role and feel completely sidelined by my boss on salary. I accidentally saw a colleague's salary for a similar role on the admin assistant's computer screen one day, and it was $20,000 more than mine. He's been with the company only slightly longer and I believe I do an equally good (if not better) job. There have been no pay reviews in our office for two years but when I've tried to bring that up, I've been fobbed off and told a review was coming. How can the company in conscience pay me less (is it because I am a woman?) and how do I fix it? My motivation has taken a big hit. If the company doesn't care about me, why should I care about it?

While discrimination exists, I also see over and over again an attitude problem - from women. I have a bunch of alpha female friends who don't believe they are worthy of pay rises. It seems a combination of the "imposter" syndrome that so many women suffer from (I don't really deserve this job and they're going to notice any minute) and an ingrained reticence to have financially, and emotionally, charged discussions (They'll think I'm a bitch). Hey presto: the 16.2 per cent pay gap.

So, congratulations for actually asking; your boss is nicely forewarned. Now let's give you a strategy to succeed.

You've inadvertently discovered something about your pay disparity that you just can't reveal. Again, nothing to be gained, much to lose. But you can use it to fortify your resolve (not your resentment). Besides, I suspect your colleague got the jump on you when you were first offered the job  while you probably gratefully accepted the job and conditions, a man is more likely to immediately negotiate.

Although that ship has sailed, keep in mind you could change jobs or upskill to get a better one, inside or outside your company.

Back to now, though. Track down your key performance indicators (or write them if there's no such thing) and knock up a matrix of how you've smashed them out of the park. Collect evidence of your contribution to the bottom line and research what other companies pay for this.
Lauren Huxley doesn't remember the spring afternoon in late 2005 when she was repeatedly and violently beaten by a stranger, soaked with petrol as her family's home burned around her.

Thankfully, she's been spared the trauma of reliving the terrifying minutes of the attack and the frantic efforts that followed to save her life.

Lauren Huxley gets ready for her 30th birthday party at her friend's house. Credit:Dominic Lorrimer

Doctors didn't think she would make it. The then 18-year-old was given a 5 per cent chance of surviving the horrific head and facial injuries that her attacker inflicted, leaving her unrecognisable.

Her family was told to say their goodbyes.
Residents of a Lane Cove apartment block who purchased off-the-plan properties say they have been left in limbo after missing building components has allegedly prevented the issuing of a Fire Safety Certificate.

Despite the apartment block being almost new, the residents are alleging many aspects of the building do not comply with the Building Code of Australia, including a fire collar that has been incorrectly fixed to walls, has insufficient seals and doesn't match the manufacturer's instructions.

Randi Lapham, 62, who purchased one of the first properties in the building when it went on the market in 2011, said she has been frustrated with the builders who she believes could have done more to correct some of the faults.

"There are a whole list of things in the building that are not fire safe and the builders know that, they have been sent the list of faults that needs to be addressed in order for the building to be deemed 'fire safe'," she said.
Water splash parks have become a summer hit among families with young children, but their rapid spread across Sydney has raised public health concerns about contaminated water and diarrhoea outbreaks.

The Baird government plans to change the Public Health Act to make clear the new splash parks and interactive water fountains are included in the definition of a public swimming pool.

While a number of councils have scrambled over winter to work with NSW Health to meet the swimming pool standard in time for summer, one of the most popular water splash parks at Darling Harbour, run by the state government agency Property NSW, insists it doesn't need to.

Property NSW has also refused to answer questions on whether three new interactive water fountains that will open to the public at Darling Harbour in the next fortnight also meet the swimming pool safety standard.
The Press Council considered whether its Standards of Practice were breached by an article headed "The Secret Life of Gary Low" in The Sun-Herald (in print) and The Sydney Morning Herald (online) on 24 January 2016.

The article reported on a man who "is as much a mystery in death as he was in life", one who "had so assiduously concealed from the world". He was "a quiet man, a diligent worker" who "was kind and generous with his time  For years, possibly decades, he cultivated extreme privacy, and scrupulously avoided his most basic details being recorded by government departments, agencies or businesses." He apparently lived under the assumed name of Gary Low, used various birth dates, had no known next of kin, was vague about where he actually lived, had no bank account, no driver's licence, and no immigration or citizenship records. The article also noted that Mr Low mentioned in passing to an acquaintance that he had a son and a grandson, but did not offer further details. The article reported that Mr Low's health declined very rapidly in 2014, since "[h]is immune system had been ravaged by HIV, which had gone untreated for as long as a decade and had now advanced to AIDS". Mr Low died three weeks after admission to hospital. A coronial inquest was conducted and his body remained unclaimed at the morgue.

The Australian Press Council considered a complaint by Tom Thompson, an authenticator of historical artifacts, about an article in The Sun-Herald.

After receiving a complaint, the Council asked the publication to comment on whether the material breached its Standards of Practice, in particular those requiring that publications take reasonable steps to avoid intruding on a person's reasonable expectations of privacy, and to avoid causing or materially contributing to substantial offence or distress or a substantial risk to health or safety, unless doing so is sufficiently in the public interest (General Principles 5 and 6). The Council asked the publication to comment on whether in disclosing Mr Low's HIV status, it may not have taken reasonable steps to avoid breaching his and others' reasonable expectations of privacy, or contributing to substantial distress or prejudice or risk to health and safety, and whether there was a public interest in such disclosure  even if it was on the public record, given the stigma often associated with it and the effect it might have on those communicating their status to others who should be told.

In response, the publication said the article amounted to a fair and accurate report of a court process and that the information relating to the circumstances of Mr Low's death was obtained from publicly available court documentation made available by the Coroner's Court. The publication noted the strong public interest in ensuring courts remain open and transparent. The publication also noted that the hospital in which Mr Low was a patient did not make any submissions to suppress or redact the information about his HIV status, nor did the Coroner's Court make any non-publication orders. Further, the journalist who wrote the story had sought confirmation and comment from the hospital authorities before publication, but they declined to comment.
A trained WIRES volunteer has been bitten by an eastern brown snake while at a reptiles handling refresher course.

Deborah Mary Martin attended the WIRES reptile course at Springwood Scout Hall in the Blue Mountains on Saturday afternoon and was bitten on the finger while handling the reptile.

Very lucky: Deborah Mary Martin.

"We were doing our refresher course and everything was going fine but I must have done something wrong because the eastern brown snake I was trying to catch turned around and bit me on the finger," she said.

"I didn't really have time to think about what had happened - the guys that ran the course were excellent and treated me correctly."
Two men were arrested after multiple violent incidents at fast-food outlets in Sydney's central business district early on Sunday.

At about 1.45am, police were called to a restaurant on Pitt Street, where they were told a man had punched a woman multiple times.

The 21-year-old woman from Glendenning in Sydney's west was taken to Sydney Eye Hospital in a stable condition, police said. She was treated for extensive bruising. Her 22-year-old partner was arrested and later charged with assault. He was granted conditional bail to appear in Downing Centre Local Court in December.

Just over an hour earlier, police went to a fast-food outlet on George Street after reports of a fight between two groups.

A 24-year-old man with a stab wound to his lower torso was taken to St Vincent's Hospital. He was expected to undergo surgery on Sunday, police said.
Police are asking for public help to find a two-year-old girl and 24-year-old man missing near the Sunshine Coast since Saturday.

The pair were last seen by family at an Imbil Island Road residence in Imbil about 3.30pm and police hold concerns for their welfare due to the age of the child.

A two-year-old girl was last seen on Saturday afternoon at Imbil, near the Sunshine Coast, and is believed to be with a 24-year-old man. Credit:Queensland Police Service

A Queensland Police spokeswoman said both missing people knew each other.

Investigators believe the man and girl may be travelling in a white 2004 unregistered Holden Commodore sedan, which was last seen travelling north on Kandanga Imbil Road.
Dozens of hackers and industry professionals have joined together to help create new technologies for charities as part of Random Hacks of Kindness.

More than 50 people gathered for the event that has previously helped the UN, Red Cross and MSF.

Lennon Cheng and Adam Brooks with other hackers and industry professionals working together to create new ways for charities to succeed. Credit:Glenn Hunt

The teams have come together this year to compete to create the best programs and technology for Oxfam, the Missing Maps Project, MDA and the the Financial basics foundation.

Organiser of the event Bruce Stronge said each of the challengers would be helping make the world a little bit better.
Atherstone housing estate in Melton South. Credit:Joe Armao The promotion promises a "rent guarantee of five per cent per annum for one year" and a "full turnkey three-bedroom and two-car garage at only $A323,000". Sale of public land to foreign investors is likely to fuel debate around foreign ownership more generally, housing affordability, and the opening of farmland on Melbourne's fringe to urban sprawl. Atherstone housing estate in Melton South. Credit:Joe Armao The massive Aurora estate in Epping in Melbourne's north  another former state site sold to Lendlease  has also been marketed internationally.

Australian property economist Peter Holland lives in Singapore and is a trustee of non-profit international research group, the Urban Land Institute. A recent ad in Singapore's Straits Times. He says ads for Australian house-and-land packages in Singaporean newspapers were now common, and that such investment was a trend developing over the last five years, "One thing which Australia has is land  it's not scarce, which it is in Singapore," he says. National Australia Bank's quarterly property survey points to a decline in foreign residential investment overall since 2014 but a shift in focus to house and land. A senior property analyst who also asked not to be named said the trend to foreign investment on Melbourne's fringe was now a "major" one.

The analyst said the slump in foreign interest in apartments had left an international promotions and sales "machine" now being utilised for this "second wave of [residential] investment". One prominent Australian developer, who also asked not to be named said new estates were increasingly sold into China, Singapore, South Korea and Vietnam. "It's not just Melton, it's everywhere". "There are a lot of builder-owners [doing it]," he said. "It has become quite simple for everybody to sell overseas  and the ultimate effect is driving up prices for everyone." Atherstone was rezoned in 2010, but had been made possible by the Brumby government's dramatic extension of Melbourne's urban growth boundary in 2008  one of the biggest rezonings of farmland in Victoria's history. The move was justified in the name housing affordability. At Atherstone, the then planning minister Justin Madden promised that residents would "be able to live and work closer to home allowing them to spend more time with their families and be part of their communities".

The Age asked Planning Minister Richard Wynne and Finance Minister Robin Scott (who handles sale of public land) about whether they had any concern about the sale of taxpayer-owned greenfield land to foreign investors  especially as Labor had rezoned the land originally. Mr Scott did not reply, and Mr Wynne said overseas land sales were a matter for the Foreign Investment Review Board. "Land rezoning," Mr Wynne said, "is deliberately kept independent of sales and focuses on best long-term land use." Melton Council did not address questions about the appropriateness of newly released land being sold for overseas investment. Instead, Melton city corporate services manager Peter Bean described Atherstone as a "quality residential environment". He said the council nurtured an "inclusive environment that welcomes residents and encourages them to become part of our robust and unique community". A Lendlease spokeswoman stressed that, to date, only a small number of the Atherstone homes had been sold to Asian buyers  less than 1 per cent. The estate is in an early stage of development.
A fifth person has died due to Monday's extraordinary "thunderstorm asthma" crisis and six people remain in intensive care units, four of whom are critically ill, the health department says.

The latest victim, believed to be a woman, died at the Northern Hospital in Epping on Friday night. A statement from the hospital confirmed the death was "a result of thunderstorm asthma which led to other medical complications".

About 8500 people went to hospitals during the thunderstorm asthma crisis. Credit:Dominic O'Brien

"During this difficult time, our thoughts are with the patient's family and friends. It would be inappropriate to make any further comment," said a hospital spokesman.

The health department said another 20 people are still in hospitals being treated for sickness stemming from Monday night when unusual weather conditions caused pollen to explode, triggering breathing problems for thousands of people.
Swinney Vineyards uses bush vines, where the grapevines are left to grow naturally instead of on trellises. Credit:Frances Andrijich "We work backwards from the wine itself. Are we satisfied? We look at the process, the soil, the vines, the fruit. There is always something you can improve." A crop of wine grapes is never uniform - there are always better patches than others, and the usual process is to harvest all the fruit together, which then creates an average quality for each block of grapes. The Swinney family has been in the Frankland River region since 1922. Matt Swinney and sister Janelle are at the forefront of the vineyard's push for perfection. Credit:Frances Andrijich But Mr Swinney said the challenge his operation takes on is to identify the best grapes and then find ways of making all of the vineyard's fruit rise to that standard.

"At harvest parts of rows are marked off with tape and we cordon off pockets of the vineyard where that portion is best and delivers a certain character that we're after for a particular customer. Every vineyard has variations, and the more you can define them the better position you are in to deliver the highest quality." To bring this about, Swinney Vineyards uses 3D modelling driven by technology more usually seen in the mining industry to map their grape growing terrain and develop complex, detailed pictures that allow a deeper understanding of the site's soil profiles and terroir. The company works closely with CSA Global, a leading international mining industry consulting firm, to implement integrated geoscience investigations. Swinney's Viticulturalist Lee Haselgrove said this creates huge advantages, because soil and climactic conditions at the top of even a shallow indent in the earth can be vastly different at the bottom. "It's a blend of old world experience and integrating technology that allows us to quickly access knowledge that maybe took others hundreds of years to acquire," he said.

"It really lets us peel back the layers and see what's under the earth. Experience with the site is fundamental, and then we add 3D modelling to that and add it all together." Swinney Vineyards calls this 'The Dirt Project,' and the work completed to date with assets like 3D imaging, electromagnetics and radio metrics has shown a strong correlation between the distribution of certain soil types within the vineyard and exceptional grape quality. Another piece of high tech kit employed at Swinney is the use of remote sensors to check on crop growth, and also remote controlled drones, which fly over the vineyards to help identify the best soil and topograohy. "These are one of several new technologies that we employ - on the ground we take soil samples and use modelling and then also aerial photos or satelittes that fly over and gives us a big picture look," Mr Haselgrove said. "Drones are in the middle of that. They are very clever, regular, repeatable assets that can help us build a picture. Everything from topographical contours of new vineyards under consideration to looking at soils and climate."

Away from the high tech end of things, Swinneys employs some old world techniques that have been forgotten in revent years due to a rush for mechanisation. These include planting bush vines, where the plants are left to grow naturally without the use of trellises or supports, as well as new clones of grapes from the US and Europe that have different flavours and character profiles. All this works adds up to a yearly harvest where the Swinney family select some of the best parcels of fruit available from its vineyards to produce their own 'Tirra Lirra' brand of wines, encompassing Shiraz, a Cabernet Sauvignon Tempranillo Grenache blend, and a Riesling and Riesling Pinot Gris Gewurztraminer blend. And for the grapes that Swinney sells, winemaker Jeremy Gordon from noted Margaret River winery Amelia Park said you can taste the difference. "They are always ahead of the curve and really collaborative, the research they do is beyond anything I have ever seen," he said.
A man is due in court facing a string of charges after a siege in Mandurah.

The 40-year-old kept police at bay for four hours on Friday before he was tackled to the ground and arrested.

Man has been arrested after threatening to burn down his Golden Bay home. Credit:Mandurah Mail

Mandurah police were conducting enquiries and knocked on the man's door in Golden Bay around 8.20 am.

They say the man reacted by threatening officers and throwing a bottle at them. The Tactical Response Group was called to the scene.
Nurse Tammy Davis-Charles after her arrest last year. Credit:Cambodian National Police Now she languishes in Phnom Penh's harsh Prey Sar prison awaiting trial. She could be jailed for two years. A crisis is unfolding in Cambodian villages, with dozens of pregnant surrogates going into hiding. They fear arrest under a crackdown on 50 surrogacy businesses that opened in Cambodia after crackdowns in Thailand, India and Sri Lanka. Officials in Phnom Penh have declared that commercial surrogacy constitutes human trafficking and are blocking biological parents taking babies from the deeply Buddhist nation, including some granted Australian passports. Cambodian Lux Clinic posted a photo of a minutes-old baby girl on Facebook following Hour Vanny's cesarean section on August 25. The surrogate mother confirmed the girl was the baby she carried. Credit:Facebook/Lux Clinic As Hour Vanny lay in her ward bed after the caesarean in late August, she anxiously waited to see the baby who she knew was in a nearby ward.

"On the second day a nurse came by and said the father has taken the baby away," she says. "I was upset ... I loved the baby and wanted to see her  just her face, anything  but what could I do? I had volunteered and agreed to let the man take the baby for money." Hour Vanny, seen here with one of her three children, agreed to have a surrogate child for an Australian man because she was desperate to pay off a debt to a loan shark. Credit:Craig Skehan It was easy for Davis-Charles' recruiters to find surrogates in Khmounh squatter settlement, 20 kilometres from Phnom Penh along a muddy, rubbish-strewn track, where several hundred families live in huts pieced together from scrap iron and wood. Like most of the villagers, Hour Vanny and her husband Vann Kun, 36, owe several thousand dollars to loan sharks, with their only income coming from Vann Kun's motorcycle taxi work. The Cambodian village of Khmounh is effectively a squatter settlement. Some of the women work in garment factories earning $US128 per month for a six-day working week. Credit:Craig Skehan

They saw the $US10,000 Davis-Charles promised for Hour Vanny to carry a baby as a small fortune. "I had to pay for the funeral of my mother and I had responsibility to take care of my family," Hour Vanny says, sitting outside her family's two-room shack with her two-year-old son Kun Raksa sleeping on her lap. "We desperately needed the money and so I spoke about it with my husband and he agreed for me to be a surrogate." A child in Khmounh, where there are a large number of children in keeping with Cambodia's high national birth rate. Credit:Craig Skehan Hour Vanny did not hear anything about the baby or Artman for more than a month after she left the clinic. "I kept waiting and waiting. I couldn't sleep at night. My husband feared we would not get paid and the loan sharks wanted their money," she says.

At the epicentre of Cambodia's surrogacy business in Khmounh, Fairfax Media's Lindsay Murdoch and Nara Lon interview surrogate mother Hour Vanny. Credit:Craig Skehan Eventually she got a telephone call telling her to go to the Australian embassy, where Artman was waiting. As she cannot read or write she said she had little idea what was going on, except when an interpreter asked her: "Do you accept for the baby to be taken to Australia by this man?" "I said 'Yes, I agree', because I had volunteered. What else could I do?" she says. A woman plays with a child in Khmounh, where dozens of women have signed surrogacy agreements to bear children for foreigners. Credit:Craig Skehan Days later Hour Vanny said she briefly saw Artman and the baby at a clinic when blood samples were taken and on one other occasion at a Cambodian immigration office near Phnom Penh airport, where Artman was seeking final approval to take the baby out of the country.

"The baby's skin was a little bit dark like the man, with curly hair. We were supposed to act like husband and wife and he let me hold the baby for about half an hour in front of others," she says. "At one point a man in the [Cambodian immigration] office asked Artman who was his wife and he pointed at me." Inside Hour Vanny's cramped shanty home with her sister-in-law Som Tha Satry, 33, who gave birth to twins in October. Credit:Craig Skehan The Australian government has refused to comment on the case or on the validity of the documents presented. A statement by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade to Fairfax Media said: "The regulation of surrogacy in foreign jurisdictions is a matter for those jurisdictions. The Australian Embassy is monitoring the development of surrogacy arrangements in Cambodia. Any updated advice will be placed on the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade's International Surrogacy bulletin and Smartraveller website". Surrogacy is little understood in Cambodian society, which has endured the Khmer Rouge genocide of the 1970s, years of civil war and three decades of corrupt rule by the regime of Hun Sen.

Melbourne nurse and fertility specialist Tammy Davis-Charles arrives at a Phnom Penh court on Tuesday. Credit:Nara Lon Cambodian officials struggled for months to decide how to legally treat surrogacy after Davis-Charles and other surrogacy operators moved to Phnom Penh from Thailand, where the military government had shut down the industry in the wake of the Baby Gammy scandal in 2014. Oeun Sam Art, a Buddhist monk and vice-dean of Phnom Penh's Preah Sihanouk Raja Buddhist University, says under Buddhism surrogacy is immoral for the surrogate as well as the biological parents, violating four virtues of the religion. In the flood-prone squatter settlement village on the outskirts of the Cambodian capital, Hour Vanny says she was required under a contract to give birth by cesarean section. Credit:Craig Skehan He says while payments to the surrogates are huge in the context of Cambodian society, the "lack of morality and misconduct when babies are not born naturally and according to the [Buddhist] virtues cause great danger to society".

Hour Vanny said she feels sorry for Davis-Charles, who sent the final payments to her this month. "I would be prepared to testify for her in court," she says, adding that other surrogates who have been paid feel the same way. Som Tha Satry says she loves the surrogate twins she carried and gave away, but did so because, being divorced, she needed the money to care for her nine-year-old son. Credit:Craig Skehan But Cambodian authorities have frozen Davis-Charles' bank accounts in Phnom Penh and more than 20 surrogates who have either given birth to babies or are carrying them fear they will not be paid. Som Tha Satry, a 33-year-old divorced mother with a nine-year-old son gave birth to twins, a boy and girl, on October 26, by caesarean surgery. The twins were immediately given to an American man in his early 30s who took them to a rented condominium in the capital. Mith Sithoeun gave her surrogate baby boy to an Australian man she knows only as John. Credit:Craig Skehan

"I am very worried. I don't know if the babies are still in Cambodia or not. I love the babies. They were inside my body. But now Tammy is in jail I don't know what to do," Som Tha Satry says. "For me the most important thing is the money. I am owed $US6200." Asked what she would do if she does not get paid and the babies are still in Cambodia, she replies: "I would want to take the babies back." Cambodian Lux Clinic posted a photo of twins on October 26, the day Som Tha Satry gave birth two a boy and a girl who were given to an American man. Credit:Facebook Under Cambodian law the birth mother is considered the lawful mother. Like other surrogates interviewed by Fairfax Media, Som Tha Satry doesn't have copies of the paperwork prepared by Fertility Solutions, only a photograph of the twins taken shortly after their birth. Like the others, she has not been told the source of the embryo that was implanted in her and knows virtually nothing about the biological parent or parents.

Surrogates said they were told that if the baby they are carrying has physical deformities they would have to keep the child (although this is not stated in their two-page letter of contract). Since Davis-Charles' arrest last week, at least 10 of the surrogates she dealt with have left Khmounh settlement, and dozens of others across the country have gone into hiding, prompting concerns about their health and that of the babies. "I am scared. I need help and support," says 33-year-old Touch Sokhy, who had an embryo organised by an Australian man implanted in June, and is expecting to give birth in March. Touch Sokhy, who has two sons aged five and three, says she doesn't have money for her monthly medical check-up or medicines. "I don't hold out hope I will get paid because my boss Tammy is now in prison," she says, adding she was promised $US400 a month to carry the baby and then a final payment to bring the total amount to $US10,000. "I hope my lawyer can solve the problem but he said he would only contact me after delivery of the baby. I am very worried."

Mith Sithoeun, 37, who had an embryo implanted in July, has fled the Khmounh settlement for her home province of Prey Veng and said she has no idea what to do when the baby is born next year. She has already missed one scheduled doctor's check-up and doesn't have the money to pay for more. She has not met the baby's intending parents and doesn't know anything about them. She has only met Davis-Charles, whose trial is not expected to take place for months. "I was promised $US10,000 and am worried I will not get the money," she says. In April, Mith Sithoeun's younger sister Mith Sithon, 33, gave birth to a surrogacy baby for an Australian man called John whom she believed had a same-sex partner. "John was very kind. We took a stroll in the park like husband and wife. He gave me extra money. Tammy was also good to me. I got paid," she says. Meanwhile, Hour Vanny is paying off her debts and arranging for her children aged nine, six and two to go to school. She says that if surrogacy is legalised she would agree to carry another baby for $US10,000, but believes she will now be considered too old.
Cuba's President Raul Castro, right, embraces his brother Fidel at the 7th Cuban Communist Party Congress in Havana, 2016. Credit:AP He formally resigned on February 19, 2008, in a statement read on national television by a spokesman, ending his 49-year reign and giving George W. Bush the distinction of being the first US president to outlast Castro in power. The National Assembly officially  and unanimously  named Raul Castro, the longtime head of the Cuban armed forces, as Cuba's new president. The move was seen as deeply anti-climactic, an Earth-shaking political transition that registered barely a tremor, since Castro had gently stage-managed the shift to his brother for almost two years. Fidel Castro in 1959, left, and in in 1996. Credit:AP With almost theatrical relish, Mr. Castro taunted 10 successive US presidents, who viewed the Cuban leader variously as a potential courier of Armageddon, a blow-hard nuisance, a dangerous dictator, a fomenter of revolution around Latin America, a serial human rights abuser or an irrelevant sideshow who somehow hung on after the collapse of communism almost everywhere else.

All of them maintained a strict trade embargo against the island nation, which Bush, in particular, vigorously tightened and enforced. Fidel Castro shakes hands with then American vice-president Richard Nixon in Washington. Credit:Getty Images By the time President Obama, the first US leader elected in the post-Fidel era, announced efforts to re-establish full diplomatic relations with Havana in December 2014, Fidel Castro had virtually vanished from public life. US officials said he played no role in the behind-the scenes negotiations with the Obama administration. As Raul Castro announced his new deal with Washington to the Cuban people, his older brother was apparently too ill to make any public appearances or statements. Tweaking the "imperialists" was always a Fidel Castro passion. He built an enormous public demonstration space  complete with stage lighting and sound  outside the US diplomatic mission on the Malecon, Havana's main seaside boulevard. There, he regularly led anti-American rallies and delivered the lengthy speeches for which he was famous. Cuban leader Fidel Castro in Havana in 1999. Credit:AP

He was a particular thorn to President John F. Kennedy, whose clumsy Bay of Pigs invasion of Cuba in April 1961 by a ragtag group of CIA-trained fighters was a humiliating low point of his presidency. To his benefactors in the Kremlin during the height of the Cold War, Mr. Castro was the useful commander of a communist citadel 150 kilometres south of the United States. That point was drawn in terrifyingly stark terms during the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962, when Castro allowed the Soviets to base on his soil missiles that could carry nuclear warheads to Washington or New York in minutes. The resulting showdown between Kennedy and Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev was the closest the world has ever come to nuclear war. Unlike the world's few remaining communist leaders, Castro did not create monuments to himself or lend his name to streets and buildings. Instead, he erected billboards carrying patriotic slogans of the revolution: "We will overcome!" "Motherland or death!" Under Castro, Havana became something of a Marxist Disneyland  a shiny, happy veneer over something much uglier. Castro personally ordered the restoration of Old Havana, an architectural gem where tourists can savour $US300 boxes of Cuban cigars, some of the world's best music and sweet Havana Club rum  the proceeds of which went to Castro's revolution. But just a block behind the restored facades, impoverished Cubans lived in crumbling homes on rationed food. Teenage prostitutes in tight spandex openly offered their services to tourists.

While many Cubans expressed genuine and deep loyalty to Fidel  he was never called "Castro" in his homeland  others clearly feared a leader who imprisoned tens of thousands of his enemies over the years, often on little more than a whim. Many Cubans wouldn't criticise him for fear of being overheard by government informants, who lived on practically every block. To indicate Castro, they would tug on an imaginary beard. Still more accepted Mr. Castro as a simple fact, like the tropical humidity  what good would it do to complain? The most striking condemnation came from Cubans who fled Castro's rule by the thousands every year. The wealthier paid for speed-boat trips across the Florida Straits, while the poorest attempted the dangerous trip in rickety boats  and, on a couple of occasions, one of Cuba's vintage 1950s American-made cars and trucks, refitted to float by Cubans who had become highly skilled at making do with materials at hand. In the later years of his presidency, and his life, Castro enjoyed a resurgence in popularity across much of Latin America, fueled in part by the election of several leaders who were inspired by Castro's staunch anti-Americanism. In particular, President Hugo Chavez of Venezuela viewed Castro as a political beacon and father figure to the Latin American left. Sweetheart oil deals from Chavez, until his death in March 2013, were key to Cuba's ability to survive in Castro's last years as its state-dominated economy sputtered.

Toward the end of his time in office, Castro acted more like a man intent on purifying his legacy, returning his revolution to its ideological core, reversing economic openings and stepping up attacks on political dissent. He imprisoned Cubans whose crimes were as simple as passing out books on democracy. Raul Castro embarked on a plan of economic liberalization that, to date, has been more symbolic than substantial, with private enterprise permitted in a few small areas, such as food service and repair shops. But the military-led government still controls as much as 80 per cent of the economy. The inauguration of President Obama in January 2009 seemed to portend a shift in relations with Cuba. Two weeks after the inauguration, Castro, who had barely been seen in public since his surgery in 2006, surfaced in one of his newer incarnations  blogger  to deliver a generally welcoming message to Obama. He held out what appeared to be at least a grudging olive branch, telling Obama that, "being born of a Kenyan Muslim father and a white American Christian deserves special merit in the context of US society and I am the first to recognise that." Obama promised a "new beginning" with Cuba and eased some restrictions on remittances to Cuba from family members, as well as academic and cultural exchanges. But US relations with Cuba did not change substantially until the December 2014 announcement of renewed diplomatic ties.

Castro slowed noticeably in his final years. He had long ago given up cigars and rum, and his beard faded from thick and black to scraggly and thunderstorm gray. In June 2001, he appeared to faint while giving one of his weekly Saturday speeches; then, in October 2004, he fell and broke a kneecap and an arm. Those events were the first time most Cubans had seen physical weakness from Castro. From that point on, his public appearances became more infrequent and stopped altogether in 2006. Castro's low profile intensified speculation about the "biological solution" that many Cuban exiles in Miami and other Castro foes had so long hoped for. But as pundits and Cuba experts repeatedly and wrongly predicted his imminent demise, Castro would answer by appearing in photographs with visiting heads of state, or with blog posts, essays or other messages reminding his people that his detractors had it wrong again. David Scott Palmer, a Cuba scholar and professor at Boston University, said in a 2009 interview that Castro seemed to be preparing his country for his eventual death and "skillfully managing his own departure." Castro returned to the public eye in July 2010. His trademark fatigues now traded for an old-man's track-suit, he appeared on live Cuban television, looking thinner and weak. Rather than address Cuba's deepening economic woes, he gave what amounted to a lecture to the United States on the dangers of nuclear confrontation with Iran and on the Korean Peninsula. His address, aimed at world leaders more than ordinary Cubans, seemed designed to mainly to burnish his legacy and cement his status as elder statesman. He was clearly entering his twilight, speaking haltingly and wandering. In The Washington Post, the Cuban writer Yoani Sanchez described the reaction of Cubans at seeing the once-invincible Mr. Castro as a "stuttering old man with quivering hands."

"We had already started to remember him as something from the past, which was a noble way to forget him," she wrote in August 2010. "In recent weeks, he who was once called The One, the Horse or simply He, has been presented to us stripped of his captivating charisma. Although he is once again in the news, it has been confirmed: Fidel Castro, fortunately, will never return." Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz was born at Las Manacas, his family's plantation in the village of Biran in eastern Cuba's Oriente province, on August 13, 1926. His father, Angel Castro, was born in Spain and went to Cuba as a soldier in the Spanish army. He became a labourer on a railway owned by the United Fruit Co. Soon he was clearing land for himself in the wilds of Oriente and growing sugar cane, which he sold to the fruit company. In time, Las Manacas comprised 26,000 acres, of which almost 2000 were owned by the elder Castro. His son Fidel was well off, but nowhere near as wealthy as some of the boys at the schools to which he was sent, including the prestigious Colegio de Belen, a Jesuit school in Havana. Behind his back, he was sometimes called guajiro, or peasant. In his authoritative 1986 biography of Mr. Castro, author Tad Szulc quotes this assessment from Enrique Ovares, an old Castro friend: "I think that the worst damage Fidel's parents did him was to put him in a school of wealthy boys without Fidel being really rich ... and more than that without having a social position ... I think that this influenced him and he had hatred against society people and moneyed people."

In 1945, Fidel Castro entered the University of Havana. Apparently applying his first-hand experience of social and economic inequality, he immersed himself in the legacy of Cuba's bygone revolutionaries. In a country that had often tumultuous relations with the United States since the 1898 sinking of the USS Maine in Havana Harbor sparked the Spanish-American War, Castro concluded that casting off the hegemony of the United States was more important than mere prosperity. He joined the Insurrectional Revolutionary Union, and carried a pistol. In 1947, he signed up for an aborted expedition to free the Dominican Republic from the dictatorship of Rafael Leonidas Trujillo. In 1948, he went to Colombia to protest a meeting of the Pan-American Union, which was reorganising into the Organization of American States. Castro earned his law degree at the University of Havana and set up a practice in the city in 1950. Two years later, he ran for a seat in the Cuban congress on the ticket of the Ortodoxo Party, a reform group. Castro's campaign was cut short on March 10, 1952, when Batista staged a coup and retook the presidency. Even as a young man, Castro showed a remarkable ability to persuade people to join him in seemingly impossible tasks  such as his wild scheme to take over the army's Moncada barracks in Santiago de Cuba.

Castro's plan was to distribute arms from the barracks to the people and overthrow Batista. Mr. Castro was not deterred by the fact that the garrison numbered more than 1000 soldiers and that he fielded only about 120 followers. The July 26, 1953, assault went off with almost comic mismanagement. The contingent with most of the arms got lost in the city's old quarter, and Castro's men rushed into what they thought was an arsenal, only to discover that it was a barbershop. Having fired not a single shot himself, Castro called a retreat. He and most of the others were captured. Through the intercession of a bishop who was a friend of his father, he was spared immediate execution and put on trial. Although the court proceeding was held in secret, it gave Castro, who acted as his own attorney, the chance to make what became the most famous speech of his life. Smuggled out of prison, it concluded with the words that became known to generations of Cuban schoolchildren: "Condemn me, it does not matter. History will absolve me." Castro was sentenced to 15 years but was released after less than two under an amnesty declared by Batista. He then moved to Mexico City, where he continued his work with a group calling itself the 26th of July Movement, commemorating what became known as the opening salvo of the Cuban revolution. The Moncada debacle and its aftermath also ended Mr. Castro's first marriage. In October 1948, he had married Mirta Diaz-Balart, the daughter of a well-to-do family with close ties to Batista and U.S. business interests. In 1949, they had a son  Fidel Felix Castro Diaz-Balart, known as Fidelito.

On December 2, 1956, Castro and 81 followers returned to Cuba from Mexico aboard a second-hand yacht called "Granma", whose name was later adopted by the Communist Party newspaper in Cuba. All but 12 in the landing party were killed or captured almost immediately. Castro, his brother Raul and an Argentine physician, Ernesto "Che" Guevara, escaped into the mountains and began organising a guerrilla army. In the summer of 1958, Batista launched a major offensive against Mr. Castro's ragtag group. When it failed, it was clear that Batista's days in power were numbered. But his announcement to a few close colleagues at a New Year's Eve party in 1958 that he was leaving the country came as a complete surprise. Mr. Castro and his followers took control of Cuba on January 1, 1959. He drew support from many intellectuals during the early years of his rule. Among them were Ernest Hemingway, a Castro hero and longtime resident of Cuba; authors Jean-Paul Sartre and Gabriel Garcia Marquez; and Bob Dylan, the troubadour of the American counterculture. When Castro took power, he preached democracy and reform. He sought to assuage his critics, insisting that he was not a communist. A wary United States cautiously offered economic aid, which Mr. Castro refused. Economic and political relations grew increasingly more difficult, particularly as his executions of opponents came to light. And within two years, Castro had expropriated $US1.8 billion in US property without compensation and turned Cuba into a bastion of Marxism-Leninism. In May 1960, Cuba established diplomatic relations with the Soviet Union, which was soon supplying most of the island's petroleum needs (and a constant flow of weapons and other military hardware). The government nationalised US and British oil refineries and US-owned banks. In October, the US government imposed an embargo on all trade with the island except for food and medicine.

On Jan. 3, 1961, diplomatic relations with the United States were broken. This set the stage for one of Castro's greatest triumphs, the defeat of the CIA-organised invasion by Cuban exiles at the Bay of Pigs, which US intelligence officials thought would set off a popular revolt against Castro. The invasion by about 1350 CIA-trained fighters was put down by Castro's forces, and about 1200 of the invaders were captured. The following year, Castro abetted the nuclear confrontation between Washington and Moscow, which ended when Khrushchev agreed to withdraw his missiles and promised not to use Cuba as a base for offensive weapons. In return, the United States pledged not to invade Cuba and to remove missiles it had stationed in Turkey. The US promise to forgo force after the Cuban Missile Crisis was a major victory for Castro, but for years he lived under the threat of various CIA assassination plots. Castro cited U.S. threats to justify a massive military buildup, and he tried to export his revolution to countries across Latin America, including Nicaragua, El Salvador, Panama, the Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Venezuela, Peru and Bolivia (Guevara was killed leading an uprising in Bolivia in 1967).

In the mid-1970s, Castro sent thousands of troops to wars in Angola and Ethiopia. In addition, Cuban military training missions and thousands of physicians and teachers operated in more than a dozen other countries, from West Africa to North Korea. In the early 1980s, he gave economic and military assistance to the leftist government of Grenada. President Ronald Reagan argued that an airport under construction on the island would be used to support communists in Central America and, in 1983, ordered an invasion. Nineteen Americans and 24 Cuban soldiers were killed, the only time that US and Cuban troops fought each other. One of Castro's first economic acts in 1959 was to start an industrialization program. Cubans would make their own steel, and the country would end its dependence on sugar and tobacco. He promised that the standard of living would rise faster than anywhere else in the world. The plans failed. Food rationing began in 1961. In 1968, Castro ordered a "revolutionary offensive" in which 50,000 small businesses were nationalised and the economy ground to a virtual halt. He abolished Christmas as a national holiday in 1969, saying it interfered with the sugar harvest. Castro's Cuba enjoyed better times in the 1980s thanks to huge subsidies from Moscow, which sent cars, food, fuel and fertiliser to keep the island's economy afloat. But the Soviet Union's eventual collapse meant calamity for Cuba.

In 1990, Castro called for austerity measures he described as a "special period in time of peace." Rationing was increased. As industrial enterprises cut back or shut down, workers were shifted to agriculture. At the same time, Mr. Castro opened the door a crack to private enterprise. He legalised the use of US dollars in Cuba. Small businesses flourished on the streets of Havana, with merchants selling car parts, cigars and more. While technically illegal, private businesses gave unemployed Cubans a bit of income. Faced with grim economic times, Castro appeared to tolerate a certain level of rule-bending. But in 1995, Castro said that although he was willing to include "unquestionable elements of capitalism" in the Cuban system, that didn't mean giving up state control of the economy or socialist ideology. Later Castro started rolling back economic reforms. By 2006, the government was arresting people who used their cars or bicycles as taxis and even shutting down some of Havana's most popular restaurants, eateries in private homes known as paladares, that had begun in the early 1990s with approval of the government. The successes of Castro's Cuba included universal health care and the near-eradication of illiteracy. He built thousands of classrooms in rural areas and increased the literacy rate to more than 95 per cent. There were more physicians and hospital beds per capita in Cuba than in the United States.

But Castro's Cuba remained a place of repression and fear. AIDS patients were confined to sanitariums. Artists and writers were forced to join an official union and told that their work must support the revolution. The government conducted surveillance on anyone suspected of dissent. In 1965, Castro admitted to holding 20,000 political prisoners. Some foreign observers thought the number might be twice that. Numerous historians and human rights groups have concluded that Castro's government carried out thousands of political executions. Hundreds of thousands of Cubans simply left, most of them for the United States, flooding mainly into Florida and creating a politically influential bloc of anti-Castro Cuban-Americans in Miami. At first, travel was legal, but Castro soon imposed restrictions. In April 1980, Castro opened the port of Mariel to any Cuban wishing to leave. More than 125,000 people, branded as "worms" and "scum" by Castro's government, took advantage of the highly publicised "boatlift" before it was closed in October. Among those encouraged to leave were convicts, the mentally ill and other "antisocial" elements. By 1994, economic conditions were so bad that riots in Havana were followed by another exodus. Thousands fled from Cuba's beaches on makeshift rafts; many were intercepted by the US Coast Guard.

In February 1996, the Cuban air force shot down two light planes belonging to an exile group in Miami that Havana claimed violated Cuban airspace. President Bill Clinton retaliated by signing the Helms-Burton Act, which tightened the embargo further. With other countries, relations were on the upswing. When the United Nations convened for its 50th anniversary in 1995, the Cuban leader was a much-anticipated speaker. In his address to the UN General Assembly, Castro made no mention of the United States but called for "a world without ruthless blockades that cause the death of men, women and children, youths and elders, like noiseless atom bombs." The speech lasted seven minutes and received more applause than Clinton's. Castro's difficult relationship with the Catholic Church improved over the years. A former altar boy educated by Jesuits, Castro reinstated Christmas as an official holiday when Pope John Paul II visited in 1998. And he met with Pope Benedict XVI when he visited Havana in March 2012.

Mr. Castro also seemed energised by sparring with Washington over Elian Gonzalez, a young Cuban boy rescued at sea in 1999 after his mother and her boyfriend drowned trying to reach the United States. US courts eventually ruled that the boy should be returned from Florida to his father in Cuba. The case became an embarrassing spectacle, but its conclusion handed Castro a huge symbolic victory. The September 11, 2001, attacks in the United States marked the beginning of new lows in US-Cuba relations. Castro's initial response to the attacks was remarkably conciliatory, and he expressed his "profound grief and sadness for the American people." Cuban musicians donated blood for the attack victims, and Castro offered other humanitarian aid, which was ignored by the George W. Bush administration. After Bush addressed Congress in late September and announced his "war on terrorism," Castro changed tone. He said Bush's call to arms could turn into a "struggle against ghosts they don't know where to find." Castro's anger at Bush and Washington grew as his years advanced, and so did his fury at his domestic critics. In 2003, he ordered the arrests of 75 human rights activists, independent journalists and other dissidents who were later convicted on charges of collaborating with U.S. diplomats to subvert the government. They were sentenced to terms of six to 28 years in prison. Many of the dissidents were in their 50s and 60s, and some were in poor health. The dissidents were freed in 2010 and 2011 through the intervention of the Catholic Church. The arrests were denounced at the time by Oswaldo Paya, leader of the Varela Project , which gathered tens of thousands of petition signatures demanding a national referendum on free elections and other democratic openings in Cuba.

"This is a war against peace and against pacifists," he said. Paya, who was routinely harassed by Castro's police at his tiny Havana home, said in an April 2003 interview that Castro was using KGB-like tactics to silence dissent at a moment when the world was focused on the imminent US war in Iraq. Paya and a young activist were killed in a July 2012 car crash that Paya's family and human rights groups allege was caused by Cuban government agents. In one of his last public comments, Mr. Castro wrote in Granma, the state-run newspaper, that questions raised about Paya's death in a New York Times editorial were "slanderous and [a] cheap accusation." Castro obsessively guarded details of his private life. The names and photos of his family rarely appeared in the media, and Cubans were generally not even aware of where Castro lived. Rumours about his private life abounded. From the 1980s until his death, he was reportedly married to Dalia Soto del Valle, with whom he had five children. But many accounts say the closest partner in his life was Celia Sanchez, who was with him from his days as a guerrilla in the mountains and died in 1980. Castro was so secretive about his female companions that for decades Vilma Espin de Castro, a fellow revolutionary and Raul's wife, acted as his de-facto first lady.
He later released a statement saying his administration  which takes office on January 20  would "do all it can" to help boost freedom and prosperity for Cuban people. Then Cuban prime minister Fidel Castro and Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev in Moscow in 1963. Credit:Getty Images "Though the tragedies, deaths and pain caused by Fidel Castro cannot be erased, our administration will do all it can to ensure the Cuban people can finally begin their journey toward prosperity and liberty," he said. "While Cuba remains a totalitarian island, it is my hope that today marks a move away from the horrors endured for too long, and toward a future in which the wonderful Cuban people finally live in the freedom they so richly deserve." Fidel Castro shakes hands with then American vice-president Richard Nixon in Washington. Credit:Getty Images

Trump ally Newt Gingrich was less restrained: French President Francois Hollande mourned the loss of a major figure on the world stage and welcomed the rapprochement between Havana and Washington, while noting concerns over human rights under the Castro regime. Fidel Castro in 2004. Credit:Getty Images "Fidel Castro was a towering figure of the 20th century. He incarnated the Cuban revolution, in both its hopes and subsequent disillusionments," the Socialist party leader said in a statement.

"France, which condemned human rights abuses in Cuba, had equally challenged the US embargo on Cuba, and France was glad to see the two countries re-establish dialogue and open ties between themselves." Pope Benedict meets Fidel Castro at the Vatican embassy in Havana in 2012. Credit:Getty Images Hollande met Fidel Castro in 2015 during the first ever visit by a French head of state to Cuba since the Cuban revolution. American Cubans were both scathing and celebratory. US Congress representative Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, a Cuban-American Republican from Miami, said in a statement: "A tyrant is dead and a new beginning can dawn on the last remaining communist bastion of the Western Hemisphere."

In Miami, in the area surrounding the Versailles Restaurant where many exiles who fled the Cuban revolution live, people took to the streets in their cars in the early hours of Saturday morning to celebrate Castro's death. The UK's foreign secretary, Boris Johnson, said Castro's death marked the start of a new era for Cuba. Mikhail Gorbachev, the final leader of the Soviet Union, which had long acted as an economic and political prop for Cuba, said Castro left a lasting mark on his country and on world history. "Fidel held his ground and strengthened his country at the time of the harshest American blockade, at the time of massive pressure on him," Gorbachev was quoted by the Interfax news agency as saying.

"Nevertheless he led out his country from the blockade to the path of self-sustained and independent development." 'A true friend of Russia': Putin In a telegram of condolence to Raul Castro, Russian President Vladimir Putin called the late leader an "inspiring example for many countries". "Fidel Castro was a frank and tried and true friend of Russia," the Kremlin quoted the message as saying. Chinese President Xi Jinping said in a statement that: "the Chinese people have lost a close comrade and a sincere friend".

Xi hailed Castro for his contribution to the development of communism both in Cuba and around the world. India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted that his nation "mourns the loss of a great friend," adding: "We stand in support with the Cuban Government and people in this tragic hour. Fidel Castro was one of the most iconic personalities of the 20th century." In Venezuela, a long-time ally of Cuba and staunch opponent of the political stance of the United States, President Nicolas Maduro used Castro's death as a call to arms. "To all the revolutionaries of the world, we have to continue with his legacy and his flag of independence, of socialism, of homeland," he tweeted. Castro and Maduro's predecessor, the late Hugo Chavez, had been close political allies.

"We will keep on winning and keep fighting," Maduro told television station Telesur. "Fidel Castro is an example of the fight for all the people of the world. We will go forward with his legacy." In Bolivia, where Ernesto 'Che' Guevara died in 1967 in a failed bid to export Cuba's revolution, President Evo Morales said in a statement: "Fidel Castro left us a legacy of having fought for the integration of the world's peoples ... The departure of Comandante Fidel Castro really hurts." Rafael Correa, president of Ecuador, said: "A great has left us. Fidel has died. Long live Cuba! Long live Latin America!" 'An inspiration': Zuma South African President Jacob Zuma had warm words, thanking the Cuban leader for his help and support in the struggle to overthrow apartheid.

"President Castro identified with our struggle against apartheid. He inspired the Cuban people to join us in our own struggle against apartheid," Zuma said in a statement. Less positively, former Sweden prime minister Carl Bildt wrote: "With his revolution in 1959 Fidel Castro set up a still struggling Communist dictatorship. Neither a political nor an economic model. RIP" In Rome, the Pope Francis expressed his condolences in a Spanish-language message to Raul Castro. Francis, who met Castro during a visit to Cuba last year, said he would pray for the former Cuban leader, and grieve his death. Loading
Atta Boafo, the main artist for the Gospel Explosion concert scheduled for Friday Dec. 2nd at the Flow Grounds in Needsmust, has arrived in the Federation. Mr. Boafo arrived on Wednesday afternoon at the RLB International Airport on British Airways and will be engaged in promotions of the event and ministry at churches and schools on the island. He will also be present at an outdoor promotions event this Friday November 25th at The Circus from 12 noon to 3pm where he will take pictures with fans and where tickets will also be on sale.

Popularly known for the song: Double Double, Atta Boafo is a highly anticipated artist for Gospel Explosion 2016. Upon arrival at the RLB International Airport, he was greeted by his manager and promoter from Redeemed Promotions Jernel Auboine, representatives of JIFE Music, a gospel music record label in St. Kitts and co-promoters of the event and JIFE Music recording artist Di Anointed Vale, who is also one of the headline acts for the show and who will be releasing his debut album on that event. Boafo said patrons should expect not just another gospel concert. We are here to glorify God...there is a double double blessing that is about to hit your family, that is about to hit your friends. Bring your family, bring your friends, bring you enemy, he said. The event is on the 2nd (of December) but I am here right now. It shows that we are serious, Boafo said shortly after he arrived on St. Kitts.

Meanwhile, Boafo said it was a pleasure working with Redeemed promotions. Ive worked with a lot of promoters. There are some promoters, Ill work with them for the first time and then thats it. I cancel them out because you see that their agenda is not of God. There are people only in it for the money. But with Redeemed Promotions its not just about the money; its about seeing peoples lives transformed, he said. He told St. Kitts and Nevis fans to expect a mega blessing at the concert. Its not going to be double double blessing. Its going to be a mega blessing. So get ready for it. Atta Boafo is here, he said before singing a bit of his trademark Double Double song.

Tickets for Gospel Explosion are available at $45 at various ticket outlets including Bevons on Fort Street, Divinity Touch in Nevis, Dominion Radio, Kingdom Nails on Church Street, Mortons Supermarket and Lawyer Andrenes office on Liverpool Row. Gospel Explosion also serves as the album launch for JIFE Musics Di Anointed Vale who will be launching his debut album: Blood A Jesus on that date. The concert is a joint venture between Redeemed Promotions and JIFE Music. More information can be found on the vent on www.jifemusic.com as well as JIFE Music and Redeemed Promotions Facebook page.
PHILIPSBURG:--- During the month of November 2016, the Office of the Ombudsman hosted a series of workshops focused on Integrity, which was attended by all members of the Police Force, including the Management Team, Division Heads and uniformed officers.

The aim of the workshop was to ensure that integrity procedures are followed by all Police personnel, especially where it relates o the handling of complaints.

One major point uncovered during the workshop was that public awareness needs to be raised regarding the procedure of filing a complaint, as most residents do not know that it exists and that the procedure additionally safeguards them from any inappropriate or unacceptable action of law enforcement officers.

The Management of the Police Department is persistent in its efforts to hold their officer accountable for their actions as such strives to educate its officers on all procedures. Given the limited resources available, the Management Team applauds the commitment to serve the community.

In their continued effort to remain transparent, the Management of KPSM hereby like to remind the community of Sint Maarten that a complaints procedure has been in place since June 2015. The procedure is for persons who wish to file a complaint against a member of the Police Force of Sint Maarten.

Reasons for filing a complaint may vary, but may include being dissatisfied with the service they received from an officer or if they believe a matter was not handled correctly, or if you feel that information on your case is not forthcoming.

The complaint Form, which is available at the information counter of the Police Station upon entry to the building, is available in Dutch, English, French and Spanish, and must be completed in its entirety. Or you can send an e-mail to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and request the form in the language of your choice.

Once the form is completed, we kindly ask you to drop it in the mailbox at the Police Station and label it as such. The form can also be scanned and emailed to the secretary of the Chief Commissioner.

If a complaint form is not available or you do not have the opportunity to visit the Police Station, individuals may opt to write a letter or send the complaint electronically via e-mail.

The Chief Commissioner and his secretary receives all complaints and ensures that it is forwarded to the correct department or organization such as the Public Prosecutors Office or the

A confirmation of receipt will be sent to the complaint within 48 hours and a within ten (10) business days an update on the procedure of the case will be provided. An investigation is usually immediately launched and you will be informed of the outcome within 4-6 weeks.

If questions remain, please contact the Chief Commissioners secretary at 542-2222 (ext 201) or email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

KPSM Press Release
Free family fun was on the agenda Tuesday night in Clinton Township, as the popular Sledding Hill was the place to be on a splendid fall evening.
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Secret graves have been found in Mexico, and thus far authorities have not been able to identify the remains. No suspects have been interrogated for the crimes, and many people residing in the mountainous area are already saying they do not expect anyone to be charged.

This week, officials in the state of Guerrero located on Mexicos Pacific coast received a tip about several kidnappings, and when they arrived on the scene of the crime, they discovered an apocalyptic setting.

While some people know Guerrero for Acapulco, Zihuatanejo, and Taxco and it is famous for its fabulous beach resorts, nightclubs, and other tourist attractions, the area has also become synonymous with murders.

Police say it is now Mexicos murder capital where the Beltran Leyva gang and the independent Cartel of Acapulco have started a reign of terror. In 2014, 43 students vanished in Guerrero, and they have never been found.

Mexican police said when they arrived at the village of Pochahuixco; they discovered 32 bodies and nine severed heads. They also rescued a man, who was kidnapped and was held captive at a drug gang camp.

It took crime scene investigator and forensic scientists more than three days to dig up all of the bodies. An initial examination concluded that there were 31 men and one woman buried in the area. The bodies were hidden in 17 pits on a hill in the village, which is used as territory for the war between various drug cartels.

Along with the secret graves and headless bodies, investigators unearthed a giant cooler, which contained human parts. Additionally, numerous bullet-riddled vehicles have been found on the hill and along with AK-47 and AR-15 ammunition clips.

The military has been combing the village searching for more graves. Finding secret graves in Mexico is nothing new, data showed:

Seventy five bodies were found from over three dozen hidden graves between late 2013 and early 2014 on the border between the western states of Jalisco and Michoacan.

Roberto Alvarez, a state security official in Guerrero, said:

The discoveries are terrible.

Alvarez said that just last weekend more than 24 people were murdered. He added:

Here, there is a phenomenon. The large cartels have become small criminal gangs, and they share one characteristic: the extreme and irrational use of violence.

He revealed that the government is working hard to beef up security in the state and protect the residents.
STAMFORD  It can be triggered by a death in the family, a sexual assault or domestic violence. But sometimes its much more subtle, from classroom stress to an identity crisis.

Children and teens suffering from a variety of mental health issues are increasingly resorting to suicide, a federal report shows. But while there has been an increase in mental health services and a more open dialogue about suicide prevention in recent years, todays school-age children are exposed to a myriad of risk factors.

Its getting much worse, said Teresa Piliouras, who runs a college and career readiness program at the Academy of Information, Technology and Engineering in Stamford.

On top of traumatic experiences children may bring from home, students face additional challenges in school, including a relentless pace of learning and the constant pressure for good grades and getting into an elite college, Piliouras said. Cyberbullying and a shortage of child and adolescent psychiatrists are among several other factors that local experts say make the problem worse.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released alarming figures this month. The agency found that suicide is now the leading cause of death among children 10 to 14 years old, surpassing motor vehicle crashes for the first time. In fact, the suicide rate for that age group doubled from 2007 to 2014, according to the CDC.

Mental health professionals in Fairfield County are not surprised. Last year, 13 percent of Connecticut high school students seriously considered attempting suicide and 10 percent attempted suicide at least once, according to the Child Guidance Center of Southern Connecticut.

More Information Worried for yourself or someone else? Crisis intervention service: Call 211, a toll-free, confidential service available 24/7 that includes mobile psychiatric services Crisis text line: Text 741-741 National suicide prevention lifeline: Call 1-800-273-Talk See More Collapse

Its really become quite a prevalent problem facing adolescents in our communities, said Jessica Welt, clinical director for the center, which this year has served more than 3,300 children in Stamford, Greenwich, New Canaan and Darien.

Stamford has had one teen suicide this year  AITE junior Evan Hyman, who died in January.

It was the first youth suicide in the city since fall 2013, when two high school students took their own lives.

Its sporadic, but one is far too many, Stamford Police Capt. Richard Conklin said.

Preventative measures

The deaths in 2013 led the Stamford Board of Education to hire the Child Health Development Institute to conduct a mental health audit of the district. The audit found the districts services were too heavily focused on crisis management, instead of prevention.

The district has since launched several initiatives to tackle mental health in the schools.

A major initiative is known as CBITS, or Cognitive Behavioral Intervention for Trauma in School, which was implemented last year in nine of the citys schools. The trauma-focused, group intervention sessions use cognitive-behavioral techniques such as relaxation, social problem solving and cognitive restructuring.

We have a lot of kids who are very, very stressed, who are dealing with all kinds of problems, said Joe OCallaghan, head social worker for Stamford Public Schools.

OCallaghan said the program helps students understand some of the things they experience and exposes staff to greater professional development and support. The district trained 50 mental health employees in CBITS last year.

Poverty and language barriers are two common risk factors among Stamford students. More than half of the students in the citys public schools are considered economically disadvantaged and about 16 percent are English language learners, according to the most recent enrollment figures.

Piliouras, an educator and consultant who runs the Best We Can Be program at AITE and at Norwalk High School, said many of the teens who participated in the after-school initiative last year suffered from severe depression. The program is focused on exploring college and career options, but it also works on building confidence and self-awareness.

Stress and anxiety are so widespread that its not uncommon for students to have panic attacks before a test.

They dont have good coping strategies and they can have things at home that just add to it, Piliouras said.

Public shaming experience

Despite tougher laws and school policies, cyberbullying remains a serious problem.

Aaron Krasner, unit chief of the Adolescent Transitional Living Program at Silver Hill Hospital in New Canaan, said the Internet maximizes the impact of a bullying episode.

What used to be an incident at school has become a public shaming experience, he said.

Krasner also believes many psychiatric illnesses are going untreated. He said a shortage of child and adolescent psychiatrists, low reimbursement rates for this age group as well as a reluctance to prescribe drugs to youths since the creation of the black box warnings about a decade ago have created impediments to accessing appropriate intervention for youth.

Krasner, whos also an assistant professor of clinical psychiatry at Yale School of Medicine, worries that access to such care may become even more difficult if President-elect Donald Trump succeeds in repealing the Affordable Care Act, which he promised to do during his campaign. Without adequate treatment, Krassner said, the door for adverse outcomes swings wide open.

As mental health professionals and educators fight to reduce mental health problems among children and teens, they urge anyone whos experiencing a hard time to seek help. When in school, students should voice their concerns to guidance counselors, social workers or a psychologist.

noliveira@hearstmediact.com, 203-964-2265, @olivnelson
Connecticut is poised to become the first state in the Northeast  and the second in the U.S.  to sell hydrogen fuel cell powered cars  considered by many to be the most Green vehicle available.

Joel Rinebold, energy director for the Connecticut Center for Advanced Technology, said Toyota is gearing up to begin selling the $58,000 cars in the state in late 2017, the culmination of years of planning and work to establish fueling stations and other infrastructure.

Toyota is committed to having the cars available here next year, said Rinebold, who tested a model last year. Its like driving an electric car. Its quiet, it moved quick. It was interesting. Its the car of the future.

There is one hydrogen vehicle fueling station in Wallingford and another is under construction in Hartford. Discussions are under way to build stations in the New Haven and Stamford regions as well, said Rinebold, whose nonprofit organization works with the private and public sectors to develop fuel cell infrastructure and technology.

California has been selling fuel cell cars for years, and invested tens of millions of dollars to build fueling stations and other infrastructure. The cars use a process that combines hydrogen and oxygen to produce electricity, which then charges a battery that powers the vehicle.

Other zero emission cars now sold in the state, such as the electric Chevy Volt, draw on power from the regional grid, and that power likely comes from a coal, oil or natural gas fired plant, all of which leave a carbon footprint.

Connecticut earlier this month allocated $2.7 million to its ongoing zero emission vehicle rebate program. Those purchasing a hybrid car, which uses both gas and electric power, or a full battery electric vehicle, receive rebates ranging from $750 to $3,000, depending on battery size.

The state is offering a $5,000 rebate to purchase a fuel cell powered car, but the vehicles are not yet for sale in the state.

Putting more Connecticut drivers behind the wheel of an electric vehicle is what it will take to drive down harmful carbon emissions linked to climate change, reduce conventional pollutants that threaten our air quality and public health, and help motorists reduce the cost of owning and operating a car, Gov. Dannel P. Malloy said while announcing additional money for rebates.

Fueling stations

Rinebold said bringing fuel cell cars to the state is the result of a private and public partnership to build fueling stations and the emergence of a robust fuel cell industry. The stations produce the hydrogen fuel drivers pump into vehicles through a secure connection.

It fuels just like a car, Rinebold said. You pull up, put the hose in, and thats it. Its a compression filling nozzle that puts high pressure gas into the car.

Rinebold said the fuel cell car he tested had a range of about 300 miles and achieved the equivalent of about 70 miles to the gallon.

The Wallingford fueling station was built and is operated by Proton OnSite, which makes the fueling equipment at a plant located in the community.

There was some federal support in the Wallingford station, but the Hartford station is private funding from Toyota, Rinebold said. We have talked with Proton about the next cluster being in New Haven and Stamford. The discussions are ongoing.

Proton last year received a $2.5 million federal energy grant to develop a leading edge, long life battery at its Wallingford plant.

Emerging industry

Connecticut officials have long been interested in zero emission vehicles, in part because the state is not in compliance with federal regulations to reduce ozone pollution.

Although much of that non-compliance is the result of prevailing winds bringing pollution to the state from factories west of Connecticut, reducing local emissions helps meet the requirement.

Robert Klee, commissioner of the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, said electric vehicles are an important factor in reducing emissions.

The transportation sector is responsible for about 40 percent of the carbon emissions in Connecticut and we must address that challenge if we are going to meet the states aggressive climate change target of reducing emissions 80 percent from 2001 levels by 2050, Klee said.

Rinebold said there is also an economic development incentive, and the possibility of additional jobs, in bringing fuel cell cars to the state and developing the technology.

Connecticut is making the machines that make the hydrogen thats being sold in Asia and Europe, Rinebold said.

Wallingford is making the hydrogen fueling equipment. We are partnered to be at the core of the manufacturing industry.
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T ens of thousands of young people who are homeless, or at risk of becoming homeless, approach their local authority each year.

In a city like London, where seeing rough sleepers in on the side of the road is common, the scale of homelessness is clear.

But according to Centrepoints statistics, almost three-quarters of those who stay with the charity have never slept rough - so where are these 'hidden homeless' spending the night?

The people that Centrepoint work with are often flitting between temporary 'homes' - sleeping in cars, on friends' sofas, in hostels or disused buildings.

Paul Noblet: Head of Public Affairs at Centrepoint / Harriet Armstrong

Paul Noblet, Head of Public Affairs at Centrepoint, told the Standard that there is a reality gap between the way the law sees homeless people and the way the public see homeless people.

28% of young people at Centrepoint have slept rough

He said: When there are cases of people sleeping rough or fleeing violence, they are seen as a priority of course.

But also if you are sleeping somewhere rough in London then the local authority with their outreach teams know where you are and that you are at risk.

Whereas if you are sleeping on someones sofa, then only that person knows you are homeless so you may not get the help you need.

Centrepoint: Sade's story

Sofa surfers do not actually consider themselves homeless so it is quite a big thing for those young people, who have not slept rough, to seek help.

1/4 of young homeless people have stayed with a stranger

But they need to get help because there is a link between rough sleeping and sofa surfing - when they run out of friends and family to stay with they end up on the streets.

Someone is considered by law to be homeless if they are "at risk of falling into homeless, are homeless, are on the path to recovery from a homeless situation, or are in substandard or inadequate accommodation.

On the streets: Many people think that homelessness equates to sleeping rough / Centrepoint

Mr Noblet said that one of the common misconceptions about youth homelessness is that the young people have themselves to blame.

I think there can be an assumption that homelessness is something people bring on themselves, he said.

But with those under 25, one of the biggest causes is family breakdown  because they suffer domestic violence, maybe they had an argument with their parents, or their families have strong beliefs about sexuality or something that they do not agree with.

Centrepoint helpline pkg

So it is not something that they are bringing upon themselves. This is the biggest difference that this age group has versus those older that people are used to seeing on the streets.

12% of young homeless people have committed a crime to be taken into custody

There are services available for passers-by to report a rough-sleeper, for example the StreetLink helpline.

StreetLink was set up for members of the public to alert local outreach groups to where someone is sleeping at night.

But for young people sleeping on friends sofas, the help is not so obvious.

Sade's story 1 /9 Sade's story Sade's story Sade, aged three or four, in the family home she grew up in Sade's story Here at a family photoshoot, aged four or five Sade's story Aged 12, dressed up for an under-18's rave in west London Sade's story Sade at a friend's house aged 13 Sade's story 13-years-old, before she ran away to live with her boyfriend Sade's story Aged 15, when she was no longer living with her family Sade's story Sade today wants to speak out to help other young people Lucy Young

Mr Noblet advised that, if someone is concerned about a friend who is moving between temporary accommodation, the best way to help is to approach their local authority.

We would say that, if there is someone sleeping on their sofa, then they can go to their local council, which are all geared up to support young people.

And this is where the new Young and Homeless Helpline will offer additional support.

9% of homeless youths have tried to admit themselves to A&E to get a bed

The line will enable those aged between 16 and 25, for the first time ever, to secure the support they are entitled to at the earliest opportunity, reducing risk of harm and increasing the potential for positive outcome.

It could mean putting them through to the local council, or directing them to a night shelter.

Young homeless: Sleeping on the streets can lead to psychological damage / Centrepoint

Alternatively it could be connecting them to support in their area: anything from food banks to day centres to temporary accommodation, hostels or low-cost accommodation.

The big thing for us is how we stop youth homelessness. That is really where the helpline comes in because we want to stem the flow of young people who end up on the streets, Mr Noblet said.

We did some research last year looking into how many people make desperate decisions to have somewhere to stay.

And some end up going home with a stranger, committing a crime just to be taken into custody or doing something to ensure they are taken into A&E.

Homeless Helpline: Centrepoint want a freephone number for young people facing homelessness

We want to stop it before they spend even one night on the streets.

People can suffer from psychological damage from sleeping on the streets - caused by verbal abuse, sexual abuse, or being mugged of all your belongings.

And this can happen after just one night so we want to prevent this from happening.

The Evening Standard's Homeless Helpline appeal is raising money for the Centrepoint Helpline, a brand new support service that will save young people from ending up on the streets.

To donate please visit our Just Giving page.
A teenage girl and boy have been knifed in a double stabbing in west London.

Police were called to Greenway, Hayes, at 2.15am on Saturday after reports of a fight near the junction with Welbeck Avenue.

When they arrived, officers found a 17-year-old girl suffering from stab wounds.

She was rushed to hospital by ambulance and remains there in a stable condition. Her injuries are not thought to be life-threatening, police say.

At the same time, an 18-year-old boy arrived at a central London hospital also suffering from stab wounds. He later discharged himself.

Police have arrested a 19-year-old man on suspicion of GBH with intent and possession of an offensive weapon.

He is currently being quizzed by detectives at a west London police station.

Greenway remained cordoned off by police for several hours on Saturday morning as officers investigated the stabbing.

Anyone with information should call police on 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
S avvy shoppers avoided queues and crowds on Black Friday  with more than 1 billion being spent online.

Retail workers expecting chaotic scenes in shopping hubs like Oxford Street and Westfield shopping centres were left stunned when hordes of people failed to flood through the doors when stores opened.

Supermarkets such as Tesco opened at 5am in a bid to avoid scuffles over bargains seen in previous years.

Instead of hitting the shops, bargain hunters logged-on to top brands websites in the early hours to bag the best deals.

Some 500,000 are believed to have browsed deals on Argoss website, while half a million logged-on to Currys PC Worlds.

Early risers: Shops were suprisingly quiet despite opening at 5am to avoid chaos / Yui Mok/PA

Barclaycard reported a total splurge of 2.9 billion, including non-Black Friday purchases, throughout the day, the BBC reported.

Black Friday originated in America and traditionally falls on the Friday after Thanksgiving.

Shoppers are expected to spend more than 4billion over the weekend and on Cyber Monday - an online-only event.

Experts say that the shopping cycle has changed in recent years, with Christmas consumer spending stretching for many weeks.

"The Black Friday promotions at the end of November are the start of a longer, more drawn-out peak season, which begins with most of the activity online and then moves in-store as we get closer and closer to Christmas day," Richard Jenkings, data analyst at credit reference agency Experian told the BBC.

Black Friday explained: A brief history of the famous shopping day

Despite shops staying quieter than expected, dramatic scenes broke out in Leeds when an off-duty police officer was slashed in the neck with a knife as he tried to stop a suspected shoplifter.

The officer received non-life-threatening injuries to his face, hand and neck at an HMV store in Leeds city centre, on Friday morning.

A 36-year-old man, from Leeds, has been arrested in connection with the incident.

A mass power cut hit London's West End, forcing restautants bars and theatres to close.
T he son of Sex Pistols manager Malcolm McLaren and Dame Vivienne Westwood has set fire to millions of pounds of punk memorabilia on a boat on the River Thames.

Joe Corre torched the items - said to be worth between five and 10 million - alongside effigies of politicians loaded with fireworks, as part of a protest near the Albert Bridge in Chelsea.

Dummies of David Cameron, Theresa May and George Osborne were among those engulfed in flames, as well as a chest containing clothes, posters and other memorabilia belonging to Corre.

A crowd - including Dame Westwood - gathered on the bank of the river to watch on as the items burnt and fireworks exploded in the sky.

Joe Corre: Son of of Sex Pistols manager Malcolm McLaren / PA

Corre, who was wearing a top hat and bandana tied around his head, told the crowd before setting the items alight: "Punk was never, never meant to be nostalgic - and you can't learn how to be one at a Museum of London workshop.

"Punk has become another marketing tool to sell you something you don't need. The illusion of an alternative choice. Conformity in another uniform."

Punk memorabilia: The items included posters and clothing / Getty Images

Corre, who founded lingerie company Agent Provocateur, previously said he was angered by Punk London's plans to mark 40 years of the sub-culture.

The programme, which includes events, gigs and exhibitions, is supported by partners including the Mayor of London, British Library and British Film Institute (BFI).

Vivienne Westwood: The designer addressed crowds at the protest / PA

Corre said he wanted to highlight "the hypocrisy at the core of this hijacking of 40 years of Anarchy in the UK", which was released in November 26 1976, in a blog post about the protest.

He called on those watching the spectacle to confront taboos and not tolerate hypocrisy, while warning of the dangers of climate change.

Bonfire: Corre burnt dummies of politicians / Getty Images Europe

A banner on the boat read: "Extinction! Your future".

Extra security was drafted in to stop ageing punk rockers sabotaging the event, which was live-streamed online.

Dame Vivienne leant out of the back window on the top deck of the group's green branded bus as she addressed the crowd following her son's protest.

Calling for more people to switch to green energy, she said: "This is the first step towards a free world. It's the most important thing you could ever do in your life."

She added: "I never knew what to say before... ever since punk... we never had a strategy then, that's why we never got anywhere.

"This is so ridiculously easy. Let's all have a laugh and stay alive."

Several fire engines and police cars attended the protest and a fire service boat helped to extinguish the flames.
P olice are trying to find a woman who was hit by a car near a bus station but then left the scene, despite receiving potentially life-threatening injuries.

The pedestrian was struck by a Toyota Prius just before 11.45pm on Friday near Vauxhall bus station, receiving a serious head injury.

But, despite the arrival of paramedics, she insisted she was alright and then walked off towards Wandsworth Road with a scarf covering up her wounds.

Police said they are concerned she left the area without a proper assessment of her condition, and she may have sustained life-threatening or life-changing injuries.

Officers, who arrived after she had left, spent the night searching the area and local hospitals, but have found no trace of her.

A Scotland Yard spokesman said: She is described as white and aged around 20 years.

She was wearing a black dress and had blood on her face and head, with a scarf wrapped round her head to cover her injury.

There have been no arrests and no one else was hurt in the crash.

Police are urging the woman, or anyone who may know her, to call police in Lambeth on 101.
T he bearded and ferocious Fidel Castro ruled Cuba unchallenged for nearly half a century, hated by the United States - whose secret service more than once tried to assassinate him - and was at the centre of the Cuban missile crisis which brought the US and the Soviet Union to the very brink of nuclear war.

The world held its breath for 12 unbearably tense days in October 1962 after President John F Kennedy discovered that Kremlin leader Nikita Khruschev was placing nuclear missile installations on the island, just 90 miles from Florida.

The crisis - probably the most perilous time of the entire Cold War - was abated only when Khruschev backed down and said the installations would be dismantled.

When Castro, and his Marxist revolutionary friends, seized power in 1959, he proceeded to nationalise all American property, leading to relentless hostility towards him from the United States.

Fidel Castro dies aged 90

The CIA tried all manner of ways to assassinate him, including a bizarre exploding cigar, designed to detonate when Castro puffed on it, and booby-trapped seashells in spots where he used to enjoy diving.

In 1961, US-backed Cuban exiles tried to invade the island at the Bay of Pigs, but forces led by Castro successfully fought them off.

Meanwhile, the Cuban economy was being propped up by the Soviet Union - a further source of friction between Cuba and the United States - with the Kremlin purchasing vast amounts of sugar and supplying Castro with economic and military aid.

But the collapse of communism and the destruction of the USSR reduced Cuba to a dire economic state and left Castro a diminished international figure.

Even so, he remained unchallenged. But in July 2006, ill health caused him to delegate virtually all his duties to his brother, Raul Castro.

This transfer was supposed to be temporary while Fidel recovered from surgery for "an acute intestinal crisis with sustained bleeding". By then, Fidel was physically frail and infirm. Raul officially took power as first secretary in 2008.

Fidel Castro was born on August 13 1926, attending Catholic schools before graduating from the University of Havana with a degree in law.

Two years later, he ran for election to the Cuban House of Representatives, but the elections were halted by the then dictator Fulgencio Batista.

As a result an enraged Castro assembled a small force and attacked the Moncada army barracks in Santiago de Cuba in 1953.

It failed and most of his supporters were killed or captured. Castro was himself captured and sentenced to 15 years in prison, but he was pardoned after just two years.

It was during his trial that Castro delivered his famous "History will absolve me" speech.

In it he said: "I warn you, I am just beginning! If there is in your hearts a vestige of love for your country, love for humanity, love for justice, listen carefully.

"I know that the regime will try to suppress the truth by all possible means. I know that there will be a conspiracy to bury me in oblivion. But my voice will not be stifled - it will rise from my breast even when I feel most alone, and my heart will give it all the fire that callous cowards deny it.

"Condemn me. It does not matter. History will absolve me."

Castro went into exile in Mexico where he trained a group of revolutionaries called the 26th of July Movement. In December 1956, his forces, supported by Che Guevara and others, invaded Cuba from the ship Gramma, but suffered serious losses.

However, the revolutionaries hid in the Sierra Maestra mountains, gaining support among the peasants. Eventually, on January 1 1959, Batista fled the island and Castro assumed power.

Relations with the US declined rapidly. In 1960, Castro took over the US oil refineries in Cuba and the Americans stopped buying Cuban sugar.

He responded by taking over all US businesses in Cuba, and a furious President Kennedy responded with the CIA-bankrolled Bay of Pigs invasion attempt.

Various theories have been put forward for the failure of this operation. One was that Kennedy, at the last minute, mysteriously withdrew essential air support, and another was that the president had gravely under-estimated the scale of support for the MarxistCastro among the Cuban people.

Castro feared another US attack, and so when Khruschev offered to place nuclear missiles on the island, he agreed.

This brought Kennedy and Khruschev into face-to-face snarling conflict, until Khruschev backed down.

Castro, who was no more than a pawn in this dangerous international conflict, felt let down by the USSR, which nevertheless continued to prop up the island's otherwise dire economy.

Despite this setback, and later the even more damaging effect of the collapse of the Soviet Union, Castro's omnipotence over Cuba remained undisputed.

During his years in power he reputedly amassed a huge fortune, although he fiercely denied it.

The US business and financial magazine Forbes in 2005 listed Castro among the world's richest people with an estimated net fortune worth US$550 million (400m). Later, the magazine increased the estimates to US$906 million (725m)amid rumours of large cash stashes in Switzerland.

Castro himself described these reports as "lies and slander" and said they were part of a US smear campaign to discredit him.

He vowed: "If they can prove I have a bank account abroad with 900 million dollars, with 1 million dollars, 500,000 dollars, 100,000 dollars or 1 dollar in it I will resign."

It was claimed by his supporters that money from state-owned companies was pumped back into the island's economy and not into Castro's wallet as was suspected by his enemies.

Indeed, Castro did much to improve education and health service

s and other social services on the island.

The various assassination attempts were straight from the pages of James Bond. These included an attempt to smuggle a jar of cold cream containing pills into his room, the exploding cigar, a fungal-infected scuba-diving suit and a mafia-style shooting.

Some of these plots were depicted in a documentary entitled 638 Ways To Kill Castro. He once said in regard to the myriad failed attempts on his life: "If surviving assassination attempts were an Olympic event, I would win a gold medal."

It was in January 2004 that question marks appeared over Castro's health, with speculation that he had once had a heart attack, that he had suffered from cancer and that he had neurological problems. None of this speculation was confirmed.

In October of that year, he tripped and fell in front of TV cameras following a speech he gave at a rally. He broke a kneecap and fractured his right arm, but was able to recover his ability to walk.

His subsequent illnesses were to transform the strong and strident man of Cuba into a mere physical shadow. But he lost none of his zeal.

In April 2016, ahead of his 90th birthday the following August, he gave a speech to the Cuban Communist Party faithful, saying: "Soon I'll be like all the others.

"The time will come for all of us, but the ideas of the Cuban Communists will remain as proof on this planet that if they are worked at with fervour and dignity, they can produce the material and cultural goods that human beings need, and we need to fight without truce to obtain them."

His brother Raul Castro, the president of Cuba, announced his death on state television late on Friday in Cuba.

Additional reporting by the Press Association
F ormer Cuban leader Fidel Castro has died aged 90.

The socialist revolutionary's death was announced by his brother, Raul Castro - the incumbent Cuban president - on state television late on Friday.

Castro stepped aside 10 years ago after suffering a severe gastrointestinal illness, and before his 90th birthday in August he told supporters he expected to die soon.

He led a coup in 1959 to overthrow the regime of the US-backed former Cuban president Fulgencio Batista, and remained hostile to Washington throughout his life.

Fidel Castro dies aged 90

As President Barack Obama moved to heal relations with Havana, Castro responded: "We don't need the empire to give us anything".

When he closed the twice-a-decade congress of the Cuban Communist Party in April he called on his countrymen to maintain socialist ideals in the face of closer ties with the US.

Castro's last appearance in public was at an event to mark his birthday.

The gala celebrated key moments in his life, including the US-backed attempt to invade in the Bay of Pigs in 1961.

Key moments in Cuba under Castro January 1 1959 - Castro's rebels take power as dictator Fulgencio Batista flees Cuba. June 1960 - Cuba nationalises US-owned oil refineries after they refuse to process Soviet oil. Nearly all other US businesses expropriated by October. October 1960 - Washington bans exports to Cuba, other than food and medicine. April 16 1961 - Castro declares Cuba socialist state. April 17 1961 - Bay of Pigs: CIA-backed Cuban exiles stage failed invasion. February 7 1962 - Washington bans all Cuban imports. October 1962 - US blockade forces removal of Soviet nuclear missiles from Cuba. US President John F Kennedy agrees privately not to invade Cuba. March 1968 - Castro's government takes over almost all private businesses. April 1980 - Mariel boatlift: Cuba says anyone can leave; some 125,000 Cubans flee. December 1991 - Collapse of Soviet Union devastates Cuban economy. August 1994 - Castro declares he will not stop Cubans trying to leave; some 40,000 take to sea heading for United States. March 18 2003 - 75 Cuban dissidents sentenced to prison. July 31 2006 - Castro announces has had operation, temporarily cedes power to brother Raul. February 19 2008 - Castro resigns as president. July 2010 - Castro re-emerges after years in seclusion, visiting a scientific institute, giving a TV interview, talking to academics and even taking in a dolphin show at the aquarium. April 19 2011 - Castro is replaced by his brother Raul as first secretary of the Communist Party, the last official post he held. The elder Castro made a brief appearance at the Congress, looking frail as a young aide guided him to his seat. April 19 2016 -Castro delivers a valedictory speech at the Communist Party's seventh Congress, declaring: "Soon I'll be like all the others. The time will come for all of us, but the ideas of the Cuban Communists will remain." November 25 2016 - Fidel Castro dies

It was a defining moment in the Cold War, which reached its peak a year later when the world came to the brink of nuclear war during the Cuban Missile Crisis.

Castro survived numerous assassination attempts by US spies, including a plot to kill him with an exploding cigar.

But he clung on to power, enduring decades under a crippling US trade embargo.

As its greatest ally, the Soviet Union, collapsed, Cuba remained a pariah Communist state at a cost of becoming one of the world's poorest nations.

When his brother opened the door to a thawing of relations with the US in 2014 Castro cautiously blessed the deal - but only after a month-long silence.

Castro was born on August 13 1926, in eastern Cuba's sugar country, where his father, a Spanish immigrant, organised labour for US sugar companies.

After attending Jesuit schools he received law and social science degrees from the University of Havana.

His first foray into violent subversion came in 1953 when he and Raul joined rebels in an attack on a military barracks in the eastern city of Santiago. Most of his comrades were killed and the brothers were jailed.

After receiving a pardon he fled to Mexico and raised a rebel force who said to Cuba, only for most to die in a botched landing.

But after rallying support in the country's eastern mountains he led a revolutionary force into Havana and unseated Batista on New Year's Day, 1959.

But after rallying support in the country's eastern mountains he led a revolutionary force into Havana and unseated Batista on New Year's Day, 1959.

Declaring victory, he said: "I am not interested in power nor do I envisage assuming it at any time. All that I will do is to make sure that the sacrifices of so many compatriots should not be in vain, whatever the future may hold in store for me."

When his brother opened the door to a thawing of relations with the US in 2014, Castrocautiously blessed the deal - but only after a month-long silence.

Former Labour Cabinet minister and anti-apartheid leader Peter Hain, now Lord Hain, said: "Although responsible for indefensible human rights and free speech abuses, Castrocreated a society of unparalleled access to free health, education and equal opportunity despite an economically throttling USA siege.

"His troops inflicted the first defeat on South Africa's troops in Angola in 1988, a vital turning point in the struggle against apartheid."

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Additional reporting by the Press Association
K en Livingstone has provoked a furious backlash after describing Fidel Castro as "a beacon of light" and an "absolute giant of the 20th century".

The former Cuban leader, who led a coup in 1959 to overthrow the US-backed leader Fulgencio Batista, died on Friday, aged 90, after spending much of his life in defiance of Washington.

On Saturday, Mr Livingstone defended accusations Mr Castro had run a repressive regime that aggressively clamped down on dissent, blaming the US.

The former Mayor of London told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "I'm sure they will, over time, move towards something like a traditional west European democracy.

Fidel Castro dies aged 90

"It could have happened a lot earlier if you hadn't had, the entire time, a blockade by America, attempts to overthrow the regime, eight assassination attempts authorised by American presidents."

Mr Livingstone said Cuba could reform now it was not under threat of American invasion "even if Trump goes a little bit bonkers".

He admitted: "Initially he wasn't very good on lesbian and gay rights, but the key things that mattered was that people had a good education, good healthcare and wealth was evenly distributed.

"He was not living as a billionaire laundering money off into a Panamanian bank account or anything like that, he was good for the people."

Fidel Castro - In pictures 1 /25 Fidel Castro - In pictures Castro speaks to a crowd in February 1959 during his triumphant march to Havana after the fall of the Batista regime AP Fidel Castro was born on 13 August 1926 Rex Features Castro, the young anti-Batista guerrilla leader, is seen in 1957 with his brother Raul, left, and Camilo Cienfuegos, right, while operating in the Mountains of Eastern Cuba AP Cuban leader Castro insisted on having a turn batting at the opening of a baseball tournament in Havana Getty Images Castro meeting in Harlem with Malcolm X in 1960 Rex Features Jose Llanusa, director of the Institute of Sports, Physical Education and Recreation, Castro and President of the Republic Osvaldo Dorticos Torrado in August 1962. They are watching a performance st the gymnastic festival in Havana, Cuba, in which 80,000 people participated Getty Images Fidel Castro Rex Features Cuban leader Castro with Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat in Cuba in 1976 Rex Features Castro speaks with Alberto Juantorena and Teofilo Stevenson (2nd right) as the Olympic Cuban delegation arrives back in Havana in August 1976 AFP/Getty Images Castro greets former Pope John Paul II at the Jose Marti International Airport in Havana in 1998 AP Castro gestures at a speaking event in 1999 as he explains that he does not understand why he is not blind after all the camera flashes he has received in Havana AP Castro raises his brother's hand, Cuba's President Raul Castro, as they sing the anthem of international socialism during the 6th Communist Party Congress in Havana in 2011 AP Giving a speech Press Association Castro attends the last day of the 7th Cuban Communist Party Congress in Havana in April 2016 AP Castro, delivers a speech with a poster of revolutionary leader Ernesto Che Guevara on the background, during the opening of the 1st ALBA Games on 17 June 2005 at Havana's Coliseum AFP/Getty Images Argentinian ex soccer star Diego Maradona talks to Castro before recording the footballer's TV programme "The 10's Night" in Havana on 27 October 2005 AFP/Getty Images Castro and Jimmy Carter during the state funeral for former prime minister Pierre Trudeau on 03 October 2000 in Montreal, Canada Rex Features Raul and Fidel Castro in1996 Rex Features African National Congress (ANC) President Nelson Mandela greets Cuban Olympic boxer Teofilo Stevenson on 25 July 1991 in Havana with Castro AFP/Getty Images

But his defence, which came months after controversial comments about Hitler, proved divisive on social media with some people branding the comments "warped" and "sick".

Calum Waddell wrote: "No, just no @ken4london - you call yourself left wing and yet defend a man who advocated the firing squad for political adversaries?"

Robert Buckland MP tweeted: "Ken Livingstone defending Castro reminds me of George Bernard Shaw defending Stalin #usefulidiot"

Another person wrote: "Ken Livingstone saying that Castro was an island in a sea of dictatorships - the man is sick."

"Ken Livingstone's glowing tribute to Castro doesn't mention the dictator's camps for gay people and opposition figures," Rav Vadgama said. "Not all rosy."

However, several others described Mr Livingstone's comments as "spot on".

Leslie Huckfield tweeted: "Michal Husein appalling crude interview w @ken4london on Fidel Castro historic significance.

"RIP Fidel - resisted US imperialism."

Cubans around the world react to death of Fidel Castro

And others have also backed up Mr Livingstone's view. Former Labour trade minister Brian Wilson told the programme Mr Castro sent out a "beacon of hope" to Latin America.

He said: "He educated his people and he gave them healthcare they had never had before, and you can admire all of that without being an uncritical supporter, believe me, but do not lose the bigger picture.

"Fidel Castro, for his region and for oppressed people throughout the world, sent out a message of hope."
In the early morning hours of Dec. 16, 1811, the New Madrid fault along the Mississippi River unleashed one of the strongest earthquakes in American history on what was then the sparsely populated western frontier of the United States.

The violent tremor woke people in distant cities on the East Coast, including President James Madison in Washington. Some accounts say it caused the Mississippi River to run backward in places.

Although there were no official seismographs to document it, the event is estimated to have been a magnitude 7.7 quake. (A doctor in Ohio did record the event on a homemade seismograph.)

It was also a sign of things to come.

The following month, an estimated magnitude 7.5 earthquake would strike the region, and two weeks after that, a third and final quake  thought to be an even larger 7.7  would rock the area, severely damaging the town of New Madrid, Mo.

More than two centuries of relative quiet later, all three quakes easily stand as the strongest ever recorded east of the Rocky Mountains and are among the 20 largest recorded in the U.S., ranked alongside many more famous and more recent earthquakes on the West Coast and in Alaska.

The sequence of quakes is still remarkable to seismologists not only for its intensity and repetition, but also because of its middle-of-the-continent location, more than 1,000 miles from the earthquake-prone fringes of any tectonic plates.

The crust here in the New Madrid zone is an old part of a rift where the earth started to pull apart, said Chris Cramer, a professor at the University of Memphis Center for Earthquake Research and Information. It stopped, but its still a probable weak spot in the crust.

Continued interest in the New Madrid Seismic Zone isnt restricted to earthquake science. The impact of the quake is still felt today in its effects on regional insurance policies and building codes.

Given its uniqueness and remaining mysteries, however, some scientists question whether those policies accurately reflect risk in the seismic zone.

A recent study contends that those living in the area today are still facing economic aftershocks from the historic outburst of earthquakes. The report  released in October by scientists with the Kentucky Geological Survey, a research institution within the University of Kentucky  argues that risk in the New Madrid Seismic Zone is overstated, saddling the rural region with oppressive building codes and insurance premiums that ultimately stifle economic development.

Though the study focused on western Kentucky, co-author Zhenming Wang said the findings were relevant for the entire New Madrid zone, including parts of southeastern Missouri.

Its definitely applicable to the whole area, Wang said.

As risky as California?

Those behind the study say properly gauging the regions earthquake risk is complicated by a shortage of data that directly applies to the area.

One of the issues we have is that in the central U.S. and particularly in the New Madrid Seismic Zone, we have not had any damaging earthquakes in a very long time, said Mike Lynch, a spokesman for the Kentucky Geological Survey. We dont have a lot of data to go on and determine probabilities.

The studys authors said much of the data behind the U.S. Geological Surveys earthquake hazard maps  which form the basis of policies such as building codes  were from areas west of the Rocky Mountains that experience more frequent earthquakes. They say applying that data to the different geologic conditions in the New Madrid zone was an imperfect fit that had led to some eyebrow-raising risk assessments, especially when compared with more active earthquake areas such as California.

For example, USGS seismic hazard maps depict higher earthquake ground-motion hazards for the New Madrid Zone than in San Francisco or Los Angeles, even though the California coast has been affected far more frequently and seriously by seismic activity, according to a release accompanying the study.

Were not saying New Madrid is no problem, Wang said. We do see the potential is there. We just think the hazard is too high compared to California.

Not a dead system

Other earthquake scientists, meanwhile, meet the reports conclusions with skepticism.

Cramer said the study did not interview scientists or hazard experts, noting that the supporting interviews centered on government officials, economic development agencies and business people.

Despite the Kentucky article, there is a strong accepted scientific basis for the hazard assessment of the New Madrid Seismic Zone, Cramer said. This system is not a dead system  it is accumulating stress again that could be released in another major earthquake.

Cramer said evidence indicated that the area was hit by major quakes about every 400 to 500 years, with similar episodes occurring around the years 900 and 1450.

From a statistical point of view, the chance of a repeat of that [1811-caliber earthquake] is 7 to 10 percent in the next 50 years, Cramer said. While not a great hazard, its still a significant hazard, and one needs to prepare better rather than not at all for such eventualities.

Meanwhile, Cramer said, theres a 25 percent to 40 percent chance of the area experiencing a magnitude 6 earthquake over the same 50-year interval.

While it still holds the potential for the most devastation, the New Madrid Seismic Zone may be losing its claim to fame as the mid-continent hotspot for seismicity. In the last few years, Oklahoma has become an unlikely home of earthquake activity, with the surge believed to be linked to wastewater injection from oil and gas development.

From 1978 to 2008, Oklahoma averaged only two earthquakes above a magnitude 3.0 a year, but it experienced more than 900 last year, according to the state. And this year, USGS records show the state has been home to three of the five largest earthquakes in the Lower 48 states, including a magnitude 5.0 quake on Nov. 6, which was reportedly felt in St. Louis and beyond.

We shouldve been more worried about Oklahoma all these years than we have about New Madrid, said Bob Herrmann, a professor of seismology at St. Louis University. It was something we didnt really anticipate.

Despite evidence of induced seismicity in areas of oil and gas development, Herrmann said the New Madrid zone was a safe distance away from any earthquake swarms that may be linked to human activity and was not at risk of being triggered by outside forces.

Even so, he said the long-quiet fault system was worth keeping an eye on:

Its a sleeping giant we still have to worry about.
JUNEAU  A 24-year-old inmate at the Stanley Correctional Facility pleaded not guilty Wednesday to theft charges after DNA extracted from the 2011 crime scene was found to be a match.

Donny Lafferty faces one count of theft after he allegedly took copper cable from Link Aggregate Quarry, W8876 Spruce Road, town of Trenton. If convicted he faces up to 6 years in prison and $10,000 in fines.

Lafferty entered his not guilty plea before Judge Steven Bauer. Lafferty was previously issued a $1,000 signature bond but he remains incarcerated at this time.

On March 24, 2011, officers were dispatched to Link Aggregate Quarry for a report of theft of electrical copper cable. The owner of the quarry told officers that his brother had come to the quarry and noted that some large electrical cable was wrapped around a power control box and he had noticed that the electrical wire had been cut off the electrical control panel and was stolen from the property. Another piece of coiled copper wire was taken as well, along with a small trail camera.

He estimated that $8,400 worth of cable was stolen and the trail camera was valued at $400. Chewing tobacco was located where the copper wire was stolen which was taken into evidence to be tested for DNA.

On April 21, 2014, the Wisconsin Department of Justice division of Law Enforcement Services State Crime Laboratory discovered that the DNA found on the chewing tobacco matched Lafferty. A search warrant was issued for Laffertys DNA sample.

On April 5, 2016, officers traveled to Stanley Correctional Facility where Lafferty was held. Lafferty told officers that prior to his incarceration he had committed a number of drug-related crimes. He was convicted of two burglaries but admitted to committing 38 other burglaries or thefts.

Lafferty admitted that the chewing tobacco found at the quarry was likely his. He admitted to stealing the wire which he said he sold for $1,000. He told officers he used the money to buy Percocet, a prescription drug that contains oxycodone.

He will appear in court again on Dec. 9 for a plea/sentencing hearing.
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Protesters attempted to stop holiday shopping along parts of Chicago's Magnificent Mile for the second consecutive year, urging a Black Friday boycott to demand civilian oversight of city law enforcement amid high-profile police shootings and continuing neighborhood gun violence.

After organizing early Friday near the old Water Tower monument, as many as 200 demonstrators peacefully marched on sidewalks under a heavy police presence during an effort to block several Michigan Avenue storefronts on one of the busiest shopping days of the year.

Activists focused their attention along a five-block stretch just north of the Chicago River while chanting, "No justice. No peace," and "Hey, hey. Ho, ho. Rahm Emanuel has got to go."

The demonstration failed to gain the momentum of last year's Black Friday march, when a massive crowd of approximately 1,000 people shut down some retailers and halted traffic in the heart of the city's famed shopping district.

The earlier protest came just days after the city released police dashcam video capturing the fatal October 2014 shooting of black teenager Laquan McDonald by a white Chicago police officer. The 17-year-old was shot 16 times as he appeared  with knife in hand  to be walking away from police.

Friday's protest followed three fatal Chicago police shootings in the past week, including that of 19-year-old Kajuan Raye. Police fatally shot Raye in West Englewood late Wednesday.

Many demonstrators also spoke about the fatal police shooting of Joshua Beal earlier this month in the Mt. Greenwood neighborhood. Beal's mother, Tiffaney Boxley, thanked participants for their activism.

"We have a long fight ahead of us," she said.

This year's rally was planned by a network of groups that includes the Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression and the local chapter of Black Lives Matter. Organizers said they wanted to draw attention to a range of issues, including police treatment of minorities and economic inequalities in West and South Side neighborhoods plagued by gun violence, struggling schools and poverty.

But their main target was Mayor Rahm Emanuel and his new police oversight agency, the Civilian Office of Police Accountability, which protesters argue falls short of their call for a civilian-led council to investigate cases of alleged police misconduct. Activists carried signs that promoted their proposal for an elected police watchdog group, the Civilian Police Accountability Council, or CPAC.

Demonstrators, gathering weeks after the divisive U.S. presidential election, also voiced their opposition to President-elect Donald Trump.

They locked arm-in-arm, formed a human chain and tried to keep shoppers from entering the Nike, Apple and Victoria's Secret stores, while police officers formed their own competing wall of bodies to usher people through.

Some minor scuffles broke out when shoppers tried to enter stores by pushing through lines of demonstrators, but the four-hour event was largely peaceful.

Some onlookers even snapped pictures and carried on undeterred with their shopping.

Police reported no significant problems, and said three arrests were made for charges including trespassing and resisting arrest.

There also were a few lighter moments, including one outside Saks Fifth Avenue when demonstrator Calvin Jackson chanted, "Go home. Go eat turkey!" at would-be shoppers. Officers could occasionally be seen laughing with demonstrators and some passersby made a point of delivering high-fives or handshakes to police at the scene.

"For some, it's about the police; some it's about immigration. It's just all the people who are not (Trump supporters), and they're afraid," said protester Barbara Lyons, 79, of Jewish Voice for Peace.

"It just upsets me what kind of world my grandchildren will grow up in," she said.

Los Angeles resident Kirby Shaw, who was in town to visit his sister, decided to join the demonstration while taking in the sights along Michigan Avenue.

Shaw, 23, said he understands some will not be happy with the message to boycott Black Friday, but "for one day of the year you can not buy things and support your local retailers and help make a difference."

Chicago Tribune's Ally Marotti contributed.
Anyone picking up a Pittsburgh newspaper last week probably saw a story about Rudy, the Rogue Rooster, a fowl that had decided to make his home in the yard of a man named Henry Gaston.

But as Pittsburgh reporters pointed out, the city does not allow people to keep roosters, and the cock had crowed enough to send neighbors howling to city officials.

And even though the citys own animal control officers couldnt catch the bird, a judge ruled that Gaston was responsible: Get rid of the fowl, or get fined.

Then the press reported that Gastons hero came riding from the west: Frank Cantone, head of St. Louis Chicken Rescue.

Frank who? St. Louis what?

What can I say, Ive grown to love chickens, said Cantone, a former paramedic who lives in south St. Louis and has for three years worked as a safety officer for St. Louis Public Schools.

After hearing about Gastons plight through a chicken-farming website, Cantone offered his help.

I talked to a Pittsburgh reporter whod been covering it, and she got me in touch with a city inspector, who connected me to the judge, said Cantone, sounding exactly like people in St. Louis expect people from New Jersey to sound.

On Nov. 16, Cantone told the judge in an open-court phone call that he would come to Pittsburgh, no charge, and rescue the bird. Then the city administrator said theyd tried to catch Rudy, and it just couldnt be done.

I took that as a direct challenge.

So before dawn on Nov. 19, Cantone and his daughters  Lindsey, 12, and Felicity, 10  headed east.

We drove through sun, rain, sleet, snow, a blizzard in Ohio, and we got to Pittsburgh 12 hours later, Cantone said, adding that his girls saw it as a road trip, an adventure.

The trio immediately went to the Gaston home, and indeed saw Rudy on site.

The wind was blowing and it was snowing like crazy, and there were TV crews there. When I got close to grabbing him, he flew into a tree.

At this point, Cantone explains that roosters cant really fly, but they can hover and hop from perch to perch.

But this rooster flew about 75 feet straight up into the air, he said. Saw it with my own eyes.

So the Cantones called it quits that night and returned Sunday. They eventually discovered Rudy in his favorite bush, only to have him take off again. The rest of Sunday morning involved the Cantones chasing Rudy around the neighborhood.

Eventually, they cornered him under another bush. Wearing protective gloves, Cantone grabbed him and put him in his car.

At that point, the story was picked up by the Wall Street Journal, U.S. News & World Report and others. And Ive got others calling me, Cantone said.

Cantone, 43, was born and reared in southern New Jersey, where chickens come in packages. He didnt develop an affinity for the birds until he moved to St. Louis County in 2005 and a friend gave him two chickens and a rooster, for fresh eggs.

He enjoyed the eggs, but he also developed a genuine love for the animals.

They also eat bugs and they keep your lawn fertilized, he said, But more than that, theyre all individuals and just fun to watch.

Rhonda Cantone, Franks wife, also loves the fresh eggs, but has her reservations.

Sometimes they drive her a little nuts, he said, then added specifically, They do poop a lot.

His rescuing days began in earnest in 2012 when a Wisconsin farmer died and left 32 chickens behind. Cantone drove north and rescued the entire flock. And hes been saving them ever since.

A lot of times, someone gets a baby chick for Easter or something, and then it gets too big and they want to get rid of it. Thats where I come in, he said.

St. Louis allows a homeowner to have four chickens. So when Cantones feathered population gets too high, he takes birds to his mothers farm in Wildwood. She usually has anywhere from 75 to 100 birds, he said.

The Cantones drove home Nov. 20, with Rudy in the car. Hes at my house now, waiting to get checked by a veterinarian, he said.

Note: Cantones act of animal mercy set him back about $1,300.

A lot of that was my fault. I took the girls to this candy store in Pittsburgh that had every kind of candy imaginable, he said.

They were like, you know, kids in a candy store.
My oldest son is three months from turning 16 and getting his drivers license. But I was the one daydreaming about a new ride.

On an unseasonably warm day recently, I thought to myself: It would be so nice to drive a Jeep with the top off. Just like I did when I graduated college and landed my first job.

Idea: Maybe he could drive my car and I could get myself a used Wrangler.

I searched the St. Louis Craigslist and  wow. Someone was selling a 2000 Wrangler, brilliant yellow, with custom black fenders. The description said it had low miles, mostly highway. New tires and brakes. A new water pump and coil pack. Runs great. Looked mint.

Price: $2,000.

I was filled with longing.

I texted a reply to the sellers number, which had a 314 area code. Does it have ac?

I looked it up on Kelley Blue Book, a car value guide: The Wranglers value was $10,000. I could flip it and make a couple thousand at least. Or I could drive that Jeep forever, up mountains, over sandy beaches. Who cares about the air conditioner? I needed that Jeep.

I will come buy it right now, I texted.

The reply: I posted the 2000 yellow jeep for my sister. The text included a gmail address for the sister, Megan Warren.

I emailed Megan to say I wanted the Jeep. Just needed an address. The reply I got was exciting  45 more yellow Jeep pictures  but also very sad. Megan said it was her sons Jeep. He had just died and she just wanted to get rid of it. How sad. But it explained the low price.

For her safety, though, she wanted to make the sale through eBay Motors, if that was OK.

My first thought was, that makes sense.

Then the investigative reporter in me kicked in. I googled the text of her email. It came up in warnings from Craigslist and eBay .

The victim sends an electronic payment, but never gets the car.

You probably saw that coming before I did.

My neighbors daughter just turned 16, and weve been talking for almost a year about how we were going to look for good deals at police auctions or on Craigslist. We had the same budget: under $3,000.

The other day, she had a 2017 Buick in the garage. Turned out they decided to lease.

I told her I might be headed in the same direction, and told her about the yellow Jeep of my dreams.

She laughed.

The same thing had happened to her that week  twice. People selling nice cars within our price range. Whose loved ones had just died. And who wanted to go through eBay.

We were the perfect suckers  parents of new drivers willing to suspend disbelief in the quest for a deal.

The worst part is, I still go back to the email to look at pictures of the Jeep, I confessed.

I can spot the scam pretty easily now. It is all over Craigslist. Its not obvious unless you know what youre looking for. The car is well described, including minor problems that were fixed. The number is local. The posting has just the right amount of typos to feel authentic. Too many and its clear the posting came from Russia, or Nigeria.

The first clue  really the only clue  is the price. The car is listed at a great price but not an impossible one.

I respond to ads now just to mess with the scammer. Interested in the BMW, I texted to a number in the 636 area code. Call me.

The reply came about two hours later. The scammer knew not to appear too eager at first. Keep me thinking about the car.

Hi, the 2005 BMW X5 xDrive its still available, the scammer texted. If you want more pics and details please provide me your email address.

I did, and got 21 pictures of the vehicle from someone named Angela Weston.

Now she was in a hurry. I am selling it at this final price of $2,500 because my husband died 1 month ago and it brings me bad memories and thats the reason I want to sell it a.s.a.p. I want to use Amazon services for the safety of both of us so if youre interested in purchasing this vehicle.

I responded: Hi  I am actually a journalist. Im curious about these scams and who is behind them. Would you consider an interview with me over email? Im curious about how this works.

I added, It might be interesting for you also to tell your story. But Angie doubled down. As I have told you in my previous email, my husband died recently. I had to move out and now I am living with my parents in Lawrence, KS. At the moment they are the only ones I can rely on. The car is at the shipping company, sealed and ready for the shipping.  If you are interested in knowing more info about how it works, I can ask Amazon to send you an email with more information on how to purchase it.

But I still wondered: How does the scammer use eBay or Amazon to get the money?

Alas, Christina Nieto knows the answer.

The St. Louis woman wanted to buy herself a car with her tax refund in February. She responded to an ad for a 2008 Honda Accord with 126,000 miles. The price was $2,000. (Kelley Blue Book says the car would be worth more like $5,000.)

Corporal Maria Dickson explained in an email: I am selling this vehicle because I am in the military and my unit will be sent back to Afghanistan. I dont want it get old in my garage. The price is low because I need to sell it before February 12th.

Made sense to Nieto. Plus, an email from eBay said the transaction was guaranteed.

Later on, though, she realized the email was from Ebay@support-payment-motors.com. A fake email address.

She wouldnt listen to me, said her aunt, Vernita Molina.

Maria asked Nieto to send the money to Rodolfo Franco, an agent from eBay who was handling the transaction.

Francos address on the MoneyGram receipt was listed as Rogers Avenue in Poteau, Okla. I looked the street up on Google Streetview: a dusty alley in a small town.

I reversed the address and called the number. It was a state of Oklahoma work-placement office. The woman who took my call had never heard of Rodolfo Franco. But someone picked up the money. Probably at a supermarket or convenience store. Maybe even in Poteau. Moneygram knows where and when. Was there surveillance video?

Nieto said she called the St. Louis police and was told they would not take a report. She said it was the same with MoneyGram.

I left messages with a representative from MoneyGram, who did not respond.

I hope someone helps Nieto get her money back.

This is a very serious problem for society right now, said Yi Yang, director of the cybersecurity program at Fontbonne University.

Scammers and phishers work with impunity. The fraudulent ads almost never work. They pop up and disappear too frequently. The scammers create phone numbers and email addresses, and use proxy servers to hide their locations.

Every once in a while they catch someone. The Better Business Bureau says another woman lost $5,000 last year in the scam.

Every Craigslist posting has a link at the bottom to language that warns users to buy only from someone local, in person, and not with an electronic transaction. And Craigslist removes ads as soon as fraud is detected.

Yang said she thought authorities should run more sting operations to try to identify and ensnare scammers.

I responded to an ad for a pretty red 2006 BMW X5 on Friday and got an email with pictures (and a sob story: another dead husband) right away.

Then I went back to the St. Louis ad and found Craigslist had removed it.

I texted back: Do you have one in blue?
JENNINGS  Not long ago, this might have been the start of a story of a life coming undone.

In March 2015, the city of Jennings put Michelle Binion-Wright on a payment plan to satisfy a $654 fine for possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia. A year ago, she said, she lost her job as an in-home nurse and stopped making payments. Her balance remains $364.

I just dont have it, she said.

As recently as several months ago, the Jennings court would have ordered her back to court, then issued an arrest warrant if she didnt show. Binion-Wright could have been arrested and jailed until she posted bail under the original case and a new charge of failure to appear. If she didnt pay her fine, she would have been at risk of being arrested again. Maybe several times. And time she spent in jail for failure to appear would not have satisfied the original case. Jennings would have kept jailing her until she paid.

The jails  particularly in Jennings and St. Ann  were full of people whose original infractions were traffic tickets or ordinance violations that would not have warranted incarceration in the first place. And they were being held because they could not afford to post bail.

What is happening in the case of Binion-Wright is an example of how the areas municipal justice system is changing, and why.

Several weeks ago, Jennings started sending cases with uncollected court debt to collection agencies. There will be no warrant to arrest Binion-Wright, but she is likely to get calls or letters demanding payment.

The worst that can happen is a mark on her credit.

Thats not good, she said, but Id rather deal with bill collectors then with being arrested.

A settlement of a class-action civil rights lawsuit filed by the nonprofit law group ArchCity Defenders made this possible.

The city of Jennings also agreed to pay $4.7 million to up to 2,000 people who were held in its jail for failure to pay court fines.

More than two years since the unrest that followed the shooting death of Michael Brown in Ferguson, much has changed in the municipal courts of St. Louis County.

Lines of people on court nights no longer snake outside the building and down the block. Municipal jails, once typically filled with municipal court fugitives, are almost empty. The few people booked are typically released within hours and often without having to post bail.

Change is everywhere. After the Post-Dispatch exposed a culture of secrecy in the municipal court system, and highlighted the difficulty obtaining information on individual cases, the municipal courts have put basic case information online.

A reporter requested municipal court files from the cities of Edmundson, Jennings and Maplewood; all were made available immediately.

Why so few people in court? Part of it is due to the amnesty programs that went into effect after the unrest in 2014 and 2015, which forgave at least 100,000 municipal court cases.

And, at least temporarily, cities dramatically backed off enforcement of traffic and ordinance violations. A year ago, a Post-Dispatch story detailed a massive drop-off in the number of cases filed in the first half of 2015. More recent data were unavailable. State court administrators said they had a staffing shortage and did not have 2016 statistics available.

Several municipal court judges, prosecutors and clerks said there was another reason court nights are so light. They say municipal court defendants view the courts as being defanged. They dont believe there is any consequence to skipping court.

So they arent coming  and the number of outstanding cases is building up again.

We cleaned the slate on everything, said Maplewood Judge Brian Dunlop. All the traffic, housing, we recalled (all the arrest warrants). And they crept back rather quickly.

It remains to be seen how successful Jennings will be with collecting, without the threat of arrest.

While Binion-Wright said she would try to pay, another defendant with a debt to Jennings said she didnt plan to.

Ill be honest, she said. Im not paying them (expletive).

Changes in effect

Several of the worst-functioning and smallest police departments and municipal courts have either folded or been consolidated into larger jurisdictions.

Pine Lawn was run for more than two years by Lt. Steven Blakeney, who was convicted in federal court of civil rights violations for ordering the false arrest of a mayoral candidate. He was sentenced in October to 51 months in federal prison, and the city of Pine Lawn agreed to pay $1.3 million to settle several other civil rights complaints involving Blakeney. The Pine Lawn Board of Aldermen disbanded the citys police department and hired the North County Police Cooperative to patrol the city.

The cooperative also has taken over policing in Wellston, Beverly Hills, Velda Village Hills and Charlack. Charlack once drew the ire of the Department of Transportation by painting reflective lines on Interstate 170 for its speed camera.

Some municipalities have had to cut back on the profit they could take from municipal courts.

In 2015, Gov. Jay Nixon signed into law a reform bill that banned municipalities in St. Louis County from generating more than 12.5 percent of their general revenue from traffic fines and fees. The limit was set at 20 percent in the rest of the state, down from 30 percent statewide previously. The law also required municipal police departments to become accredited by achieving a set of minimum standards.

A Cole County judge ruled that the special rule for St. Louis County was unconstitutional; the state appealed and is awaiting the state Supreme Courts ruling. The 20 percent limit remained in effect statewide.

This year, Nixon signed a law that capped the amount of money a city could raise from nontraffic cases.

Data were not available from the state to see the effect of either law on court collections.

After assigning a working group to study municipal court problems, the state Supreme Court has added a set of minimum standards for municipal courts.

The high court established a requirement for municipal courts to have a judge on duty at all times to rule on warrants and bail and to offer alternative sentences for people who are too poor to pay fines.

And it said courts must have a clerk on duty for at least 30 hours a week. They must at least be pursuing court automation to allow payments online and make available free online access to information about pending cases, outstanding warrants and scheduled dockets.

Its the lawsuits

Lawsuits have been responsible for the most visible changes.

Jennings  because of the settlement  has perhaps made the biggest about-face. Its jail was once perhaps the greatest symbol of hopelessness pervading the areas municipal justice system.

In October 2014, DeJuan Brison used a blanket to hang himself in the Jennings jail, where he was being held for skipping court on a shoplifting charge. He was accused of stealing five sticks of deodorant from a dollar store.

The lawyer for Brisons family said the incarceration was unnecessary because he had already posted bail money. His lawyer said a wrongful death suit is pending.

After the settlement with ArchCity, the city of Jennings will now release a defendant almost immediately, and in almost all cases without requiring bail. And once the case results in a conviction, the fine becomes a debt like any other.

Some people always step up and take the responsibility and pay, said Jennings municipal court clerk John Adams. Other people you always had to prod them a long a little, and courts did that with warrants.

But Adams said the new system will go a long way toward repairing the relationship between the court and the community.

I think it will be better, he said.

The city of St. Ann, whose jail houses inmates for several communities in St. Louis County, also settled a class-action suit by ArchCity Defenders, agreeing to end the practice of requiring cash bail. While the jail has the capacity to hold about 50 inmates, on a recent visit, there were just six being held, and all were scheduled to be released within hours.

Lawsuits and the work of journalists are providing the structure for reform in the courts, said Stephanie Lummus, an attorney for Catholic Legal Assistance Ministry and former ArchCity attorney, one of the most active defense lawyers working in area municipal courts.

The surface-level changes that have been made are not fixing the problem, she said. Theyre not fixing racial profiling. Theyre not fixing peoples fear of the police because of 60 years of documented inequities and police brutality.

Lummus said Jennings had been one of the worst violators.

If people couldnt pay their court fines, even if they showed up to court, they would line them up on one side of the courtroom and say, You people better start calling your families, because if you dont come up with the money by the end of tonight, you wont be leaving here.

Then when we filed our lawsuit against them, the folks that represented Jennings came along way very quickly to make things as right as they know how. They began holding indigency hearings; they dont issue warrants.

Still about money

But critics of the municipal court system say it still resembles a debtors prison. While most courts say they offer community service, some defendants have said it wasnt offered to them.

ArchCity recently sued the city of Maplewood, saying the city violates civil rights by requiring payments to recall arrest warrants. And it sued the city of Florissant, saying the countys most populous city routinely holds people in jail for an inability to pay fines.

A traffic violation is nothing to a member of the upper middle class, but to someone making minimum wage, it is a heavy burden.

On a recent morning, Deon Mitchell drove from his home in the Mark Twain neighborhood west on Interstate 70, to see the clerk at St. Ann municipal court. He had $75 in cash tucked in the visor.

Mitchell works full time as a supermarket bagger and loading trucks at United Parcel Service and brings home about $300 a week.

Month by month, hes been chipping away at a $600 debt for traffic tickets in St. Ann.

If I dont pay them, I have to come to court, he said. If I dont come to court, theres a warrant out for my arrest. I get locked up.

Its not something anyone with money would have to worry about.
ST. LOUIS  Its mid-morning in late October, and Alehra Evans is devastated.

Shes one of roughly 20 adults with a developmental disability who spend their days at a Maplewood workshop called Artists First. Evans and the other clients paint portraits, draw city landscapes and learn how to market and sell their artwork. Its called self-guided employment.

Evans cant attend on this day because of a family scheduling conflict. She worries that its a day wasted, a day she cant spend building up her portfolio.

But this day could be a glimpse into her future. As soon as next year, Evans and others like her could be phased out of the program altogether.

The reason: The St. Louis Office of Developmental Disabilities Resources, also known as DDR, is in the midst of a deep financial crisis.

The tax-funded agency burned through $17 million in reserves in just four years, sometimes mixing up those reserve dollars with regular operating funds and spending both at unsustainable levels.

The end result is a financial mess that is causing DDR to start cutting funding to its partner agencies.

Ironically, it was lobbying for more funding by some of those partner agencies that led the DDR to distribute the millions in reserves.

DDR was created out of Senate Bill 40, a piece of legislation passed in 1969 allowing Missouri counties and independent cities to use property taxes to assist the developmentally disabled.

The idea was to dedicate a steady funding source to assist a vulnerable population.

Developmental disability is a blanket term incorporating a range of conditions, including autism and Down syndrome, fetal alcohol syndrome and cerebral palsy.

People with developmental disabilities can have significant limits on their ability to plan, solve problems, communicate, socialize and care for themselves.

Each year DDR collects about $7 million from St. Louis taxpayers to run programs for the developmentally disabled. Among other duties, the agency helps young people navigate within the school system and adults manage money and pay bills.

DDR also contracts with roughly 40 partner agencies to enrich the lives of those living with a disability.

The first round of budget cuts for 2017 was close to $1 million.

For small agencies, the cuts could be catastrophic. Artists First is expecting to see its DDR funding dip from roughly $100,000 this year to $38,000 next year. It means the possibility of ending the program Evans is enrolled in, or it could mean turning people away.

Sheila Suderwalla, executive director at Artists First, said turning people away would be the absolute last resort.

Other agencies see a clearer picture of the effects of the funding cuts. Paraquad is a nonprofit that provides vocational and transportation services to students with physical, mental and cognitive disabilities.

The expected $25,000 cut from DDR means that dozens of students in the city who take vocational courses through Paraquad will be denied the opportunity to take classes next year.

It will sting particularly hard, considering this will apply only to city residents, not students living in the county.

Aimee Wehmeier, Paraquads president and chief executive, called it a huge blow for people learning to be independent.

Some of our students have been taking these classes for years, she said. It helps them to be in a class with their peers, but (with these funding cuts) its just not going to be an option.

The elderly also could suffer. Programs that help them begin friendships and stimulate their minds are expected to take significant funding cuts in 2017.

Its a major setback, said Pam Merkle, executive director of the Association on Aging with Developmental Disabilities.

The association, which administers more than 50 programs designed to help older people with disabilities maintain their independence, is expected to take a $167,000 cut.

Historically, people with developmental disabilities didnt live to old age, she said.

Now, we teach people how to retire, she said. We help them maintain their health and get the cognitive stimulation and friendship development.

Merkle estimates that her agency will be forced to scale back services by as much as 20 percent in 2017.

Bad decisions

So, whos to blame?

Following a DDR board meeting last month, a group of staffers from various nonprofits placed the blame on former board members.

Board membership has changed in recent years.

Current DDR staffers and board members say about five years ago, a previous board shifted policy and began spending down reserves at the urging of some of DDRs partner agencies.

The thinking was that DDR did not need the $18 million in reserves it had in 2012, when that money could be spent by the partner agencies to create new programs and expand existing ones.

Former board members either did not respond to requests for comment or did not agree to speak on the record.

DDRs former executive director Michelle Darden, who stepped down shortly after the organizations financial troubles became public, did not return calls seeking an interview.

Others pointed to the person who appoints the board: Mayor Francis Slay.

Maggie Crane, a spokeswoman for Slay, pushed back at those criticisms, noting that the mayor has more than 400 appointments to make for various boards and commissions.

Finding the perfect mix of people willing to take time away from their full-time jobs to volunteer as board members is a difficult task, she said.

Once the problems at DDR were brought to his attention, he immediately took steps to start replacing board members, Crane said.

The new board members brought in Dick Goldbaum, founder of Transitions in Leadership, a firm he advertises as specializing in turning organizations around.

Additionally, Goldbaum has 25 years of experience running organizations for the disabled. He was hired this summer as DDRs interim executive director.

Goldbaum is in charge of returning DDR to financial solvency. It means hes the final decision maker when it comes to which agencies will be cut, and by how much.

It took about five years to get this far; its going to take at least two to three years to dig ourselves out, he said. I told the staff right away when I got here, this will be painful.

In assessing how DDRs finances became so jumbled, Goldbaum said the agencys previous leadership made bad decisions with good intentions.

Goldbaum said hes certain there was no misappropriation of the agencys funding. In other words, no one stole any money. Instead, the previous leadership spent savings account money on monthly expenses, he said.

It just wasnt sustainable. The leadership both at the board and the staff leadership made some very unfortunate decisions, Goldbaum said. But the money was absolutely spent on the mission.

For instance, DDR recently spent $900,000 to build three accessible playgrounds in the city.

The problem was, we didnt put the brakes on, he said.

Balancing the books

Goldbaum said he has identified roughly $1.6 million in annual saving  much of that from funding cuts to partner agencies and a reduction in staff.

In two months, three employees have resigned, one has retired and eight have been laid off. Thats 12 positions that wont be replaced, he said.

That leaves 45 on staff, 28 of whom are caseworkers paid through Medicaid reimbursements.

This month, the agencys board asked Goldbaum to present a balanced budget for the fiscal year beginning in July. It means hell have to cut at least $2.5 million more.

Like I said, this will be very, very painful, he said.

Goldbaum estimates that without those reductions, DDR would likely run out of money in October.

While agencies are waiting for that pain to arrive, their clients are left in limbo.

Especially in the Evans household.

Alehra Evans, the artist with pervasive developmental disability, is 29. On a good day, her social skills put her closer to 12, her older sister Jimauria said.

The family tried placing her in a nursing facility, a community college program and at sheltered workshops, which offer alternatives to typical labor jobs.

All of those were disasters, Jimauria Evans said.

Alehra doesnt have the patience or personality to sit through classroom-style learning, or sweep floors and wash dishes and perform other repetitive tasks, her sister said.

But Alehra has blossomed at Artists First, said her sister, who is on the organizations board. Staffers there describe her daily demeanor as bubbly. In addition to painting, Alehra also crochets and knits.

Theyve taught her how to work, Jimauria Evans said. She understands how the cost of the materials and how much effort went into something affects the price. She has a portfolio now that she can show off.

The disability is always going to be there, but that doesnt mean theres no room for growth, Jimauria Evans said. Shes found a place where she feels she belongs, and weve seen her grow by leaps and bounds.
One of my summer jobs in high school was teaching swimming lessons at the local high school pool.

Have you ever seen a video of someone drowning? I watched a few such videos during my swim teacher training. Someone who is drowning will do almost anything to get his or her head above water, including pushing another human being under the water to save him- or herself.

Wisconsin dairy farms are drowning right now  drowning in a global oversupply of milk. Oversupply drives prices down, with tragic but predictable results. According to the National Ag Statistics Service, Wisconsin lost 201 dairy farms in the first half of 2016  an average of 33 dairy farms per month, or one per day. How many dairy farms are in your county? How long until all but a handful are gone?

Given the level of our desperation, any opportunity to export our over-supply to another country looks like our saving grace. Maybe, we think, those new exports will give us just enough breathing room to get our heads above water.

In the midst of our own struggles, we usually dont think about the farmer we pushed underwater to save ourselves. In the wake of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), for example, increasing U.S. exports to Mexico meant the displacement of thousands of Mexican dairy farmers, who couldnt compete with cheaper U.S. imports. (Many of those displaced Mexican farmers immigrated  legally or otherwise  to the United States.)

If we do think about our Mexican counterparts who have lost their farms, we steel ourselves with the idea that thats just the cost of doing business, or they needed to get more efficient, like us. Mostly were just relieved to have the chance to farm another year, another decade, maybe keep alive the hope of passing the farm to the next generation.

We may find ourselves relating a lot more to the dairy farmers on the bottom of the stack if the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a trade deal between the U.S. and 11 other Pacific-Rim nations, is ratified by Congress. New Zealand, one of the signatories to the TPP, is the worlds largest exporter of dairy products, representing about one-third of international dairy trade each year. Ninety-five percent of New Zealand dairy production is exported, compared to 14 percent of U.S. production. One of New Zealands top exports, milk protein concentrate, displaces raw milk as an ingredient in Wisconsin cheese production.

Do you think New Zealand dairy farmers, so reliant on export markets, might be feeling a little over their heads in the current global over-supply of milk? According to the Wall Street Journal, New Zealand dairy farmers are facing the lowest prices they have seen in 13 years. Maybe they are eyeing exports to the $48 billion U.S. dairy market as the saving grace they need to get through the next year, the next decade. You can hardly blame them for doing whatever it takes to save their farms for the next generation  even if it means undercutting an American dairy farmers livelihood.

There is an alternative. We fellow dairy farmers can stop pushing each other under in trade deals that throw farmers and workers, American or otherwise, into the floodwaters. We need to say no to the TPP. Instead of pouring out our oversupply elsewhere, we should take a good hard look inside our own borders and ask why we keep finding ourselves underwater in the first place.

We farmers need to get smart and demand a federal dairy policy that holds back the floodwaters of an oversupply of milk. Newsflash: Farmers  no matter where they are from  do not benefit from policies like the TPP that encourage oversupply and drive milk prices down.

Thats true whether youre a farmer from Mexico, Canada, New Zealand, or the United States. The only entities that benefit from an over-supply of milk are dairy processors and retailers who can get their primary input at bargain-basement prices, and then keep the savings for themselves rather than passing them along to consumers.

Canadian farmers years ago realized the problem of oversupply, and they came together to prevent it through a quota system. As a result, Canadian farmers can actually make a living and afford to modernize on a farm of 100 cows or fewer. But if the TPP passes, the Canadian oversupply control system will be dismantled. American exports to Canada will increase, pay prices in Canada will drop, and thousands of Canadian dairy farms will go under. I, for one, take no joy in pushing them under so we can make it another year. I would rather all dairy farmers kept their heads above water.

The take-home from my swimming teacher days is that you cant get pushed underwater yourself, and you wont drown anyone else either, if youre standing on dry land. Oversupply management is like draining the water out of the pool  it allows everyone to stand on their own feet, without pushing anyone else under for the sake of survival.
ST. LOUIS  With a big smile, Melvin Dukes proudly points to the parts of the kitchen wall, an archway to the bathroom, a whole wall of siding outside and other intricacies of a house in north St. Louis that hes helping build.

These are a few of his contributions to one of two houses under construction by Ranken Technical Colleges carpentry program.

Each year, Rankens carpentry students build two homes. Their work is supplemented by other programs at the technical school.

The architecture students lay out the plans, the heating and cooling and plumbing students collaborate on the inner-workings of the house and the carpentry students take care of most of the rest. A few things are contracted out, like electrical work.

Its part of Rankens hands-on learning mission, and the students say its working.

Dukes, 30, said he decided to go back to school and was debating between a few schools until he saw what he would get to do with the carpentry program at Ranken.

I remember when we did that walk-through and I was like, What do you mean we get to build a house? he said. My eyes lit up.

Its not always easy, especially juggling the construction work for class, a carpet-cleaning job to earn money, then homework for his general education courses. But for Dukes end goal of owning his own company or being a landlord, this is worth it.

The mission

The home-building program has been around since 1994 when the technical school established the Ranken Community Development Corporation, specifically to revitalize areas of north St. Louis, which is Rankens backyard.

Melissa Borchardt, dean of enrollment and former home-building program coordinator, said Ranken students have built 62 homes. All but one are around the campus. The exception is in Maplewood.

Ranken buys the properties and almost always has to demolish dilapidated homes on each site. If the land cant be built on, it becomes green space.

This year, two homes are under construction in the 4400 block of Evans Avenue, adding to several others Ranken students have completed on that street. There are plans to build a few more on that block before moving to some of the other lots the school owns.

The goal of breathing life into an area of the city that feels forgotten isnt lost on those who are getting their hands dirty every day with the carpentry program.

Yes, were just students, but were improving the area around here, Dukes said. Were transforming the area. The better it looks, the better people here will want to help contribute by cleaning up around them.

Taking ownership

The homes range from 1,500 to 1,800 square feet. Most are two stories, with this years homes being the exception.

Ranken carpentry instructor Steve Hartge said theyre building ranch homes this year to meet a request from older, interested homebuyers who cant climb stairs each day.

The homes include three bedrooms, at least two bathrooms and a two-car garage.

Its exciting to see people living in and enjoying the houses of his past students, but Hartges favorite part of the process is watching the students as they work.

They take a little more ownership in it if they start from the ground up and take it to completion, Hartge said.

But, theyre still students, and thats important to remember.

You dont forget theyre students, but sometimes you think they know a little more than they do, he said. A construction crew would have three guys out on a site like this and weve got a bunch of students.

A challenge, he said, is speed. Three trained crew members can finish a house easily, but when every step is a learning opportunity that has to be reviewed by Hartge, the process moves slowly. Its worth the time, though, when students are able to walk into a job interview and say they have experience in everything from wall framing to roof installation.

When you have guys come back and say that theyre working in the field, thats a really cool feeling, Hartge said.

Stephanie Alvarado, 19, is looking forward to jump-starting her carpentry career when she graduates with her associates degree in May. Alvarado, a Chicago native, toured Ranken as a high school senior.

I came here not knowing anything, she said. I didnt know how to frame a wall  anything. Now, I can do that, install siding and everything. This is what Im going to do now. I feel like I can apply this to anything in the real world now, even fixing random things around the house.
WINDSOR HEIGHTS, Iowa  When officials in the Des Moines suburb of Windsor Heights began talking about installing sidewalks to improve safety and encourage outdoor activities, they anticipated some grumbling from residents who liked the look of uninterrupted, lush lawns.

They didnt expect packed City Council meetings, protest signs stretching down leafy suburban streets and threats to defeat officials in the next election.

People are afraid of change, City Council member Threase Harms said of sidewalk opponents. They are very passionate, but I think theyve gone a little too far with their passion.

At a time of rising obesity rates and push for cities to encourage more active lifestyles, intense opposition to sidewalks may seem surprising, but similar disputes are raging in neighborhoods across the country.

Residents have crowded into meetings to oppose sidewalks in communities from the Minneapolis suburb of Edina to parts of Washington, D.C., and from the Rochester, N.Y., suburb of Irondequoit to Prairie Village, Kan., and the Milwaukee suburb of Delafield, Wis.

Like Windsor Heights, most of the disagreements are in neighborhoods built in the 1950s and 1960s that were designed to be different from the larger cities they border. The absence of sidewalks was intended to give the neighborhoods a rural appearance at a time when walking for exercise was less common.

More than half a century later, lots of residents want to keep it that way.

Among them is Chris Angier, who grew up in Windsor Heights on a street without a sidewalk and notes, Guess Im still alive.

Angier has moved from the area but has been involved in efforts to fight the sidewalks that would cut across his mothers lawn. Shes in her mid-80s and has lived in the house since 1964.

Like other residents, Angier blames the sidewalk push on newly elected City Council members who moved from Des Moines and other nearby cities.

Many of us older residents wish theyd go back where they came from, said Angier.

Just down the street, John Giblin echoes that thought, noting dryly, They tell us we have to get with the times.

The arguments are similar in the suburblike Washington, D.C., neighborhood of Hawthorne, where for years residents have bickered over plans to install sidewalks along Chestnut Street.

The fight has been going on for so long that supporters recently bought new pro-sidewalk signs because the old ones had weathered in the past decade.

Even as he and other neighbors pressure city government to build sidewalks along Chestnut, resident Everett Lott acknowledged, Its the strangest thing.

Lott said that with exceptions, the fight is generational, as younger people with children seek sidewalks and older residents resist. People feel like its their land and they shouldnt have their land infringed upon, said Lott, whose now 9-year-old son was 2 when he became involved in the sidewalk effort. They moved in 30 years ago and chose it for the look and feel, and they want to preserve that, but the city is changing.

In Edina, Minn., an affluent suburb of Minneapolis, neighbors have packed hearings to oppose the City Councils plan to add sidewalks over a 20-year period, saying there was no need to citify the community.

Despite the opposition, Mayor James Hovland said officials have moved ahead with their plans and find the opposition is eroding. Hovland acknowledged there are holdouts, especially residents of large, more rural lots, but he said those spots arent a top priority for sidewalks, anyway.

Its different from the 1960s, when everything was oriented around the automobile, he said. Were seeing less of that now.

Still, some residents cant see why they need to change what drew them to the suburbs.

Anastasia Loukaitou-Sideris, an urban planning professor at the University of California, Los Angeles, notes privacy has always been a selling point for suburban residents, dating back a century or more.

Suburbs were marketed as completely different from the evil urban settings, she said. Private, rural, very green areas.

Transportation experts also acknowledge opposition when suburban cities make changes.

Emiko Atherton, director of the National Complete Streets Coalition, which advocates for street improvements that benefit bikers and walkers, said such sidewalks make sense, pointing to improvements in safety, housing prices and health in areas that make changes.

In Windsor Heights, officials said they havent made final decisions about sidewalks but would make changes in coming months to make the citys street system safer and better serve all users, not just motorists.

Angier noted that Windsor Heights officials cant point to any serious crashes that have hurt walkers, and he expects residents to take out their anger at future elections.

Whoever runs against the mayor and council next time will be very well-funded, he said.
So my question is, if the department is defunded, and low pay continues, what will happen the next time the police are desperately needed and only a handful of them are available?
HOBART  We sure do like our cheese in Wisconsin, and we make more of it here than any other place in the country.

Whether melted on pizza or a cheeseburger, fired as a curd or eaten with a glass of wine, cheese is a key ingredient to many of Wisconsins favorite meals.

Of course, that great Wisconsin cheese industry grew out of our best-in-the-country dairy industry. In fact, 90 percent of the milk from Americas Dairyland is used to make cheese.

But with nearly 10,000 dairy farms milking nearly 1.3 million cows and 1,200 cheese makers producing more than 3 billion pounds of cheese a year, we cant eat and drink all of it ourselves. Thats why we need access to markets outside our borders  both domestic and foreign  to ensure the long-term health of our states most iconic industry.

While Wisconsin-made dairy products can be found across the globe, the leading international destination for our cheese is Mexico. In fact, over half of our cheese exports end up across our nations southern border.

Ensuring a productive partnership with Mexico is critical to the prosperity of our country, our state and Wisconsins dairy industry. Overall, Mexico is Wisconsins and Americas second largest export market. More than 117,000 jobs were derived from the $3 billion in made-in-Wisconsin goods sent to Mexico in 2015.

Mexico is also Wisconsins second-largest overall agriculture export destination, accounting for $289 million back into our state in 2015. Thanks in no small part to our trade with Mexico, dairy exports overall have grown to nearly $1 billion  tripling where we were just five years ago.

Whats even more impressive is that our partnership with Mexico is growing rapidly. Since 1996, exports from Wisconsin to Mexico have increased by 720 percent. That compares to overall exports growing by 136 percent over that same period. In fact, in 2015, Mexico was our only top-five trading partner where we in Wisconsin saw a growth in exports  even as overall U.S. exports to the country declined.

The dairy industry in Wisconsin contributes over $43.4 billion to our economy  thats $82,500 per minute. Its also 65 percent higher than what it was just five years ago.

But the continued growth and success of our dairy industry depends on a healthy economy here at home and access to important markets like Mexico. The recent opening of a Mexican Consulate office in our state is a growing sign Wisconsin and Mexico both understand the important role that each plays to the others economic well being.

Hopefully, our partnership with Mexico continues to grow and thrive for many years to come.
Paul E. Patton told police he lost control of the vehicle after a dog jumped in his lap, and that he had mixed drinks and beer and taken 3 Percocet pills for back pain, according to court records.
MIAMI, Nov. 26, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Famous for being one of the most controversial political figures in world history, Fidel Castro, who died on November 25 at the age of 90, had a life full of intrigue and conspiracies. The documentary FIDEL CASTRO EN LA MIRA examines Castro's life and personality from the unique perspective of the spies who followed his every move for more than half a century. The production will air Sunday, November 27 at 9PM E/P.

The one-hour special includes exclusive interviews with KGB agents, CIA analysts, Cuban intelligence operatives, and exiles from the island who conspired both for and against Castro and kept a close eye on his movements. Spanning more than 50 years of history, these figures share their experiences, intimate anecdotes and first-hand information about the secret war to derail the Cuban Revolution with recollections that help build a more complete picture of the life and psychology of the man behind the legend.

Key figures interviewed in FIDEL CASTRO EN LA MIRA include:

Brian Latell: Former intelligence officer who began tracking Castro in 1964 for the CIA.

Chris Simmons: Senior Counter Intelligence Specialist at the Defense Intelligence Agency. He was an important player in the counterintelligence effort against Cuba from 1996-2004.

Felix Rodriguez: Former CIA official who was involved in the Bay of Pigs invasion and the capture of Che Guevara.

Peter Kornbluh: Director of the Cuban Documentation Project at the National Security Archive.

Domingo Amuchastegui: Former Cuban diplomat and spy.

Nicolai Leonov: Former Senior KGB officer who knew both Fidel and Raul Castro in the revolution's early days.

Antonio Veciana: Cuban exile who was head of the Anti-Castro movement Alpha 66 movement, and was involved in several assassination attempts on Castro.

Oleg Nechiporenko: Retired Colonel from the KGB. He also advised Cuban Intelligence officials on spying techniques during 1970s.

FIDEL CASTRO EN LA MIRA is produced by Pacha Films for Discovery en Espanol under the supervision of Michela Giorelli. For Pacha Films, Luis del Valle serves as executive producer and William Hicklin as director.

For more about network programming, please follow us on facebook.com/discoveryenespanol, Twitter @DiscoveryenESP, Instagram @discoveryenespanol and YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/discoveryenespanol.

About Discovery en EspanolDiscovery en Espanol connects Spanish-speaking viewers in the U.S. to the world and all its wonder and possibilities. It provides quality programming focusing on bold storytelling across core genres including adventure, ingenuity, natural history, investigation and current affairs. Created by Discovery Communications, Discovery en Espanol is widely distributed on Hispanic tier packages throughout the country. For more information, please follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/discoveryenespanol, Twitter @DiscoveryenESP, Instagram @discoveryenespanol and YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/discoveryenespanol

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SOURCE Discovery en Espanol
CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Nov. 26, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- As consumers gear up for Cyber Monday, the largest online shopping day of the year, cybercriminals are also preparing to take advantage of deal-seekers. IBM (NYSE: IBM) X-Force researchers are monitoring malicious activity closely to help organizations and consumers stay safe during the holiday shopping season. With 36 percent of consumers planning to shop online[1] on Cyber Monday, it's critical for consumers to be on high alert.

IBM X-Force researchers have already seen cybercriminals actively masking malicious malware in emails to consumers disguised as major retailers sending out Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals and package shipment tracking details. When a user clicks on the package tracking URL, instead of going to the retailer, they download a malicious malware such as Locky Ransomware, which can lock a user out of their computer and encrypt all of their files, requiring them to pay a ransom to regain access. At one point, this phishing campaign comprised more than 45 percent of all spam activity monitored by IBM X-Force.

In preparation for Cyber Monday, IBM Security has created some tips for consumers to follow to stay secure while shopping online.

Security Tips for Cyber Monday Shopping:

Beware of Unexpected Package Tracking Emails: Be cautious of unsolicited emails. IBM X-Force has identified massive campaigns distributing Locky Ransomware. At one point, the campaign was 45% of all spam activity analyzed by the team.

Be cautious of unsolicited emails. IBM X-Force has identified massive campaigns distributing Locky Ransomware. At one point, the campaign was 45% of all spam activity analyzed by the team. Caution with Coupon Codes: If the discount looks too good to be true, it likely is. Promo codes from untrusted sources require caution. Don't click links to copy the code, instead copy it and use it directly on the retailer's website (even if it's a retail brand you trust). If you MUST click a link in your email, before doing so, hover over the URL and make sure it's taking you to the website.

If the discount looks too good to be true, it likely is. Promo codes from untrusted sources require caution. Don't click links to copy the code, instead copy it and use it directly on the retailer's website (even if it's a retail brand you trust). If you MUST click a link in your email, before doing so, hover over the URL and make sure it's taking you to the website. Opt for Credit Over Debit Cards: Use credit cards instead of debit card, when possible. Credit cards offer consumers more protections if the card is compromised, and won't impact your checking account during the holiday season if there's an issue.

Use credit cards instead of debit card, when possible. Credit cards offer consumers more protections if the card is compromised, and won't impact your checking account during the holiday season if there's an issue. Use Unique Passwords for EACH Online Store: Never reuse the same password on different websites, especially retailers. Instead, create a unique passphrase for each website you shop on, for example, something like "longpassword123". Same goes for loyalty cards, create a unique password for these accounts too.

Never reuse the same password on different websites, especially retailers. Instead, create a unique passphrase for each website you shop on, for example, something like "longpassword123". Same goes for loyalty cards, create a unique password for these accounts too. Shopping From The Office? Don't use your corporate email address when making online purchases, and never ever use the same password you do for your corporate login. It will put your employer at risk.

Don't use your corporate email address when making online purchases, and never ever use the same password you do for your corporate login. It will put your employer at risk. Only Use Trusted Apps: Only download shopping apps directly from the trusted app stores such as iTunes and Google Play. Be especially careful of discount deal apps, especially ones you've never heard of. Before downloading the app, check the number of reviews and ratings. If it doesn't have any reviews or ratings, or a very low number, don't download it. It might be fraudulent.

Only download shopping apps directly from the trusted app stores such as iTunes and Google Play. Be especially careful of discount deal apps, especially ones you've never heard of. Before downloading the app, check the number of reviews and ratings. If it doesn't have any reviews or ratings, or a very low number, don't download it. It might be fraudulent. Use A Special Shopping Email Address: Have a separate email address for shopping or deal websites. It'll help you identify sneaky spam that might bypass spam filters and protect your trusted account.

Have a separate email address for shopping or deal websites. It'll help you identify sneaky spam that might bypass spam filters and protect your trusted account. Don't Save Your Info : Never save your credit card information in retail sites and web browsers. It might make purchases faster, but it could put your card number at risk if the retailer is compromised.

: Never save your credit card information in retail sites and web browsers. It might make purchases faster, but it could put your card number at risk if the retailer is compromised. Consider One-Time Use Credit Cards : When buying from a non-trusted or entirely new retailer, you can avoid putting your personal credit card data at risk by acquiring one-time use credit cards from your bank or pre-paid credit cards. You could also purchase gift cards directly from the retailer you're planning on shopping with.

: When buying from a non-trusted or entirely new retailer, you can avoid putting your personal credit card data at risk by acquiring one-time use credit cards from your bank or pre-paid credit cards. You could also purchase gift cards directly from the retailer you're planning on shopping with. Get Creative With Password Reset Questions: When filling out account information, opt for the password reset question that isn't public. For example, don't use the street you grew up on, as it could be found online. Instead pick something that can be an opinion question (favorite movie, food, etc). OR alternatively, you can even make up your answers, so only you know.

"Consumers needs to be diligent during the holiday shopping season," said Caleb Barlow, Vice President, IBM Security. "Cybercriminals are trying to entice consumers to click suspicious links by offering deals and tapping into their curiosity. It's all about following some security basics to keep shoppers safe this shopping season."

IBM Security's intelligence is gathered by hosting one of the world's largest URL databases with 25 billion+ web pages and images, collecting 1,000 financial malware samples daily, leveraging intelligence from 270M+ endpoints, and processing 1 trillion security events every month for more than 4,500 clients across 133 countries.

For retailers looking for security insights and recommendations, download the Security Trends In The

Retail Industry report from IBM X-Force http://ibm.co/2gIcUmX or check out the X-Force Exchange collection on spam research at http://bit.ly/2fCTg7U.

About IBM Security IBM Security offers one of the most advanced and integrated portfolios of enterprise security products and services. The portfolio, supported by world-renowned IBM X-Force research, enables organizations to effectively manage risk and defend against emerging threats. IBM operates one of the world's broadest security research, development and delivery organizations, monitors 35 billion security events per day in more than 130 countries, and holds more than 3,000 security patents. For more information, please visit www.ibm.com/security, follow @IBMSecurity on Twitter or visit the IBM Security Intelligence blog.

Contact: Kelly Kane, IBM Security413-297-2668[email protected]

[1] National Retail Federation: November 2016 Consumer Survey https://nrf.com/resources/consumer-data/holiday-headquarters

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SOURCE IBM Security
ST. LOUIS, Nov. 25, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- As leaders of the Iranian American communities in California, Texas, and Missouri, we condemn the recent venomous and defamatory propaganda by a handful of discredited apologists of the murderous regime in Iran against us and former U.S. officials who addressed scores of conferences and seminars we organized on U.S. policy on Iran.

Our community members are very successful and taxpaying professionals, who came to this country after enduring unspeakable brutality and hardships at the hands of the ruling theocracy. Many of us have lost family members due to repression in Iran, and many have relatives among the ranks of the main Iranian opposition movement, the Mujahedin-e Khalq (MEK), which for nearly a decade enjoyed the protection of U.S. Military in Iraq. After the U.S. withdrawal, they were repeatedly targeted by the Iranian regime sponsored terrorist attacks in Camps Ashraf and Liberty in Iraq, before finally resettling in Europe earlier this year.

We have striven for the establishment of a secular, democratic, and non-nuclear republic in Iran, which also best serves the national security of the United States as well as global peace and security. In this endeavor, we have been privileged to enjoy the support of many patriotic American leaders who helped our communities inform U.S. policy-makers and the public about the threats posed to this country by the epicenter of Islamic extremism and the central banker of international terrorism, namely, the clerical regime in Iran.

Notwithstanding our three-decade-long and overwhelming bi-partisan support in both chambers of U.S. Congress, we are proud to have hosted more than 80 distinguished and patriotic former officials, including America's Mayor Rudy Giuliani, Speaker Newt Gingrich, Governors Howard Dean and Ed Rendell, and Ambassador John Bolton, whose names have been mentioned in the media recently. These conferences and seminars were in the exercise of our First Amendment rights as Americans, enshrined in the United States Constitution and therefore consistent with U.S. law.

These dozens of conferences, broadcast into Iran via satellite, and made public through traditional and social media, were meant to make the millions in Iran aware of the falsity of the narrative propagated by the ruling mullahs that America was the Great Satan.

We are proud that our community members burdened all the costs of organizing and facilitating these events, and we will continue to do so. In the interest of transparency, we welcomed and fully cooperated with the Treasury Department's thorough review of our activities that began in 2012 until the Department sent us "its final enforcement response," in 2013, saying that it had "completed its review" and cited no violations.

Signed, Ahmad Moinimanesh, Executive Director, Iranian American Community of Northern California; Ali Soudjani, President, Iranian American Community of South Texas; Kasra Nejat, President, Iranian-American Cultural Association of Missouri

To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/iranian-american-cultural-association-of-missouri-as-iranian-americans-we-are-proud-of-our-political-campaign-300368679.html

SOURCE Iranian-American Cultural Association of Missouri
I am Kerry Burgess. This is what I think.
GATINEAU, QUEBEC -- (Marketwired) -- 11/26/16 -- Today we commemorate the Ukrainian Famine and Genocide, or Holodomor-the systematic starvation of Ukrainians between 1932 and 1933 by a totalitarian Soviet regime. During this horrific, human-made catastrophe, millions of children, women and men perished, because of their aspirations for independence and a desire to maintain their unique Ukrainian identity.

The Holodomor remains one of the gravest atrocities of the last century. Canada became the first of many nations to recognize the famine as an act of genocide. While the Holodomor tried to break the Ukrainian people, they endured, and their descendants continue to make valuable contributions in countries around the world, including right here in Canada.

As Minister of Canadian Heritage, I stand with the Ukrainian community and encourage all Canadians to pause to remember the victims, families and communities who suffered as a result of the Holodomor.

Stay Connected

Follow us on Twitter, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram and Flickr.

Contacts: Pierre-Olivier Herbert Press Secretary Office of the Minister of Canadian Heritage 819-997-7788

Source: Department of Canadian Heritage
SHANGHAI (Reuters) - Police in central China have arrested 94 members of a $72 billion cross-border gambling ring whose activities stretched into Southeast Asia, the official Xinhua news agency reported on Saturday, citing police.

Police in Jincheng city in Shanxi province arrested members of the gang that illegally brought more than 400 gamblers across to Laos and Myanmar to gamble more than 500 billion yuan ($72.28 billion) in wagers, Xinhua said.

The police said they had discovered the ring in 2013 after a murder over unpaid gambling debts. During the recent arrests, the police also rescued eight gamblers who had been detained by the ring in Myanmar.

Chinese citizens, among the world's most prolific gamblers, often travel overseas to bet as gambling has been outlawed in China since 1949, though a state lottery does operate.

The government has in the past year made a number of arrests accusing people of luring China citizens to gamble overseas.

In October, it arrested 13 South Korean casino managers and several Chinese agents. It also detained 17 employees of Australia' top casino operator Crown Resorts and then later officially arrested three of them on suspicion of gambling offences.

(Reporting By Winni Zhou and Brenda Goh; Editing by Himani Sarkar)
People walk past the headquarters of the People's Bank of China (PBOC), the central bank, as two paramilitary police officials patrol around it in Beijing November 20, 2013. REUTERS/Jason Lee/File Photo

SHANGHAI (Reuters) - China's central bank is considering including cross-border yuan business into its assessment of macro-prudential risks in the country's financial system, online finance magazine Caixin reported on Saturday, citing unnamed regulatory sources.

Earlier this year, China introduced a risk measuring tool known as the Macro Prudential Assessment system (MPA) to take into account banks' capital adequacy and leverage ratios, assets and liabilities, liquidity and foreign debt risks.

Caixin said the inclusion of banks' cross-border yuan business risk into the MPA system could incorporate items such as the ratio of cross-border yuan outflows to the total amount of local and foreign currency outflows.

The magazine quoted an unnamed banker as saying the move would force banks to "do more incoming yuan business, and less yuan outflow activities ... It means that no matter how large the demand is from clients, how much profit it can offer, the bank will have to weigh up the pros and cons."

The People's Bank of China was not immediately available to respond to a fax and calls from Reuters for comment outside working hours on the weekend.

The government has enacted a string of measures to stem surging currency outflows with the yuan plumbing 8-1/2 year lows against the surging U.S. dollar.

The Wall Street Journal on Friday reported that China plans to tighten controls on companies looking to invest abroad, in an effort to stop a surge of capital fleeing offshore.

While Beijing has been busily damming up official channels for money to leave China, more than ever is leaking out through shady means as investors flee the country's slowing economy and weakening currency, financial industry executives say.

(Reporting by Brenda Goh and Winni Zhou; Editing by Himani Sarkar)
Ottarr Proppe of Bright Future (2nd L), Benedikt Johannesson of the Reform Party (3rd L), Prime Minister Sigmurdur Ingi Johannsson of the Progressive Party (6th L), Katrin Jakobsdottir of the Left-Green Movement (seated L), Asta Helgadttir of the Pirate P

REYKJAVIK - Iceland's Left Green party leader said on Friday she had given up on forming a government and handed back the president's mandate to create one.

Katrin Jakobsdottir's failure to negotiate a coalition further extends the political impasse that followed the Oct. 29 snap election.

Talks led by her to form a five-party government including the anti-establishment Pirate Party were suspended earlier this week.

The president gave Jakobsdottir the task to form a government after talks led by the center-right Independence Party which emerged as the biggest party in the election failed.

Jakobsdottir told local media she now did not exclude anything in terms of a future government, including a minority government.

President Gudni Johannesson said he would give the parties time to talk informally.

(Reporting by Ragnhildur Sigurdadottir; Writing by Daniel Dickson Editing by Jeremy Gaunt)
DUBAI (Reuters) - Iranian President Hassan Rouhani called on Saturday for greater cooperation between regional rivals Iran and Turkey to help establish stability in Syria and Iraq.

"Today when the region is in a critical condition, cooperation and consultation by Tehran and Ankara in resolving issues can make a difference," Rouhani told visiting Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, Iran's state news agency IRNA reported.

"If major regional powers stand together, problems in Iraq and Syria will be resolved without the need for foreign powers," Rouhani added.

"Despite (their differences), the two countries' officials are looking for solutions and seeking to draw closer their points of views, especially on Iraq and Syria," IRNA earlier reported.

"Preserving the territorial integrity and national unity of Iraq and Syria is in the interest of Iran and Turkey as well as that of regional peace and stability," Cavusoglu was quoted by IRNA as saying.

Iran, a Shi'ite Muslim nation, is a main ally of President Bashar al-Assad in Syria's civil war, while Sunni-majority Turkey has been one of his fiercest critics and has supported his opponents.

Iran has joined Iraq in criticizing the Turkish military presence in northern Iraq, which Ankara has said is at the invitation of a Kurdish regional government.

Relations between the two neighbors appear to have improved after Iran supported the government of Turkey against a failed military coup in July.

(Reporting by Dubai Newsroom; Editing by Alexander Smith and Hugh Lawson)
Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro speaks during his weekly broadcast "En contacto con Maduro" (In contact with Maduro) in La Victoria, Venezuela November 20, 2016. Miraflores Palace/Handout via REUTERS

CARACAS (Reuters) - Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said on Friday that the United States convicted his wife's nephews on drug charges last week to weaken his leftist government.

Two nephews of Venezuela's first lady were found guilty earlier this month in a jury trial on charges that they tried to carry out a multimillion-dollar drug deal to obtain a large amount of cash to help their family stay in power.

In his first comments since the conviction, Maduro blasted what he said was a clear sign of "U.S. imperialism."

"You think it's just by chance that the imperialists created a case that had as its only objective to attack the First Lady, the First Combatant, the wife of the president?" Maduro said in an hours-long speech during a "Women's March" in Caracas, accusing Washington of seeking to weaken his administration.

The case has been an embarrassment for the leftist leader amid an economic crisis in the oil-rich nation that has left millions going hungry because they cannot find or afford food. The high-profile case was one of several in which U.S. prosecutors have linked individuals tied to the Venezuelan government to drug trafficking.

Venezuela's opposition has seized the case as evidence that top echelons of the government are involved in narcotics, and has demanded a full explanation and investigation.

But compliant state media have barely touched on the case amid a wider official silence.

Franqui Francisco Flores de Freitas, 31, and Efrain Antonio Campo Flores, 30, nephews of Cilia Flores, Maduro's wife and a big player in the country's politics, were convicted by a federal jury in Manhattan of conspiring to import cocaine into the United States.

The pair were arrested in Haiti in November 2015 and flown to the United States following a sting operation orchestrated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. Prosecutors said the two men plotted to use a Venezuelan airport's presidential hangar to send 800 kgs of cocaine to Honduras for shipment into the United States.

The United States and Venezuela have had a difficult relationship since the late Hugo Chavez was elected to power in 1998, reaching a nadir when Chavez called George W. Bush the "devil" in 2006.

Maduro routinely blames the United States for waging an "economic war" against Venezuela.

The U.S. government did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

During Friday's speech, Maduro also praised President Bashar al-Assad of Syria, blaming the United States for fighting there, before an 8-year-old girl sang a tweaked version of "Jingle Bells" that lauded Chavez.

(Reporting by Girish Gupta; Writing by Alexandra Ulmer; Editing by Leslie Adler)
Addressing the two-day Global Sustainable Transport Conference in Ashgabat, the Prime Minister hoped that the agreement will prove milestone in achieving the dream of peaceful co existence through integration of economies, markets and cultures in South Asia, Central Asia and beyond.

The 21st century is a century of connectivity. Without adequate internal communication networks and integration with their regions and beyond, countries will risk being left behind in the race for development. As we all know, peace and development are interlinked. Without regional peace and stability, we will not be able to reap the benefits of connectivity and integration, he said.

Nawaz Sharif emphasized that regional connectivity and Economic integration are the key pillars of Pakistan s policy.

He said in the emerging global and regional environment Pakistan is happy to play its role as gateway to Central Asia.

The Prime Minister said peaceful neighbourhood has remained the norm of Pakistan`s foreign policy and no development policies can yield fruit without peace and security.

Nawaz Sharif said Pakistan is fully committed to its responsibilities as a partner in regional and Economic integration.

He said with projects like CPEC and One Belt One Road Pakistan has enhanced its geo strategic location into a geo Economic advantage.

There is now a game changer; Chinas One Belt One Road initiative. It aims to create worlds largest platform to integrate development of various regions in the Eurasian landmass. Pakistan as a partner is fully committed with this initiative which will go a long way in realizing our vision for transforming Pakistan into a hub of trade and commerce and harnessing its geo-strategic location into a geo-economic advantage, the premier noted.

He said CPEC is a package of multiple infrastructure and development projects and will boost connectivity within the region and integrate China, Central Asia, South Asia and Middle East.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said with mutual understanding and collective endeavors we will be able to deliver on the promise of peace, prosperity and development of our peoples.
Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Farooq Abdullah on Friday said that India had no other option than to negotiate with Pakistan over Kashmir issue.

He was addressing a gathering in Chenab Valley, in the presence of his son and Omar Abdullah, who has also served as Kashmirs chief minister.

Farooq Abdullah also expressed that Pakistan is one of the stakeholders of the Kashmir issue which even the government of India has accepted, adding that the India will have no option but to start talks with Pakistan so that the atrocities through which people of Jammu and Kashmir are undergoing will come to an end.

Farooq Abdullah while commenting on the Indian parliaments standing resolution on Kashmir inquired Is this your forefathers property? .

Kashmir has been divided between rivals India and Pakistan since 1947, but both claim the territory in its entirety.

Tens of thousands of people, mostly civilians, have died in the fighting since 1989 and a latest spree of violence erupted after the killing of fighter Burhan Wani.
Wildfires rage across Israel for a fourth straight day after a conflagration broke out in the northwestern city of Haifa, prompting tens of thousands of evacuations.

The blazes billowed in many locations throughout the Israeli-occupied territories on Friday. The fire in Haifa, the hardest hit city, has forced some 80,000 people to flee.

The fires are also still burning in the forests west of Jerusalem al-Quds, on central and northern hilltops and in parts of the Israeli-occupied West Bank.

Police said hundreds of people were evacuated from the village of Beit Meir near Jerusalem al-Quds overnight. They also reported the outbreak of a new fire near the southern town of Kiryat Gat.

The Haifa mayor urged residents with water sprinklers to help put out the flames as thousands of residents of the mixed Jewish-Arab coastal city spent the night in temporary accommodation.

Authorities said the Haifa fires were "under control" on Friday morning, but cautioned that "things can change" as strong and changeable winds make developments hard to predict.

Since the blaze began engulfing Haifa, Israeli firefighters have been trying to tame as many as 200 fires, The Jerusalem Post reported. Entire neighborhoods of the port city have been evacuated, along with Haifa University and local prisons.

Authorities in Tel Aviv have sought foreign assistance to deal with the conflagration.

A lack of downpours together with very dry air and strong easterly winds contributed to the spread of the fires this week across the Israeli-occupied lands.

Meteorology is conducive to the spread of these fires, said Noah Wolfson, the chief executive of weather forecasting company Meteo-Tech. The atmosphere will remain very dry, at least until Monday or Tuesday.

Israeli officials, however, have pounced on the occasion to blame Arab or Palestinian arsonists for some of the blazes, calling them terrorists.

Israeli accusations come as the regime is under fire for its illegal settlement construction activities in the occupied Palestinian territories.

Israels Education Minister Naftali Bennett, who is a staunch supporter of the regimes land grab, said on Twitter that arsonists were disloyal to Israel, hinting that those who set the fires could not be Israelis.

The claims angered the Fatah movement of President of the Palestinian Authority Mahmoud Abbas, which said the regime in Tel Aviv is exploiting the fire to level new allegations against Palestinians.

What is burning are our trees and our land of historical Palestine, said the West Bank-based movement in a statement.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has promised to have the same course of interaction with the incoming UN secretary general, Antonio Guterres, as he had with the outgoing chief, Ban Ki-moon.

In a meeting with Guterres on Thursday, Putin said Russia has always supported and supports strengthening (the UN's) leading role in international affairs, in conflict-resolution, in the struggle for human rights.

The Russian president said he would put efforts into maintaining with Guterres the "same constructive dialogue" that Russia had with Ban.

Guterres, the former prime minister of Portugal who served as the UNs refugee chief, is to officially begin his tenure at the UN on January 1.

For his part, the incoming UN chief said that Russia played a decisive role not only in the framework of the United Nations but in all other aspects of international relations, adding that maintaining good communications with Moscow could guarantee his success at the top UN position.

The fundamental conditions for me to be useful to the international community rest in my having constructive relations with a country like the Russian Federation," a Kremlin statement quoted Guterres as saying.

Russia began to feel frictions with Ban in the last months of the South Korean's term in the UN, when Moscow intensified a military campaign against terrorist groups in northern Syria.

Ban and several Western governments criticized Russias bombings of the city of Aleppo, alleging they detected cases of war crimes.

Moscow has denied the claims and vetoed a resolution drafted by France on a no-fly zone above Aleppo.
AFD promotes Integrated Water Resources Management in the East View(s):

As part of its mandate to promote green and socially inclusive growth in Sri Lanka, the French Agency for Development (AFD) is exploring the possibility of implementing a development project in Mundeni Aru Basin in Batticaloa and Ampara districts.

This project estimated to cost more than 100 million Euros would benefit the population among the most vulnerable of the island, mainly through a support to farming activities in an area frequently impacted by droughts but also by reducing the risk of flooding, Martin Parent AFD Director, Sri Lanka and Maldives, told the Business Times

An AFD mission paid an observation visit to the Eastern Province recently to identify this project with a view of devising an implementation plan. The mission was conducted with the technical support of Societe Canal de Provence (SCP), a French company recognized for its expertise for water management in France.

This company carries out a public service mission for irrigation, as well as water supply for agricultural and industrial sectors, Mr. Parent said.

Members of the mission held several meetings with farmers organizations, provincial authorities, Batticaloa District Secretary, local authorities as well as the Department of Irrigation and the Department of Agriculture.

The mission also carried out field visits of irrigable areas, existing reservoirs and a future reservoirs location.

AFD will continue talks with the government in the coming months to finalize the scope of the project, Mr. Parent said adding that the Mundeni Aru Basin Development Project aims to merge two existing reservoirs (Rugam and Kitulwewa) downstream the Mundeni Aru River to increase cropping intensity for rice production but also to develop other food crops (soya, onions, maize, sugar cane) on new irrigable areas.

The project also aims to build a second reservoir in the Ampara district which will also be multipurpose and create new irrigable areas and mitigate floods downstream the Mundeni Aru Basin.- (Bandula)
GSP + no childs play By Sunimalee Dias View(s): View(s):

Negotiations between the government and the European Union (EU) on child rights in Sri Lanka have centered on the contentious issue of age of marriage as a broad subject in order to regain the Generalised System of Preferences (GSP) + benefits by next May the latest.

The EU has been negotiating with the government on a number of issues pertaining to the 15 violations by Sri Lanka as a result of which the country lost the GSP plus concessions in June 2010.

In the latest round of discussions between the government and the EU the issue of the age of marriage in Sri Lanka was taken up but no specific reference was made to any particular religious community, the EU Head of Political, Trade and Communication Section Paul Godfrey told the Business Times on Thursday.

In fact, he said the debate on the Muslim Marriage Act lately was a surprise to us.

This issue has opened up a can of worms among the minority Muslims who have taken to the streets protesting against the governments stance that GSP + could be obtained by repealing the minimum age of marriage of Muslims.

He noted that during the discussion the government representatives had stated that they had been involved in engaging a number of stakeholders in this regard on generally the countrys three systems of marriage  the Kandyan, Jaffna Tamil and Muslim.

The EU understanding is that the government has been talking to the relevant community leaders in this respect.

Mr. Godfrey pointed out that any law that allows children to get married would have had a dialogue and he believes this issue would have been raised even when Sri Lanka was granted the GSP + concessions at the inception.

However, the concessions would have been granted to the country based on the then governments clear intention to get progress in those areas, he explained.

In this respect, he noted that this concern of the age of marriage was not something that had come up in the last few months, alone.

On the other hand, how the EU sees this situation is connected to the implementation of human rights with Sri Lanka being a signatory to the International Convention on Rights of the Child among other related conventions.

Meanwhile the Muslim community has been studying the Muslim Marriage Act over the past few years under a committee chaired by, retired Supreme Court judge Salim Marsoof to review and bring about some amendments to it as a community effort.

Mr. Marsoof told the Business Times that they have reached a consensus on the age of marriage but no specifics were detailed but stated that it would be above 12 years.

Under section 23 of the present Muslim Marriage and Divorce Act, a girl must not be given in marriage if she is below 12 years without the permission of the Quazi (Muslim court).

The government had approached the community on a report of the age of marriage but this is yet to be submitted. The committee is to submit a complete document with all amendments to the Act in December this year.
Lotus in talks with various partners to invest on green power projects View(s):

Lotus Renewable Energy Pvt Ltd (LREP) is in talks with energy funds, financial institutions and family offices and like-minded overseas investors in Sri Lanka to get them to power the country into a more prosperous, cleaner, greener future.

As a green energy company, Lotus said in a media release that it plans to contribute 5 per cent of Sri Lankas power generation through greener energy by 2022, and increase the amount incrementally to 10 per cent by end 2030.

Lotus needs Rs. 20 billion to meet its objective.

Lotus says that it is looking for opportunities to invest in the renewable energy sector, and wants people with innovative ideas to come forward and help them realize the dream of transitioning economies from fossil fuel dependency, to renewable energy innovation.

Gary Seaton, new Chairman of Lotus Hydro Power PLC, (formerly known as Browns Hydro Power PLC) says, The transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy is paramount if we are to protect our water, air land and oceans, which in turn will support the inhabitants of the earth. We do a powerful, power intensive, innovative job and Lotus uses state-of-the-art technology for a greener world, and would power Sri Lanka to enter a cleaner but more energy intensive future.

Lotus, with its operations across India, Singapore and Australia, is planning to expand its business in Sri Lankas power generation sector.

The companys path to power creation in Sri Lanka is to buy over some of the existing power suppliers in Sri Lanka. We took over the Browns Hydro Power operations, as a strategy to expand its market presence in Sri Lanka, as it is well committed towards cleaner and greener energy, says Menaka Athukorala, Director at Lotus.

Lotus now consists of four mini hydro plants, with a total installed capacity of 4.9 MW. The company is planning to acquire a few more existing hydropower plants, and consolidate its market further.
Merrill J  the entrepreneur who beat all odds to succeed in his venture By Jayampathy Jayasinghe View(s): View(s):

There have been no Sri Lankan entrepreneurs in the country in the past where tea, coffee or the cocoa industry was concerned and none had access to markets or had their own brands except for the fact that only developed countries had such solutions and value addition to these products, according to Dilhan Fernando, Director of Dilmah Tea Co.

Speaking at the Merrill J. Fernando Eco- Innovation Awards ceremony held at the Ramada Hotel in Colombo last week, he said it was his father Merrill J. Fernando who decided to create a unique Sri Lankan tea brand which was an innovation that shifted the paradigm of the tea sector at that time.

Referring to tea plantations in the country he said it never had a problem with regard to water when there was a scarcity or was in surplus.

Today the world suffers from an epidemic of environmental challenges. Sri Lanka is yet to consider innovation as vital for her next phase of growth and as a result, innovation in its entirety has not been given due recognition.

Under the Merrill J. Fernando Innovation Awards, financial support is presented to well-developed concepts to solve current national and global environmental issues in areas of waste, water, energy, blue economy and biodiversity.

Prof. Ajith de Alwis of the Chemical and Process Engineering Department at the Moratuwa University said dreamers come up with ideas and the doers who implement these ideas depend on them.

We need to embrace ideas and creativity which was important and the country needed dreamers today. Referring to graphite mined in Sri Lanka, he said a kg of it was sold at Rs. 100 whereas a processed kg for laboratory purposes cost around Rs. 100,000.

The Merrill J. Fernando Eco-Innovation Award 2016 Prototype awards were won by the following persons:

Overall Winners were B.G Harsha Abeywardena and K.K.L Madusanka. Sector Winners (Prototypes) were T. Sunil Somasiri Gomes, H. Mahendra Prasad Peris, W.M. Jeremy Fernando, I.S.W Karunatilake and B.G. Harsha Abeywardena., Winners of the Concept award went to Raveen Perera and H. Mahendra Prasad Peiris.

The Merill J. Fernando Eco- Innovation Award 2016 Biodiversity Concept Sector Winner was K.K.L. Madusanka.

The Eco- Innovation Awards were handed over to the winners by Dilmah Founder Merrill J .Fernando who during his speech said that there was a lot of talent in the country undiscovered and fading away without attention.

Discussing his own efforts to change the world of the tea industry, he said one had to be a dreamer, a doer and an enabler all in one at that time as nobody was ready to go off the beaten track.

When he realized that the sweat and toil of millions of workers in the industry were enriching traders in foreign lands, he could not accept it. I thought to myself why cant we do these ourselves? And this dream kept haunting me for many years.

He said when he discussed with government officials and trade officials about the tea industry they all thought that he was mad. Ultimately when I was ready and was seriously thinking of launching my own brand of tea into the market I did not have a friend in the country. People in the trade, the government officials and friends turned hostile in their ignorance as selling raw materials never made any one rich and money was made outside they believed.

He said everyone without exception believed that we cannot market our produce and that could be done only by those living abroad. I was resisting and fighting people not only here but also from overseas tea traders. There was no one who understood my mission. He said while the message of quality Ceylon Tea was widespread in the world, there was no Ceylon Tea but many blends of tea. My mission was to take Ceylon Tea into the market as many others did and thats what I did.

He said Dilmah Tea started a small entrepreneur programme following the Tsunami disaster and those entrepreneurs who later became big entrepreneurs and their success stories will amaze anyone. I want to prevent the hardship of young entrepreneurs of today when I compare myself with the hardship that I went through in launching Dilmah Tea.
Port city officials begin inspecting granite quarry sites View(s):

The Megapolis Ministry, Colombo Port City and the project contractor China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC) have begun inspections of the quarries that will be supplying material for the Port City project.

According to the SEIA (supplementary EIA), only licensed quarries can be used for the supply and the inspection tours are to ensure that all the conditions stipulated in the environment approvals are properly met, according to a media release from the CHEC Port City Colombo (Pvt) Ltd, the project company.

The first of the visits made by the team of officials was led by Nihal Fernando, Deputy Director General of the UDA and Director of the Port City Development Project on November 16. The team included representatives from the Ministry of Megapolis, UDA, CHEC Port City Colombo (Pvt) Ltd (the project company) and CHEC. The visit was made to licensed quarries located in Meegoda and Korathota. Ms. Piyusha Gunasekara, Deputy Project Director and Deputy Director of the UDA and Bimal Priyantha, Project Engineer were also amongst the visiting team.

Out of the total 250 quarries located in the districts of Colombo, Gampaha and Kalutara, only 11 quarries will be used for the supply of quarry material for the Port City Project. According to the report, when considering the total existing licensed quarries in the three districts  Colombo, Gampaha and Kalutara, the volume of rock to be obtained from the identified quarries, work out to only 7 per cent and 2.3 per cent of the capacity of quarries in Colombo and Gampaha, respectively, and zero per cent from Kalutara, as the project does not expect to source quarry material from this district. Therefore, the project will only use 4.4 per cent of all existing quarries in these districts, the release said.

The SEIA done by experts has also analysed traffic related impacts in transporting quarry material to the construction site. Transport hours have been divided into two sessions that avoid peak hours of the day. In the first session, the loading of trucks is to be completed by 6 pm the previous day and they would be parked at the quarry site. The first batch of loaded trucks will start their journey at 4 am from their respective quarry sites and reach the port gate before 7 am. The SEIA has confirmed that there is facility for parking about 75 trucks around the port gate without disturbing moving vehicles along the road. As the gate opens at 7 am, trucks will enter the stockpiling site through a road located inside the port and after unloading, this batch of trucks will leave the Port City site at about 10 am, it said.

The trucks are expected to reach their respective quarry sites around 12 noon when loading will begin once again, and they would start their journey around 2 pm, in order to reach the Port City site around 4 pm. After unloading, these vehicles would again go to the respective quarry sites for loading and stay at these sites until their journey resumes the next day morning at 4 am. In order to avoid congestion and ensure smooth access to the port, it has been proposed to park the trucks in the vicinity, until the gate is opened. The project company says the fleet would be strictly managed until it reaches the gate without obstructing the entrance, the release said.
Sri Lanka to replace text books with tablets By Bandula Sirimanna View(s): View(s):

Sri Lanka plans to move away gradually from the traditional text book education system towards digital technology based education with the first step being the provision of tabs to GCE AL students, officials said.

As the technological world continues to advance rapidly, the Education Ministry will take measures to integrate technology within the classroom with the aim of enhancing the efficiency and efficacy of student learning, they added.

Many new technologies such as computers, laptops and computer labs have already become integral parts of the learning process in classrooms of the countrys urban and rural schools as well as lecture rooms in universities.

Tablets provide educators with a new method of teaching that combines traditional teaching elements with a more dynamic and engaging presentation method, a senior education consultant said.

Telecommunication and Digital Infrastructure Minister Harin Fernando told the Business Times that 10-inch tabs programmed with the entire AL syllabus would be distributed to the students instead of free textbooks.

Printed text books related to the curriculum are to be replaced with the tabs e-book file and lessons will be given using digital screens, he disclosed.

In the 2017 budget, the government has proposed to provide free tabs to almost 175,000 students in G.C.E. Advanced Level classes and for around 28,000 teachers as part of the Smart Classroom project.

But according to Education Ministry statistics, around 250,000 students are enrolled in GCE AL classes, which implies that the budget allocation of Rs. 5 billion for tabs for 175,000 students would fall short in reaching the total number of students.

This means the Education Ministry has to find alternate means of obtaining 75,000 additional tabs by way of private sector sponsorship or donations.

The government is conducting discussions with top computer companies to procure tabs at concessionary prices to meet the total demand, a Treasury official said, adding that otherwise it has to present a supplementary estimate in parliament to seek the additional money needed to procure 75,000 tabs.

The 2017 budget allocation of Rs 5 billion was made by taking into account of the price of a quality tab which is around Rs. 26,000, he pointed out.

President of the National Campaign on Protecting Consumer Rights Ranjith Withange, in a media release noted that by providing free tabs for schools the government could earn considerable revenue as it has increased the levy on Internet services by 25 per cent, and the annual spectrum licence fee is also going up by the same amount.

In addition all operators will be forced to provide 3G coverage, and an additional levy of Rs.200 is to be imposed on each new sim card.

He urged the government to provide free Internet facilities for students and teachers for their actual benefits.

The government is negotiating with service providers to provide Internet services free of charge for the successful implantation of this Smart Classroom project, informed sources said.

However representatives of service providers say the government is yet to contact them on this issue. They say that they have been supporting the free wifi initiative (hotspots) by supplying the bandwidth free of charge.
Arrest of former STF commandant: President questions IGP View(s):

President Maithripala Sirisena has expressed his displeasure to Police Chief Pujith Jayasundera over the arrest and subsequent remanding of the former Commandant of the Police Special Task Force (STF), K.L.N. Sarathchandra.

Mr. Sarathchandra, a retired Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG), was arrested and produced before Colombos Chief Magistrate Gihan Pilapitiya. He was remanded till December 6 for allegedly misusing an STF vehicle. The reported loss to the state over this alleged misuse is said to be Rs. 140,000.

The move follows an inquiry Mr. Jayasundera had ordered the Special Crimes Investigation Unit (SCIU), which comes directly under the Police Chief. This is said to follow a complaint made to him by a senior serving officer of the STF.

Sources close to the Presidency said the President wanted to know why only this retired officer was singled out for arrest and subsequent remand when there were several cases of grave misuse of vehicles in the Police Department. He has also wanted to know whether the incident was motivated by personal reasons.

The same sources said Public Security and Law and Order Minister Sagala Ratnayake had also been unaware of the arrest. He has also sought details on how it came about. Even the Attorney Generals Department had not been informed.

In an interview with the Sunday Times, President Sirisena was critical of investigative agencies including the Police for the slow pace of high profile cases. He noted that smaller cases like the abuse of vehicles were being pursued.

Barber cuts trim picture for President

That barbers are listening posts for public opinion is all too well known. There are many an anecdote, mostly true and some fiction.

President Sirisena told his ministerial colleagues recently that his barber came to his residence to give him a haircut. He had asked him what the people spoke about the Government.

The barber had replied that the public were praising the Government after the price reductions announced in the budget and the slashing of the prices of medicinal drugs. President Sirisena said such situations have not been exploited through the media adequately.

One story, a joke circulated by university students then, spoke of a barber who went to cut whatever remained of the late J.R. Jayewardenes hair. He persistently asked how the situation was in the north. The reference was to the then ongoing separatist war. Angered by the repeated questions, he was asked why he raised it so many times. The barber replied that his (JRs) hair stood straight and it was easy to trim.

Rajapaksa says Udayanga honda kolla

It was an early morning telephone call from former President Mahinda Rajapaksa to Harsha de Silva, the then acting Minister of Foreign Affairs.

He wanted to know from Mr. de Silva whether Udayanga Weeratunga, a former Ambassador to Russia under the Rajapaksa administration, had not yet returned the diplomatic passport.

The query was because the acting Foreign Minister had told Parliament that Mr Weeratunga had not yet returned the diplomatic passport though an ordinary passport was issued to him. He was responding to a question raised by Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) parliamentarian Nalinda Indatissa.

Mr. Rajapaksa said he wanted to be double sure because former envoy Weeratunga had told him that the DPL passport had been returned. The acting Minister said he would check once more and call the former President.

After speaking to Foreign Ministry officials, Mr de Silva called back Mr. Rajapaksa. He said he was quite sure the DPL passport had not been surrendered.

Mr. Rajapaksa then replied that he would check with Mr Weeratunga once more. Thereafter the former President declared Okaa honda kolla or he is a good boy.

Sirisena going to Malaysia

President Maithripala Sirisena will pay a two-day official visit to Malaysia beginning December 14.

The visit is the first by him to Malaysia as President. Trade co-operation between the two countries is expected to figure prominently during his talks with Malaysian leaders.

Only military offices at Akuregoda complex

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Matters (CCEM) has decided not to house offices of any other Government department in the Akuregoda defence complex now nearing completion.

The Committee is chaired by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.

The CCEM has requested Megapolis and Western Development Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka to obtain approval of the President and conduct a survey of all military installations that are housed in different buildings.

The idea is to ensure all such buildings are moved to the Akuregoda complex and utilise the vacant offices for other Government purposes.

Cigarette sales at butt end, but revenue also halved

Proof that the Governments campaign against tobacco use works emerged this week.

Consumption, without doubt, has hit low levels. It is believed it would become lower when Health Minister Rajitha Senaratnes campaign to ban the sale of cigarettes other than in packets.

The flip side to the issue is Government revenue. The Government received over Rs. 8 billion for October as revenue from taxes on cigarettes. And for November, the sum has come down by half, a little over Rs. 4 billion.

Thajudeens death: Detectives cant quiz key figures

Investigations into the alleged killing of national ruggerite Wasim Thajudeen have been intensified by detectives but they are up against a serious problem.

Some of the key figures they want to question are now assigned to a top person and the detectives have still not received clearance to question them.

In an interview with the Sunday Times early this month, President Sirisena said that investigations into Thajudeens reported killing have been suppressed.

Was it a jailhouse rock?

The talking point in business circles is how one of the more controversial types, often described as a wheeler dealer, had a party in a place where rowing boatmen gather.

Eyebrows were raised only because the guests were mostly from a place where suspects and convicts are gated.

As one witty onlooker asked whether the bash, where liquor flowed like the Beira, was to set the ground for good treatment when he entered the four walls.

Foreign Ministry gets back UN mission

The Government has decided that the two properties purchased for Sri Lanka diplomatic missions should be handed over to the Foreign Ministry.

At present, the Sri Lankas office of the Permanent Representative to the United Nations comes under the purview of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL).

It was purchased with funds released by the then Governor Nivard Cabraal.

The Government has also approved the purchase of a building in Brasilia (Brazil) for the Sri Lanka Embassy there.

Rajapaksa gets courtesy given to MPs

The Foreign Ministry has directed the Sri Lanka Embassy in Beijing, China, to accord the courtesies extended to an MP to former President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

Mr. Rajapaksa is now on a visit to China together with former External Affairs Minister G.L. Peiris, (now leader of the Sri Lanka Podujana Party  SLPP) and Lohan Ratwatte MP.Chinas Ambassador XI Xiangling has told Government dignitaries that the invitation to Mr. Rajapaksa had been extended by a Chinese NGO. He has claimed it was the practice of this NGO to invite former leaders of foreign countries.
Govt. considers measures to discipline the media View(s):

Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe and other ministers highly critical of print, electronic and social media coverage, but Mangala holds counterview

National Security Council focuses attention on religious extremist groups; intelligence chief identifies more than 20

Sweeping laws on national policy for accelerated economic development; wide-powered agency for development and trade, five provincial boards

By Our Political Editor

It seemed ironic that it should come in the wake of the jolt the mainstream media in the United States received after Republican Donald Trump won the November presidential elections. Both the electronic and the print media, almost altogether, spoke of a victory for rival Hillary Rodham Clinton. Most were very supportive of her. They have come in for a lot of flak now and their shares have dipped in the stock markets. They are now re-thinking and re-building the journalistic enterprise.

The exception perhaps was the social media though many were accused of having scant regard for facts. They were accused of viral disinformation because of the false and misleading reports. Kyle Pope of the Columbia Universitys Graduate School of Journalism calls it the antithesis of the Watergate, the scandal of the break-in at the Democratic Partys National Headquarters in 1972. Those media exposures by the Washington Post forced the then Republican President Richard Nixon out of office. It is the Columbia University that confers the Pulitzer Prize, one of the highest and prestigious in US journalism.

Added to that is the worry for successive administrations in the United States over the ISIS. At present US advisors are helping the Iraqi army and the Peshmerga forces to oust the ISIS who are still in control of the Iraqi town of Mosul. In Syria, the Government forces, supported by Russia, are fighting the ISIS in the heavily war torn town of Aleppo. Sights of misery and human suffering are a daily occurrence shown on television.

Strange enough, with no elections after the presidential and parliamentary polls in 2015, the worries for the Government still seem to be about the media and the fear of the influence of ISIS growing in Sri Lanka. The Government is worried that it will not be able to win the 2020 presidential and parliamentary elections, if the media are not disciplined. Hence, several ministers were of the view that measures would have to be adopted from now. That is not only for the mainstream electronic and print media, but also for the social media. The matter figured prominently at Tuesdays weekly meeting of ministers at Committee Room 3 in the parliament complex.

Strange but true, there was only one minister who opposed any measures against the media. That was Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera. He was perhaps conscious that it was he who would have to answer questions in world capitals about the Governments about turn in just two years. During the elections, speakers at different political rallies spoke of media suppression, murders, abduction in white vans and other forms of harassment. They pledged they would not only deal with those responsible but also ensure those dastardly acts were a thing of the past. Now, how would he justify what may turn out to be a possible move to control the media.

The issue came to the fore last Tuesday when Media Minister Gayantha Karunatilleke raised issue about a local television network. Media Secretary Nimal Bopage had claimed that the channel had misreported President Sirisenas speech to war heroes at the Sri Lanka Foundation Institute (SLFI) on October 11. He had sought a written explanation from the channel. In its response, the television channel had replied that there was no intentional misreporting but pointed out that they had to take only the main elements from a speech that lasted over 30 minutes. The ensuing discussion saw some ministers criticising Bopage for what they said was his behaviour akin to a Minister. Others criticised the television network and charged that it was espousing the interests of those in the opposition.

The discussion widened to other areas. Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva opined that the Criminal Defamation law should be re-introduced. This has been his pet hobby at previous meetings too. The proposal, however, did not draw support from other ministers. Justice Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe argued that not only the electronic media but the print media also should be brought under some form of control. He spoke in Sinhala. Tikak innako. Mang karrannam wedey or just wait a while. I will do the job, he declared.

Rajapakshe has already launched a campaign against a London-based website which reports both in English and Sinhala. In the wake of this, the Gampaha Magistrate issued an international warrant for the arrest of the editor. The procedure now would be for the Sri Lanka Interpol branch, located in the office of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), to convey the court order to the Interpol Headquarters in Lyons, France. In recent times, Interpol has changed procedures. It no longer issues a Red Notice acting on a court order from a member country for an arrest. It is now done only when a person is convicted. Instead, Interpol issues a Blue Notice. This is expected in the case of even Udayanga Weeratunga, former Sri Lanka Ambassador to Russia. He is wanted by the Financial Crimes Investigation Division (FCID) in connection with investigations into the procurement of MiG-27 fighter jets. The issue of a Blue Notice is by no means a requirement that the country where the person named lived would be deported to Sri Lanka. The only immediate outcome would be his inability to travel outside the country of such persons residence. In this case, the editor concerned will not be able to travel outside Britain.

Foreign Minister Samaraweera raised strong objections on moves to deal strongly with the media. He said when they were in the opposition, they had worked for media freedom and promised to undo what the previous administration did. Now, he said, the Government would be accused of stifling the media. When a minister pointed out that there was defamatory or bitter criticism against them, he said, why not respond by hitting them hard. That is the way to deal with it. He said it could otherwise boomerang on the Government.

President Sirisena concurred with Rajapakshes remarks on measures against the media and added that even the social media should be covered. He re-iterated his previous remarks that the State-run media, particularly the Lake House group, did not give him adequate exposure. Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe noted that the media were sometimes irresponsible and the reportage was not factual. It was agreed that both President Sirisena and Premier Wickremesinghe would meet to formulate ways and means of dealing with the media. The new measures are now being awaited.

At Thursdays briefing on matters that came up at the ministerial meeting, no mention was made about the discussion. However, Media Minister Karunatilleke, in what appears to be a separate move, announced that he had presented a Cabinet Memorandum to initiate a dialogue on setting up an Independent Regulatory Commission for the media. We intend to publish advertisements requesting the public to contribute to this dialogue by offering suggestions before December 21. We hope to conclude public consultations by December 31, he said.

Karunatilleke cautioned that the Government had the power to formulate laws and policy with regard to media but added that we will not be forcing a regulatory mechanism on anyone. He said the proposed Commission would be established through consensus after obtaining views of all stakeholders, including members of the media and general public. He claimed it is not enough to simply have media freedom. Journalists should also have that freedom within the institution they work and this body will ensure that.

On Friday, in what seemed at lightning speed, quarter page advertisements appeared in the media inviting public representations on seven different issues. Among the seven points are ones which recognises the right of the media to (a) gather and disseminate news and information; (b) to engage in critical reporting on matters of public interest, and (c) participate in the process of forming public opinion. More salutary is a pledge to make it a penal offence for anyone wilfully to obstruct the legitimate collection of news and information by a journalist working for a media outlet. Another is the provision to put in place systems to promote the safety of journalists and protect journalists right to not disclose his/her confidential sources of information.

However, the advertisement for establishment of media rights and standards for developing an advanced media culture wants to:

Make it illegal to impose sanctions on or to terminate the employment of an editor or a journalist because of his or her refusal to violate recognised professional codes or practice.

Establish an independent council with a mandate to develop and apply codes of practice for media outlets, based on internationally recognised standards.

In all these instances, it is the Government that wants to introduce what it perceives or would decide are internationally recognised standards on the media though public consultation is a flimsy prelude. The public views have been sought by the Director General of Government Information. There is no barrier to such public views being taken into consideration when other measures discussed by ministers are formulated.

Another matter of concern for the Government is the fear of growing religious extremism. This saw an extended meeting of the National Security Council (NSC) the previous Thursday. It was chaired by President Sirisena at his Paget Road residence. Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, Public Safety Minister Sagala Ratnayake, State Minister for Defence Ruwan Wijewardene, Defence Secretary Karunasena Hettiaratchchi, the Police Chief, Armed Forces chiefs and heads of intelligence services were the usual participants. Those invited for the special meeting included Ministers Patali Champika Ranawaka, Rauff Hakeem, Rishad Bathiuddin, former Colombo Mayor A.J.M. Muzamil and Venerable Athureliya Rathana Thera, MP.

The meeting began with a presentation by Nilantha Jayawardena, Director of the State Intelligence Service (SIS) on how a little over 20 extremist groups of different ethnicities have begun operating and were threatening ethnic harmony. He identified each group by giving the names of those leading it. He referred to some Buddhist monks and also to a few Muslim groups, the Thowheed Jamaath in particular. He spoke of the departure of some Muslim families to join the ISIS. Ven. Rathana Thera was critical of all those groups. He said those claiming to be representatives of the Buddhist clergy were not believers of the Buddha Sasana. Similarly, he warned that extreme Muslim groups had to be watched. He asked why no mention was made in the SIS presentation of purported ISIS representatives coming to Sri Lanka under cover of preaching. Hakeem was to point out that these groups were created and nurtured under the previous Rajapaksa regime under different guises.

The day after the NSC meeting (on November 18), Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe told Parliament that 32 members of four Sri Lankan families had joined ISIS. The fact that a smaller Muslim group had joined is nothing new. It was reported in the Sunday Times (Cafe Spectator) of December 27, 2015. The report then said A state intelligence arm has warned the Government over what it fears is the radicalisation of Muslim groups turning out to be supporters of the ISIS  the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria. The concerns are reflected in a top secret report sent to President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe. The report comes in the wake of two foreign governments informing about what they believe is ISIS activity in Sri Lanka.

The Government has learnt that 45 Sri Lankans from nine families have entered Syria where heavy fighting is now raging. This is after arriving in Turkey and crossing the border. Some had even transited in Pakistan to cover their trail. Whilst some are engaged in combat roles, others are said to be deployed in logistical tasks

Rajapakshe warned that though the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) was not in operation at the moment, it seems that the situation developing in the country would pave the way to enact it again. How he came to make such a remark which reflects Government policy without ministerial approval is unclear. The statement was to cause concern at the highest levels of the Government. So much so, official Government spokesperson Minister Rajitha Senaratne was asked to deny Rajapakshes claims at Thursdays news conference.

Senaratne said the defence establishment had denied any record of 32 Sri Lankans joining the ISIS in recent times. He added the Sri Lankans from four families had left a long time ago and they did not leave from here. He made clear that Wijeyadasa Rajapakshes remarks during the budget debate were not the policy of the Government but his own view. However, the damage was done. Several leading Muslim groups, most of whom supported President Sirisena at the presidential elections and the UNP at the parliamentary elections, raised issue. They lodged protests and issued statements condemning the Government. At the NSC meeting President Sirisena directed Police Chief Pujith Jayasundera to arrest those responsible for causing racial unrest, hate speech and related acts. The latter has already sent out instructions to Police countrywide.

At their weekly meeting on Tuesday, ministers also discussed setting up special courts to hear cases. Justice Minister Rajapakshe wanted those proposing the idea to give him the details. Minister Senaratne noted that cases in normal courts took an extremely long time. Minister Ranawaka was to note that something had to be done before the next elections. Those responsible for mega scams should be brought to book before that, he added.

Ministers, also at their weekly meeting late last month, gave approval to a far reaching piece of legislation titled Development (Special Provisions) Bill. It will now be published in the Government Gazette and presented in Parliament. Some changes suggested by President Sirisena, Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake and Ports and Shipping Minister Arjuna Ranatunga will be moved at the Committee stage. Ministers have also been asked to forward suggestions, if any, to be considered for amendments.

The aim of the new law, according to the draft bill, is to facilitate the formulation of a national policy on all subjects including accelerated economic development of Sri Lanka. The Minister in charge (in this instance the Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe who is Minister of National Policies and Economic Affairs), in consultation with the Chief Minister of the relevant province, could declare any area demarcated for economic development with the only exception being paddy lands. Such Development Areas will cover manufacturing, tourism, science and technology, logistics, business and service, hi-tech fisheries and hi-tech agriculture. Every order declaring such an area will be subject to parliamentary approval.

The law will enable the Minister of National Policies and Economic Affairs to appoint a panel of eminent persons to be consulted by the President or the Prime Minister, from time to time, on formulation of national policy. A Policy Development Office is to be established with a threefold objective  (a) review the global economic, political, social and environmental developments and their impact on Sri Lanka, (b) revisit the existing policy of Sri Lanka and critically analyse it with a view to revitalising it to meet new challenges, and (c) ensure that the policy is in consonance with goals set by the Government.

An Agency for Development, to be set up under the proposed law, will be vested with 16 different objectives including modernising the economy, promoting export of goods and services, ensuring consumer welfare and generating employment. As is clear, many of these functions are now the responsibility of different ministers.

It will be the lawful responsibility under the proposed law for the Agency to give directions to the Board of Investment, the Sri Lanka Export Development Board, the Information and Communication Technology Agency (ICTA), the Civil Aviation Authority, the Sri Lanka Ports Authority, the Water Supply and Drainage Board and the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau. Where the Board of Investment seeks to develop any venture in any such economic development zone, it shall make an application in that respect to the Agency and it may grant its approval. Similarly, where the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority seeks to develop any venture in any such economic development zone, it shall make an application in that respect to the Agency.

The proposed law makes provision for the creation of a National Policy on Rural Modernisation (referred to as the Board) headed by the President and comprising the Prime Minister, Ministers in charge of the subjects of finance, the rural economy, land, development strategies and international trade, industries, agriculture, fisheries, plantation industries and animal husbandry, Chief Ministers of all provinces, seven members appointed by the President, the Managing Director and the Director responsible for policies. Regional Development Boards to be set up will ensure co-ordination of economic development plans.

Five different Development Boards for the Southern, Wayamba, Central, Eastern and Northern Provinces are also being proposed under the new law. The new law also envisages the creation of an Agency for International Trade to be managed by a Board. It will comprise the Director General of Commerce, the Controller of Imports and Exports, the Chairman of the Sri Lanka Export Development Board, the Chairman of the Tea Board, the Chairman of the Joint Apparel Exporters Federation, a representative of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, a representative of the Minister of Finance, a representative of the Joint Apparel Exporters Associations and six others appointed by the Minister.

Among the functions tasked for the proposed Agency for International Trade are ones now handled by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The proposed law lays down that the Agency liaise with international organisations like the World Trade Organisation (WTO), the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN), the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation (APEC), Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi Sectoral, Technical and Economic Co-operation (BIMSTEC) and the South Asian Association for Regional Co-operation (SAARC).

After the new law comes into effect, the draft makes clear, that the Urban Development Authority shall not exercise laws relating to them in such manner as will adversely affect the implementation of any plans, programmes or schemes approved. Similarly the Mahaweli Development Authority Act will also not apply in such manner as will adversely affect the implementation of any plans, programmes or schemes approved under the new law. It also extends to the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority and the Ceylon Tea Board.

The proposed law has made provision to prevent prosecution against:

(a) The Agency, Board or other institution for any act which in good faith is done, by such Agency, Board or other agency or other institution under this Act.

(b) Any member, officer servant or agent of such Agency Board, or other institution for any act which is done, or purported to be done by him in good faith under this Act or on the direction of such Agency, Board or other institution, as the case may be.

It is unlikely that the new Development (Special Provisions) Bill will be debated in Parliament in January. Once it is gazetted, two weeks time will have to be allowed for any possible reference to the Supreme Court by members of the public. In January the six different subcommittee reports on constitution making will be subject to a two-day debate. Thereafter, the Central Bank bond issue is to come up for debate.

The New Year 2017 will dawn with many challenges both for the Government and the media. If they choose to impose restrictions on the media, through a carrot and stick policy, one of appeasing and the other of opposing, the first test will come during the local government elections. Two years into office, there is no gainsaying that the present administration was swept to power with strong media support, electronic, print and social. Now they have become the enemy number one as different ministers speak in different voices, mostly influenced by their own agendas.
Highly inflammatory; approach with maximum care View(s):

For far too long following the change of power last year, many have responded to the policy and practice of the Unity Government with the plea to tread softly in case the Rajapaksas return. The logic (if that is the appropriate word) in this thinking was asinine at its core.

An outrageous condescension in governance

In other words, if citizens remain selectively silent when the Government goes grievously wrong, the condescending presumption was that somehow, the problem would disappear and the unwashed multitudes will not get agitated. Now, as the rainbow revolution teeters on the verge of diminishing itself to a mere pappadum crunch with gloss and satisfying shine but offering exceedingly little nutrition as it were, the danger signals are very clear.

Underlying realities were disquieting from a very early point. This approach of keeping selectively silent fed off and reflected an outrageous condescension evident at the heart of the Government itself. Its conception of almost every pillar of legal reform, from corruption to transitional justice to constitutional reform was informed by that same thinly patronizing tone.

So we had manifest absurdities. Sri Lankas transitional justice reform largely left out ordinary people of both the North and the South save and except a consultation process, cynically designed not to have any practical impact on the actual outcome.

Chattering travelers on the gravy train

Naive comparisons sought to be drawn with this exercise and post-apartheid South Africa was almost more than what even the most even-tempered could take without exasperation. The post-apartheid reform process was driven by South Africas citizenry from one end of the country to the other, not by cocktail groupies in the plush neighbourhoods of Cape Town or Durban.

In contrast, what took place from last year in Colombo invited disquieting reminders of the 2001-2003 peace caravan which had soon disintegrated in tatters. The gravy train was in town once again, stuffed to the brim with chattering travelers eager to engage in democracy experiments that had failed calamitously elsewhere. Those who had confined themselves to writing on asteroids or the like during the Rajapaksa years were suddenly transformed with slippery ease to right to information pundits and rights arbiters.

Most unforgivably, anti-corruption investigations became a source for amusement for the general public. Lacking a thorough overhaul of the judicial process, politicians and anti-corruption activists paraded in matching t-shirts in public, assuring the people that everything was proceeding just as it ought. The culmination of this extraordinarily nonsensical exercise was President Maithripala Sirisenas very public denunciation of the Director General of the Bribery and Corruption Commission recently, leading to her resignation and leaving the credibility of the process in shreds. Now there is frenetic anxiety over constitutional reform in regard to which citizens have been left completely in the dark despite ambitious plans to hold a referendum next year.

Who is indeed responsible for the counter-terror draft?

And it was precisely this flawed reasoning which led to a new draft law on counter-terror, conceived secretly and presented with a flourish before a receptive Cabinet. The Law Commissions draft at least reaffirmed important safeguards such as the right of a detainee to have immediate legal counsel. This was rudely thrown out in favour of a secretive deliberative process resulting in the worst draft national security law since independence.

So when the question is asked as to how this draft emerged in the first place, the pointing finger should turn not only towards its architects, including those who insisted on footnotes as the case may be. Instead, there are multiple points of accountability, and not only within Government, I might add.

Fundamentally the drafts existence was enabled by a post January 2015 environment in which many seemingly good governance voices were key partners, which tolerated the intolerable, abandoned the first principles of the public trust on which last years electoral wins were based, agreed to unconscionable compromises and collectively sought to hush critical voices.

Any future law reform is highly inflammatory

In truth, the bogey call of the Rajapaksas may return effectively played into the end game of cynical manipulators within the government. The point is not that this eventuality may not arise. Indeed, it may well be manifested in one frightening avatar or another, particularly if the current incoherence in managing affairs of State goes unchecked. But if a stoutly independent stance had been maintained and so many had not been co-opted into government in dizzying droves, the chaos of the yahapalanaya accountability project may not have been evidenced quite so egregiously scarcely two years into the election wins.

Yet we never learn from history. Or perhaps the lessons are clear but that the end game for some is never really about the country itself. Regardless, suggested law reform specifically impacting on civil liberties from this point onwards needs to be approached with a sign reading highly inflammatory; approach with maximum care. For what must be remembered is that however excellent a Constitution may be, this is useless if judges are weak and draconian laws facilitate equally draconian administrative practices as illustrated in good measure by the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA).

Consequently, this weeks unfolding of yet another consultation process in regard to government-led media regulation is not reassuring. As the perceptive should realize, the mischievously framed them versus us dichotomy pitting mainstream media against social media, actively propagated by some publicity hunters for their personal advancement, has now been gainfully employed by interested dealmakers to make a case in regard to the State regulation of both.

Recognising the self-evident

And there is no exclusive claiming of the moral high ground by one against the other. The use of fake news during the recent Presidential election in the United States by a classically opportunistic narcissist now turned President-elect is a good illustration thereof. Thus we have the mournful reflections of outgoing President Barack Obama on living in an age where people get sound bites and snippets on social media masquerading as news and where, lacking a baseline of facts, everything is true and nothing is true.

A crippling blow has been delivered to liberal activism in that country. But it does not take a Donald Trump in the White House to recognize the perils that exclusivist and elitist decision making may pose to a nation.

Only the foolish will remain sanguine in the face of such threatening realities.
MPs Conduct unbecoming continues on live TV despite Speakers admonishment View(s):

Speaker Karu Jayasuriya announced this week that daylong Parliamentary proceedings would be telecast live on national television but, along with it came a warning to lawmakers to conduct themselves in a dignified manner befitting of elected representatives.

However, a week into the experimental stage of what is expected to be the forerunner to the launch of a TV channel exclusively for telecasting live proceedings of Parliament, within the next three months, several MPs had to be reminded to mind their language when speaking from the Floor of the House.

MPs must stop slinging mud at one another, making baseless allegations and character assassination in the course of Parliamentary debates. This kind of behaviour will erode the faith people have in Parliament, he said.

The warning, however, did little to stop some over enthusiastic MPs from resorting to the usual personal attacks on their colleagues on the opposite benches, as House sittings entered its third straight week, with the Committee Stage debates on the Budget getting under way.

The Committee Stage debate began with the votes of 25 institutions including the Office of the President, the Prime Minister and Parliament among them.

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe called for an increase in the salaries paid to MPs as well as increase in their allowance, which he said was important to strengthen the workings of the Legislature.

He stressed that, with the Oversight Committees coming into effect from last year, all MPs had the opportunity to participate in the legislative process and hence, more facilities including vehicles, office space and residential facilities were needed for them.

These Committee Stage debates were not without controversy. Comments by Minister of Justice and Buddha Sasana, Wijayadasa Rajapaksha, that 32 Sri Lankans had left the country to fight along with the ISIS, were met with displeasure, both inside and outside Parliament by Muslim MPs as well as groups.

Mr Rajapaksha also struck hard saying he was ready to enforce the provisions of the Prevention of Terrorism Act, despite concerns expressed by the international community regarding the use of this law, as there would be no room left for terrorist activities taking place in the country again.

City Planning and Water Supply Minister and SLMC Leader, Rauff Hakeem was among those who said that the comments by the Justice Minister could create unnecessary fear regarding the Muslim population in the country.

He largely blamed the media for highlighting certain sections of Minister Rajapaksas speech. The media must act more responsibly when reporting such matters which could lead to a breakdown in inter communal relations, he said.

Meanwhile, President Maithripala Sirisena who attended Parliament sittings regularly during the week, met with the Chief Ministers (CM) of all the provinces in the House, where the allocations of funds of the PCs in the 2017 Budget was discussed.

The CMs complained their allocations have been pruned and appealed to the President to intervene and get the funds enhanced before the Budget is passed.

President Sirisena had, in turn, said he would discuss the matter with Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake and make the necessary adjustments.

Tamil National Alliance (TNA) MPs too met with President Sirisena in Parliament, where they discussed the new Constitution drafting process.
Passing the buck View(s):

My dear Ravi,

I thought of writing to you when I heard that the budget you presented in Parliament had been passed  by a two thirds majority at that! It reminds us of the times when Ronnie used to present budgets during the JR era and get them approved by a two-thirds majority with hardly a whimper of protest!

Im sure you must be a relieved man after what happened last year. That was when almost each and every one of your budget proposals were changed or scrapped because of pressure from not only the opposition but also from the Greens and Blues on your own side. That was very embarrassing for you.

There was nothing of that sort this year, even though you were trying to balance the books and had to find the money from somewhere. You also had to make sure that whatever tax you imposed, it should not be called VAT. Considering all this, you have done a pretty good job and I will tell you why.

You can boast that you gave everyone a good deal because you reduced the prices of several essential items. Of course, what you didnt tell everyone is that because of all the direct and indirect taxes you have now imposed, the cost of living would go up anyway- but that is for them to find out, isnt it?

I suppose the best aspect of the budget is that you will be providing a free tablet for every single Advanced Level student in the country. So, just as much as the late CWW went into the history books as our father of free education, you can now claim that you are the father of free tablet education.

What is not obvious is that, even though you gave free tablets for students to go on the internet, you also raised the taxes on internet fees. Now, most people will realise that only when they get their internet bills and then they will get to know that the free tablet is in fact a bitter pill to swallow!

However, Ravi, it is a pity that you decided to limit your tablet offer only to Advanced Level students and not, for example, to those attending grade eight. Because of your decision, most of our future parliamentarians will not get one, because only a few of them get beyond grade eight!

If our parliamentarians are unhappy about that, you can tell them you did try to help them out. Why, you have now imposed a fee on anyone trying to file a case against anybody. At the rate our MPs are getting charged, the only people who will benefit by this would be them and not the average citizen.

Besides, you have already helped them by giving them vehicle permits which they are now selling to other people. Previously, Rajitha and the Field Marshal have told us they cannot serve the people well if they didnt travel in luxury vehicles, so these MPs must not be serving their voters at all!

If your MPs are still unhappy, I think they will become friendlier when they hear that the Green Man is planning a salary hike for them too. I think he is getting teased at home by Maithree because he told us the other day that she gets a higher salary than he does, but we shouldnt be worrying about that!

Of course, those in the opposition who are always saying that they are fighting for the people will be very unhappy about this proposed pay hike and Im almost certain that people like Wimal, Vasu and Udaya will vote against it. Why, even if it is approved by Parliament, Im sure they will refuse it too!

Ravi, I noticed that you had increased the tax on people leaving the country to try and get some more money for the Treasury but I think you may have missed a trick there. You could have earned more money for the state coffers if you levied a tax on detained politicians leaving overseas for treatment!

Anyway, Ravi, you have done well. For some it is a surprise that you still have your job because of everything that has happened in relation to governors of the big bank, the COPE report and VAT. Now that you have a comfortably passed budget under your belt, you are safe for at least a year!

Yours truly,

Punchi Putha

PS: I really dont know why you had to bring in fines for traffic offences into the Budget. You should have let roly-poly Nimal who looks after transport deal with that. That has all the potential of going haywire and ending up like the VAT and then it would have been Nimal with egg on his chubby face  now though, it looks like it will be you!
Take middle path on foreign policy View(s):

The Government received a reality check last week in Geneva when the Attorney General (AG) and the chief of National Intelligence (CNI) got a rude shock at a UN committee monitoring torture when they were cross-examined to the point that they had to beat a hasty retreat from the floor.

That some of the UN agencies are now agents of the West and its double-standards is a given. Russia has just pulled out of the International Criminal Court on these grounds; one hopes it is not like Hitler pulling Germany out of a Disarmament conference in Geneva in 1933 as a prelude to withdrawing from the League of Nations before unleashing World War II.

The torture at the US prison at Guantanamo is well documented, but there is nary a UN investigation into it. And yet, the US is in the forefront of UN agencies on torture. That is the world right now, and the Government of Sri Lanka made a serious error of judgement recently by abstaining in a Western triggered UN vote on the human rights situation in Iran, a longtime friend of this country.

India and Pakistan both have close relations with the West, yet voted against the resolution and in support of Iran. Only a month or so ago, Sri Lanka abstained in voting in UNESCO, hurting Palestines sentiments. On November 29, we celebrate Palestine Solidarity Day. Is our foreign policy drifting in a different direction?

We have dumped the Non Aligned Movement and are seemingly gravitating towards the Western orbit. There again, in Britain we miscalculated and supported the wrong side in the Brexit vote. In the US, we seem to have put all our eggs in the Democratic Party basket and have some catching up to do now with the newly elected President. At least the UNP kept a line open to the victorious Republicans.

While we get bashed in Geneva ourselves we showed no solidarity with those at the receiving end of the same stick. Back in Colombo, the Government remains on the defensive over its human rights record with a draft law on counter-terror causing concern on the basis that its proposed contents are even more draconian than the Prevention of Terrorism Act which it seeks to replace. The draft, much of which has already been written on, denies the right of independent legal counsel to a detainee until the Police statement is recorded; a similar provision having crept into a proposed amendment to the Criminal Procedure Code, raising a storm of protests and forcing the Government to backtrack.

That draft is wide-ranging and even defines an act of terror as attempting to illegally cause a change of the Government of Sri Lanka through inter-alia, endangering of the lives of the public. This can cover a wide range of political activity.

There is little doubt that stringent laws are required at times when the nation-state is under siege. What Sri Lanka needs for its contemplated counter-terror legislation is to strive for a midway point between being idealistic and merely bowing to external pressure and being pragmatic because people exploit loosely drafted laws  on either side of the divide. Achieving that essential balance should be up for public discussion rather than left to be conceived behind closed doors. That would arouse fear and suspicion and is contrary to transparency which still remains the avowed policy of this Government.

Special commission to try former CB Governors

A month after the Parliamentary COPE report findings and recommendations on the Central Bank bond issues of 2015, the Government is still grappling with what to do next, i.e. if it really wants to do something at all.

After several efforts at sweeping the dirt under several carpets, the Prime Minister has sent the report for the Attorney Generals opinion, while the President is seeking independent legal counsel. The JVP, the JHU and a section of the SLFP are howling for urgent action to book the culprits  at least to freeze the bank accounts of those involved, pending the next step. That the usually vociferous former President is studiously silent on this matter has also raised suspicion about the nexus between the Central Bank Governors past and present and their connections with Dubai bank accounts held by one party and managed by the other.

In any event, the COPE report is only an extension of the Auditor Generals findings, but whether even this is sufficient to file criminal proceedings on those responsible for a mega deal, or further investigations are required is for the AG to say.

While the AG studies his brief, there is a prima facie swindle that has taken place at the expense of the people of this country and the funds accrued therefrom have already found their way into local private commercial banks through the purchase of shares; these being a text-book case of money laundering.

Ordinary folk justifiably ask why the COPE report was not given to the Financial Crimes Investigations Division (FCID), and if the basic laws of the country on issues such as Cheating, Money Laundering and Insider Dealing are insufficient to indict those involved or whether a specific legal mechanism like a Special Presidential Commission of Inquiry is needed simply because the sums involved are big. The other burning question is whether smalltime crooks are thrown to ravenous wolves while everything is done to protect those with political patronage.

One suggestion has been the creation of a Criminal Justice Commission-like special tribunal where the laws of evidence are reversed, but while the CJC was designed to try persons accused of conspiring to overthrow the Government in 1971, it was misused for the trial on exchange control offences.

Unless existing laws are to be used by the AG, the best option has to be a strong Commission of Inquiry with appropriate Terms of Reference assisted by a Special Independent Prosecutor and a team of investigators, lawyers  and accountants and bankers. The Act, however, has to be amended so that while it has powers to call for bank accounts and tax files, it also can empower the Commissioner or Commissioners to inter-alia, order the freezing of bank accounts pending the inquiry because that seems to be the immediate priority.

The ill-gotten monies are quickly seeping into the white economy as the Government either procrastinates, or wilfully vacillates. The World Banks Stolen Assets Unit has the expertise to assist in the recovery of the loot wherever it exists. Either the former Central Bank Governors must be acquitted or found guilty  quickly. The Government cannot do nothing if it wants Sri Lanka to be a Financial Hub. There must be credibility that Sri Lanka is not a place where underhand business deals are covered up. There is always a way, if only there is a will.
Turkish lyricist Alper Tuzcu shares his world of music By Dilantha Dissanayake As part of Sooriya Villages monthly visiting artist residencies, last month saw the appearance of Turkish guitarist Alper Tuzcu, for a three-day workshop exploring lyric writing and music composition View(s): View(s):

Alper Tuzcu has studied music at Berklee College of Music in Boston, where he now resides. Having begun his music career studying classical guitar, later he crossed over to play more popular styles such as rock and blues, finally settling on jazz. Now Alper describes his style as a fusion of his Mediterranean roots with more of the eastern world and a little bit of the western world.

Alper believes that musicians should compose their own songs from the writing of lyrics and composition all the way through to the final product.

A song writer should be in charge recording and production. I want to give people an idea of all of these concepts. You should have an idea of the creative procedure even if you wrote the song but dont intend to record the song, said Alper.

The workshop on lyric writing consisted of techniques on how to prepare and how to find ideas for song writing. Alper taught students how to go deeper in to ones conscience to come up with extract ideas. We talked about ideas from daily life, past experiences and dreams. Good ideas come from the things that you dont pay attention too, like when you wake up in the morning. There are a lot of songs from daily life experiences. I want to show people how to think about the things in their lives that are interesting.

Lastly Alper explains about the structure, rules for writing and composition and how to put the all the elements together.

In the music production content of the workshop, Alper explains how rhythms, melody, harmony and cords hopefully will have a happy marriage to make the lyrics fit together. People will have an idea how to get from the beginning to the middle to the end, but not the absolute end. It takes a long time to get a song ready for recording but they will get an idea of the procedure. The songwriter knows best what the song should sound like. It all comes down to the craft and how much you work on a song, said Alper.

Alper also says that collaboration with other musicians and producers is important. It is much easier for musicians to start and finish songs on their own due to the availability of software. With his workshop equipped musicians with the necessary skills and competencies to finalise their pieces.

While in Sri Lanka Alper expressed an eagerness to learn from native Sri Lankan music, having spent time in Valencia, Spain learning about flamenco music through Berklee College. In America listeners are always looking for new sounds, said Alper.

To round off his trip he spent an afternoon teaching a free workshop for school children. If I was a child I would first of all like to hear about rhythm, this is the first thing humans pay attention to when they listen to a band. If they like the rhythm they concentrate on the melody and then harmony. A good song comes from a good rhythm. First rule of a song is how to make your lyrics fall into a good rhythm, said Alper.

Sooriya Village will continue its monthly residency with a bass player from Colombia in December, a Grammy award winner in January. More information can be found on www.facebook.com/thesooriyavillage.
Back to steel houses: Swaminathan View(s):

The Government will soon start building prefabricated steel houses for war-affected people in the North and East, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Minister D.M. Swaminathan said.He made the announcement despite a Cabinet Appointed Negotiating Committee (CANC) rejecting the ArcelorMittal project and recommending fresh tenders.

Construction will be kicked off in Mullaitivu, Kilinochchi and Vavuniya, Minster Swaminathan told journalists at a news conference in Colombo on Thursday. The US$ 1 billion project, which envisages houses at Rs. 2.18 million each, has been categorically rejected by the Tamil National Alliance (TNA), the Chief Minister of the Northern Province and the Jaffna District Coordinating Committee among many others.

However, Minister Swaminathan said that such houses were already being used in the US and other countries in the West. I dont understand why the TNA and Chief Minister C.V. Wigneswaran have been opposing this programme, he added. Maybe it is due to political reasons.

Last week, the TNA wrote to the President and the Prime Minister saying it was totally opposed to pre-fabricated steel houses and calling for traditional brick houses in keeping with the culture and way of life of people in the North and East. The TNA revealed that Minister Swaminathan had been calling up their MPs and urging them to ask for the prefabricated houses in their respective electorate.

All sixteen TNA parliamentarians signed the letter saying they were against the steel houses for reasons of climatic unsuitability, flimsy construction, lack of durability, unjustifiable high cost, etc. The houses were priced at Rs. 2.1 million each.

The Minister is so adamant that the project should go through that he had got his Ministrys Secretary V. Sivagnanasothy transferred, civil society sources alleged. He was a member of the CANC that rejected the ArcelorMittal project and called for fresh tenders. The committees recommendation is awaiting Cabinet assent.

The sources said Mr Sivagnanasothy had supported an alternate proposal for brick houses proposed by civil society based on community acceptance, technical aspects and cost. He was moved out on November 9, 2016.
Deaths of two divers arouse suspicion of outdated oxygen cylinders View(s):

The deaths of two divers are being probed following suspicion that the Oxygen cylinders they carried may have caused poisoning, Modara Police said.

Acting Magistrate Colombo Fort, M. Liyanage ordered that six oxygen cylinders be sent to the Government Analyst seeking a report on whether the cylinders were outdated.

The first diver had died when he was sent down on November 18 to measure a rock formation that was in the way of ships in the Modara area.

The lifeless body of the victim, Gamini Jagath Kumara, an experienced diver from Hikkaduwa was found by one of his colleagues after they noticed that he was taking a long time to surface.

The JMO who conducted the postmortem ordered that specimens of the body be sent to the Government Analysts Department, while the City Corner, Ashrof Rumy ordered that the Oxygen Cylinder be sent to the Government Analyst for a report within three weeks.

Two days later another diver who was sent to attend on a shipwreck in the Modara area was also found dead minutes after he dived.

The victim was Suranjith Dhananjaya, 32 from Galle.

Sergeant S. Jayasekara of the Modara police in his evidence at the Magisterial inquiry into the second death said that after the first death instructions had been given to the Stores at the Ports Authority not to use five of the Oxygen cylinders, but the advice had been ignored.

Investigations are being carried out under the directions of Modara police Chief inspector Sujeewa Wijewardena.
Farewell Comrade Fidel: Lanka pays tribute View(s):

Cubas historic revolutionary leader Fidel Castro died Friday aged 90, after defying the United States during a half-century of iron-fisted rule and surviving the eclipse of global communism. One of the worlds longest-serving rulers and modern historys most singular characters, Castro defied 11 US administrations and hundreds of assassination attempts.

His younger brother, President Raul Castro, announced the news shortly after midnight (0500 GMT Saturday) but gave no details of the cause of death.

Sri Lanka yesterday joined the world in paying tribute to Mr. Castro with President Maithripala Sirisena, within minutes of the death, tweeting a message The iconic leader of an era of revolution bids farewell to the world. Rest in peace, Comrade Fidel Castro.

Sri Lankas Communist Party while expressing shock, hailed Mr. Castro as the outstanding champion of the battle against imperialism.

The partys General Secretary D.E.W. Gunasekara who met Comrade Fidel on two occasions in Havana, said Mr. Castro had left an unimaginable footprint in modern history.

He thanked Comrade Fidel for taking the initiative to set up diplomatic ties with Sri Lanka and for sending the equally legendary Che Guevara to Sri Lanka.

Parliamentarians across the board came together yesterday to pay tribute Mr. Castro.Members of all parties thanked him for his close ties with Sri Lanka and his commitment to the Non-Aligned Movement.
Lankas envoy in Kabul falls foul of SL expats there By Chrishanthi Christopher View(s): View(s):

The Foreign Affairs Ministry has launched an inquiry into complaints by the Lankan expatriate community against Sri Lankas ambassador to Afghanistan A.L.T. Najeemudeen

The inquiry is on but we cannot divulge any details, Media spokesperson Mahishini Colonne said.

Mr Najeemudeen has come under severe criticism by the Sri Lankan expatriate community in Kabul, and his failure to promote Sri Lanka in that country.

The Sri Lanka Association of Afghanistan (SLAA), in a petition signed by over 50 of its members who live and work there, said that, Ambassador Najeemudeen has failed to represent the country in a manner that would inspire respect and dignity to Sri Lanka.

SLAA Secretary Sagara Jayasuriya alleged Mr Najeemudeen is yet to meet the Sri Lankan community in Afghanistan and does not make any attempt to promote bilateral trade between the two countries.

Mr. Jayasuriya said that, although the SLAA wrote several letters, including to the Prime Minister, Foreign Affairs Ministry, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and to the Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, no action has been taken, so far.

Ambassador Najmudeen when contacted declined to comment.
Multimillion-rupee fines on poaching vessels View(s):

By Damith Wickremasekara

In a fresh attempt to protect Sri Lankas fisheries resources, the Government is to impose thumping fines upto Rs. 175 million for foreign vessels poaching in Sri Lankan waters, a Cabinet minister said.

Fisheries Minister Mahinda Amaraweera told the Sunday Times the fines would be imposed on vessels intruding into Sri Lankas Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and those entering the countrys territorial waters. He said the minimum fine for poaching in the EEZ would be Rs. 3million, rising upto Rs. 150 million while the fines for poaching in the territorial waters would be between Rs. 5million and Rs. 175 million.

The minister said the new fine system would be imposed on the vessel owner who would have to appear in courts to secure the release of the vessel.Foreign fishermen involved in poaching in Sri Lankan territorial waters are now charged under the Immigration Act for unlawfully entering the country.

Under the new law, the Coastguards and the Fisheries Department will be empowered to file action against the offenders.

Fisheries Ministry Secretary Mangalika Adhikari said the fines were being increased in keeping with requirements of the European Union which lifted a ban on Sri Lankas fish exports to EU countries early this year.

The ban was initially imposed on Sri Lanka for failure to prevented Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing practices.

However after Sri Lanka adhered to conditions imposed by the EU, the ban was lifted.

The proposal to increase the fines also comes in the wake of the setting up of a Joint Working Group between India and Sri Lanka earlier this month.

The first ministerial meeting, after the establishing of this group, is due to be held in Colombo on January 2.
Rs. 25,000 fines aimed at heart of accidents crisis, Govt says By Kasun Warakapitiya Transport bodies say drivers cant afford new penalty View(s): View(s):

Hard on the heels of a steep increase in fines for seven major traffic offences will come more penalties for errant drivers and motorcycle riders shortly with the decision to further revise fines for traffic offences and expedite implementation of a licence demerit system.

Discussions among officials of the Transport, Justice and Finance Ministry and the police, Road Safety Authority, Transport Commission and the Motor Traffic Department were underway this week on new fines and increases of other penalties.

A minimum Rs 25,000 fine will be imposed on seven offences  speeding, drink-driving, driving without a licence, driving without vehicle insurance, overtaking from the left, allowing someone to drive without a driving licence and driving illegally through a railway crossing.

It is learned that an increase in the minimum fine for other traffic offences to Rs. 500 or more is being discussed. Currently, the lowest fine is Rs 20 while at least eight other offences incur fines of Rs.100-150.

Initially, Finance Minister Ravi Karunayake announced in his Budget speech that the minimum fine for all traffic offences was being increased to Rs 2,500, but following discussions with private bus owners associations and other sectors it was decided that fines for seven offences only would be increased for the time being and that the minimum fine for these offences would be increased to Rs 25,000.

There are mixed reactions from vehicle owners, drivers, pedestrians, private bus owner associations, three-wheeler associations, heavy vehicle drivers and school van drivers associations over the Rs. 25,000 proposal.

Most believe steps should be taken to reduce the increase in accidents and support an increase in fines but fear that the steep increase would hit many who cannot afford a Rs 25,000 fine.

The authorities, however, defended the planned increases as statistics show the offences applicable to the Rs. 25,000 fine are the main causes for most serious and fatal accidents.

In 2014, of a total of 37,345 accidents, 30,166 were caused by aggressive or negligent driving while another 4,418 were caused by speeding and 1,796 caused by drivers under the influence of liquor or drugs.

During the same year, 1,870 of the 2,429 recorded fatal accidents were caused by aggressive and negligent driving while 326 deaths resulted from speeding. Another 147 deaths occurred as a result of drink-driving.

It is only when people are forced to pay heavy fines or face harsh punishment they will know the gravity of the offence committed. Otherwise they tend to repeat the offence, National Council for Road Safety (NCRS) Chairman Dr Sisira Kodagoda said.

Our findings are that the highest number of fatalities occurred through speeding, drinking and negligent driving. The objective is to discipline the drivers and reduce accidents through strict rules.

Dr Kodagoda hopes the new system of fines would be finalised next week.

He said that all private transport providers and the public sector had to follow the law as the objective was to reduce fatalities.

A driver who is speeding or consumed liquor can cause a serious accident. Therefore they should be discouraged with a fine and legal action should be taken reflecting the loss, inconvenience and the gravity of their action, he said.

The Director of Colombo Traffic division, Superintendent Sumith Nissanka, said that fines should have been increased much earlier.

He said that some spot fines for offences such as reversing onto a main road and failure to take precautions while pumping fuel were only Rs 20 and needed revision.

Issuing documents and maintaining files for small fines are more costly than the fine itself, Superintendent Nissanka said.

He believes the increase in the fine for overtaking from the left should be reconsidered as there were practical difficulties in implementing it in some areas.

Fines are important to stop wrong behaviour. If no one commits offences there will be no fines and therefore no one need protest, he said.

CCTV cameras would be installed to detect traffic offences while new speed meter machines that can photograph a speeding vehicles number plate and offenders image would be used to avoid disputes over such detections. A printout of the images would be provided along with the recorded speed of the vehicle.

Associations representing the private bus sector, three-wheelers, motorbike riders, heavy vehicles and school van drivers unions said would support an increase in fines but Rs. 25,000 was too high.

The Chairman of the Inter-Provincial Bus Owners Association, Sarath Wijeratna Kumara, said he still did not know whether the increases were for spot fines or court fines.

Imposing a large fine on drivers who lack licences or who drive dangerously was good but the amount should be around Rs.10,000 as drivers could not afford to pay Rs 25,000, he said, and called for requisite improvements in roads, traffic lanes and parking places.

The government can lay down the rules if they can provide us roads and lanes for the buses. Otherwise it is only inconvenience to the drivers, Mr. Kumara said.

He said that if government wanted to reduce bad driving the demerit system could be activated and licences impounded.

Southern Private Bus Owners Association Chairman Chandana de Zoysa also said bus drivers would find it difficult to pay 25,000 and feared they would be imprisoned if unable to pay the fine.

All-Island Three-Wheel Drivers Union President Lalith Dharmasekara said it was impractical to increase the minimum fine to Rs. 25,000.

More accidents happen when people try to overtake on a bend or cross multiple lanes yet the fine remains the same for these offences, he said.

All-Island Inter-District Schoolchildrens Transport Association President N.M.K. Harishchandra Padmasiri said the new fines could affect drivers who had to make an emergency stop to tend to an emergency regarding a child passenger.

His organisation plans to challenge the fines in courts in addition to going to the Human Rights Commission.

Senior Lecturer in Economics at the University of Colombo, Lalithasiri Gunaruwan, said the demerits system should have been considered without depending on an increase in fines to reduce accidents.

The decision to revise fines should have been based on research into the relevant issues, he added.

One of the issues to be considered is the income of the drivers and their expenditure. A sample survey should have been done to study the impact and thereafter a trial should have been carried out, Mr. Gunaruwan said.

Mr. Gunaruwan claimed the new fines system could have an adverse impact on the economy with the anticipated slowing down of traffic due to drivers taking precautions. Heavy vehicles carrying goods for exports will be delayed and public and private transport will be slowed down, he said.

Rush to get medical clearance at NTMI Hundreds, mostly youth, are flocking to the National Transport Medical Institute (NTMI) in Nugegoda daily to obtain a medical certificate, a requirement to get a driving licence. NTMI Chairman Dr. Rohona Pushpakumara said they have been getting over 700 applications a day to get medical clearance after the Government announced that heavy fines would be imposed for driving without licences. Previously they received around 400 a day. He said many of the applicants were young trishaw drivers and those who drove heavy vehicles with light vehicle licences. Dr. Pushpakumara said among the applicants were those who feared that licences would not be issued to those below 25 years of age. In the recent Budget the Government put forward a proposal that the minimum age to drive a three wheeler should be 25 years.
Super Group ahead in race for SriLankan View(s):

Company offers US$ 5 billion package for partnership

By Namini Wijedasa

Super Group Partners Company Ltda joint venture between Trans Maldivian Airways and the Singaporean ground-handling firm SATShas scored highest among ten bidders vying for a management stake in cash-strapped SriLankan Airlines, an authoritative source told the Sunday Times.

Following at a close second is Peace Air, a company owned by businessman Gamini Wettasinghe. The proposals were evaluated by the National Savings Bank, the lead manager appointed by the Cabinet, assisted by the audit firm KPMG. The source said that Super Group, which wants an 80 percent stake in SriLankan, has scored 68 marks. Peace Air has sought a 70 percent stake and has scored 65.

The three mark difference is attributed to Mr Wettasinghe not securing verification for his credit line in time. Both parties have offered a total investment of US$ 5 billion in the country, spread out over ten years. A billion out of this will go towards covering SriLankans existing debts.

That is their total package, not just into the airline, said a source who had examined the document.

It is not immediately clear whether this pledge will be distributed among other projects the companies hope to secure in Sri Lanka.

The lead managers recommendations have been sent to the Cabinet Committee on Economic Management. One aspect the CCEM will have to look at is the size of the stake sought by the respective parties in SriLankan. To retain its national airline status, no foreign party can hold more than 45 percent of its shares, according to guidelines prescribed by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).

Meanwhile, SriLankan is going ahead with its business plan amidst privatisation moves. The airline has terminated the leases on three new A350s. They were due for completion in October and November 2016, CEO Suren Ratwatte said. SriLankan had tough negotiations with the Dutch firm Aerocap for the termination of the leases.

Termination of this sort of agreement is very rare, he explained. Usually, the lessors force the airline to take delivery. The terms included extension of one leased A330 aircraft, which we would have done anyway, and acquisition of another in 2017, which we need for our business plan.
What is the Chinese envoy saying now? View(s):

Chinas Ambassador Yi Xianliang, much in the news these days over his loan controversy with the Finance Minister, having a serious chat with Ports and Shipping Minister Arjuna Ranatunga who also has expressed concern over the Governments deal with a Chinese company for the development of the Hambantota Port. They met at the Romanian National Day Celebrations held at the Galle Face Hotel.

Pic by Indika Handuwala
Envoy Concept: Eight collections and stories behind the designs View(s):

Envoy Concept by Fouzul Hameed is to be held for the fourth consecutive year under the theme infini8. The collection to be showcased on December 3 at the Galle Face Hotel will have eight main collections with a story behind each design. The collection has been mostly inspired by European styles and designed mainly for the international market.

This show is mainly to attract buyers and to show men that they also have a style and trend to follow. We have invited about 10 buyers from different countries for them to see the designs. Nobody in Sri Lanka has released a whole collection for the next season, Managing Director of Hameedia, Fouzul Hameed said at a press conference to announce the show.

All the proceeds from Envoy Concept 2017  infini8 will go to help educate underprivileged children across the country through the My Friend foundation. All products showcased on the ramp will be available at Hameedia outlets from March 2017.
Unwind at the weekend Colombo Design Market View(s):

Colombo Design Market (CDM) will celebrate two years of supporting Sri Lankas emerging designers and creatives with their 7th Edition Market from 12 noon to 9 p.m. on Sunday, December 4 at the centrally located Colombo Public Library lawn.

CDM supports a community of creatives to develop Sri Lankas identity through art and design. Through quarterly markets and events, CDM brings together creative startups, budding musicians, filmmakers and photographers, and host talks, workshops and interactive installations to provide a refreshing experience of design and creativity in Sri Lanka.

The market will showcase bold fashion designers, home decor, edgy fashion accessories, custom-made stationery and a selection of delicious goodies to indulge in. The CDM Live Art Canvas invites visitors to get creative alongside local and international artists, with conversation couches, light-play domes, giant bubble wands and life-size Twister mats. Unwind and bring your weekend to a close with original tunes by upcoming musicians Kasun, Nikhil DAlmeida and Shaaranya followed by an Open Mic throughout the night.

Entrance is Rs. 200.
To the clowns who thought firing fireworks at houses in Bethlehem was a smart idea know this  had circumstance been different you would have killed a four-year-old girl and her family.

It was only through sheer luck Jo Wilson and her partner were awake at the time a fire, believed to have been caused by fireworks, broke out in the garage of their Castlewold Drive home on Thursday night.

It was just before 10pm and my partner and I had just gone to bed when we heard two really loud bangs and the sound of something hitting the house. So we got up, had a look outside but didnt see anything so hopped back into bed.

I had the bedside light on, about five minutes later it just turned off. I looked out the window and saw the neighbours lights were on, because of the bangs we both thought something was going on.

Then we started to notice the smell, a really toxic kind of smell that got stronger and stronger.

Her partner went and investigated and when he opened the internal door to the garage he could hear the fire and smoke started billowing in to the house.

He shouted at Jo to grab their daughter and get out, then returned to the garage where the familys two dogs were sleeping to rescue them.

I grabbed our daughter, ran out through the house and out onto the footpath. At that point I could see the whole side of the garage wall was in flames. I just started screaming for help.

After hearing Jos cries for help, the familys neighbours called 111 and rushed to her aide.

One of the neighbours who came running down to help is a police officer, says Jo. When he saw the fire he immediately grabbed the hose attached to the wall that was in flames and began hosing down the roof.

About 15 minutes later both the fire service and police showed up.

My policeman neighbour hands down saved my house from burning down to the ground, thats what fire and police said. It would have burned to the ground had he not been there.

Im really glad we were still awake, had we not seen that bedside light go out, I dont know. The smoke was really toxic because it was plaster and polystyrene. It could have been really different.

Jo says while the house is structurally fine, there is extensive smoke damage throughout the inside and the garage will need to be rebuilt - meaning the family will be forced to live in a motel up until after Christmas, possibly until the end of January.

On the night of the fire police questioned Jo about the two bangs theyd heard and says her policeman neighbour mentioned hed seen a car driving down the street shooting fireworks out the window.

I understand police spoke to quite a few people up and down our street who had also seen or heard the car, so they got a rough description of the vehicle. There were also a group of guys who were walking down the street who were also questioned.

The vehicle in question is described as being a dark, old BMW 5 Series that was being driven by a group of young males.

To those guys, if you did this, I want you to see my house, I want you to know everything that now has to be done to fix it.

I want you to see my daughter. My little girl was fast asleep in the house when you did this. Had we not been awake, you would have killed her.

If you have any information about people firing fireworks at houses in Bethlehem before 10pm on Thursday, November 24, or saw a dark, old BMW 5 Series being driven by a group of young males in and around the Castlewold Drive area please contact your nearest police station.

Information can also be provided anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
Bethlehem Community Patrol is looking for new members to help them fight crime.

Theyre the valuable extra eyes and ears for the Police, helping to prevent crime by virtue of their presence alone.

Bethlehem Community Patrol coordinator Bryan McKenzie joined early last year, after a friend got him involved. He says they work with other patrols and the Police to keep neighbourhoods safe.

We were very closely with Police. Our vehicle is based at the Tauranga Police station, so we pick it up from there for patrols, says Bryan.

We get tasked by the Police to patrol areas of concern.

Bethlehem CPs coverage extends from the city centre out to all suburbs towards Te Puna, including Sulphur Point, Bureta, Cherrywood, Matua, Otumoetai, Brookfield, Judea, and Bethlehem.

Currently, were only patrol Friday and Saturday nights, normally from 9.30pm to 2am. So were looking for more members in order to increase our patrols, and bring in some daytime patrols, says Bryan.

We never get out of the vehicle, we just report on what we see, via our Police radio. Importantly, we never get sent to Police incidents, such as crashes. Were just the extra eyes and ears for the Police.

The idea is our presence on the street should act as a deterrent to would-be transgressors.

Bryan says police provide full training with new patrollers, and there are a set of training guides all newbies need to familiarise themselves with.

Anyone interested in joining should get in touch with Bryan at: bryanmckenzie@xtra.co.nz or call 07 570-2483.
Nearly a quarter of New Zealand children taking part in an international survey say their schools are only sometimes safe for them.

While 63 per cent say their school was always safe, the information shows one in three children are feeling scared or unsure about their safety.

Too many children are worried about being physically hurt and bullying in schools, says ChildFund New Zealand chief executive Paul Brown. Read here for more about the organisation.

There is growing evidence that shows an association between positive perceptions of school climate, which encompasses safety and relationships, and improved outcomes for students and teachers.

Research shows that how students feel at school impacts on both academic success and their wellbeing,

Its encouraging that our kids value their friendships so highly, and that the majority feel safe. Our kids want school to be a place they can enjoy spending their time and learn without fear. For around one in three, however, their feelings of being unsafe are concerning.

To our kids, being safe at school means feeling protected and encouraged  many think of it as a second home.

When asked what do you love most about school, 44 per cent of New Zealand children in the survey chose being with friends and 36 per cent learning new things.

The results are opposite those of children in developing countries where 51 per cent of children chose learning new things and 19 per cent chose being with friends.

Even before entering secondary school, children value education as the key to their future. Almost two-thirds of New Zealand respondents (65 per cent) say education will help them get a better job, while 21 per cent believe it will help them make a difference in New Zealand.

A combined 14 per cent believe school will prepare them to care for their parents or be a better person.

In the 2013 survey, New Zealand children identified education and safety as their top priorities with 65 per cent of New Zealand children agreeing with the statement everyone should have a good education and 62 per cent with everyone should be safe from crimes and also violence; the latter result was significantly higher than the global average.

Children were free to choose these priorities from issues that included everything from transportation to the environment.

Eight hundred and four children aged 10-12 from schools up and down New Zealand were among the 6,226 children from 41 countries who participated globally in the just released 2016 ChildFund Small Voices, Big Dreams survey.

Globally, 34 per cent of children feel safe only sometimes or never when at school. There is no significant difference between developed and developing nations. Childrens perceptions of safety are also aligned.

Predominant views of what being safe includes, not being at risk of physical or emotional abuse or violence (28 per cent all; 40 per cent NZ), security measures are in place to protect students and they feel safe (43 per cent all; 48 per cent NZ), and schools feel like a second home where children are welcomed (21 per cent all; 28 per cent NZ).

Children around the world are worried about some very grown-up issues, ChildFund Alliance secretary general Meg Gardinier.

The worlds leaders recognised the importance of safe, meaningful education when they adopted the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal on September 4 2015: Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.

ChildFund Alliance is committed to doing all it can to provide children around the world with a safe, quality education. We recognise this is ambitious, but there has been much progress. The number of children and young people not attending school has almost halved since the turn of the century and in most countries there are now as many girls as boys in primary school.

Last year, when asked what the adults in their life could do to protect children from harm: the majority of children say it is as simple as listening to what children have to say.

ChildFund has taken childrens views to the highest levels of the United Nations and world governments. This has resulted in violence-specific goals and targets being added to the new Global Goals for Sustainable Development, a global agenda for the next 15 years.

Childrens voices for change have also been reinforced by a ChildFund Alliance-commissioned report by the Overseas Development Institute analysing research from around the world, including New Zealand.

The ODI report estimated that the total economic costs of physical, psychological and sexual violence against children are up to 8 per cent of global Gross Domestic Product, close to US$7 trillion a year.
Appalachian Arts Center invites the community to a Handmade Christmas Market on Saturday, December 3rd, from 2:00-5:00 p.m. Over 200 local artisans, authors and musicians work will be for sale, and refreshments will be served. The following local artisan businesses will be on hand to talk about what they make, and how they make it: John Willis and his daughter Virginia Warner of The Bees of Deskin Mountain (honey and honey products); Pawnee Jewell of Sweet Earth First (goats milk soaps and lotions); Nancy Brooks of Sleepin Dog (glassware, frames, polymer clay items and jewelry); Carolyn Neal of Valley Baskets (handwoven ornaments and baskets); Isaac Preston (upcycled wire tree sculptures); Oreon Millard of Owlery by Oreon ( prints, felted bags and critters); Jessceah Clevinger and her son Louie Jr. (hand painted ornaments, embroidered napkins and homegrown organic blueberry jam); and Becky Ray ( upcycled woolen mittens). Oral historian Kathy Shearer will be signing copies of her newest book: Working for Stuarts: Life on one of the Oldest and Largest Cattle Farms East of the Mississippi. Handcrafted gifts made with lots of heart and soul are a pleasure to give and receive says Center director Sarah Romeo. And because everything we sell is crafted right here in these mountains, this event is a great way to show support for goods made in the USA, and contribute to the local economy. The Handmade Christmas Market is free and open to the public. Please join us for a festive afternoon celebrating the incredible talent found in our community. Appalachian Arts Center, a part of Southwest Virginia Community College, is located in the Old Archie Helton Store, on Rt. 19, 2.5 miles south of Claypool Hill. For more information, please contact the Arts Center at 276-596-9188, via email at appartsinfo@sw.edu.
The Tuesday after Thanksgiving is called Giving Tuesday, and T-Mobile is feeling generous, so T-Mobile Tuesday is turning into #GivingTuesday next week.

The weekly giveaways called T-Mobile Tuesdays have proved widely popular so far, and next week, T-Mobile is taking things to the next level. For #GivingTuesday, the Uncarrier plans to use its weekly giveaway for charity. As part of the promotion, T-Mobile will donate up to $500,000 to Boys & Girls Clubs across the United States. Moreover, the Uncarrier promises to match even text-to-donate contributions from non-customers.

How It Works

On #GivingTuesday, T-Mobile customers will get the chance to win prizes of $50, $250 or $5,000, which T-Mobile will donate to the customer's local Boys & Girls Clubs on their behalf.

T-Mobile also wants to match all donations, so on #GivingTuesday, anyone can send a text to 20222 with the word TUESDAY and make a $5 donation to Boys & Girls Clubs, and the Uncarrier will match it regardless of whether it came from customers or non-customers. T-Mobile will match donations of up to $80 per person.

"T-Mobile Tuesdays is all about giving to our customers, and now, we're giving more to local communities through the Boys & Girls Clubs with up to half-a-million dollars in donations."

Freebies For T-Mobile Customers

While donating to charity is always noble and noteworthy, T-Mobile Tuesdays aim to treat T-Mobile customers for sticking with the carrier. For this reason, T-Mobile will make its donations on #GivingTuesday as a bonus to its offers, not to replace what it plans to give its customers.

More specifically, T-Mobile is not hijacking T-Mobile Tuesdays altogether only to donate to charity and leave its customers with nothing. The Uncarrier still wants to thank its clients, albeit it will offer less than usual so that it can donate more to charity. Next week, during #GivingTuesday, T-Mobile will treat its customers to a free Wendy's small Frosty and a FandangoNow movie rental.

For its weekly giveaways, T-Mobile has teamed up with a number of brands such as Lyft, Fandango, Subway, Wendy's, StubHub, Buffalo Wild Wings, Universal Pictures, VUDU and more, and it's constantly adding new freebies and partners.

T-Mobile Tuesdays has proved to be the most successful promotion T-Mobile has ever run, with more than 20 million free gifts redeemed since the weekly giveaway first started in June.

To learn more about #GivingTuesday and other T-Mobile Tuesdays giveaway, head over to the carrier's website.

If Black Friday sales are what you're after, however, T-Mobile has some neat offers as well. The Uncarrier is offering a free iPhone 7, Samsung Galaxy S7 or LG V20 with eligible smartphone trade-in.

Alternately, smartphone shoppers who don't want to purchase a flagship on T-Mobile can always hit Amazon for the unlocked iPhone 7, Samsung Galaxy S7 or LG V20.

 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Kickass Torrents may breathe new life into the torrent scene come February 2017, when the famous torrent indexing site may return to market as KAT.cr.

Nothing's for certain just yet, but the latest rumors suggest that Kickass Torrents will be back in business once owner Artem Vaulin is released on bail in mid-February next year.

Artem Vaulin

Vaulin was arrested back in July and charged with copyright infringement, among others. Kickass Torrents (KAT) shut down shortly after that, shaking the torrent scene to its core. Several torrent sites tried to fill KAT's place, such as 1337x, The Pirate Bay (TPB) and ExtraTorrent, but it's not exactly been smooth sailing.

The legal team in charge of Vaulin's defense, led by Ira Rothken, has been trying to get the charges dropped but was unsuccessful so far. Earlier this month, a U.S. court denied the motion to drop the charges against Vaulin and argued that KAT operated like a "flea market for infringing content."

Defense Team Files New Brief

Vaulin's defense team submitted a new brief [PDF] late last week, arguing that the government's response failed to tackle the fatal flaws highlighted in the indictment. The defense team argued that KAT operated simply as a search site indexing torrents, yielding results in a similar manner to Google search. Its operations were not criminal in nature, and KAT did not actually infringe on anything, the lawyers argued.

"The failure of the Response to address defendant's showing of an improper indictment tacitly admits the impropriety," Vaulin's defense team wrote in the latest brief.

The defense further pointed out that the United States does not classify streaming as a felony, nor does it consider it a crime to share a non-copyrighted torrent file. Consequently, suggesting otherwise would mean that the government is in violation of its own criminal guidelines.

Video Streaming Is Not A Felony

"The general video streaming alleged in the indictment cannot be prosecuted as a felony. There is no crime of making available a torrent file. This prosecution violates guidelines set forth in a 'Prosecuting IP Crimes Manual' publically posted by the Department of Justice," adds the defense team.

The lawyers also argue that many of the accusations against Vaulin are not criminal in nature or they lack essential details.

The brief offers several other compelling arguments, but it remains to be seen how the case will pan out. The Illinois District Court has to decide how to proceed, and depending on its ruling, we'll see what happens next. Vaulin's defense team aims to get the case dismissed, but the United States wants to push forward.

Bail Denied, Detention Extended

In the meantime, Vaulin remains imprisoned in Poland, with his detention extended. The court denied bail and ruled that Vaulin should remain in custody until mid-February.

With this timeline, a separate report from Yibada speculates that Kat.cr may hit the scene in February 2017, once again competing on the torrent scene. If Vaulin's team manages to prove that KAT did not violate criminal laws, there's a good chance that it can make a comeback next year as Kat.cr.

Until official news, however, take all reports with a grain of salt.

 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
The standard Asus ZenFone 3 is reportedly not coming to the United States, while the higher-end ZenFone 3 Deluxe will no longer be launching in Canada.

Meanwhile, the ZenFone 3 Deluxe is available in the United States, while the standard ZenFone 3 is available in Canada.

ZenFone 3 US Release Not Happening

The Asus ZenFone 3 Deluxe and the Zenfone 3 Laser became available for purchase in the United States through Amazon back in September, but the standard ZenFone 3 was nowhere to be found. Asus started selling the ZenFone 3 Deluxe, ZenWatch 3 and ZenPad 3s 10 through its own store back in October, with the standard ZenFone 3 version still MIA.

The ZenFone 3 Deluxe (ZS570KL) is undoubtedly a sleek powerhouse and was the first smartphone to rock the Snapdragon 821 processor, but higher-end specs also mean a higher price compared to the standard ZenFone 3.

Those interested in buying the cheaper ZenFone 3 in the United States, however, are apparently out of luck as Asus has confirmed to MobileSyrup that this particular variant will not make its debut stateside.

As a reminder, the standard ZenFone 3 has a 5.5-inch full HD IPS display, a Snapdragon 625 processor, 3 GB or 4 GB of RAM (depending on version), a 16-megapixel rear camera, an 8-megapixel front shooter and a 3,000 mAh battery, among the highlights.

ZenFone 3 Deluxe Canada Release Canceled

One the other side of the border, Canadians waiting for the ZenFone 3 Deluxe are also in for some bad news.

Asus had previously said that its ZenFone 3 Deluxe would become available in Canada in early November, launching at CAD$699 at Best Buy, Newegg.ca, Canada Computers, Memory Express and Staples. That obviously did not happen since we're now in late November already, and it now looks like the company had a change of heart and scraped the Canadian launch altogether.

Asus representatives reportedly told MobileSyrup that the planned Canadian release of the ZenFone 3 Deluxe has been canceled, but did not offer any details as to why the company made this decision.

If this proves to be accurate, Asus fans in Canada will have to settle for the standard ZenFone 3, which launched in the country back in September at a CAD$429.99 price point.

Asus has yet to confirm whether the standard ZenFone 3 will indeed skip the United States, or whether the ZenFone 3 Deluxe Canadian release was indeed canceled. As always, we'll keep you up to date as soon as more information hits the surface.

 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
The fight against Zika intensifies, and researchers from the University of North Carolina and the Duke University-National University of Singapore Medical School are doing their part by uncovering the mechanism behind how a potent antibody called C10 can prevent Zika infections from taking place.

Publishing their findings in the journal Nature Communications, the researchers said that outlining the structural basis of neutralization offers support that C10 can be used in fighting Zika infections. A reaction between the antibody and the Dengue virus was previously identified.

How Virus Infections Work

Typically, viruses undergo two steps to carry out cell infections: docking and fusion. When it docks, a virus particle identifies a certain site on the cell and binds to that spot. In the case of the Zika virus, docking initiates the process of the cell taking in the virus through an endosome, or a separate compartment in the cell's body. Proteins found on the virus' coat start undergoing structural changes to prepare for fusion with the endosome's membrane, which will signify release of the virus genome into the cell and the completion of the infection.

In September, researchers from the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis suggested that the Zika virus may be spread from infected eyes after observing a transmission case that occurred without all of the previously defined modes of contact. Considering the eyes as a source of Zika infection is important because a third of babies infected in the womb are born with optic nerve inflammation while infected adults end up with conjunctivitis.

Cryoelectron Microscopy

Using a cryoelectron microscope, the researchers were able to visualize how C10 interacts with Zika, with different PH levels simulated to mimic the various environments that the antibody and virus will be encountering in the course of an infection. They were able to observe that C10 works by binding to the main protein on the virus' coat and locking it in place to prevent structural changes necessary to initiate the fusion process necessary for an infection. No fusion, no infection.

Future Zika Treatment Research

Aside from suggesting that C10 has the potential to be used as Zika infection therapy, the study's results point to the possibility that focusing on disrupting fusion rather than docking may be the more effective route toward thwarting Zika.

"This should emphasize the need to further studies of the effect of C10 on Zika infection in animal models," said Lok Shee-Mei, one of the authors for the study.

The current study received funding support from the National Institute of Health (USA) AID Research Grants, Singapore's Ministry of Health through the Duke-NUS Signature Research Program, the National Research Foundation Investigatorship Award and Singapore's Ministry of Education.

 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Google is reportedly notifying some users that their accounts have been targeted by government-backed hackers, according to an onslaught of reports proliferating social media in the past 24 hours.

It is believed that a spear phishing campaign called PowerDuke, which was tied to Russian hackers, are somewhat related to the Google's issuance of warnings, though the connection between the two holds no merit as of this time.

According to Google, only 0.1 percent of Google accounts are being issued the warnings, but it's still ideal for everyone to assure their security given the reported attacks.

If a user is alerted with Google's email, it doesn't immediately translate that their account has been compromised or that a more widespread attack will follow. However, Google is still urging recipients of the warning to take it seriously.

"Anyone that receives one should follow the instructions in the warning," a Google spokesperson said, recommending users to a routine account security checkup.

Targets

Many recipients of the Google-issued warning are journalists and professors such as Paul Krugman, an economist and columnist for The New York Times; Jonathan Chait, a New York magazine journalist; Julia Ioffe, a writer at Politico and Michael McFaul, a Stanford University professor. All confirmed via Twitter with regard to receiving the notice from Google.

The cautionary email is headlined with a red banner, accompanied with a line of text that says: "Warning: Google may have detected government-backed attackers trying to steal your password." It is the same type of warning Google promised to send out in case of security threats, which was as part of a new feature it announced given the mounting feud between Apple and the FBI on security issues.

What To Do If You Receive The Notice

For those who have received Google's warning, the email will provide a link that'll help the recipient enable a two-factor authentication method for better security and the option to set up a security key.

For those who have already enabled two-factor authentication, there's also an option to install the Google Authenticator, an app which lets the user receive codes when a mobile service or an internet connection isn't available.

Whether or not Google's flurry of warnings indicate that hackers potentially attempted to compromise Google accounts, it's better to follow Google's recommendations and commit to the company's various tools to proof passwords, even for those who didn't receive the warnings.

It's better to be safe than sorry.

 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Like every week, this week too has been pretty crazy. While Google is all set to launch a toilet finder service in India, Facebook seems to be working on helping users find public WiFi hotspots. We also witnessed a couple of new launches including new air purifiers from Panasonic, Oppo F1s, HTC Desire 650, HTC Desire 10, Xiaomi Mi WiFi Speaker, Sony A99 II Camera, Intex Aqua E4, Panasonic Eluga Mark 2, 66 Audio BTS Sport Earphones, and much more.

In-fact, this week we saw the launch of much awaited Asus Zenbook 3 and Asus Transformer Pro 3. The best part is, we have put up a detailed review of the same ultrabook as well. As part of demonetization move that has taken the country's cash transaction to a stand still, RBI announced the increase in the limits in Mobile Wallets from INR 10,000 to INR 20,000 as well.

While a top 10 listicle would definitely not be enough to sum up this week, here's our try as we put in 10 best stories we have covered this week in consumer technology.

Apple May Be Working On A 10.5 Inch iPad

Do you remember rumours that came out back in August about a possible 10.5 inch iPad in 2017? Well, we have a few updates on the speculations. It looks like a couple of Taiwan-based supply chain makers have recently confirmed the possibility of this device.

Read The Full Story Here

Satya Nadella: Next Microsoft Phone Will Be The "Ultimate Mobile Device"

After writing-off Nokia acquisition, Microsoft has hardly announced any flagship smartphone. While it may seem that the Redmond-based company has given up on its smartphone dreams, that's apparently not the case. In an interview with Australian Financial Review, Microsoft's CEO, Satya Nadella stated that, "We will continue to be in the phone market not as defined by today's market leaders, but by what it is that we can uniquely do in what is the most ultimate mobile device".

Read The Full Story Here

Asus Zenbook 3 First Look

With a 12.5 inch IPS Full HD display screen and i7 7500U processor coupled with 16 GB RAM and 512 GB SSD - everything bumped inside 11.3 mm shell that weighs just 910 grams, this laptop definitely looks like a killer. Speaking about the ultrabook, we can see that it is entirely made up of metal with double anodised edges, making it simply a beauty. Also, under the hood, the particular model has a 7th Gen Kaby Lake processor clocked at 2.7 GHz coupled with a 16 GB of DDR3 RAM. However, the company has also launched another variant that comes with i5 processor and 8 GB of RAM.

Watch The Full Review Here

Google Is Launching Toilet Finder Service In India

Lets face it. Our country has a serious sanitation issue. About 70 percent households in India lack a wash room. What's worse is that finding a decent public toiled is a daunting task. To help make a difference, Google is collaborating with the Ministry of Urban Development (MoUD) to launch a toilet locator service.

Read The Full Story Here

Incoming: Nokia Branded Smartphones In 2017

Nokia, once dominated the phone market. However, post iPhone, it couldn't keep up with the competition, and finally gave up on the handset division. Under its new CEO, Rajeev Suri's leadership, the Finnish company decided to focus on its network infrastructure business instead. Despite being out of action in the phone business for over a year, Nokia's brand image remains strong among the consumers world over. Taking a hint from that, the company is making a comeback in the smartphone space next year.

Read The Full Story Here

Facebook To Help You Find Public WiFi Hotspots

It is being reported by a few users and online forums that they are able to find nearby WiFi hotspots through Facebooks very own iOS application. Yes. This seems to be true. The social media giant seems to be working on this new feature that helps users find a nearby public WiFi hotspot that they can actually access for free.

Read The Full Story Here

Apple Acknowledges A Battery Issue In "Very Small" Number Of iPhones

Apple is offering free battery replacements through its service centres. The Cupertino-based company has rolled out a battery replacement programme for a "very small number of iPhone 6s devices" that may unexpectedly shut down. In the official statement, the Cupertino company has mentioned that there . The affected devices falls in a limited serial number range that were manufactured between September and October 2015. If you own an iPhone 6s and it has been randomly shutting itself off, you better visit an Apple Retail Store or an Apple Authorised Service Provider.

Read The Full Story Here

Apple iPhone 8 May Come With Wireless Charging

While rumours regarding the Apple iPhone 8 are boiling over the pot, we have come across a couple of interesting ones recently. The phone which is expected to be launched in 2017 is expected to feature wireless charging, which is so far not implemented in any iPhones that we have witnessed.

Read The Full Story Here

RBI Increases Digital Wallet Balance Limit To Rs 20,000

The recent currency demonetization prompted many people to start using digital wallets such as PayTM, Freecharge, and MobiKwik. However, the wallet cash was capped at Rs 10,000 per month, which was quite a hindrance to those looking to go completely electronic during the cash crunch. Thankfully, RBI has acknowledged the ongoing inconvenience and in effect has increased the balance limit to Rs 20,000 per month.

Read The Full Story Here

Fake Reliance Jio Bill Circulates Online

Did you ever receive a Reliance Jio Bill with INR 27,718 as due amount and addressed to Mrs. Ayunuddin Mondal as a forward message on WhatsApp or any other social media platform bringing distress in you? Well, if that is the case, there is nothing to be worried about as the telecom company Reliance has recently reassured that the Welcome Offer is actually free until Dec 31, 2016.

Top 10 Stories
Cuba will not give up its fight against the blockade because it is illegal, unjust, and inhumane," President Diaz-Canel stressed. | Read More
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The scandal that has engulfed Jefferson Parish President Mike Yenni this fall isn't the first time that a series of racy text messages has left Yenni facing questions about whether he has misrepresented himself to others.

Under siege for the past two months over revelations that he sent a teenage boy sexually explicit messages last year, Yenni opened up this week about a previous incident that once threatened his political aspirations.

The long-rumored story is that he agreed to undergo a lie detector test after text messages surfaced that raised questions about his sexual orientation and about whether he had been cheating on the woman he was about to marry. According to the story, his fiancee's family insisted on the test before they would give their blessing for the couple to wed.

The Yennis spoke about the incident for the first time in an interview with WVUE-TV on Wednesday, confirming that the lie detector test took place and saying that he passed it.

"This is something I did to show I am not gay and I did not cheat on my girlfriend," Yenni said in a separate interview with The New Orleans Advocate this week. "I did it out of courtesy."

Yenni also for the first time confronted  and dismissed  the suspicion that he ensured the result of the test by offering a reward to the man who administered it.

That man, Ronnie Lauland, a former New Orleans Police Department officer who confirmed that Yenni passed the test, later ended up with a job in Kenner city government while Yenni was serving as mayor.

Lauland said Yenni had nothing to do with his hiring. He said he was in need of work and simply applied for a position he saw advertised online, winning the job after doing well in a written exam.

The story of Yenni's previous controversy dates back to 2010, when Yenni, who at the time was Kenner's chief administrative officer and was gearing up to run for mayor, allegedly was targeted by an extortion plot involving graphic texts exchanged with adults that would be released to the public if he didn't drop out of the race.

WWL-TV has previously reported that the exchanges involved several men, some of whom have since vouched for the authenticity of the texts, which were downloaded from a city server and then given to one of Yenni's political opponents, prompting an FBI investigation.

Yenni contradicted aspects of that account in an interview with WVUE this week, saying the texts were fake and had been "illegally extracted from a personal cellphone."

He also alluded to the fact that in the wake of the FBI investigation, two city officials resigned, including Kenner's technology chief at the time, who was the ex-wife of one of Yenni's mayoral opponents, Louis Congemi.

Yenni said he agreed to undergo a lie detector test to clear up questions that were raised by that episode and that lingered for the family of the woman he would marry in 2011.

Yenni said "someone close to (future wife) Michelle's family" sent him to Lauland, then a Metairie-based expert in giving private voice-stress analysis tests, considered by many to be more accurate at detecting lies than polygraphs.

While Lauland wouldn't discuss what the purpose of the test in question was, he confirmed to The New Orleans Advocate that Yenni took one and that he passed it.

Yenni is not the only high-profile political figure to have taken a voice-stress analysis from Lauland, now 82, a Gretna resident who years ago made unsuccessful bids for Jefferson Parish sheriff and a seat in the state House of Representatives.

Lauland was hired several years ago to give a voice-stress analysis test to Mose Jefferson, a New Orleans political operative who was convicted in 2009 by a federal jury on charges of bribery. Lauland said the test showed Jefferson, who has since died, was being truthful when he denied paying bribes.

Lauland said that in 2012 he saw an opening in Kenner's code enforcement department advertised on Craigslist. He said he applied, scored well on a civil service test and eventually landed a job enforcing Kenner's property code, at a time when Yenni was in his second full year as mayor.

Records confirm Lauland worked for Kenner from Feb. 27, 2012, when he was 78, until Sept. 27, 2013.

Yenni, who became Jefferson Parish president in January, told The New Orleans Advocate he had no direct role in hiring Lauland. As mayor, Yenni said, he hired department heads, who in turn chose their subordinates based on factors such as civil service test scores.

Both Yenni and Lauland said the first time they spoke with each other after the lie detector test was when they happened to bump into each other at Kenner City Hall after Lauland had been hired and was in his city uniform.

Lauland said that Yenni, feigning disbelief, asked, "You want to work at this?" Lauland said he replied, "I need to work at this."

"There was no quid pro quo," Yenni said this week about Lauland's job in the code enforcement office.

"It's crazy (to suggest that as a possibility)," Yenni said. "As I understand it, Ronnie Lauland met all the requirements and even exceeded them. And, as far as him being 78, we don't age-discriminate in Kenner."

An effort to make Yenni face a recall election got underway after WWL-TV reported in late September that federal authorities were investigating him for sending sexually explicit text messages in 2015 to a 17-year-old.

Yenni, 40, later admitted to sending "improper texts to a young man," but he has denied that he broke any laws or compromised his ability to lead Jefferson Parish. He has ignored calls for his resignation from nearly every elected official in the parish.

Yenni this week insisted that his wife  who is expecting the couple's second child  believes in the validity of the test he took and has forgiven him for the more recent set of texts.

Recall organizers have said they have about 40,000 of the 90,000 or so signatures they need by early April to put a referendum on Yenni's future on the ballot.

This week, WWL and WVUE each reported that federal investigators had reviewed text messages sent by the recall effort's leader, local attorney Robert Evans III, to Yenni. Yenni said Evans demanded that he step down as parish president or face the public release of last year's text messages  an act Yenni reported to the feds as extortion, according to the television stations.

Evans told the stations that the FBI did not consider his texts to Yenni to be a problem, though the bureau advised him to refrain from communicating with the parish president.
The Greens have made a radical change to their drugs policy which leader Richard Di Natale hopes will reignite the decriminalisation debate and pave the way for the legalisation of recreational drugs like cannabis.

The party has officially ditched its blanket opposition to the legalisation of illicit drugs from its policy platform after members voted to support changes driven by Senator Di Natale at their national conference in Perth on Saturday.

Senator Di Natale  a former drug and alcohol doctor  says the global "war on drugs" has failed and the time has come for a dramatically different approach. He says he's prepared for the conservative media backlash that the new policy will inevitably invite.

"I'm ready for it. I think it's about time Australia had this conversation because it's killing our kids," he told Fairfax Media.
The Baird government will finally close the door on a chapter of NSW history that involved harsh laws being enacted at the height of the AIDS epidemic, driven by a fear of the unknown and public panic.

The offence of having sex without first disclosing you have a sexually transmitted disease will be removed from the Public Health Act next year.

David Cooper, director of the Kirby Institute at the University of NSW, diagnosed Australia's first case of HIV and was the director of the St Vincent's AIDS unit at the height of the epidemic.

Professor Cooper said it was "good timing" to remove section 79 of the Public Health Act. Since 2010 international studies had shown that if HIV is treated and becomes undetectable, it can't be transmitted to a partner, he said.
NSW Treasurer Gladys Berejiklian spent $64 million on consultants last year, according to a NSW Labor tally of the top five ministers they say are outsourcing government.

Transport minister Andrew Constance ranked second, spending $28 million. Finance minister Dominic Perrottet racked up $26 million on consultant fees, while health minister Jillian Skinner ($23 million) came fourth.

Premier Mike Baird's office spent $13 million outsourcing last year, including $1.4 million to KPMG for three separate reviews of local government reform, the privatisation of out-of-home care and plans for Stadium Australia.

The Labor analysis was based on budget documents that detail what every department and agency under the ministers responsibility spent on consultants last financial year.
Detectives have spoken to a seriously injured Polish woman who was apparently assaulted while on a walk in Petrie.

A Queensland Police spokesperson said that officers interviewed the victim using an interpreter on Saturday.

A crime scene has been established at Petrie where a woman was found on Friday night with serious facial injuries.

However, she wanted to keep the details private as she had not told her family yet.

Police said the 24-year-old woman, working in Australia as an au pair and living in Petrie, had gone for "her usual walk" around her area on Friday when the attack happened, about 8.30pm.
A woman's body has been found after a devastating fire ripped through a house at Hughesdale, in Melbourne's southeast, on Saturday.

More than 25 firefighters attended the blaze, which destroyed a single-storey brick house in North Road about 4pm.

The Hughesdale house where the fire occurred. Credit:Wayne Hawkins

There had been numerous calls to triple zero from the public, including reports that an alarm was going off inside the house.

Commander Brett Cowcher said the house was totally engulfed in flames when fire crews arrived.
When the Brumby government announced a ban on free plastic shopping bags eight years ago, Victoria was the first Australian state to do so.

But critics say the inaction of successive governments, as the move became bogged down in State Parliament, has left Victoria badly trailing other states.

Up to 6 billion bags a year go into landfill, after being used for 12 minutes. Credit:John Veage

On Friday, the Queensland state government said it would no longer wait for Victoria and New South Wales to act and announced a ban on single-use plastic bags from 2018.

The Palaszczuk Labor government had been pushing for an east-coast ban, co-ordinated between the three states, but decided to go it alone and time the change to coincide with a new container deposit scheme.
A woman remains in a critical condition after being rescued from a car that plunged into a dam at Healesville, north east of Melbourne, on Saturday.

The woman was airlifted to The Royal Melbourne Hospital after being dragged unconscious from the vehicle driven by a man believed to be her husband.

It is believed the pair had been on the way to Werribee Mercy Hospital to see their newborn.

First Constable Amara Bostock said the car was travelling on a dirt driveway on private property in Margaret Road shortly after 10am when it veered into the dam, which abutted the driveway.
Monday 05 September, 2016 Reliable information reaching Biafra writers desk has it that the life of Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indi...
Shortly after coming to power in 1959, a heavily whiskered Fidel Castro informed the American journalist Edward R. Murrow that, when we have fulfilled our promise of good government, I will cut my beard. For over half a century the Cuban people waited on the fulfillment of both those promises.

Castro, whose death at age 90 was announced Friday night by Cuban state television, outfoxed 11 United States presidents and transformed Cuba from a corrupt and vice-ridden backwater into a repressive communist state just 90 miles off the coast of Florida. Along the way, he took the world to the brink of a nuclear apocalypse.

Castro was a rebel from early childhood. By the time he was 13 he was agitating for his first insurrection, accusing his father Angel of exploiting sugarcane workers on his farm. He was later sent away from his birthplace in Biran, a small outpost in eastern Cuba, to Jesuit schools in Oriente Province and Havana. According to Carlos Franqui, a former comrade who edited the newspaper Revolucio n before falling out of favor, Castro would go on to impose on Cuba all the punishments he suffered as a boy in a Jesuit school: censure, thought control, discipline, and a Spartan mentality.

After finishing high school Castro studied law at the prestigious University of Havana and became embroiled in the gangsterism which characterized Cuba in the 1950s. While at university he gained a reputation as a leader, and subsequently put his name forward in 1952 for national congressional elections as a candidate for the Orthodox party on an anti-corruption ticket. The elections never happened. In March of that year General Fulgenico Batista staged a coup and overthrew the government of Carlos Prio Socarras, ushering in a corrupt dictatorship and leaving Castro with no choicein his eyesbut to resort to violence to oppose Batistas takeover. As he would write in a letter to Franqui, All doors to a peaceful political struggle have been closed to me.

On July 26, 1953, Castro and a group of 111 followers, including his brother Raul, set off in poorly-fitting uniforms to attack the Moncada military barracks in Santiago de Cuba. The attack itself was a disaster, but the subsequent trial gave the budding solipsista his first public platform. He used it well, delivering a now-famous speech in which he taunted the dictator to Condemn me, it does not matter. History will absolve me. Castro was subsequently imprisoned along with 24 of his comrades. He was released in 1955 following an amnesty by the Batista regime, only to launch a fresh military assault on Batista a year later, this time from Mexico in a ship named Granma.

Throughout the two-year long guerrilla campaign in the Sierra Maestra jungle, few suspected that Fidel Castro was a Communist, not even his closest confidantes. Ernesto Che Guevara, by that time a dedicated Marxist, described Castro dismissively in his notes as an authentic leader of the left-wing of the bourgeoisie. According to declassified Soviet documents, at one point Fidels brother Raul even considered splitting the Twenty-Sixth of July rebel movement to convince Fidel that he could not govern without the Communists.

Over the years various explanations have been proffered to explain Castros embrace of the Soviet Union. For western liberals the fault (as always) lay with the United States for not respecting the revolution, therefore driving Castro into the arms of the Communists. Meanwhile anti-Castro groups maintained that Castro was a Communist all along; he simply hid the fact to prevent panic among the Cuban bourgeoisie before his regime was secure. In truth both opportunism and expediency were at workthe U.S. foolishly put itself in a corner but Communism ultimately served as the best vehicle for Castros nascent caudillismo and militarism. As Guevara told the French weekly L Express in 1963, Our commitment to the eastern bloc was half the fruit of constraint and half the result of choice.

Soon after taking power Castro outmaneuvered both internal and external rivals and allowed the one-time Batista-supporting Communists to gain control of the state. During the anti-Batista guerrilla war Castro had promised freedom with bread, and bread without terror, but in power the motto soon became Within the revolution, everything; against the revolution, nothing. And the revolution meant the politics and opinions of Fidel Castro. While the bourgeoisie fled to the United States, Cuban trade unions, which had voted overwhelmingly against Communist influence, were neutralized and anti-Stalinist leftists were harassed and imprisoned. Mass executions of Batistas henchmen took place and the court system became the tool of the government. The previously vibrant Cuban printed press was requisitioned by the government and reduced to a single newspaper, once described by the Argentinean journalist and dissident Jacobo Timerman as a degradation of the act of reading.

After John F. Kennedys botched U.S. Bay of Pigs invasion in 1961, opposition and counter-revolution in Cuba became synonymous. The notorious Committees for the Defense of the Revolution (CDRs) were set up on every block in order to, in Castros words, establish a system in which everyone knows who everyone is, what each person who lives on the block does, what relations he had with the tyranny, to what he is dedicated, whom he meets, and what activities he follows.

Always the eyes watching you and the voice enveloping you, as Winston Smith put it in George Orwells Nineteen Eighty-Four.

According to Castros own estimates, at one point there were as many as 15,000 political prisoners in Cuba. One of the darkest periods of the repression occurred in 1963 when Castro approved Operation P, named because of a black P (for pimps, prostitutes, pederasts) emblazoned on the uniforms of those arrested. The operation saw Castros newly formed secret police sweep through Havana targeting homosexuals, religious believers, and deviantsoften no more than men with long hair and blue jeans. Those rounded up were placed in UMAPs (Military Units to Help Production), a euphemism for concentration camps, and forced to do hard labor. According to the poet Armando Valladares, imprisoned by Castro in 1960, there have been few examples of repression of homosexuals in history as virulent as in Cuba.

In the 70s Castro institutionalized his regime along Soviet lines and cultural Stalinism reached its high point, culminating in what the Cuban writer Ambrosio Fornet called the Quinquenio Gris (the Gray Five-Year Period), from 1971 to 1976. The Cuban joke that best sums up the period goes like this: In the Cuban family the mother is the nation; the father the comrade; the child the future. One night the child starts crying and wakes up his older brother, who in turn wakes up his father saying, Comrade, the future is covered with shit.

In 1989 Cuba was rocked by scandal, this time involving allegations that one of the countrys most celebrated generals and heroes of the revolution was corrupt and involved in the lucrative drugs trade. The accusations directed at Arnaldo Ochoa by the Castro brothers were followed by the generals hasty trial, public confession, and execution by firing squad. According to Roberto Ortega , a former colonel of the Cuban armed forces who defected in 2003, Ochoa was executed because of his popularity with the troops and support for Mikhail Gorbachevs liberalizing reforms in the Soviet Union. When Che Guevara himself became disillusioned with Sovietization in the mid-1960s, he was encouraged by Castro to leave Cuba in order to ferment guerrilla war in Africa and then Latin America, where he died soon after. Guevara was a zealous and fanatical Communist; but he was never a party man. Despite subsequently admonishing Cuban children to be like Che, Castro was undoubtedly glad to be rid of a potential rival.

From the earliest days of the revolution western celebrities and intellectuals paid homage to Castro. Jack Nicholson (Castro is a humanist), Oliver Stone (Castro is very selfless and moral, one of the worlds wisest men), and the supermodels Naomi Campbell and Kate Moss (Castro is an inspiration to everyone) were just some of those who lavished praise on the dictator. I just spent an hour and a half talking with your president, Fidel Castro, a star-struck Campbell told a press conference in the Hotel National in 1994. But he told me there was nothing to be afraid of because he already knew a lot about us from reading the press. As the high-ranking Cuban intelligence defector Delfin Fernandez would later disclose, the information did not come from the media. My job was to bug their hotel rooms with both cameras and listening devices, Delfin noted.

Admirers of the revolution often resembled the fellow travelers Arthur Koestler described as peeping toms, peering through a hole in the wall at history while not having to experience it themselves. The novelist Gabriel Garcia Marquez, a personal friend of Castro, once told The New York Times that he personally could never live under the Cuban system. I would miss too many things. I couldnt live with the lack of information. I am a voracious reader of newspapers and magazines from around the world. For Cubans those privations were apparently acceptable.

Fidel Castro relinquished the presidency in 2008, handing power to his brother Raul after a period of illness. Since then he has gradually disappeared from public life, occasionally penning a column for the state newspaper, Granma.

Long after the heroism and mystique of the revolution has faded, Fidel Castro will likely be remembered for his role in the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962, when civilization came as close as it has yet come to nuclear Armageddon. During that 13-day trilateral confrontation, while the world watched the stand-off on black and white television sets, behind the scenes Castro was furiously writing to his Soviet counterpart Nikita Khrushchev demanding that the Ukrainian press the button and incinerate us all by launching a first nuclear strike on the United States. However hard and terrible the solution might be, there is no other, wrote Castro. Thankfully Stalins former henchman, who by his own admission was up to his elbows in blood, chose not to heed Castros advice.
When a five-decades-long dictator dies, it is customary to hear analysts offer up the following kind of balanced blather: He was neither as bad as his opponents believed nor as beloved as his supporters insisted.

Cubas communist dictator Fidel Castro certainly enjoyed a cult of personality courtesy of self-styled humanists who still contort themselves to overlook his horrific record of human rights abuses, murder and repression. But his detractors almost always had more direct experience in dealing with his radius of damage than his defenders.

History will not absolve Castro for repeated assaults on freedom clothed in populist garb. Whether it was torturing and executing political opponents, rounding up homosexuals, creating neighborhood networks to spy on fellow citizens, or encouraging the Soviet Union to nuke the United States, he was a bully and a thug: the latest in a long line of self-interested opportunists who rule through fear and pretend that it is love.

Yes, Fidel Castro toppled the brutal and corrupt Batista regime, which mid-century America unwisely backed for too long. But he simply replaced one form of tyranny with another, briefly more fashionable, ideological flavor.

One of the most prevalent forms of moral myopia on western campuses and their downstream affiliates is a tendency to excuse whatever oppressive totalitarian violence is committed in the name of the left.

This inevitably elevates the ideological over the individual and that never ends well in the storybook of human history. And when the full story of Castros personal enrichment and paranoid hold on power for more than a half-century at the expense of individual rights and individual life becomes better understood, those folks who fell for the combination of political myth and personal charisma, the late night conversations over drinks and cigars, will have been exposed as enablers to his tropical tyranny.

His apologists will soon look as foolish as those folks who praised Uncle Joe Stalin and Maos Great Leap Forward, always arguing that youve got to break a few eggs to make an omeletwhile skipping over the fact that the eggs in this equation are always people.

Among the current accounting of Fidels crimes, here are a few books and essays worth a read: a Cuban dissident poets account of life in Castros gulag, Against All Hope; a first person account of Fidels rise and his descent into tyranny and torture, more recent Beast articles that look at Cubas sham reforms and James Bloodworths searing obit Adios Caudillo. If you claim to care about universal freedom and human rights you cant simply shrug your shoulders at these accounts of what is for many still living history. The double standard undercuts any claim to moral clarity.

But for Americans still tempted to don a Fidel or Che t-shirt in simple-minded solidarity  most recent among them, proud non-voter Colin KaepernickId suggest they look around and recall that during the Cuban Missile Crisis, Castro specifically requested that Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev launch a first nuclear strike against the United StatesHowever harsh and terrible the solutionmurdering millions of Americans along the eastern seaboard. How does that t-shirt feel now?

In the fullness of history, we are entwined with our enemies. The presidency of JFK and Castros early dictator days are inexorably connected as are the histories of nine other American presidents who Castro outlasted by holding on to power through various mechanisms of oppression.

Perhaps the only good news to be salvaged from this half-century of wreckage is that culture outlasts politics. Cubas traditional closeness with the United States will re-emerge along with commercial ties accelerated by President Barack Obamas rapprochement. Prosperity and opportunity will return to Cuba with greater engagement from free people and open societies. And when this half-century ideologically-excused cruelty and corruption have been fully exposed, the dictators dead and their apologists embarrassed into silence for backing tyrants, then we can truly move forward together, saying Cuba, Si; Castro, No!
TIJUANA, Mexico  Across the border from Texas in the state of Coahuila, in the Five Springs or Cinco Manantiales region, hundreds of townspeople were abducted and brutally massacred in the spring of 2011.

That year in mid-March, heavily armed commandos burst into these towns with a long list of targets, leaving destroyed homes and businesses in their wake as evidence of their crimes. First, though, they let at least one mayor know what was about to happen.

For years, the massacre went uninvestigated and officially unconfirmed, but the locals who remained behind guarded the memory of their missing-and-presumed-dead by fearfully whispering their versions of events among each other. Survivors shared stories of the explosions they heard that week in mid-March, and the destruction they witnessed. But piles of rubble sat unprodded by authorities.

Many of the roughly 300 victimsmore than 80 separate familiesdid not know each other, but most had something in common, beyond calling the same region home. They shared a combination of the same common last names: Garza, Gaytan, Moreno, and Villanueva.

Over the course of three days, the Zetas cartel, one of Mexicos most powerful crime syndicates allied with corrupted authorities, terrorized the region, sweeping up anyone who shared the ill-fated names, and anyone who worked for them or with them, abducting dozens of families while looting and destroying their homes.

Others among the missing were people who did not bear those family names, but who rented properties with these surnames quaintly featured by their door frames. Family employeesmaids, cooks, landscapers, and those tending to the ranches animalswere not spared. Nor were mere bystanders.

The missing became the massacred, but the Zetas did not find the two men they were looking for: Jose Luis Garza Gaytan and Hector Moreno Villanueva.

Those two Zeta underlings, whom the Zetas accused of stealing millions, had doomed hundreds who shared their last names to death, while retreating into the protective arms of the U.S. government as informants for the Drug Enforcement Agency of the United States, the DEA.

Moreno Villanueva, testifying at the 2013 Texas trial of Jose Trevino Morales, the brother of fearsome Zeta cartel leader Miguel Angel Trevino Morales, aka Z-40, said that he fled after catching word of the impending killing spree and Miguel Angels thirst for his blood. But prior to the manhunt, hed been trafficking 800 kilos of cocaine a month for the cartel, sending back $4 million in payment every 10 daysmoney that was partially laundered in an elaborate bi-national horse breeding, training, and racing scheme.

Moreno Villanueva, who cut a deal with prosecutors, was set to be sentenced this October, but sentencing has been postponed until next year.

***

The details of what happened to the townspeople in Coahuila state remained shrouded in secrecy until the government sent a bevy of more than 100 officials in early 2014 looking to follow the fading trail of cold evidence in the mass disappearance and subsequent massacre. The investigators came ludicrously late, but  even years later  proof of the horrific crimes was everywhere.

Investigative journalist Diego Enrique Osorno travelled to Coahuila in 2014, trailing the officials who worked on behalf of a special sub-prosecutor tasked with searching for missing persons, to witness the authorities first attempt at investigating the gruesome 2011 killing spree.

The officials inspected dozens of properties in late January of that year. As Osorno wrote, they were armed to the teeth yet still timid, familiar as they were with the ferocity of the powerful Zetas. They were, after all, on their turf, and, like the townspeople, vulnerable to the cartels whims.

The journalist made his way through the town of Allende reviewing evidence of the crimes he had heard about years before under the semblance of some, albeit meek, official protection. Even years later, in 2014, Osorno said, the brunt of the crime remained visible in the plain sight of everyone.

At the Allende plaza there was a mansion that had been demolished [by the cartel] that was just meters away from the municipal palace, he noted, referring to the former mayors office.

Another of the destroyed properties was across from the mayors residence. Scattered across the towns there were signs of the destruction, but still, the massacre was an open secretthe details of what occurred during the three day killing spree remained shrouded in secrecy.

Since that trip, Osorno has been following the case more closely than probably any other journalist or, unfortunately, any authority. The official body count remains tallied at less than 30 and only a few dozen have been counted among the missing, but journalists, politicians, and witnesses know that figure is ludicrously low.

Based on the dozens of interviews he has conducted with townspeople, surviving family members, officials, and witnesses, and based on numbers given to him anonymously by high-up authorities, Osornoand by proxy the rest of the countrynow knows an approximation of the real figure, which is on the order of 300.

***

The mayor of Allende in the Cinco Manantiales region of Coahuila said at the time of the slaughter that he was helpless to prevent the massacre. He said his hands were tied, so he stepped aside and let the Zetas and those they had corrupted do their bidding.

When Osorno attempted to interview the now-former mayor, years ago, the city father refused to speak and hung up the phone. Osorno went looking for the mayor, visited his home, but again he refused to speak.

***

On Thursday of last week, November 17, former mayor Sergio Lozano Rodriguez, who did nothing to warn the people of what was coming, finally was arrested at home. He is accused of allowing the incursion as well as ordering the police to stand down during the massacre.

In the spirit of never letting a good crisis go to waste, the former mayors opposing political party, the ruling PRI or Institutional Revolutionary Party, applauded his arrest in a statement calling him a key piece of the puzzle of what happened that spring.

But Lozanos party, the PAN or National Action Party, called the former mayor a scapegoat, adding that Lozano had attempted to warn authorities of what was occurring in Allende but was ignored.

Osorno, the journalist, says he knows without a shadow of a doubt that authorities in the towns that comprise Cinco Manantiales were active, not passive participants in the killing spree.

It wasnt just a simple omission. They did so much more than just allow it or fail to deter it, Osorno said in an interview with The Daily Beast. And the government has not yet taken action against the rest of the authorities who were involved at all levels.

Osorno called the mayors arrest a good start but said that this is barely scratching the surface. Authorities have yet to act on more than a dozen arrest warrants that have been issued, and most questions remain unanswered. To this day, there is no complete list of the hundreds who disappeared.

***

I first met Osorno in 2014, when I was asked to write the English version of his first account of the massacre after he returned from his evidentiary tour with the investigating team of officials.

Then, amidst the destruction, he had come upon discarded clothing and even an ID card belonging to a victim bearing the accursed Garza Garza last namein this case, just one of the doubly damned victims born to two parents named Garza.

Since writing that initial account, Osorno has returned to the towns of Cinco Manantialescomprised of Allende, Morelos, Nava, Villa Union and Zaragozaand the nearby affected towns of Piedras Negras and Acuna on multiple occasions to ask questions that may never produce answers.

This stronghold for the Zetas cartel has since seen its grip somewhat loosened, but it remains a region steeped in fear. The journalists extensive investigation will be published in upcoming months, but it is unlikely the story will be over.

The mayor of Allende, who refused to answer Osornos questions over the years, will now have to answer to the Mexican justice systeman oxymoron if there ever was onebut at least, unlike the massacred townspeople, he will not be answering to the Zeta cartel.

In just one example of the Zetas savagery and reign of terror, both before and after the massacre, at the July trial in San Antonio, Texas, for just one of the many cartel members who participated in the massacre, Marciano Millan Vasquez, United States Attorney Richard L. Durbin said that without mercy or compunction he brutally murdered anyone and everyone as it suited him and his cartel, at times inflicting the cruelest of pain.

This statement was made after it was revealed that among Millan Vasquezs many crimes, he used an axe to dismember a young girl in 2013 before incinerating her body parts in front of her parents. He then did the same to the girls mother, while her husband watched.

According to the DEA, this Zeta laughed as he butchered the mans family then ordered the man killed as well.

Those murdered in Allende and the neighboring towns did not meet an end any less gruesome.

***

The charred rubble of dozens of homes and businesses which the Zetas had brought down using sledgehammers, grenades, heavy machinery, and in at least one case a missile of some sort, led the authorities and Osorno to blackened oil drums, and piles of tires, and empty diesel cans.

If you are wondering how one goes about disappearing hundreds of people so they will never be found, these are the deadly ingredients the cartels use for their gruesome brew.

The improvised kitchens, as the clandestine death sites that dot northern border states and the country at large are known, are cheap, portable, and easily set up.One method employed by the Zetas involves dumping fuel into large, perforated metal vats of body parts, and setting them on fire, carefully replenishing the fuel until the body has been completely reduced. The smell, one cartel member testified, is just like roasted chicken. Or so he claimed.

The more effective and common method uses the same ingredients to light a fire under the industrial drums, which are then filled with bodies in combination with a caustic soda solutionmade with inexpensive lye, readily available at any hardware store for a few pesos a kiloused to dissolve the victims.

This concoction, after a few hours, becomes what is referred to as human pozole, resembling in a nauseating way the traditional Mexican pork and hominy stew.

This was the fate of hundreds of coahuilenses that spring, and thousands elsewhere in the country who have since fallen prey to the Zetas not so tender mercies.

Meanwhile, across the border in San Antonio, Texas, the two Zetas turned informants, who doomed hundreds of their neighbors to the most gruesome death, enjoy the comfort of the warm southern weather, and the promise of eventual freedom for telling their stories to the DEA.
Can President Obama appoint Merrick Garland to the Supreme Court now that the Senates term is ending? Should he?

The answer to the first question is yes: The constitution gives him that power. The answer to the second one is probably no, since doing so would accomplish very little.

But the question we should be asking is something else: whether the president should appoint the 59 candidates for federal judgeships whose nominations, like Garlands, have been left to languish. And to that question, I answer: absolutely.

Recess appointments are governed by Article II, Section 2 of the Constitution, which states, The President shall have Power to fill up all Vacancies that may happen during the Recess of the Senate. Such appointments are temporary; unless ratified by the Senate, they only last through the end of the next term. Back when the Senate would only meet for a few months during the year, the purpose of the clause was to allow presidents to temporarily fill vacancies without having to wait months for congressional approval.

Over the subsequent 200 years, however, presidents have exercised the clause thousands of times (PDF), even when recesses were relatively short, in part to circumvent the kind of stonewalling we saw during the Obama presidency: 103 federal judicial vacancies and hundreds of administrative vacancies are, as yet, unfilled. (Of the 103 judgeships, Obama has nominated 59 candidates; the remaining 44 do not have nominations pending.)

But then came the workaround: Senators began holding pro forma sessionsbasically, gavel-in, gavel-out, do nothing in betweento avoid being formally in recess. In the 2014 case of NLRB v. Canning (PDF), the Supreme Court ruled 9-0 that the practice was constitutional, and that pro forma sessions did, in fact, prevent President Obama from making recess appointments. Since then, the Senate has done exactly that, keeping itself in bogus sessions in order to avoid a formal recess.

At the same time, NLRB v. Canning also affirmed the longstanding practice that, when a recess does occur, presidents may fill vacancies no matter when they arose. (The four conservative justices, in dissent, argued that the recess clause should be read as narrowly as possible, and only permitting the president to fill vacancies that arose during a recess. But if that question were debated today, it would be decided 5-3 against that view, which goes against 200 years of accepted practice.)

In other words, if a recess does take place, President Obama has the power to make recess appointments that last for one year. And by definition, a recess must take place on Jan. 3, between the end of the 114th Congress and the beginning of the 115th. (It is undetermined whether an inter-session recess must be of a certain length or not, since the NLRB case had to do with recesses during sessions.)

So he can do it, but should he?

No. Unfortunately, appointing Judge Garland to the Supreme Court for one year would do more harm than good. Obviously, the American system of government will be under tremendous strain in the coming four years. The president-elect has already flouted conflict of interest rules, national security protocols, normal relations with the press, and even the White House itself, as he intends to work part time from home. And thats just in the last two weeks.

Yet appointing a Justice Garland would cause mainstream conservatives to delegitimize the Court precisely when it is most needed to defend civil liberties and the rule of law under President Trump. Though the inevitable legal challenge to a Garland appointment would most likely be rejected, it would still be filed and litigateda distraction at least, a constitutional crisis at most.

And for what? Over the short term, the ideological balance of the Court will barely shift, and because the Court expected itself to be shorthanded, it has thus far taken very few politically controversial cases this term. That will surely continue during Garlands tenure, as the Court will justifiably worry about the legitimacy of any decisions it makes.

Obviously, the Republican-led Senate would not ratify Garlands appointment, so he will serve for nine months, matter very little, and further strain our already stretched civic institutions. Its just not worth it.

When you consider those 59 judges, however, the calculus looks very different.

First, Obamas case for recess appointments is even stronger for district and appellate judges than with Garland. Independent observers have declared a judicial emergency, a precisely defined term indicating serious problems with the operation of the federal judiciary. While the Supreme Court has also been crippled by the Republicans inaction, the situation is even worse elsewhere. Dockets are overflowing, cases are backlogged, and the judiciary is unable to do its job because the Senate is playing politics.

Indeed, in the 114th Congress, the Senate has confirmed only 25 percent of judicial nominees; when Democrats controlled the Senate under President George W. Bush, the rate was 58 percent. In most cases, the nominees have not even been given hearings, let alone up-or-down votes. That is a compelling justification for recess appointments of these judges.

Second, the effect of these lower court appointments will be much greater than a single Supreme Court justice. Even if all of those judges are ultimately recalled, they will hear and decide hundreds, perhaps thousands, of federal cases in the meantime. Irrespective of partisan concerns, this will go a long way toward alleviating the backlog and enabling the federal judiciary to do its collective job.

Third, that job is about to get a lot harder. Expect tens of thousands of challenges to deportation orders, for a start, most of which will be low-profile, grinding cases that will heavily strain the justice system. Then there will be the high-profile challenges to the (hypothetical) Sessions-led Justice Department, the Kobach-led Homeland Security Department, and the Ebell-led Environmental Protection Agency. The courts, together with Senate Democrats, will be the last barrier between the Trump administration and millions of vulnerable people. And they will strain under the burden placed upon them.

Fourth, consider the optics. The Garland stonewall was an unprecedented travesty and violation of the Senators constitutional oaths. But lets face itDemocrats are now going to do the same thing: They will filibuster any ultra-conservative whom Trump nominates and try to force a compromise candidate. So far, none of Trumps funhouse of judicial radicals fits that bill. It would look more than a little hypocritical for President Obama to recess-appoint Garland and then have Senate Democrats filibuster the person Trump nominates replace him.

Fifth, to the extent this matters, filling these judicial vacancies can call some attention to the magnitude of the crisis, and will force Senate Republicans to effectively un-appoint 59 qualified judges in a time of judicial emergency. Of course, this will be just one more outrage to throw onto an overwhelming pile of them. But if the Trump administration does indeed cause a nationwide crisis in the area of civil liberties, this will force Senate Republicans to officially be part of the problem.

Finally, this doesnt have to be about politics. The Garland nomination is a political litmus test; recess-appointing him would be a kind of nuclear option. But these vacancies dont have that political toxicity to them. God help us, there might even be some consensus here: Its quite possible that some moderate Republicans will peel off, affirming some of Obamas more moderate picks in order to stanch the bleeding. This wont be much of a political victory for Democrats, and thats the point. If even a handful of recess-appointed judges survive 2017, that will be good news for the justice system, and for folks of all ideological persuasions.

Save our justice system, President Obama. It will be needed next year more than ever before. We need those 59 judges.
Love Drinks to distribute Four Pillars in UK

Australia based Four Pillars Gin has announced the appointment of Love Drinks as its UK-based importer and distributor.

Four Pillars has been distributed by Liberty Wines since May 2015 and co-founder Stuart Gregor thanked Liberty for establishing a strong foothold for the brand in Great Britain and Ireland.

Gregor says: We have had a terrific start to our sales life in the UK thanks to David Gleave and his team at Liberty and we want to thank them for all their efforts.

The time has come for us to work closely with a group like Love Drinks that is single-minded in its focus on great spirits, great relationships and growing high quality craft brands so we are delighted that weve been able to come to an agreement with Kirsty and her team.

We love their portfolio and weve been keeping a close eye on the success of our Aussie mate Mr Black and we hope we can really turn up the volume on our sales over the next few years.

Speaking about working with Four Pillars Gin and distributing throughout the UK, Kirsty Loveday, CEO and founder of Love Drinks says; When starting Love Drinks almost ten years ago, I wanted to work with brands that were credible, innovative, award-winning and authentic  oh, and they had to taste good too! Four Pillars has all of these elements in spades."

"As we all know, gin is an extremely crowded market, but at Love Drinks we are working with gins that have USPs that cut through the chatter of other gins; gins that have got a long-term plan and are investing in the UK market."

"Four Pillars Gin complements the fantastic heritage and classic Britishness of Haymans Gins with their new world innovation and modern Australian attitude."

"For starters they have this uncanny knack of creating simply world class gins; their Rare Dry and Navy Strength have won more gold medals combined than the Aussies did in Rio and the distillery continues to deliver serious new gins with a twist  their Bloody Shiraz Gin, a typically Australian riff on Sloe and the new Spiced Negroni Gin both show what they can do when let loose..."

"Their whole ethos, from the gins they make, to their host of activities at their distillery in Yarra Valley just makes me smile; they make marmalade from the oranges that go into the botanical basket and feed their own litter of rare breed pigs on the spent botanicals for goodness sake! We know that there will be a real appetite for Four Pillars Gin and were looking forward to working with the team.

The Rare Dry gin (41.8% ABV) is the cornerstone of Four Pillars' expanding portfolio of unique and at times idiosyncratic gins.

Sitting alongside the Rare Dry gin in the Four Pillars portfolio will be the Navy Strength, coming in at 58.8% ABV.

Also becoming available in the UK for the first time will be the Four Pillars Spiced Negroni Gin (43.8% ABV).

Four Pillars also has an Australian take on a Sloe Gin, called Bloody Shiraz Gin (37.8% ABV). In Australia, the entire production sold out in two months and some small quantities are arriving in the UK this November, with most already pre-sold.

Four Pillars will be joining the Love Drinks portfolio from December 1, 2016.

26 November 2016 - Sam Coyne The Drinks Report, editorial assistant
Donald Trump has a great plan to great jobs at home

Donald Trump seemingly has a great idea for creating jobs: If he manages to deport all the country's illegal aliens, it would create a huge number of job openings.

ERNEST ELMENDORF

Bryan

Expect Donald Trump to close America's porous borders

The debate about what to do about illegal immigrants in this country is truly perplexing. Our political leaders, from both sides of the aisle, are to blame for the mess we are in.

For years the borders have not been secured. George W. Bush wasn't serious about sealing the border. Barack Obama was serious about keeping it porous and letting untold numbers of undocumented foreigners into our country.

Cinthia Cruz told The Eagle that she was brought here as a child and is worried about being deported after being in this country 11 years. My question for Cruz: Have you made application for legal status? Yes, that pesky "illegal" immigration thing can be resolved by going "legal," but if you are denied legal status, you must leave. That is our law.

I really believe our country has sunk to new lows over the past two administrations.

Our nation was founded on a belief in laws to protect the citizens of this country. You may not like certain laws but as citizens we have choices. Demand that politicians change the law or abide by the law. It is as simple as that. Ignoring our system of laws undermines that belief system our Founding Fathers put forth and eventually will lead to the demise of our republic.

Donald Trump ran as a law-and-order hawk. He won the election and I expect his administration to take action to seal our borders and deal with those here illegally in the proper manner.

To quote Barack Obama, "Elections have consequences, and I won." You may not like Trump, but he is the next president of our country because he won.

DON CONNEALY

Bryan

Eagle letter writer thinks emotionally and not logically

As with most liberals, Danny Stone appears to think emotionally as opposed to logically. If the Electoral College was abolished, the entire country would be controlled by five or six states.

Thankfully the greater portion of emotional liberals are confined to the "left coast" and New York. Logic dictates that the entire country should be represented in elections and not just a few states that contain a large amount of the population.

If Stone is so concerned about how the election turned out, maybe he should consider moving to the "left coast" where he could feel comfortable with his emotional diatribe.

By the way, I wonder if he ever has seen conservatives rioting and acting like emotional fools and destroying their own neighborhoods. (Not counting the paid rioters who finally found a paying job).

JERRY LOVE

Bryan
Iowa among states benefiting in $11B settlement with retail pharmacies

CVS is expected to pay $5 billion over the next 10 years and Walgreens would provide $5.7 billion in payments over a 15-year period.
Evelyn A. Kosmicki, 88, of Grand Island, formerly of St. Paul, died Thursday, Nov. 24, 2016, at CHI Health St. Francis in Grand Island.

Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10:30 a.m. Monday at Sts. Peter & Paul Catholic Church in St. Paul. The Revs. Rayappa Konka, Mike McDermott and Ray Kosmicki will concelebrate the Mass. Burial will be in the Elmwood Cemetery in St. Paul.

Visitation will be from 4 to 6 p.m. Sunday at the church, with a vigil service at 6. Peters Funeral Home in St. Paul is assisting the family.

Mrs. Kosmicki was born Dec. 28, 1927, in a sod house on her parents farm near Rockville, the daughter of Joe and Annie (Rockowicz) Lubash. She was welcomed by a brother, Louie, and sister, Wanda. The doctor arrived on a nice sunny day, via horse and buggy.

Evelyn received her education at District 12; walking to school every day made the travel enjoyable for eight years.

Evelyn desired to further her education, but her assistance was needed to help the family persevere on their farm. This was a tough time for dry land farmers. Employment outside of the farm included providing child care to families in Boelus and Grand Island, waitressing at Wolbachs in Grand Island and then moving closer to home while working at Loup City as a clerk at the variety store.

Louis S. Kosmicki was the suitor who laid claim to her heart and the two were married on Jan. 31, 1949, in Loup City.

The newlyweds made their first home together on the Kosmicki family farm. Evelyn was the traditional farm wife, helping Louis in his endeavors. Evelyn contributed to the income with the raising of chickens, which produced egg sales, and dressing of these birds for numerous families.

Evelyn and Louis welcomed Patti, Don, Cindy and David to their family. Evelyn busied herself as a mom, a 4-H leader and a St. Francis parish volunteer.

Relocation to St. Paul and building a new home occurred in 1977. This move then evolved into part-time employment at the Howard County Hospital in the laundry area. This part-time job turned into a 20-year career.

Evelyn and Louis were active at the Sts. Peter and Paul Catholic Church. A quilting hobby was fulfilling now that time was more available with the kids grown. Many quilts were used as raffle prizes for the parish. On her own, Evelyn designed and sewed for all her children and grandchildren.

Louis died on Feb. 20, 1993, and Evelyn continued to live in St. Paul until January 2010. She then relocated to Grand Island to the Primrose Retirement Community. This provided easier access to children and grandchildren.

In 2013, a lifelong wish came to fruition in Evelyn earning her GED. Seventy-five years after having to forego high school, she was now making this dream a reality. Carrie Barber, the activities director at Primrose, made all the necessary arrangements. The study habits of Evelyn were an inspiration to her children. Sometimes phone calls would be cut short in the evenings with the statement, I need to study. A gathering and celebration of her graduation, complete with cap and gown, (Carrie again) was a day to be remembered.

She is survived by her children, Patti, and husband, Jerry Hirschman of Grand Island, widow of Don, daughter-in-law Sue, and husband, Craig Foss of Grand Island, Cindy and husband, Mike Costello of Lincoln, and David Kosmicki and wife, Glenna, of Chapman; 12 grandchildren, 28 great-grandchildren and a great-great-grandchild.

In addition to her husband, Louis, she was preceded in death by her parents; son, Don Kosmicki; brother, Louie; and sister, Wanda.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to Boys Town or St. Judes Childrens Hospital.

Please sign the guestbook for Evelyn by visiting www.petersfuneralhome.net.
This Thanksgiving season, as Ive been musing on the many reasons I have to give thanks, my mind flipped back to a meeting I had in 2000 in the Kremlin with a top Russian official.

Talking about Vladimir Putins plans for the presidency, the aide ticked off the number of major media outlets the Kremlin planned to seize from private owners, including national TV networks.

Would Putin countenance any independent news outlets, I asked? If we want any independent media, we will create it, he answered, a chilling glimpse into the Kremlins plan to control the national news.

Flash forward to the present. I am thankful I live in a country where the First Amendment guarantees press freedom, a country whose founding fathers considered a critical media to be essential. Despite the tensions between the president-elect and any media critics, it wouldnt be possible for Donald Trump to pull a Putin and seize the New York Times and CNN.

Yet, Trumps sensitivity to any perceived media slight, and his vendettas against journalists who write critical stories, promise trouble ahead.

Consider the experience of Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly, whom Trump targeted because she questioned him on his vulgar statements about women. The relentless campaign that Trump unleashed on me and Fox News to try to get coverage the way he liked it was unprecedented and potentially very dangerous, Kelly told the Times. That included pressure on her bosses and a retweet by a top Trump deputy that called for Trump to gut her  as well as nasty tweets from Trumps official account.

Trumps attacks spurred his fans to such vitriol, including death threats, that Kelly had to hire security guards, as she details in her new book, Settle for More. If Trump were to repeat the same behavior from the White House, Kelly says, it would be quite chilling for many reporters.

Yet we know that Trump views investigative stories about, say, his business interests, as a personal affront. Hes made this clear in angry meetings with media executives and his endless tweets attacking the Times.

And Trump has pledged to sue newspapers for critical articles, a pledge that flies in the face of First Amendment press freedom guarantees that were upheld by the unanimous 1964 Supreme Court decision New York Times v. Sullivan. In that ruling, the court stated that a plaintiff had to prove that news organizations knowingly published a falsehood or recklessly disregarded whether a claim was false or not.

That definition is far more applicable to Trumps five-year promotion of the birther lie that President Barack Obama was born in Kenya than it is to stories about Trump Universitys bilking of students. Yet Trump has appeared eager to shut such press investigations down.

During the campaign, candidate Trump pledged that he would open up those libel laws so when they write ... horrible and false articles we can sue them and win lots of money. In other words, the president-elect would like  if he can appoint justices who will concur  to intimidate potential critics with the fear of lengthy litigation.

That would put him in league foreign strongmen such as Putin and Turkeys Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who have perfected the art of silencing journalists through the courts  or even worse methods.

Turkey has a law that permits jailing journalists for insulting the president. The government has filed more than 2,000 of these cases since Erdogan became president in 2014, even extending them to posts on social media. In June, a court convicted a former Miss Turkey of insulting Erdogan by sharing a satirical poem about him on her Instagram account.

The Turkish leader publicly denounces individual journalists who write critical commentary, which often leads to their being fired. We have a president that regards every criticism as defamation. Effectively, half our lives are wasted in courtrooms, says Can Dundar, a well-known columnist who was charged with insulting the president.

A preview of whats ahead in the United States?

As for private media outlets that criticize the government, the Turkish government has targeted their owners with tax investigations and some have been forced to pay massive fines. (The government used the failed July coup attempt against Erdogan to launch more draconian attacks: shutting critical newspapers and arresting scores of journalists; Turkey leads the world in imprisoning journalists.)

Which brings me back to what I am thankful for at Thanksgiving.

I still believe Trumps efforts at media intimidation will backfire. I still believe Trump would find it embarrassing to be compared to strongmen such as Erdogan, who try to silence journalists, let alone to his pal Putin, under whom pesky journalists are beaten and murdered. And I know that journalists who believe in their profession wont back down.

So maybe Trumps tune will change in the White House. Maybe he meant it when, asked about his commitment to the First Amendment by Times staff Tuesday, he said: I think youll be OK.

Trump also said someone told him he might get sued a lot if he tried to soften up libel laws. That, he said, was something hed never considered. Maybe that prospect will persuade him to respect freedom of the press.
Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois (GSSI) 2016 Nut, Candy & Magazine (NCM) Program was a great success as 3,892 girls sold nearly $603,000 of the delicious nuts, candies and magazines. The following girls were the Top Sellers for their areas:

 Katelynn Norman from Bethalto was the Top Seller for the Bethalto area.

 Jayden Henschen from Hamel was the Top Seller for the Edwardsville/Glen Carbon area.

 Kaylee Kitchen from Troy was the Top Seller for the Troy/St. Jacob area.

Girls who participated in the NCM program benefit from learning by earning and developed five valuable life skills - goal setting, decision making, money management, people skills and business ethics. Proceeds for the NCM program help GSSI develop leadership programs for girls, recruit and train adult volunteers, improve and maintain camp properties and provide financial assistance so Girl Scouting is available to all girls.

One of the successful components of the NCM Program was the Gift of Caring option. Customers could purchase a can of Honey Roasted Peanuts that, instead of enjoying themselves, would be donated to US military troops. Through Gift of Caring, over 2,000 cans of Honey Roasted Peanuts were purchased for the military.

The success of the Nut, Candy & Magazine Program wouldnt be possible if it were not for the great work of our amazing girls, their supportive parents and our fantastic volunteers, said Kelly Jansen, GSSI Director of Product Program. Not only does this program generate proceeds to benefit Girl Scouts right here in southern Illinois, but it also allows girls to gain valuable skills that will last a lifetime, Jansen added.

The Girl Scout Mission: Girl Scouting builds girls of courage, confidence and character who make the world a better place. Todays Girl Scouts not only enjoy camping and crafts, but they also explore math and science, program robots and learn about diversity, good citizenship, leadership and teamwork.

GSSI serves approximately 13,000 girls and over 4,800 adult volunteers throughout southern Illinois. Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois is a Proud Partner of United Way and is a not-for-profit organization supported by various United Ways throughout the region.
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Linkedin Indra Budiari (The Jakarta Post) Dubai  Sat, November 26, 2016

When Ronald Hartono Wibowo first arrived in Dubai, UAE, for his job as a new member of Emirates cabin crew, he faced some challenges: living far away from his family, language and cultural barriers with his colleagues and adjusting to the life in the Middle East.

Now, 18 years later, Ronald is a leadership training specialist at the Emirates Cabin Crew Training Center and is married to a Filipino woman he met in Dubai.

I have to admit it was not easy at first. At Emirates, people speak English well, but I had never before heard the language in so many accents, Ronald told The Jakarta Post at the Emirates Cabin Crew Training Center recently.

He is among the first Emirates recruits who came from Indonesia and while being a flight attendant seems luxurious, he said the privilege came with the challenges. Cabin crew members must be able to maintain their emotions in every circumstance from serving a crowd of passengers in economy class to serving the fewer yet more detailed customers in first class.

I really miss Indonesia sometimes, but this job is my passion, he continued.

Emirates cabin crew members' careers begin with eight weeks of training at the training center, which include cabin service training, medical training, emergency procedures and duty free sales training. Afterwards, the new recruits will be ready to take their first flight in economy class and after 12 months of their career, they will be able to take a test to advance to business class and to the first class cabin in another 12 months.

Monica, another Emirates cabin crew member from Indonesia, said flying internationally almost every day also made her homesick every once in a while. However, as the airline has recently assigned her as a business class cabin crew member for the Jakarta-Dubai-Jakarta flight, she can see her hometown quite often, even if it is only for 24 hours at a time.

Becoming a cabin crew member for one of the largest airlines in the world was not an easy task for her. She worked as an accountant for three years before Emirates cabin crew recruitment caught her attention.

I always wanted to see the world. So, why not give it a try? she said. At first, she did not expect to be hired as the airline would only accept two out of more than 50 applicants in Jakarta.

But somehow I got accepted! I am really glad I took the chance, she said. (evi)
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Linkedin Fedina S. Sundaryani (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Fri, November 25 2016

PLN is eyeing a lead role in the 2,500 remote villages electrification program, a project initially aimed at the private sector.



The Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry is working on a ministerial regulation that would allow private companies to set up off-grid power plant projects in remote villages, 2,376 of which are located in Papua and West Papua.



Private investors taking part in the project will focus on developing renewable energy based electricity, providing grid capacity for mostly small power plants. They are allowed to sell the electricity directly to residents without having to go through PLN.



However, despite its past failures to provide electricity to remote areas on account of lack of infrastructure, high construction costs and limited capital, the company aims to complete the program in three years.



PLN corporate planning director Nicke Widyawati said the company was assessing the locations to be interconnected with PLNs existing networks (on-grid) and locations that would remain separated (off-grid) due to lack of infrastructure.



We have started assessing the locations in Papua. Once we receive a green light from the government through the impending regulation, we will immediately put the packages out to tender. The concepts will be similar to independent power producers [IPP], she said.



Based on the assessment, PLN will buy the electricity produced in villages that may be included in the existing network. Meanwhile, those that PLN finds completely separated from existing networks will be handed over to the government to be auctioned.



PLN will not be constructing the power plants exclusively because the government expects more private sector involvement in the project. This is why were trying to make these packages as enticing as possible for investors, she said.



The ministrys Director General for Electricity Jarman said the impending regulation would also allow provincial administration-owned companies to construct their own grids and sell electricity directly to locals. He cited provincial administation-owned firm Tuah Sekata, which has provided electricity for Pelalawan in Riau for the past decade.



This scheme will allow for swift development to increase our electrification ratio and procure electricity for unelectrified villages, this is why we need to take advantage of all sources. If PLN can do it alone, then that is good. However, dont just plan it, do it, Jarman said.



The ministry previously said total investment of Rp 156.02 billion (US$11.64 million) and annual operating fees of Rp 191.9 billion were needed to develop electricity infrastructure in Papua and West Papua.



According to Nicke, PLN has suggested this scheme to the government, and the electricity rates will be negotiated as they will vary from region to region since remote regions are likely to use expensive hybrid power systems.



A hybrid power system combines two or more modes of electricity production, usually involving at least one renewable energy source to ensure the village can maintain power 24 hours a day.



Nicke explained that although solar power plants functioned the best in the eastern part of Indonesia, they needed to be supported by gas-fueled or diesel-fueled power plants. She hopes the packages are prepared by the end of the year to allow the firm to put them out to tender at the beginning of next year.



Although Indonesia recorded an electrification ratio of 88 percent last December, it was heavily concentrated on Java Island, while eastern regions have remained in the dark. Lack of electricity in the regions has been mostly blamed on poor infrastructure, which contributes to high transportation costs.



PLN hopes all power plant projects it puts out to tender will be completed by 2019, as solar, gas and diesel power plants tend to take at least two years to complete.

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Linkedin Hans David Tampubolon (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sat, November 26 2016

Robert Zemeckis spy thriller Allied provides a thrilling, visually enchanting romance between two spies.

When you have to kill the love of your life and millions of others for the sake of your country, would you do it?



Max Vatan (Brad Pitt), a Canadian intelligence officer and pilot for the Canadian Royal Air Force, faces such a dilemma after completing an assignment in the midst of the escalating World War II.



The film opens with him parachuting into the Moroccan dessert. His mission is to assassinate a German ambassador with the help of a member of the French Resistance, Marianne Beausejour (Marion Cotillard). Going undercover as husband and wife, Max and Marianne successfully execute the mission despite having to go through several hurdles.



The tension and interaction between the two during the mission leads to real mutual affection and they decide to get married and live in London. A year after having their first child, Anna, Max couldnt be happier until he gets a call from his office. At that point, his world starts to crumble.



The British intelligence tells Max that Marianne might have been a double agent working for Germany and he is given three days to prove that she is not. Otherwise, he must kill her. If he refuses to kill his wife once she is proven guilty, the British intelligence will have them killed for the sake of the nation and the millions of men fighting on the front lines against Germany.



Whats really striking is the way Zemeckis and his team present the story of Max and Marianne, with an enchanting screenplay and visualizations.



All physical elements in Allied are definitely well researched and crafted to visualize how the world must have looked like during World War II.

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Linkedin (The Jakarta Post)  Sat, November 26 2016

THIS DECEMBER, W BALI SEMINYAK WILL PRESENT A TWIST ON WELL-KNOWN INDONESIAN AND JAPANESE FOODS

The W Bali Seminyaks Starfish Bloo restaurant is planning to launch an exciting new menu that is sure to please both fusion food and Asian food lovers alike this December, as the restaurants chef de cuisine, Ashley Garvey, will present the restaurants first-ever Japanese and Indonesian foods.



A sneak peek at the December menu was given at a media luncheon session hosted by the restaurant on Nov. 15. The menu includes appetizers, main courses and desserts for a well-rounded, memorable dining experience.



First of all, get your mood started with the appetizers. They are crackers with Indonesian sambal (chilli sauce); tuna served with ginger-soy and caviar; as well as Hamachi, which consists of Japanese shallot dressing, local herbs and seaweed croutons.



The main course offering comprises tempura prawn with yuzu espuma, sesame and spring onion as ingredients; slipper lobster rujak containing tamarind, jicama and pineapple; as well as Balinese spiced tempe featuring pickled cauliflower, cherry tomato and laksa leaf.



Last but not least, the dessert. After relishing in one of the well-served main courses, conclude your lunchtime by delighting in Indonesian yellow curry with coral trout and kemangi leaf; wagyu rendang buns with coconut and pickled cucumber, steamed coconut rice and green bean salad; a pistachio panna cotta containing salted caramel popcorn and cardamom gastrique; as well as jackfruit containing walnut and passionfruit gel.

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Linkedin Haryo Budi Nugroho (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sat, November 26 2016

After the USS Decatur navigated through the Paracel Islands on Oct. 21, the Chinese Ministry of National Defense stated that the United States warship had entered Chinese territorial waters without authorization  a serious violation and intentional provocation according to China.

Although the US Navy claimed that the USS Decatur navigated outside the territorial sea limit of 12 nautical miles from each of the Paracel features, the Chinese claim the baseline surrounding the Paracel as a whole. A claim squarely rejected by the arbitral tribunal.

Indeed, it was not the first time the US has conducted its Freedom of Navigation Program in the South China Sea. Overall, China has persistently protested the program and considers freedom of navigation a threat to its security.

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Linkedin Dylan Amirio (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sat, November 26, 2016

Like thousands of other people, Makassar native Sigit Fadholika did not want to miss the once-in-a-year chance of seeking out lucrative franchising opportunities from food and beverages to health care in Indonesias capital.

Soon after flying in to Jakarta from his hometown, the 27-year old part-time app developer found himself trawling through the booths at the Jakarta Convention Center, where hundreds of franchisors were showcasing their businesses.

Sigit said he was eying a franchise with a competitive edge, which he views as a brand that is not yet widespread. One day he wants to set up his own business in Jakarta.

Im inspired by the restaurants and cafes I visit in Jakarta and Makassar, so I am thinking about becoming a culinary-based franchisee as a way to starting a business after I finish my studies, said Sigit, a student from Hasanuddin University in South Sulawesis capital, during his stroll at the expo on Friday.

For aspiring entrepreneurs like Sigit, franchising can be the best option, as they can share in the success of a well-established business.

The business model has been booming over the past few years in Indonesia, a country that is home to more than 250 million people with a rising number of middle-class consumers and increasing purchasing power.

There were at least 698 franchise businesses nationwide operating a total of 24,400 branches as of 2014, according to the latest data from the International Franchise Association (AFI). These businesses generated overall annual revenue of some Rp 172 trillion (US$12.7 billion), with the food and beverage sector seeing most of the action.

President Joko Jokowi Widodo has highlighted the compatibility of this business model with the domestic market.

Indonesia is a vast country with 516 major cities and 34 provinces. That in itself shows that the dynamics and development of the franchise business are massive. Our culture already revolves around the presence of warung [kiosks] everywhere, so I think this approach will also appeal to the public, Jokowi said on Friday at the opening of the Indonesia Franchise and SME Expo, which hopes to draw 15,000 visitors this year.

However, the President also noted the need for local franchise businesses to expand in the region, citing as a success story popular restaurant business Es Teler 77, which runs operations in neighboring countries like Malaysia, Singapore and Australia.

Apart from Es Teler 77, other brands, namely Sundanese restaurant Bumbu Desa and retail minimarket chain Alfamart, have helped spread Indonesian franchise influence overseas.

Creating a more conducive business climate for franchise businesses required government facilitation, AFI chairman Anang Sukandar said. He added that he expected the Trade Ministry to soon finalize a road map for franchise businesses that would clearly lay out business requirement and a code of ethics recognized by the government.

While spreading ones wings overseas is not an easy task, Indonesian franchise businesses can certainly pin their hopes on the domestic market, given that the huge potential is particularly in smaller cities and less-densely populated regions outside of Java.

Everyone wants to be healthy, thats why we are surviving! Our situation as Indonesias largest pharmacy franchise and our success is assured by the fact that people everywhere, no matter how remote, need access to medicine, said Gideon Hartono, the president director of Apotek K-24.

K-24, reportedly the first Indonesian-born pharmaceutical franchise operating in Indonesia, now runs 360 outlets nationwide. The firm plans to add 160 stores next year.
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Linkedin Nick Wailes (The Jakarta Post) Sydney  Sat, November 26 2016

The case of Indonesias ridesharing startup, Go-Jek, and its success against Uber in the Indonesian market suggests that there might be limits to Silicon Valleys quest for global domination of the sharing economy.

It also underscores the continued importance of adjusting your business model to local market conditions even in a digital era. It is this understanding of emerging markets that will position Indonesias new generation of entrepreneurs and startups to succeed not only in their local market but in the rapidly growing emerging markets in the ASEAN region.

In his classic work, Strategy and Structure, business historian Alfred D. Chandler traced the rapid growth of large US corporations such as DuPont, General Motors and Sears Roebuck in the early part of the 20th century.

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Linkedin Nani Afrida (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sat, November 26, 2016

Starting in 2017, state-owned aircraft manufacture PT Dirgantara Indonesia (DI) will maintain Saudi Arabian military helicopters and aircraft.

We are still processing the contract, Brig. Gen Jan Pieter Ate, the Defense Ministrys director of the defense industry and technology, told The Jakarta Post on Friday.

Jan said DI was among defense companies in Indonesia ready to offer maintenance services for foreign military helicopters and airplanes.

We have a good track record in cooperation with Airbus and the ability to produce aircraft for foreign countries, he said.

DI previously provided maintenance services for Columbian and Panamanian aircraft. (evi)
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Linkedin Prima Wirayani (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sat, November 26, 2016

State-owned lender Bank Mandiri expects to see its microloan sector grow faster than its overall credit growth for 2017 as it seeks to tap into the wider microloan market.

Mandiri  which is the largest bank by assets  has set its microloan growth target at 15 to 20 percent next year, exceeding its 11 to 13 percent target band for total loans.

If realized, Mandiri will see its outstanding microloans exceed Rp 58 trillion (US$4.27 billion)

Bank Mandiri retail banking director Tardi said it would push for higher disbursement of the government-backed microloan program (KUR), which accounted for more than 20 percent of its microloan portfolio as of September.

We will push KUR disbursement to low-income people, such as farmers and fishermen, in line with the governments instruction, he said on Friday.

Risk in that segment is higher [compared to other segments], so we are preparing ourselves and are looking to mitigate the risk by using the plasma core concept.

According to the concept, Mandiri will look for the loan customers off takers, who will buy the end products, to ensure the sustainability of their businesses and reduce risks.

Mandiri is tasked with disbursing Rp 13 trillion-worth of KUR this year and has channeled around Rp 10 trillion as of September.

In addition to expanding the KUR, the publicly listed lender hopes to boost its multipurpose loan segment as well.

At present, Mandiris microloan portfolio is still dominated by the commercial and productive loan segment at 70 percent, followed by the multipurpose segment with 30 percent.

Most of the productive loans are disbursed to farmers, small-scale retailers and fishermen, among other customers, while the multipurpose ones are channeled to civil servants and private employees.

It [the multipurpose loan] is actually a productive loan as well because civil servants, private employees, police and military personnel who apply for the loans use them in productive activities, such as to establish kiosks or lodges, or renovate their houses instead of just wasting the money, Tardi said. The strategy is expected to enlarge the proportion of the multipurpose segment to 40 percent.

Mandiri already disbursed Rp 46.7 trillion-worth of microloans in the first nine months of the year, more than 90 percent of its full-year target.

Meanwhile, in an effort to secure its microloan quality, Mandiri inked an agreement with state-owned loan insurer Asuransi Kredit Indonesia (Askrindo) that paves the way for Askrindo to guarantee Mandiris multipurpose loans should they go into default.

Bank Mandiri wants to share the risks with other insurers and has cooperated with 15 other insurance firms so far, Bank Mandiri distribution director Hery Gunardi said.

Askrindo president director Budi Tjahjono said his firm would prudently manage its risks for the benefit of both parties.

Data from Mandiri show that the non-performing loan (NPL) ratio, the ratio of bad debts, stood at 4 percent and the lender is seeking to maintain it at the same level in 2017, below the 5 percent benchmark set by the banking authority.

According to its financial report, its overall gross NPL ratio reached 3.8 percent as of September and the net ratio stood at 1.3 percent.
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Linkedin (The Jakarta Post)  Sat, November 26 2016

Member countries of MIKTA pledged on Friday to support United Nations peacekeeping operations as part of their commitment to maintain global peace and security.

The joint communique produced by MIKTA  consisting of Mexico, Indonesia, South Korea, Turkey and Australia  also emphasized its commitment to actively contribute to solving global challenges, including radicalism and terrorism, climate change and sustainable development.

MIKTA should make a real contribution to maintaining peace, security and stability in the world, including the United Nations peacekeeping operations, Foreign Minister Retno LP Marsudi said, according to a statement sent by the Foreign Ministry from Sydney, Australia.

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Linkedin Tama Salim and Agnes Anya (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sat, November 26, 2016

Indonesia has no plans to call an emergency meeting of ASEAN member states following a UN statement accusing Myanmar of seeking the ethnic cleansing of Rohingyas from its territory.

The statement came from John McKissick of the UN refugee agency, who is based in the Bangladeshi border town of Coxs Bazar.

McKissick told the BBC that Myanmar troops were killing men, shooting them, slaughtering children, raping women, burning and looting houses, forcing these people to cross the river into Bangladesh.

The Rohingyas, who number about 1 million, are seen by many of Myanmars Buddhist majority as illegal migrants from Bangladesh.

However, Indonesian Ambassador to ASEAN Rahmat Pramono said Friday that the ethnic cleansing comment was not entirely accurate, as it largely discounted hurdles the Myanmar government currently faced.

He said ASEAN had always championed dialogue as a means of resolving the issue, and such efforts were ongoing.

When asked if there was a plan for ASEAN to convene in response to the UN statement, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Arrmanatha Nasir simply said no and instead questioned the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)s comments.

Dina Wisnu, the Indonesian Representative to the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR), said she was watching intensively and had started communication with relevant actors at home and in AICHR on the matter.

She acknowledged there was a need to question the statement. In [the] AICHR mandate, we can ask for information when something important like this comes up, she told The Jakarta Post on Friday.

Meanwhile, experts said ASEAN would continue to seek informal ways to address the situation in Rakhine, saying it was unlikely the bloc would depart from its non-interference policy that restricts member states from meddling in others affairs.

ASEAN is ill-equipped to respond as its adoption of the UN Declaration of Human Rights offers a caveat that its implementation depends on the socio-cultural context of the country in question.

We have to admit that in terms of human rights, [ASEAN] is spineless, said Evi Fitriani, a senior international relations expert from the University of Indonesia (UI).

She said there was still a humanitarian imperative for ASEAN to act on the recent incidents in Rakhine, albeit without the shrill tone of megaphone diplomacy.

We cannot decry Myanmar like a UNHCR representative in Bangladesh, who may be used to the Anglo-Saxon approach, said Evi, who heads UIs international relations department.

It definitely doesnt work and it doesnt help. We dont embarrass [other countries], thats counterproductive.

Instead, she urged ASEAN stakeholders to take a more personal approach in handling the matter.

The head of the Habibie Centers ASEAN Studies Program, Ibrahim Almuttaqi, conveyed similar thoughts, saying that while there was cause for alarm, the situation must be handled with cool heads.

The plight of the Rohingyas should be an issue of concern for ASEAN, as Myanmars counterinsurgency operations have created an influx of displaced people and might have propelled the radicalization of stateless Rohingya Muslims pushed beyond desperation, he said.

On Monday, the ministrys director general for Asia-Pacific and African affairs, Desra Percaya, spoke with Myanmar Ambassador U Aung Htoo to express concern over the latest security situation in Rakhine state.

The violence in Rakhine has caught the attention of Indonesian civil society, as roughly 500 people from various Islamic groups staged a rally in front of the Myanmar Embassy in Central Jakarta on Friday.

The protesters demanded that Naypyidaw stop killing the long-persecuted minority and urged Indonesia to cut ties with Myanmar.

At the same time, the London-based Burma Human Rights Network sent Kyaw Win to the region to spread the word on violence committed by the Myanmar security forces after Rakhine was put under lockdown.
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Linkedin Moses Ompusunggu (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sat, November 26, 2016

In a surprise move, the Cultural and Education Ministry has decided to impose a moratorium on national examinations at all educational levels starting next year.

Cultural and Education Minister Muhadjir Effendy said on Friday that the move to suspend the controversial exams was aimed at implementing what was stipulated in President Joko Jokowi Widodos Nawacita, his nine-point agenda, that the exams would not be used as a gauge for measuring the national education system.

Muhadjir said Jokowi had agreed to the suspension, which would come into force after the President issues a presidential instruction on the matter.

Muhadjir, who took up his current position following a Cabinet shake-up in July, said that, if the ministry decided to implement another kind of exam in the future, it would likely be managed by regional administrations instead of the central government.

Currently, senior and vocational high school exams are managed by the provinces, while elementary and junior high school exams are overseen by regencies and municipalities.

In the future the government will still play an important part in controlling the implementation [of the exams] through the BNSP [National Education Standardization Body], Muhadjir told reporters on the sidelines of the 2017 National Teachers Day commemoration at his office in South Jakarta on Friday.

The national exams are held annually across the country for all educational levels.

Though the plan to scrap the exams was broached in 2014  the time when Jokowi introduced his Nawacita program on his campaign trail prior to assuming the presidency  Muhadjirs predecessor Anies Baswedan still held them in order to map out the quality of schools nationwide, but no longer to determine whether a student graduated or not.

During the term of Anies, who is currently standing in the Jakarta gubernatorial election, the ministry introduced a policy in which the senior high school exam score was the basis for entering state universities, along with school academic reports and entrance tests, and implemented a computer-based exam aimed at eradicating old problems, such as leaks and the wrong distribution of answer sheets, as well as rampant cheating among students.

But surveys revealed that, though the national exams were no longer the single factor determining whether students graduated, individual cheating still marred the implementation of the computer-based test.

Anies said in May that such practices were still rampant, because many school principals continued to provide students with the answer keys, a hangover from when the exams determined student graduation.

The ministrys education evaluation center head, Nizam, said the decision to impose a national exams moratorium was based on what he described as a thorough evaluation carried out to determine the quality of schools nationwide, through which the ministry found out only 30 percent of schools met the standards.

After conducting the evaluation, we concluded that this [national exam moratorium] is the best option, Nizam told The Jakarta Post, adding that the decision was also intended to respond to the Supreme Courts 2009 cassation ruling.

The cassation verdict ruled that the government had to first improve the quality of education across the country before implementing the exams again.

Then-education minister Muhammad Nuh, however, decided to retain the national exams, saying that they were the only appropriate means of educational assessment.

Education expert Itje Chodijah hailed the governments move to impose the exam moratorium, saying it should lead teachers to become more creative in designing methods of evaluation other than the national exams.

Now that the government has decided to suspend the exams, it has to improve the other facets of the countrys educational standards, such as facilities and teacher quality, Itje added.
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Linkedin Callistasia Anggun Wijaya and Agnes Anya (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sat, November 26, 2016

The National Police have kept their word to swiftly conclude their investigation into blasphemy allegations against Jakarta Governor Basuki Ahok Tjahaja Purnama as conservative Muslim groups plan another large-scale rally to demand the governor be arrested.

It is likely that the governor, who is seeking another term in the Feb. 15 election, will stand trial before election day.

The police officially handed over Ahoks case dossier to prosecutors at the Attorney Generals Office (AGO) in Kebayoran Baru, South Jakarta, on Friday, less than two weeks after the governor was charged with blasphemy.

We have completed our investigation and have finished the governors case dossier. We handed over the dossier to the AGO, which has shown its readiness to handle sensitive cases like this, National Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Rikwanto said.

The 826-page case dossier includes a list of 16 pieces of evidence, including the polices investigation report on a video of Ahoks allegedly blasphemous statement in Thousand Islands on Sept. 27.

The dossier also contains statements from 12 people who have denounced Ahok, five of their eyewitnesses, 12 experts, as well as six witnesses and six other experts presented by Ahok during interrogations, in addition to Ahok himself.

The AGO hinted that Ahok might stand trial in the next few weeks.

Considering their comprehensive investigation, including the organizing of a case screening, we believe the police have worked optimally to handle this case, AGO junior prosecutor for general crimes, Noor Rahmad said.It is likely it wont take too long for us to examine this case, he added.

Noor said prosecutors would directly examine whether Ahoks alleged blasphemy fulfilled all requirements set out in the Criminal Law Procedures Code (KUHAP). Once the case dossier examination was finished, he said, the AGO would immediately declare it P-21, meaning complete, although according to the KUHAP, prosecutors have 14 days to respond to a case dossier.

Noor further explained that he had appointed 10 prosecutors from his office, two prosecutors from the Jakarta Prosecutors Office and one prosecutor from the North Jakarta Prosecutors Office to examine the case.

The law enforcers have been facing strong public pressure to conclude Ahoks case following a large-scale rally in the capital on Nov. 4, which saw more than 100,000 protesters calling for the prosecution of the governor.

The blasphemy controversy became a national issue following allegations that political actors had been using anti-Ahok sentiment to oust President Joko Jokowi Widodo, known to an ally of Ahok.

Jokowi has been scrambling to keep the situation under control by meeting Muslim leaders and visiting the headquarters of the nations armed forces.

He has also promised that he would not protect Ahok and would let law enforcers do their job.

But several hard-line Islamic groups are still not satisfied with the polices laying of the blasphemy charges and demand that he be detained. They initially planned to hold a major rally on Nov. 25, but then postponed it to Dec. 2.

Ahoks lawyer, Sirra Prayuna, declined to comment on the prospect of Ahok standing trial before election day, saying the AGO had not yet declared the dossier complete.

On the day the police named him a blasphemy suspect, Ahok expressed hope that his case would be brought to court soon.

I hope this case can be immediately processed so people can witness a live trial [via television]. I believe Im not guilty, he said.
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Linkedin Callistasia Anggun Wijaya and Agnes Anya (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sat, November 26 2016

The National Police have kept their word to swiftly conclude their investigation into blasphemy allegations against Jakarta Governor Basuki Ahok Tjahaja Purnama as conservative Muslim groups plan another large-scale rally to demand the governor be arrested.

It is likely that the governor, who is seeking another term in the Feb. 15 election, will stand trial before election day.

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Linkedin Arya Dipa and Nani Afrida (The Jakarta Post) Bandung/Jakarta  Sat, November 26 2016

State-owned aircraft manufacturer PT Dirgantara Indonesia (DI) has struck aircraft maintenance deals with Thailand and Saudi Arabia.

PT DI commerce and restructuring director Budiman Saleh said the business-to-business deal with state-owned firm Thai Aviation Industry Co., Ltd. included sales, modification and maintenance of various aircraft types.

The firm started with maintenance of aircraft such as Bell and Sikorsky [helicopters] and CN235 and CN212 [transport aircraft] owned by the Agriculture and Cooperatives Ministry, he said. It has then gone into aircraft purchasing and selling to the Royal Thai Police.

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Linkedin Apriadi Gunawan (The Jakarta Post) Medan  Sat, November 26 2016

Sofih Alam, an undocumented Rohingya migrant, has been waiting for over five years for transfer to his dream destination: Australia.

But while waiting for the transfer, Alams agony intensified after being informed that a group of fellow Rohingya, recently washed ashore in Aceh, would probably enjoy the privilege of relocating to the United States without much hassle.

Alam said he was interviewed by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Medan, North Sumatra, and promised to be placed in Australia five years ago. However, he has yet to receive confirmation regarding the placement.

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Linkedin Suherdjoko (The Jakarta Post) Semarang  Sat, November 26 2016

The Public Works and Public Housing Ministry has completed the construction of a prototype floating house in Semarang, Central Java - the first such home in Indonesia.

The house, built in a swampy area of Tambak Lorok in North Semarang district, serves as a prototype for house construction in areas prone to tidal flooding.

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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sat, November 26, 2016

A Burmese and Muslim human rights advocate, Kyaw Win, has called on Indonesian Muslims to stop spreading hatred against Burmese Buddhists, arguing that it only fuels the escalating tension and further endangers Muslims in the country.

Burma Human Rights Network (BHRN) executive director Kyaw Win told The Jakarta Post on Friday that the use of hateful language conveyed the wrong message and incited negative reactions in Myanmar, as it provided sound-bytes for Buddhist extremists to use to justify the killing of Muslims in the country.

We suffered a lot from this, he said, referring to a viral social media post shared by Indonesian users that called for the killing of Buddhists.

People don't realize how bad the consequences are in Burma. If you want to help us, please help us properly, he added.

Muslims in Indonesia, the worlds largest Muslim-majority country, have expressed their concerns over the devastating conflict in the Rakhine state, where Muslims, including women, children and elders, have been killed.

Separately, a number of Muslim organizations staged a peaceful rally in front of the Myanmar Embassy in Gondangdia, Menteng, Central Jakarta, demanding that the country's representatives urge their government to stop the alleged mass killings and persistent oppression against members of the Rohingya Muslim minority.

They also demanded the Indonesian government to press the Myanmar government to stop what they called genocide against the Rohingya Muslim minority.

Kyaw Win said that such action to pressure the government to address the issue was the solution expected by the Muslims in Myanmar, which make up around four percent of the Buddhist-majority country's total population. (fac/evi)
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Linkedin (The Jakarta Post)  Sat, November 26 2016

ANVAYA BEACH RESORT OPENS IN BALI

Kuta, Bali



Santika Indonesia Hotels and Resorts recently held the grand opening of its five-star Anvaya Beach Resort Bali, the 95th hotel to be welcomed to its portfolio.



This Nov. 11 event was marked by a traditional nasi tumpeng (rice cake) cutting ceremony that featured the presence of distinguished guests from Santika Indonesias holding company, Kompas Gramedia, as well as from PT Grahawita Santika and the government.



Set on approximately four hectares of land, the hotel consists of 495 rooms, two dining venues and facilities such as a well-stocked wine cellar, a swimming pool, a Kids Club, a spa, meeting rooms, an in-house fitness room and a state-of-the-art ballroom.



For more information about the hotel, visit www.theanvayabali.com.

AMUZ GOURMET RESTAURANT WINS 5 HAPA AWARDS

Sudirman Central Business District, South Jakarta



Ever since it was established in September 2010, the Amuz Gourmet Restaurant in South Jakarta has won countless international awards for its fine dining.



Its most recent was at the Hospitality Asia Platinum Awards (HAPA), which presented the restaurant with five awards during its HAPA Regional 2016-2018 awards presentation and gala masquerade night earlier this month.



The restaurant and its chef, Gilles Marx, won awards for Best Western Cuisine, Best Western Chef, Icon of the Year, King of Kitchen and Best Independent Restaurant of the Year.



Other awards it has won in the past include Tattler Indonesias category for Best Restaurant from 2011 to 2016 and the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence for those same years.

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Linkedin Lynda Ibrahim (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sat, November 26 2016

My last column talked about how Donald Trumps United States presidential election win further pushed the world that was already leaning right. Depressing is the word muttered openly among friends and a pal quietly told me of having returned to using anti-depressants in the following days.

I decided to travel with a colleague-turned-friend whose career potential had already been jeopardized by Brexit. We figured wed see the world before it goes unceremoniously down the drain. My friend had never been to Vietnam ,and I only had a four-hour stopover in Saigon from Siem Reap years ago, so we decided to give Vietnam a go. It turned out to be quite a trip.

The mix of Chinese heritage, French colonial history, US-Vietnam War and globalization feed into the melange that is the present Vietnam. Its history alone seems filled with endless fighting against occupations  kicking the Chinese back up the Mekong River after a millennium, pushing the French out after a century and sending the Americans packing after more than a decade. Not that all their footprints dont linger to this day!

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Linkedin (The Jakarta Post)  Sat, November 26 2016

Full-day School is a concept that has been brought up a few times in the past. However, it is a goal that is still very hard to actually implement in Indonesia.

With full-day school, students, after finishing their lessons, will engage in extracurricular activities or do their homework until the evening, when they go home. However, this idea has prompted more negative than positive reactions.

First, the Culture and Education Ministry needs to remember that the quality of schools across Indonesia is uneven. Schools in capital cities will surely be better than those in remote regions. Some schools in outlying areas dont even have proper buildings, forcing students to attend classes outdoors.

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Walking tours to see graffiti and large-scale murals dont just have to be something to do with a few spare hours in a city, but a very valid reason to go there in the first place.

From spotting famous Banksys to the work by Jeff Siti and Edgar Saner, street art tourism is big right now.

Weve gathered our favourite cities around the world to find the best of it.

1. Lisbon

Artists from all over the world come to the Portuguese capital to create cutting-edge street art and the volume of it is really noticeable. Its everywhere  covering buildings, boards that are being erected, even the trams (an iconic feature of the city) are covered in graffiti. To learn about the history and context, the Lisbon Street Art Tour is a good start. In 2010 the Crono Project invited international artists to collaborate with Portuguese artists and the works can be found on Avenida Fontes Pereira de Melo in the north of Lisbon.

2. New York

The Big Apple has always been famous for aerosol artists and the street art comes and goes in the fast-paced cultural hub. Its worth visiting the 100 Gates Project in the lower east side of Manhattan. Its aim was to turn the neighbourhood into an open-air gallery that would come alive at night once businesses had closed their shutters and gates.

3. Melbourne

Australias most arty city Melbourne is home to tons of amazing art, in the centre and the suburbs. Legal street art is huge here and the city is like a living (free) art exhibition. Youll find well-known local artists work like Kaff-eine, Rone and Meggs.

4. Perth

Perhaps more surprisingly, Perth in western Australia has an expanding street art collection too. Streets of Perth Facebook page turned website and interactive map is a good tool if youre roaming the city looking for urban art.

5. Mexico City

There are plenty of surfaces for legal and illegal graffiti and paintings in a city this dense. Mexico City is a cultural mecca and it shows in the art that plasters the buildings. If you go, check out Edgar Saners work, one of Mexicos most prolific street artists. Streetartchilango.com is creating a virtual collection of the citys masterpieces.

6. Berlin

Public art is everywhere in Berlin. Sides of houses, bridges, doorways, Berliners take great pride in the inspiring cityscape street art creates. Schoneberg is a good area to head to if you want a dense concentration of street art. Artists like El Bocho, Evol and XOOOOX live and work here and a network called Urban Nation regularly brings national and international artists, like Jeff Siti and Dab Witz, to the city.

7. Valparaiso

The bustling hillside port of Valparaiso in Chile is known for its colourful buildings and artistic influence. Its one of the graffiti capitals of South America and the local government support and promote local street art. There are several well-organised art tours, but the one of the best places to find it is Templeman Street on Cerro Alegre. The open air museum in Bellavista is another must do. The project began in 1969 in a bid to upgrade that part of the city but it was abandoned between 1973 and 1990 due to the dictatorship of Pinochet. Then, in 1992, more than 70 artists came together to bring the project back to life.

8. Bristol

We couldnt miss out the home of the elusive Banksy. In a city proud of its resident mystery street artist, there are original Banksys everywhere  which you can see on a walking tour, or you know, just when you pop out for milk.
Believing in Father Christmas was a central part of most of our childhoods, with our parents going to often elaborate lengths to make us believe in the magic. But now, they are being told to give it up.

Spinning stories about Santa risks undermining a childs trust and is morally suspect, according to two experts.

Psychologist Professor Christopher Boyle and social scientist Dr Kathy McKay also condemn the idea of a terrifying North Pole intelligence agency which judges children to be nice or naughty. Well, when you put it like that

(Victoria Jones/PA)

Writing in the respected journal The Lancet Psychiatry, they argue: If they (parents) are capable of lying about something so special and magical, can they be relied upon to continue as the guardians of wisdom and truth?

In addition, they suggest parents may not be motivated by thoughts of their children but a selfish desire to relive their own childhood. Cold.

Defending the claims, Boyle, from the University of Exeter, said: The morality of making children believe in such myths has to be questioned.

(Anthony Devlin/PA)

All children will eventually find out theyve been consistently lied to for years, and this might make them wonder what other lies theyve been told.

Whether its right to make children believe in Father Christmas is an interesting question, and its also interesting to ask whether lying in this way will affect children in ways that have not been considered.

McKay, from the University of New England in Australia, said there was clear evidence from the world of make-believe in films and TV that adults looked for a chance to be children again.

(Anthony Devlin/PA)

The persistence of fandom in stories like Harry Potter, Star Wars and Doctor Who well into adulthood demonstrates this desire to briefly re-enter childhood, she said.

In an article entitled A Wonderful Lie, the authors write: Perhaps the biggest moral breach of the Christmas lie comes with the fact that one day, the truth comes out.

Children must all find out eventually that their parents have blatantly and consistently carried on a lie for a number of years. Children may find out from a third party, or through their parents getting bored of the make-believe and making a mistake; both might affect the trust that exists between child and parent.

(Stephen Pond/EMPICS Sport)

If adults have been lying about Santa, even though it has usually been well intentioned, what else is a lie? If Santa isnt real, are fairies real? Is magic? Is God?

They conclude: Many people may yearn for a time when imagination was accepted and encouraged, which may not be the case in adult life. Might it be the case that the harshness of real life requires the creation of something better, something to believe in, something to hope for in the future or to return to a long-lost childhood a long time ago in a galaxy far far away?
Bangladesh siege cafe to become family home

BANGLADESH: The owner of a Bangladeshi restaurant where Islamist extremists killed 22 hostages, mostly foreigners, has said that he will turn the building into a home for his family and reopen the eatery elsewhere.

crimedeathmurderreligionviolence

By AFP

Saturday 26 November 2016, 10:00AM

A British national and a student at a Canadian university were arrested on suspicion of involvement in the deadly siege at a cafe in Bangladesh. Photo: AFP

Police have handed the Holey Artisan Bakery back to its owners after completing a four-month investigation into the siege by extremists linked to the Islamic State group.

Police have handed over the place to us. Theyve cleaned up the debris. Were now going to turn it into a residential home where well live, owner Sadat Mehdi said.

Mehdi, who lost five friends in the attack, said he wanted to send a message that we are not defined by terror.

The Holey Artisan Bakery in Dhakas upscale Gulshan neighbourhood was popular with expats and the citys wealthy.

Japanese and Italian diners were among the 18 foreigners shot and hacked to death in the July attack.

Mehdi said he would open two new outlets in other parts of the city.

The Bakery attack capped a three-year long campaign of murders by Islamist extremists whose targets included foreigners, rights activists and members of religious minorities.

Bangladesh authorities have blamed a local Islamist extremist group for the cafe attack, rejecting claims by the IS that it was behind the carnage.

The siege went on for 10 hours before Bangladesh military commandos using armoured vehicles stormed the compound to bring it to an end.

Since the deadly assault, security forces have killed at least 40 Islamist militants including a Bangladeshi-origin Canadian who police described as the mastermind of the attack.
Ferrari club hits the streets of Phuket

PHUKET: Members of the Ferrari Owners Club Singapore descended on Phuket recently with about 20 supercars taking to the island's streets.



By The Phuket News

Saturday 26 November 2016, 01:17PM

From left: Tipaporn Koonphol, Deputy GM of Amari Phuket; Leong Kah Wah, VP of Ferrari Owners Club Singapore; Teo Bee Tat Gregory, President of Ferrari Owners Club Singapore; Wong Jes, Motoring Director of Ferrari Owners Club Singapore; and Pierre-Andre Pelletier, Amari Vice President and Area General Manager, South Thailand. Photo: Amari Phuket

Amari Phukets representatives, Pierre-Andre Pelletier  Vice President and Area General Manager, South Thailand and Tipaporn Koonphol  Deputy General Manager, welcomed the group of more than 20 Ferrari car owners from the Ferrari Owners Club Singapore during their stay at Amari Phuket.

The group has come to Phuket for their annual get-together and to organise a corporate social responsibility (CSR) activity for a school in Phuket.
Historic home for London gentlemen opens up to women

UNITED KINGDOM: From the Black Death to Henry VIIIs break from Rome, a historic mediaeval refuge in the heart of Londons throbbing financial centre is destined for a new lease of life  by allowing women to move in.

cultureconstructionproperty

By AFP

Saturday 26 November 2016, 02:00PM

Some of the darkest moments in British history were played out within the walls of Charterhouse. Photo: Matt Brown/Flickr

Nestled between building sites in the City of London, Charterhouses grey stone is the abode of a few dozen men who have to be poor and aged over 60 to qualify.

But hundreds of years since the first stone was laid, a revolution is underway: Charterhouse is opening up to women and creating a museum open to the public.

Not everyone is overjoyed, Stephen McGhee, a former orchestra manager and one of the current brothers, said during a visit to the complex.

Some were happy, some not so happy. Whatever happens, it will have to be done very sensitively... and the newcomer will have to adapt to 42 men!

After living abroad for more than two decades, first in Australia and then Thailand, McGhee said he wanted to return to London for his retirement.

I had just enough money to buy a cupboard in a kitchen, the 64-year-old said.

He searched online for a solution.

I saw a picture, there was a vacancy for a brother. I thought: it is a holy place and I am not holy!

I applied online, I had a formal interview, and I was accepted, said McGhee, happy with his good fortune, after three-and-a-half years living within the community.

Leaving the chaos of the City and crossing over the threshold into Charterhouse feels like entering a different world  a few centuries in the past.

Some of the darkest moments in British history were played out within its walls.

Charterhouses monastery was built in 1371 on land which was used to bury victims of the Black Death, the bubonic plague which decimated London in 1348.

Those struck down by the plague were still being exhumed in 2013, said Dominic Tickell, development director at Charterhouse.

The friars lived in silence but broke their rule for 10 days in the 16th century, to debate Henry VIIIs break with the Pope. The dramatic split from Rome in 1535 led to the monastery being dissolved and its friars put to death in an atrocious manner.

The land on which the men once lived was passed to the Duke of Norfolk, who built a cloister and a palace.

The Duke, too, met a violent end  he was decapitated for high treason in 1571.

The Charterhouse complex was reinvented in the 17th century when it was bought by the wealthy Thomas Sutton, who founded a school, a hospital and a home for 80 impoverished gentlemen.

The latter tradition continues, while the school was moved to Surrey in the 19th century where it is now a private boarding school.

Londons Charterhouse today hosts 42 brothers who are chosen not for their religious affiliation but under strict criteria. They must be over 60, single, poor, prepared to live in a community and to be in good enough health to live independently.

The majority of residents are artists, actors or musicians, but there are also teachers, a cook, a butcher and a priest.

Actors living in Charterhouse take every opportunity to return to the stage, giving up their earnings for the community, McGhee said.

Most of them are vulnerable, lonely, isolated, poor, in social need and in good health. One of the criteria is that people can still make a contribution, Tickell said during a media visit to Charterhouse.

While Tudor tragedies are centuries past, the stone walls, low ceilings and stained-glass windows retain a sense of mystery.

Charterhouse benefits financially from its school fees  nearly 37,000 (B1.6 million) annually for each boarding pupil  and from its donors.

Governors of the London institution include Queen Elizabeth II, her husband the Duke of Edinburgh, and their son the Prince of Wales, in addition to the Archbishop of Canterbury.

Charterhouse also has a specialist nursing home for those approaching the end of their lives.

It is very rare that a brother leaves; almost all end their days here, said Tickell.
'They raped us one by one,' says Rohingya woman who fled Myanmar

The brutal gang rape that Habiba and her sister endured is a story that is becoming depressingly familiar among the thousands of Rohingya refugees fleeing to Bangladesh to escape the violence of Myanmar's soldiers.



By AFP

Saturday 26 November 2016, 04:27PM

This photograph was taken on November 24, 2016, and shows 18-year-old Mosammat Samira (R), and her sister Mosammat Habiba, 20, who were gang-raped by the army at their village, Udang in the northern part of Rakhine state a week ago. Photo: AFP

"They tied both of us to the bed and raped us one by one," said 20-year-old Habiba, who has now found shelter with a Rohingya refugee family a few kilometres (miles) from the Bangladesh-Myanmar border.

"We're almost starving here. But at least no one is coming here to kill or torture," said Hashim Ullah, Habiba's older brother who escaped with his sisters.

Habiba and her sister Samira, 18, say they were raped in their home in Udang village by troops who then burnt down their house.

"They torched most of the houses, killed numerous people including our father and raped many young girls," said Habiba, who agreed to be identified in this story.

"One of the soldiers told us before leaving that they will kill us if they see us around the next time they come here. Then they torched our house."

Widespread allegations of rape have raised fears that Myanmar's security forces are systematically using sexual violence against the stateless Rohingya.

The violence has forced thousands to flee, prompting a UN official to accuse Myanmar of carrying out "ethnic cleansing" of the Muslim minority.

Ullah and his siblings escaped after taking the family's $400 savings and walking to the Naf River that separates southern Bangladesh from Myanmar's Rakhine state.

The trio spent four days hiding in the hills with hundreds of other Rohingya families, before they found a boat owner willing to take them to Bangladesh.

"He asked for all of our money," Ullah said.

The boat owner left them on a small island near the border.

The siblings walked across the scrubland until they found a Rohingya family who offered them shelter.

- Rape as war weapon -

Similar stories of violence and dispossession fill the rows of plastic-roofed shacks that have become the only refuge for thousands of Rohingya Muslims who have fled Rakhine state.

The escapees have told of gang rapes, torture and murder being carried out by Myanmar troops in the small strip of land that has been under military control after deadly raids on police border posts last month.

Foreign journalists and independent investigators have been barred from entering the area.

While the military and government have rejected the charges, rights groups have long accused the military of using rape as a weapon of war in several other ethnic conflicts which simmer in the country's borderlands.

Thailand-based NGO the Womens League of Burma has documented 92 cases of sexual violence by fighters between 2010 and 2015, which they say have been used "as a means of shaming and destroying ethnic communities".

Fears of Muslim men violating Buddhist women have also long stirred the hatred of hardline nationalists in Myanmar.

Allegations Muslims raped Buddhists sparked sectarian clashes in 2012 that drove tens of thousands of Rohingya into displacement camps and riots two years later near Mandalay.

But the volume of rape allegation among the Rohingya fleeing Rakhine suggest a pattern of abuse by Myanmar's army beyond anything documented before.

Mujibullah arrived in Bangladesh on Monday with his sister Muhsena.

The pair fled after four soldiers tried to rape her. The soldiers were tying Muhsena, 20, to a pole in their village when Mujibullah intervened, receiving a brutal beating in exchange.

"One soldier tried to hack me with a knife as I threw myself to them, begging them not to destroy her life," Mujibullah said, showing an inch-long wound on his palm.

Muhsena stood close to her brother as he spoke to AFP, but she choked up every time she tried to speak.

Hundreds of thousands of registered Rohingya refugees have been living on the Bangladesh side of the border for decades, having fled violence and poverty across the border.

In Myanmar the Rohingya are seen as illegal immigrants and labelled "Bengali", even though many have lived there for generations.

They are denied citizenship and face severe restrictions on movement, work and basic access to education and hospitals.

But Dhaka has resisted urgent international appeals to open its border to avert a humanitarian crisis, instead telling Myanmar it must do more to prevent the stateless Rohingya minority from entering.
Victim who died in Thursday crash was from Sisseton
An opportunity for foodies and beer lovers to get lost in a world of food and drink from a hand-selected range of food trucks and breweries from around New Zealand.
In a major move, the Union government on Saturday lifted moratorium on new investments and expansion in industrial belts of Ankleshwar, Vapi, Panoli and Vatva. The area is popularly known as the Golden Corridor.

The announcement was made by Union Minister of Environment and Forests Anil Dave at a function held in Ankleshwar. Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani was also present.

These industrial clusters were put under critically polluted zones in 2010 under the UPA regime.

The decision of lifting the moratorium comes a month and a half ahead of Vibrant Gujarat Investors' Summit to be held in state capital Gandhinagar in January, 2017.

Dave said that lifting the ban would help Gujarat scale global heights, setting up new industries and expanding the existing ones.

Rupani alleged that the UPA government had imposed moratorium under the pretext of environment to stall Gujarat's progress.

The state government is hoping that the 2017's summit might help in attracting investments in these industrial clusters.

Though the industrial units in association with the state government have set up effluent treatment plants running into crores of rupees, environmental groups feel that this was not sufficient as the damage had been already done.

These industrial clusters are dominated by chemical industries and the ground water in the area and soil are highly polluted and so also is the air. Organisations working in the field of environment conservation have time and again raised alarm over the damage to the environment and health issues faced by the residents staying in the areas and also the workers working in these industrial units.

While the move of lifting the moratorium has been welcomed by industrial associations, environmental groups have expressed their reservations.

Rohit Prajapati of Paryavaran Suraksha Samiti has alleged that Dave has guaranteed appeasement of polluting industries and irreversible damage to the environment.

Prajapati said that the chief minister should read the report titled Ground water pollution in Luna, Dudhawada, Piludara area near Vadodara, Gujarat of the Central Pollution Control Board.

He also wondered as to whether Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Clean India campaign had any plan to decontaminate ground water of these industrial clusters.
Mexican artist Frida Kahlo's "Nina con Collar," an early painting whose whereabouts had been a mystery for 60 years, has sold for $1.81 million at a Sotheby's Latin American art auction.Works by Mexican Rufino Tamayo and Colombia's Fernando Botero topped sales at the auction."We saw a series of exceptional prices for the giants of Latin-American modern art," said Axel Stein, Sotheby's Latin American art chief, commenting on the $16.84 million in total sales on Tuesday evening in New York.

Leading the sale was Tamayo's "Sandas y naranja" (Watermelons and orange), a 1957 oil and sand on canvas once owned by film star Audrey Hepburn, Sotheby's said. It sold for $2.29 million.A Botero bronze sculpture, "Man on a Horse," fetched $1.82 million, and his "Homage to Bonnard," a large-scale nude painting, went for $1.39 million.Kahlo's "Nina con Collar," (Girl with Necklace), which had not been seen publicly for six decades, went to an unidentified European buyer. The 1929 oil on canvas is among the first 20 of the Mexican artist's 143 paintings.

The work, whose subject is about 13 or 14, prefigures hallmarks of Kahlo's self-portraits, including winged eyebrows and a full frontal gaze.Kahlo died at age 47 in 1954. The following year, her widower, the muralist Diego Rivera, gave "Nina con Collar" to one of her studio assistants, who hung it in her California home for 60 years, according to Stein.

The work came to light when the unidentified former studio assistant, now in her mid-90s, contacted Sotheby's last summer.In international art markets, works by Kahlo have fetched more than any other Latin American artist. Last May, Christie's sold a 1939 Kahlo painting for $8 million, an auction record for her work.Sotheby's has privately sold Kahlo works for more than $15 million each, said Dan Abernethy, an auction house spokesman.One reason Kahlo's works are so valued in the international market is that Mexico barred their export for several decades under laws to conserve the country's cultural heritage, Stein said.
Kerala government and the ruling CPI-M find themselves in an embarrassing position on Saturday when Gita Gopinath, economic advisor to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan came up in support of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's demonetisation move. Gita's comment came at a time when the party is set to observe a day to night hartal on Monday against the Union government's economic policies.

Gopinath, a Harvard University professor, stated that the demonetisation was the boldest move of Prime Minister Narendra Modi till date. "It was an unprecedented move, whether in India or almost anywhere else, and it is by far Modis boldest policy intervention to date," she said.

Modis policy intervention is bold, and the economic principles motivating it are beyond reproach. But a gradualist approach that includes the permanent withdrawal of large notes would have served the cause better, even if it did not generate the same shock and awe as the current policy. This will become more apparent as the large costs to the economy emerge over the next several months, she said in an article titled Demonetization Dos and Donts.

As Gita's article sparked off a media debate in the state, the chief minister came up with an explanation saying there was noting unusual in her views on demonetisation.

Gopinath was not a full-time advisor of the Kerala Chief Minister. So there is nothing unusual that she is taking a different stand from that of the government and expressing her own views," Vijayan said in a Facebook post.

He said "some people have taken some sentences from her article and making wrong interpretations".
The National Investigation Agency, set up in the aftermath of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks to act as India's first counter terror law enforcement agency, wants more teeth to be able to handle terror cases more effectively and cover all aspects of terror, carried out by a terror group or an individual in India or abroad. Seven years since its inception, the NIA is waiting for the Union home ministry to clear its proposal where it has suggested a string of amendments to the NIA Act.

On November 26, 2008, dreaded Pakistani terrorists stormed the financial capital of the country and carried out a terror siege that claimed hundreds of innocent lives. A month later, the NIA was born on January 1, 2009 when the NIA Bill became a law entrusting upon the agency to probe all scheduled offences.

A list of eight acts largely cover the ambit of the cases that can be probed by the NIA and these include the Atomic Energy Act, Unlawful Activities Prevention Act and Anti Hijacking Act.

However, the NIA wants this schedule to be extended and its scope to be widened to be able to ''suo motu'' take up cases in Jammu and Kashmir registered under the Ranbir Penal Code and involving offences of waging war against the country. Since the Indian Penal Code is not applicable in JK, the agency sleuths feel their mandate is limited particularly in a state where terror groups are active and Pakistan is sponsoring militant activities. The NIA has asked the MHA to include RPC sections 121 to 130 that deal with crimes like waging war against the state and others involving circulation of fake Indian currency in its list of scheduled offences.

Apart from this, NIA sleuths told THE WEEK, there are other anomalies in the legal framework in which they work, which also include the absence of any section within the counter terror law to proscribe individuals as terrorists. The NIA Act so far deals with proscribed outfits, which have been banned under the UAPA by the home ministry, and this does not include provisions for banning individuals.

"Even the United Nations has a list of proscribed individuals. So while we want a UN ban on Jaish e Mohammed chief Masood Azhar, we do not have similar provisions under Indian law to proscribe individuals. It has been more than two years since we have sought amendments to the act but the Union home ministry is still mulling over it," said an official. In its proposal to the MHA, the NIA has said that since an individual terrorist has not been defined in the UAPA , it is essential to bring individual activities of a terrorist in the domain of the act to give the law more teeth. Once this is done, the NIA will also be able to attach properties of an individual who is proscribed under the law.

If the proposal sees the light of the day, terrorists like Hafiz Saeed, Masood Azhar and other Lashkar and Jaish commanders will fall under the list of individuals who are proscribed by India.

However, till then it is only a long wait for the NIA, which feels that terror acts today have lost all state boundaries and recent cases of terror attacks have affected citizens of multiple countries at the same time. So, the NIA also wants its jurisdiction extended to foreign land so that when an ISIS or Lashkar terror strike takes place in any country across the globe where Indians lose their lives, the NIA can register a case here and be able to send a team to that country so that under its ''limited jurisdiction'' it can probe the case with the help of the friendly countries. Such was the case when the FBI not only registered a case but an FBI team visited India after the 26/11 terror strike.

"We must learn from others, and we must move ahead with the times," said an NIA official hoping that the agency is able to reinvent itself as yet another anniversary of the Mumbai attacks draws to a close.
Fidel Castro believed brandy was as good a food as anything else, but complained that his doctor was not allowing him to have it. In his autobiography Roses in December, Mahommedali Currim Chagla, former chief justice of Bombay High Court and a top diplomat, describes his first drink with the revolutionary icon, who breathed his last on Saturday.

Chagla, who was India's ambassador to Cuba during 1958-61, says he invited Castro and the whole of his cabinet for dinner to a restaurant in Havana that was made famous by Ernest Hemingway. Firebrand communist leader Che Guevara was also a part of the Castro cabinet.

Taking a light dig at South Americans' sloppy attitude to punctuality, Chagla quips, They are somewhat like us, and they consider time as a rather insignificant and irrelevant factor in the scheme of things. Castro didn't turn up to the 9 o'clock party even after 9:30, and Che sought to convince Chagla saying he would surely join them.

The dinner started at half past 10, but Castro turned up only after they had finished eating and were smoking cigars over coffee and brandy. Castro sat next to Chagla who had kept a chair vacant for him. I asked him whether he would not like to eat something first. He said, 'No. Brandy is as good a food as anything else', he writes.

Castro was very humorous during the party and he did not spare even his doctor. That man does not permit me brandy or a cigar. He thinks I am overdoing it. Doctors are usually wrong, the 'maximum leader' was quoted as saying, by the former union minister in his book.

According to certain reports, Castro had special fondness for Havana cigars, but he quit smoking in 1985 for health reasons.

The author narrates how the fiery apostle of revolution, who defied the US for nearly half a century, interacted freely with common people. When two violinists came to their room and played some of his favourite tunes, Castro talked to them most informally, not as prime minister but as a fellow Cuban.

It was nearly 1 o'clock when the party ended, but Castro was still talking to a crowd that had gathered there. Chagla, who was waiting to see Castro off first, was told by somebody that if he waited for the leader, he would have to wait till 4 o'clock.

I learnt the next day that what I had been told was perfectly correct, for it was four in the morning when Castro left the crowd and went home, Chagla writes in his book.
Cuban revolutionary legend Fidel Castro passed away on November 25, aged 90. Raul Castro, brother and current president of Cuba, announced on national television about his death due to ill health from intestinal damage that plagued him for nearly a decade.

Reactions around the world vary: while most Cubans mourn his death, those who fled the country during his peak and settled in Little Havana in Miami were out celebrating.

Castro led the revolution against then-president Fulgencio Batista in 1953 and took over his role in 1959. He was the country's leader for 49 years, during which he turned Cuba into a communist country with a key role in the Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union.

He was targeted by the CIA several times, and became a sworn enemy of the US, who is responsible for a crippling embargo on Cuba.

An icon of revolution for some and a symbol of evil for others, he nevertheless was known for his iron-fist policies as well as eloquent, hard-hitting speeches.

"Condemn me, it does not matter. History will absolve me."

Said during his trial in October, 1953. He had been put on trial, along with his brother Raul, for a failed raid on the Moncada Barracks in Cuba. The raid was meant to be a statement against then-president Fulgencio Batista's government and also loot weapons necessary for further armed conflict. This was one of the first armed movements that triggered the Cuban revolution. He was sentenced to 15 years, but in 1955 the government had to release him and other political figures owing to international pressure.

"I am not interested in power nor do I envisage assuming it at any time. All that I will do is to make sure that the sacrifices of so many compatriots should not be in vain, whatever the future may hold in store for me."

Said in one of his speeches when the revolution triumphed in 1959. Castro had already gained loyal followers by the numbers when he was arrested. The tense revolution to oust Batista had begun. Rebel groups associated with Castro tried to assassinate Batista, while the president sent his army to hunt for Castro. Guerrilla attacks by the rebels on the army rendered them weak. Finally, when Batista fled, most people in Cuba celebrated Castro's victory.

"With what moral right can the rulers of a nation speak of human rights when within it the millionaire and the beggar coexist, the Indian in exterminated, the black man is discriminated against, women are prostituted and large masses of Chicano, Puerto Ricans and Latin Americans are scorned, exploited and humiliated?"

Castro in an iconic speech at the World Communist Youth Conference in Havana, July 1978, referring to the United States.

"We will take the steps we have to take to keep our factories running, to keep our workers employed, to keep going forward in these difficult conditions, and ... find the formulas to save the country, save the revolution and save socialism."

Said during a meeting with the Communist Party in 1991. At this time, the Soviet economy was on a sharp decline, and so were the relations between Soviet Union and Cuba. Gorbachev and Castro clashed on idealogical differences related to Nicaragua, Angola, economics and disarmament.

For such a small country as Cuba to have such a gigantic country as the United States live so obsessed with this small island, a country that no longer considers itself an adversary of the USSR or adversary of China and considers itself an adversary of Cubait is an honour for us.

Said in an interview with NBC reporter Maria Shiver in 1988. The interview touched upon the accusations of human rights in Cuba, the Panama canal, as well as the drug and smuggling charges against him.

"I promise that I will be with you, if you so wish, for as long as I feel that I can be useful  and if it is not decided by nature before  not a minute less and not a second more ... Now I understand that it was not my destiny to rest at the end of my life."

Said during a speech in 2003 right after being re-elected by Cuban National Assembly as the president for a sixth term. He was 76 at that time, and became one of the world's longest ruling leaders.

"I want to remind (U.S. President Barack Obama) of a basic ethical principal related to Cuba: Any injustice, any crime in whatever time has no excuse to go on. The cruel blockade (embargo) against the Cuban people costs lives, costs suffering."

He wrote in a column in Cuba's state-run media in 2009. He wrote this in response to the fifth Summit of the Americas that took place in Trinidad and Tobago, where US president Obama was urged by other American countries into lifting the embargo on Cuba.

"I'll be 90 years old soon. Soon I'll be like all the others. The time will come for all of us, but the ideas of the Cuban Communists will remain as proof that on this planet, if one works with fervour and dignity, they can produce the material and cultural goods that human beings need and that need to be fought for without ever giving up."

Said in one of his latest speeches to the communist party congress in April this year. Rarely appearing to face the public since his illness a decade back, this was said to be one of his recent extensive public appearance in a while. Towards the end of his life, he passed on leadership posts to his brother, Raul, in 2008 and took up writing commentaries in the media and rarely interacting with world leaders.
Householders are cancelling healthcare insurance policies in the face of rising insurance taxes, the boss of AXA UK, Amanda Blanc, warned this weekend.

This is the sharp end of the controversial rise in insurance premium taxes over recent years.

And for Blanc, who is head of the group that has ten million UK customers, it is clear evidence the Government insurance tax policy is bad for consumers and the Government as more people abandon private health insurance and fall back on the NHS.

In charge: AXA UK boss Amanda Blanc

For the average private medical insurance policy its 52 more in tax, Blanc says of the latest rise.

These are people taking the burden off the NHS. People are looking at it and saying thats a really big increase in the premium, she warns.

The 49-year-old is outspoken with a good sense of humour, tweeting her views on the industry through an account called Amandas Shoes as well as through her official AXA CEO account.

She has adopted her light-hearted online profile set up originally by colleagues  insurance commando and shoe aficionado  with gusto.

Blanc pulls no punches. As well as decrying the Chancellor, she has some choice words for injury claims lawyers and thinks stronger defences may not always be the best solution to the seemingly growing problem of flooding. AXA paid out 80 million for last Decembers storms alone.

But first that insurance tax hike.

AXA UK is the second largest player in the health insurance market, so it is understandably vocal about the Chancellors latest tax raid. In many other European countries personal medical insurance policies are not taxed, she says.

Claims: Blanc says flood defences in Carlisle were ineffective, while she welcomes whiplash reforms

Insurance premium tax has become a cash-cow for the Treasury recently. Former Chancellor George Osborne raised it from 5 per cent to 6 per cent in his first Budget in 2010.

It was then hiked to 10 per cent in two successive Budgets last year and up to 12 per cent in last weeks Autumn Statement, and will raise 13 billion over the next five years.

Blanc spells out what the latest hike means. For households that have got car insurance its 32 more, and 12.50 is added to an average building and contents policy.

The insurance industry has thrown everything at trying to convince the Government this stealth tax is a bad idea.

It will hit young drivers particularly hard given the huge premiums they face and experts are expecting a rise in uninsured drivers as a result.

The tax is due to raise more than beer, wine, spirits and air passenger duty, the ABI says, which adds that it is now the sixth highest insurance levy in Europe.

On the front foot: Blanc is a shoe 'aficionado' - owning a pair emblazoned with the Union Jack

The increase to 12 per cent is hugely penal on people the Government is trying to help, Blanc says, referring to those who are just about managing  the group Prime Minister Theresa May says her Government will act for.

It affects businesses too. Respected economic think-tank, the Institute for Fiscal Studies, argued last week that hikes to IPT would end up distorting the economy, encouraging sectors that do not need much insurance over those that do.

One of the frustrations for the insurance industry is that the latest hikes came on the back of some good news  reforms to whiplash claims that will stop cash payouts.

The whiplash reforms would save about 43 per policy, but the IPT increase costs a household more than 100.

'Theyre giving with one hand and taking with another, Blanc says. Having said that, she says the industry is hugely encouraged by the whiplash changes. In France only 30 per cent of claims are whiplash, here it is 80 per cent, she says.

FROM HEALTHCARE TO VINEYARDS, THE FIRM IS WORTH 45BN The AXA group is one of the largest insurance businesses in the world with more than 100 million global customers. AXA UK is one of the largest insurers in Britain with about ten million customers and specialises in general and healthcare insurance. - UK turnover last year was 2.2billion with underlying profits of 138million. - The group can trace its history to insurance groups formed in the early 18th Century, but the AXA name was created in the 1980s. - Listed on the Paris stock market, the group is valued at 53 billion (45 billion) and has worldwide revenues of 98 billion (83 billion). - The group has invested in top vineyards including Port producer Quinta Do Noval and Sauternes vineyard Chateau Suduiraut.

How does she know this is related to an alleged compensation culture though? The answer to that is simple: Claims are going up in areas where claims management companies have their headquarters, she says.

Claimant lawyers need to admit they are the problem. They say we are profiteering. Our margin on motor insurance is 2 per cent, and over the last 15 years car insurers have had one or two years of profit.

Another thing driving up motor insurance premiums is the increasing technological sophistication of cars  which means that replacement parts following a crash are rising in cost. Given many are made abroad, they will go up further as a result of Brexit and the collapse in sterling, Blanc says.

AXA has been stung too by flooding. Blanc believes that as well as investing on defences, there should be more focus on resilience and recovering from floods.

That means building properties with electric plugs halfway up the walls rather than at floor level, and using stone flooring instead of carpets.

Its clear that in Carlisle, the flood defences didnt help at all, there was a huge amount of trapped water in premises and flooding was worse.

The insurer is building a resilient house with the Building Research Establishment in Watford to show it could be attractive and no more expensive than a standard home.

A mother of two girls aged fourteen and ten, Blanc lives in London with her husband, who gave up work so she could pursue her career.

She became chief executive of AXA UK earlier this year, and away from work likes to take part in sportives  mass long-distance cycle races.
Shell deal

Oil giant Shell is in talks to sell its offshore operations in Gabon as part of a 22bn plan to give up some assets following a merger with BG Group.

The firm has made slow progress in splitting up its business. So far this year it has agreed to give up around 4bn of assets. Bids for the fields, off west Africa, were estimated to be worth around 550m.

Flag day: Oil giant Shell has made slow progress in splitting up its business

Flights off

German airline Lufthansa has cancelled flights again in a dispute with staff over wages.

The company said a further 137 long-haul flights would be cancelled today, affecting 30,000 passengers.

Wells case

Dozens of customers suing disgraced US bank Wells Fargo could be forced to go to private arbitration rather than court, if the lender gets it way.

Wells petition to the US District Court in Utah is its response to the first class action lawsuit filed against it since it agreed to pay 150m in penalties for opening millions of fake bank accounts.

Tequila setback

The worlds largest tequila maker has suspended its 800m Mexican stock market float due to uncertainty caused by the US elections.

Jose Cuervo was seeking to list this month  but Mexican stocks have taken a battering since the shock victory of Donald Trump. It is feared he will renegotiate trade agreements and damage neighbours economies.

RBS dividend

Royal Bank of Scotland is to receive a 1.3bn dividend from its Irish operation Ulster Bank, the first such payout since the financial crisis. The bank said that the payment is evidence of its strengthening position.

Profits boosted

Cost-cutting measures and demand for its water supply boosted profits at waste management company Pennon.

The firm, which owns South West Water, saw profits in the six months to September 30 leap 19.9 per cent but sales were down 0.5 per cent.

Tax appeal
They used to be the past. But could they also be the future? Drive around Britain and you will still come across the odd prefab home from the Forties  one of the tens of thousands erected to combat the post-war housing crisis in bomb-ravaged Britain.

Architecturally, they were functional at best, but no substitute for bricks-and-mortar buildings, though the basic concept  homes that could be assembled in factories, then transported to their destinations  had an appeal in straitened economic times.

And now the wheel has come full circle, with a new Government, in a new century, faced with a new housing crisis, discovering the joy of prefabs.

Bespoke: Sealoch House in the Highlands was designed by Boutique Modern, which specialises in modular and prefab homes

Leaked details of a forthcoming housing White Paper revealed that, among the options being considered by ministers confronted by a chronic housing shortage, is targeted support for prefabricated or modular homes.

The first and most obvious advantage is speeding up the building of housing, a government source is quoted as saying. Posh prefabs, epitomised by the iconic Huf Haus, have long been a familiar feature of the property landscape.

The best of them are not just aesthetically pleasing, but environmentally conscious. But as a typical Huf Haus costs in the region of 500,000, they are not the answer to the housing shortfall.

Nor are the kind of cheap-and-cheerful prefabs which cost about 20,000 and belong in windy caravan parks, not leafy suburbs.

But there are plenty of middle-of-the-range prefabs which do hold out the promise of affordable, acceptable accommodation  and which were being built in increasing numbers even before the Government signalled its interest in prefabs.

In February this year, Legal & General Capital announced the launch of its modular housing business, Legal & General Homes, charged with generating a new wave of modern, precision-engineered, factory-manufactured homes.

The company has signed a lease on a warehouse near Leeds, which is set to be the largest modular homes construction factory in the world, producing about 3,000 prefabs a year, starting in 2017. Other manufacturers have also been raising their game, too.

For about 120,000 you can get a one-bedroom eco-home from dwelle.co.uk, a Manchester-based company, which specialises in sustainable modern homes that are fast to erect and adaptable. The companys standard dwelle.ing incorporates a living space, kitchen, shower room and mezzanine bedroom

Dip a bit deeper into your wallet and you could buy a Big Box designed by Bert & May. Starting at 150,000 for a one-bedroom unit, unfurnished, the Big Boxes are made of reclaimed timber and come with underfloor heating and design features such as handmade encaustic tiles. Anything farther from the Forties prefabs would be hard to imagine.

Another company offering a quality product at an affordable price is Boutique Modern in Sussex, whose neat prefab homes, typically priced between 80,000 and 120,000, follow the principles of Passivhaus, an energy-efficient type of home construction pioneered in Germany, the country which has led the way in the development of modular homes.

With so many companies exploring new designs, it is an intriguing option, particularly for first-time buyers, although they should probably proceed with care.

One of the factors that has worked against the mass production of prefabs in the UK has been the scarcity of land. Your funky home might look good on the back of a lorry, but where are you going to put it?

Parcels of suitable land are available, at reasonable prices, but you need to be wary of planning-related issues and other pitfalls.

Sometimes it can make sense to knock down an old home and replace it with a prefab rather than acquiring virgin land. The website buildstore.co.uk has a database of land in Britain available for prefabs and self-builds.

As with house-hunting generally, the key is persistence.

And as a prefab-dweller, you will find yourself in a small minority. Prefabricated homes have never been as popular in Britain as in some other countries, such as Sweden and Japan.

But you could also be catching the tide of the times, buying into an approach to housing that answers the needs of 21st-century Britain.
By Bill Kregler

I attended the hastily put together rally in Diversity Plaza in Jackson Heights Dec. 9.

It was sponsored by City Council member Daniel Dromm and titled Unity Trumps Hate. Though it did not have a permit, the rally started off as a call for unity but then transformed into an anti-Trump forum. Dromm told of a story where a 7-year-old girl began crying when she mistakenly thought Donald Trump was going to visit her school. Dromm said the reason why the girl was upset was that she believed she would be deported. Of course, the crowd of about 200 ate this up like a free meal. What it did show was that kids as well as their parents were being mislead about the facts.

This continued to gravitate into more anti-Trump rhetoric. To have this hate rally on Veterans Day was also lost on the crowd and not a word mentioned of this day.

Dromm should focus on the problems of his district and less on stirring the emotions of people to hate. First clean up Diversity Plaza, which is nothing more than a pigsty. The filth from the thousands of pigeons and their droppings to the loitering vagrants have brought crime to the area and lowered the quality of life. Stop calling the people opposed to the Pan Am Shelter racists and address the lack of transparency and communication between City Hall and your constituents. Respect and follow the vote of your community board of not wanting bike lanes along Queens Boulevard that have seriously impacted the community.

Donald Trump is the president-elect, so get used to it. Allow him the same opportunity that Barack Obama was given when he was elected president. Work with Trump to turn this country around and make America great again.

Bill Kregler

Woodside
Malta

Paul Sausville, the former supervisor of the town of Malta, has always had an eye for preserving natural resources.

An engineer by training, Sausville worked at the state Department of Environmental Conservation for 35 years before starting his own consulting firm, Sausville & Schriber Engineers, that helped clients with chemical and oil spills.

After 30 years of serving at various levels of town government, Sausville retired as Malta supervisor last year.

And while some people might use their retirement to relax, Sausville has used the extra free time for a third career in life  as an author and an advocate for a little-known yet historic island in the French West Indies.

The place is the island of Marie-Galante, and it was named by Christopher Columbus, who discovered it in 1493 during his second trip to the New World.

Sausville and his wife, Nancy, first visited and fell in love with Marie-Galante several years ago.

They have been back a handful of times since then and have become some of the biggest champions of the little island, which Sausville says has the prettiest beaches in the world.

In fact, you could say that Sausville operates the upstate New York office of the Marie-Galante chamber of commerce, seeking to do anything he can to help the people and its economy.

Marie-Galante is a dependency of the island of Guadeloupe, which is part of France. Its unemployment rate is 21 percent.

Sausville believes his new book, entitled "Beach Guide To Marie-Galante  The Emerald World where Time Has Stopped," can help spread the word on the remote island, which requires a one-hour ferry ride from Guadeloupe to get there.

That could have a positive impact on the island's tourism, Sausville says, no matter how small. The island's economy depends on fishing, sugar cane farming, rum distilling and tourism. And though most there have no idea of the luxuries that most Americans enjoy, Sausville says they are proud, dignified ("very dignified," he says) and happy. "I am working closely with the Guadeloupe and Marie-Galante travel agencies to stimulate tourism from North America, and of course I hope my book helps the island prepare for an increase in tourism," Sausville says. "If 500 more tourists visit this island as a result of my book, it will have a measurable impact on the local economy."

Sausville, who doubts he will ever recover the costs of publishing his book through sales, says that businesses and restaurants in Marie-Galante have gone out of their way to help him promote and sell the book to tourists. And these are not rich people. Sausville says some had to wait for the day's receipts to come in to pay Sausville for the books. As part of a book tour at Marie-Galante, Sausville also visited the tourism office and the mayor's office in Saint-Louis, the largest community on the island in addition to the dozens of businesses that he visited.

"They were very eager to support the book by either buying it, posting a flyer at their business or acting as a distributor," Sausville said.

Sausville's book, which is 172 pages and 80 pages of photos, maps and drawings, is available for $25 through Amazon.com

lrulison@timesunion.com  518-454-5504  @larryrulison
New York

Inside a Brooklyn soundstage, Metallica has a relaxed vibe. The bandmates are making a music video for the single "Now That We're Dead" from their new album, "Hardwired. To Self-Destruct."

After frontman James Hetfield returns from his bit in front of the camera, he hands off his guitar, shakes out his hand and is relieved he "didn't drop the pick this time."

It's been eight years since producer Rick Rubin brought the band back to life  at least in the studio  with the CD "Death Magnetic," and though the band has toured continuously since then, there wasn't a sense of urgency to get back in the studio.

"Fans have reminded us," Hetfield said. "Metallica is usually pretty busy. We don't have watches. We don't keep a super tight schedule, but we have fun and we do a lot of stuff."

This is Metallica's tenth studio album in their 35-year history, yet it's no secret fans prefer material recorded before 1992. Hetfield said the band plays music it wants to hear.

"That's number one. If the fans enjoy it, that's up to them. We can't please everyone. We do our best, and hopefully the people show up and understand the truth and honesty to us and our craft," Hetfield said.

This time, Metallica decided to make their album close to their homes near San Francisco. "We all live in northern California with all of our families, and take our domestic responsibilities very seriously. So we decided that we wanted to make this record at home," drummer Lars Ulrich said.

Both Ulrich and Hetfield said they were able to maintain their classic sound by hiring Greg Fidelman. He worked on "Death Magnetic" with Rubin, serving as engineer. This time, he stepped up to co-produce the record with Ulrich and Hetfield.

"It's nice to get the creative juices flowing to be able to sort of go down to the studio and interact with your partners in crime, and still make music that you feel still has something of a relevance and get it out there and share," Ulrich said.

And speaking of sharing the music, the band plans to do it with a lengthy world tour. "There will be no shortage of Metallica coming to your country or to your town or your backyard any time soon, trust me," Ulrich said.

As they did with the last record, Hetfield and Ulrich plan to cycle through all 12 new songs to "continue to keep fans on their toes."
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Colonie

Neighbors gave blood Saturday in honor of the Colonie teen who suffered third-degree burns after the car he was riding in late last month crashed and burst in to flames.

The blood drive for the American Red Cross, which brought dozens of donors to Colonie Central High School Saturday, capped off an extended holiday of gifts and gratitude for the family of Niko DiNovo, a 16-year-old who on Friday underwent his fourth skin graft at Westchester Medical Center, according to his aunt, Davina Resciniti. DiNovo, who suffered third-degree burns on 95 percent of his body, will likely need at least 30 surgeries.

On Thursday, 22 family members gathered at the hospital's burn unit for Thanksgiving.

Medical staff allowed seven or eight of them, donning hospital gowns, in DiNovo's room at a time, Resciniti said. DiNovo responded to their support by opening his eyes, nodding to their questions and, in one miraculous moment, reaching his hand out to place atop theirs, as the family recited the Lord's Prayer.

"It was like he knew he had an audience and he wanted to perform for us," Resciniti said.

When the family went out for Thanksgiving dinner at The Cabin restaurant in the Westchester County hamlet of Valhalla, they ran into members of the Yonkers Fire Department. The firefighters paid for their dinner.

On Friday, 16 family members gathered at the Ronald McDonald House near the Westchester Medical Center, while DiNovo was in surgery, to warm up another Thanksgiving dinner donated by Innovo Kitchen in Latham. Chef/owner John LaPosta prepared a complete holiday dinner for them  turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, homemade bread, pumpkin pie and more.

"We felt like family," Resciniti said of being able to sit down in a homelike setting to eat the meal.

On Oct. 28, DiNovo was in a car driven by 18-year-old Michael Carr, who was charged with vehicular assault, reckless endangerment and driving while impaired by drugs after the crash into The Blessing's Tavern.

Niko's mother, Alicia DiNovo, has been staying at the Ronald McDonald House, along with her oldest son, 25-year-old Michael. Niko's younger siblings, 13-year-old Bella and 6-year-old Nino are visiting now, but staying with Resciniti during the week.

DiNovo is in stable condition, Resciniti said, and his body is responding well to aggressive treatment. He may need to stay at the hospital close to a year. Each time he goes into the operating room, Resciniti said, DiNovo will likely need a blood transfusion.

The blood drive was conceived as a way to help replenish the supply that DiNovo will need, Resciniti said. She hugged donors as they exited the high school.

"This was our way of giving back to everybody who's giving so much to us," Resciniti said.

chughes@timesunion.com  518-454-5417  @hughesclaire
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Los Angeles

Florence Henderson, whose portrayal of Carol Brady on the iconic television show "The Brady Bunch" created an idealized mother figure for an entire generation, died Thursday. She was 82.

Henderson died from heart failure about 7:30 p.m. while surrounded by her four children, said her longtime manager and publicist Kayla Pressman.

As Pressman's telephone continued ringing, the woman who has worked with Henderson for 43 years  starting as her personal assistant  said the actress was "the most vibrant, beautiful inside and out person I've ever known in my entire life. We just never left each other. She was so wonderful to be with and she was most loyal."

Fidelity proved to be one of Henderson's trademarks, she said, adding that the actress stayed with the same business manager since she was 18 years old, and when he died, worked with his son. Henderson also had the same agent for more than 30 years. "She keeps long relationships," Pressman said. "I can't say enough about the remarkable person she is."

Henderson was a well-known nightclub entertainer performing in Texas when she was asked to audition for the role that would change her life.

Hoping to jet into Los Angeles, have a screen test for "Brady Bunch" creator Sherwood Schwartz and then get back in time for the evening's shows in Texas, Henderson was delayed by L.A. traffic and rushed onto the Paramount lot two hours late, frantically looking for a makeup artist to get her ready for the test. Finally, she found someone with a few spare minutes  on the set of "Star Trek."

"I was sitting in a makeup chair between William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy and like six or eight space monsters. None of them had any idea who I was or made any attempt to be friendly, which really bugged me," she recalled in TV son Barry Williams' 1992 memoir, "Growing Up Brady."

Bothered by what she believed to be a shoddy makeup job, Henderson joked through the screen test about how bad she looked, and Schwartz, impressed with her comic timing, gave her the role.

"Maybe I should thank that terrible makeup man, because in a way, his botch job helped me get the part," she said in the book.

Henderson's work as Carol on the series, which ran from 1969 to 1974, and her slyly sexy chemistry with co-star Robert Reed made the show thrive. The pair helped broaden acceptance of blended families. Carol, a single mother of three daughters, was married to Mike Brady, a single father of three sons.

Born in 1934 on Valentine's Day, in Dale, Ind., Henderson was the youngest of 10 children of a homemaker and a tobacco sharecropper.

She later joked in a 2010 interview with The Times that she came out of the womb singing. By age 2, she knew 50 songs by heart.

"I don't remember ever not singing," she says. "My mother loved music and she taught me songs, country music, spirituals. I would sing for people and pass the hat when I was 4."

She began her show business career at 17, when she attended New York's American Academy of Dramatic Arts. Henderson left the school after her first year because she got a job in the chorus of the Broadway musical "Wish You Were Here," directed by Josh Logan. She segued from the chorus to the lead role in the final national touring company of Rodgers and Hammerstein's "Oklahoma!"

Logan remembered her from "Wish You Were Here" and cast her in the lead role of the 1954 musical "Fanny" with Ezio Pinza and Walter Slezak.

She appeared in other Broadway musicals, including Noel Coward's final musical effort, 1963's "The Girl Who Came to Supper." From 1959-60, she was the "Today Girl" on the "Today" show," presenting weather and light news stories. Later she was the first female guest host of "The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson" in the 1970s.

After her years on "The Brady Bunch," Henderson became a commercial spokeswoman and co-produced "Country Kitchen," a Nashville Network series.

---

2016 Los Angeles Times

Visit the Los Angeles Times at www.latimes.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

-----

PHOTO (for help with images, contact 312-222-4194): HENDERSON-OBIT



Topics: t000002409,t000002440,t000002424,t000040659,g000065659,g000362669,g000219212,g000224404,g000223633,g000362661,g000362695,g000066164
Madison, Wis.

President-elect Donald Trump pressed forward Friday with two more administration picks, as failed Green Party candidate Jill Stein took new steps to force recounts across key Midwestern battlegrounds that could complicate Trump's push for national unity.

Stein, who earned little more than 1 percent of the national vote, was expected to request a Wisconsin recount by day's end, vowing to do the same in the coming days in Michigan and Pennsylvania. There is no evidence of election tampering in the states where Trump scored razor-thin victories, but Green Party spokesman George Martin insisted "the American public needs to have it investigated to make sure our votes count."

"We're doing this to ensure the integrity of our system," he said.

Trump's team ignored questions about the looming recounts. Set to assume the presidency in 55 days, he was focused instead on the daunting task of building an administration from scratch.

Gathered with family at his Mar-a-Lago Palm Beach estate for the holiday weekend, Trump made two senior-level staff appointments.

He tapped Fox News analyst Kathleen Troia "KT" McFarland to serve as deputy national security adviser and campaign attorney Donald McGahn as White House counsel. In a statement, Trump cited McFarland's "tremendous experience and innate talent" and said McGhan "has a brilliant legal mind, excellent character and a deep understanding of constitutional law."

Trump finds in McFarland someone who previously worked under three presidents, although none since Ronald Reagan. McGhan, a veteran Republican election lawyer, served as Trump's attorney during the campaign.

Neither post requires Senate confirmation.

Trump transition spokesman Sean Spicer said Trump scheduled Monday meetings with eight more prospective administration hires.

Relating to the potential recount, Wisconsin has never conducted a presidential recount. With Trump's lead little more than 22,000 votes and Stein expected to file a formal request, Wisconsin elections Commission Elections Supervisor Ross Hein sent a memo to clerks this week telling them to expect one.

In Michigan, Trump's 10,704-vote lead is expected to be certified by the state elections board Monday. The deadline to ask for a recount is Wednesday.
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Mechanicville

The city of Mechanicville has pulled support for a long-delayed, $50 million apartment complex along the Hudson River.

The Hudson Riverview Apartments, formerly called The Esplanade project, which called for 225 apartments on 10 acres, is "now dead as far we are concerned," said city Mayor Dennis Baker on Friday. He cited a "lack of transparency" by developer Cleveland-based NRP Group LLC.

On Nov. 18, Baker sent a letter to the state New York State Homes and Community Renewal CEO James Rubin that announced the city was opposed to a state-subsidized loan that NRP sought for the project. That reversed a November 2015 letter of support the city had written.

"Based on the changes made to the development, the request for PILOT (payment in lieu of taxes) tax payments from the Mechanicville-Stillwater Industrial Development Agency, and the outpouring of opposition by the residents of the city, this letter is to serve as notice of the withdrawal of support by the city of Mechanicville," Baker wrote.

Attempts to reach NRP officials for comment Friday afternoon were not successful.

An economic development official said the project would have potentially consumed too many scarce financial resources, leaving little for any other potential developments.

"The problem with the Hudson riverfront apartments proposal is that it ties up too much of Mechanicville's economic future into one residential housing project," said Pete Bardunias, President/CEO of the Chamber of Southern Saratoga County. "Why is it up to the IDA to sink $30 million into this development while exactly zero major commercial investments are happening inside of the city and its school district limits, especially at a time when the school district is seeking to do a $50 million improvement project of its own?"

He said the chamber is working on five different development efforts in or around the city, including an intermodal rail/canal/manufacturing concept, the refurbished XO Tower, and a planned renovation of the city's historic train station.

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The Esplanade was first proposed by local developer William McNeary in 2009, but was delayed repeatedly by financing issues. In 2015, McNeary sold the property to NRP Group, which has developed dozens of projects in the U.S., including apartments in Ballston and Moreau.

Just five miles from the massive GlobalFoundries semiconductor plant in Malta, the project was initially launched by McNeary as the Great Recession dampened construction and financing availability. A decrepit warehouse on the site was demolished and the land cleared several years ago, but the project appeared stalled after that.

McNeary initially had local permits for a 294-unit, $58 million project spread across six buildings, and NRP envisioned a slightly smaller 225-unit development. The company already has two other projects in Saratoga County, including the 54-unit Ballston Reserve in Ballston, and the 144-unit Sisson Reserve in Moreau.

bnearing@timesunion.com  518-454-5094  @Bnearing10
First I had to deal with the president-elect scolding.

During his interview with The New York Times on Tuesday, Donald Trump chided me twice for being too tough on him.

Sitting next to our publisher, Arthur Sulzberger Jr., Trump invited everyone around the table to call him if they saw anything "where you feel that I'm wrong."

"You can call me, Arthur can call me, I would love to hear," he said. "The only one who can't call me is Maureen. She treats me too rough."

Then I had to go home for Thanksgiving and deal with my family scolding me about the media misreading the country.

The minute I saw my sister's Trump champagne I knew I wasn't in a safe space.

My little basket of deplorables, as I call my conservative family, gloated with Trump toasts galore, and Kevin presented me with his annual holiday column with an extra flourish.

My colleague Paul Krugman tweeted Friday that "affluent, educated suburbanites" who voted for Trump are "fools." What else is there to say, he asked.

Well, here is what Kevin, an affluent, educated suburbanite, has to say in his column, titled an "Election Therapy Guide for Liberals":

Donald Trump pulled off one of the greatest political feats in modern history by defeating Hillary Clinton and the vaunted Clinton machine.

The election was a complete repudiation of Barack Obama: his fantasy world of political correctness, the politicization of the Justice Department and the IRS, an out-of-control EPA, his neutering of the military, his nonsupport of the police and his fixation on things like transgender bathrooms. Since he became president, his party has lost 63 House seats, 10 Senate seats and 14 governorships.

The country had signaled strongly in the last two midterms that they were not happy. The Dems' answer was to give them more of the same from a person they did not like or trust.

Preaching  and pandering  with a message of inclusion, the Democrats have instead become a party where incivility and bad manners are taken for granted, rudeness is routine, religion is mocked, and there is absolutely no respect for a differing opinion. This did not go down well in the Midwest, where Trump flipped three blue states and 44 electoral votes.

Here is a short primer for the young protesters. If your preferred candidate loses, there is no need for mass hysteria, canceled midterms, safe spaces, crying rooms or group primal screams. You might understand this better if you had not received participation trophies, undeserved grades to protect your feelings or even if you had a proper understanding of civics. The Democrats are now crying that Hillary had more popular votes. That can be her participation trophy.

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If any of my sons had told me they were too distraught over a national election to take an exam, I would have brought them home the next day, fearful of the instruction they were receiving. Not one of the top 50 colleges mandate one semester of Western Civilization. Maybe they should rethink that.

Trump received over 62 million votes, not all of them cast by homophobes, Islamaphobes, racists, sexists, misogynists or any other "ists." I would caution Trump deniers that all of the crying and whining is not good preparation for the coming storm. The liberal media, both print and electronic, has lost all credibility. I am reasonably sure that none of the mainstream print media had stories prepared for a Trump victory. I watched the networks and cable stations in their midnight meltdown  embodied by Rachel Maddow explaining to viewers that they were not having a "terrible, terrible dream" and that they had not died and "gone to hell."

The media's criticism of Trump's high-level picks as "not diverse enough" or "too white and male"  a day before he named two women and offered a Cabinet position to an African-American  magnified this fact.

Here is a final word to my Democratic friends. The election is over. There will not be a do-over. So let me bid farewell to Al Sharpton, Ben Rhodes and the Clintons. Note to Cher, Barbra, Amy Schumer and Lena Dunham: Your plane is waiting. And to Jon Stewart, who talked about moving to another planet: Your spaceship is waiting. To Bruce Springsteen, Jay Z, Beyonce and Katy Perry, thanks for the free concerts. And finally, to all the foreign countries that contributed to the Clinton Foundation, there will not be a payoff or a rebate.

As Eddie Murphy so eloquently stated in the movie "48 Hrs.": "There's a new sheriff in town." And he is going to be here for 1,461 days. Merry Christmas.

Dowd writes for The New York Times.
[November 26, 2016] Black Friday Shoppers Up 18.5% and Purchasers Up 15.2% Across Major Retail Sites, According to HookLogic

NEW YORK, Nov. 26, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Thanksgiving and Black Friday 2016 saw more shoppers than ever before make purchases on major retail sites according to insights from HookLogicthe pioneer of performance marketing for brands. Shoppers1 on Thanksgiving were up 16.1% and purchasers2 were up 9.8% Year Over Year (YOY). Black Friday shoppers and purchasers were up 18.5% and 15.2% respectively, compared to Black Friday in 2015. Further insights from HookLogic, who sees more than 91 billion searches a year on many of the world's largest retail sites, include: On Thanksgiving , ecommerce shoppers peaked at 7PM - 10PM EST , as consumers finished their dinners and got back to researching purchases.

, ecommerce shoppers peaked at , as consumers finished their dinners and got back to researching purchases. Purchasers on Thanksgiving peaked from 9PM - 11PM EST .

peaked from . The Thanksgiving peak shopping hour on mobile was 9PM EST as shoppers were likely away from their computers and spending time with family earlier in the day.

peak shopping hour on mobile was as shoppers were likely away from their computers and spending time with family earlier in the day. Average Black Friday cart size was 3.1 products per cart, with an average cart value of $150 .

. Black Friday mobile phone cart size was equal to that on desktop: 3.1; average cart value was $125 $152 on desktop.



Jonathan Opdyke . "This year, we believe the fact that several major retailers closed on Thanksgiving , had a positive impact on ecommerce sales. It also shifted some sales to Black Friday. With the number of ecommerce shoppers increasing by 18.5% and continuing gains expected, retailers appear to be kicking off the largest ecommerce season in history." With more shoppers making purchases via mobile phones, marketers need to enable seamless online shopping. HookLogic Sponsored Products are a way to guide shopper choice and increase product sales for brands on the mobile and desktop sites, as well as apps of the world's largest retailers. To see the latest holiday shopping data, visit HookLogic's 2016 Holiday Insights.

About HookLogic

HookLogic, the pioneer of performance marketing for brands, partners with the world's leading retailers and online travel agencies to accelerate sales for product brands and hotels. Advertisers use the platform to reach in-market shoppers, drive traffic to products, and attribute resulting sales. Network partners and advertisers include Walmart, Tesco, Target, Asda, Best Buy, Macy's, Expedia, Hasbro, Intel, LG, L'Oreal, Mondelez, Philips, Microsoft and Marriott. HookLogic is headquartered in New York, with offices in Ann Arbor, Mich.; Santa Monica, Calif.; London, Paris, Sao Paulo, Toronto and the Netherlands. HookLogic was acquired by Criteo (NDSQ: CRTO) on November 9, 2016. For more information, please visit www.hooklogic.com or call (646) 467-8200. Contact:

Finn Partners for HookLogic

Valerie Beesley, 315-491-0811

[email protected] 1 Unique users across ecommerce sites

2 User conversions Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160329/349284LOGO To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/black-friday-shoppers-up-185-and-purchasers-up-152-across-major-retail-sites-according-to-hooklogic-300368703.html SOURCE HookLogic

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
Three seek NLCS Board District 1 seat in upcoming election

Three candidates are seeking election to the district one seat on the NLCS board: Incumbent Kirsten Collier, Craig Godsey and Jason Johnson.
Michelle T. Johnson: "Am I incredibly nervous about what a Donald J. Trump Presidency will look like? Yes, and I get more nervous with each cabinet appointment.





"But what Im in full-fledged annoyance about is how people are mostly concerned with what I call WPPR  White People Public Relations."

awhile back

BUT AT LEAST TKC'S RACIALLY CHARGED MELODRAMA IS GOOD FOR A FEW LAUGHS AND PROVIDES EXCELLENT HIGHLIGHTS, GOSSIP AND INSIDER INFO FOR KANSAS CITY'S POLITICAL AND NEWS SCENE!!!

Support from "viewers like you" powers this divisive, acerbic and racially charged Kansas City Public TV column.Most of the drivel from KCPT's news magazine goes unchecked and largely unnoticed but quite a few denizens of our blog community areregarding this writing from the partially taxpayer funded media outlet.Here's the premise and the money line . . .Personal aside . . .Some of our spammer trolls followed TKC when he made an ever-so-brief appearance on Ruckusand the KCPT jerks got so scared that they didn't even invite me to the after-party.Also, we'll never forget that. Sniffle . . .But I digress . . .I'm pretty sure this broad wants us to take her "seriously" which is a mistake for anyone working in media amid the Trump era.Like it or not and despite the fact that a little part of me dies whenever I have to defendbut a big booty white woman, the writing we've called out isthat would be rebuffed if it was directed at anybody but all the white people who voted for Trump.You decide . . .
There is no issue of a fourth bailout program for Greece but it is vital for the country to succeed in the third program, Executive Board member Benoit Coeure reportedly told Greek newspaper Efimeritha ton Syntakton

There is no issue of a fourth bailout program for Greece but it is vital for the country to succeed in the third program, Executive Board member Benoit Coeure reportedly told Greek newspaper Efimeritha ton Syntakton in an interview which will be published on Saturday.

Asked about the ongoing second program review, the ECB official said talks remain open on all aspects of policies and lowered expectations for a deal at the Eurogroup on December 9, noting that the meeting will provide a good opportunity for registering the progress made and determining the timetable to complete the review.

Coeure also confirmed the differences in views among the institutions on the size of the primary surplus in the talks about Greek debt and described the participation of the International monetary Fund (IMF) in the Greek program as a factor of credibility.

According to the paper, the ECB official said hes in favour of debt relief and that the full implementation of the program must be accompanied by a series of debt relief measures in the framework of the Eurogroup agreement on May 25.

Concerning the inclusion of Greek bonds in the European Central Banks (ECB) quantitative easing program, he noted the banks board will base its assessments on the internal analysis which will be conducted, while taking into consideration other issues concerning risk management, before taking its final decisions.

Coeure also noted the need to continue reforms and fiscal consolidation in Greece in a way that promotes growth and is geared towards cost cutting and not tax increases.

Read more here.

RELATED TOPICS: Greece, Greek tourism news, Tourism in Greece, Greek islands, Hotels in Greece, Travel to Greece, Greek destinations , Greek travel market, Greek tourism statistics, Greek tourism report
EU Parliamentarian Manfred Weber has said Turkey will not become a member of the European Union

EU Parliamentarian Manfred Weber has said Turkey will not become a member of the European Union in an interview with the German newspaper Neue Osnabrucker Zeitung on Saturday.

Weber, the head of the European Peoples Party (EPP), added that it is more important to agree with Ankara on issues regarding economy, culture, and student exchange, than it is to have Turkey continue the accession process.

On Turkish President Tayyip Erdogans threats regarding the migrant deal with the EU, Weber said: We will not allow ourselves to be blackmailed. The fact is that, if necessary, we are able to react accordingly and independently from the Turkish government

Weber added that he is against the placing economic sanctions on Turkey at the moment, saying that all channels of communication cannot be cut, since the democratic entities in Turkey continue to support Europe.

Asked if he would seek the presidency of the European Parliament after Martin Schulzs resignation, Weber said that he does not have such ambitions and that there are several good potential candidates from their parliamentary team that could seek the candidacy.

GERMAN CSU LEADER: TURKEY WILL NOT BLACKMAIL US

The head of the Bavarian CSU party Horst Seehofer has sent a similar message to Turkey in an interview with Passauer Neue Presse.

Regarding Erdogans threat, Seehofer said: Turkey will not be allowed to blackmail us. Europe will have to defend the human rights of freedom and democracy.

He added that if Erdogan moves forward with his threat than Germany will protect its borders better.

Source: CNA

Read more here.

RELATED TOPICS: Greece, Greek tourism news, Tourism in Greece, Greek islands, Hotels in Greece, Travel to Greece, Greek destinations , Greek travel market, Greek tourism statistics, Greek tourism report
The Turkish side is at fault for the impasse at Cyprus talks in Mont Pelerin, 70 per cent of respondents in poll conducted by IMR/University of Nicosia have said

The Turkish side is at fault for the impasse at Cyprus talks in Mont Pelerin, 70 per cent of respondents in poll conducted by IMR/University of Nicosia have said on Saturday.

The poll conducted for Simerini newspaper has shown that only 23 per cent of respondents did not blame the Turkish Cypriot side for the failure of talks.

Ninety-three per cent of the respondents has said that Turkey negatively contributed to the talks. Approximately half (47%) of those polled have said that Greeces stance did not affect the Cyprus negotiations on the territory issue. Another 38 per cent have said that the talks in Switzerland were positively affected by the Greek governments stance.

Over half of those polled (86%) have said that they no longer believe a solution can be reached in 2016, while 14 per cent believe a solution can be reached this year.

Seventy-one per cent, however, have said that they do not believe the international community needs to get involved in the process, while 29 per cent have said the involvement is beneficial.

Worse than Annan

Regarding the Annan plan to solve the Cyprus problem in 2004, 57 per cent of those polled had initially said that a new solution would be better.

However, after the failure in Mont Pelerin and President Nicos Anastasiades second press conference on the matter 54 per cent said that the new plan for a Cyprus solution would be worse than the Annan plan, with 35 per cent still remaining hopeful it would be better.

The poll conducted for Simerini was conducted on November 24 through phone interviews. IMR/University of Nicosia interviewed a random sample group of 500 men and women aged over 18 in all of Cyprus.

Read more here.

RELATED TOPICS: Greece, Greek tourism news, Tourism in Greece, Greek islands, Hotels in Greece, Travel to Greece, Greek destinations , Greek travel market, Greek tourism statistics, Greek tourism report
European Commissioner for Migration Dimitris Avramopoulos on Friday stressed the importance of keeping alive an agreement between Ankara and the European Union to crack down on human smuggling in the Aegean

European Commissioner for Migration Dimitris Avramopoulos on Friday stressed the importance of keeping alive an agreement between Ankara and the European Union to crack down on human smuggling in the Aegean after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan threatened to unleash a wave of migrants on Europe.

The agreement must be honored at all costs, Avramopoulos said during a meeting with President Prokopis Pavlopoulos.

The president struck a similar tone, saying that everyone must keep their promises and that Erdogans comments are not beneficial to Turkey.

Erdogans threat came after MEPs voted on Thursday to freeze EU accession talks with Turkey in protest at Ankaras disproportionate reaction to a failed coup in the country in July.

The rift between Ankara and Brussels has unsettled Athens as tensions are already high in overcrowded reception centers for migrants on Aegean islands and a new wave of refugees would cause serious upheaval.

At crisis meetings in recent days involving officials at the Migration Ministry and Citizens Protection Ministry, there were proposals for migrants to be transferred from island centers to the mainland to free up space, Kathimerini understands.

En masse transfer of migrants to the mainland

The government had been keen to avoid the en masse transfer of migrants to the mainland, fearing it would prompt a new wave of arrivals from Turkey. According to the plan, migrants sent to the mainland would be returned to Turkey via Evros in northern Greece.

The government came under more pressure after the deadly fire Thursday night at the Moria processing center on Lesvos, which led to the death of a woman and a child and the serious injury of two others.

Tsipras expressed his condolences to the family of the victims, saying he was shocked by the incident.

The 60-year-old woman and her 5-year-old grandchild, both Iraqi Kurds, died when their tent caught fire after a cooking gas canister exploded.

The tragedy led to fresh criticism of Migration Minister Yiannis Mouzalas by opposition parties regarding overcrowded conditions at camps on the eastern Aegean islands of Lesvos, Samos, Kos and Chios which are putting migrants at risk, and for failing to make adequate preparations for the onset of winter. Mouzalas said he hoped that from December onward between 100 and 200 migrants will be returned daily to Turkey.

However, with a further 784 arrivals alone in the last week, the camps are bursting at the seams, while islanders are demanding the removal of all migrants. Mouzalas said the only option available at the moment would be the creation of additional facilities to decongest the camps, but the idea has been resisted by local residents.

Read more here.

RELATED TOPICS: Greece, Greek tourism news, Tourism in Greece, Greek islands, Hotels in Greece, Travel to Greece, Greek destinations , Greek travel market, Greek tourism statistics, Greek tourism report
A political change is needed as soon as possible that will allow Greece to adopt a new productive and growth model and a policy of post-populism, New Democracy (ND) leader Kyriakos Mitsotakis said

A political change is needed as soon as possible that will allow Greece to adopt a new productive and growth model and a policy of post-populism, New Democracy (ND) leader Kyriakos Mitsotakis said on Monday, during the presentation of a book by Giorgos Pagoulatos, titled The island that is leaving; 121+1 essays about the crisis.

Greece remains cumbersome in terms of reforms, financially ambivalent and without orientation in terms of development, while time passes relentlessly and the hourglass of opportunities is steadily being emptied at our expense, he said. For it reason, it is imperative that policies change as soon as possible. The country does not just need a new production and growth model. It needs a new political model. We need to invent the policy of post-populism.

He said the party must not merely be content with the ideological superiority of its ideas, or believe that because the people at this event agree on these issues, the party has won the trust of the Greek societys silent majority. We have to read the spirit behind the letter of the populist vote, without becoming populists, he noted.

To achieve this, we need a brave and creating break with our past. One thing is certain: we cannot approach the future with the tools and vocabulary of the past. I know well we will not be able to reach some people, because we will not confront populism by softening our political voice. But we have to appeal to the forgotten man. The average Greek family which, away from ideologies, sees its future getting darker every day, he added.

Read more here.

RELATED TOPICS: Greece, Greek tourism news, Tourism in Greece, Greek islands, Hotels in Greece, Travel to Greece, Greek destinations , Greek travel market, Greek tourism statistics, Greek tourism report
Gulf International Bank (GIB), a pan-GCC universal bank that specialises in corporate and investment banking, has unveiled its new corporate identity to mark 40 years of its success.



GIB is owned by the governments of the six Gulf countries, with Saudi Arabias Public Investment Fund being the primary shareholder.



The unveiling of the new identity was held in the presence of top bank officials at a special ceremony in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.



The brand identity reflects the core of the banks new strategy and its boards vision for the GIB to be the preferred financial services partner in delivering innovative solutions to its customers, said a statement from the bank.



With the banks expansion and diversification approach, the new brand will serve as the trademark for all of GIB subsidiaries and representative offices in the Arabian Gulf and the rest of the world, it added.



Speaking at the launch, CEO Abdulaziz Al Helaissi said: "As part of a GIB strategic review, we identified a need to refresh our brand and visual identity. The bank has grown steadily over the past four decades to deliver bespoke financial services."



"With a strong unified brand identity and an exciting programme of change implementation ongoing, we are better positioned than ever to maintain our leadership in the provision of bespoke international banking services, helping our clients thrive by working together,"

noted Al Helaissi.



Through 40 years of growth and achievements, GIB has always embraced progress and development. This is now personified in a refreshed brand, designed to complement our strategic ambitions in a challenging financial environment, he added.-TradeArabia News Service


Tetra Pak, one of the world's leading food processing and packaging solutions company, has sealed a Dh25-million ($6.8 million) deal to provide and construct processing and packaging lines for Binghatti Holdings new food and beverage production plant located at the Khalifa Industrial Zone in Abu Dhabi (Kizad).



Binghatti is an international investment holding company headquartered in Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) with focus on high-growth potential projects in the real estate, hospitality, education, industrial, construction and FMCG (fast-moving consumer goods) sectors.



In the FMCG circles, the company is widely known for the Raubi brand of juices across the region. The brand is being supported by Binghattis own FMCG distribution companies in the UAE, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq and London.



The agreement, which could be expanded, comes on the heels of Binghattis recent Dh250 million ($68 million) investment in its Kizad-based production facility.



Niels Hougaard, the managing director at Tetra Pak Arabia Area, said: "We are very happy to have reached this agreement with Binghatti. They are the gold-standard of the regional FMCG sector and, with our equally respected manufacturing and packaging expertise, we think this is a mutually beneficial agreement that guarantees quality at all stages of the process."



On completion, the plant at Kizad will be capable of producing 10 million cases in its first year, with the capability of increasing to 40 million cases per year.



Ahmed Binghatti, the chief financial officer and head of investments at Binghatti Holding, pointed out that Tetra Pak sets the world standard when it comes to processing plants.



"The fantastic team at Tetra Pak has done an excellent job of tailoring the perfect solution for our requirements and we are very much looking forward to further developing our relationship with them," he added.



The production lines are likely to be installed during the first quarter of 2017 with the first commercial production run expected towards the end of Q2.



The FMCG products from the Kizad plant will be distributed in the UAE and exported via Khalifa Port to countries across the Mena region with plans to expand exports to Europe and the Far East.-TradeArabia News Service
Fidel Castro, Cuba's former president and leader of the Communist revolution, has died aged 90, state TV has announced.

Fidel Castro ruled Cuba as a one-party state for almost half a century before handing over the powers to his brother Raul in 2008, reported BBC.



His supporters praised him as a man who had given Cuba back to the people. But his opponents accused him of brutally suppressing opposition.



In April, Fidel Castro gave a rare speech on the final day of the country's Communist Party congress.

He acknowledged his advanced age but said Cuban communist concepts were still valid and the Cuban people "will be victorious".



"I'll soon be 90," the former president said, adding that this was "something I'd never imagined".

"Soon I'll be like all the others, "to all our turn must come," Fidel Castro said.

However, Castro lived long enough to see a historic thaw in relations between Cuba and the US.



President Barack Obama announced in December that the US would re-establish diplomatic relations with Cuba and urged Congress to lift a 52-year-old economic embargo.



Cuban President Raul Castro - who took over from his ailing brother more than eight years earlier - announced the breakthrough to the nation, but observers noted Fidel's silence on the matter.



Castro's stage was a small island nation 90 miles from the underbelly of the US, but he commanded worldwide attention.

"There are few individuals in the 20th century who had a more profound impact on a single country than Fidel Castro had in Cuba," Robert Pastor, a former national security adviser for President Jimmy Carter in the 1970s, told CNN in 2012.

"Castro reshaped Cuba in his image, for both bad and good," said Pastor, who died in 2014. "Cuba will be a different place because he lived and he died," he stated.

It was a bearded 32-year-old Castro and a small band of rough-looking revolutionaries who overthrew an unpopular dictator in 1959 and rode their jeeps and tanks into Havana, the nation's capital.



They were met by thousands upon thousands of Cubans fed up with the brutal dictatorship of Fulgencio Batista and who believed in Castro's promise of democracy and an end to repression.

Castro became famous enough that he could be identified by only one name. A mention of "Fidel" left little doubt who was being talked about.



No other nonroyal ruler clung to power as long as Castro did for 47 years, until an intestinal illness that required several surgeries forced him to temporarily relinquish his duties to younger brother Raul in July 2006.

Castro resigned as president in February 2008 and Raul took over permanently.

At the height of the Cold War, Castro used a blend of charisma and repression to install the first and only Communist government in the Western Hemisphere, less than 100 miles from the US.



Cuba and the Soviet Union established diplomatic relations on May 8, 1960, further eroding the relationship with the US.

Castro, who had long blamed many of Cuba's ills on American influence and resented the US role in hemispheric politics, quickly intensified cooperation with the Soviet Union, which began sending large subsidies.

One Castro or another has ruled Cuba over a period that spans seven decades and 11 US presidents. Fidel Castro outlived six of those presidents, including Cold War warriors John F. Kennedy, Richard Nixon and Ronald Reagan.
The Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority (BTEA) has launched a key initiative 'Island Wedding', that positions the kingdom as a prime wedding destination, at the ongoing Jewellery Arabia 2016 expo in Manama.



The kingdom's new wedding identity, Island Wedding, has been designed by a group of international experts from the wedding sector in order to showcase the kingdoms main offering as a wedding destination.



The objective is to offer newlyweds a variety of options in terms of hosting unforgettable celebrations and spending their honeymoon at the best hotels and resorts in Bahrainm, said a statement from BTEA.



Unveiling the new identity at the Bahrain International Exhibition and Convention Centre, Dr Ali Follad, the advisor at BTEA, said: "The launch of the identity Island Wedding comes in line with the Authoritys effort in promoting the kingdom as a wedding destination and attracting couples to host their weddings in the kingdom."



"We have a robust hospitality sector that is appealing to many couples looking for a destination wedding," he noted.



The Island Wedding logo has been inspired by an engagement ring and the lines on the diamond portrayed in the logo represent the services and products offered by the kingdom. A dedicated website along with social media channels has also been launched.



The BTEA is out in force at this year's Jewellery Arabia featuring 14 exhibitors representing various five-star hotels and a few wedding planners including Lala Bella, IQ Art, Jandal Group, and Leaves.



The participating hotels include ART Rotana, Amwaj Islands, Gulf Hotel, Crown Plaza, Sofitel Bahrain, Ritz-Carlton Bahrain, Al Areen Palace, Sheraton Hotel, Movenpick Hotel, Diplomat Radisson, and Intercontinental Regency Hotel.-TradeArabia News Service
Ahmed Zayani & Sons, the Bahraini dealer and distributor of elite automotive brands including including Bentley, Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram, and Skoda, has launched a new insurance product GAP (Guaranteed Asset Protection) for its customers.



The comprehensive GAP program is managed by Mapfre Asistencia, a multi-national assistance company and a global leader in assistance products represented locally by Gulf Assist; and powered by Solidarity General Takaful  a Sharia compliant insurance provider.



On the new product, Zaid Hamed, the general manager of Ahmed Zayani & Sons, said:

"Ahmed Zayani & Sons always cares about the quality service driven through providing superb products, services to maintain customer-centric as our first priority and we never cease to improve our offers and services to the market."



"Our partnership with Mapfre Asistencia will give us the possibility to enrich our offer and to make our customers financially safe in case of total loss of their cars," he stated.



Alejandro Boutin, the regional director for Middle East and Africa at Mapfre Asistencia, said the company is a leading specialist in supporting clients to create satisfaction and loyalty for consumers.



"We are proud to provide superior solutions and implement them into improving end user experience," he noted.



Gulf Assists general manager Enrique Ballesteros said that Mapfre Asistencia and Gulf Assist have been present in Bahrain for over 20 years.



"Our goal has always been to assist our partners in providing innovative solutions that enable them to become leaders in their respective markets," he stated.



Mapfre Asistencias commercial director for Middle East, Moez Bergaoui, said: "We are excited to work with Ahmed Zayani & Sons to turn our shared values into one successful partnership, and provide a valuable and peaceful experience for our customers."



Solidarity General Takaful general manager, Jawad Mohamed said GAP insurance is a product that will protect the customers financial position by covering the difference between the actual cash value of a vehicle and the balance still owed on the financing loans or leases.



We are very excited to what we believe will reshape the motor insurance industry in Bahrain and will provide solidarity customers with peace of mind, he added.-TradeArabia News Service
On November 24, Thanksgiving day, the A350-1000, Airbus' newest plane took to the skies. It is currently Europe's largest twin-engine passenger jet, and one of the biggest airplanes in the world.

The aircraft took off from the Toulouse-Blagnac Airport, Toulouse, France at 10:42 a.m., according to USA Today. The Airbus A350 flew around Southern France for several hours and then safely landed back at the airport. (READ: The Top Five Shortest Flights In The World)

The Airbus A350, at 230 tons, took off to large fanfare and applause from factory workers, according to Reuters. Powered by a Rolls Royce-manufactured Trent XWB engine, the engine has been tested to put out a whopping 97,000 lbs of thrust. Skipping the traditional aluminum body, Airbus created the jets out of lightweight carbon-fiber composite materials, which allows for fuel efficiency and features travelers will love such as lower cabin humidity and larger windows. (READ: New Aircraft Technology: Self-Cleaning Toilets And Jetlag Prevention)

With a seating range of up to 440 people, the Airbus A350 is expected to reach ranges of up to 7,950 miles, connecting cities such as Boston and Shanghai on one full trip, or Los Angeles to Manchester. Taking advantage of this feature is Qatar Airways, to whom Airbus is expected to deliver the Airbus A350 in late 2017, following a whole year of testing. Qatar Airways was also the first airline to take deliveries of earlier models of the Airbus A350, part of Airbus' A350 program which was initially launched in 2006. (READ: What Is 2017's Most Excellent Airline?)

In a tight race with Boeing, who has dominated the long-haul jet market for decades, Airbus is aiming for the new A350 to outdo Boeing's 777-300. Fabrice Bregier, Airbus' CEO claims that the A350 is 25 percent more fuel efficient and 30 tons lighter than Boeing's latest 777. (READ: The Most Shocking Airline Secrets Revealed) Last year, the A350-900 entered service, a smaller version of the A350-1000 and competition to Boeing's 787 Dreamliner. Before entering service in 2017, the new A350-1000 needs to face at least 1,600 hours of intensive flight testing.

See Now: The U.S. had the highest number of Most Wanted properties, dominating the Hotels.com Loved By Guests Awards 2018
Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, November 26

To mark the birth anniversary of Dr Verghese Kurien, Father of Indias White Revolution, on November 26, Verka today distributed milk to underprivileged slum dwellers around the city. Speaking about the activity, Amarjit Singh Sidhu, chairman, Milkfed, said, We pay our tributes to the great visionary, Dr Verghese Kurien, on his 95th birth anniversary. It was his thinking and persistent efforts that transformed India from a milk-deficient country into its largest producer in the world.

He said in Verkas method of functioning, about 75 per cent of the profits go back to dairy farmers. The activity conducted today is also about making a difference in the lives of the under-privileged ones.

Milk consumption is deeply embedded in the Indian culture and culinary traditions. Following the direction shown by Dr Kurien, Verka has been working towards lifting India by empowering its dairy farmers. We have been contributing towards enhancing milk availability for all and will continue to put in efforts to increase its production, he added.

Dr Kurien was a social entrepreneur famous for Operation Flood  the worlds largest agricultural development programme. Known as Milkman of India, Dr Kurien was the founder Chairman of the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) from 1965 to 1998, the Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation Ltd. (GCMMF), from 1973 to 2006 and the Institute of Rural Management (IRMA) from 1979 to 2006, which are owned and managed by farmers and run by professionals.
Islamabad, November 26

Lt Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa, who has extensive experience in handling Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, was today appointed Pakistans new army chief to succeed Gen Raheel Sharif. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif appointed Bajwa as the chief of army staff (COAS) by elevating him to the rank of a four-star general, officials said.

Bajwa will take charge of the worlds sixth-largest army by troop numbers in a formal handover on Tuesday, when General Sharif retires. General Sharif in January had declared he would not seek extension.

There was speculation that the PML-N government would give him extension at the eleventh hour, citing reasons that he was needed by the country to lead war on terror. The post of army chief is the most powerful in Pakistan.

Defence minister Khawaja Asif confirmed that Bajwa had been appointed as COAS and Zubair Hayat as chairman, joint chief of staff committee (CJCSC). Bajwa, currently serving as Inspector General of the Training and Evaluation, had commanded 10 Corps, responsible for the area along the Line of Control (LoC).

As a major general, he led the Force Command Northern Areas. He also served in the 10 Corps as lieutenant colonel. He also served with a UN mission in Congo as a brigade commander alongside former Indian Army chief General Bikram Singh, who was also there as a division commander. Previously, he remained the commandant of the Infantry School in Quetta.

The new army chief has wide experience of LoC affairs due to his extensive involvement with PoK and northern areas, reports said here. His military colleagues say he is not attention-seeking and remains well-connected with his troops. Lt Gen Bajwa is from infantrys Baloch Regiment, which besides him has produced three army chiefs  Gen Yahya Khan, Gen Aslam Beg and Gen Ashfaq Pervez Kayani.  PTI
Karachi, November 25

China will deploy its naval ships along with Pakistan Navy to safeguard the strategic Gwadar port and trade routes under the USD 46 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, a navy official here has said, shedding light on a plan that is likely to alarm India.

China and Pakistan are currently building the nearly 3,000-km-long economic corridor linking Pakistan's Gwadar port on the Arabian Sea with Xinjiang to improve connectivity between the two countries. The move would open up a new and cheaper cargo route for transporting oil to China as well as export of Chinese goods to the Middle East and Africa.

A Pakistan Navy official said the role of maritime forces has increased since the country has made the Gwadar port operational and speeded up economic activities under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

"China would also deploy its naval ships in coordination with Pakistan Navy to safeguard the port and trade under the CPEC," the unnamed official was quoted as saying by The Express Tribune.

In the past, China has shied away from saying that it plans to deploy its naval ships in Gwadar, a move that could raise hackles of the US and India.

Experts feel that CPEC and the Gwadar port would enhance the military capabilities of both China and Pakistan, and make it possible for the Chinese Navy to easily access the Arabian Sea.

Having a naval base in Gwadar could allow Chinese vessels to use the port for repair and maintenance of their fleet in the Indian Ocean region. Such a foothold would be the first overseas location offering support to the Chinese navy for future missions.

Pakistani defence officials are keen for the Chinese navy to build up its presence in the Indian Ocean and the Arabian Sea, primarily to counterbalance India's formidable naval force.

The Pakistani official also said that the countrys navy is considering buying super-fast ships from China and Turkey for its special squadron to be deployed at the Gwadar port for the security purpose.

"A squadron may have four to six warships," he said on the sidelines of the on-going defence exhibition, IDEAS 2016, at the Karachi Expo Centre.

The ships would be bought soon keeping in view their immediate need in the fleet, he said, adding that two defence ships have already been deployed at Gwadar.

Another official of the naval force added that Pakistan has kicked off the process of establishing the largest shipyard of the region in Gwadar. A similar shipbuilding project is being deliberated at Port Qasim in Karachi.

The two advanced shipyards would design and develop ships and other security equipment for Pakistan Navy.

"The existing shipyard, the Pakistan National Shipping Corporation, lacks capacity to meet new requirements of the force. Its (PNSC) performance, however, would improve in competition with the two under consideration," he said.  PTI
Havana, November 26

Fidel Castro, the Cuban revolutionary leader who built a communist state on the United States doorstep and for five decades defied its efforts to topple him, died on Friday. He was 90.

A towering figure of the second half of the 20th century, Castro stuck to his ideology beyond the collapse of Soviet communism and remained widely respected in parts of the world that had struggled against colonial rule. He had been in poor health since an intestinal ailment nearly killed him in 2006. He formally ceded power to his younger brother Raul Castro two years later.

A somber Raul Castro (85) appeared on television to announce his brothers death. Ever onward, to victory, he said, using the slogan of the Cuban revolution. Venezuelas Socialist President Nicolas Maduro said revolutionaries of the world must follow his legacy, while Pope Francis said he was grieving and praying for the repose of the professed atheist. US President-elect Donald Trump tweeted Fidel Castro is dead!, without elaborating.

Raul Castro, who always glorified his older brother, has nevertheless changed Cuba since taking over by introducing market-style economic reforms and agreeing with the US in December 2014 to re-establish diplomatic ties and end decades of hostility.

It remains unclear if Trump will continue efforts to normalise relations with Cuba. Fidel himself offered only lukewarm support for the deal. Some analysts believed his mere presence kept Raul from moving further. In Miami, where many Cuban exiles live, a large crowd cheered and danced.

Castros body will be cremated and his ashes taken around the country before being interred on December 4. Cuba has declared nine days of mourning.  Reuters
New Delhi, November 26

Indian leaders on Saturday condoled the death of Cuba's revolutionary leader and former President Fidel Castro, who died on Saturday at the age of 90. They described Castro as one of the most iconic personalities of the 20th century and a "good friend" of India.

Prime Minister said: "I extend my deepest condolences to the government & people of Cuba on the sad demise of Fidel Castro. May his soul rest in peace," he tweeted.

"Fidel Castro was one of the most iconic personalities of the 20th century. India mourns the loss of a great friend," the Prime Minister said.

(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)

He said India extends support to the Cuban government and its people in this tragic hour.

President Pranb Mukherjee said: "Heartfelt condolences on sad demise of Cuba's revolutionary leader, former President and friend of India, Fidel Castro.

Congress chief Sonia Gandhi said Castro led the oppressed and the striving from the front and stood up to every attempt at stifling the voice of freedom.

"His contribution to the Non Aligned Movement and his unflinching support for India's cause on various fora will always remain deeply etched in the minds and hearts of the Indian people," she said in a statement.

DMK president M Karunanidhi called him a 'lion cub' who grew to lead a rebellion in the South American country. "A lion cub who grew to become a respected revolutionary leader in a small country, Fidel Castro is one of the greatest leaders I can never forget," he said in a statement here.

He also recalled a poem 'presented' by him during an event to commemorate the Cuban revolution here a few years ago and hailed Castro's leadership.

Left parties described Castro as a source of "inspiration".

CPI(M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury said he steered Cuba from a very backward country to what it is today.

"End of an era. But revolutionaries like Fidel Castro live forever," he said in a tweet.

"He was great friend of Indian Communist movement and India. He played remarkable role in the non-aligned movement giving it a new orientation," the party said.

General Secretary of the CPI (ML) Liberation Dipankar Bhattcharya, said ,"#FidelCastro, the communist great who batted through the post-Soviet era, is no more. #RedSalute Comrade, your mission will be fulfilled."

PTI
London, November 25

Many Sikhs in the UK reject being described as Indian or Asian and would prefer a separate ethnic category created for a Sikh identity, according to the findings of the UK Sikh Survey 2016 released today.

The annual survey by the Sikh Network, involving 4,500 respondents, also found that the community continues to face discrimination and hate crimes.

This report contains the network's findings and is intended to assist government departments, other public bodies and political parties to understand existing trends and developments of the British Sikh community. Nineteen of 20 Sikhs reject being described as Indian or Asian; 93.5 per cent would welcome the inclusion of a separate ethnic tick box for Sikhs in the Census 2021; and more than 94 per cent would welcome a Statutory Code of Practice for the five Ks [kesh, kara, kanga, kachha and kirpan] and Sikh turban, the survey concludes.

It also highlights that a majority of respondents want an independent probe into the actions of the UK government in the lead up to and after the Operation Blue Star at Golden Temple.  PTI
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, November 25

The logjam in Parliament continued for the seventh day, with both the Houses witnessing unruly scenes as the Opposition demanded an apology from Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his comment that those opposing demonetisation are corrupt and siding with the corrupt.

The government, however, rejected the demand, insisting there was no question of doing so. The Congress, SP, BSP and the Left created an uproar in both the Houses, taking strong objection to Modis remarks that some people are criticising demonetisation because the government did not give any time to them to make any preparation (to convert black money into white).

In the Rajya Sabha, as soon as the House met for the day and mourned the death of its former member Dipen Ghosh, BSP chief Mayawati was on her feet saying the PM had wrongly accused the Opposition of holding black money and demanded that he must apologise for his remarks. Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad, too, questioned the PMs remarks and sought apology.

Amid the din, Deputy Chairman PJ Kurien said a notice under rule 267 seeking suspension of business to take up discussion on demonetisation has been received from Azad. I am ready to admit the motion, provided you are ready for discussion, he added. But on this Azad said, his notice was conditional for the Prime Minister to come to the House and listen to the entire debate and reply.

Kurien said it had been clarified by Leader of the House Arun Jaitley that the Prime Minister will come and intervene in the debate. But Azad disagreed, saying we were promised that the Prime Minister will be in the House till the debate is over.

Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi was heard saying that there was no question of an apology from the PM; instead, the Opposition should tender an apology.

At this point, Congress members trooped into the Well raising slogans as several BJP members were also seen standing in the aisles and shouting back. As the uproar continued, the Chair adourned the House till 1430 hours. Similar unruly scenes erupted again when the House reassembled, forcing Kurien to call it a day. The scene in the Lok Sabha was no different, with the Opposition parties vociferously protesting against the PMs comments.

Exchange old notes at RBI counters

New Delhi: The exchange of demonetised Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes will continue at Reserve Bank of India counters although it has been discontinued at banks. In a statement, the RBI said people could exchange old notes at its counters up to the current limit of Rs 2,000 per person. The government on Thursday said old notes can no longer be exchanged at bank counters. TNS

Jan Dhan deposits rise to Rs 64,250 crore

New Delhi: Total deposits in Jan Dhan accounts have increased to Rs 64,252.15 crore, with UP leading the chart with Rs 10,670.62 crore deposits, followed by West Bengal and Rajasthan. The Centre said no public sector banks had asked officials to deposit Re 1 or Rs 2 to avoid zero balance in such accounts. Of 25.58 crore accounts, 5.98 crore are zero balance accounts. PTI

Printing error: RBI says new Rs 500 valid

New Delhi: Amid confusion over printing errors in certain new Rs 500 notes, RBI has clarified that all such notes are valid. It has advised people to exchange them if they find it difficult to use. Among the errors, the guarantee declaration has shifted and almost superimposed on security thread on some notes, while a shadow of Mahatma Gandhis face is visible on others. PTI
Islamabad, November 26

The Pakistan authorities have halted the import of cotton and other agricultural commodities, including vegetables, from India via the Wagah border, a Pakistan newspaper report has said.

An official from the Department of Plant Protection has said the move comes following escalating tensions between the two countries after Indian troops allegedly targeted a passenger bus and an ambulance near the LoC, killing three Pakistan soldiers and 10 civilians on Wednesday, Dawn reported.

Cotton importers and customs clearing agents claimed the department had stopped the import of agriculture commodities from India without warning, citing increase in tensions across the LoC.  IANS
Varinder Singh

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, November 25

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today said he was determined to bring the Sutlej, Indus and Ravi waters flowing through Pakistan back to India to benefit Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir farmers.

Without making any specific announcement for Punjab at the foundation stone-laying of the Rs 925-crore All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) here, he said the BJP-led government at the Centre was working hand in hand with the Parkash Singh Badal government to ensure the states development.

Referring to the shortage of irrigation water in North India and the Indus Water Treaty with Pakistan, Modi said: I will bring the Indus, Ravi and Sutlej waters, flowing to the Arabian Sea through Pakistan, back to India for farmers of Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir. Pakistan is not using even a drop of water of the two rivers flowing into its territory.

I will fill your farmlands with water. I have already set up a task force for the purpose... I believe the riverwaters issue can be solved through dialogue.

Advising Pakistan to wage a war against corruption and black money instead of mounting its war machinery against India, Modi turned emotional, saying he yearned to talk to Pakistans avaam (people).

Asking Pakistan to shun its proxy war, he said, The people of India suffered for long owing to misadventures of Pakistan. Our Army jawans could not show their bravery, maybe owing to a weak leadership at the Centre. Now, Pakistan has tasted Indias dum (courage). He was referring to Indias surgical strikes across the border.

Vowing to end corruption, the PM appealed to the people to convert their cellphones into mobile banks and mobile wallets so that India became a cashless economy. I have come to stop the loot of the lower middle class, the poor and the farmers. The Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 notes have been banned under this philosophy. I dont know much about poll mathematics, he told the crowd.
Patiala, November 26

Punjab Congress Chief Amarinder Singh today exuded confidence that the party would come to the power in the state with two third majority as he kicked off the second phase of his road show.

Reaching out to people of Patiala district, he promised to waive off farmer debts and vowed to protect the water of Punjab at all costs.

Amarinder expressed confidence that the party would form the next government in Punjab with 2/3rd majority in the 2017 assembly polls.

On allocation of tickets, the PPCC chief said the scrutiny committee will meet on November 29 and 30, followed by a meeting of the Congress Election Committee on December 3, to discuss the matter.

He said winnability would be the sole criteria in the candidate selection, and denied any major dispute in the party on ticket distribution.

To a question on the possibility of former Amritsar MP Navjot Singh Sidhu joining the Congress, Amarinder said Sidhu was currently shooting in Mumbai and would be with the party once back.

Joined by wife and former union minister Preneet Kaur, Amarinder made several halts along the way as he kicked off his high-tech bus roadshow from Shambu border in Ghanur.

Talking to media along the roadshow route, he said once in power, Congress will take over the liabilities of the farmers and pay their capital and interest.

On demonetisation, former Punjab CM reiterated that while the objectives of the initiative were fine but the implementation was totally "unplanned", causing "extremely hardships" to the common people.

Describing SYL as a major election issue, Amarinder said this region (Rajpura, Ghanaur and surrounding areas) was faced with a dire water crisis and the SYL canal could not be allowed to be built at any cost.

Rejecting as an "outright lie" the Badals' allegation that he had carried a silver 'tasla/kassi' for the foundation laying ceremony of SYL, Amarinder said he had carried a silver 'tasla' only once - during the 1984 kar seva at the Golden Temple.

He dismissed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's statement on the Indus water treaty as "political posturing" ahead of the elections.

Modi had yesterday said the waters of Sutlej, Beas and Ravi rivers that rightfully belong to India will be stopped from going waste in Pakistan and he will ensure that farmers here utilise it.

Rejecting the Aam Aadmi Party's charges of a nexus between the Congress and the Akalis, Amarinder said he still had some cases pending against him in Ludhiana and Mohali.

He said AAP, in any case, was not an organisation but a group of "greedy perverts who were only interested in exploiting people for money and sex."

Asked if the Congress could also consider a Dalit as deputy chief minister, in view of Arvind Kejriwal's promise on the same, Amarinder said the AAP leader was in the habit of "telling lies", and as far as Congress was concerned, a decision on deputy chief ministership would be taken by the party high command at the time of government formation.

The chief ministerial candidate would also be announced at the appropriate time, he added.

Asked about how strong the AAP candidate pitted against him was, Amarinder asked, "Who is Balbir Singh? I don't know about him."  PTI
Aparna Banerji

Tribune News Service

Goraya (Phillaur), Nov 25

Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal said today that the AAP would make a Dalit the Deputy CM of Punjab, if voted to power.

He made the announcement after releasing AAPs Dalit manifesto at Dana Mandi here. All parties promise the moon to voters, but none of them make Dalits part of the power matrix. AAP will provide Dalits with a share in power, the AAP convener said.

Out of compulsion, Dalits are fielded from reserved seats. Kanshi Ram and BR Ambedkar dreamed of Dalits having a share in power. Equal rights can only be ensured when Dalits will be part of the power structure. The AAP will ensure that.

Out to woo the community of Doaba, Kejriwal started his speech with Jai Bhim, Jai Bharat. AAP is the first party to release a manifesto for Dalits, Its a historic day. Other parties try to lure them, but never find solutions through a separate manifesto, he said.

The promises made in the manifesto, which bears Ambedkars sketch on its cover, include constitution of an SIT to look into atrocities against Dalits in the past five years and punishment to guilty in all such cases, better schools and a special cell to monitor implementation of post-matric scholarship scheme.

What Dalit manifesto promises
Chandigarh, November 26

Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal will call on President Pranab Mukherjee on Monday to draw his attention to the recent Supreme Court verdict on SYL canal issue that had favoured Haryana.

The chief minister will meet the President at Rashtrapti Bhawan and will be accompanied by the members of his Council of Ministers besides all the MPs of the ruling SAD-BJP alliance in the state.

Badal's Advisor on National Affairs and Media Harcharan Bains said the chief minister would stress the need for resolving the river waters issue strictly as per the riparian principle which had been adopted in all similar disputes in the country in which a state through which a river does not pass has no right on its waters.

In this case, neither Sutlej nor Ravi and Beas pass through Haryana and Rajasthan and therefore those states cannot claim a share on the waters of these rivers as a matter of right.The chief minster would request the president in his capacity as the supreme custodian of the Constitution to ensure that the constitutional provisions on the river waters issue are fully respected, he said.

The Constitution does not empower the central government to adjudicate on the river waters distribution among states and that task can only be performed by a tribunal set up to decide the claims of only the riparian states, Bains said.

He said the constitutional position on the river waters issue is very clear as it guarantees that only the riparian states have a right on the waters of the concerned rivers.

According to the Constitution, the central government cannot adjudicate on the distribution of river waters between states.

But the Punjab Reorganisation Act, 1966, flouted this Constitutional position through Clause 78 that authorised the Union government to decide on the share of waters between Punjab and non-riparian Haryana.

Besides, even where a tribunal is set up, it can only adjudicate on share of river waters among riparian states, he said, adding that no non-riparian state can even claim to be heard by the tribunal and this position had already been upheld in several river waters disputes, including the Narmada dispute.

Haryana, Rajasthan and Delhi are the non-riparian states with regard to Sutlej, Ravi and Beas, Bains said.  PTI
Gagandeep Singh

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, November 26

During the economic crisis in Cuba in early 1990s, it was Punjab that came forward to bail Cuba out at the call of Harkishan Singh Surjeet, former CPI(M) general secretary, when the communist country was under the presidentship of Fidel Castro.

After the collapse of the Soviet Union and the socialist rules in East European countries, Cuba faced the hardest time ever because of the economic crisis. The period is also known as Special Period in Cuba.

Comrade Harkishan Singh Surjeet made efforts to contribute for the biggest solidarity aid ever to the communist country. He called upon farmers in Punjab and some other states to collect grain and other things, including soap.

Gurchetan Singh, Harkishans son, said, My father gave a call to farmers in Punjab to donate grains and other essential articles. He wanted to send a ship loaded with these to Cuba. Consequently, he sent over 10,000 tonnes of wheat and other articles that cost crores of rupees to transport through ship.

Sandeep Singh, grandson of Harkishan Singh Surjeet, said bread made of wheat sent by his grandfather was called Bread of India. In response, Fidel Castro termed the move as an inspiration and moral encouragement.

Gurchetan Singh said, Fidel Castro used to consider his father as his elder brother. And for my father, Cuba was like a second home.
Sarah Young

First Ladies of the United States have not only had a major influence on the course of the country throughout the years, but have also stood at the forefront of fashion. Now, 46-year-old Slovenian former model Melania Trump has already spent much of the year revealing what the countrys next First Lady might dress like. Like many before her, she has championed the All-American style, most recently taking to the stage wearing a white jumpsuit.

As the US prepares to wave goodbye to perhaps the most stylish of leading ladies, we are reminded of the indelible mark so many have left on White House fashion. Here, we take a look at how these women embraced the role clothes can play in establishing substance.

Michelle Obama

Not since Jackie Kennedy has the US had such a fashionable leading lady. Michelle Obamas timeless style appealed to all generations while her affinity with high-low fashion choices made her feel just like one of us.

From everyday off-the-rack clothes to custom creations from some seriously heavy hitting designers like Jason Wu and Tom Ford, Michelle had a winning fashion formula. She has taken some risks during her time as First Lady but never lost sight of her polished look, especially that trademark sleeveless fare.

Laura Bush

Having admitted that it was hard for her to be in the eye of the fashion critics, Laura Bush was never the one to keep up with the trends, instead opting for a style categorised by harmless elegance rather than cutting edge fashion. She was said to be shocked by the amount of designer clothes she was expected to wear as First Lady and thus, for her first Inaugural Ball wore a dress designed by a local designer from Texas. Laura was the ultimate in classic, conservative style albeit with a punch of patriotic pride.

Hillary Clinton

Hillary has been dressing for the White House for decades now and in the process has seemingly carved herself a distinctive look; one which used to be defined by pastel two pieces and a no-nonsense bob with wispy bangs. Since then though her style has shifted and been repackaged with the help of Obamas former aide Kristina Schake. Ultimately, her sartorial choices can be summarised in a single word  pantsuits. A look she made her own in bright hues to show who really wore the trousers.

Nancy Reagan

Former movie Star Nancy brought her fierce red carpet style to the White House as she ushered in a new era of Hollywood glamour. She regularly opted for striking Reagan Red and gold lame over stale neutrals to really express her patriotism and even the late, great Oscar de la Renta once said she never made a single faux pas.

Jackie Kennedy

It might have been more than 20 years since her passing but Jackie Kennedy is still a fashion role model for women across the world. She was one of the first First Ladies to be televised in that role and really took the media into consideration when she dressed. Best known for her ladylike pillbox hats and skirt suits, she chose pale colours that would look good in black-and-white and wasnt afraid to take risks in preppy cropped pants.

Betty Ford

She might not have been particularly trendsetting but Betty certainly had style and a knack for fashion. With her signature Seventies-style bob, silk scarves, cat-eye specs and high-neck Chinese-style collars, this First Lady oozed individual style in the best way possible.

Like Hillary, she had a penchant for colour blocking often opting for all-in-one shades of cornflower blue and orange.  The Independent
Peshawar, November 26

Four heavily armed suicide bombers attacked a mosque at an army facility in northwestern Pakistans tribal region near Afghan border on Saturday, triggering fierce clashes that left all militants and two soldiers dead.

The militants attacked Mohmand Rifles Headquarters in Ghalanai in Mohmand Agency, one of seven tribal districts, and reached the mosque, where residents and a large number of recruits had gathered for an early morning prayer.

The attackers were wearing suicide jackets and opened fire while attempting to enter the mosque.

They were taken on and contained in the outer courtyard of the mosque. Security forces surrounded the attackers and killed all of them, the army said in a statement.

(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)

Officials said 15 troops were also injured in the attack. Condition of five of those injured was stated to be critical.

Security forces valiantly defeated suicide attack on Ghalani Camp in Mohmand agency killing all four suicide bombers, army spokesman Lt Gen Asim Saleem Bajwa tweeted.

He said two soldiers were also killed in the attack.

Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistans breakaway faction Jamaat-ul Ahrar claimed responsibility for the attack. The group was designated as a terrorist entity by Pakistans interior ministry early this month.

After the attack, the district administration imposed curfew in Mohmand and started search operation for militants.

Mohmand was once a stronghold of militants but it has become largely peaceful due to repeated operation by the army.

However, militants sometime sneak into the Pakistani areas from porous border with Afghanistan and carry out attacks, according to officials. PTI
Daniel Trotta

The son of a wealthy landowner, Fidel Castro turned his back on a life of privilege to lead a Left-wing revolution in Cuba that endured for decades and was shaped by his political cunning, keen sense of destiny and boundless ego.

Castro, who has died at the age of 90, was at once idealistic and pragmatic, sharply intelligent and reckless, charismatic and intolerant.

Critics saw in him a stubborn bully who violated human rights, jailed his critics, banned Opposition parties and wrecked Cubas economy.

Admirers saw a visionary who stood up to US domination of Latin America, brought healthcare and education to the poor, and inspired socialist movements across the world.

Even before leading the 1959 revolution that propelled Cuba toward communism and onto the Cold War stage, Castro saw greatness in himself.

From an early age, he admired historys boldest figures, particularly Alexander the Great, and believed he and his rebels were part of that tradition. Men do not shape destiny. Destiny produces the man for the moment, he said in 1959.

Castro toppled the unpopular US-backed dictator Fulgencio Batista by uniting a disparate Opposition and outsmarting a bigger, better-equipped Cuban military. His alliance with the Soviet Union put him at the centre of the Cold War, most notably when the 1962 Cuban missile crisis took the world to the brink of nuclear war.

He was a global celebrity, his beard, military fatigues and big Cuban cigars making him instantly recognisable. He owed his prominence in part to geography. Looking to bolster an ally just 140 km from Florida, Moscow helped him build socialism by giving him billions of dollars worth of aid and favourable trade, from oil to tractor parts.

But Castro also mined Cuban nationalism and Latin American pride, stirring resentment of US power and influence. He managed to preserve his revolution despite constant US hostility even when Cuba reeled from the collapse of the Soviet Union in the early 1990s, showing the vigour of a man who intended to die in office.

Instead, almost killed by a serious intestinal illness, he was forced to step aside in 2006 and he formally handed over to his younger brother, Raul Castro, in 2008. In his final years, Castro wrote opinion columns for Cubas state media but was rarely seen. His famously long speeches gave way to silence, at least in public, and comfortable track suits replaced the stiff black boots and crisp military attire.

On December 17, 2014, Raul Castro cut a deal to restore diplomatic ties with the United States. Six weeks later, Fidel Castro offered only lukewarm support, raising questions about whether he approved of ending hostilities with his longtime enemy.

Known by the militaristic title of El Comandante, in some ways Castro was always replaying the exhilaration of revolt, exhorting Cubans to fight one battle after another, from confronting US hostility to boosting potato production. He survived numerous assassination attempts and outlasted nine US presidents in power, seizing control of Cuba while Dwight Eisenhower occupied the White House and stepping down during George W. Bushs second term.

Throughout, Castro lectured Cubans

A magnificent orator who instinctively altered his cadence to fit the moment, he re-trod history and delved deep into detail about Cuban independence heroes, plans to perfect the revolution and the declared evils of US imperialism.

Tall and physically commanding, fastidious in his attire, he often built to a crescendo of indignation, gesturing firmly with long-fingered, well-manicured hands.

We shall endeavour to be brief, he told the United Nations General Assembly in 1960, then set a record for UN speeches by talking for nearly 4-1/2 hours.

Castro never allowed statues of him to be erected or streets to be named after him, saying he did not want a cult of personality. Nevertheless, the cult was everywhere. His image and words were posted on billboards and his name was invoked at every public event.

Most Cubans, whether for or against him, refer to him simply as Fidel. He was a night owl. He would keep foreign guests waiting until late at night and then summon them for talks. Even his critics would sometimes find themselves oddly charmed by such encounters. Tad Szulc, a biographer, called him Cubas great master of political seduction.

His early years

Born on August 13, 1926, Castro grew up as a privileged son on his fathers plantation in the eastern village of Biran, where his playmates were children of impoverished workers living in thatched huts with dirt floors. He said the economic injustice he witnessed there inspired a life-long sympathy for the poor.

He studied law at the University of Havana, plunging into the violent politics of the time and starting his drift leftward. He took part in an aborted 1947 plan to overthrow Dominican Republic dictator Rafael Leonidas Trujillo and was at a youth conference in Colombia when riots broke out and some 2,000 people died.

After law school, he decided to run for Congress in 1952. When Batista staged a coup and halted the elections, Castro began plotting armed rebellion.

In 1953, he led a raid on the Moncada barracks in the eastern city of Santiago de Cuba. Dozens of followers died and he, Raul Castro and others were captured and imprisoned. History will absolve me, he declared at his trial.

Pardoned in 1955, he went into exile in Mexico where he met Argentine revolutionary Ernesto Che Guevara. Together with Raul, they trained a rebel band that in 1956 returned to Cuba aboard an overcrowded yacht called Granma.

Ambushed at landing by government troops, only 12 of the 82 rebels on board made it to the rugged Sierra Maestra mountains. Castro denied Batistas claims that he was a communist but decades later he told Spanish journalist Ignacio Ramonet that by 1952, I was already a convinced Marxist-Leninist.

Whatever the evolution of his views on communism, he was determined to throw off American influence in Cuba. When US-supplied aircraft bombed his rebels in 1958, he vowed revenge. When this war has ended, a much bigger and greater war will start for me, a war I shall launch against them. I realise that this will be my true destiny, he wrote.

Washington viewed him as a potential enemy even before his rebel army forced Batista to flee Cuba on New Years Day, 1959. It took just two years for the relationship to unravel as Castro nationalised swathes of the economy and introduced a broad agrarian reform. Thousands escaped the island, starting what became a bitter bulwark of opposition in Florida.

In April 1961, when his military crushed a CIA-backed invasion by Cuban exiles at the Bay of Pigs, he declared Cuba socialist and allied himself with the Soviet Union. Moscow put nuclear missiles on the island in 1962, touching off a 13-day superpower showdown known as the Cuban missile crisis.

In an October 26 cable to Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev, Castro seemed convinced the Americans would invade Cuba and suggested the Soviets eliminate this danger with an act of legitimate self- defence. Khrushchev felt Castro was advocating a pre-emptive nuclear strike and rejected it, telling him he was satisfied with US President John F. Kennedys pledge not to invade.

The Soviets withdrew the missiles and Washington secretly agreed to remove its nuclear missiles from Turkey, ending the crisis.

The United States imposed its trade embargo on Cuba in 1962 and the CIA admitted trying to kill Castro in the early years of his rule. Plots or plot ideas included trying to get Castro to smoke a poisoned cigar and taking advantage of his love of diving with an exploding seashell, or poisoning a diving suit.

Castro revelled in his status as an elusive target.

Im really happy to reach 80. I never expected it, not least having a neighbour  the greatest power in the world  trying to kill me every day, he said at a 2006 summit in Argentina.

While the embargo was economically devastating, it allowed Castro to shift blame for chronic economic problems away from the system he built and onto the US. He cast the fight as a David and Goliath story.

Training doctors, free schooling

In a country that was prosperous by Latin American standards but riven by inequality and illiteracy and with an unsavoury reputation as a brothel and gambling-rich playground for Americans, Castro sought to build a socialist society. His government trained thousands of doctors and provided free schooling, changes that have endured well into the 21st century, even as the states role in the economy was reduced in recent years. Those gains came at considerable cost to personal freedoms.

Dissent was stifled in a one-party state with no free press, and the states long arm reached deep into Cuban lives. Throughout, Castro was a mentor to Left-wing leaders and a friend to intellectuals such as Nobel laureate Gabriel Garcia Marquez, although others abandoned him in horror. He helped Marxist guerrillas and revolutionary governments around the world, sending troops to Angola in the 1970s to support a Left-wing government over the initial objections of Moscow.

Cuba helped defeat South African insurgents in Angola and win Namibias independence from South Africa in 1990, adding pressure on the apartheid regime.

After Nelson Mandela was freed in 1990, he repeatedly thanked Castro. The Cuban leader was also a hero to Sandinista rebels who took power in Nicaragua in 1979.

COMMUNIST OUTPOST

After the Soviet bloc collapsed in 1991, it seemed Castros communist rule would not survive.

Cubans endured prolonged power cuts and shortages of food and basics such as soap. Ever stubborn, Castro implored them to endure the special period.

He undertook some reforms, allowing foreign investment and mass tourism from Canada and Europe, and tapping exile dollars by allowing Cubans more contact with their relatives abroad.

He also let the most disgruntled leave in a chaotic exodus of makeshift boats that forced US President Bill Clinton to agree to more orderly migration.

Castro was quick to see a potential ally in late Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez and courted him well before he won power. When Chavez took office in 1998, Castro had a new source of cheap oil, providing a huge boost to Cubas economy.

Little was known about Castros personal life but even among his critics, few accused him of using power for personal gain. His tastes tended toward the ascetic. He lived in a compound in western Havana and had nine children with five women. His eldest son Fidel Castro Diaz-Balart is a Soviet-trained nuclear scientist, while daughter Alina Fernandez escaped from Cuba disguised as a tourist in 1993 and is a vocal critic of her father.

US director Oliver Stone suggested to Castro that he was a caudillo, or Latin American strongman. Castro, who always prickled at suggestions of cruelty, said: I am a kind of spiritual leader.  Reuters
BAGHDAD, November 26

Iraq's parliament approved a law on Saturday that will transform Popular Mobilisation forces, a mostly Iranian-backed coalition of Shi'ite militias that played a role in fighting Islamic State, into a legal and separate military corps.

Disagreements over the paramilitary units are complicating efforts to pull Iraq together as forces battle to defeat Islamic State, the ultra-hardline Sunni group that overran a third of the country in 2014, proclaiming a "caliphate" that spans parts of Syria.

All the Shi'ite blocks in parliament voted for the bill in a session boycotted by lawmakers from the Sunni minority who object to the existence of armed forces outside the army and police.

Popular Mobilisation, or Hashid Shaabi in Arabic, was accused of abuses against Sunni civilians in towns and villages retaken from Islamic State, according to international human rights groups and the UN Human Rights Commissioner.

"I don't understand why we need to have an alternative force to the army and the police," said Sunni Member of Parliament (MP) Raad al-Dahlaki. "As it stands now, it would constitute something that looks like Iran's Revolutionary Guard," he added.

Iraqi forces started an offensive on October 17 to capture Mosul, Islamic State's last major city stronghold in Iraq, with air and ground support from a US-led coalition. Kurdish and Popular Mobilisation forces are supporting the offensive.

The law does not say how many fighters will be incorporated under the legalised Popular Mobilisation corps, which currently claims to have more than 110,000 fighters, or define the breakdown between members from the different communities.

The government says between 25,000 and 30,000 members of the Hashid are Sunni tribal fighters and nearly all the rest are Shi'ites, with a few Yazidi and Christian units.

The Kurds have their own military force, called Peshmerga, deployed in the Kurdish autonomous area in northern Iraq.

The law provides for Popular Mobilisation to report directly to the prime minister, who is a Shi'ite under Iraq's governing system that split top state positions between the different communities after the 2003 fall of Saddam Hussein.

The army reports to the defense minister, who is traditionally a Sunni, although the position has been vacant since the sacking by parliament of Khaled al-Obeidi in August.  Reuters
Islamabad, November 26

Pakistan has approved Russia's request to use the strategic Gwadar Port for its exports, signalling a new alignment in bilateral relations after decades' of sour ties during the Cold War era.

Following Iran and Turkmenistan, Russia has also decided to use the Gwadar Port for trade to have an access to warm waters, a top Pakistani official privy to the development was quoted as saying by Geo News.

On top of it, Russia also wants to join the $46 billion China Pakistan Economic Corridor to reap the maximum dividends. In addition, Russia aspires to develop strategic defence ties with Pakistan, the daily said.

Pakistan decided to broaden its foreign policy options after its relations with the US deteriorated following secret CIA raid in Abbottabad that killed Al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden in May 2011.

Its relations with the US were soured recently when US lawmakers blocked funds for the sale of eight Lockheed Martin Corporation's F-16 fighter jets to Pakistan.

Pakistan is eager to improve its ties with Russia to diversify its defence purchase options in the event of any stalemate in ties with Washington, experts say.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said that he welcomed the Russia's interest in becoming part of the CPEC and maintained that Pakistan would welcome participation of any country in the gigantic project.

China and Pakistan are building the nearly 3,000-km-long economic corridor linking Gwadar port on the Arabian Sea with Muslim-majority Xinjiang province to improve connectivity between the two countries. The move would open up a new and cheaper cargo route for transporting oil to China as well as export of Chinese goods to the Middle East and Africa.

Sharif also announced building railways, road and fiber-optic along with Turkmenistan-Pakistan-Afghanistan-India (TAPI) 1,680-km-long gas pipeline to enhance connectivity between South Asia and Central Asia.  PTI
By PTI: Kathmandu, Nov 26 (PTI) Nepalese Police have arrested two foreign nationals, including an Indian, on charges of smuggling six endangered birds, from the Tribhuvan International Airport here.

The duo were arrested yesterday with six live Eurasian eagle-owls. They were identified as Mohammad Sumelan (30) from India and Faisal Mohammad from Qatar.

Police nabbed them when they were about to board a Qatar Airlines flight.

advertisement

The species, also known as Bubo bubo, is included in theInternational Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened species.

Further probe is on, police said. PTI SBP AJR

--- ENDS ---
Across the globe, homelessness affects people of all ages, color and creed, and both genders. It is near impossible for a countrys administration to ascertain the true number of homeless people in their country, for some people may find themselves literally out in the streets the next day.

The reasons for homelessness vary from riches to rags, domestic quarrels, being disowned by the family or running away from home to escape physical or sexual abuse. This includes older people being kicked out from their homes after they willed their property over to their next of kin, individuals being asked to leave home for continued substance abuse or for stealing from their family, or being cheated by so-called employment agencies or persons with the promise of lucrative job offers but left stranded after they arrived at their destination. These victims could have used up their life savings to pay for the agencys fees or worse still, could have borrowed money for the fees and travelling expenses.

Kuala Lumpur is estimated to have about 2,000 homeless people in 2016 but the actual figure could be much higher.

In 2004/2005, the founder of Kechara, His Eminence the 25th Tsem Rinpoche, together with some friends started regularly distributing about 15 packets of food to the homeless in Kuala Lumpur. Those were the humble beginnings of Kechara Soup Kitchen (KSK) and its motto, Hunger Knows No Barriers, aptly describes the services it provides to the less fortunate.

Tsem Rinpoche knows how it is to be homeless. When he was a teenager growing up in America, he had experienced homelessness there. He left his foster parents home in New Jersey, and hitchhiked to Los Angeles, California. He had little money and had to resort to sleeping in parks and under bridges. Many times, he went without food for the day. As such, Rinpoche always says not to judge people or ask why they are homeless, but to offer them food, show them care and compassion. After all, they are people, just like us.

Today KSK serves an average of 12,000 sets of food in a month. Each set consists of vegetarian food, bottled water, biscuits and fruit.

Weekdays see the homeless queuing for their meals at KSKs premises in downtown Kuala Lumpur. And while having their meals, they can have their laundry done and dried within the premises. KSK is very thankful to all its sponsors for the building, vans, food truck, food and monetary contributions. And also importantly, many thanks to the volunteers who turn out in the dozens each Saturday night to help distribute food to the clients doorsteps (which they call home). Their home could be the pavement, bus stops and terminals, beneath bridges or any place they can find a decent roof over their heads.

To become a volunteer, one has to be at least 18 years old and must attend an orientation briefing conducted by a KSK staff or volunteer team leader in KSKs office premises. Visual aids like slides and videos are used to explain the dos and donts before going out into the streets for food distribution. Some of the homeless are sensitive to new faces and may take offence when new volunteers approach.

The homeless are used to living life on the streets and they value their freedom, preferring it to living in shelters and homes run by authorities or NGOs. They may mistake the volunteers as government officers out to nab them. Some homeless are drug addicts and may be very insistent when their demands are not met. There are also ageing prostitutes and it would not be ideal for new volunteers to interact with them during their first time on the streets. So, to ensure the safety of the volunteers, KSK staff request they wear KSK tshirts, proper footwear, no jewelry and expensive handbags, no giving of cash or other items apart from what is already prepared, and not to wander off alone while on the streets. New volunteers will be under the supervision of a seasoned volunteer or KSK staff.

In addition to serving food, KSKs volunteer doctors provide free medical check ups, wound dressings, and non-prescription medication to the clients. Serious cases will be sent to the nearest hospital for further evaluation or admission. The team of doctors are selfless and are always available for the clients. KSK even had eyewear companies giving out glasses prescribed by their opticians.

Other services provided by KSK and its volunteers are free haircuts, hand-me-down clothes, handbags, shoes, books, childrens toys and diapers, electrical and household items. Another area of service is to assist clients to replace their lost documents through application at relevant government departments. Job interviews are also arranged for clients willing to work. KSK also helps to reconnect some clients with their families.

The important next to-do on the KSK committees list as its medium-term goal is to expand on the existing food bank programme which runs on donated surplus food given by sponsors who own food businesses. This helps to reduce food wastage and benefits the needy. The donated food is also distributed among other NGOs who in turn hand them out to their clients. This ensures surplus food from sponsors does not go to waste. And because of this kind food sponsorship, KSKs premises is bursting at its seams.

The long-term objective of KSK is to set up a nurture centre to arm the homeless and those below the poverty line with the necessary skills for them to secure jobs. The plan is to have basic infrastructure including clean water and electricity, classes cum workshops, a hostel and a canteen. The objective is not to give free handouts to the homeless but to reintroduce them back into society with their dignity intact.

KSK has a branch in Penang with committed volunteers serving the homeless, and a kind group of volunteers in Johor Bahru doing the same.

KSKs committee members appeal to kind sponsors to generously donate in making our wish list a reality. For more details, please contact +603 2141 6046 or email ksk@kechara.com.



Copyright Disclaimer: Under Section 13 of the Malaysian Copyright Act 1987, allowance is made for fair dealing for purposes such as non-profit research, private study, criticism, review or the reporting of current events. The Operator and author(s) of TsemRinpoche.com, a not-for-profit blog, do not claim ownership on the intellectual property rights of the contents, images and/or videos reproduced in this article. Any subsisting intellectual property rights shall belong to the legal owner of the contents, images and/or videos.
More than 200 people took to the streets of downtown Tulsa on Friday afternoon to show their opposition to a proposed oil pipeline in North Dakota that critics say would potentially contaminate one of North Americas longest rivers.

The proposed route of the Dakota Access Pipeline would run under the Missouri River, potentially putting at risk both the drinking water source for the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation and some of the tribes sacred sites.

With the route eliciting criticism and lawsuits, hundreds of Native Americans and others from across the country have camped out along the Cannonball River in North Dakota in an effort to stop construction on the $3.7 billion pipeline.

Were here to show we dont condone what is happening up north, Oli Ramirez, one of the organizers of the Tulsa rally, said as the group congregated outside the BOK Center. We are here to show our support for our friends and relatives up north.

Water is life. We all need it. Its not just a Native (American) issue.

Several speakers at Fridays rally and march drew parallels to the impact of a pipeline leak in the Missouri River to the effects felt from Tar Creeks lead-laced waters in northeast Oklahoma and Nowatas recent water supply threat due to a chemical plant explosion upstream along the Verdigris River.

How many of you have drank water today? Bobby Robedeaux asked the crowd. How many of you will have to drink water later today? Now how many of you would give oil to your child to drink?

Despite the 900 miles between North Dakota and northeastern Oklahoma, Fridays event marked the third anti-Dakota Access Pipeline rally in Tulsa since Labor Day.

Several Oklahoma tribes, including the Sac and Fox, Cherokee and Osage nations, have passed resolutions of support for the Standing Rock Sioux and sent donations of food, water, cash and firewood.

It is important, especially here in this part of the country where oil and gas drive the economy, that we be concerned about the complex interactions of industry and government, former Osage Nation principal chief Jim Gray said. In the old days, our people didnt have much of a voice. Now we do. We need to use it.

People are starting to listen to us, now that the world is watching.

After rallying outside the BOK Center for more than an hour, the crowd marched to a downtown branch of Bank of America, one of the projects financial backers.

Carrying signs reading #NoDAPL, Protectors, not Protestors and Water is Life, the crowd briefly paused outside the Performing Arts Center for a song then resumed its march, shutting down traffic in its wake. The groups chants of Water is life and Mni Wiconi  its Lakota equivalent  echoed off the downtown buildings as they walked down an otherwise empty Fourth Street.

Once outside the branch, the chant shifted to Stop funding DaPL as Ramirez and nine other protestors staged a sit-in until the branch allowed a handful of protestors to close their accounts with the institution. The teller on duty initially balked at the request, citing the sheer number of people in the lobby, but eventually conducted the transactions.

When offered the opportunity to comment, the Bank of America employees at the Boulder Avenue branch declined to address the crowd.

We are one prayer away from Standing Rock, Muscogee (Creek) citizen Cherrah Giles said. If nothing else, pray for those up there protecting our water. We have to band together. We cant do this alone.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis was among the dignitaries who paid homage at the 26/11 police memorial site at the Mumbai Police Gymkhana in south Mumbai.

By Press Trust of India: Floral tributes were today paid to those who laid down their lives while fighting terrorists who had attacked the metropolis on this day eight years ago.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis was among the dignitaries who paid homage at the 26/11 police memorial site at the Mumbai Police Gymkhana in south Mumbai.

WE WILL STRENGTHEN POLICE FORCE: FADNAVIS

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"I pay homage to the brave policemen who fought for Mumbai's safety and laid down their lives for us on 26/11. We are proud of them and we will strive hard for safety and security of our state," Fadnavis said.

"We will strengthen police force with better equipment. It is our priority," he said.

Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao, Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray, former Mumbai police commissioners Julio Ribeiro, M N Singh and several senior present and former police officers were present.

Maharashtra police chief Satish Mathur and Mumbai CP Datta Padsalgikar were away on official duty and could not attend the ceremony.

Family members of the policemen, who lost their lives during the November 2008 attacks, were also present during the ceremony.







Marine Drive, Mumbai: Tributes being paid on 8th anniversary of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack. pic.twitter.com/gAf0j2q7ob ANI (@ANI_news) November 26, 2016

Also read:

Securing our shores: 8 years on, what has changed since 26/11

TERROR ATTACK



On November 26, 2008, 10 Pakistani terrorists arrived by sea route and opened fire indiscriminately at people killing 166, including 18 security personnel, and injuring several others, besides damaging property worth crores.

The then ATS chief Hemant Karkare, Army Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan, Mumbai's Additional Police Commissioner Ashok Kamte and Senior Police Inspector Vijay Salaskar were among those killed in the attack.

The attack had begun on 26 November and lasted until 29 November. Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, the Oberoi Trident, the Taj Mahal Palace & Tower, Leopold Cafe, Cama Hospital, the Nariman House Jewish community centre were some of the places targeted by the terrorists.

Ajmal Kasab was the only terrorist who was captured alive. He was hanged four years later on November 21, 2012.

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Residents in Valsayn South are said to be marooned in their homes. Councillor for the area S
Moshe Holtzberg had survived the 26/11 carnage at the age of two, having lost his parents to the terror attack on the Nariman House.

By Shreya Biswas: Eight years ago, on this day, 2-year-old Moshe Holtzberg became an orphan. His father, Rabbi Gavriel, and mother Rivka, who was six months pregnant at the time, were killed by Pakistani terrorists at the Nariman House, Mumbai's Chabad Lubavitch Jewish centre.

Little Moshe was in the same building during the 26/11 carnage. When Sandra Samuel, Moshe's Indian nanny, found him, he sitting next to his parents' bullet-riddled bodies, crying and alive. Samuel risked her life and fled the Nariman House with the baby.

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Moshe now lives in Israel with his maternal grandparents and Samuel. He is a healthy "normal kid" who goes to school, enjoys playing, and "no longer cries out for his parents."

Moshe with his grandfather. Source: Etrog/ Facebook



THE BOY WHO LIVED

Grandparents Shimon and Yehudit Rosenberg told Israel National News that Moshe is about to celebrate his tenth birthday, that comes right after his parents' death anniversary.

"The massacre happened on November 26, but we go by the Jewish date, the first of Kislev." said Shimon. "Next Thursday, we'll go to the Mount of Olives [cemetery] to mark eight years of the tragedy, and the next day, Friday, the second of Kislev, is Moshe's tenth birthday."

Here's a touching excerpt from the report, as told by Moshe's grandfather:

"The psychologist suggested I start preparing him. Yesterday, we sat comfortably on the couch and I said, 'Moshe, you know the memorial is in less than two weeks?' I told him that next Thursday he won't go to school, or he'll leave school early so we can go to the cemetery, and I saw the wheels in his head turning. He jumped up and said, 'Zeidy [grandfather], does that mean my birthday is the next day, on Friday? I don't want to celebrate my birthday on Friday!'

"Friday is a short day at school, and his teacher only takes half an hour for birthday parties. Moshe said, 'I want a big birthday party!' I promised him he'd have a small birthday party in class, and on Sunday afternoon we'll invite the entire extended family for a huge birthday party."

To Grandmother Yehudit Rosenberg, Moshe is more of a son than a grandchild.

"He's a son-grandson," she said. "Our eldest grandson is 20, but I feel like Moshe is my son. God gave us the important mission of raising him the way his parents would have wanted to raise him, and we pray that we're doing it successfully, that we'll be healthy and have the energy and wisdom to educate Moshe the right way, so that he'll continue the chain."

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Baby Moshe with his family in 2009. Source: Reuters



THE NANNY WHO SAVED HIM

After 26/11, Moshe was taken back to Israel, and his family insisted that Samuel be taken with him.

"Once I said I'd stay with Moshe until he turned five, then I said I'd stay with him until he turned ten. Now I say until his bar mitzva. We just can't stand to be separated," said Samuel, the nanny who hasn't been able to stay away from Moshe since she rescued him.

Sandra said, "Moshe looks serious, but he's a ball of energy. I hope I can lead him to the marriage canopy when he's 22."

Moshe with nanny Sandra Samuel. Source: AP



THE LURKING MEMORIES

Despite being a happy child, Moshe's family fears about how much he unconsciously remembers about his parents' murders and the terrible carnage that he so closely survived.

"No one knows how much Moshe saw, or how much he knows," Samuel told CNN in an interview in 2008.

"The psychologist told us that everything Moshe went through has been stored in his brain, in a black box, and he's not ready for anyone to open it by surprise," grandmother Yehudit explained. "That's his right. We try not to talk about what happened, but once a year, reality hits and the memories come back, as if it was only yesterday."

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Yehudit goes on to tell about how Moshe, now, goes to to bed every night after wishing goodnight to his parents' pictures on the wall.

"Moshe wants to be a normal kid, just like everyone else," she said. "He told us outright, 'I don't want anyone to treat me like a pity case or an orphan, I don't need pity.'"

Grandfather Shimon hopes that Moshe some day grows up to be a Chabad emissary, just like his father.

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President Petro Poroshenko had a phone conversation with Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu.

This has been reported by the press service of the Head of State.

The Prime Minister expressed gratitude to Ukraine that was one of the first countries to respond to the request of Israel and send its planes to help overcome large-scale fires in Israel.

In the course of the conversation, the parties discussed topical issues of cooperation focusing on the enhancement of trade-economic cooperation, including the intensification of negotiations on the FTA Agreement between Ukraine and Israel.

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President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko congratulated Mariano Rajoy on having been elected Prime Minister of Spain.

This has been reported by the press service of the Head of State.

The Head of State thanked for the immutable support of the official Madrid for Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity. "Spain resolutely supports and will always support territorial integrity of Ukraine," Mariano Rajoy said.

Petro Poroshenko highly appreciated Spain's positive vote during consideration of the UN GA resolution on human rights in Crimea by the Third Committee.

The parties agreed to intensify efforts to sign the Agreement on the common air space between Ukraine and the EU in the nearest time.

The interlocutors stand for the further enhancement of bilateral political dialogue and discussed prospects of visits exchange.

ish
The foreign ministers of France, Germany, Russia and Ukraine are to meet in Minsk next week to discuss plans for implementing a ceasefire agreement for eastern Ukraine.

French Foreign Ministry Spokesman Alexandre Giorgini said this, Reuters reported.

"The meeting in Minsk will allow us to go over what has been done and what has not been done since the October meeting in Berlin," he said, adding that the meeting is due on Nov. 29.

In October, Ukraine, Germany, France and Russia agreed to draw up a roadmap in November on how to implement last year's Minsk ceasefire accord.

Separatist violence erupted in eastern Ukraine in 2014 and has killed 9,600 people so far. It continues despite the ceasefire agreed in the Belarusian capital last year.

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President Petro Poroshenko and his wife Maryna laid flowers to the Memorial sign of Holodomor victims of 1932-1933 near St. Michaels Golden-Domed Monastery in Kyiv.

The President posted corresponding photos on his Facebook page.

"We must fulfill a sacred duty to the memory of millions of Ukrainians who were tortured by famine - to preserve united and independent Ukraine," he wrote.

Today, on Holodomor Memorial Day, starting from 16:00, people all over the country will light candles in the memory of those tragic events.

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Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman has urged Ukrainians to pay the tribute to the memory of Holodomor victims with a minute of silence and light up a candle at home.

This has been said in a statement of the Head of Government, according to Governments portal.

"I urge all Ukrainians to pay the tribute to the memory of the victims of famines in Ukraine and to light up a memorial candle at home at 16:00," reads a statement.

The Prime Minister has stressed that the Holodomor of 1932-1933 is one of the largest catastrophes in European history.

ish
Unknown angry customers who had waited in a State Bank of India ATM lost their temper broke the screen of the ATM after machine ran out of money.

By Pramod Madhav: The after effects of demonetization has affected various sectors of people in various ways. Though the largely affected seem to be those who rarely use bank transactions and bank employees who now work strenuous extra hours to manage customer demands.

Unfortunately, more than the removal of 500 and 1000 rupee notes, in lack of 50 and 100 rupee notes have caused great distress to common man's life. In Madurai, unknown angry customers who had waited in a State Bank of India ATM situated at Kamarajar street, became outraged to see the machine run out of money.

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They lost their temper and broke the screen of the ATM machine and left the area. Police were informed who have retrieved CCTV footage and finger prints from the crime scene and are searching for the culprits.

Also Read: A Rs 100 note is a luxury, says Udaipur's royal prince Lakshyaraj Singh Mewar on demonetisation

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Located on the northwest base of Mount Fuji, Aokigahara is a dense 35-square-kilometer forest well-known for a large number of suicides committed there and it is a tourist spot. Thought by some to be haunted by the ghosts of the dead in Japanese mythology and the home for paranormal activity because of the sheer number of people who die there, Aokigahara is also known as the Suicide Forest.

Sign is roughly translated as:

Lets think once more about the life you were given, your parents, your brothers and sisters, and children. Dont suffer alone first please contact somebody. (And a phone number for a help hotline)

The forest of Aokigahara is a popular site for suicides in Japan and a perfectly eerie place for tourists who are interested in the macabre. Advertisements

Until 1988, around 30 people were reported to have committed suicide in the forest per year. Seventy-eight bodies were found in 2002, 105 in 2003, and as of 2010, an estimated 200 or more have committed suicide, with 54 of them succeeding.

In March every year, the end of fiscal year in Japan, suicides rates are said to be at a maximum. The most common methods for the act were hanging or drug overdose. Since 1970, police, volunteers, and journalists have been conducting searches for bodies every year.

Throughout history, suicide was considered a noble and morally honorable act in Japan.

Japan has a history of ritual suicides for various reasons and the practice was very prevalent in the military. Some of the examples include the samurai committing suicide to avoid being captured or on account of defeat, kamikaze attacks during WWII or banzai charge suicide attack to bring honor or to prevent shame on ones family. The samurai would slash their stomach with a sword and believed that it set free their spirit and prevented them from a dishonorable death at the hands of the enemy.

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Japan has the highest suicide rate per year, with an average of 70 committing suicide every day in 2014. A vast majority, around 71 percent, of the victims were male and it is the leading cause of death in men between 20 and 44 years of age.

Since the 1990s, Japan saw an increase in the number of suicides because of unemployment due to economic recession, depression or social pressures. In 1998, after an increase in suicides by 34.7 percent over the previous year, the Japanese government increased funds to treat the causes and help those recovering from failed attempts.

At the entrance of the main trail into the Aokigahara forest, there is a sign that urges people with suicide on the mind to think of their families and seek help from suicide prevention association. To stop people associating the forest with suicide, the local officials have stopped releasing the numbers to the public.

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Aokigahara complements its reputation for the morbid with a dense landscape that is difficult to navigate. It is quite easy to get lost if the trails are not followed.

Aokigahara is a very dense forest with a large number of rocky icy caverns that are popular among tourists. The forest is so thick that it shuts out all other sounds except the natural sounds of the forest itself and to avoid getting lost, most hikers and tourists use tapes to mark their paths so that they can get back if they get lost.

[sources: 1, 2]
By PTI: Mumbai, Nov 26 (PTI) Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchans film "Pink", which dealt with crime against women, has been invited for a special screening at the United Nations head quarters in New York.

The 73-year-old actor, who plays a lawyer in the film, took to Twitter to make the announcement.

"PINK invited for a special screening of the film at UN Head Quarters, in New York .. by Assistant Secretary General .. honoured," Bachchan posted.

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"Pink", directed by Aniruddha Roy Chowdhury, also starred Taapsee Pannu, Andrea Tariang and Kirti Kulhari in lead roles. It released on September 16. PTI JCH JCH

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After the official sales halt of the OnePlus 3 in the U.S. and Europe, the Chinese tech company is bringing great news to users of OnePlus 3T and OnePlus 3, as the two android smartphones will receive the Android 7.0 Nougat firmware update by the end of the year.

Both the OnePlus 3T and OnePlus 3 models is expected to run the Android 7.0 Nougat update in November, which will be fully functional by December.

According to Tech Times, OnePlus' beta program will solely apply on OnePlus 3 owners which will be happening in November, while the One Plus 3T will be excluded after its initial release geared an Android Marshmallow OS out of the box.

However, the company confirmed that the Android 7.0 Nougat update for the OnePlus 3T will arrive soon. Gizmodo reported that the company has disclosed information that the phones will get the update via OTA at the same time. OnePlus will bring the OS running on both the phone on the same time.

The OnePlus 3T was released to topple its predecessor, OnePlus 3, in terms of hardware. It features the same fascia with the same 5.5-inch full HD AMOLED display (1920 X 1080 pixels) with 401 ppi pixel density found in the OnePlus 3. However, the OnePlus 3T is powered by a Snapdragon 821 processor and Adreno 530 graphics, giving it a staggering boost over OnePlus 3.

Also, it features a 6GB LPDDR RAM with storage options of 64GB or 128GB with UFS 2.0. The two colors available are the 'bold Gunmetal' and 'soft gold,' with the former option being the 128GB storage variant and the latter as the 64GB storage variant.

The OnePlus 3T is available in the United States for a price of $439 (64GB) and $479 (128GB), respectively. On Nov. 28, the handset will be available in United Kingdom for 417.99 ($522 / 487) and 456 ($570 / 532), respectively, via O2 carrier. United Kingdom patrons could also purchase directly in OnePlus with a slightly cheaper price for the OnePlus 3T at only 399 ($499 /465) or 439 ($549 / 511).
By PTI: Bhubaneswar, Nov 26 (PTI) The ruling BJD in Odisha today burnt an effigy of Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh as part of its protest against the construction of projects on the upstream of the Mahanadi river.

Bhubaneswar Mayor and BJD general secretary Ananta Narayan Jena led the protest and said the party would continue its stir till the Mahanadi issue was resolved.

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BJD MLA Priyadarshi Mishra and other senior leaders also joined the agitation at the Master Canteen Square here.

As the Chhattisgarh government had not stopped the construction activities on the upstream of the Mahanadi, despite several requests, the BJD was forced to burn the effigy of Singh, said Mishra.

The BJD leaders also accused the NDA government of being "hand-in-glove" with the Chhattisgarh government and said it was the "Constitutional responsibility" of the Centre to direct the latter to stop the construction work, at least till the formation of a tribunal. But, they alleged that it had not taken any step in this regard.

"BJP president Amit Shah visited the state yesterday. BJP leaders criticised the state government on various grounds. But, no one raised two of the major issues -- Mahanadi and Polavaram -- at the meeting. This shows their real face," Jena said. PTI AAM NN RC LNS

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On Wednesday, November 23, Artist Michael Godard attended Blue Man Group in Las Vegas inside Luxor Hotel and Casino. Following the performance, Michael was treated to a private VIP meet-and-greet.
While some have been buying paneer with their credit cards and online wallets, others were standing in long queues. And then, there is this BJP MLA who gifted his son a brand new Mercedes.

By India Today Web Desk: BJP MLA Ram Kadam recently tweeted a picture of his grinning teenage son posing before his new birthday gift, a Mercedes. The politician wrote, "Happy Birthday to my dearest son, Aum R Kadam! This my loving gift for him!"



#HappyBirthday to my dearest son @AumRKadam !!! This my loving gift for him !!! pic.twitter.com/yb0GvlZj9V Ram Kadam (@ramkadam) November 19, 2016

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While social media users lashed out at the BJP MLA from Ghatkopar, Mumbai, for splurging while millions across India are facing major cash crunch, we thought of coming up with a more logical comeback.

If Kadam, who describes himself as the "Dashing MLA of Ghatkopar" had to manually withdraw the cost of the car from the bank, that is, had he been an ordinary citizen who would have had to stand in queues for hours for a handful of money, would his boy still have been smiling before a Mercedes car?

We poked around a little and came up with a rough analysis of the number of days Kadam would have taken to withdraw the cost of the car himself and the number of hours he would've had to sweat it out in queues outside banks withdraw enough cash to buy this cheek, convertible car.

HOW MANY DAYS WOULD HE HAVE TAKEN TO WITHDRAW THE MONEY?

By the looks of it, the car in the piture is a Mercedes E-Class Cabriolet. The average cost of this car is around Rs 80 lakh.

There have been several changes in bank rules since the ban on Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes, so, for convenience's sake, let's base our analysis on the weekly withdrawal limit of Rs 24,000, which was applicable before November 18 (the day Kadam tweeted the picture).

Taking Rs 24,000 as the maximum cash one could withdraw in a week, it would take more than 333 weeks to take out Rs 80 lakh, in cash, from the bank.

That is 2,333 days.



AND HOW LONG WOULD HE HAVE HAD TO STAND IN THE QUEUE FOR IT?

If the average amount of time spent standing in a queue outside a bank is two hours, one would have to stand for more than 4,666 hours to withdraw Rs 80 lakh.

It would be a whole different story if the cost of the Mercedes was higher, which does go upto Rs 1.30 crore.



And let's not forget one thing. The boy in the picture, MLA Kadam's son, could by no means be 18-years old, which makes him, by law, forbidden to drive a car.

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The project was originally licensed in May 2008 and was to be developed by local Vien Dong Company in conjunction with Semtech Limited from the US. With a proposed investment capital of $538 million on a 250-hectare site and the maximum capacity of two million tonnes of crude oil per year, this would have been the largest project in the Mekong Delta city.

However, due to a lack of capital, Semtech Limited withdrew from the project. Afterwards, Vien Dong Company received approval to decrease the investment capital to $350 million and the area to 50 hectares.

In December 2014, the authority warned that the firm would have its investment certificate revoked if work did not start by January 15, 2015. However, no positive developments followed.

In August 2015, Can Tho allowed Malaysias Razeedland Plaza (M) SDN. BHD (RPSB) to replace Semtech Limited to develop the project.



The new investor proposed the province to increase the investment capital to $600 million, 80 per cent of which would be contributed by RPSB. Besides, it planned to double the plants capacity to four million tonnes per year in the second phase.

However, the construction of the project has been immobile, backed up with empty promises from the investors.
Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam has said there is a need for all ministries and relevant agencies to co-ordinate and connect with specific policies to promote electronic payments.  Photo ndh.vn

He said there was a need to minimise cash payment, and make e-payments compulsory while encouraging its use.

Deputy PM Dam made the comment during a Viet Nam E-payment Forum on Thursday in Ha Noi to discuss three major topics that included combining efforts by Government departments to promote online tax collecting, tax payments and encouraging online payment in e-commerce and retail, promoting online payment in transport and the ability of connecting to other payment activities in Viet Nam, and opportunities and challenges facing Viet Nam banking sector brought by Fintech companies.

The deputy PM said that currently Viet Nam had about 125,000 public services provided by the government and authorised agencies. Of these, only 1,200 services had implemented e-technology in their services.

The Government has approved a master development plan of e-commerce from now until 2020. However, the implementation of e-payment is still limited and the habit of making cash payments was not easy to change, Dam told the forum.

To promote e-payments, Bui Quang Tien, Director of the State Bank of Viet Nam (SBV)s Payment System Department said the central bank has made many important recommendations by asking the Ministry of Finance to propose tax policies to encourage e-tax payment and e-payment in e-commerce development in retail shops.

The SBV will complete a legal corridor and initiate policies to encourage e-payment via the automated clearinghouse (ACH) and ask National Payment Corporation of Vietnam (NAPAS) to build ACH system, and continue to complete financial switching system to promote and improve the efficiency of e-payment in e-commerce and e-tax payment.

Lai Viet Anh, Deputy Head of Vietnam E-Commerce and Information Technology Agency (VECITA) said that 7 per cent of payments were made online in e-commerce.

She said more efficient solutions should be envisaged apart from incentives to exempt or refund tax for businesses who use e-payment service.

Instead of using administrative measures, the participation of intermediaries such as companies who provide intermediate e-payment services should be encouraged. When users recognised substantial benefits from e-payment service, they would automatically begin e-payment.

Also at the forum, Nguyen Manh Thang Deputy Director of Directorate for Roads of Viet Nam, said that promoting online payment in transport was a need and toll collection without asking drivers to stop would benefit them in many ways.

However, in Viet Nam, this plan was encountering problems. He attributed the problems to obsolete technology which was inconveniencing users and co-ordination between road project investors and authorised bodies was still poor.

Nguyen Hong Truong, deputy minister of transport, said the transport sector had many services relating to e-payment. The transport ministry had conducted a roadmap for toll collection. It would make efforts to remove barriers at toll stations by 2019. The government recently has also asked his ministry to study post-paid electronic toll collection.

Vu Quang Lam, from VETC Vietnam Joint Stock Company, said there were currently several types of e-payment smart cards for toll collection. Drivers should only have only one type of smart card thus making it easy for them.

Truong said in time to come, there will be only one kind of smart card for toll collection which would make it convenient for users.

Proposals for toll collection

At the forum, Truong Gia Binh CEO of FPT Corporation proposed four solutions to the Government and relevant ministries to improve e-payment in toll collection.

He wanted the government to soon issue regulations and a roadmap for users to implement compulsory e-payment in toll collection and payment in public transport. The Ministry of Transport and local authorities have been asked to work with the SBV to soon have a standard e-payment solution with the ability of connecting to other payment activities in the public sector to avoid wasting resources.

The Ministry of Transport has been requested to instruct relevant bodies to agree sharing revenues from toll collection between Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) investors and Build-Own-Operate (BOO) investors so as to spur the development of automatic electronic toll collection nationwide.

The SBV and Ministry of Transport have been asked to offer incentives and enhance mass media to boost e-payment in transport.


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Following a TV telecast, where a lady broke down and spoke about the problem she was facing post demonetisation, CM Naidu called Nellore district collector and instructed him to provide help to Seetharathnam.

By Ashish Pandey: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu was praised for his gesture that helped a lady who was struggling to get money from an overcrowded bank of the state.

TV telecast and post that a telephone call made by Naidu came as a boon for a lady of Nellore who was struggling to withdraw money so that she could perform last rites of her relative.

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As per the report, Seetharathnam, a resident of Nellore, was trying hard to get money from SBI branch of the city, but the long queue and crowd was forcing her out.

Her sister's husband B Giridhar had lost his life and she wanted to withdraw money for his last rights on Friday.

Also read:

Demonetisation days: All you need to know



While speaking to the regional news channels, she broke down and spoke about the problem she was facing post demonetisation.

CM Naidu, who was watching the telecast at that time, immediately called the Nellore district collector and instructed him to provide help to Seetharathnam.

And finally the lady got the desired money she wanted from the bank.

Also read:

Midnight queues, violence, banks refusing to cooperate: 7 points that sum up currency crisis

Rush for cash at ATMs: Good samaritans make standing in queues easier



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NY: Paul Arteta on Why He Should Be Elected as Sheriff for Orange County

On November 8, voters of Orange County, New York will not only be asked to elect representatives for the New York State Assembly, and the future Governor and Lt. Governor, and other elected roles, but will also be asked to elect a new County Sheriff. Paul Arteta, currently the Deputy
Music Time in Africa is VOAs longest running English language program. Since 1965, this award-winning program has featured pan African music that spans all genres and generations. Ethnomusicologist and Host Heather Maxwell keeps you up to date on whats happening in African music with exclusive interviews, cultural information, and of course, great music -- including rare recordings from the Leo Sarkisian Library of African Music.
Pakistani and Afghan leaders met Saturday on the sidelines of an international conference in Turkmenistan to discuss issues straining ties between their two countries.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Afghan President Ashraf Ghani discussed bilateral relations and regional issues, Pakistani officials said without giving further details.

Sharif and Ghani are attending the first Global Sustainable Transport Conference the United Nations has convened in the Turkmen capital, Ashgabat.

The two-day international gathering is aimed at highlighting the fundamental role of sustainable transport in fighting climate change and achieving a sustainable future.

Peaceful neighborhood

Sharif, while addressing the conference, reiterated that Pakistan is committed to a policy of a peaceful neighborhood.

Peace and development are interlinked. Without regional peace and stability, we will not be able to reap the benefits of connectivity and integration, he said.

Meanwhile, Afghan officials say Pakistans outgoing military chief, General Raheel Sharif, in a farewell telephone call to Afghanistans Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah Friday night, discussed strengthening of bilateral relations.

The contacts between Afghan and Pakistani leaders come as traditionally mistrust-marred relations between the two countries have deteriorated in recent months over mutual allegations of sponsored terrorist attacks on each others soils.

Accusations on both sides

Ghani alleges Pakistani intelligence agencies are covertly supporting the Taliban-led insurgency in Afghanistan and allowing them to use sanctuaries on the other side of the border.

Islamabad rejects the charges and instead blames Afghan authorities for harboring anti-Pakistan militants.

Pakistans recent push to send millions of documented and undocumented Afghan refugees back to Afghanistan has also fueled the tensions.

Pakistani officials insist the refugee localities serve as hiding places for insurgents involved in terrorist attacks in both countries.
Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamoud says an arrest has been made in the car bombing that killed at least 20 people in a crowded market in Somalias capital, Mogadishu, on Saturday.

Speaking at the launch of the countrys second Science and Technology Center in Mogadishu, President Mohamoud, said the man who carried out the deadly attack on civilians today was captured by the security forces and he is not in custody.

According to security officials, at midday local time Saturday, a man parked a car laden with explosives at the entrance of an open air fruit and vegetable market in the citys Afesyoni neighborhood.

The suspect attacker parked his car, and then detonated it when the security personnel asked him to move the car away, said Waberi district commissioner Husein Ahmed Ulosow. He attempted to escape with injuries but the security forces apprehended him and now he is in custody.

The blast happened at the entrance to the Beerta market, which is close to Mogadishu's main airport. White smoke could be seen billowing over the neighborhood after the blast.

Ulosow says, the Somali presidents motorcade passed the road near the market just 30 minutes before the explosion. It is unknown if the presidents convoy was the target.

Ismail Mohamud Shidane, a young Somali diaspora member, saw his first such experience the same day he returned to the country and helped the victims.

I came back from Europe to Somali today, and it was my first experience of such deadly explosion, he said. The most shocking scene was that of a body torn apart into three pieces, most of the bodies were women.

I have helped the collection of at least 17 dead bodies and 20 more wounded people. It was a disaster, Moalim Muuse, an eyewitness, told VOA Somali.

VOA reporters on the scene say at least 20 people were killed and more than 20 others injured in the blast.

The Somali Islamist group al-Shabaab often carries out such attacks in the capital, although there was no immediate claim of responsibility by the group, which wants to topple the Western-backed government and impose its strict interpretation of Islam.

The latest blast comes as the country has been holding a vote at polling centers across the country over several weeks for a new parliament.

Some 14,000 people representing Somalia's federal states have been chosen to pick the 275 lawmakers. Those members of parliament will choose a new president.

The government, U.N. officials and international donors have said security issues prevented a broader vote.

The parliamentary vote was due to end on Nov. 30, after several delays, but an official said it was now likely to last until mid-December.
President-elect Donald Trump has called efforts by the Green Party to force recounts in three swing states a "scam," as his former Democratic rival's campaign joined the recount efforts in the Midwestern swing state of Wisconsin.

"This is a scam by the Green Party for an election that has already been conceded, and the results of this election should be respected instead of being challenged and abused, which is exactly what [Green Party leader] Jill Stein is doing," Trump said in a statement about the recount.

Former Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton's campaign has announced it will participate in the vote recount initiated by the Green Party in the Midwestern state of Wisconsin.

Clinton election campaign lawyer Marc Elias said Saturday in a post on Medium.com that the decision to join the Wisconsin recount came after the Clinton campaign received hundreds of requests to do so. Elias acknowledged that the requests prompted the campaign to quietly start investigating whether there was any "outside interference" in the November 8 election results.

Elias said the campaign would also take part in recounts in the states of Michigan and Pennsylvania if those recounts were arranged.

Trump's surprising presidential election win over Clinton, Stein and other candidates was propelled in large part by very narrow victories in Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and Michigan. Trump won those three states with a mere 107,000 votes.

Extra caution

Elias said no "actionable evidence of hacking or outside attempts to alter the voting technology" had been found. But because of the slim margin of victory, coupled with apparent foreign interference in the presidential campaign, a decision was made to rule out outside involvement.

There were concerns that Russian hackers might try to influence the election, particularly after they successfully hacked into the computers of the Democratic National Committee and tried to hack voter registration databases. Researchers who investigated the cyberattacks concluded that Russians had created and disseminated fake news about the election, apparently to try to help the Trump campaign.

Stein filed a petition Friday to request a vote recount in Wisconsin, one of three recounts she is seeking in states won by Trump.

Wisconsin Elections Commission Administrator Mike Haas said Stein, and one other group, filed the request at midafternoon, shortly before the 5 p.m. CST (2330 UTC) deadline.

A post on Stein's campaign website called the voting machines used in Wisconsin "highly vulnerable to hacking and malicious programming" and said the machines lacked any security features.

The state must complete the recount by a federal deadline of December 13.

Most funds raised

Earlier Friday, Stein posted on her website that supporters had raised $5 million for the recount effort and associated costs in Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania. She said the total cost for all three recounts would be up to $7 million.

"Now that we have completed funding Wisconsin's recount ... and funding Pennsylvania's recount [due Monday], we will focus on raising the needed funds for Michigan's recount [due Wednesday]," the website said.

Stein stands to gain little from a recount, having won about 1 percent of the popular vote.

The statement on Stein's website said the recount effort wasn't meant to help Clinton. Rather, the website said the move "is about protecting our democracy."

Experts have said there is virtually no chance the election results will be overturned. But with Clinton's lead in the popular vote now exceeding 2 million, the recounts could heighten the debate over the legitimacy of Trump's election victory.

U.S. presidential elections are not decided by a national popular vote. Instead, they are decided by individual races in the 50 states, with each state's importance in the overall outcome weighted by its population. Winning presidential candidates have to amass a majority of 270 votes in the 538-member Electoral College based on the state-by-state results.
After Chief Justice TS Thakur slammed the government over judges' posts in high courts lying vacant, government's top law officer Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi reminded the judiciary of its 'Laxman Rekha'.

By Anusha Soni: The turf war between the Centre and the top judiciary is no secret. Ever since the Supreme Court struck down the government's move to bring in a new law on the appointment of judges called the National Judicial Appointments Commission, the confrontation has only got bitter with each passing day.

In a fresh turn of events, ironically on the Constitution Day on Saturday when the both the Centre and Supreme Court judges came together to celebrate the drafting process of the Indian constitution, the Chief Justice TS Thakur slammed the government for dragging its feet on the judicial appointments. He went further to highlight the lack of infrastructure at various tribunals.

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Also read | CJI slams Modi government: We have vacant court rooms but no judges; no one wants to head tribunal



"500 judges posts are vacant in High courts. Today, we have vacant court rooms but no judges. Tribunals are not equipped. Today the situation is such that when no retired Supreme Court judge wants to head the tribunal," said CJI TS Thakur.



RAVI SHANKAR PRASAD'S COUNTER TO CHIEF JUSTICE



Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad was quick to retort. He highlighted how vacancies in lower courts had been a great cause of concern and the judiciary had not acted swiftly over these appointments.

An elaborate event was organised by the Supreme Court on Saturday evening at the Manekshaw Centre in Delhi to celebrate the Constitution Day. In a hall packed with Supreme Court judges, top lawyers, judicial officers, judges from various high courts and lower courts with three top judges of the Supreme Court on the dias, government's top law officer Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi reminded the judiciary of its 'Laxman Rekha'.



Also read | Ravi Shankar Prasad questions TS Thakur about posts of more than 4,000 subordinate judges lying vacant

"Constitution has set a 'Laxman rekha' for all institutions. Courts are there to ensure that the executive and the legislature work within their limits. But I must say self-control and self-restraint are equally important. The judiciary must also realise that there is a laxman rekha for them as well," said Rohatgi as the Chief Justice of India looked on.



JUSTICE KHEHAR TO BE NEXT CHIEF JUSTICE



Rohatgi's open criticism to the judiciary did not go unanswered. It came from none other than the Justice J.S Khehar. Justice Khehar is next in line to be the Chief Justice of India. He takes over the job in January when Justice Thakur retires.

Justice Khehar responded to Attorney General by pointing out that whenever the basic principles of the constitution like separation of powers had been attacked, the top court had come to their rescue. He further said that the cause of the poor and national interest were the principles that the judiciary had protected.

Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad reminded the top court judges of its historic failure during the Emergency.

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PRASAD HINTS AT OVERREACH OF JUDICIARY



Legislation must remain with the legislature, each organ must remember its domain. While the high courts showed courage, Supreme Court failed during the emergency - a monumental failure," said Ravi Shankar Prasad. He further pointed out that the job to govern must be left with the people elected, hinting at the culture of overreach.

Also read | CJI Thakur slams Modi govt, says strong judicial system will tempt investors



Centre has rejected the 43 names sent back by the collegium. In the coming days, the tussle will intensify around two key questions - who has the final say on the judicial appointments and what qualifies as judicial overreach.

--- ENDS ---
Former Cuban President Fidel Castro is dead at the age of 90, his brother, Cuban President Raul Castro announced.

Fidel Castros communist government survived a U.S.-backed invasion of Cuban exiles, a superpower missile crisis, assassination plots and decades of U.S. economic sanctions. But Castro lived long enough to see Washington announce the re-establishment of full diplomatic relations with Havana and the subsequent visit by a U.S. president to the island in March 2016.

He will be cremated Saturday.

Fidel Castro Ruz was born August 13, 1926, and grew up to become one of the leaders of the movement against the dictatorship of Fulgencio Batista. He led a guerrilla force that eventually routed Batistas army and took over the island in 1959.

Triumph and Communism

His victory and triumphant entry into Havana captured the worlds attention. But he soon steered the country toward Communism and the orbit of the Soviet Union.

He is a man who made a lot of promises to the Cuban people, said Cuban democracy activist Frank Calzon. Cubans were going to have freedom. They were going to have honest government. They were going to have a return to the constitution. Instead what he gave them was a Stalinist type of government.

The United States mounted an invasion of Cuba by a group of Cuban exiles in 1961. But Castros forces crushed the invaders at the Bay of Pigs. One year later, Cuba was at the center of a confrontation between the United States and the Soviet Union over the placement of nuclear missiles on the island. A nuclear war was narrowly averted.

As a close ally of Moscow, Castro deployed Cuban troops to various Cold War hot spots, such as Angola. His policies turned Cuba into an international player, according to Cuba expert Wayne Smith.



I think he will be remembered as the leader who put Cuba on the world map, Smith said. Before Castro, Cuba was considered something of a banana republic. It did not count for anything in world politics. Castro certainly changed all that, and suddenly Cuba was playing a major role on the world stage, in Africa as an ally of the Soviet Union, in Asia, and certainly in Latin America.

Democracy a casualty

At home, universal education and health care were accomplishments that came at the cost of human rights and democracy. Dissidents were thrown in jail and their relatives who protested were often intimidated by pro-government mobs.

Fidel Castro kept power through fear, through the use of the secret police, through manipulating political forces  just like Stalin did or just like Hitler did, Calzon said.

Castro frequently denounced the United States, often staging mass rallies to protest the U.S. economic embargo against his country.

Despite decades of U.S. pressure, he managed to stay in power until being sidelined by intestinal surgery in July 2006. The ailing leader formally relinquished the presidency in 2008 to his younger brother Raul, in a transfer of power endorsed in a pro-forma election by Cubas National Assembly.

Yet he maintained a role in public life as Cubas state-run newspaper published his thoughts on various subjects, including a critique of President Barack Obamas historic visit to Cuba that underscored the normalization of ties.He also occasionally received visiting foreign dignitaries.

Large historical figure

His continued presence on the world stage made him unique, says Cuba specialist Phil Peters.

I think all admit he was a very large historical figure who won a very impressive military victory in the Cuban revolution, who maneuvered through very difficult circumstances in the international sphere, Peters, of the Lexington Institute, said. He put Cuba on the map, in many ways, far beyond its importance in history, far beyond its economic capabilities.

But the Cuban people paid a heavy price, Calzon, the democracy activist said.

Whatever good he did, the cost that the Cuban people have had to pay in lives, in suffering, in torture far exceeds whatever positive could be said about him, Calzon said.

Tyrant or revolutionary, Fidel Castro remained at the center of the worlds media spotlight until the end  an object of fascination for some and repudiation for others.
One place besides Miami where few tears will be shed over the death of Fidel Castro is Somalia, where his military involvement left a mark.

In the mid-1970s, Castro and former Soviet leaders were celebrating what looked like the emergence of another socialist leadership following the rise of the Derg regime in Ethiopia. Somalia had already been declared a socialist state and had hosted a large presence of Soviet and Cuban military advisers and trainers.

In early 1977, Castro brought together the leaders of Somalia, Ethiopia and southern Yemen to create greater socialist federal states in the region. General Mohamed Nur Galal was the former deputy defense minister of Somalia and the focal point of Somalia's military contacts with Cuba at that time. He was present at the meeting in Aden in March 1977.

Castro's vision

"He [Castro] was representing the Soviet Union, although he did not say that at the meeting. He said Somalia and Ethiopia should join up, and said that Yemen will join up, too," Galal said.

According to Galal, Castro told them that the merger would create a strategic alliance that would control the Red Sea, Suez Canal, the Arabian Gulf and the Indian Ocean.

Castro also explained to the leaders that setting up the new alliance would bring another benefit to the region: solving the conflict between Somalia and Ethiopia over the ethnic Somali Ogaden region.

"We told him that this is about the self-determination of people, and if this federation is going to unite ethnic Somalis, we are up for it," Galal said.

The meeting ended without progress. At the time, Somalia was already in an advanced stage of a military buildup to take the Ogaden region, regarded by the Somali government as a territory "occupied" by Ethiopia.

Meeting with Barre

When Castro learned of Somalia's plans, he flew to Mogadishu and met his counterpart, dictator Mohamed Siad Barre.

After the meeting, Castro reportedly said that Barre showed him the territories that he considered part of "Greater Somalia," including northeastern Kenya, Ogaden and Djibouti, which was still under French control.

Castro reportedly described Barre as a "chauvinist  and someone who thinks he is at the summit of wisdom."

Two months after Castro's visit to Mogadishu, Somali tanks were pounding Ethiopian military defense positions.

Somali troops took over Ogaden and moved deep into Ethiopia. The Soviet Union sent military advisers and provided technical assistance to Ethiopia.

Galal said Cuba had members of its Civil Defense System in Somalia and ordered them to go to Ethiopia. Castro also sent thousands of troops to Ethiopia.

Somalis beaten back

By March 1978, Somali troops had suffered heavy defeats and were driven back to where they started the offensive.

The following month, members of the demoralized Somali military officers made a coup attempt in Mogadishu. Barre held on, but the officers who survived the purge escaped to Ethiopia to set up the armed rebels who would overthrow him 13 years later, in January 1991. Somalia has never recovered from the following state collapse.

"I read a book Castro wrote, saying he brought Somalia to its knees. ... He was a bad man who hated Somalis," Galal said.
In life and death, Fidel Castro split Cubans - those who remained on the island, by choice or lack thereof, and those who left, by rickety raft or plane. Likewise, U.S. policy divided the community on both sides of the Florida Straits. Now the U.S., which in recent years revived diplomatic relations with Cuba, is on the cusp of an administration change that could once again alter the relationship.

"His legacy is definitely going to be complicated and divisive," says Sarah Kinosian, a researcher on Cuba at the Washington Office on Latin America. "He was a polarizing figure, but a powerful one."

In Miami, the geographic heart of Cuban exile and anti-Castro sentiment, there was joy at his death and the seeming end of an era as Cuban-Americans turned out in the pre-dawn streets of Little Havana; in the Cuban capital, as ever, reaction split along party lines: those who opposed Castro leadership, and those who mourned the iconic leader's death.

Under the headline in Spanish, "Until victory, always!" state media reported that Castro died November 25, at 10:29 p.m.

"He's not here... he's gone. We survived Fidel Castro," wrote blogger Yoani Sanchez, who for years has been one of the most visible, outspoken anti-Castro voices in Cuba.

In a poetic ode to the leader Saturday morning, pro-Castro writer Yenima Diaz Velazquez posted on her blog: "The world is crying over you, though a few people are laughing. They think that without you, it will all end. As if death extinguished an entire life's work. But, what death am I talking about, if you live on?"

Fidel Castro is internationally recognized, both revered and loathed. His death has been falsely reported so many times since the 1960s that one Cuban blogger said she received calls early Saturday checking to see if the news was really true this time.

"Fidel Castro is dead," writes Reinaldo Escobar, a journalist in Havana with one of the non-governmental news websites in the country. "To the sadness of some, and the delight of others, this time it's true."

Future of Cuba-US Relations

For years, in falling health, Castro waned from public view, handing over daily leadership to his brother Raul and ushering in an era of rapprochement between Washington and Havana, the likes of which hadn't been seen in decades of Castro rule that outlasted 11 U.S. presidents. President Barack Obama became the first U.S. leader to visit the island since the Castro revolution and restored diplomatic relations between the U.S. and Cuba.

"I don't think you're going to see some massive change overnight," Kinosian says of Cuba after Fidel Castro's death. "His legacy is definitely going to be weighed with these different visions of him... Raul is still in power until 2018. I think the question now is whether Fidel's death will weaken hardliners resisting reform."

Likewise, Brian Fonseca, Director of the Institute of Public Policy at Florida International Universitys School of International and Public Affairs, doesn't believe there will be immediate political changes for Cuba, "but its certainly going to cast off this shadow that Fidel has had over the island for so many years and perhaps create the space that would allow for change going forward."

As Havana residents prepared for Obama's visit last March, they were uncertain about what they wanted from renewed diplomatic relations. And end to the economic embargo, for the most part - but they remain under Castro family leadership, regardless of U.S. policy. Hardline anti-Castro protesters were unconvinced then that the rapprochement was a good idea, and that it would bring change to the island.

"Cuba has already its transition and its transition will largely be headed by Raul until February 2018," explains Florida International University politics professor Eduardo Gamarra. "They have in place a transition mechanism as well beyond 2018, so I dont think there is going to be any change in what Cuba is doing, but I do think there will be a change in what Washington will be doing.

But what "change" will mean under U.S. President-elect Donald Trump remains unclear, and won't be solidified until at least Jan. 20, when he takes office. Last year, Trump claimed to support thawing relations with Havana, saying "I think it's fine, but we should have made a better deal," Trump added. "The concept of opening with Cuba is fine."

While campaigning in Florida in September, Trump switched gears, saying he would reverse Obama's policies on Cuba "unless the Castro Regime meets our demands. Those demands will include religious and political freedom for the Cuban people."

On Saturday, he issued a statement that echoes the rhetoric of hardline anti-Castro members of Congress, calling Fidel Castro a "brutal dictator" and Cuba a "totalitarian island."

If and when he alters what was accomplished during Obama's tenure remains unclear, especially given Trump's change in stance already.

"We're in an era - as with any administration - it depends on what the actual policies put in place are," says Kinosian. "This kind of statement definitely sets a tone for his incoming administration."

Wayne Lee contributed to this report from Washington.
About 300 migrants have been arrested following a riot in Bulgaria's largest refugee camp, as Greece calls on European Union member states to speed relocation efforts after a tragic accident killed two migrants in an overcrowded Lesbos camp.

Bulgaria's Prime Minister Boyko Borisov told BNR public radio early Friday that about "300 migrants, six of them considered a threat to national security, have been arrested." Borisov spoke to reporters after visiting the camp.

Bulgarian officials said between 1,500 and 2,000 migrants were involved in the clashes on Thursday at the Harmanli migrant reception center, near the border with Turkey.

The crowd, primarily made up of refugees from Afghanistan, allegedly set car tires alight and hurled stones at more than 200 police and firefighters to protest a newly imposed rule banning migrants from leaving the center after an alleged outbreak of infectious disease.

Nearly 30 police officers and about two dozen migrants were injured in the unrest, the French news agency AFP reported.

Tensions have run high in the area, with local residents demanding that the refugee camp be closed.

Migrants fleeing violence in the Middle East have made their way into the Balkan country despite the fence Sofia erected along the Turkish border amid the worst migration crisis to hit Europe since 1945.

About 13,000 migrants, most of them from Afghanistan, are currently in Bulgaria, according to official statistics.

'Shocked' by camp fire

In Greece, Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras said he was "shocked, as is the entire Greek nation," after a fire broke out in a tent overnight at the Moria camp on the island of Lesbos. Two people  a young boy and an older woman  were killed, and two others were injured and were in serious condition at a hospital.

Human rights groups condemned the deaths, blaming the migrants' living conditions on the lack of action by countries in Europe. Despite the overcrowding at camps in Greece, EU member states have taken less than 4 percent of the migrants they committed to taking, according to EU figures.

"How many more people need to die in a tent, trying to keep warm, before EU and Greek authorities take action?" asked Loic Jaeger, head of mission in Greece for the relief agency Doctors Without Borders, or MSF.

"The fire in Moria is more than an accident. It is a direct consequence of the deplorable living conditions that Greek and EU authorities force refugees to live in inside Moria camp and other places across Greece," Jaeger said.

Moria is one of five Greek island camps sheltering refugees and migrants listed for deportation back to Turkey. Under a deal struck between the EU and Ankara in March, migrants and refugees who arrived in Greece after March 20 are to be returned to Turkey.

However, that process can take months. More than 62,000 migrants and refugees are stranded in Greece, according to government figures.

RFE/RL contributed to this report. Some material for this report came from AP, AFP and dpa.
President Barack Obama reached out to the Cuban people following the news of the death of Fidel Castro to offer his condolences and let them know he would continue his effort to normalize relations with the country.

Today, we offer condolences to Fidel Castro's family, and our thoughts and prayers are with the Cuban people, Obama said in a statement. In the days ahead, they will recall the past and also look to the future. As they do, the Cuban people must know that they have a friend and partner in the United States of America.

Understanding that Cubans  both in the U.S. and in Cuba  hold mixed feelings about the legacy of Castro, Obama didnt praise or denounce Castro as some other world leaders did, but instead said he would allow history to record and judge Castros impact on the world.

During my presidency, we have worked hard to put the past behind us, pursuing a future in which the relationship between our two countries is defined not by our differences but by the many things that we share as neighbors and friends  bonds of family, culture, commerce and common humanity, he said.

President-elect Donald Trump initially tweeted early Saturday morning: Fidel Castro is dead!

He later released a statement in which he called Castro a brutal dictator who oppressed his own people for nearly 60 years.

Fidel Castros legacy is one of firing squads, theft, unimaginable suffering, poverty and the denial of fundamental human rights, Trump said.

While Trump took a hard stance against Castro himself, he said he hoped Castros death would mark a move away from the horrors endured for too long by the Cubans and said his administration would work to ensure the Cuban people will find prosperity and liberty.

News of Castro's death late Friday at age 90 sparked celebrations among the country's exiles in Miami, and expressions of sorrow from others, including some world leaders.

"The day that the people, both inside the island and out, have waited for has arrived: A tyrant is dead and a new beginning can dawn on the last remaining communist bastion of the Western Hemisphere," U.S. Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, who represents Florida's 27th district, said in a statement.

Florida Senator Marco Rubio, who ran against Trump to be the Republican presidential candidate, said Castro turned Cuba into "an impoverished island prison" where dissidents were routinely jailed and killed.

"The dictator has died, but the dictatorship has not," Rubio said in a statement. "The future of Cuba ultimately remains in the hands of the Cuban people, and now more than ever Congress and the new administration must stand with them against their brutal rulers and support their struggle for freedom and basic human rights."

'Cuba libre!'

Some of the exiles in Miami were draped in Cuban flags. Others danced in the streets, some dazed in disbelief that this day  so long wished for  was finally here.

"Cuba si! Castro no!'' people chanted in the streets, while others screamed "Cuba libre!''

Financial executive Gabriel Morales, 40, whose parents left Cuba decades ago, said the news of Castro's death "seems unreal.''

Carlos Lopez, also in Miami, told The Miami Herald, "We are not celebrating one man's death, but the death of an ideology. We are celebrating that little piece of liberty we got back today."

Reaction on the island, slow to emerge because many citizens were asleep at the time of the government's announcement, was mixed.

"In Cuba, some are mourning, some are relieved, the majority with a certain amount of indifference, Castro's legacy is one of a nation in ruins, a nation where youth want to escape," Yoani Sanchez said on Twitter.

"I am very upset. Whatever you want to say, he is public figure that the whole world respected and loved," said Havana student Sariel Valdespino.

Reaction among world leaders was mixed.

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon offered the support of the U.N. to the people of Cuba during spoken remarks at a sustainable transportation conference in Turkmenistan.

"Under the former President Castro, Cuba made advances in the fields of education, literacy and health. I hope that Cuba will continue to advance on a path of reform and greater prosperity, Ban said.

Nicolas Maduro, president of Venezuela, said he spoke to Raul Castro, Fidel's brother, to convey solidarity with the Cubans.

Spanish President Mariano Rajoy Brey gave his condolences to Cuba and called Castro "a figure of historical significance."

Similarly, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi called Castro "one of the most iconic personalities of the 20th century."
A loud blast heard in Gaziantep, in southeastern Turkey near the Syrian border, may have been caused by jets taking part in Turkish military efforts in nearby northern Syria, Turkish officials said late Friday.

Police and firefighting teams investigated the sound, according to Turkey's Anadolu news agency.

The Gaziantep Province governor's office released a statement that said the incident caused no injuries, deaths or property damage.

"This sound could have been caused by warplanes involved in the Euphrates Shield operation going over the usual noise limit. We will give further details later," the governor said.

Tensions are high in Gaziantep. The area borders Syria where Turkish troops have taken part in military efforts to push Islamic State (IS) militants and Kurdish militia from the region.

Gaziantep is also where more than 50 people were killed at a Kurdish wedding last August after a suicide bombing that was blamed on IS.
Pakistans prime minister, Nawaz Sharif, appointed his new military chief Saturday to replace Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif, who is due to retire on November 29 when his official three-year term ends.

The new chief, Lieutenant General Qamar Javed Bajwa, is expected to take charge next week of the worlds sixth largest military in a formal handover ceremony in Rawalpindi, where the Pakistan army is headquartered.

General Bajwas appointment comes at a time when Pakistans military tensions with neighboring India are running high over Kashmir.

The two nuclear-armed rival nations have been routinely trading fire for weeks, causing military and civilian casualties on both sides of the Line of Control, or LoC, which divides the Himalayan region between Pakistan and India.

General Bajwa, among other key assignments, has commanded the armys largest 10 Corp, which is also responsible for the area along the Kashmir LoC. The current tensions with India, say analysts, appear to have played a role in Bajwas appointment because of his extensive involvement with Kashmir affairs.

According to his profile released by the militarys media wing, the newly-appointed military chief is a graduate of the Canadian Forces Command and Staff College (Toronto), Californias Naval Post Graduate University in Monetary, and has commanded the Pakistan Contingent in Congo.

General Bajwa is presently serving as Inspector General Training and Evaluation at the General Headquarters.

Prime Minister Sharif also appointed Lieutenant General Zubair Hayat as chairman of the joint chiefs of staff committee.

Outgoing General Sharif (no relation to Prime Minister Sharif) has become Pakistans first army chief in more than 20 years to step down on time.

His immediate predecessor obtained a three-year extension while the previous army chief, General Pervez Musharraf, staged a bloodless coup in 1999 and ruled Pakistan until he stepped down in 2008.

General Sharif is credited with improving national security and rooting out local and foreign militant networks from their bases in Pakistans northwestern semiautonomous tribal regions bordering Afghanistan.

He also ordered forces to undertake a major operation against criminal gangs and militant groups in Karachi, the countrys largest city and commercial hub.

The operation won General Sharif nationwide praise for improving the security situation in Karachi, the economic lifeline of Pakistan.

The counter-militancy and counterterrorism actions have made General Sharif an immensely popular figure among ordinary Pakistanis.

But critics questioned his unannounced control over foreign policy matters, particularly when it came to Pakistan's dealings with Afghanistan and India.

Prime Minister Sharif's political opponents, however, blamed his weak governance for allowing the military to assert itself.

Afghan leaders allege Pakistan's military action in border areas spared Taliban insurgents and their partners, the Haqqani Network.



Instead they blame Islamabad for covertly supporting and providing sanctuaries to the insurgents to prolong the war in Afghanistan.

Pakistani civilian and military officials reject the charges.
Cuban President Raul Castro announced the death of his brother former Cuban President Fidel Castro late Friday.

Fidel Castros communist government survived a U.S.-backed invasion of Cuban exiles, a superpower missile crisis, assassination plots and decades of U.S. economic sanctions. But Castro lived long enough to see Washington announce the re-establishment of full diplomatic relations with Havana and the subsequent visit by a U.S. president to the island in March 2016.


Shortly after the Cuban government's announcement of Castro's Friday death, Cuban exiles in Miami, Florida, took to the streets in celebration. Some were draped in Cuban flags, other danced in the streets, some dazed in disbelief that this day - so long wished for - was finally here.
The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU)  South Africas biggest workers group, says it is disappointed that President Jacob Zuma has failed to implement policies to improve the living conditions of its members.

The group has publicly announced it is endorsing Cyril Ramaphosa for president. Ramaphosa is the countrys deputy president and the deputy leader of the ruling African National Congress (ANC).

Sizwe Pamla, spokesman for COSATU, says members of the group plan to decide if they should continue the alliance with the ANC.

COSATU played a key role in backing Zuma to become the countys president after the ANC decided to recall former president Thabo Mbeki in 2007.

But critics have questioned the rationale behind the decision to endorse Ramaphosa. They questioned why a workers union would back a very wealthy businessman who is unlikely to fight for the common man in workers demands for better conditions, particularly when he is part of the current administration led by Zuma.

Pamla says the group has confidence in Ramaphosa that he would not betray the workers since, he says, the deputy president had previously worked for the betterment of the working class.

COSATU is very disappointed by what the current president of the country has failed to do for the workers, said Pamla.

With Ramaphosa, we have someone who is a founding general secretary of the National Union of Mine Workers. We have someone who is a principal negotiator during the drafting of the South African constitution. But we also have a businessman We are not looking for a leader of the workers or the working class, we are looking for a leader of the country, which means there can be no discussions that say somebody is overqualified to be the president of the country. A billionaire or a millionaire, for us who has a background in the working class movement, is the right person to take us forward because We dont believe that he would be surrounded by the level of scandals that are surrounding the current president.

Pamla says COSATU affiliates are expressing concern that the 20-plus-year alliance with the ANC appears to not be working. COSATU, ANC and the South African Communist Party (SACP) have been in a tripartite alliance following the demise of apartheid.

He says the ANC has betrayed COSATU adding that officials of the workers group are planning to open a debate about the relevance of the alliance with the governing ANC. Pamla also says the ANC has become an elitist institution that has become pro-business that appears to have forgotten about the well-being of workers and the working class  a charge the ANC denies.

There is no naivete on our side as to the failures of the African National Congress as a ruling party two decades later, said Pamla.

We are currently saddled with the implementation of the national minimum wage and the national health insurance, we acknowledge that. But if we want to hand over an organization that will listen to its own membership, we cant have our own personal feelings and decisions to be organizational decisions. So, while we have done a lot of analysis about the impact and the effect of the ruling party on the life of the workers, we still owe it to the workers to be allowed to make that determination as to whether to break ranks with the alliance or not.

A number of affiliates refused to take part in the debate about the alliance because they said unless you opened the debate about the relevance of the alliance, we are not going to participate, Pamla continued. A number of the affiliates said they were not interested as to who takes over the African National Congress going forward. [They said] all we want to hear is how do we extricate ourselves from the shackles of the alliance politics, the so-called palace politics. They were very clear and they were very explicit, added Pamla.
The 100 yuan note (around Rs. 1,000) is the highest currency note in China. A new 100 yuan note with improved security features was introduced in November 2015 to battle a widespread counterfeit problem.

By Ananth Krishnan: The Chinese media on Saturday said it "could not imagine what would happen in China" if the government undertook a similar demonetisation move, which it termed "bold" but risky.

China would "draw lessons" from the Modi government's move and the public reaction to it, said a Saturday editorial in the Global Times, a widely read Communist Party-run tabloid.

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"Modi's move is very bold. We cannot imagine what would happen in China if the country bans its 50- and 100-yuan notes," the editorial said.

The 100 yuan note (around Rs. 1,000) is the highest currency note in China. A new 100 yuan note with improved security features was introduced in November 2015 to battle a widespread counterfeit problem. In a single case in 2014, $35 million worth of fake notes were uncovered in southern Guangdong province.

BEIJING PHASES OUT OLD NOTES

Beijing however has been gradually introducing the new note, rather than adopt a drastic measure fearing disruption and the old note is being slowly withdrawn from circulation. A more bottom-up approach has been followed to tackle fake notes with a programme to install government-approved detectors for cashiers in most retail establishments.

The Global Times editorial said concerns on public reaction in one party-ruled China were a big factor in the introduction of similar reform measures.



REFORM ON FOR NEARLY 40 YEARS

"China's reform and opening-up has been going on for nearly 40 years," it said. "It had ups and downs but remained largely stable. Its success is based on broad public support. The strong execution capabilities of the Communist Party of China are built on the consensus of the entire country. By observing India's reforms we will draw lessons, which would in turn help us understand our own reforms."

Modi faced a "dilemma", the editorial suggested, between cracking down on black money on the one hand and "the governance principle of winning support of the public before initiating a new policy" on the other.

SUCCESS DEPENDS ON CO-OPERATION OF SOCIETY

"The Western-style democratic system of India allows little room for such bold moves," the editorial said. "However, he is really carrying it out, and will create a precedent no matter he succeeds or fails." "Reform is always difficult and requires more than just courage," the paper cautioned. "Modi's demonetisation came with good intention but whether it can succeed depends on the efficiency of the system and the cooperation of the entire society. More and more people are growing pessimistic about the ability of Modi's government to control the process.

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Also Read: China curbs passports in Muslim-majority Xinjiang

--- ENDS ---
Pakistans military says that an early morning suicide attack on one of its regional bases near the Afghan border left four assailants and two soldiers dead.

The heavily armed group of bombers tried to enter the Ghalani camp in the Mohmand tribal district and attack a packed mosque in a residential area, according to an official statement.

It said that security forces engaged them and contained them in the outer courtyard of the mosque, killing two attackers while the other two blew themselves up during an intense gunbattle.

The military confirmed the encounter left two of its personnel dead and another 14 wounded.

An extremist group fighting alongside the anti-state Pakistani Taliban claimed it was behind the assault.

The so-called Jamaat-ul-Ahrar faction claimed in a statement sent to reporters that the Pakistan military camp was targeted because it serves as a detention and torture center for captured Taliban fighters and their relatives.

The group has staged multiple attacks in Pakistan, targeting civilians, religious minorities and security forces.

Pakistani authorities allege the group is sheltering and operating out of border areas in Afghanistan with the help of the neighboring countrys intelligence agency.

Kabul denies the charges.

The United States earlier this year added Jamaat-ul-Ahrar to its list of global terrorist organizations after it claimed responsibility for a attack on the U.S. consulate in Peshawar.

The violence killed two Pakistani employees of the diplomatic facility.
After days of heavy combat, Syria said Saturday that its Russia-backed army had gained "full control" of a key rebel-held district in the war-torn city of Aleppo.

State media reported army engineering units in the Masaken Hanano district were dismantling mines and other explosive devices planted by rebels who had seized control of eastern Aleppo in 2012 as part of a push to topple the government of President Bashar al-Assad.

"The armed forces retook full control of Masaken Hanano after having put an end to the presence of terrorists there," state television reported.

Western analysts have for days stressed the strategic significance of Masaken Hanano, the largest district in eastern Aleppo, warning that its fall would place government forces in position to cut off northern parts of the rebel-held sector from the rest of the opposition-held districts.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which monitors and reports on the country's nearly six-year civil war, said last week that the imminent fall of Masaken Hanano would give the government regime a line-of-fire control over several other neighborhoods.

Ground assault

Government ground forces began a push into Masaken Hanano last week, after days of an intensive bombing campaign by Syrian and Russian warplanes.

Samantha Power, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, told the U.N. Security Council recently that nearly 300 civilians had been killed in eastern Aleppo in the preceding week. Dozens more have been reported killed since then.

"The reality is that the [government] regime and Russia are continuing their 'starve, get bombed or surrender' strategy in eastern Aleppo," she said Monday.

Moscow and Damascus have routinely described the fight against rebels in eastern Aleppo as a battle against terrorists, despite the sector's vast civilian population trapped in the city since fighting resumed in September. Both governments have used that characterization to justify the deadly and apparently indiscriminate bombings in the sector since then.

Western governments and the United Nations have framed the Aleppo onslaught as a vast humanitarian crisis that threatens the safety of at least 250,000 civilians believed trapped in the mayhem. Diplomats and human rights organizations argue that both Moscow and Damascus could face war crimes inquiries for their roles in the destruction of eastern Aleppo.
Tropical Storm Otto killed nine people in Costa Rica and forced thousands to evacuate overnight into Friday.

Costa Rican President Luis Guillermo Solis declared three days of mourning, beginning Monday. He said the causalities occurred along Costa Rica's border with Nicaragua.

The storm had been a Category 2 hurricane when it slammed into southeastern Nicaragua on Thursday. Officials there reported no casualties but said homes in low-lying areas had suffered extensive damage.

Otto was losing strength by the time it hit Costa Rica. It has since headed out to the Pacific Ocean.

It should continue to weaken, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said.
President-elect Donald Trump holds stock in the company building the disputed Dakota Access oil pipeline, and pipeline opponents warn that Trump's investments could affect any decision he makes on the $3.8 billion project as president.

Concern about Trump's possible conflicts comes amid protests that unfold daily along the proposed pipeline route. The dispute over the route has intensified in recent weeks, with total arrests since August rising to 528. A recent clash near the main protest camp in North Dakota left a police officer and several protesters injured.

Trump's 2016 federal disclosure forms show he owned between $15,000 and $50,000 in stock in Texas-based Energy Transfer Partners. That's down from between $500,000 and $1 million a year earlier.

Trump also owns between $100,000 and $250,000 in Phillips 66, which has a one-quarter share of Dakota Access.

Stake in company modest

While Trump's stake in the pipeline company is modest compared with his other assets, ethics experts say it's among dozens of potential conflicts that could be resolved by placing his investments in a blind trust, a step Trump has resisted.

The Obama administration said this month it wants more study and tribal input before deciding whether to allow the partially built pipeline to cross under a Missouri River reservoir in North Dakota.

The 1,200-mile pipeline would carry oil across four states to a shipping point in Illinois. The project has been held up while the Army Corps of Engineers consults with the Standing Rock Sioux, who believe the project could harm the tribe's drinking water and Native American cultural sites.

Trump invested in over 500 companies

The delay raises the likelihood that a final decision will be made by Trump, a pipeline supporter who has vowed to "unleash" unfettered production of oil and gas. He takes office in January.

Trump's investments in the pipeline business threaten to undercut faith in this process  which was already frayed  by interjecting his own financial well-being into a much bigger decision, said Sharon Buccino, director of the land and wildlife program at the Natural Resources Defense Council, an environmental group.

This should be about the interests of the many, rather than giving the appearance of looking at the interests of a few  including Trump, Buccino said.

Trump, a billionaire who has never held public office, holds ownership stakes in more than 500 companies worldwide. He has said he plans to transfer control of his company to three of his adult children, but ethics experts have said conflicts could engulf the new administration if Trump does not liquidate his business holdings.

Pipeline companies 'gleeful'

Rep. Raul Grijalva, D-Ariz., senior Democrat on the House Natural Resources Committee, called Trump's investment in the pipeline company "disturbing" and said it fits a pattern evident in Trump's transition team.

You have climate [change] deniers, industry lobbyists and energy conglomerates involved in that process, Grijalva said. The pipeline companies are gleeful. This is pay-to-play at its rawest.

A spokeswoman for Trump, Hope Hicks, provided a statement about conflicts of interest to The Associated Press on Friday: We are in the process of vetting various structures with the goal of the immediate transfer of management of The Trump Organization and its portfolio of businesses to Donald Jr., Ivanka and Eric Trump as well as a team of highly skilled executives. This is a top priority at the organization and the structure that is ultimately selected will comply with all applicable rules and regulations.''



Besides Trump, at least two possible candidates for energy secretary also could benefit from the pipeline. Oil billionaire Harold Hamm could ship oil from his company, Continental Resources, through the pipeline, while former Texas Gov. Rick Perry serves on the board of directors of Energy Transfer Partners.

Obama could still OK project

North Dakota Republican Gov. Jack Dalrymple, along with GOP Sen. John Hoeven and Rep. Kevin Cramer, called on President Barack Obama to authorize the Army Corps of Engineers to approve the pipeline crossing, the last large segment of the nearly completed pipeline.

Kelcy Warren, CEO of Dallas-based Energy Transfer, told The Associated Press that he expects Trump to make it easier for his company and others to complete infrastructure projects.

Do I think it's going to get easier? Of course, said Warren, who donated $3,000 to Trump's campaign, plus $100,000 to a committee supporting Trump's candidacy and $66,800 to the Republican National Committee.

If you're in the infrastructure business, he said, you need consistency. That's where this process has gotten off track.

Judge's ruling expected in January

The Army Corps of Engineers granted Warren's company the permits needed for the crossing in July, but the agency decided in September that further analysis was warranted, given the tribe's concerns. On November 14, the corps called for even more study.

The company has asked a federal judge to declare it has the right to lay pipe under Lake Oahe, a Missouri River reservoir in southern North Dakota. The judge isn't likely to issue a decision until January at the earliest.
U.S. President-elect Donald Trump said on Saturday that his administration would "do all it can" once it takes office on Jan. 20 to help boost freedom and prosperity for Cuban people after the death of Fidel Castro.

Trump had threatened late in his upstart campaign for the White House that concerns about religious freedom in Cuba could prompt him to reverse President Barack Obama's moves to open relations with the Cold War adversary after more than a half-century's estrangement.

Obama said this was an emotional moment for Cubans and Cuban-Americans and offered condolences to Castro's family.

"At this time of Fidel Castros passing, we extend a hand of friendship to the Cuban people," he said in a statement, noting his administration had "worked hard to put the past behind us."

Republicans closely await what Trump - a billionaire businessman known for his unconventional approach to politics and policy - will do on Cuba once he takes office.

"Though the tragedies, deaths and pain caused by Fidel Castro cannot be erased, our administration will do all it can to ensure the Cuban people can finally begin their journey toward prosperity and liberty," Trump said in a statement issued from his West Palm Beach, Florida, resort where he and his family are spending the Thanksgiving holiday weekend."While Cuba remains a totalitarian island, it is my hope that today marks a move away from the horrors endured for too long, and toward a future in which the wonderful Cuban people finally live in the freedom they so richly deserve," he added.

At a Miami rally in September, Trump said he would roll back Obama's Cuban policy reforms unless Cuban leaders allowed religious freedom and freed political prisoners.

"The next president can reverse them, and that I will do unless the Castro regime meets our demands," Trump told supporters.

A bloc of mostly Republican Cuban-American lawmakers has worked to keep tight restrictions on trade and travel with Cuba for years. Some Republican lawmakers broke with party orthodoxy to back Obama's reforms, drawn by the economic benefits of restoring ties.

But many have chafed against the changes, saying Cuba's government was still too repressive to ease restrictions.

Florida Senator Marco Rubio, who ran against Trump to be the Republican presidential candidate, said Castro turned Cuba into "an impoverished island prison" where dissidents were routinely jailed and killed.

"The dictator has died, but the dictatorship has not," Rubio said in a statement. "The future of Cuba ultimately remains in the hands of the Cuban people, and now more than ever Congress and the new administration must stand with them against their brutal rulers and support their struggle for freedom and basic human rights."

Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, a senior Republican House lawmaker from Florida who fled Cuba as a child, said on CNN that Castro's death changes nothing.

"We lost our native homeland to communism," Ros-Lehtinen said. "They just rule over Cuba with an iron fist."

Senator Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said he hoped Raul Castro would "turn the page" on oppression. "Freedom and democracy are long overdue in Cuba," he said in a statement.
While members of President-elect Donald Trumps transition team debate who should serve as his secretary of state, Trump moved ahead Friday with two more appointments.

Kathleen Troia KT McFarland will serve as deputy national security adviser, and Donald F. McGahn will serve as assistant to the president and White House counsel.

Neither appointment requires Senate confirmation.

Experience factor

In a statement, Trump cited McFarlands tremendous experience and innate talent and said McGahn has a brilliant legal mind, excellent character and a deep understanding of constitutional law.

Having faced criticism about the inexperience of his initial picks, Trump finds in McFarland, 65, someone who previously worked under three presidents, although none since Ronald Reagan.

McFarland also has worked as a national security analyst and a contributor to Fox News. She ran unsuccessfully for the Republican nomination for the U.S. Senate in New York in 2006.

McGahn, a former chairman of the Federal Election Commission, served as Trumps attorney during the campaign and was one of the few members of the Republican establishment to embrace the outsider candidate.

McGahn was also a lead lawyer for a key group in the Koch brothers network  Freedom Partners Chamber of Commerce  before joining the Trump campaign, according to Politico. Hes one of a growing number of people with ties to the Kochs to join Trumps administration.

He also has long-standing ties to Trump. McGahns uncle worked for Trump for many years and helped Trump cut deals that paved the way for him to open his Atlantic City casinos.

Conflicts of interest

McGahn will have the task of untangling potential conflicts of interest that the New York businessmans presidency may present.

Trump, who has never held public office, has real estate and leisure holdings all over the world, sparking concerns that his investments could color his decision-making in office. He has said that he will hand over day-to-day responsibilities of running his company to his children, but he has resisted calls to place his assets in a blind trust.

Trump also has expressed interest in finding a way to bypass a federal anti-nepotism law in order to give his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, a formal White House role.

Along with providing guidance on ethics issues, the White House counsels office advises the president on the legality of proposed executive orders and legislation passed by Congress and vets potential administration appointees, including Supreme Court justices.

Secretary of state

For now, who should be Trumps secretary of state remains an unanswered question until differences in the Trump transition team can be resolved.

Rivals within the team are divided between 2012 Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney and former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani.

In a Twitter post Thursday, Trump adviser Kellyanne Conway expressed the sentiments of the faction opposed to Romney. Conway said she had received a deluge of concern from people who questioned the loyalty of Romney, a former Massachusetts governor who assailed Trump as a phony during the presidential campaign.

Messy confirmation fight

Those opposed to Giuliani as secretary of state contend his extensive business relationships with foreign interests would likely lead to a messy Senate confirmation fight. They also question whether the 72-year-old has the stamina to meet the demands of international travel the job requires.

The president-elect, who has developed a reputation for changing his mind, has praised both Romney and Giuliani. Trump apparently told aides that Romney looks the part of secretary of state and is said to have spoken glowingly of Giuliani in recent discussions with associates.

Others who have been said to be in the running for the position include retired general and former CIA Director David Petraeus and Senator Bob Corker of Tennessee. And recent reports have said retired Marine Corps General John Kelly is under consideration.

Meetings Monday

No more announcements on administration jobs are expected until Monday, when Trump is set to meet with eight more prospective administration hires, transition spokesman Sean Spicer said. The group includes several business leaders, Pennsylvania Representative Lou Barletta, and David Clarke, the Wisconsin sheriff who is an aggressive opponent of the Black Lives Matter movement.

For now, Trumps transition team indicated he was focused on the challenges of governing.

Since arriving at his Palm Beach estate Wednesday, they said, the president-elect has spoken to the prime ministers of Greece, Hungary and Sweden, along with the presidents of Panama and Slovenia.

He is expected to return to his New York City home on Sunday.

Accent on jobs

As Trump spent the Thanksgiving Day holiday Thursday with his family at his Florida resort, he took to Twitter to say he was working to fulfill a campaign promise to create and preserve jobs. The billionaire real estate mogul said he was working hard...trying to get Carrier A.C. Company to stay in the U.S. MAKING PROGRESS - Will know soon!

The air-conditioning manufacturer responded on Twitter by saying it has had discussions with the incoming administration but had nothing to announce at this time.

Carrier said earlier this year it would move 1,400 jobs from the Midwestern state of Indiana to Mexico within three years.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.


Much remains to be done to turn the awareness of violence against women and girls into meaningful change, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said Friday.

Violence against women and girls imposes large-scale costs on families, communities and economies, Ban said in a statement Friday marking International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women and Girls. When women cannot work as a result of violence, their employment may be put at risk, jeopardizing much-needed income, autonomy and their ability to leave abusive relationships.

November 25 is the start of the United Nations 16-day campaign to raise awareness against gender-based violence. It ends December 10, Human Rights Day.

Resources, funding lacking

Violence against women and girls is not only a human rights violation but also an obstacle to sustainable development, Ban said. He lamented that efforts to address such violence, while having strong political commitment, suffer from lack of resources, including funding.

Watch: Reversing the Trend by artist and activist Rand Jarallah

The statistics almost defy belief. What is even harder to understand is why: why men prey on women and girls; why societies shame the victims, why governments fail to punish deadly crimes, why the world denies itself the fruits of womens full participation, Ban said at a U.N. Women-hosted Orange the World event in New York.

This is truly a matter of life and death, he added. In some countries, as many as 70 percent of women report having experienced physical or sexual violence from an intimate partner. In some countries, intimate partner violence accounts for between 40 and 70 percent of female murder victims.

Ban said gender-based violence also results in lost productivity for businesses and drains resources from social services, the justice system and health care agencies. The net result, he said, is enormous suffering as well as the exclusion of women from playing their full and rightful roles in society.

Ban is observing the U.N. day for the last time as U.N. chief. Incoming U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres takes over January 1, 2017.

Marches mark the day

Around the world, dozens of protests were held Friday to mark the day.

In Turkey, protesters, mostly women, in Istanbul and Ankara spoke out against a recent proposal in parliament that critics said would legitimize child marriages. The proposal was withdrawn in its current form earlier this week and submitted for review by a parliamentary committee after mass protests last weekend.

They discussed a proposal [the child marriage bill] last week. We came together as 137 organizations to raise our voices against the laws against women that AKP [Turkeys ruling Justice and Development Party] tried to inaugurate. We will tell them that we wont let the parliament pass the bills that are against women and children, Meltem Kolgazi, an academic, said.

Thousands protest in Buenos Aires

In Latin America, tens of thousands of demonstrators marched in Buenos Aires to protest horrific violence against women, a long-ignored issue in the region. About 200 women have been killed by former or current partners so far in 2016, AFP reported.

Thousands also marched in Chile, Uruguay, Colombia, Venezuela and Guatemala, with another planned Saturday in Peru, according to the French news agency AFP.

A study by the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) found that domestic violence, which is illegal in Latin America, is vastly underreported. A PAHO study said only 14 percent of female victims report violent crimes they have suffered.

Activists call for womens strike March 8.

Events focused on eliminating gender-based violence were also held this week in Israel, Australia, Afghanistan and the United Arab Emirates.

Buenos Aires protester Dora Machicado, 42, told AFP that equality for women would translate to less violence.



Economic independence frees us from the violence of machismo, she said.

Activists are also calling for a worldwide womens strike March 8, 2017. Organizers said strikes are planned in Argentina, Germany, Italy, Russia, Israel, South Korea and Mexico.
Hatice Kamer, (who also goes by the name Khajijan Farqin), a freelance reporter working for the Voice of America's Kurdish service, has been released after being detained by Turkish authorities in Diyarbakir.

Details of her arrest Saturday were relayed by a family friend, who said the reasons for Kamer's detention remain unclear. Her family has said that because of a state of emergency declared in the area, even her attorney was not able to contact her.

Kamer, who also freelanced for the BBC, was taken into custody in Turkeys Siirt province at a police checkpoint while on her way to report on a landslide at a copper mine, turkishminute.com reported.

Earlier this month, Olivier Bertrand, who works for the French news website lesjours.fr, was detained while reporting in Gaziantep, north of Turkeys border with Syria. He was subsequently deported.

Since declaring a state of emergency days after a failed coup attempt on July 15, the Turkish government has shut down close to 195 newspapers, broadcasters, publishers and distribution companies and imprisoned about 150 journalists on terrorism charges, an accusation that has become fairly common since the attempted overthrow of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's government.

Late last month, a few thousand people protested in Diyarbakir following the removal from office and arrest of the citys co-mayors, Gultan Kisanak and Firat Anli, on terrorism charges. Diyarbakir, the largest city in the predominantly Kurdish southeast, is the center of the pro-Kurdish movement.
U.S. first lady Michelle Obama has taken delivery of her last White House Christmas tree.

Standing at the mansions north portico Friday, the first lady, along with her young nephews and the family dogs greeted a 19-foot Balsam-Veitch fir as it was brought in a horse-drawn wagon,

Christmas begins. The holidays start, Obama said, according to The Associated Press, after accepting the tree from Dave and Mary Vander Velden, owners of the Oconto, Wisconsin, farm where it was grown. Were ready. Our last one. Were excited about it.

The Vander Veldens won the annual National Christmas Tree Association contest. Contest winners have supplied the White House with its official Christmas tree since 1966.

Cousins stand in for Malia, Sasha

Until now, Obamas daughters, Malia and Sasha, have been on hand to greet the tree. But this year the teenage girls had other commitments, so their cousins, Austin and Aaron Robinson, filled in, wearing expressions of excitement as they reined in the dogs and advised the first lady. The two boys are the children of the first ladys brother, Craig Robinson.

Its great. Should we accept it? Obama asked 6-year-old Austin.

Yes! he declared, according to AP.

Tree to be located in Blue Room

The tree will stand in the Blue Room, where it will be the center of the White House Christmas festivities.

The trees delivery marks the start of a whirlwind of decorating at the White House by volunteers who will be getting the public rooms of the mansion ready for display.

Obama plans to give military families a first look at the decorations Tuesday.
When Donald Trump was asked early during his presidential run about the United States' warming of relations with Cuba, his response was largely positive.

"I think it's fine," Trump told The Daily Caller in a September 2015 interview. "We should have made a better deal, (but) the concept of opening with Cuba - 50 years is enough," he said, referencing Washington's longstanding economic and diplomatic sanctions against the socialist country.

Fast forward a year, and President-elect Trump's public stance on the issue has almost completely reversed. Now, when Trump talks about President Barack Obama's efforts to normalize relations with Cuba, it is almost entirely in negative terms.

That trend continued following the Friday death of Cuba's revolutionary leader, Fidel Castro.

In a statement, Trump slammed Castro as a "brutal dictator" who oversaw "firing squads, theft, unimaginable suffering, poverty, and the denial of fundamental human rights."

WATCH: While campaigning for president, Donald Trump speaks about Cuba

Though Trump did not reveal any details about his plans for Cuba policy, he promised his administration will do "all it can to ensure the Cuban people can finally begin their journey toward prosperity and liberty."

The statement stood in stark contrast to that of President Obama, whose statement largely spoke of Castro in neutral terms and once again reasserted that Washington extends a "hand of friendship to the Cuban people."

The dueling statements raise the question: will Obama's historic reconciliation with Cuba survive a Trump presidency?

Trump's chief of staff on Sunday said the president-elect is "absolutely" willing to reverse Obama's opening to Cuba. Speaking on Fox News Sunday, Reince Priebus said the future of U.S.-Cuba relations depends on whether Havana makes "movement in the right direction" on human rights.

"Repression, open markets, freedom of religion, political prisoners -- these things need to change in order to have open and free relationships," said Priebus. "There's going to have to be some movement from Cuba in order to have relationship with the United States."

Obama had been working with Castro and others in the Cuban government for nearly two years to re-start relations between Cuba and the U.S., culminating earlier this year in the first direct flights between the two countries in 50 years and the reopening of embassies.

The relaxed regulations introduced by Obama made it easier for Americans to bring products back from Cuba, allowed more access for doctors to work with Cuban researchers on medical investigations and ended the 180-day ban on ships docking at U.S. ports after leaving Cuba.

Obama also visited Cuba earlier this year, marking the first time a U.S. president had stepped foot in Cuba since Calvin Coolidge did in 1928.

At the time of Obamas announcement, national security adviser Susan Rice was asked whether a new administration would be able to alter the new rules, to which she said: It would be profoundly unwise and counterproductive to turn back the clock.

But during that September campaign stop, Trump said he would roll back Obamas executive orders unless Cuba met his demands, which include religious and political freedom for the Cuban people and the freeing of political prisoners.

John Kavulich, president of the U.S.-Cuba Trade and Economic Council, said it would be easy for a Trump administration to eliminate the flights to Cuba, calling them an additional measure of normalcy in an anything-but-normal relationship.

Individuals associated with the president-elect, both officially and unofficially, will not be enthusiastic about the resumption of the flights; they will view each flight as a satchel of United States currency traveling on a one-way journey to Cuba with no meaningful measurable return other than to perpetuate abhorrent commercial, economic and political systems, he said.

Although Trump's comments on Cuba may have been inconsistent during the presidential campaign, the businessman does have a long record of criticizing Castro.

In a 1999 editorial in the Miami Herald, Trump explained why he was unwilling to form partnerships that would allow him to build casino-hotels in the Cuban capital of Havana.

"If I formed a joint venture with European partners, I would make millions of dollars. But I'd rather lose those millions than lose my self-respect. I would rather take a financial hit than become a financial backer of one of the world's most-brutal dictators, a man who was once willing to aid in the destruction of my country," Trump said.

"To me the embargo question is no question at all," he continued. "Of course, we should keep the embargo in place. We should keep it until Castro is gone."
CJI TS Thakur has once again lambasted the Modi government for sitting over appointment of judges in high judiciary and not strengthening judicial infrastructure.

By India Today Web Desk: Chief Justice of India TS Thakur has lambasted the Centre over the huge vacancies in the higher judiciary. Justice Thakur said, "Today 500 judges' posts are vacant in high courts. Today we have vacant court room but no judges."

The CJI had expressed similar anguish at the government's approach to judicial appointments.

The Supreme Court, on October 28, had came down heavily at the Modi government for sitting over appointment of judges in various high courts despite the collegium clearing the names- some of them nine months ago.

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"You can as well close down the courts. Close down justice," the livid bench of the apex court had then told Attorney General Mukul Rohtagi.



WATCH:



Even then CJI TS Thakur had said, "Today we have a situation where courtrooms are locked because there are no judges. For example, Karnataka where one floor is shut. Why don't you lock the courts and lock out justice? Executive inaction is decimating the institution."

WATCH:



'NO JUDGE WANTS TO HEAD TRIBUNAL'

Speaking at a book release function in New Delhi on Saturday, Justice Thakur said,"The government is not ready to provide proper facilities, vacancy apart from infrastructure is a major concern for tribunal."

"Tribunals are not equipped. Today a situation has come that when no retired Supreme Court judge wants to head tribunal," CJI Thakur said.

Expressing his helplessness at the government's response to improve infrastructure of the tribunal and judiciary, Thakur said, "I am pained to send my retired colleagues there. Government is not ready to give proper facilities. Vacancy apart from infrastructure is a major concern for the Tribunal."

Earlier in April at the joint conference of chief ministers and chief justices of high courts, CJI Thakur had broke down before Prime Minister Narendra Modi while making an emotional plea to the government seeking improvement in judicial infrastructure including filling up of the vacancies.

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News of the death of Cuban leader Fidel Castro sparked celebrations among the country's exiles in Miami, and expressions of sorrow from others, including some world leaders.

Shortly after the Cuban government's announcement of Castro's Friday death, Cuban exiles in Miami, Florida, took to the streets in celebration. Some were draped in Cuban flags, other danced in the streets, some dazed in disbelief that this day - so long wished for - was finally here.

"Cuba si! Castro no!'' people chanted in the streets, while others screamed "Cuba libre!''

Forty-year-old financial executive Gabriel Morales, whose parents left Cuba decades ago, said the news of Castro's death "seems unreal.''



Carlos Lopez, in Miami, told the Miami Herald, "We are not celebrating one man's death, but the death of an ideology. We are celebrating that little piece of liberty we got back today."

Watch: In Miami a celebration of Castro's death

"The day that the people, both inside the island and out, have waited for has arrived: a tyrant is dead and a new beginning can dawn on the last remaining communist bastion of the Western hemisphere," U.S. Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, who represents Florida's 27th district, said in a statement.

On the island

Reaction on the island, slow to emerge because many citizens were asleep at the time of the government's announcement, was mixed.

"In Cuba, some are mourning, some are relieved, the majority with a certain amount of indifference, Castro's legacy is one of a nation in ruins, a nation where youth want to escape," Yoani Sanchez said on Twitter.

"I am very upset. Whatever you want to say, he is public figure that the whole world respected and loved," said Havana student Sariel Valdespino.

On Twitter, Gloria La Riva said, "His legacy will endure because he leaves a strong country of true revolutionaries, people who have given of themselves countless times as medical workers, as teachers, as construction workers, as combatants, all for humanity..."

Antonio G. Rodiles, a Cuban political activist, told VOA that he thinks Castro is a "shadow" who will disappear "little by little." Rodiles said the Cuban government tried to keep Castro "alive in the minds of the Cuban people" by constantly using his image on television and in the streets. The activist said "...but now everything is going to be dissolved, he's going to disappear."

World Marks Passing of 20th Century Icon

Reaction among world leaders was mixed.

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon offered the support of the UN to the people of Cuba during spoken remarks at a sustainable transportation conference in Turkmenistan.

"Under the former president Castro, Cuba made advances in the fields of education, literacy and health. I hope that Cuba will continue to advance on a path of reform and greater prosperity, Ban said.

Nicolas Maduro, president of Venezuela, said he spoke to Raul Castro, Fidel's brother, to convey solidarity with the Cubans.

Spanish President Mariano Rajoy Brey gave his condolences to Cuba and called Castro "a figure of historical significance."

Similarly, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi called Castro "one of the most iconic personalities of the 20th centruy."

"India mourns the loss of a great friend," Modi said on Twitter.

British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson tweeted to say, "Fidel #Castro's death marks the end of an era for #Cuba & the start of a new one for Cuba's people."

European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said "the world has lost a man who was a hero for many... his legacy will be judged by history."

Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto said on Twitter, "I lament the death of Fidel Castro Ruz, leader of the Cuban revolution and emblematic reference of the 20th century."

French President Francois Hollande called Castro a towering figure of the 20th century.

"I want, on the occasion of the death of Fidel Castro to again insist that the embargo that punishes Cuba should be lifted definitively (and that) Cuba should be fully regarded as a partner in the international community," said Hollande during a summit in Madagascar.

Russian President Vladimir Putin also praised Castro as a symbol of an era.

"Free and independent Cuba, which he (Fidel Castro) and his allies built, became an influential member of the international community and became an inspiring example for many countries and nations. Fidel Castro was a sincere and reliable friend of Russia.''

Former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev hailed Castro for "strengthening" his island nation.

"Fidel stood up and strengthened his country during the harshest American blockade when there was colossal pressure on him and he still took his country out of this blockade to a path of independent development," Interfax news agency quoted Gorbachev as saying.

Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter said he and his wife Rosalynn "fondly remember our visits with him in Cuba and his love of his country." In a statement, Carter said he wishes the Cuban citizens peace and prosperity in the years ahead.
Former Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai is on Saturday expected to address what the party says is a mega-rally at Zimbabwe Grounds, the ceremonial home of people power in Highfield, Harare.

In a statement, the parry said,  The big Harare bash comes in the context of a biting national crisis at a time the party in the seat of government has become radarless and clueless on how to solve the problems facing the people. The rally also comes against the prospect of the imminent introduction of infamous bond-notes; which in reality is the re-introduction of the Zimdollar through the back-door.

The MDC-T said in his keynote message, Tsvangirai is set to talk about the national crisis, give an update on the coalition of opposition parties ahead of 2018 as well as pay tribute to the resilience of the suffering people of Zimbabwe.

Given the sickening poverty around the country, the people can only remember with nostalgia the times of good economic fortune with the MDCs competent hand on the wheels of government during the era of the inclusive government.

The MDC-T further noted that the party president is also expected to brief the people on the current fight for electoral reforms as well as publicly deliver a special message to President Robert Mugabe on what he can do in the current dire circumstances if he truly loves this country and its people.

The MDC-T was once in the government of national unity between 2009 and 2013, which comprised Zanu PF and the MDC led by Professor Welshman Ncube.
Photo: AFP/AFP/Getty Images

Longtime Cuban leader Fidel Castro has died at the age of 90. The one-time revolutionary, who rose to power promising democracy only to deliver a repressive communist autocracy, had ruled the small island nation for nearly 50 years. While Castro became an inspiration to, and nurturer of, leftist and communist movements across Latin America and Africa, he also relished his role as a perpetual adversary of the American government across ten U.S. presidencies, especially during the Cold War when Cubas alliance with the Soviet Union almost led to nuclear war with the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962. Castro also survived multiple attempts to depose him, including the failed Bay of Pigs invasion, which the U.S. supported in 1961.

General Raul Castro, Fidels younger brother and chosen successor in Cuba since 2008, announced the news of his brothers death in a televised address just after midnight Friday. In Floridas Miami-Dade County, where exiles and refugees who had fled Castros regime form a large and powerful community, flag-waving Cubans filled the streets to cheer the news, according to the Miami Herald.

In that exile community, as the Herald also points out in their ranging obituary, Castro was known as a tyrant whose repressive regime forced hundreds of thousands of Cubans to flee their homeland after he overthrew Cuban dictator Fulgencio Batista in 1959 and converted the countrys capitalist economy into a socialist one. Castro would eventually turn further left and become more authoritarian, establishing a communist police state, restricting speech, and jailing or killing his political opponents. That ongoing crackdown led to additional waves of Cuban refugees to the U.S., as did the pressures of Cubas perpetually crippled economy under the Castro regimes policies.

But in Cuba, and to many around the world, Castro was also considered a champion of the poor who delivered land and free health care and education to his countrys peasant class, and who outlasted the fall of the Soviet Union and the embrace of capitalism by countries like China and Vietnam. Castros rise to power is also the stuff of legend to many leftists and revolutionaries. Castro survived imprisonment, exile, and his own disastrous strategic mistakes to eventually lead a successful guerilla war against Batista in the late 1950s, alongside the also youthful and infamous Marxist revolutionary Che Guevara. When a 32-year-old Castro seized power in 1959, he was Latin Americas youngest leader, and Castro went on to support many other revolutionary movements in the region throughout his rule.

If Castros communist regime outlived all its contemporaries, the man himself also lived much longer than anyone expected, including long enough to see a diplomatic thaw with the United States that had once seemed impossible. In 2014, President Obama and General Raul Castro negotiated a restoration of diplomatic ties between the two nations, ending more than five decades of hostility between the two governments. Obama visited Cuba the next year, the first U.S. president to do so since 1928. The U.S. embargo against Cuba, which can only be ended by an act of Congress, remains in effect, but some travel and trade restrictions have been lifted regardless.

Responding to Castros death on Saturday, President Obama offered his condolences to the Castro family and reminded the Cuban people to know that they have a friend and partner in the United States of America as they come to terms with the leaders death and legacy. We know that this moment fills Cubans  in Cuba and in the United States  with powerful emotions, recalling the countless ways in which Fidel Castro altered the course of individual lives, families, and of the Cuban nation, Obama added. History will record and judge the enormous impact of this singular figure on the people and world around him.

Pres Obama issues statement on death of Fidel Castro. pic.twitter.com/5eHB2A9DoB  Mark Knoller (@markknoller) November 26, 2016

Obamas forward-looking response is already drawing angry rebukes from Republicans like Florida senator (and Cuban-American) Marco Rubio:

President Obama issued a pathetic statement on death of dictator #FidelCastro with no mention of thousands he killed & imprisoned. #Cuba  Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) November 26, 2016

The initial response of U.S. president-elect Donald Trump, meanwhile, was just to tweet Fidel Castro is dead!; though, he later offered a more pronounced celebration of Castros demise. Trump, who promised to roll back Obamas efforts at diplomacy with the Cuban regime during his presidential campaign, vowed to help those on the totalitarian island obtain freedom in a statement released late Saturday morning. Though the tragedies, deaths and pain caused by Fidel Castro cannot be erased, our administration will do all it can to ensure the Cuban people can finally begin their journey toward prosperity and liberty, Trump added.

JUST IN: @realDonaldTrump releases statement on Fidel Castro's passing calling him 'a brutal dictator.' https://t.co/aH7Gl7oYHb pic.twitter.com/rLIdss22ul  NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt (@NBCNightlyNews) November 26, 2016

The Cuban government has declared that there will be nine days of mourning for Castro, followed by a funeral in Santiago de Cuba on December 4. Before then, Castros ashes will be taken on a cross-country tour, and in the meantime, Cubans are being invited by state media to pay tribute to Castro by signing a solemn oath of complying with the concept of the revolution.
If a friend informs you that you have visible cancer on your mouth, maybe dont argue with them. Perhaps just immediately leave the party and drive to a doctor to get it checked out. Yesterday on Live With Kelly, Andy Cohen revealed how Kelly Ripa spotted a black dot on his lip and pestered him until he got it diagnosed as a melanoma. As if that wasnt incredible enough, its the third time Kelly Ripa has identified cancer on a friend. If she gets tired of those grueling morning show hours, Kelly Ripa has a second career waiting for her: wandering all over these great United States, letting people know they have cancer on their heads.
One of the reasons why I dont watch Westworld is because Im allergic to fan theories. I prefer to let a show take me where it wants, without constantly looking for hidden meanings and clues. Its a bit of a stretch to say that Search Party is a condemnation of the culture of fan theories, but isnt that exactly what Dory is doing? Seeing what she wants to see? Making connections that arent there? To go even further, isnt that what most of us do in our daily lives? We try to find meaning and create self-narratives that give us a sense of purpose.

But Im way ahead of myself. Lets get to recappin.

It turns out those mini-cassettes were actually surveillance footage of the Chinese restaurant, which yield absolutely nothing until Dory spots  Agnes Cho? If Id known she was going to be important, I mightve paid more attention to her. (Just to jog your memories: Agnes was the girl at the vigil who acted like she was Dian Fossey.) Dory confronts Agnes, who first denies that she knows anything, then says shell tell Dory where Chantal is for the cool sum of $5,000  for the apes, of course.

Dory asks Portia and Elliott for the money and they run off to deliberate in a closet. (Theyre besties again, by the way, so all is right in the world.) They emerge as a united front: Were not giving our best friend a dime. From there, the Scooby Gang puts two separate plans in motion: Drew and Portia try to blackmail pervy Nanny Daddy (whose real name is Chuck), and Elliott and Dory make an appeal to Chantals family, who are in town for a dress fitting.

Portia lures Chuck to her apartment with slightly dominatrix-y text messages. When he arrives  and immediately drops trou  she demands the money and Drew acts as the muscle, making vague threats about the dark web. Somehow, it works.

Meanwhile, at the dress shop, Elliott make his overconfident pitch to the family. Naturally, they think hes insane. Dory emerges from her hiding place and Chantals sister is all, Hey, youre the girl who put on my sweater! and Dory tries to explain that shes not trying to scam them and that shes totally legit. She says that shes working with Keith to find Chantal and the family says, Who?

Whoa, I did not see that coming.

The cutest thing in the world is Portias happy Mama got the money dance when Elliott and Dory return home empty-handed. (Portia is in a completely different episode from the rest of her friends and Im totally here for it.) Cash in hand, Agnes tells them that Chantal is in Montreal and even gives them an address. Then Dory borrows a car from an extremely stoned Gail and tells Keith that Chantal is in Miami to throw him off the trail, but only after allowing him to blubber about how much he loves her.

In the car, Drew is still mulling over Dorys lie about where she spent the night: She claimed shed been at a sleepover at the Museum of Natural History with Elliott, curiously sans sleeping bag. Did you bring a sleeping bag? Drew asks. Of course! Elliott says, cluelessly.

Cut to Drew and Dory having a huge fight along the side of the road, as Elliott rolls his eyes: Im sorry. I cannot take straight couples fighting seriously. Its like, get over yourself.

This fight is a doozy. Dory apparently confesses to Drew that she slept with Keith, and then he drops his own bombshell  he was the one who ransacked her Wall of Obsession and left the note to stop looking for Chantal. I did not see that coming, part deux.

Both Dory and Drew say hurtful things to each other and break up. I am very distraught.

The gang heads to a restaurant in Montreal where Drew sulks at the bar while Elliott, Chantal, and Dory brainstorm by drawing color-coded charts on the table. (We have crayons and were smart! Portia says.) Their conclusion: Keith was working with the cult, possibly to impregnate random women, and hes the father of Chantals child. Also, Lorraine knew too much and Keith killed her.

While in town, Portia locks eyes with a dreamy guy named Matthieu and they exchange numbers. Meanwhile, Drew smokes now. Poor Drew.

In the final episode, the gang arrives to the address where Chantal is supposedly staying. Its a big, empty vacation house. Chantals not there, but they find the Spartan room shes been living in. Portia, who thinks this whole thing is just a fun game, begs Drew to take her back to town to meet up with Matthieu, and he agrees, leaving Dory alone with Elliott. Dory is in the middle of complaining that no one is taking their mission seriously when Elliott gets a call from his publisher and scampers off to take it. Thats when the door jiggles, gets smashed open, and none other than Keith appears.

Dory grabs Drews taser and tells Keith to stay away. She knows he wasnt working for the Witherbottoms and that he is the father of Chantals baby. Dumbfounded, he denies it all  he loves her and planned to split the reward money with her and would she please put that thing down? She tases him and hits his head on the edge of the kitchen island  which is always TV code for uh oh, youre dead. Except hes not dead! His eyes pop open, but hes got a pretty big gash on his head and he lunges at Dory. At that exact moment, Drew walks in and sees Dory struggling. He grabs a candlestick and wallops Keith squarely in the head. This time, blood is everywhere and Keith does not resemble a living person.

I love my publishing company! Elliott squees, coming in from outside. He takes in the horrible tableaux  Drew consoling Dory, whos covered in blood, with Keith lying motionless on the kitchen floor  and his mouth drops open. Boy Scout Drew wants to call the police, but Elliott objects. You dont call the police when you killed somebody! He is dead and we are not!

It was self-defense, Dory says, halfheartedly. Was it? Elliott screams.

Suddenly, we hear Portias giddy voice: Guys, I found Chantal! Theres a flurry of activity as Drew, Dory, and Elliott try clean up the crime scene. They drag Keiths body into a closet and, in a panic, Elliott puts the candlestick in the refrigerator. Then Portia steps into the kitchen with Matthieu  and Chantal. Hi guys, she says.

Tearfully, Chantal tells her story. She was dating a married guy named Farley who broke up with her and she was super-bummed about it, so her friend Agnes let her stay at her summer house and  thats it. Oh, the glory of Alia Shawkats face in this moment: confusion, dismay, with just a soupcon of panic. (At one point, she literally begins backing away from Chantal.)

Its weird because Im scared   Chantal continues, as Dory briefly perks up,   that someones going to come to the house to clean, or like sublet at any moment so Im sleeping in this storage room upstairs.

Isnt this hilarious you guys? Portia says. Like, nothing happened! We literally thought all these crazy bad things and literally nothing happened.

I mean, my heart got broken. Thats not nothing, Chantal says.

Grabbing Chantals hand a little too tightly, Dory begins to grill her. But what about the sonogram? It belonged to Chantals sister. The Bellow & Hare wolfs tooth? A bridesmaid gift from Catherines wedding. Lorraine? Whos that? Chantal says, as we cut to a flashback of Lorraine crossing herself before jumping in front of a train.

Keith pushed her in front of the train, Dory sputters. Whos Keith? Chantal says. Cue a brief flashback to Keith, eating a sandwich on a stakeout, as he spots a sign offering a $250,000 reward for Chantals return and rips it off the wall.

At this point, Drew and Elliott get it. Theres no conspiracy, no secret plot, the whole thing was a horrible, horrible misunderstanding gone awry. But Dory refuses to believe.

What about the bloody blouse in the woods? she demands. Flashback to Farley and Chantal having a post-coital fight in the woods. Chantal trips on a wine glass, cutting her hand as she falls, and dopey Farley uses her blouse to sop up the blood.

But  but  the Chinese restaurant! Chantal definitely ran away from Dory at the restaurant! Turns out, Chantal was getting a fake passport from Agness cousin and  the final indignity  she couldnt place Dorys face. She actually thought Dory was a cop.

Who are you hiding from? Dory yells, actually shaking her.

Honestly? Chantal says. Myself.

There you have it! This is like the end of an Agatha Christie murder mystery, except the complete opposite. Everything is banal. There is no grand reveal. The big revelation is there is no revelation. Oh, and also? Keith is probably dead.

(Real quick: Can we acknowledge the genius of Chantal just being another self-absorbed New Yorker who thinks everything is about her personal journey and doesnt comprehend the consequences of her actions? This show, man.)

As the realness of everything hits her, Dory runs to the bathroom to vomit. The last shot of the series is her face, filled with dread, staring at herself in the mirror. The horror.

Remember how much I hate fan theories? Theres something else I hate nearly as much: People who cant leave perfection alone. Search Party was perfection. It was smart and assured and brilliantly acted and wildly entertaining and a true gift. It started good, got better and better, and crested with an existential finale that felt both surprising and completely inevitable. It was a self-contained gem.

But heres the thing: I need more Search Party in my life. Im sorry, its just the way it is. That means Keith really needs to be not dead  this is nonnegotiable  because Dory and Drew in jail would probably not make for great television. Besides that little obstacle, the skys the limit, TBS! Dory can open a detective agency. Or become a graphic designer. Or join that weird baby cult. Who am I to judge? Anything so I can spend more time with Dory and her friends and their world. Is that too much to ask?
Now that Dear Zindagi's shooting is over and the film has released, Alia Bhatt is missing Shah Rukh Khan.

By India Today Web Desk: While Shah Rukh and Alia Bhatt's Dear Zindagi continues to wow audiences and critics alike, the film's prime star Alia Bhatt has started to miss her 'Jug' AKA Dr. Jehangir Khan i.e Shah Rukh Khan.

During a promotional event, when Alia was asked about her experience of working with a star as big as Shah Rukh, she said, "It was a magical experience working with him. Personally, I've learned a lot from him which I don't want to share with anybody. I am really missing him today."

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MOVIE REVIEW: Dear Zindagi

ALSO READ: Five reasons you must watch Shah Rukh and Alia's Dear Zindagi

OPINION: Dear Zindagi is Shah Rukh's natural evolution as an actor, not a change of track

ALSO READ: When I got a call from Shah Rukh Khan

The 23-year-old went on to add, "For the past couple of week, we were so busy in promoting the film. So Shah Rukh, I am really missing you."

Remembering her shooting days with Shah Rukh in Singapore, Alia said, "We didn't have so much time while shooting for Dear Zindagi. We went for dinner at a Mexican restaurant where we played all Bollywood songs while having dinner. We have lots of beautiful memories of shooting Dear Zindagi."

"When we go abroad we have our own team, but also need support from that place and the people. While shooting for Dear Zindagi, it was raining heavily and we had a lot of work to finish. The Singapore team was so cooperative that they supported us in all our needs. It's a pleasure shooting over there," Alia said.

Alia praised the film crew in Singapore even further as she for Badrnath ki Dulhania there for 20 days "but we didn't feel that we are not in India."

While Dear Zindagi is presently running in theatres, Badrinath ki Dulhania, directed by Shashank Khaitan will release in theatres on March 10 next year. Besides Alia Bhatt, the film also stars Varun Dhawan and is the sequel to Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania.

WATCH: What's good and what's bad in Shah Rukh-Alia's Dear Zindagi





--- ENDS ---
Stephanie Korteweg runs her hands along the edges of blue, hand-stitched slippers a Turkish woman gave her, then sets them on a table next to other souvenirs.

She picks up a photo of her time helping children re-establish a routine life in Sri Lanka, about a month after a deadly tsunami washed through in 2004, killing about 40,000 people there and many more in neighboring countries.

Typically, the Waco ISD trustee shares the treasures with local students to offer stories about life beyond America, but where Korteweg has traveled in recent years, souvenirs are hard to come by.

Going overseas strips a lot of the comfort that we have here and it brings a lot of clarity, Korteweg said. It makes me realize, when you take all the material stuff away and boil it all down, it really is the people and relationships that Im most grateful for, but more than that, a richness to life.

Each year, Korteweg, who was elected in May 2015, takes a trip to a country in need to give back however she can. Shes been doing so for 12 years, and for the past two years she and her husband, Dr. Jeremy Korteweg, have taken about four weeks to visit a womens and childrens hospital in South Sudan, a newly independent country in the midst of a civil war.

The pair had plans to return in January, but the country has become too dangerous for travel, they said. So, as they head into the holiday season, theyre looking back at how much they have to be thankful for because of where they have served and trying to figure out their next trip, they said.

I was looking for souvenirs this past time and I went to the market, and they dont have any, Stephanie Korteweg said of the 5-year-old country. Everything was practical. What you can use, you know? I thought the only thing I can carry is what memories I have. The kids in the mango trees. Thats really the only thing I have.

Stephanie and Jeremy Korteweg are nearing their third wedding anniversary, but their servant hearts had each developed long before they met, they said.

Former teacher

Stephanie Korteweg served as a teacher in Waco ISD for 12 years but reached a point of exhaustion in the classroom and wanted to find a way to work for more than the 25 children she taught each day. In August 2012, she decided to join the STARS Mentoring Project at Antioch Community Church as a way to go beyond the classroom. She now serves as the programs director.

Her relationship with God and what her church strives for have directly tied into those decisions, as well as her decision to serve children in other countries by partnering with a local church or nonprofit group, she said. Antiochs focus is a congregation on mission, from the local coffee shop to other states to overseas.

When I was in Thailand, I partnered with a local church. This was a group that lived in a slum area in Thailand, located under an overpass, Stephanie Korteweg said. There was no running water. Not even four walls for a house, trash heaps, that kind of stuff. I lived with them for about six weeks and I learned what the kingdom of God looks like.

Former drug addicts were reaching out to minister to current drug addicts, and a church was opening its doors at lunchtime for anyone who needed food in the area.

I sat there, and we were kind of interspersed at this long table, and I looked at this lady across from me who just had the biggest smile, even though half her teeth were missing, Stephanie Korteweg said. Another man on a couch was just totally drunk, and passed out, but sitting by this myriad of people, and we sat there. It was just communal eating. We sat there and we prayed before, and I looked around and thought this is kingdom. This is what the kingdom of God looks like. Its everyone invited to the table. There is no judgment. There is no blame.

Jeremy Korteweg is a clinical group physician at the Family Health Center in Waco. For most of his life, his desire has been to serve people who have less than he does, he said. Similar to his wife, his desire is also faith-based.

He took two trips to South Texas to set up clinics for immigrants along the border and make house calls for families who didnt have medical care, he said.

His first trip overseas was during his residency in Waco. In 2013, he traveled to Ghana to work at a local hospital. Thats where he made a couple of contacts for the South Sudan hospital and was asked to cover for South Sudanese doctors going away for a conference. The hospital His House of Hope was just getting off the ground, started after someone asked a board member at a local orphanage if opening a hospital was possible.

So many orphans

There were so many orphans. South Sudan is tied with Afghanistan for the highest maternal and infant mortality rate in the world, Jeremy Korteweg said. Doing something that deals with women and children is exactly what they need, and when I got there, they were doing about 150 deliveries a month. You take care of a lot of babies who are premature, a lot of children who have malaria or typhoid.

South Sudan has the worlds highest maternal mortality rate, and Afghanistan has the worlds 22nd-highest maternal mortality rate, according to CIA World Factbook information. Afghanistan has the highest infant mortality rate, and South Sudan has the 16th-highest infant mortality rate, according to the fact book.

To get to South Sudan, the couple had to travel through Uganda by taking a small plane and landing on a dirt air strip at the other side of the border. When they return, theyre amazed at what it feels like to walk on pavement for the first time in a month, and the past few weeks almost seem surreal.

But it makes them grateful for what they have and what they dont, the pair said. To have a partner who shares the same passion and desire to help children and families overseas cant be matched, Jeremy Korteweg said. Though the couple wont be getting on a plane to South Sudan anytime soon, they cant help but recall the conversations that often happen right before takeoff together and they cant wait to get back.

Its about seeing people, the people we know, specifically because its an orphanage and you see the kids grow up, Stephanie Korteweg said. Whenever Jeremy gets there, its the hospital staff that come out. Theyll come from the hospital and run to where were at and come greet us.
On Election Day, the American people sent a clear message: They will no longer stand for weaker national security, executive-branch overreach, excessive regulation and the unbridled expansion of the federal government. After eight years of failed Washington policies, hardworking Americans rejected the status quo in Washington and they want to go a different direction.

Over the last several months, I have been working with my fellow House of Representatives colleagues to develop an agenda to change the status quo and restore confidence in our federal government. We call this bold, conservative agenda A Better Way. It mirrors many of the solutions that President-elect Donald Trump put forth during his campaign. It tackles our nations six big challenges: National security, tax reform, the economy, health care, poverty and restoring constitutional authority.

Our constituents constantly tell me that the state of our national security is the top issue on their minds. The national security portion of our agenda spells out how we will protect our homeland, defeat terrorists and confront emerging threats worldwide. It emphasizes that we must take the fight to the terrorists and ensures our military has the resources necessary to meet this critical challenge. It works to counter new threats on the horizon and strengthens tools for local law enforcement. Most importantly, it protects our homeland by securing our borders and ending the waves of illegal immigrants entering our country.

The cost of complying with Washingtons complicated and overly broad regulations is one of the biggest burdens on American small businesses, manufacturers and, ultimately, consumers. The economy portion of our agenda works to lessen these burdens through smarter, sensible regulations that encourage efficiency and facilitate economic growth. This includes delivering affordable and reliable energy, ending taxpayer bailouts and Washingtons too-big-to-fail mentality, preserving internet innovation and setting forth a regulatory system that works for small businesses  not against them. It promotes a stronger and more robust economy. Our federal government should work to encourage competition and put the interests of hardworking American families over government bureaucrats.

Obamacares failures are hurting Americans health-care security. Premiums continue to skyrocket, co-ops collapse and insurers are abandoning the marketplace, leaving families with fewer health-care choices. The health-care portion of our agenda starts with the full repeal of Obamacare. Once that is complete, we will begin to implement reforms that continue to protect those with pre-existing conditions, expand access to the health-care market by allowing people to purchase health care across state lines and increase the maximum contribution limit to health savings accounts. It clears out bureaucracy to accelerate the development of life-saving devices and therapies. It also works to protect Medicare for todays seniors and preserves the program for future generations. These proposals work to lower costs, expand access, encourage innovation and put patients back in the drivers seats for their own health-care decisions.

At more than 70,000 pages long, the current tax code is overly complicated and nearly impossible for families to navigate. The tax reform portion of our agenda lays groundwork for a new tax code that is flatter, fairer and simpler. It proposes a system so straightforward that families will be able to file their taxes on a postcard. As opposed to the current seven individual tax brackets, this plan proposes just three. It repeals the death tax, reins in and restructures the out-of-control IRS and encourages investment and innovation for small businesses. These reforms promote economic growth and ultimately grow paychecks and economic opportunity. We also have corporate tax solutions to make American businesses among the most competitive in the world.

Our Constitution clearly states Congress is in charge of writing our laws, the president is in charge of enforcing them. Our agenda reclaims Congress constitutional authority. We achieve this by protecting hardworking Americans against unnecessary government harassment; reining in out-of-control federal bureaucrats; limiting executive discretion; using the appropriations process to keep regulators in check; and strengthening congressional oversight. Americans should have confidence in our constitutional system of governance and know that their constitutional liberties are protected.

Despite the expenditure of trillions of dollars on a wide range of ineffective and inefficient programs over the past five decades, millions of Americans continue to live in poverty. Our agenda includes proposals that would reduce poverty by working to lift Americans out of impoverished conditions and afford them an opportunity to pursue the American Dream.

We emphasize rewarding work, tailoring benefits to peoples needs and encouraging people to plan and save for the future. When it comes to results, success should not be measured by the number of people presently enrolled in welfare programs but by the number of people who are able to permanently leave those programs because they have achieved a better life.

Our A Better Way agenda provides an excellent road map to restore America. Now that the American people have a White House that will work with House conservatives, we can finally deliver the change voters asked for in this most recent election. I am eager to continue working on solutions to restore our national security, improve economic opportunity and protect our constitutional liberties. I have great expectations for what we can accomplish in the next Congress. We can and we will deliver a promising future for hardworking American families in 2017 and beyond.

Republican Congressman Bill Flores covers a Central Texas district that includes Waco.
A large number of soldiers from the Army are deployed in remote areas such as Siachen and Line of Control and have cash amount of around Rs 30,000-40,000 kept with their families at village homes for either marriage of kin or construction of house there.

According to army sources, if the government allows this relaxation, it will be a big relief for troops as they can do their jobs without the worry of losing their hard-earned money in the drive.

By Ajit Kumar Dubey: The Army is planning to request the government to allow its soldiers deployed in remote areas to deposit and exchange Rs 500 and Rs1,000 currency notes at banks beyond the December 31 deadline as part of the demonetisation drive of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

A large number of soldiers from the Army are deployed in remote areas such as Siachen and Line of Control and have cash amount of around Rs 30,000-40,000 kept with their families at village homes for either marriage of kin or construction of house there.

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"Many of them don't have a family member who can go to the bank and get the money exchanged or deposited at the banks. So, we are planning to request the government if they can be given some relaxation in the deadline for depositing or exchanging old notes," a senior Army source toldMail Today.

Under the present situation along the Line of Control and international border, the force cannot even send the soldiers on leave only for this purpose of note exchange, the sources said.

Also read: Manmohan Singh's take on demonetisation inaccurate, cash flow into system has increased: Jayant Sinha

SITUATION AT BORDER

The situation on the LoC has been heating up since the September 18 attack in Uri by terrorists in which 19 soldiers were killed in the wee hours when they were resting in the 12 Brigade camp area in tents near fuel dump. In some places, even leaves of soldiers were cancelled as they were required to be on the front. At many places, the vigil during both day and night has been so strict that soldiers have not even got time to get the notes with them exchanged at banks due to their deployment in the remote locations.

"If we get a waiver, this will be a big relief for our troops as they can do their jobs without the worry of losing their hardearned money in the drive," the source said.

The Indian Army has a strength of around 1.3 million soldiers who are deployed across the most inhospitable and remote terrain. Majority of the soldiers belong to rural areas where people generally prefer transactions in cash for marriage and construction of houses.

Also Read: Demonetisation: Taxmen cannot impose 200 per cent penalty as IT Act lacks provision

RBI GUIDELINES

As per the guidelines issued by the Reserve Bank of India, the exchange of old 1,000 and 500 rupee banknotes will no longer be accepted from Friday, the government said, but the use of Rs500 notes for certain transactions has been extended till December 15. The Centre, which allowed a window of a fortnight to exchange these currency notes over the counter, has decided not to extend the facility given a decline in exchange transactions.



Also read: As Modi sarkar keeps changing demonetisation rules, a status check on what's in store for you





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Fishermen's strike in Rameshwaram is expected to cause a daily loss of Rs 3 crore, which, they have claimed, were not coming their way post-demonetisation.

By Akshaya Nath: It has been 18 days since Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced demonetisation of high value currency notes and as now its impact is being felt by the fishermen in Tamil Nadu.

The fishing community in Rameswaram has gone on a strike till December 7 asking for a quick action on the demonetisation issue. The life of people in coastal areas Tamil Nadu has been adversely affected by the government's decision.

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"Standing in long queues outside ATMs and banks has been a problem. We have already lost so many days without earning," say fishermen from Rameshwaram.

READ| Demonetisation: Strike by fishermen in Tamil Nadu enters 6th day



Fishermen need money for diesel for their boats and buying ice to preserve the catch that they get in the middle of the sea. The fishermen have been requesting that the diesel and ice dealers be given the right to collect old notes so that the fishermen have a hassle free time.

SRI LANKAN ANGLE

Fishermen in Rameshwaram also raised the issue of security on the international waters. They are in constant threat of being arrested by Sri Lankan maritime officials in rough sea condition. Demonetisation has only aggravated their plight, they said.

WATCH:



Among the demands made by the striking fishermen is the issue of entry to St Antony church, which is being inaugurated in Katchatheevu. This little island is under Sri Lankan custody but accessible to the Rameshwaram fishermen during the festival time in the church.



The new church is ready for inauguration on December 7 and Rameshwaram fishermen are keen on witnessing the big event.

The protesters also demanded release of 15 fishermen and 118 boats seized by Sri Lankan authorities. It is estimated that the fishermen's strike in Rameshwaram will cause a loss of Rs 3 crore a day.

ALSO READ:

Demonetisation brings losses to 90 per cent traders; 50 per cent consumers plan expenditure cut



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Twitter user Sanjay Sipahimalani posted a series tweets describing what in-flight announcements would be like if they followed suit after demonetisation notifications.

By India Today Web Desk: In 1950, Hollywood star Bette Davis delivered a line in movie All About Eve that became immemorial: "Fasten your seat-belts. It's going to be a bumpy night."

After all these years, that famous line seems to describe November 8, 2016 the best for Indians; the night Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the demonetisation of Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes.

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Then, the way the demonetisation drive took off from the following day would be best described by the revamped, Harry Potter version of Davis' line:

Source: Giphy



Twitter user Sanjay Sipahimalani took this version a step further. He posted on the social media platform a series tweets describing what in-flight announcements would be like if they followed suit after demonetisation notifications.

Check out the hilarious tweets here:

If in-flight announcements were made in the manner of demonetisation notifications: (1/13) Sanjay Sipahimalani (@SanSip) November 25, 2016

Hello, and welcome aboard. Do fasten your seatbelts, because were in for a bumpy ride. (2/13) Sanjay Sipahimalani (@SanSip) November 25, 2016

You can stow cabin baggage in the overhead compartment for the first 15 minutes after which you need to place it under your seat. (3/13) Sanjay Sipahimalani (@SanSip) November 25, 2016

After five more minutes, you can take it out and place it on your lap. Until further notice. (4/13) Sanjay Sipahimalani (@SanSip) November 25, 2016

You can switch off your cellphones now. Those who switched off cellphones five minutes ago may be subject to penalty. (5/13) Sanjay Sipahimalani (@SanSip) November 25, 2016

There is no penalty for those using pre-paid cards that they have purchased in the last 24 hours. (6/13) Sanjay Sipahimalani (@SanSip) November 25, 2016

Or is it 12 hours? Well let you know. (7/13) Sanjay Sipahimalani (@SanSip) November 25, 2016

Our in-flight crew will be happy to take care of your needs. Write down stated needs and get the signature of the airline CEO. (8/13) Sanjay Sipahimalani (@SanSip) November 25, 2016

Food will be served first to those sitting on rows 1 to 12. After 5 minutes, well reverse the order. Then it's odd-numbered rows. (9/13) Sanjay Sipahimalani (@SanSip) November 25, 2016

Unless the food runs out. (10/13) Sanjay Sipahimalani (@SanSip) November 25, 2016

Those who are already full are encouraged to distribute leftover food to those less fortunate. (11/13) Sanjay Sipahimalani (@SanSip) November 25, 2016

In case of turbulence, oxygen masks will drop down. Before using these, you need to provide a chest X-ray that is KYC-compliant. (12/13) Sanjay Sipahimalani (@SanSip) November 25, 2016

The flight should take 60 minutes, but it could be more. Or less. Its a small inconvenience. Take this flight for the nation. (13/13) Sanjay Sipahimalani (@SanSip) November 25, 2016

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One franchisee, Kevin Crossey, operated a number of sites from 1988 to 2014 until it got too hard. "It got to a point where we couldn't be compliant and so I decided I wanted to be able to sleep at night so we sold out." Caltex CEO Julian Segal. Credit:Pat Scala Crossey says as the culture changed, so did the model, making it harder and harder for franchisees. Interestingly, the franchisee who bought one of Crossey's stores is understood to have struggled and applied for financial assistance. Franchisees argue they have to work long hours and ask family members to do the same, for little return.

"We are effectively paying to work," he said. Another franchisee, John Ibrahim, who runs six sites, says he can make it work because he also runs a separate property development business. He says the model is marginally better than break even, sometimes registering a loss, sometimes a profit. Changes forced After the 7-Eleven wage fraud scandal broke last year, head office agreed to change its business model after Professor Allan Fels said the only way franchisees could make a living was by ripping off their workers. The convenience store giant also agreed to set up a compensation scheme for exploited workers, paying out $50 million to date, with estimates that it could reach $100 million.

Caltex, for its part, is still grappling with the extent of worker underpayment across its network. It has launched its own investigation, already terminating five franchisees, and is reviewing another 50 sites. Meanwhile the Fair Work Ombudsman is conducting raids across its stores. Caltex chief executive Julian Segal has tried to get on the front foot, instigating a separate independent review of the franchise model. He says the findings will determine if any changes is needed. Franchisees believe they already know the answer. Besides having to pay royalties, rent, wages, Star Card fees, Star Boss, coffee machine leasing, drive offs, uniforms, accounting, electricity and bank card fees, they can complain they can no longer source most of the products sold in the shop. They believe they could save money if they could source some products themselves. One example cited was the purchase of Coca-Cola. One invoice shows the franchisee paying $1.12 per can of Coke from Caltex, whereas the same can be purchased retail from the supermarket chains for far less.

Rising prices At the same time as the cost of business rises, the cost of buying a franchise on the secondary market has risen, which has added to the pressure on the franchisees who take out big business loans to buy in. Caltex has demonstrated it has a no-tolerance policy for wrongdoing. Clauses in its franchise agreement say "you agree that any goodwill and other rights and interests arising from your use of the trademarks, the image, the system and the intellectual property, belong to Caltex". Another clause says "you acknowledge and agree that except expressly provided under the agreement or as may be required by law, at the end of the franchise you are not entitled to receive any payment or compensation from Caltex". It says subject to law, Caltex may terminate the agreement "effective immediately" by giving written notice.

The clauses allow Caltex to take the scorched-earth approach and punt the franchisee without compensation. In one case a franchisee was terminated and lost seven stores which he says were valued at $5 million. Another was terminated, with $1.5 million of his money going up in smoke. Some may cheer at this hardline approach. Indeed, Tess Hardy, a lecturer at Melbourne Law School specialising in employment regulation and enforcement, says it is a powerful weapon against worker exploitation. It certainly is but it could be open to abuse. In the US there have been examples were franchisors have been accused of deliberately churning franchisees to make money. For the workers who have been ripped off, it does little to help.

'Harsh' clause Professor Fels, who is currently chairing the Migrant Worker Taskforce, describes the Caltex clause as "unduly harsh". The problem is if franchisor terminates a franchisee and that franchisee is then left with no site and a big bank loan to repay, the chances of him/her repaying workers is slim. Hardy says the franchisor needs to take more responsibility for preventing and remedying the workplace contraventions that have taken place. She says franchisors are resistant to being held liable for employment-related issues. They often seek to minimise this risk by distancing themselves from the problem.
Bill Shorten will ramp up his foreign worker fight as the Turnbull government tries to push its signature industrial relations legislation past a cranky crossbench during the final week of Parliament.

The Labor leader will introduce a private member's bill seeking to crack down on the 457 visa program on Monday, in a bid to set the agenda and embarrass the government over the issue.

The Migration Amendment (Putting Local Workers First) Bill 2016 would introduce stronger labour market testing and tougher criteria for licensing 457 workers, and give ministers more power to grant and revoke labour agreements. It would also impose tougher restrictions on employers.

"If Malcolm Turnbull really believes in backing local jobs, he'll back my plan," Mr Shorten told Fairfax Media.



"We'll always need workers from overseas to fill genuine skills shortages, but the current system makes it too easy for bosses to bring in workers instead of hiring locally. My legislation will toughen the rules so that employers have to genuinely try to fill jobs locally before looking overseas."
Lebanese Australians have demanded Immigration Minister Peter Dutton release the ethnic backgrounds of other criminal offenders or explain why he chose to "demonise" and "further alienate" their community in his comments to Parliament.

Mr Dutton said that the Fraser government had made mistakes in letting some migrants into Australia from the Lebanese Civil War in the 1970s, referring to advice that 22 of 33 terrorism offenders were second and third-generation Lebanese-Muslim Australians.

Ethnic communities are mobilising against Mr Dutton with 30 Lebanese organisations, including the Lebanese Muslim Association and Lebanese Community Council, meeting in Auburn on Friday night to discuss his comments.

Several community leaders said the comments reverse years of hard work in building cohesion and belittle the entire community.
One of Australia's most wanted terrorists, Neil Prakash, has been arrested in Turkey months after a drone strike that was believed to have killed him in Iraq.

His arrest by Australian and Turkish authorities has raised the possibility that he may be extradited to Australia to face a raft of charges following his three-year stint as one of Islamic State's most influential recruiters, propagandists and attack planners.

The federal government said in May that the former Melbourne man, who has been involved in several foiled Australian terrorist plots, was killed following the targeted strike.

However, a New York Times article published on Thursday said he was wounded, but survived.
Moscow: Vano Mikoyan, one of the developers of the MiG fighter jets for the Soviet and then Russian air force, has died at the age of 89, aircraft maker MiG says.

Mikoyan is best-known for engineering the MiG-29 jet fighter, a warplane that entered service in the 1980s as the Soviet counterpart to the US F-15 and F-16 fighters.

A Mig-29 fighter. Credit:AP

Known as Fulcrum in the West, the MiG-29 is still used by the Russian air force and has been exported to several other countries.

Russian media said Mikoyan, who was born in 1927, died in Moscow. His father was Anastas Mikoyan, a comrade of the early Bolshevik leaders who later served as a Soviet statesman and key ally of Communist Party leader Nikita Khrushchev.
Fidel Castro, the Cuban revolutionary leader who built a communist state on the doorstep of the United States and for five decades defied US efforts to topple him, died on Friday, state-run Cuban Television said. He was 90.

Castro had been in poor health since an intestinal ailment nearly killed him in 2006.

The bearded Fidel Castro took power in a 1959 revolution and ruled Cuba for 49 years with a mix of charisma and iron will, creating a one-party state and becoming a central figure in the Cold War. He governed the country as Prime Minister and later President.

He was a dogged survivor, politically and personally. He was demonised by the United States and its allies but admired by many leftists around the world, especially socialist revolutionaries in Latin America and Africa.
"The government is continuously making announcement that there is a sufficient money supply. But in reality, there is no money supply at all," CP Krishnan, General Secretary of BEFI said.

By Pramod Madhav: Joining the political parties' protests against demonetisation in is the bank staff in Tamil Nadu.

Members of Bank Employees Federation of India (BEFI), one of the prominent union for bank employees across the country, staged a protest in front of Indian Bank in T Nagar. Bank employees from various banks participated dutifully after finishing their long day's work.

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The employees were miserable about how their strenuous and zero mistake tolerance work schedule had turned so hectic after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced demonetisation on November 8.



WHY BLAME THE BANK?

CP Krishnan, General Secretary of BEFI said that demonetisation should have been the last step and that the government should have tried to bring in the money which is in the form of assets both in India and abroad before announcing it.

He explained that it is very disheartening to see people blame the bank employees for the unavailability of money.

"The government is continuously making announcement that there is a sufficient money supply. But in reality, there is no money supply at all. This continuous lying or mis-campaign by the authorities puts the people and the bank employees to lock horns and that should be avoided. They should speak the truth," he explained.

When asked about RBI dispersing Rs 500 in Chennai, he said that it has not been supplied adequately so far and that Rs 100 notes are also in short supplies.

Members of BEFI complained that demonetisation has caused untold physical and mental sufferings to them.

"11 bank employees have died due to excess pressure or related accidents which could have been avoided and women bank employees are suffering to a great extent with family life getting totally crippled," said CP Krishnan.

Krishnan, a member of BEFI, insisted that the government should allow the tendering of Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes until December 30 as the printing of new notes and circulating it in the market will take a minimum of 6 months. "If this situation continues, the situation will get worse and the people will turn against the bank employees," he cautioned.

Bank staffs who participated in the protest said that unless sufficient notes are not provided, banks can't manage the situation. "The anger that is directed at the government is being diverted towards the bank employees," he said.

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Economic policy should be designed in such a manner that growth is not hampered, the former Prime Minister said only days after calling the decision organised loot and legalised plunder.

By Anindya Banerjee: Former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh on Saturday took potshots at the Modi government once again over the issue of demonetisation.

Speaking at the PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry in New Delhi, Singh said, "Economic policy should be designed in such a manner that growth is not hampered." Without talking about the cash chaos directly, the former Prime Minister once again reminded the Centre of the objections he had with demonetisation.

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Also read | Demonetisation organised loot, legalised plunder; will lower GDP by 2 per cent: Manmohan Singh

Just a few days ago while launching a fierce attack on the government in Parliament, Singh said, "All these measures convince me that the way this scheme has been implemented is a monumental management failure, and in fact, it is a case of organised loot and legalized plunder of the common people."



RAVI SHANKAR PRASAD DEFENDS DECISION



Meanwhile, Union Minister for Telecommunication Ravi Shankar Prasad, who was also present at the event, termed the policy decision a bold one and a game changer. "There can only be two ways of going forward. One is to live the way we have been living for the last 70 years, complaining about India. And another is to do something new, something bold to change the system. We have done exactly the latter".

When asked what did he think about the criticism coming from various quarters, Prasad said, "If you do something new, there will be some inconvenience. We will collectively get through this phase in the hope of a better future.

Also read | Manmohan Singh's take on demonetisation inaccurate, cash flow into system has increased: Jayant Sinha

AAKROSH RALLY ON NOVEMBER 28



Even as a united Opposition has decided to observe an all-India bandh called Akrosh Rally against demonstration on Monday and Mayawati has called the move politically motivated, the treasury benches are putting up a brave face and are justifying the step as necessary.

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Hawaiian Electric Industries, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, engages in the electric utility, banking, and renewable/sustainable infrastructure investment businesses in the state of Hawaii. It operates in three segments: Electric Utility, Bank, and Other. The Electric Utility segment engages in the production, purchase, transmission, distribution, and sale of electricity in the islands of Oahu, Hawaii, Maui, Lanai, and Molokai. Its renewable energy sources and potential sources include wind, solar, photovoltaic, geothermal, wave, hydroelectric, municipal waste, and other biofuels. This segment serves suburban communities, resorts, the United States armed forces installations, and agricultural operations. The Bank segment operates a community bank that offers banking and other financial services to consumers and businesses, including savings and checking accounts; and loans comprising residential and commercial real estate, residential mortgage, construction and development, multifamily residential and commercial real estate, consumer, and commercial loans. This segment operates 42 branches, including 29 branches in Oahu, 6 branches in Maui, 4 branches in Hawaii, 2 branches in Kauai, and 1 branch in Molokai. The Other segment invests in non-regulated renewable energy and sustainable infrastructure in the State of Hawaii. Hawaiian Electric Industries Inc. was incorporated in 1891 and is headquartered in Honolulu, Hawaii.
Everest Re Group, Ltd., through its subsidiaries, provides reinsurance and insurance products in the United States, Bermuda, and internationally. The company operates through Reinsurance Operations and Insurance Operations segments. The Reinsurance Operations segment writes property and casualty reinsurance; and specialty lines of business through reinsurance brokers, as well as directly with ceding companies in the United States, Bermuda, Ireland, Canada, Singapore, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. The Insurance Operations segment writes property and casualty insurance directly, as well as through brokers, surplus lines brokers, and general agents in Bermuda, Canada, Europe, South America, Canada, Chile, the United Kingdom, Ireland, and the Netherlands. The company also provides treaty and facultative reinsurance products; admitted and non-admitted insurance products; and property and casualty reinsurance and insurance coverages, including marine, aviation, surety, errors and omissions liability, directors' and officers' liability, medical malpractice, mortgage reinsurance, other specialty lines, accident and health, and workers' compensation products. In addition, it offers commercial property and casualty insurance products through wholesale and retail brokers, surplus lines brokers, and program administrators. Everest Re Group, Ltd. was founded in 1973 and is headquartered in Hamilton, Bermuda.
One of the requests from We March Bahamas relates to Crown Land requests and back in the early 1970s the Abaco Independence Movement came up with a solution to end the political gamesmanship in this regard.

In the publication, Forgotten Dreams: A peoples desire to chart their own course in Abaco, Bahamas Page 19, I put it this way:

One of the movements key proposals was the placement of all 300,000 acres of Crown land on Abaco in a land trust drawn up by internationally respected economists. At the time, Abacos Crown land was said to be valued at $60 million. In addition to home lots, citizens were to receive shares in the trust, whose income would be derived from land leases and sales.

In addition to this revenue, a free economic climate will attract businesses, providing high-paying jobs, AIM said. The plan called for a balance between nature preserves, recreational, farming, commercial and industrial areas, as well as traditional real estate developments.

To avoid the threat of land expropriation the trust was to provide a registered voter share issue that could not be transferred to non-Abaconians. And each Abaconian would receive a land entitlement deed for one-acre home lots.

Estimates at the time suggested that by leasing 137,000 acres of the 300,000 acres of Crown Land to developers, the yearly income could have amounted to $55 million.

Is it too late?

Read Forgotten Dreams (pdf) here The Abaco Independence Movement had some very interesting ideas on governance that are worth reconsidering.
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By WestKyStar & Paducah City Staff

Nov. 19, 2016 | PADUCAH, KY

By WestKyStar & Paducah City Staff Nov. 19, 2016 | 02:52 PM | PADUCAH, KY

Today historic downtown Paducah hosts the "Dickens of a Christmas Small Business Saturday" organized by Paducah Main Street From 10 am until 4 pm.



Downtown Paducah has been transformed into a Dickens atmosphere for the event, with free Victorian carriage rides, dancers, carolers, and characters in costume. Downtown Development Specialist/Paducah Main Street Director Melinda Winchester says, Our Small Business Saturday event is a chance to spend the day with family and friends while supporting your local businesses. This event keeps dollars in the community and creates a thriving downtown. Local small businesses look forward to helping customers find perfect holiday gifts.



Winchester adds, This is our third year of hosting Dickens of a Christmas and the community reaction to participate has been outstanding. I believe it will be bigger than last year. Its a perfect way to wrap up your Thanksgiving holiday and kick off Christmas shopping. Santa and Mrs. Claus and the Princesses will parade down Broadway in the carriage to the gazebo promptly at 10 am.



Other activities today include a free gift wrapping station and free hot chocolate, wassail, and coffee. There will be roasted nuts and s'mores at the fire pit near the gazebo. Holiday craft stations for kids are at three locations hosted by MAKE Paducah, McCracken County Public Library, and the Art Guild of Paducah. McMurry & Livingston will host Christmas story-time from 1 until 3 pm at 201 Broadway. Four of the Disney Princesses, Cinderella, Snow White, Belle and Rapunzel, will be at the Market House Theatre to meet and greet. Plus, The Grinch Who Stole Dickens will be creating havoc in downtown. Later, the Grinch will be in his sleigh for pictures at 333 Broadway. Elsa and Olaf from the movie Frozen will be at Farmers Daughter Soap Company located at 104 Broadway.



Sponsors for this years event are Paducah Bank and Paducah Economic Development. Partners include Paducah Tilghman High School, Paducah Middle School, Graves County High School, local scouting troops, Daughters of the American Revolution, Paducah Youth Symphony and the Childrens Choir, and many talented local vocalists.



Founded by American Express in 2010, Small business Saturday is dedicated to supporting small businesses across the country.
By West Kentucky Star Staff Nov. 25, 2016 | 07:13 PM | PADUCAH, KY

An observant motel clerk may have saved merchants some holiday woe after realizing that a guest had passed counterfeit cash Thursday night.

According to the Paducah Police Department, officers were called to the Comfort Inn on Cairo Road Thursday night in reference to a complaint of counterfeit cash. Officers were directed to a guest room where they found 53-year-old Bradley L. Peters of Dahldern, IL and 24-year-old Cadie Spears of Galatia, IL.

Officers received consent to search the room and found counterfeit $20 and $50 bills, a printer, printer cartridges, numerous sheets of paper, full sheets of paper with counterfeit currency printed on them and a paper cutter. Officers also found a small amount of marijuana and drug paraphernalia.

Peters reportedly admitted using the equipment in the room to print counterfeit U.S. currency and using the fake money to make purchases in Paducah and in southern Illinois. Spears allegedly confessed that she knew Peters was making counterfeit money, and that she had some in her possession. Police said she also claimed ownership of the marijuana and drug paraphernalia.

Spears and Peters were booked into the McCracken County Regional Jail. Peters is charged with first-degree forgery, possession of a forgery device and first-degree criminal possession of a forged instrument. Spears is charged with first-degree criminal possession of a forged instrument, possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.
By PTI: Hyderabad, Nov 26 (PTI) Emphasising on development of soft skills among the police force, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today said human and behavioural psychology should be vital parts of police training, even as he called for a qualitative change in the force.

Addressing the annual DGsP/IGsP conference at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Police Academy here, he said the development of soft skills was now essential and should become a part of the training drill.

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"Aspects such as human and behavioural psychology should be vital parts of police training," he stressed.

The Prime Minister recalled that it was on this day in 2008 that a deadly terror attack had struck Mumbai, and police had bravely fought against terrorists.

He recalled the over 33,000 police personnel, who have laid down their lives in line of duty.

On law and order, the Prime Minister emphasised the importance of foot patrolling and constabulary intelligence.

Modi further called for a qualitative change in the police force through a collective training effort.

"Technology and human interface are both important for the police force to keep progressing," he said.

Noting that the annual conference has "undergone a transformation in the way it is conducted", Modi said it had become a platform for sharing experiences which leads to good inputs for policy planning.

This is for the third time since Independence that the conference is being held outside Delhi. It was held in Guwahati in 2014 and Kutch in Gujarat last year. The idea of holding the meeting of DGPs and IGPs outside Delhi was mooted by Modi after he assumed power in 2014.

The Prime Minister also laid emphasis on concrete outcomes out of the actionable points that have been finalised.

He said leadership skills were important, and the onus lay on senior officers to inculcate these skills among the police personnel.

On the occasion, the Prime Minister launched a mobile app Indian Police at Your Call.

He presented the Presidents Police Medals for distinguished service to officers of the Intelligence Bureau.

Earlier in the day, the Prime Minister laid a wreath at the Martyrs Column at the Academy. He also offered floral tributes at the statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, and planted a sapling before taking part in a Yoga session with top police officers attending the conference. PTI VVK RS NP SRY

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By West Kentucky Star Staff Nov. 25, 2016 | 07:14 AM | MAYFIELD, KY

The Graves County Agency for Substance Abuse Prevention Youth Council concluded a Kindness Campaign during the month of November.

During the first week of the kindness campaign, the youth council gave out over $200 in gift cards to citizens in Mayfield and Graves County.



Mayfield High School senior, Bailey Ramage said, The Kindness Campaign the Youth Council participated in was such a good way to reach out to those in our community. Just seeing their faces light up when we randomly handed them a gift card or served them a meal they wouldnt have gotten if it wasnt for the youth council was touching. It was an eye opener to all of us, and was a very humbling experience.

The next event of the campaign was delivering flower arrangements to all 42 residents at Morningside Assisted Living. The youth council hand delivered the arrangements and spent time with the residents. Kitty Elliot. the daughter of Morningside resident Ella Mae Cash, said, Our family is very appreciative of the thoughtful acts of kindness. Their visit to our mother and the sweet fresh flower arrangement made her day.

Delivering baked desserts and snacks to our public officials, community workers, and law enforcement was the third event in the youth council campaign. The Youth Council was humbled to give back and say thanks to the people working in our community.

The last event the youth council did in the kindness campaign was hosting a free Thanksgiving meal at Carrs Steakhouse. There were over 100 people in attendance. The families were chosen by the Family Youth Services Centers at each school in the Mayfield and Graves County. Families that were chosen included single parents, grandparents raising grandchildren, parents who have to work on Thanksgiving, or families who just need a little extra help through the holidays.

Sophomore Cameron Gough said, I feel as if the most important thing that our community can learn from our kindness campaign is that a little kindness can go a very long way. Gough continued, I had the honor to talk to our guests at the Thanksgiving dinner and they were all so grateful for the meal and the kindness the Youth Council showed them.

Graves County ASAP Program Coordinator, Lauren Carr stated, Even though we are a drug free group, we are creating emerging leaders in our community, and that is why we felt the Kindness Campaign was so beneficial to the Youth Council. Our motto during this campaign was We Rise by Lifting Others and having these youth participate in different activities to give back to the community shows them a sense of gratitude and appreciation. Carr continued, Our plan is to continue this campaign every year. We can all use a little more kindness and I think the youth really enjoyed it.

The goals of the coalition are: (1) to establish and strengthen collaboration among Graves County ASAP's partner-organizations in support of the community's effort to prevent and reduce youth substance use; and (2) to reduce substance use among youth in Mayfield and Graves County and (3) over time to reduce substance abuse among adults by addressing the issues in our community that increase substance abuse and promoting factors that reduce substance abuse. The coalition plans to achieve its goals by implementing a comprehensive prevention strategy with parents, youth, and community partners.

The DFC Program was created by the Drug-Free Communities Act of 1997. To learn more about the Graves County Agency for Substance Abuse Prevention, visit the organizations website at www.gcasap.org.
By The Associated Press

By The Associated Press Nov. 25, 2016 | 07:03 PM | LEXINGTON, KY

Authorities say a 14-year-old boy has died after being shot at his home in Lexington.

The Fayette County Coroner's office says Angel Juarez was pronounced dead late Thursday at the University of Kentucky Medical Center. The statement said an autopsy would be performed Friday.

Lexington Police Lt. David Biroschik told the Lexington Herald-Leader that police were called to the boy's home at 10:50 pm and found him suffering from multiple gunshot wounds.

Media report police are investigating, but haven't identified any suspects.

No further information was immediately available.
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In a leaked note accessed by correspondent, Commodore Rajesh Dhankar, Principal Director of Personnel, Indian Navy, predicted a continuation in the present trend of 'increase in the number of PR requests'.

By Jugal R Purohit: In the first and admittedly direct fallout of the seventh pay commission among other issues, the Indian Navy (IN) has admitted to a 'spike' witnessed this year in the number of its officers wanting to resign or seek Premature Retirement (PR). Data shows it is the highest in the last seven years.

In a leaked note accessed by correspondent, Commodore Rajesh Dhankar, Principal Director of Personnel, Indian Navy, predicted a continuation in the present trend of 'increase in the number of PR requests'.

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To 'manage the change', the Navy is considering a slew of steps. A dialogue has been initiated between the naval headquarters and the three commands in Mumbai, Vizag and Kochi. Those within the force are seeing this move as a tightening of stance, aimed at stemming the flow and making it more difficult for officers to exit.

The cause, according to sources, is the seventh pay commission, the implementation of which was notified in July this year.

There has been widespread criticism of the provisions by the Defence veterans. The three service chiefs too have represented against many of its clauses before the Prime Minister and the Defence Minister. Insiders believe the provisions to be 'hurtful' and say 'they do not help the cause of attracting the best talent'. As a measure of the resistance to the pay commission, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar had claimed he would ensure the deletion of its recommendations, a move which has not yielded till now.

Navy's data shows till date, in the current year, 135 cases of PR have been received. Compare this to 69 cases in 2015, 91 in 2014, 96 in 2013, 132 in 2012, 122 in 2011, 114 in 2010 and 125 in 2009 and the situation speaks for itself.

WHAT THE NOTE SAYS

According to the two-page note, another factor which is contributing to the exodus is the aspect of officers being 'u-graded in the 20th year of service', a reference to those who've missed their promotions (ranks in the armed forces) after going through three boards for promotions. It also states, "The present system of granting PR to officers has been working well since the number of officers opting out of service has been equal to or marginally more than the calculated PR exits".

Picture for representation. Photo: Reuters

Navy is now looking to set up an 'Annual PR Board' to balance the exits with requirements on the field. Under the new system, if finalised, outgoing officers will have to apply by March 31 for resigning in the subsequent year i.e if they wish to exit anytime in 2018, they'd have to apply by March 31, 2017. In the month of May, the Annual PR Board would consider these requests and come out with a list of approved resignations by July.

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Also read:

Seventh Pay Commission: Soldiers to get new salaries in September pay



At present, for seeking PR applications, requests are made between three-twelve months of the intended date of exit.

While the Navy did not respond to a set of questions sent, a source said, "We have no problem if officers who see no future in the force want to resign. However, we have to ensure it does not happen in a way that important positions remain unmanned." The source also played down the 'impact' of resignations.

The source said, "This may appear big, but it is only marginally higher than what we had anticipated. One must understand that when a pay commission about to be awarded, those who've been wanting to go also stay on because one's pay gets revised and it has a direct fallout on the pension she will draw". With the pay commission being notified, those waiting have decided to bolt for better opportunities.

BIGGER WORRY

According to an assessment shared by a senior officer, "We are getting the numbers. But when we look at the quality, it leaves a lot to be desired. Obviously, we won't be lowering the bar to accommodate subpar candidates which leaves us with deficiencies".

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Many pointed to the consistent woes of armed forces, which have precipitated ugly, public spats, impact impressionable minds as factors keeping youngsters away from choosing the armed forces for a career.

Also read:

Seventh Pay Commission: Captain Amarinder asks Parrikar to stand by Defence forces



"Be it One Rank One Pay (OROP), lowering of the disability pension, lowering of the status of the armed forces personnel vis a vis their civilian counterparts and the current pay commission, if the honour and prestige of the Defence services is going to be lowered, then, there isn't much for youngsters to look forward to when they join us," the source explained.

Picture for representation. Photo: Reuters

According to another senior officer, "There is growing unease among the younger officers especially over issues of pay and prestige. The older generation did not look at their salary slips but the younger lot scrutinises it minutely. There is a need to do the right thing and convey the right message".

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SHORTAGE OF OFFICERS

This comes at a time when the Navy has been grappling with a 17 per cent shortfall in the number of sanctioned officers. The Indian Army has an even bigger shortfall at 23 per cent while the Indian Air Force (IAF) is better placed with barely 4 per cent shortfall. This data was submitted by the three services to the seventh pay commission.

Also read:

Air Chief meets Defence Minister, Armed forces to accept 7th Pay Commission salaries



--- ENDS ---
By India Today Web Desk: The BJP and RSS have reacted very strongly against the statement of former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Farooq Abdullah for questioning India's legal right on Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

The BJP spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain said, "PoK is an integral part of India. Parliament has passed a resolution regarding this. Farooq Abdullah has also affirmed his faith in the resolution while speaking in Parliament. But, he speaks a different in Kashmir."

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Hitting out at the former union minister in Vajpayee government, RSS leader Indresh Kumar said, "Farooq Abdullah has insulted all those who sacrificed their lives for Kashmir."

Farooq Abdullah k stmnt se mujhe lagta hai jitne aaj tak balidaan kiye gaye hain Kashmir k liye unka apmaan unhone kia hai-Indresh Kumar,RSS pic.twitter.com/q5Pz0cg3HK ANI (@ANI_news) November 26, 2016

READ| Manohar Parikkar does not know ground reality of Valley: Farooq Abdullah



Amid growing tension along the India-Pakistan border and the line of control in Jammu and Kashmir, Farooq Abdullah had on Friday dared Narendra Modi government to reclaim PoK.

WHAT DID FAROOQ ABDULLAH SAY

Farooq Abdullah said that the government did not have power to take back the other part of Kashmir.

Addressing his party workers in Kishtwar in Jammu region, Abdullah said, "Arre tumhare baap ka hai kya? Tumhae pass wo taqat nahin hai ki tum wo hissa (Pakistan-occupied Kashmir) vapas le sako (Is it the property of your forefathers? You don't have the power to take the territory back)."

Abdullah said, "They say in parliament and there is a resolution that PoK is India's territory."

WATCH:



"It (Kashmir) is not the personal property of India so that it could make a claim over it like an inherited property of forefathers," Farooq Abdullah said.

Calling upon the Modi government to engage in talks with Islamabad to defuse tension on the borders, Farooq Abdullah said, "Pakistan is one of the stakeholders of the Kashmir issue, which even India has accepted."

THE SECOND DAY IN SUCCESSION

This was the second time in as many days that Farooq Abdullah questioned the Modi government's Pakistan policy and strategy to deal with dissent in the Valley.

On Wednesday, Farooq Abdullah had said, "Jammu and Kashmir had acceded to India on three subjects of defence, foreign affairs and communication, which have been reemphasised by the former Sadr-e-Riyasat Dr Karan Singh in Parliament recently."

READ| Kashmir is never going to be part of Pakistan: Farooq Abdullah



"Autonomy to both sides of Kashmir was the only viable solution to nearly seven-decade old problem. Borders cannot be changed but these can be made irrelevant and soft for people to people exchange and opening new vistas of trade and commerce for overall economic prosperity of the region," Abdullah had said.

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The three time chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir asserted that only dialogue can bring peace in the Valley. He said, "Sooner or later, the central leadership will have to talk to Islamabad for lasting peace in the region"ALSO READ:



Kashmir unrest: Farooq Abdullah calls on PM, says Modi was receptive



--- ENDS ---
Castro had close ties with the ruling Communist Party in China and was particularly popular there, given the resonance of his ideas and his running battles with the West.

By Ananth Krishnan: Cuban revolutionary leader Fidel Castro, who passed away at the age of 90 today, was hailed as a "hero" in China, where he had close ties with the ruling Communist Party and with whom he was particularly popular, given the resonance of his ideas and his running battles with the West.

"Castro is seen as a hero in China and his passing will be considered a great loss by many Chinese who know the history and destiny that China and Cuba shared," Hua Liming, a former Chinese envoy to West Asia and scholar at the China Institute of International Studies, was quoted as saying by the Global Times newspaper.

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CHINA, CUBA BONDED ON SIMILAR IDEOLOGIES



China and Cuba "bonded on similar ideologies and difficult times when the two countries faced enormous challenges from the West in the 1950s," he said.

"Both countries faced a lot of hostility and containment from the West, and Castro's reputation of leading such a small country against its gigantic neighbour is an inspiration for many not only in China, but even those in smaller countries too."

Also read | Fidel Castro, former Cuban leader and revolutionary, dies at 90



He said China, like Cuba, was viewed "with rose-coloured eyes" by the West that disregarded its economic development and focused on its one-party political system.

CASTRO AN EPITOME OF IDEALISM: GLOBAL TIMES



The Global Times said Castro "is hailed by generations of Chinese people as an epitome of idealism and a warrior who fought against social injustice", adding that he had "maintained close ties with China and the Chinese people who admire him".

During a 2014 visit to Cuba, Chinese President Xi Jinping told Castro that he had "won the respect of the Chinese people" who "will never forget the significant contributions you have made to bilateral relationships"

Also read: In rare appearance, Fidel Castro, 89, says his end is near

China and Cuba have had diplomatic relations since 1960 and enjoy close ties. Castro first visited China only in 1995, the China Daily reported, when he visited the Great Wall, ate roast duck at a Beijing restaurant and confessed a liking for Chinese osmanthus wine.

--- ENDS ---
Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 26/11/2016 (2167 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

In September 2009, Chandra Kremski placed a notice in her churchs fall newsletter, in which she asked her fellow parishioners at the Winnipeg Centre Vineyard Church if anybody was interested in helping her mount a Christmas craft show.

Kremski, a contemporary artist who has a painting on display in Londons Clarence House, the official residence of Prince Charles, planned to use any profits generated by the sale to fund a series of art programs at the North End community church. But because she had limited event-planning skills, she was hoping one or two people with experience in that field would step forward. Enter Charla Smeall, a stay-at-home mom who, in the past, had assisted her mother and aunts setting up their craft-sale booths at shows in Winnipeg and Brandon.

Kremski and Smeall werent anticipating big numbers for their inaugural sale, which featured goods largely made by members of their congregation. So when attendance topped 300, it literally blew our socks off, the two women say in unison.

Well ladies, you might want to invest in some extra footwear.

JOE BRYKSA / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Chandra Kremski (left) and her business partner Charla Smeall.

By the time the Third + Bird Christmas Market, the banner their annual, three-day sale has operated under since 2014, wraps up at 4 p.m. Sunday, it is expected as many as 10,000 people  some from as far away as Kenora and eastern Saskatchewan  will have poured through the doors of the Transcona Country Club to peruse a dizzying assortment of locally-produced artisanal goods  everything from beer growlers to baby bibs to living-room decor to perogies.

Weve doubled our (attendance) numbers every year since we started and people ask us all the time, How big can you get? says Kremski, noting 2016 is the first year she and Smeall also staged a spring market, which was held the weekend before Mothers Day.

This year, weve moved from the church into one of the largest venues the city has to offer, were up to 94 vendors and if we had the space, we probably could have made room for 90 more. Its a constant evolution of how to solve a good problem.

(By the way, dont devote too much time trying to figure out what Third + Bird signifies, Kremski advises. The married mother of two girls has always liked the rhythmic sound of business monikers such as Fox & Fiddle or Elephant & Castle and one afternoon, while she was driving down Portage Avenue, Third + Bird popped into her head.)

ALEXANDRA JOHNSON PHOTO

Its been said Third + Bird, which, with their churchs blessing, went from being a volunteer gig to the womens full-on occupation three years ago, isnt your grandmothers craft sale. True that.

This weekends list of made-in-Manitoba merchants includes Utoffeea, a company that routinely ships its caramel-flavoured confections as far as Europe, Oldhat, a one-man haberdashery whose founder, Nathan Dueck, has become a fixture at folk festival vendor villages from coast to coast and the Coal and Canary Candle Company, whose waxy wares have worked their way into swag bags doled out to Grammy and Oscar recipients.

I truly feel that every vendor we have at this market, you could take their product, package it up and ship it to anybody around the world and theyd think it came from a high-end boutique in Europe or the U.S., Smeall says.

I also think the fact all of our vendors are from the province is one of the main reasons we get the crowds we do, adds Kremski, who despite having grown up in Kitchener-Waterloo, Ont., feels more and more like a Winnipegger every time she utters Oh, its not that bad, when friends back home chide her for putting up with 30 C temperatures in January.

People know our brand and they know when they walk through the doors that they dont have to ask where something was made.

Noel Isaacs photo The Womens Co-op in Nepal

This weekends sale will mark the third time Carly Minish, owner of gourmet mustard company Smak Dab Mustard, occupies a booth at Third + Bird. Over the phone, she recalls the advice other vendors gave her ahead of her first appearance 12 months ago, when she wondered how many jars of mustard she should bring with her.

Almost every single (vendor) said when you think you have enough product, times that by two and then maybe, if youre lucky, youll have enough, she says with a chuckle.

Minish says one of the things that stayed with her after that first Third + Bird sale was the amount of customers who were curious about her ingredients, and about Swan River, where her line of mustards is produced.

Ive been to other shows where people dont seem that interested, where theyre just there to buy. But for whatever reason, people who come to Third + Bird seem genuinely curious; not only about what flavours we have but also, what goes on in the life of a mustard-maker, she says, adding one of the perks of being accepted into Third + Bird is getting a front-row view of what other local entrepreneurs have been up to.

I was just talking with one of my girlfriends about how its so cool when (Kremski and Smeall) announce all the vendors that are coming. Im always blown away by the new talent they seem to find and its always super-exciting to meet and talk to all these people, and to share stories and encourage each other. For one weekend, we become this tight, little community.

Kremski says she and Smeall try to take a moment toward the end of each sale to pause and tell each other, Wow, we just did that before turning their attention to their next market. (The pair will begin accepting applications for their May 2017 sale a couple of weeks after Christmas.)

I think in many ways, we started a trend that lots of people now follow, of a well-juried art show that is strongly structured through social media, Kremski says. In the last few years weve heard from lots of people asking about our formula and without wanting to sound hokey, in many ways we feel like were the mother bird.

Admission to Third + Bird is $5 (children 12 and under get in free). For a complete list of vendors and market times, go to www.thirdandbirdevents.com

david.sanderson@freepress.mb.ca

ALEXANDRA JOHNSON PHOTO Works by artist Kimberly Slezak
Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 26/11/2016 (2167 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Red River College has deepened its connection to the heavy-vehicle industry with the development of a $10-million extreme-weather testing facility that will be the first of its kind in Western Canada.

The highly specialized 3,000-square-foot facility, called the MotiveLab, is capable of cooling down to -40 C, and heating up to 50 C.

The facility will include a three-axle engine dynamometer test cell capable of bearing the largest vehicles that will facilitate research and technology development for Manitobas heavy-equipment manufacturing industry.

Youve all seen walk-in freezers at restaurants, well this is a drive-in freezer, said college president Paul Vogt. Not only that, you can keep on driving and you could perhaps experience the whole range of the Manitoba climate over the course of a couple of hours.

A dynamometer is an instrument that measures the power output of an engine.

On Friday, $6 million in funding for the second phase of the project was announced, with $3 million coming from the federal government through Innovation, Science and Economic Developments post-secondary institutions strategic investment fund, $1.5 million from the province and $1.5 million from the college.

Earlier, $4 million was raised for the first phase of the project, which involved building the cell thats housed in the Heavy Equipment Transportation Centre at the colleges campus on Notre Dame Avenue.

The facility will be available for all sorts of extreme-weather testing of every manner of heavy equipment. It will become part of the colleges heavy-duty mechanics training program.

Vogt said funding for the research facility was partly forthcoming because of the colleges track record. It has already worked collaboratively with industry in projects such as the development of New Flyers electric bus.

The presence in Winnipeg of a host of bus, agricultural equipment and fire truck manufacturers made the development of such a facility an attractive proposition for both research and product development.

For instance, Vogt said the fact that New Flyers headquarters and product development operations are based here was integral to the centres planning process.

Thomas Small, director of new product development at New Flyer, said there are many different scenarios that would make using the facility attractive to New Flyer.

In the past, New Flyer would have sent buses for customer-specific testing to an operation in Minneapolis for the same kind of climatic testing it will now be able to do at home.

We have requirements (to test) for customers who want to bring down the temperature of a bus parked outside for the afternoon rush hour, for instance from 120 F to 70 F in 30 minutes to get the cabin cool for customers to be comfortable, Small said.

We have to go away from Winnipeg to do that. But if its in the backyard, it will save us travel and costs associated with that. If its right here, its far more convenient and makes more sense for us.

When fully cranked up or down to extreme temperatures with the dynamometer fully fired up the MotiveLab will consume about 25 per cent of the entire energy consumption of the Notre Dame campus.

Even though it is not scheduled to be operational until 2018, college officials have already lined up 65 full days of demand for MotiveLabs research-and-development services.

martin.cash@freepress.mb.ca
Opinion

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 26/11/2016 (2167 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

CALGARY  It doesnt take long to break the ice when you put 60 young farmers in a room and ask them what they admire most about their parents generation  and what drives them crazy.

The responses started flying fast and furious at the session organized by Farm Management Canada at the organizations annual Agricultural Excellence conference. Many fit into both categories.

Their work ethic, said one. They can work all day, but they dont respect that our goals as young operators are different.

Their wisdom was another one that fit both. The older generation has been through it all before, which makes them more patient in a difficult prolonged harvest like this years. The benefit of time and experience also gives them context for analyzing the best path forward.

But its irritating. It can drive you crazy too, because they wont stop talking, said one.

Others complained their senior partners wont pass the torch.

I hope I have a younger generation to mentor as I turn 55 to 60, but the older generation is hanging on to the bitter end. They wont let go and they are afraid of turning it over to the next generation, said one.

In another room, young at heart farmers were going through a similar exercise. The two groups were then combined for a mock game show modelled after the popular television program Family Feud.

What was the top thing that drives them crazy about the junior partners in their farm business? It was their sense of entitlement. That was followed by a lack of social manners, their undeveloped money-management skills and feelings that they are too distracted and too critical of the generations that have gone before them.

Harsh, said the host.

The things they admired included the younger generations commitment to work-life balance and that they are innovative and willing to take risks and responsibility. Plus they bring new energy to the farm.

The exercise sparked lots of laughs and groans, but it also brought sensitive issues to the surface.

Family businesses can be highly successful. They can also be toxic, especially when that business is subject to uncontrollable and often unpredictable external forces such as weather, markets and policy changes.

The whole focus of organizations such as Farm Management Canada is on encouraging farmers to manage proactively instead of defensively reacting to events as they unfold.

That means having a vision, goals and a written plan that provides for regular reviews benchmarking how the farm is doing at achieving those goals. When more than one generation is involved, that vision and those goals need to be commonly shared or it is a recipe for disaster.

Plans can always change, but they need to exist in the first place.

A study released earlier this year on the state of farm management planning in Canadian agriculture as of 2014 found that just 26 per cent of farm operations have a formal business plan.

Eighteen per cent had developed a plan for human-resources management, 26 per cent strategically plan for contingencies, 27 per cent have embarked on succession planning, 32 per cent use business advisers and about a third use market risk-management tools. Other studies put that figure closer to 10 per cent.

Given farm operators routinely manage millions of dollars in expenses and revenue, those numbers are a more than a little scary.

But people in agriculture are nothing if not optimistic. The opportunities for improvement are huge.

Laura Rance is the editorial director for Farm Business Communications. She can be reached at laura@fbcpublishing.com or 204-792-4382.
Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 26/11/2016 (2167 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

After fuelling the 20th-century automobile culture that reshaped cities and defined modern life, gasoline has had its day.

The International Energy Agency forecasts global gasoline consumption has all but peaked  as more efficient cars and the advent of electric vehicles from new players such as Tesla Motors halt demand growth in the next 25 years.

That shift will have profound consequences for the oil-refining industry because gasoline accounts for one in four barrels consumed worldwide.

Luke Sharrett / Bloomberg The advent of electric vehicles, such as Tesla cars, will have profound consequences for the oil-refining industry.

Electric cars are happening, the agencys executive director Fatih Birol said in an interview in London, adding their number will rise to more than 150 million by 2040 from little more than one million last year.

The cresting of gasoline demand shows how rapidly the oil landscape is changing, casting a shadow over an industry that commonly forecasts decades of growth ahead.

Royal Dutch Shell, the worlds second-biggest energy company by market value, shocked rivals this month when a senior executive said overall oil demand could peak in as few as five years.

The agency doesnt share Shells pessimism. While the agency anticipates a gasoline peak, it still forecasts overall oil demand growing for several decades because of higher consumption of diesel, fuel oil and jet fuel by the shipping, trucking, aviation and petrochemical industries.

For Philip Verleger, president of the consultant PKVerleger in Colorado, U.S., and a veteran oil-market analyst, the agencys outlook is one of the more optimistic outcomes for the global industry.

Refiners across the globe can only hope that this forecast turns out to be right  because all the indications are today that consumption is going to begin dropping not in 2030, but probably in 2020, Verleger said.

Its the best news a dying patient can hope to get.

The projections are part of the analysis the Paris-based agency did for its World Energy Outlook 2016 flagship report. The agency forecast gasoline demand will drop to 22.8 million barrels a day by 2020 from 23 million barrels a day last year.

By 2030, consumption will rebound slightly, reaching a peak of 23.1 million barrels a day, before falling again toward 2040.

The forecast is more pessimistic than the one released a year ago, when the agency saw robust demand growth from now until 2030.

Higher gasoline and oil prices could help to cut demand growth. Over the last two years, as gasoline prices plunged, consumers have bought larger gas-guzzling cars, particularly in the U.S., denting efforts to improve miles-per-gallon fuel economy. If prices rise, consumers are likely to opt again for more efficient cars.

Gasoline has been the worlds choice to power automobiles. From the 1950s onward, when Henry Fords dream that every middle-class American could own a car became reality, gas stations sprung up next to drive-thru restaurants and strip malls and transformed the landscape of North America and economies across the globe.

Now, however, car companies  most obviously Tesla, but also incumbents such as General Motors, BMW and Nissan  are putting their money, and reputations, behind electric vehicles. With technology improving  especially for batteries  prices are falling. Tax breaks, particularly in China, are helping sales.

Global gasoline demand grew by nearly 20 per cent between 1990 and 2015 despite competition from diesel in Europe, where the fuel benefitted from tax breaks.

In the next 25 years, gasoline consumption will drop 0.2 per cent, according to the new agency calculations. While the number of passenger vehicles will double to two billion by 2040, The amount of oil we use for cars will be lower than today, Birol said.

The biggest victim is likely to be refiners, which have spent billions of dollars over the last two decades to maximize gasoline output at the expense of other fuels.

Birol said the changes in fuel-demand growth over the next 25 years will have major implications for the industry, which probably will have to retool their plants.

Demand for gasoline will be much more affected than heavier fuels  the refineries configuration will be affected, he said.

As gas demand sputters in advanced economies, middle distillates, fuels used to power trucks and jets, will continue to see growth in the next decade as economies expand. New international rules will require that the heavy, dirty fuels used for marine transit be replaced with lower-sulfur diesel in 2020.

Refiners would be wise to target distillates such as diesel in lieu of gasoline as they grapple with fading consumption, said Michael Wojciechowski, vice-president of oil and refining markets research in the Americas at Wood Mackenzie in Houston.

Diesel seems to be almost like a utility fuel going forward, Wojciechowski said. Its got its ability to meet a lot of strategic objectives for refiners.

 Bloomberg News
Opinion

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 26/11/2016 (2167 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

She had never used fentanyl before, at least not intentionally.

She took it that day because it was what she could get her hands on.

She was out before she felt the rush. Her lips turned blue. And, in the parking lot of a shopping mall, death was approaching fast.

Shes alive today because her boyfriend, also addicted to opioids, had a naloxone kit, the opioid antidote.

Thank God we had that kit, he says. She wouldnt be here.

That was July 10, 2016. Theyve been sober since July 12. Nearly five months later, the couple are in a downtown coffee shop, recounting their struggle with addiction and recovery. They agreed to speak on the condition they remain anonymous. Hes 33 and grew up in the suburbs. Hes gregarious, with an easy, infectious grin. Shes 21 and grew up just outside the city. Shes an opinionated spit-fire, and strikingly tiny, swallowed by a winter coat rendered unseasonable by a warm November. Theyve only been together a year, but they already have the familiarity and rhythm of an old married couple, often finishing each others sentences.

Theyve been through a lot together, and have lots to say about the opioid crisis claiming hundreds of lives across the country.

That July overdose scared them into sobering up, but whats happening on the streets these days continues to frighten them.

Since January, Ive had about seven or eight close people die from overdose or drug-related deaths, he says. Very close people. Its more and more every day. Like, every day. Its crazy.

It is primarily methadone users who will seek out fentanyl because its potent enough to still get them high, he says. Most drug users, however, either ingest it because its only whats available, as his girlfriend did that day, or because its in other drugs.

He remembers when fentanyl was an obscure drug  it is now the most common form of opiate on the street  and worries about what the future looks like. Youre always thinking, Whats going to be the next drug? Sure enough, its fentanyl for elephants, he says, referring to carfentanil, an even more potent form of fentanyl that is used to tranquilize large animals.

Both agree that theres too much focus placed on drugs themselves, and not enough on understanding and treating addiction.

There needs to be way more done about that stuff. Like, way more done, she says. Thats the problem. Drugs and alcohol arent the problem, theyre the solution. They need to get people into treatment. People shouldnt have to wait months and months for treatment, because by the time you get in, youll be dead.

  

She started using drugs and drinking at 13. She had tried every drug and had a regular dealer in junior high. By age 17 or 18, she was drinking daily and popping opioids such as OxyContin and Percocet. She marvels now at how easy they were to get.

I was into opiates, but I never shot them until 

He finishes her sentence: she got with me.

He also started young. Cigarettes in Grade 6. Marijuana in Grade 7. Psychedelics in Grade 8. By high school, he was lacing his joints with coke. The addictive behaviours were there, and there was a complex trauma that occurred that spun me in that direction, he says. Sure, theres addicts out there who didnt have trauma occur in their lives

 and if not, its a traumatic thing to be an addict, she says.

RUTH BONNEVILLE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS

He got into opioids the way many people do, as prescribed painkillers. He was living in Vancouver, and was prescribed Percocet for kidney stones and a series of accidents. The high was unlike anything else hed ever experienced. It was what I was always looking for.

When asked to describe discovering a high they didnt know theyd been chasing, they answer in unison. She says, complete ecstasy. He says, safety.

No negative anything, she says. Butterflies.

Im not saying this to start a fight, but its honestly like finding your true love, he says.

Thats exactly what it is, she agrees. After shooting opiates  its a love. Its a love that Ill never forget. Thats the first thing my mind goes to. Its a struggle every day.

They were sober when they met. They relapsed separately, and then they started using together.

He has more than a decade on her, and she notes the difference a generation makes. He was into putting coke on weed at the same age I was snorting it every day. I was a full-blown addict, she says.

Its scary. Whats it going to be like in the next 10 years?

  

When they used, they were careful. They asked questions. Last year, after reading about fentanyl, she started worrying about it appearing in her cocaine and would only buy it from a trusted dealer. They never shared needles. They underwent regular STI tests. They always had two naloxone kits on hand, from Street Connections, a harm reduction program. We used their services all the time, she says. Theres no judgment.

Different opioids result in different highs. It might be pins and needles, or a warm feeling, or a knockout, which is what fentanyl delivers. Their preferred drug was morphine.

Its not a cheap habit. At the height of their addictions, they were spending $300 to $400 a day.

I had RRSPs, she says. I had a tax-free savings account. I had an education fund. I worked two full-time jobs. And still, my next option was prostitution. That was definitely an option for me. That was something that was for sure going to happen if I didnt sober up. No matter how much money I made, it was never enough. We were spending hundreds of dollars a day. I used to think, How can people afford to have habits like that? But you make it work, somehow. Steal, lie. To me there was never a no. There was never a no.

I have a bad criminal record, he says. Its not drug charges. Its theft and fraud to support the behaviour.

Fentanyl pills in an undated police handout photo.

Its a common belief among the public that drugs are something you just stop doing, as though addiction is a matter of willpower and not a complex disease composed of many physiological and psychological pieces.

Even when they were actively using, they wanted to stop. Opioids are not something that can easily be quit cold turkey. The euphoric highs have equal and opposite lows. Dope sickness is the worst, he says. Death seems like a more comforting option.

And so, addicts go to great lengths to avoid getting sick. After she overdosed in July, she left the hospital against medical advice in pursuit of oxycodone. She believes if he hadnt thrown out the fentanyl, she would have continued to use it.

The risk doesnt matter in that moment. Even if it does happen, its worth the risk, she says. It might mean overdose. It might mean death.

When you want it, its scary. Addiction is scary. My mind will justify it. If we could just stop, wed stop. It hurts me that my mom cries every day and is in debt for sending to me to treatment and I started using again the day after I got out. That hurts me. If anything was enough, I would have done it.

  

Both have gone through treatments and relapses. Both are frustrated with the current health-care system and how it deals with addiction. She would like to see more addiction and mental health services be integrated. She would also like to see treatment be delivered more compassionately, and on demand. As an addict, you hit a jumping-off point. When youre ready (to seek treatment), youre ready. Tomorrow, I might not want help no more. Or I might be dead.

Last April, she completed a treatment at a private facility with a $22,000 price tag  it was either that, or languish on a list waiting for a spot elsewhere. While there are several places an addict can receive treatment in the form of counselling and educational support, there are only two detoxification facilities in Winnipeg: the Addictions Unit at Health Sciences Centre or Main Street Project.

Both agree harm reduction strategies go a long way in keeping people alive long enough so that they may seek out treatment  which is why he was disappointed to see the $10 fentanyl testing kits that were being sold at Brothers Pharmacy on Selkirk Avenue pulled from the shelves at the behest of the College of Pharmacists of Manitoba over concerns about accuracy.

The province is launching a naloxone program early next year where kits will be distributed for free, but shed like to see the government move quicker on increasing the availability and accessibility of suboxone as an alternative to methadone. Methadone is an opioid medication used to help people withdraw from heroin addictions.

Suboxone is a combination pill of buprenorphine and naloxone. Unlike methadone, which must be taken at a clinic and closely monitored, suboxone can be taken in sublingual tablet form. Suboxone is also much harder to abuse, which means theres a lower risk for overdose.

Both are currently on suboxone as part of their recovery plan. They dose every second day, and prefer it to methadone. I was a prisoner on methadone, she says. He says suboxone has an added mechanism: if you use opioids while taking it, or attempt to misuse the drug itself, you go into withdrawal. Its insurance, he says.

There is no one-size-fits-all treatment and recovery program for addiction, which is why its critical health-care professionals get to know the person struggling with the addiction. Nothing changes if nothing changes, she says. The stigma toward addicts  I can go to the doctor for anything, and everything is related to my addiction. Nobody takes you seriously. The stigma needs to change. They need to focus on more compassionate delivery of options.

  

The couple also credits their sobriety to Alcoholics Anonymous, as well as supportive family members. I dont think I would have made it to 21 if I didnt have support from my family, she says. They laid down the rules, and they dont give me money. But they understand addiction.

Without familial support, he says, your support system becomes drug dealers and buddies.

This is the longest shes been sober, and she recognizes that its a critical time. Im being extra careful. The more time I get, the more careful I am.

And he knows theres no such thing as a one-time only. Theres no such thing as a casual junkie. Youre not a needle user and doing it casually.

Neither of them are their addictions. Both are in post-secondary education; shes nearly finished her degree. They have goals and dreams for the future, but right now, their focus is on staying sober.

My plan is to keep going to meetings, get through the steps again. Stay on track, he says. Last year, I relapsed around Christmas time. I know what to look out for this time. Her and I are constantly working on each other all the time.

My short-term goals are to stay sober, she says. Going to AA, going to counselling. And staying clean.

Theres no doubt in my mind I dont have another recovery in me. I just dont. If I go back out there, Ill die.

jen.zoratti@freepress.mb.caTwitter: @JenZoratti

RUTH BONNEVILLE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS
Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 26/11/2016 (2167 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Playwright Peter Morgan once constructed a play about a British TV personality sitting down with a disgraced U.S. president in conversation. You wouldnt think the premise of two men sitting in chairs would be the stuff of riveting theatre. Frost/Nixon proved otherwise.

Morgan, who also wrote the screenplay for the 2006 film The Queen about Queen Elizabeths relationship with Tony Blair in the wake of Princess Dianas death, expands the two-chair tableau to something epic in The Audience, taking as its premise the weekly courtesy meetings in the private audience room at Buckingham Palace between the Queen and whichever sitting prime minister happens to be in office.

The historical drama, in which Helen Mirren reprised her role from The Queen on the stage in both London and Broadway, is a Canadian co-production of the Royal Manitoba Theatre Company and Mirvish Productions, with Fiona Reid  one-time queen to Al Waxmans King of Kensington  taking on that pivotal role. Reid doesnt look the part as much as Mirren magically managed, but she gives Elizabeths precise, measured speech an overlay of sitcom-forged comic timing while conveying the many ages of the Queen with the dazzling finesse of a quick-change artist.

RMTC photo Fiona Reid as the Queen in The Audience.

The challenge for Reid, and probably for some audience members, is that Morgans expansive narrative  130 minutes, including intermission  does not proceed in neat chronological order. It starts with Elizabeth advising an emotionally distraught John Major (Evan Buliung) on how to handle a rebellion from within his own partys ranks in the mid-1990s.

From there, the play bounces back and forth in time. Young Elizabeth has her first audience with PM Winston Churchill (John B. Lowe), and proves to be a match for the wily, battle-hardened politician, changing the rules of the encounters as defined by her late father George VI and cannily bargaining herself serious consideration of her concerns. The political arena can deal wildcards, and so it is with Labour PM Harold Wilson (Nigel Bennett), who approaches the obligation with working-class cheek, but soon finds himself beguiled by the Queen, a resolutely sympathetic ear and, as her experience grows, a deft adviser.

The play is speculative, of course. The meetings have always been private and not subject to reporting. But the tone of these encounters feels right, tonally and historically, especially in the Queens breathtaking second act encounter with an enraged Margaret Thatcher (Kate Hennig is note-perfect in the role), who feels violated trust upon reading a newspaper story expressing the Royal Familys displeasure with the Thatcher governments unfeeling attitude toward Britains most vulnerable. Even if the scene galvanizes Harold Wilsons assertion that Elizabeth was a closet lefty, its a dazzling scene, all the stronger in that it doesnt call into question the intelligence behind Thatchers ruthlessness.

The plays most fanciful bit is a demonstration of history repeating itself, with Tony Blair (Kevin Klassen) advocating for war in Iraq with the same rationale as Anthony Edens (Paul Essiembre) declaration of hostilities against Egypt during the Suez Crisis of 1956.

The two scenes establish the character of the Queen as a forcibly mute witness to history, tasked with supporting whatever decision the government chooses to make, which, given her insights, makes the constitutional monarchy of Britain a kind of purgatory in which she must serve. To fortify that notion, we see the mature Elizabeth in conversation with her younger self (Naomi Cronk), a young woman increasingly panicked by the obligations of the crown. (Morgan remains a sympathetic voice for the Queen as the writer of the Netflix series The Crown.)

Director Christopher Newton and set/costume designer Christina Poddubiuk mount this show in rich, handsome yet nuanced style, of a piece with many superb performances, with actors Bennett, Buliung, Essiembre and Lowe proving especially adept at breathing life into characters that run the risk of coming off as waxwork reproductions.

randall.king@freepress.mb.caTwitter: @FreepKing

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Passing orders on a joint PIL by Arjun Gopal, Aarav Bhandari and Zoya Rao Bhasin, the Supreme Court on Friday, taking into consideration the grave quality of air, banned the sale and stocking of all kinds of firecrackers.

By Harish V Nair: Where initiatives by older people and veteran campaigners failed, three infants have pulled it off. Passing orders on a joint PIL by Arjun Gopal, Aarav Bhandari and Zoya Rao Bhasin, all aged between six months and 14 months, the Supreme Court on Friday, taking into consideration the grave quality of air, banned the sale and stocking of all kinds of firecrackers and issuance of new licence in Delhi and National Capital Region with immediate effect.

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Licences of the existing firecracker sellers will be immediately suspended and no new licence will be issued till further orders, said the apex court.

The petition filed by the infants was lying dormant for a while, but had been revived after the deadly smog attack the Capital suffered post Diwali and lasted nearly two weeks, causing serious health issues.

Also Read: What caused Delhi smog? No one knows as Kejriwal, Centre, scientists differ

Cracking down on uncontrolled bursting of crackers, the apex court said such a step was essential to keep the rising pollution levels of the Capital and its surrounding areas under check. However, there is no restriction on bursting crackers as it would be difficult to implement and monitor, the apex court has said.

But there is a catch. Crackers will not be available in Delhi/NCR region and bringing in large quantities of crackers from other states is already barred under the law.

SMOG ATTACK

According to studies, infants are foremost prone to lung disease, asthma, coughing, bronchitis, retarded development of the nervous system and cognitive impairment caused by pollution. A Bench of Chief Justice TS Thakur, and Justices AK Sikri and SA Bobde also specified that no fresh licences shall be issued for sale and stocking of firecrackers. The Bench also directed the Central Pollution Control Board to study harmful effects of materials used in firecrackers and submit report in the Supreme Court in three months

Also Read: Delhi's smog situation is also having a terrible affect on your sex life

Diwali may be over but even then the apex court's order is a big setback for cracker sellers as a good amount of stock is sold during the ongoing marriage season and also on the New Year eve.

"We are the most vulnerable category when it comes to air pollution, especially from suspended particles and toxins. We are foremost prone to lung disease, asthma, coughing, bronchitis, retarded development of the nervous system and cognitive impairment," kids had told the court. Filed with the help of advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan, the petition said: "Studies show citizens of India have 30 per cent lower lung capacity than Europeans and that the children are worst affected, as their lungs are not fully developed, making their systems more vulnerable."



Also Read: Kejriwal's 'artificial rain' idea to tackle Delhi smog dreamy, impractical: Experts

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This year, Diwali firecrackers pushed pollution level in Delhi to a dangerous level, its worst in the last 10 years.

On Diwali night, PM 10 ranged from 448 (micrograms per cubic metre) g/m3 to 939 g/m3 in Delhi as against the national safe standard of 100 g/m3, Delhi Pollution Control Committee had told the court.

A report by the SCappointed Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority had said air pollution was the fifthlargest killer after high blood pressure, indoor air pollution from cooking fuels, tobacco smoking and poor nutrition. It said residents of Delhi and Ghaziabad have more reasons to worry as they reside in two of the five critically polluted cities.

Also read: Delhi smog: World's most polluted city's tourism might take a backseat, experts say

--- ENDS ---
Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 25/11/2016 (2168 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

OTTAWA  A Canadian woman recognized for her pivotal role in the womens suffrage movement is among the five finalists to become the first iconic Canadian woman on a bank note.

Nellie McClung, right? Guess again.

McClung, the Prairie activist who led the fight to make Manitoba the first province in Canada to grant women the right to vote a century ago  and the leading contender in a poll taken last spring  was dropped from consideration after making the 12-name long list. The suffragette still in the running is Quebecs Idola Saint-Jean, who helped lead that province to grant women the vote, albeit 24 years after Manitoba did so.

Nellie McClung, a member of the Famous Five, the group that fought to have women declared persons.

I just dont get it, said Linda McDowell, a special adviser to the Nellie McClung Foundation in Winnipeg. I am shocked.

A campaign to have a woman featured prominently on Canadas currency began in 2013 led by B.C. historian Merna Forster, and resulted three years later with the Liberal government announcing an iconic Canadian would be honoured on a new bill. The Bank of Canada sought public submissions and wittled down more than 23,000 names to an eligible list of 461. An advisory board got that down to 12.After that, a public opinion survey and consultations with experts reduced that list to five. Finance Minister Bill Morneau will make the final decision, which will be announced Dec. 8. A spokeswoman for the Bank of Canada said the advisory board chose the final five because they all broke or overcame barriers, are inspirational, made significant change and left a lasting legacy.

There is no word on why McClung was dropped. MacDowell said she certainly fits all of those criteria.

McClung is not the only well-known name eliminated from consideration. Authors Lucy Maude Montgomery and Gabrielle Roy, politician Therese Casgrain and artist Emily Carr didnt make the cut, either.

Saint-Jean, black-rights activist Viola Desmond from Nova Scotia, Engineer Elsie MacGill and track and field star Fanny (Bobbie) Rosenfeld, both from Ontario, and Indigenous poet Pauline Johnson from British Columbia are the last women standing.

They didnt leap out at me as being the most famous women, McDowell said.

The survey, conducted in the spring by Angus Reid, presented the list of 12 names. McClung received 27 per cent of the votes, followed by Casgrain at 19 per cent, MacGill at 18 per cent, Montgomery at 16 per cent and then Carr at 16 per cent. Desmond received 12 per cent support, and the rest were all below 10 per cent.

MacDowell said it is unbelievable there isnt a single woman from any of the prairie provinces, the part of the country where the womens rights movement first took off in Canada.

She has written to all 14 Manitoba MPs already to complain.

She said perhaps McClung was pushed out because a photo of the Famous Five statue, including McClung, was on the back of the $50 bill between 2004 and 2011, the only time famous women have appeared on Canadas money other than Queen Elizabeth. But she said if that were the reason to disqualify her, she should never have made the list of 12 either.

mia.rabson@freepress.mb.ca
Opinion

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 26/11/2016 (2167 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

OTTAWA  Democratic Institutions Minister Maryam Monsef moved this week to extend voting rights to all Canadians living outside the country, to give the chief electoral officer back his ability to encourage Canadians to vote and to bring back voter ID card as an acceptable form of identification at the polls.

The bill starts to fulfil some of the electoral reforms the Liberals promised last year, but the big promise  to reform entirely the way we elect our governments  is still to come. Sadly, it is starting to feel more and more as if the Liberals appetite for fulfilling that last pledge is waning, and at a time when events south of the border are proving just how important an electoral system is to democracy.

Monsef, who has travelled the country over the last several months to attend town halls on electoral reform, said recently she didnt believe there was any consensus from Canadians on the kind of system theyd like, a comment disputed by many who attended and tracked the town halls. She also reiterated remarks made by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau that Canadians dont seem as interested in electoral reform as they were before the last election.

JUSTIN TANG / THE CANADIAN PRESS Democratic Institutions Minister Maryam Monsef (right) and parliamentary secretary Mark Holland travelled the country holding town halls about revamping the election process .

It should not be surprising the Liberals drive to reform the electoral system would wane, since that very system is what put them in power. It should also not be surprising their interest is dwindling as it becomes clear their preferred ranked-balloting system is not the one most Canadians seem to want. It is, however, disappointing.

In a democracy, there is nothing more important than how a government is chosen. A poor system can take away legitimacy from a governments mandate and contribute to a lack of public engagement with the process. In our current system, it is troubling when parties that get less than a majority of the vote walk away with all of the power  but it would be more than troubling if the party that won all the power didnt even get a plurality of the votes.

In the American system, where the electorate is more polarized than ever, the votes cast for Hillary Clinton now exceed Donald Trumps by more than two million, yet he will be sworn in a president because the Electoral College system gives more clout to votes in smaller states, where Trump did better, than in the larger ones where Clinton was more popular.

It hasnt happened in Canada yet, but a first-past-the-post system like ours can deliver a similar result. It has happened at least three times in Great Britain, where the system is about as close to ours as you can get, and there are times when it has come exceedingly close to happening here, including in 2011 in Manitoba.

Although the Conservatives have long said a referendum is the only way to choose the next system, and the NDP is now on board with the idea, the Liberals continue to resist. Monsef still says a referendum is divisive. Could it be any more divisive than a country where the party in power doesnt have the weight of a majority or plurality behind it?

Prince Edward Island recently held an electronic plebiscite in which more than half of those who voted chose mixed-member proportional representation as their preferred option. Turnout was low  only about a third of voters participated  and the Liberal government there has said they will now hold a binding vote in conjunction with the 2019 provincial election to determine how to proceed.

The federal Liberals could easily follow suit. Although the pledge was to change the system in time for the 2019 election, almost everything suggests doing so would rush the country into changing something that could affect how voters view the legitimacy of every future government. Elections Canada needs at least two years to prepare for a new system, which means Trudeau and Monsef have less than a year to figure out what to do; Monsef herself says there isnt a clear consensus.

If they committed instead to holding a referendum alongside the 2019 federal election, and spent the better part of the next three years on voter outreach and education, Canada might end up choosing a system that, even with flaws, at least has the validity of being chosen by the people. Getting it right is surely more important than getting it done fast.

Mia Rabson is the Winnipeg Free Press parliamentary bureau chief.

mia.rabson@freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @mrabson
Opinion

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 26/11/2016 (2167 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

As the federal government positions for a major infrastructure investment, its crucial climate resilience and rural inclusiveness be fundamental objectives. Flood preparedness is a very good place to start.

Last month, the Intact Centre on Climate Adaptation, based at the University of Waterloo, released a report entitled Climate Change and the Preparedness of Canadian Provinces and Yukon to Limit Potential Flood Damage. The report ranked all 10 provinces and the Yukon for their relative preparedness for major flood episodes.

The foremost point made by authors Dr. Blair Feltmate and Marina Moudrak is that flood risk is increasing because of climate change, and mitigating flood risk should be a first-order financial priority for all governments  rural municipal to federal.

The billion-dollar liability from the 2011 Manitoba flood and the PST point that got added to our tax bill as a result should be reminder enough to Manitobans of the entailed risk.

Despite our hard-won experience enduring and surviving catastrophic floods, Manitoba did not rank highest for flood preparedness. That honour was bestowed upon Ontario, which, according to Feltmate and Moudrak, scored a B- grade. It was assessed on the basis of 12 criteria, including flood-plain mapping, land-use planning, home and commercial flood risk audits and public health and safety, among others.

Manitoba received a middle-of-the-pack C; British Columbia and Prince Edward Island lagged in last place, scoring Ds.

The authors recommendations target federal and provincial governments, proposing new chief adaptation officers in each province and territory to oversee flood risk-minimization as a whole-of-government priority. They recommend interprovincial co-ordination on key flood risks, the logic being that downstream cities and provinces inherit upstream problems, be they floodwaters or the economic impacts of washed-out infrastructure such as highways or railroads.

Feltmate and Moudrak also recommend the provinces, through their chief adaptation officer, prepare audited state-of-flood-preparedness reports based on the 12 categories of assessment in their report.

The recommendation with the most teeth is their assertion that development in areas known to be flood-prone be restricted, as, in their words: It is unconscionable that developments are continuing in recognized flood zones, with limited flood mitigation controls.

They boldly recommend federal disaster-recovery funding through the Disaster Financial Assistance Arrangement (DFAA) be limited or withdrawn in cases where development took place in areas known to be at high risk.

Its a logical proposal, but herein lies the rub: we dont actually know the location of high-risk areas with anywhere near the accuracy we should  a serious governance concern in an era when the necessary analytics are readily available. Moreover, the use of heavy leverage through the threat of DFAA retraction should be accompanied by federal responsibility to assert leadership on flood-risk analysis.

A deeper read of the Waterloo report reveals the more fundamental problem: flood-risk assessment in this country is a disjointed enterprise at best. Provinces variously and inconsistently use one-in-30-, one-in-100-, one-in-200-, and in some cases one-in-500-year flood events for different categories of land-use planning and infrastructure design  again, a serious problem for consistent application of DFAA.

The Office of the Auditor General pointed out very similar issues in a spring 2016 report, Mitigating the Effects of Severe Weather, which examined federal responsibilities.

The office recommended the federal government, through the department of Environment and Climate Change, produce extreme precipitation analyses with climate-change effects as well as modern flood-hazard assessment guidelines.

The department does not have to do the heavy lifting alone; a constellation of regional assets, such as the Prairie Climate Centre, will provide expertise and analyses, but we do need leadership.

Perhaps the most glaring flood-hazard assessment issue is the systematic under-utilization of big data analytics, particularly high-resolution topographic data, known as LiDAR, for pinpointing high-risk areas. Feltmate and Moudrak comment favourably on provinces using LiDAR, but these examples were few and not province-wide  the reason is cost, and its penny-wise, pound-foolish thinking needing federal leadership.

LiDAR, which measures elevations precisely and is essential to modern flood-zone mapping, used to be expensive. Like most big data, LiDAR costs have plummeted when acquired at scale, yet its still relatively expensive for individual rural municipalities. Its piecemeal availability bottlenecks local flood-zone mapping and confounds attempts at regional-scale analysis where the most costly risks aggregate and imperil urban infrastructure  Winnipegs vulnerability to Assiniboine River flooding, shown in 2011, is a textbook example.

A national, seamless LiDAR acquisition project would cost the federal government less than $400 million; complete coverage south of the 60th parallel would be half this much and would usher in a new era of high-resolution risk analysis and investment planning. American states that have completed comprehensive LiDAR projects report benefit-cost ratios above three, primarily through more efficient flood protection. In an era in which we plan to pour billions upon billions into infrastructure, enabling high-value rural investment that can be bundled to take downstream urban infrastructure risk off the table is a public policy no-brainer.

A national LiDAR project would also re-establish Canada, the birthplace of the technology (as well as RadarSat and Geographic Information Systems), as the global leader in geospatial analysis. The project is, however, much more than a technical exercise; its the modern expression of sovereignty over this landmass.

In 1936, then prime minister William Lyon Mackenzie King remarked, If some countries have too much history, we have too much geography; that problem re-emerges as existential with climate change and our vast infrastructure needs, but it is solvable with smart investment.

Hank Venema is director of planning at the Prairie Climate Centre.
Opinion

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 26/11/2016 (2167 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Toward the end of October, Sadiq Khan, the first Muslim mayor of London, addressed an event hosted by the London Jewish Forum that commemorated the 80th anniversary of the Battle of Cable Street, a famous street protest in the British capital that saw an alliance of local Jewish residents, Irish dockworkers, trade unionists and other labourers and leftists thwart a planned fascist march.

This was at a time when anti-Jewish bigotry was rife in Europe. Across the English Channel, Nazism was on the rise and fascists were in dominant positions in both Italy and Spain. The clashes at Cable Street are now remembered as a historic turning point in Britains particular fight against the politics of division and hate, a powerful moment when people from disparate communities defended their city and found strength together.

This story of solidarity and social integration has inspired many people over the last 80 years and should continue to inspire us now, Khan said. London today is more diverse than ever before and on the whole is a shining example of how people from different backgrounds can live side-by-side.

TAE-GYUN KIM / THE ASSOCIATED PRESS FILES The multicultural worlds of Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel (left) and London Mayor Sadiq Khan are far from crumbling. Big-city mayors have the power to push back against alt-right agendas.

But his remarks were delivered under a cloud. In many countries in the West, the agenda of ultra-nationalists seems to be outpacing those of politicians such as Khan, who represent vast, multicultural cities.

The modern-day inheritors of the legacy of 1930s fascism  what the heroes of Cable Street rose up against - are in the ascendancy. In Austria, a presidential candidate from a party founded by former Nazis stands on the brink of victory in elections in early December. In France, Marine Le Pen, leader of the National Front, a party long associated with neo-fascism, is a key player in presidential elections next year. And, in the United States, the shock triumph of president-elect Donald Trump has been cheered by fringe neo-Nazis as well as the white supremacist Ku Klux Klan.

In Khans Britain, anti-immigrant sentiment and the campaigning of far-right populist politicians led, in part, to the countrys June vote for a Brexit or quitting the European Union. The stunning electoral verdict was framed by analysts as a rejection of cosmopolitan elites. If you look at the political map of which parts of Britain opted for Brexit, London and a few other urban centres are islands in a sea of English Leave voters.

Metropolises such as London seem increasingly detached from the right-wing, populist surge in the hinterlands around them, where voters rallied to calls to take our country back and reclaim national sovereignty from the machinations of globalist elites.

There are people in New York that feel closer to people in London and in Berlin than they do to people in Kansas and in Colorado, Steve Bannon, the white nationalist ideologue now tapped to counsel Trump in the White House, grumbled at a meeting with European conservatives two years ago.

And they have more of this elite mentality that theyre going to dictate to everybody how the worlds going to be run.

Trumps campaign harped on the supposed evil of globalism, rhetoric that helped win him the support of disaffected white rural voters. The detached liberals of the big cities were going to get their comeuppance.

Watching the U.S. election from afar, Le Pens chief strategist, Florian Philippot, chortled on Twitter: Their world is crumbling. Ours is just being built.

What citites represent

But their world  that of multiculturalism and the metropolis  isnt quite crumbling. In the U.S., a host of mayors from major cities have signalled their willingness to push back against the proposed policies of the president-elect, including Trumps stated intent to round up and deport millions of undocumented migrants.

In New York, one of the so-called sanctuary cities, an estimated 500,000 undocumented people exist on a municipal database after they enrolled in a scheme that allowed them and other New Yorkers to obtain a city-specific identity card. Bill de Blasio, the citys mayor, has insisted that municipal authorities will refuse to co-operate should a federal government under Trump seek to obtain information on undocumented people listed on the database.

We are not going to sacrifice a half million people who live among us, de Blasio said.

Were not going to tear families apart. We will do everything we know how to do to resist that.

Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel made similar noises: For all those who are, after Tuesdays election, very nervous, filled with anxiety as weve spoken to, you are safe in Chicago, you are secure in Chicago, and you are supported in Chicago. Administrations may change, but our values and principles as it relates to inclusion does not.

Its not just on issues of deportations where cities and the Trump administration may clash. If a conservative Supreme Court overturns Roe vs. Wade, cities can defend the abortion rights of their residents. Already, in the face of policy paralysis on a national level, cities are pushing through larger progressive reforms: Seattle recently approved an ordinance for a US$15-an-hour minimum wage, which is more than double the federally mandated figure; other local politicians, including former New York City mayor Mike Bloomberg, are leading the political fight on climate change even as controversial climate skeptics enter the White House.

No matter the ascension of a certain brand of nationalist politics, the reality in much of the West is countries are becoming both more urban and more diverse. Cities arent just bastions of jet-setting Davos men: they are home to the fullest range of a nations diversity. The politicians at the helms of cities such as New York or London have to act on a set of concerns  be it addressing income inequity, reckoning with housing shortages or defending inclusive societies  that echo across borders.

Increasingly, nation-states look parochial and backward, and cities are actually cosmopolitan and much more broad in their understanding, said Benjamin Barber, one of the premier theorists of the global city and author of If Mayors Ruled the World.

Everywhere, cities are the engines of the economy  worldwide, they contribute some 80 per cent of global GDP. More than 80 per cent of the population in the U.S. lives in urban areas. The populations in medium to large cities overwhelmingly tend to vote against the platforms of right-wing populists. Yet because of the nature of federal elections  including the weighted system of the U.S. electoral college  the agenda of cities can get sidelined by right-wing populism.

Theres a fundamental asymmetry between what cities represent and what they are able to accomplish politically, said Barber.

Cities and the future

If reactionary national politics puts the progress of a city at risk, theres the chance well see more resistance from mayors. Citing powers already afforded to mayors in the U.S., Khan has sought more authority to be devolved to his office in the wake of the Brexit vote, which he said he believes jeopardizes Londons economic future.

This includes greater control over tax revenues. Londons population is the same size as Wales and Scotland combined, but we have far less control over how our capital is run, Khan said in September.

These calls arent only the province of left-wing politicians. Khans predecessor, current British foreign minister Boris Johnson, was a staunch advocate for Brexit. But while he was Londons mayor, he sought to introduce a special London visa to encourage foreign talent to his city and went out of his way to mock Trumps scare-mongering over Islam.

Mayors in general realize their cities depend on openness, that they need to be tolerant and inclusive, said Parag Khanna, author of Connectography: Mapping the Future of Global Civilization.

As a result, argued Khanna, cities are better positioned to be laboratories for democracy and policy solutions.

The capacity for cities to effect change often free of partisan rancor, Barber said he believes, makes them more capable of reckoning with the challenges of an interconnected world in the 21st century.

He points to a number of increasingly popular forums where municipal authorities are co-ordinating on a global scale. This includes the C40 Group of cities mobilizing around climate change, led by Parisian Mayor Anne Hidalgo, as well as the Global Parliament of Mayors, a body Barber helped found which seeks to be something similar to a United Nations of cities. It staged its first session in the Hague earlier this year and aims to expand in the months and years to come.

Globalization has its crises, but the desire of ultra-nationalists such as Trump and his contemporaries across the pond to throw up walls and hide behind borders flies in the face of the real forces that are shaping the world.

To be against globalism means you are surely against all the progress of technology as well, which is intellectually facile, Khanna said.

These reactionaries are the last wave in a series of political attempts to pretend that sovereign states still work, Barber said.

The nation-state isnt about to disappear, he cautions. But Barber envisions a future where there will be a rebalancing of the relationship between nations and cities that will enable greater local governance across the world for the benefit of all.

The right-wing nationalism of the Trumps will become not so much toxic obstacles to history but an increasingly obsolete expression, he said.

 Washington Post
KIGALI, Rwanda  The Catholic Church in Rwanda apologized on Sunday for the churchs role in the 1994 genocide, saying it regretted the actions of those who participated in the massacres.

We apologize for all the wrongs the church committed. We apologize on behalf of all Christians for all forms of wrongs we committed. We regret that church members violated (their) oath of allegiance to Gods commandments, said the statement by the Conference of Catholic Bishops, which was read out in parishes across the country.

The statement acknowledged that church members planned, aided and executed the genocide, in which over 800,000 ethnic Tutsis and moderate Hutus were killed by Hutu extremists.

In the years since the genocide  which was sparked by a contentious plane crash that killed the then-president, a Hutu  the local church had resisted efforts by the government and groups of survivors to acknowledge the churchs complicity in mass murder, saying those church officials who committed crimes acted individually.

Many of the victims died at the hands of priests, clergymen and nuns, according to some accounts by survivors, and the Rwandan government says many died in the churches where they had sought refuge.

The bishops statement is seen as a positive development in Rwandas efforts at reconciliation.

Forgive us for the crime of hate in the country to the extent of also hating our colleagues because of their ethnicity. We didnt show that we are one family but instead killed each other, the statement said.

The statement was timed to coincide with the formal end Sunday of the Holy Year of Mercy declared by Pope Francis to encourage greater reconciliation and forgiveness in his church and in the world, said Bishop Phillipe Rukamba, spokesman for the Catholic Church in Rwanda.

Tom Ndahiro, a Rwandan genocide researcher, said he hoped the churchs statement will encourage unity among Rwandans.

I am also happy to learn that in their statement, bishops apologize for not having been able to avert the genocide, he said.
SALT LAKE CITY (AP)  Stained glass windows are both permanent and ever-changing. They cant be easily moved from their frame or rearranged, but shifting sunbeams affect what each new admirer sees.

Stained glass brings light and color and story into a building at the same time, said Virginia Chieffo Raguin, an art history professor at the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Massachusetts. No other medium does that.

The art forms unique characteristics have attracted artisans and architects for centuries, even as the demand fell for traditional houses of worship, where stained glass was first widely used.

In the 20th century, you get lots of secular buildings with stained glass: subway stations, schools and shopping malls, Raguin said.

Utah Valley University joins this secular stained glass movement, which often draws on storytelling techniques associated with religious displays. Officials unveiled an 80-panel stained glass project along the front of the UVU campus library.

Roots of Knowledge, which required almost eight years of research, fundraising and labor from UVU leaders and artists at Holdman Studios, aims to capture the various sources of human knowledge, including science, literature and the worlds religions. If stained glass often tells a story, these windows contain a multi-volume epic.

I loved the idea of taking this ancient art form and channeling it into something thats appropriate for a modern, secular institution, said UVU President Matthew Holland.

Exhibits like Roots of Knowledge honor the rich history of stained glass artwork, while creating designs that speak to contemporary audiences, experts said. The subject matter doesnt have to be religious for stained glass to move people deeply.

For some people (their response) will be intellectual. For some people, it will be aesthetic. For some people, it will be spiritual, Holland said. It will reach people in different levels and ways. Thats what I think great art always does.

Stained glass in churches

Stained glass, like paint or colored pencils, can be used to capture all kinds of ideas or images.

But its long been associated with religious buildings, because faith communities were able to commission pieces when the medium was first becoming popular, wrote Terry Bloxham, a stained glass expert who works at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, in an email.

Many innovations in what we would now call the decorative arts began in churches. Decorated windows, tiled floors (and) painted walls were expensive to produce and the church seems to have been the only institution in the West able to afford these arts, she said.

Religious buildings were frequented by the whole community, which meant that everyone benefited from efforts to beautify them, Raguin said.

The religious building was the most important building in the city, even beyond the kings chapel or the kings buildings, she said. Unlike today, everybody in the city participated in (religious life)  the nobility and the merchants and the clergy and everybody else.

Additionally, stained glass windows helped faith communities express their identity, Raguin said, noting that unlike regular art, like paintings, that can move from place to place, stained glass . has to be made for a specific place.

Church leaders would meet with a stained glass artist to decide how to feature a local saint. As with the development of UVUs Roots of Knowledge display, the process required research and debate.

People just didnt say, OK, John, go ahead and do some windows. You had the archbishop, the head of the chapter of monks, all these people making decisions about the windows, Raguin said.

Community-specific windows would be paired with others that depicted familiar Bible stories. During the Middle Ages, stained glass windows were a valuable teaching tool, because many worshippers were illiterate, Bloxham said.

Narrative windows are often referred to as Bibles of the Poor, she said.

Evolving church buildings

Stained glass windows continue to have spiritual meaning for many believers, especially those who view light as a symbol for the divine, said Ashlee Whitaker, curator of religious art at Brigham Young Universitys Museum of Art.

I think anyone who goes into a space with stained glass can feel some of that radiance, she said. I think theres something really magnificent about the idea of creating an image where light makes it come alive.

Whitaker recently had the opportunity to oversee the installation of a stained glass window in BYUs exhibit of devotional art. She tried to ensure that viewing it would remain a spiritual experience, even if the window had been removed from a purely religious context.

The nearly 10-foot tall window, which is artificially lit from behind, portrays the Samaritan woman at the well, from the New Testaments gospel of John, chapter 4. Jesus is depicted with his finger in the air, teaching about God and his offer of living water.

In a space like weve created here, it connotes that aura of worship and reverence, Whitaker said.

BYUs window comes from the Presbyterian Church of Astoria in New York, where it hung for nearly a century. It was part of a set of six, which were sold after the congregation gave up its building due to declining membership and financial pressures.

Other stained glass windows have reached a similar fate in recent years, both as a result of changing design tastes and moves away from older church buildings that are expensive to maintain.

Religion-related projects still occupy many stained glass studios, but theres growing interest in pieces for secular spaces, said David Judson, the first vice president of the Stained Glass Association of America. His Los Angeles company, Judson Studios, is working currently on two church projects, but also pitching a design for a dome window on a cruise ship.

Its a very diverse world out there, but we are seeing a trend of glass being more acceptable or respected in a secular world, Judson said.

In a mall, airport or train station, stained glass is still beautiful, but it likely doesnt inspire people to reflect on the divine or say a prayer, Whitaker noted.

Ive definitely been in buildings that had stained glass that werent churches. In those spaces, my mind is on a different task. Im walking to and fro  that kind of thing, she said.

Stained glass today

The increased presence of stained glass in secular spaces did not happen overnight, experts said. Throughout the 20th century and through today, designers and architects have viewed this type of artwork as a way to create a public space that will be breathtaking and memorable.

UVUs display, although unique in its subject and scope, follows in the footsteps of other prominent stained glass projects at U.S. universities, such as a collection of 18-foot tall panels installed in front of Princetons art museum.

But Holland said he was still prepared for pushback to the Roots of Knowledge project. He didnt blame people for assuming the design would have a religious tone, even though that would be inappropriate at a school focused on inclusiveness.

People would say, Oh, stained glass. What are you thinking here? Holland said.

The design process challenged school officials, professors and the artists at Holdman Studios to think deeply about how students and others would respond to the finished windows. Would they see themselves in the artwork or feel forgotten or left out?

This question affected peoples responses to the initial drawing of the displays opening panel, which included a replica of Michelangelos Creation of Adam, from the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. The famous image shows God and Adam about to touch index fingers as they reach out to each other.

That was Toms (Holdman) original sketch and a lot of us really loved it, Holland said. But it did generate some real discussion within the faculty group. There were lots of different positions taken.

The committee settled on a different design for the opening of Roots of Knowledge, which includes less obvious religious imagery. There is still a man and a woman sitting together, who could be understood as Adam and Eve, but there are many other human forms nearby, as well as a representation of evolution.

The overall project is very different from famous stained glass displays in places like Chartres Cathedral in France or Washington National Cathedral in Washington, D.C. Rather than convey a biblical lesson or portray a famous saint, it tells the story of humanity, drawing on religious details in the same way it highlights scientific achievements or famous pieces of literature.

Although some might wring their hands and worry about stained glass losing its religion, many art experts say theyre glad this medium lives on and that people still appreciate its beauty.

It is a magic experience to enter a building, religious or secular, and be bathed in colored light, Bloxham said.
CHICAGO (TNS)  For the second year in a row, protesters rallied in downtown Chicago urging a Black Friday boycott to raise awareness of police misconduct toward minorities and other inequalities in the citys poorest neighborhoods.

Protesters gathered about 10 a.m. local time near the old Water Tower monument on North Michigan Avenue, the citys famed Magnificent Mile shopping strip. Activists spoke to the gathering about police shootings and the need for action. Some in the crowd chanted, No justice. No peace, and Hey, hey. Ho, ho. Rahm Emmanuel has got to go.

Shortly after 11 a.m. the crowd of about 150 to 200 people marched south along the Michigan Avenue sidewalk. Some gathered in front of the Ralph Lauren store and yelled, Shut it down! The group passed several high-end retail shops that dot the Magnificent Mile, breaking off into smaller groups.

One group linked arms in a circle outside the Victorias Secret store, but shoppers were able to enter and exit the store without a problem. Some onlookers snapped pictures of the protesters and carried on undeterred with their shopping.

As demonstrators were scheduled to begin the days protests, uniformed Chicago police officers convened in front of a handful of stores on the Mag Mile.

Traffic moved normally, leaving shoppers and tourists to amble freely along the street while helicopters whirred overhead. The lack of action allowed some officers to shake hands with passers-by in one case, or point a group of lost tourists toward Grand Lux Cafe.

Kirby Shaw, 23, handed out posters early Friday outside the old Water Tower, urging a civilian police oversight council.

The Los Angeles cook, in Chicago visiting his sister, said he was walking down the Mag Mile and decided to get involved after coming upon the gathering protesters. He said police misconduct, and Donald Trumps presidential election victory, were motivators.

I figured if Im going to be writing about it on social media I should actually get involved, Shaw said. A lot of the same things that are going on here also are happening in LA, but you dont hear about it as much.

The protest was planned by a network of groups that includes the Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression and Black Lives Matter. Organizers said they wanted to draw attention to a range of issues, including police mistreatment of minorities and economic inequalities that keep the citys West and South sides plagued with gun violence and poverty.

Activists also are denouncing Mayor Rahm Emanuels new police oversight agency, the Civilian Office of Police Accountability, which they argue falls short of their call for the true independence of civilian-led oversight in cases of alleged police misconduct.

Barbara Lyons, 79, of Jewish Voice for Peace, said a mix of community groups is taking part in the protest, all with a similar message of inclusion.

For some, its about the police; some its about immigration. Its just all the people who are not (Trump supporters), and theyre afraid, said the longtime activist.

It just upsets me what kind of world my grandchildren will grow up in.

As a shopper himself, Shaw said he understands some will not be happy with their message to boycott Black Friday, but for one day of the year you cannot buy things and support your local retailers and help make a difference.

Last year, an estimated crowd of 1,000 activists temporarily blocked traffic and access to about a dozen ritzy Michigan Avenue retailers to protest the recorded fatal shooting of black teenager Laquan McDonald by a white Chicago police officer. The demonstration came days after release of disturbing dash-cam footage of the October 2014 encounter, in which the teen is shot 16 times as he appears  with knife in hand  to be walking away from police.

Four people were arrested during that demonstration, also held the day after Thanksgiving.

For some, its about the police; some its about immigration. Its just all the people who are not (Trump supporters), and theyre afraid. Barbara Lyons, Jewish Voice for Peace
From wire reports

Judge finds Roof competent to stand trial in church shooting: COLUMBIA, S.C.  The white man charged in the shooting deaths of nine black parishioners at a South Carolina church last year is competent to stand trial, a federal judge ruled Friday. U.S. District Judge Richard Gergels decision clears the way for jury selection to restart Monday in the hate-crimes trial of 22-year-old Dylann Roof. Roof is charged in federal court with hate crimes, obstruction of religion and other counts in connection with the June 17, 2015 attack at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston. He could face the death penalty if convicted.

Death toll in bombing claimed by IS rises to 73: MOSUL, Iraq  The death toll from a car bombing south of Baghdad claimed by the Islamic State group rose to 73 on Friday, including about 40 Iranian pilgrims, as Iraqi forces fought house to house to dislodge the extremist group from the northern city of Mosul in a five-week-old campaign slowed down by stiff IS resistance and fears of massive civilian casualties. Iraqi police and hospital officials said 65 other people were wounded in the Thursday night attack at a gas station on a major highway near the city of Hilla, about 60 miles south of the Iraqi capital.

Thousands in Asia protest persecution of Myanmars Rohingya: DHAKA, Bangladesh  Thousands of Bangladeshis marched in the capitals streets Friday to protest the persecution of Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar, one of several similar rallies in the region. Chanting Stop killing Rohingya Muslims, they marched in Dhaka as violence in Myanmars Rakhine state escalated, forcing thousands to leave their homes. Organizers said some 10,000 protesters joined the rally in Dhaka. Smaller protests occurred in Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand. Up to 500,000 undocumented Rohingya have been living in Bangladesh after arriving from Myanmar in waves since the 1970s.

The Brady Bunch matriarch Florence Henderson dies at 82: LOS ANGELES  Florence Henderson, who went from Broadway star to become one of Americas most beloved television moms in The Brady Bunch, died Thursday night in Los Angeles. She was 82. On the surface, The Brady Bunch with Henderson as its ever-cheerful matriarch Carol Brady resembled just another TV sitcom about a family living in suburban America and getting into a different wacky situation each week. But well after it ended its initial run in 1974, the show resonated with audiences, and it returned to television in various forms again and again, including The Brady Bunch Hour in 1977, The Brady Brides in 1981 and The Bradys in 1990.

NY explorers find 1872 shipwreck of rare Great Lakes vessel: ALBANY, N.Y.  The 144-year-old shipwreck of a rare sailing vessel that typically wasnt used for long voyages on the Great Lakes has been found in deep water off Lake Ontarios New York shore, according to two underwater explorers. Western New York-based explorers Jim Kennard and Roger Pawlowski announced Friday that they identified the wreck as the Black Duck in September, three years after initially coming across it while using side-scan sonar in 350 feet of water off Oswego, New York. The 51-foot-long, single-mast ship known as a scow-sloop sank during a gale while hauling goods along the lakes eastern end in August 1872.

Manhunt in France after killing at religious residence: PARIS  French police searched Friday for a masked gunman suspected of stabbing an elderly woman to death in a retirement home for Catholic missionaries in southern France, authorities said. An unusually large police operation was launched to search for the suspected attacker, believed to be armed with a shotgun and a knife. The identity of the assailant and motive for the killing were unclear.
"The Commission is preparing to move forward with a statewide recount of votes for President of the United States, as requested by these candidates," Commission Administrator Michael Haas said in a statement on the agency's website.

By Reuters: Wisconsin's election commission said on Friday it had received petitions for a recount of votes in the presidential election from the Green Party campaign and another candidate and was planning to start the process.

"The Commission is preparing to move forward with a statewide recount of votes for President of the United States, as requested by these candidates," Commission Administrator Michael Haas said in a statement on the agency's website.

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RECOUNT OF VOTES

The move follows comments by Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein earlier on Friday that her push for election recounts in Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania was aimed at assessing the integrity of the U.S. voting system, not at undermining Republican Donald Trump's White House victory.

Also read: Donald Trump changes his tune on climate change, jailing Hillary Clinton

While Stein's effort this week may have spurred hope among disappointed supporters of Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton, the chances of such recounts - if they take place - overturning the overall result from the Nov. 8 election are extremely slim, given Trump's margins of victory in the three states.

Since launching the recount campaign on Wednesday, Stein has raised more than $5 million. The Green Party said it wants to raise $7 million for the recounts, including the cost of legal fees.

The Green Party has said that despite the millions it has raised to fund the recounts, it could not guarantee any would occur and that if its requests were denied or there were surplus funds, it would use the money to push for voting system reforms.

Also read: Trump won't lock her up

NO EVIDENCE OF TAMPERING



Stein, who won just 1 percent of the national vote herself, told CNN that while there was no evidence of tampering or other voting errors in the election, only a full review in those states would give Americans confidence in the results.

"This was a hack-riddled election," she said, pointing to hacking before the vote of political organizations and individual email accounts, as well as recent media reports citing concerns by computer security experts.

The deadline to request the Wisconsin recount was Friday afternoon, while for Pennsylvania the deadline is Monday and for Michigan Wednesday.

Wisconsin's Haas said that with a federal deadline of Dec. 13 to complete the recounts, county boards of canvassers might have to work evenings and weekends.

The other petitioner for a recount in the state was third-party candidate Rocky Roque De La Fuente, the commission statement said.

Also read: Hillary Clinton blames FBI for losing the race to White House, says probe into emails did the damage

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ANOTHER PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS?

Although Trump won narrowly in Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania, the margins make it highly unlikely that any recounts would end up giving Clinton a win in all three states, which would be needed for the overall presidential election result to change. Trump beat Clinton in Pennsylvania by 70,010 votes, in Michigan by 10,704 votes and in Wisconsin by 27,257 votes.

The presidential race is decided by the Electoral College, or a tally of wins from the state-by-state contests, rather than by the popular national vote. The Electoral College results are expected to be finalized when electors meet on Dec. 19.

Also read: Disappointed Hillary Clinton says wanted to curl up, never leave house again

Trump surpassed the 270 electoral votes needed to win, although once the final tallies of votes are in, Clinton will have won the national popular vote by more than 2 million votes.

Asked if she was trying to upset Trump, Stein told CNN "Absolutely not," adding that she also did not back Clinton.

A representative for Trump's transition team on Thursday had no comment on Stein's effort. In a Twitter post on Thursday, senior Trump adviser Kellyanne Conway cited a New York Times article and mocked Clinton supporters who "can't accept the election results."

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Clinton has not commented on Stein's effort, and a representative for her did not reply to a request for comment.

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Your Columbus Public Library offers early literacy programs like 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten, Baby Storytime and Toddler Storytime  for a good reason. Reading is one of the most important skills children acquire and it dictates, to a large degree, their success in other subject areas. That is why so much emphasis is placed on the development of reading skills.

Children begin to acquire those skills  generally referred to as literacy skills  while listening to the books their parents, siblings, grandparents and other caregivers read. At this point its not about letter recognition but gaining an appreciation and value for reading, and learning to understand the spoken word.

All of these experiences factor into the acquisition of literacy skills and, later on, the ability to recognize letters and words and understand their meaning. Understanding that meaning is the ultimate goal of literacy, for without understanding we cannot hope to communicate our thoughts and ideas.

Of all the people and institutions that play a central role in the development of literacy skills in children, the public library is one of the most important. Not only does the Columbus Public Library make books available in an abundant and cost-effective manner, it offers storytime programs that help instill in children a love of reading that is necessary to be a truly good reader. Storytime programs are very social events that bring children into contact with each other, and regularly reinforce the importance of reading.

The library also provides a support network for caregivers through interaction with trained librarians. By attending storytime programs for babies and toddlers, caregivers can learn to model different techniques and strategies to make reading a fun and valuable learning experience for their children.

As children grow older, the librarys storytime programs change to incorporate other literacy building activities that emphasize language. Whether the programs involve puppet shows, songs or other fun activities, development of literacy skills is always at the forefront of consideration.

Young children are very good at watching grownups behavior to help determine what is important, so modeling positive reading behaviors is critical. The public library gives adults some of the tools they need.

Research about the educational importance of good reading skills is plentiful, and pretty obvious.

However, that same research also paints a pretty grim picture for children who are not given the tools and resources they need to become good readers. Once children fall behind, it is very difficult for them to catch up, which negatively impacts their ability to learn other subject areas like mathematics, science and social studies.

Librarians understand the need to develop strong literacy skills and the importance of making reading fun and social. Reading is a lifetime skill that we all need and your Columbus Public Library makes a significant investment in support of families and children.

If you havent been to the library in a while, check us out! Youll be pleasantly surprised, and pleased that you reconnected.
As the City of Mauston moves forward with next years budget, concerns arose about a couple items featured in the 2017 proposal.

Alderman Frances McCoy wasnt satisfied with the level of service the city will receive through its new EMS contract with the Mauston Area Ambulance Association, while fellow alderman Steve Leavitt felt he didnt have enough time to review specific items within the budget.

The common council discussed the citys budget during Tuesdays meeting at city hall. Council members held a public hearing on the budget, but didnt receive any public feedback. Mauston planned to take action on the package Tuesday, but it wasnt listed as an agenda item. The council scheduled a special meeting on Wednesday at 5:15 p.m. to adopt next years budget.

City Administrator Nathan Thiel said he looked into alternate EMS coverage through Baraboo and Reedsburg, but believed staying with Mauston was the best option. McCoy, however, thinks the city will have trouble covering costs of the service.

What I dont like about this is when they wanted to build their new hall, they supposedly had all this money and we really dont have much input into it. Now, theyre coming back saying they have no money and they want us to help bail them out and Im not enjoying this position, McCoy said. Then Ive heard that were not going to put (the cost) on the tax bill, were going to add it to the water bill. Its still a tax; I dont care where you put it. Im just not satisfied with what were getting here with little input. They say they need this money. Why?

Board President Rick Noe said the EMS service changed from an on-call model to a service that responds from a central headquarters. First responders and paramedics dont have to travel from their homes to respond to calls.

Thats good, because if you need an ambulance, you obviously want one as quick as you can but some people like to drive gold Cadillacs too, but I dont think we can afford them, McCoy said.

Noe said the EMS felt it was better to have an on-site service to reduce response time and be closer to Mile Bluff Medical Center.

They can get the drugs they need quicker, Noe said. It also helps them when they have to intercept with other ambulance services.

Mauston Mayor Brian McGuire said the main goal of the service is to leave headquarters faster to save lives.

The faster they are there, the more likely people will survive and survive well, McGuire said. Were talking 7 minutes getting there compared to 12 or 15.

Thiel said the council does have representation on the ambulance board. He said the association conducted a long study to create a new service model.

I think there are appropriate needs out there, Thiel said.

Also in budget discussion, Leavitt said he only had about two minutes to review proposals. He disagrees with some of the items, including approval of a new clerk position with the municipal court.

McGuire said not all action takes place at council meetings and Leavitt had a chance to review items with members of city hall prior to budget finalization.

ADRC asks for

meal site help

Juneau Countys senior nutrition program is looking for help from the city to continue offering meals in Mauston.

Char Norberg, director of the countys Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC), said the county wants the department to trim its budget. That could mean senior meal sites in the area may have to close or combine.

I would hate to see this get pulled back because of what weve been able to provide for them. In rural areas, we dont have a lot of non-profits and organizations that can support seniors, Norberg said. So much good comes from these senior dining sites. Its really more than just getting a meal.

Norberg said ADRC is looking at a $20,000 budget cut for 2017. On Tuesday, Norberg asked the city if it would provide $3,000 in the next two years to help fund the program. But, with the council already preparing to pass next years budget, its unlikely it will provide immediate help to the service.

I dont know if we can find $3,000 for the next two years, McGuire said. Some of these things are so tight right now.

If the ADRC receives funding from a private investor, Norberg hopes the city will consider matching the amount.

I applaud you for coming to us with this request and I think we could at least take a look at it, said alderman Dennis Nielsen. We might be able to leave an impression on someone else who could step up to fund it.
Equifax Inc. provides information solutions and human resources business process automation outsourcing services for businesses, governments, and consumers. The company operates through three segments: Workforce Solutions, U.S. Information Solutions (USIS), and International. The Workforce Solutions segment offers employment, income, criminal history, and social security number verification services, as well as payroll-based transaction, employment tax management, and identity theft protection products. The USIS segment provides consumer and commercial information services, such as credit information and credit scoring, credit modeling and portfolio analytics, locate, fraud detection and prevention, identity verification, and other consulting; mortgage services; financial marketing services; identity management services; credit monitoring products; and online information, decisioning technology solutions, as well as portfolio management, mortgage reporting, and consumer credit information services. The International segment offers information service products, which include consumer and commercial services, such as credit and financial information, and credit scoring and modeling; and credit and other marketing products and services, as well as offers information, technology, and other services to support debt collections and recovery management. The company serves customers in financial services, mortgage, employers, consumer, commercial, telecommunication, retail, automotive, utility, brokerage, healthcare, and insurance industries, as well as state, federal, and local governments. It operates in the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, India, the United Kingdom, Spain, Portugal, Argentina, Chile, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Honduras, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, Brazil, the Republic of Ireland, Russia, Cambodia, Malaysia, Singapore, and the United Arab Emirates. The company was founded in 1899 and is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia.
By PTI: London, Nov 26 (PTI) Scientists have engineered cells with a built-in genetic circuit which produces a molecule that inhibits the ability of tumours to survive and grow in their low oxygen environment.

The genetic circuit produces the machinery necessary for the production of a compound that inhibits a protein which has a significant and critical role in the growth and survival of cancer cells.

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This results in the cancer cells being unable to survive in the low oxygen, low nutrient tumour micro-environment.

As tumours develop and grow, they rapidly outstrip the supply of oxygen delivered by existing blood vessels. This results in cancer cells needing to adapt to low oxygen environment.

To enable them to survive and grow in the low-oxygen or hypoxic environments, tumours contain increased levels of a protein called Hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF-1).

HIF-1 senses reduced oxygen levels and triggers many changes in cellular function, including a changed metabolism and sending signals for the formation of new blood vessels.

It is thought that tumours primarily hijack the function of this protein (HIF-1) to survival and grow.

"In an effort to better understand the role of HIF-1 in cancer, and to demonstrate the potential for inhibiting this protein in cancer therapy, we engineered a human cell line with an additional genetic circuit that produces the HIF-1 inhibiting molecule when placed in a hypoxic environment," said Ali Tavassoli, professor at the University of Southampton in the UK.

"Weve been able to show that the engineered cells produce the HIF-1 inhibitor, and this molecule goes on to inhibit HIF-1 function in cells, limiting the ability of these cells to survive and grow in a nutrient-limited environment as expected," said Tavassoli.

"In a wider sense, we have given these engineered cells the ability to fight back ? to stop a key protein from functioning in cancer cells," he said.

"This opens up the possibility for the production and use of sentinel circuits, which produce other bioactive compounds in response to environmental or cellular changes, to target a range of diseases including cancer," said Tavassoli.

The genetic circuit is incorporated onto the chromosome of a human cell line, which encodes the protein machinery needed for the production of their cyclic peptide HIF-1 inhibitor.

The production of the HIF-1 inhibitor occurs in response to hypoxia in these cells. The research team demonstrated that even when produced directly in cells, this molecule still prevents the HIF-1 signalling and the associated adaptation to hypoxia in these cells.

"The main application for this work is that it eliminates the need for the synthesis of our inhibitor, so that biologists conducting research into HIF function can easily access our molecule and hopefully discover more about the role of HIF-1 in cancer," said Tavassoli.

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The study was published in the journal ACS Synthetic Biology. PTI MHN MHN

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Regions Financial Corporation, a financial holding company, provides banking and bank-related services to individual and corporate customers. It operates through three segments: Corporate Bank, Consumer Bank, and Wealth Management. The Corporate Bank segment offers commercial banking services, such as commercial and industrial, commercial real estate, and investor real estate lending; equipment lease financing; deposit products; and securities underwriting and placement, loan syndication and placement, foreign exchange, derivatives, merger and acquisition, and other advisory services. It serves corporate, middle market, and commercial real estate developers and investors. The Consumer Bank segment provides consumer banking products and services related to residential first mortgages, home equity lines and loans, consumer credit cards, and other consumer loans, as well as deposits. The Wealth Management segment offers credit related products, and retirement and savings solutions; and trust and investment management, asset management, and estate planning services to individuals, businesses, governmental institutions, and non-profit entities. The company also provides investment and insurance products; low-income housing tax credit corporate fund syndication services; and other specialty financing services. As of March 01, 2022, it operated through a network of 1,300 banking offices and 2,000 automated teller machines across the South, Midwest, and Texas. Regions Financial Corporation was founded in 1971 and is headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama.
The following companies are subsidiares of Accenture: 2nd Road, ?What If!, ?What If! China Holdings Limited, ?What If! Holdings Limited, ?What If! Limited, ACN Consulting Co Ltd, AD.Dialeto (Digital Agency acquired by Accenture), AFD.TECH, AGS Business and Technology Services Limited, AIG Shared Services Business Processing Inc, ASM Research Inc., ASM Research LLC, ATAN, Accenture (Botswana) (Proprietary) Limited, Accenture (China) Co. Ltd., Accenture (Shenzhen) Technology Co. Ltd., Accenture (South Africa) Pty Ltd, Accenture (UK) Limited, Accenture 2 Business Process Services S.A., Accenture 2 LLC, Accenture A/S, Accenture AB, Accenture AG, Accenture AS, Accenture Africa Pty Ltd, Accenture Agencia Interativa Ltda, Accenture Australia Holding B.V., Accenture Australia Holdings Pty Ltd, Accenture Australia Pty Ltd, Accenture B.V., Accenture BPM Operations Support Services S.A., Accenture BPM S.C.R.L., Accenture BPS Services S.p. z o.o., Accenture Branch Holdings B.V., Accenture Bulgaria EOOD, Accenture Business Services for Utilities Inc, Accenture Business Services of British Columbia Limited Partnership, Accenture Business and Technology Services LLC, Accenture C.A., Accenture Canada Holdings Inc, Accenture Capital Designated Activity Company, Accenture Capital Inc, Accenture Central Europe B.V., Accenture Chile Asesorias y Servicios Ltda, Accenture Cloud Services GmbH, Accenture Cloud Software Solutions Limited, Accenture Cloud Solutions Australia Pty Ltd, Accenture Cloud Solutions LLC, Accenture Cloud Solutions Pty Ltd, Accenture Co Ltd, Accenture Co. Ltd, Accenture Communications Infrastructure Solutions Ltd, Accenture Company Ltd, Accenture Consulting Pty Ltd, Accenture Consulting Services Ltd Tanzania, Accenture Consultores de Gestao S.A., Accenture Consultoria de Industria e Consumo Ltda, Accenture Consultoria de Recursos Naturais Ltda, Accenture Credit Services LLC, Accenture Customer Services Distribution SASU, Accenture Customer Services Ltd, Accenture Danismanlik Limited Sirketi, Accenture Defined Benefit Pension Plan Trustees Limited, Accenture Defined Contribution Pension Plan Trustees Limited, Accenture Delivery Poland S.p. z o.o., Accenture Dienstleistungen GmbH, Accenture Digital Holdings GmbH, Accenture East Africa Limited, Accenture Ecuador S.A., Accenture Egypt LLC, Accenture Enterprise Development (Shanghai) Co. 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KG, Accenture Holdings (Iberia) S.L., Accenture Holdings B.V., Accenture Holdings France SASU, Accenture Hungary Holdings Kft, Accenture Inc, Accenture Industrial Software Limited Liability Company, Accenture Industrial Software Solutions Kft, Accenture Industrial Software Solutions SA, Accenture Insurance Services B.V., Accenture Insurance Services LLC, Accenture International B.V., Accenture International LLC, Accenture International Limited, Accenture Japan Ltd, Accenture Korea B.V., Accenture LLC, Accenture LLP, Accenture Lanka (Private) Ltd, Accenture Limited, Accenture Lithuania UAB, Accenture Ltd, Accenture Ltda, Accenture Maghreb S.a.r.l., Accenture Managed Services SRL, Accenture Management GmbH, Accenture Marketing Services LLC, Accenture Marketing Services Limited, Accenture Middle East B.V., Accenture Minority I B.V., Accenture Mozambique Limitada, Accenture Mzansi Pty Ltd, Accenture NV/SA, Accenture NZ Limited, Accenture Nova Scotia Unlimited Liability Co., Accenture OOO, Accenture Operations GmbH, Accenture Operations S.p. z o.o., Accenture Operations Services Private Limited, Accenture Operations Services Sdn Bhd, Accenture Outsourcing S.r.l., Accenture Outsourcing Services S.A., Accenture Oy, Accenture Panama Inc, Accenture Participations B.V., Accenture Participations II Limited, Accenture Peru SRL, Accenture Post Trade Processing SASU, Accenture Post-Trade Processing Limited, Accenture Process (Mauritius) Ltd, Accenture Pte Ltd, Accenture Puerto Rico LLC, Accenture Qiyun Technology (Hangzhou) Co. Ltd, Accenture S.C., Accenture S.L., Accenture S.R.L., Accenture S.p. z o.o., Accenture S.p.A., Accenture SASU, Accenture SG Services Pte Ltd, Accenture SRL, Accenture Saudi Arabia Limited, Accenture Sdn Bhd, Accenture Service Center SRL, Accenture Services (Mauritius) Ltd, Accenture Services AB, Accenture Services AG, Accenture Services AS, Accenture Services GmbH, Accenture Services Morocco SA, Accenture Services Oy, Accenture Services Pty Ltd, Accenture Services S.p. z o.o., Accenture Services SRL, Accenture Services and Technology S.r.l., Accenture Services s.r.o., Accenture Single Member S.A. Organization Information Technology & Business Development, Accenture Solutions Co. Ltd, Accenture Solutions Private Limited, Accenture Solutions Pte Ltd, Accenture Solutions Pty Ltd, Accenture Solutions S.p. z o.o, Accenture Solutions Sdn Bhd, Accenture State Healthcare Services LLC, Accenture Sub II Inc, Accenture Sub III Inc, Accenture Sub LLC, Accenture Systems Integration Limited, Accenture Sarl, Accenture Tanacsado Kolatolt Felelossegu Tarsasag, Accenture Technology Solutions (Dalian) Co. Ltd., Accenture Technology Solutions (HK) Co. Ltd., Accenture Technology Solutions (Thailand) Co. 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Ltd., Altima Asia Ltd, Altitude, Altitude LLC, Altius Consulting Limited, Altius Data Solutions Private Limited, Analytics 8 LP, Analytics 8 Pty Ltd, Analytics8, Aorui Advertising (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Apis, Apis Group Pty Ltd, Appaloosa Technology SASU, AppsPro, AppsPro, Arca, Arca Ingenieros y Consultoria S.L., Arca Telecom S.L., Ariba - BPO, Arismore, Artio People (Payroll) Pty Ltd, Artio People Pty Ltd, Aspiro Solutions (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, Automation Partners Pty Ltd, Avanade (Guangzhou) Computer Technology Development Co. Ltd., Avanade Asia Pte Ltd, Avanade Australia Pty Ltd, Avanade Belgium SPRL, Avanade Canada Inc, Avanade Consulting Poland S.p. z o.o., Avanade Denmark A/S, Avanade Deutschland GmbH, Avanade Europe Holdings Limited, Avanade Europe Services Limited, Avanade Finland Oy, Avanade France SASU, Avanade Holdings LLC, Avanade Hong Kong Ltd, Avanade Inc, Avanade International Corporation, Avanade Ireland Limited, Avanade Italy S.r.l., Avanade Japan KK, Avanade Malaysia Sdn Bhd, Avanade Middle East Limited, Avanade Netherlands B.V., Avanade Norway AS, Avanade Poland S.p. z o.o., Avanade Schweiz GmbH, Avanade South Africa Pty Ltd, Avanade Spain S.L., Avanade Sweden AB, Avanade UK Limited, Avanade do Brasil Ltda , Avanade Osterreich GmbH, Avenai, Avieco, Axia Ltd., BABCN LLC, BCS Consulting, BCT Solutions, BCT Solutions Pty Ltd, BENEXT, BPO Servicos Administrativos Ltda, BRIDGE Energy Group, BRIDGEi2i, Beacon Consulting Group Inc., Beijing Genesis Interactive Technology Co. Ltd., Beijing Zhidao Future Consulting Co. Ltd, Benext, Berico Technologies LLC, Bionic, Bionic Solution LLC, Blue Horseshoe, Boomerang Pharmaceutical Communications, Bow & Arrow, Bow & Arrow Limited, Brand Learning, Brand Learning Group Limited, Brightstep AB, Byte Prophecy, Byte Prophecy Private Limited, CAS, CRMWaypoint, CS Technology (Australia) Pty Ltd, CS Technology (UK) Limited, CS Technology Group LLC, CS Technology LLC, CadenceQuest Inc., Callisto Integration Europe B.V., Callisto Integration Europe Limited, Callisto Integration LLC, Callisto Integration Ltd, Capgemini - North American health practice, Capital Consultancy Services Inc, Certus Solutions Consulting Services Limited, Certus Solutions Ltd, ChangeTrack Research Pty Ltd., Chaotic Moon Studios, Chengdu Mensa Advertising Co. Ltd., Cimation, Cirrus Connect Australia Pty Ltd, Cirrus Connect Limited, Cirruseo, Clarity Insights, ClearEdge Partners, Clearhead, Clearhead Group LLC, ClientHouse GmbH, Cloud Sherpas, Cloud Sherpas (GA) LLC, Cloud Sherpas Japan G.K., Cloud Sherpas New Zealand Limited, Cloudeasier SAS, Cloudpoint Limited, Cloudsherpas Inc, Cloudworks, Cloudworks Consulting Services Inc, Cloudworks Technology LLC, Computer Research and Telecommunications LLC, Concrete Desenvolvimento de Sistemas Ltda, Concrete Solutions, Concrete Solutions Ltda, Context Information Security, Context Information Security LLC, Context Information Security Limited, CoreCompete LLC, CoreCompete Limited, CoreCompete Private Limited, Corliant Inc., Creative Drive LLC, Creative Drive US LLC, CreativeDrive, CreativeDrive Digital Content Services (Shenzhen) Co Ltd., CreativeDrive EMEA Limited, CreativeDrive Singapore Pte Ltd, CreativeDrive UK Group Limited, Cutting Edge Solutions Limited, Cygni AB, Cygni Norrsken AB, Cygni Stockholm AB, Cygni Syd AB, Cygni Vast AB, Cygni Ost AB, Cygni Ostersund AB, DAZ Systems Inc, DAZ Systems LLC, DAZSI Systems (India) Pvt. Limited, DI Futures Corporation, Data Essential SARL, Davies Consulting, DayNine Consulting, DayNine Consulting (New Zealand) Limited, DayNine Consulting LLC, Declarative Holdings LLC, Decora Marketplace LLC, Decorado Marketplace Ltda-EPP, Defense Point Security, Deja vu Security, Design Strategy and Research de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Designaffairs LLC, Digiplug S.A.S., Digital Results Group LLC, Double Digit Limitada, Double Digit Pty SA, Droga5, Droga5 LLC, Droga5 Studios LLC, Droga5 UK Limited, Duck Creek Technologies, ESR Labs, ESR Labs AG, EdenOne Solutions Limited, Edenhouse ERP Holdings Limited, Edenhouse Solutions Limited, Enaxis Consulting, Enaxis Consulting LP, End to End Analytics LLC, End-to-End Analytics, Endorphin Medici (M) Sdn Bhd, Energuia Web S.A., Energy Management Brokers Limited, EnergyQuote JHA, Enimbos, Enimbos Global Services S.L., Enkitec, Enterprise Infrastructure Solutions LLC, Enterprise System Partners, Enterprise System Partners B.V., Enterprise System Partners Bilisim Danismanlik Ticaret Anonim Sirketi, Enterprise System Partners Global Corporation, Enterprise System Partners Limited, Enthusian Pty Ltd, Entropia, Entropia (M) Sdn Bhd, Entropia Holdings Pte Ltd, Entropia Intercraft Sdn Bhd, Epylon, Ergo, Espedia S.r.l., Ethica Consulting Group, Ethica Consulting S.p.A., Evopro Group, Exactside Limited, Experity, Exton Consulting, Exton Consulting Spain Strategy&Management S.L., Exton Germany GmbH, Exton International SAS, Exton Italia S.r.l., Exton SAS, FGM LLC, Fairway Technologies Inc, Farah BidCo Limited, Farah MidCo Limited, Farah Topco Limited, Filmproduction ApS, First Annapolis Consulting Inc., First Annapolis Consulting LLC, Fjord, Focus Group Europe, Formicary, Founders Intelligence, Fruendo S.r.l., FusionX, Future State Consulting LLC, FutureMove (Beijing) Automotive Technology Co. Ltd., FutureMove Automotive, FutureMove Automotive Co. Ltd., GRA Supply Chain Pty Ltd, Gagel Group S de R.L. de C.V., Gapso Servicos de Informatica Ltda, Gapso Servicos de Informatica Ltda., Genfour, George Group Consulting L.P., Gestalt LLC, Gevity, Gren utvikling AS, H.B. Maynard and Co. Inc., HRC Retail Advisory, Hagberg Consulting Group, Hahntel Ltda, Halo Partners LLC, Hamilton Holding Company S.A, Hangzhou Aiyunzhe Technology Co. Ltd., Happen, Happen GP Limited, Happen Limited, Headspring, Hjaltelin Stahl, Hjaltelin Stahl A/S, Hjaltelin Stahl K/S, Hytracc Consulting AS, Hytracc Consulting AS, Hytracc Consulting Malaysia Sdn Bhd, IBB Consulting, ICM.S S.r.l., IMJ Corp, IMJ Corporation, INSITUM, IQSP Consulting LLC, IT One Company Limited, ITBS Servicios Bancarios de Tecnologia de la Informacion SL, Icon Integration, Icon Integration (NZ) Limited, Icon Integration Pty Ltd, Imagine Broadband (USA) Limited, Imagine Broadband USA LLC, Imaginea Inc, Imaginea Technologies LLC, Industrie IT (Hong Kong) Ltd, Industrie IT (Singapore) Pte Ltd, Industrie IT Group Pty Ltd, Industrie IT Pty Ltd, Industrie&Co, Infinity Works Consulting Limited, Infinity Works Holdings Limited, Infinity Works Management Limited, Infinity Works Midco Limited, Informatica de Euskadi S.L., Innotec International EAD, Innotec International S.p. z.o.o., Innotec Marketing GmbH, Innotec Marketing International Ireland Limited, Innotec- Marketing Spain S.L, Insitum Consultoria Argentina SRL, Insitum Consultoria S.A. de C.V., International Biometric Group LLC, International Biometric Group UK Limited, Intrepid, Intrepid Futureworks Sdn Bhd, Intrigo Systems Inc, Intrigo Systems India Pvt. Limited, Intrigo Systems LLC, Inventor Technology Ltd, InvestTech, Investtech Systems Consulting LLC, ItSafer Continuity Services S.L., JKD Consulting LLC, Javelin Group, K Comms Group Limited, KSC Studio LLC, Kaper Communications Limited, Karma Communications Debtco Limited, Karma Communications Group Limited, Karma Communications Holdings Limited, Karmarama, Karmarama Comms Limited, Karmarama Limited, King James Group, Knowledge Rules Inc., Knowledgent, Knowledgent Group LLC, Kogentix, Kogentix LLC, Kogentix Limited, Kogentix Singapore Pte Ltd, Kogentix Technologies Private Limited, Kolle Rebbe, Kolle Rebbe GmbH, Kream Comms Limited, Kunstmaan, Kurt Salmon, Kurt Salmon Canada LTD, Kurt Salmon US LLC, LEXTA, LINKBYNET, LINKBYNET Indian Ocean (L.I.O) Ltd, LabAnswer, Lexta GmbH, Lexta UK Limited, Lien par le reseau Inc, Lien par le reseau infrastructures Inc, Lin Bo (Shanghai) Network Technology Co. Ltd., Link By Net SAS, Link By Net SRL, Link By Net Vietnam Company Limited, Linkbynet East Asia Ltd, Linkbynet Singapore Pte Ltd., Loud & Clear Creative Pty Ltd, Lumenup S.A., MAXIM Systems Inc., MCG US Holdings LLC, Mackevision CG Technology and Service (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Mackevision Japan Co. Ltd., Mackevision Korea Ltd, Mackevision LLC, Mackevision Medien Design, Mackevision Medien Design GmbH, Mackevision Singapore Pte Ltd, Mackevision UK Limited, Maglan, Maglan Information Defense Technologies Research Ltd, Maihiro, Matter, Maud Corp Pty Ltd, Maxamine International, Measuretek LLC, Media Audits Ltd., Media Hive, Mediasenz Pty Ltd., Meredith Specialty LLC, Meredith Xcelerated Marketing, Meredith Xcelerated Marketing LLC, Meridian Informed Purchasing Ltd., Mindtribe, Mistral Wind Operations  Servicos Empresariais Unipessoal Lda., MobGen, Mortgage Cadence LLC, Mortgage Cadence an Accenture Company, Most Champion Ltd, Mudano, Mudano Limited, Myrtle Consulting Group LLC, N3, N3 (Dalian) Business Consulting Co. Ltd., N3 Brazil Consultoria em Marketing Ltda, N3 Germany GmbH, N3 LLC, N3 North America LLC, N3 Results Australia Pty Ltd, N3 Results Ireland Limited, N3 Results Japan G.K., N3 Results Limited, N3 Results Malaysia Sdn Bhd, N3 Results Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., N3 Results S.A.S., N3 Results Singapore Pte Ltd, N3 Results Unipessoal Lda, NYTEC, Nanjing Demeng Advertising Co. Ltd., Nashco Consulting, NaviSys Inc., Nell'Armonia Israel Ltd, Nell'Armonia SAS, Nell'Participation SAS, NellArmonia, Neo Metrics Analytics S.L., Neo Metrics Chile S.A., New Content, New Content Editora e Produtora Ltda, New Energy Group, News Imaging LLC, NewsPage, NewsPage (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, NewsPage Pte Ltd, Northstream, Novetta Holdings LLC, Novetta LLC, Novetta Solutions LLC, Novetta Topco LLC, OCTO Technology, OPS Rules Management Consultants, Octagon Research Solutions Inc., Octo Technology Pty Ltd, Octo Technology SA, Odgaard ApS, Olikka, Olikka Pty Ltd, Olympus Systems Corporation, Openmind, Openmind S.r..l., Openminded, Openminded SAS, Operaciones Accenture S.A. de C.V., OpusLine, Orbium, Orbium AG, Orbium Consulting Limited, Orbium Inc., Orbium Ltd, Orbium Pte Ltd, Orbium Pty Ltd, Origin Digital, PCO Innovation, PLM Systems S.r.l, PRION GmbH, PT Accenture, PT Asta Catur Indra, PT Kogentix Teknologi Indonesia, PacificLink Group, Paja Finanssipalvelut Oy, Parker Fitzgerald Inc, Parker Fitzgerald International Limited, Parker Fitzgerald Limited, Parker Fitzgerald PTY Ltd, Parker Fitzgerald Services Limited, Parker Fitzgerald Solutions Limited, Pecaso Ltd., Pegasus Production A/S, Pegasus Production K/S, Phase One Consulting Group, Pillar Technology, Pollux, Pollux Automation Mexico S.A. de C.V., Pollux Canada Inc, Pollux S.A.S., Pollux USA LLC, Pragsis Bidoop, Pragsis Bidoop UK Limited, Pramati Technologies Europe Limited, Pramati Technologies Private Limited, Presence of IT Workforce Management North America LLC, PrimeQ, PrimeQ Australia Pty Ltd, PrimeQ Ltd, PrimeQ NZ Pty Limited, Procurian Inc., Prof. Homburg GmbH, Proquire LLC, PureApps Ltd., Qi Jie Beijing Information Technologies Co. Ltd., RBCP Fund 1-A Vapor Blocker LLC, RBCP Platform Vapor Blocker I LLC, REPL Consulting LLC, REPL Consulting Limited, REPL Digital Limited, REPL Group K.K., REPL Group Pty Ltd, REPL Group Worldwide Limited, REPL Pte Ltd, REPL Software Limited, REPL Technology Limited, Radiant Services LLC, Random Walk Computing Inc., Reactive Media Pty Ltd., Real Protect, Realworld OO Systems Ltd., Redcore, Redcore (New Zealand) Limited, Redcore Group Holdings Pty Ltd, Redcore Pty Ltd, Revolutionary Security, RiskControl, Root LLC, Rothco, Rothco Limited, S3 TV Technology Ltd., SALT Solutions GmbH, SEC Servizi, SOPIA Corp., Sagacious Consultants, Salt Solutions, Sandbox Studio LLC, Sapling Bidco Limited, Sapling Midco Limited, Sapling Topco Limited, Schlumberger Business Consulting, Seabury Aviation & Aerospace (UK) Limited, Seabury Consulting, Seabury Corporate Advisors LLC, Seabury Malaysia Sdn Bhd, Search Technologies BPO Inc, Search Technologies International LLC, Search Technologies LLC, Search Technologies Limited, Securiview SAS, Sentelis, Sentor Managed Secuirty Services AB, Servicios Tecnicos de Programacion Accenture S.C., Seven Seas Business Ventures LLC, Shackleton, Shackleton Chile S.A., Shackleton S.L.U., Shanghai Baiyue Advertising Co. Ltd., Shun Zhe Technology Development Co. Ltd., SigInt Technologies LLC, Silveo, Silveo Consulting India Private Limited, Simian Pty Ltd, SinnerSchrader, SinnerSchrader AG, SinnerSchrader Content GmbH, SinnerSchrader Deutschland GmbH, SinnerSchrader Praha s.r.o., Sirvart S.A., Sistemes Consulting S.L., Skylink SAS, Soltians Limited, Solutions IQ LLC, SolutionsIQ, SolutionsIQ India Consulting Services Private Limited, Somers Ventures Ireland Limited, Somers Ventures LLC, Spacelink SAS, Storm Digital, Structure Consulting Group LLC, Sutter Mills, Synership LLC, Systor AG, T.A. Cook, TXF LLC, Tambourine, TargetST8, Tech - Avanade Portugal Unipessoal Lda, Tecnilogica Ecosistemas S.A., Tecnilogica, The Brand Learning Partners Limited, The Callisto Integration Corporation, The Monkeys, The Monkeys Pty Ltd, The Myrtle Group, Total Logistics, Tquila, Trivadis, Trivadis AG, Trivadis Austria GmbH, Trivadis Denmark AS, Trivadis Germany GmbH, Trivadis Holding AG, Trivadis Partner AG, Trivadis Services AG, Trivadis Services SRL, Troop Studios Pty Ltd, VanBerlo, Vector Acquisition Company LLC, Vector Topco LLC, Verax Solutions, Vertical Retail Consulting (Shanghai) Ltd, Vertical Retail Consulting Ltd, Vivere Brasil Servicos e Solucoes SA, Vivere Brasil Solucoes De Credito Ltda., Wabion GmbH, WaveStrike LLC, White Cliffs Consulting LLC, Wire Stone, Wire Stone LLC, Wise Partners SAS, Wolox, Wolox Colombia S.A.S, Wolox LLC, Wolox Mexico S.R.L de C.V., Wolox S.A., Wolox SpA, Workforce Insight, Workforce Insight LLC, Yesler, Yesler LLC, Yesler Limited, Yesler Singapore Pte Ltd, Zag, Zag Australia Pty Ltd, Zag Limited, Zag USA LLC, Zebra Worldwide Australia Pty Ltd, Zebra Worldwide Group Limited, Zebra Worldwide Media Pty Ltd, Zenta, Zenta Global Philippines Inc, Zenta Mortgage Services LLC, Zenta Recoveries Inc, Zenta US Holdings Inc, Zestgroup, Zielpuls, Zielpuls (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Zielpuls GmbH, avVenta, designaffairs, designaffairs Business Consulting (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., designaffairs GmbH, designaffairs group China Co. Ltd., dgroup, i4C Analytics, iDefense, solid-serVision.com GmbH, and umlaut.

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STERIS plc provides infection prevention and other procedural products and services worldwide. It operates through four segments: Healthcare, Applied Sterilization Technologies, Life Sciences, and Dental. The Healthcare segment offers cleaning chemistries and sterility assurance products; automated endoscope reprocessing system and tracking products; accessories for gastrointestinal (GI) procedures, washers, sterilizers, and other pieces of capital equipment for the operation of a sterile processing department; and equipment used directly in the operating room, including surgical tables, lights, and connectivity solutions, as well as equipment management services. It also provides capital equipment installation, maintenance, upgradation, repair, and troubleshooting services; preventive maintenance programs and repair services; instrument and endoscope repair and maintenance services; and custom process improvement consulting and outsourced instrument sterile processing services. The Applied Sterilization Technologies segment provides contract sterilization and testing services for medical device and pharmaceutical manufacturers through a network of approximately 50 contract sterilization and laboratory facilities. The Life Sciences segment designs, manufactures and sells consumable products, such as formulated cleaning chemistries, barrier and sterility assurance products, steam and vaporized hydrogen peroxide sterilizers, and washer disinfectors. This segment also offers equipment installation, maintenance, upgradation, repair, and troubleshooting services; and preventive maintenance programs and repair services. The Dental segment provides hand and powered dental instruments, infection control products, personal protective equipment, and water quality products for dental suite. The company serves its products and services to hospitals, other healthcare providers, and pharmaceutical manufacturers. The company was founded in 1985 and is based in Dublin, Ireland.
Validus Holdings, Ltd. provides reinsurance coverage, insurance coverage, and insurance linked securities management services worldwide. It operates through three segments: Reinsurance, Insurance, and Asset Management. The Reinsurance segment underwrites property reinsurance products on a catastrophe excess of loss, per risk excess of loss and proportional basis; and aerospace and aviation, agriculture, composite, marine, technical lines, terrorism, trade credit, workers' compensation, and other specialty lines, as well as casualty and financial lines. The Insurance segment underwrites property, accident and health, agriculture, aviation, contingency, marine, and political lines insurance products; bankers blanket bond, commercial crime, computer crime, cyber- crime, professional indemnity, and directors' and officers' insurance products for various financial institutions and other companies; and commercial and institutional risks comprising general, professional, and product liability, as well as miscellaneous malpractice insurance products. This segment also underwrites marine and energy liability, and political risk insurance products, as well as insurance products for repair, maintenance, and upkeep of aircrafts and premises for small companies. The Asset Management segment manages capital for third parties through insurance-linked securities, and other property catastrophe and specialty reinsurance investments. Validus Holdings, Ltd. was founded in 2005 and is based in Pembroke, Bermuda.
Modi's 'war against the black economy' has spawned another thriving shadow economy.
Be it the teaser or the peppy numbers, Kavalai Vendam has created quite a buzz in the Tamil circuit. But how good is the film? Here's our Kavalai Vendam movie review.

By Srivatsan: After making a solid debut with his horror comedy Yamiruka Bayamey, director Deekay is back with Kavalai Vendam.

Kavalai Vendam Cast: Jiiva, Kajal Aggarwal, Bobby Simha, Sunainaa, Balaji and SenthilKavalai Vendam Director: DeekayKavalai Vendam Rating:

First things first, unlike its title which translates to 'Don't worry', there are a lot of things to worry about in Kavalai Vendam.

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Right from its title card, the film is targeted at one particular section - youngsters. Kavalai Vendam opens to an introduction scene of our heroine Divya (Kajal Aggarwal), twerking her booty to men ogling at her. With that, the director pretty much sets the tone of the film. About 10 minutes into Kavalai Vendam, one is perplexed at how the censor board functions. Last year, Mani Ratnam's OK Kanmani was slapped with a U/A certificate, whereas Kavalai Vendam, which is packed with adult humour and triple-meaning dialogues, too has been passed with a U/A.

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For instance, when Divya narrates her first memory of her husband, we're introduced to a 10-year-old Aravind (Jiiva) in a swimming pool with Divya. When the female diving instructor signals the students to dive, the director zooms in, focusing on the whistle between her breasts. Actually, the latter. The scene is for the audience to gauge the boy's intent. It becomes worse when the instructor lady, as a part of Aravind's plan, is forced to smooch (mouth-to-mouth respiration) him, only to save the kid from dying. After the scene, Aravind winks at Divya. Behold, we have Kavalai Vendam, a U/A comedy entertainer.

At its heart, Kavalai Vendam has no story as such. But that's fine because the audience had no issues when films like the ones in the American Pie series, Road Trip or even Euro Trip were released. Having said that, these films worked with a larger sect mainly because of the director's writing, and the inventive bits here and there (the apple pie scene in American Pie).

Even on paper, the problem with Kavalai Vendam is that the film has no scope for invention. Also, the plot (if any) seems to derail big time from its genre. However, the film is literally a laugh riot in many parts, thanks to actors Balaji, Bala Saravanan and Mayilsamy, whose witty one-liners and portions tickle our funny bone quite often. Watch out for the scene where Balaji says, "Suguna enn da inn neram vantha." There's another well-timed dialogue where he says, "Aravind unn idupu theriyuthu."What deserve special mention are the scenes with Mayilsamy, whose biggest strength is his eccentric body language. In another scene, when Divya says, "Make hay while the sun shines," actor Madhumitha promptly translates it to Tamil as, "Kozhai la thani varumbothe bucket ae vechiru nu sollaranga." There are many sly references to masturbation, threesomes, handjobs, lesbians and what not? It also has a despicable portion on diarrhoea. Tamil cinema seems to have an emotional (actually physical) bonding with diarrhoea that dates back to the times when Dada Mirasi made Moondru Deivangal (1971).

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But these are scattered moments. Adult comedies are a rarity in Tamil cinema, barring Trisha Illana Nayanthara. Kavalai Vendam could have been a game-changer in this genre had Deekay stooped much more.

Kavalai Vendam still, would've been an enjoyable ride had Deekay given more screen space and prominence to the character artists. When Karthik Krish made Kappal (2014), or when Adhik Ravichandran made Trisha Illana Nayanthara (2015), they were not driven by star value. And that's precisely why the films made an impact.

The film has an ensemble cast - Jiiva, Kajal Aggarwal, Bobby Simha and Sunaina in the lead roles. Kavalai Vendam has nothing to offer, or to put it better, the aforementioned actors fail to fit in this film.

Jiiva is a decent actor. We hope he realises soon. Kajal Aggarwal is cute. She looks gorgeous in an orange saree. But what's a polite way of saying that she can't emote in scenes involving natural human emotions? Her failed lip-syncs are too glaring to be unnoticed.

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In a nutshell, don't worry, there's no story.

( The writer tweets as @LoneWolf_7126 )

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Prior to Friday, the Delhi High Court had on November 16 warned the municipal bodies of their failure in performing their basic duties.

By Pankaj Jain: Aam Aadmi Party's Delhi convenor Dilip Pandey on Saturday alleged that the three MCDs (Municipal Corporations of Delhi) and the DDA (Delhi Development Authority) did not even heed the high court's reprimand over garbage landfill sites in the national capital.

Pandey said that the court was absolutely right in censuring them on Friday by stating that if they could not manage proper disposal of garbage at landfill sites in Delhi, what was the use of having MCDs and DDA after all.

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Also read | AAP launches 'Spot the Kachra' campaign to clean city and expose MCD

PREVIOUS WARNINGS IGNORED



He added that this was not for the first time that the high court had slammed the MCDs. On November 16, the court had warned the municipal bodies of their failure in performing their basic duties.

Delhi High Court had stated that if a revolution or anarchy were to break out, MCD officials would be thrashed by the public. The court had also said that it was wondering whether it must direct Delhiites to throw garbage into offices of the municipal corporations and their officials.

Also read | Delhi government launches app to register garbage and pollution complaints

"Should we put the fear of death in you? Garbage is lying alongside roads, construction sites, markets and nothing is being done as the agencies are not scared of even the high court", Pandey said.

Questions raised by Aam Aadmi Party for the BJP-ruled MCDs: Why do the MCDs want to keep Delhi dirty and polluted? Is it their basic governance model? Are the MCDs not ashamed of already being known as the Most Corrupt Departments in the world? What is the BJP roadmap for improving the performance of MCDs in their basic and compulsory duties? Why should Delhi get a bad name due to corrupt and inefficient MCDs, which are in a state of financial and functional collapse?

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Wells Fargo & Company, a diversified financial services company, provides banking, investment, mortgage, and consumer and commercial finance products and services in the United States and internationally. It operates through four segments: Consumer Banking and Lending; Commercial Banking; Corporate and Investment Banking; and Wealth and Investment Management. The Consumer Banking and Lending segment offers diversified financial products and services for consumers and small businesses. Its financial products and services include checking and savings accounts, and credit and debit cards, as well as home, auto, personal, and small business lending services. The Commercial Banking segment provides financial solutions to private, family owned, and certain public companies. Its products and services include banking and credit products across various industry sectors and municipalities, secured lending and lease products, and treasury management services. The Corporate and Investment Banking segment offers a suite of capital markets, banking, and financial products and services to corporate, commercial real estate, government, and institutional clients. Its products and services comprise corporate banking, investment banking, treasury management, commercial real estate lending and servicing, equity, and fixed income solutions, as well as sales, trading, and research capabilities services. The Wealth and Investment Management segment provides personalized wealth management, brokerage, financial planning, lending, private banking, and trust and fiduciary products and services to affluent, high-net worth, and ultra-high-net worth clients. It also operates through financial advisors. Wells Fargo & Company was founded in 1852 and is headquartered in San Francisco, California.
General Mills, Inc. manufactures and markets branded consumer foods worldwide. The company operates in five segments: North America Retail; Convenience Stores & Foodservice; Europe & Australia; Asia & Latin America; and Pet. It offers ready-to-eat cereals, refrigerated yogurt, soup, meal kits, refrigerated and frozen dough products, dessert and baking mixes, bakery flour, frozen pizza and pizza snacks, snack bars, fruit and salty snacks, ice cream, nutrition bars, wellness beverages, and savory and grain snacks, as well as various organic products, including frozen and shelf-stable vegetables. It also supplies branded and unbranded food products to the North American foodservice and commercial baking industries; and manufactures and markets pet food products, including dog and cat food. The company markets its products under the Annie's, Betty Crocker, Bisquick, Blue Buffalo, Blue Basics, Blue Freedom, Bugles, Cascadian Farm, Cheerios, Chex, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, Cocoa Puffs, Cookie Crisp, EPIC, Fiber One, Food Should Taste Good, Fruit by the Foot, Fruit Gushers, Fruit Roll-Ups, Gardetto's, Go-Gurt, Gold Medal, Golden Grahams, Haagen-Dazs, Helpers, Jus-Rol, Kitano, Kix, Larabar, Latina, Liberte, Lucky Charms, Muir Glen, Nature Valley, Oatmeal Crisp, Old El Paso, Oui, Pillsbury, Progresso, Raisin Nut Bran, Total, Totino's, Trix, Wanchai Ferry, Wheaties, Wilderness, Yoki, and Yoplait trademarks. It sells its products directly, as well as through broker and distribution arrangements to grocery stores, mass merchandisers, membership stores, natural food chains, e-commerce retailers, commercial and noncommercial foodservice distributors and operators, restaurants, convenience stores, and pet specialty stores, as well as drug, dollar, and discount chains. The company operates 466 leased and 392 franchise ice cream parlors. General Mills, Inc. was founded in 1866 and is headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
By PTI: Colombo, Nov 26 (PTI) President Maithripala Sirisena hopes US President-elect Donald Trump would grant Sri Lanka redress by not pursuing the human rights accountability charges against the country.

"I will write to President (Donald) Trump to ask him to free us from these accusations", Sirisena said while addressing a membership drive of Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) in the southern port town of Galle.

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"I was able to save the former President Mahinda Rajapaksa and our valiant soldiers by giving the UN Human Rights Council necessary messages," Sirisena said referring to the leniency shown by the US and the international community when he came to power in January 2015.

The UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) allowed Sri Lanka more time to set rights accountability mechanisms to probe the alleged rights violations that took place in the country during the last phase of the military campaign that ended in 2009 with victory of government troops.

The UNHRC had adopted three successive resolutions against Sri Lanka with the US taking the lead.

Having led three anti-Sri Lanka resolutions at the UNHRC between 2012 to 2014, the Obama administration adopted a softer line on Sri Lanka since Sirisena was elected as President. PTI CORR AJR

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The decision was taken a day after a leopard was hacked to death by angry villagers at Sohna in Gurugram after it strayed into human settlement and injured several villagers.

By Mail Today Bureau: To ensure the safety of Delhi's lone leopard, which was spotted at the Yamuna biodiversity park this week, the state government may shift the big cat to the Delhi Zoo or Rajaji National Park in Uttarakhand.

The decision was taken a day after a leopard was hacked to death by angry villagers at Sohna in Gurugram after it strayed into human settlement and injured several villagers. The anguish was such that villagers battered the leopard in the presence of police and wildlife department officials.

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According to a senior state government official, forest officials have been asked to carry out a thorough survey in the matter. "We have ordered our officials to conduct a fact-finding survey in the reported sighting of a leopard in the Yamuna biodiversity park. While the sighting is a good indicator of the quality of wildlife in the forest area, our primary concern is the safety of the leopard," said state environment and forest minister Imran Hussain.

Also read: Gurgaon villagers beat leopard to death: How the forest department failed to save the animal's life

"Two wildlife inspectors have been deputed to inspect the area to find pug marks for actual assessment of the leopard's age, if possible. We will also place cages at appropriate sites with baits once the location of the animal is identified to ensure that it can be transferred to a more secure site," said an official.

Also Read: After two weeks of hide and seek, Yamuna Biodiversity Park scientists capture stray leopard on camera

The sighting of the leopard at the DDArun park had come as a surprise to ecologists and scientists who had sought its immediate safety. Senior government officials said that while ensuring its safety is the prerogative of the state government under the Wildlife Protection Act 1972, the government is considering its transfer as it might pose a threat to humans.

"Our current survey suggests that it had possibly strayed from its group, which means that it may wander in search for them. This, along with what happened in Gurugram, makes it critical to move the leopard for its own safety. The government is, however, yet to make a decision whether to release it in Rajaji National Park or to Delhi Zoo," said an official.

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New Partnership Cements Commitment to Welsh Language at Wrexham Glyndwr University

This article is old - Published: Saturday, Nov 26th, 2016

More than 30,000 students across North East Wales will have greater opportunities to study through the medium of Welsh thanks to a three-way educational partnership.

Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol has established a new branch jointly covering Wrexham Glyndwr University and Coleg Cambria.

The organisation works with universities across Wales to help develop Welsh language medium opportunities for students.

Under the new agreement, students and staff will be provided with access to resources for teaching or studying in Welsh.

Branch officer Sioned Roberts will also work with both institutions to champion the use of the Welsh language in everyday business.

The aim is to explore progression routes from further education at Coleg Cambria to higher education at Wrexham Glyndwr University and other Welsh universities where study can be completed entirely in Welsh.

A combined total of more than 30,000 students study at Wrexham Glyndwr University and Coleg Cambria.

Sioned said: Its great to see in this particular branch a partnership approach to Welsh language provision between Wrexham Glyndwr University and Coleg Cambria.

More students than ever before study through the medium of Welsh, and a more substantial part of their courses than ever before are provided through the medium of Welsh.

Coleg Cymraeg has the resources and support networks in place to enable both organisations to develop their Welsh language provision.

Currently, it is possible to study more than 1000 courses entirely or partly through Welsh at universities in Wales.

Professor Maria Hinfelaar, Vice-Chancellor of Wrexham Glyndwr University, said: We are delighted to welcome Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol to Wrexham Glyndwr University.

North East Wales is a part of Wales which because of geography perhaps doesnt have as much Welsh spoken in everyday life. We need to make that little bit extra effort to make sure Welsh speakers are catered for equally.

Andrew Parry, head of Welsh language and affairs at Wrexham Glyndwr University, added: In Wales we are very proud of our language and traditions. The call for Welsh language education has grown substantially in Wrexham over the last few years and many employers see great advantages in having bilingual employees.

The higher education sector has also seen a great increase in the number of students studying through the medium of Welsh. As a result of this initiative with Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol the university should be able to allow students to progress from further to higher education studying all through the medium of Welsh.

The university has a great tradition in Welsh medium education with Cartrefle providing many lectures in Welsh. That provision has gone but we have an opportunity to restore it.
Wrexham Volunteers Supporting Ugandan Health Project

This article is old - Published: Saturday, Nov 26th, 2016

A Wrexham charity is making a profound difference to the lives of young girls and women living in Uganda.

Volunteers from Wrexham-based Teams4U have engaged with students and parents at a school in Eastern Uganda, encouraging girls to stay in education.

Every year thousands of girls in Uganda drop out of education because of a lack of sanitary solutions. The Develop with Dignity Project, run by Wrexhams Teams4U, is helping the problem by visiting schools and providing packs of reusable sanitary pads to girls aged between 13 and 19.

The project also provides information on HIV/AIDS and cervical screening.

In total, 1,500 volunteers have been trained from across the region, helping promote community health and hygiene and preventing outbreaks of diarrhoea and cholera.

Teams4Us work has been supported by the Welsh Governments Wales for Africa programme. This supports and encourages people in Wales to make a difference in sub Saharan Africa, with the greatest concentration of activity centred in Eastern Uganda.

Over the last 10 years over 500 projects across sub Saharan Africa have originated and been supported by people from Wales.

Wrexham AM Lesley Griffiths is a long-time supporter of Teams4U and its founder, Dave Cooke. She said: Many people will be unaware of the strong link between Wales and Africa, which is supported by the Welsh Government and is helping people reach their potential.

Volunteers from Wrexham and Wales are having a positive impact on the lives of some of the most vulnerable people in the world, teaching young people about sexual and reproductive health and testing everyone for HIV.

I am proud our town is being represented by Teams4U. The charitys volunteers are working alongside local people and making a genuine, lasting difference to young women and their community.
Suspense is finally over as Nawaz Sharif government appoints Lieutenant General Qamar Javed Bajwa as Army Chief.

By India Today Web Desk: Reports from Pakistan suggest that the Nawaz Sharif government has appointed Lieutenant General Qamar Javed Bajwa as the Chief of Army Staff (COAS).

A Geo TV report says that a notification announcing appointment of the Lt General Bajwa as the Army Chief is expected soon.

Meanwhile, Lieutenant General Zubair Mahmood Hayat has been appointed Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJSC).

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Outgoing Army Chief General Raheel Sharif is due to retire on November 29 after completing his three-year term.

READ| Raheel Sharif says Pakistan will teach India an unforgettable lesson

WHO IS LT GENERAL QAMAR JAVED BAJWA





Lieutenant General Qamar Javed Bajwa is presently serving as the Inspector General of Training and Development at the Army headquarters. The outgoing army chief General Sharif also served in the same position before being appointed as the COAS three years ago.



WATCH:



Lieutenant General Bajwa has a strong CV to become the Pakistan Army Chief. He headed the biggest army corp of Pakistan- Corp 10, which is also considered as the most important from its security point of view.

Belonging to Baloch regiment, Lieutenant General Bajwas also held the position of the chief of Force Command Northern Areas. He has served on the UN peace mission to Congo in Africa.

READ| Sharif vs Sharif in Pakistan over the next Army chief

WHO IS LT GENERAL ZUBAIR MAHMOOD HAYAT

Newly appointed CJSC, Lieutenant General Zubair Mahmood Hayat has served as the General Officer Commanding (GOC) Sialkot.

According to Geo TV report, Hayat was to lieutenant general rank in January 2013, when he was made the corps commander Bahawalpur.

By the end of the year, he was appointed as the director general of the Strategic Plans Division, which is vital for research for and development of Pakistan's nuclear weapons. The Strategic Plans Division functions as the secretariat of National Command Authority.

WATCH:





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The outlines of a post-Brexit referendum political realignment in Britain are becoming clearer, centred on efforts to forge a cross-party alliance of pro-European Union (EU) forces.

The efforts of its leading proponents to advance themselves as a progressive alternative to the pro-Brexit forces, dominated by the right wing of the Conservative Party, are exposed to devastating effect by the leading role being played by former Labour Prime Minister Tony Blair.

Last weekend, the Sunday Times reported that Blair was positioning himself to play a pivotal role in shaping Britains Brexit deal and had described Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn as a nutter and Conservative Prime Minister Theresa May as a lightweight. On Monday, Blair confirmed that he was forming a new organisation dedicated to opposing resurgent populism and returning politics to the centre-ground.

A spokesperson told the Guardian, Blairs allies say he is not seeking to become involved in Labour Party politics and that the question of a new political party remains unknowable.

Despite such denials, Blair is continuing to actively intervene in the Labour Party, while leading efforts to reach out to the Tories and Liberal Democrats. Whether or not such a cross-party alliance leads to something more permanent is the only thing that is unknowable. Blair is reported to have held discussions with former Conservative Party Chancellor George Osborne, pro-European Labour backbench MPs and the former Liberal Democrats leader, Nick Clegg.

His invocation of the centre-ground involves making an amalgam between the far left and far right, which he asserts are converging. The right attacks immigrants while the left rails at bankers, he said, speaking as if these two targets are comparable, on the supposed basis that the spirit of insurgency, the venting of anger at those in power and the addiction to simple, demagogic answers to complex problems are the same for both extremes.

The reaction to the public declaration of a political return by the most hated man in Britain was almost uniformly hostile, so that suggestions were made that a more viable vehicle for opposing Brexit might be led by Alan Milburna top Blairite whose political journey began as a member of the Pabloite International Marxist Group and includes his acting as an adviser to the previous Tory-Liberal Democrat coalition. Milburn publicly heads a group part-funded by Richard Bransons Virgin Group and other business concerns seeking to reverse the referendum result.

Tuesdays edition of the Independent reported a leaked email showing that the campaign has been months in the planning ... has heavy financial, political and corporate backing and is receiving advice and support from a host of high-level business and communications organisations.

It is backed by Sir Clive Cowdery, the insurance millionaire who funds the Resolution Foundation think tank, and Stephen Dorrell, a former Conservative Health Secretary, along with several leading Labour MPs. The newspaper understands that 1 million in funding has already been pledged to the campaign.

The Independent stressed that Blair is not directly involved in the new organisation. However, it soon became apparent that the organisational dichotomy is largely a convenient fiction so that Blairs de facto allies can take their formal distance from the politically toxic war criminal.

In an extensive interview with the New Statesman, Blair stressed that he had no intention of going back to the front line of politics. ... He tilts forward. His voice quickens even as his body language betrays frustration. I cant come into front-line politics. Theres just too much hostility, and also there are elements of the media who would literally move to destroy mode if I tried to do that 

Brexit, stressed Blair, can be stopped if the British people decide that, having seen what it means, the pain-gain, cost-benefit analysis doesnt stack up. He is clearly also the moving spirit behind the Milburn group, which is dominated by his New Labour co-thinkers.

The Guardian, which played such a leading role in the campaign to remove Corbyn as Labour leader following the June 23 referendum vote to leave the EU, has already run a number of articles using Blairs pronouncements to popularise the possibility of a second referendum. It reported the New Statesman interview under the heading, Tony Blair: Brexit could be stopped if Britons change their minds.

Accompanying the report was a subsidiary comment by Rowena Mason, asking, Can Brexit really be stopped? to which she replied, Theoretically, yes. ... At the moment, it is verging on political heresy to say the UK should not proceed with leaving the EU, because that was the democratic outcome of the referendum. However, there was nothing binding about the vote and no legal obligation for the government to pursue Brexit.

The newspaper has also launched a survey canvassing its readers on the question, Have you changed your mind about your EU referendum vote? and whether anyone is having second thoughts ...

A second referendum at this point has only minority support in Parliament, but cuts across existing party divisions. Liberal Democrats leader Tim Farron said his party would oppose invoking Article 50which begins the formal leaving processunless there was a promise of a second referendum on the deal eventually struck with EU leaders. The Telegraph cites a total of 84 MPs being willing to vote against, including 20 Labour MPs, the Scottish National Partys 54 MPs and Northern Irelands Social Democratic Labour Partys three MPs.

The figure of 20 Labourites could easily grow as the economic and political crisis following Brexit escalates. Monday saw the publication in the Guardian of a letter signed by 90 Labour MPs and Members of the European Parliament opposing a hard Brexitinvolving leaving the Single Market and the Customs Unionas a disaster for working people that would mean fewer jobs and less business investment, and would leave the British people poorer. This is not what they voted for in June.

The list is a veritable Whos Who of the Labour Party right wing and anti-Corbyn coup plotters, including the likes of Ruth Smeeth, Jess Phillips, Stephen Kinnock, Wes Streeting, John Woodcock, Chuka Umunna, Liz Kendall, Margaret Hodge and Tristram Hunt. But signatories also include Corbyns appointed Shadow Brexit Secretary Keir Starmer, Shadow Business Secretary Clive Lewis, Shadow Foreign Minister Liz McInnes and Shadow Wales Secretary Jo Stevens.

Former Tory Prime Minister Sir John Major made his own intervention, using a speech to mark the 100th anniversary of David Lloyd George becoming prime minister to state that there was a perfectly credible case for a second referendum. The 48 percent of British people who voted to remain should not be subject to the tyranny of the majority by being forced to leave the richest market mankind has ever seen.

Sensing the political shift underway, and confirming their lack of confidence in Mays premiership, 60 Tory MPs have insisted that Brexit means hard Brexit and leaving the Single Market and the customs union.

The European Research Group faction is led by John Whittingdale, Iain Duncan Smith, Michael Gove, Peter Lilley and John Redwood. Its strident demands forced Mays chancellor Philip Hammond onto the defensive. He told ITVs Peston on Sunday that the group was wrong to pose the issue as being in or out of the customs union, with no decision to be made before triggering Article 50 next March.

We dont think the best way to approach this is to assume there are fixed existing structuresthe single market, the customs union, and all you have is a binary choice in relation to those, said Hammond.
At least 74 building workers were killed on November 24 after 70-metre high scaffolding collapsed inside a cooling tower at a state-owned power plant project at Yichun city in Chinas Jiangxi province.

While no official statement has been released about what caused the disaster, the China Daily said a tower crane collapsed, triggering the disintegration of the entire construction platform at about 7:30 a.m., during a shift change.

According to news reports, 90 percent of the sites workforce lost their lives in the disaster, Chinas worst building accident in the past two years. Most victims were low-paid migrant workers from Hebei province in northern China. The youngest was just 23 years-old.

Video footage and photographs screened by CCTV, the state broadcaster, showed massive piles of twisted metal and debris, and scores of workers, many forced to use their bare hands, attempting to locate victims. Police have taken 17 people into custody over the accident but provided no information about their identities.

The cooling tower was part of a $US10 billion project to build two 1,000-megawatt coal-fired power units at the site. The state-owned Jiangxi Ganneng power company expected construction, which began in July 2015, to be completed by early 2018.

According to the China Daily, the Jiangxi Ganneng corporation launched a Work Hard for 100 Days campaign in September, urging workers to speed up construction. Thursdays disaster came just over 70 days into the new productivity regime.

The GB Times web site reported that Hebei Yinen Tower Engineering Ltd, the principal contractor on the project, has been involved in several construction accidents in recent years. Unnamed experts suggested that the disaster was caused by the use of lower grade materials and the lack of proper safety inspections.

Tsinghua-Gammon Construction Safety Research Centre director Fang Dongping told the South China Morning Post today: In China, you seldom see builders who are not rushing to get projects done. The faster companies promise to complete them, the more likely they are to be awarded the contracts.

President Xi Jinping, Premier Li Keqiang and provincial government officials issued perfunctory statements calling for improved safety. Chinas State Administration of Work Safety chief Yang Huanning said there would be an investigation and the lessons of the accident would be learnt to expose the hidden dangers in the workplace. Such comments, routinely issued after every industrial disaster, are worthless.

Tens of thousands of Chinese workers are killed in their workplaces each year. In 2015, over 66,000 people died in industrial accidents at an average of 181 deaths per day. This massive death toll is not simply the result of accidentsunpredictable and unavoidable eventsbut the deliberate avoidance of basic safety procedures in order to cut costs, boost output and drive up profits.

Corruption is rife, with health and safety rules largely ignored, and workplace inspections rare. Whenever a major accident occurs, a few officials or managers are scapegoated and the underlying reasons for the disaster are either censored or brushed aside, so that similar practices continue.

In August 2014, a metal dust explosion at a car parts factory in eastern China killed at least 75 people and injured more than 18 others. Last year, the Chinese port city of Tianjin was rocked by two massive blasts, killing at least 173 people and injuring hundreds of others (see: The Tianjin explosions and the discrediting of capitalism).

Last month, an industrial explosion hit Xinmin township in Shaanxi province, killing over 14 people , injuring more than 150 and leaving a crater several metres deep. The blast was reportedly caused by improperly stored construction chemicals. Earlier this month, over 30 miners were killed in a series of mine explosions and cave-ins.

The deaths of more than 70 building workers at the Jiangxi power-station construction site occurred on the same day that former head of the State Administration of Work Safety, Yang Dongliang, was placed on trial for allegedly accepting bribes. Yang said in court he took bribes and gifts worth 28.5 million yuan ($US4.1 million) while head of the governments work safety agency.

While Yang is to be made an example, his conduct is emblematic of the corruption and profiteering that riddles the entire capitalist regime in China.
President-elect Donald Trumps cabinet of billionaires, religious fundamentalists and militarists is emerging as the most right-wing in US history. His nominee for secretary of education, long-time Republican fundraiser Betsy DeVos, is no exception.

Politically and personally, DeVos personifies the oligarchic and rapacious American ruling class.

For 10 years, DeVos led an organization that calls for the reinstatement of child labor. From 1995 to 2005, she sat on the Board of Directors for the Acton Institute and has given $1.28 million to support the organization since 2000.

A November 3, 2016 blog post by the Acton Institute is titled: Work is a gift our kids can handle. The blog argues that turn of the 20th century photographs of young children with their faces covered in coal dust from mining represent the faces of those who are actively building enterprises and cities, using their gifts to serve their communities, and setting the foundation of a flourishing nation, in turn.

The article quotes another recent pro-child labor article noting that being a child coal miner is an exciting life and that if kids were allowed to work and compulsory school attendance was abolished, the jobs of choice would be at Chick-Fil-A and Walmart. And they would be fantastic jobs too 

For decades, DeVos has been involved in a conspiracy to abolish public education and turn it into a cash cow for her billionaire private school and charter school profiteer friends. She has established a network of shadow groups whose purpose is to lobby for transferring billions of dollars from public education into the pockets of the ultra-wealthy.

In 1993, DeVos led the Education Freedom Fund, an organization aimed at spreading propaganda advocating replacing public schools with private, religious and for-profit schools. We are very strong proponents of fundamentally changing the way we approach education, DeVos told a Christian radio station in 2001.

In 2003, DeVos founded All Children Matter, which has spent millions of dollars buying politicians support for privatizing public schools. In 2004, DeVos helped launch the Alliance for School Choice, and in 2010 she founded another privatization group, the American Federation for Children.

DeVoss record parallels Trumps campaign promise to divert tens of billions of dollars from Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, which go exclusively to schools in impoverished areas, to vouchers that would provide a cash windfall for for-profit charter corporations.

Devoss political orientation reflects the anti-social interests of the aristocratic milieu on whose behalf she speaks.

She is the heiress of her billionaire industrialist father Edgar Princes fortune. Her brother, Erik Prince, is the founder of Blackwater USA (since renamed as Academi), the mercenary firm that murdered 17 Iraqi civilians at Nisour Square, Baghdad in 2007. Her husband, Richard DeVos, is the billionaire heir of the Amway corporation fortune who spent tens of millions of dollars of personal wealth running a failed campaign for Governor of Michigan in 2006.

Both Betsy and Richard DeVoss parents belong to a class of religious zealots who have donated vast sums of money to oppose same-sex marriage and abortion rights.

In the book Dark Money: The Hidden History of the Billionaires Behind the Rise of the Radical Right, author Jane Mayer described the role of the DeVos family: Starting in 1970, they began to direct at least $200 million into virtually every branch of the New Rights infrastructure, from think tanks like the Heritage Foundation to academic organizations such as the Intercollegiate Studies Institute, which funded conservative publications on college campuses.

In 1997, Betsy DeVos penned a column in the Washington DC publication Roll Call which defended the aristocratic privilege of the wealthy to dominate government:

I know a little something about soft money, DeVos wrote, as my family is the largest single contributor of soft money to the national Republican Party. I have decided, however, to stop taking offense at the suggestion that we are buying influence. Now I simply concede the point. They are right. We do expect things in return.

DeVos is worth billions of dollars and owns several mansions located throughout the United States. She owns a 22,000 square foot palace on Lake Macatawa in Holland, Michigan, which has 13 porches, 10 bedrooms, eight dishwashers, and three garages.

The family owns two other mansions in the Western Michigan towns of Grand Rapids and Ada. In 2011, DeVos purchased two more mansions in Florida, where she keeps her 164-foot Westport Yacht. A society pages article from a Vero Beach newspaper notes that Busy Betsys yacht has six staterooms made of the finest cabinetry, stone and leathers, and a salon which opens to a large covered aft deck with lounge, wet bar and conversation areas for entertaining.

This is the individual who has been appointed to run the department charged with overseeing the schooling of over 70 million children enrolled in public schools.

Despite the fact that Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton defeated Trump in the popular vote by over 2 million, the Democratic establishment has been relatively mum on DeVoss appointment. The New York Times wrote that the nomination of DeVos could blunt criticism that his early picks came from a homogeneous bloc of older, white men. Times columnist David Leonhardt wrote Thursday: For anyone who still has an open mind about the politics of education, though, Id urge a nuanced, wait-and-see reaction.

Such is the response of the semi-official Democratic Party press to a billionaire aristocrat who may dismantle the 150-year-old public education system, abolish compulsory school attendance, and force the children of tens of millions of workers to spend their childhoods toiling as their great-great grandparents did over a century ago.

It underscores the fact that, while a Trump administration will vastly escalate the attack on schools, public education reform has been a hallmark of the Democratic Party, with the Obama administration overseeing the dismantling of public schools, the expansion of for-profit charters and the elimination of hundreds of thousands of education jobs.
Workers at the former General Electric appliance factory in Louisville, Kentucky rejected by a wide margin Tuesday a proposed contract imposing significant concessions. The vote was 2,6031,005 to reject by members of Communications Workers of AmericaInternational Union of Electrical Workers (CWA-IUE) Local 83761 at the factory, which is now owned by the Chinese-based Haier Group. The company bought GE Appliances in June of this year.

The proposed deal would create a two-tier pay scale, with new hires making just $12 an hour. Current employees now start at the near poverty wage of $15.52 and have not had raises in years. The contract would have increased health care co-pays and given current workers $5,500 in three cash payments through 2019. It changes work practices so that new openings would no longer be filled on the basis of seniority, but at management discretion.

The proposed contract also contained an early retirement plan, aimed at replacing older, more highly paid workers with much cheaper new hires.

The GE Appliances factory in Louisville employs some 6,000 workers, of whom about 4,000 are covered under the IUE-CWA agreement. The company also operates factories in Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama and Mexico. The Louisville facility is the only unionized plant in the group.

Figures released before the sale showed that GE Appliances is highly profitable. It had earnings before interest and taxes of $540 million in 2015, up from $400 million the previous year. It had some $6.3 billion in revenue in 2015.

Despite the companys overall profitability, management claims the Louisville operations are losing money. In August it closed a refrigerator plant in Bloomington, Indiana. The shutdown cost the jobs of 301 hourly and 27 salaried workers. The IUEthe union at the Indiana plantorganized no opposition to the shutdown, merely holding talks over terms of severance.

GE Appliances workers contacted by the Louisville Insider said they were angry over the terms of the concessions agreement brought back by the union. Marc Mammone, a material handler, said that health insurance costs would eat up most of the $5,500 payment, and at the end of the contract the workers would still be making the same wage.

April Key told the Insider that she had worked for GE for nearly five years and still made just over $15 an hour. She said she could not face going without a raise due to increases in expenses related to her two children ages 11 and 14.

Workers agreed that adding a lowertier wage level would pit older workers against new hires, who would be forced to do the same work for far less money. They pointed out that $12 an hour was not a living wage and would qualify many workers for public assistance.

In response to the rejection vote by Louisville workers, management issued a statement saying it was extremely disappointed with the result. It warned that jobs could be at stake declaring, A workforce that is unwilling to change to improve our operations and cost position could deter future investment in Appliance Park. It continued, While it is our desire to continue to manufacture at the Park, we cannot do it to the detriment of our customers and the overall business.

In a letter to workers before the vote, Chip Blankenship, president and CEO of GE Appliances, insisted the company had to slash costs. Being more competitive and improving our productivity, quality and flexibility will help us offer our products at prices in line with competitors and at levels that drive greater volume and sales, which will help improve job security and the continue legacy of Appliance Park.

In comments to the Wall Street Journal, Dana Crittendon, president of the union local at the plant, spelled out his essential agreement with management, while lamenting the rejection vote. Crittendon told the Journal, It was a tough contract to try to get passed through the membership.

They felt that it was disgrace to bring another tier in at $12 an hour, when here in Louisville on every street corner theres a sign for temporary jobs paying $14 or $15 an hour.

However, Crittendon did not indicate the union planned to call a strike. Instead he said he would try to meet again with the company in order to keep the company competitive in a tough marketand also keep the jobs here in Louisville.

Haier Group is one of Chinas largest companies and is the worlds largest appliance manufacturer. It paid $5.4 billion for GE Appliances and acquired the right to use the GE brand name for 40 years. GE had been seeking to sell its appliance division since 2008 in order to focus on software, healthcare, and heavy industry.

The vote by GE Appliances workers continues a wave of contract rejections and strikes over the past several months, including by Jim Beam workers in Kentucky, Libbey Glass workers in Ohio, Minnesota nurses, Pennsylvania State University faculty and Philadelphia transit workers. All these struggles were sabotaged and shut down by the unions.

Earlier this year the CWA isolated and betrayed a powerful strike by nearly 40,000 Verizon workers on the East Coast. The sellout deal ultimately accepted by the union imposed significant increases in health care costs and left many workers victimized.

GE workers in Louisville should take particular note of the strike by some 700 workers at Momentive Performance Materials plants in Ohio and upstate New York. These workers are continuing a strike after voting in early November overwhelmingly against a proposed three-year contract recommended by the IUE-CWA. The main issue is managements proposed cuts to health care, beyond what had already been imposed in previous contracts. The company wants to shift workers into a high deductible plan in line with the pattern set by Obamacare and end health and welfare benefits for future retirees.

The company was previously owned by GE, but was purchased by the Apollo Global Management private equity firm in 2006. Management is continuing operations using strikebreakers at the plants, which make industrial sealants, adhesives and water repellents. Three strikers have reportedly been fired for alleged picket-line infractions.

However, the IUE-CWA is keeping the strike isolated to wear down the resistance of workers. There has been no effort to stop strikebreakers, despite the evident militancy of the workers, and no fight to mobilize broader support in the working class for the Momentive strikers.
After being locked out for more than six months, workers at the Honeywell Aerospace factory in South Bend, Indiana voted down the latest contract offer from the multi-billion dollar firm earlier this month. The workers courageously defied the gang-up of Honeywell and the United Auto Workers union, which hoped the exhaustion of unemployment benefits and isolation of their struggle by the UAW would be enough to break the will of rank-and-file workers who are fighting sweeping health care, pension and wage concessions.

On May 9, Honeywell locked out the 317 workers at its aircraft wheel and brake factory in South Bend after they voted 9-to-1 to reject the companys best and final offer. Another 41 workers who make steel brake pads at Honeywells Green Island, New York plant, near Albany, were also locked out.

The original UAW-backed deal included demands for sharp increases in out-of-pocket health care costs for active and retired workers, cuts in pensions and the further subcontracting out of work. The wage offer included an insulting 2 percent raise and the continuation of the hated two-tier wage system.

Honeywell International, which produces components for commercial and defense aircraft and automobiles, along with climate control systems, is highly profitable. Over 10 years, its stock price has quadrupled to $115 per share. Its CEO, David Cote, who was paid $34.5 million last year and cashed in another $36 million in stock options, is in line for a $168 million pension when he is replaced next year.

On November 12 workers rejected a revised offer, which company officials said had been drawn up with the UAW. After working very closely with your union representatives, we were extremely disappointed Local 9 rejected the companys latest comprehensive offer, a letter from company executives said. It added that this was the companys best offer and it will not get richer.

The letter acknowledged that the UAW had agreed to changes to overtime and the deal had been based on the unions proposal to eliminate overtime payments after working eight hours a day. Instead Honeywell workers will only be paid time-and-a-half after working more than 40 hours in a week. During Obamas 2009 restructuring of GM and Chrysler, the UAW agreed to similar terms, which have sanctioned workdays of 10 hours or more at straight time undermining the health and family lives of workers.

Our offer is fair, reasonable and consistent with what other U.S. unions within Honeywell have already approved, including another UAW local in Michigan and your colleagues in Green Island, the letter notes, concluding, At this point, there are no further negotiation sessions scheduled. We know these are difficult decisions, but your opportunity to return to work depends on a ratified agreement.

While Local 9 officials brought the deal back without recommendation, it is clear that the UAW, and particularly the International union executives, were pushing for ratification.

The contract we just voted on was overwhelmingly rejected, said Mike, a veteran Honeywell worker, who spoke to the World Socialist Web Site. The company did not change its offer and its clear they just want to starve us out. Im not going back. I dont want to work for an employer that treats its employees horribly.

The UAW International came in and said there was not much they could do. They said we should consider voting in favor of the companys offer. Ill never work for a union shop again. Im not anti-unionmy father and grandfather were UAW members at Budd Wheel in Gary, Indianabut they are not representing us.

The UAW has talked workers into screwing the future workers with these tiered wages, which are everywhere now. Youre working side-by-side with another worker making $10 less an hour than you. The UAW says this is necessary to save our jobs, but it is never ending. The young workers are also being stripped of pensions.

The greed of this company is obvious. Honeywell knows you cant find a non-skilled job that pays $18 an hour any more. A general laborer around here only gets $12 to $13 an hour. At the same time, Honeywells CEO made $14,000 every hour last year.

The Honeywell lockout is part of the long-standing corporate offensive against the wages, health care and pension benefits, which was accelerated by the Obama administration in the aftermath of the 2008 financial crash.

From his first days in office Obama cultivated the closest relations with Fortune 500 executives and his chief domestic initiativethe Affordable Care Actis designed to dismantle the long-established system of employer-paid health care and shift the cost of medical coverage to workers.

Honeywells David Cote was the most frequent CEO visitor to Obamas White House, having turned up more than 50 times, according to White House logs. In January 2009, Cote introduced Obamas stimulus package in a White House speech and the Honeywell boss was subsequently appointed to serve on Obamas bipartisan Deficit Commission, which proposed savage cuts to Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security. He also sits on Obamas corporate competitiveness boardthe Advanced Manufacturing Partnershipalong with other corporate executives and the president of the United Steelworkers union, Leo Gerard.

Honeywell is using Obamacare to force us to pay a $5,000 deductible before a couple can get any medical care covered by insurance, Mike told the WSWS. I would have to pay up to $13,500 out-of-pocket expenses every year, and it would be far more for family coverage. You can get better coverage at Bed, Bath and Beyond. Honeywell even wants to reduce payments for short-term disability from 60 percent down to 30 percent.

Honeywell is using Obamas Cadillac Tax to make us pay more. They took the governments proposal and added $2,500 to it. The UAW was partners with Obama and they supported this.

While Honeywell workers remain determined, the UAW and other unions are systematically isolating their struggle. The United Steelworkers has ordered its 150 members to remain on the job at Honeywells nuclear fuel production and uranium processing plant in Metropolis, Illinois. Honeywell locked out workers at that facility for eight months in 2014-2015, following a 13-month lockout in 2010-11. During the lockout Obama took Cote along with him on a trip to India to open up new markets for US-based transnational corporations.

The Democrats should be protecting union workers, said Mike, who added that he voted for Obama in 2008 but lost faith in him by 2012, and voted for Trump two weeks ago because the status quo is not working out.

I hated both of the candidates but I saw Trump as the lesser of two evils. Clinton is for Obamacare. Im sick of this global BS. Honeywell has opened a wheel factory in China and is now looking at India, he said.

The fact that workers like Mike were susceptible to the American First propaganda of Trump is entirely due to the anti-working class policies of the Democrats and the betrayals of unions like the UAW, which have long promoted anti-Asian and anti-Mexican nationalism to cover up their collusion with the corporate bosses.

Eighty years ago, rank-and-file workers, led by socialists and left-wing militants, organized a sit-down strike at the Bendixnow Honeywellplant in South Bend that paved the way for the establishment of the UAW as a mass industrial union. A renewal of mass struggles is inevitable but today that will take the form of a rebellion against the pro-company UAW and its nationalist program, which blocks American workers from unifying with their class brothers and sisters around the world against global firms like Honeywell International.
Modi began the day by participating in an hour-long yoga session with Director General of Police (DGPs) and Inspector General of Police (IGPs) and other senior officials.

By Ashish Pandey: Prime Minister Narendra Modi who is in Hyderabad, attended 51 DGP and IGP conference today morning and participated in yoga exercise with top cops of the country at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Police Academy.

PM arrived in Hyderabad on Friday evening and spent a night at Rajasthan Bhavan of National Police Academy.

Modi began the day by participating in an hour-long yoga session with Director General of Police (DGPs) and Inspector General of Police (IGPs) and other senior officials.

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MODI PAYS TRIBUTE TO SARDAR VALLABHBHAI PATEL

He also paid tributes to India's first home minister Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and the police martyrs at the National Police academy.

Prime minister will be addressing the police chiefs from all Indian states and union territories as well as heads of para-military forces and Intelligence agencies during the conference.

This time, the main agenda of the conference is cross-border terrorism, radicalization, cyber crime, Left wing extremism as well as police reforms and modernisation.

RAJNATH SINGH, RIJIJU, AJIT DOVAL ALSO PARTICIPATE

Home Minister Rajnath Singh, MoS Kiren Rijiju and Hansraj Gangaram Ahir apart from Natioanl Secuirity Advisor Ajit Doval, Union Home Secretary Rajiv Mehrishi also participated in the conference which is organised by the Intelligence Bureau.

After staying for the entire day, PM Modi is scheduled to return to Delhi at 5.30 pm.

The three-day conference was inaugurated by Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday.

In his inaugural speech, Rajnath Singh said that police must not allow ultras to covert black money post demonetisation drive and said that he has asked Intelligence Bureau to prepare a report on the impact of demonetisation on terror organisations.



--- ENDS ---
The International Youth and Students for Social Equality (IYSSE) chapter at Berlin's Humboldt University (HU) is once again standing a slate of candidates for election to the Student Parliament (StuPa). On November 23, IYSSE members submitted a list of candidates to the Student Election Committee. The election will take place on January 17-18.

The IYSSE has been represented in the StuPa at Humboldt University since 2015. In last year's election, it more than tripled its vote, winning four seats.

Sven Wurm, the spokesman for the IYSSE chapter and a member of the StuPa, said after submitting the list: Our participation in the election is particularly important at this time. The election of Trump in the US is a dangerous turning point. In recent days, it has become increasingly clear that his presidency is based on national chauvinism, militarism and police violence, and raises the danger of war internationally.

Wurm noted that the ruling class in Germany had reacted to the US election with a sharp shift to the right. In her government statement this morning, Wurm said, Chancellor Angela Merkel announced a massive arming of the state at home and abroad. We have long warned and shown that the arguments and strategies for the new German war policy are being developed here at our university.

He noted that the IYSSEs efforts to alert students to the growing war danger and expose the universitys complicity in the revival of German militarism were evoking a growing response. A week ago, he said, some 100 students attended our meeting on the US elections, and two days ago, the StuPa adopted a resolution against Bundeswehr (armed forces) advertising at our university by a large majority. Many students are no longer willing to accept Humboldt University being misused to promote war propaganda.

In the coming weeks, the IYSSE will conduct an ambitious campaign of meetings and discussions, Wurm announced. Below, we publish the IYSSE statement that has been filed with the list of candidates. It will be published in the official election pamphlet, in which all participating lists will be presented.

* * *

The International Youth and Students for Social Equality (IYSSE) is taking part in the StuPa election in order to build a movement against militarism and war, the growth of social inequality and the rise of the right wing. We want to prevent Humboldt University being transformed into a centre of right-wing and militarist ideology, as was the case during the First and Second World Wars.

The election of Trump as US president marks a historic turning point. An extreme right-wing representative of the ruling class is moving into the White House, someone who surrounds himself with outright fascists and supporters of torture and dictatorship. Trumps cabinet will be the most right-wing in American history and his America first policy inevitably leads to war.

While the political establishment in the US is closing ranks behind Trump, a similar development is taking place in Europe. The German ruling elite is using Trumps victory as a pretext for advancing their plans for a more independent foreign and military policy. What is planned is a doubling of the military budget, more military missions abroad and the recruitment of thousands of new soldiers.

Universities play a central role in the ideological preparation of this policy. More than a dozen professors were involved in the drafting of the Bundeswehr White Paper. At HU, professors Jorg Baberowski and Herfried Munkler have close links to the military. While the latter demands that Berlin again act as a hegemon and disciplinarian in Europe, the former is an avowed supporter of Nazi apologist Ernst Nolte and plays down the crimes of National Socialism (Nazism). He rails against refugees and bangs the drum for law and order. For this, he garners applause from the same right-wing circles that support Trump in the US as well as the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD).

While professors such as Thomas Sandkuhler seek to suppress any criticism by students of the shift to the right, we are not willing to passively accept the preparation of war and dictatorship at our university. It was here that the National Socialist Student League was founded in 1926 and where professors such as Carl Schmitt and Konrad Meyer justified and planned the crimes of the Nazis.

Whether we like it or not, we are going back to a time that will be as turbulent and crisis-ridden as the first half of the 20th century. Everything now depends upon the construction of a new international anti-war movement. It must be based on the working class; it must be anti-capitalist; and it must have an international socialist perspective.

No more war!

Against militarism and right-wing ideologies at our university!

Scholarship, not war propaganda!
Two earthquakes off Japans northwest coast this weekTuesdays 7.4-magnitude shock and Thursdays 6.1-magnitude tremor nearbytriggered tsunami fears and injured some 20 people. Fortunately, they were much less devastating than the massive magnitude-9 quake that caused nearly 20,000 deaths and a nuclear disaster on the same coastline in March 2011.

Nonetheless, they point to the lack of remedial, planning and precautionary measures taken by successive Japanese governments since the 2011 tsunami tragedy and Fukushima nuclear plant failure. They also raise further critical questions about the potential impact of another huge earthquake and the lack of official preparations for such a catastrophe.

The two quakes, and numerous subsequent tremors, came just seven months after two major earthquakes and hundreds of aftershocks killed 42 people, injured about 1,000 and left a trail of destruction through the southern island of Kyushu in April.

All these events highlight the prevalence of earthquakes in the highly-populated country, which sits at the convergence of four tectonic plates.

Tuesdays powerful earthquake generated a tidal wave of up to 1.4 metres at Sendai, about 70 kilometres north of Fukushima, with smaller waves hitting ports elsewhere along the coast, public broadcaster NHK said. Luckily, the tsunami was not larger. Official tsunami warnings were issued but some came too late or failed to reach people.

The first tsunami wave reached the coast of Iwaki, Fukushima Prefecture, at 6:29 a.m., 30 minutes after the earthquake. The Japan Meteorological Agency issued a tsunami warning for Fukushima Prefecture at 6:02 a.m. but not for Miyagi Prefecture until 8:09 a.m.

Some panic and confusion was observed during the evacuations. In Iwaki, severe traffic congestion occurred on roads, including the Kashima Kaido prefectural highway that connects the coastal district of Onahama with inland areas.

Wednesdays Yomiuri Shimbun editorial questioned whether the authorities had learned the lessons from the 2011 disaster. [S]ome municipalities issued such notices only after the tsunami reached their areas, it reported. According to the newspapers tally, evacuation directives, advisories and preparation notices were issued for a total of more than 550,000 people in Aomori, Iwate, Miyagi, Fukushima, Ibaraki and Chiba prefectures. However, only about 12,000 people, or 2.2 percent of the total, actually evacuated to shelters.

The quake also temporarily caused a cooling system in the Fukushima Daini nuclear power plant to stop, leaving more than 2,500 spent uranium fuel rods at risk of overheating. The Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO), the utility that operates the Fukushima plants, reported that it restored the cooling pump in about an hour and a half.

Doubts remain, however, about the reliability of TEPCOs claims, given its long record of cover-ups of nuclear incidents. Two days, later, on Thursday, the company admitted that workers found large puddles of water in reactor buildings at the plant immediately after the quake. TEPCO said the puddles may have formed from water that spilled out of spent-fuel pools during the quake.

All four reactors at the Daini plant have been offline since the 2011 disaster. While the complex was engulfed by tsunami waves in 2011, it escaped a breakdown, unlike its sister Fukushima Daiichi plant. Three out of six nuclear reactors at Daiichi went into meltdown. TEPCO only admitted in February this year that it had known that a meltdown had occurred but waited two months before making the information public.

Despite TEPCOs record, the previous Democratic Party of Japan government of Naoto Kan left the company in charge of the emergency and remediation operation, a situation continued by Prime Minister Shinzo Abes current administration.

Following Tuesdays quake, nuclear experts reiterated concerns about the safety of the clean-up program at the Daiichi plant. The melted cores of three reactors have yet to be removed because they are still too radioactive for workers to approach. Since 2011, groundwater has seeped into the reactors daily. The water, contaminated by the melted fuel rods, is being treated and stored on site. So far, TEPCO has built more than 880 tanks of about 1,000 tons each.

To try to halt the flow of groundwater into the damaged buildings, the company has built an underground wall of frozen dirt more than a kilometre in length encircling the reactors. The wall is not yet fully frozen, though, and groundwater continues to ooze into the reactors. Scientists have also expressed doubts that the storage tanks or the sea walls being built around the plants could withstand a more damaging earthquake or tsunami.

All but two of the countrys 54 plants have remained closed since 2011, but the Abe government is pushing for most plants to be reopened, defying widespread public opposition. Currently, the owners of 24 other reactors are seeking restart approvals.

In Fukushima, an estimated 174,000 residents are still displaced, many living in cramped prefabricated temporary housing. The Abe government is gradually declaring sections of the 20-kilometre nuclear exclusion zone safe and habitable. But many people have refused to return to Fukushimas atomic ghost towns. For example, four months after Naraha Town was declared safe in September last year, only 6 percent of former inhabitants had moved back.

The latest quakes are another warning of a possible future calamity. In 2013, Abes government released a study showing that an earthquake of between 8 and 9 magnitude was highly likely to occur within the next 30 years in the tectonic plate boundary called the Nankai Trough, which runs just south of Tokyo, home to nearly 14 million people.

The report warned that such a quake and an accompanying 30-metre tsunami could kill 323,000 people, destroy over two million houses and cause economic losses amounting to double the annual national budget. Abe simply called on the Japanese people to be calmly and appropriately afraid.

As the World Socialist Web Site explained in Nuclear power, private ownership and the profit system published in March 2011, the construction of nuclear plants in one of the worlds most seismically active regions on the planet demonstrates two things. One is the subordination of the safety of humanity and health of the environment to the drive for profit and enrichment of executives and big shareholders.

The other is the destructive consequences of capitalisms division of the world into rival nation-states. Since its defeat in World War II, the Japanese ruling class has suppressed basic considerations of public safety in order to develop energy self-sufficiency through nuclear power. This industry also provides the essential capacity to quickly develop nuclear weapons, a possibility openly canvassed by US president-elect Donald Trump during the presidential election campaign.

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During his election campaign, Donald Trump declared that he had no plans to make substantial changes to Medicare, the government-run health insurance plan for the elderly and disabled that covers 55 million Americans. The president-elects web site now says his administration will work to modernize Medicare and allow more flexibility for Medicaid, the health care program for the poor jointly administered by the federal government and the states.

These are code words signaling the readiness of the incoming administration to work with the Republican-controlled Congress to shift Medicare from a guaranteed government program to a plan with fixed government contributionsor vouchersand to pave the way for the programs privatization and dismantlement. Medicaid is to suffer a similar fate.

House Speaker Paul Ryan (Republican of Wisconsin) has been explicit about plans to gut Medicare. Under his plan, the government would give those in traditional Medicare a fixed amount to buy insurance. This amount would be tracked to the countrys overall growth rate or another index, plus a percentage increase, but it would not keep pace with rising health care costs. Seniors would eventually pay a larger share of costs, while government costs would shrink.

In an earlier version proposed by Ryan, cost-sharingwhere the government currently pays roughly 70 percent of Medicare costs and beneficiaries pay 30 percentwould flip, leaving seniors responsible for 70 percent of costs and the government only 30 percent.

Skimpy vouchers would replace the current government guarantee, leaving traditional Medicare with a sicker, more costly insurance pool, with higher premiums. The New York Times quotes John K. Gorman, a former Medicare official who is now an insurance consultant, who said, Regular Medicare would become the province of affluent beneficiaries who can buy their way out of private plans.

The vast majority of working-class and middle-income seniors would be squeezed out of Medicare and left with narrow network Medicare Advantage plans, which are run by private corporations. Such a shift would have catastrophic consequences for the millions of seniors who rely on Medicare. They would see their access to specialist doctors and hospitals, life-saving treatments and procedures sharply curtailed, resulting in unnecessary suffering and death.

The attack on Medicare is part of a frontal assault to be carried out by the Trump administration against all that remains of the social reforms wrested by the working class from the ruling elite over the last century. None of the social programs enacted in the 1930s and 1960s, including Social Security, the government retirement program, will be outside the scope of the social counterrevolution that is being prepared.

Trump is not the initiator of this class war against working people. It has been underway for decades, beginning in earnest with the election of Ronald Reagan in 1980 and continuing under every succeeding administration, including the eight-year tenures of Democrats Bill Clinton and Barack Obama. The colossal redistribution of wealth and income from the bottom to the top of American society reached record proportions under Obama, whose legacy of falling living standards and worsening economic crisis for tens of millions of workers was a decisive factor in the victory of the fascistic demagogue and con artist Trump.

Trumps victory, however, with its shift to fortress America nationalism, signals a sharp escalation of this class war policy.

No one should take for good coin claims by House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and other congressional Democrats that they will wage a serious fight against measures to undermine Medicare. In the short period since the General Election, President Obama and the Democrats have fallen all over themselves to pledge support for the incoming administration, maintaining a cowardly silence over the fact that Trump lost the popular vote by millions of ballots. The trade union bureaucracy has likewise signaled its eagerness to work with Trump in pitting American workers against their class brothers and sisters in China, Mexico and the rest of the world.

Trumps plans for flexibility in Medicaid include transforming funding for the program into block grants for the states, in which a fixed and likely reduced grant would be provided to states to administer the health program for the poor. In those states that have expanded Medicaid under the Obama administrations Affordable Care Act (ACA), including those run by Republican governors, block grants would mean deep cuts to already meager benefits.

While Trump and the Republicans rail against the ACA, commonly known as Obamacare, and vow to repeal many of its features if not the entire program, the Ryan plan for Medicare draws on some of the ACAs most regressive features. Since Obamas signature domestic program became law in 2010, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has worked at breakneck speed to transform Medicares fee-for-service payments into a system that rewards doctors and hospitals for cutting costs.

HHS projects that nearly every fee-for-service payment to Medicare will be tied in some way to value by 2018. A recent estimate by the Congressional Budget Office anticipates a reduction in Medicare spending under Obamacare of $716 billion from 2013 to 2022.

The ferocity of the coming attacks on the basic social needs of the working classhealth care, education, decent-paying jobs, pensionsis prefigured in the gang of billionaire parasites being assembled by Trump to staff his cabinet, virtually all of whom have made their fortunes by savaging workers living standards and attacking social programs.

Billionaire Betsy DeVos, Trumps pick for secretary of education, is a leading proponent of charter schools and vouchers and vehement enemy of teachers and public education. Investor and former banker Wilbur Ross, Trumps likely pick for secretary of commerce, made his fortune through leveraged buyouts of distressed steel and coal companies. He made billions by downsizing firms, slashing wages and pensions, and selling off what remained for a hefty profit.

The incoming administration has singled out the 2.7 million US federal employees for attacks on jobs, employment security and pensions.

Millions of workers are in for a huge shock when they see the reality behind Trumps promise to Make America Great Again. The realization that they have once again been deceived by a capitalist con man will fuel the growth of social opposition.

Democratic Party politicians, on the other hand, who insisted during the election that Trump was unfit for the presidency, are now working to accommodate themselves to his agenda. It is not the wealthy upper-middle class that forms the Democrats main base of support, beyond Wall Street and the military/intelligence establishment, that will be hammered. Indeed, as the stock market surge since Trumps election indicates, they stand to make themselves even richer off of the misery of working people and youth.

This party of big business, from Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton to Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren, is a thousand times more fearful of a mass movement of the working class against capitalism than it is of Trumps ultra-right agenda.

That can be halted only by a political movement of the working class consciously directed against the entire political order and the capitalist system it defends.
More than 2,000 nurses working for Sharp Healthcare in San Diego, California are set to strike for three days beginning on Monday, after negotiations between the company and the United Nurses Association of California (UNAC) ended Friday without an agreement.

Earlier this month, an overwhelming 98 percent of nurses in the UNAC voted to reject the companys last, best, and final offer. The UNAC responded by announcing a limited three-day strike.

Sharp Healthcare is the largest health care company in the San Diego region, with approximately 11,500 employees. The company employs more people than the city of San Diego and San Diego Gas & Electric, combined. It controls two medical groups, a health plan and seven hospitals, including the expansive Sharp Memorial Hospital in Kearny Mesa.

Sharp responded to the strike threat earlier this month by saying that it was mobilizing approximately 1,000 replacement workers and rescheduling elective surgeries and other medical procedures. By law, the replacements would work five days, possibly preventing the nurses on strike from returning to work until December 3.

Nurses are opposed to understaffing, high nurse turnover and low pay.

The union has said it is seeking a twenty percent pay increase for the 1st year of a three-year contract, followed by a twelve percent increase in the subsequent two years. Sharp has proposed a pay hike of 26 percent total, but this would only affect a fraction of all the nurses. Most nurses would get a much lower wage increase that could amount to a real wage cut given rising costs.

According to the UNAC, Sharp nurses are underpaid in comparison to other hospitals in the region, with many receiving approximately $8-$16 less than their counterparts.

Understaffing at the hospital chain dramatically impacts patient safety. One recent report by the union found that Sharp has 350 fewer nurses than required to meet patient needs. Nurses complain of being overworked, often going without breaks and meals. California has a nominal minimum staff-to-patient ratio, but this minimum is not enforced at many medical institutions.

A few years ago, a man who suffered a severe head injury went missing at UCSD Medical Center and was found dead shortly after. His death was the result of the elimination of "sitter" positions that are used to monitor patients who are high-risk.



While the nurses are motivated by a genuine desire to defend their rights and the interests of their patients, the aim of the UNAC is to secure the interests of union executives while isolating nurses, demobilizing opposition and preventing a conflict with the Democratic Party. The union has kept nurses on the job for months without a contract as it negotiates behind closed doors with hospital management.

The main concern of the union was made clear by its proposal that Sharp agree to a requirement that all new nurses pay union dues or be fired. The UNAC had indicated that if the company agreed to this, then the three-day strike would be called off pending further discussions.

The unions, particularly the nurses unions in California, have made a practice of using a short-term strike to isolate specific sections of nurses. Generally, those who are on strike return to work without securing any demands, while taking wage losses for the time they were off the job.

Last year, Los Angeles Kaiser Permanente nurses struck over similar grievances. That strike, organized by the California Nurses Association and the National Nurses United, was used by the unions to secure dues-paying members when the National Union of Healthcare Workers lost official recognition at the Los Angeles Medical Center location.

This year, Minnesota nurses launched a six-week strike against Allina Health Care. After isolating the striking nurses, the Minnesota Nurses Association (MNA) rammed a contract through that increased health care costs and included paltry wage increases.

The conditions facing Sharp nurses raise basic political issues. Their struggle is bound up with the broader attack on health care, supported by both Democrats and Republicans, which is aimed at shifting costs onto patients as well as increasing the workload of nurses and other hospital workers.

In California, billions of dollars have been cut from medical services under both Democrats and Republicans. In 2004, Republican Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger slashed two billion dollars in health services, reducing or eliminating coverage for 110,000 Californians. Following the 2008 economic crisis, thousands of California medical workers lost their jobs due to budget restructuring. Just last year, Jerry Brown and the Democratic Party oversaw a reduction of 10 percent in Medi-Cal, the state-subsidized health insurance program.

As for the Obama administration, its principal domestic initiative, the so-called Affordable Care Act, requires workers to purchase subpar and high-cost health insurance, while encouraging companies to slash their own health care programs.

With the election of Donald Trump, the ruling class is planning to intensify the attack on the working class, with health care a prime target. Already there are discussions over the privatization of Medicare and major cuts to Medicaid. This will inevitably be accompanied by further attacks on the wages and benefits of nurses, along with an increase in workloads, particularly for hospitals in working-class communities.

The defense of the interests of nurses is inseparable from a fight against the entire system of corporate-controlled and profit-driven health care in the United States. For nurses to defend their interests, however, requires the formation of independent rank-and-file committees, independent of the unions, and a political struggle against both big-business parties and the capitalist system that they defend.
Chinese official media today said that PM Modi's demonetisation is a gamble and that China will draw lessons from its impact.

By Press Trust of India: Terming Prime Minister Narendra Modi's demonetisation move as "very bold", China's official media today said it was a "gamble" that would create a precedent irrespective of whether it succeeds or fails and China will draw lessons from its impact on corruption.

"Modi's move is very bold. We cannot imagine what would happen in China if the country bans its 50 and 100 yuan notes," said an editorial in the state-run Global Times titled Modi takes a gamble with money reform. 100 yuan is China's highest currency note.

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"To prevent a leak of information jeopardising the implementation of the demonetisation reform, the roll out of the plan had to be kept confidential. Modi is in a dilemma as the reform aims to render the black money useless but the process goes against the governance principle of winning support of the public before initiating a new policy," the editorial said.

FORMER PM CALLS IT AN ORGANISED LOOT



"As more than 90 per cent of transactions in India are made with cash, banning 85 per cent of the currency in circulation brings a lot of trouble to peoples daily life" sparking fierce criticism including from "former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh who termed it as organised loot", it said.

Also read: How architect of economic reforms trashed Modi's demonetisation drive



"Demonetisation can crackdown on corruption and shadow economy but it is obviously unable to solve the deeper social and political issues that help breed the aforementioned problems," the editorial said.

However, it stated that as far as the root causes of corruption exist, the problems will always resurface.

"In other words, the Modi government wishes to turn a long and arduous reform into a one-off deal," it said.

"Demonetisation is a gamble for Modi. He bet on both the execution ability of the government and the tolerance level of the Indian society, hoping that the benefits of this reform can outrun the negative social impacts and low morale," the editorial said.

Also read: How architect of economic reforms Manmohan Singh trashed Narendra Modi's demonetisation drive



WESTERN STYLE DEMOCRATIC SYSTEM LIMITS SCOPE



It asserted that the "Western-style" democratic system of India allows little room for such bold moves.

"However, he is really carrying it out, and will create a precedent no matter he succeeds or fails," it said.

"Reform is always difficult and requires more than just courage. Modi's demonetisation came with good intention but whether it can succeed depends on the efficiency of the system and the cooperation of the entire society. More and more people are growing pessimistic about the ability of Modis government to control the process," the editorial said.

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Also read: Demonetisation: Taxmen cannot impose 200 per cent penalty as IT Act lacks provision



SUCCESS BASED ON BROAD PUBLIC SUPPORT



Noting that China's reform and opening-up has been going on for nearly 40 years, the editorial said it had ups and downs but remained largely stable.

"Its success is based on broad public support," it said.

"The strong execution capabilities of the Communist Party of China are built on the consensus of the entire country. By observing India's reforms we will draw lessons, which would in turn help us understand our own reforms," it said.Also read: Demonetisation woes: Army seeks relaxation on cash deposit deadlines for jawan

--- ENDS ---
Which hashtags were the most popular on Instagram this month?

Which hashtags were the most popular on Instagram this month?

Which hashtags were the most popular on Instagram this month?

WEB WOW

HYMN FOR THE WEEKEND

There was loads of Coldplay-related anxiety this year-from astronomical ticket prices to political parties threatening to cancel the show. So it was heartening to see videos of Chris Martin singing Maa Tujhe Salaam with A.R. Rahman at the Global Citizen festival.

WEB WIN

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GIFT FROM GRANNY

When Jamal Hinton got a text inviting him to Thanksgiving from a woman who said she was 'grandma', he asked her for a picture. When Wanda sent him a selfie, Hinton told her she'd got the wrong grandson. But like all nice grandmas, she asked him to come anyway.

NET FAIL

COFFEE WITH TRUMP

A Starbuck barista allegedly refused to serve a man who voted for Donald Trump. So other supporters of the President-elect have started ordering coffees under Trump's name and posting pictures with #Trumpcup. Perhaps someone should point out that this means they're still giving Starbucks business.

WEB LOL

SIRIUSLY?

The Indian version of Siri certainly has strange tastes-it says the best actors in Indian cinema are Jaado the alien from Koi Mil Gaya and Chitti from the Rajinikanth starrer Robot. And he calls the Mangalyaan Mars Orbiter a close friend.



WEB YAWN

COLOUR ME BORED

Remember that 'controversial' split vote about the colour of a dress? Well netizens are wasting more brain cells debating the colour of a pair of flip flops. Apparently it's white and gold, but who really cares anymore?





VIRAL VIDEO

Over 5 million watched actor Eddie Redmayne explain why Hufflepuff house (at Hogwarts) is the best.

A duo explaining the differences between a $2 hotdog and a $169 hotdog shocked over 6 million.

Metallica and Jimmy Fallon played 'Enter Sandman' with classroom instruments, wowing over 8 million.

--- ENDS ---
After operating out of Pakistan for more than a decade, the leaders of Afghanistan's Taliban movement may have moved back to their homeland to try to build on this year's gains in the war and to establish a permanent presence.

If confirmed, the move would be a sign of the Taliban's confidence in their fight against the US-backed government in Kabul. It could also be an attempt by the militants to distance themselves from Pakistan, which is accused of supporting the movement.

The Taliban's leaders have been based in Pakistani cities, including Quetta, Karachi and Peshawar, since their rule in Afghanistan was overthrown in the 2001 US invasion after the 9/11 attacks.
A victim of a terror stabbing attack has spoken out against what he believes to be a lenient sentence handed down to a terrorist who stabbed and seriously wounded him just under a year ago at a gas station in Pisgat Zeev.

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I dont care whether he is a minor or not. I know that he tried to kill me, and as far as I am concerned he should sit in prison for his entire life or at least serve the maximum sentence, said the victim, Mendi Rivkin, 50, in reference to a plea bargain reached between the military prosecution and the Palestinian, who was 17 years old at the time of the stabbing.

Mendi Rivkin in the hospital after the attack (Photo: Daniel Elior)

The terrorist, will be sent to jail for 15 years and will also be required to pay Rivkin NIS 20,000 in compensation.

The attack took place in January 2016 when the terrorist opened the door to one of the restaurants at a gas station near the Giv'onim Junction on Route 436 and stabbed Rivkin twice in his upper body as he was standing there before fleeing the scene. The terrorist was then pursued by a group of civilians who witnessed the attack and apprehended.

My wife and I still suffer from the attack, and our children still suffer from shock, Rivkin, a father of five, said. At a time when Jews are frightened to walk down the street, it is unfathomable that a terrorist is released after a few years.

According to Rivkin, there is another reason that his specific attacker should be handed a harsher sentence. The terrorist is the son of one of the Hamas terrorists whose father was deported to Lebanon in Rabins time. This isnt someone who did it because of things on Facebook and he didnt operate alone, he explained. He continued in the same path as his father and grandfather. If you want to deter others you have to mete out the harshest punishment. The state needs to take responsibility and not let the terrorists off.

Over the past few months, more severe verdicts have been handed down to underage terrorists . Among them was a 16-year-old girl who carried out a stabbing attack at the Jerusalem light rail in November 2015 and sentenced to 18 years, and a 17-year-old boy who carried out a stabbing attack at IDF Square in Jerusalem, and who was stopped by Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat , who was also sentenced 18 years

Several of these cases were later settled through plea bargains with less jail time for the convicted, underage terrorists. In the case of the light rail stabber, for example, it was agreed that she would only serve 6.5 years out of the 18 she was originally sentenced to serve.

Earlier this week, attorney Hor Nizri, acting as Rivkin's legal council, petitioned the IDF Court to maintain a line of more severe sentences even for underage terrorists. "In the name of my client, we call for a harder stance in punishing terrorists and particularly in this case, as we witness a nationwide wave of terror," said Nizri.

He continued by stating, "The appropriate punishment is one that will deter and prevent future acts of terror, as time and time again we see terrorists who have been released from prison return to murdering innocent and helpless Jews, due to the cruelest, most violent and most dangerous brand of hatred that exists on earth."
The Turkish Army reported on Saturday that Turkish warplanes destroyed 12 ISIS targets while one Turkish soldier was killed in a clash with militants during an offensive in northern Syria.

Turkey and Syrian rebels are carrying out an operation to push the jihadists from the border after an air strike on Thursday killed three Turkish soldiers. The Turkish military believes the strike was carried out by the Syrian air force.

The latest Turkish air strikes and clash occurred over the last 24 hours in a Turkey-backed operation by Syrian rebels, dubbed Euphrates Shield, to drive both the jihadists and a Kurdish militia away from the Syrian side of the Turkish border.
South Sudan's government has said it is ready to accept the deployment of a UN regional protection force at any time, after fighting in the capital in July threatened to plunge the nation back into a full-scale civil war.

South Sudan has been under international pressure to accept the force, which will help the existing UN mission UNMISS stabilise the five-year-old nation, where civil conflict erupted in December 2013 and a peace deal in 2015 failed to stick.

President Salva Kiir consented in principle to the protection force in September, but officials said at the time that details still needed to be worked out. Deputy Information Minister Akol Paul Kordit reported that the cabinet agreed on outstanding issues in a ministerial meeting on Friday, although he did not list the specifics.
The residents of the village of Nataf, located in the Judean Mountains near Jerusalem, began returning on Saturday to assess the damage. Flying over head, firefighting aircrafts from Israel and those of assisting nations continued to dump water and firestop components on the open fields that remained aflame.

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"Rama's Kitchen," the restaurant of Nataf resident Rama Ben Zvi, suffered the largest amount of damage in the village, in addition to en-Zvi's home.

Rama Ben Zvi assesses the damage (Photo: Ohad Zwigenberg)

"It's just unbelievable, what happened here so quickly," muttered Ben Zvi as she looked over the ashen remnants at the site of where her restaurant once stood. She met firefighting officer Sgt. Maj. Udi Gal at there. His wife, Romi, has been an events planner at Rama's Kitchen for eight years.He said that the fire started near the Palestinian town of Qatanna, which lies near the West Bank border fence. The fire managed to reach Nataf within the hour.

Photo: Ohad Zwigenberg

"At some point, dear Udi got here and told me, 'Get out of here,'" recounted Rama. "I told him I wasn't going anywhere." She continued by saying, "He saved me. It all happened within ten minutes."

Ben Zvi's daughter, Maya, at the site of her mother's restaurant (Photo: Ohad Zeigenberg)

"I grabbed photo albums, though I didn't know what to take, what was important," she said. "I realized that I needed to get the car ready. Udi got me out of there and made sure I reached my car. When I got to the closest roundabout, I saw the flames coming closer, and all of a sudden it hit me that the restaurant was gone. My whole body began to shake and I started crying."

Tomer Niv, the restaurant's chef, described the events leading to Friday night's evacuation. "We were having a wedding and found out about the fire at around two-thirty (am- ed.). At three, we told our clients to leave, because we were afraid the access road would be blocked. We moved away the gas containers and then at four, it all happened in the span of ten minutes. Just one hellish fire."

"We tried to stop it, but there was no chance of that. There were fire trucks and firefighters with a water hose, but the flames were 20 meters high. What burned down here was something that was precious to all of us, and we're still trying to process everything. I can't really tell you what I'm feeling right now."

Do you think you'll reopen?

"My gut tells me we will," said Niv, though he stressed that this was something for Rama to decide.

The structure of a plant nursery located next to the restaurant was lightly damaged in the fire. However, its manager Pnina Baumheft, said that she fears the damage they intense heat might have caused the plants inside might have caused them irreparable damage.

"I'm not going to break down and cry now, but it really breaks your heart. We always fight for it when it's dry or damaged here, but what are we going to do now? I have no idea if the plants will survive, they were hit by such an extreme heat. I don't know what those airplanes have been spraying, whether it's poisonous to the plants."

She referred to rumors that began circulating ever since the fires broke out, claiming that they were result of arson. "When we heard it was caused by a Molotov cocktail, that was the hardest. People from Qatanna come here to work. I'm not blaming anyone, but to throw a Molotov cocktail at us? It's sad, breaks your heart, I hope people will manage to get over this."

Sivan Porat Ronkin, who has been residing in Nataf for nine years, lives three houses down from the plant nursery. "I managed to get back here at 11 at night. We were updated about what was happening in there and knew that the situation over at Rama's wasn't good, but that the men who stayed behind were fighting the fire and fighting for the houses. It's really sad and painful." She added that "We're all one big family here. We'll help Rama rebuild. This village has good sides to it, and one of them is helping one another out."
The European Parliament's top Brexit negotiator backed the idea of individual European Union memberships for Britons who want to stay in the bloc in an interview published on Saturday.

Former Belgian Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt, a European federalist and arch-foe of eurosceptics said there were legal obstacles - but in principle he supported individual EU memberships for Britons, paid by annual fee.

"Many say 'we don't want to cut our links'. I like the idea that people who are European citizens and saying they want to keep it have the possibility of doing so," he told the Times. "The truth is that Brussels will try every trick in the book to stop us leaving."
The IDF Spokespersons Unit issued a statement on Saturday, saying that during a joint mission of the IDF and Shin Bet, more than ten Palestinians have been arrested on suspicions linking them to the recent fires that have been springing up all over Israel.

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The news comes after rumors have circulating that Palestinians teams have been responsible for at least part of the fires from the last five days. The Israel Police announced that it has arrested 23 arson suspects, while it currently suspects that more than 30 persons were invovled in such activity.

A Palestinian suspect of arson (Photo: Ziv Birman of the Nature and Parks Authority)

A burnt building at Ma'ale Adumim (  )

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The IDF overtook three suspects near the Palestinian village of Dir Kadis on Friday night. They were found along with two full tankards of gas, an empty tankard, a sack full of cloth, gloves and lighters in a car.





Lighting fluid found with suspects of arson (Photo: Ziv Birman of the Nature and Parks Authority)

Photo: Ziv Birman of the Nature and Parks Authority

Earlier, the IDF worked with Israel Police apprehended a suspect identified by a forest ranger as setting fire to the brush northwest of the Palestinian village of Batir.

Meanwhile, the Israeli Air Force managed to capture two suspects who were seen by a surveillance plane above the village of Beit Meir in the Jerusalem Hills.

IDF Air Force and ground troops overtake arson suspect

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Israeli Air Force capturing an arson suspect

Though the initial concern was that the two were looking to commit arson out of nationalistic motives, after they were arrested, they were found to be known to the police to be part of a band of thieves. As such, the police began investigating whether the forest fire was caused due to security forces using equipment to light the way during the chase.
Twenty-one firefighting planes aided Israel in fighting the fires that swept the country. Saturday, planes from Turkey were documented drew water off the coast of Netanya, and other country's similar efforts were also recorded over Haifa and the Jerusalem Mountains, including the American Supertanker, the largest aerial firefighting craft in the work, which helped extinguish the blaze in Nataf.

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Supertanker fights fire in Jerusalem Mountains (:  ,  )

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The first planes that reached Israel from abroad were three from the Hellenic Republic. Greek Maj. Stelios Kokoridis, a pilot who had previously fought fires in Israel during the 2010 Carmel conflagration, said, "We're dumping water from a height of 30 meters, and at this height, we see the people and understand that we're really saving their lives. And there's no better feeling than that. We fought fires in Israel with the same determinedness with which we fight fires in Greece. I feel like I'm fighting a fire in my home, as if I'm now in Greece. It's always good to help a friend in trouble; it's a shame that we meet each other in bad times like this."

Greek firefighting plane

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Greek plane

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Immediately after the Greek came three planes from Turkey, two from Italy and one from Cyprus. Russia sent two Beriev Be-200 planes capable of carrying 12 tons of water that began operations Friday morning and took part in extinguishing the blazes around Natal and Nahf.

Friday, a C-130J Super Hercules military transport aircraft belonging to the Cypriot Air Force brought some 70 Cypriot firefighters to aid Israeli efforts. They landed on Saturday morning and were dispersed to various burning locations.

Russian plane X

Two planes from Croatia and also planes from Azerbaijan and Ukraine worked in the area of fires in Neve Ilan and Nataf. Egypt sent two firefighting helicopters.

Aiding Israel (Photos: AFP, Motti Kimchi, Nature and Parks Authority)

Firefighting plane over Haifa

Foreign firefighting plane over Haifa

Egyptian firefighting helicopter over Tel Aviv en route to a fire (Photo: Motti Kimchi)

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Spain also sent planes, and Belarus, Britain, Bulgaria, Czechia, Georgia, Portugal, Romania and Switzerland all offered their assistance.

The American Supertanker, a Boeing 747-400, came from Colorado Springs in the US. It took off from Ben Gurion Airport shortly after 3pm and remained in the air for about two hours. It took off towards the north, circled over the sea for about 40 minutesduring which time the Israel Police and firefighting services argued over employing itthen flew south and turned towards Jerusalem. It dumped flame retardant in the Nataf forest before returning to Ben Gurion. The Supertanker being the only aircraft capable of fighting fire at night, the other air crews return to Tel Aviv hotels overnight.





Plane in Nataf area (Photo: AFP)

Ukrainian airplane in Nahf area (Photo: Firefighting and Rescue Services)

Turkish plane collecting water off coast of Netanya (Photo: AFP)

Aid from Turkey (Photo: AFP)

Turkish plane collecting water off coast of Netanya (Photo: AFP)

Firefighting in Nahf area (Photo: AFP)

Supertanker in action near Nataf (Photo: AFP)

Supertanker in action near Nataf (Photo: AFP)

Palestinian firefighters after helping to extinguish Nahf fire (Photo: AFP)

Saturday evening, three planes and a firefighting team arrived from France.

Some of the foreign firefighting aircraft are capable of filling their tanks with seawater directly from the Mediterranean. The Israeli planes, contrarily, are only able to take off and land on runways, as they were original agricultural spraying aircraft.





Palestinian firefighters who aided in Sha'ar HaGai (Photo: Omri Efraim)

Cypriot firefighters and their military transport (Photo: IDF Spokesperson's Unit)

Cypriot firefighters en route to Israel (Photo: IDF Spokesperson's Unit)

Help from Cyprus (Photo: IDF Spokesperson's Unit)

The Palestinian Authority sent eight firefighting teams that helped in the north and Jerusalem Mountains. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu telephoned Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas Friday night to thank him for sending the personnel and fire trucks.
By PTI: Islamabad, Nov 26 (PTI) Pakistan has approved Russias request to use the strategic Gwadar Port for its exports, signalling a new alignment in bilateral relations after decades of sour ties during the Cold War era.

Following Iran and Turkmenistan, Russia has also decided to use the Gwadar Port for trade to have an access to warm waters, a top Pakistani official privy to the development was quoted as saying by Geo News.

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"On top of it, Russia also wants to join the USD 46 billion China Pakistan Economic Corridor to reap the maximum dividends. In addition, Russia aspires to develop strategic defence ties with Pakistan," the daily said.

Pakistan decided to broaden its foreign policy options after its relations with the US deteriorated following secret CIA raid in Abbottabad that killed al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden in May 2011.

Its relations with the US were soured recently when US lawmakers blocked funds for the sale of eight Lockheed Martin Corporation?s F-16 fighter jets to Pakistan.

Pakistan is eager to improve its ties with Russia to diversify its defence purchase options in the event of any stalemate in ties with Washington, experts say.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, who is on a two-day visit to Turkmenistan, said that he welcomed the Russias interest in becoming part of the CPEC and maintained that Pakistan would welcome participation of any country in the gigantic project.

He told journalists that many countries wanted to join CPEC as half of the world would benefit from the project.

China and Pakistan are building the nearly 3,000-km-long economic corridor linking Gwadar port on the Arabian Sea with Muslim-majority Xinjiang province to improve connectivity between the two countries.

The move would open up a new and cheaper cargo route for transporting oil to China as well as export of Chinese goods to the Middle East and Africa.

Sharif also announced building railways, road and fiber-optic along with Turkmenistan-Pakistan-Afghanistan-India (TAPI) 1,680-kilometer-long gas pipeline to enhance connectivity between South Asia and Central Asia.

He said that TAPI would supply 400 billion cubic feet gas to the three member states in which Pakistan?s share would be three hundred billion feet of gas.

Sharif said TAPI, which is the largest gas project in the region, would help meet the gas demand in Pakistan.

In the Turkmen capital, Sharif announced today Pakistans decision to join the Ashgabat Agreement and the Lapis Lazuli Corridor.

The Ashgabat agreement is a transport agreement between Oman, Iran, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan and seeks to create an international transport and transit corridor.

The Lapis Lazuli Corridor seeks to foster transit and trade cooperation between Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey by reducing barriers facing transit trade. PTI PMS ZH PMS

--- ENDS ---

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Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon detailed the first stage of his earlier promise to compensate those whose homes were damaged in the recent wave of fires across Israel from the Property Tax Compensation Fund, declaring in Haifa on Saturday evening that 2,500 shekels per person who is unable to return home will be immediately provided by the state

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The minister's comments come after it was clarified that, despite the unusually dry weather and strong winds, the majority of the fires were caused by arson. Kahlon was in Haifa to attend a working meeting in the municipality's situation room.

Burnt family home in Haifa (Photo: Avihu Shapira)

The immediate compensation is available to Israelis across the country who cannot return home due to fire damage and is allocated per person, not familyso a four-person family would receive initial, one-time compensation of NIS 10,000 intended for the adjustment period. Those affected by fires were instructed to contact their local authorities to receive the funds.





The finance minister held the meeting with Mayor Yona Yahav and his people, with the heads of his ministry and also with representatives from the Prime Minister's Office, from the National Emergency Authority and from the Ministry of the Interior.

Damaged locations in Haifa

Kahlon explained, "A citizen who suffered damage will receive initial service from the state and afterwards, we'll work with private parties. We're operating a network of appraisers, of engineers. Everything that is required, we'll do."

Destruction in Haifa (Photo; Ilan Barsheshet)

Addressing those assembled, he asked them to act with great sensitivity towards the residents and their difficulties. "We're talking about good citizens here. Don't let them drown in paperwork. Be generous. Don't send them from office to office. Don't bully them. Really, do this in the most sensitive way," he implored.

Moshe Kahlon (L) and Yona Yahav in the meeting (Photo: Reuven Cohen)

Haifa's mayor said that he was surprised by Kahlon's announcement, adding that he had not heard similar pronouncements after the Second Lebanon War in 2006 or the Carmel fire in 2010 "You've calmed the residents today," said Yahav. "It's more than 60,000 persons who were affected. A school was burnt, clubs were burnt. I've never seen or experienced my city in such a deep tragedy. There are a lot of people who didn't have insurance, and we must help them and return the situation to what it was before in the minimum amount of time."

Kahlon's statements on Friday indicated that those citizens whose homes were not burnt by arsonists acting out of nationalistic motives would be required to seek compensation from private insurance, saying, "I also call on the private insurance companies: Provide the citizens who have been harmed the best service; there will be time for accounting later. At times like this, all that's important is helping people." However, he did not specify any such distinction regarding the initial NIS 2,500 per affected person.
By PTI: Hyderabad, Nov 26 (PTI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi today pitched for qualitative change in police through better training while underlining the importance of technology and human interface for the force to keep progressing.

Addressing the annual conference of state police chiefs here, he pressed for development of soft skills in training and advocated that human psychology and behavioural psychology should be vital parts of training.

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He also launched a mobile app ? Indian Police at Your Call and presented President?s Police Medals for Distinguished Service to officers of the Intelligence Bureau.

The Prime Minister "called for a qualitative change in the police force through a collective training effort," a PMO statement said.

He said that technology and human interface are both important for the police force to keep progressing, it added.

On training, the Prime Minister said the development of soft skills is now essential, and should become a part of the training drill, the statement said. Aspects such as human psychology and behavioural psychology should be vital parts of training, he added in his address to DGsP/IGsP at the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Police Academy.

Modi said leadership skills are important, and the onus lies on senior officers to inculcate these skills in the police personnel, it added.

On the subject of law and order, the Prime Minister emphasised the importance of foot patrolling and constabulary Intelligence, the statement said.

Modi noted that today is November 26, the day that a deadly terror attack had struck Mumbai, and police had bravely fought against terrorists. He also recalled the over 33,000 police personnel who have attained martyrdom.

The Prime Minister said that the annual conference of police chiefs has now undergone a transformation in the way it is conducted. It has become a platform for sharing experiences, which leads to good inputs for policy planning, he said. Modi laid emphasis on concrete outcomes out of the actionable points that have been finalised. Earlier in the day, the Prime Minister laid a wreath at the Martyrs Column at the National Police Academy. He also offered floral tributes at the statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, and planted a sapling. PTI AKK AKK

--- ENDS ---
Washington: US President Barack Obama said on Saturday in a statement on Fidel Castro`s death that history would be the judge of the Cuban revolutionary leader`s "enormous impact".

In a statement on the White House`s website, Obama also noted that the United States was extending a "hand of friendship to the Cuban people" at the time of the death of Castro, who passed away Friday night at the age of 90.

The US President said Castro altered the lives of his nation and its people in countless ways after taking power in 1959, adding that his death was a moment of "powerful emotions" for Cubans on the Caribbean island and in the United States.

"History will record and judge the enormous impact of this singular figure on the people and world around him," Obama said.

Relations between the United States and Cuba were marked for decades by "discord and profound political disagreements", Obama said in the statement, while also recalling the process begun in late 2014 to restore full diplomatic relations with America`s Caribbean Cold War enemy.

The goal of normalising ties (embassies were reopened last year) was to pursue "a future in which the relationship between our two countries is defined not by our differences but by the many things that we share as neighbours and friends -- bonds of family, culture, commerce, and common humanity", the President said.

That engagement has included the contributions of Cuban Americans, "who have done so much for our country and who care deeply about their loved ones in Cuba".

In March, Obama became the first sitting US President to visit Cuba in 88 years. During his stay on the island, he met with President Raul Castro - the revolutionary leader`s younger brother, who has led the country for a decade -- but not with Fidel.

Obama issued a presidential policy directive in October aimed at making the US opening toward Cuba "irreversible", although his successor in the White House -- Republican Donald Trump, who will take office in January -- pledged during the campaign to rollback the US-Cuban thaw until "freedoms are restored" on the Communist-ruled island.

In a statement on Saturday that contrasted sharply with Obama`s, Trump said Castro was a "brutal dictator" who oppressed his own people and left a legacy of "firing squads, theft, unimaginable suffering, poverty and the denial of fundamental human rights".
Columbia: Donald Trump called a recount of votes being prepared in Wisconsin a scam, insisting Saturday that his presidential win should be respected, not "challenged and abused."

The recount, which was requested by Green Party candidate Jill Stein, who received a minute fraction of the total vote, flew in the face of an election "that has already been conceded," Trump said.

Hillary Clinton`s campaign said it would join the recount although it has not seen any irregularities so far in the White House contest won by Trump.

Marc Erik Elias, an election lawyer for the Democratic candidate, said in a post on Medium.com that the campaign would also participate in recounts in the closely contested states of Michigan and Pennsylvania if they are arranged.

Stein has also announced plans to seek recounts in those two states.

In a statement, Trump asserted that "the people have spoken and the election is over, and as Hillary Clinton herself said on election night, in addition to her conceding by congratulating me, `We must accept this result and then look to the future.`"

Trump, the Republican presidential candidate, won Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin by a total of just over 100,000 votes. The razor-thin victories in those states pushed him above the 270 votes needed for victory in the Electoral College.

"It is important to point out that with the help of millions of voters across the country, we won 306 electoral votes on Election Day -- the most of any Republican since 1988," Trump said.

"This is a scam by the Green Party for an election that has already been conceded, and the results of this election should be respected instead of being challenged and abused, which is exactly what Jill Stein is doing," Trump added.

However, during the campaign Trump himself threatened to reject the result if he lost, alleging that the race was "rigged" by the media and the establishment elite.Elias, the Clinton counsel, said that "because we had not uncovered any actionable evidence of hacking or outside attempts to alter the voting technology, we had not planned to exercise this option ourselves."

"But now that a recount has been initiated in Wisconsin, we intend to participate in order to ensure the process proceeds in a manner that is fair to all sides," he added.

It was not immediately clear how the Clinton campaign plans to take part in the recount.

Although experts say there is virtually no chance of overturning the final result, the recounts could reignite debate over the legitimacy of Trump`s election, already fueled by Clinton`s lead in the popular vote, which now stands at more than two million.

Clinton lost by around 20,000 votes in Wisconsin, 70,000 votes in Pennsylvania and 10,000 votes in Michigan.

Elias noted that Trump`s 10,000-vote lead in Michigan "well exceeds the largest margin ever overcome in a recount."

Elias said the Clinton campaign had been conducting its own investigation of the election results after receiving "hundreds of messages, emails, and calls urging us to do something, anything, to investigate claims that the election results were hacked and altered in a way to disadvantage Secretary Clinton."

But he said the Clinton campaign had seen no evidence so far the election results had been manipulated in Trump`s favor.

Stein has cited unspecified "anomalies" as grounds to mount a challenge to the November 8 election results in Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.

"After a divisive and painful presidential race, reported hacks into voter and party databases and individual email accounts are causing many Americans to wonder if our election results are reliable," Stein said on her website.

On Saturday she told CNN that "going into this election, and throughout the election, we saw hacking taking place all over the place, of state voter databases, of the democratic party`s vote database, of private e-mail accounts. This was a hack-riddled election."
Havana Province: From Dwight Eisenhower, who broke US diplomatic relations with Cuba, to Barack Obama, who decided to normalize them, 11 US presidents faced off with Cuban revolutionary leader Fidel Castro, who died late Friday.

Dwight Eisenhower (Republican, 1953-1961): Provided arms to dictator Fulgencio Batista, who was battling Fidel Castro`s rebels. Prepared the invasion of the Bay of Pigs and broke off diplomatic ties with Cuba in January 1961.

John F. Kennedy (Democrat, 1961-1963): Gave the green light for the invasion of the Bay of Pigs in April 1961. Put in place the US embargo against Cuba in February 1962 before the Cuban missile crisis erupted that October. Was working to promote a rapprochement when he was assassinated in November 1963.

Lyndon Johnson (Democrat, 1963-1969): Reinforced the embargo and tried to prevent the sale of Cuban nickel to Soviet bloc countries. Approved CIA plots to assassinate Castro and supported anti-Castro guerrilla groups.

Richard Nixon (Republican, 1969-1974): Boosted anti-Castro activity, including the arrests of Cuban fishermen. Also worked against sale of Cuban nickel to Soviet satellite states.

Gerald Ford (Republican, 1974-1977): In office as attacks against Cuban missions abroad multiplied and an attack on a Cuban airliner left 73 dead. Authorized the first trip of US businessmen to Cuba and eased the embargo.

Jimmy Carter (Democrat, 1977-1981): Further eased the embargo. Opened a US interests section in Havana and allowed a Cuban interests section to open in Washington. Allowed Cuban exiles to travel home. Signed maritime boundary treaty. In office during Mariel boatlift of Cuban emigrants to United States. Visited Cuba as an ex-president in 2002 and again in 2011.

Ronald Reagan (Republican, 1981-1989): Relations take a turn for the worse, and easing of embargo rolled back. Creation of the Cuban-American National Foundation, the main exile organization, and the anti-Castro stations Radio and TV Marti. First immigration deal signed in 1984.

George H. W. Bush (Republican, 1989-1993): Reinforced embargo with the Torricelli Act, as the Soviet bloc crumbled. US subsidiaries in third countries banned from dealing with Cuba.

Bill Clinton (Democrat, 1993-2001): Put into force Torricelli Act and approved Helms-Burton Act, which again tightened embargo. In 1994, 36,000 Cubans fled for the US in makeshift boats and rafts. A new immigration agreement was signed and Clinton backed anti-Castro activists.

George W. Bush (Republican, 2001-2009): Increased financial aid to anti-Castro groups and strengthened embargo again. Limited travel to Cuba by exiles, and the money they could remit to relatives at home. Approved food trade with restrictions. Raul Castro officially took helm during his tenure.

Barack Obama (Democrat, 2009-present): Lifted restrictions on trips by exiles and amount of money they could send home. Opened a "dialogue" on immigration and said lifting of embargo must be preceded by democratic opening and respect for human rights.

In December 2014, Obama and Raul Castro announced simultaneously that the nations would normalize relations. The two countries Cuba reopened embassies in each other`s capitals in July 2015.

Obama made a historic visit to Cuba in March 2016, the first by a serving US president since 1928.
Havana: Fidel Castro, Cuba`s socialist icon and father of his country`s revolution, died late Friday in Havana aged 90.

Making an announcement on national television in shaky voice, the Cuban revolutionary icon's brother, President Raul Castro, said: "The commander in chief of the Cuban revolution died at 22:29 hours this evening."

Raul Castro, who took power after his older brother Fidel was hospitalized in 2006, said that the revolutionary leader`s remains will be cremated early on Saturday.

"In compliance with Comrade Fidel`s expressed will, his remains will be cremated early in the morning" on Saturday, said Raul Castro.

"The funeral organizing commission will provide detailed information to the people on the holding of a posthumous homage that will be paid to the founder of the Cuban Revolution."

Raul ended the announcement by shouting the revolutionary slogan: "Towards victory, always!"

The Cuban President made the announcement just after midnight Friday (0500 GMT Saturday).

Later, Cuba declared nine days of public mourning on Saturday for Fidel Castro, and said his ashes will be buried at a ceremony on December 4 in Santiago de Cuba.

One of the world`s longest-serving rulers and modern history`s most singular characters, he defied 11 US administrations and numerous assassination attempts.

During half a century in power, Fidel Castro crushed opposition at home to lead the communist Caribbean island through the Cold War before stepping aside in 2006 after intestinal surgery.

For defenders of the revolution, he was a hero who defended the ordinary people against domination.

For his opponents, including thousands of Cubans resident in the United States, he was a cruel tyrant.

He eventually lived to see the historic restoration of diplomatic ties with Washington last year.

World leaders react to Fidel Castro's death

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi sent his "deepest condolences" to Cuba. "India mourns the loss of a great friend," he wrote on Twitter.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, Cuba`s main ally in the region, said on Twitter: "It is up to us to continue his legacy and carry his flag of independence."

The leaders of Mexico and El Salvador hailed Castro in messages on Twitter in the hours after the announcement.

Russian President Vladimir Putin praised Fidel Castro as the "symbol of an era". "The name of this distinguished statesman is rightly considered the symbol of an era in modern world history," Putin said in a telegram to Cuban President Raul Castro cited by the Kremlin.

Former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev hailed Castro for "strengthening" his island nation despite the US blockade. Gorbachev said in a message: "Fidel stood up and strengthened his country during the harshest American blockade, when there was colossal pressure on him and he still took his country out of this blockade to a path of independent development".

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau issued a statement, saying: "It is with deep sorrow that I learned today of the death of Cuba`s longest serving President. Fidel Castro was a larger than life leader who served his people for almost half a century. A legendary revolutionary and orator, Mr. Castro made significant improvements to the education and healthcare of his island nation".

Imran Khan, Pakistan`s Tehreek-e-Insaf party chief and former cricketer, tweeted: "Today the world lost an iconic revolutionary leader Fidel Castro who liberated his nation from all vestiges of imperialism. Castro reasserted the Cuban nation`s dignity & self worth that withstood US aggression & became a global ldr for anti colonial struggles...We in Pakistan will always remember with gratitude Cuba`s support on the ground in the aftermath of the 2005 earthquake."

In Cuba, news was just getting around.

Also Read: Timeline of Fidel Castro's life

The bearded, cigar-puffing leader, renowned for trademark army fatigues and hours-long public tirades, grabbed power in a January 1, 1959 revolution.

Living by the slogan "socialism or death," he kept the faith to the end, even as the Cold War came and went.

He endured hundreds of assassination attempts, according to his aides, and the disastrous US-backed Bay of Pigs invasion attempt in 1961.

Castro was at the center of the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962, as the world stood on the brink of nuclear war until the Soviet Union blinked in its bid to station strategic missiles on Cuban soil.

Well into his old age, Castro unleashed furious diatribes against Washington until he was slowed by surgery in July 2006.

An energetic symbol of defiance for developing countries and a driving force behind the Non-Aligned Movement, Castro proved even a small sovereign nation could thumb its nose at the world`s biggest superpower.

He was last seen in public on his 90th birthday on August 13.

"Soon I will end up like everyone does," he said. "We all have our turn."

(With Agency inputs)
Islamabad: Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Saturday appointed Lieutenant General Qamar Javed Bajwa as the 16th chief of Army staff of Pakistan armed forces.

Incumbent Army chief, General Raheel Sharif will hand over command to General Bajwa on November 29.

Lt General Bajwa has served as the Inspector General of Evaluation and Training at the General Headquarters (GHQ). He has also lead the Pakistan army's biggest formation, 10 Corps.

Meanwhile, Lieutenant General Zubair Mahmood Hayat has been appointed Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee.

Lt. General Hayat is graduated from Command and Staff College Camberley, United Kingdom, and National Defence University, Islamabad. He has served on key posts throughout his career.

A government notification announcing the appointment is expected soon.
Karachi: Two persons were killed when suspected militants on Saturday attacked a vehicle of a private oil exploration company in the coastal district of Gwadar in Pakistan's restive Baluchistan province.

The militants opened fire on the vehicle in the Pasni area of Gwadar, officials said.

In the firing, two security guards on top of the vehicle were killed, he said.

The oil exploration company officials were in Pasni to conduct a survey of the area when the incident happened.

The Gwadar port became operational last week when Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif launched the first ships to take chinese trade goods to Sri Lanka, UAE and EU countries.

The port is an important part of the USD 42 billion Pakistan China Economic Corridor project.

Attacks on government, security officials and workers of private oil and gas companies in parts of Baluchistan is common in the province which is facing a separatist movement from insurgents and also other sectarian and terrorist violence.
Islamabad: Pakistan has suspended the import of cotton and other agriculture commodities, including vegetables, from India due to rising tensions between the two countries along the LoC, a media report here said.

Officials of Department of Plant Protection (DPP) said that import of agri items from India through the Wagah border crossing and Karachi port and issuing permits for future imports has been halted, the Dawn reported.

Cotton importers and customs clearing agents claimed that the department had stopped the import of agriculture commodities from India without a warning or written order because of increase in tensions across the LoC.

Imran Shami, chief of DPP which is a subordinate department of the national food security and research ministry, however sought to dispel the impression.

"We have stopped import of tomatoes and other fresh vegetables in order to protect our farmers. We have enough tomato and other vegetables stocks, which we import from India only in case of shortages in the domestic market," he said.

The reason behind the "suspension" of cotton imports from India was, nevertheless, different, he said.

"No. We have not stopped cotton imports from India. It has just been halted over reports that the Indian exporters are not meeting our bio-security conditions. We're looking into these reports and will lift restriction on cotton imports if our apprehensions are proved wrong," Shami said.

He said only those cotton consignments would be allowed to enter Pakistan through surface or sea routes where importers had already secured permits from his department and carried phyto-sanitary certificates.

"Our cotton consignments are not being allowed to enter Pakistan through Wagah and Karachi for reasons known to the ministry but cheaper, subsidised Indian yarn is being brought in without any let or hindrance. At least 11 trucks of Indian yarn entered Pakistan on Thursday when the department stopped cotton consignments from coming to this side of the border," a textile factory owner told Dawn.

He said the suspension of cotton import from India would create a huge problem for the textile exporters as the truncated domestic crop target of 11.25 million bales for this year appeared difficult if not impossible to meet.

"The industry requires 14 million bales. We will still be short by three million bales of cotton even if the crop target is achieved," he said.

He said cotton shortages after the ban on Indian imports would make domestic prices shoot up at the expense of exports.

Pakistan had imported 2.7 million bales of cotton (1 bale is 170 kgs) - about 40 per cent of India's total cotton exports in 2015-16 - due to crop failure that wiped off 0.5 per cent of GDP growth. The industry is expecting to import 2 million bales this year.
Muzaffarabad: Stating that India has changed its strategy, Prime Minister of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir Raja Farooq Haider has asked the officials to be prepared to meet any eventuality.

"All government officials, particularly those in the district administration, are required to remain on their toes for a rapid response to any emergency," the Dawn quoted Haider as saying to the participants of a meeting.

The meeting was held at Kashmir House in Islamabad to review the situation along the LoC.

A decision was also taken during the meeting to facilitate the affected population with the available resources.Haider said that they would divert whatever resources they have for the rehabilitation of the population, which serves as the first line of defence.

He said that he has got assurance from Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif of the Centre`s support to deal with the situation. Haider said that necessary arrangements have been made for relocation but the people living along the LoC have shown no sign of evacuating their homes.Haider further said that necessary arrangements had been made for relocation in the event of utmost danger of women and children from vulnerable areas.

It was decided in the meeting that all means of communication in the vulnerable areas would be kept operational at all times.Haider asked the district administrations to ensure that tents, blankets and other items were immediately provided to the displaced families.Constructing alternative safe routes in Neelum valley was also decided during the meeting.
Mosul: Iraqi military and hospital officials say mortar rounds fired by Islamic State militants have killed 16 civilians in neighbourhoods already retaken by troops.

They said the bodies of the 16, killed overnight and early today, have been brought to military hospitals in eastern Mosul.

The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to speak to the media.

In Mosul, an Associated Press team in eastern Mosul today says scores of civilians are continuing to stream out of the inner neighbourhoods of the city to escape the fighting, making their way to camps for the displaced.

The UN refugee agency, UNHCR, says at least 73,000 Iraqis have fled Mosul since the government's campaign to retake the city began on October 17.
By Rohit Kumar Singh: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has reiterated his support to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the demonetisation of old currency notes.

Nitish, who was the first chief minister from the opposition ruled states to support PM Modi's decision, on Saturday said that the decision to demonetise was not only a brave move but will also go a long way in cracking down on black money. Nitish, however, criticized the Centre's manner in implementing demonetisation.

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"Demonetisation is a good step but there are errors visible as far as its implementation is concerned. I am completely in support of Centre's fight against black money," said Nitish Kumar.

CRACKDOWN ON BENAMI PROPERTIES



Nitish asserted that PM should take this crack down on black money to another level now and act against "benami" properties owned by people.

"Now that the fight against black money has begun, the PM is requested to now get cracking on "benami" properties held by people across the country," said Kumar.

Also read: Bihar CM Nitish Kumar meets aam-aadmi to discuss prohibition, uninvited BJP also give suggestions



Nitish also took a dig at media reports suggesting that he following his support to the Centre, he was cozying up to BJP again. It may be noted that there are news reports suggesting that Nitish had met BJP National President Amit Shah recently at a farmhouse in Gurgaon.

Dismissing these news reports by terming them as figment of imagination, the Bihar CM asserted that he never had a meeting with the BJP president.

"People are making all sorts of speculation, after I supported Centre over demonetisation. Reports say that I met Amit Shah too. The media house which said I met Amit Shah should come out and say that did they facilitate the meeting?" asked Nitish.

Also read:

Bihar CM Nitish Kumar's tale of two sprawling bungalows

Nitish Kumar releases state's report card, says Bihar's growth rate higher than nation's

--- ENDS ---
New Delhi: JNU administration has issued show cause notices to 20 students including sedition accused Kanhaiya Kumar and Umar Khalid, seeking explanation for the alleged "illegal confinement" of Vice Chancellor and other officials in the varsity building.

A group of agitating students had confined the VC and other senior officials in the administrative building for over 20 hours last month alleging inaction on the administration's part in locating missing student Najeeb Ahmad.

Najeeb (27), a student of School of Biotechnology and a native of Badaun in Uttar Pradesh, went missing on October 15 following an on-campus scuffle allegedly with the members of ABVP, the night before.

"Twenty students including Kanhaiya and Umar have been sent notices over the illegal confinement and have been asked to depose before the Proctorial committee which is probing the issue after a complaint was received from the university's Chief Security Officer," a senior varsity official said.

JNU students and teachers have been agitating against the university administration and Delhi Police for their failure to locate the missing student.

On the directive of Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh to Delhi Police Commissioner Alok Kumar Verma, a SIT was formed last month to trace the missing student

The SIT failed to get any actionable clues in the matter. The case was later transferred to Delhi Police's Crime Branch.

The university panel probing the incident of October 14 following which Najeeb went missing had found ABVP members guilty of assaulting him.

However, no disciplinary action has been taken yet.
Surat: Two unidentified men on Saturday looted gold bars weighing 14 kilograms after attacking a security guard of cash logistic company in Ahmedabad.

The incident was reported to police after which they recovered a CCTV footage today in which two persons are seen looting gold by breaking a locker.

"Two persons entered the office of SIS Prosegur, a cash logistics company at Mithakali locality this morning and did away with around 14 kg gold bars worth over Rs 4 crore after attacking an armed guard," Navrangpura Police Inspector RV Desai said.

Unidentified men loot 10 kg gold after attacking a security guard of SIS company in Ahmedabad, investigation underway pic.twitter.com/kRqRQbDt5J  ANI (@ANI_news) November 26, 2016

The guard was attacked on head with an iron rod when he tried to raise alarm, while another guard was asleep in the van, he said.

"We have recovered a CCTV footage which shows two youths robbing gold. The identity of the robbers is not immediately clear and we are investigating the matter," Desai said.

He said dog squad and Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) were involved in the investigations but nobody has been arrested as yet.
Panipat: Seven persons were killed while three sustained injuries in a major fire that broke out in a spinning mill in Kurar village here.

Short circuit was said to be the reason behind the mishap that took place on Friday, officials said.

"Seven persons, including two women, were killed in the fire," Panipat SDM Vivek Chaudhary said on Saturday.

Among three injured, one was critical and has been rushed to PGI in Rohtak for treatment, he said.

Several fire tenders were used to put out the blaze, officials said.
Hyderabad: A police sub-inspector deployed as part of the security for Prime Minister Narendra Modi`s ongoing visit in Hyderabad, on Saturday shot himself dead.

The Sub-Inspector committed suicide in an apartment at Mylardevpally near PVNR Expressway, about two km from SVP National Police Academy, where Modi was addressing the annual conference of top police officials of the country.

Sridhar used his service revolver to shoot himself on 19th floor of newly constructed Happy Homes apartment. The police official was one of the personnel deployed on high-rise buildings in areas surrounding the Police Academy.

Hailing from Warangal district, the young officer was called to Hyderabad for deployment as part of the security for the Prime Minister`s two-day visit. Another SI who came to relieve Sridhar on Saturday morning, found him lying in a pool of blood.

Police said Sridhar shot himself in his heart, resulting in instantaneous death.

Police said they were investigating the cause of the suicide. A police official said preliminary investigations show that failure in love drove Sridhar to the extreme step.

He was reportedly in love with woman, working as a home guard in Asifabad district, and wanted to marry her but his family was opposing the alliance.

Sridhar was serving as SI at Chintalamanepalli police station in Asifabad district. He was one of the four SIs from the district to be called for duty during the PM`s two-day visit to Hyderabad.

Since the SIs came late on November 23, they were not given duties by the higher-ups. The next day they were deployed at different places.

Modi, who had a night halt at the Police Academy, was addressing DGPs and IGPs of states and heads of central paramilitary forces.
Hyderabad: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday took part in an hour-long Yoga session with top police officers of the country, who gathered here at the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Police Academy for an annual conference focusing on cross-border terrorism, infiltration and radicalisation of youth.

Later, he paid tributes to Martyrs Column at SVPNPA here, where he placed a wreath.

The Prime Minister also paid floral tributes to Patel at his statue at SVPNPA, and planted a sapling on the Academy premises.

The three-day conference of the Directors General of Police (DGPs) of all states was inaugurated here yesterday by Home Minister Rajnath Singh.

Union Ministers of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju and Hansraj Gangaram Ahir, besides National Security Adviser (NSA) Ajit Doval and Home Secretary Rajiv Mehrishi are among those attending the event.

The Prime Minister would spend the entire day today in deliberations with the top police officers before flying back to Delhi this evening.

"Issues like cross-border terrorism, radicalisation of youth and attempts to lure Indians to Middle East terrorist groups, like ISIS, and other matters of internal security will be discussed at the meeting," official sources said.

Filling up of vacant posts in various police forces, reforms in police forces, menace of narcotics smuggling and human trafficking will also be discussed extensively during the conference.

The Prime Minister and Home Minister will interact with the top police officers and get their feedback about the internal security situation and various aspects of police personnel, the sources said.

This is for the third time since Independence that the conference is being held outside Delhi. It was held in Guwahati in 2014 and Kutch in Gujarat last year. The idea of holding the meeting of DGPs and IGPs outside Delhi was mooted by Modi after he assumed power in 2014.

The conference is being attended by around 100 DGPs of states, Director Generals of Central paramilitary forces and their Inspectors General.
Panaji: Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar on Friday said that Islamabad urged New Delhi to stop after the Indian Army strongly retaliated to the cowardly attacks of Pakistan on the border.

Speaking at a rally at Sankhalim village in Goa, Parrikar further said that the firing from across the border had stopped in the last two days as the enemy was feeling the heat of retaliation.

"After the surgical strike, the cowardly attacks continued which were retaliated strongly by our armed forces on the border. Our response to their attacks was strong.

"The day before yesterday we got a call from them pleading us to stop the retaliation," the Defence Minister said, referring to a request for DGMO-level talks from Pakistan.

"We told them that we don't mind stopping (the counter attacks) as we are not interested in it, provided they too stop it. For last two days, the firing has stopped from across the border," Parrikar said.

Referring to surgical strike after Uri attack, the minister said: "For the first time, the Union Government allowed the Army to enter PoK and teach a lesson to those involved in the cowardly act against our forces."

"There is no doubt that our armed forces are brave but also for the first time, country's leadership took strict policy decision (to allow the surgical strike)," he said.

His becoming the Defence Minister was a way to repay a debt of Armed Forces which liberated Goa from Portuguese rule in 1961, Parrikar said.

"When I was invited to join the Union Cabinet, I was not willing. It was hurting me to leave Goa. But when the Prime Minister requested, I had to take up the responsibility."

"As a Goan, I was always indebted to the Armed Forces which has given my freedom to me. Unlike Britishers, Portuguese did not leave the country peacefully. They were forced out by our Armed Forces. This was an opportunity for me to thank Indian Army for liberating Goa," he said.

(With PTI inputs)
New Delhi: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president, Amit Shah has called a meeting of office bearers on Sunday, to brief them on how to reach out to people on the demonetisation issue so as to convince them about the Centre`s policy, sources told ANI on Saturday.

Meanwhile, a separate meeting of general secretaries (Organisation) of all states have also been called by the BJP president and national general secretary Ram Lal in this regard.

The party`s initiative to reach out to the people to convince them for coming days, after it was decided that the BJP ministers would be meeting lawmakers of their party in the coming days to brief them about the government`s demonetisation drive.

Around 12 ministers, who will be meeting the BJP MPs in batches, will give them tips with regard to what is to be told to the people of their respective constituencies on this move.

They will meet in groups of 40.

The meeting assumes significance as a united opposition is leaving no stone unturned in taking potshots at the BJP-led NDA regime in Parliament post this decision which they dub as against the common man of the nation.
Thiruvananthapuram: Senior Kerala Left leaders on Saturday, paid tribute to Fidel Castro, terming the former Cuban president a shining beacon of the Communist movement across the world.

Castro, leader of the Communist revolution, passed away at the age of 90 on Friday.

Former Kerala Minister and senior CPI leader Binoy Viswam said, his meeting with the great revolutionary way back in 1984 in Havana is still fresh in his memory.

"The moment he walked into the meeting hall, where hundreds of youths from various places were present, the atmosphere turned electric with lots of slogan shouting, especially of `Either socialism, or death`. He was an inspiration to Communists all over the world," said Viswam.

State Finance Minister and academic Thomas Issac said, though Castro was not a Communist in the beginning, he later turned one, and since then he was instrumental in laying a new path for the third world countries, especially the Communist movement.

Former Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan said, Castro was a shining beacon for the Communist movement all over the world and his passing away is going to be an irreparable loss.

State Communist Party of India secretary Kanam Rajendran recalled that, Castro played a huge role in showing to the world that after the collapse of the Soviet Union, the Communist movement is here to stay, and proved it too.

"He was always an inspiration for Indian communists. We too played a small role when an embargo was announced against Cuba, especially by providing food items and medicines," said Rajendran.

State Education Minister C. Raveendranath said the greatness of Castro was he understood the emotions and the feelings of the ordinary man.

"Communists across the globe have a common thread as Castro too followed the Marxist thoughts and ideology which he showed and proved was the true alternative to the neo-liberal policies," said Raveendranath.

Fidel Castro ruled Cuba as a one-party state for almost half a century before handing over power to his brother Raul in 2008.
New Delhi: Chief Justice of India TS Thakur on Saturday expressed concern over the non-filling up of vacancies in various courts, saying there are around 500 judges' posts lying vacant in the high courts.

"Around 500 vacancies in the high courts today. 500 high courts judges should be working today, but they are not. A large number of proposals are still pending and hope the government will intervene to end this crisis," Justice Thakur said while addressing an All India Conference of Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT).

Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, however, disagreed with Thakur and said the central government has made 120 appointments this year, which was the second highest since 1990. The highest number of appointments of 121 were made in 2013, Prasad said.

"We respectfully disagree with him (CJI). This year we have made 120 appointments. The second highest of 121 is of 2013. Since 1990 there have been only 80 appointments. 5,000 vacancies are there in the lower judiciary in which the government of India has no role to play. That is something only for the judiciary to take care.CJI). This year we have made 120 appointments. The second highest of 121 is of 2013. Since 1990 there have been only 80 appointments. 5,000 vacancies are there in the lower judiciary in which the government of India has no role to play. That is something only for the judiciary to take care.

"As far as infrastructure is concerned, that is a continuous process. Where the larger issue of appointment is concerned, there is a Supreme Court decision of making the Memorandum of Procedure (MoP) more transparent, objective, reasonable, fair and the government stand is pending for the last more than three months and we are yet to hear from the Supreme Court," he said.

The CJI said that "manpower deficit" was also present in the tribunals which also faced the problem of lack of infrastructure leading to pendency of cases for five to seven years, apart from making apex court judges averse to heading such quasi-judicial bodies.

"State of affairs in the tribunals is giving me the impression that you (tribunals) are no better. You are suffering from the same kind of deficit, manpower deficit. You cannot set up a tribunal, you cannot set up a bench at so many places because there are no members."

"If the total strength of this tribunal is 65 and if you have 18 or 20 vacancies, it means that you are short by a large number. The working is going to be affected and that is why you have cases that are more than five years and seven years old," he said, adding "the least that you (government) must do is to ensure that these tribunals run with full strength."

The CJI also said the tribunals "are not equipped and are lying empty and today a situation has come that no retired Supreme Court judge wants to head the Tribunal. I am pained to send my retired colleagues there".

"Government is not ready to give proper facilities. Vacancy apart from infrastructure is a major concern for the Tribunal," he added.

During the conference, the CJI said there was a need to amend the rules for appointment of chairpersons and members of various tribunals so that the judges of the high courts can also be eligible for the posts.

Speaking at the event, Prasad, who is also the Union Minister for Electronics and Information Technology, said that the CAT has been a unique experience even amongst the tribunals since it is a successful blend of judicial and administrative excellence.

He said CAT has rendered a "yeoman's role in the evolution of service matters and framing of rules".

He said that the rising number of appeals against CAT judgements before high courts and the Supreme Court compounds the problem of pending litigations, and suggested exploring the idea of inter-court appeal as an alternative.

Supreme Court judge Justice J Chelameswar said that lack of precision in the law and judicial rulings favouring both the rival parties are the prime reasons for the mounting arrears in service-related litigations.

On October 28, during a hearing, a bench headed by Thakur had slammed the Centre for sitting over the top court collegium's recommendations on the appointment of high court judges, saying the action amounted to paralysing and locking out the judiciary.

In April this year, Thakur during a joint conference of chief ministers and chief justices of high courts, broke down and urged the government to improve the infrastructure and fill up vacancies in the courts.

(With Agency inputs)
New Delhi: Reprimanding Farooq Abdullah for his assertion that Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) is not India's property to be inherited, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) on Saturday said the former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister has proved that he is not an Indian and is not concerned about the country's interests.

Speaking to ANI, RSS leader Indresh Kumar said, "Farooq Abdullah`s statement questioning India`s claim on PoK is disrespect to the sacrifices made by the Indian soldiers for Kashmir."

"This is also a reality that PoK has never joined Pakistan. The people of PoK from 70 years are calling to become a part of India. Abdullah has proved that he is not an Indian," he added.

The RSS leader also called on the people of Jammu and Kashmir to raise their voice against people like Abdullah, who raise their voice against the Constitution and disrespect it.

The National Conference leader yesterday stirred a controversy by questioning India's claim on PoK and said it isn`t the country`s paternal property.

"PoK is presently under Pakistan occupation. It is not the personal property of India so that it could make a claim over it like an inherited property of forefathers," he was quoted as saying by News 18 website while addressing a function in the Chenab Valley.
The trailer of Tollywood star Ram Charan's much-awaited flick Dhruva was out yesterday (November 25).

By India Today Web Desk: Dhruva is an upcoming Telugu remake of the Tamil blockbuster Thani Oruvan, which has Tollywood star Ram Charan playing the lead role.

After much-delay of the project, the makers recently wrapped up the remaining portions of the film.

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While the film is gearing up for a grand release next month, the makers have unveiled the trailer of the film yesterday. Going by the trailer, the director has tweaked certain elements to strike a chord among the Telugu audience.



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The film, which opened to great response from fans, has reportedly registered a new record. Dhruva trailer becomes the first Telugu film to clock more than a million views on YouTube within 4.5 hours of its release.



#Dhruva trailer has indeed stirred up a storm. Over a million views in 4.5 hr. Let's hope this storm is created @ BO 2. #DhruvaTrailerStorm pic.twitter.com/9dAz98GIdM Haricharan Pudipeddi (@pudiharicharan) November 26, 2016

Directed by National Award-winning director Surender Reddy, the film also stars Rakul Preet Singh playing the leading lady in the film.



The makers have retained Arvind Swamy in Dhruva after his stellar performance as an antagonist in the original. Needless to say, Arvind Swamy looks suave in the Telugu version as well.

Produced by NV Prasad, the film has music by Hiphop Tamizha, who composed music for the Tamil film.

Dhruva is expected to hit the screens on December 9.

Here's the trailer:







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New Delhi: Fidel Castro's bear hug to Indira Gandhi in the spring of 1983 at the Non-Aligned Movement summit here best symbolises his warm ties with India which always looked to the legendary leader as a "great friend".

Under the late Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, India was amongst the first countries to extend recognition to Cuba after the 1959 revolution led by Castro, who overthrew the Fulgencio Batista regime.

Unmindful of the US sanctions on Communist Cuba starting from the Cold War era, India has always maintained political, trade, cultural and people-to-people relations for about six decades when even Washington has revised its stand.

It was Nehru who had reached out to the Cuban icon and told him that the non-aligned nations saw his leadership with immense hope.

Castro, who died last night aged 90, in 1960 had been denied the possibility of staying in five-star hotels in New York when he attended the UN General Assembly and the owner of Theresa Hotel came and invited him and his delegation to stay there. Then, important dignitaries paid him courtesy calls there.

Castro years later told former External Affairs Minister K Natwar Singh that, "The first person who came to see me was Prime Minister Nehru. I can never forget his magnificent gesture. I was 34 years of age, not widely known. I was tense. Nehru boosted my morale. My tension disappeared."

Castro's relationship with India goes back decades when Nehru reached out to him and the friendship established between them was strengthened during Indira Gandhi's tenure as the Prime Minister.

The bond of India-Cuba friendship is best symbolised with the unforgettable image of Castro embracing Indira Gandhi while handing over the NAM chairmanship to her in 1983 in New Delhi.

"Today, while handing over, after more than three years, the chairmanship of the Non-Aligned Movement to our admired Indira Gandhi and to India, that she in her historic right represents, we can affirm that we have a movement whose unity was not weakened, whose vigour has grown, whose independence has been withheld despite all the challenges it faced...," he had said at the time.

Castro and Gandhi had met on several occasions in the past. In September 1973, she hosted a dinner for him in Delhi when he was on his way to Vietnam.
New Delhi: India observes its Constitution Day on Saturday, as it was on this day in 1949, the Constituent Assembly adopted the Constitution, however, it came into force a year later.

The government had last year decided to observe 26th November as Constitution Day to honour our Constitution and its promulgation.

Activities like mock Parliament, essay and debate competitions are being organised across the country on the occasion.

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has also asked the affiliated schools to celebrate the day.

The day is celebrated to value and preserve the rich heritage of composite culture and to develop the scientific temper, humanism and the spirit of inquiry and reform. Also to promote harmony and the spirit of common brotherhood amongst all countrymen, to renounce practices derogatory to the dignity of women.

The Constitution Day will work as a catalyst and the day will also promote to protect and improve the natural environment including forests, lakes, rivers and wildlife and to have compassion for living creatures.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi released two books on the Constitution in New Delhi yesterday.

Speaking on the occasion, he said it is important to connect to the spirit of the Constitution and to be aware of its various articles.

He also said that though the nation celebrates Republic Day on 26th January with pride, it is incomplete without celebrating Constitution Day on 26th November.
Srinagar: Two Border Security Force (BSF) troopers were injured on Saturday, in north Kashmirs Kupwara district, when militants attacked a convoy.

Militants fired at a bus, which was part of the convoy passing through Langate area of the district.

Both the injured troopers were said to be out of danger.
Srinagar: A BSF jawan was injured on Saturday, when militants opened fire on a security forces' convoy in Handwara area of north Kashmir's Kupwara district.

"One jawan has sustained bullet injuries in the attack by militants on a convoy at Handwara this morning," a BSF official said here.

He said, the injured jawan has been hospitalised and his condition is stated to be stable.

This is second attack on security forces in Handwara area in the past 36 hours.

Militants on Thursday night opened fire on a police station in Handwara but there was no damage in the incident as the ultras fled from the scene following retaliation by the cops.
Patna: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who has taken up prohibition on a 'mission mode', on Saturday, instructed police to check whether those linked with liquor trade previously had found an alternate vocation, and book those who were continuing in the trade.

Speaking on the occasion of Prohibition Day function, he also asked senior police officials to take stock of the conduct of policemen at the lower level and find out how the illegal supply of liquor was continuing, despite the decision taken that officers in-charge of such police stations, where illegal alcohol trade was detected, would not get field posting for 10 years.

The Chief Minister issued these two-point instructions to police headquarters in a bid to further intensify the crackdown against liquor in the state.

He said that, it had come to light that notwithstanding prohibition, liquor was being illegally transported to the state not only from neighbouring Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal and Nepal, but also from a far off state like Haryana.

The police is already on the job to probe the illegal liquor trade network from a far away place like Haryana, he said.

Drawing the attention of Additional Director General of Police (Headquarter) Sunil Kumar and his counterpart in Law and Order Alok Raj, who were also present at the function, Kumar said, an exercise should be initiated to gauge whether those involved in liquor trade earlier were surviving on their old income or have found new ways by surreptitiously supplying alcohol at a premium.

"Garland those who have opted out for a good alternative and catch those still pursuing the old habit of minting money through illegal trade in alcohol," Nitish said in the presence of Excise and Prohibition Minister Abdul Jalil Mastan, Chief Secretary Anjani Kumar Singh and Principal Secretary of Excise and Prohibition Amir Subhani.

The state government had offered to allocate outlets of Sudha diary to the shops selling liquor previously, but media reports suggested that there were not many takers for the offer.

The Chief Minister said tha, it was a known fact that people have minted huge wealth out of liquor trade and that demonetisation would have an impact on them.

Kumar, who recently heard views of legislators at an all-party meeting and also of a cross-section of citizens on some provisions in new Bihar Excise Act, 2016 which they termed "stringent", said, "We are taking legal opinion on the suggestions and if need arises, some changes could be brought in a few sections of the Act in the state Assembly."

The JD(U) leader, however, categorically said the decision on prohibition was "atal" (unequivocal) and there could be no compromise with the liquor ban.

"For those who cannot live without liquor, what is the need to live in Bihar. Such people should take their shelter out of the state," Kumar said.

Observing that, despite tough penal provision against heinous crimes like rape and murder, "such crimes do take place", the Chief Minister stressed that the success of prohibition depended on "jan samarthan" (people's cooperation).
Vizag: Highlighting the scams that took place under former prime minister Dr Manmohan Singh-led UPA regime, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday said that there was no need to take sermons from the Congress Party, which has a dubious record of loot and cheat, adding that Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government has given a scam-free governance to the nation.

"Today some Congress people are saying hear the advice of Dr Manmohan Singh. Before asking the Prime Minister or the government to follow his advice. What is it Manmohan Singh has done during his regime? Manmohan Singh has also given a comment that this is a open loot. What is open loot? He presided over the greatest loot in the country`s history. Coal scam, 2G scam, Commonwealth scam, sugar scam, urea scam, defence scam, Agusta helicopter scam. If I continue the count, I have to continue up to evening," Union Urban Development Minister M Venkaiah Naidu told the media.

Escalating his attack on the former prime minister, Naidu alleged that Dr Singh presided over the great loot which cheated the nation.

"Mostly these scams have happened when Manmohan Singh was the prime minister. He presided over the scam regime. He presided over the great loot which looted and cheated the country. Do we need such advice from such people, such party and such government?" he added.

Asserting that Prime Minister Modi-led government has given scam-free governance to the nation, Naidu asserted there is no scam, scandal or black market in the country.

"Narendra Modi`s government has given a scam-free government to the people. No scam, no scandal, no black market.that is the greatness of Narendra Modi government. There is no need for us to learn lessons from the Congress Party, which is having a dubious record of loot and cheat. Let them not dare to give us sermons," he added.

Dr Singh earlier on Thursday termed the demonetisation of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes an "organised loot and legalised plunder."

He said that while he didn`t disagree with the objective of the government, a "monumental mismanagement has taken place."

"Even supporters speak of the long run. Those who say demonetisation is good in the long run, should recall the quote: `In the long run, we are all dead`," he said during the discussion on demonetisation in Rajya Sabha.
Tadepalligudem: BJP president Amit Shah on Saturday, lashed out at the opposition, saying it was seeking to oppose everything that the Narendra Modi government did only because it did not have any issues to raise.

"The opposition has no issues, so it is opposing everything Narendra bhai is doing. If Modi says today is Monday, they will say no no it's Tuesday," Shah mocked while addressing a mammoth Kisan Rally organised by the Andhra Pradesh BJP here this evening.

"The world praised the surgical strikes the Narendra Modi government conducted on Pakistan but Congress only criticised it. The country is happy, the jawans are happy and even kids are happy but Rahul (Gandhi) cried 'khoon ki dalali'," he said.

"It's not Sonia-Manmohan government (at the helm) now that remains indecisive. It's the Modi government that daringly conducted surgical strikes and inflicted a heavy blow to the enemy and the terror camps on its territory," the BJP chief said, recalling the aftermath of the Uri attack.

Amit Shah was also critical of the "false propaganda" allegedly being carried out by the opposition over the demonetisation issue.

"They are spreading rumours that demonetisation will hurt the farmers. But let me assure you, it will only benefit the farmers by all means," he claimed.

Asserting that the welfare of farmers and development of the agriculture sector were the top priorities of the Modi government, Shah said every step was being taken to ensure the same.

Urban Development Minister M Venkaiah Naidu, Minister of State for Commerce Nirmala Sitharaman, BJP national secretary Siddharth Nath Singh, state president K Hari Babu, state minister's Kamineni Srinivas, P Manikyala Rao and other leaders also attended the rally.
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday condoled the demise of Cuban leader Fidel Castro whom he described as one of the most iconic personalities of the 20th century and a 'good friend' of India.

"I extend my deepest condolences to the government & people of Cuba on the sad demise of Fidel Castro. May his soul rest in peace," he tweeted.

"Fidel Castro was one of the most iconic personalities of the 20th century. India mourns the loss of a great friend," Prime Minister Narendra Modi said.

Also read: Timeline of Fidel Castro's life

He said India extends support to the Cuban government and its people in this tragic hour.

Cuba's former president and communist idol Fidel Castro, who led a rebel army to improbable victory in his country, died at 90 years of age.
Islamabad: Assuring severe retribution, Pakistan's Defense Minister Khawaja Asif has asserted that they will kill three Indian soldiers for every Pakistani soldier they neutralise.

Speaking in the National Assembly on Friday, Asif said that dire consequences would be faced by India if it went to war against Pakistan.

Asserting that the situation at the LoC was intentionally being intensified by the Indian government to win people`s support in the upcoming General Elections, the Defense Minister alleged that India was behind terrorism in Pakistan and they have credible evidence against it.

"We have sent dossiers and video films to the UN and other countries showing Indian involvement in terrorism in Pakistan," the Dawn quoted Asif as saying.

He also accused India of creating hurdles in the way of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) as they were scared that the project would prove a game changer for Pakistan.

Acknowledging that Pakistan might be economically weaker than India, Asif said that India knows that once the CPEC is complete, Islamabad will rise stronger.

However, he said that Pakistan would try to maintain a balance of power in the region and would not respond to India in any kind.
Raipur: A villager was seriously injured on Saturday, as a pressure bomb allegedly planted by Naxalites at a village in Kanker district in Chhattisgarh exploded, police said.

A police officer from Kanker told PTI that, Sonu Ram Dugga (35) was injured in the explosion at Bhainsgaon village under Raoghat police station.

According to the officer, after being alerted that Naxalites had put up propaganda posters at the government-run school in Bhainsgaon, a police team was dispatched to the spot.

After the police arrived at the spot, Dugga, who too had gone to the school, accidentally stepped on the pressure bomb.

The villager sustained serious injuries in the incident and was admitted to a hospital in Antagadh from where, he was taken to Raipur for further treatment, police said.
The key ingredients of a memorable wedding are its location, the arrangements, the fun the couple has and the food.

By Aditi Pai : The key ingredients of a memorable wedding are its location, the arrangements, the fun the couple has and the food. Four wedding experts - Pilar Angulo, a luxury wedding-planner from Spain, Frank Daamgaard of Monte Carlo Weddings, prominent restaurateur Marut Sikka and Punit Jasuja, founder of Second Floor Studio - came together for an afternoon session to discuss how to put together the perfect destination wedding.

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While Daamgaard planned and executed his first Indian wedding across venues in Monaco in 2011 and Angulo took wedding planners by surprise with a fairytale wedding for an Indian couple in a tower in Bilbao, Sikka and Jasuja have experienced the Indian wedding industry for decades.

FOOD ESSENTIAL PART OF WEDDINGS



"The wedding industry earlier was highly fragmented with little synchronisation. Call one bartender, one caterer and one decorator and plan a wedding," says Jasuja. But if there's one aspect that's remained unchanged over the past 20 years or more, it is the food. "Food is basic, it's an essential part of weddings. If the food isn't great, you cannot enjoy the best dcor or location," says Sikka.

Also read | Robb Report Limited Edition Summit 2016: Indians are now ready for modern Indian food, says Chef Vineet Bhatia



With food being the all-important part of a memorable wedding, exotic international destinations often turn out to be logistical nightmares for planners and chefs. For a wedding in Venice, Sikka worked with local Italian bakers to make the Indian 'pav' for Mumbai street fare pav bhaji and got eletronic tandoors to grill aubergines and tomatoes for the all-vegetarian wedding.

For a wedding in Puglia, Sikka had flown in seeds of Indian vegetables to plan them well before the wedding celebrations. "Good food makes a good wedding," he says. Interestingly, "over 85 per cent" of all destination weddings that's he done have been vegetarian affairs, posing a challenge to chefs. "People want Indian food, including Indian street food," he says.

RAJASTHAN, GOA POPULAR DESTINATIONS



While Rajasthan and Goa continue to be popular domestic destinations, high-flying Indians are taking off to exotic locales for their big wedding celebrations. Ever since he did a multi-venue wedding for 850 guests across Monaco in 2011, Daamgaard has been flooded with requests for weddings in Monte Carlo. "It's the world's smallest country but we managed to find venues for various functions for 850 people," he says. With help from the local authorities, he cordoned off the main Casino Square for the baraat, organised the sangeet at the elegant Hotel De Paris and had a mehendi bash at the Hotel Hermitage. "At the Casino Square, there were 350 guests, but 1500 onlookers who just came to watch," he says.

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Also read | PM Modi has good sense of style but I can add some spice to it: Designer Bibhu Mohapatra



Exploring unchartered destinations is the new norm among couples. "People want unexplored places that offer privacy and intimacy," says Jasuja. So, when Angulo presented the exotic offerings in her town, Bilbao to a couple, they lapped it up and went on to have a fairytale wedding in a private tower. "It was the first time the tower was opened up to outsiders for a wedding. Instead of a horse carriage, the groom arrived in a Rolls Royce," she says.

Even as we see instances of weddings getting cancelled for paucity of cash, over the past few weeks, experts are confident that it's only a brief phase. "For Indians, a wedding is that occasion when people indulge themselves to the the best of their ability and that will never change," says Sikka.

TIPS TO ORGANISE DREAM DESTINATION WEDDING



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Jasuja says: "Don't overthink. If the couple and the families are happy, all guests will be happy."

Sikka advises people to take decisions fast. "Don't keep decisions lingering."

Daamgaard tells people to work with a local planner who has all the right contacts. "He can get you the best deals and the best service."

Also read | Robb Report Limited Edition Summit 2016: The high seas and the high fliers



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New Delhi: Welcoming the Centre`s decision to ban the Islamic Research Foundation (IRF), a non-governmental organisation (NGO) run by Zakir Naik, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday asserted that the controversial Islamic preacher believes no religion is better than Islam.

BJP leader and former Mumbai police commissioner Satyapal Singh said Zakir Naik is communal from the very beginning.

"He believes there is no better religion in the world than Islam. He, who himself is communal, sees everyone to be the same. The government`s decision is a welcome stand. It should have taken place earlier," the Baghpat MP told ANI.

Naik`s counsel Mobin Solkar said earlier this month that the case filed by the National Investigative Agency (NIA) against his client under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act is illegal, as the Supreme Court had earlier granted a stay in a similar case and hence any fresh complaint on the same grounds would stand void.

Solankar maintained that from 2012 till date, Naik has not given any lecture which can be a cause of action for filing a fresh FIR against him.

He, however, conceded that the investigative agency is entitled to search and visit the premises of the IRF owned by Naik and the organisation would comply with all investigative processes carried out by the NIA.

Earlier, the authorities blocked the websites of IRF for allegedly spreading objectionable contents, speeches and videos.

As per reports, the NIA will also raise the issue of suspension of videos on YouTube and Facebook pages with the U.S. since the servers are located there.

The NIA had earlier on November 19 carried out searches at 10 premises of the banned IRF in Mumbai after registering a case against its founder Naik and others under an anti-terror law.
Chhattarpur: Seventeen children were injured, six of them seriously, when their school bus overturned near Muderi village in the district today, police said.

The bus of Christ Jyoti School in Lavkush Nagar here was carrying children to the school from Chandla.

It overturned near Munderi, nearly 70 kms from the district headquarters, while the driver tried to save a motorcyclist, Sub Divisional Officer of Police, Lajjashankar Mishra said.

Six children were seriously injured in the mishap and were admitted at Chattarpur district hospital, while the remaining were sent home after getting first-aid, he said.

A case has been registered in this regard and further investigations are on, police added.
Mumbai: On the eighth anniversary of the 26/11 terror strikes, Mumbai paused to remember the 166 victims, including the martyrs and other bravehearts, who were killed by 10 Pakistani militants, here on Saturday.



The official commemoration event was held at Police Gymkhana where Maharashtra Governor CV Rao laid a wreath and led the state in paying homage to all those who lost their lives in the terror attacks.



Present on the occasion were Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Director-General of Police Satish Mathur, Mumbai Police Commissioner Datta Padsalgikar and other senior officials.



Shiv Sena President Uddhav Thackeray, Yuva Sena chief Aditya Thackeray, Mumbai Guardian Minister Subhash Desai, several parliamentarians and legislators also attended.



The guests included the widows, orphans and other family members of the martyrs and victims who remembered their near and dear ones lost in the 26/11 attacks, besides train and bus commuters and the common Mumbaikars.



Former top cops like Julio F. Ribeiro, R.H. Mendonca, D. Shivanandan and other dignitaries also paid homage.



The 10 heavily armed militants, who sneaked in through the Arabian Sea and landed at Colaba seashore in a rubber dingy, struck at multiple locations within a small geographical area in south Mumbai.



The attacks and the counter-terror operations by multiple security agencies, continued for 60 hours between the night of Wednesday November 26 till the dawn of Saturday, November 29, 2008.



Similar functions were organised at targeted sites like Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, Hotel Taj Mahal Palace & Tower, Hotel Trident-Oberoi, Nariman House-Chabad House, Leopold Cafe, Cama Hospital and others.



Earlier, Chairman of all India Anti-Terrorist Front M.S. Bitta, actor Sonu Sood, Maharashtra ATS chief Atul Kulkarni and other senior officials honoured the families of the martyred police officials with a trophy at a function held in the Anjuman-e-Islam School where over 20,000 students were present.



Hotel Taj Mahal Palace partnered with The Sea Hawks and Wing Commander Paramvir Singh by commencing an open water 1,000 km long swim, intended to break the existing world record in this category.



Former Congress legislator Krishna Hegde organised a 2.5 km long Spirit of Youth Walk from Mithibai College to Gandhi memorial at Juhu Beach in which over 2000 students and celebs like ex-cricketer Karsan Ghavri, Irrfan Khan, Sanjay Chhel, Sameer Soni, Imaam Siddique and others joined.



The famous Dabbawallas of Mumbai organised a rally from Girgaum Chowpatty to Azad Maidan in which thousands of the tiffin box carriers and members of the public participated.



The Public Concern for Governance Trust and NCPA organised an event `Unity in Diversity - Together We Remember 26/11` at the Jamshed Bhabha Theatre.



Several other functions, a commemorative concert by the Symphony Orchestra of India and a dance recital by Bharat S. Gakkai and screening of a documentary film `Hum Sab Ek Hain` marked the day.
Imphal: At least five personnel of Para Special Force deployed along the Manipur-Myanmar border sustained life threatening injuries when militants ambushed a patrol party at Sajik Tampak on Saturday.

The incident took place at 9 am today.

The wounded soldiers were airlifted to the military hospital at Leimakhong army headquarters near Imphal.

The soldiers were patrolling in the interior areas of Chandel district located along the international border when one remote controlled bomb detonated. The militants then opened fire from automatic rifles while the soldiers retaliated.

It is believed that the militants escaped across the border later. Reinforcements were rushed for launching combing operations in the area.

There has been no claim about the attack from any underground organisation till the report was filed.

For a long time Sajik Tampak had been the general headquarters of several insurgent groups but eventually, security forces pushed them back and opened a camp.

It was an ideal strategic area since approaching security forces could be sighted from a distance and the insurgents could escape across the border if they were pushed too hard.
Lucknow: Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav may expect projects like Lucknow-Agra Expressway to be a vote-catcher for his Samajwadi Party but BJP believes people will rather vote on issues like corruption and law and order and vote him out in the coming Assembly polls.

Uttar Pradesh BJP president Keshav Prasad Maurya also mocked the recently launched 'Dial 100', meant to offer prompt response to any distress call to the police helpline, saying it only highlights the worsening crime graph and that the Rs 2,000 crore spent on it could have been used for boosting police infrastructure.

"The Lucknow-Agra Expressway will not be any magic bullet for the Chief Minister. People have suffered for five years in his government due to rampant corruption and poor law and order and will vote on these issues," he told PTI in an interview.

The Modi government, he claimed, has lived up to its developmental promises and people will vote BJP to power in the state as they believe that the party means business and will deilver what it promises.

Taking on SP and BSP, two formidable regional rivals, over their attack on the Union government over demonetisation, he said both parties have been hit hard, alleging that BSP supremo Mayawati used black money to "purchase votes from the poor" while SP spent unaccounted money to capture booths.

He attributed the current peace existing between rival camps in SP to demonetisation.

"The feud was about sharing of black money it had made. After the Centre's tough action, their fight seems to have ended. No black money, no dispute," he said, laughing.

"Demonetisation scheme will prove to be a blessing for the country. If the Prime Minister's mother, who is aged above 90 years, can stand in a queue outside a bank, why can't others?... The move has people's support," he said.

Opposition parties have joined hands to keep BJP out of power in UP as they fear that if it forms government, then it will come to power at the Centre as well in 2019, when next Lok Sabha polls are due.

He insisted that SP remains the main rival to the BJP.

"We consider SP as our main rival. Still, our party will get a landslide victory in UP and form the next government. We expect 300 plus seats," he said.

UP has 403-member Assembly.

"We will rid the state of SP-BSP. For UP, they are like Rahu and Ketu (considered malevolent planets in astrology). Their misrule has ruined the state. Development took a backseat during their governments in the last 15 years," he said.

Asked about key poll planks for the BJP, Maurya said, "Good governance, development and making UP the numero uno state in the country."

On the contentious issue of "triple talaq" which has prompted Muslim bodies to accuse the BJP of tinkering with Islamic personal laws, Maurya said his party considers "triple talaq" an injustice to Muslim women.

"We appeal to Muslim women and others opposing triple talaq to support BJP. We are getting support from many of them," he said.

The 47-year-old Lok Sabha member, who comes from a politically crucial backward community, also rejected allegations decisions like surgical strikes across the border and demonetisation were made keeping in mind the coming elections.

Noting that many Assembly Elections have been held since the BJP formed government at the Centre in 2014, he said rival parties lack substantive issues to attack it.

"They have no real issue are opposing us for just for the sake of opposition," Maurya said.

He claimed that the party's 'Parivartan Yatras' across the state have drawn huge support.

"We are getting support from all communities. Where we were expecting 2,000 people, we are witnessing a turnout of 20,000. It reflects the faith people have reposed on us," he said.

Rubbishing the opposition's claims that Modi's rally in Lucknow scheduled for December 24 was cancelled as the party fearing poor turn-out, he said, "Nothing has been cancelled. It has been re-scheduled and the fresh dates will be announced soon after our Parivartan Yatras end on December 24."
Bareilly: A woman suffered burn injuries when two women threw acid on her on her wedding night before fleeting in Cantonment area here.

The women entered the bride's room in Yugvina library compound last night and threw acid on her face. The incident took place when the rituals were about to begin. The victim's grandmother was accompanying her in the room and all their relatives were outside in the compound, police said.

One of the attackers held the bride and the other attacked her with acid. They fled after locking the room from outside.

The victim was rushed to a hospital where she is undergoing treatment.

Police said a probe is on in the matter and all angles are being looked into.
Muzaffarnagar: A farmer was electrocuted when he came in contact with a live wire in Muzaffarnagar while another farmer was killed by an ox in Shamli district, police said on Saturday.

Ishver Chand (35) had gone to release water in his fields at Rohana village yesterday but did not return back. During search, his body was found from the fields near a tubewell, police said.

The body has been sent for postmortem, they added.

In another incident, Ramesh (55) was injured by an ox while he was returning home from his fields in Aldi village of Shamli district. He was rushed to a hospital where he was declared brought dead.
Kampala: At least 14 people including two police officers have been killed in a restive area of western Uganda as security forces battled local militia linked to a traditional king, police said Saturday.

"Since Thursday, 14 people including two police officers were killed when the militia attacked a police post, and during the fighting eight militiamen linked to the King of Rwenzururu were killed today (Saturday)," regional police spokesperson Lydia Tumushabe told AFP Saturday.

"Four police officers and one soldier were injured when the security moved in to disarm the militia," she added.

She said four militants were killed on Thursday when they attacked a police post.

Uganda`s deputy government spokesman Shaban Bantariza said the militia were fighting to form their own republic and "harbour intentions to break away from Uganda".

"These militiamen have set up camps in the Rwenzori mountains from where they train and come to attack government installations " Bantariza said. "These militia men were former and current guards of the Rwenzururu Kingdom."

The town of Kasese, home to the king, was under lockdown Saturday evening.

The conflict in the area bordering the Democratic Republic of Congo has a long history. The Rwenzururu Kingdom started out as a separatist movement of the same name when the mainly Bakonzo community declared its own kingdom in 1962 -- seeking to break free from the yoke of the dominant Toro Kingdom in the region.

The move led to years of bloodshed until a settlement was reached in 1982 in which the movement laid down arms in return for a degree of local autonomy.

President Yoweri Museveni officially recognised the kingdom in 2009. However unrest has continued to simmer in the complex ethnic and political conflict.

King Charles Wesley Mumbere -- who has had a tense relationship with Museveni -- has denied connections to the militia.

Between February and March this year, over 50 people were killed in clashes between the security and rebels, according to police figures.
Tripoli: At least eight members of Libyan pro-government forces were killed today during a fresh offensive on Islamic State group holdouts in the jihadists' stronghold of Sirte, a medical source said.

Forces supporting the Government of National Accord (GNA) - Libya's UN-backed, Tripoli-based administration - launched a bid to retake the city from IS six months ago.

They quickly seized large chunks of the city, but the offensive slowed amid an effort to avoid losses and to protect civilians still trapped by the jihadists.

A hospital where pro-GNA forces are treated said today that it had received eight dead and 26 wounded fighters.

The loyalist forces' press centre said on its Facebook page that IS had carried out two suicide attacks. It added that a woman had opened fire as troops tried to secure an escape for her from a house retaken from the militants.

Pro-GNA fighters said they had taken around 30 buildings from IS in Sirte, the former hometown of longtime dictator Moamer Kadhafi, which is around 450 kilometres east of Tripoli.

Six months of fighting have left nearly 700 GNA fighters dead and 3,000 wounded. The death toll for the jihadists is not known.
Ontario: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau remembered Fidel Castro Saturday as a "remarkable leader" who will be mourned by Canada.

"While a controversial figure, both Mr Castro`s supporters and detractors recognized his tremendous dedication and love for the Cuban people who had a deep and lasting affection for `El Comandante,`" he said in a statement.

His kind words for Castro immediately drew scathing criticism from Conservative lawmakers who said Trudeau was praising a cruel dictator.

Trudeau`s father, former prime minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau, became the first leader of a NATO-member state to travel to Castro`s Cuba, arriving in January 1976 during the middle of the Cold War, against Washington`s wishes.

"I know my father was very proud to call him a friend and I had the opportunity to meet Fidel when my father passed away," the prime minister said.

The Canadian leader visited Cuba only last week to boost ties, as the communist island`s historic breakthrough in restoring relations with the United States hangs in the balance following Donald Trump`s presidential election win.

"Fidel Castro was a larger-than-life leader who served his people for almost half a century," Trudeau said on Saturday. "A legendary revolutionary and orator, Mr Castro made significant improvements to the education and health care of his island nation."

Trudeau and his wife, Sophie, "offer our deepest condolences to the family, friends and many, many supporters of Mr Castro," he added. "We join the people of Cuba today in mourning the loss of this remarkable leader."

In one of a series of attacks on Trudeau`s praise of Castro, Conservative Party lawmaker Kellie Leitch, who is vying to become party leader, said Trudeau had lauded Castro "as if reading from a story book."

"When given the opportunity to recognize the Castro regime for what it was -- brutal, oppressive, and murderous -- our Prime Minister instead chose to lionize the man who denied his people basic freedoms for decades," Leitch wrote on Facebook.
By PTI: Nashik, Nov 26 (PTI) Police seized more than Rs 14 lakh unaccounted cash in high denominations of defunct and new notes from two separate cars on Nashik-Aurangabad road and detained drivers of both the vehicles.

According to Ranjit Dere, in-charge of Niphad Police Station, the cash (Rs 14,65,760) was seizedduring a routine checking of vehicles yesterday.

Police intercepted one car in which they found 462 new currency notes of Rs 2000 hidden under the seats which amounted to Rs 9.24 lakh. Since driver Ejaj Jalil Khan (28), a resident of Aurangabad could not give a proper explanation about the cash, he was detained, the official said. While in another car police found20 bundles of notes in denominations of scrapped Rs 1000 and Rs 500 totalling Rs 5.5 lakh. The driver of the car Abdul Majid Kazi (36) from Andheri was detained with the amount, Dere added.

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The case has been handed over to the Income Tax department. Earlier Rs 73 lakh in cash was impounded in two cars on Nashik-Aurangabad road after government had banned high currency notes. PTI HVJ DK DV

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Mogadishu: A car bomb exploded near a busy market in Somalia's capital Mogadishu on Saturday killing at least eight people, police said, as medical sources warned the toll could be far higher.

"We have counted about eight civilians so far who were killed in the blast and more than 10 others wounded but the death toll could be higher because the area is a market and it was so densely populated when the blast occurred, most people who were wounded have serious injuries," said police official Ibrahim Mohamed.

Medical sources suggested nearly 30 people had been killed, but this was not confirmed by authorities.

"Our ambulances have collected 13 wounded civilians and 28 dead bodies, the toll could be higher because of the density of the location where the blast occurred," Dr Abdukadir Abdirahman Adem, director of the AMIN ambulance service told AFP.

The blast took place in the densely populated Afisiyone area in southern Mogadishu.

"There was chaos and severed dead bodies strewn around the street, the market was so busy with people shopping when the blast ripped through the area. I saw many dead bodies but I could not count, I have helped collect more than 10 of them," said Abdulahi Osman, who witnessed the blast.

No group has yet claimed responsibility for the attack, but immediate suspicion fell on the Al-Qaeda linked Islamist group Shabaab, locked in battle against the Somali government and which regularly mounts attacks in the city.

Its most deadly recent attack was in August when a car bomb outside a popular hotel close to the presidential palace left 15 dead.

Despite being driven out of the capital in 2011 by an African Union force deployed in 2007 the group still control vast swathes of outlying rural areas from which they launch guerrilla operations.
Manila: Up to 100 Islamist militants from a group behind a deadly bombing in Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte's home city were on Saturday under siege in a remote mountain town, officials said.

Residents of Butig, which has a population of 17,000, have fled after the IS-linked militants holed themselves up in an abandoned government building, Philippine military spokesman Brigadier-General Restituto Padilla said.

"The Armed Forces of the Philippines has launched an operation to chase after the Maute leaders," Padilla told AFP, adding that artillery and military aircraft were aiding ground-based security forces.

Two soldiers had been wounded in skirmishes with the Maute group since military operations began on Thursday, he said.

The group is one of several armed Islamist organisations in the southern region of Mindanao which have pledged allegiance to Islamic State fighters in Iraq and Syria.

The stand-off follows the arrest of three members of the group last month, accused of the September bombing that left 15 people dead in Davao, Duterte`s hometown and Mindanao`s largest city.

Government forces have surrounded between 50-100 Maute gunmen to prevent a possible spillover of the fighting to other areas, Major Filemon Tan, the military spokesman for the southern Philippines, told ABS-CBN television.

He did not provide details of troop numbers.

Butig is a mainly Muslim rural town on the lower slopes of Ragang, one of the country`s tallest mountains and more than 800 kilometres (500 miles) south of Manila.

Government forces captured a Maute training camp in the town in June after a 10-day gunbattle that left four soldiers and dozens of militants dead, according to an army account.

Once described by the military as a small-time extortion gang, the group attacked a remote army outpost in Butig in February, triggering a week of fighting that the military said left six soldiers and 12 militants dead.

The group also beheaded two employees of a local sawmill in April, the military has said.

The southern Philippines has been plagued by a Muslim separatist insurgency for more than 40 years, leaving more than 100,000 people dead according to government estimates.
Kuwait City: Kuwaitis went to the polls Saturday for the first election in nearly four years contested by the opposition amid fresh disputes over cuts in subsidies due to falling oil revenues.

Besides the emir, senior members of the ruling Al-Sabah family hold all top cabinet posts.

But unusually for the oil-rich Gulf Arab states, Kuwait has an elected Parliament with powers to hold ministers to account.

That has led to repeated standoffs between lawmakers and the ruling family and this is the seventh general election in a decade.

It comes against a backdrop of discontent among Kuwaiti citizens over mounting cutbacks in the cradle-to-grave welfare system they have long enjoyed as a slump in world oil prices hits government revenues.

The emir dissolved the last parliament after MPs called for ministers to be grilled over the cuts to state subsidies.

Women, who have had the right to vote in Kuwait since 2005, were already queuing outside polling stations when voting began at 8 am (0500 GMT).

"We want the next parliament to stop the government from hiking prices," said pensioner Maasouma Abdullah.

"We want the government to begin taxing the rich and pay great attention to the low-income sections," said Maha Khorshid, an education ministry employee.

"We want the next assembly and government to approve more development projects."

Opposition candidates campaigned heavily for economic and social reform and an end to what they charge is rampant corruption.

Nearly all opposition parties shunned the previous parliamentary elections in July 2013 and December 2012.

It came after a court decision overturned a February 2012 vote which the opposition won and the government changed the electoral rules.

Most of the opposition has now ended the boycott over alleged gerrymandering by the ruling family-led government.The election comes with Kuwait facing its most acute budget crisis in years. Oil income, which accounts for 95 percent of government revenues, has nosedived by 60 percent over the past two years.

And the emirate has fewer alternatives than its Gulf neighbours, partly because it does hold elections, analysts say.

"It has built an economic model completely funded by oil and natural gas revenue to support its workforce, but with its empowered parliament it has less flexibility than any other state in the region to abandon that model," US-based intelligence firm Stratfor said in a recent report.

"Other members of the Gulf Cooperation Council are modeling their economic reforms after Dubai`s financial, investment and real estate-led model, but Kuwait cannot easily follow suit."

Polls are due to close at 8 pm (1700 GMT) with first results expected after midnight (2100 GMT).

The opposition is fielding 30 candidates among a total of 293 hopefuls who include 14 women.

Kuwaiti citizens make up around 30 percent of the emirate`s population of 4.4 million. A total of 483,000 are elegible to vote.

The proportion of expatriates in the population is smaller than most other Gulf states -- with knock-on effects for Kuwait`s prospects for reform.

"Unlike the United Arab Emirates, it cannot accept a foreign workforce that takes the key private sector jobs like Dubai has. In Kuwait, most foreign workers perform the jobs that Kuwaitis do not want to perform," said Stratfor.
Kuwait City: Kuwaitis vote on Saturday to elect the seventh Parliament in a decade in the oil-rich Gulf emirate, at a time of sharp disputes over subsidy cuts due to falling oil revenues.

The snap polls see the return of opposition groups after a four-year boycott in protest at the government's amendment of the electoral law.

The emir dissolved the last Parliament after MPs called for ministers to be grilled over subsidy cuts, in a state with a traditionally generous cradle-to-grave welfare system.

Around 30 opposition figures, out of 300 candidates, including 14 women, are running for the 50-seat Parliament. Half of the opposition candidates are Islamists.

Opposition candidates called at their election rallies for wide democratic reforms, promising to fight for economic and social justice and to end rife corruption.

The government's austerity measures, mainly hiking petrol prices, were the top issue at election rallies.

"The government will most likely accede to some of the demands of the opposition," but stand firm on others, Stratfor, a leading intelligence platform, said in a report.

"The country has the financial luxury of taking a long-term view on reform. Even if it continues to draw down its sovereign wealth fund by USD 30 billion a year for 10 years, it would still have roughly half the fund left," Stratfor said.

Analysts see little hope the election will bring political stability to the Gulf state, which has been rocked by lingering disputes since mid-2006, apart from a period of relative calm after 2013.

Although Kuwait is seen as a pioneer in operating a parliamentary system in the Gulf, political parties are banned and its political set-up falls far short of Western-style democracy.

Regardless of the outcome of the polls, a prominent member of the Al-Sabah ruling family, in power for the past 250 years, will lead the next government.

Members of the family also always occupy the key posts of foreign, interior and defence ministers.

Voting will take place at 100 polling stations set up in schools, with separate centres for men and women.

Kuwait has a population of 4.4 million, but 70 percent of those are foreigners and only 483,000 people are eligible to vote from among Kuwaitis who number 1.23 million.

Polling opens at 8:00 am (0500 GMT) and closes 12 hours later, with first results expected after midnight (2100 GMT) as ballot papers in Kuwait are still counted manually.

OPEC member Kuwait sits on about seven per cent of global crude reserves and pumps around 3.0 million barrels of oil a day. It has amassed around USD 600 billion in reserves from when oil prices were high.
Seoul: Up to 1.3 million protesters braved sleet and freezing temperatures in Seoul today to demand President Park Geun-Hye resign over a corruption scandal or face impeachment, organisers said.

Participants raised candles, sung and danced while chanting "Arrest Park Geun-Hye" and "Throw Park into jail", with cries from the main rally site reportedly reaching the presidential Blue House some 1.5 kilometres away.

The figure offered by organisers would make this the largest of a series of huge weekly protests that began a month ago in the South Korean capital, after an influence-peddling scandal engulfed the president.

Police put the turnout at 260,000. At 8 pm (local time) demonstrators put out their candles, only to relight them a minute later as a warning that their protests would not burn out until Park left office.

"I don't think Park would step down voluntarily, but we need to raise our voice as much as possible to encourage parliament to push through with its move to impeach her," Lee Seung-Cheol, a 23-year-old student, told AFP.

The largely peaceful rallies -- which have been attended by parents and their children, university students and Buddhist monks -- are among the biggest seen in South Korea since the pro-democracy protests of the 1980s.

Park has issued public apologies over the scandal involving her long-time confidante Choi Soon-Sil, who has been arrested for fraud and abuse of power, but has defied repeated calls to resign.

Choi is also accused of interfering in government affairs, despite holding no official position.

The 60-year-old allegedly leveraged her relationship with Park to coerce donations from conglomerates, including SK, Lotte and Samsung, to non-profit foundations which she set up and used for personal gain.

Park has promised to submit herself to an expanding probe by prosecutors, as well as a separate investigation by an independent special prosecutor to be appointed by parliament.

Nevertheless her approval ratings have plunged to a record low for a sitting president as top advisers and some of South Korea's most powerful companies are caught up in the ever-widening scandal.

The headquarters of SK, Lotte and Samsung were raided by state prosecutors this week along with the offices of the finance ministry and state pension fund.

A parliamentary vote to impeach Park could take place as early as next week as a growing number of ruling party politicians back the opposition-led campaign to oust the president.
Yangon: Myanmar police said Saturday they had arrested three Muslims for planting home-made bombs around Yangon and were investigating their links to "terrorists" in Rakhine state, where the Army is cracking down on the Muslim Rohingya minority.

Two crude explosive devices went off inside the regional government office compound on Friday night, the third such small-scale attack to hit Myanmar`s normally peaceful commercial hub in just over a week.

None resulted in any casualties but spread unease in the country`s largest city, which is not frequently targeted by attacks despite Myanmar being home to several insurgencies.

They come at a time of heightened tension after weeks of deadly violence in western Rakhine and clashes between the Army and insurgents in northern Shan state.

Police arrested the men on Friday in Yangon`s central Thingyangyun township after questioning a woman who had been at the site of other explosions.

She was not taken into custody.

"The three suspects have already been arrested with a bomb-making kit. They are Muslims," a policeman told AFP, adding that they "admitted they made the other explosives."

"Police are still investigating whether they have links with terrorists in Rakhine," he added, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Dozens of people have died in northern Rakhine after attacks on police border posts last months sparked a military crackdown.

The government has blamed the raids on Islamist militants with a Pakistani Taliban-trained leader.

Privately, diplomats have questioned this claim.

Several videos of young men armed with knives and guns, purporting to be Rohingya freedom fighters, have appeared online.

Denied citizenship the Rohingya are considered among the most persecuted people in the world.

Presidential spokesman Zaw Htay posted images of a homemade bomb-making kit that he said one of the suspects had thrown away in the compound of a mosque close to where they were arrested.

When contacted by AFP he declined to give further details, saying investigations were ongoing.
Seoul: Hundreds of thousands of people are expected to take part in street protests across South Korea on Saturday to demand President Park Geun-Hye resign over a corruption scandal or face impeachment.

Police said 25,000 officers had been deployed in Seoul and roads leading to the presidential Blue House had been blocked as organisers predict up to 1.5 million people will rally for the fifth weekend in a row.

Another half a million people are expected to demonstrate in provincial cities.

The weekend rallies have been growing in size over the past month, drawing an estimated one million people two weeks ago, and are among the largest seen in South Korea since the pro-democracy protests of the 1980s.

So far they have been largely peaceful, with families, high school students, workers and farmers participating, chanting slogans and carrying candles.

Park has apologised over the influence-peddling scandal involving her long-time confidante Choi Soon-Sil, who has been arrested for fraud and abuse of power, but has defied calls to step down.

Choi is also accused of interfering in government affairs, despite holding no official position.

Park has seen her approval ratings plunge to a record low for a sitting president as top advisers and some of the most powerful companies in the country are caught up in the snowballing scandal.

Choi, 60, allegedly leveraged her relationship with Park to coerce donations from large conglomerates, including SK, Lotte and Samsung, to non-profit foundations which she set up and used for personal gain.

A parliamentary vote to impeach Park could take place as early as next week as a growing number of ruling party politicians back the opposition-led campaign to oust the president.
Islamabad Capital Territory: A suicide attack on Saturday killed two Pakistani soldiers and wounded 14 others in a restive tribal region near the Afghan border, the military said.

At least four suicide bombers attempted to enter the Ghalani camp in Mohmand tribal region and attack a mosque in a residential area where a large number of soldiers were attending morning prayers.

"Wearing suicide jackets, the attackers opened fire and tried to rush inside the mosque," the military said in a statement.

"Security forces surrounded the attackers. Two of the attackers blew themselves up while two others were shot dead," it added.

"Two (paramilitary) Frontier Corps soldiers embraced shahadat (martyrdom) and 14 others were wounded," it said.

The latest incident comes a month after an overnight militant attack on a police academy on the outskirts of the southwestern city of Quetta killed 58 people, mostly cadets, on October 25.

The Army launched an operation in June 2014 in a bid to wipe out militant bases in northwestern tribal areas and so bring an end to a bloody insurgency that has cost thousands of civilian lives since 2004.

Pakistan has been battling an Islamist insurgency since shortly after it decided to ally with the US following its invasion of Afghanistan in 2001.

Violence has declined in recent years following a series of military offensives in border areas as well as concerted efforts to block the militants` sources of funding.

But the remnants of militant groups are still able to carry out periodic bloody attacks, particularly in the northwest.

According to data from the South Asia Terrorism Portal, 457 civilians and 182 members of the security forces were killed in Pakistan from January 1 to September 11, putting 2016 on course for fewer casualties than 2015.

Last year, the country recorded its lowest number of killings since 2007, when the Pakistani Taliban was formed.
Aleppo: Syrian state media said government forces Saturday captured the largest rebel-held district of Aleppo, in what would be a major breakthrough in its offensive to retake the entire second city.

Masaken Hanano was the first district the rebels took in the summer of 2012 in a move that divided Aleppo into an eastern area held by the insurgents and a western district controlled by government forces.

Since then, more than 250,000 civilians have been trapped under government siege for months in the rebel-held east, with dwindling food and fuel supplies.

The capture of Masaken Hanano in northeastern Aleppo is part of a major government offensive now in its 12th day that could isolate that part of the city from rebel-held areas in the south.

Since November 15, regime bombardment of eastern Aleppo has killed 212 civilians, including 27 children, according to the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

Regime forces had been advancing inside Masaken Hanano for several days, and on Friday state television said they were progressing "from three axes".

On Saturday, the state broadcaster and the official SANA news agency said President Bashar al-Assad`s armed forces, backed by their allies, had taken "full control" of the district.

"The armed forces retook full control of Masaken Hanano after having put an end to the presence of terrorists there," the state broadcaster said, referring to the rebels.

SANA said government forces also recaptured the area around the district and "army engineers are clearing it of bombs and explosives planted by the terrorists in the streets and squares".

But Yasser al-Youssef, from the rebel group Nureddin al-Zinki, said fighting was still under way on the southern edges of Masaken Hanano, which he called a district of "strategic importance".

Youssef warned that if regime forces can advance to the adjacent neighbourhood of Sakhur, then eastern Aleppo will be split in two.

Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman said that 80 percent of Masaken Hanano was under the control of government forces who have the rest in their line of fire."They are just hundreds of metres (yards) away from isolating the northern districts of east Aleppo from the southern ones," he said.

The latest regime push comes after days of intense bombardment on the rebel-held east, which was pounded with air strikes, shells and barrel bombs.

The escalation has terrified residents, and several families have fled to areas in southeastern Aleppo which have been relatively calm.

On Saturday, an AFP correspondent in one of those districts saw four families, without luggage, arrive on foot seeking shelter.

"In Hanano, for the past three days, they haven`t been able to set foot outside because of the intense bombardment," said Abu Fadel, who helped them find lodgings.

"They left on foot because they had no other means of transport. At first they were afraid but when they saw many people around and that there was no bombardment they were reassured," he said.

Damascus says east Aleppo residents and surrendering fighters are free to leave, but accuses the rebels of using civilians as "human shields".

On Saturday, dozens of families fled from the Sakhur and Al-Haidariya districts adjacent to Masaken Hanano and headed further south, the Observatory said.

They took flight as regime forces pounded eastern Aleppo with air raids, including Sakhur, killing at least 11 civilians, it said.

The United Nations has a plan to deliver aid to Aleppo and evacuate the sick and wounded, which rebel factions have approved but which Damascus has yet to agree. Guarantees are also needed from regime ally Russia.

Also on Saturday, a string of explosions rocked a munitions storage site in northeastern Syria used by the US-led coalition battling the Islamic State group, the Observatory and a local official said. Contacted by AFP, the coalition said there had been "no reports of explosions" at the site.
Istanbul: President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday warned the European Union that Turkey could extend by at least another three months a state of emergency that has been in place since the failed July coup.

In a a speech in Istanbul, Erdogan launched another stinging attack on the EU after the European Parliament voted on Thursday to back a freeze in accession talks with Ankara.

He again threatened to bring back the death penalty -- a decision that would effectively end Ankara`s longstanding bid -- and said that on this he would listen to the Turkish people and not "Hans" and "George", picking out two common European names.

The state of emergency imposed after the July 15 failed coup bid has seen at least 37,000 people arrested, causing alarm in Brussels over the scale of the crackdown.

"Maybe the state of emergency will be extended by three months and then maybe another three months," he said. "This is a decision for the government and the parliament."

"What`s it to you?" he told the European Parliament.

"Is the European Parliament in charge of this country or is the government in charge of this country?"

"Know your place!" he added, in an angry tirade.

He noted that France had also put in place a state of emergency after it was hit by a string of Islamist attacks in 2015 and accused the European Parliament of hypocrisy.

"Are you not aware that you are aiding and abetting terrorism?" he told the European Parliament.

Turkey has once renewed the three-month state of emergency put in place in the wake of the July 15 coup. It would need to be renewed again in January.

Erdogan had on Friday rattled the European Union by threatening to tear up an agreement that has substantially reduced the flow of illegal migrants to Europe this year.

In his latest speech, he again threatened to sign into law any bill voted by parliament to bring back capital punishment, whose abolition is a key condition of EU membership.

"I am not going to take a decision based on what Hans says, or what George says," he said. "I answer to the people."

"If the people want capital punishment, it goes to parliament. If parliament says yes, I will sign it. Isn`t democracy the national will?"
By PTI: Mumbai, Nov 26 (PTI) Maharashtra State Election Commission today said Rs 26 crore in cash and over one lakh litres of liquor had been seized ahead of elections to 147 municipal councils and 18 nagar panchayats across 25 districts in the state tomorrow.

Giving this information, State Election Commissioner J S Saharia said preparations were in place for a smooth polling.

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As many as 3,705 members of civic bodies and 147 municipal council presidents will be elected.

The total number of voters is 58,49,171 and there are 7,691 polling stations, he said.

Since the code of conduct came into force, Rs 26 crore in cash and 1.24 lakh litres of liquor were seized, he said.

Saharia said no nominations were received for Shirala nagar panchayat in Sangli district, while 28 candidates have been elected unopposed as there were no rival nominations.

Home guards would be deployed for security along with the police and the State Reserve Police Force will be used if needed, he said. PTI MR KRK KIS RDS

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Washington: Mourning the death of Fidel Castro, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon today said the Cuban leader was an "emblematic figure" of the Cuban revolution.

"Under former President Castro, Cuba made advances in the fields of education, literacy and health. I hope Cuba will continue to advance on a path of reform and greater prosperity," Ban said in Ashgabat.

Extending his deepest condolences to the Cuban people and to the family of Castro Ban vividly recall his meeting with the former president when he visited Cuba in January 2014.

In a statement issued by his spokesman, Ban said he was saddened to learn of the death of Castro.

"An emblematic figure of the Cuban revolution, Fidel Castro was prominent in Latin America and influential in world affairs," it said.

"As Prime Minister, President, Commander of the Cuban Armed Forces and First Secretary of the Cuban Communist Party, his role at the helm of Cuba spanned nearly 50 years, during which he left a major imprint on his country and on global politics," said the statement.

"He was a strong voice for social justice in global discussions at the UN General Assembly and international and regional forums. The Secretary-General vividly recalls meeting him during a visit to Cuba in January 2014, and was impressed by the former President's passion and lively engagement on a wide range of issues," the statement said.

Ban hoped that Cuba will continue to advance on a path of reform, greater prosperity and human rights.
Columbia: With the death of Fidel Castro, the United States has lost its last great Cold War enemy, a leader who long ago passed the baton to his brother and sat on the sidelines during his country`s historic rapprochement with its old foe.

The loss of the firebrand who flouted America`s superpower status under 11 US presidents comes as Washington is poised to undergo a major transition from the administration of Barack Obama to that of the brash Republican billionaire Donald Trump.

Trump called Fidel a "brutal dictator" on Saturday as Obama asserted that "history will record and judge" the Cuban revolutionary leader`s impact on the world.

While several European leaders have paid their respects to Fidel during recent visits to Cuba, the United States has largely pretended the aging revolutionary didn`t exist -- dealing only with his younger brother Raul, even after the warming of relations announced on December 17, 2014.

That is, until his death Friday.

Since then, an outpouring of sentiments -- from bitter vitriol to conciliatory, measured condolences -- have poured forth from a range of politicians.

"Today, the world marks the passing of a brutal dictator who oppressed his own people for nearly six decades," Trump said.

He made no mention of his earlier threats to reverse the historic rapprochement carried out by the two countries under Obama, saying only "our administration will do all it can to ensure the Cuban people can finally begin their journey toward prosperity and liberty."

Obama, in turn said the United States was extending "a hand of friendship to the Cuban people" following Castro`s death.

Despite the re-establishment of diplomatic relations in the summer of 2015 and Obama`s historic visit to Cuba in March, relations between the

United States and the communist island located just 90 miles (150 kilometers) off the coast of Florida are far from normalized.

For starters, the Republican-controlled US Congress has refused to lift the economic embargo imposed by the United States since 1962.But relations have always been rough between the United States and Castro`s Cuba. A failed US-backed invasion in the Bay of Pigs to overthrow the nascent

Castro regime in 1961 and the Cuban missile crisis, which brought the globe to the brink of a third world war in 1962, marked only the beginning of the two foes` bitter relationship.

"What the imperialists cannot forgive is the triumph of a socialist revolution right under the nose of the United States," Fidel Castro said in the 1960s.

He was the Cuban counterpart to 11 US presidents, from Dwight Eisenhower to Barack Obama, never ceasing to prove a stubborn bulwark against capitalism and a challenger of America`s status as the world superpower.

With a few rare exceptions -- such as during Democrat Jimmy Carter`s presidency from 1977 to 1981 -- all presidents tried to bring Cuba to its knees by reinforcing economic and trade retaliation as well as supporting Cuba`s opposition in exile. All in vain.

Before Obama`s announcement of a successful rapprochement, furtive behind-the-scenes approaches on behalf of a number of American presidents had failed. Meanwhile, the Cuba issue took on a distinctly domestic flavor, as the Cuban exile community in the United States exerted its force on politics, particularly in Congress.

That pressure was still on view Saturday as a number of Cuban-Americans from Congress weighed in on Castro`s death.

"A tyrant is dead and a new beginning can dawn on the last remaining communist bastion of the Western hemisphere," Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, a conservative Cuban-American who represents southern Florida`s 27th district where many Cuban exiles live, wrote on her website.

Texas Senator Ted Cruz -- whose father is Cuban -- said on Facebook that Castro`s death "cannot bring back his thousands of victims, nor can it bring comfort to their families."

For Democrats, the Cuban rapprochement and the Iranian nuclear deal will remain the Obama administration`s enduring diplomatic legacies -- assuming Trump does not undo them after he takes office on January 20, as he has previously threatened.

When Obama visited the island nation in March, he said that "change is going to happen here and I think that Raul Castro understands that," but added that those changes were not going to happen "overnight."
Going by actress Sana Saeed's social media, something sure is up between her and Zaheer Ratansi.

By India Today Web Desk: Sana sure isn't the child she was during her big debut with SRK-Kajol starrer Kuch Kuch Hota Hai. Her fans and followers were in fact quite surprised (pleasantly) to see her grown-up avatar in Nach Baliye 7 last year.

In fact, during her stint at the dance reality show, Sana was said to be dating her Nach Baliye partner, Deepesh Sharma. Now, however, things have changed. The actress is now said to be dating Salman Khan's friend, Iqbal Ratansi's son, Zaheer. The two have been all over each other on Instagram.

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Zaheer has supposedly been promised a big break in Bollywood by Salman Khan himself, thanks to the star's association with Zaheer's father, Iqbal Ratansi.

Here a few pictures of the new couple:

Waqt Chaukor ??? A photo posted by Zaheer (@iamzahero) on Aug 9, 2016 at 10:59am PDT

10 Days To Brawww ... The Countdown Begins ????????? A photo posted by Zaheer (@iamzahero) on Sep 24, 2016 at 9:11am PDT

Happy Friendship Day ?? #brawforlife #NewYork #bestbestieaward #lovemylife A photo posted by Sana Saeed (@sanaofficial) on Aug 7, 2016 at 12:46am PDT

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Researchers have found a connection between depression and stomach ailments, and anxiety and skin diseases.

By Indo-Asian News Service: Researchers have found that depression in young people is often followed by arthritis and diseases of the digestive system, while skin diseases are common after anxiety disorders.

The findings suggest that mental disorders are antecedent risk factors of certain physical diseases in early life, but also vice versa, according to the researchers.

"Our results expand the relevance of mental disorders beyond mental to physical health care, and vice versa, supporting the concept of a more integrated mental-physical health care approach, and open new starting points for early disease prevention and better treatments, with relevance for various medical disciplines," the study said.

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The research group led by Marion Tegethoff in collaboration with Professor Gunther Meinlschmidt from the University of Basel in Switzerland examined the temporal pattern and relationship between physical diseases and mental disorders in children and young people.

They analysed data from a representative sample of 6,483 teenagers from the US aged between 13 and 18.

The researchers noted that some physical diseases tend to occur more frequently in children and adolescents if they have previously suffered from certain mental disorders.

Likewise, certain mental disorders tend to occur more frequently after the onset of particular physical diseases.

Affective disorders such as depression were frequently followed by arthritis and diseases of the digestive system, while the same relationship existed between anxiety disorders and skin diseases, showed the study published in the journal, PLOS ONE.

Anxiety disorders were more common if the person had already suffered from heart disease. A close association was also established for the first time between epileptic disorders and subsequent eating disorders.

The results offer important insights into the causal relationship between mental disorders and physical diseases.

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The anti-globalization virus is threatening to infect Australia's restaurants. A nationalist jobs for Australians first push by politicians could be bad news for the nation's food lovers, given more work visas are granted to cooks and chefs than any other profession.

The government's planned crackdown on visas, known as 457s, reflects the fallout from Donald Trump's U.S. election win and the Brexit vote, as Australian lawmakers scramble to neutralize populist rallying points. Two problems: the food industry is blossoming in an Australia increasingly enamored by culinary delights; while restaurants are also a major selling point for tourism, a pillar of the country's post-mining economy.

Also read: There may be a silver lining to Trump's trade policies

I really don't think they've really thought this one through, said Andrew Hughes, a lecturer at the College of Business and Economics at Australian National University. They're trying to resolve a political problem in response to Trump and populism without considering the economic consequences. The flow-on effects will be huge: outside staff shortages, increased wages and higher restaurant bills, it will diminish the multinational culinary experience Australia offers and its appeal abroad.

The other issue is not enough Australians want to become chefs --whether it's the anti-social hours or lack of status, there's a market shortfall. That's the main reason for the proliferation of 457 visas for overseas workers.

Australia's restaurant, cafe and catering industry is certainly significant. It employs 554,200 people across 35,900 businesses and is the biggest contributor to the visitor economy, which spans foreign and domestic visitors. The industry body says tourism has been flagged as one of Australias five super growth areas -- second only to natural gas.

Also read: 'Trump effect' begins to bite borrowers

Culturally, the rise of hugely popular television programs like Master Chef; the increasing numbers of households hiring chefs to come and cook for them as a special event; and the proliferation of restaurants and cafes in Australia highlights the nation's turn from its pre-multicultural meat and three veg.'' Yet unlike the U.S., where chefs are sometimes viewed as rockstars, their status is more humble Down Under, as restaurateurs often view them as equivalent to cooks.

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This might help partly explain lawmakers' oversight of the profession as they confront a potent political risk.



Trump's surprise election, months after the British electorate unexpectedly voted to quit the European Union, is part of a global wave of populism sweeping the developed world and threatening political elites. While Australia has managed to keep economic inequality relatively under control, both the opposition Labor Party, which proposed the tightening of visa rules, and the ruling coalition that responded with its own measures, fear the spread of anti-globalization.

Also read: How will President Trump affect Aussie property markets?

But in a way, the horse has already bolted here, said Hughes, referring to the July election of four Australian senators based on a platform of halting Muslim immigration. I'm not sure cracking down on temporary work visas will stop that. The political issue will remain and they'll have created a new economic problem while they were trying to fix it.
South African President Jacob Zuma has been engulfed by graft scandals

International credit rating firm Fitch dropped its outlook for South Africa from stable to negative on Friday, citing the country's recent political turmoil under President Jacob Zuma.

Zuma has been engulfed by graft scandals and a power struggle with Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan, while economic growth has fallen to 0.5 percent and unemployment hit a 13-year high.

"Political risks to standards of governance and policy-making have increased," Fitch said in a statement, confirming that it kept South Africa's credit rating at one notch above "junk" status.

Moody's had been expected to issue its updated grading later Friday, but made no announcement by midnight (2200 GMT).

Standard & Poor's makes its key announcement on December 2.

Like Fitch, S&P currently has South Africa -- the continent's most developed economy -- rated at the lowest investment grade.

The credit reviews could further drain investor confidence in the country's prospects under Zuma and the ANC party, which has ruled since the end of apartheid.

"The in-fighting within the ANC and the government is likely to continue over the next year," Fitch said.

"This will distract policymakers and lead to mixed messages that will continue to undermine the investment climate, thereby constraining GDP growth."

Efforts to avoid junk status have been at the centre of political drama for months, with Zuma loyalists at loggerheads with Gordhan, who is widely respected among international investors.

"Zuma has focused on removing Gordhan and maintaining his grip on power, while Gordhan (has) been working very hard to avert a ratings downgrade," the Eurasia consultancy group said.

- Junk threat -

A junk rating by S&P could trigger bond selling by foreign investors, as well as raise borrowing costs.

Some investment funds have rules that allow them to only hold bonds that have investment-grade ratings.

"Efforts made by South Africa to keep the country on an investment grade have paid off," the treasury said after the Fitch announcement, while acknowledging the concerns over political uncertainty.

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Pravin Gordhan had been due to appear in court earlier this month on graft charges that many analysts saw as an attempt by Zuma associates to oust him.

The charges were dropped at the last minute, exposing deep tensions in the ANC as several ministers came out in his support.

Gordhan was appointed only last year to calm panicked investors when Zuma sacked two finance ministers within four days.

Gordhan and deputy president Cyril Ramaphosa have been pushing for reform of loss-making state companies, including power company Eskom and national airline South African Airways.

A recent watchdog report included allegations that Zuma ensured one business family won huge preferential contracts to supply Eskom with coal.

Zuma said on Friday he would launch a court challenge to the report and its order to set up a judicial inquiry.

"Business confidence remains depressed and investment has continued to contract," Fitch added.

"The economy had been hit in 2015 and 2016 by electricity shortages, the worst drought in decades, a sharp fall in international prices for some of South Africa's main mining commodities and rising policy uncertainty."

The ANC is due to elect a new leader at the end of next year, ahead of the 2019 general election when Zuma must stand down after serving two terms.

South Africa this week unveiled the proposed figure for its first minimum wage -- 3,500 rand ($242) a month -- in a move that could improve labour relations.

Fitch, which said South Africa's banking sector "remains a rating strength", forecast GDP growth of 1.3 percent in 2017 and 2.1 percent in 2018.
The former and new president of FC Bayern Munich Uli Hoeness reacts after his new election during the shareholders meeting of the German first division Bundesliga team FC Bayern Munich in Munich, southern Germany on November 25, 2016

Uli Hoeness, the man who helped make Bayern Munich one of the world's most powerful clubs, was re-elected president of the Bavarian giants on Friday.

His election comes nine months after he was released from prison after serving half of a three-and-a-half-year sentence for tax evasion.

The 64-year-old was the only candidate for the role and a crushing majority voted in favour of his return at Bayern's annual general meeting in Munich.

Only 108 members voted against his return out of around 6,000 in attendance.

"I made a huge mistake, that is unquestionable," Hoeness said in an emotional speech before his election.

"I respect every person who doesn't vote for me because of this...but I have done everything to make up for what I did. I have paid my debt to the tax man right down to the last cent.

"And now I am here. I am asking you for a second chance and I promise you I will do everything to fulfil your expectations," he said to a standing ovation.

Hoeness had been sentenced in March 2014 after being found guilty of seven counts of tax evasion between 2003 and 2009 to the value of 28.5 million euros. The following day he resigned as Bayern's president.

Earlier the German champions announced record turnover for the 2015-16 financial year of 627 million euros (533.3m; $664.6m), up by more than 100 million euros on the previous year.

Bayern's pre-tax profits also increased by around 30 percent, from 23.8 million euros in 2014-15 to 33 million euros.

"Our entrepreneurial objective is the maximisation of sporting success alongside financial prudence," said the club's deputy chairman Jan-Christian Dreesen.

"Our increasing financial power will be used primarily to make the regular investments required in our first-team squad in order to ensure we remain competitive among the elite teams in Europe."

While spending on players and staff rose by 33 million euros, the increase in revenue is largely down to income from sponsorship and marketing growing from 113.9 million euros in 2014-15 to 169.8 million euros.

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Income from television rights marketing was 83.4 million euros, "a relatively low figure in international terms", as the club said, but up from 58.3 million.

The figures underline Bayern's dominance of the German game, in which they have won the last four Bundesliga titles and also won the German Cup last season.

Their biggest rivals at home are Borussia Dortmund, whose own revenue was 376 million euros.

Bayern's own figures are short of those announced by Spanish champions Barcelona, who announced revenue of 679 million euros for the last financial year. However, they are just ahead of the 620 million-euro revenue announced by Real Madrid.
By Marc Frank and Nelson Acosta HAVANA (Reuters) - Fidel Castro, the Cuban revolutionary who built a communist state on the doorstep of the United States and for five decades defied U.S. efforts to topple him, died on Friday. He was 90. A towering figure of the 20th century and Cold War icon, Castro stuck to his ideology beyond the collapse of Soviet communism and remained widely respected in parts of the world that struggled against colonial rule. Castro had been in poor health since an intestinal ailment nearly killed him in 2006. He formally ceded power to his younger brother, Raul, two years later. Wearing a green military uniform, a somber Raul Castro, 85, appeared on state television on Friday night to announce Fidel's death, 60 years to the day since the two brothers and dozens of supporters left Mexico on a boat to take revolution to Cuba. "At 10:29 at night, the chief commander of the Cuban revolution, Fidel Castro Ruz, died," he said, without giving a cause of death. "Ever onward, to victory," he said, using the slogan of the Cuban revolution. A mix of tributes and condemnation poured in from around the world. "History will record and judge the enormous impact of this singular figure on the people and world around him," U.S. President Barack Obama said, extending "a hand of friendship" to Cuba. Obama's elected successor, Donald Trump, said he would work to ensure the Cuban people "can begin their journey toward prosperity and liberty," even though "the tragedies, deaths and pain caused by Fidel Castro cannot be erased." Trump's Vice President-elect, Mike Pence, was more blunt about the late leader: "The tyrant Castro is dead. New hope dawns. ... Viva Cuba Libre!" he said on Twitter. Venezuela's socialist president, Nicolas Maduro, urged revolutionaries to follow Castro's legacy, while Pope Francis said he was grieving and praying for the repose of the professed atheist, whom he met in Cuba last year. China's president, Xi Jinping, said "the Chinese people have lost a close comrade and a sincere friend." DECADES OF HOSTILITY Raul Castro, who glorified his older brother, has nonetheless changed Cuba since taking over by introducing market-style economic reforms and agreeing with the United States in December 2014 to re-establish diplomatic ties and end decades of hostility. It is unclear whether Trump, who takes office on Jan. 20, will continue those efforts to normalize relations with Cuba or fulfill a campaign promise to close the U.S. embassy in Havana once again. Fidel Castro himself offered only lukewarm support for the 2014 deal with Washington, raising questions about whether he approved of ending hostilities with his longtime enemy, a conflict that took the world to the brink of nuclear war during the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962. He did not meet Barack Obama when he visited Havana earlier this year, the first time an American president had stepped foot on Cuban soil since 1928. Days later, Castro wrote a scathing newspaper column condemning Obama's "honey-coated" words and reminding Cubans of the U.S. efforts to overthrow and weaken the Communist government. Cuba declared nine days of mourning, during which time his ashes will be taken to different parts of the country. A burial ceremony will be held on Dec. 4. Hundreds of students gathered in Havana on Saturday to honor Castro, and mass rallies are planned for the coming days. "(We're here) for everything Fidel has done since the triumph of the revolution," said one student, Raul Alejandro Palmeros. "Fidel put Cuba on the map, and made Cuba a paradigm for the people of the world, especially the poor and the marginalized." But in Miami, where many exiles from Castro's government live, a large crowd waving Cuban flags cheered, danced and banged on pots and pans. MILITARY FATIGUES, CIGARS The bearded Fidel took power in a 1959 revolution and ruled Cuba for 49 years with a mix of charisma and iron will, creating a one-party state and becoming a central figure in the Cold War. He was demonized by the United States and its allies but admired by many leftists around the world, especially socialist revolutionaries in Latin America and Africa. Nelson Mandela, once freed from prison in 1990, repeatedly thanked Castro for his efforts in helping to weaken apartheid. In April, in a rare public appearance at the Communist Party conference, Fidel Castro shocked party apparatchiks by referring to his own imminent mortality. "Soon I will be like all the rest. Our turn comes to all of us, but the ideas of the Cuban communists will remain," he said. Transforming Cuba from a playground for rich Americans into a symbol of resistance to Washington, Castro crossed swords with 10 U.S. presidents while in power, and outlasted nine of them. He fended off a CIA-backed invasion at the Bay of Pigs in 1961 as well as countless assassination attempts. Wearing green military fatigues and chomping on cigars for many of his years in power, Castro was famous for long, fist-pounding speeches filled with blistering rhetoric, often aimed at the United States. At home, he swept away capitalism and won support for bringing schools and hospitals to the poor. But he also created legions of enemies and critics, concentrated among the exiles in Miami who saw him as a ruthless tyrant. "With Castro's passing, some of the heat may go out of the antagonism between Cuba and the United States, and between Cuba and Miami, which would be good for everyone," said William M. LeoGrande, co-author of a book on U.S.-Cuba relations. Castro's death - which would once have thrown a question mark over Cuba's future - seems unlikely to trigger a crisis as Raul Castro is firmly ensconced in power. Fidel Castro no longer held leadership posts in the last years of his life. He wrote newspaper commentaries on world affairs and occasionally met foreign leaders, but lived in semi-seclusion. Still, the passing of the man known to most Cubans as "El Comandante" - the commander - or simply "Fidel" leaves a huge void in the country he dominated for so long. It also underlines the generational change in Cuba's communist leadership. Raul Castro has vowed to step down when his term ends in 2018, and the Communist Party has elevated younger leaders to its Politburo, including 56-year-old Miguel Diaz-Canel, who is first vice president and the heir apparent. REVOLUTIONARY ICON A Jesuit-educated lawyer, Fidel Castro led the revolution that ousted U.S.-backed dictator Fulgencio Batista on Jan 1, 1959. Aged 32, he quickly took control of Cuba and sought to transform it into an egalitarian society. His government improved the living conditions of the very poor, achieved health and literacy levels on a par with rich countries and rid Cuba of a powerful Mafia presence. But he also tolerated little dissent, jailed opponents, seized private businesses and homes, and monopolized the media. Hundreds of thousands of Castro's opponents fled the island. "The dictator Fidel Castro has died, the cause of many deaths in Cuba, Latin American and Africa," Jose Daniel Ferrer, leader of the island's largest dissident group, the Patriotic Union of Cuba, said on Twitter. Many dissidents settled in Florida, influencing U.S. policy toward Cuba and plotting Castro's demise. Some even trained in the Florida swamps for the disastrous Bay of Pigs invasion. But they could never dislodge him. Castro claimed he survived or evaded hundreds of assassination attempts, including some conjured up by the CIA. In 1962, the United States imposed a damaging trade embargo that Castro blamed for most of Cuba's ills, using it to his advantage to rally patriotic fury. Over the years, he expanded his influence by sending Cuban troops into faraway wars, including 350,000 to fight in Africa. They provided critical support to a left-wing government in Angola and contributed to the independence of Namibia in a war that helped end apartheid in South Africa. Castro also won friends by sending tens of thousands of Cuban doctors abroad to treat the poor and bringing young people from developing countries to train them as physicians. 'HISTORY WILL ABSOLVE ME' Born on Aug. 13, 1926, in Biran in eastern Cuba, Castro was the son of a Spanish immigrant who became a wealthy landowner. Angry at social conditions and Batista's dictatorship, Castro launched his revolution on July 26, 1953, with a failed assault on the Moncada barracks in the eastern city of Santiago. "History will absolve me," he declared during his trial. He was sentenced to 15 years in prison but was released in 1955 after a pardon that would come back to haunt Batista. Castro went into exile in Mexico and prepared a small rebel army to fight Batista. It included Argentine revolutionary Ernesto "Che" Guevara, who became his comrade in arms. On Nov. 25, 1956, Castro and a ragtag band of 81 followers set sail from the Mexican port of Tuxpan aboard an overloaded yacht called "Granma," reaching Cuba in early December. Only 12, including Fidel, Raul and Guevara, escaped a government ambush when they landed in eastern Cuba. Taking refuge in the rugged Sierra Maestra mountains, they built a guerrilla force of several thousand fighters who, along with urban rebel groups, defeated Batista's military in just over two years. Early on, at the height of the Cold War, Castro allied Cuba to the Soviet Union, which protected the Caribbean island and was its principal benefactor for three decades. The alliance brought in $4 billion worth of aid annually, including everything from oil to guns, but also provoked the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis when the United States discovered Soviet missiles on the island. Convinced that the United States was about to invade Cuba, Castro urged the Soviets to launch a nuclear attack. Cooler heads prevailed. Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev and U.S. President John F. Kennedy agreed the Soviets would withdraw the missiles in return for a U.S. promise never to invade Cuba. The United States also secretly agreed to remove its nuclear missiles from Turkey. 'SPECIAL PERIOD' When the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, an isolated Cuba fell into an economic crisis that lasted for years known as the "special period." Food, transport and basics such as soap were scarce and energy shortages led to frequent and long blackouts. Castro undertook a series of tentative economic reforms to get through the crisis, including opening up to foreign tourism. The economy improved when Venezuela's late socialist leader, Hugo Chavez, who looked up to Castro as a hero, came to the rescue with cheap oil. Aid from communist-run China also helped, but Venezuelan support has eased since Chavez's death in 2013. Plagued by chronic economic problems, Cuba's population of 11 million has endured decades of hardship, although not the deep poverty, violent crime and government neglect of many other developing countries. Cuban state workers earn on average the equivalent of $25 a month and struggle to make ends meet even in an economy where education and healthcare are free and many basic goods and services are heavily subsidized. Still, for most Cubans, Castro has been the ubiquitous figure of their lives. Many love him and share his faith in communism, and even some who abandoned their political belief still respect him. "For everyone in Cuba and outside his death is very sad," said Havana resident Luis Martinez. "It is very painful news." (Reporting by Daniel Trotta, Marc Frank and Sarah Marsh; Editing by Kieran Murray, Bill Rigby and Jonathan Oatis)
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The deceased sub-inspector was on bandobast duty 2 km from the venue Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended a function.

Sub-inspector Sridhar, who allegedly killed himself on Saturday.

By Ashish Pandey: A Telangana Police sub-inspector was found dead on Saturday morning in Hyderabad. Sub-inspector Sridhar, originally posted in Asifabad, was deputed on 'bandobast' duty in Hyderabad for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ongoing visit.

As per the primary investigation, sub-inspector Sridhar committed suicide by using his service revolver early on Saturday morning. Spurned love is being suspected as the reason behind his suicide.

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Sridhar was deployed at a high rise apartment at Mylardevpally about 2 km from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Police Academy, where Prime Minister Modi, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and other VVIPs are attending the annual state DGPs' conference



PM Modi pays tribute to the Martyrs column at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Police Academy in Hyderabad. pic.twitter.com/6bjDXySHto ANI (@ANI_news) November 26, 2016

The incident came in the light, when another sub-inspector reached to relieve him at the 19th floor of newly constructed happy apartment.



Sridhar was a native of Warangal district of the state and had joined police service in 2012. He was posted at Chintalamanepalli police station in Asifabad district.

PM Narendra Modi plants a sapling at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Police Academy in Hyderabad. pic.twitter.com/iZewKdzfiT

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On November 18, 2016, a Supreme Court collegium comprising four senior judges (the fifth, Justice J. Chelameswar, refused to attend in person) returned the names of 43 judges for appointment to various high courts to the Union executive after reconsideration. Under the applicable procedural rules, the Union executive is now bound to appoint these judges. This sets the stage for a direct confrontation between the executive - which seeks to exploit every procedural wrinkle to impose its will on the appointment process - and a judiciary which has failed to reform this opaque and unaccountable process. This clash of institutions has produced a constitutional crisis not seen since Indira Gandhi's attempts to mould the judiciary in her own image. But it's not too late for the judiciary to craft a new approach to appointments that buttresses its popular legitimacy and avoids a dangerous loss of autonomy.

Sudhir Krishnaswamy

It all started in October 2015 when an SC bench struck down the 99th constitutional amendment and supplementary legislation that sought to establish a new method of appointing higher court judges through a National Judicial Appointments Commission (NJAC). Having wrested back control, Justice J.S. Khehar, in a spirit of statesmanship, invited the Union executive to draft a new memorandum of procedure to regulate executive-judicial interaction in the appointment process. This olive branch could have paved the way for genuine institutional reform of the collegium process with greater transparency and executive/public participation. Instead, a year later the memorandum is yet to be approved and the cold exchanges between the executive and judiciary are shrouded in secrecy. In this period, the Union executive has stalled appointments to the higher courts (a list of 77 has been pending for over nine months). Earlier this month, the executive cleared 34 judges after much public wrangling. Significantly, all 34 were from the subordinate judiciary who, on current evidence, decide fewer cases and are less likely to strike down legislative/executive action than advocates appointed from the HC bar.

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Union law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad has counselled the executive and the court to overcome their differences, to promote comity. This is doubly wrong advice: wrong on facts and wrong on principle. Firstly, since May 2014, the new majority executive government has sought to overcome the SC's adjudication whenever it's inconvenient. Led by a belligerent attorney general, it has pushed to reconstitute benches, ostensibly to allow for larger ones to overrule binding precedent. This disrupts existing benches and postpones potentially adverse judicial outcomes. Where the courts decided against the Union, as with the proclamations of emergencies in Arunachal Pradesh, the majority party has undermined court decisions by achieving through political means what is forbidden by constitutional means.

Secondly, this advice misunderstands the principled justification for a Supreme Court in a constitutional democracy. As Montesquieu reminds us in Book 11 of The Spirit of Laws, political liberty is to be found only where there is 'moderate government'. Moderate governments are produced not by choosing virtuous leaders, but by ensuring that 'power should be a check to power'. This teaching is inscribed into the Indian Constitution which divides power between the various branches of government. For India to remain a constitutional democracy, we need a Supreme Court that operates as an effective check on majoritarian legislative and executive power.

The executive will make the next move in this strategic institutional game when it decides on the 43 names before it. Irrespective of the results in this round of the battle, the SC needs to evolve a grand strategy that preserves its institutional autonomy and non-partisan character. A successful strategy would be to transform this two-way conversation between executive and judiciary into a three-way conversation by bringing the people back in. The court should mobilise its high popular social and political legitimacy to speak directly to the people over the heads of the legislature and the executive. The court failed to grasp this opportunity last year when, through a new order clarifying the application of the NJAC decision, it crafted its orders striking down the NJAC laws. Circumstances have provided it with another opportunity to secure India's constitutional democracy which hinges on an autonomous and non-partisan judiciary. This time the court must reshape the collegium process by adopting a protocol of transparency and openness in judicial appointment and incorporate two independent non-political persons in the collegium process. Such a move would delegitimise executive and legislative overreach and revitalise India's constitutional democracy for the 21st century.



The author is Director, School of Policy and Governance, Azim Premji University

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An independent third party mandated by the Ministry of Urban Development, has issued a certificate to New Delhi Municipal Council area declaring it Open Defecation Free.

This inspection took place on November 24 and a certificate has been issued to NDMC already.

By Baishali Adak: In a first for the Capital, the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) area was declared as ODF (Open Defecation Free) under Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, on Thursday. As mandated by the Ministry of Urban Development (MoUD), an independent third party - the Quality Council of India (QCI) - inspects every such Urban Local Body (ULB) which claims the ODF certificate.

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This inspection took place on November 24 and a certificate has been issued to NDMC already. Senior officers said that Union Minister M Venkaiah Naidu will distribute awards to ODF cities and states in the first week of December, of which NDMC will be one.

The civic body, though only three per cent of Delhi's area, houses VVIPs and the most critical installations of the country including Parliament, Rashtrapati Bhavan, North Block, South Block, various embassies, posh hotels, etc.

At the same time, it has Delhi's Ring Railway, railway colonies and several Jhuggi-Jhopdi (JJ) clusters like Sanjay Camp and Vivekanand Colony - all of which were major sites of open defecation. NDMC installed 370 public toilet units, 40 community toilets and 10 bio-digester toilets over the past one year to get rid of the problem.

Also read: Human excreta falling from skies: NGT slaps cost on Centre



THE CERTIFICATE

The certificate issued by QCI says that it inspected Sangli Mess (slum), Aliganj (residential area), Kidwai Nagar, Udyan Marg (commercial area), Sunehri Masjid, NP Girls Secondary School Balmiki Basti, Central Secretariat Bus Station, etc., and found them open defecation free.

NDMC officers said that protocols around ODF declaration involve a yearly or sixmonthly review of the area which has been awarded the certificate. This may be done for NDMC area also in year 2017.

Dr PK Sharma, Incharge of NDMC's Health Dept., said, "We put in a lot of efforts into this, also educating and making people aware of the ill-effects of defecating in the open. Where we could not install permanent toilets, we brought in mobile toilets even. Plus, we added cash ATMs, drinking water facilities and even aquariums to make our toilets attractive."

Also read: Akshay's Toilet Ek Prem Katha: Furious Mathura saints declare Rs 1cr reward for director's tongue

The civic body had pledged to make its area ODF --- an important benchmark in PM Modi's flagship Swachh Bharat Abhiyan - on 7 April, 2016. This was reiterated on ODF National Triggering Day, July 23.

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Eighteen states - Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Telengana and West Bengal - had then set the ambitious goal of making 400 cities and towns in their boundaries ODF by December.



Also read: Delhi Metro runs spl train with Swachh Bharat, festive theme

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By PTI: moments

Mumbai, Nov 26 (PTI) Rich tributes were today paid to the martyrs who laid down their lives eight years ago on this day during the terrorist attack on Mumbai in which 166 people were killed, with Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis leading the commemoration.

Family members of the martyred personnel and survivors of the daring strike recalled the harrowing moments and pledged support to efforts to root out terrorism.

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"I pay homage to the brave policemen who fought for Mumbais safety and laid down their lives for us on 26/11. We are proud of them and we will strive hard for safety and security of our state," Fadnavis said paying homage at the 26/11 police memorial at the Mumbai Police Gymkhana.

Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao, Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray, former Mumbai police commissioners Julio Ribeiro, M N Singh and several senior present and former police officers were present.

On November 26, 2008, ten Pakistani terrorists arrived by sea route and opened fire indiscriminately at people killing 166, including 18 security personnel, and injuring several others, besides damaging property worth crores.

The then ATS chief Hemant Karkare, Army Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan, Mumbais Additional Police Commissioner Ashok Kamte and Senior Police Inspector Vijay Salaskar were among those killed in the attack.

The attack had begun on November 26 and lasted until November 29. Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, the Oberoi Trident, the Taj Mahal Palace and Tower, Leopold Cafe, Cama Hospital, the Jewish community centre were some of the places targeted by the terrorists.

Ajmal Kasab was the lone militant who was captured alive. He was hanged four years later on November 21, 2012.

At a video exhibition titled 26/11: Stories of Strength, showcased by The Indian Express in association with Facebook and Instagram, Fadnavis called for leveraging manpower with technology for security purposes.

He said the 2008 Mumbai attacks were an insult to India, wherein ten terrorists held an entire nation to ransom.

He said the whole world should be proud of the resilience shown by the city to cope with the terror attacks.

Kia Scherr, who lost her family in the ghastly attacks, said she and her family in Florida could only watch the news and wait to hear from her relatives who were in the city then.

"I have forgiven those who killed my family because I want to be relieved from the burden of anger. Since the attacks, I have been reborn in Mumbai again. I have received so much of love, generosity from people here," she said. More PTI DC MM NM NP AAR

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The money has been handed over to Income Tax department for further investigation.

By Ashish Pandey: Rajahmundry Railway Police today caught unaccounted money worth Rs 50 lakh from a man named Maalyangan who arrived at the city in the Bokaro Express.

INTERROGATION

During the subsequent interrogation, the suspect told the police that he was coming from Chennai to the city as directed by his boss.

He claimed that he wanted to deliver the cash to another person in Rajahmundry.

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The sized money was completely in the denominations of Rs 1000, one of the currency notes scrapped by the government as a part of its demonetisation drive.

The money has been handed over to the Income Tax department for further investigation.

ALSO READ:

Nepal bars exchange of new Rs 2,000 and Rs 500 notes, calls them 'illegal'

Demonetisation: Rs 1000 notes can't be used now, Rs 500 will live on till Dec 15



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By PTI: Imphal, Nov 25 (PTI) Manipur police commandos today arrested the president and information secretary of United Naga Council (UNC), the group behind the nearly month-long indefinite economic blockade of national highways in the northeastern state.

UNC president Gaidon Kamei and its information secretary Stephen Lamkang were arrested from Pheidinga area Imphal West district, 18 km from here, when they were travelling in a vehicle.

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Senior Manipur police officer said the two were arrested for questioning and investigation in view of the UNC blockade which entered its 25th day today hitting normal life.

The UNC is against the Manipur governments decision to make Sadar Hills and Jiribam full fledged districts claiming it would bifurcate ancestral lands of Nagas living in the state.

The arrest has been condemned by All Naga Students Association Manipur (ANSAM) who demanded immediate release of the two UNC leaders.

ANSAM president Setshang in a press conference also sought immediate intervention by the Centre and said the current crisis is political and hence should be resolved politically. PTI COR KK SUA

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Where do I begin? I found out about two months ago that my husband was having an affair. The womans husband came and told me. I confronted him, he finally admitted, but refuses to admit that they actually slept together. The woman claims otherwise but I have no proof of where the extracurricular activities took place. He and I had been having problems mostly surrounding the changes in our life due to having kids, lack of excitement, me being too much of a mom among other things. Mind you, I work full-time, my husband was useless with our son for the first year so childrearing was mostly on me, and we have been going out almost every Saturday night since our son was three months old. His thing is that our sex life is not that exciting. Even though we are intimate at least twice or three times a week, he complains that we do not experiment and do more. I have been trying to make an effort over the past couple of years but apparently that was not enough for him. I guess my recent pregnancy did not help either (we have a three year old and a six month old). My husband claims that he was not ready for marriage and kids but married me because he loved me and because he knew I was good for him. That he owed it to his older self (he is now 35). He also told me that he knew that we may not be sexually compatible but he thought that this would change with time (he never said anything to me about this before our marriage). Since I found out about the affair, he has been super helpful at home and with the kids. However, he refuses to talk about the affair and refuses to go to couples counseling. It is very difficult for me to talk about the affair and how I feel about things with him because frankly, he is difficult to talk to. He dominates the conversation and I just end up shutting down. I told him that I need the counseling as forum to talk about things and he says that is my problem to deal with. He just wants to focus on making our life better and more exciting. Here is my problem. I worry that our lack of sexual compatibility is a problem that will come back in a few months/years and give him an incentive to cheat again. I dont know if this is something that we can realistically compromise on. I cannot live my life under constant pressure to be more exciting and I am just tired. I also feel cheated out of the opportunity to have married someone who thinks I am perfect for him (this is my second marriage, I think Im done with that!). If it werent for my kids I doubt that I would consider being with him. I mean, how do I trust him again? I obviously still love him, but I dont know what to do!


Ronald Reagan

The value of a man should be seen in what he gives and not in what he is able to receive.

Albert Einstein

If you have an important point to make, don't try to be subtle or clever. Use a pile driver. Hit the point once. Then come back and hit it again. Then hit it a third time - a tremendous whack.

Winston Churchill





It isnt so much that liberals are ignorant. Its just that they know so many things that arent so.

With integrity nothing else counts; Without integrity nothing else counts.

Winston Churchill





Never be bullied into silence. Never allow yourself to be made a victim. Accept no one's definition of your life, but define yourself.

Harvey S. Firestone





It is inaccurate to say that I hate everything. I am strongly in favor of common sense, common honesty, and common decency. This makes me forever ineligible for public office. H. L. Menken



Referenda insure all have a voice in land use decisions.

U.S. Supreme Court

Listen carefully to first criticism of your work. Note just what it is about your work the critics don't like - then cultivate it. That's the only part of your work that's individual and worth keeping.

Jean Cocteau
King Mohammed VI who stands out as a staunch defender of the Islam of the Middle path and Islams values of tolerance, moderation and justice makes sure, whenever he visits an African country hosting a Muslim community, to reach out to this community, through revamping their religious shrines and mosques, training their preachers and distributing copies of the Holy Quran to members of the Muslim community, among others.

And this is precisely what he is doing during his current visit to Madagascar, part of a second leg of a second phase of an African tour that already took him to Ethiopia.

In this vein, King Mohammed VI performed the Friday prayers in the mosque of Antananarivo.

In his sermon, the Imam highlighted the values of cooperation between nations in favor of humanitys coexistence and well-being and emphasized the crucial importance of wisdom, mutual assistance and right advice (Annassiha) in a so disturbed world to appease minds and consequently contribute to set up a better future, as well as the need for all to reinforce this common heritage to counter the scourges threatening Humanity in its essence.

The preacher went on to say that King Mohammed VIs visit to Madagascar is imbued with this impulse of love, cooperation, mutual aid and nassiha. This visit, he said, represents a sort of pilgrimage to pay tribute to the land that hosted his late grandfather and the royal family, during their forced exile.

The sermon shed light on the era when the two countries were fighting for their independence, recalling in this respect the Khotba delivered by late King Mohammed V in the mosque of Antsirabe.

The Imam welcomed the peace and harmony prevailing between the followers of different religions in Madagascar, calling on the Malagasy Muslims to ensure the perpetuation of their countrys inter-religious coexistence and to safeguard Islam from extremist attempts to sow discord and animosity within the Malagasy society.

After the Friday prayers, the Monarch donated copies of the holy Quran to the authorities in charge of managing religious affairs in the country.

On Wednesday, King Mohammed VI visited Antsirabe where he renamed the Antsirabe Mosque after his grandfather, late king Mohammed V, who had settled in this Malagasy central city after his forced exile by French occupiers.

The Moroccan Monarch performed a prayer in this mosque that was refurbished upon his instructions to pay tribute to the memory of a religious site and to his grandfather and donated copies of the holy Quran to the local Muslim community.
Israeli Prime Minister cancels participation in climate summit in Egypt

Polish manufacturing output falls amid economic uncertainty

IEF: Oil price to exceed $100 due to EU sanctions against Russia

Iranian MFA denies information about country's planned attack on Saudi Arabia

Lebanon: U.S. guarantees will protect maritime border agreement with Israel if Netanyahu wins

Belarusian MFA responds to Armenia after reaction to statements of Alexander Lukashenko

Azerbaijani propaganda machine launches anti-Iranian rumors in social networks

Lavrov and Abdollahian discuss situation in Persian Gulf zone and South Caucasus

Erdogan and Aliyev discuss results of Sochi meeting of Azerbaijani, Russian and Armenian leaders

Goldman Sachs predicts that natural gas prices in Europe will fall by about 30%

White House alleges Iran's plans to supply Russia with surface-to-surface missiles

Iran to send delegation to Vienna to strengthen relations with IAEA

Iranian Foreign Minister to discuss state of nuclear deal negotiations with Borrell

Putin: Russia is ready to supply grain to the poorest countries even without participation in the deal

First list of Armenian servicemen killed as result of Azerbaijan's September aggression is published

Pentagon to supply Vampire anti-drone system to AFU

Xi Jinping confirms China's readiness to invest in Pakistan

Kuzmina: I don't agree that Armenia's economy will be swept away if the borders with Turkey are opened

Poland to build wall on border with Kaliningrad

Garo Paylan proposes opening Armenian-Turkish border

Eduard Solovyov: Russia stated extreme undesirability of close contacts between Baku and NATO countries

Zelenskyy: Threat of use of nuclear weapons by Russia exists and it is not related to non-compliance with ultimatums

IRNA: Azerbaijani State Security Service reacted nervously to Pashinyan's visit to Tehran

FLYONE ARMENIA to start operating flights on the route Yerevan - Beirut Yerevan

Moscow to host meeting of Secretaries of CIS Security Councils

Armenian MFA considers it inappropriate to comment on Lukashenko's rambling statements

Dollar rises, euro falls in Armenia

Biden's threat to impose profit tax on oil companies is more of boast than threat

Vadim Mukhanov: Russian peacekeepers in Karabakh are one of main points of negotiations

Russia analyst describes Karabakh Armenians fate if Western version of peace treaty is signed

Armenia MFA: Lukashenko statement is disconnected from reality

Russia MFA spox comments on Zangezur corridor prospects

Voytolovsky: Both sides will have weighty reasons to extend Russia peacekeepers mission in Karabakh

Armenia finance minister: Expenditure for PM's office will be reduced next year

Finance minister: Expenses for needs of parliament staff, Armenia President will increase considerably in 2023

Zakharova on meeting of Russian, Armenian and Azerbaijani FMs in Sochi

Armenian President congratulates Brazilian President-elect Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva

Azerbaijani special forces conduct exercises on border with Iran

Armenia defense minister meets with head of EU monitoring mission

Nikol Pashinyan: It is necessary to continue the work to reduce cash turnover

Russia resumes its participation in grain deal

UK shortage of F-35 fighter pilots

Premier: Ministry of Internal Affairs, Foreign Intelligence Service will be established in Armenia in 2023

Shoigu: The NATO grouping near Russia's borders has grown 2.5 times since February

New Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammad hopes to continue talks between Saudi Arabia and Iran

Security Council chief receives head of EU monitoring capacity mission to Armenia

Pashinyan: Armenia-Azerbaijan borders existence was recorded both in Sochi and Prague

Second President of Armenia Robert Kocharyan to take part in rally on November 5

Canada to welcome 500,000 immigrants a year by 2025

Armenia PM: Communication difficulties, challenges in relations with Turkey have been overcome

Pashinyan: Armenian side suggests extending mandate of Russian peacekeepers in Karabakh

MFA: Armenia has no misunderstandings with Iran

Russia position on Karabakh status corresponds to Armenia government approach, PM says

Pashinyan: Armenia attaches great importance to further development, deepening of relations with Brazil

Premier: Armenia defense spending will increase by 113% in 2023 compared to 2018

Deputy PM Grigoryan to attend Armenia-Azerbaijan border delimitation, security commissions 3rd meeting

Pashinyan: Armenia has set new record for registered jobs

Israir Airlines launches flights between Tel Aviv, Yerevan

Armenia envoy briefs UK House of Commons defense committee chair on impact of recent Azerbaijan attack

PM: Armenia's economy is booming today

Seoul, Pyongyang launch missiles

Newspaper: Armenia ruling political team is in favor of western version of peace treaty with Azerbaijan

State Department: US will contribute to Armenia-Azerbaijan talks

Turkey parliament approves extending mandate of countrys military in occupied Aghdam of Karabakh

Sweden to reach NATO's defense spending goal of 2% of GDP by 2026

Lebanon raises electricity price for first time since 1990s

Lavrov and Cavusoglu discuss situation over 'grain deal'

Turkey not satisfied with Sweden's promises

Azerbaijan claims to have 'exposed' Azerbaijanis who acted 'under control of Iranian secret service'

Taliban sets up female Interior Ministry unit in Afghanistan to disperse protests

U.S. concerned about Iran's 'threats' against Saudi Arabia

Lebanon is facing a power vacuum, left without a president

Gas exports from Iran to Armenia to double

In first 9 months about $1.7 billion is transferred to Armenia

Baerbock and Scholz disagree on China

Delegations of Ukraine, Turkey and UN temporarily suspend movement of ships in framework of Black Sea grain deal

Qatar Energy Minister calls EU proposal to limit gas prices hypocritical

Jamshidi: Any capturing of further territories is occupation

Putin: Kiev must give real guarantees of strict compliance with the Istanbul agreements

Putin and Erdogan discuss results of meeting of Russian, Armenian and Azerbaijani leaders in Sochi

Blinken goes to Germany to meet with G-7 colleagues

Iranist: Cooperation between Yerevan and Tehran will prevent further Turkish activism

U.S. military conducts field weapons inspections in Ukraine

Defense Ministers of Russia and Turkey once again discuss suspension of 'grain deal'

Armenian President and ICRC representatives discuss Armenian captives held in Azerbaijan

Aliyev's aide visits Nakhchivan

Berlin urges Serbia to choose between EU and Russia

Armenian Deputy Prime Minister and USAID representatives discuss bilateral cooperation

Erdogan: Turkey continues to make necessary initiatives on grain deal

Macron promises Ukraine to survive winter and strengthen air defense

The Collins British Dictionary chooses main word of 2022

Medvedev: Western countries are pushing the world into a global war

Deputy Minister: 50,5 bln AMD will be allocated to North-South transport corridor construction in 2023

Georgia begins preparations for multinational exercise Agile Spirit 2023

Armenia and Iran discuss bilateral energy cooperation

Paruyr Hovhannisyan receives Erin Elizabeth McKee

Dollar, euro drop in Armenia

Erdogan plans talks with Putin and Zelenskyy in coming days

Head of Armenian State Revenue Committee: In 2022, the state budget will lack about AMD 84.8 billion

Russia's richest billionaires will become $83.4 billion richer in 2022
STEPANAKERT.  In accordance with the arrangement reached with the authorities of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR/Artsakh), the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Mission will conduct a planned monitoring of the Line of Contact between the armed forces of Nagorno-Karabakh and Azerbaijan.

The monitoring will be held on November 28, in the eastern direction of Talish village of NKR Martakert Region, the NKR Ministry of Foreign Affairs informed Armenian News-NEWS.am.

From the positions of the NKR Defense Army, the monitoring will be conducted by Ghenadie Petrica (Moldova), Field Assistant to the Personal Representative to the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office (CiO); and Peter Svedberg (Sweden), staff member of the Office of the Personal Representative to the OSCE CiO.

From the opposite side of the Line of Contact, the monitoring will be held by Ambassador Andrzej Kasprzyk, Personal Representative to the OSCE CiO; and his field assistant Jiri Aberle (Czech Republic).

The Artsakh authorities have expressed their readiness to assist in holding the monitoring and to ensure the safety of the OSCE Mission members.
It is yet unknown when the talks on signing the strategic document between the EU and Azerbaijan will be launched.

Deputy FM of Azerbaijan Mahmud Mamedguliyev said the aforementioned to reporters on Saturday, Report reports.

In his words, both sides are carrying out preparatory work. Currently, the process of forming delegations is underway. They will include the representatives of all agencies. The Azerbaijani MFA will play the role of the key coordinator in the delegation. However, the talks are unlikely to be launched this year.

Mamedguiliyev also stated that one of the aspects of the agreement between EU and Azerbaijan will concern the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
Israeli Prime Minister cancels participation in climate summit in Egypt

Polish manufacturing output falls amid economic uncertainty

IEF: Oil price to exceed $100 due to EU sanctions against Russia

Iranian MFA denies information about country's planned attack on Saudi Arabia

Lebanon: U.S. guarantees will protect maritime border agreement with Israel if Netanyahu wins

Belarusian MFA responds to Armenia after reaction to statements of Alexander Lukashenko

Azerbaijani propaganda machine launches anti-Iranian rumors in social networks

Lavrov and Abdollahian discuss situation in Persian Gulf zone and South Caucasus

Erdogan and Aliyev discuss results of Sochi meeting of Azerbaijani, Russian and Armenian leaders

Goldman Sachs predicts that natural gas prices in Europe will fall by about 30%

White House alleges Iran's plans to supply Russia with surface-to-surface missiles

Iran to send delegation to Vienna to strengthen relations with IAEA

Iranian Foreign Minister to discuss state of nuclear deal negotiations with Borrell

Putin: Russia is ready to supply grain to the poorest countries even without participation in the deal

First list of Armenian servicemen killed as result of Azerbaijan's September aggression is published

Pentagon to supply Vampire anti-drone system to AFU

Xi Jinping confirms China's readiness to invest in Pakistan

Kuzmina: I don't agree that Armenia's economy will be swept away if the borders with Turkey are opened

Poland to build wall on border with Kaliningrad

Garo Paylan proposes opening Armenian-Turkish border

Eduard Solovyov: Russia stated extreme undesirability of close contacts between Baku and NATO countries

Zelenskyy: Threat of use of nuclear weapons by Russia exists and it is not related to non-compliance with ultimatums

IRNA: Azerbaijani State Security Service reacted nervously to Pashinyan's visit to Tehran

FLYONE ARMENIA to start operating flights on the route Yerevan - Beirut Yerevan

Moscow to host meeting of Secretaries of CIS Security Councils

Armenian MFA considers it inappropriate to comment on Lukashenko's rambling statements

Dollar rises, euro falls in Armenia

Biden's threat to impose profit tax on oil companies is more of boast than threat

Vadim Mukhanov: Russian peacekeepers in Karabakh are one of main points of negotiations

Russia analyst describes Karabakh Armenians fate if Western version of peace treaty is signed

Armenia MFA: Lukashenko statement is disconnected from reality

Russia MFA spox comments on Zangezur corridor prospects

Voytolovsky: Both sides will have weighty reasons to extend Russia peacekeepers mission in Karabakh

Armenia finance minister: Expenditure for PM's office will be reduced next year

Finance minister: Expenses for needs of parliament staff, Armenia President will increase considerably in 2023

Zakharova on meeting of Russian, Armenian and Azerbaijani FMs in Sochi

Armenian President congratulates Brazilian President-elect Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva

Azerbaijani special forces conduct exercises on border with Iran

Armenia defense minister meets with head of EU monitoring mission

Nikol Pashinyan: It is necessary to continue the work to reduce cash turnover

Russia resumes its participation in grain deal

UK shortage of F-35 fighter pilots

Premier: Ministry of Internal Affairs, Foreign Intelligence Service will be established in Armenia in 2023

Shoigu: The NATO grouping near Russia's borders has grown 2.5 times since February

New Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammad hopes to continue talks between Saudi Arabia and Iran

Security Council chief receives head of EU monitoring capacity mission to Armenia

Pashinyan: Armenia-Azerbaijan borders existence was recorded both in Sochi and Prague

Second President of Armenia Robert Kocharyan to take part in rally on November 5

Canada to welcome 500,000 immigrants a year by 2025

Armenia PM: Communication difficulties, challenges in relations with Turkey have been overcome

Pashinyan: Armenian side suggests extending mandate of Russian peacekeepers in Karabakh

MFA: Armenia has no misunderstandings with Iran

Russia position on Karabakh status corresponds to Armenia government approach, PM says

Pashinyan: Armenia attaches great importance to further development, deepening of relations with Brazil

Premier: Armenia defense spending will increase by 113% in 2023 compared to 2018

Deputy PM Grigoryan to attend Armenia-Azerbaijan border delimitation, security commissions 3rd meeting

Pashinyan: Armenia has set new record for registered jobs

Israir Airlines launches flights between Tel Aviv, Yerevan

Armenia envoy briefs UK House of Commons defense committee chair on impact of recent Azerbaijan attack

PM: Armenia's economy is booming today

Seoul, Pyongyang launch missiles

Newspaper: Armenia ruling political team is in favor of western version of peace treaty with Azerbaijan

State Department: US will contribute to Armenia-Azerbaijan talks

Turkey parliament approves extending mandate of countrys military in occupied Aghdam of Karabakh

Sweden to reach NATO's defense spending goal of 2% of GDP by 2026

Lebanon raises electricity price for first time since 1990s

Lavrov and Cavusoglu discuss situation over 'grain deal'

Turkey not satisfied with Sweden's promises

Azerbaijan claims to have 'exposed' Azerbaijanis who acted 'under control of Iranian secret service'

Taliban sets up female Interior Ministry unit in Afghanistan to disperse protests

U.S. concerned about Iran's 'threats' against Saudi Arabia

Lebanon is facing a power vacuum, left without a president

Gas exports from Iran to Armenia to double

In first 9 months about $1.7 billion is transferred to Armenia

Baerbock and Scholz disagree on China

Delegations of Ukraine, Turkey and UN temporarily suspend movement of ships in framework of Black Sea grain deal

Qatar Energy Minister calls EU proposal to limit gas prices hypocritical

Jamshidi: Any capturing of further territories is occupation

Putin: Kiev must give real guarantees of strict compliance with the Istanbul agreements

Putin and Erdogan discuss results of meeting of Russian, Armenian and Azerbaijani leaders in Sochi
In the framework of his working visit to the Czech Republic on November 24-25, Deputy Foreign Minister of Armenia Robert Harutyunyan had meetings with the Industry and Trade Minister of the Czech Republic, Jan Mladek, Deputy Foreign Minister Martin Tlapa and a number of other top officials.

During the meetings with Minister Mladek and Deputy Minister Tlapa, issues related to the economic diplomacy and development of the Armenian-Czech trade and economic relations were discussed, the press-service of the Armenian Foreign Ministry reports.

Apart from this, arrangements were made with Martin Tlapawho is the author of the current concept paper on economic diplomacy, which has recorded significant successto organize a course of transferring experience to the Armenian partners.

Robert Harutyunyan briefed his Czech partners on the new opportunities and favorable conditions for the economic development of the country after the accession to the EAEU, as well as foreign investments, stressing that the Armenian goods have an opportunity of preferential entrance to the EU countries.

Thanks to the GSP+ trade regime provided by the latter, Armenia has an opportunity to export goods to the EU market with zero or significantly reduced customs duties.

Harutyunyan also had meetings with the Chairman of the Board of Directors at the Czech Export Bank (CEB), Karel Bures, and General Director of the Export Guarantee and Insurance Corporation (EGAP), Jan Prochazka.

The tools and mechanisms for financing possible investments in the Armenian economy or loaning beneficial transactions were discussed.

In addition, regional issues, as well as Armenian-Czech and Armenia-EU relations were discussed with the head of the Northern and Eastern Europe Department of the Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Radek Pech.

Deputy FM Harutyunyan also visited the Foodish s.r.o. company (ARAX trademark) located in the suburbs of Prague and owned by Czech Republic-base Karen Sargsyan. The interlocutors discussed the prospects for the cooperation with the food industry enterprises of Armenia.

Harutyunyan also met with the Armenian Ambassador to the Czech Republic Tigran Seyranyan.
How Much Has Amazon Ramped Up Their Holiday Assortment?

360pi releases unique insight into Amazons total product count growth, holiday category trends and more

OTTAWA, Ontario  November 22, 2016  NRF expects 137.4M Americans to shop online or hit stores this Black Friday weekend. With assortment playing a major role in retailers strategies this holiday, 360pi, the leader in product and price intelligence, today released a special edition holiday infographic, taking a look at which products were in Amazons aisle this holiday. This infographic, Amazons Endless Holiday Aisle, follows the observed shifts in Amazons category, product, brand, and seller coverage between May and November 2016, providing unprecedented insight into Amazons assortment, marketplace and holiday strategies. Some highlights include:

Third-party sellers let Amazon have their cake and eat it too

While 360pis recent analysis shows marketplace sellers account for 96.2% of all products offered on Amazon.com, these same sellers only represent half of all merchandise sold on Amazon. This lets Amazon dominate the retail landscape at a fraction of the risk and cost of other sellers.

Key holiday categories signal Amazons growth strategy

Observed changes between May 2016 and November 2016

Electronics & Computers, one of the most highly competitive holiday categories, saw a 75% increase in the total number of products available by all sellers, including Amazon proper.

Despite the vast number of marketplace sellers seen capitalizing on retailer out-of-stocks this holiday, Amazon saw no change in seller count in Toys & Games over the observed time period.

360pi observed 22% growth in the number of brands offered for sale on Amazon.com in the Home & Kitchen category. Earlier this year, 360pi also found that 60% of top marketplaces offered products in this category.

Amazon continued its aggressive play into Clothing, Shoes & Jewelry, as evidenced by the recent influx in product listings. The retailer showed a 55% increase in listings over the past six months, which follows an earlier 87% increase between May 2015 and May 2016.

Marketplaces are driving the bulk of Amazons category ramp-up this holiday

In preparation for the holidays, Amazon proper expanded their product offering by 30% from May to November 2016  the equivalent of 3.6M new products. Amazons marketplace sellers cumulatively increased their count by 17.5% (6M+ products) over the same time period.

Amazons Endless Holiday Aisle is part of 360pis fourth annual award-winning Holiday Insights Series, delivering subscribers exclusive weekly holiday product and pricing trends across several major retailers, including Amazon, Walmart and Target. Sign up for the Holiday Insights Series to download the infographic and to receive 360pis special Black Friday and Cyber Monday analyses, a must-have for every retailer and brand manufacturer this holiday.

About 360pi

360pi derives profitable insights from product and pricing big data to help leading omnichannel retailers, etailers, and brand manufacturers compete and win with shoppers. 360pis customer base accounts for over $US200 billion in annual product sales and includes Ace Hardware, Build.com, and Overstock.com, along with several Fortune 500 consumer products companies. With the majority of in-store purchases being influenced online, 360pi helps retailers and brands successfully navigate the multi-channel landscape with real-time insight into who is selling what, where, when, why and for how much. Ultimately, 360pi customers make smarter decisions faster to drive increased revenues and margins across all channels.



Other Point of Sale blogs of interest:
Chief Tony Anenih, a former Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has declared he is no longer interested in partisan politics.

The man popularly addressed as 'Mr Fix It', made the announcement on Saturday, November 26, during the launch of his book themed 'My Life and Nigeria Politics' in Abuja, Nigeria's federal capital territory.

"I am persuaded that I have no more ambition nor any point to prove in politics. I am, therefore, glad to declare that, from today, I shall be withdrawing from active partisan politics. I shall, however, continue to avail the country of my experience, give suggestions and offer advice, as a statesman," he stated.

While drumming support for President Muhammadu Buhari from Nigerians regardless of their party loyalties, the former minister said: "I must not end this statement of gratitude without acknowledging the fact that our country is going through difficult times. It is a national predicament which we must confront in unity, irrespective of our partisan commitments, whether PDP, APC, AD or Labour.

"I, therefore, want to urge all Nigerians to persevere and hope for a better tomorrow. We must support and pray that God will give President Muhammadu Buhari the wisdom and vision to steer this country away from recession to prosperity."

Anenih recently broke his silence of over two decades in his role in the annulment of the 1993 presidential election.

The 83-year-old man, was the national chairman of the then Social Democratic Party (SDP), which was the party of Late Chief M.K.O Abiola who emerged winner of the electoral contest.

Abiola was denied his mandate by the then military government headed by General Ibrahim Babangida (rtd) and later died in detention after he was thrown in jail by military dictator, Late General Sani Abacha.

Source: Legit.ng
Last week was an exciting one for startups and all things fintech, when the first ever Singapore FinTech Festival ran from 14 to 18 November. The festivals purpose was to bring the global financial community together in Singapore through a number of workshops, conferences, startup competitions and award ceremonies.





Source: Singapore Fintech Festival

Source: Singapore Fintech Festival

The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) co-hosted the event with the Association of Banks in Singapore (ABS). It featured sponsors such as Citibank, UOB, MasterCard and Deloitte.

The key programmes of the event included the Innovation Lab Crawl, RegTech Forum, FinTech Hackcelerator, the Tech Risk Conference and the FinTech Awards.

Bringing the global fintech community together







Source: Thinkstock/Getty Images

Source: Thinkstock/Getty Images

Mr Sopnendu Mohanty, the Chief FinTech Officer of MAS had this to say about the Singapore FinTech Festival:

Standing on the cusp of financial technology transformation, the Singapore FinTech Festival is an important initiative that allows us to bring the global fintech community together.

The festival will foster the thriving fintech ecosystem in Singapore and beyond, as we strive towards establishing Singapore as a Smart Financial Centre and a world-class fintech hub.

Mrs Ong-Ang Ai Boon, the director of ABS also touched on the festival opening a new avenue for discourse within the fintech community:

ABS is pleased to partner MAS in the FinTech Festival, which is the first of its kind globally. The festival offers a conducive environment for the fintech community to connect, exchange ideas and preview what the future holds for the financial industry, and the possibilities and opportunities that await us.

Fintech is the way forward and we are delighted that the festival will create new value and position Singapore as a future-ready financial centre.

A revived interest in Southeast Asia







Source: Thinkstock/Getty Images

Source: Thinkstock/Getty Images

Ron Hose, the co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of coins.ph, had this to note about why Southeast Asia would lead fintech utilisation. In his own words in an interview with Nikkei Asian Review, he says:

Story continues

The low banking penentration and the high demand of mobile communications mean both unmet demand and technological readiness are there. I believe Southeast Asia will leapfrog the U.S. in terms of fintech utilisation.







Source: Nikkei

Source: Nikkei

An exciting fintech startup to watch



Moneytree Japan does not meet your usual expectations of a Japanese fintech company. Its founders consist of expats Paul Chapman, Mark Makdad and Ross Sharrott.

The fintech company is surely a formidable one; it is setting the benchmark on how to bring banks towards technology, and not the other way around. Slightly more than a year ago, Moneytree was the first ever Japanese venture to obtain investment from Japans three megabanks  Mitsubishi UFJ, Mizuho, and Sumitomo Mitsui. It was all thanks to their innovative app.





Source: MoneyTree Japan

Source: MoneyTree Japan

Moneytrees app of the same name gives its users a virtual shot on their personal finances. Imagine including your credit card, savings and loan accounts and even loyalty cards into one app to zoom in on your account balances and expenditures.

There are also notifications sent out for points that are about to expire and payments due dates that are closing in.

The focus of Moneytree is not confined to personal finances. The company has also ventured into B to E aspects, as it has seen that there is a need for data aggregation capabilities for companies. Moneytree is the top data partner for accounting-related software in Japan.

Moneytree intends to expand its wings out of Japan, and it is looking at English-speaking countries in Asia. As of last November, the startup has 3 million users for its personal finance app and a generous 400,000 in enterprise users.

(By Annette Rowena)

Related Articles

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- Top 20 global fintech companies: P2P, online payment, trading, personal asset management
Business consultants have long advocated outsourcing non-core functions.

A non-core function is one that is not a profit center (meaning, you dont charge customers for it). A non-core function may be essential, but doesnt differentiate your business strategically from competitors.

In most businesses, administrative and back-office activities such as payroll are non-core functions.

As such, they are potential candidates for outsourcing.

But the question business owners and managers want answered is: what do you actually gain from outsourcing payroll? Is it worth all the time and effort just to investigate and identify appropriate outsourced service providers? Then theres the work involved to transition the function outside to the third party service. Do the benefits of outsourcing outweigh that effort?

CPA firm Clayton & McKervey noted several long-term advantages to be gained from outsourcing payroll:

 a company had one person performing all of the payroll processing functions. The company is now outsourcing the functions as a result of thinking ahead. They chose to outsource the functions to reduce the risk of the payroll not being processed, to manage growth by anticipating the increased payroll responsibilities that will be required as the firm grows and hires more employees, and to keep up with technology, such as pay cards and direct deposit.

Ideally, outsourcing achieves three main goals:

It frees up time and resources to focus more on your core business.

It gives you access to more technology and expertise to perform payroll well.

It reduces costs and risks.

Lets examine each of these benefits in more detail, and what they mean.

1. Focus Better on Your Core Business

Payroll is one of those critical functions that may not directly increase sales. But carried out poorly, it can put your business in a world of hurt.

And most of all, it can sap internal time and attention away from core activities.

Businesses have to comply with a wide range of laws when it comes to employees  from federal, to state and local. It takes considerable time and attention to detail to deal with them.

There are the obvious legal requirements, such as tax reporting and remittance. There are requirements around withholding taxes from the employees pay, and also calculating the employers portion of taxes. In some cases there are electronic filing requirements. You need to also know when to file  at the federal, state and local levels.

Taxes, though, are just the start.

As an employer, you also need to understand wage and hour laws. For example, you need to know when you are required to pay overtime, said Andy Childs, a vice president of Paychex, in a recent interview with Small Business Trends. Paychex is one of the nations largest payroll services, serving nearly 600,000 small and midsize businesses. The wage and hour rules, said Childs, can be highly technical.

Then there may be new-hire reporting requirements, and state requirements around unemployment compensation and workers compensation insurance.

Childs emphasized that an even bigger issue is the unexpected time obligations.

You may have set aside a certain amount of time each week to run payroll. Then you get an unexpected surprise in the form of a notice from the IRS. But its not just that the IRS is notifying you that you owe a fine. Now you have to go through your records and investigate to determine if you actually committed the infraction. All of a sudden you are involved in a dispute resolution, Childs said.

And it never happens at a convenient time for a small business owner, he added.

2. Get Access to Expertise and Technology

Another reason to outsource is to get access to expertise and technology.

Employers have to deal with almost 10,000 federal, state and local taxing jurisdictions across the United States. While most small businesses wont have to comply with each of those jurisdictions, still it points to the complexity of the laws. And every year hundreds of new laws and regulations are enacted.

For small businesses on the larger side (50 full-time employees and up), the Affordable Care Act alone imposes considerable reporting and compliance requirements. When asked for an example, Childs pointed to IRS Forms 1094-C and 1095-C. These forms will require employers to certify whether they offered full-time employees the opportunity to enroll in insurance that provides minimum essential coverage.

These will not be simple forms to complete, Childs added. (Paychex has set up an online resource center for healthcare reform obligations due to the complexity of the law.)

Just as important as expertise is new technology. Employers today rely on technology to operate more efficiently. As a business grows, employers have more employee records to keep and also need more reporting. Lack of technology becomes a hindrance to scaling for growth of the business.

Employees also expect technology. Employees today want options like direct deposit and self-service access to their payroll information online. Employers that arent able to provide such options may be at a competitive disadvantage.

On top of that, the explosion of mobile device usage is ushering in a new level of technology expectation. Mobile use is still nascent when it comes to payroll, but its growing at a rapid rate at Paychex, said Childs.

Employers are using mobile devices to look at certain reports and look up information, such as how much money they need to have in the bank on payroll dates, he noted. Employees also are beginning to use mobile apps to check their own records.

Childs expects payroll mobile usage to continue to grow, because it frees up business owners and managers to leave the office.

With Paychexs mobile payroll apps, you could do almost anything from the beach  if you wanted to, added Childs.

3. Reduce Costs and Risks

Outsourcing payroll can also assist with cutting costs and limiting risks. On average, said Childs, businesses are overpaying employees by about 4 percent because of differences between the employees time and an accurate time record.

Just having a more accurate time and attendance recordkeeping solution can save money, he added. (Paychex has a cost savings calculator here.)

Then you have the potential penalties for violating reporting and other requirements. According to IRS figures, 40 percent of small businesses pay an average penalty of $845 per year for late or incorrect filings, Childs noted.

Today there are outsourced solutions for businesses as small as one employee, points out Childs. Solutions are affordable, starting at less than $50 a month for small businesses, depending on needs.

A good payroll provider offers capabilities that go beyond what you can do on your own. If you havent considered an outsourced solution before, make this year the year you switch. It will deliver peace of mind for you as the owner, and free up time in your company.

Tips for Choosing an Outsourced Payroll Provider

If youre considering outsourcing payroll, its a given that you should look at the typical three points youd look at when choosing any kind of provider:

price

service

reputation

But when it comes to payroll, there are other points to consider, too:

Security and Reliability of the Provider

Youre giving your payroll provider the names, addresses, social security numbers, and bank account numbers of your employees. Youre giving a power of attorney to make filings on your behalf.

Go with a provider that is financially strong with good controls in place.

Otherwise, you could find your company in a bind, like some South Carolina firms after a small family-run payroll provider was charged with stealing $11 million from clients.

In 2014, clients of Employee Services Net were shocked to discover that the payroll provider had used their money to fund lavish personal lifestyles, instead of remitting it to taxing authorities. Those clients  all small businesses  found themselves facing IRS action. Why? Because ultimately the employer is responsible even if the payroll provider steals from them. (The IRS has tips to protect your company if you outsource payroll.)

Track Record Serving Businesses Like Yours

Does the payroll provider have a strong track record of serving businesses your size? Is the provider experienced in your industry?

Complementary Service Offerings

Consider the broader services you may need as your business grows, such as benefits and HR services. Will the payroll company be able to provide those?

Regulatory Compliance Capabilities

Does the payroll provider have the resources to keep up with the burgeoning laws and regulations around employment, healthcare and taxes?

Technology

Evaluate the payroll companys technology, including its mobile readiness. Is the payroll company investing in new technology? Can they keep up with technology as demand for it on the employer and employee side grows?

Accountant Interfaces

Can your accountant get easy access to your payroll and related records for purposes of reconciliations and tax filings?
The human gut is a complex and amazing system, and the more we learn about it, the more amazed we are. It turns out
The white man branded 'Jesus' by Kenyans and caused a buzz on social media the better part of this week has finally broken his silence.

Daniel Christos, thought by many to resemble Jesus

READ ALSO: Dennis Okari confirms he is still together with Betty Kyallo (video)

Daniel Christos took to Facebook where he denied being Jesus and addressed the whole hullabaloo including a man who called for his crucifixion.

I arrived in Kenya less than 2 weeks ago from Ethiopia and have been welcomed with so much enthusiasm like Ive never experienced before in my life. In fact, its been so extreme that its been a little overwhelming. Every single corner I walk on in Nairobi I have noticed someone either taking a photo or video while hundreds of times a day I hear people calling out Jesus! Christos said.

READ ALSO: Churchill Show comedian injured by thugs in broad daylight

Daniel Christos in Nairobi

On the man who posted that Christos should be killed, this is what he had to say: I shouldnt have to respond to such close-minded nonsense but a quick message to whoever posted the photo and comment I AM NOT JESUS! I HAVE NEVER PRETENDED TO BE. I am a traveler who has come to your country as a visitor, i would hope that one day if Jesus does return you treat him with a little more respect than you have treated me.

To everyone else, you are a beautiful people, I love you! He concluded.

READ ALSO: After a knock-off Jesus appeared in Kayole, Prophet Elijah or is it Moses hits the streets

Christos was angered by this message from a Kenyan

Days after Christos hit the internet, photos on social media showed another man who looked like prophet Elijah from the old testament (at least from what is seen in movies).

He was standing at the square near Kencom dressed in old swathes and tie-up leather sandals that are resplendent of biblical times.

Do you have anything you want to add to this story? Please send your feedback to news@tuko.co.ke.

Source: TUKO.co.ke
LIMA, Nov 26 (Reuters) - Global miner Anglo American PLC (LSE: AAL.L - news) said it had halted all operations at its Los Bronces copper mine in Chile (Stuttgart: 704599.SG - news) after hooded protesters seized installations early on Saturday, the company told Reuters.

Anglo said it requested help from authorities and had worked to take legal action to ensure the protection of its workers and property. Hooded protesters took control of installations at Los Bronces eaarlier this month, prompting the company to suspend operations and evacuate 1,500 workers.

(Reporting By Fabian Cambero; Editing by Jonathan Oatis)
The OPEC logo is seen outside their headquarters in Vienna, Austria, October 24, 2016. REUTERS/Leonhard Foeger/Files

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian energy ministry officials will not travel to Vienna for a meeting of experts from OPEC and other oil-producing countries scheduled for Monday, the RIA and TASS news agencies reported on Saturday, citing a diplomatic source.

An oil industry source told Reuters on Saturday a final decision had still not been reached on whether to attend the event, which precedes the ministerial meeting between OPEC and non-OPEC oil producers as well as the regular biannual OPEC meeting.

On Friday, top OPEC oil exporter Saudi Arabia told the producer group it will not attend talks on Monday with non-OPEC producers to discuss limiting supply, OPEC sources said, as it wants to focus on getting a consensus within the organisation first.

(Reporting by Vladimir Soldatkin; Editing by Helen Popper)
BISMARCK, N.D.  The leader of the Cheyenne River Sioux in South Dakota is calling for all opponents of the Dakota Access oil pipeline to boycott businesses in North Dakotas capital, a move Bismarcks city administrator says is uncalled for and disappointing.

The Cheyenne River Sioux Tribal Council voted in September to not spend money in Bismarck and neighboring Mandan, and Chairman Harold Frazier at the time called on all tribal members to join the effort. Earlier this week, he sought to broaden the boycott to make a statement against what he calls heavy-handed, illegal and violent oppression of people who have protested against the pipeline for months.

I ask that all people who oppose this kind of violence against unarmed and peaceful people begin to consider when to keep their cash in pocket as well, Frazier wrote in a letter Tuesday addressed to tribal leaders and supporters.

Authorities maintain that not all protesters have been peaceful, and described some protest events as riots.

Bismarck City Administrator Keith Hunke said Friday the boycott is disappointing given that the citys businesses arent involved in the dispute over the $3.8 billion pipeline thats to carry North Dakota oil to a shipping point in Illinois.

They really dont have any part in any of the concerns expressed by the Standing Rock Sioux Nation, Hunke said, adding that no businesses have reported an impact from boycotts.

The Cheyenne River and Standing Rock Sioux tribes are fighting the project because they fear it will harm drinking water and cultural sites. Pipeline developer Energy Transfer Partners disputes that and says the 1,200-mile pipeline through the Dakotas, Iowa and Illinois will be safe.

The pipeline is nearly complete outside of a stretch beneath a Missouri River reservoir in southern North Dakota, just to the north of the Standing Rock reservation.

Hunke said increasingly frequent protest activity in the Bismarck-Mandan area is an inconvenience but hasnt cut into businesss bottom lines.

Weve had some of our streets blocked for a period of time, but generally after a period of time the protesters disband and business gets back to normal, he said.

More than 560 protesters have been arrested since August in the Bismarck-Mandan area and at the main protest camp about 50 miles south of the city, including more than 30 at a Bismarck mall on Friday  one of the busiest days of the year. Police said protesters gathered for a prayer at Kirkwood Mall, and some refused to leave the entrance to a Target store when ordered.

A clash earlier this week near the main protest camp left a police officer and several protesters injured, including Sophia Wilansky, who suffered a serious arm injury and is in satisfactory condition in a Minneapolis hospital.

___

Follow Blake Nicholson on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/NicholsonBlake
PARIS  French authorities claimed Friday the Islamic State had a direct hand in helping five suspected militants plot imminent attacks against possible targets including Paris police hubs and Euro Disney.

French police had earlier said they believed they had foiled attacks planned for Dec. 1 against the Paris headquarters of police and intelligence officers and the Disney theme park, which is especially popular during the holiday season.

But the latest details, made public by a senior prosecutor, draw alleged links to the Islamic State and a core network of suspects  four French citizens who were longtime friends. The suspected fifth plotter, a homeless Moroccan man, was arrested in the southern port of Marseille.

A raid Sunday in Strasbourg uncovered firearms and instructions from the Iraqi-Syrian region to acquire more weapons, said Paris prosecutor Francois Molins. Also found were documents professing allegiance to the Islamic State, he said.

The state of the threat is and remains particularly high, Molins said.

The names of the Strasbourg suspects were given only as Yassin B., Hicham M., Samy B. and Zakaria M. Icham E., the suspect arrested in Marseille, was homeless, Molins said.

The revelation of the foiled plot comes before the second and final round of Frances conservative presidential primaries on Sunday. Throughout the campaign, the issue of national security has dominated.

The front-runner, former Prime Minister Francois Fillon, has said that France has a problem linked to Islam.

France has remained under a state of emergency since the November 2015 Paris attacks, which killed 130 people in coordinated strikes on a concert hall, a stadium and cafes.

In July, a lone man inspired by ISIS plowed a truck through crowds gathered in Nice to celebrate the countrys national holiday, Bastille Day.

The profiles of the suspects involved in each case  predominately young men with either French or European passports  has also touched off a fierce debate about national identity in France, home to Europes largest Muslim population.

The outcry over the recent attacks has strengthened the anti-immigrant National Front, a far-right populist movement that was once a political fringe but that now poses a significant electoral challenge to Frances more established, mainstream parties.

Obviously, these terrorist have chosen a specific moment: the elections, said Jean-Charles Brisard, director of the Center for the Analysis of Terrorism, a Paris-based think tank. It means the terrorists have a clear political strategy, because, of course, their actions would have an affect in benefiting the extremists.

In September, authorities claimed they foiled a plot to detonate a car with explosives near Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, which French authorities believe to have been the work of Rachid Kassim, the Islamic State operative suspected of orchestrating several other violent instances in France.

france
COLUMBIA, S.C.  The white man charged in the shooting deaths of nine black parishioners at a South Carolina church last year is competent to stand trial, a federal judge ruled Friday.

U.S. District Judge Richard Gergels decision clears the way for jury selection to restart Monday in the hate-crimes trial of 22-year-old Dylann Roof.

The judge had delayed the process of narrowing the final jury pool on Nov. 7 when Roofs lawyers suggested their client either didnt understand the charges against him or couldnt properly help them with his defense. The lawyers did not say what led them to question Roofs fitness for trial.

Roof is charged in federal court with hate crimes, obstruction of religion and other counts in connection with the June 17, 2015 attack at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston. He could face the death penalty if convicted.

The decision came after Gergel wrapped up a hastily called two-day hearing to determine if Roof is mentally fit to stand trial.

The judge said he took the rare step of keeping the hearing closed to the public and media because Roof made statements to a psychologist that might not be legal to use at his trial and could taint potential jurors.

The judge said Friday that he refrained from releasing a transcript of the hearing for the same reason, reversing an earlier pledge to release a redacted transcript. Family members of the victims have complained about the secrecy surrounding the proceedings, but Gergel maintains that the steps he has taken are to ensure that Roof receives a fair trial and that pre-trial exposure doesnt provide grounds for an appeal.

At Roofs competency hearing, Gergel heard testimony from psychologist James Ballenger and four other unnamed witnesses and reviewed sworn statements from three others, the judge wrote in his order.

Roof also has already been found competent in state court, where prosecutors plan a second death penalty trial on nine counts of murder.

According to police, Roof sat through nearly an hour of prayer and Bible study at the church with its pastor and 11 others before pulling a gun from his fanny pack near the end of the class and firing dozens of shots.

Roof hurled racial insults at the six women and three men he is charged with of killing and the three people left alive, authorities said. He said he left the three unharmed so they could tell the world the shootings were because he hated black people.

___

Follow Jeffrey Collins on Twitter at http://twitter.com/JSCollinsAP. His work can be found at http://bigstory.ap.org/content/jeffrey-collins
This summer, opining on the presidential election, I considered the plight of those whose jobs in steel or in coal, generally in middle America, had been lost and were not likely to return.

I wondered whether Democrat Hillary Clinton or Republican Donald Trump had more to offer these individuals, who, to me, seem to be 21st century Joads, like the characters from The Grapes of Wrath.

To me, it did not seem either candidate had sincere, practical or effective solutions. I wondered whether one of the candidates would look these modern Joads in the eyes and take up their cause. In the end, most of those citizens put their faith in Donald Trump.

Sen. Bernie Sanders gets much of the credit  or blame  for that.

For months he told the working class both parties had failed them. Trade had taken their jobs and Wall Street had taken an even bigger share of the economic pie.

He reminded them of Clintons Wall Street ties, her million-dollar honoraria from investment firms, her association with elites and distance from the union household. He spoke to the anxieties of young people.

While he did not win the nomination, he changed the course of the election. He spread doubt among the working class about Clinton. They started to look elsewhere.

Meanwhile, Donald Trump was speaking to the same people, reinforcing, in a sense, what Sanders was saying.

As elites from academia to the press refused to take Trump seriously, they subtly transmitted their same message of contempt and disdain for Trump to those who were beginning to listen to him. They, as much as Trump, delivered Trumps message to these people. Clinton called these Trump supporters deplorables.

While Clinton was photographed with Wall Street and business elites, Trump was praising the police and embracing firefighters. He knew his path to victory was not to win a majority of voters, but, rather, to hold onto the South, the heartland, carry Florida and then place his big bet on the Midwests working class.

He could not have done it alone, but he got the help he needed. Working class voters got attention from Sanders and inattention from Clinton (not even a post-convention visit to Wisconsin). Both worked to Trumps advantage.

In the spring of 1960, during the hard fought Democratic primaries, Hubert Humphrey, Lyndon Johnson and John Kennedy traversed Democratic West Virginia  which was dominated by FDR-like Democrats  with messages for working families. Fourteen elections later, Republican Donald Trump won 69 percent of the West Virginia vote.

One of those voters, Ray McCoy, a 45 year-old disabled coal miner, rose from a sick bed to be driven to the polling place to cast the first ballot of his life. And it was for Donald Trump.

Many lessons will be learned from this election. A lot will involve political strategy. But there is a more basic lesson, particularly for Democrats and their leadership. Thank Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump for teaching it.

Do not take people for granted, particularly those who might be less sophisticated than you. Do not place the Wall Street executive ahead of the policeman on the corner. Do not equate disdain of the opponent and his followers for serious policy proposals aimed at those who are hurting.

Finally, learn that righteousness and arrogance are not entitlements to govern in a democracy.

Like it or not, McCoys vote has the same influence as yours.

For those concerned about issues of race, sexuality and religious freedom, we can only pray a new generation of Democratic leaders have the humility to learn from this experience and listen to those in need. Working-class peoples debt to Franklin Delano Roosevelt has been long paid. Now is the time for Democrats to earn again the trust and respect of working people.

Clark G. Ross is the Frontis W. Johnston Professor of Economics at Davidson College. He wrote this for The Charlotte Observer. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
A Rio Rancho city councilor is one of seven people who will be recognized next month by Common Cause New Mexico for their work regarding good government and transparency.

Councilor Cheryl Everett will join Las Cruces City Councilor Olga Pedroza, interim Secretary of State Brad Winter and Attorney Generals Office lobbyist Stuart Bluestone on Dec. 3 to receive a Best in Government Award from CCNM. New Mexico In Depth data reporter Sandra Fish and KOB-TV reporters Ryan Luby and Chris Ramirez will also receive an award.

Common Cause is a nonprofit, nonpartisan lobbying group that advocates open and transparent government.

According to CCNM release, Everett will be recognized for her work leading to Rio Ranchos enactment of an ethics code that establishes ethics standards for elected and appointed officials.

Everett said she was thrilled to find out she was being recognized by CCNM.

I was totally surprised and just really honored and humbled to be recognized by Common Cause, she said.

Everett said the recognition was due to the citys staff, elected officials and residents.

Its really a reflection of the city and the other people who made it happen, she said. I think its a step forward that Rio Rancho has taken and I want to give credit to everybody who helped with that.

The CCNM annual luncheon event will be held at the UNM Continuing Education Building at noon.
WASHINGTON  To President-elect Donald Trump, Breitbart  the racist, sexist and all-around offensive website once overseen by his campaign chairman and designated White House chief strategist Steve Bannon  is just a publication.

Breitbarts editors and writers, Trump told The New York Times, cover stories like you cover stories. Granted, Trump said, they are certainly a much more conservative paper, to put it mildly, than The New York Times. But Breitbart really is a news organization thats become quite successful, and its got readers and it does cover subjects that are on the right, but it covers subjects on the left also. I mean its a pretty big, its a pretty big thing. And he [Bannon] helped build it into a pretty successful news organization.

Referring to Times publisher Arthur Sulzberger Jr., Trump observed, I mean, I could say that Arthur is alt-right because they covered an alt-right story.

No, no, no. The notion that Breitbart is just a publication, like The New York Times but just several notches to the right, is untrue and unacceptable. There are any number of conservative publications and websites that would fit that description.

Breitbart is something different entirely. That Trump would put it in the same category exposes both his failure to understand the role of the media and his failure to recognize  or to care about  the offensiveness of what Breitbart, under the Bannon regime, represents.

Were going to hear the word normalize a lot during the Trump administration, and the risk is going to be exactly that, underreacting. Trump says and does so many outrageous things that it will be tempting for us to tire of calling them, and him, out. The job of opinion writers  my job  is to not let Trump define outrageousness down.

So, Breitbart is racist. Two weeks after white supremacist Dylann Roof murdered nine African-Americans at a Charleston church  after Trumps choice for U.N. ambassador, South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, called for the Confederate flags removal from the Statehouse grounds  Breitbart ran an article under the headline Hoist it high and proud: The Confederate flag proclaims a glorious heritage. The Confederacy, the article argued, was not a callous conspiracy to enforce slavery, but a patriotic and idealistic cause for which 490,000 men were killed, wounded or taken captive.

Breitbart is anti-Semitic. Bill Kristol: Republican spoiler, renegade Jew, blared a May headline about the conservatives effort to launch a third-party candidate.

Breitbart is anti-Muslim. Former Rep. Tom Tancredo, R-Colo., inveighed in January against an epidemic of sexual assault by immigrants in Europe, which he blamed on Islams rape culture that could be coming to a town near you all too soon.

Breitbart is misogynist. Birth control makes women unattractive and crazy was the headline on an article last December by one of the sites most offensive writers, Milo Yiannopoulos. And what should the pill be replaced with? Nothing. We need the kids if were to breed enough to keep the Muslim invaders at bay.

Breitbart is all-around offensive and irresponsible. As to offensive, consider last years Gabby Giffords, the gun control movements human shield. As to irresponsible, consider Junes Roger Stone: Huma Abedin Most Likely a Saudi Spy with Deep, Inarguable Connections to Global Terrorist Entity.' That piece about Hillary Clintons top aide stemmed from an interview that Stone, a Trump adviser, did with Bannon, not yet an official Trump adviser.

Trump assured the Times that he condemns white supremacist Richard Spencers National Policy Institute, which greeted the election with cheers of Hail Trump, hail our people, hail victory! Breitbart has mildly described Spencer as one of the intellectuals of the alt-right movement and noted that his previous forum, alternativeright.com, was accused of racism. Accused of racism? This is a man who has advocated for creation of a white ethno-state on the North American continent.

Breitbart isnt just a publication. Its a pestilence  one whose repugnant views Trump has invited into his White House.
It does seem a bit unusual for taxpayers to foot the bill to defend a former luxury home builder against fraud and embezzlement charges, but, that said, those same taxpayers have a right to know how much that defense is costing them.

However, the state Public Defenders office is withholding that information. And its refusal does not square with the states Inspection of Public Records Act or a state Supreme Court decision.

William Kalinowski is accused of bilking investors and home-buyers out of hundreds of thousands of dollars by not completing homes in an upscale subdivision near Santa Fe during the housing market crash of 2007 and 2008.

Several contractors also claim they were not paid for work they did.

Kalinowski was indicted in 2013 and his trial resumes Tuesday.

For the past two years, Kalinowski has been working as an English teacher for Albuquerque Public Schools. He made $42,128 in the 2015-16 school year, according to the APS sunshine portal.

Admittedly, this complex white collar case is not routine and will likely be costly. Taxpayer-paid public defenders are appointed by the court system for people who cant afford to pay for their own defense. Eligibility is determined by several factors, such as household income and assets. There is a sliding scale for those who can pay for some of their own defense.

In Kalinowskis case, he was deemed eligible for a taxpayer-supported defense, and Santa Fe District Judge T. Glenn Ellington in 2014 ordered the office to provide whatever resources are necessary for effective legal assistance and even appointed a special master to make sure Kalinowski received a constitutionally adequate defense, to which the real estate developer is entitled.

However, the Public Defenders records custodian has refused to produce information on the cost of whatever resources were necessary for Kalinowskis defense in response to an IPRA request from the Journal. The office, which often complains about a dearth of resources, is trying to hide behind attorney-client privilege in claiming the costs are not public record. Thats a stretch.

The New Mexico Supreme Court has already rejected the Defenders position that attorney billing information is entirely secret under the attorney-client privilege and the Defender appears to ignore this precedent, Charles Peifer, attorney for the Journal, said in a recent statement.

And Susan Boe, executive director of the New Mexico Foundation for Open Government, noted the fact that (the office) operates as a law firm does not shield all of its documents from public scrutiny.

In past cases, some information has been redacted from billing statements if it is deemed to fall under the lawyer-client privilege, but there is no reason to withhold entire statements or not to reveal the costs to date if an IPRA request is made.

And it makes it much harder for the office to make the case that it is vastly underfunded when it wont tell the public what it costs to do its job.

The Public Defenders office needs a dose of sunshine, especially as it campaigns for more taxpayer resources.

This editorial first appeared in the Albuquerque Journal. It was written by members of the editorial board and is unsigned as it represents the opinion of the newspaper rather than the writers.
LAS CRUCES  When Virgin Galactics tourist-astronauts fly from Spaceport America in southern New Mexico, theyll surely want to tweet a selfie from space.

Wait  there is internet in space, right?

The U.S. government provides internet access on the International Space Station  at speeds worse than old dial-up connections on Earth, according to one astronaut. But Santa Fe startup Solstar Space Co. sees a future for commercial providers linking people and machines in space and on the ground, eventually at high speed.

Solstar Space is testing technology to provide in-flight Wi-Fi to future passengers aboard Virgin Galactic, Blue Origin and SpaceX flights to space, says CEO M. Brian Barnett, as well to future, privately run space stations. The company is in the R&D stage, and so is much of its target market.

The International Space Station is expected to remain in government hands through 2024, then may be divested to private companies. Meanwhile, NASA is slowly handing off space launch and exploration capabilities to the private sector.

What were testing is commercial internet service and voice communications and data services  basically a commercial alternative to government-provided communications, Barnett said. Solstar Space is developing a product line that includes the equivalent of a modem that works in a harsh space environment and has a patent pending.

Earthling-style web communications are a challenge in space.

Space vehicles are speeding at 3,000 to 17,000 mph, anywhere from 65 miles to 250 miles up  where the space station orbits. Satellites that carry communications technology are orbiting Earth as high as 22,000 miles up at the speed at which Earth rotates on its axis.

Say an International Space Station astronaut wants to Google something: He or she sends the request, and the data travels to one of those high-flying satellites, bounces to a ground station on Earth, then heads back up the way it came to deliver the search result. It takes a while, all the worse because its traveling on a crowded, government-run network.

Space station astronaut Scott Kelly put it in a tweet last year: We have a slow internet connection. Worse than what dial-up was like.

Providing internet for the astronauts was pretty low on the governments priority list, Barnett said. And while our commercial systems have been designed from Day One with providing internet services, the government system was designed for command and control of the space shuttle and the ISS.

In contrast, SolStar plans to offer 24/7 services from any internet-connected device on the planet or in space.

Solstar Spaces target customers are the companies flying suborbital rockets, companies managing satellites and other machines in low Earth orbit and the marquee commercial spaceflight companies working to send humans to space.

The company is a spinoff of Solstar Energy Devices and is currently seeking a multimillion-dollar round of investment to push its technology forward, Barnett said.

Billionaire Elon Musks SpaceX and OneWeb, a firm backed by Virgin Galactics parent company, the Virgin Group, are also competing to provide global internet access on the ground from satellites launched to low Earth orbit, particularly to underconnected, poor rural areas.

Barnett says Solstar Space wants to use third-party satellites  including those that SpaceX or OneWeb might fly  to reach a different target market, providing space-to-space internet access.

Barnetts company SatWest sent the first commercial text message to space in 2013, using a UP Aerospace rocket launched from Spaceport America afforded by NASAs Flight Opportunities Program. Solstar Space is parlaying that technology into its products.

The next test flight could come as soon as next summer, aboard Blue Origins New Shepard spacecraft, Barnett said. Blue Origin performs its test flights in Van Horn, Texas.

Brian is on a mission, said Pat Hynes, director of the New Mexico Space Grant Consortium, an agency whose mission is to support space-related education. He is one of those guys that have it in their DNA: Nothing is going to stop them.

Michael Potter, chairman of Solstar Spaces board of advisers, summed up what attracted him to Solstar Spaces project: The location, the spaceport, the players  meaning the brain trust held at New Mexicos national labs  and this ability to help solve a problem that has bedeviled everybody and becomes an important catalyst for the next wave of the space revolution.
Torild Kristiansen is not a big shopper.

Nor is the Albuquerque woman particularly in tune with what the elementary school set considers cool.

So when it comes time to birthday and Christmas shop for her great-nieces, Kristiansen heads to Out

of the Blue, an independent toy emporium on Rio Grande NW. She says the staffs expertise and personalized service helps her identify gifts the girls always appreciate. Visiting chain stores is never as fulfilling, she said Friday amid Out of the Blues sea of stuffed unicorns, lava lamps, Legos and crystal growing kits.

I go out of my way to come here, Kristiansen said while the stores employees wrapped her 2016 bounty.

The Friday after Thanksgiving  and now even Turkey Day itself  is considered the start of the holiday shopping season, and its a legendary outsized consumer bonanza.

Big crowds at malls and big-box stores.

Big lines of people eager to get big discounts on big-screen TVs.

But today belongs to the little guys like Out of the Blue  or at least thats the goal of Small Business Saturday.

Black Fridays younger, lesser-known cousin, Small Business Saturday is something of a shopping holiday in and of itself. American Express sparked the movement in 2010 by encouraging consumers to patronize their local stores and restaurants on the Saturday after Thanksgiving. An estimated 95 million people did just that on this day in 2015, according to a survey conducted by the credit card company and the National Federation of Independent Business.

Out of the Blue manager Lisa Gallegos said the idea has gained traction since its inception.

I hear a lot of people telling me, Were going to come back again to shop small on Small Business Saturday, or theyll tell me they saw this item on Amazon, but they knew we probably carried it (and) they waited to purchase it, Gallegos said.

Rory Veronda, owner of Nob Hills Empire Board Game Library, was pleasantly surprised by Small Business Saturday last year, his first in business. Empire, where customers can pay to rent and play games on site or buy one to take home, typically draws a crowd on Saturdays and has a devoted fan base. But it saw an unexpected surge last Thanksgiving weekend.

It was a lot of random people I had not seen in the store before, said Veronda, who is preparing this year with special discounts on certain games. It really did have a positive effect on us.

Nearly a quarter of Americans  24 percent  who said they plan to shop today said they were specifically motivated by Small Business Saturday, according to a National Retail Federation survey.

And, Mary Ann Weems wonders, wouldnt they want to shop small?

Small business is really what the holiday season is about to me, because its about supporting those people who support your own community, said the owner of Albuquerques Weems Galleries and Framing.

Weems, whose shops represent about 150 artists, said its also about atmosphere  from her 14 employees eager to assist customers and the selection of handmade items to the hot holiday cider and the lights and decor. She said she tried to get her neighboring businesses to get similarly festive with lights but was told by at least one chain store that they were limited by corporate restrictions.

Thats another thing about small business  theres no big business rules, she said.

Make no mistake: Shoppers still flock to the megaretailers this time of year. Hundreds lined up before the West Side Best Buy store before staff opened the doors Thanksgiving evening, and Cottonwood Mall has had great, consistent traffic since Thursday night, according to marketing director Debra Sherman.

Target, meanwhile, reported strong in-store traffic around the country as well as the biggest day of sales ever for its website.

But locals eager to support local merchants have plenty of choices  New Mexico has 14,679 small retail firms, including 3,347 with just one to 19 employees, according to U.S. Small Business Administration figures.

All told, the state is home to 152,517 small businesses of all kinds that employ 331,630 people, according to SBAs New Mexico District Director John M. Garcia.

And Albuquerque was recently recognized for the strength of its independent retail scene. Yelp, the online review giant, named the Duke City to its list of the top 20 U.S. cities for Local Holiday Shopping.
LAS CRUCES  One of the famed Tuskegee Airmen who supported the Allied victory in World War II, New Mexico native Dr. James B. Williams, died Wednesday at age 97.

Williams was one of the few remaining survivors who served in the U.S. Army Air Forces program that trained African-Americans for the war effort  a pioneering group that would play a key role in the desegregation of the military.

Before 1940, African-Americans were barred from flying for the U.S. military, according to Tuskegee Airmen Inc., a national organization with chapters in New Mexico that supports the airmens legacy. Civil rights groups lobbied against that ban, leading to the formation of an all-African-American pursuit squadron based in Tuskegee, Ala., in 1941.

From 1942 through 1946, 994 pilots received their wings at Tuskegee.

Born to Jasper and Clara Belle Williams  the first black woman to graduate from what is now New Mexico State University  Williams was studying medicine when he joined the military in 1942.

He was selected to attend the Medical Administrative Officers Candidate School at Camp Pickett, Va., but he wanted to become a pilot and asked for transfer to the Army Air Forces, according to TheHistoryMakers.com, an online collection of African-American oral histories.

He received basic training as an aviation cadet at Boca Raton Club, Fla., and technical training at Yale University, where he was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Air Forces. Williams served as an engineering officer in the 99th Fighter Squadron. He did not see combat.

In 1942, Williams was among the more than 100 black officers who tried to integrate a whites-only officers club at Freeman Field in Indiana. They were arrested, but all were eventually exonerated and their military records cleared.

The incident became a bellwether for the end of segregation in the military in 1945.

Williams daughter Brenda Payton Jones recalled hearing the story about Freeman Field and feeling just so incredibly proud.

Williams told his superiors: If I cant go into the officers club, then I shouldnt be an officer, Payton Jones said. That was the way we heard it growing up. When I thought of a young man, 21, standing up on his own for what he knew was right  .

After his military service, Williams obtained a bachelors degree in chemistry from NMSU and earned his M.D. from Creighton University School of Medicine. He founded the Williams Medical Clinic in Chicago with two brothers, practiced as a general surgeon and eventually retired in Las Cruces.

In 2007, Williams and other Tuskegee Airmen won the Congressional Gold Medal, the highest civilian honor bestowed by Congress.

He is survived by his wife, Willeen; daughter Brenda Payton Jones, a journalist in Oakland, Calif.; and son Dr. James B. Williams II, a Minneapolis surgeon.
Three hikers lost in the Sandia Mountains Friday were found safe and rescued early Saturday morning, according to a spokesman for the Albuquerque Police Department.

Officer Daren DeAguero said APDs open space unit was called to assist the search and rescue mission near Bear Canyon.

Officials from the New Mexico State Police Search and Rescue team said the hikers were 17 and 19-years-old.
A portable building at a West Side school was declared a total loss after a Saturday morning fire, according to the Albuquerque Fire Department.

Firefighters went to Ventana Ranch Elementary School at 6801 Ventana Village NW around 9:30 a.m. after a woman at a nearby dog park reported smoke, an AFD news release stated.

Units arrived within minutes to find a stand-alone portable with smoke and flames, AFD said.

The fire was extinguished within minutes, and no other structures were threatened.

AFD said the portable building is a total loss.

No injuries were reported in the fire, which remains under investigation.
As terror fires burn all over Israel, Obama is silent



At around 2am this evening, terrorists set fire to my small mountain village of Beit Meir. They lit multiple blazes, surrounding the only exit from our moshav with a gulf of flames. As you can imagine, this made it exceedingly difficult for myself, my pregnant wife, and two kids to escape to safety. We, along with our neighbors, were trapped. After about an hour of harrowing confusion, firefighters managed to clear a path for the 100 families of Beit Meir to flee the inferno. I watched as dozens of righteous firefighters and police faded into the smokey distance of my rear view mirror. We fled to Beit Shemesh, and were warmly taken in at 330am by Rabbi Gerzi and his unceasingly kind family. For what's it's worth, I got out my phone to document the deluge. Perhaps it will give you a glimpse (as it did for me the first time) of the first hand horrors wrought by terrorists seeking to harm innocent civilians. It's 438am now, my kids are back asleep, and my village is no doubt still in flames. My parents are on a plane, somewhere over the Atlantic, oblivious to the chaos that awaits their arrival in Israel. Houses are still ablaze and the forest is a sea of fire. I don't know if I will have a house to return to. I just hope everyone managed to escape safely. Pray for us.

Posted by Yaakov Lehman on Thursday, November 24, 2016

Now a report is finally emerging that a U.S. asset is deploying to Israel to help fight the fires. But its not assistance being provided by the U.S. government. The Israeli government has arranged with the company Global SuperTanker to send its unique Boeing 747 supertanker firefighting aircraft to Israel for support. The plane will arrive on Friday.

Public communications about the supertankers deployment have been somewhat stilted  in contrast to the simple, heartfelt thanks expressed by the Israeli government to the foreign governments that have stepped up to provide assistance.

Benjamin Netanyahu put it this way, regarding the deployment from Global SuperTanker:

It needs to be understood that the firefighting planes currently being used are not able to operate overnight. There is only one plane that has this ability, and that is the Supertanker. I instructed that it be brought here. It will take 24 hours to come from the US. We only use it in extreme situations. We dont use it for everything but I prefer that we have too much rather than too little, said Netanyahu. Basically, this careful wording means Israel hired the plane. The U.S. government isnt providing it. (Netanyahu would never say of aid provided by another government that he has instructed that it be brought to Israel. He would publicly thank the other government, as he has done with all the foreign governments providing actual assistance.)

And not all Israelis are impressed:

However, the arrival of the supertanker has come in for criticism from some quarters. This is a matter of politics and less of an operational need. We werent given the opportunity to express ourselves on the matter, a senior member of the rescue services was quoted as saying. To the extent its political, I read this as Netanyahu covering (once again) for the bad attitude of the Obama administration: arranging for an American asset to be involved in this Israeli emergency, because the longstanding ties of Israel and the United States are more important than the petulance and bad faith of an outgoing administration.

There is considerably more the administration could be doing.

During the Sabbath there were terror fires all over Israel , the largest ones being a fire that has residents of Neve Tzuf - Halamish in Samaria still outside their homes , and the relighting of a fire in Haifa.I'd like to share with you a post I saw on Facebook this evening of someone who was evacuated from Beit Meir, a Moshav in the Jerusalem - Tel Aviv corridor, during the wee hours of Friday morning, together with his children and pregnant wife.For the record, for those who still delude themselves that this is about the 'territories,' Beit Meir is within the green line that constituted Israel before 1967.Israel Radio reported on Friday that seven homes in Beit Meir were destroyed. But that understates the terror that the residents suffered on Thursday night. The terrorists purposely set the fires to block all the exits from the Moshav, so that the people had no place to flee until the firefighters arrived and cleared a path for them.Here's the post. More after the post.Meanwhile, the self-proclaimed 'most pro-Israel administration evah' has been silent By the way, nothing has changed since that post. I just googled "Obama Israel fires" and that is the most recent post.And the Democrats are promoting the meme that Trump is an anti-Semite and a Nazi. The real anti-Semite is the current resident of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

Labels: arson, Barack Hussein Obama, Binyamin Netanyahu, firefighting equipment, firefighting planes
A 71-year-old British pilot attempting to fly a 1940s plane the length of Africa has been found after going missing for the second time.

Maurice Kirk, who was part of a vintage rally flying from Crete to Cape Town, was reported missing for the second time in two flights on Friday after taking off from Ethiopia.

He failed to reach Kenya due to an engine failure but managed to land his 1943 Piper Cub plane safely in South Sudan, organisers Vintage Air Rally said.

A post on their Facebook page said: "Maurice is safe! We heard he had an engine failure and landed (not at an airfield) in South Sudan but had a puncture on landing.

"He's fine, we think the plane also. Locals found him and called a Brit in Juba they recently worked for. He contacted the British embassy in Juba."

The pensioner was reported as a "no show" on the Vintage Air Rally Facebook page on Friday.

The post added: "Whilst many of his piloting skills are very poor (rules and regulations to start), his ability to drop his cub into a small field for the night is impressive."

Mr Kirk, from Bristol, is no longer officially part of the rally and has continued to fly despite being asked to withdraw due to a "mismatch in expectations".

Organisers have said they will continue to help him until he reaches Kenya.

Pensioner Mr Kirk first went missing on a three-hour leg of the cross-African flight from southern Sudan into western Ethiopia earlier this week.

He was later found and reunited with rest of the competitors at the airport in Gambela, Ethiopia

The pensioner, who has been dubbed The Flying Vet, is a controversial character.

He is a former drinking partner of hell-raising actor Oliver Reed and in 2002 the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons kicked him out of the profession.

He has also been involved in a string of legal cases against various police forces.
Crude oil prices suffered their largest single day drop since September, ending the session 4 percent lower. The move came after it was announced that a meeting between OPEC and non-OPEC producers on Monday to discuss technical aspects of a supply cut has been canceled.

The cancelation came after it became clear that Saudi Arabia would not be sending a representative. As one of the cartels largest producers, Saudi Arabia felt that OPEC needed to solidify its internal supply agreement before going to the negotiating table with non-OPEC members.

The issue raised by Saudi Arabia underscores the lingering lack of cohesion among OPEC members. Iran has been relieved of economic sanctions recently and has asked for an exception from output cuts as it attempts to rebuild capacity. Libya and Nigeria have recently seen supply disruptions due to unrest in the region. They too are seeking exemptions from supply reduction.

Granting all of these exceptions would put more pressure on the largest producers to shoulder a larger burden of supply management. The deal is expected to target cuts that would reduce output to between 32.5 and 33 million barrels per day. A formal meeting is scheduled for November 30th where OPEC and non-OPEC countries were meant to unveil the scheme's implementation details.
Here is an unfired Colt New Frontier single action revolver in 22LR,& commemorates the Indiana Sesquicentennial for 150 years 1816 to 1966. made in 1966 so its now 49 years old,& has gold plated non fluted cylinder,hammer,trigger,backstrap & trigger guard,& the rest is blued,with scroll engraving at the bottom of the grip frame,with nice colored Pearlite grips,stamped on the barrel 116 to 1966 Indiana Sesquicentennial,& in a nice blond wood fitted presentation case. serial # 1694IS so its $ 1694 of onl;y 1745 made. a lotof gun for only $895.firm +$35. shipping to your FFL only.I am an FFL dealer,located in the Clearwater,Florida area.I accept bank & postal money orders,cashiers checks,or personal & business checks,but those take time to clear.no credit cards or PayPal. I now offer 60 day layaways with 1/3rd down & 1/3rd per month.be sure to check out all my other unique listings

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Haiti - FLASH : Strange discovery, possible electoral fraud





Following the discovery in Cap-Haitien https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-19310-haiti-news-zapping-politics.html the day after the elections, of ballot papers in bulk, signed and annotated in favor of a candidate, and other blank ballots signed by BV members, Genard Joseph, the Coordinator of the Party Verite wrote to the President of the Provisional Electoral Council (CEP) requesting that checks be made before the preliminary results are announced next Monday...



Letter of the Party verite :

"Port-au-Prince on October 24



Mr. Leopold Berlanger Junior

President of the Provisional Electoral Council

In its offices



Mr President,



The incident that occurred at the Saint Jean Bosco Voting Centre in Cap Haitien on the day after the elections, whose report was drawn up by the Peace Judge of the South Section and in the presence of two national observers and the press in general, during which ballot papers were found in bulk, signed and annotated in favor of a candidate, and other blank ballots signed by members of the BV, raises relevant questions about the transparency, the credibility of the electoral process In the North department and may lead us to hypothesize that the same observation is made in other parts of the country.



As a result, the political platform Verite takes the opportunity to request from the institution a comparison, on the basis of sampling, of the lists of 'emargement' with the databases of the national identification office in order to verify and validate the signatures of the voters concerned. Moreover, it requires that this operation be carried out before the publication of the partial results in order to exclude the fraudulent ballots who would have slipped into the ballot boxes and prevent reactions of dissatisfaction of voters who would then be entitled to believe that their right was knowingly violated.



Hoping that you will understand the merits of this approach for the good and the triumph of democracy [...]



Joseph Genard

National Coordinator"



See also :

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-19331-haiti-flash-jude-celestin-attacks-ctvcredibility-and-of-elections.html



HL/ HaitiLibre






















Haiti - Education : The State University of Haiti in mourning





The Rectorate of the State University of Haiti (UEH) learned with deep sadness the passing away of the former Rector Pierre Marie Michel Paquiot on the morning of November 23, 2016, in a hospital center of Cuba.



Pierre Marie Michel Paquiot has carried out post-graduate studies in mathematics and fundamental applications in theoretical physics at the University of Science and Technology of Languedoc in Montpellier, France.



Back in Haiti, he devoted himself to higher education and worked at the "Centre de Techniques de Planification et dEconomie Appliquee", to the "Ecole Normale Superieure", to the "Faculte des Sciences". First elected Rector of UEH, he led the institution for 10 years, from 1998 to 2008.



After two terms at the head of UEH, he resumed his activities in 2008 at the Faculty of Sciences of UEH, whose he became a member of the Directorate Council.



The Rectorate of the UEH bowed respectfully to the remains of Rector Paquiot and prayed his relatives, especially his wife, Mrs. Marie Viviane Mathieu and her two daughters Rashida Gamila and Leila Keshia, to accept the expressions of its emotional condolences.



May he rest in peace!



Moreover, de facto President Jocelerme Privert, salutes the memory of Professor Paquiot. His condolences go first to his family, then to his friends and to the Haitian academic community.



Jocelerme Privert highlights in a note the brilliant career of Pierre-Marie Paquiot within the UEH and affirms that his death is a blow to the university community and the Haitian youth.



See also :

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-19330-haiti-news-zapping-politics.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-17491-haiti-education-tributes-well-deserved.html



HL/ TB/ HaitiLibre






















Haiti - News : Zapping politics...





Threatening the Press is an error according to Famni Lavalas

Former Senator Yvon Feuille, one of the two representatives of Famni Lavalas at the Voting Tabulation Centre (CTV), considers it an error by some of his party's supporters to utter threats against the press and journalists https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-19330-haiti-news-zapping-politics.html , stressing that Fanmi Lavalas is among the political parties that have fought for freedom of the press.



No fraud at the Lycee of Petion-ville

Pierre Esperance, the Executive Director of the National Network for the Defense of Human Rights (RNDDH), who observed the elections at the National High School of Petion-Ville, declared "There was no massive fraud or ballot stuffing or violence... I await the results [...]"



Cholzer Chancy launches an appeal

Deputy Cholzer Chancy, Speaker of the Lower House, appealed to the candidates and leaders of the political parties to respect the Electoral Decree and to avoid making public announcements and announcements of election results. Moreover, he invites the Provisional Electoral Council (CEP) to work on the publication of results that correspond to the votes cast by the electors.



At least one error in the printing of the ballots

At least one mistake was made in the printing of the ballot papers. It is the photograph of Joseph Lucien Jura, candidate for the deputation for the constituency of Arcahaie, printed in the ballots for the deputation of Jeremie.



Publication of the Rules of the electoral challenge

On Thursday, the amended Electoral Challenges Rules were published in the Official Journal "Le Moniteur", special issue # 18.



Adassa Christi finalist of a contest on tourism

Adassa Christie of the institution Sainte Rose de Lima, is a finalist in the 2016 Tourism Industry Promotion Contest, which took place on the theme "If you were a cruise passenger, what would you want to see and do in your destination." This contest was organized by the Foundation Children Essay Contest (FCCA) with the support of the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Industries.



HL/ HaitiLibre


















Islamabad : A Pakistani sectarian militant faction says, it is working with both Islamic State jihadists and al-Qaeda to carry out attacks in the country.

Ali Bin Sufyan, a spokesman for the Al Alami faction of the homegrown Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ) group, said, the militants would work with whoever will help us against the Pakistani army.

The banned Sunni LeJ group, has claimed responsibility for some of the most brazen attacks on minority Shiites in Pakistan`s recent history, but has turned its guns on the Pakistani government in recent years.

Last year much of the LeJ top leadership was apparently wiped out in a gun battle with Pakistani police as authorities cracked down hard on the myriad insurgent groups that have plagued the country for decades.

But the group appears to still be carrying out attacks, and the claim it is working with IS along with Al-Qaeda exposes a worrying new trend.

IS is under pressure in Syria and Iraq so it is forming a nexus with small militant groups in Pakistan and Bangladesh to assert its power and expand its profile, security analyst Amir Rana told AFP.

Sectarian groups such as LeJ are a natural ally for IS, he said.

Officials deny Islamic State has a presence in Pakistan, but the Middle Eastern jihadist group has claimed responsibility for several major attacks in recent months, particularly in the restive province of Balochistan.

Last month militants carried out an assault on a police academy in the Baloch provincial capital Quetta, killing more than 60 people in an attack claimed both by Al Alami and IS, in an apparent demonstration of their collaboration.

Sufyan said, that any collaboration with groups such as IS was restricted only to activities or operations in Pakistan.

The extent of any material support remains unclear, but affiliation with the notoriously brutal outfit brings the promise of a far higher profile.

The emergence of IS in Pakistan would be seen as a major blow to the country`s long-running and partly successful efforts to quell a homegrown Islamist insurgency, and comes as the group`s key rival Al Qaeda is losing strength in what was once its home ground.

Sufyan also said, his group supports a separatist movement in Balochistan, where nationalists have sought independence for decades, calling them our brothers.

AFP was unable to verify the statement with Baloch separatists, who have previously accused the Pakistani state of using LeJ as a proxy against them.

But it was a rare example of a Pakistani Islamist militant group supporting the nationalist movement, and a further demonstration of the group`s pragmatic shift.

Source : Zee News
That is a staggering statistic, in the context of challenges such as Britains exit from the EU and the uncertainty generated by the election of Donald Trump as US president.

It goes to show how leaders of business just get on with the job of doing business and allow economists to get on with the job of worrying, and politicians with the job of engaging in endless, and meaningless, bickering in the Dail.

The role of government should be to create the environment in which businesses create jobs, and let them get on with it.

This was demonstrated again during the week, with the release of employment data for the third quarter. Total employment in September reached 2.04m, which represents growth of 57,500 in employment over the past year, and growth of 13,500 over the past three months. Employment is now at the highest level in eight years.

The long-term unemployment rate fell to 4.2%, and long-term unemployment accounted for 52% of total unemployment, down from 56.7% just two years ago. There were 199,200 more people at work in the third-quarter of 2016 than in the third-quarter of 2012. This is all good stuff.

The most negative consequence of the crash of 2007 was the collapse in employment, but the manner in which the number of people at work is bouncing back is impressive.

Of course, those on the political left will not have the good grace to compliment government, or to compliment the businesses that are creating the jobs. There are no votes in that.

It is great to see job creation and it is also great to see such optimism from our business leaders. However, they do face significant challenges over the next couple of years, as does the overall economy, based on what we currently understand about external risk factors. Brexit is very much top of the pile, from an Irish perspective, particularly as we still have little idea about how it might develop.

For many businesses, the performance of sterling is the most immediate issue, but at least the UK currency has regained some lost ground in recent weeks. While the English high court decision that parliament should make the ultimate decision to trigger Article 50 has given some support to sterling, the euro has its own concerns.

The upcoming referendum in Italy has the potential to create enormous political uncertainty that could ultimately threaten that countrys membership of the EU.

Italy is an un-lanced boil and has been for some time. The French election is also potentially problematic. While, at this juncture, victory for one of the centre-right candidates appears the most likely outcome next year, one can take nothing for granted in the world of politics. Witness Trump and Brexit.

Marine Le Pen has pledged to take France out of the euro, and ultimately out of the EU. Victory for her would cast the EU project into serious turmoil. Losing the UK would be bad, but losing one of the founding fathers, France, would be catastrophic.

The bottom line is that while sterling has big issues to worry about, the euro is not devoid of difficulty. Perhaps we have passed the point of maximum sterling weakness, for the moment at least, which would relieve some concerns for Irish exporters to the UK.

Furthermore, at current exchange rates, it simply does not make financial sense for shoppers to trundle north of the border for grocery shopping, unless one has a mind to consume vast quantities of alcohol.

However, cross-border shopping has become very fashionable again and is pressurising retailers south of the border.

The longer-term Brexit-related issues are still very real, however.

Apart from potential currency volatility, they include supply chain issues: Trade restrictions, labour mobility, and market volatility. These are all issues that will unfold over the next couple of years and will inevitably generate uncertainty. But current levels of confidence and job-creation demonstrate a of resilience born of having lived through one of the most horrific economic crashes any country has ever experienced.

Long may it continue.
NEW YORK (AP)  A fire at the gun shop next door never reached Kathy Laurienti's sausage and specialty food store, but the water and smoke damage was enough to shut her business down. Because Laurienti didn't have enough insurance, it's still closed  more than a year later.

Laurienti still doesn't know how much her total losses will be, but estimates she'll have to pay $30,000 to $40,000 from her own pocket. While she had $10,000 in coverage for lost income, she'll likely have lost $100,000 in business by the time she can reopen.

"You don't think about what the insurance might not handle," says Laurienti, whose store, Paisano, is located in a shopping center in Denver.

It's a lesson learned all too often, including by business owners hit by natural disasters like this summer's flooding in Louisiana that caused an estimated $2 billion in damage to companies. Some businesses in the Southeast are still assessing their losses from Hurricane Matthew, which caused an estimated $10 billion in commercial and residential losses.

The government estimates that 40 percent of companies that haven't prepared themselves to be able to operate after a disaster are forced to shut down. And 25 percent of businesses fail within two years because of inadequate post-disaster revenue or cash flow. Adequate insurance would help them survive.

Small companies frequently either don't buy insurance at all or don't have enough to cover their losses when disasters like hurricanes, tornadoes and power outages strike.

Many owners who do buy insurance opt for a standard business policy that covers fire, rain, wind and vandalism. These policies may also include business interruption insurance, which covers lost income when a company cannot operate. But they don't cover damage from floods or earthquakes, which can be serious threats in many parts of the country.

"Most (owners) are buying it as if it's a commodity product instead of understanding it needs to be customized to their particular situation," says Robert Borghese, who teaches law and entrepreneurship at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.

Many rely too much on insurance brokers who may not have a thorough understanding of the coverage they're selling, Borghese says. Brokers may not know what a particular company's needs are.

Owners may also trying to keep their costs down, and don't think about the "what ifs," says Belen Tokarski, a senior vice president at Insureon, an online insurance broker aimed at small businesses. It can cost thousands of dollars to insure a building and its contents in moderate-to-high risk areas.

"They're price-focused, so they're purchasing just what they think they need," she says.

Walter Coker considered buying flood insurance for his property that included a barn filled with furniture imported from Indonesia and a bait shop. But his broker said the cost of insuring the barn, located on the Matanzas River in St. Augustine, Florida, would be more than Coker could afford. The building is old and in disrepair.

"He didn't give me any numbers, but said it would be exorbitant to try to insure a barn like that," Coker says.

When Hurricane Matthew hit, the barn and bait shop had four feet of water from the river. Coker's furniture inventory was heavily damaged. He was able to sell it at a discount and recover the price he paid, but estimates he had $6,000 to $7,000 in losses.

Coker knows he was gambling, but given the cost of insurance, says he's comfortable doing so. But for some owners, denial is a factor.

"Their eyes glaze over. They're busy running the day-to-day operations. They don't want to think about something bad happening," says Brian Van Hook, associate director at the Small Business Development Center at Florida International University.

Van Hook recommends resources like checklists posted by the trade group Insurance Information Institute on its website that help companies understand their risks. SBDCs like Van Hook's are located around the country and can be found at www.sba.gov/sbdc .

Beyond natural disasters, if an owner is unable to work or dies, a company could be in danger.

Erin Jump Fry's husband, Mike, became ill in 2010, but he didn't have disability or life insurance. Their business, Fancy Fortune Cookies, didn't have a life insurance policy for him that would have helped it deal with the financial fallout of the loss of its co-owner. Without insurance money, Erin Fry couldn't hire someone to help her run it while she also cared for her husband and daughter.

"You can't hire a replacement because you're having to pull money from the company to pay medical bills," says Fry, whose company is based in Indianapolis.

Mike Fry passed away in November 2012, and several months later, his wife discovered that an employee was embezzling money. Business fraud insurance would have helped her recover that cash, she says. Her frustration is with attorneys and other advisers who didn't talk to the Frys about insurance coverage, some varieties of which she didn't even know existed.

Fancy Fortune Cookies has recovered, Fry says, and she now has more comprehensive insurance.

People who run businesses out of their homes may mistakenly think their homeowners policy will cover business losses, Tokarski says.

Elizabeth Crouch sells cupcake racks out of her home, and kept inventory in a building on the property. A fire in April destroyed the building and melted 1,500 racks, wiping out $5,000 in inventory that would have brought Crouch $37,000 in revenue. She discovered that the racks weren't covered.

"I had liability insurance just in case someone got hurt," says Crouch, who lives in Sheridan, Oregon. "Never did I ever think there was a chance of losing my inventory."

Crouch is trying to be certain she won't suffer similar losses again.

"Everything else in my business I'm re-examining to be sure I'm covered for anything," she says.
Ernesto Che Guevara

Farewell letter from Che to Fidel Castro

 Year of Agriculture 

Havana, April 1, 1965.

Fidel:

At this moment I remember many things: when I met you in Maria Antonia's house, when you proposed I come along, all the tensions involved in the preparations. One day they came by and asked who should be notified in case of death, and the real possibility of it struck us all. Later we knew it was true, that in a revolution one wins or dies (if it is a real one). Many comrades fell along the way to victory.

Today everything has a less dramatic tone, because we are more mature, but the event repeats itself. I feel that I have fulfilled the part of my duty that tied me to the Cuban revolution in its territory, and I say farewell to you, to the comrades, to your people, who now are mine.

I formally resign my positions in the leadership of the party, my post as minister, my rank of commander, and my Cuban citizenship. Nothing legal binds me to Cuba. The only ties are of another nature  those that cannot be broken as can appointments to posts.

Reviewing my past life, I believe I have worked with sufficient integrity and dedication to consolidate the revolutionary triumph. My only serious failing was not having had more confidence in you from the first moments in the Sierra Maestra, and not having understood quickly enough your qualities as a leader and a revolutionary.

I have lived magnificent days, and at your side I felt the pride of belonging to our people in the brilliant yet sad days of the Caribbean [Missile] crisis. Seldom has a statesman been more brilliant as you were in those days. I am also proud of having followed you without hesitation, of having identified with your way of thinking and of seeing and appraising dangers and principles.

Other nations of the world summon my modest efforts of assistance. I can do that which is denied you due to your responsibility as the head of Cuba, and the time has come for us to part.

You should know that I do so with a mixture of joy and sorrow. I leave here the purest of my hopes as a builder and the dearest of those I hold dear. And I leave a people who received me as a son. That wounds a part of my spirit. I carry to new battlefronts the faith that you taught me, the revolutionary spirit of my people, the feeling of fulfilling the most sacred of duties: to fight against imperialism wherever it may be. This is a source of strength, and more than heals the deepest of wounds.

I state once more that I free Cuba from all responsibility, except that which stems from its example. If my final hour finds me under other skies, my last thought will be of this people and especially of you. I am grateful for your teaching and your example, to which I shall try to be faithful up to the final consequences of my acts.

I have always been identified with the foreign policy of our revolution, and I continue to be. Wherever I am, I will feel the responsibility of being a Cuban revolutionary, and I shall behave as such. I am not sorry that I leave nothing material to my wife and children; I am happy it is that way. I ask nothing for them, as the state will provide them with enough to live on and receive an education.

I would have many things to say to you and to our people, but I feel they are unnecessary. Words cannot express what I would like them to, and there is no point in scribbling pages.

Written: April 1, 1965

Transcription/Markup: Brian Baggins

Online Version: Ernesto Che Guevara Internet Archive (marxists.org) 2002
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Juba (AFP) - The South Sudan government agreed late Friday to accept the deployment of a UN-mandated regional force in Juba after months of hesitation.

"I would like therefore to inform the people on behalf of the transitional government of national unity that your cabinet has resolved unanimously to allow the deployment of regional protection force anytime from now," said deputy Information Minister Akol Paul Kordit.
OccupyGhana says it has discovered a GH35 million contract awarded to embattled businessman, Alfred Woyome, although the dust is yet to settle on a scandalous judgement debt awarded to him.

Mr Woyome is yet to refund a GH51.2 million judgement debt he obtained from the state which according to the Supreme Court was acquired through unconstitutional and invalid contracts between the state and Waterville Holdings Limited in 2006 for the construction of stadia for CAN 2008.

Despite the apex courts ruling, the businessman is currently fighting the retrieval of the money by the state, claiming among other things, that he earned it.

In a statement issued Thursday, the pressure group said it is shocked, outraged and appalled to discover that while the nation is still reeling from the effect of the Alfred Woyome judgment debt scandal, and the stalled and hesitant attempts by the Attorney-General to execute the judgment of the Supreme Court, the Government of Ghana has, on the blind side of Ghanaians, entered into a confidential and potentially lucrative agreement with Woyome, acting through one of his companies, Anator Holding Company Limited.

OccupyGhana explains that Anator Holding Company is one of the companies that has filed a suit claiming to be the owner of two of Woyomes properties that the Government has to attach in the execution of the judgment.

That matter is still pending and unresolved, OccupyGhana, which is composed of astute lawyers and other professionals, said in the statement.

Background

Woyome sued the state in 2009 for what he claimed to be a wrongful termination of the contract by the erstwhile Kufuor administration.

The contract, Woyome averred, was for him to raise money for the construction of stadia for the CAN 2008 tournament which was held in Ghana.

He secured a default judgment in 2010 after the then Attorney General Betty Mould Iddrisu failed to prosecute the case.

Even when the court had asked that only the first tranche of 17 million cedis be paid to the businessman until after the case had been concluded, officials of government went ahead to pay all three tranches.

A 2010 audit report made adverse findings about government officials involved in the payment made to Mr Woyome.

Mr Woyome recently filed a suit in the apex court seeking a review of an earlier decision that would have allowed former Attorney General, Martin Amidu, to cross-examine him over a controversial 51 million judgment debt.

The former Attorney General had initiated the proceedings to retrieve the money paid the businessman.

Read below OccupyGhana's full statement.

24th NOVEMBER, 2016

OCCUPYGHANA PRESS STATEMENT

WOYOME AGAIN! GHa35 MILLION CONTRACT DISCOVERED: OCCUPYGHANA EXPOSES GOVERNMENT

OccupyGhana is shocked, outraged and appalled to discover this: That while the nation is still reeling from the effect of the Alfred Woyome judgment debt scandal, and the stalled and hesitant attempts by the Attorney-General to execute the judgment of the Supreme Court, the Government of Ghana has, on the blind side of Ghanaians, entered into a confidential and potentially lucrative agreement with Woyome, acting through one of his companies, Anator Holding Company Limited.

This same Anator Holding Company, in the current proceedings in court, is one of the companies that has filed an interpleader, claiming to be the owner of two of Woyomes properties that the Government has finally managed to attach in execution of the judgment. That matter is still pending and unresolved.

We have seen a Framework Agreement dated as recently as 21st December 2015, for Anator Holding to develop deep seaports (including) industrial parks and green townships in Ghana. The Agreement is signed by Woyome as Executive Chairman of Anator Holding Company Limited, and the then Minister for Transport, Dzifa Aku Attivor. That Agreement was entered into on the basis of a non-binding scantily drafted Memorandum of Understanding entered into between the same Woyome company and the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority on the same subject on 28th August 2015. The Framework Agreement with Ghana is expressed to have been entered into so that Woyomes company can raise an initial financing of US$8.5M just for feasibility studies. In other words, Woyome is relying on the countrys goodwill to raise financing for a sweetheart deal that he has entered into with the GPHA and is possibly shopping around banks all over the world for money, on the back of this agreement.

That bogus Agreement was signed with the express approval of Cabinet, as conveyed by a letter signed by the Chief of Staff from the Office of the President, dated 16th December 2015. It is instructive to point out that the Agreement was signed on the same day that the Cabinet approval was received by the Ministry of Transport.

We have seen how Woyome operates. He hit us for GH51.2M that he did not deserve, on the basis of a non-existent contract. Our Government and its lawyers, either unconcerned or guilty of complicity, sat back when Woyome went to court and obtained a default judgment against us. Even though Mr. Martin Amidu has obtained judgment for the people of Ghana, we are struggling to recover that money from him, and this same Anator Holding is battling to stop us from selling at least two of Woyomes properties to pay the debt.

It, therefore, beggars belief that in the face of all of these, our government would enter into any kind of agreement involving the same character and/or his companies. The irony of the date that agreement was signed cannot be lost on us. 21st December 2015 was the date that the former Minister of Transport, Dzifa Attivor, appeared in Parliament to lament that her Ministry was broke and that its budget was woefully inadequate to meet developmental needs of the sector. Incidentally, that was also the date that the impugned Smarttys deal, involving the same Dzifa Attivor, broke in Parliament.

We are shocked beyond words! We demand from the Government, full disclosure and a full explanation of the circumstances surrounding this contract. Who authorised it? Did the President know that Dzifa Attivor was entering into this contract on our behalf, and if so, did he do anything to stop it? Did the President know about the Cabinet approval? We demand from the Government and GPHA evidence that all proper statutory and procurement approvals were duly obtained in entering into these agreements and memoranda with Woyome. Further, we demand that the Government immediately cancels that agreement. Woyome has our money. He obtained that money under dubious circumstances. Thanks to Mr. Martin Amidu, we have judgment against him. He has failed to pay. We should not be doing business either with him or with any corporate entity that he owns, controls or is associated with, under any circumstances.

Yours, in unwavering service to God and Country,

OccupyGhana

Story by Ghana | Myjoyonline.com
As the armed conflict in South Sudan approaches its fourth year, civilians continue to flee the violence that has gripped much of the country and resulted in vast humanitarian needs.

The number of internally displaced persons (IDPs) continues to rise, and has now reached an all-time high of 1.87 million since December 2013, according to recent UN figures. Over 212,000 IDPs are hosted in UN protection of civilian (PoC) sites across the country.

The IDP population at the PoC site in Bentiu, Unity, has reached more than 108,300, representing an increase of over 14 percent since August, and matching levels not seen since April of this year. More than 7,300 people have arrived at the site since the end of October, largely from Koch, Leer and Rubkona counties.

Insecurity and corresponding increases in humanitarian needs in these parts of Unity are likely driving the increase in displacement to the PoC site. Fighting, particularly in Leer, is likely to continue prompting people to move to the Bentiu PoC site or more stable areas in Unity.

Worsening trends of insecurity are preventing IDPs from returning to their homes in many parts of the country. While civilians are grappling with deteriorating humanitarian conditions, access constraints are making it more difficult for IOM and relief agencies to deliver aid to the most vulnerable, particularly in recent weeks, said IOM South Sudan Chief of Mission William Barriga.

As camp manager at the Bentiu PoC site, IOM tracks entries and exits at the site. It also registers IDPs for the efficient delivery of humanitarian services, and supplies relief agencies with data to inform response planning.

Displacement figures also remain high in Wau, Western Bahr el Ghazal, the site of heavy fighting in June and ongoing insecurity. Over 41,000 people, the highest number since June, are sheltering at the PoC site adjacent to the UNMISS base and in collective centres across Wau town, according to IOM-led population counts.

Of the 174 IDPs who arrived at the Wau PoC site last week, all cited security concerns as their core motivation for seeking protection at the site.

Outside the town, IOM and humanitarian agencies have been unable to consistently provide assistance to populations in areas south of Wau, due to bureaucratic constraints and blockages since early July.

Violence also continues to drive increased displacement in other parts of the country, including areas around Yei, Central Equatoria.

Nearly 3 million South Sudanese have fled their homes in the past three years. With over 1.1 million refugees in neighbouring countries, over 362,000 people have fled the country since July, according to the UN Refugee Agency.

IOM continues to coordinate with relief partners to provide multi-sector humanitarian assistance to displaced and conflict-affected people across South Sudan.
Representatives from the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries (IFoA) will be visiting Ghana on the 30th of November and 1st of December 2016 to meet a number of companies from the financial services and other industries in Accra with the aim of promoting the actuarial profession and actuarial qualifications to local employers and influencers in Ghana.

The Department for International Trade (DIT) at the British High Commission in Accra will be hosting a reception at the Residence of the British High Commission on their behalf.

According to the World Bank, a shortage of actuarial resources is an issue of concern to both Insurers and supervisors. They highlight that one of the possible steps towards a solution could be the IFoAs newly developed Certified Actuarial Analyst or CAA qualification. In endorsing the IFoAs qualification, the World Bank believes that the CAA will be useful to insurance supervisors looking to introduce enhanced actuarial roles as part of their regulatory system.

The IFoA is keen to engage with regulators, government officials and the insurance/financial services sector in Ghana to promote the IFoAs world class qualifications, and in particular how the CAA could help Ghana build its actuarial capacity. The IFoA recently partnered with Americans Society of Actuaries (SoA) to oversee, deliver and promote the CAA, as a public interest joint venture organization, CAA Global.

The CAA is designed to give those working in actuarial support roles, and in the broader financial services sector, a path to acquire sound technical skills and to bring them into a regulatory framework that will help assure public confidence in the work that they are doing. The CAA also facilitates the growth in actuarial capacity in emerging markets where it is just starting to develop.

The creation of the joint venture supports the IFoAs original objective for the CAA initiative, which is to establish the CAA as a consistently recognised and sought after global qualification.This joint working also supports the delivery of the IFoAs and the SOAs common objectives to advance, in the public interest, all matters relevant to actuarial science and to promote the actuarial profession.

Commenting on this, IFoA President, Colin Wilson, said: The joint venture will help establish the CAA as a global brand for the whole actuarial profession, and we look forward to welcoming other actuarial associations who would like to participate in the initiative.

President of the SOA, Craig Reynolds, said: The CAA is an innovative development that will enhance the skills of actuarial support professionals in traditional roles and throughout the broader financial services sector, as well as promote accessibility to the profession, on a global scale.

The objective of IFoA is to conduct a process of consultation with other actuarial associations around the world to develop an accreditation system that enables them to become destination organisations for qualified CAAs. In this way the CAA will truly become a global qualification for the actuarial profession.
26.11.2016 LISTEN

JOHN 4:13-14; 7:37-39; EPHESIANS 5:18-21

INTRODUCTION

The late Dr. Homer Lindsay tells the gripping story of an air tragedy that occurred in his seminary days at Southwestern Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas. One morning at breakfast, he was reading the Fort Worth Star Telegram. An Article told of a tragic plane crash. A young student was making one of his final training flights. Evidently, he froze at the controls. Fear causes people to freeze up sometimes. His instructor was heard yelling; Turn over the controls! Turn over the controls! The student pilot did not. Both were killed in the crash. Tragedy can occur when those who are in training do not turn over the controls to the wiser instructor. In the Christian life, you and I must learn to turn over the controls. I would like to share with you on the topic: The Fullness of the Holy Spirit.

I. THE BIBLICAL BASIS FOR BEING FILLED

WITH THE SPIRIT (EPHESIANS 5:18)

Why do you and I who have been born of the Holy Spirit need to be filled? We need to be filled because the Word of God commands us to be filled. Therefore, it is safe to say that anyone who is not filled with the Spirit is a defective Christian. Ephesians 5:18 states, And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit. There are two commands in this verse. The first command is do not get drunk. The second is be filled. One is a prohibition. The other is an imperative. The command to be filled with the Spirit is binding on all Christians everywhere in every age. In other words, the command to be filled is timeless. There are no exceptions. Therefore, we must conclude that since we are ordered, commanded, or obligated to be filled with the Spirit, we are sinning if we are not filled. And your failure to be filled with the Spirit constitutes one of the greatest sins against the Holy Spirit.

When you received Christ as Lord and Savior of your life, the Holy Spirit came to live within you. We call that the indwelling of the Spirit. You were also brought into the body of Christ, which is called the baptism of the Spirit. Then at the same time, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise. The Holy Spirit becomes resident within your heart. He indwells you from then on forever. However, unfortunately, when the Holy Spirit comes to live within us, He does not always get control of our lives. Sometimes we push Him off into a closet in some dark and unkempt corner of our soul. Yes, the Holy Spirit is an occupant in your life, but He has no access to the TV room, or the master bedroom, or the kitchen, or the garage. He is resident in your life, but He is not the president of your life. Only when you come to the place in your Christian experience where you understand the vital importance of giving control of your life over to the Holy Spirit will you be able to live the victorious life.

It is believed that the average church is filled with three different kinds of people. First, there are those who come to church but do not know the Lord Jesus Christ at all (the natural persons). The Holy Spirit does not live in such persons so they cannot be filled with Him. Second, there are others who are Christians, the Holy Spirit lives within them, but they have never yielded the control of their life to the Spirit (carnal Christians). They are believers but they do not live a very Christlike life. They live on a carnal level. The flesh dictates their lives. Then the third, there are others who consciously and knowingly have given over their lives to the Spirits control. Such Christians live everyday with the knowledge that there is power within them, the Holy Spirit, who is the third person of the Trinity controls their life and destiny. I do not know at which level you find yourself, but if you do not come to the place, where the Spirit of God controls your life, your days, as a believer will be marked by discouragement and defeat.

In Ephesians 5:18, the Apostle Paul draws a contrast between two experiences. A person who is filled with alcohol is controlled or dominated by alcohol. Its presence and power have overridden his normal abilities and actions. I believe that most of us have seen what drunkenness can do to a person. A person who is under the control of alcohol is a changed person in a negative sense. A man in a well design Stacy Adams suit begins to look like a homeless person. A shy person becomes obnoxious and speaks profanity. A decent and well-mannered person begins to shout obscenities to anyone he sees. Why does this happen? It is because he is under the control of alcohol. To be filled with alcohol can make you a fool. It is interesting that we often say someone is under the influence of alcohol. On the other hand, when you are filled with the Spirit, you are under the influence of the Spirit. Instead of doing things in your own strength and abilities, you allow the Holy Spirit to empower you. Unfortunately, many believers do not enjoy the unlimited spiritual wealth at their disposal, because they are not filled with the Holy Spirit. Some of you who are sitting under the sound of my voice have spiritual gifts that are untapped or unused. You do not have great concern to share Christ with lost people in your community or neighborhood. There are some of you that your devotional life is uneven, if not totally neglected, and you anticipate reading the newspaper more than reading the Bible. If you pray, it is a cheerless duty and a tedious task rather than a joy.

Christians have more technology and equipment for evangelizing the world than ever before. And there are better-trained personnel. But one of the great tragedies of our time is this: Many Christians so often lack the fullness of the Spirit and total dependence for Gods power for ministry. Illustrations of the spiritual power that many Christians need but lack can be found in the first century church. It was said of the first century church in one city: These men who have turned the world upside down have come here also (Acts 17:6). There are four things said about the command to be filled with the Spirit. First, it is an imperative. That means it is not optional. This is not something you need weeks and months to ponder. The Bible says every believer no matter who you are, and no matter how long you have been saved, is commanded to be filled and controlled by the Holy Spirit. The statement is not a suggestion, it is an imperative, and it is a command. Second, it is in the plural rather than the singular form. The command is not given exclusively to some super spiritual saints or Christians. It is not given to some elite class or a selected few. It is not a private command for pastors, deacons or church leaders. It is for every born again believer.

A Christian should not attempt to teach Sunday school class, serve on a committee, sing a song, preach a sermon, or witness to an unbeliever unless he/she is filled with the Holy Spirit. Third, it is in the passive voice, which means the subject is being acted upon from a source other than himself/herself. Nevertheless, when we become Christians we are not passive in receiving the Spirits fullness. When a person is drunk, he is not passive. He gets drunk by drinking alcohol. A believer becomes filled with the Spirit by drinking from the fountain of the Spirit. The truth of the matter however, is that you cannot fill yourself with the Holy Spirit. The filling comes from an external source. You are to place yourself in a position where the Spirit can control you. Fourth, it is in the present tense. Unlike the indwelling, baptism, and sealing of the Spirit, the filling of the Spirit is a repeated event. The indwelling, baptism, and sealing are positional truths, but the fullness of the Spirit is practical truth. The text says, be being filled with the Holy Spirit; continually give the control of your life to Him. As I grow in the Lord, I have come to understand that being filled with the Spirit is an ongoing process. As I read and study the Bible, the Holy Spirit reminds me of certain areas of my life that need to be yielded to Him. I then pray and give the control over to Him. You must never think that being filled with the Spirit is a once- and- for- all event. Being filled is a continuous thing, everyday seeking that the Lord will control our lives by His precious Holy Spirit.

In the NT, we find many people who were filled with the Holy Spirit. For instance, the entire family of John the Baptist knew the filling of the Holy Spirit. In Luke 1:67, we read that Johns father, Zacharias, was filled with the Holy Spirit. In Luke 1:41 Johns mother, Elizabeth, was filled with the Holy Spirit. In Luke 1:15 John himself, we are told, will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from birth. On the Day of Pentecost, the 120 disciples were filled with the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:4). In Acts 4:8 Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit again. The disciples were filled with the Holy Spirit after they had prayed for boldness to proclaim the word of God (Acts 4:31). The seven people chosen as leaders in Acts 6 were Spirit-filled men. The Apostle Paul knew the experience of being filled with the Spirit. If the first century Christians were filled with the Holy Spirit, you and I can also be filled. If they needed this experience then, you and I need it now.

II. FILLED FOR A PURPOSE

Why does God want us to be filled with the Spirit? God has a purpose in commanding us to be filled with the Spirit. In Acts 4:31 the disciples were filled with the Spirit to proclaim the word of God. The greatest question you need to ask yourself is, "What is my motivation in wanting to be filled with the Spirit"? Do you desire this fullness merely for self-enjoyment and self-gratification, or in order that Christ might be glorified?

A. We are filled to glorify Christ. Sometimes people seek the fullness of the Holy Spirit for some type of emotional experience. Some seek certain sensation because they see other believers who may have had a particular experience, which they believe has come from the Holy Spirit. Some seek the fullness for wrong reasons. However, the purpose of filling is that we may glorify Jesus Christ (John 16:14). One of the tests of a Spirit-filled life is, Is Christ becoming more and more evident in my life? Are people seeing more of Him and less of me? A person who is filled with the Holy Spirit may not even be conscious of it. Not one biblical character said, I am filled with the Spirit. Others said it about them, but they did not claim it for themselves.

B. We are filled with the Spirit to live a holy life for Christ. God wants us to live lives that glorify His name. And it is only when we are filled with the Spirit can we glorify God. The Holy Spirit is the one who empowers us to live holy lives. Without the Holy Spirit, you cannot live a holy life.

C. The fullness of the Holy Spirit empowers us for service. We are filled with the Holy Spirit to serve God and others. The fullness of the Holy Spirit made a difference in Peters life (Acts 2 & 4:8). The seven men chosen for practical ministry in Acts 6 were filled with the Holy Spirit. To be filled with the Holy Spirit as I said earlier is not optional, but a divine necessity. It is indispensable for the abundant life and fruitful service. The Spirit-filled life is not abnormal; it is the normal Christian life. Anything less is subnormal; it is less than what God wants to provide for His children. Therefore, to be filled with the Spirit should not be regarded as unique experience for a select few. It is intended for all, needed by all, and available to all Christians.

III. THE RESULTS OR CONSEQUENCES OF

BEING FILLED VV. 19-21

The first result of being filled with the Spirit is fellowship (v. 19). Speaking to one another in Psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. This is a spiritual fellowship for we do not address one another in the language of the world but in Psalms and hymns and spiritual songs. We need more spiritual fellowship than gossip among Christians. A believer who gossips is not Spirit-filled but carnal-minded. Christian fellowship encourages one another to worship the living God.

The second result of being filled with the Spirit is praise and worship (19b). Youth and others who do not participate in singing, you are missing a great part of praise and true worship. Some of you say I do not know the song. Listen to the lyrics and sing along. If you want to sing only songs that you are familiar with, then your worship will be stale, because Christians are always composing and producing worship songs. You learn to do something by doing it. True worship is no mere external ritual performed only in houses of worship. Rather it is that warm-hearted praise and thanksgiving that comes only from a Spirit-controlled heart. Jesus said, God is Spirit and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth (John 4:24). The Holy Spirit produces such worship in the heart of a believer who is Spirit-filled. The natural expression of a Spirit-filled life is worship to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Even in times of sorrow or suffering the child of God, filled with the Spirit, will praise Him. Such is the natural expression of the Spirit controlled life.

Third, the Spirit-filled believer has an attitude of gratitude (v. 20). Paul wrote to the Colossians, And whatsoever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father (Col. 3:17). In 1 Thessalonians 5:18, Paul writes, In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do you know the opposite of gratitude? It is complain or groan. The Greek word for complaining is gogysmos. It is like the sound of bees that have been disturbed from their hive. Paul is saying that a Spirit-filled person is the one who has an attitude of gratitude. Some people say it is humanly impossible to give thanks to God in everything. That is correct. It is not humanly possible; it is possible only in the heart that is filled with the Holy Spirit. Some Christians give thanks to God when things are going well; Spirit-filled believers give thanks to God always for all things.
25.11.2016 LISTEN

By Christabel Addo/Raheal Dwamena Akenteng, GNA

Accra, Nov. 25, GNA - The five-day Africa Regional Polio Certification Commission (ARCC) Meeting has ended in Accra with calls on member countries to intensify their surveillance systems to rid Africa of polio.

Professor Rose Gana Fomban Leke, the Chairperson of the Africa Regional Certification Commission, at the closing ceremony on Friday, said the meeting reviewed the complete documentation of two countries; Algeria and Cape Verde, and discussed the progress and situation updates of Ghana, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, Guinea Bissau and Gabon.

She said the documentations of Algeria and Cape Verde were then accepted by the ARCC, which urged them to implement all the activities and strategies they had stated in their presentations and not to be complacent about their current achievements.

She, however, explained that although the documentations of these two countries had been accepted, the ARCC could call them again to present another complete documentation or a report to ensure that their countries were still polio-free.

Prof. Leke said the remaining five countries who had already maintained their status for at least three more years were also briefed by the ARCC on how they could sustain their surveillance systems and close other challenging gaps.

She said the meeting raised concerns about serious security issues that were impeding the success of polio eradication in some countries such as in the Borno State of Nigeria, leading to the recent reporting of four wild polio virus cases.

The ARCC therefore encouraged all countries with security issues, to double their efforts, and count on the support of the Commission in the maintenance of strong surveillance and the provision of Polio vaccines to address the challenges, she said.

She said challenges including funding gaps, persistent political unrest, lack of ownership of Polio eradication programmes, surveillance gaps, poor data collection issues, as well as low immunisation coverage, were also identified in the various country presentations.

The ARCC in agreement with the WHO recommended a high level of advocacy by respective member countries to address their peculiar challenges.

Dr Badu Sarkodie, the Director of Public Health, thanked the ARCC and WHO for their continuous efforts towards polio eradication in Africa.

He said a lot of efforts had gone into the programme since its inception in 1988 resulting in the counted successes that had been presented by the various countries over the years.

'We cannot afford to lose now,' he said, and called for hard work on the part of all countries to kick polio out of the continent.

GNA
26.11.2016 LISTEN

Be careful, think about the effect of what you say. Your words should be constructive, bring people together, not pull them apart (Miriam Makeba).

There are two things over which you have complete dominion, authority, and controlyour mind and your tongue (Molefi Kete Asante).

It is high time we learned to celebrate our diversity by, among other things, doing away with the colonial corollaries of the so-called Hamitic hypothesis.

After all, there is more to gain from the teachable richness of diversity than from ethnicity and race and their connate offshootsethnocentrism and racism.

Diversity and inclusive politics deserve a noble place in development economics as engines of growth and development, a necessary paradigm for internal social cohesion and amity, as far as we can appreciate the notion that inclusive politics particularly dispenses with ghettoization and otherism.

Thus, our politicians should expand the scope of ethnic inclusiveness on the altar of political socialization.

Yet inclusive politics should not be sacrificed on the altar of incompetence, political patronage, political ethnocentrism, cronyism, ethnic nepotism, and public corruption.

What Mandela and Tutu called ubuntu and Nkrumah African Personality, are instructive, at least for our edification, so too are Appiahs eliminativist views on race and racial fixation.

Historical and generational interethnic marriages, miscegenation, genetic drift, polymorphism and monomorphism further complicate this seemingly unending infatuation with race and ethnicity.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Unfortunately there is a heightened sense of unfairness and misplaced attributions of political equalization on either side of President Mahamas appeal, which is that Akans in the NPP opposed Aliu Mahamas candidacy while President Mahama and the leadership of the NDC also opposed the candidacy of George Boateng, presumably an Akan.

Where do we start? And where do we to end?

On the one hand, President Mahamas and his colleagues underhanded opposition to Boatengs candidature somehow exposes the underlying undemocratic character of their partys internal structures and on the other, Anthony Karbos otherwise scandalous revelation to the effect that northerners are trooping to the NPP because of Bawumia offers a rather more nuanced endorsement of President Mahamas.

All else aside, the expression Danquah-Busia-Dombo itself underscores the underlying assumptions of President Mahamas referential endearment, one of which points to the NPPs politics of exclusionwhich the leadership of the NPP has generationally dissembled in broad daylight.

Dombo has been otherized to the point of political extinction.

Of course, Dombos tail-end parenthetic presence in this elitist xenophobic clade of negrified political gangsters is the convenient result of an afterthought.

The questionable behavior of the ethnocentric leadership of the NPP over the years reinforces the idea of the appendage otherwise called Dombo as a human vestigiality.

Ostracism has been his divinely inspired comeuppance for his sublime demonstration of political generosity and loyalty toward the Akan-centric Aryanists.

Ideologically, he has been treated by the largely conservative Akan ideologues within the NPP as a helpless and hopeless political leper, a terminally diseased patient of a misplaced political geography whose prognostic manumission is not even deserving of the elitist sympathy of Akan-driven ethnocentric hegemonycall it Akan-centric Aryanism, if you like.

Granted, when it is a question of race and ethnicity, beauty is not in the eye of the beholder but rather in the soul of the beholder.

Further, the ultimate arbiter of the twists and turns of mans destiny is certainly not the eye of the beholder but rather death and the graveyard.

The palpable cacophony of race and ethnicity has its redoubtable master in the ominous silence of death and the graveyard.

Death and the graveyard are verifiably concrete, and far removed from the conceit of emotional reification, with both death and the graveyard not being fictive originations in the sublime immanence of the human experience.

For, unlike death and the graveyard, race and ethnicity are merely human inventions. They do not exist on the basis of scientific facts. They are only perceptions to say the least.

Let us therefore do more to better the human condition while ignoring the sentiments of race and ethnicity, for, after all, if there is any one moment for us to come together and make serious attempts to direct our concerted efforts toward solving our myriad problems then that moment is now!

But our calculating politicians will always fan ethnic sentiments, will always provoke uproars with controversial remarks and so onmerely to keep popular questioning focus off their failures and visionless posturing.

Akufo-Addos rather characteristic dubious comment that he is tribal blind does not in any way do away with his indelible ethnocentric phrase, Yen Akanfuo.

He is merely making that ethnic-blind comment for the sake of securing votes from the same people President Mahama called northern brothers, evidently a self-driven entanglement caught up in a revolving-door of moral contradictions. He is throwing dust into the peoples eyes.

Now, listen to him:

We want one united Ghana and we dont want a situation where tribe is set against tribe and north is set against south; that is the politics of yesterday.

Pointed.

Yen Akanfuo, Akufo-Addos unapologetic politics of yesterday, is still here with us today.

President Mahamas is a more polished reprise of Akufo-Addos. Then also if Yaw Osafo-Marfo reportedly says the north is not resource-rich, what is Akufo-Addo doing there begging for votes?

Are votes not a form of resource-rich reserves? The point is that one cannot believe in a unitary Ghana while still being ideologically and philosophically married to Yen Akanfuo.

Actually it does not happen unless one is a true definition of a concrete concatenation of contradictions, which Akufo-Addo and Yaw Osafo-Marfo no doubt are.

Egregious inconsistencies of this nature do not bespeak intelligent, pragmatic, and visionary leadership in the reclusive character of Akufo-Addo. Such indeed is the political characterology of our technocrats and ruling elites.

In the final analysis, emotional investment in race and ethnicity will only sap our creative energies and efforts.

No more internal power struggle; we come together to overcome the little troubleCause I dont want my people to be contraryTo divide and rule could only tear us apart, sang Bob Marley on Zimbabwe.

Joseph Hill of Culture (Tribal War):

We dont need no tribal war inna this ya time

Tribal war can't solve the problem

Tribal war can't solve it at all

We should live in love

War can't do a thing

The arms of gun is helpless

Can't you hear what I say?

OUR CLERICS ON POLITICAL ETHNOCENTRISM

Our clerics should not deceive themselves into thinking that they can minimize or sweep political ethnocentrism under the rug. They cannotcertainly. It is a big problem even within the religious establishment as well. This nagging problem is as concrete as death and the graveyard.

Our clerics should not forget that politics is all about survival, survival of the fittest that is, and therefore President Mahamalike Akufo-Addo and the other presidential candidatesis doing what he has to do in order to neutralize the violent storm of opposition to his candidacy and to turn that storm of opposition in his favor.

No real man with a heart beating in his chest will absorb political pummeling lying down. It is not in the character of human nature.

In every man chest, there beats a heart, sang Bob Marley (Zimbabwe).

In fine, the political process entails deploying the instruments of cunning ruthlessness and strategic maneuvers if it comes down to it, as Niccolo Machiavelli surgically described it, a stale formula political animals have consistently adhered to in order to sustain their political relevance, aspirations and tenure.

Our clerics must understand this basic principle of political socialization.

AN IMPORTANT LESSON FOR AFRICANS AND THEIR LEADERS

Nkrumahism remains the only hope for Ghana and Africa.

This is why in the entire history of the African continent there has never a single discursive, rational or pragmatic science of political philosophy and of ideology that stands taller than Nkrumahism when it comes to unraveling the interlocking complexities of Africas political, economic and moral humanity.

Nkrumahism exposes the contradictions of and tensions in this continental humanity and charts a rigorous scientific, philosophical and mathematical pathway for the continents human capital development, development economics and development sociology.

Africas scientific, technological, moral and intellectual development constitutes the underlying dialectical framology of Nkrumahism (see below).

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES FOR OUR READERS

We shall certainly provide detailed summaries of the chapter contents of the first two highly technical scientific, mathematical and philosophical texts in the future (Reminder: Dr. Kofi Kissi Dompere, an eminent mathematician, philosopher, logician, historian, management scientist, statistician, financial and policy analyst, is the author of the following books listed below for your reading pleasure):

1) The Theory of Philosophical Consciencism: Practice Foundations of Nkrumaism.

2) The Theory of Categorial Conversion: Rational Foundations of Nkrumaism.

3) Polyrhythmicity: Foundations of African Philosophy.

4) African Union: Analytical Foundations.

5) Africentricity and African Nationalism: Philosophy and Ideology for Africas Complete Emancipation.

We shall return with Part 3.
26.11.2016 LISTEN

No fewer than two hundred Civil Society Organisations are to meet in Abuja and Enugu, respectively, next week on increased use of Nigerias Freedom of Information (FOI) Act.

The 2-day Roundtables are being put together by the Media Initiative against Injustice, Violence and Corruption (MIIVOC), in collaboration with the Freedom of Information Coalition-Nigeria, with support from Justice For All (DFID). It aims at increasing citizens usage of the FOI Act.

Participants from the Northern part of Nigeria are to meet in Abuja, while those from the Southern part of the country are to meet in Enugu.

Chairman, Board of Governors, Freedom of Information Coalition, Nigeria, Dr. Walter Duru gave the hint while addressing newsmen in Calabar, Friday.

According to Duru, the events are aimed at engaging Media and Civil Society stakeholders across the country on issues relating to increased use and implementation of the FOI Act.

Recall that Nigerias Freedom of Information (FOI) Act was signed into law on May 28 2011, after the longest legislative debate in the history of Nigeria. The law was passed to enable the public to access information from government and its institutions, in order to ensure transparency and accountability.

The FOI Act aims to make public records and information more freely available. It enables citizens to hold the government accountable in the event of the misappropriation of public funds or failure to deliver public services. It also seeks to protect serving public officers against any adverse consequences from the disclosure of certain kinds of official information, and to establish procedures for the achievement of these purposes.

Available statistics show that there is an extremely low usage of the Act in Nigeria by the citizens, especially, Media and Civil Society practitioners.

It would be recalled that recently, MIIVOC, with support from Justice for All (J4A/DFID) held a 2-day Roundtable for FOI desk officers in Federal Ministries, Departments and Agencies of government. No fewer than one hundred and fifty MDAs were in attendance at the event held at Olusegun Obasanjo Auditorium, Federal Ministry of Justice, Abuja.
President John Mahama's late turn-up to an event yesterday in Accra did not go down well with members of the diplomatic corps.

The event was the commissioning of the New Lavender Hill faecal treatment plant by Mr Mahama.

Even though proceedings were scheduled to commence at 8:00am according to invitations sent out by the Corporate Communications Team of Zoomlion Company Limited, managers of the faecal treatment plant, the president and his entourage of ministers arrived at the venue at about 12 noon.

Members of the diplomatic corps, notable amongst them the Head of the European Union Delegation to Ghana, William Hanna, Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Ron Strikker, and Australia High Commissioner, Andrew Barnes, had arrived for the event before 8:00 am, thinking the programme would start on time so they could attend to other things for the day.

But, that was not meant to be as the president who was the main man for the day was nowhere to be found for close to four hours.

The diplomats were visibly frustrated and were seen glancing at their watches every second and complaining amongst themselves about the delay of proceedings.

At a point, they woke up apparently to leave when a certain lady, perhaps one of the organisers for the event, approached them with the aim of trying to calm them down.

The MC for the event, Jerry Adjorlolo, had on several occasions told the gathering that the president and his entourage would soon arrive, asking some guests to relocate their cars to create space for the president.

Exit

Ambassador Hanna was forced to leave the event 12: 10pm, 10 minutes after the arrival of the president, the ministers of Youths and Sports, Local Government and Rural Development, Collins Dauda and Nii Laryea Vanderpuye as well as the Mayor of Accra, Alfred Okoe Vanderpujie.

No Apology

The president apparently saw his lateness as the normal Ghanaian attitude towards time, as he failed to offer an apology to the diplomats and even the traditional leaders who had also waited for him several hours under the hot sun.

Korean Envoy

It would be recalled that the Ghanaian attitude to time and late attendance to programmes of national importance received a backlash from the Korean Ambassador and a team of Korean engineers at a workshop held in Accra in September this year

Lyeo Woon-Ki, the ambassador, criticised the conduct of the officials of the Ministry of Transport after waiting for almost one hour at a workshop to solicit the inputs of stakeholders for a master plan project for Accra, in which the Korean government had provided a $1.5 million funding with technical expertise.

BY Melvin Tarlue
Former President Jerry John Rawlings was the toast of thousands of mourners who stormed the Manhyia Palace in Kumasi on Thursday to mark the one-week celebration of Asantehemaa, Nana Afia Kobi Serwaa Ampem II.

Ex-President Rawlings was accompanied to the venue by his wife, Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings.

The former Ghana leader arrived at the funeral ground around 1:30pm to a rapturous applause by the charged mourners.

Interestingly, the sad mourners suddenly became elated when they heard chants of Mr. Rawlings.

Minutes after his arrival, most of the mourners rushed to the dais to catch a glimpse of him.

The shouts continued for some time and Mr. Rawlings, who seemed to enjoy it, intermittently acknowledged the cheers of the crowd with a broad smile on his face.

The security personnel had a hectic time in controlling the crowd who mobbed ex-President Rawlings after he paid homage to Otumfuo Osei Tutu II with his wife.

The mourners started shouting the famous slogan, JJ do something before you die which was commonplace during the revolution days.

Mr. Rawlings, who was seen nodding his head in admiration, was finally escorted to the dais by the security personnel.

Interestingly, the crowd showed hostility towards President John Mahama with shouts of we want change, change is coming, among others.

The shouts of change intensified when Nana Akufo-Addo, who was accompanied by party gurus like Freddie Blay, Bernard Antwi Boasiako, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, among others, arrived at the venue.

The president was virtually forced to leave the venue early due to the chants from the crowd who became very hostile to him.

From I.F. Joe Awuah Jnr., Kumasi


A NEWSAPER Vendor in Kumasi, Bismarck Ayensu, has started a personal campaign to win more votes for the New Patriotic Party (NPP).

He said he is convinced that Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, the NPP presidential candidate, is the best person to rescue the country from its current mess.

Ayensu noted that he had been visiting homes in Kumasi and explaining the NPPs policies and programmes to the people to help them understand.

He said he is even prepared to adopt one constituency and sponsor it with his money on the day of election to help the NPP win the polls.

According to him, another National Democratic Congress (NDC) term in political office would lead to severe economic difficulties for the citizenry.

He made this known when he met with Bernard Antwi Boasiako aka 'Wontumi,' the Ashanti Regional NPP Chairman, in his office at Krofrom.

Ayensu embarked on a similar campaign mission for the NPP in some suburbs of Kumasi during the 2012 elections.

Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo then met with Ayensu in 2012 after he (Nana) got wind of his great exploits for the party.

Ayensu stated that he is prepared to use all his resources to campaign to help the NPP win the polls and develop the country.

He said even though his move is having a toll on his work, he is determined to continue campaigning for the NPP to win the upcoming polls.

Wontumi, in his remarks, commended the vendor for his great sacrifice and hard work, urging him to sustain his good works.

FROM I.F. Joe Awuah Jnr., Kumasi


Some supporters of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) clashed at Tinangeria in the Wulensi constituency in the Northern Region.

Information gathered indicates that seven persons have sustained various forms of injuries and have been rushed to the Bimbilla Hospital for treatment.

The cause of the clash was not immediately known but reports have it that the NPP had their rally when they were attacked by supporters of the NDC.

Supporters of both political parties attacked each other with cutlasses and stones and other offensive weapons.

Some eyewitnesses at the scene said they saw both supporters physically assaulting each other.

The Northern Regional Public Relations Officer, ASP Ebenezer Tetteh who confirmed the incident to DAILY GUIDE said seven persons sustained injuries during the clash.

He indicated that no arrests have been made yet but was quick to add that they are still conducting investigations into the incident.

ASP Ebenezer Tetteh, however, encouraged political parties to inform the police for protection anytime they want to organize any public gathering.

'If they had informed the police of the rally, they could have prevented the clash so I will encourage them to work with the police.'

Police personnel have taken over the community to calm the situation.

It will be recalled that violence erupted between some supporters of the NDC and the NPP at Nakpayili when the NDC mounted a pavilion on a piece of land belonging to an NPP executive in the constituency.

The Chief of the area summoned both NDC and NPP executives to his palace and the matter was resolved.

FROM Eric Kombat, Wulensi


OccupyGhana, a pressure group, has accused the Mahama-led NDC Administration of awarding $8 million contract to a company supposedly owned by the embattled National Democratic Congress (NDC) financier, Alfred Agbesi Woyome.

The news is coming at a time the government is struggling to recoup GH51.2 million unlawfully paid to the NDC financier in 2010 by the government on the instructions of former Attorney General, Betty Mould Iddrisu and her deputy Ebo Barton-Odro.

Pressure group OccupyGhana released documents yesterday detailing how Anator Holding Company Limited, which is believed to be owned by Mr. Woyome, had been given a contract by former Minister of Transport, Dzifa Aku Attivor to develop deep seaports, including industrial parks and green townships in Ghana. It said the deal was signed last December.

Ms. Attivor, who recently told the people of the Volta Region to vote against the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) and its flagbearer Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, fears that they (NDC officials from the region) may go to jail when the NPP wins the elections.

Secret Deal

OccupyGhana is shocked, outraged and appalled to discover this: that while the nation is still reeling from the effect of the Alfred Woyome judgment debt scandal, and the stalled and hesitant attempts by the Attorney-General to execute the judgement of the Supreme Court, the Government of Ghana has, on the blind side of Ghanaians, entered into a 'confidential' and potentially lucrative agreement with Woyome, acting through one of his companies, Anator Holding Company Limited, the group said in statement.

According to OccupyGhana, This same Anator Holding Company, in the current proceedings in court, is one of the companies that has filed an interpleader, claiming to be the owner of two of Woyome's properties that the Government has finally managed to attach in execution of the judgment. That matter is still pending and unresolved.

The group said, We have seen a Framework Agreement dated as recently as 21st December 2015, for Anator Holding to develop deep seaports (including) industrial parks and green townships in Ghana, adding The Agreement is signed by Woyome as Executive Chairman of Anator Holding Company Limited, and the then Minister for Transport, Dzifa Aku Attivor.

Scanty Draft

They said that the agreement was entered into on the basis of a non-binding scantily drafted Memorandum of Understanding entered into between the same Woyome company and the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority on the same subject on 28th August 2015.

The Framework Agreement with Ghana is expressed to have been entered into so that Woyome's company can raise an initial financing of $8.5m (GH35million) just for feasibility studies. In other words, Woyome is relying on the country's goodwill to raise financing for a sweetheart deal that he has entered into with the GPHA, and is possibly shopping around banks all over the world for money, on the back of this agreement.

Bogus Agreement

OccupyGhana, which described the agreement as 'bogus,' said it was signed with the express approval of Cabinet, as conveyed by a letter signed by the Chief of Staff, from the Office of the President, dated 16th December 2015. It is instructive to point out that the Agreement was signed on the same day that the Cabinet approval was received by the Ministry of Transport.

We have seen how Woyome operates. He hit us for GH51.2 million that he did not deserve, on the basis of a non-existent contract. Our Government and its lawyers, either unconcerned or guilty of complicity, sat back when Woyome went to court and obtained a default judgment against us. Even though Martin Amidu has obtained judgement for the people of Ghana, we are struggling to recover that money from him, and this same Anator Holding is battling to stop us from selling at least two of Woyome's properties to pay the debt.

The group said the irony of the date that agreement was signed cannot be lost on us. 21st December 2015 was the date that the former Minister of Transport, Dzifa Attivor, appeared in Parliament to lament that her Ministry was broke and that its budget was woefully inadequate to meet developmental needs of the sector.' Incidentally, that was also the date that the impugned Smarttys deal, involving the same Dzifa Attivor, broke in Parliament.

OccupyGhana called for full disclosure and full explanation of the circumstances surrounding this contract.

Questions To Mahama

Did the President know that Dzifa Attivor was entering into this contract on our behalf, and if so, did he do anything to stop it? Did the President know about the Cabinet approval? We demand from the Government and GPHA evidence that all proper statutory and procurement approvals were duly obtained in entering into these agreements and memoranda with Woyome.

It said the NDC government should cancel the agreement without delay, saying, Woyome has our money. He obtained that money under dubious circumstances. Thanks to Mr. Martin Amidu, we have judgement against him. He has failed to pay. We should not be doing business either with him or with any corporate entity that he owns, controls or is associated with, under any circumstances.

Woyome Reacts

The embattled Woyome, in the face of hardcore evidence being produced by OccupyGhana, reacted almost immediately when he said on Pastor's Programme on Asempa FM, Accra yesterday that the group was peddling falsehoods about him and that he will deal with them at the right time.

It is not true that I have signed a new contract with the government. It is absolutely not true. They have taken contents of documents which have been there over 10 years.

He said that document was a Public Private Partnership arrangement (PPP) between me and government since 2008. Government has not paid me any money. It is something to divert attention. It's a lie. Government has not given me a pesewa and I don't even like government money. Those behind OccupyGhana have personal problems with me since 2003 and very soon I will expose all of them.

By William Yaw Owusu


The public purse has never been so ransacked and with such impunity. On weekly or even daily basis, stories about persons entrusted with managing state resources are mentioned for either being negligent or even involved in open thievery of the public purse mostly in connivance with persons in the private sector.

The anomaly has become so rampant it is fast losing its significance; unfortunately some think it is a norm to devise a means of engaging in such financial malfeasances because after all suspects are hardly prosecuted.

The expression, soul sourcing, is now trending when procurement in state institutions are concerned; that explains its preference by government appointees. As a source of quick money, it is being protected with all manner of arguments, most of them unsound and unconvincing.

The past few weeks have unearthed more of such aberrations and we wonder why our consciences are not being pricked so we can appreciate the mess we are putting our country.

Taxes have reached rooftop levels because the public kitty has bled beyond acceptable dimensions, a situation which has compelled the government with no alternative to resort to these unacceptable options. Interestingly, it is the same government whose singular role in the rape of the purse has led us to the quandary we find ourselves in.

We have observed middlemen being engaged to play roles in the acquisition of multiple digit loans: the disbursement of these loans forms another chapter in the looting of public funds in recent times.

An unprecedented volume of loans have been contracted under the current political dispensation yet very little or insignificant infrastructural developments have come out of these. Where such developments have taken place their costs are inflated beyond comprehension, nowhere near the reality.

We have observed unwillingness by the government through its chief legal officer to retrieve monies fraudulently looted from the public purse. The disregard for the implication of such open thievery appears to have been lost to some Ghanaians especially those involved in it.

The country is at crossroads. We either allow these anomalous situations to continue or we join hands as a nation with a common destiny to fight the cankerworm.

Our president has had one opportunity too many to prove to his compatriots that he is ready to combat head-on the corruption scourge facing the country. Having demanded sufficient proofs of corruption so he can take appropriate action, we are amazed that the many instances which have reared their heads have been avoided by him. Where the judiciary has tried some of these cases and ordered retrieval of the stolen funds, deliberate foot-dragging has been employed to make nonsense of the court judgment.

It is in the light of these anomalous developments and against the backdrop of the yeoman efforts of Martin Amidu that we doff our hats for the gentleman. The man needs the support of all well-meaning Ghanaians to protect the public purse.

The public kitty cannot get adequate protection when the already created, looted and shared monies are not retrieved from those who partook in the consumption of the spoils.
My name is Papa Kwesi Nduom, born at Elmina in the Central Region specifically, from Teterkessim. My grandparents are from and lived in Elmina, Senya Breku, Gomoa Dago and Tarkwa.

My parents were both primary school teachers. I am where I am today by the grace of God and through the diligence of my parents and hard work. I am a Roman Catholic. I respect other religions but mine is Christianity. My life has been guided by my faith, family values and public service.

I know that many Ghanaians believe it is God who determines who should lead this nation. Therefore, before I go any further, I wish to pray to God Almighty, the Maker of Heaven and Earth to touch the hearts and minds of all Ghanaians, give them life, good health as I continue to pray to the Blessed Virgin Mary and all the Angels and Saints to make it possible for the people to vote for me Papa Kwesi Nduom on December 7th to become the next President of the Republic of Ghana.

These were the opening statement of Dr Papa Kwesi Nduom, flagbearer of the Progressive Peoples Party (PPP) when he took his turn at the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation's (GBC's) Presidential Encounter Series.

Dr Nduom, going by the format of the GBC programme, told the people of Ghana what the nation will gain by voting into office a PPP administration led by him, Papa Kwesi Nduom, in exactly 20 minutes.

Our focus is different, it is job creation based on competent, incorruptible leadership and no political party has been so direct at this, he said.

The PPP's presidential candidate whose presentation was based on the party's policy document said,The party I lead, the PPP, is a forward-looking, inclusive political party dedicated to making our nation, Ghana, great and strong and its people prosperous. We believe in 'Ghana first; everyone else second.

Among the seven candidates contesting the presidential election on December 7, Dr Nduom said he is the most dependable and the one with the right team to lead Ghana to attain its development goals.

He said Ghanaians would not regret voting for the PPP, as he would implement non-negotiable, result-oriented policies that would bring the economy back on its feet, adding that the current economic challenges stalling the countrys growth were cumulative results of bad leadership.

To be direct, Ghanaians have wasted their votes on leadership who have disappointed them. On December 7th, the people have another chance to vote for inclusiveness, unity, competence, practical experience and incorruptible leadership by voting for Papa Kwesi Nduom. That will be a vote which will bring many, many blessings to our nation, he stated.

Dr Nduom mentioned that more than half of the problems being faced by Ghana had to do with the lack of job opportunities for the youth, adding that his government would make job creation its topmost priority.

According to Dr Nduom, the PPP party intends to implement policies in the areas of sustainable job creation, effective healthcare delivery through the prevention of diseases, compulsory universal education, proper agricultural and food security initiatives and support for local entrepreneurs.

He expressed his partys desire to create jobs for millions of Ghanaians who are unemployed.

Jobs In Agriculture

Touching on the PPPs policy for the agricultural sector, Mr Nduom pointed out that his party would make the sector vibrant by providing a ready market for farming produce.

He said PPP when elected into office come December 7, 2016 will use the state's purchasing power to ensure that the labour of farmers and fishermen are not in vain.

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Groupe

Nduom (GN), Dr Papa Kwesi Nduom, has

officially cut sod for the construction of a

100-tonne rice milling factory

One way to provide a ready market is to ensure that all basic schools on the school-feeding programme, as well as senior high schools, patronise strictly made-in-Ghana commodities for cooking, he said.

Another way of ensuring a robust agricultural sector, he said, will be the construction of good roads that link farms to market centres to ensure that farmers are able to transport their produce for sale easily.

He said instead of politicians giving out outboard motors and premix fuel, the PPP will introduce and implement policies that yield aquatic abundance.

He also touched on how his administration plans to address the high importation of rice, saying that he would encourage rice farming and milling in Ghana, so that in four years we stop the importation of rice  we will save more than $1.2 billion we spend every year to import rice.

This alone will mean one million well-paid jobs in virtually all the 10 regions. I know that this can be done because my company, Group Nduom, has invested in a rice mill at Worawora in the Volta Region and is building a new one at Assin Bereku in the Central Region, he added.

Touching on other cash crops, Dr Nduom said there will be massive investment and support for cashew growers and local processing in the Brong Ahafo, Central and other regions  especially in towns such as Sampa, Wenchi, Tuobodom.

We will invest in fruit processing factories in the Central, Western, Eastern and Volta regions and promote the export of their output. We will promote the large scale cultivation and processing of palm oil to feed existing factories in Ghana and for export, he added.

The PPP's presidential candidate also stated that his party will invest in the processing of yam into international quality chips for domestic consumption and export in the Brong Ahafo and Northern regions.

Jobs in Oil and Gas/ Tourism

Concerning the oil and gas sector in the Western Region, Dr Nduom said he would ensure the development of a petro-chemical industry and the movement of the headquarters of oil and gas producers, including the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC), to that region.

That, he said, will make the regions with specific natural resources direct beneficiaries from the companies that made use of their resources.

He said his government would also develop the Kakum National Park, the forts and castles along the coast and the Mole National Park as major international tourist attractions and destinations, with nearby airports and enabling infrastructure that would not only make them accessible but also attractive to tourists.

My leadership will take advantage of the countrys rich resources to build a better economy in which every Ghanaian will have the opportunity to achieve his or her ambitions, he said.

Corruption/ Public Sector Reforms

Speaking on what the PPP government would do to tackle corruption in the country, Dr Nduom said his government will employ constitutional reforms to elect district, municipal and metropolitan chief executives.

We will create a strong independent public prosecutor which will be separated from the Attorneys General Department to root out government corruption.

He said his government would make parliament truly independent by ensuring that a member of parliament (MP) cannot serve as a minister of state at the same time.

The PPP will work with parliament to pass the Right to Information Bill to bring transparency and encourage accountability in government, he added.

Dr Nduom who was a Minister of Public Sector Reforms in the Kufour administration said when elected as Ghana's president, he will strengthen state institutions, make government efficient and raise revenue to be able to pay public servants well to motivate them to facilitate the work of the private sector and Ghanaian society in general.

We will create a Ministry of Public Service to lead the task of continuous reform and modernization of state institutions. Reduce the number of ministers of state to 40 and rely on professional civil and local servants to ensure efficient administration. We will abolish the position of regional minister, he added.

Health/ Education

The issue of health has been in the news as the health sector until a few weeks ago was in disarray over conditions of service for health personnel and logistics to care for patients.

Dr Nduom said his government would not focus on the curing of diseases which is costing the country millions of cedis every year, but rather on disease prevention.

We will ensure policies for a cleaner environment free from preventable diseases like malaria, cholera, pneumococcal meningitis and guinea worm are implemented.

On education, Dr Nduom said his government will ensure compulsory and universal education for every Ghanaian child while ensuring free and compulsory education in public schools from kindergarten to senior (including ICT training).

We will deploy an 'Education Police' to enforce the compulsory aspect of our policy. An integral part of this objective will be to significantly increase vocational training so that all school leavers gain employable skills, he said.

Energy

The energy sector is another area that has been a challenge for government, especially in terms of power generation, but Dr Nduom says the energy problem is not about power generation but the current government's inability to pay its debts to the power generation and distribution companies.

He, however, added that his government will prioritise the energy sector by implementing solutions to meet domestic needs for industry and residential use.

To enable us achieve this objective, we will provide tax incentives to enable development of alternative sources of fuel and power  bio fuels and solar. Aim to ensure that the contribution from renewable sources of energy reaches in a decade, a minimum of 10 percent of what we need. Provide adequate funding to deal with generation, transmission and distribution challenges, he said.

The PPP flagbearer also spoke about the development of sports, technology, domestic and womens enterprise that are critical to the total development of the country.

'Vote for PPP'

In conclusion, Dr Nduom said it is clear that the PPPs brand of politics is unique, exceptional and just what Ghanaians need to give them hope and confidence.

We believe in Ghanaian excellence. We believe in Ghanaian prosperity. We believe in all of the Ghanaian people. Our pact with you is that, once elected, we will fight for dramatically accelerated developmental progress.

By Jamila Akweley Okertchiri


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Twenty-five-year old unemployed who was part of a group that allegedly attacked and killed a trader at the Kaneshie Market last year has finally been arrested by the police.

The suspect George Nettey went into hiding after allegedly committing the act.

The other suspects are Duke Ashie, 18, Prince Larbi, 18, and Emmanuel Hanson, all Senior High School (SHS) students.

The incident occurred on September 2, 2015 and Nettey, believed to have allegedly stabbed the trader, was arrested at Adjen Kotoku, near Amasaman in the Ga West Municipality after three of his accomplices were arrested.

The victim called Thomas Owusu Kodua, a mobile phone seller, died later in the hospital while receiving treatment.

The Kaneshie District Police Commander, Francis Somian said in July 2015, Emmanuel Hanson bought an HTC mobile phone from one of the phone dealers at the Kaneshie Market at the cost of GH70, but returned it the same day because it was faulty.

The unidentified phone dealer collected the faulty mobile phone from Hanson and asked him to return the following day for his phone.

The phone dealer dodged Hanson for some time until he spotted him on September 2, 2015 at Kaneshie Market and demanded his money.

Other mobile phone sellers, including the deceased, assaulted Hanson in defence of their colleague.

Hanson travelled home to inform Nettey, his cousin and two other friends.

The four went to Kaneshie Market, but the man who sold the mobile phone to him left the scene, leaving behind the deceased and others at the location.

The four launched an attack on the traders who earlier attacked Hanson, and during the scuffle, Nettey allegedly picked a knife from a trader, who was selling cooking wares in the area and stabbed Kodua in the right arm and head.

Some of the traders rushed Thomas Kodua, who bled profusely to the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital for treatment but he died later.

A complaint was later lodged with the Kaneshie Police which led to the arrest of the three SHS students.

Nettey, upon hearing of the arrest of the three boys, went into hiding to avoid arrest.

Meanwhile, the three students have been granted bail by the court after the docket was forwarded to the Attorney General's Department for advice.

By Linda Tenyah-Ayettey

( [email protected] )


Vodafone Ghana's Chief Executive Officer, Ms. Yolanda Cuba, has expressed concern over the introduction and implementation of Interconnect Clearinghouse (ICH) in the country by the National Communication Authority (NCA), arguing that ICH operation would rather overburden consumers.

According to her, telcos would be forced to charge customers extra since they can't bear all the costs from ICH operation. And this, she said, would bring untold hardship to subscribers.

It could be recalled that during the first quarter of this year, Afriwave Telecom won the bid to operate interconnect clearing house services in Ghana as the most qualified firm to deliver on license following a parliamentary approval of ICH. And as per their mandate Afriwave Telecom will provide a common independent mechanism for monitoring, routing, billing and settlement of local and international interconnect traffic for all existing and future telecommunications operators in the country.

But unfortunately some leading network operators including MTN were not happy about the move explaining that the operations of Interconnect Clearing House (ICH) would create a monopoly with a single point of interconnectivity failure that would increase the potential for network disruption and moreover it would also create an additional bureaucratic layer that would result in an increase in telecommunications cost to the subscriber as well compromise privacy and security.

Adding her voice to concerns raised earlier by other players in the telecommunication industry speaks volume about telcos concerns about the ICH. Ms. Cuba addressing at a stakeholder forum in Accra with representation from Civil Society Organizations, Industry players and the Media, could not come to real terms with the fact that the regulator will allow an ICH operator to make capital investment, while the cost be borne by telcos and subsequently transferred to the consumers.

She then urge civil society to take particular interest in developments unfolding in the country's telecom sector and help address some of it so as to help the sector grow.

The Vodafone CEO then reiterated Vodafone Ghana's commitment in assisting the Ghanaian economy and seeing it grow hence the investing of over US$1.7billion in Ghana since 2008 and noted that nothing including the upcoming general elections scheduled for the 7th of December, 2016 in the country could deter it from continues investment into Vodafone's operation.

We not going to go on investment strike because of an election, Ghanaians need our services and we will not disappoint them, she said.
By Gifty Amofa/Rachael Fosuah Osei, GNA,

Kumasi, Nov 25, GNA - The Electoral Commission (EC) has been reminded to get its act together to remove unnecessary tension on voting day.

Commissioner of Police (COP) Nathan Kofi Boakye, the Ashanti Regional Commander, said everything must be done to prevent delay in the dispatch of election materials to the polling centres, sending voting materials to the wrong places and issuing conflicting instructions.

This, he warned could heighten tension at the centres and trigger confusion and must therefore be avoided.

He made the call at the launch of educational materials on the presidential and parliamentary elections in Kumasi.

These had spelt out the role of the police, peace messages and regulations governing the polls.

COP Boakye asked that all the key actors worked together to dial down tension and support the successful conduct of the December 07 election.

He told officers and men of the police service to demonstrate high level of professionalism - ensure that there was protection for everybody.

'Your actions and inactions would be key to the free, fair and credible conduct of the election and therefore you need to remain professional, neutral and do what you have to do.'

COP Boakye gave the assurance that adequate security measures had been put in place to swiftly deal with any threat to the peace.

There was no way any troublemakers were going to have their way in the region, he added.

He cautioned that motorbikes would not be allowed within 100 meters radius of any of the polling centres.

The Regional Commander appealed to the media to put the nation's peace first by reporting only the truth but not rumor and gossip.

It was important that the journalists checked their facts with the appropriate authorities to keep the political temperature down.

GNA
26.11.2016 LISTEN

Accra, Nov. 25, GNA - The Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) has inaugurated the 17th United States Agency for International Development (USAID) supported school at Korle Gonno, in Accra.

The school is the testament to the USAID and AMA shared commitment to working together to make sure every single Ghanaian child has access to quality basic education.

The USAID is assisting in the construction of 18-unit three-storey buildings for public primary schools with Science and Computer laboratories and library facilities.

Dr Alred Oko Vanderpuije, the Accra Metropolitan Chief Executive, addressing teachers, school children and parents said: 'By investing in essential educational infrastructure to increase access to basic education and to help eradicate the shift system is a way of encouraging life-long learning.

'It is also to help the nation to improve economic growth, create new jobs and ensure the prosperity of each and every Ghanaian child.'

Dr Vanderpuije said the Government attached great importance to quality basic education of children for the betterment of their future.

He said schools that had benefitted from the USAID-supported projects had improved their academic excellence, adding that; 'When you move into a Millennium City School you must excel.'

'Our children deserve the best and we must do just that to give the Ghanaian child the tools they need for their personal and professional success,' he said.

He said: 'An educated nation needs enthusiastic, well trained teachers as well as committed parents who make sure their children learn hard.

'To you teachers I am convinced that this building is going to open an opportunity for you to perform better to add your name to the prominent schools in Accra and also to glorify USAID for this wonderful gesture.'

Mr Fritz Baffour, the Member of Parliament for the area, expressed gratitude to the USAID and the AMA for bringing the project to the Ablekuma South Constituency.

He said the Constituency had received a lot of projects under the leadership of President John Dramani Mahama, which included the GHE300,000.00 equipment to the Dansoman Polyclinic, 40 computers to the St Mary' School and outboard motors to the fishermen.

'It is a milestone for the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to continue with its good works,' he said.

GNA
By George-Ramsey Benamba, GNA

Accra, Nov. 25, GNA - President John Dramani Mahama on Friday said government would ensure that open defecation ends in Accra and other regional capitals before the close of 2021.

"I made a definite commitment in our party manifesto and will, therefore, ensure that the projects are executed by 2021 to end open defecation in Accra and other regional and district capitals," he said.

President Mahama said this when he inaugurated the Lavender Hill Faecal and Mudor Waste Water Treatment plants in Accra on the theme: "Clean Environment, Green Energy."

The plants were constructed by Nanjing Wonders Environmental Protection Company Limited, a Chinese firm, for Sewerage Systems Ghana Limited through a public-private partnership with the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development (MLGRD) and the Accra Metropolitan Assembly.

The objective is to give Ghanaians a decent environmentally acceptable standard facility with the 2,400 cubic-metre capacity Faecal Treatment Plant.

The plant could also generate over 7.5 megawatts of power for the people in the capital.

The project, which started on September 9, 2014, occupies a land area of 7.5 acres and comprises a block of offices which also house a well-equipped laboratory, grid screening machines, storage tank, machine for odour control and an up flow anaerobic sludge blanket.

President Mahama said government, through the Accra Metropolitan Assembly, had already embarked on the provision of household toilets in the capital and would soon introduce the bio digesters to reduce indiscriminate disposal of liquid waste.

"Lavender Hill has been a scar on all Ghanaians...and if there is any project that my government has undertaken with happiness and pride then it is this Faecal treatment project," he said.

President Mahama commended Sewerage Systems Ghana Limited, a subsidiary of the Jospong Group of Companies, for undertaking the project that would serve over two million people in the capital.

He appealed to the MLGRD and other service receivers to pay for services for the project to continue serving more people.

Alhaji Collins Dauda, the Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, said it was a magnificent and historic project which would solve the faecal disposal challenges in the capital.

He said the treatment and hygienic disposal of liquid and solid waste had been a major challenge and the construction of the plant would, therefore, eradicate all contentious issues that erupted from indiscriminate disposal.

Alhaji Dauda said the plant had the capacity of receiving 200 truck- loads of faecal matter a day.

He gave the assurance that his outfit would continue to partner other companies to replicate the construction of similar projects in other regional and district capitals while two more facilities would be constructed in Ga South.

Mr Said Haider, the Managing Director of Sewerage Systems Ghana Limited, said the 80 million dollar project would serve about two million people and create job opportunities for hundreds of people.

He commended Mr Joseph Agyepong Siaw, the Chairman of the Jospong Group of Companies, for coming out with the idea to establish the multi-million-dollar project at the Lavender Hill.

Nii Ayibonte II, on behalf of the Ga Traditional Council, commended the Government for the project which, he said, would bring tremendous relief to the people of the area and the entire capital.

GNA
Accra, Nov. 25, GNA - The National Commission for Civic Education, in collaboration with the Kpando Municipal AIDS Committee, has visited the Margaret Marquatte Catholic Hospital to educate people living with HIV/AIDS as part of the world AIDS Day celebration.

The Accra Municipal Director of NCCE, Mr Richard Asilevi, said even though they were suffering from the disease they should take consolation in the fact that they had made the effort to know their health status.

He, therefore, asked them to be ambassadors to spread the good news about the protective measures they were always taught at their meeting days at the hospital to help others from contracting the disease.

In another development he urged them to vote early in the morning when voting starts on December 7 to avoid rush at the late hours of the voting day.

They were also taught how to vote correctly to avoid spoiling their ballot papers as they had equal rights as any other Ghanaian to contribute to the democratic process.

GNA
26.11.2016 LISTEN

Accra, Nov. 25, GNA - The Drolor Centre for Strategic Leadership (DSCL), University of Professional Studies (UPSA), Accra has held a day's leadership seminar as part of efforts to empower the nation's youth for leadership.

Dr Samuel B. Ofei, the Director, DSCL, said among the greatest dangers for Ghana's democracy was that politics might gradually relegate the younger generation from the mainline national policy agenda.

He said the political engagement of youth student leaders in the national space could be described as 'lackey' in the hands of certain political cabal to achieve political ambitions.

Dr Ofei said this at a leadership symposium organised by DSCL in collaboration with TV3 and 3FM, on the theme: 'The Role of Student Leaders in Politics: Mirroring the 2016 Elections."

The seminar provided the platform for a deeper understanding of current students' conceptions of politics through an intellectual discourse, with an objective of highlighting questions bordering on the December 7 elections and ultimately leading to a larger follow-up research study on tertiary student political engagement.

Dr Ofei said as we inched closer to the general election, the role and responsibilities of students and their leaders could not be underestimated.

He explained that these students and their leaders served as a critical mass of youthful participation in national politics providing the thermometer for gauging the emotional temperature of nationalism.

The Director for DSCL noted that previous elections had defined the approach to choosing presidential and parliamentary leaders, and despite some initial boycotts, Ghana had progressed steadily stimulating hope and setting standards for other nations, including students and their leaders to benchmark.

Mr Fred Awaah, the General Secretary (Head of Missions) of All Africa Students Union urged students particularly student leaders to critically analyse the manifestoes of the various political parties contesting for this year's general election.

He said promises must have a bearing on their destiny as students, also cautioned them not to sell their conscience to politicians.

Mr Awaah called on the National Union of Ghana Students to build a united front in championing the welfare needs of the youth.

Mr Mike Ocquaye Jnr, the Deputy Communications Director of the New Patriotic Party called on the youth to be patriotic and live up to the Ghanaian values, to put the nation on the path of progress, prosperity and stability.

GNA
26.11.2016 LISTEN

By D.I. Laary/Mercy Manukure, GNA

Accra, Nov. 25, GNA - The Chief of Defence Staff, Air Marshal Michael Samson-Oje has given the assurance that the Ghana Armed Forces and other sister security agencies are prepared to safeguard the sanctity of Ghana's democratic credentials.

'I will like to assure all and sundry that the Armed Forces will abide by all the ethical codes and principles that govern our noble profession in the prosecution of our assigned tasks and roles regarding the upcoming elections.'

'We intend to play our role without prejudice, fear or favour,' he told editors and senior reporters at the Air Force Officers' Mess Friday during media interaction.

'We remain committed to our oath to defend the territorial integrity of the nation, and in this resolve, we shall not falter,' Air Marshall Sampson-Oje added, 'and in this resolve, we shall not falter.'

Barely two weeks from now around 14 million Ghanaians will go to the polls to elect a president and 275 lawmakers in nearly 29,000 polling stations across the country.

The 2016 polls have generated high stakes and tipped to be a close race between National Democratic Congress; John Dramani Mahama and New Patriotic Party; Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

In safeguarding Ghana's democratic process, the security agencies said there was the need they worked closely with the press as major stakeholders to ensure peace and security prevail before, during and after the elections.

The military high command and the Inspector General of Police, therefore, met to interact with media practitioners from about 24 outlets on the best way to support the security in maintaining peace.

'It is not for nothing that the media is referred to as the fourth estate of the realm,' Sampson-Oje said.

He described the media as 'political and institutional force' whose influence could not be underestimated.

He noted that the power of the media had been magnified by technological advances which had revolutionised the landscape - expanding its capacity to further the cause of democracy and at the same time enhancing its 'destructive capacity'.

He said: 'We will like to call on the media to give the people of Ghana timely and fair reportage and also to block out anyone who uses foul or inciteful language or any form of hate speech.'

Sampson-Oje also warned persons who intended to cause trouble during the elections period to desist or face their wrath as they would clampdown on any trouble maker in accordance with their mandate to protect the country from being thrown into chaos.

'I want to sound a note of caution to any person or group of persons who intend to cause any kind of trouble during the election period,' he stressed.

'We in the military are ready and prepared together with the civil police and other sister security services to deal ruthlessly with any such person or group.

'I wish to especially appeal to our young and energetic youth not to allow themselves to be deceived and be used for violent acts.

'Any unlawful acts would be met with the force that it deserves and the laws of the land will be applied as appropriate. Nobody or organisation is bigger than this country.'

The Armed Forces and the Security Agencies have the monopoly over the use of force, he said, but they would not intimidate anyone going about his/her lawful duty during polls.

'We have the capacity and capability to apply varying degrees of force to any situation to ensure peace and security,' he said.

He called on the media to work closely with the agencies to jointly employ all means at their disposal to ensure peaceful free and fair elections.

GNA
GNA Reporter

Accra, Nov. 25, GNA - The Ghana Culture Forum (GCF) is to hold its maiden conference on Tuesday, November 29 at the National Theatre to dialogue on the way forward for the creative industry.

All the groups under the cultural fraternity are expected to participate in the forum.

The event is on the theme: 'Projecting our National Culture: The Quest for Creativity, Excellence and Relevance.'

The conference seeks to affirm the work of the forum, which was centred on the common vision of upholding the cultural foundations of development and enhancing the profile, value and impact of the cultural sector.

There will be a plenary session to discuss perspectives on the challenges that confronted the industry as a developing country and people as they grapple with the complex issues of advancing their national culture.

More than 500 delegates are expected to attend the conference from across the country.

The Minister of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, Mrs Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare is expected to deliver an address as the special guest of honour.

Other personalities to address the gathering will include Professor Kofi Agyekum, Director of School of Performing Arts, University of Ghana, Legon and the Conference Chairperson will be Togbi Edem Kwaku Ashigbi (ING Kenneth Ashigbey) Managing Director, Graphic Communications Group Limited

The conference will be held in partnership and support from the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts.

The Ghana Culture Forum is a membership-based civil society consultative and advocacy network of cultural practitioners, activists and organisations in Ghana.

GNA
There are interesting parallels in respect of the German Pope Emeritus ,Benedict XVI and ex Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo.

Pope Benedict was elected on April 19 2005 . Exactly two years before, Obasanjo earned a second term in office by virtue of the presidential elections of April 19 2003.

Benedict XVI is a professor of theology whereas Obasanjo is currently enrolled in a PhD programme in theology having recently bagged a masters degree in theology.

Pope Benedict and Obasanjo are both battle tested, the Pope was a soldier during the second world war and Obasanjo saw action during the Nigerian civil war.

Benedict was the head of 1.2 billion Catholics worldwide and Obasanjo by the fact of having being the President of the worlds most populous Black country had been described as the torch bearer of 1.2 billion blacks world wide.
The west Africa Network for peace building (WANEP) in collaboration with the Northern Regional Peace Council (NRPC) together with the National Youth Authority (NYA) held a day sensitization forum to ensure peaceful polls come December 7 in Tamale, the regional capital.

The forum which was held on Friday November 25th, 2016 and funded by the United States Agency for International Development ( USAID) brought Youth from all political parties, religious leaders, and other stakeholders within the election value chain to examine causes and possible ways of minimizing violence in this year's election.

In his welcoming address, the northern regional secretary of the National peace council, Reverent Father Thadeus Kuusa called for unity in diversity among the political parties in the country.

This he said help bring the needed development in the country.

He said the regional Secretariat of the national peace council is working towards achieving peace before, during and after the December polls.

And called on other institutions especially the religious leaders to help the council achieve that in this year's election.

According to him the council has already engaged with many stakeholders namely; the Youth, religious leaders, traditional rulers, the media among others to ensure that, there is peace in the country during and aftermath of the elections.

On his part, the northern regional director of the National Council for Civic Education (NCCE), Alhaji Abdul Razak Saani called on the youth to respect the rules governing the country.

Noting that, Democracy bases on majority where it is the majority that rule but added that, it should be done taking to considerations, respect for the rights of the minority.

And appealed to the media to operate independently without depending on any political party.

Alhaji Abdul Razak Saani also advised political parties to be tolerant and see one another as one, adding that, that will bring unity in diversity and at the end bring the needed development to the people.

He also tasked political parties, especially politicians to address issues to the people rather than attacking each other.

A gender consultant, Chief Alhassan Amadu Barizaa-Naa in his speech advised the Youth to desist from acts or utterances that will endanger their future.

And appealed to electorates to respect the electoral rules of the country in order that, they wouldn't violate them.

He also cautioned the youth against the use of indecent language, saying it's a threat to their development
By 146 B.C., the Mediterranean Sea, a hotbed of endemic battlefield between ancient navies had successfully become the imperial Roman Mare Nostrum - our common sea. Romes hegemony around its Mare Nostrum reconfigured the map of various nations-states and ethnic groups under one economic and military security umbrella.

Thus, the imperial Roman republic found itself atop the global hierarchy of power. Quickly, a world order by Roman fiat was dictated. By 117 A.D., Romes military umbrella had spreaded over most of Western and Southeastern Europe, Syria, Turkey, Arabia, and North Africa. As tempting as it may be, subsequent rising powers fell under the spell to reproduce at their own perils this Roman security paradigm.

The Post-11 September 2001 recasting of imperial democracies gradually dragged Washington into the Persian Gulf and the Sahel region by a farrago of regional crisis along a growing compulsion for militarizing American diplomacy. With the mantle of a self-anointed global protector, Washington reentered the global stage using international terrorism as a way of projecting the terms of its security umbrella for a new world order. First, as an antidote to global terrorism and instability, the Bushs doctrine blew the trumpet of regime change and democratization to assuage his growing compulsion for global hegemony.

To hector Afghanistan and Iraq about the virtues of democracy and security, heavy military footprint in the Persian Gulf turned the region into a bazar for international military coalitions adventures. Meanwhile the Sahel region was transformed into a venue for open counterterrorism and peacekeeping missions.

Entering the second decade on the war on terror, the fantasy of a clean war took captive the mind of Washingtons security zealots. Leery of military adventures that spiraled out into a chaotic fiscal burden, President Obama came into office with the mandate of strategic retrenchment at home. Scaling back on strategic footprint overseas through a restrained foreign policy and accommodation of Washingtons international rivals became the new motto. A proof text of political commitment to the new era was displayed.

The Obamas doctrine vouched for retrenchment and deprioritization of allies by abjuring American involvement on the global stage. The crisis in Libya, Yemen, Syria, and Egypt was a de facto strong signal from Washingtons resolve to put to rest the idee fixe of America as the policeman of the globe. Obama and his coterie of international security policy mavens came into office with the promise to usher in a new age of U.S. global security umbrella. President Obama was secretly longing to leave a political legacy as the drone president-cum-elite forces dispatching around the globe. From Yemen to Niger, Obamas global security outfit heavily relies upon a premium on technological solution as an ersatz to military presence and political participation.

The outcome of the long Syrian crisis has upended the fundamentals of the Obamas doctrine by given a victory lap to Russia. Moscow has positioned itself as the new kingmaker-cum-sheriff in the Persian Gulf to the point where Bamako is calling Russia for assistance against terrorism in the Sahel. Bamboozled by the ISIS-caliphate, imperial democracies have failed to see a multipolar world looming on the horizon. To indulge in the seduction of drone technological dominion to impose world order is courting disaster. Welcome to the new multipolar world!

Narcisse Jean Alcide Nana, is the author of a book on military strategy, Virus militarises

Epidemies, politique etrangere et cyber geopolitique, 2015

Bibliography

- Colin Dueck, The Obama Doctrine: American Grand Strategy Today (New York, Oxford University Press, 2015)

- Jakub J. Grygiel & A. Wess Mitchell, The Unquiet Frontier: Rising Rivals, Vulnerable Allies, and the Crisis of American Power (Princeton, Princeton University Press, 2016)

- David P. Calleo, Follies of Power : Americas Unipolar Fantasy (New York, Cambridge University Press, 2009)
(Memo: 24 March, 1962)

Continuing...

We noted in Part I that Dr. Kwame Nkrumah understood there is public policy; there is partisan policy; and there are matters that are personal.

That is another important principle, if you care for any Nation!

Now, official records, this time from Ghana, show that under authority of the Unitary state, Kwame Nkrumah's government addressed the question of members of the national Council who were perpetually absent from meetings and neglected their duties to the people/public who elected them as a result.

In 1958, about the same time as Busia was sending secret telegrams to Washington, the CPP government passed a law. That law provided that if a member of the national Council was absent from post more than 20 sittings without good reason, that member automatically lost their seat. The 1958 law applied directly to Busia, just as to any other councilor; to any member who would leave Ghana months-on-end; to anyone who failed to attend to their public duties for which they were compensated - for their own private gain and personal interest.

We imagine this was not pleasant to the ears of Kofi Abrefa Busia, the secret telegram aficionado!

Moreover, many of these same latter-day Nkrumah bashers conveniently "forget" that the British, the colonial authority, destooled many chiefs, even exiled them, before Unitary Ghana.

More directly related to the current matter, under authority of the Unitary state, Kwame Nkrumah's government also laid down the policy on errant chiefs who, in further pursuit of their own personal matters, misused their authority and official position. When J.B. Danquah continued propagating confederate-matemeho propaganda to chiefs, among them Busia-NLM-sympathizer the Okyenhene of Akyem Abuakwa, while they rejected the authority of the Unitary state under a democratically elected government, the CPP government under Kwame Nkrumah acted swiftly. Among the CPP actions was removal of those errant chiefs; down-grading of recalcitrant paramount chiefs; the establishment of Regional Houses of Chiefs; establishment of the National House of Chief.

Those Houses of Chiefs exist practically as they were conceptualized and implemented by Kwame Nkrumah's CPP.

As Johannes Knierzinger (2011) observed, critically:

"...Interestingly enough, the right to withdraw recognition from a chief, which Nkrumah had used to crush the chiefs, wasnt abolished by the NLC regime and the following government under Busia...//...From 1969 to 1972, he (Edward Akufo Addo) even became Ceremonial President of Ghana, alongside Busia, who held all the executive powers as Prime Minister. This means that the very clan who had fought fiercely against Nkrumah and for an independent Akyem Abuakwa under the Okyenhene Nana Ofori Atta II now ruled the country. Nana Ofori Atta II returned as the leader of the Akyem, whereas Edward AkufoAddo, the soninlaw of the former Okyenhene Nana Ofori Atta I, became President and Chairman of the Constitutional Commission. But even this set of circumstances didnt lead to a reassertion of chieftaincy in national politics...".

That is a neutral observer speaking, critically.

That is not Prof Lungu speaking!

Fact is, Busia and his NLC coup plotters destooled chiefs many more chiefs for political reasons. And the Chiefs they installed remained subservient to Unitary Ghana under their Johnson-CIA sponsored coup on Nkrumah's Ghana.

So, under Unitary Ghana and the destoolment of Chief, who is trying to fool who, Okoampa-Ahoofe?

Hogwash!

Dear reader, there was also this other class of "chiefs" and "chief-wanna-bees" whose nefarious activities earned righteous outrage of Nkrumah's CPP and thus public policy response under the same Unitary Ghana construct.

According to population records, there were approximately 219,000 living in the City of Kumasi in 1960. This compared to nearly 416,000 in urban dwellers in the Accra-Tema metropolitan area, compared to Sekondi-Takoradi (124,000), and Tamale (41,000).

At a civic luncheon 24 Mar 62 to formally designate Kumasi as a "City", most likely on attainment of the 200,000 population threshold and significant progress with respect to infrastructural development, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah made the following Ghana-centered statement on the subject of errant "chiefs" with real or apparent connections to the CPP:

MEMO -- READ WORDS & EXCERPTS FROM 1962 SPEECH BY DR. KWAME NKRUMAH IN KUMASI:

"....I am grateful for the address of welcome which has just been presented to me. I also thank you for this fine reception, and the many expressions of loyalty and confidence in the Party and Government which have been made.

I have listened with great interest to the history of this Municipality which has been recounted. The improvements and the development projects which have taken place in Kumasi in recent years, represent a magnificent record, and bear testimony to the dynamism of our great Party.

Everybody knows of the horrible atrocities and treacherous manoeuvres which took place in Kumasi and in many parts of Ashanti before, and even after our independence. You, Mr. Chairman, have declared in your address that there has been a change of heart in Ashanti. I accept this assurance. Indeed, the fact that I have come here today to declare Kumasi a City should be sufficient confirmation that the Party and the Government recognize this change of heart.

But Mr. Chairman and friends, at a time like this, when Kumasi assumes the great responsibility of a new and higher status, it is of the utmost importance that we should all place our cards on the table face upwards, and do some plain speaking on matters that might operate to obstruct the success, not only of this new city, but indeed of the country as a whole.

I must say that I personally am disturbed by certain tendencies on the part of some Party comrades and councillors. Here in Ashanti, and to some extent, in other parts of the country, matters relating to chieftaincy are causing a great deal of unrest and strife in our Party. This is an unfortunate position and must be corrected promptly.

Here and there a chiefs stool becomes vacant. Two Party comrades contest for enstoolment. One succeeds. Immediately, the loser of the stool contest becomes aggrieved and turns against the Party and Government. Not only that, he at once sets out to undermine the successful comrade who has been enstooled. Both of them have supporters on their sides so unnecessary strife ensues and the Party splits over this issue of chieftaincy.

In future, the Party and Government will take a very serious view of such matters and adopt very drastic measures to correct this state of affairs in our towns and villages. Government will for instance quickly remove any person from a traditional area who indulges in such disruptive activities and thereby tends to undermine not only the progress and prosperity of the villages and towns but also, the solidarity of the Party....

And now, it gives me great pleasure to declare formally, the elevation of Kumasi to the honourable status of a City. I am confident that the Council and the citizens of this City will prove themselves worthy of the high honour and distinction conferred on them today...," (Kwame Nkrumah, 24 Mar 62).

Period!

End!

So you have it, dear reader: The public policy of the CPP with respect to wayward NLM sympathizers pretending to be chiefs and members of the CPP who would attempt to bring the name of the chieftaincy institution into disrepute and disrupt public order, by assuming stools to which they had no connections.

Now, tell us Dr. Kwame Okoampa-Ahoofe, how many chiefs were destooled by Kwame Nkrumah, not Busia, and how many were re-enstooled by Kofi Abrefa Busia in 1969 and given the same authority they used to have, when Busia had all the power in Unitary Ghana?

Data-deficient hogwash (DDH)!

Truly!

NOTES/SOURCES:

1. Prof Lungu. Kwame Nkrumah destooled chiefs in his own immortal words, (Part 2), ModernGhana, (www.modernghana.com/news/737383/kwame-nkrumah-destooled-chiefs-in-his-own-immortal-words.html).

2. Prof Lungu. Nonentities, liars, and crooks (NLC) destroyed Nkrumah's Ghana, 6 Oct 15,

(http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/features/Nonentities-liars-and-crooks-NLC-destroyed-Nkrumah-s-Ghana-386072).

3. Danquah-Busia-Dumbo confederates should apologize for plunging Ghana in chaos, Nkrumah Was Not Prepared To Govern For Dummies: The Essentials! A 2015 Founder's Day, 25 Sep 15. (https://www.newsghana.com.gh/danquah-busia-dumbo-confederates-should-apologize-for-plunging-ghana-in-chaos/).

4. Exclusive: Nana Akufo-Addo on Ghana's New Beginning - Opinion, 18 Nov 16, Newsweek, (http://www.newsweek.com/ghana-decides-nana-akufo-addo-fresh-beginning-awaiting-ghana-521291).

5. Knierzinger, Johannes, 2011: Chieftaincy and Development in Ghana: From Political Intermediaries to Neotraditional Development Brokers. Arbeitspapiere des Instituts fur Ethnologie und Afrikastudien der Johannes GutenbergUniversitat Mainz (Working Papers of the Department of Anthropology and African Studies of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz).

SUBJ: 1962 Memo --- Kwame Nkrumah destooled chiefs in his own immortal words, (Part 2), by Prof. Lungu.

Support Fair-Trade Oil Share Ghana (FTOS-Gh) Campaign/Petition:

https://www.change.org/p/ghana-fair-trade-oil-share-psa-campaign-ftos-gh-psa/

Brought to you courtesy www.GhanaHero.com24 Nov 16.

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The Christian faith is interspersed with denominations, sects and branches. It has become this way as a result of the proliferation of divergent doctrines and beliefs that infiltrated the ranks of true believers causing division and extremism in the Christendom.

Most of the Pentecostal and Charismatic churches across the globe have similar doctrines. For example in Ghana, a majority of Christians believe in the Trinity, miracles, prophecies, healing, speaking in tongues and other spiritual gifts.

It is common knowledge that the Catholic and Orthodox denomination such as the Presbyterian, Methodist and the Anglican churches are revered for their conventional doctrines, since the Stone Age till now.

As a matter of fact, the Orthodox and Pentecostal denominations have unparalleled set of doctrines. But some theologians have argued that the dissimilarity of sacred customs or doctrines is negligible, since the underlying factor is faith in Jesus Christ.

According to another school of thought, the inconsistent doctrines have dissipated the spirit of unity in the Christendom. A pastor friend explained some of the breakaways are either of divine influence to promote the Gospel or due to the selfish interest of some associate pastors.

Unlike the Muslims, the ordinary Christian finds it difficult to accept invitation or fellowship with a different congregation. This is because the customs or doctrines differ from church to church.

Ten years ago, I had the shock of my life when I visited a certain church in Accra. After praying with me, the pastor told me a few scary and mysterious things concerning my life as opposed to my faith.

The worst of all was when I was asked me to buy a calendar which had the pastors picture. Funnily enough, it was required of me to speak to the image on daily basis as though I was praying to God.

In fact, I couldnt have been brainwashed because as a born-again Christian, my spirit did not bear witness with any of the above; especially not when I was surrounded by trusted men of God as friends.

Proliferation of churches

The proliferation of local churches in Ghana is beyond imagination. In recent times, it has become the norm to find believers worshipping in school buildings, open structures and parks.

I am certainly not against the planting of churches. Fellow believers will agree with me that the Gospel has to be preached throughout the world before the second coming of our Lord.

But do we need really a bunch of churches operating in an atmosphere that appears to be competitive, say from classroom to classroom? Your guess is as good as mine.

In the first place, why arent there any agencies or institutions with the mandate of granting permits to upcoming churches? Or what measures do we have in place to flush out charlatans who infiltrate the clergy?

In my opinion, the Christian Council of Ghana should be mandated by law to take charge as a regulatory body of all the churches in the country. This will go a long way to ensure order in the Christendom.

The Ghana Pentecostal and Charismatic Council should also be given the nod to act as a governing body, since the influx of churches is predominantly made up of the charismatic denomination.

Mad rush for miracles

In our part of the world, the search for miracles among Ghanaians is unthinkable, to say the least. Simply put, a miracle is an extraordinary occurrence that surpasses human ability and ascribed to an act of God.

Quite a number of Ghanaians have become too desperate for miracles and breakthroughs. In fact, some church members who are perceived to be miracle-conscious defect to other churches where they can receive a miracle.

It is rather unfortunate that the sale of anointing oil, holy water, handkerchiefs and other items by some men of God has become the norm in our society. Are miracles supposed to be on sale? Why must one pay a consultation fee to see a pastor?

The Bible admonishes Christians to use their spiritual gift to heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers and cast out demons; freely you have received, so freely give. In other words, it is not biblical to charge people in exchange for miracles or prayers.

Besides, nobody has the right to take credit for the manifestation of Gods power on earth. God works through men, but his glory should not be taken for granted.

It is about time we focused attention to the unadulterated Gospel, and stop chasing men (pastors) for miracles, prayers and deliverance. If we seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, all other things shall be added unto us.

Prophecy phenomenon

As early as January this year, some men of God started prophesying the outcome of the 2016 general elections. Considering the political implication of such prophecies, is that necessary at all?

Essentially, a prophecy is a message inspired by God thus divine revelation, but it worth noting that not all prophecies are from God. Owing to the influx of false prophecies and strange doctrines, many doubt if God still speaks to mankind.

I have witnessed the prophetic ministration of great pastors like Andrews Tetteh and Evans Kobina on several occasions. And these prophets would not divulge sensitive or inflammatory revelation in public. That is wisdom!

The Lead Pastor of Cedar Mountain Assemblies of God Church, Rev. Dr. Stephen Wengam, hit the nail on the head when he advised Ghanaian pastors to guard against the prediction of the outcome of the December polls, since it has the tendency of creating tension.

ASP James Annan

Cantonments, Accra

[email protected]

3. South African Pastor Orders His Congregants To Eat Grass To Get Closer To God

4. Bishop Daniel Obinim In A Healing Session

5. South African Pastor Lesego Daniel Orders His Church Members To Eat Grass

6. American Cult Leader, Pastor Jim Jones (1931 - 1978)

7. Pastor Jim Jones Of The People's Temple Ordered The Mass Suicide Of His Followers In 1978
26.11.2016 LISTEN

Politics they say is dirty, but it is not so when played by people with honest and caring heart; that is the story of Hon. Danlami Mohammed Kurfi. He is a name that rings a loud resounding bell in the high society, an individual with a rising profile and cerebral exploits that command respect on the floor of the House of Representatives, Abuja, where he holds sway as one of the most vocal representatives.

With a boyish handsome look that speaks volume of a background steeped in moderate upbringing, Hon. Danlami Mohammed Kurfi is as endearing to his constituents as his debates, motions and bills are convincing to his colleagues at the hallowed chamber. He is known for quality representation.

Undoubtedly, Kurfis persona is derived from the sterner stuff of life, the compulsive need to weave enduring strands or legacies that would out-live one and the desire to be a change agent in the discharge of the social contract. A man of great patience and tolerance, his scruples border on the fundamental assumption that life is a selfless service in which there is more to gain in giving of ones time, energy and resources than in being a docile recipient of its offerings.

Hon. Mohammed Kurfi Danlami was born in 1974; he passed through the following educational Institutions: Hanat College (2004); Kaduna Polytechnic (2009); as well as the prestigious Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. Before he delved into active politics and becoming a lawmaker, he was successfully engaged in oil and gas business and famous as an employer of labour with class at a very young age.

He was formerly Chief Whip of Katsina State House of Assembly and in the 2015; he was elected into the Federal House of Representatives, where he represents Dutsin-ma/Kurfi Federal Constituency of Katsina State on the platform of All Progressives Congress (APC).

At the Federal House, he is the Deputy Chairman House Committee on Petroleum Resources (Downstream) and member of other key committees. He is one individual who doesnt let down his friends no matter what; this was what informed his significant contributions to the success of Hon. Yakubu Dogara of becoming the Speaker of House of Representatives in the 8th Assembly.

He has strong passion for the propagation of true Islamic values and beliefs, this he genuinely demonstrated by building a mosque for his community worth millions of naira. Since his inception into politics right from the State Assembly and at the National Assembly as a serving parliamentarian, records show that he is known for empowering his constituents socio-economically and ensuring that beneficiaries are dispassionately drawn from all Wards and Units in his constituency without bias.

To his credit, beneficiaries are periodically getting items like luxury buses, functional cars, Grinding Machines, Generating Sets, Vulcanizing Machines, Sewing Machines, Hair Dryers and Clippers, Farm Sprayers, Deep Freezers, Bicycles, Motorcycles and Tricycles, Transformers to aid rural electrification, healthcare equipment at Comprehensive Health Clinic at Kurfi, etc.

He also assisted many communities in refurbishing their dilapidated school structures and providing basic learning materials. Hon. Kurfi also does not ignore the widows, disabled, unemployed, orphans, and other vulnerable groups, he consistently assist them with cash gifts so that they can start small scale business and become economically independent and productive to the society. His penchant for giving to the needy in the society is phenomenal and incomparable.

Besides, the federal lawmaker paid for WAEC/NECO fees for brilliant but indigent students. He organized free summer class lessons and computer training for students. Over 20,000 free exercise books were equally distributed to school children and he as well donated thousands of free WAEC and JAMB past questions for students preparing for JAMB and ordinary level exams. He also uses his position as federal parliamentarian to reduce issues of unemployment amongst his constituents by facilitating job opportunities in both state and federal agencies.

More importantly, Hon kurfi doesnt treat with levity matters relating to childs education, he is one man who will deem it fit all quotas for his constituents into various higher institutions are accordingly utilized. His well intentioned virtue is to build human capital and capacity as well as reducing poverty and defiant behaviours among the youths who are believed to be future leaders.

While expanding his kindness and sheer benevolence, Hon. Kurfi procured special bicycles and tricycles for the disabled so as to conveniently keep them mobile, since they can't use the regular ones due to their physical state. He said his people has not seen anything yet, assuring them that he is unrepentant in serving their interest, even as he dedicates all his indelible milestones and achievements to God almighty who he said made it possible for him. Unlike others, Hon Kurfi creates open access between him and his constituents which gave him opportunity to know their needs and how to be of help.

He is one of those great and patriotic Nigerians supporting President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration especially for its avowed fight against corruption, which has been eating deep into the fabric of our dear country. For him, Nigerians could only achieve development if they supported President Buharis anti-corruption war, and that for Nigeria to achieve speedy development, people must do away with sentiments, corruption, injustice, and abuse of office, among others.

*Muazu wrote from Dutsin-ma, Katsina State.
Students of Konongo Odumase Senior High School in the Ashanti Region are demanding the immediate dismissal of their headmistress, Comfort Odehe who they accuse of illegally transferring some ten teachers of the school.

The students say, the headmistress' action was a deliberate attempt to prevent the teachers from fighting a sodomy case in the school.

Kwame Amponsah, a reporter with Kumasi-based Angel FM told Citi News, scores of students in the school went on rampage on Friday night, chanting battle songs.

The situation forced security officers to quickly move to the school and fire warning shots to disperse the angry students.

Some of the agitated students who spoke to the reporter called on the headmistress to immediately make public her reasons for the arbitrary transfer.

They lamented that the development will negatively affect their academic performance.

We don't know why the teachers have been transferred. The headmistress should come out and tell us. These teachers are all very helpful to us. If that is the case, she should rather leave so they can return because, the science students will be ones disadvantaged. These teachers actually help us compete in the National Science and Maths quiz.

We want the headmistress to come out and tell us exactly why she has transferred our teachers. All she did at assembly was to inform us that they were leaving, without any reason. We don't want her here anymore. If we don't hear from any of the authorities, we will all boycott class on Monday, one of the angry students said.

According to Kwame Amponsah, calm had returned to the school on Saturday morning [November 26], but the students insist, they will stage another protest to challenge the headmistress' decision.

Meanwhile, a teacher of the school who spoke to Citi News on condition of anonymity said moves have been initiated to assist the affected teachers pursue the matter in court.



By: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com/Ghana

Follow @jnyabor
Naga (U/E) Nov. 26, GNA - Naba Olando Ayamga Awini III, the chief of Naga Traditional Area in the Kassena - Nankana District of the Upper East Region, has appealed to Government to rehabilitate the roads linking Naga to Bolgatanga, Navrongo and Walewale.

He said the people in the area are currently unable to transport the large quantities of produce made annually to other parts of the region for sale because of the bad road network.

Naba Awini III, who is also the newly elected President of the Upper East Regional House of Chiefs, said this when President John Dramani Mahama paid a courtesy call on him as part of his four-day campaign tour of the region.

He also said the entire community had only one Junior High School (JHS) and there were no accommodation facilities for teachers.

Naba Awini III expressed happiness with the 'provision of Community-based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) compounds and the extension of rural electrification to the area.'

He also commended government for the refurbishment of the Tono irrigation dam saying this has increased food production in the district.

President Mahama said the Navrongo- Naga road has been awarded to two contractors to fast track the work, while work on the Bolga - Naga road would also soon begin.

He said the government has done a lot of work over the past four years by spreading various development projects across the length and breadth of the country.

He said in order to have food security, the irrigation systems would have to be improved and in this regard, all the irrigation dams are being rehabilitated to ensure that farmers can undertake all year farming activities.

The President said the total land area in Ghana under irrigation had increased from 111,000 hectares to 200,000 hectares.

He said work on a new irrigation dam at Garu, that was designed to irrigate about 1,500 hectares of land would soon begin, whiles work on the Kanba dam in the Upper West Region has been completed.

'I am very surprised to hear there is only one JHS in Naga, it is wholly inadequate and so if the District Assembly would start work on another school. We would discuss with your District Assembly so they can begin finding a site in the community where the JHS would be located,' the President said.

He congratulated the chief for his recent election as President of the Regional House of Chiefs and called on the electorates to vote massively for the NDC.

GNA
By Albert Futukpor, GNA

Tamale, Nov. 26, GNA - Fifty staff from selected District Departments of Agriculture have been trained on the use of the Computer-Assisted Personal Interviewing (CAPI) data collection system.

The two-day training, held in Tamale, was in support of the Ghana Agriculture Production (GAP) and Market Price Surveys conducted annually by the Statistics Research Information Directorate (SRID) of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture.

Mr Wallace Walter Lutterodt, Software Engineer at SRID, who gave details of the training, said previously staff of various departments of Agriculture relied on a manual system using a pencil and paper interviewing methodology to collect data, a situation which affected the quality of the data collected.

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID), through its Feed the Future initiative, Ghana Agriculture Policy Support Project (APSP) has assisted SRID to design, develop and implement the CAPI system of data collection.

This is to address the concerns on the data that SRID currently collects, especially with regard to data quality, relevance and its usefulness for policy-making purposes.

Mr Walter Lutterodt said the CAPI system, which ensured collecting real-time mobile data on 3G Android tablets would help improve the quality and credibility of agricultural statistics as well as minimize human error in agriculture data collection and analysis.

He called for commitment on the part of participants as they use the technology to improve their work.

GNA
By A.B. Kafui Kanyi, GNA

Ho, Nov. 26, GNA - The Ho Technical University (HTU) has matriculated foundation students of the University after its conversion from a Polytechnic.

The 974 students, made up of 668 males and 306 females are pursuing programmes in Bachelor in Technology, Higher National Diploma and non-tertiary courses.

Professor Emmanuel Sakyi, Acting Vice-Chancellor of the University, said HTU is a brand and asked the students to count themselves blessed to be the pioneering students.

He urged them to aspire to levels of excellence and proficiency, serve as good ambassadors of the institution and use proper channel of communication during their stay in the University.

HTU, formerly, Ho Polytechnic was converted into a Technical University following the passage of the Technical Universities Act 2016 (ACT 922) with the mandate to award degrees, diplomas, certificates and other qualifications to the highest levels in engineering, science and technology based disciplines.

GNA
By Albert Futukpor, GNA

Tamale, Nov. 26, GNA - The Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection (MoGCSP) has held a conference for some market women in the Northern Region as part of its (MoGCSP) efforts to empower them.

As part of the conference, participants, who were drawn from some of the major markets in the region, were trained on financial literacy, use of technology, sanitation and hygiene, and how to relate with local authorities at the various markets.

Nana Oye Lithur, Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, who addressed the two-day conference in Tamale, said the conference was to equip participants with competencies in the use of technology and other skills that would help enhance their operations in the market.

She said the MoGCSP recently conducted a study in Techiman and Agbogbloshie Markets, which revealed that many market women have not participated in any form of training or direct economic empowerment initiatives hence the conference.

She said the government was committed to empowering women in all sectors of the country to reach their highest potential adding 'in this regard, we have put in place measures to facilitate an enabling environment that promotes the empowerment of women'.

Alhaji Hanan Gundadow, Tamale Metropolitan Chief Executive, said government was constructing new markets as well as improving the conditions of other markets in the metropolis to facilitate trade amongst the people.

GNA
26.11.2016 LISTEN

Half -Assini (W/R), Nov. 26, GNA - The people in the Jomoro District of the Western Region have been asked to vote massively in the coming polls to retain President John Dramani Mahama to continue with his the development efforts.

Nana Oye Lithur, Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection, made the appeal at Half-Assini when she addressed the aged, People living With Disabilities (PWDs) and fisher folks in the area as part of her two day tour of the Western and Central Regions.

The visit was to enable her deliberate with the people and to solicit their support for the President in the December elections.

Nana Oye Lithur said President Mahama has been destined by God to rule the country, adding that 'like the first President of Ghana, Dr Kwame Nkrumah, he has love and compassion for the country'.

She said President Mahama's achievements in his first term in office, was unprecedented in the history of the country and thus deserves a second term to continue with his efforts.

Nana Oye Lithur said the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Government has put in place more social interventions programmes besides the Livelihood Employment Against Poverty (LEAP), to improve the lot of the aged and vulnerable in society.

She also called on the electorate to vote for the NDC parliamentary Candidate in the area Mr Thomas Elleamo Yankey.

Nana Oye Lithur said there is the need to spread the information on the achievements of the NDC government to ensure a resounding victory in the coming elections.

The Minister later addressed a similar conference at Shama near Sekondi.

GNA
By Dennis Peprah, GNA

Accra, Nov. 26, GNA - The fear of the 'partisan political' tag is creating a great challenge to the operations of the Public Interest Accountability Committee (PIAC), says Dr Steve Manteaw, a member of the Committee.

PIAC is a citizens-led statutory body established under section 51 of the Petroleum Revenue Management Act (Act 815) to provide additional non-parliamentary and independent oversight over the collection and utilization of Ghana's petroleum revenues.

Dr Manteaw, a policy analyst told journalists attending a 14-day training course on oil, gas and mining that government interference has obstructed the activities of the Committee.

He said between 2011 and 2015, revenue generated from the oil sector stood 3.2 billion dollars but a huge chunk - almost 70 percent of the revenue, was spent in the education sector.

Dr Manteaw, who is the campaign coordinator of the Integrated Social Development Center (ISODEC), a non-governmental organization, said PIAC has undertaken a national exercise and monitored the utilization of the oil revenue in some of the regions.

'The Committee has officially written to the Ministry of Petroleum to respond to some of the findings but about three months now the sector minister has not responded', he said.

Dr Manteaw, who is also the Chairman of the Civil Society Platform, said substantial governance gaps remained in the country's oil and gas industry saying the lack of integration of the sector into the rest of the economy is a teething challenge.

Mr Ishmael Edjekumhene, the Executive Director of the Kumasi Institute of Technology and Environment, a non-governmental organization and member of PIAC, said the responsibility to ensure the judicious utilization of the oil revenue was not a sole duty of PIAC alone.

He appealed to the media, civil society organisations and the public to develop the interest and monitor revenue inflows in the oil and gas sector.

GNA
Accra, Nov. 26, GNA - The West Africa Centre for Crop Improvement (WACCI), University of Ghana (UG) will on Tuesday, November 29, perform a ground-breaking ceremony for the construction of a multi-purpose building.

A statement issued by the Centre and copied to the Ghana News Agency on Friday, said the new facility, estimated to cost about $ 2.4 million would take a projected duration of 18 months to complete.

It said the facility would house offices, lecture rooms, bioinformatics platform, seed science laboratory, tissue culture laboratory, a library and conference and meeting rooms.

It said the world-class PhD training in Plant Breeding and MPhil in Seed Science and Technology would be scaled up as the Centre begins the construction of a multi-purpose facility.

The statement said the Centre invites the university community, stakeholders, development partners and the public to witness this historic ground-breaking ceremony, which would be jointly performed by the UG Vice-Chancellor Professor Ebenezer Oduro Owusu and Founding Director of WACCI Prof Eric Yirenkyi Danquah.

It said the construction of the building, which is being funded by the World Bank Africa Centres of Excellence (ACE) Project and the Centre's internally generated funds, is integral to WACCI's dream of using the ACE project as a springboard for transforming the Centre into a sustainable Centre of Excellence for training quality plant breeders and seed scientists.

The ACE Project, is a World Bank sponsored initiative, aimed at promoting regional specialization in disciplinary fields (such as Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, Health, and Agriculture) that address regional development challenges, as well as facilitate the delivery of high quality training and applied research, and meet the skills demand of the regional labour market.

WACCI, which is one of the 22 ACEs selected by the World Bank in collaboration with the Association of African Universities (AAU) following an open, rigorous, merit-based competition, has been ranked as the leading ACE in resource mobilization in three successive evaluations by the AAU.

The Centre has increased initial investments from $ 5.8 million to over $ 26.0 million and is expected to scale up activities from January 2018 with increased institutional support from the University of Ghana.

WACCI was established in June 2007 with funding from the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) to train 40 Plant Breeders at the PhD level at the UG.

Today, the Centre has evolved into the largest PhD in Plant Breeding education programme in Africa, having enrolled 98 PhDs students from 16 countries and graduated 35 who are at the forefront of developing high yielding and climate-smart varieties of staple crops to increase productivity in farmers' fields in sub-Saharan Africa.

The Centre expects to graduate an additional 18 PhD students in Plant Breeding at the University's July 2017 graduation ceremony.

The Centre collaborates with Cornell University, USA, the National Agricultural Research Institutions (NARIs) in Africa where most of these students have been drawn from and the Consultative Group of International Agricultural Research Institutions among other world class institutions.

GNA
It is not our diversity which divides us; it is not our ethnicity, or religion or culture that divides us. Since we have achieved our freedom, there can only be one division amongst us: between those who cherish democracy and those who do not (Nelson Mandela).

HARUNA ATTA ON THE HEGEMONIC AKAN ETHNOCENTRISM IN THE NPP

Yet, there is no doubt in our minds that the phrase northern brothers is more inclusive, innocuous, and attractive than the exclusivist label Yen Akanfuo!

What is Akan anyway? Is it not as scientifically inane as the word race?

Even the concepts north, northern and northern brothers enjoy a far greater swathe of cosmopolitan inclusivity than Yan Akanfuo.

All these terms and ideas are, in fact, only as good as the sentimental motifs of cultural geography, although we also have to concede the fact that President Mahama only spoke the gospel truth, truth many Ghanaians, historians and political observers have known all along.

The truth is like a severe open woundwhich hurts, which really hurts so bad, but well-known Machiavellian Akan-centric Aryanists and ethnocentric hegemonists like Akufo-Addo, modern-day political originators of ideological ethnocentrism within the tight parastatal framology of political socialization in the Ghanaian body politic, have woken up from their long slumberous vegetativeness and suddenly discovered an imperative need to call it by a different name, a lie, tribal politics.

Also J.B. Danquah, for instance, made fun of Nkrumah and his government as well as derogatory remarks about two northerners Nkrumah included in his cabinet.

In fact Danquah specifically referred to them disparagingly as ntafo.

Thus Haruna Attas revelation that, Akufo-Addo, an Eurocentric Black Englishman widely known for his idiosyncratic strain of Locally Acquired Foreign Accent (LAFA), is one of the most important architects of Akan hegemonic ethnocentrism within the NPP is actually no revelation at all.

Technically it is not even a teachable reminder; it is rather a normative fixture of the unsleeping habits of public knowledge.

It is, however, providentially welcoming and even heartening to see people, like Haruna Atta with insider knowledge, appear on the political scene from time to time to tickle the ever-sleeping collective memory of Ghanaians.

But then also, peradventure, it is the time and the platform on which he made those comments, rather than the implied content of the comments.

The implied content of the comments should not be cause for alarm because, as we have already made clear elsewhere, it represents a polished reprise or subtle reiteration of Akufo-Addos.

THE UNVARNISHED TRUTHS ABOUT OUR HYPOCRITICAL NATURE

Ethnocentrism is not an intrinsic trait of any particular ethnic group. Put another way, ethnocentrism is not unique to any group in that instances of it can be found in almost every national culture and ethnic groupthere even exists in-group ethnocentrism such as in the Akan family, say.

The central idea of implicit bias (stereotype) is a complex phenomenonto say the least. As a matter of fact we also present these statements quite apart from the comical sentiments of ethnic stereotypes, of the possibilities of forced assimilation, and of own-race bias, so-called.

That said, the outrageous idea that only ethnic groups from resource-rich regions have a divine right to rule over others is as politically scary as it is ethically and morally stupidif Ghana is indeed a unitary nation-state.

Granted, if ethnic superiority is a function of which ethnic group sitting on a groundswell of resource-rich environs has the divine and moral right to rule over others, then surely we must give that covetous title of ethnic superiority to the autochthonous Guans.

The autochthonous Guans sat on these resource-rich lands before any Akan set foot in what is present-day Ghana.

The fact is that no ethnic group is actually inherently superior to the other ethnic group.

Besides, the Akan perception of the intellectual and leadership capabilities of the non-Akan as sub-par is largely driven by a misplaced sense of self-fulfilling prophecy, and from the perspective of illusory supremacy, both a figment of imagination of the Akan.

This remains an important normative fixture of the social psychology of ethnic relations.

One direct corollary of this phenomenon is the popular association of the non-Akan with imposter syndrome.

Yet this does not impute qualities of leadership and intellectual superiority to the Akan, namely that the Akan is not inherently intellectually and culturally superior to the non-Akan.

Here, we may want our readers to pardon us for creating a false sense of dichotomy between the Akan and the non-Akan, as it were since Akan and non-Akan both have no scientific validation.

We merely adopted the labels for reasons of simplistic elucidation of the non-obvious. Their adoption was for illustration purposes only in other words.

That is to say, a national database built on genetic genealogy will have resolved some of these standing controversies. Cultural ideas such as patriarchy and matriarchy blur the dichotomy even further.

Last but certainly not least, on the question of ethnocentrism and some of its causation variables we may mention the following, including, but not limited to, colonialism and the so-called Hamitic Hypothesis (which Europeans used to play one ethnic group(s) against the other(s)), imbalance in regional development as between the North and the South, different levels of industrialization across the country, slavery, xenophobic regionalism, the historical and continuing marginalization of the North, gross misappropriation of funds meant for the development of the North, religion, and so on.

We can reverse these negative trends as a people.

Finally, it is about creating equality of opportunity, and how groups avail themselves of this that we can hopefully level the playing field for all, regardless of a citizens ethnicity, religion (creed), regional origins, gender, physical disability, and political persuasion.

We must also let go of unprogressive cultural practices that are antithetical to hard work, adventurism, collaboration, material and spiritual success.

We have not and will not forget Kennedy Agyapongs ethnocentric, genocidal incitement of Akans, mostly Asantes, against Gas and Ewes, two important ethnic groups in our beloved country. Once again Akufo-Addo never criticized Kens ethnocentric, genocidal provocation, at least publicly.

Now he [Akufo-Addo] is crisscrossing the country begging for votes from all these groups his politics of exclusion slighted when he made those infamous, unpardonable Yen Akanfuo remarks.

And if Kens Akans had genocidally slaughtered the Ewes and Gas, let us just ask for the sake of argument, will Akufo-Addo be now standing before them begging for their votes?

Did he not also recently acknowledge the fact that votes from Greater Accra are crucial to his potential victory? Is it only Yen Akanfuo or Akans who live in the region called Greater Accra? What about Ewes and Gas?

Perhaps we need to embrace the lingering illusion of a post-ethnic society. Perhaps also we need a national dialogue on ethnicity and ethnocentrism.

We shall return with Part 4, the final installment.

REFERENCES

Ghanaweb. Nana Addo Told Me 'Non-Akan Won't Lead NPP'Haruna Atta. November 23, 2016.
The Agricultural Industry is to begin benefiting from various forms of tax holidays and incentives that will boost the industry and make it more attractive to foreign investors.

According the CEO of The Ghana Investment Promotion Centre(GIPC), Mawuena Trebrah , Agriculture and Agro processing has been high on the agenda of the Ghana Promotion Investment Centre( GIPC) in respect of investments.

''Laws are evolving to meet every kind of sector. Major investment in agriculture and agro processing manufacturing will be attracted if we take a strategic decision that we want certain kinds of investors who understand our desire to increase jobs, to improve technology, enhance farming methodology, bring new models into integrating farming communities into the investment programme,'' he said.

''So if we are targeting those kinds of investment then it won't take our time in going round the world at conferences and exhibitions, no. We will ask for strategic meetings with strategic investors and you will see that a lot of our investment missions are targeted towards that, she added.

She said this at the sidelines of the African Partner Pool (APP) Business Forum under the theme '' Creating Thriving Business through Taxation and Quality''.



By: Anita Arthur/citibusinessnews.com/Ghana
26.11.2016 LISTEN

I have come across two very ridiculous pieces. one is an easy to detect as a concocted audio and the other a confession by a crybaby and a bitter/sore loser of an election, of which these two pieces seek to push to the world that the New Patriotic Party(NPP) is an Akan/Anti-Northerners' party which seeks to undermine the growth of Northerners in Ghana.

I laughed at it when I initially heard the two because I saw the two as very weak propaganda which shouldn't even be able to deceive a class one pupil, but I was shocked to hear and notice later that some of my grown northern friends of whom some are very educated have fallen for this propaganda.

Below are my reasons which suggest that NPP is not an anti-northerners' party and that any northerner who falls for such propaganda is not smart, yes, I will not mince words, any northerner who allows himself to fall for such a weak propaganda is not smart.

Firstly, the 1992 constitution doesn't allow political parties to be formed based on tribes and religions but it is supposed to be nationalist in nature.

More over, UP which is the mother party of the NPP was formed based on a combination of all tribes and religions in Ghana of which the northerners headed by Dombo under the leadership of the Northern People's Party(NPP) were the biggest stakeholder during its formation in terms of the number of followers each of the parties which came together to form it had.

As a result, any perceived competition between tribes such as the one between the Akans and northerners if only it exists should not be a reason for any Northerner or Akan to extend it's anger to the NPP because NPP is not on the side of any tribe.

Aside that, there are many other perceived competitions between other tribes such as; Northerners and Ewes, Gas and Northerners, Gas and Ewes, Akans and Ewes and others so why are these tribes, Ghanaians and people living in Ghana not also tagging the NDC as anti certain tribes.

Further more, as some one who currently wished the NPP will always be in power because of facts showing that their competence surpass that of the NDC, I currently hoped the NPP had been a true Akan party so that the NPP would have always been in power since the Akans are the majority in Ghana. But sad enough, since the NPP has not branded itself in that way and as a result not an Akan Party, it has not been winning all elections in Ghana with sometimes even struggling over votes in some of these Akan regions with the 1992, 1996, 2008 and 2012 election results as my reference.

Secondly, it was the Provisional National Defense Council(PNDC), the mother party of the National Democratic Congress(NDC) which disgracefully through a Coup removed the first Northerner, Dr Hilla Limann from office as a constitutionally elected President and also maltreated him till his death as an Ex-President.

Let us take note that it was a branch of the UP tradition, that is the United National Convention(UNC) party headed by Nana Addo's uncle, William Ofori Atta which enabled Hilla Limann as the Flagbearer of the People's National Party(PNP) to win the election after he and the entire party fully threw their support for Limann in the second round of the 1979 election which brought about the third republic.

Nana Addo was the General Secretary of the UNC party at that time.

Thirdly, it has only been the NPP who has always given Northerners at least the second most prestigious position in a political party on a silver platter right from 1992 to now with the exception of the 1996 which was given to the a non northerner because of the agreement of the Great Alliance which brought together Kufour as the Flagbearer and Arkaah as the running mate.

The NDC never gave such to the Northerners until its first time in 2000.

Fourthly, even though NPP had very few people from the northern regions as representatives in Parliament, it gave more positions to the northerners under the 8 years rule of Ex- President Kufour as compared to that of the NDC with respect to their representations of Northerners from the three northern regions and other regions in Parliament.

On the fifth, eventhough the northern regions have not been fans of the NPP, under the 8 years rule of the NPP, every Northerner is very much aware of the huge development that was brought into the area, far better than what the perceived lovers of the northerners, the NDC has done for them.

Actually, it has rather been the NDC especially this one under President Mahama that has intentionally taken the wind out of the sail which could have brought a huge prosperity and development to the northerners and their region.

One of such examples is SADA, the policy the NDC labelled as impossible when Nana Addo proposed it as Northern Development Authourity(NDA), and after stole it and used as a corruption tool to milk Northerners and their region dry.

Also taking the manifestos of both the NPP and NDC into consideration, even the silliest in the head and/or the most mischievous will even attest to the fact that the NPP has better plans for the Northerners, Zongos and Muslims than what the NDC has for them.

On the sixth, what do Northerners stand to lose if they give their support to the NPP and try Nana Addo and Bawumia?

What are Northerners afraid of especially considering they have already experienced an 8 years rule under a Kufour led NPP administration?

I ask again, what do Northerners stand to lose if they vote for NPP?

To end, even though I'm an Akan, I look like a northerner and an ewe more than any average Northerner in Ghana, I have northern and ewe links through my ancestors and as a result, I am treated as a northerner everywhere I find myself at so I don't want any one to just rubbish the points I have raised above with an untruth and a weak excuse such as; "you are not a Northerner so you won't understand our concerns"

Thank You

Hhhmm may God be praised always

Nana Kwadwo Akwaa

00233246913905 / 00233209676413

Critical Thinkers International
The Progressive Peoples Party (PPP) has promised to build an ultra-modern market and a school in Santana, a suburb in the Ayawaso West Wuogon constituency in Accra.

The PPP believes the residents living in and around the Santana market deserve an ultra modern market and a school hence the Partys decision to build them a new one.

The Santana market is an old market which will never go away but has also not seen any growth and development. Its been around for over 40 years and the traders as well residents have expressed the need for a new market complex that will also take care of the educational needs of their children, PPP Parliamentary Candidate for the Ayawaso West Wuogon, William Dowokpor revealed.

Interacting with the market women at the Santana market during his market storm campaign, William Dowokpor, who also doubles as the 1st National Vice Chairperson of the party said PPP in its third year of governance would hand over an ultra-modern market for the market women and traders.

He bemoaned the current state of the Santana market where it is too open and there are no cubicles for the market women to keep their goods and wares and noted that the new market that the PPP will build for them would have cubicles where they can safely keep all the goods and ware.

The Santana market since the last 40 years has been the same and that PPP is ready to change that situation in the Ayawaso West Wugon constituency, a confident looking Dowokpor reiterated.

Explaining the rationale for building the ultra modern school, he said it falls directly in line with the Free Compulsory Universal and Basic Education (FCUBE) plans of the PPP so the party wants to make sure it does not leave out the children of the market women and traders.

The market women have been craving for a school where they can take their kids to whiles they attend to their market activities. They brought that request to me and we would honour it and make sure we build an ultra modern school for them as well Mr. Dowokpor indicated.

The PPP campaign team visited and interacted with food vendors and customers at the University of Ghanas Bush Canteen and Night markets, explaining the partys alternative policy visions to the electorate.

For her part, the 2nd Vice Chairperson of the PPP, Berlinda Bulley, who accompanied Mr. Dowokpor on the market storm campaign, charged the market women, food vendors and students to vote massively for the PPP.
The 1992 Constitution of the Republic of Ghana that came into effect on January 7, 1993, provides the basic charter for the country's fourth attempt at republican democratic government since independence in 1957.

It declares Ghana to be a unitary republic with sovereignty residing in the Ghanaian people. Drawn up with the intent of preventing future coups, dictatorial government, and one-party states, it is designed to foster tolerance and the concept of power-sharing.

The document reflects the lessons drawn from the abrogated constitutions of 1957, 1960, 1969, and 1979, and it incorporates provisions and institutions drawn from British and United States constitutional models.

The 1992 constitution, as the supreme law of the land, provides for the sharing of powers among a president, a parliament, a cabinet, a Council of State, and an independent judiciary (U.S Library of Congress).

Apparently, Ghanas Fourth Republic is 288 months old. And, the day-to-day management of the country within that time frame had been the responsibility of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Party, whose share of the governance is 192 months and the New Patriotic Party (NPP), who had also governed the country for 96 months.

However, the series grub into the NDCs last 96 months infrastructural projects-focused administration.

Prolegomenon

When former President J. J. Rawlings had completed his 96 months democratic rule in 2000, he sat back as directed by the Ghanas 1992 Constitution. Thus, the stage was set for other qualified people to take over the presidential seat.

Even though a sizeable number of political parties presented their candidates for the hot seat, the race for the next president was keenly contested between the NDC candidate, the late John Evans Atta Mills and the NPP candidate, John Agyekum Kufuor.

The election travelled into the second round and John Agyekum Kufuor emerged victorious on 28 December 2000.

The President elect, John Agyekum Kufuor took over the presidency from former President J. J. Rawlings on 7th January 2001.

Unfortunately, President Kufuor had no honey moon as there was not much left in the coffers to plan anything meaningful. Former President J. J. Rawlingss 228 months (military, 132 months and democratic, 96 months) administrations only managed to destabilise Ghanas micro economic indicators.

Expedient measures

Ghana was then declared as Highly Indebted Poor Country (HIPC). The newly elected President Kufuor had a tough decision to make, by either embracing or rejecting the HIPC status. Nevertheless, the forward thinking President Kufuor chose to swallow a bitter pill with a view to getting over the malaise. He thus pragmatically embraced the HIPC status in 2001.

As a matter of fact and observation, the returns of the HIPC were unprecedented during former President Kufuors administration, from (2001-2008).

The fact of the matter is that microeconomic indicators begun to stabilize and Ghanas debt stock was significantly reduced by about $4 billion within that period.

Besides, , as a result of the HIPC initiative and prudent borrowing, Ghanas external debt stock actually declined from $6.1 billion in 2000 to$3.8 billion by 2008 (it was unprecedented achievement).

It is also worth stressing that the average GDP growth of the NDC from 1993-2000 was 3.8% while that of the NPP from 2001-2008 was5.2% with economic growth reaching 6.3% in 2007.

Former President Kufuor successfully completed his first term in office (four years), having managed to stabilise the micro economic indicators. Subsequently, the good people of Ghana gave him the mandate for another four year term following a keenly contested presidential election on 7th December 2004.

The finest accomplishments

It is an understatement to state that former President Kufuors pragmatic policies reaped tremendous results. Due to time and space, I will only enumerate on a few of his wonderful achievements during his tenure in office.

Helped moved Ghana from HIPC status to Lower Middle Income status.

Ghana received a debt relief of around $4 billion, spreading over 20 years period.

Built numerous infrastructural projects, including not less than 5 interchanges. Nonetheless President Mahama said back then that the erection of infrastructural projects is only an exercise in mediocrity.

Discovered oil in commercial quantities before handing over power to the late Mills (Ghana has since received over $3 billion in revenue).

Increased the economic growth from around 3.5 in 2001 to around 8.4 in 2008.

Quadrupled Ghanas GDP to $28 billion by 2008.

Introduced free Maternal Care.

Implemented National Health Insurance Scheme.

Introduced Metro Transport System.

Implemented School Feeding Programme.

Introduced the National Youth Employment Programme, known as GYEEDA.

Implemented the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty.

As I hinted previously, the list of former President Kufuors achievements is not exhaustive; nonetheless I would not be able to list all of them at this point in time. All that I can state is that, former President Kufuor did so much to improve on Ghanas fortunes.

President Kufuor discharged his job honourably, retired and handed the baton to the late President Mills on 7th January 2009, following his victory in the second round election on 28 December 2008.

K. Badu, UK.
on behalf of Organization for the Victory of the People, Guyana, South America

Fidel Castro can never die. Today he departed the physical plane but he will live on forever. His intellectual prowess and wisdom were extraordinary among mortals. His legacy and influence is global and monumental.

This humble man, from a small Caribbean country, can truly be said to have changed the world. One of his greatest contributions to humanity is the example of his unwavering revolutionary determination and courage, in the face of enormous obstacles placed in his path. He became an inspiration to all who fight for true independence from the Empire and its trail of poverty, racism, death and destruction.

Here in the Caribbean he stood, and will stand forever, as one who refused to believe that our fate is sealed by the absurd concept of geographical and historical determinism. So many Caribbean misleaders, cowards and satraps of the Empire, have accepted this fate, that our future and destiny is shaped by the fact that we reside in the USs so-called backyard.

However, in the words of the late revolutionary leader of Grenada, Maurice Bishop, We are in nobodys backyard. The same Maurice Bishop, inspired and assisted by Fidel, aptly described him as incomparable. Every revolutionary initiative in the Americas and the Caribbean, and for that matter worldwide, since 1959, owes a debt of gratitude to Fidel Castro and the Cuban revolution.

Fidel taught us that our destiny is determined by faith and an enduring belief in our principles and in our ability to empower ourselves and the masses of our people. He showed us true empowerment by virtue of the fact that one man and a nation of just over 11 million people could play such a decisive and significant role in the liberation of people all over the world. We will never forget Cubas military response to the forces of Apartheid at the historic and decisive battle of Cuito Cuanavale, when Cuban troops defeated the racist forces of South Africas regime, and in so doing, forced the Boers to the negotiating table.

While others condemned apartheid with words, it was Fidel who sent troops across the world to do what had to be done. He would later admit that this battle exerted such a strain on Cubas military resources that it put Cubas own national security at risk. However, as Fidel explained, We have a commitment to Africa, for African blood flows freely through the veins of every Cuban. The airlifting of Cuban fighters to Angola was codenamed Operation Carlota after an African woman, enslaved in Cuba, who led an insurrection against her Spanish slave-masters.

This is why the great African freedom fighter, Kwame Ture, could have called Fidel Castro the blackest man in the Americas, and why Nelson Mandela said, The Cuban people hold a special place in the hearts of the people of Africa. The Cuban internationalists have made a contribution to African independence, freedom and justice, unparalleled for its principled and selfless character.

Fidel Castro turned Cuba into a powerhouse of health, education and solidarity. He sent doctors and teachers to every part of the globe to assist countries ravaged by decades of the neo-liberal capitalist project. Cuba is always the first on the ground when it comes to responding to natural disasters in the region and afar, from Haiti to Pakistan. Despite being a relatively poor nation with few natural resources, Cubas literacy rates, infant mortality rates, life expectancy rates and other indicators rival that of any nation on earth, including the wealthiest nations of the world. Surely, this is the true measure of democracy.

Of course, the need for change and adjustments to any political and economic system put in place in 1959 is inevitable. What must be remembered, and something which may not be well understood by this generation, who are too young to have experienced the world as it existed in 1959, is that Cubas alignment with the then Soviet Union was inevitable in a world characterized by two superpowers engaged in a Cold War.

The Cuban conceptualization of a socialism shaped by Soviet Marxism which saw private property and small, privately owned business as synonymous with capitalism was erroneous, and now needs rectification. Following the Cuban revolution, other nationalist revolutions with socialist objectives, have learnt from this mistake. Carlos Tablada and many other Cuban theoreticians and economists, with full support of the revolution, have themselves addressed these issues and proposed measures to resolve these problematics. All political and social systems must evolve and change or otherwise become stagnant and perish.

However, this in no way deflects from the outstanding achievements of Fidel Castro and Cuba in their historic fight for human advancement and dignity. The changes and transformations that Cuba is currently pursuing are not about taking Cuba in the direction of capitalist restoration, but rather about finding ways to make the socialist project more viable and sustainable.

This has been one of the Cuban revolutions most enduring legacy; to teach us how to remain steadfast, courageous and relevant in an ever-changing world, ravaged by neo-liberal capitalism and the flawed liberal-democratic notion of what constitutes democracy, that is, where 1% own and control everything, and where the resources and wealth of a nation do not benefit all the people. The Cuban revolutions ability to survive all these years in the face of the contradictions, double-standards, hypocrisy and the bullyism of global capitalism and the Empire is a testimony to the leadership of Fidel Castro.

After 57 years, despite the arduous struggle involved when a small nation stands up to the might and brutality of Empire, despite the sacrifices that had to be made by the Cuban people, there is an outpouring of grief and sadness on the streets of Cuba today. Cubans, both young and old, have expressed not only their grief at the loss of a man who is seen as the father of this nation, but also their determination to honour the life of their heroic leader by continuing the struggle for Cubas right to self-determination and true independence. This is surely the litmus test of any revolution. Thanks to Fidel Castro and this remarkable revolution, the people of Cuba are highly educated and politically conscientized.

The revolution has given them the education and knowledge to advance their struggle and to avoid the pitfalls of what we refer to as conceptual and intellectual incarceration. Cubas revolution has truly removed not only the physical and material shackles that enslave us, but most importantly, the shackles on the minds of the people. In this sense, the Cuban people can be said to be truly free, unlike so many of their counterparts throughout the region, where the Empire still calls the shots, and so many people continue to be manipulated by the Empires propaganda machinery.

In the Caribbean, we lovingly call him Uncle Fidel. Regardless of the absurd and nonsensical rantings of the 1%, and their servants in academia, the corporate media and neo-colonial regimes, Uncle Fidel will forever live on in the hearts and minds of the millions of oppressed and dispossessed people worldwide. He will eternally remain an inspiration for all those who struggle for our inalienable right to self-determination, justice and human dignity.

He will be loved and revered by those who know the truth: that he is a hero and undefeated freedom fighter.

Farewell Commandante  in truth, words are indeed inadequate to express our gratitude to you. Like all great revolutionaries, you had no rest in this life, instead you made the ultimate sacrifice, dedicating your life to benefit humanity. May you now rest in peace and power. We know that the best way to live up to your legacy is to renew our pledge, on this day, to continue the struggle for all that you stood for.
The 2016 Progressive People's Party flag bearer Dr Papa Kwesi Nduom has disclosed that if the oil and gas will not benefit the ordinary Ghanaian, then it must stay in the ground.

He assured the people of Jomoro that they will be the first beneficiaries of oil revenue when he becomes President, then the rest of Western Region and then the rest of Ghana. He recounted how diamond has not helped Akwatia and how gold has not helped the Obuasi people and resolved that he will not loom on for Jomoro people to suffer the same fate.

He was speaking at a mini rally at Half Assini which was attended by the chiefs and people and PPP supporters. He reminded the people about his efforts as Energy Minister to ensure that the Osagyefo Power Barge was moved to Efassu-Mangyea. He talked to them about his efforts that contributed to the oil find in the constituency.

'Today, you have oil and gas, but can you tell me any benefit that you have had from this natural resource? I will prefer we put in the right policies and framework that will ensure that the people of western region enjoy the benefits before the rest of Ghana else the oil will remain in the ground''. Dr. Nduom made his plans known for the establishment of a petrochemicals industry in the Western Region and the reconstruction of the towns and villages in Jomoro so that the people can feel directly the benefits of the oil and gas.

He later introduced the PPP parliamentary candidate Mathew Kwao Bentho to the people and asked them to support him to go parliament to help change aspects of the constitution working against Ghanas progress.

Dr Nduom is on a three day tour of the western region before he moves to the Eastern and Ashanti regions.
Vice President Bekoe Amissah Arthur has described Dr. Mahamudu Bawumias 170 questions about the Ghanaian economy, under the NDC government, as mere lies and claims.

According to him, it is strange that the former deputy governor of the Central Bank is going around making statements and claims, and yet posing them to the public as questions for the NDC to respond to.

Dr. Bawumia has raised 170 questions over the performance of the Ghanaian economy under the Mahama administration and dared the Vice President to react to them since he is an economist and a former governor of the Central bank.

When he visited Mr Amissah-Arthurs hometown to campaign, Bawumia mockingly asked of the whereabouts of the former Central Bank governor and said the questions were still waiting for him.

Responding to the challenge for the first time, the Vice President said the NPP running mate still needs tutorials on how the economy actually works.

He [Bawumia] said he has posed 170 statements and claims that NDC should answer. Since when did statements and claims become questions? Ask him for me. The lies are many.

Although we have said several times that those statement and claims are lies, he [Bawumia] doesnt understand. I think we have to explain to him so he understands.

Hes lying! He hasnt asked any question. He [Bawumia] claimed the living conditions of Ghanaians improved by 400 per cent under the eight-year rule of President Kufuor. Hes lying; he should go back and do his calculation again, the Vice President told a gathering in his hometown Moree
The Free Health Screening Team of the governing National Democratic Congress(NDC) on Wednesday this week stormed Kumasi, the Ashanti Regional capital and launched the region first phase of the free health screening exercises for residents to benefit.

The free health screening team dubbed, "DR DR NDC", the brain child of Dr Catherine Deynu, the Deputy National Women's Organiser of the party, is in the region to provide free healthcare to residents as part of the NDC Government intervention policies for Ghanaians.

The launching ceremony was attended by constituency women Organisers, Young Ladies for Mahama, youth leaders,among other party members within the Nhyiaso constituency.

The Deputy National Women's Organiser seized the opportunity to encourage the constituency women executives to ensure all residents irrespective of their political affiliation benefit from the programme.

Over three thousand residents of Nhyiaso constituency and its environs within the Kumasi Metropolis of Ashanti Region turned out at the Regional Minister Residence where the launching took place to access the free healthcare.

The beneficiaries were educated and screened on diabetes, malaria, hypertension and the importance of living a healthy life.

Dr Catherine who has already launched the free health screening exercises in the three Northern Regions and Volta Region, had on Tuesday November 22, launched the Central Regional phase at Upper Denkyira East Municipality and Upper Denkyira West District in the Central Region.

According to her, the exercise is aimed at providing free quality health care to the residents as part of the NDC social democratic government health intervention policies.

She explained that the "DR.DR NDC " National Health ScreeningTeam embarked on such exercises for the underprivileged in deprived communities across the country, adding, with general elections coming up, it is appropriate to put electorate in shape of good health, especially the poor in society as most of them lack the funds to cater for their health needs.

The team, she said will screening residents in most of the communities within some of constituencies in the Ashanti region till the election day on December 7.

Already, the government has been registering and treating old citizens for free under the Aged Social protection programme of the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection in collaboration with the National Health Insurance Scheme( NHIS).

But expressing confidence in the success of the free health screening, Dr Catherine said: We have succeeded on the nation-wide programme and that caring for the aged and less privileged in the country, is the NDC social responsibility, and that had been a motivation to initiate DR.DR NDC, health screening."

TheFree Health Screening team, she indicated also formed part of her contribution to the NDC victory and would help to bridge the gap between far-flung villages and healthcare that is so often centrally available but out of reach for local folks.

The Deputy National Women's Organiser added that, if the party is able to sustain activities like the free health screening it will be helping to build a healthier families and healthier communities to support the transformational agenda of government.

She further charged party members to use the opportunity to preach the good work of President John Mahama and the need for him to be retain at the forthcoming general elections, adding the exercises sustainability is high under only the NDC Government.

Beneficiaries were screened for various diseases including malaria, Hypertension, amenities, breast cancer, blood pressure checking, body pains, random blood sugar testing and fever.

Some were provided with medications, but those with complicated cases were asked to seek further health care at the appropriate hospitals for treatment.
Airtel, the Smartphone Network, has taken its Service Excellence Clinic to Madina, a suburb of Accra, to avail its world class services to customers within the locality.

The Service Excellence Clinic, pioneered by the company, brings Airtels exceptional customer experience teams directly into the homes and localities of customers. Through the clinics, Airtel employees engage with customers, resolve their challenges and reward them with discounted offers and souvenirs.

The team spent the day educating customers on Airtels superior Voice, Data, Airtel Business and Airtel Money prepositions. They also engaged customers on Airtel Premiers unique offer for high value customers.

Airtel Premier, the first of its kind in the industry, provides unparalleled telecommunication and lifestyle offerings for high value customers. Airtel PremierCustomers enjoy offers such as exclusive access in Airtel shops, VVIP access to over 700 Airport lounges across the world, discounts on airfares, hotels, restaurants and free shopping vouchers.

Speaking to the Service ClinicFrank Gyan, Head of Customer Experience, said, This is one of many service clinics we have organised this year to bring our best-in-class services closer to our customers. As a business, we are aware that work and other commitments sometimes make it difficult for customers to visit our Customer Experience Centers for services. That is why we are bringing the Centers to them  to resolve their challenges and reward them for remaining loyal to Airtel.

As a business, delighting customers with our superior offerings and exceptional customer service is at the center of what we do at Airtel. Today, we had the pleasure of connecting with our customers, listening to their concerns and taking feedback to improve our service delivery. We also educated them on our tailored made telecom and lifestyle Premier offers, superior data and internet packages, our end-to-end enterprise solutions and Airtel Money  Ghanas most secured and convenient mobile finance platform. We will continue to roll out these Service Clinics across the country to connect with as many customers as we can. He concluded

Some lucky customers who participated in a lucky dip walked away with amazing souvenirs from Airtel.

As part of the drive to celebrate customers, some Airtel Premier customers and their spouses, who celebrated their birthdays in the month of October as well as those who have been on the network for a specified period of time will be specially recognised and rewarded over the weekend.

About Bharti Airtel

Bharti Airtel Limited is a leading global telecommunications company with operations in 18 countries across Asia and Africa. Headquartered in New Delhi, India, the company ranks amongst the top 3 mobile service providers globally in terms of subscribers. In India, the company's product offerings include 2G, 3G and 4G wireless services, mobile commerce, fixed line services, high speed DSL broadband, IPTV, DTH, enterprise services including national & international long distance services to carriers. In the rest of the geographies, it offers 2G, 3G and 4G wireless services and mobile commerce. Bharti Airtel had over 359 million customers across its operations at the end of July 2016. To know more please visit, www.airtel.com

About Airtel in Africa

Airtel is driven by the vision of providing affordable and innovative mobile services to all. Airtel has 17 operations in Africa: Burkina Faso, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Madagascar, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia. Airtel International is a Bharti Airtel company. For more information, please visit www.airtel.com, or like the Airtel Ghana Facebook page via www.facebook.com/airtelgh or follow us on Twitter via the handle @airtelghana.
Accra, Nov. 26, GNA - Unilever Ghana has announced the appointment of Mr Edward Effah, Mrs Edith Dankwah and Mr Philip Sowah as non-executive directors effective November 1, 2016.

'The company welcomes them to their new role, thanks them for accepting to support the company's vision and aspirations and looks forward to benefitting from the rich expertise and depth of experience that they will bring in the service of both the company and its shareholders,' Unilever Ghana said in a statement.

Mr Edward Effah is currently the Group CEO and Board Chairman of the Fidelity Group. He established the Fidelity Group in October 1998 after a successful career as a senior finance executive.

Mrs Edith Dankwa has built a solid reputation over the years in rendering consultancy services on marketing communications and has served as a market entry strategist for foreign businesses seeking to extend their operations to Africa.

She is also the Group Publisher and CEO of Business Times Africa Magazine (BT), Energy Today Magazine (ET) and Africa's leading source of credible and relevant business information, the Business& Financial Times (B&FT) newspaper and BIA Conferences, and Urban Press.

She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Management Studies from the University of Cape Coast, a Post Graduate Diploma in Marketing from the Chartered Institute of Marketing - Ghana, a Post Graduate Certificate in Newspaper Management from Inwent International Institute of Journalism, Germany and an Executive MBA from the GIMPA Business School. She is currently pursuing a doctoral degree in Business Administration (International Business) from Walden University in the USA.

Philip Sowah is a management consultant with over 24 years Senior Management experience in telecommunications, general management, information technology, and management consulting with Big 4 and Fortune 500 companies across the US, Africa and the Middle East.

He is currently the managing director of Afriwave Telecom Ghana Limited. Prior to Afriwave, Philip was the managing director of Airtel Ghana for six years where he managed the aggressive growth of the company to become the 3rd largest mobile network operator (MNO) in terms of revenue.

Meanwhile, Unilever also welcomes Mr Joseph Amuna to the board as Executive Director.

GNA
By Morkporkpor Anku, GNA

Accra, Nov. 26, GNA - The Forum of Ghanaian Elders has said 'careless talk costs lives' and divides a nation.

The Forum said public speaking in the country was steadily losing sight of the universally accepted norms.

The Most Reverend Dr Robert Aboagye-Mensah, the immediate-past Presiding Bishop of the Methodist Church Ghana, speaking at the Forum's maiden press conference, said careless language could lead to civil wars.

He said peace that was grounded on justice and fairness has lasting potentials and urged Ghanaians to maintain the current peace being enjoyed in the country.

Most Reverend Aboagye-Mensah said Ghana has been commended worldwide as a place where both Christians and Muslims have the highest cordial relationship and this must be maintained.

He expressed the hope that the Electoral Commission would listen to the concerns of the people and promote the interest of the state.

Mr Joe Lartey, a member of the Forum, said anyone speaking in public must be fully prepared and they must be honest in what they say so as to maintain the sacred bond of trust between speaker and audience.

'Avoid name calling and other forms of abusive language, words are powerful weapons; they cannot break bones but they inflict such ghastly wounds on the psyche of an individual that can defy healing,' he said.

GNA
By Iddi Yire, GNA

Dodowa (GAR), Nov. 26, GNA - The SNV Netherlands Development Organisation, will continue to help build capacities of civil society organisations (CSOs) in their advocacy roles and empower them to hold policymakers and companies accountable.

Mr Eric Banye, the Country Programme Coordinator (V4C Partnership) SNV Netherlands Development Organisation, said by so doing, CSOs would be contributing to an all-inclusive growth and development and help reduce inequality.

He said his organisation would continue encourage and capacitate CSOs in making use of evidence and data by contextualising results of research and availing knowledge products to policymakers and the public.

Mr Banye said during a three day workshop for media professionals on the SNV Netherlands Development Organisation's "The Voice for Change Partnership Programme (V4C)".

The V4C is an evidence based advocacy programme being implemented by the SNV Netherlands Development Organisation in partnership with the International Food and Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) and the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The Dutch Ministry is funding the programme for the period 2016 to 2020 as part of their worldwide effort to reinforce space for CSOs worldwide.

The programme is focused on four thematic areas - Food and Nutrition Security, Renewable Energy and WASH.

Mr Banye said the V4C seeks to ensure increase in equity and access to sustainable, equitable and affordable sanitation and hygiene services and products.

He said a study by the Global Analysis and Assessment of Sanitation and Drinking-Water (GLAAS) in 2013 shows that 17 million Ghanaians drink water that is not safe; whereas the World Health Organisation/United Nations International Children's Fund Joint Monitoring Team (WHO/UNICEF JMP 2015 report revealed that 19 percent of Ghana's population practice open defecation and 58 per cent use shared latrines.

"More than five in six Ghanaians do not have access to improved sanitation; 3,600 children under five die annually in Ghana from diarrhoea," WHO 2015 - Global Health Observatory data repository.

Mr Banye said research findings indicate that $ 290 million a year is lost in Ghana due to poor sanitation and $ 79 million a year lost in Ghana due to open defecation.

He said Ghana has exceeded its Millennium Development Goal (MDG) target of 78 per cent for drinking water, but off-track from the MDG target of 54 per cent for sanitation and hygiene.

He said research shows that 20 per cent of urban population has access to improved sanitation facilities, while only eight per cent of the rural population had access to improved sanitation facilities.

On water coverage, Mr Banye said inequity still exist between urban and rural coverage, between the wealthy and poor class in the community; adding that women and girls suffer most.

"The needy lack the voice on issues and also lack representation in the decision-making process," he said.

He said the lack of commitment to implement existing bye-laws, policies, regulations and frameworks, was hampering efforts to ensure that the WASH project was effectively implemented.

Mr Banye said several CSOs exist in Ghana but their efforts were uncoordinated and not backed by real evidence.

He said in order to address the issue of sanitation in the country, there is the need for attitudinal change among Ghanaians.

SNV is an international not-for-profit development organisation, funded from public and private sources, working in 38 countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America.

It specialises in supporting the resourcefulness of development actors by developing local capacities, improving performance and services, strengthening governance systems and helping to create access for excluded groups.

GNA
By Iddi Yire, GNA

Accra, Nov. 26, GNA - Mr Raphael Apetorgbor, a youth activist, has called on the Electoral Commission and all stakeholders to ensure transparency and fairness in the December 7 polls.

This, he said, would ensure peace and stability before during and after the general election.

Speaking to the Ghana News Agency in Accra over the weekend, Mr Apetorgbor said it is important for the youth and electorate to behave maturely to ensure a smooth electoral process that would ensure a very credible and transparent polls on December 7.

Mr Apetorgbor, who is also a former Media Relations Director of the Private Universities Students' Association of Ghana, said he had a firm belief in electing leaders through a transparent electoral process devoid of favoritism or nepotism.

'I believe in transparency and good leadership in electing our leaders. This mostly ensures peace and unity after the winner is declared', Mr Apetorgbor said.

He expressed unhappiness with the practice of some politicians who seek to influence the youth with money to perpetuate electoral violence.

He advised the youth to resist all attempts by any politician or pressure group to use them to foment trouble in this year's electioneering.

Mr Apetorgbor said the youth must rather conduct themselves in a peaceful and responsible manner and shun all acts that could plunge this country into chaos.

Mr Apetorgbor urged the youth to be mindful of those who encourage them to commit these crimes which could lead them to prison or death.

He said Ghana had chalked up a lot of successes in its democratic dispensation and called on all stakeholders to play their roles to sustain and consolidate the gains chalked.

GNA
By D.I. Laary, GNA

Accra, Nov. 26, GNA - The Ghana Armed Forces has organised an interactive session with editors and senior journalists as part of efforts to build stronger alliance with the press to curb political violence ahead the 2016 polls.

Over the weekend, 24 private and public media outlets met with the military high command and the Inspector General of Police to discuss ways to preserve the prevailing peace and security.

This is the second time this year the military has held such fora with the media and prior to this, a similar encounter was organised in 1999.

Air Marshal Michael Samson-Oje, the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), said the Armed Forces and other partner security institutions are prepared to safeguard the sanctity of Ghana's democracy.

He urged media practitioners to work closely with the security in order to guarantee peaceful, free and fair elections.

'It is not for nothing that the media is referred to as the fourth estate of the realm,' Sampson-Oje said, describing the media as 'political and institutional force' whose authority ought not be taken too lightly.

The power of the media has been amplified by technological advances in recent years, he said, and this has transformed journalism in the country.

It has expanded its capacity to further the cause of democracy and at the same time there is the need to be careful of its potential to create challenges, he said.

'We will like to call on the media to give the people of Ghana timely and fair reportage and also to block out anyone who uses foul or abusive language or any form of hate speech,' he said.

The CDS also advised the youth against manipulation by the political actors to foment trouble and destabilise national peace as the political campaign intensifies.

'I want to sound a note of caution to any person or group of persons who intend to cause any kind of trouble during the election period,' he said, 'We in the military are ready and prepared together with the police and other sister security services to deal ruthlessly with any such person or group.'

'I wish to especially appeal to our young and energetic youth not to allow themselves to be deceived and be used for violent acts.'

He said the Armed Forces would abide by all the ethical codes and principles of the military in the prosecution of their assigned tasks in the forthcoming elections.

'We intend to play our role without prejudice, fear or favour,' he said, 'we remain committed to our oath to defend the territorial integrity of the nation, and in this resolve, we shall not falter.'

Commissioner of Police Christian Tetteh Yohonu, the Director of Operations of the Ghana Police Service, said it is untrue that the police hierarchy has added new names to the special voters list contrary to the law.

'It is not true that we are adding new names to the special voting list so as to bloat it, whether the person is voting on the voting day or is voting on the special day, the person has only one opportunity to vote,' he said.

'There is nothing like any new names, all the people that we have are all registered, valid voters, and they have the opportunity to vote only once.'

Barely two weeks from now around 14 million Ghanaians will go to the polls to choose a president and 275 lawmakers in nearly 29,000 polling stations across the country.

Political pundits have predicted the 2016 polls to be a close race between the ruling National Democratic Congress John Dramani Mahama and the main opposition New Patriotic Party Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

GNA
26.11.2016 LISTEN

Gambaga (N/R), Nov. 26, GNA - First Lady Mrs Lordina Mahama says Ghanaian women are the most affected in terms of health and discrimination despite the fact that they form majority of the population.

'It is about time we stopped discrimination against women, especially the elderly ones and rather show them love during their old age. They need our care, support and love more than ever at this stage of their lives' Mrs Mahama said when she interacted with the inmates of the Gambaga Witches Camp in the Northern Region.

'It is my belief that everybody especially the less privileged women in society have the right to live a normal life and also be given the opportunity to become responsible in society just like any other person', she said.

The First Lady went to visit the inmates as part of her recent tour to parts of the Northern and Brong Ahafo Regions where she presented assorted items, equipment and medical supplies to various hospitals, institutions and children's homes.

She donated assorted items to the inmates at the Camp to help in their upkeep and paid homage to the late Madam Tachira Mutara, former Magazia (Leader) of the camp who passed away in May after a short illness.

She described Madam Mutara as a peace loving and dedicated leader who did all she could to ensure that residents of the camp lived peacefully with each other.

'She is not known to the rest of the world. She will not receive an award or honour, but for those of us who knew her and worked with her, this woman deserved a Nobel Prize'.

Mrs Mahama said she found it difficult to understand why women at their old age would be accused of witchcraft, neglected, excluded from their communities and thrown into a secluded camp.

'Have we ever, as Ghanaians sat down to think about the trauma they go through whiles in the camp? Have we considered their welfare and human rights, the right to live a dignified life? If we did, the world would be a better place for all irrespective of our social standing.'

She again questioned why it was only grandmothers who were often accused of witchcraft and not grandfathers, saying, 'These are all old superstitions created to keep women down'.

Meanwhile, Mrs Mahama has pledged the Lordina Foundation's commitment to continue to support and empower women irrespective of where they found themselves.

She urged people not to blame their grandmothers if they had not been successful in life.

'Blame yourself. Your lack of success or inability to gain something in life is not the making of any old lady or witchcraft. Look into yourself and continue praying to God', she advised.

She urged movie directors to change their scripts which most often portrayed women as witches as this remains stuck in the minds of the people who watch such movies.

'I am looking forward to the day when society will stop accusing old women of witchcraft. I will be the happiest person in the world' the First Lady said.

She said to make life worth living for the aged and also recognizing the importance of empowering women, government through the Ministry of Gender and Social Protection, would continue to provide LEAP support for residents of the camp, the aged, state orphanages and leprosaria across the country.

She said the Ministry would also launch the National Gender Policy to mainstream Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment into Ghana's development efforts, as it has already launched the first Government Shelter for abused women and children, and provided free National Health Insurance Scheme registration for over 800 residents of witches' camps.

She said the President remains committed to ensuring that women were empowered and partook in the decision making process in the country.

Mrs Mahama said her Foundation would continue to complement government efforts in ensuring that residents of the camp lived decent and dignified lives.

She said when the ongoing building project at the new camp in Gambaga, which would serve as accommodation and Vocational Training School for the inmates and their children, was finally completed; it would provide some comfort for the inmates who would be moved from their current dilapidated abode to the new camp.

Ms Ruth Aloriwer, Programme Officer of the Gambaga Witches Camp, said there were currently 106 inmates at the camp, all of whom are being taken care of through the benevolence of the First Lady and other Christian organisations as well as the Chief of Gambaga.

She said the ages of the inmates ranged from 40 and 80 years and they were also surviving through the making and selling of handicrafts like beads jewelry, bangles, and soap making, among others.

The 30-bedroom apartment being built for the inmates is expected to be completed in three months time.

Mr Abudulai Abubakar, Northern Regional Minister, said the gesture by the First Lady to the needy and vulnerable all over the country was in consonance with the democratic credentials of the National Democratic Congress.

'She has been carrying out this great gesture to better the lot of the people', he said.

GNA
Worta-Ettekope (V/R), Nov. 26, GNA - Mr James Gunu, Akatsi North District Chief Executive (DCE), has said Ghana could soon become reference point for medical excellence in Africa because of available health infrastructure and competent human resource.

He said healthcare accessibility was no longer a challenge in both the rural and urban centres.

Mr Gunu, who was commissioning a three-room CHPs Compound for Worta-Ettekope, said the massive investments made by government in the health and road sector would also help in reducing infant mortality.

He appealed to the healthcare staff to take advantage of the improved environment to scale-up care for the sick and expectant mothers.

Mr Gunu said four new CHPs compounds were built in the District, three old ones were renovated and some weighing sheds were added to the lot over the past four years.

He said the Worta-Ettekope area has so far benefited from 11 projects, including street lights, a six-unit school block and water supply.

Mr Gunu urged the communities to support staff posted to the facilities to enable them do their best.

He donated 50 bags of cement and 10 plastic chairs to support the effort being made at the residence.

Mr Gunu also urged the residents to fully participate in the coming polls.

Mr Bright Kpaga, a Police Chief Inspector of Aflao, said the security personnel will not tolerate trouble makers during the December elections.

GNA
Enyan Abaasa (C/R), Nov. 26, GNA - Vice President Kwesi Amissah-Arthur has called on people who publish pre-election polls to desist from making false claims that certain parties are winning the elections.

He said such statements give wrong impression to their supporters and when they do not win they think somebody has done something to the elections.

Vice President Amissah-Arthur made the call at the inauguration of a Boys Dormitory block for the Enyan Abaasa Technical Institute in the Ajumako-Enyan -Essiam District of the Central Region.

The school, which was started by the community in 1989, was given final approval in 2010 to operate as a Day Secondary School.

The visit forms part of the second phase of the Vice President's campaign tour of the Central Region.

Vice President Amissah-Arthur was accompanied by Madam Ama Benyiwa Doe, Member of the Council of State, MS Barbara Serwah Asamoah, Deputy Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Mr Yaw Boateng Gyan, and former National Organizer of the NDC among others.

Vice President Amissah-Arthur said wrong opinion polls have the potential to undermine the work of the Electoral Commission (EC) and create problems for the country.

He said the constant attack on the work of the EC can weaken the integrity of the institution and set the stage for people to reject the results when it is announced.

He appealed to people publishing such opinion polls to be careful about what they are doing and its effects on the nation's stability.

You may be doing this for people who may not understand the process, and may believe they going to win and then don't win, then they become violent; this is all that we trying to discourage,' he said.

Vice President Amissah-Arthur also urged the students to analyze the manifestoes and policies of all the political parties to enable them make informed decisions as who to vote for.

He said the priority of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government is to put people first in terms of education and health.

Nana Osagyefo Ankwanu II, Chief of Enyan Abaasa, praised the Mahama led government for working with chiefs to enhance the development of the country.

He also commended Mr Casely Ato Forson, Deputy Minister of Finance and Member of Parliament (MP) for Ajumako-Enyan-Essiam constituency for providing developmental projects to the area.

He appealed for administration block, staff bungalows, pickup truck for the school, water and boarding facilities for the girls.

Nana Osagyefo Ankwanu also called on the MP to ensure that the tarring of the road Enyan Abaasa to Enyan Main is completed on schedule.

He said the winner of the December 7 elections should be magnanimous in their victory whiles runners up should accept their fate, being reminded that there is no looser after December 7 because of the people's belief in democracy.

Nana Osagyefo Ankwanu urged leaders of political parties to embrace moral restraining orders to stay away from their opponents ground to keep him safe.

Mr Paul Ansah, the Headmaster of the school, said the school was started in 1989 by the community to provide employable skills to Enyan Abaasa and surrounding communities.

He said after many attempts by the community final approval was given in 2010 for it to operate as a secondary school.

He said the student population currently stands at 336 made up of 282 boys and 54 girls.

The school offer programmes in electrical engineering technology, automobile engineering, building construction technology, fashion and designing, catering and hospitality management and business accounting.

Vice President Amissah-Arthur also paid courtesy call on Daasebre Kwebu Ewusi, Paramount Chief of the Abeadze Traditional Area to congratulate him on winning the election to become the Vice President of National House of Chiefs.

He also addressed NDC supporters at mini rallies in Gomoa Afransi, Esti Sonkwaa and Anomabo where he introduced Rachel Apoh, Mr Casely Ato Forson and Mr James Essoun as the NDC Parliamentary candidates for the Gomoa Central constituencies to the people.

GNA
By Kwamina Tandoh/Elizabeth Tetteh, GNA

Accra, Nov. 26, GNA - Perfector of Sentiments (POS), a youth development focused Non-Governmental Organisation, has engaged some youth on the need to ensure that peace prevails in the country.

Under a project dubbed: 'I Pledge Peace Ghana 2016', and supported by UNESCO, the forum was a culmination of a non-partisan, citizen-led youth online campaign which involved people posting their pictures along with a peace message on the project's Facebook page.

The forum, which took place at the Silver Star Tower, Airport, was attended by many young people in peace T-shirts who held hands to form a human chain- a symbol of unity and tolerance.

Mr Jonathan Osei Owusu, Executive Director for POS Foundation, in an interview with the Ghana News Agency, said members of the campaign were drawn from the ten regions of the country and it involved people from all walks of life who volunteered to be advocates of peace.

'Peace is not merely a gift to be received; it is a task to be undertaken. We have no reason to be absolutely sure that because we have resolved electoral disputes over the years, we can take the 2016 elections for granted.

This is why POS Foundation and UNESCO have initiated this programme with a call on the youth not to allow themselves to be used as perpetrators of any violent act, he said.

Remember that 'if your party wins and you have an amputated limb, the party or that government cannot give you back your missing limb,' Mr Owusu said.

He urged the youth vote conscientiously to ensure that justice is served through the ballot box and not through violence.

Nana Ama McBrown, an Actress, who joined the youth to preach the message of peace, said conflicts has caused unrests and led to the loss of lives and properties in our neighbouring countries and Ghana must strive harder to maintain the existing peace.

'I have decided to join the social media campaign for peace because the youth are on these platforms and I believe that we can use it to pledge for peace, preach peace and say no to violence.

'I was in Cote d'Ivoire during their crisis and do not wish the same for Ghana. So let us all come on board and pledge peace for our nation,' Nana Ama McBrown said.

GNA
The Electoral Commission has said that it will replace the six (6) ballot boxes that supposedly fell off a pickup truck, and went missing in the Western Region before Election Day on December 7th.

In a post on its official Facebook page, the EC stated that, for the six empty ballot boxes that fell off the pickup truck in the Western Region, a report has been made to the police. They will be replaced by the Commission before election day.

The NPP in the Western Region which raised red flags over the incident ; has called on its constituency executives in the region; to go to their respective district EC offices and ensure that all ballot papers are counted.

Public angry over replacement

Meanwhile, over 130 persons who commented on the EC's post as at the time of our check; expressed their anger over the Commission's reaction to the issue.

According to them, the EC must commit itself to assisting the police in looking for the missing ballot boxes rather than replacing them.

Some argued that the danger associated with the six getting into wrong hands can have disturbing consequences on the December 7 polls.

Speaking to Citi News in Takoradi, the Western Regional Secretary of the NPP, Charles Cromwell Bissue, explained that on 16th of November 2016, when the ballot boxes were being transported to the various constituencies in the region, in between Tarkwa, six of the boxes went missing. It was reported to the Tarkwa Police; but later had to be reported to the Kwesimintsim Police Command yesterday [Friday]. We got wind of it and we were told the police have started investigations it.

'We're unhappy'

He added that, as a political party we are not happy. As a result, we have called for a regional executive committee meeting to look into the matter. The reason is that; as a political party we are trying to restore democratic integrity into our electoral processes. However, there are so much suspicions transpiring now, in view of the fact that people do not trust the EC now. We were helping the EC to restore integrity but it appears the EC does not want it.

Poor security for election materials?

It appears there's very little security for the election materials considering the importance of such a national exercise.

When Citi News visited the Western Regional office of the Electoral Commission, the election materials were being arranged in the open with no security.

The wired-fence wall to the regional office has collapsed for several months, making the premises easily accessible.



By: Obrempong Yaw Ampofo/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Dwayne Orville Andreas, the pocket-sized hurricane that built a sleepy soybean processor, Archer Daniels Midland Co., into a global giant, died Wednesday, Nov. 16, in a Decatur, Illinois, hospital. He was 98.

Andreass career was as long and profitable as it was remarkable and jaded. Earlier this month someone again asked me if it was true that the ADM corporate jet was the only unescorted American aircraft permitted in Soviet airspace during the Cold War because it carried Andreas and his grocery sack of needed American farm goods.

True or not, the story captures the legend of the worlds soybean king. On his way to the throne, however, the federal government twice caught ADM breaking the law.

The first time, in 1978, according to the New York Times, was for fixing prices on grain sold to the Food for Peace Program. The second, in 1996, led to ADM pleading guilty to criminal charges of price fixing.

Both scandals stopped short of charging Andreas directly, but the second delivered his son, Michael, to federal prison while dear old dad accepted an offer of immunity.

Thats the ADM-Andreas history most farmers know: ADM copping to criminal price-fixing charges based on secret recordings made by a company insider, later identified as Mark Whitacre, an ADM division vice president. Heres some history many may not know.

Not long after the June 1995 Federal Bureau of Investigation raid on ADMs headquarters, the Department of Justice began to see their star witness, Whitacre, dim.

The problem was that Whitacre, now an accused embezzler, had been talking  to everyone. He talked to Scott Kilman of the Wall Street Journal, Nancy Millman of the Chicago Tribune, Sharon Walsh of the Washington Post, Ron Henkoff of Fortune magazine, John Stebbins of Bloomberg News, Kurt Eichenwald of the New York Times, and, beginning in July 1996, me.

He wasnt the only one talking. In mid-1996, my fax machine began spitting out unedited FBI interview notes, yet-to-be published news stories and something called The Watch Letter, a multi-page effort filled with insider information, gossip and tips on the ADM case.

The Letter was written by David and Carol Hoech, owners of Global Consultants, a small Florida-based firm with deep ties to international ag markets. David, too, talked endlessly, mostly off the record, to journalists about ADM and Dwayne Andreas. He openly despised both.

Still, journalists talked to Hoech because he seemed to have friends, sources and tipsters everywhere. If you wanted the number of Dwayne Andreass bedside telephone, Hoech had it. Raw transcripts of FBI interviews conducted yesterday? Hoech was your guy. Need to talk to Whitacre? Call Hoech and Mark would be on the line a minute later.

Who was this rainmaker?

After two decades of talking to Hoech, its still hard to say. He did know Whitacre, ADM, and global ag products like no one else. ADM, he preached, embodied everything wrong with American business  rigged prices, dishonest dealings, phony front groups, and contempt for customers.

Dealing with Hoech, however, was not easy. He was loud, pushy and fearless. Shortly after we met, I began to receive anonymous, threatening telephone calls from who knew.

Relax, man, Hoech would advise, thats just ADM.

A second later hed ask, Hey, man, you own a gun? He wasnt joking.

Then, on Labor Day 1996, no matter who I dialed on any of my three office lines, I always got the same person at the same place: ADM Security, this is Betty. Hoechs phones had the same problem.

Was I scared? Top to bottom. I used a neighbors telephone to call the FBI, the same FBI that had raided ADM a year earlier. No one ever called back.

Hoech, however, did. And he kept calling  for 20 years. Often Id pick up the phone to hear, Hey, brother, you OK?

David Hoech died Aug. 8, 2015, not quite two months after my family and I saw him in his comfortable home west of St. Louis. We had a lengthy, laugh-filled visit before his ailment, pulmonary disease, drained him of all color and energy. It was time to say that good-bye.

Dont worry about me, Hoech growled in my ear as he leaned heavily on me to steady himself; Im gonna outlive that little (expletive) in Decatur.

It was one of the rare times he got it wrong.
Some Nigerian Army troops patrolling between Pulka and Maiduguri, the Borno state capital have been caught in an Improvised Explosive Devise (IED) explosion, Premium Times reports.

The incident occurred early on Saturday, November, 26.

Premium Times reports that the affected troops are of the 122 Task Force Battalion, Pulka, in Borno State.

[caption id="attachment_1058835" align="alignnone" width="800"] Army spokesman Col. Sani Usman Kukasheka says the arrested female major is an impersonator[/caption]

The soldiers, it writes, ran into the land mine between Banki junction and Bama as they carried out an escort patrol from Pulka to Maiduguri.

READ ALSO: Ex-minister abducted in Buharis nephews home regains freedom

Five soldiers were badly injured and have been taken to Bama for first aid by a patrol team from that area.

The distance between Bama and Banki junction is just 7km. There are troops deployed in-between yet Boko Haram terrorists still sneak in and plant mines.

They sneak in at night and plant the mines. They know troops would always move in the morning, a military analyst was quoted as saying while explaining how the incident could have occurred.

READ ALSO: After Buhari charged him to stop Niger Delta violence, TY Danjuma falls greatly sick

Meanwhile, the Army has said that a woman arrested wearing military uniform along Gwagwalada road in Abuja on Friday, November 26 was an impersonator.

The army said Juliana Gumel was not a major, neither was she carrying Improvised Explosive Devices (IED) or with kids when she was arrested. She is now undergoing interrogation.

Mr. Usman, a colonel, said: She claimed to be a Medical Doctor and a major with a fake private soldiers outdated identity card. But not with IED. I believe Guards Brigade or the Nigeria Police will issue a formal statement on it.

Source: Legit.ng
Prompted by reports of racist taunts and jokes directed at minority students, the superintendent of Catholic schools in the Lincoln Diocese wrote a letter to high school students, teachers, administrators and parents condemning such actions.

The letter noted that schools across the country have reported an increase in such incidents and theyve been reported or observed within the high schools in the Lincoln Diocese.

The letter doesnt offer any details about the reports or which high schools have reported incidents, nor does it say how many have occurred.

The Diocese of Lincoln includes six high schools and 26 elementary schools in southeastern Nebraska, including Lincoln's Pius X.

The Southern Poverty Law Center has counted more than 700 cases of hateful harassment or intimidation across the country since Donald Trump was elected president on Nov. 8.

Trump built his campaign around promises to deport illegal immigrants, build a wall along the Mexican border and implement "extreme vetting" of Muslim immigrants.

Jokes about ethnic groups, taunts about the prospects of deportation or mistreatment, or the use of stereotypes about ethnicities are all forms of racism and none of them will be tolerated in our schools, the letter from Monsignor John Perkinton said.

The letter instructs students to report such incidents to administrators or teachers, and for those teachers and administrators to address them promptly. It also encourages parents with concerns to contact administrators.

I am proud that the staff and faculty of Catholic high schools in the Diocese of Lincoln take these matters seriously and I expect continued attention to this issue, Perkinton wrote.

Pius Principal Tom Korta sent the letter to parents and read it to students during their second-period class on Tuesday and suggested it might be an opening for discussion at home about how its possible to disagree with someone and still treat them with love and respect.

It saddens me how much anger and division there seems to be in this country, especially surrounding this past election, he wrote in a weekly letter to parents.

The Journal Star obtained a copy of the letters and neither Korta nor a spokesperson from the Diocese could be reached for comment Friday. Korta's letter doesn't say whether such incidents have been reported at Pius.

The letter from the Diocese says that unity in Jesus Christ runs deeper than any kind of racial or ethnic division and calls on the church to be a voice of justice.

At times of racial or ethnic division in our country, the church, and every member of the church, is called to (be) a voice of justice, of unity, and of respect, it says. Our Catholic schools are especially called to those virtues.
A medical student at the University of Benin (Uniben) has broken records, even as he got 19 awards at the institution's last convocation ceremony.

The student, Pius Ehiremen Ojemolon was the toast of the day, as he was called upon severally to receive his awards.

Pius Ehiremen Ojemolon has been described as a genius as he was the recipient of 19 awards at the last Uniben convocation.

READ ALSO: 9 Nigerians that will make you proud to be Nigerian (photos)

Nigeria has so many genius's like Pius Ehiremen, many of them doing the nation proud even in the diaspora. Only recently, a young and talented boy from Ebonyi state, Ihere-serg Mascot, assembled a car which is powered by solar energy.

The 16-year-old boy said his car does not emit gas neither does it use fuel.

According to one Facebook user, Hon Agwu Francis, Mascot presented the car to Governor David Nweze Umahi of Ebonyi state at the government house, Abakaliki.

In a similar vein, Yusuf Ololade Faidat a graduate of the University of Ilorin has won 19 prizes for her academic performance.

Daily Trust reports that the lady who is in her early 20s was the star graduate at the Department of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences and was recognised at the ceremony held on Saturday, October 22.

She received the N20,000 prize from the senate for being the best student in her faculty and N10,000 for being the best graduate in her department.

She also got the prizes for best student in the departments of Behavioural Sciences, Pathology, Community medicine, Paediatrics and child health, Medicine, Ophthalmology, Obstetrics and gynaecology and Surgery.

Source: Legit.ng
2016 Master Classics of Poker Amsterdam: Zoufri and Sperling Heads Up for the Title

November 25, 2016 Frank Op de Woerd

The final table of the 2016 Master Classics of Poker Main Event in the Dutch capital of Amsterdam saw nine players take their seats to battle for the 275,608 first-place prize. The final table, which started extremely deep after a relatively short Day 3, was meant to play down to a winner. In the end, that didn't come to be as two players remained when the government-owned casino closed at 3 a.m.

While Juha Helppi started out as the chipleader and Charlie Carrel headlined the event after making two final tables earlier this festival, they didn't get close to the title and busted well before the final hand was played. After a hopefully good night of rest, Hakim Zoufri (photo) and Fabio Sperling will return to the casino on Saturday for the heads-up portion of the event.

Player Country Chip Count Hakim Zoufri Netherlands 5,670,000 Fabio Sperling Germany 5,000,000 Position Player Country Prize 1 275,608 2 184,820 3 Ivan Arbatsky Kazachstan 128,147 4 Juha Helppi Finland 92,057 5 Stefan Fabian Romania 68,514 6 Samuli Sipila Finland 52,584 7 Michiel Brosky Netherlands 41,447 8 Rashed Zade Netherlands 33,411 9 Charlie Carrel United Kingdom 27,349

Juha Helppi, Hakim Zoufri, Samuli Sipila, Ivan Arbatsky and Stefan Fabian

What was supposed to be the final day of the 2016 MCOP Main Event started out with nine players still in contention for the first-place prize, the MCOP plate and the coveted trophy unique to Holland's biggest annual poker tournament.

The first bust out would reshape the final table and influence its outcome in a tremendous way. A cooler between Carrel with the ace-king and Sperling with pocket queens, resulted in Carrel departing first. Sperling got rid of a very dangerous neighbor and a much bigger stack.

Short stack Rashed Zade was next to go as he reshoved ace-king into Ivan Arbatsky who had raised and then called with pocket sixes. The coin flip was won by the man from Kazakhstan while the hometown player departed in eighth place.

Another Dutch player would be next to go as Michiel Brosky exited in seventh place. He found himself on the wrong end of a cooler as he too reshipped ace-king, but walked straight into the aces of, again, Ivan Arbatsky.

Samuli Sipila, who had started the final table as the shortest stack but had now laddered considerably, went under with ace-king. He got it in against the queen-ten of Hakim Zoufri and the latter made a straight on the river to send the Fin home.

The only Romanian player, Stefan Fabian, had his head on the chopping block next. He was one of the shorter stacks when he was shoved on by Arbatsky. Fabian looked down on ace-king and quickly called. Arbatsky had ten-six suited and hit a six on the flop to send Fabian packing.

Spotting a pattern there wasn't hard; everyone could see that ace-king wasn't doing any good today. Nonetheless, Helppi went with it anyway and would regret it soon enough. Ace-king proved fatal once again as Helppi walked his top hand into the queens of Fabio Sterling to go out in fourth place. Helppi, who had started the final table as chipleader after stone bubbling the event last year, still seemed unfazed by it all when he walked to the payout desk to collect his 92,057.

With three players remaining, Sperling had a massive advantage over both his opponents, but play was anything but shallow. Both of the shorter stacks were still 30 big blinds deep. Arbatsky, the man from Kazachstan who had, much to the applause of a three-row deep rail, picked a local song as his introduction tune, couldn't hold on to them. Slowly but surely he started losing chips, bleeding parts of his stack in a lot of small pots. In another cooler, he pushed with queens over Zoufri's raise only to find Sperling repush behind him with ace-queen. If Zoufri had called, it could've been all over in one final hand, but the last standing Dutchman opted to fold his eights instead of going with them. Arbatsky found himself in good position to double up, but an ace on the flop spoiled it for him and he made his exit in third place.

The two remaining players battled for a little over an hour before the casino had to close. By the time the chips went in the bags, Hakim Zoufri had overtaken Fabio Sperling as chipleader after one big bluff and multiple smaller pots.

The two return to Holland Casino Amsterdam at 4 p.m. local time to face each other for the check worth 275,608 in between them. They're already guaranteed 184,820, something that might help them find a good night of sleep.

PokerNews.com returns to the battleground tomorrow, so check back then to find out who has taken down the most prestigious event in The Netherlands as the Main Event of the 25th anniversary Master Classics of Poker concludes.

275,608, a unique MCOP plate and a set of Skullcandy headphones awaits the champion
First Doctor to Join SevenPoint2 Philippines, Dr. Denise Ruiz M.D., Endorses 7.2 Alkaline Wellness Products and Opens SevenPoint2 Stockist Center

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-- First Doctor to Join SevenPoint2 Philippines, Dr. Denise Ruiz M.D., Endorses 7.2 Alkaline Wellness Products and Opens SevenPoint2 Stockist Center. One of the Founders Jason Boreyko was so delighted when he heard the news.Dr. Denise Ruiz M.D. was introduced to SevenPoint2 by her cousin and was encouraged to conduct her own research on the health benefits that the 7.2 wellness products offer. A curious scholar by nature, she accepted the challenge, and during her lengthy and intense research, Dr. Ruiz learned and experienced much more than she imagined.As one of only seventy Filipino doctors in her medical profession specialty of Pediatric Cardiology, and prior to learning about SevenPoint2, Dr. Ruiz was a self-proclaimed skeptic with any products and supplements other than traditional medicine. After her own in-depth research and personal successes with the 7.2 products, we are proud to announce that she is the first doctor to join the Philippines SevenPoint2 team! Dr. Ruiz and her team celebrated the grand opening of the Gensan City SevenPoint2 Stockist Center in Philippines on October 8, 2016, which she owns and manages.is an inspiring testimony to how it has changed her and her family's lives. She now shares her journey with her patients and their families."I was (emphasis on was) one of those doctors who believed more in traditional medicine (synthetics)than homeopathic or "natural" alternatives. I was taught in medical school about evidence-based medicine so when I was first introduced to SevenPoint2 I was skeptical. Rather than try to sell me on the products, my cousin Yeng, who introduced me to SevenPoint2, suggested I do my own research on molecular hydrogen. As if I was working on my own paper, I researched and sought out all the articles and reviews on molecular hydrogen I could find. My next task was to test the 7.2 products. My Father, who was already a proponent of supplements agreed to be my first test case. He had been experiencing discomfort in his legs and was not sleeping through the night. After three days of being on the 7.2 products, he began noticing a huge difference, and was very excited about the results and how good he was feeling. My Mother became my second test case. She had been suffering with recurrent shoulder discomfort and had been taking traditional medication for her ailment. My Father encouraged her to give Recovery with HydroFX a try. A skeptic like me, she reluctantly agreed. She was so delighted with the way she felt after just a few days, she purchased an Alkaline Trio Pack!After watching both my parents have such amazing success, I decided it was my turn to give the 7.2 products a try. I had been having a difficult time recovering from an injury, and the medication I had been taking wasn't working plus plus it was upsetting my stomach, so I decided to try the Alkaline Trio Pack. I noticed results very quickly without any side effects.My son is now also taking the products and I've noticed an increase in both his energy level and his overall health and well-being.As a Pediatric Cardiologist, I am involved in the care of children suffering with heart problems. Thanks to these wonderful 7.2 products, I am now able to share my experience with my patients and their their families, and hopefully help them to feel better and live healthier, fuller lives ."  Dr. Denise Ruiz, M.D.www.sevenpoint2.com/disclaimers
A dozen holiday-themed beers tapped nightly, Dec. 1-12. Turtle Dove, Chocolate Orange, Vanilla Latte among new flavors.

By: Bavarian Inn Restaurant

Michigan on Main Bar and Grill at Bavarian Inn Restaurant

Contact

Sue Voyles, Logos Communications

***@logos-communications.com Sue Voyles, Logos Communications

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-- Calling all "stout-hearted"craft beer lovers for an opportunity to sample a dozen differently flavored "Milkshake Stouts" at the Bavarian Inn Restaurant's (http://www.bavarianinn.com)Michigan on Main Bar and Grill from Dec. 1-12.The "12 Days of Milkshake Stout" progressive tap takeover is in partnership with the Rochester Mills Brewing Co., maker of the craft beers, including the original formula known for its smooth texture and surprisingly light body. Guests may purchase a variety of Milkshake Stouts during the free admission event."Our patrons look forward to this event each year," said Bavarian Inn Marketing Manager Mandy Borsenik. "Rochester Mills Brewing produces outstanding craft beers that sell out quickly."Each evening beginning at 6 p.m., Michigan on Main will start offering one of the individually-flavored stouts until each keg runs out. A total of 40 bars and restaurants across Michigan will be hosting the progressive tap takeover event. Representatives from Rochester Mills Beer Co. will be on hand select nights to pass out brewery swag and offer patrons a chance to win an invitation to a future new-release party at its brewery.This year's "12 Days of Milkshake Stout" limited-edition flavors, in random order, include: Imperial Blueberry Pancake Chocolate Cheesecake Cinnamon Swirl French Toast Turtle Dove  Chocolate Caramel Pecan Bananas Foster Santa's Breath - Peppermint German Chocolate Cake Bourbon Barrel Aged Chocolate Orange Toasted Marshmallow VanillaLatteMichigan on Main Bar and Grill inside the Bavarian Inn Restaurant is a casual and contemporary dining space showcasing Michigan-sourced food along with Michigan craft-brewed beers, Michigan wines and specialty Michigan cocktails.For more information, visit www.bavarianinn.com , or contact the Bavarian Inn Restaurant at 1-800-BAVARIA or (989) 652-9941.Celebrating 125 years of service in 2013, the Bavarian Inn Restaurant has become a Michigan landmark. Generations of diners, lodgers and tourists from around the globe have discovered true Bavarian hospitality thanks to Dorothy and her late husband William "Tiny" Zehnder. Guests experience the old-world European charm of the Bavarian Inn  whether it's the famous chicken dinners, fresh baked goods or Michigan's greatest selection of German beer. Bavarian Inn also prides itself on being one of the top consumers of Pure Michigan agricultural products. Nestled within a backdrop of authentic German architecture, a variety of shops and other fun activities, a trip to Frankenmuth would not be complete without a visit to the Bavarian Inn. Learn more at www.bavarianinn.com.Bavarian Inn online press room: http://www.logos- communications.com/ bavarianinn/
By: Vision Strike Wear

Contact

4802 SW Scholls-Ferry Rd Ste C

Portland, OR 97225

***@vision-strike- wear.com 4802 SW Scholls-Ferry Rd Ste CPortland, OR 97225

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-- To win on the modern battlefield you have to take the high ground. The US Air Force knows this and accomplishes this.As the youngest of the United States Military branches the United States Air Force the responsibilities they are tasked with are awesome in nature. The battlefield has changed over the years and although it is still the front lines whether on the ground, at sea or in the air it has elevated to an entirely new level. The Heavens.Technology now that is has gone into hyper activity where everyone is connected and has access to more data that the manned NASA Mercury launches is now fought with computers, drones, continental level intelligence gathering, computer viruses and satellites.From the USA Air Forces earlies days in to the new technology frontier the USAF has fought as one of the smallest but most essential branches of the military.This One over All USAF design was created specifically for the purpose of illustrating how early the tech was when the USAF started and how it has advanced way beyond its earlier years. The face of the fearless Prop King with skulls, propellers, old World War 2 Ace goggles and head gear bring an antique and highly detailed look to the military art found at Vision-Strike-Wear.com.With the tech found at VSW you can have your design altered with additional text, size and color options that make this a very special United States Air Force shirt design.Found at http://www.vision- strike-wear.com/ United-States- Air-Force-One- Over-All-Shirt.html The USAF One Over All shirt can be ordered along with custom text as a single item or discounted with bulk pricing available to active duty units.
Recently a young man drove his car through a fence at the southwest corner of the county jail on West O Street.

The police report said he had a medical emergency, according to Dave Scharf, facilities manager for the jail.

The accident left the jail's perimeter unsecured on a Friday afternoon. So jail staff bought fencing from American Fence, using what is called a unit price contract, and put up a temporary fix.

Less than a week later American Fence reinforced the temporary fence, making it more secure, said Scharf.

The quick fix was possible because American Fence has a contract with the City-County Purchasing Office, allowing the company to be considered for smaller jobs that need to be done in a hurry.

There was no long bid process, no wait for a final contract, but the purchasing office knew the company met city standards, was bonded and had adequate insurance.

This is helpful to the jail, which operates 24/7 and often needs to buy items or get work done quickly, said Scharf.

And it is a perfect example of the benefit to what are called unit price contracts, said Bob Walla, purchasing agent.

And Walla is on a recruitment mission, looking for more companies that want to do business with the city and county on smaller jobs without all the time-consuming bid legwork.

The city and county use companies with unit price contracts for 18 different services including plumbing, heating and air conditioning, electrical, demolition and paving.

The purchasing office draws from its current list of 43 companies with unit price contracts for smaller jobs, up to $25,000. But that cost limit is rising to $50,000, so departments will be able to do more work using the unit price contract companies.

The department wants to encourage more small businesses in the region, not just within the city, to consider having unit price contracts, said Walla.

We are in need of more contractors. We are hoping to build a bigger pool for departments to choose from, he said about the recruiting efforts.

The city is holding an informational meeting for interested contractors at 10 a.m. Dec. 1 in the City Council Chambers, said Walla.

Unit price contracts are designed to provide construction-type services, primarily repair and maintenance work, for projects up to $50,000 without any formal or informal bids. Approved contractors with unit price contracts complete a price quote sheet based on work the department wants done, said Walla.

The city or county is then able to get the work done right away without a long bid process, Walla said.

Contractors don't have to wait for a final contract which means they can start work on a project sooner and get paid sooner, Walla said.

The city is looking at two-year unit price contracts with two two-year renewals, Walla said.

The city recently added three services to the unit price contract list. The list includes general construction, demolition, fencing, heating and air conditioning, moving, plumbing, electrical and large scale electrical, pavement/concrete, painting, audio-visual repair and replacement, carpet installation, overhead door repair and replacement, irrigation, excavating and dozing, emergency repair and underground utility, roofing, traffic signal.
Harley Davidson Street 750 owner, Mr Udham Singh Hooda was out on a road trip with a dozen other bikers to Shimla earlier this year. On the ghat roads, on one blind turn, a bus came from the opposite side, which required Udham to use his brakes and slow down the bike and manoeuvre out of the oncoming buss way.

Riding on ghats, your first instinct is to apply rear brakes. Udham did just that. But he could not slow down the bike as his Street 750s brake pedal was no longer applying the brakes. Not wanting to apply the front brakes in that panic-stricken mode, Udham decided it was better to go off the road and bring the bike to halt, than to collide head-on with a bus. Luckily, he survived.

After returning home, he contacted the dealer and sent the bike for a check-up. The dealer told him that the rear brake pads have worn out and needs replacement. Udham was not convinced. Udham had heard about the brake failing issues of Street 750 last year, when some customers had protested over a similar issue. He decided to research a bit more.

It was in mid 2015 when a reputable automotive publication from Germany- Motorrad had done a brake test and found the following result  The Harley Street 750 did fine on the first test but, even after being given some time to cool, showed significant fading during the second test. Then, on the third test, the brakes failed completely. (PS  India-made Harley Davidson Street 750 is exported to the markets in Asia and Europe).

By the end of 2015, new range of Street 750 was made available in the market. New bikes had 300 mm single disc with 34 mm dual pistons in the front and rear, a new aluminium master cylinder and improved brake lines. On top of that, they also get optional ABS. Old Street 750 did not have the option of ABS. Some dealers in India retrofit the braking updates on the old 2014 and 2015 model Street 750 at a cost of INR 40,000.

Coming back to 2016, Udham contacted Harley Davidson India via mail asking them to look into the matter. He was of the opinion that with many posts published in the automotive space, Harley Davidson India will come up with a solution. But, the reply he got was same which he had heard from the dealer. Udham decided to leave the bike at the dealership and protest.

The word of his protest spread and soon more Street 750 owners joined him with a similar complaint. As per Udham, he has now has over 200 Street 750 owners in his group, who have faced a similar issue with their bike. Udham also posted about the issue online, where he saw many more coming and commenting that they too have faced the same issues. You can read the article and comments here. There are some owners who have spoken on Team-BHP about the same issue.

Some of the Street 750 owners came out on the streets of Delhi NCR recently to voice their protest against Harley Davidson India  in a united voice over issues with brakes on board the American cruiser. These owners have been sending strong messages to the bike-maker via protests on roads, social media, etc.

Udham also reached the HD India organized event in Chhail, Shimla, where hundreds of Harley owners had gathered. Mr Hooda says that he was waiting outside the venue all evening, till late into the night in the freezing temperature so that his voice could be heard by the company. Some owners even came out and spoke in support of Mr Hooda at the Harley event.

Rushlane contacted Harley Davidson India to hear what they have to say about this. The maker says that their bike has passed all tests necessary and is winner of some of the most prestigious awards there are to be won. In addition to that, they highlight that they have sold more than 4,000 Street 750 of 2014 and 2015 model year (and not everyone has faced the problem).

According to Harley-Davidson India, this is more of a case where a rider does not know how to apply brakes on a powerful bike like Street 750. In order to solve this problem, HD India has started a program called PTF  Passport To Freedom. At PTF, experienced riders will give pointers to those who are new to riding big bikes which will help to ride their new Harleys more efficiently.

Harley Davidson India also shared contact nos of three Street 750 owners with Rushlane who own the 2014 model, and have not faced any issue. Rushlane spoke with all three of them, two of them have ridden 12,000 kms, while one of them has ridden 20,000 kms. None of them have faced any braking issue. But at the same time, all three of them are aware of the problem. Each of them told Rushlane that there are Street 750 owners in their respective riding group, who have faced similar issues like Mr Hooda.

One of them was of the opinion  why create an issue, when the dealer is ready to retrofit the new brakes for about INR 30,000. He says that is not a huge sum as Harley owners spare more than that on silly accessories. Why not get updated to new brakes instead of protesting, adds the owner.

Harley Davidson also contacted Mr Udham, and invited him for a meeting to sort the issue. Udham does not want to attend the meeting as he says Harley Davidson invitation came with a condition  that he should come alone in the meeting. Udham does not want to go alone, and is of the opinion that the meeting should have all concerned owners of Street 750.

Secondly, he says the invitation mails started with a line  There is no fault in the bike but still you are welcome to meet us. What would be the outcome of such meeting  asks Udham.

As far as Mr Udham is concerned, he plans to continue his protest and file legal proceedings against the brand. He wants HD India to issue a mass recall and fix all the bikes with updated 2016 brake system.

UPDATE  7th Jan 2017  Vikram Pawah exits Harley Davidson India
Ontario may create at least one new northern riding in addition to 15 new seats that will be added for the 2018 election because of population growth, and it could result in the election of the provinces first indigenous member of the legislature.

The provinces two northern most ridings  Timmins-James Bay and Kenora-Rainy River  could be divided to create one or two more ridings, which would be made up primarily of First Nations communities who could elect one of their own as MPP.

That opportunity becomes that much more real if there are ridings that are more focused and dedicated to (Indigenous communities), said Attorney General Yasir Naqvi. This affords us an exciting opportunity to have ridings that are predominantly indigenous in nature in terms of people who live in those communities.

The two ridings have only 161,000 people in total, but encompass 589,000 square kilometres between the Quebec and Manitoba borders, and north to Hudson Bay, and include many fly-in First Nations communities with no year-round road access.

Naqvi said part of the Liberal governments motivation for creating the commission is to improve service to First Nations communities following Truth and Reconciliation report into the legacy of Canadas residential school system.

As we are on the journey of reconciliation, we are far more attuned to the needs of Indigenous communities, he said. Its important that their voices are strong and effective in the chamber where laws and policies are being developed.

New Democrat Gilles Bisson, who represents Timmins-James Bay, said his party has long pushed to increase the number of northern ridings to give local communities a stronger voice in the legislature.

Who better to represent First Nations than their own people?

Bisson is a pilot who owns a small plane that he uses to visit the fly-in communities in his riding, but he gets reimbursed only for the mileage as if he were driving a car, and pays the difference out of his own pocket. Budgets must be increased for any new northern MPP and others with such huge, remote ridings, he added.

You shouldnt expect a member to buy an airplane, learn how to fly and pay out of their pocket to service their constituents, said Bisson. Ive got all of the James Bay and Hudsons Bay communities and Ive got all the inland communities towards the northwest, and theyre not even serviced by the same airline.

Ontario already had one more northern seat than the federal government  107 provincial ridings compared with 106 federally  before 15 new federal seats were added for the 2015 general election. Population growth in southern Ontario means most of the 15 new provincial seats being added to match the federal riding boundaries will be in the big cities.

So when the Liberals introduced legislation to move Ontarios fixed election date to June 2018 from October, to avoid a conflict with municipal elections, they also created an all-party commission to look at the need for additional northern seats.

The government needs the legislation passed before the house takes its Christmas break Dec. 8 so the commission can look at the issue and make recommendations that can be implemented before the 2018 election, added Naqvi.

We all want to ensure that the chief elections officer gets the time that he needs to make sure that the Far North Electoral Boundary Commission is set up, they can do their consultations and develop their recommendations to the government in the timelines provided for in the legislation, he said.

The commission will be giving us the advice whether to create one or two ridings.

Premier Kathleen Wynne seemed to jump the gun on the commissions eventual conclusions when she told the Liberals AGM earlier this month she would visit all 124 ridings before the 2018 Ontario election.

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NORTHERN TANZANIA-A huge pile of elephant dung reminds me to stick to the trail. Theres no armed ranger accompanying us today, and I briefly ponder my ability to out-cycle an elephant. After all, while many travellers visit northern Tanzania, significantly fewer explore it by bike.

In fact, Ive joined the first organized cycle ride through this part of the world  this part of the world being the network of roads and tracks that wind from Arusha National Park to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, via Lake Manyara National Park.

Its not for novices. On Day 1, we tackle the undulating track that weaves through Arusha National Park. Tackling hills when youre 1,500 metres above sea level is hard work, but I feel oddly energized.

Perhaps its the beautiful scenery, which takes my mind off my wheezing lungs, or the unintentional challenges posed by locals, who batter my self-esteem by casually overtaking on creaking, rusting bicycles.

Luckily, by the time we reach the shores of Lake Manyara, fringed with clusters of flamingos, the terrain has flattened. We arrive via a winding forest trail, and I spot several foliage-nibbling giraffes.

At the waters edge, local fishermen give us fish to throw to the nearby storks, which leap into the air, using their enormous wings to batter their equally hungry rivals out of the way.

In the distance, Jeeps trundle past, roofs extended to reveal passengers eyeballing the landscape through binoculars. Its a reminder of the benefits of bicycle-based exploration.

Another reminder is our visit to the Maasai village of Mto Wa Mbu. Cultural experiences have become a box-ticking exercise for some tour operators.

Thanks to the increased access by transport on two wheels, not four, were able to visit this village, arriving in time for some Maasai matchmaking.

These tribesmen are known for their ability to jump incredibly high, and to put it simply, he who jumps highest gets the girl. While the men leap skywards as if powered by some invisible force, the women whoop and dance.

Before long, two women grab my hands and I join the throng, hoping Im simply experiencing a Maasai hoe-down rather than being married off to a local.

Word spreads that our presence is required down on the plains. The Maasai want to give us a lesson in cattle herding. We succeed albeit without finesse  in shepherding the cows towards their wicker enclosure, before chaos ensues and the animals scatter.

A goat suffers an identity crisis and tries to sneak into the pen, and a young boy kicks up plumes of dirt as he chases the tiny animal, village elders looking on with amusement.

Yet the highlight is the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, a UNESCO World Heritage site covering 8,292 square kilometers. We pile into Jeeps and set off at dawn, when freezing fog coats the landscape.

From the parks entrance, its an hours drive to the craters edge. We spy three giraffes, their graceful bodies appearing as dark shadows through the thick mist. From our position on the rim, we can make out lakes, rivers and patches of undergrowth but no wildlife, despite the fact we know there are hundreds of thousands of creatures far below, undetectable to the naked eye.

We drive down into the crater and learn just how tough life here can be. Someone screeches that weve passed a hyena and our driver reverses.

The creature is sitting in a ditch, meters from our vehicle. Its bleeding and makes no effort to move, staring forlornly at its admirers.

Our guide, Justaz Mollel, tells us, perhaps optimistically, that its recovering from a fight and will be up and about in no time. He laughs when I admit hyenas are my favourite animals. Theyre impossibly ugly, with arched backs and a bizarre, lopsided gait. Their fur  where it grows  is patchy and wiry, emerging in clumps on its head, bringing to mind a Trump-style comb-over.

Over the next few hours we see snuffling warthogs, sleek gazelles, sunbathing lionesses and neat lines of wildebeest snaking across the plains. When we head out of the crater we spot two hyenas circling a weary rhino, their arched bodies just visible above the long grass. Eventually one jumps onto the creatures back and tears away a strip of flesh. The creatures are endangered, and 60 rangers protect the parks 21 rhinos, so we alert the rangers, who will scare off the hyenas, patch up the rhino and send him back into battle.

Its the final day, and we opt for one last bike ride, down the hill to our base for the night. We whiz down the steep incline, elbows tucked and heads down. Dusty kids dance by the roadside, offering scrawny arms in anticipation of high fives. But my fists are curled tightly around the handlebars and they settle for a jambo salutation instead. And on the plus side, I have a sneaking suspicion therell be no shortage of cyclists for them to high five from now on.

Tamara Hinson was hosted by Intrepid Travel, which didnt review or approve this story.

When You Go

http://www.intrepidtravel.com/ca/ Intrepid Travels new 13-day Cycle Tanzania trip costs $3,595 (Canadian) per person, including bike hire and backup vehicle support, meals, national park admission fees and accommodation. Intrepid Travels new 13-day Cycle Tanzania trip costs $3,595 (Canadian) per person, including bike hire and backup vehicle support, meals, national park admission fees and accommodation.

http://www.ethiopianairlines.com/ Ethiopian Airlines flies from Toronto to Kilimanjaro, Tanzania, via Addis Ababa in Ethiopia. Ethiopian Airlines flies from Toronto to Kilimanjaro, Tanzania, via Addis Ababa in Ethiopia.

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EDMONTONAlberta is moving to ban door-to-door sales of energy products to protect consumers from high pressure and misleading sales tactics.

The ban is to go into effect Jan. 1 and applies to unsolicited selling of furnaces, water heaters, windows, air conditioners and energy audits.

Service Alberta Minister Stephanie McLean says the ban will also apply to natural gas and electricity energy contracts.

McLean says the government received too many complaints from seniors and families being tricked or pressured into buying products and signing contracts.

The RCMP, the group Seniors United Now and an official with the Better Business Bureau say they support the governments plan.

Earlier this month, the Ontario government introduced legislation that would put similar restrictions on door-to-door sales.

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I never wanted a Segway until this moment. Its not that I suddenly need a self-balancing battery powered vehicle to get to work or to do my shopping. (I am writing this column in my bed). I just cant get the thing out of my head, because I saw one advertised online for a remarkable 25 per cent off, and a terrifying thought came over me: what if this is my only chance to traverse the world perfectly upright, like a modern-day centaur? What if this sale really is, as the online ad promised, an opportunity of a lifetime? Can I just sit here and let it pass me by?

Black Friday does strange things to a persons mind. The retail holiday, once a single day of post-Thanksgiving mall frenzy in the United States, is now an international shopping event. The madness doesnt only occur on a lonely Friday leading up to the holidays; it occurs every day leading up to the holidays. It is everywhere: in big box stores, independent ones, and of course, on Amazon, a Segway mecca. And then there is Cyber Monday  Black Fridays online only hangover. In other words, the event isnt a retail holiday, but a retail plague.

And we would like to be rid of it, according to research by American social media analytics company Crimson Hexagon. The company recently analyzed millions of Black Friday-themed posts on social media spanning a five-year period, from 2010 to 2015, and came to the conclusion that while many of us once liked the event and posted about it in mostly positive terms, this is no longer the case.

In 2015, for example, nearly 40 per cent of all social media posts about Black Friday were negative. Crimson Hexagon also determined why so many of us have fallen out with Black Friday. Reason number one, the company suggests, is Black Friday Insanity  the very real possibility you could be trampled trying to pick up a discount TV at your local mall. And reason number two, they say, is Overrated Deals, not worth it  otherwise known as the shame and emptiness that follow your mad dash to the mall, when you take a good long look at your credit card statement.

This shame isnt temporary or superficial. It has legitimate consequences for mental health that stretch beyond November and December and into the new year. Toronto psychologist Oren Amitay says every time the holidays roll around he sees patients whose excessive shopping causes them enormous anxiety. They are operating, he says, under the false assumption that theyre saving money by spending money, but once the gifts are unwrapped and put away, despair sets in.

Still, the question remains. If this really is the case  if we are increasingly vocal about our dislike for Black Friday and the anxiety it engenders  why do we continue to cleave to a consumer tradition that makes us unhappy?

I have a theory.

Big time, large-scale, life changing purchases  houses for example  are in many major cities nearly impossible to afford, especially for young couples and young families. And if you cant afford the big stuff, a pressure might emerge to save on the small stuff: things like electronics, luggage, watches, and even bulk food. Perhaps for a lot of lot of people Black Friday is less a retail plague than it is a consumer consolation prize, the justification being I cant buy a house, a car, or send my kid to college (or for that matter afford to have any more kids) but at least I have this high tech blender and brand new Smart TV.

Amitay says that in his professional experience, this theory isnt far off, particularly where university students are concerned. The psychologist sees post-secondary students who are saddled with debt, some of whom go way overboard with their newly acquired pre-approved credit cards. Their motive around the holidays, says Amitay, is essentially: I cant have the life I want, but at least I can have the big TV.

But the psychologist cautions, making these intermediary purchases now makes it harder later on. When your defences are down, thats when reality sets in. What a scary thought. Now if youll excuse me, theres a Segway with my name on it.

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OTTAWAThe federal cabinet will decide soon where to send Canadian soldiers in Africa, with Mali emerging the most likely prospect for the military peace support operation, the Star has learned.

The range of options, prepared by Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan and Global Affairs Minister Stephane Dion, may be brought to cabinet by as early as Tuesday or the following week, sources said.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who campaigned on a promise to re-engage Canadian soldiers in United Nations peacekeeping, is said not to have made up his mind yet, despite obvious pressure building from French and UN diplomats to choose Mali.

Any military mission to Mali in West Africa is expected to engage Canadian ground and air forces along with an intensive Canadian development effort to support the ongoing UN mission headquartered in the capital, Bamako.

The government has pledged up to 600 soldiers and 150 police officers for its Africa peace mission. The options being prepared for cabinet suggest that a deployment at the upper range of those numbers would have the greatest impact and offer the best chance of success, sources said.

Its likely the government will also deploy helicopters as part of the mission  the air force has Griffons and larger Chinook transport choppers. That would respond to a direct appeal by the United Nations for the Mali mission.

It would also help ensure that deployed troops have their own means of moving around and a dedicated lifeline in the event of an emergency.

The Canadian deployment would support a separate French-led military operation across the broader region, known as the Sahel, which is targeting Islamist terrorist groups operating in the northern part of Mali. Known as Operation Barkhane, the French-led counter-insurgency mission is on front lines that span the borders of Mali, Mauritania, Burkina Faso, Chad and Niger.

Canadian soldiers could well face the very grim prospect of dealing with determined and hardened fighters, including child soldiers, in a way that could become challenging for the military and for a Canadian public.

Children, while often recruited by armies across Africa to act as fighters, intelligence gatherers, sex slaves or domestic labour, have been used by Islamist groups in Mali as suicide bombers, said Shelly Whitman, executive director of the Romeo Dallaire Child Soldiers Initiative.

Its a huge issue for Mali, Whitman said in an interview. One of the things weve been saying to the minister of national defence, as well as to Dion, is (that) if you are going to send the guys in there you better make sure theyre prepared for this issue.

It could mean engaging in firefights with children, trying to remove them from conflict zones in order to demobilize them, and working to prevent radicalization and recruitment in the first place.

The Dallaire Initiative, a global partnership housed at Dalhousie University, works to prevent the use of child soldiers worldwide. It has developed a handbook and training resources to help military forces deal with the moral dilemmas associated with confronting a child soldier, the risks associated with post-traumatic stress disorder, and teaches ways to improve how they deal with child soldiers in non-lethal interactions.

Its advisers have consulted closely with the Canadian Forces, and retired Lt.-Gen. Romeo Dallaire, a former senator, travelled in August to Africa with Sajjan on the ministers five-country tour, to Uganda, Ethiopia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Tanzania and Kenya.

Whitman said she advised the government against going to Mali, saying it must weigh the impact on Canadian soldiers and the ability of us to have success. She believes Canadian troops could make a greater and more tangible difference if they went instead to Central African Republic, the Congo or South Sudan, and played a larger mentorship role with African troops already on the ground.

How to engage with child soldiers is just one challenge among many that await the Canadians in country beset by violence and a breakdown in government institutions.

The UN mission in Mali was established in April 2013 after Islamist groups and extremist elements overran towns in the north. French forces deployed to assist Malian troops regain control and the UN force was brought in later to help stabilize the situation.

But the violence has continued to take a toll on daily life, with delayed elections, the displacement of some 130,000 Malians and violations of the 2015 ceasefire agreement meant to bring peace between warring factions.

The UN mission in Mali, known as MINUSMA  which includes troops from Burkina Faso, Bangladesh, Niger, Togo and Chad  has been assisting Malian forces with training, logistics, intelligence and co-ordinating operations.

But the operation, with 10,635 military personnel and another 1,264 police officers on the ground, is short of troops, police and equipment.

We do have very pressing needs in Mali, Herve Ladsous, the UNs undersecretary general for Peacekeeping Operations said in an interview with CBCs The House.

He said Canada could bring many assets to a Mali mission, citing its professional army with a francophone background, making it able to communicate with local residents, and one that has integrated women throughout its ranks.

He singled out the UNs request for additional helicopters, saying the aircraft are absolutely critical in northern Mali.

In 2014 report Amnesty International said children as young as 16 were being recruited by armed groups in Mali. It raised concerns after finding child soldiers locked up in adult jails, denied access to family members and legal advice.

At the same time there were pro-government militias who were recruiting child soldiers, said Gaetan Mootoo, Amnesty Internationals researcher for West Africa.

In the north, there has been a breakdown of civil society with no one to run the schools, leaving children susceptible to be pulled into the ranks of the armed groups, he said.

The kids are on their own, Mootoo told the Star in an interview from Paris, where he is based.

When the state fails to look after the population, including the kids, there is the risk of an increase in the recruitment of child soldiers, he said.

Mootoo said the training and discipline of Canadian soldiers would bring an important contribution to Mali, in the wake of abuses catalogued by the UN by troops already on the ground, including illegal detentions and excessive use of force.

Jake Bell, a retired Canadian forces colonel previously posted to Bosnia, Eritrea, Ethiopia and Congo who does consulting work for the Dallaire Initiative, said wherever it deploys, the Canadian mission should take a broad and long-term approach.

The reality is prevention is the key, and that is dealing with the long-term development issues that create the conditions that are ripe for the recruitment of children, he said.

I think youll find  and most of the people that I know that ever wore a uniform, that were ever involved in conflict zones, will tell you  that violence will never solve anything. The best you can hope for with violence, with force, is to create the conditions that will get the people to solve the problem on their own.

The latest UN assessment of Mali paints a picture of the dire situation in the country and the violence that puts peacekeepers in the crosshairs of complex attacks involving rockets, mortars, mines and even remote-controlled bombs.

Over the summer, there was a significant increase in attacks aimed at Malian troops and the UN forces that now often accompany them on patrols  66 in total in the three months leading up to the end of September. Those attacks left 13 peacekeepers dead and 32 injured.

The attacks have become increasingly frequent, bold and well co-ordinated, the UN report states.

In one July incident, attackers used 18 vehicles and several motorbikes to assault a Malian military camp, killing 15 soldiers and injuring 34 others. In May, an attack on a UN military convoy left five peacekeepers dead.

In response, the UN mission has become more proactive and robust, launching operations in concert with Malian troops and French forces to root out terrorists, the report says.

But Ladsous says that the UN mission is not meant to be a counter-insurgency operation, saying that role is filled by the French in Mali.

He said the UN mission aims to support the political process, the disarmament of combatants, training local forces and protecting local civilians.

Very clearly, we are not designed and cannot be the anti-terrorist tool of choice, he told CBC.

The UN in Mali

The United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) has been in Mali since April 2013, and boasts 13,083 personnel in total, including:

Uniformed personnel: 11,883

Troops: 10,579

Military observers: 40

Police: 1,264

Civilian personnel: 1,246

International civilians: 585

Local civilians: 661

UN Volunteers: 146

Fatalities: 106

Approved 2016-17: $933,411,000

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A 19-year-old from Mississauga has been charged in connection with 44 robberies and thefts that happened across Southern Ontario, Toronto police said Friday.

The man was caught Wednesday after officers spotted him in a stolen vehicle in Etobicoke, said the Toronto Police Service. The arrest involved a car chase along the Queensway.

He is accused of committing seven financial robberies, two retail robberies, nine car thefts, several gas thefts and car chases with police in several jurisdictions.

Police say the string of robberies started on Nov. 6 in Collingwood, and continued up until the day before the arrest. Incidents also happened in Torontos west end, as well as Vaughan, Bolton, and Caledon.

In several cases, Toronto police say the suspect engaged police in pursuits while driving stolen cars.

Joseph Ross, 19, of Mississauga, is also charged with failing to remain at the scene of several accidents, along with using a fake firearm to commit crimes and failing to comply with probation. He is scheduled to make his first appearance in court on Dec. 1.

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Althea Reyes strode through the carved wooden doors of a Toronto courthouse. Poised and almost patrician, she descended the stone stairs with her chin held high, a Victorias Secret shopping bag draped over her elbow.

Moments earlier, she had stood before a judge and with practised composure acted in her own defence and asked for an adjournment.

For Reyes, the courtroom is a familiar place.

She is one of a small number of people deemed vexatious litigants who repeatedly file lawsuits and court motions, tying up Ontarios already clogged courts with often frivolous matters. Because she is a vexatious litigant, she is not allowed to pursue certain cases in court without a judges permission. But that hasnt stopped her.

Over the past several years, Reyes has also been defending herself against criminal charges that include fraudulent impersonation, but has still found time to launch a barrage of civil suits.

Judges have said she has abused the legal system. Still, she continues to lob lawsuit after lawsuit, targeting successful men she had relationships with, a school board, bank employees, a pawnshop, a dry cleaning business, lawyers who have opposed her in the courtroom, and a complete stranger.

At the Old City Hall courthouse, Reyes, 50, refused to talk to the Star about her use of the legal system or the criminal charges she is facing.

Because the matter is before the court, I cant discuss it, she said. I cant discuss anything.

In the early 1990s, Reyes was a dethroned beauty queen on a quest for justice. The aspiring lawyer had won the title of Miss Black Ontario in 1989 and then sued the pageant for $400,000 for prizes she said she was owed, including a car. She alleged she was stripped of her title because she fought back; the pageants organizers said they took her tiara because she failed to attend enough functions.

I am not concerned about money, she said at the time, as reported in the Star. What concerns me is that I believe there is an injustice being done.

She later dropped the suit, blaming it all on a misunderstanding. But, armed with a law degree from Dalhousie University, she would return to the courts time and time again, filing lawsuits and court applications across Ontario.

After graduating from law school in Halifax, Reyes pursued a teaching degree and, in recent years, worked for a company that provides home-schooling. She has at least two children of her own  a son in university and a younger daughter.

In the cases reviewed by the Star, Reyes presents as equal parts desperate and defiant, a woman backed into a corner with no choice but to turn to the justice system for help.

In Toronto alone, she has sued at least 30 people, companies and organizations in the past five years.

When reached by the Star, many of those people would not comment on the woman who had pulled them into court, or the documents on which this story is largely based.

Included in several of those cases are the details of failed relationships with a string of men who hold prominent positions in the worlds of media, finance and the arts, including one who gave her almost $100,000 and paid private school fees for one of her children.

Documents show she accused some of her former romantic partners of woman abuse and scandalous and inhumane behaviour, including pushing her down stairs, repeated infidelity, lying to police to have her arrested, getting her fired from a job and causing her to lose more than $100,000 of her possessions and her pets.

Because of the grave and unsubstantiated nature of some of the allegations, the Star has decided not to identify the subjects of those lawsuits.

One of those people was a director at a Canadian bank.

The pair briefly lived together in his Toronto condominium, but their relationship deteriorated and he was forced to change the locks and put her things in storage after she repeatedly refused to move out, according to court transcripts.

Reyes then forged a lease agreement to get an order from the Landlord and Tenant Board forcing him to let her back into the unit.

He contacted the police and, in October 2013, Reyes pleaded guilty in criminal court to fabricating evidence. She received a suspended sentence with probation but is now appealing the conviction, saying the stress of the arrest and their relationship made it impossible for her to understand the consequences of the criminal charge.

She also filed a lawsuit in small claims court against the banker in 2014, which was dismissed.

In his small claims court filings, he called Reyes claims false and baseless, saying she regularly uses the judicial system to attack and harass people.

In June 2009, following an acrimonious child support case for her daughter that Reyes dragged out with an onrush of court applications, a Superior Court judge declared Reyes a vexatious litigant for court matters involving her daughter.

It is one of just 193 times Ontarios courts have made an order declaring someone a vexatious litigant.

I am satisfied that (Reyes) has abused the processes of the court by the various proceedings she has brought, Justice Stanley Kershman said in his 2009 order.

The declaration means Reyes requires permission from a judge to start or continue any existing court proceeding directly or indirectly relating to her daughter in any court in Ontario.

But Reyes continued to file new lawsuits involving her daughter.

In September, a Superior Court judge threw out three of those cases, explaining that the court has mistakenly allowed several claims to be commenced by the plaintiff without leave.

The judge used a 2014 rule designed to simplify the process of stopping vexatious litigants in Ontario.

Before this rule was put in place, a defendant would have to file a motion to stand before a judge and ask to have the claim dismissed, and in most cases pay the cost of hiring a lawyer. They would also eat up precious court time in a publicly funded system where almost 140,000 civil cases were processed in 2014 alone.

Now, a letter to the courts from the defendant, a lawyer or court staff flagging the vexatious designation can prompt a judge to step in and halt an unapproved lawsuit. The hitch is that the court must somehow be made aware of the original order.

The legal system itself is dealing with a significantly larger number of (vexatious) matters. They consume court staff time, they consume judges time, take up lawyers time  that slows down everything in the court system, said Kevin Toyne, a civil litigator with Hill Sokalski Walsh Olson LLP.

Since the rule came into effect, a total of 74 matters have been considered for a stay or dismissal.

One of the cases thrown out by a judge was against a man Reyes dated, a prominent figure in the Canadian arts community. Reyes, in that short-lived claim, alleged that he interfered with her employment and damaged her reputation.

She is also suing him in small claims court for $15,000 worth of belongings she said he threw out after she was evicted from his apartment.

That lawsuit and at least three others filed in small claims court were bankrolled by taxpayers because Reyes filed for financial relief available to people who could not otherwise afford to start a claim.

Her former romantic partner denied the claims in Reyes lawsuit.

According to a court transcript, the man knew Reyes as Allie. In fact, he did not learn her real name until she was arrested in late August 2015 for failing to attend court and he was asked to be a surety.

Reyes has gone by a number of names: Althea, Allie, Elle. She is currently facing a criminal charge of fraudulently impersonating an Allison Reyes in renting an apartment at 83 Elm Ave.

An Allison Reyes  alleged to be Althea  sued the landlord of that apartment complex, who had obtained an order from the Landlord and Tenant Board to evict her after Reyes was seen assaulting a superintendent, according to a statement of defence submitted by the landlord in Superior Court.

That lawsuit, launched after an unsuccessful appeal of the eviction, was originally against a slew of people, including the buildings landlord, its lawyer and even a complete stranger whose last name happened to be the same as the property management company.

In a bizarre twist, Althea Reyes has filed an application to join the lawsuit as a participant, alleging she was storing $100,000 worth of property at the apartment that was lost when Allison Reyes was evicted.

Now, at an upcoming hearing in December, the court may have to untangle whether Allison and Althea Reyes are in fact the same person.

Reyes does not just fight her own legal battles. She held herself out as a lawyer and convinced prospective clients at a Burlington courthouse to hire her, prompting the Law Society of Upper Canada to obtain a permanent injunction barring her from providing legal services. Though Reyes went to law school, she is not licensed to practise law.

In one case, Reyes told a client who had retained her for a dispute before the tenant board to file a civil lawsuit against the landlord for strategic purposes to create leverage to obtain a settlement, according to records from the law societys investigation.

In granting an injunction against Reyes, the judge said there was ample evidence that Reyes improperly presented herself as a lawyer and offered legal services in three separate incidents. In one case she charged $550 in cash for her work.

The judge rejected Reyes claim that she was exempt from the law societys rules because she was a friend of the people she represented and, as such, was allowed to provide free legal advice.

She unsuccessfully tried to have the law societys injunction set aside. She then sued the regulatory body, its lawyer and its investigator for nearly $21 million, accusing them of maliciously intending to damage her reputation and causing a future income loss.

A judge dismissed her lawsuit in 2015 and ordered her to pay costs.

Yet taking Reyes herself to court is not an easy task.

In March 2010, Alex Ragozzino, who knew Reyes professionally, sued her in Burlington small claims court in an attempt to recover about $6,600 he claimed Reyes owed him for promotional materials, made for an anti-bullying concert held in support of a not-for-profit organization founded by her son.

Reyes attempted to file a statement of defence a year later, but it was rejected because she missed the deadline to do so, Ragozzino said in an interview.

He was awarded a default judgment in June 2011, but more than five years later has yet to recover any money.

Ragozzino said the only way to find Reyes and serve her with documents was to follow her to court for unrelated matters. In Toronto alone, in the past five years, she has provided seven separate addresses on court and tribunal documents.

It wouldnt matter if Reyes skipped a scheduled court hearing, Ragozzino said, adding that she kept getting new chances to appear. It is ridiculous. I have no idea how many thousands of dollars have been spent, public money has been spent, dealing with this one person, he told the Star.

It was a clear January afternoon in 2011 when Sandra Paldino spotted Reyes in a parking lot outside an Oakville Toys R Us.

The women knew each other: Paldino had taken Reyes  whom she knew as Ally Valitchka  to court in 2009 over money Paldino said she was owed for organizing the anti-bullying concert.

They spoke briefly, and Paldino turned and walked towards the toy store. Then she heard Reyes scream.

I turned and saw her coming at me with her car, Paldino later testified in court.

The car mounted the curb and pinned Paldinos foot beneath a wheel.

I was looking right at her. I was saying, What are you doing? Paldino told the court.

She was staring at me with a huge grin on her face.

As witnesses gathered, Reyes said she had to get an ambulance and drove away. Reyes did call 911, but to report that she had a woman just throw herself on my car.

She returned to the scene an hour later on foot. As police arrested her, Reyes insisted she was the victim.

On Nov. 15, 2016, Judge Lesley Baldwin sentenced Reyes to nine months in jail for dangerous driving and failing to remain at the scene of a collision. Reyes had been in custody more than once prior to sentencing and, with time served, she was expected to spend another two months behind bars.

In convicting Reyes, Baldwin called her version of events absurd and described Reyes as a dishonest witness. The judge commented on Reyes stunning lack of remorse and disregard for court orders and said, in her opinion, Reyes was at high risk to reoffend.

Ms. Reyes has long-standing problems with telling the truth and I am concerned that she has an underlying mental health condition such as anti-social personality disorder, or some other delusional disorder, that is driving this anti-social conduct in the community, she said.

Last week, Reyes appealed the conviction and has been released.

On Thursday, outside a Toronto courtroom where she was representing herself on a separate criminal matter, Reyes told the Star she was willing to talk but only after all her matters before the court have been resolved.

She warned the Star to wait until then, too, or else.

The minute you publish anything youre getting sued.

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It took me 30 days to ride through Uruguay.

With its clean, well-maintained roads and elegant people, Uruguay had a sense of order you dont normally get in South America, which made it feel at times as if I was trekking through Switzerland.

The tone of my ride  a yearlong journey to the southernmost tip of Argentina  had also changed. The frustratingly bureaucratic struggle to take my horses across the Brazil-Uruguay border was behind me: In the end, I had to give up Life and Doll, but instead, I had two new horses, lent to me by the generous Lanfranco family. Although we didnt have much time to get to know each other, I could quickly see the distinct personalities of the new mares: Andariega, calm for the most part, would bite you when you werent paying attention; Cautiva, an amazingly smooth ride, was less serene on her days off, when her only goal was to buck you off.

My new human travel companion, Mario Luna  a medical student who had stepped in to do the thankless job of driving the support van  was able to use his fluency in Spanish to arrange places to sleep, and he almost always had supper ready when I arrived.

But I also continued to periodically cheat death, so some things never change.

On a busy highway out of Paso de los Toros, a small city established 100 years ago as a railway stop in the heart of the stunning pampas, Andariega, who was carrying the pack saddle, was startled by a rattling truck. She bucked and took off. On instinct, my mount Cautiva did the same. I fought to stop Andariega by yanking on her lead rope with my right hand and Cautiva by pulling back on the reins with my left. The large truck, pulling an even larger container, flew by mere inches away from my galloping ponies.

Just as the horses began to slow down, the pack saddle on Andariegas back hit Cautivas shoulder and fell off. I watched the bright-orange box do a flip in mid-air. With the thud of the box hitting the asphalt, the horses veered left onto the highway. I could see a white van heading straight for us.

I pushed my left spur into Cautivas ribs and pulled her hard to the right. She moved her body sideways swiftly, and in a split second, my right leg was squished between both mares as we pushed Andariega off the road. I yelled out a couple of expletives and stepped down from the saddle with rubbery legs.

While still jittery, we all managed to live to see my 30th birthday on Nov. 1.

My celebration included a triumphal entry into Uruguays capital, Montevideo, accompanied by the Blandengues cavalry military unit and the Lanfranco family, but after a few days I said a sad goodbye to my new friends and my girls. My Uruguayan leg was over.

With a rocky ferry ride across the Rio de la Plata, I entered the tango capital of the world  Buenos Aires, Argentina.

It was here that 91 years ago my heroes Aime Tschiffely  a Swiss-born schoolteacher  and his mounts Mancha and Gato began their Long Ride to the United States.

Tschiffely had fallen in love with the Criollo horse, and, on a bet, decided to prove it was the strongest breed in the world. He turned to a local breeder and veterinarian, Don Emilio Solanet, and asked for two mounts to make the difficult 16,000-kilometre crossing.

Solanet thought Tschiffely was mad and gave him two old horses that he had purchased from Tehuelche Chief Liempichun in Patagonia. As it turned out, those old horses, Mancha and Gato, had it in them to travel all the way to Washington, D.C.

When I was a kid, my father told me this story over and over again. I spent my entire life dreaming about Tschiffelys ride.

And now that I was living my dream, fate had knitted our metaphorical yarns together.

The Uruguayan Criollo Association put me in touch with Solanets son Carlos, and the family agreed to lend me two Criollos to cross Argentina.

And so the next leg of my journey begins at Estancia El Cardal, the Solanet family ranch located in Ayacucho, Buenos Aires, where Mancha and Gato were retired and died and where Tschiffelys ashes are buried.

And the mounts I will ride to the end of the world will have the same blood as Mancha and Gato, direct descendants of horses brought to Argentina by the conquistador Pedro de Mendoza in 1535.

I get chills thinking about this  but I am not finished yet. There is still a long and arduous journey before me.

Filipe Masetti Leite is a filmmaker, Ryerson University journalism graduate and cowboy en route to Tierra del Fuego. He is filing monthly reports to the Star from the trail. Dispatches from both this yearlong trip and his 2012 journey from Calgary to Brazil can be found at outwildtv.com/expeditions.

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The road tolls that bankroll light rail transit are often dubbed the third rail of politics: Avoid touching them.

In Toronto, that third rail runs from city hall to Queens Park. Which means that if Mayor John Tory is zapped by his plan for road tolls, Premier Kathleen Wynne wont be insulated from that high voltage linkage.

They are now in this together  despite their ideological differences: By proposing expressway tolls, Tory now looks more like a progressive activist, while Wynne seems stuck in neutral.

The paths chosen by these two politicians reveal an unexpected reversal of political polarity:

While announcing tolls, our traditionally centre-right mayor ruled out privatizing Toronto Hydro. While rejecting road pricing, our nominally centre-left premier privatized Hydro One.

Down in the polls and down on tolls, shes selling our hydro poles because it seemed the path of least resistance. Wynne couldnt muster the public backing or political will to push through road pricing after becoming premier in 2013.

She talked the talk, listened the listen, commissioned the consultations: First from Metrolinx, the provincial transit agency; later, from a panel of pointy-heads.

They pointed the way, but the premier took an off-ramp by privatizing Hydro One to raise easy money  provoking more protests than she bargained on. A reminder that playing it safe isnt always smart.

Wynnes governing Liberals werent ready to walk the talk on the long and winding road to expressway tolls. With the opposition railing against that third rail, they deemed tolls a dead end.

Tory has long travelled in the other direction, banging the drum against tolls. He dubbed them highway robbery before taking his latest U-turn.

Today the right-wing Tory has the right idea. Wynne appears wrong-headed and muddle-headed.

By stalling on tolling  she has ruled out any new provincial measures beyond a few baby steps with optional high-occupancy toll lanes  the premier has put the mayor in the drivers seat.

Now Tory owns the podium, and the problem, if there is political fallout. Wynne becomes the back seat driver, relegated to merely updating the required provincial regulations if city council files a formal request.

But she is no less vulnerable if they both become roadkill.

The same Ontario Progressive Conservatives who were led by Tory from 2004-09 remain bitterly opposed to tolls. The current PC leader, Patrick Brown, insists with a straight face that road pricing isnt needed because hell just eliminate waste to find the funding. In the next provincial election, the PCs will join New Democrats in cheerfully exploiting commuter anger in the vote-rich suburbs of the GTA.

Hence the third rail linking Wynnes destiny to Torys road map. But their political careers have been intersecting for a decade.

As PC leader, he ran in Wynnes Don Valley West riding in 2007. Trounced, he turned into an admirer. As mayor, Tory inaugurated monthly meetings that proved politicians with differing mindsets could put their heads together.

Today, the Tory-Wynne pas de deux binds them ever more closely. Moving on tolls requires taking two steps forward and one step backward, lurching left and right.

Either way, it wont be a walk in the Don Valley Parkway for anyone. But it is the only way forward.

The potential political toll could be enormous. But inaction and stagnation impose a massive price.

Torontos arteries are hopelessly clogged. Congestion is killing the citys economic heart, choking off vital economic organs across the GTA.

Why are conservatives so slow to recognize that road pricing is the right economic tool to allocate scarce resources (expressway lanes) while meeting surging demand? Peak pricing is a proven way to incentivize people to avoid rush hour  minimizing congestion while maximizing revenue.

True, tolls are tougher on lower-income drivers. But its not governments role to subsidize car use. Research shows that even the working poor are willing to pay a premium if it means getting to work on time.

Its hard to fathom why Toronto treats tolls as toxic, and congestion charges as heresy, when so many major cities have moved on in order to keep motorists moving. European socialists do it. American capitalists do it.

Why are we so timorous? Torontonians clamour against tolls to their last breath, while congestion suffocates the city.

Martin Regg Cohns political column appears Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. mcohn@thestar.ca , Twitter: @reggcohn

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Melissa Corbeil left her husband after years of abuse  the day he choked her to the point of seeing stars, and as her terrified young daughters witnessed the violence.

She then needed time off work to talk to the police, deal with the courts, speak to a counsellor  to make sure she and her girls were safe. Corbeil said she was fortunate because her employer allowed her to miss work when needed, and make up the time later on.

Thats not the experience of most victims  its estimated that almost 10 per cent lose their jobs because of the impact of domestic violence  and now 54 unions with the Ontario Federation of Labour have signed a pledge to make it a priority to negotiate 10 paid days off, as well as better supports in the workplace, in all contracts.

Their efforts are based on a private members bill from New Democrat MPP Peggy Sattler (London West), which now has the support of the labour minister.

In southwestern Ontario, we had two very high profile deaths, of Lori Dupont and Theresa Vince, both of whom were murdered in their workplaces, said Sattler. Dupont, a nurse, was stabbed to death by her ex-partner, a doctor, at a Windsor hospital; Vince was shot by her boss, who had sexually harassed her for years at their Chatham workplace.

The idea of having flexible work arrangements, where you can change hours of work so youre not going to be stalked by your abuser, who knows your start times and stop times. If its a workplace that has multiple sites, the ability to transfer to another site would be important, said Sattler, the NDPs womens issues critic.

. . . I think theres growing recognition that flexible work arrangements are good HR practices, but in the case of domestic violence we know from the experiences of women whove been murdered at their workplace, theyre a matter of life and death.

Earlier this year, Manitoba was the first province to pass legislation providing five paid days off, as well as unpaid leave. Sattlers bill proposes 10 paid days, and also includes those who have survived sexual violence. The days must be used for specific purposes  seeing a doctor, accessing rape crisis services or dealing with the justice system, among others. And employers have the right to request reasonable evidence that the leave is being used for those reasons.

So its not open-ended  but its very important to note that the bill does not require the survivor to prove the domestic violence or sexual violence occurred, she said. But we did want to include some protection for employers.

For bosses that might balk at the cost of providing paid leave, Sattler notes that in Australia, where 10 paid days are provided, the average taken is one to three. It doesnt end up opening the floodgates.

Her proposed Bill 26 caught the attention of Labour Minister Kevin Flynn, who said he supports it and has included it as part a major workplace review.

In the past, as with other leaves, the provincial government typically gives workers the right to take the time off, and the federal government pays for it through EI  something he thinks might work in this case. That would also ease employer concerns.

Youve got a premier and a government that takes these types of issues in a much more serious way than theyve been treated in the past, Flynn said. I think theres a mood to do something about it.

The Ontario Federation of Labour says its 54 member groups  representing one million workers  will push for changes, a group that includes the main teacher unions and the Canadian Union of Public Employees.

Women should not have to choose between their safety and their job, said OFL secretary-treasurer Patty Coates.

For Corbeil, paid leave is essential to help anyone escaping violence.

Paid leave would have allowed me to take care of things and start the healing process, she said, without feeling like I was letting my colleagues down, without having the stress of work when I could barely get out of bed in the morning.

Such changes, she added, would send a powerful message to women everywhere.

From Bill 26:

An employee is only entitled to a leave of absence under subsection (2) or (3) if the employee uses the leave of absence for one or more of the following purposes:

1. To seek medical attention for the employee or the employees child in respect of a physical or psychological injury or disability caused by the violence.

2. To obtain services for the employee or the employees child in respect of the violence from a victim services organization, domestic violence shelter, rape crisis centre, sexual assault centre or other social services program or community agency.

3. To obtain psychological or other professional counselling for the employee or the employees child in respect of the violence.

4. To relocate temporarily or permanently for the purpose of making future violence against the employee or the employees child less likely.

5. To seek legal or law enforcement assistance for the employee or the employees child, including preparing for or participating in any civil, criminal or administrative proceeding related to or resulting from the violence.

6. To do anything else prescribed by the regulations.

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Team Spain

At eight months pregnant, B.C. surrogate Chantelle McCallum can see the finish line in this journey.

The single mom of two is carrying a daughter for Spanish couple Michael Serwa and Jordi Piqueras. As with all Canadian surrogates Chantelle is legally required to do the surrogacy altruistically and without personal gain.

As an on-call social worker, this has put her in an unanticipated and precarious financial position without many options for recourse.

Im just super-stressed, Chantelle posted to a surrogacy support group in early November. I havent gotten enough work this month, and nobody will hire a woman who is eight months pregnant. I am in tears right now. I have been a single mom for two years and have gone through some struggles, but this really sucks.

To supplement her usual income Chantelle has been searching for a second job, but its not going well.

I havent been getting any calls back and Im assuming its because Ill be going on maternity leave in about a month and a half, wrote Chantelle in a Facebook message to Star reporters. Even though I cant take a full year and may only be off work for two or three months, people dont want to hire you for a few weeks and then need to replace you after that.

Team Australia

Its surprising anyone could be happy at the prospect of sticking herself with a large needle before the sun even comes up, but in the pre-dawn light of her grainy Facebook picture, Kitchener surrogate Paula Capa  clutching said syringe full of a fertility drug cocktail  looks ecstatic.

I love needles, theyre awesome, writes Paula in an email to slightly incredulous reporters. And you know what, Im super-excited for this transfer. I feel like Im leaving wishes and hopes in the dust and Im running on FAITH this time. I have faith that this transfer is going to work. I feel a happiness I havent felt before.

Paula, along with her Australian intended parents Caryn and David Crabb, is gearing up for the next transfer Dec. 7, using two embryos created with eggs and sperm from two Toronto donors over the summer.

It will be the fourth time the trio have tried for a baby in eight months.

Paulas enthusiasm for this next go-round is echoed by Caryn and David who, despite facing heartbreak after heartbreak in their journey to have a baby, are still keeping hope and, more than that, faith.

It will be an amazing Christmas present, writes Caryn of the anticipated success.

While all parties on both sides of the world hope the fourth time is the charm it cant be denied there is extra pressure on this transfer to work: these two embryos are Caryn and Davids last. A failure means starting from the beginning or giving up.

This is going to work so we are putting that out of heads, writes Caryn when quizzed about her and Davids contingency plans should this transfer not work. (Were) throwing every single positive thought and energy towards this.

Team U.S.A.

If Trudy LaLone had any doubts whether she had chosen the right couple to serve as a surrogate, they vanished quickly after baby Vivian was born last month to Floridian fathers Paul and Steve.

When I see the way they look at her I know I made the right decision to do a second surrogacy, and even more so I picked the perfect couple to help out, she says. The joy Ive brought their family and extended family is beyond what words can express.

And the love doesnt stop there. The experience has brought renewed fulfilment within her own family.

After baby Vivians birth, LaLones oldest daughter told her with a smile, Mom, youve done something really nice for them. I love you. I know my kids see what Ive done for their family and I know it has a very positive view.

LaLone, 32, a mother of four of her own children, is back to juggling a home reno along with her work as a nurse and volunteer firefighter.

Life for me is as always busy, which is my normal. My renovations . . . are much easier without Vivian resting in front of me and its easier to work the longer hours on the house.

The new Floridian family of three spent the first weeks of Vivians life in Ontario learning how to care for her.

Trudy has been supplying breast milk daily and has become an even closer friend, and our families have been able to express their gratitude for this amazing gift, says Steve.

They are now back home introducing Vivian to Florida. But the new family already plans to return to Ontario for a visit with Lalone and her family.

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SAN JOSE, CALIF.A Northern California sheriff is promising to capture a pair of men who sawed their way out of a California jail and vanished late Thanksgiving Eve.

Santa Clara County Sheriff Laurie Smith told reporters Friday that authorities are using helicopters, dogs and other means as they search night and day for the two men. A $20,000 reward has been posted for the capture of Rogelio Chavez and Laron Campbell.

Smith said authorities believe the two are still in the area, noting search dogs tracked them to a nearby river before losing their scent.

We will find these two and any person who is harbouring or aiding and abetting in their escape we will attempt to prosecute, she said.

The sheriff also told reporters that authorities have received numerous credible tips from people who believe they saw the two, including one tip that came from the area that search dogs had chased them to.

She encouraged people to keep reporting such information but warned they should not to try to confront the men.

I want to remind the community that these are dangerous people, she said. They are not to be approached. Please just dial 911.

The pair escaped with two other prisoners by cutting through the bars covering a second-story window of the countys main jail and then rappelling to the ground. The others were quickly apprehended.

Chavez, 33, and Campbell, 26, are facing possible life sentences if convicted of burglary, extortion, false imprisonment and other charges they were being held on. Chavez had been held at the jail since August and Campbell since February 2015.

Chavez, who is from San Jose, is recognizable by a distinctive face tattoo resembling an inky gash going through his left eye. Campbell, who is from Palo Alto, stands 6-feet-4.

Smith said authorities still havent found the tools used to cut through the bars and dont know how they were obtained.

Thats one of our big concerns, she said. To think that we have inmates in there with those kinds of tools is pretty disheartening.

The escapees were being held in a dormitory designed to hold 20 people. Conditions there are often very loud, Smith said, making it hard for guards to hear any suspicious noise that might have been made.

That section of the jail, built in the 1950s, doesnt have cameras either, which helped facilitate the escape.

From the officers station you cannot see in, Smith said, adding there are plans to put cameras there in the future.

Wednesdays escape was discovered by a deputy patrolling the jails perimeter.

He kind of thought he saw some movement in the shadows, looked up and saw some bedding in the window, said Sgt. Rich Glennon.

A similar escape was made from a Southern California jail in January by three men authorities later determined had planned it for weeks.

They cut through the main Orange County jails fifth-floor bars with tools smuggled in by an outsider, rappelled to the ground and escaped in a getaway car.

They later abducted a cab driver and forced him to drive them to Northern California.

The escape began to unravel when one of the men, fearful the others would kill the driver, fled to Southern California with him and surrendered. The others were captured soon after in San Francisco.

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MIAMIFidel Castros death triggered an emotional and long-awaited celebration in Miamis large Cuban-American community Saturday as peaceful demonstrators waved flags and honked car horns, many cheering with joy and others weeping for family members who didnt live to see this day.

Yet it was also a bittersweet time as most realize Castros passing will not immediately translate into freedom or democracy on the oppressive communist island and that much work remains to enact change in Cuba.

We need for the people of Cuba to have the freedom we have in the U.S., but this changes nothing. There wont be change until the people revolt, said Juan Cobas, 50, who came to the U.S. from Cuba at age 13.

Others saw Fidels death as a sign that a generation that has ruled Cuba for nearly 60 years is passing from the world stage, many noting that his brother, current President Raul Castro, is 85.

Im feeling this is the beginning of the end, said Alex Pineiro, 32. Fidel was the architect of whats going on. Its a mix of emotions; Im happy hes dead, but Im celebrating hope.

Within hours of the announcement early Saturday of Castros death at age 90, thousands of people banged pots with spoons, waved Cuban and U.S. flags in the air and whooped in jubilation on Calle Ocho  8th Street, and the heart of Little Havana. Honking horns and strains of salsa music from car stereos echoed against stucco buildings, and fireworks lit up the humid night sky.

Police blocked off streets leading to Cafe Versailles, the quintessential Cuban-American hot spot where strong cafecitos  sweetened espresso  were as common as a harsh word about Fidel Castro.

Cuba si! Castro no! they chanted, while others screamed Cuba libre!

Celebration, not grief, permeated the atmosphere. Castro has cast a shadow over Miami for decades, and in many ways, his policy and his power have shaped the city and its inhabitants.

Were not celebrating that someone died, but that this is finished, said 30-year-old Erick Martinez, who emigrated from Cuba four years ago.

There were no reports of violence or any arrests during the demonstrations, Miami police spokeswoman Kenia Fallat said Saturday. Miami-Dade County officials said there were no plans to activate the emergency operations centre  another sign of the more subdued reaction to Castros death than might have previously been expected.

They are celebrating but in a very peaceful way, Fallat said of the demonstrators.

The U.S. Coast Guard was running regular patrols and not increasing staffing levels or taking other emergency steps, said Petty Officer Jonathan Lally. The Coast Guard has seen a sharp uptick in Cubans attempting to arrive in Florida by sea, with at least 7,411 Cubans attempting to migrate over the Florida Straits in the fiscal year that ended Sept. 30 compared with 4,473 in the same time frame last year.

Cubans fled the island to Miami, Tampa, New Jersey and elsewhere after Castro took power in 1959. Some were loyalists of Fulgencio Batista, the president prior to Castro, while others left with the hope they would be able to return soon, after Castro was toppled. He never was.

Some tried for years to find a way to remove Castro by force, including the failed CIA-backed Bay of Pigs invasion in 1961. Rafael Torre, 80, took part in that battle and wore a Bay of Pigs Veteran shirt to Saturdays demonstration.

We tried for more than 50 years but couldnt do it. Now hes dead, and maybe things can change, Torre said. It might take three or four years. Maybe the revolution will be on the streets in three or four months.

Many others believed they would never be free under Castro and his communist regime. Thousands left behind their possessions, loved ones, and hard-earned educations and businesses, travelling to the U.S. by plane, boat or raft. Many Cubans died on the ocean trip to South Florida.

The ones that made it to Miami took a largely, and vehemently, anti-Castro stance.

He should not be revered. He should be reviled, said U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, a Republican who was born in Cuba.

Some people said the election of Donald Trump as president could lead to a tougher stance against the Havana government that might hasten change.

I hope that Trump takes a hard line against the Castro regime, said Henry Marinello, 60, who left Cuba as a child in 1961,

On New Years Eve every year, Cubans in Miami utter a toast in Spanish as they hoist glasses of liquor: Next year in Cuba. But as the Cuban exiles aged, and as Castro outlived them, and as U.S. President Barack Obama eroded the embargo and younger Cubans returned to the island, the toast rang silent in many households.

News of Castros death was long anticipated by the exiles. Rumours have come and gone for decades, and Castros death had become something of a joke. This time, though, it was real.

Were all celebrating, this is like a carnival, said 72-year-old Jay Fernandez, who came to Miami when he was 18 in 1961 after he was jailed twice by the Cuban government. He and his wife and another woman held up a bilingual sign hed made four years ago when Castro first became ill. Satan, Fidel is now yours. Give him what he deserves. Dont let him rest in peace.

Several blocks away, at the Bay of Pigs memorial, Antonio Hernandez, 76, rode his bicycle up in a light rain and stood at the eternal flame that honours the men who tried to wrest Cuba from Castros grip.

Everybodys happy. Now this guy wont do any more damage, said Hernandez, who came to Miami on the Mariel boat lift in 1980. His brother will now go down, too. But the world has to pay attention to this, not just we Cubans.

Many Cubans made successful livings and raised families in Miami despite having to learn a new language and start their lives over. Exiles who arrived as teenagers with no money in their pockets became millionaires, political leaders, clergy members and teachers.

Gabriel Morales, a 40-year-old financial executive, monitored social media early Saturday from his home in Miami. His parents both left Cuba decades ago. His father left Cuba before Castro took over, and then returned to visit during Castros regime. He vowed never to return until the regime changed, Morales said.

Morales mother left after Castro assumed power; her family had their property taken by the government, Morales said.

Feels weird, Morales said in a text message to an Associated Press reporter. Been waiting to hear this news all my life. Seems unreal.

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Strangely, for a Cuban, he didnt like to dance.

But he did like to dominate, and that was what he did.

For five decades, Fidel Castro Ruz bestrode his small Caribbean homeland like a bearded colossus, casting a shadow across global politics that reached further and endured longer than that of almost any other world figure of his generation.

It was an unforgettable and perhaps unprecedented performance by a solo actor in a leading role in a drama that he wrote, to a remarkable degree, on his own.

No one can deny him that.

He had, and has, his worshippers  and they are legion.

Those who idolized Fidel Castro will forever persist in calling him a saviour, a man who overthrew a corrupt dictator, brought social justice and better conditions to his countrys impoverished masses, championed education and health care for all, charted a daring course on the noble side of history, and stood his ground against the most powerful nation in the world  outwitting, outlasting, and in most cases outliving, a succession of 10 U.S. presidents.

He was on his 11th, Barack Obama, when he died Friday in Havana at the age of 90. His health had been failing for years before his death.

Castro also had, and has, his enemies  and they, too, are legion.

Nothing will persuade those who reviled him that Castro was anything other than a vainglorious scoundrel, a man who relished power above all, who ruthlessly suppressed dissent, who exiled, jailed, or executed his opponents, who enriched himself at his countrys expense, who beguiled a nation  and no small part of the world  for no ones benefit but his own.

Now Fidel Castro Ruz is history.

In July 2006, the onset of illness obliged Castro to hand over power  temporarily, it was said  to his somewhat younger brother, Raul. In February 2008, that transfer became permanent, and an ailing Fidel remained largely hidden from public view, occupying himself by composing frequent if rambling pensees that were duly published in Granma, official organ of the Cuban Communist Party.

Many expected that Raul  the longtime defence minister and considered a far more pragmatic type than his moody, mercurial sibling  would quickly set about the ticklish job of somehow deconstructing the wobbly, jerry-rigged socio-economic system that Fidel had fashioned together over the course of nearly five decades, without bringing the entire centrally planned structure crashing down on his head.

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So far, the jury is out on Raul the reformer, for he has proceeded slowly and cautiously at best. However, he did collaborate with his U.S. counterpart to restore diplomatic relations with Washington, ruptured since the early 1960s  a stunning achievement. But progress on other fronts has been halting. Even in retirement and shorn of the presidency, it seemed that Fidel was still able to impose his will, not only upon his brother, but also upon the land he had ruled for so long.

It seems unlikely he will manage the same trick from beyond the grave, and substantive change may finally come to this Caribbean outpost of communism, now that Fidel Castro Ruz is gone.

By any measure, his life was a long, tumultuous, and extraordinary affair, if not as long, or quite as extraordinary, as he himself must have wished.

In the end, the life of Fidel Castro Ruz lasted longer than the average life span of his fellow Cubans  which, at 79.1 years, is among the longest in Latin America and only a little shorter than the comparable figure for the United States of America.

But it turned out in the end that the tall, blustering Comandante with the famous beard was mortal, after all.

He was a large man in a small country, and in a rational world he likely would not have achieved quite the stature or notoriety that he did.

But this world is not overly rational and so, for or a time during the Cold War between the United States and what was then the Soviet Union, Castros influence extended far beyond the sandy, palm-fringed shores of his domain. For three of his nearly five decades in power, he helped to shape history on a global scale, he patrolled the fault lines of a riven planet, he trod the boards of an epic stage.

As for Cubans, they could love the man or hate him  or love and hate him both, as many seemed compelled to do. But they could not escape him.

Now, perhaps, they will.

What happens next will be determined by others and will become clear only over the coming weeks, months, and even years. For Cuba, the future awaits.

But now a man is dead, and for a short time at least Cubans will be looking back, as well as ahead.

Officially, Castros life commenced on Aug. 13, 1926. The man who would become the self-proclaimed champion of Cubas downtrodden was himself the offspring of privilege, born in the eastern part of Cuba, in a town called Biran, part of what was then called Oriente province and is now called Holguin.

His father was Angel Castro y Argiz, an immigrant from Galicia in Spain, who made his fortune in Cuba by building railway tracks for the sugar industry. Castros mother was a household servant named Lina Ruz Gonzalez. Eventually, his parents would wed.

The third of seven children, Castro was a wilful, impulsive creature from the start.

His passions included baseball, and the story is often told that Castro was briefly under contract to a major-league team in the United States  a team usually identified as the Chicago White Sox. Its said he was once called up for a tryout. But that tale is a myth. It did not happen.

Instead, in 1945, Castro began his studies at the law school of the University of Havana, while immersing himself in student politics. At one point, he joined an attempt to overthrow another countrys dictator  Rafael Trujillo, the infamous tyrant who then ruled the Dominican Republic. That misadventure was a complete failure.

In 1948, Castro joined the Partido Ortodoxo, a Cuban opposition political party that railed against corruption in government. Under leader, Eduardo Eddy Chibas, the party lost national elections in 1948, and three years later Chibas committed suicide.

By then, Castro had married, graduated from law school, and started practicing as a lawyer at a small Havana firm. Although brief, the marriage would prove to be a particularly significant page in Castros biography. His bride was Mirta Diaz-Balart, and the union lasted only a few years, producing one son  who would later head Cubas atomic-energy commission  but its repercussions resounded for decades.

The Diaz-Balart clan would later find themselves among the thousands of Cubans who fled to Miami following Castros takeover, and there his one-time in-laws would became central players in the fiercely anti-Castro exile community.

In 1952, however, Fidel Castro was a long way from power, even if his ambitions were clear. That year, he decided to run for parliament as a member  and aspiring leader  of the Ortodoxo party.

But a Cuban military officer by the name of Gen. Fulgencio Batista launched a coup that ousted president Carlos Prio. Batista promptly cancelled the scheduled vote, and Castro drew what was, at the time, a reasonable conclusion. The path to power in Cuba lay not through the ballot box but through the barrel of a gun.

On July 26, 1953, Castro and his younger brother, Raul, led roughly 100 men in a daring but hopelessly botched assault on the Moncada army barracks in Santiago de Cuba, the countrys second city, on the Far Eastern reach of the island.

It was not the only time the Castro brothers would preside over a military fiasco. But Fidel had a knack for turning even his worst disasters into eventual triumphs. And he learned from his mistakes.

In the case of the Moncada barracks attack, the operation was a shambles from the start. In close combat with Batistas soldiers, fully 80 of the 100 men under Castros command were either killed outright or else captured and then killed. Fidel and Raul were taken prisoner and put on trial.

Both brothers were convicted and sentenced to lengthy prison terms  13 years for Raul, 15 for his older brother.

Two years later, Batista made perhaps the greatest blunder of his political career. He proclaimed a general amnesty for political prisoners, and he let Fidel Castro go.

Along with his brother, Castro fled into exile in Mexico City and promptly began plotting his return.

Enter a young asthmatic medical doctor from Argentina, the enigmatic revolutionary dervish known as Ernesto Che Guevara, whose bearded, beret-crowned likeness would eventually become an international icon of perfervid idealism.

Seventeen months after arriving in the Mexican capital, Castro had amassed a miniature expeditionary force of 81 men, including his brother, Guevara and another prominent leader of the revolution, Camilo Cienfuegos. They called themselves el Movimiento 26 de Julio  the 26th of July Movement  after the ill-fated assault on the Moncada barracks.

In December 1956, the small force put to sea aboard an overloaded pleasure yacht, the Granma, and set a course for eastern Cuba.

It seems scarcely believable even now that this quixotic enterprise could have yielded anything but catastrophe for Castro and his companeros. By rights, they should have drowned at sea, and one man nearly did. Somehow, however, they reached the Cuban coast, and it was then that their trials truly began.

A collaborator named Celia Sanchez was waiting for the invaders at a preestablished beachfront rendezvous, with vehicles, food, and firearms, but in the confusion the Granma landed at the wrong place, another beach called Playa de los Coloradas. The shore here was mostly mangrove swamp, and this made it impossible to unload most of the weapons.

Castros party recruited a local man to guide them into the mountains of the Sierra Maestra, but they chose poorly and, on Dec. 5, the erstwhile guide betrayed them to Batistas National Guard.

In the ensuing encounter, all but a few of Castros men  the number 12 is frequently cited  were killed.

Fidel, Raul, Cienfuegos, and a wounded Guevara were among the survivors who straggled up into the mountains of Oriente province, there to begin what might well rank as the most courageous, foolhardy, and unlikely revolutionary struggle ever waged.

We will win this war, said Castro. We are just beginning to fight.

And so it proved.

Before long, Castros army had swelled to 800 irregulars, mostly recruited from the local peasantry. Attacking by surprise in small, guerrilla-style units, the insurgents began to score impressive victories against Batistas larger but less nimble forces, mainly composed of poorly motivated conscripts.

Steadily, the tide of war turned in Castros favour, as the dictators National Guard shrank through desertions and as support for Batista collapsed, both within Cuba and abroad. In mid-1958, Washington suspended arms shipments to the Cuban government and, in December, an army led by Guevara routed the dictators forces at Santa Clara in central Cuba.

On Dec. 31, 1958, Batista admitted defeat. Accompanied by a gaggle of cronies, he boarded an airplane that flew him to exile in the Dominican Republic. From there, he made his way to Francisco Francos Spain.

The war was over.

On Jan. 8, 1959, Fidel Castro marched into Havana, triumphant.

Some say the new Cuban leader was a Communist all along, while others insist he was first and foremost a nationalist and that events steered him toward Marxism. Either way, he was a Marxist when he died.

Declaring himself prime minister, Castro quickly became the dominant figure in the new provisional government in Havana. He pushed through dozens of reforms, expropriated land and buildings in the countryside and the towns. He unleashed a campaign of deadly reprisals against Batista sympathizers, many of whom were executed by firing squad after bogus trials. It is still debated how many died this way. Hundreds, certainly. Castros opponents say thousands. Moderates abandoned the new regime in droves, and Castro consolidated his hold on power.

Before long, the new government sought closer relations with the Soviet Union, which began supplying Cuba with oil. U.S.-owned refineries on the island refused to accept the ideologically tainted petroleum, and so Castro nationalized the plants.

Later, he took over other U.S. assets, including those owned by the United Fruit Company.

The U.S. government soon severed diplomatic ties with the new government and later imposed an economic embargo, measures that were to lock Washingtons policy toward Cuba into the robotic and inflexible hostility that prevailed for decades.

During most of those years, Castro expertly manipulated U.S. antipathy to his advantage, maintaining ordinary Cubans in a state of almost constant high-alert, while laying the blame for everything bad about his revolution at Washingtons door  poor sugar harvests, outbreaks of dengue fever, plagues of swine flu, gross restrictions on personal freedoms, the incarceration of political dissidents, the lack of decent consumer goods, a near ban on access to the Internet for ordinary people.

Everything that fell short or went awry in Cuba could be blamed upon the U.S. embargo  invariably misidentified as a bloqueo or blockade by Cuban government officials  and by the need to protect the revolution from its imperialist enemies lurking just across the Straits of Florida.

If Washington had truly sought better relations with Castro, it is not at all clear he would have gone along. Having the U.S. government as a reactionary whipping boy was just too valuable politically. Washingtons abiding phobia of Castro had an effect that was precisely opposite to its intent. It helped to keep him in power for decades.

Besides, the Yankees did try to invade.

That was in April 1961  the infamous Bay of Pigs invasion. Recruited and trained by the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency, some 1,400 Cuban exiles clambered ashore at Playa Giron in western Cuba. The idea was that this initial attack would immediately spark a popular insurrection against Castros government.

It didnt pan out that way.

Castro personally commanded the defence forces dispatched to repulse the invaders, many of whom were killed. About 1,000 were captured. Cuban propeller-driven combat planes sank two of the U.S. supply ships anchored offshore.

As a result of this made-in-Washington misadventure, Castro solidified his image as a courageous national leader. Later that year, he declared that Cuba would become a socialist country. In 1962, still fearful of another U.S.-backed invasion, Castro sought protection from the Soviet Union, which volunteered to deploy nuclear missiles on the island.

And so the stage was set for that most harrowing episode of the Cold War, the showdown between John F. Kennedy and Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev that propelled the planet to the brink of nuclear conflagration and came to be known as the Cuban Missile Crisis.

In the end, Moscow backed down. In exchange for U.S. agreement to remove its own nuclear arms from Turkey and a promise by Washington not to invade Cuba, Khrushchev consented to recall the Soviet missiles that were even then sea-bound for the Caribbean.

The world had been saved, but Castro was furious. After all, Moscow had failed to consult him before cutting its humanity-preserving deal with Washington.

Barred from making war on Castro, America decided to assassinate the man instead. It is not entirely clear even now whether Kennedy knew the full story of CIA skulduggery during his presidency, but it seemed no scheme was too outlandish to consider if it offered a chance to propel Fidel Castro into an early grave.

At one time or another, the U.S. spy agency considered treating Castros broadcast studio in Havana with mind-altering chemicals. They thought of putting poison or explosives in his cigars. They explored the possibility of polishing his boots with chemicals that would make his beard fall out.

How many of these ideas were actually put into practice, it is difficult to say. But Castro once estimated that he had survived more than 600 CIA attempts on his life.

Eventually, the CIA called off its anti-Castro dogs, and there probably were no further Washington-inspired attempts on the Cuban leaders life after 1970 or so.

Meanwhile, Castros efforts to build and diversify his countrys economy were largely unsuccessful.

First, he promoted industrialization, while shifting away from sugar and other agricultural products that were the backbone of the countrys economy. That didnt work.

In the late 1960s, he decided that sugar was the answer after all, and he hectored his compatriots to produce record harvests that seemed always to fall short.

In 1967, Che Guevara decided he had had enough of being a government minister and set off for Bolivia in the hope of spreading socialist revolution in South America. But Bolivia in the late 1960s was not Cuba in the late 1950s.

In the end, Guevara was tracked down and killed by Bolivian troops, who were likely acting with covert U.S. assistance. Eventually, Ches corpse was flown back to Cuba, and it is now buried in Santa Clara, the site of the greatest military victory of the revolution.

With Soviet backing, Cuba became increasingly active in Africa, supporting movements in Mozambique and, especially, in Angola, where Cuban troops were an important factor in that countrys war with South Africa, from 1975 until 1989.

At the same time, Cuba was backing armed revolution in the Americas, providing diverse assistance to the Sandinista government in Nicaragua while acting as a sort of godfather to insurgent forces in Colombia, El Salvador, and Guatemala.

At home, Castro suffered some embarrassments, such as the famous Mariel boatlift in the spring of 1980, in which more than 120,000 Cubans scrambled onto U.S.-piloted pleasure craft that bore them away to Florida.

In other ways, the Cold War was good for Cuba. Year in, year out, the Soviet Union  by some estimates  transferred the equivalent of $3-billion (U.S.) to its only Caribbean satellite state.

For many Cubans, life was stifling politically, but economically it was good.

Illiteracy was all but vanquished. Life expectancy increased substantially. Schooling was universally available and free. Medical care of a high standard was provided, in theory, to all. There was enough food to go around.

And so, in 1991, when the Soviet Union finally collapsed, what many saw as a boon to humanity was, for Cuba, perhaps the worst news possible.

Never before, in the nearly 500 years since the Spanish conquest, had this long, narrow island been anything other than someone elses colony. First, it belonged to Madrid. Later, after the Spanish-American War in 1898, Cuba was a U.S. protectorate in all but name. Finally, following the Castro revolution, the island became Moscows client state.

Now it looked as if Cuba was going to have to go it alone  and somehow it did.

Granted, ordinary Cubans paid a staggering price. Between 1989 and 1994, the economy shrank by roughly 40 per cent, and many thousands chose to escape, fleeing the island aboard rafts, dinghies, and overloaded boats that did not always make it to Florida. A shocking quantity of people, seeking their idea of freedom, instead simply drowned. Their numbers will never be known.

On the ideological front, Castro made some concessions  as he tended to do, in extremis  allowing Cubans to hold foreign currency legally, promoting foreign investment, encouraging tourism. Gradually, the economy began to recover. More recently, Cuba has received a huge helping hand from oil-rich Venezuela, but that largesse seems imperiled now.

In the last years of his life, Castro was less isolated politically than at any time since the last days of the Cold War. Progressive or left-leaning rulers took power in a clutch of Latin American countries, the so-called Pink Tide, a wave that seems to be fading now. Even so, other leaders in the region are far less hostile to Havana than their predecessors generally were.

In fact, Cuba now enjoys full diplomatic relations with every country in the Americas, including the U.S.

In the last years of his life, Castro was less isolated politically than at any time since the last days of the Cold War. Progressive or left-leaning rulers now govern a clutch of Latin American countries, with Chavez of Venezuela foremost among them. Bolivian President Evo Morales is another close ally. And other leaders in the region are much less hostile to Havana than their predecessors generally were.

In fact, by 2009, Cuba enjoyed full diplomatic relations with every country in the Americas, with just one huge exception.

Whats next?

For nearly five decades, until 2006, Fidel Castro was the beating heart and clamouring soul of the Cuban revolution, and it seemed unimaginable the system he created would survive without the man with the beard at its helm.

But so far it has.

Whether or how long it can now survive with Fidel in his grave  that is a different question.

For decades, Fidel managed to hold his lifes work together through the force of his singular will, suppressing dissent, resolving disputes, micromanaging entire ministries, and resorting to brutal measures only when he deemed it necessary, which was far too often for some, not often enough for others.

Somehow, through it all, he managed to retain the respect and affection of many and perhaps most Cubans, even as they opposed most of what he said or did. This kind of political alchemy is a talent reserved for a very few mortals. It produced the magical and paradoxical glue that has long helped to keep the governing apparatus intact. And it may all come unstuck very quickly now that Castro is dead.

Change of some kind is riding on the salty Caribbean air.

It may come fast, or it may come slowly, but it seems destined to come.

Just now, however, a remarkable man is dead.

He had his worshippers. He had his enemies. But, for decades, he also had his way, as very few men or women on this bobbling planet ever have or ever could.

You can deny Fidel Castro much, especially now that he is dead, but you must allow him this  the sheer immensity of his will.

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A reminder to journalists everywhere:

Blessed are those who wait, particularly if youre attending the annual meeting of Americas white supremacist alt-right movement in Washington.

When the history of the Trump presidency is written, lets hope that at least a tiny footnote is given to the video journalist with The Atlantic magazine who stuck around to the end of that meeting last weekend, after many reporters had left, to capture the astonishing pictures of exuberant young American men making the Nazi salute in celebration of Donald Trumps election victory.

Did I forget to mention that the meeting was held in the Ronald Reagan Building, down the street from the Trump Hotel and just a few blocks from the White House?

If we thought we had seen everything in this presidential race, we were proven wrong once again. The video of the Nazi salutes was broadcast worldwide and the reaction was swift. In Berlin, a senior government official told Reuters that the video was repulsive and worrying. In Israel, a member of the foreign affairs committee called it sickening and intolerable.

Their fear, shared by many Americans, is that white supremacists and the purveyors of hate in the United States now feel emboldened by the Trump victory, and they are right.

Related:

Donald Trumps anti-Semitic supporters cant be ignored: Teitel

The so-called alt-right in the United States, which is short for alternative-right, is a nationalist movement that embraces white supremacist politics fuelled by racism and anti-Semitism. It was an enthusiastic supporter of Trump throughout the campaign.

Last weekends conference, with more than 200 delegates, was organized by the National Policy Institute, led by Richard B. Spencer.

In his closing speech, which was laced with anti-Semitic references, Spencer evoked Nazi terminology to condemn Americas mainstream media. He ended the speech with the words: Hail Trump, hail our people, hail victory.

In the video, the camera was focused on a close-up of Spencer as he uttered those words, but then it pulled back to a wide shot of the applauding crowd. It was the wide shot  with several people making straight-arm Nazi salutes  that told the real story.

On Monday, the day after the video surfaced, Trump was pressured to comment, and he condemned the movement in a cursory way. Speaking to The New York Times, he said: I dont want to energize the group, and I disavow the group.

But not so fast. As Richard Cohen, president the Southern Poverty Law Center, put it: Trump has been playing the tune of the alt-right from the day he announced his campaign.

With Trump calling Mexican immigrants rapists, proposing to ban Muslim immigration, talking about mass deportations and denouncing political correctness, Cohen said, its all been music to the ears of a movement that envisions a white America  and thats exactly the America the alt-right wants to see.

Another apparent consequence of the Trump election was cited by the Southern Poverty Law Center. There has been a spike in the number of hate incidents in the United States since the Nov. 8 election. One study indicated that the number is higher than the anti-Muslim hate crimes that followed 9/11 in 2001.

In the long term, perhaps the most important development has been Trumps appointment of Stephen Bannon as senior political strategist in the White House. His desk will be down the hall from the Oval Office.

Until recently, he ran Breitbart News, an extreme right-wing website that was regarded as home by many supporters of the alt-right movement with their racist, anti-Semitic messages. Last July, Bannon described his website as the platform for the alt-right.

Since his appointment, there have been conflicting accounts about whether he personally embraces the hateful views that dominate his former website, but the indications are alarming. As David Duke, the former leader of the Ku Klux Klan, said to CNN: You have an individual, Mr. Bannon, whos basically creating the ideological aspects of where we are going. And ideology is the most important aspect of any government.

Trump has been a constant surprise in this long presidential race, and he may surprise us again. He now says he deplores and condemns the alt-right movement, and he may be telling the truth.

But thanks to that patient video journalist last weekend, we have been reminded that, more than ever, there are dark forces at play that need to be watched.

Tony Burman is former head of Al Jazeera English and CBC News. Reach him @TonyBurman or at tony.burman@gmail.com .

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CANNON BALL, N.D.North Dakota officials are encouraging hundreds of Dakota Access oil pipeline protesters to respect a directive to leave a sprawling, months-old encampment on federal land, but one organizer says that isnt likely.

According to Standing Rock Sioux tribal leader Dave Archambault, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers sent him a letter Friday that said all federal lands north of the Cannonball River will be closed to public access Dec. 5 for safety concerns, including the oncoming winter and the increasingly contentious clashes between protesters and police.

The Oceti Sakowin camp is on Corps land in southern North Dakota and is where the vast majority of the several hundred people fighting against the four-state, $3.8 billion pipeline have created a self-sustaining community and put up semi-permanent structures in advance of the harsh winter.

The encampment is near the confluence of the Missouri and Cannonball rivers, and more than a mile from a Missouri River reservoir under which the pipeline will pass. That final large segment is yet to be completed, held up while the Corps consults with the tribe, who believe the project could harm drinking water and native American cultural sites.

The Corps letter, according to Archambault, said that those who stay on the land after the deadline may be prosecuted, and that therell be a free speech zone south of the river.

But Dallas Goldtooth, a protest organizer with the Indigenous Environmental Network, believes many people will choose not to move to another site, and that protesters are building shelters and teepees to prepare for the winter.

Goldtooth also said the governments request will escalate already rocky tensions, calling the directive an atrocious example that colonization has not ended for us here as indigenous people.

On Friday, Archambault, whose tribe offered protesters land on its reservation south of the river earlier this fall, said our resolve to protect our water is stronger than ever.

Representatives from the Army Corps of Engineers didnt immediately return multiple messages Friday or Saturday seeking comment and verification of the letter. Last month, the Corps said it would not evict the encampment, which started as overflow from smaller private and permitted protest sites nearby and began growing in August.

President Barack Obama raised the possibility of rerouting the pipeline in that area earlier this month, something Kelcy Warren, CEO of Texas-based pipeline developer Energy Transfer Partners, told The Associated Press is not an option from the companys standpoint. Obama said his administration is monitoring the challenging situation but would let it play out for several more weeks.

Some of the protests have resulted in violent confrontations and more than 500 people have been arrested since August.

Its the federal governments job to peacefully close the camp because it allowed people to stay there in the first place, Gov. Jack Dalyrmple said in a statement Saturday.

Our state and local law enforcement agencies continue to do all they can to keep private property and public infrastructure free from unpermitted protest activities, and its past time that the federal government provides the law enforcement resources ... to enforce their own order to vacate, the Republican said.

Republican U.S. Sen. John Hoeven and Democratic U.S. Sen. Heidi Heitkamp said the protesters need to move for public safety.

The well-being and property of ranchers, farmers and everyone else living in the region should not be threatened by protesters who are willing to commit acts of violence, Hoeven said in a statement Friday. He also called on the Obama administration to let work on the pipeline move forward, saying, this difficult situation has gone on too long and we need to get it resolved.

Heitkamp said the Corps order is a needed step to support the safety of residents, workers, protesters and law enforcement.

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ROCKVILLE, MD.Calling it womb-like would be a stretch, but inside Shady Grove Fertility centres inner laboratory, the incandescent lights are lowered to a soothing dimness. Temperature and pH are carefully controlled.

An embryologist peers through a microscope, scanning the follicular fluid extracted from a womans ovaries just moments ago. She is looking for a fat polka dot embedded in a cloud of tiny cells.

We dont want these eggs to think theyre out of the body. We want them to be happy as can be, says Wayne Caswell, executive director of technology and quality for Donor Egg Bank USA, a business that partners with the clinic.

One! Got it! the embryologist cries. Within minutes, the egg is trimmed clean and siphoned into a nourishing liquid.

Hundreds of thousands of such egg retrievals, a procedure necessary for both traditional IVF and gestational surrogacy, are performed around the world yearly. And until recently, every egg retrieved this way was constrained to a single, narrow path.

Fertility doctors have been using frozen sperm to create pregnancies for more than 60 years. But eggs confounded the cryopreservation process. Once an egg was outside the body, it almost always had to be inseminated within hours and transferred to a uterus within days.

Technology has changed that. Now eggs can be frozen like sperm  and anything a male sex cell can do from that point on, a female one can, too.

Vitrification, as the new technique is called, has made many avenues of assisted reproduction safer, cheaper, more efficient and easier to access. But unsurprisingly for a technology that creates human beings, egg freezing, by unravelling one biological knot, has created a tangle of new questions about gender, work, health and religion.

Those in need of an egg donor can choose one anywhere in the world, allowing greater control over traits like race. Women who fear their reproductive potential will be compromised before they plan to get pregnant can preserve their own eggs until ready to use them  a surging business that did not exist until recently.

In the world of international surrogacy  where the woman providing the egg, the woman carrying the pregnancy, and the couple raising the child may be continents apart  vitrification has made co-ordination much easier, sending sex cells and embryos ping-ponging around the globe. That has been a boon to many families and a headache for international law.

Egg freezing has been really revolutionary, the biggest leap in the field of assisted reproductive technology in a quarter-century, says Caswell.

Roughly one in 55 babies born in Canada is conceived with IVF. The number of Canadian women banking their own eggs has more than tripled in five years, and surrogacy has surged. This revolution will alter how thousands of Canadians build families  and the way non-Canadians create families on our soil. Those who will never use egg freezing have a stake too: Health Canada wants public feedback as it struggles to regulate assisted reproduction in a way that reflects the countrys values, even as borders lose relevancy.

In the rapidly evolving drama of egg freezing, both the Pope and Octomom have a cameo  and no one knows what the ending will look like.

The first known instance of human sperm donation occurred in 1884 in Philadelphia. A rich merchant was troubled that he and his wife could not conceive, according to a report in the journal Medical World. The couple visited a Professor Pancoast, who along with his medical students discovered the merchant had no sperm in his semen.

They chose the best-looking student, administered chloroform to the wife, and inserted the students semen in her uterus. The couple was unaware of the experiment.

Nine months later, the wife gave birth. Eventually, the professor confessed to the merchant, who was delighted with the idea, and conspired with the professor in keeping from the lady the actual way by which her impregnation was brought about.

In 1953, researchers announced the first successful human pregnancy using previously frozen sperm. The subsequent two decades saw leaps forward in cryobiology.

By the 1980s, dozens of American sperm donation programs had opened. By the 1990s, after the AIDS crisis forced clinics to quarantine samples, fresh donor programs closed and cryobanks expanded.

As sperm banks boomed, researchers and doctors turned to freezing other reproductive tissues. Embryos saw decent post-thaw survival rates. But the technology floundered when applied to eggs.

By the mid-90s, embryo banking and embryo freezing had become fairly routine, says Mark Sauer, a professor of reproductive endocrinology and infertility at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons and a pioneer of egg donation. But when extended to eggs, it wasnt very promising.

The problem lies in the starkly different biology of male and female sex cells.

Sperm are one of the smallest cells in the human body. The DNA in the nucleus of these cells is compacted to one-sixth the normal size, and the nucleus nearly fills the cell. Sperm carry very little cytoplasm, the water-based solution that usually fills cell bodies.

Cryopreserving sperm is relatively simple. The usual method involves adding a cryoprotectant like glycerol to the sample, which replaces what little water exists in the cells. Then the sample is gradually cooled in liquid nitrogen vapour, a technique known as slow freezing.

Once frozen, the sample is stored at -196 C in tanks of liquid nitrogen. About half the cells in a sample will die once it is thawed. But with tens of millions of sperm cells in a single ejaculate, usually enough will survive to inseminate an egg. Donor screening and other protocols have improved, but the basic technology of sperm freezing has not changed in 40 years.

Eggs could not be more different.

Eggs are the largest cell in the human body, about 25 times the size of a sperm and full of cytoplasm. When researchers started experimenting with egg freezing in the 1980s, the water inside the cell would crystallize into ice, rupturing the cell membrane and destroying its viability.

Occasionally, the slow-freezing method worked. But when one clinic reported a rare success, others couldnt replicate it  and human ovaries only release about 400 mature eggs between puberty and menopause, so they are a limited resource.

It was considered largely experimental, Sauer says, relegated only to those with little choice, like cancer patients whose chemotherapy was almost certain to render them sterile.

For most, fresh eggs were the only option. And hopeful parents-to-be for whom healthy eggs are a barrier to baby-making including men in same-sex relationships, couples struggling with female-factor infertility, transgender women and single men  were tied to the precarious timing of the retrieval process.

The first step of that process is finding a willing donor, one who has typically passed a multi-stage screening and can commit to the lengthy process. Whether the donor is known or anonymous, legal agreements are usually necessary.

With the commitment formalized, the donors menstrual cycle must be synchronized with the person who will carry the pregnancy. That person may be someone who hopes to raise the child or a gestational surrogate. Injected hormonal drugs are used to stimulate the donors ovaries to produce more than the typical single egg: 12 to 15 is not unusual.

When ultrasounds and blood tests indicate that the egg-bearing follicles on the ovaries surface are mature, the donor receives a trigger shot of hormones, and 36 hours later arrives at the clinic. There she undergoes a mild or twilight form of anesthesia while a doctor inserts a long needle into her vagina. Using ultrasound to guide it towards her ovarian follicles, the doctor hoovers up the fluid inside them.

The embryologist at Shady Grove Fertility was completing the next step: searching through the extracted fluid for egg masses, clouds of cells  literally a cumulus  that usually surround mature eggs. Reputable fertility centres will have the same carefully controlled climate as the Rockville lab, since both eggs and embryos are highly sensitive to environmental insult: fluorescent lighting and paints that emit volatile organic compounds can scramble their DNA.

After the eggs are trimmed of their cumulus in the lab, they are inseminated in a petri dish  with sperm produced by one of the intended parents or with donated sperm  and left in an incubator to develop into early-stage embryos, usually one to seven days old. Some of those embryos are then implanted in the uterus of whoever hopes to carry the pregnancy to term.

If too few follicles grow, or too many (a risk of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome), or if no fertilized eggs develop into healthy embryos, or if the embryos do not take hold in the uterus  just a few things that can go wrong  the entire process is either delayed or restarted, assuming every person in the arrangement is psychologically, physically and financially ready.

Workarounds exist. Freezing embryos avoids the hassle of synchronizing the egg donors and the pregnancy carriers cycles  especially helpful for international surrogacy arrangements. But with slow-freezing, only about 70 per cent of embryos survived the thaw, raising the chances of requiring more egg retrieval cycles.

Traditional rather than gestational surrogacy, in which the pregnancy carrier is also the egg donor, can avoid the entire IVF process by using intrauterine insemination  transferring semen directly into the surrogates uterus while she is ovulating. But traditional surrogacy is unpopular, because it means the surrogate shares half her genes with the child she is carrying, a complicated biological and legal connection.

Unsurprisingly, given the hurdles involved in egg donation, it was a full century after Pancoasts haphazard donor sperm experiment, in 1983, when the first baby born via donor egg was reported.

In an exquisite irony, the Catholic Church would soon play a role in easing the technological challenges of egg donation.

To most, Natalie Suleman is better known as Octomom, a made-in-America tabloid sensation who gave birth to octuplets in 2009. To those who work in assisted reproductive technology, or ART, Sulemans name is a byword for substandard care.

Suleman became pregnant with octuplets after a fertility doctor in Beverly Hills, Michael Kamrava, implanted her with 12 embryos. As he later testified at a Medical Board of California hearing covered by the Los Angeles Times, Suleman insisted that he implant the entire batch of embryos because she didnt want to freeze or donate any.

Higher-order multiples  triplets and beyond  ratchet up the risk of complications. Sixty per cent of multiples are born prematurely, and one-fifth of triplet pregnancies result in at least one child with a major disability.

Kamravas decision amounted to gross negligence: except in very challenging cases, both the Canadian Fertility and Andrology Society and the American Society of Reproductive Medicine recommend implanting one or two embryos. Any embryos that arent immediately implanted are either discarded, donated to science or another couple, or frozen for another attempt.

Studies of fertility clinic patients report that deciding whether to use, discard or donate cryopreserved embryos is often distressing (and can spark legal conflict for couples that split).

In 2004, Italys parliament codified a law that circumvented such decisions, leaving very few options for fertility clinics and patients.

IVF is prohibited by the Catholic Church. Pope Francis has called it Playing with life . . . a sin against the Creator. The Italian law banned fertilizing more than three eggs at a time and required all embryos to be transferred simultaneously. It also prohibited the cryopreservation of embryos, using embryos for research, egg and sperm donation, and IVF for anyone but married heterosexual couples.

If an Italian woman undergoing IVF produced 18 eggs in one retrieval, only three could be used (or just one, if she wanted to avoid the risk of multiples). The other eggs had to be discarded.

Other countries have passed ART-related restrictions  Canadas own Assisted Human Reproduction Act, enacted that year, banned paying donors for eggs, sperm, embryos and paying surrogates  but the Italian law was particularly severe (and was later mostly overturned). The law, particularly the ban on freezing embryos, quickly reduced IVF success rates, researchers found. But it had another, unintended consequence.

The law did not ban freezing eggs.

Suddenly, Italian practitioners had a difficult decision: if I maximize this womans attempt at having a baby, I need to stimulate her ovaries to make as many eggs as I can, and Im going to have more than three eggs to fertilize. What am I going to do with the extra? explains Sauer. It focused the need to come up with a better method for freezing eggs.

For the previous half-decade, researchers had been experimenting with vitrification. The technique involves exposing eggs to a series of cryoprotectant solutions in increasingly high doses, then quickly loading them onto a thin storage straw and plunging the straw into a tank of liquid nitrogen, which flash-cools the eggs from room temperature to -196 C in just two to three seconds.

If successful, the word freezing isnt actually accurate, since the technique avoids creating ice crystals that can damage the cell  vitrification refers to the transformation of a liquid into a smooth, glass-like solid. The procedure is simple, but must be timed and executed precisely.

Italian scientists flocked to the research, which sort of fast-tracked egg-freezing, Sauer says.

Suddenly, says Sauer, there was this new promise.

Andy Dorfmann co-founded the Genetics and IVF Institute, a fertility centre in Fairfax, Va., in 1984. He saw the birth of his first IVF baby at the Institute in 1985, and, 26 years later, walked her down the aisle on her wedding day. Dorfmann was leading the companys embryology lab when the research on vitrification began to emerge.

By the mid-2000s, it was becoming clear that vitrification was probably going to replace (fresh egg donation), or seemed to be at least a very promising thing, Dorfmann recalls, sitting in a boardroom in the companys headquarters.

GIVF already ran one of the largest U.S. sperm banks, Fairfax Cryobank, and a large fresh donor egg program. The institute launched a clinical study of egg vitrification in 2006 and opened Fairfax EggBank commercially in 2012, the year the American Society for Reproductive Medicine removed the experimental label from egg freezing.

It has completely transformed ART, Dorfmann says.

Vitrification has increased survival rates of frozen embryos as well as eggs: over 90 per cent will survive post-thaw, compared to 70 per cent for slow-freezing. With more confidence in the viability of the embryos being transferred to the uterus, there is less need to transfer multiple embryos so that just one will take.

Transferring one high-quality embryo at a time has allowed clinics to improve pregnancy rates while reducing the rate of twins and triplets, says Dorfmann. In Canada, though many factors deserve credit, the IVF multiple birth rate dropped to 10.1 per cent from 29.5 per cent over the last decade.

It has been a significant boon to the industry medically, in terms of the health of the patients, says Dorfmann.

Vitrification can make egg donation cheaper  egg bank clients are usually buying a cohort of five to eight frozen eggs, rather than effectively renting an egg donor for as many cycles as it takes  and definitely makes it easier to access.

If no fresh egg donors are available in your small city (or large country that bars paying them for anything beyond expenses), or none that share your ethnicity, egg vitrification means families can still access donated eggs without the cost and trouble of physically bringing the donor and recipient together.

Theres no syncing people up, says Joseph Doyle, a reproductive endocrinologist at Shady Grove Fertility. The egg retrieval process is the same, but the risk of the donors cycle producing too few eggs, or being cancelled entirely, is transferred to the egg bank. The eggs are ready, and you can use them very quickly.

Shady Grove partners with Donor Egg Bank USA, where Wayne Caswell works, in part because they operate on a network model: eggs are retrieved and vitrified at 13 different clinics and distributed to more than 100, including several in Canada.

There are clinics all over the country, which means broader ethnic variability, Doyle adds.

Historically, it has been harder for black, Asian and other non-white fertility patients to find egg donors of the same race. Egg banking helps allay that problem.

But discussion of this topic often skirts an uncomfortable truth: non-white couples struggling with infertility are far less likely to use reproductive technologies. A 2014 U.S. National Health Statistics Report found 44.1 per cent of reproductive-age white women with fertility issues had accessed some service for the problem, while only 27.6 per cent of black women had.

Popular debate fixates on designer babies, embryos genetically engineered with desirable qualities. Yet traits as simple as eye colour involve a multiplicity of genes, and are more difficult to engineer than many might imagine.

Pre-implantation genetic testing of embryos is increasingly popular, but primarily used to screen for debilitating diseases, not engineer superhumans. A 2015 Chinese experiment that was the first to attempt editing genomes in human embryos, an area of research banned in many countries, tried to replace just one blood-disease causing gene, but failed. Meanwhile, a simple disparity in access to ART results in a form of passive racial engineering that receives far less outcry.

The sheer simplicity of shipping eggs around the world today is probably not what church-minded Italian MPs had envisioned in 2004. While customs can be a problem, the technology is simple: straws of vitrified eggs are simply loaded into a dry shipper, a tank with a vacuum wall that can keep contents extremely cold for days, and shipped via courier, as sperm have for decades.

Though a fraction of the ART industry, this mobility has been a major boost for international surrogacy.

Frozen donor eggs make co-ordination of a multi-stage ART arrangement much easier, says Susan Crockin, a professor at Georgetown Universitys ONeill Institute for National and Global Health Law, who has spent her career studying legal issues surrounding reproductive technology.

People who cant have children without a surrogate  men in same-sex couples, for example  often turn to a shifting landscape of surrogacy hotspots, either because their home countries have banned the practice or because going abroad cuts costs.

As the Star has detailed in its ongoing series, a crush of foreigners compete for Canadian gestational carriers who are supported by our health-care system and theoretically cant be paid for anything beyond expenses  though payment rules are murky.

Though its often called reproductive tourism, Crockin prefers the term reproductive exile.

There is a biological urge to have children that pushes people to do what they can, and in a country that sets limits, there will always be people who look for a way to accomplish their dreams, she says. You take entire populations of your citizenry and you force them to go elsewhere to create families. And when they come back, you have immigration and citizenship problems.

Media and case law are replete with horror stories. One Canadian couple was stuck in India for more than four years after discovering that one of the twins born to them by an Indian surrogate was not genetically related to either parent, meaning the child did not automatically receive Canadian citizenship.

Egg freezing cant be blamed. But it is one important area of reproductive medicine where technology has rocketed forward, taking many families with it, while the law lurches to catch up. In late September, Health Canada announced it would strengthen and clarify the regulatory framework governing assisted human reproduction in Canada.

While the 2004 Assisted Human Reproduction Act states that egg and sperm donors and surrogates can be reimbursed for eligible expenses but not paid, it never set out what those eligible expenses are. The small pool of altruistic donors and surrogates in Canada operates in a legal grey zone.

But some argue that clarifying these expenses is no improvement. Anything short of legalizing commercial egg donation will continue to send Canadians to the bustling American egg bank business, which can ship vitrified eggs over the border with little difficulty, making a mockery of our domestic ban. Health Canada, which is soliciting public feedback until Nov. 29, hopes to test and track egg and sperm donation better, but it is unclear how the agency hopes to enforce that in the U.S.

One service that did not even exist when Canadian laws were enacted is elective egg freezing.

Fertility preservation, as it is sometimes called, became a hot-button issue in 2014 when Apple and Facebook announced they would cover costs for employees. Some observers saw it as benefiting women: more reproductive freedom in a male-dominated industry. Others saw it as avoidance of a greater challenge: integration of work and family life.

What received less attention amid this social debate was the scientific one. The American Society of Reproductive Medicine still does not recommend elective egg freezing.

Marketing this technology for the purpose of deferring childbearing may give women false hope, the position statement reads.

Studies that examined the use of fresh versus frozen eggs in IVF have generally found comparable success rates, though researchers say more data is needed.

But it is a mistake to carry those success rates over to the practice of elective egg freezing, which is more likely to be used by women already nearing the ceiling of reproductive age. Critics argue the clinics marketing this service are not always transparent about the likelihood of becoming pregnant later  or how invasive, expensive and psychologically taxing IVF can be.

Nevertheless, this market is booming. Eighty per cent of the 333 egg banking cycles reported in Canada last year were for social reasons.

Shady Groves Joseph Doyle believes the social debate around egg freezing is warranted. But he notes that the number of clients asking about elective egg freezing is growing and growing. Theres absolutely a change there. We really dont even promote it, he says.

The whole field is going to change so much in our lifetimes.

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SEOUL, KOREA, REPUBLIC OFFor South Korean farmer Lee Hyo-shin, demanding the ouster of President Park Geun-hye was a slow and gruelling 10-day journey atop a vehicle unable to move faster than 20 kilometres per hour.

He was one of hundreds of thousands of South Koreans who marched on Saturday in streets near Seouls presidential palace, where Park is bracing for whats likely to be a bitter and prolonged fight against lawmakers who may attempt to impeach her as early as next week.

Prosecutors accuse Park of assisting criminal activities of a secretive confidante who allegedly manipulated power from the shadows and extorted companies to build an illicit fortune.

The fatigue is really starting to kick in, said Lee, 53, who, while leading a convoy of farmers, travelled nearly 300 kilometres from the seaside county of Haenam on his tractor before police on Friday stopped the vehicles near Seoul.

Pulling Park down isnt going to be easy, but we farmers are good at injecting energy into demonstrations, Lee said.

Thousands of people marched in streets close to the presidential Blue House, areas police usually dont permit, carrying signs and flags. Protesters later turned a darkened boulevard in front of an old palace gate into a sea of light, waving candles and singing and shouting for Parks removal.

Police said 270,000 people took part in the fifth straight weekend of massive protests against the unpopular president, making it the largest rally yet. Organizers put the turnout at 1.5 million.

There are many challenges for counting the number of protesters. The rallies stretch from midday to late night  some people stay for several hours, others just several minutes. The demonstrators not only gather in open space, but also small alleys and between buildings. Some of them are constantly moving.

A look at how police and protest organizers size the crowds at protests, and also how South Korean scientists and a technology company are exploring new ways to more accurately measure the number of protesters:

POLICE: MEASURING THE CROWD AT ITS PEAK

While the protest in Seoul on Nov. 12 might have been one of the largest since South Korea freed itself from dictatorship three decades ago, its unclear how big it actually was. Police saw the crowd at 260,000, while organizers say 1 million turned out.

For the police, the aim is to measure the maximum crowd occupying a certain space at any given time so that they could determine the size of police personnel and resources to deploy, according to an official from the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, who didnt want to be named, citing office rules.

Police presume that, when sitting, six people would fill a space of 3.3 square meters (36 square feet), or 1 pyeong, the aerial unit commonly used in South Korea. The same area would hold nine or 10 people when standing, police said.

Based on this, police consider the 32,100-square-meter boulevard in front of the Gwanghwamun palace gate, which has been the centre of the protests, as accommodating close to 600,000 people when fully packed.

Critics say the police model understates the actual number of demonstrators because it fails to track people moving in and out of the area during the duration of the protest, and is ill-equipped to measure protesters in non-open space, such as sidewalks and alleys between buildings.

ORGANIZERS: TRACKING EVERYONE WHO CAME AND WENT

Han Seon-beom, one of the protest organizers, admits outright that their measurements arent scientific, but still argues they are more reliable than police numbers.

Organizers seek to track the entire flow of people from the protests start to its finish. They collect estimates given by counters deployed at different locations to size up the crowds in each area and update the numbers throughout the duration of the protest.

They try to account for the people on the sidewalks, spaces between buildings and also those moving in and out of nearby subway stations and restaurants, Han said.

The numbers of participants reported by organized groups, such as labour unions, are also put into account.

COMPANY: COUNTING NUMBER OF SIGNALS FROM SMARTPHONES

One South Korean retail analytics company measured the number of protesters by counting the number of smartphone signals.

Zoyi Corp. deployed about 60 people, each carrying a backpack with the companys Wi-Fi signal-detecting sensor, to the rally on Nov. 19.

They collected Wi-Fi and Bluetooth signals from smartphones for about seven hours from 2 p.m. at 53 spots and found about 369,372 smartphones that had their wireless signals on during the rally.

The company presumed that about half of smartphone users usually leave their Wi-Fi feature on and the other half switch it off, based on a separate survey on smartphone usage. It also assumed that about 20 per cent of the smartphone signals were repetition from the same device. Based on this, Zoyi concluded that about 738,700 people joined the rally.

The limitation of our method is that it can measure only those who kept their phones Wi-Fi signals on, said An Nahyun, the companys chief operating officer.

SCIENTISTS LOOK AT PARTICLE PHYSICS AND MORE

Some scientists strived to improve accuracy by drawing methods from their own field. In general, they conclude that the protests must be larger than the police estimates.

Park Inkyu, a particle physicist, counted the number of people by applying a method that scientists use to measure particles in high-energy physics, writing a code that counted the number of candle lights based on pictures from the rally.

Based on his own observation at the past rallies, Park assumed that at least half of the demonstrators did not bring a candle. He added the number of candles in the photo to the possible number of people without a candle and drew a conclusion that about four people were occupying 1 square meter at the rally.

That means that the number of people occupying avenues, streets and alleys near the presidential office could range from 500,000 to 700,000 when the areas are packed, he said. The limitation of Parks estimate is that it cannot count the candles hidden behind other people or objects.

Another scientist suggested a way of measuring the crowds movement.

Assuming that about 10 per cent of the area at the rally is used as passageways for people who are moving, and also assuming that each person moves every 0.3 second, the number of people who came and left the Nov. 12 protest would have been three times larger than the police estimate, according to Won Byung Mook, a science and engineering professor at Sungkyunkwan University.

Won said scientists need more data to make their estimates more precise.

There are many limitations in this method because it is based on assumption, not on vetted data, he said.

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Re: Signs in Toronto urge white people to join alt-right.

Signs in Toronto urge white people to join alt-right.

Marilyn May is correct in asserting that these fringe racist groups are emboldened by the attention such beliefs have received in the press with the ascent of Donald Trump and right-wing xenophobia in the U.S.

Before we get too smug; we should reflect on the fanaticism displayed by our own Rob Ford and the so-called Ford Nation. While that issue was not racist, it was a reflection of the resentment of certain groups against what they considered the elites in downtown Toronto, or the fringes versus the centre.

There will always be tribalism amongst humans and, on a smaller scale, this gives a sense of belonging and coherence in many groups. When it becomes confrontational, it is dangerous and inimical to the public peace.

In times of rapid technological and social change, we experience high levels of personal and social stress, no matter how comfortable and safe we might be compared to our forefathers.

It is interesting to note that the support of radical Trumpism has a religious twist. Christians, in particular, feel threatened and scared by the apparent incursion of other, foreign faiths or from those who have no faith at all.

Im not sure Jesus would have approved.

Sigmund Roseth, Mississauga

It comes as no surprise to me that Donald Trumps victory has emboldened those who periodically pop their intellectual manhole covers and bring their hateful views to the light of day.

The only difference is they believe there is now a place for their unfortunate views and they choose to remain above ground a little longer and soak up some sun.

I, however, have a great deal of faith in my fellow Canadians and dont believe there to be fertile soil for open displays of hate here. These misguided bigots will soon enough discover this and retreat their views from whence they came, replacing their manhole covers firmly.

David Ottenbrite, Mississauga

What a mournful state of affairs has gripped Toronto. Strange indeed that men in Toronto think that because Donald Trump loves to hurl racist slurs, it makes it legal for white men in our city to do the same.

The whole world will regret that such a man could ever be elected by any group of people. Shame on the U.S. voters

Joy Taylor, Scarborough

Not only should we heed columnist Desmond Coles advice not to be smug. Since the appearance of alt-right posters in east-end Toronto and other reported terrible incidents of racism, we should avoid complacency about such attitudes within our society. We must be vigilant, call out unacceptable behaviour and develop strong positive responses.

Paul A. Wilson, Toronto

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Re: Canada could have its own Donald Trump, Nov. 14

Canada could have its own Donald Trump, Nov. 14

Thomas Walkom wisely warns that a groundswell of Trump-like right-wing populism could indeed happen right here.

Ford Nation still simmers on the sidelines, waiting and yearning for a new leader. And here comes Kellie Leitch, auditioning for precisely that job under the guidance of Nick Kouvalis, Rob Fords former campaign manager.

Leitchs plan is clear  to transform Ford Nation from a Toronto phenomenon into a full-fledged national movement and lead it into the next election. Canada dares not let it happen.

Thomas Mulligan, Grimsby, Ont.

Kellie Leitch should be forced to take a Canadian values test because, like Donald Trump, she epitomizes the racism and bigotry our veterans fought against, not for.

Kat Duffy, Mississauga

What I find disturbing about Conservative Kellie Leitchs campaign is her fastening Canadian conservative thinking to Donald Trump  . . . his exciting message that needs to be delivered in Canada as well.

Do we need to copy American political messages in any Canadian campaign? Does it not tell us that if a candidate wins party leadership, then later becomes prime minister, he or she will follow American guidance? Surely we can do better?

Ray Jackson, Mulmur, Ont.

Kellie Leitchs advocacy of screening immigrants for Canadian values is richly ironic. Does she realize she would not be admitted in such a system?

One of the most wonderful Canadian values is that of accommodating diversity. That is what makes us great. Leitch fails in this Canadian value but, even so, we accommodate her.

A.J. Diamond, Toronto

Kellie Leitch is not someone we Canadians want to represent us at all.

For a Conservative candidate to use attitudes that appeal to the most base level of the voting public is completely unacceptable. It gives licence to those who would otherwise keep their discriminatory views to themselves.

Yes, unfortunately, there are some of us who view immigrants and refugees as undesirable, but having someone in Leitchs position gives them the validation that they need to exhibit their ugliness.

I feel that her Canadian Values platform is an example of someone who wants to distinguish herself from the other candidates and pander to those in our society who hold shameful and very un-Canadian attitudes. Please, Ms. Leitch, stop this distasteful campaign.

Lynda Hurley, Toronto

As a lifelong progressive, I can scarcely imagine making common cause with a politician who has voiced high praise for Donald Trump.

But Kellie Leitch seems right on one point: its quite reasonable to vet immigrants for anti-Canadian values.

What are Canadian values?

They include tolerance, gender and racial equality, LGBTQ rights and a commitment to democratic government.

Many progressives are paralyzed on this topic because such vetting would have a disproportionate impact on some cultural or religious communities.

People who tolerate intolerance for the sake of multiculturalism are part of the regressive left. There is a high price to be paid if we dont expose this contradiction in morality for what it is.

Both Brexit and Trumps victory were fuelled in part by voters who saw no one on the left willing to acknowledge, much less address, their legitimate concerns about threats to progressive western values.

David Giuffrida, Ridgeway, Ont.

Isnt it interesting that the latest group wishing to come to Canada is made up of people whose values and appearance most closely resemble those of Canadians of long standing?

The would-be immigrants are those tolerant, generous-minded and generally well-educated and highly productive Americans who are in a state of shock now that a buffoon is their president-elect. They worry that their great republic will become a sewer of racial bigotry and misogyny.

If they come, it will be a repeat of the late 60s and early 70s when many bright young Americans came here to avoid the Vietnam War, a previous period when the United States took collective leave of its senses. Most of those political refugees went on to become great citizens and make outstanding contributions to Canadian society.

I dont know what their arrival would do for Kellie Leitchs goofy notions of testing visitors and immigrants for values. They could obviously pass any test her ramblings might dream up but they would be the last to ever support her. The irony of that is just too delicious.

Lorne Kenney, Collingwood, Ont.

Donald Trump and Rob Ford won because they played the media. They knew if they said outrageous things, the media would report them, so they kept themselves in the media every day. Being a populist is no longer news. Its boring and stupid. Report some substantive news instead. Please dont help Kellie Leitch.

Bruce Nagy, Toronto

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The big retailers are realizing that online holiday shopping is holiday shopping, but the little guys led them two that conclusion.

As holiday shopping shifts online, even small businesses are getting a big piece of shoppers' budgets.

Market research firm ComScore notes that the amount spent online during the 2015 holiday season grew 13% from 2014 to $69.1 billion. That includes a 6% gain for desktop and laptop shopping and a whopping 59% jump for mobile shopping, which now accounts for 18% of all online shopping.

Even after a whole lot of early holiday shopping, online spending from Black Friday through Cyber Monday eclipsed $7.2 billion last year. That's up 10% from the previous year and was helped a great deal by shoppers who increased their online Thanksgiving spending from $766 million to nearly $1.1 billion since 2011. Black Friday shopping, meanwhile, boosted online spending 10% from $1.5 billion in 2014 to $1.66 billion in 2015.

However, even those two holidays combined paled in comparison to Cyber Monday. ComScore notes that spending on that day sales jumped 12%, to $2.28 billion. Throw mobile shopping into the mix and that spending number jumps to above $3 billion. Though Green Monday on December 14 managed a $1.4 billion online total that was larger than that produced by either Thanksgiving or Free Shipping Day (December 18), even the day after Cyber Monday ($1.9 billion) and the Friday two weeks before Christmas (December 11, $1.48 billion) put up huge holiday numbers.

That's no small matter when you consider that the percentage of online shoppers is growing. According to the National Retail Federation's holiday consumer survey, 56.5% of shoppers plan to do at least some of their holiday shopping online. While that still trails the percentages that will shop in department stores such as Macy's or Nordstrom (56.6%), it's now ahead of the percentage of folks who'll shop at discount stores including Wal-Mart and Target (55.7%), but the demographics aren't working the discounters' favor. That's a drastic change from when the NRF first started surveying consumers about their online shopping ten years ago. At that time, roughly two-thirds said they planned to do between1% and 25% of their shopping online, with the largest percentage (23.5%) saying they planned to skip online shopping altogether. Just last year, 25% of shoppers planned to do 26% to half of their shopping online, while 20% planned to do half to three-quarters of their shopping from their PC or mobile device. Just 11% planned to do no online shopping at all.

That puts a whole lot of holiday shopping money on the table, and we know a whole lot of tiny businesses looking for a piece of it. We've looked at small, unique, obscure,far-flung sites around the holidays for several years now, but the following ten online shops are some great additions to those ranks:
Americans have many expectations of their government, but foremost among them is that it will keep them safe. Indeed, in a recent survey, respondents ranked defense as the governments highest priority.

Unfortunately, the just-released third annual edition of The Heritage Foundations Index of U.S. Military Strength has sobering news for them.

Each edition assesses the global security environment and U.S. military strength over the past year. Collectively, they indicate an alarming trend. The costs and consequences wrought by years of inadequate defense funding, combined with a high operational pace across the armed services, are seriously compromising our national defense.

The index uses the ability to fight and win two wars nearly simultaneously as a benchmark by which it measures U.S. military strength. This benchmark, first used by the military after the end of the Cold War, serves to deter potential adversaries who might find an opportunity to act while the U.S. is engaged in another conflict.

Based on an exhaustive review of the Department of Defenses own studies and of historic force deployments, the index editors concluded the following measures as necessary to fulfill this ability:

Navy: 350 ships (current level: 272)

Air Force: 1,200 active component fighter aircraft (current level: 1,113)

Army: 50 brigade combat teams current level: 31)

Marine Corps: 36 marine infantry brigades (current level: 23)

Despite serving as the militarys standard for decades, the concept of a two-war capable force has recently been criticized as excessive. Heritage believes these critiques are situational, that Americas military requirements should be based on Americas strategy, interests and the threats  not the current budget situation.

The services and the public agree. According to Chief of Staff of the Army, Gen. Mark Milley, The only thing more expensive than deterrence is actually fighting a war, and the only thing more expensive than fighting a war is fighting one and losing one.

The true value of preventative measures, however, is difficult to estimate. The price of comprehensive home insurance may place greater strain on a family budget month-to-month, but it is pocket change to a family that has just watched its house burn to the ground. If you wait until you see the first plume of smoke, it will always be too little, too late.

The same is true for the military. It takes time, money and commitment to build and maintain a fighting force of the size and strength our country needs.

Having a military of the proper size is just one part of the solution. The military must also be ready with the right numbers of people, training, weapons and supplies. Yet Americas military is suffering from shortages in all these areas.

The Air Force is currently short 700 fighter pilots. While it may only take a day to distribute pink slips, it takes two years for an individual to become an operational fighter pilot, and seven years for a pilots skillset to fully mature.

The Armys main combat platforms  its tanks, fighting vehicles and helicopters  are now decades old, with no replacement programs in sight. And a recent rise in the number of aviation accidents, some of which have been directly tied to the lack of training hours, reflects the stress of a military underfunded and overused.

Worse, the decline in U.S. military strength has coincided with a rise in global threats, and the modernization and expansion of the Russian, Chinese, Iranian and North Korean militaries.

With years of documented damages inflicted by budget cuts, the next administration must immediately work to stop the bleeding, using the wisdom of our first president, George Washington: If we desire to secure peace, one of the most powerful instruments of our rising prosperity, it must be known, that we are at all times ready for war.
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Inc., St. Jude Medical Systems AB, St. Jude Medical Turkey Medikal Urunler Ticaret Limited Sirketi, Standard Diagnostics Inc., Standing Stone LLC, Swan-Myers Incorporated, TC1 LLC, Tendyne Holdings Inc., Tendyne Medical Inc., Thoratec Delaware LLC, Thoratec Europe Limited, Thoratec LLC, Thoratec Switzerland GmbH, Tobal Products Incorporated, Topera GmbH in Liquidation, Topera Inc., Tremora S.A., Tuenir S.A., TwistDx, UAB Abbott Laboratories, UAB Abbott Medical Lithuania, Union-Madison Realty Company Inc., Unipath Limited (dba Alere International/aka Cranfield), Unipath Management Limited, Unipath Pension Trustee Limited, Veropharm, Veropharm Limited Liability Partnership, Vida Cell Inversiones S.A., Vida Cell S.A., Vivalsol, W&R Pharma Handels GmbH, Western Pharmaceuticals S.A., X Technologies Inc., Yissum Holding Limited, ZonePerfect Nutrition Company, eScreen Canada ULC, eScreen Inc.,      ( ), and Abbott Laboratories Baltics.

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CoreLogic, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, provides property information, insight, analytics, and data-enabled solutions in North America, Western Europe, and the Asia Pacific. The company operates in two segments, Property Intelligence & Risk Management Solutions (PIRM) and Underwriting & Workflow Solutions (UWS). The PIRM segment combines property information, mortgage information, and consumer information to deliver housing market and property-level insights, predictive analytics, and risk management capabilities. It also offers proprietary technology and software platforms to access, automate, or track the information and assist its clients with decision-making and compliance tools in the real estate and insurance industries. This segment primarily serves commercial banks, mortgage lenders and brokers, investment banks, fixed-income investors, real estate agents, MLS companies, property and casualty insurance companies, title insurance companies, government agencies, and government-sponsored enterprises. The UWS segment combines property, mortgage, and consumer information to provide comprehensive mortgage origination and monitoring solutions, including underwriting-related solutions, and data-enabled valuations and appraisals. This segment also provides proprietary technology and software platforms to access, automate, or track the information and assist its clients with vetting and onboarding prospects, and meeting compliance regulations, as well as understanding, evaluating, monitoring property values. It primarily serves mortgage lenders and servicers, mortgage brokers, credit unions, commercial banks, fixed-income investors, government agencies, and property and casualty insurance companies. The company was formerly known as The First American Corporation and changed its name to CoreLogic, Inc. in June 2010. CoreLogic, Inc. was incorporated in 1894 and is headquartered in Irvine, California.
ENERGY

Tribe calls for boycott in N.D. pipeline fight

The leader of the Cheyenne River Sioux in South Dakota is urging all opponents of the Dakota Access oil pipeline to boycott businesses in North Dakotas capital city.

The tribal council voted in September to not spend money in Bismarck, and Chairman Harold Frazier at the time called on the tribes members to join the effort.

Frazier wrote a letter to other tribal leaders and supporters on Tuesday hoping to broaden the boycott.

Bismarck City Administrator Keith Hunke says that is disappointing because Bismarck is not involved in the dispute over the planned $3.8 billion pipeline for carrying North Dakota oil to Illinois.

The Cheyenne River and Standing Rock Sioux tribes are fighting the project, saying it threatens reservation drinking water and cultural sites.

Protesters against the Dakota Access oil pipeline congregate near Cannon Ball, N.D. (James Macpherson/AP)

 Associated Press

TRADE

U.S. group seeks duties on Canadian lumber

A group representing the U.S. lumber industry and some workers on Friday called on authorities to impose duties on Canadian softwood lumber, reigniting a long-standing trade dispute between the two nations.

U.S. producers complain that Canadian lumber is subsidized, and have in the past launched trade challenges that resulted in the United States imposing billions of dollars in tariffs.

The U.S. Lumber Coalitionpetitioned the U.S. Commerce Department and the U.S. International Trade Commission to impose duties to offset the harm caused to U.S. mills, workers and communities by Canadian softwood lumber production subsidies.

The Canadian government, which rejects the notion of unfair subsidies, said it would vigorously defend the interests of Canadian workers and producers.

 Reuters

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Taylor Carrasco as nutcracker in the Cincinnati Ballets production of The Nutcracker at the Kennedy Center. (Peter Mueller/Cincinnati Ballet )

Because the world has turned upside down and were staggering through an epic discontent, there is a big, fat chicken in The Nutcracker at the Kennedy Center.

It bobs and flaps in time with the Tchaikovsky score. It hatches a horde of darling little children dressed as baby chicks. The adorable incongruity of it all makes you laugh. For this, and countless other clever, witty and musically fluid moments in the Cincinnati Ballets production of The Nutcracker, we can be truly thankful.

After all, weve been though too much lately for just any old poultry-free, run-of-the-mill Nutcracker to suffice, dont you think?

So bring on the dancing chicken and the other novel touches that Victoria Morgan, Cincinnati Ballets artistic director, has woven into her sparkling version of the holiday classic, with performances at the Opera House through Sunday. The ballets second act is dominated by a towering, crooked, deliciously decadent-looking cake. Instead of shepherdesses, the traditional mirliton dance is taken over by pink poodles, mirlipoos, and a roguish male dog who bounds around and scratches his fleas.

Yet for all its originality, this Nutcracker has a sense of tradition, and it contains affectionate tributes to the ballets history. The giant plush teddy with a virtuoso solo in the first act is a nod to the dancing bear in Willam Christensens landmark 1944 Nutcracker, which was the first American production and is still performed by Ballet West. Morgan was a principal dancer with the Salt Lake City company and with San Francisco Ballet before taking the reins at Cincinnati Ballet 20 years ago.

She unveiled her Nutcracker in 2011, a decade after riots over police shootings of African Americans rocked Cincinnati and a time when many were reflecting on the changes that had resulted. Maybe Morgan was picking up on a spirit of optimism, or wishing to inject one, for the ballet teems with a sense of humor, love and wonder that pulls the affair together in a harmonious, meaningful way.

Stolen kisses and magical events bubble through the Stahlbaums Christmas party, where servants cuddle over pilfered champagne, one of the wrapped presents scoots along the floor by itself and a wine glass hovers in midair, ready for a refill. In a hint of future transformations, two elderly, white-haired guests suddenly break into the most joint-popping, acrobatic duet of the evening.



Sophia Rose Beadie portrays young Clara in the production. (Peter Mueller/Cincinnati Ballet )

Were introduced to young Clara (sensitively portrayed by Sophia Rose Beadie) as not only the center of attention but also as a child gifted with a profound imagination, which leads organically to her invention of the magical dream world to come. We live this fantasy with her; we see it build. Her devotion to her nutcracker doll has precedent  in the ballets first moments we see that Clara has an imaginary friend. Its a poodle. (Morgan, herself a poodle owner, is poodle-obsessed. Well, there are worse things.) We see it, but its supposed to exist in her head, as a transitional object that escorts Clara between her home and her dream of a kingdom of culinary delights.

Food and comfort are firmly paired here. The ballet opens in the Stahlbaums kitchen, a melee of cooks and canoodling. In bursts Clara, chasing her little dog and dodging the dinner. Seen in context, the later appearance of a dancing chicken is a Jungian inevitability.

Morgan has a free hand with the Tchaikovsky score, which is performed by the Opera House Orchestra. Some rearranged elements in the second act are infelicitous. Chisako Ogas Sugar Plum Fairy offers us her delicate solo rather abruptly as soon as we arrive in the Land of Sweets, and as a result, her later appearance with her Cotton Candy Cavalier (Cervilio Miguel Amador) feels anticlimactic, especially since his variation has been cut.



Patric Palkens and Maizyalet Velazquez as Snow King and Queen. (Peter Mueller/Cincinnati Ballet )

One of the prettiest snow scenes in memory unfurls under arches of ice, where Maizyalet Velazquez and Patric Palkens, the elegant Snow Queen and King, lead a flurry of Snowflakes in loose, airy shifts. (Carrie Robbinss costume designs are delightful throughout.) The whole scene evokes the mystery and grace of swirling drifts. Here as elsewhere, the scenic effects are light, never heavy-handed.

Morgans first act is deftly through-choreographed. There is an especially beautiful, telling gestural moment midway through the party scene, when Claras parents are urging their guests to join in the dancing. In doing so they are the very embodiment of welcome, coaxing their friends with arms flung open and breastbones high  a picture of confidence, warmth and the promise of joy in communal celebration. This is a lovely space to inhabit.

The Cincinnati Ballet performs The Nutcracker at the Kennedy Center Opera House through Sunday, Nov. 27. Tickets $59-$250. Call 202-467-4600 or visit kennedy-center.org.


Philippe Bascaules, chief winemaker for Inglenook in Californias Napa Valley, will return to France to manage Chateau Margaux while continuing to direct winemaking at Inglenook. (Inglenook Winery/Inglenook Winery)

Philippe Bascaules is going home again.

After five vintages as chief winemaker at Napa Valleys historic Inglenook winery, Bascaules was named in October to become managing director of Chateau Margaux, one of Bordeauxs top five wineries. And, in a rather unique arrangement, he will remain director of winemaking for Inglenook. This could be the start of a long and beautiful friendship.

To be precise, the friendship between Inglenook and Chateau Margaux can be traced to 2011, when Inglenook owner Francis Ford Coppola hired Bascaules, who had worked at Margaux for 21 years and risen to assistant winemaker under famed director Paul Pontallier. Coppola gave Bascaules a mandate to restore Inglenooks wines to a classic California style, away from the heady, high-alcohol trend of the 1990s and 2000s.

[Five wines to try this week]

At the time, Coppola had just completed a 25-year quest to reunify Inglenook, a winery that was founded by Gustav Niebaum in 1879 and split up through corporate sales and brand-swapping in the 1960s. Coppola bought Niebaums house and some vineyards in 1976, and later the winery building, while drinks conglomerate Canandaigua (now Constellation Brands) retained the Inglenook name for jug wines. In 2011, Coppola bought the brand and completed the unification of the estate. Since then, wines previously sold as Niebaum-Coppola have been labeled Inglenook.

I visited Bascaules at Inglenook in March 2012, when he had been at his new job for just a few months. He was still getting acquainted with the vineyards and with California, and he spoke modestly of his mandate to instill more elegance into the wines. We caught up recently when he came to Washington to promote the release of two wines from 2012: his first vintage, Rubicon, Inglenooks flagship Bordeaux-style blend, and the cabernet sauvignon, once boldly called Cask and now given that name in small type on the label.

Bascauless impact was obvious. Although previous vintages of Niebaum-Coppola wines were characterized by power, upfront fruit and a slight alcoholic burn on the finish, these were restrained at first but quite expressive after a few hours. The Rubicon, which I had decanted, developed a beguiling citrus note of dried orange peel three hours later. The cabernet had denser dark-fruit flavors with a savory mid-palate and finish. It also featured a subtle grittiness, the character known as Rutherford dust after the terroir of Napa Valleys Rutherford appellation. Two wines from 2013, a cabernet sauvignon called 1882 and a zinfandel called Edizione Pennino, were also outstanding. The zin showed remarkable sophistication for a variety more associated with rough-and-tumble pleasure.

The wines were also 14.5 percent alcohol; Niebaum-Coppola wines of just a few years ago frequently reached 15 percent or more. Bascaules says younger vintages, still resting in barrel, are even lighter, and he says 13.5 to 14.5 percent is the optimum range for Inglenooks reds today.

He has accomplished that by harvesting earlier, when acidity levels in the grapes remain higher in relation to the sugar, which becomes alcohol in fermentation. Bascaules has also brought some Bordeaux techniques to Inglenook. When he arrived, the vineyard was demarcated into 80 blocks. Today, he counts 128, based on geologic studies of vineyard soils and his own observations of how the grapes ripen from sector to sector. He is also overseeing the construction of a new winery, which he hopes will be available for the 2019 harvest. It will feature up to 150 fermentation tanks of varying sizes, to allow more precision in vinification and blending. Many Bordeaux wineries have renovated their cellars in recent years to adopt a similar approach.

Pontallier, Bascauless mentor at Margaux, died this year after a brief battle with cancer. When the 54-year-old Bascaules takes over next March at Margaux, one of Bordeauxs top five chateaux, he will be returning to his roots but also taking along some insights from his half-decade in the New World. He will spend six weeks a year at Inglenook.

In California, we have a lot of tools to correct problems, tools we are not allowed to use in Bordeaux, Bascaules says. We can correct for volatile acidity or too much alcohol, for instance. Or we can irrigate to reduce stress on the vines. People say, No problem, we can correct that. But in Bordeaux, our focus is on preventing the problem in the first place. That more careful approach ultimately leads to better wine, he says.

He also questions Californias move over the past two decades to mimic Bordeaux in dense planting of vineyards. Bordeaux vines often are planted meter by meter, or about 4,000 vines per acre. That helps compensate for the regions frequent rains during the growing season, as the vines suck the water from the soil and evaporate it through their leaves, he says.

In California, it rarely rains from May to October, so such dense planting only creates greater stress on the vines, and we have to irrigate more often, Bascaules says. Some newly planted Napa Valley vineyards approach that density, though Inglenooks average about 900 vines per acre, or eight feet by six feet. (Density, or at least the distance between rows, is often determined by tractor size.) Bascaules is experimenting in different blocks with 435, 907 and 1,815 vines per acre to see what works best with his vineyard soils and climate.

Bascaules says he expects to tweak the way Margaux manages the vine canopy. The height at which the leaves are trimmed influences the respiration of the vines and the evaporation of water from the vineyard.

I will definitely see the vineyards at Margaux with different eyes, he says.
Fidel Castro, who led his bearded rebels to victorious revolution in 1959, embraced communism and defied the power of 10 U.S. presidents during his half-century of rule in Cuba, has died at age 90.

With a shaking voice, President Raul Castro said on state television that his older brother died at 10:29 p.m. Friday. He ended the announcement by shouting the revolutionary slogan: Toward victory, always!

Castros reign over the island nation 90 miles from Florida was marked by a failed U.S.-backed invasion in 1961 and relations with the Soviet Union that brought the world to the brink of nuclear war in 1962. Castro, who outlasted a crippling U.S. trade blockade as well as many plots to kill him, died 10 years after a serious illness led him to turn over power to his brother.

Castro was imprisoned by dictator Fulgencio Batista, exiled in Mexico and returned with his rebels to become in January 1959, at age 32, the youngest leader in Latin America. For decades he was a source of inspiration and support to revolutionaries from Latin America to Africa. But Cubans who fled to exile hated him with the same intensity.

He was committed to socialism  a system that tries to eliminate the extremes of rich and poor by giving government control of businesses. His power finally began to fade in mid-2006 when an illness forced him to hand over the presidency to Raul in 2008.

Castro addresses workers in December 1960, two years after he took control of Cubas government. (AP)

Castro survived long enough to see his brother negotiate better relations with the United States. On December 17, 2014, the two nations announced they would move to restore diplomatic ties for the first time since they were cut in 1961. He cautiously blessed the historic deal with his lifelong enemy.

Carlos Rodriguez, 15, was in Havana, the Cuban capital, when he heard that Fidel Castro had died.

Fidel? Fidel? he said, slapping his head in shock. Thats not what I was expecting. One always thought that he would last forever. It doesnt seem true.

But the news cheered the Cuban community in Florida. Many residents had fled Castros government. Thousands gathered in the streets in Miamis Little Havana to whoop, wave Cuban flags and bang on pots with spoons.

Alex Ferran, 21, headed toward the gathering with three friends early Saturday morning. He was beside himself with excitement.

Were here to celebrate, Ferran said. This is history in the making.

President Obama said that the United States extended a hand of friendship to the Cuban people and that history will record and judge the enormous impact of this singular figure on the people and world around him.

President-elect Donald Trump called Castro a brutal dictator who oppressed his own people for nearly six decades. He said he hoped the death would clear the way toward a future in which the wonderful Cuban people finally live in the freedom they so richly deserve.

Trump said his administration will do all it can to help Cubans begin their journey toward prosperity and liberty.
The Cuban flag is lowered to half-staff outside the Embassy of Cuba on Nov. 26, 2016, as the world reacts to the death of Fidel Castro. (Marvin Joseph/The Washington Post)

The Cuban flag flew at half-staff in front of the Cuban embassy Saturday morning as a trickle of people paused at the diplomatic building in Washington to contemplate the death of Fidel Castro.

I came here for my grandfather, said Barbara Abeya Williams, a homemaker from Stafford, Va. Im going to start crying as I talk about it.

Her grandfather, Benito Abeya, was a local government official and the owner of a car dealership in Havana when Castros revolution triumphed in 1959. Abeya became a wanted man and left for Miami with Barbaras father, Gilberto. Barbaras grandmother, mother and sister soon followed, and later Barbara was born in their new country, the United States.

Castro took everything away from my family, but they built new lives here, she said.

Her grandfather died before he could fulfill his wish to return to Cuba. Barbara Abeya Williams said she cheered when President Obama began to open relations with Cuba, but she was afraid to visit while Castro was alive, fearing her family name might still be marked for reprisal.

With Castro gone, now I feel I can bring my [four] children, she said.

While her grandfather never made it back, the death of Castro gives her hope that his great-grandkids could go back, she said.

Located in a mansion on 16th Street NW in Columbia Heights, the Cuban embassy held the lower status of an Interests Section  as did the U.S. embassy in Havana  until the summer of 2015, when the two countries agreed on the change as part of warming relations. That was also when the Cuban flag was allowed to fly in front of the diplomatic mission in Washington for the first time in decades.

On Saturday the sidewalk in front of the embassy drew none of the overt celebrations seen in Miami. Even those who said they were glad to see Cuba turn this page seemed more reflective than cheerful.

Its the symbolic end of an era, said a man visiting with family from New Jersey who declined to give his name. His father-in-law lost all his possessions in the revolution. Theres still a lot of questions and confusion about what the future holds.

Even those with no obvious connection to Cuba  except the fascination shared by much of the world for the last half-century  came by.

Hopefully now the people of Cuba will let the past be the past and learn from it and move forward, said Hilton Martinez, a home caretaker nurse who was born in Puerto Rico. There will be a lot of cigars and drinks tonight around the world, either in celebration or mourning.

Embassy staff members looked bereft as they came and went through the locked gates without comment.

Benjamin Lagos stepped up to the gate and placed a bouquet of roses and a Cuban cigar.

Lagos, 29, studied at the University of Havana, though he is the son of an American and a Peruvian. He said he considers Castro a hero, albeit a complicated one, for his dedication to the Cuban people. He works with groups like Cuba Skate  a skateboard democracy program  that try to make connections between the younger generations of both countries.

Along with the roses and cigar, he also left a note in Spanish: Thank you for your sacrifice, Comandante. You will always be present in the people of Washington. We continue the struggle.
VIRGINIA

Manassas man charged in stabbing death

A man has been charged with murder in the Thanksgiving Day stabbing of an acquaintance in Manassas, Prince William County police said.

Guillermo Estaban Urrego, 30, of Daisy Court in Manassas, was arrested Saturday in connection with the killing of Samuel Enrique Godoy-Figueroa on Nov. 24 behind a business in Manassas.

Police said Urrego and Godoy-Figueroa were involved in a verbal altercation that escalated. During the fight, police said, Urrego stabbed Godoy-Figueroa multiple times. Godoy-Figueroa later died.

Urrego was located and apprehended without incident at an apartment on Milestone Square in Ashburn on Saturday, police said. No other suspects are being sought in the investigation.

 Justin Jouvenal

Woman killed in Loudoun crash

A woman died and five other people were injured after a pickup truck ran a red light and plowed into another vehicle early Friday morning in Loudoun County, Virginia State Police said.

The accident occurred shortly before 1:20 a.m. Friday when the driver of a Ford F-150 pickup was heading northbound on the Loudoun County Parkway and failed to stop at a red light at the intersection of Gloucester Parkway, police said.

The pickup struck a Toyota sedan that had the green light and was traveling west on Gloucester Parkway, a witness told police.

The crash killed one woman and injured four in the Toyota. Maria Haiderian, 37, of Ashburn, Va., was taken to a hospital, where she later died. The other four passengers, including two children, suffered minor to serious injuries.

The driver of the pickup, Nakia P. Wilkerson, 39, of Culpeper, Va., was charged with failing to obey a traffic light. She was transported to the hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries.

The crash remains under investigation. Police have not said whether speed or alcohol were factors in the incident.

 Justin Jouvenal
At the beginning of the 20th century the apple orchards of Richardson County were lauded, even by Washington state orchardists, as being masters of the apple, but a freak freeze and World War II abruptly and virtually ruined their vast economic success. At the heart of the expansion and ultimate collapse was the city of Shubert.

In 1865, as the Nebraska Territory was poised to become a state, Henry W. Shubert moved from Illinois and purchased a quarter section of land in Barada Precinct for $2.50 an acre. The first year wandering cattle ate his crops, causing him to spend the next year fencing his property.

A few years later, Shubert purchased another quarter section of land in Muddy Precinct from Louis Deroin, and about 1870 he began planting apple trees.

As the trees matured, Shubert continued to plant more apple trees and, as his crop exceeded local needs, his operation and others nearby began exporting commercially. As early as 1885, Shubert was noted as the first to use machine spraying and pack apples in barrels for shipment, while the area became known as the apple center.

Although the years of 1911 and 1912 were considered drought years, the dozen commercial orchards in Richardson County shipped more than 1,000 train carloads of apples, mostly packed by the Shuberts' apple houses which, during harvest periods, employed 40 to 80 men working 10 hour days. A 1917 report stated that the orchards of the Missouri River valley are the masters of the apple situation (and though the area) is but in in its infancy, natural conditions are almost ideal.

As the region began to develop, the village of Shubert was platted on Shuberts land in December 1883 within days of the arrival of the Republic Valley Railroad, a branch line of the Burlington & Missouri River Railroad, which ran from Nemaha City south through Shubert to Salem, Nebraska. The Lincoln Land Co., another division of the railroad, purchased the townsite in 1884 and began construction of a depot, grounds and large siding. The Shubert post office also opened in 1884 in Franklin Kings general store with King as postmaster.

Although much of the retail section of Shubert was destroyed by fire in 1887, it quickly was rebuilt and by the following year reported the population had reached 100. In 1891, the new brick Farmers State Banks brick building was completed and became the official caucus location for the village.

In 1896, the population of Shubert reached 200, allowing it to incorporate as a city, the last village in Richardson County to do so. By 1903 Shubert supported three hotels and her citizens enjoyed performances at the McGechie Opera House, but a second fire again destroyed a portion of the downtown section. Then, in 1923 the school burned. The railroad, which had sent one passenger train to Shubert every day from 1912 on, discontinued passenger service completely in 1933.

The 1940 census showed Shubert reached its peak population of 404, then, quite unexpectedly on Armistice Day, a freak snowfall and cold snap dropped the temperature to 2 below zero, instantly killing the entire peach tree population and 90 percent of the apple trees. The following year the U.S. government committed $1 million for loans to replant the orchards but with the attack on Pearl Harbor the program was canceled without a single loan being written.

With the sudden demand for wartime steel, the 11 miles of railroad tracks between Shubert and Salem were removed in a scrap drive. In 1943, the then-closed Farmers State Bank building became the Shubert post office. An occasional train continued on the northern section of tracks, remaining until 1982 when they, too, were removed leaving Shubert with no rail service.

The 1830 Treaty of Prairie du Chein created a large tract intended for the settlement of half-breed American Indians in Richardson and Nemaha counties. The tract was surveyed first in 1857, but when it was questioned and resurveyed, the new area created took in the 1855 county seat location at Archer which was forced to be removed to Falls City. The same-tract resurvey brought a cloud to the title of Henry Shuberts land until J. F. Shubert, who was then on the citys council, moved to set aside funds to clear the title. In 1935 the District Court finally issued a quiet title to the Shubert townsite.

Two occurrences brought some relief to Shubert. In 1968 construction began on a 1,350-acre site to the east for the 810 megawatt Cooper Nuclear Station, currently Nebraskas largest electricity generator, which brought jobs to the area. Indian Cave State Park, after decades of consideration, finally developed on 3,000 acres of mostly forested land a few miles to the east on the Missouri River bringing tourists.

Sadly, Shubert was not to recover. In 1966, the school closed, and in 1971 the brick building was razed. In 1990, the population had fallen to 267 then to 150 in the 2010 census, with 2016 estimates at 129. Indian Cave State Park still brings thousands of visitors to the area every year, and while Shubert survives, its days as a regional trading and orchard center seem far in its past.
1 of 45 Full Screen Autoplay Close Skip Ad  The life of Fidel Castro (1926-2016) View Photos Former Cuban political leader and communist revolutionary, Fidel Castro, dies at 90. Caption Former Cuban political leader and communist revolutionary, Fidel Castro, dies at 90. 1957 Cuban guerrilla leader and future dictator Fidel Castro and associates as they cheer and raise their weapons and fists in the air on the CBS News special event Rebels of the Sierra Maestra. CBS Photo Archive/Getty Images Wait 1 second to continue.

Fidel Castro, who led a Cuban revolution that made his Caribbean island a potent symbol of the 20th-century ideological and economic divisions, and whose embrace of communism and the former Soviet Union put the world at the risk of nuclear war, died Nov. 25. He was 90.

His death was announced on Cuban state TV by his younger brother, Raul Castro, who succeeded Fidel 10 years ago as the countrys leader. The cause of death was not immediately disclosed, but Mr. Castro had been in failing health for several years.

The son of a prosperous sugar planter, Mr. Castro took power in Cuba on New Years Day 1959, promising to share his nations wealth with its poorest citizens, who had suffered under the corrupt quarter-century dictatorship of Fulgencio Batista.

Mr. Castro, a romantic figure in olive-drab fatigues and combat boots, chomping monstrous cigars through a bushy black beard, became a spiritual beacon for the worlds political far left.



Fidel Castro, left, has a shipboard conference with Capt. Alfred Boerum, skipper of the mercy ship African Pilot, and E. Barrett Prettyman Jr., right, after the boat docked in Havana on Dec. 27, 1962. (Joe McGowan Jr./Associated Press)

To his legion of followers, Mr. Castro was a hero who demanded a fair deal for the worlds poor and wasnt afraid to point his pistol at the powerful to get it. His admirers said he educated, fed and provided health care to his own people, as well as to the poor in other countries, more fairly and generously than the worlds wealthy nations, most notably what he called the Colossus to the north.

He remained one of worlds longest-serving heads of state, controlling his island nation 90 miles from U.S. shores for nearly five decades. In his homeland, Mr. Castro was as loathed as he was beloved. He was among the worlds most repressive leaders, a self-appointed president-for-life who banned free speech, freedom of assembly and a free press, and who executed or jailed thousands of political opponents.

He abolished Christmas as an official holiday for nearly 30 years. While he dispatched Cuban-educated doctors and Cuban-developed vaccines to the poorest corners of Latin America, Cubans in central Havana found pharmacy shelves empty of medicine, and many lived in apartments in which they used buckets in their kitchens as toilets.

With almost theatrical relish, Mr. Castro taunted 10 successive U.S. presidents, who viewed the Cuban leader variously as a potential courier of Armageddon, a blowhard nuisance, a dangerous dictator, a fomenter of revolution around Latin America, a serial human rights abuser or an irrelevant sideshow who somehow hung on after the collapse of communism almost everywhere else.

Mr. Castros long reign began to unravel on July 31, 2006, when he temporarily transferred power to his 75-year-old brother, Raul, after undergoing what he described as intestinal surgery. (The precise nature of Mr. Castros health problems was an official state secret.) The transfer of power came weeks before Mr. Castros 80th birthday on Aug. 13, and Mr. Castro was not seen in public again for nearly four years.

He formally resigned on Feb. 19, 2008, in a statement read on national television by a spokesman, ending his 49-year reign and giving George W. Bush the distinction of being the first U.S. president to outlast Mr. Castro in power.

The National Assembly officially  and unanimously  named Raul Castro, the longtime head of the Cuban armed forces, as the countrys new president. The move was seen as deeply anticlimactic, because Mr. Castro had stage-managed the shift to his brother for the better part of two years.

Beginning in the 1960s, the United States maintained a strict trade and diplomatic embargo against Cuba, hoping to drive Mr. Castro from power. In 2014, President Obama  the first U.S. president elected in the post-Fidel era  announced plans to restore full diplomatic relations with Havana. During a visit to Cuba in March 2016, Obama met Raul Castro but made no effort to meet his brother. Fidel Castro later delivered a speech, dismissing Obamas overtures and denouncing the idea of cooperation with the United States.

Tweaking the imperialists was always a passion of Mr. Castros. He built an enormous public demonstration space  complete with stage lighting and sound  outside the U.S. diplomatic mission on the Malecon, Havanas main seaside boulevard. There, he regularly led anti-American rallies and delivered the lengthy speeches for which he was famous.

He was a particular thorn to President John F. Kennedy, who approved the clumsy Bay of Pigs invasion of Cuba in April 1961 by a ragtag group of CIA-trained fighters, which became a humiliating low point of Kennedys presidency.

To Mr. Castros benefactors in the Kremlin during the height of the Cold War, he was the useful commander of a communist citadel on the doorstep of the United States. That point was drawn in terrifyingly stark terms during the Cuban missile crisis of 1962, when Mr. Castro allowed the Soviets to base on his soil missiles that could carry nuclear warheads to Washington or New York in minutes. The resulting showdown between Kennedy and Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev was the closest the world has come to nuclear war.

Fidel Castro, the Cuban dictator who led the country's communist revolution in the late 1950s, died on Nov. 25. (Jason Aldag/The Washington Post)

Unlike many other communist leaders around the world, Mr. Castro did not create monuments to himself or lend his name to streets and buildings. Instead, he erected billboards carrying patriotic slogans of the revolution, such as We will overcome!, Toward victory, always! and Motherland or death!

Under his reign, Havana eventually became something of a Marxist Disneyland  a shiny, happy veneer over something much uglier.

Mr. Castro personally ordered the restoration of Old Havana, an architectural gem where tourists can savor $300 boxes of Cuban cigars, some of the worlds best music and sweet Havana Club rum  the proceeds of which went to Mr. Castros revolution. But just a block behind the restored facades, impoverished Cubans lived in crumbling homes on rationed food. Teenage prostitutes openly offered their services to tourists.

In his later years, Mr. Castro enjoyed a resurgence in popularity across much of Latin America, fueled in part by the election of several leaders inspired by his staunch anti-Americanism.

In particular, President Hugo Chavez of Venezuela viewed Mr. Castro as a political beacon and father figure to the Latin American left. Sweetheart oil deals from Chavez, until his death in March 2013, were crucial to Cubas ability to survive as its state-dominated economy sputtered.

While many Cubans expressed genuine and deep loyalty to Fidel  he was never called Castro in his homeland  others clearly feared a leader who imprisoned tens of thousands of his enemies over the years, often on little more than a whim.

As he aged, Mr. Castro acted more like a man intent on purifying his legacy, returning his revolution to its ideological core, reversing economic openings and stepping up attacks on political dissent. He imprisoned Cubans whose crimes were as simple as passing out books on democracy.

Many Cubans would not offer criticism of their leader for fear of being overheard by government informants, who lived on practically every block. To indicate Mr. Castro, they would tug on an imaginary beard. Other residents accepted him as a simple fact of life, like the tropical humidity  what good would it do to complain?

The most pointed condemnations came from Cubans who fled Mr. Castros rule by the thousands every year. Those with enough money paid for speedboat trips across the Straits of Florida, while the poorest attempted the dangerous trip in rickety boats. Some would-be emigres refitted Cubas aging American-made cars and trucks, transforming them into unlikely boats.

After Raul Castro assumed power, he embarked on a plan of economic liberalization that has been more symbolic than substantial. Private enterprise is permitted in a few small segments, such as food service and repair shops, but the military-led government still controls as much as 80 percent of the economy.

Mr. Castro slowed noticeably in his final years. He had long ago given up cigars and rum, and his beard faded from thick and black to scraggly and gray. In June 2001, he appeared to faint while giving one of his weekly Saturday speeches.

Then, in October 2004, he fell and broke a kneecap and an arm. Those events were the first time most Cubans had seen physical weakness from Mr. Castro, who had long worn military fatigues and shown an outward vigor, sometimes joining in countryside baseball games. From that point on, his public appearances became more infrequent.

Mr. Castros low profile intensified speculation about the biological solution for which many Cuban exiles in Miami and other foes had so long hoped. But as pundits and Cuba experts repeatedly and wrongly predicted his imminent demise, Mr. Castro would answer by appearing in photographs with visiting heads of state, or with blog posts, essays or other messages reminding his people that his detractors had it wrong again.

David Scott Palmer, a Cuba scholar at Boston University, said in a 2009 interview that Mr. Castro seemed to be preparing his country for his eventual death and skillfully managing his own departure.

Mr. Castro returned to the public eye in July 2010. Trading his familiar fatigues for a tracksuit, he appeared on live Cuban television, looking thin and weak. Rather than addressing Cubas deepening economic woes, he gave what amounted to a lecture to the United States on the dangers of nuclear confrontation with Iran and on the Korean Peninsula. His halting and wandering address was aimed at world leaders more than ordinary Cubans and seemed designed to burnish his legacy.

Mr. Castro appeared to be a stuttering old man with quivering hands, Cuban writer Yoani Sanchez wrote in The Washington Post, describing the reaction of Cubans at seeing the once-seemingly invincible leader.

We had already started to remember him as something from the past, which was a noble way to forget him, she wrote in August 2010. In recent weeks, he who was once called The One, the Horse or simply He, has been presented to us stripped of his captivating charisma. Although he is once again in the news, it has been confirmed: Fidel Castro, fortunately, will never return.

Outcast to revolutionary

Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz was born Aug. 13, 1926, at Las Manacas, his familys plantation in the village of Biran in eastern Cubas Oriente province.

His father, Angel Castro, was born in Spain and went to Cuba as a soldier in the Spanish army. He became a laborer on a railway owned by the United Fruit Co. Soon he was clearing land for himself in the wilds of Oriente and growing sugar cane, which he sold to the fruit company. In time, Las Manacas comprised 26,000 acres, of which almost 2,000 were owned by the elder Castro.

As a child, Fidel Castro was well off but nowhere near as wealthy as some of the boys at the schools to which he was sent, including the prestigious Colegio de Belen, a Jesuit school in Havana.

Behind his back, he was sometimes called guajiro, or peasant. In his authoritative 1986 biography of Mr. Castro, author Tad Szulc quoted this assessment from Enrique Ovares, an old friend of Fidels: I think that the worst damage Fidels parents did him was to put him in a school of wealthy boys without Fidel being really rich . . . and more than that without having a social position. . . . I think that this influenced him and he had hatred against society people and moneyed people.

Mr. Castro entered the University of Havana in 1945. Perhaps applying his firsthand experience of social and economic inequality, he immersed himself in the legacy of Cubas bygone revolutionaries.

Since 1898, when the sinking of the USS Maine in Havana Harbor sparked the Spanish-American War, the country had often had tumultuous relations with the United States. Mr. Castro concluded that casting off U.S. hegemony was more important to Cuba than mere prosperity.

He joined the Insurrectional Revolutionary Union and began to carry a pistol. In 1947, he signed up for an abortive expedition to free the Dominican Republic from the dictatorship of Rafael Leonidas Trujillo. In 1948, he went to Colombia to protest a meeting of the Pan-American Union, which was reorganizing into the Organization of American States.

Mr. Castro received his law degree at the University of Havana in 1950 and set up a practice in the capital city. Two years later, he ran for a seat in the Cuban congress on the ticket of the Ortodoxo Party, a reform group. His campaign was cut short on March 10, 1952, when Batista staged a coup and retook the presidency he first held in the 1940s.

Even as a young man, Mr. Castro showed a remarkable ability to persuade people to join him in seemingly impossible tasks  such as his wild scheme to take over the armys Moncada Barracks in Santiago de Cuba.

Mr. Castros plan was to distribute arms from the barracks to his supporters and overthrow Batista. Mr. Castro was not deterred by the fact that the garrison numbered more than 1,000 soldiers and that he fielded only about 120 followers.

The July 26, 1953, assault went off with almost comic mismanagement. The contingent with most of the arms got lost in the citys old quarter, and Mr. Castros men rushed into what they thought was an arsenal, only to discover that it was a barbershop. Without firing a single shot himself, Mr. Castro called a retreat. He and most of the others were captured.

Through the intercession of a bishop who was a friend of his father, Mr. Castro was spared immediate execution and was instead put on trial. Although the court proceeding was held in secret, it gave Mr. Castro, who acted as his own attorney, the chance to make what became the most famous speech of his life. It concluded with the words that became known to generations of Cuban schoolchildren: Condemn me, it does not matter. History will absolve me.

Mr. Castro was sentenced to 15 years but was released after less than two under an amnesty declared by Batista. He then moved to Mexico City, where he continued his work with a group calling itself the 26th of July Movement, commemorating the date of the Moncada assault, which became known as the opening salvo of the Cuban revolution.

The Moncada debacle and its aftermath also brought an end to Mr. Castros first marriage. In October 1948, he had married Mirta Diaz-Balart, the daughter of a well-to-do family with close ties to Batista and U.S. business interests. In 1949, they had a son  Fidel Felix Castro Diaz-Balart, known as Fidelito. After their divorce in 1955, Mr. Castros former wife settled in Spain and remarried. He raised their son in Cuba.

On Dec. 2, 1956, Mr. Castro and 81 followers returned to Cuba from Mexico aboard a secondhand yacht called Granma, whose name was later adopted by the Communist Party newspaper in Cuba. All but 12 in the landing party were killed or captured almost immediately. Mr. Castro, his brother Raul and an Argentine physician, Ernesto Che Guevara, escaped into the mountains and began organizing a guerrilla army.

In the summer of 1958, Batista launched a major offensive against Mr. Castros ragtag group. When it failed, it was clear that Batistas days in power were numbered. He announced to a few close colleagues at a New Years Eve party in 1958 that he was leaving the country, and Mr. Castro and his followers triumphantly drove into Havana to take control of the country on Jan. 1, 1959.

He drew support from many intellectuals during the early years of his rule. Among them were Ernest Hemingway, a Castro hero and longtime resident of Cuba; authors Jean-Paul Sartre and Gabriel Garcia Marquez; and Bob Dylan, the troubadour of the American counterculture.

When Mr. Castro took power, he preached democracy and reform. He sought to assuage his critics, insisting that he was not a communist. A wary United States cautiously offered economic aid, which Mr. Castro refused.

Economic and political relations grew increasingly more difficult, particularly when it became known that the new regime imprisoned thousands of political opponents and executed many others. Within two years, Mr. Castro had expropriated $1.8 billion in U.S. property without compensation and turned Cuba into a bastion of Marxism-Leninism.

In May 1960, Cuba established diplomatic relations with the Soviet Union, which was soon supplying most of the islands petroleum needs, as well as a constant flow of weapons and other military hardware. The government nationalized U.S. and British oil refineries and U.S.-owned banks. In October 1960, the U.S. government imposed an embargo on all trade with the island except for food and medicine.

On Jan. 3, 1961, diplomatic relations with the United States were broken. This set the stage for one of Mr. Castros greatest triumphs: the defeat of the CIA-

organized invasion by Cuban exiles at the Bay of Pigs, which U.S. intelligence officials thought would set off a popular revolt against Mr. Castro. The invasion by about 1,350 CIA-trained fighters was put down by Cuban military forces, and about 1,200 of the invaders were captured.

The following year, Mr. Castro abetted the nuclear confrontation between Washington and Moscow, which ended when Khrushchev agreed to withdraw Soviet-made missiles and promised not to use Cuba as a base for offensive weapons. In return, the United States pledged not to invade Cuba and to remove missiles it had stationed in Turkey.

The U.S. promise to forgo force after the Cuban missile crisis was a major victory for Mr. Castro, but for years he lived under the threat of various CIA assassination plots. He cited U.S. threats to justify a large-scale military buildup, and he tried to export a Cuban-style revolution to countries across Latin America, including Nicaragua, El Salvador, Panama, the Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Venezuela, Peru and Bolivia. (Guevara was killed leading an uprising in Bolivia in 1967.)

In the mid-1970s, Mr. Castro sent thousands of troops to wars in Angola and Ethiopia. In addition, Cuban military training missions and thousands of physicians and teachers operated in more than a dozen other countries, from West Africa to North Korea.

After Mr. Castro provided economic and military assistance to the leftist government of Grenada in the early 1980s, President Ronald Reagan argued that an airport under construction on the island would be used to support communists in Central America. In 1983, Reagan ordered an invasion, which left 19 U.S. troops and 24 Cubans dead. It was the only time that U.S. and Cuban troops faced each other in battle.

Reform, austerity, repression

One of Mr. Castros first economic acts in 1959 was to start an industrialization program. By producing their own steel and other products, Cubans could end their longtime economic dependence on sugar and tobacco.

He promised that the standard of living would rise faster than anywhere else in the world. The plans failed, and food rationing began in 1961.

In 1968, Mr. Castro ordered a revolutionary offensive in which 50,000 small businesses were nationalized, causing the economy to grind to a virtual halt. He abolished Christmas as a national holiday in 1969, saying it interfered with the sugar harvest.

Cuba began to enjoy better times in the 1980s, thanks to huge subsidies from Moscow, which sent cars, food, fuel and fertilizer to keep the islands economy afloat. But the Soviet Unions eventual collapse meant calamity for Cuba.

In 1990, Mr. Castro called for austerity measures. Rationing was increased, and industrial enterprises were cut back or shut down as Cuban workers were shifted to agriculture.

At the same time, Mr. Castro began to open the door to some elements of private enterprise, legalizing the use of U.S. dollars in Cuba. Small businesses flourished on the streets of Havana, with merchants selling car parts, cigars and more. While technically illegal, private businesses gave unemployed Cubans a bit of income.

Faced with grim economic times, Mr. Castro appeared to tolerate a certain level of rule-bending, saying in 1995 that he was willing to allow unquestionable elements of capitalism in the Cuban system.

But he refused to give up his socialist ideology, and by the 21st century he had begun to roll back earlier economic reforms. The government began to arrest people who used their cars or bicycles as taxis and even shut down small eateries in private homes known as paladares, which had begun in the early 1990s with the governments approval.

Among Mr. Castros more successful efforts were universal health care and the near-eradication of illiteracy throughout Cuba. Thousands of classrooms were built in rural areas, and the countrys literacy rate grew to more than 95 percent. There were more physicians and hospital beds per capita in Cuba than in the United States.

But Mr. Castros Cuba remained a place of repression and fear. People with AIDS were confined to sanitariums. Artists and writers were forced to join an official union and told that their work must support the revolution.

The government conducted surveillance on anyone suspected of dissent. In 1965, Mr. Castro admitted to holding 20,000 political prisoners. Some foreign observers thought the number might be twice as high. Numerous historians and human rights groups concluded that Mr. Castros government carried out thousands of political executions.

Hundreds of thousands of Cubans simply left, most of them for the United States, flooding mainly into Florida and creating a politically influential bloc of anti-Castro Cuban Americans in Miami. At first, travel was legal, but Mr. Castro soon imposed restrictions.

In April 1980, he opened the port of Mariel to any Cuban wishing to leave. More than 125,000 people  branded as worms and scum by Mr. Castros government  took advantage of the highly publicized boatlift before it was closed in October of that year. Among those encouraged to leave were convicts, people with AIDS, the mentally ill and other antisocial elements deemed undesirable by Cuban officials.

By 1994, economic conditions in Cuba were so bad that riots in Havana were followed by another exodus. Thousands fled from the countrys beaches on makeshift rafts; many were intercepted by the U.S. Coast Guard, and others perished at sea.

In February 1996, the Cuban air force shot down two light planes belonging to an exile group in Miami that Havana claimed violated Cuban airspace. President Bill Clinton retaliated by signing the Helms-Burton Act, which further tightened the decades-old embargo.

But Mr. Castros relations with other countries seemed to improve. When the United Nations convened for its 50th anniversary in 1995, the Cuban leader delivered a much-anticipated address to the U.N. General Assembly. Without mentioning the United States, he called for a world without ruthless blockades that cause the death of men, women and children, youths and elders, like noiseless atom bombs.

In 1999, Mr. Castro sparred with the United States over the fate of Elian Gonzalez, a young Cuban boy rescued at sea after his mother and her boyfriend drowned trying to reach the United States. U.S. courts eventually ruled that the boy should be returned to his father in Cuba, giving Mr. Castro a huge symbolic victory.

Mr. Castros difficult relationship with the Catholic Church also improved over the years. A former altar boy educated by Jesuits, Mr. Castro reinstated Christmas as an official holiday when Pope John Paul II visited Cuba in 1998. He greeted Pope Benedict XVI when he visited Havana in March 2012.

The Sept. 11, 2001, attacks in the United States marked the beginning of new lows in U.S.-

Cuba relations. Mr. Castros initial response to the attacks was remarkably conciliatory, and he expressed his profound grief and sadness for the American people. Cuban musicians donated blood for the attack victims, and Mr. Castro offered other humanitarian aid, which was ignored by the George W. Bush administration.

After Bush announced his war on terrorism, Mr. Castro said the call to arms could turn into a struggle against ghosts they dont know where to find.

The U.S. government housed suspected terrorists at the U.S. military base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, which had been in U.S. hands since 1903. Mr. Castro, who had long demanded that the base be returned to Cuban possession, refused to cash the checks the U.S. government sent each month as rent for Guantanamo.

With the advancing years, Mr. Castro grew more beleaguered. In 2003, he ordered the arrests of 75 human rights activists, journalists and dissidents who were later convicted on charges of collaborating with the United States to subvert the government. Sentenced to terms of six to 28 years in prison, the dissidents were freed in 2010 and 2011 through the intervention of the Catholic Church.

This is a war against peace and against pacifists, Oswaldo Paya, a leading dissident, told The Post in 2003. Paya, who said the Cuban government was using Soviet KGB-like tactics to silence dissents, was killed in a July 2012 car crash that his family and human rights groups allege was caused by Cuban government agents.

For someone who was a public figure for decades, Mr. Castro obsessively guarded details of his private life. The names and photographs of his family members rarely appeared in the media, and most Cubans did not know where their leader lived.

Rumors about his private life abounded. From the 1980s until his death, he was reportedly married to Dalia Soto del Valle, with whom he had five sons. But many accounts say the closest partner in his life was Celia Sanchez, who was with him from his days as a guerrilla in the mountains and died in 1980.

He was said to have had many mistresses but was secretive about his female companions. For decades Vilma Espin de Castro, a fellow revolutionary and the wife of Raul Castro, acted as a de-facto first lady at public events.

According to published accounts, Mr. Castro had as many as 11 children with four women. One of his daughters, Alina Fernandez Revuelta, defected to the United States and became an outspoken opponent of her father.

When people tell me hes a dictator, I tell them thats not the right word, she told the Miami Herald. Strictly speaking, Fidel is a tyrant.

None of Mr. Castros children in Cuba appeared to be involved in the countrys political life.

Two nephews of Mr. Castros first wife became Republican U.S. congressmen from Florida. Lincoln Diaz-Balart served from 1993 until his retirement in 2011, when he was succeeded by his younger brother, Mario Diaz-Balart.

Even as his country crumbled around him, and communist regimes toppled across the globe, Mr. Castro remained a true believer in the revolution he had wrought. To the end, and for better or worse, he held true to the maxim he often espoused: Socialism or death.

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During his time visiting Kenya, Prince Georges Deputy Fire Chief Benjamin Barksdale learned that fighting fires in the African nation isnt quite the same as the work in the United States.

There are only three fire stations to serve a population of about 4 million in the capital of Nairobi, where he stayed. Traffic is so thick that by the time an engine or ambulance arrives to an emergency, it is often too late to help. And while U.S. firefighters are commonly respected and well-liked, he said, residents in Kenya will often take out their frustrations in the face of tragedy on public-safety workers hampered by poor infrastructure and equipment.

These guys over here would give their right arm for a tenth of what we have, Barksdale said in a phone interview from Kenya. The U.S. fire service has no idea how good we have it.

Barksdale returned last week from a 10-day trip to Kenya as part of the Africa Fire Mission. The program, created by a Cincinnati firefighter, sends U.S. firefighters as volunteer instructors to help the Kenyan fire service improve its fire and emergency medical strategies. This trip was Barksdales second tour.

In addition to training local firefighters on public safety and first-aid techniques, volunteers also teach residents about home fire safety. Many live in small shacks or sheds constructed of whatever they can get their hands on, Barksdale said. The small spaces can be occupied by six to eight people and often have a cooking pot over coals with clothes and belongings hanging nearby, which creates a fire hazard.

Theres a huge delay in the services getting there . . . and the citizens take out their frustration on the firefighters, Barksdale said. Were offering training on how they can help before [firefighters] get there.

When Barksdale was in Kenya last year, a fire broke out in the citys slums shortly after U.S. firefighters had trained a Kenyan group on search-and-rescue techniques. At the scene, a firefighter from Kenya immediately ran into a shack and rescued a mother who was asleep with her baby. That same day, a man showed up at the missions offices with a cut on his neck. Firefighters gave him first aid and took him to a hospital.

Were not here to solve their problems, Barksdale said. We tell them from the start, Were here to give you tools and ideas that can help you solve your problems. 

Barksdale said that while there are many differences between the resources firefighters have in Kenya compared with those in the United States, there is one important quality public servants in both places share: They have the same desire and drive here to do the best they can to provide the best service.
A woman died and five other people were injured after a pickup truck ran a red light and plowed into another vehicle early Friday morning in Loudoun County, Virginia State Police said.

The accident occurred shortly before 1:20 a.m. Friday when the driver of a Ford F-150 pickup was northbound on the Loudoun County Parkway and failed to stop at a red light at the intersection of Gloucester Parkway, police said.

The pickup truck ran into a Toyota sedan that had the green light and was traveling west on Gloucester Parkway, a witness told police.

The crash killed one woman and injured four in the Toyota. Maria Haiderian, 37, of Ashburn, Va., was taken to a hospital, where she later died. The other four passengers, which included two children, suffered injuries ranging from minor to serious.

The driver of the pickup truck, Nakia P. Wilkerson, 39, of Culpeper, Va., was charged with failing to obey a traffic light. She was transported to the hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries.

The crash remains under investigation. Police have not said whether speed or alcohol were factors in the incident.
Workers are shown during stage 5 of the SafeTrack Metro repair surge between the Ballston and East Falls Church stations on July 22 in Ballston. (Katherine Frey/The Washington Post)

Surge 11, which starts Monday and lasts through Dec. 21, consists of 24 days of round-the-clock single-tracking between West Falls Church and East Falls Church, affecting the Orange and Silver lines.

It is scheduled to be the last time Metros year-long SafeTrack program targets that area of the system  welcome news for Orange and Silver line riders who have been affected by 91 days of track work over the past six months.

But just because youve been through this a few times, dont think its going to be easy.

Because the work on this surge will focus on a critical juncture where the Orange and Silver lines meet, the service disruptions will have an outsized impact on riders throughout the system.

The first two weeks of this surge will be the worst of anything our riders have experienced so far since we started SafeTrack, Chief Operating Officer Joseph Leader said. There will be a severe reduction in train service.

During the project, Orange and Silver line trains will operate every 20 minutes, a two-thirds reduction in service, Metro said.

Riders who made it through the previous surges on the Orange and Silver lines will find this one more severe, Metro General Manager Paul J. Wiedefeld said. We need about half of all riders on the Orange and Silver lines to stay off Metrorail altogether.

Once this surge is finished, Metro will have installed 12,000 new rail ties and 25,000 feet of new rail over 20 miles of track between Vienna and Ballston, Metro said. Without the surge, the same work would have taken more than 14 months of regular weekend single-tracking that would not have been completed until August 2017, they said.

So, starting Monday, Orange and Silver line riders are encouraged to telework or seek alternate travel options. Trains and platforms will be very crowded  especially during rush hours. Well do our best to get you through it.

What to expect

On weekdays:

Orange Line trains will run every 20 minutes between Vienna and New Carrollton.

Silver Line trains will run every 20 minutes between Wiehle-Reston East and Largo Town Center.

Expect crowding on all Orange and Silver line trains.

Expect crowding on Blue Line trains between Rosslyn and Stadium-Armory due to reduced capacity on the Orange and Silver lines.

Buses

The bus is probably your best transit option, with service on Metrobus, the Fairfax Connector and Arlington Transit.

Metrobus will run limited free weekday rush-hour shuttles focused on providing relief in Arlington, where crowded trains could prevent many from accessing Metro at the following locations:

Ballston  Virginia Square  Clarendon  Courthouse  Rosslyn every 10 minutes.

Ballston  Virginia Square  Clarendon  Pentagon every 15 to 20 minutes.

Orange Line customers should consider taking a shuttle bus to Pentagon and transfer to the Yellow Line to reach downtown.

Enhanced Metrobus service will be added on the 5A, 3Y, 2A and 38B.

Arlington Transit will use larger buses for ART 55 from East Falls Church to Rosslyn to add capacity along the affected section of the Orange and Silver lines.

After the first two weeks of the surge, the work area will shift and allow for additional train service from East Falls Church.

Fairfax Connector will operate weekday rush-hour express shuttle bus service between Vienna and Pentagon.

Additional Fairfax Connector weekday rush-hour service will be provided on Route 599 between Reston North Park & Ride, Wiehle-Reston East and Pentagon.

Customers driving on Interstate 66 from west of Vienna should consider taking the VRE Manassas Line to Crystal City, LEnfant Plaza or Union Station.

If youre driving on I-66 from west of Vienna, consider taking PRTC Omni Ride from Manassas or Gainesville to reach the Pentagon or downtown D.C.

For customers driving on I-95/BW Parkway from northeast of the District, consider taking the MARC Penn Line (via New Carrollton) or MARC Camden Line (via Greenbelt) downtown.

All MARC Penn Line customers should consider connecting to the Metro system at Union Station instead of New Carrollton.

Due to the severe reduction in service, Orange/Silver/Blue line trains are expected to be extremely crowded between Foggy Bottom and Stadium-Armory. You might need to wait for multiple trains before being able to board. Consider Metrobus as an alternate.

Due to the severe reduction in service, Orange/Silver/Blue line trains at Rosslyn are expected to be extremely crowded. Consider taking the Blue Line to Pentagon and transferring to the Yellow Line to reach downtown.

Metrobus

At East Falls Church:

2A: Dunn Loring  East Falls Church  Ballston

3Y: East Falls Church to Rosslyn  Farragut West  Farragut North  McPherson Square

15K, 15L: East Falls Church  Rosslyn

At Ballston:

1A: Vienna  Ballston

1B: Dunn Loring  Ballston (AM/PM rush only)

2A: Dunn Loring  East Falls Church  Ballston

22A, 22C: Ballston  Pentagon

23B: Crystal City  Ballston (AM/PM rush only)

23A: Crystal City  Ballston  Tysons Corner Center

23T: Shirlington  Tysons Corner Center (AM/PM rush only)

38B: Ballston  Clarendon  Court House  Rosslyn  Georgetown  Farragut Square

At Clarendon:

38B: Ballston  Clarendon  Court House  Rosslyn  Georgetown  Farragut Square

At Court House:

61: Rosslyn  Court House

38B: Ballston  Clarendon  Court House  Rosslyn  Georgetown  Farragut Square

At Rosslyn:

61: Rosslyn  Court House

38B: Ballston  Clarendon  Court House  Rosslyn  Georgetown  Farragut Square

5A: Dulles  Herndon-Monroe Park & Ride Lot  Rosslyn  LEnfant Plaza.

*Temporary pick-up/drop-off location at Rosslyn  On 19th St. N and N Moore St.

At Vienna:

1A: Vienna  Ballston

At Dunn Loring:

1B: Dunn Loring  Ballston (AM/PM rush only)

2A: Dunn Loring  East Falls Church  Ballston

West of Vienna:

5A: Dulles  Herndon-Monroe Park & Ride Lot  Rosslyn  LEnfant Plaza.

*Temporary pick-up/drop-off location at Rosslyn  On 19th St. N and N Moore St.

Downtown D.C.:

Due to the severe reduction in service Orange/Silver/Blue line trains are expected to be extremely crowded between Foggy Bottom and Stadium-Armory. Consider the following Metrobus routes:

16Y: Metro Extra Limited Stop Service Columbia Pike  Farragut North  Farragut West  McPherson Square

30N, 30S: Foggy Bottom  Farragut Square  McPherson Square  Federal Triangle  Archives  Eastern Market  Potomac Avenue

32, 34, 36: Foggy Bottom  Farragut Square  McPherson Square  Federal Triangle  Archives  Eastern Market  Potomac Avenue

31, 33: Foggy Bottom  Farragut West  McPherson Square  Federal Triangle

39: Metro Extra Limited Stop Service Foggy Bottom  Farragut West  McPherson Square  Federal Triangle  Archives  Eastern Market  Potomac Avenue

D4: NoMa  Mount Vernon Square  Franklin Square  Farragut North  Farragut West  Dupont Circle (peak only)

D6: Georgetown  Dupont Circle  Farragut North Farragut West  Metro Center  Union Station  Capitol Hill  Stadium-Armory

X1: Foggy Bottom  Federal Triangle  Union Station

X2: Minnesota Ave  Gallery Place  Metro Center  McPherson Square  White House  Lafayette Square

80: Fort Totten  Brookland  Union Station  Gallery Place  Metro Center  McPherson Square  Farragut North  Farragut West  Kennedy Center

96, 97: Stadium-Armory  Capitol Hill  Union Station  U Street  Adams Morgan

Arlington Transit (ART):

ART 42: Ballston -Virginia Square  Clarendon  Pentagon (schedule change effective 12/18)

ART 43: Crystal City  Rosslyn  Court House

ART 52: Ballston  Virginia Hospital Center  East Falls Church

ART 53: Ballston  Old Glebe  East Falls Church

ART 55: East Falls Church  Rosslyn

ART 62: Court House  Lorcom Lane  Ballston

Source: Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority
U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx has been critical of the failure of the District and its suburbs to establish a Metro oversight commission. (Win Mcnamee/Getty Images)

Maryland and Virginia have formally notified federal officials that they wont meet a February deadline for establishing a new, tougher safety agency to oversee Metro. But with the incoming Republican administration and its yet-to-be named transportation secretary, its unclear whether federal threats to withhold millions in funding for failing to meet the cutoff will hold.

Even if taken up and considered at the earliest possible opportunity, the political and logistical realities . . . simply will not allow us to meet your deadline, Maryland Transportation Secretary Pete K. Rahn wrote in a letter to Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx.

Rahn insisted that he is committed to launching a new safety oversight commission for the transit system but, because of the Maryland General Assemblys legislative calendar, meeting the Feb. 9 deadline is impossible.

I assure you that this does not reflect a lack of effort or commitment, Rahn wrote.

Virginia Transportation Secretary Aubrey Layne was similarly pessimistic in a letter to the Federal Transit Administration, saying that even if the states General Assembly were to pass the necessary legislation in February, meeting the logistical challenges of starting a new oversight agency would take substantially longer.

Accelerating legislative approvals will not necessarily accelerate the timeline for fully mobilizing the Metro Safety Commission to a point at which it can be certified by FTA, Layne wrote.

Foxx continues to insist that missing the deadline could result in a significant financial punishment. But some believe that with his looming departure as the Donald Trump administration takes over, the threat is an empty one.

Its hard to imagine a temporary holdover cutting off funding on their own, said Jeff Davis, senior fellow at the Eno Center for Transportation, or a home-alone secretary of transportation making this an immediate priority.

When the FTA assumed safety oversight a year ago, it was with the understanding that it was temporary  until the new agency could be formed. What happens now that its clear that oversight will stretch into a second year?

President-elect Trump has not said much about transportation. He has said he wants to invest $1 trillion in the nations infrastructure but hasnt outlined the details. Will his new transportation secretary and FTA administrator decide that federal oversight is too costly and pull back? Will they decide that oversight is ultimately a local matter and pull out entirely before the new committee is formed? What happens to Metro then?

Will Metro even be on their radar?

I dont see it being at the top of the new secretarys agenda, said former Metro board chairman Mortimer L. Downey, who was a deputy transportation secretary in Bill Clintons administration.

By February 9th, maybe theres a new secretary, but probably nobody else, Downey said of potential Department of Transportation appointees who might be in place when the deadline passes. Id be surprised if they could even get somebody who is at a level to make a decision.

The FTA took over safety oversight responsibilities for Metro in October 2015, after the long-criticized and now-defunct Tri-State Oversight Committee was determined to be inadequate for the job.

From the beginning, Foxx made it clear that the babysitting by the federal government was only a temporary measure and demanded that the District, Maryland and Virginia craft a new oversight body by February. That process has proven sluggish, and Foxx has repeatedly expressed his frustration.

[Federal funding for D.C., Va., Md. at risk due to lack of progress on Metro oversight]

The D.C. Council is considering a bill that establishes the commission, but legislatures in Maryland and Virginia dont convene until January. The three must pass identical legislation to officially establish the safety organization, which would be funded through a combination of federal grants and contributions from each of the jurisdictions.

[District strikes secrecy provision from bill creating new Metro safety oversight committee]

If they dont make the date, they put at risk the consequences, Foxx said in an interview last month. The consequences are that we could reduce some of the funding they receive. I just urge them to get it done. I know that the D.C. Council has held a hearing so far, I understand that Virginia is in the course of having a hearing. Hearings are great, but we need to get the legislation through. . . . Were on a temporary mission, and we fully expect that the jurisdictions will meet the deadline.

A federal surface transportation bill passed by Congress last year granted the transportation secretary authority to withhold 5 percent of transit-related capital funding to a state or a group of jurisdictions if their regional safety oversight agency is deemed inadequate.

In the case of Metro, that could be more than $8 million, Davis estimated  not an insignificant amount, but relatively modest in the context of Metros entire operating budget, which was $1.8 billion last year.

But does it make sense to take money from an agency that already is in precarious financial state? Metro has been criticized for failing to spend its capital funds within a reasonable time frame. Would withholding capital funds further discourage the exact behavior that FTA has been trying to encourage within the agency?

It seems like it would be self-defeating, Davis said.

In theory, Downey added, federal officials could decide that Metro, without a properly functioning safety oversight agency, isnt qualified to run a train system. The federal goverment could withhold all federal funding. But that alternative is even less likely, observers said.

You dont have too many things you can do to punish people, Downey said.

Downey predicts Maryland and Virginia will be able to pass legislation establishing the oversight body, but it may not happen until the end of the 2017 legislative session  which for Virginia comes in March, and for Maryland in April or possibly May.

But further foot-dragging could give a new administration more time to reconsider the entire approach on how to assign safety responsibilities for Metro and for other transit agencies across the country.

[After a year of FTA oversight of Metro, questions about whether safety has improved]

For one, a new administration could decide that Metros current model for a regional safety oversight commission  a group beholden to three jurisdictions, much like Metros board of directors  is not the best approach.

Its like putting a hat on a hat, Davis said. I dont know what the right solution is, quite honestly, but putting another entity that answers to politicians in charge of the first entity that answers to the same politicians doesnt make all the sense in the world.

A new FTA administrator committed to curtailing federal power could view Metros ongoing safety issues as an inherently local issue and a waste of federal resources and abandon the responsibility for safety oversight of Metro altogether.

But thats not likely, transportation policy experts said.

I could definitely see a Republican FTA never having taken safety oversight of Metro in the first place, Davis said. But now that its happened, its hard to see them just cutting it off and dumping that responsibility.

If the FTA were to give up the role and a disaster or significant safety lapse were to happen, the agency might be viewed as at least partially responsible.

Plus, Downey said, the process involves more than the FTA just saying its not going to handle it anymore.

You cant just take down a regulation  you would have to initiate a new rulemaking, Downey said. Its not an instant thing you can do. It take a long time to undo regulations.
Industrial hemp is grown and harvested on a farm in Virginias Rockingham County as part of a research project done in conjunction with James Madison University. (Nikki Fox/Daily News-Record via AP)

Marty Phipps started a business this year selling an innovative type of bedding for horses and small animals  a shredded substance that absorbs liquids, resists microbes and cuts down on smell.

But because the product is made with hemp, which is the same plant species as marijuana and is tightly controlled by the government, Phipps has to import it from Europe. He figures his costs are double what they would be if hemp were an ordinary crop grown locally.

Virginia has joined a nationwide movement to change that equation. This year, for the first time in about 70 years, a group of Virginia farmers harvested a small crop of hemp. It was permitted strictly for research, but a growing chorus  including politicians on the left and right  is pushing to cash in on a versatile crop that can be put to thousands of commercial uses and bring back lost jobs.

Its pretty ridiculous, actually, that its taken this long, said Del. Joseph R. Yost, a Republican from Blacksburg who sponsored a bill in last years General Assembly to set up the hemp research program. I represent a rural area in the southwest, and its viewed as possibly something that could help replace the tobacco industry and manufacturing industry.

Yosts bill, and a companion measure on the state Senate side, passed unanimously. Another bill this year endorsed the industrial use of hemp.

Three universities signed up to participate in the research program  Virginia Tech, James Madison and Virginia State  and the University of Virginia has joined for next year.

Each school got seeds, which had to be ordered from European countries and then cleared by federal inspectors. Everyone involved with the research, professors and farmers alike, had to go through federal background checks to handle what is considered a controlled substance. Drug Enforcement Administration agents inspected the states seed laboratory.

The teams planted about 37 acres on plots in six counties in June, then harvested it in October. Each university sent the state detailed reports of their findings, but the bottom line was pretty straightforward. Overall, I think the researchers have a positive outlook on hemps potential in Virginia, said Erin Williams, senior policy analyst for the state agriculture department.

This is not to be confused with marijuanas potential in Virginia, which is much slimmer. Hemp and marijuana plants look the same, but hemp has far less of the chemical  tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)  that gives marijuana users a high. Experts say you would never plant the two together because they would cross-pollinate, and THC levels would plummet in the pot. Plus hemp is cultivated for its seeds; pot growers prefer that the plants put their energy into creating buds, not seeds.

People get confused about the difference. Phipps, for instance, was making a delivery with his father in Loudoun County when a car full of young guys pulled up next to their truck. Seeing the name of the Charlottesville-based business painted on the side  Old Dominion Hemp  these guys start saluting me and giving high-fives out the window, Phipps said. And my Dads like, They kind of dont realize this is animal bedding, do they? 

He would argue that federal law is similarly confused, that hemp does not belong in the same category as marijuana. It took a special provision in the 2014 federal farm bill to permit states to allow academic research of hemp cultivation.

Now two bills are pending in Congress that would open the door to full-fledged agricultural and industrial use.

Those bills have powerful supporters. Both Republican senators from Kentucky, Rand Paul and Mitch McConnell, have urged passage. And Kentucky has been especially aggressive about exploiting the federal research loophole to rapidly expand cultivation, with almost 4,500 acres in production this year.

Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.), who represents the Harrisonburg area, has visited JMUs research site and favors expansion. Now it is time to move from research to commercial production in the United States, he said.

But Virginia supporters worry that the bluegrass state is getting a head start.

We could be way more aggressive the way Kentucky is being aggressive, said Jason Amatucci, founder and executive director of the Virginia Industrial Hemp Coalition. Colorado is going even further, he said, challenging federal law by cultivating not just hemp but marijuana. But Virginia does not choose to take that risk, he said.

Amatucci, 41, learned about hemp while working in his familys boxwood business, which is based in Charlottesville. He formed the coalition in 2012 after becoming alarmed about the state of agriculture in Virginia.

About 90 percent of Virginia farms are owned by individuals or families, but the average age for farmers is nearly 60, according to state data. As old cash crops such as tobacco continue to decline, owners of small farms need alternatives to thrive and to bring in new generations, Amatucci said.

Were just trying to get hemp to be an option, he said. After all, theres already a booming market for hemp products. Americans spend more than $580 million annually on hemp-based goods, according to a report last year from the Congressional Research Service. Hemp is used in a variety of products, including fabrics, paper, construction materials, automobile parts and nutritional supplements.

Much of the consumer money goes outside U.S. borders  hemp is an established crop in more than 30 other countries, according to the CRS report.

It wasnt always this way, of course. Hemp was a crucial product in Colonial-era America, where it was used in sails, rope, clothing, paper and other items. Supporters love to haul out quotes from Thomas Jefferson and other luminaries about the virtues of hemp. It was cultivated in this country through World War II but fell victim to postwar drug enforcement.

The efforts to revive the crop in Virginia are somewhat ironic, said Yost, who aside from being a delegate is the executive director of the Giles County Historical Society.

In 1619, the Virginia colony passed a law requiring farmers to grow hemp.

Hopefully, its making a comeback, Yost said.
INDIA

Banks ordered to turn in excess cash

The Reserve Bank of India on Saturday ordered banks to deposit their extra cash with it, in a bid to absorb the excess liquidity generated by a government ban on larger bank notes.

Many Indians deposited their old notes with their banks after the ban on 500 and 1,000 rupee notes on Nov. 8, which is aimed at tax evaders and counterfeiting.

Banks had put this cash into government bonds, sparking a rally that saw the benchmark 10-year bond yield fall more than 50 basis points to its lowest in more than 7 years.

The transfer  a move the central bank called a temporary measure that would be reviewed on Dec. 9  is likely to drain more than 3.24 trillion rupees ($47.29 billion) from the banks.

 Reuters

ISRAEL

Supertanker arrives from U.S. to fight fires

Fires raged in several locations across Israel for a fifth day Saturday, including in a Jewish West Bank settlement where 40 homes were burned and all 1,000-plus of its residents evacuated.

After several days of extended fires that caused major damage in northern Israel and in the Jerusalem area, firefighters have managed to quickly gain control of most of the blazes that have erupted since. They got a major boost Saturday with the arrival from the United States of the Boeing 747-400 Supertanker, the worlds largest firefighting aircraft that is capable of carrying 75 tons of fire retardant. It has been deployed over the forest area surrounding Jerusalem, joining an international fleet of firefighting aircraft that has arrived to assist.

A special team of neighboring Palestinian firefighters also arrived to help, prompting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to place a rare call to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and thank him for his support in overcoming the fires. Netanyahu also told Abbas that he appreciated how Arabs, alongside Jews, had both opened their homes to those whose houses were destroyed.

 Associated Press

Iran eyes naval bases in Syria, Yemen: Irans chief of staff of the armed forces, Gen. Mohammad Hossein Bagheri , said Saturday that Tehran may be interested in setting up naval bases in Syria and Yemen, the semiofficial Tasnim reported. Bagheri did not elaborate but said When two thirds of the worlds population lives near shores and the world economy depends on the sea, we have to take measures. 

Protests return to the streets of Seoul: For the fifth straight weekend, thousands of protesters occupied major avenues in downtown Seoul on Saturday demanding the ouster of President Park Geun-hye. She is suspected of helping in the criminal activities of a secretive confidante who is accused of manipulating government affairs and extorting companies to build an illicit fortune.

At least 11 die in Somali car bombing: A car bomb exploded near a police station in a busy market in the Somali capital on Saturday, killing at least 11 people and injuring 16 others, a police official said. The death toll from the attack, which targeted a police station in Mogadishus Waberi neighborhood while President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud had been visiting a university, is expected to rise, Capt. Mohamed Hussein said.

Political cartoonist arrested in Malaysia on sedition charge: Malaysian political cartoonist Zulkiflee Anwar Ulhaque was arrested under the countrys Sedition Act for cartoons that allegedly insulted Prime Minister Najib Razak. Najib, caught in the middle of a corruption scandal, has in recent months been using the colonial era Sedition Act and other draconian laws to arrest critics, and stifle free speech.

 From news services
Eric Chenoweth is co-director of the Institute for Democracy in Eastern Europe.

In assessing Donald Trumps presidential victory, Americans continue to look away from this elections most alarming story: the successful effort by a hostile foreign power to manipulate public opinion before the vote.

U.S. intelligence agencies determined that the Russian government actively interfered in our elections. Russian state propaganda gave little doubt that this was done to support Republican nominee Trump, who repeatedly praised Vladimir Putin and excused the Russian presidents foreign aggression and domestic repression. Most significantly, U.S. intelligence agencies have affirmed that the Russian government directed the illegal hacking of private email accounts of the Democratic National Committee and prominent individuals. The emails were then released by WikiLeaks, which has benefited financially from a Russian state propaganda arm, used Russian operatives for security and made clear an intent to harm the candidacy of Hillary Clinton.

From the Russian perspective, the success of this operation can hardly be overstated. News stories on the DNC emails released in July served to disrupt the Democratic National Convention, instigate political infighting and suggest for some supporters of Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.)  without any real proof  that the Democratic primary had been rigged against their candidate. On Oct. 7, WikiLeaks began near daily dumps from Clinton campaign chairman John Podestas email account, generating a month of largely negative reporting on Clinton, her campaign staff, her husband and their foundation. With some exceptions, there was little news in the email beyond political gossip and things the media had covered before, now revisited from a seemingly hidden viewpoint.

Russian (and former communist) propaganda has traditionally worked exactly this way: The more you report something negatively, the more the negative is true. Trump and supportive media outlets adopted the technique and reveled in information gained from the illegal Russian hacking (as well as many fake news stories that evidence suggests were generated by Russian intelligence operations) to make exaggerated claims (Hillary wants to open borders to 600 million people!) or to accuse Clinton of illegality, corruption and, ironically, treasonous behavior.

Part of the Russian operations success is that we cannot measure the effect. Did the DNC emails depress the Sanders vote for Clinton? Did the Podesta emails turn off independents? Would voters have responded differently if major media had reported the email releases not as legitimate news but as an intelligence operation by a hostile foreign power aimed at undermining the integrity of U.S. elections? There are no clear answers. But there are certainties: The email operation increased negative stories about Clinton, fueled an immense propaganda attack and diminished coverage of actual issues. The large polling lead Clinton gained after the debates slipped significantly under this barrage of negativity  even before FBI Director James B. Comeys bombshell.

Again, was there coordination with this foreign intervention? Russias deputy foreign minister, Sergei A. Ryabkov, boasted that government representatives maintained multiple contacts during the campaign with Trumps immediate entourage. (Campaign spokeswoman Hope Hicks issued a denial.) This is on top of reported U.S. government suspicions that a Trump adviser met with the intelligence operative directing the hacking. Where are the committee chairmen in Congress demanding an investigation? How is it that Republican Party leaders accept the intervention of a foreign power in the election of their partys presidential candidate?

Putin is pursuing large strategic goals: recognition of the annexation of Crimea and international acceptance of foreign aggression to change state borders; Russian control of all of Ukraine; weakening or even dissolution of the European Union and NATO; restoration of Russia as a great power; and restored dominance over the former Soviet bloc and its environs. In pursuing these aims, Putin is engaged in a disciplined effort to influence democratic politics in the West, including financial and propaganda support for the narrow Brexit victory and for a network of far-right (and pro-Russian) nationalist political parties and groups throughout Europe. Now he has achieved what had to have been his most improbable goal: helping elect a sympathetic U.S. president who wants to form an alliance against terrorism. What will Trump give in exchange? He has already reaffirmed his intention to end support for pro-Western rebels in Syria, which effectively gives Russia a free hand to make President Bashar al-Assad its satrap. The greater danger is Trumps attitude toward NATO as a soft alliance that, like the Western powers in 1939, wont die for Danzig. It would mean the alliances end.

In his book Putinism, Soviet and Russian historian Walter Laqueur describes the varied ideological strains that animate the former KGB agent. The Russian national idea that has emerged is to defend Russia, Eurasia and the world from the anti-civilizational corruption of Western liberal democracy. Frighteningly, Putins worldview has resonance in the populist and nationalist fixations of Stephen K. Bannon, the president-elects senior counselor, whose stated mission is to destroy the establishment and end the domination of the donor class. Bannons closing argument ad for Trump, redolent of Russian propaganda, described the United States as a corrupt and failing state because of nefarious global special interests. It all points to grave danger for democracy and a world order that has kept the peace for 70 years. Is this what America voted for?
In his Nov. 24 op-ed, The lefts white working-class problem, Charles Lane perceptively noted some of the difficulties the Democrats will have if their recently discovered need to woo the white working class tempts them to modulate the identity politics they have purveyed for years. He did not, however, mention what is perhaps the most formidable obstacle, one which undermines Mr. Lanes concluding recommendation  to appeal to the public on the basis of our common American identity, and aspirations, rather than our overlapping grievances  cultural, racial, economic or otherwise.

The problem is not that blue-collar white males have been overlooked by the Democrats in their zeal to appeal to other groups based on their race, ethnicity, sex and gender identity. The larger problem is that bestowing benefits in the form of preferential treatment of those groups  the purpose and effect of affirmative action  imposes actual burdens on whites and Asians.

The best way to appeal to our common American identity is to endorse the once-core principle that all Americans should be treated without regard to race, creed or color. Democrats, however, will be unable to make that appeal as long as so-called social-justice warriors remain a vocal and important part of their base and accuse anyone who advocates colorblindness of being a white supremacist.

John S. Rosenberg, Crozet, Va.
In his Nov. 21 news column, Earmarks incentivize cooperation in Congress, Chris Cillizza argued that congressional earmarks should be brought back, because the relatively minor financial cost is a small price to pay to get Congress working. But he ignored the real cost, which is that the little goody here or there for their district enables politicians to get reelected and thus gain seniority, which translates into even more goody opportunities, ad infinitum. The poster boy for this was former senator Robert Byrd (D-W.Va.).

Do we really want the members of Congress to be there forever? Voters need to be persuaded to elect politicians who are willing to compromise in order to deliver what their constituencies and the country need without being bribed, even if the latter is what worked for 200 years. Bribery is bribery, whether practiced on Congress or voters.

Dennis Morrissey, Arlington

It took a lot of courage and political capital for then-House Speaker John A. Boehner (R-Ohio) to get earmarks eliminated. Now, Chris Cillizza has suggested that they return.

Instead of earmarks, why not float a bill and let it stand on its own? This makes perfect sense to me. Why tie a DNA study of bears in Montana to a defense spending bill, a bill regarding Obamacare or something totally unrelated? If there are members of Congress who are too wary to cast a certain vote, then there is value in voting against it. Let the merits of each bill rise or fall on their own.

In terms of the $3 million spent on this earmark vs. the $3.8 trillion in spending total , it is indeed a small amount. But whom did this earmark benefit in Congress? Whose relative got hired, or what campaign contribution was made as a result of this $3 million for nothing of value to the rest of the country?

Dan Wolski, Olney
Robert G. Parkinson is an assistant professor at Binghamton University and the author of The Common Cause: Creating Race and Nation in the American Revolution.

Last week, The Post reported that Paul Horner, the 38-year-old impresario of a Facebook fake-news empire, believes he turned the election in favor of Donald Trump. For many, the claim signals an alarming turn into uncharted political territory. But fake news is part of American history. In fact, it goes back to the founding of the republic.

In 1769, John Adams gleefully wrote in his diary about spending the evening occupied with a curious employment. Cooking up Paragraphs, Articles, Occurrences etc.  working the political Engine! Adams, along with his cousin Sam and a handful of other Boston patriots, were planting false and exaggerated stories meant to undermine royal authority in Massachusetts.

Several other leaders of the American Revolution likewise attempted to manage public opinion by fabricating stories that looked like the real thing. William Livingston, then governor of New Jersey, secretly crafted lengthy pieces that newspaper publishers featured. One, titled The Impartial Chronicle, was anything but, claiming that the king was sending tens of thousands of foreign soldiers to kill Americans.

But the most important was crafted in 1782 at a makeshift printing press in a Paris suburb. Benjamin Franklin, taking time out from his duties as American ambassador to France, concocted an entirely fake issue of a real Boston newspaper, the Independent Chronicle. In it, Franklin fabricated a story allegedly from the New York frontier .

The story was gruesome: American forces had discovered bags containing more than 700 SCALPS from our unhappy Country-folks. There were bags of boys, girls, soldiers and even infants scalps, all allegedly taken by Indians in league with King George. There was also a note written to the tyrant king hoping he would receive these presents and be refreshed.

None of this was true, of course, but it struck a frightful chord. To drive the point home, Franklin composed a fake letter from a real person, naval hero John Paul Jones, that ventriloquized almost verbatim the Declaration of Independence, including the accusation toward the end of that document suggesting the colonies must declare independence because the king has engage[d] savages to murder . . . defenseless farmers, women, and children.

Franklin sent copies of his fake newspaper to colleagues insisting, the substance is truth. Sure enough, the story appeared in real papers in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, New York and Rhode Island. What did those readers believe? Did they know they were being manipulated?

Franklin wrote a friend about the power of what he had just done. By the press we can speak to nations, he wrote with pride. With the power of the newspaper, politicians could not only strike while the iron is hot, but also stoke those fires by continual striking, Franklin wrote with a wink.

Franklins concoction didnt swing the Revolution. By this time, the Americans had defeated the British at Yorktown, and independence was all but secured. But the topic of Franklins gory hoax was significant: What an independent United States would do about the people Franklin spread this untruth about was entirely up in the air.

To be sure, many Native Americans had allied with the British and inflicted deep wounds to families across the frontier. But not all of them had. Franklins lies added to the notion that all Indians were merciless, as the Declaration referred to them. None of them, by that reasoning, could be Americans, even the thousands who served alongside George Washington. By the continual striking of that idea, Franklins bags of scalps obliterated such nuance. They were all enemies to the republic.

Flash forward 30 years. It is 1813, and America is again at war with Britain. The kings men are again making alliances with native people. At the Raisin River in Michigan, a combined force of British soldiers and natives routed the Americans, killing hundreds of Kentucky militiamen. An outraged public then adopted the rallying cry Remember the Raisin! for the remainder of the War of 1812.

How did newspaper publishers remember the Raisin River massacre? By resurrecting Franklins hoax. That spring, to illustrate the long roots of this terrible bloodshed, U.S. newspapers introduced a new generation to Franklins fake bags of scalps, heating up the iron once again. And, once again, reinforcing the idea that Indians  supposedly bloodthirsty, dangerous and in league with the British  were Americas enemy.

Our own fake news purveyor, Paul Horner, suggests that Americans today are definitely dumber than they used to be. Perhaps. But we are not the only ones who fell for hoaxes, and American leaders  even ones we revere as Founding Fathers  were not above embracing such fabrications to shape opinion.

These stories from Americas past, however, are not dissimilar to ones in our own time. Then, as now, they were about who belongs to the republic and who does not. Then, as now, they were about stirring up fear and passions. We need to proceed cautiously. Stories that we think may vanish as a blip in our social media news feeds may end up having a longer life than we expect, causing more damage than we can anticipate.
People carry a picture of Fidel Castro during a May Day rally in Havana on May 1, 2016. (Alexandre Meneghini/Reuters)

Carlos Eire is an author and the T.L. Riggs Professor of History and Religious Studies at Yale University.

One of the most brutal dictators in modern history has just died. Oddly enough, some will mourn his passing, and many an obituary will praise him. Millions of Cubans who have been waiting impatiently for this moment for more than half a century will simply ponder his crimes and recall the pain and suffering he caused.

[Este articulo en espanol]

Why this discrepancy? Because deceit was one of Fidel Castros greatest talents, and gullibility is one of the worlds greatest frailties. A genius at myth-making, Castro relied on the human thirst for myths and heroes. His lies were beautiful, and so appealing. According to Castro and to his propagandists, the so-called revolution was not about creating a repressive totalitarian state and securing his rule as an absolute monarch, but rather about eliminating illiteracy, poverty, racism, class differences and every other ill known to humankind. This bold lie became believable, thanks largely to Castros incessant boasting about free schools and medical care, which made his myth of the benevolent utopian revolution irresistible to many of the worlds poor.

Many intellectuals, journalists and educated people in the First World fell for this myth, too  though they would have been among the first to be jailed or killed by Castro in his own realm  and their assumptions acquired an intensity similar to that of religious convictions. Pointing out to such believers that Castro imprisoned, tortured and murdered thousands more of his own people than any other Latin American dictator was usually futile. His well-documented cruelty made little difference, even when acknowledged, for he was judged according to some aberrant ethical code that defied logic.

This Kafkaesque moral disequilibrium had a touch of magical realism, for sure, as outrageously implausible as anything that Castros close friend Gabriel Garcia Marquez could dream up. For instance, in 1998, around the same time that Chiles ruler Augusto Pinochet was arrested in London for his crimes against humanity, Cubas self-anointed maximum leader visited Spain with ample fanfare, unmolested, even though his human rights abuses dwarfed those of Pinochet.

Even worse, whenever Castro traveled abroad, many swooned in his presence. In 1995, when he came to New York to speak at the United Nations, many of the leading lights of that city jostled so intently for a chance to meet with him at media mogul Mort Zuckermans triplex penthouse on Fifth Avenue that Time magazine declared Fidel Takes Manhattan! Not to be outdone, Newsweek called Castro The Hottest Ticket in Manhattan. None of the American elites who hobnobbed with Castro that day seemed to care that he had put nuclear weapons to their heads in 1962.

[Fidel Castro and dead utopianism]

If this were a just world, 13 facts would be etched on Castros tombstone and highlighted in every obituary, as bullet points  a fitting metaphor for someone who used firing squads to murder thousands of his own people.

He turned Cuba into a colony of the Soviet Union and nearly caused a nuclear holocaust.

He sponsored terrorism wherever he could and allied himself with many of the worst dictators on earth.

He was responsible for so many thousands of executions and disappearances in Cuba that a precise number is hard to reckon.

He brooked no dissent and built concentration camps and prisons at an unprecedented rate, filling them to capacity, incarcerating a higher percentage of his own people than most other modern dictators, including Stalin.

He condoned and encouraged torture and extrajudicial killings.

He forced nearly 20 percent of his people into exile, and prompted thousands to meet their deaths at sea, unseen and uncounted, while fleeing from him in crude vessels.

He claimed all property for himself and his henchmen, strangled food production and impoverished the vast majority of his people.

He outlawed private enterprise and labor unions, wiped out Cubas large middle class and turned Cubans into slaves of the state.

He persecuted gay people and tried to eradicate religion.

He censored all means of expression and communication.

He established a fraudulent school system that provided indoctrination rather than education, and created a two-tier health-care system, with inferior medical care for the majority of Cubans and superior care for himself and his oligarchy, and then claimed that all his repressive measures were absolutely necessary to ensure the survival of these two ostensibly free social welfare projects.

He turned Cuba into a labyrinth of ruins and established an apartheid society in which millions of foreign visitors enjoyed rights and privileges forbidden to his people.

He never apologized for any of his crimes and never stood trial for them.

In sum, Fidel Castro was the spitting image of Big Brother in George Orwells novel 1984. So, adios, Big Brother, king of all Cuban nightmares. And may your successor, Little Brother, soon slide off the bloody throne bequeathed to him.

[Photos: The life of Fidel Castro (1926-2016)]
With the end of Fidel Castros nasty life Friday, we can hope, if not reasonably expect, to have seen the last of charismatic totalitarians worshiped by political pilgrims from open societies. Experience suggests there will always be tyranny tourists in flight from what they consider the boring banality of bourgeois society and eager for the excitement of sojourns in progressive despotisms that they are free to admire and then leave.

During the 1930s, there were many apologists for Joseph Stalins brutalities, which he committed in the name of building a workers paradise fit for an improved humanity. The apologists complacently said, You cant make an omelet without breaking eggs. To which George Orwell acidly replied: Wheres the omelet? With Castro, the problem was lemonade.

Soon after Castro seized power in 1959, Jean-Paul Sartre, the French intellectual whose Stalinist politics were as grotesque as his philosophy was opaque, left Les Deux Magots cafe in Paris to visit Cuba. During a drive, he and Castro stopped at a roadside stand. They were served warm lemonade, which Castro heatedly said reveals a lack of revolutionary consciousness. The waitress shrugged, saying the refrigerator was broken. Castro growled (Sartres approving description): Tell your people in charge that if they dont take care of their problems, they will have problems with me. Sartre swooned:

This was the first time I understood  still quite vaguely  what I called direct democracy. Between the waitress and Castro, an immediate secret understanding was established. She let it be seen by her tone, her smiles, by a shrug of the shoulders, that she was without illusion. And the prime minister . . . in expressing himself before her without circumlocution, calmly invited her to join the rebellion.

[Farewell to Cubas brutal Big Brother]

Another political innovator, Benito Mussolini, called his regime ennobled democracy, and as the American columnist Murray Kempton mordantly noted in 1982, photographs of Castro cutting sugar cane evoke the bare-chested Mussolini plunged into the battle for wheat. Castros direct democracy was parsimonious regarding elections but permissive of shrugs. It did, however, forbid acts of public destruction, meaning criticism of communism.

This charge condemned Armando Valladares, then 23, to 22 years in Castros prisons. Stalins terror was too high a price to pay for a great novel, but at least the world got from it Arthur Koestlers Darkness at Noon. And although Castros regime, saturated with sadism, should never have existed, because of it the world got Valladaress testament to human endurance, his prison memoir Against All Hope. Prison food was watery soup laced with glass, or dead rats, or cows intestines filled with feces, and Castros agents had special uses for the ditch filled with the sewage from 8,000 people.

On April 15, 1959, 15 weeks after capturing Havana, Castro, then 32, landed in Washington at what is now Reagan National Airport. He had been in the United States in 1948, when he studied English and bought a Lincoln. This time, on April 16, in a concession to bourgeois expectations, he dispatched an aide to buy a comb and toothbrush. His connections to communism? None, he said. He endorsed a free press as the first enemy of dictatorship, and said free elections were coming soon. Then he was off to a Princeton seminar and a lecture in the chapel at Lawrenceville prep school, well received at both places.

By July red stars were being painted on Cuban military vehicles. Three years later, Soviet ballistic missiles were arriving. A year after that, a Castro admirer murdered the U.S. president whose administration had been interested in, indeed almost obsessed with, removing Castro.

[I was a prisoner of Castros regime. Obamas visit to Cuba is a mistake.]

U.S. flings at regime change in distant lands have had, to say no more, uneven results, but the most spectacular futility has been 90 miles from Florida. Castro was the object of various and sometimes unhinged U.S. attempts to remove him. After the Bay of Pigs debacle, the Kennedy administration doubled down with Operation Mongoose, which included harebrained assassination plots and a plan skeptics called elimination by illumination  having a U.S. submarine surface in Havana harbor and fire star shells into the night sky to convince Catholic Cubans that the Second Coming had come, causing them to rebel against Castro the anti-Christ. Nevertheless, Castro ruled Cuba during 11 U.S. presidencies and longer than the Soviet Union ruled Eastern Europe.

Socialism is bountiful only of slogans, and a Castro favorite was socialism or death. The latter came to him decades after the former had made Cuba into a gray museum for a dead utopianism.

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Jim Hoagland is a contributing editor to The Post and a visiting fellow at the Hoover Institution.

The first glimpses the world has caught of Donald Trumps America have unsettled allies and encouraged adversaries. Both camps anticipate that they will be dealing with the Disunited States of America throughout Trumps presidency.

That phrase comes from Wang Jisi, a Chinese academic with a bent for straight talk. Trumps election was hardly a victory for democracy, he harrumphed. But it was welcomed by the Chinese people, who gain from the weakening of U.S. moral authority in world affairs and who feel a certain kinship with the New York real estate magnate.

Wang spoke this week at the World Policy Conference, an annual gathering of a hundred or so government officials, international financial experts and other opinion leaders organized by the French Institute of International Relations, a think tank.

The United States domineering ways have long been Topic A at international gabfests. But this year there was a plaintive, even elegiac quality to the discussion of the deeply divided American nation and its perceived desire to quit trade agreements, wall itself off in a snit of populist exclusion and cowardly look the other way as Russia commits atrocities in Syria, to choose a few of the complaints registered here.

The delegates seemed to have absorbed the obvious: The strategic retrenchment begun by President Obama will accelerate under Trumps conflicted leadership and end the post-Vietnam era of active U.S. deployment and leadership abroad centered on the Middle East.

That prospect was a particularly sore spot for the host nation and the dozen other Arab countries represented here. They have long counted on the United States to force Israel into a peace settlement guaranteeing a Palestinian state, and they made sure to mention Trumps professed desire to bring about the Mother of All Deals on his watch.

But their statements about the future were bleak and offered no evidence that elements Trump would need to make such a deal are present. Neither did the words of the single Israeli speaker, Itamar Rabinovich, the former Israeli ambassador to the United States. When I asked him about the current health of the two-state solution that has been the goal of past U.S.-led negotiations, he offered an endorsement of the idea that had the ring of a man offering condolences to a dying friend.

Saudis complained that Egypt was not offering military help to their floundering war effort in Yemen, in apparent retaliation for Saudi Arabia having cut economic aid. A Palestinian negotiator voiced this lament with what I took to be a tinge of envy: No Arab government can compete with the promises made by Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, leader of the Islamic State.

Usually left unspoken but hanging in the air was the thought: And you Americans are not doing anything about it. Frances foreign minister, Jean-Marc Ayrault, used the diplomatic ploy of stating his fears in a positive form: The Middle East needs a fully engaged, multilateralist United States. I tried to recollect the last time I had heard that particular desire expressed at the Quai dOrsay, but I failed to come up with much.

It has often been noted that the only thing U.S. allies dislike more than having too much America in their affairs is having too little America. But Trumps lack of experience and demonstrated feel for the habits of alliance management are seen as new and dangerous for the world. His election marks the end of liberal internationalism as the guiding force of recent history.

Not everyone was plunged into gloom, however. A South Korean businessman, who began his talk by singing several lines from Bob Dylans The Times They Are a Changin, noted happily that his company has gained 20 percent in stock market value since Trumps election. My company makes bullets and weapons covered by the Second Amendment, he said.

And the irrepressible Wang, director of the Institute of International and Strategic Studies at Peking University, provided a list of ways in which China preferred candidate Trump to Hillary Clinton.

He liked protectionism, and resisted globalization , he said. Many Chinese see advantages for us in protecting manufacturing now. He appealed to aging blue-collar workers, an important segment of our population. He has made a lot of money, which Chinese admire. And he praises Vladimir Putin, who is the most popular foreign leader in China.

And then this, which I could only take as a personal dart thrown at an American journalist: Few Chinese read the American media, and they were the only ones who thought Trump would lose. Chinese who did not follow American media believed he would win and cheered him on.
History has a sly sense of humor. It caused an epiphany regarding infrastructure projects  roads, harbors, airports, etc.  to occur on a bridge over Bostons Charles River, hard by Harvard Yard, where rarely is heard a discouraging word about government.

Last spring, Larry Summers, former treasury secretary and Harvard University president, was mired in congealed traffic on the bridge, which is being repaired, and he suddenly understood American sclerosis. Repairing the bridge, which was built in 11 months in 1912, will take about five years. The problem, he concluded in a blog post, is a gaggle of regulators and veto players  Massachusettss government, contractors, environmental agencies, the historical commission, etc.  each with the power to block or to delay, and each with their own parochial concerns. Summerss sunburst of understanding continued:

Im a progressive, but it seems plausible to wonder if government can build a nation abroad, fight social decay, run schools, mandate the design of cars, run health insurance exchanges or set proper sexual harassment policies on college campuses, if it cant even fix a 232-foot bridge competently. Waiting in traffic over the Anderson Bridge, Ive [empathized] with the two-thirds of Americans who distrust government. . . . We seem to be caught in a dismal cycle of low expectations, poor results and shared cynicism.

There is a trope for these times: Im a progressive, but . . . Barack Obama should have understood this in 2009 when he serenely promised shovel-ready projects, the scarcity of which was one reason his stimulus barely stimulated.

Groundbreaking for the Empire State Building was on March 17, 1930. Construction soon began, and the building officially opened May 1, 1931  just 410 days, during the Great Depression. The Pentagon was built in just 16 months, during wartime. After seeing reconstruction of Manhattans West Side Highway take 35 years (construction of the George Washington Bridge took four years), Sen. Daniel Patrick Moynihan despaired that whereas the United States once celebrated people who built things, it now honored those who block building.

Todays long lag between the conception and execution of infrastructure projects is one reason they are dubious as countercyclical economic stimulants and as jobs programs for the unemployed. The economist Milton Friedman said that once, while he was taken to see a canal that was being dug, he expressed astonishment that there was no heavy earth-moving machinery, only men with shovels. A government official said that was because the project was a jobs program. Well, then, Friedman replied, shouldnt they use spoons rather than shovels?

New Deal public works gave the nation splendidly useful engineering marvels, including the Golden Gate Bridge and the Hoover Dam. It did not, however, significantly reduce unemployment, which never fell below 14 percent until prewar military spending began.

Both presidential candidates endorsed huge increases in infrastructure spending, so we are about to relearn that bipartisanship, whatever its many merits, usually means a recklessly open spending spigot. Will there be wasteful projects? Indeed, boondoggles are transaction costs of democracy. As is the inclination to direct infrastructure spending to stagnant regions, where it is unlikely to stimulate growth, rather than to regions where economic dynamism is putting pressure on, and being dampened by, inadequate infrastructure.

Besides, the economic bang from every infrastructure buck is biggest in a society that is starting from a low base, as the United States did in the first half of the 19th century. Princeton University historian James M. McPherson in Battle Cry of Freedom noted that before 1815  before all-weather macadamized roads  the only efficient means of moving goods long distances was sailing ships and down-river floats. The cost of transporting a ton of goods thirty miles inland from an American port equaled the cost of carrying the same goods across the Atlantic, McPherson wrote. So, Americas transatlantic trade exceeded internal commerce and the economy grew little if any faster than population.

Then came the Erie Canal and the frenzied funding of emulative projects, many of which failed, but the successes redeemed the rest. Next came railroads, and soon Americans regarded infrastructure  then called internal improvements  as emblems of national greatness. When the Marquis de Lafayette toured the country in 1824, a couple of years before the 50th anniversary of the American Revolution, his New York banquet table groaned beneath the weight of a 75-foot model of the Erie Canal, which opened in 1825.

Americans hoped that commerce, ignited by infrastructure, would weld the nations sections, defusing the danger of disunion. Actually, this would require a railroad lawyer from Illinois.

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A Nebraska Wesleyan graduate who spent the last two years as superintendent of a troubled urban school district in Oakland, Calif., has been named the chancellor of education in Washington D.C.

D.C. Mayor Muriel E. Bowser named Antwan Wilson, 44, to head the districts 48,000-student system, which has made big strides to raise achievement in math and reading scores but still struggles with a persistent achievement gap.

If he is confirmed by the D.C. Council, he would start Feb. 1, according to the Washington Post.

He comes into a high-profile job, replacing Kaya Henderson, who stepped down earlier this fall.

She continued reform efforts begun by her predecessor Michelle Rhee, who rose to national prominence for her combative relationship with teachers unions and support of charter schools.

When Rhee resigned in 2010 she founded StudentsFirst, a school-reform advocacy organization that supported charter schools and teacher tenure reform. Rhees name surfaced as a potential candidate for education secretary in the Trump administration, though Trump ultimately named Betsy DeVos.

Wilson attended the Broad Academy, an initiative to support urban school superintendents funded by Eli Broad, who supports charter schools and a more corporate approach to education.

A Lincoln High graduate raised by a single mom, Wilson turned his passion for social justice to education while attending Nebraska Wesleyan.

He taught in Lincoln, North Carolina, and in Wichita, Kan., where he later became a middle school principal. From there, he became a principal and assistant superintendent in Denver before moving to Oakland.

His tenure at Oakland was rocky.

Graduation rates rose, suspension rates fell and the districts fiscal outlook improved, according to the Washington Post.

But he also angered some by his plan to redesign five high schools, which community members interpreted as an effort to convert to charter schools, according to the SFGate, a San Francisco Chronicle website.

The teachers union and some community groups felt Wilson was autocratic, making decisions without understanding the city, the site said.

The districts in Oakland and Washington D.C. are of similar size, both have high levels of poverty and are grappling with rapid gentrification, although Washington has many more charter schools, according to the Post.

U.S. Education Secretary John B. King Jr. said in a statement that Wilson has a reputation for using a comprehensive equity agenda to help increase student achievement and elevate social emotional learning, a focus I am hopeful he will bring to DCPS as the district works to close achievement gaps.

Wilson will be paid $280,000, with a $14,000 signing bonus and the potential for a performance bonus of $28,000 the following school year.
SOME OF the people can be fooled all of the time, and some seem plenty pleased about it when it gives them license to exercise their most malicious impulses. How else to explain the noxious torrent of vitriol, venom and threats trained recently against a popular upper Northwest Washington pizzeria, which has been the subject of ludicrous conspiracy theories alleging that it is the center of a child - abuse racket run by Hillary Clinton and her campaign chairman, John Podesta?

The allegations against Comet Ping Pong, reported by the New York Times, are absurd on their face and detached from any gossamer thread of fact. They took root in the dark crevices of the Web and took flight thanks to social media platforms, whose witless who, us? posture in the face of misinformation and outright lunacy is a civic embarrassment.

More than that, the use of social media as a platform for outright lies about public figures and, in this case, malevolent rumors about a pleasant neighborhood restaurant popular with families is a menace to private lives, peace and prosperity. In response to the firestorm of anonymous death threats and warnings directed at Comets owner, James Alefantis, and some of his employees, D.C. police have had to deploy officers to keep an eye on the restaurant.

Fake and unfounded news articles suggesting that Comets backrooms, heretofore known for a couple of ping-pong tables and a play area for kids, were the scene of trafficked and molested children have appeared on Facebook, as well as on websites serving as platforms for scurrilous disinformation and fantasy conspiracies.

So what if Mr. Alefantis has never met Ms. Clinton and neither traffics nor abuses children? Social media, a neutral host body for parasitical insanity, have turned their algorithmic gaze upon him. The culprits include Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Reddit and other platforms that have done too little to safeguard their sites from deception and fraud. (Reddit belatedly shut down a message board devoted to pizzagate.)

Like 93 percent of Washingtonians, the restaurateur happened to support Ms. Clinton for president; he has some prominent Democratic friends, past and present. Mr. Alefantiss name surfaced in leaked email from Mr. Podestas account, published by WikiLeaks, in which the two men discussed holding a Clinton fundraiser. As far as anyone knows, there is no more logic than that as to why Mr. Alefantis and his restaurant became targets.

The First Amendment is a bulwark of democracy but provides no protection for defamatory allegations published in knowing disregard for the truth. Mr. Alefantis is more than entitled to sue for defamation and libel, if he can find the purveyors of the garbage heaved his way.

A separate question is whether criminal charges may arise from some of the threats that have been leveled at the restaurant and its owner, online and by phone. Mischief may stray into the province of criminality if it incites violence.
Im no mind reader. But sitting in the courtroom of U.S. District Court Judge Paul L. Friedman on Monday and observing the jurors faces as attorney Donald Temple delivered his closing arguments in the case of Eric Payne v. the District of Columbia, every fiber of my being sensed that justice was soon going to roll down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.

Rhetorically a bit much, I know.

Exuberance was called for. In 2009, the D.C. government fired Payne, an honorable public servant, for dishonorable reasons.

Following six years of litigious stonewalling by the District, Payne on Monday seemed on the verge of finally getting the justice he deserved. The next day, he did.

A jury of seven D.C. women and three men found that their government had wrongfully demoted and fired Payne from his job as a director in the Office of the Chief Financial Officer (OCFO). The jurors ordered the District to pay $1.7 million to Payne in compensatory damages.

As well the city should.

Payne had contended through his lawyers  and the jurors agreed  that he was wrongfully demoted and fired by the OCFO, then led by Natwar M. Gandhi, for:

Blowing the whistle on corrupt contracting practices within the CFOs office;

Not succumbing to political pressure to do something illegal with regard to the D.C. Lottery contract;

Complaining about the OCFOs information technology and legal contracts; and,

Being unwilling to execute an illegal directive issued by his superior.

However, it wasnt enough to just fire Payne. He was blacklisted, he said, and couldnt get a job anywhere in this town. He lost his house. Facing financial ruin, scared and depressed, Payne and his pregnant wife, Brandy, lost their unborn baby.

The only job that the near penniless and desperate Payne could get was out of the country, working in the middle of a desert. Which he did for three years in Saudi Arabia before returning to the Washington area for the trial.

Pleased with the verdict? You bet. Payne deserves every cent of the compensation, in addition to back pay and, I hope, an offer to return to his old job as office director  which he should accept.

I devoted several columns over the past several years to Payne and the citys machinations surrounding the D.C. Lottery contract. That contract was the chief cause of Paynes shameful firing and the reason the citys shabby business dealings ended up in court.

The D.C. attorney generals office devoted every means and tax dollar at its disposal to defend contemptible D.C. bureaucrats and ethically challenged politicians. Instead of weighing in on behalf of a public official standing up to a corrupt culture engulfing the city, the attorney generals staff sided with officials who abused their authority, tolerated improper influence on contracts and retaliated against a whistleblower.

So, yes, there are reasons to be pleased that 10 D.C. residents serving as jurors had the good sense and courage to set things right.

D.C. residents should be shamed by their governments treatment of Payne  and outraged by the use of tax dollars to defend the indefensible.

Paynes case is one more reason journalists and citizens should never take their eyes off the government.

The saving grace to this unseemly affair is that a now-retired Gandhi, and former Ward 1 Council member Jim Graham, who was defeated, thankfully, in his 2014 reelection bid, are no longer in the D.C. government. If you, dear reader, have the chance, review all of the Payne-related court documents and legal proceedings that involve Gandhi and Graham.

Those two will live in infamy for their roles in Paynes torment.

In January, Vincent Gray returns to government service as a Ward 7 D.C. Council member. He was mayor during Paynes tenure with the OCFO. Gray was up to his eyeballs in the wrangling over the D.C. Lottery contract, making no secret of his political opposition to the vendor to whom Payne rightfully and legally awarded the contract.

Gray has good reason to believe he was treated unfairly by the U.S. attorneys office in the probe of corrupt campaign finance practices in the 2010 D.C. Democratic primary.

Payne has good reason to feel the same way about his treatment at the hands of Gray.

The former mayor has a long history of public service. His role in the takedown of Payne, however, leaves a stain on the Gray record that the passage of time will not remove. Penitence, perhaps, might make that happen.

Unfinished business.

The citys current chief financial officer, Jeffrey S. DeWitt, has restored integrity and honesty to the position he holds. Those qualities are sadly lacking in some senior OCFO staff that DeWitt inherited from Gandhi. Several were allied in the vendetta against Payne. They are present-day faces of injustice. Let justice once again roll down like water and flush them out of the system.

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Into his poignant Nov. 22 Washington Sketch column about his daughters bat mitzvah against the backdrop of a gathering in Washington of white supremacists celebrating Donald Trumps election, Trump needs to disown his neo-Nazi hangers-on, Dana Milbank wove the rabbis recitation of George Washingtons timeless injunction in a letter to members of an early community of Jews in Newport, R.I., that the new republic of which they were part gives to bigotry no sanction, to persecution no assistance.

This first principle of our common civic life was elaborated shortly thereafter in the 1797 Treaty of Tripoli, making plain the fact that Muslims as well as Jews were to enjoy the blessings of religious liberty. That document, signed by John Adams, declared that  the Government of the United States of America is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion [and] has in itself no character of enmity against the laws, religion, or tranquility, of Mussulmen [Muslims].

That Christians, Jews and Muslims  along with atheists and agnostics  coexisted peacefully in Rhode Island and elsewhere even before the Revolutionary War is evidence of the vitality of Roger Williamss noble experiment of religious freedom for all. That this priceless principle is once more under attack speaks to the dreadful and dangerous ignorance of a new breed of know-nothings whose rantings have found renewed resonance in the land.

Stan Hastey, Alexandria

After reading about the incredibly disturbing meeting at Maggianos Little Italy in Northwest Washington described in the Nov. 23 front-page article Richard Spencers vision: Apartheid in America, I suggest that the meeting attendees visit the Holocaust Memorial Museum.

Meaningful exposure to the horrors of the Holocaust and a history lesson would be far more significant than Brinker International, the company that owns the Maggianos chain, writing a check to the Anti-Defamation League.

And by the way, those publicly proclaiming a Sieg Heil should be identified. I would personally drive them to the museum.

Edward R. Lipsit, Bethesda

Speaking before an adoring audience of nearly 275 people at the Ronald Reagan Building, a zealot named Richard Spencer gave a toxic, rancid speech full of hateful white-supremacist propaganda that ended with a rabble-rousing flourish: Hail Trump! Hail our people! Hail victory! A camera panned the audience during the applause to reveal many people standing with a stiff-armed Nazi salute.

One could dismiss this horrific display as a fringe group of neo-Nazi extremists, except that they branded themselves as alt-right, a neo-fascist movement whose chief public spokesman and propagandist is Stephen K. Bannon, a racist and anti-Semitic journalist whom President-elect Donald Trump has appointed as his right-hand man, his chief strategist. To add insult to injury, Mr. Trump has also chosen as his attorney general Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.), who is contemptuous of civil rights. Some of Mr. Trumps other picks display a paranoid fear of Muslims.

The writing is clearly on the wall. The parallels with Germany in 1933 could scarcely be more evident. I urge the Republican members of the electoral college throughout the nation to examine their consciences and reconsider: They alone have the power to prevent our nation from spiraling into a nightmare of fascism and violence. Thirty-eight electoral votes is all it takes to prevent this catastrophe. Do they have the courage to put loyalty to our nation and its founding ideals before party loyalty?

Thomas I. Ellis, Hampton, Va.
IF YOURE an illegal alien in Prince William County, Id get out, Corey Stewart, the top local official there, recommended after the victory of Donald Trump. Once Mr. Trump takes office, added Mr. Stewart, who was Mr. Trumps campaign chairman in Virginia until shortly before the election, were going to find out where each and every one of these guys is, and were going to hunt them down and were going to deport them.

Notwithstanding Mr. Stewarts unbridled enthusiasm for transforming Prince William, a suburban jurisdiction of nearly 450,000, into a game reserve whose quarry is undocumented immigrants, his incendiary rhetoric is unlikely to curry much favor with voters around the state. That may matter to him, since he is in active pursuit of Virginias Republican gubernatorial nomination ahead of next years elections.

Mr. Stewart, a xenophobe with a disdain for facts, was chosen as Mr. Trumps state chairman late last year, but proved too radioactive even for the campaign, which dumped him a few weeks before the election. In the end, Virginia was one of the few states where Mr. Trump fared worse than Mitt Romney in 2012.

Having proven itself inhospitable ground for Mr. Trumps nativist campaign rhetoric, Virginia may take no more kindly to Mr. Stewarts. Throughout his political career in Prince William, he has evinced a fondness for pressing bombast, often on the theme of illegal immigrants, into the service of headline-hunting.

Soon after he was elected in Prince William a decade ago, he incited a racially charged tempest by pushing legislation to allow the police to inquire about the immigration status of anyone they stopped, for any reason  carte blanche for racial profiling. The police didnt care for the policy, which alienated Hispanics, and neither did much of the community. Eventually it was relaxed to apply only once an arrest was made, but not before Mr. Stewart had dragged the county through a poisonous culture war. He later credited the policy for driving down crime in Prince William; in fact, the dropoff in the county mirrored a national decline.

Some believed Mr. Stewart was chastened. To the contrary: In his role with the Trump campaign, he delighted in going the candidate himself a toxic step better, often employing a grade-schoolers political lexicon. He dismissed Mr. Trumps GOP critics as establishment pukes, informed illegal immigrants that Mr. Trump would kick their asses out of the country and suggested that his own critics piss off.

To that elevated political diction, Mr. Stewart added a dash of venomous recrimination  assigning blame for the shootings of Dallas police officers to Hillary Clinton and Virginia Lt. Gov. Ralph Northam, the front-runner for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination  that was too much even for the Trump campaign. This guy was a cancer to the organization in Virginia, said Mike Rubino, Mr. Trumps top political operative in the state. He added that Mr. Stewart should expect no backing from the president-elect. If that is the case, Mr. Trump would be rendering the commonwealth a service.
A Palm Beach County Sheriff security tower watches over local traffic at Mar-a-Lago resort, where President-elect Donald Trump stayed for Thanksgiving. Security is tight in the area. (Gerardo Mora/Getty Images)

On a postcard-perfect day here, tourist Kinsey Hoffman saw many things she had never seen before: mansions with 12-foot-high gold-painted eagle statues decorating the driveway; million-dollar mega-yachts lined up 10 abreast, bobbing in the Intracoastal Waterway; chic boutiques on Worth Avenue, where a dog collar costs $475.

But as impressive as all that was, Hoffman was dazzled by what she saw crossing the bridge to get to the island.

Seeing boats with Secret Service people and machine guns, thats kind of not what you expect when youre going to the beach. Thats really something, said Hoffman, 22, of Louisville. We dont see things like that back home.

Hoffman was vacationing with her family in Palm Beach for the Thanksgiving weekend, the same time President-elect Donald Trump came to Mar-a-Lago, his Florida home, for the holiday.

The difference between a visit by candidate Trump and President-elect Trump was evident from a mile away.

Trump supporters wave to his passing motorcade on Tuesday. (Carolyn Kaster/AP)

When he was just a candidate, the police presence around the estate was minimal. A local police officer was stationed at the front Moorish-style gate and another one at the back entrance.

This weekend, the security was far more intense. Secret Service agents on two small boats patrolled the Intracoastal behind Mar-a-Lago. They also set up a small temporary communications tower, about the size of a lifeguard station, on a dirt lot to the east of the estate. A half-dozen police cars were spaced along Ocean Boulevard, the narrow two-lane road that winds past the front entrance and follows the property as it curves around the southern tip of Palm Beach. Officers flagged down any trucks that approached, sending them in a direction away from the compound.

Trumps first visit to his lavish Mar-a-Lago estate since winning the presidential election signaled a change in the way life in Palm Beach will be when the sprawling compound becomes the winter White House in two months. The biggest change appears to be traffic.

Traffic was a lot worse. It took us longer to get to the beach, said 21-year-old Cooper Podosnik, a nurse who lives in West Palm Beach. He was lying in the sun on Midtown Beach, about a mile away from Mar-a-Lago. So I dont like that part of it. But its still kind of cool to think that the next president of the United States is right down the road from us now.

Like a lot of other aspects of Trumps relationship to this wealthy town, traffic woes will have to be handled the same way Palm Beachers have handled Trump in the past: Theyll just have to deal with it.

I suppose well all adapt, resident and business owner Catherine Louis said. Theres not much else we can do at this point. But this time it feels a little different. When George W. Bush was elected, people in town were celebrating. When President Obama was first elected, a gloomy pall settled over Palm Beach. This time, nobody wants to outright celebrate, but Im sure half the island is thrilled.

Louis and her husband own Bibis Boutique, a shop for pet accessories on Worth Avenue. She still carries two popular stuffed toys left over from the campaign  one a figure of Trump, the other of Hillary Clinton.

A motorcade carrying the president-elect and his family makes its way toward Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Fla., on Tuesday. (Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post)

People would come in and buy one of each, Louis said. I always wondered if one was meant to be a keepsake and the other one a chew toy.

Old-money Palm Beach may have never truly embraced Trump, but he never let their disapproval slow him down. Trump has expected the town to deal with him, on his terms, since he bought Mar-a-Lago in 1985. Trumps brash style, coupled with his ostentatious taste, rubbed the old-money social set in Palm Beach the wrong way from the start. His flurry of lawsuits, on issues from the local airport to the size of his flagpole, have alienated even those who gave the billionaire developer the benefit of the doubt at first.

Trump succeeded in turning the aging 1927 compound, built by cereal heiress Marjorie Merriweather Post, into a private club and resort, overcoming town ordinances and social pressure. He spruced up the property inside and out, transforming Mar-a-

Lago from a hulking historic artifact into a fashionable resort that caters to the ultra-wealthy (memberships at Mar-a-Lago cost $100,000, plus fees of $13,000 a year).

After much resistance, the town of Palm Beach has learned to love Mar-a-Lago, if not necessarily the man who owns it. The resort is the go-to spot for a slate of prestigious charity balls every year, rivaling the old-guard Breakers Resort and Flagler Museum as a high-end hot spot to hold a ball. Celebrities including Elton John, James Taylor and Tony Bennett have appeared there. Rock star Rod Stewart, Trumps Palm Beach neighbor, has also been a guest.

Trump brought glitz and glamour to the staid island that had been more accustomed to a low-key patrician kind of wealth.

President John F. Kennedy and his extended family spent winters at the Kennedy estate on the northern end of the island. The Kennedys attended services at St. Edwards Catholic Church when they were in town and frequently ate lunch across the street at Greens Pharmacy.

Trump is not seen much around the island, residents say.

He has everything he needs right there at Mar-a-Lago, one Palm Beach resident said. He doesnt need to come into town.

Robin Bernstein, a founding member of Mar-a-Lago and now a Trump elector for Florida, said members see him all the time and theyre happy he came back for Thanksgiving.

If there is a love-hate relationship with Donald Trump, Im in the love category, Bernstein said.

Bernstein, who worked in the Commerce Department under President Jimmy Carter, has known Trump for about 23 years. She credits him with allowing a diverse membership to Mar-a-

Lago without putting up some of the subtle racial and religious barriers other clubs on the island were accused of doing.

Trump may not make it out into public when hes in Palm Beach, but he is a frequent presence at his club.

He was always here, talking with us, eating dinner here; he lives here, said Bernstein, who saw Trump at Mar-a-Lago on Wednesday night. Were so glad they came down for Thanksgiving. He was happy, relaxed, taking pictures with people. We missed him during the 18 months of the campaign. Were glad to have our Donald back on Palm Beach.
Senator Ted Cruz speaks during the 2016 National Lawyers Convention of The Federalist Society at the Mayflower Hotel in Washington. (Astrid Riecken/For The Washington Post)

There were plenty of people at the recent Federalist Societys national lawyers convention who didnt support Donald Trump. But there were hardly any who voted for Hillary Clinton.

So it was not surprising that the conservative legal activists who had gathered for their annual meeting had not looked to the future for inspiration but the past. Their theme was the legacy of Justice Antonin Scalia.

Still, any anxiety about Trump gave way to the realization that the electoral surprise meant they would have a role in choosing Scalias successor, and the mood brightened.

[Trumps victory has enormous consequences for the Supreme Court]

Who will Donald Trump nominate as Justice Antonin Scalia's successor? Washington Post reporter Robert Barnes identifies potential Trump nominees for the Supreme Court. (elyse samuels/The Washington Post)

We could have been here in mourning, in sackcloths and ashes, wondering what might become of the republic, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Tex.) told a packed ballroom. Instead, the attendees found themselves with a historic opportunity and, as he noted, circulated through the Mayflower Hotel with resumes in your pockets.

This gathering may well be the single largest collection of individuals who are likely to serve in the new administration, continued Cruz, a Federalist Society favorite. If you look down the aisle at your friends and neighbors and colleagues, I have great confidence that we are collectively looking at scores of federal judges, as well as Justice Department lawyers and future officials of every federal agency.

[Alitos guideline for Supreme Court: What Would Scalia Do?]

But it was the opening on the Supreme Court that dominated the event.

One attendee told Cruz he was disappointed that the presidential run had not ended in success, but wondered now if Cruz would be interested in the ninth seat.

Self-deprecation is not the 45-year-old senators forte.

Thank you for that kind encouragement, Cruz said solemnly. What I will say is that history is long and can take unexpected paths.

But Cruz is not on the list of 21 people from which Trump has said  repeatedly  he will make his choice. Only from that list Im going to pick, only, Trump said recently. Were not going outside that list.

[Trump adds names to Supreme Court list]

Since it was developed in large part with the assistance of the Federalist Society and the conservative think tank Heritage Foundation, most in the conservative legal movement are happy with the potential choices. (Heritage official John G. Malcolm has lamented the omission of former Bush administration solicitor general Paul Clement and Judge Brett Kavanaugh from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.)

In fact, no one from Washington is on the list, save for Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah), and his rocky past with Trump  including voting for independent presidential candidate Evan McMullin instead of the GOP nominee  makes Lees candidacy unlikely.

Instead, the list is composed of federal judges and state supreme court justices from around the country. A solid number of them clerked for Scalia or another of the Supreme Courts current conservatives, raising the possibility that a former clerk would for the first time sit with the justice for whom he or she once worked.

Who is on the shortlist? Who knows. But two names must be elevated, if for no other reason than Trump himself has mentioned them.

We could have a Diane Sykes, or you could have a Bill Pryor, we have some fantastic people, Trump said shortly after Scalia died, naming the kinds of judges a Republican president could nominate.

The selection of Judge William Pryor of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit in Atlanta would be a sign that Trump does not fear a disruptive and contentious battle. Few people raise liberal hackles like the 54-year-old Pryor, who was a recess appointment of President George W. Bush.

Pryor, a former Alabama attorney general, has been an outspoken critic of gay rights and Roe v. Wade. He called the 1973 abortion rights decision the day seven members of our highest court ripped the Constitution and ripped out the life of millions of unborn children. At his Senate confirmation hearing, his refusal to back away from such remarks made him a hero to the right.

Pryor has a powerful advocate in his mentor, Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.), an early supporter of Trump and the president-elects choice to be attorney general. But Republicans might be looking for someone other than a white Catholic man.

Including Scalia, Republican presidents are responsible for six consecutive men joining the court, all of them Catholic except for Justice David Souter, and all of them white, except for Justice Clarence Thomas.

Sykes is a judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit and a former justice on the Wisconsin Supreme Court. She, too, is a Federalist Society favorite, chosen a couple of years ago to interview Thomas at the groups gala dinner.

Sykes would bring something to the court missing since the departure of Justice Sandra Day OConnor: She has run for elected office. And she has a solidly conservative voting record, with a requisite defense of gun rights.

One drawback is that she would be 59 at the time of her nomination, and conservatives generally like their nominees to be younger. On the other hand, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg was 60 when confirmed, and she has served 23 years and counting.

Another woman who had a prominent role at the recent Federalist Society convention was Michigan Supreme Court Justice Joan Larsen. A former Scalia clerk  When I write, I still think of him, she said at a panel on Scalias writing ability  Larsen would be a fresh face. Perhaps too fresh for some. She was appointed to that court only last year, and there are concerns too little is known about her jurisprudence.

Conservatives live in fear of a nominee who does not turn out to be a strict conservative, such as the more moderate OConnor and Justice Anthony M. Kennedy, or even liberal like Souter. Please God, no more Souters is a Pryor refrain that conservatives love.

Josh Blackman, a law professor at the South Texas College of Law Houston, interviewed convention attendees and opened up his FantasySCOTUS site to gauge interest in Trumps choice.

Two other federal judges  Neil Gorsuch of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit in Denver and Raymond Kethledge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit  are among the leaders. Both are former Kennedy clerks.

And Justice Don Willett of the Texas Supreme Court is also a favorite of the voters. Willett displays a libertarian streak in his rulings but is known mostly for his postings on Twitter, where he has more than 66,000 followers.

[Trump shortlister is a Twitter addict  and Trump critic]

He tweets about the Constitution, the law, Chick-fil-A, Whataburger and his three children, known as the Wee Willetts.

He professed surprise to find himself on Trumps list. Perhaps because of this haiku tweet:

Who would the Donald

Name to #SCOTUS? The mind reels

*weeps  cant finish tweet*
Hillary Clinton delivers her concession speech Nov. 9 in Manhattan. Since the Democrats electoral loss, liberal women nationwide are considering running for office with new or renewed vigor. (Melina Mara/The Washington Post)

On Wednesday, she woke up inconsolable. On Thursday, angry. But on the Friday after the presidential election, as she prepared posters to join thousands in protesting Donald Trumps victory, Mia Hernandez came to a quiet realization: If she found her countrys direction intolerable, she would have to try to change it.

She would change it not just by signing petitions, or protesting, or calling her legislators. For the first time, she sketched out a plan to run for elected office.

In 2020, Hernandez intends to make a bid for a seat on the San Jose City Council or the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors. Her focus will be reproductive rights and community empowerment, she said.

Everybody says organize, dont mourn, make a change, said Hernandez, 22, a student at the University of California at Santa Cruz. So I said to myself, How am I going to be an active member in this? You know what, I need to run for office. I need to be a part of that decision-making. I need to make sure Trumps voice is not the only voice out there. 

Among young, liberal women who expected to see the country elect its first female president Nov. 8, Hernandez is not alone; many are responding to Hillary Clintons defeat with a new sense of obligation to seek political power. After years of never imagining a career in the public eye or only vaguely entertaining the idea of working in politics, these women are determined to run for elected office.

Aurea Bolanos Perea, right, has dreamed of serving in Congress since immigrating to the United States from Mexico a decade ago. Pictured with National Organization for Women President Terry ONeill, Bolanos Perea plans to run for local office in the next four years. (Courtesy of Aurea Bolanos Perea)

They dont speak for all women, many of whom voted for Trump  42 percent of them, according to exit polls conducted by Edison Research. Notably, a majority of white women favored the Republican. But Clinton still benefited from an overall gender gap, and young women supported her by a margin of 32 percentage points.

For many of those rooting for Clinton to break the glass ceiling her campaign repeatedly invoked, her loss, painful as it was, could be an even greater mobilizing force than a victory might have been.

Its incredibly ironic, said Alexandra Melnick, a 22-year-old from Florida who recently decided to run for a spot on a local school board after she obtains her masters degree in education. But to think this could inspire women like me to run for office  its the only belief one can have without losing hope.

For Hernandez, the ascent of a man she sees as menacing to her full inclusion in American society as a Latina  and menacing to the safety of her undocumented friends  has changed everything.

Her focus had not been on electoral politics. She considered herself an activist, concentrating on rent and eviction issues in her home town of San Jose. She used to spurn city council members and state legislators, politicians against whom she had spent so much time fighting. But the election convinced her that these offices wield unparalleled influence, and it made clear to her the scope of the power she could exert and the scale of her responsibility.

Michele L. Swers, a professor of government at Georgetown University who specializes in gender and policymaking, said this response has historical precedent.

In the early 1990s, televised hearings brought the Senate debate over the nomination of Clarence Thomas to the Supreme Court into living rooms across the country. The all-male Judiciary Committees treatment of Anita Hill, who accused Thomas of sexual harassment, helped motivate women to run for office, Swers said. In 1992, four successfully ran for the U.S. Senate, increasing the number of women in that body threefold. They were Patty Murray of Washington, Carol Moseley Braun of Illinois and Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer of California, all Democrats. Their electoral success branded 1992 the Year of the Woman.

Mia Hernandez intends to make a bid in 2020 for a seat on the San Jose City Council or the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors, where she wants to focus on reproductive rights and community empowerment. (Courtesy of Mia X. Hernandez)

You had people who decided they didnt like what they saw, Swers said. In general in politics, anger is a very motivating factor.

Swers said this years election may be another pivotal consciousness-raising event for women deciding the only way to change things is to get into the halls of power.

The volume of calls and the amount of cash coming in to Emilys List, a political action committee that seeks to elect Democratic women, testify to this effect, said the organizations spokeswoman, Marcy Stech.

We have heard from women across the country who are raising their hands to be part of the solution, she said.

Motivated but directionless

Although women remain underrepresented at all levels of government, Stech said, young women searching for role models can look to the slate of Democratic women who found success on Election Day. She pointed in particular to Stephanie Murphy, who unseated Rep. John L. Mica, a Florida Republican nearly twice her age, to become the first Vietnamese American woman elected to Congress. Women like Murphy, Stech predicted, will play a major part in the evolution of the Democratic Party as it aims to represent the growing diversity of the electorate while making renewed overtures to working-class voters forfeited to Trump.

Were going to have to fire on all cylinders, Stech said.

More than 1,000 miles from Santa Cruz, where Hernandez watched the election returns in her dorm room, Emily Sheridan, a student at the University of Colorado at Boulder, sat in a crowded theater and watched Trump notch a victory in Florida. Then she saw Pennsylvania begin to take on a red tint.

It was then she decided she would stay in Boulder after graduation and run for a position at the county level.

I wanted desperately to be able to do something but I couldnt. . . . I felt so powerless as something so historic for all the wrong reasons was happening, said Sheridan, 21, who studies evolutionary ecology and biology and serves as president of the campuss college Democrats.

Many young people are motivated but directionless, Sheridan said. Theyre angry but lack an outlet for that anger; they flocked to Bernie Sanders but disengaged from the election after he failed to win the Democratic nomination. Sheridan said the elections outcome could be a wake-up call.

Im hoping the revolution starts the day after. Thats what Bernie said, Sheridan said. What Im hoping is that the biggest thing that comes out of this is a change in the idea that its not cool to be in politics.

It wasnt concern for her social capital that kept Lindsay Fletcher, 30, away from politics. It was the sleepless nights staying up with her two children. After four years in the Air Force, Fletcher now cares full-time for her children  a 6-year-old daughter and 2-year-old son  at Sheppard Air Force Base in north Texas, where her husband is stationed.

She feels called to politics, which she sees as an extension of her responsibilities as a parent. After the election, she started a list on her phone of military spouses who have run for office.

I want to show my little girl that you stand up for what you believe in, she said. Ive never been involved in politics. My focus has been on my home. But my kids are getting older, and Im getting antsy. Im ready to get out and do something.

In a year and a half, Fletcher and her family will relocate. Once theyre settled, she plans to explore local races, perhaps starting at the city level. Fletcher said she would like to focus on womens issues  from parental leave to health care  as well as the treatment of veterans.

Years from now, she sees herself competing for a seat in the U.S. Senate, she said, in the model of Elizabeth Warren, the liberal firebrand from Massachusetts whom she admires.

For young women with more long-standing political ambitions, the election results solidified their plans  while also laying bare the obstacles they may face.

It has been Aurea Bolanos Pereas dream to be a congresswoman virtually since she immigrated to the United States from Mexico about a decade ago. On Wednesday she set a deadline: A graduate student at California State University at Chico, she plans to run for a local position in the San Joaquin Valley or San Diego area in the next four years, before ultimately moving to the federal level.

She sees her life story as a refutation of Trumps rhetoric. For immigrants who fear for their safety under his presidency, she said, there needs to be someone in power who will understand. That has to be me.

But she now knows how difficult her path will be.

You see men who do not internalize failure like women do, Bolanos Perea said. If before I thought I would need to prove myself five times over, now I see that its more like 10 times.
President-elect Donald Trump walks with his wife, Melania, Vice President-elect Mike Pence and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to a meeting in the U.S. Capitol on Nov. 10. (Shawn Thew/European Pressphoto Agency)

Of all the promises made on the campaign trail, President-elect Donald Trumps vow to pass a constitutional amendment to impose term limits on members of Congress might be the most daunting.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) dismissed the idea out of hand the day after Trumps stunning victory. A few days later, House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.) gave the proposal a tepid endorsement as he indicated it would be up to a House committee to consider Trumps proposal.

The reticence of both Republican leaders on the issue is not surprising, given their long tenures in Congress.

McConnell has served in the Senate since 1985, and he is one of five sitting senators to have served more than three decades. With almost 18 years under his belt on Capitol Hill, Ryan would essentially be booted out of office under almost every term-limit proposal that has been floated in the past 25 years.

President-elect Donald Trump and House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.) pose for photos after a meeting in the speakers office on Capitol Hill. (Alex Brandon/AP)

Democrats generally oppose term limits, making it difficult to see a path toward the two-thirds supermajority required to pass a constitutional amendment that would get sent to the states for ratification.

What remains to be seen is whether Trump uses the presidential bully pulpit to continue pressuring Congress to adopt the idea, along with other ethics and lobbying reform proposals he unveiled last month in a campaign speech in Colorado.

If Im elected president, I will push for a constitutional amendment to impose term limits on all members of Congress, Trump said at the time. Theyve been talking about that for years. Decades of failure in Washington and decades of special interest dealing must and will come to an end.

[Trump calls for term limits to end cycle of corruption ]

The resurrection of term limits is part of Trumps drain the swamp agenda, aimed at cleaning up what he sees as a rigged system in Washington ruled by lawmakers with close bonds to lobbyists. But if Trump follows through with some of his proposals, and continues his fiery anti-establishment campaign rhetoric, he could end up alienating the very Republicans he needs to help pass his other ambitious proposals on taxes and border security.

Some Trump allies are more interested in satisfying the president-elects campaign pledge to limit House members to just three two-year terms and senators to two six-year terms.

Once President-elect Trump takes the oath of office, he must take action on this key promise to the American people, Philip Blumel, president of U.S. Term Limits, a leader of the movement for several decades, said after the elections. This is a sure way to help unify a divided nation.

The term-limits movement gained momentum in the late 1980s and early 1990s, as 23 states passed legislation trying to impose a limit on how long members of Congress could serve. But the Supreme Court struck down those laws in a ruling making clear that the only limits to congressional service were spelled out in the Constitution, which would have to be amended to pursue change.

[Term limits are probably never going to happen]

The term-limits movement, which drew more support from conservatives than liberals, started its growth during an era when Democrats had a powerful hold on the congressional majorities  controlling the House from 1955 to 1995, while holding the Senate for all but six of those 40 years.

But when Republicans retook the congressional majority in the 1994 midterms, a new era of competition took hold. The Senate majority has flipped four times in the past 16 years, and the House majority has changed hands twice in the past decade.

That took much of the wind out of the sails for term limits.

We have term limits now  theyre called elections, McConnell said the day after the election. He said there would be no consideration of the proposal in the Senate.

Of the 100 senators, 64 have served in their seats less than 10 years, marking a generational transformation that has happened just twice in the past 100 years, first after World War II and then in the years after the Watergate scandal.

A decade ago, 17 senators had served more than 25 years in the chamber; today, nine have served at least a quarter-century.

And even though incumbents still win more than 90 percent of their reelection races, almost no one is safe in this turbulent political era. McConnell has faced two difficult elections in his most recent campaigns, 2008 and 2014, and outgoing Minority Leader Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.) stood down a difficult challenge in 2010 and would have faced another this year had he not opted for retirement.

Even Republicans in the most conservative states no longer feel entirely safe, because their partys deepest conservative activists have regularly supported primary challengers to those seemingly entrenched lawmakers. Earlier this year, Sen. Richard C. Shelby (R-Ala.), a 30-year veteran, spent more than $10 million to defeat a primary challenge from the right.

The House has had a similar turnover. More than 240 of the 435 current members of Congress have served since January 2009, when President Obama first took the oath of office.

Embarking on his 10th House term in January, Ryan has a more complicated view of term limits. Ive always supported term limits, he said during last weeks weekly news conference. Ive long been a fan of term limits. I dont know where other members stand, but Ive always been in favor of that.

Ryan repeated this view over the years, including during a town hall in 2012 when he was the Republican vice-presidential nominee. Ive always believed that this should be something that you serve [temporarily], not for an entire lifetime, he said.

But Ryan also said that states benefit when they have lawmakers with real clout, and that the only way to enact term limits was through a constitutional amendment defining lengths of service for all lawmakers.

The speaker said last week that the issue would be up to the House Judiciary Committee to handle, declining to specify whether such legislation would ever get a vote in the full House.

Trump could decide to try to shame lawmakers into at least voting on a proposal. He was the least popular person to ever win a major partys presidential nomination, but the public disgust with Congress is epic, giving it an approval rating that has hovered in the low teens for six years now.

Were going to put on term limits, which a lot of people arent happy about, but were putting on term limits, Trump said in an interview with 60 Minutes that aired a few days after the election.

But it is unclear how potent this issue is.

Of all the Senate campaigns in 2016, just one candidate regularly touted support for term limits: Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick (D-Ariz.), who used the issue against Sen. John McCain (R), a 30-year veteran of the chamber.

McCain, 80, won his sixth term in the Senate by more than 12 percentage points.
Mohibul Islam Badshah, left, stands next to his demolished school in Hatimuria, India. Badshah is a schoolteacher and is among the 200 Muslim squatter families that were uprooted from temporary shelters earlier this month. (Rama Lakshmi/The Washington Post)

Eight years ago, a dozen families showed up at this quiet farming village, saying floodwaters had washed away their homes.

They spoke with a different accent, and the villagers wondered if they might be illegal Muslim immigrants who had crossed the porous border from neighboring Bangladesh. Illegal immigration has been a contentious,issue in this northeastern state of Assam for more than three decades.

Yet we pitied them and gave them refuge, said Lavanya Bisaya, the 56-year-old mother of the village headman.

But as the newcomers numbers swelled to 200 families, tensions began to mount, until finally villagers were protesting and chanting, Liberate our land, remove outsiders! echoing a debate raging across Assam.

[How the world is heeding the call to build that wall]

Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump said that "all immigration laws will be enforced" if he became president, and said that anyone in the United States illegally would be subject to deportation. (Victoria Walker/The Washington Post)

As President-elect Donald Trump has pledged to throw out up to 3 million undocumented immigrants from the United States, this remote Indian state of 31 million is in the midst of an effort to identify and weed out some of the more than 20 million illegal immigrants from Bangladesh living in India.

Officials launched a laborious effort to certify the Bangladeshi population in India two years ago, but the drive has been infused with new vigor and cash since the governing Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party won state elections in April.

The Hindu rate of population growth is declining. But the Muslim rate is rising. Most of the Muslims here are from Bangladesh. If this continues, the Assamese Hindus will become a minority soon; we will lose our language, our culture, our identity, said Himanta Biswa Sarma, finance minister in the Assam government.

Fears that terrorist groups with global backing from neighboring Bangladesh would cross over the border to radicalize local youths have also galvanized the effort, officials say.

Our detect-delete-deport campaign is even more important because now Islamic extremist groups from Bangladesh are also sending their people to India along with the immigrants on this route, said Samujjal Bhattacharya, a longtime activist.

Muslim-majority Bangladesh fought for independence from Pakistan and became an independent nation in 1971. Assams border with Bangladesh stretches for about 160 miles, 40 percent of it through,wetlands, making it relatively easy for poor Bangladeshis looking for work in India to cross over. Anger over their presence in India dates to the 1980s, when the state endured six years of anti-immigration agitation that spawned armed guerrilla groups.

As public rhetoric against the immigrants has soared, activists fear that declaring hundreds of thousands of people here illegally may whip up anti-Muslim sentiment and leave India with a humanitarian crisis because there is no treaty to deport them.

Speaking in Estero, Fla., Sept. 19, Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump said recent bombings in New York and New Jersey and stabbings in Minnesota were made possible by a failed immigration system. (The Washington Post)

[Heartbreaking photos show what its like living in a walled city of a Bangladeshi brothel]

Detecting the illegal immigrants is not easy, officials say, because many of them have mingled with local populations over time, obtained forged documents, bought land and even voted.

In the past two years, officials digitized the handwritten census data of 1951 and the voter list of 1971, and created a legacy database.

People lined up to submit more than 60 million documents related to birth, land ownership and education to prove they were citizens.

But many applicants have lied and declared false connections to citizens picked out from the legacy data, officials say.

For example, 31 people have claimed to be the children of the same father. Other applicants have claimed the same woman as their mother  if it were true, she would have been giving birth to a new child every month.

To combat fraud, officials are poring over family trees of two generations of each applicant to corroborate information about parents and siblings.

[Its not easy for women to own land in India. One woman died fighting for hers.]

The family tree corroboration is my real weapon against fraud. There is a lot of public anxiety around this exercise, said Prateek Hajela, who heads the National Register of Citizens. This project is like a river of fire and we have to swim in it.

The exercise is estimated to cost $138 million and several deadlines have been missed.

Meanwhile, people are growing impatient.

In the past year, Hatimuria village became a mini-battleground of locals versus immigrants  with street fights and tense night patrols.

Tensions worsened last month when the villagers erected a bamboo fence to block the passage of newcomers to a squatters settlement, and filed a police complaint. When the authorities did not act, the women locked up the police station and staged a two day sit-in.

Bowing to public pressure, the police arrived days later with an elephant and a bulldozer and mowed down the squatters shelters.

There are so many of them spread all over the state; we are anxiously waiting for the government to finish its paperwork and uproot them, said Phukan Chandra Medhi, the village elder.

But the evicted families have resettled in another vacant plot of land near the river not too far away. They say they have papers to prove they are legal.

These days, the public mood is very negative. You have an argument with somebody on the street and they call you a Bangladeshi, said Noor Jamal Ali, a 30-year-old tailor.

My father was born here. How many times do I need to shout that I am a citizen? asked Mohibul Islam Badshah, a schoolteacher.

Even though the immigrant population also includes some Hindus who entered India from Bangladesh, the sentiment against immigrants has morphed into rhetoric against Muslims, who make up about 34 percent of the states population.

If indeed there are illegal immigrants, send them back. But dont stamp the Bangladeshi tag on all Muslims so loosely, said Aminul Islam, general secretary of the All India United Democratic Front, a political party that represents many Muslim voters.

Crossing into India is not very difficult, security officials say. It takes a few hours by boat, and there are many middlemen along the border who help find safe routes, often with the connivance of corrupt officers.

As soon as they arrive, their priority is to enter their names into the voter list somehow. They forge all kinds of documents and pay bribes for this, said Upamanyu Hazarika, a Supreme Court lawyer and convener of Forum Against Infiltration. His group mobilized the women in Hatimuria against the squatters.

Many of those who have been caught up in the citizenship drive who cannot prove their lineage are languishing in detention centers.

It is no coincidence that most people declared foreigners by the tribunals are extremely poor and illiterate, and cannot access competent lawyers, said Aman Wadud, who provides free legal aid to doubtful voters.

On the day the police came to Hatimuria to evict the squatters, Bisaya and other women climbed the rocks and watched the scene from a distance.

As a human being I felt sad seeing them run here and there, holding onto their children and things as their tin houses were crushed, Bisaya recalled. But we have been tolerant for too long. They stole our goats, lemons and bicycles. Tomorrow they would have stolen our jobs and land, too.

Read more:

Trumps extensive deals in India raise conflict-of-interest concerns

India invalidates large bank notes in crackdown on crime

Today's coverage from Post correspondents around the world

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Bernardo Alvarez, a longtime Venezuelan ambassador to the United States who led Hugo Chavezs diplomats in defending his countrys socialist revolution to skeptical foreign governments, died Nov. 24 in Caracas. He was 60.

His death was announced by Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro. He did not provide a cause of death.

Mr. Alvarez served as Venezuelas ambassador to the United States from 2003 to 2010. His tenure came during a period of strained relations between the two countries, but many U.S. officials considered the former college professor a pragmatic diplomat who helped prevent ties between the countries from deteriorating even further.

He was the last of the moderate Bolivarians, said Michael Shifter, president of the Washington-based Inter-American Dialogue, which recently hosted Alvarez for an event. With Bernardo there was always a willingness to engage in dialogue that wasnt necessarily true of others in the government.

For the past year, Mr. Alvarez had been serving as Venezuelas ambassador to the Organization of American States, where he helped stymie a hemispheric push to isolate Maduro for jailing opponents. He also helped quash an opposition campaign to cut short Maduros term through a recall referendum.

Maduro said Mr. Alvarez had been reaching out in recent days to President-elect Donald Trumps transition team in a bid to improve ties with the United States.

Venezuela and the United States have not exchanged ambassadors since 2010. Mr. Alvarez was expelled twice from Washington, in 2008 and 2010, in retaliation for Chavezs decision to oust U.S. Ambassador Patrick Duddy for allegedly plotting his overthrow and then denying credentials for his named successor.

Bernardo Alvarez Herrera was born Aug. 18, 1956, in Carora, Venezuela, and was a graduate of the Central University of Venezuela. He had a masters degree in development studies from the University of Sussex in England.

He was a political-science professor at the Central University of Venezuela and held several governmental positions, including in the countrys Ministry of Energy and Mines, before becoming ambassador to the United States.

Mr. Alvarez was also Venezuelas ambassador to Spain, served as deputy foreign minister and from 2013 to 2015 headed the Chavez-created Bolivarian Alliance of 11 leftist-run Latin America and Caribbean nations.

Information about survivors was not immediately available.
Members of the Iraqi Shiite Badr Army militia cheer on their way to take part in a military operation near the town of Tal Afar, west of Mosul, on Nov. 20. (Ahmed Jalil/European Pressphoto Agency)

The Iraqi parliament passed a law Saturday making militia units, including Iranian-backed groups accused of human rights abuses, an official part of the countrys security forces.

Lawmakers passed the measure 208 to 0 in a session that was boycotted by most Sunni politicians, who opposed an initiative that extends the influence of powerful Shiite groups that many Iraqi Sunnis view with suspicion.

Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi praised the law, saying that it gave due to fighters who had proved themselves a key part of Iraqi defenses since the onslaught by Islamic State militants in 2014.

Those heroic fighters, young and old, need our loyalty for the sacrifices they have made, a statement issued by Abadis office said. This is the least we can do.

But the measure, which also legitimizes smaller Sunni tribal groups that have fought alongside Iraqi forces since 2014, threatens to inflame sectarian tensions that could surge anew after the defeat of the Islamic State. It could also complicate Iraqs military cooperation with the United States and other Western partners.

Some of the most powerful militias included in the popular mobilization units are closely aligned to Tehran, and the United States considers one of them a terrorist group. Some of the fighters have been accused of abuses and mistreatment of Sunnis in their response to the Islamic State.

The units, which have more than 110,000 members, were formed in the summer of 2014, partly in response to a call from Iraqs most senior Shiite religious leader. They drew from existing militia groups and from volunteers who rushed to defend Iraq against its extremist adversary.

Since then, the units have played an important role in most of the major battles against the Islamic State. They are now conducting operations west of the city of Mosul, where a major government offensive is underway.

Militia groups were involved in attacks against the United States during the years after the 2003 invasion of Iraq. U.S. military leaders have said that groups such as Kitaeb Hezbollah, considered a terrorist organization by the U.S. government, and Asaib Ahl al-Haq were responsible for the deaths of at least 500 American military personnel.

Sunni politicians who opposed Saturdays measure accused the parliaments Shiite majority of ignoring their objections.

What was passed today is a breach to the principle of the state and of balance in our security institutions, Vice President Osama al-Nujaifi said in remarks released by the parliamentary media center. It would weaken the Iraqi state and weaken hopes for building a stable Iraq.

Raed al-Dahlaki, another Sunni politician, said the official status would give legal cover to all these militias who committed and are still committing countless violations against the Iraqi people, like killing, kidnapping, looting and burning houses.

While human rights groups have complained repeatedly about abuses by militia forces, the Abadi government has said it has identified only a few isolated actions. Last week, Abadi said the Mosul campaign has been conducted without such problems.

Salim al-Jubouri, a Sunni who is speaker of the Iraqi parliament, sought to reassure those worried by the measure, promising that the law would not grant immunity to those who had committed crimes or abuses in the past.

Jubouri said that once Iraqs major cities have been cleared of the Islamic State, the popular mobilization units will be responsible for holding ground and maintaining security. But important details still must be worked out, such as who will command the troops on the ground and how they will be structured and funded.

Abadis office said the fighters will be under the prime ministers direct control, as is Iraqs elite counterterrorism force. Under former prime minister Nouri al-Maliki, that force was seen as having been used at times for the prime ministers purposes.

With a sensitive law like this one, the prime minister needs to be careful how he implements it, said Ahmed al-Mayali, a political analyst.

The incorporation of groups such as Kitaeb Hezbollah into Iraqi security forces could require adjustments in the way security partners such as the United States assist Iraq with its security.

In addition to the approximately 6,000 U.S. troops on Iraqi soil, the United States sells weapons and aircraft to Iraq and provides training to its military. But U.S. law requires that military units receiving American assistance be vetted to ensure they are not guilty of abuses.

The U.S. Embassy in Baghdad declined to comment on the new law. The U.S. military has made a point of seeking to withhold air support to the militia units, although, at times, its firepower has helped those units indirectly.

Ahmed al-Asadi, a lawmaker who is also the spokesman for the government committee overseeing the mobilization units, said that once incorporated into the government, they will not retain their command structure.

All the links they had previously to political parties will be severed, and it will be under the commander in chief, he said.

Read more:

Islamic State has been a catastrophe for Sunnis

Battle to banish Islamic State from Mosul could become a mess

In Syrias Aleppo, Shiite militias point to Irans unparalleled influence

Todays coverage from Post correspondents around the world

Like Washington Post World on Facebook and stay updated on foreign news
FRANCE

Officials: Islamic State behind terrorist plot

French authorities said Friday that the Islamic State had a direct hand in helping five suspected militants plot imminent attacks against possible targets including Paris police hubs and Euro Disney.

French police said earlier that they believed they had foiled attacks planned for Dec. 1 against the Paris headquarters of police and intelligence officers and the Disney theme park, which is especially popular during the holiday season.

But the latest details, made public by a senior prosecutor, draw alleged links to the Islamic State and a core network of suspects  four French citizens who were longtime friends, all living in Strasbourg. The suspected fifth plotter, a homeless Moroccan man, was arrested in the southern port of Marseille.

A raid Sunday in Strasbourg uncovered firearms and instructions from the Iraqi-Syrian region to acquire more weapons, said Paris prosecutor Francois Molins. Also found were documents professing allegiance to the Islamic State, he said.

The state of the threat is and remains particularly high, Molins said.

The names of the Strasbourg suspects were given only as Yassin B., Hicham M., Samy B. and Zakaria M. The suspect arrested in Marseille was identified as Icham E.

The revelation of the foiled plot comes before the second

and final round of Frances center-right presidential primaries on Sunday. Throughout the campaign, the issue of national security has dominated. The front-runner, former prime minister Francois Fillon, has said that France has a problem linked to Islam.

France has remained under a state of emergency since the November 2015 Paris attacks, which killed 130 people in coordinated strikes on a concert hall, a stadium and cafes.

 James McAuley

CHINA

13 are detained over scaffolding collapse

Chinese authorities said they detained 13 people over the collapse of scaffolding at a power plant construction site that killed 74 workers in one of Chinas most serious industrial accidents in years.

Most of the dead had been working on the interior concrete wall of a massive circular cooling tower 230 feet up when the scaffolding collapsed Thursday morning.

Although authorities did not disclose details about the 13 detentions, the focus of the investigation has turned to the power plants operator, Jiangxi Ganneng, and a major engineering firm, Hebei Yineng, which has taken on multiple high-profile power plant projects and has a history of workplace fatalities.

Several of the companys publicly listed telephone lines and a mobile phone number

for the companys legal representative rang unanswered on Friday. The companys websites could not be opened.

 Associated Press

IRAN

44 killed as one train crashes into another

Forty-four people were killed and 103 injured when one Iranian passenger train crashed into another Friday at a station about 150 miles east of Tehran, state media reported.

State television footage showed four derailed carriages, two of them on fire. A spokesman for Irans Red Crescent, Mostafa Mortazavi, told the semiofficial Fars News Agency that firefighters were trying to control the blaze.

Tabriz state governor Rahim Shohratifar told the Tasnim News Agency that the moving train had 400 passengers. It was not clear how many passengers were on the stationary train. Fars earlier reported that 100 passengers had been rescued.

 Associated Press

Hungarys Orban says Trump invited him to United States: Hungarys prime minister said hell no longer be considered a black sheep in the eyes of the United States after speaking with President-elect Donald Trump, who has invited him to visit Washington. In a phone conversation, Trump made it clear he thinks highly of Hungary, Viktor Orban said in an interview published in the Vilaggazdasag business daily. President Obama has shunned Orban during his two terms, having never held a bilateral meeting with the NATO ally leader and criticizing him for eroding democracy. In July, Orban became the first leader in Europe to publicly back Trumps presidential bid.

Mexican soldiers, police try to quell violence: Soldiers and police fanned out across the southern Mexican state of Guerrero, chasing a wounded gang leader and trying to quell a wave of violence that included the discovery of hidden graves holding dozens of bodies and a camp where gunmen stored the severed heads of nine rivals in a cooler. The state has been riven not just by the killings but by the kidnapping of about a dozen people in the town of Ajuchitlan. They were apparently abducted last week by a fugitive gang leader, who was believed to be wounded and hiding out with his kidnap victims in the mountains. The state attorney general headed up a massive manhunt using helicopters and ground troops to look for him.

 From news services
Plaid Cymru AM Asks Who Benefits From Welsh Water Ownership? As Local MP Questions Dee Valley Deal In Parliament

This article is old - Published: Thursday, Nov 24th, 2016

The Dee Valley Water takeover has been raised in the House of Commons by Wrexham MP Ian Lucas, with Plaid Cymru AM Llyr Gruffydd enquiring if UK Government are capable of finding Rhostyllen on a map.

Dee Valley Water has been subject to bid and counter bids from Ancala, an infrastructure investment company, and the Severn Trent Water company. The latter bid from Severn Trent appears to be unwelcome, with a 1,500 name strong petition against their specific bid (viewable / signable here) which bluntly reads: Dee valley water staff want the Ancala deal to safeguard jobs in North East Wales, keep our local service and keep us Welsh. The Severn Trent deal is unwanted by our staff, our customers and the people of Wales.

During Business Questions today in London, Mr Lucas raised the takeover proposals in the Chamber. He told the House: Dee Valley Water is a valued, independent business in NEW supplying water to Wrexham and Chester. Its independence and many jobs are threatened by a takeover by Severn Trent. If local decision making is important, what say can local people in my area have about who sells them the water that they drink?

In reply, the Leader of the House said the sale was a commercial decision  but recommended Mr Lucas put in for a further debate.

Separately, Mr Lucas and Ms Jones have also written to Secretary of State for Wales, Alun Cairns MP, calling on him to make clear his views on the matter.

In their letter, they state: The workforce and trade union at DVW support strongly an acquisition by Ancala and are concerned that the acquisition by Severn Trent will cost jobs locally.

We in North-East Wales would be grateful for your support to retain a successful, independent Welsh business and invite you to make public your support for the Ancala bid.

Speaking today, Mr Lucas said: I will continue to push the Government on their response to this takeover, and will ask Ministers to answer local peoples questions in a Parliamentary debate as soon as possible.

A takeover by a large company like Severn Trent, headquartered outside Wales, will have a major impact on our area and on Welsh jobs and services.

Mr Lucas will meet with unions and others tomorrow alongside Clwyd South MP Susan Elan Jones and Shadow Secretary of State for Wales Jo Stevens.

Plaid Cymru AM Llyr Gruffydd AM has called for clarity as the bidding war for Dee Valley Water escalates: In a little over a week weve seen the bidding between Severn Trent and Ancala go up from 71m to 84m. This is a vastly inflated sum for a small but important company and there is clearly a bigger agenda playing out here.

The priority for me and Plaid Cymru is to safeguard jobs and local services in the Dee Valley Water area. Its also to ensure that customers are protected  its not right that they have no say in this whole process. Leanne Wood, Plaid Cymrus leader, has made it clear that Welsh water services should be run from Wales and not from Coventry.

We need to start an important conversation about who benefits from Welsh water. At the moment, I fear that it isnt the people of Wales.

Theres a need for greater clarity on why this takeover bidding war has escalated  why now? And who will ultimately be making money from this? Workers and suppliers deserve some security and peace of mind in the run-up to Christmas.

Mr Gruffydd said the fact that the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) had launched a Phase 1 investigation into the proposed takeover could lead to a more in-depth Phase 2 investigation: Given the implications for the local economy and the longer-term future of the water industry in Wales, I think a Phase 2 investigation may have merit.

Plaid Cymru is also pressing the Welsh Government to make clear its stance on this matter. Are there devolved powers that they can use and, if not, what powers are needed? We should have the power to decide on such crucial decisions rather than relying on a UK Government that would struggle to find Wrexham on a map, let alone Rhostyllen.
A retirement community known for its dedication to the arts is now the home of a state-of-the-art, completely-rebuilt 1918 Steinway Model A piano.

The centerpiece of the Williamsburg Square at The Landing is a gift to the retirement community from residents John and Mary-Ann Clinton, who are sharing their love of music.

When the Clintons son, Dr. Mark Clinton, first touched the pianos original ivory keys at The Landing last week, music-loving residents who had gathered for the ceremonial first sounds were simply awestruck.

When the first notes were played, you could hear a collective ah-h-h throughout the room, said Mrs. Clinton. The word magnificent is the one I hear most often in describing the sound.

Local connection

Four years ago, John and Mary-Ann Clinton moved from Maryland to The Landing to be near their only child, a gifted musician who took his first piano lesson at age 5. By the age of 16 he had won a competition  and the right to perform at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.

Five years after earning his doctorate, Clinton came to Lincoln in 1994, having accepted a position of assistant professor of piano at UNL. He currently serves as chairman of the Keyboard Department at UNL, where he is a full-time instructor in addition to being in charge of recruiting and auditions.

Pianos path

The journey of the cherished 695-pound instrument with genuine Steinway parts began at a piano-refurbishing business in Champaign, Illinois, after the Clintons shared their donation plans with their son. The search took Dr. Clinton to The Piano People, a business he had worked with in the past.

Business owner Steve Schmidt, who relishes in buying and restoring relics, told the Lincoln professor he had the perfect piano to fill the bill: a 1918 Steinway, considered the gold standard of pianos. The intrinsic qualities of the 6-foot, 4 -inch Steinway Model A were deemed a perfect match for the elegance of The Landing, a south-central Lincoln retirement community at 3500 Faulkner Dr.

Schmidt and Clinton agreed that the piano would be a beautiful enhancement for a retirement community that places an emphasis on the arts.

When the piano arrived at The Landing last week, its meticulous craftsmanship and quality sound received an enthusiastic reception from the retirement community  and an unequivocal thumbs-up from Dr. Clinton, who noted that Steinways production of the Model A pianos was halted after World War II and resumed some 10 years ago.

Steve really outdid himself, said Dr. Clinton, referring to Steve Schmidt, owner of The Piano People business. Its a magnificent instrument that has been warmly embraced by the many great supporters of classical music at The Landing.

Dedication

The prized piano was dedicated during a Sunday afternoon performance in which Dr. Clinton performed with Dr. Karen Becker, professor of cello at UNL and principal cellist for Lincolns Symphony Orchestra (LSO); Dr. Clark Potter, professor of viola at UNL and principal viola for the LSO; and Dr. Diane Barger, professor of clarinet at UNL and principal clarinetist with the LSO.

The cherished instrument is expected to be the centerpiece of a number of future student recitals at The Landing, noted Dr. Clinton, whose worldwide performance resume includes engagements in the Czech Republic, Australia, Israel, Austria, and Paris, France.

The Landing is so very grateful to John and Mary-Ann for this magnificent gift," said John Croghan, Executive Director of The Landing. "We are so blessed to have residents who love and advocate for the arts at The Landing. This gift will provide pianists for years to come an exceptional and quality instrument to play at The Landing."
Despite the anti-American bluster of Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, a meeting on Tuesday between US Admiral Harry Harris and Philippine armed forces (AFP) chief, General Ricardo Visaya, confirmed that military ties remained robust, highlighting the enduring commitment of both countries to the US-Philippine alliance.

Visaya and Harris, who is commander of US Pacific Command (PACOM) and has taken a particularly belligerent stance toward China over the South China Sea, jointly chaired a meeting of the two militaries at AFP headquarters. Visaya announced on Wednesday that about five joint military exercises, including two major naval drills, would not be held in 2017 in line with the pronouncements of the Philippine president.

Since coming to office five months ago, Duterte has called for an end to military exercises with the US and the removal of American forces based in the Philippines. He has declared he will reconfigure the countrys foreign policy away from the US, the former colonial power, and toward China and Russia. During his state visit to Beijing last month, the Philippine president announced his separation from the United States in both the military and economic spheres.

Last weekend, Duterte was similarly scathing of the US in a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin during the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Peru. He lashed out at Western nations bullying small nations, adding not only that, they are into so much hypocrisy. He criticised US-led wars and said Washington had forced Manila to send troops to Vietnam and Iraq.

Duterte is an erratic, right-wing demagogue who has unleashed a fascistic war on drugs in which the police and vigilantes have already killed more than 4,000 alleged drug dealers. His foreign policy is a precarious balancing act: soliciting aid and investment from China and Russia while at the same time quietly maintaining ties, including military ones, with the US.

Duterte nevertheless marks a sharp shift from his predecessor, Benigno Aquino, who functioned as the Obama administrations point man for confronting China in the South China Sea. Aquino initiated the US-backed legal case in the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in The Hague that ruled in July against Chinas maritime claims in the South China Sea. He also sealed and implemented a new military basing deal with the USthe Enhanced Defence Cooperation Agreementthat provides broad access to Philippine bases for American forces.

The meeting chaired by Harris and Visaya decided to scrap two major joint exercises next yearan amphibious drill known as Phiblex and the Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) exercise, both of which usually take place in the South China Sea. In order to mend relations with China, Duterte has ended joint naval patrols in the disputed waters and played down the PCA ruling.

Visaya made clear, however, that 258 joint activities and exercises with the US would continue in 2017. While many involve a relatively small number of personnel, 13 are considered major drills. They include the annual, large-scale, Balikatan exercises although their focus would be on humanitarian and disaster response. According to Visaya, the American officers respected the Philippine decision to pull out of the naval exercises, but indicated the Pentagons intention to pursue the drills with other South East Asian nations.

Last week, before arriving in the Philippines, Harris reiterated the ongoing US engagement in Asia following the victory by Donald Trump in the presidential election. While declaring that it would be inappropriate for me to speculate on potential policy initiatives of the next administration, he nevertheless added: I have no doubt well continue our steadfast commitment to our allies and partners in the Indo-Asia-Pacific.

Harris again took aim at Beijing, saying: Im concerned about Chinese assertiveness, particularly in the South China Sea, but also with the East China Sea. He added: What I do as a military commander is I assume the worst I look through a glass darkly. That applies to China; that really applies to North Korea.

Harris has been in the forefront of the Pentagons push for Washington to confront China militarily in the South China Sea. Speaking in Canberra in March last year, Harris signalled what has become a central feature of US propagandaaccusing China of militarising the South China Sea through its land reclamation activities. China is creating a great wall of sand with dredges and bulldozers, he claimed.

As commander of the US Pacific Fleet, then PACOM commander from mid-2015, Harris has overseen the accelerating US military build-up in the Indo-Pacific against China.

In his remarks last week, Harris dismissed any suggestion that Dutertes comments would halt US-Philippine military cooperation. What Ive seen is some statements that, Ill be quite frank, are concerning to us, to me, coming from the new president there in the Philippines, but despite what he has said theres been no change in anything with the Philippines, with one exception. He was referring to the joint exercises.

An article in the Diplomat noted that US-Philippine exercises were only one part of the defence ties between the two countries. The alliance also includes day-to-day collaboration in fields from maritime domain awareness [intelligence sharing] to law enforcement, ongoing capacity-building, and visits and exchanges that have led to deep relationships between the two defence establishments, which transcend any president or any downturn in specific drills or interactions. Duterte has not touched these critical aspects of cooperation, much of which remains low key and in many cases classified.

While diplomatic in tone, Harriss expression of concern is a warning to Duterte should he seek to implement his rhetorical flourishes and separate the Philippines from the United States. Washington would have no compunction in finding a way to remove Duterte from power if he in any way threatened vital US economic and strategic interests in its former colony and the wider region.

Duterte has already alienated sections of the Philippine top brass. Last month, former Philippine President Fidel Ramos, one of Dutertes key backers, resigned as special envoy to China in protest against Dutertes undermining of military relations with the US. While supportive of closer economic ties with China, Ramos, a former head of the Philippine military, had been scathing of Duterte in the Manila Bulletin, exclaiming: Are we throwing away decades of military partnership, tactical proficiency, compatible weaponry, predictable logistics and soldier-to-soldier camaraderie, just like that?

Ramoss comments are a not-so-veiled threat that powerful sections of the Philippine military and political establishment will join arms with Washington against Duterte if the president seriously damages military relations between the two countries.
Hillary Clintons campaign is participating in the Wisconsin recount, Clintons general counsel shared in a post on Medium.

It should go without saying that we take these concerns extremely seriously, Marc Elias wrote. We certainly understand the heartbreak felt by so many who worked so hard to elect Hillary Clinton, and it is a fundamental principle of our democracy to ensure that every vote is properly counted.

Green Party presidential nominee Jill Stein filed a recount for Wisconsin on Friday and has raised more than $5 million to pay for recounts in Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania. The Green Partys initial goal was to raise $2 million, but as of Friday, that goal was raised to $7 million, according to CNN.

President-elect Donald Trump had victories in Pennsylvania and Michigan, which were states he need to win the presidency.

Elias was quick to note that Clintons campaign has not noted any signs of vote tampering in those states but after Wisconsin announced it would begin a recount the campaign felt compelled to offer support.

Because we had not uncovered any actionable evidence of hacking or outside attempts to alter the voting technology, we had not planned to exercise this option ourselves, but now that a recount has been initiated in Wisconsin, we intend to participate in order to ensure the process proceeds in a manner that is fair to all sides, he wrote.

RELATED VIDEO: Hillary Clinton Makes First Public Speech Since Conceding Election

Elias proceeded to list five main objectives and actions implemented by the campaign, including conducting meetings and monitoring and staffing post-election canvasses. But he maintains that the voters are the most important part of the campaigns participation in this recount.

The campaign is grateful to all those who have expended time and effort to investigate various claims of abnormalities and irregularities, he wrote. While that effort has not, in our view, resulted in evidence of manipulation of results, now that a recount is underway, we believe we have an obligation to the more than 64 million Americans who cast ballots for Hillary Clinton to participate in ongoing proceedings to ensure that an accurate vote count will be reported.

Story continues

Stein told CNNs John Berman on Thursday that there were attempts made broadly on state voter databases and we know that we have an election system that relies a computer system that is wide to open hacks.

Its extremely vulnerable, she continued. Americans deserve to have confidence in our vote.

Wisconsin is working under a federal deadline of Dec. 13 to complete the recount. As a result,Wisconsin Elections Commissions Administrator Michael Haas said county employees may need to work evenings and weekends to meet deadlines.




Photo credit: Hearst Communications, Inc. All rights reserved

From Cosmopolitan

This post contains spoilers about Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life, which is now streaming on Netflix.



Say whatever else you want to about Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life, but the showrunners certainly made an exhaustive effort to include every single recurring character from the entire run of the original series. Most of them even stick around for a while! Here, a breakdown of what your favorite Gilmore Girls side characters are up to in the reboot - from Logan to Paris and everyone in between. (Even Digger and Gypsy!)

1. Miss Patty

Miss Patty's still holding down the fort at her dance studio, and we see her teaching classes and helping with auditions for the town musical. It's worth noting that the dancers have gotten hotter and more talented than ever since we saw them last  and Miss Patty herself looks way different! Sadly, there's no revival of her two-woman show with Babette but maybe that's something we'll just have to hope for in season two.

Photo credit: Netflix

2. Lane

Of all the characters in A Year in the Life, Lane seems to have changed the least - and that seems to be a positive thing. She's still living in Stars Hollow, still married to Zach, and still raising their twin sons, Steve and Kwan. Incidentally, the boys should be 10 or so by now, but the (silent) child actors who play them look like kindergarteners. Hers is a happy life: She sees movies, jams at the town's secret bar, and continues to enjoy a very close friendship with Rory. She even gets along with her mom!

Photo credit: Netflix

3. The Town Troubadour

The Town Troubadour (played by real-life musician Grant-Lee Philips) shows up exactly where and how you'd expect him to: serenading folks in the town square, right by the gazebo. He continues to do so throughout the series.

Photo credit: Netflix

4. Taylor

Taylor plays a fairly major role throughout the reboot - it's clear that some things have changed, but he's still pretty much running Stars Hollow. Some of his major projects throughout the series include trying to convince business owners to support his plan to switch Stars Hollow from a septic system to sewers, writing a musical about the history of the town, and starting (and then canceling) a gay pride parade. He is also somehow less annoying than he was in the original series. Absence makes the heart grow fonder?

5. Kirk

One of the things the Gilmore Girls reboot assumes is that people really, really missed having Kirk on their televisions. Your mileage may vary on that, but Kirk has plenty to do throughout the reboot. He has a pet pig that he dotes on. Also, he's recently completed his second short film about the aforementioned pig, which he screens at the town's tiny movie theater. For a few weeks, he runs a ride-sharing business called Oober (not Uber!), which eventually gets shut down.

6. Luke

One of the nicest surprises of A Year in the Life's first episode is that there's no "Are they or arent they?" drama about Luke and Lorelai's relationship from the outset - they're together from the first episode on, albeit with some bumps in the road. Luke's presence is one of the anchors of the show. He's still running the diner, which he has no desire to build into a franchise, despite Lorelai's mom's insistence. He takes care of Paul Anka, loves Jess and April in his signature gruff way, and is so proud of Rory's New Yorker story that he prints it on the back of his menus at the diner. It's not a perfect life, but it's a good one.

Photo credit: Saeed Adyani | Netflix

7. Michel

Michel hasn't changed! (Although the show has in that it actually acknowledges his sexuality.) In the first episode, he's still at the inn, still Lorelai's sidekick, and still complaining - only instead of complaining about guests, he's annoyed by his husband's repeated attempts to get him to have a child. Annoyed Michel continues to be the best Michel. With Lorelai's help, he tries to learn to talk to kids so he doesn't sound "like a child molester." He also realizes he's grown too big for the Dragonfly Inn, and needs a place where he can try new things and make more money. Just when I was starting to like him!

Photo credit: Netflix

8. Gypsy

Remember Gypsy? I didn't! But there she is in Stars Hollow, still working as the town mechanic, and still complaining about how difficult it is to service Lorelei's ancient Jeep. Later, she tries to convince Taylor to finally come out, and I've never loved her more. She pops up at town events throughout the series, and is the voice of sardonic reason every time she does.

9. Jason

Of all the folks I'd expected to see on the reboot, Lorelei's childhood friend and adulthood lover Jason Styles wasn't high on the list. But it makes sense that he'd turn up at Richard's funeral, even though their business partnership ended badly. He tells Lorelei that she looks like "the hottest Italian widow he's ever seen" and asks whether she's happy. No word on what his answer to that question would be.

10. Paris

One of the best things about A Year in the Life is that there's plenty of Paris, and we first catch up with her at the fertility and surrogacy clinic she owns, which she informs Luke and Lorelei (long story) is the largest of its kind on the Western Hemisphere. On top of her medical degree, she's a lawyer, an architecture expert, and a certified dental technician. She's also in the midst of a somewhat disdainful divorce from Doyle (more on him soon), with whom she shares two kids.

Photo credit: Netflix

11. Logan

Logan is exactly where you'd expect him to be: He's living in a palatial apartment in London, working a job that requires him to wear incredibly sexy suits  and having a clandestine affair with Rory while he's also engaged to a Parisian heiress. Some things never change. He remains the King of the Grand Gesture and prepares an incredibly elaborate reunion of some of the members of the Life or Death Brigade to cheer up Rory when she's down.

Photo credit: Netflix

12. Zach, Brian, and Gil

Hep Alien lives! They reunite for a band practice at Lane and Zach's house, but its not clear whether they're still serious about the band or jamming just for fun. Even though Zach is working for his dad and hating the corporate grind, he still gets to rock out every now and then, which is nice. (Also nice: seems like Brian's finally moved out of Lane and Zach's house!)

13. Mrs. Kim

Mrs. Kim is up to her old tricks - she's recruited a whole new choir of Korean kids to hit the hymn-singing circuit and has the same barely concealed disdain for them that she always had for Rory and Lane. And we even get to glimpse Mr. Kim for the first time! It's awkward.

14. Jackson

Real talk: It's always weird to see Jackson without Sookie! But it's fun and nostalgic to see him up to his old vegetable-selling ways, at the town's annual international food festival. (Related: Has he always been this handsome?!) We don't hear much about his life these days, but when Sookie finally shows up (!!), she mentions that Jackson has been reading Little House in the Big Woods to their daughter. Awwww.

Photo credit: Netflix

15. Mitchum

Again, Mitchum Huntzberger was pretty low on the list of folks who I wanted or expected to return during the new series, but there he is, horning in on Rory and Logan's lunch in a London restaurant (which turns out to be owned by the family). He's bombastic but it's not a total loss - he calls Conde Nast and gets them to finally make a long-postponed meeting with Rory happen.

Photo credit: Netflix

16. Doyle

In the years since Gilmore Girls, Danny Strong has become a massively successful screenwriter, so it's a bit of an in-joke that that's what his character Doyle does for a living as well. It's turned him into a bit of a tool, which is one of the reasons he and Paris decide to divorce. Rory tries to talk Paris into staying with him, saying they were once a good team, and Paris sadly replies, "That was before Brett Ratner gave him the keys to his pool house." He wears faded band T-shirts with jeans and is all-around insufferable.

Photo credit: Netflix

17. Tristan

This one is a bit of a stretch, because while Tristan has a blink-and-you'll-miss-it cameo, he's not played by Chad Michael Murray, who originally played the part. It's not clear whether Tristan's part is so small because Murray wasn't available or if Murray turned down the return because the part was so small. Still, his very brief appearance is enough to send Paris into a tailspin, even though he doesn't say a single word. Bumping into your old high-school flame will do that.

Photo credit: Netflix

18. Francie

Speaking of both "Paris" and "tailspin," she and Rory run into Francie, their one-time student council rival, in the bathroom at Chilton during an alumni event. Paris believes that Francie is still trying to sabotage her - and still blames her for her failure to get into Harvard, all those years ago. Francie makes it pretty clear that she doesn't think about Paris at all, because she's moved on to her adult life. However, we don't learn what she's been up to since high school, just that she's left high school very much in her past.

Photo credit: Netflix

19. April

Hey, remember when Luke's daughter April turned up in the final seasons of Gilmore Girls and everything got WAY MORE IRRITATING? Turns out that college at MIT has really kicked her up a notch, rather than mellowing her out. She writes Luke long, insufferable letters that require a thesaurus for deciphering, pierces her nose, and acts overall snippy and too cool at dinner with Luke, Lorelai, and Rory. She also lies about having met Noam Chomsky and plans for a trip to Europe on Luke's dime in a quest to get signatures for the legalization of pot. April admits to Rory that this "too cool" business is a front but it's aggravating regardless.

Photo credit: Netflix

20. Andrew

In the past, Andrew attended town meetings and said some things. In the present, Andrew attends town meetings and says some things. Consistency!

21. Sophie

Even though the original Carole King theme song isn't used in this series, Carole King herself returns as Sophie, the owner of the town's music store. Carole is a vocal participant in town meetings and works on the advisory committee for the town musical that Taylor creates. When Taylor bemoans the lack of original songs for the show, Sophie takes to the piano and offers up "I Feel the Earth Move Under My Feet," which Taylor dismisses as not catchy enough. It is confusing that Sophie plays a Carole King song and passes it off as her own. Does this mean there's no Carole King in the Stars Hollow universe?! WHAT DOES IT ALL MEAN?

22. Jess

Jess seems to finally have grown out of his surly adolescent phase, which is a relief, since he's in his 30s now. He runs a moderately successful small press and seems to be happy doing so, saying he'd be delighted if Dave Eggers knew his outfit existed. He also seems to return to Stars Hollow on a fairly regular basis. Jess comes back to help his mom and TJ escape from a vegetable cult (long story). While he's there, he both offers Luke some real emotional support and gives Rory the idea of writing a book about her life with Lorelai. It's genuinely touching.

23. Robert, Finn, and Colin

In additional "The band is back together!" news, Logan reunites a few of the members of the Life or Death Brigade for a night of the best debauchery rural New England has to offer. They show up in their traditional secret society gorilla masks, and cause trouble all over Stars Hollow and its surrounding towns, and they're very sweet to Rory all the while. We don't learn much about their adult lives, save for the fact that they continue to drink, womanize, and burn through their trust funds. Sounds about right.

24. Babette (and Morey!)

Nothing seems to have changed much for Babette - she's still Stars Hollow's best source of gossip and scratchy-voiced banter. She's a fixture at town meetings and instrumental in the development of the Stars Hollow musical (although if I never hear Sally Struthers say "kinky boots" again, it'll be too soon). While Morey was constantly by her side during the early Gilmore Girls seasons, he only turns up here as her date to Eraserhead. Jazz must be keeping him busy.

Photo credit: Netflix

25. Bootsy

Only Gilmore Girls fans with deep, deep memories will recall Bootsy, a townsperson from the series' earliest seasons. He only appeared in five episodes originally, but he's a featured recognizable member of the community this time around. His best moment comes when he heckles Luke for caring too much about the storage cabinet Luke donated to the town pool for storing float-y toys. He speculates about what the children Luke has with the cabinet might look like, since Luke apparently loves it so much. Heckle on, Bootsy.

26. Lulu

Kirk's girlfriend Lulu is working as an usher at the tiny town movie theater. She offers Luke and Lorelai seating on a love seat, then heavily implies that she and Kirk have had sexy times on it. Yay? She and Kirk seem to be happy and going strong, although it's hard to tell from her very brief appearance on the show. Also, no one says it outright, but it appears that Lulu plays an instrumental part in supporting Kirk's aspirations as a filmmaker, something no one should do.

27. Dean

Rory and Dean have a short but sweet interaction at Doosey's Market, where it all began between the two of them, and it's a nice full-circle moment. He has three little kids and his wife is expecting a fourth. He hates his sister's boyfriend, who climbs things for a living. And he's lovely about the fact that Rory's writing a book and that he's going to end up in it, although it probably helps that she assures him she's going to say he was "the greatest boyfriend alive."

28. Sookie

Sookie is conspicuously absent for almost all of the series, something that's not a surprise, since it was famously difficult to get Melissa McCarthy on board. But she's worth the wait - when we finally see her again, she's baked a whole kitchen of cakes for Lorelai's wedding to Luke. She's left the inn after a short sabbatical to work with a world-renowned chef becomes a new calling. While that's hard for Lorelai to accept, they come to a place of understanding and declare that they're still best friends. Also, apparently what she's doing now involves literally eating a lot of dirt?

29. Christopher

We seen Christopher in an office he refers to as "the cave," and he explains to Rory that means he's finally given in and taken a job within the family business. He doesn't seem too miserable and seems to have a decent relationship with his other daughter, Gigi, who lives in France. He's in a good, strong enough place to weather some tough questions from Rory about why he was OK with letting Lorelai raise Rory mostly on her own. I can't say it's great to see him but it's good to know he's all right nonetheless.

Photo credit: Netflix

30. Headmaster Charleston

Headmaster Charleston is still at Chilton and still terrified to be in a room with Paris alone for more than 30 seconds. He seems a little kinder than he did back in Rory and Paris's high school days though. When Rory confesses that she's living "here and there," Charleston worries about her and offers her any job she wants on the Chilton faculty, once she's gotten a master's degree. It's a nice gesture, although I'm not sure Chilton parents would be thrilled that that is how he goes about hiring teachers.

Photo credit: Netflix

Follow Lauren on Twitter.



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Boeing 757 American Airlines

Twelve years after Boeing discontinued the 757, the long-time 'tweener in the company's lineup is still popular among U.S. airlines.

American, Delta, and United all operate large fleets of the airplane.

Even though the Renton, Washington-based plane maker booked more than 1,000 orders for the jets over its two decades in production, it was never a hot seller.

By the early 2000's, sales of the 757 had all but dried up, and Boeing put the plane out to pasture in 2004.

Although many of the planes are pushing 25 years of service, airlines are hanging onto their 757s. For instance, Delta, who has spent big bucks on a fleet of new jets, recently refurbished the cabins of its aging 757s instead of replacing them with newer planes.

So why are its customers so loyal? Is the 757 that good? To get some answers, Business Insider recently spoke with author and Boeing 757 pilot Patrick Smith about the plane.

"There's no denying the 757 is an old plane that was designed in the late 1970s, but the versatility of the plane is remarkable and unmatched," Smith, the author of the book Cockpit Confidential, told Business Insider in an interview."It's profitable on both short-haul domestic as well as trans-Atlantic routes."

Boeing 757 Delta Airlines

During it's production life, the 757 was always a bit of an oddity  a 'tweener of sorts. It's larger and offers greater range than the average narrow body jet, but smaller and cheaper to operate than a wide-body. Boeing and its customers, for many years, didn't quite know how to take full advantage of the plane's capabilities. However, when they did figure it out, it became an integral part of its operators' fleets.

Boeing is currently marketing a new stretched variant of its long-serving 737  called the MAX 9  as a potential replacement for the 757. Now, there's talk that Boeing may make the 737 even larger to get closer to the 757's capacity.

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"Boeing is trying to push the 737 as a viable 757 replacement," Smith said, "In some respects it can, and in some respects it can't."

For instance, the 737 simply isn't capable of the same kind of engine performance as the 757.

According to Smith, the 737 falls way short of the 757 in terms of runway performance. The 737 requires a much higher takeoff speed and much more runway to get off the ground.

"The 757 can be off the ground in 4,000 ft. and under 140 knots," he told us. However, Smith recounts being in the cockpit jump seat of a 737 as two other pilots were flying. During takeoff, the author noticed that the plane didn't lift off until 160 knots and used up much more runway.

Furthermore, the 757 can comfortably climb straight to its cruising altitude. On the other hand, the 737 requires a step climb procedure that calls for the plane to climb to a certain altitude and burn off some fuel to lighten the load before continuing on to a higher altitude.

Runway performance matters. Especially when it comes to the type of flying the 757 and the 737 are asked to perform  trans-continental or oceanic flights with a full payload from smaller secondary airports.

Boeing 737 MAX 9

"The 737 falls short when you're trying fly it longer haul, coast to coast. It can do it, but not by much," Smith said. In addition, when it comes to flying across the Atlantic, "there's concern in the winter, when there are ferocious head winds, the 737 may need to stop for fuel."

The reality is that Smith believes the Boeing 737 is a good plane, but is being asked to take on a mission the design wasn't meant to perform.

"The Boeing 737 was essentially conceived as a small regional jet nearly five decades ago," Smith told us. "It's an extremely popular plane, but it's being asked to perform missions it wasn't designed for."

As a result, Boeing is simply not in a position to bolt bigger engines onto the 737. Since its introduction in the 1960s, Boeing has been installing larger and larger engines on the 737 as the size of the plane grew. Unfortunately, the amount of room underneath the wing hasn't changed. Thus, Boeing has all but maxed out on the size of the engines it can mount on the 737 without completely redesigning the plane's under carriage.

Instead of a stretched 737, Smith believes Boeing should have gone for an updated version of the 757 at some point during its production run.

"Somewhere along the way, had Being just re-engined the 757 with a new cockpit and new internal systems, it could have been a big hit," Smith told us.

In a statement to Business Insider, a Boeing spokesperson wrote:

"The 737 MAX will extend the Next-Generation 737 range advantage with the capability to fly more than 3,500 nautical miles. Thats an increase of 340-570 nmi over the 737NG which gives our customers the flexibility to open up new markets."

Icelandair Boeing 757-200

With that said, the 757 isn't a perfect plane.

"It's a 6-across (seating) narrow body that's long and thin," Smith said. "And for passengers, it can take a long time to board and disembark."

In addition, the 757's cockpit is pretty old-fashioned when compared to modern airliners such as the 737 MAX. The controls of the 757 are also much heavier for pilots than its sibling  the Boeing 767. The 757 and 767 were developed at the same time and feature virtually identical cockpits.

Finally, the Boeing 757 generates a massive amount of wake turbulence as it flies  forcing air traffic controllers to keep other planes far away from passing 757s.

"No one really knows why, but the 757 has really strong wake turbulence," Smith told us. "The early 757s had worse wake turbulence than the 747."

Although Smith added that the addition of winglets on later 757s have greatly decreased the wake turbulence. The Boeing 757 is an aircraft that's come and gone. It served its tour of duty with honor and distinction. Now, it's time for Boeing to find a replacement worthy of stepping into its shoes.

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Breaking story in The Newsroom: Alison Pill is a mom!

The Canadian actress shared on Instagram Saturday that she and her husband, fellow actor Joshua Leonard, welcomed baby girl Wilder Grace Leonard into the world in Saturday, Nov. 19.

So much to be thankful for. Wilder Grace Leonard, born November 19, 2016. Oh, earth, youre too wonderful for anybody to realize you. Do human beings ever realize life while they live it?  Every, every minute?  Pill, 30, wrote to accompany a photo of Wilder.

Want all the latest pregnancy and birth announcements, plus celebrity mom blogs? Click here to get those and more in the PEOPLE Babies newsletter.

The Tony-nominated actress, who is also recognizable from her roles in Midnight in Paris, Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen and Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, took to Instagram in July to share the couples happy news.

This is happening  Baby lady 2016, Pill captioned a photo of herself taken shortly after an ultrasound.

Leonard, 41  known for his appearances in season 3 of Bates Motel, If I Stay and the 90s horror phenomenon The Blair Witch Project  shared the same snap on his own Instagram account alongside the caption, Pssst  Coming this November  Its a girl!

Wilder is the first child for Pill and Leonard, who were married in May 2015 after a four-month engagement.

I told her that I loved her more than anybody on the planet, Leonard told PEOPLE in 2015 of the proposal. It was pretty good. Her hands were shaking, and so about 30 seconds after I gave it to her I said, You might want to put that on now. 

The couples new daughter will round out their household alongside their pets: two cats named Tom Dexter and Rocky Montana, as well as a dog, Henry Chirpa.




Jeff Bezos

Motorola used to be one of those giant corporate conglomerates that employed 150,000 people, many at a massive campus in Schaumburg, Illinois. But it hit hard times, and over the last several years it sold off chunks of itself and became Motorola Solutions.

Motorola Solutions is still a huge company. It employs around 14,000 and generated $5.8 billion in revenue over the last four quarters. But it has sold the huge campus and moved to new headquarters in Chicago.

As part of its move and cost cutting, Motorola is unplugging its data centers and going all-in in the cloud.

Its cloud of choice is Amazon Web Services, Leo Wang, head of cloud computing, told Business Insider.

"When we first we started, we were moving just one data center, our Schaumburg data center," he said. "Within 6 to 7 months, we moved more than 200 servers, and 150 applications, and we had more than $2 million in computer yearly spend moved over to AWS."

And they liked AWS so much, they decided to move everything else into it, worldwide, over the course of the next two years, Wang said. As of today, the company has moved about 450 servers to AWS, he added.

"We save millions per year. We invested millions initially but the long range savings will be significant, and we have a more aggressive plan next year and the year after."

Choosing Amazon wasn't automatic. In fact, Motorola already had a smaller contract with Microsoft to use its competing cloud, Azure. But Microsoft wasn't able to turn that into a bigger sale.

Why Microsoft didn't win

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella

Motorola Solutions sells radios and communications equipment to government agencies like police, fire, other emergency services.

They chose Azure because Azure had a crucial government security certification known as Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) and Amazon didn't.

So when Motorola opted to move everything to the cloud, the IT folks looked at Amazon, Microsoft, and Google.

Story continues

"Amazon had better technologies in almost all areas. It is much more mature in terms of functionality. They excelled in every aspect that we needed from the cloud perspective and from the customer service perspective, but they didnt have the CIJS compliance," Wang said.

But CIJS certification was a deal breaker, they told Amazon.

"Initially, they were hesitating. They were not interested in having this certification because they were so big in the market," Wang says.

But they agreed to look into it and decided to get CIJS, realizing it could open up new government markets for its cloud. Amazon is already making a name for itself pursuing government cloud business with its "GovCloud," a highly secured section of the AWS's services reserved for government use.

"Once they realized the importance of this certification in this industry, they invested. In a few months they were certified, and they created a Gov Cloud for us," Wang said.

Motorola Solutions Leo Wang

By doing this, Motorola was able to launch a brand new app for its law enforcement customers on AWS that lets them store camera footage on AWS. This app has the potential to be huge for Motorola and AWS, Wang believes.

AWS isn't known for its customer service, but Wang can't sing AWS's support praises any louder.

"Andy Jassy personally came to our office and had a detailed look at what we had. They put a lot of attention to us," Wang said.

In comparing AWS's support to that from Microsoft, he called it "very different," saying, "With AWS we are very tightly engaged with them in almost all efforts. We have meetings, we share our concerns, we have follow up, and a consultant works closely with us, and works closely with the product team."

Amazon's big gotcha

There is one big downside to choosing Amazon: it's harder to keep track of costs.

Like all cloud providers Amazon charges for the actual time each machine (known as an instance) is used. That's a benefit over buying servers, which a company pays for if they use them or not.

AWS CEO Andy Jassy

But if a company is not carefully watching its Amazon usage, it could run up a huge bill.

"In the cloud, its so easy to create resources, but the right governance over the usage is needed for you to get the price benefits. You need to be able to start and stop that instance only when the app is running." Wang said. "If you simply spin up the servers without proper governance, you could end up paying more."

AWS doesn't make this task easy.

"AWS, their pricing model is very complicated, that is a drawback," Wang says. He has complained to AWS about it and believes "they are improving in that area."

There are hoards of apps that will monitor Amazon usage. Motorola doesn't use them. Instead, it hired a cloud consultant, 2nd Watch, to help it move to AWS, size everything properly, train the IT staff and set up its own internal systems for watching usage, Wang says.

Downsizing Oracle

Larry Ellison

One bonus for moving to the cloud is that Motorola has a chance to look at its big expensive apps, like Oracle's database, and ditch them.

"In some of the instances, if we can use AWS [databases] instead of Oracle, we are doing that," he said, though he's not ready to dump Oracle completely. "Oracle is still our big partner."

This is a huge concern for Oracle these days, as Amazon rolls out more database alternatives and has created a tool that helps a company move its database from Oracle to Amazon's homegrown one.

Avoiding hard feelings

Motorola Solutions employees

One last thing Motorola needed to work on was getting the IT staff on board. No one lost their jobs because of this move, Wang says. That's because Motorola had an outsourcer called CSC managing its infrastructure. With AWS, it won't need CSC.

But there's still some jealousy among the staff.

"My team is very excited because they are the core cloud computing team, doing the work. Some other IT teams are feeling left out. I can sense that kind of feeling," he said.

So, Wang says, he's working on eventually getting the other IT folks trained on the cloud. And people are excited to learn all the latest, greatest cloud tech. It's good for their careers. "I will help them and they will help me, too."

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Amber Heard is speaking out to eliminate violence against women.

The actress partnered with the #GirlGaze Project for a new video about domestic violence, and briefly shares her personal story while fighting back tears.

I guess there was a lot of shame attached to that, the label of victim. It happens to so many women you know, when it happens in your home behind closed doors with someone you love its not straightforward, Heard, 30, says. If a stranger did this as it was pointed out to me if a stranger did this it would be a no brainer.

Heard filed for divorce from ex-husband Johnny Depp in May after 15 months of marriage, claiming in court filings that Depp, 53, had abused her throughout their relationship.

In the court documents, Heard stated that there was one severe incident in December 2015 when I truly feared for my life. In a photo obtained by PEOPLE, Heard can be seen with facial injuries, including an apparently bruised eye and cut lip  allegedly caused by Depp in that incident.

Also in May, Heard filed a domestic violence restraining order against Depp (which a judge granted) four days after filing for divorce.

If I hadnt had a few people that I really trust around me, a few women support, a few friends. If I hadnt had them around me, how different my life would be, Heard continued in her emotional PSA.

Just as a woman having gone through this in the public stage, in the public arena that I did it, I have a unique opportunity to remind other women this doesnt have to be the way it is, you dont have to do it alone, youre not alone. We can change this, she added.

In August, the former couple announced they had reached a divorce settlement outside of court, just one day before their scheduled restraining order hearing. The judge ultimately dismissed the domestic violence case against Depp and terminated the actors temporary restraining order.

PEOPLE confirmed that Heard divided her full $7 million divorce settlement from Depp to a number of charities with a particular focus to stop violence against women.

Heard concluded her #GirlGaze video with a powerful message: Speak up, speak up. Raise your voice, your voice is the most powerful thing and we, together, as women standing shoulder to shoulder cannot and will not any longer accept silence.




In the wake of former Cuban leader Fidel Castros death, Andy Garcia expressed his deep sorrow for the Cuban people who have lived under Castros rule, in a statement shared with Variety on Saturday.

Garcia, the actor and director known for such films as The Godfather: Part III and The Untouchables, was born in Havana, Cuba.

It is necessary for me to express the deep sorrow that I feel for all the Cuban people both inside and outside of Cuba that have suffered the atrocities and repression caused by Fidel Castro and his totalitarian regime, Garcia wrote. The promises of his so-called revolution of pluralism and democracy, were and continue to be a false promise and a betrayal of all basic human rights.

He added, The executions, persecution and imprisonment of political dissidents and the LGBT community, denial of free press, elections and religious freedoms, continue to be his legacy. He claimed that history would absolve him, but it can also condemn him.

Garcia said that he stands, as he always has, with Cuban people who love, cherish and celebrate liberty. Hard-working, helpful people who open their hearts and homes to all, whether in Cuba or in exile.

He concluded, I pray for what I have always prayed for: the restoration of our constitution and absolute freedom for the people of Cuba. That dream is very much alive, that fight is very much alive. Let the spirit of Jose Marti and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. show us the way.

Castro died on Friday night at age 90.

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Film Review: 'Max Steel'
(Adds details from protest organizer)

By Terray Sylvester

CANNON BALL, N.D., Nov 26 (Reuters) - Activists protesting plans to run an oil pipeline beneath a lake near the Standing Rock Sioux reservation in North Dakota said on Saturday they have no intention of leaving a protest camp after U.S. authorities warned it must be vacated by Dec. 5.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which manages the federal land where the main camp protesting the Dakota Access pipeline is located, said it would close public access to the area north of the Cannonball River, including to protesters. It said this was partly to protect the general public from violent confrontations between protesters and law enforcement that have occurred in the area.

Those who stay could face prosecution for trespassing, the Corps said in a letter to tribal leaders on Friday.

Organizers told a news conference on Saturday at the main protest site where about 5,000 people are camped that they had no intention of moving.

"We are staying here committed to our prayer," said Dallas Goldtooth, an organizer with the Indigenous Environmental Network. "Forced removal and state oppression? This is nothing new to us as native people."

There are smaller camps on land not subject to the planned restrictions, including an area south of the Cannonball River where the Corps said it was establishing a free-speech zone.

North Dakota Governor Jack Dalrymple, a Republican, on Saturday said he supported the decision and the federal government, which allowed the protesters to become entrenched, must lead in the camp's peaceful closure.

Standing Rock Chairman Dave Archambault said he received notice on Friday about the decision in a letter from Colonel John Henderson, an Army Corps district commander.

Archambault said the best thing the federal government could do for safety is deny the easement for the pipeline. "We have an escalating situation where safety is a concern for everybody."

Archambault said he did not see the letter as a forced eviction and the tribe would continue to exercise its First Amendment rights to free speech. The tribe is working on a location on reservation land should people choose to go there, he said.

Story continues

"I don't think it will ever be an eviction where forces just come in and push people out," Archambault said.

Demonstrators have protested for months against the $3.8 billion Dakota Access Pipeline, owned by Energy Transfer Partners LP, saying it poses a threat to water resources and sacred Native American sites. The companies say the pipeline would carry Bakken shale oil more cheaply and safely from North Dakota to Illinois en route to U.S. Gulf Coast refineries.

The 1,172-mile (1,885-km) project is mostly complete except for the segment planned to run under Lake Oahe less than half a mile north of Standing Rock.

The Obama administration in September postponed final approval of a permit required to allow tunneling beneath the lake, a move intended to give federal officials more time to consult with tribal leaders. But the delay also led to escalating tensions over the project.

Last weekend, police used water hoses in subfreezing weather in an attempt to disperse about 400 activists near the proposed tunnel excavation site.

Demonstrators plan a march at noon Sunday in Washington, from the Department of Justice to the Washington Monument.

(Writing by David Bailey; Editing by Jonathan Oatis and Andrew Hay)
People protesting the construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline will be required to vacate property north of the Cannonball River or face trespassing charges, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said Friday.

Dave Archambault, chairman of the Standing Rock Sioux tribe, said he received a letter from the Corps stating that the land would be closed on Dec. 5 due to safety concerns, the Associated Press reported. The letter referenced recent violent confrontations between protesters and law enforcement officers, as well as concerns about impending harsh winter weather.

To be clear, this means that no member of the general public, to include Dakota Access pipeline protesters, can be on these Corps lands, the letter said, according to the AP.

The land north of the Cannonball River includes a large encampment where many had been staying to protest the pipeline. Those on the land after Dec. 5 could be prosecuted for trespassing. A free speech zone will be set up south of the river instead, the AP reported.

But some protesters dont intend to leave the area. Isaac Weston, a member of the Oglala Sioux tribe from South Dakota, argued during a press conference on Saturday that indigenous people have a right to protect the land and water and cant be removed, according to the AP.

Dallas Goldtooth, a protest organizer with the Indigenous Environmental Network, told the AP that the order was an atrocious example that colonization has not ended for us here as indigenous people.

Thousands of protesters, including members of the Standing Rock Sioux tribe and other Native Americans, have gathered in North Dakota for months to oppose the construction of the 1,200-mile pipeline.

Our Tribe is deeply disappointed in this decision by the United States, but our resolve to protect our water is stronger than ever, Archambault said, according to CNN.
BURLINGTON  Best-selling author and speaker Rochelle Pennington will present her program on the Edmund Fitzgerald, the largest shipwreck ever to go down on the Great Lakes, at 1:30 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 4, at Veterans Terrace at Echo Park, 589 Milwaukee Ave. Doors open at 1 p.m.

No other Great Lakes shipwreck is more well-known than the Fitzgerald, which disappeared into a stormy Lake Superior on Nov. 10, 1975, when wind gusts peaked at nearly 100 miles an hour and waves reached the height of a three-story building. The sinking of the Fitzgerald may have become the Great Lakes most well-known wreck because of Gordon Lightfoots haunting ballad about the wreck. The song sold millions of copies immediately after the vessels loss.

Pennington will delve into the history and mystery of the vessel and will explore the opposing views of dive detectives who are still trying to determine what led to the demise of the 29-man crew.

The massive ore freighter, built and owned by Milwaukees Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Co., was named after its president, Edmund Fitzgerald. Launched in June of 1958, the Fitzgerald primarily hauled iron ore pellets, which were picked up at the docks in northern Minnesota. The ships usual route was from the far western end of Lake Superior, through the Soo Locks, then south to the steel mills in Detroit, Mich., and Toledo, Ohio, on the lower lakes. The Fitzgerald logged more than 1 million miles.

Audience members will be led from the ships launch to its final radio broadcasts, and from the discovery of the sunken ship on Lake Superiors bottom to the location of the vessels artifacts in various museums.

The talk, free and open to the public, is sponsored by the Burlington Historical Society, which will hold a brief business meeting before the program.
Australia is seeking the extradition of its most wanted Islamic State terror suspect who was thought to be dead but has been caught alive by Turkey, the government said Saturday.

The announcement followed a New York Times report that so-called Islamic State group operative Neil Prakash had been caught by Turkish forces several weeks ago as he tried to enter their country from Syria.

"An individual we believe to be Neil Prakash has been arrested and detained in Turkey," a government spokesperson said in a statement.

"Prakash is subject to a formal extradition request from Australia."

Prakash was a senior recruiter for Islamic State and has been linked to terror plots to kill Australians.

In May Prakash was reported dead by Canberra on advice from Washington that he had been killed in a US airstrike in northern Iraq.

However, the Times said he was only wounded, not killed, in Mosul on April 29.

Prakash, who is in his early twenties, left Australia in 2013.

He has been linked to a failed Melbourne plot to behead a police officer in April last year, as well as to an 18-year-old who was killed after stabbing two police officers in Melbourne in 2014.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has called Prakash the senior Australian operative in IS.

Reported to be of Indian, Fijian and Cambodian background, Prakash used the internet "to promote the evil ideology" of the jihadist group "and recruit Australian men, women and children -- many of whom are either still in the conflict zone or dead.

"Prakash and others ruthlessly target and groom our children -- vulnerable children -- with hateful propaganda of terrorism which perverts the religion of Islam," Turnbull told parliament in May.

Known as Abu Khaled al-Cambodi, Prakash was reportedly on a list of high-value IS recruiters targeted by the US in drone attacks in Iraq.

He worked with an English-speaking cell trying to radicalise people in the West to fight for Islamic State.

Story continues

The government statement said Canberra had worked with Ankara on Prakash's arrest and would collaborate further on the extradition process.

The arrest was "the result of close collaboration between Australian and Turkish authorities," it said.

"We are conscious that this individual has been arrested by Turkish authorities and their processes need to be respected and allowed to be completed.

"Australia will collaborate closely with Turkish authorities... Australia and Turkey have a longstanding history cooperation to combat terrorism."
Bakersfield (United States) (AFP) - Though just a few hours by road from California's progressive bastions of Los Angeles or San Francisco, Bakersfield is a world away from Tinseltown or Silicon Valley and firmly in Trumpland.

In this town, 54 percent of the population voted for Donald Trump and only 39 percent backed his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton though she won two thirds of the overall vote in California.

"I voted for Donald Trump because I felt he would actually do something, he's a businessman," said Lane Selz, 22, sitting in front of a hefty breakfast at Pappy's Coffee Shop.

It is 5:30 am, a busy time at the diner where the yellow painted walls are adorned with pictures of oil platforms, gas station logos and stuffed bison.

"Oil fields and farming is what makes Kern County, that's everything," said Selz. "We're in a drought, oil prices have crashed, so we need help ... something's gotta change."

Oil prices have plummeted by half in the last two years and thousands have lost their jobs.

Selz's father was laid off after working 30 years as a crude oil hauler in the fields of Kern County where oil derricks dot the landscape.

His 24-year-old friend Burt Reynolds, who was eating breakfast with him at the diner, also lost his job in the sector.

A few tables down, Trevin Butler, 43, sporting a beard and handlebar moustache, laments that his hours were first reduced and then his pay was cut.

"Then they say 'sorry we're outta work', so it's kind of hard to raise a family," said the father-of-three.

Adds his friend, Lawrence Andrew: "I've seen families losing their houses all over the place. It affects every other industry around here, not just oil. It's all tied together."

Residents blames Democrats for what they say is excessively strict anti-pollution legislation that has affected the state's oil industry.

And they believe Trump will deliver on his promise to "cancel job-killing restrictions on the production of American energy."

Story continues

"The liberals view the oil industry as evil while they enjoy driving their cars," said David Miller, owner of a welding company in Bakersfield.

Everyone here repeats they "work hard." Their work entails hauling heavy equipment in the oil fields under often searing temperatures. The same applies for those who work in farming, the other main industry in the region.

- 'Not politics as usual' -

Bakersfield has traditionally been a Republican bastion. The population is largely white and just about everyone goes to church and owns a gun. It feels closer to the "Bible Belt" than to California's hippies.

"It's an entire different region from the rest of California," said Mark Martinez, head of the political science department at California State University Bakersfield. "You can take Kern County and put it right in the middle of Texas and nobody would skip a beat.

"They would be very comfortable being in Texas politically, religiously."

Selz noted that the town's ancestors were farmers and cattle ranchers who came from Oklahoma, fleeing the famine that resulted from the "Dust Bowl" of the 1930s.

These desperate "Okie" migrants were often dismissed as "hillbillies" but in Bakersfield, residents look at their roots as a badge of honor.

"We relate to the hardworking people even though we're called 'deplorables,'" said Les Clark, head of the Independent Oil Producer's Agency, referring to the term used by Clinton during the campaign to describe some of Trump's supporters.

"A lot of us have education," he added. "I think we were underestimated."

Beatris Sanders, head of the Kern County Farm Bureau said voters in Bakersfield are counting on Trump to follow through with his promises to protect American jobs and offer "something that is not politics as usual."

She said she hoped Trump would hold to his vow to roll back on some free trade agreements such as NAFTA.

However, Sanders said that while many in Kern County are in favour of Trump's plan to build a wall on the US-Mexico border and deport millions of undocumented workers, most farmers here support offering legal status to farm hands.

"In farming, we depend so much on that agricultural base to harvest, to get fruits from the fields to the table," she underlined.
Havana (AFP) - America's failure to overthrow Fidel Castro during the 1961 Bay of Pigs invasion lionized the Cuban leader in his country as a leftist David battling an imperialist Goliath.

In the midst of the Cold War, six B-26 bombers painted with Cuban colors took off from Nicaragua on the morning of Saturday, April 15, 1961 to attack Cuban air bases. The CIA believed they had wiped out Castro's air force.

On April 16, at the funeral of seven victims of the bombing, Fidel Castro announces: "What the imperialists cannot forgive is the triumph of a socialist revolution right under the nose of the United States."

It was the first time he publicly characterized his revolution as "socialist," a fact that would become more obvious in the future.

The next day, Monday, April 17 at 1:15 am, some 1,400 anti-Castro Cubans from "Brigade 2506," who had been trained in secret camps by the CIA, landed at the Bay of Pigs, less than 200 kilometers (120 miles) south of Havana.

Offshore, eight ships headed to establish a beachhead. However, nine aircraft from the remains of Castro's air force took off, attacking one ship and sinking another. The other freighters headed back to sea.

In the sky, Castro's T-33 aircraft shot down two B-26 bombers, killing four American pilots. The Cuban air force lost four aircraft.

On the ground, the element of surprise had evaporated. The invasion was "an open secret," said Cuba's then interior minister Ramiro Valdes as 200,000 militia members prepared for battle.

Castro arrived to direct the operations. Fierce fighting lasted for two days.

Lacking support, the "mercenaries" surrendered on April 19. There were 1,189 prisoners. Among the invaders, 107 were killed. Castro's forces suffered 161 losses.

Afterward, a nationwide police sweep led to the arrest of some 100,000 Cubans, including 35,000 in Havana.

Captured combatants were exhibited on television. Five would be executed, nine sentenced to 30 years in prison, the others released in December 1962 in exchange for $53 million worth of medicine and food.

In Havana, Castro savored his triumph. In Washington, it was a catastrophe.

Historians say President John F. Kennedy condemned the operation to failure in advance by refusing to give it military support. He was assassinated just two years later in 1963.
Forever in their hearts. The six actors who played the rambunctious Brady Bunch siblings on the hit '70s sitcom paid tribute to TV mom Florence Henderson, who died on Thursday, November 24, in a series of posts and interviews.

I have not had many people this close to me pass, Barry Williams, who played eldest son Greg Brady, told the Daily News Friday. I would go to her sometimes when I was struggling with issues. [She was] very wise, worldly and helpful.

PHOTOS: Celebrity Deaths in 2016: Stars Weve Lost

Williams, 62, famously recalled how he once had a crush on Henderson during filming of the series. I did have a crush on her  I was also, like, 16, he told the News with a laugh.

Christopher Knight, who played middle son Peter Brady, shared a recent photo of himself with Henderson to Twitter Friday, along with a touching message. I grieve for the passing of my dear friend, Florence, he wrote. Privileged to have known her and the kindness of her heart. She will be missed. RIP.

I grieve for the passing of my dear friend, Florence. Privileged to have known her and the kindness of her heart. She will be missed. RIP pic.twitter.com/Wu1ujaycHW  Christopher Knight (@ChrisKnightHome) November 25, 2016

Mike Lookinland, who was just 8 years old when the series first debuted in 1969, told the News that he was stunned by the tragic news of Hendersons passing.

PHOTOS: Most Shocking Celebrity Deaths of All Time

I woke up today to the sad news, the 55-year-old actor said. I just got to my mothers cabin in the woods in southern Utah, and Im still shocked and amazed.  She was the kind of person that is just great to be around. Just to be in the same room with her was a pleasure. You cant say that about most people.

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PHOTOS: TV Shows Gone Too Soon!

Maureen McCormick, who played oldest daughter Marcia on The Brady Bunch  and who recently danced with her TV mom on Dancing With the Stars  was one of the first Brady kids to react to Hendersons death.

On Thursday, the 60-year-old actress shared an image of the pair together on Twitter, writing, You are in my heart forever Florence.

Eve Plumb, who played middle sister Jan Brady, shared a nostalgic message about her time on the show as one of the kids. Florence was a wonderful role model for me and all of us kids, Plumb, 58, wrote. She taught me how to be a professional actor by her example of preparedness and respect for the work and her fellow cast and crew members.

She was also loving, warm, generous, and could tell a funny, dirty joke, she continued. Im fortunate to have been able to know and to work with her. She will be missed by her children, grandchildren, and us kids.

Susan Olsen, who played youngest Brady kid Cindy, told Variety that though she and the rest of Hendersons TV children are devastated by their loss, she is thinking of Hendersons four real-life children and family.

My heart right now is going to her four children, Olsen, 55, told the site. I always felt we stole the limelight from them.

Henderson was hospitalized at Los Angeles Cedars-Sinai Medical Center on Wednesday, November 23, and died Thursday evening of heart failure, surrounded by family and friends. She was 82.

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PARIS  British photographer David Hamilton has died at his Paris apartment at the age of 83, a police source confirmed.

The cause of death could not immediately be learned, while some reports suggested it was a suicide.

Hamilton was found unresponsive in his home in the 6th arrondissement here on Friday by a neighbor who alerted emergency services, French radio station Europe 1 reported.

The photographer, who had lived much of his life in France, had recently been hit by string of accusations of sexual assault and rape from a number of women, including French radio host Flavie Flament. Last month, Flament released an autobiographical novel entitled La Consolation, (The Consolation, in English) in which she alleged she was raped by a famous photographer in the southern French beach resort town of Cap dAgde in 1987, at age 13. The books cover is a photograph of Flament as a young girl taken by Hamilton.

In a video released on Nov. 18 on the Web site of French news weekly LObs, Flament confirmed she was referring to Hamilton. The photographer four days later denied the allegations, telling Agence France-Presse: I have done nothing improper, and said that he only took a portrait of Flament, 29 or 30 years ago.

Known for his soft-focus, romantic images of nude adolescent girls in classical poses that nodded to art history, the photographer, who rose to fame in the Seventies and Eighties as a fashion photographer, was best known for helping forge the romantic image of Nina Ricci with his iconic fragrance campaigns. They included his Degas-style portraits of ballerinas for the LAir du Temps scent and one of a trio of young girls posing as The Three Graces, a nod to the house logo created by Eliane Bonabel in 1936 inspired by Botticellis famous work, Allegory of Spring.

Hamilton also published a number of photographic books, which sold in the millions, including The Age of Innocence, Tender Cousins and Sisters. He produced five films and staged exhibitions in galleries around the world, including his show at Images Gallery in 1977 in New York, which was held concurrently with the release of his first film, Bilitis. In 2006, he released Erotic Tales, a book of fictional short stories that was only published in French and German.

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Hamilton also liked to photograph landscapes and nature, while personalities captured by the photographer included ballet dancer Rudolf Nureyev.

Born in London in 1933, Hamilton moved to Paris at the age of 20 to seek work as a graphic designer. He landed a job at Elle magazine under Peter Knapp going on a few years later to work as art director of the Printemps department store. As a side project, he took up commercial photography and honed his distinctive blurring technique, going on to become a respected art photographer in the late Sixties. Bathed in a signature, back-lit golden light, many of Hamiltons portraits were taken around his holiday home in Ramatuelle in the Bay of Saint-Tropez on the Cote dAzur.

Over the years, some questioned if Hamiltons work bordered on pornography. In 2005, in a landmark British ruling by Guildford Crown Court in England, his images of naked women and girls were officially branded indecent. Anyone who has David Hamiltons books can be arrested for the possession of indecent photographs, DC Simon Ledger of Surrey Police told the Guardian newspaper after the ruling.

Hamilton, who had no children, married twice, to Mona Kristensen, one of his favorite models, and later Gertrude Hamilton, who co-designed his book The Age of Innocence, from whom he had an amicable divorce.

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Authorities are searching for a Brooklyn mother and her 11-month-old son after the two went missing following a visit to her mother-in-laws home, PEOPLE confirms.

Hazuki Matsushita and her son Isse Salazar were last seen leaving Matsushitas mother-in-laws home on Roosevelt Island, New York, at 3.pm. on Nov. 18, the New York Daily News first reported.

The 39-year-old mother, who was originally from Japan, allegedly got in a fight with her husband Carlos Salavar shortly before leaving Salavars apartment in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, on Nov. 8. Salavar told NYDN the couple, who were married in 2014 after meeting via social media, were arguing about child care issues and the cleanliness of their apartment.

Salavar said his wife called him from his mothers apartment 10 days later  the last time she was seen on Nov. 18  and said she was ready to reconcile. He said her plan was to take their son to the library and then reunite with him, but she never returned.

I spend most of my time running around Brooklyn, he told NYDN. Just hoping Ill see her. Just to see if my boys OK. She didnt take anything. No winter clothes. No diapers. Thats what scares me the most. Salavar says he reported his wife missing on Nov. 18 and the NYPD confirmed to PEOPLE that the case is ongoing.

Salavar said he has not been able to reach her and she is not responding to his text messages, according to NYDN. While she was on Roosevelt Island with his mother, Salavar said his mother expressed concerns about her.

My mother started telling me, I think your wife is depressed. She wakes up late. She doesnt do anything. She doesnt take care of the baby,  said Salazar.

 Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Click here to get breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases in the True Crime Newsletter.

Salazar also said its possible his wife worries about him taking their son away from her if they get a divorce.

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She has this idea that were trying to take him away from her, but were not, he said.

Anyone with information about Matsushitas disappearance should contact NYPD Crime Stoppers at 1 (800) 577-TIPS and for Spanish speakers, 1 (888) 57-PISTA. People can also text TIP577 with their message to 274637 or visit the Crime Stoppers website at nypdcrimestoppers.com.




RACINE  Maybe youve admired his artwork in a Watercolor Wisconsin show at the Wustum Museum of Fine Arts on Northwestern Avenue, in a solo show at Downtowns Artists Gallery, or at the Monument Square Art Fair. Or perhaps you, or someone in your family, have been inspired by him in an art class in one of several Racine Unified schools.

However you might know Lyle Peters, you are invited to come help the local artist celebrate his 90th birthday at a party held in his studio in the Racine Business Center, from 4 to 6 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 3. Some of Peters fellow artists are throwing the party in his honor and hope that everyone from close friends to former students will join them in celebrating the man whose life and work have touched many others in our community, according to Bob Schnack, a local photographer and friend of Peters.

You cant walk through Downtown Racine with Peters without someone coming up to greet him, Schnack said.

Women hug him and men shake his hand, he said. He has a wonderful sense of humor and, to me, hes kind of a citizen of Racine  someone we respect and look up to.

Life lessons

In his nearly 40 years of teaching  including time at Racines Washington Junior High, Gifford Middle School and Case High School  Peters not only inspired many students to pursue careers in art, Schnack said, but taught them lessons of life and love.

He cares about the people hes taught and the people he knows, and he feels a responsibility that reaches beyond teaching to helping people in the community, Schnack said. And it shows from the people who have this great affection for him.

Chris Sklba, owner of Downtowns Art Metals Studio and a student of Peters in the early 1980s at Case, is one example.

Lyles quick and sharp wit kept students attentive and productive in the high school studio environment, Sklba said. While encouraging and expecting the best from all of the students in his classes, he was always ready to let us know if we were not working up to our abilities.

Peters also helped students after high school by advising for scholarships through the Racine Art Guild, Sklba said. And he continues to lead by example, always working on his art and being willing to try new things.

Many talents

Peters, who came to Racine from his native state of Michigan, said he enjoys seeing what former students like Sklba are doing today. And, when asked what he thinks made him such a successful teacher, he said I loved teaching. I liked my kids and we had a good time. I really and truly mean that.

Since retiring from teaching, Peters has continued to create artwork in his two main focus areas  ceramics, in which he earned a masters degree, and watercolors, which he came to later in life. His artistic career also includes 50 years of involvement with the Monument Square Art Fair, as well as many years as a member of the Racine Art Guild. He is also one of the founding members of the Artists Gallery and has served as president of the Wisconsin Watercolor Society, among many other achievements.

When hes not in his studio, you are likely to find the artist in his kitchen, where he brings a similar passion to his hobby of baking. Having worked in his fathers Michigan bakery as a teenager, Peters said he rediscovered baking after he retired and his wife, Laurel, was still teaching. He began to do most of the cooking for their household then and discovered how much he enjoyed baking.

I make a ton of cookies for Christmas, said the father of three, adding that he likes to try new recipes that sound interesting, such as a favorite chocolate, ginger-root cookie. I like to mess around, he said, flashing that familiar, Lyle Peters smile. I really enjoy baking and I like that other people like what Im doing.

Gift of friendship

Peters, whose actual 90th birthday is later in December, will celebrate his milestone on Dec. 3 in the studio he shares with several other artists, inside the Racine Business Center at 1405 16th St. The party will immediately follow the Studios on 16th Street open house, which will run from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. the same day at the center (see accompanying boxes for details).

Visitors are invited to come and share cake, refreshments and conversation, but Peters has requested that no gifts be brought to his birthday celebration.

Schnack said Peters told him My greatest gifts are the friendships Ive enjoyed over the years.
By Hugh Bronstein and Luc Cohen

BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) - The city of Buenos Aires has declined to authorize a permit to build an office tower linked to U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, and developers will have to file new paperwork for it to be reconsidered, the city government said in a statement on Friday.

The "Trump Tower" project near Buenos Aires' central obelisk made international headlines after a local news report said Trump mentioned the proposed office complex when Argentine President Mauricio Macri put in a congratulatory call to Trump after his Nov. 8 election victory.

The Macri administration said the reports were untrue and that the project was not mentioned during the call. Trump, a businessman who has never held public office, has real estate and leisure holdings all over the world, sparking concerns his investments could color his decision-making in office.

The Buenos Aires city government issued its statement "in response to public interest in the possible construction of the so-called 'Trump Tower' in the center of Buenos Aires."

A city spokesman said Trump's name had not appeared in the permit requests, and The Trump Organization did not respond to an emailed request for comment on Friday evening.

Trump has said that he will hand over day-to-day responsibilities of running his company to his children, but he has resisted calls to place his assets in a blind trust.

The city's statement said the project first surfaced in early 2007 when a firm identified as Kubic S.A. filed a building request for a plot of land now used as a parking lot at Cerrito 62 and Bartolome Mitre. The plan was approved, but expired when construction did not commence within a stipulated three-year period, the city's statement said.

Last August, it said, a firm called Repetto Oeste SA sought to revive the 2007 plan, but the request was not authorized.

"For this reason," the statement said, "there is no active building permit for the property in question, and the interested parties have to start the process from the beginning."

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An investor involved with the project proposed in 2007 told Reuters the office tower was put on hold and then sold during the global financial crisis. The permits had been challenging to secure due to restrictions on height in the area, he added.

(Additional reporting by Caroline Stauffer; Editing by Andrew Hay)

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Ottawa (AFP) - Prime Minister Justin Trudeau remembered Fidel Castro Saturday as a "remarkable leader" who will be mourned by Canada.

"While a controversial figure, both Mr Castro's supporters and detractors recognized his tremendous dedication and love for the Cuban people who had a deep and lasting affection for 'El Comandante,'" he said in a statement.

His kind words for Castro immediately drew scathing criticism from Conservative lawmakers who said Trudeau was praising a cruel dictator.

Trudeau's father, former prime minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau, became the first leader of a NATO-member state to travel to Castro's Cuba, arriving in January 1976 during the middle of the Cold War, against Washington's wishes.

"I know my father was very proud to call him a friend and I had the opportunity to meet Fidel when my father passed away," the prime minister said.

The Canadian leader visited Cuba only last week to boost ties, as the communist island's historic breakthrough in restoring relations with the United States hangs in the balance following Donald Trump's presidential election win.

"Fidel Castro was a larger-than-life leader who served his people for almost half a century," Trudeau said on Saturday. "A legendary revolutionary and orator, Mr Castro made significant improvements to the education and health care of his island nation."

Trudeau and his wife, Sophie, "offer our deepest condolences to the family, friends and many, many supporters of Mr Castro," he added. "We join the people of Cuba today in mourning the loss of this remarkable leader."

In one of a series of attacks on Trudeau's praise of Castro, Conservative Party lawmaker Kellie Leitch, who is vying to become party leader, said Trudeau had lauded Castro "as if reading from a story book."

"When given the opportunity to recognize the Castro regime for what it was -- brutal, oppressive, and murderous -- our Prime Minister instead chose to lionize the man who denied his people basic freedoms for decades," Leitch wrote on Facebook.
By Philip Pullella VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Baptized as a Roman Catholic and educated by Jesuits, Fidel Castro became a persecutor of the Church after seizing power in Cuba in 1959. Nearly 40 years later, he began a rapprochement that was eventually to enable the Vatican to broker a historic resumption of ties between Cuba and the United States. Despite the contradictions and about-turns, Castro, who died aged 90 on Friday, believed it was possible to be a kind of Christian while remaining true to the cause of revolutionary socialism. "If people call me Christian, not from the standpoint of religion but from the standpoint of social vision, I declare that I am a Christian," he said in 2006, shortly before illness forced him to hand over power to his brother Raul. The change in tone was evidenced on Saturday when Pope Francis, who met Castro in Cuba last year, said that his death was "sad news" and that he was grieving and praying for his repose. Yet in his early years in power, Castro saw the Church as an enemy. Angered by its denunciation of communism, he nationalized Catholic schools, muzzled Church publications and expelled many priests. About 130 were rounded up on just one night in 1961 and bundled onto a freighter bound for Spain. Fast-forward to 1991, when the break-up of the Soviet Union deprived Cuba of its main financial backer. Facing economic crisis, Castro began loosening some restrictions on the Church and courting the Vatican as a diplomatic partner. The Communist Party dropped its ban on believers in its ranks. The breakthrough came in 1998 when Pope John Paul visited Cuba, leading to the lifting of more restrictions and the reinstatement of Christmas as a national holiday. Castro attended nearly every papal event and sat in the front row at Masses. During that trip, the first by any pontiff, John Paul said "Let Cuba open itself to the world and the world open itself to Cuba" and called for an end to "El Bloqueo", the U.S. trade embargo. The visit galvanized the local Church, infusing it with more courage to stand up to the communist government on human rights abuses and to press for the release of political prisoners. After Raul Castro took over, the Church in Cuba supported his efforts to reform the Soviet-style command economy. The 2013 election of the popular Francis, the first Latin American pope, and his defense of social justice, have further warmed relations with the Vatican. In May 2015, Raul stopped in Rome to thank the pope for brokering the thaw between Havana and Washington and said Francis so impressed him that he might return to the Church, despite being a communist. He has yet to do so, although he did attend papal Masses during Francis' trip to Cuba in September 2016. (Reporting by Philip Pullella; Editing by Mark Trevelyan)
By Marc Frank and Sarah Marsh HAVANA (Reuters) - Fidel Castro's death could give his younger brother, President Raul Castro, more space to pursue economic reforms, but change will also depend on whether U.S. President-elect Donald Trump decides to work with or challenge Cuba's communist government. Raul Castro has introduced market-oriented reforms in recent years, but the pace of change has been slowed, many Cubans say, by Fidel Castro's continued influence over an old guard that mistrusts both markets and warming ties with Washington. Two years ago, the more pragmatic, younger Castro engineered a detente with the old enemy that has seen commercial flights, dollar remittances and American tourists all flow into the cash-strapped Caribbean island. Those advances could easily be reversed if Trump sticks to the harder line he took at the end of his election campaign, when he vowed to close the U.S. embassy, opened last year after half a century, and to renegotiate President Barack Obama's agreement to normalize relations with Cuba. But Castro's death could also be an opportunity for Trump to keep up an engagement with Cuba that is popular with voters and U.S. businesses. With Fidel Castro now dead at 90 and the 85-year-old Raul Castro promising to retire in early 2018, working with Cuba becomes easier on a symbolic level. Trump had not mentioned Cuba since his election and in his first responses to the overnight news from Cuba, he gave little sense of which way he will go. "Though the tragedies, deaths and pain caused by Fidel Castro cannot be erased, our administration will do all it can to ensure the Cuban people can finally begin their journey toward prosperity and liberty," Trump said in a statement. Richard Feinberg, a former national security adviser to U.S. President Bill Clinton, said it is now less likely that Trump will reverse Obamas opening to the island. "The passing of Fidel Castro removes the object of hatred, fear and revenge of many Cuban-Americans, bringing to an end what has been one of historys longest grudge matches, opening the gates for the reconciliation of the deeply divided Cuban family," he said. "It is in the U.S. national interest to compete with China and Russia for influence in Cuba and the broader Caribbean, and to see Cuba as a natural ally in counter terrorism," said Feinberg, author of a book on the Cuban economy. In the short term, Cuba may see from its government an orchestrated outpouring of support for Castro's undiluted idea of communism. The first sign of that was a government campaign launched on Saturday to have millions of Cubans sign a pledge to be faithful to Castros revolution, as an expression of the will to perpetuate his ideas and our socialism. Even years after stepping down from the presidency, Castro remained a buttress for the old guard among Cuba's political hierarchy and bureaucracy who are not convinced by Raul Castro's measures leading Cuba slowly toward a socialist economy with a strong role for private businesses. Over time that influence will fade, potentially making it easier for reformers in Raul Castro's government and in the future. "It removes a court of final appeal for the conservatives while giving hope to the usually younger reformers in the party for more rapid future economic change," said David Jessop, a UK-based business consultant on Caribbean affairs. TRANSITION The inner workings of the Cuban power structure have always been tough to read, and not everyone believes Fidel Castro was behind a recent backtracking on market reforms, such as allowing farmers to sell products at market prices or permitting private imports and exports. Mid-level bureaucrats fearful of losing power in the system are often seen as a major reason economic reforms have not been rolled out at the pace announced by Raul Castro in a 2011 policy paper. "He was fully retired, so his passing is not likely to alter the course of Rauls economic modernization program," said William LeoGrande, co-author of a book on U.S.-Cuba relations. "Of course, there are bureaucrats still in office who share Fidels ideological hostility to markets. They have been and will continue to be an obstacle to change." Trump may decide that Castro's demise is an opportunity to pressure the communist government into making concessions, such as freeing political dissidents or preferential access for U.S. products and services. "President-elect Trump may simplistically see a chance to restart an adversarial relationship ... to prove he is the strong man he said he is," said Paul Hare, a former British ambassador to Cuba. Cuba has relied heavily on Venezuela for economic help, but a deep economic and political crisis at home means Venezuela cannot provide the same volumes of subsidized oil that Cuba is accustomed to. Closer relations with the United States have helped, and backsliding on the thaw could further weaken Cuba's economy, already battered by low commodity prices. But an aggressive policy by Trump would close off lucrative opportunities to U.S. businesses and hand them to European or Asian firms. It would hurt companies like American Airlines, due to start commercial flights to Havana on Monday for the first time in half a century. "Fidel's death is yet another reason to continue the policies of the last two years. Change is here to stay in Cuba and the U.S. can either be a part of it or sit on the sidelines in the next four years," said Jason Marczak at the Atlantic Council think tank in Washington. (Writing by Frank Jack Daniel; Editing by Kieran Murray and Jonathan Oatis)
British fashion photographer David Hamilton, 83, was found dead in his Parisian home on Friday, emergency services sources said Friday.

Hamilton, known for his widely published nude images of underage girls, hit the headlines recently after former child models said he had raped them.

An informed source said he had died of heart failure and that medication was found near the body.

Hamilton, whose books of often suggestive pictures of young girls have sold millions of copies, this week threatened to sue his accusers, saying he had previously been cleared of abuse.

The artist, whose work has long raised questions about where art ends and pornography begins, was at the centre of a raft of allegations after a French radio presenter accused him of raping her when she was 13.

Flavie Flament published an autobiographical novel last month in which she told of being raped by a famous photographer during a shoot.

Although she did not name Hamilton in "The Consolation", she used his photograph of her as the book's cover.

Flament, 42, later told French media that Hamilton had raped her after three other women contacted her with near identical allegations.

Hamilton confirmed Flament had been his model, but denied the allegations, telling AFP on Tuesday: "I have done nothing improper."

Flament's editor Karina Hocine told AFP Friday the radio presenter was "devastated" by the news of Hamilton's death.

"Naturally, we feel horrified and, at the same time, really disgusted that there was not enough time for justice to run its course," she added.
Zagreb (AFP) - Croatian President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic sparked online debate Saturday as it emerged she posed for a photo during her recent Canada trip with a flag carrying a symbol of her country's wartime pro-Nazi regime.

Her office shrugged off the incident, insisting there was "nothing questionable" about it.

The photo, posted on Facebook by a Croatian man living in Canada, shows Grabar-Kitarovic posing with him and others in front of a flag bearing the coat of arms used by Croatia's World War II-era Ustasha regime, which persecuted and killed hundreds of thousands of Serbs, Jews, Roma and anti-fascists.

The checkerboard-patterned shield in the middle of Croatia's current national flag has 25 red and white squares, starting with a red one in the top-left corner.

A different version with a white square in that corner has been used at other points in Croatia's history -- notably by the Ustasha. It was replaced by the current shield after World War II when Croatia was part of the former Yugoslavia.

Both versions were briefly in use in 1990 ahead of Croatia's declaration of independence, but under a December 1990 law the national flag bears the red-first version of the shield.

The presidency batted off the row over the photo of Grabar-Kitarovic, telling N1 television, "We see nothing questionable in it." It noted that such a flag was displayed in front of the Croatian parliament in 1990.

The president's view on the wartime regime is "clear and she voiced it on several occasions," it added. Grabar-Kitarovic has condemned the Ustasha in the past.

The row sparked mixed responses online.

"This issue involving our president is more than shameful," Visnja Skreblin, a woman from Zagreb, commented on online portal Index.

But reader Mario Babic defended the president, saying it was "Croatia's historic shield, created far before the darkest chapter of Croatia's history."

Grabar-Kitarovic took over the presidency -- a role with limited powers -- in 2015 as the candidate of the ruling conservative HDZ party.

The previous HDZ-led government, which fell in June, was accused by critics of turning a blind eye to a far-right surge in the country, including nostalgia for the pro-Nazi past.
Havana (AFP) - Fidel Castro was the last of the three main protagonists in one of the Cold War's scariest episodes: The 1962 Cuban missile crisis, which raised fears of a global nuclear war.

Castro, who died Friday night at the age of 90, was aligned with Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev when a 13-day showdown with US president John F. Kennedy began in October 1962.

Kennedy was assassinated a year later, on November 22, 1963, while Khrushchev died in 1971.

The Cold War heated up as never before when the United States found out Moscow was secretly building nuclear missile launchpads in Cuba.

On October 14, 1962, US reconnaissance aircraft took photographs of Soviet work on intermediate-range missile launch sites on the island.

Unwilling to allow the Soviets to position their nuclear arsenal so close to US shores, Kennedy, in unprecedented, nerve-jangling brinkmanship, warned Khrushchev that the United States would attack the Soviet Union if it did not withdraw the missiles.

The tensest days came after October 22, when Kennedy went public with what was happening, ordered a naval blockade of Cuba and mobilized 140,000 troops.

He pledged that any missile launched from Cuba would be regarded as an attack on the United States by the Soviet Union, and demanded the Soviets remove all offensive weapons from Cuba.

Castro put 400,000 of his own people on alert, anticipating a military invasion that -- it emerged years later -- was not in any of Kennedy's immediate plans.

But Kennedy at one point ordered low-level reconnaissance missions once every two hours.

On October 26, Khrushchev offered to withdraw the missiles if the United States promised not to invade Cuba and took its Jupiter missiles out of Turkey.

Castro, meanwhile, tried to set his own conditions.

He demanded the end of the US embargo on Cuba, a halt to anti-Castro attacks from the United States, a stop to US violations of Cuban airspace, and the return of the US naval base in Guantanamo, on the southeastern tip of Cuba.

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Ignoring Castro's demands, Kennedy wrote on October 27 a letter to Khrushchev in which he proposed an immediate withdrawal of Soviet missiles in exchange for an end of the naval blockade.

Privately, the United States told the Soviets it would remove its missiles from Turkey once the crisis was over.

The next day, Khrushchev gave into the US terms behind Castro's back, agreeing to take the missiles out in exchange for a US pledge not to invade Cuba.

With the US giving ground only by pulling its missiles from Turkey, Castro was most unhappily left out of the deal.
RACINE  The Faccia Bella Club, located at 3422 Douglas Ave., received a liquor license in July 2015. Sixteen months later, the bar has yet to open and the Public Safety and Licensing Committee's patience for owner Todd Anderson is wearing thin.

Anderson appeared in front of the committee Tuesday, armed with roughly 100 photos of his bar, to show progress he has made since he last met with the committee in late August. After a tense half hour, the committee decided to defer any action until its next meeting on Dec. 13, essentially issuing Anderson an ultimatum to open by then or face possible action on his liquor license.

The bar on Wednesday appeared organized with tables and chairs set up.

Initially, Anderson informed the committee that he planned to open on Saturday but because of the holiday delaying inspections might need to wait another week. He confirmed to Fifth District Alderman Steve Smetana that the bar was ready to open pending inspections.

Deputy City Attorney Nicole Larsen provided accounts that didn't support Anderson's claims. She provided accounts from the Fire Department and Building Inspection Department that indicated "the business didn't appear close to opening."

"From the staff perspective, it's nowhere near completion and nowhere near opening," Larsen said.

Both Smetana and Fourth District Alderman Tracy Larrin expressed concern about Anderson still not opening his bar.

"What's really honestly bugging me is your original open date was July 3, 2016 and last time you were here, you said you would be open," Smetana said.

Added Larrin, "I don't see the reason for him having a license at this point, only because it's been a year and, what did I say, four months? And he's still not ready to open now, when there's other people that could be waiting for a license."

Larrin's comments especially irked Anderson, who grew more and more agitated as the meeting went along. After Larrin said she was "new to this," referring to her lack of seniority as a committee member and alderman, Anderson replied, "I know you are, and business as well."

Toward the end of the meeting, Anderson again became frustrated with Larrin, who suggested that she would like to see Anderson withdraw his license and re-apply when he was truly ready to open. He even mentioned that he "had attorneys" after Larrin asked him if he would withdraw, implying some sort of legal action against the alderman.

Committee Chairman and First District Alderman Jeff Coe was visibly frustrated by Anderson's frequent interruptions of committee members.

"You haven't been respectful at all, sir," Coe said to Anderson.

Still, the committee voted in favor of Alderman Sandy Weidner's motion to defer the matter to the Dec. 13 meeting, after no member would make a motion to recommend a due process hearing for Anderson's license.

"We're there, we're done," Anderson said. "I'll be open before your next meeting."
Cuba's former president Fidel Castro attends the closing ceremony of the seventh Cuban Communist Party (PCC) congress in Havana, Cuba, in this handout received April 19, 2016. Omara Garcia/Courtesy of AIN/Handout via REUTERS

Former Cuban leader and longtime US foe Fidel Castro died at the age of 90 on Friday, some 58 years after he and fellow revolutionaries seized control of the island in 1958.

Castro will leave an indelible mark on his country and on the world, and as one of the more polarizing leaders in modern history, he is sure to be both celebrated and reviled.

On the occasion of the late Cuban leader's 90th birthday, marked in August, some of his countrymen chose to honor him in a quintessentially Cuban fashion: by rolling a 90-meter version of the cigar their island and Castro himself have come to be known for.

Castro did not make a public appearance for the occasion, and the government now run by his 85-year-old brother, Raul, did not put on any special events.

Cuban tobacconist Jose Castelar and a team of assistants worked 12 hours a day for 10 days to roll a cigar 90 meters, or about 295 feet, long. "It is 90 meters long, to commemorate 90 years of our comandante," Castelar told AFP in August.

Castro himself hasn't smoked since the 1980s. "I haven't lit up a cigar for several months now," he said in an interview in late 1985. "I reached the conclusion long ago that the one last sacrifice I must make for (Cuban) public health is to stop smoking. I haven't really missed it that much."

Fidel Castro birthday Cuba 90 meter long cigar

"He hasn't smoked for years, but the gift we are offering him is the hard work that we have done to commemorate his birthday," Castelar said in August. His team rolled the cigar, which had the same width as an ordinary one, on long tables in an old colonial fort that overlooks Havana's harbor.

At the time of his 90th birthday, reflections on the legacy of the longtime Cuban leader, accused by many of brutally suppressing dissent, were mixed.

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"Fidel is everything. He is sport, he is culture. He is rebellion. If Cubans are rebels, it is thanks to Fidel," Manuel Bravo, a 48-year-old glazier, told AFP in August.

"I will remember him as a dictator," Martha Beatriz Roque, 71, an anti-Castro dissident who was one of 75 opponents jailed in the "black spring" of 2003, told AFP in August. "He is the man of 'E's: egomaniacal, egotistical, egocentric. I don't know whether I will be able to wish him a happy birthday."

Castro, who formally handed power over to Raul in 2008 after an intestinal illness and subsequent botched surgeries put his life in danger, has not only avoided the dangers of tobacco. The revolutionary leader also survived more than 600 attempts on his life, according to Cuban officials, though that number can't be confirmed.

Those assassination attempts include efforts by the US mafia, which was forced out of the island's lucrative hotel and gambling trades by Castro's revolution, as well as US government attempts to enlist people close to the Cuban leader in plots to kill him.

In a letter titled "The Birthday" published on Cuban state-run media on the weekend after his birthday earlier this year, Castro again demonstrated his defiance of the threats that accumulated against him, saying, "I almost laughed at the Machiavellian plans of the United States' presidents."

And while Raul has reopened relations with the US over the past two years, Fidel did not shy from criticism of Barack Obama, the first US president to visit Cuba since Calvin Coolidge in 1928.

Cuban Fidel Castro birthday cigar world record

"I think it lacked stature, the discourse of the president of the United States when he visited Japan, and he lacked the words to excuse for the killing of hundreds of thousands of people in Hiroshima, despite having known the effects of the bomb. It was equally criminal the attack on Nagasaki, a city that the owners of life chose at random," Castro wrote in his birthday letter.

For many in the region, the elder Castro has long represented resistance to the overbearing presence of the US, a perception bolstered by his ability to survive repeated attempts on his life.

While it's unclear how changing attitudes in Latin America, especially after Cuba's opening to the US, will affect how he is remembered, Castro himself had no doubts about what lay ahead of him.

"Soon I'll be like all the rest," he said in August. "Everyone's turn comes."

NOW WATCH: How to tell if your Cuban cigars are real or fake





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The price of success isnt limited to the time and money thats invested into signing and developing players. When you reach the pinnacle, it also comes in the form of planning an epic celebration. And when youre the Chicago Cubs, a team that hasnt celebrated a World Series win in 108 years, it also comes in the form of damages caused by the sheer volume of people who wanted to share that moment with them.

As the Chicago Tribune reported this week, the damages to the grounds at Grant Park, which held the Cubs rally on Nov. 4, cost roughly $388,000. The Tribune also reported that the Cubs intend to pay for those damages, perhaps because theyd like to be invited back next November.

In the wake of the rally, the park had damaged or missing grass in Lower Hutchinson Field between Lake Shore Drive and Columbus, south of Balbo Drive.

The repairs will include grading, aeration and the addition of topsoil and sand along with repairs to fencing and the re-sodding of portions of Lower Hutchinson Field, Chicago Park District spokeswoman Jessica Maxey-Faulkner wrote in an email Wednesday.

Its worth noting the Cubs rally wasnt as costly as Lollapalooza, which earlier this year led to $453,000 in repairs despite only drawing 400,000 people. The Cubs crowd at Grant Park was estimated at five million, according to the Tribune, though theres some debate about the accuracy of that figure.

An estimated crowd of five million took in the Cubs World Series rally. That number has been questioned, but the cost of repairs to damaged property is definite. (Chicago Tribune)

The big difference might be the weather conditions during said event. Cubs fans were treated to a near perfect fall day for their rally, while rains coupled with four days of foot traffic did in the grounds at Lollapalooza.

Whatever the case and whatever the cost, were sure the Cubs are more than happy to cover the bill. It was a celebration generations in the making, and you cant put a price tag on that.

More MLB coverage from Yahoo Sports:

      

Mark Townsend is a writer for Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at bigleaguestew@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!
Former President Fidel Castro, who led a rebel army to improbable victory in Cuba, embraced Soviet-style communism and defied the power of 10 U.S. presidents during his half century rule, died at age 90. Castro died eight years after ill health forced him to formally hand power over to his younger brother Raul, who announced his death late Friday on state television.

He survived long enough to see Raul Castro negotiate an opening with President Barack Obama in 2014, when Washington and Havana announced they would move to restore diplomatic ties for the first time since they were severed in 1961. He cautiously blessed the historic deal in a letter published after a month-long silence.

Cubans took to social media shortly after Castro's brother announced his death to share their reactions and their personal histories with the Cuban leader.

Read more: Cubans Flock to the Streets in Miami After News of Fidel Castro's Death

On Saturday morning, shortly after 8 a.m. ET, President-elect Donald Trump reacted to the news with a tweet that read, "Fidel Castro is dead!" During his presidential campaign, Trump had said he would reverse Obama's deal to reopen diplomatic relations unless the Cuban regime restores political freedoms and frees political prisoners.

Fidel Castro is dead!

- Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 26, 2016

Also on Saturday morning, President Obama released a statement on Castro's passing, addressing the powerful emotions his death brings for Cubans in Cuba and in the U.S.

"For nearly six decades, the relationship between the United States and Cuba was marked by discord and profound political disagreements," the statement reads. "During my presidency, we have worked hard to put the past behind us, pursuing a future in which the relationship between our two countries is defined not by our differences but by the many things that we share as neighbors and friends - bonds of family, culture, commerce, and common humanity."

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Read @POTUS's statement on the passing of Fidel Castro: https://t.co/ihVoLdqbRQ pic.twitter.com/sPZfvpeQVB

- The White House (@WhiteHouse) November 26, 2016

See other reactions from Hollywood on social media below.

I was born in Cuba and Fidel Castro was our leader. Came to the USA because of him.

- Jose Canseco (@JoseCanseco) November 26, 2016

Can't say I feel anything for his death. There is a reason many defected to USA

- Jose Canseco (@JoseCanseco) November 26, 2016

#FidelCastro dead at 90 #Cuba pic.twitter.com/wo6caxgNDY

- Daisy Fuentes (@DaisyFuentes) November 26, 2016

RIP to everyone's favorite television mom, Fidel Castro.

- billy eichner (@billyeichner) November 26, 2016

#BREAKING Grab your pots and pans, Miami. Fidel Castro is dead at 90.

- Billy Corben (@BillyCorben) November 26, 2016

Fidel Castro has died. Beloved and despised. A symbol of resistance against western imperialist oppression and labeled an oppressor himself

- Lupe Fiasco (@LupeFiasco) November 26, 2016

Read more: Fidel Castro's Cuban Government: A Timeline
the walking dead chandler riggs carl grimes amc

Chandler Riggs' role on AMC's "The Walking Dead" isn't necessarily over because his contract is up, according to his mother.

Gina-Ann Riggs responded to a fan on Instagram who commented on fears that Riggs (who plays the son of Lori and Rick Grimes, Carl Grimes) is leaving the show, because his seven-year contract is up and he just got accepted to college at Alabama's Auburn University.

"Don't over analyze. His seven year contract is up. That's all he was saying, nothing else," Gina-Ann wrote on Instagram. "Pretty big accomplishment for a child actor (and for the parent who had to quit his job for this child to be able to follow his dream)."

chandler riggs leaving walking dead gina ann mom instagram

Fans had good reasons to fear Chandler's departure from the hit zombie series.

First, his father, William Riggs, posted a now-deleted message on Facebook that sounded to some fans as if his son was packing up now that his contract is up.

"7 year contract completed! he wrote earlier this month. Grateful to AMC, Cast & Crew, TWD fan base and especially Chandler for always being 100% dedicated. Whether it was getting up at 4AM, working in the freezing cold past 2AM, leaving his friends and carefree kiddom behind, scrambling to make up missed schoolwork, he has done it without complaint and always made me proud & amazed to be his dad!"

Second, Auburn University is more than two hours away from Atlanta where "The Walking Dead" shoots. That's not too far a schlep, but it could be tough for a busy college undergrad.



And finally, "The Walking Dead" is on a major character killing spree as of lately. Two major characters were killed recently by Negan and Chandler's Carl has been in the show villains crosshairs before.

Fans will just have to wait and see.

NOW WATCH: The Walking Dead fans think they uncovered something huge in this scene from the latest episode





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BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Turkey should heed European Union warnings over halting membership talks and carry out reforms demanded by the bloc, the president of the European Commission said on Saturday in a newspaper interview. Jean-Claude Juncker said Thursday's vote by the European Parliament to suspend talks with Ankara should not be underestimated because, although not binding, "it will produce effects in the capitals" of EU states that decide on membership. Speaking to Belgian newspaper La Libre Belgique, Juncker also dismissed President Tayyip Erdogan's threats to end a refugee deal with the EU that has sharply reduced the flow of migrants to Europe from the Middle East and Asia. He urged Erdogan to carry out the necessary reforms, starting with an overhaul of anti-terrorism legislation, if he wants Turkish citizens to get visa-free travel to the EU -- a concession that is part of the refugee deal. Juncker also denied having said he would quit if Martin Schulz left his job as president of the European Parliament, dismissing media reports more strongly than in previous statements. Schulz, a German centre-left politician, decided this week not to seek a new mandate, a move that is likely to alter the EU's political balance. A shift in favour of Europe's centre-right could raise questions about Juncker's staying in his post and on Donald Tusk's presidency of the European Council of EU governments. "According to legal texts, I am in charge until the first of November 2019," Juncker said. In new sour remarks against U.S. president-elect Donald Trump, Juncker stressed the Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton got more votes than him, although she lost the elections. Earlier this month, Juncker said Trump was ignorant of Europe and his election posed a risk to EU-U.S. relations. Trump's threats to reduce the U.S. engagement towards European security should be used by the European Union to strengthen its common defence policy, Juncker said, adding that Trump is repeating warnings already raised by his predecessors. Next week the European Commission will present an "action plan" on European defence, Juncker said. (Reporting by Francesco Guarascio; Editing by Helen Popper)
Dozens of people rallied in Mytilene, Greece, on the evening of Saturday, November 26, in support of those killed and injured in a gas explosion at a migrant camp on Lesbos on Thursday.

Two people were killed when the explosion sparked a fire at the Moria migrant processing centre on the Greek island on Thursday evening.

Greek reports said the fire broke out in the family compound of the camp, killing a woman and her child. Several others were reported to have been injured, including children. The explosion was thought to have been caused by a cooking gas canister. Credit: Facebook/Rafat Al-hamoud of Humans 4 Humanity via Storyful
There have been whispers around the Internet that Taylor Swift and Drake are joining forces for an upcoming project. Even romantic rumors started between the two. (Billboard reached out to reps for both artists for comment.)

However, after Drake's latest Apple Music commercial, where the 6 God hits the gym and sings along to Swift's "Bad Blood" (she had initially sung along to Drake and Future's "Jumpman" while pounding the treadmill), a collaboration between the two pop culture titans does not seem farfetched.

In the event a Swift and Drake joint project does came to fruition, here are five things we'd want to hear.

Ex-traordinary Heartbreak Number

It's no secret that Swift and Drake have pulled inspiration from past relationships to craft chart-toppers like "I Knew You Were Trouble" and the Take Care album, respectively. If the pair were to spin recent cases of the ex into an emotional pop-meets-R&B ballad, tears would fly.

Viral Partystarter

Swift got to moving and grooving for her catchy hater-bashing record "Shake It Off" while Drake became a viral sensation thanks to his hip-swaying number "Hotline Bling." Dance floors would never be the same if the tandem hammered out a feel-good jam and perhaps a GIF-worthy video to match.

New Views

When Nashville's own Swift moved to New York City, the country pop darling released the celebratory ode "Welcome to New York." Meanwhile, the Toronto rapper held down the 6 -- despite living in Calabasas -- with his streaming magnet of an opus Views. If Swift and Drake combined their astute observations about fame based on geography, every city they'd land in could inspire the next big hit.

Is that velvet? --

A photo posted by champagnepapi (@champagnepapi) on Nov 4, 2016 at 1:34am PDT

Squad Anthem

With Swift's besties making a cameo in the video for "Bad Blood" and Drake constantly repping his OVO crew, a squad goals anthem dedicated to the power of a ride-or-die posse would definitely become an instant meme.

Heartfelt Duet

Drake's collaborations with women have become certified ear candy. Just hit rewind on "Too Good," "Work" and "Take Care" with Rihanna, as well as "Make Me Proud" alongside Nicki Minaj and "From Time" with Jhene Aiko. Throw Swift duet into the mix and, if executed right (no cheesy, cornball references, please), the genre-fusing collabo could make both bring hip-hop heads and country die-hards fall in love.
CALEDONIA  A father and his 9-year-old girl died in a crash late Friday afternoon after the car they were in was rear-ended by a pickup truck near 4 Mile and Short roads.

And police reported that the driver of the pickup, who was taken to the Froedert Hospital in Wauwatosa, was arrested on two pending counts of homicide by intoxicated use of a vehicle.

Police identified the deceased as Kevin M. Dalley, 39, and Emily Dalley, 9, both of Caledonia.

A 6-year-old girl who was in the Dalley car was also injured and was transported to Ascension All Saints Hospital in Racine, police said.

The driver of the truck was identified by police as Levi G. Ruohonen, 25, also of Caledonia. Police say he has a previous conviction for operating while intoxicated.

Caledonia police and fire units were dispatched at about 4:50 p.m. to 4 Mile and Old Farm Road for a crash with possible entrapment and possibly an injured child.

Police said both vehicles were eastbound on 4 Mile when the car, a crossover type vehicle, had slowed to make a left turn into a subdivision. It was then rear-ended by the truck, police said.

Caledonia Fire Department officials said that one occupant of the car was pinned between seats but no heavy equipment was necessary to remove them from the vehicle.

Flight for Life was called to start responding toward Racine County to transport vicitms from the crash. A helicopter did not land at the scene, but was sent to land at the hospital. The Racine, South Shore and Oak Creek fire departments were also called to send ambulances to the scene and the South Shore Fire Department sent an engine company to assist.

The Oak Creek ambulance transported Ruohonen to Froedtert Hospital, the regional trauma center in Wauwatosa.

Traffic on 4 Mile Road was closed between Highway 38 and Highway 31 while crews worked at the crash scene. Wind Point and Mount Pleasant police and the Wisconsin State Patrol assisted Caledonia police at the scene.
Havana (AFP) - From Dwight Eisenhower, who broke US diplomatic relations with Cuba, to Barack Obama, who decided to normalize them, 11 US presidents faced off with Cuban revolutionary leader Fidel Castro, who died late Friday.

-- Dwight Eisenhower (Republican, 1953-1961): Provided arms to dictator Fulgencio Batista, who was battling Castro's rebels. Prepared the invasion of the Bay of Pigs and broke off diplomatic ties with Cuba in January 1961.

-- John F. Kennedy (Democrat, 1961-1963): Gave the green light for the invasion of the Bay of Pigs in April 1961. Put in place the US embargo against Cuba in February 1962 before the Cuban missile crisis erupted that October. Was working to promote a rapprochement when he was assassinated in November 1963.

-- Lyndon Johnson (Democrat, 1963-1969): Reinforced the embargo and tried to prevent the sale of Cuban nickel to Soviet bloc countries. Approved CIA plots to assassinate Castro and supported anti-Castro guerrilla groups.

-- Richard Nixon (Republican, 1969-1974): Boosted anti-Castro activity, including the arrests of Cuban fishermen. Also worked against sale of Cuban nickel to Soviet satellite states.

-- Gerald Ford (Republican, 1974-1977): In office as attacks against Cuban missions abroad multiplied and an attack on a Cuban airliner left 73 dead. Authorized the first trip of US businessmen to Cuba and eased the embargo.

-- Jimmy Carter (Democrat, 1977-1981): Further eased the embargo. Opened a US interests section in Havana and allowed a Cuban interests section to open in Washington. Allowed Cuban exiles to travel home. Signed maritime boundary treaty. In office during Mariel boatlift of Cuban emigrants to United States. Visited Cuba as an ex-president in 2002 and again in 2011.

-- Ronald Reagan (Republican, 1981-1989): Relations take a turn for the worse, and easing of embargo rolled back. Creation of the Cuban-American National Foundation, the main exile organization, and the anti-Castro stations Radio and TV Marti. First immigration deal signed in 1984.

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-- George H. W. Bush (Republican, 1989-1993): Reinforced embargo with the Torricelli Act, as the Soviet bloc crumbled. US subsidiaries in third countries banned from dealing with Cuba.

-- Bill Clinton (Democrat, 1993-2001): Put into force Torricelli Act and approved Helms-Burton Act, which again tightened embargo. In 1994, 36,000 Cubans fled for the US in makeshift boats and rafts. A new immigration agreement was signed and Clinton backed anti-Castro activists.

-- George W. Bush (Republican, 2001-2009): Increased financial aid to anti-Castro groups and strengthened embargo again. Limited travel to Cuba by exiles, and the money they could remit to relatives at home. Approved food trade with restrictions. Raul Castro officially took helm during his tenure.

-- Barack Obama (Democrat, 2009-present): Lifted restrictions on trips by exiles and amount of money they could send home. Opened a "dialogue" on immigration and said lifting of embargo must be preceded by democratic opening and respect for human rights.

In December 2014, Obama and Raul Castro announced simultaneously that the nations would normalize relations. The two countries Cuba reopened embassies in each other's capitals in July 2015.

Obama made a historic visit to Cuba in March 2016, the first by a serving US president since 1928.
The news of Cubas former president and revolutionary leader Fidel Castros death, which broke late Friday night, has elicited a mixture of grief and jubilation.

The Cuban dictator ruled over the only Communist government in the Western Hemisphere for nearly five decades, keeping the country in poverty and nearly sparking a nuclear war. But Hollywood creatives were at times drawn to his revolutionary ideals.

President-elect Donald Trump tweeted early Saturday morning the abrupt announcement, Fidel Castro is dead!

Fidel Castro is dead!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 26, 2016

Trump later issued a more thoughtful statement that said, The world marks the passing of a brutal dictator who oppressed his own people for nearly six decades. Fidel Castros legacy is one of firing squads, theft, unimaginable suffering, poverty and the denial of fundamental human rights.

Sitting President Barack Obama, who has worked to restore U.S. relations with Cuba, also commented on Castros death in a statement that concludes, Today, we offer condolences to Fidel Castros family, and our thoughts and prayers are with the Cuban people. In the days ahead, they will recall the past and also look to the future. As they do, the Cuban people must know that they have a friend and partner in the United States of America.

Members of Hollywood also chimed in, while celebrations broke out in Miami among Cuban refugees who escaped the countrys harsh conditions.

Comedian Patton Oswalt joked, Florence Henderson and now Fidel Castro. Weird how the stars of I LOVE LUCY passed away so close together, referring to the recent death of the Brady Bunch mom.

Florence Henderson and now Fidel Castro. Weird how the stars of I LOVE LUCY passed away so close together.  Patton Oswalt (@pattonoswalt) November 26, 2016

RIP to everyones favorite television mom, Fidel Castro, Billy Eichner fired off on a similar note.

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RIP to everyone's favorite television mom, Fidel Castro.  billy eichner (@billyeichner) November 26, 2016

R.I.P. Fidel Castro. The honorable Minister @louisfarrakhan has stories of how you wanted to empower people. Thank You, TV personality Charlamagne Tha God posted on social media.

Instagram Photo

YouTuber Kathleen Fuentes wrote, Fidel Castro dies at 90. Wow. I wonder how Cuba feels tonight.

Fidel Castro dies at 90. Wow. I wonder how Cuba feels tonight.  Kathleen Fuentes (@KathleenLights1) November 26, 2016

There is a reason they celebrate, Cuban actor Laz Alonso captioned a photo of the Miami celebrations. Unless u lived it, are related to those that did or lost relatives that did, u do not know.

Instagram Photo

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Cubas former president, revolutionary leader Fidel Castro, died Friday, according to Cuban state media via the Associated Press. The cigar-smoking dictators influence lasted over the terms of 11 U.S. presidents.

Fidel Castro turned over his duties to his brother Raul when he fell ill after a stomach infection in 2006. Raul Castro took over permanently when Fidel Castro resigned in 2008.

Castro presided over the only Communist government in the Western Hemisphere and sought support from the Soviet Union, triggering a trade embargo that started in 1962. The embargo and Castros policies kept the country in poverty despite universal health care and a high literacy rate.

At the end of 2014, President Barack Obama moved to normalize relations between the two countries, at last giving Cubans a chance to participate economically with the U.S.

After successfully bringing down the government of his predecessor (Cuban dictator Fulgencio Batista) and instituting great change in the country, Castro became greatly feared by the U.S. government for his alliance with the Soviet Union and his potential to export Communism elsewhere in the Western Hemisphere. The 1961 Bay of Pigs Invasion was a failed attempt by the U.S. and Cuban exiles to bring down Castros government, and 1962s Cuban Missile Crisis occurred when the Soviets parked nuclear missiles in the Caribbean nation, 90 miles off the coast of Florida  a confrontation that almost sparked nuclear war but ended with the Russians backing down.

From the beginning, however, Castro knew that there was a difference between the American media and the U.S. government, and he repeatedly brought his case before the latter.

In 1959 Castro was interviewed on Edward R. Murrows Person to Person documentary series and appeared on The Jack Paar Tonight Show, while Errol Flynn acted as the reporter in the making of a documentary  The Truth About Fidel Castro Revolution  that had its premiere in Moscow.

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Entertainment figures including Oliver Stone, Ted Turner, Steven Spielberg, Katie Couric and many others made pilgrimages to meet the leader. Spielberg reportedly called his audience the eight most important hours of my life, while Jack Nicholson reportedly called him a humanist like President Clinton.

Carl Reiner recounted in a memoir that he had hoped to have the leader star in Bad News Bears Go to Cuba, though not surprisingly, the film never got off the ground.

Castro was the subject of numerous documentaries in the decades since he took power, including Estela Bravos 2001 effort Fidel, which saw Ted Turner, Harry Belafonte, Alice Walker, Muhammad Ali and Nelson Mandela expressing their thoughts about the Cuban leader.

More famous, or perhaps infamous, was Oliver Stones 2003 effort Comandante, which featured the film director interviewing Castro and portrayed the dictator in a flattering light; it was set to air on HBO, but in the wake of anti-Cuban sentiment in the U.S. inflamed by human rights abuses, the network shelved the film. Fidel is up to everything Stone lobs gently at him, wrote the Guardian.

Stone revisited the subject in two more documentaries: 2004s Looking for Fidel and Castro in Winter in 2012.

Castros ascension to power sparked a film revolution in Cuba whose huge energies, renovation and revolutionary fervor fed into Tomas Gutierrez Aleas Memories of Underdevelopment (1968), about a bourgeois intellectual out of synch with the Revolution, and Humberto Solas Lucia (1969), a spirited ode to Cuban women. Both have been hailed as masterpieces.

But Castros honeymoon with cinema soured as much of Cubas intelligentsia distanced itself from his regime. World premiering at the Havana Festival in 1993, it was touch and go whether Tomas Gutierrez Aleas final film, Strawberry and Chocolate, a plea for tolerance towards Cubas homosexuals, would clear censorship in Cuba. It did, but the fall of the Soviet Union served to decimate Cuban cinema and Cubas economy at large, for the remainder of Castros rule.

For the young and left-leaning in Hollywood and elsewhere, Castro was never the romantic figure that Che Guevara, the Argentinian-born doctor who played a key role in the Cuban revolution, became.

Onscreen Castro was portrayed in films including 2008 Che (Parts One and Two), by Demian Bichir, in Watchmen, by John Kobylka, Andy Garcias The Lost City, by Gonzalo Menendez, in the 1969 Che! by Jack Palance and by Anthony LaPaglia in 2000s Company Man.

Castro even had a short brush with Hollywood: He was reportedly cast as a gigolo in a Paramount production that shot in Cuba, Holiday in Mexico, but his only lines, Si Yanqui. Havana has the most beautiful and hot blooded women in the world. Youll like it here, were left on the cutting-room floor.

John Hopewell contributed to this report

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The death of Fidel Castro has been prematurely announced many times over the years, but when Cuban president Raul Castro went on state television on Friday night (Nov. 25) to confirm that his 90-year-old revolutionary brother had passed, initial shock very quickly gave way to a mass reaction, with Fidel Castro quickly becoming Twitter's top-trending topic around the world.

"What I never thought I would ever see: #Black Friday and #Fidel Castro trending worldwide at the same time," tweeted Puerto Rican rapper Rene Perez, aka Residente.

Lo que nunca pense ver, #blackfriday y #FidelCastro al mismo tiempo en un WorldTrend pic.twitter.com/QGjguGXp9A  Residente (@Residente) November 26, 2016

The ambivalence struck close to home for Residente, who as one-half of irreverent duo Calle 13, played a free massive show in Cuba in 2010, long before travel to the island was popular or accepted.

Added Residente: "Loved, hated, admired, criticized, today what separates us in some ways brings us together because in one way or another his death affects us all."

While Residente was no doubt not referring exclusively to music, Castro's influence on the rhythms and beats of his singularly musical country was deep -- often damaging, but also uplifting.

An entire generation of musicians fled the island to escape the Cuban regime and develop their musical careers unfettered by political constraints. Perhaps the most fabled was the late Celia Cruz, whom Castro didn't allow to return to the island to bury her mother.

The story of Cruz's yearning for Cuba and deep disdain for Castro was told in detail in Celia, the TV series based on her life. The regime's menace was also the basis of For Love or Country, the made-for-TV story of the life of trumpeter Arturo Sandoval, who also fled the country.

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On the other hand, another generation of musicians, including troubadour Silvio Rodriguez and celebrated timba group Los Van Van, flourished under a communist regime that fostered their musical development, and the forbidden nature of everything Cuban also elevated the island's music in the eyes of the outside world.

The ambivalence Cuban musicians felt for Castro and his sympathizers and detractors often spilled over into other facets of music. When the Latin Grammys were held in Miami in 2001, for example, they elicited both public protests and public support. And artists like Juanes, and later Calle 13, were heavily criticized for performing on the island even though they didn't profess to be Castro supporters.

At the time of Castro's death, of course, much water had passed under the bridge. Today, relations between Cuba and the U.S. have thawed, and artists can freely come and go between the two countries. But when it comes to Castro, the conversation is sure to continue.
Havana (AFP) - After surviving more than 600 assassination attempts, defying 11 US presidents and shaping half a century of history, Fidel Castro has died at age 90.

Here are six snapshots of this magnetic, polarizing giant of the 20th century, who beat the odds to hang on well into the 21st.

- The survivor -

The years had lately left their mark on the father of the Cuban Revolution, who transferred power to his younger brother Raul 10 years ago.

His long black beard had turned a wispy gray. He had given up his iconic Cohiba cigars. He rarely appeared in public.

But against all odds, Fidel lived to celebrate his 90th birthday last August.

No one could have predicted his place in history when he launched his revolutionary career with a botched attack on Cuba's Moncada military barracks in 1953.

The 26-year-old lawyer was captured and jailed for the plot, which ended with dozens of rebels killed or executed by dictator Fulgencio Batista's forces.

Fast forward six years, and Castro was triumphantly rolling into Havana, having returned from exile to lead a guerrilla army that once numbered just 12 men to defeat Batista and his military of 80,000.

The unlikely victory brought the "red menace" of Communism to the United States' doorstep at the height of the Cold War.

Alarmed, the US Central Intelligence Agency and Cuban exiles tried to assassinate Castro 634 times, his ex-intelligence chief, Fabian Escalante, has estimated.

Castro once confided he nearly always carried his Browning pistol just in case.

But he denied reports he wore a bullet-proof vest.

"I have a moral vest. It's strong. It has always protected me," he told journalists in 1979, baring his chest to prove the point.

- The seducer -

"I was so impressed! I could only look at his face and say, 'I love him,'" says Mercedes Gonzalez, a Cuban admirer who saw him twice in the flesh.

With his rugged rebel look and imposing persona, Castro has long fascinated people, and women in particular.

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Officially, Castro was married twice and fathered seven children by three women.

Rumors of secret affairs and more children abounded.

But he kept his private life to himself.

"Private life, in my opinion, should not be an instrument for publicity or politics," he said in 1992.

- The enemy -

Castro defined himself in opposition to the American "empire," and the resentment lingered to the end.

He held his tongue when his successor Raul and US President Barack Obama announced a historic rapprochement in 2014 -- his younger brother's latest move to slowly reopen the Communist island.

Weeks later, he gave his lukewarm blessing.

But after Obama visited Cuba last March, Castro lashed out, telling Cubans not to be fooled by the US president's "syrupy words."

He recalled the island's long enmity with the United States, including Washington's backing for the failed invasion of Cuba at the Bay of Pigs in 1961.

His bitterness over that botched CIA plot nearly pushed the world to the brink of nuclear war during the Cuban Missile Crisis the following year, when the Soviet Union agreed to his request to send ballistic missiles to Cuba.

You don't want to be on Castro's bad side.

He began his half-century of iron-fisted rule in 1959 by jailing one of his own guerrilla commanders, Huber Matos, for 20 years when he criticized the new regime's turn toward Communism.

Many more crackdowns would follow.

Human Rights Watch sharply criticized Castro's "highly effective machinery of repression" across the decades: Basic civil and political rights were outlawed, and dissidents were jailed, tortured, executed or forced into exile.

Hundreds of thousands of Cubans fled, mostly to the United States, to escape repression and poverty.

"He is the man of Es: egomaniacal, egotistical, egocentric," said Martha Beatriz Roque, an anti-Castro dissident who was one of 75 opponents jailed in the "black spring" of 2003.

"I will remember him as a dictator."

- The underdog -

Castro had a penchant for trying to pull off the seemingly impossible.

In 1961, he all but eradicated illiteracy with an ambitious rural education campaign.

When an exodus of Cuban exiles left the country with just 3,000 remaining doctors, he vowed to make the island a "medical superpower." Today it has 88,000 doctors and one of the most respected health systems in the world.

Other projects were less successful.

In 1970, with Cuba's economy strangled by a US embargo, he ordered a nationwide campaign to harvest a record-shattering 10 million tons of sugar.

Despite mobilizing Cubans en masse to work the fields, the campaign failed.

Cubans are all too used to "Fidel Plans" that never quite pan out, like the ones to raise buffalo or turn Cuba into a world-class cheese producer despite a shortage of cows.

- The icon -

Castro was a hero to revolutionary movements and independence struggles worldwide.

He sent 386,000 troops to fight in spots where the Cold War turned hot: Angola, Ethiopia, the Congo, Algeria and Syria. And he backed leftist guerrillas across Latin America.

The military results were mixed. But the symbolism was powerful.

"He's the most important personality of the 20th century in the Western hemisphere," said Ivan Marquez, second-in-command of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC).

Castro's revolution ignited "the desire to struggle, to take to the mountains, to grab a rifle and try to change things," Marquez told AFP in an interview before Castro's death.

- The myth -

As Castro gave his speech proclaiming the triumph of the revolution in 1959, a white dove landed on his shoulder. The man had officially become the myth.

In a country where Catholicism blends with African religions, Cubans said Castro was protected by Obatala, the most powerful of the "orisha" divinities.

Some thought him immortal.

But last April, he seemed to say goodbye.

"Soon I'll end up like all the rest. Everyone's turn comes," he said.
newsweek cover fidel castro

Fidel Castro died at age 90 on Friday night.

Whether or not you agreed with Fidel Castro's politics, he had an impressive rise to power. Castro was responsible for establishing the first Communist state in the western hemisphere, beginning what would become a nearly five-decade reign as leader of Cuba, not far from US shores.

Castro was born Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz on August 13, 1926 in the small eastern village of Biran. His father was a wealthy sugarcane farmer; his mother worked as a maid to his fathers first wife.

Fidels father reportedly would not recognize him as his own son until Fidel turned 17, when his father ditched his first wife and married the maid.

Castro received a Roman Catholic education through high school. He later excelled as an athlete and went on to law school at the University of Havana, where he would find an interest in politics.

A more radical bent would soon emerge, when Castro joined an anti-corruption Orthodox Party movement in 1947 that tried and failed to overthrow Dominican Republic dictator, Rafael Trujillo.

Castro graduated college in 1950, and opened a law office. Two years later, he launched a bid for Cubas House of Representatives, but the election never happened. Cuban dictator, Fulgencio Batista squashed it after staging a coup and seizing power in March 1952.

From there, Castro would discard any further attempts at legitimate party politics, launching his own offensive with more than 100 men who stormed the Moncada army barracks in 1953. From that moment on, I had a clear idea of the struggle ahead, Castro said in a 2006 book, My Life: A Spoken Autobiography.

That attack failed, many of the men died, and Castro was sentenced to 15 years in prison.

Batista ordered Castro released from prison in 1955, after which, Castro ended up in Mexico, where he would plan another coup attempt. The next year, Castro, plus 81 men including Ernesto Che Guevara, and Fidels brother, Raul sailed to the eastern coast of Cuba. They were ambushed. The Castro brothers and Guevara fled into the country's southeastern mountains.

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Castro brothers

COUP d'ETAT

Following a series of offensives between 1957 and 1959, Castro would seize control from Batista in January that year, and solidify his power grab in July.

Early on, Castro gained the support of many Cuban citizens with promises to restore political and civil liberties. But later, Castro began to take a more radical tone, nationalizing American businesses on the island, and further angering the US with an increasingly anti-American rhetoric, and aligning with the Soviet Union in a 1960 trade deal.

The US officially cut all diplomatic ties with Cuba in January 1961.

By April that year, the US government armed about 1,500 Cuban exiles to try and overthrow the regime at the Bay of Pigs. It failed. Cuba and the Soviet Union later strengthened their partnership.

In 1962, the Soviet Union began secretly placing ballistic missiles in Cuba that were capable of firing nuclear weapons into American cities. That ushered in the Cuban missile crisis. Both the US and Soviet Union later stood down when the former agreed to remove its missiles stationed in Turkey and the Soviet Union removed its weapons from Cuba.

Meanwhile, Castro instituted a one-party government, gaining control over all aspects of Cuban life. While that drove away many of Cubas upper and middle class citizens, Castro expanded the countrys social and educational services, free of charge, to all economic classes.

Castros economic power was further concentrated, but that didnt bode well for the Cuban economy, which failed to gain momentum. The country became increasingly dependent on Soviet policies while, at the same time, enduring the squeeze of a United States trade embargo.

1976 -- Cuba created the National Assembly, Castro became president of that bodys State Council.

1980s -- Castro was recognized as one of the prime rulers of unaligned nations. And while the country still had strong ties to the Soviet Union, Castro regularly hinted his willingness to restore diplomatic ties with the US if the US ended the trade embargo.

The Castro regime later released some 125,000 immigrants to the US, which overwhelmed Americas immigration officials.

Fidel Castro 22

STANDING BY THE SOVIET UNION

Later in the 1980s, Castro held his ground on the strict tenets of Communism, even as Mikhail Gorbachev began employing democratic reforms that allowed some countries to break ties with the Soviet bloc.

1991 -- in response to the Soviet Unions collapse, and the loss of subsidies from the regime, Castro tried to stem his countrys subsequent economic decline by implementing some free-market policies. It was a tempered move; Castro still maintained tight control over life in Cuba.

1993 -- the tide began to shift when Castros daughter, Alina Fernandez Revuelta, went to the US to seek asylum. She then publicly denounced her father and his regimes policies.

The next year, Cuba saw its largest anti-Castro uprising in 35 years, leading to another large release of people  more than 30,000  sent to the US on makeshift boats and rafts. Its been called Cubas largest exodus since the freedom flotilla of 1980.

Castro brothers 2

DIMINISHING DICTATORSHIP

Cuba's insular policies began to thaw a bit in 1998, when Pope John Paul II became the first pontiff to visit the nation. Pope Benedict would follow more than a decade later.

2003 -- Castro was confirmed as president for another 5-year term. Now in the waning years of his rule, Castro oversaw several initiatives that led to a major crackdown on independent journalists, dissidents and activists, and a strengthening of ties with Venezuela. The Bolivarian Alternative for the Americas was birthed from that, in which Cuba sent health professionals to Venezuela in return for discounted oil.

2006 -- Castro handed provisional control of Cuba to his brother, Raul, while Fidel reportedly recovered from a major intestinal surgery. That was the first time he surrendered control of his power in 47 years.

He would not return.

In 2008, when the National Assembly prepared to reconfirm Fidel as Cubas leader, he declined in a letter. At that point, he hadnt been seen publicly for nearly two years. The letter was posted to the Communist Partys website, Granma, in which Castro said, I do not bid you farewell. My only wish is to fight as a soldier of ideas.

Castro would make several more public appearances in 2010, but officially stepped down from the Communist Party of Cuba in 2011, leaving the younger Raul Castro to introduce possibly the most significant change in Cuba since the 1960s, reaching a deal with the Obama administration to reinstate diplomatic ties with the US.





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Fidel Castro, the long-time Cuban leader who has died at 90, defined decades for his homelandand, though he wasnt always a man of such power, his charisma and drive were obvious from the beginning.

When TIME first mentioned his name, in the Dec. 10, 1956, issue, it was as a wellborn, well-to-do daredevil of 29. At that point, he had already been jailed after leading a 1953 uprising against Cubas then-leader, Fulgencio Batista; had gone to Mexico to pull together forces; had called their group the July 26 Movement after the date of the earlier failed uprising; and had issued an ultimatum to Batista. In Havana, TIME reported. Castros followers painted This is the year on walls.

Although it ended up taking a few more years to topple Batista, the rise of Castro had begun. In late 1956, the group from Mexico sailed to Cuba and set up a camp. By 1957, Castro had galvanized the nation, and the rest of the world was paying attention too. As TIME reported:

Today in Cuba no name moves men more quickly to praiseor to angerthan that of Fidel Castro. To the people of Oriente he is a romantic near legend. To Batista he is a nagging threat to the strongmans position as boss of Cuba. Yet for all of Castros new-won fame, he remains something of a man of mystery. Castro was born in Oriente, in 1926. The son of a hard-living, self-made sugar planter, he spent his boyhood in Oriente, went to a Catholic high school in Havana. At Havana University he plunged into student politics. In 1947 he took part in a seaborne filibuster aimed at toppling the dictatorship of the Dominican Republic. In 1948 he went to Bogota during the Conference of American States to demonstrate against non-Latin influence in Latin America. Castro left Havana University in 1950 with degrees in law, international law and the social sciences, set up a law practice, married the daughter of a man who later became one of Batistas top officials, fathered a son. In 1952 he ran for Congress in the elections that were canceled by Batistas coup. Outraged, Castro plotted for a year, then led a band of some 40 men in a foredoomed frontal attack against Santiagos Moncada barracks. He was sentenced to 15 years imprisonment (and divorced by his wife), but 19 months later Batista freed all political prisoners, including Castro.

In those years, as Castro summoned his followers from among Cubas professional class, the plan was to oust Batista and then rule for two years. After that point, free elections were promised; Castro also walked back some of his more radical ideas and denied that he wanted any power for himself: I can do more for my country giving an example of disinterestedness, he said.

Then, at the dawn of 1959, Castro and his crew won  and plans quickly changed.

In a cover story on Jan. 26, 1959  mere weeks later  TIME dubbed Castro The Vengeful Visionary.

The executioners rifle cracked across Cuba last week, and around the world voices hopefully cheering for a new democracy fell still, the story began. The men who had just won a popular revolution for old idealsfor democracy, justice and honest governmentthemselves picked up the arrogant tools of dictatorship. At the heart of the trouble was Castro:

Fidel Castro himself is egotistic, impulsive, immature, disorganized. A spellbinding romantic, he can talk spontaneously for as much as five hours without strain. He hates desksbehind which he may have to sit to run Cuba. He sleeps irregularly or forgets to sleep, living on euphoria. He has always been late for everything, whether leading a combat patrol or speaking last week to the Havana Rotary Club, where a blue-ribbon audience waited 434 hours for his arrival. Wildly, he blasted U.S. arms aid to Batista, but he paid a friendly call at 1 a.m. on the ambassador from Britain, which sold tanks and planes to Batista for nearly a year after the U.S. had stopped. Castro has the Cuban moralistic streak in spades, showing no apparent affection for money or soft living. He considers himself a Roman Catholic but is also impressed by Patriot Jose Martis anticlerical tomes. He has to be cajoled into changing his filthy fatigue jacket. His only luxury is 50 Montecristo cigars. He is full of soaring, vaguely leftist hopes for Cubas future but has no clear program. Other Latin American leaders trust his democratic professions, hope that his shortcomings will not bring on disorder and another dictatorship.

In short, TIMEs writers worried, he had become synonymous with the movement he led. The cult of personality he inspired was no less autocratic than Batistas rule had been.

The young revolutionary lawyer had changed, and there remained no doubt that Cuba under Castro would not look the way many observers had hoped. The world watched warily as his power increased and, more recently, as his regime began to relax some of its stricter policies. One thing, however, never changed: wherever Castro went, eyes followed.

Read the full 1959 cover story, here in the TIME archives: The Vengeful Visionary
Fidel Castro, who died on Friday at the age of 90, was the longest-ruling dictator of the 20th century. He officially led Cuba for 49 years, from 1959 until 2008 (and for three more years if you count his stint as chief of the countrys Communist Party until 2011). This longevity is impressive. In Latin America, a land of many dictators, only Paraguays Alfredo Stroessner came anywhere close.

Castros long rule meant that he had plenty of time and opportunity to bring prosperity to his country  to get development right, so to speak. But instead, he left Cuba worse than when he first took over, at least relatively speaking. Before his rule, Cuba was one of the richest countries in the Americas. But by the 1980s, it was already among the poorest. Whereas the regions per capita GDP essentially doubled between 1958 and the late 2000s, in Cuba it grew by a paltry 5 percent over that period. Only Haiti, and perhaps Honduras, have done worse.

Castros underperformance is all the more inexcusable considering not just how well off Cuba was when he took over, but also how much help he got from abroad. The Soviet Union provided massive subsidies from the late 1960s all the way to 1990, with the total largesse estimated at $62 billion. And in the 2000s, Venezuela, China, Spain, and Cuban Americans essentially picked up the tab  the latter providing record-level remittances. It takes real ineptitude to turn such a good starting point, and such a large amount of help, into nothing.

Castro would tell you that his biggest accomplishment was ushering in an alternative form of development, one that could not be measured in income and consumer goods. Perhaps his favorite example was his countrys achievements in education. Theres no doubt that Cuba has achieved high levels of schooling and student performance in reading and math tests. But there is much that these statistics fail to reveal.

In schools, Cuban students did learn to read, write, and do math  but most importantly, they became indoctrinated. After all, they needed to learn to love Fidel no less than Marx. In universities, the social sciences were never encouraged, and their study included only Marxist-friendly ideas. As a result, most good students chose other careers, especially medicine.

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Once Cubans left school, the state restricted what they could do with their acquired skills. There was no freedom to choose ones place of employment and no right to join independent unions or to go on strike. Under Fidel, there were no places of employment at all other than the state; even Cubans working with foreign firms were still paid by the state. One could not even read freely; censure of libraries, bookstores, and media was total. So keep these features of Cubas educational system in mind when theyre touted as Castros crowning achievement.

His real imprint was to end his countrys endemic political disorder. Before Castro, the average Cuban ruler, either elected or not, held power for less than two-and-a-half years. Even Cubas two most important strongmen prior to Fidel, Gerardo Machado and Fulgencio Batista, had relatively short stays in office. Batistas last dictatorship, often described as the most despotic Cuba ever experienced, lasted a mere six years. After the Escambray rebellion, a lengthy anti-Castro uprising that was finally put down in 1965, Cuba became the most stable place in Latin America.

One would think that pacification would have been an economic blessing. From Max Weber to Charles Tilly to Mancur Olson to Douglass North, political economists agree that order is a prerequisite to prosperity. But Cubas political order yielded no economic spring. This is because of how Castro pacified his island: through incarceration, coercion, and exile. Castro was not the man who first imposed these practices  but he took them to unprecedented levels.

His penchant for imprisonment had no rival in the Americas. By the early 1960s, Cuba had between 40,000 and 60,000 political prisoners. To put this number in perspective, Batista held no more than 1,600 inmates when he was overthrown.

The imprisonment was supplemented by relentless coercion. Under Castro, the Cuban state used all the repressive tactics associated with 20th-century totalitarianism. Estimates of killings under his rule range from 6,000 to 17,000. He allowed no private employers, private schools, private institutions, private journalism, or independent NGOs of any kind. Cubans could never escape the eye of the state or make a living through any other employer. They were always being watched through spies. To end up on the wrong side of the revolution meant being ostracized from society entirely. Even if you didnt land in prison, you were still left with no job, and thus no future. No other regime in Latin America could corner its own citizens like Fidels.

But the coercion went further than just state-directed brutality. One of Castros key legacies was to invent a remarkable mechanism to get Cubans themselves to collaborate with the states Orwellian institutions  the so-called Committees for the Defense of the Revolutions (CDRs).

On paper, CDRs are volunteer-run neighborhood associations designed to address local problems. Indeed, the government touted them as an achievement in democratic governance. In reality, they became mechanisms of total surveillance. The CDRs were staffed by neighborhood volunteers whose job was to monitor everything that happened in every street under their watch. Any sign of disloyalty to the regime was supposed to immediately be reported to the authorities.

These CDRs expanded at a striking rate since they were first established in 1961. By 1964, there were 110,000 all over Cuba. By the time Fidel stepped down, there were probably 133,000. These organizations expanded so rapidly because the incentives to participate were impossible to resist. Volunteering at a CRD and catching someone doing something wrong (like, say, buying products in informal markets) came with plenty of payoffs. If you reported the infraction to the state, you got brownie points from the Communist Party, such as consumer goods, promotions, or even exemptions from volunteer work. And if you chose not to immediately report these violations to the state, you could use this information to extort your neighbors. Either way, spies always won  so spying proliferated.

The third mechanism through which Castro pacified his island was exile. As is typical of countries that dont produce wealth, the state established a strict system of exit visas intended to block brain drain. But this visa system was more flexible than in communist Europe. Whereas the Soviets did all they could to prevent people from leaving, including building a wall around Berlin, Fidel used his exit license program as a sort of escape valve, to be adjusted as needed. When discontent was high and pressure growing, he let more people go. There were at least five such waves under Castros rule. By the time Castro stepped down, around 8-10 percent of Cubas population was in exile.

This system served Castro well. The most disaffected citizens spent their time figuring out how to flee rather than trying to change the system. The result was that Cubas most important export  other than technical advice for guerrillas abroad  has been its domestic opposition.

This exit system operated mostly as a one-way street. Seldom was the state hospitable to returnees, and most exiles had little interest in returning anyway. This, too, served Castro well. If the emigre community, estimated at 1 million in the mid 2000s, had remained in Cuba, they could have formed a political party larger than the Communist Party.

Its inaccurate to think that Castros rule over Cuba was static. The collapse of the Soviet Union in 1990, and thus the end of Soviet subsidies, devastated Cubas economy. To survive this special period, Castro realized that some things needed to change.

Starting in the early 1990s, he made peace with the Catholic Church, which he had once essentially destroyed. He discontinued the persecution of LGBT people, who he once sent to concentration camps or expelled during the Mariel Boatlift. He allowed for some forms of self-employment, and for a while even liberalized the use of dollars, even though he despised material incentives. He started to promote tourism, including sex tourism, despite having once nationalized Cubas world-class hotels, arguing that they were epicenters of depravation. He decriminalized foreign private investment, even though, unlike Marx, he never had a word of praise on behalf of capitalists.

But in the end, Castros thaw was too limited and too short-lived. Compared to the transformations that shook the cobwebs off post-Soviet Eastern Europe and Asias communist states, Cuba never changed its command economy or its non-liberal politics. In fact, by the time Fidel stepped down from the presidency in 2008, he had started to show signs of returning to his most extreme forms of repression.

The state was once again curtailing self-employment, reducing private foreign investments, and cracking down on the opposition. The Varela Project, a campaign calling for constitutional reforms that would allow free elections, was summarily repressed in 2003. Seventy-five people involved in this remarkable pro-democratic movement were sentenced to an average of 20 years in prison following one-day trials. The Ladies in White, a group of wives of the imprisoned, started holding public demonstrations. To this day, they remain Cubas most visible protest group. An Amnesty International report that covered Castros last year as president noted at least 62 prisoners of conscience. Almost 50 people were detained that year, and around 40 were on death row.

In short, Fidel Castro did not deliver the social revolution he promised as much as Hobbesian revolution. He transformed Cuba instead into a place of rigid, restrictive political order. His most enduring legacy was his ability to anesthetize what had been, until he came along, an uppity island.

The problem with this Pax Fidelia was how it came about. Some leaders bring order to their countries by meeting their citizens demands and giving them the freedoms to fulfill their ambitions. For Castro, pacification meant restricting his peoples freedom.

Naturally, this political arrangement had no chance of liberating Cuba from poverty. In that sense, it was not very transformative. But in another sense, Castros rule was historic because it was so polarizing. His stifling peace infuriated a large number of Cubans  probably the vast majority. For these Cubans, Fidel was hell. But for others, his rule was a triumph. These Cubans, many of whom are in power, remain wary of losing their countrys historic peace. They fear that any transition to competitive politics would be too risky, that it could plunge Cuba back into disorder.

Castro thus made most Cubans desperate or dissatisfied, but it also made a few others eminently conservative and content. Their conservatism remains one of the most serious obstacles to a democratic transition in Cuba. And it is a sad irony that conservatism came to Cuba thanks to the world leader who spent the longest time in office professing the most radical ideologies of his time.

The author is grateful to Lorenzo Villegas and Joshua Thompson for their research assistance.

Photo credit: ADALBERTO ROQUE/AFP/Getty Images
WIND LAKE  The cloth moved through the room. Various fabrics cut into different sizes slowly becoming one piece with each stitch and hem.

There are about 20 women in this small auditorium in the Norway Evangelical Lutheran Church, 6321 Heg Park Rd. The majority over 60. Pastors make the rounds in festive red sweaters through the room with big smiles that match everyone else's.

The women meet every Tuesday to make quilts at the church. The quilts go to various causes, most often to Lutheran World Relief, which ships the quilts all over the world to those who need them. With no tags put on the quilts, its rare that recipients will ever know who made them.

Credited or not, the women show up regularly through snowstorm or shine, including the woman hiding by the wall. She sits to the right of the door almost out of sight with her white sewing machine, hemming away as is her job for the group. She is one of the lucky ones. She gets to sit. Then again, that much is expected for Gertrude Gertie Scholz who is 102-years-old.

"As you get older it's harder to stand around the table," said Donna Knurr, 80, of Waterford, a volunteer at the church. "Last week Gertie, of Waterford, took five quilts home to sew around and we told her that was too many. She goes, "No, no. I like it.'"

Scholz found the church twice in her life. First with her family in her youth. As one of eight children who lived and worked on the farm, church was a family matter. Later in life, the church left her. Dancing in Milwaukee, a family of her own, and work all took too much time.

That was until a bittersweet revelation crossed her way.

An epiphany

Scholz held her husbands hand in hers. Wally endured complications for more than a decade after suffering a stroke. Now, pneumonia plagued him.

A nurse assisted Scholz, but for 12 years Scholz took primary care of her beloved. So when things began turning south, she just wanted to be by his side, which is where she found herself one day in 1988.

Scholz and the nurse rose Wally from the bed and brought him to their armchairs in the home. With her arms around him, Scholz held him close like it was the last time she would.

We looked in each other's eyes and all of a sudden he closed them, Scholz said. Then (the nurse) said, Gertie, thats it.

Wally was gone. He passed peacefully, which caught Scholz by surprise. The first epiphany in that moment.

I said, Now Im not afraid of the devil, Scholz said. If it went that quick I said I dont care.

Then a voice spoke within her. A voice that gave her the next step in her life. A step that was 60 years in the making.

I heard right then that someone in my mind was talking, saying, Go back to church. Go back to church, Scholz said. (It) just said it twice and that was it.

On her own

Nothing signals it, but the ladies gravitate toward one of the long school lunch tables in the auditorium. Its break time from quilting and food is out for all to enjoy. Mixes of breads and kringle spread across the table as the women socialize.

"It gets very social in here," Knurr said. "Sometimes the laughter gets involved and you just have to step back and listen. It's fun."

This was one of the first groups Scholz joined when she returned to the church 60 years after her confirmation. Initially she joined three groups in the church but after hitting the century mark she takes a easier now with just sewing.

"They come in the snow and it doesn't phase them," Pastor Mark Jaramillo said. "This gives them a chance to be a part of a community that wants to create a better, greater good."

In the middle of the break, Scholz rises from her chair and walks away from the crowd. Back to her sewing machine she goes to begin hemming once again. She isnt upset, she has a job to do. A work ethic learned from working the farm with her family and her husband most of her life.

There are still hours to go until the day is done, but by the end of the quilt-making year, the group will make more than 600 quilts, so there is much work to be done to meet that goal.

However when the needles cease, the materials will be packed up and placed onto the auditorium stage that serves as the storage area. The women will socialize and say their goodbyes and be on their way.

Scholz will leave as well. A three mile drive back to Waterford in front of her. Her drivers license will be up for renewal soon. Shes not sure if they will renew it this time, but that wont hault her her Tuesday routine.

I think theyre going to make me stop, Scholz said. But theres plenty of women here who would pick me up.
Former Cuban leader Fidel Castro exhales cigar smoke during an interview at the presidential palace in Havana in 1985. Castro has died at age 90. (Photo: Charles Tasnadi/AP)

He wins. Fidel Castro has died, reportedly at the age of 90, with his boots on, stubborn, independent, aloof to the last.

Of the many things that can be said of this voluble giant of the 20th century, who died almost silently in the 21st, it must be conceded that he won his most crucial battle. The Cuban Revolution may have failed at almost everything it tried, creating a half-century of decline, isolation and deprivation, but in one way Fidel Castro triumphed.

After the great reforms of the 1960s and the international adventures of the 1970s and all the economic promises of later decades fell away, he was left with one final justification. He withstood America. For as long as Castro lived, and for the first time in history, a Cuban stood up to the powerful outsiders who coveted the island.

Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz was officially born in 1926, although Castro himself admitted that was inaccurate  a talented southpaw pitcher in his youth, he was probably made younger on paper by one year. He grew up in Cubas sugar belt in a house with a thatched roof, yet was privileged by a wealthy father, and honed his searing intelligence and ambition at Jesuit schools. (By the age of 13, he told classmates he would be president of Cuba.) He married into one of the countrys most important political clans but never forgot or forgave the imbalance between rich and poor, rural and urban, white and black, American and Cuban.

Slideshow: Fidel Castro dies at 90: His life in photos >>>

Of the courageous guerrilla war Fidel fought and won, enough has been said. The desperate victories and heroic stands at the side of Che Guevara and younger brother Raul are best captured in the eras iconic photography. Bookshelves have collapsed from the weight of tomes retelling the classic moments of the war  from the invasion in a leaky yacht and initial defeat to the gradual populist uprising that drove the corrupt, American-backed dictator Fulgencio Batista from power and carried Fidel, then a lawyer in his early 30s, to Havana on a wave of cheers. The discovery that a small, determined band of guerrillas could overthrow a government set off a wave of panic in Washington and led to U.S. assassination schemes and the disastrous invasion at the Bay of Pigs. Castros success  and endurance  gave hope to disenfranchised people around the world and emboldened a wave of bloody and failed imitators.

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Cuban politician and revolutionary Fidel Castro, left, and Che Guevara. (Photo: DeAgostini/Getty Images)

History will not absolve Fidel Castro. He swept into power promising a return to constitutional rule and free, open elections. The slogans were benign at first. Bread without terror. Neither dictatorship from the right nor dictatorship from the left. A revolution of the poor and for the poor. But eventually the police state took over, all businesses were shuttered by 1968, and by 1970 an era of Stalinist show trials had begun.

Fidel proved more loyal to the Russian way than Russias own leaders, and after the Cold War ended in 1992 he soldiered on, alone. Carlos Franqui, an intimate, said that beneath his blinding charisma, Fidel was ultimately a clear-eyed realist about power. Where others fell, Fidel marched on, the worlds longest-running dictator, a shape shifter content only with one goal beyond all others, keeping himself in office as a way of keeping America out of Cuba. Never tempted by wealth or distracted by his own vanities, he proved to be a man without a price.

I managed to see Fidel Castro on five occasions, without ever speaking to him. He was there at Che Guevaras funeral in 1997, blasting a long speech across the huge crowds assembled outside Santa Clara; in Havana his elaborate morning motorcade once roared past me; on another occasion, Fidel appeared riding slowly through Old Havana in a ZiL limousine, alone but for a single aide and chased by cheering boys on bicycles. My closest and most sustained examination of the man  known variously as the Bearded One, the Horse or just Him  was at a long, pointless rally where I edged within 40 feet of Cubas supreme authority.

There, with trembling hands, he struggled to read his own speech and then had to be helped down from the podium by attendants hiding his obvious infirmity. That moment of physical vulnerability occurred not recently but back in 1999, proving that the Maximum Leader was weak in body long ago but sustained by willpower through more than another decade. Ceding power to his brother after being struck down by diverticulitis in 2006, he continued to publish hundreds of rambling commentaries on geopolitics and to make rare appearances, such as touring an art gallery in 2013, when he arrived in a wheelchair but managed to utter the familiar slogans.

On Dec. 17, 2014, President Obama overturned 54 years of U.S. policy by sending an ambassador to Havana. Some called it a victory for Fidel, but Castro himself needed months to react, endorsing the deal in a meek and stiff letter. Perhaps he knew his was a Pyrrhic victory. Perhaps he knew that change will finally bring the Americans he always held off.

Fidel Castro attends the Cuban Communist Party Congress in Havana in April 2016. (Photo: Ismael Francisco/Cubadebate /AP)

He departs just in time. The end of overt American hostility toward Cuba will diminish the islands role in the world, and the revolutions role in Cuba. With his death, the question in Cuba is no longer will there be change, but how much, and when. When the pomp of politics and the orgy of transnational mourning are long over, Cubans will be left to face a wave of uncertainty. That includes the fate of Fidelismo without Fidel.

The Cuban system was more than just two brothers named Castro. Seven percent of Cubans are members of the Communist Party. Innumerable others have lashed themselves to the mast of the revolution, and every single person on the island is touched by that system. Part of Fidels legacy will play out in the dismantling of his economic chokehold on daily life, a process grudgingly begun by Raul Castro. The system of justice, built to guarantee unfair outcomes, will have to be reformed. More profoundly, society will need decades to undo what Czeslaw Milosz called the captive mind, the net of unspoken rules and invisible fears that have shaped Cuban life. Fidel died just in time, before that tide floods the wreck he left behind. As a corpse, a symbol, a colossus who bestrode his times, Fidel Castro will endure long after his works are gone.

Slideshow: Reaction to the death of Fidel Castro >>>

The only certainty about the future is that no one will ever fill the Comandantes big boots. Raul Castro will continue his own reign for now, but there will never be a replacement for his older brother, the man known worldwide as Fidel, or Loyal.

As the human rights dissident Elizardo Sanchez once told me in Havana: You cant make an elephant out of 100 rabbits.

_____

Patrick Symmes is a journalist and the author of The Boys from Dolores: Fidel Castros Schoolmates from Revolution to Exile.
By Frances Kerry, Andrew Cawthorne and Anthony Boadle (Reuters) - Reuters first established a presence in Havana before the Second World War and covered every major story of the Fidel Castro era since his 1959 Cuban revolution, from the Bay of Pigs invasion to his sickness in old age. Following Castro's death on Friday, three former Reuters Havana correspondents  Frances Kerry, Andrew Cawthorne and Anthony Boadle  share some memories of reporting on him. FRANCES KERRY In the summer of 1994, Fidel Castro was fighting for the survival of the revolution. The economy was in tatters following the collapse of the Soviet Union, which had given it key support for decades, and tentative economic reforms launched by Castro in 1993 had yet to do much to improve life for ordinary Cubans. Many Cubans were sick of the "Special Period", as the government termed the drastic economic belt-tightening. They were resentful over hours of power cuts every day, seemingly endless hours waiting for buses, or the struggle to get around Havana's hot and hilly streets on lumbering Chinese bicycles, and the battle to find basic goods such as soap and deodorant. Castro's speeches were full of talk about Cubans' resistance and dignity, but real life was often less heroic. People got thinner and joked grimly about the dreadful food and having to brew coffee using the same grains multiple times. Visitors to the Reuters office would sometimes pocket the soap if they went to the bathroom. A steady trickle of people set out for Florida in homemade boats that were sometimes as rudimentary as the inner tubes of tires. There were cases of people stealing boats. Castro railed against Washington, claiming the United States encouraged the departures and he denounced its policy of picking up rafters at sea and taking them as legal immigrants. Rumors of something going on in Havana harbor on Aug. 5, 1994 sparked an angry gathering that then became an unprecedented anti-government protest in the center of the city. I remember my heart racing as I hurried back to the office that afternoon to send my report. It was so unheard of at that time for people to protest. Who could know how the government might respond? Was Castro losing his grip? But just as things seemed they might spiral out of control, Castro put on a display of the trademark political cunning that partly explained the durability of the Cuban revolution and certainly explained the fascination of reporting on his very long years in power. The demonstrations were dispersed by security forces. Accompanied by phalanxes of organized supporters, Castro arrived at the protest zone in a jeep and turned it into a pro-government rally. Then, wielding the masterstroke in the days that followed, he announced that if the United States would not change its policy on Cuban migrants, the Cuban government would no longer seek to stop people trying to leave the island, instead turning a blind eye. It was a safety valve that allowed the most desperate to go. Castro had allowed a similar wave of discontent to spill off the island with the Mariel boat lift in 1980. It also shifted the problem squarely to Washington. By the end of the summer more than 30,000 Cubans had left and by allowing an exodus, Fidel Castro put the ball in President Bill Clinton's court. That forced Washington to stop welcoming Cubans picked up in the Florida Strait, and brought about a bilateral agreement in September on more 'orderly' migration that included an annual granting of 20,000 visas to Cubans. It was a summer of desperation and death for some of the rafters who didn't survive, but it was also a summer that showed Castro at his most wily and dogged. ANDREW CAWTHORNE During my time in Cuba (1998-2002), it wasn't hard to bump into the garrulous commander-in-chief. We, the small Havana press corps, would stalk him at statue inaugurations, women's solidarity meetings, airport farewells for dignitaries, and the tall-framed Castro would often meander over for a chat. Sometimes the chats were undesirably long on deeply tedious subjects at ungodly hours and at other times a few sharp words would have us racing for our offices to transmit to the world. "Ah, the rubio (blonde guy) from Reuters," he would say on sighting me. "How's your wife?" (She's Venezuelan, a point in my favor for the Cubans). Or: "So, what are your Washington masters telling you to write today?" That was his constant time-saving riposte to awkward questions. He once summoned me and three other news agency heads for a 1 a.m. ticking-off in an austere office at Revolution Palace over a story. The audience began with intimidatingly angry words from a Zeus-faced Castro sitting in an armchair before us, but after he calmed down, matters ended with some laughter and a next-day story in my notebook. Something like: "Fidel Castro says 'fit as a teenager' after ill health rumors". Then there were the awkward debates on live TV. Once when I tried to turn the prescribed subject of anti-Cuban bias in doping in international athletics onto politics, he put me down in front of the nation: "Don't think I don't know you, your intentions, and who you are talking to". The next morning, my phone would not stop ringing from Cuban dissidents to 'thank' me for 'confronting' the Comandante, so I decided to take a week's holiday to lower my profile on the island. At a distant beach resort though, the manager recognized me from state TV, and gave me a warm handshake, a free room and a huge basket of fruit. The crowning encounter was an extraordinary all-night dinner, towards the end of 1999 if I remember rightly. Despite what appears to have been a historically rare period of decent access for foreign correspondents to Fidel Castro, we were a difficult group and had been loudly complaining to apparatchiks that it had been weeks since we'd spoken to the bearded one. The response was typical Castro. You want access? Right, come to dinner with me and ask as many questions as you like - all night long! We entered a large dining room in Revolution Palace at about 6 p.m. and sat around a huge table with his senior ministers as Castro held forth without eating a morsel while his minions plied us with food and wine. By 4 a.m. we had hardly got a word in among his hours-long answers to just a few questions, and our eyes were screaming to each other, "how do we get out of here?" Just as a designated colleague was about to stand up and make a gracious thank you signaling departure, another disastrously asked Castro a waffly question about "his views on Latin America entering the 21st century." In his typically didactic and verbose way, he indeed gave us his views, starting with Patagonia in the south and just about reaching Central America when the sun came up. That seemed to shake him out of his meditations, and he led us to the exit. Having spent most of the previous afternoon designing the most probing questions possible, and assuming that we as seasoned correspondents would not be hoodwinked by the wily old man, we left with nothing new and headed to our beds exhausted and outfoxed. ANTHONY BOADLE I arrived in Havana in 2002 when Fidel Castro was facing a unprecedented threat from internal opposition organized in a nationwide network by Catholic dissident Oswaldo Paya. A few days later the movement he had started by riding a bicycle to hand out leaflets got a big boost from former U.S. President Jimmy Carter. In a lecture at Havana University, with Castro sitting in the front row, Carter mentioned Paya's Varela Project, a petition signed by 11,000 Cubans pressing for democratic reforms. Under the terms of Carter's visit, Cuba's state media had to accurately report his words and the Communist Party newspaper Granma was obliged to reprint his full speech two days later with that mention. It was the first time most Cubans had heard of Paya's movement which continued to grow across the island. But not for long. In March of the next year, when all the world's attention was on the U.S. invasion of Iraq, the Castro government rounded up 70 dissidents and broke the back of Paya's movement. To this day the dissident groups in Cuba remain a fractious bunch that are well infiltrated by the secret police. A diplomat friend liked to say two things work superbly in Castro's tropical Orwellian dystopia: political control and the black market. Living in Havana was a constant challenge of where to shop for household goods, but the worst of the "Special Period" was over by then, and once you knew the lay of the land, it only took a cellphone call to have a box of Montecristo cigars or fresh lobsters delivered to your door. My Cuban government handlers were courteous and friendly but stern when it came to frequent admonitions. Ironically, they did not like being called a Communist country, even though the ruling Communist Party was the only game in town. One rule to survive as a correspondent in Havana was vital: never invite dissidents to your home, just to the office, where infiltrated staff could inform authorities. When it became clear that home was home for me, they stopped bugging my phone. Cuban authorities never harassed me but they withdrew my visa in 2008 and I had to leave. Months later, in an attempt to discredit my reporting from the island, a dissident turned government informant said on television that I had introduced him to the CIA station chief in a dark alley one night, a laughable charge since I first met him at a U.S diplomat's home. Access to information was never easy in a government where no official dared speak out of line and queries were referred up to "el Jefe." I managed to get a brief word in with Castro on five occasions. Once, in response to a 10-second question on relations with the United States, I got a 45-minute answer from him that included references to the MolotovRibbentrop Pact between the Nazis and the Soviets. (This story has been refiled to correct spelling of Cuban newspaper in paragraph 34 - "Granma", not "Grandma".) (Editing by Kieran Murray)
These food-themed museums around the world should all be on your bucket list

The benefits of traveling are immeasurable; theres new perspectives, heightened cultural awareness, and the general happiness that visiting new places can bring you. Deciding where to go and what to do can be difficult though, and sometimes it just sounds a lot easier to go to Epcot instead of planning a big trip. Then again, theres all these food museums around the world, curated by Atlas Obscura and they all sound incredibly cool, interesting, and a little weird, which is why they should all be added to your list of places in the world I want to visit list.

We think that getting outside of your comfort zone is definitely worth it though, and planning a trip can be totally fun  especially if theres food involved. Here are some of the best individual food museums on the list:

Jacques Chocolate museum in Liege, Belgium

General Economy As Swiss Franc Hits Post-Brexit High As Investor Anxiety Increases

This place sounds like the closest well ever get to Willy Wonkas Chocolate Factory like, literally. According to Atlas Obscura,

At one point in the tour  either guided or self-lead  visitors can stand on a footbridge high above the factory floor and watch as chocolate is made below.

This chocolate factory-turned museum was founded in 1896, and its basically a chocolate-fans (i.e. persons) dream as it explains and illustrates every stage of chocolate-making from cacao to packaging.

Momofuku Ando Instant Ramen Museum in Ikeda, Japan

Instant ramen is a staple to every latch-key-kids, students, and young post-grads life, its only right that we pay homage to its inventor by visiting this Japanese museum. Not only is there an Interactive Noodle Theater, theres also an interactive make-your-own noodle cup workshop. That is as good a reason as any to visit Japan in our book.

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German Food Additives Museum in Hamburg, Germany

Na schmeckt's? // #LNDMHH #Lebensmittelzusatzstoffe #Yummy #Foodporn A photo posted by Sarah (@zenzarah) on Apr 9, 2016 at 3:24pm PDT

Okay, this ones a little less delicious than the others, but an entire museum dedicated to the hidden additives that lurk in so much of our foods definitely sounds interesting. According to Atlas Obscura:

At this informative museum you can find out why we eat so much sawdust, see how much cheaper it is to use flavorings rather than the ingredients youd use at home, and inspect a wall of every E-numbered food additive.

No food-museum tour is complete without a stop here, to find out whats in our meals besides the actual food.

Museo Nazionale delle Paste Alimentari in Rome, Italy

Uncooked Fusilloni pasta in wooden wooden background. Pasta

Move aside, Colosseum, theres a new reason to visit Rome: a museum dedicated to every aspect of pasta. This museum goes deeper than just fusilli vs. farfalle, it also explicates the evolution of pasta production, the Chinese origins of pasta, and photos of pasta throughout Italian history.

The museum has also been a great historical resource: Academics studying pasta often use the museums dedicated library of ancient and modern texts on the culinary evolution of pasta and the techniques used in its production. Because yes, academics study pasta.

The Coffee Palace in Santos, Brazil

Santoss Coffee Museum, or Museo do Cafe is located in the building that was once the center for Brazils Coffee Stock exchange. If youve ever had a cup of coffee, it was likely from Brazil, and this museum celebrates the importance of coffee for the countrys economy. The museum, nicknamed a palace, certainly looks palatial with its 120-ft tall clock tower and stained-glass images of Mercury, god of commerce, and Ceres, goddess of agriculture.

This is an good place to go to learn about Brazils history and culture, especially if you enjoy a good Brazilian brew.

Start planning your trip now and get ready to eat your way around the world! The world is your oyster museum!

The post These food-themed museums around the world should all be on your bucket list appeared first on HelloGiggles.
Fidel Castro

Former Cuban leader Fidel Castro has died, his brother, Cuban President Raul Castro, announced on state-run media.

President Castro announced Fidel's death in a televised address.

"At 10:29 in the night, the chief commander of the Cuban revolution, Fidel Castro Ruz, died," he said.

"Ever onward, to victory."

Castro had been in failing health for years, and was the subject of death rumors for nearly as long.

His cause of death was immediately unclear.

Cuba declared nine days of national mourning as people took to the streets in Little Havana, Miami to celebrate the late Cuban revolutionary's death on Friday night.

Carlos A. Gimenez, mayor of Miami-Dade county, tweeted on Saturday that Castro's passing "closes a very painful chapter for Cubans on the island and Cuban-Americans throughout the world."

castro

Fidel Castro was born Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz on August 13, 1926, in the small eastern village of Biran. His father was a wealthy sugarcane farmer; his mother worked as a maid to his fathers first wife.

Castro received a Roman Catholic education through high school. He later excelled as an athlete and went on to law school at the University of Havana, where he would find an interest in politics.

A more radical bent soon emerged, as Castro plotted and executed several attempts at overthrowing Cuban leaders and making an attempt at a bid for Cuba's House of Representatives. Following a series of offensives, he seized power in 1959 from Cuban dictator Fulgencio Batista. He did not look back.

Though he was admired by leftists worldwide, Castro was demonized by the US and many of its allies.

Once in power, Fidel Castro moved quickly to nationalize businesses across the island, moving away from the US and toward the Soviet Union. The US officially cut all diplomatic ties with Cuba in January 1961.

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Fabian Escalante, who served as the head of Cuba's intelligence services and was tasked with protecting Castro for much of his career, estimated that the CIA and Cuban exiles had made 638 attempts on Castro's life by the time he surrendered power to his brother Raul in 2006, after 47 years of rule.

fidel castro

Some extended condolences to Cuba over Castro's death, including Evo Morales

, the president of Bolivia and Castro's close ally, and European Union president Jean-Claude Juncker.

"With the death of Fidel Castro, the world has lost a man who was a hero for many," Juncker tweeted on Saturday.

China's president, Xi Jinping, said in a televised statement on Saturday that "the Chinese people have lost a good and true comrade. Comrade Castro will live forever."

China is one of the world's few remaining communist states.

Xi Jinping

To many exiles awaiting Castro's death, however, the late revolutionary embodied a heavy-handed regime that jailed political opponents, suppressed civil liberties, and wrecked the island's economy.

Florida senator Marco Rubio, a Cuban-American whose parents left Cuba in 1956, released a statement Saturday morning saying that "history will not absolve Fidel Castro."

"His communist regime turned [Cuba] into an impoverished land prison," Rubio wrote. "Over six decades, millions of Cubans were forced to flee their own country, and those accused of opposing the regime were routinely jailed and even killed."

Rubio added that "sadly, Fidel Castro's death does not mean freedom for the Cuban people...the dictator has died, but the dictatorship has not."

raul castro

Cuba is still being ruled by Castro's brother, Raul.

Texas senator Ted Cruz, whose father fled Cuba in 1957, wrote on Facebook that "Fidel Castro's death cannot bring back his thousands of victims, nor can it bring comfort to their families. Today we remember them and honor the brave souls who fought the lonely fight against the brutal Communist dictatorship he imposed on Cuba."

President-elect Donald Trump tweeted on Saturday morning, "Fidel Castro is dead!"

US President Barack Obama has not yet released an official statement on Castro's death.

Cuba's insular policies began to thaw a bit in 1998, when Pope John Paul II became the first pontiff to visit the nation. Pope Benedict would follow more than a decade later.

In 2003, Castro was confirmed as president for another five-year term. Then in the waning years of his rule, Castro oversaw several initiatives that led to a major crackdown on independent journalists, dissidents and activists, and a strengthening of ties with Venezuela.

The Bolivarian Alternative for the Americas was birthed from that, in which Cuba sent health professionals to Venezuela in return for discounted oil.

Fidel Castro

By 2006, Castro handed provisional control of Cuba to his brother, Raul, while Fidel reportedly recovered from a major intestinal surgery. That was the first time he surrendered control of his power in 47 years.

He did not return.

In 2008, when the National Assembly prepared to reconfirm Fidel as Cubas leader, he declined in a letter.

At that point, he hadnt been seen publicly for nearly two years.

The letter was posted to the Communist Partys website Granma, in which Castro said, I do not bid you farewell. My only wish is to fight as a soldier of ideas.

Castro made several more public appearances in 2010, but officially stepped down from the Communist Party of Cuba in 2011, leaving the younger Raul Castro to introduce possibly the most significant change in Cuba since the 1960s, announcing a deal with the Obama administration to reinstate diplomatic ties with the US in 2014.

Natasha Bertrand contributed reporting.





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Former Cuban leader Fidel Castro has died at the age of 90. The lawyer-turned revolutionary who overthrew the Batista regime and helped make Che Guevara a leftist icon was an enduring, but divisive and controversial figure. He assumed power on the island nation New Years Day, 1959 and would see his rule outlast 10 presidents.

Hailed as a hero by some and as the top of an oppressive, totalitarian cult of personality by others, he was reviled by U.S.-aligned capitalist countries, anticommunist politicians, and by the influential Cuban-American community of Florida, many members of which fled Cuba after the revolution and continue to wield a sizable political influence in the Sunshine State.

Castro ultimately stepped down as president in 2006 (he did not relinquish the title until 2008), handing over power to his brother, Raul. He lived long enough to see the demise of the Soviet Union, Cubas sponsor nation and chief ally during the Cold War, as well as the cooling of tensions between Cuba and the U.S. in recent years, with President Barack Obama announcing last year that the U.S. would re-establish diplomatic relations with Cuba. As such, Obama urged Congress to lift a 52-year-old economic embargo.

Born in 1926, Castro was the son of wealthy parents but came of age under a succession of right wing dictatorships in Cuba. Turning to leftist politics while still in college, he founded, alongside Raul and Ernesto Che Guevara, the revolutionary movement that would eventually prevail. However, in doing so he forged close ties with the Soviet Union, prompting the U.S. government to enact a trade embargo beginning in 1962 that continues in slightly reduced form to this day.

Castro was the subject of three separate documentaries by director Oliver Stone: 2003s Fidel Castro: Comandante, 2004s Looking for Fidel, and Castro in Winter in 2012. Comandante was particularly controversial as it presented a somewhat glowing portrait of the aging dictator, a portrait Castro undermined  to put it mildly  by a widely condemned crackdown on dissidents that included the execution of three people who ferried Cubans to the United States. HBO, which had intended to air the documentary, shelved it instead.

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Anthony DAllesandro contributed to this report.

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Donald Ranvaud Dies: 'Constant Gardener' & 'City Of God' Exec Producer Was 62
(Reuters) - Four people, including a 8-week-old girl, have been found shot to death in an Alaska hotel room in what authorities are investigating as a murder-suicide, police said.

Fairbanks police were called to a Hampton Inn on Friday afternoon and found a man sitting in a second-floor hallway, crying, police said in a statement.

"The male directed the officers to a nearby room. Officers entered the room and found four individuals deceased from apparent gunshot wounds," the Friday statement said.

The victims were identified as Linda Hutton, 54; Emily McDonald, 22; McKay Hutton, 22; and Teagan Hutton, 8 weeks. The shooting apparently took place shortly before officers arrived.

The deaths are under investigation. There was no sign of drugs or alcohol being involved, the police statement said.

The identity of the man in the hall was not released. Police in Fairbanks, a city of 32,000 people about 250 miles north of Anchorage, said he was not a suspect.

(Reporting by Ian Simpson)
Well this is awkward

Netflix's highly anticipated four-part event, Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life, has finally graced our screens and it was jam-packed with many delightful and downright life-changing moments. (Read the full recap here!)

But there was one moment in the series' second episode, "Spring," that slammed our jaws onto the floor of Chilton's perfectly marbled hallways: Gilmore Girls replaced 2000s WB heartthrob Chad Michael Murray with another actor and hoped that nobody would notice. Yes, we're serious.

MORE: 'Gilmore Girls' Each Season's Biggest Moments and Those Last 4 Words Finally Revealed!

Netflix

When Rory returns to her old private school to speak to the students at Chilton's alumni day, she is shocked when Paris stares off into the distance while simultaneously screaming, "Oh my god!" For a split second, the camera cuts to a tall, handsome, blonde man confidently hitting on a gorgeous girl in the hallways of Chilton.

"Tristan?" Rory ponders out loud to herself while Paris frantically kicks a gaggle of preteens out of the nearest ladies' room.

Not so fast!

Upon closer inspection, it's clear the actor portraying the casual smugness of Chilton badboy Tristan Dugray is not being played by Murray, who starred in the role for the first two seasons before being sent off to military school (AKA One Tree Hill). Instead, according to the credits, (and our own eyes,) the "Tristan Double" is played Days of Our Lives actor Anton Narinskiy. Gasp!

We have SO many questions: Why couldn't they get Murray to return to the Gilmore Girls revival? Did they really think we wouldn't notice that this is a completely different actor? Whose not-so-bright idea was this? And why the heck would Tristan even be at an alumni event in the first place, considering the fact that he never actually graduated from Chilton?!

Gilmore Girls further rubbed salt in our CMM-loving wounds by weaving their on-set deceit into the storyline. "Was that Tristan out there?" a doe-eyed Rory asks.

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"Of course it was Tristan! That pouty mouth, those liquid eyes, who else?!" Paris snaps. Yes, we're currently asking "Who else?" that man is too.

PHOTOS: 'Gilmore Girls': Looking Back at the Now-Famous Faces Who Once Graced Stars Hollow

ET recently caught up with star Liza Weil on the red carpet of Gilmore Girls' world premiere event, and got the exclusive scoop on this confusing schoolboy switch-a-roo.

"I mean, it would've been nice [to have him in the revival], but he's busy," Weil spilled of Murray's M.I.A. status. "He's doing a lot of things and he's doing very well for himself, Chad Michael Murray, so I think in all, I think it plays."

Seeing Tristan "macking on the slutty biznatch," combined with the fact that she and Doyle are getting a divorce leads Paris into a full-fledged, not-getting-into-Harvard-level freak out.

"There was a lot going on in alumni day, but I was so glad that we were able to revisit Chilton," the How to Get Away With Murder star continued. "And it really did make so much sense to me, psychologically, and I could see how [seeing Tristan] would be a very big trigger for Paris."

But Trickster Dugray is not the only Chilton ghost to haunt the halls of Paris' high school nightmares. Former queen bee and leader of The Puffs, Francie Jarvis, also makes an appearance in the ladies' room right in the middle of Paris' downward spiral.

MORE: Behind the Scenes of the 'Gilmore Girls' Revival -- See All the Pics!

"Fine sure, we'll just catch up at the reunion of The Puffs next month," Francie says coyly after Paris kicks her out of the bathroom. "Oops! No we won't, because you never got puffed!"

When asked if Paris regrets never getting initiated into the secret society, Weil joked with ET that the snub "stings still." The 39-year-old actress added, "I don't know if regret is the right word. I think it hurts. It left a mark."

Well, we can certainly empathize, because the fact that Gilmore Girls replaced Tristan Dugray with another actor is definitely going to leave a mark on our Murray-loving hearts for many years to come.

Can you believe that the powers-that-be at Gilmore Girls recast Tristan? Are you outraged or over it? Share your Chilton-loving thoughts with @LeanneAguilera on Twitter!

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Maryland teen Rebecca Malstrom sure knows how to make a statement at the dinner table.

After her family requested she change out of her Black Lives Matter shirt on Thanksgiving, Malstrom was more than happy to oblige.

Why? Because she found the perfect way to outsmart her relatives... by changing into a different Black Lives Matter shirt.

SEE ALSO: Grandma's wrong number Thanksgiving invitation ends in the best way possible

Malstrom said she originally decided to wear a Black Lives Matter shirt on such a significant day because she feels it's important to speak up about a topic "that definitely needs more support." However, because of the political strain from the 2016 election, her family wanted to avoid controversial discussions at dinner.

"We had a strict 'no politics' rule, so when one family member asked me to change, I followed the command and changed... into another BLM shirt," the 19-year-old University of Maryland student told Mashable. She posted photographs of the two shirts on Twitter and the internet loved it.

When you're told to change ur shirt before Thanksgiving Dinner so you happily oblige :-) pic.twitter.com/T8pabtK7D8  jingle becca (@rebamals) November 24, 2016

After changing into her second Black Lives Matter shirt and returning to the dinner table, Malstrom said the reaction from her family members "wasn't as exciting as it could've been."

She decided to cover the shirt with a sweater to avoid conflict, but the following night at "friendsgiving" with some of her additional family members in attendance, Malstrom proudly wore the same shirt without the words covered. "That's when I told everyone that my tweet had blown up. Their reactions were priceless!" she said.

"I love my entire family to Pluto and back, but we don't see eye to eye on politics. However, they have all shown their support and are so proud of me for standing for what I believe in," Malstrom told Mashable. "Even though not all of my family agrees with my political views, everyone was ecstatic to see how much of an impact I had on the internet."

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Since posting the photographs on Twitter, Malstrom has received some serious praise, along with various invites to Thanksgiving dinners and barbecues with "seasoned" food.

@rebamals Autocorrect told me to capitalize all the letters. LEGEND. pic.twitter.com/4YofLSjoA4  Bruce Draper (@SithLordMakasu) November 25, 2016

Becca with the good shade https://t.co/TOgmaGh2Kv  Jazzy Fizzle (@___JazzyJas) November 25, 2016

Another sweet potato pie about to come out the oven in 5 mins. Plates are on the counter https://t.co/2mAR3TSG5E  Ciroc Gawd (@RompeToto6) November 24, 2016

You want to come eat at my grandma house? https://t.co/WNHFSusQ9Y   (@sameolmickey) November 24, 2016

sis, you're invited to dinner . You don't need to eat that unseasoned food anyway. Come on. https://t.co/k3zeOLbLKv  Pesos (@niquepesos_) November 24, 2016

Come eat some seasoned food baby https://t.co/QXQoT44Gq6  Greg (@BankRolllGreg) November 25, 2016

You are officially invited to all my cookouts no invitation required jus pull up https://t.co/1pbsaVhlOF  Nigel (@trueson23) November 25, 2016

Unfortunately, Malstrom had to let everyone know that she and spicy food don't really mix.

That tweet has gotten me so many invites to cookouts and Thanksgivings w/ seasoned food but honestly some toothpaste is too spicy for me :-(  jingle becca (@rebamals) November 24, 2016

BONUS: This Thanksgiving prank could have you crying over your dead bird
Director Stephen Gaghan and producer Teddy Schwarzman came to Deadlines all-day awards season event November 5th, The Contenders Presented By Deadline, as part of the Weinstein Company panel to tell the story of the making of their contender, Gold, a true movie adventure in the tradition of The Treasure Of The Sierra Madre merged with The Wolf Of Wall Street.

Gaghan explains the film is inspired by some true-life events mixed with the fictional character of Kenny Wells, played by Matthew McConaughey. Hes a financial trader who hits upon a get-very-rich-quick scheme to uncover lots of gold in the mountains of Indonesia. With the help of a local guide played by Edgar Ramirez, the film is a full throttle adventure and the story of a man who follows a dream. BUT as Gaghan and Schwarzman explain the shoot in Thailand nearly turned the whole thing into a nightmare when monsoon season took over and almost put the entire set under water. Gaghan also has high praise for McConaughey who put on a lot of weight and started balding for the role.

To watch our conversation in front of a packed house with invited Oscar voters and key Guild members at the DGA Theatre click the link above.

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RACINE  Small Business Saturday is intended to celebrate the best of the local businesses, including one business that makes Racines most famous pastry look even more scrumptious.

Im very happy to see Downtown Racine continue to have such a diverse group of shops, said Kay Gregor, owner of Kringle Etc., a distributor of kringle serving platters. Its something to be proud of.

For Gregor, its all about presentation. At least when it comes to kringle.

In the kringle capital of the country, residents take pride in the delectable Danish pastry Racine is famous for  from the pecan and apple to the almond macaroon and chocolate pecan.

Kringle is also the state pastry of Wisconsin, so when Gregor hatched the idea for her business 31 years ago, she knew it would catch on. But only recently did her small business start to boom.

I was just trying to simplify my life and send kringle to my family around the country, Gregor said. It took off from there.

In stores now

After retiring in 2015 from her post as executive director of the Racine Literacy Council, Gregor wanted to boost her kringle board small business. With her newly acquired free time, that is exactly what she did.

Gregor started by creating additional designs for her boards, including the most popular  an homage to the Wind Point lighthouse.

Its a real positive image that kringle brings to Racine, Gregor said. I see kringle as one of the highlights of our community.

Gregor also had plans of pushing her product onto the shelves of local businesses as well. The first to bite was Lehmanns Bakery, which has been selling the product for decades alongside its kringle.

They have been very encouraging, Gregor said. They have the largest inventory of the boards.

Five more businesses have jumped on the kringle board opportunity including Bendtsens Bakery, Larsens Bakery, Northern Lights Gallery, and Lighthouse Gifts & Gallery. The most recent addition is Mars Cheese Castle in western Kenosha County, which Gregor thinks will help her business with Mars prominent location just off Interstate-94.

With a successful year wrapping up, Gregor is proud of her success, but she said she has much more in store for her small business in the future.

I think its terrific that bakeries are open to adding this to their bakery, Gregor said. I also hope to see it expand to other places like churches and doing custom designs for places.
Moscow (AFP) - Former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev on Saturday hailed Fidel Castro, the Cuban socialist icon who has died aged 90, for "strengthening" his island nation.

"Fidel stood up and strengthened his country during the harshest American blockade, when there was colossal pressure on him and he still took his country out of this blockade to a path of independent development," Interfax news agency quoted Gorbachev as saying.

"In the past years, even when Fidel Castro was not formally in power, his role in strengthening the country was huge."

Gorbachev added that Castro would be remembered as a "prominent politician" who managed to leave a "deep mark in the history of mankind."

The Kremlin has not yet reacted to Castro's death.

Ties between Moscow and Havana suffered after the collapse of the USSR as the massive flow of financial aid from the Soviet Union dried up, delivering a major economic blow to the country.

Cuban President Raul Castro, who took power after his elder brother Fidel was hospitalised in 2006, said that the revolutionary leader's remains will be cremated early on Saturday.
Snapchat Spectacles

Something funny happened this Fall.

Snapchat, an internet social messaging company, started selling high-tech sunglasses. Google, a search advertising company, started selling the Pixel phone. And Microsoft, a software company, started selling the Surface Studio PC.

The internet and software giants are suddenly hot for hardware  a high-cost, low-margin business dominated by fierce competitors with years of experience.

That doesn't look like a sound business plan. And indeed, none of these internet companies have given any indication that hardware is the future of their business.

But hardware has become a necessary cost of doing business  at least temporarily  as these companies scramble to secure their future.

Microsoft, Google and Snapchat all rose to power in the world of PCs and smartphones. PCs are dying and the smartphone boom is already starting to taper off. What comes next is still anyone's guess. And that's a dangerous place to be for all three of these companies.

What do they want

The major consideration here is pretty basic: What does Google want? What do Snapchat parent Snap, Amazon, Microsoft, or whoever else, want?

For instance: when Microsoft launched the original Surface tablet, its first-ever piece of computing hardware, it was with a very specific goal. Microsoft knew it would never sell as much as even a similar tablet from Dell, or Lenovo, or whoever else.

Rather, it was intended as a kick in the pants to those same companies. In the hardware business, margins are thin, and R&D tends to go into incremental upgrades rather than revolutionary steps forward. What Microsoft wanted was for those companies to stop making boring old laptops and start looking at touchscreens and styluses.

microsoft surface studio

Ultimately, Microsoft won its big bet. Big companies like Dell and little startups like Eve have come out with their own takes on the Surface, with even Apple following suit. And the market for Surface-like 2-in-1 computers is growing faster than the overall PC business is shrinking.

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Microsoft needed more people using Windows, and it used a piece of niche hardware manufactured in-house to achieve that goal. The Surface Studio PC, which is winning attention even from Apple's most die-hard fans, is another page from the same playbook: Use a cool new device to win attention and credibility for the software.

Snaptacles

So what does Google want, or Snapchat? In both cases, the answer is the same, even if their businesses are different.

Snapchat knows as well or better than anybody that its service lives or dies on the basis of whether or not its younger-skewing users still think it's cool. The problem is that Facebook, Snap's perennial rival for the affections of the mythical American teenager, is relentlessly appropriating Snapchat's best features for its own use.

Now, Snapchat has rebranded itself a "camera company," and released its new Spectacles glasses.

snapchat snap spectacles

Maybe Facebook could replicate the design of the Spectacles. It wouldn't matter. It can't recreate the hype, or the fact that Spectacles, and Snap's clever product launch, have reaffirmed Snapchat's reputation as the cooler, more fashionable social network.

With its buzz reaffirmed, it would be silly for Snapchat to not at least consider opening its app to camera hardware from other manufacturers. After all, Snapchat's real business is the audience that uses its service and the ads it monetizes that audience with, not the revenue from selling sunglasses. And for other hardware companies, tapping into the Snapchat buzz is one more compelling product feature.

Pixel perfect

The same goes for Google, with the Pixel.

The headline feature of the phone is the Google Assistant, Google's new virtual personal assistant.

The point of the Pixel isn't to sell a bunch of Pixels (though it wouldn't hurt); it's to demonstrate the power of the company's artificial intelligence assistant, on the Pixel phone and on other hardware devices like Google's new Home smart speaker.

If the Pixel is even a modest hit, it demonstrates the power of Google's AI capabilities to other phone manufacturers, and Google's empire expands further. If customers are expressing demand, it incentivizes Android phone manufacturers to stop stalling and integrate the latest Google tech, faster.

Google Pixel assistant

That's important for Google, as Apple and Microsoft alike are both betting big that virtual assistants like their own Siri and Cortana are the next big battleground. Google needs to protect its core search business, and that means conquering the virtual assistant, space, too.

In all of these cases, they're big, but unproven, bets that hardware can drive demand for their software and services. Even Amazon is using its Echo to drive more demand for its retail business.

Ultimately, what we're seeing is a game that's as much psychological as it is sales-driven. The biggest companies in tech need to build excitement for the next big thing in technology, by any means necessary.

NOW WATCH: First thoughts on Snapchat's Spectacles  the sunglasses everyone is going crazy for





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Its safe to say Olivia Flowers has been killing it on the Halloween front this year. Over the weekend, the Southern Charm cast member went out with Kathryn Dennis and Taylor Ann Green, and the gals looked stunning in their edgy, Goth-inspired costumes, which, for Olivia, included a black corset, skirt, knee-high boots, and dark lipstick. Olivia decided to take things in a more colorful direction for the October 31 holiday, emulating the late Olivia Newton-Johns aerobics style for her 1981 hit
On trial in 1953 for leading a rebel attack on the Moncada military garrison in Santiago de Cuba, Fidel Castro, then a young lawyer, concluded his own defense by declaring, Condemn me. It does not matter. History will absolve me. Now that the 90-year-old patriarch of Cuba has died, the time for historys judgment has arrived.

Its tempting to echo Zhou Enlai, who, when asked in 1972 what impact the French Revolution had on Western civilization, famously replied, It is too early to say. Certainly, in Fidels case  and everyone called him Fidel, even his enemies  the broad outlines of his legacy are clear enough. By his own account, he made a revolution in pursuit of two goals: to gain real independence for Cuba, freeing it from the political and economic tutelage of the United States; and to introduce a measure of social justice to Cubas deeply corrupt and unequal social order.

Somewhere in his intellectual development  his own accounts of when varied over the years  he decided that the only road leading to these goals was socialism. He kept that insight to himself as he led a nationalist, anti-authoritarian revolution to triumph over the Batista regime in 1959. Perhaps he was mindful of his hero, Cubas founding father Jose Marti, who once wrote, To achieve certain objectives, they must be kept under cover; to proclaim them for what they are would raise such difficulties that the objectives could not be attained. When the revolutions early reforms brought Cuba into conflict with the United States, as Castro knew they would, he decided that the revolutions survival depended on forging an alliance with the Soviet Union.

In the revolutions early decades, Castro appeared to achieve his two goals. He purged Cuba of U.S. influence by nationalizing over $1 billion in U.S. investments and thumbing his nose at Washingtons often ham-fisted attempts to rein him in. Assassination, invasion, and covert war all proved unequal to the task of dislodging him, to the chagrin of Washington policymakers, who could neither understand nor tolerate such defiance in their own backyard. Buoyed by the publics nationalist cheers, Fidel hit the Yanquis hard, and they could never devise an effective way to hit him back. Even today, the residue of Washingtons frustration with him continues to fuel the animus of policy makers who oppose President Barack Obamas opening to the island.

Beginning with radically redistributive economic reforms and culminating in the nationalization of the entire economy, right down to the mom and pop stores on the corner, Castro transformed Cuba into the most egalitarian society in Latin America. Healthcare, education, and social security were declared human rights and provided free to everyone. Income disparities shrank as wage differentials narrowed and basic consumer goods were provided to all through rationing at prices heavily subsidized by the government.

But all this came at a cost. With link between workers compensation and productivity shattered, growth stalled. And in the service of creating a socialist economy, Castro crushed Cubas bourgeoisie. Once the direction of the revolution became clear, the upper and middle classes began an historic migration north into exile. In just the first decade of revolutionary government, more than 250,000 Cubans fled their homeland. Over the ensuing decades, nearly a million more would follow.

Castro was a keen politician, appealing to deep currents in Cuban political culture, most especially the nationalism born of Cubas repeated failure to win its independence, first from Spanish colonialism and then from U.S. neocolonialism. A charismatic leader par excellence, he harbored a deep distrust of institutions, believing he was a better judge of the desires and aspirations of the Cuban people than any formal structure. More than once, he tore down institutions that he himself had built when they worked in ways that endangered his vision for Cubas future.

In so doing, he left a legacy of institutional weakness which his brother Raul has spent the past decade trying to repair. Fidel was, as social scientists say, a minimum winning coalition all by himself. When he decided on a policy, the rest of the leadership dutifully fell into line. Political power, then, was directly correlated with proximity to Fidel. It was no accident that the principal path to power for an aspiring young politician led through Castros personal staff. During the last two decades of Castros leadership, a series of young heirs apparent rose and fell based on their personal relationships with him. Their meteoric ascendance afforded them no institutional base of support, denied them the political savvy only experience can provide, and imbued them with the hubris of Icarus. None lasted more than a few years. Raul Castro has implicitly acknowledged the politys institutional shortcomings by calling for a major renovation of the Communist Party, empowering local political institutions, and proposing 10-year term limits for all senior officials. Strengthening institutions has been a constant theme in his public addresses.

As Cubas maximum leader, Fidel Castro was never one to tolerate dissent. All criticism is opposition, he told compatriot Carlos Franqui, All opposition is counterrevolutionary. To consolidate political control, Fidel closed off all channels for independent political expression. He dealt ruthlessly with opponents  from Comandante Huber Matos, sentenced to 20 years for treason in 1959 for his anti-communism, to 75 dissidents imprisoned for subversion in 2003 for accepting aid from the United States. Maintaining tight political control allowed Fidel to survive dozens of assassination attempts and half a century of U.S. hostility. But the very real threat from the United States became the rationale for a perpetual national security state that suppressed traditional civil and political liberties, and rewarded conformity. The absence of an independent press, political parties, and civil society associations left the state without the self-correcting mechanisms of a pluralist democratic society. A series of policy disasters followed.

In the late 1960s, Castro embraced Ernesto Che Guevaras vision of new socialist man  a citizen with communist conscience who would work according to his ability and consume only according to his needs. Economic policy was recast to level wage differentials and severed the link between workers productivity and income. Predictably, many people simply stopped coming to work; productivity plummeted. In the following decade, that policy was replaced by a model of centralized socialist planning imported from the Soviet Union, based on material incentives. With it came all the distortions typical of that model, including a surge in corruption.

Although the experience of the 1960s forced Castro to acknowledge that Cubans were not ready to act like selfless citizens in a Marxist utopia, he could never reconcile himself to relying on markets. The inevitable social inequalities that markets produce, even in a state-owned economy, were simply anathema to his vision of social justice. In 1986, Fidel repudiated the Soviet planning model and launched a campaign to rectify errors and negative tendencies, which meant once again moving away from the use of market mechanisms and toward moral incentives. And once again, the economy stagnated as a result.

This new economic experiment was abruptly cut short by the collapse of European communism in 1989-1991, which plunged Cuba into a deep depression known as the Special Period. The loss of $3 billion annually in Soviet economic assistance reduced Cubas import capacity by 75 percent. The resulting shortages of raw materials like fuel and fertilizer caused huge production losses in both manufacturing and agriculture, triggering a downward economic spiral. Between 1989 and 1993, gross domestic product fell 35 percent, and real wages fell by even more. Consumer goods of all types disappeared from store shelves, and people went hungry.

At first, Fidel responded with defiance, closing his speeches by declaring, Socialism or Death! But survival required economic concessions. At his brother Rauls urging, a reluctant Fidel agreed to re-introduce market mechanisms to restart the economy, legalizing free farmers markets and small businesses. The government eased restrictions on direct foreign investment to attract the capital needed to modernize the tourist industry, and legalized the possession of dollars, encouraging Cuban Americans to send remittances. But Fidel was never comfortable with these reforms, regarding them as strictly temporary. We have gone down this road basically because it was the only alternative for saving the revolution, he said at the depths of the recession. As the economy gradually recovered in the late 1990s, he scaled back the market-oriented reforms.

By the time Raul took over from the ailing Fidel in 2006, the economy faced serious structural imbalances. Although it had been growing since the 1990s, the gains were concentrated in tourism and the export of medical services. The actual production of goods on the island still lagged below 1989 levels, and many state enterprises operated at a loss. The central problem, Raul bluntly pointed out, was low productivity. No country or person can spend more than they have, he reminded the Communist Party Congress in April 2011. Two plus two is four. Never five, much less six or seven  as we have sometimes pretended.

Raul launched a major updating of Cuban economic policy, relying more directly on market mechanisms to drive efficiency than at any time since 1959. As a package, these reforms resembled the early stages of Chinas and Vietnams turn towards market socialism in the 1970s and 1980s. From his retirement, Fidel endorsed the new policies, admitting to a visiting journalist that Cubas traditional model of central planning, doesnt even work for us anymore. But the new policies clearly went well beyond anything he himself would have designed, calling into question the durability of Fidels vison of social equality.

The price of freeing Cuba from U.S. domination was alliance with the Soviet Union, which turned Cuba into a focal point of the Cold War. The U.S. embargo forced Cuba into dependence on the Soviets, which proved to be almost as crippling as Cubas pre-revolutionary dependence on the United States. But while U.S. politicians routinely denounced Cuba as a puppet of Moscow, Fidel Castro took orders from no one. Hes his own man, Mikhail Gorbachev tried to explain to President George H. W. Bush at the end of the Cold War. We cannot dictate to him.

Fidel saw the Cuban revolution as both a Third World national liberation struggle and a socialist revolution, and he had aspirations that went beyond his small island. From the earliest days, he envisioned Cuba as a model for Latin Americas struggle for independence and social justice. Fidel and Che Guevara inspired a generation of Latin American youth, from student revolutionaries in the 1960s, to Central American guerrillas in the 1980s, to the 21st-century socialism of Hugo Chavez in Venezuela, Evo Morales in Bolivia, and Rafael Correa in Ecuador. Even critics harbored a certain admiration for Fidels ability to defy the United States and live to tell the tale.

Beyond the Western hemisphere, Castro supported anti-colonial struggles in Africa and Asia. Cuban arms and military advisers bolstered independence movements against colonialism and white minority rule in southern Africa, and when South Africa invaded Angola in 1975 to install a puppet regime, Cuba sent 30,000 troops to drive the South Africans back across the border. Fidel won the leadership of the Nonaligned Movement in 1979 despite Cubas close partnership with the Soviets. It was sometimes a difficult balancing act. We are playing two roles, Fidel explained to visiting U.S. diplomats after the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. We are playing the role of the revolutionary and we are also playing the role of the member of the Nonaligned Movement. Its not easy.

The collapse of the Soviet Union effectively ended Cubas ability to project military force abroad, but Cubas global engagement remained high as soldiers were replaced by doctors and teachers. Even President Obama acknowledged the diplomatic effectiveness of Cubas medical internationalism. In 2006, Cuba was once again elected to lead the Nonaligned Movement, and in 2013, Raul Castro assumed the chair of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), which excludes the United States and Canada.

Like a good chess player, Fidel had an uncanny ability to anticipate his opponents next moves and preempt them or turn them to his own advantage. Fidel has long headlights, said one senior Cuban official, describing Castros prescience. In 1980, when Jimmy Carter goaded Castro about the number of Cubans wanting to emigrate, Fidel threw open the port of Mariel, unleashing a flood of some 125,000 refugees. With this uncanny act of political jujitsu, Castro turned Cubas embarrassment over how many of its citizens wanted to leave, into Washingtons embarrassment over its inability to control its own coast.

When Ronald Reagan authorized propaganda broadcasts to Cuba by Radio Marti, Castro responded not by broadcasting Cuban programs to the United States, as U.S. officials anticipated, but by suspending a recently signed immigration agreement that had been four years in the making. In 2003, the George W. Bush administration tried to goad Cuba into closing the U.S. Interests Section in Havana by directing the chief of mission to publicly embrace Cuban dissidents. Instead, Castro struck not at the diplomats, but at the dissidents they supported, arresting them by the dozens.

Fidels political acumen was a perennial frustration for U.S. policymakers, who could never figure out how to bring him to heel. As National Security Council director for Latin America Robert Pastor wrote in 1979, U.S. policy toward Cuba was driven out of unmitigated frustration, derived from three irreducible facts: (1) Cuba causes us terrible problems; (2) Cuba is a little country, and we are a superpower; and (3) We have almost no leverage or influence over the Cubans.

For half a century, U.S. policymakers hoped and believed that Fidel was so central to Cubas revolutionary regime that it would not survive his passing. In the 1960s, the CIA sought to accelerate that process through assassination. By the turn of the century, George W. Bushs administration was planning for the fall of the regime, certain it had a life expectancy no better than that of its octogenarian founder. Your policy is to wait for me to die, Fidel lectured two U.S. diplomats in 1979. And I dont intend to cooperate. And he didnt. Instead, he fell ill and was forced to hand the reins of authority to his brother. The transfer of power could not have been smoother; there were no protests, no riots, no rush to the exits. Not only did Fidels revolutionary regime survive him, he lived long enough to see it.

But the goals for which Castro made the revolution face real challenges in the years ahead. The normalization of relations with the United States, if it survives into Donald Trumps presidency, represents both a triumph and a danger: a triumph, in that Washington has finally recognized the reality and permanence of the revolution; a danger, in that it will open the flood gates to a resurgence of U.S. economic influence. During the campaign, Trump promised to roll back Obamas policy of engagement, but as recently as September, he said the opening to Cuba was fine if the United States could get a better deal. The businessmans nose for economic opportunity might yet trump the politicians campaign promise.

Without the embargo, trade with the United States will quickly grow to dwarf trade with every other partner, tourists from the United States will dwarf the numbers from Canada and Western Europe, and investment from U.S. firms (including Cuban American firms) will dwarf investments from everywhere else. The gravitational pull of the U.S. economy could be irresistible, pulling Cuba back into the orbit of its northern neighbor and threatening to recreate the dependency the revolution aimed to end. This was the danger that Fidel himself envisioned when he warned his fellow countryman about the risks of engagement after Obamas visit to Havana last March.

Cubas move to market socialism puts at risk the ideal of social equality that Fidel held to so tenaciously. His successors have pledged to maintain the collective welfare system of which the revolution is most proud  free health care, free education, and social security. No one will be left behind, Raul Castro has promised. But other state subsidies for consumers are being phased out as too costly. By giving free play to market forces, Cubas current leaders hope to boost productivity, even at the expense of increasing income disparities. Markets inevitably produce winners and losers. Already, Cubans who are well-educated, live in cities where economic development is more dynamic, and have access to hard currency, are thriving in a freer economic environment. Those who are low-skilled or elderly, live in rural areas, have no relatives abroad to send remittances, and suffer from racial discrimination are at risk.

Going forward, Raul Castro has described Cubas task as adapting Cuban socialism to contemporary reality, while preserving the core values of national sovereignty, dignity, and social justice that led Fidel Castro to take up arms half a century ago. Perhaps Fidels greatest achievement was upholding those values long enough to pass them on, albeit a little threadbare, to a successor generation of Cubans. To them falls the task of forging an efficient, productive economy, a more open, democratic polity, and a normal relationship with the United States. Will Fidels legacy prove to be a foundation on which they can build, or an obstacle to progress? The answer will determine whether history will absolve him. At the moment, its too early to tell.

Photo credit: OAH/AFP/Getty Images
By Fabian Cambero

LIMA (Reuters) - Global miner Anglo American Plc (AAL.L) halted all activity at its Los Bronces mine in Chile after hooded protesters seized installations early on Saturday in the second illegal occupation of the copper deposit this month, the company told Reuters.

Anglo said it was not certain who the protesters were. The latest seizure immediately followed what Anglo called an agreement between companies it uses to provide services at the mine and the Federation of Contract Workers union.

But the union indicated that it was not satisfied, and would continue to demand better contracts for workers, blaming Anglo American for an "insufficient" offer given the rise in the company's shares, which spiked with the price of copper after Donald Trump's surprise victory in the U.S. presidential election earlier this month.

"Anglo American presented a proposal that was far from the interests of workers," the union said in a statement Saturday.

Anglo American said it requested help from authorities and was preparing legal action to ensure the protection of its workers and property.

The company "makes a new call to suspend this illegal seizure and hold dialogue through established channels," Anglo American said.

Hooded protesters also took control of Los Bronces on Nov 16, prompting the company to suspend operations and evacuate 1,500 workers. Operations restarted the following day.

Anglo American's Sur unit, comprising Los Bronces and the El Soldado mines, produced about 30,000 tonnes of copper per month in the first three quarters of 2016.

(Reporting By Fabian Cambero; Writing By Mitra Taj; Editing by Jonathan Oatis and Bill Rigby)
By Noe Torres

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Mexican bank InvestaBank will stick to its plan to acquire Deutsche Bank (DBKGn.DE) assets in the country, saying it has been cleared in audits by local regulators after one of its partners was arrested in the United States.

In court documents made public in October, InvestaBank partner Carlos Djemal, who owns 15 percent of the bank, and others were accused by U.S. prosecutors of receiving fraudulent tax refunds from Mexico's government and laundering the money - more than $100 million (80.17 million pounds) - through front companies.

Djemal's lawyer did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Earlier last month, InvestaBank said it had agreed to buy two Mexican units of Deutsche Bank (DBKGn.DE), though approval from the regulator is pending.

After the criminal case was made public, authorities said they would probe whether InvestaBank had formed part of the illegal activities that Djemal is charged with.

"Verbally we have confirmation that we are fine," Chief Executive Officer Enrique Vilatela said in an interview, adding that dozens of inspectors had visited the InvestaBank offices in recent weeks.

"We don't have the resolution in writing yet, but we have it verbally," he said. "The Deutsche Bank operation is moving ahead and the capital raise. Right now we are meeting with funds to confirm that we are moving ahead."

Nevertheless, a spokesman from banking regulator CNBV said that the inspection process is still not finished.

"We are still in the process of analysis," the spokesman said. "There are no conclusions yet in the slightest."

A spokesman for the IPAB, which insures deposits, also said it did not yet have a final verdict. Mexico's central bank did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Vilatela also said he hopes that Djemal quits the bank.

"We are requesting through the family that he sell his shares and that he leave the bank," he said.

InvestaBank said on Oct. 26 it had agreed to buy the Mexican units of Deutsche Bank, and that it would seek a capital increase of some 2.5 billion pesos to help fund the purchase. The bank did not disclose the price tag for the deal.

InvestaBank was created in 2014 from the acquisition ofRoyal Bank of Scotland's (RBS.L) operations in Mexico.

(Reporting by Noe Torres; Editing by Cynthia Osterman)
Tehran (AFP) - The head of Iranian Railways has resigned after four of his employees were arrested following a collision between two trains that left at least 44 people dead.

Mohsen Poor-Seyed Aghaie, a deputy minister in the transport ministry and head of the state-owned railway company, appeared on state television late Saturday and announced his resignation "as a social responsibility and out of sympathy for the survivors of this accident".

Two trains collided and one caught fire in the northern province of Semnan on Friday, killing 44 people and injuring dozens more, in one of the country's worst ever rail disasters.

The crash took place on the main line between Tehran and Iran's second city Mashhad.

One of the trains had stopped between the towns of Semnan and Damghan after an apparent mechanical failure, forcing officials to halt others on the line.

But when a new shift started at the control centre in Shahroud, the second train was allowed to resume its journey.

The accident happened due to "human error", Aghaie said, explaining that the official at the control centre had told the train driver to manually disable an automated system that was preventing it from moving toward the broken train.

Three in the control centre and the train driver were detained over the resulting crash.

The train driver "who had fled to a hideout" was arrested on Sunday, a local judge in Seman province told the judiciary-linked Mizan Online website.

"During the investigation, three people in charge of the northeast train control centre based in the city of Shahroud... were arrested," provincial prosecutor general Heydar Asiabi told reporters.

Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei offered his condolences on Saturday for the "painful incident", which came just a day after more than 60 Iranian pilgrims were killed in a suicide attack in Iraq.
Partway through his first term as School Board president for the Racine Unified School District, Michael Frontier took time to answer a few questions for The Journal Times. He has spent decades in education in Racine County and now, in his new role, he hopes to be able to lead the School Board in more streamlined and efficient ways.

What are some things that excite you for the rest of the school year and why?

In early spring, freshmen at all of our high schools will declare which academy they would like to enter next fall as part of our cutting-edge high school academy program. For me, being present at these declaration ceremonies will mark a significant step for the district in providing stronger career preparation for our students. Also, the board recently heard about the Knapp Community School. This collaborative effort with United Way holds great promise of supporting families with a variety of programs right in their neighborhood. Efforts to increase participation in early childhood education are critical. I look forward to hearing about our newly created Montessori program recently implemented.

Some might not know that you used to be a teacher and principal, what do you miss the most about those jobs?

Whenever I speak to former educators, they all miss the students. The thing I miss most is coordinating great learning opportunities for students. I have worked with students from early childhood through high school. It is always fun to meet former students in the community and reminisce about their school experience. When I was principal in Franksville Elementary School before it closed and I became principal of Gifford Middle School, we took our sixth-grade students to overnight winter and summer camp adventures. These experiences required tremendous collaboration with teachers, parents and camp staff. Thirty-five years later, students happily remember those opportunities.

What are some goals you have for this school board and the district in general?

As School Board president my goal is that we continue to function with mutual respect for the important work the community has called us to do. Beyond this personal goal, the board has rallied around these directions. All of these should be approved by the end of the year: 1) The board has reviewed and updated its coherent governance policies. 2) The board has put in place new policies, which will provide administration with clearer communication and direction on budget, facilities and personnel items. 3) The board will be streamlining its committee structure to be more intentional in working together with administration.

During this Thanksgiving season, is there any part of your education (a teacher, class, project etc.) that youre thankful for being part of your education?

I am thankful for the opportunity to have started a new school, San Juan Diego. The opportunity to work with the Christian Brothers and community-minded leaders from St. Patrick Parish was a unique learning experience. The community rallied around this middle school and provided considerable financial support and volunteer hours. It survived the recession of 2009 in a new form, John XXIII Educational Center. This is the result of visionary current leadership. This is also a great credit to the St. Patrick community, one of the Archdioceses poorest parishes. John XXIII has worked since its inception with Racine Public Schools. The John XXIII program has supported students from grades 6-12. Over the past three years, 60 of 63 high school seniors coming to John XXIII for support have graduated.

Is there anything, in education or life in general, do you wish you wouldve done differently?

At times I became so immersed in my work I missed opportunities to provide experiences for my kids and family. You never get these times back. I also wish I had mastered Spanish, because having this second language would have helped me work more closely with parents.
ISMAILIA, Egypt (Reuters) - Islamic State claimed responsibility on Friday for an attack on an Egyptian military checkpoint in northern Sinai Peninsula that killed at least 12 soldiers. An Islamist insurgency in the rugged, thinly populated Sinai has gained pace since the military toppled President Mohamed Mursi of the Muslim Brotherhood, Egypt's oldest Islamist movement, in mid-2013 following mass protests against his rule. The militant group staging the insurgency pledged allegiance to Islamic State in 2014 and adopted the name Sinai Province. It is blamed for killing hundreds of Egyptian soldiers and police since then. "An armed group of terrorist elements attacked a checkpoint in North Sinai on Thursday night using four-wheel-drives rigged with explosives," the military said in a statement that put the death toll at eight soldiers and three attackers. Medical sources said four more bodies were found on Friday, bringing the toll to 12 out of the checkpoint's 31 soldiers. Twelve soldiers were wounded and one was missing. Islamic State said it had killed 15 soldiers, destroyed two armored vehicles and taken weapons from the checkpoint before blowing it up. Witnesses said security forces set up extra mobile and static checkpoints in and around Arish city, the capital of North Sinai province, and were searching for the attackers. Later on Friday, a spokesman for the U.S. State Department condemned the attack, offering condolences to the families of the victims and sympathy for the injured. "We express our solidarity with the people of Egypt as they confront violent extremism. The United States strongly supports Egypt's security, and together we will continue to work together to defeat this threat," spokesman John Kirby said in a statement. (Reporting by Yusri Mohamed; Additional reporting by Mostafa Hashem in Cairo and Eric Walsh in Washington; Writing by Ahmed Aboulenein; Editing by Robin Pomeroy and Lisa Shumaker)
Lima (AFP) - A judge Saturday gave Peru's ex-first lady Nadine Heredia 10 days to return to her country, where she is under investigation, or face preventative detention.

"This is a request specifically for Ms. Nadine Heredia, who is being investigated for money laundering, to return to Peru within 10 days and to quit her job at the FAO; in the event she does not return, she could face preventive detention," Judge Richard Concepcion said in an order. The FAO is the UN Food and Agriculture Organization.

Heredia is accused along with her husband, former president Ollanta Humala, of laundering $1.5 million allegedly given to fund his 2006 and 2011 presidential campaigns.

With the investigation under way, the Rome-based FAO appointed Heredia to head its liaison office in Geneva, where the UN has its European headquarters.

Peru's foreign ministry has said it complained to the FAO's representative in Peru "against a decision that could be interpreted as interference in a judicial investigation in Peru."

Heredia had been forbidden to leave Peru while the courts investigated, but a judge recently lifted the travel ban against her.

Humala, who left office in July after his term ended, was ordered not to leave the country as of last week.

Prosecutors believe the laundered funds came from the government of Venezuela's then-president Hugo Chavez and two large construction firms in Brazil.

If found guilty, the couple face between eight and 10 years in prison.

On Friday, a UN spokeswoman said privileges and immunities are extended to staff of all UN agencies, and staff members of specialized agencies in the exercise of their functions.

Heredia is believed to be in Rome.

The judge said that since she is being investigated, she can work in Peru until the investigation has been completed. But she cannot be outside Peru, to reduce the flight risk.

Humala has suggested she was being "politically persecuted."

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But President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski shot back: "she is not a political persecution victim in any way."

Swiss foreign ministry spokesman Pierre-Alain Eltschinger told AFP that such immunity shields high-level UN officials from arrest, detention and any criminal, civil or administrative prosecution.

If authorities wish to bring charges against such a person, they must first go through diplomatic channels to request that their employer lift their immunity, he said in an email.

"If Switzerland were to receive a request for mutual judicial assistance from Peru, or a request for an arrest to be carried out with the aim of extradition, the foreign ministry would ask the UN to lift the immunity of the person in question," he explained.
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On top of extreme sleep deprivation, exhaustion, dehydration and temporary psychosis, Kanye West is also battling profound depression and paranoia, according to sources close to the rapper.

Yeezy has been under the care of physicians since being forcibly removed from his home, placed on a gurney and sent to UCLA Medical Center November 21st for treatment. While family and friends thought he would be well enough to spend Thanksgiving at home, the rapper missed the festive holiday, leading slight credence to reports that West is doing much worse than previously thought.

Sources close to Kanye and Kim Kardashian tell TMZ that the controversial entertainer thought people were out to get him when he was taken to the hospital early last week. Yes paranoia was reportedly so bad that he initially wouldnt let doctors touch him. Its also being reported that Kanyes paranoia has been building up for months and goes way beyond his current stay at the hospital for dehydration and exhaustion.

During his epic rant at the Sacramento stop of his Saint Pablo tour, where he accused Beyonce of fixing the MTV Video Music Awards so she can win the Best Video of the Year VMA, Kanye pleaded for Jay Z not to send his goons after him. Jay Zcall me, bruh. You still aint called me. Jay Z, I know you got killers. Please dont send them at my head. Please call me. Talk to me like a man.

It was also reported a few days ago that Kanye has been feeling like his spirit has been under attack.
KUWAIT CITY (AFP) - Kuwaitis vote Saturday to elect the seventh parliament in a decade in the oil-rich Gulf emirate, at a time of sharp disputes over subsidy cuts due to falling oil revenues.

The snap polls see the return of opposition groups after a four-year boycott in protest at the government's amendment of the electoral law.

The emir dissolved the last parliament after MPs called for ministers to be grilled over subsidy cuts, in a state with a traditionally generous cradle-to-grave welfare system.

Around 30 opposition figures, out of 300 candidates, including 14 women, are running for the 50-seat parliament. Half of the opposition candidates are Islamists.

Opposition candidates called at their election rallies for wide democratic reforms, promising to fight for economic and social justice and to end rife corruption.

The government's austerity measures, mainly hiking petrol prices, were the top issue at election rallies.

"The government will most likely accede to some of the demands of the opposition," but stand firm on others, Stratfor, a leading intelligence platform, said in a report.

"The country has the financial luxury of taking a long-term view on reform. Even if it continues to draw down its sovereign wealth fund by $30 billion a year for 10 years, it would still have roughly half the fund left," Stratfor said.

Analysts see little hope the election will bring political stability to the Gulf state, which has been rocked by lingering disputes since mid-2006, apart from a period of relative calm after 2013.

- Sabah family keeps key posts -

Although Kuwait is seen as a pioneer in operating a parliamentary system in the Gulf, political parties are banned and its political set-up falls far short of Western-style democracy.

Regardless of the outcome of the polls, a prominent member of the Al-Sabah ruling family, in power for the past 250 years, will lead the next government.

Members of the family also always occupy the key posts of foreign, interior and defence ministers.

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Voting will take place at 100 polling stations set up in schools, with separate centres for men and women.

Kuwait has a population of 4.4 million, but 70 percent of those are foreigners and only 483,000 people are eligible to vote from among Kuwaitis who number 1.23 million.

Polling opens at 8:00 am (0500 GMT) and closes 12 hours later, with first results expected after midnight (2100 GMT) as ballot papers in Kuwait are still counted manually.

OPEC member Kuwait sits on about seven percent of global crude reserves and pumps around 3.0 million barrels of oil a day. It has amassed around $600 billion in reserves from when oil prices were high.
Buenos Aires (AFP) - Mass marches to condemn horrific violence against women swept Latin America on Friday, after a series of brutal murders stoked outrage over a long-smoldering problem in the region.

Tens of thousands of demonstrators took to the streets in Buenos Aires, the latest in a series of massive protests organized by a burgeoning movement against domestic violence and a culture of machismo.

Marches were also held in Chile, Uruguay, Colombia, Venezuela and Guatemala, with another planned Saturday in Peru.

"If any of you are going through what I was, please go to a loved one, a neighbor, anyone," said an online message from Chilean victim Nabila Riffo, 28, who lost both eyes when her ex-boyfriend attacked her in May.

"Please, don't be intimidated or threatened by any man," she said.

The demos were held on the United Nation's International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women.

The Argentine protesters called for further action, including a worldwide "women's strike" on March 8, International Women's Day.

Activists in Germany, Italy, Russia, Israel, South Korea and Mexico have joined the strike plan, organizers said.

Some 200 women have been killed by their partners or ex-partners so far this year in Argentina, fueling widespread condemnation.

In a nod to the protest movement, Argentine President Mauricio Macri met Friday with victims' families.

But he himself has come in for criticism from activists.

In a 2014 interview, he defended men who make catcalls at women on the street and said there was nothing wrong with telling a woman, "Nice ass."

A poll published Friday found 97 percent of women in Argentina have been victims of harassment multiple times.

Latin America has been shocked by a recent string of gruesome murders of women and girls: a 10-year-old Chilean suffocated with a plastic bag; a 16-year-old Argentine raped and impaled on a spike; a 22-year-old Mexican strangled to death.

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Activists condemn not only the killings but what they call a culture that values women less than men.

In Buenos Aires, protester Dora Machicado, 42, told AFP equality for women would translate to less violence.

"Economic independence frees us from the violence of machismo," she said.
(Reuters) - World leaders paid tribute on Saturday to Fidel Castro, the Cuban revolutionary leader who built a communist state on the doorstep of the United States, but in death just as in life he divided opinion, and critics labeled him a "tyrant". Castro died on Friday aged 90, his younger brother and successor Raul Castro announced on state television. U.S. PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA: U.S. President Barack Obama offered his condolences to Fidel Castro's family and added that history would judge Castro's impact on Cuba and around the world. "At this time of Fidel Castros passing, we extend a hand of friendship to the Cuban people," Obama said. "History will record and judge the enormous impact of this singular figure on the people and world around him." Obama added that during his own presidency he had worked to "put the past behind us," while working on a future that was built on those things that were in common. RUSSIAN PRESIDENT VLADIMIR PUTIN: The free and independent Cuba, built by him and his comrades, has become an influential member of international society and served as an inspiring example for many countries and people. Fidel Castro was a frank and tried and true friend of Russia. He has make a great contribution into establishing and developing of Russo-Cuban ties, close strategic cooperation in all the spheres, the Kremlin said, citing Putins condolences telegram to Raul Castro. U.S. PRESIDENT-ELECT DONALD TRUMP President-elect Donald Trump said in a statement that: "Today, the world marks the passing of a brutal dictator who oppressed his own people for nearly six decades. Fidel Castros legacy is one of firing squads, theft, unimaginable suffering, poverty and the denial of fundamental human rights. While Cuba remains a totalitarian island, it is my hope that today marks a move away from the horrors endured for too long, and toward a future in which the wonderful Cuban people finally live in the freedom they so richly deserve." U.S. VICE PRESIDENT-ELECT MIKE PENCE: U.S. Vice President-elect Mike Pence said on Twitter that: "The tyrant Castro is dead. New hope dawns. We will stand with the oppressed Cuban people for a free and democratic Cuba. Viva Cuba Libre!" CHINA PRESIDENT XI JINPING: Chinese President Xi Jinping said in a statement that: "The Chinese people have lost a close comrade and a sincere friend". Xi hailed Castro for his contribution to the development of communism both in Cuba and around the world. FRENCH PRESIDENT FRANCOIS HOLLANDE: French President Francois Hollande mourned the loss of a major figure on the world stage and welcomed the rapprochement between Havana and Washington, while noting concerns over human rights under the Castro regime. "Fidel Castro was a towering figure of the 20th century. He incarnated the Cuban revolution, in both its hopes and subsequent disillusionments," Hollande said in a statement. "France, which condemned human rights abuses in Cuba, had equally challenged the U.S. embargo on Cuba, and France was glad to see the two countries re-establish dialogue and open ties between themselves," added the Socialist party leader. Hollande met Castro in Ma, 2015 during the first ever visit by a French head of state to Cuba since the Cuban revolution. UK FOREIGN MINISTER BORIS JOHNSON: "The UK expresses its condolences to the government and people of Cuba, and to the former Presidents family. Fidel Castros death marks the end of an era for Cuba and the start of a new one for Cubas people." "Fidel Castros leadership of the 1959 Cuban Revolution marked him out as an historic if controversial figure. The UK will continue to work with the government of Cuba on a wide range of foreign policy priorities, including on human rights." EU COMMISSION PRESIDENT, JEAN-CLAUDE JUNCKER: Fidel Castro was one of the historic figures of the past century and the embodiment of the Cuban Revolution. With the death of Fidel Castro, the world has lost a man who was a hero for many. He changed the course of his country and his influence reached far beyond. Fidel Castro remains one of the revolutionary figures of the 20th century. His legacy will be judged by history." VENEZUELAN PRESIDENT NICOLAS MADURO: In Venezuela, a long-time ally of Cuba and staunch opponent of the political stance of the United States, President Nicolas Maduro said Castro had inspired and would continue to inspire his country. "We will keep on winning and keep fighting. Fidel Castro is an example of the fight for all the people of the world. We will go forward with his legacy," Maduro told television station Telesur by telephone. BOLIVIAN PRESIDENT EVO MORALES: In Bolivia, where Ernesto "Che" Guevara died in 1967 in a failed bid to export Cuba's revolution, President Evo Morales said in a statement: "Fidel Castro left us a legacy of having fought for the integration of the world's peoples ... The departure of Comandante Fidel Castro really hurts." ECUADOREAN PRESIDENT RAFAEL CORREA: Ecuadorean President Rafael Correa said: "A great has left us. Fidel has died. Long live Cuba! Long live Latin America!" SOUTH AFRICAN PRESIDENT JACOB ZUMA: South African President Jacob Zuma had warm words, thanking the Cuban leader for his help and support in the struggle to overthrow apartheid. "President Castro identified with our struggle against apartheid. He inspired the Cuban people to join us in our own struggle against apartheid," Zuma said in a statement. CANADIAN PRIME MINISTER JUSTIN TRUDEAU: In a statement, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said:"A legendary revolutionary and orator, Mr. Castro made significant improvements to the education and healthcare of his island nation. While a controversial figure, both Mr. Castro's supporters and detractors recognized his tremendous dedication and love for the Cuban people who had a deep and lasting affection for "el Comandante." VIETNAMESE PRIME MINISTER NGUYEN XUAN PHUC AND PRESIDENT TRAN DAI QUANG: In a letter to the Cuban people: "In the hour of this infinite suffering, the Communists and the people of Vietnam again reaffirm the solidarity and steadfast fighting spirit with the Communists and the Cuban brothers." "The bright life and immortal career of comrade Fidel Castro will forever live in the glorious revolutionary mission of the Cuban people and other nations striving to build a fair, civilized, democratic, prosperous and happy life." SYRIAN PRESIDENT BASHAR AL-ASSAD: President al-Assad said in a telegram to the Cuban leadership: "Cuba, our friend, managed under his leadership to withstand the strongest sanctions and oppressive campaigns witnessed in our recent history, becoming a beacon of liberation for the people of South America, and the people of the entire world. Fidel Castro's name will live forever in the minds of generations and will inspire those aspiring to true independence and liberation from the yoke of colonialism and hegemony." ITALIAN PRESIDENT SERGIO MATTARELLA: In a message to Cuban President Raul Castro, he said that: "I learned with deep sadness of the death of Fidel Castro Ruz, a leading figure in his country's history and life of the world. Over the past few years, albeit far away from active politics, he did not fail to make its voice heard on global issues of great importance and relevance, starting with environmental ones. I am sure that his figure will remain alive in the memory of the Cuban people, to which Italy is all bound together by deep feelings of old friendship." TURKISH FOREIGN MINISTRY STATEMENT: The Turkish foreign ministry said Castro "left a legacy of values and ideals that will set a path for the young generations in Cuba." "The struggle to which he dedicated his life aroused respect, even in different political camps, and resounded not just in Cuba but around the world. He stood up against global injustice and worked for the establishment of a world with greater equality and solidarity," it said in a statement. LEBANESE PRESIDENT MICHEL AOUN: In a telegram to Raul Castro: "The commander of the Cuban revolution left for almost a century a mark on the world's conscience thanks to his long experience, his power to persuade and the esteem with which he was beheld, so that his political attitudes and national debates became a unique approach of its own." "Fidel Castro's memory will remain an impetus for Cuba's present and future." KENYA OPPOSITION LEADER RAILA ODINGA: Veteran Kenyan opposition leader Raila Odinga, whose son born in 1973 was named Fidel Castro Odhiambo Odinga in honor of the Cuban leader, said in a statement: "In many ways, Castro was a great friend and true friend of Africa and other parts of the world that had to fight long and bitter wars to attain freedom from colonialism. "Castro stood very firmly on the side of Africans who were fighting for the continents liberation from colonialism especially in Congo (now DRC), Angola, Mozambique, Namibia and South Africa. "In the case of Apartheid South Africa, Castro was one of the very few voices to speak against that system that was founded on a false sense of racial superiority with dire economic consequences for black people." Odinga's son Fidel died in 2015. (Reporting by Reuters bureaus.; Editing by Mike Collett-White and W Simon)
SIRTE, Libya (Reuters) - Libyan forces faced fierce resistance on Saturday from Islamic State militants defending a final strip of land in their former stronghold of Sirte, losing at least five men, officials said. Forces led by fighters from the city of Misrata and backed by U.S. air strikes have taken all but a few dozen houses near Sirte's Mediterranean seafront since they began their campaign to recapture the city in May. As the battle has worn on they have advanced more cautiously, trying to limit casualties among their fighters and among civilians and captives trapped with the militants. Islamic State militants have defended their positions using snipers, tunnels, and hidden explosives. The Misrata-led forces said in statements posted on social media accounts that they faced two suicide bombers, one using a belt and the other grenades. They also said that "a woman from Daesh (Islamic State) betrayed our forces and fired toward them when they try to provide a safe passage for her". A Reuters reporter saw Libyan forces suffering casualties as they tried to advance after using tanks and heavy machine guns being used to destroy Islamic State-held buildings. Five fighters from the Libyan forces had been killed and 18 wounded in the clashes said Akram Gliwan, a hospital spokesman in Misrata. The Misrata-led brigades said they had nevertheless managed to take control of new houses in the contested Ghiza Bahriya district. Islamic State took full control of Sirte early last year, extending its presence along about 250km (155 miles) of Libya's coastline. Sirte's loss would leave the militant group without any territory in the North African country, though some of its fighters escaped during the early stages of the campaign and officials fear they will wage an insurgency from the south and west of the city. The U.S. has carried out at least 420 air strikes since beginning an air campaign against Islamic State in Sirte on Aug. 1. (Reporting by Hani Amara and Ahmed Elumami; Writing by Aidan Lewis; Editing by Alexander Smith)
Cuban revolutionary and leader Fidel Castro died late Friday, Nov. 25, 2016, at the age of 90, and his cremation is to be held Saturday. The man who held his own against the United States for five decades lived a remarkable life.

Four months after leading the Cuban Revolution to victory against the military dictator Fulgencio Batista in 1959, Fidel Castro, black-bearded and sporting military fatigues, came to the U.S., shook hands with Vice President Richard Nixon and declared that he was not a Communist.

I know the world thinks of us, we are Communists, and of course I have said very clear that we are not Communists," Castro said at a press conference in Washington, D.C., hoping to garner American support for his new government, and more importantly, capital investments.

The Cold War was quickly escalating, and the U.S. was not concerned that the Communists would gain power in Cuba given the leftist leanings of prominent revolutionaries Ernesto Che Guevara and Castros brother Raul.

President Dwight Eisenhower refused to meet with the newly christened Cuban leader during his 11-day visit, delegating the responsibility to his vice president.

Nixon met with Castro briefly at his Washington office in a three-hour conference during which the two discussed the Cuban leaders policies for his country, including his plans for agrarian reform, his belief that the Cuban people did not want elections, and his neutral stance on Americas rivalry with the Soviet Union.

In a secret memo (now de-classified) to President Eisenhower, Nixon expressed his concern that Castro was either incredibly naive about Communism or under Communist discipline.

My guess is the former, Nixon added.

Nevertheless, Nixon concluded that Castro had those indefinable qualities which make him a leader of men.

Whatever we may think of him he is going to be a great factor in the development of Cuba and very possibly in Latin American affairs generally, he wrote.

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Nixon was right on both counts.

Birth of a Revolutionary

Castro was born Aug. 13, 1926, near the town of Biran in the eastern portion of Cuba. His father Angel Castro y Argiz was a wealthy sugar plantation owner that had been born into a poor peasant family in Spain. His mother Lina Ruz Gonzalez was a maid in the elder Castros household who gave birth to him out of wedlock.

It was not until Castro reached age 15 that he was recognized as a legitimate son, when his father dissolved his marriage to his first wife and married Ruz.

Castro grew up in a privileged setting, attending private boarding schools and later college. While studying law at the University of Havana in the mid-1940s, Castro developed an interest in politics and became heavily involved in the student movements protesting government corruption and social inequalities.

While still in school, he traveled to the Dominican Republic in the summer of 1947 to participate in the overthrow the military dictator Rafael Trujillo, planting the seed of his inclination toward armed rebellion, though the coup was ultimately aborted before it began.

After receiving his doctorate in law in 1950, Castro began pursuing politics as a member of the Cuban Peoples Party, officially known as the Ortodoxo Party, a staunchly anti-communist political group focused on ending government corruption through constitutional reform.

Castro planned to run for congress in 1952, but his political ambitions were dashed when presidential candidate Batista, who had previously served as president from 1940 to 1944, took power in a military coup after it became clear that the Ortodoxo candidate was expected to win the presidency.

Batista strengthened the military, built up ties with the countrys economic elite as well as the Italian mafia, and received the backing of the U.S.

Acknowledging the futility of the political process in Cuba under Batista, Castro opted for armed rebellion.

On July 26, 1953, Castro, his brother Raul, and around 150 other rebels -- mostly laborers and farm workers -- led an attack on the Moncada military barracks in Santiago, though the assault failed and Castro and Raul were captured and later sentenced to 15 years in prison.

The date of the failed coup would later be adopted as the name of the revolutionary movement, Movimeiento 26 Julio (July 26 Movement), or M-26, that would eventually topple Batista.

Castro and Raul were later released in 1955 under an amnesty deal after Batista was officially elected president in rigged elections the previous year.

The brothers departed for Mexico with other members of the M-26 to begin planning another attempt to overthrow Batista. It was there, Castro met Che Guevara, and gathered 81 men to return to Cuba by boat in December of 1956.

Through a campaign of guerilla warfare, Castro and the M-26 slowly expanded its control across Cuba, and in January of 1959, Batista fled the country.

The Path To Socialism

Nixons assessment of Castro as a long-term preeminent figure in Cuba was correct and perhaps a bit obvious in hindsight.

What he observed in Castro was a desire to lead through a tight grip on power, and he understood that that control could take many forms, not least of socialism.

Castro enacted his agrarian reform a month after his U.S. visit, expropriating property from wealthy landowners and redistributing to peasant farmers, though it remained under state control.

More irksome to the U.S., Castro banned any foreign private land holdings. American companies were compensated based on the undervalued property assessments that they had encouraged during the Batista regime to pay lower tax rates.

Castro continued to appoint Marxists to senior government posts, including Che Guevara as head of Cubas central bank and Minister of Industries despite his lack of economic experience.

Relations with the U.S. quickly turned south when Castro established trade relations with the Soviet Union.

The U.S. government pressured American refineries in Cuba to refuse to take in oil shipped in from the Soviets, so Castro kicked the Americans out nationalized the refineries. In response, the U.S. scrapped its trade agreement on maintaining a quota for sugar imports from Cuba. Relations only continued to deteriorate.

In March of 1960, President Eisenhower secretly authorized the CIA to begin planning an invasion of Cuba, though the plan would be carried out by the administration of President John F. Kennedy.

Before Eisenhower left office, he broke off diplomatic relations with Cuba in January of 1961 and three months later, on April 16, Castro formally declared Cuba a socialist state.

The following day, around 1,500 Cuban exiles trained and armed by the CIA attempted to invade Cuba by landing at the Bay of Pigs, which ended in disaster and further solidified Castros hold on power, his popularity among the Cuban people, and his ties with the Soviets.

In an attempt to deter another invasion, Castro agreed to allow the Soviets place nuclear missiles on the island, which almost brought the world in to the brink of nuclear war in what became known as the Cuban Missile Crisis when U.S. discovered the installation of missile silos in October of 1962.

President Kennedy and the Soviet Premier Nikita Kruschev struck a backdoor deal, leaving Castro out of negotiations, in which they agreed to withdraw missiles from Turkey and Cuba, respectively and that the U.S. would not attempt another invasion of Cuba.

Castro at the Top

In the decades following the missile crisis, Castro expanded his socialist policies in Cuba with continued support from the Soviet Union, while remaining economically isolated by the U.S.

Castro expanded education and healthcare to most of the Cuban people, while further eroding democratic freedoms and eliminating any political opposition through iron-fisted tactics, including executions, imprisonment, and exile.

Cuba did not develop as rapidly as Castro had envisioned, and suffered numerous economic setbacks over the years, particularly with the collapse of the Soviet Union toward the end of the 80s.

Prior to that, Castro had strengthened ties with other leftist government in Latin America and around the world, supporting socialist movements with military and economic aid.

Castro remained the target of repeated assassination attempts by both the CIA and Cuban dissidents, his persistent survival adding to the aura of his perceived invulnerability.

It wasnt until the new millennium that old age and declining health would begin to do the job that U.S. had in the past put so many resources into achieving.

After nearly half a century in power, Castro stepped down as president of Cuba in 2008 at age 81, handing over the reins of government to his brother Raul who was 76 at the time.

Castro continued to be a symbolic figurehead of the revolution in the following years, receiving foreign guests and publishing a regular column in the state-run newspaper, until it seemed that his writings were no longer comprehensible amid his fading health and cognizance.

In his final entry for his Reflections column posted in June 20, 2012, in the Granma newspaper -- or at least the last one it was willing to publish -- the Commandante imparted some cryptic wisdom about the universe and humankinds place in it.

I respect all religions, although I do not share them. Human beings seek explanations for their existence, from the most ignorant to the wisest, he wrote.

Science is constantly seeking to explain the laws which govern the universe. At this very moment, they see it during a period of expansion which began some 13.7 billion years ago.

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Luke Evans (aka Gaston) dropped some juicy hints about his Beauty and the Beast character and we are all ears

Were still going mad over the many upcoming Disney films going live-action, and Beauty and the Beast is definitely at the top of our must-see list. In an interview with Empire Magazine, Emma Watson and Luke Evans shared a few deets about the movie, making us all that much more excited to see it!

ICYMI, Evans is set to play the films antagonist, Gaston, in the upcoming live-action remake. During the interview, the actor explained how his Disney character compared to others, and we are hanging on his every word.

Evans shared this awesome first look of his character Gaston and Emma Watson as Belle with fans.

Smooth Gaston, very smooth! Thanks to @empiremagazine for this first look image of me and @EmmaWatson in #BeautyAndTheBeast. pic.twitter.com/OxojhyHR0y  Luke Evans (@TheRealLukevans) November 24, 2016

According to Evans, fans will get to know the mean and nasty villain more than ever before. And unlike earlier depictions, Gastons hatefulness is turned up a notch in the 2017 debut.

While mesmerizing on the outside, Gastons hatefulness is overflowing within, and not being able to win over Belle just adds gas to his budding flame.

He gets as dark as any Disney character could possibly get, says Evans of his dynamic character. This is a man who, for the first time in his life, hasnt got what he wanted.

Oh, what a handsome jerk, he is!

The live-action Beauty and the Beast is expected to hit theaters on March 17, 2017. And in the meantime, well keep a look out for any other sneak peeks to share!

The post Luke Evans (aka Gaston) dropped some juicy hints about his Beauty and the Beast character and we are all ears appeared first on HelloGiggles.
Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein on Friday formally requested a recount of election results in Wisconsin.

President-elect Donald Trump narrowly won Wisconsin and Pennsylvania and has a small lead in Michigan. Stein has said she planned to request recounts in the three states  all reliably Democratic in recent presidential elections  to see whether hacking may have taken place, though theres no evidence voter results were hacked or electronic voting machines were compromised.

Wisconsins last statewide recount was for the Supreme Court election in 2011, which took more than a month. The deadline to complete this presidential recount is Dec. 13  less than three weeks away  with almost double the number of votes cast compared to the 2011 recount.

Due to the tight deadline and Steins request for votes to be recounted by hand, the county boards of canvassers are expected to need to work nights and weekends. If their work isnt completed by the deadline, Congress could decide which candidate gets Wisconsins 10 electoral college votes.

Wisconsin Election Commission officials dont believe the state has ever conducted a presidential recount. Wisconsin Election Commission officials estimate the process could cost as much as $1 million.

Because Trump won with more than 0.25 percent of the vote, the state is not required to pay for a recount, which leaves the petitioner to foot the bill.

Unofficial results compiled by the commission show Trump with 1,404,000 votes, Hillary Clinton with 1,381,823 and Stein with 31,000. Wisconsin officials have already announced an audit of the state vote. Wisconsin is less vulnerable to cyberattacks because it uses electronic machines with voter-verifiable paper trails in most counties.

Theres no smoking gun here, but were saying the American public needs to have it investigated to make sure our votes count, said George Martin, a member of the Wisconsin Green Partys coordinating council. Were doing this to ensure the integrity of our system.

Wisconsin Elections Commission Administrator Mike Haas said Steins campaign filed the request Friday afternoon, ahead of the states 5 p.m. deadline. Under state law, the state must comply with candidates recount requests if the candidates can present a basis for one and cover the cost if the margin is more than .25 percent of the total votes cast.

Stein has been raising money through online appeals since Tuesday to cover the costs of recounts in Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania. She had raised $5.2 million as of Friday afternoon.

During a news conference in Milwaukee, Martin said Steins campaign would also ask for a reconciliation of voting records that would go beyond an audit. He didnt provide details.

Wisconsin GOP Executive Director Mark Morgan issued a statement calling the recount request absurd and nothing more than an expensive political stunt that undermines Wisconsins election process. Republican Sen. Devin LaMahieu, who chairs the Senate elections committee, said he would re-examine state law next year to ensure a candidate who received 1 percent of the vote cannot hold the results of an election hostage.

Martin said Republicans response was expected and stressed that the recount was about determining whether the system was secure, not who won or lost the election.

Independent presidential candidate Rocky De La Fuente, who got 1,514 votes in Wisconsin, also filed a recount request in Wisconsin on Friday saying he, too, was worried about cybertampering.

Ross Hein, elections supervisor for the state commission, sent a memo to county clerks on Wednesday telling them to expect a recount. He said Stein is entitled to a recount under state law.

The deadline for requesting a recount in Pennsylvania is Monday, while Michigans is Wednesday.

 State Journal reporter Shelley K. Mesch contributed to this report.
ATF: Gun Purchases Barred

Even for 'Legalized' Marijuana Use

By AWR Hawkins. November 24th, 2016

Article Source

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) is clarifying language on background check form 4473 to let would-be gun buyers know that even "legalized" marijuana use bars them from purchasing a firearm.

The clarification comes in light of "the conflict between Colorado law and federal law," which results from the dichotomy of marijuana being legal at the state level but federally unlawful.

According to The Colorado Independent, the background check question still asks if the would-be gun buyer is "an unlawful user of, or addicted to, marijuana or any depressant, stimulant, narcotic drug, or any other controlled substance." But this question is now followed by the following clarification:

The use or possession of marijuana remains unlawful under Federal law regardless of whether it has been legalized or decriminalized for medicinal or recreational purposes in the state where you reside.

The clarification will begin appearing on background check form 4473 on January 16, 2017.

Colorado is not the only state where a conflict between state and federal law has highlighted the prohibition against marijuana users purchasing guns. Nevada's medical marijuana card system has also brought the issue front and center. On August 31, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit ruled that marijuana card holders at the state level are barred from gun purchases. That decision resulted from a suit filed by S. Rowan Wilson, a Nevada resident who was denied a firearm purchase in 2011 "after obtaining a medical marijuana card."

AWR Hawkins is the Second Amendment columnist for Breitbart News and host of "Bullets with AWR Hawkins," a Breitbart News podcast. He is also the political analyst for Armed American Radio. Follow him on Twitter: @AWRHawkins. Reach him directly at awrhawkins@breitbart.com.

The absurd aspect of a Marijuana gun ban is that, depending on your view, 'pot' is no worse than alcohol. The latter has to be used responsibly, the same as any other potential depressant but the key word used is ''controlled'' substance and so alcohol gets a pass. We have to also take into account people who legitimately have to take strong pain medications and yet those are ''controlled''. Medical Marijuana has enormous potential for some conditions - often being used in a purified form instead of being smoked. Denying a legitimate user their gun rights is a major infringement.

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Mae Whitmans role in Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life is absolute GOLD

When we heard that Mae Whitman was going to have a cameo in Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life we were so excited to see Lauren Grahams other TV daughter make an appearance on Gilmore Girls. Now that weve finally seen the cameo we can say that is was SO worth the wait. Warning, spoilers lie ahead!

While we figured that Whitman would appear in a scene alongside her former TV mom, Graham, we were so excited to see that her widely anticipated Gilmore Girls scene was with Graham AND Alexis Bledel, her kind of TV half-sister. Its very Inception.

The Parenthood actress makes an appearance towards the end of the Spring episode as a person standing in line for the newest NYC donut craze called crodocake. After her book deal with the crazy Naomi Shropshire falls through, Rory suddenly has some time on her hands and is desperately looking for a follow-up to her widely praised New Yorker piece. The younger Gilmore meets with GQ Magazine and takes on a story about people who wait in lines for fads and other exciting things in the city.

Joining her, of course, is her mother, Lorelai, who needed a break from the problems with Michel at the Inn and her mother in Hartford. Despite standing alongside desperate crodocake fans, Lorelai has managed to snag a bag of the donut-like goodies, due to her charm and wit, of course. When, Whitmans unnamed character unfortunately has to go to work before making it to the front of the line, Lorelai pulls her aside and gives her a spare crodocake. We *swear* they exchanged a Braverman smile, too!



Netflix While the cameo was fleeting it was a quick distraction from the reality that

Parenthood is no longer on the air and was definitely one of our favorite cameos so far.

The post Mae Whitmans role in Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life is absolute GOLD appeared first on HelloGiggles.
KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - Malaysian political cartoonist Zulkiflee Anwar Ulhaque, or Zunar as he is popularly known, was arrested on Saturday under the country's Sedition Act for cartoons that allegedly insulted Prime Minister Najib Razak. 54-year-old Zunar would be held for a day to facilitate investigations, state news agency Bernama reported. Other than the Sedition Act, the cartoonist will also be probed under penal code for humiliating a person with intention, Bernama reported. The arrest comes a day after some members of the ruling United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) disrupted Zunar's exhibition at the George Town Literary Festival and asked for the show to be canceled saying the cartoonist's materials were seditious. They had also filed a police report. "The Festival condemns this act of repression which is contrary to the spirit of free speech and expression, a central premise of the festival," said Bernice Chauly, the literary festival's director. Before Saturday's arrest, Zunar was already facing nine sedition charges. He has also been banned from leaving the country. Prime Minister Najib, caught in the middle of a corruption scandal, has in recent months been using the colonial era Sedition Act and other draconian laws to arrest government critics, jail opposition leaders and stifle free speech by suspending media groups and blogs. On Friday, an appeals court ruled that a section of the Sedition Act, which removes the requirement for the prosecution to prove the intention of a person charged with sedition, as unconstitutional. Najib has faced criticism since the Wall Street Journal reported last year that around $700 million from state fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) was diverted into the personal bank account of the prime minister. Lawsuits filed by the U.S. Justice Department in July alleged that more than $3.5 billion was stolen from 1MDB, which was founded by Najib, and that some of those funds flowed into the accounts of "Malaysian Official 1", whom U.S. and Malaysian officials have identified as Najib. Najib has consistently denied wrongdoing and has consolidated power by sacking critics within his ruling party and cracking down on dissent. Earlier this month, the head of a pro-democracy group that organized a protest rally against the prime minister was detained under a law meant to fight extremist threats, prompting the U.S. to say it was troubled by the arrest. (Reporting by A. Ananthalakshmi; Editing by Alexander Smith)
A Thanksgiving dinner went completely awry when a Florida man stabbed his parents as horrified dinner guests watched from the next room.

Edwin Daugherty, 34, reportedly turned a knife on his parents as a fight erupted among the family members in the familys Port Orange home Thursday.

Read: Newly Revealed Photos Show Aftermath of Frat Boy Face Eating Attack, as Tests Reveal He Had No Drugs in System

As an argument between Daugherty and his mother Patsy Daugherty, 72, escalated, he reportedly put the woman in a headlock, WKMG reported. When his father, Thomas Daugherty, 76, tried to stop him, the younger Daugherty allegedly plunged a steak knife into his chest several times.

Then, as Patsy Daugherty rushed in to help her husband, she was stabbed as well.

Daugherty was later taken into custody near the home. A bloody knife was also recovered nearby.

His parents were reportedly taken to the Halifax Health Medical Center in Daytona Beach, where Thomas Daugherty was listed in serious-to-critical condition and his wife was in serious condition.

Their son was booked into Volusia County Jail on two charges of attempted felony murder. His bond was denied, and he remains jailed.

Information on his legal representation was not immediately available Friday. The Volusia County Sheriffs Office did not immediately return a request for comment from InsideEdition.com.

Read: College Football Player Tweeted Love Tributes After Fatally Shooting Cheerleader Ex-Girlfriend: Cops

The cause of the argument that led to the stabbing has not yet been revealed.

Daugherty was previously arrested in 2011 on battery and grand theft auto charges, according to jail records.

He was arrested again in 2013 on a charge of hiding from authorities, according to WKMG.

Watch: Facebook Live Captures Deadly Shooting at Annual Thanksgiving Football Game

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DALLAS, TX / ACCESSWIRE / November 25, 2016 / Marcus Hiles has been a prominent real estate developer and innovator for more than thirty years. A dynamic personality, the CEO and Chairman of Western Rim Property Services singlehandedly transformed the Texas rental market by creating upscale communities throughout suburban Austin, Houston, Dallas, and San Antonio. As the real estate industry represents the largest contributor to the total GDP of the U.S., its continued success is paramount for the economic wellbeing of the country. Hiles believes that future economic progress at both the state and national levels require policies that will foster private sector expansion and public education excellence; improving job creation will spur financial growth and, in turn, fuel a demand for housing, while a commitment towards readying students with 21st-century skills ensures that the workforce of America's next generation remains a competitive power on the world stage.

From a local perspective, Texas has shown no shortage of development. Homes are being constructed at their fastest pace in Dallas-Fort Worth in nearly a decade, and studies by the University of Texas show that employment has consistently trended positively in San Antonio, and research director of UTSA Institute for Economic Development, Thomas Tunstall, expects that "growth will continue to flow into the local economy for years."

Marcus Hiles maintains that the best way to further enlarge the housing market statewide will be through sustained enactment of strong laws that protect and increase the labor force. The recent past provides a solid testimony for this position: after the housing bubble crisis decimated real estate prices nationwide, the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex was less affected than nearly every other major city, with a Fortune article asserting that the cause for the robust economy traces back to the "more than 100,000 new jobs added each year in North Texas." The rationale lies in its reputation for being business-friendly region with major corporations like Toyota, State Farm, and Liberty Mutual relocating to the fourth-most populous American urban center in recent years. Forbes suggests that zoning and land-use construction burdens may be lifted throughout the U.S., as the new presidential administration could usher in an era of eased regulations and lowered building costs. Relaxed protocols for small banks may allow them to conduct business differently and boost development as well, having the flexibility to approve more loans for new housing projects.

While safeguarding wage and job growth in the private sector is key, Marcus Hiles notes that political efforts also need to promote educational opportunities to empower students. The Programme for International Student Assessment placed U.S. school children in the middle of the international pack for math and science, with the Pew Research Center reporting scoring 36th and 28th out of 65 countries assessed. While politicians have been denouncing the results and demanding better training for decades, new policies must encourage more children to study math and science, ultimately, at the university level; The U.S. Department of Education believes that, "only 16 percent of high school students are interested in a [science, technology, engineering or math] career and have proven a proficiency in mathematics." Though the change in learning standards and curriculum must be instituted as early as grades K-6, teenagers finishing high school need better options for mastering trade skills that equip them for jobs in the construction and health care industries. Many expect that the next presidential administration makes good on promises to offer a bigger role for community colleges in the economy, with commercial real estate and house building industry career paths readily available to students working toward a future in development and infrastructure improvement.

Marcus Hiles is a respected property authority and philanthropist who proudly supports many environmental and education causes. Having personally donated more than 59 acres of parkland to the general public for wildlife conservation, Hiles has also contributed significant capital to the improvement and protection of Texas's scenic beauty. As a firm believer that all students have the right to a quality education, he has given more than $2.5 million to public and private K-12 initiatives, after school programs, and university career services and job placement programs.

Marcus Hiles - Chairman & CEO of Western Rim Property Services: http://www.MarcusHiles-News.com

Western Rim Property Services- Marcus Hiles - Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Western-Rim-Property-Services-Marcus-Hiles-1013270532051763/

Marcus Hiles (@marcus_hiles) - Twitter: https://twitter.com/marcus_hiles

Marcus Hiles - Western Rim Properties - YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w-0OBq1LCu8

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SOURCE: Marcus Hiles
And they'll linger on... for Thanksgiving, anyway!

After sharing last year's holiday, Mariah Carey and ex-hubby Nick Cannon, along with 5-year-old twins Moroccan and Monroe, reunited for yet another Thanksgiving.

WATCH: Mariah Carey Is 'Ready to Move On' After James Packer, Still 'Sensitive' Over Nick Cannon Baby News

Less than a month after their divorce was finalized, which was announced shortly before her split with Australian billionaire boyfriend James Packer, the former couple reunited in Hawaii for festive family time. The "We Belong Together" crooner documented the seemingly still-close clan's day on her Instagram, where she posted a video of herself, Cannon and the kids wishing her followers a happy Thanksgiving as she blew a kiss into the camera.

#happythanksgiving  A video posted by Mariah Carey (@mariahcarey) on Nov 24, 2016 at 9:48pm PST

In another post, the Carey-Cannon family beamed as they sat down for their T-Day meal.

#happythanksgiving everyone  A photo posted by Mariah Carey (@mariahcarey) on Nov 24, 2016 at 9:48pm PST

WATCH: Mariah Carey's New Reality Show Features a Lot of Dancer Bryan Tanaka, Barely Any James Packer -- See the Clips!

"We'll always be family," Cannon told Ellen DeGeneres after spending last Thanksgiving with Carey and the kids. "We make the kids the number one priority, for them to see their parents together and for everybody to get along and have a great time. ... It's all about unconditional love. ...They know mommy and daddy still love each other but, more importantly, they love us."

Before the day's food-filled festivities, Carey granted all-access to her grocery-shopping adventures as she prepared for the forthcoming Thanksgiving feast at a local Whole Foods.

There, she greeted and took pics with a few lucky fans.

Love all my #hawaiian #lambs  A photo posted by Mariah Carey (@mariahcarey) on Nov 24, 2016 at 6:20pm PST

Just a regular day at the #grocery store in #hawaii #groceryshopping #itsperfectlynormal #happythanksgiving lambs  A photo posted by Mariah Carey (@mariahcarey) on Nov 24, 2016 at 5:56pm PST

She also held a pair of pineapples up to her chest.

Story continues

#hawaiianpunch for #thanksgiving  A photo posted by Mariah Carey (@mariahcarey) on Nov 24, 2016 at 5:57pm PST

And flaunted her cleavage in a plummeting lace-up shirt while holding a pie.

#festivating !! #happythanksgiving  A photo posted by Mariah Carey (@mariahcarey) on Nov 24, 2016 at 6:45pm PST

We can only hope Carey's cheeky pineapple shenanigans will be a part of E!'s upcoming docu-series Mariah's World, which will, at the very least, feature "bittersweet" footage of Carey in the wedding dress she was supposed to wear during her now called-off wedding to Packer.

Watch the video below for more:

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By William Schomberg and Georgina Cooper LONDON (Reuters) - Piles of punk music memorabilia went up in flames on a river barge in London on Saturday in a protest against the way the once rebellious genre has been subsumed into mainstream culture. Joe Corre, son of former Sex Pistols manager Malcolm McLaren and designer Vivienne Westwood, set fire to clothes and paraphernalia he valued at between 5 and 10 million pounds, Corre also burnt firework-stuffed effigies of Prime Minister Theresa May and her predecessors David Cameron and Tony Blair, dressed in Sex Pistols clothes. "Punk was never meant to be nostalgic," Corre said, addressing a crowd of around 100 people on the bank of the River Thames in the affluent Chelsea area of London. "Punk has become another marketing tool to sell you something you don't need," said Corre, who himself co-founded lingerie brand Agent Provocateur. He directed his "Burn Punk London" protest at a celebration of punk music backed by the Mayor of London and the British Council, called Punk.London. Corre's punk collection, which he began burning a few days ago and will continue to destroy over the coming weeks, includes rare Pistols recordings. Sex Pistols guitarist Glen Matlock told Sky News that Corre's protest was "dopey". "I want to paraphrase Monty Python - he's not the saviour, he's a naughty boy. I think that Joe is not the anti-Christ, I think he's a nincompoop," Matlock said. (Reporting by Georgina Cooper and William Schomberg, writing by Andy Bruce; Editing by Mark Trevelyan)
MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Mexican soldiers were involved in the disappearance and apparent massacre of 43 students two years ago, according to a leading journalist, implicating the military directly in a crime that has been blamed solely on corrupt police and drug gang members. Anabel Hernandez, a well known investigative journalist, leveled the allegation in her soon to be published book, titled "The True Night in Iguala". The first chapters of the book, based on interviews with a drug lord and other direct sources, were released on the website Aristegui Noticias on Friday. In one excerpt, a source had described how members of the army were tasked by a drug lord with recovering two million dollars worth of heroin that was stashed in two buses taken at random by a hundred students. The students were seeking transportation to Mexico City for a protest, but were stopped by the police so that soldiers could search the buses, the book said. "As the military was retrieving the drugs from the buses, the students on board must have realized what they were taking from the compartments. That would have created the unexpected need to 'disappear' them so as not to leave witnesses," it said. Mexico's army has been accused of human rights abuses, including extra-judicial killings in the past. Neither the Defense Ministry, nor the Interior Ministry responded immediately to requests for comment. The President's office declined to comment. More than a hundred people, including around 22 municipal police, have been detained and are awaiting trial in a case, which had earlier plunged President Enrique Pena Nieto's government into a political crisis, as street protest erupted over the handling of the investigation. (Reporting by Anahi Rama; Editing by Simon Cameron-Moore)
Celebrations broke out in Miami at the announcement of former president Fidel Castros death.

Thousands of residents poured into the streets of Little Havana within 30 minutes of the news, which was announced by his brother and the current Cuban president, Raul Castro, late Friday night.

Fidel Castro is dead!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 26, 2016

Read: Obama and Castro Had a Really Awkward Handshake

With profound pain I share with our people and the friends of America and the world that today, on the 25th of November at 10:29 p.m., the head commander of the Cuban Revolution, the companion Fidel Castro Ruz died, President Raul Castro said.

In several videos posted to social media, people are seen cheering, banging on pots and pans, carrying Cuban flags, popping bottles of champagne, and playing salsa music into the early hours of Saturday morning.

5 a.m. Still a lot of energy out here on Calle Ocho. Miami police have said they're ready in case demonstrations continue through weekend. pic.twitter.com/4r236c6VKN  Joey Flechas (@joeflech) November 26, 2016

Were celebrating the end of a man who separated so many families throughout the years, one woman told CBSNews a man who killed many, who imprisoned many individuals just for thinking differently and not believing in his revolution, like my father, who was a political prisoner in Cuba.

Castro, who was 90, took power in 1959 and starting transforming Cuba into a communist state, causing families to flee to the United States, many to Miami.

Castro held onto power for 47 years until his brother Raul temporarily took over in 2006 due to Castros intestinal illness before permanently taking over in 2008.

The former presidents long-held diplomatic standoff with the United States ended in 2014 when President Obama reestablished diplomatic relations with the country  an agreement Castro still didnt appear to approve of.

Story continues

Read: Obama Meets With Raul Castro in First Presidential Visit to Cuba in 88 Years

The streets of Havana, where a nine day mourning period was announced, looked nothing like Miami, according to reports.

But, some Miami residents said they are not celebrating death.

"We're not celebrating the death of a person. That would be morbid," Virginia Perez Nunez told USAToday. "We're celebrating the beginning of the end of a dictatorship, of a genocide."

President also Obama released a statement on the former president's death.

"At this time of Fidel Castros passing, we extend a hand of friendship to the Cuban people, Obama said. We know that this moment fills Cubans  in Cuba and in the United States  with powerful emotions, recalling the countless ways in which Fidel Castro altered the course of individual lives, families, and of the Cuban nation."

Watch: Donald Trump: Cuban Leader Raul Castro Has No Respect for President Obama

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Cuban-Americans flooded the streets of Miamis Little Havana late Friday into Saturday, celebrating the death of former Cuban leader Fidel Castro.

People honked horns, banged pans, waved Cuban flags and set off fireworks, the Miami Herald reported. In cheers and songs, they denounced Castro and Cuban President Raul Castro, who announced his brothers death late Friday.

This is the moment that so many in our community have been waiting for since I can remember, since I was a child, Florida Rep. Carlos Curbelo, a Republican whose parents fled Cuba, told the Herald. Everyones been waiting for this moment because they believed it would be the beginning of the end of the nightmare, and I think thats exactly what this is: the opening of a door to a brighter future.

While many world leaders mourned Castros death, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, whose family immigrated to the U.S. from Cuba, issued a firm rebuke of the former leader and his legacy.

Sadly, Fidel Castros death does not mean freedom for the Cuban people or justice for the democratic activists, religious leaders, and political opponents he and his brother have jailed and persecuted. The dictator has died, but the dictatorship has not, Rubio said in a statement Saturday. And one thing is clear, history will not absolve Fidel Castro; it will remember him as an evil, murderous dictator who inflicted misery and suffering on his own people.

Carlos Gimenez, mayor of Miami-Dade County, asked residents to demonstrate peacefully.

His passing closes a very painful chapter for Cubans on the island and Cuban-Americans throughout the world, including for thousands of Mami-Dade county residents who were personally affected by his cruel and brutal dictatorship, Gimenez said in a statement. Despite this historic moment however, we know that Fidels brother Raul continues to lead one of the worlds most repressive governments. My hope is that a free and democratic Cuba with the same freedoms we treasure here in the United States will soon emerge. It is what the Cuban people deserve.
Havana (AFP) - A page in Cuba's history has turned with the death of its revolutionary leader Fidel Castro. So what happens now on the communist island?

The Caribbean nation is at a crossroads. Fidel Castro's successor Raul Castro has said he himself plans to stand aside in 2018.

But first, emerging once and for all from his elder brother's shadow, Raul faces the challenge of driving forward economic and political change.

Meanwhile, Cuba's warming ties with the United States are at risk. US President-elect Donald Trump -- who called Fidel a "brutal dictator" Saturday -- threatened before winning the election to reverse the recent rapprochement between Havana and Washington.

- Out of Fidel's shadow -

Fidel Castro handed the reins of power to his younger brother a decade before his death on Friday.

But the elder Castro remained a weighty presence, publishing his "reflections" on Cuban and world affairs regularly in state media.

Officials said Fidel was still consulted on important decisions.

Raul Castro has overseen gradual economic reforms. Without Fidel in the background, change could move faster.

"With Fidel's death, the political and economic situation will probably open up," said Michael Shifter, president of the US research group Inter-American Dialogue. He spoke before Castro's death.

"It will take a weight off Raul. He will not have to worry any more about contradicting his brother."

- Market reforms -

Raul Castro has been discreetly loosening the grip of the military and state authorities on the economy since 2011, analysts say.

Reforms to the system are needed since the economy has been hit by the decline in cheap oil imports from Venezuela and falling commodity prices.

"After Fidel Castro's death, market-oriented reforms will gain momentum, as will efforts to eliminate the more impracticable communist policies," said Arturo Lopez Levy, a Cuba specialist at the University of Texas.

Story continues

"Without Fidel's charisma, the communist party's positions will depend on the economic results."

- Trump factor -

Raul Castro and US President Barack Obama restored diplomatic relations last year after half a century of hostility.

But Obama's elected successor Trump has threatened to roll back the rapprochement if Cuba doesn't improve its human rights record.

"All of the concessions that Barack Obama has granted the Castro regime were done through executive order, which means the next president can reverse them and that I will do unless the Castro regime meets our demands," Trump said in September.

"Those demands will include religious and political freedom for the Cuban people and the freeing of political prisoners."

Cuba says it refuses to be dictated to by foreign powers.

- Power struggle? -

The end of the Castro era raises questions about the future of Cuba's one-party system and who will replace the elderly generation of revolutionaries.

Raul Castro is 85 and has said he will step aside after the next Communist Party congress in 2018.

He has appointed as his number two Miguel Diaz-Canel, 56.

He is the first such high-ranking leader who is not an original member of the Castros' revolutionary movement, which ousted former dictator Fulgencio Batista in 1959.

Now analysts foresee a struggle between hardline and more progressive members of the regime.

"The expectation of change will grow among the majority of Cubans," Shifter said. "Fidel's death will certainly open the door to greater conflicts and confrontations among those in power."

"The supreme arbiter of all conflicts in Cuba will be gone," he added of Fidel Castro.

"Raul will have much more room, but so will his political rivals."

- Out with the old -

Moderate dissident Miriam Leyva said the death of Fidel Castro could herald the passing of a hardline sector of the old guard.

"I think there is an opportunity here to open up this society even more and progress more quickly with reforms," she told AFP.

Since officially taking over as full president in 2008, Raul Castro has been working discreetly to "de-Fidelize" the leadership, said one Western diplomat who lived for years in Havana.

"He has spent his whole life playing the role of the regime hardliner," said the diplomat, who asked not to be named.

"But in fact, he has long been making an effort to bring about pragmatic developments, against the ideologues whom Fidel relied on."

- Moving on -

As for ordinary Cubans, many on the streets of Havana say they will always carry "Fidel" in their hearts. But they are looking to the future, too.

"The vast majority of Cubans feel a personal connection with Fidel," said political scientist Rafael Hernandez, director of the Cuban magazine Temas.

That applies to "both those who support him, wholly or with reservations, and those who see him as the cause of all Cuba's ills."

The Western diplomat who spoke to AFP reckoned Cubans are moving on.

"Cubans buried Fidel a long time ago," he said. "They have their faces turned to the future. For many of them, he is no more than a glorious memory."

"The post-Fidel era started in 2006," he added. "What matters now is what happens post-Raul."
By Alexis Akwagyiram and Felix Onuah LAGOS (Reuters) - Nigeria, typically Africa's biggest crude oil producer, is considering importing crude from neighbouring Niger due to militant attacks on pipelines in the Niger Delta that feed its refineries, a state oil company spokesman said on Friday. Nigeria's crude production, which was 2.1 million barrels per day (bpd) at the start of 2016, fell by around a third in the summer following a series of attacks since January by Delta militants who want a greater share of the country's energy wealth to go to the impoverished southern oil-producing region. The attacks prompted the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) to halt crude flows to its refineries - in Kaduna, Port Harcourt and Warri - after key pipelines feeding the plants were attacked. Crude flows later restarted. NNPC spokesman Ndu Ughamadu said President Muhammadu Buhari had instructed the state oil company's group managing director to look into the feasibility of importing crude oil from Niger. "It is a proposal for crude oil to be supplied from Niger to the Kaduna refinery because of these incessant cases of vandalism," said Ughamadu. The other refineries -- in what was Africa's biggest crude oil producer until the attacks began, pushing it behind Angola -- are located in the southern Delta region, whereas Kaduna is in northern Nigeria. Niger is located to the north of Nigeria. Ughamadu did not have details of when the NNPC head would report back on the feasibility of the proposal or the quantities of crude oil that would be imported if the plan goes ahead. An employee of the China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC), which operates a joint venture with Niger's government, said talks were under way on providing crude oil to Nigeria's Kaduna refinery. "Negotiations were opened and currently a delegation from CNPC Niger is in China to finalise the project," said the CNPC employee and union delegate familiar with the talks, who asked not to be named. Earlier in November, Nigeria's minister of state for oil said crude production had returned to 2.1 million bpd following a ceasefire observed by many groups in the Delta region over the last few months. Despite typically being Africa's largest crude exporter, the OPEC member imports almost all of its gasoline due to its ageing refineries which have been poorly maintained for decades. (Additional reporting by Boureima Balima, in Niamey; Editing by Adrian Croft)
obama castro cuba

President Barack Obama extended a "hand of friendship" to Cuba in a statement Saturday morning after the death of former Cuban leader Fidel Castro.

Obama offered his condolences to Castro's family, reaffirming that the Cuban people have a "friend and a partner" in the US.

"We know that this moment fills Cubans  in Cuba and in the United States  with powerful emotions, recalling the countless ways in which Fidel Castro altered the course of individual lives, families, and of the Cuban nation," Obama's statement read.

"History will record and judge the enormous impact of this singular figure on the people and world around him," he added.

Obama said his administration has worked hard to "put the past behind us" and pursue a future in which the Cuban-American relationship is defined not by differences, but by "the many things that we share as neighbors."

Obama has worked to normalize relations with the formerly Soviet-allied island nation over the final two years of his presidency. He became the first sitting US president to visit Cuba, meeting with Raul Castro  Fidel's brother and the country's current leader  since Calvin Coolidge visited in 1928.

Obama has since eased travel, trade, and financial restrictions on Cuba, allowing travelers to bring home Cuban cigars and rum. The president also opened the door for Cubans to purchase US products online and paved the way for Cuban companies to conduct joint medical research with American pharmaceutical companies.

Obama has sought to make these changes "irreversible" before he leaves office in January. Together, the shift in Cuba relations represents one of the defining foreign policy elements of his legacy.

It's unclear how President-elect Donald Trump views relations with Cuba, though he has criticized Obama's policy on the campaign trail. In an official statement, Trump said "Fidel Castros legacy is one of firing squads, theft, unimaginable suffering, poverty and the denial of fundamental human rights."

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fidel castro

Here's Obama's full statement:

"At this time of Fidel Castros passing, we extend a hand of friendship to the Cuban people. We know that this moment fills Cubans - in Cuba and in the United States - with powerful emotions, recalling the countless ways in which Fidel Castro altered the course of individual lives, families, and of the Cuban nation. History will record and judge the enormous impact of this singular figure on the people and world around him.



For nearly six decades, the relationship between the United States and Cuba was marked by discord and profound political disagreements. During my presidency, we have worked hard to put the past behind us, pursuing a future in which the relationship between our two countries is defined not by our differences but by the many things that we share as neighbors and friends - bonds of family, culture, commerce, and common humanity. This engagement includes the contributions of Cuban Americans, who have done so much for our country and who care deeply about their loved ones in Cuba.

Today, we offer condolences to Fidel Castro's family, and our thoughts and prayers are with the Cuban people. In the days ahead, they will recall the past and also look to the future. As they do, the Cuban people must know that they have a friend and partner in the United States of America."

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WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama in a statement on Saturday offered his condolences to Fidel Castro's family and added that history would judge Castro's impact on Cuba and around the world. "At this time of Fidel Castros passing, we extend a hand of friendship to the Cuban people," Obama said. "History will record and judge the enormous impact of this singular figure on the people and world around him." Obama added that during his presidency he had worked to "put the past behind us," while working on a future that was built on those things that were in common. (Reporting by Idrees Ali and Roberta Rampton.)
In the week ended November 23, the number of rigs drilling for oil in the United States totaled 474, up by 3 compared with the prior week and a total of 555 a year ago. Including 118 other rigs drilling for natural gas and 1 rig listed as "miscellaneous," there are a total of 593 working rigs in the country, up by 5 week over week and down 151 year over year. The data come from the latest Baker Hughes Inc. (BHI) North American Rotary Rig Count released on Friday.

West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil for January delivery traded up about 4.7% in Friday's holiday-shortened session to settle at $45.96. Crude rose by just 0.5% for the week. The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) reported last Wednesday that crude supplies had decreased by 1.3 million barrels in the week ended November 18, and that gasoline supplies had risen by 2.3 million barrels.

ALSO READ: 11 Stores Open on Thanksgiving

The OPEC meeting scheduled for November 30 continues to dominate crude price movements. Reports surfaced late Friday that Saudi Arabia has walked away from a planned meeting with Russia and other non-OPEC oil producers after the Saudis were unable to reach an agreement with other OPEC members on long-discussed production cuts. The meeting, scheduled for Monday, was later cancelled.

Apparently OPEC ministers will be meeting again over the weekend to try to resolve the differences that separate members, particularly, Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Iraq. that wound up with these words from Reuters oil analyst John Kemp:

In theory, the negotiations turn on mundane issues including claims for exemptions and the use of members' own production data versus estimates from "secondary sources" to establish baselines from which to cut.

ALSO READ: Cities With the Highest Poverty Rates

In reality, the negotiations are about the profound issue of sharing out oil revenues and diplomatic, military and economic power, which is what makes progress so difficult.

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The 4% drop that we saw in crude prices on Friday is a direct result of the political reality that OPEC has faced for decades. Why anyone believed it would change remains a mystery.

The number of rigs drilling for oil in the United States is down by 81 year over year but, as noted above, up 3 week over week. The natural gas rig count increased by 2 to a total of 118. The count for natural gas rigs is down by 71 year over year. Natural gas for January delivery closed the week at $3.19 per million BTUs, up 34 cents on the near-month contract compared with the prior week.

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U.S. refineries ran at 90.8% of capacity, a week-over-week increase of about 271,000 barrels a day. Imports fell by about 845,000 barrels a day, to around 7.6 million barrels a day for the week.

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) did not release its weekly Commitment of Traders report due to the Thanksgiving holiday. The report will be issued Monday, November 28. We would note, however, that hedge funds are massively short on crude oil and if by some miracle OPEC and other producers do manage to reach agreement on production cuts, the short covering on crude contracts will be massive and the price of crude will spike.

Among the states, Pennsylvania added 4 rigs last week, Texas added 3 rigs, and Colorado added 2 rigs. Wyoming dropped 3 rigs, New Mexico lost 2, and North Dakota dropped 1.

ALSO READ: The Most Dangerous Cities in America

In the Permian Basin of west Texas and southeastern New Mexico, the rig count now stands at 228, down 1 compared with the previous week. The Eagle Ford Basin in south Texas has 38 rigs in operation, unchanged week over week, and the Williston Basin (Bakken) in North Dakota and Montana now has 33 working rigs, down 1 for the week.

Enterprise Products Partners L.P. (EPD) lists a November 26 posted price of $42.51 per barrel for WTI and $43.96 a barrel for Eagle Ford crude. The price for WTI and Eagle Ford crudes rose by $0.37 a barrel in the week.

The pump price of regular gasoline slipped by over 2 cents a gallon week over week. Saturday morning's average price in the United States was $2.125 a gallon, down $0.022 from $2.147 a week ago. The year-ago price was $2.054 a gallon.

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ZURICH (Reuters) - At least one person was killed and another seriously injured on Saturday when an avalanche in the Austrian Alps swept them down a steep, rocky slope, the Austrian news agency APA reported. The two people, whose nationalities and genders were not given, were among eight skiers ascending a mountain near the village of Obergurgl just before 1300 CET/1200 GMT when they were caught in the snow slide at 3,000 meters (9842.52 ft) above sea level. At least two people were uninjured and were able to notify rescue personnel. The seriously injured person was transported by helicopter to a hospital in Innsbruck. (Reporting by John Miller in Zurich; Editing by Alexander Smith)
Qayyarah base (Iraq) (AFP) - Iraqi army pilot Hossam Jassim banked his helicopter sharply to the left as a Russian-made Mi-35 gunship flying alongside unleashed a missile at a suspected Islamic State group target.

An explosion flashed in the desert village below and a huge plume of sand and dust rose into the sky. Jassim gave a thumbs up.

"It was a pickup truck with a heavy machine gun," he said later as he emerged from the cockpit at Qayyarah base, around 50 kilometres (30 miles) south of jihadist bastion Mosul.

"There were about 10 fighters," he said.

Down on the ground Iraqi forces are battling to wrest back Mosul, tightening the noose in the surrounding desert and grinding their way street-by-street through residential neighbourhoods.

Meanwhile, in the skies above there is a wide array of hardware backing them up.

Dominating attention have been the jets, drones and helicopters from the US-led coalition of foreign countries that has been pounding IS with its awesome firepower.

But, in its shadow, Iraq's fledgling aviation has also been playing its own part -- carrying out strikes with far more limited resources to back up its troops.

Army pilot Golan Salim looked out at the roughly dozen helicopters -- a mixture of Russian Mi-28 and Mi-35, American Bell armed reconnaissance choppers and European EC635s -- resting on the tarmac at the Qayyarah airbase.

That morning he said he had flown a mission to take out a group of IS fighters with rocket-propelled grenades.

"We finished all these targets," he said. "We have broken them."

Salim said that the previous day he had to take evasive action as he faced machine gun fire from the ground.

Despite increasing efforts to weaponise drones, the jihadists are far from threatening the air dominance of their opponents. But they have put up other obstacles.

Billowing in the middle distance are giant black clouds of smoke from oil fires that IS lit back in August to obfuscate their retreat as they were pushed from the area.

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"It is very difficult. Once I could not take off," said Salim. "It is very important to shut down the fire."

- Human shields -

The large numbers of civilians that remain inside Mosul and the towns around still under IS controls have also placed major restraints on the air campaign.

The United Nations has said the jihadists have forced tens of thousands of locals to march back with them as human shields.

Iraq's air capabilities were wiped out during the US-led invasion of the country in 2003, and have been rebuilt from scratch since then with many of the pilots trained by America.

The pride of its air force is a batch of F-16 jets supplied by the US that have bombed IS targets around Mosul -- but much of the air power lacks precision weapons.

During its campaign against IS, Iraq has previously been accused of using indiscriminate barrel bombs and the US-led coalition has also killed civilians.

But army aviation pilots insist that they are doing everything they can to avoid civilian casualties. In the five-week old Mosul offensive, their action so far has focused on sparsely populated desert areas outside the city.

"It puts limits on our operation," Major Muthanna Hanun said.

In terms of the division of labour, the army aviation pilots said they can usually deal with most of the targets.

But for larger objectives or when there is a threat from the ground that requires bombing from greater distance they turn to the coalition.

"If we don't have the capabilities to deal with it then the coalition is called to handle it," Hanun said.

The army aviation is under army command and has lighter aircraft, while the air force is a distinct structure boasting greater firepower, including US-made F-16, Russian Sukhois and Czech Aero L-159 fighter jets.

According to defence ministry spokesman Tahsin Ibrahim, army aviation helicopters carry out 60 to 70 sorties a day across the Mosul battlefield.

For the forces on the ground, army aviation support is proving vital to counter the waves of suicide car bombs IS unleashes against their positions.

Federal police general Mohieddin Jawad sits in a cabin by the airfield that serves as a rudimentary coordination centre.

"Fifty percent we rely on the army aviation and fifty percent we rely on the troops on the ground," Mohieddin said.
14th handicraft fair kicks off

The 14th edition of Handicraft Trade Fair, organised by the Federation of Handicraft Associations of Nepal (Fhan), kicked off at Bhrikutimandap Exhibition Hall on Friday.
Miami (AFP) - Cuban-Americans who loathed Fidel Castro celebrated tirelessly Sunday to mark his death, dancing, singing and honking car horns for the second full day.

Crowds first spilled into the streets of Little Havana Friday night as news of the 90-year-old revolutionary leader's death in Cuba spread.

The revelry has not stopped since.

"I'm not tired of celebrating because I can't believe it. I never thought that this moment would arrive," said a woman named Delsy who declined to give her last name. She celebrated with a large crowd outside the Cafe Versailles, where exiles met in the Cold War's heyday to plot the overthrow of the Castro regime.

Some two million Cubans live in the United States, nearly 70 percent of them in Florida. The vast majority of those live in Miami and many saw Castro as a brutal tyrant.

Streets that had been closed because of the festive crowd reopened Sunday as authorities tried to restore a semblance of normality. But then they had to close them down again.

Among the cacophony of car horns, drums, loud music and singing, a chant rang out: "Fidel, you tyrant, take your brother too!"

Fidel Castro may be gone, but his younger brother Raul, 85, remains in power as president of the Americas' only one-party Communist-run state.

A rally demanding freedom and democratic reforms in Cuba has been convened for Wednesday in Little Havana.

It will coincide with the start of a four-day procession in which Castro's remains will be taken around the island of 11 million for people to pay their respects.

"The tyrant is dead but the tyranny continues," said activist Orlando Gutierrez of the Cuban Resistance Assembly.

Several blocks to the east, the popular Ball & Chain salsa nightclub offered discounts and a new drink: "Adios Fidel" (Farewell Fidel).

The place was bursting with people Saturday night. The street outside, full of Cuban restaurants and bars, was packed with late-night pedestrians and customers.

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At a nearby corner, Cuban retirees sat outside, enjoying the warm and humid night as they discussed the island's future.

"Now we Cubans have hope that without Fidel, communism will fall, and if God allows it, we can return to our free country," said Vicente Abrez, 65.

However, Leticia Gallo, a 44-year-old therapist who arrived in Miami from Cuba seven years ago with a young son, doesn't believe Castro's death will immediately change much.

Still, "it's light at the end of the tunnel," she said.

A small group of women from the Ladies in White movement -- founded by the wives and other female family members of former Cuban political prisoners -- marched on Sunday on a street named for them in Miami.

- Pray for Cuba -

An especially large crowd gathered for mass at the Shrine of Our Lady of Charity, the patron saint of Cuba, where Miami Archbishop Thomas Wenski led the Saturday service.

"Fidel Castro has died. Now he awaits the judgment of God, who is merciful but also just," Wenski said, urging the faithful to pray "for peace for Cuba and its people."

The Mass was solemn and the scene far from celebratory. Some women wiped away tears.

Elsewhere, many Cuban artists raised their voices. Emilio Estefan, husband of singing star Gloria Estefan, said Cuba now faces "a new dawn with a new sun full of hope."

The famed musicians Arturo Sandoval, Paquito D'Rivera and Jon Secada joined the Miami celebration.

Castro "separated our people and made us hate each other," the Cuban-born jazzman Sandoval said.

Politicians also lined up to mark the occasion.

Cuban-American Miami Mayor Tomas Regalado visited revelers Saturday afternoon, telling reporters that they "should not be criticized for celebrating"someone's death. "Understand what it means" to them, he said.

Florida Governor Rick Scott said he was joining Cuban-Americans across the country "who are incredibly hopeful for the future of Cuba."

"After decades of oppression, the Cuban people deserve freedom, peace and democracy," the Republican added in a statement.

Cuban-American Florida Senator Marco Rubio on Saturday called Castro an "evil, murderous dictator."

He said Sunday on CNN that it was "pathetic" that Obama, in a statement on Castro, had not mentioned the "thousands upon thousands of people who suffered brutally under the (Castro) regime" or who died trying to escape it.
Penelope Cruz is shimmer come to life in this gorgeous silver dress

Penelope Cruz looked stunning for the premiere of her new film La Reina de Espana, and we want all of beauty her secrets! The gorgeous actress wore a slim-fitting, shimmery gown, giving us all ultra glam vibes. Penelope never disappoints when it comes to red carpet fashion, so we knew wed be in for quite a treat.

Penelope stars in Fernando Truebas latest Spanish dramedy, which is a sequel to his 1998 prequel The Girl of Your Dreams. In it, Penelope ironically plays a beautiful Hollywood actress who returns to Spain to star in a movie about Queen Isabella I of Castile.

Penelopes red carpet look is totally reminiscent Old Hollywood glam  which brilliantly ties into the of retro theme of the film.

Her dress is gorgeous, and were in love with all of its details!

Penelopes baby sister Monica Cruz also made an appearance on the red carpet to support. The actresses almost look identical to one another.

'La Reina De Espana' Madrid Premiere

Needless to say, Penelope definitely stole the show in her floor-length shimmery gown. The wife and mother of two sure knows a thing or two about fashion. Shes always spot-on when it comes to serving up some major fashion inspo.

She totally slayed this look!

The post Penelope Cruz is shimmer come to life in this gorgeous silver dress appeared first on HelloGiggles.
Fidel Castro celebration Miami

People flooded the streets of Miami early Saturday morning after the death of former Cuban leader Fidel Castro was announced.

In an interview with NBC Miami, Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen of Florida called it "an opportunity to begin a new chapter of freedom and democracy," noting that people in Cuba would not be allowed to openly show such emotion.

Cars lined the streets in nearby Hialeah, Florida, where people celebrated while waving Cuban flags, honking horns, and banging pots and pans.

Some people raised champagne glasses to toast Castro's passing. Others shouted chants of "libertad"  Spanish for freedom.

Here's how things played out:

Miami residents take to the streets to celebrate news of Fidel Castro's death https://t.co/xiCpxBIzR1  MSNBC (@MSNBC) November 26, 2016





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(Reuters) - Striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic has leapt to the defence of club mate Wayne Rooney, saying the Manchester United captain is a "perfect" player who does not get enough respect in England. Rooney has been under the spotlight since apologising after being pictured last week socialising late at night while he was on international duty as England captain. "I think when you're a person like that, when you're famous like that, people are interested, they want to know everything. I don't know what has happened," Ibrahimovic told British media. "I didn't even ask him because it's not important for me and I'm 100 per cent sure the media doesn't know what really happened. I think we should appreciate him for the player he is, what he did. "I don't see many players from England who have had the same career as him. I feel a little bit sorry of the situation because we should show more respect for him." Rooney put in an inspired performance in Thursday's 4-0 Europa League victory over Feyenoord, scoring United's first-half opener from an Ibrahimovic through ball to become the club's all-time leading scorer in Europe with 39. The goal also put him just one behind Bobby Charlton's overall club record of 249. "As a person he's fantastic, I have the luck to get to know the person. As a player, there are no words to not say about him -- he's the perfect player," Ibrahimovic added. "Everybody knows what he can do, what he did, what he has done. I'm happy for him to break the record and I will help him to go one more -- then I see it as the real record." United, who are sixth in the Premier League with 19 points from their opening 12 games, host 17th-placed West Ham United on Sunday. (Reporting by Shravanth Vijayakumar in Bengaluru, editing by Nick Mulvenney)
Philippines Rodrigo Duterte insult rant tirade anti-US

During a press conference this week, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte again inveighed against the US, capping his rant by directing one his most frequently used insults against the British journalist who questioned him.

"You did raise earlier the comparison with Latin America and narcostate," Jonathan Miller, the Asia correspondent for the UK's Channel 4, said to Duterte in the president's hometown of Davao City in Mindanao in the southern Philippines.

"The narcostates of Latin America were, as you know, associated with the term 'death squads' too, and ... in the five months since you became president, more people have actually been killed than died during the nine years of the Marcos dictatorship ..." Miller asked, before Duterte started to answer.

The Philippine president then made several criticisms of the US, which he has frequently denounced.

"I could ask the same question. Why is America losing 40,000 lives [in] drug-related cases. What makes the Philippines different from America?" Duterte began his response, which you can see in full below, as recorded by The Philippine Star.





Duterte made several critiques of the US, including over the invasions of Panama and Iraq and its nonmembership in the International Criminal Court.

"They are invoking extra-judicial killings, calling upon the Human Rights Commission, and defining extra-judicial killings, which is in the charter of which he is not a signatory," Duterte said. "Do you know that, that America is not a member? And yet they threaten leaders and presidents."

Duterte then appeared to conclude his answer by uttering some familiar words  "putang ina mo," which translate as "son of a bitch" or "son of a whore."

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte inspects Japan's coast guard drills in Yokohama, Japan October 27, 2016. REUTERS/Kazuhiro Nogi/Pool

The Philippine president has leveled that insult at several world leaders, including Pope Francis. His apparent use of it in reference to US President Barack Obama in September attracted international attention

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In the Obama incident, a parsing of the whole comment suggests the phrase was not used as a direct insult to the US president, but rather as an obscene interjection or intensifier for Duterte's response to the question he was asked at the time (or it may have been directed the questioner).

Whatever the case, Duterte expressed regret for his choice of words, and he and Obama seemed to make up somewhat a few days later at an Asian regional summit.

Rodrigo Duterte Barack Obama Philippines US Asia ASEAN

In this latest incident, the comment appears to have been directed at Miller, the British journalist, though there may have been some confusion on Duterte's part.

"I think President Duterte may have wrongly assumed that I am an American and addressed his criticism of the US to me personally," Miller told Forbes.

"He has deep-seated resentment  shared by many in his southern island of Mindanao  over the experience of US colonial repression a century ago," he added.

"Its a fairly standard Duterte-ism, reserved for foreigners who irritate him, but I find myself in distinguished company, with Pope Francis and President Obama," Miller said to Forbes.

"For all his strongman alpha-male image, the President is acutely sensitive when it comes to perceived criticism of his policies  particularly by those he views as arrogant westerners who have no moral high ground from which to make judgements."

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Two months after the Kennedy administration barred Americans from any transactions with Cuba, Soviet Union leader Nikita Khrushchev hosted Fidel Castro  who died Friday at the age of 90  on April 27, 1963, in Castro's first visit to the USSR.

This photo from Castro's 40-day visit to the USSR features Khrushchev and a bunch of Soviets smiling while Castro, wearing two Rolex watches, lights up a Cuban cigar in front of a Karl Marx portrait in the Kremlin.

castro

Some blogs have noted that Castro may have worn two Rolexes to easily follow the local time in both Cuba and Moscow.

During his trip, Castro visited multiple Russian cities, factories, and military bases, and he brokered a deal to receive free Soviet military equipment while providing Russia with sugar.

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The Old Forge, in the village of Inverie in Scotland's Knoydart Peninsula, has the distinction of being the most remote pub in Scotland and in mainland Britain.

At its off-the-grid location, the pub has stunning views that include soaring mountains and peaceful waters.

It may be one of the only places in Europe where we get views like this of the mountain meeting the sea, said Jean-Pierre Robinet, the pub's current owner.

Getting there isnt easy: It requires either hiking for 18 miles or taking a seven-mile ferry ride. But once visitors arrive, theyll be treated to a charming setting.

Old Forge Bar

Inside, walls are lined with instruments that range from acoustic and electric guitars to fiddles, which customers are free to pick up and play.

Live music is the pubs motto, according to Robinet, and visitors are invited to bring their own instruments (if they can get them there).

All products are locally sourced within a seven-mile radius, according to Robinet, with an in-house scallop driver bringing in fresh seafood of the day. Popular dishes include seasonal selections of lobsters, scallops, mussels, a venison burger made with homemade bread and topped with two venison patties, and a hearty venison stew in the winter.

Old Forge Bar

The Old Forge has a global selection of beers from microbreweries and in-house ales that helped the bar rank as one of Peter Irvines top pubs to visit in Scotland, in addition to ranking on lists of the best bars to visit around the world.

Wi-Fi is regularly switched off at 6 p.m. and there are no televisions, which is part of what drew Robinet to the place.

I saw it as a great opportunity to step out of the common world and get back to the roots of the world, Robinet, who had been a customer for 20 years before buying the place five years ago, told Travel + Leisure. It may be the best decision that Ive ever made.

Customers can also arrive at the bar via boat or helicopter.

For those who want to stay nearby, accommodations include snugs for up to four people, the Old Byre (set within Knoydarts majestic setting and equipped to fit up to twelve people), campsites, and a variety of bunkhouses for backpackers.

The Old Forge is open seasonally: It will reopen December 26, until January 10, and then remain open (except for on Wednesdays) from March 1 through October 2017.
Fidel Castro, Cuba's longtime revolutionary leader who defied the United States for nearly half a century, died Friday. He was 90 years old.

Castro had been suffering from declining health for several years. The communist dictator, known for bringing the Cold War to the Western Hemisphere in 1959, "devilling 11 American presidents and briefly pushing the world to the brink of nuclear war," as The New York Times reported, ceded his power to his younger brother, Raul Castro, due to an intestinal illness eight years ago. Fidel officially resigned as president in February 2008, and Raul took over permanently.

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Raul announced his brother's death Friday on Cuban television. Following the news, many political figures, journalists and celebrities took to social media to share their reactions on Castro, who famously survived numerous assassination attempts by the CIA and anti-Castro exiles in the early 1960s. In 2002 he stated, "I have never been afraid of death. I have never been concerned about death."

Emilio Estefan, a Cuban-American musician and producer, released the following statement to ET on Saturday:

"To all political prisoners, many of those who died, and to their families; to the members of the Brigade 2506, who had the courage to fight from the beginning; to each family that were separated; to those who died in the Florida Straits; to the dissidents who struggle every day; to the victims of the attack on March 13, 1957; and to all who died seeking freedom -- We thank you and honor you for fighting for freedom and human rights for our homeland. Your sacrifice will NEVER be forgotten. Today, there is a new dawn filled with hope for our beloved Cuba."

His wife, Gloria, also released a statement on her social media platforms, which read, "Although the death of a human being is rarely cause for celebration, it is the symbolic death of the destructive ideologies that he espoused that, I believe, is filling the Cuban exile community with renewed hope and a relief that has been long in coming."

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PHOTOS: Stars We've Lost In Recent Years

"And although the grip of Castro's regime will not loosen overnight, the demise of a leader that oversaw the annihilation of those with an opposing view, the indiscriminate jailing of innocents, the separation of families," her statement continued, "the censure of his people's freedom to speak, state sanctioned terrorism and the economic destruction of a once thriving and successful country, can only lead to positive change for the Cuban people and our world. May freedom continue to ring in the United States, my beautiful adopted country and may the hope for freedom be inspired and renewed in the heart of every Cuban in my homeland and throughout the world."

President-elect Donald Trump weighed in, releasing a statement that read, "Today, the world marks the passing of a brutal dictator who oppressed his own people for nearly six decades. Fidel Castro's legacy is one of firing squads, theft, unimaginable suffering, poverty and the denial of fundamental human rights."

"While Cuba remains a totalitarian island, it is my hope that today marks a move away from the horrors endured for too long, and toward a future in which the wonderful Cuban people finally live in the freedom they so richly deserve," he continued. "Though the tragedies, deaths and pain caused by Fidel Castro cannot be erased, our administration will do all it can to ensure the Cuban people can finally begin their journey toward prosperity and liberty. I join the many Cuban-Americans who supported me so greatly in the presidential campaign, including the Brigade 2506 Veterans Association that endorsed me, with the hope of one day soon seeing a free Cuba."

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Trump also took to Twitter, simply writing, "Fidel Castro is dead!"

Fidel Castro is dead!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 26, 2016

Vice President-elect Mike Pence supported Trump's words, tweeting, "The tyrant #Castro is dead. New hope dawns. We will stand with the oppressed Cuban people for a free and democratic Cuba. Viva Cuba Libre!"

The tyrant #Castro is dead. New hope dawns. We will stand with the oppressed Cuban people for a free and democratic Cuba. Viva Cuba Libre!  Mike Pence (@mike_pence) November 26, 2016

President Obama offered a different approach in his statement, sending condolences to Fidel's family:

"At this time of Fidel Castro's passing, we extend a hand of friendship to the Cuban people. We know that this moment fills Cubans -- in Cuba and in the United States -- with powerful emotions, recalling the countless ways in which Fidel Castro altered the course of individual lives, families, and of the Cuban nation. History will record and judge the enormous impact of this singular figure on the people and world around him.

For nearly six decades, the relationship between the United States and Cuba was marked by discord and profound political disagreements. During my presidency, we have worked hard to put the past behind us, pursuing a future in which the relationship between our two countries is defined not by our differences but by the many things that we share as neighbors and friends - bonds of family, culture, commerce, and common humanity. This engagement includes the contributions of Cuban Americans, who have done so much for our country and who care deeply about their loved ones in Cuba.

Today, we offer condolences to Fidel Castro's family, and our thoughts and prayers are with the Cuban people. In the days ahead, they will recall the past and also look to the future. As they do, the Cuban people must know that they have a friend and partner in the United States of America."

Read more reactions below.

WATCH: The Kardashians Take Cuba! Khloe Stirs Controversy With Fidel Castro Pic

I want nothing more than to see the families that were divided to come together again and for all the years of pain to come to an end.   Camila Cabello (@camilacabello97) November 26, 2016

Well one dictator kicked the bucket so we don't have to hear about that other dictator for a minute. #notmydictator  Diane Warren (@Diane_Warren) November 26, 2016

Fidel Castro's death cannot bring back his thousands of victims, nor can it bring comfort to their families: https://t.co/hYue5mi69M  Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) November 26, 2016

Fidel Castro's death might be the only positive death of 2016.  Cuba, we love you  Keegan Allen (@KeeganAllen) November 26, 2016

History will remember Fidel Castro as an evil, murderous dictator who inflicted misery & suffering on his own people pic.twitter.com/Y7207S6qVD  Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) November 26, 2016

Fidel Castro has died. Beloved and despised. A symbol of resistance against western imperialist oppression and labeled an oppressor himself  Lupe Fiasco (@LupeFiasco) November 26, 2016

Fidel Castro is dead 90 years too late. #castrodeath  Judge Alex Ferrer (@judgealexferrer) November 26, 2016

Fidel Castro's death cannot bring back his thousands of victims, nor can it bring comfort to their families. https://t.co/LFHG66672k  Senator Ted Cruz (@SenTedCruz) November 26, 2016

Amusing to see liberals eulogising Fidel Castro, a homophobic bigot, whilst continuing to lambast Mike Pence.. for being a homophobic bigot.  Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) November 26, 2016

How ironic Fidel Castro dies on Black Friday, possibly the most capitalistic day of the year. I promise I won't shed a tear. #freedomforcuba  Mike Lowell (@mikelowell25) November 26, 2016

Florence Henderson and now Fidel Castro. Weird how the stars of I LOVE LUCY passed away so close together.  Patton Oswalt (@pattonoswalt) November 26, 2016

Fidel Castro is dead. I wish I was in Miami with my family right now. May this be a symbol for the people of Cuba. May freedom come soon   Chrissie Fit (@chrissiefit) November 26, 2016

SE MURIO LA CUCARAHAAAA #CUBALIBRE QUE FELICIDAD!!! Se que mis abuelitas estan bailando juntas en la fiesta en el cielo adonde esta cantando canciones de libertad y felicidad mi querida Celia Cruz #CUBAAAAAAA  A photo posted by laurenjauregui (@laurenjauregui) on Nov 26, 2016 at 12:38am PST

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Former President Fidel Castro, who led a rebel army to improbable victory in Cuba, embraced Soviet-style communism and defied the power of 10 U.S. presidents during his half-century rule, died at age 90, eight years after ill health forced him to formally hand power over to his younger brother Raul, who announced his death late Friday on state television.

He survived long enough to see Raul Castro negotiate an opening with President Barack Obama in 2014, when Washington and Havana announced they would move to restore diplomatic ties for the first time since they were severed in 1961. He cautiously blessed the historic deal in a letter published after a monthlong silence.

Cubans took to social media shortly after Castro's brother announced his death to share their reactions and their personal histories with the Cuban leader. Late Friday night, crowds took to the streets in Little Havana, Miami, yelling "Cuba libre!" and "Libertad!"

Read more: Cubans Flock to the Streets in Miami After News of Fidel Castro's Death

On Saturday morning, shortly after 8 a.m. ET, President-elect Donald Trump reacted to the news with a tweet that read, "Fidel Castro is dead!" During his presidential campaign, Trump had said he would reverse Obama's deal to reopen diplomatic relations unless the Cuban regime restores political freedoms and frees political prisoners.

Fidel Castro is dead!

- Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 26, 2016

He later released a full statement, calling Castro a "brutal dictator who oppressed his own people for nearly six decades." Trump said his legacy is one of "firing squads, theft, unimaginable suffering, poverty and the denial of fundamental human rights."

His statement continued: "While Cuba remains a totalitarian island, it is my hope that today marks a move away from the horrors endured for too long and toward a future in which the wonderful Cuban people finally live in the freedom they so richly deserve."

Story continues

Trump said his administration will do "all it can to ensure Cuban people can finally begin their journey toward prosperity and liberty" and ended his statement on the hope of "one day seeing a free Cuba."

Also on Saturday morning, President Obama released a statement on Castro's passing, addressing the powerful emotions his death brings for Cubans in Cuba and in the U.S.

"For nearly six decades, the relationship between the United States and Cuba was marked by discord and profound political disagreements," the statement reads. "During my presidency, we have worked hard to put the past behind us, pursuing a future in which the relationship between our two countries is defined not by our differences but by the many things that we share as neighbors and friends - bonds of family, culture, commerce, and common humanity."

Read @POTUS's statement on the passing of Fidel Castro: https://t.co/ihVoLdqbRQ pic.twitter.com/sPZfvpeQVB

- The White House (@WhiteHouse) November 26, 2016

Andy Garcia, who directed and starred in The Lost City, in which Gonzalo Menendez delivered one of several big-screen portrayals of Castro, released a statement Saturday to The Hollywood Reporter:

"It is necessary for me to express the deep sorrow that I feel for all the Cuban people both inside and outside of Cuba that have suffered the atrocities and repression caused by Fidel Castro and his totalitarian regime. The promises of his so-called revolution of pluralism and democracy, were and continue to be apromise and a betrayal of all basic human rights," he said. "The executions, persecution and imprisonment of political dissidents and the LGBT community, denial of free press, elections and religious freedoms, continue to be his legacy. He claimed that history would absolve him, but it can also condemn him."

Garcia, who was five years old when he fled with his family from Cuba to Miami, continued: "I stand as I always have with the Cuban people who love, cherish and celebrate liberty. Hard-working, helpful people who open their hearts and homes to all, whether in Cuba or in exile. I pray for what I have always prayed for: the restoration of our constitution and absolute freedom for the people of Cuba. That dream is very much alive, that fight is very much alive. Let the spirit of Jose Marti and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. show us the way."

See other reactions on social media below.

I was born in Cuba and Fidel Castro was our leader. Came to the USA because of him.

- Jose Canseco (@JoseCanseco) November 26, 2016

Can't say I feel anything for his death. There is a reason many defected to USA

- Jose Canseco (@JoseCanseco) November 26, 2016

#FidelCastro dead at 90 #Cuba pic.twitter.com/wo6caxgNDY

- Daisy Fuentes (@DaisyFuentes) November 26, 2016

RIP to everyone's favorite television mom, Fidel Castro.

- billy eichner (@billyeichner) November 26, 2016

#BREAKING Grab your pots and pans, Miami. Fidel Castro is dead at 90.

- Billy Corben (@BillyCorben) November 26, 2016

Fidel Castro has died. Beloved and despised. A symbol of resistance against western imperialist oppression and labeled an oppressor himself

- Lupe Fiasco (@LupeFiasco) November 26, 2016

Although the death of a human being is rarely cause for celebration, it is the symbolic death of the destructive ideologies that he espoused that, I believe, is filling the Cuban exile community with renewed hope and a relief that has been long in coming. And although the grip of Castro's regime will not loosen overnight, the demise of a leader that oversaw the annihilation of those with an opposing view, the indiscriminate jailing of innocents, the separation of families, the censure of his people's freedom to speak, state sanctioned terrorism and the economic destruction of a once thriving & successful country, can only lead to positive change for the Cuban people and our world. May freedom continue to ring in the United States, my beautiful adopted country and may the hope for freedom be inspired and renewed in the heart of every Cuban in my homeland and throughout the world. Aunque la muerte de un ser humano es raramente causa para celebrar, es la muerte simbolica de las ideologias destructivas que el patrocino que, en mi opinion, estan llenando al exilio Cubano de esperanza renovada y un alivio que ha tardado mucho en llegar. Y aunque el agarre del regimen Castrista no se aflojara de un dia para otro, el deceso de un lider que superviso el aniquilamiento de aquellos con puntos de vistas opuestos al suyo, el encarcelamiento de inocentes, la separacion de familias, la censura de la libertad de expresion, el esparcimiento de terrorismo sancionado por su gobierno y la destruccion economica de un pais exitoso que prosperaba, solo puede llevar a cambios positivos para el pueblo Cubano y el mundo. Que la libertad siga viva en los Estados Unidos, mi bello pais adoptivo, y que la esperanza para la libertad crezca y se renueve en los corazones de cada Cubano en mi tierra natal y a traves del mundo./a>

A photo posted by Gloria Estefan (@gloriaestefan) on Nov 26, 2016 at 9:48am PST

Barbara Walters on the death of Fidel Castro: "He made clear to me that he was an absolute dictator and that he was a staunch opponent of democracy. I told him that what we most profoundly disagreed on was the meaning of freedom." #cuba #fidelcastro

A photo posted by David Muir (@davidmuirabc) on Nov 26, 2016 at 1:09pm PST

Read more: Fidel Castro's Cuban Government: A Timeline
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Former President Fidel Castro, who led a rebel army to improbable victory in Cuba, embraced Soviet-style communism and defied the power of 10 U.S. presidents during his half century rule, died at age 90. Castro died eight years after ill health forced him to formally hand power over to his younger brother Raul, who announced his death late Friday on state television.

He survived long enough to see Raul Castro negotiate an opening with President Barack Obama in 2014, when Washington and Havana announced they would move to restore diplomatic ties for the first time since they were severed in 1961. He cautiously blessed the historic deal in a letter published after a month-long silence.

Cubans took to social media shortly after Castro's brother announced his death to share their reactions and their personal histories with the Cuban leader. Late Friday night, crowds took to the streets in Little Havana, Miami, yelling "Cuba libre!" and "Libertad!"

Read more: Cubans Flock to the Streets in Miami After News of Fidel Castro's Death

On Saturday morning, shortly after 8 a.m. ET, President-elect Donald Trump reacted to the news with a tweet that read, "Fidel Castro is dead!" During his presidential campaign, Trump had said he would reverse Obama's deal to reopen diplomatic relations unless the Cuban regime restores political freedoms and frees political prisoners.

Fidel Castro is dead!

- Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 26, 2016

He later released a full statement, calling Castro a "brutal dictator who oppressed his own people for nearly six decades." He said his legacy is one of "firing squads, theft, unimaginable suffering, poverty and the denial of fundamental human rights."

Trump's statement continued: "While Cuba remains a totalitarian island, it is my hope that today marks a move away from the horrors endured for too long and toward a future in which the wonderful Cuban people finally live in the freedom they so richly deserve."

Story continues

He said his administration will do "all it can to ensure Cuban people can finally begin their journey toward prosperity and liberty" and ended his statement on the hope of "one day seeing a free Cuba."

Also on Saturday morning, President Obama released a statement on Castro's passing, addressing the powerful emotions his death brings for Cubans in Cuba and in the U.S.

"For nearly six decades, the relationship between the United States and Cuba was marked by discord and profound political disagreements," the statement reads. "During my presidency, we have worked hard to put the past behind us, pursuing a future in which the relationship between our two countries is defined not by our differences but by the many things that we share as neighbors and friends - bonds of family, culture, commerce, and common humanity."

Read @POTUS's statement on the passing of Fidel Castro: https://t.co/ihVoLdqbRQ pic.twitter.com/sPZfvpeQVB

- The White House (@WhiteHouse) November 26, 2016

See other reactions from Hollywood on social media below.

I was born in Cuba and Fidel Castro was our leader. Came to the USA because of him.

- Jose Canseco (@JoseCanseco) November 26, 2016

Can't say I feel anything for his death. There is a reason many defected to USA

- Jose Canseco (@JoseCanseco) November 26, 2016

#FidelCastro dead at 90 #Cuba pic.twitter.com/wo6caxgNDY

- Daisy Fuentes (@DaisyFuentes) November 26, 2016

RIP to everyone's favorite television mom, Fidel Castro.

- billy eichner (@billyeichner) November 26, 2016

#BREAKING Grab your pots and pans, Miami. Fidel Castro is dead at 90.

- Billy Corben (@BillyCorben) November 26, 2016

Fidel Castro has died. Beloved and despised. A symbol of resistance against western imperialist oppression and labeled an oppressor himself

- Lupe Fiasco (@LupeFiasco) November 26, 2016

Read more: Fidel Castro's Cuban Government: A Timeline
Havana (AFP) - Cuban President Raul Castro has proved far more pragmatic than his late brother Fidel, ushering in a gradual opening on the communist island and a historic thaw with the United States.

Now, he finally steps out of his big brother's shadow for good.

Fidel's death late Friday at age 90 leaves Castro alone at the levers of power for the first time since health problems forced his brother to step down in 2006.

Raul Castro had served as his brother's defense minister ever since 1959, when Fidel took Havana by storm at the head of a guerrilla army.

Castro, whose steel-rimmed glasses hide a sharp gaze, was always the reserved little brother to the larger-than-life Fidel.

But as defense minister for nearly 50 years, he was also perfectly poised to impose himself as the island's strongman when Fidel faded.

After consolidating control, backed by the military, Castro began small steps toward opening up the sclerotic, Soviet-style command economy.

In parallel, he launched a series of diplomatic initiatives to forge new allies -- notably opening up to the old enemy the United States, where President Barack Obama's arrival in power in 2008 promised a chance for detente.

This shift had practical, as much as ideological, motivations: leftist ally Venezuela, whose oil largesse had kept Cuba going after the Soviet Union's collapse, was sliding off the economic rails.

Castro, 85, has patched up ties with the European Union and dramatically responded to the Obama administration's call for an end to their half-century standoff -- a rapprochement that saw the old foes restore diplomatic relations last year.

Cautious and with less flair than Fidel, Castro has patiently diversified Cuba's alliances, attracting foreign investment so that an economy still 80 percent under state control no longer relies so much on a single foreign backer.

Yet Castro has given little away of the Communist Party's monopoly on running internal affairs.

Story continues

- End of an era -

Raul cuts a distinctly different figure to charismatic Fidel, his narrow mustache standing in symbolic contrast to his brother's bushy black beard.

But historians say their partnership is what got Cuba through so many challenges -- be it more than half a century of a suffocating US embargo or the devastating collapse of all-important Soviet support at the end of the 1980s.

With Fidel now gone and Raul promising to step down in 2018, the regime now faces its ultimate challenge: ensuring that opening to European and US investors doesn't bury the revolution.

Paul Webster Hare, who teaches international relations at Boston University, said Castro was happy to have new US tourism dollars but unbending on the issue of allowing democratic freedoms.

"The blocks will be imposed on political grounds on the Cuban side. That would change the whole narrative of the Cuban Revolution, which Raul wants to preserve," said Hare, a former British ambassador to Cuba.

"Raul's main concern is not to endorse inequality like the Chinese have," he added. "He knows that the revolution would not survive long."

- Lonely finish -

Born June 3, 1931 to a prosperous Spanish immigrant landowner and a Cuban mother of humble background, Castro grew up trailing behind Fidel and another older brother, Ramon.

He fought alongside Fidel to overthrow dictator Fulgencio Batista, then took over as head of the new military, the Revolutionary Armed Forces.

Under his leadership, the army pulled off a pair of audacious victories intervening in Cold War conflicts in Angola and Ethiopia in the 1970s and 80s.

But Castro waited faithfully in the wings, never seeking his big brother's spotlight.

After taking over, he did show a sense of humor -- Castro regime style -- when in 2013 he told journalists he was resigning.

Friends say he is easygoing and amiable in private, despite his imposing public persona.

Castro met his late wife, Vilma Espin, when both were young rebels.

He married her in 1959, the year the revolution triumphed. She died in 2007.

He has four children.
Reaction to the death of Fidel Castro Spanish newspapers announces the death of former Cuban President Fidel Castro, pictured at right with the caption The Cubans Tyrant Dies , in Pamplona, northern Spain, Sunday, Nov. 27, 2016, after his death was announced on Friday. (AP Photo/Alvaro Barrientos)

While the death of Cuban leader Fidel Castro prompted cheers from the countrys exiles in Miami, the 90-year-old revolutionary leaders passing produced expressions of respect in other parts of the world and measured responses from governments that have seen the devoted socialist as a threat.

President Obama noted that while discord and profound political disagreements marked the relationship between the United States and Cuba for nearly six decades, Americans were extending a hand of friendship to the Cuban people during their time of grief.

History will record and judge the enormous impact of this singular figure on the people and world around him, Obama said.

While spending the Thanksgiving weekend in Florida, where the announcement of Castros death early Saturday brought Cuban exiles into the streets to celebrate, U.S. President-elect Donald Trump took to Twitter to share a thought that proved pithy even for the medium: Fidel Castro is dead!

Elsewhere in world, Castro was honored and mourned by many present and former national leaders.

In a telegram to Cuban President Raul Castro, Fidels 85-year-old brother, Pope Francis offered my sense of grief to your excellency and family.

Francis broke from the Vaticans usual practice of having the Vaticans secretary of state send official condolences. In a mark of the esteem the pope held for Castro, whom he met during a visit to Cuba last year, Francis signed the telegram himself.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, whose country was Cubas main ally and supporter during the Soviet era, called Castro a sincere and reliable friend of Russia who had built an inspiring example for many countries and nations.

Chinese President Xi Jinping said Castro made immortal historical contributions to the development of socialism around the world.

With his death, the Chinese people have lost a close comrade and a sincere friend, Xi said in a telegram to Raul Castro, according to Chinese state broadcaster CCTV. His glorious image and great achievements will be recorded in history forever. (Reuters)

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Manchester (United Kingdom) (AFP) - It is a sign of Wayne Rooneys recent troubles that he is not guaranteed to make Manchester Uniteds starting line-up against West Ham on Sunday despite breaking a club record this week.

The United captain became the Red Devils' all-time leading European scorer on Thursday with a fine finish to set up a 4-0 Europa League victory over Feyenoord.

He needs just one more goal now to draw level with England great Bobby Charlton as United's highest scorer in all competitions.

Yet in a television interview after the Feyenoord game Rooney, who has struggled for form this season,launched into an attack on the British media.

Rooney, who was on England duty at the time, faced heavy criticism this month after photographs appearing to show him drunk at a wedding party were published in a newspaper.

Although he apologised for inappropriate behaviour, Rooney has since downplayed the incident.

The forward feels he has been harshly treated, but perhaps there is a sense that he has a point to prove too.

Rooney has started just one of Uniteds last seven Premier League games, with manager Jose Mourinho preferring Juan Mata or Paul Pogba in the withdrawn role behind main striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

While there is satisfaction in breaking club records, it does little to dispel the sense that, at 31, Rooneys best days may be behind him. Winning a starting spot on Sunday would go some way to dispelling that notion.

Another United player seeking to disprove his critics is midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan, who started a club game for the first time since September when he played against Feyenoord.

The Armenia captains lack of opportunities under Mourinho since his 26 million pre-season move from Borussia Dortmund has been a source of bafflement for many fans.

- 'One more step' -

However, the manager is adamant that Mkhitaryan has not been frozen out.

"He just needs now to replicate this kind of performance in the Premier League," Mourinho said.

Story continues

"The Premier League is different - he needs one more step. Obviously now, confidence levels are higher.

"This performance gives him the right to believe that he can play the next match again and he needs to replicate this kind of performance in the Premier League with more physicality and more aggression."

With just one win in their last six Premier League games, United have slipped to sixth and need rapid domestic improvement.

They do, at least, have Ibrahimovic available in attack, the forward having missed last Saturdays 1-1 draw at home to Arsenal because of suspension.

Last weekends agonising late defeat at London rivals Tottenham Hotspur left West Ham just one point and one place above the relegation places.

It also raised questions over the long-term future of manager Slaven Bilic.

"I feel the pressure of course, because we are not delivering and performing enough to get points to feel happy," said Bilic.

"But I see the improvement, I see the team that is hungry and alive and the points were there for us in a very difficult away game. That's what I'm concentrated on and not to make mistakes like we did against Spurs."

He added: "Its still very tight. With a win against Tottenham we would have been 12th or eleventh, but we are in the position we are.

"You can say its still early days, but we have to start picking up the points. We can say we were unlucky or we deserve more, but the table doesnt lie."

Hammers central defender Winston Reid is suspended but Bilic hopes to have midfielder Pedro Obiang back in his squad.
Libreville (AFP) - Gabon's opposition leader Jean Ping once more declared himself "president-elect" as he returned home Saturday, claiming he had the support of multiple foreign countries after a month abroad.

The re-election of President Ali Bongo in August sparked deadly unrest in oil-rich Gabon as Ping's opposition cried foul.

"All the embassies know with certainty that it was I, Jean Ping, who you elected president of the Gabonese Republic on August 27," Ping told supporters who turned out at the airport to meet him, while hundreds of others gathered at his headquarters in Libreville.

"The same embassies know that it was Ali Bongo who was the unlucky candidate in this presidential election," said Ping, who has spent the last month in Paris, Brussels and Washington and flew in from the French capital.

Ping filed a legal challenge after Bongo was declared the winner of the presidential election by a mere 6,000 votes, but in September Gabon's constitutional court confirmed Bongo's victory, dismissing opposition claims of fraud.

International powers have largely recognised the result while calling for political dialogue in Gabon.

At least three people were killed in post-electoral violence according to the government, while the opposition says at least 26 died and several others are missing.

Ping, a former top official at the African Union, said the final report of the EU's observer mission for the elections would "reveal the truth of the deception" when it is released in early December.

An initial report by the EU observers noted "evident anomalies" in the results, notably in Bongo's stronghold of Haut-Ogooue.

Ping's return to Libreville prompted a major security operation, with police controlling access to the airport and then blocking the fast lane of the route leading to the opposition's headquarters.

Bongo's family has exercised a long grip on power.

Ali Bongo took over from his father Omar Bongo, who ruled for 41 years until his death in 2009.
By Francisco Alvarado and Nicole Martinez MIAMI (Reuters) - Cuban-Americans poured into the streets of Miami's Little Havana on Saturday to celebrate the death of Fidel Castro, while leaders of Florida's Cuban emigre community portrayed his passing as a hopeful sign for reform in their homeland. Thousands of revelers turned out in force on the streets of the city's Cuban neighborhood, waving flags, setting off fireworks and banging on pots to mark the death of a man who many scorned as a dictator. But the crowd included many people too young to remember Castro in his heyday in the 1960s and 1970s, and many of them sounded more pragmatic than ideological when speaking about his death at the age of 90. Vendors selling "Cuba Libre" flags and T-shirts set up shop on nearly every street corner, as rows of cars, many of them blaring horns, flooded the streets. At the Versailles Restaurant, long a center of the city's exile community, the wait for a table at lunchtime was more than an hour and a half. "This is the happiest day of my life, Cubans are finally free!" said Orlidia Montells, 84, who said she had waited for Castro to die for more than 50 years. But Julie Penate, a 15-year-old student who was at the Versailles with her family, spoke of Castro's death in terms of the future. She said it was an opportunity to build on the warmer relations established under the Obama administration. "I think now we have a more civilized bond and we can come together and do something greater," Penate said. Hugo Ravelo, an 83-year-old former casino employee, said he hoped change would come to the Caribbean island, but he was not sure how much would happen. "The other one is still there," he said, referring to Cuban President Raul Castro, Fidel's younger brother. Ric Herrero, executive director of Cuba Now, was more optimistic. He believes Castros death should free his brother to push ahead with measures that the more hard-line "Commandante" had long opposed. Cuba Now is a nonpartisan advocacy group that played a pivotal role in persuading President Barrack Obama to re-establish diplomatic relations with the communist nation. We know that Fidel opposed normalization with the United States and put the brakes on many of the economic reforms that his younger brother tried to implement, Herrero said. This opens up space for Raul. QUESTIONS ABOUT TRUMP On the streets of Miami on Saturday, the anger and frustration of many Cubans over decades of political repression in their native land was palpable. One man held an effigy of Castro's severed head on a stick, while others carried signs calling on Satan to "take care" of Castro in hell. Many people were also wearing "Make America Great Again" hats and sporting "Trump Pence" T-shirts. The attire suggested that at least some of Miami's Cuban-Americans are counting on President-elect Donald Trump, who takes office on Jan. 20, to play a crucial role in shaping U.S. policy with Cuba in the post-Fidel era. Dasiel Bellido de Luna, a 27 year-old medical technician who arrived from Cuba three years ago, said he did not support all of Trump's campaign rhetoric, but he thought the president-elect would deliver on his promise of renegotiating with Cuba. "Trump has said he wants to make a better deal than the unilateral agreement made by (President Barack) Obama," Bellido de Luna said, referring to executive orders signed by the U.S. president. "This is the time to force them to open the Cuban economy to its citizens." But Cuba Now's Herrero said the Trump administration should be careful to avoid President Ronald Reagan's mistake of isolating Cuba at the end of the Cold War. That will only embolden its hard-liners and further delay change, Herrero said. Now more than ever is time for the United States to fully open itself to the Cuban people. Like Herrero, Miami Beach Commissioner Ricky Arriola is hopeful that Trump will think twice about reversing the recent opening between the two countries. I think in his heart, he is someone who sees opportunity in Cuba, said Arriola, a Cuban-American politician who would like to see Cuba set up a consulate in his city. More than one-third of the 2.5 million residents of Miami-Dade County, which includes the city of Miami, are of Cuban descent, according to 2014 U.S. Census data. Since the Obama administration began normalizing relations, the number of new Cubans arriving in the United States, particularly the Miami area, has surged. According to the Pew Research Center, nearly 9,000 Cubans have entered through Miami during the first months of fiscal 2016, on pace to surpass last years rate. As the number of younger Cubans who did not live through Castros revolution has outpaced that of older exiles, attitudes about dealing with the Cuban government have softened. In September, a Florida International University poll found that 56 percent of local Cuban-Americans strongly or mostly favor re-engagement with the island. For some, there is a lingering respect for Castro as an icon of a bygone era, despite his human rights record. Luis Torres, a 28-year-old medical student in Miami, said Castro was still admired by some people for defying the United States and demolishing Cuba's rigid class system. "A lot of people see him as a hero, that he stood up to the U.S.," he said. (Additional reporting by Ian Simpson; Editing by Frank McGurty and Jonathan Oatis)
Meghan King Edmonds is a mom to a little girl!

The Real Housewives of Orange County star announced on Instagram Friday that she and husband Jim Edmonds welcomed their first child on Thanksgiving Day.

@therealgirlygirl sent me this note while Jimmy and I welcomed our new baby girl on Thanksgiving! Our hearts are exploding, King Edmonds, 32, wrote, adding, Stay tuned for name, pics, baby info, and birth story info!

The new addition joins Edmonds four children from his previous relationships.

Want all the latest pregnancy and birth announcements, plus celebrity mom blogs? Click here to get those and more in the PEOPLE Babies newsletter.

King Edmonds revealed the news of her pregnancy  and that she was expecting a baby girl  to PEOPLE exclusively in June.

Im so over the moon, I couldnt believe it the first time I peed on a stick and I saw that little line kind of get a little darker, she said at the time. Ive always dreamed of this, but its still such a miracle. I cant even describe the feeling.

The reality star has been open about her experience with in vitro fertilization, telling PEOPLE in July that the associated hormones gave her quite the roller coaster ride.

Feeeling exhausted and bloated  it changed my lifestyle, she admitted. Im used to working out every day, and I wasnt able to because I was tired.

King Edmonds was the guest of honor at two baby showers in October, which included guests like former Housewife Lizzie Rovsek as well as the expectant mamas and Edmonds close family and friends.

Yesterday was truly magical @2createdesigns put together a fairy tale baby shower, which helped me forget how miserable Ive felt the last couple days, the then-eight-months-pregnant King Edmonds wrote on Instagram.

Im going on day 3 of my fever, but just thinking about all the beautiful details and amazing friends who showered me and my baby girl with love makes my heart smile.




Ron Glass, veteran film and television actor best known for his Emmy-nominated role as Detective Ron Harris on the classic ABC sitcom Barney Miller and for playing Shepherd Book on the cult favorite Fox sci-fi series Firefly and its follow-up film Serenity, has died from undisclosed causes. He was 71.

As news of Glass passing became public, those who knew him, worked with him, or admired him paid tribute on social media, noting his kindness and friendship. He got there with grace, humor & enormous heart, said Firefly creator Joss Whedon. He was, among so many other things, my Shepherd. Raise, appropriately, a glass. Rest, Ron.

It was an Honor & a Pleasure to work with the Amazing Ron Glass! RIP, Sir!,said Samuel L. Jackson, who worked with Glass on the 2008 thriller Lakeview Terrace.

He hugged hard and often. He would laugh till he cried at a sick joke and top it with a worse one. He loved a Grey Goose crantini and spilled one on my white jeans in the heat of telling a story, and then just said, Girl, those were ugly pants anyway. I adored him, said his Firefly co-star Jewel Staite.

His laugh was beyond infectious and his generosity was ever present, said Alan Tudyk, who called Glass one of the greatest actors to work with.

It was an Honor & a Pleasure to work with the Amazing Ron Glass! RIP, Sir!  Samuel L. Jackson (@SamuelLJackson) November 26, 2016

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He got there with grace, humor & enormous heart. He was, among so many other things, my Shepherd. Raise, appropriately, a glass. Rest, Ron. pic.twitter.com/yzPly7TmgE  Joss Whedon (@joss) November 26, 2016

Ron Glass was also a sassy smart ass and I prize that very much. A leaf on the wind. #ripronglass  alan tudyk (@AlanTudyk) November 26, 2016

Ron Glass was one of the greatest actors to work with. His laugh was beyond infectious and his generosity was ever present. #ripronglass  alan tudyk (@AlanTudyk) November 26, 2016

Happy rebirth, dear Ron Glass. Among the kindest and gentlest souls to have walked this earth with us.https://t.co/rF1bDPxeRa  Adam Baldwin (@AdamBaldwin) November 26, 2016

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Ron Glass Dead  Barney Miller Star Dies at 71 : We lost another one I stole his identity in the movie houseguest https://t.co/4Z9LmC6fTa  Sinbad (@sinbadbad) November 26, 2016

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/802641976772427781

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I hope Ron Glass is somewhere, enjoying a horrible cup of coffee with Jack Soo. #RIPRonGlass  Patton Oswalt (@pattonoswalt) November 26, 2016

Goodnight, sweet Ron.  Emmy-nominated actor Ron Glass is dead at 71https://t.co/arBPOlGzfM  Ron Perlman (@perlmutations) November 26, 2016

Born in 1945 in Evansville, Indiana, Glass was an alumnus of the University of Evansville and began his acting career with regional stage roles in the 1960s. He made his television debut in the early 1970s, appearing as a guest on shows including Sandford and Son, Hawaii Five-O, All in the Family, The Bob Newhart Show, and Good Times among many others.

In 1975, he landed the first of two roles for which he would be best remembered, Barney Millers Detective Ron Harris. A literary, preoccupied aspiring writer, Harris was a mainstay of the series throughout its entire eight season run, the center of an ongoing arc in which he attempted to kick off his writing career, eventually succeeding with a memoir called Blood on the Badge. The success would come with a price however, as ambulance-chasing lawyer Arnold Ripner would sue him for his depiction in Blood, receiving a huge payout late in the shows run.

Following Barney Miller, Glass starred alongside Demond Wilson in the short-lived The New Odd Couple, appeared as Satan on a memorable episode of the 1980s Twilight Zone revival alongside Sherman Hemsley, along with numerous other guest spots including Family Matters and Star Trek Voyager, and co-starred in the short-lived sitcom Rhythm and Blues. Glass also voiced the character Randy Carmichael on the Nickelodeon series All Grown Up! and Rugrats, and lent his voice to the video game Fable II.

In 2002, Glass landed his second iconic role, co-starring on Foxs ensemble sci-fi western series Firefly as Shepherd Book. A spiritual leader of sorts to the rag-tag crew of the space ship Serenity, Book attempted to guide them toward their better instincts while appearing to atone for a mysterious and possibly checkered past. He reprised the role for the sequel film, 2005s Serenity, in which Book, along with Alan Tudyks Hoban Wash Washburne, were killed in what would become the quintessential examples of creator Joss Whedons penchant for killing off beloved characters. The character remains one of the series most beloved.

As Shepherd Book, Glass delivered a quiet, spiritual demeanor that reflected his own life, as he was a practicing Buddhist and a longstanding member of Soka Gakkai International, the worlds largest organization for Buddhist laity. He never married.

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ADB, govt begin construction of quake-hit office buildings

The government and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) on Friday commenced construction of government office buildings that were damaged or destroyed by devastating earthquakes of April and May, 2015.
MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian energy ministry officials will not travel to Vienna for a meeting of experts from OPEC and other oil-producing countries scheduled for Monday, the RIA and TASS news agencies reported on Saturday, citing a diplomatic source.

An oil industry source told Reuters on Saturday a final decision had still not been reached on whether to attend the event, which precedes the ministerial meeting between OPEC and non-OPEC oil producers as well as the regular biannual OPEC meeting.

On Friday, top OPEC oil exporter Saudi Arabia told the producer group it will not attend talks on Monday with non-OPEC producers to discuss limiting supply, OPEC sources said, as it wants to focus on getting a consensus within the organisation first.

(Reporting by Vladimir Soldatkin; Editing by Helen Popper)
Southampton (United Kingdom) (AFP) - Claude Puel has demanded his Southampton side to put aside their Europa League disappointment ahead of the Premier League visit of Everton on Sunday.

The 1-0 defeat at Sparta Prague left Puels side needing a win or scoreless draw against Hapoel Beer Sheva in their final group game to progress in the competition.

But it was the nature of the performance in the Czech Republic that caused the Frenchman most concern.

And the Southampton boss knows Saints must improve significantly if they are to deny former manager Ronald Koeman victory when the Dutchman returns to St Marys Stadium.

"It was a disappointment of course with the result and also with the quality of our game," said Puel. "It was not sufficient to win this game, and a draw was not sufficient for us - only a victory, but that was not possible.

"It's important to keep a positive attitude, because we stay with our destiny in our hands, and this is the most important thing.

"Now it's important to come back in the Premier League with good spirit, good attitude and a good recovery, of course.

"I think we have got to play a good game, because it is an important one - it is Ronald Koeman's team and it's a good challenge for us."

Jose Fonte and Dusan Tadic were both sidelined in midweek, but Puel is hopeful centre-back Fonte will recover from a foot injury in time to face Everton.

"Tadic we are going to see if he can train, said the manager. "Normally I think that it is not possible, because his injury was a bad injury and its a problem for us.

"Jose I believe can play, but Dusan no. Now he's two weeks without a training session and at the moment it is difficult for him."

Koeman hopes Southampton fans show him "respect"upon his return to the south coast.

The Dutch great quit the Saints to replace Roberto Martinez in the Goodison Park hotseat and is expected to receive a hostile reception from the home supporters at St Marys.

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- 'Big club' -

"I cannot change the opinions and feelings of the Southampton fans -- I hope they will respect me," said Koeman.

"After my career, I will look back and say I had a great time there. Of course, I understand the difference of opinions and reactions. Im not afraid of that.

"But it's time to think about Everton. I made the choice to move and I'm happy what I'm doing."

Koeman added: "Everton is a big club with a big history. I thank that now its about looking forward and the best at what you can do.

"Im happy I made the move because I think it's a big club. It's a project. Not an easy one but we are totally confident we can reach finally what we like to do with Everton."

The Toffees have no fresh injury doubts with midfielder Muhamed Besic and striker Arouna Kone (both knee) the only long-term absentees.
Protesters marched through Seattle chanting Black lives matter and No justice, no peace, no racist police amid the Black Friday shopping frenzy on November 25.

Demonstrators blocked traffic near the intersection of the Westlake Avenue North and Mercer Street, reported Seattle-based KIRO-TV. Voices against President-elect Donald Trump were also heard in the rally. Credit: YouTube/Bubba Ridgeway via Storyful
Shailene Woodley spent Thanksgiving alongside hundreds of protesters opposing the Dakota Access pipeline at the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation.

The 25-year-old outspoken actress spoke with TYT Politics on Thursday, fighting back tears as she criticized the American holiday.

WATCH: Shailene Woodley Arrested at Protest Over Dakota Access Pipeline

"I do know that today is a day that many call Thanksgiving, and it's a day where kids in elementary school and America are taught false narratives about our native brothers and sisters," she explained in a video posted to Facebook. "From the time we were little kids, we'd cut out in cardboard paper pictures of pilgrims and feasts and turkeys. And yet none of our children know the truth about not only what happened to Native Americans, when Westerners decided to colonize this country, but what is still happening to Native Americans."

"This pipeline, and I know this has been said, but like, gosh, this pipeline was supposed to be built in Bismarck, N.D.," she continued, "which is a predominately white 'American' area. And when the people of Bismarck decided that if this pipeline  when this pipeline breaks  it would compromise the integrity of their water, they moved it to the Native American reservation. They didn't do it, they failed to, and we're still here, on Thanksgiving, again the day that no one knows the history about."

"Thanksgiving was founded on a massacre," she added. "And yet we're here with these cops, with snipers with rubber bullets, and I'm honest  I'm just sick of it. There is no excuse. Where is everyone? Why isn't everyone standing up and saying something?"

WATCH: Shailene Woodley Pleads Not Guilty to All Charges in Dakota Access Pipeline Arrest

Woodley, who was joined by actresses Nikki Reed and Jane Fonda, later took to her own Facebook page to share a few additional videos filmed live from the reservation. "I just invite every single person who's watching from home to investigate and research what this holiday means, why this holiday exists and what you're going to do to reframe that narrative, and to change that narrative, for your future ancestors," the Snowden star urged her followers.

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She also shared a photo from Sunday night "when protectors were sprayed in subzero temperatures with water, tear gas, mace, rubber bullets, bean bag bullets, percussion grenades."

According to The New York Times, federal officials plan to close access to the protest campsite, citing safety concerns. The authorities will close the area north of the Cannonball River, the NYT reports, including the Oceti Sakowin camp, about 40 miles south of Bismarck, where opponents of the 1,170-mile Dakota Access Pipeline have gathered for months. Anyone found on the land after Dec. 5 could be charged with trespassing.

WATCH: 'The Avengers' Stars Band Together to Stand With Standing Rock

"It is both unfortunate and disrespectful that this announcement comes the day after this country celebrates Thanksgiving  a historic exchange between Native Americans and the first immigrants from Europe," Dave Archambault II, chairman of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, said in a statement. "Although the news is saddening, it is not all surprising given the last 500 years of mistreatment of our people."

Back in October, Woodley was arrested for criminal trespassing while protesting the construction of the project. She has pleaded not guilty to criminal trespass and engaging in a riot, both misdemeanors that carry a maximum punishment of a month in jail and a $1,500 fine.

"One day, baby, we'll sing our poetry. The words dripping from our tongues wet with ripened patience," she wrote on Instagram one day after her arrest. "And the lyrics, the sweet fruits born from the seeds our aging hands are now sowing. #alwaysinallways #heartforward #uptous #NoDAPL #protectcleanwater #iamonyourside."|

As ET previously reported, the peaceful protest, which was streamed on Facebook Live, followed a federal judge's ruling on Sunday that rejected the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe's request to halt construction on the pipeline, which they claim will destroy sacred sites and contaminate ground water.

WATCH: Shailene Woodley Breaks Her Silence After Being Arrested While Protesting the Dakota Access Pipeline

Woodley and other protestors joined the tribe to stand against the $3.8 billion pipeline, which will span 1,100 miles across North and South Dakota, and into the Missouri River.

Watch more in the video below.

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By Jim Forsyth SAN ANTONIO (Reuters) - A Good Samaritan who tried to stop a woman being assaulted was shot to death outside a Texas Walmart packed with shoppers on Black Friday while another man in New Jersey was also killed outside a mall, authorities said. At a San Antonio Walmart, a man driving through the parking lot stopped his car when he saw another man grab a woman by the hair and begin punching her, San Antonio Police Chief William McManus told reporters. When the Good Samaritan shouted at the other man to leave the woman alone, 21-year-old Telles Juarez is accused of shooting him in the neck and killing him in the parking lot, McManus said. A woman who was in the car with the man who tried to intervene was wounded by shrapnel and was hospitalized. A 31-year-old woman was hit by a stray bullet as she walked into the store several yards away and was in critical condition, McManus said. Police did not release the names of the victims. McManus said Juarez jumped into his car to flee, but shoppers had already called authorities and a police helicopter was able to follow him for about 15 miles (24 km) until he was arrested without incident. Police said Juarez would be charged with murder and aggravated assault. "You have to give credit to the man for being willing to intervene," McManus said. "Unfortunately, this man was too eager to shoot." The woman with Juarez was not seriously hurt, McManus said. In New Jersey, authorities released few details about the shooting in the parking lot of the Hamilton Mall that claimed the life of a 21-year-old Atlantic City man. His 26-year-old brother was shot in the leg and was in stable condition, acting Atlantic County Prosecutor Diane Ruberton said in a statement. (Reporting by Jim Forsyth in San Antonio; Editing by Curtis Skinner and Lisa Shumaker)
(Photo: Facebook)

Halima Aden first came to the United States when she was 7, after her family left the refugee camp in Kenya where Aden was born. Since settling into Minnesotas growing Somali community  according to census data, the largest such community in the U.S.  Aden has thrived and is currently attending Saint Cloud University. But the 19-year-olds current claim to fame is the fact that shell be competing in the Miss Minnesota beauty pageant this weekend (Nov. 2627) in a hijab, burkini, and other fully covering garb  a first for the state.

Aden has broken barriers before. She was the first Somali-American in her college student government and was also crowned homecoming queen at her high school. When I see that there hasnt already been somebody, I take that as a challenge for me to give it a try, she told the Minneapolis Star Tribune. Her decision is perhaps a bit more complex since not everyone in her community supports it, most notably her own mother.

Aden poses at St. Cloud State University in St. Cloud, Minn. (Alishba Kazmi via AP)

Its also worth mentioning that she is making her contest bid at a delicate time. Tension has been rising about the Somali community for years, reports Minnesota Public Radio. Hateful messages against Muslims and other ethnic groups have appeared there and in some other places in Minnesota since Donald Trump was elected president earlier this month.

Regardless of the personal and political opposition she may face, Aden is looking forward to the opportunity and hopes that it can actually help calm things down. We just needed one more thing to unify us, she told MPR. This is a small act, but I feel like having the title of Miss Minnesota USA when you are a Somali-American, when you are a Muslim woman, I think that would open up peoples eyes.

If Aden wins the Miss Minnesota pageant this weekend, she will be eligible to compete in the Miss USA contest and potentially for the title of Miss Universe.

Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest for nonstop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day.
ADELAIDE (Reuters) - South Africa lost Dean Elgar and Hashim Amla to reach dinner on 100 for two, still 24 runs behind Australia's first innings tally of 383, on day three of the day-night third test on Saturday. Opener Stephen Cook, who had made 43 off 99 balls, and JP Duminy, five not out, will resume for the night session, looking to bat the tourists into a position to challenge for a victory which would give them an unprecedented 3-0 series sweep. Usman Khawaja earlier completed a match-changing innings of 145 for the hosts, while Mitchell Starc (53) hit his seventh test half century as Australia's last four wickets added 100 runs to their response to South Africa's 259-9 declared. Left arm paceman Starc came back out to make an immediate impact with ball in hand when Elgar was sent back for a duck with the fifth delivery of South Africa's second innings. Starc, bowling over the wicket to the left-hander, got some seam away from the batsman and Elgar caught an outside edge with captain Steve Smith taking an excellent low catch in the cordon. The South Africans then weathered some fine pace bowling before Amla, who had been dropped behind the stumps on 13, lost his wicket to Josh Hazlewood for the fifth time in the series. Hazlewood also got some movement away from the batsman and the third umpire review requested by Amla (45) showed a clear nick on the bat as the ball made its way through to wicketkeeper Matt Wade. Wade had left the earlier chance to dismiss Amla to first slip Matt Renshaw only for the debutant to spill the chance. Australia had resumed for the day on 307-6, having had their best day of batting in the series on Friday. Khawaja added just seven runs to his overnight tally, though, before his 466-minute innings was brought to a close when he was trapped leg before by Vernon Philander. His erstwhile partner Starc continued to defy the Proteas bowlers and hit a straight four off Tabraiz Shamsi to bring up his 50 before chipping the ball straight back at Kagiso Rabada to depart caught and bowled immediately. Nathan Lyon was next to depart after scoring 13 off eight balls, his attempt to sweep Shamsi resulting in the ball coming off his glove to give Amla a simple catch and the left-arm wrist spinner his first test wicket. Jackson Bird made six runs before he was caught in the cordon to bring an end to the innings 25 minutes before the scheduled tea break, leaving Hazlewood 11 not out. (Reporting by Nick Mulvenney in Sydney; Editing by John O'Brien)
Juba (AFP) - The South Sudan government has agreed to accept the deployment of a UN-mandated regional force in Juba after months of hesitation, a spokesman said.

"I would like therefore to inform the people on behalf of the transitional government of national unity that your cabinet has resolved unanimously to allow the deployment of the regional protection force anytime from now," deputy Information Minister Akol Paul Kordit said late Friday.

His announcement came after lengthy deliberations during a cabinet meeting chaired by President Salva Kiir, but no details were given about when and where the force would be deployed.

Following an outbreak of fighting in July, the UN Security Council authorised the deployment of an additional 4,000 troops from East Africa with a stronger mandate than the 13,000-strong UN peacekeeping mission UNMISS.

Kiir initially opposed the deployment of additional troops as a breach of national sovereignty but later agreed to their deployment on September 4.

Since then his government has been accused by the UN of dragging its heels and failing to take concrete action. The Security Council has threatened to impose an arms embargo on South Sudan if the government blocks the deployment.

In October UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said the Juba government had proposed "significant limitations" to the new force which it said should only protect UN compounds and installations.

"These limitations clearly contravene the intention of resolution 2304" setting up the force, wrote Ban.

The UN wants the regional force to be authorised to use all necessary means to ensure security in Juba, including at the airport and to help protect UN premises.

Ethiopia, Kenya and Rwanda will contribute infantry troops to the new force and Rwanda has also offered to deploy tactical helicopters, which South Sudan has in the past opposed.

Kordit said the force will "bring peace in this country, to end the suffering of the people of South Sudan".
Australian IS recruiter Neil Prakash 'still alive'

An Australian militant thought dead is still alive and under arrest in the Middle East, according to reports.
By Denis Dumo JUBA (Reuters) - South Sudan's government has said it is ready to accept the deployment of a U.N. regional protection force at any time, after fighting in the capital in July threatened to plunge the nation back into a full-scale civil war. South Sudan has been under international pressure to accept the force, which will help the existing U.N. mission UNMISS stabilize the five-year-old nation, where civil conflict erupted in December 2013 and a peace deal in 2015 failed to stick. President Salva Kiir consented in principle to the protection force in September, but officials said at the time that details still needed to be worked out. Deputy Information Minister Akol Paul Kordit told Reuters the cabinet agreed on outstanding issues in a ministerial meeting on Friday, although he did not list the specifics. One expert who has been following the process said the outstanding matters to be resolved were the nationality and number of soldiers, type of weaponry and precise role of the new force, which will strengthen the existing U.N. mission UNMISS. "We have agreed without precondition because the resolution is clear and we want the country to move forward," he said by telephone. "So our committee is going to finalize the deployment process." After deadly violence in Juba in mid-July between Kiir's troops and soldiers backing his rival Riek Machar, the Security Council authorized a 4,000-strong regional protection force to join the 12,000-strong UNMISS force. The Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (JMEC), a body of international officials and experts set up in 2015 to monitor the shaky peace deal, welcomed the cabinet's decision and said the deployment could start with "immediate effect". Citing South Sudanese Cabinet Affairs Minister Lomuro Minister, JMEC said "all outstanding issues" related to the deployment had been resolved with the United Nations. South Sudan, a small oil producer that remains one of the world's poorest nations, gained independence from Sudan in 2011. But its slide into conflict has left many of the nation's 11 million people struggling to find enough food. (Additional reporting and writing by Edmund Blair)
By Denis Dumo JUBA (Reuters) - South Sudan's government has said it is ready to accept the deployment of a U.N. regional protection force at any time, after fighting in the capital in July threatened to plunge the nation back into a full-scale civil war. South Sudan has been under international pressure to accept the force, which will help the existing U.N. mission UNMISS stabilise the five-year-old nation, where civil conflict erupted in December 2013 and a peace deal in 2015 failed to stick. President Salva Kiir consented in principle to the protection force in September, but officials said at the time that details still needed to be worked out. Deputy Information Minister Akol Paul Kordit told Reuters the cabinet agreed on outstanding issues in a ministerial meeting on Friday, although he did not list the specifics. One expert who has been following the process said the outstanding matters to be resolved were the nationality and number of soldiers, type of weaponry and precise role of the new force, which will strengthen the existing U.N. mission UNMISS. "We have agreed without precondition because the resolution is clear and we want the country to move forward," he said by telephone. "So our committee is going to finalise the deployment process." After deadly violence in Juba in mid-July between Kiir's troops and soldiers backing his rival Riek Machar, the Security Council authorized a 4,000-strong regional protection force to join the 12,000-strong UNMISS force. The Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (JMEC), a body of international officials and experts set up in 2015 to monitor the shaky peace deal, welcomed the cabinet's decision and said the deployment could start with "immediate effect". Citing South Sudanese Cabinet Affairs Minister Lomuro Minister, JMEC said "all outstanding issues" related to the deployment had been resolved with the United Nations. South Sudan, a small oil producer that remains one of the world's poorest nations, gained independence from Sudan in 2011. But its slide into conflict has left many of the nation's 11 million people struggling to find enough food. (Additional reporting and writing by Edmund Blair)
Thirty years ago, the crew of the Enterprise went home.

Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home saw Kirk (William Shatner), Spock (Leonard Nimoy) and their shipmates travel back to 1986 on a mission to retrieve two humpback whales and bring them forward in time to the 23rd century to save the Earth from an alien probe.

When the film debuted on Nov. 26, 1986, The Voyage Home became a crossover hit, pleasing Trek fans and general audiences alike. It would stand as the top-grossing Trek film ever until J.J. Abrams' big-budget 2009 film, and it is considered the most charming (and by far the funniest) Trek movie.

The humorous and environmentally conscious screenplay was penned by the young writing partners Steve Meerson and Peter Krikes - who caught the attention of Paramount and the Star Trek brain trust with a script for Fox called The Long Way Home, which had some of the charm and fun the pair would bring to the franchise.

"They knew they wanted to make a movie that would make a statement about the environment. They knew that they wanted it to include whales. They had a notion that time travel might enter into it. But it's basically all they had," Meerson tells Heat Vision of his and Krikes' early meetings on the project with director Nimoy, producer Harve Bennett and the rest of the team.

The duo wrote somewhere between seven and 10 outlines, with the final one getting approval. It included a role for Eddie Murphy that never would materialize.

"It was always the same story that got approved, but the original draft included a part for Eddie Murphy," says Meerson. "Eddie was on the lot at Paramount at the time and arguably was the biggest star in the world. They had told us he was a huge Star Trek fan."

Murphy was going to play an astrophysicist at Berkeley, and the original story did not include Dr. Gillian Taylor (Catherine Hicks), the marine biologist and love interest to Kirk. Eventually the Murphy deal fell through and Gillian Taylor was worked into the script to replace him.

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"At the beginning of the process, it was actually a lot of fun. As the process progressed, it became less fun, because it became more political. And I don't say that with any bitterness. It's just the way things work in all businesses," says Meerson. "We began to feel like at a certain point that this was going to be taken away from us, which in fact, it was."

Over the years, the writing of The Voyage Home has become the stuff of Trek legend. As is common in big franchise films, the script was eventually passed to another writer. Star Trek icon (and Wrath of Khan director) Nicholas Meyer was tapped to perform a rewrite, along with Bennett.

"Harve Bennett said, 'We need to Trek this up. You guys have done an amazing job, but we now need to Trek this up,'" recalls Meerson.

According to stories tossed around the internet, what was seen onscreen was virtually unrecognizable from the original script once Meyer reworked it. (Meyer recalled it this way on this week's episode of IGN's Transporter Room 3 podcast: "I was asked to write Star Trek IV very much at the last minute. They had a script, based on a story by Harve Bennett and Leonard Nimoy. And they didn't like the script. They threw out the script.")

Meerson is hesitant to dredge up the past, but says there were not significant changes between the original work and what ended up onscreen.

"From what I've read online and what I know we did, the process of 'Treking it up' - I don't think there were very substantial changes from what we had handed them," he says. "For us, we just derived a great sense of satisfaction. We always had a lot of pride in our work and this other stuff is kind of irrelevant. It's just interesting the way things go. It just got very political, and that's OK."

The official opening credits say the film has a story by Leonard Nimoy and Harve Bennett, and give Meerson and Krikes top billing for the screenplay, with a second card crediting Bennett and Meyer with the screenplay as well. All of that was determined through an arbitration with the Writers Guild of America.

"Everybody goes to arbitration if there are more than a few writers on a particular piece - but the rules at that point in time were for a producer to get credit as a writer, they have to write in excess of 60 percent of the script," says Meerson. "Harve Bennett was a producer. He was coupled with Nick Meyer to try to get around that rule, and at the end of the day, Peter and I got first position screenplay credit, because the guild I believe was hip to the fact that things weren't exactly kosher."

In the intervening years, Meerson and Krikes have quietly been proud of their work on Star Trek, but haven't taken part in the convention scene.

"We were asked to go to a couple of conventions, probably as recent as 10 years ago," says Meerson. "But we never really did, because I have to say we felt a little used and abused. The people who know us know what we did."

The original Star Trek cast went on to star in two subsequent films - the ill-fated Star Trek V: The Final Frontier, and the much-loved sequel Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (which was directed and co-written by Meyer).

Meerson says his and Krikes' names were tossed around for potentially coming back for a Star Trek sequel, but it never happened.

"There's always a question of, 'Do I really want to go back for more here?'" says Meerson. "Peter and I did have a few ideas. Oddly, when you do this for a living, people often have similar thoughts. I would say for some subsequent films, those were some of the things we were thinking about doing. We weren't anxious to go back to the well, let's put it that way. We did the best we could on a film that we're very proud of."

Meerson gives kudos to Nimoy for wanting to inject the film with an environmental message at a time when it was not as much in the conversation as it is today.

"We're all much better as a team. The sum of our parts. That's to me what was important to this," says Meerson of the film's themes. "It shows people what we can all accomplish if we are focused on something together. The noise that surrounds us is not really important - it's bigger concepts."

Read more: 'Star Trek': The Story of the 'Next Generation' Crew's Greatest Movie
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There's little wonder why Australia's koalas keep getting compared to teddy bears, thanks to their beadlike eyes and big, slightly comical noses.

Particularly when you look at this koala joey Tarni, pictured hanging on the back of its mother in a Facebook post by Perth Zoo in Australia.

SEE ALSO: Someone help this koala mum; she has a stage five clinger on her face

Tarni is the first koala to be bred successfully at the zoo in 15 years, where he was born in May, but has only just started appearing in public.

"The successful birth is the result of matchmaking Perth Zoo's male koala, 'Slater' with a new female, 'Wanda,' who arrived from Taronga Zoo," according to a zoo spokesperson in a statement to the West Australian.

"Wanda is renowned for being a champion mother, with many offspring on the east coast."

If you didn't know already, the koala isn't actually a bear but rather a marsupial. Doesn't change the whole cuteness thing, though.
Aleppo (Syria) (AFP) - Syrian state media said government forces Saturday captured the largest rebel-held district of Aleppo, in what would be a major breakthrough in its offensive to retake the entire second city.

Masaken Hanano was the first district the rebels took in the summer of 2012 in a move that divided Aleppo into an eastern area held by the insurgents and a western district controlled by government forces.

Since then, more than 250,000 civilians have been trapped under government siege for months in the rebel-held east, with dwindling food and fuel supplies.

The capture of Masaken Hanano in northeastern Aleppo is part of a major government offensive now in its 12th day that could isolate that part of the city from rebel-held areas in the south.

Since November 15, regime bombardment of eastern Aleppo has killed 212 civilians, including 27 children, according to the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

Regime forces had been advancing inside Masaken Hanano for several days, and on Friday state television said they were progressing "from three axes".

On Saturday, the state broadcaster and the official SANA news agency said President Bashar al-Assad's armed forces, backed by their allies, had taken "full control" of the district.

"The armed forces retook full control of Masaken Hanano after having put an end to the presence of terrorists there," the state broadcaster said, referring to the rebels.

SANA said government forces also recaptured the area around the district and "army engineers are clearing it of bombs and explosives planted by the terrorists in the streets and squares".

But Yasser al-Youssef, from the rebel group Nureddin al-Zinki, said fighting was still under way on the southern edges of Masaken Hanano, which he called a district of "strategic importance".

Youssef warned that if regime forces can advance to the adjacent neighbourhood of Sakhur, then eastern Aleppo will be split in two.

Story continues

The Observatory also said late Saturday that regime forces now completely controlled Masaken Hanano and had begun an assault on Sakhur and nearby Al-Haidariya.

- Families flee -

The latest regime push comes after days of intense bombardment on the rebel-held east, which was pounded with air strikes, shells and barrel bombs.

The escalation has terrified residents, and several families have fled to areas in southeastern Aleppo which have been relatively calm.

On Saturday, an AFP correspondent in one of those districts saw four families, without belongings, arrive on foot seeking shelter.

"In Hanano, for the past three days, they haven't been able to set foot outside because of the intense bombardment," said Abu Fadel, who helped them find lodgings.

"They left on foot because they had no other means of transport. At first they were afraid but when they saw many people around and that there was no bombardment they were reassured," he said.

Damascus says east Aleppo residents and surrendering fighters are free to leave, but accuses the rebels of using civilians as "human shields".

Before the army said it had captured Masaken Hanano, dozens of families fled from Sakhur and Al-Haidariya districts and headed further south, the Observatory said.

They took flight as regime forces pounded eastern Aleppo with air raids, including Sakhur, killing at least 11 civilians, it said.

The United Nations has a plan to deliver aid to Aleppo and evacuate the sick and wounded, which rebel factions have approved but which Damascus has yet to agree. Guarantees are also needed from regime ally Russia.

Also on Saturday, a string of explosions rocked a munitions storage site in northeastern Syria used by the US-led coalition battling the Islamic State group, the Observatory and a local official said. Contacted by AFP, the coalition said there had been "no reports of explosions" at the site.
(BEIRUT)  A Syrian official blasted Turkey Saturday saying it is to blame for the death of its soldiers because it sent them to Syria, as the Syrian army said troops have captured a neighborhood in the northern city of Aleppo days after the government resumed its offensive on the besieged rebel-held eastern part of the city.

Syrias deputy foreign minister Faisal Mekdads comments were the first by a Syrian official since Thursday when three Turkish soldiers were killed in northern Syria in what the Turkish military said was a pre-dawn Syrian airstrike. The account was disputed by Syrian activists who said the soldiers were killed by a suicide attack by the Islamic State group the day before.

Since then two more soldiers have been killed over the past two days in fighting near the town of al-Bab, an IS stronghold.

Turkish policies are responsible for the tension in Turkish-Syrian relations, Mekdad told the Lebanon-based Pan-Arab Al-Mayadeen TV. He added that Turkey took part in sending foreign fighters into Syria and armed them in order to destroy Syria and Syrians.

Mekdad did not confirm or deny whether Syrian aircraft were behind the attack that killed the three Turkish soldiers but said that if the Turks want to complain they should complain to themselves. What happened was inside the territory of the Syrian Arab Republic.

Since Syrias crisis began in March 2011, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogans government has been a strong supporter of Syrian rebels trying to remove President Bashar Assad from power.

Turkey sent ground troops into northern Syria in August to help Syrian opposition fighters battle both IS and U.S.-backed Syrian Kurdish forces, which Ankara sees as an extension of the Kurdish insurgency in southeastern Turkey.

The Turkish troops are not fighting Syrian government forces, and have not been attacked by them, though Damascus has strongly objected to the military intervention.

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On Saturday, Turkeys state-run news agency said a Turkish soldier was killed and three wounded in an attack during an anti-IS operation in north Syria, raising to five the number of Turkish troops killed in Syria this week. It said the dead and wounded soldiers were brought back to Turkey.

The rising Turkish-Syrian tension came as Syrian troops captured Aleppos Hanano district days after government forces and their allies launched an offensive involving deadly street battles in the area.

The army said troops have seized full control of the eastern district in Syrias largest city.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said troops now control most of the district, adding that Hanano was the first Aleppo neighborhood to fall into the hands of rebels in 2012.

Syrian state media said rebel shelling of west Aleppo killed three people and wounded 15 adding that some 150 residents of east Aleppo have been able to leave the besieged area of 275,000 people on Saturday.

The Observatory said that since the government offensive resumed on east Aleppo on Nov. 15, 357 people have been killed in the city and nearby villages and towns.

The Observatory also reported that deals have been reached to evacuate fighters from the Tal and Khan al-Shih suburbs of the capital Damascus. It said hundreds of fighters from both suburbs will be evacuated to the northwestern province of Idlib, a rebel stronghold.

The two areas have been subjected to government attacks for weeks.

____

Associated Press writers Cinar Kiper in Istanbul and Albert Aji in Damascus contributed to this report.
Thanksgiving dinner is traditionally a time reserved for family, but this Arizona teen enjoyed his in the company of strangers after a zealous grandmother accidentally invited him to her home via text.

Read: Grandma Accidentally Texts Thanksgiving Invite to Wrong Teen, but She Lets Him Come Over Anyway

When Wanda Dench, a white woman, texted her grandson to invite him and his girlfriend to her feast, she accidentally texted Jamal Hinton, 17, who is black.

Despite the mistake, she didn't rescind the invitation, and insisted Hinton show up anyway.

On Wednesday, Hinton posted a picture on Facebook of him and Dench, supposedly at Thanksgiving dinner.

So this just happened pic.twitter.com/zqElkMd6zM  Certo Nego (@RonaldDoee) November 25, 2016

Id never seen her before, and she welcomed me into her home, Hinton said in an interview with KNXV. That shows me how great of a person she is. Im thankful for people like that. 

As Dench welcomed her guests to her home, she also welcomed Hinton, whom she met for the first time, with open arms.

The mismatched encounter came to be after Dench sent a text invitation to Thanksgiving dinner to the wrong number.

Somebody grandma is coming in clutch this year!! Ayee!!! pic.twitter.com/laXmX6rotA  Certo Nego (@RonaldDoee) November 15, 2016

Read: For 22 Years, Family Welcomes Strangers With Nowhere Else to Spend Thanksgiving

When they realized they were complete strangers, Hilton said: Can I still get a plate tho?

Of course you can, she wrote back. Thats what grandmas do... feed everyone.

Watch: Woman Whose Family Once Struggled to Make Ends Meet Makes 'Thanksgiving in a Box' for the Needy

Related Articles:
President-elect Donald Trump. (Photo: Evan Vucci/AP)

President-elect Donald Trump denounced former Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein on Friday for her campaign to recount the votes in three states.

This is a scam by the Green Party for an election that has already been conceded, and the results of this election should be respected instead of being challenged and abused, which is exactly what Jill Stein is doing, Trump said in a statement released by his transition team.

This recount is just a way for Jill Stein  to fill her coffers with money, most of which she will never even spend on this ridiculous recount, Trump said.

Stein has been raising millions of dollars to initiate recounts in the three states where the vote was closest during the presidential election: Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Michigan. But she has also had a shifting fundraising target, and her campaign has raised its goal from $5 million to $7 million as money has poured in.

Experts say there is virtually no chance of Steins campaign overturning the outcome of the Electoral College. But the effort has heightened tensions that were already high because of Democrat Hillary Clintons overall victory in the popular vote.

The Obama administration on Friday dismissed the notion that widespread hacking could have influenced the elections outcome, the New York Times reported. The White House said the results accurately reflect the will of the American people.

Stein filed for a recount in Wisconsin on Friday and indicated that she intends to do the same in Michigan and Pennsylvania next week. The Clinton campaigns lawyer, Marc Elias, has said that his team will participate in the Wisconsin recall process, as well as those in Michigan and Wisconsin, should Stein initiate recounts there.

View the full Trump statement below:

The people have spoken and the election is over, and as Hillary Clinton herself said on election night, in addition to her conceding by congratulating me, We must accept this result and then look to the future.

Story continues

It is important to point out that with the help of millions of voters across the country, we won 306 electoral votes on Election Day  the most of any Republican since 1988  and we carried nine of 13 battleground states, 30 of 50 states, and more than 2,600 counties nationwide  the most since President Ronald Reagan in 1984.

This recount is just a way for Jill Stein, who received less than one percent of the vote overall and wasnt even on the ballot in many states, to fill her coffers with money, most of which she will never even spend on this ridiculous recount. All three states were won by large numbers of voters, especially Pennsylvania, which was won by more than 70,000 votes.

This is a scam by the Green Party for an election that has already been conceded, and the results of this election should be respected instead of being challenged and abused, which is exactly what Jill Stein is doing.
Dr KC's supporters rounded up from TU VC's residence

Over two dozen supporters of fasting Dr Govinda KC have been arrested from Tribhuvan University Vice Chancellor Tirtha Khaniya's residence in Kalanki.
Ten years ago, Jay Z rapped on Beyonce's Upgrade U, a single off her sophomore album, B'Day: And we just yachting, off the island hopping, off the Amalfi Coast, mafioso.

It's a boast the iconic couple made real, with yachtswhich offer relative privacy for the hyper-famous familyfeaturing prominently in many of their vacations. A Mediterranean cruise, often off the Amalfi Coast, has become their annual tradition: Nearly every September (around Beyonce's birthday) the Carter-Knowles hop on board a $74-million dollar yacht to explore the region.

Though very few people can afford the out-of-this-world luxury of the Galactica Star, the stops and sights Bey and family see are a lot more accessible.

Yacht Like Beyonce

The Carter-Knowles love Italy. In September of last year, they flew to Naples and embarked from there to Capri, an island refuge for the rich and famous since the Roman Republic, and just a short hop across the bay.

Related: How To Travel To the Amalfi Coast

Like Bey, Jay, and Blue Ivy, snag some gelato at Gelateria Buonocore, along Capri's glamorous main drag, Via Vittorio Emanuele II. Sample the local cuisine along the Amalfi Coast, where the Carter-Knowles family stopped in the fishing village of Nerano to din at Conca del Sogno, a restaurant famous for their raw seafood dishes. It's also tucked inside a lovely, grotto-filled bay.

You can take a break off of Palmarola, an idyllic island en route to Sardinia, to lounge on the beach or ride a jet ski. (Amalfi Marine provides both boat and jet ski rentals.)

There's no sign the Carter-Knowles tried Sardinia's famous maggot-infested cheese, casu marzu, so Beyonce-inspired travelers can safely eschew that local specialty.

A photo posted by Beyonce (@beyonce) on Sep 19, 2015 at 6:51am PDT

Beyond the coast of Italy, they ventured to the Ile Sainte-Marguerite off shore from Cannes and visited he fortress that held the Man in the Iron Mask (a historical figure still shrouded in mystery). Like Blue Ivy, you can pose for some choice shots along the fort's battlements. The Carter-Knowles then headed to Monaco, where you too can explore Monte-Carlo's historic casinos and the innovative temporary shopping district, the Pavilions Monte-Carlo, featuring brands like Alexander McQueen, Balenciaga, Bottega Veneta, Chanel, and Yves Saint Laurent.

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Beyonce and Jay Z's preferred mode of travel in the Mediterranean is the ultra-luxurious, and nearly 220-foot long, Galactica Star. Reportedly owned by Nigerian energy magnate Kola Aluka, the yacht features a helipad, an enormous outdoor Jacuzzi, and spacious sleeping, dining, living, and swimming areas. It's the largest yacht ever made by Dutch company Heesen Yachts.

A photo posted by Beyonce (@beyonce) on Sep 20, 2015 at 10:27am PDT

Although there have been reports the boat costs $900,000 a month to rent, because the Galactica Star is a privately owned vessel, the arrangement between Aluka and the Carter-Knowles remains mum.

You don't have to be Beyonceor even a close friend of a Nigerian energy magnateto enjoy the benefits of the open sea. Yacht and boat chartering is common in the Mediterranean, with a broad range of prices and services ranging from $3,000 a week for a charming sailboat to yachts upwards of $900,000 a week.

And just because you're in Italy doesn't mean you can't still carry hot sauce in your bag. Swag.
Washington (AFP) - President-elect Donald Trump on Saturday weighed in on the death of Cuban revolutionary leader Fidel Castro, tweeting simply "Fidel Castro is dead!"

Castro died Friday night aged 90 after defying the United States during a half-century of iron-fisted rule.

Trump's shock victory this month has cast uncertainty over two years of moves by President Barack Obama to end more than 50 years of Cold War enmity with the communist island.

Blocked from ending the US embargo on the island by a Republican-controlled Congress, Obama pushed smaller reforms using executive authority.

That means Trump, who takes office on January 20, will be able change course just as easily, potentially reinstating trade and financial restrictions and reversing developments like the resumption of air and cruise-ship travel, and postal service.

"All of the concessions that Barack Obama has granted the Castro regime were done through executive order, which means the next president can reverse them and that I will do unless the Castro regime meets our demands," the Republican real estate billionaire said in September.

"Those demands will include religious and political freedom for the Cuban people and the freeing of political prisoners."

The White House has not yet reacted to Castro's death, although a statement is expected later today.

The United States restored diplomatic ties with Cuba in July 2015 and a month later re-opened its embassy in Havana. Obama made a landmark visit to the communist-ruled island in March.

The moves were criticized by many of the politically influential Cuban exiles and their families living in the United States.

Trump's closest rival in the Republican presidential primary race, Texas Senator Ted Cruz -- whose father is Cuban -- said on Facebook that Castro's death "cannot bring back his thousands of victims, nor can it bring comfort to their families."

"Today we remember them and honor the brave souls who fought the lonely fight against the brutal Communist dictatorship he imposed on Cuba," Cruz said.

Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, another conservative Cuban-American who represents southern Florida's 27th district where many Cuban exiles live, also hailed Castro's death.

"A tyrant is dead and a new beginning can dawn on the last remaining communist bastion of the Western hemisphere," she wrote on her website. "We must seize the moment and help write a new chapter in the history of Cuba; that of a Cuba that is free, democratic, and prosperous."
Palm Beach (United States) (AFP) - President-elect Donald Trump on Saturday called Cuban revolutionary leader Fidel Castro a "brutal dictator," but made no overt mention of earlier threats to roll back a historic rapprochement with the communist island nation.

Castro died Friday night aged 90 after defying the United States during a half-century of iron-fisted rule.

He "oppressed his own people for nearly six decades," Trump said in a statement. "Fidel Castro's legacy is one of firing squads, theft, unimaginable suffering, poverty and the denial of fundamental human rights."

Trump's shock victory earlier this month has cast uncertainty over two years of work by President Barack Obama to end more than 50 years of Cold War enmity between the two countries.

"While Cuba remains a totalitarian island, it is my hope that today marks a move away from the horrors endured for too long, and toward a future in which the wonderful Cuban people finally live in the freedom they so richly deserve," Trump said in a statement.

He did not mention Obama's policy, saying only "our administration will do all it can to ensure the Cuban people can finally begin their journey toward prosperity and liberty."

- Potential to reverse rapprochement -

The United States restored diplomatic ties with Cuba in July 2015 and re-opened its embassy in Havana a month later, signaling an end to more than a half-century of Cold War enmity with the communist island. Obama made a landmark visit to Cuba in March.

Blocked from ending the US embargo on the island by a Republican-controlled Congress, the president has pushed smaller reforms using executive authority.

That means Trump, who takes office on January 20, will be able change course just as easily, potentially reinstating trade and financial restrictions and reversing developments such as the resumption of air and cruise-ship travel, and postal service.

Story continues

During his campaign, Trump threatened to reverse the rapprochement if Cuba didn't budge on the sensitive issue of human rights and free political prisoners.

Cuba says it refuses to be dictated to by foreign powers.

"All of the concessions that Barack Obama has granted the Castro regime were done through executive order, which means the next president can reverse them and that I will do unless the Castro regime meets our demands," the Republican real estate billionaire said in September.

Obama on Saturday said the United States is extending "a hand of friendship to the Cuban people" following the death of Fidel Castro.

"During my presidency, we have worked hard to put the past behind us," he said.

- 'Brutal communist dictatorship' -

His warming of relations with Cuba has been criticized by many of the politically influential Cuban exiles and their families living in the United States.

Trump's closest rival in the Republican presidential primary race, Texas Senator Ted Cruz -- whose father is Cuban -- said on Facebook that Castro's death "cannot bring back his thousands of victims, nor can it bring comfort to their families."

"Today we remember them and honor the brave souls who fought the lonely fight against the brutal communist dictatorship he imposed on Cuba," Cruz said.

Another Trump primary challenger, Florida Senator Marco Rubio -- who is also Cuban-American -- called Castro an "evil, murderous dictator who inflicted misery and suffering on his own people" and turned Cuba into an "impoverished island prison."

"The dictator has died, but the dictatorship has not," he added, calling on Congress and Trump's future administration to support Cubans' "struggle for freedom and basic human rights."

Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, another conservative Cuban-American who represents southern Florida's 27th district where many Cuban exiles live, hailed Castro's death.

"A tyrant is dead and a new beginning can dawn on the last remaining communist bastion of the Western hemisphere," she wrote on her website. "We must seize the moment and help write a new chapter in the history of Cuba; that of a Cuba that is free, democratic, and prosperous."

But Florida Senator Bill Nelson, a Democrat, urged Trump to "continue the policy of opening travel and communication with Cuba."
Donald Trump speaks during a rally in Green Bay, Wis. (Photo: Evan Vucci/AP)

President-elect Donald Trump on Saturday greeted the news that Fidel Castro had died by denouncing Cubas longtime leader as a brutal dictator with a legacy of bloodshed. Trump, who vowed to help the island nations people achieve freedom and prosperity, did not explicitly repeat campaign-trail promises to roll back President Obamas historic outreach to the island nation.

The entrepreneurs reaction could scarcely have been more different than the sitting commander in chiefs response. Obama declared that now was the time to extend a hand of friendship to the Cuban people and largely sanitized deep Cold War-era criticisms of Castros record on human rights and economic freedom.

We know that this moment fills Cubans  in Cuba and in the United States  with powerful emotions, recalling the countless ways in which Fidel Castro altered the course of individual lives, families, and of the Cuban nation, the president said. History will record and judge the enormous impact of this singular figure on the people and world around him.

Trump, whose initial reaction to the news was the four-word tweet Fidel Castro is dead! took a far sharper tone in a written statement later issued by his transition team.

Today, the world marks the passing of a brutal dictator who oppressed his own people for nearly six decades, Trump said. Fidel Castros legacy is one of firing squads, theft, unimaginable suffering, poverty and the denial of fundamental human rights.

Fidel Castro attends the Cuban Communist Party Congress in Havana on April 19, 2016. (Photo: Ismael Francisco/Cubadebate /AP)

While Trump and Obama portrayed Castro in vastly different lights, both put an emphasis on future U.S.Cuba relations.

Though the tragedies, deaths and pain caused by Fidel Castro cannot be erased, our administration will do all it can to ensure the Cuban people can finally begin their journey toward prosperity and liberty, Trump said.

Obama noted the discord and profound political disagreements that characterized U.S.-Cuba relations for decades after the 1959 revolution that swept Castro to power but emphasized his administrations efforts to embrace engagement.

Story continues

During my presidency, we have worked hard to put the past behind us, pursuing a future in which the relationship between our two countries is defined not by our differences but by the many things that we share as neighbors and friends  bonds of family, culture, commerce and common humanity, the president said. The Cuban people must know that they have a friend and partner in the United States of America.

President-elect Donald Trump listens as President Obama speaks during a meeting in the Oval Office on Nov. 10, 2016. (Win McNamee/Getty Images)

The president-elect did not repeat past promises to roll back Obamas historic outreach to Cuba. On October 12, Trump had declared on Twitter that he will reverse Obamas Executive Orders and concessions towards Cuba until freedoms are restored, but there was no similar language in his statements on Saturday. Since Election Day, Trump has seemed to soften some of this hard-line campaign promises, leaving it unclear exactly what hell do on issues like Cuba when he takes office on Jan. 20.

Obama and Fidels brother, Raul Castro, Cubas current leader, shocked the world in December 2014 by announcing a new era in U.S.-Cuba relations. The two nations resumed diplomatic relations; Washington took Havana off the list of state sponsors of terrorism; and both sides took steps toward greater economic relations. Unable to lift the decades-old trade embargo without Congressional approval, Obama has taken a number of executive steps to make it easier for Americans to travel to Cuba and spend money there. The White House has been working to make the policy irreversible, while some Democrats and a majority of Republicans want to undo at least some of his outreach once Trump enters the Oval Office.

Obamas statement did not repeat any of his State Departments sharp criticisms of Cubas human rights record, issued in its annual report on international right practices. But its relatively rare for sitting U.S. presidents to use the death of another world leader as a springboard for denouncing that person. Ronald Reagan referred to the Soviet Union as an evil empire and rarely hesitated to criticize Moscow. But his White Houses statements on the deaths of Soviet leaders Leonid Brezhnev and Yuri Andropov mostly muted those complaints.
Twitter had the *best* reaction to Jill Steins fundraiser to recount election votes

Friends, the presidential election isnt quite over yet. Why? Well, Jill Steins fundraiser to recount election votes totally shocked everyone. ICYMI, Jill Stein raised millions of dollars with her fundraiser to push for a recount of election votes in swing states. So far, Wisconsin has agreed to do a recount of election votes as prompted by Jill Steins recount proposal, and its looking like a very real possibility that there could be a broader recount, which is a pretty big deal. One of the best parts of this entire movement is the response on Twitter, which had the best reaction to Jill Steins election recount fundraiser, because, well, it is Twitter after all.

Here are some of the best reactions to Jill Steins fundraiser to recount election votes, because we can all use the giggles.

1. This hilarious image of Jill Stein as a masked hero in the night

*shadowy hero rides through town carving the letter J on the doors of the corrupt*



*hero rips off mask*



"omg it's jill stein what the af"  Chuck Wendig (@ChuckWendig) November 24, 2016

2. This pretty sassy response

2016 secret unlockable hero: jill stein  jade christmas ver. (@pineapplist) November 25, 2016

3. This sadly succinct summary

1. Hillary clearly wins popular vote

2. Massive antiTrump protests

3. #Recount2016



This whole "President Trump" thing isn't going so well  Don't Blame Me (@AdamInCentralPA) November 24, 2016

4. This tweet perfectly explaining what a bizarre election this has been

Trump supporters before: This vote is rigged. Voting machines can be hacked.

Now: There's no way this election was rigged. #Recount2016  Mark Pygas (@MarkPygas) November 24, 2016

5. This pretty solid response

#JillStein: She isn't the hero we wanted, but apparently she'll be the hero we need! #Recount2016  B.J. Van Griffin IV (@MrVanGriffin) November 24, 2016

6. This one made us LOL

Okay I took a 12 hr break from Twitter and now Jill Stein is a humanitarian hero and 2.5 million in 10 hours and what the fuck is happening.  Brian Scully (@brianscully) November 24, 2016

7. And so did this one, because, seriously, how did we get here?!

Who knew that in 24 hours, Tila Tequila would be the enemy of the people and Jill Stein the hero?  (((WilderTaylor))) (@SWilderTaylor) November 24, 2016

8. We have no words for this one

Anxious to have his life back, Donald Trump donates $2 million to Jill Stein's recount efforts. pic.twitter.com/vkWLqIrP1r  Charlie Berens (@CharlieBerens) November 23, 2016

What a time to be alive, friends. Who wouldve guessed that Jill Steins fundraiser to recount election votes would come so far?!

The post Twitter had the *best* reaction to Jill Steins fundraiser to recount election votes appeared first on HelloGiggles.
London (AFP) - Britons wanting to retain benefits of European Union membership after the country leaves could pay Brussels for individual citizenship, European Parliament's lead Brexit negotiator Guy Verhofstadt told The Times on Saturday.

"Many say 'we don't want to cut our links'," the former Belgian prime minister told The Times.

"I like the idea that people who are European citizens and saying they want to keep it have the possibility of doing so. As a principle I like it."

Prime Minister Theresa May has vowed to trigger Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty by March, setting the ball rolling on two-years of negotiations to set the terms of the divorce.

Trade and immigration are set to be the key issues, with European leaders saying they will not compromise on open borders within the bloc.

Brexit-supporting MP Andrew Bridgen accused Verhofstadt of trying to sow division in Britain.

"It's an attempt to create two classes of UK citizen and to subvert the referendum vote," he told the Times.

"The truth is that Brussels will try every trick in the book to stop us leaving."
MOSCOW/KIEV, Nov 26 (Reuters) - Moscow protested against Ukraine's plans to carry out missile tests near Crimea, which Russia annexed in 2014 following the toppling of a pro-Russian Ukrainian president, raising the temperature in the dispute between the two countries.

Russian aviation agency Rosaviatsia said late on Friday it has received a notification from Ukraine on missile tests in "Russia's sovereign air space" on Dec. 1 and 2 in the region of Simferopol in Crimea.

Russia's Defence Ministry handed over a protest note to the Ukrainian defence attache, while Oleksander Turchinov, Ukraine's National Security and Defence Council Secretary, dismissed Moscow's claims that Kiev had breached international agreements.

"Ukraine carries out the missile tests within the framework of all the international obligations and treaties. That's why we ask Russia not to hinder the tests by its hysterics and provocations," he said in a statement on his official website.

Western nations took punitive measures against Russian individuals close to President Vladimir Putin and imposed sanctions, such as limiting access to debt markets, against leading Russian companies after the annexation of Crimea.

Ukraine's planned missile tests come against a backdrop of Moscow is building up its military presence in Crimea.

(Reporting by Vladimir Soldatkin and Alexei Kalmykov; Additional reporting by Gleb Stolyarov; Editing by Alexander Smith)
MOSCOW/KIEV (Reuters) - Moscow protested against Ukraine's plans to carry out missile tests near Crimea, which Russia annexed in 2014 following the toppling of a pro-Russian Ukrainian president, raising the temperature in the dispute between the two countries. Russian aviation agency Rosaviatsia said late on Friday it has received a notification from Ukraine on missile tests in "Russia's sovereign air space" on December 1 and 2 in the region of Simferopol in Crimea. Russia's Defence Ministry handed over a protest note to the Ukrainian defense attache, while Oleksander Turchinov, Ukraine's National Security and Defence Council Secretary, dismissed Moscow's claims that Kiev had breached international agreements. "Ukraine carries out the missile tests within the framework of all the international obligations and treaties. That's why we ask Russia not to hinder the tests by its hysterics and provocations," he said in a statement on his official website. Western nations took punitive measures against Russian individuals close to President Vladimir Putin and imposed sanctions, such as limiting access to debt markets, against leading Russian companies after the annexation of Crimea. Ukraine's planned missile tests come against a backdrop of Moscow is building up its military presence in Crimea. (Reporting by Vladimir Soldatkin and Alexei Kalmykov; Additional reporting by Gleb Stolyarov; Editing by Alexander Smith)
So that viral story about the Corona founder making everyone in his village rich, sadly, isnt true

In a sad reminder that we cant believe everything we read, it turns out the viral story about the Corona founder making everyone in his village rich isnt true. Although its unclear how the rumor about beer tycoon Antonino Fernandez originated, numerous print and online outlets were quick to report the story  after all, millions of people are in desperate need of a feel-good tale of kindness right now.

Today, The Local reported that, contrary to multiple articles, Fernandez didnt leave $2 million to every resident in his hometown, the Spanish village of Cerezales del Condado.

Lucia Alaejos, communications director for Fundancion Cerezales Antonino y Cinia (a local culture center funded by Fernandez), confirmed to BuzzFeed News that the information in the previous reports is incorrect.

A photo posted by   (@korshunov) on Aug 28, 2016 at 6:06am PDT

However, Fernandez did invest a great deal of money in order to improve the village and its residents quality of life. For example, he restored the local church and brought running water to every home.

In reality, Fernandez, who passed away in August at the age of 98, left the bulk of his fortune to the descendants of his 13 siblings.

Even though he didnt make all the residents of his hometown millionaires, the Corona founder was certainly a generous and charitable man who remained dedicated to his village long after he became a billionaire tycoon.

Its disappointing that this sweet story doesnt happen to be true, but we shouldnt let that overshadow all the amazing things Fernandez did during his life.

The post So that viral story about the Corona founder making everyone in his village rich, sadly, isnt true appeared first on HelloGiggles.
Virtual restaurants are predicted to be one of the biggest trends to define the food and dining landscape in 2017, according to a trendspotting report.

After the "Uberization" of food delivery, experts at the New York-based consultancy group Baum + Whiteman predict that "restaurants without seats, and seats without restaurants" will become increasingly popular and add another dimension to the sharing economy next year.

Consultants cite existing examples like chef David Chang's meal delivery services Maple and Ando, which bring gourmet meals to diners' doorsteps.

The concept? Chef-prepared gourmet dishes delivered to busy, tired diners who have discerning food tastes but want to eat dinner in their pyjamas.

The model has birthed similar meal delivery outfits including Munchery, which serves San Francisco, Los Angeles, Seattle and New York and Green Summit in New York.

The sharing economy is also evolving in the food scene, with startups allowing home cooks to share their cookery and make an extra buck. After preparing a home-cooked meal that may include their signature lasagna or beef stew, hosts can sell their food to hungry locals willing to try a stranger's cooking.

Examples include Yuma in Montreal, Umi Kitchen in New York, Foodieshares in Los Angeles and Trype in London.

In a trend that's been described as the Airbnb of food, underground "boarding house" dinners have also given rise to a host of startups that allow home cooks to connect with adventurous tourists and locals alike.

Services like VizEat, which operates in Italy, France, Spain, the UK and Portugal, Menu Next Door in Paris and Feastly in Los Angeles and San Francisco connect locals who love to host dinner parties to tourists looking for authentic meal experiences in their visiting city, and locals looking to meet new people.

Then there's the birth of the dining option that falls somewhere in between meal delivery and dinner parties: meal kit delivery service.

Outfits like Blue Apron, HelloFresh, Plated and Chef'd pitch a service that sells ready-to-prep meals that simply require a bit of assembly to throw together.

And given the amount of experimentation with drone delivery service in the last few years (Domino's drone pizza delivery in New Zealand, 7-Eleven in Reno, Nevada and Google's Alphabet in Virginia) expect to see the momentum pick up in 2017.
- By James Li





As we discussed in previous articles, the Interactive Charts feature allows you to generate visuals that illustrate useful financial trends among company stocks, from a simple comparison of two companies' Piotroski F-scores to a "P/S valuation bands" chart highlighting good times to invest in a cyclical company.





In Part 1, we introduced Interactive Charts and briefly discussed preliminary features. We then explored several predefined charts in Parts 2 and 3. In the final parts, we will conclude the article series with an exploration of several advanced features, including creating customized series, saving user-defined charts and incorporating technical indicators into the chart. These features go beyond the predefined charts, allowing the user to interact with the interface (hence the name "Interactive Chart").

Brief recap

We introduced the Interactive Charts feature in Part 1 with a simple chart comparing the historical trend of Piotroski F-scores for three major technology companies, Apple Inc. (AAPL), Alphabet Inc. (GOOG) (GOOGL) and Microsoft Corp. (MSFT). The trends are summarized in Figure 1 below.

Figure 1

After we discussed the preliminary features of Interactive Charts, we explored three predefined charts: the Income Statement Chart, the Balance Sheet Chart and the P/S valuation chart. Based on our discussions on the charts and statistical analyses, we observed that travel companies offer high growth potential due to strong income statements while biotechnology companies offer strong value potential due to undervaluation based on historical price-to-sales ratios. We highlighted several stocks, including Allegiant Travel Co. (ALGT), The Priceline Group Inc. (PCLN), Biogen Inc. (BIIB) and JAZZ Pharmaceuticals PLC (JAZZ).

A user-friendly interface: customized series and user-defined charts

As its name suggests, the Interactive Chart offers several user-friendly tools: customized series and user-defined charts. The former allows you to graph personalized series while the latter allows you to save your customized charts for later use.

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The customized series feature allows you to draw series not featured among the predefined series. For example, if you try to search for the "Sloan Ratio" series, you will notice that all tabs except for "Most Popular" are grayed out and only "Price" is visible.

As discussed in a previous article, the Sloan ratio determines the quality of a company's earnings. Companies that have Sloan ratios close to zero generally have pristine earnings. However, if the company's Sloan ratio increases above 20% for declines below -20%, the company's earnings become marred with accruals, decreasing earnings quality. University of Michigan researcher Richard Sloan observed that companies with low Sloan ratios significantly outperform the companies with high Sloan ratios. A strategy that bought companies with the lowest Sloan ratios and shorted those with the highest Sloan ratios outperformed the Standard & Poor's 500 index benchmark by about 11% during the backtesting period from 1962 to 2001.

The Sloan ratio is calculated as net income less the sum of cash flows from investing and operating, all divided by the company's total assets. We can graph a company's Sloan ratio using the customized series feature.

Two rows of buttons appear above the Interactive Chart: one row that allows you to add companies to the chart and the second row that allows you to select predefined charts. This row contains six buttons, three on the left and three on the right. "Customized Series" is the right-most of the three buttons on the left. Clicking this button will reveal a popup screen like the one shown in Figure 2.

You can type in the formula for your customized series in the box given. As you type the series, you can use the drop-down menu as a guide. To graph the Sloan ratio as a percentage, we need the following formula:

Sloan Ratio % = 100 * ('Net Income' - 'Cash Flow from Investing' - 'Cash Flow from Operations') / 'Total Assets'

Note some peculiars about the formula:

Each parameter requires single quotation marks around the name.

The commutative property allows you to interchange the 'Cash Flow from Investing' and the 'Cash Flow from Operations' parameters.

We multiplied the ratio by 100 so that the result is a percentage.







Please see Figure 2.1 as a reference.

Once you finish typing the series, please click on the blue "Next Step" button. You will see a screen that tells you if your series is valid, allows you to name your series and gives you options for the Y-axis. (See Figure 2.2.)

As the Sloan ratio is a percentage, we will use Y-axis Option 2, the one used for the price-earnings (P/E) ratio, price-sales (P/S) ratio, etc. Click the "Finish" button to save the series.

(Note: If you type in a formula that is NOT Valid, you will still see the three Y-axis options and the "Finish" button. You can click on "Finish," but you will get a "Customized series name cannot be empty" error message. As shown in Figure 2.3, you will not see the "Name your Customized Series" option. Please use the "Back" button and retype your formula.)

Figure 2.3

Figure 3 shows the historical Sloan ratio for Baidu Inc. (BIDU). As observed in Figure 3, Baidu's Sloan ratio declined from 15.33% to -6.56% during 2008 before increasing over 50% during 2011. Although it subsequently declined to around 20% by 2015, the Chinese online media site's Sloan ratio increased to its December 2015 value of 30.78%. As of the third quarter, Baidu's Sloan ratio is 20.09%, which is still relatively high. The company has four warning signs including poor earnings quality.

2133611604.png

Figure 3

The Interactive Charts feature also allows you to save user-defined charts and use them at a later time. Once you select the series you want to graph, you can save the custom chart using the "Chart Name: Save" button, which is between the "Predefined Charts" and "Customized Series" buttons. You can view your saved charts below the predefined charts by clicking the "Predefined Charts" drop-down menu.

One important feature of a company stock is the predictability rank. As discussed in the research article, GuruFocus determines a company's business predictability based on the consistency of the company's revenue per share and EBITDA per share. A one-star predictability rank is reserved for companies that have an unpredictable business, either due to a downward trend in per-share revenue or multiple year-over-year decreases in per-share EBITDA. Otherwise, a company receives two to five stars (in half-star increments) based on its 10-year revenue per share and EBITDA per share trend. Companies who have just one unprofitable year (decline in per-share revenue or EBITDA) yet have an overall positive linear trend can still get two to three stars. In order to get four to five stars, a company generally must have no declines in per-share revenue or per-share EBITDA during the past 10 years. Figures 4.1 to 4.5 show the "Predictability Chart" for a one-star company to a five-star company, in that order.

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Figure 4.1: Wells Fargo & Co. (WFC). Predict rank ?

1659180292.png

Figure 4.2: International Business Machines Corp. (IBM). Predict rank ??

2030695128.png

Figure 4.3: Apple Inc. (AAPL). Predict rank ???

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Figure 4.4: Baidu Inc. (BIDU). Predict rank ????

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Figure 4.5: Amazon.com Inc. (AMZN). Predict rank ?????

A deep analysis of these five charts suggests that the predictability rank depends more on the revenue per share trend than the EBITDA per share trend. Baidu's predictability rank is not five stars likely due to a slight decrease in per-share revenue during 2007. Even though Amazon's EBITDA per share slightly declined in 2011, the online special retail company likely got five stars for its consistent per-share revenue growth, as indicated by a relatively straight line. On the other hand, Wells Fargo's per-share revenue is relatively volatile with a sharp increase in 2009 followed by a decline in 2010, 2011 and 2013. As Apple's revenue per share declined in the past year, the company's predictability rank dropped to three stars.

Up next

In Parts 2 to 3, we have discussed three of the predefined charts. This article introduced the customized series feature, as well as user-defined charts with a simple Predictability Chart.

We will conclude our discussion on the Interactive Charts feature with miscellaneous charts, including the Peter Lynch chart with estimates and charts involving technical indicators, in Part 5. You can view the user manual on interactive charts by clicking the "PDF Tutorial" button in the upper-right corner, between the "Reset All" and "Video" buttons. Although free members have limited access to Interactive Charts, most of the features require premium membership. If you are not a premium member, we invite you to a free seven-day trial.

Disclosure: The author has no position in the stocks mentioned in this article.

Start a free seven-day trial of Premium Membership to GuruFocus.

This article first appeared on GuruFocus.






Russian President Vladimir Putin presented actor Steven Seagal with a Russian passport on Friday in a show of friendly relations with the U.S., according to NBC News.

Seagal signed his passport in front of Putin at a Kremlin ceremony. Putin said he hoped it would serve as a symbol of how tense ties between Moscow and Washington, D.C. were starting to improve.

I want to congratulate you and express the hope that this is another, albeit small, gesture and it might be a sign of the gradual normalization of relations between our countries, Putin said.

Putin then asked the actor how he was doing, to which Seagal responded: Everything is good. We will talk later. For now, just honored to be here.

Putin has long been a fan of the martial arts that Seagal has practiced in his Hollywood action films, and signed the order to grant Seagal with Russian citizenship in early November.

A Kremlin spokesman said Seagals warm feelings towards Russia and his fame were among the reasons for the gesture.

Seagal, 64, has been a regular visitor to Russia for more than a decade. His films Under Siege and Sniper: Special Ops are popular among Russian audiences, according to NBC News.

The actor joins other celebrities among those given Russian passports, such as French actor Gerard Depardieu, who received citizenship in 2013.

Putin congratulated Donald Trump on his Election Night win, tweeting Congratulations to Donald Trump on winning the #US presidential election, a sign he hopes to work with the U.S. to improve relations.
ISTANBUL (Reuters) - Turkish warplanes destroyed 12 Islamic State targets while one Turkish soldier was killed in a clash with militants during an offensive in northern Syria, Turkey's military said on Saturday. Turkey and Syrian rebels are carrying out an operation to push the jihadists from the border after an air strike on Thursday killed three Turkish soldiers. The Turkish military believes the strike was carried out by the Syrian air force. President Tayyip Erdogan discussed that attack with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on Friday. Russia is Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's main military backer, while Turkey backs the rebels fighting to oust him. The latest Turkish air strikes and clash occurred over the last 24 hours in a Turkey-backed operation by Syrian rebels, dubbed Euphrates Shield, to drive both the jihadists and a Kurdish militia away from the Syrian side of the Turkish border. The Turkish solder was killed in a clash as Syrian rebels gained control of northern Syria's Anifah district, the armed forces said in a daily statement on the operation. State-run Anadolu agency said three Turkish soldiers were also wounded in the clash. The death toll of Turkish soldiers in the Euphrates Shield operation, launched on August 24, is 18. The killing of the Turkish soldiers on Thursday - the first anniversary of Turkey's downing of a Russian jet over Syria - raised fears of an escalation in an already complex battlefield. Ankara and Moscow only restored ties, which had been damaged by the jet incident, in August. While they continue to pursue conflicting goals in Syria, Turkey has of late been less openly critical of Assad than in the past. (Reporting by Orhan Coskun; Writing by Daren Butler; Editing by Alexander Smith)
Washington (AFP) - President Barack Obama on Saturday said the United States is extending "a hand of friendship to the Cuban people" following the death of revolutionary leader Fidel Castro.

"History will record and judge the enormous impact of this singular figure on the people and world around him," he said in a statement.

The United States restored diplomatic ties with Cuba in July 2015 and re-opened its embassy in Havana a month later in a historic rapprochement ending more than a half-century of Cold War enmity with the communist island. Obama made a landmark visit to Cuba in March.

"During my presidency, we have worked hard to put the past behind us, pursuing a future in which the relationship between our two countries is defined not by our differences but by the many things that we share as neighbors and friends," Obama said.

Blocked from ending the US embargo on the island by a Republican-controlled Congress, he pushed reforms through by using executive authority.

The outgoing president said Saturday that in the days ahead, Cubans "will recall the past and also look to the future. As they do, the Cuban people must know that they have a friend and partner in the United States of America."

The shock victory of President-elect Donald Trump has cast uncertainty over Obama's two years of moves to restore ties with Cuba.

On Saturday the brash billionaire, who takes office on January 20, called Castro a "brutal dictator who oppressed his people for six decades" but made no mention of his earlier threats to reverse the historic rapprochement.

Obama meanwhile said that "we know that this moment fills Cubans -- in Cuba and in the United States -- with powerful emotions, recalling the countless ways in which Fidel Castro altered the course of individual lives, families, and of the Cuban nation."

"At this time of Fidel Castro's passing, we extend a hand of friendship to the Cuban people," he said.
Why Were Afraid is a chilling account of how some people are living post-election

It has only been two and a half weeks since Donald Trump was elected president and seems like a lifetime ago! The world has been turned upside down since then.To document all this change, a Tumblr called Why Were Afraid is documenting violence since the election. According to the Southern Poverty Law Center the amount of hate crimes has spiked to a dangerous count  over 900 in almost three weeks. It has gotten so bad that special task forces are being created to combat the surge.

While the mainstream media coverage of hate crimes has begun to fade, social media still tells the stories. The marginalized groups: the LGBT community, Muslims, Blacks and Immigrants continue to record the attacks on their social media feeds so that the larger community understands that this problem is not going to go away anytime soon.

Community planner and trans woman Adam Powers started the Tumblr, Why Were Afraid, as a place to document the accounts and stories of those who have been attacked since the election. I made it so quickly after the election because I believed that exactly this kind of harassment would happen, she says in an interview. This response she received was immediate and overwhelming; she had to add new posts every fifteen minutes to keep up with the hundreds of stories she got in those first days.

Man tells U-M student to remove hijab or he'd set her on fire in Ann Arbor. https://t.co/aDTRDH9syM#whywereafraid  Why We're Afraid (@whywereafraid) November 13, 2016

While she says that the submissions have begun to slow down, that doesnt mean that the attacks have. Recently, Adam Yauch Park in Brooklyn Heights, New York was defaced with swastikas made by Trump supporters. The park, named after the Beastie Boys member is just one of many places to be defaced in such a way. The Jewish community has become one of the most strongly attacked given the rise of White Supremacy groups, especially in mainstream media.

There are stories of women getting their hijabs torn off their heads, teachers telling Latinx students they will be deported, university students cheering the KKK.

Powers said that she doesnt fact check and verify every post on Why Were Afraid, but she does link back to the appropriate sources. You dont want to believe that all of these stories are real, but they are so disturbing that they almost have to be. To see more stories or to submit your own, see the site here. Its worth it.

The post Why Were Afraid is a chilling account of how some people are living post-election appeared first on HelloGiggles.
House committee to quiz PM on TJ mechanism issues

The Social Justice and Human Rights Committee of Parliament has decided to summon the prime minister and the chiefs of major political parties to explain their position on the transitional justice process.
From Esquire

Authorities say a Millmont, Pennsylvania woman shot her boyfriend in the chest because he grabbed her by the hair and rubbed a slice of pizza in her face during an argument.

Local newspaperThe Daily Item reports reports that 34-year-old Brandon Doan maintains he "gently smooshed" the pizza in Jennifer Boop's face on October 12th. Doan said he did not remember what he and Boop were arguing about specifically prior to the incident, but added that he had thrown Boop and her two daughters out of the home they shared, and "became angry when Boop didn't promptly pack up her belongings to leave."

Police say Boop told them after the shooting that she called 911, then called her mother and Doan's mother before trying to help stop the bleeding. Police say Boop told them she didn't mean to fire the gun but was trying to scare Doan into letting go of her hair.

Boop's defense attorney argued that she "was bullied" by Doan, and that charges of attempted homicide and aggravated assault were not justified given the evidence. Based on Doan's testimony, however, a district judge on Tuesday has ordered 31-year-old Boop to stand trial, and she remains in county jail on a $25,000 bond.

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Walsh Elementary School

The elementary admissions process in New York City is utterly grueling, as evidenced by new kindergarten admissions workshops that have popped up around town.

But among exemplary schools, one stands out as the gold-standard of top public elementary schools: Hunter College Elementary School.

The irony that Hunter has the word "college" in its name shouldn't escape you. Hunter's level of exclusivity tops even that of Harvard University  but Hunter evaluates 4-year-olds instead of high school seniors.



Hunter College Elementary is a K-6 school that is publicly funded and serves intellectually gifted students. It is administered by Hunter College, a college of the City University of New York.

The only entry point for Hunter is kindergarten. This means that if you get rejected the first time, you can't apply to the elementary school again. At Harvard there is always the option to transfer.

Each year, Hunter chooses 25 girls and 25 boys from all of Manhattan to be admitted to its incoming kindergarten class, according to its website. They're hand-selected from a pool of about 2,500 applicants, according to the website Inside Schools. To put that into perspective, that makes the acceptance rate for Hunter 2%. Harvard's undergraduate acceptance rate for the class of 2020 was 5.2%.

Prospective Hunter students must first take a StanfordBinet IQ test administered in a formal setting. The school informs parents that they should not prep their children for testing and that they'll be disqualified if there's evidence they prepared a child for the exam.

The pool of students is then whittled down to 250 of the children with the highest scores.

The remaining applicants are brought in for an evaluation round where they are observed individually interacting with peers and one-on-one with teachers. The Admissions Selections Committee chooses kids without knowing their names or other identifying factors.

Story continues

Hunter is unbelievably difficult to get into for a reason. It has a reputation for providing an amazing learning experience to gifted students  all free of tuition charges. And Hunter College High School has an impressive list of notable alumni including Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan.

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Adiff founder Angela Luna recently returned from asking refugees in six camps in Greece to critique her protective, multipurpose designs.

Working with the nonprofit Carry the Future, which hand-delivers child carriers and baby boxes to refugee families, Luna visited about six refugee camps in Greece. Each varied in size from about 80 people to a few thousand, depending on the set up. In some locations, there were acres of land covered with tents that 10 people would huddle in. In another, there was an apartment building with 10 rooms, housing 10 people in each room.

Referring to Eftalou, an area known for mountains of life jackets, Luna said, I thought I had an idea of what it would be like. Its one thing to see the images on your computer and its another thing to stand there  the same thing for the camps. You can read interviews with refugees online or watch a documentary, but its a completely different thing and youre able to physically and emotionally connect on a human level, she said. My main thing was I dont understand how people can be afraid of refugees. The kids I was playing games with were exactly like the pre-schoolers I taught as a camp counselor in my hometown. There are no differences.

A socially conscious, philanthropic clothing label Adiff is an offshoot of her senior thesis at The New Schools Parsons School of Design, which was inspired by the refugee crisis in the Middle East and Europe. Her Crossing the Boundary outerwear includes jacket that has zippers that can be used to insert poles for a five-person tent. Another has a backpack that can be unzipped into a cape for added warmth. Other items have features to lighten the burden of transporting children, or flotation devices for emergency situations. The reflective reversible jacket and the child-carrying jacket, They also liked the image of the jacket that can be used as a large tent, which Luna had not packed in her duffel bag due to the impracticality of its weight.

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Trying to explain her concept with hand gestures and a line sheet, Luna said she tried to find the person in each camp who was most fluent in English, usually an eight-year-old little girl. She said she would tell them, Im a designer. I live in New York and I created a collection that is designed to help refugees deal with different issues. I have some in the bag with me. Could you please try them on and let me know which one you like best or that you think would be the most useful? Im planning to produce them to give them in the camps hopefully this year.

Still in talks with potential investors, Luna recently started a $25,000 crowdfunding project to begin distributing Adiff this winter or spring. She estimated that between $100,000 and $200,000 would be needed for the next six months, but she definitely would not turn down a larger investment should a deal be worked out. Im lucky that my family is willing to help pay for my apartment and my grandparents are paying for legal things like trademarking.

Her strategy is to only distribute to camps that she can guarantee that each person in that camp will receive a garment. She is also looking to create childrens versions of her designs since children comprised half the population of each camp she visited. Improving the distribution process in the camps is another priority, she said. From what she witnessed in the camps, It was only sorted by male and female. It wasnt sorted by sizes, seasons or durability. Some were a little dirty or smelled a little weird. If someone said they wanted a winter jacket, they wouldnt have the opportunity to try it on or have in a say in what was given to them. When I do my distribution, Id like to set it up in a much more dignified way, maybe with a trailer or trucker going around to the different camps.

Luna is hoping to relocate from Crown Heights to Europe to be closer to the crisis. Being back here and readjusting has been kind of difficult after going through that, she said, noting she will go back to the camps this winter with her photographer boyfriend to document her efforts.

Her memory of a Yazidi man who gave her two bracelets made from string and yarn he found in the camps remains vivid. Recalling how he thanked her with tears in his eyes, she said. Thats definitely someone I want to continue to fight for after everything hes been through. And I still have the bracelets on my wrists.

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At the stroke of midnight, Emirates kicked off their Black Friday airfare sale with amazing two-for-one flights out of 11 major cities across the United States.

Beginning Friday, you have 72 hours to book your round-trip flight, which includes an $899 ticket to Milan from New York City. That means you and your significant other, favorite parent, or best friend can fly to Italy and back for only $449.50 per person.

Emirates sale flights arent exclusive to New York City: Travelers near Chicago, Boston, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Seattle, Dallas/Fort Worth, Houston, Washington, D.C., Orlando, and Fort Lauderdale can also get a deal.

Special fares for Black Friday also include a trip for two to Dubai ($1,249 total, or $624.50 round-trip, per person), and $1,599 companion fares for flights to Bangkok ($799.50 round-trip, per person).

Hong Kong, Sydney, Cape Town, and Singapore are included in the sale, though its possible to score these 2-for-1 tickets on additional routes.

Business Class seats are also steeply discounted, with companion seats starting at $5,799 round-trip to Milan (or $2,899.50 per person). Of course, these top-tier tickets come with some major perks, like chauffeur service to and from the airport, upscale lounges with spa services, and serious in-flight perks: Multi-course meals plated on china with linens and fully lie-flat seats.

So find your travel buddy, and begin planning your first adventure of the New Year. Travel dates are available between January 9 and October 14, 2017.

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The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) is harnessing sophisticated technology to catch nighttime poachers in Eastern Africa.

Since the deployment of thermal imaging cameras and human detection software nine months ago, more than two dozen poachers have been arrested in Kenyas Maasai Mara, the wildlife conservation organization announced this week. The technology has also been used to catch two other poachers at another undisclosed national park in Kenya.

In March the WWF, working with the Mara Conservancy ranger unit and the Kenya Wildlife Service, installed technology from thermal imaging specialist FLIR Systems on a mobile wildlife ranger unit. The technology was also installed, with additional human detection software, in another Kenyan park.

NEXT TIME YOU TAKE A SELFIE, THANK NASA

Wildlife rangers now have the help theyve desperately needed, said Colby Loucks, WWFs Wildlife Crime Technology Project lead, in a press release. This groundbreaking technology allows them to search for poachers 24 hours a day, from up to a mile away, in pitch darkness.

Poaching poses a massive threat to African wildlife. Rhino poaching, for example, has hit a record level across the continent, and the number of savannah elephants is declining rapidly as a result of the ivory trade.

This technology is invaluable in our night surveillance work. The ability of our rangers to distinguish potential poachers from a large distance is nothing short of remarkable, said Brian Heath, CEO and Director of the Mara Conservancy, in the press release. The last three people our team arrested were flabbergasted as to how they were detected.

VATICAN TAPS SPACE TECHNOLOGY TO PRESERVE ITS TREASURES

WWF and FLIR Systems are looking to broaden the use of thermal imaging and are working with African Parks, drone specialist UDS and Lindbergh Foundations Air Shepherd to install thermal imaging technology on drones. Anti-poaching drone test flights began last month in Malawi and Zimbabwe.

Story continues

WWF told FoxNews.com that it plans to use the technology in 20 additional sites in Africa and Asia.

The Wildlife Crime Technology Project is supported by a $5 million grant from Google.

Follow James Rogers on Twitter @jamesjrogers

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See the original version of this article on BGR.com
More company climate votes ahead, as Trump may loosen energy rules

Activist shareholders plan a record number of resolutions focused on climate change at U.S. company annual meetings in 2017, even as President-elect Donald Trump looks set to loosen environmental regulations.
Not So Fast: Europe's Controversial New Copyright Law Was Just Held Up After an Intense Lobbying War

WordPress.com has launched a new widget -- powered by Translate -- that lets bloggers and their visitors translate a website's content into more than 100 languages.

For bloggers wishing to use the new Google Translate widget, head to the "My Site(s)" section of your WordPress.com dashboard, and visit "Widgets" under the "Customize" menu. Visitors will then see a "Select Language" option in a dropdown box.

The Google Translate widget can be installed by anyone who uses the hosted WordPress.com platform, which amounts to a lot of people -- WordPress (the hosted service and the open-source software that can be downloaded at WordPress.org) now powers one-quarter of all websites.

Get Data Sheet, Fortune's technology newsletter.

To mark its tenth anniversary last year, WordPress.com noted that more than 2.5 billion blog posts across 137 languages had been published, and with a Google Translate widget now in tow this should go some toward opening more WordPress content to more people.

This article originally appeared on VentureBeat. All rights reserved.

See original article on Fortune.com

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Roycroft Copper Red, Sherwin-Williams: A farmhouse red that Wadden said looks great on a front door or intimate room.

Sudbury Yellow, Farrow & Ball: Named after a staircase at Sudbury Hall, a historic home in Derbyshire, England, this muted ochre is based on a color humans have decorated with for thousands of years, Smith said.

Kemp Kelly, Dunn-Edwards: A shamrock green based on the interior of the Kemp House in Los Angeles, an Arts and Crafts-style home built in the early 20th century.

Sunbaked Adobe, Dunn-Edwards: A desert hue inspired by the King House, a pueblo revival home in Phoenix.

White Tie, Farrow & Ball: Smith calls this classic off-white foolproof for rooms with antique furniture and recommends Pointing trim, a great choice for Federalist-period homes.

Williamsburg Wythe Blue, Benjamin Moore: A popular pick from the brands Williamsburg Collection, this calming blue-gray was developed with historians in Colonial Williamsburg and based on pigments from the 18th and 19th centuries.

Capitol White, Benjamin Moore: A nod to the Virginia Colonial Records Project, which recommended public buildings be painted with white oil paint.

Studio Green, Farrow & Ball: A deep green so rich it can appear black on color cards, and the original color of the Farrow & Ball Studio, hence the name.
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<p>AP This February 2000 photo provided by the Ventura County Sheriffas Office shows a man identified as Charley Saturmin Robinet after his arrest in a Thousand Oaks bank robbery. The true identity of the man, who was killed by Los Angeles police Sunday, is now in question.</p>

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By Wendy Leung of the Ventura County Star

The man who robbed a Thousand Oaks bank 15 years ago and who was killed by Los Angeles police on Sunday may have been a Cameroon national, but his true identity continues to be unclear.

When he was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison for robbing a Wells Fargo bank on Thousand Oaks Boulevard, he was believed to be a French national named Charley Saturmin Robinet.

In 2013, when the man was released from prison in Rochester, Minnesota, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement tried to deport him to France but French officials claimed the man was from Cameroon.

Subsequently, ICE contacted consular representatives for Cameroon, but Cameroonian authorities repeatedly failed to respond to requests for a travel document, according to a statement released by ICE on Wednesday.

Without the necessary deportation documents, the man was released from ICE custody under an order of supervision in November 2013. ICE officials cite a U.S. Supreme Court decision that calls for the release of an individual after 180 days when no country will accept the deportation.

According to the Federal Bureau of Prisons, the man was released to a halfway house in Central California until May 2014.

Since his release, the man regularly reported to ICE and was scheduled to do so March 5.
Police has linked the murder of Major Muhammad Kiggundu to ADF operations.

Major Kiggundu was gunned down this morning at Masanafu a Kampala suburb together with his body guard SGT Steven Mukasa.

According to police spokesperson Andrew Felix Kaweesi the facts indicate that this was an ADF orchestrated murder.

Kaweesi also says the murder is connected to the previous murders of Muslim clerics.

However Kiggundus Widow Sylvia Namutebi, popularly known as Maama Fiina says police must ensure that the killers are brought to book

The bodies are still in Mulago hospital where post mortems are being conducted.

Eyewitnesses say unknown assailants who were on a bodaboda fired bullets at the two who were in a vehicle, and shortly after disappeared.
Fidel Castro ruled Cuba for almost 50 years before handing over the powers to his brother Raul in 2008.

Following is a full report from The Associated Press:

Castro led a rebel army to improbable victory in Cuba, embraced Soviet-style communism and defied the power of 10 U.S. presidents during his half century rule.

His reign over the island-nation 90 miles from Florida was marked by the U.S.-backed Bay of Pigs invasion in 1961 and the Cuban Missile Crisis a year later that brought the world to the brink of nuclear war.

The bearded revolutionary, who survived a crippling U.S. trade embargo as well as dozens, possibly hundreds, of assassination plots, died eight years after ill health forced him to formally hand power over to his younger brother Raul.

Castro overcame imprisonment at the hands of dictator Fulgencio Batista, exile in Mexico and a disastrous start to his rebellion before triumphantly riding into Havana in January 1959 to become, at age 32, the youngest leader in Latin America. For decades, he served as an inspiration and source of support to revolutionaries from Latin America to Africa.

His commitment to socialism was unwavering, though his power finally began to fade in mid-2006 when a gastrointestinal ailment forced him to hand over the presidency, provisionally at first and then permanently. His defiant image lingered long after he gave up his trademark Cohiba cigars for health reasons and his tall frame grew stooped.
I don't know how many young women come to this blog or how many are parents of teenage or young adult women, but here are some safety tips from Kelsey's Army:

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1. Trust your instincts - If something feels wrong then something probably is wrong.2. Know your surroundings - know who and what is around you.3. Always have a plan for where you would go and what you would do if a situation arises.4. Be willing to make a scene in order to be noticed.5. Let someone know where you are going and when you will be back.Remember the acronym TIPS:ake Chargenform others of your whereaboutsrepare for any situationurvival Mentality (role play situations so you will respond should they happen)For more information, go to Kelsey's Army
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AUBURN  The YMCA of DeKalb County will host an Out of the Darkness Community Walk through the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention Dec. 3 from 6-9 p.m.

The event will include booths and vendors to provide resources for those who may be struggling, those who may know someone who is struggling, those who struggle themselves, or those who have lost someone to suicide.

Rachelle Gilbert was inspired to organize the walk because Dec. 3 marks the 10-year anniversary of the passing of her twin brother, Ryan Lee Gilbert, who took his own life.

There have been recent deaths and tragedies in our community that I feel there is a need to raise awareness, reduce the stigma, and begin really facing this issue and finding ways to reduce the suicide rate. No one should ever have to go through that pain, Gilbert said.

Registration begins at 6 p.m., and the walk will begin at 7 p.m. on the YMCAs indoor track. Gilbert said the main lights will be turned out, but uplighting donated by Taylor Rental will be provided.

We are expecting this to be a very uplifting and powerful event, Gilbert said.

Participants can create teams or walk as individuals. There is no entry fee, but participants are encouraged to fundraise and donate what they can. They may register online at afsp.donordrive.com.

Online registration closes at noon the Friday before the walk. However, anyone who would like to participate can register in person at the walk from the time check-in begins until the walk starts.

So far weve raised almost $3,000 with a goal of $5,000, Gilbert said.

The event is sponsored by the YMCA of DeKalb County, DeKalb Health, Bowen Center, United Way, Wellness Mentors and Taylor Rental.
KPC NEWS SERVICE

ANGOLA  Three people were apprehended following a Thursday burglary, a Steuben County Sheriffs Office news release said.

Just before 1 a.m., the sheriffs department responded to a report of a suspicious vehicle and two people walking around with a pair of bolt cutters in the area of the Corner 200 Storage Units located near the intersection of C.R. 200W and C.R. 200N.

Upon arrival, responding officers located a white pickup truck parked between two storage buildings with numerous items in the bed of the truck. Officers also observed several storage units with cut padlocks lying beside the unit doors. Officers then began checking the unsecured storage units before a male subject exited one of the nearby units and surrendered. The male indicated that there were two other people involved and they were subsequently located inside other nearby storage units.

Taken into custody were Braxton Easton, 19, and Stephani Hartley, 18, both of Fremont. A 17-year-old male juvenile was also apprehended.

Detectives were then called to the scene to assist in the investigation. Through the course of the investigation it was determined that 12 storage units had been burglarized.

Following interviews with detectives, Easton and Hartley were booked into the Steuben County Jail on 12 counts of burglary, a Level 5 felony.

The male juvenile was placed by Steuben County Probation at a juvenile detention facility.

The Angola Police Department and the Indiana State Police assisted.
LIGONIER  Its about focusing on the highest common denominator, not the lowest, when attempting to address the root cause of poverty, according to Conscious Community Inc. chair and President Gayle Wisner.

Seven local communities have embraced that idea and launched pilot programs under Conscious Communitys Grassroots Initiative to Break Poverty. The four-month program aims to teach those who may be dealing with unemployment, substance abuse, homelessness or mental illness how to begin making helpful choices instead of hurtful ones through one-on-one sessions with local leaders, group seminars, progress reports and support meetings.

Most of the programs with the very best intentions really focus on the lowest common denominator  what people dont have, Wisner said. What this one does is it focuses on love and on our highest common denominator. We pass it by so often that we dont see it anymore  our life inside each other. Were all alive.

Wisner is hoping to break down the economic barriers that divide a community by having area leaders and residents embrace the program and work as befrienders to those asking for assistance. The befrienders serve as support for the participants, giving their time to make sure those in the program are making the right decisions or making progress toward their goals.

Conscious Community has seen success in Albion and Kendallville, which each had four graduates in its pilot program this year, and also in Ligonier, where 12 participants took part in two programs held during the first year. Participants can enroll free of charge after committing to the completion of the program.

After tracking the results of the initiative through surveys, Wisner said employability went up 30 percent among participants, and at the moment all those who have taken part in the program are employed. Only 46 percent held jobs when they began.

In 22 years that Ive been doing this, Ive never seen anything like it. Not anything like it, Wisner said. Its a miracle. I dont know how else to say it. Its defying all the odds. Its taking one of the worst problems we have, not just in Noble County and northeast Indiana, but in America, and we are making meaningful change. But it has to be done one person at a time, neighbor to neighbor.

The change happens because the participants are the ones facilitating what the program focuses on by confronting the issues that affect them most and engaging with community leaders to find the answers to the questions they may have.

Its increasing their self-esteem and self-worth because theyre not imitating behaviors but actually rewiring their thought process, Wisner said.

With these changes in behavior, its not just the participant who benefits. The community gains more employable and engaged citizens that are then transformed into leaders, Wisner said. These leaders then refer others to the program, leading to a cycle of overall improvement within the community.

This makes active, participating members of our community. We havent lost their potential, because weve helped them find it again, Wisner said. We all want the same thing. We want to be loved. We want to be respected. We want to have opportunities. We want to be safe and secure and have enough. We want opportunities for our children. We want to see our neighbors and ourselves thrive. Its all the same, and it crosses everything.

The program has received support from area churches, businesses and foundations, and Wisner is always on the lookout for more community leadership to lend its time to the program as it continues to grow.

Now that the local pilot programs are finished or nearly completed, she sees the Grassroots Initiative to Break Poverty being offered annually, limited to about 12 participants and starting each spring or summer.

Participants take part in about 46 hours of program work over the four-month period  hearing from local agencies, spending time with fellow participants and taking part in mentoring sessions with community leaders. But more than half of that time is spent with their befrienders, and thats what makes the difference, Wisner said.

Its amazing to me what a community can do when we work together. Its giving us something to focus on together. Its breaking down barriers that should never be there between different parts of our community, Wisner said. Its personal, and it needs to be personal.

Grassroots Initiative to Break Poverty

To donate: visit generosity.com, search for the Grassroots Initiative to Break Poverty, name and indicate to which community the money should go toward.

More information: call toll-free at 866-849-2615 or visit conscious communityinc.org.
KENDALLVILLE  Organizer Pam Younce describes the Mid-America Windmill Museums Winter Wonderland as a masterpiece of illumination.

Motorists crossing the Allen Chapel Road railroad bridge at night can see the glow from the museums thousands of the lights and the star topping the tallest windmill tower.

Each year, Younce designs the museums Christmas light display strung on its collection of restored, historic windmills at the 20-acre site at 732 S. Allen Chapel Road.

More displays and lights are added each year, making it an annual challenge of finding space for them all.

Over several weekends, volunteers lay thousands of feet of cable, erect animated Christmas-themed displays and attach strings of lights to the windmills. They arrange 500 candlelit luminaries along the museums entrance road.

Many hours of volunteered labor make this a spectacular presentation, Younce said.

The lights will glow for visitors from 5:30-8:30 p.m. Dec. 2-4 and Dec. 9-11. Visitors are welcome to walk the pathways among the Christmas attractions.

Baker Hall will be decked out in festive decor, with Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus ready to see children. Each child 11 years old and younger will receive a gift bag, and Santa will have special gifts for toddlers. Warm food and refreshments will be available, and craft vendors will be selling their wares.

Children 11 and under can registered to win one of three bicycles.

A live nativity presented by members of the Full Gospel Church in Ashley will be set up on the grounds Dec. 3 and Dec. 10.

Baker Hall also will be the location for a drawing for a Bible, and $100 gift certificates from Walmart and Kroger.

Admission to the Winter Wonderland is $4 and free for children under 12.
MADISON  At least 399 provisional ballots cast by people lacking a valid photo ID were not counted in this months election because the voter didnt return to a local clerk and provide the ID by the deadline.

The number, which is preliminary and will likely increase as the Wisconsin Elections Commission compiles official results, could play into the ongoing court battle over Wisconsins voter ID law, which was passed in 2011 but was on hold because of court challenges until this year.

It is outrageous that the voter ID law disenfranchised at least 400 people, especially when weighed against close to zero instances of proven voter impersonation fraud in Wisconsin or anywhere in the country, said Bruce Spiva, a lawyer representing plaintiffs in the most recent challenge to the states voter ID law.

If history is any guide, almost every single one of those 400 people was a qualified Wisconsin resident with a constitutional right to vote, and the state of Wisconsin denied them that right.

Gov. Scott Walker spokesman Tom Evenson said the state has implemented a system that makes it easy for people to ensure their vote counts.

Provisional ballots were created as a safeguard for voters who show up on Election Day without proper ID, Evenson said. The DMV instituted overnight mailing to ensure those voters get temporary receipts to provide in time for their vote to count.

Legal experts said the numbers will be more relevant when they can be compared with states such as Texas, which gave voters without an ID the opportunity to sign an affidavit saying they were unable to obtain one.

Edward Foley, an election law professor at Ohio State University, said the federal courts might not be sympathetic to a voter who didnt make an effort to get a voter ID, but if theres evidence that they tried and were unsuccessful, that might signal there are a group of Wisconsin voters who would have been protected by the more generous Texas system.

The federal judicial system is searching for an appropriate safety net, that means no proper voter will be disenfranchised by a genuine voter ID law, Foley said. This is important evidence to what extent is it being a barrier.

The Wisconsin Election Commission reported there were at least 750 provisional ballots cast on Election Day, and that 618 of them were cast because a voter lacked a valid ID.

The provisional ballot process was put in place to address concerns that some voters would be disenfranchised by the ID requirement. Those who cast a provisional ballot had until the Friday after the election to provide their ID to a local clerk.

Of the 618 ID-related provisional ballots, 116 were counted because the voter later provided an ID. Another 399 were marked as deadline expired, indicating they were not counted, according to the elections commission. There was no information on the other ballots as to whether they had been accepted or rejected.

Also, a record 830,763 absentee ballots were recorded this year, shattering the previous record set in 2012.

The number of in-person absentee ballots alone (666,846) topped the 2012 record for all absentee ballots.

In-person absentee voting soared this year after a federal judge struck down the states restrictions on early voting hours.

Absentee ballots constituted 27.9 percent of all ballots cast, also shattering the previous record of 21.6 percent set in 2008.

The elections commission is required to certify all election results by Dec. 1. Official final voting totals for all state races will not be released until after results are certified.

There were more than 2.94 million votes cast in the election, making the number of provisional ballots a tiny fraction of the overall total.

The statewide presidential election was decided by about 27,000 votes, so the provisional ballots alone wouldnt have changed the outcome.

Tip of the iceberg

Jenni Dye, research director for the liberal One Wisconsin Institute, which is challenging the states voter ID requirement in federal court, said the number of voters who had to cast provisional ballots because they lacked an ID is really just the tip of the iceberg because the law may have kept eligible voters who were unable or unwilling to obtain an ID before Election Day away from the polls.

Dye also acknowledged that some of the 399 discounted ballots could have resulted from provisional voters not bothering to return with their ID later because by then the election results were known.

I think anything is possible once a voter leaves their polling place, Dye said. Which is why its so important for people to (vote) on Election Day and not have to jump through extra hoops.

The U.S. Supreme Court upheld Indianas voter ID law in 2008, saying opponents didnt demonstrate that the law prevented legal voters from casting a ballot.

However, the ruling left the door open to future challenges that presented more evidence.

The federal judicial system is searching for an appropriate safety net, that means no proper voter will be disenfranchised by a genuine voter ID law. Edward Foley, election law professor, Ohio State University
YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 26, ARMENPRESS. Azerbaijan violated the ceasefire regime on Karabakh-Azerbaijan contact line for 30 times overnight November 26, during which 240 shots were fired in the direction of Armenian border guards from different caliber firearms.

As Armenpress was informed from the press service of NKR Defense Ministry, Defense Army front line units refrained from counter-measures.
RUSHFORD, Minn.  Andrew Andy N. Grinde, 79, of Rushford died Monday, Nov. 21, 2016, at the Good Shepherd Lutheran Home, Rushford. A memorial service will be 5:30 p.m. Monday, at Hoff Funeral and Cremation Service, Rushford. Visitation will be from 4 p.m. until the time of the service Monday at the funeral home. Military honors by American Legion Post 94 of Rushford will follow the service. Burial will be in the Rushford Lutheran Cemetery at a later date.
The U.S. government is funding a project to train giant rodents to help fight illegal wildlife trafficking in Africa.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said the African giant pouched rat is being tested to see whether it can help detect illegal shipments of hardwood timber, used to make furniture, doors and flooring and at the center of a multibillion-dollar black market industry, and pangolins  the worlds most poached mammal.

The agency is spending $100,000 on a yearlong pilot program that began in Tanzania in October and is being run by the Endangered Wildlife Trust, a wildlife conservation organization based in South Africa.

The funding is part of $1.2 million in grants the U.S. is awarding for 12 innovative approaches to stopping wildlife poaching and trafficking in 11 countries.

Q: What makes these rodents good for sniffing out wood and wildlife?

A: The rats have a strong scenting ability and have been able to detect buried land mines and carriers of tuberculosis in East Africa, officials at the Endangered Wildlife Trusts Wildlife in Trade Program said. They are also intelligent and calm with demonstrated trainability, and they are native to sub-Saharan Africa, so they are already adapted to the environment.

The rats can grow up to 3 feet long and live for eight years. They are agile for a shipping port environment and export warehouses  relatively cheap to source, feed, train, breed and maintain, and their small size makes them cheap and easy to transport, said Wildlife in Trade Program manager Adam Pires and Kirsty Brebner, the groups Rhino Project manager.

Now this project aims to assess whether the typically passive rats are able to sniff out contraband, officials at the Wildlife in Trade Program said.

This project has only just commenced and the pilot period still needs to run before we can ascertain the ability of using these animals to detect any pangolin and timber species, Pires and Brebner said in an email.

Q: How will the rats be trained?

A: The rats will be trained in a laboratory to distinguish the target substances of hardwood timber, pangolin skin and scales and a variety of other control substances, the Fish and Wildlife Service said. Specialists will assess the best options for the rats to detect hardwoods and pangolins in containers at ports in Tanzania, and their success rate.

The project would be the first phase of a much larger effort to mainstream rats as an innovative tool in combating illegal wildlife trade, the wildlife agency said.

Q: What other anti-trafficking wildlife programs are being funded by the $1.2 million in grants?

A: Money will go to train sniffer dogs to fight trafficking in horns from the critically endangered saiga antelope in Kazakhstan; addressing the illegal trade of rosewood in Belize; helping forest patrols reduce the poaching of Sumatran tigers and other species in Indonesia; generating new information on trafficking routes in Peru; and reducing the demand for pangolins in three Chinese provinces that have been identified as being major hubs for consumption of illegally traded wildlife.

These grant recipients are using pioneering approaches to address the illegal wildlife trade in the places where it starts and where demand for wildlife products feeds the criminal supply chain of illegal goods, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director Dan Ashe said in a statement.
COLUMBUS, Kan. (TNS)  In February 2015, three years into the supply-side economics experiment that would upend a once steady Midwestern economy, a hole appeared in Kansas finances.

To fill it, Gov. Sam Brownback took $45 million in public education funding. By April of this year, with the hole at $290 million, Brownback took highway money to plug it. A month later, state money for Medicaid coverage went into the hole, but the gap continued to grow.

Today, the states budget hole is $345 million and threatens the foundation of this state, which was supposed to be the setting for a grand economic expansion but now more closely resembles a battleground, with accusations and lawsuits flying over how to get the states finances in order.

The yawning deficits were caused by huge tax cuts, championed by Brownback and the Republican-dominated Legislature, that were supposed to set the economy roaring. They didnt.

The budget shortfalls have been felt across the state, particularly by public schools, and have embroiled the Kansas Supreme Court along with state lawmakers and the governor.

Through it all, Brownback has repeatedly pledged his faith in the free market.

Were going to continue to grow the economy, Brownback has said in response to questions about each new revenue shortfall.

His opponents in the Legislature say Brownbacks mantra has failed the state and carries a stern lesson in theory versus reality to other states contemplating the same free-market ideas.

Its estimate and pray on the income taxes, said state Sen. Laura Kelly, ranking Democrat on the Ways and Means Committee. Even with significant changes, we wont see personal income receipts (increase) until 2019.

An ideological war over the way Kansas collects and spends money has erupted in the capital of Topeka and spilled into every corner of the state. After five years of an economic crusade that has left its originator, Brownback, as the least popular governor in the nation, Kansas has been forced to use the settlement from a national tobacco lawsuit to cover the hole in its general fund budget  money that was supposed to go to an early childhood education endowment.

It was a risk Brownback ran when he overhauled the state budget based on an interpretation of fiscal conservatism that dramatically cut personal income taxes.

The state would thrive, he pledged, because the tax cuts would help keep businesses and smart, young Kansans in the state, not fleeing to Houston, or Dallas, or Chicago or somewhere else.

It will pave the way to the creation of tens of thousands of new jobs, bring tens of thousands of people to Kansas, and help make our state the best place in America to start and grow a small business, Brownback wrote in 2012. It will leave more than a billion dollars in the hands of Kansans. An expanding economy and growing population will directly benefit our schools and local governments.

It hasnt worked out that way.

Revenue from income tax collections plummeted 22 percent. A separate repeal of taxes on partnerships and limited liability companies meant the surrender of 30 percent of state revenue.

A projection issued Nov. 11 puts Kansas in a bind next fiscal year, when state revenue estimators project receipts to amount to $5.5 billion, down 7.4 percent from this years estimate.

Unwilling to scale back the income tax cuts, the state did increase the sales tax. Now Kansas has the second-highest sales tax in the nation, and such reliance on sales taxes has saddled the state with additional problems: Deflation is dropping the prices of goods and the taxes the state collects on them.

Tired of the bleating horn of bad news, in September Brownback silenced a quarterly economic evaluation of the state that counted employment, unemployment, personal income and energy production, and consistently illustrated the states plunging revenues. He had done so before, in August 2015, when he ordered a halt to a semiannual economic report.

A lot of people were confused by the reports, said Nicole Randall, a spokeswoman for the Kansas Department of Commerce.

Brownbacks ultraconservative allies in the Legislature paid the price for their loyalty in the August primaries  when moderate Republicans won while running against Brownback and for increases in school funding  and again on election day, when Democrats picked up 12 seats in the House.

Its been disastrous, said Burdett Loomis, professor of political science at the University of Kansas. Brownback has said he will work with (new, moderate) legislators, but I dont know if anyone believes him.

The budget battles have also brought in the state Supreme Court. In 2014 the court ruled that disparities in public funding of education violated the state constitution and ordered a lower court to evaluate how much the state should invest in public schools.

Conservative groups supporting Brownback responded by pushing five Supreme Court justices into brutal, expensive retention races to keep their seats. The targeted justices were retained by voters and are expected to rule this month on the adequacy and fairness of the public education system in a landmark case, Gannon v. Kansas, filed by four of the states poorest school districts.

Should the Supreme Court rule against the state and the adequacy of its $6 billion yearly expenditures on education, it will force Kansas to pay $500 million or more for school upgrades across the state, including in economically depressed areas.

Places like Columbus.

Here in the states southeast corner, the poorest area in Kansas, coal mines died and gave way to paper mills, which shuttered as American business went paperless. Today, nearly 30 percent of families with children in the region receive food stamps. In Pittsburg, the largest city in the area, with about 20,000 residents, the downtown is pocked by shuttered storefronts.

In Columbus, population 3,300, clean, manicured lawns front one-story ranch houses built when the area was still prosperous, or at least on its feet. Red-and-yellow flags of Pittsburg State University, located in the nearby town, dot the one-street downtown. Greenery abounds.

Were a little bit  whats the word I want to use  Im a little bit backwoods. Were a little rough around the edges, said Steve Jameson in his seat in the principals office at Columbus Park Elementary. Were hard workers, and its high poverty. Sometimes, in poverty, you have that sense of helplessness.

Jameson believes wholeheartedly in the importance of pre-K education, especially for the summer before kindergarten. His pre-K funding is frozen at 2013 levels because of the cuts, meaning he can enroll 30 children in summer pre-K. He has a waiting list every year.

He has been told that next year summers pre-K program will be cut. Jameson knows what to expect next fall.

It means kindergarteners from at-risk backgrounds never before introduced to a school environment, or children with behavioral issues that have not yet been modified in a classroom setting  all of those issues and inexperience exploding in a class of 12 to 15 other children.

But such a disruption is just the beginning, experts say, because it slows down the rest of the class, which drags down their development entering school.

Jameson has tried to keep the cuts away from the classroom. He let one teachers assistant go, and has been unable to send his teachers to professional development conferences  admittedly smaller cuts, but ones he said would compound over time.

In the long run, teachers wont have that energy if you dont provide professional development, and theyll go elsewhere, Jameson said.

Changes to the Legislature could reverse course, but the process will not be easy, Loomis said. Even with repeals of the tax exemptions of LLCs and partnerships, which could amount to several hundred million dollars, the changes will be a drop in the bucket.

Other than sunny repetitions of Brownbacks mantra that the economy will indeed reverse course once his economic experiment has a chance to work, there are no short-term plans to save the state.

Even if the Legislature raises personal income taxes and repeals the exemption on business taxes, the state will not see its first receipts until 2018.

In the meantime, the hole grows and grows.

It demonstrates the pickle that Brownback and the Legislature have gotten this state in, Loomis said. Theres no easy way out.

Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback billed his tax cuts as an economic kickstart for the state. But instead, revenue from income tax collections plummeted 22 percent. A separate repeal of taxes on partnerships and limited liability companies meant the surrender of 30 percent of state revenue.
WASHINGTON (TNS)  The death of Fidel Castro was long in coming, and so world reaction was somber and introspective from foes and friends alike.

President Barack Obama alluded to both the history of animosity between the United States and Cuba and the advent of change in those relations. Obama said he extended a hand of friendship to the Cuban people.

For more than half a century, Obama recalled, the relationship was marked by discord and profound political disagreements. But, he said, we have worked hard to put the past behind us, pursuing instead a future based on shared family, cultural and commercial bonds.

We know that this moment fills Cubans  in Cuba and in the United States  with powerful emotions, Obama said. History will record and judge the enormous impact of this singular figure on the people and world around him.

President-elect Donald Trump, in contrast, cited the passing of a brutal dictator while apparently ignoring recent history and adding that Cuba remains a totalitarian island.

He described Castros legacy as one of firing squads, theft, unimaginable suffering, poverty and the denial of fundamental human rights.

Trumps future policies toward Cuba, and whether he continues with diplomatic normalization with the Communist-led government, are a matter of much speculation. He has said he would toss out Obama administration reforms that opened economic and diplomatic ties with Havana as well as saying he would merely modify them. He suggested Saturday that he was open to a journey towards prosperity and liberty.

Secretary of State John F. Kerry, who raised a U.S. flag over the U.S. Embassy in Havana last year for the first time in nearly five decades, said the U.S. had an earnest desire not to ignore history but to write a new and better future for our two peoples.

Russian President Vladimir Putin praised Castro as a sincere and reliable friend of Russia.

The name of this distinguished statesman is rightly considered the symbol of an era in modern world history, Putin said in a telegram to Fidels brother, President Raul Castro, according to the Kremlin.

The Soviet Union for decades was Cubas main Cold War supporter and financial patron. When the Soviet Union collapsed, so did Cubas economy, plunging the country into what Cuba called a special period of hardship that derailed many of the social reforms of the revolution.

The last leader of the Soviet Union, Mikhail Gorbachev, praised Castro for standing up to the U.S., even though it brought the world to the brink of another world war.

Fidel held his ground and strengthened his country at the time of the harshest American blockade, at the time of massive pressure on him, Gorbachev was quoted as saying by Russias Interfax news agency.

Nevertheless, he led out his country from the blockade to the path of self-sustained and independent development.

The warmest words of condolence came from leftist nations in places like Africa, once home to liberation struggles where Cuba participated.

Recalling Castros close relationship with South Africas late president, Nelson Mandela, and support for the fight against apartheid, the countrys current leader, Jacob Zuma, thanked Castro for inspiring his people to join us in our own struggle.

Chinese President Xi Jinping praised Castros role in spreading communism in the world and lamented the loss of a close comrade.

No Latin American government revered Castro more than that of socialist Venezuela. Its previous president, the late Hugo Chavez, was an apprentice of Castros, and current President Nicolas Maduro has exhibited the same dedication.

We will keep on winning and keep fighting, Maduro said on Venezuelas Telesur television. Fidel Castro is an example of the fight for all the people of the world. We will go forward with his legacy.

Before the devastating economic crisis that Venezuela is suffering, the oil-rich country routinely provided billions of barrels of petroleum to Cuba and other friendly nations at low prices. Cuba, in exchange, sent doctors and teachers, as well as intelligence agents, to work in Venezuela.

Latin Americas leftist leaders such as Maduro and the presidents of Ecuador, Bolivia and El Salvador are in many ways one of Castros most tangible legacies. Their ascension to power through democratic means might not have happened were it not for political movements against the right-wing dictators who long held power in the region.

One of the greats has left us, Ecuadors president, Rafael Correa, said. Fidel has died. Long live Cuba! Long live Latin America!

In El Salvador, the fight was an armed one. The tiny Central American country was engulfed in one of the Cold Wars most important proxy wars in the 1980s, when Cuban and Soviet-backed leftist guerrillas of the Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front, or FMLN, battled security forces loyal to the rightist, U.S.-backed government.

A United Nations-brokered peace agreement eventually ended that war, which killed tens of thousands and sent millions of refugees to California and other parts of the U.S., and today the FMLN holds the presidency.

The Salvadoran government Saturday expressed eternal gratitude to Castro and the Cuban people for their help.

Elsewhere in the West, where relations with Cuba have long been better than those of Washington, reaction was tempered.

Castro embodied Cubas revolution in both its hopes and its later disappointments, French President Francois Hollande said.

Boris Johnson, Britains foreign minister, said Castro was historic if controversial. His death marks the end of an era for Cuba and the start of a new one for Cubas people that Johnson said should include improvement of human rights.

In Canada, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau recalled his fathers friendship with Castro. Pierre Trudeau, prime minister from 1968 to 1984, was the first Western leader to visit revolutionary Cuba, in 1976, and Castro was an honorary pallbearer at the elder Trudeaus funeral in 2000.

While a controversial figure, Justin Trudeau said, both Mr. Castros supporters and detractors recognized his tremendous dedication and love for the Cuban people who had a deep and lasting affection for el comandante.
The two major La Crosse-based health systems plan to raise rates Jan. 1, but the elephant in the operating room is the possibility that the Affordable Care Act will be repealed.

Local health care officials are wracked with uncertainty because of President-elect Donald Trumps campaign vow to repeal Obamacare, which the Republican Congress has attempt since its passage.

Gundersen Health System published proposed price increases averaging 3.2 percent, with increases of 4.5 percent for room, board and nursing care in a variety of areas, and decreases of 7 percent in several others, according in a public notice in Fridays La Crosse Tribune.

The increases at Mayo Clinic Health System-Franciscan Healthcare will average 4 percent across a wide spectrum of services, mirroring the hikes at Mayo-Franciscans Sparta Medical Center, according to Mayo-Franciscans public notice, also in Fridays Tribune.

Gundersens increase is its lowest in 19 years, continuing its trend of declining rate hikes tracing back to 1998, according to a Gundersen statement. The rise is a half-percent smaller than last years, the statement said. During the previous 18 years, the drop in the hike had been one-tenth of a percent.

Mayos 4 percent hike is a half-percent over its most recent increase of 3.5 percent on Jan. 1.

Drug cost escalation blamed

Ballooning drug expenses are one of the main frustrations as hospitals try to rein in costs, said Tom Tiggelaar, chief financial officer at Mayo-Franciscan.

We have been working like crazy to improve processes and efficiencies, Tiggelaar said. Our general approach is how we look at overall efforts to improve quality and outcomes while holding down charges at the same time.

Its not easy to do  especially with skyrocketing costs not only for high-priced biologic pharmaceuticals but even generics, he said.

The manufacturing pool for generic drugs is shrinking, which leads to higher prices in that arena, Tiggelaar said.

But the bigger problem is the cost of some of the highly priced biologicals that do fabulous jobs in combating illnesses, he said, citing hepatitis C as an example.

A regimen of treatment for hepatitis C might cost $100,000, but at the end, you have somebody who doesnt have hepatitis C anymore, he said.

It is difficult to compare costs across the board at both hospitals because of varying factors. But Gundersen proposes room-and-board prices for general, medical/surgical/gynecological rooms and several other services at $1,281 a day, up 4.5 percent, while comparable services at Mayo-Franciscan are $1,986, a 4 percent increase.

Mayo-Franciscans intensive care room charge in La Crosse is scheduled to rise 4 percent, to $3,343, while Gundersens is pegged at $2,797, a 7 percent drop.

Repealing Obamacare could have severe repercussions

Asked about the severity of the impact of repealing Obamacare on hospitals, Tiggelaar said, It would be very large because of the number of people who obtained insurance who hadnt had it before President Barack Obamas signature legislation took effect on Oct. 1, 2013.

If the thousands in the Coulee Region and an estimated 20 million lower-income people nationwide who obtained insurance on exchanges or through Medicaid expansion in 31 states and the District of Columbia lost it, we would have to think broader  what are the ways they can get health care? he said.

There is a large population on the fringe who cannot afford health care. If they lose insurance, they will postpone it until it becomes a catastrophic illness, and that is not acceptable, Tiggelaar said.

Tiggelaar is not alone in worrying about what might happen if Trump and the GOP repeal the act  House attempts to do so are approaching 70, although estimates vary  and fretting especially about what, if anything, might replace it.

When people ignore medical needs, they often end up in emergency rooms, the most expensive option for receiving health care and one that taxes hospital budgets.

Initial fears arising from Trumps repeated vows that he would repeal Obamacare on Day One were the disappearance of young peoples being able to remain on their parents insurance until they are 26, as well the more troubling possibility that the plug would be pulled on the hard-fought insurance coverage for people with pre-existing conditions.

Trump has since softened his threat, saying that he would consider retaining some parts of the law, including those two elements, but the uncertainty remains unnerving to the health care industry.

Rural hospitals could be hit hardest

Rural hospitals could be hit especially hard, and some might be forced to close, according to some industry observers, who contend that the job loss could be as devastating to many rural areas as the loss of care.

The U.S. has more than 1,800 rural hospitals that handle more than 21.5 million emergency room visits and support nearly 2 million jobs, according to the American Hospital Association.

Hospitals could suffer all the down-side aspects of repealing the ACA and none of the upsides, said Christopher Kerns, executive research director for the Advisory Board Company.

Cuts to Medicare reimbursement are not likely to be scaled back and are likely to remain intact, while providers are concerned that coverage expansions will be cut, Kerns was quoted as saying in a publication of the Healthcare Financial Management Association, a Cook County, Ill.-based nonprofit organization for healthcare finance executives.

An outright repeal of the ACA likely means subsidies will be phased out for insurance exchanges and Medicaid expansions, he said.

Hospitals also fear that repealing Obamacare could imperil hospitals investments in evolving from fee-for-service models to risk-based forms, Kerns said.

If those reimbursement models  go away, what happens next? he said.

Chip Kahn, president and CEO of the Federation of American Hospitals, also voiced concerns to the management association.

The federation is taking everybody at their word that one of the Republicans top priorities is repealing the ACA. But the circumstances under which it is deconstructed or revised are very critical to us and to the patients and communities we serve, Kahn said.

Kahn also voiced the opinion of many in the industry the law cannot be repealed in total.

It takes 60 votes in the Senate, and Democrats have 48. So this will likely be worked out in some kind of budget reconciliation, Kahn said.
Green Party candidate Jill Steins campaign reported Thursday morning that it raised enough money to fund a recount of Wisconsins presidential election.

Citing concerns of results legitimacy, Stein had warned Wisconsin state officials her campaign would request a recount in the state. The campaign also said Wednesday it would request recounts in Michigan and Pennsylvania.

Since the Stein campaign launched online drives Wednesday to raise the millions of dollars required for recounts in the three states, it has gathered more than $4 million. The campaign estimates a recount in Wisconsin would cost $1.1 million.

The fact that in 24 hours we raised $4 million says that people are lacking confidence and want someone to take a look, said Michael White, co-chairman of the Wisconsin Green Party.

He added that the Green Party is in the best position to call for a recount because the results wont favor them. Preliminary results show Stein with 30,980 votes, just 1.1 percent of presidential votes cast on Nov. 8.

What does the Green Party have to gain? The only thing that we have to gain is building trust in the electoral process and making sure we dont have problems in the way its conducted, he said.

White stressed that he and the Green Party are not alleging that the election results were manipulated, rather that there is an apparent discrepancy between the data exit polls collected and the ultimate result of the vote.

White also cited reports that academics and activists had expressed concerns about the results. They reportedly had been trying to persuade Clintons campaign to seek recounts based on findings that raise questions of whether election results in Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania were subject to a cyberattack.

Wisconsin Elections Commission director Michael Haas said Wednesday that the commission has not seen credible evidence of any attempt to manipulate Wisconsins election results, although it is preparing for a recount ahead of Fridays deadline for a candidate to formally request one.

We dont have any reason to suspect that any voting equipment has been tampered with, Haas said.

Republican President-elect Donald Trump narrowly won Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania after trailing Democrat Hillary Clinton in pre-election polls in those states.

In Wisconsin, the state will pick up the cost of a recount if the margin of victory is less than 0.25 percent. Unofficial results show Trump and Hillary Clinton separated by a little more than 27,000 votes, or approximately 0.93 percent, so the recount fee is required.

While Wisconsins presidential election was close, it was not close enough to trigger a requirement that the state pay for a recount. That means whoever requests a recount would have to pay for it.

Were not trying to change the election, but verify the election process and ensure that its as transparent as possible, White said.
Donald Trump wont officially become president until January, but critics are already raising concerns that he is violating a constitutional clause meant to keep foreign countries from buying influence with U.S. officials.

The Emoluments Clause says U.S. officeholders cannot accept presents, gifts or fees from any king, prince or foreign state. Yet reports suggest that foreign diplomats have been encouraged to stay at Trumps new hotel in Washington, D.C., where suites run up to $20,000 per night.

Could foreign states use such dealings to influence Trumps behavior in office? Is the hotel pitch a sign Trump will use the Oval Office to further enrich himself and his family? Joel Mathis and Ben Boychuk debate the issue.

Joel Mathis

It looks like Donald Trump, as president, is going to be the same thin-skinned two-bit hustler hes always been.

Lets forget the specifics of the Constitutions Emoluments Clause for a second, and just ask ourselves this: Should the president use the Oval Office to get rich? Or should the president use the office on behalf of the people who elected him?

Should there ever have to be a question?

Heres what traditionally happens when a president takes office: He  its always been a he  puts his assets in a blind trust, outside his own control or the control of close relatives, so that he wont know how his actions as president affect his own personal net worth. The idea? To make sure the president is always, always working on behalf of the people.

Trump refuses to play by the rules  something that was easy to see coming when he became the first majority party presidential nominee of the modern era to refuse to release his tax returns. Rules, it seems, are for other people.

The laws totally on my side, the president cant have a conflict of interest, Trump told New York Times editors and reporters on Tuesday.

Hes right that many anti-conflict-of-interest laws exempt the president  a nod to the Constitutions separation of powers. But presidents dont generally use that exemption to see what they can get away with. Instead, they hold themselves to the highest possible financial standards. Even Jimmy Carter put his peanut farm in a blind trust.

In theory I could run my business perfectly and then run the country perfectly, Trump told the Times. Theres never been a case like this.

He would be easier to believe, except that his Washington, D.C., hotel is suddenly seen as a way for diplomats to buy favor. It doesnt help that, over last weekend, he settled a fraud lawsuit brought against his Trump University. Or that on Tuesday, it was reported his charitable foundation admitted breaking IRS rules in using its money to benefit Trump himself.

Meet the new Trump. Same as the old Trump.

Ben Boychuk

Its tempting to resort to snark when considering the question of whether Donald Trump has violated his oath of office before even taking it.

After all, if the Constitutions provision for an Electoral College is an antiquated and outmoded stricture, why couldnt the Emoluments Clause be dismissed similarly? We live in a globalized world. Trump is a businessman with holdings all over the place. The new hotel is supposed to be pretty nice. What of it?

And if, as progressives never tire of reminding us, the Constitution is a living, breathing document that should adapt to ever-changing circumstances, then surely the Constitution can adapt to President Trump, just as it adapted to President Barack Obamas unprecedented expansion of executive power.

Obama had a pen and a phone that he used to overcome a Congress that stubbornly refused to roll over for his policy agenda. Trump has hotels. Again, what of it?

Well, for one thing, we remain a nation of laws, not men, regardless of whoever happens to sit in the Oval Office at any given time.

So, does Trump have an Emoluments problem or not? Im not an expert, but Seth Barrett Tillman is. He spent eight years of his career as a legal scholar studying the clause. Some of his writing on the subject appears on the National Constitution Centers website.

His conclusion? The foreign emoluments clause doesnt apply to the president. His reason? George Washington set the precedent.

Traditionally, precedents established by President George Washington and his administration carry great weight, Tillman writes. President George Washington accepted and kept two diplomatic gifts, but he neither asked for nor received congressional consent. Washingtons conduct was widely reported in the press. So it would seem to indicate that he, his administration, Congress, and the public did not believe that the Clause applied to the presidency.

Controversy over? No, not really. As Tillman pointed out in an interview with a legal affairs news site, Trump is still subject to various bribery laws and rules on gift-taking. But, Tillman said, Trumps critics are constitutionalizing an issue that should not be constitutionalized.

President Trump will almost certainly have a constitutional crisis or two of his own. But the Emoluments brouhaha isnt it.
YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 26, ARMENPRESS. Armenian Armed Forces must one of the best throughout the world, Armenpress reports President of Armenia, leader of the RPA Serzh Sargsyan mentioned in his speech at the 16th convention of the party. We have the key precondition for that, an irreplaceable wealth  our brave soldiers and officers. Military conscripts are the future of our country, they are our future ministers and prime ministers, our scientists and businessmen, our officers and governors. Military service skills together with education  this is our tomorrow's society that developed from now in front all of us, Armenpress reports the President saying.

According to Serzh Sargsyan, a new and powerful intellectual layer has developed among us which did not exist previously. This layer is our military personnel, which becomes a valuable segment of our elite. Becoming part of the nations intellectual and political elite must become the desire of our best educated youth. An officer enjoys reputation in the society since his biography is a story of how to be successful in life, the President of Armenia said, adding that the newly appointed Defense Minister who has already become a member of the Republican Party takes measures to improve the promotion procedure of officers, particularly young officers.

The army must become and I am convinced it will rapidly become a standard of justice within our society and all our steps will be directed at that goal, Serzh Sargsyan said.

Referring to the newly appointed Defense Minister, President Sargsyan added that Vigen Sargsyan has given a good start in his post. We have discussed numerous defense questions for a long time and agreed upon that apart from current issues of armys combat readiness that must constantly be under attention, within a short period of time we must manage to record a crucial progress in the spheres of purchases, military education, and the activities of military medical institutions. We shape a modern army today thank to military-technical, technological and cadre modernization within the Armed Forces. In the recent period the military arsenal of our army has seriously changed. Be sure, we will spare no resources for the modernization of our army, the President of Armenia stated.
Hi-Crush recently held its second annual food drive. This year 11 of its facilities, including the one in Wyeville, participated in the food drive, ranging from Wisconsin to Texas to Pennsylvania.

Each facility was given the challenge to donate at least 10 items per employee. Hi-Crush in turn promised to donate $2 per item donated up to each facilitys goal. The items donated and Hi-Crushs matching funds for each facility will be donated to local food pantries.

Between all the facilities, Hi-Crush employees donated 4,126 items and Hi-Crush donated $8,124 to 11 food pantries.

The employees at Hi-Crushs facility located outside of Wyeville donated 959 items, which exceeded the facilitys goal. The donated items, plus the $980 check from Hi-Crush, were donated to Neighbor for Neighbor Food Pantry located in Tomah.
In the three weeks since Donald J. Trump was elected president of the United States, racial and religious minorities have expressed dread over the next four years. My colleague, Jourdan Vian, elsewhere on this page lists examples of why their dread may be more than post-election paranoia.

But theres another group with reason to worry: investors. The next four years may not be kind to your 401(k) account.

As I write this, the S&P 500 stands at 2,213. I believe four years from now the S&P will be less than 2,213. Its no more than an educated hunch, and I realize I could look just as stupid as conservative economists who predicted economic apocalypse at the start of the Clinton and Obama administrations, but two things make me pessimistic.

First is trade. Since World War II, the free movement of goods, services and capital across international borders has delivered an unprecedented level of peace, longevity and material comfort to mankind. Trump has promised a trade war, and markets recoil at protectionism.

But theres a second, more important, reason that has largely gone under the radar: Trumps business practices. His business holdings are largely private, but his publicly held casinos paint a portrait of a man who treats investors with a con mans contempt.

In the 1980s, Trump owned three Atlantic City casinos that were hopelessly in debt. His creditors allowed to him to tread water until the stock market boom of the mid-90s, when he took two of the casinos public and later sold a third casino he owned to the public company. The sale conveniently offloaded his debts onto stockholders, but Trump wasnt grateful. According to the Washington Post:

Trump was the chairman of Trump Hotels and Casino Resorts from 1995 to 2009, his only outing as the head of a major public company. During the time, the company lost $1 billion, financial records show. He also was chief executive from 2000 to 2005, during which time share prices plunged from a high of $35 to as low as 17 cents.

Trump received more than $44 million in salary, bonuses and other compensation during his time at the company, filings show. He also benefited from tens of millions of dollars more in special deals, advisory fees and service agreements he negotiated with his company.

People who run publicly held companies are supposed to treat the interests of stockholders as their own, but Trump did the opposite. He treated the company as his own personal piggy bank, looting the enterprise and leaving stockholders with nothing. There are supposed to be regulations that prevent this, and the Securities and Exchange Commission has clawback provisions designed to keep executives from raiding a companys assets as it descends into bankruptcy. Dont expect clawback to be a priority of a Trump-appointed SEC. Why should we expect President Trump to have any more regard for investors than CEO Trump?

Investors want a lot of things, not all of which they necessarily should have  free trade, cheap labor, lower taxes, a less regulated workplace, vaporized labor unions, government subsidies  but what they should want more than anything is a fiduciary relationship between those who run companies and those who invest in them. Trump has never acted as a fiduciary in his life  he played stockholders for suckers, and I dont expect hell enforce a fiduciary standard as president. Stockholders, I guess, are on their own.

I realize many Trump voters have a Bernie Sandersish contempt of people who fret over their investment portfolios. After all, nearly half the population cant handle a $400 emergency expense, and 40 percent of 401(k) balances are less than $10,000. But if the S&P 500 is stuck below 2,213 in November 2020, the consequences will be felt throughout the economy whether youre invested in the stock market or not. African Americans, Hispanics and Muslims  not to mention women who prefer not getting groped by powerful men  have legitimate concerns about the election result, but theyre not alone. They may be joined by white guys with 401(k)s.

Steve Rundio is the editor of Tomah Newspapers.
YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 26, ARMENPRESS. Defense Minister of Armenia Vigen Sargsyan will pay an official visit to Russia on November 27-30, in the sidelines of which he will meet with his Russian counterpart Sergei Shoigu. This will be Sargsyans first foreign visit in the post of the Defense Minister.

Armenpress reports in an interview with Izvestia Armenian Defense Minister answered the question if it is a coincidence or regularity that he pays first visit is to Russia. Of course, it is regularity, he said.

Armenia and Russia are linked not only by long-term allied relations, but also the centuries-old friendship and fraternal ties between the two peoples. A visit to Rostov, Southern Military District, will be on the agenda, where I will hold talks with the military leadership of the District and familiarize myself with structural divisions.

Negotiations with Sergei Shoigu are scheduled in Moscow  signing of the agreement between the Armed Forces of Armenia and Russia on creation of a joint army unit, as well as cooperation plan of the Defense Ministries for 2017, Sargsyan said.

According to him, the main goal of the joint unit is to timely discover any preparation for a military hostility against Armenia or Russia and to foster Armenian-Russian military partnership.

Session of the CIS Defense Ministers will take place on November 30 in Moscow.
Friday, November 11, 2016

Thanks to Tom Angell, Marijuana Majority founder and Twitter fiend, I now have seen that CNN has great exit poll data detailing and breaking down by a variety of demographics who voted for and against the marijuana reform initiative in Arizona (which failed) and California (which passed).

For those who follow marijuana reform polling, many of these demographic data points are not surprising: younger voters supported legalization in both states much more than older voters. Democrats supported legalization in both states much more than Republicans. But there are also some really interesting distinctive data points to be found, such as:

In Arizona , the majority of voters making less than $100K were supportive of legalization, with those making less than $50K being the most supportive (at 53%). Among voters making more than $100K, a full 56% were against AZ legalization.

In Arizona , a strong majority of Latino voters supported legalization (60%), but a strong majority of white voters opposed legalization (55%)

In California , the majority of voters at all income levels supported legalization, but those making less than $100K did so by a much larger percentage.

In California , the majority of unmarried voters strongly supported legalization (64%), but a majority of married voters opposed legalization (52%), but it is really just married women (against 55%) and not married men (for 52%) who move the married voters into a majority no position.

In California, the majority of voters saying no religion were huge supporters of legalization (76%), but protestants also were majority supporters (54%), but catholics were strongly opposed (61%).

https://lawprofessors.typepad.com/marijuana_law/2016/11/fascinating-exit-poll-data-on-arizona-and-california-marijuana-legalization-supportopposition.html
As long-time readers know, my modern professional interests in marijuana law policy and reform emerged directly from my professional interests in criminal justice reform general and sentencing reform in particular. For that reason, I will be watching especially closely the application and impact of the criminal justice/sentence provisions that were part of California's marijuana legalization proposition, Prop 64. This new article from the San Francisco Chronicle, headlined "Green wave: Legalized marijuana setting scores of defendants free," provides an early report:

Chris Phillips, a marijuana entrepreneur and Livermore father of four, faced five felony counts and possible prison time after he was accused of illegally growing pot at his home, which police raided in June. But when California voters legalized cannabis for recreational use Nov. 8, they retroactively erased several small-time pot crimes and reduced the penalties for bigger ones like growing, selling and transporting.

So at 9 a.m. the next day, Phillips sat in a courtroom in Pleasanton. He was first on the docket, and it wasnt long before his attorney Bill Panzer and Alameda County prosecutors hammered out a deal for the 36-year-old to plead guilty to just one misdemeanor possession charge. It was literally a sigh of relief, said Phillips, who runs several pot farms, a medical dispensary in Long Beach and an extract brand  and had been out of jail on a half-million-dollar bond....

California judges are now setting free scores of people whose pending cases are no longer cases at all. Thousands more in jail or prison, or on probation or parole, are beginning to petition to reduce their sentences. And potentially tens of thousands of citizens with a rap sheet for pot can clear their names.

California does not keep detailed records on pot crimes, but the attorney generals office said police made 8,866 felony pot arrests in 2015, involving 7,987 adults and 879 juveniles  mainly for possession for sale, cultivation and transportation. Roughly 2,000 jail and prison inmates are affected by Prop. 64, according to estimates from the Drug Policy Alliance, a reform group that helped sponsor the initiative.

The California Legislative Analysts Office said Prop. 64 could result in net court savings of tens of millions of dollars per year. Counties that took the hardest line on pot in the past are seeing the biggest shares of sentence reductions and dismissals, lawyers say. Were getting calls many times throughout the day, said Joe Rogoway, an attorney who practices in San Francisco and the North Bay and specializes in cannabis law. Its cathartic. Im elated to be able to go into court and help people.

The changes are profound. For example, illegally growing a single marijuana plant used to be a felony punishable by up to three years in prison. Today, its no longer a crime. About a dozen other crimes were either deleted or downgraded. Alameda County Assistant District Attorney Teresa Drenick, an office spokeswoman, said local judges were sending felony pot cases to misdemeanor court, though she didnt have the exact number of cases. Were absolutely following the law, she said.

Sacramento County prosecutors say they have about 75 affected cases. San Mateo officials report approximately 100 pending cases, mostly felonies for alleged cultivation, while San Francisco prosecutors report about 200 affected cases, mostly involving small-time sales. San Mateo County District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe said defendants being held in county jails because they could not post bail are being released if theyve already served more time than they would if convicted of whats now a misdemeanor. That will be common, he said. Therell be plenty of those.

Wagstaffe, who is also president of the California District Attorneys Association, expects Prop. 64 to cause police officers to arrest and cite fewer people for remaining pot crimes that are now misdemeanors, because the effort is not worth the paperwork and police time....

Because young, low-income people of color have felt the brunt of drug enforcement, they stand to gain the most from the laws changes, said San Francisco Public Defender Jeff Adachi. Thats certainly what were hoping, he said. Now, citizens who potentially faced years in jail are sometimes facing days. Omar Figueroa, a Sebastopol attorney specializing in cannabis, said one of his clients was looking at up to nearly five years in prison for felony transporting of pot and possession for sale, as well as a related probation violation. After Prop. 64, Figueroa said Sonoma County prosecutors agreed to an infraction charge, with no jail and no probation.

In Los Angeles, attorney Allison Margolin spoke of a client with a 3-year-old warrant alleging hash possession. The defendant never surrendered, and now he doesnt have to. Possession of hash is no longer a crime at all, she said. We can take away his warrant.

Beyond those in jail, or awaiting trial on pending cases, an estimated tens of thousands of Californians on probation or parole have begun petitioning to reduce or end supervision, which would give them full rights to travel, refuse a search and use marijuana medically. Many crimes that once yielded three, five or seven years of probation now have a maximum term of one year under Prop. 64.

Margolin noted that Prop. 64 builds on Proposition 47, which reduced drug possession and low-level theft crimes from felonies to misdemeanors when California voters approved it in 2014. While Prop. 47 diverted most drug users out of the felony court system, she said, Prop. 64 diverts pot growers, sellers, transporters and all juveniles, as well. Its really awesome for a lot of people, of course, Margolin said. A young person who sold weed in college and gets caught and then has it affect their whole life  theres probably more than 100,000 people in those situations.

The biggest group touched by Prop. 64  those who have already been punished for past pot convictions  may number in the hundreds of thousands. Many are now eligible to clean up their records, which could improve their job prospects or give them the right to possess a gun. I cannot overstate the significance of this, said Rogoway. It really is a paradigm shift.

The California Judicial Council posted forms online last week for any pot convict or defendant  adult or juvenile  to petition for a resentencing, for reduced charges, or to expunge and seal their record. Those who are awaiting trial or are behind bars dont need a form. They can petition for a Prop. 64 sentence reduction orally at their next court date.

Margolin plans to hold a Prop. 64 legal clinic Dec. 3 while offering to help people address past convictions for $1,000. She said such expungements may not totally clear peoples records in all databases, but they will no longer have to check employment application boxes saying they were convicted of a felony.

For those aiming to make a living in the marijuana business, Prop. 64 may be even more pivotal. Felons who felt locked out of the industry now have a reason to strive forward, said Phillips, the Livermore entrepreneur, who announced with pride that he had become Puerto Ricos first medical marijuana licensee. You can make your new life happen.

Ironically, Phillips had spent a year opposing Prop. 64, believing the law would lead to a corporate takeover of cannabis that would undermine medical patients. But just two weeks before the election, Phillips said he sat down with his lawyer, read the 62-page initiative and realized it would set him free. How stupid I was for a whole year talking about this, he said.
The question in the title of this post was the headline of this recent New York Times article, which included these excerpts:

For businesses and insurers, a string of ballot victories this month for marijuana advocates are adding to an intensifying conundrum about the drug and issues such as insurance coverage, employee drug testing and workplace safety.... We are entering this conflict between a social policy decision and a workplace that is highly regulated, said Alex Swedlow, the chief executive of the California Workers Compensation Institute, a research organization.

A major part of the predicament centers on unclear science about the benefits of marijuana or the dozens of compounds, known as cannabinoids, that are found in the plant. For its part, the Food and Drug Administration has approved only a synthetic version of a cannabinoid and a similar drug for narrow uses, such as to treat nausea in chemotherapy patients or to stimulate the appetites of patients with AIDS. Typically, health insurers will pay for marijuana-related drugs only for F.D.A.-approved uses.

But state medical marijuana laws usually give doctors permission to recommend marijuana to a patient with a debilitating condition, a phrase that can encompass problems including glaucoma, cancer and chronic pain. Usually, patients pay for the drug themselves and several states have explicitly exempted workplace compensation insurers for covering such costs.

But as a result of recent state court rulings in New Mexico, workplace insurers there are required to pay for marijuana-based treatments if they are recommended by a doctor. And lower courts in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts and Michigan have issued rulings directing workplace insurers to do so. The number of patients receiving such coverage is small. And because marijuana is illegal under federal law, insurers paying for the drug must use a financial workaround to avoid violations. One strategy is to reimburse patients for their costs rather than make a direct payment to a marijuana dispensary....

Despite the push toward legalization, few employers have dropped marijuana from the list of drugs for which employees are tested, compounds that typically include opioids, amphetamines and cocaine... As marijuana legalization expands, there are also concerns about its effect on workplace safety. Some studies suggest that marijuana use can impair a persons judgment, though little data exists to compare the effect with that of other drugs like opioids.

In states where recreational use is allowed, the problem for employers becomes one of determining when an employee used marijuana, because detectable levels of it remain in the body for days afterward. As a result, employers must use more subjective observations to judge whether an employee has become impaired from using marijuana while at work, said Ethan Nadelmann, the executive director of the Drug Policy Alliance, a group that supports legalization.

As for Mr. Vialpando, the disabled worker in Santa Fe, he and his wife say they have all the evidence they need that medical marijuana works. Mr. Vialpando said that during the decade he used opioids, he withdrew from his family and friends, preferring to spend time by himself, watching television. He lost interest in food and developed sleep apnea  his wife used to wake up terrified at night because it appeared that he was dying.

These days, he smokes about four marijuana cigarettes daily. He said he had gained weight, enjoyed talking again and had resumed working on hobbies at home. His wife, Margaret, said that she hoped President-elect Donald J. Trump, when he takes office, will make marijuana a legal drug by changing how it is regulated. I feel like Ive gotten my husband back, she said. His personality has come back to the person that he used to be.
The question in the title of this post is prompted by this lengthy new AP article headlined "For Colorado Veterans, Marijuana A Controversial Treatment." Here are excerpts:

Tom couldnt sleep. After six years in the U.S. Navy, he found himself in the civilian world unable to readjust from his time on a ship, when a commanding officer would often wake up the sailors every few hours. He tried prescription sleep aids, but nothing really worked until he smoked some weed ... I tried it very sparingly and slept the whole night for the first time in like months, Tom said.

For members of the U.S. military, admitting to using marijuana could result in an investigation and in most cases, punishment or separation from the military. Because of this, many of the veterans who use marijuana chose not to reveal their last names...

Attorney Will M. Helixon, an expert in military law, said the military still considers marijuana a controlled substance. Someone in active duty caught using the drug could be punished and in most cases, processed for separation from the military. For someone who is not on active duty, it could still result in a discharge, which could close the door for future benefits and career options.

Helixon said it makes no difference to the military if marijuana is legal in some states, such as Colorado. There are many instances where otherwise lawful conduct is prohibited by the military, marijuana being one of them, Helixon said. To not be efficient in your job or to be derelict in your duties is not a crime in the civilian world, but it is in the military....

Tom said he much prefers marijuana over drinking, even though branches of the military are no strangers to alcohol consumption. The Navy has, I dont want to say a tradition, but were known for being heavy drinkers. Theres that saying drunk as a sailor,' Tom said. Its like a big frat because at every port theres Lets go out and get as drunk as possible. I thought it was so odd that the Navy was so gung ho about drinking and so against marijuana. I consider them on the same level.

Juan, who is 50 and was in the U.S. Marine Corps, expressed the same sentiment. Juan broke his collarbone from injuries not related to the military, he said. I just drank all the time to numb the pain but marijuana works much better and for sleep as well, Juan said. Marijuana doesnt really get rid of the pain. It changes it to something more manageable if that makes sense  it like feels good to get it moving, like a massage.

Juan said he has a couple friends recently who died from heavy drinking. He said the drinking culture in the Marines is similar to what Tom described in the Navy. Oh yeah, its just like college  put enough young people together and theyre going to want to party and drink. In the Marine Corps everyone drank and pretty excessively too, Juan said.

Juan said he is distrustful of prescription opiates as well. I think the amount of opiates being prescribed to people is a little reckless. I dont take aspirin because I dont like the idea of drugs, Juan said. An opiate can actually kill you if you overdose. With marijuana, that cant happen. Youre not going to smoke yourself to death.... Juan conceded that it is possible to get hooked on marijuana, like anything else. To be honest, Im kind of addicted to not hurting all the time. You can be psychologically dependent on it, Juan said. If it gets to a point where youre smoking before work or something then youve got a problem. I have friends who smoke it pretty heavily and they are well-paid with families to take care of. Theyre not the stereotypical stoner on the couch. A Band-Aid Sam House, a spokesman for the U. S. Department Veterans Affairs for northern Colorado and Cheyenne, said that while marijuana may seem beneficial, its masking the real problem.... House said the VA follows the Federal Drug Administration, which has not found a medical use for cannabis. The Drug Enforcement Administration still lists marijuana as a Schedule I drug.

Because of the federal policy, House said a veteran who uses marijuana wont be able to get certain prescriptions at the VA medical office. For instance, veterans are routinely blood-tested every time they go in for a VA appointment, House said. So if a veteran tweaks his or her back in a way for which a doctor would prescribe prescription painkillers, when the bloodwork comes back positive for marijuana, the VA doctor can no longer prescribe the painkillers.

House is a veteran who is diagnosed with PTSD. He said its important for veterans to treat the root cause of the side effects with therapy, instead of self-medicating with marijuana. The goal of every veteran should be to be normal and to seek out that new normal, House said. If someone is on an antidepressant, they may need that for the rest of their lives. Why complicate that with self-medication, which could or could not contribute to that depression?...

Curt Bean, 31 of Lakewood, was diagnosed with PTSD after tours in Iraq with the U.S Army. Bean said he knows a fellow veteran who went from taking 14 medications for PTSD to three medications after starting marijuana. The three biggest things for me  anxiety is really tough and then theres depression and sleeplessness, Bean said. Im able to have something to mitigate that in a healthy and positive way with zero negative side effects.

Bean said he is heavily involved in the Colorado veterans community and he has seen other veterans switch from opiates to marijuana with positive effects. They were just being zombies. And the marijuana allowed them to be a successful part of their families and their communities, Bean said. It allowed them to be part of their communities rather than isolating them in their room....

Bean said he knows many veterans are afraid to come out and say they use marijuana, but he is trying to raise more awareness about the issue. Bean has smoked marijuana on a few local news stations. I understand the ramifications of doing that, but it takes people to stand up and say, Its silly, for this to become less of an issue, Bean said.

Bean said he wished the VA would come around and see his perspective on marijuana use for PTSD. Its a matter of time. The longer they wait and drag their feet, the lower the quality of life for veterans and there is some loss of life, Bean said. Thats the most upsetting thing  that Im on this expedition to be able to say that this is a valuable option for the guys and they should be able to use it because it does save lives.
The title of this post comes from this CBSNews.com article addressing the question looming over the otherwise positive results for marijuana legalization advocates on Tuesday: will a Trump White House aggressively enforce federal marijuana prohibition? The article begins:

Supporters of the marijuana industry should be celebrating this weeks passage of eight state ballot measures to permit its use by adults. That promises to triple the industrys size in coming years.

But harshing their buzz are several key allies of President-elect Donald Trump, such as his running mate Mike Pence, who are skeptical about the benefits of marijuana legalization.

Not surprisingly, many in the cannabis industry had expected Democrat Hillary Clinton to cruise to victory and were stunned when it didnt happen. Now, theyre awaiting signals of how Trump will approach cannabis, even as the industry is set to expand significantly.

If Hillary Clinton had won, this would have been the grand slam that everyone in the industry had been hoping and praying for for years, said Chris Walsh, editorial director of Marijuana Business Daily. With Trump coming in, no one knows whats going to happen. There are a lot of fears that he might crack down on the industry.

During the campaign, Trump argued that marijuana legalization should be decided on a state-by-state basis, without being more specific. But in addition to the vice president-elect, some of Trumps closest advisers, such as New Jersey Governor Chris Christie and former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, are no friends of marijuana reform, according to the Drug Policy Alliance.

Lawmakers in Indiana failed to reach an agreement on a medical marijuana bill during their 2016 session, and according to the Marijuana Policy Project, the state has among the most draconian cannabis laws in the country.

In New Jersey, Christie signed a law allowing medical use of pot last year, but activists have criticized it for being overly restrictive. The governor is adamantly opposed to allowing recreational pot use. Giuliani reportedly has argued that marijuana is a gateway drug that could lead to abuse of more harmful substances like heroin, a view that many experts dispute.

Hope Hicks, a spokeswoman for the Trump campaign, didnt respond to a request seeking comment...

It would be difficult for the Trump administration to get rid of legal marijuana given the windfall the states have earned in tax revenue, according to [Nick] Kovacevich[, the CEO of Kush Bottles].
Calls for a recount of ballots in the American presidential election grew louder this week as Hillary Clinton increased her lead in the popular vote.

News media say Clinton, the candidate of the Democratic Party, lost the election to businessman Donald Trump, the Republican candidate. They say he will win more electoral votes than the former Secretary of State.

Trump is busy forming a new government. Political experts say a vote recount is unlikely to keep him from being sworn-in as president on January 20th, 2017.

Clinton won the popular vote  winning more than 2 million more votes than Trump, according to the Cook Political Report.

But in the United States, the candidate who wins the most votes does not always win the presidency. If Trump wins, as appears likely, he would be the fifth person to become president after losing the popular vote.

Electoral College Decides

The 538-member Electoral College decides the presidential election, not the popular vote. Electoral College members are chosen state-by-state -- based on which candidates win the most votes in the 50 states and the District of Columbia.

As of this week, Trump has 306 Electoral College votes, while Clinton has 232. Trumps number had been 290 until Michigan election officials announced on Friday that he won the state by 10,704 votes.

That was the closest presidential election in Michigans history. More than 4.7 million people there marked ballots in the November 8 vote.

Experts Speak to Clinton Campaign

Last week, Clinton campaign head John Podesta spoke with lawyers and computer scientists who urged him to ask for a recount in three states: Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.

They said it is possible that voting machines could have been attacked to affect the results. Trumps lead in the three states was 1.2 percent, according to The New York Times newspaper.

If Clinton, instead of Trump, won those three states, she would end up with 274 Electoral College votes, enough to win the presidency.

The experts, mentioned in a New York Magazine story, said their findings show Clintons support dropped seven points in areas that used electronic voting machines. Those machines, the experts said, are more open to hacking.

So far, the Clinton campaign has not reacted to calls for a vote recount. But another presidential candidate, Jill Stein, began raising money required to finance recounts in Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.

As of Friday, she had raised $5 million. That is enough, the Stein campaign said, to start recounts in all three states.

Stein, the Green Party candidate, won a little more than one percent of the popular vote. A statement on her website said the recount is not meant to help Clinton, whom Stein criticized during the election. It is about protecting our democracy, the Stein campaign said.

Still, it is very unlikely her recount efforts will keep Trump from winning the presidency, according to Nate Silver, a political expert. He operates the website FiveThirtyEight.

Silver told VOA it is unlikely unlawful activities affected the election results. He said the differences between districts using electronic voting machines in Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin could be explained by race and education levels. He said they are the two factors that most closely predicted voting in the 2016 presidential election.

Two Democratic Electoral Collect Members Say Vote Conscience

The 538 members of the Electoral College are set to officially choose the next president on December 19.

Two Democratic members of the Electoral College called on members to vote their conscience, even if that means going against the wishes of voters in the states they represent. They said that Trump lacks the skills necessary to serve as president.

But so far, there are no signs enough Electoral College members will change their votes to keep Trump from winning.

Before Election Day, Clinton, who had been expected to win, promised to accept the election results. Trump, who had said he thought cheating might affect the results, refused to make such a promise.

We are a country based on laws, and weve had hot, contested elections going back to the very beginning, Clinton said, before the voting. But one of our hallmarks has always been that we accept the outcomes of our election.

The last person to lose the popular vote but win the presidential election was Republican George W. Bush in 2000. He lost to Democrat Al Gore that year by 547,000 votes.

Im Bruce Alpert.

Joshua Fatzick reported on this story for VOANews.com. Bruce Alpert adapted his story for Learning English. George Grow was the editor.

We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section and share your views on our Facebook Page.

_______________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

mention - v. to talk about, write about, or refer to

hack - v. to secretly get access to the files on a computer or network in order to get information, cause damage or change results

conscience - n. the part of the mind that makes you aware of your actions as being either morally right or wrong

contest - v. to challenge

hallmark - n. an important tradition
YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 26, ARMENPRESS. 21 members of the Republican Party of Armenia were elected as Executive Body members of the party during the 16th convention of the party. The newly appointed Prime Minister Karen Karapetyan and Defense Minister Vigen Sargsyan, both of them have recently become RPA member, have also been elected as members of the Executive Body.

President Serzh Sargsyan noted that there are some changes in the composition of the Body compared to the previous Executive Body. We solve the issue of refreshing the Executive Body. We also focus on the issue of increasing woman participation and inclusion of younger people in the Executive Body, Armenpress reports Serzh sargsyan saying. He congratulated the newly elected members and wished them productive activities.

The President assured that they will work better, there is no alternative way. In the nearest days the first meeting of the Executive Body will take place during which the RPA Council will be formed in accordance with our charter and after which we will convene the first meeting of the Council as well for electing RPA Deputy Chairman, forming party commissions and electing chairmen of commissions, Sargsyan said.

Razmik Zohrabyan and Derenik Dumanyan are not included in the newly formed Executive Body.
This week in our travels through Americas national parks, we revisit the state of Alaska. The northernmost state is home to eight major national parks.

Today, we visit one of its most famous parks  Glacier Bay. This huge park in the southeastern part of the state covers more than 1 million hectares of Alaskan wilderness. It includes mountains, glaciers, fjords, and even rainforests.

Glacier Bay supports hundreds of kinds of animals, including many species of birds, fish, bears, whales and sea lions.

As its name suggests, much of Glacier Bay National Park is covered by glaciers. A glacier is a large area of ice that moves slowly down a slope or valley, or over a wide area of land. Glaciers cover more than 5,000 square kilometers of the park.

Glacial ice has shaped the land over the last seven million years. The glaciers found in the park today are what remains from an ice advance known as the Little Ice Age. That period began about 4,000 years ago.



A land reborn

During the Little Ice Age, the cold weather caused the ice to grow and advance. That growth continued until the 1700s, when the climate began to warm. The hotter temperatures caused the ice to start melting. That melting led the huge glacier to separate into more than 1,000 different glaciers.

The extremely tall and jagged mountains seen in Glacier Bay National Park were formed by the ice advancing and then melting over time. The melting of the ice also created water that filled in and created the many fjords within the park. Fjords are narrow parts of the ocean that sit between cliffs or mountains.

The huge amounts of water from the melted ice killed off many kinds of plants. Vegetation returned to the area over the next 200 years. The regrowth in plants also brought back many animals to the land. This return of life to Glacier Bay is why it is sometimes called a land reborn.

A people of tradition

There is evidence that people have lived in the area for several thousands of years. Glacier Bay is the homeland of the Huna Tlingit people. The Tlingit are an Alaskan Native tribe. They live throughout southeastern Alaska. They began settling in the Glacier Bay area after the last ice age, once the glaciers began to retreat.

Today, the Tlingit people live a modern life. But they also practice traditions unique to their culture. In the past, the Huna Tlingit harvested gull eggs every year. Gulls are large gray and white birds that live near the ocean. Gull eggs are an important type of food for the Huna Tlingit. Family harvest trips served as a way to keep ties with their homeland and to pass on stories, moral codes, and cultural traditions to the younger generation.

In the 1960s, the Migratory Bird Treaty Act forced them to stop collecting gull eggs.

Together with the National Park Service, however, they have worked to create a sustainable way for them to continue practicing this tradition.

Discovery and protection

One of the first major expeditions to the area took place in 1794. Lieutenant Joseph Whidbey arrived near Glacier Bay aboard the HMS Discovery, a British Royal Navy ship. The expedition was led by Captain George Vancouver.

At that time, the bay was still almost completely filled with ice. The crew described the scene as a compact sheet of ice as far as the eye could distinguish.

In 1879 the naturalist John Muir visited the area to do research. He found that glacial ice had melted back almost 50 kilometers, and had formed a bay.

After his visit, Muir and other conservationists urged Congress to protect this special area.

In 1925, President Calvin Coolidge made Glacier Bay a national monument. It did not become an official national park, however, until 1980.

In 1992, Glacier Bay became part of a huge World Heritage Site along the border of Canada and the United States. The 9.7 million-hectare site is the largest internationally protected area in the world.

Coastal wildlife

One-fifth of Glacier Bay National park is ocean water. And, no point within the park is more than 50 kilometers from the coast. Most animals living here depend on the water or shoreline.

Glacier Bay is home to brown bears and black bears. They are found in the forests, as well as along the coastline. They feed on berries and plants found in the woods. They also feed on the fish found in the waters.

Humpback whales also feed on fish in Glacier Bays waters. Whales are large mammals that live in the ocean. Humpbacks can weigh more than 35,000 kilograms. They come to Glacier Bay every summer for one main reason: food. They feed on small fish in the water. They eat more than 450 kilograms of food each day. They remain in Glacier Bay for about five months each year.

There are also 281 species of birds in Glacier Bay. These include gulls, guillemots, puffins, murrelets, and cormorants. Many of these birds make nests on cliffs. They eat small fish and other sea life.

Other animals found in the park include moose, mountain goats, Stellar sea lions, Harbor seals, Harbor porpoises, and sea otters.

Exploring the Park

Glacier Bay is a popular place for people searching for adventure. Some visitors choose to explore the park by kayak. The small, narrow boats offer visitors a chance to experience the parks many fjords and its hundreds of kilometers of coastline.

Hiking and camping are also popular activities in the park. But, hikers and campers must have respect for the harsh and remote environment. Weather and water conditions can be extreme. Food can also be limited in this area. There is only one official campground, located in Bartlett Cove. But camping is permitted along any of the shores or forests found in the park. This kind of camping is called backcountry camping.

Another popular way to visit the park is by boat or ship. Cruise ships and tour boats make regular trips into the park. Passengers are able to see the parks glaciers up close. These glaciers are always changing. Visitors may witness huge pieces of ice breaking apart from the glacier. This is known as calving. When the ice falls into the water, it creates a loud, thunder-like noise.

From glacial fjords to mountain peaks, Glacier Bay holds some of the continents most awe-inspiring natural wonders. It is a land reborn, and a place that continues to change with time.

Im Phil Dierking.

and Im Ashley Thompson

Phil Dierking wrote this report for Learning English, with materials from the National Park Service. Ashley Thompson was the editor.

Who do you think should control public lands? We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page.

_____________________________________________________

Words in This Story

bay  n. a large area of water that is part of an ocean or lake and partly surrounded by land

compact  adj. closely or firmly packed or joined together

fjord - n. a narrow part of the ocean between cliffs or steep hills or mountains

glacier  n. a very large area of ice that moves slowly down a slope or valley or over a wide area of land

inspiring  adj. causing people to want to do or create something or to lead better lives

jagged  adj. having a sharp, uneven edge or surface

kayak  n. a long narrow boat that is pointed at both ends and that is moved by a paddle with two blade

naturalist  n. a person who studies plants and animals as they live in nature

retreat  v. the act or process of moving away

species  n. a group of animals or plants that are similar and can produce young animals or plants

unique  adj. something or someone is unlike anything or anyone else

vegetation  n. plants in general
The holiday season has officially arrived in downtown St. Petersburg.

Mayor Krisemen turned the Christmas lights on Friday

Annual event attracted thousands to downtown St. Petersburg

Festivities included live entertainement, vendors and countless twinkling lights



The city held its annual tree lighting ceremony Friday night in North Straub Park.

Thousands of people attended the annual event, including Dali Ferrero and her family. Her mother and aunt just moved to the area from Puerto Rico.

This their first time spending the holidays away from home.

"They were feeling a little down because they miss back [home], they miss their house and I'm like 'yeah, we're going to get you out, we're going to take you to do something fun,'" said Ferrero. "It's always good to do anything Christmas related, especially when it's a very big tree."

Musicians played holiday songs to get people into the spirit.

Ferrero's mother, Maria De Lourdes, said they have similar celebrations in Puerto Rico, but being here with her daughter makes this one extra special.

"I was alone," she said. "I feel alone without her so we moved here about two months ago. We have been planning to come here and I'm so happy. Everything is so pretty, just perfect."

Ferrero's aunt, Maria Guerra, said they're starting a new tradition and a new life.

"I'm really happy to be here with my niece, that means everything to us," she said.
YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 26, ARMENPRESS. President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan sent a condolence telegram to the Mikoyans on the occasion of the demise of prominent aircraft designer Ivan Mikoyan. As Armenpress was informed from the press service of the Armenian Presidents Office, the Presidents condolence letter runs as follows,

He was gifted with amazing work productiveness and great energy to create something who contributed all his capacities for the sake of the development of aviation.

His death is an irreversible loss for all of us. I sincerely share the grief and extent my solidarity words to the family and friends of the leading aircraft designer who had a heavy contribution to the development of military aviation.

Ivan Mikoyans bright memory will always remain in our hearts.
The sensational killing of the two policemen by suspected militants in Kulgam district on Friday afternoon is a troubling sign of changing times in Kashmir Valley. Catalysed by the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani, the situation in the Valley is deteriorating fast with the number of militants almost doubling since the last year.

According to the police, the attack took place on Friday afternoon in the main market of Kulgam where two to three suspected militants, who were travelling in a private car, fired indiscriminately at a police checkpoint, sparking panic in the area as pedestrians ran for cover.

"Three policemen were injured. Head constable Tanvir Ahmad and constable Jalal-ud-din, residents of Kulgam, achieved martyrdom while another injured constable Shamis-ud-Din was shifted to Srinagar Hospital for treatment," a police spokesperson said in a statement.

Later, the car, a Hyundai Santro, was found abandoned near Laroo village, a kilometre away from the site of the attack in Kulgam district which has witnessed some of the worst incidents of violence in the last five months of the civilian uprising.

Officials said the security agencies are trying to trace the owner of the car with JK-18 registration plate. Meanwhile, a wreath laying ceremony was held for the slain at the District Police Lines in Kulgam which was led by DIG North Kashmir, Nitesh Kumar.

Following the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani, Kashmir has been reeling under curfew and separatist-sponsored shutdowns with the authorities launching one of the severest crackdowns on civilians, jailing more than 9,000 people, including minors, who are accused of participating in freedom protests.

Although the crackdown has managed to restore some semblance of normalcy on the streets, it has, in absence of any political outreach, only perpetuated anger and alienation in the civilian population who are now openly coming out in support of militants in what is being described as the 'war on occupational forces'.

To make matters worse, since the 8 July encounter in which Burhan was killed along with his two associates, a senior police officer said there has been a spurt in the disappearance of local youths, many of whom are believed to have joined militant groups.

According to official data, at least 60 rifles were snatched from police personnel in the last four months of unrest. This is a troubling sign that the Valley might soon slip into the whirlpool of violence which can bring down the facade of normalcy put up by the PDP-BJP coalition government

"Situation is very bad," a senior police officer, who spoke to Firstpost on the condition of anonymity, "Call it our good luck, these boys don't have open access to weapons like it was in the early nineties, which is keeping the situation from going out of control".

The police officer said about 50-60 youths, mostly from south Kashmir districts of Kulgam, Pulwama, Anantnag and Shopian, have been reported missing in the last more than four months of unrest. In many cases, the missing youths have told their families not to search them anymore.

"We have managed to speak with the parents of some of them. As per our records, around 30 of them have joined militant groups like Lashkar-e-Toiba and Hizbul Mujahideen while the rest are in the process of joining. To avoid further deterioration of law and order, we are trying to get them to surrender," the police officer said.

Coupled with the dangerously rising levels of infiltration along the Line of Control, the deteriorating security situation will pose a tough challenge to the forces who have to deal with street protests on one hand and also carry out counter-insurgency operations.

"Presently we have about 250-300 militants active in the Valley. With locals openly coming to their support and sympathy for militancy gaining ground after Burhan Wani's killing, the situation is going to only get worse in coming days," the police officer said.
YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 26, ARMENPRESS. President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan sent a condolence letter to the President of the Council of State and the Council of Ministers of Cuba Raul Castro Ruz on the occasion of the death of his brother Fidel Castro Ruz, extending condolences and solidarity to him and the friendly people of Cuba.

As Armenpress was informed from the press service of the Armenian Presidents Office, the Presidents condolence letter runs as follows,

The role and significance of Fidel Castro in the modern history of Cuba is, indeed, hard to overestimate. This is a bereavement for the people of Cuba who sincerely loved and respected him. Remaining faithful to his ideologies and principles until the end and preserving the brave and noble qualities, Fidel Castro will continue inspiring and guiding the new generations of Cuba.
New Delhi: A minimum of 50 percent tax may be levied on unexplained bank deposits made using the banned currency notes up to 30 December along with a 4-year lock in period for half of the remaining amount under the amendments to tax law the government plans to bring in parliament shortly.

However, a higher 90 percent tax and penalty could be imposed if assessees do not declare the unaccounted cash voluntarily.

Cash deposits made using the scrapped Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes above a threshold that are declared to Income Tax authorities may attract 50 percent tax, as per the amendment to the Income Tax Act approved by the Cabinet last night.

Half of remaining deposits, or 25 percent of the original deposit, will not be allowed to be withdrawn for four years, top sources said.

In case such deposits are not declared and are detected by tax authorities, a total of 90 percent tax and penalty would be charged, they said.

The government had after the shock demonetisation, given a 50-day window beginning 10 November for either depositing the Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes in circulation or exchanging them for new currency.

While the exchange, which was limited to a maximum of Rs 2,000 per person, has been withdrawn, all old notes without any ceiling can be deposited in bank accounts.

This, sources said, had led to a surge in bank deposits, particularly in zero-balance Jan Dhan accounts that swelled by over Rs 21,000 crore in just two weeks, raising suspicion that these accounts may have been used to launder black money.

While the tax authorities had talked of levying a peak rate of tax and 200 percent penalty on top of it for any unexplained deposit above Rs 2.5 lakh during 10 November to 30 December period, it was felt that such a move may not have legal backing.

To plug those loopholes, the cabinet is believed to have on Thursday approved amending the Income Tax Act by adding a clause in one of the sections to provide for the tax on an unexplained income during the window, sources said.

The government plans to bring the amendment for approval during the ongoing winter session of Parliament.

Sources said the demonetisation was a big step to uproot black money and corruption but its very purpose would have been defeated if the ill-gotten wealth made way into the system through benami deposits.

And taxing them was a way to punish dishonest people.

The tax rate however cannot be the same as charged to honest tax payers. It also could not be the 45 percent tax and penalty charged on hereto undisclosed wealth brought to books using a one-time compliance window under the Income Disclosure Scheme (IDS) that ended on 30 September.

Sources said since the black money holder did not utilise the government offer to declare his ill-gotten wealth, he should pay a higher rate of tax now and curbs placed on use of that money.
By Joe Bavier

| ABIDJAN

ABIDJAN The United Nations' top genocide official said on Friday he had reports that militia fighters in Central African Republic hunted down and massacred members of the Fulani ethnic group during violence that killed 85 civilians this week.Clashes erupted on Monday in Bria, a town about 600 km (370 miles) northeast of the capital Bangui, between rival rebel groups the Popular Front for the Renaissance of Central African Republic (FPRC) and the Union for Peace in Central Africa (UPC). In a statement, Adama Dieng, the U.N.'s special adviser on the prevention of genocide, said the FPRC reportedly singled out ethnic Fulani in the town, carrying out house-to-house searches, killing, looting and abducting residents.The UPC is largely composed of Fulani, a group of historically nomadic herders found across West and Central Africa. FPRC fighters also entered hospital buildings and prevented wounded Fulani from receiving medical treatment.

In addition to the dead, another 76 people were wounded and nearly 11,000 displaced by the violence, Dieng said. Fighting between the FPRC and UPC also broke out in the town of Bambari. If carried out in a widespread or systematic manner, such acts could constitute crimes under international law that can be prosecuted before national or international courts," Dieng said. Both the FPRC and UPC are former members of the mainly Muslim Seleka rebel alliance that united to oust then-President Francois Bozize in 2013.

Their overthrow of the government of the majority Christian nation and subsequent human rights abuses sparked a backlash from Christian anti-balaka militias, known as anti-balaka.Thousands were killed in the ensuing ethnic cleansing which led to the de facto partition of Central African Republic into a Muslim north and Christian south. Successful elections, seen as essential to ending the chaos, were held earlier this year. However, flare-ups of violence are a regular occurrence.

This week's clashes in Bria were the worst instance of ethnic killing since France ended its peacekeeping mission last month, leaving security largely in the hands of the 13,000-strong U.N. peacekeeping force.The U.N. mission, known as MINUSCA, reinforced its presence in Bria in an attempt to head off any further escalation in the violence. And Dieng called for investigations to identify those responsible. "Given the country's recent history, this kind of targeted violence is extremely dangerous and must be stopped," Dieng said. (Reporting by Joe Bavier; Editing by Lisa Shumaker)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
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Brazil's President Michel Temer has been accused of pressuring a cabinet minister to engage in corrupt practices, the BBC reports.

November 25, 2016, 09:32 Brazil's president named in corruption allegations

STEPANAKERT, NOVEMBER 25, ARTSAKHPRESS: Former Culture Minister Marcelo Calero said Mr Temer asked him to help another minister in a personal business deal.

He said he was asked to allow construction of luxury apartments in a historic district of Salvador.

Mr Calero, who resigned last week, had previously blocked the plans. President Temer has denied the allegations.

However, he admitted talking to Mr Calero about the project.

The president has vowed to clean up corruption in Brazil, but has lost three ministers to corruption allegations.

The scandal involves government secretary Geddel Vieira Lima, who had bought a property in Salvador in Bahia state.

Mr Calero's ministry vetoed the construction, on the grounds that the proposed building was on a heritage site.

He told the police both the president and the minister had pressured him to overturn the decision.

Earlier this week, an ethics panel decided to open an investigation into Mr Lima over the allegations, before the president's alleged involvement came to light.

Despite pressures to sack Mr Lima, Mr Temer said the minister will keep his job.

Mr Temer came to power earlier this year, after former President Dilma Rousseff was impeached during a lengthy political crisis that gripped the country.

She was accused of manipulating the budget, but maintained her innocence and said that her political opponents has carried out a "parliamentary coup".

Mr Temer has since tried to maintain a stable government, but has been plagued with corruption allegations against his own party.
The Power of Words

Beyond the power to hurt or to heal, to unite or divide, words have the power to create. It is with words that we describe and represent the reality we inhabit. These representations become reality, our shared dream, the contours of which are often taken for granted and left unarticulated and unexamined.

What do we want to create? What world do we want to live in? Fears and resentments shrink our world, convince us we are separate and divided, and ultimately cause us to act in ways that ensure that we are.

On the other hand, hope, commitment, resilience, determination, acceptance, tolerance, love and a host of other attitudes and spiritual practices and ways of being in the world expand us, remind us how we are connected to one another, and ultimately cause us to act in ways that strengthen the bonds that hold us together.

In the midst of post-election anxiety and looking into an always uncertain future, join us as we participate in Beloved Community and seek our best and highest selves.

Unitarian Universalism honors the differing paths we each travel. Our congregations are places where we celebrate, support, and challenge one another as we continue on our spiritual journeys.

Unitarian Universalists covenant to affirm and promote the inherent worth and dignity of every person; justice, equality and compassion in human relations; and acceptance of one another

Newcomers of all religious paths or none at all are always welcome. We are handicapped accessible. Please park in the rear of the building. Child care is available.

Please visit the Magic Valley Unitarian Universalist Fellowship Sunday at 10:30 a.m. in the Vendor Blender and Event Center, 588 Addison Ave. W.

Buhl Community Christmas Program

Buhl Community Christmas Program will be held at Calvary Chapel on Friday Dec. 2 at 12:30 p.m. Speaker will be Kathy Roberts. Message will be on, Guess whos coming for Christmas. All women are invited. This is a non-denominational Christmas event. Refreshments following the program. Calvary Chapel is located at 1004 Burley Ave.

Buhl Methodist Church decoration

The Methodist Church of Buhl, 908 Maple Street will decorate our Church at 10 a.m. on Saturday Nov. 26. Sunday school classes meet at 10 a.m. and Services are at 11:30 every Sunday. We invite all to join us at our annual Christmas Tea on Saturday, Dec. 3, at 2 p.m. Pastor Penny Hodges will be leading Services throughout Advent as we prepare our for the Celebration of the birth of Jesus. Advent is the start of a new year in the Church. We welcome the renewal and seek to renew our faith as we enter this season.

Advent Begins at Ascension

Ascension Episcopal Church will mark the beginning of Advent with the lighting of the Advent wreath at worship on Sunday at 8 and 10 a.m. Pastor Neal Collins will celebrate Holy Communion at both services. Child care is available from 9:30 to 11:15 a.m. A fellowship coffee hour is held after the 10 a.m. service. Ascension Cafe , the adult discussion group, meets from 9:10 a.m. to 9:55 a.m. Sunday.

This will be the final Sunday for the November ingathering for Gifts of Love, a program which provides a wide variety of books or smaller items, in new or good condition, to four area nursing homes, where residents are able to select gifts to give to family, other residents or staff. Gifts for all ages are welcome.

On Monday, Nov. 28 , Djembe Drumming is offered at the church from 6:45 to 7:30 p.m. to reduce stress and lift your spirit and mood (simple drumming in community). All ages are welcome. For information or if you need a drum supplied, please call 208-961-1349.

On Wednesdays, Knit-Us-Together, the handwork group, meets from 1 to 3 p.m. All are welcome for worship, study and fellowship at Ascension.

Ascension Episcopal Church is handicapped accessible and is located at 371 Eastland Dr. N. More information about Ascension can be found at www.episcopaltwinfalls.org or call 208-733-1248.

Agape Luncheon

The Agape Ministry luncheon will be held on Wednesday, Dec. 7, at the Community Meeting Room at the Gooding Fair Grounds, beginning at 11:30 a.m. The theme for this luncheon will be Hope is Here.

Andy Morris, pastor of First Christian Church in Gooding will weave the Christmas message of hope through story and song.

Because this is a catered event, reservations are required. If you will be having lunch, please contact Karen Perry at 208-934-5495 on or before Sunday, December 4th. Cost of the lunch is $8.50. The program, which begins at noon, is free to the public.

To submit information about church events and news. Contact Matt Gooch at mgooch@magicvalley.com. Deadline is 5 p.m. Wednesday for publication on the Saturday religion page. Please insert Church News in the email subject line.
TWIN FALLS  In the spirit of giving, several thousand Magic Valley residents traded new toys for a festive Friday evening filled with food, music and fireworks.

Even Santa was there to enjoy the 26-year tradition, along with 2,815 guests who brought in 2,447 toys, 5 wagons filled with toys and 19 bicycles for needy children.

Ive seen a lot of giving this year and its coming from the heart, said Sherry Wright of 109-year-old Kimberly Nurseries Landscape and Irrigation, where Christmas in the Nighttime Sky is held each year.

The event is sponsored by eight local businesses; donated toys go to the Christmas for Kids program and are distributed by KMVT to local service providers.

Without the program a lot of kids would go without toys at Christmas, said Cecille Griffith, director of East End Providers.

Without Christmas in the Nighttime Sky  and without the Wrights at Kimberly Nurseries  we wouldnt be able to do what we do, Griffith said. It helps us out a lot.

Besides that, its fun for the kids  the chili feed and the excitement of the bon fires.

Some families go beyond the price of admission  one quality, unwrapped toy per family  by donating wagons or bicycles for needy families.

You should see the smiles on their faces when their family brings in a bike, Wright said.

Theres still time to donate, she said. Sponsor KMVT will pick up remaining Christmas for Kids donations by mid-December.

Sometimes people come in with a toy after Christmas in the Nighttime Sky, saying I watched the fireworks from my house, she said.

Other sponsors are HUB International, Janet Roe CPA, Snake Harley Davidson, Tradesmen Staffing, Twin Falls Coca-Cola and Townsquare Media.

Many other businesses and individuals volunteer or donate goods to make the event happen, Wright said.

The Magic Valley Church Collective  a five-piece band from the Calvary Chapel of Jerome, Grace Church of Rupert, Believers Church of Jerome, and the Church of Twin Falls  performed nearly two hours of Christian rock music.

Lisa Dolcini, whose son played in the band, said she hopes musicians from local churches will continue support the cause.

I think its a nice tradition, said Dolcini, who plays keyboards and guitar in the Church Worship Band.
WASHINGTON, D.C.  Dodd-Frank. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Housing market reform. Banking regulations.

Many issues that fall under the purview of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs will likely be hot topics in Washington next year, and Idahos senior senator will likely play a big role in deciding what moves forward and what doesnt.

It isnt certain that Mike Crapo, the second-ranking Republican on the committee after Chairman Richard Shelby, will move into the top spot when Shelby steps aside from the role because of GOP caucus term-limiting rules, and Crapo says he doesnt take it for granted that he will. But hes also not aware of any competition for the post.

At this point in time it looks very good, he said.

The committee, Crapo said, has oversight over more issues than many people realize  international trade sanctions, for example, fall under its authority. However, Crapo said, he expects housing market reforms, specifically the bill he co-authored with South Dakota Democrat former Sen. Tim Johnson to get rid of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac; changes to the 2010 Dodd-Frank financial regulatory bill; and reducing regulations on small community banks and credit unions to be some of the big issues the committee will deal with in 2017.

It will be a very interesting and important set of issues for the Senate to be dealing with, he said.

President-elect Donald Trump criticized Dodd-Frank heavily while campaigning, a position he shares with Crapo and with many other Republicans, who have argued the regulations in the bill, which was passed in hopes that its stricter rules would help to avoid a repeat of the 2008 crash, have harmed the economy.

I strongly opposed it when it was being debated on the floor and voted against it, Crapo said of Dodd-Frank in general. I have been working to reform its excesses for a long time.

To give one example of a fight that could play out in the committee next year, some Republicans are calling for major changes to, or even abolishing, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, which was created by Dodd-Frank and charged with protecting consumers interests in their dealings with banks and other financial institutions. Crapo has, in the past, expressed concerns about the powers the law gives the CFPB to collect data on consumer spending habits.

However, Crapo thinks some aspects of Dodd-Frank have been helpful. Provisions requiring banks to hold more capital in reserve, he said, has helped to create a more stable protection against the need for taxpayer bailouts.

Trump has also called for a return to the separation of commercial and investment banking that was part of the 1933 Glass-Steagall Act and was repealed in 1999. Crapo said he supports making sure theres safety and soundness in the regulatory system to make sure banks dont play the markets with their customers investments.

Thats not to say banks shouldnt have the ability to invest their own earnings, he said. And finding that appropriate line is important.

Congressional Democrats have promised to fight some of the major changes to Dodd-Frank the Republicans have called for. Reducing regulations on smaller banks could end up being an easier lift than some of the other changes the Republicans would like, although it remains to be seen if any attempts to do this will get caught up in fights over the other provisions or not. Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown and Montana Sen. Jon Tester told Morning Consult last week that they would be willing to work with the Trump administration on this.

Idaho, Crapo said, has lost a pretty significant percentage of its community banks due to regulations, Crapo said, and ultimately this damage ripples through to small businesses and individuals alike.
TWIN FALLS  Two men were killed just before midnight Friday in a rollover crash northwest of town.

Weston O. Rynestad, 23, and Anthony L. Beltran, 26, both of Twin Falls, were southbound in a 1996 Honda Civic on 2700 East when the driver lost control of the car at 4100 North.

The driver  who was not identified Saturday in an Idaho State Police statement  drove off the road, over-corrected and hit a tree.

Both men were thrown from the car and died at the scene. Neither was wearing a seat belt. Their families have been notified.

The crash is under investigation by the ISP.
TWIN FALLS  For the Twin Falls County Sheriffs Office, No-Shave November has never been confined to the years 11th month nor to the causes  cancers that usually affect men  that are typically associated with the beard-growing awareness campaign.

The first year the TFCSO participated, they raised awareness and funds for breast cancer, a cause usually associated with women and usually the special cause of October. Each year since then, the sheriffs office has selected a different cause to help; sometimes its cancer related, sometimes not.

This year, the sheriffs office campaign would be better described as no-shave autumn and winter, as deputies started growing beards in early September and wont shave until the last day of February.

But if this year is different, its because this year is personal.

Deputy Jody Jeske, Sr., whose son also works for the sheriffs office, was recently diagnosed with throat cancer. All funds and proceeds raised this year, culminating with a dinner in February, will go to help Jeske pay for cancer treatments.

Hes going to be running out of sick-time and time-off pretty soon here, Lt. Robert Hass said. We want to make sure we help out with his finances.

The biggest fund-raising event for Jeske will be the dinner planned for Feb. 25, Hass said. But other donations are welcome, and other law enforcement agencies are pitching in to help.

The Kimberly-Hansen Police Department, which works closely with the sheriffs office, is holding a raffle for a Glock handgun and a custom-made leather holster. Tickets can be purchased from any Kimberly-Hansen Police employee.

This raffle will directly benefit Jeske, who is not only a deputy sheriff, but a Marine Corps veteran, as well, the department wrote on its Facebook page. Please help us help one of our community heroes.

The Twin Falls Police Department, meanwhile, is once again raising funds through No-Shave November donations to benefit St. Lukes Magic Valleys Mountain States Tumor Institute.

It is that time of the year again, the TFPD said in a Facebook post. You might see some of our officers growing the beard. No-Shave November is back and better than ever. The goal is to grow awareness by embracing our hair, which many cancer patients lose, and letting it grow wild and free.

Last year, the Twin Falls community raised about $8,000 for the MSTI cancer patient emergency fund, which helps cancer patients cover costs for things like groceries when they cant work, nausea medicine to help cope with chemotherapy, or gas money to get to and from the hospital.

A St. Lukes blog earlier this month profiled two of the men who benefit from the emergency fund, including a Bellevue man diagnosed with colon and rectal cancer just a year after his wife was diagnosed with breast cancer.

Its very difficult to come in for the treatments, David Lee said in the blog. Im coming in five days a week for radiation treatment, and the fuel is so expensive.

The emergency fund that benefits from No-Shave November activities has helped Lee by giving him gas cards so he can make the nearly four-hour roundtrip commute to Twin Falls for treatment.
Over the past week Ive read  both on social media and news outlets  a number of colorful opinions regarding my generation. That is, those of us generally born between 1980 and 2004, known as millennials.

Ive heard millennials described in an unflattering light by baby boomers and Gen Xers for the past couple of years now, but even more so these past few days. Were overeducated. We need to shut up and get jobs. We need to learn that everyone doesnt get a trophy. We dont work hard enough. Were brats who demand safe spaces and decry trigger words.

Maybe. I certainly agree some of us are. But it is extremely unfair and unkind to label and deride our generation as a whole. Your sacrifices and hard work made it possible in part for us to go to school to learn to think freely, and I am truly grateful for that. As President John Adams said, I must study politics and war, that our sons may have liberty to study mathematics and philosophy. Our sons ought to study mathematics and philosophy, geography, natural history and naval architecture, navigation, commerce and agriculture in order to give their children a right to study painting, poetry, music, architecture, statuary, tapestry and porcelain.

Studies from Gallup, the Pew Research Center and more show repeatedly that we are the most empathetic, involved, diverse and educated generation to date. We feel strongly about things and stand up for them. Most of us are not mourning the election results because we lost, but because we know people who will be affected. Were not content to sit back, saying this too shall pass.

Unfortunately, research and data no longer hold weight over entrenched opinions. So Ill tell you what Im doing. Im volunteering. Im donating my time and money to causes that help people who are genuinely afraid right now, like refugee assistance programs and human rights groups. Im working to recruit more people every day to do the same. Im determined to fight for whats good, even though my elders are ridiculing me for it.

It is a good thing that we are caring about each other more as a generation  it shows that we are making progress and have the means to do that. Both research and proponents of the millennial generation (such as Tom Brokaw, a well-known champion of the Greatest Generation) have said over and over that millennials are going to change the world. Why dont you join us? Or dont. But just know this: While youre calling us entitled crybabies who need to roll up our sleeves and get to work, well be the ones keeping America great.
The adversary violated the ceasefire along the line of contact between the Karabakh and Azerbaijani opposing forces around 30 times, from late Friday night to early Saturday morning.

November 26, 2016, 09:26 Karabakh army: Azerbaijan fired over 240 shots at night

STEPANAKERT, NOVEMBER 26, ARTSAKHPRESS: During this time the Azerbaijani armed forces fired more than 240 shots toward the Armenian position-holders, and by way of various caliber weapons, the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic Defense Army informed.

But the NKR Defense Army vanguard units refrained from taking actions in response, and took necessary steps to reliably maintain their military positions.
The story hit the headlines with the deadline for public servants to resign to contest the elections just around the corner. It may have had the effect of deterring some of them from resigning.

The proposed rise was perhaps the biggest non-story related to the general elections in May-June next year.

WAS the recent announcement of a 400% election fee hike by Papua New Guineas ONeill government a classic psyop?

Even today a sense of uncertainty hangs in the minds of many government workers.

Classic psyops - tactics intended to manipulate ones opponents or enemies, such as the dissemination of propaganda or the use of psychological warfare.

The sole purpose of the government making the announcement was to scare the shit out of their opponents.

Two pieces of misinformation were propagated by the media in PNG:

First the media mislead the public that cabinet would make a decision on election fees.

Secondly, the media mislead the public that the Electoral Commissioner could change the fees.

The effects of these post-truth assertions was immediate. They sent shivers down the spine of many Papua New Guineans including threats from the Opposition Leader to take the matter to court.

Despite various lawyers including Dr Eric Kwa from the Constition and Law Reform Commission saying its impossible to raise the fees without amending constitutional law, many people remained uncertain.

Papua New Guineans well-versed in the process of amending the constitution know its a long process that takes about a year to complete.

There isnt enough time until writs are issued in April 2017, for amendments to the Constitution in order to give effect to the proposed 400% fee hike.

Watch out for more psyops as we get closer to Election 2017.

Papua New Guineans must now be extra vigilant as this despotic regime churns out more bullshit through a compliant mainstream media.

Neither be carried away by mass hysteria on social media.

Taim blo usim het na skelim ol samtin gut bifo yumi pairap ose popcorn!

Its better to engage the brain before getting hysterical over popcorn.
King Mohammed VI, who is visiting Madagascar within the frame of a new African tour, said he looks forwards to promoting a strong and solidarity-based South-South cooperation in the African continent.

I would like to establish a strong and solidarity-based South-South cooperation between many African countries, said the Moroccan Sovereign in an interview with Malagasy media.

The model of cooperation Morocco wants to implement here is similar to those we have developed in many other African countries, added the Monarch in the interview published Saturday by several Malagasy media outlets.

He cited in this regard the Speech he made in Abidjan, in February 2014, during which he said that Africa shall trust Africa and that within the framework of cooperation without complexes, we can all together build the future.

The Moroccan Sovereign who said that his country offers and shares its know-how and experience with its brethren African countries without arrogance or feeling of colonization, called on Moroccan companies to hire local consultants and workforce.

I pay several visits to the countries of the continent to materialize this model of inter-African cooperation. I feel good and comfortable in this continent and I appreciate the kindness and affection shown to me by the people, added King Mohammed VI, saying he feels stronger pride in being an African () strongly attached to this continent.

Regarding Moroccan-African relations and the importance of royal tours in Africa, the Moroccan Sovereign said each visit to Africa is an opportunity to reconnect with the African populations that I admire and respect.

Morocco and Africa are one. To separate them would be an uprooting, an error, added the Monarch.

The challenges in Africa are great. But the women, men and children I meet during my visits give me the strength to continue. They make me proud to be African, he went on to say.

Regarding Moroccan-Malagasy cooperation prospects, King Mohammed VI highlighted the special historical ties existing between the two countries and affirmed that Madagascar has undeniable assets to succeed.

He expressed his countrys readiness to support this African country through its ministerial departments, public companies and private sector.

In his interview, the Monarch called on the Moroccan private sector to undertake projects in Madagascar within the frame of a win-win partnership, and said he will personally follow up the implementation and evolution of joint Moroccan-Malagasy projects.

Touching on Moroccos bid to rejoin the African Union, King Mohammed VI said : I know the Moroccan presence in Africa and particularly my current tour are displeasing to some.

Yet, everyone acknowledges that we have not waited for the announcement of Moroccos return to the AU to work and invest in Africa, all countries, long-time friends or new friends, particularly in East Africa, are unanimous in supporting Moroccos reintegration in the AU, stressed the Sovereign.

King Mohammed VI also said he is glad of the positive feedback received and thanked all countries backing and standing by the North African Kingdom.
@PatriciaMazzei

Fidel Castro's death late Friday prompted a flurry of responses from politicians across the country and the world. We're compiling mostly Florida reactions here, and will update as they come in.

President Barack Obama:

At this time of Fidel Castros passing, we extend a hand of friendship to the Cuban people. We know that this moment fills Cubans - in Cuba and in the United States - with powerful emotions, recalling the countless ways in which Fidel Castro altered the course of individual lives, families, and of the Cuban nation. History will record and judge the enormous impact of this singular figure on the people and world around him.

For nearly six decades, the relationship between the United States and Cuba was marked by discord and profound political disagreements. During my presidency, we have worked hard to put the past behind us, pursuing a future in which the relationship between our two countries is defined not by our differences but by the many things that we share as neighbors and friends - bonds of family, culture, commerce, and common humanity. This engagement includes the contributions of Cuban Americans, who have done so much for our country and who care deeply about their loved ones in Cuba.

Today, we offer condolences to Fidel Castro's family, and our thoughts and prayers are with the Cuban people. In the days ahead, they will recall the past and also look to the future. As they do, the Cuban people must know that they have a friend and partner in the United States of America.

President-elect Donald Trump:

Fidel Castro is dead!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 26, 2016

Today, the world marks the passing of a brutal dictator who oppressed his own people for nearly six decades. Fidel Castros legacy is one of firing squads, theft, unimaginable suffering, poverty and the denial of fundamental human rights.

While Cuba remains a totalitarian island, it is my hope that today marks a move away from the horrors endured for too long, and toward a future in which the wonderful Cuban people finally live in the freedom they so richly deserve.

Though the tragedies, deaths and pain caused by Fidel Castro cannot be erased, our administration will do all it can to ensure the Cuban people can finally begin their journey toward prosperity and liberty. I join the many Cuban Americans who supported me so greatly in the presidential campaign, including the Brigade 2506 Veterans Association that endorsed me, with the hope of one day soon seeing a free Cuba.

Gov. Rick Scott, R-Florida:

I join Cuban-Americans and Floridians across the country who are incredibly hopeful for the future of Cuba. After decades of oppression, the Cuban people deserve freedom, peace and democracy. I have met so many Cubans who have come to Florida to flee the tyranny, brutality, and communism of the Castro brothers oppressive regime and now is the time to look at policy changes that will demand democracy in Cuba. Todays news should usher in an era of freedom, peace and human dignity for everyone in Cuba and the State of Florida stands ready to assist in that mission. I spoke to President-elect Trump this morning to let him know that the State of Florida will help his administration in any way to support a pro-democracy movement in Cuba.

House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wisconsin:

Now that Fidel Castro is dead, the cruelty and oppression of his regime should die with him. Sadly, much work remains to secure the freedom of the Cuban people, and the United States must be fully committed to that work. Today let us reflect on the memory and sacrifices of all those who have suffered under the Castros

U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Florida:

Fidel Castro seized power promising to bring freedom and prosperity to Cuba, but his communist regime turned it into an impoverished island prison. Over six decades, millions of Cubans were forced to flee their own country, and those accused of opposing the regime were routinely jailed and even killed.

Sadly, Fidel Castro's death does not mean freedom for the Cuban people or justice for the democratic activists, religious leaders, and political opponents he and his brother have jailed and persecuted. The dictator has died, but the dictatorship has not. And one thing is clear, history will not absolve Fidel Castro; it will remember him as an evil, murderous dictator who inflicted misery and suffering on his own people.

The future of Cuba ultimately remains in the hands of the Cuban people, and now more than ever Congress and the new administration must stand with them against their brutal rulers and support their struggle for freedom and basic human rights.

President Obama issued a pathetic statement on death of dictator #FidelCastro with no mention of thousands he killed & imprisoned. #Cuba  Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) November 26, 2016
via @glenngarvin

Fidel Castro, who towered over his Caribbean island for nearly five decades, a shaggy-bearded figure in combat fatigues whose long shadow spread across Latin America and the world, is dead at age 90. His brother Raul announced the death late Friday night.

Millions cheered Fidel Castro on the day he entered Havana. Millions more fled the communist dictators repressive police state, leaving behind their possessions, their families, the island they loved and often their very lives. Its part of the paradox of Castro that many people belonged to both groups.

Few national leaders have inspired such intense loyalty  or such a wrenching feeling of betrayal. Few fired the hearts of the worlds restless youth as Castro did when he was young, and few seemed so irrelevant as Castro when he was old  the last Communist, railing on the empty, decrepit street corner that Cuba became under his rule.
SKANEATELES  Sheri Spooner has worked in hospitality most of her adult life, but she had never served a clientele quite like the members of Robert J. Hydon American Legion Post 239 in Skaneateles.

People here are super generous, kind and great to each other, she said. It's a family here.

Spooner is the house manager at the post and was so inspired by how this veteran population cares for one another that she joined in by conceiving of Operation Christmas Hope last year.

The idea is to give veterans and their families a much-needed break from the grind during the holiday season in order to start the new year off a bit brighter.

Besides toys, electronics, clothing, housewares, and hygiene and cleaning products, the operation also provides food and meals during the entire school break. The service is completely confidential and designed to help veterans in need in the central New York area.

We are paying back for their service, complete with a thank you letter from the Legion post, Spooner said.

In its first year, she was hoping to raise $1,000 to help one family, but when the post quickly raised $6,000, she was able to spread the cheer among four families while also donating funds to area food pantries.

This year, Spooner is hoping to help 10 families.

Her committee is made up of a representative from the Sons of the Legion, Jeff Dove, and an American Legion representative, Dick Pittman, who served in the Army from 1966 to 1969.

Together, they work with the Skaneateles Outreach office and also connected with Clear Path for Veterans, an organization in Chittenango that helps veterans from the Vietnam War forward dealing with issues from post traumatic stress disorder.

I'm really excited to be part of it, Pittman said. It's really going well.

The Legion family donates money or items to the cause, while Spooner also collects sponsors and hosts fundraisers once a month from October through December.

Next up is the guest bartender fundraiser from 5 to 9 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 3. Area bartenders from the Amber Inn and Dutch Hollow, radio personalities, special guests and even people from the Skaneateles Post Office donate their time behind the bar and their tips toward the operation.

While Legion members can bring guests, area veterans are encouraged to join the post.

Members get really involved putting dollhouses together, wrapping and making deliveries, Spooner said.
"A Year on Mars" by Carmel Johnston, will be Mission Mountain Audubon's next program on Thursday, Dec. 1, at 7 p.m. in the Polson Library Meeting Room.

Johnston, commander of HI-SEAS Mission 4, will discuss what it is like to live for a year on Mars. The NASA-funded project constructed a habitat dome high on a Hawaiian volcano similar to the harsh conditions and rocky terrain that future astronauts will encounter on the red planet. Living in an inhospitable landscape with no breathable air, extreme cold, toxic soil, and the lack of water on the surface will physically challenge the toughest astronauts. But the psychological demands of living in such confined spaces with limited resources are just as daunting.

One of the mission's goals investigated how small groups work together during a simulated journey through deep space and living on an alien world. What makes an effective team? When and why do things fall apart? How does isolation from friends and family affect the crew? "We want to learn everything that can go wrong before it goes wrong in space and prevent it from happening," said Johnston.

Johnston grew up in Whitefish and earned bachelor's and master's degrees in land resources and environmental science from Montana State University. Before her year in the dome, Carmel studied permafrost thaw in Alaska as well as soils in Idaho and Montana, but her focus today is on sustainable agriculture  for both Earth and deep space.
Look any direction from Missoula and youll see thick forests. So why does Montanas timber industry struggle to find enough wood to cut? This week, the Missoulian looks at how work in the woods shaped the states character, economy and ecology.

Sunday: Montana timber families confront the scars and legacy of 20th century logging and ponder how to manage national forests in the future.

Also, Missoula used to be a timber town. What lessons can be learned from the citys evolution away from work in the woods?

Monday: Logging remains a tough, dangerous and lucrative job in Montana.

Tuesday: Where does wood come from? While most mountainsides in western Montana teem with trees, the old-growth forests they once supported have largely disappeared into sawmills.

Wednesday: When Weyerhaeuser Corp. bought Plum Creek Timber Co. last February, Montanans wondered what it meant for the states private timberlands. They should also consider what it means for the national timber industry as the major players operate as real estate investment trusts.

Thursday: Six family-owned companies run the last seven large mills in Montana. Their business models include community loyalty and forest health management as much as sawing logs.

Friday: Although Montana contributes just over 1 percent of the nations lumber supply, its been the national forest policy battleground for more than a century. Efforts to revive the timber industry and modernize forest management could play out in the final days of this years congressional session.
The vendor was showing it to someone, and it discharged," said Capt. Bill Michaelis with the sheriff's office.
WHITEFISH  An anti-discrimination group took a step Friday to distance Whitefish from Richard Spencer, at the same time Spencer told the Missoulian he would probably be putting some distance between himself and the ski resort community.

The white nationalist and alt-right movement leader most recently made national news last weekend with shouts of Hail Trump! Hail our people! Hail victory! as he and his followers  some of whom responded with Nazi-like salutes  celebrated, in Washington, D.C., the election of Donald Trump as president of the United States.

Trump disavowed their support afterward.

Spencer, president of a white supremacist think tank called the National Policy Institute, is often identified in news stories as a resident, or part-time resident, of Whitefish.

We want to get the message out that we dont embrace his rhetoric, Whitefish Mayor John Muhlfeld said after Love Lives Here distributed a news release designed to counteract the Richard Spencer news coverage and communicate that the community of Whitefish does not ascribe to his views.

We dont want our community to have the stigma of discrimination attached to it, Muhlfeld said Friday, because nothing could be further from the truth.

The mayor pointed to a broadly backed 2014 resolution passed by the City Council to celebrate the dignity, diversity and inclusion of all its inhabitants and visitors, and condemn ideologies, philosophies and movements that deny equality of human rights and opportunities, and challenge our Constitutional freedoms.

The resolution was followed several months later by the passage of an anti-discrimination ordinance.

***

Spencer told the Missoulian Friday he has been spending less and less time in Whitefish, where his parents live, and more in Arlington, Virginia, where he has an apartment and where the National Policy Institute is located.

Itll probably be a lot less time (in Whitefish) in 2017, Spencer said. Ive long thought that, as my movement grows, it makes sense for me to be on the East Coast, in Washington, D.C.

The alt-right, a term Spencer says he coined, has rocketed into prominence with Trumps election, and the president-elects appointment of Stephen Bannon as his senior adviser and chief strategist. Bannon was executive chairman of Breitbart News, credited with giving a much wider platform for the alt-right to spread its message.

Spencer said he last considered himself a full-time Whitefish resident in 2012 or 2013, and has split his time between Montana and Virginia since.

Ill always come back to Montana because I love it, said Spencer, who was born in Boston and raised in Texas. The people are extremely nice, except for the ones who claim to be dedicated to love.

Love Lives Here, founded in 2009 in response to screenings of pro-Hitler films by a white separatist group called Kalispell Pioneer Little Europe, used Fridays news release to quote the mayor, business leaders and councilman Frank Sweeney, who sponsored the anti-discrimination resolution.

I was very proud of Whitefish that day, Sweeney says in the release. The chamber was packed with people and citizen after citizen spoke out in favor of the measure.

Spencer said he was perfectly fine with the citys efforts to disassociate itself from him.

I imagine most people in Whitefish dont agree with me, he said.

***

Spencer, in a telephone interview Friday, said a week after his Hail Trump speech he is now worried that a Trump administration will become the Mitt Romney administration that never was.

The alt-right has no army Trump can call upon, Spencer said. Mainstream Republicans do.

He is pleased by Trumps appointments of Bannon, Gen. Michael Flynn as national security advisor and the nomination of U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., as attorney general, Spencer said.

But Im basically skeptical about all the rest of them, he added. Its incumbent upon me to be critical of Trump now, and keep pushing him in the right direction.

Which is?

I hope that Donald Trump will be the first step toward identity politics, and the creation of a European homeland, Spencer said.

Ina Albert, a co-founder of Love Lives Here, said its distressing to see Trumps election put Spencer  and his connection to Whitefish  in the national spotlight.

We fought so hard two years ago (for the anti-discrimination resolution) when he first reared his head, Albert said.

But, she added, separatism can only grow if the soil is receptive to prejudice. Truth, love and kindness will always win out if our community can find ways to accept and validate each others liberties and freedoms.

To that end, Love Lives Here is encouraging Whitefish businesses to display Love Lives Here signs in their storefronts to demonstrate their support of a diverse and unified community based on mutual respect.

The group will also take part in the annual Whitefish Christmas Stroll on the evening of Dec. 9, with a 7 p.m. event at 100 Central Ave.
Only by understanding this record, rather than disparaging it, can Mr. Trump achieve  and profit from  chummy personal relations with his Russian counterpart. Lets imagine, for example, that the second, anxious Putin decided to accept an outstretched hand from Washington as cover for extricating himself from the stalemate he has created in eastern Ukraine. If so, President Trump would have a shot at reviving the long-blocked Minsk 2 agreement, which obliges Russia to withdraw while Ukraine allows some form of autonomy for the eastern separatists.

Mr. Trump should know the risks of this respect-for-retreat strategy. Once Mr. Putin decides he wants out of eastern Ukraine, hell find a way to go ahead with the Minsk 2 deal. But he wont even consider backtracking if he thinks he can get what he wants for nothing. Thats why the new president must insist on a real solution in Ukraine, not a cosmetic one.

Giving Russia relief from sanctions without a complete withdrawal would only make Mr. Trump look like a chump. He would have failed to check the first Putin, and let the second one off the hook. Russian-American relations would face new challenges. They would become less stable, not more.

If Mr. Trump plays the two Putins right, he has a chance to move forward on other issues. Russian officials have expressed little interest in new arms control talks. But that was before Russian military spending came under pressure. Having promised his own buildup, Mr. Trump is in a position to re-engage Mr. Putin on the broad issue of strategic nuclear stability. (Doing so will have will have the further benefit of making it easier for European governments to maintain Ukraine-related sanctions.)

Finally, Mr. Trump says he wants to work with Russia in defeating terrorists. Its a worthy goal, but at least as difficult to achieve as real peace in Ukraine. The new president wont get the Russians to cooperate against the Islamic State in Syria just by saying, as he did during his campaign, that he wants to bomb its forces just as ferociously as Mr. Putin does. Unless the United States has its own workable strategy and can begin to show results from it, Mr. Trumps outreach to Mr. Putin is almost certain to fail.

For all the failures of his Middle East policy, President Obama leaves behind a better approach than his successor appreciates. The administrations continuing effort to retake Mosul, the biggest Islamic State stronghold in Iraq, offers a more promising model for lasting regional influence than Mr. Putins bludgeoning use of air power in Syria. Its elements  the patient corralling of groups that have been unable to work together, the small-footprint use of advisers and assistance, the sensitivity to civilian casualties, the support of friends and allies in the region  all point up how Americas antiterrorism strategy differs from Russias, and is more likely to succeed.

Before the election, Russian commentators had begun to explain Mr. Putins milder tone in talking about the United States as a way of preparing for the next American president  that is, for Hillary Clinton. Mr. Trump should ponder this story. It seems the prospect of dealing with a new leader whom Mr. Putin knew to be tough made him more cautious. Perhaps he had heard what Mrs. Clinton, as secretary of state, said about how to deal with Russia: Im not giving up anything for nothing.

Mr. Trump doesnt have to say who gave him this idea. He just has to act on it.
That influence remains. The American trade embargo on Cuba is still in force, requiring the vote of a Congress that is reluctant to remove it. And this years presidential campaign saw two Americans of Cuban descent  Senators Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz  run for the office.

But in the last decade, the pro-embargo, hard-line grip on the minds and votes of people in Miami and elsewhere has weakened, creating divisions among Cuban-Americans over how deeply to engage with Cuba and its people.

With Mr. Castros death, some hard-liners are pushing for retrenchment and hope that President-elect Donald J. Trump will crack down now that the government has lost its father figure. Others say that this is the time to flood the zone with more people, ideas and goods. Cubas president, Raul Castro, has opened the window slightly to economic reform, travel and American influence. Now that his older brother is gone, they argue, he will be freer to make changes.

But the oldest and most vehement exiles  the historicos, as they are called  are dying off in large numbers. Their children, while still passionately opposed to Mr. Castro, are open to closer ties with the Cuban people as a way of stoking change. (Even Mr. Mas Santos is part of this group.) And their grandchildren know far less about Cuba and Mr. Castro; many are more intrigued than outraged. At the same time, recent arrivals, while deeply disenchanted with the Cuban government, want to see and help their relatives on the island, above all else.

Those shifts in attitude have been translated in Washington. Two years ago, President Obama surprised Cuban-Americans by announcing a series of changes. He re-established diplomatic ties and made it easier for Americans to visit and send money and goods, and also for American businesses to establish a foothold.

We have moved from a politics of passion to a politics of realism, said Andy Gomez, a political analyst who was a senior fellow in Cuban studies at the University of Miami. We are going to be passionate for the next 72 hours. But the realism is that the transition has to come within the island. The leadership has to come from within the island. I dont think anyone in South Florida thinks they will be president of Cuba, and if they do they are fools.
On Nov. 23, 2016, our beautiful mother, grandmother, wife, friend, Susan Kramer became an angel after a long battle with cancer.

Susie was born on Aug. 14, 1951, to Robert Hesener and Lillian (Hayden) Hesener in Steubenville Ohio. She was the apple of her fathers eye and was Lillians best friend in later years when she became an adult. She grew up in Southern California and was a surfer, greeser and had a wonderful childhood.

Susie was an amazing mother and had three children, Joseph; Robin and James. She gave them everything she had and no one had more of an amazing mother then they did. Joey made his momma proud as he is a career Navy man and just recently completed his 20 years of active military service and is retiring on Dec. 2 of this year. She would run around in her proud Navy momma shirt and her bumper sticker on the back of her car that said she was the proud mom of a sailor.

Robin was not only Susie's daughter, but also her best friend and confidant. No mother and daughter could be closer than these two. They were cut from the same tree and shared many special qualities, especially a healthy attitude. Robin was not the fruit that fell from the tree; she was the bark on the tree. Robin was the first in the family to graduate from college in 2001, and she has been a nurse for 15 years now. She spent the last month taking care of her mom while she was at home as her wishes were to die at home and together they shared many amazing moments together. Robin made her mom one of the proudest people in the whole world.

Robin and Joseph playfully competed for the title of "The Golden Child," Robin eventually having the cup which says, Golden Child" on it.

Susie met the love of her life Bob Kramer in September of 1994 in Yerington Nevada. They were inseparable and what an amazing journey they had in this lifetime. They later moved to Butte, Montana in 1998 with their daughter, Robin. Bob and Susie were married May 15, 1999, at the Metals Bank Building. The memories they made will last a lifetime -- they had a love that was only to be measured as "I love you like the one armed fisherman"... a never ending love.

Susie was very active in the psychic medium John Edward community and was an Evolve member. She would send John and the Evolve family tweets daily and they would send tweets back. She was known as "BIG HUGS FROM MONTANA" and what an inspiration and loving community the Evolve family has been for our family; we cannot thank them enough.

Susie was preceded in death by her parents, Robert and Lillian Hesener; and mother-in-law and father-in-law, Almetta and Harold "Curly" Kramer.

She is survived by her husband of 22 years, Robert Kramer; brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Ray and Judy Kramer; best friend forever, Ann Frazier; daughter and son-in-law, Robin and Granger Baker; son and daughter-in-law, Joseph and Hailey Martinez; son, James Martinez; grandchildren, Glen Gifford, Jason Gifford, Tyler Martinez, Carter Martinez, Slade Martinez, and Lillian Anne Emma Martinez, Anthony Martinez, Madelyn Martinez, Christian Martinez as well as numerous nieces and nephews and other relatives.

Friends are asked to join the family on Wednesday between 5 and 7 p.m. in the Duggan Dolan Mortuary Chapel. Funeral Services will be conducted at 11 a.m. Thursday in the mortuary chapel.

Express condolences at www.mtstandard.com.
SKANEATELES  A famous British author showed off the draft of his holiday-themed novel to an enthusiastic American audience Friday afternoon.

In Clift Park, Charles Dickens  who is visiting the village of Skaneateles as part of the entourage of Queen Victoria while she has diplomatic discussions with U.S. President John Tyler  read the notes of his next book, "A Christmas Carol," as a crowd listened to him and followed along.

The trunk show, as the half-hour performance was called, was the first official event of the 23rd annual Dickens Christmas following the World's Smallest Christmas Parade and an opening ceremony from the steps of the Hannum House on Bright Friday, the day after Thanksgiving in Skaneateles.

"It's a brand-new story, and my notes and my book are not here," said Dickens, portrayed by Jim Greene, who is also the festival's producing director. "If you know what comes next, just tell me."

He explained that undertaker Barry M. Deep  played by production manager Brett Norsworthy  was supposed to drop off the trunk of story notes and props at the gazebo but was caught up in the parade.

"I know most of it, or at least I did 11 months ago," Dickens said. "But we don't have any props."

The last time the Dickens Christmas characters were in Skaneateles for the closing of the 22nd annual festival on Christmas Eve last year, the sun shone warmly and brightly in a clear, blue sky with 60-degree temperatures and green, uncovered grass.

This time, for the opening of the 23rd annual festival, though warmer temperatures melted some of the snow dumped during a storm earlier in the week, the day brought overcast skies and a nice layer of white stuff.

"It's nice to have a little snow," Greene said. "This is somewhat more Christmas-y."

Greene observed, however, that the snow thawed since the storm, allowing the streets and the sidewalks to be clear for people driving and walking around the village. He came for the Dickens Christmas sponsor party Tuesday night  the day after the storm  and wondered how the things would go with the snow.

As for the trunk show, he noted it had never been done at the Clift Park gazebo. It had always been outside of the Masonic Lodge, but people often crowded the sidewalk and pushed into the street, so the park provided a venue more suitable to a large audience turning out for the play.

"Two things: I love the story so much, and I've done it for years now that it's kind of in there," he said, explaining how he could pull off the performance even without notes. "It's all in there now."

With the premise being that Dickens gets inspiration for his novel by visiting Skaneateles and interacting with the villagers  including Ebenezer Scrooge, portrayed as a local businessman  Greene said the trunk show brings a premise that the author wants to vet his new story for a crowd.

As well as changing the venue for the performance, he added that this is the first year in which he will read the story in its entirety every time he does the trunk show, rather than adding on to it each weekend as the festival continues and the story builds.

"I always feel so fortunate to have this to do because to go around and make people smile is just a really fun way to make a living," Greene said.

Tara Lynn oversees Dickens Christmas as the executive director of the Skaneateles Area Chamber of Commerce that puts the festival on, and this time, she got to take part in the parade by riding in a Skaneateles Volunteer Fire Department firetruck mingled in with groups of characters.

"I think everyone is so happy to see the familiar faces and people on the streets and the horses and Charles Dickens himself," she said. "It feels really great to see everything up and running and all of the work that went into getting it here."

As Bright Friday dawns, Lynn said she always worries and wonders, "Are people going to show up?" By noon, though, when the parade steps off, people are lining both sides of the streets to watch the procession go by.

Behind the scenes, too, she said things are always stressful getting everything ready for the festival, but it pays off when she has a chance to see that the actors and audience members alike are enjoying themselves.

"That's what hits it for me. These guys really love it," she said. "When you see everyone out there, it's like this wonderful reunion for this family, this Dickens family. It's really special. ... I can feel the magic of it behind it."
MISSOULA  And so the search begins.

Seventy-two years ago, a 19-year-old Marine from Dixon claimed a distinctive flag off the body of a slain Japanese officer in the Battle of Saipan.

This week, Marvin Strombo took the first steps toward reuniting it with the unknown warriors family.

I never did feel like it was mine, Strombo, 92, said in a hallway of the Health Sciences Building on the University of Montana campus on Monday.

The subject of a Nov. 13 Veterans Day feature in the Missoulian, Strombo was invited by Robert Tuck, assistant professor of Japanese, to talk to Tucks Japanese and Culture class about his war experiences.

Strombo and his daughter, Sandra Williamson, also wanted to see if they could learn something about the flags previous owner, who lost his life in 1944.

They could.

Tuck showed them and his class the Hinomaru  Japans national flag with the familiar red sun disc in the center of a white field. In this case its surrounded by lines of Japanese writing.

This was a good-luck charm they brought to war with them, Tuck explained.

The largest writing across the top wished the flags carrier Eternal Good Fortune In Battle, he said.

Down one side is the name of its carrier, Yasue Sadao  Yasue being the family name and Sadao the personal name.

Instead of rays emanating from the sun, names and good wishes are written in Japanese, most of them male and several with the surname Yasue. Those are probably brothers, parents, or other close relatives, Tuck surmised.

There are also a lot of people with the surname Imai who wrote their names on the flag, he said. I dont know for certain, but that could be his wifes family name, or perhaps the name of his previous family if he had been adopted into another.

That was a common practice in prewar Japan, Tuck said.

Strombo raised four children in the same home in southwest Missoula where he lives today. Hes one of just three surviving sniper-scouts from a 6th Marine Regiment platoon that was the second special operations platoon sent to the Pacific and nicknamed the Forty Thieves of Saipan. The other two men live in West Virginia and Georgia.

All three have been rich sources for an upcoming book by Joseph Tachovsky of Wisconsin, son of the late platoon commander.

On a June day in 1944, Strombo was one of five raiders who were the first to enter Garapan, the seaside capital of Saipan. Behind enemy lines, they were looking for intelligence, and they successfully fought off an ambush on the way into town.

As they reached the outskirts, Strombo encountered the dead officer.

He was on the front line and hed gotten killed, probably by a bomb, he told Tuck's class.

It's customary on all sides of war to lay claim to souvenirs found on the battlefield. The Japanese often took dogtags off fallen American soldiers, Williamson said.

Strombo knew the man was an officer because he had a saber, which Strombo also brought back to Montana, only to lose it when his home was broken into in the late 1970s. The thief was caught and the stolen weapons traced to a pawn shop in Seattle, but the saber was already gone, he said.

For years Strombo has been chewing on the idea of tracking down the descendants of the man who died trying and failing to fend off the American invasion on Japanese-held Saipan in the South Pacific.

I thought maybe it would bring them a little something they could remember him by, he said. And if they wanted to they could probably follow up on that saber.

The latter should be identifiable because a buddy borrowed it to chop weeds in Saipan after the battle.

He hit a rock and its got a little chip about halfway up the blade, Strombo said.

Strombo isnt alone in his quest to reunite war spoils with their Japanese owners.

What is going on is not just with the gentleman there in Missoula, and its not just nationwide. Its global, said Rex Ziak of the nonprofit Obon Society in Astoria, Oregon.

Ziak said he and his wife Keiko have been contacted for the same reason by people from Canada, Ireland, Wales, Singapore and the Marshall Islands, to name a few, to find descendants.

Since 2009, on a budget of grateful donations and their own savings, the Ziaks have worked with a network of scholars, researchers, attorneys and Japanese government officials to return war prizes to families on both sides of the Pacific. On Memorial Day 2016, CBS News highlighted the Obon Societys work. The television program featured the quest of Terry Stockdale of Billings to return a Hinomaru flag attained during World War II by his late father Glenn.

The Society traced the Stockdale flag back to Yoshigusu Kiski, a young soldier who kissed his wife, his seven-month-old son and his two-year-old daughter goodbye  and never saw them again, the report said.

The children, now 75 and 73, live near Osaka, and Terry Stockdale traveled there to hand the flag over in a formal, poignant ceremony.

Ziak said since the CBS report ran, he and his wife have been overwhelmed.

Last night I think I slept eight hours. I can tell you there were months when that would have been a joke, he said.

Whats happening, Ziak said, is something that should fill us with hope and joy, because you and I both know that when countries go to war, those feelings of war do not end when treaties are signed or somebody surrenders.

Whats happening between America and Japan, he said, is really quite remarkable.

Back then I dont think there were ever two enemies that hated each other more and fought each other more savagely. They were on opposite ends, he said. Yet here we are 75 years later and Japan is among our most trusted allies.

Questions of espionage or reneging on treaties between the two nations never arise, he said.

At first the Ziaks thought returning war prizes was purely for the benefit of the Japanese families, Rex Ziak said. But we overlooked the fact that this is so enormously important to Americans.

It wasn't called that, but theres no question World War II survivors suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder. Strombo still does. He said on Veterans Day that he has nightmares from the days and nights of living in fear, and of regrets that still make him shudder.

One was of the young Japanese, captured when the Americans took a bridge on Saipan and whose execution he was invited to witness as he walked through a neighboring camp that night. Strombo declined.

But I can understand, he said. To them it was war. It sounded like murder almost to me.

That poor prisoner, he looks at me, his eyes are just crazy, because he knew what was going to happen.

As Strombo climbed into his foxhole for the night, he heard a rifle shot.

It was too late to do anything then. I always remembered the pleading eyes, but I didnt say nothing, he said. Only thing is, it kind of followed me around the rest of my life.

Strombo told Tucks class that even in war, he and his comrades admired the courage of the Japanese warriors.

They fought till they had no choice, he said. We had a lot of respect for them. And I respect the Japanese for what they did after the war.

There are unseen barriers to reuniting Strombos flag with its Japanese heirs. Rex Ziak said strict privacy laws in Japan make it difficult to track down individuals and war records  hoops it took the Obon Society years to figure out how to jump through.

Strombo and Williamson wonder if tracing the flag's origins couldn't turn out to be a learning experience for university students, and the Ziaks said thats fine.

We never tell people what they should do, Rex Ziak said.

Williamson said shell talk it over with the Obon Society, which doesnt charge for its services but requires the flag to be mailed to Oregon. Its promise is that Strombo will be kept apprised of every development in its investigation.

If there was a way for them to work in connection with each other, I think that in itself could be really kind of good for the university, for the community, for Daddy, and for the Obon Society as well, she said.
MUSCATINE, Iowa - Eastern Iowa Community Colleges (EICC) has released its first-ever Deans List for students in its High School Equivalency (HSE) programs.

These students work just as hard and are just as committed to their education as students in traditional high school classes, said EICC Dean of Adult Education Scott Schneider. We felt it was only appropriate that their work be recognized just as it is with other students.

Criteria for being named to the Deans List include attendance, engagement and successful completion of milestones in the program.

The HSE program provides students who did not complete high school the opportunity to earn their high school diploma. Students are required to successfully pass testing in five different academic areas: Language Arts/Reading, Languages Arts/Writing, Mathematics, Science and Social Studies. The standardized tests are the same offered by other states throughout the nation.

EICC provides preparation classes for the tests free of charge to students. There is a fee for the actual testing. Classes are available at Clinton and Muscatine Community Colleges, and Scott Community Colleges West Davenport Center.

The HSE classes are part of a larger program at the college that also includes Adult Basic Education, English as a Second Language and Literacy programming. Combined, nearly 2,000 students attend these classes each year.

Those named to the HSE Deans List include: Tayla Feller and Andrew Heitzenroder of Clinton; Chris Brown, Stephanie Holmes, Leopoldo Carmona, Demetrius McIver-Kitch, and Candice Moore of Davenport; Shyanne Littlejohn of DeWitt; Alex Clark of Dixon; Eli Jones and Nathaniel Morrow of Eldridge; Amber Allen, Sydney Hill, Alejandra Villalpando, and Rachelle Woods of Muscatine; and Jason Jackson of Glendale, Ariz.
The United Township High School District No. 30 was awarded the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting from the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) of the United States and Canada. This award is the highest form of recognition in the area of governmental accounting and financial reporting.
Many South African online retailers have joined their American counterparts in offering big savings on technology and gadgets on Cyber Monday.

Cyber Monday is the first Monday after the Thanksgiving holiday in the United States and is a time when retailers hold promotional campaigns to encourage people to shop online.

South Africans can look forward to discounts from many prominent local retailers, including Makro and OneDayOnly.

Here are several of the retailers where you can save on Cyber Monday.

Makro  Big savings on selected tech products.

OneDayOnly  Big savings on a wide variety of products.

Loot  Get up to 80% Off

Raru  Discounts on games, hardware, and more.

Incredible Connection  Tech products at reduced prices.

Vodacom  Discounted prices and a free R10,000 online educational voucher with every deal purchase.

Game  Discounts on numerous products.

Tarsus  Up to 41% off tech products.

Sportscene  An online-exclusive Cyber Monday sale.

Hilti  30% off selected tools and 65% off selected inserts and consumables.

My Perfume Shop  Save up to 60%.

MyiStore  Discounts on Apple products for one day only.

Boardmans  Up to 75% off.

Easybike  Discounts on bicycle gear.
On the bright side, it's nice to see that the New York State Legislature is capable of unity  Republicans and Democrats, upstate and downstate, Assembly and Senate, all in agreement.

Unfortunately, that thing they're unified about is to pay themselves more money.

They already make plenty, the 47 percent increase they're asking for is way too much, and they have not performed in such a manner as to deserve it. If any category of state employees has been a disappointment, it's lawmakers. Dozens of them have been brought down on corruption charges in recent years, including the leaders of both houses last year.

Yet giving themselves a raise has become one of their top priorities. That alone is an excellent reason to say no.

Therefore, we're glad no was the answer they got Tuesday from the New York Commission on Legislative, Judicial and Executive Compensation. On the surface, that pushes back any chance for a raise until 2019, since lawmakers' pay cannot be increased during the two-year term to which they were just elected.

However  and here's where the dealmaking begins  that term doesn't begin until Jan. 1, so technically, the raise could be granted between now and New Year's Eve. The compensation commission officially wrapped up its work for the year on Tuesday, but member Fran Reiter, an appointee of Gov. Andrew Cuomo, suggested they might be willing to re-convene if lawmakers approve tougher ethics reforms for themselves, including a ban on them receiving any outside income. She and another Cuomo appointee abstained from voting on the raise for that reason, effectively blocking it.

The legislature is not scheduled to re-convene until January, but the governor could call a special session between now and the end of the year. He probably wouldn't do so just to raise lawmakers' pay, but he might if he thought they would also pass something he wants  such as tougher ethics reforms.

The notion that he would hold lawmakers over a barrel sparked blowback from them. Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, a Bronx Democrat, and Senate Majority Leader John Flanagan, a Long Island Republican, issued a joint statement Tuesday saying the commission had no right "to demand legislative action in exchange for an increase in compensation." Commission member Roman Hedges, an appointee of Speaker Heastie, said, "The governor thinks he is king."

We hope all this dealmaking fails and the raise is put on hold for the next two years. It's not that we don't want tougher ethics reforms  we absolutely do  but we don't think this would be a good deal for the people of New York.

 Adirondack Daily Enterprise

This will go down as the election when Donald Trump and marijuana both did well at the polls.

Some states voted to make marijuana available for medicinal purposes and some went even farther, legalizing the drug. While previous recreational pot legalization votes affected states far away, this time one vote came in Massachusetts.

Pot will become legal there in December and while retail sales will not start until 2018, the practical questions are already swirling.

If Massachusetts follows the example of Colorado when it finally writes all of the new rules regarding pot, it is likely that somebody from New York could drive across the border, buy whatever amount is allowed and use it there but not take it back home, at least not legally.

Federal law still regards marijuana as an illegal substance and there is no indication that New York is heading in the direction of legalization, especially with an approach to medical marijuana that is much more restrictive than that in most other states.

But another development in this election could have an effect in New York. That concerns aid in dying.

Colorado voters approved the End of Life Options Act, which gives physicians the ability to prescribe lethal doses of drugs so that patients with a terminal illness can end their lives.

The opposition to the idea is very strong in New York, with the Catholic Church leading the lobbying and a variety of other groups vowing that it should never become the law of the state. Yet the two people who sponsored such legislation in the last session of the Legislature, State Sen. John Bonacic, R-C-Mount Hope, and Assemblywoman Sandra Galef, D-Ossining, both won easy re-election victories and both are still open to the ideas contained in the previously proposed legislation.

Both are Albany veterans and both know that a controversial measure such as this will not move quickly through the Legislature. Both also know that the forces in opposition will do all they can to defeat this movement, using the strongest language possible to inflame the opposition.

If the legislation gets proposed again, we can expect more talk about killing granny and other distasteful images. But if people are serious about debating the issue, we also could hear many of the arguments that came up during the last session, ones that should not be dismissed out of hand.

And it is those arguments that have managed to persuade people who at first are not in favor of the idea to at least give it a hearing.

The most potent argument concerns the different options now legally available to the terminally ill. Those who are on life support, who depend on ventilators and other machines to keep their bodies functioning have the legal right to disconnect them even though such an action will bring certain death.

Those who favor physician-assisted suicide want this right to be extended to those who are not being kept alive by machines but who are suffering from maladies that bring only pain and suffering, that permanently erode the quality of life without hope of recovery.

That's a debate worth having.

 Middletown Times Herald-Record
PHOENIX  On June 22, 2010, during President Obamas second year in office, his administration unveiled a plan to end specific types of homelessness in the United States, with an initiative called Opening Doors. One of the main goals of the plan was to end homelessness for the nations military veterans by 2015.

That plan has not succeeded. As of January 2016, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development estimated there were 39,471 veterans without permanent housing across the country, including 1,036 who were unsheltered or living in temporary housing in Arizona.

But the national and statewide numbers are considerably lower than they were five years ago. Arizona advocates say eliminating veteran homelessness is within reach, and Phoenix has already reached functional zero veteran homelessness.

Arizona has been on the forefront of a lot of things of veteran homelessness, said Shane Groen, director of special projects for the Arizona Coalition to End Homelessness and a Navy veteran. I think weve done some really great things and some things right. Weve struggled in the last few years which has been frustrating.

Now, advocates in Arizona are reflecting on lessons learned in the past five years and are developing a new plan to end veteran homelessness for good.

Reaching functional zero in Phoenix

To localize President Obamas original plan, a number of Arizona government and community organizations, including the Arizona Department of Veterans Services and the Arizona Coalition to End Homelessness, came together in late 2010 to create the Arizona Action Plan to End Homelessness.

The plan, which was meant to run for five years, focused on three areas of need: ending chronic homelessness, increasing the capacity of the temporary help system and preventing further homelessness among veterans.

Many of the aims of the project were achieved in Phoenix, which reached functional zero for chronically homeless veterans in late 2014, the first city in the U.S. to do so. Those veterans who experienced long and reoccurring bouts of homelessness were all able to receive the necessary assistance so they would be able to get back on their feet.

Brad Bridwell, who worked for AZDVS when the Action Plan was drafted, lauded the efforts and accomplishments of the past five years.

It was very successful, he said. At our baseline when we started the project we had 222 known and identified chronically homeless veterans on the streetThrough Project H3 Vets, we were able to reduce that number from 222 to just 18 in those two years. Thats the point at which we declared functional zero.

That doesnt mean every homeless veteran in Phoenix was able to find permanent housing, but rather that they were able to break the cycle of homelessness so that if they experienced it again, it would only be for a short period of time before it could be resolved.

Arizonas lingering problem

The most recent estimate of homeless veterans in Arizona came from point-in-time counts that take place each January. They involve on-the-ground surveying of both street-living and temporarily-housed homeless veterans throughout the state.

Shane Groen said a lack of data-sharing between organizations makes the effort to end homelessness profoundly more difficult than a lot of people feel it should be.

The organizations that work in the homeless community often have separate sets of records rather than one shared data pool. Agencies are sometimes unwilling to share information because of the risk involved in passing along sensitive information of clients, usually pertaining to medical privacy, according to Groen.

Finding a solution

The original Arizona Action Plan has reached the end of its tenure, and local groups are now finalizing a second one. There is new understanding about best practices and solutions to combat veteran homelessness.

Among the goals, Brad Bridwell stressed, We want to make sure veterans are able to enter and exit very quickly to permanent housing, inside of 90 days.

Homelessness can be a cyclical problem, so sustaining progress can be a challenge.

AZCEH is working on a continuous network that can quickly support any veteran in need.

What we want is a turning system that when somebody falls on hard times, you can get them quickly assessed, quickly get resources and services to them and have them quickly on their feet, Serviss said.

Arizona could become the third state in the nation to declare an end to veteran homelessness. Bridwell said its certainly possible to finish the job.

He added, Im very optimistic.
SAN JOSE  Authorities asked for the publics help in tracking down a pair of potentially dangerous California prisoners who cut through the bars of a jail window on Thanksgiving Eve, rappelled to the ground on a bedsheet rope and escaped.

Santa Clara County sheriffs Sgt. Rich Glennon said four inmates got out through a second-floor window of the countys main jail late Wednesday and two were captured almost immediately.

Authorities released photos of the severed bars and the bedsheet tied to one of them, but said they didnt know what tools the inmates used or how they had gotten them.

No cutting instruments were located inside the cell or in the surrounding area, Glennon said.

He identified the men who escaped as Rogelio Chavez and Laron Campbell.

Chavez, 33, and Campbell, 26, are facing possible life sentences if convicted of burglary, extortion, false imprisonment and other charges they were being held on.

Authorities asked for the publics help in finding them and warned that anyone who sees them should call 911 rather than try to apprehend them. Authorities didnt know if the two were armed but said they should be considered dangerous.

We definitely dont want the community to approach these individuals, but be aware of anything suspicious, Glennon said.

The escape was discovered by a deputy patrolling the jails perimeter,

He kind of thought he saw some movement in the shadows, looked up and saw some bedding in the window, Glennon said.

Chavez and Campbell were believed to be wearing jail clothing, consisting of an orange top over gray bottoms, when they escaped.

Chavez has a distinctive face tattoo resembling an inky gash going through his left eye. He was booked into the Northern California jail in August.

Campbell, who stands 6-feet-4, had been jailed there since February 2015.

Glennon said deputies were being assisted by other local and federal law enforcement agencies.

A similar escape was made from a Southern California jail in January by three men authorities later determined had planned it for weeks.

They cut through the main Orange County jails fifth-floor bars with tools smuggled in by an outsider, rappelled to the ground and escaped in a get-away car.

They later abducted a cab driver and forced him to drive them to Northern California.

The escape began to unravel when one of the men, fearful the others would kill the driver, fled to Southern California with him and surrendered. The others were captured soon after in San Francisco.
A ring of foot and bicycle trails around the San Francisco Bay may gain a new branch in south Napa.

Grant funds from a coalition of Bay Area governments will cover 80 percent of the design cost for a 2,900-foot extension of the San Francisco Bay Trail, which will open up access from Stanly Lane south of Highway 12/121 to a 19th-century ferry crossing point on the Napa River. Earlier this month, the city council accepted $100,000 from the Association of Bay Area Governments, which approved the grant in July.

Design work is expected to run from January into September, though no groundbreaking date has been set, according to city management analyst Brent Reed. The Napa project is expected to require $389,750 to design and build.

When built, the pathway will form a spur from the Bay Trail, a regional network of walkways in several counties that would cover about 500 miles when completed. The Stanly Lane branch will connect the existing Bay Trail from an existing end point near the Starmont Winery and Vineyards and extend toward the west bank of the river to the historic Soscol Landing site, where ferryboats set off for the east bank during the second half of the 1800s before the construction of bridges.

By following an existing vineyard access road and a levee, the trail should give hikers, joggers and cyclists a better view of the Napa River with minimal disruption to wildlife, according to Reed.

It will allow people to access the Napa River in this historic location, he said Tuesday of the future pathway. Its an opportunity for families to connect with children in the outdoors.

The Napa spur is one of several such branches intended to bring more of the Bay Trails several hundred thousand annual visitors nearer the shore throughout the region, said Maureen Gaffney, a project planner for San Francisco and Napa, Sonoma, Solano and Marin counties.

Especially with what is remaining, a lot of the new segments are part of wetland restorations, so they will use whatever levees and barriers are being incorporated into restoration project, she said.

Napa will host public forums during the design process to help decide how to make the Bay Trail branch more durable as well as accessible to disabled visitors, said Reed.
After Yountville visitors return to a freshened Veterans Memorial Park starting in January, they may see a display explaining how it  and the Veterans Home to which it once belonged  came to be.

A renovation of the park on Washington Street south of downtown is set to include an interpretive panel to explain its roots in the retirement community for U.S. service members west of town. The display will be among a host of new installations  along with an art centerpiece paying tribute to those who served in the U.S. armed forces  intended to call attention to the Veterans Home of California, of which the park was a part until its absorption by Yountville more than half a century ago.

Earlier this month, a mockup of the display was shown to the Town Council, which Mayor John Dunbar said may vote on a final design in December. The prototype, created with help from the Napa County Historical Society, includes period photos and a narrative on the Veterans Home  the oldest and largest of its kind in California  and how it became a meeting space for the neighboring town that incorporated in 1965.

Debate lingered among council members about whether the display should emphasize the early days of the Veterans Home, which opened in 1884, or the history of the park site, which Highway 29 lopped off the Veterans Home campus in the late 1950s.

Dunbar, who has called for emphasizing the parks tributes to service members, asked staff not to simply retell the story of the Veterans Homes early days.

This is not a tribute to the Veterans Home alone; this park is about veterans who have given the ultimate sacrifice for our nation, he said. Its not just about the 1800s; we have veterans who are giving their lives today who should be represented in this park, and to only look at this as (showcasing) the historical background of the Veterans Home is missing the point.

Others, however, saw the Veterans Homes background as intertwined with the towns. I think the original home of the Veterans Home is a compelling story, replied Marita Dorenbecher.  It explains how the park came to be; its a very cohesive story of its history.

An interpretive panel would join other additions envisioned for Veterans Memorial Park, including a public artwork paying tribute to service members and a landscaped entryway displaying the U.S., California and POW/MIA flags. The town in August approved a $20,000 commission for an art piece, part of a park renovation expected to cost $350,000.
Calling all micro-retailers, pop-up shop and startup entrepreneurs. The South Napa Century Center has got a space for you.

A patch of undeveloped land in the South Napa Century Center is planned to be transformed into a pavilion featuring space for pop-up tenants and micro-retailers as well as daily food trucks and market vendors.

The Gasser Foundation has filed a development application with the city to create a mixed-use gathering space to house the vendors, offices and retailers, plus picnic tables, event spaces, restrooms and storage areas.

The proposed 13,095-square-foot structure is a large roof area that is open on three sides with a two-story interior element that will house both the micro-retail and office space.

An enclosed bar of as many as 12 mini-suites will feature flexible-sized boutique spaces tailored to local retailers. Those spaces could be as small as 100 square feet, said Joe Fischer, Gasser Foundation spokesperson.

Those micro-retailers could be new concepts created by people that live in Napa and pop-up concepts that people want to try, he described.

The goal of the Century Center is to provide a gathering place for the community, including both visitors and locals, said the application. The center seeks to provide a varied experience, with exterior spaces to compliment programming like the farmers market and food truck corral.

Known as Pad 2, the space is meant to evoke a modern day agora, the ancient Greek marketplace that served as a primary public space, said the application.

The proposal includes a mixed-use pavilion with flexible outdoor space for a market, a place to pull in food trucks with dining areas and a splash pad event area.

A splash pad would incorporate some kind of water element for kids that can be turned on or off depending on the weather, said Fischer. When the water is off, the pad can be used for special events.

There could be as many as 24 covered market stalls open daily. Those would be occupied by growers or vendors similar to those at the Farmers Market. These 24 vendor stalls would complement the regular Farmers Market tents that are installed every Tuesday and Saturday in the warm weather months. Room for picnic tables would also be created.

Fischer said the inspiration comes from European markets and those in the U.S. like Pike Place Market in Seattle and the Eastern Market in Washington, D.C. and the French Market in New Orleans.

These are places where people go daily. It would be fun to figure out how to make it happen in Napa, he said.

The second floor would be home to as many as 10 office tenants in small suites.

There is a huge demand for smaller office space in Napa, said Fischer. Im confident the office space is a slam dunk. Lease rates would compare to other executive office spaces, he said.

Valentin Atayde, owner of Mercadito Food Truck, has been parking at the empty pad space at the center as many as five days a week.

I would be more than happy to be part of that pavilion, he said.

The food truck corral has been popular, he said. Most of the trucks offer a variety of different styles of foods, from crepes to hamburgers, lobster and chicken. He estimated that more than 200 people a day frequent the food trucks.

It looks like we all get good business.

While some may wonder if this sounds similar to the Oxbow Public Market, Fischer said the concepts are different.

Oxbow has been incredibly successful and has a special feel that I think is focused on the dining experience with some great retail options also, said Fischer.

We are not focused on creating a dining experience. With the exception of the two food trucks, we see no dine-in business  just shopping from a plethora of temporary and permanent smaller vendors offering unique and everyday items at accessible prices. I dont see this is competitive at all.

There is absolutely room for both types of market, he said.

Now that the concept has been created, we need to gauge the interest from interested retailers and sellers, said Fischer. We want to hear from people who like this concept and who might like to participate.

As a predominately outdoor space, the roof will be arranged to shelter the area, said the application. The face of the building facing along Gasser Drive is clad in wood, providing a rich and tactile backdrop to landscaping along the sidewalk.

Sustainability is key to the project, said the application. Heating and cooling systems will be kept to a minimum with open sides to encourage natural cross ventilation and plenty of daylight.

The hyper flexible layout allows the building to adapt over time as the communitys needs may change.

The new project will use existing parking facilities.

Depending on the weather, construction could begin as soon as July and finish in April 2018, said the application.
Dear friends - dear America: It's the middle of the night and I can't sleep. I am wide awake, thinking about how much I love you. You are precious to me even though we have so many differences. I have seen so much kindness in your eyes, heard such love in your voices, seen such selfless generosity in your actions, witnessed your compassion deepen as the years have gone by. I've seen the capacity of your love to heal wounds and awaken true joy and create unlikely, beautiful friendships. I've felt your love as a potent force for good in my own life.

You've believed in me, challenged me to grow, and shone your light on what's promising and wholesome in me.

But lately, with the campaign and election, we've been in such stormy waters - feeling fear, anxiety, concern for our safety, anger, and even hatred. I've been deeply troubled by reports of hateful words and actions happening in our neighborhoods, our schools, our parking lots - places where we all want to feel safe.

"Go to the gas chamber, faggots." I can't tell you how much this hurts. I feel this directed at me, a woman married to a woman.

"Go back to Africa. Make America great again." I can't tell you how much this hurts. I feel it directed at my friend from Ghana, who works for Kaiser and is one of the most gentle, sweet men I've ever known, and who has a devoted American wife and two adorable boys.

Latinos are being told by white people, "Go back to your country." I can't tell you how much this hurts. I feel it directed at my cousin who was born in the U.S., whose mom is my mom's twin and whose dad was Mexican. My cousin is an exemplary dad, a brilliant software engineer, a warm and funny and generous human being.

Muslim people are being subjected to verbal and physical attacks. I can't tell you how much this hurts. I feel it directed to the kindhearted Muslim chaplain at the men's prison where I volunteer. He works tirelessly to help prisoners reform themselves on a deep level in order to lead responsible, upstanding lives of service.

These are a few drops from the flood of hateful words and actions happening since the election. The Huffington Post reported on Nov. 11, "People from all types of communities  black, Latino, Muslim, Jewish, Asian, queer people, women  have been physically harmed, slandered with hate speech or been the targets of racist graffiti."

Because I know who we really are, I know unkindness is far beneath our dignity. We are so much bigger than judging or fearing people based on their skin color, or gender, or type of spirituality, or sexual preference. Americans have good hearts - it's our nature, our highest self. I see it in you. I see it every day in my community. If we feel there's not enough of something, our good hearts share resources or figure out how to make enough to go around. If we meet someone who's not exactly like us, our good hearts are open and welcoming. If we feel threatened or unsafe, of course we take care of ourselves -but our good hearts, our highest selves, naturally look out for the other person's well- being, too, because we know we're not separate and we know human life is precious.

If we realize we're being rude or we've hurt someone, our good hearts naturally stop and apologize. It's just who we are - we want to make friends, not enemies. We want our lives to be filled with love.

I am writing this letter because I know kindness is our nature. We share a desire to be open, respectful, good people who live from an honorable place - a place of love. So I would like to ask you to help stop the waves of fear, bigotry, and hatred that are making our country so ugly. Please, please join me in showing our neighbors and telling our leaders, with our clear words and actions:

Love makes America great. Kindness makes America great. Respect makes America great. Tolerance makes America great. Understanding makes America great. Love makes America great.

We are good people with loving hearts. This means we speak loving words and we act with love toward all people. We wouldn't stoop to anything less. Please join me in expressing your good heart, making sure people don't get hurt, and making America, our home, truly great for everyone.

Natascha Bruckner

Napa
Our newly purchased patrol ship from Denmark is our effort to maintain the capacity of the Patrol Ships Division of the Lithuanian Navy. From now on it will be comprised of four up-to-date multirole ships of the same type which will ensure the tasks, i.e. patrolling Lithuanias territorial Baltic Sea, search and rescue, and others, are completed efficiently for a long time to come, Commander of the Lithuanian Navy Captain (Navy) says. According to Commander, the P15 is twice as new as the so far used Selis (P32) which obsolete and causes difficulties in obtaining spare parts.



The Flyvefisken-class vessel was built in Denmark and is handed over to Lithuania on the basis of an agreement signed by the Lithuanian Armed Forces and the Danish Defence Acquisition and Logistics Organization (DALO) in September 2016. By this agreement, the Lithuanian Armed Forces bought the P15 vessel and two anti-submarine detection sonar systems for patrol ships. Total value of the project is EUR 6.5 m.



While moored in Korsr, the banner of the Lithuanian Navy was hoisted in the P15 during a ceremony in the presence of representatives of the Lithuanian Navy, its crew, and DALO representatives.



The Patrol Ships Division of the Lithuanian Navy is does patrolling in the territorial waters and exclusive economic zone of the Republic of Lithuania, detention of trespassers, convoy, search and rescue operations, and completes other tasks.



About the Flyvifisken-class ship P15 (Lithuanian Navy numeration):

Construction of the Flyvefisken-class patrol ship P15 began in 1988, it was commissioned into the Danish Navy on 1 November 1990 and called P552 Havkatten (Danish for lancet-fish).



Flyvefisken-class vessels were designed and built by Danyard A/S Olborge shipyard in Denmark from 1987 to 1996, 14 ships in total. The first of them were commissioned into the Danish Navy in 1989.



P15 characteristics

Class - Flyvefisken

Ship name - Havkatten P552

Built by Danyard A/S Olborge

Commissioned on 1 November 1990

Displacement - 450 t.

Length - 54m

Beam  9 m

Draught- 3 m

Crew - 20  30 depending on the role

Propulsion - 2 MTU diesel engines 5.440 hp

3 auxiliary engines

Maximum speed - 18 knots
A video created in honor of the National Park Services centennial will feature students from three Flagstaff schools singing a song written for the occasion called Childrens Earth Anthem.

Flagstaff Unified School District was chosen by the lyric writer for the song, Louise Phillips, to represent the Grand Canyon in the video. The completed video will feature children from schools around the country representing their nearby national parks.

In April, Phillips reached out to FUSD public relations coordinator Karin Eberhard, who reached out to Sechrist choir director Faun Nichols to spearhead the project.

If a project is going to happen at the elementary level in this city, you contact Faun, said Joe Rauschenbach, the choir director at Knoles who worked with Nichols to complete the video.

Nichols and Rauschenbach agreed to work together on the project, but once they listened to the piece, they realized it is a three-part piece that requires more mature voices than just elementary school kids.

Elementary school choirs can usually do two parts, Rauschenbach said. But the developing voice usually cant do a baritone. Other schools adapted the piece to have only alto and soprano, but with the richness of the piece, we wanted to have the baritone.

The two reached out to Stephanie Galloway, the choir director at Flagstaff High School, who was on board instantly" to work on the video.

We divvied up the parts, but we never rehearsed together until the day of the recording, Nichols said.

Finding a venue that could accommodate the group for the taping proved to be a challenge. Nichols said the group wanted to use the FHS auditorium, but it is still under construction after the ceiling caved in more than a year ago.

The three reached out to Linda Stamer, who works in the Music Education department at Northern Arizona University and directs the choir at Trinity Heights United Methodist Church. She reached out to the pastors, husband and wife Ron and Lynn Bartlow, who offered to let the group use the sanctuary for free.

Nichols said the Bartlows helped them move wall hangings in the church that would otherwise show up in the video.

Lynn was up on a 20-foot ladder moving decorations, Nichols said with a laugh.

Once they secured a venue, the group had to find a videographer willing to tape the performance.

Nichols had been interviewed by NAZ Today, Northern Arizona Universitys news station, the year before, so she reached out to the reporter she had met, and even though she had graduated, the reporter hooked the group up with videography staff and equipment from the university to film the students.

The first take could have been the final take, Nichols said. They really rose to the occasion.

Galloway, who Rauschenbach called the citys go-to accompanist, played piano in the performance, which was the first time the students performed together with a live pianist.

To collaborate on a piece and hear all the pieces of it come together, thats the essence of music anyway, Rauschenbach said.

Nichols said she was impressed at the students focus on the piece, which required over two hours of recording time.

Rauschenbach, who said he loves to hike and spend time at the Grand Canyon, saw the video as an opportunity to pay tribute to a place he loves.

Our purpose was helping students understand why we were doing this, he said. We wanted them to see the bigger purpose, for the Grand Canyon and for the National Park Service. This gave us a chance to give back in a meaningful way.

Rauschenbach said the canyon and other national parks are constantly under threat, due to development, overuse, pollution and other factors, and he said taking part in the video, which included scenic views of the canyon, gave the children a chance to do their part to protect it.

Nichols said she stressed to the students how special it is to be part of the centennial celebration, and said they will be able to tell their own children someday that they participated in the celebration.

I told them, This is a piece of your life you will have forever, Nichols said. I really want each child to think they have made a difference in the world, no matter how small.
Iran is optimistic OPEC can reach a deal on limiting oil supplies and plans to announce its own decision about any output curbs at the group's meeting next week, Iranian Oil Minister Bijan Zanganeh said on the ministry's official website SHANA."The proposal of Algerian Energy Minister (Nouredine Bouterfa) on the production of each country was presented today and carefully studied," Zanganeh was quoted as saying on Saturday after meeting Bouterfa in Tehran.Bouterfa said Algeria's proposals called for 1.1 million barrels per day (bpd) in cuts by OPEC members and decreases totalling 600,000 bpd by non-members, SHANA reported."If OPEC members ... agree, oil prices will reach $50 to $55 next year and $60 by the end of the year," Bouterfa was quoted as saying.The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries is moving closer toward finalising its first deal to limit oil output since 2008 but Iran has been a stumbling block because it wants exemptions as it tries to regain oil market share following the easing of Western sanctions in January."We are to present our views about this proposal at the ... Nov. 30 OPEC meeting," Zanganeh said. "The general trend and public statements suggest that OPEC can reach a viable agreement for its production and market management.""If we can agree, and I am optimistic, (oil) prices will increase and this is also what the world economy demands." REUTERS PS 2333 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0421-1040641.Xml
The decision of the Centre to cancel the legal tender notes of Rs. 500 and Rs. 1000 has taken its toll on 90 percent traders across India as they are experiencing a decline in their business ranging from 0-90 percent. As per a survey conducted by LocalCircles, approximately 16 percent traders across the country are experiencing sales declines in the range of 60-90 percent, which includes jewelers, furniture, sanitary-ware and traders dealing in other discretionary items. Approximately 28 percent traders are experiencing declines of 30-60 percent and those in this category include traders of automobile, computers, mobile phones, garments, etc. According to the poll, approximately 46 percent traders are experiencing sales declines in the range of 0-30 percent and these include general stores, prepaid recharge and those trading many other essential use items. In the survey conducted, around 8000 citizens were requested to visit their local market, speak to traders and small retailers and only then respond to the survey question. According to the poll, 46 percent traders are experiencing sales declines in the range of 0-30 percent and these include general stores, prepaid recharge and those trading many other essential use items. Per feedback from citizens, traders and small retailers are struggling for two primary reasons which are cash crunch and removal of black money from the system. Once the cash becomes available in the system most believe that 60-70 percent of the lost consumer demand and lost sales will come back. However the remaining 30-40 percent consumer demand which were the purchases from black money are permanently lost. Hence, their sales and earnings will now be lower in the short as well as medium term. In a related survey conducted by LocalCircles on consumer spending, approximately 20 percent consumers plan to spend less in the coming weeks due to uncertainty post demonetisation of the old currency. Another 30 percent consumers say they see themselves spending less in the coming weeks due to the limited availability of cash. 47 percent consumers said they plan to spend the same as pre demonetisation. (ANI)
Health tech startup Idea Bubbles has raised a Pre-Series A round of Rs. 4.5 crore led by the IvyCamp platform. Idea Bubbles was founded in 2014 by IIT Delhi-IIM Calcutta alumnus and serial entrepreneur Gururaj Potnis. It has developed 'Eureka Forbes Good Health' (EFGH) platform that enables doctors to offer patients tele-consultation services underpinned with several offerings such as digitized medical records. Idea Bubbles has over 12,000 patients and 600 doctors on its roster and has completed 1,000 transactions. This fund raise was facilitated by IvyCamp, a Unified Innovation and Entrepreneurship Platform, that leverages the Global Alumni Networks to help entrepreneurs become successful. Eureka Forbes was one of the key investors which participated in this round facilitated by IvyCamp. In addition to being an investor, Eureka Forbes will also contribute to the start-up in form of operational and strategic guidance. It will work with Idea Bubbles across their sales, distribution, operations and brand building functions. "Idea Bubbles is making on-demand tele-consultation with expert doctors mainstream under the brand Eureka Forbes Good Health (EFGH). IvyCamp helped us bring in Eureka Forbes as a strategic investor who is helping us build a differentiated healthtech story by enabling us to leverage the brand and the wide distribution reach of Eureka Forbes field force," said founder Idea Bubbles, Gururaj Potnis. "Eureka Forbes, as a leader in health and hygiene consumer products with over 10 million customers including 1.62 lakh doctors, sees big potential in the healthcare enablement sector. With India having a very low doctor-patient ratio, Eureka Forbes Good Health is a powerful and convenient enabler of family health services and health data management for individuals and also, all employers keen to improve their employee productivity," said CEO of Technology and Corporate Development Eureka Forbes, Dr. Raman Venkatesh. "Our success in aiding Idea Bubbles raise a significant round with support from eminent corporate such as Eureka Forbes reflects our dedication to expanding our expertise to disruptive business that will redefine the landscape," said Co-founder and President at IvyCamp, Anju Gupta. "The USP of IvyCamp is the cutting-edge skills of the investment team, and mentorship of the Global alumni networks from Institutes such as the IITs, IIMs, ISB, BITS, and many more which we expect will play a more active role - both as mentors and entrepreneurs - in the coming years," added Anju Gupta. (ANI)
The view from the steel bridge above Glen Canyon Dam floods the senses with contrast and color. Lake Powells brilliant blue is set against an endless desert landscape of browns. The Colorado River, a force with earth-shaping capacity, now flows lazily through the canyon it once carved. The dam splits Lake Powell from the course of the Colorado River, an immense slab of industrial gray cement wedged between staggering walls of red-orange sandstone. The scene is stunning and striking, a complex balance of man and nature.

Normally, Glen Canyon Dam harnesses the power of the Colorado River and sends energy across power lines to illuminate the Southwest. Known as an engineering wonder, the dam has enough concrete to pave a highway from Flagstaff to Chicago. With eight hydroelectric generators, it serves as an integral resource for millions of people. Yet, the dam has drastically altered the Colorado River, especially through Grand Canyon. One significant change is the amount of sand and mud the river carries, known as turbidity. The dam acts as a filter, and traps more than 90 percent of the rivers sediment in Lake Powell. This diminished turbidity affects the size and shape of sandbars and beaches downstream.

In an attempt to restore some natural flow to the Colorado River, high flow experiments are conducted from Glen Canyon Dam. Taking tips from Mother Nature, these experiments mimic natural floods that occurred before the construction of the dam. On Monday, November 7, one such experiment began, freeing a large quantity of water from Lake Powell reservoir over the span of five days.

During the controlled flood, the view from the steel bridge changes: the awakened Colorado River thrashes in the canyon below. Water flows through the hydroelectric generators and erupts from four river outlet tubes, with its roar reverberating off the canyon walls and mist sparkling under the warm November sun. Dazzling white due to immense pressure, 36,000 cubic feet of water bursts from the dam every second. This peak flow is four to six times greater than usual discharge, and lasted for 92 hours.

While the bridge offers an incredible view of the dam, canyon, river and reservoir, tours bring visitors inside the dam daily. From within the cold walls of the dam, the sound of rushing water is accompanied by the rhythm of generators turning at 150 rounds per minute. During the experiment, these generators still produce hydroelectric power, but less than usual. The Bureau of Reclamation says that all power demands will still be met.

The ground floor of the dam tour is at river level, and the 710-foot dam is even more impressive when viewed from the bottom. At this level, the sound of water overpowers all other noise, and wild emerald waves crash against concrete and sandstone. As floodwaters leave the dam and travel through Grand Canyon, sediment is picked up from tributary rivers and suspended in the tumultuous flow. The experiment is timed to follow an influx of sand from the Paria River, enabling the flood to redistribute it throughout the river corridor.

Downstream, the river corridor is cleansed: low vegetation is ripped from riverbanks, beaches are submerged, and sand is suspended and deposited. The flood affects campers and rafters through Grand Canyon. People recreating near or on the Colorado River were encouraged to be on alert, camp on high, stable beaches, and practice leave-no-trace ethics. On the other side of the dam, water level at Lake Powell has dropped more than three feet.

This flood is the latest release in a series of high flow experiments since 1996. Controlled floods have the potential to enlarge sandbars and beaches downstream of Glen Canyon Dam, which could provide ecological and recreational benefits. These benefits include: improving the habitat of native fish such as the endangered humpback chub, reducing erosion of archaeological sites, restoring vegetation, and increasing the size of beaches.

As the flood ramps down, the river returns to its usual controlled flow condition. The promising white blast from the outlet tubes subsides, and the buzzing of the generators recaptures the soundscape at Glen Canyon Dam. Scientists will continue to monitor Colorado River conditions in order to understand how this flow affects downstream ecosystem and resources, and to plan future floods. The Bureau of Reclamation says that the occurrence and intensity of future high flow experiments will depend on weather, sediment influx from tributaries, and other resource conditions.
To commemorate its tenth anniversary in India, Hard Rock Cafe teams with Bollywood celebs to empower underprivileged children to pursue their music dreams. Some of the celebrities have contributed to the charity auction slated for November 30. The brand will unfurl the spirit of rock and roll, with a legendary evening of cocktails, music and a charity 'Bid and Buy'. Music, Fiesta and Goodwill will set the mood for a thrilling anniversary celebration. Boasting of an impressive collection of pieces that make for a collectors' grab, the auction will feature a plethora of keepsakes from legendary artists like A.R Rahman, Shankar Mahadevan and Usha Uthup. While globally famed songstress, star and 'In My City' hitmaker Priyanka Chopra has elatedly donated her most treasured relic to the auction, bestselling musicians and bands of the 80's and 90's like A Sivamani, Euphoria and Parikrama have also enthusiastically participated in the same. Music stunners like Raghu Dixit and Sitarist Purbayan Chatterjee have robustly lent support to the noble cause. Commenting on the auction, Jay Singh, Co - Founder and Executive Director, JSM Corporation said, "We are truly delighted to contribute to music through the medium of music itself. Nothing beats doing something noble while having a little fun! As a brand that believes in giving back, we are glad to be gifting music to children who value it the most as it can truly make the world a better place! I am also grateful to all the stars and legends that have graciously lent support to the auction." Sharing his views on the auction, award winning vocalist and composer, Shankar Mahadevan said, "Firstly I would like to congratulate Hard Rock Cafe on its 10th year. The Harmonium I am giving away was bought many years back and Ustad Ghulam Ali Khan Sahab personally came along to the shop with me, selected it and played it there itself. It is one of the most memorable experiences of my life. This musical instrument holds special importance in my life and I feel extremely happy parting from it as it is going towards under privileged children. His blessings get passed on with it so it feels great!" Pop sensation, Usha Uthup, said "I am so happy to donate a little something of myself, to the l0th anniversary auction. It's a great feeling of pride for me to give away one of my favorite Kanjeevaram sari and one of my first vocal microphones for Hard Rock Cafe's 10th anniversary auction. It indeed feels wonderful to spread happiness & love through music. Here's wishing a happy 10 to Hard Rock Cafe lndia!" (ANI)
To the delight of its enormous user base, fashion social network Roposo is the social media partner for the soon-to-be-released movie 'Wajah Tum Ho,' presented by T-Series. As a part of the movie campaign, the platform is running an enthralling contest, and has designed stylish stickers for the film to boost the excitement before launch. Fashionistas and cinema lovers across the country will also be kept posted about the movie through regular updates and trivia on Roposo. Roposo's association with Wajah Tum Ho is an ideal match as the target audience for the film dovetails perfectly with the platform's young millennial user base. The much-anticipated Wajah Tum Ho is a unique murder mystery, directed by Vishal Pandya, featuring Sana Khan, Rajneesh Duggal and Gurmeet Choudhary. The adrenaline-pumping plot of the film - which is slated for release on December 2, 2016 - has many nail biting twists and turns, as the story revolves around a live murder committed on television. Commenting on the collaboration, Mayank Bhangadia, CEO and Co-founder said, "Roposo enjoys the position of being the ultimate destination for both fashionistas and celebrities to indulge in their passion for style. Roposo's expansive user base is defined by its style-consciousness and an appreciation for art. Our platform is a good match as the social media partner for Wajah Tum Ho, considering our young and liberal audience. We will be featuring a lot of interesting news and details about the production, in addition to joining users in following the talented stars of the film." Actress Sana Khan expressed her enthusiasm about the tie-up, "Wajah Tum Ho is a crime thriller, a film that gadget freaks would enjoy the most. It is definitely a new concept to be attempted in Bollywood. Considering the genre of the film and the target audience, Roposo fit best as the official social media partner. My association with Roposo has been amazing. The way the fashion social network has got us all hooked to its feed is commendable; it's the one stop shop for all our fashion queries. Stay tuned to Roposo for Wajah Tum Ho's style files." As India's most vibrant fashion social network, Roposo is committed to providing the best to its users, both in terms of products as well as the opportunity to connect with celebrities and other style enthusiasts in the country. It has moved another step ahead towards this goal, through its association with Wajah Tum Ho. (ANI)
The 33-year-old actress posted on her Facebook page, a picture of herself on the clean beach posing for the lens as she nails the perfect physique for a white mesh swimsuit.

"Maldives .... Harpers Bazaar Bride India shoot. 3 planes and a 12 hour journey later....we have reached," read the photo caption.

The 'Baar Baar Dekho' star appears to be as radiant as the scenic country with its clear waters and beauty.

Earlier in the day, Manish Malhotra also shared a picture with the star and captioned it as "#ShootTime #maldives #beautiful #KatrinaKaif .#MyFirstTime in #maldives #Exciting #SeaPlane #Journey #Experiences #SliceOfLife."

The 'Boom' star will be next seen in Anurag Basu's 'Jagga Jasoos' starring alongside her former flame Ranbir Kapoor. (ANI)
The 37-year-old actress took to her Instagram handle to post many pictures and updates from the mother-daughter duo's day out.

Holmes stepped into 'Dave & Buster's' for some holiday games with 10-year-old Cruise, who was ready to win.

"She beat me," Holmes captioned a picture of herself and Cruise facing off at an arcade game.

Previous posts showed the 'Pieces of April' star reuniting with her family and near ones for Turkey day.

"Great times @daveandbusters with my family #toledo #family #love #gratitude HAPPY THANKSGIVING!" she wrote on the social media site.

Even though Holmes and Cruise stay relatively out of the limelight, they do share parts of their daily lives with fans. The mother and daughter always look like two peas in a pod. (ANI)
During the meeting the Chief Minister apprised the visiting dignitary of the progress in the state and the initiatives that had been taken to improve the business environment.

"Excellent meeting with CM Akhilesh Yadav to discuss US/India relations and dynamic Uttar Pradesh," tweeted Richard Verma. UNI MKS PS ADG 2022

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Remembering him as an intellectual, historian and thinker, Gandhi prayed for eternal peace for the departed soul and also expressed her solidarity with family and friends of Padgaonkar in this hour of grief.

Padgaonkar passed away in Pune earlier in the day. He was 72 years old.

The veteran journalist was part of a three-member interlocutors' team that was chosen by the Centre in 2010 to hold a dialogue with all sections of the people in Jammu and Kashmir.

He began his career in journalism at the age of 24 and joined Times of India as its Paris correspondent after receiving a doctorate in humanities from the Sorbonne in June 1968.

He served as its editor for six years from 1988. From 1978 to 1986, he worked with UNESCO in Bangkok and Paris. (ANI)
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) today came down heavily on Rahul Gandhi for taunting Narendra Modi over his silence in Parliament on the government's demonetisation drive and alleged that the Congress vice-president being unserious about parliamentary proceedings courtesy his low attendance in the House has no right to question the Prime Minister. "Who is questioning, that MP whose attendance in Lok Sabha is 40 percent, while other MPs from UP have attendance of 90 percent. This shows how serious he is about the proceedings of the Parliament," BJP leader Anurag Thakur told ANI. Thakur said the Congress Party is just trying to portray that they are more concerned about the poor. "I challenge him to have a debate with me. I am ready to answer all his questions. Dealing with Prime Minister Modi is out of question right now," he said. Taking a jibe at Prime Minister Modi for not steering clear of the debate on demonetisation yet, the Congress vice-president earlier in the day said that he was waiting to see what "new emotion" will he express over the matter now as his expressions outside the Parliament exposes his nervousness. "He was earlier laughing and then he cried outside the Parliament, he should come in house and then we will see what new emotion he will show us here," Gandhi told the media outside Parliament. Defending the Centre over the demonetisation drive, Prime Minister Modi earlier in the day said the move had empowered the common man in the fight against black money, while taking a swing at the opposition and critics saying they were flustered as they were caught off guard. "Those criticising the demonetisation move don't have problem with government's preparedness; they have problem that they didn't get time to prepare," the Prime Minister said. "The common citizen of India has become a soldier against corruption and black money," he added while stressing on the need for India to move towards a cashless society. (ANI)
Soon after news of his passing was circulated, several people took to Twitter to express their condolences.

Union Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu tweeted, "Very saddened by passing away of dear friend, veteran journalist Dileep Padgaonkar. Condolences to the family. RIP @dpadgaonkar."

Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia tweeted, "Sad to know about the passing away of Dileep Padgaonkar, one of the most well known editors of our time. #RIP."

"My first editor Dileep Padgaonkar, a man of culture and intellect, someone who encouraged young talent, has passed away. RIP," India Today anchor Rajdeep Sardesai tweeted.

Times of India journalist Sagarika Ghose tweeted "Terribly saddened to hear that my first boss at @timesofindia and old friend Dileep Padgaonkar has passed away. RIP."

The veteran journalist was part of a three-member interlocutors' team that was chosen by the Centre in 2010 to hold a dialogue with all sections of the people in Jammu and Kashmir.

He began his career in journalism at the age of 24 and joined Times of India as its Paris correspondent after receiving a doctorate in humanities from the Sorbonne in June 1968.

He served as its editor for six years from 1988. From 1978 to 1986, he worked with UNESCO in Bangkok and Paris. (ANI)
Shiv Sena leader Arvind Sawant on Friday said that what former prime minister Dr. Manmohan Singh said in the Rajya Sabha regarding demonetisation must not be made political. "Manmohan Singh was the prime minister, he was also the governor of the RBI, I think what Dr. Manmohan Singh said yesterday should not be made political. If there is any chance of improvement on the demonetisation drive, then it should be done on a serious basis," Sawant told ANI. Saying that the party never asked for a roll back on the Centre's decision, Sawant said that Sena has always supported the idea of removing black money from the country. "Who doesn't want to remove black money from the country. But the kind of arrangement that the government was supposed to make, they didn't make, that is why the people are worried," he added. Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh termed in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday the demonetisation of Rs. 500 and Rs. 1,000 notes an "organised loot and legalised plunder." Dr. Singh said that while he didn't disagree with the objective of the government, a "monumental mismanagement has taken place." "Even supporters speak of the long run. Those who say demonetisation is good in the long run, should recall the quote: 'In the long run, we are all dead'," he said during the discussion on demonetisation. Alleging that more than 65 people have lost their lives courtesy the demonetisation drive, Dr. Singh yesterday described the Centre's decision as a case of monumental mismanagement and warned that it would reduce GDP by at least two percent and weaken economic growth. Dr. Singh asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to find a more practical and pragmatic solution to prevent this distress on the public. Meanwhile, Criticising the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) led-NDA government for poor implementation of the demonetisation of high-value currency notes, Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray asserted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi should have taken the views of his predecessor Dr. Manmohan Singh seriously as he is an eminent economist before implementing the scheme. Thackeray said there is no meaning in the Prime Minister getting emotional and shedding tears during his speeches, adding the latter should have instead made efforts to wipe out the tears of the general public. (ANI)
Taking a jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for not steering clear of the debate on demonetisation yet, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi on Friday said that he was waiting to see what "new emotion" will he express over the matter now as his expressions outside the Parliament exposes his nervousness. "He was earlier laughing and then he cried outside the Parliament, he should come in house and then we will see what new emotion he will show us here," Gandhi told the media outside Parliament. "The Prime Minister should come here; debate will take place things will get cleared. They are stopping the opposition from talking on this issue. Why is he so nervous?" he asked. Meanwhile, Congress leader Anand Sharma condemned the Prime Minister's allegation against the opposition and said that the latter is answerable to all in a democratic country as the nation has not chosen a 'dictator'. "He will not do any favour on us by discussing this topic. It is a parliamentary proceeding. The opposition is not appealing them to discuss it. It is our demand and the Prime Minister should understand this," Sharma told ANI. Defending the Centre over the demonetisation drive, Prime Minister Modi earlier in the day said the move had empowered the common man in the fight against black money, while taking a swing at the opposition and critics saying they were flustered as they were caught off guard. "Those criticising the demonetisation move don't have problem with government's preparedness; they have problem that they didn't get time to prepare," the Prime Minister said. "The common citizen of India has become a soldier against corruption and black money," he added while stressing on the need for India to move towards a cashless society. Following the uproar in the Parliament over this issue the Rajya Sabha witnessed two adjournments on the issue of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's remarks on black money in the pre-lunch session. While Lok Sabha has been adjourned till November 28. Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha, Ghulam Nabi Azad asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to tender an apology in Parliament over his baseless remarks accusing the opposition parties of favouring black money. Azad, who led the opposition charge, demanded that the proceedings must be suspended under Rule 267 to discuss demonetisation besides Prime Minister Modi's presence in the Upper House. "In today's book release function, the Prime Minister made some statements. He should apologise for that. The way he has made allegations that the opposition parties are in favour of black money, it is an insult to the Parliament and all the opposition parties. How can he make such allegations against us?" Azad told Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman P.J. Kurien. (ANI)
The deadlock in Parliament continues over demonetisation issue as both Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha witnessed repeated adjournments today.

As soon as the Lok Sabha met, Mallikarjun Kharge of Congress questioned the Prime Minister's reported remark that those criticising the demonetisation process do not have any problem with the preparedness, but have a problem that they did not have the time to prepare themselves.

Members belonging to other opposition parties including the Trinamool Congress, the Left, RJD and AIADMK trooped into the well of the House raising slogans against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and demonetisation.

Amid the din, Speaker Sumitra Mahajan first adjourned the House till noon. Earlier, the House took up Question Hour.

In the Rajya Sabha, as soon as the House met for the day, Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad raised the issue and said it is an insult to all opposition parties.

Professor Ram Gopal Yadav of the Samajwadi Party said that Prime Minister Modi has branded all opposition parties as dishonest.

Sharad Yadav of the JD(U) said that the Prime Minister had made a serious allegation.

Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said the opposition is coming with new excuses every time to run away from the discussion on demonetisation.

As the din continued, Deputy Charman Professor P.J. Kurien adjourned the proceeding till noon.(ANI)
Asserting that the Centre's survey on demonetisation is fake, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati on Friday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to dissolve the Lok Sabha and call for a referendum for fair results in this regard. Mayawati blamed Prime Minister Modi for the ongoing uproar in the Parliament and said that his absence is the reason behind both the houses not functioning in a smooth manner. "The Centre's survey showing people of the nation are in favour of demonetisation is fake. If the Prime Minister thinks that he is honest then he should dissolve the Parliament and conduct a referendum in this regard. The Parliament is not able to work because of the Prime Minister as the entire opposition is demanding his presence," said Mayawati. Prime Minister Narendra Modi earlier in the day defended the government's decision to demonetise 500 and 1000 rupee currency notes and said that some are angry on the initiative as they were not informed before the decision was considered. Speaking after releasing two books on Constitution in New Delhi, Prime Minister Modi said those who are criticizing the demonetisation move don't have problem with the government's preparedness, but they are having problems because they didn't get time to prepare for turning their black money into white. (ANI)
Hundreds of thousands of exotic birds such as mallards, greyleg geese, gadwalls, teals, shovelers, pochards and coots make their temporary nests in Ramnagar.

"This is the first stoppage point which is important for the migratory birds which arrive here. Migratory birds have started arriving here. Importantly, migratory birds fly from Siberia and Ladakh. More than 100 wetland birds have been reported here in the last few years," said Forest Conservator, Western Circle, Uttarakhand, Parag Madhukar Dhakate.

From early November onwards, these migratory birds keep arriving till December and return during the spring season.

"Generally there are water cormorant and grand cormorant. And now what I was shooting (photographing) is known as Surkhab (golden pheasant)," said bird watcher Amitabh.

The migratory birds begin their annual flight from Siberia, travel through Afghanistan and Central Asia and arrive here for the entire season.

Among the popular varieties of migratory birds visiting this wetland are large cormorant, bar-headed geese, northern pintail, reddish shelduck, golden pheasant among others.

Ramnagar is the gateway to Jim Corbett National Park, the oldest national park and a famous tourist destination in northern India.

With the onset of winter, the Siberian birds spread their wings to begin a journey spanning thousands of kilometers.

These birds from Siberia and Central Asia use wetlands as their transitory camps, which play a vital role in sustaining a large population of the breeding birds. (ANI)
On this day in 2008, 10 Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists came to Mumbai via sea route from Pakistan and carried out series of coordinated shooting and bombing attacks across the city.

The attacks lasted four days killing 166 people and injuring over 300.

Various events are being organised in Mumbai today to pay tribute to the victims of 26/11.

To pay tribute to the martyrs of 26/11 terror attacks, Public Concern for Governance Trust(PCGT) an NGO, in association with the National Centre for Performing Arts (NCPA), is organising an event, "Unity in diversity-together we remember 26/11", at NCPA's Jamshed Bhabha Theatre today.

On the eight anniversary of the terror attacks, Governor C H Vidyasagar Rao, will chair the performance by Symphony Orchestra of India, music and dance by arts division of Bharat Soka Gakkai, screening of short film titled Hum Sab Ek Hain, while students of Anjuman-I-Islam's Girls High School will present a patriotic song.

Union Power Minister Piyush Goel will also be paying tribute to the victims of the attack. Students of Mithibai College too have organised a peace march to commemorate the memory of the martyrs of the 26/11 attack.

Noted designer Archana Kocchar will be displaying her collection at a fashion show in Mumbai as a mark to pay tribute to the victims of 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks. (ANI)
In order to encourage online cash transactions, the government has decided to launch AP Purse Portal with 13 Wallets. Talking to media here last night, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu said the AP Purse Portal would be introduced within three days. He said four committees were constituted to monitor the currency crisis and find ways to solve the present crisis. Mr.Naidu said there was shortage of ePoS machines and steps would be taken to acquire maximum number of it. The Chief Minister said traders should introduce ePoS machines for cashless transactions and allayed the fears of taxation with online transactions. He said by December end, cashless transaction villages and by January 2017 cashless transaction districts should be declared. The Chief Minister said awareness programme would be conducted on mobile and online banking transactions today. He said social media would be used to bring awareness among people on mobile banking transactions and added a five member multi-disciplinary team would bring awareness among people on mobile banking transactions. Mr Naidu said that the bankers and mobile network providers should bring down service charges on mobile banking. He said measures would be taken on how to rationalise the mobile banking transactions.UNI DP CS 1023 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0275-1039385.Xml
Veteran actor Nana Patekar has said that Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar is his friend and recent media reports which suggested that he had backed former Goa RSS Chief Subhash Velingkar was false. Talking to reporters on the sidelines of ongoing 47th International Film Festival of India (IFFI), he said,''Manohar was a friend, when he was a nobody. He is still my friend and will be a friend tomorrow. If he does not like my film he can say Nana I did not like it. If I do not like his political decisions, I will tell him that in private not in public. It should not be done. Manohar is a close friend and I am proud of it. There are very few people in politics who are your friends and you are proud of them.'' Patekar denied that he had backed Mr Velingkar, who of late has become critical of Mr Parrikar. "I have not supported Velingkar sir... I called him and told him these are your internal issues, why discuss it in public. Solve them internally. That is all I told him," Patekar said. The senior actor said he was not interested in politics.UNI AKM NV SV 1227 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0169-1039440.Xml
Speaking to newsmen, Mr Siddaramaiah said that Schools andColleges were not declared holiday and government offices wouldfunction as usual.

"However, Congress party will support 'Akrosh Divas' and willhold programmes. The Opposition BJP and JD-S unnecessarilypoliticising the issue for political benefit, " he added.

The winter Session which is in progress at Suvarna Vikas Soudha,Belagavi, has been adjourned by both Legislative Assembly Speaker KB Koliwad and Council Chairman D H Shankaramurthy after the day'sproceedings yesterday to November 29 in view of 'Bharat Bandh' onNovember 28.

Meanwhile, JD(S) State President and former Chief Minister H DKumaraswamy, expressing his anguish over adjourning both the Housesto November 29, said that it should not have been adjourned because of Bharat bandh and his party is not supporting 'Akrosh Divas'.

Opposition Leader in the Legislative Assembly Jagadish Shettarhad also taken strong exception to calling off the Session onNovember 28. "It was done only to extend support to the Bandh bythe ruling Congress party against a bold step taken by PrimeMinister Narendra Modi to fight against black money menace which hasbecome rampant in the country" he claimed.UNI MSP CNR CS 1310

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The Jharkhand Pradesh Congress Committee would organise a statewide demonstration programme on November 28 to protest against the demonetisation drive of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. JPCC general secretary Lal Kishore Nath Shahdeo today said, as per the instructions of the AICC, JPCC president Sukhdeo Bhagat has directed to organise demonstrations at all the blocks and district headquarters of the state. The district unit presidents have been asked to make sure that the event is a success. He said, in Ranchi the demonstrations would be held by Mr Bhagat himself. On that day, a procession would be taken out from the state headquarters of the party at 1230hrs which would culminate at Albert Ekka Chowk and demonstrations would be held. UNI AK AKM 1452 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0213-1039721.Xml
The sleuths of Special Operation Team, Rachakonda have busted a fake Indian currency racket by arresting a six-member gang. Police seized fake Indian currency worth Rs 2,22,310 in the denomination of Rs 2000 (105), Rs 100 (102), Rs 50 (105), Rs 20 (117), Rs 10 (102), two colour xerox machines and Net cash Rs 50,000 from their possession. On credible information, police arrested Jamalapur Sainath of Ibrahimpatnam, Gotte Anjaiah of Venkatapur village in Sirisilla district, Sakethwala Ramesh of Ibrahimpatnam, Chikoti Satyanarayana of Peddur village in Sirisilla district, Kandikanti Sridhar Goud of Hayathnagar, Avadutha Vijay Kumar of Bharath nagar in Siddipet district. Kalyan of Siricilla and Srikanth of Nizamabad were absconding, police said. Sainath was the kingpin in this case. One of his friends Ganesh who was involved in a murder case and lodged in Cherlapally jail where he came into contact with Anjaiah who was under remand in the fake currency case of Atnura Police Station of Medak district. After his release when Ganesh met Babu and came to know that he was in need of money he told him about fake currency. Babu evinced interest in purchasing the fake currency and Ganesh gave him the details of Anjaiah. Babu went to Venkatapuram, but could not meet him. He managed to met Satyanarayana friend of Anjaiah who guided him to Srikanth of Nizamabad. Babu went to Nizamabad and met Srikanth and evinced interest in buying fake currency. Srikanth told him that he would pay 3 times of fake currency for every true currency received. Babu gave him Rs 2,90,000 and Srikanth assured him that he would keep the fake currency ready in a couple of days. Srikanth could not deliver the fake currency nor did he return the money to Babu. Later Babu along with his friend Ramesh approached Anjaiah on January 10, 2016 and gave him Rs one Lakh for fake currency, but Anjaiah wanted time for making the fake currency. When Babu told the same thing to Satyam. He told them that his friends Vijay Kumar and Kalyan can get the work done. So Babu along with Ramesh, Satyam, Vijay and Kalyan bought one colour Xerox machine in Secunderabad and took it to Sircilla and attempted to make fake currency, but they could not get it precisely. Hence Babu and Ramesh returned to Hyderabad along with the Xerox machine and kept it in the house of Ramesh. Meantime, Sridhar Goud who was also friend of Babu came to know about their plans and he told them that they can try to make fake currency on their own. So Babu, Ramesh and Sridhar bought another small Xerox machine in August 2016 and after many attempts they succeeded to print fake currency. Initially they printed less number of notes of small denomination and were successful in circulating them in the market, police said. With the demonetization of the Rs.500 and Rs 1000 rupee notes, the accused persons decided to print fake currency of small denomination and circulate in the market. After the release of the new Rs.2000 note, they successfully printed it and were waiting for an opportunity to circulate in the market. In the meantime, police raided the house of Ramesh at Ibrahimpatnam and arrested them, police added.UNI VV cs 1537 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0275-1039791.Xml
An all-party delegation meeting will be held on November 28 on the SYL canal issue, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal said here today. Addressing a press conference on International Gita Mahotsav which will be celebrated from December 6 to 10 in Kurukshetra, Mr Manohar Lal told reporters, "water is a national asset and every state has a responsibility to use it properly". "Haryana Government has taken various steps to curb corruption, more and more emphasis is given on transparency and strict action would be taken if any one found guilty," said the Chief Minister, when asked about AAP blaming several BJP ministers of buying land in Haryana and Punjab a day before demonetisation move was announced. In the golden jubilee year of Haryana, Gita jayanti will be celebrated at lock-level from December 3 to 5. Funds amounting to Rs 10-lakh would be allotted to each district and Rs 50,000 to each block for the celebration. The highlight of the mega event will be a four-day international seminar on Bhagavadgita, with participation of saints, sages, scholars, artists, crafts men and others from India and abroad. "Human development and moral education is as much important as other developments and education ministry should think on adding moral educational in schools curriculum," he added.UNI VS AKC AE SNU 1621 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0432-1039774.Xml
Senior Congress leader and former Union minister Jyotiraditya Scindia today said he was not against demonetisation but its mode of implementation. "If the scrapping of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 denomination notes helps to eradicate corruption and terrorism, then me and people definitely support it but I raise question about it," Mr Scindia, who is on three-day-visit to his parliamentary constituency, told media here. Mr Scindia said no country in the world had banned notes in the name of preventing black money and the situation made more grim with deaths of 75 people while they were on the queue before banks. To a query about the survey conducted through Narendra Modi App, the Congress leader said that survey should have been carried out with those people who stood in line for hours for changing their notes or depositing their money. Asked about the recent defeat of the Congress in Shahdol Lok Sabha bypoll, he said the BJP's margin of winning reduced but still it was not a matter of satisfaction. Earlier in the day, Mr Scindia met several farmers in many villages in his constituency and listened to their woes due to demonetisation. He also expressed concerned over the peasants' plight for not getting money for farming due to the prevailing situation.UNI XC-BDG SW AE 1810 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0044-1040034.Xml
Winner is the Property of M/s Five Stars Shipping Company Private Limited rep. by Mr and Mrs K N Dhunjibhoy and Mr and Mrs Z K Dhunjibhoy and Trained by Neil Darashah.

Trainer S Padmanabhan and David Allan scored a double each.Four favourites obliged punters in a long card of nine events.UNI HVB GM1731

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The state BJP unit today said that leaders from opposition parties were in search of 'kins' outside the state so that they could launder their black money. A day after two major constituents of grand alliance - JD (U) and Congress accused BJP here of purchasing land ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's announcement on demonetisation on November 8. Senior BJP leader and former minister Nand Kishore Yadav said that a fear psychosis and restlessness had gripped corrupt leaders of those parties in the aftermath of demonetisation. He made the statement against scam tainted leaders of RJD and Congress without naming them. He said those leaders were in search of 'kins' so that their black money could be laundered by them. Taking a dig at the Grand Alliance government for offering space to West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Baneree for her agitation against demonetisation here on November 30, Mr Yadav said it was intriguing how these leaders had taken to streets on demonetisation when they never cared for the interest of common people. He said that all corrupt politicians had ganged up with the same intention of protecting their black money and attacking the BJP led NDA government at the Centre by calling 'Bharat Bandh' on November 28 against demonetisation. Mr Yadav said that the Grand Alliance leaders were making irresponsible statements on demonetisation with the intention to divert the attention of common people from the alarming rise in the crime graph in the state. He said it was ridiculous to see a scam convict (RJD chief Lalu Prasad) was making baseless allegations against the BJP when he was enjoying power by joining hands with the 'mother of corruption', Congress. He asked how will the Opposition leaders who were shedding crocodile tears for the people who had lined up before the banks and ATMs for various transactions could mitigate their suffering by calling bandh against demonetisation. UNI DH AD -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0108-1040217.Xml
Incarcerated APSC chairman Rakesh Paul has been suspended from his position as per an order of Governor Banwarilal Purohit. Official sources said here today that the governor has approved the suspension of Paul yesterday, with immediate effect and until further order. The state government had earlier recommended to the governor that the suspension of Paul for his alleged role in cash-for-jobs scam of Assam Public Service Commission (APSC). Paul was arrested here on November 5 for his alleged role in the job racket. Another APSC member Dr Samedur Rahman and APSC deputy controller of examination Pabitra Kaibarta, among others, have also been arrested so far in the same case. UNI SG AD 1850 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0108-1040270.Xml
Dismissing the allegations of Opposition parties that demonetisation would affect the farmers, BJP President Amit Shah said that only Black money holders and Black marketers would be affected with the demonetisation and farmers would be benefitted. Addressing a farmer meeting here today, he said that the Opposition parties were 'blindly' opposing whatever initiatives taken by the Modi led government at the centre. He said the Centre had taken steps to synchronize all market yards through e-market to enable the farmer to sell his produce at best price. Alleging that the opposition YSR Congress Party and the Congress party have launched a false campaign against the BJP led Centre that it is not extending funds to AP, Mr Shah said that the Centre is committed for the development Andhra Pradesh. "AP will get more benefits with the Special Package. Tax incentives will also be extended for the establishment of industries under Special Package. The Centre is ready to extend Rs.22,000 crore revenue deficit to the AP and granted Rs.1.40 lakh crore for the development of Andhra Pradesh. The centre has also granted over Rs.16,000 crore for the construction of Polavaram project" he reminded. Speaking on the occasion, Union Information and Broadcasting Minister M Venkaiah Naidu described the demonetisation of higher value currency notes by Prime Minister Narendra Modi as "maha yagnam". The Prime Minister wanted to check the Black money and corruption. To do away the two evils, Mr Modi had initiated steps to revamp the financial system, he explained.MORE UNI DP CS 1912 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0275-1040336.Xml
Claiming that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has insulted the 125-crore countrymen by demonetising Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes and is now afraid of facing Parliament, AICC spokesperson Kapil Sibal today alleged that it was a breach of trust and a criminal offence by the Government. "Hume Acche din nahi, sacche din chaiyeh (We don't want acche din but only want that PM should speak the truth," he said while alleging that the PM was responsible for the entire economic mess and the pradhan chowkidar of the country has no courage to face Parliament and the masses. "Desh ka pradhan chowkidar aaram se neend soo raha hai aur garib apne pareshani mein jaag raha hai," he claimed. The banks had breached trust with their customers which attracts criminal offence, the lawyer said. Addressing a press conference here, Mr Sibal said, "Mr Modi is saying that with the decision of demonetisation the country has changed but we say that the country is burning after November 8". Claiming that the PM's decision of demonetising was more political than economic and it was aimed at the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, he said the economy has met with an accident and those who were injured are not able to get treatment. He further claimed that due to the Centre's move, the entire industrial and manufacturing sector have been affected with migrant labourers, besides wholesale and retail markets have come to standstill. The Congress leader said that 92-crore people in the country either do not have any bank account or have inactive account, who are facing problems. "Do these 92-crore people have black money. Currency us never black or white it is only the transactions which is black or white," he said. Claiming that the RBI needs at least 6 months time to replace all the old scrapped currencies, Mr Sibal quoting official statistics maintained that there was less than one percent of counterfeited currencies of Rs 500 and Rs 1000 in the market and the tall claim of Mr Modi of rampant fake currencies in circulation was just a fake one. Senior Congress leader and Rajya Sabha member Pramod Tiwari reiterated his statement, ''Mr Modi is the fourth dictator of world after Hitler, Mossoulini and Gadaffi.'' Meanwhile, UP Congress president Raj Babbar, who was also present in the press meet announced that the party will hold 'Akrosh Diwas' on November 28 in the country against demonetisation. "Mr Modi is speaking everywhere but not in Parliament which proves he us not honest," Mr Babbar said. UNI MB AE SNU 1842 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0432-1040140.Xml
Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar today met Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan at his official residence in Shyamla Hills area here. Mr Chouhan tweeted that Akshay along with film director R Balki met him this morning. According to sources, they met the Chief Minister in connection with shooting of their upcoming film at the state's Omkareshwar and Maheshwar areas, sources added.UNI SN-BDG SW SNU 1922 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0044-1040190.Xml
While no arrest has been made so far in this connection and the cash has been handed over to the Income Tax Department, police said.

Acting on a tip-off, a police team stopped a bike near a Mall in Dahisar area of city suburb late last night and on search found a packet containing Rs 20-lakh old notes in the glove box.

The 40-year-old Borivali resident is said to be employed with a shipping company. He has claimed that the cash was accounted, police said.

''Our role is limited to handing over the matter to Income Tax department which is empowered to ascertain the source of money, check its legitimacy and take subsequent action accordingly if the person is found guilty of evading tax or accumulating the cash by ill means,'' police added.UNI AAA SS SW SNU 1921

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CITU All India President A K Padmanabhan today flayed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for reducing the allocation of funds in various social welfare schemes. Addressing the 15th All India Conference of the CITU here, Mr Padmanabhan said Mr Modi had sacrificed the sovereignty of the country by accepting the conditions of the capitalist USA. He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi who promised to provide employment to two crore people was able to provide job to only to 1.5 lakh people. CITU General Secretary Tapas Sen accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi for allowing big corporate houses to loot the country while putting financial burden on common people. Mr Sen alleged that democratic organisations in the country were targeted at the behest of RSS. Even the farmers and workers were also not spared and called upon the working class not to tolerate the anarchy and raise their voice against the injustice. He called upon the working class to unite and fight for minimum wages and job security. Trade Union leader Janardan Pati alleged that Mr Modi has imposed an undeclared financial emergency in the country by demonetising the high value currency notes. The people, who deposited their hard earned money in the bank, were not being allowed to withdraw cash was highly an undemocratic act, he remarked.UNI BD DP AD2010 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0108-1040465.Xml
NCP national general secretary and party in-charge of Goa Praful Patel announced the name of the candidates in a hotel near the city yesterday.

According to the list, party state president Jose Philip D'Souza will contest from Vasco constituency while former chief minister Churchil Alemao from Benaulim constituency.

While sitting Zila Parishad member Nelly Rodrigue will contest from Cortalim constituency, Vincent Rodrigues and party's vice-president Devanand Naik would contest from Nuvem and Saligao constituencies respectively.

Mr Patel said the second list of candidates would be announced on December 4.

The list of the candidates was announced after Congress announced that it would contest the next assembly elections alone.

Mr D'Souza has been advocating forming a grand alliance of all the opposition parties on the linesof Bihar to defeat Bhartiaya Janata Party (BJP).

However, Congress did not pay any heed and All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary and Goa incharge Digvijay Singh announced that party would go alone and if somebody wanted to contest he could do so on the Congress symbol.UNI AKM SS SW

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Criminals shot dead a cloth merchant and injured another near Naya Chowk under Kanti police station area in the district today.Police said here that two motorcycle borne outlaws raided the shop of cloth merchant Arvind Kumar Albela and shot at him and also a land broker Manoj Sahni. Both of them were rushed to Sri Krishna Medical College and Hospital where the cloth merchant died during treatment. The reason behind the murder could not be ascertained immediately.A massive manhunt is on to nab the culprits.UNI XC DH AD2142 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0108-1040577.Xml
The State unit of BJP today held protest and burnt the effigy of National Conference President Farooq Abdullah's statement in relation with POJK here. Addressing the party activists, BJP leaders said, ''probably Dr Abdullah is deliberately raking up the settled issue in order to remain in news for his political survival''. He said that the then Maharaja, while signing the Instrument of Accession, had acceded the whole of Jammu and Kashmir under his control as part of Indian Union. The protestors said that father of Farooq Abdullah, Late Sheikh Mohd Abdullah, had endorsed the accession of J&K state with India and Dr Abdullah is even going against his own father. They said that if they have that much love for Pakistan, they should leave India, settle in Pakistan and contest elections there and run their political shops. They asked Dr Abdullah to "seek an apology from the nation and set the things right. "It looks that the leaders of National Conference have been so much demoralized and frustrated that they have lost their wit and giving such like irresponsible statements'', he added.UNI VBH PS 2136 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0421-1040567.Xml
Former Union Minister and National Conference president Dr Farooq Abdullah today said that resolution passed in the Indian Parliament on Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir that it is a part of India "hardly matters"."How does it matter? How many resolutions are there in United Nations to hold plebiscite in Kashmir? Had India accepted? How come this resolution matters,'' Dr Abdullah told a National news channel here tonight.On a question that on India's claim on PoK, is he not toeing a Pakistan line, the former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister replied, "Why I am toeing Pakistan line. Can you take that part of Kashmir? When they cannot take this part, we also cannot take that part.''On taunting India on PoK issue that 'Kya Yeh Unke Baap Ka Hai,' Dr Abdullah replied, "it cannot be taken. For 70 years you have not taken it. When you gonna take it now, why you blame Farooq Abdullah for that.''However, when asked that he seems to be acting as advocate for Pakistan, he said, "I am not a Pakistani. If those people who think I am a Pakistani, they should go to hell. They are the agents of Pakistan not me.''UNI VBH PS ADG 2230 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0421-1040602.Xml
Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu appealed the people to discourage 'polygamy' in the state, which is customarily practised here. Speaking during the Mrs Arunachal-2016 pageant organised by Ngurang Learning Institute (NLI), which was graced by Rajya Sabha MP MC Mary Kom here today, the Chief Minister said he personally do not favourpolygamy and wished to see the end of such practise in the state. The issue of polygamy came in the backdrop of discussion on applicability of Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in tribal state Arunachal with respect to women's right. This was highlighted in her earlier keynote address by noted women activist, Jarpum Ete. Also the majority contestants of the beauty pageant were women who have suffered due to polygamy and domestic violence. Khandu observed that women in tribal society of Arunachal normally held respectable position when compared to other societies from rest of India. He, however, said this could depend on communities, wherethey follow different customs. The CM said that in the interest of women and to give them equal status in society, assured to initiate dialogue with various women organisations to discuss on implementation of UCC in the state. Also he promised that budget for the coming financial year will be 'women-friendly', which will be prepared in consultation with various women organisations.Khandu said he wish to see the budget to promote women's empowerment and women's power. Further, the CM said the budget will also accommodate the interest of all tribal communities and community based organisations will be made to play important role in its preparation.Khandu thanked the organisers of the event and appreciated it as noble and unique initiative. In her key-note address, Ms Ete spoke on UCC and the differing opinions in its implementation. She also spoke on women's inheritance rights in tribal society, where today they are given only movableproperties as inheritance. Earlier in his welcome address, patron of Mrs Arunachal-2016, Ngurang Pinch appealed people to encourage women's inheritance right. UNI PB PS -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0421-1040614.Xml
Neighbours Ranu Pramanik and her son objected to the use of the music system on the second floor of the house at Gariahat Road till Friday-Saturday midnight.

However, both of them were physically assaulted by the party organisers.

"On getting this information police reached the spot and they physically assaulted the duty officer also."

The accused including three women were booked under section 341 of IPC, punishment for wrongful restraint; section 323, punishment for voluntarily causing hurt; section 332, voluntarily causing hurt to deter public servant from his duty; and section 506, punishment for criminal intimidation.

The police also registered a suo moto complaint under a number of sections of IPC.

--IANS ssp/lok

( 157 Words)

2016-11-27-00:48:11 (IANS)
The Green Party filed on Friday for a recount in Wisconsin, following reports of voting discrepancies, and were seeking a deeper investigation into the election results, which handed the state to Donald Trump two weeks ago. CNN quoted Wisconsin Green Party co-chairman George Martin as saying that they were seeking a "reconciliation of paper records" -- a request that would go one step further than a simple recount, spurring, he said, an investigation into the integrity of the state's voting system. "This is a process, a first step to examine whether our electoral democracy is working," Martin said. The announcement came as Green Party candidate Jill Stein's Thanksgiving fundraising blitz passed $5 million. The money is well beyond the $2 million mark the Green Party initially set, and Wisconsin party officials said that any additional money not used for the recount would be used to train Green Party candidates for local office. The goal as of Friday was to raise $7 million. "We don't know, and we think the forensic computer experts have raised serious questions. What we do know is that this was a hack-riddled election ... We know that there were attempts made broadly on state voter databases and we know that we have an election system that relies on a computer system that is wide open to hacks," Stein told CNN's John Berman on Thursday. "It's extremely vulnerable, Americans deserve to have confidence in our vote." Late Friday afternoon, the Wisconsin Elections Board said it had received the petition from Stein and the Green Party and "is preparing to move forward with a statewide recount of votes." "We have assembled an internal team to direct the recount, we have been in close consultation with our county clerk partners, and have arranged for legal representation by the Wisconsin Department of Justice," CNN quoted Wisconsin Elections Board Administrator Michael Haas as saying. "We plan to hold a teleconference meeting for county clerks next week and anticipate the recount will begin late in the week after the Stein campaign has paid the recount fee, which we are still calculating." Hacking experts alerted the Clinton campaign earlier this week it was possible, based on voter low turnouts in some counties with electronic voting, that voting systems might have been hacked. But nobody has presented any evidence yet that they were tampered with. A Hillary Clinton win in Wisconsin alone would not overturn Trump's lead -- it provides only 10 votes in the crucial electoral college that gave him victory in the November 8 election. Stein also wants recounts in Michigan -- where Trump leads Clinton by some 10,000 votes as the tabulation continues -- and Pennsylvania. Clinton's camp has remained silent on the recount initiative. The Trump campaign and his top advisers have dismissed the effort. Former Trump campaign manager Kellyanne Conway tweeted on Thanksgiving that their opponents were being sore losers. "Look who 'can't accept the election results' Hillary Clinton Supporters Call for Vote Recount in Battleground States," Conway wrote. --IANS lok/ ( 510 Words) 2016-11-26-04:16:12 (IANS)
"Media reports that Special Envoy de Mistura is resigning his post are not accurate. The Special Envoy remains fully engaged on his mission," the UN Office of the Special Envoy for Syria said Thursday evening.

Earlier on Thursday, media reports cited "diplomatic sources" as revealing that de Mistura had asked the UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, to relieve him of the Syria role for personal reasons, reports Xinhua.

Furthermore, media reports added that the UN Envoy was "disappointed" about the prospects of any progress in the political process in Syria in the near future, and he was "facing constant pressure."

De Mistura was appointed as UN Special Envoy for Syria in July 2014. His mandate will last to March 2017. (ANI)
The death toll is likely to rise as many have received severe injuries.

According to media reports, a spokesman for Iran's Red Crescent, Mostafa Mortazavi, has said that firefighters were trying to control the blaze caused after the collision.

State television aired footage of four derailed carriages, with two of them on fire

The crash occurred at the Haft-Khan station in the city of Shahroud, about 400 kms (250 miles) east of the capital Tehran.

The cause of the crash is being investigated.

A local official told state TV that the remote location of the crash had slowed rescue efforts. (ANI)
He made the remarks during a National Assembly session as the members raised concerns regarding India's attempt to isolate Pakistan, reports the Express Tribune.

Aziz announced that Pakistan was willing to hold talks with India, however, it would only do so if Kashmir was included in the agenda. Referring to Indian allegations regarding ceasefire violations on the Line of Control (LoC) Aziz said, "Pakistan has never attacked civilians along the LoC."

"Pakistan will continue to support Kashmiris in their fight for the right of self determination morally, as well as diplomatically," Aziz added. (ANI)
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday threatened to throw open the country's borders to illegal migrants after the European Parliament voted to back a freeze in membership talks with Ankara for entry in the bloc. "Listen to me. If you go any further, then the frontiers will be opened, bear that in mind," Erdogan told the European Union (EU) in a speech in Istanbul. On March 18, Ankara and Brussels forged a deal for Turkey to halt the flow of migrants to Europe, where the former agreed to step up maritime and land border controls in exchange for incentives on its long-stalled membership bid, including visa-free travel for its citizens and an acceleration of accession talks, reports the Times of Israel. The accord has largely been successful in reducing immigrants crossing the Aegean Sea between Turkey and Greece. However, with an October target passing and no apparent progress on the visa issue and accession talks too stalled, Ankara has stepped up accusations that Brussels was not keeping its promises. The latest setback was the vote on Thursday by the European Parliament to freeze membership talks, a move prompted by alarm over Turkey's crackdown after an attempted military coup. The resolution is, however, non-binding and has not been backed by the European Commission or almost any member states. Erdogan said the EU had cried out for help in 2015, as tens of thousands of migrants massed at the border crossing with EU member Bulgaria. Around one million migrants from poverty-stricken countries and refugees from wars crossed into Europe in 2015, raising fears of a social crisis in the EU. (ANI)
Arctic scientists have warned that the rapid melting of the ice cap risks triggering 19 "tipping points" in the region that could have disastrous consequences around the globe. The Arctic Resilience Report found that the effects of Arctic warming could be felt as far away as the Indian Ocean. Temperatures in the Arctic are currently about 20C above what would be expected for the time of year, which scientists describe as "off the charts". Sea ice is at the lowest extent ever recorded for the time of year, the Guardian reports. "The warning signals are getting louder. These developments also make the potential for triggering [tipping points] and feedback loops much larger," said Marcus Carson of the Stockholm Environment Institute and one of the lead authors of the report. The research, compiled by 11 organisations including the Arctic Council and six universities, comes at a critical time, not only because of the current Arctic temperature rises but in political terms. Aides to the US president-elect, Donald Trump, this week unveiled plans to remove the budget for climate change science currently used by Nasa and other US federal agencies for projects such as examining Arctic changes, and to spend it instead on space exploration. "That would be a huge mistake. It would be like ripping out the aeroplane's cockpit instruments while you are in mid-flight. These are very serious problems, very serious changes are happening, but they are still poorly understood. We need more research to understand them. A lot of the major science is done by the US." Carson said. The authors of the reports also warned that people living in and near the Arctic would be badly affected, and called for communities to be provided with equipment and skills to survive. (ANI)
The Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) has reduced the exchange limit of Indian to Rs.2000 from Rs.5000 after India introduced new bank notes of Rs.500 and Rs.2000. On Thursday, the NRB also requested the public not to use newly introduced currency notes of Rs.500 and Rs.2000, terming it "illegal", and added that any ratification of bank notes has to be done as per the Foreign Exchange Management Act. The NRB has written a letter to the RBI to faciliate Nepal with the new bank notes. After Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared old bank notes of Rs.500 and Rs.1000 as illegal tender, Nepal has stopped the exchange of Indian bank notes exceeding Rs.100. Nepal has also sent the letter to the RBI regarding the matter. It is estimated that 21.9 per cent of Nepal's Rs.1039.21 billion foreign exchange reserve is in Indian currency. The NRB also have formed an committee to recommend to the Indian government about the procedures to be adopted for the exchange of Indian currency. "At the moment, we are in touch, our governor is in touch with the governor of the Reserve Bank of India. We have constituted a working group to recommend to Indian government what could be the procedures for exchanging Indian currency of 500 and 1000 rupees after the Indian Government gives us the approval. So far, we already have sent the modalities and the documents which could be required to exchange these currency," Director and Deputy spokesperson of the NRB Rajendra Pandit said. The Rs.500 and Rs.1000 Indian bank notes which were banned in Nepal till 2015 was lifted one-and-a-half years ago after lifting the ban on Nepalis carrying upto Rs.25,000 in Indian currency for general use. With the declaration of demonetisation in India, Nepali banks have also stopped accepting Indian currency temporarily. (ANI)
The area where the shocking discovery was made was a place where rival drug gangs have been engaged in a wave of extortion, kidnappings and turf battles. Drug gangs frequently decapitate their victims, the Guardian reports.

Soldiers and police found the graves at an outlaw camp in Guerrero state after receiving a tip that people were being held at the site located near a mountain in the municipality of Zitlala.

They said they rescued a kidnap victim and discovered 12 bodies and human remains in coolers.

Later, officials declared that further excavations of the site had found a total of 32 bodies and nine human heads.

Residents of the community of Tixtla, Guerrero found nine decapitated bodies on Monday along a highway. Prosecutors are looking into whether the nine heads found in Zitlala correspond to these bodies.

Guerrero has seen an upsurge in gang-related violence. The government announced on Monday that it is stepping up the use of joint police-army patrols in areas known to be particularly violent. (ANI)
A total of nearly 250,000 Pakistanis were deported from various countries during 2012-2015, especially in United Kingdom where about 9,778 Pakistanis were deported in the span of three years. A report quoting statistics issued by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has revealed that the Labour Migration from Pakistan: 2015 Status Report" showed that a total of 242,817 Pakistanis were deported over the time period, according to the FIA's deportation statistics. The year with the highest number of Pakistani deportees is 2014 with 73,064 deportees, whereas 2010 has the smallest number at 46,032, the Nation reports. Most of the individuals deported from Saudi Arabia and the UAE were job seekers and businessmen. Deportations from Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries are mainly linked to security-related issues, the report claimed. From 2005-06 to 2014-15, around 932,051 migrant workers were stranded in destination countries due to lack of proper documentation and thus deported. The largest number of stranded Pakistanis at 882,887 was deported from Jeddah, followed by Doha and Qatar at 4,200. Around 14,628 migrant workers were detained in jails in destination countries during the said period. Deportation between 2012-15: . Saudi Arabia: 131,643 . United Arab Emirates: 32,458 . Iran: 28,684 . Oman: 17,248 . Greece: 14,145 . Britain: 9,778 . Malaysia: 8,861 The report emphasised that around 513,231 individuals were deported from different countries from 2007 to June 2015, which suggested an upward trend over time which was likely of an indication of an increase in the human trafficking and smuggling of migrants. A United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) study has found that the majority of irregular migration involved migrants originating from Punjab, especially from, Gujranwala, MandiBahauddin, Dera Ghazi Khan, Multan and Sialkot. (ANI)
The son of a wealthy landowner, Fidel Castro turned his back on a life of privilege to lead a left-wing revolution in Cuba that endured for decades and was shaped by his political cunning, keen sense of destiny and boundless ego. Castro, who has died at the age of 90, was at once idealistic and pragmatic, sharply intelligent and reckless, charismatic and intolerant. Critics saw in him a stubborn bully who violated human rights, jailed his critics, banned opposition parties and wrecked Cuba''s economy.Admirers saw a visionary who stood up to US domination of Latin America, brought healthcare and education to the poor, and inspired socialist movements across the world. Even before leading the 1959 revolution that propelled Cuba toward communism and onto the Cold War stage, Castro saw greatness in himself. From an early age, he admired history''s boldest figures, particularly Alexander the Great, and believed he and his rebels were part of that tradition."Men do not shape destiny. Destiny produces the man for the moment," he said in 1959. Castro toppled the unpopular US-backed dictator Fulgencio Batista by uniting a disparate opposition and outsmarting a bigger, better-equipped Cuban military. His alliance with the Soviet Union put him at the center of the Cold War, most notably when the 1962 Cuban missile crisis took the world to the brink of nuclear war. He was a global celebrity, his beard, military fatigues and big Cuban cigars making him instantly recognizable. He owed his prominence in part to geography. Looking to bolster an ally just 90 miles (140 km) from Florida, Moscow helped him build socialism by giving him billions of dollars worth of aid and favorable trade, from oil to tractor parts. But Castro also mined Cuban nationalism and Latin American pride, stirring resentment of US power and influence. He managed to preserve his revolution despite constant US hostility even when Cuba reeled from the collapse of the Soviet Union in the early 1990s, showing the vigor of a man who intended to die in office. Instead, almost killed by a serious intestinal illness, he was forced to step aside in 2006 and he formally handed over to his younger brother, Raul Castro, in 2008. In his final years, Castro wrote opinion columns for Cuba''s state media but was rarely seen. His famously long speeches gave way to silence, at least in public, and comfortable track suits replaced the stiff black boots and crisp military attire. On December 17, 2014, Raul Castro cut a deal to restore diplomatic ties with the United States. Six weeks later, Fidel Castro offered only lukewarm support, raising questions about whether he approved of ending hostilities with his longtime enemy. PERMANENT STRUGGLE Known by the militaristic title of "El Comandante," in some ways Castro was always replaying the exhilaration of revolt, exhorting Cubans to fight one battle after another, from confronting US hostility to boosting potato production. He survived numerous assassination attempts and outlasted nine US presidents in power, seizing control of Cuba while Dwight Eisenhower occupied the White House and stepping down during George W. Bush''s second term. Throughout, Castro lectured Cubans.A magnificent orator who instinctively altered his cadence to fit the moment, he re-trod history and delved deep into detail about Cuban independence heroes, plans to "perfect" the revolution and the declared evils of U.S. imperialism. Tall and physically commanding, fastidious in his attire, he often built to a crescendo of indignation, gesturing firmly with long-fingered, well-manicured hands. "We shall endeavor to be brief," he told the United Nations General Assembly in 1960, then set a record for UN speeches by talking for nearly 4-1/2 hours. Castro never allowed statues of him to be erected or streets to be named after him, saying he did not want a cult of personality. Nevertheless, the cult was everywhere. His image and words were posted on billboards and his name was invoked at every public event.Most Cubans, whether for or against him, refer to him simply as "Fidel." He was a night owl. He would keep foreign guests waiting until late at night and then summon them for talks. Even his critics would sometimes find themselves oddly charmed by such encounters.Tad Szulc, a biographer, called him "Cuba''s great master of political seduction." EARLY YEARS Born on Aug. 13, 1926, Castro grew up as a privileged son on his father''s plantation in the eastern village of Biran, where his playmates were children of impoverished workers living in thatched huts with dirt floors. He said the economic injustice he witnessed there inspired a life-long sympathy for the poor. He attended the Jesuit-run Belen School in the capital and then studied law at the University of Havana, plunging into the violent politics of the time and starting his drift leftward. Long-winded, intolerant and - unusually for a Cuban - awkward on the dance floor, he was not embraced by his fellow students at first but eventually emerged as a leader. He took part in an aborted 1947 plan to overthrow Dominican Republic dictator Rafael Leonidas Trujillo and was at a youth conference in Colombia when riots broke out and some 2,000 people died. After law school, he decided to run for Congress in 1952. When Batista staged a coup and halted the elections, Castro began plotting armed rebellion. In 1953, he led a raid on the Moncada barracks in the eastern city of Santiago de Cuba. Dozens of followers died and he, Raul Castro and others were captured and imprisoned. "History will absolve me," he declared at his trial.Pardoned in 1955, he went into exile in Mexico where he met Argentine revolutionary Ernesto "Che" Guevara. Together with Raul, they trained a rebel band that in 1956 returned to Cuba aboard an overcrowded yacht called Granma. Ambushed at landing by government troops, only 12 of the 82 rebels on board made it to the rugged Sierra Maestra mountains. Castro denied Batista''s claims that he was a communist but decades later he told Spanish journalist Ignacio Ramonet in a book "100 hours with Fidel" that by 1952, "I was already a convinced Marxist-Leninist." Whatever the evolution of his views on communism, he was determined to throw off American influence in Cuba. When US-supplied aircraft bombed his rebels in 1958, he vowed revenge. "I have sworn that the Americans will pay very dearly for what they are doing," he said in a letter to close friend and aide Celia Sanchez. "When this war has ended, a much bigger and greater war will start for me, a war I shall launch against them. I realize that this will be my true destiny." US ENEMY Washington viewed him as a potential enemy even before his rebel army forced Batista to flee Cuba on New Year''s Day, 1959. It took just two years for the relationship to unravel as Castro nationalized swathes of the economy and introduced a broad agrarian reform. Thousands escaped the island, starting what became a bitter bulwark of opposition in Florida. In April 1961, when his military crushed a CIA-backed invasion by Cuban exiles at the Bay of Pigs, he declared Cuba socialist and allied himself with the Soviet Union. Moscow put nuclear missiles on the island in 1962, touching off a 13-day superpower showdown known as the Cuban missile crisis. In an October 26 cable to Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev, Castro seemed convinced the Americans would invade Cuba and suggested the Soviets "eliminate this danger" with an act of "legitimate self defense." Khrushchev felt Castro was advocating a pre-emptive nuclear strike and rejected it, telling him he was satisfied with US President John F. Kennedy''s pledge not to invade. The Soviets withdrew the missiles and Washington secretly agreed to remove its nuclear missiles from Turkey, ending the crisis. The United States imposed its trade embargo on Cuba in 1962 and the CIA admitted trying to kill Castro in the early years of his rule.Plots or plot ideas included trying to get Castro to smoke a poisoned cigar and taking advantage of his love of diving with an exploding seashell, or poisoning a diving suit. Castro reveled in his status as an elusive target."I''m really happy to reach 80. I never expected it, not least having a neighbor - the greatest power in the world - trying to kill me every day," he said at a 2006 summit in Argentina, where crowds greeted him like a rock star. While the embargo was economically devastating, it allowed Castro to shift blame for chronic economic problems away from the system he built and onto the United States. He cast the fight as a David and Goliath story.Philip Bonsal, US ambassador to Cuba in 1959, later described Castro as a "phenomenally gifted, erratic and unscrupulous autocrat who ''freed his country from American imperialism'' only to reduce it to a satellite of Moscow." REVOLUTION In a country that was prosperous by Latin American standards but riven by inequality and illiteracy and with an unsavory reputation as a brothel and gambling-rich playground for Americans, Castro sought to build a socialist society. His government trained thousands of doctors and provided free schooling, changes that have endured well into the 21st century, even as the state''s role in the economy was reduced in recent years. Those gains came at considerable cost to personal freedoms. Dissent was stifled in a one-party state with no free press, and the state''s long arm reached deep into Cuban lives. Throughout, Castro was a mentor to left-wing leaders and a friend to intellectuals such as Nobel laureate Gabriel Garcia Marquez, although others abandoned him in horror. He helped Marxist guerrillas and revolutionary governments around the world, sending troops to Angola in the 1970s to support a left-wing government over the initial objections of Moscow. Cuba helped defeat South African insurgents in Angola and win Namibia''s independence from South Africa in 1990, adding pressure on the apartheid regime. After Nelson Mandela was freed from prison in 1990, he repeatedly thanked Castro. The Cuban leader was also a hero to Sandinista rebels who took power in Nicaragua in 1979. COMMUNIST OUTPOST After the Soviet bloc collapsed in 1991, it seemed Castro''s communist rule would not survive. Cubans endured prolonged power cuts and shortages of food and basics such as soap. Ever stubborn, Castro implored them to endure the "special period" for the sake of the revolution. He undertook some reforms, allowing foreign investment and mass tourism from Canada and Europe, and tapping exile dollars by allowing Cubans more contact with their relatives abroad. He also let the most disgruntled leave in a chaotic exodus of makeshift boats that forced US President Bill Clinton to agree to more orderly migration. Castro was quick to see a potential ally in late Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez and courted him well before he won power. When Chavez took office in 1998, Castro had a new source of cheap oil, providing a huge boost to Cuba''s economy. Little was known about Castro''s personal life but even among his critics, few accused him of using power for personal gain. His tastes tended toward the ascetic. He lived in a compound in western Havana and had nine children with five women including five sons with his common-law wife Dalia Soto del Valle, who lived with Castro at the end. His eldest son Fidel Castro Diaz-Balart is a Soviet-trained nuclear scientist from the Cuban leader''s only acknowledged marriage. Daughter Alina Fernandez, whose mother was a Havana socialite who Castro had an affair with while underground in the 1950s, escaped from Cuba disguised as a tourist in 1993 and is a vocal critic of her father. In one of two documentaries about him, US director Oliver Stone suggested to Castro that he was a "caudillo," or Latin American strongman. Castro, who always prickled at suggestions of cruelty, rejected the term. "I am a kind of spiritual leader," he said.REUTERS PY PM1222 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0298-1039491.Xml
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu visited Iran today and met President Hassan Rouhani, Iranian state media reported, in rare previously announced talks between the regional rivals.Cavusoglu was also due to meet his Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif during the visit, the official news agency IRNA reported."Despite (their differences), the two countries' officials are looking for solutions and seeking to draw closer their points of views, especially on Iraq and Syria," IRNA reported, without giving details of the talks.Iran, a Shi'ite Muslim nation, is a main ally of President Bashar al-Assad in Syria's civil war, while Sunni-majority Turkey has been one of his fiercest critics and has supported his opponents.Iran has joined Iraq in criticising the Turkish military presence in northern Iraq, which Ankara has said is at the invitation of a Kurdish regional government.Relations between the two neighbours appear to have improved after Iran supported the government of Turkey against a failed military coup in July. REUTERS AKC PR1425 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0432-1039681.Xml
Hundreds of thousands rallied in central Seoul today for a fifth week of protests against President Park Geun-hye, in the largest ongoing series of demonstrations in the country since the 1987 movement to democratise South Korea.Park's presidency has been rocked by allegations that a close friend used her ties to the leader to meddle in state affairs and wield improper influence. Prosecutors investigating the case have indicted her friend, Choi Soon-sil, and are seeking to question the president about her role in the scandal.Organisers said 800,000 people had gathered early today evening and expected a total of 1.5 million people to join by the end of the night. Police declined to give an estimate of the crowd size but said 25,000 personnel had been dispatched to police the protest.The protests, now in their fifth week, have remained peaceful and marked by huge candle-lit rallies where activists and rock bands have entertained a diverse crowd of students, office workers, and young families."I was watching the news and thought this cannot go on - people really want her to step down but she hasn't," said 45-year-old Kwak Bo-youn, one of the protesters."This is the second time for me to the protests, but the first time for my husband and kids".Earlier in the day, a large group of demonstrators marched to within 200 metres of the presidential palace, where Park resides, but a court appeal to allow protesters to remain there after dark was rejected.LOW SUPPORTChoi Soon-sil and a former aide to Park have been indicted by prosecutors on charges of colluding with the president to pressure big business to contribute funds to two foundations controlled by Choi.Park, whose five-year term ends in February 2018, has apologised twice over the affair but is resisting calls for her resignation. Opposition parties are canvassing for support to impeach her.Her approval ratings slipped one percentage point yesterday after hovering at just 5 per cent for three consecutive weeks. Her disapproval rating rose three percentage points to 93 per cent, according to a poll by Gallup Korea, which is not affiliated with the US-based Gallup, Inc.Park Geun-hye's popularity and election as president in 2012 stemmed in part from the symbolic connection to her father who ruled South Korea for 18 years until he was assassinated by his spy chief in 1979. Many, especially the elderly, credit Park's father with the rapid development of Korea.However, only 9 per cent of people aged over 60 said Park was doing well, according to the Gallup Korea survey.Her support is lowest amongst young people. Ninety-nine percent of 19-29 year-olds and 98 per cent of people in their thirties disapproved of Park, according to Gallup Korea.Fears of policy-making paralysis prompted by the political crisis has also dealt a blow to consumer confidence, which fell to its lowest in more than seven years in November, South Korea's central bank said. REUTERS AKC VP1603 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0432-1039807.Xml
A suspected car bomb killed at least three people when it exploded at a police checkpoint next to a market in the Somali capital Mogadishu today, police and witnesses said."The blast scene was at a police checkpoint near the vegetable market in Waberi district," Major Mohamed Hussein, a police officer, told Reuters, adding that the dead included police and civilian casualties. He said 10 more people were wounded.The Somali Islamist group al Shabaab often carries out such attacks in the capital, although there was no immediate claim of responsibility by the group which wants to topple the Western-backed government and impose its strict interpretation of Islam. REUTERS AKC VP1602 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0432-1039824.Xml
Turkish warplanes destroyed 12 Islamic State targets while one Turkish soldier was killed in a clash with militants during an offensive in northern Syria, Turkey's military said today.Turkey and Syrian rebels are carrying out an operation to push the jihadists from the border after an air strike on Thursday killed three Turkish soldiers. The Turkish military believes the strike was carried out by the Syrian air force.President Tayyip Erdogan discussed that attack with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin yesterday. Russia is Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's main military backer, while Turkey backs the rebels fighting to oust him.The latest Turkish air strikes and clash occurred over the last 24 hours in a Turkey-backed operation by Syrian rebels, dubbed Euphrates Shield, to drive both the jihadists and a Kurdish militia away from the Syrian side of the Turkish border.The Turkish solder was killed in a clash as Syrian rebels gained control of northern Syria's Anifah district, the armed forces said in a daily statement on the operation.State-run Anadolu agency said three Turkish soldiers were also wounded in the clash. The death toll of Turkish soldiers in the Euphrates Shield operation, launched on August 24, is 18.The killing of the Turkish soldiers on Thursday - the first anniversary of Turkey's downing of a Russian jet over Syria - raised fears of an escalation in an already complex battlefield.Ankara and Moscow only restored ties, which had been damaged by the jet incident, in August. While they continue to pursue conflicting goals in Syria, Turkey has of late been less openly critical of Assad than in the past. REUTERS AKC AS1626 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0432-1039891.Xml
Archived Results for Saturday, November 26th, 2016

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South Sudan's government has said it is ready to accept the deployment of a UN regional protection force at any time, after fighting in the capital in July threatened to plunge the nation back into a full-scale civil war.South Sudan has been under international pressure to accept the force, which will help the existing UN mission UNMISS stabilise the five-year-old nation, where civil conflict erupted in December 2013 and a peace deal in 2015 failed to stick.President Salva Kiir consented in principle to the protection force in September, but officials said at the time that details still needed to be worked out.Deputy Information Minister Akol Paul Kordit told Reuters the cabinet agreed on outstanding issues in a ministerial meeting yesterday, although he did not list the specifics.One expert who has been following the process said the outstanding matters to be resolved were the nationality and number of soldiers, type of weaponry and precise role of the new force, which will strengthen the existing UN mission UNMISS."We have agreed without precondition because the resolution is clear and we want the country to move forward," he said by telephone. "So our committee is going to finalise the deployment process."After deadly violence in Juba in mid-July between Kiir's troops and soldiers backing his rival Riek Machar, the Security Council authorized a 4,000-strong regional protection force to join the 12,000-strong UNMISS force.The Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (JMEC), a body of international officials and experts set up in 2015 to monitor the shaky peace deal, welcomed the cabinet's decision and said the deployment could start with "immediate effect".Citing South Sudanese Cabinet Affairs Minister Lomuro Minister, JMEC said "all outstanding issues" related to the deployment had been resolved with the United Nations.South Sudan, a small oil producer that remains one of the world's poorest nations, gained independence from Sudan in 2011. But its slide into conflict has left many of the nation's 11 million people struggling to find enough food. REUTERS AKC AS1626 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0432-1039894.Xml
The Prime Minister has finalised the selection of two senior army officers as Chief of Army Staff (COAS) and Chairman Joint Chief of Staff Committee (CJCSC), Dawn News today reported without quoting any source.

Lt Gen Bajwa, who is currently serving as Inspector General of the Training and Evaluation and Lt Gen Hayat will assume the charge on Tuesday after the the current army chief Raheel Sharif retires.

Both the officers will be promoted to the rank of four-star generals.

Lt Gen Bajwa has served with a UN mission in Congo as a brigade commander alongside former Indian army chief Gen Bikram Singh, who was also there as a division commander.

There were intense speculation over the successor of the present chief, specially in the wake of surgical strikes carried out by the Indian Army followed by surge in cross border firing, which was keeping the Line of Control on the boil.

"Others in contention for the post of army chief were Bahawalpur Corps Commander Lt Gen Javed Iqbal Ramday and Multan Corps Commander Lt Gen Ishfaq Nadeem, " the report said. UNI MK AE SNU 1834

-- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0090-1040216.Xml
The provincial police commandment said the operations were jointly conducted in Pacher Agam district, leaving at least five militants dead, including two Pakistani loyalists of ISIS terrorist group, reports the Khaama Press.

Local security officials said that Pakistani identity cards, several weapons, including rocket launchers and machine guns were recovered area.

The Ministry of Interior (MoI) also confirmed that the operations were launched in Pacher Agam to clean the district from the militant presence.

"Afghan National Defense and Security Forces launched a joint clearance operation in the Pachiragam district of eastern Nangarhar province," said a MoI statement.

The statement added, "As a result of this joint operation, five Daesh terrorists were killed and four other Daesh terrorists were wounded." (ANI)
Russian President Vladimir Putin has condoled the death of Cuban revolutionary leader Fidel Castro."The name of this outstanding statesman is rightfully considered to be a symbol of an entire era in contemporary world history," Mr Putin said in a message of condolence to Cuban President Raul Castro and the Cuban people. "The free and independent Cuba that was built by him became an influential member of the international community, and has served as an inspiring example for many countries and peoples," he said.In his condolence message, Mr Putin stressed that Fidel Castro made a huge contribution to the development of Russian-Cuban relations, and to strategic cooperation between the two countries in all areas. Castro was "a sincere and reliable friend of Russia," he said.Russian Prime Minister Dmitri Medvedev also offered his condolences, saying that Castro was not just a politician and a leader, but a remarkable person."The friendly, allied relations between our country and Cuba have been built thanks to his personal contribution," Medvedev said. "We last spoke on the telephone in August, this year, when Fidel Castro celebrated his 90th birthday. He was keenly interested about what was happening in the world, and in Russia, and had a keen mindto the end," he said. "I will always remember my meetings with this remarkable man. My deepest condolences to his family and friends, and to the entire Cuban people," Medvedev said.XC AKC ADG 2053 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0432-1040425.Xml
Cuban-Americans celebrating the death of former leader Fidel Castro flooded the streets of Miami's Little Havana early today, waving flags, setting off fireworks and banging on pots to revel in his passing.Lines of honking cars outside the Versailles Restaurant, long a center of the city's exile community, passed hundreds of cheering revelers who defied occasional rain to rejoice at Castro's death on Friday at 90."This is the happiest day of my life, Cubans are finally free!" said Orlidia Montells, 84, who said she had been waiting for Castro to die for more than 50 years.Hugo Ravelo, an 83-year-old former casino employee, said he hoped change would come to the Caribbean island, though he's not sure how much. "The other one is still there," he said, referring to Cuban President Raul Castro, Fidel's brother.Miami's streets had often been filled in celebration before on false reports of Castro's death but Saturday morning was fueled by relief that the longtime leader was truly gone, revelers said.Miami Mayor Tomas Regalado said the partying among the area's more than 1 million Cuban-Americans would go on for days. The celebration would cross political party lines after a bitterly fought presidential election won by Republican Donald Trump, he said."His passing closes a very painful chapter for Cubans on the island and Cuban-Americans throughout the world, including for thousands of Miami-Dade County residents who were personally affected by his cruel and brutal dictatorship," said Carlos Gimenez, mayor of Miami-Dade County, which includes the city of Miami.Gimenez, who was born in Cuba and emigrated to the United States around the time Castro came to power, said in a statement he hoped any demonstrations would stay peaceful and there were no immediate plans to activate the county's Emergency Operations Center.Luis Torres, a 28-year-old medical student, said Castro was still admired by some people for defying the United States and demolishing Cuba's rigid class system."A lot of people see him as a hero, that he stood up to the U.S.," he said.In a Cuban-American neighborhood in Hialeah, residents thronged the streets, waving Cuban and U.S. flags and clanging on pots.One man, carrying a shovel, told NBC 6 television that "I'm digging a hole for him. He did a lot of damage to my family."He said Castro's government had taken away his father's businesses and imprisoned relatives."I'm so happy," he added about Castro's death.REUTERS PS RAI2120 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0421-1040555.Xml
Baptised as a Roman Catholic and educated by Jesuits, Fidel Castro became a persecutor of the Church after seizing power in Cuba in 1959. Nearly 40 years later, he began a rapprochement that was eventually to enable the Vatican to broker a historic resumption of ties between Cuba and the United States.Despite the contradictions and about-turns, Castro, who died aged 90 on Friday, believed it was possible to be a kind of Christian while remaining true to the cause of revolutionary socialism."If people call me Christian, not from the standpoint of religion but from the standpoint of social vision, I declare that I am a Christian," he said in 2006, shortly before illness forced him to hand over power to his brother Raul.The change in tone was evidenced on Saturday when Pope Francis, who met Castro in Cuba last year, said that his death was "sad news" and that he was grieving and praying for his repose.Yet in his early years in power, Castro saw the Church as an enemy. Angered by its denunciation of communism, he nationalised Catholic schools, muzzled Church publications and expelled many priests. About 130 were rounded up on just one night in 1961 and bundled onto a freighter bound for Spain.Fast-forward to 1991, when the break-up of the Soviet Union deprived Cuba of its main financial backer. Facing economic crisis, Castro began loosening some restrictions on the Church and courting the Vatican as a diplomatic partner. The Communist Party dropped its ban on believers in its ranks.The breakthrough came in 1998 when Pope John Paul visited Cuba, leading to the lifting of more restrictions and the reinstatement of Christmas as a national holiday. Castro attended nearly every papal event and sat in the front row at Masses.During that trip, the first by any pontiff, John Paul said "Let Cuba open itself to the world and the world open itself to Cuba" and called for an end to "El Bloqueo", the US trade embargo.The visit galvanized the local Church, infusing it with more courage to stand up to the communist government on human rights abuses and to press for the release of political prisoners.After Raul Castro took over, the Church in Cuba supported his efforts to reform the Soviet-style command economy. The 2013 election of the popular Francis, the first Latin American pope, and his defence of social justice, have further warmed relations with the Vatican.In May 2015, Raul stopped in Rome to thank the pope for brokering the thaw between Havana and Washington and said Francis so impressed him that he might return to the Church, despite being a communist. He has yet to do so, although he did attend papal Masses during Francis' trip to Cuba in September 2016. REUTERS PS RAI2220 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0421-1040588.Xml
Wang Qishan, head of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, visits Shanxi Dayun Automobile Manufacturing Co Ltd in Yuncheng, north China's Shanxi Province, Nov. 17, 2016. Wang inspected Beijing, Shanxi Province and Zhejiang Province -- the three areas piloting the nation's supervisory system reform centering on new supervision committees. (Xinhua/Gao Jie)

BEIJING, Nov. 25 (Xinhua) -- Wang Qishan, chief of the discipline watchdog of the Communist Party of China (CPC), has called for establishing authoritative and highly-efficient supervisory systems covering all public officials.

Wang, head of the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, made the remarks during an inspection tour in Beijing, Shanxi Province and Zhejiang Province -- the three areas piloting the nation's supervisory system reform centering on new supervision committees.

The supervisory system reform will strengthen the CPC's leadership over anti-corruption work, coordinate various anti-corruption authorities and establish supervision committees to work with current discipline inspection commissions, "realizing full-coverage over all employees with public power," Wang said.

The reform is aimed at improving the self-supervision of the Party and the government, and enhancing the Party's abilities for "self-purification," he said.

The supervision committees are anti-graft agencies by their nature, Wang said. They will perform supervision, investigation and implementation duties, engaging with judicial and law enforcement authorities, and restricting each other, he added.

He asked Party authorities of the three pilot areas to implement the reform according to local situations, and to provide practical experience for a national roll-out.
Chinese Vice Premier Liu Yandong (2nd R) and German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier (2nd L) attend the closing ceremony of the 2016 Sino-German Youth Exchange Year at the University of Hamburg in Hamburg, Germany, on Nov. 24, 2016. (Xinhua/Shan Yuqi)

HAMBURG, Germany, Nov. 25 (Xinhua) -- Exchange and cooperation between Chinese and German youth should be further enhanced, said Chinese Vice Premier Liu Yandong at the closing ceremony of the 2016 Sino-German Youth Exchange Year at the University of Hamburg on Thursday.

"Exchange among young people of both countries will provide an inexhaustible motive force for the further development of bilateral relations and create a better Sino-German future jointly," Liu said.

More youth messengers and friendship messengers need to be cultivated for Sino-German relations to make the Sino-German friendship tree more fruitful, she stressed.

German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, who also attended the closing ceremony, said the German side supports strengthening cultural exchanges between the two countries and raising more young people as ambassadors to promote the Germany-China friendship.

Germany is willing to play an active role in promoting the development of EU-China relations, Steinmeier added.

The young people of China and Germany jointly performed at the ceremony, with the theme of "Exchange, Friendship and Future."
HAMBURG, Germany, Nov. 25 (Xinhua) -- Visiting Chinese Vice Premier Liu Yandong has urged the European Union to fulfill its obligations under the World Trade Organization (WTO) as scheduled.

Liu delivered the message on Thursday in a meeting with Jyrki Katainen, vice president of the European Commission, shortly after the closing of a two-day high-level economic forum between China and the EU.

Liu told Katainen that China and the EU should join hands to oppose trade protectionism and safeguard a fair and just international trade system.

The vice premier expressed her hope that the EU side would fulfill its obligations under the Protocol on China's Accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO) and thus create a better environment for more mutual investment and cooperation.

Under Article 15 of the Protocol on China's Accession to the WTO, the EU must end its "surrogate country system" by Dec. 11, 2016.

Under the system, costs of production in a third country are used to calculate the value of products from other economies.

During her meeting with Katainen, Liu said China attaches great importance to its relations with the EU, supports its integration process, and is committed to making continuous efforts to enrich the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two sides.

Specifically, she said, China is willing to work with the EU side to build partnerships on peace, growth, reform and civilization.

Facing a complex political, economic and security situation in the world today, she said, it is important for China and the EU to work together to improve global governance and deal with global challenges.

She said the two sides should make joint efforts to promote the Belt and Road Initiative and the Investment Plan for Europe, deepen mutual cooperation in economy, trade, investment and interconnections in infrastructure, and further increase exchanges and cooperation in humanitarian fields such as education, culture, science and technology, media, youth and women affairs.

Kataneinen, for his part, said the EU is happy to see the current momentum for the EU and China to develop a good and close relationship.

With increasing uncertainty in the world today, he said, the EU and China needs more than ever to be firm and confident in maintaining close cooperation.

Such cooperation is conducive not only to the development of bilateral relationship, but also to the stability of the world economy, he said.

He said the EU side supports more humanitarian exchanges between the two sides and strongly opposes trade protectionism and actively promotes trade liberalization and facilitation.

Before their meeting, both Liu and Katainen delivered keynote speeches at the closing session of the seventh "Hamburg Summit: China Meets Europe," which opened here on Wednesday.

First initiated by the Hamburg Chamber of Commerce in 2004, the biennial Hamburg Summit has become a major platform for open dialogue between China and Europe.
UNITED NATIONS, Nov. 25 (Xinhua) -- The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) reported that thousands of Nigerian refugees are living in difficult conditions in isolated and insecure border areas of northernmost Cameroon and urgently need assistance, UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters here Friday.

"UNHCR is keen to help, but the continuing Boko Haram threat is a hindrance to regular access," Dujarric said.

A UNHCR team was able to visit previously inaccessible border areas of Far North Region, where they helped pre-register more than 21,000 refugees who have been living for months with host families after fleeing deadly Boko Haram attacks in north-east Nigeria, the spokesman said.

The latest UN figures put the number of out of camp refugees there at 27,000.

"The team found refugees were living under tough conditions," he said. "Some are staying with destitute host families but most were sleeping in the open under trees, in makeshift shelters or on the dirt floors of dilapidated classrooms."

In some villages, lack of health care and sanitation as well as potable water is a major concern as infrastructure has been destroyed or damaged, he said. "Basic services are non-existent in many areas."

Boko Haram violence has led to one of the most acute -- and sorely neglected -- humanitarian crises in the world. As more areas of northeastern Nigeria become accessible, the scale of the human tragedy is becoming apparent.

Some 2.1 million people are displaced in northeastern Nigeria. The number of people in need of food assistance in the region has risen to 4.5 million, nearly twice as many as in March. A worsening economy could see this figure rise by a further million as early as September.

There are real concerns that in the worst affected and least accessible areas of Borno and Yobe states, severe forms of hunger, and likely famine-like conditions, may be occurring.

The vast majority of people with moderate and severe food insecurity are in Borno State -- at more than three million, WFP said.

Unless life-saving assistance is provided fast, hunger will only deepen. An estimated 244,000 children suffer from severe acute malnutrition, including up to 49,000 children who are at risk of dying if not reached with treatment.